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Three-Time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana Launches an Online Coaching Program for Individuals Looking to Achieve Performance Excellence

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Content is King

 

Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne May 15, 2006

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

First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX

and NBC and now there is MBN

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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

BROADCAST NEWS COMING SOON

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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 : You know you're writing about the right subjects when you're told you don’t know what you're talking about and back off till you do.

Poseidon"

First, it was toppled by a rogue wave, then by Tom Cruise and turned off  moviegoers.

Mission: Impossible III held atop the box office over a dud Mother's Day weekend, when presumably more people were interested in taking mom to brunch than buying movie tickets.

Despite Cruise's waning appeal, a lower-than-expected opening and a 49-percent decline in its second weekend, the spy sequel earned enough ($24.5 million from Friday to Sunday, per studio estimates) to scuttle Poseidon, the all-star remake of the 1970s topsy-turvy boat tale, which opened in second place with $20.3 million

Just a reminder that this was the second Poseidon remake in a year, the first being a over long television version that also quickly sank out of site. Why does Hollywood insist on remaking movies that never catch on rather then creating new ones.

ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

Extreme Makeover's Ty Pennington Gives New York a Natural Makeover - 7UP Style

Titanic Branson to Kick-Off Summer Season With a Live Musical Salute to The Beatles

The Degrassi Seniors Don Caps and Gowns on the 100th Episode of The N's Hit Teen Series

Summer's Soundtrack Is On Overdrive With ROADTRIP: Road To Nowhere Petrol/EMI America Records Presents a New CD of Summer-Defining Songs Re-Imagined for the New Millennium's Ultimate ROADTRIP CD in Stores: June 20, 2006

PBS and Discovery Education Partner to Distribute PBS Programs to Schools PBS Educational Content to be Offered Through Discovery Education's Digital Learning Services

Curious George's Next Big Adventure Begins Labor Day on PBS KIDS(R) CURIOUS GEORGE(TM) Makes Its Television Debut on PBS KIDS Monday, September 4, 2006

The Only Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Tonight in NYC at 7 PM EDT

MoneyTV

Eagle Broadband Showcases Satellite Communications System at GSA International Products and Services Expo

HAI's Lumina and Omni Home Control Products are Recognized by the State

of California as Title 24 Compliant

KHHT-FM Los Angeles Adds HD Signal Via Custom Space Combining Jampro Antennas

TreoCentral(TM) Supports the Launch of Palm's Treo(TM) 700p Smartphone With the Availability of Nearly 300 Accessories

SPORTS & AUTOS

It's Fast and It Looks Totally Hot!NASCAR Busch Series Goody's 250 To Run on July 22

Kennedy Wins $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Event on Kentucky Lake 21-pound, 6-ounce final-day catch gives Kennedy his second FLW Tour win on Kentucky Lake Mayor Kathy Taylor Proclaims May 13 'Jim Shoulders Day'; Honors Tulsa Rodeo Legend During Jim Shoulders Great Western Weekend

StubHub FanStats(SM) -- NBA Playoff Tickets Yield Bargains for Savvy Fans

Ticket Marketplace Data Shows Many Steals Available Online

Three-Time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana Launches an Online Coaching Program for Individuals Looking to Achieve Performance ExcellenceDOD

Troops in Iraq Conduct Successful 'Mother's Day' PatrolAmerica Supports You: 'Soldier Ride' Takes Off From PentagonNEWSVerizon Issues Statement on NSA and Privacy Protection

NEWS 

Verizon Issues Statement on NSA and Privacy Protection

M.O.M. Days (Moms Over Menopause) Have All New Meaning Thanks to StopFlash

Blavod Extreme Spirits plc ("the Company" or "Blavod")

NEWSWEEK MEDIA LEAD SHEET/May 22, 2006 Issue (on newsstands Monday, May 15) NEWSWEEK COVER: Spying on Your Calls After 9/11 Administration Eager to Provide Any Tools Necessary to Security Agencies to Combat Terrorism; NSA Requested Permission to Collect Information on U.S. Citizens Aflac Launches New Advertising Campaign Targeted at Small Business Owners

First-ever national radio advertising for Aflac kicks off May 15

The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush on NSA Surveillance Program:

USIS Wins Government Contracts Totaling $13.52 Million

Vatican News

- Cyril, Methodius: Models for Dialogue between Cultures

- States Must Protect Family Founded on Marriage

- Faithfulness to Christian Values Is Foundation of Bavaria

- World Day of Pilgrims: Lasting Memory of John Paul II

- Benedict XVI to Travel to Valencia on July 8 and 9

- Special Envoy to 17th Centenary Martyrdom St. Liberatore

- Christian Life Is Mystery of Communion with Jesus

- Dialogue with and Welcome for Immigrants

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts 

Krispy Kreme Announces Proposed Settlement Resolving ERISA Class Action

Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Presents 'Get Your Money Right' Financial Summit in Miami on Saturday, May 20 at Florida Memorial University

 

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ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

Extreme Makeover's Ty Pennington Gives New York a Natural Makeover - 7UP Style

7UP Announces Move to 100% Natural Ingredients with Two-and-a-Half Story "Natural" Bottle in Greeley Square

7UP Hands Out Free Samples Today to Benefit Fresh Air Fund

7UP, a flagship brand in the Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages group, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's Ty Pennington today rolled out the green carpet in New York's Greeley Square in celebration of the original UNCOLA's decision to go natural. Starting this month, 7UP will be made with 100% natural ingredients.

"Consumers asked us for the crisp, refreshing taste of 7UP made with all natural ingredients and we wanted to let them know we were responding in a BIG way," said Randy Gier, Chief Marketing Officer for Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages. "Naturally, it made sense to have Ty Pennington, the king of huge makeovers, reveal our own natural makeover -- a 25-foot 7UP natural bottle that announces to everyone that 7UP is officially going 100% natural!"

Towering two-and-a-half amazing stories above Broadway, Sixth Avenue and thousands of pedestrians, the 1,400 pound 7UP natural bottle is comprised of 100% natural "ingredients," including huckleberry greens, slender vines, yellow chrysanthemums and red carnations.

In addition to revealing the new, 100% natural 7UP bottle, Pennington led street teams in distributing more than 10,000 cans of 7UP to New Yorkers, allowing them to experience the crisper and more refreshing taste of 7UP while supporting a good cause. As part of the natural makeover event, for every can of 7UP sampled today, the company made a donation to The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency that has helped more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities experience nature.

"I am thrilled to help introduce 7UP, now 100% natural, to consumers on such a grand scale, while supporting The Fresh Air Fund -- an organization that helps deserving kids experience a "natural" makeover of their own," said Pennington.

Since its introduction in 1929, 7UP has responded to changing consumer needs. From the iconic UNCOLA(R) campaign highlighting 7UP's equity as a crisp, clean, clear, caffeine-free choice to the launch of 7UP, now made from 100% natural ingredients, the brand has remained true to its commitment to meet the changing needs and desires of consumers.

Making the Natural Choice

All the ingredients in 7UP, now 100% natural, come from natural sources, and all artificial ingredients, such as the artificial flavor preservative, calcium disodium EDTA, have been removed. That means that only five simple, natural ingredients remain: filtered carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural citric acid, natural flavors, and natural potassium citrate. All of these ingredients are commonly found in a number of natural products, including soups, baked goods and beverages.

Additionally, sodium has been reduced nearly 50% in the 12-oz. can, from 75mg to 40mg. These changes ensure that the 100% natural ingredients come together to deliver a crisper, more refreshing 7UP taste.

For additional information about 7UP, now 100% natural, please visit www.7UP.com.

About Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages

7UP, the original UNCOLA(R), is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas-based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE:CSG) . CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes 7UP, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Slush Puppie frozen drinks, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-Hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information on CSAB and its products, visit www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab.

Web site: http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab
http://www.7up.com/

Titanic Branson to Kick-Off Summer Season With a Live Musical Salute to The Beatles

The World's Largest Titanic Museum Attraction to Host Free, Outdoor Concert Featuring Internationally Acclaimed Liverpool Legends

Two of the world's greatest legends, the Titanic and the Beatles are "All Together Now" for the first time in a one-day only free "Concert at the Bow" celebration of their Liverpool, England roots on Saturday, June 3rd at 2:00 PM.

These two larger-than-life icons' unique Liverpool connection is the theme of the concert. It is the "Home of the Beatles," the Titanic was registered by the White Star Line here and George Harrison's father was a steward on that line for ten years. The afternoon musical tribute will be the first of an ongoing series of special events to be staged at Titanic Branson throughout the year.

Headlining this event is the internationally acclaimed LIVERPOOL LEGENDS, considered to be the world's best Beatles Tribute. This talented group of four has been performing to "sell out" crowds nationwide. Their "right on" resemblances to the original Fab Four and their masterful Beatle's sound-alike stylings make audiences feel like they are watching the real thing!

"Liverpool Legends are the very best four guys to portray The Beatles since the only four guys to play the Beatles were John, Paul, George and Ringo!" says Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison. In 2005 she formed Louise Harrison Entertainment, LTD with the goal of creating a new Beatles Tribute band dedicated to upholding and continuing the positive impact of the Beatles. In a personal letter to Louise, President Clinton wrote: "Liverpool Legends are a wonderful tribute to George's musical legacy!"

Louise Harrison will attend the concert and will be available for interviews throughout the afternoon event.

The Liverpool Legends can be seen, in concert, nightly at Branson's Caravelle Theater at 3446 W. Hwy. 76.

Other Titanic/Liverpool connections:

* Titanic designer J. Bruce Ismay was born and lived in Liverpool.

* The White Star Line was founded in Liverpool.

* Titanic Lookout Fred Fleet, first to spot the iceberg, was born here.

* Many of the officers and crew were from Liverpool.

* Titanic musicians were provided by Liverpool agents.

* The ship's stern showed "Liverpool" registry.

* The Titanic's bell and 900 portholes were crafted here.

* The bridge and engine room telegraphs were made here.

* First Class dinner plates and other bone china items were fashioned

here.

The World's Largest TITANIC Museum Attraction is Branson, Missouri's new landmark tourist destination. The 17,000 sq. ft. ship-shaped structure towers 100 feet above its anchored position on Highway 76. The "ship," built half scale to Titanic's original size, houses 20 galleries on two decks and holds over 400 priceless artifacts. A self-guided, 90-minute walk-through experience is designed to give guests the sensation of being an original passenger on Titanic's 1912 maiden voyage.

For advance TITANIC tickets visit: http://www.titanicbranson.com/ or call 417-334-9500 or 1-800-381-7670

For LIVERPOOL LEGENDS tickets visit http://www.liverpoollegends.com/ or call 417-334-5100

Web site: http://www.titanicbranson.com/
http://www.liverpoollegends.com

The Degrassi Seniors Don Caps and Gowns on the 100th Episode of The N's Hit Teen Series

Two-Part Degrassi Season Five Finale Premieres Friday, June 2 as Lead-In to The Premiere of The N's New Series Beyond The Break

The-N.com to Sneak Peek The Highly Anticipated Finale on Friday, June 2

*(Tapes and Color Art Available Upon Request)

The Degrassi seniors are graduating and the halls are brimming with break-ups, hook-ups and reunions -- all before the final school bell rings. The N, the nighttime network for teens, premieres a special two-part, season five finale of the hit drama Degrassi: The Next Generation Friday, June 2 at 8:00 p.m. (ET). The second part, which marks the series' 100th episode featuring the first-ever graduation, premieres Friday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Degrassi airs regularly on The N every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (ET).

"Graduation is a huge milestone in all teen's lives, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this highly anticipated finale to the millions of Degrassi fans who have been waiting to see the outcome of this season," says Sarah Lindman, Vice President, Production & Programming, The N.

Part one of the finale will air Friday, June 2 at 8:00 p.m. (ET), preceding the premiere of The N's new series Beyond the Break (8:30 p.m. ET). In the episode, "High Fidelity, Part One," it's the end of another school year and Darcy's faith in her boyfriend, Spinner, is being put to the test as she grapples with the harsh reality of teen romance -- jealousy and trust. Spinner isn't exactly forthright about his sexual history and opts to leave Darcy in the dark about the truth. But when Darcy finds out about Spinner's past sexual escapades, she will have to make the decision whether to forgive and forget.

In "High Fidelity, Part Two," premiering Friday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. (ET), graduation wouldn't be complete without some old couples reuniting. Spinner, reeling from his recent break-up with Darcy, considers reconnecting with someone from his past. Meanwhile, Darcy regrets her fight with Spinner and pines for his attention in hopes of mending their relationship.

On Friday, June 2, The N will sneak peek an exclusive, one-minute Degrassi clip at 8:25 p.m. (ET) at http://www.the-n.com/, highlighting upcoming story lines and key moments in support of the Degrassi season five finale.

Viewers can also log online for exclusive content, including: Degrassi Minis, candid 'IMterviews' with the senior class and flipbooks with photos of the past five years. Online fans will also be able to test their Degrassi knowledge with quizzes, as well as Degrassi-themed avatar accessories and secret avatars.

Degrassi: The Next Generation, winner of both a Television Critics Association Award and a Teen Choice Summer Series Award, is a fictional, dramatic series that tackles tough issues in a realistic way. This spring Degrassi delves into topics including: eating disorders, teen pregnancy, religion and cheating. Degrassi introduces a new generation of kids going through the trials and tribulations of adolescence in the 21st century at the newly refurbished Degrassi Community School. The series follows Emma (Miriam McDonald), Ashley (Melissa McIntyre), Paige (Lauren Collins), Manny (Cassie Steele), Ellie (Stacey Farber), Craig (Jake Epstein), Jimmy (Aubrey Graham), Hazel (Andrea Lewis), Liberty (Sarah Barrable-Tishauer), Spinner (Shane Kippel), Marco (Adamo Ruggiero), Toby (Jake Goldsbie), J.T. (Ryan Cooley), Jay (Mike Lobel), Alex (Deanna Casaluce), Darcy (Shenae Grimes) and Peter (Jamie Johnston) as they journey through high school.

Parent discussion guides are available for Degrassi: The Next Generation on http:%5C\discussions.the-n.com. The episode-specific guides offer parents tips and questions about the issues raised in Degrassi to use as discussion starters with young adolescents.

Epitome Pictures and its affiliate companies have been producing quality Canadian programming since 1976, including the multi-award winning, internationally recognized Degrassi franchise, The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, which still air throughout the world. Epitome Pictures has also produced the series Liberty Street and Riverdale, as well as several MOWs. For more information, please visit http://www.epitomepictures.com/.

The N, the nighttime network for teens, is a programming arm of MTV Networks and is currently available in 49 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite television. The N's mission is to be the authentic voice for teens and help them figure out their lives with relevant, topical programming on-air and online at the network's web site http://www.the-n.com/. The N airs everyday from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (ET). The N and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Source: The N

Summer's Soundtrack Is On Overdrive With ROADTRIP: Road To Nowhere

Petrol/EMI America Records Presents a New CD of Summer-Defining Songs Re-Imagined for the New Millennium's Ultimate ROADTRIP

CD in Stores: June 20, 2006

Ready for a taste of the open road? Don those shades, slip into that sweet but sleek convertible and feel the turbo roar as you set off for destinations unknown -- at least in your mind. ROADTRIP: Road To Nowhere is the first offering from Australian label Petrol Records and the new EMI America Records label since Petrol and EMI Music announced an exclusive, long-term global partnership in February 2006. The ultimate drive-time CD for blissfully meandering journeys on the open road, ROADTRIP drops in stores June 20th and presents 12 of the most evocative pop and rock songs of all time, as you've never heard them before.

ROADTRIP: Road To Nowhere features classic hits re-imagined with edgy driving beats and pulsating rhythms for today's adrenaline-fueled lifestyle by some of the hottest artists on the international underground music scene, including the UK production team sensation Thriller Jill, Atom, Neimo, Thomas Beach & Lana Constantine, and Andy Gilbert, among others. Recharging familiar songs with post-modern mixes, ROADTRIP launches an entirely new listening experience as new vistas beckon and the road already traveled fades from sight.

The party on wheels shifts into drive with the CD's first track, "Road to Nowhere," originally recorded by Talking Heads and transformed for this new journey by Atom, as is Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl." Andy Gilbert's take on "Blue," originally recorded by Joni Mitchell, heats things up, while Lou Reed's "Vicious" is revved up by Neimo. The trip comes to an end with Thriller Jill's version of "Broken English," originally recorded by Marianne Faithfull.

ROADTRIP: Road To Nowhere will also be available for album and single download from major digital service providers. Ringtunes to be offered from the album include the title track "Road to Nowhere," "Pump It Up," "Hello I Love You," and "Cinnamon Girl," available through select mobile carriers.

"Some of these tracks are definitely not what you'd initially think of as roadtrip songs," said Chris Murphy, founder and CEO of Petrol Records. "Collectively, as a sequenced soundtrack, these songs align beautifully to create the right mood and set your mind free as you access the open road."

"This release exemplifies what Petrol has become known around the world for doing best: selecting and creating the best music and packaging for releases that transport listeners wherever they want to go. We're thrilled to have ROADTRIP as our inaugural Petrol/EMI America Records release with which to launch the Petrol lifestyle in the United States and beyond," said Herb Agner, Vice President, EMI Catalog Marketing. "Petrol integrates music with style and culture in a lifestyle vision that appeals to music fans everywhere."

Petrol Records is an independent music company dedicated since 2001 to discovering seriously good music and bringing together the freshest sounds on the global music scene. Petrol and EMI Music have entered a long-term, global partnership to present Petrol's border-hopping musical and cultural vision to a broader worldwide audience via EMI's streamlined distribution and marketing channels.

Other Petrol Records titles planned for global release in 2006 under the new Petrol/EMI partnership include the label's inaugural compilation series, "The Greatest Songs Ever," an acclaimed musical exploration of the artists and genres native to many of the most exotic and culture-rich destinations around the world, including Cuba, Greece, Argentina and others. Another CD series will follow, "The Sex, The City, The Music," delving into some of the world's most cutting-edge, cosmopolitan music styles found in the best local club scenes, from Istanbul to Barcelona.

For more information, visit Petrol's official site: www.petrolrecords.com.

PETROL PRESENTS ... ROADTRIP: ROAD TO NOWHERE

Track Artist Vocals Original Artist

01 Road to Nowhere Atom Nina Madhoo Talking Heads

02 Do It Again Thriller Jill Mitch Stevens Beach Boys

03 Let's Stick Together Thriller Jill Terry Ronald Roxy Music

04 Pump It Up Thriller Jill Valerie Etienne Elvis Costello

05 Rocket Man Thriller Jill Paul Fredericks Elton John

06 Cinnamon Girl Atom Nina Madhoo Neil Young

07 Blue Andy Gilbert Andy Gilbert Joni Mitchell

08 Hello I love you Neimo Bruno Alexandre The Doors

09 Waiting in Vain Atom Gary Bromham Bob Marley &

The Wailers

10 Vicious Neimo Bruno Alexandre Lou Reed

11 Femme Fatale Thomas Beach & Lana Constantine Velvet

Underground /

Nico

12 Broken English Thriller Jill Roxanne Wilder Marianne

Faithfull

Source: Petrol Records and EMI America Records

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

PBS and Discovery Education Partner to Distribute PBS Programs to Schools

PBS Educational Content to be Offered Through Discovery Education's Digital Learning Services

PBS and Discovery Education today announced a major multi-year media partnership through which PBS has licensed hundreds of hours from its most acclaimed series and specials for distribution to schools through Discovery Education's digital learning services. PBS titles to be made available via Discovery Education include THE CIVIL WAR and other Ken Burns documentaries; FREEDOM: A HISTORY OF US; the complete CYBERCHASE series; and selected episodes from NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, FRONTLINE and others. A number of local PBS stations already partner with Discovery Education in delivering its flagship video-on-demand service, unitedstreaming, as part of their portfolio of local education offerings.

"For both PBS and our local stations, this new partnership represents an important opportunity to bring PBS content to a growing audience of educators," said Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO. "PBS is entering into a number of new, non-exclusive licensing relationships to broaden the reach of our award-winning education resources, and we are pleased that the first of these new partnerships is with Discovery Education."

Beginning this fall, schools nationwide will have the opportunity to receive the PBS library as a supplement to unitedstreaming. As with all content delivered through unitedstreaming, the PBS programs will be correlated to state curriculum standards, chaptered into content-specific video clips and offered for teachers to stream or download for instructional use.

"This expansion of Discovery Education's relationship with PBS underscores the alignments of our values and missions," said Steve Sidel, President of Discovery Education. "We're delighted that this arrangement will give teachers and students the opportunity to access these high-quality titles -- on-demand -- through our award-winning platform."

Discovery Education is a leading provider of broadband educational videostreaming content and services in the United States. Discovery Education's unitedstreaming service is licensed to more than 70,000 schools, and is the only digital video-based learning resource scientifically proven to increase academic achievement. Featuring more than 5,000 full-length videos segmented into 50,000 content-specific video clips, unitedstreaming allows teachers to seamlessly integrate its content into their curriculums.

PBS is a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS TeacherSource (http://www.pbs.org/teachersource) helps preK-12 educators learn effective ways to incorporate online tools in the classroom through nearly 3,000 free lesson plans, teachers' guides, homeschooling guidance and other resourceful activities -- all correlated to national and state curriculum standards. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, PBS TeacherLine (http://www.pbs.org/teacherline) provides high-quality professional teacher development through more than 100 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics, science, curriculum and instruction, and technology integration.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is a division of Discovery Communications, the leading global real-world and knowledge-based media company. The leader in digital video-based learning, Discovery Education produces and distributes high- quality digital video content in easy-to-use formats, in all core-curricular subject areas. Discovery Education is committed to creating scientifically proven, standards-based digital resources for teachers, students, and parents that make a positive impact on student learning. Through strategic partnerships with over 25 public television stations across the country, its public service initiatives, products, and joint business ventures, Discovery Education helps educators around the world harness the power of broadband and media to connect their students to a world of learning. For more information, visit http://www.discoveryeducation.com/.

About PBS

PBS is a private, nonprofit media enterprise that serves the nation's 348 public noncommercial television stations, reaching nearly 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.

Source: PBS; Discovery Education

shermaze_ingram@discovery.com

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

Curious George's Next Big Adventure Begins Labor Day on PBS KIDS(R)

CURIOUS GEORGE(TM) Makes Its Television Debut on PBS KIDS Monday, September 4, 2006

Since 1941, children have delighted in the (mis-)adventures of Curious George in the best-selling book series. Now, hot on the heels of his successful big screen debut, Curious George swings on to television. Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions, with the support of "Curious George" publisher Houghton Mifflin, are bringing the insatiably curious monkey to PBS KIDS daily, beginning Labor Day, Monday, September 4 (check local listings). The series will debut as part of PBS KIDS new hosted preschool destination.

The series is designed to inspire kids to explore science, math, and engineering in the world around them in a fun and entertaining way. Based on the best-selling "Curious George" books by Margret and H.A. Rey, and narrated by Emmy-winning actor William H. Macy ("Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville"), the daily series expands George's world to include a host of colorful new characters and original locales, while maintaining the charm of the beloved books. Each of the thirty half-hour episodes includes two animated stories followed by short live-action pieces showing real kids who are investigating the ideas that George introduces in his stories. The series will encourage inquiry and curiosity, promote hands-on exploration, and show parents and caregivers how to support children's science and math-related play.

"For more than 65 years, Curious George has entertained children and parents around the world, selling more than 27 million books in 17 languages. Across the globe, George's enduring popularity and multi-generational appeal has not only successfully fueled his recent entrie into film, but will assure a successful transition into television as he settles into his new home on PBS KIDS," said Glenn Ross, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Universal Studios Family Productions.

"Learning begins with curiosity, and who could be a better guide than Curious George, with his endless taste for adventure," said executive producer for WGBH, Carol Greenwald. "We know that once kids tune-in on Labor Day to watch George in his new series, they'll want to return every day to enjoy CURIOUS GEORGE."

CURIOUS GEORGE is a production of Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions. Executive producers are Carol Greenwald (WGBH) and Ellen Cockrill (Universal). Funding for CURIOUS GEORGE is provided by public television viewers. The CURIOUS GEORGE Web site is pbskids.org/curiousgeorge. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Company and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. Television series: (C) 2006. Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

About the CURIOUS GEORGE television series

Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions, are producing an animated Curious George preschool television series based on the literary classic. Curious George will use his insatiable curiosity as a way of acquainting preschoolers with key concepts in math, science, and engineering. George's memorable (mis-)adventures -- from dismantling clocks to rounding up errant bunnies -- will offer a perfect vehicle for motivating kids to expand their own investigations of the world. William H. Macy narrates the series.

Universal Studios Family Productions

The Universal Studios Family Productions banner, which includes Universal Animation Studios, develops, produces, and acquires live-action and animated family productions directly for the home entertainment and television markets. Among the group's portfolio of prized properties is "The Land Before Time," the most successful feature-length children's home entertainment franchise of all time, having earned more than one billion dollars worldwide to date. Included in the group's forthcoming slate are the all new DVD Original releases "Bring It On: All or Nothing," the next installment in the hugely successful "Bring It On" film franchise; "Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses" and "PollyWorld" based on the world-renowned Mattel-branded dolls; and the widely anticipated television series launches of CURIOUS GEORGE on PBS this fall and "The Land Before Time" on Cartoon Network in early 2007. Universal Studios Family Productions is part of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

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

WGBH Boston

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting station. It produces one third of PBS's primetime lineup, and is the producer of award-winning children's series such as "Arthur," "Between the Lions," "Postcards from Buster," and "ZOOM" airing on PBS; "Peep and the Big Wide World" airing on TLC's Ready Set Learn! and the Discovery Kids Channel; and "Time Warp Trio" airing on Discovery Kids on NBC Saturday mornings and the Discovery Kids Channel. Under the leadership of Vice President Brigid Sullivan, the WGBH children's lineup leads the field in educational multimedia (including the Web, broadband, and interactive television) and in technologies and services that make media accessible to people with disabilities. WGBH's current children's series have been recognized with some of the world's most prestigious awards, including twelve Emmys, the George Foster Peabody award, three Prix Jeunesse awards, a BAFTA, and more than a dozen Parents' Choice awards. For more information, visit www.wgbh.org.

PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS new hosted preschool destination is one part of PBS KIDS Next Generation Media, a broad-based initiative to define public television's role in the changing digital children's media landscape. The new on-air and online destination, designed exclusively for preschoolers, incorporates proven teaching techniques guided by a live host to help parents and children benefit from the time they spend with PBS.

PBS KIDS is committed to providing the highest quality non-commercial content and learning environment for children across the country. Providing age-appropriate, diverse programming for kids, PBS KIDS' programs consistently earn more prestigious awards than any other broadcast or cable network. Only PBS KIDS has earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. With additional PBS resources to complement its programming, including PBS KIDS online (www.pbskids.org), PBS KIDS GO! (www.pbskidsgo.org), PBS Parents

(www.pbsparents.org), PBS TeacherSource (www.pbsteachersource.org), PBS Ready To Learn services, and literacy events across the country, PBS KIDS is providing the tools necessary for positive child development. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 348 public television stations, serving nearly 90 million people each week and reaching 99% of American homes.

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

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

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

The Only Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Tonight in NYC at 7 PM EDT

A Live Debate Uncovering the Controversial Issues in the Book and Movie with Audience Participation

WHO: Leading national experts debate and discuss all sides of the

issues in the best-selling book and upcoming movie.

WHAT: The Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event

WHEN: TONIGHT - Monday, May 15, 2006 at 7 PM EDT

WHERE: NY Hilton Hotel, 1335 6th Ave.@ 53rd/54th Sts. Manhattan,

Beekman/Sutton Ballrooms

WHY: This is the only global debate event scheduled before the

release of The Da Vinci Code movie. Debate also available live on global video streaming via the Internet at www.davincidebateny.com.

Key Questions:

* Are there hidden messages in Da Vinci's art?

* Was Jesus a prophet or actual God or the Messiah himself?

* Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene?

* Is The Da Vinci Code book and movie mostly fact or mostly fiction?

www.davincidebateny.com

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

MoneyTV-

MoneyTV is the nationally syndicated television program all about money and what makes it happen, (http://www.moneytv.net), featuring informative interviews by hosts Donald Baillargeon and Skip Lindeman with company CEOs, providing insights into their operations and outlooks for their futures.

Free information packages from the featured companies can be requested by sending an email to info@moneytv.net.

The television program can also be viewed online immediately at www.moneytv.net.

Featured companies on this week's show include:

XsunX, Inc. (OTC BB: XSNX) CEO Tom Djokovich spoke of recent company developments, discussed where he felt his company stood in today's energy climate and addressed the stock price activity of the last few weeks.

InRob Tech, Ltd. (OTC BB: IRBL) Spokesperson Renee Hochman brought viewers up to date on company activity.

Cord Blood America, Inc. (OTC BB: CBAI) CEO Matthew Schissler spoke of his company's battle against "short selling" of their stock.

Manhattan West Mortgage CEO Roger Schlesinger outlined the advantages of a 15-year loan.

RBC Dain Rauscher Senior VP Irwin Shapiro analyzed the recent move by the Federal Reserve.

The Green Baron.com Editor-in-Chief Matt Chipman discussed whether the streaking DJIA will have an effect on small cap stocks.

Invisa, Inc. (OTC BB: INSA) Spokesperson Rich Schineller announced that Engineered Parking Systems has joined Invisa's OEM Program, bringing the program to seven manufacturers.

Viewers of MoneyTV can receive free information in the mail about featured companies by calling the toll-free phone number on their TV screen. The weekly television program debuted in 1996 and is broadcast nationally to 60 million U.S. homes on Saturdays at 11:00 AM ET, Sundays at 8:30 AM PT, & 9:30 AM ET and Mondays at 6:30 PM ET.

MoneyTV is broadcast to 45 million TV homes in Western Europe, Wednesdays at 7:30 PM.

MoneyTV is also broadcast on NBC-TV in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Sundays at 8:00 AM.

A complete menu of TV listings is available at the MoneyTV web site, http://www.moneytv.net.

MoneyTV television program, Copyright MMVI, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3- to 4-month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $11,500.00 to $17,250.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by the producers, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

SOURCE: MoneyTV

Eagle Broadband Showcases Satellite Communications System at GSA International Products and Services Expo

SatMAX(TM) Offers New Flexibility to Traditional Satellite Communications

Eagle Broadband, Inc (AMEX: EAG), a national provider of broadband, Internet protocol (IP) and communications technology and services, will showcase its SatMAX™ indoor/outdoor Iridium-based satellite communications system at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) International Products and Services Expo in San Antonio from May 15-18. World Communication Center (WCC), a leading provider of global satellite voice and data communications equipment and services, and a reseller of SatMAX™, will showcase the product in its booth.

Historically limited by the requirement of satellite phones for line-of-sight access to orbiting satellites, government and military operations now have the ability to access dependable and uninterrupted communication via the SatMAX™ system during disaster recovery. Available as both fixed and mobile units, SatMAX™ allows more flexibility by enabling multiple users to utilize Iridium-based satellite telephones in both outdoor and indoor settings without losing a signal.

"Difficult conditions often prevent emergency workers and military operatives from using their Iridium satellite phones outdoors," said Sam Romey, president of WCC. "Eagle Broadband's SatMAX™ product offers a strong, unique solution to that challenge for WCC's customers."

The GSA International Products and Services Expo takes place this week at the San Antonio Convention Center.

For more information on Eagle Broadband, visit www.eaglebroadband.com.

About Eagle Broadband, Inc.

Eagle Broadband is a technology company that develops and delivers products and services in three core business segments:

-- IPTV -- Eagle Broadband's IPTVComplete™ provides direct access to

more than 200 channels of high-demand programming from popular

entertainment providers, often using Eagle's high-definition, set-top

boxes.

-- SatMAX™ -- Eagle Broadband's SatMAX™ provides indoor/outdoor

communications utilizing the global Iridium-based (www.iridium.com)

satellite communications system. It offers both fixed and mobile

solutions, including the emergency first responder SatMAX™ Alpha "SatMAX

in a suitcase" technology

-- Managed Services -- Eagle Broadband's Managed Services division

provides support for its IPTVComplete™ and SatMAX products, and

implements a range of other Internet-related technologies, including WiFi

and VoIP solutions.

 

About WCC

World Communication Center (WCC) is a leading provider of global satellite solutions including telephones, pagers, WiFi networking, and broadband Internet satellite devices and services. The company's broad spectrum of products and service providers includes Inmarsat, VSAT, Iridium, BGAN, Nera, DirecWay, Starband, iNetVU, Strix Systems, Blue Rocket and Tachyon, which allow the instant creation of a mobile office anywhere. With options for rental or for-purchase satellite communications solutions for maritime, aviation, military and ground transportation, WCC serves government agencies, corporate entities, and business or leisure travelers, including the State of Alaska, NASA, The Peace Corps and Boeing.

HAI's Lumina and Omni Home Control Products are Recognized by the State

of California as Title 24 Compliant

Home Automation, Inc. (HAI), the premier manufacturer of home

control products since 1985, announces that its award-winning Omni and

Lumina home control systems are now recognized by the state of California as Title 24 Compliant.

California's Title 24 energy code was designed to decrease energy

consumption through the regulation of approved lighting control devices

such as dimmers, occupancy sensors, and high efficiency lights.

Initiated in October 2005, all new and remodeled homes in the state must

incorporate Title 24 compliant lighting and controls.

HAI's two home control system families, the Omni family and the

Lumina family coordinate a home's amenities for comfort, convenience and

safety. The Omni systems feature built-in UL-Listed security and fire

systems, lighting control, temperature control, and audio control, with

telephone and Internet connectivity options.

For consumers who do not need the built-in security system HAI

offers the Lumina line of home control products. Lumina home control

systems provide sophisticated lighting control for new or existing homes.

These systems are affordable, easy to install, and easy to operate.

Although they do not come with a built-in security and fire system like

the Omni family home control systems, Lumina systems can tie into an

existing security system.

Energy conservation, alternative energy and better building

techniques are ongoing endeavors pursued by HAI‘s Engineering and Product Development divisions in conjunction with several private and government agencies. “We're happy to have our products recognized by the state of California as being compliant with their Title 24 energy code,” explains HAI President Jay McLellan. “It's part of our ongoing effort to design and manufacture affordable and intuitive products that make saving energy an integral part of a home's function.”

HAI products are sold through a worldwide network of

Distributors and installed by over 1000 trained dealers. For more information on HAI's award winning product line, please visit www.homeauto.com, or call (800) 229-7256.

About HAI: HAI is a privately held manufacturer of integrated

automation and security products for residential and commercial use based in New Orleans, LA. Incorporated in 1985, HAI has developed a full line of award-winning automation products, including automation controllers, communicating programmable thermostats, smart light switches, and software that allows access and control of an automation system over the Internet. All products are sold through HAI's worldwide network of Distribution Partners and installed by over 1000 trained dealers.

This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the HAI Press

mailing list, and this message is meant to communicate information for

commercial purposes.

KHHT-FM Los Angeles Adds HD Signal Via Custom Space Combining Jampro Antennas

Jampro Antennas / RF Systems, Inc., of Sacramento CA, announced that the company supplied KHHT-FM with a Jampro JSCP FM antenna to facilitate the establishment of a new high-definition FM channel. Serving the entire Los Angles metro area at 92.3 FM, KHHT is a 50 kW station broadcasting a contemporary urban adult format.

Jampro devised a cost-effective HD solution for KHHT by space-combining two sidemount antennas, that is, installing two antennas at different heights on the tower and combining the signals in space. KHHT already used a single-input Jampro JSCP-1 for analog transmission. Jampro revisited the JSCP-1 design plans and custom built a new, compatible single-input JSCP-2 antenna to permit space combining with the station’s existing Jampro. To ensure the reliability of both analog and HD signals the station installed a new HD transmitter. Space combining separate antennas also offers additional benefits including backup for the analog channel via the digital bays and no need for an external injector.

The JSCP is an earlier version of the new JHPC high power sidemount antenna from Jampro's Penetrator series, which has since become the industry standard for quality, performance and proven durability as in the case of the JSCP-1 at KHHT, which has been performing brilliantly for 20 years. The Penetrator is made of high quality marine brass and copper. A galvanized steel mounting bracket supports each bay.

Most single-input Jampro antennas made from the 1960s to the present have sufficient bandwidth and band pass symmetry to handle analog and digital broadcasts using low level combining, medium level combining, or separate input HD bays. Alternately, high-level combining is possible with Jampro's RCHC-X2X-10DAB family of HD injectors. And another approach uses dual-input antennas such as developed by Jampro from the 1970s onward to allow the driving of all antenna elements with both analog and digital RF, requiring no injector.

About Jampro

Jampro Antennas / RF Systems Inc., established to answer the need for quality broadcast systems at a reasonable price, is a leading supplier of antennas, combiners & filters and RF components for every application in the broadcast industry. Reputed for innovation and customization, Jampro builds each system to the specifications of the individual broadcaster. From the first system delivered in 1954 to those installed today, the Company is committed to consistent performance and quality founded on solid engineering. Today, over 15,000 broadcasters worldwide benefit from the quality and performance provided by Jampro systems.

Additional information on JAMPRO can be obtained at www.jampro.com.

TreoCentral(TM) Supports the Launch of Palm's Treo(TM) 700p Smartphone With the Availability of Nearly 300 Accessories

TreoCentral™, the number one resource for Treo™ Smartphone owners, today announced the availability of nearly 300 accessories compatible with Palm's new Treo 700p smartphone. The TreoCentral Store (http://store.treocentral.com) carries the widest available selection of Treo-related accessories (cases, headsets, chargers, memory cards, etc.), with new items being added weekly.

Treo 700p Compatible Cases

The TreoCentral Store offers a large variety of cases -- holster-style, form-fit, skin, pouch and more -- giving Treo owners plenty of options for carrying and protecting their smartphone. And for keeping the Treo 700p's display scratch-free, the store's bestseller is the screen protector 3-pack by Smartphone Experts.

Bluetooth Headsets and More

The store has all the latest Bluetooth headsets from major brands such as Motorola, Jabra, Plantronics and Sony Ericsson. Other Bluetooth accessories include GPS navigation and car kits.

Keeping the Treo 700p Charged

From extended batteries, to cradles and retractable sync & charge solutions, the TreoCentral Store has what 700p owners need to keep powered throughout the workweek.

For Super-Charged Multimedia

The Treo 700p, with its 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder, offers powerful new multimedia capabilities. The TreoCentral Store carries a selection of 128MB through 2GB SD memory cards from Dane-Elec and SanDisk that provide a great way to store important video, photo and audio files. And to take advantage of the 700p's audio capabilities, there's a selection of 2-in-1 hybrid headphones that can be used for both music and phone conversations.

"We are very excited about the new Treo 700p. It is a welcomed addition to the Treo smartphone family," said Marcus Adolfsson, President of Smartphone Experts, which powers TreoCentral's store. "We enjoy having the opportunity to enhance the lives of Treo users on a daily basis with our growing list of product offerings, our reviews and the healthy dialogue that takes place in the forums."

About TreoCentral

TreoCentral (www.treocentral.com) is the number one online resource for Palm Treo smartphones. Its companion site, the TreoCentral Store (http://store.treocentral.com/), powered by Smartphone Experts, carries the widest selection of Treo-related products on the Web. The TreoCentral Store opened in October 2003, to coincide with the release of the Treo 600 smartphone. The TreoCentral community is quite active and expanding daily with over 55,000 registered forum members and 850,000+ posts.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

TREO and TreoCentral are trademarks or registered trademarks of Palm, Inc. in the United States and other countries; the TreoCentral mark and domain name are used under license from Palm, Inc.

SOURCE: TreoCentral

 

SPORTS & AUTOS

It's Fast and It Looks Totally Hot!

The Air Force Reserve Jet Car masterfully rolls along the runway, spewing smoke, flames and mini-sonic booms. It pulls into position and waits. Sometimes a naive pilot, who actually thinks he has a shot at winning, flies close to the deck and issues a race challenge. The car continues to wait as the plane circles to get into position. The plane comes in fast and as it passes over the Jet Car, the driver kicks it into action. The Jet Car accelerates from zero to 400 mph in about eight seconds -- that's less time than it takes to dial home on your cell phone. It's less time than it takes to get in your car and crank the engine. It's less time than it takes to back out of your driveway. It's less time than it takes the Jet Car to zoom past the plane it is racing. You can actually witness the Jet Car take on another unsuspecting victim at the 2006 Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, MD, May 20-21.

The Car's Westinghouse J-34 jet churns about 10,000 horsepower and 6,000 pounds of thrust to move the 26-foot long car, appropriately decorated to look like the inside of just such an engine. The 1800-foot run gobbles 40 gallons of diesel fuel before the 2,300-pound car is dragged to a stop by a ring slot parachute.

Scott Hammack, who designed the Jet Car, is the primary driver, Bill Braack is the #2 driver and Linda Hammack handles logistics for the team, which has been accident-free for more than 3,300 runs. That equates to driving from New York to Ft. Lauderdale for Spring Break, and at Jet Car speed, that's about a three-hour trip, provided there's no traffic.

Bill Braack, Scott Hammack and the Jet Car are proudly supported by the Air Force Reserve, composed of more than 70,000 men and women. Although members of the Air Force Reserve serve part-time, they perform approximately 30 percent of the work of U.S. Air Force. A large number of civilian jobs in America exist in the Air Force Reserve, where reservists can continue their careers while serving their country. The Air Force Reserve is a team of people who are stationed locally, but serve globally.

 

NASCAR Busch Series Goody's 250 To Run on July 22

With a 16-year legacy as a race title sponsor, Goody's Headache Powder will return to historic Martinsville Speedway as title sponsor of the NASCAR Busch Series race, announced Darren Singer, Vice President of Goody's Marketing for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and Clay Campbell, President Martinsville Speedway. Goody's Headache Powder and Martinsville Speedway have agreed on terms for the sponsorship of the Goody's 250, to be held on Saturday, July 22, reuniting one of NASCAR's longest standing sponsors with one of NASCAR's most historic racetracks.

"As the Official Pain Reliever of NASCAR for the past thirty years, we are thrilled to be the title sponsor of the Goody's 250 at Martinsville Speedway located in the heart of Goody's Country," said Singer. "With all the tradition of Martinsville Speedway, it makes for the perfect setting for NASCAR's longest running non-automotive sponsor to celebrate its heritage in the sport. Goody's is a brand that is all about speed and we are proud to have so many dedicated users who love their brand. Martinsville Speedway is also all about speed and has a proud history of dedicated fans that flock to the speedway for a NASCAR experience that can't be beat!"

Goody's has a long, colorful history with NASCAR and Martinsville Speedway. Goody's entered the sport in 1977 as the "Official Pain Reliever of NASCAR".

In its nearly 30 years as a NASCAR sponsor, Goody's has sponsored races at Daytona International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. From 1983 - 1999, Goody's sponsored the Goody's 500, the NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville.

In addition to sponsoring the Goody's 250 at Martinsville Speedway, Goody's sponsors the Goody's Headache of the Race, the Goody's Headache Powder "Extra Strength Award", and the Goody's Fast Relief Zone. The Goody's Headache of the Race Award is given to the driver that suffers the worst luck in each week's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series race as determined by fans voting online at goodyspowder.com. The Goody's Extra Strength Award is a weekly NASCAR contingency award given to the highest finishing NASCAR Busch Series regular. The Goody's Fast Relief Zone is an interactive NASCAR experience for fans to enjoy and sample Goody's Headache Powder at select NASCAR races.

Richard Petty, NASCAR's all-time winningest driver, has been the spokesperson for Goody's Headache Powder since Goody's entered the sport in 1977. Two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Tony Stewart joined Petty as a spokesperson in 2005. The champion duo co-star in a series of advertisements titled "Goody's Country" and "Mr. Petty's Neighborhood" that are currently airing. Goody's is also a major sponsor of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a racing-themed summer camp that provides an escape and enjoyment for seriously ill children. They were the first company to donate $1 million to Victory Junction to fund the Goody's Body Shop, the camp's medical center.

The Goody's 250 will mark the first time that the NASCAR Busch Series has raced at Martinsville Speedway in over a decade. A total of 33 NASCAR Busch Series races were run at Martinsville from 1982 - 1994.

"I couldn't think of a better way to bring the Busch Series back to Martinsville Speedway than with Goody's as the sponsor," said Campbell. "The Goody's 250 is a new event, but it's almost like a family reunion for us. Goody's has been such a big part of the history of Martinsville Speedway over the years and we're really excited to have them back as the sponsor of this historic event."

Tickets to the NASCAR Busch Series Goody's 250 race on Saturday, July 22 at Martinsville Speedway are now on sale. To order tickets to the Goody's 250 or for more information, call 877-RACE-TIX (722-3849) or log on to martinsvillespeedway.com.

About Goody's Headache Powder

Goody's Headache Powder has been providing fast relief since 1932 when it was formulated by Winston-Salem, NC pharmacist Martin "Goody" Goodman. Today, it is one of the most popular analgesics in the southeastern United States providing fast and effective temporary relief from minor aches and pains due to headaches, arthritis, colds or flu, muscle strain, backache and menstrual discomfort.

About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over- the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well- known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R), NicoDerm(R) CQ and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples, such as Abreva(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R) and Tums(R). GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare continues to develop innovative products to help all smokers find their best support system and achieve their goal of being cigarette free.

About Martinsville Speedway

Founded in 1947 by the late H.Clay Earles, Martinsville Speedway is the oldest track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit. Purchased by International Speedway Corporation, it is also one of the most modern speedways, with high- rise aluminum chairback seating for 65,000 fans, 25 VIP suites and state-of- the-art facilities for the media. Martinsville Speedway hosted Busch Series races from its inception through 1994. Martinsville Speedway has five major race event weekends each year. In addition to the Goody's 250 NASCAR Busch Series race, the track annually hosts the DirecTV 500 and SUBWAY 500 NASCAR NEXTEL races, the Kroger 250 and Kroger 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, the Made In America Whelen 300 NASCAR Modified Whelen race, and the Bailey's 300 NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race.

Source: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

http://www.goodyspowder.com/
http://www.martinsvillespeedway.com/

Kennedy Wins $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Event on Kentucky Lake

21-pound, 6-ounce final-day catch gives Kennedy his second FLW Tour win on Kentucky Lake

The final round of the $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop on Kentucky Lake presented by Pedigree was an all-out battle between two of the hottest sticks in bass fishing -- local favorite Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., who has earned 25 top-10 finishes on the lake and Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., who has earned four top-five finishes in Bassmaster and FLW Tour competition this season.

Both men specialize in open-water ledge fishing, which turned out to be a crucial advantage this week. In the end, however, it came down to a last-minute catch and a costly penalty that gave Kennedy his second $100,000 FLW Tour victory on the lake.

To claim the win, Kennedy had to overcome a 4-pound, 10-ounce lead that Bolton established Friday. He did just that with a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday that pushed his two-day total weight to 37 pounds, 5 ounces.

He caught all of his fish on ledges in 17 to 23 feet of water using a 3/4-ounce brown and purple football-head jig laced with a Kinami double-tail grub.

"Three of the five fish I weighed came off the same spot this morning," Kennedy said. By the afternoon, I was culling 3 1/2-pound fish. They just kept coming and coming."

His most critical catch of the day was a nearly 5-pound smallmouth that he caught with only five minutes left in the tournament. That fish, combined Bolton's 8-ounce penalty for an expired fish, gave Kennedy the win by a razor thin 4 ounces.

"Knowing (Terry) caught more than I did is a little tough to swallow," Kennedy said. "But when you catch fish deep, sometimes, they don't adjust so well."

Bolton led the tournament Friday with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 9 ounces and then added five more bass weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday for a two-day total of 37 pounds, 1 ounce. If not for having an expired fish, his total weight would have been 37 pounds, 9 ounces -- good for a 4-ounce victory instead of a 4-ounce defeat.

"That fish was hooked perfectly, right in the top of the mouth, and I did everything I could to keep it alive. It was the only fish I lost all week," said Bolton, who won $36,000 for his second-place finish. "It just wasn't my time to win."

Like Kennedy, Bolton fished jigs. He was also casting spinnerbaits and worms. Using his local knowledge of Kentucky Lake he was able to rotate through a series of holes to pick up solid five-bass limits all week.

"Things were going well for me," he said. "What really hurt was losing a 6 1/2-to 7-pound bass right at the boat, but when you use big jigs, it's real easy for the fish to throw them. I guess if you think about it, I lost this tournament twice."

Rounding out the top five pros are Gary Yamamoto of Mineola, Texas (10 bass, 30 pounds, $25,000); Chevy pro David Fritts of Lexington, N.C. (10 bass, 29 pounds, 4 ounces, $20,000) and Curt Lytle of Zuni, Va. (10 bass, 27 pounds, 8 ounces $18,000).

In FLW Tour competition the full field competes in the two-day opening round for one of 10 slots in Friday's competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for day three, and co-angler competition concludes following Friday's weigh-in. The top 10 pros continue competition Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.

This is the most lucrative FLW Tour season to date with a $7.6 million purse, including four $900,000 events and two $1.25 million open events during the regular season. Each event leads up to the $1.5 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship and Outdoor Show presented by Castrol, which will be held Aug. 2- 5 on Logan Martin Lake in Birmingham, Ala. The prestigious championship hosted by Birmingham, Pell City and St. Clair County features 48 pros, 48 co-anglers and bass fishing's largest guaranteed cash award -- a $500,000 first-place prize for the winning pro. Held in conjunction with the tournament is a world-class outdoor show featuring more than 140 exhibits.

Coverage of the Kentucky Lake tournament will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States on June 25 and July 2 as part of the "FLW Outdoors" television program. "FLW Outdoors" airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time. "FLW Outdoors" is also broadcast internationally to more than 350 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 servicemembers stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.

Kellogg's will present the sixth and final stop of the FLW Tour's regular season on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., June 21-24.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners' Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.

Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.

Source: FLW Outdoors

Mayor Kathy Taylor Proclaims May 13 'Jim Shoulders Day'; Honors Tulsa Rodeo Legend During Jim Shoulders Great Western Weekend

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor has proclaimed May 13, 2006 as "Jim Shoulders Day" in the City of Tulsa, honoring the Tulsa native and Oklahoma rodeo legend who will turn 78 on Saturday during the Jim Shoulders Great Western Weekend.

Tulsa is hosting the championship finals of the Wrangler ProRodeo Winter Tour -- known as the Pace Picante ProRodeo Chute-out -- as well as a Dodge Xtreme Bulls 2006 Ride Hard Tour stop and a western trade fair during the three-day festival that starts on Friday and ends Sunday.

The proclamation will be presented to Shoulders Friday during the opening ceremonies of the Dodge Xtreme Bulls Ride Hard Tour event at 8 p.m. tomorrow night at the Tulsa Convention Center Arena.

"Jim Shoulders is a national treasure and has represented the best of Tulsa and Oklahoma his entire life," said Taylor. "He personifies all of our best attributes -- hard work, love of family, steadfast faith and rock solid loyalty. I hope my fellow Tulsans will come out to the rodeo this weekend to celebrate Jim's legacy and see the best professional rodeo action available anywhere outside the Wrangler NFR."

Shoulders' record of 16 world championships in multiple events may never be surpassed. He was a five-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy, seven-time World Champion Bull Rider and four-time World Champion Bareback Bronc Rider, winning all 16 world titles in a 10-year span, from 1949-59. Born in Tulsa on May 13, 1928, Shoulders retired to his Henryetta ranch in 1970, where he operated a successful stock contracting business as well as a rodeo production company and rodeo riding school. Shoulders is a member of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.

The Pace Chute-out, which boasts a purse of $350,000, is being held in Tulsa for the first time in the event's history. The last time the State of Oklahoma hosted one of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's premier events was more than 20 years ago when the National Finals Rodeo was in Oklahoma City.

The first round of the Pace Chute-out will be Saturday, May 13 at 8 p.m. with the semifinal and championship rounds slated for Sunday, May 14 at 3 p.m.

Event tickets can be purchased at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, on the internet at MyTicketOffice.com, at the MyTicketOffice.com kiosk at the Tulsa Convention Center or by phone at 918-596-7111 or 1-800-364-7111.

The web site for The Jim Shoulders Great Western Weekend is Web site: http://www.greatwesternweekend.com

StubHub FanStats(SM) -- NBA Playoff Tickets Yield Bargains for Savvy Fans

Ticket Marketplace Data Shows Many Steals Available Online

The NBA Playoffs are heating up and fans are buying tickets in mass quantities for all the exciting action around the league. While demand has been very high, prices have stayed pleasantly reasonable. Overall, the average price for seats to all NBA playoff games sold at StubHub has been $130. While that may be a bit over the average regular season game, fans who have shopped at the StubHub ticket marketplace have been rewarded by finding many value priced tickets. The dynamic of the marketplace means ticket prices fluctuate hourly with active sellers pricing their tickets competitively to sell and the great deals moving quickly.

"It's important for fans to realize that there are many bargains to be had in the secondary ticket market," said Jeff Fluhr, founder and CEO of StubHub. "As we see by the FanStats data, many tickets for top events can still sell for well below the face value at times. These bargains are a great example of the potential for value for fans who shop for tickets at StubHub."

Below are some of the NBA Playoff bargains for First and Second round series' to date highlighted by a $2 sale for a ticket to Game 2 of the Spurs-Kings first round series:

Second Round -- Conference Semifinals

Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs

-- $12 to sit in Section 214 for Game 2 (played on May 9, 2006 in San

Antonio). The Texan buyer bought two of these tickets less than one

hour before tip-off.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons

-- $19 to sit in Section 200 for Game 3 (to be played on May 13, 2006 in

Cleveland).

New Jersey Nets vs. Miami Heat

-- $23 to sit in Section 238 for Game 3 (to be played on May 12, 2006 in

New Jersey).

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns

-- $30 to sit in Section 209 for Game 7 (to be played on May 22, 2006 in

Phoenix if necessary).

First Round

Sacramento Kings vs. San Antonio Spurs

-- $2 to sit in Section 218 at Game 2 (played on April 25, 2006 in San

Antonio). The fan from Sacramento purchased one ticket forty-five

minutes before tip-off.

Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

-- $8 to sit in Section 200 for Game 2 (played on April 25, 2006 in

Cleveland). A local Cleveland buyer purchased four of these tickets

5 minutes before the game!

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers

-- $9 to sit in Section 360 for Game 3 (played on April 27, 2006 in

Denver). A local buyer from Colorado purchased two of these tickets

on the day of the game.

Indiana Pacers vs. New Jersey Nets

-- $10, found in both venues. A buyer from Indiana bought two tickets

to sit in Section 206 in Game 4 (played on April 29 in Indiana), with

more than a week to spare. Buyers scattered in New Jersey purchased 23

tickets for Game 1 (played on April 23, 2006 in New Jersey) and 21

tickets for Game 2 (played on April 25, 2006); all were purchased within

24 hours to tip-off.

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat

-- $10 for Standing Room Tickets at Game 2 (played on April 24, 2006 in

Miami). The Floridian buyer bought two of these tickets less than four

hours before the game.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks

-- $11 to sit in Section 301 at Game 2 (played on April 26, 2006 in

Dallas). The buyer from Texas bought two of these tickets almost a

week before the game.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons

-- $15 to sit in Section 413 at Game 4 (played on May 1, 2006 in

Milwaukee). A local Wisconsin buyer bought four tickets at this price

more than a week before the game.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

-- $20 to sit in Section 227 at Game 1 (played on April 23, 2006 in

Phoenix). The Arizona buyer purchased two tickets at this price three

days prior to the game.

Source: StubHub.com (as of 5/11/06) Based on sales at the popular online ticket marketplace.

About StubHub FanStats(SM)

StubHub FanStats present timely statistics, rankings and/or data about sports and entertainment that is of interest to the everyday fan. Rankings reflect the secondary ticketing market based on StubHub internal data. If there is specific data that would be of interest to you, or if you would like to interview the leading authority in the secondary ticketing industry, please send us an e-mail at fanstats@stubhub.com.

About StubHub

StubHub is the fans' ticket marketplace, allowing users to buy and sell a vast selection of sporting, concert, theater and other live entertainment events at fair market value, even for events that are "sold out." The company's unique open marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient, and highly reliable environment. For more information on StubHub, visit www.stubhub.com.

 

Three-Time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana Launches an Online Coaching Program for Individuals Looking to Achieve Performance Excellence

Montana's Signature MVP Performance Program Uses Outhink Media's SpinXpress(TM) Technology to Deliver This Powerful Learning Tool

Joe Montana, NFL Hall of Famer and co-founder of the MVP Performance Institute™, and personal media publishing and technology company Outhink Media, announce the launch of the MVP Personal Performance Program. This online coaching and personal development seminar series is designed for individuals to learn the fundamentals of achieving personal performance excellence from one of the most successful athletes in the history of sports. The Personal Performance Program is based on Montana's new San Francisco Chronicle bestselling book, "The Winning Spirit -- Sixteen Timeless Principles that Drive Performance Excellence." (Random House 2005)

Powering this dynamic program is Outhink Media's SpinXpress™ personal media publishing platform that lets users participate in and share content in a secure private network. What makes Outhink Media's SpinXpress attractive to companies that want to harness the power of the web for audio, video and user generated content, is the easy-to-use publishing tools with powerful sharing capabilities, rights tracking, and syndication of high-value content. In March, Outhink Media launched their first media property TowerPod, a podcasting and personal media service created for Tower Records.

"As one of the most favorite and respected athletes of all time, it is with great pride that Joe came to Outhink Media to power and execute this exciting and rewarding program," says Dave Toole, CEO and founder of Outhink Media. "By utilizing our advanced technologies, now everyone has the opportunity to take the fundamental performance principles that contributed to Joe's success, and make them their own." The Personal Performance Program is available at http://www.mvpperformance.com.

Customers of the seminar series will receive a workbook manual, 12 downloadable audio coaching sessions and two auditorium-style conference calls with Montana and Institute partner, NBA sport psychologist and executive business coach, Tom Mitchell, Ph.D.

The Institute also announces the launch of MVP Performance Camps, a series of customized offsite retreats for businesses designed to develop higher capacity for individual performance, the essence of teamwork, and the intangibles of a winning spirit. Offered on location in the Northern California wine country, the Camps are a unique blend of a retreat from day to day demands of the office and intense work on important fundamentals of individual accountability and teamwork.

MVP Performance Institute™

MVP Performance Institute LLC was founded in 2005, and provides personal performance and coaching products, seminars and performance camps, which are offsite business training programs. It has three founding partners: Joe Montana, three-time Super Bowl MVP and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Tom Mitchell, Ph.D., a prominent sport psychologist and executive coach; and Hilleary Hoskinson, a successful marketing and publishing executive. For details: http://www.mvpperformance.com.

SOURCE: Joe Montana and Outhink Media

DOD

Troops in Iraq Conduct Successful 'Mother's Day' Patrol

In another place and in another time, Army Staff Sgt. Timothy Long may have been loading up the family to take them to a Mother's Day brunch. Instead, he was briefing his C Troop, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry team on the mission they were about to perform. Long led the cavalrymen on a "presence patrol" to this village near Camp Taji, to assure people the coalition is there. The team often uses these patrols to drop off flyers with useful information to the people. The team pulled out of its Camp Taji staging area at the hottest part of the day. A clear sky and warm sun put the mercury over 100 degrees. That plus the "full battle rattle" - Kevlar helmet, interceptor body armor and added protection for the gunners - made this an endurance test. Just before they left the base, they got a reminder of what they are facing: examples of improvised explosive devices along the roadside. "That's the main threat out here," Long said. The team looks for evidence of recent digging "or anything that looks out of the ordinary," said Staff Sgt. Dan Rager. "We have been here four months now.

We know what looks out of place." The patrol went through Taji Market, a strip of road with a variety of open shops offering a wide range of merchandise. As the patrol headed to Hor al Bash, the lead vehicle spotted a white sedan on the roadside. Everyone stopped. The soldiers piled out of their vehicles and established a quick perimeter. Cars often pretend to be broken down when the occupants are really planting IEDs, the team members explained. Fortunately, this one really didn't run and the occupants were on the up-and-up. The patrol ran through Hor al Bash and turned along a canal road. As they went along, soldiers spotted fresh dirt across the road. They stopped at a local sheikh's house to ask about it.

As it turned out, some children were trying to build a speed bump so local cars wouldn't speed down the lane. "They need to tell us that," Long said after ascertaining what was happening. "That's a good way to get shot." The patrol stopped at an Iraqi army checkpoint on a major route in the area. The Iraqis, members of the 2nd Brigade, 9th Division, base three tanks and two BMP armored personnel carriers at the site. The soldiers stay at the site for 21 days at a time and keep track of the peoples' comings and goings and stop suspicious vehicles. A little farther on, at the intersection of two major routes, is a U.S.-manned checkpoint. The Americans pull 24-hour duty in a sandpit. Humvees rise over the barriers and gunners examine the roads to ensure insurgents are not planting IEDs or harassing the people. Finally, the patrol then turned back to Camp Taji. The soldiers often conduct dismounted patrols, but this day it was enough to let the people see them and know they are there, the soldiers explained. The team checked out a number of things, spoke with groups of people and came home safely. All in all, they declared it a very good Mother's Day patrol.

America Supports You: 'Soldier Ride' Takes Off From Pentagon

A group of wounded and active-duty servicemembers, retirees and family members launched the second leg of their cross-country bike trek from the Pentagon parking lot today. The group is part of Soldier Ride 2006, an effort to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that assists servicemembers injured in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots around the world. This leg of the ride goes from here to Camp Lejeune, N.C. Three amputees are taking part in this segment of the trip, and three more will join the ride before they reach Camp Lejeune, said Steve Nardizzi, executive director of Soldier Ride.

This ride helps the amputees with their rehabilitation by getting them out and active and teaching them how to deal with life challenges, like checking into hotels and eating in restaurants, he said. "You cannot be out with these guys and see them, see their progress from beginning to end, and not know that you're doing something worthwhile," Nardizzi said. One of the amputees in the group, Army Staff Sgt. Yegor Bondarenko, said that even though he's not an experienced cyclist, he has committed himself to doing as much of the ride as he can. Bondarenko, who lost part of his right arm in Iraq in May 2005, started with the ride in Montauk, N.Y., and will try to make it all the way to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where the ride ends. "It's a good achievement for myself, but it's also inspiration for everybody else," Bondarenko said. "I don't want people to sit at home and feel sorry for themselves." Bondarenko's wife, Lena, is riding with him and has committed to complete as much of the ride as she can, too. "It's awesome; it brings us closer together as a family," Bondarenko said. Elmer Dinglasan, a Navy corpsman recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from an injury received in January, is also riding for the first time. Dinglasan is a double leg amputee, so he's riding a handcycle, which he said is challenging because his rehabilitation has focused mostly on his legs. However, Dinglasan said he is committed to making it to Camp Lejeune to visit the Marine unit he was attached to in Iraq. "I just want to go down there again and see my guys," he said. "I'm lucky I didn't have any injuries to my upper body, so I don't have any excuses." Not everyone can make the entire cross-country bike trip, Nardizzi said, but getting wounded servicemembers out for at least part of the trip helps them get active and motivates them to continue in their rehabilitation.

Soldier Ride also sponsors smaller, regional rides, where the riders do other recreation activities, like water sports, he said. Completing even part of a Soldier Ride gives a confidence boost to wounded servicemembers, said Marine Staff Sgt. John Szczepanowski, the Marine Corps liaison at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This ride is Szczepanowski's third event with Soldier Ride, and he said he sees the difference it makes to amputees who participate. "It reassures them and builds their confidence, so they can then go on and accomplish other goals," he said. "It gives them that possibility of what's next, instead of what's wrong." The number of wounded servicemembers will continue to grow as the war goes on, but as long as Americans remember and support them, they will recover and be able to go on with their lives, Nardizzi said. "We want to make sure that America continues to remember them and the sacrifices they're making as this war rolls on, and as time rolls on," he said. "We're certainly going to be there for them, and I know that the rest of the country will too."

NEWS

Verizon Issues Statement on NSA and Privacy Protection

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) today issued the following statement:

The President has referred to an NSA program, which he authorized, directed against al-Qaeda. Because that program is highly classified, Verizon cannot comment on that program, nor can we confirm or deny whether we have had any relationship to it.

Having said that, there have been factual errors in press coverage about the way Verizon handles customer information in general. Verizon puts the interests of our customers first and has a longstanding commitment to vigorously safeguard our customers' privacy -- a commitment we've highlighted in our privacy principles, which are available at http://www.verizon.com/privacy.

Verizon will provide customer information to a government agency only where authorized by law for appropriately-defined and focused purposes. When information is provided, Verizon seeks to ensure it is properly used for that purpose and is subject to appropriate safeguards against improper use. Verizon does not, and will not, provide any government agency unfettered access to our customer records or provide information to the government under circumstances that would allow a fishing expedition.

In January 2006, Verizon acquired MCI, and we are ensuring that Verizon's policies are implemented at that entity and that all its activities fully comply with law.

Verizon hopes that the Administration and the Congress can come together and agree on a process in an appropriate setting, and with safeguards for protecting classified information, to examine any issues that have been raised about the program. Verizon is fully prepared to participate in such a process.

Source: Verizon

 

M.O.M. Days (Moms Over Menopause) Have All New Meaning Thanks to StopFlash

Moms are taking charge over menopause this Mother's Day and putting a stop to hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, decreased libido and sleeplessness with StopFlash, a 100% natural, premium oral and dermal spray. StopFlash quickly decreases agonizing symptoms and brings relief to moms everywhere in their quest to quell menopause.

As we plan to celebrate Mother's Day and the dedication of those who raised us, it is important to realize that the largest group ever in America's history is entering perimenopause and menopause with symptoms that are erratically altering their lives. Women across the nation are searching for a safe and healthy solution, and StopFlash is the quick and easy answer.

"Menopause should be a time for women to rejoice in their lifetime accomplishments, not be debilitated by unmanageable symptoms and uncontrollable hot flashes -- especially on Mother's Day," explains Dr. Theresa Sehi, Founder and CEO of StopFlash. "With proven results, StopFlash is a revolutionary way to provide fast natural relief from the symptoms of menopause that affect millions of women (and moms) nationwide ranging in age from 37 to 60 plus."

"I was at the point of desperation," exclaims G.C. of Santa Barbara, California. "After being a successful single mother for over twenty years, I suddenly felt as though there were areas of my life where I was no longer in control: mood swings, sudden sweating frenzies, clamminess, and sleepless nights. StopFlash was so easy to use and helped me feel that I could finally start living again. Now that is what I call a Mother's Day gift!"

StopFlash is a formulation of 8 premium grade herbs and 3 high-quality, therapeutic essential oils developed by women for women. It comes in a compact, 1oz spray bottle that fits into a purse or pocket so it is readily available at the onset of symptoms, and it is safe to use with any other medication or products. StopFlash is available online at: www.StopFlash-USA.com or by phone at 877-224-1123. Availability in retail stores is projected for summer of 2006.

StopFlash, LLC was founded by chiropractic doctor, Dr. Theresa Sehi.

Blavod Extreme Spirits plc ("the Company" or "Blavod")

Distribution Increases throughout the American Market

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - 11th May 2006 - Blavod Extreme Spirits plc (BES.L) today announced the continued expansion of its products throughout the United States market.

El Diamante del Cielo Tequila, the Company's joint venture product with Suntory International, has been added to various distribution networks in the states of Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, West Virginia, Rhode Island and South Carolina. Further, in the state of Pennsylvania,distribution of El Diamante del Cielo is expanding to 230 stores.

In Georgia, Tower and Green's, the largest independent retailer in the state has added the full line of El Diamante del Cielo tequilas. In the state of Illinois,the largest beverage chain in the state with 17 stores added the full line of all three El Diamante del Cielo tequilas. They have also added several wines from the BES portfolio.

Significant new distribution has been achieved with the Company's wine

portfolio, including Zingari and Tebavio being added to Cost Plus World Market's 24 stores in Georgia and Florida.

Beverages and More, a chain of stores throughout the state of California,authorized El Diamante del Cielo tequila in its stores. Beverages and More is also featuring Blavod Black Vodka and Baroncini Chianti wine for April and May 2006.

"Each new placement by our distribution partners throughout the US enhances our portfolio's reach to consumers," said Jeff Hopmayer, CEO of Blavod Extreme Spirits. "We are excited about the growing prospects of all our brands through these new relationships."

About Blavod Extreme Spirits:

Blavod Extreme Spirits, plc (LSE: BES), is an international spirits company based in London with U.S. offices in Franklin, Tennessee. Formed by the 2003merger of Blavod Black Vodka plc and Extreme Beverage Company, Blavod Extreme Spirits produces and sells its black-colored vodka, aptly called Blavod, throughout the world. BES also produces and sells the award-winning, intensely flavored line of Players Extreme vodkas and rums. In the United States, BES is the exclusive distributor of an elite wine portfolio of fine Italian wines, aswell as the award winning El Diamante del Cielo tequilas. For more information

on the company, please visit: www.blavodextreme.com.

 

SOURCE: Blavod Extreme Spirits PLC

NEWSWEEK MEDIA LEAD SHEET/May 22, 2006 Issue (on newsstands Monday, May 15)

COVER: "Spying On Your Calls" (p. 22). Investigative Correspondent Mark Hosenball and Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas report that in the difficult days after 9/11, White House officials quietly passed the word through Washington's intelligence agencies: tell us which weapons you need to stop another attack. At the super-secretive NSA, the National Security Agency, the request came back: give us permission to collect information on people inside the United States. NSA officials eagerly drew up a wish list, according to a participant in the discussions. Though the details remain highly classified, Bush began issuing "National Security Presidential Directives" calling for expanded electronic surveillance. Out went the old rules; in came a new, still dimly understood regimen of domestic spying.

Newsweek Poll: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12771821/site/newsweek/ "Dusty's Troubled Trails" (p. 30). Mark Hosenball reports on the new CIA and the possible reasons why Porter Goss suddenly departed from the agency earlier this month. For months, former and current intelligence officials had privately complained to the White House that the CIA was suffering under Goss's poor management. Goss's resistance to firing Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, despite the federal investigation closing in on him, made top administration officials, including National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, lose faith in Goss's judgment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12779088/site/newsweek/

"Only The Beginning?" (p. 33). Senior Editor Steven Levy examines what the NSA can do with the information they have already collected, and whether this privacy tradeoff can actually pay off. Though we are officially in the dark on what the NSA will actually do with the phone records, experts figure that the agency also wants to "data mine" for leads on as-yet-unidentified terrorists. Data mining involves a computational extraction of huge amounts of information in order to extract nuggets that could never be unearthed solely by human efforts. While the practice works wonders in detecting credit-card fraud and targeting direct-marketing prospects, it's yet to be proven that the techniques of data mining can zoom in on terrorist behavior from billions of phone records, Levy writes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12777413/site/newsweek/

POLITICS: "McCain's Right Flank" (p. 34). Senior White House Correspondent Richard Wolffe reports that there are plenty of conservatives who care about campaign finance, and their argument is that the GOP's frontrunner for 'o8, John McCain, has trampled over their First Amendment rights with his campaign finance legislation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12778359/site/newsweek/

NATIONAL AFFAIRS: "The Very Next Step in a Very Long March" (p. 36). Miami Bureau Chief Arian Campo-Flores reports that while the furor over illegal immigration has galvanized the undocumented, it also appears to have stirred up longtime legal residents. They're applying in greater numbers to naturalize, or become citizens-an option for people who have had green cards for at least five years. Some immigrants may be driven by fear, others by a desire for full political participation and still others by a wish to petition for relatives living abroad.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12777410/site/newsweek/

CRIME: "Polygamist on the Lam" (p. 37). Los Angeles Correspondent Andrew Murr reports on Warren Jeffs-a prophet without honor in the eyes of the Feds: leader of a polygamist offshoot of Mormonism, he has now made the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Missing from public view for two years, Jeffs has failed to answer state criminal charges stemming from marriages he allegedly performed between teenage girls and older men. As a result, the FBI has included him in the ranks of alleged murderers, mobsters-and Osama bin Laden.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12779052/site/newsweek/

IRAN: "Our New Pen Pal" (p. 38). Senior Editor Michael Hirsh reports that Americans and Iranians don't talk to each other-officially, anyway. Instead, Washington is still subcontracting Iran diplomacy to Europe. But as the diplomatic impasse continues, and Pentagon officials voice misgivings about future military options, the administration's firm line may be wavering. "Whereas in recent months the U.S. response was, 'It's impossible to do direct talks,' now the refusals from Washington are not so unequivocal," says a senior European envoy who works with Washington and wants to remain anonymous because of diplomatic sensitivities.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12777109/site/newsweek/

BRITAIN: "The Heir Apparent" (p. 40). Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown-Tony Blair's heir apparent- talks with Special Diplomatic Correspondent Lally Weymouth amid renewed calls by many in Britain's Labour Party who urge Blair to set a date to leave office. Rumors have also surfaced about a power struggle between Brown and Blair. "Tony Blair has said he does not wish to stand [in] the next election, and that he wants to organize a stable and orderly transition. Tony and I, despite what people say, get on extremely well," Brown says.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12778164/site/newsweek/

FAREED ZAKARIA: "The Real Story Of Pricey Oil" (p. 41). "In March 2005, when a young Goldman Sachs analyst, Arjun Murti, predicted a doubling in oil prices to $100 a barrel, some compared the projection to the exaggerated forecasts of the technology era. But with oil at $70 a barrel, Murti's idea doesn't look bubbly anymore," writes Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria. "Now we're experiencing a different conventional wisdom, one that says high oil prices reflect simple economics and there's not much anyone can do about it. But behind the economics lie two powerful political realities that are worth exploring-and that suggest that market fatalism is the wrong response to this looming crisis."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12779051/site/newsweek/

BUSINESS: "Edgar and The Indies" (p. 42). Senior Writer Johnnie L. Roberts reports on Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), the darling of U.S. indie labels. The distributor is not quite what it seems. Strip away its indie pretensions and what you find is one of the biggest Big Daddies of them all- Warner Music Group. Part of a multipronged strategy to revitalize Warner Music through ADA, Warner Music wants to dominate indie music, the industry's fastest-growing segment, by signing deals with scores of small local and regional labels and getting retailers to stock the distinctive music of the fiercely independent acts.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12777107/site/newsweek/

ENERGY: "Griping About Gas Prices ... in a New SUV" (p. 44). Detroit Bureau Chief Keith Naughton reports that with all the histrionics about rising gas prices coming out of Washington these days, SUVs are not an endangered species. Grousing about gas prices has become our new national pastime. As it turns out, we're griping while we guzzle. Since Katrina gave us our first $3 pump prices last fall, gasoline consumption in this country has actually risen, confounding the energy experts who recall how much we throttled back on our gas usage following the '70s oil shocks. Where are we burning all this gas? In big, powerful cruisers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12777854/site/newsweek/

THE BOOMER FILES: "The Fine Art of Letting Go" (p. 48). Senior Editor Barbara Kantrowitz and Senior Writer Peg Tyre report that letting go is the final frontier for boomer parents, who've made child rearing a major focus of their adult lives. "Their connection to their parents is deep and strong," says Barbara Hofer, an associate professor of psychology at Middlebury College who studies the transition to college. "They say, 'My parents are my best friends.' People would have seen that as aberrant a generation ago, as pathological." But that closeness is a double-edged sword. Parents who hover risk crippling their children's fledgling sense of self-sufficiency.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12778684/site/newsweek/

TELEVISION: "Island Fever" (p. 66). We are going to tell you why the plane crashed, "Lost" executive producer Carlton Cuse tells Newsweek of the season finale. "We're going to explain what happens if you don't push the button. And we're going to resolve the Michael-and-Walt story." Just as last year's finale expanded our scope of the island's boundaries, this year's will expand its relevance, writes Senior Writer Marc Peyser in an exclusive interview with the cast of the ABC hit drama, "Lost" on the set in Hawaii.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12776785/site/newsweek/

THE TIP SHEET: "The Games We'll Play" (p. 71). General Editor N'Gai Croal reports on the latest developments in video game systems unveiled at this week's E3 conference.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12776886/site/newsweek/

Web site: http://www.newsweek.msnbc.com/

NEWSWEEK COVER: Spying on Your Calls

After 9/11 Administration Eager to Provide Any Tools Necessary to Security Agencies to Combat Terrorism; NSA Requested Permission to Collect Information on U.S. Citizens

Senior Official: NSA Used Vast Databases to Help Identify Suspects; May Have Been Subjected to Electronic Eavesdropping

In the difficult days after 9/11, White House officials quietly passed the word through Washington's intelligence agencies: tell us which weapons you need to stop another attack. At the super- secretive NSA, the National Security Agency, the request came back: give us permission to collect information on people inside the United States. NSA officials eagerly drew up a wish list, according to a participant in the discussions. According to this source, who declined to be identified discussing sensitive matters, NSA officials did not really expect the White House to say yes to domestic spying. But after 9/11, President Bush wanted fast action. Though the details remain highly classified, Bush began issuing "National Security Presidential Directives" calling for expanded electronic surveillance. Out went the old rules; in came a new, still dimly understood regimen of domestic spying, report Investigative Correspondent Mark Hosenball and Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas in Newsweek's May 22 cover story, "Spying On Your Calls," (on newsstands Monday, May 15).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060514/NYSU005 )

Administration officials have always insisted that any eavesdropping or "data collection" had been narrowly focused on Al Qaeda terror suspects. But a senior administration official, who declined to be identified discussing classified matters, acknowledged to Newsweek that the NSA had crunched through vast databases to help identify suspects who may have then been subjected to electronic eavesdropping, either without a warrant or under court order. This official claimed to Newsweek that the NSA program had helped gather evidence that had foiled terrorist operations. If the program "leads to one disruption of another 9/11, then it would be worth it," said the official. But other administration officials interviewed by Newsweek questioned whether the fruits of the NSA program -- which they doubted, though not publicly at their risk of their jobs -- have been worth the cost to privacy. There are hints, for instance, that the government has been fishing the Internet as well as the phone lines. The NSA does have vast capabilities. One senior U.S. intelligence official told Newsweek that the heat generated by the NSA's secret supercomputers has been so great that officials have been talking about carting in snow and ice to mask the machines from the prying sensors of foreign spy satellites.

There is some uncertainty surrounding Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, President Bush's choice to take over the CIA, who ran the NSA before and after 9/11 when the agency was expanding its surveillance programs. "I have substantial questions about his credibility," Senate intelligence committee member Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, told Newsweek. He points to Hayden's public statements that the NSA only monitored international calls. "There was never any mention of establishing a domestic data base," says Wyden.

There are doubts within the upper levels of the U.S. government that the NSA, four-and-a-half-years after 9/11, is any better equipped and run to piece together the next "Tomorrow is zero hour" intercept. Newsweek has learned that some top government lawyers were troubled by the NSA data collection program. A senior administration official who was involved in legally vetting the NSA program says that a crude cost-benefit analysis left him uneasy. The NSA program ran a risk of intruding on the privacy of Americans. There are always "false positives." Of course, intelligence services do not always brag about their successes, and one U.S. official privy to the intelligence tells Newsweek that another attack on an urban area in the United States was averted as well. The official would not discuss the plot for fear of revealing NSA listening methods.

Elsewhere in the cover package:

Mark Hosenball reports on the new CIA and the possible reasons why

Porter Goss suddenly departed from the agency earlier this month.

For months, former and current intelligence officials had privately

complained to the White House that the CIA was suffering under oss's

poor management. Goss's resistance to firing Kyle "Dusty" Foggo,

despite

the federal investigation closing in on him, made top administration

officials, including National Intelligence Director John Negroponte,

lose faith in Goss's judgment.

* Senior Editor Steven Levy takes a look at what the NSA can do with

the information they have already collected, and whether this privacy tradeoff can actually pay off. Of course it's possible that the NSA will only tread within those narrow boundaries: but if that's so, why would our spooks need everyone's records? Though we are officially in the dark on what the NSA will actually do with the phone records, experts figure that the agency also wants to "data mine" for leads on as-yet- unidentified terrorists. That's no slam-dunk. Data mining involves a computational extraction of huge amounts of information in order to extract nuggets that could never be unearthed solely by human efforts. While the practice works wonders in detecting credit-card fraud and targeting direct-marketing prospects, it's yet to be proven that the techniques of data mining can zoom in on terrorist behavior from billions of phone records, Levy writes.

* In the latest Newsweek Poll, a majority of Americans polled, 53 percent, believe that reports that the NSA has been secretly collecting the phone records of U.S. citizens since the 9/11 terrorist attacks to create adatabase of calls "goes too far in invading people's privacy," while 41percent feel it is "a necessary tool to combat terrorism." In light of this news and other actions by the Bush-Cheney administration, 57percent of Americans say they have gone too far in expanding

presidential power, while only 38 percent say they have not.

 

Source: Newsweek

Aflac Launches New Advertising Campaign Targeted at Small Business Owners

First-ever national radio advertising for Aflac kicks off May 15

Today, Aflac (NYSE:AFL) premieres a new advertising campaign targeting small business owners. The first phase of the campaign will target the small business owner via two channels - radio and online. The new radio spots depict the high-stress nature of the small business owner's life in a humorous way. These spots will be supplemented with Aflac Small Business Tips, a 30-second segment that provides companies with information and tips on how to grow their businesses.

The online component of the new campaign is the launch of Aflac's new small business web site - Aflacsb.com. Each radio spot and tip will direct the listener to Aflacsb.com. This new community for small business owners contains useful information about how to improve their businesses in the areas of marketing, human resources, managing growth and other relevant topics. Various small business experts will contribute to this new small business outlet.

"A recent Aflac survey showed that 42 percent of small business decision- makers agree that the annual increases in health benefits have made them decrease their offerings to employees," said Paul Amos, executive VP and COO of Aflac. "Aflac offers businesses of all sizes a solution that lets them provide additional coverage to their employees at no direct cost to the employer as Aflac policies are individually owned and generally paid for by the employee."

According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms and in the past decade alone, small businesses have generated 60 to 80% of new jobs annually.

For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for six consecutive years and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for five consecutive years. In January 2006, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the eighth consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

 

Source: Aflac Incorporated

The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush on NSA Surveillance Program:

Diplomatic Reception Room

12:03 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: After September the 11th, I vowed to the American people that our government would do everything within the law to protect them against another terrorist attack. As part of this effort, I authorized the National Security Agency to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations. In other words, if al Qaeda or their associates are making calls into the United States or out of the United States, we want to know what they're saying.

Today there are new claims about other ways we are tracking down al Qaeda to prevent attacks on America. I want to make some important points about what the government is doing and what the government is not doing.

First, our international activities strictly target al Qaeda and their known affiliates. Al Qaeda is our enemy, and we want to know their plans. Second, the government does not listen to domestic phone calls without court approval. Third, the intelligence activities I authorized are lawful and have been briefed to appropriate members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat. Fourth, the privacy of ordinary Americans is fiercely protected in all our activities.

We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans. Our efforts are focused on links to al Qaeda and their known affiliates. So far we've been very successful in preventing another attack on our soil.

As a general matter, every time sensitive intelligence is leaked, it hurts our ability to defeat this enemy. Our most important job is to protect the American people from another attack, and we will do so within the laws of our country.

Thank you.

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

USIS Wins Government Contracts Totaling $13.52 Million

USIS, a worldwide provider of screening and security services to corporate and government clients and the largest supplier of security investigations to the U.S. government, has won two government contracts with a total potential value of $13.52 million.

A contract from the U.S. Department of State to provide training and support services for its African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance program is for a base year, and has four option years for a total potential value of $6.95 million.

A contract from the Department of Homeland Security to provide training support and services to its National Firearms Tactical Training Unit is for a base year, and has four option years for a total potential value of $6.57 million.

The programs are managed by USIS's national security and global services business that provides consulting, staffing, and management services for the intelligence community and U.S. government agencies.

USIS is a worldwide provider of total client solutions in human resources background investigations, pre-employment/drug screenings, insurance information services, due diligence and risk management assessment, and security and related professional services to businesses, government agencies and institutions. Formerly the Office of Federal Investigations (a U.S. government agency privatized in 1996), USIS is headquartered in Falls Church, Va., and has more than 7,000 employees supporting business operations in all 50 states and overseas. For more information, please visit www.usis.com

VATICAN NEWS 

- Cyril, Methodius: Models for Dialogue between Cultures

- States Must Protect Family Founded on Marriage

- Faithfulness to Christian Values Is Foundation of Bavaria

- World Day of Pilgrims: Lasting Memory of John Paul II

- Benedict XVI to Travel to Valencia on July 8 and 9

- Special Envoy to 17th Centenary Martyrdom St. Liberatore

- Christian Life Is Mystery of Communion with Jesus

- Dialogue with and Welcome for Immigrants

- Audiences

- Other Pontifical Acts

CYRIL, METHODIUS: MODELS FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES

(VIS) - Benedict XVI today received the Letters of Credence of Valentin Bozhilov, the new Bulgarian ambassador to the Holy See. The Pope opened his address to the diplomat with a reference to the people affected by recent flooding in the country, and called on the international community to help them.

Then, quoting words from the ambassador's own speech, the Holy Father highlighted the fact that Sts. Cyril and Methodius, "the first evangelizers of Bulgaria, still represent a model for dialogue between cultures," because thanks to them "the Good News of Christ reached the inhabitants of central and Eastern Europe in their own language. Thus, a new culture arose and - nourished by the Gospel and by Christian tradition - developed through liturgy, legislation and institutions until it became the common heritage of all the Slavs." These two saints, "overcoming the rivalry and dissention of their time, show us the way to dialogue and unity."

"Your country," the Pope told the new ambassador, "is now preparing to enter the European Union. Because of their history and culture, the Bulgarian people ... are called to play an important role in the task of restoring to our continent that spiritual impulse it so often lacks." On this subject, Benedict XVI highlighted the role of young people, "whose noble aspirations become clear during great occasions, such as World Youth Days, but with difficulty find space in our societies which are too concentrated on consumption and material goods."

Bulgaria, said Pope Benedict, "will know how to make its own special contribution to the common edifice. In this way, that edifice will not simply become one big market for exchanging material goods, ... but also a place with a soul and an authentic spiritual dimension reflecting the heritage of so many witnesses from the past, and a land in which the life and creativity that mould future Europeans can flower."

"In an uncertain and turbulent world such as our own, Europe can become a witness and messenger of the vital dialogue between cultures and religions. The history of the old continent, deeply marked by divisions and fratricidal wars but also by efforts to overcome them, invites Europe to undertake this mission in order to respond to the hopes of so many men and women who still aspire, in many countries of the world, to development, democracy and religious freedom."

"The Holy See ... does not cease to act in order to promote ... true dialogue between nations and between religious leaders. In the first place, this must involve a diminution of violence which in our times is spreading dangerously, and the demolition of the walls of ignorance and mistrust which can engender violence."

"Because Europe cannot close in on itself, it is also important to foment a more equal distribution of wealth in the world, and to promote true development in Africa, in order to correct the injustices arising from the current imbalance between North and South, which is one cause of tensions and threats to peace. I do not doubt that your government will make every effort to be ... a messenger of tolerance and mutual respect within the family of nations."

The Pope concluded his address to the Bulgarian ambassador by greeting the Catholic community in Bulgaria, which holds "the precious memory of Blessed Pope John XXIII, who was an esteemed apostolic delegate to that country." And he invited all Bulgarian Catholics "to collaborate whenever possible with their brethren in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church."

CD/BULGARIA/BOZHILOV VIS 060515 (600)

STATES MUST PROTECT FAMILY FOUNDED ON MARRIAGE

This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its foundation. It was established by John Paul II on May 9, 1981.

Pope Benedict recalled how "the family founded on marriage constitutes a 'heritage of humanity,' a fundamental social institution; it is the vital cell and the pillar of society, and concerns both believers and non-believers. This is something to which all States must give great consideration because, as John Paul II liked to say, 'the future of humanity passes by way of the family'."

After highlighting how separation and divorce are currently on the rise, "breaking family unity and creating no small number of problems for children, the innocent victims of such situations," the Holy Father called for the stability of families to be protected. This, he added, "often means going against the tide," and requires "patience, commitment, sacrifice and the incessant search for mutual understanding." Married couples can overcome their difficulties and remain faithful to their vocation by "relying upon the support of God through prayer and assiduous participation in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. The unity and strength of families helps society to absorb true human values and to open itself to the Gospel."

Benedict XVI then went on to refer to the "extremely delicate subject" of "the respect due to the human embryo, which should always be born from an act of love and be treated as a person. Scientific and technological progress in the field of bioethics becomes a threat when man loses the sense of his own limitations and, in effect, aims to take the place of God the Creator." In this context, he recalled Pope Paul VI's Encyclical "Humanae vitae," affirming that "human procreation must always be the fruit of a conjugal act with its dual unitive and procreative significance."

"'Eros, reduced to pure sex," Pope Benedict continued, quoting his own Encyclical "Deus caritas est," becomes "a commodity, a mere thing to be bought and sold, or rather, man himself becomes a commodity. ... Here we are actually dealing with a debasement of the human body.' Yet thanks to God, many people, especially the young, are rediscovering the value of chastity, which appears ever more clearly as a sure guarantee of authentic love."

The Holy Father added: "The historical moment through which we are living requires Christian families to bear courageous and coherent witness to the fact that procreation is the fruit of love. Such a testimony will not fail to encourage politicians and legislators to safeguard the rights of the family. We know that there are increasing juridical measures authorizing so-called 'de facto' unions which, while refusing the obligations of marriage, still wish to enjoy the same rights. Moreover, at times it is even sought to arrive at a new definition of marriage, legalizing homosexual unions and giving them the right to adopt children."

The Pope concluded his address with an invitation to all dioceses to send delegations to participate in the Fifth World Meeting of Families, due to be held in July in Valencia, Spain."

AC/MARRIAGE:FAMILY/... VIS 060515 (540)

FAITHFULNESS TO CHRISTIAN VALUES IS FOUNDATION OF BAVARIA

In the Vatican's Hall of Blessings at midday today, Benedict XVI received 500 participants in the pilgrimage of the "Bayerische Gebirgsschutzen," [Bavarian Alpine Corps] whom he invited to "remain firm in your faithfulness to the Christian values that represent the particular foundations of Bavaria."

"With the annual celebration of the day in honor of the Patroness of Bavaria, the Virgin Mary, on the first Sunday in May," Pope Benedict said, "you place yourselves under the protection of the great Patroness of our common homeland, but also at her service. You no longer have the duty, as in centuries past, to defend the country from foreign enemies, yet today there are dangers that are even greater, perhaps because thy are not recognized as such."

AC/PATRONESS:BAVARIA/... VIS 060515 (140)

WORLD DAY OF PILGRIMS: LASTING MEMORY OF JOHN PAUL II

Made public today was a Message from Benedict XVI to Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, for the occasion of today's 2nd World Day of Pilgrims, promoted by the "Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi" to recall the 89th anniversary of the first appearance of the Virgin of Fatima, and the 25th anniversary of the assassination attempt against John Paul II.

In the Message, read out by Cardinal Ruini at the end of the Eucharistic celebration marking those events, the Pope writes: "I joyfully unite myself with those gathered today in St. Peter's Square around the statue of the Virgin of Fatima to entrust the great intentions of the Church and of the world to the intercession of Mary."

The Message continues: "In St. Peter's Square 25 years ago, Servant of God John Paul II was gravely injured. A white marble plaque, placed by the Governorate of Vatican City State at the exact location of the attack, will from now on recall that dramatic event."

The Pope thanks the promoters of the current initiative, "which shows how much Mary's presence is felt, and how vivid is the memory of the beloved John Paul II in the Church."

"May the Virgin Mary watch over Christian people and their pastors, guide the steps of nations towards the complete fulfillment of the Lord's will, and obtain peace for everyone. May the message of Fatima always be welcomed, understood and lived out in all communities."

MESS/DAY OF PILGRIMS/RUINI VIS 060515 (270)

BENEDICT XVI TO TRAVEL TO VALENCIA ON JULY 8 AND 9

Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today announced that "on July 8 and 9, 2006 the Holy Father Benedict XVI will make an apostolic trip to Valencia, Spain, for the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families."

OP/WORLD MEETING FAMILES/NAVARRO-VALLS VIS 060515 (60)

SPECIAL ENVOY TO 17TH CENTENARY MARTYRDOM ST. LIBERATORE

(VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Pope, written in Latin and dated March 25, appointing Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace and for the Pastoral Care of migrants and Itinerant Peoples, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the 17th centenary of the martyrdom of St. Liberatore, co-patron of the Italian diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia. The event is due to take place in Ariano Irpino on May 20.

Accompanying the cardinal on his trip will be Msgrs. Antonio Blundo and Donato Minelli, respectively vicar general and head of the cultural office of the diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia.

BXVI-LETTER/SPECIAL ENVOY/MARTINO VIS 060515 (130)

CHRISTIAN LIFE IS MYSTERY OF COMMUNION WITH JESUS

- The Eucharist and the intercession of the Virgin Mary provided the theme for Benedict XVI's remarks prior to praying the "Regina Coeli" today.

"On this fifth Sunday of Easter," said the Holy Father to thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, "the liturgy presents us with the episode from the Gospel of John in which Jesus, talking to His disciples at the Last Supper, exhorts them to remain united to Him as the branch to the vine."

This, he continued, "is a truly significant parable because it very effectively expresses how Christian life is mystery of communion with Jesus. ... The secret of spiritual fecundity is union with God, a union achieved above all in the Eucharist, which is also rightly called 'Communion'."

Benedict XVI recalled the fact that, during this period, many children are receiving First Communion, and he greeted them expressing the hope that they may become "branches of the vine, which is Jesus, and grow as His true disciples."

The Pope then went on to highlight how to rely upon the intercession of Mary is "a sure way to remain united to Christ." He also recalled the apparition of the Virgin to the shepherd children at Fatima on May 13, 1917. "The message she entrusted to them," the Holy Father said, "was a powerful call to prayer and conversion; a truly prophetic message if we consider the twentieth century's burden of unprecedented destruction caused by wars and totalitarian regimes, as well as the widespread persecutions against the Church."

Benedict XVI also mentioned the attack against John Paul II on May 13, 1981 when the Pope "felt he had been saved from death by the intercession of 'a maternal hand,' ... and his entire pontificate was marked by what the Virgin had announced at Fatima."

He concluded: "Although there has been no lack of worries and suffering, and if there are still reasons for apprehension over the future of humanity, there is comfort to be had in what the 'White Lady' promised the shepherd children: 'In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph'."

ANG/EUCHARIST:INTERCESSION MARY/... VIS 060515 (370)

DIALOGUE WITH AND WELCOME FOR IMMIGRANTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received participants in the plenary session of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant peoples, the theme of which is: "Migration and mobility from and to countries with a Muslim majority."

The Pope highlighted the Catholic Church's awareness of the fact that "inter-religious dialogue is part of her commitment to serve humanity in the modern world." In our time, "Christians are called to cultivate a form of open dialogue on religious problems, not renouncing the presentation ... of the Christian message in keeping with their own identity."

After stressing the importance of reciprocity in dialogue, Benedict XVI praised the efforts being made "to create, with immigrants, relations of mutual knowledge and respect, which are extremely useful in overcoming prejudices and closed minds."

"In this activity of welcome and dialogue with migrants and itinerant peoples, the Christian community has as its constant point of reference Christ Who left His disciples, as a rule for life, the new commandment to love." For this reason, the Pope added, "believers are called to open their arms and hearts to everyone, whatever their country of origin, leaving the task of formulating appropriate laws for promoting healthy coexistence to those responsible for public life."

"Christians," the Pope continued, "must particularly open their hearts to the lowliest and the poorest, in whom Christ Himself is especially present. ... Obviously, it is to be hoped that Christians emigrating to countries with Muslim majorities, find there welcome and respect for their religious identity."

In closing his address, the Holy Father thanked the dicastery for their efforts in favor of "an organic and effective form of pastoral care for migrants and itinerant peoples. ... No one should doubt that this is an important frontier in the new evangelization of the modern globalized world."

AC/EMIGRANTS:ISLAM/CON-SM VIS 060515 (320)

AUDIENCES

The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Enrique Bolanos Geyer, president of the Republic of Nicaragua, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

- Cardinal Pio Laghi, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

- His Royal Highness Duke Carl von Wurttemberg, accompanied by an entourage.

- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

On Saturday, May 13, he received in audience Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

AP/.../... VIS 060515 (90)

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICA- Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil O.I.C. of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India, with the consent of the Synod of Bishops and after having consulted the Holy See, erected, in accordance with canon 85, para. 1, of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the ecclesiastical province of Tiruvalla of the Syro-Malankars, elevating the eparchy of Tiruvalla to the status of metropolitan see and giving it as suffragans the eparchies of Bathery and Muvattupuzha. By this provision, Bishop Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal of Tiruvalla becomes the first metropolitan archbishop of Tiruvalla of the Syro-Malankars. The archbishop-elect was born in Mukkoor, India in 1959, he was ordained a priest in 1986 and consecrated a bishop in 2001.

On Saturday, May 13, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Joseph Chau Ngoc Tri, pastor of Tra Kieu and member of the diocesan council, as bishop of Da Nang (area 11,690, population 2,215,000, Catholics 59,170, priests 61, religious 460), Vietnam. The bishop-elect was born in Phuoc Am, Vietnam in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1989. He succeeds Bishop Paul Nguyen Binh Tinh P.S.S., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Erected the new diocese of Moramanga, (area 12,064, population 348,170, Catholics 110,000, priests 17, religious 72) Madagascar, with territory taken from the diocese of Ambatondrazaka, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Antananarivo. He appointed Bishop Gaetano Di Pierro S.C.I., auxiliary of Ambatondrazaka, as first bishop of the new diocese.

- Appointed Fr. Arturo Aiello of the clergy of the archdiocese of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia, pastor, spiritual director of the diocesan seminary and episcopal delegate for institutes of consecrated life, as bishop of Teano-Calvi (area 663, population 80,000, Catholics 80,000, priests 46, permanent deacons 8, religious 85), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Vico Equense, Italy in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1979.

- Appointed Fr. Victor Rene Rodriguez Gomez, pro-vicar general and episcopal vicar for pastoral care of the diocese of Texcoco, Mexico as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 2,000, population 2,373,446, Catholics 2,088,633, priests 170, permanent deacons 23, religious 284). The bishop-elect was born in San Martin de las Piramides, Mexico in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1976.

- Appointed Augustine Loorthusamy, president of SIGNIS, Malaysia, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and, as consultors of the same pontifical council, Marc Aellen, secretary general of SIGNIS, Switzerland, and Emilio Acerna, Italy.

ECE:NER:RE:NEA:NA/.../... VIS 060515 (430)

Krispy Kreme Announces Proposed Settlement Resolving ERISA Class Action

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE:KKD) announced today that a proposed settlement has been reached resolving an ERISA class action filed on March 3, 2005 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against the Company and individual defendants including certain members of its Board of Directors, officers and employees. The settlement would include a one-time cash payment to be made by the Company's insurer in the amount of $4,750,000. The Company and the individual defendants deny any and all wrongdoing and would pay no money in the settlement.

The lawsuit alleges that the Company and the individual defendants breached duties with respect to the management and administration of the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation Retirement Savings Plan (the "401(k) Plan") and the Krispy Kreme Profit Sharing Stock Ownership Plan (the "KSOP") (collectively the "Plans"). If the settlement is finalized, it will impact members of a settlement class consisting of the Plans' participants from January 1, 2003 through May 12, 2006. If the settlement is finalized, in addition to the cash payment by the Company's insurer, the Company will amend the Plans to cause the merger of the KSOP into the 401(k) Plan. Several contingent events must be satisfied before the settlement becomes final, including preliminary and final approval by the United States District Court where the matter is pending. It is anticipated that if the United States District Court gives final approval to the proposed settlement, this matter will be resolved finally by the end of calendar 2007.

About Krispy Kreme

Founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Krispy Kreme is a leading branded retailer and wholesaler of high-quality doughnuts, including its signature Hot Original Glazed(R). There are currently approximately 310 Krispy Kreme stores and 85 satellites operating systemwide in 43 U.S. states, Australia, Canada, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Additional information on Krispy Kreme can be found on the Internet at http://www.krispykreme.com/.

Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Presents 'Get Your Money Right' Financial Summit in Miami on Saturday, May 20 at Florida Memorial University

WHAT:

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) "Get Your Money Right" financial fundamentals and empowerment tour. Hip-Hop celebrities and Chrysler Financial experts will speak to the youth audience on the importance of home ownership, credit repair, entrepreneurship and vehicle financing.

The topics to be covered include the basics of banking, home ownership, repairing bad credit and understanding credit scores, entrepreneurship, vehicle financing and more. The "Get Your Money Right" workbook, which will be given to all participants, is available in both English and Spanish and is downloadable on the http://www.hsan.org/ site.

WHO:

HSAN Participants: Russell Simmons (HSAN), Dr. Benjamin Chavis (HSAN), Fat Joe, Pitbull, Remy Ma, MC Lyte, Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone and Wish Bone (Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony), Prince Markie Dee of 103.5 The Beat, Ted Lucas - President and CEO of Slip 'N' Slide Records, Felix Sama from Mega 94.9 and DJ Ideal

Chrysler Financial Experts/

Interview Opportunities:

James Whitlow, Gerrod Parchmon -- Chrysler Financial Panelists

Stephen Starks - Director, Southeast Business Center -- Chrysler

Financial

Eydel Perez - Southeast Business Center -- Chrysler Financial

(Spanish-speaking interviewee)

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 2006

Artists/panelists/VIP arrival: Noon

Doors Open: Noon

Program: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Florida Memorial University

A. Chester Robinson Athletic Center

5800 N.W. 42nd Avenue

Miami Gardens, Fla. 33054

OTHER:

Recent survey results released in a news conference in the Federal Reserve boardroom showed U.S. teenagers lack the fundamentals of personal financial knowledge. According to Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, results of a survey taken by 5,775 high school seniors in 37 states, shows financial literacy is still a significant area for improvement with youth. The Hip-Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment is a grassroots effort to help engage young people in discussions about the importance of personal finance.

Community Partners: Florida Memorial University and the Miami Urban League

 

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