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

        Content Is King

 Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne June 5, 2006

INTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE

Info@montebubbles.net

Banner ads can now be purchased thru eBay: Item number: 7625089757

Monte Bubbles now Licensing her image for use.

First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX

and NBC and now there is MBN ®

( unofficially the sixth largest supplier

of NEWS by and American company

averaging 100 Pages of news a day. )

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

MBN® HAS BEEN INVITED TO COVER THE CHINESE CES THIS JULY but we can’t get things ready in time.

SUNDAYS ARE NOW PICTURE DAY

International news from Asia and Latin news in English and Spanish here now along with NASA and Vatican news

More exciting changes coming each day.

Watch for the MBN® Politically incorrect SUV

MONTEBUBBLISM: Even when you know the game is fixed you still should give all you have because then it is a victory for you.

Today a pay per click company added their html to our site without our permission. Everything that we have been putting up has had a link place on it  going back to their company. We are working on this problem right now and hope to have it fixed.

ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

Disney Channel is the latest in its corporate family to broadcast full-length episodes of its shows online, taking advantage of the fast-growing online video ad market, which eMarketer estimates will top $640 million next year.

It's Not Who You Are, but How Often You Visit Dimension Films to Make New 'Halloween' Film; Auteur Filmmaker Rob Zombie to Write and Direct Trancas International Films to Produce Along With Rob Zombie and Andy Gould

FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE 2006 Films and Filmmakers to be Part of MacNeil Lehrer Productions' Upcoming Project Generation Next

Brandimensions Unveils Most Comprehensive 'Link Map' of the Internet

Provides Customers With a Broader and Deeper Understanding of Internet Communities and Online Consumer Intelligence

Top Nissan Exec Blasts Industry for New-Media Timidity

Marketing VP Says Online Portals Pull Audiences Equal to Prime Time

performedia international Changes the Reason for a Blog -- Executive Graffiti to Be a Catalyst for Technology-Consumer-Technology Interaction

Online Bill Payers Save Paper, Stamps and Hassle R&B Foundation Announces Presenters for 2006 Pioneer Awards

Ashford & Simpson, Jerry Butler, Gamble & Huff, Larry Magid, Bonnie Raitt and Paul Shaffer Join the Party

Cell-Only Population Challenges National Polls Almost 2/3 of Consumers Say Their Children Won't Be As Fortunate

VIRTUAL KATY FLIES THROUGH TIME WITH DOCTOR WHO Just Bringing more rivalry, attitude, high-energy competition and heartwarming fun with hot young stars and chart-topping songs from today’s biggest artists, Bring It On: All or Nothing

SPORTS

Women Revolt Against World Cup

Auto manufactures report May Sales

EagleRider Revolutionizes Motorcycle Travel

DOD

Oil-Stained Mechanics Keep Infantry MovingAmerica Supports You: Student's Sketches Memorialize Sacrifices

Accident Kills Iraqi Civilians; Troops Nab 19 Terror Suspects

NEWS

NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS: Highlights and Exclusives, June 12, 2006 Issue PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL’s July issue gets up-close and personal with Mexican singer, Luis Miguel. The Grammy award-winning Norteno band, Intocable, will perform in San Jose as part of the 42-city 2006 Coors Light(R) Intocable U.S. Tour.Amputee War Veterans Surfing Wave of Hope

Bring It On: All or Nothing, de Universal Studios Home Entertainment, debuta en DVD por primera vez en la historia el 8 de agosto de 2006.

The Defense Department last month revealed to Congress that Islamic terrorists were using a modified video game--Battlefield 2--to recruit and train Jihadis.

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ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

Disney Channel is the latest in its corporate family to broadcast full-length episodes of its shows online, taking advantage of the fast-growing online video ad market, which eMarketer estimates will top $640 million next year.
DisneyChannel.com today launches its broadband player with several of its more popular series, including

'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody' is one of several Disney Channel shows to run ad-supported and free online.
"That's So Raven," "American Dragon: Jake Long" and "Kim Possible." The episodes are free, ad-supported and available in six languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Mandarin and Hindi. Disney's brand of animated programming, Jetix, is also featuring full-length episodes on its site of such shows as "Power Rangers: Mystic Force." Viewers can also create their own playlists and e-mail them to friends.

Disney Channel on TV is sponsorship-based, but the online versions of the shows will follow a more straightforward online video advertising model, allowing marketers to stream full-length noninteractive pre-roll spots and have fixed display advertising. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Sony Pictures Entertainment are two of the initial sponsors.

The network plans to drive its TV viewers to the broadband offerings with online premieres of two "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" episodes. The broadband channels were created by Disney's Digital Media Group. A separate group, Disney Internet Group, launched last year a subscription-based children-targeted broadband channel called Playhouse Disney.

Rich Ross, president, Disney Channel Worldwide, said the impetus was to let children get to Disney Channel content however they wanted. And he knows how powerful online can be as a promotional vehicle. For example, earlier this year Walt Disney Records debuted the soundtrack from the Disney Channel TV movie "High School Musical" on iTunes, almost two weeks before the movie premiered. Users of the digital-music service called the movie "their favorite" on message boards based solely on the soundtrack. Ten days later "High School Musical" premiered to 7.7 million viewers (topping even Fox's "American Idol" with children aged 6 to 11).

Disney Channel isn't alone in trying to reach children on multiple screens. Viacom's Nickelodeon launched its own broadband channel last year, TurboNick. And just two months ago Cartoon Network launched an anime-themed broadband channel, Toonami Jetstream.

The DisneyChannel.com video player and ad model are different than what ABC.com employed in May as part of a two-month trial. The network is broadcasting full-length episodes of several of its programs on ABC.com, selling limited advertising within them. In the ABC.com offering, four 30-second ads, all from the same advertiser, run in each episode. Once an ad finishes airing, the viewer must click on it to return to viewing the program. So far ABC.com has served 11 million streams in 29 days and the model is resulting in 87% ad recall in internal research, according to a Disney spokeswoman. It's Not Who You Are, but How Often You Visit

For those marketers dealing with quick service and sit-down restaurant patronage, some markets are better (or, at least different) than others. According to Scarborough Research, the average adult visits a quick service restaurant 5.2 times in a given month, but in Raleigh, NC, it's 6.2 times.

Karla Horton, manager, advertiser marketing services, Scarborough Research, concludes that an intensely local focus is the key to successful marketing in the restaurant industry, and going deep and understanding consumers at the trade area level is absolutely necessary."

In their analysis of quick service and sit- down restaurant patronage in the U.S., Scarborough found that the average adult visits a quick service restaurant such as McDonald's or Subway 5.2 times in a given month, but:

Birmingham, AL residents visit a quick service restaurant 6.5 times in the average month

Louisville, KY residents average 6.4 visits to a fast food restaurant per month,

Austin, TX residents average 6.3 visits

Memphis, TN residents average 6.3 visits

Raleigh, NC residents average 6.2 visits to round out the top five local markets for frequent fast food restaurant patronage.

In the sit-down restaurant category, which includes establishments such as Applebees, T.G.I. Friday's, and Boston Market, the average adult visits one of these restaurants 3.4 times a month. Orlando, FL is the top local market for the frequent sit-down restaurant patronage with 4.5 visits monthly. The next four are:

Cincinnati, OH with 4.2 average visits

Fort Myers, FL with 4.2 average visits

Tampa, FL with 4.1 average visits

Atlanta, GA with 4.1 average visits

Dimension Films to Make New 'Halloween' Film; Auteur Filmmaker Rob Zombie to Write and Direct Trancas International Films to Produce Along With Rob Zombie and Andy Gould

Dimension Films is proud to announce that they will make a new "Halloween" movie with Rob Zombie ("The Devil's Rejects," "House of 1000 Corpses") writing, directing and serving as a producer. Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films ("Halloween H20: 20 Years Later") will produce the feature along with Andy Gould of Vision Entertainment Group ("The Devil's Rejects," "House of 1000 Corpses"). Zombie will also serve as music supervisor on the film. Miramax Films will co-finance the development with Dimension Films. The announcement was made today by The Weinstein Company co-chairman, Bob Weinstein.

Zombie's vision of this film is an entirely new take on the legend and will satisfy fans of the classic "Halloween" legacy while beginning a new chapter in the Michael Myers saga. This new movie will not only appeal to horror fans, but to a wider movie-going audience as well. It will not be a copycat of any prior films in the "Halloween" franchise. The film is set for an October 2007 theatrical release.

Bob Weinstein stated, "Rob Zombie is a gifted musician and performer as well as a talented filmmaker. His vision for this new 'Halloween' is spectacular and I am thrilled to be collaborating with him and to work closely with Malek Akkad to continue the legacy built by his father, the late Moustapha Akkad."

Zombie said, "I have been a huge, huge fan of John Carpenter's original film since its release. So when Bob Weinstein approached me about this, I jumped at the chance to join forces with Dimension Films on this amazing project."

The "Halloween" story began with the 1978 release of "John Carpenter's Halloween," executive produced by the late Moustapha Akkad, founder of Trancas International Films and became the highest grossing independent film of the time. Moustapha Akkad's son, Malek, is now taking some of the reigns on this new "Halloween" project to continue the outstanding work begun by his father. Malek Akkad stated, "Trancas is very excited to be working with Rob Zombie and producing another 'Halloween' with Bob Weinstein and Dimension, the home of the franchise for the last three installments. It will be a fitting and worthy tribute to my late father."

"I am thrilled to be working again with Rob and with Dimension Films on such an iconic project that will reinvigorate 'Halloween' and Michael Myers in a truly terrifying new way," stated Andy Gould, Rob Zombie's long time manager and producer of Zombie's two previous films.

Richard Saperstein, president of production, Matthew Stein, senior vice president of production and Alex Franklin, director of development and production will oversee the project on behalf of Dimension. Bret McCartney of Trancas International will oversee production on behalf of Trancas.

Andrew Kramer, executive vice president of business and legal affairs, and Lumumba Mosquera, senior vice president of business and legal affairs, negotiated on behalf of Dimension Films. Attorneys David Fox and Jeffrey Light of Myman Abell Fineman Greenspan & Light negotiated on behalf of Rob Zombie. Attorney Wayne Kazan of Weissmann Wolff Bergman Coleman & Silverman negotiated on behalf of Akkad. Rob Zombie is represented by Paradigm.

ABOUT ROB ZOMBIE

An auteur filmmaker and music artist with shrewd insight and creative vision, Rob Zombie challenges audiences as he stretches the boundaries of film, music and publishing.

Zombie is the longest active artist on Geffen Records and has sold in excess of fifteen million records. He is currently on a sold-out nationwide tour for his latest gold-selling album, "Educated Horses." which debuted at number five on the Billboard Top 200.

In 2000, Zombie jumped from music to film with his directorial debut and cult smash hit, "House of 1000 Corpses." Due to the film success Zombie returned in 2004 to helm its follow up the critically acclaimed, "The Devil's Rejects." Zombie was hailed by critics and fans alike as a visionary filmmaker due to the film's uncompromising and wildly inventive exploitive throw-back style.

Prior to "House of 1000 Corpses," Zombie directed dozens of high profile music videos. In 1995 Zombie won an MTV Music Video Award for "More Human Than Human," becoming the first self-directed artist to win such an award.

After the success of "The Devil's Rejects," Zombie entered the world of animation with "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto" a feature length film in production at IDT.

ABOUT MALEK AKKAD

Malek Akkad is a twenty-year veteran of the entertainment industry. Under his guidance, Trancas International Films has evolved into a diverse entertainment company, involved in production, distribution, management, music publishing and merchandising.

Akkad has produced the last three installments of the successful "Halloween" franchise, distributed by Dimension films, and is currently producing "Halloween 9." Some other producing credits include "Walking After Midnight," "The Psychic Murders," the recently completed, "Made In Brooklyn," and the documentary, "Halloween: 25 Years of Terror."

As a director, Akkad has numerous commercials and music videos to his credit, including clients such as Coke Cola, and artists like Lo-Ball, Simon Shaheen & Kazem. He also directed the feature film, "The Psychic Murders," starring James Russo, Henry Rollins, and Terry Farrell. He is currently developing "The Princess of Alhambra," a sweeping historical epic set in medieval Spain, based on a script by Oscar winning screenwriter, Robert Bolt.

Akkad's company, Trancas, also manages a vibrant film library, including titles such as "Halloween," "Halloween 4," "Halloween 5," "Hell Night," and "Lion of the Desert." It also runs a merchandising department, and the music publishing company, Jack-O-Lantern Music. Trancas has recently opened television and management divisions, with several projects in development, and a roster of recognizable talent.

Tring Entertainments is Akkad's overseas affiliate, handling Trancas' library internationally, with offices in Twickenham Film Studios, home to such legendary productions such as "Reds," "Ghandi," "Blade Runner," "Donnie Brasco," "Interview with a Vampire" and Superman II & III, to name a few.

Akkad's newly formed Paranormal Pictures, in association with Jon Sheinberg's The Machine, has recently completed production of the mob comedy, "Made In Brooklyn." The company has also produced the upcoming release from Anchor Bay Entertainment, "Halloween: 25 Years of Terror."FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE 2006 Films and Filmmakers to be Part of MacNeil Lehrer Productions' Upcoming Project Generation Next

FILM YOUR ISSUE has aligned with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to provide content for the upcoming project "Generation Next." Select "issue films" by finalists and semi-finalists from the 2006 FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE national competition will be platformed as part of the new program by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, it was announced today.

Now in its second year, FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE (http://www.filmyourissue.com/ ) is an unprecedented outreach to all U.S. residents age 18 to 26 to create 30-to-60 second "issue films" as a way to engage young people in pressing contemporary issues and add their voices to the public dialogue, via film. More than 300 films were received by 1000-plus registrants during the competition, which ran from January 26 through the May 21, 2006 deadline. Five winners will be announced June 8, 2006. The FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 19, 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. In addition to the 5 filmmakers being awarded, the inaugural Walter Cronkite Civic Engagement Leadership Award will be presented to Illinois State University for its student outreach on behalf of both civic engagement and in support of FYI.

"Generation Next," an ambitious project produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and headed by correspondent Judy Woodruff, will similarly take a snapshot of what's on the minds of young Americans, circa 2006. "Generation Next" will use multiple platforms of a PBS documentary, multiple segments on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and online websites. Production begins in June 2006, with airdates planned for late 2006 and early 2007. Primary funding for the "Generation Next" Project is provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

"'Generation Next' and FYI make terrific partners," added Judy Woodruff, executive editor and correspondent of the Generation Next project. "The goal of 'Generation Next' is to give young people a voice, to let those in power hear what what's on their minds. Providing a platform for the FYI videos meshes wonderfully with our efforts."

Films from 2006 FYI - FILM YOUR ISSUE will be selected by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to be presented on its "Generation Next" website, which will be housed on the Online NewsHour at PBS.org, and will be considered for the broadcast platforms.

"We are delighted, honored and excited for FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE to join forces with MacNeil/ Lehrer Productions and its 'Generation Next' project. From our conversations with Judy Woodruff and the producers of 'Generation Next,' we marveled at the serendipity of our shared vision to tap into the minds and hearts of young people in this country, at this critical moment in our history," said HeathCliff Rothman, President and Founder of FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE. "We see our projects as compatible and complementary, since 'Generation Next' will directly interview young people in several American cities, while FYI invited young people to create personal films on their issues."

Launched in Park City, Utah in January 2006 during festival season, FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE culminated with 300+ film submissions, of which 35 were selected for public voting via MSNBC.com and MSN Video between May 25 and June 7, 2006. VIP Judges will also vote on the 35 entries, headed by distinguished Jurist Walter Cronkite, and including George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Senator Barack Obama, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Ellen Burstyn, USA TODAY President Craig Moon, Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairman Tom Rothman, Universal Studios CEO Ron Meyer, Disney Chairman Dick Cook and others. The winning 5 films -- a 50-50 tally of public and VIP Jury votes -- will also air this summer on mtvU, MTV's 24-hour college network, and be available on demand on broadband channel mtvU Uber at mtvU.com.

Some of the world's largest companies, organizations and national and international leaders have come together behind an unprecedented initiative to engage young Americans in the pressing social issues of our time, including Presenting Sponsors MSN Spaces and MSN Video, MSNBC.com, USA TODAY, Entertainment Weekly, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., mtvU, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Independent Pictures, The United Nations, The Humane Society of the United States, ASCAP, Motorola, USC Center on Public Diplomacy, The Maui Film Festival, The Vail Film Festival, and all the major higher education academic organizations.

FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE academic partners include the leading organizations of higher education: The Association of American Colleges and Universities, The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (The American Democracy Project), The American Association of University Professors, Campus Compact and Imagining America.

Visit the MSNBC.com site at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12721177 to vote on the 2006 semi-finalists.

Visit http://www.filmyourissue.com/ for more information, and to view the 35 semi-finalists and read about the filmmakers and their inspiration for making their films.

Other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Source: FYI

Brandimensions Unveils Most Comprehensive 'Link Map' of the Internet

Provides Customers With a Broader and Deeper Understanding of Internet Communities and Online Consumer Intelligence Brandimensions, Inc., an international leader in the online brand protection and market intelligence industries, today unveiled the most advanced "link map" of the Internet designed to provide customers with a broader and deeper understanding of online communities and consumer behavior on the Internet. The new technology platform is the result of the integration of technology from the company's recent acquisition of SEVENtwentyfour Inc. with Brandimensions' existing proprietary search infrastructure, providing business managers with the most comprehensive and sophisticated Internet data mining and analysis system.

Word of mouth (WOM) marketing on the Internet can reach thousands of consumers in a matter of hours through blogs, chat rooms and other social network sites. The new Brandimensions LinkMap of more than 52 billion Web links using seven billion Web pages on more than 180 million domains makes it one of the world's largest Internet maps in commercial use. The Brandimensions search technology continuously monitors and documents the Internet map while adding new links on a daily basis. The links among pages are used to define authoritative "brand communities" online, which leads to a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and market trends. This information empowers researchers and marketers to make informed business decisions about their brands and marketing activities.

For example, if a gaming company is interested in tracking online consumer sentiment and market intelligence, Brandimensions' LinkMap will identify communities of interest specifically related to the brand, the industry and alternate industries where synergistic marketing opportunities exist to reach the target audience.

Brandimensions provides researchers and marketers with rapid content analysis that is achieved through its technology. The Brandimensions LinkMap features configurable "Internet orbit control," which is a length of time to search and revolve around the Internet or specified Internet communities. This translates into the ability to monitor entire communities rapidly for real-time access to consumer feedback and sentiment. In addition, Brandimensions continues to use its broad-based search capabilities to monitor the entire Internet for other relevant content. The combined search infrastructure delivers immediate access to content from the sites that have the most impact to its consumers while still providing a comprehensive search for accuracy.

"We're very excited about how our new integrated platform provides us with the deepest understanding of the topology of the Web and its varied communities," said Bradley Silver, CEO of Brandimensions. "This allows us to more effectively collect Web content, leading to more current and relevant information. We collect over one billion Web pages per month, of which about seven million are determined to be relevant to our customers by our relevancy engine. For further accuracy, our team of data taggers manually reads and quantifies an additional 750,000 articles and entries per month to identify the content most likely to provide customers with a better understanding of mindshare and sentiment related to their brand. This unique and propriety process ensures 100 percent accuracy and relevance."

The Brandimensions LinkMap is built using Web 2.0 technology, including Microsoft .NET, a highly scalable Microsoft SQL database and the Windows operating system. The LinkMap is housed by the Microsoft SQL database and is equal in size to some of the leading search engines making it one of the largest in the world. Brandimensions strong technology backbone together with its analytical capabilities provides customers with both quantitative and qualitative intelligence, offering a new dimension to the company's research that far exceeds the reach of competitors.

About Brandimensions Inc.

Incorporated in 2001, Brandimensions offers a number of industry-focused real-time solutions for market intelligence and brand protection. Brandimensions' Brand Protection and Market Intelligence programs offer a truly integrated online brand management system of technology, human analysis and best practices to deliver customers comprehensive market or brand analysis as well as complete protection for its brands and trademarks from misuse online. Brandimensions helps business-to-consumer companies align their corporate and brand identity to the marketplace.

Brandimensions' unique brand equity management programs serves an impressive list of Fortune 500 companies in the automotive, financial services, entertainment, consumer packaged goods, retail, telecommunications and pharmaceutical industries. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Brandimensions offices are located in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Singapore. www.brandimensions.comTop Nissan Exec Blasts Industry for New-Media Timidity

Marketing VP Says Online Portals Pull Audiences Equal to Prime TimeJan Thompson, VP-marketing of Nissan North America, today scolded the U.S. auto industry for resorting to "a less risky approach to marketing," leading to a big disparity in where automakers spend their ad dollars and consumers invest their time.

Nissan now views Yahoo, MSN and Google as 'networks in their own rights, able to deliver audiences comparable to prime time.'

Speaking at the Automotive News Marketing Seminar in Los Angeles, Ms. Thompson said Nissan has extended its relationships with Yahoo, MSN and Google, which "we now recognize as networks in their own rights, able to deliver audiences comparable to prime time."

It's a recognition lost on most of the auto industry, she said, and the reason why automakers account for 25%, or $17 billion, of the nation's annual advertising spending. Auto marketing outlays skyrocketed over the past two decades because automakers "were having a hard time figuring out the right way to send the right message to the right person at the right time." So the industry drove the safe route by using a combination of carpet bombing and adding incremental spending for new-media tactics.

Ms. Thompson called the $17 billion figure "shocking" and told Advertising Age before the speech that new-media choices offer opportunities to save money.

Auto advertising soared in the past 20 years by 1,378% while new-vehicle sales increased by only 17%, Ms. Thompson said. The industry-wide marketing cost per new vehicle sold increased from $50 to $1,000 in the past two decades. When incentives are added, which she said totaled roughly $51 billion last year, automakers are spending around $4,000 in marketing and incentive costs for each vehicle sold.

Nissan North America spent $1.02 billion in U.S. measured media last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence. The automaker spent $950 in measured media per new Nissan and Infiniti sold, based on the automaker's 1.07 million units it said it sold in 2005, an Advertising Age analysis reveals.

Ms. Thompson said the automaker has a Business Intelligence unit that includes people with PhDs in math and statistics to analyze "gobs of data" and evaluate Nissan's marketing return on investments with greater precision.

Nissan's extended deal with Microsoft and its MSN arm will now cross all platforms, including gaming, mobile, blogs and search, allowing Nissan to understand how consumers want to interact with its two brands. The automaker will also develop an array of marketing programs geared to the local level for its dealers.

Nissan formed a more strategic deal with Yahoo, which Ms. Thompson said reaches 73% of the total online audience and streams more than 50% of all video streamed online, more than any other site.

The extended Google partnership will allow Nissan to use its technology to better target consumers with content relevant to them. The automaker's paid-search strategy for its recent spring sales event drove almost 40% of its Web traffic to the Nissan USA site and 31% of the event's vehicle sales were tracked back to search marketing.

The rules of "transformational marketing," as outlined by Ms. Thompson, include measuring the impact and mix of communications often; adapting faster to things that measurement shows aren't working; and getting rid of silos at ad agencies, media outlets and in client organizations. She encouraged the audience to "enjoy the revolution because we are all at the center of it."

performedia international Changes the Reason for a Blog -- Executive Graffiti to Be a Catalyst for Technology-Consumer-Technology Interaction

"Blogs have become impersonal and lack credibility unless there is an objective beyond ranting," explained CEO, Richard Jenkins. "Our position as a publisher of technology strategy for industries and business processes puts us in a position of responsibility to capture the true feeling and demands of the executives we are providing essential information to."

performedia is currently developing a major executive report highlighting the leaders, innovators and drivers of ERP change. The ERP Metamorphosis will be published in October and distributed to the executives and division leaders of the Fortune 2000.

In July performedia will also launch a major video portal, ExecutiveTV, presenting technology strategy, customer case studies and the personalities behind the technology changing business and society.

In the last six months performedia has designed and developed two major publications in Consumer Goods & Retail and Performance Management working with leading vendors including Intel, SAP, Business Objects, IBM, Strategix Performance, Cognos, HP, Cartesis and many other industry leaders. Online Bill Payers Save Paper, Stamps and Hassle

A recent survey by CheckFree Corporation tracking bill payment behavior, found that that 69 percent of U.S. online households say they are paying at least one bill online. Online payments are steadily replacing check writing as the way to pay bills among those surveyed, with paper checks used for 37.5 percent of all bill payments and online payments used for 35 percent.

Interest in subscribing to a consolidated bill payment service was higher among households that do not currently pay bills online, with 19 percent indicating they were "definitely interested" -- up from 15 percent in 2005.

Among consumers who recently enrolled in a consolidated service, the most influential source of information in their decision was the bank branch, followed by the bank website and word-of-mouth recommendations. Over the past three years, the percentage of consumers citing the influential role of the branch has almost doubled.

Matt Lewis, executive vice president and general manager of CheckFree's Electronic Commerce Division, says "As paying bills online has evolved into a mainstream consumer activity, ironically, face to face interactions such as conversations with account managers or tellers, and brochures given out at the bank branch, remain the most effective way to market the service…"

Current users said paying bills online:

Saves paper, stamps and hassle (28 percent)

Is the easiest way to pay bills (16 percent)

Ensures bills are paid on the day of their choice (12 percent)

Is faster than paying by check (11 percent)

Of all online consumers, consolidated users with e-bill were the most satisfied with their bank, online banking and their bill payment service

61 percent of consolidated users with e-bill rated themselves as very satisfied with online banking

E-bill users said they were more likely to recommend electronic bill payment to a friend or relative: making 1.9 recommendations on average over the past three months versus customers without e-bill service making 1.2 recommendations.

Among the surveyed consumers who are not currently paying their bills online, the most common barrier to adoption was lack of information about the service, followed by security concerns. R&B Foundation Announces Presenters for 2006 Pioneer Awards

Ashford & Simpson, Jerry Butler, Gamble & Huff, Larry Magid, Bonnie Raitt and Paul Shaffer Join the Party A stellar list of presenters has been announced for the 2006 R&B Foundation Pioneer Awards, according to Kayte Connelly, Executive Director of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. The Fourteenth Pioneer Awards are scheduled for June 29, 2006 at the Park Hyatt Bellevue in Philadelphia, PA.

Confirmed presenters (listed alphabetically) include legendary performer/ songwriters Ashford & Simpson; the "Iceman" Jerry Butler, Chairman Emeritus of the R&B Foundation; producer/songwriters Gamble & Huff who are credited with being the architects of the Philadelphia Sound; promoter and COO of Electric Factory Concerts Larry Magid; award-winning guitarist/singer and R&B Foundation Board Member, Bonnie Raitt; and renowned keyboardist, band leader and R&B Foundation Advisory Board Member, Paul Shaffer. Smokey Robinson and Patti LaBelle were previously announced as hosts.

"This year's Pioneer Awards promises to be exceptional in every way. We are looking forward to a spectacular event that will firmly establish the R&B Foundation's identity in our new home city, Philadelphia, and re-confirm Philly's place in musical history as the 'Home for Rhythm & Blues,'" Connelly stated.

Previously announced individual honorees for the 2006 Pioneer Awards are Chubby Checker, Bettye LaVette, Barbara Mason and producer Thom Bell. Groups who will be receiving the awards are the DelFonics and Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly. Lifetime Achievement honoree is Motown Founder Berry Gordy and the late Otis Redding will be recognized with the Legacy Tribute. Each individual honoree receives a $10,000 honorarium while groups share a $15,000 stipend.

The Rhythm & Blues Foundation is an independent non-profit service organization with a worldwide reputation for meeting the needs of former rhythm and blues artists. Officially established in 1988, the mission of the R&B Foundation is to foster public recognition and appreciation of the form of music known as Rhythm & Blues and the artists who made significant contributions to the birth and development of Rhythm & Blues music, particularly in the decades of the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The Foundation was housed in Washington, DC and New York City, until the recent move to Philadelphia in April of 2005. The offices are currently located at 100 South Broad Street, Suite 620, Philadelphia, PA 19110.

For ticket information, contact the R&B Foundation at 800.258.3799 or www.rhythmblues.org. Cell-Only Population Challenges National Polls

This Brief is too brief to do justice to the detailed findings in the referenced study important to researchers in the marketing, merchandising and media fields. We strongly recommend that, if the subject of polling and data collection by phone is relevant, the reader might pursue the links to gain more insight into the charts and findings. (Ed.)

According to a Pew Research Center study, a growing number of Americans rely solely on a cell phone for their telephone service, and many more are considering giving up their landline phones. This trend presents a challenge to public opinion polling,

According to the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, the percentage of households paying a cell phone bill but not a landline bill rose from 0.4% in 2000 to 7.8% in the first quarter of 2005. And, the National Health Interview Survey estimated that, in the second half of 2005, 7.8% of adults lived in households with only a cell phone. In the 2004 exit poll by the National Election Pool, 7.1% of voters said they relied solely on cell phones.

Recent research by the Pew Research Center, in conjunction with the Associated Press and AOL, was conducted to assess the challenge posed by cell phones to random digit dial surveys, which typically rely on a random sample of the population of landline subscribers. The study determined that the relatively small size of the cell-only group, along with the demographic weighting performed when it is combined with the landline sample, accounts for the minimal change in the overall findings.

Specifically, the study shows that including cell-only respondents with those interviewed from a standard landline sample, and weighting the resulting combined sample to the full U.S. public demographically, changes the overall results of the poll by no more than one percentage point on any of nine key political questions included in the study.

This, in spite of the fact that a new study of the issue finds that cell-only Americans, an estimated 7%-9% of the general public, are significantly different in many ways from those reachable on a landline. They are younger, less affluent, less likely to be married or to own their home, and more liberal on many political questions.

According to data collected by the National Center for Heath Statistics, 53% of Americans use both a landline and a cell phone; 37% have only a landline; and 8% rely only on a cell phone.

Like the cell-only population, Americans who rely solely on a landline are distinctive demographically. Fully 41% are ages 65 and older, compared with 16% of the general public. The landline-only group includes a greater proportion of whites than the general public (82% vs. 73%).

Among dual phone users, there are clear differences between those reached on a cell phone and those contacted on a landline. People who were interviewed on a cell phone are somewhat younger (24% under age 30 vs. 15% among those reached on a landline), more likely to be Hispanic (9% vs. 5%), and slightly more likely to have a child under 18 in the household (43% vs. 35%).

AOL and Covad Communications to Offer AOL High Speed Powered by Covad ADSL 6.0

AOL LLC and Covad Communications Group, Inc. (AMEX: DVW), a leading national provider of integrated voice and data communications, today announced that consumers will now be able to access the AOL service with Covad’s ADSL 6.0 high-speed broadband access product for as low as $39.95 per month.

“Covad’s ADSL 6.0 access product is another example of our flexible approach to meeting consumers’ needs as they move to broadband,” said Joe Redling, president of AOL’s Access Business."Covad’s national broadband network, high quality products, and expertise in DSL make them an ideal partner as we continue to expand our coast-to-coast AOL High Speed offer with even more provider and access speed options."

“This announcement signals a promising new direction in our longstanding strategic partnership with AOL,” said Charles Hoffman, Covad president and chief executive officer. “We view ADSL 6.0 as the first of many innovative Covad products that will help AOL capture consumers’ growing interest in moving to broadband.”

Residential users will increasingly adopt high-bandwidth data services as they accelerate their move away from dial-up, according to Parks Associates, a leading industry and consumer research firm. “By deploying Covad’s ADSL 6.0, AOL positions itself to take advantage of the residential user’s increasing interest in high-bandwidth data access for applications such as online gaming, streaming video, and downloading music,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst, Parks Associates.

Key features of AOL High Speed with Covad ADSL 6.0 include:

-- High-Speed Access: Covad ADSL 6.0 features download speeds of up to 6.0Mbps and up to 768K upstream.

-- Fast & Easy Setup: Plug-and-play installation makes establishing a wireless Internet connection quick and easy.

-- Customer Service: Help that's available 24/7, including help via phone, e-mail or instant message.

-- Safety: A comprehensive set of safety and security tools available to keep users safer against viruses, spyware, identity theft, and other online threats for no additional charge.

-- Content: AOL-exclusive and original programming including commercial free radio, streaming video and music are all more enjoyable than ever.

-- Storage: Additional benefits like unlimited email and picture storage on AOL.

Covad currently offers ADSL 6.0 to consumers only through wholesale partners such as AOL, who will begin offering the service this summer. AOL members and consumers should visit http://www.aol.com/highspeed to learn more and to sign-up.

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

Covad is a leading nationwide provider of integrated voice and data communications. The company offers DSL, Voice Over IP, T1, Web hosting, managed security, IP and dial-up, wireless broadband, and bundled voice and data services directly through Covad's network and through Internet Service Providers, value-added resellers, telecommunications carriers and affinity groups to small and medium-sized businesses and home users. Covad broadband services are currently available across the nation in 44 states and 235 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and can be purchased by more than 57 million homes and businesses, which represent over 50 percent of all US homes and businesses. Corporate headquarters is located at 110 Rio Robles San Jose, CA 95134. Telephone: 1-888-GO-COVAD. Web Site: www.covad.com.

Almost 2/3 of Consumers Say Their Children Won't Be As Fortunate

According to the BIGresearch May Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey 62% of the 7,500 consumers survey said that their children and/or grandchildren will NOT have a better economic future than they looked forward to. Typical reasons ranged from the "better educated children and better technology," to "bad politics, bad government, inflation and national debt are killing us."

This negative anticipation was shared across all age groups, with more women responding negatively than men. However, younger respondents (ages 18-24) were not quite as downbeat as older consumers.

The age group with the most uncertain economic outlook on the future was 35-54-year-olds. Among this group:

48% feel they do not have adequate savings for the future,

31% are paying for purchases with cash more often, and

34% plan to start increasing their savings in the next 90 days.

Joe Pilotta, VP of research for BIGresearch, said "... both male and female consumers in this age bracket (35-54) are fairly well educated, own their homes and are employed with an average household income of over $50,000 per year -- but there are very real economic concerns burdening them. ... They just don't see their situation getting any better, and that's how they see the future for their children."

These consumers are also curtailing:

Spending on dining out (42%)

Vacation travel (38%)

Entertainment (37%)

Fluctuating gas prices influenced many of these choices, especially for women ages 35-54. VIRTUAL KATY FLIES THROUGH TIME WITH DOCTOR WHO

Sound editor Douglas Sinclair looks to Virtual Katy to accelerate audio post

Virtual Katy™ Development Limited, a Digidesign® development partner delivering workflow solutions for audio professionals, today announced that sound editor Douglas Sinclair employs the VK audio post assistant on the hugely successful television show, “Doctor Who”. After a 15-year absence, cutting-edge content creation tools such as Virtual Katy helped the “Doctor Who” sci-fi series make its epic return to the small screen with a slick new look and feel. Sinclair, a seasoned sound editor with a long list of film and television credits that include; Waking the Dead (BBC), New Adventures of Captain Scarlet (Gerry Anderson), Rosemary & Time (Carnival Films), and A Mind to Kill (Sky/S4C), uses the VK solution to eliminate time-consuming conform tasks during his audio post sessions. VK accelerates the process for re-cutting Dialogue and Foley sessions as well as show trailers and re-caps that appear at the beginning and end of each show. “Speed, accuracy and ease of use - VK saves time! A fairly major re-cut can be completed minutes rather than hours,” comments Sinclair.

The 9-month “Doctor Who” production is followed by several months of post with approximately two and half weeks allotted for audio post per show. The “Doctor Who” team tries to have the picture locked by the time sound post starts, but this is not always the case. “The futuristic show calls for complex visual effects which are often finalized later in the post process,” comments Sinclair. “This is where VK is a lifesaver.” The tight turn-around times drives the need for super efficient processes and acceleration tools such as VK. For “Doctor Who” trailers and re-caps, Sinclair does one conform using an audio EDL to take care of the dialogue tracks and a second conform pass using a video EDL to take care of the atmosphere and FX tracks - allowing a complex, fast moving program trailer to be assembled very quickly.

The “Doctor Who” audio post set up is based in London and includes Digidesign’s Pro Tools for Dialogue, ADR, and Foley as well as sound design of the monsters (Douglas Sinclair and Paul McFadden sound editors). Picture post is done on Avid Adrenalines ™ at the BBC in Wales via an Avid Isis ™ network. The integration between picture and sound to keep the postproduction teams in sync is as simple as emailing an EDL. VK analyzes the data and automatically conforms the Pro Tools sessions with extreme precision.

About Virtual Katy Products
Virtual Katy offers two distinct products for the audio post market: VK Conformer and VK2. VK Conformer is Virtual Katy’s auto conform work horse. Designed for the sole purpose of conforming and non-destructively recompiling Pro Tools sessions, VK Conformer is cut from the original battle-hardened Virtual Katy software which was put to the test on Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Import an Avid Change Note or a CMX 3600 EDL and conform your session to exactly match the picture cut. VK Conformer is available on the Virtual Katy web site (www.virtualkaty.com) and through the Virtual Katy reseller channel for $395.00USD.

VK2 is the ultimate auto-conform and change management tool. A quantum leap ahead of its peers in processing speed, tracing, and comparison engine techniques, VK2 users can analyze all major formats, preview changes, trace historical elements, rebalance movies, and process up to 2500 picture edits in less than a second. Packaged with all of the features VK2 is available on the Virtual Katy web site (www.virtualkaty.com) and through the Virtual Katy reseller channel for $995.00USD.

About Virtual Katy Development Limited
Virtual Katy Development Limited is a New Zealand based software developer focused on delivering innovative solutions for the postproduction world. Their flagship product, VK, is a battle hardened program designed for audio professionals.

Virtual Katy, the Virtual Katy logo and VK are registered trademarks or trademarks of Virtual Katy Development Limited. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on Virtual Katy Development Limited visit www.virtualkaty.com

Just Bringing more rivalry, attitude, high-energy competition and heartwarming fun with hot young stars and chart-topping songs from today’s biggest artists, Bring It On: All or Nothing debuts on DVD for the first time ever on August 8, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Starring Hayden Panettiere (NBC’s fall drama Heroes, Face of Neutrogena, Racing Stripes, Ice Princess), Solange Knowles-Smith (The Johnson Family Vacation) and marking the movie debut of Def Jam recording sensation Rihanna, Bring It On: All or Nothing is a high-energy, attitude-filled comedy about a cross-town rivalry that builds to a no-holds-barred faceoff. Directed by Steve Rash (American Pie Presents Band Camp, Can't Buy Me Love) and featuring a cast of winning new characters played by some of Hollywood’s brightest young stars, Bring It On: All or Nothing follows on the tremendous success of its ever-popular predecessors in the must-own film franchise. Loaded with more attitude than ever, this movie offers a first-rate lineup of extras and a hot soundtrack from today’s top artists including Rihanna, Solange, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne and Weezer.

“The Bring It On movies are a proven audience favorite across all demographics and the property is the perfect vehicle to further power Universal's DVD OriginalsTM strategy,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “This latest incarnation, with its popular young talent, chart-topping music, exceptional production values and exciting, all-new storyline, takes the franchise to new heights and delivers it straight into the hands of home entertainment consumers through a targeted, theatrical-style marketing campaign. It’s a strategy that has delivered exceptional results for us to date and one that the most discerning audiences have widely embraced.”

In Bring It On: All or Nothing, popular Britney Allen (Hayden Panettiere) moves from posh Pacific Vista to working-class Crenshaw Heights. In order to win over her new classmates – including head cheerleader Camille (Solange Knowles-Smith) -- she must prove that she’s got the moves and the attitude to earn a spot on the hard-to-crack cheer squad and then face her former teammates in a high-stakes cheer-off for an appearance in Rihanna’s new music video.

The DVD release will enjoy unprecedented promotional support in reaching over 35 million consumers nationwide through partnerships with some of the country’s most high profile companies including SoBe, Teen People, Spirit Accessories and Lady Footlocker. The DVD is priced at $29.98 SRP. Preorder close is July 5, 2006.

MORE FUN WITH BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING BONUS FEATURES
Viewers can experience more of the fun and excitement with the Bring It On: All or Nothing bonus features, including:

-- Gag Reel
-- Behind The Cheers - Get an Exclusive Backstage Pass to See What It Takes to Bring the Moves to the Screen.
-- Cheer Camp: From Wannabe To Cheerleader - Watch the Cast Learn the Film’s Rockin’ Cheers and Dance Moves!
-- Break It Down - Think You’ve Got What it Takes? Follow the Squad and Choreographer
Tony G As They Break Down Their Routines Into Easy-to-Follow Steps.
-- From The Street To The Set - Lil “C” and Richmond Explain the Attitude and Physical Moves Needed for These Eye-Catching Dance Moves.

SYNOPSIS
Get ready for more fun, more attitude and more excitement than ever before! At Pacific Vista High School, popular Britney (Hayden Panettiere) is captain of the cheerleading squad. But Britney’s life quickly turns from cheer-topia to cheer-tastrophe when her father’s job moves her family across town to urban Crenshaw Heights. At her new school, Britney finds herself at odds with her classmates, especially with 'it' girl Camille (Solange Knowles-Smith), the cheer captain of the Crenshaw Heights Warriors. But when Britney proves herself and secures a coveted spot on the cheer squad, the Warriors find themselves in a cross-town 'cheer-off' to star in music sensation Rihanna’s upcoming video. With edgy new moves, the no-holds-barred fight to the finish will test friendships, loyalties and talents — but only one team can 'bring it' and earn a place in cheer history! For more information please visit: www.bringitonmovie.com

CAST & FILMMAKERS
Director: Steve Rash
Written By: Alyson Fouse
Produced By: David Roessell
Director of Photography: Victor J. Kemper ASC
Production Designer: Simon Dobbin
Edited By: Danny Saphire
Costume Designer: Shawn Barton
Original Music By: Transcenders
Cast: Hayden Panettiere, Solange Knowles-Smith, Rihanna, Gus Carr, Marcy Rylan, Cindy Chiu, Giovonnie Samuels, Francia Almendarez, Gary Leroi Gray, Danielle Savre, Jessie Fife

FEATURE TECHNICAL INFORMATION
DVD
Street Date: August 8, 2006
Pre-Order Close: July 5, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $29.98
Selection Number: 29100
Running Time: 1 Hour, 39 Minutes
Layers: Dual Layer
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Rating: PG-13; for sexual humor and language
Technical Info: Dolby Digital 5.1; English SDH; Spanish Subtitles; French Subtitles

For artwork or screeners, please log on to our Web site at www.ushepublicity.com or fax your request to Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity at (818) 866-0226.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi, 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.
SPORTS

Women Revolt Against World Cup

With the World Cup drawing ever closer in sight, the resistance against the World Cup and everything that has to do with football is growing increasingly serious. With the launch of www.wegmethetwk.nl, an initiative of VVN (Women for a football-free Holland), a discussion erupted. Newspapers, radio and television from the Netherlands (but also from Australia, Peru) devote a lot of attention to this enormous resistance against the upcoming football fever.

Currently the resistance from English women is growing as well. With the site www.stoptheworldcup.co.uk it seems that the Dutch anti World Cup campaign is conquering the United Kingdom. The women call themselves Women for a Football-free England (WFE). They are against the world cup and have created new rules, which have nothing to do with football.

A ball in the house = a ball less elsewhere

The movement that is the WFE didn't come out of nowhere. It was a hidden phenomenon that just surfaces now. And the annoyance factor is high, evidence of which is found in its stated proclamations. "We cannot be silent any longer: love only is not enough!" according to the founders of the WFE, Gemma Lineker and Posh Vickie. If these names sound familiar: "Unfortunately we are forced to use a.k.a's as we expect our actions will not be left unanswered. But that will not stop us from taking a firm stand in this matter." One rule of WFE's rules that catches the eye is the fourth one: a ball in the house = a ball less elsewhere. Quite a rule. "We just want to be clear on our views and men only seem to listen when their manhood is part of the equation," reasons Lineker.

Game on, off the pitch...

Rule 6 is not as playful as rule number 4. "We are indeed planning a number of actions, such as demonstrations, to coincide with the squad's preparations. We want to break the taboo of being against football and attack this problem from the root up.

To be clear though, we are no femi fundi's [feminist fundamentalists - ed.]. Of course a man needs his toys, but at times it's just too much. We women seem to be replaced by the remote control. Everything turns white and red and romantic getaways have been replaced by jeering and other loutish and boarish behaviour over 22 men who have nothing better to do than running around on a field, kicking a ball back and forth for no apparent reason. If that's what separates us from the animals..."

Stop the World Cup!

The site features a poll, allowing to agree or disagree with the "Stop the World Cup!" statement. The WFE expects the number of people who agree could be surprisingly high. "The early signs are there."

Anyone who really wants to be away during the World Cup tournament can join a lowest price auction to make a bid on a trip to New York City. "We have found a partner who understands what we go through and they are more than willing to support our campaign with a trip to the city of Sex and the City. If there are any other organisations who want to support our campaign they are more than welcome. We can use every support we can get. There is a visitors' book available on the site where women can leave messages for moral support."

These women are determined to persevere in their action. "Here we stand, we can do no other! Somebody had to do it." according to Lineker and Vickie.

Source: WFE

Audi of America, Inc. Reports May Sales Audi of America, Inc. reported May sales of 7,120, representing a 10.3 percent increase over May 2005 sales of 6,455. Last month's figures were the highest totals for May since 2003. For the year, Audi sales are up 6.3 percent at 32,416.

A4 model line sales reached 3,582, an impressive 34.1 percent increase over May 2005, A6 sedan and Avant sales were also up a strong 21.6 percent over last May.

"Audi continues to gain strength, and is still on pace for record sales this year," says Executive Vice President Johan de Nysschen. "With our new SUV, the Audi Q7 and the RS 4 sports sedan now arriving at dealers, Audi is poised to gain sales in segments we had not occupied in the past."

Following the Audi Q7 and RS 4 launches, Audi will also launch the new A4 and S4 Cabriolets, and the V10-powered S6 and S8 performance models in the fall.

AUDI OF AMERICA, INC.

MAY 2006 SALES

Audi-US Snapshot

May-06 May-05

May-06 May-05 Yr/Yr % YTD YTD Yr/Yr %

Actual Actual change Actual Actual change

A3 809 561 44.2% 3,902 736 430.2%

TT 81 293 -72.4% 436 1,336 -67.4%

A4 3,582 2,672 34.1% 15,025 13,812 8.8%

A4/S4

Cabriolet 707 848 -16.6% 3,206 3,990 -19.6%

A6 1,597 1,313 21.6% 7,636 7,102 7.5%

Allroad - 316 -100% 3 1,274 -99.8%

Q7 - - N/A - - N/A

A8 / S8 344 452 -23.9% 2,208 2,242 -1.5%

TOTAL 7,120 6,455 10.3% 32,416 30,492 6.3%

Source: Audi of America, Inc. Mitsubishi Motors Reports Best Month of U.S. Sales in More Than a Year May U.S. Sales Up Four Percent

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) today reported May sales of 11,821 units, an increase of 3.9% compared to May 2005 sales of 11,380. The increase follows a 17.5% year-over-year increase in April.

"We are very pleased to put together two consecutive months of very strong sales," said President & CEO Hiroshi Harunari. "This gives us tremendous momentum entering the summer selling season, with our exciting new Eclipse Spyder convertible just beginning to make an impact."

* May sales volume closed at 11,821, up 9.0% from last month's volume and

3.9% up from last May's volume. This was the best month since

March 2005.

* Galant was the volume leader at 3,071, up 8.9% up from last May's

volume.

* Eclipse Spyder closed with 895 sales, up 85.7% from last year's May

sales.

* Eclipse closed at 2,606, up 64.5% from May 2005 volume. CYTD volume of

11,002 is up 92.9% from last year CYTD.

* Endeavor closed at 1,681, up 35.5% from last month's (April 2006)

volume.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations of the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in the United States. Mitsubishi Motors sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 540 dealers. Toyota Reports May Sales

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported overall best-ever monthly sales of 235,708 vehicles, an increase of 12.3 percent over May 2005. It marks the third consecutive month and seventh time Toyota has recorded at least 200,000 sales in a single month. Calendar-year-to-date (CYTD) sales total 1,000,524 units, up 8.8 percent over the same period last year.

"The pinch at the pump has made small cars part of the big picture, right along with hybrids," said TMS Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Jim Lentz, whose promotion to executive vice president of TMS is subject to the approval of Toyota Motor Corporation on June 23. "The market is healthy, though shifting."

The Toyota Division reported all-time best-ever monthly sales of 205,709, up 12.8 percent. The Lexus Division recorded best-ever May sales with 29,999 units sold, an increase of 8.9 percent.

Toyota Division

Toyota Division passenger cars posted all-time best-ever monthly sales of 144,875 units, up 19.6 percent over the same period last year. Making its U.S. debut in mid March, the Yaris subcompact posted robust sales of 8,065 units. The Corolla enjoyed all-time best-ever sales of 41,550 units in May, up 28 percent. The completely redesigned 2007 Camry, which went on sale in March, recorded May sales of 43,112 units, an increase of 3.6 percent. Arriving in showrooms in late April, the all-new Camry Hybrid had early sales of 3,032 units. Demand for the Prius gas-electric hybrid continues to outweigh supply, with sales totaling 8,103 units for the month.

Toyota Division light truck sales reported a best-ever May totaling 79,127 units, an increase of 6.4 percent. Sales of RAV4 reached all-time best-ever sales of 14,013 units, up 97 percent over the same period last year. The all-new FJ Cruiser, which debuted in late March, posted strong sales of 6,670 units. Highlander Hybrid enjoyed May sales of 3,755 units.

Scion reported all-time best-ever sales with 18,103 units sold. The tC sports coupe reported best-ever May sales of 7,413 units, up 10.6 over last year. The popular xB subcompact recorded its all-time best-ever month with 6,763 units sold, an increase of 41.4. The xA subcompact also posted all-time best-ever monthly sales of 3,927 units, up 71.3 percent over the same period last year.

Lexus Division

Lexus passenger cars posted all-time best-ever sales with 18,293 units, an increase of 38.9 percent. The all-new ES 350 luxury sedan, which went on sale in late April, led the way with an all-time best-ever sales month of 9,554 units, and increase of 52.2 percent. The IS luxury sport sedans reported best-ever May sales of 4,605 units, a 928.1 percent increase over last May. The IS 250 reported sales of 3,400, with the IS 350 recording 1,205 units. The RX 400h luxury hybrid SUV continued its steady sales performance with a total of 2,006 units in May.

Sales of North American-built vehicles accounted for 52.4 percent of total May sales. There were 25 selling days this sales month compared to 24 last May.

TOYOTA RETAIL SALES

(INCLUDES FLEET & HAWAII)

May, 2006

----- CURRENT MONTH ----- -- CALENDAR YEAR TO DATE --

DSR % DSR %

2006 2005 CHG 2006 2005 CHG

YARIS 8,065 0 -- 15,797 0 --

COROLLA 41,550 31,152 28.0 159,992 147,146 8.7

CAMRY 43,112 39,951 3.6 177,090 178,890 -1.0

AVALON 7,646 9,165 -19.9 38,428 33,827 13.6

PRIUS 8,103 9,461 -17.8 38,460 43,686 -12.0

SCION xA 3,927 2,201 71.3 14,421 10,808 33.4

SCION xB 6,763 4,592 41.4 25,411 23,063 10.2

SCION tC 7,413 6,436 10.6 30,071 28,132 6.9

TOTAL TOYOTA DIV.

PASS. CAR 126,582 103,630 17.3 499,695 469,764 6.4

ES 350 9,554 6,027 52.2 24,944 26,400 -5.5

LS 430 1,085 2,251 -53.7 5,702 11,331 -49.7

SC 430 593 792 -28.1 2,556 3,340 -23.5

GS 300 1,940 2,503 -25.6 9,578 9,678 -1.0

GS 430/450h 516 638 -22.4 1,724 2,319 -25.7

IS 250/350 4,605 430 928.1 22,485 2,204 920.2

TOTAL LEXUS

PASS. CAR 18,293 12,641 38.9 66,989 55,272 21.2

TOTAL TOYOTA

PASS. CAR 144,875 116,271 19.6 566,684 525,036 7.9

SIENNA 13,102 14,823 -15.1 67,404 62,737 7.4

RAV4 14,013 6,829 97.0 61,811 29,460 109.8

FJ CRUISER 6,670 0 -- 15,103 0 --

4RUNNER 8,888 8,556 -0.3 46,219 43,769 5.6

HIGHLANDER 10,806 11,888 -12.7 50,921 57,383 -11.3

LAND CRUISER 257 395 -37.5 1,397 2,137 -34.6

SEQUOIA 2,575 3,997 -38.2 14,414 20,161 -28.5

TOTAL SUV 43,209 31,665 31.0 189,865 152,910 24.2

4X2 TACOMA 9,098 8,789 -0.6 42,906 38,449 11.6

4X4 TACOMA 5,744 5,574 -1.1 28,963 25,155 15.1

TOTAL TACOMA 14,842 14,363 -0.8 71,869 63,604 13.0

TUNDRA 7,974 10,557 -27.5 48,636 54,217 -10.3

TOTAL PICKUP 22,816 24,920 -12.1 120,505 117,821 2.3

TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. LT

TRUCK 79,127 71,408 6.4 377,774 333,468 13.3

LX 470 471 489 -7.5 2,463 3,098 -20.5

GX 470 1,901 2,618 -30.3 9,972 13,600 -26.7

RX 350/400h 9,334 10,707 -16.3 43,631 43,993 -0.8

TOTAL LEXUS LIGHT

TRUCK 11,706 13,814 -18.6 56,066 60,691 -7.6

TOTAL TOYOTA LIGHT

TRUCK 90,833 85,222 2.3 433,840 394,159 10.1

TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. 205,709 175,038 12.8 877,469 803,232 9.2

TOTAL LEXUS 29,999 26,455 8.9 123,055 115,963 6.1

TOTAL TOYOTA 235,708 201,493 12.3 1,000,524 919,195 8.8

MEMO:

DOM. COROLLA 34,434 30,481 8.4 139,253 142,521 -2.3

DOM. CAMRY 36,712 37,888 -7.0 154,188 173,650 -11.2

DOM. PICKUP 22,816 24,920 -12.1 120,505 117,821 2.3

DOM. RX 330 6,159 6,727 -12.1 26,828 27,587 -2.8

SELLING DAYS 25 24 126 126

TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT

CAR 47,790 26,096 75.8 167,826 119,766 40.1

LEXUS IMPORT CAR 18,293 12,641 38.9 66,989 55,272 21.2

TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT

CARS 78,792 77,534 -2.4 331,869 349,998 -5.2

TOTAL TOYOTA CARS 144,875 116,271 19.6 566,684 525,036 7.9

TOYOTA DIV. IMPORT

LT TRUCK 40,634 27,668 41.0 175,451 132,749 32.2

LEXUS IMPORT LT

TRUCK 5,547 7,087 -24.9 29,238 33,104 -11.7

TOYOTA DIV NA BUILT

LT TRUCK 38,493 43,740 -15.5 202,323 200,719 0.8

LEXUS NA BUILT LT

TRUCK 6,159 6,727 -12.1 26,828 27,587 -2.8

TOTAL TOYOTA LT TRUCK 90,833 85,222 2.3 433,840 394,159 10.1

SPORT UTILITY

VEHICLES 48,245 45,479 1.8 230,828 213,601 8.1

Memo: Lexus Sport

Utility 11,706 13,814 -18.6 56,066 60,691 -7.6

SMALL VANS 13,102 14,823 -15.1 67,404 62,737 7.4

PICKUPS 22,816 24,920 -12.1 120,505 117,821 2.3

* NORTH AMERICAN

BUILT VEHICLES

COROLLA 34,434 30,481 8.4 139,253 142,521 -2.3

CAMRY 36,712 37,888 -7.0 154,188 173,650 -11.2

AVALON 7,646 9,165 -19.9 38,428 33,827 13.6

SIENNA 13,102 14,823 -15.1 67,404 62,737 7.4

PICKUP 22,816 24,920 -12.1 120,505 117,821 2.3

SEQUOIA 2,575 3,997 -38.2 14,414 20,161 -28.5

RX 330 6,159 6,727 -12.1 26,828 27,587 -2.8

TOTAL 123,444 128,001 -7.4 561,020 578,304 -3.0

N.A. VEHICLES % OF

TOTAL 52.4% 63.5% 56.1% 62.9%

SELLING DAYS 25 24 126 126

DSR = DAILY SELLING

RATE

Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Volkswagen Reports May Sales

Volkswagen of America, Inc. today reported May sales of 22,100, a 35.6 percent increase over prior year sales of 16,297.

Volkswagen's volume car, the Jetta, continues to gain momentum -- up 48.5 percent versus last year, while the newly re-designed Passat posted a tremendous increase over May of 2005.

Year-to-date sales show an increase of 23.6 percent (95,924 for 2006 as compared to 77,633 for 2005). Below is the breakdown of the models for the Volkswagen brand in May 2006.

VW-US Snapshot ---------- YEAR-TO-DATE ----------

May-06 May-05 Yr/Yr % May-06 May-05 Yr/Yr %

Actual Actual change YTD Actual YTD Actual change

New Beetle

- Coupe 2,254 1,297 73.8% 8,116 6,266 29.5%

- Convertible 2,077 2,046 1.5% 6,886 8,005 -14.0%

Total New

Beetle 4,331 3,343 29.6% 15,002 14,271 5.1%

Jetta Sdn 11,026 7,426 48.5% 44,725 32,430 37.9%

- Wgn 1 486 -99.8% 19 3,031 -99.4%

Total Jetta 11,027 7,912 39.4% 44,744 35,461 26.2%

Eos - - N/A - - N/A

Golf/GTI/R32 1,645 1,217 35.2% 8,886 5,475 62.3%

Rabbit - - N/A - - N/A

Passat Sdn 3,727 1,594 133.8% 19,065 10,806 76.4%

- Wgn 818 855 -4.3% 3,163 4,264 -25.8%

Total Passat 4,545 2,449 85.6% 22,228 15,070 47.5%

Phaeton 17 65 -73.8% 157 368 -57.3%

Touareg 535 1,311 -59.2% 4,907 6,988 -29.8%

TOTAL 22,100 16,297 35.6% 95,924 77,633 23.6%

Memo: new GTI 1,283 - N/A 6,489 - N/A

Memo: new Jetta

Sdn 11,023 6,024 83.0% 44,630 12,848 247.4%

Memo: new Passat

Sdn 3,718 - N/A 18,898 - N/A

Memo: new Passat

Wgn 817 - N/A 3,016 - N/A

Source: Volkswagen of America, Inc.

C O R R E C T I O N -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc./

In the news release, Honda Division Posts Best May Ever, issued earlier today by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the first paragraph was revised and should now read:

"Posting robust sales of its best-selling Accord, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced May results of 141,810 Honda and Acura vehicle sales, marking an increase of 11.4 percent over May 2005. Lead by the seventh consecutive month of record-breaking sales of light trucks, American Honda posted record May truck sales of 56,912, up 5.0 percent. Year-to-date American Honda total vehicle sales of 614,778 are up 8.6 percent calculated by daily selling rate"

Rather than:

"Posting robust sales of its best-selling Accord, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced record May results of 141,810 Honda and Acura vehicle sales. It marked an increase of 11.4 percent over May 2005 and the seventh consecutive month of record-breaking sales. Light trucks for American Honda also posted record May results with sales of 56,912, up 5.0 percent. Year-to-date American Honda total vehicle sales of 614,778 are up 8.6 percent calculated by daily selling rate" as originally issued inadvertentlyHyundai Reports Record May Sales

Hyundai Motor America announced sales of 42,514 vehicles for the month, which represents the best May sales in company history. Hyundai sedans again led the way; the new-for-2006 Sonata improved sales by 112 percent, and the Azera posted an 84 percent increase over XG350 sales from May of last year.

"Our new sedans continue to set the pace in 2006," said Mark Barnes, vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "We are already ahead of last year's record-breaking pace and we expect our exceptional value, unsurpassed safety and sophisticated design to continue to resonate with consumers as we bring several new models to dealerships during the summer and fall. This month, we have released our new three-door Accent, which is perfect for today's market with a strong value and fuel economy message."

All Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by The Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty. Hyundai buyers are protected by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty and 5-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance protection.

Following is the sales breakdown for May 2006:

CARLINE MAY/2006 MAY/2005 CY2006 CY2005

ACCENT 3,342 4,555 11,598 17,824

SONATA 17,035 8,043 75,622 46,974

ELANTRA 8,887 10,523 43,793 48,629

TIBURON 1,682 2,045 7,019 8,029

SANTA FE 3,942 8,277 18,033 30,495

XG350/AZERA 2,279 1,241 11,140 6,451

TUCSON 4,279 5,732 21,128 22,984

ENTOURAGE 1,068 0 1,194 0

TOTAL 42,514 40,416 189,527 181,386

Source: Hyundai Motor America Subaru of America Posts Strong May Sales - May sales up 13 percent - - Impreza and Forester sales up 18 percent - - Total sales up 3 percent year-to-date -

Subaru of America, Inc. today reported its second best May sales month ever, with sales totaling 16,406 units, a 13 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Year- to-date sales are also up 3 percent over last year.

Both the Subaru Impreza and Forester lines were up 18 percent, with the Subaru Impreza posting 3,152 unit sales and Subaru Forester totaling 4,160 units for the month. The Subaru B9 Tribeca also recorded a strong 1,481 units for the month of May. The Subaru Legacy model line posted a total of 7,197 units, with Subaru Outback posting 5,065 units for the month. Subaru Baja recorded 416 units in May.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2005. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com/.Acura Announces May Sales Results TSX and TL Sales Continue to Lead the Luxury Division

Paced by continued strong sales of the TSX sports sedan and the TL performance luxury sedan, Acura posted sales of 16,171 units during the month of May, the division announced today. Year-to-date sales reached 81,194 units.

The TSX sports sedan continued its sales momentum, with a May posting of 3,520 units. Year-to-date TSX sales reached 16,664 -- an increase of 13.5 percent versus 2005.

The TL performance luxury sedan remained the top-selling Acura in May, with 5,977 units, bringing year-to-date TL sales totals to 30,756.

"The TSX and TL have continued to carry the torch for Acura in 2006," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president, sales. "Their continued strength in an increasingly competitive marketplace puts us on solid ground as we prepare for an exciting second half of the year, with the arrival of the RDX and a redesign of some of our other models."

The MDX luxury performance SUV sold 3,494 units in May, bringing its total sales for the year to 20,741 units.

Monthly percentages are based on 25 selling days for this month versus 24 days last May.

American Honda Vehicle Sales For May 2006

Month-to-Date Year-to-Date

May May DSR** May May DSR**

2006 2005 % Chg. 2006 2005 % Chg.

MODEL BREAKOUTS

BY DIVISION

Acura Division

Total 16,171 18,685 -16.9% 81,194 86,201 -5.8%

RSX 2,125 2,099 -2.8% 8,311 8,899 -6.6%

CL * 0 0 0 1

TL * 5,977 7,032 -18.4% 30,756 32,142 -4.3%

TSX 3,520 3,367 0.4% 16,664 14,687 13.5%

RL 1,047 1,404 -28.4% 4,680 6,867 -31.8%

NSX 8 23 -66.6% 42 104 -59.6%

MDX * 3,494 4,760 -29.5% 20,741 23,501 -11.7%

Selling Days 25 24 126 126

* Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic and global sourced parts.

** Daily Selling Rate

Source: Acura BMW Group Reports 5 Percent Increase in May Sales Year-to-Date Sales of BMW Group up 10 Percent

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI brands combined) reported strong demand for its vehicles in May, with sales of 28,360 vehicles, up 5.3 percent over the 26,926 vehicles sold in the same month of 2005. The BMW Group also reported an increase of 10 percent in year-to-date sales, for 129,511 vehicles over the 117,844 vehicles reported in May 2005.

BMW Brand Sales Increase in May

Sales of BMW brand vehicles rose 7 percent in May for a total of 24,688 compared to 23,048 reported in the same month a year ago.

BMW brand sales were up 13.6 percent year-to-date, as the company reported sales of 113,041 vehicles compared to 99,472 vehicles sold in first five months of 2005.

BMW Automobile Sales

BMW's automobile sales were up 11 percent in May to 19,645 versus 17,744 in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales also were up 20 percent, to 87,956 automobiles compared to 73,141 in the same period of 2005.

BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales

Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 5 percent in May to 5,043 vehicles over the 5,304 sold last May. Year-to-date, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were also off 5 percent, to 25,085 vehicles compared to the 26,331 sold in the same period of 2005.

Certified Pre-Owned

Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were up 31 percent, and the company reported its second-best sales month ever with 8,259 CPO vehicles versus 6,298 vehicles reported last May. Year-to-date, CPO sales were up 23 percent, to 36,889 over the 29,929 reported in the same period in 2005.

MINI Brand

MINI Automobiles

MINI USA reported May sales of 3,672 automobiles, down 5.3 percent from the 3,878 cars sold in May 2005. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 16,470 automobiles, a drop of 10 percent, compared to the 18,372 cars reported in the first five months of 2005.

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car centers, 334 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com

www.bmwusa.com

www.bmwmotorradusa.com

www.miniusa.com

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

BMW Car Sales Report for May 2006

2006 2005

May 19,645 17,744

Year-to-Date 87,956 73,141

Model Year- Year-

to- to-

May Date May Date

2006 2006 2005 2005

325i (E90 & E46) 4,376 21,290 4,870 16,479

325Ci 285 1,447 380 1,839

325Ci convertible 533 2,064 609 2,771

325i sports wagon 0 4 48 332

325xi (E90 & E46) 1,220 7,005 413 2,913

325xi sports wagon (E90 & E46) 217 1,037 50 388

330i (E90 & E46) 2,061 7,632 2,533 5,991

330Ci 144 840 275 1,312

330Ci convertible 517 2,150 519 2,325

330xi (E90 & E46) 1,042 4,546 369 2,456

M3 316 1,133 344 1,700

M3 convertible 154 647 198 865

3 Series 10,865 49,795 10,608 39,371

Z4 2.5i Roadster (US) 41 262 646 2,663

Z4 3.0i Roadster (US) 692 1,811 457 1,582

Z4 Roadster 3.0si (US) 393 934 0 0

Z4 M Roadster (US) 126 425 0 0

Z4 Coupe 3.0si 1 1 0 0

Z4 M Coupe 6 6 0 0

Z4 1,259 3,439 1,103 4,245

525i (E60) 1,157 5,317 1,426 7,588

525xi (E60) 425 2,386 18 18

530i (E60) 1,290 5,189 1,314 7,547

530xi (E60) 846 3,853 25 25

530xi sports wagon (E60) 178 1,178 68 77

545i (E60) 0 6 759 3,943

550i (E60) 670 3,011 0 0

M5 (E60 & E39) 272 1,696 1 3

5 Series 4,838 22,636 3,611 19,201

645Ci 0 21 300 1,511

650i coupe 261 1,217 0 0

645Ci convertible 0 16 608 2,684

650i convertible 623 2,486 0 0

M6 200 258 0 0

6 Series 1,084 3,998 908 4,195

745i 0 0 125 1,596

745Li 0 0 154 2,726

750i 416 1,881 397 576

750Li 1,155 6,021 798 1,044

760i 2 23 18 62

760Li 25 161 22 118

7 Series 1,598 8,086 1,514 6,122

Z8 1 2 0 4

Z8 Alpina 0 0 0 3

Z8 1 2 0 7

BMW Sports Activity Vehicle (light trucks) Sales Report for May 2006

2006 2005

May 5,043 5,304

Year-to-Date 25,085 26,331

Model Year- Year-

to- to-

May Date May Date

2006 2006 2005 2005

X3 2.5i 13 169 607 2,658

X3 3.0i 2,868 13,351 2,161 10,415

X3 2,881 13,520 2,768 13,073

X5 3.0i (US) 1,554 8,577 1,824 9,403

X5 4.4i (US) 539 2,553 604 3,327

X5 4.8is (US) 69 435 108 528

X5 2,162 11,565 2,536 13,258

MINI Sales Report for May 2006

2006 2005

May 3,672 3,878

Year-to-Date 16,470 18,372

Model Year- Year-

to- to-

May Date May Date

2006 2006 2005 2005

MINI Cooper 1,073 4,746 1,306 5,847

MINI Cooper S 1,393 7,031 1,448 6,851

MINI Cooper Convertible 388 1,474 547 3,037

MINI Cooper S Convertible 818 3,219 577 2,637

Total MINI 3,672 16,470 3,878 18,372

Source: BMW Group EagleRider Revolutionizes Motorcycle Travel

EagleRider, already the world's leading motorcycle rental company, is now paving the way for a revolution in the way enthusiasts travel. EagleRider's world-renowned self-drive tours are now better than ever and experiencing an explosion in popularity.

Companies like EagleRider are springing up everywhere and are more than just motorcycle rental or tour organizations. They are complete travel and concierge service companies tailored for the motorcycle market. EagleRider offers the personal service of your own in-house trip planner with customized itineraries focusing on the most majestic motorcycle touring routes.

Joe Ricketts, Chairman and founder of Ameritrade, said, "Being able to leave a blustery winter in Omaha, go to Southern California and rent a motorcycle for a ride to Cabo is absolutely wonderful. EagleRider provides truly great service."

EagleRider self-drive tour customers rent a late model motorcycle, stay at first-rate accommodations, and receive a personalized Road Book designed with everything a rider would need including all mapped routing, suggestions for excellent restaurants, and interesting stops along the way. Round the clock roadside assistance and motorcycle concierge services come standard with your EagleRider rental, and customers can even choose to have a TomTom GPS navigation system installed with their personal trip routing for the ultimate in ease of travel.

EagleRider does all the planning and provides all the gear, leaving travelers the freedom to marvel at the scenery and experience the thrill of adventure on the road alone, or with the company of their own friends and family. Over a hundred self-drive tours are available out of every EagleRider location.

About EagleRider:

EagleRider pioneered the Harley-Davidson rental and tour concept in 1992 and today operates the world's largest motorcycle and powersport rental fleet from premier manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Honda, BMW, and Polaris. EagleRider's expansion of its franchise rental facilities targets global tourist destinations and currently offers adventure travel enthusiasts the opportunity to experience their dream vacation from rental facilities in the USA, Mexico, Spain, and France.DOD

Oil-Stained Mechanics Keep Infantry MovingThe infantry isn't going to move far without help from a bunch of oil-stained soldiers. Just 11 soldiers are responsible for keeping the vehicles of Task Force 1-36 here running. In this environment, it's a particularly tough job. Sand and dust clog intakes and contaminate oil. The infantrymen are driving the vehicles as much in a month as they used to in a year. The desert heat makes materials do strange things. The soldiers maintain Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams tanks, uparmored M-1114 Humvees and the battalion's trucks. They have an amazing availability rate - 98 percent of the task force's vehicles are available for use at any given time. "We do everything we can to make sure our friends have what they need, when they need it," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Cruz Garcia, maintenance chief for Apache Company, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, in an interview yesterday. "Our motto is, 'What else can we do?'" The maintenance area is in the parking lot of a train station outside this city in the Euphrates River valley. Temperatures soar to 120 degrees, and even the asphalt seems to melt at midday.

The smell of oil and gas permeates the air so strongly that even the Iraqis - for whom smoking is a seemingly universal cultural pastime - seem loath to light up. But the mechanics do what needs to be done to keep vehicles up and running in prime condition. The task force comes under the U.S. Marines based at nearby Al Asad airfield. Because the Marines don't have Bradley fighting vehicles, maintaining the parts supply for the Bradleys has taxed Garcia's ingenuity, but he has risen to the challenge. Before coming up to the area, he and others scavenged through the boneyard in Kuwait, removing useable parts from vehicles too damaged to use before they moved up to Iraq. This kept them supplied until the supply system started working, Garcia said. But even then, the mechanics used some not-in-the-book solutions on top of just plain hard work to surmount all their difficulties. For example, one of the mechanics owns a custom car shop, and he came up with a new way to put harnesses in the vehicles. The mechanics may have to slow up a bit during the summer. The temperatures will top 130 in the parking lot, and their solar shield -- which lets the wind come through but blocks the sun - disappeared in the supply system on its way to the unit. "We'll watch it carefully during the midday hours," Garcia said. America Supports You: Student's Sketches Memorialize Sacrifices

While Americans are supporting troops serving overseas in a variety of ways, Cameron Schilling has found a way to memorialize the sacrifices of Illinois servicemembers who don't return home safely. Working with Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn's office, Schilling has created pencil sketches of nearly all of Illinois' fallen servicemembers. The 122 sketches and the "Portrait of a Soldier" organization may never have come about if not for the artist's experience with Army Spc. Charles Neeley's family. Neeley was killed in August 2004, when his tractor-trailer rolled as he was trying to access a bridge in Iraq.

He and Schilling shared the hometown of Mattoon, Ill., where Schilling's father owns the local funeral home. "I helped my dad with the funeral arrangements, and I worked with the (Neeley) family the whole time," Schilling said. "So I got to see up close and personal how it affected them, see what they were going through." Schilling wanted to do something to express his appreciation for what Neeley and his family had given up. So the Eastern Illinois University political science major called upon his artistic side and created a pencil sketch of his former high school classmate for the grieving family. "I don't know exactly how much it ... impacted them, and I don't really know how to describe it, but I knew it helped," he said. "It just seemed so insignificant compared to what they were going through, but it helped." Schilling didn't do any more sketches until 2005 when two more young men from his hometown died while serving in the military.

Both were killed while on leave, but Schilling felt the same principles applied. "They were serving their country," he said. It was then that he and Nathan Catt, a current classmate, started talking about how they could honor servicemembers who'd lost their lives fighting for freedom. It was then Schilling decided he wanted to broaden the scope of his sketching, and Portrait of a Soldier was created. Catt designed and manages the Portrait a Soldier Web site. Schilling was having a hard time contacting families through messages on memorial Web sites and didn't want to be so intrusive as to call their homes directly. It occurred to him to contact Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn's office, which runs the Operation Home Front Web site where Schilling had been getting photos of Illinois' fallen servicemembers. Quinn had been looking for a Memorial Day presentation and asked Schilling if he thought he could complete sketches of all the Illinois servicemembers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the holiday weekend. Schilling agreed and spent the next three months sketching. Each image took anywhere from 90 minutes to two and a half hours. Lack of a photo good enough to sketch from prevented him from doing the last four, he said. "While most college kids are going off to Cancun and Cabo or wherever it is, and partying up their spring breaks, Cameron stayed at home and drew the sketches," a spokesman for Quinn said. Schilling not only completed the task, but also arrived the night before the memorial display opened in Chicago to sketch Illinois' most recent hero.

The portraits will be displayed throughout the state before being presented to the families in September. Not using official portrait photos alone to sketch from helped capture the uniqueness of each servicemember, Schilling said. Schilling said he feels very strongly about this because he didn't want just stoic shots of servicemembers in uniform. "About 90 percent of my photos came from ... (Operation Home Front)," he said, referring to the "In Memoriam" section of the Web site run by Quinn's office. "(But) sometimes the families themselves would contact me and say, 'Could you please use this one in particular? I love my son's smile in this one,' or 'I love his look in this one.'" Honoring those requests led to a positive reaction from the families, Schuller said. "A lot of (the families) were just overwhelmed by it, because it really captured the true essence of their loved one," he said. Though Quinn has presented Schilling with both a Home Front Hero award and a lieutenant governor's coin, the young artist said isn't in this for the praise. With a deep military history - his grandfathers, an uncle and his father had served - he said he felt a certain pull to honor the servicemembers. "I'm the first generation out of my family not to serve in the military," he said. "So it kind of felt like an obligation." And though his program is a nonprofit organization, he's not looking for donations either. Because he's a college student, he said, the only thing this venture really costs him is time.

He has had help from family and friends who he said have made everything possible. His grandmother offered to pay for all the materials the sketches require, including matting and shrink-wrapping materials. His girlfriend also contributed her time to matting the sketches. "I've just had support from so many different areas," Schilling said. He added that a quote from Maine Sen. Susan Collins best sums up his feelings: "We can never fully repay the debt of our proud nation to those who have laid down their lives for our country. The best we can do is honor their memory, ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain, and help provide for their families." "That, I think, kind of embodies what I was trying to do," Schilling said. Accident Kills Iraqi Civilians; Troops Nab 19 Terror Suspects

In what was described as an accident during training, a U.S. unit fired an artillery shell June 2 that killed three Iraqi civilians, military officials in Iraq reported today. Officials also announced the capture yesterday of 19 terror suspects in eastern Baghdad. On June 2, a Task Force Band of Brothers unit fired an artillery round from a military base near Baqubah, Iraq, that landed in an inhabited area, officials said. The unit, from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, fired a 155 mm round from a Paladin self-propelled howitzer during training, and it hit in the town of Hibhib. A short time later, Iraqi police reported an explosion at a building in the town that killed two Iraqi civilians, injured four others and damaged six houses. U.S. soldiers from a nearby military base responded to the incident to provide medical care and any assistance needed by town officials. One of the injured civilians was evacuated to a nearby coalition medical facility, but later died from her wounds. The three other injured citizens were treated on site and released. An investigation into the incident is under way, officials said. In other news, soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a cordon-and-search operation early yesterday to capture terrorist leaders in the Adhamiyah district of eastern Baghdad. In what officials described as an "intelligence-based, precision mission" dubbed Operation Roaring Tiger, the soldiers netted 19 suspected terrorists.

Officials said the mission will disrupt the enemy's ability to conduct future attacks in the Adhamiyah area. One detainee, while being processed, reported having difficulty breathing. He was taken to al Yarmook Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of a heart attack. No Iraqi or coalition soldiers were injured. "This was a complex operation that netted 19 suspected terrorist leaders from 14 different locations," said Army Maj. Gen. J.D. Thurman, Multinational Division Baghdad commander. "It was planned and executed by 2/6 Iraqi Army. It is not only indicative of their capability, but shows the Iraqi people their soldiers are not only taking the fight to the enemy, they are winning." NEWS

NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS: Highlights and Exclusives, June 12, 2006 Issue

COVER: Europe's Failing Schools (Atlantic Edition). As the world rapidly shifts from an economy based on labor and industry to one driven by knowledge and innovation, Europe's education systems aren't keeping pace, reports Berlin Correspondent Stefan Theil. It's well known that the continent's underfunded and overbureaucratized universities produce too few graduates with often outdated skills-an obvious threat to Europe's prosperity. Less well known is the fact that many European countries, for all their talk of social equality, foreclose on the opportunities for education and social advancement.

COVER: Why Brazil Wins (All Other Editions). As the World Cup kicks off next week, all eyes will be on the world's football superpower and its quest for a sixth trophy, reports Special Correspondent Mac Margolis. It's not just that the Brazilians are past masters, having racked up a record 60 wins in 87 matches for an unprecedented five World Cup titles. The squad suiting up for this year's quadrennial is easily the best in two decades, and just maybe, the more breathless aficionados assert, the best ever.

World of Wonder. Dr. Henry Kissinger previews the World Cup games starting next week in Germany and discusses his own love of the game. "I grew up in Fuerth, a little town in southern Germany where soccer had the status of football in Green Bay, Wis.," writes Kissinger. "I have not lived in Germany for many more decades than I care to admit, yet I still follow the fortunes of that team which, in the age of high-salary professionalism, has been relegated to the second division. Fuerth periodically seems on the verge of rising to the top league but, as happened this year, always manages to fall short- guaranteeing the mixture of misery and hope that is the soccer addict's lot."

Probing a Bloodbath. It is not clear exactly what happened in Haditha on the morning of Nov. 19. One Marine and 24 Iraqis died, that much is certain. Local survivors say Americans on a rampage massacred their neighbors in cold blood. The videotaped eyewitness accounts provided to Newsweek and other news organizations are horrifying, hard to believe in their sordidness and brutality. Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas and Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson report on the Marine Corps' culture and training, other accusations of murder by Marines in Iraq and why it is so difficult for troops on the front line to draw the line between self-defense and shame.

A Violent Wake-Up Call. Hamid Karzai became Afghanistan's first democratically elected president in a landslide victory two years ago. But with the southern part of the country racked by a mounting Taliban insurgency, and economic progress slow and spotty at best, Afghans seem to be turning on their once popular leader. The violent riot in Kabul on May 29-triggered by a deadly traffic accident between a U.S. military convoy and civilian vehicles that killed seven people-was directed partly at the U.S. military, but also, surprisingly at Karzai himself. Southeast Asia Correspondent Ron Moreau and Special Correspondents Sami Yousafzai and Joe Cochrane examine the reasons behind the people's discontent.

Not for the Fainthearted. With East Timor, the Iraq mission and Afghanistan all under extreme turmoil, Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, addresses the question of whether nation-building can work. "Perhaps we've made the job too hard," he writes. "While the leaders of the 1940s may indeed have been somewhat better at nation-building than we have been since, their job was slightly easier, too. Most of the states we are trying to rebuild today are either ethnically more complex than Japan and Germany, or less economically developed than those countries were prior to World War II, or both."

Dump and Run. The U.S. enjoyed a Goldilocks economy: not too hot, not too cold. Then the May mayhem ended that fairy tale. Emerging markets tanked, commodities plummeted and stocks in the United States and Europe gyrated on fear that central bankers may have to continue to raise interest rates to fight inflation. This turmoil also marks the end of another fantasy of sorts: the easy money created by years of historically low interest rates. The result, a frenzied sell-off in global markets, may be the harbinger of something worse to come, reports European Economics Correspondent Karen Lowry Miller.

Painting Picasso. Pablo Picasso's "Guernica" remains one of art's most disquieting depictions of war. And although Picasso always intended it to belong to Spain, the vast work was shipped around the world for more than four decades. Now, to celebrate 25 years since "Guernica's" return, and the 125th anniversary of Picasso's birth, Spain's two national museums, the Prada and the Reina Sofia, have joined forces to present a comprehensive new exhibit exploring his life and work, reports Special Correspondent Tara Pepper. "Picasso: Tradition and Avante-Garde" (from June 6 through Sept. 3) is spread across the two galleries and includes more than 100 works from museums around the world.

WORLD VIEW: They'd Rather Be in Philly. A startling number of EU leaders have recently taken to saying that the European Constitution can be resuscitated. They are wrong. The thing is as dead as Monty Python's famous parrot, writes Denis Macshane, a Labour MP and Tony Blair's former Europe Minister from 2002 to 2005. So what's going on? You can only ask why, and the answer is cowardice-or, more politely, weak leadership. For what Europe really needs is a wholesale political rewiring. As Bill Clinton put it, it's the economy, stupid. But because dealing with real issues and real people's material needs is difficult, and therefore hazardous to one's career, European politicians prefer cosmetics like the constitution. For most of the past decade, Europe has obsessed about treaties. This has come at the cost of neglecting a vastly more serious challenge-freeing up business to create work, and reforming economies to increase growth and generate the tax revenue needed to finance greater investment in social programs, education, public health and pensions.

THE LAST WORD: Moktar Lamani, Moroccan diplomat. In a move intended in part to counter Iranian influence, the 22-member league of Arab states recently decided to reopen its offices in Baghdad. Since taking office as the head of the mission in Iraq last month, Lamani has sought to bring together various Iraqi factions in an attempt to restore peace and speed up the process of political reconciliation. Lamani spoke to Newsweek about the objectives and obstacles of the mission in Iraq. "We have no illusions about how complicated it is here, but we're trying to do something," said Lamani. "Sectarian violence is very scary; you cannot control it and you don't know the impact on the region. We are identifying all the problems. We are asking everyone we meet to help. We will try to have a consensus. There is one thing I heard recently that is good. I felt that in my talks that the Iraqi political leaders have become a little bit convinced that no one can run the country alone. This is a little change, but it's a positive one."

NEWSWEEK: 12, 2006 Issue (on newsstands Monday, June 5)

COVER: "The Haditha Question" (p. 22). It is not clear exactly what happened in Haditha on the morning of Nov. 19. One Marine and 24 Iraqis died, that much is certain. Local survivors say Americans on a rampage massacred their neighbors in cold blood. The videotaped eyewitness accounts provided to Newsweek and other news organizations are horrifying, hard to believe in their sordidness and brutality. Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas and Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson report on the Marine Corps' culture and training, other accusations of murder by Marines in Iraq and why it is so difficult for troops on the front line to draw the line between self-defense and shame.

IRAN: "Diplo-Dancing With Iran" (p. 32). A month ago Condi Rice was in deep trouble: the Secretary of State's strategy for stopping Iran's nuclear program-by uniting major nations against Tehran-was in danger of falling apart. Plus, she faced mounting skepticism in the White House that diplomacy could work at all. But as she has so often done, Rice had found a graceful way out of her troubles by compromising-and winning President Bush over to her views. In one swift move, she managed to get ahead of the Iranians, outflank administration hard-liners, delight and unify her European partners-and spin the whole affair as a triumph of U.S. leadership, reports Senior Editor Michael Hirsh.

NATION: "Politics of the Altar" (p. 34). Just two years ago, gay-marriage opponents were everywhere. Thirteen states passed constitutional amendments barring same-sex unions and, in Ohio, the marriage ban was widely credited with boosting turnout and propelling George W. Bush to a second term. But after Election Day, the issue faded. Now it's back, complete with all the activists, dire predictions and dueling poll numbers. But the landscape has changed since 2004, reports National Correspondent Debra Rosenberg. Democrats argue that gay marriage is just a diversion from rising gas prices, the ongoing struggle in Iraq and immigration reform.

SPORTS: "World of Wonder" (p. 36). Dr. Henry Kissinger previews the World Cup games starting next week in Germany and discusses his own love of the sport. "I grew up in Fuerth, a little town in southern Germany where soccer had the status of football in Green Bay, Wis.," writes Kissinger. "I have not lived in Germany for many more decades than I care to admit, yet I still follow the fortunes of that team which, in the age of high-salary professionalism, has been relegated to the second division. Fuerth periodically seems on the verge of rising to the top league but, as happened this year, always manages to fall just short-guaranteeing the mixture of misery and hope that is the soccer addict's lot."

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP: "How Long Will America Lead the World?" (p. 40). The United States has a history of worrying that it is losing its edge. This is at least the fourth wave of such concerns since 1945, writes Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria. The concerns in each of the earlier cases were well founded, the projections intelligent. But the reason that none of these came to pass is that the American system-flexible, resourceful and resilient-moved quickly to correct its mistakes and refocus its attention. America's problem right now is that it is not really scared. Partly this is because these trends are operating at an early stage and somewhat under the surface. Partly it is that Americans do not really know how fast the rest of the world is catching up, Zakaria writes.

"The Future is in Their Hands" (p. 46). North Carolina is transforming its high schools from a model created in the industrial age to a system that makes sense in the 21st century, reports Senior Editor Barbara Kantrowitz. The plan is to create a network of "early college" high schools that will give every student in the state the opportunity to get two years of college by the time they graduate. The state is also pushing to create new small, career-themed schools emphasizing subjects like engineering, science or business-within larger high schools. The goal of both efforts is to make sure all students graduate with the skills they need to succeed in college or the workplace.

"Shanghai Starts Up" (p. 61). Augmentum, a modest Shanghai startup with plans to grow to near-Microsoft-size within a decade-and perhaps become a template for the next stage of U.S.-China competition-is going after the great jobs, reports Senior Editor Steven Levy. The company undertakes software projects for American companies, sophisticated tasks that were once considered unthinkable to be relegated to an offshore company.

GUEST ESSAY: Gordon Brown, British chancellor of the exchequer (p. 69). Unsurprisingly, we are seeing not just the ever-faster advance of globalization but of globalization's discontents too, writes Brown. Protectionist forces are on the rise again: "economic patriotism" in Europe, populism in Latin America, anti-immigrant feeling and sullen resistance to change on just about every continent. Today an ambitious world-trade deal seems more elusive than ever, with rich-country protectionism criticized for standing in the way of poor countries' development. The paradox of today's globalization is that even its winners feel themselves to be losers, Brown writes.

TELEVISION: "The Girl Can't Help It" (p. 70). Kathy Griffin's commentary on the superfamous has made the comedienne pretty famous herself. A few years ago she started dishing on celebrities-and herself-in her stand-up act, and last year spun that into the reality series "My Life on the D-List." In general, reality TV turns desperate wanna-bes and has-beens into jokes-think Bobby Brown, Danny Bonaduce, the entire cast of every season of "The Surreal Life"-but it turned Griffin into a subculture sensation, showcasing how hilarious she is not just onstage but all the time. Senior Writer Sean Smith talks to Griffin as her show enters its second season on Bravo.

MOVIES: "Rosemary's Babies" (p. 75). Lately, the "creepy kid" has become the most abundant acting gig in town. It's the wisecracking sidekick of horror movies, as essential to the hit-making formula as the killer rising from the dead at the end. Senior Writer Devin Gordon looks at how the trend began and whether it has become too shopworn.

STEVEN LEVY: "An Identity Heist the Size of Texas" (p. 18). The nation was shocked last month to learn that a data analyst from the Department of Veterans Affairs had downloaded a database containing more than 26 million personal records, taken it home with him and then had his laptop stolen- exposing all the information necessary to swipe the identity of virtually every person released from military service since 1975. Senior Editor Steven Levy looks at why this may be one of the costliest heists in history.

NEWSWEEK COVER: The Haditha Question Marines Accused of Haditha Killings From Battalion With 'Total Breakdown' in Discipline Says Wife of Battalion Member; Problems in Kilo Company With Drugs, Alcohol She Says Other Claims of Atrocities: Iraq's Ambassador to U.S. Says Marines Shot a College-Age Relative... 'It Was a Coldblooded Murder'

The wife of a staff sergeant in the 3/1 battalion-members of which are currently accused of murdering Iraqi citizens in Haditha-says that there was "a total breakdown" in discipline and morale after Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani took over as battalion commander when the unit returned from Fallujah at the start of 2005. (Chessani's friends in his Colorado hometown defended him as dedicated, patriotic, religious Marine.) "There were problems in Kilo Company with drugs, alcohol, hazing, you name it," she tells Newsweek in the June 12 cover story "The Haditha Question" (on newsstands Monday, June 5). "I think it's more than possible that these guys were totally tweaked out on speed or something when they shot those civilians in Haditha."

The deaths at Haditha are not the only alleged murders by Marines in Iraq, report Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas and Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson. Iraqi leaders have long protested abuses by the American occupiers (even as they privately beseech the Americans to stay and keep the country from falling into civil war). In an interview with Newsweek, Iraq's ambassador to the United States, Samir Sumaidaie, was blunt about an atrocity, which, he claims, happened to his own family. A year ago, says Sumaidaie, Marines raided the home of his cousin, a school principal in a small village in Anbar Province. The Marines shot the man's son, a student home from college. The only weapon in the house was an AK-47 loaded with blanks. Ambassador Sumaidaie protested all the way to Gen. George Casey, the American Coalition forces commander, but was told that the Americans fired in self-defense-and that the ambassador had to file a Freedom of Information Act request if he wanted to see the investigative file. "It was a coldblooded murder," says Sumaidaie. The killers, he says, "should be weeded out openly and without hesitation."

Part of the problem may lie in the culture of the Marine Corps itself. The Corps, though justly famous for loyalty and discipline, has a "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality, according to some grunts interviewed by Newsweek. The Marines were happy with the loose rules of engagement for the Battle of Fallujah in 2004-like "the Wild West," said one-and not so keen about the stricter rules for ordinary street patrols imposed since then. One Marine, Cpl. Kalid Aziz of Maryland, mocked the rules: "You're supposed to wave, throw a flash-bang, say hi, make a baloney-and-cheese sandwich, shoot in front, shoot the tire, shoot the other tire, have some tea, shoot the engine, then shoot the windshield."

The restrictions, combined with the omnipresent danger, can cause enormous mental strain. In December, Newsweek interviewed some army soldiers going home as conscientious objectors. To fight boredom and disgust, said Clif Hicks, who had just left a tank squadron at Camp Slayer in Baghdad, soldiers popped Benzhexol, five pills at time. Normally used to treat Parkinson's Disease, the drug is a strong hallucinogenic when abused. "People were taking steroids, Valium, hooked on pain killers, drinking. They'd go on raids and patrols totally stoned." Hicks, who volunteered at age 17 1/2, said, "We're killing the wrong people all the time, and mostly by accident. One guy in my squadron ran over a family with his tank."PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL’s July issue gets up-close and personal with Mexican singer, Luis Miguel.

Adored by million of fans, El Sol de Mexico (The Sun of Mexico) as he is commonly known, has dated beautiful women like model Daisy Fuentes and singer Mariah Carey. What else can a man, who seems to have everything in life, ask for? PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL gets to the truth behind rumors of a secret weeding and a baby on the way.

“If today a magazine says that Luis Miguel is getting married, I can tell you that he is,” said his good friend Polo Martinez at a recent interview. Martinez, who is confident that Luis Miguel will marry girlfriend, actress Aracely Arambula this year, also opens up about the baby rumors. Martinez says that Aracely would love to have a baby boy.

The magazine also spoke to Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo, who is close friends with Luis Miguel. The actress assured the editors that Luis Miguel is currently in a “great place” because, as she sees it, “he can now tell who’s with him for the right reasons, and who isn’t.”

This issue also includes a complete update on the singer’s civil lawsuit after allegedly hitting a man in Denver, Colorado earlier this year and all the details of his upcoming CD. All this and much more in the April issue of PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL.

For more information about this all other exclusive stories, visit peopleenespanol.com

People en Español was launched in 1998 and today is the best-selling Hispanic magazine in the United States. Each month, the publication reaches more than four million readers with an exciting editorial mix of Hispanic and mainstream entertainment coverage, fashion and beauty service and compelling human-interest stories. Distinguishing itself from its English-language counterpart, People en Español delivers original editorial content that captures the values, contributions and impact of Hispanics in the United

People en Español logra entrar y descubrir todo sobre el ultraprivado mundo del cantante mexicano Luis Miguel. Celebrando 25 años de carrera y con millones de discos vendidos, el astro mexicano parece tener el mundo a sus pies, y de acuerdo a las personas más allegadas a él, se podría decir que su cuadro de felicidad está completo. ¿Qué más le puede pedir el Sol de México a la vida? ¿Amor? ¿Un hijo? ¿Matrimonio?

“Si hoy una revista dice que Luis Miguel se casa, yo te digo sí, se va a casar”, dijo Polo Martínez, buen amigo del cantante en una reciente entrevista. Martínez además aseguró que este año Luis Miguel y Aracely Arámbula se convertirán en padres, agregando que a Aracely le gustaría tener un varón.

People en Español además habló con la actriz Kate del Castillo, amiga de Luis Miguel, quien asegura que el cantante está en ‘un momento importantísimo’. Según Del Castillo esto se debe a que ‘Luismi sabe distinguir quién esta con él por ciertas cosas y quién no’.

Este número además recuenta todo sobre la demanda civil en contra de Luis Miguel y los detalles de su próximo disco, el cual según fuentes del medio artístico será algo completamente diferente a todo lo que el astro mexicano ha hecho.

Todo esto y más en esta edición de PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL a la venta hoy.

Para mas información sobre esta y otras exclusivas entrevistas, visita a peopleenespanol.com

PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL es la revista líder en circulación dentro de la categoría de publicaciones hispanas. Todos los meses, el tiraje alcanza aproximadamente a cuatro millones de lectores, con un interesante contenido editorial que combina coberturas del mundo del entretenimiento hispano y general, notas de servicio sobre moda y belleza e historias de interés humano. Verdadera pionera en el campo de las publicaciones dirigidas a la comunidad de habla hispana, PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL demuestra la creciente importancia del mercado hispano de Estados UnidosThe Grammy award-winning Norteno band, Intocable, will perform in San Jose as part of the 42-city 2006 Coors Light(R) Intocable U.S. Tour.

The concert is sponsored by Coors Light and will take place at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on Sat., June 17, at 7:00 p.m. The group will be joined by fellow Norteno artists Ramon Ayala, K-Paz de la Sierra, Valentin Elizalde and Estruendo.

"Intocable is a perfect fit for Coors Light sponsorship because their refreshing sound appeals to fans of various Latino music genres," said Paul Mendieta, director of Hispanic marketing for Coors Brewing Company. "With the tremendous success Intocable has experienced, we expect the concert to be very popular in San Jose."

Originally from Zapata, Texas, Intocable has mastered a Norteno sound all its own and achieved great success in Mexico and the U.S. Intocable is a pioneer in receiving airplay across Norteno and pop radio stations. Since their first release in 1994, Intocable has sold more than eight million copies of its CDs and reached number one on the Billboard charts.

Founded by Ricardo Munoz and Rene Martinez, Intocable won its first Grammy in February 2005 for the album Intimamente, and two Latin Grammys in November for its album "X-Diez." Popular songs include Aire, Dejate Amar and Contra Viento y Marea, the theme song for Univision's soap opera by the same name. For more information, visit:
http://www.grupointocable.com.

Running through September 2006, the Coors Light Intocable U.S. Tour will travel to 42 cities including Denver, San Jose, Phoenix, L.A., New York and Dallas. For more information about tickets to the San Jose performance, call Promociones Mundo Internacional at 408-287-2828.

About Coors Brewing Company

Coors Brewing Company is a subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) (TSX:TAP). It is the third largest brewer in the U.S. The company's U.S. brands include Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Coors, Killian's Irish Red, Keystone, Blue Moon, Coors NA and Zima XXX. For more information on Molson Coors, visit the company's Web site, http://www.molsoncoors.com.

Intocable, la banda norteña y ganadora del Grammy, se presentará en San Jose como parte de su Gira Estadounidense Coors Light(R) 2006 que recorrerá 42 ciudades. El concierto, patrocinado por Coors Light, se presentara en el Centro de Convenciones San Jose McEnery el sábado 17 de junio a las 7:00 p.m. Al grupo se sumarán los intérpretes norteños Ramón Ayala, K-Paz de la Sierra, Valentín Elizalde y Estruendo.

"Intocable se adapta perfectamente al patrocinio de Coors Light porque su sonido refrescante atrae a los fans de varios géneros de música latina", dijo Paul Mendieta, director de marketing hispano de Coors Brewing Company. "Con el tremendo éxito obtenido por Intocable, esperamos que el concierto sea un acontecimiento muy popular en San Jose".

El grupo Intocable, originario de Zapata, Texas, ha creado un sonido norteño completamente propio, logrando un gran éxito en México y los EE.UU. Intocable fue el primero en ser difundido por las radioemisoras de música norteña y pop. Desde su primer lanzamiento discográfico en 1994, Intocable ha vendido más de ocho millones de copias de sus CDs y se ubicó en el primer puesto de las listas de Billboard.

Creado por Ricardo Muñoz y René Martínez, Intocable ganó su primer Grammy en febrero del 2005 por el álbum Intimamente, y dos Grammys Latinos en noviembre por su álbum "X-Diez". Entre las canciones más populares figuran “Aire”, “Déjate amar” y “Contra viento y marea”, el tema central de la novela de Univision que lleva el mismo nombre. Para obtener más información, visite: http://www.grupointocable.com.

Concluyendo en septiembre del 2006, la gira estadounidense Coors Light de Intocable recorrerá 42 ciudades, entre ellas, Denver, San Jose, Phoenix, L.A., Nueva York y Dallas. Para más información sobre boletos para el concierto de San Jose, comuníquese con Promociones Mundo Internacional al teléfono 408-287-2828.

Acerca de Coors Brewing Company

Coors Brewing Company, subsidiaria de Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) (TSX:TAP), es la tercera destilería más grande de EE.UU. Entre las marcas de la Compañía en EE.UU. figuran Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Coors, Killian's Irish Red, Keystone, Blue Moon, Coors NA y Zima XXX. Para obtener más información sobre Molson Coors, visite el sitio web de la Compañía en http://www.molsoncoors.com

Amputee War Veterans Surfing Wave of Hope They lost limbs serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now 20 U.S. servicemen and women at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, are preparing for a new mission. On August 15 the amputee war veterans will travel to Pismo Beach, California, to put on wetsuits and experience the joy of surfing. The idea started with a Navy Petty Officer who surfed much of his life and didn't want to give it up even though he lost a leg fighting in Iraq. Petty Officer Derek McGinnis contacted Operation Comfort and suggested that surfing might be good therapy for some of the injured veterans. Operation Comfort is a non-profit group that works with wounded servicemen and women at Brooke Army Medical Center by engaging them in adaptive sports and other activities. "These veterans have given so much for us," Operation Comfort Director Janis Roznowski said. "I couldn't think of a better way to lift their spirits and help them experience what is still possible." Petty Officer McGinnis and Roznowski called Amputee Surfing Champion Rodney Roller for advice and support. Roller organized a successful surf clinic for civilian amputees in 2004 and he was quick to jump on board. "I feel so humbled by their service and their sacrifice," said Roller. "I want to help these injured veterans realize that there is life after disability." Roller soon generated a wave of support from the Pismo Beach community and the surfing industry. Pancho's Surf Shop and North County Prosthetics are sponsoring the five-day surfing clinic. Eric McNeil's Pacific Surf School agreed to provide instruction. Billabong is supplying boards, wetsuits and volunteers. DAKINE is giving out backpacks and other surf accessories for the soldiers. Nearly $37,000 is still needed for travel and housing expenses for the veterans, family members and necessary staff. If you would like to assist this effort to help amputee war veterans experience surfing, contact Janis Roznowski at http://www.operationcomfort.org or call 512-297-8972. Press Contact: Dean Mignola Jackson Douglas Communications Phone: 805-773-4990 Quality digital photo and fact sheet available upon request Bring It On: All or Nothing, de Universal Studios Home Entertainment, debuta en DVD por primera vez en la historia el 8 de agosto de 2006.

La película llega con más rivalidad, actitud, competiciones de alta energía, diversión con jóvenes estrellas actuales y canciones de grandes artistas de éxito en las listas del momento. Protagonizada por Hayden Panettiere (del drama de otoño de NBC Heroes, Imagen de Neutrogena, Racing Stripes, Ice Princess), Solange Knowles-Smith (The Johnson Family Vacation) y con el debut en cine de la última sensación de Def Jam, Rihanna, Bring It On: All or Nothing es una comedia con mucha energía y actitud sobre un enfrentamiento entre barrios de una ciudad que desemboca en una dura batalla. Dirigida por Steve Rash (American Pie Presents Band Camp, Can't Buy Me Love) y con un reparto de nuevos personajes triunfadores interpretados por algunas de las jóvenes estrellas más brillantes de Hollywood, Bring It On: All or Nothing sigue el gran éxito de su popular predecesor en esta franquicia que todo el mundo debería tener. Cargada con más actitud que nunca, esta película cuenta con unos contenidos extras de primera línea y una banda sonora muy atractiva con artistas tan conocidos como Rihanna, Solange, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne y Weezer.

“Las películas de Bring It On han demostrado ser las favoritas de una amplia audiencia demográfica y su propiedad es el vehículo perfecto para fortalecer la estrategia de DVD Originals(TM) de Universal,” afirma Craig Kornblau, President de Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “Esta última encarnación, con su popular y joven talento, con la mejor música de las listas, valores de producción excepcionales y un emocionante y nuevo guión lleva a la franquicia a una nueva dimensión y la pone al alcance de los consumidores de entretenimiento en el hogar gracias a una campaña de marketing muy enfocada al estilo de los estrenos cinematográficos. Es una estrategia que ha proporcionado unos resultados excepcionales para nosotros hasta la fecha y que las audiencias más exigentes han aceptado ampliamente.”

En Bring It On: All or Nothing, la popular Britney Allen (Hayden Panettiere) se traslada de la lujosa Pacific Vista al área de clase trabajadora Crenshaw Heights. Para ganarse a sus nuevas compañeras – incluyendo a la capitana de las animadoras Camille (Solange Knowles-Smith) –, Britney tiene que probar que sabe los movimientos y tiene la actitud para conseguir un lugar en el invencible equipo de animadoras. Después además deberá enfrentarse a sus antiguas compañeras de equipo en las dificilísimas pruebas de clasificación para participar en un vídeo musical de Rihanna.

El lanzamiento del DVD tendrá un apoyo promocional sin precedentes para poder llegar a 35 millones de consumidores a nivel nacional por medio de asociaciones con algunas de las compañías de mayor notoriedad del país como SoBe, Teen People, Spirit Accessories y Lady Footlocker. El DVD tiene un precio de $29.98 SRP. Se puede pre-ordenar hasta el 5 de julio de 2006.

MÁS DIVERSIÓN CON LOS MATERIALES EXTRAS DE BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING

Los espectadores pueden experimentar más diversión y emoción con los materiales extras que incluye Bring It On: All or Nothing :

-- Reel Chistoso
--Detrás de The Cheers – Consigue un pase exclusivo al backstage para ver lo que cuesta llevar los movimientos a la pantalla.
-- Campamento de Animadoras: De aspirante a Cheerleader – ¡Observa a las actrices y aprende los increíbles gritos de ánimo de la película y los pasos de baile!
-- Paso a Paso – ¿Crees que tienes lo que hace falta? Sigue el trabajo del Coreógrafo Tony G, quien explica sus movimientos en pasos sencillos de aprender.
-- De la Calle al Set: Lil “C” y Richmond explican la actitud y los movimientos físicos necesarios para hacer estos movimientos de baile que llaman tanto la atención.

SINOPSIS
¡Prepárate para más diversión, más actitud y más emoción que nunca! En la escuela de Pacific Vista la popular Britney (Hayden Panettiere) es la capitana del equipo de las animadoras. Pero la vida de Britney da un repentino vuelco, de su sueño de animadora a la catástrofe, cuando por el trabajo de su padre la familia se traslada a la urbana Crenshaw Heights, al otro lado de la ciudad. En su nueva escuela, Britney se enfrenta a sus compañeras de clase, especialmente a la popular Camille (Solange Knowles-Smith), la capitana de las animadoras de los Crenshaw Heights Warriors. Pero cuando Britney demuestra su valía y consigue un hueco en el equipo de las animadoras, los Warriors se ven participando en un concurso de animadoras para aparecer en el vídeo musical de la última sensación, Rihanna. Con nuevos movimientos de vanguardia, la batalla sin límites pondrá en juego su amistad, su lealtad y su talento – pero sólo un equipo puede con el desafío y ¡ganar un sitio en la historia de las animadoras! Para más información visita: http://www.bringitonmovie.com

REPARTO Y CINEASTAS
Director: Steve Rash
Escrita por: Alyson Fouse
Producida por: David Roessell
Director de Fotografía: Victor J. Kemper ASC
Diseñador de Producción: Simon Dobbin
Editada por: Danny Saphire
Diseñador de Vestuarios: Shawn Barton
Música Original: Transcenders
Reparto: Hayden Panettiere, Solange Knowles-Smith, Rihanna, Gus Carr, Marcy Rylan, Cindy Chiu, Giovonnie Samuels, Francia Almendarez, Gary Leroi Gray, Danielle Savre, Jessie Fife

INFORMACIÓN TÉCNICA DE LA PELÍCULA DVD
Fecha de salida: 8 de agosto de 2006
Último día para pre-ordenar: 5 de julio de 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. Todos los Derechos Reservados.
Precio: $29.98
Número de Selección: 29100
Duración: 1 Hora 39 Minutos
Capa: Doble capa.
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen Anamórfico 1.78:1
Clasificación: PG-13; por humor sexual y lenguaje
Información Técnica de la Película: Dolby Digital 5.1; Inglés SDH; Subtítulos en Español; Subtítulos en Francés

Para conseguir el arte o copias de la película para visionado, por favor acceda a nuestra página web http://www.ushepublicity.com o envíe por fax su solicitud a Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity al (818) 866-0226.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment es una unidad de Universal Pictures, a su vez una división de Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios es parte de NBC Universal, una de las compañías de medios y entretenimiento líder mundial en el desarrollo, producción y márketing de entretenimiento, noticias, e información para una audiencia global. Constituida en mayo de 2004, por la fusión de NBC y Vivendi, NBC Universal posee y opera una valiosa cartera de canales de noticias y entretenimiento, una compañía de películas cinematográficas, importantes operaciones de producción de televisión, un grupo de canales líderes de televisión y parques temáticos reconocidos a nivel mundial. NBC Universal es propiedad en un 80% de General Electric y en un 20% de VivendiThe Defense Department last month revealed to Congress that Islamic terrorists were using a modified video game--Battlefield 2--to recruit and train Jihadis.

Dan Devlin, a Defense Department public diplomacy specialist, told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that extremist groups are taking and modifying video games for an anti-U.S. slant. "What we have seen is that any video game that comes out... they'll modify it and change the game for their needs," Devlin said, according to press reports. Devlin's testimony included a video that showed clips from the purportedly terrorist-modified Battlefield 2 game.

Except, not really. A video game-focused political Web log, GamePolitics.com, quickly discovered that the video shown to Congress was created by a 25-year-old hospital administrator from Holland. The creator, who goes by the Internet handle "SonicJihad"--a tribute to an album produced by the controversial rapper Paris--said that the video is not connected to Islamic extremism in any way, and that he made the video to have a few laughs.

This fact would have been immediately apparent to anyone with a passing familiarity with either video games or youth culture. The video's voiceover, which begins, "I was only a boy when the infidels came to my village in their Blackhawk helicopters," is lifted from a comedic monologue in the movie "Team America: World Police." Any gamer familiar with the difference between mods--user-designed programs that alter the way a game is played--and machinima--short videos created using graphics and models from video games--would have known that the video shown to Congress was not a mod designed to recruit young terrorists, but a piece of run-of-the-mill, user-generated content. Simply Googling the video's file name would've turned up the Battlefield 2 community Web site where it was first posted--not exactly a hub of Islamic extremist activity.

Congress' ignorance about video games can be overlooked, since they have more important things to be ignorant about. Marketers are not afforded the same luxury. Just as our government can't hope to effectively oversee or regulate a medium that it fails utterly to understand, if marketers don't take the time and effort to suss the ins and outs of video games and their culture, they will end up looking like fools.