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Written by Joyce Chow editor

Comparisons of VHS vs. BETA formats have been abundant in HD DVD and Blu-Ray discussions, but after the Entertainment Media Expo at Universal City, there’s a resemblance of an extension of the Microsoft’s XBOX and Sony Playstation’s rivalry.

During discussions at the DVD Forum’s North American DVD Conference portion during the Entertainment Media Expo, industry executives shared the status of each of their respective perspectives in what felt like a war room with field updates.

When reviewing the agenda for the DVD Forum’s North American DVD Conference, it was apparent we were in the HD DVD camp. Microsoft representatives gave updated in HD DVD Specs Software and HD DVD PC, Game Platforms in nearly 25% of all updates.

The first public demo of the Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD, to the drama of the “Phantom of the Opera”, was shared in its pre-release by Kevin Collins, Senior Program Manager. Microsoft believes it to be the cheapest players for consumers in the 4^th quarter, although no price was given.

Memories flashed of the sheepish smile from Xavier Lauwaert, Product Manager, VAIO Product Marketing, Information Technologies Product Division I’d received when I confirmed the concept of Sony attempting an end-run around Microsoft Xbox with the Playstation 3 at the Home Entertainment Expo. Sony’s Playstation 3 with Blu-Ray will be available November 17^th.

McDonald’s and Disney, known well for children bringing their families into the fold, look to be forebearers of Sony and Microsoft’s intention for the HD and Blu-Ray format wars.

Do Sony and Microsoft expect for the gamers to share their Xbox’s and Playstation’s so that family members can enjoy releases of HD and DVD movies? This I doubt, but perhaps it may tip the balance so that adoption of the new formats may be similar to the market share of 45% for Sony vs. Microsoft’s 40% for the current generation of consoles.

Before you’re ready to commit and are curious which format the studios are favoring, Mission: Impossible III has just announced an industry first. Paramount Home Entertainment is expected to announce the release of MI:3 in DVD and both next-generation formats HD DVD and Blu-Ray, all on the same day, October 30^th.

As a consumer and similar to many within the entertainment industry, for now I’ll wait and see what happens between HD DVD and Blu-Ray. Meanwhile, isn’t it time to buy a new tv?

Posted by ladymountbatten at 10:53 PM | Permalink

 

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Active Outdoor Recreation on the Move: A $730 Billion Contributor to the U.S. Economy

New Report Quantifies Major Economic Contribution of Active Outdoor Recreation

The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today announced the availability of a report by Outdoor Industry Foundation, Southwick Associates, and Harris Interactive that details the enormous impact of outdoor recreation on the nation's economy. According to the study, active outdoor recreation contributes a total of $730 billion annually, supporting 6.5 million jobs (1 in 20 U.S. jobs), generating $88 billion in federal and state tax revenue and stimulating 8% of all consumer spending. This outdoor recreation economy is fueled by the more than three- quarters of Americans who participate in bicycling, camping, fishing, hunting, paddling, hiking, snow sports, and wildlife viewing activities.

"I've worked in several industries in my career and I can say it's a special opportunity to work in one that supports helping people fulfill their dreams, enjoy personal challenge and lead healthier lives through active outdoor pursuits. It's important for our industry to have such in-depth research that demonstrates the direct and the extended contributions that outdoor business makes to our national economy," commented Sally Jewell, CEO of REI. "Clearly, public lands are vital to the future of our industry, and to the health and well-being of the American people."

"Active outdoor recreation has grown into a major engine for our economy, producing millions of jobs and generating billions in tax dollars," said Frank Hugelmeyer, President of the Outdoor Industry Association. He continued, "Policymakers need to recognize this enormous economic contribution and encourage its continued growth when making decisions about the use of public space and parks and recreation."

Rob Southwick, the main author of the study, said, "Every dollar spent on goods and services related to outdoor activities ripples through the economy, stimulating additional spending by workers and suppliers." Southwick noted that direct expenditures on outdoor recreation are larger than spending on legal services, motion pictures and video industries and automobile and light truck manufacturing. Outdoor recreation is particularly important to rural America, where it "jumpstarts rural economic development, providing the lifeblood for communities that depend on recreation tourism for jobs," Southwick said.

The "Active Outdoor Recreation Economy Study" was released during the 25th Annual Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City, a major event that now draws over 20,000 participants and more than 1,000 exhibitors involved in the active outdoor recreation industry.

A full copy of the study can be downloaded from the OIF website at: http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/FinalOutdoorRecreationReportEC.pdf

About Outdoor Industry Association

Outdoor Industry Association(R) (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. A wide spectrum of leading manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers of outdoor recreation equipment and services, as well as other related business entities make up OIA membership. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, cutting edge market research, member cost saving benefits and outreach initiatives to grow participation in outdoor activities and promote healthier lifestyles. Educational events, including the annual Outdoor Industry Rendezvous, Outdoor University, and the Capitol Summit in Washington, D.C., are hosted by OIA. Outdoor Industry Association is the exclusive endorser of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow. For more information go to http://www.outdoorindustry.org/ or call 303.444.3353.

About Outdoor Industry Foundation

Outdoor Industry Foundation (OIF) is a non-profit foundation established by Outdoor Industry Association to encourage active outdoor recreation for all Americans. OIF's charter is to increase participation in outdoor recreation and to encourage and support healthier active lifestyles. Through education, partnerships, programs and advocacy, OIF is working to make active outdoor recreation the number one leisure activity in America. We invite you to join us on this important mission by making a long term commitment to the health of our industry, our public lands, and our nation. For more information go to http://www.outdoorindustryfoundation.org/ or call 303.444.3353.

Source: Outdoor Industry Association

Web site: http://www.outdoorindustry.org/
http://www.outdoorindustryfoundation.org/

 

 

 

Chelsea Stars Stand up and be Counted

It's the funny season again punters as this weekend the Millennium Stadium may be treated to the most expensive line up in English football's domestic history. With Chelsea having dipped its fingers into their tardis of a till the cupboard is far from bare. With Messieurs Shevchenko (GBP30 mill), Drogba (GBP24 mill), Essien (GBP24.4 mill) and Carvalho (GBP19.85 mill) all likely to be on show, this really could be seen as a platform for Abramovich to flex his muscles before the start of the season.

Cantor Spreadfair, the sports spread betting exchange, have priced up the "Total Cost of the Chelsea starting XI" for this Sunday's Charity Shield game against Liverpool. The price is currently trading at 130 - 136 (in GBPmillions of course!) and if you think it will be less than this 'Sell' and if you think it will be more then 'Buy'. Factors to consider are that Terry and Ballack are scored as frees and if Shaun Wright-Phillips starts he brings the price up GBP21 million. For more go to www.spreadfair.com where you can see how much each player is worth and of course trade on the market.

For those unversed in the ways of spread betting, this punting medium simply asks you to go Hi (Buy) or Low (Sell) of a price. The more right you are the more you win and the more wrong you are the more you lose. So if you Buy the Chelsea Starting XI price this Sunday at 136 for GBP10 a point and the starting XI totals GBP140 million you win (GBP4 x GBP10) GBP40 and if its only 130 then you would lose GBP60 (6 x GBP10).

With this new season comes the usual bookmaker fare but Cantor Spreadfair are offering something a bit different. For example - How many points will teams score in a season? - Arsenal are currently trading at around 76 points and Man United at 77 points. Or you could do a spread bet on where a team finishes in the Premiership; so for example Tottenham are expected to finish in 6th position.

So wherever you allegiances lie this season good luck and just pray Mr Abramovich doesn't unleash his wallet on you.

Spread betting is a leveraged product that can rapidly result in losses substantially in excess of your initial stake. Ensure you understand the risks as it may not be suitable for everyone.

Source: Cantor Spreadfair

 

 

 

Regence Golf Clinic at Boeing Greater Seattle Classic Shows Families How to Get Healthy and Golf Like a Pro

Golf Clinic With Champions Tour Professional Tom Kite and a Special Guest

Appearance From Former Seattle Mariner Edgar Martinez Highlight

Family-Friendly Activities

WHAT: Regence BlueShield will sponsor a Family Golf Clinic at the

Boeing Greater Seattle Classic, where families can enjoy fun

activities, learn about health and fitness and get golf tips

from a champion. The Classic is a PGA Champions Tour event.

Champions Tour Professional Tom Kite will lead the golf clinic.

Kite is a former US Open Champion and World Golf Hall of Famer.

Edgar Martinez, former designated hitter for the Seattle

Mariners, will make a special appearance to greet fans and sign

autographs.

Thomas Williamson-Kirkland, M.D. a physician with the department

of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Mason

Medical Center will be on hand to address life and fitness over

age 50.

Proceeds from the Boeing Greater Seattle Classic will benefit

the Heart Institute at Virginia Mason Medical Center.

WHY: As part of its charitable giving focus on healthy kids, Regence

is sponsoring the clinic to help families learn more about how

to live safer, healthier lives.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 15, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge at 36005 SE Ridge St. Call 1-888-REGENCE

or visit www.wa.regence.com for more information and directions.

 

Source: Regence Golf Clinic

Web site: http://www.wa.regence.com/

 

 

 

 

Solo, Round-The-World Sailboat Skipper Will Display Boat At Baltimore Marine Center/Marine Max Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006

Tim Troy's 60-Foot Boat Being Preparing For Crossing Atlantic To Spain For Start Of VELUX 5 OCEANS Race

Fewer Than 200 People Have Sailed Around The World Alone

Tim Troy of Crownsville, MD who is participating in the VELUX 5 OCEANS, a solo, round-the-world sailboat race, will display his boat and answer media questions regarding his voyage on Thursday, August 17, 2006 at Baltimore Marine Center/Marine Max - 1800 Clinton Street. Troy will host a limited number of media representatives on a first- call basis for morning and afternoon sails in addition to offering dockside interviews.

The America One Challenge Team, headed by Troy, fields his IMOCA Open 60 class Margaret Anna, named for his daughters, for the race. Troy, the 48- year-old managing partner of the Delmarva/CSI Company in Maryland, and a seasoned blue water sailor, took up the sport at twelve years of age when an uncle took him for a two-week sail on the Chesapeake Bay. He is a two-time winner of the Bermuda 1-2 race, a single-handed competition between Newport, RI and Bermuda. He has over 100,000 miles of blue water sailing experience. His French Open 60 was built by the MagOCEA group in 1998, the same builder that built the PRB, the boat that won back-to-back Vendee Globe races.

The Margaret Anna is 60 feet in length and weighs just nine tons. She has a beam of 19.25 feet and draws 14.75 feet. The keel accounts for 3.5 tons of the total boat weight. It is a unique cantilever design that allows for maximum performance and speed. There is also a water ballast system and a forward dagger board to improve up-wind performance.

During the trans-Atlantic crossing from France to the United States, the boat consistently exceeded 20 knots and Troy believes she is capable of much more.

Peter Vaka is heading the effort to communicate with the world media during the preparation phase and continuing through the race. Sandy Clark, an accomplished sailor, sail maker and designer is the third member of the team.

The VELUX 5 OCEANS, the oldest, toughest and most prestigious solo, round- the-world yacht race, starts October 22 from the Spanish port of Bilbao- Bizkaia. The race follows a Grand Prix format from Bilbao-Bizkaia, Spain to Fremantle, Western Australia and then to Norfolk, Virginia USA before a final transatlantic sprint back to Bilbao-Bizkaia in Spring 2007. The race attracts both the elite of yachting as well as novice daredevils to spend months at sea alone. Skippers will each cover 30,000 miles; cross five oceans, and in the course of the race face some of the harshest condition in nature. The 2006- 2007 race is expected to have between ten and 20 boats from sailing nations around the world.

Doug Hofman, a Minnesotan, is the other U.S. skipper participating in the event. This is the Jubilee year of the race and sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, the first man to ever sail non-stop, single-handed around the world is making a return to solo competition in his Open 60 Grey Power.

The race has a rich sporting heritage having been contested every four years since 1982, previously under the titles of 'BOC Challenge' and more recently 'Around Alone.' Visit www.velux5oceans.com and www.sailamericaone.org for additional information.

Source: VELUX America

Web site: http://www.velux5oceans.com/
http://www.sailamericaone.org/

 

 

Team Hard Way Leads Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Event in Beaufort

Team Hard Way, captained by Todd Korker of Jupiter, Fla., caught a kingfish weighing 44 pounds, 15 ounces to lead day one of the $330,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour event presented by Yamaha in Beaufort, where teams are competing for a top award of as much as $100,000 cash.

Fishing a 33-foot Hydra-Sports Vector center console with triple Yamaha outboards, Korker was joined by Marty Koehler and Jeshua Koehler, both of Hopewell Junction, NY, and Josh Denton of Melbourne, Fla. The team found the top kingfish in about 50 feet of water 27 miles northeast of Port Royal Inlet.

"We shot to a spot where we had seen kingfish before the tournament and they weren't there," Korker said. "So we just went and found the bait pods, fished the bait and that's where we caught the kingfish."

Korker said his team had captured a variety of live baitfish in hopes that they would be prepared for whatever the day presented. Their big fish ate a 2-pound Spanish mackerel in the prop wash around 10:20 a.m. Denton handled the rod and Korker gaffed the kingfish after a 30-minute fight.

Korker said that paying attention to what was happening in the water led them to the right bait decision. "The strategy is to match the hatch. You go to the bait pods and see what the kingfish are feeding on and then you feed them what they're eating. They were feeding on Spanish mackerel, so that's what we fed them."

Rounding out the top five teams are Team Salty Dog captained by Jeff Osborne of St. Augustine, Fla. (38 pounds, 3 ounces); Team Cat Daddy captained by Danny Mathis of Gonzalez, La. (36 pounds, 8 ounces); Team Wild Ride captained by Randy Griffin Jr. of Hampstead, N.C. (34 pounds, 11 ounces); Team Kellogg's captained by Bryan Edwards of Little River, S.C. (33 pounds, 7 ounces).

Teams caught 74 kingfish Thursday weighing 1,580 pounds 9 ounces.

FLW Kingfish Tour qualifying tournaments are three-day events. The entire field competes Thursday and Friday and the top five teams compete Saturday. The winning team is determined based on the heaviest kingfish from Thursday or Friday plus the heaviest kingfish from Saturday. Boats will launch from Beaufort's Downtown Marina Friday and Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Friday's weigh-in will be held at Downtown Marina beginning at 4 p.m., and the final weigh-in will be held at the Beaufort Wal-Mart located 350 Robert Smalls Parkway beginning at 4 p.m.

The next FLW Kingfish Tour event will be held Sept. 21-23 in Southport, N.C.

The $1.82 million Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour consists of four regular-season events. After four events are complete, the top 50 teams compete in the three-day, no-entry-fee $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship to be held in Mount Pleasant, S.C., Nov. 9-11. The championship team will take home as much as $150,000.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Stratos Owners' Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.9 million through 241 events in 2006. For more information on FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.

Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.

Source: FLW Outdoors

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

 

 

 

Odds for the 2006 Cy Young winners are up!

Sportsbook.com puts Brandon Webb and Roy Halladay out in front

Sportsbook.com, the world's largest online sportsbook and casino, is the first to post odds for the 2006 Cy Young Awards. Major League Baseball teams are racing to reach the post season, and leading the charge are some of baseball's best strong arms.

Pitchers worthy of a mention alongside the famed Denton "Cyclone" Young include the National League's Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who despite a sore elbow in recent games is the top contender and a 5-2 bet. In the American League, Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay beat the Orioles Wednesday, joining Justin Verlander and Curt Schilling as the only 14-game winners in the AL. The native of Denver is the odds maker favorite at 3-1.

"The playoffs are looming in MLB and with all teams fighting to play into October the stars who will lift their teams to the occasion are starting to emerge," said Alex Czajkowski, Sportsbook.com. "Everybody bets on baseball and the Cy Young and MVP contenders will be the players on everyone's mind. At Sportsbook.com bettors can pick their award winners first."

National League American League

2006 NL Cy Young - Odds to Win 2006 AL Cy Young - Odds to Win

Brandon Webb (Dbacks) 5-2 Joe Nathan (Twins) 3-1

Billy Wagner (Mets) 3-1 Roy Halladay (Blue Jays) 3-1

Carlos Zambrano (Cubs) 4-1 Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox) 4-1

Aaron Harang (Reds) 5-1 Justin Verlander (Tigers) 4-1

Tom Glavine (Mets) 6-1 Francisco Liriano (Twins) 9-2

Tom Gordon (Phillies) 8-1 Johan Santana (Twins) 9-2

Jason Isringhausen (Cards) 10-1 Mariano Rivera (Yankees) 8-1

Brad Penny (Dodgers) 10-1 Curt Schilling (Red Sox) 10-1

Chris Carpenter (Cards) 8-1 Chien-Ming Wang (Yankees) 15-1

Trevor Hoffman (Padres) 15-1

2006 NL MVP - Odds to Win

Albert Pujols 3-1 Matt Holiday 15-1

Carlos Beltran 9-2 Carlos Delgado 15-1

Alfonso Soriano 6-1 Adam Dunn 18-1

Chase Utley 7-1 Garrett Atkins 18-1

Andruw Jones 7-1 Jason Bay 20-1

David Wright 7-1 Jeff Francoeur 20-1

Lance Berkman 10-1 Edgar Renteria 30-1

Jose Reyes 10-1 Aramis Ramirez 30-1

Ryan Howard 10-1 Chipper Jones 30-1

Miguel Cabrara 12-1 Rafael Furcal 30-1

2006 AL MVP - Odds to Win

David Ortiz 4-1 Grady Sizemore 18-1

Justin Morneau 5-1 Michael Young 20-1

Jermaine Dye 7-1 Joe Mauer 20-1

Vernon Wells 7-1 Jason Giambi 20-1

Vladimir Guerrero 7-1 Maglio Ordonez 25-1

Jim Thome 8-1 Gary Matthews Jr 30-1

Travis Hafner 8-1 Paul Konerko 30-1

Manny Ramirez 8-1 Carlos Lee 40-1

Troy Glaus 12-1 Mark Loretta 40-1

Derek Jeter 12-1 Carl Crawford 40-1

Ichiro Suzuki 15-1 Johnny Damon 50-1

Alex Rodriguez 15-1 Nick Swisher 60-1

Miguel Tejada 15-1 Raul Ebanez 60-1

For more MLB odds please visit sportsbook.com.

About Sportsbook.com:

Sportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, Sportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, Sportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets - achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and its products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.

Sportsbook.com is the flagship brand for Sportingbet PLC, , the world's leading publicly traded online gaming company. Sportingbet PLC, headquartered in London, England, has been voted number one in the industry for two years in a row by the authoritative eGaming Review Power 50 Survey.

Source: Sportsbook.com

 

 

 

Racing Legends Team Up to Lead Detroit Muscle

Racing legends and pioneers Rick Dyer, Pro-Street World Champion, and Danny Scott, NMCA and NSCA Champion, have teamed up to lead Detroit Muscle's custom car design and manufacturing studios. Until today, no other company has been successful pairing the strength and accuracy of a Tier 1 supplier with the excitement of a powerful aftermarket company. This proven management team will lead Detroit Muscle's efforts in custom car builds, car care products, performance parts, and much more.

Founded in 2004 by aftermarket executives LJ Lobsinger, Jr. and Darren Hamilton, Detroit Muscle first captured the enthusiasm of racing fans everywhere with its "100% Pure" logo emblazoned on trackside hats, work shirts, jackets, and t-shirts. In 2005 Detroit Muscle teamed up with Tier 1 giant, CMI-Schneible Group, to begin building custom high performance cars and motorcycles. Founder LJ Lobsinger says, "CMI's understanding of the latest technology gives us an added level of safety and reliability in our custom car building program."

Taking 1st place awards at this year's Autorama show for the trick 1940 Ford Panel Truck design complete with GPS, leather lumbar seats, and an attention to detail unlike any other, the award-winning Detroit Muscle design team continues to capture industry attention with custom car builds, industry- first products like the patented Rejex(R) automotive barrier, and the expanding line of apparel including the hot new women's line.

Meet the new Detroit Muscle management team at the Detroit Muscle "Cruisin' for a Dream" Custom Car Show for Cornerstone Schools Association of Detroit on August 13th at the Fox & Hounds restaurant in Bloomfield Hills. This charitable event features some of the Detroit areas hottest cars, local notables, and fine dining. You can also see them at the Detroit Muscle Sponsored Ferndale Woodward Dream Cruise on August 18th - 20th at the Detroit Muscle display at Nine Mile and Woodward. For information on any future event, please call (248) 634-8134.

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

 

 

 

Karl Malone, Former NBA Star, Signs Franchise Agreement with Huddle House(R), Inc.

Karl Malone, former NBA All-Star power forward, has closed on a future Huddle House(R) site in his home state of Louisiana. The full service family restaurant, will be located on Main Street in Farmerville, Louisiana and is projected to open sometime before the end of 2006.

The franchise company name is Trifecta and consists of three partners including Malone, John Crow and Andrew Trotter. Trotter will act as Operating Partner and brings multi-unit restaurant management experience to the team, most recently with Sonic.

"We are ecstatic about having someone like Karl with his business stature become a franchisee of Huddle House," states Philip M. Greifeld, Chief Executive Officer of Huddle House, Inc. Malone also owns interest in auto dealerships and timber.

Huddle House offers a wide variety of cooked to order food, fresh off the grill for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Known for serving any meal, all day, Huddle House features signature "Big House" breakfast and sandwich platters, lunchtime salads and USDA Choice steak dinners.

"We have enjoyed positive comparable sales growth for over 40 years which is a direct result of partnering with quality franchisees such as Trifecta," Greifeld stated.

With annual system wide sales of $230 million, Atlanta, Ga.-based Huddle House Inc. was founded in 1964. Huddle House has 410 restaurants located in 16 states throughout the Southeast, Missouri and mid-Atlantic regionsSource: Huddle House

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

 

 

 

 

 

The Sky's No Longer the Limit: Foot Pod Makes Indoor Training Possible With Garmin(R) Forerunner(R) 305

 

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) , today introduced an accessory to the popular Forerunner 305 that allows athletes to train indoors where a GPS signal is unavailable. Named the Forerunner 305 Foot Pod, the shoe-mounted device wirelessly communicates with the wrist-worn Forerunner 305 to provide accurate distance and speed while training on treadmills or indoor tracks.

"The Forerunner has developed a large group of fans, thanks to its accuracy and amazing array of features," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice president of marketing. "Now, with the Foot Pod, the Forerunner 305 increases its versatility even more."

Once the accessory is turned on, the Forerunner 305 recognizes its wireless signal and asks if the user wishes to train using the Foot Pod instead of with the Forerunner's built-in GPS. Once confirmed, the Forerunner 305 deactivates the GPS and the Foot Pod begins measuring the workout. The Foot Pod communicates to the wrist unit using Dynastream's ANT +Sport wireless technology, a commonly available platform for connectivity and interoperability between sports accessories and equipment.

The Foot Pod uses a pair of accelerometers to measure each stride to provide a runner's speed and distance information. The unit features a simple and secure lace-mounted attachment, and runs on a single AAA battery (70 hours typical use). The Foot Pod is 97% accurate out of the box and 99% when calibrated, and it can be worn in tandem with the Forerunner 305's wireless heart rate monitor.

The versatile Forerunner series of personal trainers let users completely customize their devices with features like Auto Lap and Auto Pause that let users measure, calculate and analyze lap times. Virtual Partner lets users compete against themselves by graphically displaying goal pace/speed compared to current pace/speed. Alerts can be programmed to let users know when to speed up, slow down or stop.

Athletes can tailor their workouts to meet specific goals and objectives with Garmin's Training Center(TM) utility. Users may create their own workouts or use workout templates that can be downloaded into the unit for any level of personal training. Foot Pod data is also compatible with MotionBased.com, a ground-breaking web-based application that translates GPS, heart rate and cadence data into performance analysis, online mapping and route sharing. MotionBased(TM) displays the information acquired through charts, illustrations, reports and maps.

The Foot Pod is only compatible with the Forerunner 305 model and will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $99.99. For more information, visit http://www.garmin.com/ or http://garmin.blogs.com/ .

Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices - most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at http://www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin and Forerunner are registered trademarks, and Training Center and MotionBased are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Anticipated product availability dates are based on management's current expectations and are not guaranteed.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

DYNASTREAM

Dynastream Innovations is a privately owned company with world-leading expertise in the research and development of wireless and inertial technology for consumer, commercial, medical and industrial markets. ANT is a trademark of Dynastream Innovations. Dynastream is headquartered in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Websites: http://www.dynastream.com/ , http://www.thisisant.com/

Notice on forward-looking statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company's future product introductions and expected product availability dates are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of Garmin's Form 10-K can be downloaded at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html . No forward- looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Source: Garmin International Inc.

Web site: http://www.garmin.com/
http://www.dynastream.com/
http://www.thisisant.com/
http://garmin.blogs.com/

 

 

 

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger Named Cover Athlete for Best Selling Kids Video Game

Backyard Football 2007 GBA Ships Next Month

Humongous, Inc. announced today that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the 2006 Super Bowl-winning QB, will be featured on the cover of Backyard Football 2007. Due for release in mid-September, Backyard Football is the best selling kids football game franchise ever and the only one to hold the NFL and PLAYERS INC licenses.

"I'm excited to be on the Backyard Football team," says Roethlisberger. "Backyard Football is an awesome game that teaches kids that becoming a great player is built on teamwork and mastering the fundamentals while having fun. That's how touchdowns are scored and big games are won."

Now in its fifth iteration, Backyard Football 2007 combines fun and fantasy with realistic NFL plays and strategies appropriate for children. Available for Game Boy(R) Advance, Backyard Football 2007 includes all 32 NFL teams as well as a roster of animated kid versions of current football superstars including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander, Michael Vick, as well as Roethlisberger.

"Ben Roethlisberger is an inspiration to kids who love football. His commitment to his team and loyalty to his community epitomizes the Backyard Sports philosophy," says Lauren Schechtman Allen, Co-President, Humongous. "It's this kind of passion that we look for in a Backyard Sports highlight player."

Backyard Football 2007 is rated "E" (Everyone) by ESRB and has an MSRP of $29.99 for the Game Boy(R) Advance.

Backyard Football 2007, produced by Humongous, Inc. is the latest entry in the Backyard Sports series, the best selling sports video gaming franchise for kids and the only game brand licensed by nearly ALL professional US sports leagues: Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Players Association, National Football League, PLAYERS INC, National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer, and National Hockey League. Since 1996 the franchise has sold over 10 million units and has received over a hundred awards. What's more, according to an independent study, 15 percent of boys in the United States ages five to 10 own at least one Backyard Sports game.

NOTE: Game Boy Advance is a trademark of Nintendo.

Source: Humongous, Inc.

 

 

 

Cingular Revs Up 'Race Talk' Promotion During Motorsports Coverage on NBC and TNT

Fans can answer poll questions for chance to win VIP race experience to Miami

The second half of the race season is underway and the top drivers are positioning themselves for a run at the championship. Cingular Wireless, primary sponsor of the No. 31 Chevrolet driven by Jeff Burton, is giving one lucky fan a chance to experience all of this excitement in person VIP-style at the last race of the season in Homestead, Fla. Cingular "Race Talk," which launches this month during motorsports coverage on NBC and TNT, gives viewers the chance to win a chartered VIP trip to Miami, spending money and a customized No. 31 Cingular- branded golf cart.

The sweepstakes is part of Cingular's popular on-air polling program that will air through November on race telecasts on NBC and TNT. Viewers are prompted to text message "RACE" to 191 and answer a race-specific question, with the results revealed on-air during the race broadcast. Each participant receives one entry into the sweepstakes for every "Race Talk" poll response submitted. Consumers can also opt-in to play racing-themed trivia, with each question answered counting for one additional contest entry. A grand prize winner will be randomly selected to receive a flight and accommodations for two to Miami, a VIP experience to the race in Homestead on November 19, $10,000 spending money and a special No. 31 Cingular-branded golf cart, similar to the one used by Burton in television advertisements for Cingular's MEdia Net service. Information about the sweepstakes can be obtained at http://www.cingular31.com/.

"This program fits in with our strategy of using our motorsports involvement to offer fans creative ways to experience the excitement of stock car racing in a format that is unique to Cingular," said Tim McGhee, Cingular director of national sponsorships. "Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Cingular Chevrolet are having an impressive season and the second half of the year is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling yet for TEAM Cingular."

During the first half of the race season Cingular's Virtual Crew Chief, broadcast during race telecasts on FOX and FX, gave viewers the opportunity to answer poll questions for the chance to "Win Jeff Burton's Pay-Day" at the race in Daytona Beach, Fla., on July 1. Russell Tillson of Virginia Beach, Va., was the grand prize winner in the "Win Jeff Burton's Pay-Day" sweepstakes after being randomly selected from more than one million entries. Burton's 15th place finish in that race earned Tillson a $122,920 pay-day.

This year marks Cingular's fifth season as a primary sponsor of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and Burton's second year behind the wheel. He currently ranks third in the Cup Series point standings, buoyed by four Top 5 finishes and 13 Top 10 finishes. For his career he has 17 victories, four poles, 98 top-five and 167 top-10 finishes and finished in the top-10 in the Cup point standings from 1997-2001.

ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 57.3 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS) , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER(TM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

Source: Cingular Wireless

Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
http://www.cingular31.com/
http://cingular.mediaroom.com/

 

 

 

Next Generation Sony Digital Music Players Help Fitness Enthusiasts Keep the Beat

Pre-sales Begin for New Sports Walkman Players

Whether you walk or run, Sony's new digital music player can provide the appropriate soundtrack for your workout. The newest S2 Sports(R) Walkman(R) devices, which are jam-packed with features for your preferred exercise program, are available today for pre-order online at SonyStyle.com.

Since the first Sports Walkman was introduced in 1984, Sony has built a legacy of durable, water resistant music players for active lifestyles, and these devices are no exception. The flash-based S2 Sports Series Walkman music players include popular components that Sony customers have come to expect, plus new tools specifically designed to enhance your workout program.

Based on Sony's G-Sensor technology, which recognizes speed variation, the Music Pacer feature integrates music into the workout experience. With the Music Pacer feature, the player gauges your speed, tempo and acceleration, automatically switching to the appropriate personalized walking or running playlist to match your stride. The Shuffle Shake feature lets you easily and quickly switch to shuffle mode by shaking the player three times within two seconds.

Pick Up the Pace

If you want to increase intensity when walking or running, the step, distance and calorie counter features (in sports mode) enable you to track the number of steps taken, the distance traveled and the calories burned. The set target feature allows you to input the amount of time, calories or distance you want to achieve for your workout, so the music will play until the target is accomplished.

The player will record the step count, distance and calories burned history from your last seven workouts, so you can track your progress. You can also use it as a stopwatch to time yourself.

Ode to Gym Rats

For life at the gym, the FM tuner and quick charge features are essential. The built-in FM tuner not only lets you listen to your favorite radio stations and sets the most visited stations so you can easily and quickly find them, but it can also be used to tune into TV programs playing in many gyms. If you're running late but still want to fit in your workout, all you need is three minutes to charge your player to get up to three hours of playback. At full battery capacity, enjoy up to 18 hours of listening.

The MP3 player is cylindrical in design and fits into the included armband, which straps securely and comfortably around your arm. About the size of a tube of lipstick, the device is water resistant and made of aluminum, weighs about one ounce, and won't weigh you down. Though compact, the players can store up to 1,350 songs on the 2GB model and 685 songs on the 1GB model.

"This is a runner's best friend. You don't need a running buddy because it makes your workout fly by," said Allan Jason, vice president at Sony Electronics. "Research shows that music motivates people to stick to their exercise schedules and lose more weight. With this player, you'll look forward to your next walk or run."

Music Management 101

To simplify the music management process, these new devices support AAC (non-DRM), MP3, WMA (non-DRM), and ATRAC(R) music files. They are compatible with CONNECT(TM) Music, the Sony CONNECT online music service and include SonicStage(R) CP software to import, manage and transfer music collections. To make it as easy as possible to quickly download a running and a walking playlist, CONNECT(TM) Music offers themed music mixes, including the fast-paced "Sizzling Summer." These playlists are located in the Essential Mixtapes section of the site, available from the home page at www.connect.com.

For added flexibility, the new Walkman player's distinctive one-line organic electroluminescence (OEL) display accommodates both left-handed and right-handed users alike. With its ability to rotate the orientation of the display, track and title names, the time and date, plus other information can now be viewed how ever you prefer.

The devices come with black, sports style headphones and an armband. To enhance the sound, you can set the equalizer to match the type of music you are listening to (jazz, pop, heavy or custom) or simply turn it off.

Pricing and Availability

The S2 Sports Walkman music players come in two different capacities:

* The NW-S203F player has a total capacity of 1GB and will cost around

$120, and

* The NW-S205F player has a total capacity of 2GB and will cost around

$150 dollars.

The players will be available in September at www.sonystyle.com, in Sony Style retail stores nationwide, and at authorized dealers across the country.

Source: Sony Electronics Inc.

Web site: http://www.sony.com/news

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

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

 

 

 

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 12:54 PM | Permalink

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 Three U.S. soldiers in Iraq died yesterday in Anbar province, and Defense Department officials have identified five soldiers killed earlier. The deceased soldiers were assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Defense Department identified three soldiers who died Aug. 6 in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. All three soldiers were assigned to the Army's 2nd Brigade Troop Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were: -- Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale, 25, of Grafton, W.Va.; -- Sgt. Carlton A. Clark, 22, of South Royalton, Vt.; and -- Cpl. Jose Zamora, 24, of Sunland Park, N.M. Officials also identified two other soldiers killed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom: -- Army Spc. Brian J. Kubik, 20, of Harker Heights, Texas, died Aug 5 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries suffered Aug. 2 when his unit encountered enemy small-arms fire in Baghdad. Kubik was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. -- Army Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr., 23, of Clovis, N.M., died Aug. 4, in Habbaniyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a Humvee accident. Segura was assigned to the 362nd Engineer Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.

 Three U.S. soldiers in Iraq died yesterday in Anbar province, and Defense Department officials have identified five soldiers killed earlier. The deceased soldiers were assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Defense Department identified three soldiers who died Aug. 6 in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. All three soldiers were assigned to the Army's 2nd Brigade Troop Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were: -- Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale, 25, of Grafton, W.Va.; -- Sgt. Carlton A. Clark, 22, of South Royalton, Vt.; and -- Cpl. Jose Zamora, 24, of Sunland Park, N.M. Officials also identified two other soldiers killed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom: -- Army Spc. Brian J. Kubik, 20, of Harker Heights, Texas, died Aug 5 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries suffered Aug. 2 when his unit encountered enemy small-arms fire in Baghdad. Kubik was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. -- Army Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr., 23, of Clovis, N.M., died Aug. 4, in Habbaniyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a Humvee accident. Segura was assigned to the 362nd Engineer Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.

 

 

The bodies of two soldiers missing after an Aug. 8 helicopter crash in Iraq's Anbar province have been recovered, U.S. officials announced today. Both soldiers died as a result of the accident. "Our thoughts are with the families of the soldiers," Marine spokesman Maj. Riccoh Player said. The U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from the 82nd Aviation Ambulance Company, in direct support of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, went down with six servicemembers on board during an area familiarization flight. The remaining four servicemembers, two Army and two Navy, are in stable condition. Aircraft recovery efforts are ongoing. Officials said the incident does not appear to be a result of enemy action, and the incident is under investigation. In other news from Iraq, U.S. patrols found three weapons caches earlier this week. A patrol from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, found a weapons cache west of Baghdad at about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 9. The patrol seized six AK-47 assault rifles, 1,500 PKC machine gun rounds, three cases of 7.62 mm rounds, 300 loose 7.62 mm rounds, six AK-47 magazine guns, a hand grenade, and a sniper scope. Elsewhere, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered two large weapons caches during a cordon operation south of Baghdad Aug. 8 night. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, discovered the first cache during the search of a building and the second cache in a grove adjacent to the building. The caches consisted of two RPK machine guns, three PKM machine guns, a spare PKM machine gun barrel, 19 packages of PKM ammunition, five drums of PKM ammunition, seven AK-47 rifles, 45 AK-47 magazines, eight AK-47 ammunition vests, a 60 mm mortar system, seven 60 mm mortars, 18 grenades, six grenade fuses, a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher, a long-range rifle, 18 RPG rounds, 18 RPG boosters, 250 7.62 mm rounds, 19 sticks of explosives, and a shotgun. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the explosives.

 

 

 

Missing WWII Marine is Identified The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a U.S. Marine missing in action from World War II has been identified and is being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. John H. Branic, U.S. Marine Corps, of Madera, Pa. He is to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Branic was a platoon leader for L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division on Aug. 19, 1942, when a Japanese force overran his defensive position on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. During the attack, Branic was killed, but the Marines of L Company counterattacked and succeeded in driving the Japanese back. The location of Branic's remains was not reported to headquarters, as the L Company executive officer was also killed. In February 1992, the U.S. Embassy, Solomon Islands, reported to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) that remains believed to be those of an American had been recovered at a construction site on Guadalcanal. JPAC took possession of those remains the following month, and excavated the site where they found additional remains. In the same general area, they found World War II-era ammunition, but no additional remains. In 2004, an American researcher with the First Marine Division association reported to JPAC that a Solomon Islander had possession of a ring with the inscription "JHB" on the inside. The ring was found at the initial burial site. JPAC scientists and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory specialists used mitochondrial DNA as one of the forensic tools to help identify the remains. Laboratory analysis of dental remains also confirmed the identification. 

 

 

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualties The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers, who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq on Aug. 6, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV while conducting a combat operations. All soldiers were assigned to the Army's 2nd Brigade Troop Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale, 25, of Grafton, W.V. Sgt. Carlton A. Clark, 22, of South Royalton, Vt. Spc. Jose Zamora, 24, of Sunland Park, N.M.

 

 

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Tracy L. Melvin, 31, of Seattle, Wash., died of injuries sustained on Aug. 6, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Melvin was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany. Media with questions about this soldier should contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4862.

 

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Brian J. Kubik, 20, ofHarker Heights, Texas, died on Aug 5 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered on Aug 2 when his unit encountered enemy small arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq. Kubik was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

 

 

 

A roadside bomb killed three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers yesterday southwest of Baghdad, and the Defense Department released the names of servicemembers killed recently in Iraq. The names of the soldiers killed yesterday are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Defense Department announced the identities of three soldiers and two Marines who died recently in Iraq: Army Staff Sgt. Clint J. Storey, 30, of Enid, Okla., and Army Sgt. Bradley H. Beste, 22, of Naperville, Ill., died Aug. 4 in Ramadi, when a makeshift bomb detonated near their Humvee. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Calvary Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany. Marine Sgt. George M. Ulloa Jr., 23, of Austin, Texas, died Aug. 3 from wounds suffered in Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Marine Lance Cpl. Kurt E. Dechen, 24, of Springfield, Vt., died Aug. 3 from wounds suffered in Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, while attached to Regimental Combat Team 5, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Army Sgt. Joshua A. Ford, 20, of Wayne, Neb., died July 31 in Numaniyah. Ford was assigned to the Army National Guard's 189th Transportation Company, 485th Corps Support Battalion, Norfolk, Neb.

 

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr., 23, of Clovis, N.M., died on Aug 4, in Habbaniyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a HMMWV accident. Segura was assigned to the 362nd Engineer Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning

 

 

Soldier Missing in Action From the Korean War is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Cpl. Edward F. Blazejewski, U.S. Army, of Elizabeth, N.J. He is to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. on Friday. Blazejewski was assigned to Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, when his unit came under heavy artillery attack by Chinese forces near Unsan, North Korea, on Nov. 1, 1950. During the attack, Cpl. Blazejewski and other soldiers killed in action were left behind when their unit moved to a previous defensive position. A U.S. soldier who had been held as a prisoner of war by the North Koreans told debriefers that Blazejewski and others had been killed by a grenade explosion. In August 1997, a joint U.S.-North Korean team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) excavated a site in Pyongan Province believed to contain the remains of several U.S. soldiers. Remains representing four men were recovered, as well as an identification tag and a denture, neither of which were associated with Blazejewski. The other three soldiers were identified and buried in 2000. Buried at Arlington were Sgt. James T. Higgins, Benham, Ky.; and Pfc. John L. Hoey, Philadelphia, Pa. Sgt. Andrew Ernandis, Brooklyn, N.Y., was buried in Hicksville, N.Y. Group remains representing all four soldiers will also be buried Friday at Arlington. Among other forensic identification tools, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of Blazejewski's remains, matching a DNA sequence from a maternal relative.

 

 

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Suplee, 39, ofOcala , Fla., died on Aug 3 at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, Fla., of injuries sustained on Apr 1 in Kabul, Afghanistan, when his HMMWV was involved in a traffic accident. Suplee was assigned to the National Guard 153rd Cavalry Squadron, Ocala, Fla.

 

 

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc A. Lee, 28, of Hood River, Ore., was killed on Aug. 2 during combat operations while on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq. Lee was an aviation ordnanceman and a member of a West Coast-based SEAL Team.

 

 

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Kurt E. Dechen, 24, of Springfield, Vt., died Aug. 3 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, while attached to Regimental Combat Team 5, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

 

 

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. George M. Ulloa Jr., 23, of Austin, Texas, died Aug. 3 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Media with questions about this Marine can call the 2nd Marine Division

 

 

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Joshua A. Ford, 20, of Wayne, Neb., died on July 31 during combat operations in Al Numaniyah, Iraq. Ford was assigned to the Army National Guard 189th Transportation Company, 485th Corps Support Battalion, Norfolk, Neb.

 

 

 

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 12:07 PM | Permalink

 

ANNAN HOPEFUL SECURITY COUNCIL CAN PASS RESOLUTION ON ISRAEL-LEBANON CONFLICT TODAY

Observing that every day Security Council discussions go on, “the death, the killings and the destruction continues” in the Middle East, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said this morning that he was hopeful the Council can vote on a resolution to halt the conflict in the region before the end of the day. Mr. Annan, speaking to reporters as he arrived at UN Headquarters in New York, said: “I hope we should be able to do it [adopt a resolution] today. The will is there. We are close.” The Council has scheduled a meeting for later today to discuss the violence that has engulfed Lebanon and northern Israel for the past month. As many as 1,000 civilians have been killed in Lebanon alone, according to authorities there, while Israel has said 41 of its civilians have also lost their lives in the conflict. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Mr. Annan stressed that it was vital “that we make progress today. Every day that the discussions go on, the death, the killings and the destruction continues in the region, and civilians on both sides continue to suffer.” There have been “enough discussions,” he said. “The issues have been discussed all around and it is time for decision, and I hope the Council will take firm action today. I see no reason why they shouldn’t. Most of the Council members are determined to go ahead. They are frustrated themselves, and I hope today they will have the opportunity to pronounce themselves.” The Secretary-General, who has a meeting scheduled today with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, also said he has been in regular contact with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to discuss how to sort out the differences between the parties on the wording of a resolution. Since the start of hostilities, the Security Council has adopted a resolution temporarily extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (known as UNIFIL) through August, as well as two presidential statements on the violence. 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

UNICEF AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO GRANT OFFICIAL IDENTITY TO UNREGISTERED CHILDREN

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is working with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS) to help ensure free, timely, universal birth registration for children in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2015. Joined by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, newly inaugurated to a second term, the leaders of the three organizations gathered in Bogota this week to support the initiative, which aims to grant an official identity to millions of the region’s unregistered children who remain largely invisible in their own countries. “This partnership seeks to end the economic, political and social exclusion of undocumented citizens,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman. “When children are not registered, they are not counted and included in statistics. Without reliable statistics, we cannot have reliable programmes and services for the children who need them most.” The alliance will strengthen IDB’s and UNICEF’s ongoing efforts to eliminate barriers that impede registration in Latin America and the Caribbean through measures such as improving the collection and dissemination of data relating to birth registration, supporting the modernization of civil registry systems, and linking birth registration with other social services. Although the region exceeds world averages in birth registration, there are considerable disparities both among and within countries. For example, while Cuba (99 per cent) and Chile (95 per cent) can boast nearly universal registration, Haiti (70 per cent) and the Dominican Republic (75 per cent) are still a long way from achieving that goal. In the region, it is estimated that more than one in six children who are born every year go unregistered, UNICEF said, for an overall estimated total of close to 2 million of the 11 million annual births. Citizens who lack identity documents have difficulty obtaining employment, accessing credit, opening a savings account and inheriting property, according to the agency. Voting and being elected to office may also be restricted. For children, lack of registration can sentence them to a life of exclusion and invisibility by creating a barrier to access health, education and social services, while placing them at greater risk of abuse and exploitation. 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

TIMOR-LESTE: UN COMMISSIONERS PROBING VIOLENCE EARLIER THIS YEAR END VISIT

The three officials serving on the United Nations Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste today completed the first of two visits aimed at looking into the violence that exploded in the country earlier this year, causing dozens of deaths and forcing 15 per cent of the country’s entire population to flee. At a departure news conference, Commission Chairman Paulo Sergio Pinheiro of Brazil said its aim was to “to provide an honest, truthful, narrative of the establishment of the facts” of the shootings of April and May and their causes. The violence broke out after the government dismissed some 600 soldiers who had been on strike, claiming discrimination in promotions and benefits. A total of 37 people were killed and an additional 155,000 were forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in makeshift camps or with host families. Mr. Pinheiro said the three commissioners – himself, Zelda Holtzman of South Africa and Ralph Zacklin of Great Britain – would return in September and complete their report to the Secretary-General Kofi Annan by the first week in October. He noted hat the body aims to gather facts. “We do not have power to summon individuals, no power to prosecute or to judge anyone,” he said, stressing that the experts did not form a court or a tribunal. But he added that their recommendations “will include some measure of accountability for individuals or institutions for the crisis that erupted in April and May.” During their visit, commissioners met the Timorese President, the Prime Minister, and the former Prime Minister, leaders of political parties, military leaders, police authorities, church leaders, the diplomatic community, the UN country representative and the UN country team and leaders of other institutions. In another development today, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, visited Becora Prison, east of Dili, to assess the conditions of the detention facilities and the well-being of the prison inmates. He said he found that the basic needs of inmates were met but that prison facilities need improvement. Mr. Hasegawa’s visit to Becora Prison followed a period of unrest and insecurity that has led to an increased number of arrests and detentions over the last few weeks. While there, Prison Manager Carlos Sarmento told the UN envoy that there was a need for further improvement of existing prison facilities. Mr. Hasegawa agreed that, “Proper maintenance of detention facilities is vital to ensure that human dignity and respect for human rights are preserved.” 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

CONTINUING EFFORTS TO BOOST SECURITY, UN RENOVATES POLICE STATION IN LIBERIA

As part of ongoing efforts by the United Nations to help Liberia prevent and fight crime as it consolidates stability, the UN peacekeeping operation in the country has renovated a police sub-station just outside of the capital, Monrovia. At a ceremony Thursday which was attended by senior Liberian officials, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative, Alan Doss, hailed the restoration of the Soul Clinic Police Community Depot restored after being destroyed by the war. Mr. Doss also assured residents of the community, located in the Paynesville suburb, that the UN is committed to working to restore the effectiveness of the Liberian National Police. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has to date trained over 1,800 Liberian officers and several hundred others are undergoing training. Mr. Doss the UN aims to properly train and equip 3,500 and deploy them throughout the country by next year. “To do that, we need infrastructure, and this Soul Clinic Police sub-station is part of a bigger programme funded by our Quick Impact Projects to construct police stations all over the country,” he said. UNMIL has already committed to constructing 10 police stations in six counties, of which three had been completed, and that another 12 police stations in nine counties were under consideration for funding during the next few months. Mr. Doss hoped that the Paynesville community “will not just see this as a building that the UN has put up and LNP occupies, but see this as a community center in which they have a great investment, and which they have a responsibility to help maintain and to help function properly.” Also on Thursday, Mr. Doss turned over the Paynesville Community Town Hall, which contains magistrate courts and was also renovated by UNMIL. 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

AS CIVILIANS FLEE FIGHTING IN SOMALIA, UN REFUGEE AGENCY WARNS THEIR NUMBERS COULD RISE

 

The United Nations refugee agency, which is currently caring for thousands of Somalis who fled to Kenya to escape fighting between warlords and the Union of Islamic Courts, today warned that that if violence intensifies, more will cross the border. Some 100 Somali refugees are arriving every day at Dadaab in north-east Kenya “but UNHCR is concerned that the figure could rise much higher if hostilities in neighbouring Somalia escalate,” Jennifer Pagonis, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told reporters in Geneva. “Many of those who have arrived in the past week said they had fled Mogadishu to escape fighting between the Union of Islamic Courts and a loose alliance of warlords, who controlled the Somali capital for years.” The Union took over the capital in June. Since the beginning of the year, some 18,000 Somali refugees have arrived in Dadaab, where three refugee camps already hosted some 134,000 mainly Somali refugees. “If the current rate of arrival continues, we can expect another 12,000 refugees by the end of the year,” Ms. Pagonis said. The refugees who arrive in the semi-arid region of Dadaab are generally in good health, but many are visibly exhausted from the long trek, according to UNHCR. One man, who fled Mogadishu after his two brothers were killed in a gun battle in the capital, said he had been on the road for more than three weeks, travelling mainly on foot. Upon arrival in Dadaab, the refugees are received at a registration centre where UNHCR staff carry out a rapid screening exercise. They then receive basic household items such as blankets, jerry cans, mats and kitchen utensils, but Ms. Pagonis said the agency’s current stocks “are very limited.” There are 227,400 refugees in Kenya, mainly from Somalia and Sudan. 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

COLOMBIA: UN AGENCY CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO MURDER OF 5 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is calling for a thorough investigation into the murders of five Awá indigenous people in Colombia on Wednesday – a attack which directly followed the agency’s appeal to warring parties to leave those groups out of their conflict. “UNHCR is saddened at the killings and especially shocked that the murders occurred on World Indigenous Day, when we were drawing attention to the plight of indigenous people in Colombia,” said agency spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis, calling on the Colombian Government to fulfil its duty to protect its citizens. “We are especially concerned at the tragic death of five people who were registered as displaced and in clear need of state protection,” she added. The killings occurred just in the village of Altaquer in the south-eastern department of Nariño and followed warnings by UNHCR that same day that Colombia's indigenous people were facing terrible consequences of the conflict. The murdered five – three men and two women – were registered as forcibly displaced and were part of a group of some 1,700 Awá who fled their territory last month to escape fighting between the military and an irregular armed group. One of those killed was a former governor, or leader, of the Awá people, and one of the women killed was a teacher who left behind four orphaned children, Ms. Pagonis said. According to eyewitnesses, nine armed men conducted a house-to-house search shortly before dawn, took the five people and shot them. “The men also went to the house of the current leader of the Awá people who was in Bogota with her husband and four-year-old daughter to take part in events organised by UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies on the occasion of World Indigenous Day,” Ms. Pagonis told reporters at a press briefing in Geneva. A UNHCR staff member is currently in Altaquer to support the displaced community following the killings. On the day the killings occurred, UNHCR had called on all armed groups in Colombia to leave the indigenous population out of the armed conflict. “These latest murders add to the urgency of this appeal,” said Ms. Pagonis, noting that indigenous people have increasingly been the victims of Colombia’s violence in recent years. “To make matters worst, when they are forced to displace, they often come under suspicion of collaborating with the very armed groups they have tried to escape. More than ever, UNHCR is calling for this persecution of innocent people, which threatens the very survival of entire groups, to stop.” 2006-08-11 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

DUTCH DIPLOMAT APPOINTED HEAD OF UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced the appointment of a Dutch climate expert to lead the United Nations body responsible for monitoring an international climate change treaty. Yvo de Boer will become the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC), which is responsible for gathering and sharing information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices, and launching national strategies for addressing the issue, among other measures. Mr. de Boer will assume his role on 4 September, in time to lead the Convention at the UN Climate Change Conference, which takes place in Nairobi, Kenya, in November. “I am very enthusiastic about taking up the job ahead of this conference,” said Mr. de Boer in a statement released by UNFCCC. “The conference is significant because some of the biggest challenges related to climate change which are presently facing humanity will be dealt with there.” The meeting, the first ever of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, will focus on issues such as adaptation to climate change, technology transfer and talks and negotiations on the future of the climate change process, both under the UNFCCC and under the Kyoto Protocol, a binding pact which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. de Boer, who is 52 years old, is currently Director for International Affairs at the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. He has also served as Vice-President of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC and as Vice-Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development. “He has actively sought broad stakeholder involvement on the issue of climate change,” said the Secretary-General in a statement, noting that Mr. de Boer launched an international dialogue on the clean development mechanism and has partnered in international discussions with the World Business Council on Sustainable Development, aimed at increasing private sector involvement. Before serving the Dutch government, Mr. de Boer was Chief of the UN Information Office for North America and the Caribbean, of the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) in Canada and Human Settlements Adviser with the Habitat in Nairobi. Mr. de Boer will succeed the late Joke Waller-Hunter, also from the Netherlands. She was appointed to the position in 2002 and died last year at the age of 58. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN AID CHIEF SAYS IT’S A ‘DISGRACE’ THAT HIZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL PREVENT HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

Stressing that Israeli civilians and ordinary Lebanese were the “biggest losers” in the conflict in Lebanon, the top United Nations emergency official said today it was a “disgrace” that Hizbollah and Israel were preventing humanitarian supplies getting through to more than 100,000 people in the devastated south of the country. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland said there were over 200,000 people throughout Lebanon who humanitarian workers have been unable to reach because of the escalating violence, adding that the war-ravaged country was one of the worst places in the world in terms of getting aid to those most in need. “We have not had any access for several days to the besieged population of southern Lebanon. It is a disgrace really, because the parties to the conflict, the Hizbollah and the Israelis, could give us access in a heartbeat and then we could help 120,000 people in southern Lebanon,” he told a press conference in Geneva. “The civilian population in Lebanon and in northern Israel have been the biggest losers in this senseless cycle of violence that is now exactly one month old… Civilians were supposed to be spared and in this conflict they are not.” Despite the enormous difficulties, UN humanitarian agencies continue to do what they can and a spokesman in New York said 15 trucks carrying relief items travelled from Beirut to the town of Baalbek this morning, but he confirmed that another convoy was unable to go to Nabitiyeh in the south after failing to get clearance from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). The World Food Programme (WFP) also appealed today for a cessation of hostilities by both sides to allow the passage of desperately needed relief assistance, as food, fresh water and fuel stocks in particular are running dangerously low in Lebanon. “Our aid operation is like a patient starved of oxygen – facing paralysis, verging on death – if we can’t open up our vital supply lines to help an estimated 100,000 people stranded south of the Litani river,” said Zlatan Milisic, WFP Emergency Coordinator in Lebanon. A combination of 70 bridges destroyed and the denial of “concurrence on safety” by the IDF for aid convoys is crippling WFP’s efforts, on behalf of the entire humanitarian community, to organise overland transport of relief items, including food for one quarter of the Lebanese population displaced from their homes, the agency said in a press release. “We are all the more worried, because we have been given to understand that there is no point in WFP even applying for concurrence to go to Tyre, one of the areas of highest concern,” Mr. Milisic added. In terms of shortages inside Lebanon, Mr. Egeland told the reporters in Geneva that the lack of fuel was the single most worrying humanitarian crisis at the moment, adding that it had already run out in four hospitals in the south and the nation’s electric grid would stop working if no more supplies came in. He said that according to Lebanese health authorities, at least 1,000 people have been killed so far in the conflict, although this figure could rise because many areas are not accessible and hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes. Israel’s Government has said that 41 of its civilians have been killed. “The war will not be over unless there is restitution to the hundreds of thousands of victims. There is a national emergency in Lebanon like no other in the history of Lebanon,” Mr. Egeland said. “There has to be a comprehensive political solution connected with a security solution that provides security to both Lebanese and Israelis. Nobody wants to go back to a situation with a potential for conflict breaking out at any moment.” 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

KILLINGS AND LACK OF ACCESS MARK ONE OF THE WORST MONTHS EVER, SAYS UN AID CHIEF

 

Increased killings of aid workers worldwide and lack of humanitarian access to those people most in need, especially in conflict areas like Lebanon, Darfur and Sri Lanka, have made the past month one of the “worst ever,” the top United Nations emergency official said today. Dozens of humanitarian field workers have lost their lives in the last month, including the execution-style killings this week of workers from French organization Action against Hunger in Sri Lanka and the deaths of more aid workers in the last two weeks in the strife-torn Darfur region of Sudan than in the preceding two years. “This last month has been one of the worst ever in terms of providing assistance to vulnerable populations worldwide and safety and security to humanitarian workers in the field,” Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told reporters in Geneva. Highlighting the deaths of aid workers in Lebanon, he said it was one of the worst places in the world in terms of getting aid to those most in need, and added there was also a record low access for humanitarian workers to Darfur. "The situation in Darfur was going from really bad to catastrophic," he said, adding the number of violent clashes in the first half of 2006 was twice the amount of the first half of last year. On the situation in Gaza, he told reporters that there were still major problems in terms of lack of water and electricity and deteriorating humanitarian conditions overall. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

UN MISSION IN IRAQ EXTENDED FOR ONE YEAR

The Security Council today extended the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for one year, responding to a request from the country’s Government, which said the world body has a “vital role” in fostering peace and prosperity there. By a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council reaffirmed that “the United Nations should play a leading role in assisting the efforts of the Iraqi people and Government in strengthening institutions for representative government, and in promoting national dialogue and unity.” In a recent letter to the President of the Council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan highlighted UNAMI’s successful efforts to facilitate the country’s political transition in the past year, particularly with regard to the holding of two national elections and the adoption of a new Constitution. He noted, however, that Iraq “continued to face formidable political, security and economic challenges” and still needed support from the international community. Insurgent, militia and terrorist attacks had continued unabated in many places, and sectarian violence posed an increasing threat to the Iraqi people. The Foreign Minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari, >wrote to the Secretary-General earlier this month to request UNAMI’s extension for one year. He noted that while the political transition has formally come to an end, “there remains much work for Iraqis to do to continue to build democratic legal and political institutions, to reintroduce the rule of law and civil society, to engage in a national dialogue to build peace and security and to rebuild Iraq’s shattered physical and economic infrastructure for the benefit of this and future generations of Iraqis.” UNAMI, he said continues to have a “vital role” in working with Iraq to build a productive and prosperous country at peace with itself and its neighbours. Set up by the Security Council in August, 2003, UNAMI is headed by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, who formerly served as a career diplomat for his native Pakistan. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

DR CONGO: UN ENVOY REMINDS VOTERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY POLLS

The senior United Nations official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today called on the Congolese to focus on the results of the recent parliamentary polls there as much as they are on the election to be president of the vast and impoverished African country. William Lacy Swing, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the DRC, told a press conference in Kinshasa that it was premature to talk about the results of the presidential race, where less than 5 per cent of the total votes have been formally counted so far by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Mr. Swing reminded voters that the National Assembly – there were more than 9,600 candidates contesting 500 seats in the historic polls on 30 July – will have the responsibility of approving the president’s choice of prime minister and voting on the annual budget. He also reiterated his earlier plea to the Congolese media to not publish speculative reports about the presidential polls as he said that could exacerbate social tensions. The UN Organization Mission in the DRC, known as MONUC, announced today that the official results are still expected to be released on 20 August. A run-off race between the two leading presidential candidates will be held in October if no candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the vote. The elections, the largest ever supported by the UN, were the first free and fair polls in the DRC in at least 45 years. Turnout was high across the country, and voting took place in relative calm, with the exception of the Kasai region, where there were some incidents, such as the burning of electoral stations and kits. Meanwhile, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told a press briefing in Geneva today that more than 500,000 people have become internally displaced in the DRC since the start of the year. The rate of displacement – an average of 84,000 people each month – is three times higher than the rate during the same period last year, he said. About nine out of every 10 people displaced this year have had to move because of continuing armed conflict. The DRC has been plagued by armed clashes between militia groups and the national armed forces in recent years, with the far east of the country the worst affected. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

REFUGEES SENT BACK TO UZBEKISTAN AT ‘SERIOUS RISK’ OF TORTURE, WARNS UN RIGHTS CHIEF

The top United Nations human rights official warned today that the four Uzbek refugees and one asylum seeker sent home by Kyrgyzstan earlier this week face a “serious risk” of torture, as she called for immediate international access to the five detainees and urged Kyrgyz authorities. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour also said that Kyrgyzstan’s deportation of the five on Wednesday contradicted the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment to which the Government is a party. “The extradition exposes them to a serious risk of being subjected to torture and is in violation of the non-refoulement principle contained in article 3,” said a statement from her office in Geneva, referring to the Torture Convention’s provisions against forced returns. She also urged the Kyrgyz authorities to “refrain from further deportation of refugees and asylum seekers to countries where there are substantial grounds to believe that they would face an imminent risk of grave human rights violations, including torture.” The High Commissioner further called on Uzbekistan to treat those extradited in accordance with its human rights obligations, to grant immediate access by international observers to the five detainees and to release them from detention or promptly charge and try them in accordance with international fair trial principles. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also criticized the deportations, with Commissioner António Guterres expressing fears for the safety of the detainees, as well as highlighting that Kyrgyzstan’s actions violated the 1951 Refugee Convention, which the country has also ratified. The four had arrived in Kyrgyzstan after violent events in the Uzbek city of Andijan in May 2005 and were detained, along with the asylum seeker, in a detention facility in Osh. Shortly after last year’s Andijan violence, Ms. Arbour expressed fears that asylum-seekers and refugees forced to return to Uzbekistan “may face an imminent risk of grave human rights violations, including torture and extra-judicial and summary executions.” The Uzbek Government claimed fewer than 200 people were killed in the unrest. However, more than 450 of the Uzbek refugees subsequently provided testimony to Ms. Arbour’s office regarding the events of 13 May 2005 and a report in July concluded that based on consistent, credible testimony, military and security forces committed grave human rights violations that day. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

ANNAN PUSHES FOR SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON ISRAEL-LEBANON VIOLENCE

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is working “very intensely” with Security Council members and key leaders to push for a resolution concerning the situation along the Blue Line separating Israel from Lebanon. A spokesman for Mr. Annan issued a statement in New York saying the diplomacy is taking place “both here and in capitals.” The statement also reiterated Mr. Annan’s long-standing call for a cessation of hostilities. “The fighting must stop to save civilians on both sides from the nightmare they have endured for the past four weeks.” The spokesman voiced Mr. Annan’s conviction that the Security Council should be able to adopt a resolution by the end of the week. At a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani, speaking for the League of Arab States, accused the 15-member body of doing nothing while the Lebanese people have become engulfed in a “bloodbath” since the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah erupted in mid-July. Since the start of hostilities, the Security Council has adopted a resolution temporarily extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) through August, as well as two presidential statements on the violence. The Council President, Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng of Ghana, was asked on 4 August about a view among the general public that the Council has not done enough to stop the fighting. “We have tried our best as members of the Security Council to get action taken on the issue but there are certain realities that one has to contend with and because of those realities we have to be pragmatic and we have to be realistic and look at the option which will enable us come to a quick decision on this issue, and I think that is what we have been doing,” he said. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

NETHERLANDS GIVES 20 MILLION EUROS TO UN FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

With injecting drug use accounting for up to 80 per cent of HIV infections in some regions of Russia and Eastern Europe, the United Nations agency charged with combating drugs and crime today received 20 million euros from the Netherlands to fight the deadly epidemic. The money will be used to help countries implement a comprehensive package of HIV/AIDS prevention and care measures, including outreach programmes, information on risk reduction and referral to services, voluntary counselling and testing, and access to treatment, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in a press release. “Injecting drug use accounts for up to 80 per cent of HIV infections in some regions,” said UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. “This is a staggering figure. We need an all-out effort to halt and reverse this epidemic. This generous donation by the Netherlands will make a real difference to the lives of many vulnerable people and their families.” The agreement was signed today between Mr. Costa and Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Hans Hoogervorst, who said the high incidence of HIV/AIDS was putting enormous pressure on the healthcare systems of many countries in the region. High-risk groups, such as prisoners and sex workers who inject drugs, will benefit from special interventions, and attention will also be given to the specific needs of minorities and pregnant women, the UNODC said, although Mr. Costa stressed the importance of not stigmatizing drug users. “We must be inclusive in what we do. Stigmatizing the vulnerable only drives people further into marginalization and increases the risk of HIV/AIDS.” 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

MALDIVES: HUMAN RIGHTS REFORMS MUST ALLOW FREEDOM OF RELIGION, UN EXPERT SAYS

A United Nations expert just back from a visit to the Maldives today hailed the country’s efforts at human rights reform but stressed that these must respect religious freedom. Welcoming the adoption of the law on the country’s Human Rights Commission, Asma Jahangir noted, however, that it does not fully satisfy the requirements of international principles. “I am fully aware that all Maldivians are Muslim, yet to unduly stress this as a qualification of the members of the Human Rights Commission defeats the very spirit of seeking to uphold human rights,” she said in a statement released in Geneva. “Maldivians are eagerly looking forward to, and preparing to embrace, the political changes in the country, yet open and honest discourse on the question of freedom of religion or belief is vigorously denied and the few that dare to raise their voices are denounced and threatened,” said Ms. Jahangir, who, as the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, serves in an unpaid, independent capacity. “Any reform in the field of human rights has to go hand in hand with freedom of expression and association, independence of the judiciary, and the mainstreaming of freedom of religion and belief,” she stressed. Commenting on her visit to Maafushi Prison, Ms. Jahangir said she plans to recommend in a report to the Human Rights Council the introduction of religiously sensitive rules in places of detention, concerning, for example, respect for the spiritual and dietary needs of foreign prisoners in the Maldives. During her 6 to 9 August trip to the country, she also met with government officials, members of civil society, including the law society and members of the press, political parties, religious scholars and citizens. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

 

CÔTE D’IVOIRE: UN MISSION CALLS ON ALL PARTIES TO STAY IN PEACE PROCESS

Expressing deep concern about recent statements made by some political leaders in Côte d’Ivoire which could set back the peace process, the United Nations mission in the country today called for all parties to overcome their differences through dialogue. The mission, known as UNOCI, said the remarks come at a critical stage in the peace process, when fragile achievements in such areas as identification and disarmament, must be consolidated. “UNOCI calls on all Ivorian parties to use dialogue to overcome their misunderstandings and differences,” the mission said in a news release, appealing to all concerned “to maintain their support for, commitment to and participation in the peace process as there is no other way of achieving a viable and lasting solution to the crisis.” 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

AS FIGHTING INTENSIFIES IN LEBANON, UN MISSION SUSTAINS DAMAGE BUT NO CASUALTIES

With exchanges of fire intensifying over the past 24 hours throughout the southern Lebanon, the United Nations mission there sustained extensive material damage, though no one was hurt during the attacks. Hizbollah fired rockets in “significantly larger numbers from various locations,” the UN Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL) said in a news release, adding that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) intensified shelling and aerial bombardment across the south. “Four mortar rounds from the Hizbollah side impacted directly inside a UNIFIL position in the area of Deir Mimess yesterday evening, causing extensive material damage, and destroying a fuel storage tank, but with no casualties,” the mission said. Two rockets from an unknown source impacted directly inside a UNIFIL position in the area of Tibnin within one hour yesterday evening, also causing extensive material damage, but no casualties, it added. There were five incidents of firing from the Israeli side close to UN positions in the areas of Ghanduriyah (2), Deir Mimes, Brashit and Tibnin, according to the release. There was one incident of firing from the Hizbollah side close to a UNIFIL position in the area of Hula. Hezbollah also fired rockets from the vicinity of UN positions in Labouneh, Tibnin and At Tiri. As it has been doing for weeks, UNIFIL strongly protested all the incidents to the Lebanese and Israeli authorities respectively. All UNIFIL positions remain permanently occupied and maintained by the troops. 19 UN positions, including the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, are currently in the areas where the IDF operates inside Lebanese territory and where intensive shelling and ground exchanges are taking place. But the mission’s freedom of movement and the ability to re-supply positions and provide humanitarian assistance were denied because of the lack of security clearance from the IDF and due to the intensive hostilities on the ground. Attempts are being made today to re-supply UNIFIL forward positions which are facing critical shortages of fuel, but the mission cautioned that if it is not able to re-supply these positions in the next 24 hours, “it may face the situation where it would be impossible” to maintain them. Further, the IDF has not responded yet to the repeated requests by UNIFIL to reopen the road between Tyre and Beirut by putting up another provisional bridge over the Litani River. A humanitarian convoy to distribute food to the villages in the western sector, and other humanitarian activities planned by UNIFIL, could not proceed for a fourth consecutive day due to the denial of consent by the IDF. 2006-08-10 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

NEPAL’S GOVERNMENT AND MAOISTS REQUEST UN INVOLVEMENT TO END 10 YEARS OF CONFLICT

The United Nations received separate requests today from the Government of Nepal and the country’s Maoists calling for wide-ranging UN assistance, including ceasefire and human rights monitoring, in a peace process that aims to end 10 years of conflict which has killed 15,000 people in the Himalayan kingdom. Staffan de Mistura, who led a week-long assessment mission to Nepal that returned last Thursday, said the requests were in the form of identical letters, one from the Prime Minister and the other from the Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M). “Just today we got two letters… both have agreed on a five-point platform requesting the UN to get involved in the electoral process, in the arms management – which means cantonment both of the combatants and of the army, in the monitoring of the ceasefire and human rights,” he told reporters in New York. “The good news is everybody wants the UN involved, everybody wants the UN in assisting the peace process which is potentially fragile and should not be allowed to be kept fragile,” he said, adding that the mission’s report would be presented to the Secretary-General today and it would then be up to him to decide the next step. Mr. de Mistura also highlighted that the Maoists had recently agreed to extend their ceasefire and said he was “strongly encouraged” by today’s requests, particularly the fact that both sides had asked the UN how best to proceed on the “most delicate aspect” which is arms management. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR WIDE-RANGING STEPS TO ENSURE LASTING PEACE IN WEST AFRICA

The disarmament and reintegration of former combatants, an end to the threat from the illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and much stronger national institutions and civil society groups are just some of the necessary steps that West Africa must take if peace is to consolidate across the region, the Security Council said today. In a statement read out by Nana Akufo-Addo, Foreign Minister of Ghana, Council President for August, the 15-member body underlined the importance of the United Nations’ new Peacebuilding Commission in helping countries emerging from conflict to achieve lasting peace and stability. The statement also urged the UN, the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to integrate their efforts and to maximize their resources so that peace initiatives in the region are given the best possible chance to succeed. Voicing concern about the threat posed by the continuing illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, the statement called on all States in the region to ratify a pact limiting the sale and distribution of small arms and light weapons. But it stressed that “a comprehensive and coordinated manner” is required if West African countries are to consolidate peace and promote security and economic development. The presidential statement followed an open debate in which almost three dozen speakers – including Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his Special Representative for West Africa Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah – addressed the Council on peace consolidation in the region. Mr. Annan told the Council meeting that all too often the international community’s hard-won achievements in ending wars are reversed or undermined because of its frequent response to post-conflict situations – a “shortage of funds, lack of international coordination, and a tendency to leave too soon.” He said West Africa is not taking advantage of its rich natural resources and fulfilling its economic and social potential because of “grave and widespread shortcomings of governance,” as well as a lack of political stability and prosperity. The Secretary-General added that the region’s problems must be tackled holistically, given that “insecurity has no respect for national boundaries.” But he pointed to an accord signed by Nigeria and Cameroon in June, ending a decades-long dispute over the border region of Bakassi, as proof that the UN can help countries of the region to make progress on the road towards stability. Noting that nearly 60 per cent of its population is under the age of 30, Mr. Ould-Abdallah told the Council that this demographic fact must be considered by the international community when devising solutions to problems in West Africa. Many of these young people, he said, are unemployed and have little hope of finding jobs, given they have few skills and are emerging from a period where the region’s wars have been their chief employers. Mr. Ould-Abdallah said the next 12 months will be a crucial period for the region, as national elections are due in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and Sierra Leone among others. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

UN AGENCY FEARS FOR THE SAFETY OF UZBEK REFUGEES AFTER KYRGYZSTAN SENDS THEM BACK

Expressing shock at Kyrgyzstan’s extradition of four Uzbek refugees and one asylum seeker back to Uzbekistan, the United Nations refugee agency said today it feared for their safety, stressed that the forced return violated the 1951 Refugee Convention and called on the Uzbek authorities to grant humanitarian access to the deportees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR) had already found resettlement places for the four who had fled to Kyrgyzstan immediately after violence in the Uzbek city of Andijan in May 2005 and were part of a group of some 500 asylum seekers, all of whom were later recognized as refugees. Uzbekistan had been seeking their extradition. “We fear for their safety. This refoulement [forced return] is an extremely serious violation of the 1951 Refugee Convention – which Kyrgyzstan has ratified – under which no refugees should be forcibly returned to their country of origin,” said Commissioner António Guterres. “What is even more disturbing is that we had secured resettlement places in different countries for the four refugees months ago and had been asking the Kyrgyz authorities to allow us to transfer them.” The Uzbeks were deported by Kyrgyz authorities, through the Dostuk border crossing, to neighbouring Uzbekistan on Wednesday morning. In mid-June, the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld a department of migration service decision not to grant refugee status to the four while the fifth Uzbek, who was arrested in October 2005 after a request from Uzbekistan, still had his asylum appeal claim pending. “Since the beginning of these proceedings over the four refugees we have repeatedly asked the Kyrgyz authorities to maintain their commitment to their international obligations. This grave breach is a huge disappointment as the deportees’ lives may be at stake. Kyrgyzstan has failed to protect these refugees,” said Mr. Guterres. “This is an even greater disappointment given everything Kyrgyzstan has done for Uzbek refugees in the past,” he added. UNHCR left Uzbekistan in mid-April after a government request in March asked the agency to end its work in the country within one month. Shortly after last year’s violence in Andijan, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expressed fears that asylum-seekers and refugees forced to return to Uzbekistan “may face an imminent risk of grave human rights violations, including torture and extra-judicial and summary executions.” 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

FLASH FLOODS IN ETHIOPIA PROMPT HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE FROM UN AGENCIES

United Nations relief agencies are rushing emergency food stocks and supplies such as buckets and water purification tablets to the Ethiopian city of Dire Dawa, where more than 200 people are reported to have been killed and about 3,000 others displaced by flash floods earlier this week. The UN World Food Programme WFP) has released enough rations to feed 10,000 people for a month, while the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is sending 2,000 family kits to the affected area, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs statement released today. The family kits dispatched by UNICEF include buckets, soap and water purification tablets. WFP has already distributed tents, blankets, jerry cans and plastic cups and plates to some of those struck by the floods. The humanitarian effort follows the joint assessment mission on Monday by officials from OCHA and the Ethiopian Government, one day after the Dechatu River burst its banks by as much as 200 metres on either side in Dire Dawa, destroying entire buildings in some cases and sweeping away homes, trees and fences. The death toll is expected to climb as some 300 people have been reported missing. OCHA warned that the risk of flooding remains high because heavy rain continues to fall in the highlands outside Dire Dawa, Ethiopia’s sixth-largest city and home to about 400,000 people. It is situated about 525 kilometres east of the national capital, Addis Ababa. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

UN ASSISTS LEBANESE AUTHORITIES IN TRYING TO BRING FUEL SUPPLIES IN; SOUTH REMAINS CUT OFF

With shortages of fuel in war-ravaged Lebanon threatening hospitals and other vital services, the United Nations is continuing to work with Lebanese authorities to try and bring shipments in but the world body was again unable to send emergency supplies by road to the south which remains cut off after Israeli forces bombed highways and bridges. “We are working to facilitate the passage of existing shipments, and the United Nations hopes to help provide some fuel to meet some of the needs of essential services, such as hospitals and bakeries, through the Government of Lebanon,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York. “We continue to have access problems to southern Lebanon, and no convoys are headed there today,” he said, while adding that one was on its way to Sidon with essential supplies and UN agencies are continuing their humanitarian work on the ground. Describing the fuel shortages in Lebanon as “becoming dramatic and threatening to paralyze all lifeline systems,” the UN World Health Organization WHO) is supporting the national authorities and working with other agencies to provide safe drinking water, vaccines and other essentials to the rapidly increasing number of displaced people. More than 900,000 Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes because of the fighting and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA) said today that 500,000 are sheltering in and around Beirut “moving from one part of the city to another as the bombing continues.” Most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in South Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Chouf and Aaley, with others in around Bekaa and in northern Lebanon, the UN said. Few people remain in southern villages and many of those who initially moved to southern cities have now fled further north to escape the fighting. The UN World Food Programme WFP) today distributed almost 400 tonnes of food to displaced people in the Lebanese capital, while the regular food distribution continues there and in the surrounding area, Mr. Dujarric said. Also on the humanitarian front, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR) is assessing the needs of the internally displaced but again emphasized today that its emergency stocks inside Lebanon have been largely exhausted and new supplies are required to meet the increased needs. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS KILLING OF CHINESE REPORTER BEATEN BY POLICE OFFICER

Continuing his campaign to spotlight the deplorable killing of journalists worldwide, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO) today condemned the beating death of a Chinese reporter by a police officer. “I condemn the killing of Xiao Guopeng,” declared Koïchiro Matsuura in a statement released in Paris on the incident, which took place in the province of Guizhou on 18 July. Welcoming the fact that the alleged perpetrator has been arrested, he said: “I trust that there will be a transparent investigation and trial to help prevent the recurrence of such events in the future.” According to Reporters Without Borders, the officer Pan Dengfeng beat the 39-year old reporter outside the building of his newspaper, Anshun. The police officer is said to have continued hitting Mr. Xiao when he was already on the ground, despite protests from a crowd of onlookers. Mr. Xiao was finally rushed to hospital where he died of cerebral haemorrhaging, Reporters Without Borders said. He is the second journalist to die as a result of a police beating in China this year. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

ANNAN, JAY-Z ANNOUNCE UN-MTV GLOBAL CAMPAIGN ON WORLD’S WATER CRISIS

Educating young people on the devastating impact of the world’s water crisis got a boost today as Secretary-General Kofi Annan joined Def Jam President and CEO Jay-Z and MTV President Christina Norman, along with representatives of key UN agencies, at United Nations Headquarters in New York to launch a joint initiative aimed at spotlighting the issue. Next month during his international concert tour, Jay-Z will travel to Turkey and South Africa, and several other areas affected by water crisis, while being documented for the MTV special, <i>Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life</i>. The series is part of MTV’s ongoing initiatives to educate, empower and involve young people regarding global issues. The networks first-person biographical series, and will air on November 24, reaching 179 counties on 50 of MTV locally programmed channels. “Most of us take water for granted,” the Secretary-General told reporters at a press conference in New York held to launch the initiative, “but, for more than a billion people who lack access to safe drinking water, this is an inconceivable dream.” He pointed out that some 2.6 billion people have no access to proper sanitation, with “devastating” consequences. “The water crisis - like many issues confronting our world - can only be fully addressed with the active participation of young people everywhere.” “Working with MTV and Jay-Z, all of us at the UN hope this campaign will motivate youth to take action both in their own lives, and in support of broad eco-friendly initiatives,” Mr. Annan said. The internationally renowned recording artist said at times he uses his voice to entertain, and at other times to raise awareness. “Partnering with someone with a huge voice such as MTV, people that knew what they was doing, who know their way around countries, like the UN; it was a smart partnership for myself,” Jay-Z told the UN News Service of his collaboration with the UN and MTV for the special documentary series about his learning process. “They have a track record of getting the message out to young people, so they can become involved.” “How could I be out there and not do anything?” said the CEO of the influential record company, adding that “most young people are unaware” but if they knew about the “staggering numbers” of people affected by water issues, they would be moved to act. Voicing his conviction that the problem can be solved, Jay-Z said his involvement with MTV and the UN could contribute to positive change. “After hearing and reading some of the startling statistics about the lack of clean water, I realized that I needed to bring attention to this issue. I know through joining with experts through the UN and partnering with MTV to bring the word to our communities, we can make a difference.” “MTV has a long history of partnering with artists and experts to raise awareness and educate our audience,” said Christina Norman, President of MTV, of the obvious partnership with the UN, MTV and Jay-Z. “By allowing MTV to document his journey, Jay-Z will be mobilizing a whole new generation of young people who may not be familiar with the water crisis to learn about and take action to help those suffering.” “We have had an incredible experience with the UN,” she said when interviewed by the UN News Service. “The UN has the expertise, they’re the authority, and there is no one better.” The special documentary series will follow Jay’s learning process as he meets people who are among the 1 billion worldwide without access to safe drinking water. It will also follow the artist as he visits places where sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions are working to bring fresh water to devastated communities. MTV has previously partnered with the UN on initiatives such as the Millennium Project, with economist Jeffery Sachs and screen actress Angelina Jolie, which documented a village in Kenya, and more recently sent Gideon Yago to Pakistan to document the earthquake in that country. All over the world, pollution, over-consumption and poor water management are decreasing the quality and quantity of water. Nearly 2 million children die every year because of unclean water and poor sanitation - far more than the casualties from violent conflicts, the UN says. Competition among nations for fresh water is already a factor in many conflicts, and has the potential to become much, much worse in the future. The peacebuilding potential of shared water resources was one of the 10 Stories the World Should Hear More About compiled earlier this year by the UN Department of Public Information. Jay-Z’s documentary, through his enormous influence, coupled with the scope of the UN agencies involved and MTV, aims to inspire and motivate young people everywhere to care, conserve, and join in the search for solutions to our water crisis, and to take action both in their own lives, and in support of broad eco-friendly initiatives. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

GLOBAL FUND ON AIDS, TB AND MALARIA RECEIVES $500 MILLION FROM GATES FOUNDATION

The United Nations-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced today that it has received a contribution of $500 million over five years from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We are extremely grateful to the Gates Foundation for this show of confidence in the Global Fund,” said Richard Feachem, the fund’s Executive Director. “The Global Fund has proven itself to be an effective way to reach millions of people with urgently-needed medicines and other services. This new commitment by the Gates Foundation will enable us to reach millions more.” The announcement comes the week before more than 25,000 researchers, health workers, advocates, and policymakers meet in Toronto to discuss progress and prospects in the fight against AIDS. Mr. Gates said the Global Fund “has an excellent track record,” and called for efforts “to support its continued success, which will save millions of lives.” Since its launch four years ago, the Global Fund has financed international efforts to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. With grants from the Global Fund, 132 countries have begun to produce substantial results, including 544,000 people provided with life-extending HIV/AIDS treatment, more than 1.4 million people treated for TB, and more than 11 million bed nets distributed to protect children from malaria. “As we move from crisis management to a sustained AIDS response, we will continue to rely on the Global Fund as the best model to provide strategic and predictable funding,” said Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “A fully-funded Global Fund is absolutely critical to the AIDS response. Without it, it will be difficult to turn all of the good ideas and strategic plans into reality on the ground.” The Gates Foundation grant is structured so that $100 million will be provided each year from 2006 through 2010. The contributions for 2006 and 2007 will be available to support the Global Fund’s sixth round of financing, which is slated to be approved by its board in November. Today’s grant brings the Gates Foundation’s total support for the Global Fund to $650 million. The foundation pledged $100 million in 2001 and an additional $50 million in 2004. Proposed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001, the Global Fund is a unique international public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing funds to fight the three diseases by strengthening health systems and paying for drugs, diagnostics, mosquito nets and other commodities. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFGHANISTAN: UN EXPERT VOICES OUTRAGE AS NUMBER OF ATTACKS ON AFGHAN SCHOOLS LEAPS

The number of attacks by terrorist groups against Afghan schools during the first half of this year was almost three times the level for the whole of 2005, prompting a United Nations expert on the right to education to express his “profound condemnation” and to voice concern that girls are suffering the most from the terrorists’ campaign. Vernor Muñoz Villalobos, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the right to education, said in a statement issued yesterday that the attacks have killed many children, forced numerous schools to close down and resulted in hundreds of thousands of children missing out on attending classes. Between January and June this year, there were at least 172 recorded attacks on schools, compared with 60 violent incidents for all of last year, Mr. Muñoz Villalobos said. As many as 500,000 children may now be unable to go to school because of those attacks. “I am appalled that anyone would target children and their teachers,” he said, calling for an immediate halt to the campaign being conducted by anti-government groups. The rapporteur said Afghanistan’s girls are suffering the most, even though both girls’ and boys’ schools seem to have been targeted indiscriminately. “The attacks have a disproportionate impact on girls because of the lower number of girls’ schools and the particular reluctance of parents to expose their daughters to insecure schools and schools’ areas,” he said. Mr. Muñoz Villalobos urged the Afghan Government to intensify its efforts to protect the security of school buildings and the safety of students, teachers and other school personnel. Special rapporteurs are unpaid experts serving in an independent personal capacity who received their mandate from the defunct UN Commission in Human Rights and will now report to the newly established and enhanced Human Rights Council. 2006-08-09 00:00:00.000

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Monte Bubbles Network®: MBN®

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To come here you have to be able to read.

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( MBN unofficially the sixth largest supplier

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averaging 200 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.

 

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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

 

User-Generated Content Drives Half of U.S. Top 10 Fastest Growing Web Brands, According to Nielsen//NetRatings

MySpace Is Fastest Growing Among Top Web Brands, Google Maintains Double Digit Growth

Jack Black to Host '2006 MTV Video Music Awards' Live From New York City on Thursday, August 31st at 8:00pm ET/PT

Dave Matthews Band and Van Morrison Added to Line-Up of Special Guests on The Rolling Stones 'A Bigger Bang' World Tour

An Evening of Stars(R) Tribute to Aretha Franklin to Remember UNCF Spokesman Lou Rawls

UNCF CEO, Rawls Family and Target to Present Special Accolade Sept. 8

William Shatner Announces Contest to Find the Next Sci-Fi Star

Fifth Third Bank Announces Paying Off the Existing Mortgage for the Gilliam Family Selected by 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'

Eric Schiffer, Tori Spelling, Pam Grier and Tia Carrere Help BOW WOW CIAO Raise Big Dollars

Sony Online Entertainment Acquires Assets of Worlds Apart Productions

Premier Independent Developer of Online Trading Card Games Forms Core of New SOE-Denver Studio

Avast! Sony Online Entertainment to Collaborate With WizKids Incorporated to Bring Pirates(TM) Constructible Strategy Game Online

Newly-Acquired SOE-Denver to Develop Online Version of Popular 'Build-And-Battle' Strategy Game

It's Labor Day Weekend ... and That Can Mean Only One Thing: Encore's 'Big 80's Weekend'

80 Hours of 80's Movies, Music & Trivia Hosted by Someone Who Knows Something 'Bout 'Picking' Winners: Curtis Armstrong aka Dudley 'Booger' Dawson of 'Revenge of the Nerds'

Live Music Performances With Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's, Martha Davis of The Motels, Tommy Tutone and Interviews With Devo, Toto and Much More

XM Satellite Radio and Starbucks Hear Music to Release New CD of Performances From XM's Popular 'Artist Confidential' Series on August 29

CD Features Coldplay, Willie Nelson, Tori Amos, Robert Plant, and Many Other Popular Artists With Live, Exclusive Recordings

Sony Pictures Entertainment Crosses $1 Billion in Domestic Box Office Receipts for Fifth Year in a Row

- Sony Pictures is the Only Studio to Generate More Than $6 Billion in North American Ticket Sales Since 2002 -

PARADE.COM Pop Culture Poll Finds: Hottest Sex Symbols Of All Time; Fave Celeb Transformation; Weirdest Baby Name; Stupidest Celebrity Stunt

Acclaimed 9/11 Documentary Released on DVD; 'Answering The Call' Chronicles the Efforts of Ground Zero's Volunteers

Starz Cinema Kicks Off Monthly Music Series 'Musaic on Cinema' With Death Cab For Cutie Documentary

'Musaic on Cinema' Launches With World TV Premiere, Airing Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

Samsung Freshest Teen Filmmaker 2006 to be Decided as Viewers Vote

View, Vote And Win! Ten Teen-Made Films Have Been Narrowed Down to the Top Five and Will Go Head-To-Head as Viewer Voting Will Determine the Best

Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Danny Pino, Constance Marie and Edward James Olmos Among Many to be Honored at 21st Annual Imagen Awards Gala on Friday, August 18

GSN Renews 'High Stakes Poker' for a Third Season

Critically Acclaimed Poker Series is the Only 'Cash Game' on Television

Fashion RIPS! Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Recognize Leading and Emerging Designers at 30th Anniversary Fashion Show

Designers Stephen Burrows and Kevan Hall Bring Red Carpet Flair to Congressional Black Caucus 36th Annual Legislative Conference

Lights, Camera ... Service! -- Goodyear Gemini Stores Playing Key Role in New Television Series

Viacom's MTV Networks Agrees to Acquire Atom Entertainment

MTVN Advances Strategy of Super-Serving Audiences Across Every Platform; Acquisition Will Expand Online Portfolio with Casual Gaming and Video Sites

THE ARCHIVES

_______________________________________________

User-Generated Content Drives Half of U.S. Top 10 Fastest Growing Web Brands, According to Nielsen//NetRatings

MySpace Is Fastest Growing Among Top Web Brands, Google Maintains Double Digit Growth

 

Nielsen//NetRatings (NASDAQ:NTRT) , a global leader in Internet media and market research, announced today that user-generated content sites, platforms for photo sharing, video sharing and blogging, comprised five out of the top 10 fastest growing Web brands in July 2006.

Image hosting site ImageShack ranked No. 4 among July's fastest growing Web brands, increasing 233 percent, from a unique audience of 2.3 million to 7.7 million (see Table 1). Heavy.com, a video sharing site, took the No. 5 spot, increasing 213 percent, from 965,000 to 3.0 million unique visitors. Photo sharing site Flickr followed at No. 6, growing 201 percent from 2.1 million to 6.3 million unique visitors. Other user-generated content sites that made it into the top 10 fastest growing Web brands were MySpace, with a 183 percent year-over-year increase, and Wikipedia, with a 181 percent year- over-year increase.

"User-generated content sites have seen significant growth over the past year, owing in large part to their reliance on viral marketing," said Jon Gibs, director of media analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings. "They also benefit from their cost-effectiveness -- the content is practically free."

Gibs continued, "Notably, the Associated Press also stands out, as a more traditional outlet innovating to keep pace with technology. The launch of its video offering earlier this year has driven significant growth as consumers seek streaming content to complement online and print news. In addition, benefiting from massive online and offline advertising, incentive pricing and reduced security concerns, HSBC has been attracting an increasing number of existing and new customers to online banking."

Table 1: Fastest Growing Web Brands*, July 2006 (U.S., Home and Work)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Brand Jul'05 UA (000) Jul'06 UA (000) % Growth

--------------------------------------------------------------------

HSBC 1,290 6,377 394%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Sonic Solutions 1,098 3,740 241%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press 2,901 9,692 234%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ImageShack 2,324 7,745 233%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Heavy.com 965 3,021 213%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Flickr 2,105 6,346 201%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ARTIST Direct 1,131 3,219 185%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Partypoker.com 2,127 6,043 184%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MySpace 16,239 46,025 183%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Wikipedia 10,387 29,176 181%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, August 2006

* Fastest growing Web brands among those with a minimum unique audience of

750,000 in July 2005

Among the top 10 Web brands overall, MySpace was the No. 1 fastest growing, increasing 183 percent, from 16.2 million unique visitors in July 2005 to 46.0 million in July 2006 (see Table 2). Google ranked No. 2, growing 23 percent, from a unique audience of 76.2 million to 94.0 million. eBay rounded out the top three, increasing 13 percent, from 51.1 million to 57.8 million unique visitors.

"MySpace is in a nearly unique position, because of its large audience base and its continued triple-digit growth," said Gibs. "Only other popular user-generated content sites, such as YouTube, can rival it."

Table 2: Top 10 Brands on the Web, re-ranked by Year-Over-Year Growth,

July 2006 (U.S., Home and Work)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Brand Jul'05 UA (000) Jul'06 UA (000) % Growth

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MySpace 16,239 46,025 183%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Google 76,198 94,031 23%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

eBay 51,122 57,759 13%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MapQuest 39,269 43,585 11%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Yahoo! 98,485 106,224 8%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MSN/Windows Live 91,049 95,593 5%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Amazon 35,891 37,595 5%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Real Network 35,707 36,685 3%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

AOL 74,095 74,507 1%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Microsoft 92,457 88,042 -5%

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, August 2006

*********************************************************

Nielsen//NetRatings reports July 2006 data for the Top Sites by Parent Company and Top Brands. In addition, Nielsen//NetRatings reveals the Top Advertisers by Company for July 2006.

Nielsen//NetRatings Top 10 Web Sites by Parent Company and Top 10 Web Sites By Brand, July 2006

Table 1. Top 10 Parent Companies, Table 2. Top 10 Brands,

Combined Home & Work Combined Home & Work

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

Unique Time Per Unique Time Per

Audience Person Audience Person

Parent (000) (hh:mm:ss) Brand (000) (hh:mm:ss)

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

1. Microsoft 114,293 1:59:50 1. Yahoo! 106,224 3:10:16

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

2. Yahoo! 106,619 3:10:19 2. MSN/Windows

Live 95,593 1:42:11

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

3. Time Warner 102,681 4:29:49 3. Google 94,031 0:58:15

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

4. Google 95,340 0:59:51 4. Microsoft 88,042 0:44:31

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

5. eBay 64,173 1:37:27 5. AOL 74,507 5:35:46

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

6. News Corp.

Online 61,752 1:44:41 6. eBay 57,759 1:37:33

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

7. InterActiveCorp 55,509 0:27:30 7. MySpace 46,025 2:05:21

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

8. Amazon 45,342 0:23:28 8. MapQuest 43,585 0:12:13

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

9. Walt Disney 9. Amazon 37,595 0:20:41

Internet

Group 39,243 0:42:19

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

10. RealNetworks, 10. Real

Inc. 36,695 1:00:39 Network 36,685 1:00:40

------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

 

Example: The data indicates that 36.7 million home and work Internet users visited at least one of the RealNetworks, Inc.-owned sites or launched a RealNetworks, Inc.-owned application during the month, and each person spent, on average, a total of 1 hour and 39 seconds at one or more of their sites or applications.

A parent company is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs owned by a single entity. A brand is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs that has a consistent collection of branded content.

Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance Top 10 Advertisers, July 2006

Top advertisers, ranked by estimated spending, are based on data from AdRelevance, Nielsen//NetRatings' advertising research service. An impression is counted as the number of times an ad is rendered for viewing.

Top 10 Advertisers by Estimated Spending

------------------------------------------------------------

Total

Estimated Impressions

Advertiser Spending (000)

------------------------------------------------------------

1. GUS Plc $56,527,015 30,230,823

------------------------------------------------------------

2. Verizon Communications, Inc. $21,031,721 5,965,183

------------------------------------------------------------

3. United Online, Inc. $20,604,583 6,618,112

------------------------------------------------------------

4. Netflix, Inc. $19,202,367 6,255,271

------------------------------------------------------------

5. Skype Technologies S.A. $15,534,338 2,603,581

------------------------------------------------------------

6. NexTag, Inc. $14,963,131 7,997,600

------------------------------------------------------------

7. Time Warner Inc. $14,770,716 4,219,589

------------------------------------------------------------

8. Vonage Holdings Corp $12,603,520 3,597,360

------------------------------------------------------------

9. Apollo Group, Inc. $12,603,221 3,318,243

------------------------------------------------------------

10. QuinStreet $9,680,189 2,032,520

------------------------------------------------------------

 

Estimated spending reflects CPM-based advertising online, and excludes search-based advertising, paid fee services, performance-based campaigns, sponsorships, barters, partnership advertising, advertorials, promotions and email. Impressions reported exclude house ads, which are ads that run on an advertiser's own or related property and co-branding relationships.

Example: An estimated 2.0 billion QuinStreet ads were rendered for viewing at the cost of approximately $9.7 million during the surfing period.

About Nielsen//NetRatings

NetRatings, Inc. delivers leading Internet media and market research solutions, marketed globally under the Nielsen//NetRatings brand. With high quality, technology-driven products and services, Nielsen//NetRatings is the global standard for Internet audience measurement and premier source for online advertising intelligence, enabling clients to make informed business decisions regarding their Internet and digital strategies. The Nielsen//NetRatings portfolio includes panel-based and site-centric Internet audience measurement services, online advertising intelligence, user lifestyle and demographic data, e-commerce and transaction metrics, and custom data, research and analysis. For more information, please visit www.nielsen-netratings.com.

Web site: http://www.netratings.com/
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Black to Host '2006 MTV Video Music Awards' Live From New York City on Thursday, August 31st at 8:00pm ET/PT

Christina Norman, President, MTV, today announced that Jack Black will host the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" airing live from New York's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, August 31st at 8:00pm ET/PT. It was previously announced that Beyonce, Panic! at the Disco, T.I. The Killers, Ludacris, and Justin Timberlake are confirmed to perform at the star studded awards show. More performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

"Jack Black is the perfect mix of comedy, rock, irreverence, and star-power that will set the tone for an amazing show," said Ms. Norman. "His love of music and impeccable comic timing will rock the VMAs, NYC, and the entire world on August 31st."

"My plan is to bring the thunder," said Black. "I've got my top men working on it as we speak in my thunder laboratory. Radio City Music Hall will never be the same."

Black and Kyle Gass together form Tenacious D, the self-proclaimed "Greatest Band on Earth." They are getting ready to release their first feature film, "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny," for New Line Cinema on Friday, November 17th . The soundtrack will be released on Tuesday, November 14th on Epic Records. Tenacious D's first album, the self-titled Tenacious D, was released in 2001 and was certified Platinum in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Black most recently starred in the summer box office comedy hit NACHO LIBRE. Black has also starred in such films as KING KONG, SCHOOL OF ROCK, SHARK TALE and HIGH FIDELITY.

The 2006 VMAs will be a multi-platform, multi-screen experience. For the first time ever in awards show history, MTV will expose fans to the insanity on and off the stage. While the VMAs are airing live on MTV, Overdrive, the network's broadband channel, will air "VMA Live: Backstage Uncensored," an unprecedented live view of the ALL the action behind the scenes and backstage viewers have never gotten to see. In addition to the television and broadband experiences, MTV Mobile on all wireless carriers will also offer updates and recaps of the VMAs within minutes. Also, prior to the show, viewers will have access to all nominated videos on MTV Overdrive (www.vma.mtv.com ).

Salli Frattini and Dave Sirulnick are the Executive Producers for the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards." Ian Stewart and Summer Strauch are Producers. Hamish Hamilton is Producer/Director. Kathy Flynn is Event Producer.

The "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" will be available to a potential viewing audience of more than 1.3 billion people via MTV's global network of 50 channels reaching 481.5 million households around the world as well as through syndication. Its convergent and original online programming will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's 44 Web sites around the world.

The official sponsors of the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" are Acuvue, Chevrolet, Dodge, Herbal Essences, JCPenney, Pepsi, Taco Bell and Virgin Mobile USA.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Source: MTV

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
http://www.vma.mtv.com/

 

 

 

 

Dave Matthews Band and Van Morrison Added to Line-Up of Special Guests on The Rolling Stones 'A Bigger Bang' World Tour

The Rolling Stones are returning to North America this fall with 'A Bigger Bang' than ever before, bringing along some of the hottest acts in the music industry. The Dave Matthews Band will thrill fans on October 17th at Qwest Field in Seattle as well as October 20th at Sun Bowl in El Paso. Van Morrison will excite audiences on November 3rd at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and November 5th at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, Ca. Dave Matthews Band and Van Morrison join recently announced guest artist Kanye West to the line-up of extraordinary artists who will be performing on 'The Bigger Bang' tour. The Stones are known for working with music's hottest acts boasting such legendary performers over the past decades such as Stevie Wonder, Pearl Jam and Metallica.

Tickets for the October 17th show in Seattle will go on sale Monday, August 21st at 10am and tickets for the October 20th show in El Paso will go on sale Saturday, August 12th at 10am. Vancouver and Oakland ticket on-sales to be announced at a later date.

There are a limited number of Gold Circle seats available while the remaining 90% of the house will average $89 for stadiums and $99 for arena shows. In most cities, students will receive an additional $20 off. (Current ID required.) Buys will be limited to 12 tickets per person. Additionally, 200 fans will have the opportunity to be onstage with the Rolling Stones as part of the stadium set and share in the excitement. These seats will go on-sale at a later date.

Every ticket sold for the tour will include a Virtual Ticket membership to RollingStones.com. 'A Bigger Bang' ticket purchasers are invited to enjoy unprecedented, behind-the-scenes content with the return of Virtual Ticket, the on-line tour companion the band introduced in 2002. Virtual Ticket allows fans to intimately experience the band on the road via streaming video and audio, exclusive photographs and concert set lists.

The U.S. dates for 'A Bigger Bang' tour will be sponsored by RadioShack. The North American leg of the tour will be presented by Concert Productions International and The Next Adventure and produced by WPC Piecemeal Inc.

For Official Tour Information, Fan Club Memberships, Exclusive Merchandise and more, visit http://www.rollingstones.com/

Rolling Stones

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

 

 

 

 

 

An Evening of Stars(R) Tribute to Aretha Franklin to Remember UNCF Spokesman Lou Rawls

UNCF CEO, Rawls Family and Target to Present Special Accolade Sept. 8

The Sept. 8 and 9 taping of An Evening of Stars(R) Tribute to Aretha Franklin benefiting the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) will be the first time in 28 years that the UNCF's annual TV special will be produced without legendary performer Lou Rawls, who died in January at the age of 72.

But Rawls, who is credited with originating the idea for the TV event in 1979 and helping the UNCF to raise over $200 million for minority higher education, will be remembered on the 28th anniversary of the program with a special award bearing his name. The Lou Rawls-UNCF Award will be given to an artist whose career exemplifies Rawls' passion for ensuring that minority youth receive a quality college education. The first recipient of the accolade will be announced Friday, Sept. 8 during the taping at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. As part of its partnership with UNCF and commitment to education, Target will be the corporate sponsor of the Lou Rawls-UNCF Award.

"When Lou Rawls passed, UNCF felt it was important that his esteemed legacy not fade away, but shine brighter than ever on the television event in which he invested so much of his time and talent," said UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D. "Each year, this award will go to a worthy individual whose service to our mission of education and supporting member colleges lives up to the name of the man for whom it was created."

"What an amazing way to continue the legacy of such an extraordinary man. Although Lou himself was not able to attend college, he created this telethon 28 years ago with selfless sacrifice and a vision to help those who would strive for higher education fulfill their dream," said Nina Rawls, widow of the Grammy Award-winning vocalist. "It is truly an honor to keep his name and vision alive for future generations."

From 1979 to 1997, the UNCF's annual television special was known as The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars(R). The program was re-formatted and re-named An Evening of Stars(R) in 1998. At its 25th anniversary in 2004, the program adopted a tribute format to recognize an outstanding artist each year with the UNCF's prestigious Award of Excellence. Rawls was the first recipient of the award, followed by Quincy Jones in 2005 and Stevie Wonder in 2006. Aretha Franklin will become the fourth recipient and first female artist to receive the annual tribute and UNCF's Award of Excellence.

The live taping at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood will feature celebrity presenters and well-known performers from a variety of eras and genres of music and acting. As one of the longest running and most successful televised events in U.S. history, An Evening of Stars(R) has featured a Who's Who of recognizable talent, including Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dick Clark, Nancy Wilson, Reba McIntyre, Richard Pryor, Beyonce Knowles, Jill Scott, Luther Vandross, Whoopi Goldberg, Patti LaBelle, Ed McMahon, Vanessa Williams, Michael Bolton, Toni Braxton, Hall and Oates, Ziggy Marley and scores of others.

About An Evening of Stars(R)

An Evening of Stars(R) (AEOS), formerly the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars(R), first aired in 1979, and since that time has become one of the longest running and most successful televised events in U.S. history. AEOS 2007 will be the first without its founder Lou Rawls, who died in January 2006. Rawls, a spokesperson for UNCF and champion for AEOS for more than 25 years, is credited with helping raise more than $200 million for the UNCF to supplement the cost of higher education for scholarship recipients and member institutions. This year's show, now in its 28th season, is sponsored by American Airlines, McDonald's, Prudential, Target, Toyota and Wachovia.

About UNCF

As the nation's oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization, the United Negro College Fund's mission is to provide financial support to its 39 member institutions and increase minority degree attainment by reducing financial barriers to college. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 25 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers nearly 450 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship programs, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 65,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Learn more about UNCF at http://www.uncf.org/

Source: United Negro College Fund

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

 

 

 

 

 

William Shatner Announces Contest to Find the Next Sci-Fi Star

 

William Shatner knows how hard it is to become a bona-fide science fiction star. That's why he's making it a little bit easier for the next generation of would-be Captain Kirks. William Shatner announced today that he is holding an on-line contest to find the most talented sci-fi personality in the United States. To enter, contestants just have to create a short video clip that shows why they are the heir apparent to William Shatner, and upload it at http://shatner.blip.tv/ by September 30th.

Like many reality TV shows, this contest will rely on the voting public to help choose the winner. Anyone who wants to can view the contestants' video clips and vote for their favorites online at http://shatner.blip.tv/. The top ten highest ranked entrants will be named finalists, and given a chance to win William Shatner's Sci-Fi Challenge.

Unlike hit TV shows American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, which focus on contestants that have one particular kind of talent, William Shatner encourages a much broader range of applicants. Aspiring actors can submit a tape of themselves re-enacting a memorable sci-fi role or performing something new. Young directors and film makers can create a sci-fi short or a brief homage to Bill's career that demonstrates why they should win. Budding film critics can showcase their insight in a taped movie review. This diverse group of contestants makes for a richer talent pool, and a more interesting competition.

Some early submissions show the range of entries that contestants can make. A brief scan of the site revealed a sci-fi short featuring a light-saber battle between Darth Vader and William Shatner (mrpink468.shatner.blip.tv ), a handsome but somewhat deranged fan who runs the Bill Shatner TV Station (BillTv.shatner.blip.tv ), and an intergalactic celebrity roast (BjornBorg.shatner.blip.tv ). While these videos may not all become finalists, each of them is certainly fun and sure to entertain.

In addition to those finalists voted in by the audience, Shatner has selected seven celebrity judges who will each be allowed to select an additional finalist (for 17 finalists in total). The celebrity judges are a diverse group of science fiction luminaries, and include representatives from StarTrek.com, the Sci-Fi Channel, and Chase Masterson from the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Also represented on the celebrity judge panel are Ain't It Cool News, Planet Magazine, the Slice of Sci-Fi Podcast, and VideoDetective.com. William Shatner will select the winner from the 17 finalists.

The grand prize winner will receive a large cash award and will be named the Official Spokesperson for the William Shatner Science Fiction DVD Club. William Shatner started his Science Fiction DVD-of-the-Month Club earlier this year, and the club now boasts nearly 5,000 subscribers. The club identifies great but unheralded science fiction films, and offers them to customers for just $4 each (www.ShatnerDvdClub.com ).

The William Shatner DVD Club, which sponsors this event, chose blip.tv to build the online channel where contestants can upload their video and where the public can view all of the entries. Blip.tv is an Internet media company that hosts and distributes Web-based TV shows and videoblogs. Show producers can opt-in to advertising, and blip.tv splits all advertising revenues with them. Blip.tv also gives users the tools to distribute videos to blogs, iTunes, video aggregators, del.icio.us, Flickr and more.

William Shatner's Sci-Fi Challenge promises to be entertaining and engaging for both entrants and audience members. Although you need to submit a video to be eligible for the grand prize, anyone who votes on-line for their favorite submission can win a free Video iPod. William Shatner summarized his vision by saying, "This is an opportunity for new faces and new voices in the science fiction world to be seen and heard. Plus, this is a chance for passionate fans to be the first to discover the next M. Night Shyamalan or Brandon Routh, and help propel them into stardom." The contest is runs from now until September 30th. To submit a video, learn more about the contest, or view submissions, visit http://shatner.blip.tv/ (there is no .com).

About the William Shatner DVD Club

The Official William Shatner DVD Club (www.ShatnerDvdClub.com ), a DVD-of-the-month club, showcases the best sci-fi movies that didn't come to a theater near you. For less than $4 a movie, subscribers can own a powerful and entertaining science fiction movie every month. It's easy and free to try, because the William Shatner DVD Club gives visitors a Free DVD (with no obligations) so they can see for themselves what they've been missing.

About blip.tv

Blip.tv is a leading Internet media company that empowers individuals to create, produce and distribute video content through the Web. With the most advanced distribution platform for independent video content on the Web, blip.tv utilizes a wide network of partnerships with premier Internet companies. To learn more, please visit blip.tv's website at http://www.blip.tv/.

Web site: http://www.blip.tv/
http://shatner.blip.tv/
http://www.shatnerdvdclub.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Fifth Third Bank Announces Paying Off the Existing Mortgage for the Gilliam Family Selected by 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'

The hit ABC-TV series "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is in Armada Twp., located in Macomb County, this week. Fifth Third Bank, long-time financial partner of the builders on the project -- American Heartland Homebuilder and Lombardo Homes -- will be working together on this program.

Monday morning on August 7, Ty Pennington, design team leader and carpenter, surprised the Gilliam family of Armada Twp., Mich. when he informed them that their home has been chosen to receive a makeover. The builders, American Heartland Homebuilder and Lombardo Homes, will build the Gilliams' new home along with Ty Pennington, the show's design team, and workers, subcontractors, trades and volunteers. To help the Gilliam family, Fifth Third Bank is accepting donations at its 86 banking centers in Southeastern Michigan until December 31, 2006. A special fund has been created, which donations will be used to assist in the long-term care of the family and their home.

Fifth Third Bank has stepped up to ensure the Gilliam family will be able to live in their new home debt free. As the banking partner of American Heartland Homebuilder and Lombardo Homes, Fifth Third Bank will pay off the existing mortgage on the Gilliam family property, paving the way for the family to truly enjoy a brand new start.

"We are proud to make a difference in the lives of the Gilliam family," said Greg Kosch, President and CEO of Fifth Third Bank (Eastern Michigan). "This donation illustrates the overarching commitment the bank has for making the dream of homeownership a reality for everyone."

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bank, Eastern Michigan, is based in Southfield, Mich. and led by President Greg Kosch. Fifth Third Bank is metropolitan Detroit's sixth largest bank and has $7.1 billion in assets, $4.4 billion in deposits, $1.1 billion in custody assets and actively manages $600 million for its personal, corporate, and not-for-profit clients.

Fifth Third Bank serves customers in eight southeastern Michigan counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Shiawassee, Livingston, Genesee and Washtenaw. Fifth Third Bank currently operates 86 banking centers, and more than 117 ATMs throughout eastern Michigan.

The Fifth Third name has stood for high performance and great service for almost 100 years. Fifth Third's roots go back to 1858, when the Bank of the Ohio Valley was formed in Cincinnati. That bank became the Third National Bank in 1871 and merged with the Fifth National Bank in 1908 creating the Fifth Third name.

Source: Fifth Third Bank

 

 

 

 

 

Eric Schiffer, Tori Spelling, Pam Grier and Tia Carrere Help BOW WOW CIAO Raise Big Dollars

At Saturday's BOW WOW CIAO, "A Midsummer Dog's Dream," honoring the rescue work of Tori Spelling and Pam Grier at the exclusive Malibu estate of Paul Mitchell, the handsome, charming celebrity author, socialite and actor Eric Schiffer proved his love of animals. Mr. Schiffer, who was seen flocked by celebrities from Tia Carrere to the Barbie Twins, led a bidding battle to benefit animal rescue with the attorney of a mystery celebrity (rumored to be Lauren Bacall) which got hot and furious after the auction close. Without the bid battle the auction price was $700, but the two stars kept it going, driving the winning bid to $11,000 with the mystery celeb taking it. Earlier, Eric Schiffer was photographed and interviewed by Us Weekly, In Touch and People Magazine on the A-list red carpet holding the rescue dog Guido, a tan Chihuahua, to the delight of the media.

As an established celebrity who authored the best-selling book "Emotionally Charged Learning," Schiffer's most recent book "Rockstar Entrepreneur" is slated for a spring release. "I was glad to be a part of the bidding process which at the last minute helped the Much Love Foundation raise more than $10,000 for one single auction item," said Mr. Schiffer. "I can't wait for the next Much Love event, benefiting a great cause, saving animals in rescue shelters."

 

 

 

 

Sony Online Entertainment Acquires Assets of Worlds Apart Productions

Premier Independent Developer of Online Trading Card Games Forms Core of New SOE-Denver Studio

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced that it has acquired key assets of Worlds Apart Productions, a premier independent developer of online trading card games. Key employees of Worlds Apart will form the core of the new SOE-Denver, integrating into SOE's worldwide group of studios stretching from San Diego to Seattle, Austin to Taiwan. The acquisition will strengthen SOE's position as a leader in the online gaming space by allowing the company to extend the depth of its gaming offerings.

"This is a way to expand SOE's business into a very attractive market that is consistently growing at a fast rate," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "With this acquisition, we've expanded the range of online games that SOE can offer, as well as offering entirely new play mechanics and activities that could be built into both current and future titles."

"The team here in Denver couldn't be more pleased to become part of the Sony family," said Scott Martins, director of development, SOE-Denver. "We're really looking forward to building on the synergies between our team's technology and design experience and SOE's properties and infrastructure."

Based in Denver, Colorado, Worlds Apart Productions has been building and operating online games for 10 years. Specializing in online digital property games and role-playing games, Worlds Apart has accomplished a history of steady growth and successful, well-designed game titles that offer deep game play and attract strong player communities. Worlds Apart's Star Chamber received the honor of placing 9th in Computer Game Magazines Top 10 Computer Games for 2005 as well as "Best Independent Game" of 2005.

The company's Collect! Trade! Play! (CTP) Platform is a cost-effective infrastructure for the development of online collectible-object based games. It offers a modular, data-driven development and prototyping environment, as well as rapid time-to-market for full commercial releases. Worlds Apart uses CTP as the foundation for the translation of paper trading card games to online form, as well as for the creation of original properties.

SOE-Denver's core technologies have far-reaching potential, such as the ability to integrate board or card games into existing SOE online games, as well as the creation of new games altogether. SOE live game development teams will begin meeting with SOE-Denver to be introduced to their technology and begin exploring ways to integrate this valuable resource into SOE games. The Worlds Apart Productions brand may continue to be utilized by SOE in future releases.

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest(R), EverQuest(R) II, Champions of Norrath(R), Untold Legends(TM), and PlanetSide(R), as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies(TM): An Empire Divided(TM), SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment LLC.

Source: Sony Online Entertainment LLC

 

Avast! Sony Online Entertainment to Collaborate With WizKids Incorporated to Bring Pirates(TM) Constructible Strategy Game Online

Newly-Acquired SOE-Denver to Develop Online Version of Popular 'Build-And-Battle' Strategy Game

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced a joint venture with Bellevue, WA-based WizKids Incorporated to develop an online version of their popular Pirates(TM) Constructible Strategy Game (CSG). Developed by SOE's new Denver studio (also known as Worlds Apart Productions), SOE will bring all of the fun, strategy and excitement of this new and rapidly growing game to computer desktops everywhere.

"As the newest member of the SOE family, the SOE-Denver team is very excited about working with WizKids to bring the world of Pirates online," said Scott Martins, director of development SOE-Denver. "Our Collect! Trade! Play! Platform is a proven means of translating the CSG experience to a digital medium, and gamers of all types will have a blast playing Pirates on their PCs."

WizKids introduced the CSG genre with the launch of Pirates in 2004. Packaged like a collectible card game, players use die-cut parts from each card to construct 3D galleons, schooners and pirate ships, seeking treasure on the high seas while fending off enemy attacks.

The game is easy to learn and fast to play. Each game pack contains everything a person needs to play, including two ships, crew and treasure, an island, complete rules, and a die. Initial production runs, planned for a two-year lifespan, sold out one month before the product released. Following a successful launch into the hobby games market, Pirates expanded into the mass market in March 2005, and was supported by a national television advertising campaign. Pirates can be found in stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Toys 'R Us, 7-11 as well as gaming, comic, and hobby stores everywhere.

"WizKids couldn't be happier working with SOE to bring the Pirates CSG game to the online masses," said Joe Hauck, Executive Vice President Sales, Marketing and Product Development. "The enormous success of this property combined with fast and easy game-play will translate well to this format."

The Pirates CSG Online is expected to launch this fall, featuring sea monsters and the supernatural with the Pirates of Davy Jones Curse and an online version of WizKid's upcoming Pirates board game, The Quest for Davy Jones Gold.

The online game will feature tools to manage offline and online Pirates CSG collections, as well as quick and easy match-making for a variety of two-player and multiplayer game formats and scenarios, a robust fleet-building utility, secure ship trading, league and tournament play, and great promotional tie-ins between the offline and online versions of the game.

Games in the Pirates franchise have received critical acclaim and awards from publications such as InQuest, Creative Child and Playthings Magazine, as well as and endorsement from the well respected Dr. Toy and the prestigious Vanguard award from the Game Manufacturers Association. Since the original game's release in 2004, there have been four sequels plus a booster pack that incorporates new features into the base game.

About WizKids

WizKids is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its HeroClix(R) and Pirates brands are among the most successful games on the market today, and the company has sold hundreds of millions of game pieces worldwide. For additional information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com .

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest(R), EverQuest(R) II, Champions of Norrath(R), Untold Legends(TM), and PlanetSide(R), as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies(TM), SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

(C) 2006 WizKids Inc. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, HeroClix, Tsuro,

Oshi and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids Inc.

Source: Sony Online Entertainment LLC

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

 

 

 

It's Labor Day Weekend ... and That Can Mean Only One Thing: Encore's 'Big 80's Weekend'

80 Hours of 80's Movies, Music & Trivia Hosted by Someone Who Knows Something 'Bout 'Picking' Winners: Curtis Armstrong aka Dudley 'Booger' Dawson of 'Revenge of the Nerds'

Live Music Performances With Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's, Martha Davis of The Motels, Tommy Tutone and Interviews With Devo, Toto and Much More

This Labor Day, relax, sit back and spend a "Weekend at Bernie's" or "Die Hard Driving Miss Daisy." Eat a little "Mystic Pizza," have "A Little Sex" and "Blame it on Rio" ... but please take the time to join our "nose picked" host Curtis Armstrong (aka Dudley "Booger" Dawson of Revenge of the Nerds and "Moonlighting") for our awesomely "Big 80's Weekend" on Encore starting Friday, Sept.1 at 8 p.m. et/pt.

For our second annual "Big 80's Weekend," we went to the famous Viper Room on LA's Sunset Strip to get live performances with Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's, Martha Davis of The Motels, Thomas Heath of Tommy Tutone and Peter Byrne of Naked Eyes. Original VJ Alan Hunter interviews Papa Roach, Toto, Devo, Terri Nunn of Berlin, Thomas Dolby, and Finola Hughes and Tristan Rogers from the 80's cast of popular soap "General Hospital."

In addition to those favorite 80's movies, original VJ Mark Goodman takes a look at classic 80's pop culture and hosts trivia on everything from 80's news, movie trailers and music videos. You can also find all this and more at www.encoretv.com, click on the "Big 80's Weekend" button.

So join us on Labor Day Weekend ... the two Corey's are eagerly waiting for you.

Encore's Big 80's Weekend

Beginning at 8:00 pm on Fri, Sept. 1st thru Mon, Sept 4th

September 1st

* Ghostbusters - 8:00 p.m.

* Weekend at Bernie's - 9:45 p.m.

* Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome -11:30 p

September 2nd

* The Big Easy - 1:20 a.m.

* The Pick-Up Artist - 3:05 a.m.

* Senior Trip - 4:30 a.m.

* Brewster's Millions - 6:05 a.m.

* Chances Are - 7:50 a.m.

* Throw Momma From the Train - 9:40 a.m.

* Christine - 12:50 p.m.

* Weekend at Bernie's - 11:10 a.m.

* Meatballs Part II - 2:40 p.m.

* Parenthood - 4:10 p.m.

* K-9 - 6:15 p.m.

* Porky's - 8:00 p.m.

* Cocktail - 9:45 p.m.

* Easy Money - 11:40 p.m.

September 3rd

* I'm Gonna Git You Sucka - 1:20 a.m.

* Into the Night - 3:00 a.m.

* Fresh Horses - 5:05 a.m.

* The Four Seasons - 7:00 a.m.

* Teachers - 9:00 a.m.

* A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon - 11:00 a.m.

* Ghostbusters - 12:35 p.m.

* Mystic Pizza - 2:30 p.m.

* Tango & Cash - 4:20 p.m.

* Blind Date - 6:15 p.m.

* Die Hard - 8:00 p.m.

* Road House - 10:15 p.m.

September 4th

* Robocop - 12:15 a.m.

* A Little Sex - 2:05 a.m.

* Krull - 3:50 a.m.

* Ghoulies II - 6:00 a.m.

* Hard to Hold - 7:35 a.m.

* Batteries Not Included - 9:20 a.m.

* Like Father, Like Son - 11:15 a.m.

* Dragnet - 1:05 p.m.

* Maid to Order - 3:00 p.m.

* Casual Sex? - 4:40 p.m.

* Better Off Dead ... - 6:15 p.m.

* The Terminator - 8:00 p.m.

* Revenge of the Nerds - 10:00 p.m.

* Blame it on Rio - 11:35 p.m.

September 5th

* Jagged Edge - 1:20 a.m.

* Driving Miss Daisy - 3:15 a.m.

For more information please visit our press room at www.Starz.com

 

Source: Starz Entertainment Group LLC

 

 

 

 

 

XM Satellite Radio and Starbucks Hear Music to Release New CD of Performances From XM's Popular 'Artist Confidential' Series on August 29

CD Features Coldplay, Willie Nelson, Tori Amos, Robert Plant, and Many Other Popular Artists With Live, Exclusive Recordings

 

XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 7 million subscribers, and Starbucks Hear Music today announced that the companies will release a new compilation CD, showcasing performances by top artists recorded solely for XM's original music series, "Artist Confidential." Produced by XM Satellite Radio exclusively for Starbucks Hear Music, XM Artist Confidential, Vol. 1 includes live renditions of songs by Coldplay, Willie Nelson, Tori Amos, Robert Plant and many others, previously only available to XM subscribers. The CD will be available exclusively at Starbucks Company- operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and online at http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic beginning August 29, 2006.

XM Artist Confidential, Vol. 1 is an impressive collection of exclusive, live tracks selected from the archives of XM's critically-acclaimed performance and interview program, "Artist Confidential." Recorded live before an intimate audience of fans and friends at XM's state-of-the-art studios, the CD features stunning live renditions of "Clocks" by Coldplay, "Always On My Mind," by Willie Nelson, "Sweet The Sting" by Tori Amos and "Whole Lotta Love" performed by Robert Plant. The disc also includes show- stopping recordings from Bonnie Raitt, Roseanne Cash, Raul Midon, Phil Collins, Tracy Chapman, Joan Baez, Bruce Hornsby and Cyndi Lauper.

"The performances captured during an XM Artist Confidential taping are always so incredible, we wanted to share some of our favorites with the larger community of music fans. Music is at the heart of the XM experience and XM Artist Confidential, Vol. 1 does a great job of capturing the passion and energy our millions of subscribers enjoy every day," said Lee Abrams, chief creative programming officer, XM Satellite Radio.

"With the release of this exciting new CD, we are realizing the potential of our alliance with XM Satellite Radio to create compelling, exclusive content for Starbucks customers," said Ken Lombard, president, Starbucks Entertainment. "We look forward to continuing to collaborate with XM, the leading satellite radio provider, to transform the way music fans discover and acquire their music."

XM Artist Confidential, Vol. 1, is being offered for $14.95 in the U.S. and $18.95 in Canada.

Hosted by XM program director and on-air host George Taylor Morris, XM's "Artist Confidential" series features exclusive live performances and candid, one-on-one interviews with celebrated artists who reveal rare insights on their lives and art before an audience of fans and friends. Among the dozens of accomplished musicians who have been featured on the critically acclaimed "Artist Confidential" are Coldplay, Dixie Chicks, Lenny Kravitz, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Carlos Santana and Herbie Hancock. The third season of "Artist Confidential" premiered on XM in June. Complete information about the show and its guests is available online at http://www.xmradio.com/exclusivemusic.

Complete XM Artist Confidential, Vol. 1 Track Listing:

1. Rainy Day Man -- Bonnie Raitt

2. Clocks -- Coldplay

3. Always on My Mind -- Willie Nelson

4. House on the Lake -- Roseanne Cash

5. Everybody -- Raul Midon

6. Sweet the Sting -- Tori Amos

7. Another Day in Paradise -- Phil Collins

8. Fast Car -- Tracy Chapman

9. Sweet Sir Galahad -- Joan Baez

10. Sticks and Stones -- Bruce Hornsby

11. Time After Time -- Cyndi Lauper

12. Whole Lotta Love -- Robert Plant

About XM Satellite Radio

XM (NASDAQ:XMSR) is America's number one satellite radio service with more than 7 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music channels, sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.

XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Porsche, is available in more than 140 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com/.

About Starbucks Entertainment

Starbucks Coffee Company launched Starbucks Entertainment in 2004 to help customers discover quality entertainment options as part of their daily coffee routines. Starbucks Coffee Company first acquired Hear Music in 1999 to become Starbucks Hear Music, the sound of music at Starbucks. Starbucks Hear Music has made a transformative impact on the music industry by providing a new and convenient way for consumers to discover, experience and acquire all genres of great music through its Hear Music(TM) CD compilations, its innovative partnerships with other music labels to co-release, market and distribute both exclusive and non-exclusive music, its 24-hour digital music channel on XM Satellite Radio (XM Channel 75) and its breakthrough Hear Music(TM) Coffeehouses in Santa Monica, San Antonio and Miami. Starbucks Hear Music(TM) CD selections can be purchased at Starbucks retail locations around the world, as well as online at http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic. In 2006, Starbucks Entertainment extended beyond music and announced a unique partnership with Lionsgate to market and distribute the inspirational film "Akeelah and the Bee." The company expects the film to be the first of many such partnerships that help customers discover unique and rewarding entertainment.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 3-9-06. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department.

Source: XM Satellite Radio

Web site: http://www.xmradio.com/
http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic

 

 

 

Sony Pictures Entertainment Crosses $1 Billion in Domestic Box Office Receipts for Fifth Year in a Row

- Sony Pictures is the Only Studio to Generate More Than $6 Billion in North American Ticket Sales Since 2002 -

Sony Pictures Entertainment has surpassed the $1 billion mark in box office receipts for calendar year 2006, making it the fifth year in a row the studio has reached that milestone at the box office, it was announced today by Jeff Blake, Chairman of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group and Vice-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Exceeding more than $1 billion for five consecutive years is a sustained record of box office strength matched by only one other studio, Warner Bros. During the past five years combined, no studio has performed better in North America than Sony Pictures Entertainment. Since January, 2002, the studio has released 37 #1 films. Sony was #1 in market share in 2002 and 2004, was #2 in 2003 and the studio is #1 to date in 2006 controlling approximately 18% of all North American ticket sales. Additionally, Sony is the only studio to exceed the $6 billion dollar mark in domestic box office sales between 2002 and 2006.

Contributing to the success of the 2006 slate are eight number one films: Columbia Pictures' "The DaVinci Code," "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," "Click," "RV," and "Pink Panther," Screen Gems' "Underworld: Evolution" and "When a Stranger Calls," and TriStar Pictures' "Silent Hill." No studio has ever released more than 9 #1 films in a single year. Other hits contributing to the studio's success this year include "Monster House," "Benchwarmers" and "Little Man."

"With the exceptionally strong slate Sony has remaining in 2006, we believe we will have one of the biggest years in the history of the motion picture industry," said Blake. "A year like this doesn't happen by chance. The production team worked with some of the best filmmakers in the business to deliver a great line up of films in 2006 and the marketing and distribution teams have made the most of it."

Sony Pictures expects to add significantly to the $1 billion figure during the remainder of the year with such highly anticipated upcoming releases as Screen Gems' thriller "The Covenant," Columbia's dramas "Gridiron Gang," "All the King's Men," "Marie Antoinette" and "The Pursuit of Happyness," Sony Pictures Animation's first feature-length family adventure comedy "Open Season," Columbia's horror thriller "The Grudge 2," "Stranger Than Fiction" and Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy "The Holiday" and Columbia and MGM's James Bond action adventure "Casino Royale."

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.

 

 

 

 

PARADE.COM Pop Culture Poll Finds: Hottest Sex Symbols Of All Time; Fave Celeb Transformation; Weirdest Baby Name; Stupidest Celebrity Stunt

 

Which celebrity split of '06 saddened Americans most? Which boldface name would you want to receive a party invitation from? What celeb has pulled the stupidest stunt? PARADE.COM took America's pulse on pop culture, entertainment, celebrities, movies, music and more. Here are some highlights:

* Celebrity feuds make headlines everyday and Star Jones's battle with The

View (30%) was the rivalry that Americans found most intriguing!

Trailing close behind are The DaVinci Code vs. the Catholic Church

(23%), Heather Locklear vs. Denise Richards (20%), Tom Cruise vs. Brooke

Shields (11%) and Tori Spelling vs. her mom, Candy Spelling (8%).

* Bizarre baby names run rampant in Hollywood. But what's the weirdest

name given to celebrity spawn? Suri Cruise (29%) and Shiloh Nouvel

Jolie-Pitt (27%) might have more in common than we thought! Other odd

monikers include: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's son, Moses Martin

(17%), Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy's baby Grier Hammond Henchy

(13%), and future songster Kingston James McGregor Rossdale (9%), son of

musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale.

* Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is the boldface name that Americans would

most want to receive a party invitation from, with 43%. In second place

is President Bush, with 15%. Trailing behind are Paris Hilton (12%),

Donald Trump (9%), Martha Stewart (7%), and P. Diddy (6%).

* Celebrities do the darndest things! But which was the stupidest celeb

stunt? (41%) of respondents think the dalliances of Peter Cook (a.k.a.

Mr. Christie Brinkley) with a teenager were by far the worst. Britney

Spears' questionable parenting skills came in next with (22%), followed

by David Blaine nearly drowning himself (14%), Denise Richards hooking

up with former BFF Heather Locklear's hubby (13%), and TomKat keeping

baby Suri Cruise hidden away for so long (4%).

* Celebrity relationship drama is everyone's guilty pleasure, and

respondents were most sad to see Hillary Swank and Chad Lowe call it

quits, with 22% of the vote. Eighteen percent were sorry to see

Hollywood's most famous newlyweds, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey,

divorce. Other couples headed for splitsville: Heather Locklear and

Richie Sambora (15%), Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro (13%) Denise

Richards and Charlie Sheen (10%) and Matthew McConaughey and Penelope

Cruz (7%).

* Donald Trump has it all: billions of dollars, a gorgeous wife, dozens of

skyscrapers and a hit TV show. But according to the Parade.com poll, the

one thing he's lacking is sex appeal! When asked which baby-boomer celeb

is the sexiest, The Donald came in dead last with only 2%. Commander-In-

Chief George W. didn't fare well either, with only 5%. Goldie Hawn took

top honors as the sexiest 60-year-old with 32%. Trailing close behind is

Susan Sarandon with 22%. Other sexy boomers include: Cher (11%), Bill

Clinton (8%), Diane Keaton (7%) and Sylvester Stallone (6%).

* Speaking of sex symbols, Parade.com asked Americans which celeb was the

hottest in his or her prime, and Paul Newman (21%) beat out modern-day

leading men like George Clooney (9%) and Brad Pitt (7%)! Elvis Presley

came in second with 17%, followed by Robert Redford (13%), and James

Dean and Mel Gibson, both with 11%. Marlon Brando was last with 4%.

* And for ladies ... Respondents prefer blondes! Marilyn Monroe won by a

landslide with (40%). Next in the sex symbol line is Sofia Loren (21%),

followed by Elizabeth Taylor with 14%. Surprisingly, modern day

bombshells Halle Berry (10%), Angelina Jolie (8%) and Pam Anderson (4%)

were beaten by the glam gals of Hollywood's Golden Age.

* If you were in trouble, which fictional character would you call for

help? Jack Bauer and James Bond to the rescue! Keifer Sutherland's

character on 24 and British spy 007 were tied with 29% each. But don't

fuggetabout James Gandolfini's mafioso character Tony Soprano (17%) and

Jennifer Garner's character Sydney Bristow on Alias (13%). Only 5% said

they'd call Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible character.

* Celebrities ... we love to hate 'em. But which one do Americans wish

would disappear? Thirty two percent of respondents wish that 'famous for

being famous' Paris Hilton would go away. Tom Cruise comes in second

place with 24%. President Bush is next in line with 18%, followed by The

Jolie-Pitts (8%), Britney Spears (7%) and Lindsay Lohan (4%).

* Everybody has a favorite ...

-- Funnyman: Adam Sandler (27%), Will Ferrell (16%), Vince Vaughn

(15%), Jon Stewart (14%) Ben Stiller (13%) Steve Carell (5%)

-- American Idol: Kelly Clarkson (38%), Carrie Underwood (18%),

Taylor Hicks (15%) Ruben Studdard (6%) and Fantasia (5%).

-- Celebrity transformation: Clay Aiken from spiky to shag (33%),

Janet Jackson's recent slimdown (25%), Ashlee Simpson's new nose

(16%), Kevin Federline from dreds to hip-hop chic (8%) and Britney

Spears from blonde to brunette (6%).

Parade.com's Pop Culture Poll was conducted online in July of 2006 among nearly 10,000 Americans. Full survey results will be available on Parade.com on August 9, 2006.

Source: PARADE.COM

 

Acclaimed 9/11 Documentary Released on DVD; 'Answering The Call' Chronicles the Efforts of Ground Zero's Volunteers

Released today: A new DVD documentary entitled Answering The Call: Ground Zero's Volunteers, presents a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the rescue and recovery operation at the World Trade Center - from the perspective of the rescuers and volunteers who served on the front lines at Ground Zero.

Directed by filmmaker and former firefighter Lou Angeli, and narrated by actress Kathleen Turner, Answering The Call captures the critical role the Ground Zero volunteers played in the massive rescue effort - everyday people working together in an effort to save lives. Both Turner and Angeli served as volunteers at Ground Zero.

What many Americans do not know is the sheer size of the mission: More than 70,000 individuals from all over the nation streamed to lower Manhattan in answer to New York City's call for help. "The film is most notable for its extensive interviews with those who put their lives on the line," writes Frank Scheck of the Hollywood Reporter. The images conjured are ones of courage, heroism, fearlessness, endurance - in other words, the true human spirit.

While the documentary's timeline overlaps that of Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, Answering The Call is not a re-creation. Using never-before- seen footage, it is a vivid, behind-the-scenes remembrance, which transports the viewer further and deeper into the disaster scene than any previous film.

Answering The Call was introduced this past year to select audiences amid excellent reviews. This important historical document is now available as a DVD for everyone to view and experience.

"Our objective as we developed this film was to share the full extent of the volunteers' anguish and dedication with the largest audience possible - from home, classroom, church, firehouse and office," said Angeli.

The DVD is available through dozens of retail and online stores, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble.

Source: Chesca Media Group

As a filmmaker and former firefighter, he is uniquely qualified to discuss this project, as well as Oliver Stone's film World Trade Center, with members of the press. Screeners are available for interested reviewers. A Betacam clip reel of select scenes is available to broadcast news outlets.

 

 

 

 

 

Starz Cinema Kicks Off Monthly Music Series 'Musaic on Cinema' With Death Cab For Cutie Documentary

'Musaic on Cinema' Launches With World TV Premiere, Airing Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

The world television premiere of "Sleep Well, Drive Carefully: On the Road with Death Cab for Cutie" kicks off Musaic on Cinema, Starz Cinema's new monthly music series, airing Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). Musaic on Cinema is an exclusive series featuring concerts, documentaries, interviews and travelogues, connecting viewers with top independent music.

The Musaic on Cinema series features all world television premiere films with the exception of "Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)." Each film in the series will air at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on the last Monday of each month through March 2007, and will also be available in August on Vongo, SEG's new broadband download movie service.

"Sleep Well, Drive Carefully: On the Road with Death Cab for Cutie" gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road as well as provides candid conversations with the band about their creative process and dedication to their work. The documentary, directed by Justin Mitchell, was shot entirely on 16mm film and features interviews with the band members in their hometown of Seattle, WA.

"The Musaic on Cinema series takes viewers on a journey with a look at exclusive interviews and performances, as well as a chance to connect with some of the finest in independent music," said Jonathan Shair, vice president of programming, planning and scheduling for SEG.

Upcoming films that will air on Starz Cinema as part of the Musaic on Cinema series include:

* "Low in Europe" -- This film features the 10-year-old band Low with live

footage from its shows throughout Europe (September 25).

* "Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)" -- An amazing documentary on the music

group They Might Be Giants. The film follows the friendship of band

members John Flansburgh and John Linnell, including interviews from the

Johns, their fans and music critics (October 30).

* "Finisterre" -- This film gives viewers a look at London's music scene,

scored by the indie rock band Saint Etienne (November 27).

* "Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek (Part 1)" -- The documentary

highlights the independent record label featuring archival footage of

interviews and performances (December 25).

Additional films which will premiere in 2007 include "Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek (Part 2)," "Guided by Voices: The Electrifying Conclusion," and "Ted Leo: Dirty Old Town."

Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG) is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. SEG offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz(R) and Encore(R) brands with approximately 15.1 million and 27.1 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment Group airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advanced services including Starz HDTV, Starz On Demand and Vongo(SM). Starz Entertainment Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to Liberty Capital Group, www.starz.com.

 

Source: Starz Entertainment Group

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samsung Freshest Teen Filmmaker 2006 to be Decided as Viewers Vote

View, Vote And Win! Ten Teen-Made Films Have Been Narrowed Down to the Top Five and Will Go Head-To-Head as Viewer Voting Will Determine the Best

narrowing down five teen-made films to determine who will be the Freshest Teen Filmmakers of 2006. Now is the opportunity for people to view the movies and vote for their favorite to win! Each vote you cast enters you to win a trip for two to Hollywood for a Movie-making Experience Weekend! The winning film is determined via online viewer voting at www.fresh-films.com or via text messaging the city's name to 36266. The top five of ten original teen-made films will be shown and from August 10 - 16, anyone can view, vote and decide which film comes out on top. The winner will be announced August 18.

From June through August 2006, ten teen film crews in major cities across the country took over movie-making from the pros and produced ten short films. Throughout the summer, these ten films were gradually narrowed down to five through rounds of online voting, and these top five now remain in competition. The voting is open to anyone who wishes to go online, watch the films and vote for their favorite film.

There are a total of ten Samsung Fresh Films Teams across the country -- Austin, Tampa, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles and New York -- all of which are competing to be the Freshest Teen Filmmakers of 2006.

"The excitement is through the roof at this point. These teens have put their heart and soul into creating these films; they have made it through to the final round and now it is up to the ultimate critic -- the voting public," says Estlin Feigley, Executive Director of Samsung Fresh Films. "All of the films are top notch. It's hard to even make a call at this point which one will come out on top; now that says something about these teens!"

All of these films were created from original concepts, each team having only seven days to cast, scout locations, rehearse, film, edit and produce the ten-minute film.

Now these films are at the mercy of the audience and the best will ultimately come out on top through 100 percent viewer choice selection.

Film Production

The film production process started in June and went through August. For seven days, each team worked together, brought their original short films to life and coordinated every detail from permits and locations to props and storyboarding. They had just one day to shoot their film, followed by two intense days of editing on MacBook Pros and Apple Final Cut Studio Software to make their vision into a film.

Samsung provided mobile phones to assist each team during the seven days and has provided the capabilities to allow for viewers to vote via text messaging; people can text in the city of their choice and receive a text that confirms receipt of their vote. The phones are integral to the production process, enabling the teens to capture and instantly send photos and video for scouting locations, access the internet, communicate to one another with the phone's two-way radio feature and, of course, to make phone calls.

Filming for Samsung Fresh Films in each city was staggered throughout the summer; teams in two cities produced a film simultaneously and then had their films compete online. This process narrowed the number of films down to five -- the five that will be shown online for viewer voting and one film crew will ultimately be named the Freshest Teen Filmmakers of 2006.

Stayfree's Girls in the Director's Chair

STAYFREE has also partnered with Samsung Fresh Films to create Girls in the Director's Chair, an initiative to help girls build the confidence they need to stay free, be their best everyday and pursue their dreams without compromise. The GIDC program includes a grant program and online/offline content allowing girls an opportunity to meet, discuss and pursue their passion in creative arts. An all-star team of young female filmmakers created a PSA, and each received a $2,500 film grant.

About Samsung Fresh Films

For more information about the Samsung Fresh Films program, to view the Public Service Announcement by the Girls in the Director's Chair program or to see 2005 films, visit www.Fresh-Films.com. Fresh Films has been working with budding filmmakers since 2000. In addition to its programs with teens, Fresh Films works with clients to create custom emerging media marketing programs.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, markets and distributes wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, see STA's website at www.samsungusa.com/wireless.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90 offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com

Source: Samsung Fresh Films

Web site: http://www.fresh-films.com/
http://www.samsung.com/

 

 

 

 

Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Danny Pino, Constance Marie and Edward James Olmos Among Many to be Honored at 21st Annual Imagen Awards Gala on Friday, August 18

 

 

WHAT: The Imagen Awards, which was established in 1985 to encourage

and recognize the positive portrayal of Latinos in all media and

to increase Latino representation at all levels of the

entertainment industry, will host its 21st Annual Imagen Awards.

WHEN: Friday, August 18, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

5 PM - Arrivals on red carpet

7 PM - Dinner/Award ceremony

8-10 PM - Photo opportunity with winners as they are presented

WHO: Scheduled to attend include Andy Garcia (Best Actor, Film, THE

LOST CITY), George Lopez (Best Actor, Television, THE GEORGE

LOPEZ SHOW), Danny Pino (Best Actor, Television, COLD CASE),

Constance Marie (Best Actress, Television, THE GEORGE LOPEZ

SHOW), Edward James Olmos, Best Actor, Television, BATTLE STAR

GALACTICA), Vanessa Hudgens (Best Actress, Television, HIGH

SCHOOL MUSICAL), Eva La Rue (Best Supporting Actress,

Television, CSI MIAMI), Cote De Pablo (Best Supporting Actress,

Television, NCIS), Gina Ravera (Best Supporting Actress,

Television, THE CLOSER), Lupe Ontiveros, Esai Morales, Kenny

Ortega (director/choreographer -- recipient of Creative

Achievement Award), Gregory Nava (director/producer/writer, EL

NORTE, recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award), Hector

Elizondo, U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois

(recipient of National Leadership Award), Helen Hernandez,

President/Founder, Imagen Foundation, Norman Lear, plus many

more.

Your coverage is invited and all media must be credentialed in advance. Credentialing information can be found at www.imagen.org. Background regarding the Imagen Foundation and its awards program is available on the site or by calling (626) 791-8140.

Source: Imagen Foundation

 

 

 

 

GSN Renews 'High Stakes Poker' for a Third Season

Critically Acclaimed Poker Series is the Only 'Cash Game' on Television

 

GSN has renewed its highly successful cash game poker series HIGH STAKES POKER for a third season, it was announced today. The second season of HIGH STAKES POKER is currently airing on GSN Monday nights at 9:00 PM ET.

"We were betting that HIGH STAKES POKER would be a success and we have won big," said Rich Cronin, President and CEO of GSN. "This show has proven to be a breakout hit with poker fans. We couldn't be more pleased by the response that we have gotten from viewers and television critics who have called HIGH STAKES POKER a 'must-see' and the 'best poker show' on television."

The location and players for the third season of HIGH STAKES POKER will be announced later. The taping is scheduled to begin in October.

HIGH STAKES POKER is the first true cash game of poker on television with a $100,000 minimum buy-in. Unlike other poker shows that are tournaments such as the "World Series of Poker" where the most players can lose is their initial buy-in of $10,000, the players on GSN's HIGH STAKES POKER have several hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own cash at stake to win and lose.

The first two seasons have featured the top professionals in poker including Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Harman, Antonio Esfandiari, Mike Matusow, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Laak, Johnny Chan plus many others as well as amateurs Fred Chamanara, a restaurant owner from Chicago and Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

HIGH STAKES POKER's current season was taped at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas. Gabe Kaplan and AJ Benza call the action. Henry Orenstein of HSOR, L.L.C. serves as the Executive Producer of HIGH STAKES POKER.

As the popularity of poker continues to grow, GSN has also announced it will be replaying the first season of HIGH STAKES POKER on Mondays beginning September 18 at 8 PM ET.

--GSN--

Source: GSN

 

 

Fashion RIPS! Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Recognize Leading and Emerging Designers at 30th Anniversary Fashion Show

Designers Stephen Burrows and Kevan Hall Bring Red Carpet Flair to Congressional Black Caucus 36th Annual Legislative Conference

 

WHAT: As the fashion industry gears up to rock New York City during

Olympus Fashion Week this fall, the Congressional Black Caucus

Spouses (CBC Spouses) will rip the runway in Washington, D.C.

with Fashion RIPS!, their annual fashion show celebrated for

Recognizing the Industry and Providing Scholarships.

The CBC Spouses will celebrate their 30th Anniversary during

the CBC Foundations' Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) and

will be honoring the contributions of leading and emerging

African American designers, while saluting the students who

benefit from scholarships the CBC Spouses provide. Produced in

conjunction with IMG Fashion (producers of Fashion Week),

former model/agent Bethann Hardison, and Fleishman-Hillard, the

runway show will feature:

-- Haute couture and ready-to-wear collections from

established and emerging African American designers;

-- A silent and corresponding online eBay auction to benefit

the CBC Spouses Educational Scholarship Fund;

-- A red carpet entrance providing media access to

Congressional Members, celebrities, scholarship recipients

and invited corporate leaders.

The auction will feature unique fashion items and experiences,

such as tickets to Fashion Week in New York and Los Angeles,

custom and designer suits, shopping sprees and professional

makeovers.

WHO: Stephen Burrows, recent recipient of the Council of Fashion

Designers of America Board of Directors Award, Kevan Hall,

renown for creating glamour on Hollywood red carpets as well

several celebrity guests and models, and Project Runway's Kara

Saun.

WHEN: Friday, September 8, 2006

Auction: 8:00 p.m.

Runway Show: 10:00 p.m. Seating begins at 9:15 p.m.

WHERE: Grand Hyatt Hotel, Independence Ballroom, 1000 H Street, NW,

Washington, D.C.

WHY: To support the CBC Spouses Educational Scholarship Fund, which

offers financial assistance to deserving and academically

talented college and university students from around the

country.

ABOUT CBC

SPOUSES: The Spouses of the African American Members of the United

States Congress, in concert with the Congressional Black Caucus

Foundation, Incorporated have given more than $8 million in

scholarships over the years, and they implement programs and

special events that promote educational and leadership

opportunities for youth. For information visit:

http://www.cbcfinc.org/ .

For tickets, sponsorship or information, visit http://www.fashionrips.com/ or call 202.263.2837

Source: Congressional Black Caucus Spouses

Web site: http://www.cbcfinc.org/
http://www.fashionrips.com/

 

 

 

Lights, Camera ... Service! -- Goodyear Gemini Stores Playing Key Role in New Television Series

A new television series this fall will feature automotive technicians from Gemini Automotive Care facilities, as they perform vehicle makeovers for needy subjects and offer car care tips to viewers.

Under a sponsorship agreement with NASCAR, Gemini, a retail automotive care system of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and also a member of the NASCAR Performance Network of repair locations, has become the host facility for an upcoming national television show, NASCAR Angels. The NASCAR Performance Network is a nationwide organization of quality vehicle repair shops and parts stores dedicated to growing their business through a NASCAR affiliation.

NASCAR Angels is a show that displays the "heart of NASCAR," according to Odis Lloyd, director of NASCAR's automotive aftermarket program. He calls the series a mix of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and MTV's Pimp My Ride with NASCAR sizzle.

"The goal of NASCAR Angels is to help people by simply fixing the car problems that are keeping them from the most basic needs," said Lloyd. "With the help of Goodyear Gemini's professional technicians in neighborhood repair facilities and the products from NASCAR Performance companies, life becomes better for the families touched by the television show."

From Goodyear Gemini's standpoint, the connection with the 22-original episode (52 total) NASCAR Angels series translates into prime visibility. In addition to the needed vehicle repairs being filmed in Goodyear Gemini outlets, Goodyear and Gemini signage will appear during episodes, service technicians will wear logo'd uniforms, audio mention will be given to Goodyear Gemini, and advertisements will air during the show to promote Gemini Automotive Care.

"This is strong exposure for Gemini Automotive Care, and it fits well with our push to promote Goodyear Gemini stores as the best place to go for one- stop automotive service and tires," said Mark Boswell, Gemini program manager. "Our program members feel that the automotive professionalism, compassion and expertise displayed on the show will carry over into positive visibility for Goodyear Gemini in their home markets.

"An ordinary day for automotive technicians might consist of engine diagnostic work, brake repairs, new tire installation and maybe wheel alignment," said Boswell. "For several technicians at certain Goodyear Gemini outlets this year, the work remains the same, but it comes under the glare of television lights."

The NASCAR Angels program will launch during the week of Sept. 18, and will be carried by local television stations reaching 95 percent of the country via syndication. Filming began June 26 in Daytona Beach and Orlando, Florida, and will move around the U.S. through the rest of the year. The first week of shooting took place at Goodyear Gemini locations, Florida Tire in Kissimmee, and A Real Tire Company in Daytona Beach.

Hosts for the show are NASCAR racing great Rusty Wallace and NASCAR.com reporter Shannon Wiseman. It is expected that Goodyear Gemini technicians will have occasional featured roles, such as offering automotive technical tips to viewers.

The creative team behind NASCAR Angels is MagicDust Television, a broadcast production firm based in Phoenix. The series is being distributed by Litton Entertainment.

There are more than 1,900 Gemini Automotive Care retail locations in the U.S. Goodyear owns and operates more than 600 Goodyear Auto Service Centers with Gemini Car Care, and there are also more than 1,300 other independent locations with the Gemini Car Care program. These locations are owned and operated by independent retailers.

Source: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

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

 

 

 

Viacom's MTV Networks Agrees to Acquire Atom Entertainment

MTVN Advances Strategy of Super-Serving Audiences Across Every Platform; Acquisition Will Expand Online Portfolio with Casual Gaming and Video Sites

MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Atom Entertainment, Inc., a portfolio of four leading online destinations for casual games, short films and video, for $200 million. Acquiring Atom Entertainment advances the company's multiplatform strategy of building an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news and interactivity for targeted audiences.

Atom Entertainment is a pioneer in online entertainment with four leading brands in both games and video: Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are two of the internet's largest casual gaming sites, offering nearly 1,500 free and downloadable games. AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com are two premier film and video sites for short-form comedy, animation, drama and user-generated content.

Adding Atom Entertainment to MTV Networks' overall portfolio fits squarely with the company's strategy of super-serving its targeted, global audiences with a relevant and innovative video experience online. Following MTVN's recent purchases of XFIRE, Y2M, GameTrailers.com, IFILM and Neopets, this acquisition demonstrates the company's continued commitment to being a premier multi-platform media company, uniquely positioned across every screen.

Tom Freston, CEO, Viacom, said, "This acquisition is right on the money with our digital strategy. It adds great scale with users, improves our growing casual gaming position, and brings a world-class digital video library and a fantastic management team."

"Atom Entertainment is a best in class and dynamic property, with brands that have dedicated, passionate followers and content that resonates with our global audience," said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks. "This acquisition is in line with our business strategy of being a leader in the digital space and connecting with consumers on every platform and device they use."

Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are part of the large and rapidly growing business of online casual gaming and will complement MTVN's roster of casual gaming communities, including Nick.com and Neopets. By including these two Atom sites, MTV Networks will be a leader in the casual gaming business, with more than 50 million casual gamers playing more than 400 million games a month. In addition, AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com further expands the online video available across MTVN's 24 broadband channels and the company's user-generated content offerings.

"MTV Networks is a global leader in entertainment, and we are thrilled to join their family of brands," said Mika Salmi, Chief Executive Officer of Atom Entertainment. "Leveraging MTVN's platform will accelerate our growth and create new opportunities for both consumers and advertisers. We are proud of the business we've built and look forward to working together with MTVN to lead the way in the casual gaming and short-form video content business."

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter 2006.

About MTV Networks:

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 120 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 100 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About Atom Entertainment, Inc.:

A marketer and distributor of broadband entertainment, Atom Entertainment (formerly AtomShockwave, Corp.) was formed by the 2001 merger of Internet pioneers Shockwave.com and AtomFilms. Shockwave.com offers a broad selection of online games that attract players of all ages. AtomFilms provides on-demand viewing of more than 1,000 world-class film and animation titles ranging from 1 to 30 minutes in length. In 2005, Atom Entertainment acquired the online games portal AddictingGames. Shortly after, the online video directory AddictingClips was developed offering consumers one destination for the best clips across the Web.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements which are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather reflect Viacom's current expectations concerning future results and events. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance and achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include factors described in Viacom's news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Viacom's 2005 Annual Report as filed on Form 10-K on March 16, 2006 and Quarterly Report for the three months ended March 31, 2006 as filed on Form 10-Q on May 12, 2006. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document, and, under section 27A of the Securities Act and section 21E of the Exchange Act, we do not have any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Source: MTV Networks

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
http://www.shockwave.com/
http://www.addictinggames.com/
http://www.atomfilms.com/
http://www.addictingclips.com/

 

 

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/07/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/06/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/05/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/04/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/03/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/02/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/01/

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2005/12/

 

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 11:41 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (1)

News Release
Financial Sanctions: Terrorist Financing

11 August 2006

This news release is issued in respect of the financial measures taken against terrorism.

The Bank of England, as agent for Her Majesty’s Treasury, has today directed that any funds held for or on behalf of the individuals named in the Annex to this News Release must be frozen (see Key Resources below for Annex), and that no funds should be made available, directly or indirectly to any person, except under the authority of a licence.

Financial institutions and other persons are requested to check whether they maintain any accounts or otherwise hold any funds, other financial assets, economic benefits and economic resources for the individuals named in the Annex and, if so, they should freeze the accounts or other funds and report their findings to the Bank of England.

The names in the Annex are in addition to those listed in previous Bank Notices containing directions under Article 4 of the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3365) and under Article 8 of the Al-Qa’ida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/111, as amended).

Previous Notices and news releases related to Terrorism, Al-Qa’ida and the Taliban and a consolidated list of individuals and entities subject to these and other UK financial sanctions regimes are available from the Bank of England’s Financial Sanctions pages.

ANNEX
FINANCIAL SANCTIONS: TERRORIST FINANCING
Individuals
1. ALI, Abdula, Ahmed
DOB: 10/10/1980
Address: Walthamstow, London, United Kingdom
2. ALI, Cossor
DOB: 04/12/1982
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
3. ALI, Shazad, Khuram
DOB: 11/06/1979
Address: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
4. HUSSAIN, Nabeel
DOB: 10/03/1984
Address: London, United Kingdom, E4
5. HUSSAIN, Tanvir
DOB: 21/02/1981
Address: Leyton, London, United Kingdom, E10
6. HUSSAIN, Umair
DOB: 09/10/1981
Address: London, United Kingdom, E14
7. ISLAM, Umar
DOB: 23/04/1978
Address: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
8. KAYANI, Waseem
DOB: 28/04/1977
Address: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
9. KHAN, Assan, Abdullah
DOB: 24/10/1984
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
10. KHAN, Waheed, Arafat
DOB: 18/05/1981
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
11. KHATIB, Osman, Adam
DOB: 07/12/1986
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
12. PATEL, Abdul, Muneem
DOB: 17/04/1989
Address: London, United Kingdom, E5
13. RAUF, Tayib
DOB: 26/04/1984
Address: Birmingham, United Kingdom
14. SADDIQUE, Muhammed, Usman
DOB: 23/04/1982
Address: Walthamstow, London, United Kingdom, E17
15. SARWAR, Assad
DOB: 24/05/1980
Address: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
16. SAVANT, Ibrahim
DOB: 19/12/1980
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
17. TARIQ, Amin, Asmin
DOB: 07/06/1983
Address: Walthamstow, London, United Kingdom, E17
18. UDDIN, Shamin, Mohammed
DOB: 22/11/1970
Address: Stoke Newington, London, United Kingdom
19. ZAMAN, Waheed
DOB: 27/05/1984
Address: London, United Kingdom, E17
ENDS

Source:  Bank of England, www.bankofengland.co.uk

Posted by ladymountbatten at 10:44 PM | Permalink

People around the world awoke to discover news that Britain had foiled a terror plot by a couple dozen terrorists involving ten U.S. bound planes.

Yesterday, the “World Trade Center” opened in theaters yesterday August 9^th.  This Oliver Stone film starring Nicolas Cage has been controversial and has met with critical accolades.

The time frame shared that they planned on having a dry run within a couple days, makes one think the practice run was scheduled for August 11^th, one month prior to the 5-year anniversary of 9\11. 

Although not quite according to their plan, the terrorists have achieved one of their goals, terror.  In the name of safety and security, patience by everyone is necessary as the terror alert has risen to its highest level since 9\11.

While terrorists plans have been disrupted, they have achieved disruption.  Airline travelers are adjusting with most liquids banned and carry-ons being restricted to clear plastic bags carrying necessities such as wallets, identification, tickets, baby food and medicines, and 2-3 hours of allowance (3-4 hours for international travel) for security before takeoff.

The reality of the matter is, that just as a home security system will thwart thieves for easier targets, those determined will plan more carefully and work around security.

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 10:30 PM | Permalink

Interview of the Vice President by Wire Service Reporters
Via Telephone
Jackson, Wyoming

 

1:33 P.M. MDT

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. It's suggested I chat with you a bit just for a couple of minutes here about the Connecticut Democratic primary yesterday, and then I guess, we'll then be happy to respond to a couple of questions.

 

I was -- obviously, we're all interested in this year's election campaign. I know Joe Lieberman and have a good deal of respect for him given that we were opponents in the 2000 campaign; and of course, spent a fair amount of time watching the man and studying him over the years, especially in connection with our debate in 2000. And as I look at what happened yesterday, it strikes me that it's a perhaps unfortunate and significant development from the standpoint of the Democratic Party, that what it says about the direction the party appears to be heading in when they, in effect, purge a man like Joe Lieberman, who was just six years ago their nominee for Vice President, is of concern, especially over the issue of Joe's support with respect to national efforts in the global war on terror.

 

The thing that's partly disturbing about it is the fact that, the standpoint of our adversaries, if you will, in this conflict, and the al Qaeda types, they clearly are betting on the proposition that ultimately they can break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task. And when we see the Democratic Party reject one of its own, a man they selected to be their vice presidential nominee just a few short years ago, it would seem to say a lot about the state the party is in today if that's becoming the dominant view of the Democratic Party, the basic, fundamental notion that somehow we can retreat behind our oceans and not be actively engaged in this conflict and be safe here at home, which clearly we know we won't -- we can't be. So we have to be actively engaged not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, but on a global basis if we're going to succeed in prevailing in this long-term conflict.

 

So it's an unfortunate development, I think, from the standpoint of the Democratic Party to see a man like Lieberman pushed aside because of his willingness to support an aggressive posture in terms of our national security strategy.

 

Lea Anne, you want to take it from there?

 

MS. McBRIDE: Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. First we'll go to Liz, Associated Press.

 

Q Yes. Mr. Vice President, thank you for joining us today. With Lieberman in Connecticut losing, Joe Schwarz in Michigan, Cynthia McKinney in Georgia, is there an anti-incumbent wave this year? If so, which party does it benefit?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I guess, I'd be hard put to think of what the wave is, or what parallel you can find between Joe Lieberman, Joe Schwarz and Cynthia McKinney.

 

Q Well, they're all incumbents and they all lost.

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: That may be. I don't see it as an anti-incumbent move. I think each one of those races was -- the Schwarz race, obviously, was a Republican race -- there's a history behind that in terms of how Joe got elected last time around and his opposition this time around. I didn't see it as having national ramifications, nor do I think the McKinney race does. I think the Lieberman case clearly does.

 

Q But not in terms of anti-incumbent sentiment --

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No.

 

Q -- among the American people?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No.

 

Q Thank you, Mr. Vice President, for doing this. Based on what's happened now to Joe Lieberman, do you think that Iraq is going to be -- the election is going to be a referendum on the Iraq war?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I can't say that. I think national security policy is likely to be generally important. I supposed it will depend a lot -- these off-year elections, obviously, turn a lot in terms of local issues, and issues that are identified with specific states and congressional districts. But clearly within the Democratic Party, it would appear to be that there are deep divisions. I think there's a significant body of opinion that wants to go back -- I guess the way I would describe it is sort of the pre-9/11 mind set, in terms of how we deal with the world we live in.

 

Q And do you see yourself on the campaign trail this fall making these same points? Are we hearing the beginnings of a strategy on how to deal with this situation?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I think it is appropriate and should be that there be some discussion, obviously, of these issues this fall. I suppose different people will look at in different perspectives. I expect there will be a number of people out there who put national security issues first and foremost when they evaluate candidates. And I suppose I'm probably one of those. And I think we ought to address it, and I think there will be a fair amount of debate associated with that campaign this fall. I can't say that that's going to be necessarily true in every single district. I certainly plan to talk about it a lot. I expect the President will, too.

 

Q Sure, okay.

 

Q Yes, thank you, Mr. Vice President. Is the White House going to offer Senator Lieberman any help as he runs as an independent? And in addition, what makes you think that the anti-war sentiment that Lamont won on won't work against Republicans, as well?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I doubt that we have any intention or aspirations of getting involved in Joe Lieberman's campaign.

 

Q Well, just other than --

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I think we can look at it on a personal basis and say I think he's a good man. And if he were to leave the Senate, that would be a loss to the Democrats. But we're not embracing Joe Lieberman's candidacy.

 

Q Sure, okay.

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Now what was the second part of your question?

 

Q The second part was, what makes you think the anti-war sentiment that Lamont tapped into won't work against Republican candidates this election?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, you've got to remember that was in a democratic primary. But I think Connecticut -- Connecticut is Connecticut. It's got a long history there. They have not elected a conservative senator for quite some time.

 

Q So how certain are you that Republicans will maintain control of both houses for this election?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I feel significantly better about it today than I did, say, three months ago. I've done about 80 campaigns now. I think we've got a lot of good candidates out there. We're making a major effort. I've done more this cycle than I have in previous cycles with respect to these off-year elections. The President is actively and aggressively involved. I think it will be a hard fought election contest. Clearly, the off-year election in the second term of a presidency always is. But as I say, I'm more optimistic now than I was a few months ago that we'll have a good November 7th. I think it will be a hard fought contest, but I do expect we'll retain control of both houses.

 

Q What makes you more optimistic, sir?

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Just the feel I get out on the road, the quality of the candidates, the way our fundraising is going, I think the caliber of our get-out-the-vote efforts and so forth various places have been important in the past, and I think will be again this time around.

 

MS. McBRIDE: Thank you so much, sir.

 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good to talk to you.

 

END 1:43 P.M. EDT

Source:  The White House, www.whitehouse.gov

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 10:53 AM | Permalink

Press Gaggle by Tony Snow
Aboard Air Force One
En route Green Bay, Wisconsin
9:33 A.M. CDT

MR. SNOW: All right. Let me just begin briefly talking about the story of the day.
In terms of the President's awareness of what has been going on, he has been kept fully briefed, especially as the action by the Brits became more and more imminent. He had full briefings through the weekend. He's had two detailed conversations with the Prime Minister, the most recent the one I told you about you yesterday, Nedra, that took place just about as we were completing our gaggle. In addition, U.S. security intelligence and law enforcement officials have been in constant contact.
 

The President did approve the recommendation of the Homeland Security Council that we raise the travel alert to red. That was done overnight, as you know. And we remain in very close contact with our allies in trying to follow up on details of the operation that took place, as we said, overnight in Britain. 
 

Q -- was this plot?
 

MR. SNOW: I'll leave that to the Brits. I think we want to be careful about getting too much into detail, but there were some signals that they thought it was time to move. And I will leave it either to the Home Secretary -- I think it's probably important in this case, because of security and legal concerns in Britain, to let them take the lead on releasing such details, which they have not so far.
 

Q When did the President first learn about this plot and the investigation into it?
 

MR. SNOW: Again, we're being a little careful on operational details. I think it's safe to say to what I said before, which is he certainly has been extensively briefed over the last few days as the operation that took place became more and more imminent.
 

Q Was part of that during the teleconference on Sunday?
 

MR. SNOW: Let's see, what day was Sunday, that was the 6th? Yes. Yes.
 

Q How long is this red alert going to be in effect? Is it hard to say?
 

MR. SNOW: I have no idea. The important thing is still to make it clear to Americans that it is safe to travel. There are going to be some inconveniences, obviously, but on other hand, we think it's important that people not only be able to travel, but travel safely.
 

Q Did you all know that this was going to break today, yesterday, when there was this massive response to the Connecticut primary, discussion of terrorism, al Qaeda?
 

MR. SNOW: I don't want to get into operational details. This was not -- however, it was not explicit -- let me put it this way, I don't want to encourage that line of thought. I don't think it's fully accurate, but I also don't want -- I know it's frustrating, but we really don't want to get too much into who knew what, where, when.
 

Q Are you guys looking for anybody in the U.S.?
 

MR. SNOW: Not going into that, either.
 

Q Is he going to talk today about this, to us?
 

MR. SNOW: Yes.
 

Q How's he going to do it?
 

MR. SNOW: The statement when we get to the worksite.
 

Q Are there details about his talk with Blair overnight, you can give? What time it occurred?
 

MR. SNOW: There was no overnight. That report is false, so there are no details on the fallacious report.
 

Q But the President, himself, approved the red alert?
 

MR. SNOW: Correct. It was a recommendation by the Homeland Security Council, by Secretary Chertoff and others.
 

Q When did he approve it?
 

MR. SNOW: Yesterday.
 

Q You said there is going to be some inconvenience to travelers. There were some complaints this morning that all liquids and gels might be going a little overboard on this. Do you guys have any comment on that?
 

MR. SNOW: You can't go overboard when you're trying to protect lives.
 

Q Did U.S. officials have a say in the timing of the arrests and so forth? I mean, did they consult with the Brits as to when the right time was, or was that an entirely British --
 

MR. SNOW: Entirely British. No, you don't consult on timing of trying to deal with terrorist activities. They're not done according to political timelines, but in response to law enforcement judgments and requirements.
 

Q But the Brits decided it was time that they were -- thought that they were going to move, and it was time to go in?
 

MR. SNOW: That's correct.
 

Q Do you think they were -- you know, we're coming up on the anniversary of September 11th. Do you think this had anything to do with that?
 

MR. SNOW: I have no idea. What we do know is that there were some people who were determined to try to carry out, as the Brits said, a plot to kill people on a horrifying scale.
 

Q What's al Qaeda's role in this?
 

MR. SNOW: At this point, there's no confirmation of al Qaeda. As you know, it's been described as being al Qaeda-like and I'm not going to get out ahead of intelligence officials in trying to characterize institutional --
 

Q What was the -- were these people British, of Pakistani descent, or do you have any --
 

MR. SNOW: Again, I'll let the Brits -- I'm going to let the Brits handle the release of information about that.
 

Q Is the President going to speak when he was scheduled to, on the economy? Or is it going to be a separate statement to it?
 

MR. SNOW: I think it will be a separate statement. I think we'll have something where he comes out and talks a bit about the event. So there will still be an economic event, but, obviously, it's important that he get out and speak about this, as well.
 

Q So there was -- I take it he wasn't awakened last night, and that was because he already knew this was going to happen?
 

MR. SNOW: That is correct, although, we did have intelligence and security people up all night maintaining constant contact with the British.
 

Q To what extent does this take away the President's attention from the Middle East problem?
 

MR. SNOW: It doesn't. He's been, obviously, actively engaged in the Middle East, and at the same time this has been going on. It is in the nature of a President's responsible in this kind of world that you have to be able to keep your eye on a number of challenges at the same time, and he has been and will continue to.
 

Q No plans to go back to Washington because of this?
 

MR. SNOW: No.
 

Q But you all are convinced that this is a very serious threat and lives were at risk?
 

MR. SNOW: It was a very serious threat. Again, I don't -- I know you want us to try to characterize timelines and when people were going to do that -- you simply can't do that, for operational and intelligence reasons. But it was a very serious and very credible threat.
 

Q How concerned was the President upon hearing all this in his briefing?
 

MR. SNOW: I don't know. I mean, "concerned" is -- when you hear about things like this, you know there is a necessity to respond and to respond in the appropriate ways. And that's -- again, his approach is we've got to deal with this, and that is what U.S. officials and our allies have been doing.
 

Q Many of the states and other local officials are calling out for extra help to -- during the security screenings and all the extra checks that they're doing now. Is that something the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security will help fund?
 

MR. SNOW: Better ask them. I don't know.
 

Q Tony, was this an operation all by British intelligence, or did the United States intelligence officials help, as well?
 

MR. SNOW: I don't want to get in, again, to operational details here. But the Brits did the arrests.
 

Q Has there been any contact with any of the U.S. airlines by the administration, to talk to them about dealing with this?
 

MR. SNOW: Some of the effected airlines -- some of the targeted airline heads were notified. Beyond that, again, I would refer you to TSA and Homeland Security for any conversations with airlines.
 

Q When you say "notified" -- by the administration or by Department of Homeland Security?
 

MR. SNOW: By the administration. I'm not sure which -- my guess is Homeland Security may have done the notification. I honestly don't know who did.
 

Q Can I ask you about timing again -- not to keep harping on this, but yesterday when you talked about raising the white -- you know, saying the Democrats might want to raise the white flag --
 

MR. SNOW: This was not done in anticipation. It was not said with the knowledge that this was coming.
 

Q So the Vice President, when he did his incredibly rare conference call with reporters, also didn't know about it at the time?
 

MR. SNOW: I don't think so. You'll have to ask, but I can say from our point of view at that point we didn't.
 

Q Can you say anything about the possible al Qaeda connection?
 

MR. SNOW: No.
 

Q Can I ask on a different topic? Can you clarify the Karl Rove call to Joe Lieberman and what that was all about?
 

MR. SNOW: It was a personal call. Yes, as I sent you -- in fact, I may get Karl back here, if you're interested.
 

Q Yes.
 

MR. SNOW: It's probably best to let him describe, because he was in on the call. But this was not a call after the polls closed; it was not a political offer; it was not a political conversation. It was a personal conversation. And, you know, he's expressed some willingness to do it, so maybe I'll just grab him -- yank his tie and make him come back here.
 

Q That would be great.
 

MR. SNOW: Anything else before I go and try to dragoon the Deputy Chief of Staff.
 

Q Is there any -- the economy speech today, anything in particular we should look for?
 

MR. SNOW: No, just the President is going to talk about signs of strength in the economy and also the importance of keeping it strong.
 

Q Just a logistical question, is the statement that he's going to make prior to his economic statement -- will that be to tape, or we'll be able to do that live somehow?
 

MR. SNOW: You're talking above my level of technical competence.
 

MR. DECKARD: Live.
 

MR. SNOW: Live. It's not above Deckard's level of technical competence, however.
Okay, good.
 

END 9:43 A.M. CDT

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 10:33 AM | Permalink

Zurich / Basel, August 9, 2006, 08:00 AM

A global comparison of purchasing power in 71 cities around the world.
 

Four European cities and Tokyo most expensive - highest wages in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the US 
 ·  Oslo, London, Copenhagen, Zurich and Tokyo are the world’s most expensive cities.

·  With the highest net wages, Zurich and Geneva, followed by Dublin, Los Angeles and Luxembourg, lead the pack in purchasing power.

·  People in Asia work the longest hours – almost 50 days more per year than Western Europeans. 
 

·   Asian workers at least partially compensate for low purchasing power through longer working hours.

Oslo, London, Copenhagen, Zurich and Tokyo are the world’s most expensive cities in relation to a standardized basket of 122 goods and services. The UBS study "Prices and Earnings" shows that life is particularly expensive in London and New York if the cost of housing is included. The basket of goods and services costs the least in Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Delhi and Buenos Aires.

New York and Chicago drop back
Shifts in rankings are mostly the result of changes in foreign exchange rates. Compared to the 2003 edition of the UBS study"Prices and Earnings", New York and Chicago have dropped in the rankings, mostly due to the weaker dollar. Shanghai and Beijing, meanwhile, remain comparatively inexpensive despite an economic boom, because the national currency, the renminbi, has so far resisted pressures to appreciate.

Highest wages in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the US
In the cities of Western Europe and North America, workers in 14 representative professions earn a gross hourly wage averaging USD 18; in the Eastern European and Asian cities examined, the figure was only USD 4 to 5. The highest wages are paid in Copenhagen, Oslo, Zurich, Geneva, New York and London. In a comparison of net wages, the Scandinavian and German cities lose ground due to their high tax rates and social security payments. The shooting star in the international comparison of wages is English-speaking Europe, with Dublin and London new in the top ten.

35 minutes of work for a Big Mac
Wages only become meaningful in relation to prices, i.e., what can be bought with the money earned. A globally available product like a Big Mac can make the relationship between wages and prices much clearer. On a global average, 35 minutes of work buys a Big Mac. But the disparities are huge: In Nairobi, one and a half hours’ work is needed to buy the burger with the average net hourly wage there. In the US cities of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami, a maximum of 13 minutes' labor is needed. Although the comprehensive comparison of purchasing power and gross wages puts them at the top of the table, higher production costs mean that workers in Swiss and Scandinavian cities need 15 to 20 minutes for their Big Macs. After buying the study's basic basket of goods and services, earners in Zurich, Geneva, Dublin, Los Angeles and Luxembourg retain the highest portion of their net wages for discretionary spending like vacations, luxury items or savings.
Seoul has the highest, Paris the lowest working hours
Asian employees can at least partially compensate for low hourly wages through longer hours spent at work. With a mean annual working time of 2088 hours, people work longest in the Asian cities. Based on a 42-hour work week, Asian workers labor about 50 days a year more than their peers in Paris, where a working year is just 1480 hours, or Berlin, where a years' work equals 1610 hours.

An analysis of the historical data produced by the UBS Study of Prices and Earnings, shows that Europeans have reduced their working hours in the last 30 years in favor of more leisure time. Americans and Asians, on the other hand, have a higher regard for earned income, it seems. Wage levels and leisure time determine prosperity – but more leisure time leads to greater prosperity only when wages reach an adequate level.

The Americas: New York the most expensive, highest purchasing power in Los Angeles
A dollar earned in Los Angeles, after deducting taxes and social security contributions, is worth more than in Chicago, New York, Miami, Toronto and Montreal. Although the highest wages are paid in New York, it also has the highest cost of living anywhere in the Americas. Thanks to their much higher wages, after buying the basic basket of goods and services, workers in North American cities have far more left over for vacations, luxury items or savings than their counterparts in Latin America. The average purchasing power in Central and South America is just a third of the level in the North American cities.

The biggest upward jumps compared to the previous issue of “Prices and Earnings” were recorded by São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago de Chile. Economic growth and currency appreciation have reduced both the price and the wage gaps in relation to the North American cities. However, prices have risen more steeply than wages, so that the North-South divide in the distribution of purchasing power remains.

Asia Pacific: Large price and wage gaps
In no other region is the price spread between the most expensive and the cheapest city greater than in Asia. While Tokyo lands in fifth place among the world’s most expensive cities, the region is also home to the cities at the other end of scale, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur. Singapore and Taipei, as well as the two Pacific Rim cities Sydney and Auckland, occupy the midfield in the comparison of prices and wages. The highest wages in Asia are paid in Tokyo, although the Japanese capital has fallen seven places since UBS's last survey in 2003. The reasons for this are the devaluation of the yen against the euro and a deflationary price cycle that only ended recently. The highest level of purchasing power in Asia is enjoyed by workers in Tokyo, Taipei and Seoul. Sydney and Auckland have even made it into the top ten worldwide.

Europe: The internal market and the euro drive price convergence
Narrowing price differences for comparable goods and services are an important indicator of market integration. Based on historical price data, the newest UBS study of Prices and Earnings notes significant price convergence within the EU internal market. The creation of a common market and the launch of the euro as a common currency have contributed to reducing price differences. The mean relative price spread among the cities of the EU-15 in the survey has dropped by around a third since 1985. Having said that, the harmonization of price levels is not a linear process. Rather, it is subject to frequent bumps in the road to price parity. Market integration is furthest advanced in the Eurozone. The recent addition of ten new member states has again widened the spread of prices within the European Union.

Switzerland: No changes in high level of purchasing power
In the comparison of purchasing power, the Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva remain at the top. Public sector wages largely support this result, since, in contrast to many emerging countries where teachers and bus drivers earn far less than comparable professions in the private sector, these jobs are comparatively well paid in Switzerland (and in Scandinavia). In terms of prices, too, the Swiss cities are at the fore. Food prices in particular confirm the country’s image as a high-priced zone – only Tokyo is marginally pricier. Price differences between Geneva and Zurich are narrower for tradable goods than for services, which are some ten percent cheaper in Geneva.

Background
The “Prices and Earnings” survey, issued by UBS every three years, presents a global overview of the prices of goods and services, wages, wage deductions and working hours, and the resulting purchasing power in 71 cities on all continents. Information is based on a survey comprising more than 35,000 individual data points. Based on historical data, the survey’s analytical section examines long-term trends in price convergence in Europe and differing values attached to earned income versus leisure time, among other topics.

Source:  UBS, www.ubs.com

Posted by ladymountbatten at 11:04 PM | Permalink

"King Kong: Collectors Edition"(1933) climbed its way to top all entries winning Best of Show in the 9th Annual DVD Awards with Leonard Maltin last night in Universal City. 

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” led the way with three awards.  AIX Records was awarded three awards total. 

Leonard Maltin “The Most Watched Film Critic in America” hosted the DVD Awards ceremony.  His wife Alice was the lady in red with a smile proudly watching her husband during the evening.  He coordinated with a red tie.  Meeting him in person, he is much the persona you’ve become to know when watching him now in his 24^th season of Entertainment Tonight.  He greeted each person with a smile and warmness while he was available to meet and take pictures with attendees.   

The Criterion Collection was honored with the Leonard Maltin Award, now in its 3^rd year.  Considered the gold standard and honored for their lasting impact in the world of home video in their efforts to preserve film heritage, they began director’s commentaries and additional features which are now considered standard in today’s DVD offerings.  “King Kong” and “Citizen Kane” were The Criterion Collection’s first two titles.  

Steve March Torme, was only a few chairs next to me.  Joking with his musical director, I thought he must be very talented as he was nominated and hadn’t bought an entire table.  Talent must run in the family.  I later discovered he is the son of the legendary Mel Torme.  He was nominated and awarded for his Music Performance for “Steve March Torme: Torme Sings Torme” honoring his father.

Awards were selected by a blue-ribbon jury of technologists and journalists within the industry to honor creators and marketers of digital video recordings.

Winners per category are highlighted below.

PSP/UMD MOVIE
Award sponsored by SAVVIS Presented by Tom Moran, Savvis Communications
o    Da Ali G Show: Complete Second Season - HBO Video
o    Sin City - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    The DC Video - Scope Seven
o    Wedding Crashers - Scope Seven

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - AUTHORING DESIGN
o    Gungrave: Fully Loaded Collector's Set - Geneon Entertainment
o    Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records
o    Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlife
o    Ultimate Avengers - Lionsgate Home Entertainment

MAJOR RELEASE - AUTHORING DESIGN
o    Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
o    Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Lost: The Complete First Season - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Sound of Music: 40th Anniversary Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
o    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
o    The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - MENU DESIGN
o    Collective Soul: Home - Fogolabs/EI Music Records
o    Disney World Vacation Planning Kit - Nth Degree Design & Visual FX
o    Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records
o    Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlife
 

MAJOR RELEASE - MENU DESIGN
o    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - B 1 Media
o    Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Sin City (Recut, Extended, Unrated) - MiramaxiBuena Vista Home Entertainment/Drissi Multimedia
o    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
o    Toy Story: 10th Anniversary Edition - Gork Enterprises

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - AUDIO PRESENTATION
o    A High Resolution Music Experience - AIX Records
o    Bob Dylan: No Direction Home - Paramount Home Entertainment
o    Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis: Duo - Fogolabs/ Marsalis Music
o    Moonlight Acoustica - AIX Records
o    Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records
o    Vantage Point: Resolution - AIX Records
 

MAJOR RELEASE - AUDIO PRESENTATION
o    Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
o    Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
o    The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
 

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - VIDEO PRESENTATION
o    Collective Soul: Home - Fogolabs/EI Music Records
o    Gus Van Sant's Last Days - HBD Video
o    Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records
o    Vantage Point: Resolution - AIX Records
 

MAJOR RELEASE - VIDEO PRESENTATION
o    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video
o    Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    King Kong: Collector's Edition (1933) - Warner Home Video
o    Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
o    The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
 

ROM CONTENT (INDEPENDENT & MAJOR)
o    Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
o    Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Ultimate Avengers - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
 

INDEPENDENT THEATRICAL
o    Howl's Moving Castle - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Murderball - THINKFilm
o    The Aristocrats - THINKFilm
o    The Boys of Baraka - THINKFilm

MAJOR THEATRICAL NEW RELEASE
o    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video
o    Crash: Director's Cut - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
o    Jarhead - Universal Studios Home Entertainment
o    Memoirs of a Geisha - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
o    Walk the Line: Collector's Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
 

MAJOR THEATRICAL CATALOG RELEASE
o   Breakfast at Tiffany's: Anniversary Edition - Paramount Home Entertainment
o   King Kong: Collector's Edition (1933) - Warner Home Video
o   Sound of Music: 40th Anniversary Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
o   The Fly: Collector's Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
o   Toy Story: 10th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
 

THE LEONARD MALTIN AWARD - The Criterion Collection
 

DOCUMENTARY/EDUCATIONAL (INSTRUCTIONAL)
o    Grizzly Man - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
o    Little Einsteins: Our Huge Adventure - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Punk-Attitude - First Look Studios
o    Rize - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
o    Why Dance 7 - James E. Manning Inc.
 

MULTI-DISC COLLECTION
o    Cirque de Soleil: Anniversary Collection - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
o    LooneyTunes: Volume 3 - Warner Home Video
o    Ten Commandments: Special Collector's Edition ­Paramount Home Entertainment
o    The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection - New Line Home Entertainment
o   Titanic: Special Collector's Edition - Paramount Home Entertainment
 

MUSIC PERFORMANCE (ANTHOLOGY, PERFORMANCE, & DUALDISC)
o    A High Resolution Music Experience - AIX Records
o    Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Extravaganza ­Fogolabs/Surfdog Records
o    Neil Young: Heart of Gold - Paramount Home Entertainment
o    Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records
o    Steve March Torme: Torme Sings Torme - AIX Records
o    U2: Vertigo 2005/Live from Chicago - Solo Too
 

TELEVISION SPECIAL INTEREST
o    Extreme Makeover Home Edition: Season 1 - Buena
Vista Home Entertainment
o    Family Bonds - HBO Video
o    Ghost Hunters: First Season - Big Vision Entertainment
o    Jackass: The Box Set - MTV/Paramount Home Entertainment
o    Survivor: Pearl Islands - Paramount Home Entertainment 
 

TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT
o    Gunsmoke: 50th Anniversary Edition Volume One ­Paramount Home Entertainment
o    Lost: The Complete First Season - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    The Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary Collection - Paramount Home Entertainment
o    Seinfeld: Season 5 - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
o    Seinfeld: Season 6 - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
o    Sex and the City: The Complete Series - HBO Video

DIRECT TO DISC SPECIAL INTEREST
o    Basic Engine Building - BoxWrench Media
o    Disney World Vacation Planning Kit - Nth Degree Design & Visual FX
o    PEZ Universe - Left Coast Digital
 

DIRECT TO DISC ENTERTAINMENT
o    Bambi II - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
o    Bob Dylan: No Direction Home - Paramount Home Entertainment
o   Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story - Fox Home Entertainment·
o    Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
o    Irresistible - First Look Studios
o    Walt DisneyTreasures: Chronological Donald Duck­Buena Vista Home Entertainment
 

GAME PLAY DVD
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
o    Ice Age: Super Cool Edition - Gork Enterprises
o    Major League Baseball: Grand Slam Trivia - Snap TV Inc.
o    Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlite
o    Scene It? Squabble - Screenlite
o    Shout About Music - ODVD Games
o    Shrek: Totally Tangled Tales - TV/DVD Game - Scope Seven
o    Who Rules? The Game - The Cannery
 

BLOCKBUSTER THEATRICAL
o    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
o    King Kong: Special Edition (2005) - Universal Studios Home Entertainment
o    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
o   The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
 

BEST OF SHOW
(All nominated titles are eligible for this category, conferred by the judges)
King Kong:  Collector’s Edition (1933) – Warner Home Video
 
Award sponsored by DaTARIUS
Presented by James Steynor. DaTARIUS Group

http://www.leonardmaltin.com/

http://www.criterionco.com/

http://stevemarchtorme.com/

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 09:24 PM | Permalink

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EMX_DVD_Awards

“King Kong” Climbs its Way to the Top of Leonard Maltin’s DVD Awards

“King Kong: Collectors Edition” (1933) climbed its way to top all entries winning Best of Show in the 9^th Annual DVD Awards with Leonard Maltin earlier this evening.

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” led the way with three awards. AIX Records was awarded three awards total. 

Leonard Maltin “The Most Watched Film Critic in America” hosted the DVD Awards ceremony. His wife Alice was the lady in red with a smile proudly watching her husband during the evening. He coordinated with a red tie.  Meeting him in person, he is much the persona you’ve become to know when watching him now in his 24^th season of Entertainment Tonight. He greeted each person with a smile and warmness while he was available to meet and take pictures with attendees.

The Criterion Collection was honored with the Leonard Maltin Award, now in its 3^rd year. Considered the gold standard and honored for their lasting impact in the world of home video in their efforts to preserve film heritage, they began director’s commentaries and additional features which are now considered standard in today’s DVD offerings.  “King Kong” and “Citizen Kane” were The Criterion Collection’s first two titles.

Steve March Torme, was only a few chairs next to me. Joking with his musical director, I thought he must be very talented as he was nominated and hadn’t bought an entire table. Talent must run in the family. I later discovered he is the son of the legendary Mel Torme. He was nominated and awarded for his Music Performance for “Steve March Torme: Torme Sings Torme” honoring his father.

Awards were selected by a blue-ribbon jury of technologists and journalists within the industry to honor creators and marketers of digital video recordings.

Winners per category are highlighted below.

PSP/UMD MOVIE

Award sponsored by SAVVIS Presented by Tom Moran, Savvis Communications

• Da Ali G Show: Complete Second Season - HBO Video
• Sin City - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• The DC Video - Scope Seven
• Wedding Crashers - Scope Seven

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - AUTHORING DESIGN

• Gungrave: Fully Loaded Collector's Set - Geneon Entertainment
• Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records

• Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlife

• Ultimate Avengers - Lionsgate Home Entertainment

MAJOR RELEASE - AUTHORING DESIGN

• Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video

• Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Lost: The Complete First Season - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Sound of Music: 40th Anniversary Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
• Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - MENU DESIGN

• Collective Soul: Home - Fogolabs/EI Music Records
• Disney World Vacation Planning Kit - Nth Degree Design & Visual FX

• Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records

• Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlife

MAJOR RELEASE - MENU DESIGN

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - B 1 Media
• Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Sin City (Recut, Extended, Unrated) - MiramaxiBuena Vista Home Entertainment/Drissi Multimedia
• Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
• Toy Story: 10th Anniversary Edition - Gork Enterprises

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - AUDIO PRESENTATION

• A High Resolution Music Experience - AIX Records

• Bob Dylan: No Direction Home - Paramount Home Entertainment

• Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis: Duo - Fogolabs/ Marsalis Music
• Moonlight Acoustica - AIX Records

• Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records

• Vantage Point: Resolution - AIX Records

MAJOR RELEASE - AUDIO PRESENTATION

• Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video

• Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

INDEPENDENT RELEASE - VIDEO PRESENTATION

• Collective Soul: Home - Fogolabs/EI Music Records
• Gus Van Sant's Last Days - HBD Video

• Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records

• Vantage Point: Resolution - AIX Records

MAJOR RELEASE - VIDEO PRESENTATION

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video

• Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• King Kong: Collector's Edition (1933) - Warner Home Video

• Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

ROM CONTENT (INDEPENDENT & MAJOR)

• Cinderella: Platinum Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video

• Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Ultimate Avengers - Lionsgate Home Entertainment

INDEPENDENT THEATRICAL

• Howl's Moving Castle - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• Murderball - THINKFilm
• The Aristocrats - THINKFilm
• The Boys of Baraka - THINKFilm

Sf\

MAJOR THEATRICAL NEW RELEASE

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Warner Home Video
• Crash: Director's Cut - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
• Jarhead - Universal Studios Home Entertainment

• Memoirs of a Geisha - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

• Walk the Line: Collector's Edition - Fox Home Entertainment

MAJOR THEATRICAL CATALOG RELEASE

• Breakfast at Tiffany's: Anniversary Edition - Paramount Home Entertainment

• King Kong: Collector's Edition (1933) - Warner Home Video

• Sound of Music: 40th Anniversary Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
• The Fly: Collector's Edition - Fox Home Entertainment
• Toy Story: 10th Anniversary Edition - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

THE LEONARD MALTIN AWARD The Criterion Collection

DOCUMENTARY/EDUCATIONAL (INSTRUCTIONAL)

• Grizzly Man - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
• Little Einsteins: Our Huge Adventure - Buena Vista Home

Entertainment

• Punk-Attitude - First Look Studios
• Rize - Lionsgate Home Entertainment
• Why Dance 7 - James E. Manning Inc.

MULTI-DISC COLLECTION

• Cirque de Soleil: Anniversary Collection - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• LooneyTunes: Volume 3 - Warner Home Video

• Ten Commandments: Special Collector's Edition Paramount Home Entertainment

• The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection - New Line Home Entertainment
• Titanic: Special Collector's Edition - Paramount Home Entertainment

MUSIC PERFORMANCE (ANTHOLOGY, PERFORMANCE, & DUALDISC)

• A High Resolution Music Experience - AIX Records

• Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Extravaganza Fogolabs/Surfdog Records

• Neil Young: Heart of Gold - Paramount Home Entertainment

• Rush: R30 - 30th Anniversary World Tour - Fogolabs/ Anthem Records

• Steve March Torme: Torme Sings Torme - AIX Records
• U2: Vertigo 2005/Live from Chicago - Solo Too

TELEVISION SPECIAL INTEREST

• Extreme Makeover Home Edition: Season 1 - Buena

Vista Home Entertainment

• Family Bonds - HBO Video
• Ghost Hunters: First Season - Big Vision Entertainment

• Jackass: The Box Set - MTV/Paramount Home Entertainment

• Survivor: Pearl Islands - Paramount Home Entertainment

TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT

• Gunsmoke: 50th Anniversary Edition Volume One Paramount Home Entertainment
• Lost: The Complete First Season - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• The Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary Collection

- Paramount Home Entertainment

• Seinfeld: Season 5 - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Seinfeld: Season 6 - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Sex and the City: The Complete Series - HBO Video

DIRECT TO DISC SPECIAL INTEREST

• Basic Engine Building - BoxWrench Media
• Disney World Vacation Planning Kit - Nth Degree Design & Visual FX
• PEZ Universe - Left Coast Digital

DIRECT TO DISC ENTERTAINMENT

• Bambi II - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

• Bob Dylan: No Direction Home - Paramount Home Entertainment

• Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story - Fox Home Entertainment·
• Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Irresistible - First Look Studios

• Walt DisneyTreasures: Chronological Donald DuckBuena Vista Home Entertainment

GAME PLAY DVD

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video
• Ice Age: Super Cool Edition - Gork Enterprises
• Major League Baseball: Grand Slam Trivia - Snap TV Inc.
• Scene It? Friends Edition - Screenlite
• Scene It? Squabble - Screenlite
• Shout About Music - ODVD Games

• Shrek: Totally Tangled Tales - TV/DVD Game - Scope Seven

• Who Rules? The Game - The Cannery

BLOCKBUSTER THEATRICAL

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Warner Home Video

• King Kong: Special Edition (2005) - Universal Studios Home Entertainment

• Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - Fox Home Entertainment
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Buena Vista Home Entertainment

BEST OF SHOW

(All nominated titles are eligible for this category, conferred by the judges)

King Kong: Collector’s Edition (1933) – Warner Home Video

 

Award sponsored by DaTARIUS

Presented by James Steynor. DaTARIUS Group

http://www.leonardmaltin.com/

http://www.criterionco.com/

http://stevemarchtorme.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the archives

http://montebubbles.net/blog1/2006/07

July2

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/07/

July

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/06/

June

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/05/

May

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/04/

April

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/03/

March

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/02/

February

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2006/01/

January

http://montebubbles.net/blog/2005/12/

December

 

 

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	Bob Dylan Pre-Order Music icon Bob Dylan is back and set to hit the road with his latest release Modern Times. The new album comes with four exclusive live performance videos and when you pre-order, you'll get the music video for "Jokerman" when the album is released on August 29. Pre-order now and you'll be eligible to purchase up to four concert tickets for Dylan's fall tour before they go on sale to the general public.   Check It Out

	Song and Video - Together for Less With this special offer, get both components of the music you love (audio and video) with just one click. Browse our collection of hit songs like AFI's "Miss Murder," the Raconteurs' "Steady, As She Goes," and Cherish's "Do It To It," and get both the track and the corresponding video together for just $1.99.   Check It Out

	Gnarls Barkley Revealed With each edition of Revealed, we take you through an artist's album, track by track. The album under our musical microscope this week: the hip-hop, pop, rock, and whatever-else-you-can-think-of debut of Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere.   Check It Out

	Single of the Week The Feeling is a five-piece band from London that find their inspiration in big, orchestral rock somewhere between 10cc and Todd Rundgren. Their infectious, hypnotic ballad "Sewn" is our free Single of the Week.   Check It Out

 

 

MTVN Hit Programs Also Available Now for Download-To-Own on Google
Video

- Google Inc.
(NASDAQ: GOOG) and MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B),
are collaborating to test an innovative video distribution model that
will serve consumers, web publishers and advertisers. Google will
distribute ad-supported content from MTV Networks to targeted website
publishers, allowing publishers to showcase clips from premium
programming like Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and MTV's Laguna
Beach to enhance the content on their websites.  As the
first-of-its-kind offering from both companies, this new model will
provide users with new ways to experience content and create targeted
marketing vehicles for advertisers.  It will also serve to promote
programming that is available via cable, satellite and other
distribution platforms carrying MTVN's on-air channels.  The
companies expect to be testing the model later this month.

This venture marks the first time integrated video programming and
advertising will be made available directly to Google's extensive
AdSense network, which delivers targeted text and image ads to its
network of websites and blogs. This also represents the first time
clips from MTV Networks' kids and family, music and entertainment
programming will be available to consumers widely across the Web on an
ad-supported basis on sites outside MTVN's proprietary sites.

"Collaborating with Google gives us a terrific opportunity to take
our content and distribute it even more widely on the web in a seamless
and targeted way," said Tom Freston, President and CEO, Viacom.
"This deal fits in perfectly with our strategy to deliver the best
content to our audiences - wherever they are.  We're very happy to
be working with Google, a true innovator in content distribution."

"We're excited to work with MTV Networks on new ways of
distributing its content to consumers via the Internet and on Google
Video," said Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO. "With the combination of
our video technology, and extensive advertiser and publisher network,
Google is in a leading position to help content owners, web publishers
and advertisers generate interest and increase revenue
opportunities."

MTVN programming that initially will be distributed via Google Video
and targeted publishers includes clips from:
· MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real OC" - video clips detailing major
plotlines from the hit show's third season, which premieres on
television August 14.
· MTV Video Music Awards - promotional clips from this year's VMAs,
airing Aug. 31, memorable highlights from past VMAs, and exclusive
clips from the upcoming "Scandalicious Show" previewing this year's
VMAs.
· Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants" - Your Brain on SpongeBob,
taken from the hugely popular animated series.
"We are content people who make great creative product for all
platforms," said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks.
"Our brands are great navigation tools for our audiences, and this
deal with Google will enable us to follow and lead them to new
places."

"We welcome the opportunity to work with great content providers like
MTV Networks to explore additional forms of distribution for online
video," said David Eun, Google's vice president of content
partnerships.  "MTV Networks offers a perfect blend of content that
is interesting, exciting and relevant to web publishers, advertisers
and users alike.  We look forward to the results of this relationship,
and the impact it will have on these audiences."

MTVN Hit Programs Also Available Now for Download-To-Own on Google
Video:
This new distribution model is just one of two significant
relationships announced today between Google and MTV Networks.  The
companies also announced that MTV Networks' hit programs will now be
available for download through Google Video, for $1.99 per episode.
With more content from across MTVN's entire hit portfolio to be
added, the initial offering includes full-length episodes from:
Comedy Central:
"Chappelle's Show": Comedian Dave Chappelle's series that
provides a comedic and sometimes defiant look at American culture;
"South Park", celebrating its 10th hit season, features the
animated misadventures of four eight-year-old boys whose everyday lives
regularly intersect with world events.

MTV:
Beavis & Butthead: The Mike Judge Collection, Vol. 1", jam-packed
with 40 episodes, including special director's cut episodes, an
exclusive featurette, and those ever-popular music videos with classic
Beavis and Butt-Head commentary;  "Laguna Beach", reality series
that follows the lives of privileged teens as they deal with the high
school politics of hookups, breakups, love triangles and popular
cliques;  "Gauntlet 2", features Real World and Road Rules alumni
in teams that are divided into "Rookies" versus "Veterans" as
they face off and compete for cash and prizes;  "My Super Sweet
Sixteen",  MTV's News & Docs  series that documents coming-of-age
celebrations and follows teens - and their parents - as they prepare
for one of the biggest nights of their lives;   "Jackass", hosted
by Johnny Knoxville, this series features absurd pranks and ridiculous
stunts performed by a bumbling cast of trained professionals; and
"Punked", the show features Ashton Kutcher and his team of
co-conspirators pulling off elaborate pranks on his celebrity friends.

MTV2:
"WonderShowzen", an absurd, smart and hilariously brilliant
comedy/variety show that spoofs children's television to create an
entirely unique adult comedy.

Nickelodeon:
"Avatar: The Last Airbender", the epic, action-filled journey of a
12-year-old boy torn between fulfilling his fate as the long-awaited
Avatar and just wanting to be a regular kid.  "SpongeBob
SquarePants", chronicling the nautical and sometimes nonsensical
adventures of SpongeBob, an incurably optimistic and earnest sea
sponge, and his undersea friends;  "Zoey 101",  a live-action
series starring Jamie Lynn Spears as 13-year-old Zoey Brooks, a winsome
leader whose independent nature is put to the test at the newly co-ed
Pacific Coast Academy; "The Fairly OddParents", an animated series
that follows 10-year-old Timmy Turner as his two fairy godparents,
Cosmo and Wanda, appear unexpectedly on the scene; and "Dora The
Explorer", a play-along, animated adventure series starring a
seven-year-old Latina heroine.

The N:
"Beyond the Break", a drama series about the competitive world of
surfing, where four women pursue their dreams of becoming professional
surfers;  "South of Nowhere", the dramatic series about the five
members of the Carlin family and their multi-faceted journey of
identity and self-discovery; and  "O'Grady", an animated series
about four self-centered high school students dealing with the
"weirdness," an inexplicable, phenomena that afflicts their town.

About MTV Networks:
MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer
products businesses and its interactive properties worldwide, including
Neopets, Xfire, IFILM, GameTrailers.com, and online, broadband,
wireless and interactive television services.  MTV Networks also has
licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all
of its programming services can be seen worldwide.  The Company's web
properties recorded more than 175 million video streams in June, a
triple-digit increase over the same period last year.  Within one year,
the Company has launched 24 broadband channels globally, including MTV
Overdrive, mtvU's Uber, TurboNick, VH1's VSpot and Comedy
Central's Motherload.  All feature dynamic original content and are
expected to stream more than 1 billion videos by year's end.
Further, viewing of MTVN's on-air channels accounts for over 25% of
all time spent watching cable television, with such valuable brands as
Nickelodeon which is now enjoying its 11th year as the top- rated cable
network.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
platforms.  MTV Networks, with more than 120 channels worldwide, owns
and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC
TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL,
TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL
and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital
services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks.

About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people
around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by
Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a
top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted
advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable
results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google
is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the
Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

 

 

 

HEE HAW RELEASES NEW DELUXE DVD BOX SET

A SALUTE TO HEE HAW - THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION

 

IN STORES SEPTEMBER 12

 

Collection Offers More Than 40 Musical Performances By

Hank Williams, Jr., Loretta Lynn,

Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker, Merle Haggard,

Conway Twitty, Ray Charles

And Many More!

 

 

 

 One of the most beloved series on American television will be commemorated in a five-DVD box set this fall as A Salute To HEE HAW - The Collector's Edition hits stores on September 12^th (via Time Life in association with Gaylord Entertainment).   The collection, released just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season, is dominated by a who's who of country music from the 1960s and ‘70s.  Over 40 performances by such icons as co-hosts Buck Owens and Roy Clark, Hank Williams, Jr., Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty and even Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis remind viewers what an important role HEE HAW played in bringing country music into millions of homes.  Also exclusive to the set is brand new interview footage shot specifically for Time Life and peppered with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and wistful memories of Buck Owens, who died earlier this year.  Time Life has previously released single DVDs from the series which have gone on to sell over a million copies, but A Salute To HEE HAW  is the first box set to ever be assembled and is filled with episodes that have never been available via retail outlets before. 

     

     Comprised of eight different episodes, A Salute to HEE HAW -The Collector's Edition contains a total of eight hours of programming.  The five DVD package also includes a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of original cast members, videotaped in Nashville earlier this year specifically for the collection.  "We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to reunite members of the HEE HAW cast once more to share their experiences and reminisce about one of the most adored shows in the history of television," said Jeffrey Peisch head of Time Life's Video Division. Roy Clark, Roni Stoneman, Jim & John Hager, Lulu Roman, George Yanok and George "Goober" Lindsey speak candidly and emotionally about the time they spent together on the series. They reflect on the camaraderie and speak lovingly about fellow departed cast members including Grandpa Jones, Minnie Pearl and Buck Owens. And they answer one of the lingering questions about HEE HAW: No, Junior Samples wasn't acting.  A Salute to HEE HAW-The Collector's Edition is packaged in a unique collector's box featuring many exclusive photos, along with "high school yearbook-style" notes handwritten by HEE HAW cast members.

     

    Among other highlights, Dottie West performs "Silver Threads and Golden Needles"; Hank Williams, Jr. with "I'd Rather Be Gone"; Tanya Tucker singing her smash crossover hit "Delta Dawn," and Conway Twitty crooning "I Love You More Today."   One of the most special moments captured in the set is the historic appearance by Ray Charles on HEE HAW.  A long-time fan of country music, Ray Charles relished his appearance on the program.  He not only sang a soulful version of "Crying Time" (as a duet with Buck Owens), but also insisted on performing in the comedy segments.  It's priceless material for fans of Ray Charles, country music lovers and for devotees of classic television.

     

    HEE HAW was unlike anything else on television and created a timeless formula focused on rural, old-fashioned settings and Southern wit.  But the undeniable highlight of HEE HAW was the musical performances that filled each episode, not only by co-hosts Buck Owens and Roy Clark, but an impressive list of country music superstars and singers on the rise.  The new box set reflects the incredible legacy of country music that HEE HAW supported throughout its run, with an extraordinary list of musical guests whose performances ranged from classic to contemporary country and from gospel to bluegrass.

     

    HEE HAW, which ran from 1969-1992, began as a summer replacement on CBS and continued for over 20 years. The show's overwhelming popularity and its catch phrase "Hee, Haw" earned it a place in the pantheon of American culture which endures to this day.  And just this summer, the series returned to television on country music cable network, CMT. 

   

About Time Life Inc.

Headquartered in Fairfax VA, Time Life Inc. was founded in 1961 as a direct marketing company specializing in music and books.  It has since grown to become one of the world's largest direct marketers of audio and video products, selling more than 13 million units each year throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is the largest advertiser of music products in Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom.  Time-Life set the standard in the direct response industry by pioneering direct marketing techniques, building one of the most trusted and recognized brands in commerce.  The company now also sells their products through major traditional and non-traditional retailers around the world as well as via the Internet. Time Life is a registered trademark of Time Warner Inc. used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc.

 

About Gaylord Entertainment
Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates three industry-leading brands - Gaylord Hotels (www.gaylordhotels.com), its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts, ResortQuest (www.resortquest.com), the nation's largest vacation rental property management company, and the Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com), the weekly showcase of country music's finest performers for 80 consecutive years. The company also owns Gaylord Program Services, Inc., owner of all rights and trademarks for HEE HAW, America's all-time favorite country music and comedy television series. The company's other entertainment brands and properties include Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Springhouse Links, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM. For more information about the company, visit http://www.gaylordentertainment.com/.

 

Posted by ladymountbatten at 04:41 PM | Permalink

 

Grammy Award Winner and Oscar Nominee Andy Garcia performed live with his band, The CineSon All Stars in celebration the eve of the release of his film The Lost City today at the Virgin Megastore at Hollywood and Highland next to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Arriving and appearing as if he just walked off the set of Ocean’s Thirteen, he hugged each of his six band members as if they were family. The room was full of fans eagerly awaiting to hear him play with his band as they pushed their way towards the stage with cell phones and cameras in hand and the flash of bulbs.

 

Garcia’s band, The CineSon All Stars, accompanied him to celebrate the release of his film The Lost City with co-stars Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Garcia directed, starred and penned the music immersing one in the pulse and unique rhythm of 1950s Havana. The CineSon All Stars band accompanying Garcia consists of a rhythm section including conga drums, percussion, piano, bongo, bass, flute and a singer.

 

Garcia smiled with a grin of a musician in his own world feeling the music, being one with his music…everyone was happy.

Production:

The Lost City was shot in 35 days in the Dominican Republic, at a cost of US$9.5 million.

Actress Millie Perkins, who plays Andy Garcia's mother in The Lost City, began her film career auspiciously with the lead role in George Stevens's 1959 film version of The Diary of Anne Frank. (Audrey Hepburn had been the initial choice for the role.)

 

Background:

Andy Garcia's father was a lawyer and avocado farmer. (It's as if he is represented in The Lost City by Tomas Milian's and Richard Bradford's characters.) He fled Cuba with his family after the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, settling in the Miami Beach area.

The Lost City screenplay has some elements in common with G. Cabrera Infante's novel Tres Tristes Tigres / Three Trapped Tigers, published in 1964. Set in 1958, the stylistically challenging novel depicts the lives of several young Havana denizens, with particular emphasis on that city's night life.

Garcia's character, Fico Fellove, was inspired by Tropicana owner Martin Fox, who had to flee Cuba after his casino-nightclub was closed down by the Castro regime. He died of a stroke in the mid-1960s.

The memoirs of Fox's widow, Cuban-born Ofelia Suarez, was published in fall 2005. Co-written with Rosa Lowinger, the book is called Tropicana Nights, The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub. The Fox widow died in Burbank, Calif., in January 2006.

This report from the U.S. Treasury Bureau of Narcotics indicates that the owners of the Tropicana (and those of other Havana nightclubs) may have been involved in more than just gambling and mambo dancing.

 

Interviews:

"The film is about impossible love. Having to leave the thing you most cherish. The country, the city, the woman. The tragedy of exile. That's true for all exile experiences. It's a universal theme. You have that profound nostalgia for the old country." Andy Garcia, as quoted in Newsday.

In an interview for the Los Angeles Daily News, Andy Garcia claimed that there have been festivals that refused to show The Lost City for political reasons. "And that will continue to happen," Garcia added, "from people who don't want to see the image of Che be tarnished and from people who support the Castro regime."

 

Screenwriter G. Cabrera Infante

Novelist and film critic Guillermo Cabrera Infante, whose parents were founding members of the Cuban Communist Party (and who were jailed in 1936), initially supported Fidel Castro's revolution and even served as a government cultural representative during Castro's regime.

Cabrera was born in Gibara in 1929, moving with his family to Havana in 1941. He founded the Cuban Cinematheque, presiding it from 1951 to 1956. In 1952, he was temporarily jailed by Fulgencio Batista's regime for publishing a short story containing profanities.

After the revolution, Cabrera's support for Castro dwindled when Lunes, the writer's literary supplement for the magazine Revolución, was shut down in 1961. Four years later, Cabrera went into exile in England. From then on, he became an outspoken critic of Castro's policies.

In 1997, he was awarded the Premio Cervantes, the most important literary prize in the Spanish language.

Cabrera also wrote a handful of screenplays, including Vanishing Point (1971), Wonderland (1973), and the unproduced adaptation of Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano. (The screenplay for John Huston's 1984 film version of Lowry's novel was written by Guy Gallo.)

Bill Murray's unnamed writer is apparently a stand-in for Cabrera in The Lost City.

An homage to G. Cabrera Infante

 

Review Snippets:

"On and off drawing boards for nearly two decades, this longtime dream project for Garcia and late novelist-critic Guillermo Cabrera Infante (who died in February) emerges as a handsomely produced, deeply passionate, but seriously flawed historical epic whose reach far exceeds its grasp." Scott Foundas, Variety

"Garcia paints Cuba with hoary clichés, starting the film with the image of some trumpeter blowing his Afro-Cuban song under some ungodly atmospheric building. Certain Cuban signifiers are casually pinpointed—cups of espresso, a roasted pig, a box of cigars, and a plateful of tostones—but never really worked into the fiber of the film in a particularly elegant or meaningful fashion (see Bitter Sugar for that)." Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine

Official Site

 

 

 

 

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Andy Garcia	....	Fico Fellove
	Inés Sastre	....	Aurora Fellove
	Tomas Milian	....	Don Federico Fellove
	Richard Bradford	....	Don Donoso Fellove
	Nestor Carbonell	....	Luis Fellove
	Enrique Murciano	....	Ricardo Fellove
	Dominik García-Lorido	....	Mercedes Fellove
	Dustin Hoffman	....	Meyer Lansky
	Bill Murray	....	The Writer
	Lorena Feijóo	....	Leonela
	Steven Bauer	....	Captain Castel
	Juan Fernández	....	President Fulgencio Batista
	Jsu Garcia	....	Ernesto "Che" Guevarra
	William Marquez	....	Rodney
	Julio Oscar Mechoso	....	Colonel Candela

MPAA: Rated R for violence.
Runtime: 143 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Certification: Brazil:14 / USA:R 

 

1. Ocean's Thirteen (2007) (filming) .... Terry Benedict
2. Smokin' Aces (2007) (post-production) .... Stanley Locke
3. The Air I Breathe (2006) (post-production) .... Fingers
   
   
4. "George Lopez"
       - George Doesn't Trustee Angie's Brother (2006) TV Episode .... Ray
5. The Lost City (2005) .... Fico Fellove
6. "Kurtlar vadisi"
   ... aka Valley of Wolves (literal English title)
       - Episode #4.96 (2005) TV Episode .... Amon
       - Episode #4.97 (2005) TV Episode .... Amon
7. Ocean's Twelve (2004) .... Terry Benedict
8. Modigliani (2004) .... Amedeo Modigliani
9. The Lazarus Child (2004) .... Jack Heywood
10. Twisted (2004/I) .... Mike Delmarco
11. Clefs de bagnole, Les (2003) (uncredited) .... Un comédien qui refuse de tourner avec Laurent (DVD bonus material)
    ... aka The Car Keys (International: English title)
12. Confidence (2003) .... Gunther Butan
    ... aka Confidence: After Dark (UK)
    ... aka En toute confiance (Canada: French title)
13. "Will & Grace"
        - Field of Queens (2003) TV Episode .... Milo
14. Just Like Mona (2003)
15. "Frasier"
        - Bully for Martin (2001) TV Episode (voice) .... Terrance
16. Ocean's Eleven (2001) .... Terry Benedict
    ... aka 11 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
    ... aka O11 (USA: informal short title)
17. The Man from Elysian Fields (2001) .... Byron
18. The Unsaid (2001) .... Michael Hunter
    ... aka The Ties That Bind (USA)
19. For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000) (TV) .... Arturo Sandoval
    ... aka The Arturo Sandoval Story (USA)
20. Lakeboat (2000) .... Guigliani
    
    
21. Swing Vote (1999) (TV) .... Joseph Michael Kirkland
    ... aka The Ninth Justice (Australia: video title)
22. Just the Ticket (1999/I) .... Gary Starke
    ... aka Gary & Linda (France)
23. Desperate Measures (1998) .... Frank Conner
24. Hoodlum (1997) .... Lucky Luciano
25. The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997) .... Federico García Lorca
    ... aka Death in Granada (USA)
    ... aka Desaparición de García Lorca, La (USA: Spanish title)
    ... aka Lorca
    ... aka Muerte en Granada (Spain)
26. Night Falls on Manhattan (1997) .... Sean Casey
27. Steal Big Steal Little (1995) .... Ruben Partida Martinez/Robert Martin/Narrator
28. Dangerous Minds (1995) (scenes deleted)
29. Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) .... Jimmy 'The Saint' Tosnia
30. When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) .... Michael Green
    ... aka To Have and to Hold
31. Jennifer Eight (1992) .... Sgt. John Berlin
    ... aka Jennifer 8 (USA: video box title)
32. Hero (1992/I) .... John Bubber
    ... aka Accidental Hero
33. The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 (1992) (V) .... Vincent Mancini
    ... aka The Godfather Saga (USA)
    ... aka The Godfather Trilogy
34. Dead Again (1991) .... Gray Baker
35. The Godfather: Part III (1990) .... Don Vincent 'Vinnie' Mancini-Corleone
    ... aka Mario Puzo's The Godfather: Part III (USA: complete title)
36. A Show of Force (1990) .... Luis Angel Mora
37. Internal Affairs (1990) .... Raymond Avilla
    
    
38. Black Rain (1989/I) .... Det. Charlie Vincent
39. Clinton and Nadine (1988) (TV) .... Clinton Dillard
    ... aka Blood Money: The Story of Clinton and Nadine
40. American Roulette (1988) .... Carlos Quintas
41. Stand and Deliver (1988) .... Dr. Ramirez (Educational Testing Service)
42. The Untouchables (1987) .... Agent George Stone/Giuseppe Petri
43. 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) .... Angel Moldonado
44. "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"
        - Breakdown (1985) TV Episode .... Alejandro
45. The Mean Season (1985) .... Ray Martinez
46. The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1984) (TV) .... 1st White Tough
47. "Hill Street Blues"
        - Hair Apparent (1984) TV Episode .... Ernesto
        - Hill Street Station (1981) TV Episode (as Andy Arthur) .... Street Kid
48. The Lonely Guy (1984) (uncredited)
49. "Brothers"
        - Christmas Episode (????) TV Episode .... Jose
50. A Night in Heaven (1983) .... T.J. The Bartender
51. Guaguasi (1983) .... Ricardo
52. "For Love and Honor"
        - For Love and Honor (Pilot) (1983) TV Episode .... Medic
53. Blue Skies Again (1983) .... Ken
    
    
54. "Archie Bunker's Place"
        - Building the Restaurant (1979) TV Episode .... Manuel
55. "¿Qué pasa, U.S.A.?"
        - Here Comes the Bride (1978) TV Episode .... Carmen's Boyfriend
    
    

 

Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Director, Miscellaneous Crew, Composer, Self, Archive Footage

Producer - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)

1. The Lost City (2005) (executive producer)
2. Modigliani (2004) (executive producer)
3. The Man from Elysian Fields (2001) (producer)
4. The Unsaid (2001) (executive producer)
   ... aka The Ties That Bind (USA)
5. For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000) (TV) (executive producer)
   ... aka The Arturo Sandoval Story (USA)
   
   
6. Swing Vote (1999) (TV) (co-executive producer)
   ... aka The Ninth Justice (Australia: video title)
7. Just the Ticket (1999/I) (producer)
   ... aka Gary & Linda (France)
8. Cachao... Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos (1993) (producer)
   ... aka Cachao... Like His Rhythm There Is No Other
   
   

 

Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Director, Miscellaneous Crew, Composer, Self, Archive Footage

Director - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)

1. The Lost City (2005)
2. Nuestra Navidad 2003 (2003) (TV) (segment director)
3. ¡Ahora sí! (2003) (V)
   
   
4. Cachao... Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos (1993)
   ... aka Cachao... Like His Rhythm There Is No Other
   
   

 

Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Director, Miscellaneous Crew, Composer, Self, Archive Footage

Miscellaneous Crew - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)

1. The Inspectors: Clues to the Crime (2004) (V) (special thanks)
   
   
2. The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997) (singer: "Garcia Lorca Suite", "We Will Remember You (Te recorderamos) ", "Samarra" and "Rumba a Lorca")
   ... aka Death in Granada (USA)
   ... aka Desaparición de García Lorca, La (USA: Spanish title)
   ... aka Lorca
   ... aka Muerte en Granada (Spain)
   
   

 

Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Director, Miscellaneous Crew, Composer, Self, Archive Footage

Composer - filmography

1. The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997) (songs "Garcia Lorca Suite", "We Will Remember You (Te recorderamos)", "Samarra" and "Rumba a Lorca")
   ... aka Death in Granada (USA)
   ... aka Desaparición de García Lorca, La (USA: Spanish title)
   ... aka Lorca
   ... aka Muerte en Granada (Spain)
   
   

 

Filmography as: Actor, Producer, Director, Miscellaneous Crew, Composer, Self, Archive Footage

Self - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) (1980s)

1. Celia: The Queen (2007) (post-production) .... Himself
   
   
2. AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Sean Connery (2006) (TV) .... Himself
3. "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"
       - Episode dated 28 April 2006 (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
       - Episode dated 27 April 2006 (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
       - Episode #2.131 (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
4. Sacred Waters (2006) .... Himself
5. "The Hollywood Greats"
   ... aka Hollywood Greats (USA: new title)
       - Marlon Brando (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
       - Jack Lemmon (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
6. Class Act (2006) .... Himself
7. "Magacine"
       - Episode dated 28 October 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Himself
8. "All-Star Cup 2005" (2005) TV Series .... Himself
9. "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
       - Episode dated 11 May 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Himself
10. Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope (2005) (TV) .... Himself
11. The 10th Annual Critics' Choice Awards (2005) (TV) .... Himself - winner
12. "Dennis Miller"
        - Episode dated 14 December 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
13. "The View"
        - Episode dated 6 December 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 25 February 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
14. "HBO First Look"
        - The Making of 'Ocean's Twelve' (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
        - The Making of 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
15. "Tout le monde en parle"
        - Episode dated 25 September 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
16. "Grand journal de Canal+, Le"
        - Episode dated 20 September 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
17. Creating a Twisted Web of Intrigue (2004) (V) .... Himself
18. "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"
        - Episode dated 25 February 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 19 February 1999 (1999) TV Episode .... Himself
19. "Tinseltown TV"
        - Episode dated 7 February 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
20. San Francisco: Scene of the Crime (2004) (V) .... Himself
21. "Biography"
        - Kevin Costner (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
22. "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn"
    ... aka The Late Late Show (USA: short title)
        - Episode dated 7 November 2002 (2002) TV Episode .... Himself
23. "Festival Pass with Chris Gore" (2002) TV Series .... Himself
24. 2002 MTV Movie Awards (2002) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself
25. 'Ocean's Eleven': The Look of the Con (2002) (V) .... Himself
26. I Love Lucy's 50th Anniversary Special (2001) (TV) .... Himself
27. America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001) (TV) .... Himself
28. A Galaxy Far, Far Away (2001) .... Himself
29. The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards (2001) (TV) .... Himself (presenter)
    ... aka 2001 Grammy Awards (New Zealand: English title: cut version)
30. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show"
        - Episode dated 17 November 2000 (2000) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 18 February 1999 (1999) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 3 February 1998 (1998) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 14 May 1997 (1997) TV Episode .... Himself
31. 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2000) (TV) (uncredited) .... Presenter
32. "Inside the Actors Studio"
        - Episode #6.8 (2000) TV Episode .... Himself
    
    
33. The 71st Annual Academy Awards (1999) (TV) .... Himself - Co-presenter: Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score Award
34. "The Directors"
        - The Films of Andrew Davis (????) TV Episode .... Himself
        - The Films of Ridley Scott (????) TV Episode .... Himself
35. "Caiga quien caiga"
        - Episode dated 23 February 1997 (1997) TV Episode .... Himself
36. "Lo + plus"
        - Episode dated 19 February 1997 (1997) TV Episode .... Himself
37. Intimate Portrait: Gloria Estefan (1996) (TV) .... Narrator
38. "Showbiz Today"
        - Episode dated 4 December 1995 (1995) TV Episode .... Himself
        - Episode dated 2 May 1995 (1995) TV Episode .... Himself
39. Somos un solo pueblo (1995) (TV)
40. Gloria Estefan: Everlasting Gloria (1995) (V) .... Waiter (in 'I See Your Smile')
41. Cachao... Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos (1993) .... Himself
    ... aka Cachao... Like His Rhythm There Is No Other
42. The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (1991) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Best Sound Effects Editing
43. The Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1991) (TV) .... Himself
44. The Making of 'The Mean Season' (1985) (TV) .... Himself

Posted by ladymountbatten at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

 

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Posted by ladymountbatten at 04:21 PM | Permalink

Written by Joyce Chow and William Hoehne 

Israeli Karmit Goldwasser, wife of kidnapped Israeli reservist Ehud Goldwasser, pleaded for assistance this evening in a press conference held with his father, Shlomo Goldwasser at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Beverly Hills.

After a brief introduction by the General Consulate of Israel, Goldwasser shared that her husband is not a solder. I want him back.

Ehud Goldwasser, a 31 year old Israeli reservist was kidnapped with two others on July 12^th by Hezbollah Zarit terrorists inside Israel’s border. Goldwasser was on reserve duty in the Israeli army and was kidnapped in the midst of combat with two others.

This evening Goldwasser came to appeal to the left wing in the United States, that believe in peace at all costs, to get our country to order the surrender of Israel to Hezbollah and Hamas, thus not only ensuring the death of her husband at the hands of the terrorists but also the destruction of all of Israel by these same people.

It’s a shame that people care more about themselves than they do about the people around them.

The timing of Goldwasser’s appeal, for the 10 pm news tonight for the West Coast and the morning news tomorrow, is suspect with key U.S. election primaries in other states tends to make one believe that she was brought here by the Democratic party to change an election that they were afraid they might not win. The fate of moderate elected officials are in jeopardy in tomorrow’s primary elections.

The election of extremely liberal politicians to office, virtually ensures that the country will remain in Republican hands and that it will be further to the right than it is now. Nothing brings out a conservative Republican to vote more than the fear that Liberals will be running the country.

Posted by ladymountbatten at 09:38 PM | Permalink

Written by Joyce Chow and William Hoehne 

The first public Microsoft XBOX 360 HD DVD add on drive demo was held today at the DVD Forum’s North American DVD Conference at Universal City near Los Angeles.

 

Kevin Collins, Senior Program Manager of Microsoft proudly demonstrated what they believed to be the cheapest player for consumers for the 4^th quarter to the drama of the “Phantom of the Opera”. No price was given.

Collins shared the demo, in its pre-release. It will be a fully functional HD DVD player. It connects to the XBOX 360 via a USB 2.0 cable with audio/video processing via the power of the XBOX 360 via existing AV connections to HDTV. He had nothing up his sleeve, as he was wearing a short sleeve shirt, nor beneath as he revealed his HD DVD black t-shirt.

 

Microsoft’s internal research shows that 30% of consumers intending to purchase game consoles have HD capable displays and 64% of XBOX 360 owners have HD capable displays. By giving the consumer a choice, consumers can choose when to enter the HD DVD market. Microsoft’s idea of keeping costs down.

While many are anxious for Microsoft's 4th quarter release, you can anticipate lines and overnight stays to be the first in line at electronic retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City, demand outpacing supply and auctions on eBay for multiple times the purchase price.  Happy Holidays.

(c) MBN 2006 (William Hoehne)

Posted by ladymountbatten at 08:07 PM | Permalink

 Cast members of the Emmy winning series Desperate Housewives reunited on Wisteria Lane to celebrate the DVD release of the second season. Attendees included Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, Nicollette Sheridan, Creator Marc Cherry and many, many more!

The DVD release of the 2nd season of Desperate Housewives finds Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) the divorcee and single mom who will go to extraordinary lengths for love; Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), who recently went from being a stay-at-home mother of four back to her fast track career in advertising; Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), Martha Stewart on steroids, whose recent widowhood has completely reeked havoc on her perfect life; and Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), the ex-model with everything shes ever wanted- a rich husband, a big house, and now a baby to go with it all. The problem is she doesn’t know who the father is; and serial divorcee Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), the free spirited real estate maven whose live life has everyone buzzing. Enter newcomer Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard), who mysteriously moved into a house she had never seen, in the middle of the night.

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Second Season: Extra Juicy Edition will be released on DVD on August 29, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Fans can enjoy this juicy set bursting with over 5 hours of scintillating bonus features, including a revealing unaired story line, behind-the-scenes secrets and much

Posted by ladymountbatten at 06:24 PM | Permalink