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 NASA NAMES PARSONS NEW KENNEDY SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin today named William (Bill) W. Parsons the new director of the agency's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., effective in January 2007. Parsons succeeds James W. Kennedy, who is retiring.

Parsons currently serves as deputy director of NASA Kennedy Space Center, a position he has held since February.

As space shuttle program manager, Parsons led the return-to-flight activities for the agency and played a major role in the success of the Discovery STS-114 mission. His first stint as NASA's Stennis
Space Center director, Stennis, Miss., came in August 2002. He was
first assigned to Stennis in 1997 as the chief of operations of the
Propulsion Test Directorate. Parsons relocated to NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston to become the director of the Center
Operations Directorate. He later served as the deputy director of
Johnson. He returned to Stennis in 2001 and served as director of the
Center Operations and Support Directorate.

In 1990, Parsons joined the NASA team at Kennedy Space Center as a
launch site support manager in the Shuttle Operations Directorate. He
also worked as an executive management intern and later as the
shuttle flow director of the Shuttle Operations Directorate at
Kennedy. In 1996, he became manager of the Space Station Hardware
Integration Office at the center.

Parsons has received numerous honors, including the Presidential Rank
Award (Meritorious Executive); NASA's Exceptional Service Medal and
Distinguished Service Medal; and the Silver Snoopy, awarded by
astronauts for outstanding performance in flight safety and mission
success.

Parsons holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University
of Mississippi and a master's degree in engineering management from
the University of Central Florida.

NASA SELECTS 12 RESEARCH PROPOSALS IN RADIATION BIOLOGY NASA

will fund a dozen new research proposals to better understand and reduce the risks that crews of future moon and Mars missions could face from space radiation. The total potential value of the selected proposals is approximately $14 million. The health risks of radiation during space travel may include cancer, degenerative tissue damage -- including damage to the central nervous system -- and acute radiation sickness. The new research may help in the development of effective shielding or biological countermeasures for radiation exposure. The research is part of NASA's Space Radiation Program. The goal of the program is to assure astronauts can safely live and work in the space radiation environment, anywhere, anytime. Space radiation is different from forms of radiation encountered on Earth. Radiation in space consists of high-energy protons, heavy ions and secondary byproducts created when the protons and heavy ions pass through spacecraft shielding and human tissue. Since the data available on human exposure to these radiation types are limited, the risks of exposure are derived from an understanding based on radiation physics and radiation biology. The more research data collected, the more confident NASA can be that astronauts will be protected. The 12 new research areas were selected by the Space Radiation Program from 82 proposals received in response to a NASA Research Announcement. All of the proposals were peer-reviewed by scientific and technical experts from academia, government, and industry. The selected principal investigators, their organizations, and their proposal titles are: * Edouard Azzam, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, N.J., The Role of Gap-Junction Communication and Oxidative Metabolism in the Biological Effects of Space Radiation * Susan Bailey, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., Telomeric Proteins in the Radiation/DNA Damage Response * Richard Britten, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Va., Proteomic Aided Investigation of the Mechanistic Basis For HZE-Induced Cognitive Impairment and the Development of Diagnostic Biomarkers * David Chen, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Mechanisms of the Repair of HZE-Induced DNA Double-Strand Breaks in Human Cells * Albert Fornace, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mouse Models Approach for Intestinal Tumorigenesis Estimates by Space Radiation * Kathryn Held, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mechanisms for Induction of Bystander Effects by High Energy Particles in Cells and Tissues * Fiorenza Ianzini, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, Role of High-LET Radiation-Induced Mitotic Catastrophe in Mutagenesis: Implication for Carcinogenesis * Amy Kronenberg, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif., Comparative Analysis of Charged Particle-Induced Autosomal Mutations in Murine Tissues and Cells * Bernard Rabin, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Neurochemical and Behavioral Effects of Exposure to Heavy Particles * John Redpath, University of California Irvine, Irvine, Calif., High Energy Proton Dose-Rate and Mixed Field Effects on Neoplastic Transformation in vitro * Jerry Shay, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Risk Assessment of Space Radiation-Enhanced Colon Tumorigenesis * Betsy Sutherland, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island, N.Y., DNA Damage Clusters in Human Cell Transformation Induced by Single or Multiple Space Radiation Ion Exposures

NASA POSTPONES SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH, AIMS FOR SATURDAY

NASA has delayed Friday's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on its STS-115 mission to the International Space Station. Lift-off now is set for 11:15 a.m. EDT Saturday.

Shuttle program managers decided to postpone Atlantis' launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT Friday due to an issue with a fuel cut-off sensor system inside the external fuel tank. This is one of several systems that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. During countdown activities Friday morning a sensor inside the external tank failed a routine pre-launch
check. The engine cut-off, or ECO sensor, is one of four inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank.

The tank's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will be drained Friday.
While the tank is emptied, engineers will monitor and collect data on
the liquid hydrogen sensors. NASA's launch rules have a preplanned
procedure that states if a single ECO sensor fails, engineers need to
drain the tank and verify all the sensors are working as they go dry.
If the sensors and system work as expected, Atlantis will be cleared
to launch with three of four working sensors Saturday. The reloading
of the external tank is set for 1:15 a.m. EDT Saturday.

During Atlantis' mission astronauts will deliver and install the P3/P4
truss, a girder-like structure, with solar arrays that will double
the International Space Station's power capability.

Atlantis' crew consists of Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson
and mission specialists Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joe
Tanner and Steve MacLean, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut.

NASA POSTPONES SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH

NASA has delayed Wednesday's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on its STS-115 mission to the International Space Station. Shuttle Program managers made the decision early Wednesday morning due to a problem that occurred during the activation of one of the shuttle's three
electricity-producing fuel cells.

Teams are evaluating data on what might have caused a voltage spike in the fuel cell's coolant pump that cools the fuel cell system. Mission managers will hold a meeting at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday to assess the issue. There will be a news conference on NASA TV at the conclusion of the meeting.

During STS-115, the astronauts will deliver and install a girder-like
structure, known as the P3/P4 truss aboard the station. The
35,000-pound piece includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries
and associated electronics. The arrays eventually will double the
station's power capability.

Atlantis' crew, Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson and mission
specialists Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joe Tanner and
Steve MacLean, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, remains at Kennedy
Space Center.

For the latest information about the STS-115 mission and its crew,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

NASA STARTS SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS COUNTDOWN SEPT. 3 NASA will start the launch countdown for Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-115 mission at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 3, at the T-43 hour point. During this mission, Atlantis' crew will resume construction of the International Space Station, which is the goal of the remaining space shuttle flights until the spacecraft are retired in 2010. The first countdown for Atlantis' launch was stopped because of Tropical Storm Ernesto. The countdown includes 33 hours, 24 minutes of built-in hold time leading to a preferred launch time at approximately 12:29 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 6. The launch window for Wednesday extends an additional five minutes. A detailed list of launch countdown milestones and times is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/sep/HQ_06141_atlantis_countdown.html This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for Atlantis and the 19th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., about 8:03 a.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 17. Atlantis' last mission was STS-112 in October 2002. In preparation for STS-115, Atlantis was moved into Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building on July 24. Atlantis then was attached to its modified external tank and solid rocket boosters. Space Shuttle Atlantis was rolled out to Launch Pad 39B on Aug. 2. The initial launch date of Aug. 27 was scrubbed to evaluate the shuttle and its systems after a lightning strike at the launch pad. A partial rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building took place Aug. 29 due to concerns about Tropical Depression Ernesto. The STS-115 crew is Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson, and mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean. During STS-115, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The P3/P4 truss segment will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. For information about the STS-115 crew and mission to the pace station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

NASA TESTS TECHNOLOGY UNDER HARSH DESERT CONDITIONS Arizona's high desert is a long way from the moon and Mars, but its temperature extremes, gusty winds and dust make NASA's robots, rovers and latest space gear feel right at home. The state's famed Meteor Crater and Cinder Lake area represents a surrogate planet surface for NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies team of scientists and engineers who test futuristic equipment. Media who would like to observe tests Sept. 12 or participate in open house activities Sept. 15, must contact the Johnson Space Center, Houston newsroom at 281-483-5111 or Glenn Research Center, Cleveland newsroom at 216-433-2901 by 6 p.m. EDT Sept. 11. This is the ninth year for the team to take on the high desert and volcanic ash beds found near Flagstaff, Ariz. The team of about 100 scientists and engineers from six NASA centers will test advanced prototype equipment and operational concepts that may support planetary exploration. During the field tests, space-suited test subjects will simulate a day in the life of a surface exploration crew on the moon or Mars, investigating the surrounding landscape, installing and testing science equipment, excavating and collecting samples. Also, a robotic vehicle called the All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer will navigate the rough terrain to establish a mock-up way station that would provide respite for a weary crew. For information about NASA and agency programs on the, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-040 With the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis delayed, activities for the International Space Station crew were adjusted. The crew initially expected to greet Atlantis' crew this week. But the shuttle is set to launch Sept. 6 on mission STS-115 to bring a new truss section to the station, complete with a second set of 240-foot solar wings. The mission was originally planned to launch Aug. 27. It was postponed first to check possible lightning damage and then due to Tropical Storm Ernesto. The delay gave Commander Pavel Vinogradov, Flight Engineer NASA Science Officer Jeff Williams and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany more time to prepare for Atlantis' mission. The crew packed items that will be returned to Earth and reviewed plans for the shuttle flight's three spacewalks. They also conducted normal station maintenance, daily exercise sessions and scientific experiments. Williams spent parts of three days this week working with a cosmic radiation study called the Anomalous Long-Term Effects in Astronauts' Central Nervous Systems. The experiment tracks cosmic radiation while monitoring brain activity and recording the subject's visual perceptions. Williams spent one orbit, about 90 minutes, floating prone with sensor blocks over and beside his head. The experiment's results may help develop ways to protect future space fliers from the effects of cosmic radiation. Later in the week, Williams worked with the Capillary Flow Effects experiment, studying the dynamics of capillary flow in microgravity. Insight gained from the experiment may help in the developments of fluid transport systems for future spacecraft. Other work included testing a seal the astronauts replaced on an experiment facility called the Microgravity Science Glovebox. The glovebox, in the U.S. laboratory Destiny, provides a contained environment for experiments involving fluid, flame or fumes. During Atlantis' mission, station status will be included in twice daily shuttle mission status reports. The next station status report will be issued after the STS-115 shuttle mission. http://www.nasa.gov/station

NASA CONTINUES SPACE EXPLORATION RESEARCH WITH UNDERSEA LAB NASA's third mission this year to an undersea laboratory off the Florida coast begins when four astronauts splash down Sept. 16. Veteran space flyer astronaut Sandra H. Magnus will lead the crew on a seven-day undersea mission Sept. 16 - 22 onboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Aquarius underwater laboratory. Army Lt. Col. Timothy L. Kopra, Army Col. Timothy J. Creamer and Air Force Maj. Robert L. Behnken round out the astronaut crew. Roger Garcia and Larry Ward of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington will provide engineering support inside the habitat. All four astronauts are training for possible assignment to missions to the International Space Station. During the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 11, astronauts will imitate moonwalks, testing concepts for mobility using various spacesuit configurations and weights to simulate lunar gravity. Techniques for communication, navigation, geological sample retrieval, construction and using remote-controlled robots on the moon's surface also will be tested. "We continue to press the limits of our imaginations as we test operational concepts that may be used when we return to the moon," said NEEMO 11 Mission Director Marc Reagan. "Building on the NEEMO 9 and 10 missions, we will explore new challenges and learn to overcome the inherent difficulties of living and working on the moon. These results will allow our designers and engineers to improve designs of habitats, robots and spacesuits." Aquarius is owned and funded by NOAA and operated by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington's Undersea Research Center. The center is part of NOAA's Undersea Research Program. Aquarius hosts teams of scientists on research missions, usually 10 days long, to study science and management issues on its surrounding coral reef ecosystems. Aquarius is a 45-foot-long, 13-foot-diameter complex three miles off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The laboratory rests 62 feet beneath the surface. A shore-based mission control center in Florida monitors the habitat and crew. The NEEMO 11 work will be monitored at NASA's Johnson Space Center's Exploration Planning Operations Center, Houston. This is the last NEEMO mission this year. More are planned in 2007. Magnus flew to the International Space Station on shuttle mission STS-112 in October 2002. She used the station's robotic arm to help attach a new segment to the station's truss structure. Magnus was born in Belleville, Ill. She has a bachelor's in physics and a master's in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. Kopra was selected as an astronaut in 2000 and is assigned to the Space Station Operations Branch of the Astronaut Office. He was born in Austin,Texas. He holds a bachelor's from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and a master's in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Selected as an astronaut in 1998, Creamer works in the Robotics Branch of the Astronaut Office. Creamer considers Upper Marlboro, Md., his hometown. He has a bachelor's from Loyola College and a master's from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Behnken was selected as an astronaut in 2000. He considers St. Ann, Mo., his hometown. He has bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and physics from Washington University, St. Louis, and a master's and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. He is a graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. For interviews with the NEEMO 11 crew call the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111. For more on NOAA, contact Fred Gorell, Silver Spring, Md., at 301-713-9444, ext. 181. Through NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN), classrooms will be able to videoconference with Aquarius. Students will conduct experiments of their own before talking with the aquanauts. The pre-event activities are designed to complement the NEEMO 11 mission objectives. For more information about NEEMO, including mission imagery, crew journals, and links to webcams and the Digital Learning Network, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/neemo

NASA SELECTS ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE PRIME CONTRACTOR NASA selected Wednesday Lockheed Martin Corp., based in Bethesda, Md., as the prime contractor to design, develop, and build Orion, America's spacecraft for a new generation of explorers. Orion will be capable of transporting four crewmembers for lunar missions and later supporting crew transfers for Mars missions. Orion could also carry up to six crew members to and from the International Space Station. The first Orion launch with humans onboard is planned for no later than 2014, and for a human moon landing no later than 2020. Orion will form a key element of extending a sustained human presence beyond low-Earth orbit to advance commerce, science and national leadership. The contract with Lockheed Martin is the conclusion of a two-phase selection process. NASA began working with the two contractor teams, Northrop Grumman/Boeing and Lockheed Martin, in July 2005 to perform concept refinement, trade studies, analysis of requirements and preliminary design options. Lockheed Martin will be responsible for the design, development, testing, and evaluation (DDT&E) of the new spacecraft. Manufacturing and integration of the vehicle components will take place at contractor facilities across the country. Lockheed Martin will perform the majority of the Orion vehicle engineering work at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, and complete final assembly of the vehicle at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. All 10 NASA centers will provide technical and engineering support to the Orion project. The contract is structured into separate schedules for DDT&E with options for production of additional spacecraft and sustaining engineering. During DDT&E, NASA will use an end-item cost-plus-award-fee incentive contract. This makes the award fee subject to final determination after the contractor has demonstrated that it meets the technical, cost, and schedule requirements of the contract. DDT&E work is estimated to occur from Sept. 8, 2006, through Sept. 7, 2013. The estimated value is $3.9 billion. Production and sustaining engineering activities are contract options that will allow NASA to obtain additional vehicles as needed. Delivery orders over and above those in the DDT&E portion will specify the number of spacecraft to be produced and the schedule on which they should be delivered. Post-development spacecraft delivery orders may begin as early as Sept. 8, 2009, through Sept. 7, 2019, if all options are exercised. The estimated value of these orders is negotiated based on future manifest requirements and knowledge gained through the DDT&E process and is estimated not to exceed $3.5 billion. Sustaining engineering work will be assigned through task orders. The work is expected to occur from Sept. 8, 2009, through Sept. 7, 2019, with an estimated value of $750 million, if all options are exercised. For information about Orion, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/orion

NASA STUDY SOLVES OCEAN PLANT MYSTERY A NASA-sponsored study shows that by using a new technique, scientists can determine what limits the growth of ocean algae, or phytoplankton, and how this affects Earth's climate. Phytoplankton is a microscopic ocean plant and an important part of the ocean food chain. By knowing what limits its growth scientists can better understand how ecosystems respond to climate change. The study focused on phytoplankton in the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is an area of the ocean that plays a particularly important role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide and the world's climate. This area of the ocean is the largest natural source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. "We concluded that nitrogen is the primary element missing for algae growth and photosynthesis in the northern portion of the tropical Pacific, while it was iron that was most lacking everywhere else," said Michael J. Behrenfeld, an ocean plant ecologist from Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. Scientists determined when phytoplankton is stressed from lack of iron; it appears greener, or healthier than they really are. Normally, greener plants are growing faster than less green plants. When iron is lacking, enhanced greenness does not mean phytoplankton are growing better. They are actually under stress and unhealthy. These conclusions solved the mystery why healthy looking phytoplankton are actually not so healthy. "Because we didn't know about this effect of iron stress on the greenness of algae or phytoplankton before, we have always assumed that equally green waters were equally productive," Behrenfeld said. "We now know this is not the case, and that we have to treat areas lacking iron differently." For the tropical Pacific, correction for this "iron-effect" decreases scientists' estimates of how much carbon ocean plants photosynthesize for the region by roughly two billion tons. This figure represents a tremendous amount of carbon that remains in the atmosphere that scientists previously thought were being removed. The results about the false health of phytoplankton allow scientists using computer models to re-create the movement of carbon around the world much more accurately. Resource managers will become more knowledgeable about where carbon is going and the impact of recreational, industrial or commercial processes that use or produce carbon. Researchers better understand the Earth as an ecosystem, and can incorporate these findings in future modeling, analysis and predictions. While satellite data from NASA's Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor played an important part in the study, the real cornerstone of the discovery was ship-based measurements of fluorescence. Fluorescence occurs when plants absorb sunlight and some of that energy is given back off again as red light. Scientists looked at approximately 140,000 measurements of fluorescence made from 1994 to 2006 along 36,040 miles of ship tracks. They found that phytoplankton give off much more fluorescence when the plants do not have sufficient iron. It is this signal they used to fingerprint what parts of the ocean are iron-stressed and what parts are nitrogen-stressed. It is important that scientists understand how ocean plants behave because all plants play a critical role in maintaining a healthy planet. Plants annually take up billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and use this carbon to create the food that nearly all other organisms on Earth depend on for life. Nutrients that make ocean plants thrive, such as nitrogen and phosphate, mostly come from the deep parts of the ocean, when water is mixed by the wind. Iron also can come from dust blowing in the air. Approximately half of the photosynthesis on Earth occurs in the oceans, and the remainder on land. Ocean and land plants share the same basic requirements for photosynthesis and growth. These requirements include water, light and nutrients. When these three are abundant, plants are abundant. When any one of them is missing, plants suffer. An article on this technique appears in a recent issue of Nature. For images related to this research, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/mystery_plants.html

NASA, NOAA DATA INDICATE OZONE LAYER IS RECOVERING A new study using NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data finds consistent evidence that Earth's ozone layer is on the mend. A team led by Eun-Su Yang of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, analyzed 25 years of independent ozone observations at different altitudes in Earth's stratosphere, which lies between six and 31 miles above the surface. The observations were gathered from balloons, ground-based instruments, NASA and NOAA satellites. The stratosphere is Earth's second lowest atmospheric layer. It contains approximately 90 percent of all atmospheric ozone. The researchers concluded the Earth's protective ozone layer outside of the polar regions stopped thinning around 1997. Ozone in these areas declined steadily from 1979 to 1997. The abundance of human-produced ozone-destroying gases such as chlorofluorocarbons peaked at about the same time (1993 in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, 1997 in the stratosphere). Such substances were phased out after the 1987 international Montreal Protocol was enacted. To measure ozone at different altitudes in the stratosphere, the team combined data from balloons and independent ground-based observing networks with monthly averaged satellite data. The satellite data came from five independent NASA and NOAA instruments. Measurements were compared with computer predictions of ozone recovery that considered actual measured variations in human-produced ozone-destroying chemicals. The calculations took into account other factors that can affect ozone levels, such as sunspot cycle behavior, seasonal changes and stratospheric wind patterns. "These results confirm the Montreal Protocol and its amendments have succeeded in stopping the loss of ozone in the stratosphere," Yang said. "At the current recovery rate, the atmospheric modeling community's best estimates predict the global ozone layer could be restored to 1980 levels — the time that scientists first noticed the harmful effects human activities were having on atmospheric ozone — some time in the middle of this century." The researchers concluded approximately one half the observed ozone change was in the region of the stratosphere above 11 miles and the rest in the lower stratosphere from six to 11 miles. The researchers attribute the ozone improvement above 11 miles almost entirely to the Montreal Protocol. "Scientists expected the Montreal Protocol to be working in the middle and upper stratosphere and it is," said co-author Mike Newchurch of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. "The real surprise of our research was the degree of ozone recovery we found at lower altitudes, below the middle stratosphere. There, ozone is improving faster than we expected, and appears to be due to changes in atmospheric wind patterns, the causes of which are not yet well understood. Until the cause of the recent ozone increase in the lowermost stratosphere is better understood, making high-accuracy predictions of how the entire ozone layer will behave in the future will remain an elusive goal. Continued careful observation and modeling are required to understand how the ozone recovery process will evolve." "Our study is unique because it measures changes in the ozone layer at all heights in the atmosphere, then compares the data with models as well as observations from other instruments that measure variations in the total amount of ozone in the atmosphere," said Ross Salawitch, a senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Results are published in the latest Journal of Geophysical Research. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home

NASA DECIDES TO MOVE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS OFF LAUNCH PAD NASA has decided to roll the Space Shuttle Atlantis off its launch pad and back inside the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The roll back is targeted to start at approximately 10:05 a.m. EDT Tuesday. The decision was made due to Tropical Storm Ernesto's track. Ernesto is expected to bring high winds as it passes Kennedy. A new launch date is not yet scheduled for Atlantis' flight, STS-115, to the International Space Station. NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency continue to discuss the timing of Atlantis' mission and the Soyuz spacecraft, which will send the next crew to the station in September. Factors to be considered are the lighting constraints for the shuttle launch and Soyuz landing and the timing for docking and undocking the spacecraft with the station. NASA is also investigating additional launch windows later in the fall. The STS-115 crew will return to NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson, and mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean will continue training as they await a new target launch date. During STS-115, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The P3/P4 truss segment will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. For information about the STS-115 crew and mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO FORCES SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' LAUNCH DELAY Tuesday's scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on its STS-115 mission to the International Space Station is being postponed because of Tropical Storm Ernesto. A new launch date has not been set. Although no final decision has been made, shuttle managers meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center instructed launch teams Monday to continue preliminary preparations to roll Atlantis off its launch pad and back inside the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Managers will follow developments in Tropical Storm Ernesto's track. A decision on whether to roll back is expected by midday Tuesday. Ernesto is forecast to pass near Kennedy on Wednesday afternoon. The STS-115 crew will remain in Florida until a roll back decision is made. Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson, and mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean will study flight plans and spend time with their families. During STS-115, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The P3/P4 truss segment will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. For information about the STS-115 crew and its mission to the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-039 With the countdown clock ticking toward the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-115 mission, the International Space Station crew continues to prepare for visitors. Commander Pavel Vinogradov, Flight Engineer, NASA Science Officer Jeff Williams and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany are ready for Atlantis to deliver a new section of the station's girder-like truss. Atlantis is set for launch on Sunday, which would result in docking with the station on Tuesday. During Atlantis' mission, astronauts will attach the new P3/P4 truss, a segment that includes a huge new set of solar arrays and a giant rotary joint to allow them to track the sun. To prepare for Atlantis' visit, the station crew members packed items that will be returned to Earth on the shuttle. They also reviewed spacewalk plans, talked with the shuttle crew in a long-distance conference and trained to photograph the shuttle's heat shield as Atlantis does a backflip while approaching the station. Flight controllers tested the operation of a U.S. air scrubbing system in advance. The Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, or CDRA, was turned on for an extended period to test its capability to remove carbon dioxide from the air. The CDRA augments the Russian air scrubber, Vozdukh, which was turned off during the test. Engineers are continuing to evaluate data from the CDRA operations. The station was raised 2.5 miles by firing the ISS Progress 21 engines Wednesday. The boost places the complex at the optimum position for Atlantis' rendezvous and docking. It also puts the station at the optimum altitude for the launch of the next station resident crew, Expedition 14, from Kazakhstan in September. Williams replaced filters in part of the station's cooling system. The used filters will be returned to Earth for engineering analysis to confirm their success at removing fine particles from water in coolant lines. Williams completed runs of the Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test, or DAFT experiment. DAFT is testing the effectiveness of a commercial hand-held air quality monitor called P-Trak that counts ultra-fine dust particles in microgravity. The study provides data that may help in the design of fire detection systems on future spacecraft. Its data also may prove useful for fire detection hardware in extreme environments on Earth, such as submarines or underwater laboratories. The station crew continued with the set-up and check-out of the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) that was delivered on STS-121. This experiment system contains a centrifuge that can subject a wide range of small plant and animal experiments to partial gravity conditions. The first experiment that will be performed in EMCS is the Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in Root Phototropism, called Tropi, which seeks to identify the genes responsible for successful plant growth in microgravity. The experiment studies mustard seeds. Vinogradov and Reiter participated in European Space Agency science experiments that test the cardiovascular system's response to microgravity for long durations. The next station status report will be issued after the STS-115 shuttle mission. The status of the ISS will be included in the twice-daily shuttle mission status reports issued during STS-115. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

NASA INVITES STUDENTS TO HELP ASTRONAUT COUNT THE STARS NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are collaborating on a new education activity that helps students become astronomers. The Star Count Project will investigate the visual quality of the night sky and help assess the extent of atmospheric light pollution. There are many factors that affect how many stars can be seen at night. NASA and the CSA are inviting U.S. and Canadian students to participate in an effort to study these factors. The project was suggested and is being supported by CSA astronaut Steve MacLean. He is a member of the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the next mission, designated STS-115, to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled to launch Sunday, August 27. MacLean will perform the Star Count experiment during the mission. While in space he will upload star observation information into a database via the Star Count Web site. As part of the project, students will learn how to estimate the number of stars observed based on random samples of sections of the sky. Students will add to the database by entering their location, number of stars observed and information about their viewing conditions. The students will be able to compare their observations with MacLean's and other observers. Star Count is a project of the NASA Student Observation Network. The network is a collection of online inquiry-based activities that challenge students to find answers to research questions by making their own observations and interpreting them with NASA data. To participate in the Star Count Project, students should visit: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/starcount/home/index.html or http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/educators/resources/stars/default.asp The Star Count Project is directly tied to NASA's major education goal of attracting students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies. NASA is committed to engaging and retaining students in these disciplines which are crucial to the agency's future missions. For information about NASA education programs, Star Count Project and the Student Observation Network, visit:

NASA AWARDS NOAA GOES-R INSTRUMENT CONTRACT NASA, in coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-R) Program, has selected Assurance Technology Corporation for a $101.7 million dollar contract. The contract is for the Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS), which will provide data for monitoring space environments as an instrument on the next generation of GOES. The design and development of the SEISS instruments will be primarily performed at the contractor's facility in Carlisle, Mass. Once launched, the SEISS suite will be used primarily by NOAA's Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo. The center provides real-time monitoring, forecasting and warnings of solar and geophysical events and disturbances. The contractor will provide the SEISS suite of instruments and post-delivery support for the GOES-R series of weather satellites. The suite consists of three particle sensors: a magnetospheric particle sensor; solar and galactic proton sensor; and an energetic heavy ion sensor. The sensors will provide important information to warn of high-impact space storms and operational information on the radiation environment hazardous to humans in space, high-altitude aircraft, spacecraft electronics, solar power systems and radio communications. GOES is funded, operated and managed by NOAA. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., manages the acquisition of GOES-R instruments for NOAA.

HUBBLE SEES FAINTEST STARS IN A GLOBULAR CLUSTER

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered what astronomers are reporting as the dimmest stars ever seen in any globular star cluster. Globular clusters are spherical concentrations of hundreds of thousands of stars. These clusters formed early in the 13.7-billion-year-old universe. The cluster NGC 6397 is one of the closest globular star clusters to Earth. Seeing the whole range of stars in this area will yield insights into the age, origin and evolution of the cluster. Although astronomers have conducted similar observations since Hubble was launched, a team led by Harvey Richer of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, is reporting they have at last unequivocally reached the faintest stars. Richer's team announced their findings Thursday at the 2006 International Astronomical Union General Assembly in Prague, Czech Republic and in the August 18 edition of Science. "We have run out of hydrogen-burning stars in this cluster. There are no fainter such stars waiting to be discovered. We have discovered the lowest-mass stars capable of supporting stable nuclear reactions in this cluster. Any less massive ones faded early in the cluster's history and by now are too faint to be observed," Richer said. Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys completed a census of two distinct stellar populations in NGC 6397. Hubble surveyed the faintest red dwarf stars, which fuse hydrogen in their cores like our sun, and the dimmest white dwarfs, which are the burned-out relics of normal stars. The light from these faint stars is as dim as the light produced by a birthday candle on the moon seen from Earth. NGC 6397 is 8,500 light-years away from Earth. Analyzing the burned-out remnants of stars that died long ago, Hubble showed the dimmest white dwarfs have such low temperatures they are undergoing a chemical change in their atmospheres that makes them appear bluer rather than redder as they cool. This phenomenon had been predicted, but never observed. These white dwarfs are the relics of stars up to eight times as massive as the sun, which have exhausted the fuel capable of supporting nuclear reactions in their cores. Stars that were initially even more massive died as supernovae very early in the cluster's life, leaving behind neutron stars, black holes or no debris at all. Astronomers have used white dwarfs in globular clusters as a measure of the universe's age. The universe must be at least as old as the oldest stars. White dwarfs cool down at a predictable rate. The older the dwarf, the cooler it is, making it a perfect "clock" that has been ticking for almost as long as the universe has existed. Richer and his team are using the same age-dating technique to calculate the cluster's age. NGC 6397 is estimated to be nearly 12 billion years old. A globular cluster's dimmest stars have eluded astronomers because their light is too feeble. Richer's team used Hubble's Advanced Camera to probe deep within the cluster for nearly five days to capture the faint stars. The camera's resolution is so sharp that it is capable of isolating cluster stars in this crowded cluster field, enabling cluster members to be distinguished from foreground and background stars. The cluster stars move together as the cluster orbits the Milky Way Galaxy, and Hubble was able to pinpoint which stars were moving with the cluster. The Hubble team used this technique together with archival Hubble images taken as much as a decade earlier to make sure they had a pure sample of cluster stars. For images and additional information about NGC 6397, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

NASA SATELLITES WILL IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUN

NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory mission will dramatically improve understanding of the powerful solar eruptions that can send more than a billion tons of the sun's outer atmosphere hurtling into space. The STEREO mission comprises two nearly identical spacecraft the size of golf carts, which are scheduled to launch on Aug. 31 aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Their observations will enable scientists to construct the first-ever three-dimensional views of the sun. These images will show the sun's stormy environment and its effect on the inner solar system. The data are vital for understanding how the sun creates space weather. During the two-year mission, the two spacecraft will explore the origin, evolution and interplanetary consequences of coronal mass ejections, some of the most violent explosions in our solar system. When directed at Earth, these billion-ton eruptions can produce spectacular aurora and disrupt satellites, radio communications and power systems. Energetic particles associated with these solar eruptions permeate the entire solar system and may be hazardous to spacecraft and astronauts. "In terms of space-weather forecasting, we're where weather forecasters were in the 1950s," said Michael Kaiser, STEREO project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "They didn't see hurricanes until the rain clouds were right above them. In our case, we can see storms leaving the sun, but we have to make guesses and use models to figure out if and when they will impact Earth." To obtain their unique stereo view of the sun, the two observatories must be placed in different orbits, where they are offset from each other and Earth. Spacecraft "A" will be in an orbit moving ahead of Earth, and "B" will lag behind, as the planet orbits the sun. Just as the slight offset between eyes provides depth perception, this placement will allow the STEREO observatories to obtain 3-D images of the sun. The arrangement also allows the spacecraft to take local particle and magnetic field measurements of the solar wind as it flows by the spacecraft. STEREO is the first NASA mission to use separate lunar swingbys to place two observatories into vastly different orbits around the sun. The observatories will fly in an orbit from a point close to Earth to one that extends just beyond the moon. Approximately two months after launch, mission operations personnel at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., will use a close flyby of the moon to modify the orbits. The moon's gravity will be used to direct one observatory to its position trailing Earth. Approximately one month later, the second observatory will be redirected after another lunar swingby to its position ahead of Earth. These maneuvers will enable the spacecraft to take permanent orbits around the sun. Each STEREO observatory has 16 instruments. The observatories have imaging telescopes and equipment to measure solar wind particles and to perform radio astronomy. "STEREO is charting new territory for science research and the building of spacecraft. The simultaneous assembly, integration and launch of nearly identical observatories have been an extraordinary challenge," said Nick Chrissotimos, STEREO project manager at Goddard. The STEREO mission is managed by Goddard. The Applied Physics Laboratory designed and built the spacecraft. The laboratory will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results. For more information about STEREO, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/stereo

NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' LAUNCH NASA

 senior managers on Wednesday unanimously voted to launch the Space Shuttle Atlantis on Aug. 27. Commander Brent Jett and his five crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 4:30 p.m. EDT on the STS-115 mission, which restarts construction of the International Space Station. The launch date was announced after the Flight Readiness Review, a traditional meeting in which top NASA managers and engineers determine whether the shuttle's complex array of equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for flight and assess any risks associated with the mission. "It was an honor to work with this team, a thrill to see another FRR," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. "It was a great review, and I look forward to a great launch." "The teams have done a great job of getting us here. We still have some minor open work in front of us. We look forward to the return to assembly," said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier, who chaired the Flight Readiness Review. Joining Commander Jett aboard shuttle Atlantis will be Pilot Chris Ferguson, mission specialists Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Steve MacLean. The crew will install the P3/P4 truss, a girder-like structure, aboard the station. The new piece will include a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. There will be three spacewalks to hook up the truss and prepare the arrays for operation. For STS-115 crew and mission information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

NASA SETS SIGHTS ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPLORERS

NASA's Education Office has released a new framework to work with the
academic community to prepare the next generation of explorers and
innovators. The Education Strategic Coordination Framework highlights
agency content, people and facilities as the foundation for sponsored
educational opportunities, while developing new non-traditional
partnerships.

"Through this framework, NASA will support the country's educators who
play a key role in engaging and preparing today's young minds to lead
the nation's laboratories and research centers of tomorrow," said the
agency's Acting Assistant Administrator for Education, John M.
Hairston, Jr.

The framework identifies three priorities for NASA to work with
academia, industry and informal educators to foster increased studies
in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. NASA's education
priorities include strengthening the nation's workforce, attracting
and retaining students, and engaging America in NASA's missions.

Another key element of the new education framework is to involve
partners and establish strategic alliances to work with NASA to
inspire and engage the nation's youth.

The agency strives to reach students at every level in the education
pipeline. NASA remains committed to engaging and retaining
underrepresented and underserved communities of students, educators
and researchers in its education programs.

For a copy of the NASA Education Strategic Coordination Framework and
information about agency education programs, visit:

http://education.nasa.gov/about/strategy/index.html

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LOST Castaways Celebrate Emmy-Winning Series Second Season on DVD

Google Makes Trek to Las Vegas: Lands at Creation Entertainment's 40th Anniversary Star Trek Convention; Google Launches Special Site for Trek Fans, Announces New Feature in Maps for Mobile

Warner Home Video to Release Eight Additional High Definition DVD Titles Including Four New Blu-rays, Four New HD DVDs; Studio Offering Largest Selection of New HD Format Titles Debuts Latest September 5 and 12

 DISH Network(TM) Expands High Definition Programming Lineup to 30 Channels; Food Network HD Now Available to DISH Network Customers

'CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC' Will Become the First Network Evening News Broadcast To Be Simulcast Live On The Internet

TIME Moves Delivery Date to Friday

AT&T, Yahoo! Deliver New Online Photo Services to Millions of Broadband Users

Bodog.com Lingerie Bowl IV Celebrity Line-Up Announced Iconic Sex Bombshell, Playboy Cover Models, Supermodel and Former NFL Bad Boys Will Headline www.LingerieBowl.com

Willie Nelson's 'Songbird' To Be Released by Lost Highway on October 31 Featuring Ryan Adams and The Cardinals Produced by Adams, Album Includes Originals and Songs By Leonard Cohen, Gram Parsons, The Grateful Dead and More

________________________________________________

  LOST Castaways Celebrate Emmy-Winning Series Second Season on DVD

Cast members of the multiple Emmy winning series reunited at the Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu to celebrate the second seasons arrival to DVD. Attendees included Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Terry O'Quinn, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Michael Emerson and Executive Producers Bryan Burk and Carlton Cuse.

The multiple Emmy Award-winning show returns for a second season of action-packed mystery and adventure that will continue to bring out the very best and the very worst in the people who are lost. The band of friends, family, enemies, and strangers must continue to work together against the cruel weather and harsh terrain if they want to stay alive. But as they have discovered during their 40-plus days on the island, danger and mystery loom behind every corner, and those they thought could be trusted may turn against them. Even heroes have secrets. Some of these secrets will be revealed in over eight hours of bonus footage that take you deeper inside the mysteries of the island. Viewers can immerse themselves in a unique Dharma experience that includes never-before-seen Dharma video footage. The Lost Flashbacks include unaired flashbacks that bring new insights into the back stories. The Official Lost Connections uncovers shocking character connections as the viewer navigates through unseen footage and clips from the show in this unique immersive experience; Plus, the box set includes deleted scenes, bloopers, cast and creator audio commentaries, and a Channel 4 UK promo directed by David LaChapelle.

LOST: The Complete Second Season: The Extended Experience will be released on DVD on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Josh Holloway and Evangeline Lilly . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages

 Daniel Dae Kim, BVHE's Lori MacPhereson, Evangeline Lilly, Josh Holloway and BVHE's Andy Siditsky . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages

 Jorge Garcia . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages

   Producer Carlton Cuse and Daniel Dae Kim . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages

Producer Bryan Burk and Daniel Dae Kim . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages

Yunjin Kim and Terry O'Quinn . Lost: The Complete Second Season - The Extended Experience Launch event at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay Resort. (The DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.) Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages
Byline: Photo by: Alex Berliner©Berliner Studio/BEImages 

Google Makes Trek to Las Vegas: Lands at Creation Entertainment's 40th Anniversary Star Trek Convention; Google Launches Special Site for Trek Fans, Announces New Feature in Maps for Mobile

WHO:        Google  WHAT:       Google Lands at 40th Anniversary Star Trek Convention  WHERE:      Hilton Convention Center, Las Vegas             http://www.google.com/trekfan  WHEN:       Thursday, August 17, through Sunday, August 20, 2006  WHY:  Wherever and whenever science fiction fans gather, an appreciation of technology -- and alien visitations -- can't be far behind. This year, there will be an unlikely visitor attending one of the biggest gatherings of science fiction fans, the 40th Anniversary Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas, hosted by Creation Entertainment. Google will join the more than 15,000 enthusiasts who make the annual trek to this memorable federation of fans.  In conjunction with this week's convention, Google launched a special site (http://www.google.com/trekfan) that provides developers with information on a number of Google tools, including Earth, Maps and SketchUp. From far and wide, Google users -- many of whom are science fiction fans -- have created thousands of imagery overlays for Google Earth, many illustrating their appreciation for all things other-worldly. While in Las Vegas to help celebrate Star Trek's 40th anniversary, the Google booth will showcase these science fiction scenes and structures, created by users, highlighting intergalactic life.  And because there is no better place than the vortex of pop culture, sci-fi and technology to introduce a cool tool that offers a better way to display visual information on handheld devices, Google today announced the availability of mobile KML (Keyhole Markup Language), which enables developers to illustrate information to overlay on Google Maps for mobile phones.  Already available on the desktop through Google Maps and Google Earth, now developers can more easily share palm-sized versions of their favorite Earth-bound destinations. Beginning today, mobile phone users will be able to view the same KML files they access on Earth and Maps on the PC -- directly on their phone. Throughout deep space, fans will be able to view alien outposts on Earth directly from their handheld devices. For those who prefer to stay on planet Earth, or end up in Las Vegas, mobile KML offers mobile phone users a bird's-eye view of the 24-hour playground.  And for Trek fans who feel ready to be part of the next generation of Google employees, bona-fide Googlers will be on hand during the convention to answer questions about life -- and work -- at the Googleplex.   Legal disclaimer: This website, the promotion thereof or any exhibition of material created by the software sponsored by Google or its designees is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise.  The "Star Trek" properties are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and protected by trademark and copyright laws, which not only protect CBS Studios, but the actors, artists and talent associated with the creation of the franchise and the hundreds of legitimate licensees.  CBS Studios is sensitive to fans desires to communicate and share information about "Star Trek." At the same time, CBS Studios takes action against infringements, to protect the franchise and others.  Posting on the internet of copyrighted material such as episodes, movies, music, content from the official website, photographs, artistic renditions of "Star Trek" characters, ships or other properties, sound files, video clips, books or excerpts therefrom are considered infringements of CBS Studios' rights. CBS Studios objects to any commercial use of the "Star Trek" properties including, but not limited to, the sale of unlicensed merchandise or any website deriving revenue from advertising (via ad banners) or any other sources

 Warner Home Video to Release Eight Additional High Definition DVD Titles Including Four New Blu-rays, Four New HD DVDs; Studio Offering Largest Selection of New HD Format Titles Debuts Latest September 5 and 12

Continuing in their mission to provide consumers with the broadest choices for next generation home viewing, Warner Home Video will debut Blu-ray high definition versions of Lethal Weapon, Firewall, Blazing Saddles and Full Metal Jacket. On September 12 four more HD DVD titles will be released: Troy, Lethal Weapon 2, House of Wax and Space Cowboys. All titles will be available for $28.99 SRP, except Firewall, which will be available for $34.99 SRP.

Troy will make its HD DVD debut with In-Movie Experience (IME), the new interactive feature allowing viewers to enjoy new ways of accessing interviews and other material -- while the movie is running. Troy's IME has director Wolfgang Petersen and his creative team leading the viewer on an audio-visual tour of their epic recreations of Greece and Troy.

"Based on the reaction from consumers and writers alike, it's safe to say that everyone agrees that these exceptional new technologies afford viewers the best home theater there is," said Stephen Nickerson, WHV's Senior Vice President, Market Management. "The picture from true 1080p high definition provides a sharpness, a clarity and texture, superb shadow detail, great flesh tones and deep blacks -- all of which far exceed any previous visual experience. Finally, the outstanding dynamic range of sound provides a level of authenticity that brings new life to the audio experience in home."

Warner Home Video HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The new formats also provide a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu-bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

Blu-ray Discs

Lethal Weapon -- Mel Gibson and Danny Glover star as Riggs and Murtaugh, two L.A. detectives who uncover a huge drug-smuggling operation, and as their success rate grows so does their friendship.

Firewall -- Stars Harrison Ford as Jack Stanfield, whose perfect life is shattered when his wife and children are kidnapped and held for $100 million ransom, plunging him into a cyber-edged race against time.

Blazing Saddles stars Cleavon Little as an unlikely sheriff in the town of Rock Ridge, Harvey Korman as the villain, Madeline Kahn as a Marlene Dietrich-style chanteuse, Gene Wilder as the wacko Waco Kid and Brooks himself as a not-too-sharp politico.

Full Metal Jacket is Stanley Kubrick's definitive film about the Vietnam War which follows an 18-year-old marine recruit -- from boot camp to heavy fighting during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

HD DVDs

Troy -- Brad Pitt brings a muscular, brooding presence to the role of the Greek warrior Achilles in this spectacular retelling of Homer's classic tale, The Iliad.

Lethal Weapon 2 -- Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are at it again (with more than 4 added minutes) in this blockbuster sequel. Joe Pesci makes his first appearance in the series as Leo ("OK, OK") Getz.

House of Wax (2005) -- Six college-age friends' road trip to a big college football game takes a turn for the worse when sidetracked into an eerie backwater town. Once there, they're drawn to the town's main attraction -- Trudy's House of Wax, filled with wax-coated corpses. The kids must find a way out before they too become permanent exhibits.

Space Cowboys -- Clint Eastwood's rocket-powered action hit stars Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones. Donald Sutherland and James Garner as the bravest, boldest and fastest test pilots this country had to offer. Now, more than four decades later, a Russian satellite has suffered a systems failure and it's up to the four outdated heroes to finally go into space with the hopes of fixing a piece of equipment that's every bit as outdated as they are.

All bonus materials on the Standard Definition versions of these titles will be included on the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions.

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

 DISH Network(TM) Expands High Definition Programming Lineup to 30 Channels; Food Network HD Now Available to DISH Network Customers

EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service today announced the launch of Food Network HD. This addition brings DISH Network's total national HD channel lineup to 30 channels -- the most comprehensive in the pay-TV industry.

As the first national provider of Food Network HD, DISH Network now offers subscribers their favorite Food Network programs such as "Boy Meets Grill," "Everyday Italian" and more in dazzling high definition.

"The addition of Food Network HD helps further compliment our industry-leading lineup of high definition programming," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "DISH Network offers twice as many national HD channels as most other providers, allowing customers to enjoy a better TV watching experience."

"Watching colorful personalities at work in the kitchen such as Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis in high definition takes cooking to a whole new level," said John Baird, executive vice president for affiliate sales and marketing for Scripps Networks, the parent company of Food Network. "Food should be experienced like this in HD, and DISH Network is helping us to deliver this experience to viewers across the country."

Food Network HD is located on DISH Network Channel 9462 and is available to customers who subscribe to the DishHD Bronze programming package ($29.99 for 10 months) or above. DISH Network's DishHD packages offer customers more than 200 hours a day of HD content from the nation's top programmers.

New DISH Network subscribers will also receive free standard professional installation in up to four rooms, a free DVR or HD receiver upgrade and no equipment to buy, and a choice of premium movie package free for three months (HBO, Showtime, Starz or Cinemax).

For more information about DISH Network and the DishHD programming packages, call 800-333-DISH (3474), visit http://www.dishnetwork.com, or visit your local DISH Network retailer.

About EchoStar Communications

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) serves more than 12.46 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network(TM), the fastest-growing U.S. provider of advanced digital television services in the last five years. DISH Network offers hundreds of video and audio channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international programming, together with professional installation and 24-hour customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at http://www.dishnetwork.com or call 800-333-DISH (3474).

About Food Network

Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network and website that strives to surprise and engage its viewers with likable hosts, personalities, and the variety of things they do with food. The network is committed to exploring new, different, and interesting ways to approach food -- through pop culture, adventure, and travel -- while also expanding its repertoire of technique-based information. Distributed to more than 85 million U.S. households, Food Network ranks first among ad-supported cable networks on year-to-year subscriber growth and first among food-related websites. With headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Knoxville, Food Network can be seen internationally in Canada, Australia, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Monaco, Andorra, Africa, France, and the French-speaking territories in the Caribbean and Polynesia. The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) also owns and operates HGTV (hgtv.com), DIY Network, FINE LIVING TV Network and Great American Country (GAC).

'CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC' Will Become the First Network Evening News Broadcast To Be Simulcast Live On The Internet

Free, Ad-Supported Live Webcast Will Begin on Tuesday, Sept. 5, When the Program Debuts on the CBS Television Network

The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC will become the first network evening news broadcast to be simulcast live on the Internet beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5 (6:30-7:00 PM, ET/PT), when it debuts on the CBS Television Network, it was announced by Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports, and Larry Kramer, President, CBS Digital Media.

"Viewers can now see the CBS EVENING NEWS live, as never before," said McManus. "This is a groundbreaking development in making the program available to the largest possible audience. For people who can't be in front of their televisions when the EVENING NEWS is on, they can now watch the program live on their computers. It's another giant step towards providing CBS News content to people wherever they are -- in their homes, in their offices, in their cars, on their computers or on their cell phones."

"Technology has become an integral part of everyday life for most people, and it's dramatically changed the way they consume news, so this is a fantastic development," said Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor of the broadcast. "Now people will have access to great reporting by all the CBS EVENING NEWS correspondents, literally, anytime they want. It's another example of how we intend to use our website to complement our broadcast -- and, most importantly, to benefit our viewers."

"As we learned from our simulcast of March Madness on Demand, there is a huge appetite for real time content on the Internet," said Kramer. "Viewers increasingly want access to programming when it's fresh, and the Internet allows us to bring our content to them wherever they are and whenever that content is broadcast."

In addition to the live simulcast, the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC will also be available in two other ways. The complete broadcast may be viewed as an on-demand program any time after the live simulcast or, as has been the case for the past several years, viewers may build their own broadcast by choosing individual reports from each CBS EVENING NEWS program.

To access the simulcast, viewers will be asked to register so that they view it when the television broadcast is aired in their time zone. The live simulcast and on-demand versions of the broadcast will be advertiser-supported and free to all. CBSNews.com has long been a leader of free, advertiser- supported news video.

Other components of the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC that will be available online and on other platforms include:

  * "Couric & Company" -- This blog will explore the day's developments      through links to exclusive, free video, as well as contributions from      CBS News correspondents around the world, and will be updated      frequently throughout the day.  Couric and the EVENING NEWS team will      create a transparent, two-way, continuing dialogue with viewers and      readers that encourages online comments and questions.  The blog will      be edited by veteran CBS News journalist Greg Kandra.    * "Eye to Eye" -- This daily, on-demand web-exclusive feature will provide      extended interviews with the day's newsmakers hosted by Couric and      conducted by her or a CBS News correspondent.  The segment will be      posted on CBSNews.com by mid-afternoon and will run approximately five      minutes in length.  This report will be available for audio and video      podcast and will be available on iTunes.    * "CBS News First Look with Katie Couric" -- Early each weekday afternoon,      Couric will offer a web-exclusive rundown on-camera from the      newsroom -- a first look at the stories being considered for coverage      on that night's CBS EVENING NEWS and some perspective on what is going      on in the world that day.  Correspondents may join her to talk about      the stories they're reporting for the broadcast.  This on-demand video      clip, updated as needed, will be featured on the CBSNews.com home page      and on the blog, "Couric and Company."    * "Katie Couric's Notebook," a one-minute look into a top story or issue      by Couric, will be available as an audio and video podcast and on      iTunes. 

Source: CBS

TIME Moves Delivery Date to Friday

Announces Plans to Reformulate Magazine and Website

 TIME will shift its on-sale date to Friday as part of a larger plan to reformulate the magazine and TIME.com, effective January 2007, it was announced today by Richard Stengel, TIME Managing Editor and Ed McCarrick, TIME President and Worldwide Publisher.

Affecting all editions of TIME and TIME International, the move from the current Monday on-sale date is a return to the magazine's original Friday on- sale date established by founding editor Henry Luce in 1923.

Along with this change, TIME is launching a broader effort to redefine the relationship between the reader, the magazine and TIME.com as a continuous 24/7 experience. TIME will announce future changes in coming months.

"As we work to keep TIME as relevant in the 21st century as it was in the 20th, this new plan, starting with the Friday delivery date, will enable us to offer our unparalleled brand of analysis, news and agenda-setting ideas continuously and seamlessly," says Stengel.

Says John Huey, Editor in Chief, Time Inc.: "TIME is already the most important global print brand. This move paves the way for creating an even more powerful combination of the magazine and its web alter ego."

TIME's research shows that pre-weekend delivery will allow readers to spend more time with the magazine. Under the new plan, the magazine will be on newsstands on Fridays and the majority of TIME subscribers will receive the magazines by Saturday.

"The new Friday on-sale date gives advertisers a tremendous opportunity to convey their messages to TIME's 27 million readers before the weekend, when consumers do the large majority of purchasing," says McCarrick. "And the fact that we expect readers to spend more time with the magazine and TIME.com is an obvious plus as well."

Ann Moore, Time Inc. Chairman & CEO adds: "We are creating a more vibrant TIME brand overall that will undoubtedly energize our readers and also attract younger consumers so we're competing more effectively with all news brands in the print and digital worlds."

TIME is a global multimedia brand that includes TIME.com, TIME Style & Design, TIME For Kids and Timeforkids.com. TIME's worldwide editions include TIME U.S., TIME Canada, TIME Europe, TIME Asia and TIME South Pacific. TIME Magazine is the world's largest weekly newsmagazine with a weekly worldwide circulation of more than 5 million and a global audience of more than 27 million.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Yahoo!(R) (NASDAQ:YHOO) today announced the launch of the new AT&T Yahoo! Photos, a Web-based service designed to make it easier for people to enjoy and share their growing photo collections with family and friends. In addition, results from a survey commissioned by AT&T Inc. show that the new features of AT&T Yahoo! Photos arrive at a time when digital photo users are demanding more from online photo services, including an easier way to share digital photos with friends and family.

The upgrades to the new AT&T Yahoo! photo experience mirror the growing use of online photo services. According to InfoTrends, the total number of online photo service users is expected to grow from 55 million in 2004 to 83 million in 2009. And Nielsen/Net Ratings cites that 62.5 percent of Internet-connected U.S. households now have broadband, a factor that lends to more interactivity with online photos.

The new AT&T Yahoo! Photos addresses this demand, offering desktop-like functionality in a Web-based service. It delivers new features like photo-tagging -- or labeling -- for easy viewing. It provides Smart Albums, or online "playlists" of photos that detect newly tagged photos and automatically recognize and add tagged photos to online albums. The service offers deeper integration with leading AT&T Yahoo! services, including e-mail and Instant Messenger (IM), among other options. Users can also order professional-quality prints online for pickup at local stores, place ship-to-home orders, or order personalized photo gifts via the new service.

The new AT&T Yahoo! Photos brings a Web 2.0 experience to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet subscribers, featuring the next generation of Web-based services and social media that enable people to collaborate and share information online. It moves beyond static online album structure, to dynamic, flexible and smart photo organization, and it provides the ability to save photos to more than one album. The enhanced service brings tagging capabilities to the mass consumer audience, and it extends beyond the PC, to mobile devices (such as AT&T Yahoo! Go for Mobile).

"The new community-based photo features -- like photo-tagging -- foster user interaction in ways that weren't possible before for AT&T Yahoo! broadband customers," said Kieran Nolan, vice president, AT&T Broadband. "For example, as photo collections continue to grow, they can become more difficult to manage. With tagging, users can label photos -- their own and those shared with them -- making them easier to organize and find later. Features like these mean that customers can now exchange comments on shared pictures, add tags to help organize photos and rate them for simple searching."

Unlike other Web-based services, the new AT&T Yahoo! Photos functions much like a desktop application but offers the combination of remote access from any Web-connected computer, with no software download required.

"AT&T Yahoo! Photos enables users to spend less time maintaining their photo collections and more time viewing and sharing them with family and friends," said Will Aldrich, director, Yahoo! Photos. "Whether they are online photo-sharing enthusiasts, or first-time digital photographers, next-generation capabilities like tagging, search and comments will change the way millions of AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet subscribers enjoy their pictures online."

A new survey commissioned by AT&T provides feedback on using digital photos with online tools, ideas on digital "photo personalities," ways to share and reasons why people like working with digital photos, among other topics.

WHAT USERS WANT

The AT&T survey revealed that currently more than one in five respondents already move their digital photos from a camera to their computer to enhance, edit and create their own visual content; however, eight in 10 (80 percent) of survey participants indicated that they would share digital photos with friends and family more often if they had the needed features, tools and know-how. When asked what they would do with online photos if they had additional skills, knowledge and tools, 74 percent of survey respondents aged 18 to 34 said they would save to an online album or create a personal Web site with their photos.

PHOTO PERSONALITIES

The AT&T survey results also revealed several unique "photo personalities" that people used to describe the way they work with digital photos.

  * Personal Paparazzi. Thirteen percent consider themselves to be people     who take lots of self-portraits and then share the photos with everyone     they can.   * Shoot and Run. Ten percent of respondents classified themselves as     digital photographers who store their photos on a portable device, such     as a digital music player or cell phone, and show them to friends and     family on the go.   * Webmaster of Ceremonies. One in five respondents described themselves as     people who not only take digital photos but also store them on a     computer, create slide shows, post photos to Web sites or make     multimedia movies or DVDs to share their photos with friends and family.   * Lens Cappers. Less than one in five (17 percent) of survey participants     classify themselves as people who take digital photos but usually leave     them in the camera.   * Underexposed. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed describe themselves     as people who take digital photos and store them on their computers but     don't share or know what to do with the pictures.  

The new AT&T Yahoo! Photos is available beginning today and will continue to roll out in the coming weeks to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet subscribers. AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet offers consumers a unique broadband experience, including virtually unlimited photo and e-mail storage, Instant Messenger with webcam capabilities, commercial-free Internet radio, and a suite of powerful online security tools.

This survey was sponsored by AT&T to gather insights into how American consumers are taking advantage of digital photography today and where they want to go tomorrow. The survey was conducted through the ORC Caravan(TM), a nationwide telephone omnibus poll, from July 14 through July 17, 2006. Results for the AT&T Summer Photo survey are based on responses from 965 adults (from a total sample of 2,000 Americans) who have a digital camera. For this sample of 965, the margin of error because of sampling is less than plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence interval for values at or near 50 percent.

Note: This AT&T release and other news announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss .

About AT&T Inc.

AT&T Inc. is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with 57.3 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at www.att.com .

Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.

About AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet

AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet is provided by AT&T Internet Services with customized content, services, and applications from Yahoo! Inc. Yahoo!, the Yahoo! logos and other product and service names are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.

For more information and detailed disclaimer information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at www.att.com/newsroom .

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! seeks to provide online products and services essential to users' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

About Yahoo! Photos!

As the No. 1 photo sharing service worldwide, Yahoo! Photos (http://photos.yahoo.com/ ) makes it easy to enjoy, share and preserve memories. Users can order professional quality prints online for pick-up at a local Target store within one hour, place ship-to-home orders or order personalized photo gifts such as photo stamps, books and cards. A free service with unlimited storage, Yahoo! Photos is the most complete photo sharing service and includes deep integration across the Yahoo! network through leading services such as Yahoo! Mail, Messenger, Mobile and 360 degrees.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Source: AT&T Inc.

The Opening Gala for BLACK STYLE NOW will kick off New York's Fashion Week with a star-studded, black-carpet event on Friday, September 8, 2006, from 6:00pm to 11:00pm at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street. The exclusive celebration, in honor of the Museum of the City of New York's groundbreaking exploration of hip-hop style and the Black fashion revolution, is hosted by Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

As the first major American exhibition to explore Black fashion, BLACK STYLE NOW will feature examples of the attire, accessories, and looks that define contemporary fashion; including a strapless fuchsia, velvet gown worn by Lil' Kim to the 2005 Costume Institute Gala, an original wool-pinstripe suit worn by Sean 'Diddy' Combs to the 2006 CFDA Awards, and a custom-designed white and cranberry leather, monogrammed cap made for LL Cool J in the 1980's, to name a few. Opening on September 9, 2006, and running through February 19, 2007, the exhibition will present historic photos, video images and stylized vignettes to reveal how today's fashion is shaped by African-American style. Beyonce, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Russell Simmons, Sean 'Jay-Z' Carter, LL Cool J, Kanye West, Lil' Kim and Andre 3000 are among the celebrities whose influence will be documented in BLACK STYLE NOW.

The BLACK STYLE NOW Opening Gala is a VIP party, offering a special preview of the BLACK STYLE NOW exhibition, which explores the history of African-American style and the influence of hip-hop on fashion and design. The BLACK STYLE NOW Opening Gala chairpersons, ESSENCE editorial director Susan L. Taylor, Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Museum of the City of New York President Susan Henshaw Jones, have assembled an illustrious event host committee, including Iman, John Dempsey, William P. Lauder, Susan Fales-Hill, Thelma Golden, Allison Whipple Rockefeller, and ESSENCE editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray, among others.

"ESSENCE is ecstatic to fete the opening of BLACK STYLE NOW, with a singular event uniting the entertainment industry with the fashion community to pay tribute to the history of Black style," said Michelle Ebanks, President of Essence Communications Inc. "Congratulations to the Museum of the City of New York for realizing its vision for BLACK STYLE NOW, a creative and pioneering exhibition reflective of the African-American experience, which ESSENCE proudly celebrates."

Commented Susan Henshaw Jones, President and Director of the Museum of the City of New York: "Much of the hip-hop phenomenon began in the streets of New York City, so it is fitting for the Museum of the City of New York to organize this groundbreaking exhibition. BLACK STYLE NOW will not only document the impact of the hip-hop style revolution on mainstream fashion, but will explore the contributions of African-American stylemakers throughout the twentieth century. The Museum is very grateful to Time Warner and to ESSENCE for making it possible for us to tell this story."

The Opening Gala for BLACK STYLE NOW is generously supported by platinum sponsor Macy's; gold sponsor Unforgivable by Sean John; fashion sponsors Akademiks, Rocawear and Sean John; bronze supporters Sony and Diet Pepsi Jazz; and VH1. BLACK STYLE NOW is funded by the Time Warner Foundation. ESSENCE magazine is the primary sponsor. Generous support has also been provided by Altria Group, Inc.

About ESSENCE:

With 7.7 million readers, ESSENCE is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women. Published by Essence Communications Inc., it is the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women's lives. For 36 years, ESSENCE has celebrated personal achievement, chronicled social movement, documented struggles, showcased beauty, defined and set trends and illustrated the incredible journey of a resilient and splendid race. Additional information about ESSENCE is available at essence.com.

About the Museum of the City of New York:

The Museum of the City of New York presents and interprets the past, present, and future of New York City and celebrates its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation. Founded in 1923 as a private, non-profit corporation, the Museum serves the people of New York and visitors from across the country and around the world through exhibitions, collections, publications, and school and public programs.

On August 2nd, Horizon Productions, Inc. announced a star-studded line-up for this year's Super Bowl XLI halftime special, Bodog.com Lingerie Bowl IV.

This season's broadcast team will have television sets smoking across the country. The most-searched celebrity on the Internet (beating out Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson), Jenna Jameson, will lead a team of analysts, commentators and sideline reporters that includes E! Entertainment's "Girls Next Door" stars and Playboy Cover Models Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, Kendra Wilkinson and supermodel Joanna Krupa. Super Bowl XLI viewers will have the option of watching this team of all-star babes or the not-so-sexy CBS duo of Phil Simms and Jim Nantz.

The coaches will be two of the most outrageous bad boys in NFL history, Jim McMahon and Brian "The Boz" Bosworth. Returning as the Bodog.com Lingerie Bowl's "8th Wonder" will be former Chicago Bears great William "The Fridge" Perry, who will compete in lingerie for one play. World renowned sports & entertainment announcer Michael Buffer will be the official voice of the show.

Creator & executive producer Mitch Mortaza said, "The Bodog.com Lingerie Bowl will once again feature some of the biggest names from the worlds of entertainment and sports, this is definitely not your father's football game".

"Football Fanatics-Ad this to halftime activities" -- NEW YORK POST, Michael Starr

"This is truly Must-See TV!" -- NBC NEWS, Fred Rogan

"If the ads bomb, there's always The Lingerie Bowl" -- CNN/MONEY, Krysten Crawford

Horizon Productions, established in 2003, is a full-service, Hollywood-based entertainment company engaged in the development of alternative film and TV, as well as talent packaging, event production and media/sponsorship management.

Multi-talented impresario and pop culture icon Sean "Diddy" Combs has signed with managerial powerhouse The Firm for representation.

Diddy is currently gearing up for the release of his new album Press Play which drops October 17th on his own Bad Boy Records through the Atlantic label. The Firm and its entire team of managers will be working in tandem with Diddy and his team to further globalize the Diddy brand, paying special attention to Diddy's musical career as an artist and producer. Diddy will continue to be represented theatrically by Peter Safran.

"It is an honor and privilege for The Firm to be in business with Sean 'Diddy' Combs, a true pioneer in the world of entertainment," said Jeff Kwatinetz, CEO of The Firm. "He is an inspirational leader, a trendsetter in fashion, music and pop culture and a truly great artist. Whether it be as a producer, a musician, a performer, an actor or an entrepreneur, Diddy's unprecedented accomplishments are legendary. And, we believe that his best years and accomplishments are to come in the day's ahead. We look forward to helping build the Diddy brand worldwide, and are thrilled to be a part of Team Diddy. We are also excited to work hand-in-hand with his theatrical manager Peter Safran, as Diddy continues his expansion into film and TV."

"I am really looking forward to my partnership with The Firm, an artist friendly company known for putting its clients above all else, said Diddy. Jeff Kwatinetz, Peter Katsis, Constance Schwartz and the rest of the Firm have proven their abilities at guiding the careers of some of today's brightest and most talented artists. With The Firm on my team, I believe we will accomplish great success together."

Sean Combs, the CEO and founder of Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group, is a multifaceted entertainment powerhouse. A Grammy-Award winning singer, actor, producer and fashion designer, he was recently declared one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time Magazine for being a leader in the world of business. Combs oversees one of the world's preeminent urban entertainment companies, encompassing a broad range of businesses including recording, music publishing, artist management, television and film production, recording facility, apparel and restaurants.

The Firm, founded in 1997, currently represents such current chart-topping acts as Kelly Clarkson, Korn and Ice Cube as well as Cameron Diaz, Martin Scorsese, Taylor Hicks, Rachel Weisz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg and Jennifer Lopez, among others.

Source: PMK-HBH Public Relations

Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced that the award-winning F.E.A.R.(TM) (First Encounter Assault Recon), is currently in development for the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system and is scheduled to launch during November 2006.

Already a critical and commercial smash on the PC, F.E.A.R. will bring a new level of FPS game play to PlayStation 3 with exclusive single player content designed to immerse the player deeper in the world of the F.E.A.R. team, as well as the visceral action of F.E.A.R. multi-player.

Developed by Day 1 Studios in conjunction with Monolith Productions, F.E.A.R is a paranormal action thriller presented entirely in first person. An unprecedented adrenaline rush of close quarters combat seamlessly melded with the spine-tingling, shocking intensity of the paranormal unknown.

To get more information on F.E.A.R. please visit www.whatisfear.com.

F.E.A.R. will ship for PlayStation 3 during November 2006.

About Monolith Productions

Monolith Productions, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, located in Kirkland, Washington, employs over 100 people. Over the past 10 years, Monolith has risen to critical acclaim through an emphasis on delivering quality products such as the No One Lives Forever franchise and Tron 2.0.

About Day 1 Studios

Day 1 Studios is an independent developer dedicated to the craft of creating revolutionary, interactive entertainment through superior design, artistic and technical processes. Day 1 Studios created and developed the award winning "MechAssault" series for Microsoft and Xbox Live. Day 1 is now developing exceptional games for the next generation of console and PC systems at their studios in Chicago, IL and Hunt Valley, MD.

About PlayStation 3

"PlayStation," "PS" Family logo and "PSP" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick Duo(TM) may be required (sold separately).

About Vivendi Games

Vivendi Games (www.vivendigames.com) is a global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment. The company is the leader in the subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPG) category, holds leading positions in the PC, console, handheld and mobile games markets, and is an emerging player in casual online games. Vivendi Games' two principal studios and publishing labels include Blizzard Entertainment, headquartered in Irvine, CA, the creator of World of Warcraft(R), Diablo(R), StarCraft(R), and Warcraft(R); and Sierra Entertainment, headquartered in Los Angeles, which includes Radical Entertainment, Swordfish Studios, High Moon Studios, and Massive Entertainment. Sierra's IPs include Crash Bandicoot(R), Spyro The Dragon(R), Empire Earth(R), SWAT(R), Darkwatch(TM), TimeShift(TM), Ground Control(R) and Leisure Suit Larry(R). Vivendi Games is also home to Vivendi Games Mobile, publishing games for the emerging mobile market, and Sierra Online, dedicated to publishing casual games for online play and distribution on all platforms. Vivendi Games maintains strategic relationships with industry leading content partners, including Universal Music Group, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, and Ludlum Entertainment. The company has 16 offices around the world conducting business in 75 countries.

Source: Vivendi Games

Nickelodeon announces the latest round of winners of the "Let's Just Play Giveaway," an effort by the network to distribute more than $1.2 million in funds to help kids improve their schools' or communities' play facilities. Forty kids from schools and organizations around the country will receive $5,000 each. The winners will be announced on Nick.com, and some will be featured on Nickelodeon's air. The "Let's Just Play Giveaway" is part of Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" pro-social campaign, which encourages healthy and active lifestyles for kids and families.

Kids entered to win the "Let's Just Play Giveaway" by visiting www.nick.com or www.everythingnick.com. Partnering with teachers and other community-based leaders, kids told Nickelodeon what they need for their school or club to help them play better and why, and gave three reasons why play is important. Once the entry form was completed and mailed to Nickelodeon, the winners were randomly selected.

The 40 May "Let's Just Play Giveaway" winners are* (in alphabetical order by school/organization):

-- Assumption School (Manchester, CT)

-- Bethany Elementary School (Reidsville, NC)

-- Bishop Ryan High School (Minot, ND)

-- Brewster Pierce Memorial School (Huntington, VT)

-- Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County (Black River Falls, WI)

-- Broad Brook Elementary School (Broad Brook, CT)

-- Cascade Christian - Tacoma Elementary School (Tacoma, WA)

-- Castleford Elementary School (Castleford, ID)

-- Cordova Library Museum After School Program (Cordova, AK)

-- Dora R-III School District (Dora, MO)

-- Eldora New Providence School (Eldora, IA)

-- Huntertown Elementary PTO (Versailles, KY)

-- Klassic Kids Loma Portal (San Diego, CA)

-- Lake George Charter School (Lake George, CO)

-- Lancaster Public School (Lancaster, MN)

-- Mahoosuc Arts Council (Bethel, ME)

-- Maury Elementary School (Washington, DC)

-- McDonald Green Elementary School (Lancaster, SC)

-- Metro Parks Tacoma (Tacoma, WA)

-- Mount Helena Gymnastics Boosters (Helena, MT)

-- New Heights Middle School (Jefferson, SC)

-- New Outlook Teen Center (Exeter, NH)

-- North East Community Center Raise the Roof After School Program

(Millerton, NY)

-- North Little Rock Montessori (North Little Rock, AR)

-- North Smithfield Elementary School (North Smithfield, RI)

-- Oakland Craig Public Schools (Oakland, NE)

-- Roosa Elementary School (Claremore, OK)

-- Shoshone School District/Elementary (Shoshone, ID)

-- South Memorial Elementary School (Peabody, MA)

-- SPLORE (Salt Lake City, UT)

-- St. John the Baptist (New Brighton, MN)

-- St. Joseph Regional Junior High School (Manchester, NH)

-- St. Paul School (St. Paul Island, AK)

-- St. Thomas School (Ft. Thomas, KY)

-- TASK OST Program (Tea, SD)

-- TOPPS, Inc. (Pine Bluff, AR)

-- Westwood Elementary School (Coker, AL)

-- Woonsocket School (Woonsocket, SD)

-- YMCA Downtown Teen Center (North Attleboro, MA)

-- YMCA of Metro Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI)

The "Let's Just Play Giveaway" is an extension of the 2004-2005 "Let's Just Play" grants program, where Nickelodeon awarded more than $600,000 to 81 organizations and schools. A total of $9 million was cited in the 1,800 grant applications received, causing the network to more than double its funding for the "Let's Just Play Giveaway." The network, through its grants program and Giveaway, has awarded approximately $2 million to more than 320 organizations since 2004.

Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" recently entered into a partnership with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, to combat the spread of childhood obesity. The three organizations are combining forces on a comprehensive media and public awareness campaign, encouraging young people to engage in healthy and active lifestyles.

As part of the partnership, the Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, which focuses on four kids' real life struggles and successes in the quest to make their lives healthier, recently debuted on Nickelodeon in April, serving as the kick-off to a movement that aims to increase awareness among young people about the importance of eating well and being physically fit, and that empowers kids and families to be agents of change in their communities. Kids can sign up to take the challenge at www.nick.com/letsjustplay. The next installment of the Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge airs August 27, 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon, leading up to the network's third annual World Wide Day of Play on September 30.

About Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" Pro-Social Campaign

Currently in its fourth year, "Let's Just Play" is Nickelodeon's pro- social commitment to encourage kids to participate in active, healthy, and playful lifestyles - a much needed antidote to reports of the rise in childhood obesity, the concerns about reduction of PE in schools and in after- school programs, and the over-scheduled and sedentary lifestyles of kids today. In addition to using the power of Nickelodeon's air, online sites, magazines, and celebrity support, the channel devotes significant year-round resources to building a grassroots infrastructure that supports physical play opportunities in communities everywhere.

"Let's Just Play" was recently awarded four Cable Television Public Affairs Association Beacon Awards, which recognize excellence in the public affairs industry. For more information on the "Let's Just Play" program, visit www.everythingnick.com.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, in its 27th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for eleven consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

-- From the historical and scenic Top Of The Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, MTV today announced the nominees for the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards." Shakira and The Red Hot Chili Peppers topped the list with seven nominations each for "Hips Don't Lie" and "Dani California" respectively. Madonna's "Hung Up" and Panic! At The Disco's, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," follow with five nods while Christina Aguilera received four nods for "Ain't No Other Man." It was also announced that Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, T.I., Panic! At The Disco, Ludacris and The Killers are scheduled to perform on the big show. In addition, it was announced today that The Raconteurs will provide the soundtrack for the VMA's live throughout the show. Host, additional performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

The "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY on Thursday, August 31, 2006 at 8:00 PM (LIVE ET/Tape Delayed PT).

"The VMA's is the first place you'll see Justin Timberlake perform, an all new show stopping performance from Beyonce, the much anticipated return of The Killers, T.I., hip hop's newest mega star and the breakout band, Panic! At The Disco," said MTV President, Christina Norman. "This is the beginning of what will no doubt be the most star-studded event and the hottest ticket of the year."

"New York City is proud to welcome the MTV Video Music Awards back to its rightful place at Radio City Music Hall and we are certainly happy that this year's show is expected to generate more than 25 million dollars in economic activity for our hotels, restaurants and other attractions," said Mayor Bloomberg. "MTV has transformed music and popular culture unlike any other medium before it and since its birth. It's no coincidence that MTV started here in New York City and catapulted itself and modern music into homes all across the globe. MTV's is a quintessentially New York story, and we're glad to have the VMA's back."

This year, for the first time, viewers will have access to all nominated videos on MTV Overdrive (http://www.vma.mtv.com/). The ballots for "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" were sent out to an exclusive industry group and viewers who determined the nominees for the telecast. Approximately 2,000 viewers and individuals including record labels, production companies, and management firms selected the nominees for awards categories encompassing wide-ranging contemporary music forms rap, dance, R&B and rock. Also, for the first time ever, voting for the General Categories will be open to all music fans and not just a select group of viewers and industry professionals. Viewers can start voting on the General Categories (excluding Viewer's Choice) starting July 31st through August 20th. Voting for "Viewer's Choice" begins August 7th through August 31st. Viewers can vote by visiting http://www.vma.mtv.com/.

In addition, this year there will be two new categories for the Online Gaming community to vote on through Gametrailers.com at http://www.gametrailers.com/vma/ and Xfire at http://www.xfire.com/cms/xf_mtv_vma. Gamers will vote for "Best Video Game Soundtrack" and "Best Video Game Score." Winners will be announced live on http://www.vma.mtv.com/ on August 31st during the MTV Overdrive broadcast.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is the official business advisor of the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards."

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.

Following are the nominees for the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards":

GENERAL CATEGORIES

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Christina Aguilera

"Ain't No Other Man"

Back To Basics

RCA

Director: Bryan Barber

Producer: William Green

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Madonna

"Hung Up"

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Johan Renck

Producer: Lene Bausager and John Winter

Production Company: RSA Films

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Panic! At The Disco

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Director: Shane C. Drake

Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio

Production Company: Red Van Pictures

BEST MALE VIDEO

Busta Rhymes featuring Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd

Banks, Papoose & DMX

"Touch It (Remix)"

The Big Bang

Aftermath/Interscope Records

Director: Benny Boom and Busta Rhymes

Producer: Joyce Washington

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Nick Lachey

"What's Left Of Me"

What's Left Of Me

Jive Records/Zomba Label Group

Director: Ray Kay

Producer: Clark Jackson

Production Company: Rockhard Films

James Blunt

"You're Beautiful"

Back To Bedlam

Custard Records/Atlantic Records

Director: Sam Brown

Producer: Kat Armour-Brow

Production Company: Flynn Productions

T.I.

"What You Know"

KING (The Album), ATL (The Movie)

Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records

Director: Chris Robinson

Producer: Melissa Larsen

Production Company: HSI Productions

Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx

"Gold Digger"

Late Registration

Roc-A-Fella Records

Director: Hype Williams

Producer: Hype Williams

Production Company: Naaila Entertainment

BEST FEMALE VIDEO

Christina Aguilera

"Ain't No Other Man"

Back To Basics

RCA

Director: Bryan Barber

Producer: William Green

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland

"Promiscuous"

Loose

Mosley Music/Geffen Records

Producer: Ron Mohrhoff

Production Company: HSI Productions

Kelly Clarkson

"Because of You"

Breakaway

RCA

Director: Vadim Perelman

Producer: Rhonda Vernet

Production Company: Tate USA

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Madonna

"Hung Up"

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Johan Renck

Producer: Lene Bausager and John Winter

Production Company: RSA Films

BEST GROUP VIDEO

All-American Rejects (The)

"Move Along"

Move Along

Interscope Records/Doghouse Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Marcienne Friesland

Production Company: DNA

Panic! At The Disco

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Director: Shane C. Drake

Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio

Production Company: Red Van Pictures

Fall Out Boy

"Dance, Dance"

From Under The Cork Tree

Island Records

Director: Alan Ferguson

Producer: Valerie Romer

Production Company: Anonymous Content

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Gnarls Barkley

"Crazy"

St. Elsewhere

Downtown/Atlantic Records

Director: Robert Hales

Producer: Coleen Haynes

Production Company: HSI Productions

BEST RAP VIDEO

50 Cent

"Window Shopper"

From "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" The Motion Picture

G-Unit/Interscope Records

Director: Benny Boom

Producer: Adam Witaker

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

T.I.

"What You Know"

KING (The Album), ATL (The Movie)

Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records

Director: Chris Robinson

Producer: Melissa Larsen

Production Company: HSI Productions

Busta Rhymes featuring Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd

Banks, Papoose & DMX

"Touch It (Remix)"

The Big Bang

Aftermath/Interscope Records

Director: Benny Boom and Busta Rhymes

Producer: Joyce Washington

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Yung Joc featuring Nitty

"It's Goin' Down"

New Joc City

Block Ent./Bad Boy South

Director: Lenny Bass

Producer: Helen Urriola

Production Company: DNA

Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone

"Ridin'"

The Sound of Revenge

Chamillitary/Universal Music

Director: Life Garland

Producer: Hagai Shaham

Production Company: Lotus Filmworks, Inc./Terrero Films

BEST R&B VIDEO

Beyonce featuring Slim Thug & Bun B

"Check On It (Pink Panther)"

Destiny's Child #1's

Music World/Sony Urban/Columbia

Director: Hype Williams

Producer: Matthew Stillman

Production Company: Stillking Productions

Mariah Carey

"Shake It Off"

The Emancipation of Mimi

Island Def Jam Music Group

Director: Jake Nava

Producer: Ron Mohrhoff

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Chris Brown

"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)"

Chris Brown

Jive Records/Zomba Label Group

Director: E. White/Chris Brown

Producer: Roger Ubina

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Mary J. Blige

"Be Without You"

The Breakthrough

Matriarch/Geffen Records

Director: Matthew Rolston

Producer: Nina Grossman

Production Company: HSI Productions

Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris

"Unpredictable"

Unpredictable

J Records

Director: Hype Williams

Producer: Matthew Stillman

Production Company: Stillking Films

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO

Black Eyed Peas (The)

"My Humps"

Monkey Business

A&M Records

Director: Fatima Robinson and Malik Sayeed

Producer: Tony McGarry

Production Company: Black Dog at RSA Films

Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx

"Gold Digger"

Late Registration

Roc-A-Fella Records

Director: Hype Williams

Producer: Hype Williams

Production Company: Naaila Entertainment

Common

"Testify"

BE

G.O.O.D./Geffen Records

Director: Anthony Mandler

Producer: Lou Miguel

Production Company: Box Fresh Pictures

Three 6 Mafia

"Stay Fly"

Most Known Unknown

Hypnotize Mind/Sony Urban/Columbia

Director: Bernard Gourley

Producer: Jeff Brown

Production Company: Immigrant Film

Daddy Yankee

"Rompe"

Barrio Fino En Directo

El Cartel Records/Interscope Records/HHH

Director: Jessy Terrero and Carlos Perez

Producer: Meredith Welsch

Production Company: Lotus Filmworks, Inc./Terrero Films

BEST DANCE VIDEO

Madonna

"Hung Up"

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Johan Renck

Producer: Lene Bausager and John Winter

Production Company: RSA Films

Sean Paul

"Temperature"

The Trinity

VP Records/Atlantic Records

Director: X

Producer: Craig Fleming

Production Company: HSI Productions

Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland

"Promiscuous"

Loose

Mosley Music/Geffen Records

Producer: Ron Mohrhoff

Production Company: HSI Productions

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg

"Buttons"

PCD

A&M Records

Director: Francis Lawrence

Producer: Lynn Zekanis

Production Company: DNA

BEST ROCK VIDEO

30 Seconds To Mars

"The Kill"

A Beautiful Lie

Virgin Records America

Director: Bartholomew Cubbins

Producer: Alexander Moon and Douglas Friedman

Production Company: A Common Thread, Inc.

Panic! At The Disco

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Director: Shane C. Drake

Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio

Production Company: Red Van Pictures

A.F.I.

"Miss Murder"

Decemberunderground

Interscope Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Marcienne Friesland

Production Company: DNA

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Green Day

"Wake Me Up When September Ends"

American Idiot

Reprise Records

Director: Samuel Bayer

Producer: Tim Lynch

Production Company: RSA Films

BEST POP VIDEO

Christina Aguilera

"Ain't No Other Man"

Back To Basics

RCA

Director: Bryan Barber

Producer: William Green

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Pink

"Stupid Girls"

I'm Not Dead

LaFace/Zomba Label Group

Director: Dave Meyers

Producer: Joseph Sassone

Production Company: Radical Music

Madonna

"Hung Up"

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Johan Renck

Producer: Lene Bausager and John Winter

Production Company: RSA Films

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland

"Promiscuous"

Loose

Mosley Music/Geffen Records

Producer: Ron Mohrhoff

Production Company: HSI Productions

BEST NEW ARTIST IN A VIDEO

Angels And Airwaves

"The Adventure"

We Don't Need To Whisper

Suretone/Geffen Records

Director: The Malloys

Producer: Dave Robertson

Production Company: Black Dog at RSA Films

James Blunt

"You're Beautiful"

Back To Bedlam

Custard Records/Atlantic Records

Director: Sam Brown

Producer: Kat Armour-Brow

Production Company: Flynn Productions

Avenged Sevenfold

"Bat Country"

City Of Evil

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Marc Klasfeld

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Rockhard Films

Panic! At The Disco

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Director: Shane C. Drake

Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio

Production Company: Red Van Pictures

Chris Brown featuring Juelz Santana

"Run It"

Chris Brown

Jive Records/Zomba Label Group

Director: E. White

Producer: Roger Ubina

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Rihanna

"S.O.S."

A Girl Like Me

Def Jam/SRP

Director: Chris Applebaum

Producer: John Hardin

Production Company: Reactor Films

VIEWER'S CHOICE

Chris Brown featuring Juelz Santana

"Run It"

Chris Brown

Jive Records/Zomba Label Group

Director: E. White

Producer: Roger Ubina

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Rihanna

"S.O.S."

A Girl Like Me

Def Jam/SRP

Director: Chris Applebaum

Producer: John Hardin

Production Company: Reactor Films

Fall Out Boy

"Dance, Dance"

From Under The Cork Tree

Island Records

Director: Alan Ferguson

Producer: Valerie Romer

Production Company: Anonymous Content

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Kelly Clarkson

"Because of You"

Breakaway

RCA

Director: Vadim Perelman

Producer: Rhonda Vernet

Production Company: Tate USA

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES

BEST DIRECTION IN A VIDEO

10 Years

"Wasteland" Version 2

Autumn Effect

Republic/Universal Records

Director: Kevin Kerslake

Producer: Dave Robertson

Production Company: Merge @ Crossroads Films

Gnarls Barkley

"Crazy"

St. Elsewhere

Downtown/Atlantic Records

Director: Robert Hales

Producer: Coleen Haynes

Production Company: HSI Productions

A.F.I.

"Miss Murder"

Decemberunderground

Interscope Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Marcienne Friesland

Production Company: DNA

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Common

"Testify"

BE

G.O.O.D./Geffen Records

Director: Anthony Mandler

Producer: Lou Miguel

Production Company: Box Fresh Pictures

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A VIDEO

Christina Aguilera

"Ain't No Other Man"

Back To Basics

RCA

Director: Bryan Barber

Producer: William Green

Production Company: F.M. Rocks

Choreographer: Jerri Slaughter

Sean Paul

"Temperature"

The Trinity

VP Records/Atlantic Records

Director: X

Producer: Craig Fleming

Production Company: HSI Productions

Choreographer: Tanisha Scott

Madonna

"Hung Up"

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Johan Renck

Producer: Lene Bausager and John Winter

Production Company: RSA Films

Choreographer: Stephanie Roos

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Choreographer: Sho-tyme

Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg

"Buttons"

PCD

A&M Records

Director: Francis Lawrence

Producer: Lynn Zekanis

Production Company: DNA

Choreographer: Mike Mindon

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS IN A VIDEO

Angels And Airwaves

"The Adventure"

We Don't Need To Whisper

Suretone/Geffen Records

Director: The Malloys

Producer: Dave Robertson

Production Company: Black Dog at RSA Films

Special Effects: Jack Effects

Pearl Jam

"Life Wasted"

Pearl Jam

J Records

Director: Fernando Apodaca

Producer: Eddie Vedder/Jason Mueller

Special Effects: Fernando Apodaca

Beck

"Hell Yes"

Guero

Interscope Records

Director: Garth Jennings

Producer: Nick Goldsmith

Production Company: Anonymous Content

Special Effects: Hammer & Tongs (Garth and Nick)

U2

"Original Of The Species"

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Interscope Records

Director: Catherine Owens

Producer: Catherine Owens and Katie Manning

Production Company: Spontaneous

Special Effects: John Leamy & Lawrence Nimrichter

Missy Elliott

"We Run This"

The Cookbook

From Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment's "Stick It"

Hollywood/Gold Mind/Atlantic Records

Director: Dave Meyers

Producer: Barbara Benson

Production Company: Radical Music

Special Effects: Louis Mackall

BEST ART DIRECTION IN A VIDEO

10 Years

"Wasteland" Version 2

Autumn Effect

Republic/Universal Records

Director: Kevin Kerslake

Producer: Dave Robertson

Production Company: Merge @ Crossroads Films

Art Director: Trae King

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Art Director: Justin Dragonis

Common

"Testify"

BE

G.O.O.D./Geffen Records

Director: Anthony Mandler

Producer: Lou Miguel

Production Company: Box Fresh Pictures

Art Director: David Ross

Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

"Hips Don't Lie"

Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Epic Records

Director: Sophie Muller

Producer: Grant Jue

Production Company: Oil Factory

Art Director: Laura Fox

Panic! At The Disco

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Director: Shane C. Drake

Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio

Production Company: Red Van Pictures

Art Director: Lindy McMichael, Jamie Drake, Erin Wieczorek

BEST EDITING IN A VIDEO

All-American Rejects (The)

"Move Along"

Move Along

Interscope Records/Doghouse Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Marcienne Friesland

Production Company: DNA

Editor: J.D. Smyth

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Editor: Peter Goddard

Angels And Airwaves

"The Adventure"

We Don't Need To Whisper

Suretone/Geffen Records

Director: The Malloys

Producer: Dave Robertson

Production Company: Black Dog at RSA Films

Editor: Clark Eddy

U2

"Original Of The Species"

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Interscope Records

Director: Catherine Owens

Producer: Catherine Owens and Katie Manning

Production Company: Spontaneous

Editor: Olivier Wicki

Gnarls Barkley

"Crazy"

St. Elsewhere

Downtown/Atlantic Records

Director: Robert Hales

Producer: Coleen Haynes

Production Company: HSI Productions

Editor: Ken Mowe

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A VIDEO

A.F.I.

"Miss Murder"

Decemberunderground

Interscope Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Marcienne Friesland

Production Company: DNA

Cinematographer: Wells Hackett

Prince

"Black Sweat"

3121

Universal Records

Director: Sanaa Hamri

Producer: Nicole Acacio

Production Company: Anonymous Content

Cinematographer: Checco Varese

Ashlee Simpson

"Invisible"

I Am Me

Geffen Records

Director: Marc Webb

Producer: Hagai Shaham

Production Company: DNA

Cinematographer: Jeff Cutter

Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Dani California"

Stadium Arcadium

Warner Bros. Records

Director: Tony Kaye

Producer: Rachel Curl

Production Company: Above The Sea

Cinematographer: Tony Kaye

James Blunt

"You're Beautiful"

Back To Bedlam

Custard Records/Atlantic Records

Director: Sam Brown

Producer: Kat Armour-Brow

Production Company: Flynn Productions

Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan

VIDEO GAME CATEGORIES

BEST VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK

Final Night Round 3 (Electronic Arts)

Burnout Revenge (Electronic Arts)

NBA 2K6 (2K Games)

Driver: Parallel Lines (Atari)

Marc Ecko's Getting Up (Atari)

BEST VIDEO GAME SCORE

Hitman: Blood Money (Jesper Kyd)

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (Tom Salta)

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (Even "Magnet" Johansen)

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Jeremy Soule)

Electroplankton (User Generated Soundtrack)

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 43 Web sites around the world.

The official sponsors of the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" are Acuvue, Chevrolet, Dodge, Herbal Essences, JC Penny, 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

Jazz icon Herbie Hancock, rock legend Elton John, the late father of modern Nubian music, Hamza el Din, and classical violinist Ida Haendel are featured in a series of 30-second television public service announcements to promote Daniel Pearl World Music Days -- an international network of concerts scheduled from October 6-15.

Their video message to professional and amateur musicians around the world is a simple one: "Join us in using the universal language of music to diminish hatred, respect differences, and reach out in friendship by dedicating performances for "Harmony for Humanity."

Television PSAs will be available on August 18, 2006 from 11:30am - 12:00pm Eastern Daylight Time. Stations can uplink at: C-Band, AMC01, Transponder 22, Downlink Frequency 4140 MHz, Vertical Polarity, Audio 6.2 and 6.8, and www.nab.org/publicservice. To order copies, contact Sarah Roberts of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) at (202) 429-5448 or Jeff Lloyd as listed above. Radio PSAs are available for download at www.musicdays.org.

"Danny was a talented musician and principled journalist who respected all cultures and found magic in every person," said Judea Pearl, Daniel's father and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. "World Music Days, which commemorates Danny's October 10th birthday, is his legacy to raise awareness of our common humanity. All musicians, no matter their genre, are invited to dedicate performances held from October 6th through 15th. We simply ask that they say a few words from the stage or in the program in affirmation of the principles for which Danny stood," he added.

Since World Music Days' inception, artists from more than 60 countries with musical events large or small have united in this global network of concerts. This year's Honorary Committee is composed of luminary musicians and artists from many genres, including Salman Ahmad, Theodore Bikel, Yefim Bronfman, Hamza el Din, Ida Haendel, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, Tania Libertad, Yo-Yo Ma, Zubin Mehta, Mark O'Connor, George Pehlivanian, Itzhak Perlman, R.E.M., A.J. Racy, Steve Reich, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Ravi Shankar, Russell Simmons, Barbra Streisand and John Williams.

Daniel Pearl World Music Days

To participate, register online at www.musicdays.org. Musicians and artists are also invited to submit music, poetry, art, articles and dedications to the World Music Days eStage, an on-line gallery and radio station showcasing words and music that affirm the oneness of mankind. This is not a fund raising event and musical groups incur no financial obligation by registering.

The National Association of Broadcasters

The NAB is a full-service trade association that promotes and protects free, over-the-air local radio and television stations' interests in Washington and around the world. NAB is the broadcaster's voice before Congress, federal agencies and the courts. The organization also serves a growing number of associate and international broadcaster members. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.

The Daniel Pearl Foundation

The Daniel Pearl Foundation was formed in 2002 in memory of journalist Daniel Pearl to promote the ideals that inspired his life and work. The world came to know Daniel Pearl as The Wall Street Journal reporter who was murdered by terrorists in Karachi, Pakistan. Since then, he has been remembered more for his humanity and love of life than his senseless death. The Daniel Pearl Foundation works domestically and internationally to promote cross-cultural understanding, to combat cultural and religious hatred, to encourage responsible and creative journalism, and to enrich people's lives through music. For more information, please visit www.danielpearl.org.

A complex lawsuit filed by contractors relating to the construction of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Southern California for additional construction costs both direct and for impacts caused by delays, disruptions and inefficiencies has been settled, with one of the nation's leading general contractors, M.A. Mortenson Company and its subcontractors to receive $17.8 million. Attorneys for Mortenson, Jose L. Padilla, Jr., Esq. and Marion T. Hack, Esq., partners in the Los Angeles based law firm Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Turner LLP, believed the settlement to have been in the best interest of all the parties. It is estimated that if this matter would have gone to trial, combined litigation costs would have exceeded $10 million. "It was remarkable that we were able to settle this complex lawsuit without taking as much as a single substantive deposition and with minimal written discovery," said Mr. Padilla. "With the litigation behind us, we can now focus our attention to the marvel of this landmark Concert Hall, which is a proud accomplishment for all involved."

M. A. Mortenson Company, a Minneapolis based firm and one of the largest general contractors in the United States, filed a breach of contract and mechanic's lien foreclosure action against Walt Disney Concert Hall Inc. in November of 2003 alleging damages due to delays and disruptions resulting from incomplete plans and specifications and direct costs due to change order work. Several of Mortenson's subcontractors including The Herrick Corporation, ACCO Engineered Systems, Martin Bros./Marcowall Inc. also filed lien foreclosure actions alleging that their portion of the work was impacted due to inadequate design documents. Walt Disney Concert Hall Inc. counterclaimed against Mortenson for breach of contract alleging that Mortenson's pre-construction services were inadequate.

Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Turner LLP has been recognized by Chambers USA as the "top construction law firm headquartered in Southern California." Chambers USA reported: "This team of attorneys possesses a wide range of expertise and the ability to understand business decisions as well as legal ones... and is known for its skill in resolving disputes quickly." The firm is recognized as an established leader in the construction industry with a "high-work ethic"; and it is a "responsive, client-oriented" firm accomplishing "great results."

Founded in 1978, Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Turner LLP provides full legal service to construction and business clients, including related areas of business and commercial law; labor and employment law; real property transactions; environmental law; title insurance; suretyship; property, casualty and liability insurance; and common interest developments. From offices in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the firm represents clients involved in transactions and litigation throughout the United States.

Source: Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Turner LLP

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- There's still some summer left before the kids are consumed with school work and the leaves fall from the trees. Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to visit Cranbrook and check out the wide variety of events around campus, including a special exhibit at Cranbrook Institute of Science featuring the Adams Road Mastodon bones recovered in Oakland County last month.

Seen by thousands of visitors during two earlier viewings, the Adams Road Mastodon Bone Viewing is back for an encore Labor Day weekend. Visitors to the Institute of Science also can stand beside a lifesize T. rex skeleton, soar through the solar system in a high-tech planetarium and see a roomful of glittering crystals. At Cranbrook Art Museum -- the region's top contemporary art museum -- visitors can gaze at works by Warhol, Eames, Lichtenstein, Saarinen and other groundbreaking artists who helped shape the look and feel of the 20th century.

In addition to the science and art museums, Cranbrook offers tours of two historic homes, more than 40 acres of picturesque gardens and sculpture and architecture tours. Founded in 1904 by George and Ellen Booth, Cranbrook's 319-acre campus has been called "the most enchanted and enchanting setting in America," and in 2004, the National Historical Landmark community was named one of 12 must-visit architectural wonders of the world by MSNBC.

Cranbrook Institute of Science

248-645-3200

http://science.cranbrook.edu/

$7/adults, $5/children 2-12 and seniors (65+); free for members and

children under 2

Daily 10am-5pm, Fridays open until 10pm

Adams Road Mastodon Bone Viewing

Labor Day weekend

You've heard about the bones all over the news -- now is your chance to see them up close! The Adams mastodon, found in Oakland County, is an example of the extinct American mastodon and is a mature individual that likely died between 10,000 and 13,000 years ago. Its bones were found preserved in a shallow lakebed during road construction near M-59 and Adams Road. Some of the fossil remains recovered include: a partial tusk; several limb bones, including an enormous humerus bone; a tooth; portions of the shoulder blade; skull fragments and many ribs and vertebrae. Free with museum admission.

Sea Monsters

September 2 - 24

Learn all about extreme sea animals and their amazing abilities! Marvel at the scale of the elusive giant squid through a life-size model. Come face to face with the jaws of a Mako shark. See a variety of fossils from the dinosaur era including a full skeleton of an Ichthyosaurus, a dolphin-like marine reptile, and a partial lower jaw of a giant North African Mosasaurus, the top predator of the Mesozoic seas. The exhibit also features the interactive game show "Sea Monsters - Truth or Tale?", September 2 - 4 at 12, 1, 2 & 3pm, in which participants can interact live via Internet videoconferencing with a specially trained science educator at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida. Free with museum admission.

Playing with Time

Through September 4

Go on a journey to the unseen world of natural change and see events that happen too fast or too slow for humans to perceive. This imaginative exhibit invites visitors to examine invisible dynamics using high-speed photography, time-lapse videos and animations to effectively turn the world's speed up and down. Playful hands-on stations mixed with natural objects and stunning displays let visitors experience natural phenomena occurring over vast timescales -- from billionths of seconds to billions of years. Free with museum admission.

Also at Cranbrook Institute of Science:

* Digistar Planetarium and Entertainment shows

Tickets required in addition to museum admission

* The Bat Zone and special bat programs

Tickets required in addition to museum admission

* Base Camp

Daily noon-4pm through Labor Day; free with museum admission

* Observatory

8:30-10pm Friday, 1-4pm Sunday; free with museum admission

Cranbrook Art Museum

248-645-3320

http://www.cranbrookart.edu/museum

$6/adults, $4/seniors (65+) and students; free for members and children 12

and under

Wednesday - Sunday 11am-5pm, Fourth Fridays open until 9pm

Think Again! Presence of the Past in Contemporary Art

Through September 17

Throughout history, artists have been inspired by tradition, reinterpreting what has come before them to create works that speak to their own time. Drawing from the collections of Cranbrook Art Museum and organized into seven different sections, Think Again! explores artistic ideas that have migrated from their original cultures into the work of today's globally- influenced artists. Each section of the exhibit culminates with work that is contemporary to our own time and that draws from historical sources in surprising new ways. Free with museum admission.

Critical Mass: Metalsmithing at Cranbrook under Gary Griffin

Through October 15

Celebrate the remarkable career of Gary Griffin, Academy of Art metalsmith-in-residence for 22 years, as he prepares to leave his post at the Academy. Critical Mass chronicles the careers of 121 students who studied under Griffin from 1985 through 2005, showcasing the influence of this master metalsmith on the young artists he led. Free with museum admission.

Saarinen House tours

Through October

Thursday & Friday - 1pm; Saturday & Sunday - 1 & 3pm; Fourth Friday 6:30pm

Architecture, Art Deco design, lighting, furniture, rugs and nature work in perfect harmony in this showplace 1930 home -- a total work of art. Saarinen House is the restored home and studio of former Cranbrook architect Eliel Saarinen and his wife, Loja, a revolutionary fiber artist. The two- story Saarinen House with its handcrafted decor and exquisite furnishings has been open to the public since its restoration in the early 1990s. $8/adults, $6/seniors and full-time students, free for members and children 12 and under.

Cranbrook House & Gardens

248-645-3147

http://hg.cranbrook.edu/

Cranbrook Gardens tours

Stroll more than 40 acres of lush, sculpture-filled gardens filled with roses, wildflowers and hundreds of other breathtaking greenery. Self-guided tours are available Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 11am to 5pm, through Labor Day. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for seniors.

Cranbrook House tours

Visit Metro Detroit's oldest manor home, built in the English Arts and Crafts style. See beautiful furnishings, tapestries, paintings and works by some of the early 20th century's top artisans. Tours are available June through September, Sundays at 3pm; Thursdays at 11am and 1:15pm. Lunch is available on Thursdays at noon for an additional $15. Reservations required for lunch. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors.

For more information on all these events, visit http://www.cranbrook.edu/ .

Cranbrook is an internationally renowned educational community dedicated to excellence in the arts, education and science. Cranbrook is located at 39221 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and comprises its Academy of Art, Art Museum, Institute of Science, Schools and other affiliated cultural and educational programs. For more information, please call 1-877-GO-CRANBrook or visit http://www.cranbrook.edu/ .

Source: Cranbrook

CKX, Inc., (NASDAQ:CKXE) , its subsidiary Elvis Presley Enterprises and Cirque du Soleil have reached an agreement with MGM MIRAGE (NYSE:MGM) to create a permanent Elvis Presley show at the CityCenter hotel/casino, under construction in Las Vegas. The show is expected to open with the hotel in November 2009.

The deal announced during Elvis Week, the week in which we commemorate Elvis' untimely passing on August 16, 1977, marks the return of Elvis to Las Vegas, the site of some of the most remarkable performances of his illustrious career.

Cirque du Soleil's creative team is inspired by this new extravaganza. The creative combination of live musicians and singers, projections, dance and the latest in multimedia sound and lighting technology are stimulating and aim at offering an emotional bond with the audience. The show will bring Elvis back to Las Vegas for millions of his existing fans and create a buzz that will enable the persona of Elvis to reach untold numbers of new fans.

A design collaboration between MGM MIRAGE and six internationally acclaimed architects, CityCenter will open in 2009 on 66 acres between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts. At the heart of the action on the Las Vegas Strip, CityCenter will feature a soaring 60-story, 4,000-room hotel/casino, two 400-room non-gaming hotels, 500,000 square feet of retail shops, dining and entertainment venues and nearly 2,800 luxury condominiums.

Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and CEO of CKX, Inc., commented, "I am pleased that during this time, when we remember Elvis Presley and celebrate his life, we are able to announce his return to Las Vegas, a place where he truly rose to iconic status. And with the remarkable creative talent of Cirque du Soleil, fans who saw Elvis perform, as well as those who never had a chance to see him, will be able to experience Elvis in an entirely new and exciting way. This will be the first step in establishing a twenty-first century presence in Vegas for the King."

Guy Laliberte, Founder of Cirque du Soleil, commented, "This new creative challenge is exactly what we strive at accomplishing in the development of our new productions. Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to be involved in CityCenter and we are particularly honored to be entrusted with this assignment. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the public will have an unforgettable encounter with the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis had a unique relationship with his adoring fans in Vegas and a large part of our mission is to recreate the excitement and the spirit of joy he generated here."

Bobby Baldwin, President and CEO of Mirage Resorts, an MGM MIRAGE operating division, said, "We are thrilled to partner with our friends and colleagues at Cirque du Soleil, who are known the world over for creating memorable entertainment experiences. With this show we will bring together Elvis, an icon of Las Vegas entertainment history, with CityCenter, a destination that represents the future of this remarkable city."

The announcement represents another step in the creative partnership between CKX and Cirque du Soleil. In May, the two companies announced an agreement for the creation, development, production and promotion of Elvis Presley Projects, featuring touring and permanent shows as well as multimedia interactive "Elvis Experiences" throughout the world. CKX and Cirque du Soleil expect by 2008 to open at least one touring Elvis show in Europe and/or Asia, and one "Elvis Experience" outside the United States. Beginning in 2009, at least one Elvis Presley Project will be opened in each of the next six years.

CKX Management will be hosting an investor conference call on August 17, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss this announcement. Investors may listen by dialing (800) 905-0392. Investors located outside of the United States may listen by dialing (785) 830-1913. CKX will Webcast the call through its corporate website, http://www.ckx.com/. The call will be available for rebroadcast over the website beginning not later than 90 minutes after its conclusion.

About CKX, Inc.

CKX, Inc., a company controlled by Robert F.X. Sillerman and affiliates, is engaged in the ownership, development and commercial utilization of entertainment content. To date, the Company has focused on acquiring globally recognized entertainment content and related assets, including the rights to the name, image and likeness of Elvis Presley, the operations of Graceland, the rights to the name, image and likeness of Muhammad Ali and proprietary rights to the IDOLS television brand, including the American Idol series in the United States and local adaptations of the IDOLS television show format which, collectively, air in over 100 countries around the world. CKX plans to continue to make strategic acquisitions of, or partner or align with, companies or individuals that control various forms of established entertainment content, which may include intellectual property rights in music, film, television programming, written works and characters, rights to names, images and likenesses, video games, corporate brands and other related assets. For more information about CKX, Inc., visit its corporate website at http://www.ckx.com/.

About Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil is primarily a creative content provider for a wide variety of unique projects. In addition to shows, the Montreal-based company wishes to extend its creative talent to other spheres of activity. While maintaining stringent standards of artistic quality and originality, Cirque du Soleil brings to innovative projects the same energy and spirit that characterize each of its shows.

Cirque du Soleil is a Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. Since its beginnings in 1984, over 50 million spectators in over 100 cities on four continents have been thrilled by Cirque du Soleil. In 2006, 13 shows will simultaneously be presented across the globe. Cirque du Soleil is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gemeaux, Felix and Rose d'Or de Montreux.

About MGM MIRAGE

MGM MIRAGE, (NYSE:MGM) , one of the world's leading and most respected hotel and gaming companies, owns and operates 23 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has investments in three other properties in Nevada, New Jersey and Illinois. MGM MIRAGE has also announced plans to develop Project CityCenter, a multi-billion dollar mixed-use urban development project in the heart of Las Vegas, and has a 50 percent interest in MGM Grand Macau, a hotel-casino resort currently under construction in Macau S.A.R. MGM MIRAGE supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association's Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its properties. MGM MIRAGE also has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative and its community philanthropy programs. For more information about MGM MIRAGE, please visit the company's website at http://www.mgmmirage.com/.

About Elvis Presley Enterprises

Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. is based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit Elvis.com. EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc., a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market System (NMS) under the ticker symbol CKXE.

This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are not historical facts but rather are based on management's current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, consumer acceptance of the show or competition from other shows. More detailed information about these factors may be found in filings by CKX, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CKX, Inc. is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Source: CKX, Inc.

After a highly successful digital pre-release featured on the front-page of the US & Canadian iTunes Music Stores, Shimmerplanet celebrates the physical CD release of their poly-genre album "For The One Who Kills Tomorrow." Get physical with Shimmerplanet on Tuesday September 12, 2006 at 7pm at, of course, a gym: emPower Fitness Studios, 224 West 4th Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10014.

In keeping with their tradition of performing in non-traditional spaces (recent concerts have been staged in a public library, a strip-club, and a church), Shimmerplanet, the Indie band created by Soren Anders, has teamed up with a personal training gym, emPower Fitness Studios who will be hosting the release event.

"For The One Who Kills Tomorrow", a highly emotional disc is inspired by the extravagance and musicianship of Bjork and Rufus Wainwright, and showcases Anders' dark, confessional lyrics as well as his classical training. He has created an album that successfully fuses elements of alternative, rock, classical, jazz and electronic music. The resulting unique sound appeals to fans of truly innovative and intelligent music.

Continuing her collaboration with Anders, the immortal Lesley Gore (legendary artist of "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me") appears as a guest vocalist on the new track, "Siren". Gore is one of three singers (including Anders) heard on the album. Avant-garde New York vocalist Carolyn Eufrasio returns in her role as Shimmerplanet's Yin, singing lead on many of the tracks.

Shimmerplanet's debut album "Welcome To Shimmerplanet" received critical acclaim and they also received special recognition from The Songwriters' Hall Of Fame for their single "No Safe."

Free admission will begin at 7pm and Shimmerplanet will take the stage for an always-captivating LIVE performance at 7:15pm.

Shimmerplanet is available from Amazon, iTunes, Yahoo! Music, AOL Music Now, MTV Urge, Wal-Mart Digital and other major digital retail outlets around the world.

EmPower Fitness Studios offer one-on-one training, group programs and seminars on fitness and nutrition.

Shark Meat Records, a member of the American Association Of Independent Music (www.a2im.org ), is an independent record label based in New York City with alternative, pop and electronic artists. Shark Meat Records embraces the latest digital music technologies.

For further information visit www.shimmerplanet.com, www.sharkmeatrecords.com or www.emPowerFitnessNYC.com.

Source: Shark Meat Records

The following is being issued by the U.S. Postal Service:

What: First-day-of-issue ceremony for the Quilts of Gee's Bend

39-cent commemorative postage stamps. Three of the quilters

of Gee's Bend will be available for interviews and two of the

quilts that are pictured on the stamps will be on display.

Who: Mary Anne Gibbons, Senior Vice President and General Counsel,

U.S. Postal Service.

Nancy Rettinhouse, Acting District Manager, Northern IL, U.S.

Postal Service.

Mary Lee Bendolph, Gee's Bend Quilter.

Loretta Pettway, Gee's Bend Quilter.

Jessie T. Pettway, Gee's Bend Quilter.

Bill and Matt Arnett, Tinwood Alliance.

When: Noon (CT)

Aug. 24, 2006

Where: The American Philatelic Society's (APS) StampShow 2006

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

5555 North River Road

Hall G

Rosemont, IL 60018

Background: For this sixth issuance in the American Treasures series, Art

Director Derry Noyes chose photographs of 10 quilts created

between 1940 and 2001 by African-American women in Gee's

Bend, Alabama.

The rich quilting community of Gee's Bend is made up

primarily of African Americans descended from slaves. Water

surrounds the community on three sides, and by land, only one

long strip of roadway leads in from the northwest. The

isolation brought with it a priceless gift: the perpetuation

of generations of skilled quilters.

This classic America tradition will be celebrated at the APS

StampShow, Aug. 24, 2006. The largest annual philatelic

event in the United States, the StampShow features dealers, a

public auction, seminars, competitive exhibits, displays of

philatelic rarities, educational opportunities for the whole

family and a discussion and quilting demonstration with

quilters from Gee's Bend on Fri., Aug. 25, at 2 p.m.

Admission is free to the public.

Source: U.S. Postal Service

Despite facing many obstacles along the way, "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino found the courage to live her dream in front of millions of people. Now Lifetime Television, in conjunction with the Lifetime Original Movie Event "The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale," is cheering on women to achieve their dreams too and to start by writing them down for a special national essay contest. The writer of the winning essay could win two tickets to the 2007 "American Idol"(R) season six series finale in Los Angeles.

"The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale," premieres during a special three-night Lifetime Original Movie event on Saturday, August 19 at 9 PM, Sunday, August 20 at 8 PM and Monday, August 21 at 9 PM. All times are ET/PT.

The month-long essay contest is part of a multi-faceted public service initiative to raise awareness of the issues that Fantasia and many women and families experience -- ranging from low self-esteem to low literacy skills -- and to encourage viewers to make a difference in their own communities. In partnership with leading organizations such as Girls Inc., the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the National Center for Family Literacy, RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), Save the Children and the YWCA of the USA, Lifetime is offering viewers an online film discussion guide and resources on how to get involved. The Network will also air a PSA following the film's premiere in which Fantasia personally shares how she struggled to become a confident reader, a challenge which more than 30 million Americans share.

The essay contest, which asks the question "What is your life long dream and what steps must you take to achieve it?" will run from August 16 to September 16, 2006. It will be promoted in various ways, including in spots airing during the film premiere, at Lifetimetv.com, on special bookmarks distributed through Simon & Schuster to 300 independent bookstores across the country. Women and men 16 and older can enter by going to Lifetimetv.com and see all rules and regulations. Contest judges will include representatives from the non-profit partner groups.

"The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale" follows her journey before she ever captured the hearts and votes of millions to become the third season winner of American Idol(R). As the youngest child of Diane and JoJo Barrino, Fantasia experienced a complicated childhood, had low self-esteem and eventually dropped out of school in her early teens. With little education, money or chance of a real future, Fantasia found herself in a loveless relationship that left her pregnant at age 16.

The birth of her daughter Zion was the catalyst for Fantasia to rethink her choices and redirect her life. With the encouragement of friends and family, Fantasia took a leap of faith to audition for the hot television show American Idol(R) and quickly won over the judges and audiences with her sassy style and extraordinary voice. Her powerful singing made her an instant sensation and changed her life forever.

"The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale" is produced by Ostar Productions for Lifetime Television. Bill Haber ("Nightmares & Dreamscapes," "Uprising") and Robert Green ("Wild Fires," "Waiting") serve as executive producers and Ellyn Williams (Lifetime Television's "Hunger Point") co-executive produced. John McMahon ("Nightmares & Dreamscapes") is producer and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer Keith Glover is the writer of the teleplay, inspired by the autobiography Life is Not a Fairy Tale by Fantasia.

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

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has appointed TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles as its advertising agency of record for the 79th Annual Academy Awards telecast next February.

The appointment, announced by Director of Marketing Beth Harris, marks the first time that the Academy has hired an ad agency to produce a fully integrated promotional campaign for the Oscar(R) telecast. The campaign will include television, outdoor and print advertising.

"We are looking forward to a creative partnership with TBWA\Chiat\Day," said Harris. "The agency's creative reputation, coupled with its innovative approach to helping brands connect with audiences, was integral to our decision to work with them to create a campaign to promote the 79th Annual Academy Awards."

"This is a dream assignment," said Carisa Bianchi, president of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles. "The Oscars are one of the ultimate global brands with the power to capture people's imagination, and we are privileged to play a part in conveying the excitement and celebration of the Academy Awards."

TBWA\Chiat\Day is part of TBWA Worldwide. U.S. clients include Absolut, adidas, Apple, Beiersdorf, Embassy Suites Hotels, Energizer, Infiniti, Masterfoods, Nissan, Pennzoil, Sara Lee, Sprint-Nextel, PlayStation and Visa.

TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) is the most-awarded agency network in the world (The Gunn Report, 2005) and is one of the fastest growing top-ten global agency networks. TBWA has 258 offices in 75 countries, and approximately 9,700 employees worldwide.

TBWA Worldwide is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center(R). The show will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.

Source: TBWA Worldwide

XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 7 million subscribers, today announced that celebrated singer/songwriter Graham Nash will host a new music program exclusively for XM. The half-hour show "SongStories with Graham Nash" spotlights Nash interviewing many of music's most talented and successful songwriters about the stories behind their most classic songs, their overall creative process and the art of songwriting itself.

The interviews grew out of Nash's book, "Off The Record," which presents the text of 25 such interviews along with rare photographs and handwritten manuscripts -- by the songwriters -- of the lyrics for the featured song. During the course of these remarkable conversations, which make their broadcast debut on XM's airwaves, these legendary songwriters also share personal memories about their lives in music. Carole King, Paul Williams, Waylon Jennings and Ben E. King are among the artists who will be featured during the first several episodes. "SongStories with Graham Nash" debuts Monday, August 21 on The Loft (XM 50), XM's commercial-free acoustic rock channel.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this project to XM," said Nash. "The songs we'll explore are ones whose lyrics have become emotional landmarks for many people, and continue to resonate through our lives. It's a delight to share the stories behind these compositions with the XM audience."

"Not only has Graham Nash written and performed some of music's most treasured songs, but he is sincere in his curiosity about the creative process other musicians endure for their own works, making 'SongStories' genuine and entertaining," said Lee Abrams, Chief Creative Programming Officer, XM Satellite Radio. "XM is committed to keeping the passion for music alive and well among fans and Graham's passion for music and musicians as expressed through 'SongStories' is a perfect fit for the XM audience."

The premiere episode presents Nash's conversation with famed soul guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper about "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay," the GRAMMY(R)-winning #1 Cropper co-wrote with the legendary Otis Redding, whose recording of it is an all-time classic. It also features Graham and Grace Slick discussing "White Rabbit," Slick's psychedelic hit from Jefferson Airplane's classic 1967 LP Surrealistic Pillow. Future episodes will feature Carole King on "I Feel the Earth Move," Waylon Jennings on "Good Hearted Woman," and Ben E. King on "Stand By Me."

"SongStories with Graham Nash" debuts Monday, August 21 at 11 pm ET on The Loft (XM Channel 50) with new episodes premiering every other week and encores airing throughout the month. Complete schedule details, including episode information, will be available online at http://www.xmradio.com/ and http://www.songstories.us/.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and GRAMMY(R) winner Graham Nash first rose to fame with British Invasion pioneers The Hollies, whose Nash-penned classics include "On A Carousel," "Carrie Anne" and "Bus Stop." Among the timeless songs he's composed for CSN and CSNY -- with whom he still tours and records - - are "Teach Your Children," "Our House" and "Marrakesh Express." An acclaimed solo artist, Nash released his fourth solo disc, "Songs For Survivors," in 2002. In 2006, "Highlights," Nash's latest CD as a duo with David Crosby, was released. A modern age Renaissance man, Graham is also a renowned photographer, and fifty-plus years of his images were recently spotlighted via the exhibition Eye to Eye: Photographs by Graham Nash, at San Diego's Museum of Photographic Arts, which expanded on Nash's 2004 book of the same name. As a pioneer in the digital realm, Graham -- with Mac Holbert -- founded Nash Editions in 1990. Recognized in 2005 by the Smithsonian for its role in the invention of digital fine art printing, it is renowned as one of the world's leading fine art/photographic printmaking houses. Currently, Graham Nash is on the road with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Freedom Of Speech '06" Tour.

For more information on Graham Nash, please visit http://www.grahamnash.com/.

About XM Satellite Radio

XM 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 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/.

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

On October 31, Lost Highway will release "Songbird," the new album from the legendary Willie Nelson. "Songbird" was produced by Ryan Adams and recorded with Adams and The Cardinals on all 11 tracks, along with Nelson's longtime harmonica master Mickey Raphael.

"Songbird" includes a diverse range of covers, including Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," Gram Parsons' "$1000 Wedding," Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter's "Stella Blue" and the gorgeous title track written by Christine McVie, which originally appeared on Fleetwood Mac's landmark album "Rumours."

Nelson and Adams each penned a new song specifically for "Songbird." Nelson's acoustic "Back To Earth" could have easily appeared on one of his timeless albums, while Adams' country blues gem "Blue Hotel," written for Nelson, features The Red Headed Stranger's signature stylings. New renditions of some Nelson classics also appear on "Songbird" including "Sad Songs and Waltzes" (from "Shotgun Willie") and "We Don't Run" (from "Spirit").

"Songbird" was recorded at Loho Studios in New York, NY and mixed by Jamie Candiloro. Along with production duties, Adams plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass. The Cardinals are Neal Casal (piano, guitar), Jon Graboff (pedal steel), Brad Pemberton (drums) and Catherine Popper (bass).

Willie Nelson -Songbird

Track Listing

Song Composer

"Rainy Day Blues" Willie Nelson

"Songbird" Christine McVie

"Blue Hotel" Ryan Adams

"Back To Earth" Willie Nelson

"Stella Blue" Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter

"Hallelujah" Leonard Cohen

"$1000 Wedding" Gram Parsons

"We Don't Run" Willie Nelson

"Yours Love" Harlan Howard

"Sad Songs And Waltzes" Willie Nelson

"Amazing Grace" Traditional Arr. by Ryan Adams

Chinavasion Ltd. today announced the official launch of http://www.chinavasion.com/ - a discount marketplace of wholesale consumer electronics made by Chinese manufacturers - and the release of a complimentary newsletter featuring tips on how to import electronics from China.

China is home to many consumer-electronic manufacturers that don't have direct access to American retailers or that have limited international distribution agreements, said Rose Li, Public Relations Director at Chinavasion. Chinavasion, she said, is the online conduit for American importers to reach those Chinese manufacturers.

Chinavasion offers a wide assortment of electronics, ranging from cell phones and digital cameras to computer accessories and portable DVD players. The site includes a picture and description of each product - including specs - which make it easy for international buyers to review products and select their favorite electronic devices.

"There are plenty of businesses out there who want to buy low-cost electronics from China, but they don't know where to look, or, of course, they aren't familiar with the ins and outs of importing goods," Li said. "Our company gives clients a simple and reliable way to buy the electronics they want - without paying huge name-brand markups."

The site's recently debuted blog, "China Business News," contains new product reviews, frequently asked questions, details on international commerce, and a general list of products that can be imported from China. The site's new opt-in newsletter also features information on how to find products and suppliers in China, details on shipping and import taxes, tips on dealing with Chinese suppliers and advice on how to profit from a Chinese business relationship.

"We carefully explain everything in our newsletter, from drop-shipping to the current status of the global marketplace, so users know exactly what they're buying and what we're all about," Li said.

Li added that Chinavasion strives to offer the most competitive prices on all its products. For instance, a 1 GB MP3 Player costs $43.64 for a sample and a car-portable, region-free DVD player with two 7-inch TFT monitors costs $227.70. If a made-in-China consumer electronics product is not listed on the site, Chinavasion will help locate wholesale sources for it, as well as beat any competitor's price. The company accepts all major credit cards, PayPal payments and bank transfers.

Orders in the online shop are shipped by express courier internationally, and its shipping costs are based on the current rates of standard carriers such as UPS, FedEx and DHL. Chinavasion can also ship large wholesale orders using a consumer's preferred air or ocean freight service. Most products can be ready to ship in one or two business days, and all goods receive extra quality inspection before dispatch from a dedicated QA team.

For more information about Chinavasion and registration for a wholesale buyer account, visit http://www.chinavasion.com/.

About Chinavasion Ltd.

Chinavasion is a Chinese-owned general trading and wholesale company. It buys exclusively from Chinese manufacturers that produce consumer electronics, notebook computers and computer parts. Chinavasion offers a wide selection of consumer electronic products on its Website, including popular, cutting-edge products and hard-to-find specialty products.

A new business allows ordinary people to place their 'stuff' in the movies or television. Hollywood Parts (http://www.hollywoodparts.com/) is a business designed to manage all kinds of assets, props, sets and wardrobe for the entertainment industry. In addition to this service, they will store your items and post detailed photos and descriptions online of everything from ordinary castoffs to treasured antiques, for movie decorators and designers to rent or buy for placement in the movies or television.

"Why pay storage and have items just sit in a dusty container, when you can pay the same rate and your treasures can have a chance for stardom!" said Mike Filonczuk, co-founder of Hollywood Parts and HollywoodParts.com. "With the high cost of fuel and the LA traffic, more decorators are searching for unique as well as common items on-line. We make it easy for them to find movie dressing and sets on our website and then deliver it to them."

Hollywood Parts also provides storage and a central clearing house on HollywoodParts.com for all things purchased and created for the entertainment industry so big studios and small productions alike can share assets and help reduce the cost of production and reduce waste. Hollywood Parts uses it own custom designed state of the art software and tracking systems to reduce asset loss during production as well as provide a public web sales outlet for these slightly used assets on-line after the movie or TV production is complete. "The industry is very wasteful," Mike contends. "Productions buy the same items over and over again, and when the production shuts down, they store these barely used yet valuable assets then discard them for the cost to haul them away."

HollywoodParts.com will also store and sell unique conceptual art, digital art, digital video and designs created for famous motion pictures as well as digital effects like explosions and virtual worlds. "You can buy the sofa Denzel sat on or he might sit on a sofa rented from you!" Mike states with enthusiasm. So the next time you go to your storage container or plan to throw out that old toaster or sofa, think twice, it could be the next star of a major motion picture!

Major League Gaming (MLG) announced today the Boost Mobile MLG Pro Circuit competition this month in Orlando will be the largest console video game competition ever, featuring 208 4-person Halo 2 teams, more than 1,000 individual competitors and an audience of more than 6,000.

In addition to the thousands of spectators and competitors watching the action in Orlando, hundreds of thousands more will watch a live stream of the competition at www.mlgpro.com. And starting on November 11th, all the action of the 2006 Pro Circuit will be airing on USA Network to 89 million homes as part of a groundbreaking TV series that looks into the lives of the pro players and takes the audience through the drama of the competitions.

The number of competitors at the Orlando event breaks the previous attendance record set by MLG last month when 1,800 gamers battled it out in MLG's Chicago Pro Circuit stop.

"It is really exciting to see the kind of growth we're experiencing, with the number of teams, competitors and spectators more than doubling year-over- year," said Matthew Bromberg, president and COO of MLG. "And it's all leading up to our Playoffs at the Digital Life show in the Javits Center in New York in October, and the Finals in Las Vegas where MLG's $800,000 season comes to a close and the 2006 Champions are named."

MLG had previously limited the number of four man teams to 176. Orlando is the first competition that MLG opened to more than 200 teams, leading to 208 team registrations in a matter of hours. The 2006 Boost Mobile MLG Pro Circuit, presented by GameStop and Scion, opened on April 21 in New York and continued through to Dallas, Anaheim and Chicago. Remaining competitions include Orlando on August 25-27, and New York (Jacob Javits Center) on October 13-15, all leading up to the Championship in Las Vegas on November 10-12.

Spectators and gamers are welcome to come to the Wyndham Orlando Resort and be part of the action. For more information, including location details, player point system rankings and general competition rules, please visit the MLG Web site at www.mlgpro.com.

About MLG (Major League Gaming)

MLG is the first professional video game league. By raising video game competition to the level of professional sport, the company is creating a sports media business that provides players, developers, publishers, media partners, and advertisers a unique connection to the video game lifestyle enjoyed by 168 million Americans. With the support of major sponsors, MLG operates a pro tour that in 2006 will make 7 stops in major cities across the U.S., exclusively featuring the best gamers in the world. We produce a variety of online and broadcast-quality programming that showcases MLG's pros and this exciting new sports entertainment phenomenon. More information can be found at www.mlgpro.com.

Source: MLG (Major League Gaming)

The Christian Science Monitor, an international daily newspaper founded in 1908, and WebSideStory, Inc. (NASDAQ:WSSI) , a leading provider of digital marketing and analytics solutions, today announced that the newspaper's 11-part, multimedia series, "Hostage: The Jill Carroll Story," is generating record visitor traffic levels at its web site, www.csmonitor.com. When the series went fully live on Mon., Aug. 14th, more than 450,000 unique visitors flooded the site during the next 24 hours, making it one of the top-ranked newspaper web sites in the country for that period. According to The Christian Science Monitor's new web analytics service, WebSideStory's HBX Analytics, page views broke through the 1 million mark on Monday and soared to more than 1.5 million page views on Tuesday. This represented a massive increase from the site's July average of 121,247 page views per day, according to WebSideStory. Much of the visitor traffic is coming from major news outlets and consumer portals, such as CNN, AOL and Yahoo, which are providing excerpts of the series and linking back to the newspaper's web site. Nearly 90 percent of the visitors to the site are coming from the U.S., with Canadians and the British also showing strong interest.

"The Jill Carroll series is clearly resonating with a broad range of visitors from over 144 countries, and we are grateful and proud of Jill and our entire staff for being able to deliver this type of package to our loyal readers," said Robin Antonick, the Christian Science Monitor's chief web officer. "It has also been gratifying to see the tremendous online response to the series using WebSideStory's technology. HBX Analytics really shows our audience's response and has given us an array of insightful visitor metrics which will help the Monitor provide greater coverage of critical world events and ultimately better monetize our content."

The Jill Carroll series has been particularly effective at exposing new readers to The Christian Science Monitor brand. During the first two days of the series, the number of new visitors to the site rose to more than seven times its daily average in July, according to WebSideStory. The series, which features online videos, image galleries, RSS feeds and podcasts, also proved extremely sticky, with the percentage of visitors viewing two or more pages rising from an average of 22 percent in July to more than 63 percent during the first two days of this week.

"The Christian Science Monitor is recognized worldwide for its journalistic excellence and it has outdone itself with this amazing series detailing Jill's harrowing experience," said Rand Schulman, Chief Marketing Officer for WebSideStory. "We look forward to helping the newspaper analyze all aspects of this multi-media package and achieve its long-term online business goals."

For more information about WebSideStory, please visit www.websidestory.com. To visit the Christian Science Monitor web site, please go to www.csmonitor.com.

About WebSideStory, Inc.

Founded in 1996, WebSideStory, Inc. is a leading provider of digital marketing and analytics solutions that improve online marketing, sales and business operations. Its WebSideStory suite of digital marketing applications consists of web analytics, site search, web content management, and keyword bid management. WebSideStory also provides enterprise analytics solutions through its wholly owned subsidiary, Visual Sciences, LLC, a leading provider of streaming data analysis and visualization software. WebSideStory is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has European headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. For more information, contact WebSideStory. Voice: 858.546.0040. Fax: 858.546.0480. Address: 10182 Telesis Court, 6th Floor, San Diego, CA 92121. Web site: www.websidestory.com. WebSideStory and HBX are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by WebSideStory, Inc. Visual Sciences is a registered trademark of Visual Sciences, LLC. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

About The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor and its website, csmonitor.com, are renowned for their in-depth, comprehensive, and unbiased coverage of events and issues worldwide. During its 93-year history, the Monitor's adherence to the highest standards of journalism has earned seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards. With 18 bureaus worldwide, the Monitor strives to cover both major news events and overlooked stories from every corner of the globe. In 1996, the Monitor launched its award-winning, multi-media website featuring the complete contents of the print edition, full electronic archives back to the first issue, and original material written for the site.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. You should not regard any forward-looking statement as a representation by WebSideStory that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in WebSideStory's business, including, without limitation: WebSideStory's reliance on its web analytics services for the majority of its revenue; blocking or erasing of cookies or limitations on our ability to use cookies; WebSideStory's limited experience with digital marketing applications beyond web analytics; the risks associated with integrating the operations and products of Avivo Corporation and Visual Sciences, LLC with those of WebSideStory; privacy concerns and laws or other domestic or foreign regulations that may subject WebSideStory to litigation or limit our ability to collect and use Internet user information; WebSideStory's ability to defend itself against claims of patent infringement alleged by NetRatings, Inc.; WebSideStory's ongoing ability to protect its own intellectual property rights and to avoid violating the intellectual property rights of third parties; the highly competitive markets in which we operate that could make it difficult for WebSideStory to acquire and retain customers; the risk that WebSideStory's customers fail to renew their agreements; the risks associated with the company's indebtedness; the risk that WebSideStory's services may become obsolete in a market with rapidly changing technology and industry standards; and other risks described in WebSideStory's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including WebSideStory's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Do not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this news release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and WebSideStory undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release.

Source: WebSideStory, Inc.; The Christian Science Monitor

Columbia Records/Sony Music Soundtrax will release "Everyone's Hero - Music From The Motion Picture" on Tuesday, September 12.

The film, "Everyone's Hero," opens nationwide on Friday, September 15.

The original soundtrack album of music from the eagerly-awaited new animated comedy-adventure feature film premieres new recordings from John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting ("The Best"), Chris Botti featuring Lyle Lovett ("Chicago [That Toddling Town]"), Brooks & Dunn ("Keep On Swinging," co-written by John Ondrasik and Kix Brooks, and "Swing It"), Lonestar (a new version of baseball's classic theme song, "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"), Raven-Symone ("Keep Your Eye On The Ball"), John Debney ("The Tigers") featuring a vocalization by American Idol's Paris Bennett, and more.

"Everyone's Hero - Music From The Motion Picture" includes two pieces from the film's original score by John Debney ("Chicken Little," "Dreamer," "Sin City," "Elf," "Bruce Almighty" and an Oscar-nominee for "The Passion of the Christ").

"Everyone's Hero" is the story of Yankee Irving, a young boy (voiced by Jake T. Austin) who embarks on a grand adventure to restore his family's honor while making true friends -- including the fun-loving tom-boy Marti Brewster (voiced by Raven-Symone), a wise-cracking baseball named Screwie (voiced by Rob Reiner) and a talking baseball bat called Darlin' (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg) -- along the journey. The film's voice cast also includes Brian Dennehy (as Babe Ruth), William H. Macy (as the scheming Lefty Maginnis), Mandy Patinkin (as Yankee's dad, Irving) and the late Dana Reeve (as Yankee's mom, Emily Irving), who also served as the film's executive producer

The movie's theme of perseverance against all odds was inspired by Christopher Reeve, the film's originating director and executive producer. Originally directed by Reeve, "Everyone's Hero" was completed by Colin Brady and Dan St. Pierre.

Everyone's Hero - Music From The Motion Picture

Track listing

John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting - The Best

Brooks & Dunn - Keep On Swinging

Tyrone Wells - Dream Like New York

Chris Botti feat. Lyle Lovett - Chicago (That Toddling Town)

Jon Randall and Jessi Alexander - The Best Day Of My Life

Raven-Symone - Keep Your Eye On The Ball

Wyclef Jean feat. Kontrast - What You Do

Brooks & Dunn - Swing It

Lonestar - Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Mary-Chapin Carpenter - The Bug *

John Debney feat. Paris Bennett - The Tigers

John Debney - Yankee At Bat

* bonus track

http://www.everyoneshero.com/

http://www.columbiarecords.com/

Source: Columbia Records/Sony Music Soundtrax

Tyrese Gibson ("Four Brothers," "2 Fast 2 Furious") in a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde story ignites an explosive Los Angeles crime wave in a desperate race to save a child's life in Rogue Pictures' "Waist Deep," coming to DVD on October 10, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The sizzling cast of this riveting contemporary action thriller includes Meagan Good ("Roll Bounce," "Brick"), Larenz Tate ("Crash," "Ray") and multi-platinum rapper The Game, in his feature film debut. Director and writer Vondie Curtis Hall ("Redemption: The Stan 'Tookie' Williams Story") has created a hard-hitting thriller with enough attitude and suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats straight through to the spectacular finale. The DVD is loaded with pulse-pounding bonus features and an off-the-hook soundtrack featuring the hottest new songs from some of today's most popular music artists.

"Waist Deep" is the gripping story of a man in a desperate race against the clock to save his young son. Ex-con O2 (Tyrese Gibson) is a single father trying to make good for the sake of his son. When his vehicle is carjacked with his boy inside, O2 must forsake the law to rescue his son from his kidnapper -- a ruthless drug lord (The Game) who has a penchant for lopping off limbs. Determined to rescue his child, O2 will try anything, even if it means igniting an all-out gang war. The DVD is priced at $29.98.

Bonus Features Will Blow You Away!

"Waist Deep" pumps up the non-stop action with electrifying, exclusive-to-DVD extras and knockout bonus features, including:

* Going Deep: Analysis of a Scene -- Follow the intense preparation for

the crucial car-jacking scene. "Waist Deep" director Vondie Curtis

Hall works with the film's star, stunt coordinator and director of

photography to choreograph the heart-stopping action.

* Drive-By Filmmaking -- An insider's look at the techniques used by

filmmakers to create heart-pumping driving scenes and death-defying

chases.

* "Bad Girl" -- Black Buddafly teams up with hip-hop royalty Fabolous in

this dazzling music video.

* Plus exclusive additional scenes not shown in theaters!

Synopsis

Locked and loaded with action, "Waist Deep" is an explosive thrill ride featuring Tyrese Gibson as O2, an ex-con who's trying to go straight. His life takes a deadly turn when his son gets kidnapped in a carjacking and held for ransom by a ruthless druglord (The Game). With a street-smart hustler (Meagan Good) as his partner and his shady cousin (Larenz Tate) in the mix, O2 races through the violent streets of Los Angeles in a desperate attempt to outsmart rival gangs and save his son.

For more information please visit: www.waistdeep.net

CAST & FILMMAKERS

Director: Vondie Curtis Hall

Written By: Vondie Curtis Hall and Darin Scott; Story by Michael Mahern

Produced By: Preston Holmes

Executive Producers: Ted Field, Trevor Macy, Marc D. Evans, Russell

Simmons, Stan Lathan, Amy Kaufman, A. Demetrius Brown

Director of Photography: Shane Hurlbut

Production Designer: Warren Alan Young

Film Editor: Terilyn A. Shropshire

Costume Designer: Marie France

Music By: Kon Artis, Terence Blanchard

Cast: Tyrese Gibson, Meagan Good, Larenz Tate, The Game

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

DVD

Street Date: October 10, 2006

Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Price: $29.98

Selection Number: 26558 (Widescreen); 31212 (Full Frame)

Running Time: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

Layers: Dual Layer

Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1; Full Frame 1.33:1

Rating: R

Technical Info: Dolby Digital 5.1; English SDH, Spanish and French

Subtitles

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

The film BUDDHA WILD MONK IN THE HUT by Anna Wilding, produced by Carpe Diem Films, is opening on more screens. The small budget vibrant film screened for a week in cinema in Los Angeles in March garnering Critics Pick by LA Weekly Critic Marc Olsen who said, "GO! A Surprisingly Pleasant Trip," and Union Jack Newspaper saying, "Accomplished. Anna Wilding Captures Our Attention." The film is being re-released for 7 days opening on August 23 at the Laemmles Grande 4 Plex Cinema in Los Angeles and in New Zealand at the Academy Cinema. The film has just been acquired up by Gil Scrine Distribution for Australian and New Zealand territories. Talks with cinemas in USA and Europe are currently pending.

BUDDHA WILD MONK IN THE HUT is one of six films selected alongside The Last Samurai (2003), Crash, I Heart Huckabees, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and Little Buddha for the first ever Buddhist Film Festival in Calgary November 3-5 2006. Films were selected on artistic merit and thematic diversity.

The film which was directed, produced, written and narrated by Anna Wilding tells the simple and pure tale of Thai and Sir Lankan monks on a missionary monastery. Despite limited access to large cameras and with the filmmaker facing constant days of rain, the film has been woven together in a complex and intelligent style that suits a Buddhist narrative and utilizes a combination of guerrilla, poetic, narrative feature and music video techniques. The film has consistently received good houses and praise for its colourful, engaging yet natural story telling by Anna Wilding and easy to understand distillation of the complex Buddhist beliefs. Anna Wilding also narrates and presents the film. Wilding has been keeping a low profile recently while threats and attempts to sabotage made by internet stalkers are investigated.

Web site: http://www.carpediemfilms.net/

Posted by ladymountbatten at 12:20 PM | Permalink

Sept 13

Verizon Wireless, el principal proveedor de telefonía móvil del país, y Sonic Branding Solutions (Sonic), un desarrollador y editor líder de entretenimiento móvil, anunciaron hoy que la popular aplicación para crear tonos de sonido de Sonic, ToneMaker DJ, y su aplicación innovadora para crear protectores de pantalla, Wallpaper Maker, están disponibles con el servicio Get It Now(R) de Verizon Wireless. Estas aplicaciones ofrecen a los usuarios de Verizon Wireless nuevas herramientas de personalización para ayudarles a crear sonidos e imágenes únicas para sus teléfonos móviles.

Los usuarios de Verizon Wireless con determinados teléfonos habilitados con Get It Now ahora pueden acceder el principal producto galardonado de Sonic, ToneMaker DJ. Los usuarios con ToneMaker DJ pueden crear tonos de sonido originales con una interfaz fácil de usar de cuatro tonos que descarga y mezcla miles de sonidos no exclusivos de celebridades y músicos famosos. Los artistas en ciernes pueden exponer su trabajo y descargar y revisar las creaciones de otros que hayan producido tonos de sonido con ToneMaker DJ.

Wallpaper Maker es el primer diseñador de protectores de pantalla que permite que los usuarios tomen fotos de cualquier fuente o seleccionen de una vasta colección de protectores de pantalla prediseñados y los personalicen utilizando una extensa biblioteca de efectos especiales y clip-art. Con capacidades de edición avanzadas, los usuarios de Verizon Wireless pueden elevar la personalización de sus teléfonos móviles a un próximo nivel creando protectores de pantalla originales y diseñados a su gusto. Al igual que con ToneMaker DJ, Sonic integró una vasta gama de funciones comunitarias en Wallpaper Maker.

John Harrobin, vicepresidente de medios digitales para Verizon Wireless, dijo, "Los productos innovadores de Sonic ofrecen a los usuarios de Verizon Wireless una libertad creativa para personalizar sus teléfonos móviles, ayudándoles a llevar los tonos de sonido y protectores de pantalla al próximo nivel de personalización".

"Estas innovaciones marcan la primera vez que los individuos pueden verdaderamente personalizar sus teléfonos móviles creando tonos de sonido y protectores de pantalla a su gusto, únicos como los usuarios en si", dijo David JP Danon, CEO de Sonic. "El acceso a ToneMaker DJ y Wallpaper Maker para los usuarios de Verizon Wireless significa que ahora tienen la libertad de crear exactamente lo que desean ver y escuchar en sus teléfonos móviles".

Los usuarios de Verizon Wireless con determinados teléfonos habilitados con Get It Now pueden descargar ToneMaker DJ del pasillo de compras getTONES o Wallpaper Maker del pasillo de compras getWALLPAPER de la tienda virtual Get It Now; cada aplicación está disponible por $4.49 de acceso mensual. Los cargos por descargas de aplicaciones de Get It Now varían y se aplican otros cargos de tiempo aire por navegación, descargas y uso de ciertas aplicaciones. Los usuarios necesitan tener el servicio digital de Verizon Wireless para acceder a la tienda virtual de Get It Now.

Para obtener mayor información sobre los productos y servicios de Verizon Wireless, visite una tienda Verizon Wireless Communications Store, llame gratis al, 1-800-2 JOIN IN o visite http://www.verizonwireless.com/. Para obtener mayor información acerca de Sonic Branding Solutions por favor visite http://www.sonicbrandingsolutions.com/.

Acerca de Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless tiene y opera la red móvil más confiable del país y cuenta con 54.8 millones de clientes de sus servicios de voz y datos. Verizon Wireless, con sede en Basking Ridge, Nueva Jersey, es una sociedad conjunta de Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) y Vodafone (NYSE y LSE: VOD). Para más información, visite http://www.verizonwireless.com/. Si desea recibir secuencias de video, con resolución apropiada para difusión, y fotografías de alta resolución sobre las operaciones de Verizon Wireless, visite http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Acerca de Sonic

Sonic Branding Solutions Inc., es un desarrollador y editor líder global de entretenimiento móvil con una línea de productos que presenta algunos de los títulos de mayor venta en Estados Unidos y en el exterior. La tecnología innovadora, licencias sólidas y su visión creativa se unen en productos como ToneMaker DJ, Name That Tune(R), Hip Hop Hollywood Squares(R), Screensaver Maker y más. Las aplicaciones de Sonic están disponibles a través de las portadoras en todo el mundo.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) today urges the Senate to follow the approach to improving port security introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators led by Senator Susan Collins and to resist other extraneous amendments that might bog down the process, risking the opportunity to pass a good bill that will help secure our nation's ports, people and economy. RILA represents some of the largest and most knowledgeable stakeholders in the supply chain system.

"The Senate has the opportunity to pass strong bipartisan port security legislation and we avidly support this effort," said Paul Kelly, RILA's senior vice president, government affairs. "However, we call on the Senate to reject amendments that take an unrealistic approach to improving port security and may derail passage of this important legislation."

RILA called on the Senate to reject a scanning amendment (S 4930) introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), calling the amendment "unrealistic, a diversion of resources and potentially damaging to the U.S. and global economies." RILA also urged Senators to reject a second amendment (S 4938) by Senator Schumer that would place a tax on all containers entering the United States.

"The Schumer amendment mandates the use of technology that is not ready to be deployed throughout the supply chain and has the potential to significantly impede the flow of commerce and damage the U.S. and global economy," said Kelly. "RILA and its members are strongly opposed to the amendment because it would put containers at greater risk of tampering, and would divert resources away from the current successful risk assessment approach. A container at rest is a container at risk."

Kelly continued, "Both the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act passed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House of Representatives-approved SAFE Ports Act (passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 421 to 2) address the scanning issue by calling for pilot projects to test the effectiveness and operational ability to conduct 100 percent container scanning. In addition, the House bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct an evaluation of scanning systems, taking into consideration false alarm rates and other operational issues, the impact on trade, the need for international cooperation, and the ability to integrate and deploy these systems overseas. These provisions represent the best approach to addressing this issue and will help to answer important operational and economic questions that will be critical to understanding how to effectively implement improved container scanning.

"The amendment will require scanning of the vast majority of cargo that poses no risk, and result in unnecessary delays that would damage the economy without improving security," said Kelly. "A study by the Rand Corp this June found that 100 percent scanning would add 5.5 hours to the movement of each of the 11 million containers that enter the US every year. U.S. manufacturing depends on 'just-in-time' delivery. Even a delay of several days in delivering needed inputs to U.S. manufacturing would have a devastating impact on the economy. A recent Washington Post editorial opposing 100 percent scanning proposals has it right: 'inspecting 100 percent of containers is a slogan, not a solution.'"

Regarding a tax on containers, Kelly stated, "Over the years, retailers have a long track record of funding and investing millions of dollars in security-related initiatives through federal tax, port/terminal security fees, C-TPAT funding and other charges/investments. According to a 2004 GAO report, industry pays $16 billion dollars a year in user fees and Customs duties. Yet only twenty-five percent of these funds are spent on the ports. Before additional user fees are put in place, Congress should ensure that existing user fees are dedicated to security purposes."

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is a trade association of the largest and fastest growing companies in the retail industry. Its members include retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales. RILA members operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers, have facilities in all 50 states, and provide millions of jobs domestically and worldwide.

Source: Retail Industry Leaders Association

Web site: http://www.retail-leaders.org/

Diagnosing at the point of care offers many advantages: increased patient empowerment, improved clinical outcomes, and fewer days at the hospital. As a result, physicians are ordering more point of care tests and companies are racing to meet growing demand. Their efforts are made easier by improved knowledge of diseases and drug responses at the molecular level and improved technologies that enable simpler, more self-contained testing. These trends, according to a new report from BioPerspectives, are expected to drive double-digit growth over the next five years. According to the new report -- "Point of Care Diagnostics Market in the US: Opportunities and Challenges" -- the market is expected to grow from $5.5 billion in 2005 to as much as $7.5 billion in 2010.

But this opportunity is not without challenges. Point of care diagnostics is a highly competitive and challenging marketplace, with more than 50 companies and 40 types of tests, not to mention regulatory guidelines, reimbursement challenges, and information technology infrastructure needs. Moreover, point of care testing is inherently more expensive than central laboratory-based testing on a per test basis, resulting in intense price pressure. Success in this market depends on a detailed understanding of the trends, the unmet needs, the technologies, and the prices.

This new report from BioPerspectives is the ideal tool for planning for success. The comprehensive analysis of the US market is based on (1) a proprietary comprehensive database of tests, (2) discussions with clinicians, (3) detailed assessments of current and emerging technologies, and (4) CDC, FDA, and professional organizational guidelines and publications. Twenty-one figures, 32 tables, and 57 company profiles present the information in a clear and accessible manner. "Point of Care Diagnostics Market in the US: Opportunities and Challenges" is the go-to tool for those wishing to enter and those wishing to stay current in this dynamic market.

 September 12/

- Los artistas pueden presentarse al concurso hasta el 14 de octubre de 2006

¿Quién es el Rembrandt de nuestro tiempo? ¿Cómo inspira el "gran maestro holandés" a los artistas contemporáneos de todo el mundo? Para descubrirlo, Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) ha lanzado una competición a nivel internacional bajo el título "Inspirado por Rembrandt". Los artistas de todo el mundo están invitados a participar a través del sitio web oficial rembrandt.rnw.nl. hasta el 14 de octubre de 2006. Competirán por un taller especial en la Academia Rietveld en Ámsterdam, un importante instituto de arte holandés. Las mejores entregas se mostrarán en una exposición que tendrá lugar en los Países Bajos.

Un jurado formado por expertos analizará las obras presentadas y seleccionará 10 semifinalistas, cuyos trabajos se expondrán en la página web rembrandt.rnw.nl. Mediante un formulario de voto en el sitio web el público general podrá elegir la obra de arte ganadora del 1 al 30 de noviembre. La ceremonia se celebrará en diciembre.

Embajadora cultural

Las celebraciones con motivo del 400 aniversario del nacimiento de Rembrandt se celebrarán en los Países Bajos a lo largo del año. En su función como embajadora de la cultura holandesa, Radio Netherlands proporciona una plataforma internacional multimedia para este "Año Rembrandt" a través de la radio, la televisión e Internet. A principios de año Radio Netherlands Worldwide emitió la obra dramática de radio 'The Edges of the Night Watch' en holandés, inglés, español, indonesio, francés e italiano.

Nota para los medios

Radio Netherlands Worldwide es el emisor público internacional holandés que ofrece noticias, información y cultura a través de la radio, la televisión e Internet, alcanzando a un público de unos 50 millones de personas a la semana.

Página web: www.radionetherlands.nl

Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Viva de cerca el mundo veloz y competitivo del fútbol profesional y siga la inspiradora trayectoria de un muchacho que deja todo por alcanzar la gloria deportiva en Goal! The Dream Begins, la película distribuida por Buena Vista Home Entertainment que estará disponible en DVD el 12 de septiembre. En la tradición de exitosas películas deportivas como “Miracle” y “Glory Road”, Goal! The Dream Begins es la inspiradora historia de Santiago (Kuno Becker, "Lucia, Lucia"), un joven inmigrante mexicano de Los Ángeles que sueña con jugar en el fútbol profesional. Su estricto padre piensa que Santiago debería abandonar su sueño e instalarse definitivamente en la ciudad pero Santiago viaja a Inglaterra, donde consigue una prueba con el Newcastle United, uno de los mejores equipos de fútbol profesional del mundo. Completamente solo en esta nueva cultura, Santiago compite con algunos de los mejores jugadores. A fin de honrar a su familia y mantener su autenticidad, Santiago debe demostrar que cuenta con la determinación, la habilidad y la pasión por el juego para triunfar a pesar de todo.

Los materiales extras del DVD incluyen “The Beautiful Game”, un documental sobre el fútbol, el deporte más popular del planeta; el documental detrás de cámara “Behind The Pitch” sobre las emocionantes escenas futbolísticas de la película; comentarios del cineasta; video musical del grupo de rock Happy Mondays; y una colección de los mejores momentos futbolísticos de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA.

La película cuenta con un elenco internacional que incluye a Alessandro Nivola (Face Off, Jurassic Park III) como el jugador estrella de Newcastle United; Marcel Lures (Mission Impossible) como el entrenador difícil pero justo de Newcastle; Stephen Dillane (King Arthur, The Greatest Game Ever Played) como el cazatalentos; y Anna Friel (Timeline) como la bella muchacha local que no renunciará a Santiago. Goal! The Dream Begins está disponible en DVD a un precio de venta sugerido de $29.99 en los Estados Unidos y $35.99 en Canadá.

EXTRAS
-- “The Beautiful Game " – documental sobre el emocionante fenómeno mundial del fútbol
-- “Behind The Pitch” – documental detrás de cámara que muestra cómo las intensas escenas futbolísticas de la película se integraron con partidos reales jugados por superestrellas del fútbol
-- Comentarios del cineasta
-- Vídeo musical de Happy Mondays: “Playground Superstar”
-- Mejores momentos de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA

FECHA DE LANZAMIENTO: 12 de septiembre de 2006
-- Precio de venta sugerido: $29.99 en EE.UU.; $35.99 en Canadá
-- Clasificación: Estados Unidos: PG-13 por cierto contenido sexual, lenguaje grosero y breve referencia a drogas
-- Canadá: PG - No recomendada para niños pequeños
-- Los materiales extras no están clasificados ni subtitulados
-- Duración: Aproximadamente 118 minutos
-- Formato de imagen: 2.40:1 con formato para pantallas de TV de 16x9
-- Sonido de DVD: Dolby(R) Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
-- Idiomas: Inglés, español, francés. Subtítulos en español.
-- Subtitulado para las personas con deficiencias auditivas.

Historia y guión de Mike Jeffries y Adrian Butchart; Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais. Dirigida por Danny Cannon.

Aboard Air Force One En Route Andrews Air Force Base  SEPT 11,2006

1:58 P.M. EDT

MR. SNOW: We're just going low-tech here. I don't have any statements, so -- questions.

Q -- interactions with families at the two sites?

MR. SNOW: Mostly, at the first site with first responders, with firemen and EMS, what the President did is he went table to table, and also posed for photos with each of the tables, and spent a lot of time not only talking about what they've been through in the last five years, but many also had messages that they wanted to pass on to him.

When we got to Shanksville, I don't know -- were you guys out there? Did you get to see it? So you had a large semi-circle in which family --

Q -- started his way around and then --

MR. SNOW: Yes, he and the First Lady started at opposite ends and both of them worked all the way around. In some ways, because you had a lot more family members, these were more emotional. There were some people who were still clearly grieving about what happened five years ago. And he just chatted with them, took his time, listened to what people had to say, had condolences.

Also, with regard to Shanksville, a number of the families had been to the White House to see the United 93 movie, so in a number of cases, the President and some of us who had been at the movie, as well, had seen family members at least for the second time.

Q -- expecting the benediction in Shanksville? Did you know that was going to happen?

MR. SNOW: You know what, I did not study the schedule.

Q Can you give us any hints of what's to come in the speech tonight, and whether or not the President will say anything at the Pentagon, or will we have sort of a wordless day from the President until the speech?

MR. SNOW: You will have, effectively, to use your phrase, a wordless day until the speech. A wreath-laying -- the President will be meeting with the Defense Secretary and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. There will be some family members also and he will meet with them at the Pentagon. But there will be no formal remarks until the Oval Office tonight.

As I said before, really it's a reflective speech, what we have learned since September 11th, where we're going. But it is, as I've been at some pains to say in the last few days, it's not a political speech, it's not trying to draw political distinctions or issue calls to action. I think this is a time to try to talk in a way that unifies the American people.

Q Can you talk about the unscripted stop, the unscheduled stop last night to the firehouse and the memorial site? When was it planned, and just tell us a little about the specifics behind that?

MR. SNOW: Honestly, I don't know. I mean, I knew it had been in the works. This is a site that formally opened today and had just been previewed yesterday morning by some of the family members. This had been organized in part by family members of September 11th.

Q Why was it not on the schedule? Why was it a surprise?

MR. SNOW: Because we wanted to add some spice and zest to your life.

Q Was the President surprised by anything, or was this day basically what he expected? Or has he talked about anything striking him as unexpected at either of the stops?

MR. SNOW: I don't think there has been. My conversations have been cursory at this point. He's now -- he knew going in that this was going to be emotional, and it has been. You see people directly affected when we were at the firehouse. It's interesting because you sit around a table with people who mention -- matter-of-factly, but not casually -- the memorial services for people who died, how long it took to find bodies. For them, it's an incredible reality -- what's gone on with the family members, the ways in which, since September 11th, they've chosen to put together memorials, whether they be at hospitals or schools or neighborhoods. There have been people handing out pictures and cards and commemorations. It's very personal.

And again, with Shanksville, you have family members who were weeping and recalling what had happened. There's an interesting little detail which I got at both sites. The people in New York said, the weather has been exactly the same every September 11th since September 11th, 2001; and the people at Shanksville said the same thing, the same kind of weather conditions have prevailed each year since. I don't know what you make of it, but it's one thing that people took pains to mention.

So, again, going in, he knew this was going to be emotional, and it will be emotional at the Pentagon. We'll be talking -- for those of us who live in Washington, we have a lot more direct experience because we know a lot of the people, including survivors, as well as people who died.

Surprises -- I don't know if you go in with fixed expectations to a day like this. You go in knowing that you're going to be commemorating, you're going to be reaching out to people. I don't think it's the kind of day where you're surprised so much as you've just got to be ready for whatever you encounter.

Q -- one thing that maybe moved the President more than anything else? Just something that really sits with him from this day or last night?

MR. SNOW: I'd hesitate to characterize it just because, again, I haven't asked him that specific a question and I wouldn't want to try to make a guess at what stands out more. I'll try to find out, but I don't know.

Q Has the President expressed any frustration with the pace of reconstruction at Ground Zero? Have you heard him say, why is it taking so long?

MR. SNOW: I think the President realizes what's going on at Ground Zero is a byproduct of New York politics and it will have to get worked out.

Q -- sort of temporary nature of some of these memorials? I mean, the families set up this Visitors Center. I mean, it doesn't seem, after five years, like the best we could do.

MR. SNOW: Well, I think what you're asking for, Richard, is a federal program right now. I think it's astounding, you not only had that memorial, but I don't know if you guys saw the little area where we were observing as they walked down to lay the wreath yesterday. But it's still crowded with pictures and with badges and hats and uniform fragments. I think people, in various ways, know that they're not going to forget. And for that bit of remembrance, they don't need federal help. What they do need is for other people to remember and other people to pitch in and say, absolutely, we're going to do everything we can to prevent this from happening again.

Again, with the peculiar nature of what's going on in New York, we hope that authorities will work it out and they'll get going.

Q -- on the speech on the flights today on the chopper, on the plane?

MR. SNOW: The speech is pretty much wrapped up. It's now really down to very small touches, a word here, a word there. And it's been in that condition probably for -- well, certainly for the last 24 hours.

Q -- leave some space to kind of talk about for a few minutes what he saw today in the text?

MR. SNOW: Yes, there's a little bit. Again, it will be a short speech, reflective, but also talking about our commitment to winning the war on terror. I think what's probably going to happen is we're going to go back after the Pentagon, everybody is going to catch their breath. We'll probably do a run-through or two before the Oval Office address tonight.

All right, thanks.

Telecom Italia selecciona la Guía de Servicios Electrónicos (ESG) EXPWAY para llevar a cabo el despliegue de su servicio de TV móvil

 September 11 EXPWAY, el principal proveedor mundial de soluciones de software de gestión de servicios de contenido, se enorgullece al anunciar el despliegue de FastESG(TM), su solución de guía electrónica de servicios para TV móvil de Telecom Italia.

Telecom Italia ha seleccionado la solución EXPWAY FastESG (TM) para promover los servicios y el contenido disponibles en su nuevo servicio desplegado de TV móvil. Este despliegue confirma la posición de liderazgo de EXPWAY en el desarrollo y suministro de soluciones ESG compatibles con el estándar DVB IPDC en las redes DVB-H. Italia se ha convertido en el primer país en desplegar comercialemente los servicios de tipo DVB-H a gran escala.

Al permitir a los suscriptores el acceso, solicitud, visualización e interacción del contenido más relevante para ellos, la plataforma EXPWAY FastESG(TM) se sitúa en en el corazón del servicio de Telecom Italia. La Guía de Servicios Electrónicos mejora el que ya es considerado como lo más valioso del servicio de TV móvil: la emisión de contenido.

"Telecom Italia deseaba disponer de una ESG con especificaciones completas, y nuestra solución FastESG(TM) cumple completamente con este requisito", afirmó Antoine Weil, consejero delegado de EXPWAY. "EXPWAY apoya los servicios de TV móvil de Telecom Italia, ya que ofrece y permite disponer de una solución interactiva completa para los proveedores de contenido y también para los usuarios".

Al ser compatible con las especificaciones DVB IPDC, el estándar de convergencia respecto a las emisiones y servicios móviles, la solución EXPWAY FastESG(TM) sitúa a la Guía de Servicios Electrónicos en el camino de las oportunidades de ingresos para los operadores de los servicios de TV móvil. La solución de software de la Guía de Servicios Electrónicos, integrada en la red y en los teléfonos móviles, es la única entrada a la radio y los canales de TV y los programas bajo demanda en las redes móviles.

La solución EXPWAY se integra con los sistemas de acceso condicional y equipamiento de transmisiones, además de una amplia gama de dispositivos de consumo.

Acerca de EXPWAY

EXPWAY es un importante proveedor de soluciones completas de gestión de servicios y de contenido para las emisiones móviles, telecomunicaciones móviles y redes IP de banda ancha. Las soluciones de software de EXPWAY basadas en los estándares incluyen FastESG(TM), la solución ESG dedicada a la TV móvil y basada en las especificaciones DVB IPDC para DVB-H, FastEPG(TM), la solución EPG dedicada a IPTV y basada en DVB-IPTV y las especificaciones de TV-Anytime, además de los Servicios Interactivos, como las apuestas, votos y publicidad.

FastESG(TM) fue la primera solución compatible DVB IPDC desplegada a nivel comercial. Las soluciones de EXPWAY se integran con varios sistemas CAS y DRM, y ya han sido desplegadas en pruebas de mercado realizadas por los operadores de telecomunicaciones y emisiones de países como Italia, Francia, Alemania, Suecia y Japón, además de integrarse en los terminales mobiles, STB y TV de todo el mundo. Fundada en 2000, esta compañía privada tiene su sede en París (Francia). Si desea más información visite: www.expway.com

Source: EXPWAY

LAX Sets Remembrance Ceremonies for Sept. 11

Officials at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) will commemorate the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, with the relighting of the LAX Pylons on Sunday, Sept. 10; and a "Circle of Unity" and wreath-laying ceremonies on Monday, Sept. 11, 2006, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

WHAT:

1. LAX Pylons Relighting, Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9:01 p.m., following a six-month modernization project. Without ceremony, the LAX pylons will be turned on with red, white and blue programming at 9:01 p.m. that will continue for 27 hours until midnight Sept. 11. The landmark series of color light structures are comprised of 15 100-foot-high pylons in a circle at the Century Boulevard entrance to LAX and 11 more pylons ranging in height from 25 to 60 feet along the Century Boulevard median between Aviation and Sepulveda Blvds. At dusk on Tuesday, Sept. 12, the pylons will relight with a regular programming of a variety of colors and sequences. The pylons were upgraded with new technology that provides easy-to-use computer programming with a palette of millions of colors, 75 percent savings in energy use, and improved reliability and less maintenance.

2. Circle of Unity with a moment of silence at the landmark Theme Building. The public, airport employees and passengers are invited to form a silent human "Circle of Unity" around the Theme Building -- re-creating the one held Sept. 14, 2001, the first full day of flight activity after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The minute of silence at 12 noon on Monday, Sept. 11, will be followed by all attendees singing "God Bless America." Small U.S. flags and a red-white-and-blue heart sticker will be distributed to those attending. Media parking: ALL media may park in Vendor Delivery Lot 6 on the Lower/Arrivals Level across from Terminal 6.

3. Wreath Laying Ceremony at the LAX Flag Court at the intersection of Century and Sepulveda Blvds. by the Los Angeles Airport Police Honor Guard at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11. The Honor Guard will lay a wreath at the base of the U.S. flag where a bronze plaque was dedicated on the first anniversary of 9-11. The plaque is inscribed with the names of all those who died on the four California-bound flights. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) LAX Choir will sing during the ceremony. Media parking: Broadcast-equipped media vehicles ONLY may park in southside LAX employees parking lot located between LAWA Administration Building and Terminal 7. ALL other media may park in Parking Structures 1 and 7 (parking will be validated).

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been selected by the U.S. Army as one of six contractors to provide satellite communications systems and services for the World-Wide Satellite Systems program under a five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract valued at up to $5 billion.

The contract calls for six satellite terminal types, operating on a variety of military and commercial satellite bands, including C, Ku, X and Ka, and services for satellite operation and sustainment. The six types include combat support service very small aperture terminal (VSAT); fixed station satellite terminal; flyaway VSAT satellite terminal; military certified satellite terminal; prime mover/trailer mounted satellite terminal; and deployable satellite earth terminal.

Advanced Information Systems, a unit of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems, will provide satellite communication systems, as well as engineering and support services, that provide commercial and tactical beyond-line-of-sight communications. Boeing's solution will support current systems and strategic satellite communications to sustain a flexible baseband, while offering continuous technological improvements in performance, logistics supportability, reliability and maintainability.

"Satellite communications have become integral to overall mission success," said Dan Jones, director of Advanced Information Systems. "Boeing has assembled a team of small and large best-of-industry suppliers to deliver turnkey network-centric communications solutions that will enable federal agencies, homeland security, military organizations, and others to quickly respond to emerging requirements."

Sept. 09, 2006 -- The Boeing [NYSE: BA] 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter took to the skies for the first time at 10:38 a.m. (UTC/GMT +8 hours) today, initiating the flight test program that will culminate in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.

The two-hour, four-minute flight was the first of 250 expected flight test hours for the unique freighter, a specially modified 747-400 that will transport major composite structures of the all-new 787 Dreamliner.

The enormous jet -- with its enlarged upper fuselage that can accommodate three times the cargo by volume of a standard 747-400 freighter -- gracefully took off under rainy skies from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport). Boeing flight test pilots, Capts. Joe MacDonald and Randy Wyatt, took the airplane north, and then flew roughly 150 miles south following along the east side of the island before heading north again.

"It went beautifully," MacDonald said after the flight ended. In fact, the airplane handled so well, "quite often during the flight, it was easy to forget you were in an LCF rather than a regular 747-400," he said.

Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp., part of Taiwan's Evergreen Group, is modifying the fleet of three airplanes at its facility at the airport.

"This is a key moment in the Dreamliner program," said Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Development and Production. "The LCF fleet is the foundation of our lean, global production system and enables us to meet the unprecedented customer demand for the 787. I congratulate the global LCF team -- our design and production partners, our modification partner EGAT, and our incredible Boeing team -- for this remarkable achievement."

The flight test program is expected to last through the end of the year. The LCF also will complete more than 500 hours of ground testing in Taipei and Seattle combined. This comprehensive test program will ensure the LCF's reliability and ability to fly its intended mission.

After completing initial flight tests in Taiwan, during which the airplane's handling characteristics will be evaluated as well as ensuring the LCF is free from flutter and excessive vibration, the airplane will fly to Seattle's Boeing Field to complete the remainder of the flight test program. The ferry flight to Seattle is expected to occur mid-month. A fleet of three LCFs will ferry 787 assemblies between Nagoya, Japan; Grottaglie, Italy; Wichita, Kan. and Charleston, S.C., before flying them to the Boeing factory in Everett, Wash., for final assembly. The first two LCFs will enter service in early 2007; the third will follow later.

Monterey Mushrooms Recalls Fresh Sliced White and Baby Bella Mushrooms in PA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, and VA Because of Possible Health Risk

Detailed information on flight delays and their causes is available on the BTS site on the World Wide Web at http://www.bts.gov.

Mishandled Baggage

The U.S. carriers reporting flight delay and mishandled baggage data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 6.50 reports per 1,000 passengers in July, down from July 2005’s 7.22 rate but higher than June 2006’s 6.28 mark. Incidents Involving Pets

In July, carriers reported six incidents involving pets while traveling by air, the same number reported in June. The July incidents involved four pet deaths and two injuries.

Complaints About Airline Service

In July, the Department received 833 complaints from consumers about airline service, down 3 percent from the 859 complaints received in July 2005 but 9.9 percent more than the 758 filed in June 2006. Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

The report also contains a tabulation of complaints filed with DOT in July against specific airlines regarding the treatment of passengers with disabilities. The Department received a total of 46 disability-related complaints in July, up 15 percent from the 40 complaints received in July 2005 and identical to the total of 46 filed in June 2006. Complaints About Discrimination

In July, the Department received seven complaints alleging discrimination by airlines due to factors other than disability – such as race, religion, national origin or sex – down from the 16 complaints received in both July 2005 and June 2006.

Consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights should call their airline ticket offices or their travel agents. This information is available on the computerized reservation systems used by these agents.

The Air Travel Consumer Report can be found on DOT’s World Wide Web site at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov. It is available in “pdf” and Microsoft Word format.

New “Stars on Cars” Rule Announced Today Will Help Consumers Evaluate Safety of New Cars

Manufacturers will display the government's star safety ratings on every new vehicle with a price sticker, according to a federal rule made final today in Washington, DC. The rule announced by National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Nicole Nason and Ohio Senator Mike DeWine, provides for an expanded window sticker meant to provide consumers with safety rating information about new vehicles.

The rule requires that NHTSA’s star safety rating information be displayed on part of the window sticker on new cars beginning with the 2008 model year. Consumers will be able to measure the safety information by the number of stars on the sticker.

The new vehicle price stickers will contain NHTSA safety ratings in three areas – front and side crash and non-destructive rollover tests. All three tests use the five-star rating, with five stars being the safest.

“Senator DeWine, a strong advocate for highway safety, has done a great service for consumers by demanding that vehicle safety information be included on the sticker as well,” said Nason. “By making safety a selling point, it is my hope that this rule will encourage the faster development of these kinds of technologies.”

Senator DeWine was the sponsor of the legislation creating the “Stars on Cars” program, which was included in the 2005 highway bill. "This measure just makes sense. By placing safety ratings directly on new car window stickers, consumers will have the ability to make more informed decisions right there on the car sales lot," said Senator DeWine.

NHTSA safety ratings can be seen at: www.safercar.gov. The “Stars on Cars” requirements can be seen at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

Harris Corporation mostrará sus productos y soluciones para mercados emergentes móviles de TV en IBC2006

- Los pabellones mostrarán las soluciones de despliegue de contenido total para las redes de TV móviles

La División de Emisión de Comunicaciones de Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) ha anunciado que llevará a cabo una muestra destacada para los mercados emergentes móviles de TV en IBC2006, cuyas presentaciones se celebrarán en su principal expositor (7.621, Hall 7) y en la Mobile Zone (M225). Su participación en la fase primaria de los ensayos en Europa y Australia, además de su desarrollo de los transmisores para las aplicaciones Modeo y Qualcomm MediaFLO U.S.A. (cuyo lanzamiento está previsto para 2007), han situado a Harris como principal vendedor de transmisiones para aplicaciones móviles de TV. En IBC2006, Harris llevará a cabo demostraciones de emisiones móviles de TV para los principales estándares (DVB-H, FLO(TM) y T-DMB), que contarán con los transmisores de Harris y los productos de infraestructuras/redes, además del equipamiento receptor de las terceras partes.

"Nuestras demostraciones móviles de TV en IBC demostrarán de forma clara el rango de productos disponibles a través de Harris", comentó Dale Mowry, vicepresidente y responsable general de la unidad empresarial de Sistemas de Emisión de Televisión y División de Emisión de Comunicaciones de Harris. "Más allá de nuestro liderazgo en las plataformas de transmisión para instrumentos de TV móviles, también se mostrará un amplio abanico de soluciones de despliegue de contenido para TV móvil de Harris, incluyendo las plataformas para las aplicaciones DVB-H, FLO y T-DMB. Cada uno de los estándares ofrece beneficios viables para los operadores. IBC es una oportunidad excelente de demostrar estos beneficios y de cómo Harris está equipada para ofrecer la transmisión más completa y técnica disponible, además de las soluciones de infraestructura en la industria de las emisiones".

Las soluciones de transmisión de TV móviles de Harris se han utilizado para desarrollar y proporcionar la mayor eficacia en los estándares DVB-H, FLO y T-DMB para la emisión móvil de televisión. La compañía anunciará su gama de productos completos de TV móviles a través de cuatro demostraciones separadas realizadas en la Mobile Zone. Un sistema de redes Harris NetVX(TM) será el encargado de desplegar el contenido en la Mobile Zone a través del principal stand de Harris en algunas de las demostraciones.

DVB-H en UHF

Las soluciones Harris DVB-H UHF han demostrado su valía a nivel mundial tanto en aplicaciones de alta potencia como de baja potencia. El transmisor de alta potencia Atlas, refrigerado por agua (ofrecida en versiones de 1.25 a 9 kW) se expondrán en el principal pabellón de Harris. En la Mobile Zone, Harris mostrará su contenido DVB-H a una vía de terminales de mano a través del transmisor Atlas DTV-660 UHF refrigerado por aire, que se ofrecerá en niveles de potencia de hasta 1.5 kW.

DVB-H en Banda L

El transmisor de TV móvil Harris Cool Play(TM) ofrece una arquitectura única de "convención refrigerada" para las instalaciones externas. La versión del transmisor de 1670 MHz se encargará de transmitir vídeo a un terminal de mano desarrollado para Modeo, un operador DVB-H de EE.UU. El transmisor Cool Play 1670 está disponible para niveles de potencia de hasta 400 watios en Banda L.

FLO(TM) en UHF

La gama completa de transmisores Harris ATSC ya está disponible para aplicaciones FLO, y se basa en el nuevo estimulador Harris Apex FLO que Harris mostrará en la Mobile Zone. Harris recibirá las transmisiones en directo de los servicios FLO multicanales en un terminal de mano. Esto lo convierte en el primer display de Harris de Europa en productos de transmisiones FLO.

T-DMB en DAB

Como uno de los líderes de mercado y pioneros en DAB, Harris cuenta con una gama completa de transmisores VHF y L-Band DAB que pueden utilizarse para el despliegue de TV móvil en DAB. En la Mobile Zone, Harris demostrará la recepción de los canales de radio digitales y multicanales de TV en un terminal T-DMB para el transmisor Harris DAB-660. Harris realizará demostraciones sobre la elevada eficacia de los estándares de decodificación de audio, que nos permiten la transmisión de múltiples radios digitales y canales de vídeo que utilizan el mismo transmisor.

En el expositor de Harris, la compañía mostrará su Fortaleza en la transmisión terrestre de TV. La gama de transmisores Harris Atlas(TM) se mostrará de forma completa en la sección de despliegue del stand de Harris. Como plataforma de transmisión global UHF, la gama de transmisores Atlas refrigerada por líquido es compatible con los estándares de televisión análogos, digitales y móviles. Los visitantes disfrutarán de una demostración activa de la plataforma Atlas DVB-T/DVB-H gracias al despliegue de HDTV y del contenido móvil de TV H.264. El monitor de pantalla ancha recibirá y emitirá el contenido HDTV, mientras que el contenido móvil H.264 se recibirá en los instrumentos de mano.

El área de TV terrestre también incluirá demostraciones de Harris/Neural Audio MultiMerge para DTV. MultiMerge utiliza la detección inteligente para mezclar cualquier tipo de audio (mono, estéreo, estéreo con matriz decodificada (L/R), y contenido discreto 5.1) en un sistema de sonido envolvente sin interrupciones 5.1.

Harris comenzó con el desarrollo de las plataformas de transmisión terrestres para TV móvil en 2004 después de participar en el desarrollo de un estándar DVB-H. La reciente adquisición de la compañía de Leitch Technology ha añadido una amplia gama de servidores, enrutadores, conectores y equipamiento de procesamiento para los sistemas de decodificación de vídeo y sistemas de distribución Harris(R) NetVX, proporcionando la infraestructura necesaria para disponer del contenido en los terminales móviles de TV. Mientras, el equipamiento de la unidad empresarial de Harris Software Systems añade un complemento de software de banda ancha y de equipamiento de distribución para la gestión de redes, programación de tráfico, gestión de evaluación digital e intersección añadida, entre otras aplicaciones. La cartera completa proporciona a Harris la solución más completa de TV móvil.

Acerca de la división de comunicaciones de banda ancha de Harris

Harris es una compañía de tecnología de comunicaciones e información internacional que presta sus servicios a los mercados gubernamentales y comerciales en más de 150 países. Con sede en Melbourne, Florida, la compañía cuenta con unas ventas anuales de más de 3.500 millones de dólares, y dispone de cerca de 14.000 empleados, incluyendo más de 6.000 ingenieros y científicos, que se dedican a desarrollar los mejores productos de su clase en assured communications(TM), sistemas y servicios. Las divisiones operativas de la compañía prestan servicio a los mercados de comunicaciones gubernamentales, comunicaciones RF, comunicaciones de emisión y comunicaciones por microondas. Más información acerca de Harris Corporation disponible en la página http://www.harris.com .

FLO(TM) es una marca registrada de Qualcomm MediaFLO USA

Página web: http://www.harris.com

MediaScrape(TM), la primera red de información global que implementa tecnología web para proveer clips de noticias de transmisión cien por cien en vídeo, sin costo, se lanzará hoy en vivo en http://www.mediascrape.com/. MediaScrape es la primer Red de Noticias de TV por Internet en digitar transmisiones televisivas análogas en un formato cien por cien de vídeo de alta calidad, a pedido, traducido en el lugar, interactivo, gratis y que se puede buscar y archivar.

"Este es un gran avance en información noticiosa puesto que MediaScrape provee todos los clips de noticias del exterior desde las Américas, África, Europa, Medio Oriente y Asia Pacífico en su formato e idioma original, proporcionando una plataforma virtual para perspectivas múltiples sobre asuntos individuales y las principales noticias imparciales regionales y mundiales", dijo Tyler N. Cavell, fundador y COO de MediaScrape.

Con su actualización cada 30 minutos, 24 horas al día, MediaScrape ofrece a los usuarios control total sobre la manera en que reciben sus noticias. La función play-all (reproducción de todos los vídeo clips) permite que los espectadores puedan ver de 10 a 12 minutos de clips de las principales noticias locales y del mundo; reproducir un loop de una hora y media de vídeo clips de noticias diarias; o usar vídeos a pedido, donde los clips se buscan por región y país.

"Gracias al auspicio total de los anunciantes, MediaScrape puede ofrecer sus servicios de vídeo por Internet sin ningún costo para el público", dijo Cavell. "MediaScrape se esfuerza por mejorar el flujo de información entre las personas, dirigida a satisfacer las necesidades de la población cibernética joven, poblaciones inmigrantes así como la generación Bloomberg interesada en noticias de último minuto en vivo sobre inversiones en el exterior, interactividad y comercio global".

A diferencia de otros sitios noticiosos, MediaScrape presenta las tres capacidades interactivas, pizarras de mensajes, blogs y contenido enviado por el usuario, incluyendo, vídeo, fotos, texto y audio.

MediaScrape firmó acuerdos con mayoristas y agencias noticiosas vídeo líderes nacionales e internacionales, incluyendo Associated Press, Canadian Press y Dogan News Agency (81 oficinas mundiales). MediaScrape hasta el momento ha firmado asociaciones con transmisores televisivos locales de Georgia, Turquía, Azerbaiján y Armenia y espera inscribir a más de cien países en el transcurso del próximo año. Los clips de noticias actualmente con subtítulos en inglés, muy pronto estarán disponibles en otros idiomas.

MediaScrape, con sede en Montreal y oficinas en Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaiján y Turquía, desarrollada por Tyler N. Cavell, que percibió que había un déficit de información en la transmisión actual y desarrolló http://www.mediascrape.com/ para satisfacer las necesidades de una red de información global por Internet de alta calidad.

SBS Broadcasting adquiere el principal canal musical de televisión de Rumania

SBS Broadcasting Sàrl (NASDAQ: SBTV) ha anunciado hoy que la filial de su propiedad en Rumania, Amerom Television S.R.L., ha finalizado la adquisición del canal musical más popular de Rumania, TV K Lumea., TV K Humea, que se centra especialmente en los éxitos musicales nacionales e internacionales, es el líder de las clasificaciones en el grupo objetivo urbano con edades comprendidas entre los 15 y los 24 años. TV K Lumea debutó en 1999 como principal canal musical local de Rumania. Las condiciones de la adquisición son confidenciales.

Patrick Tillieux, responsable de operaciones de SBS y consejero delegado en funciones, afirmó acerca de esta nueva noticia: "Estamos muy contentos con la adquisición del canal musical televisivo más popular de Rumania. Creamos el canal a partir de nuestra experiencia operativa de los exitosos canales musicales televisivos The Voice TV para los países nórdicos y a través de la capacidad para integrar completamente el canal en nuestras otras operaciones en Rumania, Kiss FM, y nuestra emisora de televisión orientada a los jóvenes, Prima TV, mejorando así nuestra oferta de múltiples canales. Esta inversión destaca nuestro compromiso de hacer crecer nuestros negocios en Rumania y buscar más oportunidades en esta región".

Christoph Buerge, consejero delegado de las operaciones de radio y televisión de SBS en Rumania, comentó: "Esperamos que TV K Lumea tome una posición líder de mercado y amplíe su audiencia mediante una programación innovadora que sea atractiva para la audiencia joven del canal, con una especial atención en el panorama musical popular de Rumania".

SBS opera en varios mercados en crecimiento en el sureste de Europa. En Rumania SBS posee Prima TV así como la red de radio líder nacional, Kiss FM, y Magic FM. En Bulgaria, SBS posee las redes Radio Vitosha y Radio Vesselina, además de Radio Atlantik, Radio Ritmo y Vesselina TV. SBS también posee la emisora de radio número uno de Atenas (Grecia), Lampsi FM.

SBS también pone en funcionamiento los canales musicales de televisión The Voice TV en Dinamarca, Noruega, Suecia y Finlandia.

Acerca de SBS Broadcasting Group

SBS Broadcasting Group es uno de los grupos de retransmisión líder en Europa, con televisión comercial, canales de pago, emisoras de radio y negocios impresos relacionados en Europa central y occidental. Los países en los que SBS cuenta con operaciones de emisión son: Bélgica (Flandes), Bulgaria, Dinamarca, Finlandia, Grecia, Hungría, Países Bajos, Noruega, Rumania, Suecia y Reino Unido. SBS está financiado por dos firmas de capital privado líderes, Permira y KKR. Telegraaf Media Groep N.V. (TMG), de los Países Bajos, también es accionista en SBS, con un capital de acciones por valor del 20%. www.sbsbroadcasting.com

Source: SBS Broadcasting Group

FDA RECALLS

Good Karma Food Technologies Issues Nationwide Allergy Alert for Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Mudd Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Products Due to Undeclared Milk Ingredient--

 Good Karma Food Technologies, Inc. of Glendale, California is recalling Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Mudd Pie, Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Mint Chocolate Chip and Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, all lot codes, because they may contain undeclared milk proteins. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The products distributed across the U.S. may have reached consumers at natural foods retail and mass market retail grocery stores nationwide. The Mudd Pie product can be identified by a label that reads "Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Mudd Pie." This item comes in a pint, blue package with dark brown lid band and a banner that reads Mudd Pie. It has a UPC Code of 2946270102. The Mint Chocolate Chip product can be identified by a label that reads "Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Mint Chocolate Chip." This item comes in a blue package with green lid band and a banner that reads Mint Chocolate Chip. It has a UPC Code of 2946270106. The Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge product can be identified by a label that reads "Good Karma Organic Rice Cream Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge." This item comes in a blue package with a light brown lid band and a banner that reads Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. It has a UPC Code of 2946270105.

The recall was initiated after it was revealed thru testing that the chocolate chips contained in these products contained undeclared levels of milk protein. Packages with a Best If Used By Date of July 27th, 2007 or earlier should not be consumed.

There have been no reports of illness or injury associated with the product. No other Good Karma Organic Rice Cream products are part of the recall, and there is no health risk for consumers who are not allergic to milk.

Production of these products has been suspended until the FDA and Good Karma are certain that these products are back in compliance and the problem has been corrected.

All of Good Karma's Distributors, Customers and Brokers have been notified about this issue and have been advised to pull the product off the shelf. Consumers who have purchased Pint containers of the Good Karma Organic Rice Cream: Mudd Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge products with the Best If Used By Date of July 27th, 2007 or earlier are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-550-6731.

At Good Karma, integrity is the heart of our business. Safety and the well-being of all people who use our products is our highest priority.

 Meadow Gold Dairies announced today that it is voluntarily recalling all cartons of Meadow Gold Hook’d on Chocolate ice cream. The recall was initiated because the product contains egg, which is not listed on the label.

Individuals with allergies to eggs run the risk of a serious or life threatening reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled ice cream was packed in 56 ounce cartons. It was processed at the Meadow Gold plant in Orem, Utah and distributed to retailers in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Utah.

Meadow Gold employees and retailers are removing the product from store shelves. Consumers can return the product to their place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact the company at 877-234-0022.

Meadow Gold Dairies has been a part of the community for over 100 years. The quality of our products and safety of our consumers is our foremost concern. The company will continue to work with retailers to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and State of Utah have been advised of this action.

FDA Statement on Tenth Circuit’s Ruling to Uphold FDA Decision Banning Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling demonstrates the soundness of FDA's decision to ban dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids, consistent with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals also found that Congress clearly required FDA to conduct a risk-benefit analysis under DSHEA.

FDA conducted an exhaustive and highly resource-intensive evaluation of the relevant scientific data evidence on ephedrine alkaloids before issuing its final rule, which became effective in 2004. The court found that the 133,000-page administrative record compiled by FDA supports the agency's findings that dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids pose an unreasonable risk of illness or injury to users, especially those suffering from heart disease and high blood pressure.

No dosage of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids is safe and the sale of these products in the United States is illegal and subject to FDA enforcement action.

Boeing Completes GOES-P Weather Satellite Thermal Vacuum Testing

Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that GOES-P, the third of three Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) built for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has successfully completed testing designed to ensure that the spacecraft will operate in the extremely harsh environs of space.

GOES-P underwent a battery of tests that examined and recorded how the spacecraft's sensitive instruments will operate in the extreme temperatures of deep space. The thermal vacuum chamber test temperatures ranged from minus 292 degrees Fahrenheit to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. The thermal vacuum testing followed a series of vibration and acoustic tests that verified the satellite's system hardiness. Together, the tests are intended to validate the quality of workmanship and survivability during launch and in orbit.

GOES-P remains on schedule for completion later this year and could be launched as early as 2008. GOES-O is complete and in storage awaiting launch in 2007. Boeing successfully launched GOES-N, now operating as GOES-13, on a Boeing Delta IV vehicle on May 24, 2006.

"Mission assurance is our top priority, and the thermal vacuum tests indicate that GOES-P will have the same success that its on-orbit sister satellite, GOES-13, is experiencing," said Stephen T. O'Neill, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International, Inc. "Together with GOES-13 and GOES-O, GOES-P is part of a new constellation of earth observation satellites for NASA and NOAA that will improve weather prediction accuracy in the years to come."

The new GOES satellites will provide more accurate prediction and tracking of severe storms and other weather phenomena, resulting in earlier and more precise warnings to the public. The new satellites also will support NOAA and NASA scientists by providing steadfast atmospheric surveillance of severe weather events such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes. When these conditions develop, the GOES satellites can monitor storm development and track their movements.

Boeing's 40 years of knowledge and experience in weather and Earth observation space systems underpins the next-generation environmental system in support of NOAA's strategic mission: Assessing and predicting environmental changes, protecting life and property, and providing decision makers with reliable climate information

Boeing Receives First Production Remote Aerial Refueling Operator Station for KC-767 Tanker The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] recently received its first production Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) II station for the KC-767 Tanker from DRS Laurel Technologies of Johnstown, Pa., a unit of DRS Technologies, Inc. [NYSE: DRS].

RARO II is a mission management and planning console positioned behind the KC-767 cockpit, where aircrews can control boom and drogue aerial-refueling operations through a remote-vision system. Using a series of cameras flush-mounted on the aircraft's fuselage, the boom operator will have controls and displays for the operation of the boom, wing pods, hose drum unit and exterior aerial refueling lighting.

"The RARO II remote-vision system will increase tanker aircrew mission capability and safety," said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president for Tanker Programs. "RARO II also improves communication between the aircrew and uses advanced video digital processing to provide superior definition during night and adverse weather conditions."

Boeing will receive additional RARO II systems from DRS Laurel Technologies for the advanced KC-767 tankers being built and flight tested today for Italy and Japan. The delivery ceremony for Japan's first KC-767 is scheduled for February 2007. The first Italian KC-767 is scheduled for delivery in mid-2007.

Boeing developed and installed its first remote aerial refueling operator station (RARO I) on two Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 tankers, which have been operational since 1996. The third generation remote-vision system (RARO III), which will incorporate the key technologies of previous stations, is being developed to meet unique U.S. Air Force requirements.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.

Boeing Redelivers 747-400BCF to Korean AirBoeing and Korean Air today announced completion and certification of Korean Air’s 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter.

For this modification, Boeing managed every aspect of the conversion process from contract signing, design and production through redelivery. Boeing contracted with Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co., Ltd. (TAECO) in Xiamen, China, for the hands-on modification work. This is the fourth 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter that has been redelivered through Boeing to cargo operators.

On Aug. 4, workers at Korean Air’s Aerospace Division in Pusan Korea began modifying a 747-400 passenger airplane. For this and follow-on conversions, Korean Air’s Aerospace Division receives a "freighter kit" from Boeing, and will use the kit to convert and certify a combination of its own and other airlines’ 747-400 passenger airplanes into freighters.

Korean Air has six firm freighter kits remaining on order with options for 13 more kits.

Boeing-Built, On-Orbit Commercial Satellite Proves Technology Proposed for Future Military Satellite System Boeing [NYSE: BA], in conjunction with Hughes Network Systems, LLC [HUGHES], has successfully demonstrated the space-based delivery of MP-3 files, a streaming video multi-cast and voice over Internet protocol services to a government audience, validating key elements of the Boeing communications approach for the Transformational Satellite Communications Space Segment (TSAT SS) program.

Boeing and Hughes demonstrated to the TSAT customer the system's functionality using the digital processor on the Hughes SPACEWAY™ satellite during a series of live, over-the-air tests at Hughes headquarters in Germantown, Md.

"SPACEWAY is the pathfinder for TSAT," said John Peterson, Boeing TSAT SS program director. "The demonstrated functionality shows the network services TSAT will build upon, proves the maturity of several technologies and provides an operational model of the TSAT user experience. Our TSAT technology test proves it can be done in the real world, not just on a test bench."

Boeing currently leads a team that is pursuing the space segment of the TSAT program. TSAT is a major element of a secure, high-capacity global communications network that will serve the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Hughes provides the Boeing TSAT team with demonstrated network expertise based on years of satellite system development on the VSAT, Thuraya Mobile Sat and SPACEWAY systems.

"Our military customers are requesting the ability to 'fight jointly,' which means that information is accessible to the warfighter, regardless of worldwide location, branch of military, platform or network being used," Peterson said. "A system's ability to recognize relevant data and route it automatically, while remaining compliant with information security, is the most important aspect of network-centric operations."

Boeing's fourth generation digital processor has the processing power of 10,000 Pentium IV chips and is already in use on SPACEWAY, a high-power Boeing 702 spacecraft. The processor is designed to field and manage large amounts of data as a part of a broader network. It also has the inherent capability to efficiently multicast data to other terminals that have joined a multicast group.

Supported by a constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit, TSAT SS will provide the backbone for the Defense Department's high-bandwidth networked communications system. Boeing received the Risk Reduction and System Definition contract in January 2004, and the DOD is expected to select the ultimate system provider in 2008.

Hughes Network Systems, LLC [HUGHES] is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for enterprises, governments, small businesses and consumers. HughesNet™ encompasses all broadband solutions and managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. To date, Hughes has shipped more than one million systems to customers in over 100 countries. Its broadband satellite products are based on the IPoS (IP over Satellite) and RSM-A global standards, approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU standards organizations. Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Md., USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. [OTCBB: HGCM]. For additional information, visit www.hughes.com.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.

Boeing, Monarch Airlines Announce Order for 787 Dreamliner

-- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Monarch Airlines of the United Kingdom announced today that the airline has ordered six Boeing 787-8s with purchase rights for another four. The order is worth $916 million at list prices.

With first delivery starting in 2010, the airline will use the new advanced, fuel-efficient 787s as the basis of its future long-haul operations. Monarch's current long-haul fleet comprises Boeing 767s, A300s and A330-200s.

The Dreamliner's size, extended range and superior fuel efficiency make it ideally suited for Monarch Airlines' business model, which includes both scheduled and charter operations. Since its launch in April 2004, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has attracted the attention of customers operating a variety of business models.

"Operating successfully in the leisure market requires flexible and innovative products. With the 787's longer-range capabilities, we will be opening up new destinations in the Americas, Asia and Africa," said Peter Brown, chief executive officer of Monarch Airlines. "We are very impressed by Boeing's use of innovative technologies on the 787, such as composite materials, which will reduce our maintenance costs."

Monarch Airlines, headquartered in Luton, is a leading provider in the U.K. of low-cost scheduled flights from bases at London Gatwick, London Luton, Manchester and Birmingham airports, as well as a major supplier to the tour operating industry.

"Monarch's passengers will be thrilled with the 787's innovative and appealing interior design, which features more personal space and a range of enhancements that will help the airline to significantly differentiate its product," said Marlin Dailey, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia. "The Dreamliner's faster cruise speed will also enable passengers to benefit from shorter sector times on long flights. The 787 has proven appeal to the long-haul leisure market segment."

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, scheduled for delivery beginning in 2008, provides passengers with a better flying experience and operators with a more efficient commercial jetliner. Using 20 percent less fuel per passenger than similarly sized airplanes, the 787 is designed for the environment with lower emissions and quieter takeoffs and landings. Inside the airplane, passengers will find cleaner air, bigger windows, more stowage space and improved lighting.

Since the 787 launch in April 2004, 32 customers including Monarch have logged 420 orders and commitments, of which 377 are firm orders valued at $59 billion at current list prices, making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.

Boeing Tells C-17 Suppliers Line May End in 2009

Due to the lack of U.S. government orders for the C-17 military cargo aircraft, The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is directing program suppliers to stop work on uncommitted airplanes. This move will be the first step in an orderly shut down of the production supply chain should no further orders be received from the U.S. government.

For over a year, Boeing spent its own money protecting the C-17 supplier base. This investment was intended to keep the production line viable while the U.S. Government and Boeing pursued international orders, and to allow time for the U.S. Government to update its post-9/11 mobility requirements, if they chose to do so. During that time Boeing received international orders and commitments for more than a dozen of the advanced air lifters. Congress has added funding for up to three more as part of its recent 2007 budget deliberations. However, when the orders are totaled, there are not enough to sustain continued production beyond mid-2009.

Since late 2005, Boeing has stressed the need for a commitment from the U.S. Government for continued C-17 procurement or the company would be forced to make the difficult decision to begin winding down the production line.

This action will ultimately affect the 5,500 Boeing jobs in California, Missouri, Georgia, and Arizona, directly tied to the C-17, and the program's nationwide supplier workforce that totals more than 25,000 people. Nearly 700 companies in 42 states provide parts and services that go into each C-17.

"The C-17 is one of the Defense Department's most successful acquisition programs ever," said Ron Marcotte, vice president and general manager of Boeing Global Mobility Systems. "No one questions its operational value. But we can't continue carrying the program without additional orders from the U.S. Government."

The stop-work orders affect long-lead items from suppliers that, in many cases, are built 34 months before a C-17 is delivered. Boeing is re-evaluating the financial impact should the U.S. government not order additional C-17s, and may incur costs aside from any recovered from the U.S. government.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.

Forward-Looking Information Is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty

Certain statements in this report may constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements regarding the financial impact to the company should the government decide to cease production of the C-17. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak only as of the date they were made and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The company's actual results and future trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors, including the continued operation, viability and growth of major airline customers and non-airline customers (such as the U.S. Government); adverse developments in the value of collateral securing customer and other financings; the occurrence of any significant collective bargaining labor dispute; its successful execution of internal performance plans including its company-wide growth and productivity initiatives, production rate increases and decreases (including any reduction in or termination of an aircraft product), availability of raw materials, acquisition and divestiture plans, and other cost-reduction and productivity efforts; charges from any future SFAS No. 142 review; ability to meet development, production and certification schedules for the 787 program; technical or quality issues in development programs or in the commercial satellite industry; an adverse development in rating agency credit ratings or assessments; the actual outcomes of certain pending sales campaigns and the launch of the 787 program and U.S. and foreign government procurement activities, including the uncertainty associated with the procurement of tankers by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and funding of the C-17 program; the cyclical nature of some of its businesses; unanticipated financial market changes which may impact pension plan assumptions; domestic and international competition in the defense, space and commercial areas; continued integration of acquired businesses; performance issues with key suppliers, subcontractors and customers; significant disruption to air travel worldwide (including future terrorist attacks); global trade policies; worldwide political stability; domestic and international economic conditions; price escalation; the outcome of political and legal processes, changing priorities or reductions in the U.S. Government or foreign government defense and space budgets; termination of government or commercial contracts due to unilateral government or customer action or failure to perform; legal, financial and governmental risks related to international transactions; legal and investigatory proceedings; tax settlements with the IRS and various states; U.S. Air Force review of previously awarded contracts; and other economic, political and technological risks and uncertainties. Additional information regarding these factors is contained in the company's SEC filings, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 and for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

Boeing Names John Bruns to New Boeing Commercial Airplanes, China Position

The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] today named John W. Bruns as vice president - China Operations, Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA). The posting, effective immediately, makes Bruns BCA's senior in-country executive and underscores the company's long-term commitment to China.

Bruns, 41, will report to Mike Cave, vice president, BCA Airplane Programs, and will be responsible for overseeing BCA's China strategy and business development. He will work with Boeing-China President David Wang who reports to Boeing International and represents Boeing's broader corporate interests in China.

"John's customer focus, extensive China experience and proven cross-cultural leadership skills make him the ideal choice to expand our growing partnership with this dynamic and important country," said Alan Mulally, BCA president and chief executive officer. "China is an important partner and a highly valued customer. This new position symbolizes our commitment to the future there."

Bruns, a 20-year veteran of The Boeing Company, will relocate to Beijing from Seattle, where he has served since 1999 as Sales director, Asia Pacific, responsible for leading teams serving various Chinese airline customers. During his tenure, Bruns' teams recorded sales and commitments valued at more than US$8 billion.

Bruns spent his formative years in Asia where he learned Mandarin. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He earned his MBA in International Business from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University in California.

The posting to Beijing will be Bruns' second China assignment. Beginning in 1994, he worked in the McDonnell Douglas Beijing office, continuing in that position during and after the merger with The Boeing Company.

Boeing projects that China will be the world's second largest market for new commercial airplanes after the United States, with demand for 2,600 aircraft valued at $213 billion during the next 20 years. Since the beginning of the Boeing-China relationship in 1972, Boeing has provided some 61 percent of China's commercial jetliner fleet. A major aspect of the Boeing-China relationship is a shared dedication to providing a safe and efficient operating environment during the country's rapid airline growth. Boeing works with Chinese airlines on design requirements for new Boeing airplanes and relies on China as an important supplier of high-quality assemblies for all current models, including the new 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing Signs Contract to Support C-17s in Australia

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has reached an agreement with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to provide logistics support services for Australia's C-17 fleet.

Australia is buying four Globemaster III aircraft with the first delivery planned for December 2006. Under the $80.7 million contract, Boeing will manage spare parts for the Australian fleet. The RAAF will be responsible for flight line maintenance with Boeing performing heavier, depot-level maintenance. Boeing has similar responsibilities for the U.S. Air Force and the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force C-17 fleets through the Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP).

By joining the global C-17 support network, Australia will take advantage of the economy of scale for the purchase of spare parts and materials for a fleet of nearly 200 aircraft compared to a fleet of four. Support Systems, a business of Integrated Defense Systems, also will provide technical support, engineering services, engine maintenance and management, technical publications and support equipment management for the RAAF anywhere the aircraft are located.

The RAAF joins the existing performance-based logistics contract where Boeing is paid for an agreed upon level of aircraft availability. Boeing shares part of the risk for maintaining the aircraft and has incentive to sustain the fleet as efficiently as possible.

"By joining the partnership, Australia is significantly reducing its costs," said Bud Matlock, Boeing director of International Product Support for the C-17. "The advantage comes not only in the synergies gained by joining the virtual C-17 fleet, but also in Boeing's experience and infrastructure in sustaining the C-17 around the world for all our customers. We are excited about the RAAF joining the C-17 GSP and encouraged about our international growth opportunities."

The contract to maintain the Australian C-17s mirrors Boeing's agreement with the United Kingdom. Similar partnerships are available to foreign military services that purchase C-17s. Denmark recently signed a letter of intent to join a team of NATO nations that will share a pool of C-17s. The Canadian Department of National Defence in early July said it intends to acquire four C-17s.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.

Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Rolls Out; Prepares for First Flight

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has rolled the first 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) out of the hangar at Taipei's Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport. The enormous airplane is the first of three specially modified jets that will be used to transport major assemblies for the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

"This is one of the most unusual modifications Boeing has ever done," said Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Development and Production. "We've relied on the world's best talent to design and build the LCF and we can all be proud today to see it standing on the tarmac."

Ground testing is under way to prepare the LCF for its first flight. After initial flight testing in Taipei, the LCF will fly to Seattle to complete the flight test program. First flight and the ferry flight to Seattle are expected to occur by the end of August.

The modifications have been performed by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. (EGAT), a joint venture of EVA Air and General Electric and a part of Taiwan's Evergreen Group. The second airplane continues to be modified and will be completed this fall. The third airplane will begin modification next year. The first two LCFs enter service in 2007 to support the final assembly of the first Dreamliners.

###

Internet Broadcast Corp(TM) mejora su sitio y ofrece acceso inmediato a los buscadores de noticias

- Internet Broadcast Corp(TM) mejora su sitio y ofrece a los usuarios acceso inmediato a los buscadores de noticias

- La compañía, que pasa a llamarse Internet Broadcast Corp(TM), finaliza su segunda ronda de financiación para conseguir su objetivo de ser la primera fuente global de noticias en vídeo de Internet

La nueva red de noticias de televisión en Internet, Internet Broadcast Corporation(TM) http://www.ibctoday.com, antes conocida como MediaScrape(TM), ha presentado hoy su nuevo acceso mejorado de navegación para las noticias de televisión a nivel mundial.

La compañía, con sede en Canadá, pero con miles de usuarios en EE.UU. y otros países, también ha anunciado que dispone de un nuevo socio de emisión, con el objetivo de convertirse en la primera fuente global de noticias de vídeo en Internet. Internet Broadcast Corporation (ibcTODAY) se ha convertido en la primera fuente de noticias para televisión por Internet en digitalizar las emisiones análogas de televisión en un formato que es 100% vídeo de alta calidad, bajo demanda, traducido, interactivo, gratuito, fácil de encontrar y con capacidad de archivación.

"El cambio de nombre refleja el objetivo de ibcTODAY de convertirse en la principal red de noticias para televisión por Internet", afirmó Tyler Cavell, editor de ibcTODAY. "El nuevo nombre explica de forma más clara lo que somos, y se traduce de forma más fácil a los usuarios de todo el mundo".

El sitio cuenta en la actualidad con usuarios registrados procedentes de 91 países, y emite dos horas de videos de noticias (entre uno y tres minutos cada uno) al día desde Norteamérica, Asia, Oriente Próximo, África y Europa.

Para conseguir el objetivo de la compañía de proporcionar más información en un entorno fácil de utilizar, ibcTODAY ha empleado unas novedosas técnicas de navegación, incluyendo los componentes de ajax .net. Esta tecnología permite a ibcTODAY mejorar los datos de utilización sin tener que actualizar la página, detener el vídeo o reducir las prestaciones del sitio. Otra de las nuevas características es la navegación "one-stop-shop", que permite a los usuarios visualizar el vídeo al mismo tiempo que puede ver las historias más importantes de otras regiones.

"Debemos utilizar las experiencias de nuestra gran base de datos de clientes para ayudar a llevar a cabo el rediseño de ibcTODAY. Gracias a la importante reinversión en nuestra tecnología hemos conseguido mejorar la navegación del sitio, sobre todo su buscador de archivo de vídeo, añadiéndolo a nuestra importante biblioteca de contenidos", afirmó Tyler Cavell.

Internet Broadcast Corporation acaba de firmar un acuerdo con Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) para emitir sus principales historias nacionales e internacionales. CBC se une a la gama de importantes agencias de noticias y distribuidores nacionales e internacionales de ibcTODAY, entre los que están Associated Press, Canadian Press y Dogan News Agency. Internet Broadcast Corporation también ha firmado acuerdos de asociación con los emisores de televisiones locales de Georgia, Turquía, Azerbaiyán y Armenia, y espera firmar con más de cien países el año que viene.

Actualizada cada 30 minutos las 24 horas del día, Internet Broadcast Corporation también cuenta con un foro de mensajes, blogs y contenido enviado por los usuarios. Al ofrecer su servicio de vídeo por Internet de forma gratuita al público, ibcTODAY tiene como objetivo convertirse en la principal red de noticias para televisión de Internet.

Con sede en Montreal y oficinas en Washington, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaiyán y Turquía, Internet Broadcast Corporation fue fundada por Tyler N. Cavell, quien descubrió que existía un déficit de información en la emisión de noticias por Internet, desarrollando http://www.ibctoday.com.

Página web: http://www.ibctoday.com

Source: Internet Broadcast Corporation

Roving Police Patrols Drive DUI Decline for Second Year in a Row

New NHTSA Numbers Show Drop in Alcohol-Related Fatalities in Non-Sobriety Checkpoint States

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- While the nation saw a slight reduction in alcohol-related fatalities from 2004 to 2005, a closer look at data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds that the states driving the national decline do not use sobriety checkpoints and instead rely upon roving police patrols, according to the American Beverage Institute (ABI). Because they are highly visible by design and publicized in advance, roadblocks are all too easily avoided by the chronic alcohol abusers that comprise the core of today's drunk driving problem.

The 11 non-roadblock states are: Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

  The analysis also found the following:    * The 11 states that do not operate roadblocks experienced a collective     drop of 91 fewer alcohol-related fatalities in 2005 compared to 2004;    * Texas, a non-roadblock state, saw a decline of 134 fatalities among     accidents with Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels at over 0.15%-     the largest drop of any state. This is over three times the reduction     realized by any other state;    * The 39 states (plus the District of Columbia) that operate roadblocks     saw a collective increase in alcohol-related deaths; and    * If non-roadblock states are removed from the equation, there would have     been a net increase in alcohol-related fatalities last year.  

"America's overall decline in alcohol-related fatalities in 2005 is great," said American Beverage Institute Executive Director John Doyle, "but it is almost entirely due to the great work done in states that do not employ roadblocks. There is still much work to be done to get all 50 states to invest more of their scarce law enforcement resources in roving patrols rather than roadblocks."

The American Beverage Institute is an association of restaurants committed to the responsible serving of adult beverages. To learn more visit: http://www.americanbeverageinstitute.com/.

Source: American Beverage Institute

CONTACT: Nathan R. Shrader, Communications Director, of American 

Statement of John Ramsey on Today's Arrest in Connection With the Murder of His Daughter, JonBenet Ramsey

The following is statement of John Ramsey on today's arrest in connection with the murder of his daughter, JonBenet Ramsey:

"I want to have only very limited comment on today's arrest because I feel it is extremely important to not only let the justice system operate to its conclusion in an orderly manner, but also to avoid feeding the type of media speculation that my wife and I were subjected to for so many years," said John Ramsey. "I do want to say, however, that the investigation of the individual arrested today in connection with JonBenet's death was discussed with Patsy and me by the Boulder District Attorney's office prior to Patsy's death in June. So Patsy was aware that authorities were close to making an arrest in the case and had she lived to see this day, would no doubt have been as pleased as I am with today's development almost 10 years after our daughter's murder. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for the efforts of Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy and the members of her investigative team."

Patsy Ramsey lost a 13-year battle with ovarian cancer and passed away on June 24.

"The Ramseys and I have been totally amazed and impressed with the professionalism of law enforcement under the direction of Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy. This was obviously an incredibly complex task but one that has been carried out in almost textbook fashion with the investigation of this individual going on for several months, without any leaks in the case," said L. Lin Wood, attorney for the Ramsey family and a partner at Powell Goldstein in Atlanta. "I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the many people who have stood by the Ramseys, believing in them and their innocence throughout these long and difficult years."

John Ramsey will not be providing any interviews at this time. Requests for future interviews should be directed to Lin Wood, attorney for the Ramsey Family.

Comments From Criminal Defense Attorney Darren Kavinoky Re: JonBenet Ramsey Case

 The following are the various points on which highly-respected criminal defense attorney, Darren Kavinoky, based in Los Angeles, CA, can speak to regarding the latest developments in the JonBenet Ramsey case:

"Karr had confessed to elements of the crime that were unknown to the general public."

  * The notion that there is information that "only law enforcement and the     killer would know" is a fallacy best exploited by John Grisham and other     fiction writers.  Police officers investigating the Ramsey case didn't     come home to their spouses and say "just another day at the office."  If     law enforcement knows, other people know.  Leaks abound, especially in     high profile cases.    * Example: the news stories being generated tonight routinely include     statements from people in law enforcement speaking on condition on     anonymity -- these same people gossiped at and around the time of the     crime.    "Karr was in the Boulder area at the time of the killing."    * If it is true that Karr was in the Boulder area at the time of the     killing, it would possibly explain his legitimate knowledge of this     supposedly secret info.  This is a true double-edged sword for the     prosecution, because it puts Karr legitimately into the circle of people     that may have information about the case.  

Issue: will Karr's admissions (or "confessions about some elements of the crime") be admissible? What about other evidence gathered in Thailand?

  * Generally, Karr's admissions won't be admissible unless there is some     evidence, independent of the admission itself, which links the person to     the crime.  This is known as the "Corpus Delicti Rule" or, among defense     lawyers, the "Corpus Cop-Out Rule".  Historically, as unlikely as it     sounds, many people have confessed to crimes they did not commit.     Therefore, the Corpus Delicti rule evolved to protect people from     themselves, or protect people from police misconduct (such as the type     of law enforcement misconduct that routinely takes place in Bangkok     jails).    * An additional rationale for American law enforcement presence in Bangkok     may be to ensure that admissions made or evidence obtained there would     pass Constitutional muster in the United States, where Karr is to be     prosecuted.    "Today is vindication for the Ramsey family."    * Not really. As sure as people are that Karr is guilty, only mere hours     after his arrest, that's how sure people were that a member of the     Ramsey family was guilty.  If you would have put 12 jurors in a box     around the time of JonBenet's murder, it is highly likely that a     conviction would have resulted. The people now celebrating that the     "murderer" has been caught were the same people who were celebrating the     same thing a decade ago, except the murderer was variously Patsy, John,     or JonBenet's brother.  

"A law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AP that Karr had been communicating periodically with somebody in Boulder who had been following the case and cooperating with law enforcement officials."

  * What is motivation of this informant?  Where there is an informant, that     person's identity will ultimately be revealed.  One of the people who     would be happy to convey information that inculpates Karr would be the     real killer.  This is certainly an avenue the defense attorney is going     to explore relating to this "informant".  

Karr's arrest in Thailand suggests he was involved in pedophilia, or the multi-billion dollar sex or sex tourism industries.

  * The location of the arrest being Thailand is likely irrelevant, unless     Karr is also accused of a sex crime there (which, although initially     reported by some media, is denied in later reports). Teaching English or     translating in English is a legitimate and popular way to make money.     Being in Thailand is not sinister in and of itself, and is certainly     more prejudicial than probative on any legitimate issue in the case.    "DNA evidence will be a major factor in the case."    * If there was compelling DNA evidence gathered it would have immediately     turned the spotlight away from the Ramseys, which didn't happen.    * The reports relating to "unidentified" DNA indicates that there were two     small samples, with the possibility of an innocent explanation as to its     presence in the Ramsey home (i.e., may be from the manufacturer, etc.).  

The Ramsey family may file lawsuits against various organizations that pointed the accusatory finger years ago. One such suit was brought against a detective, who wrote a book accusing the Ramseys in the crime.

  * The previous certainty of John and Patsy's guilt could be the undoing of     the Karr case.  The title of the detective's book accusing the Ramseys     should be changed to: "Reasonable Doubt about the Guilt of Anyone Else"     since it so effectively outlines why the Ramseys were guilty.    * Guilt is subjective.  It can be defined as what a police officer     believes at the time he or she writes their police report.  Once law     enforcement believes they have the person, it becomes a self-fulfilling     prophecy.  Anyone who reads the report then takes it as fact, but it     begins with one officer's myopic view.  

"Over the years, some experts suggested that investigators had botched the case so thoroughly that it might never be solved."

  * What has changed?  The defense lawyer will simply call the suspicion of     Karr's guilt "theory number 7".    * The forensic concerns relating to the lack of integrity of the crime     scene may also prove to be a significant challenge for the prosecution.     The forensic evidence was botched in a way reminiscent of O.J. Simpson.    Jury selection   * Tough in a case with this kind of media coverage.  A Change of Venue     Motion is a near certainty.    Punishment   * The death penalty was reinstated in Colorado in 1984.  Given the     possible manner of death, theories for capital murder could include     torture murder, as well as a sexual assault (though the evidence was     never quite clear as to whether or not a sexual assault took place). 

Source: Kavinoky Law Firm

Seleccioníes Celebra 35 Años Con Lanzamiento de Nuevo Número de Franquicia Editorial y Evento

Generación Latina: Adolescentes Hispanos Que Están Transformando el Mundo, Patrocinado por McDonald's

-- Selecciones, la revista en idioma español más vendida en el mundo, celebra este año un importante hito histórico -- 35 años desde el debut de su primera edición norteamericana. Desde su lanzamiento en 1971, la revista ha sido una voz líder de las noticias mundiales, temas relacionados con la salud, consejos para los padres, y exclusivas con celebridades, dirigiéndose específicamente a las familias hispanas en Estados Unidos.

Selecciones conmemorará su 35o aniversario durante el Mes de la Hispanidad mediante el lanzamiento de un número de franquicia característico anual y un evento, "Generación Latina: Adolescentes Hispanos Que Están Transformando el Mundo". Las páginas de la revista cobrarán vida durante un almuerzo especial con premiaciones y un evento para los medios de comunicación el 4 de octubre en Miami que rendirá honor a siete extraordinarios adolescentes hispanos por sus talentos, logros y contribuciones insuperables a las comunidades en donde viven. En el evento estarán presentes siete de los más prominentes protagonistas de la noticia del momento -- personalidades de la televisión, músicos, atletas, y dirigentes políticos -- para entregar a cada adolescente su premio y compartir sus historias personales de obstáculos, éxitos y logros.

McDonald's, como patrocinador de Platino del evento, entregará a cada adolescente una beca de $2,500, reforzando su compromiso y apoyo constante al programa de becas Ronald McDonald House Charities(R)/ Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources(R) RMHC(R)/HACER(R). Desde el comienzo del programa en 1985, más de 12,000 estudiantes hispanos han recibido más de $14 millones en becas en apoyo de su educación.

"Los adolescentes hispanos representan el 38% de la población hispana en Estados Unidos. Y no hay mejor forma de celebrar nuestro aniversario que hacerlo con los líderes de mañana", expresó Elizabeth Bradley, editora de Selecciones. "Estamos encantados de ofrecer a los anunciantes esta oportunidad de franquicia innovadora e integrada."

"McDonald's se complace en unirse a Selecciones en este gran evento en honor de un grupo de estudiantes hispanos muy talentosos", señaló Rick Marroquin, director de marketing, McDonald's USA. "Durante muchos años McDonald's ha sido pilar en el apoyo a la educación y es un placer ayudar a estos estudiantes a alcanzar sus sueños mediante la educación superior", agregó Marroquin.

La primera edición global en idioma español de Selecciones fue lanzado en Cuba en 1940 por Dewitt y Lila Wallace, fundadores de Reader's Digest. Hoy, Selecciones y sus publicaciones hermanas llegan a una audiencia de casi 10 millones en más de 10 países latinoamericanos.

"Nuestros lectores han sido extremamente leales a la marca durante estos últimos 35 años", recalcó Genevieve Marlin-Fernández, editora en jefe de Selecciones. "Los hispanos de Estados Unidos recurren a Selecciones por su relevancia cultural y un contenido editorial cultural. Pero más aún, ellos acogen a la revista porque les conecta con sus familias alrededor del mundo".

Durante el Mes de la Hispanidad, la revista reproducirá sus portadas originales de la época de 1940 y 1971 para el número de octubre creando una edición para coleccionistas, una retrospectiva "de entonces y de ahora" para anunciantes en las páginas de la revista. Además, Selecciones lanzará iniciativas de publicidad, y dirigidas a los consumidores, en múltiples niveles, incluyendo programas minoristas personalizados, eventos de base para la creación de marca y oportunidades innovadoras de distribución en ciudades determinadas que cuentan con la mayor cantidad de hispanos.

Durante los últimos seis años, la circulación total de Selecciones basada en Estados Unidos se ha incrementado en un impresionante 87% -- desde 200,000 a 375,000 ejemplares -- llegando en la actualidad a más de tres millones de hispanos en Estados Unidos. La marca continúa demostrando su solidez, año tras año, con un crecimiento de circulación anual promedio de 11%. Además, su precio de suscripción anual de $20.56 se ha mantenido invariable durante los últimos seis años.

"La huella global de la revista ha sido una fuerza impulsora para las suscripciones y las ventas en kioscos durante las últimas tres décadas y media", destaca Bradley. "Selecciones está dondequiera que la gente habla español".

Acerca de Selecciones:

Selecciones confiere poderes a la familia hispana en Estados Unidos con contenido práctico, informativo e inspirador -brindando noticias sobre personas extraordinarias, las tendencias de moda y servicios relevantes, todo a la vez que celebra la diversidad de la experiencia hispana. Nutriéndose de un mundo de recursos, Selecciones llega al consumidor con un producto que tiene el impacto de una marca global pero a la vez la conexión íntima de un amigo fidedigno. Selecciones es publicada por Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (NYSE:RDA) .

Acerca de McDonald's:

McDonald's USA, LLC es proveedor de servicios alimenticios líder en Estados Unidos sirviendo una variedad de alimentos saludables elaborados con ingredientes de calidad a millones de clientes todos los días. Más del 80 por ciento de los 13,700 restaurantes de McDonald's en Estados Unidos son propiedad de, y están operados por, franquicias independientes locales. Para más información sobre McDonald's, visite http://www.mcdonalds.com/.

Government Officials Needed to Help Soldiers With 'Sandbag Palsy' and Residents of Flood Prone Areas

Government red tape is once again slowing down progress, delaying help to soldiers in Iraq and forcing soldiers at home to work twice as hard to complete a simple task. What is the problem? Government officials won't listen about a faster, easier way to fill sandbags. Instead, our soldiers in Iraq are developing what has been coined, "Sandbag Palsy." And at home, when a hurricane or flood looms, tens of thousands of sandbags must be filled in the old-fashioned, two-person, time consuming, back-straining way. The SackMaster is a shovel-like device which allows one person to fill sandbags quickly and efficiently, saving time and manpower.

The SackMaster was invented by Mark Martinez and was seen on the hit T.V. show, American Inventor, where Mark made it to the finals with his innovative invention.

Since the show ended, Mark has been trying to focus government officials' attention on the needs of the soldiers in Iraq. "Soldiers returning from Iraq recognized me from TV and begged me to find a way to get The SackMaster to Iraq," said Martinez.

Martinez researched and discovered that our troops are developing "Sandbag Palsy," officially known as brachial plexus palsy. This ailment, according to reports from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Natal, Durban, is a severe strain of the back, neck and shoulders, sustained while constructing the 50 lb. sandbags. The soldiers use sandbags to protect their shelters from shrapnel, to buffer the impact of gunfire on their Humvees, and in the trenches to buffer the impact of gunfire.

And on the home front, for the early summer floods in the northeast, the Fort Myer base of Arlington County alone needed about 10,000 sandbags filled within hours. Soldiers were forced to work through the night to deliver.

"Sandbag Palsy" could be eliminated. And soldiers could work more efficiently and faster to help impending flood and hurricane victims.

But, Martinez needs help. He is an inventor with an amazing product, but he needs someone to open doors to government officials.

We are requesting that all interested, government officials, government contractors or hardware store representatives please contact Mark via his website, www.TheSackMaster.com.

Internet Broadcast Corp(TM) mejora su sitio y ofrece acceso inmediato a los buscadores de noticias

- Internet Broadcast Corp(TM) mejora su sitio y ofrece a los usuarios acceso inmediato a los buscadores de noticias

- La compañía, que pasa a llamarse Internet Broadcast Corp(TM), finaliza su segunda ronda de financiación para conseguir su objetivo de ser la primera fuente global de noticias en vídeo de Internet

La nueva red de noticias de televisión en Internet, Internet Broadcast Corporation(TM) http://www.ibctoday.com, antes conocida como MediaScrape(TM), ha presentado hoy su nuevo acceso mejorado de navegación para las noticias de televisión a nivel mundial.

La compañía, con sede en Canadá, pero con miles de usuarios en EE.UU. y otros países, también ha anunciado que dispone de un nuevo socio de emisión, con el objetivo de convertirse en la primera fuente global de noticias de vídeo en Internet. Internet Broadcast Corporation (ibcTODAY) se ha convertido en la primera fuente de noticias para televisión por Internet en digitalizar las emisiones análogas de televisión en un formato que es 100% vídeo de alta calidad, bajo demanda, traducido, interactivo, gratuito, fácil de encontrar y con capacidad de archivación.

"El cambio de nombre refleja el objetivo de ibcTODAY de convertirse en la principal red de noticias para televisión por Internet", afirmó Tyler Cavell, editor de ibcTODAY. "El nuevo nombre explica de forma más clara lo que somos, y se traduce de forma más fácil a los usuarios de todo el mundo".

El sitio cuenta en la actualidad con usuarios registrados procedentes de 91 países, y emite dos horas de videos de noticias (entre uno y tres minutos cada uno) al día desde Norteamérica, Asia, Oriente Próximo, África y Europa.

Para conseguir el objetivo de la compañía de proporcionar más información en un entorno fácil de utilizar, ibcTODAY ha empleado unas novedosas técnicas de navegación, incluyendo los componentes de ajax .net. Esta tecnología permite a ibcTODAY mejorar los datos de utilización sin tener que actualizar la página, detener el vídeo o reducir las prestaciones del sitio. Otra de las nuevas características es la navegación "one-stop-shop", que permite a los usuarios visualizar el vídeo al mismo tiempo que puede ver las historias más importantes de otras regiones.

"Debemos utilizar las experiencias de nuestra gran base de datos de clientes para ayudar a llevar a cabo el rediseño de ibcTODAY. Gracias a la importante reinversión en nuestra tecnología hemos conseguido mejorar la navegación del sitio, sobre todo su buscador de archivo de vídeo, añadiéndolo a nuestra importante biblioteca de contenidos", afirmó Tyler Cavell.

Internet Broadcast Corporation acaba de firmar un acuerdo con Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) para emitir sus principales historias nacionales e internacionales. CBC se une a la gama de importantes agencias de noticias y distribuidores nacionales e internacionales de ibcTODAY, entre los que están Associated Press, Canadian Press y Dogan News Agency. Internet Broadcast Corporation también ha firmado acuerdos de asociación con los emisores de televisiones locales de Georgia, Turquía, Azerbaiyán y Armenia, y espera firmar con más de cien países el año que viene.

Actualizada cada 30 minutos las 24 horas del día, Internet Broadcast Corporation también cuenta con un foro de mensajes, blogs y contenido enviado por los usuarios. Al ofrecer su servicio de vídeo por Internet de forma gratuita al público, ibcTODAY tiene como objetivo convertirse en la principal red de noticias para televisión de Internet.

Con sede en Montreal y oficinas en Washington, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaiyán y Turquía, Internet Broadcast Corporation fue fundada por Tyler N. Cavell, quien descubrió que existía un déficit de información en la emisión de noticias por Internet, desarrollando http://www.ibctoday.com. 

The World Pizza Games Slots are Filling Up Fast!

Pizza Today's Northeast Pizza Show returns to Atlantic City in September and along with it - The World Pizza Games Trials! Energy and excitement will abound when the World Pizza Champions and World Pizza Games Trials take the stage at Pizza Today's Northeast Pizza Show.


You're invited to compete in one or all of four events.

• Freestyle Acrobatic Dough Tossing
• Fastest Dough
• Largest Dough
• Fastest Box Folding - Brand New Competition!

The top three qualifiers in each event will compete on Thursday in the finals. All competitors will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation. All finalists will also receive a medal and complimentary registration to International Pizza Expo 2007. The winner in each of the four events will be awarded $200 and will automatically qualify for their event's finals in Las Vegas during International Pizza Expo 2007

• 10:30 a.m. - Largest Dough Trials
• 12:00 p.m. - Fastest Dough Trials
• 12:45 p.m. - Fastest Box Folding Trials
• 1:15 p.m. - Individual Acrobatic Trials

Thursday September 14

• 10:00 a.m. - Largest Dough Finals
• 10:30 a.m. - Fastest Dough Finals
• 11:00 a.m. - Fastest Box Folding Finals
• 11:30 a.m. - Individual Acrobatic Finals
• 1:00 p.m. - Awards Ceremony

Times are subject to change

Get your routine ready and come join the fun at the World Pizza Games Trials!

Visit www.worldpizzachampions.com for complete rules, regulations and entry forms. You will also find official recipes for dough, previous games results and more.

The World Pizza Champions are made up of members Michael Shepherd of Michael Angelo's Pizza in Kenton & Rushsylvania, Ohio; Tony Gemignani & Ken Bryant of Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley, CA; Joe Carlucci of Famous Joe's in Danbury,CT; Siler Chapman of Pizza Works in Fort Mills, SC and Sean Brauser of Romeo's Pizza in Medina, OH.

Each member has earned the highest awards in several different categories in the pizza industry. They are considered by many pizza operators worldwide as professionals and pioneers.

Team members have appeared on ABC's Master of Champions, The Today Show, Emeril Live, Tony Danza Show, The Tonight Show, The Ellen Show, ESPN, the Food Network, Good Morning America, BBC Radio, and numerous industry magazine covers.

They have come together to form an affiliation to promote their restaurants and their skills. Individually each of them have performed on shows across the nation, but now they plan to tour the world as a team. The World Pizza Champions perform and/or compete at numerous festivals, fairs, sporting events, and food shows all year long.

America's #1 Pizza Team, The World Pizza Champions, will be in a town or on a TV near you.

Also part of the 2006/2007 team are Selected Member Giorgio Giove of Brothers Pizza in Staten Island, NY; Selected Member Justin Wadstein and Honorary Member Jay Schuurman of Kiantis Pizza and Pasta Bar in Santa Cruz, CA

We would like to thank our Team Sponsors

 

Tony Gemignani would like to thank his individual sponsors 

Michael Shepherd would like to thank his individual sponsors 

Joe Carlucci would like to thank his individual sponsors 

Siler Chapman would like to thank his individual sponsor 

U.S.News & World Report Announces Annual Rankings of America's Best Colleges

Princeton University Tops List

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S.News & World Report today announced the publication of its 2007 America's Best Colleges guide, which hits newsstands on Monday, August 21. America's Best Colleges is the most comprehensive guide to colleges and college admissions -- detailing and ranking more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools across the country.

The rankings will also be available at http://www.usnews.com/ beginning at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday, August 18. More searchable data on the rankings and schools is available online.

"America's top universities have never been as competitive. U.S.News' college guide aims to give prospective college students a starting point in the college admissions process," said Brian Kelly, Executive Editor of U.S.News & World Report. "We hope that the information in the guide and on our website will help students narrow the search and find the right school for them."

The 2007 America's Best Colleges guide provides a step-by-step guide to getting into college, choosing the right fit, paying for college, and making it there once you have arrived. The guide also contains the exclusive rankings of America's best national universities and liberal arts colleges. (See end of release for rankings.)

  This year's book will also address the following topics:    -- It's a Girl World - Admissions officers around the country are      contemplating how to find more qualified students with a Y chromosome.      In colleges, females outnumber males in both applications and      enrollment - a shifting demographic that has produced unexpected      results: Admissions officers are turning away qualified female      applicants in the interests of creating classes with gender parity. How      can females stay competitive?    -- Early Birds Still May Squirm - The hysteria over early admissions      programs shows no sign of slacking off. The belief that early      applicants have better chances of getting accepted is strong, but not a      guarantee. Don't fall for the hype or parents' pressure. Applying early      raises tough questions, but has no straight answers.    -- Paying with Less Pain - Even at a late date, students can improve      chances of achieving an affordable degree. But starting early only      helps. What are the strategies that students and parents can take to      make college more affordable?    -- Shouldn't You Be Studying - College exams are different than high      school. They require more than just straight memorization. How can      students make the transition and excel academically in college?                             2007 College Rankings    Best National Universities      1. Princeton University     2. Harvard University     3. Yale University     4. California Institute of Technology        Massachusetts Institute of Technology        Stanford University     7. University of Pennsylvania     8. Duke University     9. Columbia University        Dartmouth College        University of Chicago    12. Cornell University        Washington University in St. Louis    14. Northwestern University    15. Brown University    16. Johns Hopkins University    17. Rice University    18. Emory University        Vanderbilt University    20. University of Notre Dame    21. Carnegie Mellon University        University of California - Berkeley    23. Georgetown University    24. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor        University of Virginia     Best Liberal Arts Colleges      1. Williams College     2. Amherst College     3. Swarthmore College     4. Wellesley College     5. Middlebury College     6. Carleton College     7. Bowdoin College        Pomona College     9. Haverford College    10. Davidson College        Wesleyan University    12. Claremont McKenna College        Vassar College    14. Grinnell College        Harvey Mudd College    16. Colgate University    17. Hamilton College        Washington and Lee University    19. Smith College    20. Bryn Mawr College        Colby College    22. Oberlin College    23. Bates College    24. Macalester College        Mount Holyoke College 

Source: U.S.News & World Report

Posted by ladymountbatten at 12:14 PM | Permalink

Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club Garners Multiple Travel Awards

September 26, 2006 -- Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club, which has been rated Four Diamonds by the AAA for the five past years and features one of the largest full-service spas in New England, recently received top honors from two of the industry's most prestigious organizations: The World Travel Awards, which has named Cranwell the "Best Resort in Massachusetts" and SpaFinder, whose millions of readers named Cranwell the "Best Spa for Golf."

These awards are in addition to a number of accolades Cranwell received in the past year, including the Best Resort in Massachusetts by Boston Magazine's New England Travel and Life. Cranwell Resort was also featured in the book "100 Best Spas in the World," and its golf course was included in "America's Top100 Golf Courses," by Zagat's reader survey.

13th Annual World Travel Awards

The highly prestigious World Travel Awards -- recently called the "Oscars of the Travel Industry" by the Wall Street Journal -- are granted annually by leading travel professionals around the globe. This year 167,000 voters, including 110,000 travel agents, participated in the balloting, and Cranwell was chosen Best Resort in Massachusetts from among an elite crop of finalists.

Since 1993 the World Travel Awards have recognized the best the travel industry has to offer, and clearly Cranwell Resort fits the bill. Distinguished as one of the Historic Hotels of America, Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club sits on a 380-acre site landscaped by Fredrick Law Olmsted, the famed designer of New York City's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace. The elegant mansion, centerpiece of the Resort's grounds, dates back to the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

SpaFinder Readers' Choice Award

Spafinder.com and Luxury SpaFinder attract millions of spa consumers annually. To construct their Best of List, patrons of both the magazine and website cast ballots for what turned out to be more than 1,000 different spa properties worldwide. Voters were asked to vote only for spas they've personally visited within the past three years and selected Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club in the Berkshires as one of the "Ten Best Spa Resorts in the World for Golf."

Cranwell boasts a 6,200-yard, 18-hole golf course, and a 12-acre driving range, with breathtakingly beautiful views of the bucolic Berkshire hills. The course winds throughout the resort's 380-acre property, and the golf course itself was designed and built in 1926 by Wayne Styles and John Van Kleek. Styles and Van Kleek were responsible for over 60 golf courses between 1924 and 1932, most of which were in New England.

The award-winning, 107-room, 380-acre resort is located at 55 Lee Road in Lenox, Massachusetts, approximately two and one-half hours from New York and two hours from Boston. For information about rate packages, of which Cranwell offers a variety, and reservations, call (800) 272-6935 or visit www.Cranwell.com.

New Oracle Partnership Drives Continued Development of EKM Corp.'s Knowledge Management Products

 September 26, 2006 -- A new partnership with Oracle will allow San Diego-based EKM Corporation to further penetrate the scientific marketplaces with its popular Electronic Laboratory Notebook, LABTrack™.

EKM, now a member of the Oracle Partner Network, has access to new Oracle technologies created specifically for the life science market. New technologies can now be integrated with EKM's electronic lab notebook software, LABTrack.

LABTrack, which already uses Oracle 10g data management software, runs on any Windows-based device. It is the first electronic lab notebook that allows researchers to format electronic pages that mirror paper-based notebooks, but offers powerful database and searching functionality.

"This partnership benefits our customers because EKM can take advantage of the newest technologies that Oracle offers in advance of product releases, and incorporate them into LABTrack," said Richard Stember, CEO of EKM's Scientific Division. "We are very excited about the future possibilities this offers in the continuing development of electronic lab notebooks."

According to IDC Research, Oracle has 63.4 percent, or $356 million, of the global life science market for commercial databases. The strategic partnership will not only allow EKM to access Oracle's dominant life science market share, but it will also benefit current and future life science users of LABTrack.

"It will allow life science customers to leverage their competencies and investment in Oracle's databases and architecture, relational database management systems and data mining enhancements," said Thomas Chung, chair of EKM's Scientific Advisory Board. "The power of these best-in-class data analysis tools will allow research-based organizations to make informed research and business decisions. This will improve research productivity, accelerate product discovery and development, and speed up time-to-market for LABTrack users."

About LABTrack:

The LABTrack family of products is centered on the leading broad-based electronic laboratory notebook product that supports scientists and engineers of all disciplines. It offers toolsets and rules for discovery and research, development and manufacturing and has extensions for laboratory information management, bioinformatics and cheminformatics.

For more information, please visit www.labtrack.com

About EKM:

Founded in 2000, San Diego-based EKM Corp. develops knowledge management solutions for the government and scientific sectors. EKM solutions are built on the foundation of the company's award-winning knowledge discovery systems technology and utilize standard data system environments, including IBM, Microsoft and Oracle. EKM has successfully deployed solutions to more than 200 locations around the United States. They are the recipient of IBM's prestigious Beacon Award for the Best Integrated Business Solution for 2003, as well as a 2005 BIO-IT World Best of Show Finalist.

For more information, please visit www.ekmco.com

About Oracle:

Oracle is the world's largest enterprise software company.

For more information, please visit www.oracle.com

Radiator.com and 1-800 Radiator Franchise in Augusta Announce Joint Sale on Combined Inventory

September 26, 2006 -- 1-800 Radiator of Augusta recently announced the start of a sale to celebrate their business partnership with Radiator.com. The sale will affect prices on the inventories of both the Augusta franchise and the web outlet. Together 1-800 Radiator of Augusta and Radiator.com carry over 80,000 parts. This stock includes full inventories of Honda radiators, Toyota radiators, Chevrolet radiators, Ford radiators, Mazda radiators, BMW radiators, Mercedes radiators, as well as the widest selection of all other makes and models.

Americans replaced approximately six million radiators in 2005. As more and more people turn to the Internet for these parts, Radiator.com developed a reputation as the leading online source for radiators and cooling components. Over eighty 1-800 Radiator outlets across the nation back Radiator.com's services. This support allows Radiator.com to offer the widest radiator inventory online and to deliver radiators quickly to any location in the United States at competitive prices. For the duration of the sale these low prices will be further discounted. Honda Accord radiators, Toyota Camry radiators, Ford Truck radiators, Chevrolet Truck radiators, Ford Mustang radiators, and Honda Civic radiators will be specifically affected.

1-800 Radiator provides the auto repair shops and do-it-yourselfers that need radiators, with new parts delivered directly to the doors of their businesses and homes. This is the basic service available through 1-800 Radiator of Augusta to customers in Augusta, Greenwood, Aiken, Thomson, Abbevile, Waynesboro, Hephzibah, Barnwell, Sylvania, Evans, Washington, Grovetown, Saluda, Lincolnton, Millen, and Hodges. With Radiator.com these services are also available on the web.

Radiator.com and 1-800 Radiator of Augusta will continue their joint sale through the fall season.

About 1-800 Radiator:

1-800 Radiator is an auto parts distribution franchise and the largest independent parts distributor in the nation. The 1-800 Radiator business model provides retail and wholesale customers with radiators delivered to their doorstep in a matter of hours at competitive pricing. They offer these services through franchise locations across the country. To their franchisees, 1-800 Radiator provides unprecedented technological and practical support.

About Radiator.com:

www.Radiator.com is the leading online source for radiators and cooling components, offering the best quality radiators at the lowest possible price along with a satisfaction guaranteed lifetime warranty. The online outlet is backed by a network of locally owned warehouses and distribution hubs ensuring that the part you need is not only available, but delivered in a timely fashion.

Mannatech Enters Into Exclusive Arrangement to Purchase Plant Extract Recognized for Its Health Benefits

September 26, 2006 -- (NASDAQ: MTEX) Mannatech, Incorporated announced today it has entered into an exclusive arrangement with Swiss-based Lonza to purchase and market worldwide a beneficial dietary fiber harvested from the American larch tree.

The agreement stipulates that Mannatech will be the only company allowed to purchase the fiber, arabinogalactan, from Lonza when it is to be used in nutritional supplements containing any two of the following ingredients: naturally derived gums and resins, aloe extract, algal extract or glucosamine. All these ingredients are found in Mannatech's flagship Ambrotose complex, the company's proprietary and best-selling nutritional supplement containing a patented blend of plant sachharides, including arabinogalactan.

(Click here for details)

Lonza currently is the only firm harvesting the soluble and odorless fiber from the American larch. Known as one of the fastest-growing trees in North America, the larch was a staple among early Native Americans, who used the tree's resin, leaves and bark for medicinal food and cosmetic applications. Arabinogalactan, which is the most abundant ingredient in Ambrotose, contains dietary sugars shown to benefit the immune system.

"This exclusive-use agreement with Lonza for arabinogalactan in combination with other ingredients for use in dietary supplements is evidence of the importance Mannatech places on providing glyconutritional products that are distinctly unique," said Sam Caster, the company's founder, CEO and chairman of the board. "The agreement further protects the ingredients in our top nutritional supplement, Ambrotose."

Because arabinogalactan derived from the American larch exists in much higher concentrations than the protein-bound arabinogalactan found in minimal quantities in many other plants, it can be extracted from the cell lumen in its natural state by soaking the wood chips in water. Unlike other processes that use chemicals to extract arabinogalactan from plants, Lonza uses a patented process that utilizes only steam and water.

Literature and historical archives note that Native Americans benefited from using portions of the American larch to improve health. Some tribes concocted tea from the tree's bark for use as a laxative, tonic and diuretic. Others used the bark and resin to wash wounds, to bathe children to make them strong or as an infusion for colds and tuberculosis. The Thompson Indians mixed the tree's resin with fat to treat sores, cuts and burns. Lewis and Clark noted the larch tree in their journals during their 1804-06 expedition of the Western United States.

Founded in 1993, Mannatech is a leading wellness company and a pioneer in the field of proprietary glyconutritional supplements and wellness products. The company announced a ground-breaking formulation in 1996 of a nutritional supplement comprised of a unique blend of plant-based sugars, which are also known as glyconutrients ('glyco' is the Greek word for 'sweet').

Medical research acknowledges that eight glyconutrient sugars are needed at the cellular level for optimum immune system function. Considering that six of these glyconutrients are often lacking in modern diets, Mannatech sought new and better sources of the nutrients. The effort culminated in 1996 with the Ambrotose complex.

Ten years of research, including in vitro studies, animal studies, human case reports and small human clinical studies suggest that Ambrotose provides a wide range of support for immune system functions. More than 20 patents worldwide -- including one from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office -- have been issued to Mannatech for technology related to the Ambrotose formulation.

Today Mannatech has more than two dozen glyconutritional products for adults and children that address health and nutrition, sports performance, weight management and skin care.

About Mannatech, Incorporated

Mannatech, Incorporated is a global wellness solutions provider that develops innovative, high-quality, proprietary nutritional supplements, topical and skin care products, and weight management products that are sold through approximately 526,0000 independent associates and members located in the United States and the international markets of Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Denmark and Germany. For additional information about Mannatech, please visit www.mannatech.com.

Atlantis Business Development Corporation Forms EFTAS

 September 26, 2006 -- Atlantis Business Development Corporation, Inc. (OTCBB: ABSD) announced today the formation of EFTAS (Employment for the Armed Services), an organization dedicated to helping active military personnel find employment prior to and on the heels of their return home from active duty. EFTAS is in the planning stages of developing a website that provides the functionality of the leading electronic job posting websites, such as www.hotjobs.com, but for military personnel only.

In addition to our planned job posting website, Atlantis is in the process of exploring other avenues for supporting the employment needs of our military personnel, such as collaborating with career fair operators, job training organizations and executive search firms.

Thousands of military personnel are stationed across the globe fighting for our country. Many of these brave patriots come home to find themselves without jobs. We feel EFTAS can help make a difference -- giving military personnel an opportunity to interact with potential employers.

About Atlantis

Atlantis Business Development Corporation (ABSD) (http://www.atlantisbdc.com) has elected to be regulated as a business development company in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The business development company form of business is a vehicle established by Congress to allow smaller, retail investors to participate in and benefit from investing in small private businesses as well as the revitalization of larger private companies. As a business development company, ABSD is engaged in providing debt and equity financing to public and private companies, as well as private equity funds, for working capital, acquisitions, management buyouts, projects and special situations. ABSD offers its clients a "one stop shop" of equity and senior, subordinated, structured and mezzanine debt to realize their business development objectives.

ABSD plans to achieve the level of success and implement a growth strategy similar to other established business development companies, such as American Capital Strategies, Ltd., listed on the NASDAQ, a publicly traded business development company with capital resources of approximately $8.4 billion (http://www.americancapital.com).

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Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this news release include certain predictions and projections that may be considered forward-looking statements under securities law. These statements involve a number of important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to, the performance of joint venture partners, as well as other economic, competitive and technological factors involving the Company's operations, markets, services, products and prices. With respect to Atlantis Business Development Corp. (ABSD), except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, ABSD's extremely limited operating history, uncertainties related to the Company's access to additional capital, competition and dependence on key management.

Community Bancorp Closes $50 Million Trust Preferred Issuance

September 26, 2006 -- Community Bancorp (NASDAQ: CBON) announced today that it closed a $50 million pooled offering of trust preferred securities on September 21, 2006. The underlying capital securities mature in thirty years, and are callable at par after five years. The securities require quarterly distributions with $25 million bearing interest at a fixed rate of 6.78% for five years and floating thereafter at the three-month LIBOR plus 1.60% and $25 million bearing interest at a floating rate of three-month LIBOR plus 1.60%, which will reset quarterly to the then three-month LIBOR rate plus 1.60% per annum.

Edward M. Jamison, President and CEO, stated, "The proceeds from this offering will provide the capital necessary to complete the Valley Bank of Nevada acquisition and continue our organic growth."

Community Bancorp (headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada) strives to be a high-performing bank holding company for the long-term benefit of its shareholders, customers and employees. The Company, through its principal subsidiary, Community Bank of Nevada, implements its strategy by focusing on meeting the commercial banking needs associated with the population and economic growth of the greater Las Vegas area and by combining outstanding service, competitive financial products, local expertise and advanced technology to best serve the needs of its customers. Founded in 1995, Community Bank of Nevada offers full-service community banking through nine branches, in Las Vegas, Henderson and unincorporated Clark County, Nevada. The Company consistently ranks among the top performing banks in the state of Nevada and western region. For further information, please visit our web site at www.communitybanknv.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements concerning future performance, developments or events, expectations for growth and income forecasts, and any other guidance on future periods constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations. Specific factors include, but are not limited to, loan production, balance sheet management, the economic condition of the Las Vegas market, net interest margin, loan quality, the ability to control costs and expenses, interest rate changes and financial policies of the United States government and general economic conditions. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect financial results are included in Item 1A. Risk Factors, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and our other Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

When used in this document, the words or phrases such as "will likely result in," "management expects that," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimate," "projected," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. Community Bancorp undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. This statement is included for the express purpose of protecting Community Bancorp under the PSLRA's safe harbor provisions.

Securities Law Matters

This News Release may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect to the proposed transaction between Community Bancorp and Valley Bancorp pursuant to an Agreement to Merge and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of June 28, 2006 by and among Community Bancorp and Valley Bancorp (the "Agreement"). Filing of this News Release is being made in connection with Rule 425 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

In connection with the proposed transaction, Community Bancorp has filed with the SEC a registration statement on SEC Form S-4. The registration statement contains a joint proxy statement/prospectus which describes the proposed transaction and its proposed terms and conditions. Shareholders of Community Bancorp and Valley Bancorp are encouraged to read the registration material and proxy statement/prospectus before making any voting or investment decisions because these documents will contain important information about the transaction. A definitive joint proxy statement was first sent to the shareholders of each institution on September 6, 2006, seeking required shareholder approvals. A copy of the Agreement was filed with the SEC on June 30, 2006, as an exhibit to Community Bancorp's 8-K, a separate filing from the Form S-4. The registration statement, the Form 8-K and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction are available for free after filing, both on SEC's web-site (www.sec.gov) or by contacting Cathy Robinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Community Bancorp, 400 South 4th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101. Additionally, all forms filed with the SEC and additional shareholder information is available free of charge on Community's web-site: www.communitybanknv.com. Community posts these reports to its web-site as soon as reasonably practicable after filing them with the SEC. None of the information on or hyper-linked from Community's web-site is incorporated into this press release.

Local Microsoft Executive Elected to the California Science Center Foundation Board of Trustees

 September 21, 2006 -- The California Science Center Foundation announces the election of Sandi Thomas, General Manager of the Southern California District for Microsoft Corporation, to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is made up of business, philanthropic and community leaders who support the Science Center's mission of stimulating curiosity and inspiring science learning in everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences. The California Science Center, located in historic Exposition Park, Los Angeles is considered among the premiere science centers in the nation, receiving 1.4 million visitors annually.

(Click here for details)
Sandi Thomas, General Manager
of the Southern California
District for Microsoft Corporation,
has been elected to the California
Science Center Foundation Board
of Trustees.

"We are proud to welcome Sandi Thomas to the Board. The combination of Sandi's extraordinary business and professional marketing experience, as well as her passion for providing community service will help the Science Center achieve its mission," said Science Center CEO and President Jeffrey Rudolph.

Serving as the general manager for Microsoft's Southern California District, Thomas oversees the company's sales, marketing and large business enterprise activity in all of Southern California and Hawaii.

"I am honored and delighted to serve on the Board of Trustees for the California Science Center Foundation," said Thomas. "The Science Center plays a critical role in providing science learning experiences for local youth, and I believe that this experience helps to drive Southern California's ability to serve as a hub of innovation and creativity."

Thomas holds dual bachelor's degrees from Stanford University. For part of her twelve-year tenure with Microsoft, Thomas was the chief operating officer for MSBET as well as the general manager of global partners. Prior to her work with Microsoft, Thomas held sales and marketing management positions for other major technology companies including IBM and Apple.

About the California Science Center

The California Science Center is a destination where learners of all ages discover the science in everyday life with free admission to more than 100 interactive exhibits. Exhibit galleries, including World of Life, Creative World and the SKETCH Foundation Gallery Air and Space Exhibits, explore life science, human innovation and powered flight. Discovery rooms provide young children with hands-on activities. Visitors can always find something new in the Weingart Special Exhibit Gallery and on the Science Center's seven-story IMAX screen. For general information, call 323.SCIENCE (323.724-3623) or visit the Science Center website at www.californiasciencecenter.org.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

Woodward Announces Intended Acquisition

 September 21, 2006 -- Woodward Governor Company (NASDAQ: WGOV) announced today that it signed a definitive agreement to purchase all SEG Schaltanlagen-Elektronik-Geräte GmbH & Co. KG (SEG) stock from Cummins, Inc. (NYSE: CMI) and Schmitz-Beteiligungs GmbH (SBG), headquartered in Krefeld, Germany, subject to customary approvals. The acquired business is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first full year of operations. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Kempen, Germany, SEG generated sales of approximately $60 million in calendar year 2005. SEG's product lines are focused on a wide range of protection and comprehensive control systems for power generation and distribution applications, power inverters for wind turbines for the operation of speed variable, double-fed asynchronous generators, and complete electrical systems for gas and diesel engine based power stations.

"We continue to actively work our energy control and optimization solutions strategy through organic development and acquisitions to enhance our systems offerings. SEG is an excellent fit with our strategy," said Thomas A. Gendron, Woodward President and CEO.

"SEG will become a part of our growing electronics business within Woodward's Industrial Controls segment. SEG's protective relays are used in the electrical power generation and distribution markets, and complement Woodward power generation system solutions. The alternative, renewable energy markets continue to be areas of interest to Woodward. SEG's high-power inverters are an integral part of modern wind turbines," explained Gendron.

"SEG's sales, R&D, engineering, production, and service workforce have built a strong reputation as a supplier of customer-focused solutions. We look forward to integrating these highly talented employees into our organization," said Gendron.

Woodward expects to close the acquisition in October 2006, pending satisfaction of all conditions to closing.

About Woodward

Woodward is the world's largest independent designer, manufacturer, and service provider of energy control solutions for aircraft engines, industrial engines and turbines, and power generation and mobile industrial equipment. The company's innovative control, fuel delivery, and combustion systems help customers worldwide operate cleaner, more reliable, and cost-effective equipment. Woodward is headquartered in Rockford, Illinois, and serves global power generation, transportation, process industries, and aerospace markets from locations worldwide. Woodward is now listed in the new NASDAQ Global Select Market. Visit our website at www.woodward.com.

The statements in this release concerning the company's future sales, earnings, business performance, prospects, and the economy in general reflect current expectations and are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from projections or any other forward-looking statement and we have no obligation to update our forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect performance and could cause actual results to differ materially from projections and forward-looking statements are described in Woodward's Annual Report and Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2005 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

Kayne Anderson Energy Development Company Announces Initial Public Offering

September 21, 2006 -- Kayne Anderson Energy Development Company (the "Company"), a newly organized, investment company that has filed an election to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, today announced its initial public offering of common stock. On September 20, 2006, the Company sold 10.0 million shares at $25 per share, raising gross proceeds of $250 million (exclusive of the shares issuable pursuant to the underwriters' over-allotment option). Shares began trading on September 21, 2006 on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "KED."

The Company's investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation primarily through equity and debt investments. The Company will seek to achieve this objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets together with the proceeds of any borrowings (its "total assets") in securities of companies that derive the majority of their revenue from activities in the energy industry, including: (a) Midstream Energy Companies, which are businesses that operate assets used to gather, transport, process, treat, terminal and store natural gas, natural gas liquids, propane, crude oil or refined petroleum products; (b) Upstream Energy Companies, which are businesses engaged in the exploration, extraction and production of natural resources, including natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil, from onshore and offshore geological reservoirs; and (c) Other Energy Companies, which are businesses engaged in owning, leasing, managing, producing, processing and sale of coal and coal reserves; the marine transportation of crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, as well as other energy-related natural resources using tank vessels and bulk carriers; and refining, marketing and distributing refined energy products, such as motor gasoline and propane to retail customers and industrial end-users.

The Company will be managed by KA Fund Advisors, LLC ("KAFA"), an affiliate of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P ("Kayne Anderson"), which was founded in 1984 by Richard Kayne and John Anderson. Including this offering, Kayne Anderson manages approximately $5.7 billion. The Company's Chief Executive Officer is Kevin S. McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy and J.C. Frey are the Company's Portfolio Managers.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC acted as joint bookrunning managers for the transaction. The following firms acted as co-managers: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, RBC Capital Markets Corporation and Sanders Morris Harris Inc.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction. A registration statement relating to these securities was filed with and has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

An investor should read the Company's prospectus carefully before investing. The prospectus contains important information about the Company and its investment objective and policies, risks, charges and expenses. A copy of the prospectus may be obtained from the prospectus departments of each of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th Floor, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11220 (Telephone: 800-831-9146, email: batprospectusdept@citigroup.com) and UBS Securities LLC, Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10171 (Telephone: 212-821-3000).

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains statements, estimates or projections that may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Generally, the words "believe," "expect, "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the company's historical experience and its present expectations or projections. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that the Company's investment objectives will be attained.

Market Wire Expands Operations to Service Growing Client Base

 September 21, 2006 -- Market Wire, a leading newswire in North America and a full-service distributor of company press releases and material news, announced it has opened two editorial and sales centers in the United States. With the addition of offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., Market Wire now totals nearly 20 locations in North America. In addition, the company has five locations in Canada and offices in London that serve its global customer base in the public relations, investor relations and communications industries.

"Market Wire can provide value-added news distribution services to customers anywhere from its editorial, media relations and sales centers in key locations," said Michael Nowlan, president and CEO of CCNMatthews, parent company of Market Wire. "With employees throughout the country, Market Wire delivers strong product offerings and outstanding service via a broad distribution network."

The Company maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles, with editorial and sales centers in Chicago and Washington, D.C., respectively, and media relations and sales centers in New York and San Francisco. Market Wire also has sales offices in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas.

For more information on all of Market Wire's communication and news distribution solutions, please call 800-774-9473.

About Market Wire

Market Wire, a CCNMatthews Company, is a full-service distributor of corporate press releases. The company boasts one of the largest media distribution footprints in North America with the most secure and cost-effective distribution of real-time news to thousands of media outlets including AP, Dow Jones, Bloomberg, Reuters, Yahoo!, and MSNBC.

Committed to world-class client service, industry-leading distribution, technology innovation and market-leading strategic relationships, Market Wire serves PR and IR professionals with key workflow solutions including Easy PR/IR, SEO, ListLogix, and more.

A full listing of the company's products and specific distribution points can be found at www.marketwire.com.

Prospect Energy Corporation Announces Changes in Board of Directors

September 21, 2006 -- Prospect Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: PSEC) ("Prospect") announced today that F. Lee Liebolt, Jr. has joined Prospect's Board of Directors.

"We are pleased to announce the appointment of Lee to our Board of Directors," said John Barry, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Prospect. "With Lee's legal experience, spanning many years of senior practice in the financial securities industry, he will add great depth and experience to our Board. We are delighted that we could recruit an accomplished attorney like Lee to our Board of Directors as Prospect Energy enters into an important phase of growth and development."

Mr. Liebolt is a corporate and securities lawyer concentrating in the area of broker-dealer and investment adviser regulation. He has broad knowledge of the capital markets and considerable experience with the development of many innovative financial products and the public and private offering process. Mr. Liebolt regularly advises investment banks, broker-dealers, investment advisers and private investment entities on federal and various state regulatory matters, including disclosure and registration issues and rule-making initiatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission, NASD, the New York Stock Exchange, the North American Securities Administrators Association and various state regulators. Mr. Liebolt also consults on enforcement and litigation matters involving broker-dealers, investment companies and investment advisers.

Mr. Liebolt has written and lectured extensively on securities law issues. He is the author of a chapter in "The Investment Company Regulation Deskbook" (Aspen Law & Business, 1997 & Supp. 1998), the author of an article on "The Revised Uniform Securities Act - Is ABA Endorsement in the Offing" in "The Business Lawyer" (May 1990) and the author of various articles in Practicing Law Institute course handbooks and "The Investment Lawyer" (Aspen Law & Business). Mr. Liebolt has been a panelist at legal seminars sponsored by PLI, Southern Methodist University, the American Bar Association and NASAA.

Mr. Liebolt is a member of the Federal Regulation of Securities Committee and the State Regulation of Securities Committee of the ABA and served as chairman of the latter committee from 1986 to 1989. He has been a member of various industry advisory committees to NASAA and NASD.

Mr. Liebolt was a partner in Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP and certain predecessor firms, where he worked from 1967 to 2005. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (LL.B., 1966) and the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1963). He is a member of the New York Bar.

Prospect would also like to acknowledge the service of Robert A. Davidson and Michael E. Basham as members of the Board during the past two years, a period encompassing Prospect's initial public offering and Prospect's secondary offering. Both have resigned to pursue other personal activities. "As one of the three original independent directors of Prospect Energy, it has been a privilege for me to serve the interests of the shareholders," said Mr. Basham. "Now that the company is launched and appears to be on solid footing, I believe I must devote my time to my personal interests. I wish you and the shareholders continued good results and I am confident this will happen," said Mr. Davidson.

Separately, Prospect wishes to confirm that it has never invested in, and has no intention to invest in, companies engaged in speculative trading of energy commodities. "Speculation can cut both ways," said Barry. "We are interested in pursuing a business model that earns returns for our shareholders for the long term across multiple commodity cycles."

ABOUT PROSPECT ENERGY CORPORATION

Prospect Energy Corporation (www.prospectenergy.com) is a closed-end investment company that lends to and invests in energy-related businesses. Prospect Energy's investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments.

Prospect Energy has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). We are required to comply with a series of regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act as well as applicable NASDAQ, federal and state rules and regulations. We have elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Failure to comply with any of the laws and regulations that apply to Prospect Energy could have an adverse effect on Prospect Energy and its shareholders.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are highly likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under the Company's control, and that the Company may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.

MN1 Research Issues GTHA, Inc. Buy Recommendation

September 21, 2006 -- GTHA, Inc. (OTCBB: GTHA) -- Market News First (www.mn1.com) -- Analyst Mike Willingham has updated his recent GTHA, Inc. research report. His Evaluation analysis has led him to issue a buy recommendation based on historical and fundamental metrics. The complete report is available on the Market News First website: www.mn1.com. Come join us tomorrow Friday, September 22nd, at 11:30 am CDT on MN1.com.

Dr. Tony Milici, GTHA, Inc. President, said, "GTHA is pleased that the Market News First review of the Company has resulted in a positive analysis and buy recommendation." The United States is developing a growing awareness of genetics-based diagnostics for agricultural and veterinary markets. The company develops molecular assays for the detection of diseases in live animals, including mad cow disease among cattle, and chronic wasting disease in elk and deer. The company is currently focusing on the two molecular laboratories they are planning to open outside the US to treat cattle for mad cow disease and Johnne's disease. One lab will be located in Mexico where they will be focusing on Johnne's disease while the other lab in Italy will focus on mad cow and Scrapie diseases, as well. In addition, it is in the process of developing therapeutic vaccines for the detection and prevention of food contaminating pathogens, veterinary diseases, and diseases affecting human health. The company is based in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. GTHA is committed to being at the forefront of the effort to make more relevant to the modern lifestyle of its patrons. Our products are designed to meet the desires of this changing marketplace.

About MN1.com

Market News First is an online market news provider bringing investors current news on the public stock market arena. Market News First is the only online live radio web site that brings real market news to investors and features live interaction with companies from the Bulletin Board to NYSE.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "estimate," "possible" and "seeking" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date the statement was made. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted, or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties to which forward-looking statements are subject include, but are not limited to the effect of government regulation, competition and other material risks.

 Rent Finders USA, Inc. Joins Forces With JPMorgan Chase in New York

 September 19, 2006 -- Rent Finders USA, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: RFDU) is pleased to announce that the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Aaron A Moss Real Estate, has signed an agreement with JPMorgan Chase National Bank. JPMorgan Chase will be Aaron A. Moss Real Estate's first option for mortgage financing for its clients. The agreement also calls for JPMorgan Chase to be the preferred lender in all future offices of Rent Finders USA in New York State.

"We are excited to have access to the vast experience and knowledge that JPMorgan Chase offers through its mortgage financing group," stated Aaron A. Moss, COO of Rent Finders USA, Inc.

About Rent Finders USA, Inc.:

Rent Finders USA, Inc. (http://www.rentfindersusa.com) is a full-service Real Estate Broker that specializes in landlord services. Rent Finders USA, Inc. opened its offices in 2001, and has quickly become one of America's fastest-growing real estate companies, successfully operating multiple locations in Florida and New York and having completed in excess of 40,000 real estate transactions since the company's inception in 2001.

SAFE HARBOR ACT: This press release contains statements which may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Important factors, currently known to management that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include fluctuation of operating results, the ability to compete successfully and the ability to complete before-mentioned transactions. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results.

FETCH! Pet Care(TM) Expands Into Roseville, California

September 19, 2006 -- FETCH! Pet Care, America's largest and most sophisticated pet care franchise offering professional pet sitting and dog walking services, today announced it has launched a new location in California's Roseville region to provide area residents with unsurpassed pet care services. This new franchise marks the 51st FETCH! Pet Care location that, in aggregate, now service over 900 cities and towns throughout Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Jennifer Plonsky, who owns and operates FETCH! Pet Care of Montgomery County, left her profession as an office manager to establish the franchise, capitalizing on a unique opportunity to combine her love of animals with a proven, turnkey home-based business for just $6,000 -- among the lowest capital investments in the franchise industry today. She now provides pet owners throughout Roseville, California, including Auburn, Grass Valley, Penryn and Rocklin, with a range of services that meet every need and budget, including boarding and daycare in the sitter's home, overnight sitting or daily visits in the client's home, private and group dog walks, pet taxiing, and miscellaneous home care. A free in-home consultation permits clients, pets and sitters to get pre-acquainted and address each pet's unique needs.

"Selecting a sitter to care for a pet and a home is a critically important decision," notes Polonsky. "Now, there's no need to impose on family members or friends, or subject their pet to kennel boarding. Our highly trained staff of sitters ensures all pets receive the love, attention and skilled treatment expected of a professional caregiver, and that the client's home remains secure."

To assure operational efficiencies, FETCH! Pet Care employs a sophisticated telephone dispatch system and advanced software that tracks assignments and delivers real-time electronic client order confirmations and automated sitter assignment reminders. In addition, each sitter undergoes a thorough criminal background check, references review, and training regimen, and each location is fully licensed, bonded and insured.

Paul Mann, FETCH! Pet Care founder and president, notes, "The demand for professional pet care services is at an all-time high -- especially those that allow pets to maintain their routine while receiving the attention they need. With many pet owners frustrated by the lack of professional and reliable caregivers, or reluctant to kennel their pets due to health and other concerns, our safe, convenient, and nurturing care provides peace of mind."

As part of the grand opening celebration, through October 31st, 2006 FETCH! Pet Care of Roseville is offering a 10% discount off each new client's initial service. FETCH! Pet Care of Roseville can be reached by telephone at 1-866-FETCHME and via email at roseville@fetchpetcare.com.

About FETCH! Pet Care, Inc.

Founded in 2002 and with over 900 service areas across the United States, FETCH! Pet Care is the pet sitting industry market leader -- the new face of pet care in the 21st century. The company, which was featured among Entrepreneur magazine's list of franchises under $25,000 in October 2005, offers a humane alternative to kennel boarding by providing loving overnight and/or daily care to any kind of pet in the most professional and reliable manner possible. FETCH! Pet Care's carefully selected, screened and trained pet sitters and dog walkers, who are all pet owners themselves, have serviced over 2,000 clients this past year alone, and the company is a proud standing member of Pet Sitters International -- the world's foremost organization for professional pet sitters. For franchise information or to find a location near you, visit the company's Web site at www.fetchpetcare.com or call the corporate office at 866-FETCHME.

    * The NFL Junior Player Development Homecoming Jamboree.       Saturday, September 23    3:00PM-6:00PM    Willie Hall Playground       As part of the NFL JPD Homecoming Jamboree, Mr. Clean will lead a "Clean       Team" of community volunteers to clean up parts of the city still       hurting from the effects of the Hurricane Katrina with donated products.       Mr. Clean will award the "cleanest" volunteers tickets to the Mr. Clean       luxury suite to watch Monday's game.      * The Mr. Clean look-a-like contest and tailgate booth at the Bud Bridge.       Monday, September 25    TBD    Bud Bridge       Mr. Clean's Clean Team will challenge visitors to clean up some of the       "toughest jobs" associated with tailgating and help to keep the grounds       clean with Mr. Clean product.  The "Most Clean Tailgaters" will receive       prizes including a trip to the Mr. Clean luxury suite to watch the game       with Mr. Clean and the cleanest volunteers from the Jamboree. 

 Sept. 19, 2006 -- Fabrication of the first composite stringers for the 787 vertical fin, Boeing's all new commercial airplane, began Sept. 13 at the Composite Manufacturing Center (CMC) at Boeing Frederickson in Pierce County, Wash. The vertical fin is the largest major Boeing 787 Dreamliner assembly built by an internal Boeing supplier. CMC plans to deliver its first fully functional vertical fin to 787 Final Assembly in Everett, Wash., in Spring 2007.

To accommodate the new work, the Boeing Fabrication manufacturing business unit is streamlining its factory, implementing a pulsed moving line for the 787 vertical fin. This will allow both the 787 vertical fin and 777 empennage to be built in the building's original footprint.

Boeing's Composite Manufacturing Center is responsible for designing the entire structure, including composite and metal subcomponents; manufacturing and assembling the vertical fin's main box, or center section; working together on supplier selection and co-management; integration of sub-tier-supplied components; functionally testing and certifying all structures and systems, such as hydraulics, electronic actuators, signal lights and wires; delivering on-time; and providing life-cycle support.

The vertical fin assembly and horizontal stabilizer make up the empennage, or tail structure, of an airplane. The vertical fin assembly is an elliptical airfoil comprised of the leading edge, center box and rudder which, together, function as flight control surfaces that maintain yaw, or side-to-side horizontal movement of an airplane in flight.

Fabrication start of the 787 vertical fin began with the push of a button by Boeing CMC employee, Don Hall, flat tape laminating machine operator. The process involves laying down composite tape to build up a "charge," with the part then formed on a tool and cured in a large autoclave prior to assembly.

Photo Credit: Boeing Photo

Neg #: K63793-01

 

CaseStack Recognized in PC Magazine's First Annual SMB 20 Awards

 (MARKET WIRE) -- September 19, 2006 -- CaseStack announced today that it is a winner of the first annual SMB 20 Awards hosted by PC Magazine, the leading technology publication in the United States. The Awards honor the most technologically innovative small and medium-sized businesses of the year. CaseStack joins 19 other prestigious companies in receiving this award. The SMB 20 Award winners will be profiled in the October 17 issue of PC Magazine and online at www.go.pcmag.com/smb20.

Honored for its excellent service, CaseStack focuses on providing comprehensive and sophisticated logistics management systems for mid-sized businesses. Their Fortune 500-caliber technology offers the information accuracy and accessibility that the largest companies enjoy. To manage shipping and warehousing, clients can easily log on to CaseStack's website and track their shipments. This full visibility gives unprecedented access to centralized, real-time logistics information such as shipment tracking. The company's clients are growing rapidly because they reap the benefits of this sophisticated logistics technology, usually reserved for multi-million dollar corporations.

Based in Los Angeles, CaseStack was founded by Dan Sanker when he saw a need to help mid-sized businesses overcome complex logistics obstacles. This company, with seven years of experience, provides logistics outsourcing services to mid-sized consumer packaged goods companies that sell products to retailers, distributors and other manufacturers. The company offers its clients reduced logistics costs, a nationwide network of warehouses, and cutting-edge supply chain logistics software systems.

"Small and medium businesses drive today's economy; however, they often don't get the attention and recognition they deserve," says PC Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jim Louderback. "PC Magazine is pleased to honor and highlight the hard work, technological leadership and innovative spirit of the SMB 20 winners."

About PC Magazine

PC Magazine delivers comprehensive labs-based reviews and the most trusted recommendations for buyers of technology products and services. Reaching more than 5.1 million highly engaged technology influencers, PC Magazine provides product reviews, first looks at emerging technologies and products, and opinionated columns from renowned technology pundits. To meet its readers' needs for buying information that is as current as it is comprehensive, PC Magazine publishes 22 times a year in print and continually on the Web at www.pcmag.com.

Chicago Small Business Technology Boot Camp Debuts September 25th

September 19, 2006 -- Small businesses in the greater Chicago area are invited to learn how technology can improve their success by attending the Small Business Technology Boot Camp. The one-day training event, presented by the non-profit Small Business Technology Institute and sponsored by Intel® Corporation, features five technology immersion seminars, interchangeable basic and advanced tracks and a simulation experience for only $20.

What:      Small Business Technology Boot Camp  When:      Monday, September 25, 2006  Time:      8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Where:     Westin Chicago, 909 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611  Learn:     Marketing, Sales and Business Development; Operations, Inventory            Management and Collaboration; Financial Management; General            Management and Executive Decision Making; and Front and            Back-office Productivity and Security  RSVP:      Pre-register online for only $20 by visiting            http://www.sbtechnologyinstitute.org/bc/chicago/bcDetails20.htm.            Walk-in registration is $40 at the event. Includes breakfast,            lunch and training materials. For more information, call Amelia            Viramontes at 408-494-0212 x106 

Intel sponsors the boot camps to help small businesses learn how to improve business effectiveness. Through education, Intel is working with small business to enrich communities where we live and work. To learn more about Intel, visit http://www.intel.com/smallbusiness.

About the Small Business Technology Institute

The Small Business Technology Institute (http://www.sbtechnologyinstitute.org) is a non-profit, public benefit corporation that fosters the adoption of information technology among small businesses. SBTI provides information technology awareness, education, consulting, and support services to businesses with 1 to 300 employees with a focus on disadvantaged categories. Read a free copy of Small Business Technology Magazine, a publication of SBTI, by visiting http://www.sbtechnologymagazine.org.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Broadband Group

19, 2006 -- iSEE Corp. -- a developer and producer of high density mobile digital surveillance recorders -- located in Lafayette, Colo., announced today (9/19/06) the termination of the proposed merger with Sunrise Broadband Group (SBG) of Broomfield, Colo. Sunrise had announced the proposed transaction in June of this year. The agreement contemplated a cash and stock transaction valued in excess of $2 million dollars wherein SBG, the public company (PINKSHEETS: SBBD), would have become the majority shareholder of privately held iSEE Corp. The iSEE shares would have incrementally become publicly traded, and the company would have been operated as a subsidiary of Sunrise.

According to Mr. Allison, the Chairman of iSEE, "Sunrise has failed to deliver on every facet of the proposed transaction. As a result the Board has, with regret, terminated the prospect of any affiliation with Sunrise."

Smart Card Marketing Systems Inc. Trade Show Update

September 19, 2006 -- Smart Card Marketing Systems Inc. (PINKSHEETS: SMKG) (FRANKFURT: QYH), a leading provider of prepaid cards, value smart storage cards and Optical management services, released today an announcement on its trade show success.

The CEO of Smart Card Massimo Barone is pleased to announce that the Pre-paid Intele-Card and Vision Expo in Las Vegas this past week has materialized into new product offerings for the www.gosmartcard.com solutions offering. It is in our interest to commence growing a direct to consumer offering for retail services and goods as well as Optical goods and services to the prepaid card consumers direct or channeled with our co-brand affiliates strengthening the value of the prepaid program.

As stated by the company's Canadian President of Operations Paul Continelli, "We are well positioned to increase the distribution size of our network as well as bring on new suppliers to place product in our merchants existing channels. The Velocitymoney.com and Velocitymerchant.com services are an important integrated part of Smart Card's mission to develop a recognized banner in the International business scene as a premium product and service provider."

Furthermore, management has received strong interest from the Financing community due to the company's rapid growth in the Pre-paid sector as well as the dynamics of Optical segment. The funds would be directed for further marketing efforts Internationally such as Trade magazines, Billboards and Financial newspapers in high density areas of immigrant workforces to capture market share and awareness.

About Us

Smart Card Marketing Systems Inc. has taken a mainstream position in the smart and prepaid charge card market to develop, integrate and to jointly deploy turnkey co-branded solutions for loyalty and payment management transactions.

Forward-Looking Statements. This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements about the expected future prospects of our business and all other statements in this release other than historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "would," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "intends," "plans," "estimates," or "anticipates" or similar expressions which concern our strategy, plans or intentions. All statements we make relating to estimated and projected earnings, margins, costs, expenditures, cash flows, growth rates and financial results are forward-looking statements. In addition, we, through our senior management, from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning our expected future operations and performance and other developments. All of these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, and, therefore, our actual results may differ materially from those we expected. We derive most of our forward-looking statements from our operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. Some of the factors that we believe could affect our results include: general economic and market conditions, including the lingering effects of the economic slowdown and services revenue; the overall condition of the bank card industry, including the effect of any further consolidation among financial services firms; the regulatory, credit and market risks associated with our operations; the integration of acquired businesses, the performance of our businesses; the effect of war, terrorism or catastrophic events; the timing and magnitude of sales; the timing and scope of technological advances; the ability to retain and attract customers and key personnel; and the ability to obtain patent protection and avoid patent-related liabilities in the context of a rapidly developing legal framework for software and business-method patents. The factors described in this paragraph and other factors that may affect our business or future financial results and when applicable, will be discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement made by us or on our behalf as a result of new information, future events or other factors

Barrier Therapeutics to Present at the UBS Global Life Sciences Conference

September 19, 2006 -- Barrier Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BTRX), a pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products in the field of dermatology, today announced that Geert Cauwenbergh, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, and Al Altomari, Chief Operating Officer, are scheduled to present to the investment community at the UBS Global Life Sciences Conference.

The conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York on September 25-28, 2006. Dr. Cauwenbergh and Mr. Altomari are scheduled to present on Thursday, September 28th, at 11:00 am Eastern Daylight Time.

The presentation will be available live via a webcast that can be accessed through Barrier Therapeutics' corporate website at: www.barriertherapeutics.com.

About Barrier Therapeutics, Inc.

Barrier Therapeutics, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products in the field of dermatology. Barrier Therapeutics currently markets three pharmaceutical products in the United States: Xolegel™ (ketoconazole, USP) Gel, 2%, Vusion™ (0.25% miconazole nitrate, 15% zinc oxide, 81.35% white petrolatum) Ointment and Solagé® (mequinol 2.0%, tretinoin 0.01%) Topical Solution. Barrier has other product candidates in various stages of clinical development for the treatment of onychomycosis, psoriasis, acne, and fungal infections. The Company is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey and has wholly owned subsidiaries in Geel, Belgium and Ontario, Canada.

Donruss Playoff Named the Official and Exclusive Trading Card Supplier and Sponsor of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. Through 2009

-- September 19, 2006 -- Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc., the largest national youth football and cheerleading organization in the United States with more than 400,000 participants, and the Donruss Playoff Trading Card Company announced today a three-year agreement that will designate Donruss Playoff as a Pop Warner sponsor and the "Official and Exclusive Trading Card Supplier of Pop Warner" as well as other mutually agreed upon designations. The relationship solidifies Donruss Playoff's position as the pre-eminent football trading card company, adding its Pop Warner exclusivity status to its existing NFL and PLAYERS INC. licenses.

(Click here for details)
Donruss Playoff spokesman and Heisman winner
Reggie Bush and former USC teammate
Matt Leinart are Pop Warner alumni.

Pop Warner and Donruss Playoff will create and develop unique co-branded promotional programs such as website promotions and an annual NFL Player clinic for Pop Warner participants featuring a Pro Bowl caliber player. Donruss Playoff will also be able to promote its products and develop a national football trading card program targeted to the more than one million Pop Warner football players, coaches, volunteers, parents and other members involved with the organization as a result of the partnership. In addition, Donruss Playoff will get rights to have an onsite presence at Pop Warner events and hospitality, visibility on the Pop Warner website and rights to use the Pop Warner logo. The Pop Warner logo will be featured on select Donruss Playoff packaging.

"We are excited to have Donruss Playoff as our exclusive trading card partner and look forward to a long relationship that benefits Pop Warner participants through one-of-a-kind events and programs that add to the Pop Warner experience on and off the football field," said Jon Butler, Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. "The Donruss Playoff brand appeals to our membership and is one that they will welcome," added Butler.

Donruss Playoff also plans to manufacture a special insert set of cards featuring prominent Pop Warner alumni such as Arizona Cardinals QB, Matt Leinart and New Orleans Saints RB, Reggie Bush (the PLAYERS INC. estimates that more than 70% of current NFL players got their start playing Pop Warner football), as well as special cards to commemorate Pop Warner events including their annual All-American Scholar Banquet and Awards program, the Pop Warner Super Bowl and Simultaneous Kickoff.

"We are thrilled to be working with Pop Warner on a variety of creative and fun projects that bring the joy of trading cards to kids," said Mike Anderson, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Donruss Playoff. "Collecting NFL trading cards links generations of football fans, and by partnering with Pop Warner, we hope to bring this joy to kids for years to come."

About Pop Warner Little Scholars:

Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Langhorne, PA, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the largest national youth football and cheerleading organization in the United States and the only youth sports organization that emphasizes academics as an equivalent to athletics. Currently there are over 400,000 children in Pop Warner organizations in 43 states, Guam, Scotland, Germany, Russia, Japan and Mexico. For more information visit www.popwarner.com.

About Donruss Playoff:

Donruss Playoff is a leading manufacturer of officially licensed sports trading cards under the Donruss, Playoff, Leaf, and Score brands. As the second oldest trading card company today, Donruss Playoff has established a well-deserved reputation in the realm of sports collectibles. Donruss Playoff is known for pioneering the rookie card phenomenon and manufacturing the finest, high-end trading cards available at any price.

Cisco scores big with router and LAN switch customers; Juniper is 2nd for routers, ProCurve is 2nd for switches

 September 19, 2006 -- Two recent studies, one of enterprise router users, the other of LAN switch users, confirm that customers consider Cisco the top dog of the router and switch industry.

The studies, released by analyst firm Infonetics Research, validate a trend seen in previous years. When asked to rate manufacturers on a number of criteria, such as technology, roadmap, security, price-to-performance, pricing, and support, router and switch buyers consistently rate Cisco the highest. Cisco received especially strong marks for security, technology, financial stability, and service and support.

Router respondents rate Juniper second overall, giving them high marks for technology and product roadmap. Switch respondents rate ProCurve second and Dell third overall, giving each of them high marks for financial stability. Dell also scored well on pricing, and ProCurve scored well on support.

The only category in which the competition beat out Cisco was pricing, although Cisco still comes out on top for price-to-performance ratio, albeit by a small margin. In other words, customers may not like Cisco's pricing, but they feel they get a good value for their money.

"Based on the results of these studies, incumbent manufacturers are in a good position, since most companies will try to stick with their current vendor," said Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst for enterprise voice and data at Infonetics Research. "Medium and large companies have big, complex networks, and they tend to employ a single vendor strategy and are reluctant to swap vendors. This bodes well for incumbents, but makes it hard for smaller vendors to expand their market share. However, there are areas that could cause buyers to defect, namely value and support, and vendors that are under-delivering in this area could be in for a rude awakening."

Sample Data

--  The top emerging technology trend for enterprise routers continues to     be the integration of security features like firewall, VPN, IDS, etc. --  The top emerging technology trends for LAN switches are 802.1x and     VoIP support --  Buyers invest in emerging networking technology to make the network     more secure, more reliable, and more efficient, which in turn should lower     long-term operating costs --  Respondents plan to almost double the average number of 1G ports on     their workgroup switches, and expect the number of 10G ports to increase     another 42% over the next 2 years --  Cisco leads the list of installed router and LAN switch vendors by     far, with 87% of router respondents and 68% of LAN switch respondents using     Cisco products --  The gap between Cisco and the competition is wide: for installed     router vendors, Nortel is second with 6%, and Juniper follows closely with     5%; for installed LAN switch vendors, 16% of respondents use 3Com, 15% use     ProCurve (HP)     

The studies, "User Plans for Routers" and "User Plans for LAN Switches," examine the purchase plans of 300 medium and large organizations deploying routers and LAN switches in 5 vertical markets (education, federal government, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing). Each study takes an in-depth look at perceptions of leading manufacturers and products, how organizations select and evaluate manufacturers, reasons for switching to new manufacturers, and emerging technologies being deployed.

The studies feature scorecards with user ratings of top manufacturers on everything from pricing and financial stability to technology roadmaps, service and support, and overall satisfaction. The router study includes ratings on 3Com, ADTRAN, Cisco, Enterasys, Juniper, and Nortel; the switch study includes ratings on 3Com, Cisco, Dell, Extreme, Foundry, ProCurve, and Nortel.

Download sample data at www.info.infonetics.com. For sales, contact Larry Howard, vice president, at larry@infonetics.com or +1 (408) 583-3335.

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is the premier international market research and consulting firm specializing in data networking and telecom, providing a complete view of the market. Services include quarterly market share and forecasting, end-user survey research, service provider survey research, and service provider capex analysis.

ReelTime Appoints Chief Financial Officer

September 19, 2006 -- ReelTime Rentals, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: RLTR) today announced that Susanne M. Savery has joined the Company in the position of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to her joining ReelTime, Ms. Savery was the controller for Todd Pacific Shipyards. At Todd she managed the accounting operations and was responsible for the SEC and government (DCCA) reporting and Sarbanes Oxley 404 (SOX) compliance. Most recently, Ms. Savery has been assisting with internal reviews of International acquisitions for Starbucks.

At ReelTime, Savery will be responsible for expanding ReelTime's basic accounting systems and controls, financial reporting and accountability, as well as working with other professionals on the legal, administrative and financial elements needed to complete the company's currently contemplated SEC filing.

According to CEO Barry Henthorn, "This is a most crucial addition to our team, at a time when we are preparing for rapid growth. Susanne Savery has the experience and background to help make ReelTime a big success. She will be a key member of the team and will help us with filings that will provide more visibility for ReelTime shareowners, as well as being an important component in the Company's contemplated move to a more visible Exchange."

About ReelTime Rentals, Inc.

ReelTime Rentals offers subscriptions and pay-per-view rentals of movies and television content over its online broadband network, enabling viewers to have a choice to watch diverse programming at any time, any place there is a broadband connection available. ReelTime offers the only DVD quality "point, click, and watch" user experience available on the World Wide Web. For more information, go to www.reeltime.com

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Although ReelTime Rentals Inc. believes the assumptions underlying forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any assumption could be inaccurate, and therefore, there is no assurance that forward-looking statements included herein will prove to be accurate, and inclusion herein should not be regarded as a representation by ReelTime Rentals Inc. or other persons that objectives and plans of ReelTime Rentals will be achieved.

Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter Arrives in Seattle