QLD:Bid to cure koala's drooling disease

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2011
QLD:Bid to cure koala's drooling disease

By Miranda Forster

BRISBANE, Aug 9 AAP - A koala with a serious slobbering problem could be saved with
a treatment usually reserved for human cancer patients.

The two-year-old koala, named Sprinkles, suffers from a rare disease called sialosis
that causes excessive drooling.

Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre's Dr Rod Straw says despite her playful name,
life is not much fun for the young female, who can't survive in the wild.

"The saliva drools out of her mouth, leaves wet skin, bacteria breed in it, and it
causes inflammation of the skin and that's been a real problem for her," he told AAP.

But crucially, the condition, which also occurs in humans, stops her from eating normally.

"She needs help to maintain her weight, they've got to be very careful of what she
gets fed and what leaves she eats and so on," Dr Straw said.

"It gets in the way of her day-to-day life and the dermatitis is getting worse and
worse so without treatment and intervention from humans she would probably succumb in
the wild.

"This is serious enough that if we can't fix it then she's not a candidate to be released."

Sprinkles developed the condition as a patient at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital,
where she has lived as an orphan since her mother was killed by a car.

"Once she came off the bottle she started to have a little bit of drooling and then
it just gradually got worse and worse," Dr Straw said.

"It's constant drooling especially when she's about to eat, or she's nervous ... it
just starts pouring out round her face and down her legs."

He's hoping the same radiation therapy given to human cancer patients will solve Sprinkles'
saliva problem.

"We know that when we radiate people and animals in the head and neck their saliva
production goes right down," he said.

"We're going to capitalise on that information by radiating the normal salivary glands
to decrease their function."

The procedure has been performed successfully in humans with sialosis but Dr Straw
admitted he was in "uncharted waters" with Sprinkles.

After her first treatment on Tuesday, Sprinkles was doing fine - wrapped up in a towel
and dozing like a koala should.

She will receive a second dose of radiation in a week's time and will then be assessed
to see if she needs a third.

AAP mjf/gd/maur

KEYWORD: KOALA (PIX AVAILABLE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Money found stashed in donated clothing

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2006
Vic: Money found stashed in donated clothing

A wad of cash has been found in a bundle of unwanted clothing .. donated to a Melbourne op shop.

Police think the money found at the St Vincent De Paul Society in suburban Malvern
.. has been hoarded by an elderly person .. and a relative's donated the clothing after
they've died or moved into a nursing home.

Police say they're expecting the phone to run red hot with people claiming the cash today.

AAP RTV cmb/gfr/rj

KEYWORD: CASH (MELBOURNE)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

QLD:Rebuilding guidelines for Yasi hit north

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2011
QLD:Rebuilding guidelines for Yasi hit north

EDS: Attributing quotes to Bligh, not Slater as sent



BRISBANE, April 13 AAP - Draft guidelines to help far north Queenslanders rebuild and
repair their homes after Cyclone Yasi will be released next week.

The guidelines for rebuilding parts of Tully Heads and Hull Heads prone to storm surges
will be released at a public meeting in Tully next week.

The two communities, between Cairns and Townsville, suffered extensive damage from
the cyclone and the storm surge it caused.

The guidelines were developed with input from James Cook University's Cyclone Testing
Station, the CSIRO, architects, and the Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

Premier Anna Bligh said they would not be mandatory but were aimed at making sure communities
were better prepared for future cyclones.

"The Yasi storm surge caused damage to homes in low lying coastal areas, particularly
between Clump Point and Lucinda," she said.

"The damage to houses in Tully Heads and Hull Heads ranges from minor internal water
damage through to complete destruction of homes.

"Our current figures indicate some 130 homes along the coastline were affected by the
storm surge, 80 of which have serious structural damage."

She said Yasi produced a storm tide that was as much as 5.4 metres above the region's
normal high tide.

The guidelines were developed specifically for Tully Heads and Hull Heads, but are
relevant for all low-lying coastal communities, the premier said.

They will be released at a community meeting at the Tully Heads Community Centre on
April 20, attended by Queensland Reconstruction Authority chief Major General Mick Slater.

The meeting will include a presentation by cyclone and storm surge experts from the
JCU Cyclone Testing Station and building design advice from senior architects from the
Office of the Queensland Government Architect.

Residents will be urged to consider key issues including raising the height of homes,
and ensuring structural columns can withstand hits from large objects washed away in the
surge.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor Bill Shannon said the Yasi surge was the worst
to hit the region in more than 90 years.

"We look forward to the next edition of the draft guidelines which will have broader
advice for north Queenslanders on how to rebuild and prepare for cyclonic wind conditions,"

he said.

AAP tnf/pc

KEYWORD: RECOVERY GUIDELINES (REISSUING)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Man to be charged over murder in NSW

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2010
NSW:Man to be charged over murder in NSW

SYDNEY, Dec 23 AAP - A man is expected to be charged over a violent home murder in
NSW's central west earlier this year.

Gregory Partridge's body was discovered at his home on Gold Street at Mandurama on September 28.

Police allege the 50-year-old had been violently attacked inside the house the night
before his body was discovered.

A 36-year-old Mandurama man was arrested south of Carcoar at 11.30am (AEDT) on Thursday.

He was taken to Bathurst Police Station where charges are expected to be laid, police said.

AAP lxs/tr/nb

KEYWORD: PARTRIDGE

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Man stabbed at caravan park

AAP Sports News (Australia)
08-16-2010
RL:Dual international Rogers retires

SYDNEY, Aug 16 AAP - Dual international Mat Rogers has announced his retirement from
professional sport after a glittering NRL and rugby union career.

The 34-year-old will finish up with the Gold Coast Titans at the end of 2010, after
four seasons with the fledgling club, who were struggling to come up with enough money
to keep him.

Rogers has played 194 first-grade matches and has a chance to notch 200 if the Titans
progress deep into the finals.

The son of league legend Steve Rogers, the versatile back followed in his father's
footsteps and debuted for Cronulla in 1995, where he played 123 top-grade matches.

He was part of one of the club's strongest but most heartbreaking eras - starring alongside
the likes of Andrew Ettingshausen and David Peachey as the Sharks lost the Super League
grand final to Brisbane in 1997, and preliminary finals in 1996, 1999 and 2001.

Rogers, also a first-class goal-kicker, trails only his father for the club's all-time
point-scoring record.

The brilliant winger played five Origin matches for Queensland, and was part of the
Maroons side which retained the shield in 1999.

He also played 11 Tests for Australia, and was a major part of the Kangaroos' World
Cup-winning team in 2000.

Rogers then took a huge risk to walk out on the NRL at the height of his representative
career to join the Australian Rugby Union with an ambition of running out for the Wallabies.

He achieved his dream alongside fellow league convert Wendell Sailor in a Test against
France in June, 2002.

In that match, Rogers and Sailor became the 41st and 42nd Australian dual internationals.

Rogers played 45 Tests for the Wallabies and fullback in the team which lost the 2003
World Cup final in extra time in Sydney in 2003.

Playing fly-half, fullback, wing and centre during his Wallabies career, Rogers scored
163 points.

He played 45 matches for the NSW Waratahs in the Super rugby competition, where he
amassed 202 career points.

Rogers then decided to return to rugby league for the Titans debut NRL season in 2007
- where he permanently became a five-eighth/centre and has played 71 matches for the Gold
Coast.

AAP bh/djw

KEYWORD: LEAGUE ROGERS

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Australia's first beach polo event to be held in Broome

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2010
WA: Australia's first beach polo event to be held in Broome

PERTH, April 8 AAP - Camels will give way to horses on Broome's Cable Beach in May
when Australia's first beach polo event will be staged on the famous strip of sand.

Professional polo players from around Australia will converge on the West Australian
town in the remote Kimberley region to compete in Paspaley Beach Polo 2010 on Sunday,
May 23.

Cable Beach is renowned for its sunsets and strings of camels taking tourists on rides
along the shore.

The polo event has been initiated by Marilynne Paspaley, a local hotel and resort owner,
and Janek Gazecki of Polo Enterprises Australia.

Mr Gazecki said Cable Beach would join only a handful of places around the world to
host beach polo - Miami in the US, Poole in the UK, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates
and Goa in India.

Beach polo tournaments were rare because they required a specific mix of sand consistency,
tidal conditions and beach gradient, but Cable Beach had it all, Mr Gazecki said in a
statement.

Players, headed by Australian polo captain Glen Gilmore, will compete for the Paspaley Cup.

The event will be free for the public to enjoy from the sand dunes of Cable Beach.

Organisers say the event has the potential to become a major event on Australia's tourism
calendar.

AAP ldj/it

KEYWORD: POLO

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Police appeal for information over drug manufacturing

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2009
NSW: Police appeal for information over drug manufacturing

SYDNEY, Aug 25 AAP - Police have appealed for information about a man wanted over the
manufacturing of drugs on the NSW south coast.

Officers issued an arrest warrant for Mathew Espagne, also known by his alias Mathew
King, on the state's south coast in April 2009.

The matter is being investigated by Strike Force Kook, which was formed to investigate
alleged drug supply by bikie gang members.

The strike force is made up of officers from Surry Hills Region Enforcement Squad.

Anyone with any information about Mathew Espagne should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AAP krc/ash

KEYWORD: ESPAGNE

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed:Asylum seekers being moved away from Australian coast

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2009
Fed:Asylum seekers being moved away from Australian coast

49 boat people stopped near Ashmore reef yesterday .. are being taken to Christmas
Island .. two and a half thousand kilometres away from the West Australian coast.

It's the sixth boatload of asylum seekers to arrive in Australian waters this year.

Home Affairs Minister BOB DEBUS says their interception 600 kilometres from Broome
.. shows the effectiveness of the government's border protection program.

It's believed the people on board are from Afghanistan .. and Mr DEBUS says they'll
undergo health .. security and identity checks when they arrive at Christmas Island next
week.

AAP RTV saj/cdh/rt

KEYWORD: BOAT (CANBERRA)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: FMG plead not guilty to causing cyclone deaths

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2008
WA: FMG plead not guilty to causing cyclone deaths

The Fortescue Metals Group and its contractors at a railway construction camp in Western
Australia's Pilbara have pleaded not guilty to causing the death of two workers during
a cyclone.

Lawyers for eight companies have appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court .. and pleaded
not guilty to 49 charges including failing to provide a safe workplace .. properly instructing
and training workers .. and designing and building cyclone proof buildings.

The construction camp .. 100km south of Port Hedland .. was part of a multi billion
dollar development by FMG when the cyclone hit in March last year.

Perth mother of two .. 47 year old DEBRA TILL .. a kitchenhand for the property and
maintenance services company Spotless P&F Pty Ltd .. was killed.

And 42 year old CRAIG ALLAN RAABE of Gympie in Queensland .. an employee of Len Buckeridge's
BGC Contracting .. also died.

The matters will be listed for a trial date in February next year and up to 39 witnesses
are expected to be called to give evidence.

AAP RTV jp/bd/ah/crh

KEYWORD: FMG (PERTH)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Australian native seeds sent into orbit

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2008
NSW: Australian native seeds sent into orbit

(EDS: Story embargoed until 0001 AEST Thursday, Aug 7)



By Judy Skatssoon

SYDNEY, Aug 7 AAP - The Wollemi pine has spread around the world since it was discovered
in Australia almost 15 years ago and now it's gaining a foothold in space.

Seeds from the so-called jurassic pine, along with other native plant species, have
been sent into orbit in an experiment that will test how well they could be stored on
a space station to ensure against a disaster or environmental cataclysm on Earth.

Executive director of the Botanic Gardens Trust, Tim Entwisle, said 2,500 Golden Wattle,
NSW Waratah, Flannel Flower and Wollemi Pine seeds were currently aboard the NASA Discovery
Mission en route to the International Space Station.

The experiment, being conducted by NASA and the Botanic Gardens Trust, was designed
to study the effects of radiation and changed gravity on the seeds, Dr Entwisle said.

Dr Entwisle said the research held implications for the possible future storage of
seeds in space.

"With habitats under increasing threat, conservation seed banking is an important strategy
for both storing and understanding genetically important wild seeds," he said.

"This experiment could lead to some ground-breaking research by providing a preliminary
evaluation of Space Station seed banking - a possible option for the future".

A space seed bank would add to existing native seed banks at Mt Annan Botanic Gardens
in Sydney and the UK-based Millennium Seed bank in Kew.

"An insurance policy for the world could be to have some (seeds) up in space as well," he said.

The research would also provide information about planting food and vegetation on other
planets - either as a food source or to create an Earth-like "biosphere".

The US, Russia and China have sent grain and vegetable seeds up into space, but this
is a first for Australian natives.

Previous experiments have focused on the genetic changes space conditions trigger in plants.

"The results so far have been a bit mixed," Dr Entwisle said.

"One of the things that has been reported from China is that the radiation has led
to giant vegetables and changes in the genetic structure."

The China Daily reported last year that space-bred tomato and green pepper seeds resulted
in harvests 10-20 per cent larger than ordinary seeds, and that vegetables grown from
space-bred seeds have a higher vitamin content.

Dr Entwisle said Australian plants were extremely hardy because they were adapted to
extreme conditions like drought and fire.

This made them potentially less susceptible to the effects of being in space. If so,
they would be well suited for storage and cultivation in a space ship or on another planet.

"Our hypothesis is that the trip in space for six months won't have any major impact
on these very tough, resilient seeds," he said.

"They might be the sort of things we would take up into space not only for food but
also if we're looking at producing oxygen in space or setting up micro-climates."

The seeds have been in space since Discovery launched on May 31. They will return to
earth at the end of November.

AAP jjs/it/de

KEYWORD: SEEDS (EMBARGOED) (PIX AVAILABLE)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Thunderous applause in Sydney for Rudd's sorry speech

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2008
NSW: Thunderous applause in Sydney for Rudd's sorry speech

SYDNEY, Feb 13 AAP - An apology to the stolen generation was greeted with thunderous
applause at a live broadcast in central Sydney today.

The apology was broadcast on a big screen in Martin Place with thousands of people
cheering and applauding.

Aboriginal man Clarence Slockee, from the NSW north coast, introduced the broadcast,
saying it was the start of a new era.

"In 1788 it was estimated that there were over one million Aboriginal people," he told
the gathering.

"They started counting us in the census in 1967. Today we number just over 500,000.

"We certainly need to account for what happened to the other 500,000, we also need
to account for what has happened in the past, but we certainly must move together into
the future.

"Today is the first step in what we hope will be true reconciliation."

The crowd, many waving Aboriginal and Australian flags, were also shown a broadcast
of the story of some members of the stolen generation.

AAP kd/nap/wjf/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: SORRY SYDNEY

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Communities can run hospitals 'better than bureaucrats'

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2007
Fed: Communities can run hospitals 'better than bureaucrats'

Health Minister TONY ABBOTT says the federal takeover of a Tasmanian hospital could
be expanded .. if it works.

He says the government wants to see if the takeover of the Mersey Hospital is successful
before trying it elsewhere.

Mr ABBOTT has told the Nine network the federal government isn't going to turn the
system upside down in pursuit of power .. or in pursuit of a theory.

He's attacked Labor's health plan .. which potentially includes a federal takeover
if reforms can't be agreed with the states.

AAP RTV pw/ibw/jmt

KEYWORD: HEALTH ABBOTT (CANBERRA)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Emotional scenes at Cape York land deal announcement

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2007
Qld: Emotional scenes at Cape York land deal announcement

(EDS: Story also corrects earlier spelling of Yalanji people)



By Jessica Marszalek

WUJAL WUJAL, Qld, April 11 AAP - Cape York Aborigines describe the handing over of
230,000ha of far north Queensland land as a "new dawn of pride".

In an emotional ceremony today at Wujal Wujal, north of Cairns, Queensland Premier
Peter Beattie announced the agreement - the culmination of seven years of negotiations
involving hundreds of people.

Under the agreement, 64,000ha of land between Mossman and Cooktown will be made Aboriginal
freehold land, which the traditional owners, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, will protect
under conservation agreements.

A portion of the land will be open to any use by the Yalanji people and will be able
to be built upon, grazed or mined.

Traditional owner and Wujal Wujal Aboriginal council mayor Desmond Tayley told the
300 people gathered for the ceremony the agreement ushered in a "new dawn of pride and
sense of achievement".

Under the terms of the agreement, national park area on Cape York will nearly double
to 162,000ha, which includes the Daintree, Cape Tribulation, Black Mountain and Cedar
Bay national parks.

Mr Beattie called the agreement, which was generated by a 1994 native title claim,
a "significant milestone in Queensland's history".

"The Yalanji have long been the protectors of one of the most precious and beautiful
regions of Queensland," he said.

"The restoration of the traditional owners' right to own and be the custodians and
managers of their traditional country will protect the significant cultural and environmental
aspects of the area."

A number of Aboriginal elders broke down in tears as they recalled community members
who had died over the period of the negotiations and divisions within families over elements
of the agreement.

The agreement will now go to the National Native Title Tribunal before receiving final
Federal Court approval in about three years.

Mr Tayley called on the state government to continue to provide help for the community
to enable them to use the land during the state's resource boom.

"We need to make sure the new land entitlements are not constraints ... let us use
the land to join the rest of the country in this march to prosperity," Mr Tayley said.

Mr Beattie said he hoped the community would look at ecotourism to provide jobs.

Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) spokeswoman Karen Robinson said the agreement
not only benefited indigenous people but was a "real gain for the conservation of significant
environmental values within and adjacent to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area".

The Yalanji people will work cooperatively with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
officers in the day-to-day management of the parks.

AAP pjo/it/de

KEYWORD: WUJAL NIGHTLEAD

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Wind change offers both hope and hell as bushfires rage

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2006
Vic: Wind change offers both hope and hell as bushfires rage

Victoria's bushfires have raged through more than 270 thousand hectares .. threatening
rural communities across the state's north-east and east .. threatening more flare-ups
as wind shifts arrive.

New fires have broken out in the state's south-west near Camperdown .. claiming one
house and threatening others .. as well as in Bright in the north-east Alpine district.

Fires are also bearing down on the rural district of Germantown near Bright and Waterford
in Gippsland .. and residents are warned to watch out for burning embers.

More than three thousand firefighters are working hard to hold containment lines ..

as temperatures hover just around 40 degrees.

A shift from the hot northerly winds to cooler southerly breezes is expected to arrive
in the east and northeast some time between 6 pm and midnight.

But at Dargo .. in Gippsland .. a wind change could spell disaster.







Fire authorities have warned residents near Dargo to prepare for ember attack.

Communities at Crooked River .. Wonnangatta Road and Eaglevale are among those facing attack.

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS needs only to ask for
more federal help to battle the flames.

Mr BRACKS says the state is better prepared than ever before .. but the fire conditions
are among the worst seen in Victoria .. and will remain so for the next fortnight.

A house has been burned down off Moores Road near Stonyford .. south-east of Camperdown

anf the fire's threatening other homes in the Pomborniet East and Stonyford areas.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner CHRISTINE NIXON says her officers and equipment
are ready to help in any way needed.

AAP RTV gfr/dk

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC (MELBOURNE)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man charged for allegedly trying to smuggle bird eggs

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2006
NSW: Man charged for allegedly trying to smuggle bird eggs

A French national has been charged with smuggling .. after he was allegedly caught
at Sydney airport with 23 bird eggs strapped to his vest.

Customs officers searched the 48-year-old when he arrived from Thailand.

They say the eggs .. which have been placed in an incubator .. haven't yet been identified.

The man will face Central Local Court today .. charged with with importing regulated
live specimens without a permit.

He's also accused of making a false statement to Customs officers.

AAP RTV kaf/klw/ibw/bart

KEYWORD: SMUGGLE (SYDNEY)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Lib senator says phone blackspots break election promise

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2006
Fed: Lib senator says phone blackspots break election promise

A former Liberal minister has accused the federal government of breaking an election
promise to provide mobile phone coverage along all highways.

Senator IAN MACDONALD .. who was dumped as fisheries minister in the recent reshuffle
.. says there are still blackspots .. particularly along highways in north Queensland.

Telstra manager MAX JENNINGS has told a Senate committee that from Port Augusta in
South Australia to Port Douglas in far north Queensland .. there are only 25 kilometres
without coverage.

But Senator MACDONALD says he doubts that is true.





The coalition promised in 2001 to deliver mobile phone coverage along all Australia's highways.

AAP RTV pjo/sb/wjf/bart

KEYWORD: TELSTRA HIGHWAY (CANBERRA)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Teen found dead after small house fire - Police-

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2005
WA: Teen found dead after small house fire - Police-

West Australian police say a teenager has died in a house fire in Perth's north.

The boy -- whose age has not yet been confirmed -- was found dead in a sleep-out at
the rear of the Lockridge home this morning.

A police spokesman says there's evidence in the room of a small fire that had put itself out.

He says it's not yet clear how the blaze began, or if it had occurred this morning
or some time through the night.

AAP RTV hn/low/tm

KEYWORD: TEEN (PERTH)

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

soap

soap A substance made by boiling animal fats with sodium hydroxide. The reaction involves the hydrolysis of glyceride esters of fatty acids to glycerol and sodium salts of the acids present (mainly the stearate, oleate, and palmitate), giving a soft semisolid with detergent action. Potassium hydroxide gives a more liquid product (soft soap). By extension, other metal salts of long-chain fatty acids are also called soaps. See also saponification.

att-

att- SI Contracted form of atto-.

PeopleWise Plans Major Announcements At EMA Conference and Exposition, May 3-5, in Orlando.

Business Editors/Internet Writers

HOLLISTER, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2000

PeopleWise, a leading online pre-employment screening company, plans to announce a significant enhancement to its screening software as well as a major new partnership during the Employment Management Association (EMA) Conference and Exposition May 3-5 in Orlando, Fla.

"With this year's focus on retention and recruitment, the EMA conference provides the perfect forum for us to introduce the newest upgrades to our popular software package," said PeopleWise President Gary Cornick. "We also have selected this time to announce that a major e-commerce company has selected PeopleWise to help them significantly reduce the time it takes to find qualified and credentialed professionals."

The EMA Conference and Exposition annually attracts leading HR professionals who specialize in employment and staffing. The conference features that latest recruitment and retention techniques through workshops, presentations and exhibits.

PeopleWise software allows companies to automate their pre-employment screening process. The software looks like an email account and all applicant information can be sent and received through the computer. The InstaCheck(TM) report is available to the user in seconds and verifies information such as name, aliases, current and previous addresses, social security and telephone numbers. If more information is needed, the search can be elevated to a HireWise(TM) report, which includes national criminal background checks, driving records, credit histories, civil records searches and verification of previous employment, professional licenses and education.

About PeopleWise

PeopleWise(R) is a leading provider of legally compliant, automated pre-employment screening services to the human resources, recruiting and security departments of corporations, government agencies, insurance companies and staffing companies over the Internet. Through the retrieval, analysis and delivery of decision-making data via the Internet, PeopleWise helps employers manage and control the employment liability risks associated with the hiring process and contribute to their overall goal of helping create a better and safer workplace.

PeopleWise has forged close relationships with select partners in the legal, risk management and human resources industries who are market leaders in their respective fields. PeopleWise Business Alliance Partners include Littler Mendelson, the largest U.S. labor law firm; Marsh & McLennan Companies, (NYSE: MMC); TALX Corporation (NASDAQ: TALX); and Best Software (NASDAQ: BEST).

Based in Hollister Calif., PeopleWise has operations in Utah, Texas and Minnesota. For more information about PeopleWise, please visit the company's web site at www.peoplewise.com or call 1.800.631.8777.

Rugged displays support versatile design choices.(Embedded in ED)

RUGGED DISPLAYS AND touchscreens provide interaction with users in environments ranging from tanks and fighter jets to kiosks and industrial control systems. No one system fits all needs, and designers have a wide range of choices that includes wireless solutions.

RUGGED SYSTEMS

Very rugged environments might utilize a system's approach like the Parvus DuraVIS 4310 (Fig. 1). This system has a 6.5-in. thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD with LED backlighting, an acrylic protective window, and MIL-C-14806-compliant anti-reflective coating. It's ITO-coated (indium tin oxide) for glare and electromagnetic interference (EMI) control. Also, it boasts a 1.5-GHz Intel Core2 Duo Processor and associated hardware. It tends to be at the extreme end of rugged solutions.

Stealth Computer's line of panel-mount LCDs represents displays that need to be more durable than conventional monitors and are often mounted in racks or other fixed locations (Fig. 2). Like the DuraVIS line, variations on panel-mount displays include all-in-one solutions as well.

E INK IS NOT JUST FOR E-READERS

LCDs and plasma displays are the most common these days, often combined with touchscreen interfaces of varying flavors. Yet these screens often fall short in bright sunlight. E Ink's greyscale displays perform exceptionally well in bright light because they are reflective. They are also low-power and popular in e-reader applications such as Amazon's Kindle.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

E Ink's color display removes another advantage of LCDs and plasma displays (Fig. 3). The color display is implemented using a filter over a standard greyscale display, so it is also limited in the same fashion when it comes to screen refresh time. The E Ink displays aren't suitable for video streaming, but slow animation such as a flashing error announcement is possible. Wristwatches are available using this technology too.

The low-power aspect has other advantages. A small capacitor often has enough power to run a micro and the display during a power-down sequence, allowing the display to be changed. The E Ink displays are bistable, so this last change would be retained.

The E Ink displays are also flexible. Flexible LCD displays were unveiled last year but they are not readily available yet. Another alternative would be small projection systems like those based on Texas Instruments' DLP technology, These pico projectors additionally could be used in novel ways.

MOBILE DEVICES AS DISPLAYS

Moving from a fixed to a portable display is sometimes an option that is becoming less expensive with the host of tablets on the market. The compact Archos 43 Internet Tablet is the same size (4.3-in. screen) as a smart phone but priced significantly less (Fig. 4). Its wireless support would allow it to control any number of applications remotely. Likewise, the application running on the Archos tablet could also run on an Android smart phone.

For example, a tablet could be used to replace a conventional display in a printing environment, such as Hewlett-Packard's Photosmart eStation C510a. This printer features a wireless Android tablet like the Archos

43 but with a 7-in. screen.

Rugged tablets are also available, but this just shows how embedded display options are changing. So don't order that plain LCD just yet.

ARCHOS

www.archos.com

E INK

www.eink.com

HEWLETT-PACKARD

www.hp.com

STEALTH COMPUTER

www.stealth.com

PARVUS

www.parvus.com

BILL WONG | EMBEDDED/SYSTEMS/SOFTWARE EDITOR bill.wong@penton.com

HEWLETT-PACKARD: HP introduces HP 8166A lightwave mu multichannel test system.

M2 PRESSWIRE-22 September 1999-HEWLETT-PACKARD: HP introduces HP 8166A lightwave multichannel test system (C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:210999

* Versatile Tool Reduces Costs by Accelerating Tests

Hewlett-Packard Company today introduces the HP 8166A lightwave multichannel system for engineers and technicians in the manufacturing and research and development of multichannel components, modules and systems in the fiber-optic industry. The new HP 8166A is an economical solution that will meet the demands of today's and tomorrow's test-and-measurement engineers, help minimize costs, increase throughput and save rack space.

"HP's new lightwave multichannel system can improve productivity in the optical-network-equipment industry," said Werner Berkel, general manager of HP's Optical Communication Measurement operation in B blingen, Germany. "The instrument enables test setups that were unavailable before and significantly alters the time-space-cost equation."

Adaptable Modular Design, Compatible with Other Systems

The HP 8166A lightwave multichannel system is a versatile base system with 17 slots for plug-in modules that reduce test costs by accelerating test time. The modules include the following:

* single- or dual-channel power meters;

* single- or dual-fixed light sources;

* compact tunable laser modules; and

* return-loss solutions.

All of these modules can be used in any combination for fast, synchronized, parallel testing of multichannel components, modules or systems. The programming syntax is compatible with the HP 8164A lightwave measurement system (a tunable laser family), the HP 8163A lightwave multimeter mainframe and the HP 8153A. Designed for easy firmware upgrades, the HP 8166A protects a company's investment in the future.

Saves Space, Increases Manufacturing Throughput, Accelerates Test in R&D

The HP 8166A lightwave multichannel system's fast, simultaneous measurement capabilities help manufacturers increase throughput. The HP 8166A saves valuable bench or rack space and provides an excellent price/performance ratio per channel. The system can be integrated easily into existing test environments by using plug-and-play drivers over GPIB (formerly HP-IB) or by using the configurable hardware input- and output-trigger ports. R&D engineers benefit from the quick, multichannel component or system characterizations, as well as from easy trouble-shooting. The HP 8166A is a versatile tool for accelerated multiple stimulus/response measurements at fixed or variable wavelengths. When measurement needs change, engineers can add the necessary modules to the mainframe or expand the multichannel capacity by stacking additional mainframes.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing will be available at a later date. The HP 8166A lightwave multichannel system is expected to ship in November.

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home -- is focused on capitalizing on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services.

HP had computer-related revenue of $39.5 billion in its 1998 fiscal year. HP plans to launch a new company consisting of its industry-leading test-and-measurement, semiconductor products, chemical-analysis and medical businesses. These businesses represented $7.6 billion of HP's total revenue in fiscal 1998. With leading positions in multiple market segments, this technology-based company will focus on opportunities such as communications and life sciences.

HP has 123,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Note: Information in the releases is accurate at the time of release. However, product specifications and availability, promotions, prices, relationships, contact numbers and other specific information may change over time. Some information about product pricing and availability may be limited to specific geographic areas and may differ in other areas. Information as stated in the release may or may not be in effect after the date on the release.

In addition, the press releases may contain statements that are forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations as of the date of a particular release. Actual results may differ materially from those projected because of a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in HP's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

*M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*

OSCE MEDIA FREEDOM OFFICIAL TO PRESENT REPORT ON INTERNET CONTENT REGULATION.

VIENNA, Austria -- The following information was released by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE):

Dunja MijatoviA, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, will hold a news conference on Friday, 8 July, to present a new study on government efforts to regulate the Internet in the OSCE area.

The study, commissioned by MijatoviA's office, indicates that OSCE participating States are increasingly regulating content on the Internet. It argues that access to the Internet is a basic prerequisite for exercising the right to freedom of expression and the right to impart and receive information, and offers recommendations designed to maintain freedom of expression and the media on the Internet.

The OSCE 56 OSCE participating States created the Representative on Freedom of the Media institution in December 1997 to observe media freedom related developments in the OSCE region and to warn of violations of freedom of expression.

Journalists are invited to a news conference with the Representative and the author of the study, Yaman Akdeniz, an Associate Professor at Istanbul Bilgi University's Faculty of Law, at 11 a.m. on Friday, 8 July, in room 201 of the Hofburg Congress Centre.

For admittance to the Hofburg Congress Centre, please bring a valid press card to the security desk (main entrance from the Heldenplatz). Parking is available for the press during the event in the OSCE-reserved parking area on Heldenplatz. Temporary parking permits must be collected from the security desk.

IDES OFFICES CLOSED MAY 30 TO OBSERVE MEMORIAL DAY CUSTOMERS SHOULD CERTIFY; SERVICES AVAILABLE ON INTERNET.

CHICAGO -- The following information was released by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency:

The offices of the Illinois Department of Employment Security will be closed on Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day. All services will be available on the website. Claimants scheduled to certify for benefits on Monday, May 30, should do so. Regular office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. will resume Tuesday, May 31.

Memorial Day honors those who have died in service to our nation. Grand Army of the Republic Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared the first observance, then called Decoration Day, in 1868 and decorated with flowers the graves of Civil War soldiers. He chose May 30 ostensibly because it was believed flowers would be in bloom nationwide. Many communities claim to have hosted the first observation two years earlier, including Carbondale, which was the home of Gen. Logan, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Memorial Day included other wars and conflicts following the end of World War I. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared a May 5, 1866 ceremony in Waterloo, New York as the birthplace of Memorial Day. In 1971, Congress declared it a national holiday and chose the last Monday in May. In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was signed into law. It encourages all Americans to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

Although IDES and other offices will be closed, all services the Department provides through its internet website will be available. People still will be able to file for first-time unemployment benefits, certify for benefits which is necessary to receive payment, and switch that method of payment to direct deposit. The website is www.ides.illinois.gov

The IDES will process customer certifications on Monday. However, because Monday is a federal banking holiday, the availability of some benefit payments might be delayed. The IDES does not determine federal banking holidays.

IDES customers can use the website to manage their benefits. Specifically, customers are encouraged to use the website to enroll in the direct deposit program rather than receive benefit payments on a debit card. There are no fees associated with a debit card when used inside more than 5,000 Illinois banks that accept Visa. Free transactions also are available at point-of-service counters that accept Visa, such as grocery stores, drug stores and convenience stores. Customers can request cash back after qualifying purchases. Fees likely will be assessed when using out-of-network ATM machines.

In April, the Illinois seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell for the 15th consecutive month, dropping -0.1 point to 8.7 percent. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and looking for a job regardless if they are eligible for unemployment insurance. A person not collecting unemployment insurance still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they continue to look for work. Since January 2010 when Illinois employment resumed after the national recession, Illinois has added +100,300 new jobs.

PHT Corporation to Convene Thought Leaders in Clinical Research and Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) at Annual European PRO & ePRO Congress.

Global ePRO innovator welcomes industry leaders in Clinical Research and the Biopharmaceutical industry May 17-19 in Annecy, France

BOSTON and GENEVA -- PHT Corporation will welcome pacesetters in clinical research, health outcomes, patient reported outcomes, regulatory and eClinical function at Europe's most informative and educational event on Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) and Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePRO), the PRO and ePRO Congress in Annecy, France, May 17-19.

The PRO and ePRO Congress is one of the industry's premier educational and networking forums for Clinical Operations, Health Outcomes, Data Management, eClinical Leadership, Regulatory Affairs, and Outsourcing professionals. Sponsors bringing members from across disciplines learn how their respective functional area benefits from PRO data and ePRO Systems.

PHT President and CEO Philip Lee said, "The Congress gives clinical trial professionals a unique opportunity to become PRO and ePRO experts. Attendees use the meeting to share ideas, best practices and success strategies about their implementations of PRO and ePRO. The end result is an increased knowledge base for all participants on how to run faster, more efficient clinical trials."

The Congress will feature an address by Martin Duracinsky, MD, PhD from Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP) on the development and validation of a global PRO Questionnaire for HIV patients; and, a presentation entitled "How ePRO Systems and Processes Determine Quality and Integrity of Meta-data for Investigations" by Dr. Beat Widler, International Head of Clinical Quality Assurance at F. Hoffman La-Roche.

Global industry leaders designed the agenda to give both new and expert participants a full understanding of how clinical, data management, regulatory, and outsourcing functional groups benefit and work with PRO data. Small group sessions will tutor to different levels of experience, so at the end of two days all levels of PRO users will have the tools and expertise to help their teams assess their PRO needs, expedite study set-up times, effectively implement PROs and ePRO systems, reduce time monitoring and analyzing data, and, lead future PRO initiatives.

The agenda features talks and panel discussions including case studies from biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, Clinical Investigators and PRO Developers. The Congress has 15 sessions run by leaders from 12 different organizations involved in clinical research trials and post-marketing studies. The detailed agenda is available at http://www.phtcorp.com/eugm2011/agenda.asp

Congress participants will see and discuss NetPRO[TM], the first browser-based ePRO and eClinRO system that collects patient data via the Internet. PHT's NetPRO enables researchers to access a larger global patient population while reducing the costs of large Phase 4 and extended post-market studies. Sponsors can use NetPRO to collect PRO data for regulatory submissions and label claims as well as for post-approval safety, observational, and registry studies.

Qualified companies and persons can register and learn more about the PRO and ePRO Congress at www.phtcorp.com/eugm2011.

About PHT Corporation

PHT is the global innovator and experience leader in ePRO (electronic patient-reported outcome) Systems that reduce costs and improve data quality in clinical trials and post marketing studies. Since 1994, patient experiences captured by PHT's ePRO System have been used successfully in over 465 global trials by more than 100 biopharmaceutical companies, resulting in at least 19 regulatory submissions and 16 approvals to date. The benefits ePRO systems provide to sponsors include reliable patient compliance; reduced data variance of PRO endpoints for smaller, more conclusive trials; increased patient safety monitoring; and, decreased timelines from trial end to data analysis. Sponsors using PHT's ePRO System consistently report significant R&D cost savings and better scientific outcomes vs. paper. For more information, review the educational content and interactive PHT ePRO System demonstrations at phtcorp.com.

PHT, LogPad, NetPRO and SitePad are registered trademarks of PHT Corporation.

THE LOLITA GENERATION; Girls get t makeovers at primary school, they want to diet aged 7 and their r pop idols writhe in X-rated videos. What hope for... EXPERT WARNS THAT SEX-OBSESSED SOCIETY IS ROBBING KIDS OF THEIR CHILDHOOD.(News)

Byline: LINDSAY CLYDESDALE

YOUNG girls are b fast-tracked thro childhood and sexua before they even s high school, an ex warned yesterday. being ough alised start xpert Primary school makeovers surgery wish-lists and casual v of x-rated videos have all b commonplace for children. , plastic viewing become In her new book Where H Little Girl Gone? parenting Tanith Carey says mums an need to put the brakes on w calls the "Lolita effect". Has My expert nd dads hat she She warned: "These days w really pass any values on to ou so they get the most shallow ever from celebrity culture videos, social media and th availability of porn. we don't ur kids, w values , music he easy "They see semi-clothed b lads' mags, Rihanna singing S&M, and everyone on a billb a size eight. abes in g about board is "You have to keep an eye o your daughter is doing or it totally out of control." on what can get The trigger for the book cam me when Tanith's daughter Lily, then aged seven, came home from school and announced she was going on a diet.

Tanith had been careful to give her daughter a positive body image - never mentioning diets and being positive about body issues - so she admits she was shocked.

But it made her realise how the influences on children outside the home were becoming increasingly pervasive - and negative.

She tackled the diet issue by playing it down, ignoring it and not making a fuss. A week later, Lily, now nine, had forgotten all about it.

Tanith, whose other daughter Clio is six, said: "By the age of three some girls already don't like what they see.

"If we don't put this in perspective for them and emphasise the curves a woman should have, then of course they're going to be obsessed with their appearance.

"They're trying to fit in with this template of what femininity should be. They all think they should have glossy hair, a permatan, white teeth and double-D breasts on a size eight body.

"They are not allowed to be individuals because they're all trying to be this homogenised celebrity that is put on a pedestal.

"During my research for the book, I didn't meet one young girl who didn't have some sort of checklist of plastic surgery that they wanted to get when they were older.

"I spent a day in a plastic surgeon's office and half of the people who came in were girls in their late teens or early 20s and all of them were having the work paid for by their parents."

There has been some backlash against the sexualisation of very young girls.

Channel 4's Sex Education Show campaigns against inappropriate clothing sold on the high street - such as padded bras for seven-year-olds or T-shirts with the slogans "So many boys, so little time" or "Future Footballer's Wife".

Presenter Anna Richardson caused chaos after storming a Primark store to protest about some of its ranges.

And last year glamour model Jordan was criticised for posting internet pictures of her daughter Princess Tiaamii, then aged two, in full make-up.

Tanith, 43, said: "I think it's time we gave parents a harder time about this. I'm also surprised at some of the things schools do, such as putting on proms for 10-year-olds and girls being encouraged to bring dates.

"I was contacted by the mum of a six-year-old whose teacher asked her to bring make-up in because they were setting up a make-over corner in the classroom.

"Another mum fell out with parents because they wanted to have a makeover tent for kids at the school fair. "Children don't need make-up. If you give cosmetics to a girl at the age of eight or nine, they think they are lacking something, they think they're not good enough as they are.

"What a message to give to a child. All children are beautiful as they are, what could you possibly improve about them?" Tanith also warns against children being given mobile phones with internet access as this is how many first come into contact with porn.

She also advises putting filters on home computers and actively monitoring what their children get up to online.

She added: "Fathers need to watch their behaviour too.

"Research has found that young women whose fathers make comments about their appearance are more likely to have an eating disorder.

"Then there are those dads who call their daughter a little princess and say she's going to be a heartbreaker when she's older.

"Enjoy her being a child, don't try to f as t -forward her into some 18-year-old sexpot."

Where Has My Little Girl Gone? by Tanith Carey is published by Lion Books, pounds 7.99. Le et girls enjoy th heir early years

KIRSTY Ri officer for T married to engineer a couple live with daugh eight-year-Kirsty sai daughters y short skirts dressing. ntoul, 38, a control room Traffic Scotland, is Paul, 38, a maintenance at Prestwick Airport. The e in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, hters Alex, 12, and -old Robyn. id: "We like to keep our young, and don't encourage or provocative "There ha because he moving from want her to not fitting in. "If she's g she's allowe nothing tha lot older tha "Robyn w sister, so Al far. as to be a balance with Alex, er classmates are m tween to teen. We don't be left out because she's n. going to a party or disco, ed to dress up a bit, but at would make her appear a an she is.

will take her lead from her ex isn't allowed to go too "You can lucky that o set down, a won't be thi only do your best but we're our girls accept the rules we and understand that they is age for long so they need to enjoy the age they are and stop trying to grow up too soon."

Alex is a first-year pupil at Auchenharvie Academy, Stevenston.

Alex said: "I've been allowed to stay up late a couple of nights this week to watch The Sex Education Show on Channel 4. It has shown how stores such as Matalan, Primark and Peacocks are selling padded bras for girls who are just Robyn's age, and hotpants with cheeky slogans on.

"I wouldn't wear those things, and I'd hate my eight-year-old sister to wear them. My mum is good at picking out clothes that are trendy, so I feel comfortable with what I'm wearing. I don't dress too young - but I'm not allowed to dress older.

"At school I wear a bit of mascara and lip gloss, and that's it. I don't go caked in make-up.

Once a year, for my dance school display, I'm allowed a fake tan."

CAPTION(S):

You couldn't make it up: Girls as young as seven have been given makeovers at primary school in an example of what expert Tanith Carey warns is the "Lolita effect" in modern society Sex-rated: (From top) Rihanna's S&M video, Princess Tiaamii with her curls straightened and fake lashes and mum Jordan

Searchengineoptimisation.com Comment On Rumoured Google Local Search Changes.

Searchengineoptimisation.com, a leading SEO services company, comment on recent speculation that Google is set to refine its local search listings and alter the way that people search for local services online.

Cheshire, United Kingdom (PRWEB) July 16, 2010 -- Searchengineoptimisation.com, a leading SEO services company, comment on recent speculation that Google is set to refine its local search listings and alter the way that people search for local services online.

Speculation has been rife across the internet that Google may be about to make changes to the way their local search listings are presented after they released a statement when presented with some screenshots of a new looking layout of results which some users experienced. Google commented: "It is an experiment - we're continually trying out new tweaks to a portion of our users," after they were sent user-made screenshots from a vigilant individual who noticed changes to her local results when she inputted a search query.

The most obvious changes are in regard to the location map, which, in the screenshots, is on the right of the screen and scrolls down the page along with the searcher. The listings are also larger and resemble normal web results whilst Google seems to pull Meta information from the site as well as review snippets. As one of the leading SEO agencies in the UK today, Searchengineoptimisation.com feel this could make a difference to the way people use results, thus having an impact on the search engine optimisation industry.

"We think it's great that Google are taking the time to work on improving local search - if these rumours turn out to carry weight, that is. It certainly looks encouraging and we're optimistic that we'll see these changes rolled out to more users sooner rather than later," commented a spokesperson for Searchengineoptimisation.com. "We're great fans of targeting your SEO geographically, which can make all the difference to small businesses. The internet is such a huge marketplace that it's easy to get swallowed up, so it's crucial to define yourselves online through effective SEO which is targeted appropriately. Your web profile and online reputation can make all the difference to your success!"

To find out more about Searchengineoptimisation.com and their SEO services, visit their website at http://www.searchengineoptimisation.com/.

About Searchengineoptimisation.com

Searchengineoptimisation.com can offer tailored and bespoke SEO solutions for any website with their skilled team of expert digital marketing professionals. Offering services covering all aspects of search engine optimization, including on page, off page, social media and much more besides, they offer a free, no-obligation SEO analysis upon their initial consultation and also have a wide range of free SEO tools available on their website.

###

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/07/prweb4260324.htm.

Turning Digital: The TV Industry at the Crossroads; Reveals the Western European Television market grew by only 0.9% in 2008.

M2 PRESSWIRE-20 July 2009-Research and Markets: Turning Digital: The TV Industry at the Crossroads; Reveals the Western European Television market grew by only 0.9% in 2008(C)1994-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:20072009

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/1d622a/turning_digital_t) has announced the addition of the "Turning Digital: the TV Industry at the Crossroads" report to their offering.

The fierce global financial crisis in 2008 triggered a real economic downturn in Europe. The TV sector was not immune to its effects, even though people started to increase the time spent at home rather than go out.

In 2008, the Western European television market grew by only 0.9% as a whole, against 4.7% in 2007. Advertising revenue recorded a decline for the first time in recent years, with a negative growth rate of 4.3%, while Pay TV has increased by 6.5%, although it has a lower growth rate compared the 9% of 2007. Internet is the only advertising medium that still maintained double-digit growth.

Multichannel television has been capturing audience share from mainstream television, accounting for 40.5% of the total TV market revenues. Despite the disappointing economic conditions, multichannel advertising was still registering a significant growth.

Moreover, Digital TV has penetrated to almost two-thirds of European households, which exceeded 100 million for the first time. Even though IPTV should remain a niche TV delivery platform, operators are expected to increasingly advertise the value-added services of their offers.

Nowadays, the economic downturn is intensifying the competitive pressure, but also bringing opportunities for further development. Traditional TV market players optimize resources to create cross-platform synergies, trying to attract new customers through the internet and high-definition television.

Internet provides an opportunity to develop the TV advertising market, and seize back the lost audience share in major TV channels through online video.

Finally, HDTV is being considered as another expansion opportunity for TV market players during the current financial downturn. Broadcasters are currently trying to close the gap between supply and demand of HD content.

Key Topics Covered:

- Executive Summary

- The Tv Market In 2008

- The Multichannel Television Market

- Digital Television

- Digital Tv Evolution

- The Switch-Over Process

- Future Scenarios

- Main Trends

- High Definition Television Market

- Online Video Opportunity

Companies Mentioned:

- Television Espanola

- RTVE

- BskyB

- Premiere

- Digital+

- Canal+

- Sky Italia

- TF1

- M6

- France Televisions

- Orange

- SFR

- Bollore Group

- Setanta

- Mediaset

- BBC

- ITV

- Other companies and channels

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/1d622a/turning_digital_t

CONTACT: Laura Wood, Senior Manager, Research and MarketsFax: +1 646 607 1907 (US)Fax: +353 1 481 1716 (Rest of World)e-mail: press@researchandmarkets.com

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data prepared by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

Limington and Standish, Maine Residents To Benefit From Verizon Wireless Network Expansion.

Investing to Stay Ahead of Growing Demand for Wireless Voice, Multimedia and Internet Access

LIMINGTON, Maine, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for local residents in York County, Verizon Wireless has activated two new cell sites. The new sites increase wireless voice and data coverage and capacity along Routes 25, 11, and 117 in Limington and Standish, Maine, as well as the surrounding area.

Verizon Wireless has invested more than $45 billion since it was formed to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services like BroadbandAccess and V CAST. Regionally the company has invested over $2.2 billion into its New England network, including over $100 million during the first six months of 2008. As a result of these investments, every Verizon Wireless cell site in New England provides wireless broadband connectivity.

"We've always believed that even the most advanced cell phone is only as good as the network it runs on," said director for Network Systems Performance for Verizon Wireless, Richard Enright. "We continue to aggressively invest into our wireless networks across New England to increase coverage and capacity for our customers."

BroadbandAccess offers computer users the nation's most reliable high-speed wireless mobile broadband network, operating at average upload speeds between 500 and 800 kbps, and download speeds between 600 kbps and 1.4 mbps over Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess with EV-DO Revision A network. V CAST brings video clips of TV shows, music on demand and other multimedia services to wireless phones.

Strong demand for Verizon Wireless services continued during the second quarter of 2008 as the company added 1.5 million net new customers and, for the fifteenth consecutive quarter, reported the lowest customer turnover (highest customer loyalty) rate in the wireless industry.

The company's 'nation's most reliable wireless network' reputation is based on network studies performed by real-life test men and test women throughout the country who inspired the "can you hear me now" national advertising campaign. Nationally, these test men and women drive nearly 100 specially equipped vehicles almost 1,000,000 miles annually on Interstate, U.S. and state highways as well as major roads and surface streets in high-population areas, based upon U.S. Census counts, to confirm that voice calls and data connections are successful on the first attempt and stay connected. Vehicles are equipped with computers that automatically make more than three million voice call attempts and more than 16 million data tests annually on Verizon Wireless' network and the networks of other carriers.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia .

CONTACT: Michael Murphy of Verizon Wireless, +1-781-932-1213, Michael.murphy@verizonwireless.com; or Anne Elise O'Connor, of Thomson Communications for Verizon Wireless, +1-617-548-2765, Aeoc@thomsoncommunications.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/ http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia

Line1 Customers Get Real Visual Voicemail Powered by SpinVox.(Company overview)

They Can Now Receive Voice Messages as Converted Text in Emails

LONDON & ATLANTA -- SpinVox, the founder and global leader in Voice-to-Screen[TM] messaging, announced today that Line1 Communications Inc., a hosted provider of business communications services, now offers the SpinVox voice-to-text conversion service as part of its Enhanced Voicemail service package. Line1's customers have the ability to read their converted voice messages from their PC as email or on their smartphones --including Blackberry, Treo and Windows Mobile devices.

Based in Florida, Line1 provides a variety of voice, fax and Internet services to small and medium sized businesses across the country. SpinVox enables Line1 to deliver a truly unified and visual messaging solution for its customers who now have the ability to view and respond to emails and voicemails from a single inbox.

"Cutting edge technology combined with customized communications solutions is at the core of what we do. They allow our business customers to increase their ability to work efficiently," said John Fabrega, CEO of Line1. "Our clients are busy people who don't always have the time or opportunity to maneuver through numerous voicemails. The SpinVox solution enables our customers to unify communications and manage their messages more effectively."

To date, Line1 has offered an enhanced messaging service that delivers voicemails as emails with audio files attached. SpinVox replaces the audio file with a readable conversion of the voicemail. Line1 users will be able to see what was said and respond as if it were a standard e-mail. Like with traditional email, Line1 customers will also be able to maintain a permanent archive of voice messages delivered as text. They can also listen to the original voicemail if they wish.

"Our work with Line1 validates that our services have tremendous value and appeal to the business community," said Christina Domecq, co-founder and CEO of SpinVox. "SpinVox allows Line1 customers to work more productively and efficiently, enabling them to be more responsive to their callers. We believe business demand for our voice-to-text services is very strong, and we see tremendous opportunity for integrating with hosted communications providers, bringing the convenience of voice-to-text to both the small and large enterprise."

SpinVox continues to gain momentum in North America having recently inked deals with multiple telecom carriers, Web 2.0 and Internet companies and now with a hosted service provider. SpinVox recently announced a deal which will allow Skype users to receive their voice messages as text and expects to have its voicemail service launched with at least twelve carriers and service providers by the end of the year.

About SpinVox

SpinVox[R] brought together the two most popular methods of communication - voice and text - and created a new category of messaging called Voice-to-Screen[TM]. Its award-winning service is now making everyday communication simpler and more powerful, creating new recurring revenues for wireless, landline, cable and VOIP carriers as well as service providers and web partners. SpinVox has already launched its service with Cincinnati Bell and announced deals with Alltel, Rogers and Vodacom. As a managed service provider, any network or service can rapidly and cost-effectively deploy SpinVox.

At the heart of SpinVox is its Voice Message Conversion System[TM] (VMCS), which works by combining state-of-the-art speech technologies with a live-learning language process. VMCS is provided on a Managed Service basis and is being rolled-out across four continents in four languages - English, French, Spanish and German.

About Line1

Line1 Communications, Inc. headquartered in Tallahassee Florida has been serving clients in Florida and throughout the United States since 1995. Line1 offers comprehensive answering, messaging, and information services including: Unified Messaging, Find-Me/Follow-Me, Conference Calling, Fax-to-E-Mail, Fax Broadcasting, Voice Broadcasting and E-mail Broadcasting.

Schenectady County Calendar.(Capital Region)(Calendar)

Today

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Investment Resources computer class

Where: Schenectady County Public Library, 99 Clinton St., Schenectady When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free Contact: 388-4500 Notes: The class will cover databases and Web sites for investors. Registration is required.

COMMUNITY

Tax preparation services

Where: Washington Irving Educational Center, 422 Mumford St., Schenectady When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: Free to people who earn $38,348 or less annually Contact: 370-8220 Notes: Tax preparation services are being offered to Schenectady County residents through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, Weed and Seed, and the Schenectady City School District.

ENTERTAINMENT

Joanne C. Resch

exhibit

Where: Quaker Street Library, Route 7 and Bull Street, Duanesburg When: 1-8 p.m. Contact: 895-2719 Notes: Resch will present her collection of watercolors, titled Winter Scenes, through the end of March. A similar exhibit is on display at the Niskayuna Library.

RECREATION

Pilates

Where: YWCA of Schenectady, 44 Washington Ave., Schenectady When: 4:15-5 p.m. Contact: 374-3394 Notes: Learn the importance of core stabilization, muscle balance, proper alignment, strength and flexibility while integrating the concept of mindfulness, fluidity and grace.

SIGN-UPS

GED classes

Where: Bethesda House, 418 Liberty St., Schenectady When: 1-3 p.m. Contact: Tom Morley, 374-7873 Notes: Courses are taught by staff from Washington Irving Adult Education Center and students don't need to attend on a fixed schedule.

Italian Dinner, Wine-tasting and Concert

Where: Van Curler Room, Schenectady County Community College, Washington Avenue, Schenectady Cost: $50 Contact: 377-1606 Notes: The event, featuring wine tasting presented by the Joseph Carr Winery, a meal prepared by the college's Culinary Arts Department and a concert begins at 6 p.m. on April 10. Reservations required.

Schenectady County Heritage Foundation fundraiser

Where: Stockade Inn, 1 N. Church Street, Schenectady Cost: $60 Contact: 377-1160 Notes: The fundraiser, featuring dinner and music, begins at 6 p.m. Saturday. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

STORY TIME

Preschool story hour

Where: Rotterdam Public Library, 1100 N. Westcott Road, Rotterdam When: 10 a.m. Cost: Free Contact: 356-3440

FRIDAY

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Legal clinic for seniors

Where: McChesney Room, Schenectady County Public Library, 99 Clinton St., Schenectady When: Noon-3 p.m. Cost: Free Contact: Sara Clark, 377-6700 Notes: Sponsored by the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, the clinic will allow seniors to get legal advice on elder law related issues.

COMMUNITY

Home: A Place, A Feeling exhibit

Where: Jerry Burrell Gallery, Hamilton Hill Arts Center, 409 Schenectady St., Schenectady When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact: 346-1262 Notes: The juried exhibit features work by Nita June Borland, Miki Conn, Stephen Tyson, Margaret Cunningham, and other artists.

The Story of Three Water Drops

Where: Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $5; $3 children; $4 seniors Contact: 382-7890 Notes: Explore the photomicrographs of Roger Cheng, a scientist whose research at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center at the University at Albany challenged existing knowledge of a single drop of water.

ENTERTAINMENT

Infinite Images: Technologies of Printmaking and Beyond

Where: Mandeville Gallery, Union College, Nott Memorial, Schenectady When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact: 388-6004 Notes: Selected works from the Union College Collections. Reception and Gallery talk 5-7 p.m. May 3 in the Nott Memorial. Gallery talk 3:30 p.m. May 4.

SIGN-UPS

Delack Guild Room Art Opening

Where: Proctor's Theatre, 432 State St., Schenectady Contact: 382-3884 Ext. 111 Notes: The exhibit features photos by Nancy Noble Gardner and Ralph and Susan Rosenthal. Open by appointment only.

Free computer classes

Where: Schenectady County Public Library, 99 Clinton St., Schenectady Cost: Free Contact: 388-4500 Notes: The library offers the following free computer classes: computers for novices, Internet basics, and Internet searching; call the library for times and to register.

Heartsmart nutrition and cooking class

Where: Ellis Hospital, 1101 Nott St., Schenectady Cost: $5 Contact: 243-4017 Notes: Registered dietitians who specialize in cardiac health will teach class participants how to lower cardiac risk from 1 to 2 p.m. on April 11. Registration is required.

WORDS & IDEAS

Woodlawn Book Club

Where: Woodlawn Library, 3 Sanford St., Schenectady When: 2 p.m. Cost: Free Contact: 386-2248 Notes: The group will discuss "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

SATURDAY

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Family Discovery Lab: Electromagnetism

Where: Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady When: 1 p.m. Contact: 382-7890 Notes: Through experimentation, families will build an electromagnet and learn what effect it has on electricity.

COMMUNITY

Easter Egg Hunt

Where: Cobblestone Church, 118 Putnam Road, Schenectady When: 10 a.m.-noon Contact: 374-7138 Notes: The egg hunt will feature gifts, games, crafts and more.

COMMUNITY FARE

Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

Where: Rotterdam United Methodist Church, 1915 Helderberg Ave., Rotterdam When: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $6; $4.50 children; under 5 are free Contact: 355-3401 Notes: Boy Scout Troop 23 will hold its annual fundraiser.

COMMUNITY SALES

Palm Sunday Bake Sale

Where: St. Anthony's Church, 331 Seward Place, Schenectady When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact: 374-4591

Rummage and Bake Sale

Where: Lynnwood Reformed Church, 3714 Carman Road, Schenectady When: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Notes: Household items, toys, children's books and clothing will be available.

Perrigo Company Announces Approval for Ciclopirox Olamine Cream.

ALLEGAN, Mich., March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Perrigo Company announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacture and market Ciclopirox Olamine Cream USP, 0.77%.

The product is the AB-rated equivalent to Medicis Pharmaceutical's Loprox(R) Cream, 0.77%, an anti-fungal medication indicated for the topical treatment of the following skin infections: athletes' foot, jock itch, ringworm and yeast infections. According to NDC data, annual U.S. sales are approximately $33 million.

The Perrigo Company is a leading global healthcare supplier and the world's largest manufacturer of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical and nutritional products for the store brand market. Store brand products are sold by food, drug, mass merchandise, dollar store and club store retailers under their own labels. The Company also develops, manufactures and markets prescription generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and consumer products, and operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, Israel, United Kingdom, Mexico and Germany. Visit Perrigo on the Internet (http://www.perrigo.com/ ).

Note: Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of the Company or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or other comparable terminology. Please see the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" on pages 33 - 41 of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended June 25, 2005, as well as the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, for a discussion of certain important factors that relate to forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT: Ernest J. Schenk, Manager, Investor Relations and Communication of Perrigo Company, +1-269-673-9212, eschenk@perrigo.com

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