Fed: World recession worse than thought: Treasury

AAP General News (Australia)
02-05-2009
Fed: World recession worse than thought: Treasury

CANBERRA, Feb 5 AAP - The global recession is forecast to be longer and deeper than
previously expected, a Senate inquiry has been told.

Treasury officials on Thursday explained the rationale of the $42 billion stimulus
package announced by the government, which is aimed at countering the global recession.

Treasury official David Gruen said the global recession was worse than previously forecast,
and as a result the package was developed to support demand over the next couple of years.

"Australia is suffering from insufficient aggregate …

MEXICO: "ZAPATOURS" COMMEMORATE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING

Diego Cevallos
Inter Press Service English News Wire
12-31-1998
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 30 (IPS) -- The offer of "zapatours," a term
coined by tour operators offering visits to the Mexican state of
Chiapas has been heating up as the fifth anniversary of the
Zapatista uprising approaches.
Tourist agencies promote visits to Chiapas "to see the real
situation of the country" and to commemorate the first outbreak of
guerrilla war, they say, while representative of the diocese of San
Cristobal, the second city of Chiapas, made it known they welcome
foreigners wishing to express solidarity with the indigenous
people.
Reports from Chiapas, where indigenous fighters from the then
unknown Zapatista National Revolutionary Army (EZLN) declared war
on the government on Jan. 1, 1994, state nearly 300 foreigners have
entered the area within the last few hours.
Promoters of such visits include the U.S. agency Global Exchange
from San Francisco, which offers "reality tours" of Chiapas for
$800 on the Internet. The trip includes visits to areas of conflict
in the southern state and interviews with some of the lead players.
The most recent visitors have been not only tourists, but also
human rights activists, guerrilla sympathizers, academics and some
members of religious orders, said tour operators in the zone.
Alejandro Carrillo, coordinator of the National Migration
Institute (INM), warned the government was blocking "revolutionary
tourism" in Mexico.
"The institute will be monitoring fulfillment of the laws at al
times, with full respect for human rights, but also for national
sovereignty," he said.
Since January 1998, following the massacre of 45 indigenous
people in Chiapas at the hands of the paramilitaries -- an event
which drew international scrutiny to the government -- rules were
rigorously applied to avoid foreigners getting involved in conflict
with the EZLN.
Human rights organizations accused the Ernesto Zedillo
administration of closing the door on observers in order to hide
the violence and poverty of Chiapas, stating that more than 100
foreigners were expelled from Chiapas in the last year.
Invitations "to visit Mexico issued by tourist agencies do not
violate any disposition, but the organization of seditious visits
planning to use the pretext of getting to know the real situation
of the country in order to intervene in political events is
banned," declared Carrillo.
The Zapatista National Liberation Front, one of the groups made
up of EZLN followers in Mexico, stated, as on previous occasions,
that when the year ends celebrations will be held in the forests
of Chiapas and other zones of the country to commemorate the
uprising.
Five years ago, dozens of indigenous people with their faces
covered by ski masks, mostly armed with machetes or wooden rifles,
took towns and roads in the state of Chiapas initiating a 12-day
war against the army, which ended with the opening of negotiations.
From 1994 to the present day, the EZLN, which awoke sympathy
abroad due to the originality of its arguments, has gone through
armed confrontation, dialogue with the government, the signing of
agreements and suspension of negotiations -- a situation maintained
since 1996.
In the shadow of this process, the violence between rural people
on political, religious and economic grounds has worsened, as have
poverty and marginalisation. Meanwhile, the demands for justice and
democracy presented by the group have been taken up by all the
political parties as their own.
Before the government applied restrictions on foreigners
visiting the conflict zones of Chiapas, where thousands of
government troops are deployed today, the EZLN organized national
and international forums.
The organization was also visited by public figures like U.S.
film director, Oliver Stone, and the French intellectual, Regis
Debray.
In the last few months, under the public presence of the Mexican
guerrillas, who claim they do not want power, are not Marxists and
only want democracy -- especially better representation in the
communication media.
Analysts attribute the discreet role today played by the EZLN
to the natural wearing down of the group, the lack of success of
their demands and proposals, the greater importance of other issues
on the national agenda and the territorial control exerted by the
army.
In 1995 and part of 1996, the EZLN had prominent presence in the
communication media, and, at least here, they were able to "win the
war against the government," said historian Enrique Krause.

Copyright 1998 IPS/GIN. The contents of this story can not be duplicated in any fashion without written permission of Global Information Network

FED:PM calls for respect in marriage debate

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2011
FED:PM calls for respect in marriage debate

SYDNEY, Dec 3 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has appealed to delegates at Labor's
national conference to debate the issue of same-sex marriage with respect.

Ms Gillard opened up the issue on Saturday to the floor of the conference, which is
being attended by 400 delegates.

"We are now going to have a debate on an issue that is controversial," she said told
the gathering in Sydney.

"You know what my views on this debate are.

"We will have this debate in a climate and atmosphere of respect."

Ms Gillard moved a motion that would allow Labor MPs to have a conscience vote on gay
marriage if a bill comes to parliament.

The motion says the conference "resolves that the matter of same-sex marriage can be
freely debated at any state or federal forum of the Australian Labor Party, but any decision
reached is not binding on any member of the party."

Ms Gillard said the debate addressed the aspirations people had about the way they want to live.

She recognised that the religious views of some would be challenged.

"This debate is one that speaks to people in a deeply personal way," she said.

MORE klm/wjf

KEYWORD: LABOR GAY

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

Broadridge Intros Mobile Voting on Major Mobile Platforms

Wireless News
03-16-2011
Broadridge Intros Mobile Voting on Major Mobile Platforms
Type: News

Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. announced that Mobile ProxyVote.com is now live and available for proxy voting and compatible with an array of mobile devices, including Verizon's new Apple iPhone 4, as well as the BlackBerry, Android, Microsoft, tablets and other smartphone platforms.

"The availability of ProxyVote on thousands of mobile devices is in direct response to consumers' rapidly changing preference to access and act on information on the go -- on their mobile device," said Robert Schifellite, President, Investor Communication Solutions, Broadridge. "Investing in technologies to provide shareowners choice and ease of use in receiving and acting on their proxy materials is in line with our efforts to increase individual shareholder participation."
"Mobile ProxyVote is easy to use," explained Joseph Vicari, Vice President, Business Strategy and Development, Broadridge. "There is no software to download and no fee for the corporate or mutual fund issuer or the shareholder. All a shareholder needs to do is access ProxyVote.com from their mobile device and simply vote."

According to a release, 20 million proxy votes were recorded through the Broadridge ProxyVote.com platform for the 12 months ending June 2010. ProxyVote offers "street name" and registered shareowners, as well as 401(k), ESOP and ESPP participants, the convenience of voting their shares on the Internet, and now with the introduction of Mobile ProxyVote, through compatible mobile devices.

The initial product announcement was made at Broadridge's annual Investor Communications Conference in December 2010, which attracted hundreds of top executives from financial services firms, institutional investors and corporate issuers.

Broadridge is a technology services company focused on global capital markets.

More information:

www.broadridge.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

FED:Use of fossil fuels like sub-prime loans

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2010
FED:Use of fossil fuels like sub-prime loans

A Denmark-based scientist has compared the world's use of fossil fuels to the sub-prime
loans crisis in the United States .. which led to the global economic crisis.

Professor KATHERINE RICHARDSON .. from the University of Copenhagen .. has told reporters
in Canberra .. there's a critical supply-and-demand problem with the way the world is
using fossil fuels.

She says as a global community every year we are burning the same amount as it took
nature a million years to build up.

That means .. she says .. that we're loaning resources at sub-prime conditions.

She says Australia could learn how to introduce a price on carbon by observing the
Danish experience.

AAP RTV ms/rl/sb/jen/

KEYWORD: CARBON (CANBERRA)

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

NSW:Project to tackle regional homelessness

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2010
NSW:Project to tackle regional homelessness

SYDNEY, Aug 1 AAP - A unique $284 million action plan will tackle homelessness at a
regional level right across NSW, the state government says.

Launching the NSW regional homelessness action plans on Sunday, NSW Housing Minister
Frank Terenzini said the project, delivered in conjunction with the federal government,
will deliver vital services to ten local regions over the next four years.

"NSW is leading the way in Australia," Mr Terenzini said, adding the state government
is tackling the issue of homelessness in a unique way.

"Under this initiative, $40 million has been directly allocated to make sure 20 important
projects are rolled out as part of the new 10-region homeless action plans," he said.

Service providers in each region were asked what kind of initiatives would best work
in their area and what services were relevant to the needs of local homeless people, Mr
Terenzini said.

Speaking at the launch, Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek said the funding will fill
service gaps across NSW and make a practical difference to people's lives.

Ms Plibersek said the initiative will go some way towards reducing overall homelessness
by half by 2020.

"It's a challenge, it's a great task to truly reduce the number of Australian people
facing homelessness," Ms Plibersek said.

"They are ambitious targets, but they are targets I am confident we can achieve.

"The regional approach that NSW has taken will be very important in delivering on the
targets...because regional communities know best what is needed in their local area."

Some funding has already been released to allow important local projects to begin,
including $1.9 million for Project 40, a project in the Nepean area which will help more
families to access long-term housing.

Other projects include an Aboriginal outreach service in coastal Sydney, early intervention
support in Hunter, a North Coast accommodation project and mental health support services
in the Illawarra region.

AAP ih/jfm

KEYWORD: HOMELESS

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

Vic: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2009
Vic: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers = 2

THE AGE:

Page 1: Police are concerned about the emergence of a new party drug called gamma butyrolactone(GBL)
that has appeared on Melbourne's streets; Robert Donald William Farquharson, jailed for
life over the deaths of his three young sons, has been granted a retrial.

Page 3: A Warrnambool bikie gang chief who police fear will intimidate prosecution
witnesses has been granted bail due to the state's DNA analysis fiasco; Governor-General
Quentin Bryce has laughed off the idea that she and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard
should try to storm the bastion of the nation's exclusive mens clubs; the global financial
crisis has sparked a huge increase in the number of Australians who plan to work till
they drop.

World: Senior UN officials say it was proposed to enlist the White House in a bid to
replace Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

Finance: NAB stands to become the nation's dominant player in superannuation and life
insurance after emerging as a white knight for AXA Asia Pacific.

Sport: Two Australian players last night were charged with bringing the game into disrepute
and West indies spinner Sulieman Benn faced a possible suspension after an alteration
on the second day of the Perth Test.

AAP sbl/tr

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS VIC 2 MELBOURNE (REOPENS)

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

Vic: Victorian snow report for Monday, August 10, 2009

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2009
Vic: Victorian snow report for Monday, August 10, 2009

MELBOURNE, Aug 10 AAP - Conditions on Victoria's snowfields today:

MT HOTHAM: Good dry packed groomed snow cover for skiing and boarding in all open terrain.

12 lifts open. Snow depth: 86cm. Wind: Light SSE. Overnight temp: -2.6 C.

FALLS CREEK: Good packed snow cover softening later for skiing and boarding in all
open areas. 15 lifts open. Snow depth: 95 cm. Wind: Light NNW. Overnight temp: -0.9 C.

MT BULLER: Good to very good packed snow cover for skiing and boarding with extensive
grooming on all open areas. 17 lifts open. Snow depth: 75cm. Winds: Light N. Overnight
temp: -1.6 C.

MT BAW BAW: Good skiing and boarding on a firm groomed snow cover. Wind: Light NW.

Snow depth: 14cm. Overnight temp: -0.7 C.

LAKE MOUNTAIN: Poor skiing on all trails. Overnight temp: 1.0C. Snow depth: 3cm. Wind: Calm NW.

MT BUFFALO: Patchy sightseeing snow and snowplay. Snow depth: 2cm.

DINNER PLAIN: Fair skiing and boarding on a packed snow cover. One lift open. Snow
depth: not available.

MT STIRLING: No skiable snow lower trails. Snow depth: 25cm.

MT ST GWINEAR: Fair cross country on firm packed snow on the main trail, fair to good
coverage elsewhere. Snow depth: 17cm.

MT DONNA BUANG: Poor sightseeing and snowplay. Snow depth: 2cm.

AAP sbl/ao

KEYWORD: SNOW VIC

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

AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 15

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 15
Evening Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


Bushfires Vic Wrap (SYDNEY)

Seriously injured bushfire victims and those who've lost their homes will soon receive
payments from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

About 70 people are estimated to be seriously injured as a result of the fires .. and
will each receive a one-off payment of seven thousand 500 dollars.

The appeal's advisory panel has also approved an immediate household relief payment
of around 10-thousand dollars .. for people whose houses have been lost or left uninhabitable.

KEVIN RUDD has told the people of Wandong .. they'll be supported every step of the
way until their bushfire-ravaged community is rebuilt.

The prime minister's attended today's open-air service of solidarity and reflection
in the small community north of Melbourne .. which lost three people and 200 homes to
the fires.

Mr RUDD's praised Country Fire Authority volunteers for putting themselves last and
their community first.

Melbourne Water says water in reservoirs under threat from the bushfires is being pumped
into ones that are safe.

More than a hundred of Melbourne Water's own fire fighting crews and planners are working
with other agencies to minimise damage to the Maroondah catchment .. and to prevent fire
fronts from spreading into the Upper Yarra catchment.

Meanwhile Australians and Americans have come together in Los Angeles and New York
to raise more than 50-thousand US-dollars ($A76,587.27) for victims of the Victorian bushfires.

And former Australian cricket captains STEVE WAUGH and MARK TAYLOR will skipper rival
sides featuring sporting and entertainment stars in a celebrity Twenty20 cricket match
next week .. to raise money for the appeal.



Stimulus (CANBERRA)

The federal government's dismissed speculation the prime minister could call an early
election .. to take advantage of the 42 billion dollar economic stimulus package.

With 12.7 billion in cash handouts and billions more for a raft of nation building
measures .. it's been suggested KEVIN RUDD could call an election for as early as September.

Parents .. working Australians and farmers affected by the drought are set to receive
up to 900 dollars in one-off cash payments .. beginning in March.

But Finance Minister LINDSAY TANNER's dismissed talk of an early poll .. saying the
government's focussed on guiding Australia through the global economic crisis.



Iraq US Probe (WASHINGTON)

Senior US military officers have reportedly become targets of a corruption probe ..

focused on a 125 billion US-dollar effort to rebuild Iraq following the 2003 invasion.

The New York Times reports investigators have subpoenaed the personal bank records
of retired Colonel ANTHONY BELL .. who was in charge of reconstruction contracting in
2003 and 2004.

According to the report .. investigators are also examining the activities of Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel RONALD HIRTLE .. a senior contracting officer in Baghdad in 2004.

Officials say several criminal cases over the past few years point to widespread corruption
in the operation the men helped run.



Church (BRISBANE)

A rebel Catholic priest has defended his Brisbane church's social activism .. telling
the congregations Jesus was also harshly criticised for unorthodox behaviour.

Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane JOHN BATHERSBY has terminated Father PETER KENNEDY's
appointment from next Saturday.

Father KENNEDY's attempting to appeal the sacking under the church's canon law.

He's been criticised for allowing women to preach in the church .. and for blessing
homosexual couples.

St Mary's church in South Brisbane was packed again this morning .. and the congregation
of around 600 loudly applauded the turbulent priest after his sermon.



Shark (SYDNEY)

The New South Wales government says there's no evidence of increased shark numbers
.. despite cleaner waterways around Sydney.

News Limited reports the state's fishermen are regularly hauling up to 100 sharks per
night .. but new quotas mean they'll be banned from hunting sharks until July.

A navy diver and a surfer are recovering in hospital from two separate shark attacks
last week in Sydney Harbour and at Bondi Beach last.

Deputy Premier CARMEL TEBBUTT says it's more likely that a ban on commercial fishing
in the harbour due to dioxin issues has led to sharks being attracted to the greater number
of fish.



Pregnancy (SYDNEY)

A new study's revealed for every baby that dies soon after birth in an Australian private
hospital .. three die in the public system.

The ANU's Medical School has examined almost 790 thousand births over four years.

It's found the neonatal death rate was one for every one thousand babies born in private
hospitals compared to three in one thousand for public hospitals.

The study's also found women who give birth in public hospitals are more than twice
as likely to suffer tearing .. or that their babies will need resuscitation.

Associate Professor STEVE ROBSON says he's shocked by the striking difference between
public and private systems.



Briefly in other news ..



Raft (BRISBANE)

Rescue teams have recovered the body of a man who drowned yesterday in a white water
rafting accident in far north Queensland.



Crossing (BRISBANE)

The Queensland government has launched a one million dollar community education campaign
to improve level crossing safety .. following two recent fatal accidents and a number
of near misses.



Ambulances (SYDNEY)

Five new mega-lift ambulances .. used to transport obese people to hospital .. are
about to be rolled out across New South Wales to meet a growing demand.



UK Goody (LONDON)

British reality TV star JADE GOODY says she plans to marry her boyfriend after being
told her cervical cancer is terminal and she has just months to live.



in Sport ..



Twenty Aust (SYDNEY)

With rain across Sydney for much of today .. the weather looks likely to be a factor
in tonight's Twenty20 match at the SCG.

Friday night's fifth one-day match at the Gabba was washed out .. drawing the Chappell-Hadlee
series two-all.

Australia's MICHAEL CLARKE and MITCHELL JOHNSON are being rested from tonight's 20-over
match .. with BRAD HADDIN to captain for the first time and Victorian ROB QUINEY added
to the squad.

The Kiwis also have injury concerns .. with KYLE MILLS ruled out and ROSS TAYLOR in doubt.



Cricket IPL (SYDNEY)

Queensland's LEE CARSELDINE and Victorian pair SHANE HARWOOD and ROB QUINEY have signed
for reigning Indian Premier League champions Rajasthan Royals.

The trio will link up with captain-coach SHANE WARNE and fellow Australians SHANE WATSON
and SHAUN TAIT.



Soccer AL AdUtd (ADELAIDE)

Adelaide United coach AURELIO VIDMAR has rushed to apologise for an extraordinary postmatch
tirade at his own club and city following the Reds' embarrassing A-League major semi-final
defeat yesterday.

VIDMAR labelled Adelaide a "piss-ant town" and blamed internal politics for messing
with his players' heads after Melbourne's crushing 4-0 second leg win.

A public apology was hastily issued .. with VIDMAR expressing regret for what he thought
were statements in the heat of the moment.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV tm

KEYWORD: EVENING ROUND-UP

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

Fed: Agency calls on employers to undertake pay audit

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2008
Fed: Agency calls on employers to undertake pay audit

A government agency has called on all employers to undertake an audit to determine
pay differences between men and women.

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency has made the call as part of
today's Equal Pay Day.

Today's been selected by the agency because it's 54 days since the end of the financial
year .. which represents the number of extra days women have to work each year to equal
the average male salary.

Agency director ANNA MCPHEE says employers can support the day by initiating a pay
audit and review of women's pay rates.

AAP RTV sld/rl/af/bart

KEYWORD: PAY (CANBERRA)

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

Qld: Police woman dies from gunshot wound

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2008
Qld: Police woman dies from gunshot wound

BRISBANE, April 22 AAP - A female police officer has died from a gunshot wound on Brisbane's
southside, the ABC reported.

MORE pjo/sp

KEYWORD: SHOT

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

NSW: Petrol price monitoring a win for families: Iemma

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2007
NSW: Petrol price monitoring a win for families: Iemma

New South Wales Premier MORRIS IEMMA says the federal government's commitment to give
the consumer watchdog permanent monitoring power over petrol prices is a win for families.

The ACCC's report on petrol pricing has been handed down today .. finding no obvious
evidence of price fixing in the unleaded petrol market.

But it's raised serious concerns about its operation.

Mr IEMMA says the petrol market requires constant monitoring.

The premier says the NSW government has long called on the federal government to adopt
these monitoring powers.

AAP RTV nr/was/tm/bart

KEYWORD: PETROL IEMMA (SYDNEY)

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

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 6

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2007
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 6

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard has played down a leaked Liberal party dossier
which shows that voters have lost faith in him, seeing him as old and dishonest. (Howard
Poll Lead)

Howard Poll Nightlead, Analysis to come



CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard today continued to point the finger of blame
at the Labor state governments should interest rates rise, a suggestion new Victorian
Premier John Brumby says is "a complete nonsense". (Economy Lead)

Economy Nightlead to come



SYDNEY - Housing affordability across Australia has plummeted in the past six years,
a new audit has found. (Housing)

Housing Nightlead to come



CANBERRA - Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough says anyone who criticises
the $500 million being spent on the federal government's intervention in indigenous communities
doesn't have a soul. (Indigenous Lead)

Indigenous Nightlead to come



CANBERRA - Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has accused Opposition Leader Kevin
Rudd of being a wimp for failing to take a position on the federal takeover of a Tasmanian
hospital. (States Hospitals Nightlead to come)



ADELAIDE - A truck driver has been taken to hospital with chest injuries after being
involved in a collision with The Ghan passenger train north of Adelaide. (Ghan Lead (pix
available))

Ghan Nightlead to come



MELBOURNE - The driver of a sedan that collided with a van in Victoria's north-west,
killing seven people including himself, had been smoking cannabis in the hour before the
crash, a court has been told. (Smash)

Smash Nightlead to come



SYDNEY - The younger brother of one of the Japanese sailors who died when their M24
midget submarine was lost off Sydney during World War II says he feels honoured to attend
today's memorial service. (Sub Lead (Pix to come))

Sub Nightlead to come



LAKE SAMSONVALE - Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett has urged Australians to lobby
their local politicians to combat climate change. (Climate Blanchett)

Climate Blanchett Nightlead to come



PERTH - US environmental campaigner Erin Brockovich has joined West Australian residents
to examine the merits of a court case against mining giant Alcoa. (Brockovich Lead)



MELBOURNE - BlueScope Steel Ltd has chosen an internal candidate as its next chief
executive, with chief financial officer Paul O'Malley set to take the top job at Australia's
biggest steelmaker. (BlueScope)

BlueScope Nightlead to come



MELBOURNE - A West Coast player publicly linked to suspicions of performance-enhancing
drug use will "leave no stone unturned" in pursuing legal action against those responsible
for naming him, his manager said today. (AFL Drugs Lead)

AFL Drugs Nightlead to come

MORE jlw

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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

NSW: More resources needed for end-of-life care, nurse says

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2007
NSW: More resources needed for end-of-life care, nurse says

SYDNEY, Feb 13 AAP - More resources must be put into the care of terminally ill patients
to ensure they get the best possible treatment, the NSW Palliative Care Council says.

The comments follow reports that the death of an elderly woman at a Sydney hospital
is being investigated as a possible mercy killing.

Police say they are looking into the death of a 97-year-old woman at St George Public
Hospital on January 30.

NSW Palliative Care Council president Peter Cleasby said the community needed to assess
whether those approaching the end of their life were getting appropriate care.

"Our society desperately needs to start having a discussion about quality of care because
I would be remiss if I didn't observe that there is definitely a need for more resources
to be put into end-of-life care," Mr Cleasby told ABC Radio.

"As a society we have to say: are all people who are approaching the end of life getting
the best possible access to care?"

Mr Cleasby said the role of palliative care was to provide a peaceful death and his
organisation did not condone so-called mercy killings.

"Palliative care does not go (there)," said Mr Cleasby, who is also a palliative care nurse.

"Euthanasia is against the law and Palliative Care believes that they can provide quality
comfort for people before the end of life and at the end of life period without unnecessarily
hastening death."

Mr Cleasby would not comment on the case being investigated at St George Public Hospital,
but said those working in health care should be given more information about caring for
people who are approaching death.

"Health professionals often find themselves feeling helpless in situations of end of
life and helpless in situations where, perhaps, people are not being given the symptom
management and the quality of care that they should have," Mr Cleasby said.

"A lot of our colleagues out there are doing their best but they don't necessarily
know or have access to some better ways of doing care in this situation.

"It can be very very stressful, but with good information, good support and good understanding
of what constitutes best practice in palliative care, I believe most people can achieve
a good outcome."

AAP acb/klw/imc/cdh

KEYWORD: MERCY PALLIATIVE

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

NSW: Increase in child protection reports 'tragic' - Meagher = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2006
NSW: Increase in child protection reports 'tragic' - Meagher = 2

Opposition spokeswoman for community services and youth affairs Gladys Berejiklian
said the government was revealing only half the details.

"What is most alarming about that figure is that the state government is only giving
us half the story," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

"How many of those reports are actually followed up?"

"How many of those reports are looked at in a timely fashion and what is the outcome?"

AAP dmc/srp/sd

KEYWORD: REPORTS 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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

Vic: Minister urged to act on police cells

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2006
Vic: Minister urged to act on police cells

MELBOURNE, April 20 AAP - The Victorian government must stop using police cells as
"mini prisons" by immediately changing their classification, a justice group has urged.

Father Peter Norden, of the Victorian Criminal Justice Coalition, said today the government
should move to end the practice now that it has opened a 600-bed remand centre in Melbourne's
outer west.

Police Minister Tim Holding opened the new Ravenhall centre on Tuesday saying it would
ease pressure on the state's police cells.

Mr Holding admitted some people were still spending far too long in police cells.

As of Monday, 116 people had been held in police cells for more than 10 days, according
to Victorian government figures, with 66 people in cells for more than 20 days.

Fr Norden said the classification of cells, including those beneath Melbourne Magistrates'
Court, should be changed to allow a maximum seven-day stay.

"Many of these police cells are used as mini-prisons and are currently gazetted to
hold inmates for up to 30 days," he said.

"This classification should be changed immediately," he said.

"This is a matter which I raised with the minister six months ago now and with the
new remand centre open it is time for him to act.

"I'm disappointed that the prisons minister has failed to do it despite the fact he's
been briefed and he's had the opportunity."

Victoria Ombudsman George Brouwer is expected to release soon a report to the parliament
about conditions in cells.

AAP kl/gfr/pe/de

KEYWORD: PRISON VIC

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

NSW: Blaze destroys furniture factory

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2005
NSW: Blaze destroys furniture factory

A blaze has destroyed a furniture factory in Sydney's inner west.

The NSW Fire Brigades says fire broke out in the Leichardt factory shortly after 5am
(AEST) and emergency crews battled for more than two hours to bring it under control.

About 15 residents were evacuated from nearby homes on and traffic is experiencing
major delays along Parramatta Road.

It's the second factory fire in a month on the busy highway.

About 100 firefighters battled a huge blaze at the Brescia Furniture factory at Ashfield
on March the 11th, which forced the evacuation of 200 people.

AAP RTV kjd/sco

KEYWORD: FURNITURE (SYDNEY)

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

Philips Turns to EmpireDRM to Protect Educational Videos; Medical Imaging Division Secures Access to Shared Digital Content With Dominion(TM) DRM Solutions Using Microsoft Windows Media DRM.

SAN DIEGO -- SAN DIEGO, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- EmpireDRM, a leading provider of Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions that enable the protection and control of digital media for enterprise and entertainment customers, has entered into an agreement with Philips Medical Systems to provide an additional layer of security for its internally shared product, training, and other informational videos. This internally shared information must be protected from unauthorized copy and distribution, and EmpireDRM offered a viable solution to meet that challenge.

Philips Medical Systems recently launched a program to distribute timely educational information to its internal employees via DVD or online via the Internet. This material is an essential part of Philips continuing educational efforts to keep its employees current on all new medical product and service offerings. The challenge is not only to protect today's intellectual content, but also to make provisions for securing future online or digitized distance learning and e-commerce programs. Philips Medical Systems is a global leader in the sharing of digital medical information for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment of illness.

EmpireDRM's modular software platform called Dominion(TM) offers a complete solution to help prevent the rampant piracy of content and provides a realistic billing solution that captures both user information and secure revenue. This modular software can quickly adapt to customer environments, integrate with multiple credit card processors, and offers an easy plug-in to existing content delivery or hosting providers' infrastructures. In addition, using Windows Media DRM, Dominion(TM) locks the digital audio and video content and limits access to those users who have acquired a proper license to play the content whether they get the license from a successful completion of a marketing form or a credit card enabled buy page.

"I needed a reliable solution to ensure an adequate level of access protection for our current and future Windows Media files, as well as to create specific user rules for digital video files," said Steve Cahill, TV Director for Philips Medical Systems headquarters Patient Monitoring division, in Andover, Mass. "EmpireDRM's Dominion(TM) solution allows Philips to protect each file for distribution and creates the flexibility to move that file to CD, DVD, or stream it on the Internet. Within 24 hours of contacting EmpireDRM, we had our first video file protected with Windows Media DRM."

"This is a great example of the growing importance of digital rights management for securing media for corporate communications and training," said Jonathan Usher, director of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft. "Windows Media 9 Series combined with EmpireDRM offers Philips and other companies peace of mind."

"Steve Cahill and Philips are visionaries in the sense that they recognize the tremendous potential of digitized content as a reliable and immediate educational tool," said John Couvrette, CEO of EmpireDRM. "We are currently working with numerous enterprise and entertainment customers to protect internal and external shared content for the purpose of education, sales, and market positioning. We look forward to supporting Philips with all of its Microsoft-based digital rights management needs."

About EmpireDRM

EmpireDRM is a leading provider of Digital Rights Management Solutions via Dominion(TM), a suite of tools designed to offer content creators a broader range of options to monetize and deliver their digital media assets. EmpireDRM allows control over content access, tracks user habits, and reduces the threat of theft and misuse. EmpireDRM's modular software can quickly adapt to customer environments, integrate with multiple credit card processors, and offers an easy plug-in to existing content delivery or hosting providers' infrastructures and will soon have the ability to provide DocumentDRM for any Microsoft Office document in the enterprise. EmpireDRM is based out of San Diego, CA. http://www.empiredrm.com/ .

About Philips Medical Systems

Philips Medical Systems delivers one of the world's most robust portfolios of medical systems for faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Philips Medical Systems is firmly established as the global leader in most of its markets. Philips' product line includes best-in-class technologies in X-ray, ultrasound, magnetic resonance, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, PET, radiation oncology systems, patient monitoring, information management and resuscitation products, as well as a range of services which include asset management, training and education, business consultancy, financial services and e-care business services. http://www.philips.com/ .

Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

For further information, please contact: Phil Bode of Integrated Communications Strategies (ICS), +1-512-461-6115, pwbode@centex.net, for EmpireDRM.

CONTACT: Phil Bode of Integrated Communications Strategies (ICS), +1-512-461-6115, pwbode@centex.net, for EmpireDRM

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

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

Motorola Wins China Mobile's GPRS Expansion Deal Includes Infrastructure Element From Alliance Partner Cisco Systems.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ --

Motorola, (NYSE: MOT), the world-leading provider of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) end-to-end solutions, today announced the signing of a contract with China Mobile Communications Corporation (China Mobile) to expand China Mobile's GPRS network. Motorola was chosen as one of the suppliers to China Mobile's GPRS network last year. The financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

The contract calls for the implementation of the Motorola Global Telecom Solution Sector's (GTSS)/Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) GPRS network solution in seven major Chinese provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangxi and Liaoning. The GPRS network infrastructure supplied by Motorola GTSS includes the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), supplied by the Motorola Computer Group, and the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) from Cisco Systems. The Motorola GPRS solution can be implemented over an existing GSM network, enabling operators to use their existing infrastructure.

The agreement also provides that Motorola will significantly upgrade China Mobile's existing GSM networks in the above seven regions plus 10 other provinces and special municipalities in the country through the provision of Packet Control Units (PCU) including system equipment and software upgrades. The expansion program, scheduled for completion by the end of the year, will increase the network capacity in the seven provinces and municipalities by up to 350,000 subscribers.

"Motorola has a long-term business relationship with China Mobile, and as the leading company in providing GPRS equipment, we can ensure a quick and quality implementation of GPRS network infrastructure," said Ruey Bin Kao, Motorola vice president and general manager of the China Telecom Carrier Solutions Group.

"With GPRS, subscribers in these regions will be able to access high speed mobile data services and obtain Internet based content and services via their mobile phones. It will help to further simplify the way we communicate, and works as a key step in the smooth evolution of GSM networks to 3G capabilities," he said.

Kao said Motorola is also supporting rapid development of local third party applications and the China mobile Internet market through its newly established Invisix(TM) Beijing Center of Excellence. The Center, jointly owned by Motorola and Cisco Systems, drives the integration of innovative applications for high-speed data networks such as GPRS.

Motorola launched its first Chinese-language GPRS handset, the A6288, for the China market earlier this year. The A6288, known as A008 in other markets, is being manufactured in Motorola's factory in Tianjin, China. It offers unique functions including POP3 e-mail, Java(TM) 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME(TM)), group short messaging and instant messaging. Following introduction of the A6288, Motorola launched two additional GPRS enabled handsets, the V60 and V66, in early August.

China Mobile, the leading China's mobile operator, is accelerating deployment of its nationwide GPRS network to meet demand of quality mobile Internet services in the fast-growing Chinese mobile market. According to the Chinese government, the number of mobile phone users in China reached 120.6 million by the end of July, making China the biggest mobile subscriber market in the world.

About China Mobile

China Mobile is a state-owned enterprise established after the reorganization of China's telecommunications industry last year. Its major businesses include mobile voice, data, Internet protocol (IP) telephony, and multimedia services. China Mobile, the largest GSM operator in China with a GSM network that offers national coverage to more than 92 million subscribers, has roaming agreements with 108 operators in 59 countries. For more information on China Mobile, please visit http://www.chinamobile.com/.

About the Motorola/Cisco Strategic Alliance

Through a combination of Motorola wireless technologies and Cisco Internet technologies, the Motorola and Cisco strategic alliance is delivering end-to- end solutions for wireless Internet access and voice, data and video services on mobile networks. Its GPRS systems are in commercial use with operators worldwide and are providing a critical path to third-generation (3G) mobile communications. Through Invisix(TM) mobile operators are able to integrate feature-rich, third party applications and evaluate these revenue-generating opportunities for their networks at Invisix Centres of Excellence worldwide.

About Motorola

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2000 were $37.6 billion. For more information about Motorola, please visit the web site at http://www.motorola.com/. For more information on Motorola's GPRS solution, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/aspira/GPRS.htm .

MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo and all other trademarks indicated as such herein are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. (R)Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.

American Shared Hospital Services Schedules Conference Call About Third Quarter 2000 Earnings.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 12, 2000

American Shared Hospital Services (AMEX:AMS) (PCX:AMS) will host a telephone conference call on Thursday, October 19, 2000 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (12:00 noon Pacific time). American Shared is the world leader in providing Gamma Knife radiosurgery services.

During the call, Management will discuss the Company's financial results for third quarter 2000. The Company expects to issue a Press Release on Business Wire regarding the earnings the morning of Thursday, October 19.

Those interested can participate in the conference call either by telephone, which will permit listeners to ask questions, or at a listen-only Internet website.

To participate by telephone (with the ability to ask questions), call 888/868-9078, ten (10) minutes prior to the scheduled call time. (International callers dial 973/628-6885). Tell the operator that you wish to participate in the American Shared conference call. You will be placed on hold until the call begins.

The conference call will also be available over the Internet through Investor Broadcast Network's Vcall website located at www.vcall.com. To listen on the Internet, go to Vcall's website at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled call time to register, download, and install any necessary software.

Those unable to hear the conference call at the scheduled time can hear a replay of the call, beginning a few hours after it ends. To hear the replay on the Internet go to Vcall's website at www.vcall.com. To access the replay by telephone, call 877/375-5156 (international callers dial 402/220-2669).

About the Gamma Knife

The Gamma Knife is a stereotactic radiosurgical device manufactured by Elekta AB of Sweden (Stockholm Stock Exchange:EKTA). The Gamma Knife treats certain brain tumors, vascular malformations and Trigeminal Neuralgia (facial pain) without invasive surgery. It uses three dimensional computer modeling to target a high dose of radiation at abnormal tissue. More than 135,000 patients worldwide already have been treated with Gamma Knife units.

About American Shared Hospital Services

American Shared Hospital Services is a medical services company with interests in radiosurgery services (through its 81% interest in GK Financing, LLC), Internet-based information services (MedLeader.com), and its program for The Operating Room for the 21st Centurysm. Headquarters are in San Francisco.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and future plans of American Shared Hospital Services, which involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks of Internet-based information business, and the risks of the Gamma Knife business. Further information on potential factors that could affect the financial condition, results of operations and future plans of American Shared Hospital Services is included in the filings of the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999, and its definitive Proxy Statement dated April 20, 2000 for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 19, 2000, and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31 and June 30, 2000.

San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Silicon Street Column.

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Nov. 4--ORACLE TRIES A FOURTH DIMENSION: In the beginning, Lawrence J. Ellison created Oracle Corp.'s (Nasdaq, ORCL) database business, and it was good.

But when that product line faltered, Ellison brought in Booze Allen & Hamilton consultant Raymond L. Lane, who boosted the company's fledgling consulting practice and helped develop a still burgeoning software applications business.

Now, as Chairman and CEO Ellison hones his message of network computing and a former rival (Sybase ex-CEO Mitchell Kertzman) joins Oracle's would-be Internet software spin-off, Network Computer Inc., President and Chief Operating Officer Lane is spearheading what Oracle hopes will be a fourth pillar to its slowing businesses. Oracle is developing a unit that will provide, for a fee, online management of functions like financial reporting and human resources for customers who currently buy its applications.

The project is known in industry jargon as a "service bureau." It still is in the pilot stage, and although Oracle plans to launch it formally next year it shouldn't be a meaningful contributor to the company's revenue until after the turn of the century.

Investors should care, however, because its very existence suggests Oracle has a long-term growth plan that goes beyond jawboning Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq, MSFT) and butting heads with similarly flailing enterprise software makers like PeopleSoft Inc. (Nasdaq, PSFT) and Baan Cos. (Nasdaq, BAANF).

"We're pretty bullish on it," Lane told a gathering of tech-industry CEOs in La Jolla earlier in the week. "We think it's the next big thing."

The notion is something of a big deal almost because Lane says so. He won't disclose how much Oracle is spending to develop the new business or what the revenue targets are. He notes only that industry analyst Forrester Research Inc. believes such a niche for network management of applications services will generate $6 billion of revenues by 2001. He doesn't endorse Forrester's assessment of the market size but suggests there will be revenues aplenty for Oracle.

And Oracle will need them. The company's database business is hugely successful but mature. According to Lane, there is only one Fortune 100 industrial company (he can't recall the name) that is not an Oracle database customer. More, Oracle's stock is stuck. It has traded between about $20 and $30 for all of 1998, after briefly topping $40 last year.

Lane notes that America Online Inc. (NYSE, AOL) has a market value of $29 billion, an amount equal to about 210 times its trailing earnings. In comparison, Oracle's capitalization is about the same but its valuation is only 30 times earnings.

Says Lane: "If they can create that kind of market cap dealing in the consumer market, imagine what someone could do in the business market," which is far bigger.

A word of caution. Oracle's plan carries a high degree of danger. If it works, it implicitly siphons off some of its existing business by giving customers an easier way to gain access to its products.

In other words, subscribing to an Oracle-managed network for salesforce automation, for example, obviates the need for a company to purchase and implement Oracle's application in that field. Oracle still gets the revenue, but it changes the entire way its highly motivated salesforce completes deals.

Still, the history of Silicon Valley suggests that companies trying to stay one step ahead of their industries are more likely to succeed than those who play defense.

Concludes Lane: "It may be the last change our industry ever sees."

THE NEXT AMAZON? It's got the name, it's got the backers and it's got the market. It's even on the verge of having the hype. Meet the next start-up that will generate "e-excitement" if it tries next year to go public: eToys Inc.

The Santa Monica company just passed its first birthday, but already boasts a toy inventory larger than "off-line" retailer Toys R Us Inc. (NYSE, TOY). It's funded by a unit of Intel Corp. (Nasdaq, INTC) and Sequoia Capital, which is best known for its early bets on Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq, CSCO) and Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq, YHOO).

But what really promises to make eToys a roaring success with investors is that it's got a cool story everyone who's ever bought a toy can understand.

eToys CEO Toby Lenk, an ex-Walt Disney Co. (NYSE, DIS) executive, enumerates the litany of reasons "toy stores stink." Bringing kids there is problematic, customer service and product information are scarce, stores are not well-organized by age, and selection is spotty and unreliable.

Lenk suggests these last problems aren't acceptable and conveys this message in language high-tech CEOs at Red Herring magazine's "NDA '98" conference understand well. When shopping for a child's birthday present, for example, "This is a mission-critical deadline."

Lenk has "no comment" on rumors Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq, AMZN) already has offered to buy eToys. He's also mum on revenues for the young company though he readily admits it is losing money as it spends heavily to build its brand.

If its first nationally broadcast television ad is any indication, however, eToys is spending its money well. The spot features a combat-fatigued mom (85 percent of eToys' customers are women) negotiating the war zone of a toy store. After suffering repeated indignities, she declares: "I love the smell of Play-Doh in the morning."

Said one bigwig who watched the spot, noting the crowd's roar at the tag line: "They could GO public on the Play-Doh line alone."

IPO CANDOR ALERT: There are rare moments when the habitually guarded -- like investment bankers -- speak candidly about the stock market. These are the moments to pay attention.

Paul F. Deninger, chairman and CEO of the Fort Lee, N.J.-based investment bank Broadview Associates LLC, notes that of 803 technology-oriented U.S. initial public offerings since 1992, 58 percent are trading below the levels at which the companies offered shares to the public. Forty-five percent of those drifted below that mark of shame within a year, he says.

Rather than invest in IPOs, "you might as well put your money in a mattress," he concludes.

If the subject is most IPOs, Deninger is right, of course, though his assertion is sort of like a fraternity brother reciting aloud the house's secret password.

It pays to understand Deninger's bias. His firm doesn't compete head-on for underwriting IPOs with so-called bulge-bracket investment banks like Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Inc. or tech-focused boutiques like Hambrecht & Quist LLC. Instead, it earns its keep by advising on mergers. Hence his willingness to derogate IPOs.

Self-serving or not, Deninger's analysis is correct. It's important for investors in new issues to understand who are the certain winners, no matter what the post-IPO performance: the bankers, lawyers, venture capitalists and company insiders who will get theirs as long as the deal is successful at the outset.

Contact Adam Lashinsky at the San Jose Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95190, or siliconstreet(at)sjmercury.com or 408-271-3782

Visit Mercury Center, the World Wide Web site of the San Jose Mercury News, at http://www.sjmercury.com

The Obama Haters.(Book review)

John Wright (author); THE OBAMA HATERS; Potomac Books (Nonfiction: Political Science) $24.95 ISBN: 9781597975124

Byline: Karl Helicher

Among the far right are media personalities, politicians, and denizens of the blogosphere who spew anti-Obama venom that stirs their followers to such a fevered pitch that three preachers prayed publicly for Obama's death, notes longtime journalist John Wright. The author retaliates in his own scathing attack of the anti-Obama far right in a book that names names. Wright has worked for the Associated Press, Dow Jones Newswires as Bureau Chief for Brazil, and Knight Ridder Financial News; he is currently editor of Latin American News for Energy News Today.

Wright says his experience in Latin America during an era in which dictators killed their opponents has given him contempt for ideologues. His book divulges who has created the biggest lies about Obama and how their messages are spread in books, websites, and emails. Coverage includes the birth myth, Obama as Muslim, Obama's relationships with Reverend Jeremiah Wright and sixties radical William Ayers, and Obama as a communist, fascist, and/or socialist -- take your pick.

The author tells of his own experiment to show how quickly unsubstantiated rumors fly over the Internet. One day after Wright posted a false entry on his blog about Obama's mother-in-law practicing voodoo in the White House, it was mentioned in the online editions of USA Today and the Boston Globe. Conservatives described as leaders of the far right anti-Obama movement include Dick Cheney, Ann Coulter, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Fox News, "a free infomercial for the hatemongering right wing cult." Conversely, Wright commends Republicans Colin Powell, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, and Tom Ridge, President George W. Bush's director of Homeland Security, for criticizing Obama without indulging in character assassination.

Wright's narrative will interest primarily the far right's opposite -- the far left -- but the writing is unfortunately diminished by his many vitriolic descriptions of the Obama haters: "the sludge of the IQ barrel" is only one example of many such labels found throughout. Wright demonstrates the power of the Internet in mobilizing political forces, and how a lack of civility, including his own, has come to characterize political differences.

SENATORS REINTRODUCE INTERNET CENSORSHIP BILL UNDER NEW NAME.

WASHINGTON -- The following information was released by the Computer and Communications Industry Association:

Senators Leahy, Hatch and Grassley are reintroducing legislation, which will impose a mandate on additional industries to enforce copyright laws. Instead of COICA, the new acronym appears to sound less controversial - PROTECT IP.

Like COICA, the new legislation would have the Attorney General serve court orders demanding credit card companies, ad networks and domain name servers stop doing business with sites that the US Government identifies as dedicated to copyright infringement. The new bill would also lean on search engines to eliminate allegedly offending sites from search results.

Another new feature is that the plaintiff complaining of infringement would be able to get a court order themselves to demand other businesses help shut down sites where people can illegally obtain material like copyrighted music, movies and software.

The Computer and Communications Industry Association, which is dedicated to fighting Internet filtering and censorship overseas and in the United States as well as using reasonable means to protect intellectual property, said the new legislation would be more aptly named the Internet Censorship and Control Act. The following can be attributed to CCIA President and CEO Ed Black:

"The United States Government should not be in the business of choosing what Internet content is acceptable and censoring that which it deems is not. Meddling with Internet architecture to disappear sites and even hyperlinks to those sites is an Orwellian approach to law enforcement. The solution to violations of intellectual property law is to enforce the law, not to engage in dangerous and fruitless efforts to sanitize the Internet."

"CCIA represents companies that are intellectual property rightsholders as well as companies that would be co-opted into law enforcement duties under this measure. So while we support rightsholders and content providers making a fair profit, we can't support Draconian measures that would break the Internet - especially when there are so many existing remedies to get infringing removed from the Internet.

"While we understand senators are trying to deliver results that big content providers lobbied hard for, this legislation will do little to really solve copyright infringement. This directive may look different than Egypt or China's Internet filtering and censorship. But technologically speaking shutting down parts of the Internet, even for a seemingly good reason, is still censorship - no matter what new name you give it. This bill would send a signal to Internet restricting countries that they can make similar demands and use similar tools - only for more sinister reasons.

"Another dangerous precedent is the way the bill encourages credit card companies, search engines and other intermediaries to voluntarily take possibly capricious action ahead of a court order -- and they would receive immunity if it turns out later that the domain in question was not doing anything wrong.

"We must also discourage attempts to deputize online intermediaries into law enforcement. If the United States cannot defend and maintain a free and open Internet, we cannot expect that any other nation will do so. Proposals to require Internet communication services to block domains or censor search results ahead of any sort of due process in court set a dangerous precedent here and a risky model for Internet governance abroad."

Love child's inheritance is 'bootiful' MONEY.(News)

Byline: MATT ROPER

BERNARD Matthews left most of his pounds 40.5million estate to his Dutch love child, his only blood heir, it emerged yesterday.

The turkey tycoon owned a 39% stake in Bernard Matthews Holdings Ltd when he died at the age of 80 last November.

In his will, which was published yesterday, he left 38% of the company to his son Frederick Elgershuizen, 29, who was born following an affair.

Frederick is now a larger share holder than Matthews' widow and childhood sweetheart, Joyce, 82, who owns 32%, and their three adopted children, Kathleen, Jason and Victoria.

Joyce, who Matthews married in 1953, helped build the business from its humble beginnings at Norfolk country house Great Witchingham Hall.

They separated in 1975 when Matthews began an eight-year relationship with Dutch aristocrat Cornelia Elgershuizen.

She gave birth to Frederick, who now lives in Holland and works as an internet entrepreneur.

In a company statement, Noel Bartram, Bernard Matthews' chief executive, said: "The company continues to be a family owned business, managed by its board in the interest of all the shareholders."

Matthews left the other 1% share in the firm to his former assistant Carolyn Claussen. He also left pounds 1million to his long-term partner Odile Marteyn.

The Bernard Matthews brand became a household name, with the catchphrase "bootiful" on adverts.

CAPTION(S):

WILL Bernard Matthews

Avoid cyberspace rip-offs. (political campaigns through the Internet)

Hints on what to look for when hiring Internet consultants so your campaign gets the most out of this powerful new communication medium

Just look at the facts: Over 60 million Americans have Internet access. According to the Graphic, Visualization & Usability Center's (GVU) 7th User Survey, 83 percent of Internet users are registered to vote and of those registered, 55 percent voted in the 1996 general election.

There's more:

* 1996 election exit polling suggests that more than a quarter of all voters are online and about 10 percent made their voting decisions based upon information collected primarily from the Internet.

* Both the Clinton and Dole presidential campaigns reported that nearly one-third of their volunteers had gotten involved in the campaign via the Internet (website or email).

No, the Internet is not going to replace TV of radio. But '98 is the year when politics will come to terms with the fact that this is not a fad, but a highly effective way to communicate with the masses. Candidates and their staffs will discover that the Internet is an effective medium, just like radio, television and mail. In fact, it has the potential to become the most effective medium for reaching voters because of its unique interactive qualities.

This year, the Internet will take its rightful place in the campaign media mix.

But how will campaigns employ this medium? How are they going to use this medium to deliver their message, mobilize the mass and get out the vote? How will they integrate the Internet into their media mix to maximize this resource?

Contrary to the practices of '96, the answer is not going to your local Internet service provider and asking them to "set you up." Nor is the answer going to a local web development firm (albeit a professional firm with a portfolio full of Commercial sites or some college kids who dabble in HTML between classes).

If you're running a campaign or a political committee, here is what to look for when identifying an Internet consultant for your team:

* Find a consultant or firm with political campaign experience. They need to bring both technical and political experience to the table. If you end up trying to teach them how a campaign works, your site development will be a protracted and painful experience. Ultimately, your Internet campaign will prove to be ineffective at best and an incredible drain on your valuable resources at worst.

* You need a firm that is fluent in the advanced programming and systems aspects of the Web, but more importantly, understands how to put the Internet to work. You need someone who knows how to generate traffic to a political website.

* Your team needs to be familiar with how to set up secured websites so that sensitive transactions (like fundraising) can be conducted over the Internet with confidence and confidentiality. They need to understand security issues, and should be able to advise you on how best to protect your server from hackers and how to employ encrypted e-mail for sensitive campaign communications.

* They need to have an adequate staff of programmers and designers. Come October, you're going to be in full combat mode and so should the team maintaining your site. If all their political client websites need updating at once, something is going to give if they are understaffed.

* Look for a consultant who understands political databases and their applications. The true future of Internet politics lies in developing lists online from data collected from website visitors. These databases can be dropped into word processors (for mail merges), spreadsheets or your e-mail phone-book for mailing "action alerts" or political updates. Likewise, this data could easily be rolled into your prospect mailing lists, too.

* Look for a consultant of the same party as you. Just like any other political business, you don't want to be sleeping with the enemy. Your Internet consultant is not some computer nerd you relegate to the sidelines. To fully integrate this medium into your strategy, he or she needs to have a seat at the table in your strategy meetings. For instance, let's say it's three weeks before the election and you're ready to go on the air in a few days. Your Internet consultant needs a copy of the ad to convert it for use on your website as the ad hits the air. Would you really trust your un-released ad to someone who doesn't vote the same as you? Worse yet, someone who has clients on both sides of the aisle?

When selecting your Internet consultant:

* Look at their portfolio: How many websites have they developed? Take a look at their work. Are their websites easy to navigate and visually engaging? Most importantly, look at the content and functionality of their websites. Remember the web is much more than pretty pictures.

* Check their references. Talk to their other clients.

* Find out how they plan to integrate the Internet into your campaign operations. How will they employ the Internet to make it a political tool that complements your election efforts? After all, you're looking for more than a really cool website. You need a political tool that will help make your campaign more effective. Otherwise, you're wasting your money.

* Be sure to understand all the fees that will be associated with the development and maintenance of your website and other Internet services. Find out what is included in standard "development fees" and what is extra.

You need to understand what your ongoing costs are going to be. If your site is to be effective, it will need to be updated frequently, and this means high maintenance.

* Make sure the firm is properly staffed and can handle your maintenance needs in a timely manner throughout the election cycle. Beware of the two guys with a computer operating out of the basement of their house.

Similarly, you want to steer clear of college students who are developing websites between their classes and studies. In fact, for maintenance purposes, you need to ask your developer what their ratio of personnel to political websites is. You want to avoid having a firm where its programmers are torn between the immediate needs of their political clients in the crunch time that follows Labor Day.

* Enter a contract with your Internet consultant just as you would any other campaign adviser. Be sure it includes a 30-day escape clause. And just like when you sign with a fundraising or direct mail consultant, you need to have language making it clear that you own the list of people who contact your campaign or committee via the Internet and that they have no rights to use or sell your list for any other purposes.

* Beware of web developers bearing unbelievably great deals. I don't know which old adage is more appropriate: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" or "You get what you pay for." Make sure you have all the facts before entering a contract with anyone.

Throughout the development process, be mindful that your website should be more than an online brochure - you need a functional political tool. Yes, your website needs to be graphically appealing and contextually engaging, but it is also going to be a vehicle for disseminating and collecting highly valuable voter information.

Keep in mind that your website is targeting at least three specific audiences:

First, the general public. By providing timely information on the key issues of the day, your website will serve as a distribution point for your campaign's message. The site will also be employed to refute the misinformation disseminated by your opponents.

Second, the news media. By providing a clearinghouse of information for the press, your website enables reporters to access the latest news releases and "rapid response" statements. The objective is to train the media to rely on your site for critical information.

The final and most important audience is your own campaign team. Your website should be a prime vehicle for providing timely information, not only to your field operatives, but to your political coordinators and volunteers. Some of this information will be provided via the public aspects of the website, but most of the insider "organizational" information will be distributed via secured applications.

Utilizing secured webservers that encrypt all communications between the user's keyboard and the server, your political coordinators in the cities and counties of your state or district can be briefed on breaking news and provided the latest strategic information.

In this day and age, you cannot swing a dead cat without hitting a self-proclaimed "web developer." Hopefully, these tips will help you pick the right player for your team.

Some may argue that there are no vendors that fit all the criteria put forth. This is not true: there are many on both sides of the aisle. And like the Internet itself, expect that there will be many more by the 2000 election cycle.

From this point forward, as you plan your kitchen cabinet and begin selecting your consultants, tell your general consultant and pollster to scoot a little to the side. Tell your media, fundraising and direct mail consultants to make a hole - and make it wide. It's time to make room at the table for the Internet consultant.

Mike Connell is president of New Media Communications, based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Digital Frames Get Touchy At CES.

By Greg Scoblete

LAS VEGAS - A number of new digital frames introduced at International CES will feature touch-screen interfaces as well as dual-use capability to double as message boards, alarm clocks or even a wrist watch.

Audiovox will introduce the Digital Message Board (DPF711K) which combines a 7-inch digital photo frame with a white board, memo pad, magnetic board and digital camera/microphone for leaving video messages on the frame.

The Digital Message Board will include hardware for mounting to a fridge, wall or countertop. It will feature a 480 by 234 pixel display resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio, card slots for the popular flash memory formats and 512MB of internal memory. The frame can display a calendar and digital clock and offers a removable acrylic front cover. It will retail for a suggested $199.

Ceiva will introduce four new frames, including the 19-inch, wireless enabled Pro 190. The wall-mountable frame features an 800 by 600 display and can connect to Ceiva's subscription based online photo-sharing service and home networks. Pricing was not announced. Similar functionality will be available in the 8-inch Pro 800 model, which also includes interchangeable face lates and will retail for a suggested $229.

A Life model sports an 8-inch display, card reader and can connect to the Ceiva service through a phone line or optional broadband and wireless adapters. It will retail for a suggested $179. The Ceiva Share will lose the compatibility with optional adapters and retail for $149.

Coby will introduce a 2.4-inch portable photo album - the DP-240. The unit features internal memory, an SD card slot, rechargeable battery and a USB slot for PC connectivity. It will also be available in a 3.5-inch screen size (DP-350).

The DP-352 is a 3.5-inch model with slots for SD and Memory Stick flash memory cards. It ships with two interchangeable acrylic frames.

Digital Foci will introduce a 15-inch model of its Image Moments frame. The 1024 by 768 display offers a 700:1 contrast ratio and built-in file management features.

The frame also features built-in speakers, an A/V out, 256MB of internal memory, card slots for the popular flash memory formats as well as the ability to display images from both the internal memory and a memory card concurrently. Photos are automatically rotated for proper alignment with the frame.

In addition to JPEGs, the frame can display RAW image files from d-SLRs, playback MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG and WAV audio files and Motion JPEG and MPEG-4 video files. It will retail for a suggested $399.

The firm will also introduce a new model to its Pocket Album line of portable image displays. The PAD-280 features a 2.8-inch, 320 by 240 OLED display with 128MB of internal memory. It will retail for $99.

Kodak will add a Picture Mail feature to its Wi-Fi frames. When new photos are posted to a connected Gallery account, a message will appear on the frame's screen giving them the option to view the new images.

Genuis will introduce the 10.4-inch DPF-A02 Crystal frame ($249). It features a 4:3 aspect ratio and the ability to display up to four images on the screen at once. Additional features include a programmable on/off mode, MP3 and AVI playback, USB host/slave ports, 128MB of internal memory and an automatic resizing button for transferring files from digital memory cards onto internal memory.

Fidelity will introduce its first Wi Fi-enabled digital frames under the new Shogo brand. The high end line will consist of six models featuring 8 and 10.4-inch screen sizes with a resolution of 800 by 600 pixels. Four models in the line will offer touch-screen user interfaces.

All the new Shogo frames will feature rechargeable batteries, memory capacities up to 2GB, Wi Fi and Ethernet connectivity, automatic image rotation, interchangeable mattes, RF remotes, and built-in speakers.

The frames will be capable of viewing Internet photos, weather forecasts, and stream Internet radio through Fidelity's new MyShogo.com Web portable. The frame's software and firmware can be automatically updated, it features PictBridge for connecting to a printer and a clock/calendar function.

The SG-010, in black, sports a 10.4-inch touch screen and 2GB of internal memory for a suggested $399 (also available in white - SG-011). An 8-inch model with touch screen and 1GB of internal memory will retail for $349 and also be available in black (SG-080) and white (SG-081).

The models without touch screens will include the SG-080A (black) and 081A (white). They will feature 512MB of internal memory and retail for a suggested $299.

Media Street will launch three new eMotion photo frames at the show. The top of the line model will be a 15-inch Thomas F. McKnight Edition and will include images from the painter pre-loaded onto the frame.

The company will also introduce a "digital photo frame watch" which will display the time, personal photos and a calendar on its 1.5-inch display. It offers an 8 to 10 hour rechargeable battery.

The 3.5-inch Personal Photo Edition is a touch screen viewer with a leather cover that opens to activate the frame and serve as a stand. Pricing was not available at press time.

Mustek will ship a frame with an Apple iPod dock to dealers in the first quarter. The PF-i700 sports a 7-inch screen that can display files stored on a docked iPod or memory cards. It offers built-in speakers, a 480 by 234 resolution, 16:9 screen and will retail for suggested $129.

Philips will expand its line of frames to include 6-, 7- and 8-inch screen sizes. The frames will feature new RadiantColor technology, which the company says will extend images to the edge of the display without distorting the image. The new models will also offer programmable on/off times. More details will be released during the show.

Polaroid will hop on the Wi-Fi wagon with the new Freescape 10.2-inch digital frame. The unit can play back video and digital audio files from memory cards or home networks. The frame features an 800 by 400 resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. It will bundle a remote control. Pricing was not announced.

Sungale will offer an 8-inch, touch screen model - the JA8FTP - with 512MB of internal memory and an 800 by 600 display. The unit will retail for a suggested $269

The company will also launch a Wi Fi-enabled frame (AW8F-WF) with an 800 by 600 8-inch display, 512MB of internal memory and the ability to interface with Flickr and Picassa. It will carry a $249 suggested retail price.

Westinghouse Digital will up its top screen size to 15.6-inches. Units will also be available in 14.2, 10.2, 9, 8 and 7-inch sizes. All the frames will offer 256MB of built-in memory and come with a remote control. They will support AVI, MPEG-1/4 video playback and feature built-in speakers and the firm's MosaicView technology for viewing multiple images on the screen simultaneously,

The company will also launch LCD alarm clock/digital photo frame, the ACP-0730. The unit can broadcast a video or audio greeting as the alarm. The frame features a 16:9 aspect ratio, 256MB of internal memory and an 800 by 400 resolution display, 256MB of built-in memory and built-in stereo speakers. It also has a Lithium ion rechargeable battery for power backup and portable photo viewing.

The 15.6-inch DPF-1561 has a 1366 by 768 resolution, 16:9 display. It will ship in June. Pricing was not announced. The 14.1-inch DPF-1412 features a 1280 by 800, 16:10 aspect ratio display and ships in June for $299. The 10-inch DPF-1022 (April, $199) has a 1024 by 600 resolution display and 15:9 aspect ratio.

The DPF-0901 (April, $149) sports a 9-inch, 640 by 234 resolution, 16:9 display while the 8-inch DPF-0803 will be the only 4:3 aspect ratio frame with an 800 by 600 resolution. Lastly, the 7-inch DPG-0703 (April, $99) sports a 16:9 ratio display with a 480 by 234 resolution.

Xias will ship a pair of Wi Fi frames with 8 and 10-inch screen sizes. The 10-inch PF-1021WF will ship in the first quarter and feature an 800 by 400 pixel resolution screen, slots for the popular flash memory formats, MP3 audio and MPEG-4 video playback, and the ability to display 12 images on the screen simultaneously. The same feature set will also be available on the 8-inch PF-821. Retail price was not set at press time.