VH1 and VH1.com Announce Finalists for 'My VH1 Music Awards,' The First Interactive Music Awards Show

Creed Leads All Finalists With 8 Nominations Followed by Red Hot Chili Peppers With 7, and Faith Hill With 5 Beginning Today, Fans Can Vote for Finalists Exclusively on VH1.com NEW YORK, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- VH1 and VH1.com today unveiled the finalists for the "My VH1 Music Awards," the first-ever fully interactive music awards show, which will air live on VH1, November 30th at 9:00 PM (ET) from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Creed leads all finalists with eight nominations, Red Hot Chili Peppers were nominated seven times, and Faith Hill picked up five nominations. Music fans are the driving force behind the creation of the "My VH1 Music Awards." Fans suggested the categories, picked the finalists in each category, and can now vote for the winners up until the last moment. Fans will get the chance to interact directly with the awards show through the Web by submitting email questions to the winners, which will be answered in the pressroom and Web cast live on VH1.com.

 While the show is airing live on VH1, fans can expand their viewing experience by checking out the show's hot spots through strategically placed Web-cams on the red carpet, podium, press room and control room. They can also flip through a real-time photo gallery, which will be continuously updated throughout the show. The final "My VH1 Music Awards" categories were selected by more than one million fans through VH1.com, and include such unique fan-suggested categories as "Most Entertaining Public Feud" and "Your Song Kicked A** But Was Played Too Damn Much" as well as the standards like "Song of the Year" and "Woman of the Year." Starting today fans can preview the finalists online with select audio and video clips and vote for the winner in each category exclusively on VH1.com. Voting will continue right up to the moment that the awards are presented live on November 30. Log on to VH1.com for more information and tune in to VH1 at Work Internet radio the week of November 27th for interviews with the performers and producers to get a first hand account of how the show is shaping up. "My VH1 Music Awards" will feature performances from some of the biggest artists in music. The host and musical guests for "My VH1 Music Awards" will be announced at a later date. "My VH1 Music Awards" is sponsored online by Toyota, Verizon and Feria by L'Oreal Paris. On-air sponsors include Toyota, 1 800 Call ATT for collect calls, Yahoo!, Canada Dry, Circuit City, L'Oreal, Intel, MasterCard, and TiVO. VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc.

MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide. VH1.com is a unit of the MTVi Group, the world's leading online music entertainment company featuring a comprehensive collection of music destinations on the Internet including MTV.com, VH1.com, and sonicnet.com. MTVi is a unit of MTV Networks, which is owned by Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

Headquartered in downtown New York, MTVi has satellite offices in San Francisco, Miami, and London. Liberty Digital (Nasdaq: LDIG) holds a minority stake in MTVi. For more information on MTVi, please visit the MTVi corporate Web site (http://www.mtvi.com). The inaugural "My VH1 Music Awards" finalists as selected by music fans around the world are: MUST-HAVE ALBUM Christina Aguilera - "Christina Aguilera" Creed - "Human Clay" Faith Hill - "Breathe" matchbox twenty - "Mad Season" Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Californication" YOUR SONG KICKED A** BUT WAS PLAYED TOO DAMN MUCH Creed - "Higher" Macy Gray - "I Try" Nine Days - "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" Santana - "Smooth" Vertical Horizon - "Everything You Want" SONG OF THE YEAR Creed - "Higher" Faith Hill - "Breathe" matchbox twenty - "Bent" Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Otherside" Vertical Horizon - "Everything You Want" MAN OF THE YEAR Enrique Iglesias Lenny Kravitz Ricky Martin Carlos Santana Sting WOMAN OF THE YEAR Christina Aguilera Faith Hill Janet Jackson Jennifer Lopez Madonna GROUP OF THE YEAR Bon Jovi Creed Destiny's Child *NSYNC Red Hot Chili Peppers MOST ENTERTAINING PUBLIC FEUD Diana Ross Vs. The Real Supremes Eminem Vs. Everyone Metallica Vs. Napster *NSYNC Vs. Lou Pearlman Whitney Houston Vs. Honolulu Airport Security BEST LIVE ACT Creed Dave Matthews Band Kid Rock No Doubt Red Hot Chili Peppers BEST STAGE SPECTACLE Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony Ricky Martin *NSYNC Red Hot Chili Peppers Britney Spears WELCOME TO THE BIG TIME! 3 Doors Down Christina Aguilera Creed Destiny's Child Vertical Horizon BEST-KEPT SECRET The Corrs Dido David Gray Lucy Pearl Aimee Mann SEXXXIEST VIDEO D'Angelo - "Untitled" Faith Hill - "Breathe" Enrique Iglesias- "Be With You" Jennifer Lopez - "Waiting For Tonight" Sisqo - "Thong Song" VIDEO OF THE YEAR Bon Jovi - "It's My Life" Creed - "Higher" Foo Fighters - "Learn to Fly" Madonna -"Music" Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Otherside" PUSHING THE ENVELOPE VIDEO Foo Fighters - "Next Year" Madonna - "Music" Metallica - "I Disappear" Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Californication" Stone Temple Pilots - "Sour Girl" COOLEST FAN WEB SITE Backstreet Boys Barenaked Ladies Dave Matthews Band Eminem Madonna BOOTY SHAKE Christina Aguilera Jennifer Lopez Ricky Martin Sisqo Britney Spears GODS OF THUNDER Creed Kid Rock Metallica Rage Against the Machine AC/DC LEGEND IN ACTION Elton John KISS Bruce Springsteen Sting Tina Turner GIVIN' IT BACK Garth Brooks Goo Goo Dolls Limp Bizkit Dave Matthews No Doubt "YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT ALBUM?"

 Backstreet Boys - Burger King Faith Hill - Pepsi *NSYNC - McDonald's Britney Spears - McDonald's Sting - Jaguar DOUBLE THREAT (MUSICIAN-ACTORS) Aaliyah - Romeo Must Die Jon Bon Jovi - U-571 Janet - Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Jennifer Lopez - The Cell Will Smith - The Legend of Bagger Vance Creed leads all finalists with 8 nominations, followed by Red Hot Chili Peppers with 7, and Faith Hill 5 nominations. Madonna, *NSYNC, Metallica, Jennifer Lopez, and Christina Aguilera each received 4 nominations. Vertical Horizon, Sting, Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, and Dave Matthews Band round out the finalists with 3 nominations apiece.

Intacct Announces Strategic Alliances with Leading Internet Business Service Providers

Collaboration With Leading ASPs Enables Users to Access Business Services from Within the Context of Intacct's Accounting Offering Intacct Corporation, the first company to provide professional-strength, web-based accounting and related business services, today announced several strategic alliances that will integrate key services into Intacct's core accounting offering.

The alliances will enable Intacct subscribers to take advantage of the benefits of the Web for such tasks as online auditing, contract management, time and expense tracking, invoicing, and property management. In the weeks ahead, Intacct will announce additional alliances that will provide online bill presentment, bill payment, insurance processing, and payroll processing services. Unlike traditional business portals, Intacct makes partner services accessible within the context of the user's accounting system, rather than simply providing a catalog of links.

Because virtually all of a company's relationships with customers, vendors, and employees are reflected in corresponding areas of the accounting function, Intacct seeks to add value to partner services by making them available from within those specific areas. "With Intacct, a clerk viewing a past-due invoice should be able to decide whether to order a credit check, send an e-mail reminder, or access the customer's contract, just by clicking a mouse," said David C. Thomas, CEO of Intacct. "Through close collaboration with our partner service providers, Intacct is able to provide accounting services designed for the way that people work." Internet Alliances Because Intacct is entirely web-based, integration with other web-based services is facilitated through Extensible Markup Language (XML), the standard for web-based sharing of business data. Deeper levels of integration are possible through co-development ventures, such as Intacct's agreement with Deloitte & Touche to co-develop the industry's first web-based auditing tool. (See separate release, Deloitte & Touche and Intacct to Pioneer First Web-based Auditing Service, June 26.)

Among the alliances formed by Intacct are: diCarta (www.dicarta.com) diCarta offers the first business-to-business contract management solution that streamlines the entire contract lifecycle. diCarta Contracts, a web-based solution, enables companies to collaborate with customers on contract terms and conditions, and to increase visibility into revenue management, future obligations and renewals. This allows companies to accelerate contract processes while minimizing legal and financial risk. Using diCarta's "Zero-Impact Activation" methodology, customers realize system benefits rapidly with minimal organizational impact. OpenAir.com (www.openair.com) OpenAir.com, founded in 1999 as Timebills.com, is a trusted web-based platform of seamlessly integrated services that efficiently and economically streamlines business processes. Headquartered in Boston, OpenAir.com expedites the circulation of company information through a network of linked administrative services.

These services allow professionals to analyze employee time, report and approve travel expenses online, track and bill time, create and deliver invoices, and outsource payroll and expense reimbursement. OpenAir.com currently helps more than 26,000 professionals to remove the frustration associated with common business tasks to drive revenue more efficiently. Property Boss Software (www.propertyboss.com) Property Boss property management software is a product of Old Forest Software, Inc., a leading innovator in the delivery of web-based property management software. Located in Greenville, South Carolina, the principals of Old Forest Software, Inc. have more than 18 years' development experience in large-scale commercial application and enterprise solutions.

 About Intacct Corporation Intacct Corporation is the first company to provide professional-strength, web-based accounting and related business services. Intacct is designed for companies that need more than an entry-level PC-based accounting package but want an alternative to complex, IT-intensive client/server solutions. Offered on a monthly subscription basis, the Intacct service can be accessed via any current browser, and can be previewed on the Web at www.intacct.com. Founded in June 1999 by accounting software pioneer David Thomas, developer of one of the first PC-based accounting systems, Intacct is funded by the venture capital firm Hummer Winblad. Note to Editors: All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Sources & resources.(ON THE LOOKOUT)

Here's a selective list of places where you can learn more about Wilson Bentley. BOOKS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
 * Snowflake Bentley, by Martin & Azarian: A Caldecott-prizewinning children's book, this recent factual biography is widely available.
 * Snowflake Man, by Duncan Blanchard. Meteorologist Blanchard wrote this comprehensive study of Bentley and his work. INTERNET
 * HammerGallery.com: The Carl Hammer Gallery in Chicago has a link to a number of Wilson Bentley images. Click on "List of Artists" to find his work.
 * http://bentley.sciencebuff.org: The Buffalo Museum of Sciences website has a comprehensive area on Bentley. The photographer donated all of his original negatives to the museum.
 * http://snowflakebentley.com: This site is sponsored by the Jericho (Vt.) Historical Society.
 * SwannGalleries.com: This New York auction house has searchable auction results online, where you'll find information on a number of Bentley's images.

Online study aids at cimastudy.com.(institute update)

CIMA Publishing has launched its first online courses for students worldwide.

These can be found at www.cimastudy.com and provide interactive, on-demand training for CIMA's exams. The first three courses are at strategic level and include:
 * Paper P3: http://snipurl.com/20yb5.
 * Paper P6: http://snipurl.com/20ya9.
 * Paper Pg: http://snipurl.com/20yb0.

 Each course is written, reviewed and endorsed by CIMA and CIMA Publishing and contains up to 120 hours of interactive learning, including self-assessments, sample answers and videos.

 "This suite of exciting, substantive and stimulating products gives our student community across the world flexible access to CIMA tuition at home, work, internet cafes or tuition providers' IT facilities," said Robert Jelly, director of education at CIMA.

More Than 72 Percent of the U.S. Online Population Uses Internet Applications, According to Nielsen//NetRatings

Windows Media, AOL Instant Messenger and RealOne Player/RealPlayer Claim Top Internet Applications in the U.S. Nielsen//NetRatings, the global standard for digital media measurement and analysis, today reports that more than 72 percent of the total U.S. online audience is using Internet applications. This suggests that nearly three quarters of all Web surfers have incorporated Internet applications, including instant messengers, peer-to-peer file sharing and media player viewing, as part of their daily online experience.

 "With the proliferation of faster access speeds and affordable high-performance PCs, Web users have found it very easy to download and install a wide range of Internet applications," said Carolyn Clark, senior Internet analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Having an accurate picture of how consumers use Internet applications provides marketers with a versatile tool for developing a marketing campaign with impact." Internet applications tracking is part of Nielsen//NetRatings' new measurement of the Digital Media Universe (DMU), which combines Web-based traffic with Internet applications and browser channel audience data. Nielsen//NetRatings' enhanced tracking capabilities increases its measurable universe by 10 percent, providing the most accurate and comprehensive analysis of online usage and behavior.

 DMU tracking allows users in-depth views of usage patterns for numerous applications, including instant messaging applications, media players, ISP applications (non-browsing), wireless content systems, Web phones, news and information toolbars, connected games, weather applications, auction assistants and shopping assistants. Windows Media player claimed the top spot for all Internet applications, reaching more than 31 percent of the active online population and attracting nearly 41.5 million unique visitors at home and at work in November 2002 (see Table 1). AOL Instant Messenger drew more than 27.8 million surfers and was one of the stickiest applications, with the average user spending nearly four hours during the month using the service.

RealOne Player/RealPlayer followed closely with more than 27.2 million unique visitors, attracting nearly 21 percent of the active online population. Instant messaging applications from MSN and Yahoo! rounded out the top five, recording 22.7 million and 15.6 million unique visitors, respectively. Due to the change in methodology for the Digital Media Universe, the Internet applications report does not permit comparisons to previously published market sizes and positions. Internet applications measurement includes executable computer files and applications, and files launched ending in ".exe", but does not include browser plug-ins, such as embedded media players and toolbars.
Table 1. Nielsen//NetRatings Top 10 Internet Applications, Ranked by Unique Audience (U.S., Home and Work)

 
   Internet Application     Unique Audience  Active Reach %  Time Per Person 
                                 (000)                         (hh:mm:ss) 
   1. Windows Media Player       41,452          31.2%            :36:31 
   2. AOL Instant Messenger      27,848          21.0%           3:41:51 
   3. RealOne Player/RealPlayer  27,226          20.5%           0:18:25 
   4. MSN Messenger Service      22,721          17.1%           1:35:48 
   5. Yahoo! Messenger           15,595          11.7%           2:50:01 
   6. KaZaA                      14,095          10.6%           2:35:37 
   7. Apple QuickTime            14,004          10.5%           0:06:33 
   8. Gator                      11,628           8.8%           0:04:41 
   9. WhenU                      10,304           7.8%           0:04:53 
   10. AOL Companion             10,095           7.6%           0:12:24 
   Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, November 2002 
 
 

Nielsen//NetRatings reports November 2002 data for the Top Sites by Parent Company and Top Brands. In addition, Nielsen//NetRatings reveals the Top Advertisers by Company for November 2002 along with the latest online Average Usage metrics for the month.
Nielsen//NetRatings Top 10 Web Sites by Parent Company and Top 10 Web Sites By

 
                                  Brand 
                          Month of November 2002 
 
   Table 1. Top 10 Parent Companies,           Table 2. Top 10 Brands, 
   Combined Home & Work                          Combined Home & Work 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                    Unique  Time Per                   Unique      Time Per 
       Parent      Audience  Person        Brand      Audience      Person 
                    (000)  (hh:mm:ss)                   (000)     (hh:mm:ss) 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   1.  AOL 
       Time Warner  93,525   7:19:09    1.  Yahoo!     80,181       2:35:36 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   2.  Microsoft    91,437   2:11:02    2.  Microsoft  76,848       0:33:40 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   3.  Yahoo!       80,191   2:35:35    3.  MSN        75,742       2:04:01 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   4.  Amazon       37,873   0:21:39    4.  AOL        72,494       8:41:43 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   5.  United States 
       Government   37,168   0:21:07    5.  Amazon     37,269       0:19:47 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   6.  Google       36,772   0:26:56    6.  Google     36,772       0:26:56 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   7.  Terra Lycos  34,556   0:18:55    7.  eBay       33,205       2:10:02 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   8.  eBay         34,039   2:08:45    8.  Lycos 
                                            Networks   32,434       0:19:38 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   9.  About- 
       Primedia     32,237   0:15:49    9.  Real       31,508       0:26:46 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   10. RealNetworks 31,585   0:26:47    10. About 
                                            Network    23,011       0:14:11 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 

Example: The data indicate that 31.6 million home Internet users visited at least one of the RealNetworks-owned sites or launched a RealNetworks-owned application during the month, and each person spent, on average, a total of 26 minutes and 47 seconds at one or more of their sites or applications.
A parent company is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs owned by a single entity. A brand is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs that has a consistent collection of branded content. Reach is a measure of the unduplicated audience that visits a property. The data are expressed as the percentage of the total universe of Internet users who logged onto the Internet at least once during the reporting period.

 
            Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance Top 10 Advertisers 
                          Month of November 2002 
 
 

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

 
   Top 10 Advertisers by Company 
 
   Advertiser*                                Impressions (000) 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.  Classmates Online, Inc.                        4,742,694 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   2.  Amazon.com, Inc.                               3,981,095 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   3.  The Estee Lauder Companies Inc                 3,504,537 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   4.  SBC Communications, Inc.                       2,415,824 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   5.  USA Interactive                                2,345,211 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   6.  Hewlett Packard Company                        1,948,242 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   7.  Sabre Inc.                                     1,837,921 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   8.  Barnes & Noble, Inc.                           1,807,867 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   9.  Bank One Corporation                           1,523,573 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
   10. Columbia House Company                         1,520,371 
   ------------------------------------------------------------ 
 

*Impressions reported exclude house ads, which are ads that run on an advertiser's own Web property.
Example: An estimated 1.5 billion Columbia House Company advertisements were rendered for viewing during the surfing period.

 
                Nielsen//NetRatings Average Internet Usage 
                          Month of November 2002 
 
 

Data below represent activity for the average Internet user during the designated monthly period.

 
                                  Home & Work,    Home & Work, % Change from 
                                      November         October       October 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Number of Sessions/Visits per 
    Month                                   49              54          -9.3 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Number of Domains Visited per 
    Month                                   76              73          +4.1 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Web Page Views per Month              1,357           1,307          +3.8 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Web Page Views per Surfing Visit         35              34          +2.9 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Time Spent per Month               45:09:09        52:00:24         -13.2 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Time Spent During Web Visit         0:32:56         0:32:28          +1.4 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Duration of a Web Page viewed       0:00:56         0:00:57          -2.0 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Active Digital Media Universe 132.8 million   128.9 million          +3.1 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   Current Digital Media 
    Universe Estimate            176.7 million   178.7 million          -1.1 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 

Note: The Nielsen//NetRatings audience measurement panels represent the universe of persons with access to the Internet via personal computer either in the home, or at the workplace from a non-shared personal computer. The "active" portion of the universe previously represented persons who actively generated Web-traffic, or URLs, through a Web browser. With the launch of the DMU, the "active" portion of the universe now represents persons who actively used a computer connected to the Internet and either generated Web-traffic, or launched and brought into focus any computer application tracked by the Nielsen//NetRatings meter, or both. The new definition of Active Internet Universe is applied consistently across all audience measurement reports. This is true whether the view includes Web traffic only, Internet applications usage only, AOL proprietary browser channels only, or the combined DMU report which includes Web traffic, AOL Proprietary browser channels and Internet applications usage in combination. The impact of this change on the size of the Active Internet Universe is currently an approximate 10 percent increase versus the previous definition based on Web-only activity.
About Nielsen//NetRatings

Nielsen//NetRatings is the global standard for digital media measurement and analysis and is the industry's premier source for online advertising intelligence with its NetView, AdRelevance, @Plan and WebRF services. Covering 70 percent of the world's Internet usage, the Nielsen//NetRatings services offer syndicated Internet and digital media ratings reports and custom-tailored data to help companies gain valuable insight into their business.

Nielsen//NetRatings top 10 Web sites by parent company and top 10 web sites by brand, March 2007.(Brief article)

Example: The data indicates that 45.2 million home and work Internet users visited at least one of the Walt Disney Internet Group-owned sites or launched a Walt Disney Internet Group-owned application during the month, and each person spent, on average, a total of 31 minutes and 58 seconds at one or more of their sites or applications.

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

 
Table 1. Top 10 Parent Companies Combined Home & Work 
 
Parent           Unique Audience (000)  Time Per Person (hh:mm:ss) 
 
 1. Microsoft    119,642                2:10:57 
 2. Google       113,452                1:24:14 
 3. Yahoo        108,453                3:09:59 
 4. Time Warner  105,630                4:20:02 
 5. News Corp     74,611                1:47:14 
 6. eBay          68,528                1:51:35 
 7. InterActive   57,966                0:25:42 
 8. Amazon        49,203                0:21:53 
 9. Wikimedia     46,484                0:16:19 
10. Walt Disney   45,200                0:31:58 
 
Table 2. Top 10 Brands, Combined Home & Work 
 
Brand                 Unique Audience (000)  Time Per Person (hh:mm:ss) 
 
 1. Google            108,371                1:06:49 
 2. Yahoo             107,844                3:10:21 
 3. Microsoft          98,707                0:44:28 
 4. MSN/Windows Live   95,393                1:58:08 
 5. AOL Media          94,967                4:29:43 
 6. Fox                65,156                1:55:26 
 7. eBay               61,075                1:51:43 
 8. Wikipedia          46,383                0:16:14 
 9. YouTube            45,040                0:41:47 
10. RealNetworks       44,049                0:34:54 

Financial Web Watch: Nielsen rankings for selected categories for week ended Jan. 14.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)

Top full-service bank and credit union destinations
 Bank of America 13,124 321,387 9.82% 0:25:35 Chase 7,744 149,584 5.79 0:21:50 Citibank 6,885 141,336 5.15 0:17:32 Wells Fargo 4,757 110,721 3.56 0:19:38 Washington Mutual Bank 3,570 59,739 2.67 0:17:48 HSBC 2,867 33,972 2.15 0:10:40 Wachovia 2,581 71,124 1.93 0:27:41 MBNA 2,309 12,663 1.73 0:04:58 U.S. Bank 1,743 32,478 1.30 0:22:19 ING Direct 1,284 17,979 0.96 0:10:04

 Top financial tools destinations PayPal 7,839 137,801 5.87% 0:11:54 MyCheckFree 2,296 30,429 1.72 0:09:48 QuickBooks 1,461 40,323 1.09 0:17:41 TurboTax 1,443 7,595 1.08 0:08:23 BB&T 1,147 26,154 0.86 0:23:36 upromise.com 1,016 14,176 0.76 0:06:17 Wall Street On Demand 837 9,793 0.63 0:08:29 Equifax 662 9,060 0.50 0:11:53 accountcentralonline.com 510 6,376 0.38 0:09:16 Note: Estimates for total Web population, based on 30,000 individuals with home and work Internet access. *Unique visitors to sites during stated period. Excludes sites below statistical cutoff. **Audience as % of active Web population. Hours:minutes:seconds

GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES NEW STATE INTERNET CRIMES UNIT DEDICATED SOLELY TO COMBATING ONLINE CRIME

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill., issued the following press release: Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today unveiled a bold new plan to fight Internet crime that builds on his efforts to protect families and communities from sexual predators and give law enforcement the tools and resources they need to go after criminals. The cornerstone of the Governor's Internet Crime Initiative is a new Internet Crimes Unit, which will be dedicated solely to combating online crime, including identity theft, child pornography and drug solicitation. The Internet has many wonderful applications, but it has also afforded new opportunities for criminals and sexual predators.

A New York couple, for example, convinced a 15-year-old girl to meet them at the mall where she worked, promising to help her run away from home. From the mall, the couple took the girl to their home where she was repeatedly sexually assaulted and beaten, and then they took her to another home where she was sexually attacked by a third adult. The girl originally met the couple in an online chatroom. "As if parents didn't have enough to worry about, now they have to worry about criminals and sex predators going after their children on the Internet too. We're not going to tolerate that. That's why we're creating a new Internet Crimes Unit at the State Police that will approach Internet crime the same way we approach organized crime, narcotics and other major crimes.

It's why we're going to toughen penalties and increase jail time for Internet criminals and sex predators. And it's why we're going to give parents a place to call when they have questions, concerns or specific information to report. I know this isn't an issue the state has to take on, but I think it would be wrong not to," Gov. Blagojevich said. The Governor's plan has four main components:
 * Creating a centralized Internet Crimes Unit (ICU) under Illinois State Police authority.
 * Increasing penalties of Internet crime.
 * Designing the ICU to serve as a 'One Stop Shopping' center where the public can report suspicious online behavior and get information about Internet crime and safety.
 * Using the most advanced law enforcement technology available to combat Internet crime.

 Internet Crimes Unit The Illinois Crimes Unit (ICU) will be comprised of ten officers, seven computer forensic investigators and eight crime analysts. The goal is to create a unique enforcement group capable of educating the public, gathering information from the private sector, coordinating investigations with other bodies and agencies of law enforcement, de-conflicting investigative efforts, researching crime, proactively searching the Web for criminal activity and then performing the required forensic work to further investigative efforts and assist prosecutors in jailing offenders. Direct links to a dedicated website for the ICU will be placed on all state webpages so the public can report crime to the unit. A toll-free number and direct email address will also be established for the public. The ICU will work with local, state and federal law enforcement bodies and agencies to investigate crimes reported and found through their own investigated work. Internet Crime Penalties Legislation will increase penalties for Internet criminals and sex predators. The proposed changes include:
 * Elevating a first-time Internet stalking offense to the felony level;
 * Establishing an Internet Predator Investigation and Prosecution Fund;
 * Addressing the quantity and type of child pornography in sentencing considerations;
 * Making misrepresentation of a person via the Internet a criminal offense;
 * Adding the use of electronic communications as a factor in aggravation.

 'One Stop Shopping' Internet Crime Center The Internet Crimes Unit will educate the public, provide an initial point of contact for citizen inquiries, serve as a repository for public safety information, offer statewide de-confliction for investigations, offer criminal intelligence analysis for law enforcement agencies, and provide non-traditional techniques for monitoring and preventing criminal predatory behavior and computer evidence recovery for investigations and trial preparation. Internet Crime Law Enforcement Technology While respecting the rights and civil liberties of individuals, the most advanced law enforcement technology, such as Riverglass, a data analysis tool currently used to combat narcotic trafficking, organized crime and terrorism, will be used to help track online criminal activity.

 The Governor's Office is currently working with the Illinois State Police and proper authorities to establish the Internet Crimes Unit, and the new legislation will be submitted to the Illinois General Assembly for approval during their Fall Veto Session in November. Last July, Gov. Blagojevich signed several new laws designed to help protect both sex crimes victims and communities from sexual predators, including:
 * House Bill 4222: requires sexual predators to be on Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring during parole;
 * Senate Bill 859: requires disclosure of sex offenses for teacher endorsement and certification;
 * House Bill 4606: raised the deadline for certain victims of sexual assault to report the offense to law enforcement, from two to three years, in order for the 10-year statute of limitations to apply;
 * Senate Bill 2962: puts additional restrictions on sex offender's ability to get a driver's license;
 * Senate Bill 2873: allows an offender who is in prison because of a non-sex offense perpetrated while on parole for a sex offense to be referred to the Attorney General for commitment as a Sexually Violent Person; * House Bill 4298: creates the Interstate Sex Offender Task Force for the purpose of analyzing other states' sex offender registration and residency laws and how that affects Illinois;
 * Senate Bill 3016: adds information such as the license plate number of every vehicle registered to a sex offender and any distinguishing body marks to the sex offender registry. Earlier in the summer, the Governor also signed the following bills that offer increased protection from sex offenders:
 * House Bill 4179: prohibits identify theft and sex offenders from changing their names;
 * House Bill 4375: gives the Illinois State Police access to the information obtained through the Unemployment Insurance Act, which includes sex offenders' current and former places of employment;
 * House Bill 5249: clarifies the current 500-foot rule for child sex offenders by including child care institutions, day care centers and part-day child care facilities among the areas that child sex offenders are not allowed to be within 500 feet of;
 * Senate Bill 2162: prohibits custody or visitation by the father of a child if the father is convicted of certain crimes that resulted in the conception of the child, unless the child's mother or guardian consents. The following are Internet safety tips recommended by NetSmartz, an online educational tool that the state will provide training for all school districts, parent groups and non-profits in Illinois to use:
 (1) Clear, simple, easy-to-read house rules should be posted on or near the monitor. Create your own computer rules or print the Internet safety pledge. The pledge can be signed by adults and children and should be periodically reviewed.
 (2) Look into safeguarding programs or options your online service provider might offer. These may include monitoring or filtering capabilities.
 (3) Always read a Website's privacy policy before giving any personal information. Also make sure that a Website offers a secure connection before giving credit card information.
 (4) Websites for children are not permitted to request personal information without a parent's permission. Talk to children about what qualifies as personal information and why you should never give it to people online.
 (5) If children use chat or email, talk to them about never meeting in person with anyone they first "met" online.
 (6) Talk to children about not responding to offensive or dangerous email, chat, or other communications. Report any such communication to local law enforcement. Do not delete the offensive or dangerous email; turn off the monitor, and contact local law enforcement.
 (7) Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home.
 (8) Let children show you what they can do online, and visit their favorite sites. 
(9) Have children use child-friendly search engines when completing homework.
 (10) Know who children are exchanging email with, and only let them use chat areas when you can supervise. NetSmartz recommends limiting chatroom access to child-friendly chat sites.
 (11) Be aware of any other computers your child may be using.
 (12) Internet accounts should be in the parent's name with parents having the primary screenname, controlling passwords, and using blocking and/or filtering devices.
 (13) Children should not complete a profile for a service provider, and children's screennames should be nondescript so as not to identify that the user is a child.
 (14) Talk to children about what to do if they see something that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Show them how to turn off the monitor and emphasize that it's not their fault if they see something upsetting. Remind children to tell a trusted adult if they see something that bothers them online.
 (15) Consider using filtering or monitoring software for your computer. Filtering products that use whitelisting, which only allows a child access to a preapproved list of sites, are recommended for children in this age group. NetSmartz does not advocate using filters only; education is a key part of prevention. Visit the resources section for Websites that provide information on filtering or blocking software.
 (16) If you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law-enforcement agency. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a system for identifying online predators and child pornographers and contributing to law-enforcement investigations. It's called the CyberTipline. Leads forwarded to the site will be acknowledged and shared with the appropriate law-enforcement agency for investigation.

 An Illinois teenager barely avoided being victimized by a 19-year-old Texas college student she met online as the result of her mother's alert intervention. When confronted by the mother who demanded to know who her daughter was talking to on the telephone, the suspect identified himself as a police officer and advised her that the suspect (himself) had been killed in an automobile crash and that her daughter's help was needed in Texas to identify the body. Unsuccessful in his attempt to lure the Illinois teenager, the man turned to a 20-year-old Canadian and her four-year-old-child whose images he broadcasted live via a web camera. The perpetrator asked viewers whether he should rape the woman, kill her, or kill both the mother and child. A friend saw the broadcast and reported it to police who rescued the woman and toddler. It is incidents such as those the new Internet Crimes Unit is meant to prevent. And, the public can help by taking some basic precautions, such as those outlined by NetSmartz, and now by reporting suspicious online behavior to the ICU.

New Internet Marketing Training For New Zealand Service Businesses

Many New Zealand businesses get lame results from their website and online properties. But now, Marketing Geek Ltd has released an audio training on internet marketing specially designed to help service businesses in New Zealand. For a limited time the CD is available free to qualifying businesses. It's titled Get Internet Smart and tells how to make the most of the internet to get more clients, sales and cash flow. Businesses can get their copy from the site www.marketinggeek.co.nz/training-cd The training is by Luke Foster, internet marketing consultant and director of Marketing Geek, based in Tauranga.

 "Kiwi businesses get a raw deal when it comes to internet marketing advice. They often end up with costly websites that fail to bring in new clients or make a profit," says Foster. He adds they're seldom told that a website on its own won't bring in new business. "Businesses need a solid internet marketing plan to get bottom line results. Get Internet Smart explains how to make such a plan and put it to work." Internet use is booming in New Zealand as consumers continue to move to digital. As this shift occurs businesses need to re-examine their marketing and advertising spend. "The goal is to give businesses a complete overview of how to really take advantage of the internet. After listening they should be able to beat out just about any competition." Related LinksMarketing GeekNew Zealand Internet Marketing SystemGet Internet Smart - New Zealand Training Keywords: Advertising, Internet, Marketing, Multimedia, Online.

Algerian, Spanish business managers ink cooperation agreement.

Algerian Employers' Confederation and the Spanish Companies Federation signed Monday here a cooperation agreement. The agreement was signed by the head of the Algerian confederation, Boualem Mrakech, and the president of the Spanish federation, Severino Garcia Vigon, on the sidelines of a forum bringing together Algerian operators and about sixty employers …

Switched-on seniors.(Life - Money)

Byline: JENNIFER GISH Staff Writer

Katie Quinn turns the computer on its side so her class can see. She's taken off the cover, exposing the innards, and the dozen students stare intently as she shows them where to find the USB port.

It's where printers, scanners and other devices can be plugged into the computer.

But for this mostly silver-haired bunch gathered in the computer lab of the Albany Public Library's main branch, the questions are a bit more basic.

"I watch the Home Shopping Channel. When they say something about burning DVDs, what does that mean?"

"What's a monitor?"

Quinn, a reference librarian and the computer center coordinator, answers …

Destination Dili

Whatever way you look at it, Daqing and Dili are worlds apart. The former, a dour industrial town in China's frigid northeast; the latter, the tropical capital of the world's newest nation. Daqing is home to China's largest oilfield and the cloying scent of black gold fills the air. Dili, by contrast, is scented by the seaweed that washes up on its long shingle and sand beaches. Geographically, 6,000 kilometres separate the two locales, but that only begins to hint at the gulf that divides them.

 There has been a common thread, however. His name is Qi Shuge, or Sugar, as his friends call him. It's been four years since the amiable 28-year-old quit his job with the China Automobile Association and ventured south in search of his fortune. Most young men from Daqing would probably have set their sights on Harbin. The ambitious ones might have ventured to Beijing. Qi looked even farther afield, to East Timor, a troubled country still taking its first few tentative steps into nationhood. Even today, Timor remains a precarious place to make a living but Qi has persevered. Even the violent clashes of April and May that prompted the Chinese authorities to offer evacuations to its citizens failed to tempt Qi back home. "I was afraid that, if I left, I would lose everything. It took me three years to build and it would've been too hard for me to do it again.

I thought I could take care of myself, so I decided to stay in Dili during the 'crisis'," Qi said. In fact, both his parents have now uprooted and joined him in the southern hemisphere. He's recently bought a car and is now on the verge of opening up his second Internet bar. Despite the political instability and lawlessness that continues to plague the city, there's no suggestion of quitting now. "I'll go back to China in 2008, but only to travel," Qi said in fluent English. "I feel I should go back and join the Olympics celebrations it's the thing that makes me most proud to be Chinese. But go back to live, buy a house or get a mortgage? No." Money was the original motivation for the move. Despite the booming economy in China, Qi felt overawed by the intensity of competition for jobs, particularly given his lack of university education and limited English skills. 

Over dinner one evening, a friend mentioned a trip he had made to East Timor, a country whose own economy was barely functioning in the wake of Indonesia's bloody withdrawal after a brutal 24-year occupation. Ironically, it was because of recent tragedies that Timor held promise for adventurous entrepreneurs. The United Nations and Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) staff who had flooded into the country had created a two-tiered economy where customers would be willing to pay high prices for the right products. Having borrowed every penny of his parents' savings, Qi made the long road trip to Beijing. From there he made a 24-hour train journey to Guangzhou and then took a bus to Hong Kong. From there he flew direct to Bali and flew from Bali to Dili the following day. In Daqing, the only foreigners he had seen were Russian. Suddenly, Qi was surrounded by foreign tongues, local Tetum and Portuguese, Malay, the African tongues of UN staff and, of course, English, the lingua franca of the cosmopolitan crowd.

 Having never seen a use for his English studies at school, Qi was plunged into an alien language environment and worked hard to survive, studying by day and watching Western movies at night. Communicating back home also proved difficult. East Timor remains one of the few places in Asia where a China Mobile SIM card won't work. Internet speeds can be grindingly slow and VOIP web telephone services barred. "When I first came here, I felt very embarrassed. I thought: 'Why am I here?'" Qi confessed. Gone were the tall apartment blocks, crowds and industrial energy of Daqing, replaced by buildings wrecked by war, refugee camps and an eerie quiet after dark. "I didn't speak to people back at home and I lost contact with a lot of friends there. Because it was too dangerous to go out in the evenings here, I felt very bored." Sheer distance meant there was no easy way back. Collaborating with two friends, Qi poured what remained of his money into an Internet bar one of the first in the city.

 Despite high line rental prices from Timor Telecom, the number of foreign workers in Timor convinced Qi that demand would remain high and time has borne this out. He now charges US$6 per hour for use of the Internet and has even set up an independent system to provide an Internet VOIP Phone service, undercutting the government service by 50 per cent. He earns from eight machines what he would expect to take from a 100-computer Internet bar back in Daqing and is well into credit with his parents. "I may have lost my friends, and my social life, but now I've got money," he said impassively, lolling on a chair on front of one of his flat-screen computers in his eponymous web bar. Qi's sense of isolation is perhaps partly down to the nature of the Chinese community in East Timor.

In 2002, he was one of the only Chinese in town. The number has swelled to around 500 out of a total population of 900,000. However, in contrast to many overseas Chinese communities, the Dili group isn't close. This is both a reflection of the transient nature of construction work, the main industry for Chinese in East Timor, and also the fact that food the social lubricant of Chinese the world over is nothing to write home about. "There's not much variety," said Qi with a shake of the head. "The seafood is OK, but most other things are imported frozen. Every time I see real Chinese food online, I start salivating." The food might not be very good, but East Timor has its compensations, notably the weather. Blue skies are guaranteed for much of the year and there is near-zero pollution because of the lack of heavy industry. Moreover, East Timor has some of the world best and quietest beaches. In travelling so far from his home, Qi joins China's enormous diaspora.

However, unlike the majority of the latter-day emigrants to Europe, Australia or the United States, the young Heilongjianger hasn't had the help of a Chinese community or been able to benefit from the experience of generations of immigrants before him. Qi has done things largely by himself. The leap that Qi has made is a giant one, not from poverty to wealth or from East to West. It's the first step on what he hopes will be a life of travel, new experiences and new friends. Judging from the cheery ambiance in the Sugar Internet Cafe, it seems Qi is off to a flier.

Developers lose battle on buffers.

Byline: Merritt Melancon

Feb. 27--While river advocates see stream buffers as the thin green line keeping Georgia's waterways healthy, some property rights advocates see them as the government seizing property without paying for it.

Some property owners sought a remedy through Senate Bill 510 -- which would have required county governments to pay property owners for the land tied up in stream buffers -- but lost last week when the provision was taken from the bill as it passed out of committee.

As it was initially introduced, SB 510 would have required local governments to pay landowners if local laws require them to set aside more than 25 feet of undisturbed stream buffer -- the current state-mandated minimum.

It still would allow counties to apply for variances to state Environmental …

Australia's Wright wins New Zealand Women's Open

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Australia's Lindsey Wright birdied the par-5 18th for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke victory Sunday in the New Zealand Women's Open.

Wright finished at 10-under 206 at Pegasus Golf Club in the event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf.

Wright clinched her first win on either tour with seven birdies, including three in a row on holes No. 7, 8 and 9. She also had one double bogey on the par-4 13th.

"It's unbelievable. It's still sinking in," Wright said. "I putted really well all day and the last six holes I was really nervous.

American Alison Walshe and Australia's Jessica Speechley finished …

Local & National scoreboard

High schools

The upcoming athletics schedule for area high schools:

Boys basketball

SSAC state sectionals (see Boys Sectionals schedules elsewhere inSports).

Girls basketball

SSAC state regionals (see Girls Regionals schedules elsewhere inSports)

Today - Class AAA games

Wednesday - Class AA games

Thursday - Class A games

Colleges

The upcoming athletics schedule for West Virginia, Marshall,Charleston, West Virginia State and WVU Tech:

Men's basketball

Today - Davis & Elkins at Charleston in West Virginia Conferencetournament first round, 7:30 p.m. Glenville State at West VirginiaState …

"Govt. formation can't bear any delay," -al-Shilah.

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: A member of Iraq's National Alliance, representing the State of Law Bloc, Ali al-Shilah, has said on Tuesday that his "alliance insists on the formation of the new government in the nearest possible time," adding that "things can't bear any further delay."

"The statements by the Chairman of al-Iraqiya List, Iyad Allawi, that things won't be settled in two meetings are mere 'justification' statements, as we know that there are things that must be discussed before the formation of the government," al-Shilah said, adding that "The State of Law Coalition is determined to form the government in the nearest possible time, stemming from the constitutional …

Amazon MP3's take on iTunes.(Arts & Entertainment)

Byline: Associated Press

SEATTLE - Web retailer Amazon.com Inc. launched its much-anticipated digital music store Tuesday with more than 2 million songs, all without copy-protection technology.

The store, Amazon MP3, lets shoppers buy and download individual songs or entire albums using Amazon's 1-Click button. The tracks can be copied to multiple computers, burned onto CDs and played on most types of PCs and portable devices, including Apple Inc.'s iPod.

Songs cost 89 cents to 99 cents each and albums sell for $5.99 to $9.99.

Amazon's store faces Apple's market-leading iTunes, which also has taken steps to offer some songs without …

MAKE SURE TO PROTECT YOURSELF DURING ALL AT-HOME PROJECTS.(AT HOME)

Byline: ALAN J. HEAVENS Knight Ridder

When sanding a piece of wood, do you wear a dust mask?

When working in the yard, trimming the rosebushes, do you wear gloves for protection from thorns?

When using power tools, do you wear safety glasses?

Probably not. According to statistics compiled by the National Safety Council, a disabling injury occurs every five seconds, often in connection with a home-repair or -improvement project.

Last year, nearly seven million Americans were injured while engaged in a project around the house, according to the safety council.

And with the current home-improvement boom, with work being done by both professionals and do-it-yourselfers, that number is likely to rise.

A survey conducted by MSA Safety Works of Pittsburgh, which manufactures safety equipment, found that do-it-yourselfers who are not …

How about we just call it 'roller coaster pricing'?(News)(Brief Article)

Our 2005 Flop of the Year is value pricing - specifically, the version of value pricing practiced by General Motors and Ford Motor Co.

In the fall, GM and Ford cut sticker prices on most cars and trucks in an effort to bring them closer to the actual transaction price paid by the consumer. The goal: Reduce the need for heavy incentives.

Both companies wanted to break out of the marketing rut that typecast their cars and trucks as commodities. It was a laudable goal, but rebates are like drugs - it's easy to get hooked and tough to quit.

The automakers' current pricing quandary dates back to 2001, when GM triggered a huge buying spree …

Governing party boycotts parliament over scandal

Greece's governing conservatives boycotted a Parliament vote Friday on whether to consider criminal charges against government officials, a move the opposition slammed as unprecedented.

By keeping his deputies away from the vote over the burgeoning monastery land swap scandal, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis guaranteed that the motion would fail: It needed 151 votes in the 300-member parliament to pass, and the conservatives hold 152 seats.

"The image Parliament presents today is unprecedented in parliamentary history," thundered opposition socialist PASOK deputy Evangelos Venizelos, whose party had brought the motion.

The absence of …

Off the PAGE

S. Epatha Merkerson goes from buying books for her own pleasure to buying rights to film Leaving Cecil Street.

When S. Epatha Merkerson moved to New York City in 1978, her theater gigs often kept her on the road. "Every city I went to, I would look for the black bookstore," she says. "And I would buy books." She's not on the road as much now, thanks to a little television series called Law & Order. Merkerson has played lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the show since 1993. Hers is the longest-running African American character on prime-time television. Although Merkerson's career has changed, one thing has remained constant. "I'm still in that same habit of going to a bookstore and …

Fully automatic bulk material blending.(Product/News)

National Bulk Equipment presents this fully automated, self-contained bulk material mixing system to blend a combination of 5 highly caustic, free-flowing powdered additives with a sluggish-flowing, high-dusting base ingredient. Details of the system include:

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Automatic introduction of the base ingredient into the system from a single 64-cubic-foot surge hopper that feeds either of 2 horizontal screw conveyors (depending on the blend recipe and the material requirements of downstream packaging operations).

* 5 Lift-and-Seal[TM] drum dumpers to input the additives into the system.

* An automatic centering system on each drum …

QUIET REIGNS IN ISRAELI SHOW OF FORCE FEW 'FATAH DAY' DISTURBANCES IN OCCUPIED LANDS.(Main)

Byline: Dan Fisher Los Angeles Times

A massive show of Israeli police and army force in mostly Arab East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip kept civil disturbances to a minimum on Friday's anniversary of the founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization's dominant Fatah wing.

However, the PLO apparently celebrated over the airwaves with lengthy broadcasts by what an Israeli expert termed "the most powerful (radio) station the Palestinians ever had."

"I presume it's a PLO station in Sidon" in Lebanon, said Mickey Gurdus, who monitors broadcasts throughout the region for Israel Radio and other clients.

Gurdus said that …

'Media Streamies' also techies, report

Consumers who have tuned to internet broadcasts in the past 30 days, known in the business as 'Monthly Streamies', are "very interested" in owning a variety of digital devices, according to a new study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research. The study, entitled "Internet and Multimedia 10: The Emerging Digital Consumer," reveals that Monthly Streamies, are significantly more interested in digital devices than the general population.

Twenty-nine per cent of Monthly Streamies are "very interested" in plasma or flat panel television sets versus 17 per cent of all Americans. Also, more than one in five Monthly Streamies (22 per cent) are very interested in High Definition Television Sets (HDTV) compared with 12 per cent of all Americans. The scope of the latest research from Arbitron and Edison Media Research has been expanded beyond internet usage and streaming media trends to include information on consumer interest in new digital devices, attitudes about programming and a variety of media including digital cable and satellite television.

 "Internet broadcasting is rapidly becoming a mass medium with an estimated 103m people or 44 per cent of the total population having ever used internet audio or video," said Bill Rose, vice president and general manager, Arbitron Internet Broadcast Services. "Considering the high degree of interest in digital devices exhibited by 'Streamies,' marketers of consumer electronics would be smart to consider advertising on internet broadcasting to reach and influence their target audience." The study also reports that the "digital divide" in internet usage appears to be narrowing in the US.

Overall, 75 per cent of the total population now has access to the internet from any location compared with 74 per cent of African Americans and 65 per cent of Hispanic Americans. The "digital divide", however, remains is widest in the significant areas of home and work internet access. However, Arbitron and Edison Media Research report that public libraries and schools have done an exceptional job in providing more access to ethnic constituencies. The Internet and Multimedia 10 study also reveals that the number of Americans who have super-fast broadband Internet connections in their homes has more than doubled in the last two years, from seven per cent in January 2001 to 18 per cent in January 2003. Average time spent online per week among those with broadband is 13 hours compared to eight hours per week for those who use dial-up, the study reports. ((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

RESTAURANT NOT FOR SALE.(Local)

A popular Pine Hills restaurant is under new management but, despite rumors, is not for sale.

"We are very much disturbed (at the) rumor. Harold and Jeanne Qualters are very much running it, with a new general manager," Harold Qualters said Friday. "At this particular time, the restaurant is not for sale."

He said Qualter's Restaurant, at 1108 Madison Ave., was for sale in September but later taken off the market. The Qualters have …

Reports: Russian sub accident kills more than 20

An accident aboard a nuclear-powered Russian navy submarine doing a test run in the Pacific Ocean killed more than 20 people Sunday, the navy said.

The nuclear reactor aboard the submarine was operating normally and radiation levels were normal, navy spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo said.

The accident occurred when a fire-extinguishing system went into operation in error aboard the submarine, Dygalo said. He said the dead included sailors and shipbuilders.

The submarine …

Warning on theft threat

CARMARTHEN police are urging the public to be careful with theirpossessions while visiting the town's leisure centre.

The warning comes after two incidents of theft recently at thecentre in Llansteffan Road, Johnstown. In one case a mobile phonewas stolen and in the other an MP3 music player was taken. SafestThey are asked to think about leaving valuables at home or keepingthem …

Scientists at Hallym University detail research in apoptosis.(Report)

According to a study from South Korea, "CD7, one of the galectin-1 receptors, has crucial roles in galectin-1-mediated apoptosis of activated T-cells and T-lymphoma progression in peripheral tissues. In this study, we showed that CD7 promoter activity was increased by NF-kappa B and that this activity was synergistic when Sol was co-expressed in the immature T-cell line L7."

"Site-directed mutagenesis analysis of the CD7 promoter indicated that NF-kappa B specifically bound to the NF-kappa E2 site in cooperation with Sp1. Overexpression of E12 or Twist2 proteins negatively regulated NF-kappa B-mediated activity of the CD7 proximal promoter. In addition, CD7 expression …

DUGANS DO WILD SPIN IN 'CORNER'.(PREVIEW)

Byline: GREG HAYMES Staff writer

Declaring themselves "the ambassadors of three-chord lo-fi," the Dugans have come roaring back with a blazing little seven-inch slab o' vinyl on the newly formed local record company, Paint Chip Records. Recorded earlier this year at Signature Sound in Troy, "Corner of This Bar" is both charming and churning, a mondo-distorto-guitar rave-up that nestles up nicely somewhere between Husker Du and the Replacements. The buzz 'n' fuzz guitar sound of Howe Glassman and Chris Borucki gives the band a new-found density that's considerably heavier than the Dugans' previous album, "Bad Things Happen to Good People."

And newcomer Phil Lanz at the drum kit locks into a loose but propulsive groove with bassist Walt Wallen on the flipside, the pop 'n' grunge gem, "She Wants More."

When the Dugans first formed a few years ago, they had little more than heart and desire going for them, but after a couple of dozen lineup changes, they've …

Court hearing for wife of UK man accused of faking death in insurance scam

The wife of a man accused of faking his own death in an insurance scam was to appear before magistrates on Tuesday, charged with illegally obtaining more than 160,000 pounds after he was officially declared dead.

Anne Darwin, 55, was due to appear at a hearing on two charges of using deception in 2003 to obtain separate money transfers worth 25,000 pounds and 137,000 pounds, police said Monday. The total would be equivalent now to about euro225,000 or US$330,000.

Police said they would seek to hold her in custody. They gave no further explanation of the charges, but some details came out when her husband, John Darwin, 57, a former prison officer, appeared …

Accident closes main road in Aylesbury.

TRAFFIC coming into Aylesbury was delayed this morning after an accident closed one of the main roads in the town.

Reports are coming in of an accident involving what is believed to …

Victims of Guatemalan bus fire were shot first

Fifteen charred bodies found in a burned-out bus in eastern Guatemala were shot before being set on fire, prosecutors said Monday.

Police spokesman Donald Gonzalez said the killings may have been drug related. He said parts of the vehicle, which originated in Nicaragua, had been violently torn away, as if someone was looking for secret compartments.

At least 14 of the dead were Nicaraguan, including the driver, said Attorney General Amilcar Velazquez.

A Dutchman was on board when the bus arrived in Guatemala, according to a passenger list released by the government. None of the bodies has been positively identified, however.

The bus left …

Friday Consumer Alert

JOHN ROBERTS, CBS ANCHOR: One of the attractions of shopping online is that most retailers don`t collect sales tax. Oh, but that does not mean that there is no sales tax. And buyers are beginning to learn that the hard way, as Randall Pinkston reports in our Friday "Consumer Alert."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDALL PINKSTON, CBS CORRESOPNDENT (voice-over): For New York City smokers, each puff is a pretty penny. The city tax alone adds a $1.50 to every pack. But smokers who shop online to find cheap deals had better start worrying about Martha Stark.

MARTHA STARK, NYC FINANCE COMMISSIONER: And those consumers, basically, are mostly going on the Internet, because they`re trying to avoid paying taxes.

PINKSTON: Stark is New York City`s finance commissioner. She`s launched one of the most aggressive efforts in the country to collect unpaid taxes from online sales, starting with cigarettes.

(on camera): So they`re telling people that if you buy cigarettes from us, you don`t have to pay taxes?

STARK: Exactly.

PINKSTON: True or false?

STARK: Not true. False.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This one, they want $1,545.

PINKSTON (voice-over): Bill Mangin (ph) and Debra Opper (ph) got one of Stark`s 4,000 tax demand letters.

(on camera): Bill, what was your reaction when you received the letter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To quote George W. Bush, "shock and awe."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It made me feel that anything I do is being closely watched.

PINKSTON: The couple thinks more than money is behind this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are a lot of people who don`t like smokers out there. Smokers are the easiest target to pick on.

STARK: If you are a smoker, you know, smoke away -- however, you have to pay the appropriate tax.

PINKSTON (on camera): Why did you want to do that, to all those poor cigarette smokers?

STARK: Well, you know -- those poor cigarette smokers -- I -- I have to say -- it`s really -- I just take seriously my role here.

PINKSTON (voice-over): Seriously, indeed. Ignore the demand, and the city is ready to put a lien on your paycheck. Plus, penalties of up to $200 per carton.

(on camera): So, how did the city get the names of online cigarette buyers? From court cases against a couple of Web sites. Now it`s asking more Web sites to cough up their customers lists.

(voice-over): Smokers elsewhere who think they don`t have to worry should think again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you start hitting numbers like $1 billion in lost revenue, people start to pay attention.

PINKSTON: That`s $1 billion a year nationwide, in projected taxes in online cigarette sales. It`s up to 50 billion for all Internet sales.

STARK: Those people who might be buying books and CDs and not paying the appropriate sales tax, I would advise them to start paying the sales tax.

PINKSTON: While Debra and Bill won`t admit they bought the cigarettes online, they`re offline now, buying their smokes close to home and still fuming over the tax bill.

Randall Pinkston, CBS News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

END

[Copy: Content and programming Copyright MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2005 Voxant, Inc., which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.]

eService Stations: Driving Traffic to the Forecourt

eService Stations: Driving Traffic to the Forecourt The Internet already has a strong presence in Europe, and will continue to proliferate at a remarkable rate. 52% of Western European households are forecast to possess an online PC by the end of 2006, and by the end of 2004, more European households will connect to the Web using a mobile device than via a fixed-line.

The demand for information on-the-move will be further satisfied by innovations in automotive telematics: by the end of 2005, the majority of new cars sold in Europe will feature an Internet access platform. In a highly competitive market, fuel retailers must harness the explosive rise of the Internet to attract a new breed of consumers to their service stations. A new report from Datamonitor, `eService Stations: Driving Traffic to the Forecourt`, highlights key B2C eBusiness opportunities that leverage modern technology to increase revenues for fuel retailers. Building on detailed forecasts for the future Internet behaviour of European consumers, the report analyzes the potential for competitive advantage in high-tech interaction with customers, both on and off the forecourt.

Oil company strategies are presented, with fresh ideas augmenting penetrative insight into current and future plans. Through the combination of extensive industry interviews and Datamonitor's established knowledge and expertise, the report presents the evolution of fuel retailing in the electronic age. For a complete index of this report click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2418 Report Index: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is this report about? 1.2 Who is the target reader? 1.3 How to use this report CHAPTER 2 GROWTH OF THE E-CONSUMER 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Fixed line Internet access Online in the home The Internet will reach 52% of European households by the end of 2006 Penetration levels vary greatly across Western Europe Regional variation of Internet penetration levels is stark Online at work Internet Cafes 2.3 Mobile Internet access Mobile Internet access will play an increasingly prominent role WAP vs. i-mode An overview of WAP i-mode: the Japanese WAP, only better Mobile Internet: the future European market 2.4 Telematics and the in-car Internet What is telematics?

Driver services will form the bulk of the telematics market In-car interfaces Proliferation of in-car Internet 2.5 Interactive TV 51% of European TV households will be digital by 2005 Digital TV is chief provider of interactive TV services Internet access to become increasingly prevalent 2.6 Internet access behaviour Internet access by location Internet usage patterns Evolution of Internet usage with experience ITV Internet usage Mobile usage centres on communication and information 2.7 Opportunities for Fuel Retailers Meeting the demand for Internet-based services Internet access in the forecourt shop E-Services at the fuel pump Exploiting the WAP platform Enhanced station locators Additional WAP services Achieving sufficient exposure Capitalising on the introduction of telematics Targeted marketing and CRM Fuel eTailing Why will customers want to buy fuel online?

 CHAPTER 3 FUEL RETAILER OFFERINGS 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Offering Internet Access on the Forecourt From fuelling station to "one stop shop" Matching Internet offerings to shop size Adding value to automated service Nordic region Internet access in the forecourt shop Internet based services at the pump Status of Nordic fuel retailers Leading Central Germany - Trend towards larger formats facilitates shop access Netherlands - Appearance of the expanded format UK - 100% shop presence Status of Leading Central fuel retailers Lagging Central French network will feature all formats Status of Lagging Central fuel retailers Southern Region Italy - changing face of the service station Spain - network unable to meet Internet demand Status of the Southern fuel retailers Case Profile: BP Connect 3.3 Mobile Internet Platforms WAP Services WAP status of European fuel retailers Case profile: Shell GeoStar on WAP 3.4 Telematics and the in-car Internet Case Profile: GM OnStar Case Profile: Wingcast Case Profile: MobileAria Case Profile: Egery Three categories of in-car Internet Limited opportunities on OnStar format.

 More room to manouvre on multi-access formats Independent offerings present most immediate opportunities Provision of telematic content as a new revenue stream for fuel retailers In-car interface is the key to opportunities Current status of fuel retailers 3.5 Fuel eTailing CHAPTER 4 FUTURE DECODED 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Future of B2C eBusiness initiatives Free Internet-based services in forecourt shops Full Internet access in forecourt shops Free Internet-based services at fuel pumps WAP services and marketing In-car Internet services Targeted Marketing via in-car Internet projects Fuel eTailing 4.3 Nordic Region 4.4 Leading Central Region 4.5 Lagging Central Region 4.6 Southern Region 4.7 Conclusions CHAPTER 5 ACTION POINTS 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Prepare for the launch of 3G by developing a strong WAP service offering and comprehensive marketing strategy 5.3 Negotiate with telematics operators to secure potential new revenue streams and targeted marketing opportunities 5.4 Gear in-store offerings towards free provision of quickly usable value-added services 5.5 Use pump terminals to maximise the impact of Internet-based services on the forecourt CHAPTER 6 APPENDIX 6.1 IMPACT Survey 6.2 Further readings Published Reports and other Available Products Forthcoming Report (Provisional) 6.3 Report writing team Report Pricing: Hard Copy EUR 5,409 (US$ 5,055).

 Electronic EUR 5,345 (US$ 4,995). Site Licence EUR 21,379 (US$ 19,980). ORDERING INFORMATION - FIVE EASY WAYS TO PLACE YOUR ORDER: ORDER ONLINE: To order this report please click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2418 ORDER VIA EMAIL: mailto:orders@researchandmarkets.com ORDER VIA FAX-BACK FORM: Click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2418 Fax to +353 14957318 ORDER VIA POST: Click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2418 Mail to Research and Markets Ltd., Guinness Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland ORDER VIA PHONE: Telephone: +353 868797580 REPORT DATA SUMMARY: eService Stations: Driving Traffic to the Forecourt Publisher Name: Datamonitor Date Published: 8/1/2001 Category: Energy & Natural Resources URL: www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2418 About Research and Markets Ltd. Research and Markets Ltd. are Europe's largest resource for industry and market research reports. R&M distribute thousands of major research publications from the world's leading publishers, consultants and market analysts. R&M provide you with the latest forecasts on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest market trends and forecasts.

 Major sectors covered include: Banking, Insurance, Pensions, Financial Services, Biotechnology, Genomics, General Business, Advertising, Marketing, Management, Personnel, Company Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Market Intelligence, Strategic Planning, Top 100 Company Lists, Computing, Advanced Technology, Hardware, Software, Construction, Engineering, Consumer, Personal Care, Clothing, Fashion, Household, Furniture, Country Reports (North American, South American, Europe, Africa, China, Asia Pacific, and Middle East), Demographics (Generational and Lifestyle), Energy, Natural Resources, Environmental, Gas, Oil, Power, Mining, Food, Beverage, Agriculture, Food Service, Government, Public Sector, Aerospace, Defence, Education, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Hospital, Internet, E-Commerce, E-Business, IT Security, New Media, Manufacturing, Industry, Supply Chain and Logistics, Media, Entertainment, Broadcast, Cable, Gaming, Pharmaceuticals, Drug Delivery, Process Industry, Advanced Materials, Chemicals, Paper, Plastics, Retailing, Services Sector, Travel, Telecommunications, Networks, Satellite, Mobile and Wireless, Transport, Shipping, Automotive, and Aviation For additional information on ResearchandMarkets.com, their range of reports or their value-added services, visit their web site at http://www.researchandmarkets.com or mailto:press@researchandmarkets.com

ROILING ON THE RIVER.(Local)

Byline: Fred LeBrun

Surging down the frothy white water of the upper Hudson River is becoming quite the thing to do in some circles.

By the calendar, this should be a big- deal weekend in the frenzied world of white watering. Normally, we say, because it takes heavy water to do that, and the river isn't up where it should be for that sought-after ecstasy you get when you're scared witless and know you're going to drown.

Otherwise garden-variety humans don wet suits and safety helmets, put their affairs in order, then pay $75 a piece for this kind of abuse. Not cheap thrills.

At the peak of the white-water season - which is soon - 1,000 …

USPTO ISSUES TRADEMARK: CLEANPROJECTS

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 29 -- The trademark CLEANPROJECTS (Reg. No. 3933279) was issued on March 22 by the USPTO.

Owner: Canadian Standards Association CORPORATION CANADA 178 Rexdale Boulevard Toronto, ONT CANADA M9W1R3.

The trademark application serial number 77750813 was filed on June 3, 2009 and was registered on March 22.

Goods and Services: Printed matter, namely, fact sheets, informational brochures, pamphlets and printed technical standards relating to the management, control and reduction of emissions

Educational services, namely, conducting training and educational programs in the field of control and reduction of emissions

Hosting, managing and maintaining an interactive Internet website for others to record and view emissions information; Providing an Internet website featuring information in the field of the management, control, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com