FED:Abbott calls for probe into Thomson

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2011
FED:Abbott calls for probe into Thomson

MELBOURNE, Aug 19 AAP - Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has again declined to say whether
he would sack a colleague in the same situation as embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson.

Mr Thomson, the member for Dobell, is facing scrutiny over his former union credit
card allegedly being used to pay for prostitutes, but he denies any wrongdoing.

The NSW MP also this week belatedly updated his listing in the parliamentary register
of members' interests to add that the ALP's NSW branch had paid a "sum of money" - reportedly
$90,000 - to his lawyers on his behalf.

When asked if he would sack a colleague in the same predicament as Mr Thomson, Mr Abbott
said that he did not have all the details, but he would do things differently to Prime
Minister Julia Gillard.

"I don't know all the details. Certainly what I would never do is express full confidence
in a member without asking questions. I would try to get to the bottom of these things,"

he said on the Nine Network.

"I would be demanding answers. I would be insisting that official bodies investigate
and if necessary prosecute in a fully transparent manner."

If a by-election is triggered in Dobell - which could come in the event of a member
being declared bankrupt or facing a jail term longer than a year - and Labor loses the
seat, government could change hands.

Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard should call an official investigation into the matter.

"Craig Thomson is obviously a protected species as far as this prime minister is concerned,"

Mr Abbott said.

AAP mok/mn/nb

KEYWORD: THOMSON ABBOTT

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

Vic: Vic water powers are secure, Thwaites says

AAP General News (Australia)
02-22-2007
Vic: Vic water powers are secure, Thwaites says

Victoria is confident the federal government can't over-ride its constitutional rights
on water .. even if other states agree to give up theirs.

State and territory leaders will meet the prime minister in Canberra tomorrow .. to
discuss a water rescue plan for the Murray-Darling basin .. which includes handing control
of the water to the federal government.

Premier STEVE BRACKS says he won't sign up to JOHN HOWARD's shoddy proposal .. …

VIC:Headlines on Nine's 1800 News

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2011
VIC:Headlines on Nine's 1800 News

MELBOURNE, April 21 AAP - Nine Network 1800 news:

- The premier has put police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland on notice amid claims
government insiders are unhappy with his performance.

- Jetstar has come to the rescue of a family flying interstate to scatter their father's
ashes, who were left stranded when Tiger Airways cancelled their flight.

- Police are out in force across the state as part of Operation Crossroads as drivers
hit the roads for the holiday break.

- Sydney's Villawood detention centre remains a powderkeg after being rocked by violent protests.

- A three-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after almost drowning at Inverloch.

- Mice are invading Melbourne suburbs.

- For the first time in 11 years Victorians have been blessed with a five-day break over Easter.

AAP mn/nb

KEYWORD: MONITOR 1800 NEWS

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

NSW:Murder attempt charge after woman stabbed

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2011
NSW:Murder attempt charge after woman stabbed

A man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing and sexually
assaulting a woman at her home on the New South Wales Central Coast.

The 47-year-old woman says a man broke into her Bateau Bay home shortly after 2am (AEDT)
on Sunday .. before sexually assaulting and stabbing her.

She was treated at her neighbours' house before being taken to hospital for treatment
of stab wounds to her face and chest.

A 21-year-old man is due to appear later today in Wyong Local Court.

AAP RTV dmg/wjf/ajw/

KEYWORD: ASSAULT (SYDNEY)

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

VIC:Chaouk member to return home

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2010
VIC:Chaouk member to return home

By Michelle Draper

MELBOURNE, Aug 24 AAP - A member of an alleged Melbourne crime family on bail for firearms
offences has been allowed to return to the family home where his father was shot dead
nearly two weeks ago.

Omar Chaouk, 19, has been living with his uncle under his bail conditions but a magistrate
on Tuesday granted him permission to return home in the wake of his father's death.

Police said they were concerned about talk of revenge attacks after the shooting murder
of family patriarch Macchour Chaouk, 65, on August 13.

Prosecutor Stephen Payne opposed the application for Chaouk to return to the family
"hub" because of fears a feud between the Chaouks and rival Lebanese clan, the Haddaras,
was ongoing.

Chaouk, 19, was arrested and later released on bail after police raided the family's
Brooklyn home in Melbourne's west on July 1, finding guns, ammunition and blank passports.

Under his bail conditions, he was not allowed to visit the family home.

His lawyer, Alan Swanwick, on Tuesday told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that Chaouk
wanted to be at home to provide emotional support to his mother following his father's
death.

Mr Swanwick added that Chaouk's mother was also unwell, having recently completed a
round of chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

"You have a young man whose father has just been shot dead and his sick mother is left
... without immediate blood relatives in the house," Mr Swanwick said.

He said there was a greater danger to Chaouk if he continued living with his uncle,
who would now be considered the new patriarch of the family after the death of his brother,
and therefore a potential target.

Detective Senior Constable Blezard told the court Chaouk would be more visible if he
lived at his old address.

He said police had investigated claims by the Haddara family that they had been shot
at by Chaouk family members.

Matwali Chaouk, 26, who is being held in custody on drug trafficking, theft and reckless
driving charges, had been questioned over the claims, Det Snr Const Blezard told the court.

He said no charges had been laid.

Magistrate Jelena Popovic said there appeared to be no reason why Chaouk should not
be allowed to return to the family home.

"Mr Chaouk understands that he is being watched very carefully," Ms Popovic told the
court in granting the application to vary the bail conditions.

Another of Chaouk's brothers, 30-year-old Ali, last month was refused bail over a bashing
that left a German tourist with a fractured skull.

Another brother, Mohamed Chaouk, 31, was shot dead by police in a raid on the family
home in 2005 when he was allegedly armed with a sword.

A cousin of the Chaouks, Ahmed Hablas, 22, has been charged with the murder of rival
Lebanese family member Mohamed Haddara, a 28-year-old father of two, in 2009.

AAP md/pmu/it/cdh

KEYWORD: CHAOUK WRAP

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

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:00, April 17 =2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2010
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:00, April 17 =2

LOS ANGELES - A US animal rights group has offered the federal government a deal to
end a high-profile campaign against Australian wool farmers. (US Mulesing)



SYDNEY - Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale will put his rock credentials to the
test when he performs with Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash at the launch of MTV Classic.

(Stockdale. EDS: Embargoed until 0001 AEST Sunday)



CANBERRA - A restructure at leading Australian submarine and shipbuilder ASC will cost
jobs, the company says. (ASC)



CANBERRA - Accountants have flagged they may sue the Australian Tax Office (ATO) over
a computer glitch holding up the processing of refunds. (Tax Computer)



MELBOURNE - The Victorian Liberals have used their state conference to launch an advertising
campaign talking up the party's tough stance on crime. (Liberals Vic Violence) More on
merit from Liberals state council



MELBOURNE - A man has handed himself into police following the discovery of a woman
found stabbed to death at a house south of Melbourne. (Body Update) Wrap to come



MELBOURNE - Discovery of asbestos at police impoundment yard in Preston forces temporary
closure (Asbestos to come)



MELBOURNE - Two people have been stabbed during a fight at a family gathering in Melbourne's
west. (Stabbings to come)



SYDNEY - A crew member off a foreign ship is in quarantine at Wollongong Hospital with
suspected leprosy. (Leprosy)



SYDNEY - A 64-year-old man has been injured during a police pursuit in Sydney's south-west.

(Pursuit)



BRISBANE - Brisbane's first 24 hour cashless bus service that takes in Fortitude Valley's
nightclub precinct, is heavily guarded for passenger safety. (Buses)



BRISBANE - The longest serving prisoner in Queensland, and possibly Australia, has
died in his cell. (Prisoner)



BRISBANE - Expecting ALP candidates for the federal seats of Ryan, Fisher, Fairfax
and Wright to be named this afternoon (outseeking)



BRISBANE - A police officer is in hospital following an early morning brawl in a Gold
Coast car park. (Brawl)



AAP mn

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL 2 SYDNEY

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

SA: Charges against alleged Rann attacker downgraded

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2009
SA: Charges against alleged Rann attacker downgraded

ADELAIDE, Dec 3 AAP - Charges against a man accused of assaulting South Australian
Premier Mike Rann have been downgraded.

Richard Wayne Phillips, 55, will front the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday charged
with assault - basic offence.

The estranged husband of Michelle Chantelois, who claims to have had a sexual affair
with the premier, was initially charged with the more serious offence of aggravated assault.

But documents lodged with the court show the lesser charge, which carries a maximum
penalty of two years' jail - a year shorter than the maximum prison term for aggravated
assault.

Police will allege Phillips struck the premier in the face with a rolled up magazine
at a corporate dinner on October 1.

AAP sl/jlw/dep

KEYWORD: PHILLIPS

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

Vic: Pilot barely slept day before Emirates near-disaster

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2009
Vic: Pilot barely slept day before Emirates near-disaster

MELBOURNE, April 25 AAP - The pilot of an Emirates plane that came close to crashing
at Melbourne Airport with 225 passengers on board had barely slept the previous day.

The pilot had also been instructed to take off at reduced power to save money on fuel,
News Limited newspapers say.

"This is all about the money," a source told News Limited.

Investigators examining the near-catastrophe at Melbourne Airport last month are exploring
whether fatigue was a factor after being told the pilot had barely slept the day before
the flight.

Emirates pilots are permitted to fly a maximum of 100 hours each 28 days and the pilot
was also almost at the legal threshold of the number of hours he was able to fly.

Emirates has issued a statement saying safety was a top priority for the airline.

The two pilots involved in the March 20 accident were forced to resign 48 hours after
they were flown back to Dubai.

AAP md/ldj

KEYWORD: EMIRATES

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

Vic: New Melbourne tourism icon opens

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2008
Vic: New Melbourne tourism icon opens

Australia's latest tourist attraction opened today in Melbourne .. with officials predicting
it'll attract up to one-and-a-half million visitors despite the economic downturn.

The 100 million dollar Southern Star observation wheel .. which is modelled on the
London Eye .. towers 120 metres over Melbourne's Docklands.

The wheel is only the third in the world after the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer.

FRED MAYBURY .. chairman of the Southern Star Management Group .. says he's confident
Australia's newest tourist attraction will prove a big hit among domestic and international
visitors .. despite the global economic crisis.

A ride costs about 29 dollars for an adult and 17 dollars for a child.

AAP RTV sjm/wz/fdf

KEYWORD: WHEEL (MELBOURNE)

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

Qld: Qantas flight grounded in Brisane

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2008
Qld: Qantas flight grounded in Brisane

A Qantas flight is on it's way from Brisbane to Melbourne after being grounded for
over half-an-hour this morning.

A passenger has told the ABC everyone was seated and the plane ready for take-off when
they were told they had to disembark because of an engineering problem.

Qantas hasn't confirmed exactly what was wrong with the plane.

The plane was due to fly out at 6am (AEST) but took off about 40 minutes later.

On Wednesday .. a Qantas Boeing 767 experienced a hydraulic failure which affected
the steering as it landed at Sydney airport.

These latest incidents follow a string of mishaps which began last month when an explosion
ripped a hole in the fuselage of a Qantas jet en route from Hong Kong to Melbourne ..

forcing an emergency landing at Manila.

AAP RTV peb/sw/bart

KEYWORD: QANTAS (BRISBANE)

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

Fed: Beazley says he's not expecting US ambassador job

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2008
Fed: Beazley says he's not expecting US ambassador job

Former Labor leader KIM BEAZLEY says he's happy doing his own thing.

But he's stopped short of saying he'd never want to be Australia's ambassador to Washington.

It's long been rumoured that Mr BEAZLEY will be handed the plum diplomatic posting
as a reward for long and meritorious service.

Mr BEAZLEY has told Sky News he's building up a little portfolio of speaking engagements
and consultancies.

He has his academic interests and is determined to do a few publications.

AAP RTV mb/ibw

KEYWORD: BEAZLEY (CANBERRA)

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

Qld: Lib MPs meeting at secret venue to discuss leadership

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2007
Qld: Lib MPs meeting at secret venue to discuss leadership

Queensland Liberal MPs are meeting at a secret location in Brisbane for a leadership vote.

Current leader BRUCE FLEGG is being challenged by first-term MP TIM NICHOLLS .. who's
proposed Gold Coast MP JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK as his deputy.

Dr FLEGG has offered to stand aside today .. to resolve the four-all deadlock in the
eight-member party room.

One of his supporters .. Gold Coast MP RAY STEVENS .. now says he has an open mind
about who'll lead the party.

AAP RTV pjo/jmt

KEYWORD: LIBERALS QLD (BRISBANE)

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

Fed: Medical journal attacks Howard government

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2007
Fed: Medical journal attacks Howard government

CANBERRA, April 20 AAP - A prestigious international medical journal has launched an
attack on Prime Minister John Howard and called on readers to vote against the government
at the upcoming election.

In an editorial titled Australia: the politics of fear and neglect, the UK-based Lancet
said Prime Minister John Howard was risking Australia's reputation for clinical and research
excellence.

"That enviable position is being put at risk by Prime Minister John Howard's indifference
to the academic medical community and his profound intolerance to those less secure than
himself and his administration," the editorial said.

The Lancet said Mr Howard's recent comments on immigrants with HIV were the latest
example of his complacency.

Mr Howard's suggestion last week that he would consider banning HIV-positive migrants
sparked anger from AIDS experts and refugee advocates.

The Lancet also censured Health Minister Tony Abbott for saying those who spoke up
for indigenous health were "simply establishing politically and morally correct credentials",
and criticised Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull for his stance on climate change.

"At present, Australian politicians are scoring well below their potential."

The Lancet said Australia's apparently progressive and inclusive culture belied a strong
undercurrent of political conservatism that Mr Howard was "ruthlessly tapping into".

It repeated scientist Ian Lowe's comments that the present government had "gone to
extraordinary lengths to silence independent opinion within the research community".

The journal advised Australian readers the election year "provides an opportunity at
the ballot box to bring a new enlightenment to Australian health and medical science".

The Lancet has a significant readership throughout the world and regularly takes a
stand on key medical issues.

It has also published controversial estimates of the death toll during the war in Iraq.

AAP jb/ks/sp

KEYWORD: LANCET AUST

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

Fed: Doctors fleeing the bush despite govt incentives

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2006
Fed: Doctors fleeing the bush despite govt incentives

A report says government incentives to encourage doctors to work in the bush are failing.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare labour force data indicates doctors are
fleeing regional and remote areas.

The data also shows more doctors and nurses are working in Australia than at the start
of the decade .. but doctors are working fewer hours.

The number of medical practitioners working in Australia rose nearly 14 per cent between
2000 and 2004 .. and nursing staff jumped 11 per cent between 1999 and 2004.

Nurses' working hours have gone up slightly .. but doctors are now holding down an
average 44 hour week compared to 45.5 hours in 2000.

The reduction in hours has resulted in an effective fall in the numbers of GPs available
.. from 102 per 100 thousand population in 2000 to 98 in 2004.

AAP RTV jb/sb/wf

KEYWORD: DOCTORS (CANBERRA)

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

Vic: Suspicious fire at ambulance building

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2006
Vic: Suspicious fire at ambulance building

MELBOURNE, Aug 13 AAP - A suspicious fire at an St John Ambulance ambulance building
in Melbourne has caused about $150,000 damage.

Commander Dave Miller from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said crews were called
to the fire shortly before 11pm (AEST) last night.

The single-storey building containing mainly office equipment, was well alight when
the MFB crews arrived.

An ambulance parked at the front of the building sustained only minor damage, Commander
Miller said.

Environment watchdog EPA Victoria has been alerted to the fire following the discovery
of asbestos sheeting.

"Some of the debris has gone into the kindergarten next door. We have to make sure
we cover all bases," Commander Miller said.

He said the fire, brought under control in about 10 minutes, was considered suspicious
and police had been alerted.

AAP xlc/it

KEYWORD: FIRE

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

SA: Beazley says more effort needed on Indonesian issue

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2006
SA: Beazley says more effort needed on Indonesian issue

KIM BEAZLEY says the federal government must tell Indonesia it'll deal with asylum
seekers under Australia's international law obligations.

He's told Adelaide radio 5AA refugees are entitled to a proper assessment under the
law .. no matter where they come from.

The comments come after Immigration Minister AMANDA VANSTONE today warned there's no
guarantee more Papuan asylum seekers will be given visas.

Relations between Jakarta and Canberra have been strained since late last month when
the immigration department granted temporary protection visas to 42 asylum-seekers from
Indonesia's separatist province.

AAP RTV tjd/sco/bart

KEYWORD: PAPUA BEAZLEY (ADELAIDE)

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

NSW: Nile proposes one-stop anti-abortion shop

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2005
NSW: Nile proposes one-stop anti-abortion shop

New South Wales MP FRED NILE says the federal government should provide funds for one-stop
anti-abortion shops where women with unwanted pregnancies can go for counselling and support.

The Reverend Nile says the service will bring a range of services under one roof and
will be aimed at encouraging women not to abort.

It will allow women -- particularly single mothers -- to access financial help, housing
assistance, education support, medical care, counselling and, if necessary, psychiatric
assistance from one place.

The Reverend Nile also suggeste women with children act as mentors to help women through
unwanted pregnancies.

Meanwhile, Liberal Upper House MP David Clarke, who described abortion as "evil in
its purest form" and "a heinous crime of unparalleled proportions", encouraged members
of the anti-abortion movement to join political parties and ensure that only candidates
who opposed abortion made it through the pre-selection process.

"Pro-lifers engaging themselves in the political process will pay dividends," he said.

Mr Clarke applauded a recent ideological shift from left to right in the Young Liberal movement.

He said since Alex Hawke, who works for Mr Clarke, became president of the NSW Young
Liberals the organisation had "put itself on the side of Right to Life" and a carried
a resolution against the use of embryonic stem cells in research.

Mr Hawke has since become National President of the Young Liberals, which voted to
oppose Medicare funding of abortions at its federal convention earlier this year.

AAP RTV jjs/jel/low/

KEYWORD: ABORTION (SYDNEY)

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

In Brief: Microsoft Network to Add Credit Service.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -

Microsoft Network said it will add to its Internet-based small-business offerings the CreditFYI service developed by netearnings, a transaction services provider, and Fair, Isaac & Co.

CreditFYI delivers instant business credit reports over the Internet, giving businesses with less than $5 million of sales the ability to make faster and more informed decisions about credit extensions to business customers.

Michael Grossman, president and chief executive officer of netearnings in Burlingame, Calif., said, "Our presence on MSN is instrumental to increasing CreditFYI's visibility, making the service more easily accessible to the small-business market, and increasing awareness of its numerous benefits."

Latimer Asch, vice president of commercial markets at Fair, Isaac, said, "Combining the simple, straightforward interface to CreditFYI with the vast network of MSN makes it as easy as a click of a mouse for more business owners to make informed decisions about the creditworthiness of the small businesses they serve."

Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station Celebrates 20 Years of Service.

M2 PRESSWIRE-July 22, 2011-: Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station Celebrates 20 Years of Service(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:22072011

SENECA, S.C. - Duke Energy Carolinas' Bad Creek Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station this year marks its 20th anniversary.

An engineering marvel that required excavating 14 million cubic yards of soil and rock to create a three-mile tunnel into which 58 miles of pipe were installed, Bad Creek is capable of generating 1,065 megawatts of electricity during peak demand periods. It is the largest hydroelectric station on the Duke Energy system.

"It's hard to describe Bad Creek to anyone who hasn't seen it," said Larry Oliver, station supervisor. "We literally bored a hole into the side of a mountain through which we can channel water to generate electricity. To top it off, the system's design allows us to use the same water over and over again. Now that's what I call recycling."

The station uses two reservoirs. When electricity demand is high, water from the upper reservoir flows through the cavernous tunnel to spin massive turbines that create electricity. When the demand for electricity has subsided, the station operators pump water from the lower lake -- Lake Jocassee -- back to the upper reservoir, basically like recharging a battery.

Bad Creek is not only an engineering wonder, but also an environmental success. From planning to completion, Duke Energy has taken special care to protect the environment surrounding the station. Relocating rare plant species, such as the Oconee Bell, was a top priority before breaking ground.

In 1995, Bad Creek was named a certified "Stewardship Development" site by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. This award recognizes sites that have taken special consideration to environmental impact and preservation. Bad Creek was the first site to receive this honor in the state.

One of Bad Creek's most critical functions is to supply power to customers during times of high energy demand. The current heat wave is an example of when the hydroelectric station plays an integral part in keeping Upstate air conditioners humming.

Unlike large fossil or nuclear stations, which take time to bring online, hydroelectric stations can provide power almost at a moment's notice. Once station operators open the gates and water rushes through the turbines, electricity is sent to the grid.

Having begun commercial operation in 1991, Bad Creek is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The license will be up for renewal in 2027.

Duke Energy Carolinas owns nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides approximately 19,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 2.4 million customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert Cook

Phone: 864-873-4465

24-Hour: 800-559-3853

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

KID SEX FIEND IS BOOTED; EXCLUSIVE Jailed tot abuser to be deported.(News)

Byline: STEPHEN STEWART

A BEAST who abused a two-year-old girl and posted pictures of the attacks online will be deported to Holland after his sentence.

Sick John Huitema, 37, was jailed for four-and-a-half years at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.

Judge Lady Dorian ordered that the Dutch pervert is immediately sent back after doing his time.

Police raided Huitema's home in the west end of Glasgow after they were alerted by a child protection agency Huitema used his Facebook profile "Benwwantsit" and "Barrywwantit" to post disgusting images online. Detectives later found 7269 indecent images of young girls on his computers.

Huitema pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the child and possessing or making indecent images of children.

The 37-year-old admitted the offences on Thursday. During the raid, officers seized a computer, two laptops and a number of CDs.

The court heard that Huitema also told police he had posted a picture of himself abusing the toddler.

Judge Lady Dorrian said: "The Crown narrative shows that the number of images involved was substantial and this was compounded by the sexual assault on the child and posting it to the internet."

Huitema was also placed to the Sex Offenders' Register.

SUNDAY EMAIL reporters@sundaymail.co.uk

XYDO Closes $1.25M Seed Funding Round.

* Led by EPIC Ventures, seed round for first-of-its-kind social news network also includes East and West Coast professional angel investors

* Led by respected industry veterans, funding will help position XYDO to lead rapidly emerging social news industry

PARK CITY, Utah -- XYDO today announced the close of a $1.25 million seed round of funding. The round is being led by EPIC Ventures, a Draper Fisher Jurveston (DFJ) Global Network partner fund, whose notable successes include DivX, Mozy and Ancestry.com. Other participants include professional angel investors in San Francisco, New York and Salt Lake City. The funds from this seed round will be used toward further developing XYDO's innovative social news network and expanding the company's team.

"At no time in history has demand been greater for quality, personalized news and tools that help to separate signal from noise," said Nick Efstratis, a managing director at EPIC Ventures, who will join XYDO's board of directors. "Quality of leadership is what determines the success of a venture; we have tremendous confidence in the XYDO team and their ability to lead the social news space to new and exciting heights."

Launched May 3, 2011, XYDO is a social news network focused on the endorsement, prioritization and engagement of news. XYDO provides users with a prioritized view of articles/features, editorials, blogs and other news being shared within their social graphs, together with the ability to observe and track broad global news trends and specialized domain-specific trends.

"We are delighted to receive this infusion of extremely smart money," said Eric Roach, CEO and co-founder of XYDO. "The EPIC Ventures team has an impressive track record for recognizing and supporting the development of promising companies, and the firm's guidance and influence will play a key role in helping XYDO build the definitive social news network."

XYDO's founders have significant experience building products and companies that have helped drive the web revolution. Co-founder and CEO Eric Roach founded Lombard Brokerage, which pioneered stock trading on the internet and was acquired by Morgan Stanley. Later in his career, Eric was recruited by legendary Valley investors John Doerr of Kliener Perkins and Ram Shriram of Sherpalo Ventures to serve as CEO of Elance.com.

Co-founder Cameron Brain founded and led Open Box Technologies, which developed a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for business to store, manage and publish video to the web and mobile devices. Cameron holds three U.S. patents for innovations in the delivery and display of video on mobile devices.

For more information, visit www.xydo.com. On Twitter Xydo can be found @xydoapp.

About XYDO

XYDO (www.xydo.com) is a new social network, focused on the social endorsement, prioritization and engagement of news. XYDO provides users with a prioritized view of articles/features, editorials, blogs and other news being shared within their social graphs, together with the ability to observe and track broad global news trends and specialized domain-specific trends. Founded by influential leaders, XYDO is changing the way people discover, consume and engage with news.

The Hargreaves report shows potential to boost economy.

M2 PRESSWIRE-May 18, 2011-: The Hargreaves report shows potential to boost economy(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:18052011

Changes to Intellectual Property systems could add up to [pound sign]7.9 billion to the UK's economy, the first report looking at how it can drive growth said today.

The publication of Digital Opportunity follows a six-month independent review of IP and Growth, led by Professor Ian Hargreaves. He was asked to consider how the national and international IP system can best work to promote innovation and growth.

His recommendations aim to give the UK a competitive advantage -- and put it on a par with international competitors. Taken together, they have the potential to add up to 0.6 per cent to annual GDP and to cut the costs of doing business with IP-related business by [pound sign]750m within a decade.

The key recommendations are: the UK should have a "Digital Copyright Exchange": a digital market place where licences in copyright content can be readily bought and sold, a sort of online copyright shop. the Government should legislate to permit access to orphan works, where the owner cannot be traced. For example some copyrighted works remain locked away because their authors either aren't known or can't be traced to give permission for use. In the worst cases, where one owner cannot be located - just one out of hundreds contained in a film or TV programme - they can effectively hold the interests of others to ransom as it becomes a criminal offence to exploit that work commercially. updating what it is lawful to copy. This includes copying for private purposes (such as shifting music from a laptop to an mp3 player) and copying which does not conflict with the core aims of copyright -- for example, digital copying of medical and other journals for computerised analysis in research. For example an academic working on malaria cannot draw on previous research through data mining because they cannot get permission to copy the datasets they need to mine. the Government's IP policy decisions need to be more closely based on economic evidence and should pay more attention to the impact on non-rights holders and consumers; changes to the Intellectual Property Office's (IPO) powers to enable it to help the IP framework adapt to future economic and technological change

Professor Hargreaves said:

"In recent years, the UK has failed to make the changes needed to modernise copyright law, for which we will pay an increasing economic price as we make our way into the third decade of the commercial internet. My recommendations set out how the IP framework can promote innovation and economic growth in the UK economy.

"The recommendations of the review are designed to enhance the economic potential of the UK's creative industries and to ensure that the emergence of high technology businesses, especially smaller businesses, in other sectors is not impeded by our IP laws."

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

"The Government is wholly focused on boosting growth -- and we can't afford to shy away from looking at complicated or controversial areas. That's why I welcome this report and its clear link between intellectual property and potential economic growth.

"The report highlights real scope for changes to copyright laws which could add enormous value to the UK economy.

"Intellectual Property has an enormous impact on individuals, businesses and industries across the UK. It affects what we can and can't do in business, education and in our daily lives. Technological innovation, successful creative businesses and strong international brands need to thrive."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne said:

"It is vital that our Intellectual Property laws incentivise innovation and investment, helping to drive the private sector-led economic recovery.

"I warmly welcome Professor Hargreaves' review on how the Intellectual Property framework can be updated to better support economic growth in the digital age."

Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Wilcox added:

"The Review presents opportunities to support dynamic UK businesses which will deliver innovation, growth and jobs in the years to come. It offers us the chance of a future with a developing market for Britain's creative talent, where the value of innovation and research outweighs the fear of piracy and counterfeiting.

"This report is the culmination of six months of work by Professor Hargreaves and his panel of experts. We thank him and his colleagues for their hard work and we will be giving the review's recommendations serious consideration and providing a full response soon."

The recommendations in the report cut across a number of different policy areas and will be of interest to all Government Departments. The recommendations on copyright will be of particular interest to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Education.

Hargreaves Review Recommendations

1. Evidence. Government should ensure that development of the IP System is driven as far as possible by objective evidence. Policy should balance measurable economic objectives against social goals and potential benefits for rights holders against impacts on consumers and other interests. These concerns will be of particular importance in assessing future claims to extend rights or in determining desirable limits to rights.

2. International priorities. The UK should resolutely pursue its international interests in IP, particularly with respect to emerging economies such as China and Review of Intellectual Property and Growth India, based upon positions grounded in economic evidence. It should attach the highest immediate priority to achieving a unified EU patent court and EU patent system, which promises significant economic benefits to UK business. The UK should work to make the Patent Cooperation Treaty a more effective vehicle for international processing of patent applications.

3. Copyright licensing. In order to boost UK firms' access to transparent, contestable and global digital markets, the UK should establish a cross sectoral Digital Copyright Exchange. Government should appoint a senior figure to oversee its design and implementation by the end of 2012. A range of incentives and disincentives will be needed to encourage rights holders and others to take part. Governance should reflect the interests of participants, working to an agreed code of practice. The UK should support moves by the European Commission to establish a framework for cross border copyright licensing, with clear benefits to the UK as a major exporter of copyright works. Collecting societies should be required by law to adopt codes of practice, approved by the IPO and the UK competition authorities, to ensure that they operate in a way that is consistent with the further development of efficient, open markets.

4. Orphan works. The Government should legislate to enable licensing of orphan works. This should establish extended collective licensing for mass licensing of orphan works, and a clearance procedure for use of individual works. In both cases, a work should only be treated as an orphan if it cannot be found by search of the databases involved in the proposed Digital Copyright Exchange.

5. Limits to copyright. Government should firmly resist over-regulation of activities which do not prejudice the central objective of copyright, namely the provision of incentives to creators. Government should deliver copyright exceptions at national level to realise all the opportunities within the EU framework, including format shifting, parody, non-commercial research, and library archiving. The UK should also promote at EU level an exception to support text and data analytics. The UK should give a lead at EU level to develop a further copyright exception designed to build into the EU framework adaptability to new technologies. This would be designed to allow uses enabled by technology of works in ways which do not directly trade on the underlying creative and expressive purpose of the work. The Government should also legislate to ensure that these and other copyright exceptions are protected from override by contract.

6. Patent thickets and other obstructions to innovation. In order to limit the effects of these barriers to innovation, the Government should: take a leading role in promoting international efforts to cut backlogs and manage the boom in patent applications by further extending "work sharing" with patent offices in other countries;

work to ensure patents are not extended into sectors, such as non-technical computer programs and business methods, which they do not currently cover, without clear evidence of benefit; investigate ways of limiting adverse consequences of patent thickets, including by working with international partners to establish a patent fee Review of Intellectual Property and Growth structure set by reference to innovation and growth goals rather than solely by reference to patent office running costs. The structure of patent renewal fees might be adjusted to encourage patentees to assess more carefully the value of maintaining lower value patents, so reducing the density of "patent thickets".

7. The design industry. The role of IP in supporting this important branch of the creative economy has been neglected. In the next 12 months, the IPO should conduct an evidence based assessment of the relationship between design rights and innovation, with a view to establishing a firmer basis for evaluating policy at the UK and European level. The assessment should include exploration with design interests of whether access to the proposed Digital Copyright Exchange would help creators protect and market their designs and help users better achieve legally compliant access to designs.

8. Enforcement of IP rights. The Government should pursue an integrated approach based upon enforcement, education and, crucially, measures to strengthen and grow legitimate markets in copyright and other IP protected fields. When the enforcement regime set out in the DEA becomes operational next year its impact should be carefully monitored and compared with experience in other countries, in order to provide the insight needed to adjust enforcement mechanisms as market conditions evolve. This is urgent and Ofcom should not wait until then to establish its benchmarks and begin building data on trends. In order to support copyright holders in enforcing their rights the Government should introduce a small claims track for low monetary value IP claims in the Patents County Court.

9. Small firm access to IP advice. The IPO should draw up plans to improve accessibility of the IP system to smaller companies who will benefit from it. This should involve access to lower cost providers of integrated IP legal and commercial advice.

10. An IP system responsive to change. The IPO should be given the necessary powers and mandate in law to ensure that it focuses on its central task of ensuring that the UK's IP system promotes innovation and growth through efficient, contestable markets. It should be empowered to issue statutory opinions where these will help clarify copyright law. As an element of improved transparency and adaptability, Government should ensure that by the end of 2013, the IPO publishes an assessment of the impact of those measures advocated in this review which have been accepted by Government.

Notes to editors:

1. A full copy of the report can be found at www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview

2. Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled the six-month review during a speech at a major event in Shoreditch in November 2010.

3. Professor Ian Hargreaves holds the chair of Digital Economy at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies and Cardiff Business School. As a distinguished academic, journalist and public servant, he has held senior positions at the BBC, Financial Times, The Independent, and New Statesman. He was a founding non-executive board member of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and an executive board member, and Director of Strategic Communications at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

4. The expert panel consisted of Tom Loosemore, Roger Burt, Professor David Gann, Professor James Boyle and Professor Mark Schankerman.

5. It will also form part of the Government's wider Growth Review which is examining how we can remove the barriers to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries.

6. It examined the available evidence as to how far the IP framework currently promotes these objectives, drawing on US and European as well as UK experience, and focused in particular on: Identification of barriers to growth in the IP system, and how to overcome them; How the IP framework could better enable new business models appropriate to the digital age.

7. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.

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

Foster dad pleads guilty to sexual abuse charges; Joseph Larson, accused of molesting two youths in his care, entered an Alford plea.(NEWS)

Byline: DAVID CHANEN; STAFF WRITER

Two former foster children who said they were sexually abused by their foster care provider years ago got justice without going to court Monday.

On the day the jury was to be selected for his trial in St. Paul, Joseph L. Larson surprised prosecutors by pleading guilty to two counts of felony criminal sexual conduct. He will receive a minimum 12-year prison sentence; a judge could go as high as 17 years.

Larson, 34, submitted an Alford plea, in which he doesn't admit the criminal act and asserts innocence. Under the plea, a defendant acknowledges that there is sufficient evidence for the prosecution to gain a conviction.

As part of the plea deal, felony child pornography possession charges filed in Anoka County will be dismissed. Sentencing will be June 28.

Ramsey County attorney John Choi said his office and the victims were pleased by the outcome. He said that because Larson agreed to a plea, it spares the victims the need to testify at a trial.

Larson's attorney, Katie Rindfleisch, declined to comment. She had recently told the Star Tribune that "Joe has never and would never hurt a child." She planned to call several of his former foster children to share how Larson saved their lives.

Allegations of a foster parent sexually abusing the children entrusted to their care are very rare, prosecutors said.

One of the former foster children, now 17, was in Larson's care from 2002 to 2005; the other, now 23, was with him for three months in 2003.

Before he was charged last summer, Larson was investigated twice by a child pornography task force but not charged. He had his foster care license closed in 2006 after one of the youths made an allegation against him, according to court documents. He later had a second license revoked because he didn't disclose information about his previous license and the investigations.

Larson became a licensed foster parent through a private agency, PATH Minnesota Inc., in Monticello in 2002. He cared for four children, including two brothers, with the agency. In 2004, a state task force received a report from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about information discovered during an Internet child pornography investigation. Investigators found that credit cards issued to Larson had been used to buy access to child pornography websites in 2002 and 2003, court documents said.

Two officers assigned to the case couldn't gather enough information for a warrant to search Larson's computer. In 2006, officers again investigated Larson, but he told them he wouldn't consent to a search of his computer because it contained private information about foster children, according to a police report.

In February 2010, police were again alerted when the youth who is now 17 told a social worker about sex abuse that allegedly occurred during his time in Larson's care, according to a criminal complaint filed against Larson. Police subsequently interviewed the 23-year-old, who is not related to the 17-year-old, and Larson was charged in August.

Larson remains out of jail on $30,000 bail he posted last year. He is barred from having any contact with the victims.

David Chanen - 612-673-4465

AVG Technologies Partners with SCORE to Support National White House Initiative.

New Program Expands Access to Advice and Tools for Veterans and Their Families Looking to Start or Grow a Small Business

WASHINGTON -- AVG Technologies, makers of small- and medium-sized business (SMB) and consumer anti-virus products and SCORE, America's premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs, in support of the First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's Joining Forces Initiative, have committed to providing mentoring, tools, and training support to military personnel and their families through the new "Veterans Fast Launch" program.

Joining Forces is a comprehensive national initiative to mobilize all sectors of society to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned. In this ongoing effort, the First Lady and Dr. Biden will highlight issues that are of special importance to the military families they have met with across the country, including the areas of employment, education, and wellness.

AVG has partnered with SCORE to help provide tools and training to entrepreneurs through its network of 13,500 volunteer mentors and trainers. AVG stands alongside SCORE ready to answer the call of helping our veterans, including their spouses and families, to transition into life as entrepreneurs.

Together with SCORE, the Walmart Foundation, and other technology and business partners, AVG is proud to announce the "Veterans Fast Launch" initiative. The new program will be a combined package of services, scholarships and free software, provided by major corporate partners, combined with SCORE's mentoring program. The aim is to help accelerate veterans' ability, and their spouses' and families' ability, to succeed as a small business owner.

AVG will provide the participants of the program with a one year AVG Internet Security Business Edition 2011 license free of charge for up to three users. This reaffirms AVG's commitment to protecting small businesses. AVG's solution is built for SMBs and provides protection for laptops, PCs, workstations, email and file servers, dynamically securing Internet-active businesses from today's most sophisticated online threats.

"AVG is proud to offer free Internet security to those who have served the United States and have protected millions of Americans," said Mike LaPeters, vice president, sales, North America, AVG Technologies USA. "With AVG Internet Security Business Edition 2011, participating veterans will receive all the benefits of a world-renowned security expert, made practical and accessible for their small business."

"SCORE is thrilled to take part in this White House initiative and to work together toward a common goal of providing support and resources to our service members and their families," says SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. "This new program gives SCORE, and its partners, the opportunity to offer free business advice and tools to aid in the successful transition of our nation's veterans and their families to small business ownership."

About AVG Technologies www.avg.com

AVG is a global security software maker protecting more than 110 million consumers and small businesses in 170 countries from the ever-growing incidence of Web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cybercrime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free, downloadable software allows novice users to have basic anti-virus protection and then easily upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense when they are ready. AVG has nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and distributors globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Walmart, and Yahoo!

Visit AVG's Small Business Resource Centre for more information on small business security at www.avg.com/business-resources-center. For business security trends analysis, follow AVG small business blog at http://small-business.blog.avg.com/. Connect with AVG at www.twitter.com/officialAVGnews and www.facebook.com/AVGfree.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 9 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE provides small business mentoring and workshops to more than 375,000 new and growing small businesses. More than 13,500 business experts volunteer as mentors in 354 chapters serving local communities with entrepreneur education to help grow 1 million small businesses.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you or visit SCORE at www.score.org and www.score.org/women. Connect with SCORE at www.facebook.com/SCOREFans, www.twitter.com/SCOREMentors and www.scorecommunity.org.

DHS ANNOUNCES NEW INFORMATION-SHARING TOOL TO HELP FUSION CENTERS COMBAT TERRORISM.

WASHINGTON -- The following information was released by the Department of Homeland Security:

The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DoD) today announced an initiative to grant select state and major urban area fusion center personnel access to classified terrorism-related information residing in DoD's classified network.

Under this initiative, select fusion center personnel with a federal security clearance will be able to access specific terrorism-related information resident on the DoD Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet)--a secure network used to send classified data. This classified data will be accessed via DHS' Homeland Security Data Network (HSDN). DHS will be responsible for ensuring that proper security procedures are followed.

"This initiative reflects the federal government's strong commitment to improve information sharing with our state, local, and tribal partners," said DHS Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Bart R. Johnson. "Fusion centers are a critical part of our national security enterprise, and this new tool enables federal agencies to share information with these partners while utilizing our advanced technical capabilities for secure information sharing."

"With this action, DoD continues its work in supporting states and localities who are leading our efforts to secure the nation from domestic terrorism attacks, said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs Paul N. Stockton. "We look forward to exploring other opportunities where DoD can help our state and local partners effectively defeat terrorism."

This joint initiative will promote collaboration between DHS, DoD and other federal departments and agencies, enabling the trusted and secure exchange of terrorism-related information in order to detect, deter, prevent and respond to homeland security threats.

State and major urban area fusion centers provide critical links for information sharing between and across all levels of government, and help fulfill key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. This initiative will serve as a valuable resource to enhance situational awaeness and support more timely and complete analysis of national security threats.

Increasing the breadth of law enforcement that have access to terrorism-related data will further improve the ability of fusion centers to prevent, detect, deter, and respond to terrorist attacks, and advance the combined missions of DHS and DoD to protect the nation's security.

DHS and DoD remain committed to protecting privacy and civil liberties as well as data and networks in an increasingly vulnerable cyber environment.

New BlogHer Study Shows U.S. Women Increasingly Shifting to Blogs as a Mainstream Media and Communication Channel.

Blogs Established as an Influential Source of Entertainment, Information and Advice for a Loyal and Engaged Population of 36 Million Tech-Savvy Women Consumers

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- BlogHer, Inc. (www.blogher.com), one of the top women's online networks and the Web's number-one guide to blogs by women, today announced the release of the BlogHer/Compass Partners 2008 Social Media Benchmark Study, which reveals compelling new insights into the power of the blogosphere and the significant role it plays in the lives of U.S. women. The survey, conducted with Compass Partners LLC, illustrates several surprising new trends in social media, specifically that 36.2 million women write and read blogs every week and approximately half consider blogs a "highly reliable" or "very reliable" source of information and advice about everything from products to presidential candidates. Fully 24 percent of women surveyed say they now watch less television because they are blogging instead.

The survey data indicate American women are drawn to participate in the blogosphere primarily because it provides access to the content they want, when they want it. Survey results also indicate that the blogging community's fundamental trust in one another has contributed to its rapid growth. Specific survey findings show:

 [TABLE OMITTED] 

"Several recent surveys indicate that our trust in institutions is declining. We are losing trust in the government, politicians, the media and many corporations. But as it turns out, we trust each other," said Elisa Camahort Page, BlogHer co-founder and COO. "The blogosphere is increasingly becoming the digital 'kitchen table' where individuals can sit down to have an authentic conversation about all the topics that affect their daily lives - from household products to presidential candidates."

"When analyzing data from the BlogHer/Compass Partners Social Media Benchmark Study, I was struck by how reliable and dedicated these women are to their blogs and their online communities. Blogging is an integral part of their daily lives and a key source of information and entertainment," said Susan Wright, managing director of Compass Partners LLC. "The fact that their readers find them highly credible and that this joint participation has achieved significant scale, presents proactive marketers with a measurable opportunity to engage with a highly desirable consumer demographic."

About the Survey

The BlogHer/Compass Partners Social Media Benchmark Study was conducted in two parts; one reflecting a representative sample of the general U.S. population of women and the other reflecting the BlogHer network.

U.S. women sample size: 2,350 (1,250 of which were blogosphere participants)

The BlogHer network sample size: 5,113

The data from the samples gave insight into the behaviors, trends and purchasing habits of women online. The online survey is the first of several that BlogHer and Compass Partners will facilitate in six-month increments in order to examine shifts in online trends and behaviors within the blogosphere. The general U.S. population survey will be conducted on a yearly basis.

About BlogHer

Founded in February 2005 by Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins and Lisa Stone, BlogHer's mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment. BlogHer provides the number-one community and media network of blogs by women via a community hub (http://blogher.com), annual conferences and an advertising network of more than 1,500 qualified, contextually targeted blog affiliates. BlogHer provides the highest quality content on a range of topics, with all blogs continually edited to meet strict editorial standards, including content quality, category relevance and blog frequency.

About Compass Partners, LLC

Compass Partners, LLC (www.compasspartners-llc.com) was founded by Susan Wright in 2003 as a strategic marketing consultancy anchored by intelligent market research. Susan leverages her vast experience gained at top tier, consumer driven companies such as Quaker Oats, Nestle and Microsoft. Compass Partners strives to help clients reach clarity in brand and business building challenges by uncovering actionable consumer insights. A significant focus for Compass Partners is in the arena of social media helping clients who want to understand how to build community around their brands.

KEYWORDS: blog, blogging, blogging community, blogosphere, blogs, online communities, online social networks, online web communities, social effects of the internet on the media, social media, women bloggers

Examine Issues Relating To Implementing an Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Solution.

M2 PRESSWIRE-9 October 2006-Research and Markets: Examine Issues Relating To Implementing an Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Solution(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:09102006

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43296) has announced the addition of "Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Market Opportunities, Strategies, and Forecasts, 2006 to 2012" to their offering.

Application and business integration is used to form business systems that are flexible. The changing business climate is a central concern for IT departments. The ability to create products that allow for efficient and quick response to changing business conditions is the basis for EAI vendor strategy.

Data integration is the means by which organizations understand the data scattered throughout or external to their organization, access it and deliver it, adapted for its intended use, to enterprise applications. Organizations accomplish integration through internal hand-coded programs that extract data from one or more sources and deliver it to a target system.

Businesses today face a serious and widening information "Integration Gap" between system integration demands and their ability to meet these demands. Hand coding is less expensive than packaged integrations software in the short term.

EAI is the base technology for services oriented architecture (SOA) he SOA broker components are industry specific scripts that implement specific functionality and create an on demand flexible IT infrastructure. The components are controlled by the SOA engine, which manages the directory and the flexible infrastructure that make the architecture work. SOA is middleware. Middleware works by leaving information in place and achieving business process IT through integration infrastructure.

Application integration software package requirements have evolved from hand coded functionality to encompass additional functionality, such as expanded connectivity, data profiling, data quality enhancement, bi-directional meta data (data about data) management, data transformation and routing and highly scalable parallel processing technology.

Key factors and trends driving demand for packaged application integration solutions include engines, brokers, adapters, and components.

The improved systems capability and proven return on investment for application integration markets represent the most compelling market driving forces. Companies that achieve faster time to market receive significant competitive advantage. The example of Apple achieving competitive advantage over Sony in the electronic music markets is a central and compelling issue driving every enterprise to look at the advantages of enterprise application integration.

EAI software license markets at $1.4 billion in 2005 are expected to reach $4.9 billion by 2012. (See Figure 2-14 and Table 2-15.) Markets are growing as the Internet dominates e-commerce channel adoption. Supply chain automation is a market driving force. Integration of applications by the financial services industry has not been dented. Most integration is still achieved with custom coding. EAI licenses impact the banking and insurance industries. Companies in every industry are achieving competitive advantage from the use of EAI technology. It is used to replace batch processing with real time exchange of information. This is a significant market driver.

Methodology

This is the 288th report in a series of market research reports that provide forecasts in communications, telecommunications, the internet, computer, software, and telephone equipment. The project leaders take direct responsibility for writing and preparing each report. They have significant experience preparing industry studies. Forecasts are based on primary research and proprietary data bases. Forecasts reflect analysis of the market trends in the segment and related segments. Unit and dollar shipments are analyzed through consideration of dollar volume of each market participation in the segment. Market share analysis includes conversations with key customers of products, industry segment leaders, marketing directors, distributors, leading market participants, and companies seeking to develop measurable market share. Over 200 in-depth interviews are conducted for each report with a broad range of key participants and opinion leaders in the market segment.

Key Topics Covered Include:

- Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Market Shares and Market Forecasts- Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Market Driving Forces- Business Integration Industry Trends- Issues Relating To Implementing An EAI Solution- Coordinating Activities Via EAI- Need For Integration Software- Service Oriented Architecture and Web Services- EAI Real Time Processing- EAI Integration Of ERP and Distributed Information- Business Intelligence- Business Activity Integration- Application Integration Technical Advantages- Enterprise Integration Analysis- Application Integration Functionality

Companies Mentioned Include:

- IBM- Tibco- BEA- Cape Systems Group- Envoy Technologies- Fujitsu- Fiorano- Fuego- GXS- Hewlett-Packard (HP)- i2- Kabria- Microsoft- Oracle- Pegasystems- Progress Software- SAP- Savvion- Synergy- Sun Microsystems- Vitria- webMethods- Zebra Technologies

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43296

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

Daily Market Movers Digest, Midday Stock Alerts, Tuesday, August 2, PECB, WTVN, INSN, AMEP, SWTS, HLOSF.

M2 PRESSWIRE-2 August 2005-OTCPicks.com: Daily Market Movers Digest, Midday Stock Alerts, Tuesday, August 2, PECB, WTVN, INSN, AMEP, SWTS, HLOSF(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:02082005

Today our stock watch alerts today include a Stock Profile for Quest Pet Ecology Brands, Inc. (OTCBB: PECB) and stock alerts for Wi-Fi TV, Inc. (OTC: WTVN), InsynQ, Inc. (OTCBB: INSN), American Energy Production, Inc. (OTCBB: AMEP), Sweet Success Enterprises, Inc. (OTC: SWTS), Halo Resources, Inc. (OTCBB: HLOSF)

FREE Site Registration & Stock Alerts at http://www.otcpicks.com

NEW FEATURED COMPANY PROFILE

PET ECOLOGY BRANDS, INC. (OTC: PECB) - "Up 35.71% in morning trading"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/PECB.php

View Company Profile: http://www.otcpicks.com/profiles/pecb/index.php

Pet Ecology Brands, Inc. a Texas corporation, develops and manufactures unique and patented products for pets that are environmentally and technologically advanced, earth-friendly and safe. Pet Ecology's revolutionary patented cat litter destroys urine odor, clumps, and is earth-friendly. The litter is lightweight, convenient to use, is flushable and is safe for sewer and septic tank systems. It is safe for cats and our environment and does not contain any sodium bentonite or silica dust, as is used in competing brands. The design helps to protect the landfills, and yet does everything that clay litters do... and more. It has the unique ability to help indicate certain diseases commonly occurring in cats. Their litter not only warns of possible illness, but may also help indicate how far along the illness may be by the color the litter changes to, thereby providing the pet owner significant additional benefits and an early warning system concerning the cat's health. Pet Ecology Brands also markets a line of K-9 Fat Free Dog Treats(TM) which are the first "fat free" dog treats on the market that meet the standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and offer dog owners an effective means to provide their pets with a non-fat tasty treat. They are also cholesterol free and sodium free. For more information visit their web site at www.petecology.com.

OTC STOCKS TO WATCH:

WI-FI TV, INC. (OTC: WTVN) - "Up 23.33% in morning trading"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/WTVN.php

Wi-Fi TV, Inc. offers free local, long distance, and global telephone service with its Wi-Fi TV virtual dialer and 200 free one-click Wi-Fi TV content channels at www.Wi-FiTV.com. Wi-Fi TV, Inc. (www.wi-fitv.com) (www.cinemapop.com) has a history of innovation in online content delivery and plans to quantify the value of this unique experience now that high-speed Internet delivery is becoming available to millions of consumers around the world. Wi-Fi TV draws on the latest IPTV technology and 10 years of experience in the delivery of video over the Internet in launching its new service.

WTVN News:

August 2 - Wi-Fi TV, Inc. Addresses Plans for Native American TV Channel and Internet TV Studio on Tribal Land in CEO Address to Tribal Leaders

Speaking last week at the Federal Communications Commission-National Congress of American Indians Regional Workshop and Roundtable in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the CEO of Wi-Fi TV, Inc., Alex Kanakaris, officially launched Wi-Fi TV, Inc.'s Native American Internet Development Plan. In his address, Mr. Kanakaris announced that Wi-Fi TV, Inc. is prepared to deploy resources to establish the following Internet-related businesses in partnership with the Native American community:

-- The first global television station devoted exclusively to topics of relevance to Native Americans. This will include features on tribal-owned tourist destinations such as casinos, hotels, and RV parks. The station will be available for viewing free over the Internet and will be viewable on laptop and desktop computers, as well as television screens. The channel will join over 200 channels from 50 countries currently airing at www.wi-fitv.com. The channel will potentially generate advertising revenues, as well as promotional opportunities for Wi-Fi TV, Inc. and its partners.

-- An Internet TV studio which will be on the cutting-edge of production and delivery technologies and will allow digital production and Internet webcasting among its services. Wi-Fi TV, Inc. intends to locate this studio in Nevada on tribal land. Fees will be generated for services and training, and hiring of Native Americans will be part of the development.

-- Development of on-demand Native American-themed online TV programming, including pay-per-view educational programs and conferences. Fees will be charged for placing the content online as well as to grant online access to the content.

-- Development of an online gaming website, which will be a joint venture with an Indian-owned casino and will offer "play-for-fun" online gaming (no winning or losing money), as well as the possibility of future offshore gambling for money. Fees will be earned initially from advertising and possibly in the future for gambling transactions.

-- Development of VoIP free local and long distance phone services with a Native American co-branded virtual dialer. The phone dialer will be designed to be downloaded on the Internet. Advertising will be tied to using the phone as a revenue model for the business.

Kanakaris said that Wi-Fi TV, Inc. is welcoming potential Native American partners to share in the revenues the company hopes to generate from these businesses and stressed that the Native American component launched last week makes up part of Wi-Fi TV, Inc.'s overall international strategy.

"The convergence of TV and the Internet opens a great opportunity to expand knowledge about and cultural awareness of Native Americans and to promote Native American enterprises. As an example, one of the most talked-about IPOs in England in the last 20 years was recently undertaken by an online gaming company, and it is important to brand and develop an online gaming site now that is representative of the Native American community. Wi-Fi TV, Inc. is uniquely qualified to deploy these initiatives based on our 10 year experience in delivering video over the Internet and our access to a global server network," Kanakaris stated.

INSYNQ, INC. (OTCBB: INSN) - "Up 50% in morning trading"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/INSN.php

InsynQ has been delivering outsourced software application hosting and managed IT services since 1997. InsynQ allows business customers to "turn on" their software applications and workstations instantly through any Internet-connected computer, regardless of operating system. InsynQ subscribers can freely access their software and data -- fully virus-protected and automatically backed up -- from any computer, anywhere in the world. InsynQ's purchase of selected business software from Appgen in 2005 improves the flexibility and cost-efficiency of InsynQ's delivery by using Linux-based application servers that enable customers the choice of multiple platforms. For more information, visit us at www.insynq.com

INSN News:

August 2 - InsynQ Offers Novell Version of Its Linux-Native Accounting and Finance Software

InsynQ, Inc. (OTC BB: INSN), a premier provider of Internet-delivered online accounting solutions, owner of Appgen Business Software, and a Novell Technology Partner, announced today the availability of its MyBooks Professional and Custom Suite accounting and business management applications for Novell's SUSE LINUX operating system. Both applications run on the Novell Linux Desktop, Novell Linux Small Business Suite and SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server.

In addition, InsynQ is preparing a special optimized Novell package of MyBooks Professional and Custom Suite in time for the Linux World Conference and Expo in San Francisco from August 8-11, 2005.

The Novell-compatible offering of MyBooks Professional, the award-winning small business accounting package, is another example of how Appgen's business and accounting applications -- Linux-native since 1997 -- support the Linux desktop. MyBooks Professional has both a Linux server and Linux client application, as well as an ODBC server for additional data access and reporting.

John P. Gorst, Chairman and CEO of InsynQ, stated, "MyBooks Professional for Novell is a commercial application for the Linux desktop that meets demand in the business market for low-cost computing alternatives. This offering helps Appgen Business Software further address the Linux market with an entry-level accounting solution with the option for easy customization and scalability through Appgen's 4GL Development System."

"We're excited that Novell customers will now have the ability to run InsynQ's Appgen MyBooks Professional accounting software on SUSE LINUX," said Ed Anderson, vice president of product marketing for Novell. "This affordable, complete accounting and finance solution, optimized for SUSE LINUX and available for Novell Linux Desktop, will benefit our customers in the small to medium business market now and as their businesses grow."

Appgen's MyBooks Professional and its other products, Custom Suite, and the Executive Dashboard, run on various Linux distributions, as well as Windows and MAC OSX. The Appgen 4GL Development System has been designed to run in a variety of Unix/Linux environments.

AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION, INC. (OTCBB: AMEP) - "Up 11.11% in morning trading"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/AMEP.php

American Energy Production, Inc. engages in the acquisition, development, production, exploration for, and the sale of oil and gas in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Bend Arch Petroleum, Inc., holds 1116 acres in Pinto, Texas, and also a 50% interest in 400 acres in Parker County, which includes five producing natural gas wells, as well as natural gas pipeline. American Energy Production was founded in 2000. The company was formerly known as Communicate Now.com, Inc. and changed its name to American Energy Production, Inc. in 2002. The company is based in Mineral Wells, Texas.

AMEP News:

August 2 - American Energy Production Inc. Announces Success on Re-Start of Uni-Draulics Jet Pump on Bend Arch Petroleum Inc. Nash 1-C Barnett Shale Well

American Energy Production Inc. (OTCBB:AMEP) announced today its wholly owned investee Bend Arch Petroleum Inc. began re-start operations of a uni-draulics jet pump on the Nash 1-C Barnett Shale well.

Charles Bitters, President of American Energy Production Inc. stated, "Bend Arch Petroleum Inc. began successfully producing the Barnett Shale well on Friday, July 29, after exchanging the complete down hole jet assembly and production tubing. The Nash 1-C is still not stabilized but on Monday August 1, the well produced in excess of 20 barrels of high gravity oil and 100,000/cubic feet of natural gas. At today's market price of $60.00/barrel for oil and $8.00/mcf of natural gas this would be approximately $1600.00/day or $48,000.00/month or $570,000.00/year gross revenue. This will add a very nice piece to the Bend Arch Production Inc. income. The company will post more results once the well has a chance to stabilize therefore giving a clearer picture as to the future of the Nash 1-C well."

The installation of the uni-draulics jet pump on the Nash 1-C well instead of a conventional pumping unit will move more oil and produced water from the well bore faster and more efficiently than the conventional pumping unit.

Charles Bitters also stated, "Bend Arch Petroleum Inc. has accumulated over 7,000 acres of leases that have potential Barnett Shale production. Oil America Group Inc. of Dallas, Texas another 100% owned investee of AMEP plan to offer drilling partnerships to potential investors to drill Barnett Shale wells on the above mentioned properties in the near future. Oil America Group Inc. will begin offering these partnerships in the next two weeks. For more information contact Joe Christopher at Oil America Group Inc."

Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" and are based on current expectations and the current economic environment. We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, Unknown risk, uncertainties, as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the result, performance, or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements

SWEET SUCCESS ENTERPRISES, INC. (OTC: SWTS) - "Up 7.29% in morning trading"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/SWTS.php

San Antonio-based Sweet Success Enterprises Inc. acquired the Sweet Success(tm) brand in 2002, including all formulas, copyrights, trademarks, records and research. It has since redeveloped the best-tasting meal replacement beverage to tap into the rapidly growing demand for convenient and nutritious "super foods" that can fit into a fitness or weight-loss plan. The Company's core Complete Fuel(tm) product now comes in two flavors and is designed for mainstream appeal and to satiate without appetite suppressants. It provides sufficient nutrition to act as a meal substitute with state-of-the-art ingredients like Aktivated Barley(tm) for endurance, ground flax to provide omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, and guarana for a natural energy boost.

SWTS News:

August 2 - Sweet Success Hires Marketing Team to Spearhead Texas Retail Rollout

Sweet Success Enterprises Inc. (OTC: SWTS) has hired Houston-based Vincent Communications to create and execute its public relations and marketing campaign to support the Texas rollout of the revolutionary Sweet Success Complete Fuel(TM) cutting-edge health beverage line.

Kay P. Vincent, president of Vincent Communications, brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to Sweet Success, including work for companies like The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, McDonald's and General Mills (The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant). She brings a wealth of experience in beverage marketing having worked for more than 15 years on various campaigns for The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises, including the "Where is Coca-Cola, Texas?" campaign. Her firm's client roster currently includes such recognized companies as Coca-Cola Enterprises, Schlitterbahn Galveston, Minute Maid and the BizRadio Network of stations. Vincent Communications will be instrumental in generating publicity for the Sweet Success(TM) brand while developing and executing a marketing plan to integrate the brand into consumers' daily routines and lifestyle choices.

"Sweet Success is poised to reclaim its leadership position in key Texas markets," said Ms. Vincent. "Unlike typical product launches, Sweet Success has a proven track record and we believe consumers will remember and recognize that. It is very exciting to be on board at the ground level to help launch a brand that has already proven itself." Texas accounted for 25 percent of the brand's national sales under Nestle.

"We are very excited to add Kay and her group to our team," said Bill Gallagher, president and CEO of Sweet Success Enterprises. "Her extensive beverage experience, combined with her in-depth knowledge of the Texas markets, led to the selection of her firm. This is a significant step in gearing up our retail launch in Texas as we execute our growth plans."

"At the same time, we are anxious to answer many of the questions we've been hearing from investors and are working on plans right now to do just that," Gallagher continued. "Our securities counsel and accounting teams completed much of their work at our San Antonio headquarters last week toward making us a fully reporting company. We have made significant efforts at keeping investors informed of our progress and hope our upcoming moves add to the confidence in our company's plans."

HALO RESOURCES LTD (OTCBB: HLOSF & TSX: HLO) - "Up 3.13% in morning trading, and company news is due out at end of the day"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/HLOSF.php

Halo Resources Ltd is a Canadian based mineral company engaged in the acquisition of near production precious and base metal deposits. The company's initial acquisition and primary project is the Duport Gold Property located near Kenora, Ontario. The Duport Property hosts a well-defined gold deposit with exceptional exploration upside. Increasing known reserves through further drilling and advancing the Duport Gold Property towards commercial production are key objectives. Halo is operated by an experienced management team and backed by a strong network of resource exploration and mining financiers. To further diversify the Company's portfolio of advanced projects and further increase shareholder value the company is carrying out an on-going program of property identification, examination and acquisition.

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