CATHY STAZIO MCKITTRICK.(CAPITAL REGION)

COLONIE -- Catherine (Cathy) A. Stazio McKittrick, 43, died suddenly October 12, 1998. Born in Albany, she was a lifelong resident. She was employed as a homecare giver for many years. She was a communicant of the Church of St. Francis deSales in West Albany. She was the daughter of Kate Kille Stazio of Melbourne, FL, and the late Michael V. (Muzzy) Stazio. Wife of Joseph F. McKittrick; mother of Christopher Stazio of Melbourne, FL and Joseph McKittrick of Colonie; sister of Michael J. Stazio of Colonie, JoAnne Silverman of Clifton Park, and …

Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare CEO tells employers: Let workers help choose plan.

Byline: Robin Lord

Dec. 11--Double-digit increases in health-insurance premiums will continue unless employers do more to involve workers in the process of choosing a health plan, says the top executive of Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare.

The most common response by business owners to rising health-insurance costs is to shift the increase to employees, Charles Baker, CEO of Harvard Pilgrim told members of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce at a breakfast meeting in Hyannis yesterday.

As a result, in the four years from 2000 to 2004, the average worker's share of a family's insurance went from $1,620 to $2,700 -- a 67 percent increase, he said.

…

Bush returning to the Mideast with tempered hopes for peace agreement before term ends

When President George W. Bush began his first energized pursuit of an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord just over five months ago, confidence was his constant companion. "I'm optimistic," he said over and over about the prospects for ending one of the world's longest-running disputes within little more than a year.

As the president prepares to leave Tuesday for a Mideast trip, his second in four months, he is trading that unfailingly upbeat tone for something a bit more reserved. He was due to arrive in Israel early Wednesday.

It is a nod to Mideast realities.

Old barriers to peace such as distrust, violence and little movement on the …

Heal Thyself? // Stress, Drug Access Lead Many Doctors To Substance Abuse

While he was in medical school, Al, a 46-year-old familyphysician, felt "a hole inside of me that needed filling." He filledit with alcohol.

By the time he was practicing at a major academic medicalcenter, he was getting drunk nightly to escape from feeling insecureand also from his distress over being a closeted homosexual.

"I drank in isolation. I needed to drink to deal with stress.I needed to drink to get to sleep," he said.

Eventually, he said, the alcohol and the hangovers began to getin the way of his work.

"My problems were painfully obvious to my colleagues. I waslate to work. I called in sick all the time," said Al, who askedthat his …

Business Appraisers; KATZ SAPPER MILLER - HEALTHCARE VALUATION SERVICES.

Experienced business appraisers specializing in the healthcare industry. Common analyses performed include physician practices, medical ancillary businesses, hospitals, outpatient services, etc. Services performed include traditional valuation calculations, fair value reporting, litigation support, fairness opinions, and compensation analyses for the sale goods and services subject to regulatory scrutiny.

Area of …

`Be Cool' runs amok in stream of old scenes.(Life - Scene)

Byline: ROGER EBERT Universal Press Syndicate

John Travolta became a movie star by playing a Brooklyn kid who wins a dance contest in "Saturday Night Fever" (1977). He revived his career by dancing with Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction" (1994). In "Be Cool," Uma Thurman asks if he dances. "I'm from Brooklyn," he says, and then they dance. So we get it: "Brooklyn" connects with "Fever," Thurman connects with "Pulp." That's the easy part. The hard part is, what do we do with it?

"Be Cool" is a movie that knows it is a movie. It knows it is a sequel, and contains disparaging references to sequels. All very cute at the screenplay stage, where everybody can sit …

Evita convenes Kitchen Kabinet to help the underprivileged.(News)

BYLINE: KAREN BREYTENBACH

HIGH society ladies with more than a little influence in the world of business were treated to a grand lunch at the Cape Grace yesterday by the most famous white woman in the country.

Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout, dressed in black out of respect for the recently departed former state president PW Botha, had convened her first Kitchen Kabinet. The tough issues Evita wished to tackle lay at the heart of the Darling community where she has built her famous "peron".

Three years ago Evita, aka Pieter-Dirk …

Wall Street pares losses as markets digest JPMorgan Chase buyout of Bear Stearns

Wall Street fell in temperamental trading Monday as investors grappled with news of JPMorgan Chase & Co. buying the stricken Bear Stearns & Co. in a deal backed by the government. The Dow Jones industrials, down nearly 200 points in the early going, fluctuated into positive territory and then sank again by more than 100 points.

A buyout of Bear Stearns was certainly more appealing than the alternative: letting the investment bank collapse and causing huge losses for anyone linked to it. And some unprecedented moves by the Federal Reserve gave the market a bit of solace on what many predicted would be a day of precipitous losses in the stock market.

…

Lollapalooza mixes it up

In its sixth year as a Chicago-based "destination festival," Lollapalooza will be headlined by a mix of best-selling modern rockers, a reunited alternative-era legend and a cutting-edge dance-pop diva when it rolls into Grant Park on Aug. 6-8.

As in years past, and much to the chagrin of Austin, Texas-based promoters C3 Presents, the names of the top six main-stage acts all leaked to the press over the last few months. But the list was made official Monday, when the complete roster of 123 acts was announced.

The headliners are the reunited Seattle grunge merchants Soundgarden, long-running Broadway-bound pop-punks Green Day, avant-garde dance-pop phenom Lady Gaga, Canada's …

New Transit Project Near Los Angeles International Airport.

Staff

Los Angeles, Calif.- Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has been retained by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to evaluate alternative alignments, prepare an environmental impact report (EIR), and provide conceptual engineering services for the Crenshaw-Prairie Transit Corridor project.

The study will evaluate the feasibility of implementing a high-capacity transit system within a 10.5-mile corridor from Wilshire Boulevard south to El Segundo Boulevard, near the Los Angeles Airport. The analysis will determine the type of transit improvements needed in …

ANTARCTIC ICE CAP HOLES MAY SHAPE CLIMATE.(Living Today)

Byline: William C. Hidlay Associated Press

Mysterious holes that periodically form in the ice covering Antarctic seas may serve as vents for excess heat and trapped gas, helping to shape the Earth's climate and influencing the "greenhouse effect."

These ice-free regions, some as large as France, weren't discovered until 1974 when scientists began examining new satellite images of Antarctica and the frozen ocean encircling it. Scientists don't know if the holes called polynyas existed before then or even how frequently they develop in the vast ice cover.

Teams of scientists from the Soviet Union, the United States and West Germany have worked since 1981 to figure out how the holes form, what role they play in ocean circulation and how they affect the climate.

Polynya (pronounced "pa-lean-yah"') is a …

Libya: NATO hits gov't missile launchers, boats

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — NATO warplanes on Saturday struck a missile launching position that Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi's forces used to target the civilians in western Libya, the alliance said in a statement.

Government troops used the missile site outside the rebel-held port city of Misrata to fire indiscriminately on civilians in the area, NATO said.

Since the uprising against Gadhafi's 42-year rule broke out in February, armed rebels saying they seek democracy have seized much of the country's east, where they've set up an administration in the city of Benghazi. They also control much of the western Nafusa mountains and Misrata, Libya's third largest city.

The civil …

Ban Urges Reconciliation in Lebanon

UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday urged Lebanon's prime minister and parliament speaker to reconcile and try to elect a new president, warning that failure could lead to two governments and two presidents.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's U.S.-backed government has been locked in a fierce power struggle for months with the pro-Syrian, pro-Iranian opposition, led by the military group Hezbollah and backed by opposition-aligned Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

It is the most serious political crisis since the end of the country's 1975-90 civil war.

Berri has set Sept. 25 for parliament to meet to start voting on a new head of state to replace …

Ex-professor pleads innocent to stalking.

RUSSELLVILLE - A former chemistry professor at Arkansas Tech University pleaded innocent Monday in Pope County Circuit Court to a charge of Internet stalking of a child. …

Review: 'Arthur' gets neutered in Brand's hands

Put an infinite number of studio executives in a room, and sooner or later one will green-light a truly good remake of a classic film.

Sadly, Russell Brand's "Arthur" is not it, although it is at least a benign bit of fluff that should please younger audiences unfamiliar with the 1981 comedy, even if purists who adore the original may hate this version.

"Arthur" is respectful of and faithful to Dudley Moore's original; maybe too much so. The filmmakers tweak things here and there to modernize the story and fit the persona of drunken, debauched, billionaire man-child onto Brand (not surprisingly, it is no stretch for the British comic with the party-boy past).

Yet the …

Preventing CVD in women: updates focus on real-world advice

In 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) sponsored the Evidence-Based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women. These guidelines were updated in 2007, and have been updated again in 2011.1 The updated guidelines focus on what works best in the real-world; considering personal and socioeconomic factors that keep women from adhering to lifestyle and medical recommendations.2

In an accompanying editorial, Dr Lori Mosca, chair of the guidelines writing committee, says, "Many women seen in provider practices are older, sicker, and experience more side effects than patients in research studies. Factors such as poverty, low literacy level, psychiatric illness, poor English skills, and vision and hearing problems can also challenge clinicians trying to improve their patients' cardiovascular health."2 The 2011 guidelines outline key strategies for addressing these obstacles.

While coronary heart disease accounts for a greater proportion of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in men than stroke, the ratio is the opposite for women.1 In the US, 55 000 more women die of stroke each year than men. Since atrial fibrillation is an independent risk factor for stroke, the expert panel voted to include recommendations for the prevention of stroke among women with atrial fibrillation.

Women have a greater prevalence of hypertension at older age than men, and undertreatment with anticoagulants has been shown to double the risk of recurrent stroke.1 Women also have unique risk factors for stroke, such as pregnancy and hormone therapy. Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension, along with other illnesses such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, have been incorporated into the guidelines as risk factors for CVD in women.2 Also, some commonly considered therapies for preventing CVD in women are specifically noted in the guidelines as lacking strong clinical evidence and, in fact, being potentially harmful to some women. These include hormone replacement therapy, antioxidants and folic acid.2

A comprehensive review of current literature on the cost effectiveness of interventions has been added, recognising that cost effectiveness may differ by sex. However, the expert panel emphasises that more cost-effective analyses need to be conducted according to gender.1 The guidelines continue to prioritise lifestyle approaches for the prevention of CVD, since these are likely to be the most cost-effective strategies.

[Reference]

1. Executive Writing Committee, Expert Panel Members.Effectiveness-Based Guidelines for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women 2011 Update: a Guideline from the American Heart Association. Internet Document: [21 pages], 16 Feb 2011. Available from: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/cir.0b013e31820faaf8. .

2. American Heart Association.Updated Heart Disease Prevention Guidelines for Women Focus More on 'Real-World' Recommendations Than Clinical Research. Media Release: 15 Feb 2011. Available from: URL: http://www.prnewswire.com. .

Disney/ABC, ESPN sign YouTube video deal

The Walt Disney Co. said Monday it has agreed to provide short-form videos from its ABC and ESPN television properties to run on Google Inc.'s YouTube under an ad-revenue sharing arrangement.

Disney has yet to announce a deal with YouTube to share full episodes of such programs as "Lost" or "Desperate Housewives," despite the shows being available in full on ABC.com and sites such as Comcast Corp.'s Fancast or Time Warner Inc.'s AOL.

"This deal provides us with the opportunity to reach a broader online audience, to experiment with different monetization models and to extend the reach of our advertisers," said Anne Sweeney, …

Team achieves record 1 trillion bits per second speed on single chip - 12

Washington, March 1 -- A development team at at Infinera Corp. in Sunnyvale, Calif. Has achieved a record one trillion bits per second (1 Terabit/s) speed on a single integrated indium phosphide chip.

'Traditional transponder-based system architectures are inflexible and costly and time-consuming to upgrade,' said Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagarajan, research fellow at Infinera and a senior member of Infinera's PIC development team.

'Our PIC approach enables us to make optical networks more powerful, flexible and reliable than ever before using equipment that is significantly smaller, less expensive and uses much less energy.'

Their latest PIC is at the heart of a new 10-channel receiver, each channel operating at 100 Gbit/s data rates ' the first in the industry to achieve a capacity of 1 Terabit/s on a single photonic integrated chip.

It contains more than 150 optical components'such as frequency tunable local oscillator (LO) lasers, devices for mixing the LO and incoming signals, variable optical attenuators for LO power control, a spectral demultiplexer to separate the individual wavelength channels, and 40 balanced photodetector (receiver/transmitter) pairs'all integrated onto a chip.

The key technical advance operating behind 100-Gbit/s-per-channel technology is the ability to detect incoming data encoded using the optical industry's most spectrally efficient modulation technique, called polarization multiplexed Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying, or PM-QPSK.

PM is similar to the wireless communications technique of alternating the polarization of adjacent channels. QPSK modifies the light's phase to represent the data. Together, PM-QPSK permits four times more information to be conveyed each second than was possible with the previous method, which simply switched the laser light on and off.

'But just as important as a transmitter's clever and efficient encoding method is a fast and reliable way for the receiver to convert the information back to its original form,' said Nagarajan.

'For PM-QPSK, we designed and integrated narrow-linewidth lasers that detect the phase encoded data very efficiently.'

Infinera expects PICs with a capability of a terabit or more to be commercially available within a few years.

PICs enable massive amounts of cost-effective bandwidth and facilitate the networks at the heart of the Internet to become more scalable and quicker to react to sudden changes in demand.

'In many ways, PIC-based optical networks are starting to take on the intelligent features of routed (IP) networks, like the ability to reroute traffic in the event of a break in the fiber'but at a fraction of the cost and power consumption,' Nagarajan added.

Nagarajan's presentation at OFC/NFOEC will take place Monday, March 7 at 3:15 p.m. in the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Asian News International.

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

Minn. Sen. Klobuchar Endorses Obama

Barack Obama picked up the endorsement of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar Sunday night, giving him another superdelegate supporter.

In a statement provided to The Associated Press, Klobuchar said Obama "has inspired an enthusiasm and idealism that we have not seen in this country in a long time."

Klobuchar, a freshman Democrat, said Obama speaks "with a different voice, bringing a new perspective and inspiring a real excitement from the American people." She compared him to the late Hubert Humphrey, who served as a senator from Minnesota and as vice president.

Obama carried Minnesota by a large margin over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton last month.

"My endorsement reflects both Barack's strong support in my state and my own independent judgment about his abilities," Klobuchar said.

She cited their work together on issues such as ethics reform and toy safety.

"Barack has been a proven agent for change and advocate for middle-class Americans," Klobuchar said.

In a statement, Obama said he's grateful for Klobuchar's support. According to the Obama campaign, Klobuchar is the 64th superdelegate to endorse him since the Feb. 5th Super Tuesday contests.

Last week, Obama picked up the support of Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., giving the candidate a boost heading into the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.

USPTO ISSUES TRADEMARK: VANGUARD

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 21 -- The trademark VANGUARD (Reg. No. 3847021; International Reg. No 1013191) was issued on Sept. 14 by the USPTO.

Owner: The Vanguard Group, Inc. CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA V26 100 Vanguard Blvd Malvern PENNSYLVANIA 19355.

The trademark application serial number 77712848 was filed on April 13, 2009 and was registered on Sept. 14.

The description of the mark registered is "Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of Ship with 3 masts and the word "Vanguard" placed to the right of the ship."

Goods and Services: Downloadable electronic publications in the nature of newsletters, reports, guides, charts, worksheets, forms, instructional materials, educational materials, presentations, bulletins, pamphlets, and booklets in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management; computer software for use in electronic trading of securities and portfolio management in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management; computer software for use by financial services providers to prepare documents relating to the dissemination of information; computer software for use by financial services providers to conduct surveys and to assemble and manage information relating to retirement plans; computer software for managing the distribution of information about retirement plans to employees; computer software for producing printed informational materials and records in the field of retirement plans; computer software for use by businesses to manage employee compensation planning; computer software for managing investment portfolios; computer software for maintaining, managing and reporting financial information; computer software for use by financial services providers to obtain investment transaction and account information; computer software for initiating, processing and tracking financial transactions; computer software for use by investment fund administrators to enter securities trading orders, to receive confirmation of such orders, and to obtain price information, balance information and other data about funds and accounts; computer software for use in obtaining access to, and enhancing the user's experience of, an internet web site which provides news, information, transaction capability and online financial services. computer software for use by retirement plan sponsors to transmit and receive account information and other information by means of an online connection; computer software for use by financial investment advisors in portfolio allocation, sector analysis, portfolio modeling and portfolio rebalancing. FIRST USE: 20050104. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050104

Publications and printed matter, namely, newsletters, reports, books, guides, charts, worksheets, forms, instructional materials, educational materials, presentations, bulletins, pamphlets, booklets, posters, and leaflets in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management; computer software user's manuals for computer software used in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management. FIRST USE: 20050104. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050104

Providing an interactive website that provides commercial financial transaction data, transaction capability, account management, financial reporting, accounting features and related reference information; providing reports of payroll related tax information to governmental agencies and to employers; accounting and bookkeeping services; providing business information to financial services providers by means of an internet web site in the field of business marketing; business consulting services in the field of employee compensation; consulting services in the field of marketing financial services provided to financial services providers that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s financial products and services; market research services rendered to financial services providers that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s financial products and services; marketing services rendered to members of the financial services industry, namely, creating and designing promotional materials for use by financial services providers and assisting financial services providers that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s financial products and services to develop their own marketing plans and to implement their own direct mail campaigns, advertising campaigns and public relations campaigns; business marketing and direct mail consulting services in the financial field provided to financial services providers that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s financial products and services; providing facilities for business meetings; promoting public awareness of the need for investment planning; business outsourcing services; business outsourcing and back-office support services, namely, bookkeeping and administration of operational support services for investment advisors; financial records management; database management of data records containing customer and business information; data processing services. business management services, namely, client account information management services. marketing consultation services provided to financial services providers that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc's financial products and services; development of marketing strategies and concepts for use by investment advisors that sell The Vanguard Group, Inc.'s financial products and services in brochures, advertisements, web sites and presentations; tax consultation services. FIRST USE: 20050104. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050104

Full line of financial and investment services; house mark for providing a full range of services in the investment and financial fields, namely, mutual fund investment services, exchange-traded funds investment services, investment and insurance brokerage, investment management, asset management, investment advice and advisory services, securities lending, financial, investment, tax and actuarial consultation, financial and investment research, banking, administration of college savings plans, charitable fund raising, donor-advised investment of funds for charitable purposes, administration of charitable giving programs offering a variety of financial investment options, retirement planning, and annuities investment; providing information in the financial and investment fields; providing information in the financial and investment fields through electronic means; providing an interactive website and online computer database in the fields of investing, finance, saving, financial planning, financial news, financial information, analysis in the fields of investing, finance, and financial planning, financial portfolio management, financial decision making, investment research, monitoring investment value and performance of investments, analyzing investment performance, evaluating asset allocation, risk tolerance, financial alternative plans and investment time frames; administration of employee benefit plans, defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans and employee pension plans; financial planning and investment advisory services; financial, tax, insurance and actuarial consulting services; debit card services; check processing, checkwriting and bill payment services; assisting others with the completion of financial transactions for mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, stocks, bonds, securities and equities; cash management services; electronic funds transfer and payment services. providing information by phone and by online means in the fields of investment account information and financial research; research in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management; donor advised investment of funds for charitable purposes; charitable fund raising services; automated securities trade execution services; financial administration and investment management services rendered to non-profit organizations; financial services rendered primarily to states, municipalities and tax exempt organizations, namely, providing financial news and information and investment account information by means of the internet; life insurance and annuity services; risk management services; estate planning, trust and administration services. FIRST USE: 20050104. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050104

Educational services, namely, workshops, classes, seminars and conferences in the fields of investing, finance, saving, business, financial planning, portfolio management, retirement planning, money management, investment strategy, and asset allocation and the distribution of course materials in connection therewith; providing webcasts in the fields of investing, finance, saving, business, financial planning, portfolio management, retirement planning, money management, investment strategy, and asset allocation; providing podcasts in the fields of investing, finance, saving, business, financial planning, portfolio management, retirement planning, money management, investment strategy, and asset allocation; providing online publications in the nature of newsletters, reports, guides, charts, worksheets, forms, instructional materials, educational materials, presentations, bulletins, pamphlets, and booklets in the fields of finance, saving, investing, investments, investment brokerage, and asset management; providing online seminars and workshops in the fields of investing, finance, saving, business, financial planning, portfolio management, retirement planning, money management, investment strategy, and asset allocation; providing information in the field of financial education to financial services providers by means of an internet web site; development and dissemination of educational materials for others in the field of financial services and investing; entertainment and educational services in the nature of periodic television programs concerning financial topics. FIRST USE: 20050104. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050104

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

Barnes & Noble wins one over Amazon with Nook

Amazon.com is one of the most successful retailers on Earth. Old-school bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. is bleeding cash.

In most respects, it's hardly a fair fight.

But when it comes to electronic books, B&N has begun to level theplaying field. The company's newest Nook reader is a delight -compact, responsive, and blessed with a really good touchscreen.

I didn't have much use for the original Nook, with its gimmickycombination of a black-and-white E Ink screen for reading and alittle color screen for displaying book titles. But since then, B&Nhas delivered the Nook Color, a sharp little $249 e-reader that'salso the best low-priced tablet computer you can buy. Now comes thenew entry-level Nook for $139, a worthy rival for the low-costAmazon Kindle, which can cost as little as $114.

After a head-to-head comparison, I could be happy with either,but it was the Nook that usually found its way into my hands.

It's the feel of it, for one thing. While slightly thicker thanthe Kindle, the Nook is about an inch shorter because there's nophysical keyboard. As with the Apple Inc. iPad, virtually everythingis controlled by touching the screen. Sony Corp. introduced atouchscreen E Ink reader in 2008, but it was mediocre. B&N got itright.

There is a set of rubber-coated buttons on either side of thedevice that can be used for turning pages. Press and hold them, andyou can fast- forward or rewind your book. But I found the buttonsstiff and uncomfortable; luckily, you don't need them. Swipe thescreen from side to side to turn pages. Press and hold any spot onthe screen for other features, such as a dictionary or the abilityto add notes by pecking them into the Nook's very responsive virtualkeyboard. Touch a book-shaped icon atop the screen to go directly tothe last page you were reading.

The Nook's screen is less flashy than that of the Kindle, butthat's a good thing. The E Ink technology, which creates an easy-to-read display that works in sunlight, has an annoying quirk thatmakes the screen blink to black when you turn pages. It's verydistracting. The newest Nook hasn't eliminated the problem, but it'sgotten pretty close. Flashing only happens every four or five pageturns.

The Nook's home screen is more welcoming and practical than theKindle's. Instead of bland and unattractive menus, you get well-designed visual cues that guide you to your current reading choice,as well as the rest of your library, and suggestions on what to buynext.

Still, the new Nook has its limitations. It doesn't offer a 3Goption to let you buy books anywhere via a cellular data connection.

The Nook connects to the Internet only through Wi-Fi, but ownersget free access to all Wi-Fi hots pots operated by AT&T Inc. That'sa lot of hot spots: AT&T service is available at most Starbuckscoffee shops, McDonald's restaurants, and of course, B&N's chain ofbrick-and-mortar bookstores.

Also missing: The clever text-to-speech feature of the Kindle,which can read books aloud, or the Kindle's ability to play back MP3music.

Not only does the Kindle offer more features, but you can alsoget the newest model at a sizeable discount if you don't mindlooking at a few ads.

A "special offers" version displays advertising on the bottom ofthe Kindle's menu page or as screensaver images, but not insidebooks.

In exchange, you save some money on the device. Amazon's Wi-Fi-only version, normally priced at $139, costs $114 with advertising.The 3G Kindle, usually $189, drops to $164.

For now, Amazon is number one in e-readers with about 40 percentof the market. And with the Kindle's extra features, its ad-supported discounts, and its excellent reputation, Amazon will stayon top.

But Barnes & Noble must be desperate to compensate for its fadingbookstore business with a high-tech hit. Thanks to the superb newNook, they just might pull it off.

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.

VIDEO

Watch Hiawatha Bray demonstrate the Nook's features atwww.boston.com/business.

23Techlab.ART

Obama, find your center

Centrists of America, rejoice. After being out of whack for twoyears, the political system and the president have come back to themainstream.

For all of the drum-beating from both extremes during theelection season, the result has been a surprisingly sensible shiftto the center - a position advocated by neither of the groups thattend to drive so much of the nation's political conversation.

Now, having adopted a centrist outlook in his State of the Unionaddress, President Obama needs to fill it out with big ideas thatsolve our major problems rather than let us keep kicking the candown the road.

Obama also has to define a driving value for his brand ofcentrism. The fundamental principle of centrism in the 1990s wasthat people would neither be left to fend for themselves norguaranteed equality of outcome - they would be given the tools theyneeded to achieve the American dream if they worked hard. Thiscentral value can and should drive a lot more policies that peopleneed and that work to resolve some of today's problems.

The biggest issue facing the government is the $1.5 trilliondeficit. No one has been able to find a real centrist solution sincethe Clinton budget deal; we have ping-ponged from too much spendingto too much tax-cutting to both. Here, Obama has to aim for nothingless than a balanced budget in five years. The only way is to reacha compromise on Social Security, Medicare and defense spending,along with some cuts in current spending that the president wouldrather avoid. But the budget outlook is so far out of whack thatthis problem can no longer be tackled with step-by-step actions.

Next, the president should consider personal income tax reformthat mirrors his proposals on corporate reform. One idea would be tolower all rates by looking at all types of income more or lessequally. Currently, capital formation is favored far above labor,which builds in massive disincentives for hiring workers. Equalizingdifferent forms of income is one way to tilt the scales back toencouraging work as much as investing, as long as overall income taxrates were lowered. This would be radical, bold and as big asanything Ronald Reagan did to spark the economy.

Third, the president needs to cut a deal on immigration reformthat settles, once and for all, the status of undocumentedresidents. As with the budget, this issue is out of control, due toa legislative stalemate and empty posturing from both extremes. Foryears the country has drifted aimlessly with growing numbers ofimmigrants and uncertain enforcement. Obama mentioned immigrationlast week, but he has to get serious and mount an all-out effort tomake this a reality.

Fourth, he needs to crack open educational reform so thatinnovation in education is promoted rather than suppressed. GettingAmericans to make some changes demands more than funding standards.It requires a cultural shift that this president will need to getout and promote as President John F. Kennedy did with athletics. Healso has to start recognizing the growing problem of collegedropouts.

Fifth, he needs to create a 21st-century personal empowermentbill. This would give Americans some expanded rights to the privacyof their own information and against rampant misinformation online,ensure fair access to the Internet and help protect their childrenfrom being taken advantage of in the Internet world.

For too long, people have equated centrism with seemingly smallitems such as school uniforms. But with centrist policies PresidentBill Clinton helped create 24 million jobs, balanced the budget andreformed welfare. Each of those programs, from NAFTA on, was a majorfight for major legislation. Not one was easy, but they prepared thecountry for the 21st century.

Many of today's biggest problems seem impossible. The budget,taxes, immigration and unclear rules for the Internet have alllanguished for a decade because of a failure to find solutions in apartisan and gridlocked world. And yet, in a flash, the presidentaccomplished a tax deal and repeal of the ban on gays serving openlyin the military. By giving Republicans enough of what they want butalso using the veto threat, Obama can add his moderates togetherwith the Republicans to get deal after deal done - especially onitems that have broad public approval.

With the change in government and change in outlook, thepresident has to realize that centrism is not just a practicalelectoral strategy but, successfully executed, can also be a path togreat things and a great presidency. It doesn't take big governmentto do big things for America.

The writer is chief executive of the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller. He was a pollster and adviser to Bill Clinton from 1995to 2000.

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for November 5

To: NATIONAL EDITORS

Contact: Rick Reed of the U.S. Census Bureau, +1-301-763-2812

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is thedaily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5: THE MAN WHO INVENTED STREAMLINING

Profile America -- Monday, November 5th. Today marks the birthdayin 1893 of a man who literally changed the look of the 20th century.Raymond Loewy was known as "the father of streamlining." His designsare part of American life, from the familiar Coca-Cola bottle to thepaint scheme on Air Force One and the interior of the space shuttle.He designed the first streamlined railroad train and post-warStudebakers, the first cars in which fenders were an integral part ofthe body. Loewy's philosophy was that between two products of equalquality, the best designed one will sell better. Today, styling is akey element in drawing customers to the 21,500 new car dealers in theU.S. -- and in selling nearly $700 billion worth of new cars andtrucks annually. You can find these and more facts about America fromthe U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at www.census.gov.

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office ofthe U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available asproduced segments ready to air on a monthly CD or on Internet athttp://www.census.gov(look under the "Newsroom" button). For furtherinformation, contact Rick Reed at +1-301-763-2812, fax at +1-301-457-3670, or e-mail at rreed(At)census.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

WA; Gracetown cliff collapse lawsuit begins today

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2004
WA; Gracetown cliff collapse lawsuit begins today

A lawsuit brought by the families of those killed when a West Australian cliff collapsed
eight years ago is set to begin today in Perth's District Court.

Four children and five adults were killed as they watched an inter-school surfing competition
near Gracetown, in the state's south-west, on September the 27th, 1996.

The group had been sheltering from rain under a limestone overhang on Huzza's Beach
when it collapsed, dumping 2,500 tonnes of rubble on top of them.

The eight families involved in the action against the West Australian government and
the Shire of Augusta/Margaret River claim the cliff collapse was a foreseeable risk rather
than an act of God.

Those killed were PETER McFARLANE, 41, IAN BREMNER, 49, local surfing identity LINDSAY
THOMPSON, 47, LYNDELL OTTO, 41, MADELINE WALL, 35, her 13-year-old son NATHAN SOTIRIADIS,
RACHEL WALLER, 12, REBECCA MORGAN, also 12, and GINA IDDON, 11.

The hearing is expected to last at least four weeks

AAP RTV hn/jmt

KEYWORD: GRACETOWN (PERTH)

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: The battle for GM in Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
02-20-2004
Fed: The battle for GM in Australia

By Shane Wright

CANBERRA, Feb 20 AAP - Slowly, but surely, Australian consumers are growing more concerned
about genetically modified foods.

And slowly, and just as surely, farmers are becoming more comfortable with planting
and growing GM crops.

In the process, a war is being waged by those who oppose genetic modification in its
totality and those who would profit from the technology.

It is an emotionally charged war that at its most basic is about what we eat.

The first GM crops were grown commercially in 1996.

Last year …

Fed: Chemical watchdog gives all clear to growth hormones

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2003
Fed: Chemical watchdog gives all clear to growth hormones

Australia's veterinary chemical watchdog has given the all-clear to hormones used to
boost the growth of cattle, denying claims linking the practice to cancer and the early
onset of puberty.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has reviewing all scientific
evidence on hormone growth promotants or HGPs and found them safe for continued use.

And it's also found people already eat naturally occurring hormones at higher rates
than those found in cattle given HGPs.

Hormones used by nations such as Australia, Canada and the United States have been
targeted by the European Union which maintains there's evidence to suggest they could
be carcinogenic.

There are also concerns HGPs may be partly responsible for the early onset of puberty.

The EU is in a World Trade Organisation dispute with the US over a European ban on
cattle which have been treated with the hormones.

AAP RTV sw/dl

e

KEYWORD: HORMONES (CANBERRA)

2003 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: The main stories in today's Sydney newspapers = 4

00-00-0000
NSW: The main stories in today's Sydney newspapers = 4

THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

Page 1: Outcome of AMP's break-up uncertain due to problems in splitting with its UKoffshoot as the company records a $2.15 billion half-year loss; Pauline Hanson jail sentencestuns politicians; Middle East bombings a disaster for US designs in the region.

Page 2: Index. News in brief.

Page 3: Qantas wins right to use labour hire workers at Melbourne Airport until theend of the month; Spammers face jail term under planned federal laws; Air security stillflawed, according to federal MPs.

World: Suspicions mount over foreign terrorist involvement in Baghdad's UN bombing;Australia owes Sergio Vieira de Mello a debt for his role in East Timor; Israeli PrimeMinister Ariel Sharon cancels West Bank deal.

Companies: Administrator calls for Pan Pharmaceuticals to be liquidated; Santos exploresits high-risk options; Freedom Group consider sweetening $222 million management buy-outoffer.

Market Wrap: Banks lead the earnings charge as momentum builds behind Australian market;Drift towards higher risk investments.

AAP swe/ak/

KEYWORD: FRONTERS NSW 4 SYDNEY

NSW: Top Victorian bureacrat to head-up NSW super-ministry

00-00-0000
NSW: Top Victorian bureacrat to head-up NSW super-ministry

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - A top Victorian education bureaucrat is to head the Infrastructure,Planning and Natural Resources department in NSW.

Jennifer Westacott was today named the new super-ministry's Director General and willoversee the Urban and Transport Planning Department and the Sustainable Natural ResourcesDepartment.

"Ms Westacott is a highly skilled public servant who will bring a wealth of experienceto this important new position," Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources MinisterCraig Knowles said.

Ms Westacott is currently the head of the Victorian Education and Training Departmentand was previously Executive Director of the NSW Health Council.

She was also Deputy Director General of the NSW Housing and Community Service Departments.

AAP mj/nf/mg

KEYWORD: WESTACOTT

Fed: Howard inspects fire control room

00-00-0000
Fed: Howard inspects fire control room

CANBERRA, Jan 19 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today inspected the fire controlroom at Canberra's emergency services headquarters and chatted with army personnel andfirefighters.

Mr Howard looked at maps and congratulated emergency workers for their efforts in fightingthe fires which have swept through the national capital, destroying up to 400 homes.

He also met ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, who chaired an emergency cabinet meetingat the headquarters this morning.

The prime minister stopped to chat …

Melbourne diary add for Friday, Jan 17, 2003

00-00-0000
Melbourne diary add for Friday, Jan 17, 2003

MELBOURNE

1000 - Acting Premier John Thwaites and Tourism Minister John Pandazopoulos to announcedetails of major marketing campaign for Australian Open at media theatrette, Rod LaverArena. Media should get accreditation from Ticket Collections Office at front of Rod LaverArena and allow 30 minutes to travel from arena entrance to media theatrette. Only TVcrews with prior accreditation for the Open will be allowed entry. Contact 9651 5799.

1000 - Melbourne Lord Mayor John So to read the new Australia Day Commitment with hisfamily in Lord Mayor's office, Town Hall, Swanston Street. Contact Phillip …

Qld: Man arrested over bogus notes

00-00-0000
Qld: Man arrested over bogus notes

The Australian Federal Police believe a counterfeit money racket is operating in south-eastQueensland after the arrest of a man who allegedly tried to use a bogus note.

A police spokesman says the 26-year-old man, from the Brisbane suburb of Woodridge,was charged yesterday under the Crime Currency Act.

He's also charged with being in possession of a further 28 counterfeit notes and willappear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on September 17.

The spokesman says federal police agents have collected about 100 bogus $50 notes overthe past two months after several counterfeits were reported between Tweed Heads and Noosa.

He says the notes are printed on paper and slightly brighter in colour than genuinenotes, with a clear window that appears to have been added on.

Federal agents are keen to speak to anyone who may have accepted or declined such notesin a transaction.

AAP RTV ch/dl/jas

KEYWORD: COUNTERFEIT (BRISBANE)

SA: Bid to free entangled dolphin today

00-00-0000
SA: Bid to free entangled dolphin today

There'll be a bid today to free a young dolphin caught in a fishing line in Adelaide'sPort River.

The Australian Dolphin Research Foundation says a team of up to 15 people will tryto catch the one-year-old dolphin, free her from the fishing line and treat her with antibiotics,if necessary.

It's the second time the dolphin has been injured by a fishing line -- a similar rescuewas made late last year.

The Foundation says a line digs a deep groove into the dolphin's flesh, and unfortunately,one can get caught in that groove again.

It says the rescue will be hazardous, as many dolphins die during attempts to catch them.

AAP RTV la/tb/rp/ge/pc

KEYWORD: DOLPHIN (ADELAIDE)

AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 8

00-00-0000
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 8EVENING ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630

INDON HOWARD MONUMENT (YOGYAKARTA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD has declared his three-day visit to Indonesia worthwhileand dismissed the political controversy over his arrival as static.

Mr HOWARD says he thinks the trip has been worthwhile, and no more controversial thanvisits normally are.

Mr HOWARD has repeated his view the two countries should move on from their falling-outover East Timor, which has been an issue raised by Indonesian parliamentarians who boycottedhis visit.

He says the static around the national assembly …

Fed: Dixon says no Christmas delays over silly bans

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2001
Fed: Dixon says no Christmas delays over silly bans

Qantas chief executive GEOFF DIXON has assured passengers that Christmas air services
won't be interrupted by industrial action.

He says the company's optimistic that striking maintenance workers will accept an 18-month
wage freeze deal to be put to them during a secret ballot this week.

Unions have been holding out for a pay rise at least in line with inflation, saying
a total wage freeze is effectively a drop in earnings.

Mr DIXON's told the John Laws radio program that Qantas is a good employer and the
bans and strikes are silly.

He says there'll be no disruptions for passengers during the Christmas holidays.

Mr DIXON says the the maintenance workers and engineers involved in the dispute represent
20 per cent of Qantas' engineering workforce.





Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union national secretary DOUG CAMERON says it's hypocritical
of Qantas to announce plans for a new international carrier when it's asking workers to
accept a wage freeze.

AAP RTV lm/daw/rp

KEYWORD: QANTAS DIXON (CANBERRA)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WEATHER ADELAIDE 11:36

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2001
WEATHER ADELAIDE 11:36

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL OFFICE

RAINLIST FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Issued on Friday, 27 April 2001

Rainfall [in mm] is for the period up to 9 am today.

Amount/n is used when the period n is greater than 1 day.

NORTH WEST:

Coober Pedy 3 Copper Hill 3 Ernabella 8
Marla Airport 7 Tieyon 3
FAR NORTH:

Oodnadatta AWS 0.2
NORTH EAST:

No Rainfall Reported

WESTERN AGRICULTURAL:

Ceduna 0.2 Cleve 1 Cleve AWS 0.2
Coles Point 1 Coulta 3 Cummins 3
Kyancutta 0.2 Minnipa 0.4 Minnipa DPI 0.4
Neptune Is 0.4 Polda Basin 1 Pt Lincoln 1
Pt Lincoln Ap 1 Streaky Bay 0.6 Tumby Bay 0.4
Ungarra 1 Whyalla Tce
UPPER NORTH:

Yongala Tce
LOWER NORTH:

Auburn 0.8 Blyth 0.4 Clare AWS 0.2
Hallett 0.4 Hoyleton 1 Mintaro 0.2
Pt Wakefield 1 Redhill 0.4/2 Spalding 0.2
Whyte-Yarcowie 0.2
YORKE PENINSULA:

Corny Pt 5 Edithburgh 1 Edithburgh AWS 0.8
Kadina 2 Maitland 0.6 Minlaton 2
Moonta 3 Paskeville 3 Stenhouse Bay 1
Warooka 0.6 Yorketown 2
KANGAROO ISLAND:

Allandale 2 American River 2 Cape Willoughby 2
Kingscote Tce Kingscote AWS 0.4
ADELAIDE PLAINS:

Adelaide 3 Adelaide Ap 2 Edinburgh Ap 4
Glenelg S 2 Glen Osmond 3 Hamley Bridge 1
Hope Valley 4 Mallala 3 North Adelaide 3
Parafield Ap 4 Pooraka 1 Roseworthy 3
Roseworthy AWS 2 Salisbury 3 Smithfield 3
Two Wells 1
COUNTY LIGHT:

Freeling 2 Greenock 2 Kapunda 5
Lyndoch 1 Manoora 0.4 Marrabel 1
Nuriootpa AWS 0.6 Saddleworth 1 South Para Res 4
Stockport 1 Tanunda 1 Tarlee 1
MOUNT LOFTY RANGES - WEST:

Belair Nursery 4 Blackwood 3 Bridgewater 6
Clarendon 7 Happy Valley 3 Mt Bold Res 5
Myponga 2 Parawa AWS 1 Uraidla 3
Willunga 2 Yankalilla 3
MOUNT LOFTY RANGES - EAST:

Birdwood 2 Echunga 5 Goolwa Barrage 3
Goolwa Marina 3 Hahndorf 3 Lobethal 3
Macclesfield 2 Meadows 4 Mt Barker 3
Mt Crawford 4 Mt Pleasant 1 Nairne 3
Pt Elliot 3 Strathalbyn 0.6 Strathalbyn RC 1
Victor Harbor 2 Woodside 2
MURRAY VALLEY:

No Rainfall Reported

LOWER BASIN:

Eudunda 0.2 Meningie 1 Milang PO 2
Murray Bridge 0.2 Pt Pass 0.2 Tailem Bend 2
Truro 0.6
MURRAY MALLEE:

Pinnaroo 0.3
UPPER SOUTH EAST:

Coonalpyn 3 Keith 1 Lameroo 1
Parrakie 0.8 Peake 2 Tintinara 2
LOWER SOUTH EAST:

Cape Jaffa 4 Cape Nthumberla 3 Coonawarra AWS 3
Kalangadoo 2 Kingston S E 1 Mt Gambier 2
Nangwarry 2 Naracoorte 3 Penola PO 4
Robe 0.8
OTHER STATES:

Brisbane Ap 7 Darwin 0.8 Hobart Tce
Melbourne 0.2 Giles 8 Kulgera 0.2
Townsville Tce
AAPO

KEYWORD: BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

POLLQLD BEAUDESERT TEST ONLY

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2001
POLLQLD BEAUDESERT TEST ONLY

CANDIDATE PARTY VOTES %
---------------------------------------------
BENSON, Rae PHON 00,000 000.00
LIMBURG, Kim 00,000 000.00
*LINGARD, Kev NAT 00,000 000.00
STEPHENSON, Pam ALP 00,000 000.00

FORMAL 00,000 000.00

INFORMAL 00,000 000.00

TOTAL 00,000

1998 result: IND 122; ALP 7,388; AFP 780; ONP 6,464;
ARP 202; GRN 721; NAT 7,766; TSP 148.

Formal 23,591; Informal 381; Total 23,972.

KEYWORD: BEAUDESERT - 28,051 enrolled. 00.00% Counted.

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Church group slams Howard welfare plans

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2000
Fed: Church group slams Howard welfare plans

Jesuit Social Services say government plans to make the disabled and sole parents work
for welfare should be rejected as mean-spirited.

Jesuit priest Father PETER NORDEN has slammed the federal government's welfare reforms
announced today as unnecessarily harsh in the lead up to Christmas.

The first stage of the welfare shakeup has a strong focus on mutual obligation, cutting
unemployment and helping parents and people with disabilities to re-enter the workforce.

Under the reforms, parents on benefits will have an annual interview once their youngest
child turns six.

Older people on unemployment benefits will be encouraged to attend an interview to
draw up a plan for more active participation in society.

And those on disability support programs will be given greater access to education
and training to help them re-enter the workforce.

Father NORDERN says those on social security support need opportunities rather than
being judged as Dole Bludgers, and threatened with the withdrawal of their means of survival.

AAP RTV pjb/et/jn

KEYWORD: WELFARE JESUIT (MELBOURNE)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: the main storeis in today s Sydney newspapers =4

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2000
NSW: the main storeis in today s Sydney newspapers =4
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Page 1: Prime Minister to oppose IVF access for singles, gays; NRMA shares set to rise
in last-minute rush; Spectators warned of Olympic travel delays; Federal government launches
inquiry into Sydney Airport power failure.

Page 2: Index; News in brief.

Page 3: Cabramatta police labelled dummy spitters by own boss.

World: Feuding Indonesian politicians' unity pledge overshadowed by Jakarta bomb blast;
Doctors flee Fiji; Gulf War supremo calls on US republicans for minorities' inclusion;
Kuwait still under shadow cast by Iraq.

Business: NRMA members in rush for extra shares; OneTel a $300-million loser; CanWest
makes offer on Conrad Black's newspaper empire; Anglo American on Australian acquisitions
lookout after $3.1 billion North offer.

Sport: Wallabies focus on defence for return clash with All Blacks; Mark Geyer to retire
if Panthers claim league title; Donovan Bailey determined to defend Olympic 100m title.

AAP pwa/rs

KEYWORD: FRONTERS NSW 4 SYDNEY

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Howard responds to criticisms over National Textiles affair

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2000
Fed: Howard responds to criticisms over National Textiles affair

SYDNEY, Feb 15 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard has written an open letter to The Australian
newspaper defending his handling of the National Textiles affair.

The Australian has questioned the prime minister's probity in supporting a Deed of
Company Arrangement as part of a scheme to fund the entitlements of 342 sacked workers.

Mr Howard's brother, Stan, was the chairman of the failed company, which folded owing
employees $11 million in entitlements and severance pay.

"The government wants the Deed of Company Arrangement agreed to as soon as possible
because on all available advice that is the speediest and most effective way that the
former employees of the company can receive payment of their entitlements in full," Mr
Howard wrote.

The Australian has suggested that Mr Howard's support for the deed raised the spectre
of his brother escaping scrutiny for his role in the failure of National Textiles.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is currently investigating the
company's collapse.

AAP pwa/apm

KEYWORD: SACKED HOWARD (CARRIED EARLIER)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Mystery evidence sparks new Hancock inquest

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-1999
WA: Mystery evidence sparks new Hancock inquest

Mystery surrounds evidence which will be the basis of a new coronial inquest into the
death of West Australian mining magnate, LANG HANCOCK.

WA Coroner ALISTAIR HOPE has agreed to hold an inquest, but won't reveal any detail
of the new evidence he's received.

In March this year, Mr HOPE ruled a new inquest was inappropriate, but says the strength
of the fresh evidence has convinced him to change his mind.

Mr HANCOCK died at his palatial Prix D'Amour mansion in Perth's Mosman Park in March
1992 at the age of 82, and his daughter GINA RINEHART has repeatedly demanded an inquest.

Mrs RINEHART believes her father was unlawfully killed, despite a police investigation
ruling out foul play and a coronial report which found he died of pre-existing medical
conditions.

Mr HOPE says the importance of the new evidence won't be known until it's been tested in court.

He says it hasn't been shown to Mrs PORTEOUS or her lawyers yet, and it's therefore
impossible to say when the inquest will be held.

AAP RTV alm/rp/pjg

KEYWORD: HANCOCK (PERTH)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Mitsubishi in marketing push as closure talk continues

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-1999
SA: Mitsubishi in marketing push as closure talk continues

By Tim Dornin, National Motoring Correspondent

ADELAIDE, Aug 2 AAP - Car maker Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) today cut prices
across its locally produced Magna and Verada range as it continued to talk up the future of
its Australian manufacturing operations.

Faced with continuing rumours of an imminent closure, Mitsubishi slashed prices by between
$1,000 and $3,500 on individual models as part of a new marketing strategy.

That followed recent management changes designed to improve the company's share of the
fleet market in Australia and lift its flagging domestic sales.

The renewed marketing push came as Mitsubishi was again faced with media reports that it
might be forced to shut down in Adelaide as it struggled to remain competitive with cars and
parts imported from Japan.

Managing director Mike Quinn branded the reports scurrilous and untrue.

Mr Quinn said nothing had changed since a meeting earlier this year when the parent company
in Japan asked him to develop a strategic plan for producing the next generation Magna in
Adelaide.

At the same time, he said he was also asked to produce a restructuring plan to reduce the
cost of car production in Australia.

"It is the usual process we go through every time we go through the approval steps for
model replacement," Mr Quinn said.

Political leaders also jumped to Mitsubishi's defence with South Australian Premier John
Olsen saying the company had clearly indicated it was "here for the long haul", while
Opposition Leader Mike Rann called for the mischievous and damaging reports about Mitsubishi
to cease, and for governments to meet all Australian car makers to discuss trading pressures.

"Mitsubishi and all Australian auto, car parts and accessories manufacturers face genuine
challenges in the next few years," Mr Rann said.

"There needs to be urgent talks with all car manufacturers about how the current tariff
regime and trade conditions within our region are affecting the local industry."

But despite the comments, there was no doubt Mitsubishi was doing it tougher than the other
local car producers in 1999.

To the end of June this year it was the only company among the four producers to suffer a
fall in domestic demand with sales for the six months down 20 per cent, compared to the same
period last year in a total market, which was down only about one per cent.

In May, it also reported a slim profit of just $3.6 million for 1998, down from $106
million it made in 1997.

In its announcement today, Mitsubishi said it had cut $1,060 from the price of a base model
Magna, and up to $3,500 off some Verada models as part of an overhaul of its marketing and
advertising strategies.

Director of sales operations, Ian Ludgate said the price cuts were designed to make the
Magna and Verada the best buys among Australian made vehicles.

He said the company was also keen to be more competitive in the fleet market, traditionally
dominated by the Ford Falcon and the Holden Commodore.

"Our approach will be to treat each fleet individually and reward owners and managers who
take higher volumes of our cars," Mr Ludgate said.

"These changes have been made after listening to our dealers at a series of meetings
throughout the country, and from face-to-face interviews with a number of fleet operators,
together with market research with recent buyers of both Magna and competitive products."

AAP tjd/adh

KEYWORD: MOTOR MITSUBISHI (CARRIED EARLIER)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Crew crammed nine to a cabin, no running water = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
02-04-1999
FED: Crew crammed nine to a cabin, no running water = 2

AMSA spokesman David Gray said later the 230-tonne Ocean Mercury's crew and master,
totalling 10, were all Indonesians.

The ship was due to be inspected again in the morning after which it would sail if all
problems had been solved.

AMSA would not let the vessel sail without running water, or linen and blankets, Mr Gray
said.

"There were …

QLD:Flood hero crushed in freak accident

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2011
QLD:Flood hero crushed in freak accident

BRISBANE, Dec 31 AAP - A man who was killed in a freak accident in central Queensland
was a State Emergency Service volunteer who worked tirelessly during the 2010-2011 floods.

Twenty-eight-year-old Matthew Stevens was killed when a fire truck that he was underneath
ran over him, the ABC reported.

The tragedy happened on Friday night about 6.30pm (AEST) at the fire station at Theodore,
170km west of Bundaberg, when the station's crew are understood to have responded to a
call-out while Mr Stevens was working on the truck's chassis.

Local residents said that as an SES volunteer, Mr Stevens had worked around the clock
when Theodore was flooded in December 2010.

He helped others evacuate their homes, even as his own home was going under water.

Two-thirds of Theodore had water above their floorboards for more than 20 days, and
hundreds of residents were evacuated by helicopter.

Acting Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner Iain MacKenzie visited firefighters
in Theodore on Saturday after the tragic accident.

He said the incident was another blow for the town.

"The firefighters and the local community are again having to deal with tragic circumstances
with the death of a local SES volunteer who supported the community during their time
of need in the floods," Mr MacKenzie said in a statement.

"The man was the brother of one of our auxiliary firefighters and I know the entire
emergency services community expresses their condolences to the man's family."

All officers involved in the incident had been offered counselling and support.

"Theodore is a close-knit community and this incident will be deeply felt for some
time," he said.

The matter is under investigation by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, the Queensland
Police Service and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

AAP mjf/was

KEYWORD: CRUSHED WRAP

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

Qld: Springborg won't rule out dance with Hanson

AAP General News (Australia)
02-27-2009
Qld: Springborg won't rule out dance with Hanson

By Tony Bartlett

BRISBANE, Feb 27 AAP - Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has refused
to rule out accepting Pauline Hanson's support if the state election results in a hung
parliament.

The 54-year-old former Ipswich fish-and-chip shop owner and One Nation founder on Friday
confirmed she would stand for the Gold Coast hinterland seat of Beaudesert.

She'll formally launch her campaign at Boonah on Monday.

With incumbent Liberal National Party MP Kev Lingard retiring this election, Ms Hanson
has been rated as a chance …