OAK HR - None
DET HR - B. Inge (18)

 Los Angeles Dodgers Postgame Alert

July 21, 2006

St. Louis 2, Los Angeles 0 at Dodger Stadium
St. Louis Record: (54-41)
Los Angeles Record: (47-50)

Winning pitcher - Jeff Suppan (7-5)
Losing pitcher - Brad Penny (10-4)
SV - Jason Isringhausen (27)

Posted by monte at 11:49 PM | Permalink

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Born in India but raised in the posh suburban Penn Valley area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, M. Night Shyamalan is the son of two doctors. His passion for filmmaking began when he was given a Super-8 camera at age eight, and even at that young age began to model his career on that of his idol, Steven Spielberg. His first film, Praying with Anger (1992), was based somewhat on his own trip back to visit the India of his birth. He raised all the funds for this project, in addition to directing, producing and starring in it. Wide Awake (1998), his second film, he wrote and directed, and shot it in the Philadelphia-area Catholic school he once attended--even though his family was of a different religion, they sent him to that school because of its strict discipline.

Lady in the Water

 Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world

Posted by monte at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Bush: Yo Blair How are you doing?
Blair: I'm just...
Bush: You're leaving?
Blair: No, no, no not yet. On this trade thingy...[inaudible]
Bush: yeah I told that to the man
Blair: Are you planning to say that here or not?
Bush: If you want me to
Blair: Well, it's just that if the discussion arises...
Bush: I just want some movement.
Blair: Yeah
Bush: Yesterday we didn't see much movement
Blair: No, no, it may be that it's not, it maybe that it's impossible
Bush: I am prepared to say it
Blair: But it's just I think what we need to be an opposition
Bush: Who is introducing the trade
Blair: Angela
Bush: Tell her to call 'em
Blair: Yes
Bush: Tell her to put him on them on the spot.Thanks for [inaudbible] it's awfully thoughtful of you
Blair: It's a pleasure
Bush: I know you picked it out yourself
Blair: Oh, absoultely, in fact [inaudble]
Bush: What about Kofi [inaudible] his attitude to ceasefire and everything else ... happens
Blair: Yeah, no I think the [inaudible] is really difficult. We can't stop this unless you get this international business agreed.
Bush: Yeah
Blair: I don't know what you guys have talked about but as I say I am perfectly happy to try and see what the lie of the land is but you need that done quickly because otherwise it will spiral
Bush: I think Condi is going to go pretty soon
Blair: But that's that's that's all that matters. But if you, you see it will take some time to get that together
Bush: Yeah, yeah
Blair: But at least it gives people...
Bush: It's a process, I agree. I told her your offer to...
Blair: Well...it's only if I mean... you know. If she's got a..., or if she needs the ground prepared as it were... Because obviously if she goes out, she's got to succeed, if it were, whereas I can go out and just talk
Bush: You see, the ... thing is what they need to do is to get Syria, to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over
Blair: [inaudible]
Bush: [inadubile]
Blair: Syria
Bush: Why?
Blair: Because I think this is all part of the same thing
Bush: Yeah.
Blair: What does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine, if we get a solution in Israel and Palestine, Iraq goes in the right way...
Bush: Yeah, yeah, he is sweet
Blair: He is honey. And that's what the whole thing is about. It's the same with Iraq
Bush: I felt like telling Kofi to call, to get on the phone to Bashad [Bashir Assad](9a and make something happen
Blair: Yeah
Bush: [inaudible]
Blair:
Bush: We are not blaming the Lebanese government
Blair: Is this...? (at this point Blair taps the microphone in front of him and the sound is cut.)

Posted by monte at 10:58 PM | Permalink

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MARVEL, SPIDER-MAN and all MARVEL character names and distinctive likenesses thereof: TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. MARVEL and SPIDER-MAN: Trademarks registered in the USA and certain other countries. For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, MPAA.ORG. Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG.

© 2006 Sony Pictures Digital. All Rights Reserved. Sony Pictures Webmaster C/O Sony Pictures Digital 9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-2518

Posted by monte at 10:43 PM | Permalink

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 If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, just think of the damage three teenage girls
could to do if pushed to their romantic breaking points. Okay, now, take whatever you’re
imagining, and triple it. That’s how much havoc a band of resourceful high school girls end up
wreaking on the triple-timing campus stud in the comedy John Tucker Must Die.

 The destruction begins when three gorgeous, popular girls from competing high school
cliques discover that they’ve each been dating the same guy: the school’s smooth and hunky
basketball team captain, John Tucker (JESSE METCALFE). After comparing notes, the fuming
trio – reporter-wannabe Carrie (ARIELLE KEBBEL), head cheerleader Heather (ASHANTI),
and vegan activist Beth (SOPHIA BUSH) – conspire to teach Tucker a lesson he’ll never forget.
They decide to attack his game and make this guy, who is never without a date, “undatable.”
Unfortunately, every wacky, grossly embarrassing scheme they hatch to undermine “Tuck”
backfires and only makes him more popular than ever.

 Desperate, the girls realize they’ll have to step up their assault. There’s only one way left
to take: to break his heart…the same way he’s broken theirs. Carrie, Heather, and Beth then
recruit a pretty, but anonymous school newcomer, Kate (BRITTANY SNOW), to get the hot
jock to fall for her, so she can ceremoniously dump him. Kate’s hesitant to play along but,
desperate for new friends and a chance to finally be “visible,” she agrees to help the girls execute
their dastardly plan.

The trio soon turns Kate into the girl of John Tucker’s dreams and, right on schedule, he
falls head over heels for the attractive blonde. At first, Kate plays hard to get, which completely
confounds Tucker, a guy who usually has women falling at his feet. But, despite her best efforts

to resist him, Kate finds herself drawn to Tucker, and gets caught between her loyalty to her new
gal pals and her unexpected attraction to John.

Meanwhile, Kate’s struck up a friendship with her chemistry lab partner, Scott (PENN
BADGLEY), who just happens to be “Tuck’s” younger brother. Scott, who’s used to taking a
backseat to his sibling, can’t let Kate know how he really feels about her, especially as he sees
her falling for John. Even Kate’s single mother, Lori (JENNY McCARTHY), who’s on her own
dating merry-go-round, tries to warn Kate against her mission to dupe the unsuspecting John
Tucker. But Kate’s in too deep – there’s no turning back now. Or is there?

Can Kate keep her romantic wits about her and pull off the ultimate revenge against a
girl’s worst enemy: the serial dater? Can fantasy guy John Tucker possibly change his ways and
become a one-woman man? And can Carrie, Heather, and Beth actually stay friends with Kate –
and with each other – or will they eventually end up back in their respective cliques, never to
cross over into such “uncharted” social territory again?

John Tucker Must Die is the wild movie comedy that proves, when it comes to high
school, dating is still the hardest subject of them all.

 The idea for John Tucker Must Die came to screenwriter Jeff Lowell when he was
entertaining his own romantic revenge fantasies. “I came to the conclusion that all heartbreak
begins in the formative teenage years,” says Lowell, “and started thinking about my own high
school, where there was the ‘Big Man on Campus’ that every girl drooled over, including my
girlfriend. Even back then, I realized there was nothing I could do about it. You can’t define
yourself by who you’re dating.

“And then I thought about the popular girls at school, who they were and how they
acted,” Lowell continues. “I remembered how every clique had a leader and, no matter what the
group represented, the hottest one was always in charge. Even the ‘smart girls’ deferred to the
prettier girl to lead them, even if she wasn’t particularly smart.” With those memories in mind,
Lowell set out to write the script that would become John Tucker Must Die.

Lowell’s screenplay eventually found its way into the hands of producer Bob Cooper, the
former president of both HBO and TriStar Pictures and ex-production head of DreamWorks, who
currently runs Landscape Entertainment. “When I first read the script, I thought, Wow, it’s got
all the ingredients. It was breezy, fun, and comedic,” recalls Cooper. “But it also had a relatable
theme which, to me, is the most critical thing. It’s about how everyone in high school pretends

to be something they’re not just to have some kind of acceptable identity. This, of course, makes
it hard to know who anyone really is. It’s a vicious cycle.”

Within nine months of Cooper bringing the script to Twentieth Century Fox, the studio
gave John Tucker Must Die the green light. Says Cooper, “They saw what I saw in it: a big, fun
movie.” Now they needed the right director to execute that big comedy vision. Enter Betty
Thomas, who’d helmed such major studio features as The Brady Bunch Movie, Private Parts and
Doctor Dolittle. “Betty had a very specific vision for the film,” explains Cooper. “She wanted it
to be more than just your typical fast-cutting, MTV-style youth movie. She was obsessed with
giving John Tucker a design, an aura, and an energy all its own. I always found her an
extraordinary framer of comedy and knew her work here would be no exception.”

Like Cooper, Betty Thomas was immediately intrigued by the script. “The story felt
fresher and more real than the average romantic comedy,” notes the director. “I felt like I’d
never done a film like this, one that’s about finding out about the world of romance, how it
affects you, what it means. I loved the idea of exploring all the games that go into having a
relationship--fake or real.”

The filmmakers assembled a talented ensemble to play the various teens caught up in the
comic undoing of campus heartthrob John Tucker. Rising star Brittany Snow was brought on
board to play the lead role of Kate, the new girl in school enlisted to give serial dater Tucker a
taste of his own medicine. Snow, who made strong impressions in both the acclaimed NBC
series American Dreams and the hit movie comedy The Pacifier, was intrigued by the pivotal
role. “I really, really identified with Kate,” the actress maintains. “I’d never read a script where
I felt a part was ‘so me.’ I also thought it’d be a great chance to play the underdog, because it’s
not often those characters get to be the lead.

“Kate and I have had similar experiences,” continues Snow. “We’ve both moved around
a lot during school and we’re both a little dorky. I also identified with her quirks and how, as
more of the quiet, observer type, she was constantly being overlooked. Kids in high school just
don’t take the time to notice people that are a bit under the radar.”

For the prime role of high school ladies’ man John Tucker, Desperate Housewives’
hedge-clipping hottie Jesse Metcalfe turned out to be a hand-in-glove fit. Says producer Bob
Cooper: “We needed an actor who would not only look the part, but could actually play

basketball. Jesse knew his way around the hoops and liked to do his own stunts, too. He really
filled the bill.”

Betty Thomas agrees. “Jesse’s so easy to respond to. Yes, he’s attractive, charming,
relaxed, and athletic – qualities that were important for the role – but he also makes you feel at
home, like you’re the only person in the room. That’s John Tucker’s greatest strength, too, why
all the girls respond to him. Once I realized that, Jesse didn’t even have to audition for me. I
knew he was the one.”

Adds Jesse Metcalfe: “I definitely wasn’t John Tucker in high school. I was a more
‘alternative’ kind of kid who was into music and dying my hair different colors. I sort of
marched to my own beat. I wasn’t popular enough to be in any clique, either. I had basically,
like, one really good friend and was probably a bit reclusive. That’s why it was so much fun to
play this part; it was such a stretch from who I was at that age.”

But Metcalfe also took the acting challenge seriously. “I knew I’d have to be very
careful playing someone like John Tucker, because it’s an easy role to turn into caricature. There
was also a responsibility to the audience to show the character’s vulnerability. Otherwise, he’d
just be another jerk.”

A trio of young actresses was then cast as the conspiring students who decide to take
action against the three-timing John Tucker. Arielle Kebbel, who was recently seen in Fox’s
Aquamarine, was hired to play the ambitious Carrie. Kebbel calls her character “the kind of girl
a guy would want to bring home to his parents. She has unstoppable energy, great
resourcefulness, and definite intelligence. Carrie’s got plenty of sex appeal, too, can’t forget
that!”

Chart-topping singing sensation Ashanti, who also acted in last year’s feature Coach
Carter, was chosen to portray the school’s confident head cheerleader, Heather. “Ironically, in
high school, I was a cheerleader and belonged to a clique, so my character and I share a few
similarities,” says Ashanti. “On the other hand, I was a lot more down-to-earth than Heather and
also very humble. And I never tried to seek revenge against anyone!”

Sophia Bush, who plays Brooke Davis on the popular TV series One Tree Hill, was cast
as Beth, a ditzy, vegan/environmentalist. “The movie spoke to me on many levels,” states Bush.
“I liked the way it looked at how men modify their behavior to be with women and the lies they

tell to keep them interested. The script also said a lot about friendship – how boyfriends come
and go, but friends are forever. That’s a great message and I wanted to be a part of it.”

As the main adult in the film, television and film star Jenny McCarthy was the top choice
for Kate’s gorgeous, itinerant mother, who’s got a revolving door of boyfriends. “I’ve always
played these wacky comedic characters, so the chance to actually play a mom with a teenage
daughter seemed like such a nice change for me,” says McCarthy. “I really wanted the
opportunity to show people I’ve got heart as well as a funny bone.”

Principal photography began in Vancouver, where most of the film was shot. While
many American productions have filmed in the beautiful Canadian city, it’s generally used as a
generic stand-in for somewhere else. John Tucker, however, is actually set in the Pacific
Northwest, so the decision to shoot in Vancouver worked perfectly from not only the visual,
technical, and financial standpoints, but for the story as well.

During the location scout, a happy accident led to the selection of the film’s most
important venue, the Heritage Woods Secondary School, which would become the story’s
fictional high school. The brand new high school, located in affluent Port Moody just 30
minutes from downtown Vancouver, had been built with an eye to the future and in response to
all the new housing development underway in the area. The filmmakers couldn’t believe their
good luck when they happened upon this ultra-modern structure.

“This high school had all of the elements we needed and then some,” says executive
producer Marc S. Fischer. “The building offered all of the different looks we needed and, as we
were shooting over the summer, we were able to use the school’s empty auditoriums as stages. It
became a mini-studio for us.”

The school and its grounds were converted into over 30 different, fully dressed sets,
including the library, the science room, the gym, the cafeteria, the hallway, the locker room, the
war room, the track, and the parking lot, along with Kate’s bedroom and six different kitchens.
“We were able to offload our equipment, store it in the classrooms, come back the next morning,
and everything would be right where we’d left it the night before,” says Fischer. “It was an
extremely efficient way to work.”

“Betty [Thomas] wanted to ‘keep it real,’ so using such a modern-looking building fit her
mantra to a tee,” says production designer Marcia Hinds. “It was exactly what new suburban
high schools look like nowadays. It’s no longer about red brick and little desks. At the same

time, we wanted to be visually inventive, which was a challenge with such a stark concrete-and-
wood structure. The first thing we did was to introduce in a lot of color and character. We chose
a maroon, burgundy and gray palette, which may sound subtle, but was actually quite enriching
and, again, ‘real.’

“In addition to adding a lot of interior graphics and signage, we utilized the school’s
existing team name, the Kodiaks, as well as their bear paw logo,” Hinds continues. “It fit the
film and it fit us, so we kept it. All in all, we worked with the school to create a look that would
be permanent. That alone saved us a tremendous amount of time and money because we didn’t
have to undo everything when were finished with it. When the kids came back to school in
September, the entire school was professionally decorated!”

That décor also included new landscaping, an outdoor concrete sitting area, truckloads of
classroom equipment, and a fully painted and graphically-designed gymnasium. Everything was
left behind for the students to utilize and enjoy, including all of the production’s scenic painting,
which went to support the school’s burgeoning theatre department.

Hinds says she had the most fun designing a scene depicting a birthday bash for John
Tucker. “Think: the coolest party for the coolest kid in the school,” she says of the sequence,
which was set in an enormous industrial warehouse. “The whole thing had a sexy, rock ‘n’ roll
feel, which [cinematographer] Tony Richmond did a great job lighting. We filled the space with
tons of huge balloons and giant fluorescent murals.”

Adds executive producer Marc S. Fischer: “That was a really big scene to shoot; we had
400 extras, four cameras going at once, techno cranes, and a band. There was a lot to organize
for three days.” This included the coordination of the scene’s centerpiece: a super tricked-out
partymobile. This custom-designed, gun-metal gray Chevy Tahoe came complete with a 50-inch
flat screen TV monitor rising from the center of the roof, as well as over 100 speakers. “There
were enough speakers for a Bruce Springsteen concert at the L.A. Coliseum,” laughs Fischer. “It
was a pretty wild vehicle.”

The most logistically-complex scene to film involved two days on Vancouver’s scenic
Burrard Inlet, where the production shot a sequence depicting of Kate’s first date with John
Tucker. “Anytime you shoot on water, it’s very, very complicated,” explains Fischer, “and this
time was no exception.” This particular sequence, in which Heather, Beth, and Carrie take out a

motorized dinghy to spy on Kate and John – who are getting cozy in a huge sailboat – required
much local cooperation to pull off.

To capture this nighttime scene, the crew was perched on three different floating barges –
one for camera, one for lighting, and a third for director Betty Thomas and her “video village” to
view what was being shot. The evening marine layer started kicking up during the filming,
requiring divers to hunker down in the water and hold the boats steady.

Jesse Metcalfe was involved in another daunting scene, one of a more...personal nature.
When John Tucker is seduced by the sexy Kate into visiting her hotel room, on the condition that
he wears a red lace thong, he ends up risking life and limb to satisfy her unusual request. “I have
to scale an outside ledge, until I reach her window, which is supposedly, like, four rooms down,”
says Metcalfe. “I get through that, while wearing just a towel [over the thong], then come in
through a sliding glass balcony door which turns out to be the girls’ gym teacher’s room, and not
Kate’s. I’m then completely embarrassed by the gym teacher and my coach in front of all the
other kids, and I don’t even get to be with Kate, who’s duped me, anyway!

“It was a fun, physical, and very liberating scene to shoot, though I’m never wearing a
thong again if I can help it. Those things are really uncomfortable.”

Metcalfe was also put through the paces for a scene where he acrobatically slam-dunks a
basketball to impress Kate. The actor, who did most of his own stunts in the film, shot this crazy
backward dunk with the help of a trampoline and a wire harness, which added a bit of visual
magic to his own already solid hoop skills. Brittany Snow also worked with safety wires for the
scene in which, as newbie cheerleader Kate, she tries to impress “Tuck” by balancing atop a
precision pyramid. Says Snow: “Like many people, I have this incredible fear of falling and a
fear of heights, so I had to overcome both in order to do the scene. If it hadn’t been for Betty
[Thomas] making me laugh the whole time, I’m not sure I could’ve gotten through it.”

One of the hottest rock bands out of the U.K., People In Planes, makes its big screen
debut in the film, providing the music for John Tucker’s birthday extravaganza. People In
Planes band members found their first movie experience a little overwhelming. Singer-
songwriter Gareth Jones, who also wrote the film’s title track entitled “Instantly Gratified,” says
of the shoot, “We hadn’t done anything like that before. We’d filmed music videos but this was,
like, a million times bigger. Though it sometimes felt bizarre, it’s ultimately an excellent
opportunity to have our music heard by millions of people. You can’t beat that for motivation.”

In the end, lead actor Jesse Metcalfe thinks the film will leave young audiences with a
solid, relatable message. “Though the movie reconfirms that high school is a lot about the social
hierarchy, it also says to ignore that hierarchy. Fitting in isn’t always such a good thing. In fact,
it’s hardly ever a good thing. It’s always best just to be true to yourself.”

ABOUT THE CAST

JESSE METCALFE (John Tucker) makes his feature debut in John Tucker Must Die
after playing John Rowland, Eva Longoria’s hot gardener/boy toy on ABC’s phenomenally
successful Desperate Housewives.

 Earlier, the actor played another heartbreaker on the popular NBC daytime soap
Passions. He appeared as Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald for four years, departing from the show in
2004.

 Other TV appearances include the FX telefilm 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-
Out and a recurring role on the WB’s Smallville.

 Metcalfe is the recipient of the 2005 Young Hollywood Award for Exciting New Face,
and was nominated for two 2005 Teen Choice Awards, including one for Choice Actor in a
Television Comedy.

BRITTANY SNOW (Kate) first gained widespread attention playing 1960s teenager Meg
Pryor on the acclaimed NBC series American Dreams, which ran from 2002 to 2005. She then
appeared opposite Vin Diesel in the successful Disney comedy The Pacifier.

 Previously, Snow had a regular role on the long-running daytime drama Guiding Light,
portraying troubled teen Susan Lemay. She has also been seen on such TV series as SeaQuest
DSV and Safe Harbor, and in the WB pilot Murphy’s Dozen.

 More recently, Snow enjoyed a recurring role on the hit FX series Nip/Tuck. She also
acted in the pilot episode of Fox’s one-hour drama Skater Boys.

 Snow will next be seen in the indie feature On the Doll. She recently began production
on New Line’s big screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Hairspray, in which she plays
Tracy Turnblad’s arch-nemesis, Amber Von Tussle.

ASHANTI (Heather) has been one of the most popular talents on the music scene since
she struck gold with her 2002 debut album, Ashanti. It topped Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B
album charts, and sold a whopping 504,593 units in its first week of release. This figure set a
record on SoundScan for most albums sold by any first-time female artist, since the retail
tracking system began.

At the same time, Ashanti secured the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart and
its R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart with her song "Foolish." She made Billboard history
by having her first three chart entries simultaneously place in the top ten of the magazine’s Hot
100 list. Ashanti is the first female – and only the second recording artist since The Beatles – to
accomplish this feat.

That same year, Ashanti won the Grammy Award for best contemporary R&B album.
She also received eight Billboard Awards, with her debut album topping the Billboard album
chart. In addition, she won two American Music Awards, as well as Soul Train’s Aretha Franklin
Entertainer of the Year Award.

Ashanti’s follow-up release, Chapter II, debuted at number one on Billboard’s album
chart and spawned two Top Ten singles. Her other albums include Ashanti’s Christmas and the
platinum-selling Concrete Rose.

Ashanti made the leap to acting with a role on an episode of the 1960s drama American
Dreams, in which she portrayed famed pop singer Dionne Warwicke. She has also appeared on
the series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and Las Vegas.

In 2005, Ashanti made her big-screen acting debut opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Coach
Carter and also starred as Dorothy in the ABC telefilm The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.

In addition, she made a special appearance in the indie Bollywood musical Bride &
Prejudice, in which she sang in both Hindi and English.

The singer-actress has also performed on virtually every music awards show from The
American Music Awards to the Grammys, the MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Awards,
the Soul Train Awards, and the Kids’ Choice Awards.

 SOPHIA BUSH (Beth) portrays Brooke Davis on the hit drama series One Tree Hill.

 Other television credits include appearances on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and
Nip/Tuck; the one-hour ABC pilot The Flannerys; and the HBO film Point of Origin, with Ray
Liotta and John Leguizamo.

 The actress has also been seen in such features as National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, the
indie drama Learning Curves, Fox’s sports adventure Supercross: The Movie, and the chiller
Stay Alive.

 Bush will next star in a feature remake of the cult thriller The Hitcher.

ARIELLE KEBBEL (Carrie) appeared in a string of feature films over the last few years
including The Brothers, Soul Plane, Be Cool, the independent horror picture Reeker, Dirty
Deeds, and The Kid & I.

She also acted in the made-for-DVD sequel, American Pie: Band Camp.

On television, Kebbel has had recurring roles on such series as Gilmore Girls and
Grounded For Life, and has appeared in episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Judging
Amy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Entourage, Clubhouse, and CSI: Miami.

Kebbel will soon be seen in the indie features Outlaw Trail and Daydreamer, along with
Sony’s upcoming horror sequel The Grudge 2.

JENNY McCARTHY (Lori) has enjoyed a varied and successful career as a film and
television actress, comedienne, TV host, author, and spokesperson. She gained fame early on as
Playboy’s Miss October 1993, and was subsequently named the magazine’s Playmate of the
Year.

Her sexy, pinup girl status eventually led to a co-hosting gig on MTV’s dating game
show Singled Out. The network then hired McCarthy as a vee-jay and later allowed her to
develop her own comedy/variety series, The Jenny McCarthy Show. The success of that show
led to acting roles on TV series like Silk Stalkings, Baywatch, and Wings, and her own NBC
sitcom, Jenny.

Around this time, McCarthy began to appear in feature films including Things to Do in
Denver When You’re Dead, The Stupids, BASEketball, Diamonds, and Scream 3.

More television roles followed, including episodes of Home Improvement, Going to
California, The Drew Carey Show, Fastlane, Charmed, Wanda at Large and All About the

Andersons, as well as recurring parts on Just Shoot Me!, Less Than Perfect, Wild Card, One on
One, and Hope & Faith.

More recently, McCarthy starred on UPN’s The Bad Girl’s Guide and appeared in
episodes of What I Like About You and Stacked.

Additional feature credits include the indie comedy The Perfect You, Scary Movie 3, and
Dirty Love (which she wrote and starred in).

McCarthy has hosted numerous TV specials including MTV Europe Music Awards 1998,
The 29th Annual American Music Awards, MTV’s 25 Greatest Power Ballads, FX’s DVD
Exclusive Awards, The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special: Still Brady After All
These Years, and E!’s 101 Craziest TV Moments and What Hollywood Taught Us about Sex.

On the literary front, HarperCollins published McCarthy’s autobiography, Jen-X, in 1997.
Her comedic take on pregnancy and childbirth, Belly Laughs, was released in Spring 2004 and
placed on The New York Times best seller list, as did the book’s follow-up, Baby Laughs,
published in Spring 2005.

McCarthy stars in the upcoming ABC Family telefilm Mary Christmas.

PENN BADGLEY (Scott) has been a series regular on three WB shows: The Mountain,
Do Over, and The Bedford Diaries. The young actor has also had recurring roles on such series
as Daddio, The Young and the Restless, and The Brothers Garcia. Episodic credits include Will
& Grace, Bull, What I Like About You, and The Twilight Zone.

Badgley has also acted in the indie features The Fluffer and Debating Robert Lee. He
will next be seen in the horror comedy Drive-Thru as well in the upcoming CBS drama series 3
lbs.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

 BETTY THOMAS (Director) has been at the helm of a successful string of feature films
beginning with The Brady Bunch Movie and Private Parts, followed by Fox’s Doctor Dolittle
remake, with Eddie Murphy; 28 Days, with Sandra Bullock; and I-Spy, starring Murphy and
Owen Wilson. Thomas also directed the celebrated HBO telefilm The Late Shift, for which she
won a Director’s Guild Award and an Emmy® nomination.

 Prior to venturing into feature directing, Thomas helmed episodes of such TV series as
Hooperman, Doogie Howser, M.D., Shannon’s Deal, Dream On (Emmy and CableACE award
wins, DGA nomination), Parenthood, Sons and Daughters, and Midnight Caller, as well as the
telefilms My Breast and Couples.

 She directed the pilot episode of the Fox comedy The Loop as well as the network’s
upcoming telefilm That Guy.

 Thomas began her career as an actress and was best known for her portrayal of Sgt. Lucy
Bates on NBC’s landmark, long-running Hill Street Blues. From 1981 to 1987, the role earned
her consecutive yearly Emmy Award nominations (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Series), with a win in 1985.

 Her many feature acting credits include Tunnel Vision, Jackson County Jail, Used Cars,
Loose Shoes, and Troop Beverly Hills. She also appeared in such telefilms as The Nashville
Grab, When Your Lover Leaves, No Greater Gift, and Prison For Children.

 JEFF LOWELL (Screenwriter) began his career writing for such TV series as The
George Carlin Show, Cybil, The Drew Carey Show, Bless This House, Spin City, Just Shoot Me!
and Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane. Lowell wrote and co-executive produced the acclaimed
comedy-drama Sports Night, as well as the NBC sitcoms Go Fish and Inside Schwartz.

 In addition to John Tucker Must Die, which is Lowell’s first produced feature credit, he
co-wrote Landscape Entertainment’s upcoming Romantic Comedy. He will next write Fetch for
Sony Pictures, and will write and direct Gold Circle’s How I Met My New Boyfriend's Dead
Fiancée.

 BOB COOPER (Producer) is the chairman and CEO of Landscape Entertainment, a film
and television production company he formed in 2003 after two decades in top entertainment
posts at DreamWorks Pictures, TriStar Pictures, and HBO.

Cooper recently produced the comedy Mr. Woodcock starring Billy Bob Thornton, Seann
William Scott, and Susan Sarandon. He and his company have numerous films in various stages
of development including The Hypnotist and 92 Minutes, for Revolution Studios; the New Line
comedies The Salesman, I Know That You Know That I Know (with Jim Carrey attached), Man
In Uniform (to star Kevin James), and High T (with Steve Carell), as well as the drama The

Crusaders, also for New Line. At Paramount, Landscape is in development on Au Pair, a thriller
set to star Mandy Moore.

Landscape also has a number of TV projects in development and, last year, produced its
first series, NBC’s Medical Investigation.

While Cooper headed production at DreamWorks, he oversaw such films as the Oscar®-
winning American Beauty as well as the hit comedy Galaxy Quest. Before he began his tenure
there, Cooper also co-produced Amistad, which was produced and directed by Steven Spielberg.

Prior to joining DreamWorks, Cooper served as president of TriStar Pictures, where his
slate included hit movies like My Best Friend’s Wedding, As Good As It Gets, The Mask of
Zorro, and Stepmom. He also played a key role in marketing Best Picture Oscar-nominee Jerry
Maguire.

Before his post at TriStar, Cooper was president of HBO Pictures for eight years, and
turned the nascent cable network into a major production force. Television films produced under
Cooper’s watch won best picture Emmy and Golden Globe® awards an unprecedented five years
in a row. These distinguished movies included Barbarians at the Gate, And the Band Played
On, The Josephine Baker Story, The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas
Cheerleader-Murdering Mom, The Burning Season, and Citizen X.

Preceding HBO, Cooper founded Citadel, a Canadian–based development and production
company and, in 1993, produced the first ever made-for-HBO movie, The Terry Fox Story. He
also produced the award-winning Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story. In 1991,
Cooper sold Citadel to HBO/Time Warner; Citadel continued to flourish, reporting to Cooper in
his capacity as President of HBO.

MICHAEL BIRNBAUM (Producer) also produced the Golden Globe-nominated caper
comedy Bandits, directed by Barry Levinson, starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and
Cate Blanchett. In addition, he served as executive producer on the features Keys to Tulsa, a
mystery that starred Eric Stoltz, James Spader, Mary Tyler Moore, and Cameron Diaz; and the
dark comedy The Big White, with Robin Williams and Holly Hunter.

KAREN LUNDER (Executive Producer) currently serves as senior VP of features for
Bob Cooper’s Landscape Entertainment. She was co-producer on the company’s teen comedy

Sleepover, as well as on its soon-to-be-released Mr. Woodcock. She will executive produce the
upcoming Landscape feature comedies, Man In Uniform and High T.

MARC S. FISCHER (Executive Producer) has enjoyed a long association with the
Farrelly Brothers and worked as a producer on all the features they’ve produced and/or directed
since 1996’s Kingpin. He served as co-producer on There’s Something About Mary, Me, Myself
& Irene, Say It Isn’t So, Osmosis Jones, Shallow Hal, and executive produced Stuck On You and
Fever Pitch.

Fischer’s other feature credits as either producer or co-producer include The Forbidden
Dance, Hexed, Foxfire, Beverly Hills Ninja, Music From Another Room, Gun Shy, Freddy Got
Fingered, and The Ringer. In addition, he was line producer on Leaving Las Vegas.

Fischer was unit production manager on such films as The Phantom of the Opera (1989);
Bad Jim; Captain America; Kingpin; Foxfire; Beverly Hills Ninja; There’s Something About
Mary; Music From Another Room; Me, Myself & Irene; Say It Isn’t So; and Like Mike.

Fischer will next executive produce Regency’s adventure drama Jumper, to be directed
by Doug Liman.

ANTHONY B. RICHMOND, ASC/BSC (Director of Photography) is a veteran
cinematographer who has shot over sixty features and telefilms. His early credits include
Sympathy for the Devil, Let It Be, Don’t Look Now (BAFTA Film Award for best
cinematography), The Man Who Fell To Earth, The Eagle Has Landed, The Greek Tycoon, and
The Kids Are Alright.

He went on to shoot the features Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession, Improper Channels,
That’s Life!, Sunset, The Indian Runner, Candyman, The Sandlot, and such telefilms as The Road
Raiders, In the Arms of a Killer, Midnight’s Child, A Case For Murder, Heart of Darkness,
Bastard Out of Carolina, and Rough Riders.

Richmond’s more recent credits include the features Playing God, A Walk on the Moon,
Agnes Browne, Men of Honor, Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing, Dumb and Dumberer: When
Harry Met Lloyd, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, A Cinderella Story, and Just Friends, as well
as the TV movies And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story, Sister Mary Explains It All,
and Riding the Bus With My Sister.

MARCIA HINDS (Production Designer) previously collaborated with director Betty
Thomas on the Fox TV comedy The Loop, the feature remake of I-Spy, and the Sandra Bullock
drama 28 Days.

Hinds’ other feature designing credits include Dangerously Close, 1969, Bright Angel,
Paradise, The Linguini Incident, The Public Eye, Josh and S.A.M., Larger Than Life, Double
Tap, Can’t Hardly Wait, and Boys and Girls.

For television, she served as production designer on such films as Crash: The Mystery of
Flight 1501, Aftermath: A Test of Love, and Winchell. Hinds designed the pilot episode of
HBO’s acclaimed series Six Feet Under.

MATTHEW FRIEDMAN (Editor) worked with Betty Thomas on the Fox series The
Loop and the movie of I Spy. He also held various editing positions on the director’s Private
Parts, Doctor Dolittle, and 28 Days.

Friedman’s other editing credits include the independent features We Married Margo,
Certain Guys, Cold Heart, The Last Run, The Truth About Miranda, Novel Romance, and
English as a Second Language. Friedman also edited the recent WB series Pepper Dennis.

Friedman also served as an assistant editor on the films How to Make an American Quilt,
The Muse, Road Trip and Highway.

ALEXANDRA WELKER (Costume Designer) created the wardrobe for an eclectic mix
of independent and studio features, as well as for series and telefilms.

Her long list of feature credits includes Simple Men, Amateur, Somebody to Love, Flirt,
The Low Life, The Big Brass Ring, Meet Wally Sparks, Meet the Deedles, Phoenix, Seven
Girlfriends, Joe Dirt, American Pie 2, How to Deal and Just Friends.

For television, Welker designed the costumes for such movies as Fortunate Son, See
Arnold Run, and A House Divided, and for the series Relativity, Snoops, Leap of Faith, The O.C.,
and, most recently, Pepper Dennis.

RICHARD GIBBS (Composer) has amassed over 50 feature and TV scoring credits.

For the big screen, he has composed the music for Sweet Hearts Dance, Say Anything,
Bingo, Once Upon a Crime, Ladybugs, Passed Away, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, Amos &
Andrew, Son-in-Law, Fatal Instinct, The Chase, Clifford, That Darn Cat, Doctor Dolittle, 10
Things I Hate About You, 28 Days, Big Momma’s House, Queen of the Damned, Like Mike, and I
Spy, among many others.

His most recent feature credits include Step Into Liquid, Love Don’t Cost a Thing, My
Baby’s Daddy, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Johnson Family Vacation, Fat Albert, The
Honeymooners, and the upcoming indie drama Valley of the Heart’s Delight.

Gibbs scored the telefilms A Deadly Silence, A Killing in a Small Town, How to Murder a
Millionaire, Barbarians at the Gate, The Christmas Box, and The Jesse Ventura Story; the mini-
series Battlestar Galactica; and the HBO special Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed.

©2006 Twentieth Century Fox. All rights reserved. Property of Fox.

 Permission is hereby granted to newspapers and periodicals to reproduce this

text in articles publicizing the distribution of the Motion Picture.

All other use is strictly prohibited, including sale, duplication, or other transfers of this material.

 This press kit, in whole or in part, must not be leased, sold, or given away.

Posted by monte at 06:42 PM | Permalink

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Monte Bubbles Network®: MBN®

To understand the internet you have to be open to change.

CONTENT IS KING

Editors William Hoehne & Joyce Chow July 21, 2006

To come here you have to be able to read.

Monte says to ability to read is the most powerful weapon in the world

MBN®

INTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE

Monte Bubbles now Licensing her image for use.

 

 

First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX

and NBC and now there is MBN ®

( unofficially the sixth largest supplier

of NEWS by and American company

averaging 100 Pages of news a day. )

 

MBN® is the Avis of the news business. Because we are internet we have to try harder and do more on less.

 

 

SUNDAYS ARE NOW PICTURE DAY

International news from Asia and Latin news in English and Spanish here now along with NASA and Vatican news

 

More exciting changes coming each day.

 

MONTEBUBBLISM: Sometimes when you think things are as bad as they can get your surprises and find out just the oppsite.

ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

 New Neil Young Video "After The Garden" Visits "An Inconvenient Truth"

Manjaca Paris is looking for business development in the US

 Access Hollywood" to Film Luvoo.com's Miss Universe After Party: Sunday, 7/23/06, 10 PM PDT

Titan Global Reached an Agreement With Alliance Entertainment Corporation to Market Merchandise Through Titan Tunes

Slingo.com Debuts Social-Networking Community Geared Towards
Women

 KOCH Records and NBS Entertainment to Release Debut Album From Nuttin' But Stringz

 Video Without Boundaries, Inc. Teams with RapidSolution in
Providing a Complete Music and Video Conversion Platform

 Head Automatica Headlines

TVN Entertainment Signs PBS KIDS Sprout Agreement for VOD Services

SONY BLu-Ray 

Ten Talented Designers Vie for One Chance to Star in Own HGTV Show

 Over 120 Hooters Girls from Taiwan to New York City Will Compete for $150,000 in Cash and Prizes in Las Vegas

 Large Meat Selection on the Menu at Pamela Anderson's Restaurant

Thousands Migrate Across the World to Swap Treasures and Tales

'Taste of Home Entertaining' Launches Nationwide; New Party Plan Business Is an Instant Hit Coast-to-Coast

'Agent DVD' Launches at Comic-con

Discovery Communications Launches Enhanced 'Discovery News' Service With Daily Video Webcasts

Vin Diesel and BET Networks Get Animated with 'Hannibal the Conqueror'

NightVision Chooses BroadSign Software for Its Growing Nightclub Network

 

_____________________________________________

New Neil Young Video "After The Garden" Visits "An Inconvenient Truth"

Available as Free Download at www.neilyoung.com

-- Neil Young's controversial album "Living With War" has become a hot-button item since its release in early May. Critically acclaimed as a milestone in confronting the most pressing issues of our times, Young has now made a unique video for the album's first song, "After The Garden."

It only made sense that Young would look to Al Gore's arresting documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" to help tell the song's story. "Al Gore's courageous film will be a lasting document," Young says, "a proof as years go by that Mr. Gore was right from the start, and willing to go on record. From his direct opposition to the war in Iraq to recognizing and confronting global warming, Mr. Gore has shown himself to be a visionary, standing out among his contemporaries."

Neil Young is making videos for each song on "Living With War," and will be presenting them in the weeks ahead on the website www.neilyoung.com, where they will be available as free downloads. Also on the website is the Living With War Today online newspaper, which includes special coverage of the ongoing Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tour, as well as an array of other features, like the protest song and video submissions from around the world; and a Time Line Analyzer of all recent media coverage.

The Crosby, Still, Nash & Young Freedom of Speech '06 tour continues with sold-out shows across the United States until September 10th in Pittsburgh 

 

 Manjaca Paris is looking for business development in the US

 

 

Access Hollywood" to Film Luvoo.com's Miss Universe After Party: Sunday, 7/23/06, 10 PM PDT

Lebanese, Israeli and Global Beauties Unite on Downtown L.A. Rooftop Bar, Celebrities Galore!

 Luvoo.com (PINKSHEETS: LVTI), a growing online dating company, is pleased to announce Downtown Los Angeles' famed The Standard Hotel, known for its upside down signage, will turn the world upside down as it hosts Luvoo.com's 2006 Miss Universe Post Pageant VIP After Party at 10:00 PM PDT. Post Pageant VIP After Party will immediately follow the pageant on the rooftop bar at 550 South Flower Street at 6th Avenue.

Luvoo.com is an online, multi-level marketed dating website endorsed by Carmen Electra and Pauly Shore. On the invite list are 80 of the Miss Universe contestants, pageant officials, and celebrities such as: Joaquin Phoenix, Nancy O'Dell, Carlos Ponce, Randy Jackson, Jason Statham, Jeremy Piven, Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, and Pauly Shore.

 

(Click here for details)

One of the event organizers, Rob Striker, notes, "This is the 6th one of these parties I've coordinated. The U.S. hasn't hosted the pageant since Hawaii's 1998 event. Our event is really the first time these girls can relax, have a drink and be themselves. It's also amazing that in a time of war, representatives from countries who are embattled usually end up bonding deeply. It gives us all hope."

"Access Hollywood" will film the event as part of its coverage since the host of their show, Nancy O'Dell, is also co-hosting the Miss Universe Pageant earlier in the evening. The live, televised pageant is being filmed at The Shrine Auditorium on 7/23/06 from 9-11 PM.

Luvoo.com's (LVTI) creator, L. Yvonne Vanhoek, notes, "We are building brand awareness for Luvoo. Our message is global romance and the Miss Universe Pageant is the perfect venue for us."

For more information please contact Investor Relations at (973) 351-3868 for Stephen Taylor or visit the company website at: www.luvoo.com.

About Luvoo.com:

Luvoo.com, (PINKSHEETS: LVTI) is a US corporation which is aggressively gaining market share in the on-line dating industry. The companies' strategy for growth is through celebrity endorsement, aggressive large scale advertising, affiliate business opportunities and patent pending concepts and technology such as "The Luvoo Dating Card," "Verified Member" and "Instant Notifier."

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information, the forward looking matters discussed in this news release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the Company's liquidity and the ability to obtain financing, the timing of regulatory approvals, uncertainties related to corporate partners or third-parties, product liability, the dependence on third parties for manufacturing and marketing, patent risk, copyright risk, competition, and the early stage of products being marketed or under development, as well as other risks indicated from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.

 

 

Titan Global Reached an Agreement With Alliance Entertainment Corporation to Market Merchandise Through Titan Tunes

Bringing to the International Market Interactive Merchandising of CDs and DVDs

 Titan Global Entertainment, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: TGLE) announces the reaching of an agreement with Alliance Entertainment Corporation to provide Titan's customers with the ability of purchasing CDs and DVDs through the Titan Tunes portal.

As part of Titan Tunes portal, customers can select a particular artist and while viewing or listening to the content can also purchase the artist merchandise at the same time.

Alliance Entertainment Corporation is a leading total solutions provider of business-to-business infrastructure services that are integral to the home entertainment products marketplace. They offer an extensive product inventory (including CDs, DVDs, videos, video games and related merchandise), e-commerce fulfillment capabilities and innovative technology and support services for today's marketplace, including third party logistics services.

Alliance will provide to Titan's customers a just-in-time product distribution and fulfillment services for music, DVDs and related home entertainment products. This just-in-time system is currently being used to distribute to national music and video retailers, mass merchants, variety, e-commerce and independent retailers. In total, Alliance Entertainment Corporation services over 30,000 storefronts and shipped over three million individual consumer orders through its Consumer Direct Fulfillment business.

Alliance Entertainment Corporation's customers include Walgreens, Barnes and Noble, Barnesandnoble.com, Toys "R" Us, Sears, Kmart, Meijer, Musicland, Trans World Music, Circuit City, Best Buy, AOL, BJ's Wholesale Club, Blockbuster, Tower Records, Borders and Hastings Entertainment.

"We are looking forward to completing this business opportunity which was created through Norstar Media Entertainment. This content adds another dimension to the Titan Universe entertainment center. It is our goal to provide consumers with a one-stop-shop experience for all of their entertainment," said Jim Pugh, Co-Chairman & CEO of Titan Global Entertainment, Inc. "Through this program we can guarantee access to the most comprehensive selection of music, home video/DVD, and videogame titles available from a single source, with the ability to deliver to most Titan customers within one working day."

Titan Global Entertainment, Inc. is a multi-faceted entertainment company that specializes in audio and video digital distribution through its state of the art web portal -- TitanTunes.com, the design, production and sale of four multi-media players (The Omni), traditional record production and marketing through Universal Music Group distribution, television, publishing and artist management. Titan is dedicated to supplying new emerging technologies for music to talented artists of various backgrounds on the worldwide web. www.titan-entertainment.net

Alliance Entertainment, a Source Interlink company, is the largest wholesaler distributor of home entertainment products including CDs, DVDs and accessories, and represents virtually every recording company and movie studio in the industry. For more information regarding this LOI or Alliance Entertainment, contact Bob Ekizian, Vice President of Independent Sales & Marketing, bobeki@aent.com. Alliance Entertainment website is www.aent.com

Safe Harbor -- This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, product delivery, the management of growth, market acceptance of certain products and other risks. These forward-looking statements are made in reliance on the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For further information about these factors that could affect Titan Global Entertainment, Inc. future results, please contact the Company directly. Prospective investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations

 

Slingo.com Debuts Social-Networking Community Geared Towards
Women

 Slingo, Inc., a leader in
the casual games industry, is treading new ground today by
launching the first online social-networking community
geared towards women. Slingo.com is further tapping into the
consistently growing casual games market by focusing the
attention of their community towards giving women a place to
congregate. "Slingo.com has a population of almost 80
percent women and has had a consistently growing community
for the past four years. We want to give women a place where
they can connect with each other, make new friends and have
fun," said Slingo Inc.'s Director of Online Operations,
Peter Czech.

This social networking community allows users to: create a
full-featured profile with pictures; leave messages for
their friends and family; invite more people to join their
circle of friends; search for new friends with common
interests; and get more involved with people who enjoy
games. Along with the ability for Slingo.com users to expand
their social networks, the Slingo community also offers
lively forums for users to share everything from game tips
to recipes, an E-greetings area where users can send E-cards
to their friends and family, daily and weekly contests, and
a prize area where members can win cash and prizes by using
their Slingo Coins (the Slingo.com currency).

Slingo.com's new community has opened up new advertising
opportunities as well. After being one of the first casual
game portals on the Internet to serve valuable in-game video
advertisements last August, the expanded community offers an
added value to advertisers beyond that offered by other
similar web properties.

About Slingo, Inc.

Slingo, Inc. is a U.S.-based company whose visionary
leadership and creative minds have effectively developed and
licensed the intellectual property for the Slingo brand for
over 10 years. As a leader in the continually growing
"casual games" space, Slingo, Inc. has successfully licensed
to partners worldwide for use with online game sites,
downloadable games, instant lottery tickets, casino slot
machines, casino table games, broadcast and cable
television, mobile phone games, and other interactive media.
Slingo Inc.'s flagship game "Slingo" boasts over three
billion games played, due in part to its irresistible game
play and community. Some of Slingo, Inc.'s partners are
America Online, IGT, Funkitron, Oberthur Gaming
Technologies, The United States Playing Card Company, Blaze
and TVcompass. People can play Slingo and other games, as
well as join the social networking community by going to
http://www.slingo.com.

 

 

KOCH Records and NBS Entertainment to Release Debut Album From Nuttin' But Stringz

"Struggle From The Subway to The Charts" Hits Stores October 3rd, 2006

-- KOCH Records proudly announces the release of the debut album from Nuttin' But Stringz, comprised of extraordinary violinist siblings. Their album entitled "Struggle From The Subway to The Charts" will be released on October 3rd, 2006. The album includes their hit single, "Thunder."

Teenage brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar, dubbed Nuttin' But Stringz or N.B.S., first gained recognition for their intense blending of classical music, jazz, R&B, and hip hop by playing throughout New York's subway system. The talent and streetwise style of N.B.S. then landed them performances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "The Ellen Degeneres Show," "The Today Show," and many others. Nuttin' But Stringz have also been the key success story of VH1's popular Save The Music program, and in turn, have become very involved with the important foundation. The duo has recorded a song for the charity, and in addition has hosted master classes.

 

(Click here for details)

Growing up in the inner city, Damien was the first to take up the violin at the ripe young age of eight. His passion for the sound was all the inspiration his older sibling Tourie needed to take up the violin too. Their combined uniqueness and brilliance, along with support from a close family, makes it easy for N.B.S. to push the envelope on their style and further mold themselves into future stars.

The track listing for "Struggle From The Subway to The Charts" is:

1. Broken Sorrow            8. Get Low 2. Struggle                 9. Egypt Intro 3. Thunder                 10. Egyptian In The Night 4. Beauty Intro            11. A Nu Day 5. Beauty                  12. Dance With My Father 6. Suka 4 Her Interlude    13. Thunder Remix 7. Suka 4 Her 

About KOCH Records

KOCH Records is a division of KOCH Entertainment, the fastest-growing music company and the market leader among independents in North America. The KOCH Entertainment corporate umbrella encompasses the KOCH Records label, KOCH Vision home video, KOCH Music Publishing and KOCH Entertainment Distribution with operations in both the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Records proudly claims the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents for each of the last five years (2001-2005). For additional info on the KOCH Records label and its roster of artists, please visit www.kochrecords.com

 

 

 Video Without Boundaries, Inc. Teams with RapidSolution in
Providing a Complete Music and Video Conversion Platform

New Relationship Sets Consumers Free From Copy-Protection
Frustration, Limitation of Use

Video Without
Boundaries, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VDWB), a leading
provider of interactive, media-convergent home entertainment
devices, and RapidSolution Software AG, today announced a
working partnership to bundle RapidSolution's popular
Windows software Tunebite with all MediaREADY devices.

MediaREADY 4000, 5000, Flyboy, CoPilot and Glider customers
will receive a trial version of the Tunebite 3.0 software
which protects consumers from the frustrations of
copy-protection formats and creates unprotected private
copies of music and audio book files by recording them as
they are being played. The latest version of Tunebite 3.0
also offers support for copy-protected video clip formats.

"We are very excited about joining RapidSolution in
promoting consumer-friendly services and broadening the
usefulness of consumer-purchased media," said Video Without
Boundaries, Inc. President and CEO Jeffrey Harrell. "By
bundling the Tunebite 3.0 software with our MediaREADY media
center and portables devices, we are giving consumers a
tremendous flexibility to manage their collections and have
the choice of where and how they want to enjoy them."

"The MediaREADY line of media centers and portable devices
is exactly the kind of device we imagined enabling when we
developed Tunebite 3.0," said Norman F. Foerderer, Director,
Sales & Marketing at RapidSolution Software. "We are
impressed with features of the product line and are excited
to be able to partner with VWB and make the consumer
experience even more simple and friendly."

The combination of the RapidSolution's Tunebite 3.0 software
and the MediaREADY products means increased flexibility and
ease of management for the consumer's music and video
library. Users will now have the ability to easily convert
music and video clips for playback and management on
MediaREADY devices. Most of our customers are getting their
digital music and video from services like iTunes, Napster,
and Yahoo. These popular services often require strict
implementation of proprietary Digital Rights Management
which can severely limit playback on devices which don't
support these proprietary formats.

Since 2004, RapidSolution has helped responsible consumers
exercise their legal right to be able to play music they
have purchased online on all of their playback devices, free
from the limitations of copy protection. To this end,
previous releases of Tunebite allowed users to play
copy-protected music and audio book files on the PC in
software players supporting copy-protection formats, and to
simultaneously record them for the purpose of creating
unprotected copies for private use. Tunebite 3 Platinum now
also supports the ability to record copy-protected video
clips while they are being played.

For more information on RapidSolution Software and their
products, please visit http://www.rapidsolution.com.

For more information about the VWB MediaREADY line, visit
http://www.vwbinc.com.

Limitation of Use

Music or video files recorded with Tunebite may not be
shared with third parties or made available for third-party
access. The exchange, giving or sale of Tunebite recordings
is forbidden by international copyright law and can lead to
criminal prosecution by the copyright holder. The user
assumes all liability for personal or third-party misuse of
Tunebite or recordings made with Tunebite. RapidSolution
Software AG expressly disclaims any and all liabilities for
the misuse of Tunebite or recordings created with Tunebite.

Copyright Law and the Legal Consequences of Misuse

Any user who installs Tunebite on his or her PC, records
music tracks and/or video clips and transfers or makes these
available to other individuals, no matter in which form or
for what purpose, makes himself liable and punishable under
international copyright law and is subject to criminal
prosecution by the injured parties. Individuals that have
received files that have been recorded with Tunebite are
likewise punishable under these same laws.

About RapidSolution

RapidSolution Software AG is a leading provider of
entertainment software. RapidSolution products can be
purchased online at http://www.audials.com and in specialty
stores around the world. RapidSolution's recognized brand
names include RadioTracker, Tunebite, PodSpider and
TagRunner.

About Video Without Boundaries

Video Without Boundaries (OTC Bulletin Board: VDWB) is a
leader in digital media-on-demand, enhanced home
entertainment, and interactive products that connect people
simply. VWB is focused on delivering flexible Consumer
Electronics-based products and services that are affordable,
easy to use, and simple to understand.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements and comments in this document are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements
relating to, among other things, the prospects for the
company to increase the level of sales, maintain current
sales levels, add new products and services and develop new
Web sites are necessarily subject to risks and
uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and
nature, including risks related to the demand for the
company's products and services competition, and
availability of capital.

 

Head Automatica Headlines

 New York-based quintet Head Automatica announce their first headlining tour in support of their Warner Bros./Reprise Records release, "Popaganda." Popaganda Tour 2006 will kick off on August 16th in Norfolk, Virginia with special guests Rock Kills Kid and Men, Women & Children.

The album follows up the band's 2004 beat-laden debut "Decadence," is big sing-along pop, with several tracks -- including "Graduation Day" -- that instantly recall the crisp, punchy brightness of early Elvis Costello and the Attractions records. Heavily influenced by Squeeze, Nick Lowe, and Beatles-era backbeat pop, frontman Daryl Palumbo says the band intended to make an album that reflected their favorite British Invasion songwriters, but to put a contemporary spin on it.

"I really wanted to make music you might've heard in the U.K. in the late '70s to early '80s," he says. "'Popaganda' is our interpretation and homage to that great musical period."

To capture their raw energy and unbridled melodies, Head Automatica teamed with producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, All-American Rejects). The album's first single "Graduation Day" is in Summa Magna Cum Laude rotation on MTVu and the band has been selected as a Discover and Download Artist on MTV and MTV2. Head Automatica boasts 150,000 friends on myspace.com.

Tickets for the first tour leg (August 16 - September 9) are available now via normal ticketing outlets. For the second leg (September 22 - October 21) Fans and Friends of Head Automatica may purchase tickets online directly from the band for a limited time starting July 26 - August 1.

Presale tickets are available here: www.headautomatica.tickets.musictoday.com

As a bonus to Head Automatica fans who purchase advance tickets, they will be offered the opportunity to bundle their ticket purchase with an autographed copy of the band's new release "Popaganda" for only $8.00.

Popaganda Tour 2006 dates:

WED     8/16    Norfolk, VA           The NorVa FRI     8/18    Jacksonville, FL      Plush SAT     8/19    Ft. Lauderdale, FL    Culture Room SUN     8/20    Orlando, FL           House Of Blues TUE     8/22    Tampa, FL             Jannus Landing THU     8/24    Charlotte, NC         Tremont FRI     8/25    Charleston, SC        College Of Charleston SAT     8/26    Atlanta, GA           Roxy SUN     8/27    N. Myrtle Beach, SC   House Of Blues TUE     8/29    Winston-Salem, NC     Ziggy's THU     8/31    Milwaukee, WI         The Rave Bar FRI     9/1     Minneapolis, MN       Quest SAT     9/2     Chicago, IL           House Of Blues MON     9/4     Cleveland, OH         Taste Of Cleveland                 (Labor Day) WED     9/6     Buffalo, NY           Golden Ballroom @ Statler THU     9/7     Detroit, MI           Clutch Cargo's FRI     9/8     Oxford, OH            Miami University SAT     9/9     Louisville, KY        WLRS Radio Show FRI     9/22    TBA                   TBA SAT     9/23    TBA                   TBA MON     9/25    TBA                   TBA WED     9/27    San Francisco, CA     Fillmore FRI     9/29    Ventura, CA           Ventura Theater SAT     9/30    TBA                   TBA MON     10/2    TBA                   TBA TUE     10/3    TBA                   TBA WED     10/4    TBA                   TBA FRI     10/6    Austin, TX            Stubb's SAT     10/7    San Antonio, TX       White Rabbit SUN     10/8    Dallas, TX            Gypsy Ballroom TUE     10/10   St. Louis, MO         Pop's WED     10/11   Columbus, OH          Newport THU     10/12   Pittsburgh, PA        Rex FRI     10/13   New York, NY          Webster Hall SAT     10/14   New York, NY          Webster Hall MON     10/16   Hartford, CT          Webster Theater WED     10/18   Boston, MA            Avalon FRI     10/20   Philadlephia, PA      Electric Factory SAT     10/21   Washington, DC        9:30 Club 

www.headautomatica.com

 

 

TVN Entertainment Signs PBS KIDS Sprout Agreement for VOD Services

Sprout Will Have Access to TVN's ADONISS 2 System for Advanced Asset Management

 TVN Entertainment Corporation, today announced that it has reached a multi-year VOD services agreement with PBS KIDS Sprout. Under the contract, TVN will provide distribution and asset management services. Sprout will have access to TVN's ADONISS 2 platform and Provider Remote Interface (PRI) toolset; which will allow Sprout to access 24/7 online data to track and monitor VOD programs and update metadata on a site-by-site basis.

Sprout has been well received by VOD customers and is the #1 Kids On Demand service with over 90 million orders since launch in April 2005 (Rentrak 4/05-5/06, among Comcast systems). TVN is currently supporting asset management and distribution of PBS KIDS Sprout to several other MSOs including Atlantic Broadband, Blue Ridge, Bresnan, Cox, Massillon, Metrocast, RCN, Sunflower and Wave.

"Our affiliates rely on TVN to support the growing list of innovative content available in VOD and Sprout is clearly an example of both quality and innovative programming with a loyal viewer base," said Jim Riley, Executive Vice President for TVN. "Not only are we excited to include Sprout on our list of premier program clients, we are thrilled that they will be a charter customer of ADONISS 2 which was designed to extend asset management flexibility and customization when creating VOD packages for their affiliates."

"TVN has industry-wide distribution, a great service track record and has played an important role in Sprout's growth over the past year," said Sandy Wax, President, PBS KIDS Sprout. "Sprout's brand is quickly becoming synonymous with quality children's programming and we look forward to expanding our relationship with TVN."

About TVN Entertainment Corporation

TVN Entertainment, a video on demand (VOD) content solutions company, is a leading provider of on demand television programming, management and delivery services. TVN currently offers more than 3000 hours of VOD programming from over 110 content providers. In addition to comprehensive programming services, TVN Entertainment offers the only single-source management and distribution solution for VOD, including content aggregation, packaging, encoding, asset management and fully encrypted transport via satellite to all video service providers. TVN Entertainment has been chosen as the VOD solution for many leading MSOs and telecommunications companies, including Adelphia, Atlantic Broadband, Bresnan, Buckeye, Blue Ridge, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Insight, Mediacom, Midcontinent, RCN and Verizon. For more information visit www.TVN.com.

About Sprout

PBS KIDS Sprout(SM), the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership among Comcast Corporation, the country's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services; HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality entertainment for young children; PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), the most trusted distributor of award-winning children's programming; and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street.

Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, PBS KIDS Sprout has become the #1 Kids On Demand service, generating over 90 million orders since launch. The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the website (www.sproutletsgrow.com), is available on digital cable and satellite to almost 20 million committed subscribers. The network's program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children's shows includes: "Sesame Street®," "Bob the Builder™," "Barney & Friends™," "Thomas & Friends™," "Angelina Ballerina™," "Sagwa: The Chinese Siamese Cat™," "Caillou™," "The Berenstain Bears™," "Jay Jay the Jet Plane™," "Teletubbies™," "Dragon Tales™," "Pingu™," "Make Way For Noddy™" and more.

 

The first solo album from Radiohead's Thom Yorke, The Eraser, is wrought with truncated, muted beats, snippets of treated piano, and the hiss and fuzz of a talented mind at work. Punctuated with Yorke's own mournful moan, this intense, melodic release also comes with an exclusive digital booklet.   Check It Out     #1 Album   The Eraser Thom Yorke 9 songs   Top 10 Tracks 1 Promiscuous, Nelly Furtado & Timbaland 2 Crazy, Gnarls Barkley 3 Ain't No Other Man, Christina Aguilera 4 Hips Don't Lie (featuring Wyclef Je... 5 Buttons, The Pussycat Dolls featuri... 6 Life Is a Highway, Rascal Flatts 7 Over My Head (Cable Car), The Fray 8 Me & U (Main), Cassie 9 Unfaithful, Rihanna 10 Dani California, Red Hot Chili Peppers Tom Petty Judging by tracks such as "Saving Grace" and "Big Weekend," Highway Companion — Tom Petty's third solo album — is likely to be another passionate, wry journey into American rock music. The iTunes version of the album comes with a live version of "Saving Grace" along with a video for that song, as well as an interactive booklet. Pre-order the album and you'll also get a live version of "Square One."   Check It Out   Maná In existence since the early '80s, pop/rock powerhouse Maná are one of the longest-running bands to come out of Mexico. Available for pre-order now, the group's ninth album, Amar es Combatir, includes a bonus track and digital booklet. Pre-order now and the single "Labios Compartidos" will begin to download immediately.   Check It Out   Single of the Week Colorado Springs is not where you would expect to hear the gritty boom-bap style of hip-hop, but the Procussions have proven that underground can be found anywhere. Now living in Los Angeles, the Procussions are bringing their unique sound to the world with "The Storm," our free Single of the Week.   Check It Out   Dr. Seuss Collection In The Cat in the Hat, read by Kelsey Grammer, a giant cat transforms Dick and Sally's boring day into a madcap adventure. Dustin Hoffman narrates Horton Hears a Who, telling the story of a lovable elephant who tries to protect tiny creatures on a speck of dust. Narrated by an All-Star cast of celebrity readers, find these and other stories in our Dr. Seuss collection.   Check It Out

 

 

New Releases   One Cold Night Seether   Sigo Siendo Yo Marc Anthony   Hips Don't Lie / Ba... Shakira featuring W...   Wait for Me - Single Bob Seger   Black Holes and Rev... Muse   Mistake Mistake Mis... James Figurine   The Avalanche - Out... Sufjan Stevens   Stuntin' Like My Da... Birdman & Lil Wayne   Live In Brooklyn Phish   Unfaithful Rihanna   The Day Has Come (D... Cheyenne Kimball   Now (That's What I ... Various Artists   The iTunes Acoustic... Elefant Featured Album   Block Music Shawnna

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Ten Talented Designers Vie for One Chance to Star in Own HGTV Show

Finalists Revealed for HGTV Design Star

Series Premieres Sunday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Hosting a television show may not have been on their radar when they first entered the design business, but now 10 designers, architects, decorators and artists have been named as finalists in the new weekly reality competition, HGTV Design Star, premiering Sunday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. HGTV introduced the eclectic group, which includes a former beauty pageant finalist and mother of two from Utah, as well as three Harvard graduates, at a gala premiere party in New York City on Thursday night. The finalists represent various lifestyles and life stages, personalities and preferences, education and experience, but all must prove their mettle in devilishly clever design challenges until only one remains to claim a coveted prize -- starring in his or her own HGTV show.

During six of the eight episodes in the series, the finalists, many of whom are unaccustomed to collaborating or living with other designers, will have their work critiqued by three expert judges: renowned designer Cynthia Rowley; one of America's favorite television designers, Vern Yip; and In Style executive editor Martha McCully. However, at the 10 p.m. ET conclusion of the series' seventh episode on Sunday, September 3 through noon ET on Wednesday, September 6, viewers will have the opportunity to click on HGTV.com to vote for their favorite designer finalist. They also can text-in their choice via cell phone to HGTV1 or 44881. After the final viewer vote, one talented designer will catapult to fame as HGTV's next design star.

The finalists already have overcome significant odds for the chance to participate in the network's on-air quest to find its newest star. More than 1,500 designers submitted essays, portfolios and videos during last fall's call for entries. Nine designers were selected by the show's producers and network executives, while the 10th candidate was selected by viewers and online users during a week-long February vote on HGTV.com.

"The HGTV Design Star competitors come to the show from all over the country and from all walks of life, but they all have a passion for designing and a fierce desire to star in their own television show," said James Bolosh, vice president of original programming, HGTV. "Not one of these finalists wants to be eliminated, so each week viewers will see the incredible lengths they will go to in order to showcase their design expertise and develop a television persona, while holding their own among formidable competition."

The 10 finalists for HGTV Design Star include David Bromstad, Miami, Florida; Vanessa De Leon, Fairfield, NJ; Tym De Santo, Fort Wayne, IN; identical twins Teman and Teran Evans, Brooklyn, NY; Alice Fakier, Temple, TX; Ramona Jan, Damascus, PA; Joseph Kennard, Boston, MA; Temple McDowell, Farmington, UT and Donna Moss, Arlington, TX.

About HGTV

HGTV is America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, and is distributed to more than 89 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top- rated networks. HGTV.com is the nation's leading online home and garden destination that attracts an average of 5.2 million unique visitors per month. HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV Canada and provides much of the Canadian network's daily programming. The network's branded programming also can be seen in 41 other countries and its selected programming is available to service men and women on board Navy ships and through American Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS) which services more than 1,000 outlets in over 175 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) , which also operates Food Network, DIY - Do It Yourself Network, Fine Living and Great American Country.

 

 

Over 120 Hooters Girls from Taiwan to New York City Will Compete for $150,000 in Cash and Prizes in Las Vegas

 Every year, for the past 9 years, the top Hooters Girls from around the world make their way from local swimsuit contests to compete at the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant. This year, over 120 Hooters Girls from Taiwan to New York are heading to Las Vegas to compete for $150,000 in cash and prizes at the 10th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant.

The contestants were selected to represent their hometowns by competing in local swimsuit contests, or they were featured in the 2006 Hooters Calendar and Hooters Magazine. The contestants were selected from over 15,000 Hooters Girls worldwide who presently work in one of the 430 Hooters restaurants across the world.

This year's pageant will be held at the Aladdin Theater of Performing Arts and will be broadcast live to all Hooters restaurants across the country on July 25th at 8 PM EDT. From evening gowns to swimsuits, the contestants will be judged by a panel that includes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brooke Burke, Ron Dibble, John Salley, Leeann Tweeden and Jalen Rose. The first place contestant, Miss Hooters International 2007, will receive $50,000, a Plasma TV from LG electronics, a feature in the Hooters Magazine, Hooters Calendar and appear in national TV commercials.

Other awards will be presented to Miss Hooters World, representing Hooters international markets; Miss Hooters Congeniality; Miss Hooters Magazine Reader's Choice, who is selected based of voting at Hootersmagazine.com and Miss Photogenic. With an attendance of over 120 Hooters Girls from all over the world, competing for the $50,000 first place prize, this year's pageant will be the most exciting yet.

Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchiser and operator of over 430 Hooters restaurants in 46 states and 20 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters is well known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters signature chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls.

Source: Hooters of America, Inc.

 

 

Large Meat Selection on the Menu at Pamela Anderson's Restaurant

PETA Spokes-Blonde Serves Up Ham-Hock Ravioli, Lamb Chops, Lobster Tails, and Foie Gras, Says Consumer Group

-- Today the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom called on blonde-bombshell Pamela Anderson to donate all profits from her partnership in Hollywood's "BlackSteel" restaurant to the American Liver Foundation. Anderson's long relationship with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) hasn't kept her from earning a second income with a menu that includes ham-hock ravioli, lamb chops, lobster tails, and the vegetarian sin-of-sins, foie gras.

And Pam continues to treat her Hepatitis C despite PETA's long-standing opposition to the animal-based medical research that might lead to a cure. In 2002, Pam was a celebrity Grand Marshall for the American Liver Foundation.

"It's outrageous for Pam Anderson to serve lobster and lamb chops at her restaurant while publicly campaigning against the so-called evils of chicken sandwiches," said Center for Consumer Freedom director of research David Martosko. "And it's hypocritical for her to strip naked for PETA while making the most of her animal-tested hair dye, animal-tested breast implants, and animal-tested collagen injections. It's one or the other, Pam. Even you can't have your cake and eat it too."

Learn more about Pam and PETA at http://www.consumerfreedom.com/.

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices

 

Thousands Migrate Across the World to Swap Treasures and Tales

Today, a small Pennsylvania town is bursting at the seams with more than 8,000 people who have traveled from across the globe to celebrate their love of two American icons -- the Zippo lighter and the Case knife.

From Scotland to Seattle, Zippo and Case enthusiasts have migrated to tiny Bradford, Pa., for the Zippo/Case International Swap Meet -- in fact, the crowd has more than doubled the rural town's population. The eighth biennial Swap Meet, which runs through tomorrow, is a splendor of sheer entertainment with lighter airbrushing demonstrations, knife cutting competitions, factory tours, whittling clinics, fireworks and more than 200 Zippo lighter and Case knife exhibitors.

During their visit, devoted Zippo fans bought, sold, swapped and shared tales about their prized collectibles. They also enjoyed the Zippo/Case Museum, which features rare collectibles, interactive exhibits and dedicated displays focusing on the two beloved American brands from Zippo Manufacturing Company and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co., a Zippo subsidiary.

"The interest in this event has increased steadily since 1995, particularly with international collectors, who travel from all over the world for an opportunity to purchase rare Zippo lighters and Case knives," said Greg Booth, President and CEO of Zippo and Chairman of the Board of Case. "Coming to Bradford gives them a chance to connect with other collectors and see where it all began."

Collecting Zippo lighters is a true, worldwide phenomenon. In 2001, Zippo began its own collectors club, Zippo Click, which has registered more than 10,000 members. Consider the additional 15 other lighter clubs worldwide -- including five in the U.S., two in England and one each in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and the Netherlands -- and one can quickly understand the volume of interest and excitement surrounding "Swap." The love of Zippo extends to cyberspace with online buzz at trendy Web sites such as MySpace and Yahoo, where Zippo talk groups share their passion for collecting.

"I just love Zippo lighters," says attendee Derrick Stainton, who traveled in from Scotland and is the proud owner of one of the world's largest Zippo pocket lighter collections. "I like to say I have three important things in my life: my daughter, my job and Zippo. The only reason Zippo falls after my job is because I need to work to support my collecting hobby!"

About Zippo

Zippo Manufacturing Company, founded in 1932, is a leading global marketer of refillable windproof pocket and utility lighters with an unparalleled lifetime guarantee. Based in Bradford, Pa., the company and its 800 employees manufacture and distribute products to more than 120 countries. Zippo also owns W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, one of America's oldest and finest knife manufacturers, and Zippo Fashion Italia, maker of Italian fashion leather goods. For more information about Zippo, please visit zippo.com.

 

'Taste of Home Entertaining' Launches Nationwide; New Party Plan Business Is an Instant Hit Coast-to-Coast

-- Taste of Home Entertaining, a new-concept party plan business from Reader's Digest Association, has jumped off to a torrid start with more than 8,000 events in its first two months of operation. Rolling out coast to coast with nearly 5,000 independent consultants, TOHE is completing one of the largest launches in the 100-year history of the party plan industry.

 

"The early metrics are very strong," said Bill Shaw, President and CEO. "We had four times as many consultants at launch than plan, and more parties, period. Our business is off to a phenomenal start. We're on our way toward creating an entirely new American paradigm for selling entertaining products and services."

Taste of Home Entertaining (TOHE) was the brainchild of Shaw, who also developed the business model behind the direct-selling company Southern Living at Home, and his wife, Robin. Together, they have more than 40 years in the party-plan industry.

The Shaws partnered with Reader's Digest Association, which saw TOHE as a perfect next step in the extension of its Taste of Home brand. Taste of Home is synonymous with great food and people who take pride in what they cook and have fun doing it. Through Taste of Home magazine, the nation's largest food magazine, cooking schools, the soon-to-be published Taste of Home Cookbook and a host of related magazine and book enterprises, Taste of Home connects millions of people nationwide who strive to share good food with their family and friends.

Shaw said TOHE aims to leap beyond the 1990s, when retailers began to appreciate Americans' growing passion for entertaining and sold to them in stores. RDA's new party-plan business reaches consumers where they actually entertain -- at home. TOHE blends "high touch" -- getting together with friends and neighbors -- and "high tech," making use of a sophisticated computer system to maintain contact with reps and customers, process orders and coordinate fulfillment.

"We've watched new homes evolve with larger kitchens devoted to entertaining, and now we're even seeing outdoor kitchens become standard in many locations," he said. "When we looked at the direct-selling industry, we didn't see anyone filling the need of the consumer who truly wants to entertain. We decided to become the first big player focused on entertaining as a lifestyle. Our vision is to become one of the largest party plan companies in the world by focusing on the three major components of entertaining -- inspiration, preparation and presentation."

TOHE involves sales consultants on a community level to build support and excitement for the products. Sales events, or parties, are held in homes, with the consultants earning commissions of 25 percent for products sold and hosts earning bonuses including product discounts. The TOHE line of products is upscale and diverse, ranging from exclusive kitchen products by Mario Batali, to cookware and gadgets, cutlery, dining and collecting items, decorative items, and books and magazines from Reader's Digest Association, the world's largest food and cooking publisher. TOHE offers cookbooks of all kinds plus subscriptions to RDA's new magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, featuring the popular television personality and author.

For the launch, consultants ordered starter kits at a cost of $199 each. The representatives have the flexibility to set their own hours, build their own businesses and leverage a strong financial opportunity. The product line brings style to the kitchen and ease to preparation. TOHE products are classic yet functional, featuring decor that extends from the kitchen into the dining room and beyond. For more information, please visit the Taste of Home Entertaining Web site, http://www.tohe.com/ .

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (NYSE:RDA) is a global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, entertain and inspire people of all ages and cultures around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.rda.com/ .

Source: Reader's Digest Association

 

'Agent DVD' Launches at Comic-Con

New Consumer Magazine Aimed at DVD Fans

SANTA ANA, Calif., July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Agent DVD, a new consumer magazine created especially for DVD enthusiasts, makes its debut at the annual Comic-Con International July 20-23 in San Diego in print and digital editions -- as well as a Web site, www.agentdvdonline.com.

Agent DVD dives into the hottest movies coming to DVD, offering interviews and inside news from the stars, directors and DVD producers.

Created by Questex Media Group's Home Media Retailing magazine, the debut issue of Agent DVD includes interviews with Superman Returns director Bryan Singer, director Brett Ratner and stars of X-Men: The Last Stand, as well as chats with pop-culture icons such as "Battlestar Galactica" executive producer Ron Moore, and up-and-comers such as Hostel director Eli Roth and Underworld director Len Wiseman.

The inaugural issue comes with five different collectible covers and also includes feature articles on the most popular people and DVD titles from the horror, animation and sci-fi/fantasy genres. Agent DVD is also packed with the latest DVD release information for fans of comic book-themed adventures, sci- fi, horror and fantasy movies and TV shows.

Agent DVD will be available to Comic-Con attendees at no charge at the Tower Records booth and at several other major studio exhibit booths on the show floor. A free digital edition, as well as a live Web site updated throughout the show, can be found at www.agentdvdonline.com.

"Agent DVD gives an undercover look at the passionate people making movies of the comic books that they loved as kids," said Kevin Cassidy, EVP of retail stores for Tower Records. "Tower Records is thrilled to partner with Home Media Retailing as the exclusive retail distributor of Agent DVD, which we'll be handing out at the Tower Records booth at this year's Comic-Con International."

"People love filmed entertainment having to do with comics and animation, and that gives us the ideal opportunity to enter the consumer market," said Don Rosenberg, publisher of Home Media Retailing and head of Questex Media's entertainment group. "Our 27 years of experience in publishing and our close relationship with Hollywood perfectly positions us to create a unique and meaningful product."

Agent DVD and Home Media Retailing are part of Questex Media Group, Inc., (www.questex.com) a global, diversified media company serving multiple industries including technology, beauty, travel, hospitality, leisure, home entertainment, industrial and specialty services through a range of well- established, market-leading publications, events, interactive media and integrated marketing services. The company's properties include 25 trade publications, 70 websites and 25 conferences and tradeshows. Questex is headquartered in Newton, MA and has more than 400 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

Source: Questex Media Group, Inc.

 

 

Discovery Communications Launches Enhanced 'Discovery News' Service With Daily Video Webcasts

In Its First Major Exclusive, Discovery News Breaks Story of Renowned Paleontologist Jack Horner's Rare Baby Triceratops Find

Discovery Communications announced today that it has launched a major enhancement of its Discovery News service to include daily video webcasts, featuring breaking news in areas of increasing concern for consumers and about which Discovery is the world's most authoritative source for timely insight. As the first major feature of these video webcasts, Discovery News has broken a story from Montana, where Jack Horner, renowned paleontologist and chief curator of the Museum of the Rockies discovered the fossil of a baby triceratops skull, only the sixth ever found. The link to the webcast is http://dsc.discovery.com/beyond/player.html?bctab=discovery%20news.

"Over the years people have been out here in the Hell Creek formation collecting dinosaurs and almost all that's been collected are adults," said Horner. "The best thing about this little triceratops is that it is actually a baby. This is probably one of the best baby triceratops skulls ever found." The baby triceratops discovery is significant as younger fossils can answer many questions about the growth and development of triceratops, according to Horner.

The discovery reflects the type of subjects to be explored on the new Discovery News webcast. The news service will provide consumers fast, in- depth and relevant information in the areas of science, nature, health, travel, all things about planet earth and current affairs. Links to the video news webcasts can be found on the company's website http://www.discovery.com/ and the Discovery News text site http://www.discoverychannelnews.com/, as well as the recently launched broadband channel, Discovery Channel Beyond http://www.discoverychannelbeyond.com/. Discovery has also significantly enhanced its Discovery News text-based offering.

"Expanding Discovery News into broadband video taps into the public's confidence in our ability to bring them trusted and timely factual information about some of the most important topics in the world," said Don Baer, Senior Executive Vice President for Strategy & Development, Discovery Communications. "To have landed an exclusive story of the magnitude of Jack Horner's find, and right in the sweet spot of our core DNA of content strength demonstrates Discovery's ability to cover breaking real-world news while expanding ways consumers count on Discovery to bring them the whole world."

Discovery News Broadband and Narrowband Features

Updated daily with original short-form video that is searchable for consumers at any time, Discovery News offers cutting-edge perspective and commentary from multiple video sources: the company is tapping an in-house development and editorial team, and announced today an agreement for video content from Associated Press Television News. Other news organization partnerships, as well as the cultivation of new journalists and personalities, will be announced in the coming weeks. Stories running on the video player include a unique segment on the recent flooding of the National Archives and the road to reopening its doors.

In conjunction with the launch of the daily video news webcast, Discovery has more than doubled the amount of coverage of text-based news on its narrowband site discoverychannelnews.com, which now features 10 genre-specific subject pages across the company's core content areas. Stories currently on the Discovery News text website that reflect topics of particular interest to Discovery viewers include a report on a new study related to global warming and a piece about a species of shark in danger of extinction, among many others.

More About the Triceratops Dig

The triceratops fossil discovery marks year seven of a 10-year dig conducted by Horner and his team in the Hell Creek formation of Eastern Montana. Fossils found in the Hell Creek formation also represent some of the "last dinosaurs" as they are approximately 65 million years old, at the brink of their extinction. Over the next 30 days, Horner and his team will provide 10 field reports to Discovery News on the Hell Creek formation dig as well as on general paleontology topics. To see the Horner interviews, please visit http://dsc.discovery.com/beyond/player.html?bctab=discovery%20news.

The baby triceratops discovery precedes a two-year relationship that Discovery and the Museum of the Rockies anticipate launching in September 2006 in which the Museum will license video content to Discovery.com.

Discovery New Media

This announcement follows a series of new media initiatives Discovery has recently unveiled that demonstrate the company's aggressive activity in the multiplatform marketplace both in launching new services and working with strategic partners to bring its high-quality, informative and entertaining content to consumers wherever they are and whenever they want it. Discovery is the first media company to provide its world-class video content on Google Earth, the revolutionary satellite imagery-based mapping product, and the first nonfiction programmer to offer video content through the iTunes Music Store. Discovery also launched the first of its U.S. broadband channels: Discovery Channel Beyond, TLC Beyond, Travel Channel Beyond and Animal Planet Beyond, as well as the new TURBO broadband channel. The company will also introduce Discovery Mobile, a 24-hour mobile programming network designed specifically for portable platforms, in the third quarter of 2006.

Discovery Communications, Inc.

Discovery Communications, Inc. is the leading global real-world media company with operations in 170 countries and territories reaching 1.4 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI's over 100 networks of distinctive programming represent 28 trusted brands including Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and COSMEO, a revolutionary online homework help service, as well as Discovery Commerce, which operates more than 100 Discovery Channel Stores in the U.S. Discovery brings the real world to the whole world through its global multiplatform initiatives including Discovery Travel Media, Discovery Mobile and multiple broadband services. DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ:DISCA) (NASDAQ:DISCB) , Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman. More information about Discovery and its businesses can be found at http://www.discovery.com/.

Source: Discovery Communications, Inc.

 

Vin Diesel and BET Networks Get Animated with 'Hannibal the Conqueror'

Diesel's One Race Production Shingle Pacts with BET Animation Division; BET Series to be Developed for Fall '07 Based on the Historic Leader

BET Networks' newly-minted animation unit will join with Vin Diesel's One Race Productions to produce "Hannibal the Conqueror," an animated series based on the life of Hannibal of Carthage, universally recognized as the greatest military leader in the history of the world. The project was jointly announced by Vin Diesel and Reginald Hudlin, BET President of Entertainment. One Race Vice President Samantha Vincent and Diesel will executive produce. Last January, BET announced the formation of BET Animation under the management of Denys Cowan, former producer of the hit animated series "The Boondocks."

The series will span the life of Hannibal, from his tutelage as a warrior under his father, the king of Carthage, to his history-making invasions of Spain, England and his legendary scaling of the Alps with his army of elephants. He assembled an army from around the world to challenge the Roman Empire and his techniques and plans are still studied today.

"From my first week at BET, I have been pursuing this project," says Hudlin. "Vin Diesel brings great thought and passion to both character development and storylines, and we are pleased to be the first to be in the animation production business with Vin and One Race Productions. 'Hannibal' will be epic storytelling."

"It only took Reginald Hudlin becoming President of Entertainment for me to know that BET would be the perfect network to launch a 'Hannibal' franchise, the story of the great African general who fought an empire," said Diesel. "Having worked passionately for ten years to develop a film property on Hannibal, this animated series will offer audiences a chance to begin to understand the larger-than-life mythology of this classic figure."

Further information about the series was also presented during a BET animation panel at the Comic-Con International Conference in San Diego, the world's largest gathering of the animation and comic book industry.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices

 

 

NightVision Chooses BroadSign Software for Its Growing Nightclub Network

Manhattan-based NightVision Network LLC is replacing its software with BroadSign(TM) DMLS as part of a nationwide expansion of its digital signage network into premier nightclubs and bars. Due to the combination of BroadSign's software and NewSight(TM) displays and technology, NightVision is poised to become the most advanced digital signage operation in the country.

NightVision's 3D flat-panel screens are already at work in nightclubs and bars in New York City and the tri-state area. The specially rendered high- impact 3D content appears to float 2-4 ft. in front of and into the screen in full-motion video without any special eyewear. The content loop is composed of advertising, MTV-style entertainment content and venue-dedicated content. NightVision is geared towards the affluent 21-35 year-old active consumers who are usually hard to reach via traditional media advertising. The programming is exposed to 400,000 patrons on a monthly basis. According to NightVision's executives, the ads catch the attention of club-goers when they are in a positive, stress-free frame of mind.

Following the success of the initial deployment, the company decided to increase the number of venues. The planned expansion required an upgraded system for distribution of content, hosting, support and maintenance, with emphasis on scalability. Upon evaluating several other options, NightVision chose BroadSign's application.

"Today, when executing ad placement for their clients, advertising agencies, media planners and media buyers require a higher level of 'proof of performance.' We knew we had to find distribution management software that would provide accountability and adapt to the network's ever-changing needs. For NightVision, BroadSign was the apparent choice knowing we could depend on the application to grow with us as we expand to more and more venues across the country. We are excited to start utilizing the BroadSign product and are looking forward to a long-lasting partnership," said James Zahakos, EVP, Director of Corporate Development of NightVision's parent company Magnetic Media LLC.

NightVision plans to roll out 125 sites by the end of 2006 and bring the number of venues to 300 by the end of 2007, using the newly released 5.0 version of BroadSign(TM) DMLS.

"With NightVision, BroadSign is widening its share of the night-life entertainment market and we are happy to have earned the right to be the media sales and delivery engine for this high-profile digital signage network," said Brian Dusho, EVP of Sales and Marketing of BroadSign International.

About NightVision Network:

NightVision Network LLC is a Limited Liability company headquartered in New York, NY along with its parent company Magnetic Media LLC. Since its inception in 2004, the company has positioned itself through strategic best- of-breed partnerships as well as introducing one of the first 3D digital signage networks in the country. Magnetic Media LLC also specializes in 2D digital signage networks.

  For more information visit http://www.magneticnetworks.com/ 

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An historic gathering of Mississippi sports legends highlights the BancorpSouth Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Weekend celebration July 28-29, 2006 with almost half of all living Hall of Famers expected to be in attendance.

The BancorpSouth Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Weekend will consist of two events: the 44th Annual Induction Banquet which will enshrine the members of the Class of 2006 on Friday evening July 28, 2006 at the Hilton of Jackson; and the Meet the Inductees gathering at the Museum on Saturday morning July 29, 2006 from 9:30am-11:00am, featuring inductees from all classes. Also at the Museum Saturday from 11am-12pm, there will be a program tracing the development of the Museum from its beginning in 1991 to the present where Hall of Famers Ralph Boston, Marino Casem and D.D. Lewis will share their favorite Mississippi sports memories.

Saturday evening July 29, 2006 at 7:00pm, the Museum will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a birthday cake, $5000 drawdown and memorabilia auction sponsored by Wells, Moore, Simmons and Hubbard PLLC.

"We're expecting an unusually high turnout of Hall of Famers because it's our tenth anniversary," said Museum Executive Director Michael Rubenstein. "Fifty of the 116 living inductees have committed to attend so far and the total might wind up closer to 60." In addition to Boston, Casem and Lewis, Boo Ferriss, Bailey Howell, Ray Perkins, Marino Casem and W.C. Gorden are among those who have committed to attend. Aubrey Patterson, BancorpSouth Chairman and CEO said, "BancorpSouth is proud to support the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and its outstanding efforts to showcase Mississippi's rich sports heritage. We congratulate the 2006 Hall of Fame inductees and the Museum on its tenth anniversary."

The 2006 Induction Class consists of former Ole Miss and Colts championship player Ray Brown; tennis coach Billy Chadwick, the winningest coach in Ole Miss athletic history; Lloyd Clark, who guided Delta State to three NCAA women's basketball titles; former star USM quarterback and current broadcaster Vic Purvis; Anton Reel, the first weightlifting inductee; and, former MSU offensive lineman Walt Suggs, a member of the Houston Oilers' all- time 30 year team.

For ticket information to all events, please contact the Museum at 601-982-8264 or 1-800-280-FAME or by e-mail at generalinfo@msfame.com.

Source: BancorpSouth, Inc.

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SunTrust Bank announced today its sponsorship of the 2006 Kyle Petty Charity Ride in an ongoing commitment to support and bring awareness to the racing community's charitable causes.

The main beneficiary of the 2006 ride is Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year-round camp retreat founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty. The camp opened its doors in 2004 to children suffering from chronic and serious illnesses. It provides a camp environment that children with severe health issues would not normally be able to enjoy because of their medical needs and costs.

Ride participants will travel 3,700 miles in this eight day cross-country fundraiser now known as the Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. This year the ride begins in Montana and travels through Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina.

"The Charity Ride has become an incredibly popular event and a major fundraiser for the Victory Junction Gang Camp," said Kyle Petty. "We are so grateful to SunTrust for their support. SunTrust is a great partner and their contributions to our efforts are very much appreciated."

Beginning July 22, daily journal entries and photos to chronicle the ride will appear on www.suntrustracing.com provided by David Pijot, a Senior Vice President with SunTrust Sports and Entertainment Banking Group.

"I look forward to participating in the Kyle Petty Charity Ride again this year and sharing the journey with my colleagues and friends," said Mr. Pijot. "We believe in their mission and we are doing everything we can to support them and bring awareness to the great work they do that impacts the lives of children and families everyday."

The journal will serve to personalize the experience for the bank's employees and clients and help bring attention to Victory Junction Gang Camp.

"This effort, among many, is an embodiment of SunTrust's commitment to 'Seeing beyond money' and making a meaningful impact in the communities in which we serve," said Krista Massey, Director of Sponsorships and Event Marketing. "As the Official Bank of NASCAR, SunTrust has seen first-hand the power of support from loyal NASCAR fans and how that loyalty translates into support for charitable efforts such as NASCAR Day and the inaugural 2006 Sprint Sound and Speed Presented by SunTrust, both of which served to raise much-needed funding for Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The ride will make one of its final stops in Asheville, N.C. on July 29 where the public will be able to welcome the convoy at the Bele Chere festival during the SunTrust presentation ceremony.

SunTrust Banks, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation's largest banking organizations, serving a broad range of consumer, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. As of June 30, 2006, SunTrust had total assets of $181.1 billion and total deposits of $124.9 billion. The Company operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states and a full array of technology-based, 24-hour delivery channels. The Company also serves customers in selected markets nationally. Its primary businesses include deposit, credit, trust and investment services. Through various subsidiaries the Company provides credit cards, mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage, equipment leasing and capital markets services. SunTrust's Internet address is www.suntrust.com.

Source: SunTrust Banks, Inc.

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First Chasidic Rabbi To Address This Convention

 Simcha Weinstein, known as the Comic Book Rabbi, will be the first Hasidic rabbi to speak at Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, the world's largest comic-book convention, Sunday, July 23. In his address, he will visit the themes encompassed by his recently published book, Up, Up and Oy Vey (Leviathan Press, 2006).

Up, Up and Oy Vey quickly garnered much media attention and recently won the coveted Hollywood Book Festival award. It analyzes cultural influences, many of which are rooted in Jewish identity and values, that helped inform the minds of the creators of our most popular comic-book heroes, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, the Fantastic Four and others.

Though Weinstein hid his Jewish identity when he was a boy, he recaptured it as a young adult. At the same time, he discovered that the American inventors of such superheroes as Superman (Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster), Batman (Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson), the Green Lantern (Martin Nodell), and Spider-Man (Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber) were Jewish.

Recalls Weinstein, "As I delved further, I noticed deeper connections between the two worlds. The comics reflected Biblical stories, and their heroes encompassed deeply embedded Jewish ethics and traditions. Moreover, they also mirrored the post-Biblical Jewish experience. For example, Superman's double identity can even be seen as that of an immigrant seeking to assimilate into a new world."

Up Up and Oy Vey is replete with new, original insights and complex interpretations. As a result of his insights, Weinstein has achieved a superhero status of his own: He has appeared on CNN and has been the subject of articles in national newspapers, magazines and on the Web.

About Simcha Weinstein

Weinstein is the founder of the Jewish Student Foundation of downtown Brooklyn, an educational and cultural center that aims to promote student pride and commitment through innovative social and educational experiences. He wants comics enthusiasts to appreciate the deeper meanings of their favorite characters, much as he helps students make academic breakthroughs.

Source: Simcha Weinstein

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Sports-Stuff.com Inc. (Pink Sheets: SSUF; Frankfurt: S5F), a publisher and distributor of SMS alerts, mobile web sites, ringtones and mobile video games for the sports and entertainment industry, today announced a distribution and development partnership with Sports-Insider Limited, a world leader in SMS Sports-casting.

The distribution partnership permits Sports-Stuff to offer Sports-Insider's news and scores for Formula 1, Golf, Soccer, Cricket and Rugby to subscribers in North America through Sports-Stuff's real-time SMS delivery platform. In addition, Sports-Stuff will be positioning itself to share in additional revenues through the development of custom mobile web pages where Sports-Insider subscribers can view real-time news and scores through their mobile phone browsers.

"This partnership with Sports-Insider allows us to significantly broaden the range of sporting events that Sports-Stuff offers through its real-time SMS delivery platform and mobile websites. Sport-Stuff's data feeds and real-time alert service are being used by subscribers on a daily basis for major North American sports like the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB," said Sports-Stuff President, Kevin Day. "This agreement enables us to offer the same service for popular sports such as Formula 1, Golf, Soccer and others and we look forward to attracting a much greater number of clients and increasing our revenues substantially through this deal."

Sports-Stuff and Sports-Insider will be launching their new distribution and development partnership in Summer 2006.

About Sports Insider Limited

Sports-Insider was the first company in South Africa to launch "Man of the Match Voting" by SMS allowing sports fans to participate directly in the rating of their team's performance. Since 2003, Sports-Insider has been the exclusive mobile partner for all the South African Super 14 rugby and cricket franchises as well as a significant number of the South African Professional soccer teams. For more information on Sports-Insider please see http://www.sports-insider.com/ .

About Sports-Stuff.com Inc.

Sports-Stuff is a publisher and distributor of sports and entertainment related content for mobile phones. Through direct business relationships with wireless carriers, game developers, professional athletes, and data providers the company makes its SMS alerts, mobile web sites, ringtones and mobile video games available for purchase by consumers. For more information please visit the Company's website: http://www.ssuf.com/ .

"SAFE HARBOR"

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the securities Act of 1933, and are subject to Rule 3B-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements.

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  Who:  Atari, Inc. is pleased to announce Los Angeles resident David         Sichtermann as the grand prize winner of the "Test Drive Unlimited -         Be a Car Designer" contest.          Sichtermann raced to first place beating over 100 other submitted         designs judged by 6,500 registered consumer voters.  Sichtermann's         car design will be implemented as a fully functioning vehicle into         Test Drive Unlimited, the ultimate lifestyle and automotive video         game experience.  In addition, Sichtermann will also receive a $2500         monetary award.          Sichtermann is a scholarship hopeful for the Art Center College of         Design in Pasadena and the 28-year-old applicant plans to use the         $2500 monetary award from the "Test Drive Unlimited - Be a Car         Designer" contest towards his education.          "I am incredibly excited about winning the Test Drive Unlimited         contest," says David Sichtermann, "I left engineering school to         become a car designer in California and after six years of paying my         dues things are finally starting to fall into place. Through this         contest, Atari is helping to make my dreams materialize."    What: Test Drive Unlimited is the ultimate lifestyle and automotive gaming         experience packed with the world's most luxurious vehicles, more         than 1000 miles of diverse photo-realistic Hawaiian terrain, a         challenging single player game and a host of online options with         M.O.O.R.(TM): Massively Open Online Racing, which enables gamers to         interact with thousands simultaneously.  The game offers 90 licensed         vehicles -- cars AND bikes -- from exclusive manufacturers that are         fully customizable with unrivalled interior and exterior details and         functions. Car packs featuring six or more vehicles, complete with         genre-specific radio stations, will be available for download         monthly, beginning six weeks after launch on Xbox Live(R)         Marketplace for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system         from Microsoft.  Test Drive Unlimited will be available September 5,         2006 for Xbox 360 and will be available later this fall for Windows         platform.    When: The "Test Drive Unlimited - Be a Car Designer" contest officially         began at 12:00:01 am EST May 15, 2006.  The entry with the highest         combination of number of votes and overall rating at the end of the         voting period was the Grand Prize Winner of the Contest.  For full         details and official rules please log on to         www.TestDriveUnlimited.com 

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           Q'orianka Pledges Support for Indigenous People and              Calls on Oil Companies to Clean Up Contamination  * Broadcast Quality Footage and Digital Photos of Q'orianka's Amazon Visit                          Available to the Press *    WHO/WHAT:  Q'orianka Kilcher, who won the 2006 ALMA Award for Outstanding              Actress in a Film for her performance as Pocahontas in the              Terrence Malick film The New World, will brief the media on her              recent trip to the northern Peruvian Amazon rainforest.  After              attending The New World premier in Lima, Peru, Ms. Kilcher              spent one week traveling by river to the remote Rio Corrientes              region to witness the critical situation facing indigenous              peoples after years of contamination from oil drilling              activities in the area.    WHEN:      Monday, July 24th at 11am    WHERE:     Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica              Veranda Terrace Room, 2nd Floor              101 Wilshire Boulevard (at Ocean Ave) in Santa Monica    WHY:       Of Peruvian Quechua and Huachipaeri descent, Ms. Kilcher              visited the area to learn about the serious health and              environmental crisis facing the indigenous Achuar peoples who              live deep in the Peru's northern Amazon rainforest.  The Achuar              currently suffer grave health effects and threats to their              cultural survival as a result of petroleum pollution on their              formerly-pristine lands.  Her trip was organized by Amazon              Watch, a California-based non-profit organization that              preserves the rainforest and supports indigenous peoples'              rights.               On her fact-finding visit to the Amazon, Ms. Kilcher visited              Achuar communities affected by 35 years of oil drilling              operations by Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and              Pluspetrol, an Argentine company.  Texas-based ConocoPhillips,              the third largest oil company in the United States, has further              plans to drill in neighboring areas of pristine Amazon              rainforest, also the homeland of the Achuar.               Ms. Kilcher's new production company, IQ Productions, is              considering making a feature length documentary on the subject,              in collaboration with Amazon Watch, to highlight the crisis and              bring about immediate change. 

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Most people do not think that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq in the next two years

Despite being widely reported in the media that the U.S. and other countries have not found any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, surprisingly; more U.S. adults (50%) think that Iraq had such weapons when the U.S. invaded Iraq. This is an increase from 36 percent in February 2005. Overall, attitudes toward the war in Iraq are negative, and less than half of the U.S. population believes that the threat of terrorism has been reduced. U.S. adults are not confident that Iraq's government will eventually become stable, and many think the war in Iraq is continuing to hurt respect for the U.S. around the world. Most people do not think that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq in the next two years.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 1,020 U.S. adults (ages 18 and over) surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive(R) between July 5 and 11, 2006.

  Specifically, the survey finds:    -- By 56 to 37 percent, a majority is not confident that Iraq will be      successful in developing a stable and reasonably democratic government.      This has improved slightly from November 2005, when a larger 61 to 32      majority felt this way.    -- Furthermore, a large 68 to 28 majority thinks the United States is less      respected around the world as a result of the invasion in Iraq. This is      worse from a year ago in June 2005 when, by 62 to 33, a majority felt      the U.S. was less respected.    Attitudes toward the Iraq war 

The public's views on Iraq have not changed substantially in the past year:

  -- A majority (56%) thinks that spending huge sums of money to invade and      occupy Iraq has meant that a lot less money has been available to      protect the United States against another terrorist attack. This has      decreased from April 2005 when 62 percent agreed with this sentiment.    -- Still, six in 10 (61%) adults agree (59% in April 2005) that invading      and occupying Iraq has motivated more Islamic terrorists to attack the      United States.    -- By 58 to 41 percent, a clear majority does not think that invading Iraq      has helped to reduce the threat of another terrorist attack against the      United States. This is similar to the 61 to 39 percent majority that      felt this way in April 2005.    What the public believes to be true   U.S. adults believe that the following are true about the war in Iraq:    -- Seventy-two percent believe that the Iraqis are better off now than      they were under Saddam Hussein (slightly down from February 2005 when      76 percent said this was true).    -- Just over half (55%) think history will give the U.S. credit for      bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq (down substantially from 64% in      February 2005).    -- Sixty-four percent say it is true that Saddam Hussein had strong links      to Al Qaeda (the same as 64% in February 2005).                                    TABLE 1       CONFIDENCE IN IRAQ TO DEVELOP STABLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT  "Are you confident that Iraq will be successful in developing a stable and                     reasonably democratic government?"   Base: All Adults                        April    June    August  November   July                       2005     2005     2005     2005     2006                        %        %        %        %        %    Yes                43       41       40        32      37    No                 55       51       56        61      56    Not sure/Refused    2        9        4         7       7    Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100 percent due to rounding.                                    TABLE 2       IRAQ INVASION MADE UNITED STATES MORE OR LESS RESPECTED ABROAD  

"Do you think the invasion of Iraq, and recent events in Iraq, have made the

United States much more respected, somewhat more respected, somewhat less            respected, or much less respected around the world?"    Base: All Adults                                        June           August         July                                       2004            2005          2006                                         %               %             %   More Respected (NET)                 33              27            28       Much more respected              12               9            12       Somewhat more respected          21              18            16   Less Respected (NET)                 62              68            68       Somewhat less respected          32              36            34       Much less respected              30              32            34   Not sure/refused                      5               4             4    Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100 percent due to rounding.                                    TABLE 3                           STATEMENTS ABOUT IRAQ  "Please say whether you agree or disagree with the following statements?"    Base: All Adults                                                                   Not Sure/                                           Agree      Disagree      Refused   Invading and occupying Iraq has    motivated more Islamic terrorists    to attack Americans and the    United States   July 2006                          %     61           37            2   April 2005                         %     59           40            1   April 2004                         %     60           33            7   Spending huge sums of money to    invade and occupy Iraq has meant    that a lot less money has been    available to protect the United    States against another terrorist    attack   July 2006                          %     56           42            1   April 2005                         %     62           37            1   April 2004                         %     51           44            5   Invading Iraq has helped to reduce    the threat of another terrorist    attack against the United States   July 2006                          %     41           58            1   April 2005                         %     39           61            *   April 2004                         %     41           56            3   Most U.S. troops will be out of    Iraq two years from now   July 2006                          %     33           62            4   April 2005                         %     40           58            2                                    TABLE 4A                    WHAT THE PUBLIC BELIEVES TO BE TRUE     "Do you believe that the following statements are true or not true?"                            Total saying "true"    Base: All Adults                                         October  February   July                                          2004     2005     2006                                            %        %        %   The Iraqis are better off now than    they were under Saddam Hussein.        76       76       72   Saddam Hussein had strong links with    Al Qaeda.                              62       64       64   History will give the U.S. credit    for bringing freedom and democracy    to Iraq.                               63       64       55   Iraq had weapons of mass destruction    when the U.S. invaded.                 38       36       50                                    TABLE 4B          WHAT THE PUBLIC BELIEVES TO BE TRUE AND NOT TRUE - 2006     "Do you believe that the following statements are true or not true?"    Base: All Adults                                                                Decline                                %    True   Not True  Not Sure  to Answer   The Iraqis are better off    now than they were under    Saddam Hussein.             %     72       22         5        1   Saddam Hussein had strong    links with Al Qaeda.        %     64       30         7        *   History will give the U.S.    credit for bringing freedom    and democracy to Iraq.      %     55       43         3        -   Iraq had weapons of mass    destruction when the U.S.    invaded.                    %     50       45         4        *     Methodology 

This Harris Poll(R) was conducted by telephone within the United States between July 5 and 11, 2006 among 1,020 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, number of adults in the household, number of phone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.

With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.

With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 1,016 adults one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

  J28335   Q460, Q484, Q485, Q487    The Harris Poll(R) #57, July 21, 2006 

By David Krane, Vice President, Public Affairs and Policy Research, Harris Interactive(R)

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 13th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com. To become a member of the Harris Poll Online, visit www.harrispollonline.com

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F

For the first time since early 2003, the International Space is home to three crew members. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter joined Expedition 13 following Space Shuttle Discovery's mission earlier this month.

Reiter, who serves as the expedition flight engineer, Commander Pavel
Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams got down to business.
Their tasks this week included activating a new high-tech freezer;
installing additional sound suppression devices; performing a
functional check of a new oxygen generation system, which will become
active next year; and preparing for the next spacewalk, set for just
before 10 a.m. EDT on Aug. 3.

Discovery left behind about three tons of supplies, hardware and
experiments as well as 175 gallons (660 liters) of water and 74
pounds (33 kilograms) of nitrogen, leaving the station in excellent
condition to support the crew of three.

One of the most anticipated experiment racks, the Minus Eighty
Laboratory Freezer for ISS, was activated. The freezer will allow
biological and human research experiment samples to be stored until
they are returned to Earth for evaluation.

The recent Discovery mission brought the new oxygen generation system
and the freezer to the station. Status checks were performed this
week on the newly installed oxygen system to prevent its internal
valves from sticking over long periods of dormancy. Once it is
activated, the device will augment the Russian Elektron
oxygen-generation system in preparation for the further expansion of
the station crew to six people.

The crew also began preparations for the next spacewalk. The spacewalk
by Williams and Reiter will be conducted in U.S. spacesuits. The
astronauts will deploy external experiments and prepare station truss
components for future assembly work. Additional solar panels and
electrical equipment will be delivered by the next two space shuttle
missions, scheduled for late August and December. Spacewalk
preparations included flushing cooling loops in the Quest airlock and
the spacesuits and configuring airlock systems and tools. The
astronauts also reviewed station robotic arm procedures.

The next station status report will be issued on Friday, July 28, or
earlier if events warrant.

For more about the crew's activities and station sighting
opportunities, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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Coty Inc., la mayor compañía de fragancias del mundo, ha anunciado hoy que ha firmado con la reconocida estrella del pop internacional Kylie Minogue un acuerdo de licencia exclusivo para desarrollar y comercializar una línea de fragancias y productos auxiliares.

Esta es la primera entrada en el mercado de la fragancia personal por la australiana Minogue, una cantante verdaderamente internacional con 12 álbumes vendidos en el mundo y más de 40 éxitos en todo el mundo. Minogue es una increíble estrella del pop con canciones número uno en más de tres décadas consecutivas.

La línea de eau de toilette, eau de parfum y productos auxiliares se lanzará en la distribución en el otoño de 2006 en Australia, el Reino Unido e Irlanda y subsecuentemente en Europa y Asia.

Comentando la asociación con Minogue, el consejero delegado de Coty Inc., Bernd Beetz, dijo: "La atracción de Kylie Minogue entre las mujeres sobrepasa fronteras y edades. Sus éxitos como artista y mujer de negocios, combinados con su gracia y perseverancia de cara a la adversidad personal, no sólo la han convertido en un modelo a seguir sino que también ha forjado un tremendo vínculo con sus fans".

Steve Mormoris, vicepresidente de Marketing internacional para Coty Inc. dijo: "La implicación de Kylie Minogue en el proyecto fue tremenda. Mostró una verdadera pasión y dedicación por el desarrollo de la fragancia, ya que quiso que reflejara realmente su personalidad. Kylie Minogue representa las muchas cualidades de la mujer moderna de hoy. Es sensual a la vez que dulce, atractiva y elegante. Es delicada y fuerte, seductora, glamurosa y alegre, entre otras muchas cosas. El perfume refleja la personalidad de múltiples facetas de Kylie Minogue".

Minogue comentó que "el lanzamiento de mis nuevas fragancias coincide con un nuevo capítulo de mi vida. Elijo Coty como mi socio de fragancia porque su enfoque apasionado e íntimo a la fragancia es similar a mi pasión como artista. Compartir la misma visión de fragancia hizo la asociación sencilla y emocionante".

Acerca de Coty Inc.

Coty Inc. se fundó en París en 1904 por Francois Coty, reconocido por fundar la moderna industria del perfume. Durante más de 100 años, Coty Inc. ha suministrado productos a los clientes en 91 mercados de todo el mundo.

Hoy, Coty Inc. es la compañía de perfume más grande del mundo y un líder reconocido en belleza con unas ventas netas anuales de 2.900 millones de dólares estadounidenses. Impulsada por un espíritu empresarial, pasión, innovación y creatividad, Coty Inc. ha desarrollado una cartera sin precedentes de más de 35 marcas de diseño, celebridad y estilo de vida.

La cartera de marca Coty Prestige se distribuye en tiendas de prestigio y alto prestigio e incluye marcas de diseño, como Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloe, Jette Joop, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, Nikos, Vera Wang y Vivienne Westwood; marcas célebres, como Desperate Housewives, Jennifer Lopez y Sarah Jessica Parker; y marcas de estilo de vida, como Baby Phat, Chopard, Davidoff, Lancaster, Nautica y Phat Farm.

La cartera de marca Coty Beauty se distribuye más ampliamente e incluye marcas de diseño, como Pierre Cardin; marcas de celebridad, como Celine Dion, David y Victoria Beckham, Isabella Rossellini, mary-kateandashley y Shania Twain; y marcas de estilo de vida, como adidas, Aspen, Astor, Calgon, Chupa Chups, Esprit, Exclamation, Jovan, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, Rimmel, Stetson, the healing garden y Vanilla Fields.

Para información adicional sobre Coty Inc., visite www.coty.com.

Página web: http://www.coty.com

Source: Coty Inc.

Posted by monte at 11:22 AM | Permalink

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/ -- IBMA award winner Marty Stuart will serve as host for the International Bluegrass Music Awards September 28, 2006 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.

Taking place in Nashville for the second year, the broadcast production begins at 8:30 pm (CST), and will feature live musical performances from bluegrass music's most outstanding artists, award presentations in 17 different categories and two inductions into the Bluegrass Hall of Honor.

With a stellar career that began on the bluegrass festival circuit and morphed into Grammy winning mainstream country, Stuart recently focused on his love of bluegrass with the 2006 release, "Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives - Live at the Ryman." A working musician at age 12, Lester Flatt heard Marty play at an Indiana festival and hired him to play rhythm guitar. He was 13 years old. With Flatt for six years, Stuart has also played and produced projects with Johnny Cash, Doc and Merle Watson, Vassar Clements and Travis Tritt. Nominated for multiple awards in the music world, Stuart received a Golden Globe nomination for his work on the movie soundtrack, "All The Pretty Horses."

"The IBMA has become an event that presents some of the greatest musicians in the world," said Stuart. "I'm honored to have been asked to host the event and I'm counting on an evening of magic."

The International Bluegrass Music Awards are determined by the professional membership of the association and recognize outstanding achievement in the bluegrass genre. The show is syndicated to over 300 radio stations across the country and around the world and will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio. National sponsors for the show are GHS Strings, Martha White Foods, MerleFest and Deering Banjos.

Tickets go on sale to the public on August 11 via Ticketmaster and the Grand Ole Opry House Box Office. IBMA members may purchase tickets now at the IBMA website or by calling the IBMA office.

Posted by monte at 11:20 AM | Permalink

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Jordache Unveils Their Newest Ad Campaign

 Jordache will unveil a national advertising campaign featuring model and actress Elizabeth Hurley. Shot by famed photographer Michael Thompson in his NY studio, the campaign features Hurley clad in classic Jordache Jeans, edgy with a whip and the iconic Jordache horse. The first ad will run in national publications beginning in September and will run through the holiday season.

The latest campaign exemplifies Jordache's commitment to the classic quality it is known for, with a sexy sophistication that keeps Jordache a celebrity and fashionista favorite. In the campaign, Hurley wears the Jordache Vintage line, sold in high-end retail stores as well as the new Jordache Legacy line launching exclusively at Macy's across the country this fall. All jeans have embroidered back pocket stitching with superior fits and modern styles.

"We are thrilled to be working with Elizabeth Hurley," says Liz Berlinger, President of Jordache Enterprises. "With success as an actress, model, business woman and mother, Liz represents everything the Jordache brand is about. We chose her because she is the true modern woman." Liz's look was facilitated by make-up artist Stephane Marais and hairstylist Serge Normant.

Jordache catapulted to fame in the late 70's as a leader in the designer-label jeans category. At the height of its popularity, Jordache Jeans were designer favorites and its highly anticipated ad campaigns were seen as provocative and innovative. The jeans were so much a part of American pop culture that their commercials were spoofed by Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live. Jordache recently introduced a new premium line of jeans inspired by the classic Jordache look.

Posted by monte at 11:16 AM | Permalink

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 Bolt the doors, pull down the shades, and whatever you do, don't answer the phone! Categories and nominations were announced today at Comic-Con International in San Diego for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006, the first annual televised event which celebrates horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic books, comes your way on Tuesday, October 10 (10:00 PM - Midnight, ET/PT).

Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 will tape at the historic Pantages Theater in Hollywood, CA on Saturday, October 7 and feature a wide-range of award categories. Show host, celebrities and musical acts to be announced shortly.

"We only need to look at the legacy and recent explosion of the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book genres to know that the time has come to honor the extraordinary creative talent from these worlds in an explosive way," says Casey Patterson, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President Event Production for Spike TV.

To add to the excitement, Spike TV has entered into a strategic partnership with Comic-Con International to create the "Comic-Con Icon Award," the premiere comic book and pop culture event in North America. The "Comic-Con Icon Award" will be presented to an individual or group who has been instrumental in creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comic and related popular art forms, and bringing this great medium to wider recognition. This year's winner will be revealed shortly.

"With innovative and diverse programming, it seemed a natural for Comic- Con to partner with Spike TV," said David Glanzer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Comic-Con International.

Featuring distinctive categories, a diverse mixture of popular icons and outrageous creators, Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 will honor the newest and hottest in horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic books across a number of entertainment platforms including movies, television and comic books. The show will also recognize icons and pioneers who have influenced and shaped the industry.

BATMAN BEGINS leads the pack with 10 nominations including "The Ultimate Scream," "Best Fantasy Movie," "Best Superhero" and "Best Comic to Screen Adaptation" and a "Most Heroic Performance" nod for actor Christian Bale. SUPERMAN RETURNS is second with nine nominations and X-MEN: THE LAST STAND received seven. A full list of categories and nominations are included below. Starting today, Friday, July 21 thru Friday, October 6, fans can vote for their favorites by visiting www.screamawards.spiketv.com .

Ballots were sent out to Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 Advisory Board, made up of respected and well-known members of the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book worlds, and were responsible for advising on categories and determining nominees in each category. All films, television shows and comic books were deemed eligible for inclusion if they were released between June 1, 2005 to July 8, 2006 and were representative of the genres listed. Winners will be determined by viewer voting.

Members of this year's advisory board included: Wes Craven (writer/director A Nightmare on Elm Street); David S. Goyer (screenwriter, Batman Begins); Geoff Johns (comic book writer, Green Lantern); R. Eric Lieb (Comic book writer, Saw: Rebirth); Brian Pulido ("Lady Death"); Judd Winick (executive producer/creator, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee); Jonathan Woods (Storyboard artist, Team America: World Police); and Rob Zombie (writer/director, House of 1,000 Corpses).

Following are the categories and nominees for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006:

THE ULTIMATE SCREAM

* BATMAN BEGINS

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* LOST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST HORROR MOVIE

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* HIGH TENSION

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* HOSTEL

BEST FANTASY MOVIE

* BATMAN BEGINS

* HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

* KING KONG

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE

BEST SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE

* AEON FLUX

* A SCANNER DARKLY

* SERENITY

* V FOR VENDETTA

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

BEST TV SHOW

* BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* DOCTOR WHO

* LOST

* MASTERS OF HORROR

* SMALLVILLE

BEST SEQUEL

* BATMAN BEGINS

* GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SAW II

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST REMAKE

* CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* KING KONG

* THE OMEN

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

BEST SUPERHERO

* CHRISTIAN BALE AS BATMAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* CHRIS EVANS AS THE HUMAN TORCH, FANTASTIC FOUR

* HUGH JACKMAN AS WOLVERINE, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* FAMKE JANSSEN, AS PHOENIX, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* BRANDON ROUTH AS SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST COMIC-TO-SCREEN ADAPTATION

* BATMAN BEGINS

* A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* V FOR VENDETTA

* X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

MOST MEMORABLE MUTILATION

* EATEN ALIVE, GEORGE A ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* THE EYE REMOVAL, HOSTEL

* STABBED IN A PIT OF SYRINGES, SAW II

* SUICIDE BY SHOTGUN, THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* VAPORIZED BY ALIENS, WAR OF THE WORLDS

MOST HEROIC PERFORMANCE

* CHRISTIAN BALE AS BATMAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* JOHNNY DEPP AS CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD

MAN'S CHEST

* VIGGO MORTENSEN AS TOM STALL, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* EDWARD JAMES OLMOS AS COMMANDER WILLIAM ADAMA, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* HUGO WEAVING AS V, V FOR VENDETTA

SCREAM QUEEN

* ASIA ARGENTO AS SLACK, GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* KATE BECKINSALE AS SELENE, UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION

* EVANGELINE LILLY AS KATE AUSTEN, LOST

* NATALIE PORTMAN AS EVEY HAMMOND, V FOR VENDETTA

* NAOMI WATTS AS ANN DARROW, KING KONG

MOST VILE VILLAIN

* TOBIN BELL AS JIGSAW, SAW II

* LESLIE EASTERBROOK, SID HAIG, BILL MOSELEY AND SHERI MOON ZOMBIE AS THE

FIREFLY CLAN, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* SIR IAN MCKELLEN AS MAGENTO, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* CILLIAN MURPHY AS SCARECROW, BATMAN BEGINS

* PHILIPPE NAHON AS THE KILLER, HIGH TENSION

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE

* ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE AS MR. EKO, LOST

* JENNIFER CARPENTER AS EMILY ROSE, THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE

* TRICIA HELFER AS NUMBER SIX, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* BRANDON ROUTH AS SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* KATEE SACKHOFF AS STARBUCK, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

THE "HOLY SH%T!"/JUMP-FROM-YOUR-SEAT"AWARD

* ALIEN PODS EMERGE FROM THE EARTH, WAR OF THE WORLDS

* THE DINER SHOOTOUT, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* THE EYE REMOVAL, HOSTEL

* THE SPACE SHUTTLE/777 RESCUE, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* THE TRAIN SEQUENCE, BATMAN BEGINS

BEST DIRECTOR

* ALEXANDER AJA, THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* DAVID CRONENBERG, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* BRYAN SINGER, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* ROB ZOMBIE, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

BEST SCREAMPLAY

* BATMAN BEGINS, WRITTEN BY DAVID S. GOYER AND CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, WRITTEN BY ROB ZOMBIE

* HOSTEL, WRITTEN BY ELI ROTH

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, WRITTEN BY TED ELLIOTT AND

TERRY ROSSIO

* V FOR VENDETTA, WRITTEN BY ANDY WACHOWSKI AND LARRY WACHOWSKI

BEST RACK ON THE RACK

* EMMA FROST

* LADY DEATH

* POWER GIRL

* VAMPIRELLA

* WONDER WOMAN

BEST FOREIGN MOVIE

* 3 EXTREMES

* 2046

* HIGH TENSION

* NIGHT WATCH

* SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE

* SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE

BEST FLESH SCENE

* JESSICA ALBA, FANTASTIC FOUR

* MARIA BELLO & VIGGO MORTENSEN, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* FAMKE JANSSEN & HUGH JACKMAN, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* MILLA JOVOVICH, ULTRAVIOLET

* JAY HERNANDEZ, JANA KADERABKOVA, BARBARA NEDELJAKOVA & DEREK RICHARDSON,

HOSTEL

* REBECCA ROMIJN, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

BEST COMIC BOOK

* ALL-STAR SUPERMAN (DC COMICS)

* CIVIL WAR (MARVEL COMICS)

* EX-MACHINA (WILDSTORM PRODUCTIONS)

* MARVEL ZOMBIES (MARVEL COMICS)

* THE WALKING DEAD (IMAGE COMICS)

BEST SCREEN-TO-COMIC ADAPTATION

* ARMY OF DARKNESS

* THE FOUNTAIN

* MASTERS OF HORROR

* SAW

* SHAUN OF THE DEAD

* TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

BEST COMIC BOOK WRITER

* ROBERT KIRKMAN, THE WALKING DEAD/MARVEL ZOMBIES

* MARK MILLAR, CIVIL WAR/THE ULTIMATES

* FRANK MILLER, BATMAN & ROBIN

* PAUL POPE, BATMAN: YEAR 100

* BRIAN K. VAUGHN, EX MACHINA/RUNAWAYS/Y: THE LAST MAN

BEST COMIC BOOK ARTIST

* CHARLIE ADLARD, THE WALKING DEAD

* DOUG BRAITHWAITE & ALEX ROSS, JUSTICE

* SEAN PHILLIPS, MARVEL ZOMBIES

* PAUL POPE, BATMAN: YEAR 100

* FRANK QUITELY, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN

BEST F/X

* KING KONG

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

* X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

MOST SHOCKING COMIC BOOK TWIST

* BATWOMAN IS A LESBIAN

* DEAD ROBIN RETURNS AS THE RED HOOD

* GALACTUS IS EATEN BY ZOMBIES

* NITRO BLOWS UP A SCHOOLYARD FULL OF KIDS

* PETER PARKER OUTS HIMSELF AS SPIDERMAN

Official sponsors of Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 are Captain Morgan and Taco Bell.

Michael Levitt, Casey Patterson and Cindy Levitt will serve as Executive Producers; Gary Sills as Supervising Producer and Gary Tellalian as Producer of Spike TV's SCREAM 2006 Awards.

Spike TV is available in 90 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B)

Posted by monte at 11:13 AM | Permalink

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Producer Laura Ziskin will return to produce the 79th Annual Academy Awards telecast next February, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announced today.

It will be Ziskin's second involvement with the production of an Oscar® telecast. Her first was in 2002 for the telecast of the 74th Academy Awards, the first time the ceremonies were broadcast from the Kodak Theatre.

Her 2002 freshman outing garnered eight Emmy nominations for the telecast, including one for Ziskin as producer in the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special category. The telecast won an Emmy for choreography.

"This is a tough producing job," said Ganis, "but we've been blessed with terrific producers, including Laura — her 2002 show was one of the most colorful and fun shows in my memory. I can't tell you how pleased I am and how exciting it is to have her back, and for me to be, this time, in a position to participate with her in the creation of the show. This one is going to be great fun for all of us, viewers especially."

Ziskin currently is in post-production on "Spider-Man 3." Other feature films on her plate include a number of projects for her home studio, Sony Pictures, including "Me and My Monster" with director McG and "The Crimson Petal and the White," with Curtis Hanson directing, as well as "The Spellman Files" for Paramount and an HBO film on Katharine Graham written by Joan Didion.

"I have wanted to produce the Academy Awards again for a long time," Ziskin said. "It is a terrific, really fun challenge for a producer — commingling the thrills of putting on a live show, the creating of an exciting broadcast for the people watching at home and celebrating the extraordinary medium of film."

"I am delighted to have an opportunity to work with Sid Ganis and the spectacular Academy staff, and it is an honor to be in the company of past Academy Awards show producers such as Gil Cates, Joe Roth, Dick and Lilli Zanuck, Quincy Jones, Howard Koch, and others," Ziskin said. "There are a lot of award shows these days, but the Oscars remain unparalled."

Cates, who has produced 13 shows since 1990, wished Ziskin "the very best of great luck. Laura's first outing in 2002 was fantastic. It's an amazing show to do and we're all privileged to work on it."

The producer of over a dozen films, including the "Spider-Man" franchise, Ziskin also was executive producer of "As Good As It Gets" and "Pretty Woman."

In 1994 she was founder and served as president of Fox 2000, a feature film arm of 20th Century Fox, before re-forming Laura Ziskin Productions in 1999.

After graduating from the USC School of Cinema, Ziskin began her career as a development executive, moving into feature films with Jon Peters' production company where she worked on the remake of "A Star Is Born," starring Barbra Streisand.

In 1984 Ziskin formed Fogwood Films with partner Sally Field, and in 1985 she produced "Murphy’s Romance," which received a Best Actor nomination for James Garner and a cinematography nomination for William A. Fraker.

As an independent producer, she cast then-relatively-unknown actors Kevin Costner and Sean Young alongside veteran Gene Hackman and produced the hit thriller "No Way Out" for Orion Pictures.

In 1990 Ziskin executive produced Touchstone Pictures' "Pretty Woman," starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, who received a Best Actress nomination for her role.

Her executive-produced 1997 film "As Good As It Gets" received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and its stars, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, took home Oscars in the lead acting categories.

Ziskin's other producing credits include "What about Bob?," based on a story by Ziskin and two-time Oscar winner Alvin Sargent; "The Doctor;" "Hero," again based on a story by her and Sargent; "To Die For;" "The Rescue;" "D.O.A." and "Everybody’s All-American."

As a television producer, Ziskin served as executive producer with George Clooney and Pamela Oas Williams for the live CBS presentation of "Fail Safe." She also served as co-executive producer of the series "Tarzan" for the WB Network and Warner Bros. Television and executive produced the Norman Jewison-directed "Dinner with Friends" adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play for HBO.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center. The show will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.

# # #

©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

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$69,995.95 for the World's Largest Plasma Television

For additional information or a hardcopy request, please contact Danny Deraney at 323-930-5837 or dderaney@onthescene.com

WHAT:

Panasonic finally has a price tag on beauty. The world's largest plasma TV, the 103-inch Panasonic HD Plasma will now be sold for $69,995.95. This unit will be available for the Christmas holidays and today, Panasonic is breaking the news to consumers on how much having the set in time for the Superbowl will cost.

Although other manufacturers have showcased screens nearly as large, Panasonic is the only manufacturer that has announced that it will make its super-large screen plasma available to consumers in time for this year's Christmas season.

The 103-inch big screen delivers more than two million pixels (1,920 x 1,080) of performance and completes a full line of superior Panasonic HD plasma televisions for every room size and viewing environment.

NEWS FOOTAGE

--  Unveiling of the 103" price tag --  Overall shots of full plasma line from 43" to 103" plasma with HD     content --  Shots of people by plasma to demonstrate size of display     

SOUNDBITES

--  Andy Nelkin, Vice President of Panasonic's Display Group --  Consumers guessing the price and revealing what they would be willing     to trade for a TV this size     

In developing this record-breaking plasma television, Panasonic had to overcome numerous technical challenges to master a panel larger than 100 inches measured diagonally, while maintaining stable discharge and high picture quality across the entire surface of the panel. The company that first pioneered plasma, overcame this hurdle by developing a new rib* and phosphor for these super large panels. The 103-inch 1080p plasma panel, equivalent to four 50-inch panels in size, features consistent and uniform discharge, delivering the same accurate images from the center to every corner of the screen and brightness as the current 50-inch HD model (TH-50PX500). The panel incorporates Panasonic's 1080p HD high-speed pixel drive.

Source of Video Content: Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

The WM Group's Northwest 50(R) Stock Index Closed at 9394.55 for the Week Ending Friday, July 21, 2006, Up 17.26 Points or 0.18 Percent for the Week

The six industry groups that make up the Northwest 50 Index closed at:

Retail/Wholesale Trade,   2724.48, up 0.29%; Technology/Manufacturing/Construction,   3069.35, up 0.82%; Transportation/Transportation Equipment,   1088.57, down 4.24%; Natural Resources,   670.89, down 3.36%; Finance/Insurance,   1293.56, up 3.58%; Utilities,   547.70, up 2.06%. 

Of the 50 stocks in the Index, 24 were up for the week, while 26 declined.

Closing values during the week were:

     Monday, Jul. 17:   9,393.31      Tuesday, Jul. 18:   9,371.42      Wednesday, Jul. 19:   9,612.64      Thursday, Jul. 20:   9,452.78      Friday, Jul. 21:   9,394.55 

Gainers included:

     Longview Fibre,           up 1.86         at 20.76      Microsoft,                up 1.58         at 23.87      Icos Corporation,         up 1.24         at 21.44 

Decliners included:

     Stillwater Mining Co.,    down 1.35       at 10.18      Expeditors Int'l,         down 5.35       at 45.30      Coeur d'Alene Mines,      down 0.47       at  4.41

Oak Valley Community Bank to Pay Cash Dividend

-- Oak Valley Community Bank, traded as OVYB on the bulletin board (OTCBB: OVYB), declares a cash dividend. The Board of Directors of Oak Valley Community Bank, at their regular meeting on July 18, 2006, declared the payment of a cash dividend of nineteen cents per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 4, 2006. The payout marks the 11th consecutive year the Bank has paid a cash dividend and represents a 16% increase in total cash paid over the previous year. The dividend is payable on August 18, 2006.

"Despite continued pressure on interest rates and expenses associated with the addition of four branches in the past year, we are very pleased to have the ability and capacity to make this dividend disbursement to our loyal shareholders," stated Ron Martin, CEO.

Established in 1991, Oak Valley Community Bank offers a variety of loan and deposit products dedicated to serving the needs of individuals and small businesses. The Bank currently operates through 12 conveniently located branches: Oakdale, Sonora, Turlock, Stockton, Patterson, Ripon, Escalon, two branches in Modesto, and three branches in their Eastern Sierra Division, which includes Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes and Bishop.

First Bancorp of Indiana, Inc. Announces Financial Results

-- First Bancorp of Indiana, Inc., (NASDAQ: FBEI), the holding company for First Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank"), reported net earnings of $182,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, compared to $376,000 for the same quarter last year. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, net income was $1.34 million versus $1.53 million in fiscal 2005. A flattening of the yield curve over the course of this past fiscal year and the resulting narrower interest rate spread was responsible for the lower earnings. Improved fee revenue and a gain from the sale of a branch banking facility partially offset the decreased net interest income.

Earnings for the year ended June 30, 2006, represented $0.87 per average outstanding share (diluted) compared to $0.98 the preceding fiscal year. The company repurchased 75,909 shares of common stock during the twelve months ended June 30, 2006, and 33,028 option shares were exercised. These transactions resulted in 1,554,768 shares outstanding at June 30, 2006. The company's board of directors authorized the payment of dividends totaling 60 cents per share during the year ended June 30, 2006, a slight increase from the 59 cents per share paid in fiscal 2005.

Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated. Persons are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements.

                    First Bancorp of Indiana, Inc.                   Consolidated Financial Highlights                             (in thousands)                                                      6/30/2006    6/30/2005                                                   ===========  =========== Selected Balance Sheet Data:                      (unaudited) Total assets                                          294,551      277,368 Investment securities                                  34,076       13,821 Mortgage-backed securities                             36,645       51,498 Loans receivable, net                                 186,752      154,546 Deposit accounts                                      189,341      195,733 Short-term borrowings                                       0            0 Long-term debt                                         73,000       45,000 Equity capital                                         28,206       29,921                                                          Twelve months                                                         ended June 30,                                                        2006         2005                                                   ===========  =========== Selected Operating Data:                           (unaudited) Interest income                                        14,228       13,700 Interest expense                                        7,647        6,003                                                   -----------  ----------- Net interest income                                     6,581        7,697 Provision for loan losses                                 362          106                                                   -----------  ----------- Net interest income after provision                     6,219        7,591 Noninterest income                                      2,652        1,424 Noninterest expense                                     6,910        6,586                                                   -----------  ----------- Income before income taxes  and cumulative effect of a  change in accounting principle                         1,961        2,429 Income taxes                                              621          897                                                   -----------  ----------- Net income                                              1,340        1,532                                                   ===========  ===========                                                       At or for the year                                                        ended June 30, Selected Financial Ratios:                           2006         2005                                                   ===========  =========== Performance Ratios:                                (unaudited) Return on average assets                                 0.48%        0.55% Return on average equity                                 4.62%        5.19% Basic earnings per share                                 0.90         1.02 Diluted earnings per share                               0.87         0.98 Interest rate spread                                     2.49%        2.84% Net interest margin                                      2.57%        2.97% Other expenses as a % of average total assets            2.45%        2.37%  Asset Quality Ratios: Nonperforming loans as a % of total loans                0.40%        0.27% Nonperforming assets as a % of total assets              0.28%        0.17% Allowance for loan losses as a % of total loans          0.45%        0.55% Allowance for loan losses as a %  of nonperforming loans                                110.44%      204.06%  

Croff Reports Sale of Dewitt County, TX Assets

 Croff Enterprises Inc. ("COFF") announced today that it had sold its significant assets in Dewitt County, Texas to Pool Natural Resources Corporation of Austin, Texas. Pool Natural Resources purchased Croff's leases for the price of $255,000. These assets are as follows:

1.  The Eyhorn lease which includes a 20% working interest in the Edwards (Dixel) Gips well and Croff's Interest in the Oscar Gips Well  2.  The Panther Pipeline, approximately 7.2 miles of natural gas pipeline, which Croff recently acquired from Panther Pipeline Ltd. of Houston, Texas 

The assets sold belonged to the common shareholders of the Company. Jerry Jensen, President of Croff, explained that the other oil and natural gas assets of Croff are held by the Preferred B Shares. The Company had originally started a drilling re-entry program in Dewitt County, Texas, in 2004 which was not part of the Preferred Share's oil and gas assets. The Company then entered into a joint venture to develop these re-entry wells with Tempest Energy Resources, LP, a Texas Limited Partnership with offices in Dallas, Texas. Tempest, after the plugging of the first re-entry well, withdrew from the balance of the acreage. Croff then determined it would sell these assets.

Pool intends to re-enter or drill additional wells to the Wilcox formation on the acquired leases. Croff retains a working interest in three smaller wells in Dewitt County, Texas, which Pool declined to purchase. Jensen said the sale is consistent with the strategic alternatives the Company has been pursuing.

Croff is an independent energy company engaged in the business of oil and natural gas production, primarily through ownership of perpetual mineral interests and acquisition of producing oil and natural gas leases. The Company's principal activity is oil and natural gas production from non-operated properties. The Company acquires, owns and produces producing and non-producing leases and perpetual mineral interests in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Town Center Bancorp Announces Earnings Growth of 114%

Town Center Bancorp (OTCBB: TWBC), parent company of Town Center Bank, reports continued growth in all areas of the Bank. Total assets of the Bank grew over 14% from $109.8 million in June 2005 to $125.6 million as of June 2006. Strong growth continues in the Bank's loan portfolio with total loans increasing from $90.8 million to $106.6 million as of June 2006. Total deposits and retail repurchase agreements increased over 22% from $83.2 million to $102.1 million.

Net income for the second quarter totaled $514,242 of $0.49 per diluted share compared to $221,552, or $0.25 per diluted share in the second quarter 2005. Bruce Bryant, Town Center Bancorp's President and CEO, stated the sharp increase in earnings during the quarter are the result of continued balance sheet growth and excellent performance in the loan portfolio. Earnings for the six-month period ending June 2006 totaled $964,680, an increase of approximately 114% over the same period in 2005.

Town Center Bank is the primary operating entity of Town Center Bancorp, a community-owned financial services holding company. The Bank was established in 1997, and the holding company was formed in April 2002. Town Center Bancorp operates with a local board of directors, and the Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Headquartered at 82nd & King Road in Portland, Town Center Bank primarily serves individuals, professionals and small business clients throughout the Portland Metropolitan and North Clackamas County areas. The Bank operates five branch offices in the North Clackamas and Northeast Portland area and a mortgage loan office, Town Center Mortgage, in northeast Portland.

                                                 2nd Quarter   2nd Quarter                                                      2006         2005 Total Assets                                    $125,585,558  $109,818,102 Total Loans                                     $106,610,620  $ 90,773,343 Total Deposits and  Retail Repurchase Agreements                   $102,169,487  $ 83,221,189 Net Income / Quarter                            $    514,242  $    221,552 Earnings Per Share - Basic / Quarter            $       0.51  $       0.26 Earnings Per Share - Diluted / Quarter          $       0.49  $       0.25 Net Income / Six Months                         $    964,680  $    451,172 Earnings Per Share - Basic / Six Months         $       0.97  $       0.52 Earnings Per Share - Diluted / Six Months       $       0.93  $       0.49 

                                                  TOWN CENTER BANCORP                                               CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS                                                         June 30,                                               ---------------------------- ASSETS                                            2006           2005                                               -------------  -------------    Cash and due from banks                     $   2,108,502  $   1,576,350   Federal funds sold                                500,000              -   Investment securities available-for-sale        9,347,342      8,037,940   Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost             603,100        603,100   Mortgage loans held-for-sale                    1,287,700      3,905,410   Loans, net of allowance for loan     losses and unearned income                  106,610,620     90,773,343   Premises and equipment, net of     accumulated depreciation                      1,447,944      1,602,863   Bank-owned life insurance                       2,223,932      2,146,721   Accrued interest receivable     and other assets                              1,456,418      1,172,375                                               -------------  -------------           Total Assets                        $ 125,585,558  $ 109,818,102                                               =============  =============    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY     Demand deposits                             $  12,948,558  $  10,285,801   NOW and money market accounts                  17,400,141     13,511,740   Savings deposits                                1,583,608      1,069,304   Time deposits                                  65,671,254     56,232,481                                               -------------  -------------           Total Deposits                         97,603,561     81,099,326   Repurchase agreements                           4,565,926      2,121,863   Federal funds purchased                         4,000,000      9,900,000   Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings               4,000,000      5,000,000   Junior subordinated debentures                  3,093,000      3,093,000   Accrued expenses     and other liabilities                           757,864        676,582                                               -------------  -------------           Total Liabilities                     114,020,351    101,890,771   Stockholders' equity :    Common stock, $5 par value,      5,000,000 shares authorized, 1,006,922      and 873,706 shares issued and      outstanding at June 30, 2006 and 2005,      respectively                                 5,034,610      3,971,390    Additional paid-in capital                     3,966,193      2,470,914    Retained earnings                              2,807,404      1,489,364    Accumulated other comprehensive       income, net of taxes                         (243,000)        (4,337)                                               -------------  -------------           Total Stockholders' Equity             11,565,207      7,927,331                                               -------------  -------------           Total Liabilities and Stockholders'            Equity                             $ 125,585,558  $ 109,818,102                                               =============  =============                                                              TOWN CENTER BANCORP                                                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS                                                           OF INCOME                                                       FOR THE SIX MONTHS                                                         ENDING JUNE 30,                                                     -----------------------                                                        2006        2005                                                     ----------- -----------  INTEREST INCOME   Interest and fees on loans                        $ 4,660,795 $ 3,249,041   Investment securities available-for-sale              206,069     184,075   Other interest and dividend income                     39,000      11,379                                                     ----------- -----------            Total interest income                       4,905,864   3,444,495  INTEREST EXPENSE   Interest-bearing deposits and savings accounts        204,018     106,720   Time deposit accounts                               1,209,774     743,861   Other borrowings                                      295,600     232,344                                                     ----------- -----------            Total interest expense                      1,709,392   1,082,925            Net interest income                         3,196,472   2,361,570  PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES                               200,000     225,000                                                     ----------- -----------            Net interest income after provision for            loan losses                                2,996,472   2,136,570  NONINTEREST INCOME   Mortgage brokerage revenues                           197,252     636,931   Service charges and fees                               93,479      63,326   Other income                                          111,613      83,771                                                     ----------- -----------            Total noninterest income                      402,344     784,028  NONINTEREST EXPENSE   Salaries and employee benefits                      1,066,779   1,409,007   Occupancy and equipment                               255,465     287,157   Data processing                                       105,614     111,811   Supplies, postage, and telephone                       85,664      89,463   Professional fees                                      90,665      68,614   Advertising and promotional                            53,733      34,335   Other                                                 207,416     189,139                                                     ----------- -----------           Total noninterest expense                   1,865,336   2,189,526  INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES              1,533,480     731,072  PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES                              568,800     279,900                                                     ----------- -----------  NET INCOME                                          $   964,680 $   451,172                                                     =========== ===========  EARNINGS PER SHARE   BASIC                                             $      0.97 $      0.52                                                     =========== ===========   DILUTED                                           $      0.93 $      0.49                                                     =========== ===========  Note: The financial information provided herein is in summary form only       and is not intended to be a full and complete disclosure. Information       reflects the results of Town Center Bancorp, a holding company       formed in April 2002. The majority of activity in the holding company       occurred within Town Center Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary. 

Cleco Corporation Declares Regular Common and Preferred Dividends

The Board of Directors of Cleco Corporation (NYSE: CNL) today declared regular quarterly dividends on the Company's common stock and preferred stock. Following is a summary of dividend payments, as declared:

Class of Stock             Dividend        Record            Payment                            Declared         Date              Date  Common Stock                $0.225      July 31, 2006     August 15, 2006  4.5% Preferred Stock        $1.125      August 15, 2006   September 1, 2006 

Dividends were also declared on preferred stock held in the Company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

The Company has a dividend reinvestment plan which allows dividends on its common and preferred stock to be reinvested in additional shares of common stock at market price. Brokerage commissions and administrative fees are incurred on dividend purchases.

Cleco Corp. is a regional energy company headquartered in Pineville, La. It operates a regulated electric utility company that serves about 267,000 customers across Louisiana. Cleco also operates a wholesale energy business with approximately 1,350 megawatts of generating capacity. For more information about Cleco, visit www.cleco.com.

BellSouth Shareholders Vote Overwhelmingly to Approve Merger Agreement With AT&T

BellSouth Announces Preliminary Voting Results from Special Meeting of Shareholders

Shareholders of BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS) have overwhelmingly voted to approve a merger agreement with AT&T (NYSE:T) , the company reported at the conclusion of the special shareholder meeting today. BellSouth reported that approximately 97 percent of the shares that were voted approved the merger. This represents 1.22 billion - or more than 67 percent - of the company's outstanding shares. Approval of the merger agreement required a positive vote of a majority of the outstanding shares.

The proposed transaction will create a company that will be a more effective and efficient provider of wireless, broadband, video, voice, data and directory services. The merger will also place control of Cingular Wireless under one company.

"Today's affirmative shareholder vote is a significant step in the merger approval process and demonstrates the value of the combination of AT&T and BellSouth," said BellSouth Chairman and CEO Duane Ackerman. "This merger will set the standard for communications in the 21st century. BellSouth's customers will benefit from a shared vision of exceptional customer service and product innovation."

Ackerman stated that the company has made substantial progress toward completion of the regulatory approvals and that the merger is expected to close in the fall. Upon closing, BellSouth will be a direct wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T.

Under the terms of the agreement, BellSouth's shareholders will receive 1.325 AT&T shares for each BellSouth share that they hold. This exchange ratio represents a 17.9 percent premium based on AT&T and BellSouth's stock prices on March 3, 2006, the last trading day before the merger announcement. Shareholders will also benefit from ongoing ownership of 38 percent of the combined company and will be able to participate in the significant synergies this merger will generate.

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 500 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth has joint control and 40 percent ownership of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider with 57.3 million customers.

Backed by award-winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers(R), residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial-up and high-speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers print and online directory advertising through The Real Yellow Pages(R) and YELLOWPAGES.COM(TM) from BellSouth. BellSouth believes that diversity and fostering an inclusive environment are critical in maintaining a competitive advantage in today's global marketplace. More information about BellSouth can be found at http://www.bellsouth.com/.

Safe Harbor

In addition to historical information, today's presentation may contain forward-looking statements regarding events and financial trends. Factors that could prevent or delay completion of the proposed merger with AT&T, could affect the future results of the merged company and could cause the merged company's actual results to differ from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include: (i) our and AT&T's ability to obtain governmental approvals of the proposed merger on the proposed terms and contemplated schedule; (ii) the failure of AT&T shareholders to approve the issuance of AT&T common shares in the merger or the failure of our shareholders to approve the merger; (iii) the risk that the businesses of AT&T and BellSouth will not be integrated successfully or as quickly as expected; (iv) the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the merger, including any savings and other synergies relating to the resulting sole ownership of Cingular Wireless LLC, may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; (v) disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; and (vi) those factors contained in the proxy statement relating to the proposed merger filed with the SEC.

Source: BellSouth Corporation

Biopsy Study Shows Combination of Long-Acting Beta2-Agonist and Low Steroid Dose in Advair Diskus(R) 100/50mcg Maintains Control of Airway Inflammation

-- The largest biopsy study conducted to date demonstrates that a lower dose of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) with the addition of a long acting beta2-agonist (LABA) is as effective in maintaining control of airway inflammation as a medium-dose ICS alone in patients with moderate asthma. The study, published in the July issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), compared Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol) 100/50 mcg with fluticasone propionate (FP) 250 mcg over a 24-week treatment period in patients requiring a medium-dose ICS.

"It is important that physicians review the ICS dose used with their asthma patients on a regular basis, and reduce the dose to the minimum that will effectively control the disease," said lead study investigator Dr. Nizar N. Jarjour, Professor and Head Section of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. "These findings reinforce an earlier study which shows that adding a LABA to a lower dose ICS is an effective treatment option for maintaining control of asthma."

The study findings are consistent with current National Institute of Health (NIH) Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma recommendations on the use of an ICS and a LABA as the preferred therapy for patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma. While the anti-inflammatory effects of ICS are well-established, long-term use at high doses has been associated with some side effects. This study may provide physicians with new insight to help evaluate long-term treatment of patients with moderate persistent asthma.

About the Study

The randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study was conducted in 88 patients 18 years of age or older with asthma and was designed to evaluate whether clinical asthma control and airway inflammation could be maintained after switching therapy from medium-dose FP to a combination of low-dose FP and salmeterol.

During the trial screening phase, patients with stable symptoms on a medium dose of ICS (220 mcg of FP twice daily or equivalent) demonstrated deteriorating asthma control after being stepped-down to 100 mcg of FP twice daily. Treatment was then increased to 250 mcg of FP twice daily for four weeks, and patients had to re-establish asthma control (based upon pre-defined criteria) to be included in the treatment phase of the study.

Patients included in the trial were randomized to therapy with an ICS alone (FP 250 mcg) or an ICS plus a LABA (Advair 100/50 mcg) twice daily and evaluated for 24 weeks of treatment. Bronchial biopsies and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed prior to randomization and after the 24 week treatment period. Clinical control of asthma and airway inflammation measures did not differ between the two treatment groups. Additionally the study provides direct evidence that reduction of an ICS when done in conjunction with the introduction of a LABA does not lead to worsening airway inflammation.

Both treatments were well-tolerated, and the incidence of common adverse events was similar in the two treatment groups. Reported adverse events related to the study occurred in 6 (15 percent) and 8 (17 percent) subjects treated with Advair 100/50 mcg and 250 mcg of FP, respectively. No adverse events occurred in more than one patient in each treatment group and included oral candidiasis, palpitation and headache. There were no serious drug-related adverse events during the treatment period.

Important Information About Advair Diskus

Advair Diskus is approved for the maintenance treatment of asthma in patients 4 years of age and older. Because LABAs may increase the risk of asthma-related death, Advair is for patients not adequately controlled on other asthma-controller medications (e.g., low- to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids) or whose disease severity clearly warrants treatment with two maintenance therapies. Advair is not approved for patients whose asthma can be managed with an ICS along with occasional use of short-acting beta-agonists. Advair Diskus is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.

People should speak to their doctor about the risks and benefits of treating their asthma with Advair. People taking Advair should see their doctor if their asthma does not improve. People should tell their doctor if they have a heart condition or high blood pressure. Some people may experience increased blood pressure, heart rate, or changes in heart rhythm. Advair is for patients 4 years and older. For patients 4 to 11 years old, Advair 100/50 is for those who have asthma symptoms while on an inhaled corticosteroid.

About Asthma

For many of the more than 20 million Americans with asthma, undertreatment of the disease can lead to frequent symptoms and attacks, activity limitation, and a decline in lung function. Research has established that the two main components of asthma are inflammation, or swelling inside the airways, and constriction, or tightening of the muscles that surround the airways. Both of these components play crucial roles in causing asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness and cough. Optimal therapy for many patients with persistent moderate to severe asthma requires treatment of both of these components.

Each year, asthma causes nearly two million emergency room visits and more than 5,000 deaths. Additionally, nearly $16 billion in direct healthcare costs and indirect costs, such as lost workdays and productivity, are due to asthma.

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Contact Patty Johnson 919-483-2839 or visit www.gsk.com for full prescribing information and medication guide

La Petite Academy Announces Intent to Explore Refinancing of Debt With First and Second Lien Credit Facilities

La Petite Academy, Inc. and LPA Holding Corp. (together "La Petite"), which recently announced their intent to explore alternatives for refinancing their senior credit facility and 10% Senior Notes due 2008, today announced their intention to refinance such debt through a $20.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility maturing in August 2011, a $110.0 million senior secured first lien term loan facility maturing in August 2012, and a $85.0 million senior secured second lien term loan facility maturing in February 2013.

The 10% Senior Notes are currently redeemable at the option of La Petite, in whole or in part. This announcement is not an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to purchase, a solicitation of any consent or a notice of redemption with respect to the 10% Senior Notes.

La Petite has not made any definite decision regarding the final terms of any refinancing, or whether to proceed with a refinancing. There can be no assurances that a refinancing will be consummated.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS -- This press release contains, or may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our future growth and profitability, growth strategy and trends in the industry in which we operate. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We can give no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are changes in economic, operational, demand or competitive factors, governmental actions and the additional factors and risks contained in La Petite's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 2, 2005 filed with the SEC on September 30, 2005.

ABOUT LA PETITE ACADEMY -- La Petite Academy is one of the leading for-profit preschool providers in the United States based on the number of schools operated. La Petite Academy provides center-based educational services and childcare to children between the ages of six weeks and 12 years. La Petite Academy also operates Montessori schools that employ the Montessori method of teaching, a classical approach that features the programming of tasks with materials presented in a sequence dictated by each child's capabilities. For additional information, visit www.lapetite.com.

Southern Community Financial Corporation Sets Date and Time for Announcement of Second Quarter 2006 Results

Southern Community Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: SCMF) ) (NASDAQ: SCMFO) announced today that it will report financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, July 26, 2006.

F. Scott Bauer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Community Financial Corporation, along with members of the Southern Community executive team, will provide an overview of the second quarter performance and business highlights in a conference call to be held at 10:00 AM, E.T. Wednesday, July 26. The event will be archived on the Southern Community website, www.smallenoughtocare.com, for 30 days. The participant toll free number is 866-406-5408, conference ID# 7650842.

About the Company:

Southern Community Financial Corporation is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and is the holding company of Southern Community Bank and Trust, a community bank, with twenty banking offices throughout the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

Southern Community Financial Corporation’s common stock and trust preferred securities are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbols SCMF and SCMFO, respectively. Additional information about Southern Community is available on its website at www.smallenoughtocare.com or by email at investor.relations@smallenoughtocare.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain factors that may cause the Company’s results to vary from those expected. These factors include changing economic and financial market conditions, competition, ability to execute our business plan, items already mentioned in this press release, and other factors described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s judgment only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events and circumstances that arise after the date hereof.  

DC Brands International Request Shareholders Read Update Online

-- At the close of business Thursday, DC Brands International, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: DCBI) announced they have some news for their shareholders which is available only under the secured portion of the investor section of their website. Management invites all shareholders to access this site and read this information immediately at DickensEnergyCider.com.

DC Brands International, Inc. markets its Dickens Energy Cider through a growing network of distributors nationwide. They intend for this new entry to the energy drink market to become a direct competitor to the market leaders Red Bull®, Monster®, and Rockstar®. However, they differentiate their drink with an additional ingredient, Horny Goat Weed, which adds a unique flavor that has won mouths over across the nation. As stated in previous press releases, DC Brands is also in the process of releasing their new "bag-in-the-box" and their alcohol versions of the product. (Please refer to those previous releases for more information.) The company's headquarters is located at 9500 W. 49th Ave Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. For more information on the company, visit their web site at DickensEnergyCider.com Primary Contact: Keith Howard 303-279-3800.

Note: Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results or timelines to differ materially are risks associated with research and clinical development, regulatory approvals, supply capabilities and reliance on third-party manufacturers, product commercialization, competition, litigation, and the other risk factors listed from time to time in reports filed by DC Brands International with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to risks described under the caption "Important Factors That May Affect Our Business, Our Results of Operation and Our Stock Price." The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent judgments of the management of DC Brands International as of the date of this release. DC Brands International and its managers and agents undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. 

Agronix, Inc. -- Name Change and Reverse Stock Split

Agronix, Inc. (OTCBB: AGNI) announced today that effective Friday, July 21, 2006 the Company will change its name to "China Yingxia International, Inc." and begin trading under its new symbol (OTCBB: CYXI). In addition, the Company announced a 1:24.9 reverse split of its outstanding common shares, which will become effective on the same date. Both actions were approved by the Board of Directors and the majority shareholders of the Company, and disclosed in the Company's information statement previously mailed to the shareholders.

Shareholders may, at their own expense, exchange their current stock certificates for newly issued certificates reflecting the name change, new CUSIP number and the post-split adjusted number of shares, but are not required or obligated to do so. The Company's transfer agent is Pacwest Transfer. Attn: Exchange Dept., 360 Main Street, 2nd Floor, PO Box 393, Washington VA 22747.

China Yingxia International, Inc., through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Harbin Yingxia Industrial Group Co., Ltd. ("Yingxia"), is primarily engaged in the development, production and sales of health food products in China. Yingxia is located in the Province of Heilongjiang in mainland China, and it currently has over 180 employees and 3 agricultural production bases. Yingxia's products include fresh cactus and cactus dry power, organic soybean, and Longgu golden rice. Yingxia is currently implementing an aggressive expansion plan which includes the construction of a new production facility of 16,300 square meters. For the year ending 12/31/2005 the Company achieved $6.1 million in sales with a net income of $1.8 million, with $13.3 million in net assets.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and may involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks that future acquisitions may be unsuccessful, risks related to potential changes in the PRC government's policies and laws, risks related to possible currency exchange rate fluctuations and structural changes in the market for the Company's current product(s). We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Posted by monte at 10:55 AM | Permalink

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Ergo-Tech Collection blends futuristic design and ergonomics to offer state-of-the-art carrying solution 

 Announcing the launch of its new Ergo-Tech Collection, Kata is giving consumers worldwide a new reason to get excited about what they put on their backs, shoulders or belts. Boasting state-of-the-art designs that look as though they were taken from the pages of a sci-fi novel, Kata’s new bags, packs and cases are most definitely ahead of their time and were designed to be the definitive carrying solutions for the future. A unique blend of cutting-edge technologies and materials are at the heart of the Ergo-Tech Collection and together with its unprecedented design, are sure to elevate Kata’s position as a leading manufacturer of ergonomic and protective carrying solutions. As with the entire Kata line, the Ergo-Tech Collection will be distributed exclusively in North America by Bogen Imaging.

Developed with the mobile consumer in mind, Ergo-Tech ideally complements lifestyles which are dominated by electronics. In the design process, Kata took into account the various gadgets and gizmos that consumers interact with on a day-to-day basis and created the ultimate on-the-go collection of carrying solutions to meet their needs. With more than 17 models, each uniquely designed to accommodate a range of electronics, including digital cameras, cell phones, MP3 players, PDAs, laptops, and more, Kata’s Ergo-Tech Collection gives a new meaning to the word versatility. 

“As we’ve seen throughout the digital revolution, electronics have evolved to become a fundamental part of our everyday lives,” said Paul Wild, President of Bogen Imaging. “Not a day goes by that you don’t see people walking down the street listening to an MP3 player, talking on a cell phone, or taking a picture with a digital camera. The popularity of these portable electronic devices was the primary driving force behind the launch of the Ergo-Tech Collection and Kata’s desire to offer consumers a high-tech bag to complement their high-tech gear,” added Mr. Wild. “Unlike traditional bags designed for imaging gear and its accessories, these have special compartments designed for the hi-tech electronics which the photographer often brings along. This is sure to make the Ergo-Tech Collection a hit throughout the entire consumer electronics arena.”

Setting it apart from the competition and other bags in the Kata line, the Ergo-Tech Collection is made from Kata’s revolutionary Elasto-Guard material. Consisting of two layers, Elasto-Guard is a flexible material that will adjust to the ever changing shapes and movements of the carrier’s body, while also able to shift shape in order to fit the variable equipment within. 

The external layer is made from a high-resistance stretchable knit/weave and the middle layer consists of a one to three millimeter, closed-cell, waterproof elastic foam padding. Like Kata’s Global Digital Collection (GDC), the Ergo-Tech Collection features the same, tried and trusted ‘yelloop’ internal fabric. Vibrant, scratch and static resistant, ‘yelloop’ enables the attachment of dividers and provides unmatched cushioning. 

While the Ergo-Tech Collection offers consumers a futuristic design, it also offers a new level of protection. Each bag features designated safe guard zones, where extra internal, modular padding is added to protect the gear within. In addition, safe guard zones also feature Flexi-Shield, a technology specifically designed for the Ergo-Tech collection. Flexi-Shield, Kata’s new, high-frequency, molded flexible reinforcement, appears in the form of ridges on the exterior of safe guard zones for ultimate protection.     

About Bogen Imaging:
Since 1959, Bogen Imaging (formerly Bogen Photo) has been a leading source for photographic, cinematic and video lighting, supports, and accessories. Many of the most respected manufacturers of precision products for the photographic, video, Cine and lighting markets are distributed in the U.S. exclusively by Bogen. These include Manfrotto and Gitzo tripods and heads, Kata protective carrying systems and accessories, Avenger lighting grip, I.F.F. ceiling mounted lighting suspension, Metz on-camera flash systems, Gossen light meters, Elinchrom studio lighting systems and a wide host of additional product lines which round out the most complete range of exceptional accessories in the business

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, according to security firm iDefense. The advertisement was included in user profiles on MySpace and could have been operating for about one week.

"This is a criminal act," said Hemanshu Nigam, chief security office at MySpace, in a statement to the Washington Post. "This ad is being delivered by ad networks who distribute these ads to over a thousand sites across the Internet in addition to ours. We are working to have these ad networks remove this ad so that they do not appear on our site."

Banner Patch

An iDefense spyware analyst, Michael La Pilla, told the Washington Post, that he discovered the attack on Sunday as he browsed throught the MySpace site. When he came across a page with the offending ad, he received a message from his browser asking him if he wanted to open a file named exp.wmf.

After a brief investigation, La Pilla found out that the spyware installation program contacted a Russian language Web server in Turkey that tracks how many PCs on which the program has been installed. The tally had climbed to 1.07 million machines, though La Pilla said the seven Internet addresses contacted by the downloader seem to be inactive now.

According to La Pilla, he also found the ad attempting to infect users of Webshots.com, a photo-sharing site. Though he cannot pinpoint the date the ads began sending out their spyware, but it is believed that it coincided with the occurrence on MySpace on July 12.

The WMF vulnerability was originally discovered last December after hackers exploited the flaw using a specially created WMF image distributed via e-mail, instant message links and Web sites. When users opened the image, the hacker could take control of the infected PC. Microsoft released a patch for the bug back in January, but many users did not install the patch.

Users with unpatched systems can become infected simply by visiting a Web page with the deckoutyourdeck.com ad. And unlike La Pilla's case , the exp.wmf Trojan horse program will upload automatically without the warning prompt.

Once installed, PCs running the Trojan horse will contact multiple Web sites and download a slew of unwanted programs such as PurityScan advertising software. PurityScan is an adware program that can cause pop-up windows containing unsolicited ads to appear. The application also keeps track of the user's online activity.

Two Wrongs

Rob Ayoub, a Frost & Sullivan analyst, said two facts stand out to him regarding the MySpace infections. First, that home users are clearly not as educated about the need to make sure they have up-to-date patches and other security fixes installed. Second, that MySpace needs to have a better security system to identify dangers hidden in the ads they serve.

If you are a legitimate business with a legitimate Web site hosting banner ads, there is responsibility on the business side to keep their service clean, Ayoub said. They control the banner ads, but apparently were not checking them. There is some sort of control that is lacking on their end if they will post a banner ad essentially containing spyware.

"MySpace has some problems and this is a real blunder on their part," Ayoub said. "I can't believe any business would not scan or take more caution with banner ads posted on their sites. Ad network or not, there is no excuse for them not having a checking system."

One million people is a very large number, Ayoub said. It demonstrates that the technology industry, and security firms and software makers in particular, may not have done enough to impress upon home users the importance of downloading patches. PCs that have not been updated exponentially increase problems with viruses, spyware and adware.

"MySpace should have been checking and users should have been patching," Ayoub said. "And because of that combination you have a million downloads."

Some PC users have said their reluctance to install patches and updates centers around the fear that changes the software makes will negatively impact their computers. However, Ayoub pointed out, that unwanted changes or problems with updates is relatively rare these days.

"There was a time when you had to watch and be very careful with your patches," Ayoub said. "And some of the big ones are a problem, but there haven't been big problems with patches for ages."

Home users, Ayoub predicted, will not start to take security seriously until Internet service providers start to make antivirus and antispyware software compulsory. That may or may not be the best solution, he said, but incidents like this are a "perfect storm" for users not protecting themselves.

"That's extremely dangerous," Ayoub said. "Maybe what we need to do is run public service announcements."

MySpace is "strongly" urging all Internet users to "follow basic Internet security practices such as running the latest version of the Windows operating system, installing the latest security patches, and running the latest anti-spyware and anti-adware software."

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A Marine assigned to 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force died due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province today.

The Marine's name is being withheld pending notification of next of
kin.

The Defense Department also released the identities of three
servicemembers who were killed recently supporting the war on terror:

- Marine Lance Cpl. Geofrey R. Cayer, 20, of Fitchburg, Mass., died
July 18 from a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

- Army Sgt. Mark R. Vecchione, 25, of Tucson, Ariz, died July 18 in
Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his M1A1 Abrams tank. Vecchione was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.

- Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento, 34, of Fort Dix, N.J., died July
17 in Khwaya Ahmad, Afghanistan, when his patrol encountered enemy
forces using rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. Chiomento was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team,
10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

Military aircraft and sea vessels will
evacuate more than 4,000 Americans from Lebanon today, DoD officials said.

Officials expect the USS Trenton, the USS Whidbey Island and the
contract carrier Rahmah to carry around 4,200 American citizens to safety,
Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Gary Keck said. The Navy ships will carry
evacuees to Cyprus, and the Rahmah will carry roughly 1,400 Americans to
Mersin, Turkey.

Cypriot officials said they expect roughly 60,000 evacuees of all
nationalities in the country, and the evacuation is straining its resources.
Turkey has offered the seaport of Mersin as an overflow area. Once
American evacuees arrive in Mersin, they will bus to nearby Incirlik Air
Base, where the State Department will have chartered air lines to
transport them back to the United States.

In the last 24 hours, slightly more than 2,100 Americans reached safety
in Cyprus, Keck said. Most arrived on the island nation aboard the USS
Nashville.

The last ship to join the evacuation flotilla is the fast ferry
Vittoria M, an Italian-flagged contract carrier. It is scheduled to arrive in
the next 24 hours, Keck said.

Almost all assets to be used in evacuating U.S. citizens are now in
theater, Keck said. With the addition of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike
Group, U.S. officials have the capability of transporting 7,000
evacuees a day. Keck said the ships and aircraft will remain in place until
all Americans who want to have left the combat zone.

Around 6,100 American servicemembers are participating in the operation
-- about 5,900 ashore and the rest in Beirut and Cyprus. The Defense
Logistics Agency is assisting with the evacuation effort by immediately
shipping 24,000 individual military meals by military air to Cyprus. The
agency also is providing 2,000 cots and blankets and ensuring fuel is
available for U.S. military planes and vessels involved in the
evacuation.

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Help us provide you with the email you want. Click here to tell us what you prefer to see from Sony Pictures. You are receiving this email as part of your Sony Pictures Network membership and/or Sony Pictures Spotlight subscription. You are subscribed with the address: williamhhoehne@montebubbles.net. Click here if you would like to unsubscribe. Did you receive this from a friend? Click here to join the Sony Pictures Network, and you could get invitations to local movie screenings, plus you'll be entered every season for a chance to win great Sony gear, and more! This newsletter may contain links to, or advertisements concerning, various Web sites. Other sites may also reference, advertise, or link to Sony Pictures Entertainment ("SPE") Web sites. SPE is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other sites and encourages you to read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service statements of any site that you visit. To learn how we handle your personal information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service statements. Filmratings.com MPAA.org Parentalguide.org © 2006 Sony Pictures Digital Inc. All rights reserved. Sony Pictures Webmaster C/O Sony Pictures Digital 9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-2518

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Though singing to her is simply following her family's formidable footsteps, her real talent was only unveiled when she became the champion of Pertandingan Bintang Hiburan Minggu Ini (HMI), organized by Radio Television of Malaysia (RTM) in 1995. The then teenage Siti Nurhaliza lunged, unassisted and without encouragement, into show business. She was relatively unknown to the general public, yet had already generated a detectable industry buzz – and the streak of recognition had only just begun. Her eponymous debut album produced by a local recording company - Suria Records Sdn. Bhd. (SRC) in 1995, became the first of the string of Number One albums. She was just 16. Since then, the Malaysian music goers grew up surrounded by the mystique of Siti Nurhaliza. The beautiful gift she possessed - her ethereal voice and talent – has touched the inner feelings of every people. Her agile voice just appeared to pour out of her effortlessly. Her grace and beauty had motivated legions of audiences. You can hear the growth and poise that she governed as she matures from a coltish, fresh-faced ingénue to a self-assured figure.

Virtually, every aspect of Siti Nurhaliza is a record setting. Years of development and persistence had molded this courageous person to discover that nothing is impossible in matters of the heart and mind. Indeed, this young lady that was born on January 11, 1979, had earned all the accolades from the industry by immeasurable deeds and hard works. Through out the past decade, she astounded the entire local music industry and the public with series of accomplishments. She had explored the soul, depth, and range of being an artist. Hitherto, she has shown the enormity of her range, depth, soul, and power to govern her very own persona in a new, more dramatic way. The growth accelerates, and the intensity went up a notch or two as Siti Nurhaliza made forays into the jittery push and pull of 'world music' rhythms in her upcoming album. No doubt, the new album will summon to the end product – a burnish shiny vocal surfaces of this young diva "Siti Nurhaliza". Today, all of her immeasurable efforts and hard works for the local music industry had assured her a permanent recognition in the coveted "The Malaysia Book of Records" published in 2002. She was admired and envied by friends and foes equally. She is a singer that capable of combining the fiery voice of Celine Dion with the stunning elegance and the beauty of lyric phrasing of the Saloma – a local Malay legend in performing arts.

Despite being at the peak of her career, Siti Nurhaliza placed great emphasis on explorations of pressing social issues. Just recently, being a true renaissance lady, she became more dedicated in contributing her life and her art to the humanities as reflected through her fund raising campaign for the needy people by launching her very own - "Tabung Prihatin Siti Nurhaliza". This recent honors reflecting the range of her involvement in charitable and social causes. In fact, this latest effort in assisting needy people is nothing new to her. She had continuously contributing and giving her best for the betterment of the nation by officially becoming The Goodwill Ambassadress of The Red Crescent Society and The Ambassadress of JUSCO's With All Our Hearts Fund. Apart being too much attached to the industry, Siti Nurhaliza did not to abandon the well being of her family. Beginning from the setting up of her own company Siti Nurhaliza Productions (SNP), today she owned two more subsidiaries - Siti Nurhaliza Collections Sdn. Bhd. and Siti Nurhaliza Marketing Sdn. Bhd.

To date, Siti Nurhaliza is a template, a touchstone, and a hallmark of the regional industry. This fourth daughter of seven siblings has garnered more than a hundred awards from her nine solo pop and traditional albums. Blessed with great voice, she crossed all barriers with lists of electrifying series of hits of ballads, pops, R & Bs, as well as traditional genres. Thus far, she had also produced compilations, a few incredible duets, becoming guest artist, singing numerous theme songs for telemovies, motion pictures, advertisement jingles, along with a number of public services announcements' theme songs. The industry had truly discovered Siti Nurhaliza.

Being an icon Siti Nurhaliza perfectly understood that the first casualty of fame is her very own privacy. Fortunately, she is virtually blessed with reporter friends and fans that consistently ameliorating and reminding her to possess a true star quality. The glitters of glamour may fade as time goes by, but the genuine quality of talent of such huge magnitude surpasses the test of time. Thus, throughout a decade of her career, she had never denied the importance of supports and prayers of her family and fans. They are her great teachers and they live and dance invisibly in the margins of her work.

Despite of her juggernauts rolling at momentous rate, Siti Nurhaliza chose to set her pace accordingly. She understands perfectly well that she is facing an age where everybody seems in the agreement with the notion that moving faster is the best approach in managing affairs. In this regard, Siti Nurhaliza prefers not to relinquish her principles and the industry's by watching closely before taking any action as her primary policy. To her, moving too fast without having time to pause for a thought is simply behaving like moths being drawn to a burning flame. She sets out to solidify her career by growing and fortifying herself as an artist, executive, philanthropist, live performer and businesswoman one step at a time. After a decade of patience and perseverance, Siti Nurhaliza has secured her place in the regional musical pantheon. There's no one who can typecast her and put her into any rigid formula. Indeed, Siti Nurhaliza have fought gallantly for the local music arena - worthy of recognition in the archive of performing arts geniuses!

Posted by monte at 09:40 AM | Permalink

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Nighttime Programs

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Red de Páginas Amarillas Hispanas Lanza Novena Edición de Directorio en Español

, Directorio en Español de HYP Network lanzó la novena edición para el área de Gran Dallas. La portada del directorio presenta una reproducción de la obra ganadora del concurso "Arte de América Hispana" de la empresa, abierto del 15 de enero al 30 de abril de 2006. Este concurso de arte promueve y celebra la rica y diversa herencia hispana a lo largo del área de Dallas/Ft. Worth. Los artistas locales y estudiantes de arte de 18 años o más, compiten por un gran premio de US$3,000 presentando una obra original de la interpretación del artista de la herencia hispana en la ciudad.

Un panel de jueces de primera categoría seleccionó al ganador. Patrice Listfield, CEO de HYP Network y Richard Racker, gerente general de ventas, entregaron el premio de US$3,000 y una certificación conmemorativa a Mauricio Traversi Salgarolo el artista local y ganador del concurso en el evento especial que tuvo lugar en el Irving Arts Center que expone las diferentes obras de arte presentadas. Este evento fue posible gracias al apoyo de los patrocinadores del concurso Arte de América Hispana en Dallas: Azteca América 26 KODF, The Art Institute of Dallas y State Farm.

En los próximos 30 a 60 días se distribuirán copias de Directorio en Español puerta a puerta en áreas con un alto número de hogares hispanas. Además el directorio estará disponible en los estantes ubicados en varios lugares de alto tráfico frecuentados por hispanos. Hoy cerca de 1 millón de hispanos viven y trabajan en condados que comprenden el área de Gran Dallas que cubre Directorio en Español. El objetivo de HYPN es continuar produciendo el directorio de la más alta calidad con información valiosa para sus usuarios, al mismo tiempo que ofrece a las empresas un medio eficaz, económico y específicamente orientado a comunicar su mensaje a uno de los grupos de consumidores de más rápido crecimiento que buscan productos y servicios.

Acerca de HYP Network (http://www.hypnetwork.com/ )

HYP Network es la editorial independiente líder en directorios de páginas amarillas en español en Estados Unidos. Actualmente la empresa publica directorios en Atlanta y North Georgia, Georgia; Tampa, Orlando y Sarasota/Ft. Myers, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas y Houston, Tejas; Phoenix, Arizona; Washington, DC; Maryland y Virginia. La empresa se ha expandido al área de Miami y Ft. Lauderdale, Florida y Nueva York, con su nuevo Directorio en Español. La empresa tiene participación mayoritaria de ABRY Partners de Boston, MA.

Acerca de ABRY Partners

ABRY Partners, centralizada en Boston, Massachusetts, es uno de los fondos de capital privado más antiguos y más grandes en América del Norte que invierte exclusivamente en empresas de medios, entretenimiento y comunicaciones. ABRY administra un capital de US$3.0 mil millones y desde 1989 ha cerrado más de US$16.0 mil millones de adquisiciones apalancadas y diferentes transacciones con capital privado en el sector de medios.

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 Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) today announced that it has reached an agreement with NBC whereby NBC will guarantee a specific level of viewer engagement for its television programs.

Unlike traditional audience-size metrics, viewer engagement measures audience recall of television program elements. Studies show a strong correlation between recall of show details to viewers' retention of the accompanying advertising components. Thus, gauging the level of viewer attentiveness to television programs helps Toyota understand the value it receives from television advertising.

"Toyota places a premium on working with media outlets that are committed to accountability," said Kim McCullough, TMS corporate manager, marketing communications. "Beyond audience size, we want the networks to focus on attention-grabbing, highly-engrossing shows that keep audiences tuned in."

"NBC understands the need to demonstrate commercial effectiveness, and we have aggressively created innovative solutions to help our clients achieve their marketing objectives and prove that our product works," said Marianne Gambelli, EVP, sales & marketing, NBC Universal. "We know our programs will attract and engage the quality audience that Toyota is seeking, and we look forward to working with them to provide further insight beyond standard audience ratings."

To gauge how accurately show details are remembered, an audience panel is surveyed. The guarantee will be tracked by using television engagement scores supplied by IAG Research.

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New Game From Hollywood Insiders Debuts July 21

www.undergroundbountyhunter.com

Criminals beware! Starting July 21, movie enthusiasts, video gamers and even people looking to score some cash will have an entirely new challenge with Underground Bounty Hunter -- a heart-pumping online game featuring live-action movie-like video scenes. The first episode (10 are planned) has 10 levels and combines the life-like excitement of a full-length feature film with the principles of a problem-solving, action-packed video game. More noteworthy is that unlike typical movies or video games, Underground Bounty Hunter players compete for real prizes -- including $100,000, the possibility of other high-end prizes and a movie role in the next Underground Bounty Hunter episode.

Creator Darryl J. Quarles of Cash Only Productions is a successful Hollywood studio writer and producer whose credits include "Big Momma's House" (Parts 1 and 2), "Black Knight," "Soldier Boyz" and "Rat Race." Blending the excitement of a Hollywood movie, the thrill of a reality TV show, and the action of a traditional video game, Quarles has created an entirely new genre of online entertainment he has termed, "CinemaVenture." Underground Bounty Hunter is his first CinemaVenture project.

"The beauty of Underground Bounty Hunter is that if you're smart, adventuresome and get a little lucky, you have a real chance of winning," said Quarles. "And unlike a regular video game, you're playing for real cash and prizes. There's nothing like this available."

In Underground Bounty Hunter, the player becomes the bounty hunter chasing the most corrupt villains hidden in the underbelly of the crime world, encountering a cast of prostitutes, murderers, drug dealers, mobsters and other illicit characters in order to locate and destroy or capture the villain he's pursuing.

Each scene offers an action-packed sequence that jeopardizes the bounty hunter's life. The player must find clues to help advance him to the next level. If a scene is misinterpreted, and the player enters the incorrect clues, the Underground Bounty Hunter is in danger of being shot, killed or captured.

The first player to successfully complete all the levels and capture the wanted criminal receives a real cash prize of $100,000. Additionally, the longer the game proceeds with the villain still at large, the longer the criminal has to accumulate more riches and, since the winning bounty hunter gets to keep the bounty and the criminal's loot, the larger the prize pool can potentially get. This potential additional loot may include sports cars, powerboats, plasma televisions or other high-ticket items. Each episode will have its own bounty of cash and prizes, offering players numerous opportunities to win, but only one person is slated to win the movie role at this time.

Players must be at least 18-years old and each opportunity to successfully capture the criminal will cost $25.

Designed to appeal to 18- to 35-year-old males, Underground Bounty Hunter features an original soundtrack by hot new artists in the Hip-Hop and Rock worlds.

View the trailer and learn more about the game at www.undergroundbountyhunter.com.

Source: Underground Bounty Hunter

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Proceeds From Concert Go Towards Rebuilding of New Orleans

Lyfe's New Album, 'The Phoenix,' in Stores Tuesday, August 15

The platinum-selling urban/pop musician Lyfe Jennings will headline a special benefit concert at the Howlin' Wolf (907 S. Peters) in New Orleans on Friday, July 21. The concert, which is part of the "Bring 'em Back" series, also features Robin Thicke, Urban Mystic and Cheri Dennis. New Orleans radio station WQUE has partnered with Habitat For Humanity to help rebuild homes in New Orleans. Proceeds from the Lyfe Jennings concert at the Howlin' Wolf will to towards rebuilding New Orleans.

Lyfe's eagerly-awaited new album, "The Phoenix," is slated for release on August 15 from Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records.

Lyfe's debut album, the critically-acclaimed "Lyfe 268-192," was certified RIAA platinum in January 2006.

It's been an amazing year for Lyfe, whose recent duet with Alicia Keys, a soul-shaking version of the Curtis Mayfield classic, "People Get Ready," may be heard in the Jerry Bruckheimer film, "Glory Road."

Lyfe closed out 2005 with his highly successful "Lyfe Experience" headline tour, which included guest artists Goapele and Vivian Green. Lyfe spent the larger part of summer 2005 on tour with his Grammy-winning Columbia Records labelmate John Legend.

A two-time #1 Billboard Heatseekers album (2/20/05 & 3/6/05), "Lyfe 268-192, was released on August 17, 2004 and immediately established the worldly and poetic Lyfe as an aesthetic force of nature with mainstream and underground support.

Rolling Stone (Nov. 11, 2004) found Lyfe's songs " ... eloquent in their depiction of struggle ... ."

"Filled with a genuine rawness reminiscent of Sam Cooke or Donny Hathaway," wrote the edgy New York taste-making YRB, "'Lyfe 268-192' is a thought-provoking journey into the soul of a man whose lyrics tell a melodic story of the everyday realities that affect us all, yet allows us to exhale because somebody finally gets it."

Lyfe brings the full force of his songs to his concert audiences, winning converts wherever he plays. "Bringing only an acoustic guitar to the hallowed 125th Street venue," wrote the hip-hop bible The Source (July 2004), "Lyfe won over the notoriously demanding Apollo crowd and dominated the Amateur Show competition, winning five straight times."

www.2lyfe.com

www.columbiarecords.com

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 Jurassic 5's new video for "Work It Out," the lead single from their forthcoming album Feedback, hits music television channels around the world this week. The video is a clever lampoon which targets the US Government as it follows a gleeful President George W. Bush on a jog around downtown Los Angeles. Along the way, he rocks out on his Ipod to the tunes of J5, taunts the unemployed, raises gas prices, urinates in public, and exercises with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The song, "Work It Out" features the Dave Matthews Band and is the result of a strong relationship that J5 and the signer/songwriter developed while touring together over the past few years. The video highlights Jurassic 5's commitment to innovation and taste for the unconventional. Akil, Zaakir, Nu-Mark, Marc 7, and Chali 2na make only brief, almost inconspicuous appearances, complementing the satire and allowing President Bush to run his course.

Feedback follows J5's acclaimed releases Power in Numbers and the certified gold Quality Control. DJ/Producer Nu-Mark handles most of the album's production, including the standout tracks "Future Sound," "Red Hot," and "Where We At," which features a vocal bit from Mos Def. Super producers Scott Storch ("Brown Girl") and Salaam Remi ("Radio" and "Get It Together") and up-and-comers Exile and Bean One also contribute impressive tracks.

In conjunction with the release of Feedback J5 launched a massive nationwide tour this week hitting every major city in the United States. The tour kicked off in Seattle on July 18th, and wraps up with a stop at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on September 13th.

Source: Interscope Records

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Band Aid: Legendary Chicago Blues Musician and Cabbie -- Paralyzed By Robber's Gunshots -- Makes Comeback With Help From His Former Cab Company Boss

   WHAT:   --  A beloved Chicago blues musician and former cab driver paralyzed from       the waist down last March by a robber's bullet plays with his band for       the first time since the tragic incident during which his car was also       stolen.    --  Presentation of a renovated Chicago Carriage Cab (CCC) company taxi       sporting the band's name, a gift to the FORMER CCC DRIVER from the       founder and president of the company.    WHEN:   --  Friday, July 21, 1 p.m.    WHO:   --  Piano C. Red -- performed with Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor and       Elmore James, has faithfully played keyboard at the Maxwell Street       Market since the 1970's and was a longtime Chicago cabbie WHO DROVE       FOR CCC before his injury.    --  Simon Garber -- Chicago Carriage Cab Company president, a Russian       immigrant who once drove a cab and now heads an international taxi       empire.    --  Flat Foot Boogie Band -- including bass, guitar, drums and harmonica       players, founded by Red to help keep the blues alive in Chicago, kept       performing at the New Maxwell Street Market while Red healed under       temporary leadership of Red's best friend, Harper Johnny.    WHY:   --  The gift car replaces Red's car stolen in the robbery and means the       band can transport heavy musical equipment to jobs again.    --  Simon Garber deeply cares about his drivers and recently gave each of       them a free tank of gas to help compensate for rising gas prices.    WHERE:   --  Chicago Carriage Cab Co. barn   --  2617 South Wabash  

Source: Chicago Carriage Cab Company

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 Guests who book select 2007 Holland America Line cruises by September 15, 2006, will receive up to an additional $1,200 off per person with special Early Advantage cruise fares. Early Advantage pricing represents 10- to 30-percent off current brochure fares and is available on more than 250 premium cruises departing in 2007.

"Cruising is becoming more popular than ever, which means sailings fill up further in advance," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "Planning ahead truly does have its rewards with special Early Advantage savings."

With special Early Advantage fares, guests save up to $1,200 when booking a verandah suite at $3,899 per person on the August 22, 2007, ms Rotterdam's 15-day Jewels of Europe (Harwich, England, to Piraeus, Greece). They can also save up to $500 when booking an outside stateroom and $650 when booking a verandah stateroom on the July 30, 2007, ms Westerdam's 10-day Mediterranean Enchantment roundtrip from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.

In other regions, on the May 5, 2007, ms Oosterdam's seven-day roundtrip Alaska cruise from Seattle, guests save $200 when booking a verandah suite at $1,579 per person. And, on the January 4, 2007, ms Maasdam's 10-day southern Caribbean roundtrip sailing from Fort Lauderdale, guests save $200 when booking an inside starting fare at $949 per person.

For more information, consult a travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

- www.hollandamerica.com -

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:CCL) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:CUK) ]

With the introduction of the 1,918-passenger ms Noordam in early 2006, Holland America Line's fleet grew to 13 ships, offering nearly 500 cruises from more than 25 home ports. The award-winning premium cruise line excels at providing gracious and attentive service. Holland America Line's $225 million, fleetwide Signature of Excellence enhancements feature new programs and amenities including product and service enhancements in stateroom accommodations, dining, service, enrichment programs and activities, and worldwide itineraries. Twelve ships are completed with the final to be finished by fall 2006

World's Leading Cruise Lines

Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

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

Posted by monte at 07:45 AM | Permalink

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-- Coty Inc., the world's largest fragrance company, announced today that it has signed beloved international pop star Kylie Minogue to an exclusive licensing deal to develop and market a line of fragrances and ancillary products.

This is the first entrance into the personal fragrance market by the Australian-born Miss Minogue, a truly international singer with 12 albums sold throughout the world and more than 40 worldwide hits. Miss Minogue is an incredible timeless pop star with number one hits over three consecutive decades.

The line of eau de toilette, eau de parfum and ancillary products will be launched in broad distribution in fall 2006 in Australia, the UK and Ireland and subsequently throughout Europe and Asia.

Commenting on the partnership with Miss Minogue, Coty Inc.'s Chief Executive Officer, Bernd Beetz, said, "Kylie Minogue's incredible appeal among women transcends borders and ages. Her successes as a performer and a businesswoman, combined with her grace and perseverance in the face of personal adversity, have not only made her a role model but also have forged a tremendous bond with her fans."

Steve Mormoris, Senior Vice President, International Marketing for Coty Inc. said that, "Kylie Minogue's involvement in the project was tremendous. She showed a real passion for and dedication to the development of the fragrance, as she wanted to capture a true reflection of her personality. Kylie Minogue represents the many contrasting qualities of today's modern woman. She is sensual yet sweet, sexy and charming. She is delicate as well as strong, seductive, glamorous and playful and so much more. The scent reflects Kylie Minogue's multi-faceted personality."

Miss Minogue commented that "the launch of my new fragrance coincides with a new chapter of my life. I chose Coty as my fragrance partner because their passionate and intimate approach to fragrance is similar to my passion as an entertainer. Sharing that same vision of fragrance made the partnership easy, smooth and exciting."

About Coty Inc.

Coty Inc. was created in Paris in 1904 by Francois Coty who is credited with founding the modern fragrance industry. For over 100 years, Coty Inc. has delivered innovative products to consumers in 91 markets worldwide.

Today, Coty Inc. is the world's largest fragrance company and a recognized leader in global beauty with annual net sales of $2.9 billion. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, passion, innovation and creativity, Coty Inc. has developed an unrivaled portfolio of over 35 designer, celebrity and lifestyle brands.

The Coty Prestige brand portfolio is distributed in prestige and ultra-prestige stores and includes designer brands -- Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloe, Jette Joop, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, Nikos, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood; celebrity brands -- Desperate Housewives, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker; and lifestyle brands -- Baby Phat, Chopard, Davidoff, Lancaster, Nautica and Phat Farm.

The Coty Beauty brand portfolio is more widely distributed and includes designer brand -- Pierre Cardin; celebrity brands -- Celine Dion, David and Victoria Beckham, Isabella Rossellini, mary-kateandashley and Shania Twain; and lifestyle brands -- adidas, Aspen, Astor, Calgon, Chupa Chups, Esprit, Exclamation, Jovan, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, Rimmel, Stetson, the healing garden and Vanilla Fields.

For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com.

Source: Coty Inc.

Posted by monte at 07:25 AM | Permalink

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 It's one of the summer's hottest events. In fact, it's North America's largest boating party ever, and MarineMax (NYSE:HZO) , the nation's largest boat and yacht retailer, is bringing the party to the water near you. It's AquaPalooza 2006! More than 20,000 boaters are expected to turn out nationwide for this first-of-its-kind event.

Sea Ray Boats and their dealer partners like MarineMax are revolutionizing the boating world with AquaPalooza, an event unlike any other. MarineMax dealerships coast-to-coast will be throwing simultaneous parties for all those who share their love for life on the water. From New York to San Diego, AquaPalooza will bring boaters together to share in the summertime fun.

It's free and open to the public for boaters everywhere.

With food, fun and fabulous festivities, these events are great ways for families to get out and enjoy summer on the water. All activities are provided free by MarineMax -- live bands on the water, DJ's, water toys and games and much more will be available to guests. Anyone who enjoys the boating lifestyle is welcome to attend.

For a complete listing of dates and venues, please log onto http://www.aquapalooza.com/ , or contact your local MarineMax ( http://www.marinemax.com/ ) dealer.

About MarineMax

Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, MarineMax is the nation's largest recreational boat and yacht retailer. Focused on premium brands, such as Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, Hatteras, Grady White, and the Ferretti Group including: Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva, Mochi Craft, Apreamare and Bertram, the Company sells new and used recreational boats and related marine products and provides yacht brokerage services. The Company currently operates 85 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. MarineMax is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company.

Posted by monte at 07:23 AM | Permalink

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Posted by monte at 12:31 AM | Permalink

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DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



            Lance Cpl. Geofrey R. Cayer, 20, of Fitchburg, Mass., died July 18 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.  He was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.



            The incident is under investigation

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt Eric Caban, 28, of Fort Worth, Texas, died on July 19 in
southern Afghanistan of injuries sustained when his combat reconnaissance patrol
came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat
operations on July 18.  Caban was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces
Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Derek J. Plowman, 20, of Everton, Ark., died on July 20 in
Baghdad, Iraq, from a gun shot wound.  Plowman was assigned to the Army National
Guard's 1st Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade, Rogers, Ark.

This incident is under investigation.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



            Sgt. Mark R. Vecchione, 25, of Tucson Ariz, died on July 18
in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his M1A1 Abrams tank.   Vecchione was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg,
Germany.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty
            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.



            Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento, 34, of Fort Dix, N.J., died
on July 17 in Khwaya Ahmad, Afghanistan, when his patrol encountered enemy
forces using rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.  Chiomento was assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

National Guard troops are fanning out
across the United States, confronting wildfires in the West and Midwest,
conducting storm-recovery efforts in Missouri, providing security support
in New Orleans, and boosting U.S. Border Patrol capabilities along the
southwest border.

With more than 4,200 Guardsmen supporting Operation Jump Start along
the U.S.-Mexico border -- a number to go as high as 6,000 by Aug. 1,
Guard members also are responding to two other major domestic operations,
National Guard Bureau officials said today.

Almost 150 National Guard members are providing firefighting support,
and another 200 responded after a series of powerful storms knocked out
power to nearly a half-million people in Missouri in the midst of a
heat wave.

More than 40 North Carolina Air National Guardsmen from the 145th
Airlift Wing arrived with two C-130 Hercules aircraft at Kingsley Field, a
National Guard base near Klamath Falls, Oregon. From there, they will
support the U.S. Forest Service and be ready to respond to wildfires in
Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, Air Force
Lt. Col. Rick Gibson said.

The Guardsmen will operate the Forest Service's Modular Airborne
Firefighting System, used to disperse fire retardant ahead of fires, Gibson
explained. This will buy time for firefighters on the ground and create
fire breaks to control the blazes. Meanwhile, Gibson and other National
Guard troops are serving in the National Interagency Fire Center in
Boise, Idaho, to coordinate National Guard support for the firefighting
mission.

In addition, the Nebraska Army National Guard deployed 57 people, a
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to support the
wildfire response in Valentine, Neb. The North Dakota Army National
Guard deployed 24 troops, a UH-60 and UH-1H Huey helicopter and a Heavy
Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck to support firefighting efforts in Sioux
County, N.D.

In Minnesota, 11 Army National Guardsmen were called to duty to provide
wildfire control in the west-central part of the state. They responded
with two UH-60 helicopters and a fuel tanker.

Meanwhile, more than 200 members of the Missouri Army National Guard's
1140th Engineering Battalion are supporting the state Emergency
Management Agency in the eastern portion of the state. Powerful storms in the
region caused power outages that shut down the water plant and 10
cooling stations and left 500,000 people without service. The Guard troops
are distributing water and generators, removing debris and providing
transportation to people who need assistance, officials said.

In New Orleans, 345 Louisiana National Guard troops continue to support
the New Orleans Police Department during Operation Crescent Guard. The
Guard troops, from Camp Beauregard, La., are in New Orleans conducting
roving patrols and manning static checkpoints, officials said. The
troops have committed 99 Humvees, two fuel HEMTTs and a 5-ton wrecker to
the effort.
 

Air Force C-17 Globemaster III crews
assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron operating in Southwest
Asia have added another mission to their resume, providing humanitarian
civil assistance to the effort to evacuate Americans from Lebanon.

Airlift operations have responded quickly to the urgent needs in the
Middle East, supporting U.S. citizens evacuating from Lebanon to Cyprus,
U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials said.

The 816th EAS is flying water and meals, as well as essential personnel
and equipment, to Royal Air Force Base Akrotiri on the island of
Cyprus. In the first four days of the operation, the squadron has flown 23
sorties, logging almost 70 hours in the sky, transporting nearly 200
passengers and 500 short tons of humanitarian supplies.

"The importance of the mission and use of C-17s is huge," said Maj.
Steve Jacque, aircraft commander on a July 19 mission. "You have thousands
of Americans displaced from their homes, basically. I don't know how
much time they had to get things squared away, but since they need the
basics like food and water, I assume not much time at all."

Marines are taking the Americans to where Navy Seabees are building a
temporary camp for them in Cyprus. To support that, the 816th flew in
the Seabees, pallets of water and meals for the evacuees, said Jacque,
who's also flown humanitarian operations for Hurricane Katrina and the
Pakistani earthquake relief efforts in 2005.

"Having shelter is a huge need, but we are helping them with the food
and water as well," said the major. "I can't imagine being forced to
leave my home for the threat of a war. Hopefully we have made that
displacement just a little easier."

Each member of the augmented crew (three pilots and two loadmasters),
as well as the passengers of the flight said they were glad to be able
to help out fellow Americans.

"It's a huge honor and a unique perk of this job that you can see
something on the TV one day and be directly involved in it the next day,"
said loadmaster Airman 1st Class James Davis. "How many people can say
that? It's a huge privilege for me to be able to go to work and directly
effect world events. Anything I can do to help out fellow Americans in
need, I'll be happy to."

Aside from their willingness to help, they say it is also a testament
to the ability of the squadron and the aircraft as well.

"This is the first time I've done a mission like this," said Capt. Matt
Oberson, one of the pilots. "I don't want to say we're lucky - it'd be
better off if none of us had to - but it's a privilege to get out there
and try to make an impact delivering the supplies the folks in Cyprus
need."

The crew took off from their deployed location to making one stop to
upload the humanitarian supply pallets to take to Cyprus. Upon arrival,
the anxious crew discovered they had beaten the cargo to their
intermittent stop. After several hours of waiting and uploading time, the crew
and their cargo were in the air and en route to Cyprus.

"It wasn't just a load of pallets we had to get from here to there.
There was a definite purpose for what was in the back, and it's good to
know it was going to people who needed it," said 1st Lt. Justin West,
another of the three pilots.

"It's a good illustration to show how quick we had to move," said
Jacque. "We were notified the same time as they started gathering the food
and water and notified the Seabees."

Moving fast and getting the job done is not something new to the C-17
crews, though. United States and coalition air forces are flying every
day in southwest Asia to provide safety, security and supplies
throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, along with helping to provide regional
stability for the Horn of Africa.

The squadron, whose motto is "Anything-Anytime-Anywhere," employs
roughly a dozen C-17s to airlift troops and airdrop supplies throughout the
theater in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

"I also think it is complete validation for what the C-17 was purchased
for," said Oberson. "We've been doing airdrops throughout the theater,
flying re-supply missions and landing on dirt airfields and now add
humanitarian relief. I think the crews have been able to switch gears
pretty quickly with an airdrop one day, dirt landing the next and
humanitarian relief the next. This is a very versatile squadron."

"Everything we airlift helps people in need, whether it's soldiers or
civilians, and it's not always food and water. We also move essential
ground supplies," said Davis. "When it is food and water, it may not seem
as important as some other supplies, but it's very important if you're
the one who needs it. People in trouble are the same regardless of the
country. Whether it's delivering supplies to evacuees or airlifting
supplies to the soldiers in Afghanistan, I'm happy to be able to serve."

The Denver Broncos Cheerleaders came
halfway around the globe to show that the troops mean the world to them.
The cheerleaders performed for hundreds of soldiers July 18 at
Contingency Operating Base Speicher here.

"I think the fact that you have red, white and blue pumping through
your veins is awesome," said Keela Harris, a Broncos cheerleader.

Another Broncos cheerleader, Kelsey Vernon, added that the troops
deserve so much more, but the squad was glad to offer what they could.

The 12 ladies performed for two hours wearing different themed outfits
and performing many energetic dance routines and skits for the
appreciative troops.

"This is wonderful for them to come and perform for us. To let us know
that people care, that's what it's all about," said Colorado native
Army Sgt. William Rodgers, 501st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne
Division.

Vernon said this is the cheerleaders' fourth show of 10 scheduled as
part of the group's Middle East tour. They have already performed twice
in Kuwait and twice in Iraq. The tour in Iraq will continue throughout
July.

A total of 341 Americans successfully
convoyed out of southern Lebanon and are shipping out of Beirut harbor for
Cyprus, State Department officials said today.

Maura Harty, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, said
the bus convoy got the Americans to the harbor, where they are boarding
the Orient Queen cruise ship. They are among the 2,250 Americans that
left Lebanon today.

"That brings the total of assisted departures to 3,850, and there are
another 400 people our embassy in Damascus has confirmed have made it
out by land to Syria," Harty said during a news conference at the State
Department. Army Brig. Gen. Michael Barbero, the Joint Staff's deputy
for operations, also briefed.

The Hezbollah terrorist group fired more rockets into Israel, and
Israeli air and artillery response continues. United Nations officials said
that more than 300 Lebanese and 29 Israelis have been killed in the
fighting to date.

Cyprus is expecting an influx of 60,000 evacuees, and that number will
quickly overwhelm facilities on the island, Cypriot officials said.
U.S. officials are ramping up operations at Mersin, Turkey, to handle
additional evacuees from Lebanon. Mersin is on the coast of Turkey, about
200 miles north of Cyprus.

"Our mission in Turkey is prepared to use the port of Mercin as an
overflow reception center for American citizens choosing to depart
Lebanon," Harty said. "Travelers will be bused to Incirlik Air Base for onward
travel to the United States. The first passengers in this phase of the
operation will likely arrive there (July 22)."

Naval and air assets will continue to evacuate refugees until the
mission is completed, Harty said. Vessels currently engaged in the
evacuation operation are the USS Nashville and the Orient Queen, Barbero said.
"The passenger ship Ramah and Vittoria, and other Navy ships will join
the flow as they arrive in the area in the next few days," Barbero said.

"The Ramah is a Panamanian-flagged Saudi-owned ship with a capacity of
1,400 passengers; we expect her to start tomorrow," he said. The
high-speed vessel Vittoria, an Italian-flagged ship with a capacity of
approximately 330 passengers, should begin moving passengers July 22.

U.S. military CH-53 helicopters continue flights between Lebanon and
Cyprus. Barbero said the USS Nashville is under way with more than 1,000
evacuees on board.

The destroyers USS Gonzalez and USS Barry continue force protection
patrols, and the USS Mount Whitney, a command and control ship, has begun
operations in the joint operating area off Beirut. "Four more U.S. Navy
ships are expected in the area over the coming days; most will be
arriving within the next 24 hours," Barbero said.

More than 250 military personnel are in Cyrus providing command and
control, security, medical support, and support to helicopter operations
and C-130 aircraft operations. "Over 60 military personnel are at the
U.S. Embassy in Beirut," Barbero said. "They are providing command and
control, logistics planning and a small security detachment."
 

Posted by monte at 12:21 AM | Permalink

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Continuing the mission statement of,  
"...finding solutions for families, especially busy moms" Kathy Ireland Worldwide has partnered with McKinnon Land, LLC of Charlotte, N.C. for use of its Basofil flame-resistant fiber technology.

      “Safety is definitely a primary value we want to bring to our customers and this is a crucial step forward," said Kathy. An ambassador for the Department of Agriculture’s national Firewise campaign which seeks to limit loss to homes in wildland proximity, Kathy is a fire safety advocate, and she stated “McKinnon-Land’s Basofil technology is providing a huge breakthrough that we look forward to embracing in a wide variety of our products.”

      Those products include mattress and foundations, top of bed, furniture, fashion, carpeting and flooring, lighting, window treatments, bedding, kitchenware and other home needs subject to involvement in fires. 

      Too often we hear sad stories of fires that can be prevented. These tragedies can be blocked by the glorious ounce-of-prevention that is now available.  We are thrilled that McKinnon-Land has  developed  a fiber  which   bring s  safety to so many  of our  products in the coming year    “We are grateful to their inspired researchers ,  scientists  and management team”  said Kathy 

      McKinnon Land is a research and development company and is owner and inventor of Alessandra Technology which provides inherently flame resistant products for home and industrial use. 

      “It has had wide impact in creating solutions for aerospace, automotive, fire-service, military, high temperature filtration and industrial work wear, and now their products will fulfill our mission of,  
"...finding solutions for families, especially busy moms" said Kathy.

      Alessandra Flame Resistant Yarn and Fabric was nominated as a new Green Flame technology in textiles by the International Consortium for Fire Safety, Health and Environment in June 2003. That consortium is a non-profit corporation headed by safety and environmental regulators, scientists and industry representatives in Europe and North America. Alessandra technology and other KI products designed with Basofil are inherently flame resistant and do not require the use of topically applied chemicals.   

"T he new partnership with Kathy Ireland is a perfect fit. We believe that Kathy and her extraordinary concern for families truly shares the same high standards of comfort and safety as do we. Kathy relationships with the women that have joined her brand have made her one of the world's successful designers. Just this week Kathy Ireland was named the 7th most popular brand with consumers in America, we are honored to partner with her and her team. Our objectives were to provide the safest and most innovative flame resistant products available to her consumers and she has accomplished that added Bob Mc Kinnon, CEO of McKinnon Land, LLC

      Basofil fiber received an ETV Verification Statement in 2000 citing it high temperature filtration of baghouse gasses for the removal of very fine particulate matter. ETV is a program of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Basofil also received the California Fire Chiefs Association Award for Innovation in Fire Protection. At that association’s 2002 Technology Showcase for flame resistant barrier technologies for upholstered furniture, the economical Basofil fiber were demonstrated to allow upholstered residential furniture to pass the stringent California Test Bulletin 133 furniture fire safety standard.

      KI consumer products utilizing Alessandra and Basofil are planned to be available in retail stores late this year.

About Kathy Ireland Worldwide

Kathy Ireland Worldwide (KIWW) is the design and marketing firm founded in 1993 by CEO and Chief Designer, Kathy Ireland. The primary mission of KIWW is  
“…finding solutions for families, especially busy moms.™” Forbes Magazine reports that KIWW is a “design empire which grosses over one billion dollars annually in retail sales”.  This year Newsweek reported, “Annual sales run to $1.4 billion.” KIWW products include flooring, rugs, home furniture, office and entertainment furniture, lighting, decorative accessories, window coverings, bedding, mattresses, candles, apparel, jewelry, blankets and top of bed.  In 2000, KIWW began expanding its mission and consumer needs, with the addition of specialty brands, presenting “Design Ambassadors” A Café by Chef Andre for food and entertaining, J du J cultivated by Nicholas Walker for outdoor living and garden inspirations and The Quilts of Gee’s Bend whose original works of art from rural Alabama are the Genesis of unique designs for home. The original Quilts of Gee’s Bend gained international recognition through museum tours around the world. KIWW teams with industry leaders in each category of business, Flooring-Shaw Industries a Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Rugs-Shaw Living a Berkshire Hathaway Company, Home Furniture-Kathy Ireland Home by Standard, Office and Entertainment Furniture-Kathy Ireland Home by Martin, Lighting-Pacific Coast Lighting, Decorative Accessories-Pacific Coast Accessories, Window Coverings-Kathy Ireland Home by Alta, Bedding-Kathy Ireland Home by Therapedic, Permanent Florals-Kathy Ireland Home by Labs, Candles-Kathy Ireland Home by Hanna’s Candle Co., Socks-Kathy Ireland by Moretz, Active wear-Kathy Ireland by Orioxi, blankets- Kathy Ireland Home by Faribault Mills, Top of Bed- Kathy Ireland Home by Hallmart Collectibles and Jewelry-Kathy Ireland Exclusively for House of Taylor Jewelry.  House of Taylor Jewelry (NASDAQ:HOTJ) is a publicly traded company.

To learn more, please visit www.kathyireland.com

About Basofil Fibers, LLC

Basofil Fibers, LLC was formed July 14, 2002 when the current ownership purchased the business form BASF.  The company now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Basofil Technologies, LLC.  Although the company is relatively young, Basofil^® fiber had been in production for many years under BASF. 

Basofil fiber was developed in the laboratories of BASF AG in the 1980s.  In 1996, nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, the first large scale production of Basofil fiber was installed. Since that time this plant has supplied Basofil fiber across the globe. 

Company headquarters are located in Hickory, North Carolina.

To learn more, please visit www.basofil.com

Posted by monte at 12:12 AM | Permalink

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"Live from The Gig" www.LiveFromTheGig.com, the first website to stream and archive live concerts nightly, announced today that it has signed five new bands. Independent artists Ghost, LoverLee, Paperback Hero, Rozinante, and Stereo Suite have been earmarked as "Featured Bands," entitling them to priority bookings at The Gig, Hollywood's pre-eminent live music venue. These bands will have a prominent presence on the site, including bios, videos, photos and music.

Launched by independent filmmaker Peter O'Fallon ("Suicide Kings," "Blade: The Series") in May of 2006, "Live from The Gig" is a groundbreaking website that streams live performances from The Gig-Hollywood, the premiere venue for unsigned talent in Los Angeles. Every show played at The Gig is posted the following day and archived for future viewings. Additional features are constantly being added, including search functionality and the ability to rate your favorite bands.

O'Fallon's vision behind the launch of www.LiveFromTheGig.com is to create an interactive forum for creative content that brings the concert-going experience online. "In working closely with these bands, I've been able to see their passion and what they go through to keep their music alive," said O' Fallon. "I'm amazed everyday by the amount of raw talent that has yet to be discovered, and these new featured bands are a testament to that. 'Live from The Gig' provides an interactive outlet where bands can share their music with a world-wide audience, including fans, family and potential music industry executives."

With three to four performances per night, seven days per week, the site has accumulated a substantial quantity of shows and exclusive footage for fans to view. The site also recently added chat forums where viewers and fans interact with one another, request their favorite shows, and discuss the previous night's performances.

In addition to the original bands the site launched with, LIVEFROMTHEGIG.COM hosts:

--  Ghost -- GHOST's new ultra-funk sound is a collection of G. Rhymes' St     Louis rap along with Mychael Bates' sounds of Brooklyn's mean streets on     guitar, the pure soul of J. D. on bass, and the prodigy funk drums of     "Poppin' Fresh", Lyle D. and the rabble rousing vocals of Paul Benshoof.     The eclectic mix of funk, soul and hip-hop have been described as an "in-     your-face reminder that funk is best when it played loud, fast, and with     relish."      --  LoverLee -- This six-piece "lo-fi pop" band is based in Burbank,     Calif. and was assembled in the image of other collaborative/ensemble bands     such as The Arcade Fire, The Concretes, and Belle and Sebastian.  The group     is comprised of six people with different levels of experience and     backgrounds, using various instruments from their tiny junior drum set and     children's Casio keyboards to "adult" instruments.  LoverLee strikes its     audience as personable, enjoyable, and fun with songs that stick in their     heads long after the last note is played.      --  Paperback Hero -- Paperback Hero is a band blessed with both strength     and intellect.  In one short year, the North Hollywood, California-based     group has earned both a loyal west coast audience and expanding national     media visibility. As winners of the "2005 KROQ-Budweiser-Hard Rock Café     Battle of the Bands," their electrifying live performances provide potent     persuasion for industry judges and new fans alike.  Paperback Hero is     creating a distinctive new soundtrack for their courageous musical mission.      --  Rozinante -- Rozinante is groove rock with an ebb n flow that sways     between sultry and funky.  The music is set by percussive rhythms which lay     down a foundation for lyrics that are both a social commentary as well as     an interpersonal reflection.  The four musicians harmoniously blend their     individual experiences into music that expresses their journeys.  As a full     band they've been offering up sweet dynamics that fill any room, large or     small. The name, Rozinante, comes from that which Don Quixote named his     trusty steed. Rozinante symbolizes the vehicle that carries us through our     experiences and dreams.      --  Stereo Suite -- Los Angeles-based, Stereo Suite blends a mixture of     modern rock with high energy pop, creating a sound that appeals to a wide     range of audiences.  Refreshingly inventive, Stereo Suite's original and     bittersweet lyrics are accompanied by melodic pop/rock compositions that     are reminiscent of such bands as Matchbox Twenty, Foo Fighters and Fuel. In     the end Stereo Suite manages to create both melodically and lyrically a     sound that captures the audience and allows them to feel they are not alone     in the world.     

For more information, including a calendar of performances, please visit LivefromTheGig.com. "Live from the Gig" is the flagship property of Peter O'Fallon and his business partners' venture AlternaTV.TV.

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-- Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen has announced the release of "AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN," the new album from Gym Class Heroes. The Geneva, NY-based group's latest collection will hit stores this coming Tuesday, July 25th (see track listing below).

Produced by S*A*M, aka Sam Hollander (Method Man, the Sounds, and Earth, Wind & Fire), and Sluggo, the alter-ego of renowned session bassist Dave Katz (Roger Daltrey), "AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN" also features co-production from good friend Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. The album's first single, "The Queen and I," is already breaking out in radio markets across the country, including Los Angeles, where KIIS-FM is currently spinning the record 30 times a week. The video for "The Queen and I" will premiere all day long on mtvU on July 24th.

Gym Class Heroes' lead singer, Travis McCoy, recently collaborated with Cobra Starship (new band of Midtown's Gabe Saporta) along with fellow musicians William Beckett (The Academy Is...) and Maja Ivarsson (the Sounds) to release the track "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)." The song is not only Cobra Starship's first single, but is also the lead track on the soundtrack to this summer's sure-to-be blockbuster hit, "Snakes On A Plane," starring Samuel L. Jackson. Gym Class Heroes' "New Friend Request (Hi-Tek Remix)" will be featured on the soundtrack, and two additional songs of theirs will be featured in the film.

Gym Class Heroes are currently wrapping up this summer's Vans Warped tour, where they are playing two shows a day to packed audiences. The band will kick off their headlining tour, "Jerry's Kids Short Bus Tour 06," in September, with support from Cobra Starship and Cage (see itinerary below). Gym Class Heroes will also headline a handful of dates in the United Kingdom in early September.

Gym Class Heroes garnered critical acclaim for their unique sound and approach with their Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen debut, 2005's "THE PAPERCUT CHRONICLES." It was the band's alternative hip-hop style and use of live instruments in favor of looped samples and canned beats that caught the attention of Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, who immediately signed the group to his Decaydance imprint. With constant touring and a huge online presence, the band has built a large and dedicated fan base.

Gym Class Heroes are: Travis McCoy (lead vocalist), Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitarist), Eric Roberts (bassist), and Matt McGinley (drummer).

For more information, visit the band's newly launched website at www.gymclassheroes.com, or check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/gymclassheroes.

(TRACK LISTING AND TOUR ITINERARY BELOW)

Gym Class Heroes "AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN" Tracklist  1. The Queen And I 2. Shoot Down The Stars 3. New Friend Request 4. Clothes Off! 5. Sloppy Live Jingle Pt. 1 6. Viva La White Girl 7. 7 Weeks 8. It's OK, But Just This Once! 9. Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 2 10. Biters Clock 11. Boys In Bands Interlude 12. Scandalous Scholastics 13. On My Own Time (Write On!) 14. Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 3  GYM CLASS HEROES "Jerry's Kids Short Bus Tour 06" w/ Cobra Starship and Cage  SEPT 14    Buffalo, NY             The Buffalo Icon 15    Hartford, CT            Webster Theatre 16    Poughkeepsie, NY        The Chance 17    Allston, MA             Harper's Ferry 18    Philadelphia, PA        First Unitarian Church 19    New York, NY            Knitting Factory 20    Baltimore, MD           Sonar 21    Cleveland Heights, OH   Grog Shop 22    Detroit, MI             Magic Stick 23    Chicago, IL             Beat Kitchen (two shows) 24    St. Louis, MO           Creepy Crawl 25    Iowa City, IA           Picador 26    Milwaukee, WI           The Rave 27    Minneapolis, MN         Triple Rock 28    Kansas City, MO         The Grand Emporium 29    Denver, CO              Marquis Theatre 30    Ogden, UT               Club Boom OCT 2     Orangevale, CA          The Boardwalk 3     Hollywood, CA           Knitting Factory 5     Tempe, AZ               The Clubhouse 6     San Diego, CA           Epicentre 7     Anaheim, CA             Chain Reaction 

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The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.284 which is one cent lower than last week, five cents higher than last month and 70 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.319, six-tenths of a cent above last week's price, eight cents above last month and 70 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.417, down 1.3 cents from last week, two cents above last month and 74 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $3.306, down seven-tenths of a cent from last week, five cents above last month and 74 cents higher than last year.

"Investors holding large supplies of gas have been selling and taking profits. The resulting increase in supplies on the market is helping to rein in pump prices," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Overall, consumer demand remains high. Motorists should not be surprised if gas prices turn upward again."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., July 21:

Area                                      Change from        Record                               Regular      last week          Price Los Angeles - Long Beach       $3.284      -1.0 cents   $3.402 (5/13/2006)  Orange County                  $3.240      -1.8 cents   $3.371 (5/17/2006)  San Diego                      $3.319      +0.6 cents   $3.438 (5/15/2006)  Santa Barbara  -Santa Maria-Lompoc           $3.417      -1.3 cents   $3.491 (5/16/2006)  Riverside - San Bernardino     $3.306      -0.7 cents   $3.445 (5/15/2006)  Bakersfield                    $3.228      +0.3 cents   $3.450 (5/16/2006)  Las Vegas, NV                  $2.994      +1.3 cents   $3.176 (5/17/2006)

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Robotics Side Will Feature New Height Drive and Pan / Tilt Head 

– Shotoku Broadcast Systems, the leading international manufacturer of camera support for the television broadcast industry, will introduce its newest manual and robotic products to the European market at IBC 2006 on Stand 11.724.  The Company’s latest offerings include a pneumatic pedestal with a companion pan / tilt head, and a new aluminum tripod / head series on the manual side, and a new height unit as well as a pan / tilt head from the robotics side. 

TP-90 Pneumatic Pedestal and TE-23 Pan / Tilt Head

Shotoku Broadcast Systems will officially debut its new TP-90 Pneumatic Pedestal with its matching TE-23 pan / tilt head to European broadcasters at IBC. The TP-90 and TE-23, designed to accommodate a wide range of camera configurations, joins the company’s comprehensive range of pedestals with matching pan / tilt heads. The pedestal, built on the success of the award-winning TP-80 pneumatic pedestal, incorporates design elements of its predecessor’s column that ensures its rigidity and facilitates very light and smooth up/down movement.  The compact 3-stage, minimum height unit has a record-breaking column stroke reach of 94.5cm (37.2 in.). Located under the carriage, the TP-90’s cable guards can easily be height adjusted by turning a knob located at the side of carriage.

Safety features include a new and improved column lock as well as a brake ring placed within reach of the cameraman while in operation.

Specifications

Maximum Height:                    149.5cm (58.9in)

Minimum Height:                     55.0cm (21.7in)

Maximum Width:                     76.0cm (29.9in)

Minimum Width:                      70.7cm (27.8in)

Vertical Stroke                         94.5cm (37.2in)

Maximum Load Cap.:              60kg (132 lbs)

Mass Weight:                          145kg (319 lbs) (Including Counterweights)

Maximum Air Pressure:          Less than 0.981 MPa

The TP-90’s compact and lightweight TE-23 companion pan / tilt head has a payload of 60kg. (132 lbs).  The TE-23 features the REULAUX perfect balance system for smooth operation and is easily adjustable with a wide balance range.

SH-100 Lightweight Aluminum Head / Tripods

Shotoku will also premiere the SH-100 lightweight aluminum head with a series of companion tripods. The versatile SH-100 perfect balance ENG fluid head will be shown with the TDA100 2-stage, TSA100 single stage, and TT-66 4-stage aluminum tripods.

TG-19 Pan / Tilt Head and TI-12 Height Drive

From the robotic side, the company will show the TG-19 pan / tilt head, and TI-12 Height Drive. Supporting a maximum payload of 70kg (154 lbs), the new TG-19 pan / tilt head allows large lens, camera and prompter combinations to be controlled smoothly and reliably. Following in the footsteps of it’s sister model - the TG-18 - the TG-19 is capable of manual control and has the ability to ‘learn’ the movements of its operator allowing them to be replayed exactly and as often as required. Like the Company’s entire robotic range of pan / tilt heads, high-resolution intelligent optical encoders are used allowing Virtual Reality outputs without modification to the head itself.

Shotoku’s new TI-12 Robotic Height Drive enables a wide variety of shooting angles to be achieved from a single camera position making it ideal for news, sports and current affairs studios, and virtual studios. Its compatibility with other manufacturers pedestals adds to its extraordinary versatility. With an industry first 1000mm (over 39”) height range and smooth, vibration free movement throughout it’s speed range, the TI-12 integrates seamlessly with Shotoku’s TG-18 and TG-19 pan / tilt heads. Driven directly from the CMC, the TI-12 needs no further interfacing and operator control is achieved using the existing rotary controls of the Shotoku Robotic Control Systems.

About Shotoku Broadcast Systems

Shotoku Broadcast Systems is an international leader in the manufacture and marketing of a full range of camera support products with emphasis on pedestals and pan/tilt heads for the television broadcast industry. The Company also provides robotic camera systems capable of interfacing with other manufacturers equipment. Established in 1941 as an engineering design firm specializing in unique machines, Shotoku maintains headquarters in Japan and operates offices in Staines, UK and Torrance, CA.  For further information:  www. Shotoku.tv

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The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced a new program that will extend the service life of C-130 aircraft up to 30 years.

The C-130 Total Life Extension (TLE) program addresses several aircraft modernization needs, including avionics, wiring, structures and systems. Key benefits include an innovative, patent-pending Center Wing Box solution, a comprehensive avionics modification and compliance with 21^st century civil aviation standards.

"The C-130 TLE program offers customers flexibility and affordability at a fraction of the cost of a new aircraft while significantly lowering total ownership cost," said Mike Harris, Boeing vice president and program manager for C-130, during a media briefing at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show. "After providing operational analysis of the entire aircraft, Boeing is able to provide a comprehensive upgrade and modification plan that offers C-130 owners a wide range of options."

The C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) is part of the overall TLE avionics package. The new avionics system features digital displays and the 737 commercial airliner's proven flight management system, both of which provide navigation, safety and communication improvements to meet Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) requirements. The CNS/ATM upgrade will allow the C-130 fleet to be deployed worldwide.

One commonality C-130 owners may face is the Center Wing Box issue. Based on the aircraft's condition (i.e., level of corrosion or fatigue cracks), Boeing's TLE solution allows Center Wing Box upgrades without having to remove the box from its structure. Currently in development and entering the testing phase, Boeing's C-130 Center Wing Box solution will save time and reduce overall total ownership cost. It also can be applied to a refurbished box or a new box, more than doubling the life of the box from a fatigue crack standpoint.

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) today announced an order for six 737-800s, two 777-300ERs and two 787 Dreamliners. The aircraft covered in today's announcement are option exercises by ILFC valued at approximately $1.2 billion at list prices. Deliveries of the 737s and the 777s begin in the first quarter of 2009 and the 787 deliveries begin in early 2012.

ILFC was the first leasing company to be announced as a 787 customer.

"These airplanes reflect our confidence in the market going forward and our commitment to Boeing and its product line," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, chairman and chief executive officer - ILFC. "We are proud to be the major operating lessor of the 787 Dreamliner and we're pleased with the strong airline leasing demand for the 787."

"We are really proud of our long-term relationship with ILFC," said John Feren, Boeing vice president, Leasing and Asset Management. "As our largest leasing customer, ILFC has great influence on the market and we appreciate its affirmation of our product line."

With today's announcement, ILFC has ordered 706 Boeing jets since 1977 and in that time, has placed Boeing 777s, 737s, 747s, 757s and 767s with airlines around the world. Its fleet encompasses three models of the Next-Generation 737 - the 737-600, -700 and -800 - and three models of the 777 family - the -200ER, -300 and -300ER. ILFC has ordered 420 737s; 78 777s and 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Including ILFC, 25 customers have announced 362 orders for the 787 since its launch in April 2004. The Dreamliner will use 20 percent less fuel than today's comparable airplanes while providing airlines with up to 45 percent more cargo revenue capacity. Airlines around the world have ordered more that 3,300 737s. The 777 has dominated its competition by a 10-to-one margin since the beginning of 2005.

"The reduction in total ownership costs will be assessed when testing is complete," said Harris. "However, if the C-130 AMP is any indication, then cost savings should be significant."

The C-130 AMP provides upgrades for C-130s at 1/7th the cost ($10 million to $15 million) of a new, basic C-130J aircraft ($65 million to $75 million). The enhanced digital avionics increase situational awareness for the warfighter tenfold over old analog cockpits, dramatically increasing information available to aircrews at a glance, simplifying tasks and decreasing workload. Upgrade commonality brought by the AMP also allows additional flexibility in assigning aircrews regardless of the model design type. In addition, the C-130 AMP meets U.S. Special Forces requirements, while the basic C-130J requires additional mission equipment enhancements.

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"It's exciting to see continued, growing interest in motorcycling across America, and that there are more and more reasons for the demand," said MIC President Tim Buche. "There has been a lot of attention paid to motorcycle and scooter sales this year because of rising fuel prices. The reality is that a long-time trend of increasing motorcycle sales, now more than a dozen years strong, just continues revving along. Sales have gone up every year since 1993. That's when the first 'Jurassic Park' was the summer blockbuster and you could buy gas for under a dollar-fifty."

"Rising fuel prices are just another reason that millions more Americans have purchased a bike, or are seriously considering one," Buche said. "With many motorcycles capable of 50 to 70 miles per gallon, and many scooters getting 60 to 80 mpg, dealerships and manufacturers are fielding a lot more inquiries about fuel economy," he said.

"But during the past 14 years, motorcycling also has found its way into the fabric of American culture," Buche continued, "with two-wheeling getting past old stereotypes and gaining acceptance and traction as a great form of transportation and recreation."

"The motorcycling demographic is widening, from baby boomers who are coming back to bikes, to Generation Y Americans into adventure sports, entire families and growing numbers of women who ride," Buche said. "Motorcycles, scooters, even gear and leather riding jackets are more fashionable than ever. We used to have to look hard to find positive motorcycle imagery in pop culture. Now you see bikes everywhere, spicing up advertisements for a wide range of major industries, in fashion layouts, in runway shows, in store windows, in art museums, in the form of toys at the local department store and with many celebrities, CEOs and folks from all walks of life."

"Another factor with the soaring sales has to do with the bikes themselves," said Ty van Hooydonk, director of product communications with Discover Today's Motorcycling.

"Motorcycles and scooters are simply better than ever, in performance, style and variety, and still very affordable," he said. "The latest Cycle World Buyer's Guide lists more than 400 models. And it's not just sportbikes and cruisers and touring bikes. There are emerging niches between these broad categories, appealing to a wider array of personal taste in bikes. There's a fun little $3,000 sportbike that gets 74 miles per gallon. There are beautiful big cruisers that cost $12,000 or less. There are many desirable bikes at these prices and beyond that Americans aspire to own and enjoy."

"Whatever the reasons for buying motorcycles and scooters, safety comes first," van Hooydonk said, stressing five key messages for all riders: 1) Get trained and licensed, 2) wear all the proper protective gear, and that includes a helmet made to Department of Transportation (DOT) standards, 3) ride unimpaired by alcohol or other drugs, 4) ride within your own skill limits and 5) be a lifelong learner by taking refresher rider courses.

Sales Background

In 2005, motorcycle and scooter sales topped the one-million level for the third straight year, high marks last seen during the 1970s. The MIC lists 1973 as the zenith for annual motorcycle sales, when Americans bought more than 1.5 million bikes. Sales for 1979 topped the one-million mark, then cooled in the 1980s and early 1990s. Motorcycling began its 13 years of increasing success back in 1993, with sales growing every year since. -0-

1992 - 278,000                          1999 - 546,000 1993 - 293,000                          2000 - 710,000 1994 - 306,000                          2001 - 850,000 1995 - 309,000                          2002 - 936,000 1996 - 330,000                          2003 - 1,001,000 1997 - 356,000                          2004 - 1,063,000 1998 - 432,000                          2005 - 1,116,000  U.S. New Unit Motorcycle Sales.  Source: Motorcycle Industry Council 

Discover Today's Motorcycling(R) at http://www.motorcycles.org is the communications service bureau of the Motorcycle Industry Council and a source of information about motorcycling to the media and the general public. The MIC, located in Irvine, Calif., is a not-for-profit national trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, scooters, motorcycle parts and accessories, and members of allied trades.

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Animation Collective's "Kappa Mikey" and "Thumb Wrestling Federation: TWF" Hit the Road With Nicktoons Network Mobile Tour This Summer

Five-City National Tour to Visit New York, Boston, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles

 Animation Collective, the largest animation studio in New York, with more original series in production than any other studio, is going on the road with Nicktoons Network this summer. Animation Collective's hit series "Kappa Mikey" and "Thumb Wrestling Federation" are key features of the Nicktoons Network Mobile Tour, a five-city event that takes kids and fans behind the scenes of how animation is made and lets them interact with their favorite shows. The tour will also kick off the third annual Nicktoons Network Animation Festival (NNAF) at the final tour stop in Los Angeles.

Fans can interact with the Animation Collective shows in several different areas of the tour:

--  Creator Meet & Greet with Larry Schwarz -- Fans can meet and have     autographs signed by Larry Schwarz, creator of "Kappa Mikey" and "Thumb     Wrestling Federation." --  Thumb Wrestling Competition -- Fans can compete in live thumb     wrestling matches disguised as their favorite "Thumb Wrestling Federation"     characters.  Matches are recorded so participants may download their     personalized video, which automatically enters them into the TWF     Sweepstakes for a chance to win a guest 'thumb' spot on Nicktoons Network. --  Tips and Tricks -- Fans can learn about storyboard design from an     actual "Kappa Mikey" storyboard and will receive free flip books featuring     "Kappa Mikey" animation.     

Having kicked off on Saturday, July 15th in New York, the five-city tour will drive cross-country in its branded Nicktoons Network Tour Truck stopping in, Boston, Detroit, Houston and Los Angeles (Burbank) for five consecutive weekends in a row.

Following are tour dates and cities:

--  Boston              Saturday, July 22 - Sunday, July 23 --  Detroit             Saturday, July 29 - Sunday, July 30 --  Houston             Friday, August 4 - Sunday, August 6 --  Los Angeles/Burbank Saturday, August 12 - Sunday, August 13     

Animation Collective is the largest animation studio in New York with more original series in production than any other animation studio in the world. The company is a leader in creating children's programming for television, the Internet, home video and other platforms. Larry Schwarz is the creator and executive producer of all of Animation Collective's original television series including "Kappa Mikey" -- Nickelodeon's first ever global acquisition, recently picked up for a second season -- "Thumb Wrestling Federation: TWF," "Leader Dog," and "Tortellini Western" for Nicktoons Network and "Ellen's Acres" and "HTDT" for Cartoon Network. In addition, Schwarz served as producer of "Wulin Warriors" for Cartoon Network and the first season of "The Incredible Crash Dummies" for 4KidsTV. Animation Collective is the largest provider of original content for KOL, America Online's kids channel and Red, its teen channel.

Nicktoons Network is the fastest growing kids' network* and offers a 24-hour schedule featuring programming such as "Kappa Mikey," "Corneil and Bernie" and "Martin Mystery," as well as a roster of hits that have defined kids' and animation lovers' TV, including "The Angry Beavers," "Yakkity Yak," "Invader Zim," "Spongebob Squarepants," "The Fairly OddParents" and "Jimmy Neutron." Nicktoons Network is a part of the MTV Networks expanded suite of channels available for digital distribution. The new channels include MTV Hits, MTV Jams, Nicktoons Network and VH1 Mega Hits, expanding and strengthening MTV Networks' digital offerings to thirteen services.

Nicktoons Network currently reaches 39 million homes via cable, digital cable and satellite, and can be seen on Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, DirecTV, DISH Network and Time Warner Cable. Nicktoons, and all related titles and logos are property of Viacom, Inc.

*Source: NMR *8/29/05-5/7/06 vs. 8/30/04-5/08/05 (LSD) AA(000), K6-11 & K9-14 Nick & Toon Tot Prg Day, NKTNS M-F 2-11p;S/S 9a-11p, DSNY, FAM, TDSNY (M-Su 6a-11p) CBS, WB, FOX, NBC based on Kids Type Codes, Tribune; DIC Kids ** % Index growth UE vs. P9-14 AA(000).

 

 

Artist Peter Max to Host First Virtual Exhibition at The Art of Peter Max Gallery - Forum Shops The Art of Peter Max Gallery, one of two galleries in the world exclusively selling Peter Max paintings, has announced a first-ever Virtual Exhibition, Saturday, September 2 at 1 p.m. Live via high-speed Internet connection, artist Peter Max will communicate virtually through plasma screens at the gallery, taking guests in Las Vegas on a personal tour of his renowned studio in New York. Max will interact with guests present in the Las Vegas gallery, sharing his world with collectors and fans. Additionally, Max will draw an original dedication virtually for any guest who purchases a painting during the week of the event.   (Click here for details) "Nothing has ever been done like this before. Being able to interact with the artist virtually is something new and exciting that Peter has wanted to do for our art collectors since we opened the gallery," said David Hakan, Founder and CEO of the Art of Peter Max Gallery. "Peter has some ideas that will surely surprise everyone. Move over David Copperfield!" With paintings on exhibition in more than seventy museums worldwide, Peter Max and his vibrant colors have become part of the fabric of contemporary culture. Appropriately referred to as a modern pop icon, Max achieved his place in history having painted for various Heads of State, including six U.S. Presidents. From art that appeared on the first U.S. 10-cent stamp bearing the title "Preserve the Environment," to 235 U.S. Border murals greeting millions of travelers entering America each year, Peter Max seeks to capture themes of America at its finest in his art. Peter Max art has appeared on everything from a Boeing 777 Continental jumbo jet, to the 1999 Woodstock stage, to a giant mural at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Max has been designated as the Official Artist of five Super Bowls, five Grammy Awards, World Cup USA, The World Series, and the United Nations Earth Summit, among many other designations. The Art of Peter Max Gallery, located at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in the new expansion Terrace Level, is one of only two galleries in the world exclusively selling the artwork of Peter Max. The Las Vegas gallery holds the largest collection of original paintings for sale by Max, offering a wide assortment of paintings to the great cross-section of art collectors and enthusiasts who visit and reside in Las Vegas. For more information, please call (702) 644-7070 or email pmgalleryvegas@aol.com. This inaugural Virtual Exhibition hosted by Peter Max is open to the public Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 1 p.m. at The Art of Peter Max Gallery in The Forum Shops.

New Oyaka.com Finds Hot Ticket Deals to Concerts, Sports
Events, Movies, Theater and More

Visitors Build Online Event-Going Community, Take Advantage
of Unique Site Features Such as Oyaka Mobile and Oyaka Blog

 For anyone who has ever searched
in vain for event tickets, watched ticket prices skyrocket
or just didn't hear about an event until it was too late,
help has arrived. Oyaka.com (http://www.oyaka.com), a new
meta-search engine, is now available to ensure that visitors
never miss another concert, sporting event, play, movie and
more.

Instead of poring over local independent newspapers or
standing in line at the box office or ticket counter for the
latest must-see event, fun-seekers can use the Oyaka search
engine technology quickly and easily to find lists of events
and ticket providers, compare prices and make a purchase.

"We wanted to provide an alternative to ticket outlets such
as Ticketmaster that monopolize the ticketing industry and
limit consumer options. Experience has shown that when a
top-tier outlet runs out of tickets, many consumers
mistakenly believe that an event is sold out," said Brad
Kozlicki, a member of the team of software developers who
created the site. "Now we're putting all of consumers'
options together in one event ticketing directory."

To this end, Oyaka has secured strategic partnerships with a
host of major ticket merchants and event-ticketing Web
sites. "Our directory is on track to be one of the most
comprehensive and reliable online ticket channels
available," stated Kozlicki. "Our beta version is as safe
and dependable as Web sites that have been online for years.
Our business relies on the support and goodwill of our
clients, so their security is always our topmost priority."

Oyaka enhances the online experience with Oyaka Mobile,
which delivers event, price and provider information to
mobile phones, allowing users to check out what's hot
anytime, anywhere and be ready to make their purchase once
they go online. Oyaka Blog enables site users to build their
own communities of fellow entertainment or sports lovers.
Bloggers can upload images, upload links, and change color
schemes and formats while sharing their experiences finding
ticket deals or attending events.

The Oyaka team is constantly adding providers and eventually
the site will have 50 different ticket vendors integrated
into its platform. "We plan to add services to complement
our present search abilities on a continuing basis," said
Kozlicki. "We are determined to create the most
user-friendly ticket-shopping and event community on the
Web." For example, the focus of the site is national, but
Oyaka.com will soon add a local search event dimension to
the site so that users will be able to sign in and find not
just ticketed shows but also free or low-cost local
community events.

  

KOCH Records to Release Debut Album by Prolific Artist Black Ice, "The Death of Willie Lynch," on September 5th, 2006

Black Ice Confirmed for Mary J. Blige Tour

 KOCH Records is thrilled to announce the release of "The Death of Willie Lynch," the debut album by renowned poet Black Ice. The album hits streets on September 5th, 2006 and features artists Musiq Soulchild, Natalie Stewart of Floetry, Vee and Chyna Black.

Black Ice earned his respect as one of the premiere wordsmiths on Russell Simmons' "Def Poetry Jam." Known across the nation as one of the most gifted poets of his generation, Ice has moved crowds to the depths of their deepest emotion with his special brand of spoken word. This fall, KOCH Records and world famous DJ Jazzy Jeff are proud to present Black Ice in a light you have never seen him in before. "The Death of Willie Lynch" showcases his skills with wordplay over 12 tracks. In an unusual move in today's multi-producer projects, Black Ice opted to create "The Death Of Willie Lynch" with one producer, Eric Greene Jr., a phenomenal young producer who has been blazing a trail of his own. A drummer at heart, Eric has kept a steady tempo of rising notoriety, touring with multi-platinum recording artists Jill Scott, Floetry, and Pharrell. In a very organic manner, Black Ice and Eric have combined to revive the notion of the Hip-Hop concept album. "The Death of Willie Lynch" is as thoroughly entertaining as it is socially relevant.

At the personal request of superstar singer Mary J. Blige, Black Ice joins her for The Breakthrough Tour scheduled for more than 30 venues nationwide this summer.

Black Ice has lent his genius to the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, and has made feature TV appearances on BET ("Live 8 Concert Special," "Rap City The Basement" and "106th & Park") and NBC ("Showtime at the Apollo"), in addition to starring in five consecutive seasons of HBO's "Def Poetry Jam." The New York Post has rated his live performance "diamond brilliant". He was cast as a lead member in Def Poetry on Broadway, which went on to win the 2003 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event. Black Ice's talents are also showcased on releases by Pete Rock, Method Man and Fabolous.

In addition to releasing his album, "The Death of Willie Lynch," Black Ice has just completed the "Hoodwatch Movement Mixtape Volume I." He also plans on releasing a book of his prayers, entitled "Me & God," a five year chronicle of Black Ice's journal writings.

 

The tracklisting for "The Death of Willie Lynch" is:  1.  The Path                    7.  Nice2MeetU feat. Vee 2.  The Ugly Show               8.  Hoodwatch!! 3.  A Dream Transferred         9.  Front Page 4.  Find My Way Home           10.  Rain, Hail, Sleet or Snow feat. H. Hill 5.  Lone Soldier               11.  The Real      feat. Chyna Black         12.  SHINE feat. Natalie Stewart of Floetry 6.  takeyatime feat. Musiq 

About KOCH Records

KOCH Records is a division of KOCH Entertainment, the fastest-growing music company and the market leader among independents in North America. The KOCH Entertainment corporate umbrella encompasses the KOCH Records label, KOCH Vision home video, KOCH Music Publishing and KOCH Entertainment Distribution with operations in both the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Records proudly claims the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents for each of the last five years (2001-2005). For additional info on the KOCH Records label and its roster of artists, please visit www.kochrecords.com

  

Ashley Tisdale Signs With Warner Bros. Records

"High School Musical" Star Currently Co-Writing and Recording Debut Album

 Warner Bros. Records is pleased to announce that it has signed singer-actress Ashley Tisdale, the effervescent star of the top-rated TV movie "High School Musical," to an exclusive long-term recording contract. She is currently co-writing and recording her debut album for the label with a stable of world-class writers and producers.

Recently named one of Teen People's "25 Hottest Stars Under 25," Tisdale is best known for her role as Maddie, a hotel candy counter clerk and babysitter of devious twin boys on the Disney Channel series "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." She has also earned enormous popularity through her role in "High School Musical," which premiered in January 2006 and was the highest rated telecast in Disney Channel history.

"Ashley is that unique young woman whose determination, talent, drive, and great sense of style have made her an icon to young people all over the world," says Warner Bros. Records' Senior V.P. of Marketing Lori Feldman. "Add to that a point-of-view and a spectacular voice, and she has the makings of a superstar. We are thrilled that she has chosen Warner Bros. Records as the home for her career as a musical artist."

In addition to the acting credits mentioned above, Tisdale had a featured role in the cult classic film "Donnie Darko" with Jake Gyllenhall, as well as recurring roles on "The George Lopez Show," "Still Standing," and "The Hughleys." She was discovered at the age of three in a mall in her hometown of Monmouth County, NJ, and went on to star in more than 100 national network commercials. Tisdale made her acting debut in a leading role in the national tour of the Broadway musical "Les Misérables" at age eight.

"I am so honored and happy to be a Warner Bros. Recording artist. They have become my second family. They encourage me to be creative, and to be instrumental in the decision making process. My team at Warner Bros. which includes Lori Feldman, Luke Burland, Liz Rosenberg and Wendy Griffiths, have been so warm and wonderful. From the first meeting I knew this was where I was meant to be.

"When I met Tom Whalley, I was completely in awe of him. I was very impressed with how intelligent and worldly he is, and I knew he was the person I wanted to make my first CD with.

"Warner Bros. has hooked me up with the greatest producers in the business and I love my A&R guy, Tommy Page. Tommy was an artist himself and he just gets me.

"I'm ecstatic to be part of the Warner Bros. family. I couldn't imagine a better place to be making my debut CD."

  

  

YesVideo and Fujifilm Portugal, LDA Announce Partnership for Video to DVD Transfer Service

YesVideo Enters the Portuguese Film Transfer Market as Fujifilm Begins to Offer YesDVD Transfer Service: Videotape to DVD Conversion

YesVideo, Inc. (www.yesvideo.com) and Fujifilm Portugal, LDA today announced a partnership to provide YesVideo's affordable, professional video to DVD transfer services through Fujifilm labs in Portugal. YesVideo's patented YesDVD™ digital transfer technology provides an enhanced consumer viewing experience and ensures the preservation of cherished home video footage.

"YesVideo technology is a key component of Fujifilm's digital media strategy," said João Cesar Machado, President of Fujifilm Portugal, LDA. "Fujifilm is looking forward to working with YesVideo to provide video to DVD conversion services, in addition to Fujifilm's existing range of photography products and growing line of digital products."

 

(Click here for details)
The YesDVD case provides an index of chapter
thumbnails as a preview of the DVD footage.

 

Highlighted Links YesVideo website Fujifilm Portugal LDA website

"Our partnership with Fujifilm Portugal is an opportunity to work with a strong, proven distributor as YesVideo expands our presence into the Portuguese market," said Sai-Wai Fu, chief executive officer, YesVideo. "This move is another important step in our global distribution strategy of aligning with the strongest distributor in each market," he continued. "We look forward to working with Fujifilm Portugal to deliver the most advanced digital transfer services available today."

YesVideo's YesDVD service offers an affordable method of preserving home video memories. Unlike VHS videotapes that can easily deteriorate and fade completely in as little as 10 years, DVDs store images in a digital format, with quality that will not degrade with time or with future duplication.

From virtually any home video footage, YesVideo's proprietary YesDVD technology intelligently and automatically indexes 54 chapters so that consumers can easily direct themselves to the scenes they want to view. A finished YesVideo DVD arrives in customized packaging, with a cover that features a visual index of the 54 onscreen chapters, for easy chapter selection.

Pricing and Availability

Portuguese consumers may order video to DVD conversion services at Fujifilm partners labs: Fnac, Auchan, Worten and at Fujifilm main lab, either locally or through internet. YesVideo services through Fujifilm are available now throughout Portugal. For additional information, please visit www.fujinet.pt.

About FujiFilm Portugal, LDA

Fujifilm Portugal, LDA, established in 1920, has been the exclusive Fujifilm distributor for Portugal since 1967. The company distributes photographic products, photofinishing services, medical imaging systems, graphic arts systems and broadcast and computer media. Fujifilm Portugal, LDA's headquarters are located in Porto and the company has a sales office in Lisbon. For more information, please visit www.fujifilm.pt.

About YesVideo

YesVideo, Inc. is dedicated to providing its customers with easy and affordable solutions to preserve and enjoy their video and photographic memories. As the leader in automated digital media authoring, YesVideo develops and utilizes best-in-class video engineering and state-of-the-art software technology to enable top-quality, on-demand DVD and CD video publishing.

Founded in 1999 by Sai-Wai Fu, a pioneer in digital video compression technology, YesVideo is a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, and offices in Tokyo and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.yesvideo.com

 

 

Tatum O'Neal to Star In MyNetworkTV's Upcoming Primetime Drama ``Art of Betrayal''

 Actress Tatum O'Neal has been cast in the lead role of Blythe in MyNetworkTV's upcoming primetime drama "Art of Betrayal," it was announced today by Paul Buccieri, president of programming of Twentieth Television.

"We are thrilled to have Tatum attached to 'Art of Betrayal,'" said Buccieri. "Similar to her character Maggie in FX's 'Rescue Me,' Blythe, an abandoned mother, is a wonderful character that embodies an intensity very seldom seen in primetime television. Tatum is an extraordinary talent and her portrayal of Blythe is something we're very excited about bringing to MyNetworkTV."

Produced by Twentieth Television, principal photography on "Art of Betrayal" will commence later this month. The program will premiere at 8 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific)/7 p.m. (Central) in December and air 65 episodes Monday through Friday for 13-weeks. Hour long recap episodes will air every Saturday.

O'Neal, who most recently has been receiving critical accolades for her role as Maggie Gavin in Denis Leary's heralded FX drama "Rescue Me," will star in "Art of Betrayal" as Blythe, a woman scorned when her husband Theodore leaves her and their two sons Josh and Aaron to marry another woman for money. Twenty years later, Blythe devises a plan to destroy Theodore's successful business and blissful life by grooming Josh and Aaron to marry his two daughters. Intent on ruining his life and gaining the satisfaction of doing so after two decades, not everything goes according to Blythe's plan. "Art of Betrayal" will also star David Smith and Jack Krizmanich as Josh and Aaron, respectively, and Jessica Ward as Emma, one of Theodore's daughters. Additional cast members will be announced in the coming weeks.

In 1974, O'Neal made history by winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Addie Loggins in director Peter Bogdanovich's feature film "Paper Moon." O'Neal was only ten years old at the time, making her the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award -- an honor that stands to this day. She also won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer -- Female for "Paper Moon." O'Neal soon thereafter starred opposite Walter Matthau in the classic hit comedy feature "The Bad News Bears." Her other major feature film credits include "Basquiat," starring with Jeffrey Wright, Benicio Del Toro, David Bowie and Dennis Hopper; "Little Darlings," with Matt Dillon; "International Velvet," featuring Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Plummer; and Bogdanovich's "Nickelodeon."

In addition to "Rescue Me," O'Neal's television resume includes guest starring roles in Dick Wolf's NBC drama "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," HBO's "Sex and the City," the ABC sitcom "8 Simple Rules...For Dating My Teenage Daughter" and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." She has also guest hosted "Entertainment Tonight." In 2004, O'Neal published her best-selling autobiography, "A Paper Life."

Targeted to Adults 18-49 and broadcast television's only all Hi-Definition network, MyNetworkTV will launch on Tuesday, September 5th, 2006, with its two dramas "Desire," scheduled to air 8 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific)/7 p.m. (Central), immediately followed by "Fashion House," starring Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild, at 9 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific)/8 p.m. (Central).

A leader in the U.S. program production and distribution arena, Twentieth Television is a unit of Fox Television and headed by Fox Television Stations' chairman Roger Ailes, while CEO Jack Abernethy oversees day-to-day operations. Twentieth Television provides a wide array of first-run and off-network programming, as well as feature film packages, to the syndication and cable marketplaces. First-run programs distributed by Twentieth Television include "Geraldo at Large," the news strip hosted by Geraldo Rivera, and the popular court shows "Divorce Court" and "Judge Alex," the number one new first-run program of the 2005-06 season. Furthermore, the company is set to launch the new first-run syndicated court show "Cristina's Court," hosted by Cristina Perez, in fall 2006. Twentieth Television also oversees the domestic sales of one of the most extensive libraries of off-net programming in the entertainment industry. Last fall, the company launched the groundbreaking drama "24," starring Kiefer Sutherland, and The Peabody Award-winning sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show" in off-net syndication. Twentieth Television sells national advertising units retained by the company in off-network, theatrical and first-run programming, as well as oversees advertising sales for DIRECTV.

WHAT:   From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker John A. Davis ("Jimmy         Neutron: Boy Genius") and producers Tom Hanks and Gary          Goetzman ("The Polar Express"), the animated family adventure          "The Ant Bully" tells a witty and heartwarming story about a          10-year-old boy who embarks on a remarkable journey. New in          town, friendless and tormented by a neighborhood bully, young         Lucas Nickle has been taking out his frustration on the          innocent ant hill in his yard. But one day the ants retaliate.         Using a magic potion, they shrink Lucas down to ant size         and sentence him to live like an ant in their colony. In this         strange new world Lucas will learn important lessons about          friendship, get a whole new perspective on life and ultimately         find the courage to stand up for himself.          Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary         Pictures, a Playtone Production, in association with DNA          Productions: Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul          Giamatti, Regina King, Bruce Campbell and Lily Tomlin star in          "The Ant Bully," written for the screen and directed by John          A. Davis, based on the book by John Nickle. Produced by Tom          Hanks, Gary Goetzman and John A. Davis, the film is executive         produced by Keith Alcorn, Diana Choi Sachs, Steven Shareshian,         Thomas Tull and William Fay, with Alex Johns serving as         co-executive producer. Music is by John Debney.          "The Ant Bully" will simultaneously debut in select IMAX          theaters as "The Ant Bully: An IMAX 3D Experience." Digitally          converting the film's original 3D modeling into IMAX 3D, and          featuring proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering)          technology, it offers moviegoers an additional and uniquely          immersive perspective on Lucas' adventures into this wondrous         new world.  WHO:    From the film: Producer Tom Hanks, director John A. Davis,         and voice talent Cheri Oteri, Larry Miller and Zach Tyler          Eisen. Celebrity attendance includes Drake Bell, Lauren Holly,         Jamie Lynn Spears, Matthew St. Patrick and many more.  WHEN:   Sunday, July 23, 2006        WHERE: Grauman's Chinese                      6925 Hollywood Blvd.         Celebrity Arrivals: 3:15PM          Hollywood         Screening: 4:00PM              "The Ant Bully" has been rated "PG" by the Motion Picture Association            of America for "some mild rude humor and action."                            http://www.theantbully.com    The Ant Bully will be released nationwide on Friday, July 28, 2006     by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Louis Leterrier to Direct Marvel Studios' the Incredible Hulk

Continuing its strategy to independently develop and produce a new slate of feature films, Marvel Studios - a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) - has signed top rising director Louis Leterrier to direct a new big screen adaptation of The Incredible Hulk, based on the legendary Marvel Super Hero. The announcement was made today by Michael Helfant, President/COO of Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige, President of Production for Marvel Studios.

Leterrier recently directed Transporter 2, which opened at the top of the box office earlier this year, as well as the critically-acclaimed Unleashed, starring Jet Li, Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins.

The Incredible Hulk will return to the roots of the long-running comic series, combining a well-developed character storyline with incredible action and fun. Zak Penn, who previously collaborated with Marvel on X2 and this summer's smash hit X-Men: The Last Stand, is writing the script. The project is being produced by Avi Arad, Kevin Feige and Gale Ann Hurd and will be executive produced by Michael Helfant and Ari Arad. Marvel Studios will begin casting immediately. No release date has been set.

"Leterrier has a tremendous passion for this genre and shares our vision for the new direction of the Incredible Hulk franchise, one of the gems of the Marvel Universe," said Kevin Feige. "We are very excited to be working with such a talented director to bring one of our pre-eminent Super Hero franchises back to the big screen, and we are certain that he will bring the Hulk to life in a way that will appeal to a mass audience as well as the core Super Hero fan base."

Leterrier will be formally introduced during a Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22.

Universal will distribute the Incredible Hulk domestically and in various international territories. This project, the second feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment, is expected to be financed through Marvel's $525 million revolving film financing facility.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused on utilizing its character franchises in licensing, entertainment, publishing and toys. Areas of emphasis include feature films, DVD/home video, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. Rooted in the creative success of over sixty years of comic book publishing, Marvel's strategy is to leverage its character franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world.

Except for any historical information that they contain, the statements in this news release regarding Marvel's plans are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including circumstances that may affect Marvel's ability to commence or complete production of its films, and the risk of poor performance of the films in the marketplace. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in Marvel's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Marvel's Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Marvel assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Marvel, The Incredible Hulk and all related character names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc. and are used with permission. Copyright (C) 2006 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.marvel.com.

Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov's Smoke House Signs Three-Year, First-Look Deal with Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Television

Smoke House builds on the successful partnership Clooney and Heslov developed at Section Eight, the Warner Bros.-based production company started by Clooney and Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh. In 2005, Clooney and Heslov co-wrote "Good Night, and Good Luck," which Clooney directed and Heslov produced. The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

"George and Grant are both gifted filmmakers in their own right; put them together and they become an incomparable force," said Robinov. "We are proud to support them in this new endeavor and look forward to collaborating with them on many films to come."

"George and Grant are two of the most respected and admired talents in our industry," said Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television. "We are thrilled to continue our relationship with them and look forward to developing many successful television projects with their new company."

Clooney and Soderbergh first formed Section Eight in 2000, signing a first-look deal with Warner Bros. The company went on to produce such films as "Ocean's Eleven" and "Ocean's Twelve" with Jerry Weintraub, "Syriana" and "Good Night, and Good Luck," as well as two television series for HBO, "Unscripted" and "K Street."

Multi-hyphenate Clooney has risen in his career from a lead on the long-running Warner Bros. Television series "ER" to breakout in such films as "Out of Sight" for director Soderbergh, and Joel and Ethan Coen's "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" for which he received a Golden Globe Award. Most recently he appeared in an extraordinary ensemble cast in the critically-acclaimed "Syriana," for which he garnered the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He has also executive-produced an array of movies from "Insomnia" to "Far From Heaven," among numerous films via Section Eight. Clooney stepped behind the camera for the first time with "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" in 2002 and went on to direct and star in "Good Night, and Good Luck," which he co-wrote with Heslov. The duo earned an Academy Award nomination for their original screenplay.

Heslov joined Section Eight five years ago as a development executive for the film division. He subsequently became president of Section Eight Television, where he served as an executive producer with Clooney and Soderbergh on the Washington lobbyist satire "K Street" and the critical favorite "Unscripted," which followed three struggling actors in Hollywood. Collaborating with Clooney, he co-wrote and produced "Good Night, And Good Luck." The Producer's Guild of America honored Heslov with the Stanley Kramer Award for producing the film, and he and Clooney received the Paul Selvin Award from the Writer's Guild of America for their screenplay. In addition to its Oscar nods, "Good Night, and Good Luck" also earned the Best Film honor from the National Board of Review.

The existing Section Eight film slate will continue to be produced by Soderbergh and Section Eight president Jennifer Fox. The Smoke House deal will extend the relationship between Clooney and Heslov and Warner Bros. through 2009.

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Liberty Artists, a New York-based film company has decided to take a different route and provide substantive, meaningful family oriented films using African American and other minority experiences as its central subject matter. Their first feature film, MY BROTHER, starring Vanessa L. Williams (UPN's South Beach and Ugly Betty), Nashawn Kearse (ABC's Desperate Housewives), and Tatum O'Neal (Dancing With The Stars), written and directed by the renowned award-winning Director Anthony Lover, will be released September 2006. The American Black Film Festival will premier, MY BROTHER, Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 2:00pm at The Regal Cinemas in Miami, Florida.

My Brother is a unique, compelling story about two underprivileged brothers from Brooklyn, New York, their quest to develop as young men, and retain their commitment to one another. One brother, James (played old and young by Christopher Scott and Donovan Jennings), is developmentally disabled, but functional. Their mother L'Tisha (Vanessa L. Williams) helps forge a bond between the brothers that neither time nor distance can break. Her efforts are proven as we watch the boys overcome impossible odds on their way to adulthood, illustrating the tag line, "Two Brothers, One Soul." Christopher Scott will receive the "Courage Award - They said it could not be done" honor from L.Marilyn Crawford, President and CEO, Primetime and Founder of Pre-Oscar Week Tinseltown to Gotham.

Writer-Director Anthony Lover states, "For a long time I have watched the industry spiral down, promoting misogynist lyrics, negativism, sex and violence only. I knew there existed an audience who could appreciate a film that emphasized and celebrated the positive influences in the minority and urban culture communities." Fortunately, the company's backers felt the same way. Liberty Artists has pledged to produce two films per year over the next three years and has stepped to the table with the right formula for growth, impact and inspiration.

"The bottom line is, once this is a proven business investment, everyone will jump on the wagon creating masterpieces that reflect the magnitude of the African American experience. We have set the ball in motion for a positive change in movie trends, which hopefully will spill over into music and other avenues," says Greg Segal, Vice President of Liberty Studios.

Liberty Artists is a film company on the verge of releasing a new and needed concept to the film industry: Heart-felt, family oriented films that use the African American experience as its subject matter. The film company is also focused internally on creating screenplays as well as commissioning and supervising additional screenwriters and directors to develop stories that are strategically tailor-made to appeal to the African American market and to larger cross over markets beyond. Also to its credit, Liberty Artists' lower budgeted productions will have the look and sound of well-made Hollywood films.

Source: Liberty Artists

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 Lindsay Lohan celebrated her 20th birthday in style, and her favorite gifts were stunning diamond and sapphire bangle bracelets created by Whiteflash.com. Life & Style hosted a "roaring 20s" celebration with a 1920s-inspired theme and presented the celeb with the diamond bangles.

"I love them!" said Lindsay of her two new bangles, crafted in white gold and set with a combined four carats in premium diamonds and baby pink sapphires. A total weight of 2.2 carats in diamonds and sapphires adorned the first bangle while the other, complementary of its partner, was set with 2.0 carats in "A Cut Above" brand diamonds, exclusive to Whiteflash.com. All told, the combined bling is worth $4,480.

According to the magazine, the Whiteflash.com creations topped Lindsay's list of favorite gifts. Life & Style presented them to her after mingling with her 50 dinner guests, and then "the real partying" began. An additional 100 guests arrived to dance and karaoke. Lindsay was the star attraction, singing Journey and Madonna, dazzling her guests with both her talent and her new bangle bracelets. "How will I ever be able to top this for my 21st birthday?" asked Lindsay.

Interested in picking up Lohan's diamond and sapphire bangles at Whiteflash.com? Visit their online boutique at http://www.whiteflash.com/

About Whiteflash.com

Whiteflash.com is the first company in the U.S. to offer an exclusive brand of Hearts & Arrows diamond and bring the sheer beauty of "super ideal cut" to the Internet. Brian Gavin, a 5th generation diamond cutter, and Debi Wexler, a computer entrepreneur, together founded Whiteflash.com in 1999; bringing an expansive selection of loose diamonds to the Internet, including an exclusive brand of Hearts & Arrows diamonds. "A Cut Above" (ACA(TM)) is unmatched in its brilliance, fire and sparkle and remains the only Hearts & Arrows diamond sold online with advertised standards and a "true patterning" guarantee. Whiteflash.com also offers original, handcrafted platinum and gold settings, diamond engagement rings and wedding bands, custom designs and specialty jewelry.

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- Sultry Sounds and Convenient Travel Package Heat Up Bermuda This Fall -

 The multi-talented Steve Harvey, comedian, actor and radio personality, will host this year's much anticipated Bermuda Music Festival October 4-7, 2006. The "King of Comedy" brings added funk to the 11th annual music festival's already eclectic combination of rhythm & blues, jazz and soul - along with an easy-to-book travel package - to the lineup of legendary stars.

This year's showstoppers include legends such as Gladys Knight, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band, while also highlighting chart toppers such as India.Arie, Teena Marie and Anthony Hamilton. The favorite songs of classic soul groups such as The Original Manhattans featuring Gerald Alston & Blue Lovette, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes and The Trammps will beckon guests to groove on Bermuda's pink sand.

Exclusive Bermuda Music Festival package rates start at $1,288* per person for four-day/three-night stays based on double occupancy and include airfare, hotel accommodations, and general admission to festival events. Packages can be reserved from the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Additional packages available for five- day/four-night and seven-day/six-night stays, as well as upgraded event ticketing.

Set on a spectacular stage built over the water at Bermuda's historic Royal Naval Dockyard, the Bermuda Music Festival's current performance schedule is as follows:

  * Wednesday, October 4 at Fairmont Southampton, Whaler Inn     Performers: Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, The Trammps and a Bermudian     artist    * Thursday, October 5 at Royal Naval Dockyard     Performers: Steve Harvey as emcee, Gladys Knight, The Original     Manhattans featuring Gerald Alston & Blue Lovette and Bermudian artists    * Friday, October 6 at Royal Naval Dockyard     Performers: Steve Harvey as emcee, Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band,     India.Arie, Anthony Hamilton and Bermudian artists    * Saturday, October 7 at Royal Naval Dockyard     Performers: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Teena Marie, Bermuda's own     Ras Mykkal and other Bermudian artists  

For additional details, tickets and package information, please visit the Bermuda Music Festival website at www.bermudamusicfestival.com or call 800- BERMUDA (800-237-6832). Fairmont is the official host hotel of the 2006 Bermuda Music Festival.

Bermuda, less than two hours from East Coast gateway cities, stretches for 23 miles along turquoise waters, surrounded by a 200-square-mile coral reef plateau. Bermuda's diverse activities offer an array of vacation options, including more wreck dives than anywhere else in the world, championship golf, horseback riding, world-renowned deep sea fishing and smooth pink beaches to rest on by day's end. Accommodations range from luxury resorts to intimate guest cottages and family-run inns, all incorporating the sophistication and hospitality unique to the Bermuda experience. For more information about Bermuda, visit www.bermudatourism.com.

* The above rates are based on a minimum 3 night hotel accommodations at participating properties through GOGO WORLDWIDE VACATIONS and are based on Coach Class from (appropriate gateway and on applicable airline). Rates are per person and based on double occupancy. Rates include applicable nights hotel accommodations at participating properties and 3 nights general admission tickets to the Bermuda Music Festival taking place October 4-7, 2006. Single and triple rates available on request. Travel is valid 10-01-2006 to 10-09-2006. Packages must be booked by 10-03-2006. Actual effective dates and savings may vary by resort. Rates and promotion may change without notice and are subject to availability. Seasonal surcharges, cancellation charges, blackout dates, and other restrictions may apply. Offer cannot be combined with other offers and is for new bookings only. EP (European Plan) no meals unless noted. Special features: 3-day general admission. Airfare: Coach class

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Showcase Helps Qualify Docs for Oscar(R) Consideration

The International Documentary Association (IDA) is featuring 16 documentaries in its 10th Annual Theatrical Documentary Showcase, DocuWeek(TM). A dozen feature length documentaries and four short nonfiction films will be shown on two screens at the ArcLight(R) Hollywood from August 18-24 before traveling to other venues across the country.

"We developed this showcase to give deserving filmmakers an opportunity to qualify for Oscar(R) consideration by providing theatrical platforms where their films can be seen," says IDA Executive Director Sandra Ruch. "We also want to keep encouraging exhibitors to dedicate more screens to nonfiction films."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' rules require documentary features to be exhibited on theatrical screens for paid admissions in either Los Angeles County or Manhattan for at least seven consecutive days, as well as in eight other cities.

Since its inception 10 years ago, 17 films featured in the showcase have gone on to be nominated for Academy Awards(R) with four films winning Oscars.

  Features appearing in the 2006 DocuWeek are:    * ABDUCTION: THE MEGUMI YOKOTA STORY is the chilling account of a     13-year-old Japanese girl who was abducted by North Korean spies in     1977.    * AN UNREASONABLE MAN traces the life and career of Ralph Nader, one of     the more controversial political figures of the past half-century.    * BLACK GOLD follows one man's fight for fair trade in the multi-billion     dollar coffee industry.    * DELIVER US FROM EVIL is the story of Oliver O'Grady -- a notorious     pedophile priest in the modern history of the Catholic Church.    * THE GROUND TRUTH follows patriotic young Americans, articulating their     war stories on-camera.    * IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS illuminates post-war Iraq in three acts, building a     vivid picture of a country pulled in different directions by religion     and ethnicity.    * JESUS CAMP is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that     recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of     America's political future.    * PURVIS OF OVERTOWN is the story of Purvis Young who taught himself to     paint while in prison, and is now an acclaimed contemporary artist.    * SO MUCH SO FAST focuses on Stephen Heywood who finds out he has a     paralyzing neurological disorder and how it affects his life and loved     ones.    * THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED is an unprecedented investigation into the     secret Motion Picture Association of America's film ratings system and     its profound impact on American culture.    * TOOTS is an authentic portrait of legendary, self-made Manhattan     saloonkeeper Toots Shor.    * THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT is the portrait of a wrongful conviction that     offers a haunting examination of a community and criminal justice     system subject to racial bias and tainted by fear.    DocuWeek also features the following short films (40 minutes or less):    * THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT documents a year in the life of children     in the remote villages of China who have lost their parents to AIDS.    * HALF LIFE: A JOURNEY TO CHERNOBYL tells the story of the people who     dealt with the world's worst nuclear disaster at ground level.    * A SON'S SACRIFICE follows the journey of a young American Muslim who     confronts his roots at his father's slaughterhouse in New York City.    * PHOENIX DANCE is the story of accomplished dancer Homer Avila when he     returns to the stage after losing a leg to cancer.  

A complete schedule is available on the IDA website at www.documentary.org.

Tickets and Showcase passes for the Hollywood run of DocuWeek are only available at the ArcLight Hollywood box office (6360 Sunset Blvd.) beginning July 28, 2006, or at www.ArcLightCinemas.com. General admission is $11. Passes are $110 for the full week or $50 for a day.

The IDA is a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. For more information about IDA, visit www.documentary.org or call 213-534-3600.

DocuWeek is a trademark of the International Documentary Association.

Oscar and Academy Award are registered trademarks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

ArcLight is a registered trademark of ArcLight Cinemas Company.

IFC and The Independent Film Channel are service marks of The Independent Film Channel LLC. (c)

Source: International Documentary Association

Posted by monte at 02:01 PM | Permalink

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The Conference Board reports today that the Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators edged up by 0.1% in June, following a 0.6% decline in May, and a 0.1% decrease in April.

Says Ken Goldstein, Labor Economist at The Conference Board: "The U.S. economy is cooling at mid-year. The Leading Economic Indicators started to soften a year ago and, but for the interruption caused by the hurricanes and flooding and their aftermath, it has continued through June. This basic trend has been intensified by higher energy prices and a cooling off in the housing market. The LEI suggest that the economy could cool even more in the third and fourth quarters of the year."

The Conference Board also reports that the Coincident Index increased 0.2% in June, following a 0.1% increase in May, and a 0.2% increase in each of the four prior months. The Lagging Index rose by 0.6% in June, following a 0.2% increase in both April and May.

The Conference Board(R) U.S. Business Cycle Indicators(SM)

U.S. Leading Economic Indicators and Related Composite Indexes for JUNE 2006

The Conference Board announced today that the U.S. leading index increased 0.1

percent, the coincident index increased 0.2 percent and the lagging index                       increased 0.6 percent in June.    -- The leading index increased slightly in June, following two consecutive      declines.  The largest negative contributors to the leading index in      June were vendor performance and building permits.  From December to      June, the leading index fell by 0.3 percent (a -0.6 percent annual      rate).  Declining housing permits continued to be the largest negative      contributor over this period.    -- The coincident index, a measure of current economic activity, continued      to increase steadily as it has since September 2005.  But its growth      moderated slightly in the second quarter of 2006.  From December to      June, the coincident index grew 1.1 percent (a 2.2 percent annual      rate), and employment and industrial production were the major      contributors to this growth.    -- The leading index has fallen below its most recent high reached in      January and the strengths among the leading indicators have gradually      become less widespread in recent months.  The current behavior of the      leading index suggests that economic growth should continue, but at a      slow to moderate rate in the near term.  

LEADING INDICATORS. Six of the ten indicators that make up the leading index increased in June. The positive contributors -- beginning with the largest positive contributor -- were average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance (inverted), index of consumer expectations, real money supply*, average weekly manufacturing hours, interest rate spread, and manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods*. The negative contributors -- beginning with the largest negative contributor -- were vendor performance, building permits, and stock prices. The manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials* held steady in June.

The leading index now stands at 138.1 (1996=100). Based on revised data, this index decreased 0.6 percent in May and decreased 0.1 percent in April. During the six-month span through June, the leading index decreased 0.3 percent, with five out of ten components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals fifty percent).

COINCIDENT INDICATORS. All four indicators that make up the coincident index increased in June. The positive contributors to the index -- beginning with the largest positive contributor -- were industrial production, personal income less transfer payments*, employees on nonagricultural payrolls, and manufacturing and trade sales*.

The coincident index now stands at 122.9 (1996=100). Based on revised data, this index increased 0.1 percent in May and increased 0.2 percent in April. During the six-month period through June, the coincident index increased 1.1 percent.

LAGGING INDICATORS. The lagging index stands at 123.7 (1996=100) in June, with all seven components advancing. The positive contributors to the index - - beginning with the largest positive contributor -- were average duration of unemployment (inverted), commercial and industrial loans outstanding*, change in CPI for services, change in labor cost per unit of output*, average prime rate charged by banks, ratio of consumer installment credit to personal income*, and ratio of manufacturing and trade inventories to sales*. Based on revised data, the lagging index increased 0.2 percent in both May and April.

DATA AVAILABILITY AND NOTES.

The data series used by The Conference Board to compute the three composite indexes and reported in the tables in this release are those available "as of" 12 Noon on July 19, 2006. Some series are estimated as noted below.

* Series in the leading index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials, manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate the money supply. Series in the coincident index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are personal income less transfer payments and manufacturing and trade sales. Series in the lagging index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are inventories to sales ratio, consumer installment credit to income ratio, change in labor cost per unit of output, the consumer price index, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate commercial and industrial loans outstanding.

The procedure used to estimate the current month's personal consumption expenditure deflator (used in the calculation of real money supply and commercial and industrial loans outstanding) now incorporates the current month's consumer price index when it is available before the release of the U.S. Leading Economic Indicators.

Effective with the September 18, 2003 release, the method for calculating manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials (A0M008) and manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods (A0M027) has been revised. Both series are now constructed by deflating nominal aggregate new orders data instead of aggregating deflated industry level new orders data. Both the new and the old methods utilize appropriate producer price indices. This simplification remedies several issues raised by the recent conversion of industry data to the North American Classification System (NAICS), as well as several other issues, e.g. the treatment of semiconductor orders. While this simplification caused a slight shift in the levels of both new orders series, the growth rates were essentially the same. As a result, this simplification had no significant effect on the leading index.

Effective with the January 22, 2004 release a programming error in the calculation of the leading index -- in place since January 2002 -- has been corrected. The cyclical behavior of the leading index was not affected by either the calculation error or its correction, but the level of the index in the 1959-1996 period is slightly higher.

  Website: http://www.conference-board.org/economics/bci                                      Summary Table of                                     Composite Indexes                                 2006                              6-month                                Apr         May         Jun      Dec to Jun    Leading index               138.7       137.9       138.1 p     Percent Change              -.1         -.6          .1 p      -0.3     Diffusion                  40.0        25.0        65.0        50.0    Coincident Index            122.5 r     122.6 p     122.9 p     Percent Change               .2          .1 p        .2 p       1.1     Diffusion                  75.0        75.0       100.0       100.0    Lagging Index               122.7 p     123.0 p     123.7 p     Percent Change               .2 p        .2 p        .6 p       1.6     Diffusion                  71.4        50.0        92.9        42.9    n.a.  Not available     p  Preliminary     r  Revised   Indexes equal 100 in 1996   Source:  The Conference Board 

Source: The Conference Board

Posted by monte at 02:00 PM | Permalink

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-- With mid-term elections now less than four months away, a new Harris Poll finds that Democrats have widened their lead over the Republicans in the race for control of Congress. Results show that if the election for Congress were held today, more than two in five (44%) adults would vote for the Democratic candidate, while about one-third (31%) would vote for the Republican candidate, 17 percent would vote for someone else, and just seven percent are undecided.

These are results from the latest Harris Poll of 1,002 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone between July 7 and 10, 2006 by Harris Interactive(R).

  Other interesting findings regarding the congressional ballot include:    --  With a margin of 13 percentage points, the Democrats' lead over the       Republicans has increased from a four-point lead in April and 11-point       lead in January.    --  The Democrats lead among nearly every demographic subgroup examined.       The lone exception is college graduates (37% Republican, 34% Democrat,       and 21% other), where they are essentially tied with Republicans. The       Republican candidate for Congress also faces difficulty among some       traditionally supportive groups such as men (33% Republican, 43%       Democrat), married adults (35% Republican, 40% Democrat), and more       affluent adults (those with a household income of $60K or more: 37%       Republican, 43% Democrat).    --  Another issue facing the Republican Party lies with support among       conservatives (48% would vote for the Republican candidate, 32%       Democratic candidate, and 15% another candidate) and moderates (25%       Republican, 50% Democrat, and 18% other), two important segments of       their coalition. On the other hand, a Democratic candidate currently       draws 68 percent of the liberal vote compared to 13 percent for       Republicans and 12 percent for another candidate.    --  The Democratic candidate appears to garner slightly stronger support       among its base than does the Republican candidate (86% of Democrats       would support their candidate vs. 82% of Republicans would support       their candidate).    --  True to their label, Independents show no real preference with 35       percent supporting the Democrat, 25 percent the Republican, and 30       percent another candidate.    Right direction or wrong track 

The mood of the nation is essentially unchanged since our last Harris Poll. Currently, 28 percent of U.S. adults think that things are going in the right direction while 61 percent believe the country has gotten off on the wrong track. In June the figures were 28 percent right direction and 64 percent wrong track. Generally speaking, when a majority of adults believe things are on the wrong track they are more likely to consider challengers to incumbent officeholders in elections. Combined with the voter preference for Congress, continued negative mood about the nation could put Republican control of Congress in question.

Presidential ratings

President Bush's job approval rating is only marginally better than it was a month ago. Two-thirds of U.S. adults still have a negative view of the President's job performance (65%) while 34 percent are positive. This compares to 67 percent negative and 33 percent positive in June. A majority of adults across demographic subgroups have a negative opinion of the president's job handling.

The president still has some problems with his base supporters. While his job standing has improved among Republicans, rising from 68 percent in June to 74 percent currently, he is not faring as well among conservatives. Slightly less than half of self-identified conservative adults have a positive impression of President Bush's job handling (46%).

Important issues

Concern about the war in Iraq continues to dominate the issue agenda and is the only issue which shows a significant increase in mentions. Concern about the war now stands at 32 percent, up from 27 percent last month. Mentions of the economy (15%) and immigration (13%) form a second tier of important issues for the government to address. New to the list this month is concern about North Korea (2%), which could be a result of the missile testing by that country just before the survey was conducted.

                                 TABLE 1                    PRESIDENT BUSH'S OVERALL JOB RATING                       (Excludes Not Sure Responses)  "How would you rate the overall job President George W. Bush is doing as          president - excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?"    Base: All Adults                            TREND          Positive*         Negative**    2006                    July      %       34                65                           June      %       33                67                            May      %       29                71                          April      %       35                63                          March      %       36                64                        February     %       40                58                         January     %       43                56   2005                  November    %       34                65                         August      %       40                58                           June      %       45                55                          April      %       44                56                        February     %       48                51   2004                  November    %       50                49                         October     %       51                49                        September    %       45                54                          August     %       48                51                           June      %       50                49                          April      %       48                51                         February    %       51                48   2003                  December    %       50                49                         October     %       59                40                          August     %       57                41                           June      %       61                36                          April      %       70                29                         February    %       52                46   2002                  December    %       64                35                         November    %       65                33                         October     %       64                35                        September    %       68                30                         August      %       63                37                          July       %       62                37                           June      %       70                28                           May       %       74                25                          April      %       75                23                          March      %       77                22                        February     %       79                20                        January      %       79                19   2001                  December    %       82                17                         November    %       86                12                         October     %       88                11                         August      %       52                43                          July       %       56                39                          June       %       50                46                          May        %       59                35                         March       %       49                38                        February     %       56                26    *Positive = excellent or pretty good.   **Negative = only fair or poor.                                    TABLE 2                     PRESIDENT JOB RATING - BY PARTY ID                            (Positive* Ratings)  "How would you rate the overall job President George W. Bush is doing as                                president?"    Base: All Adults                      Total                 Party ID                               Republican      Independent      Democrat                        %            %              %               %   July                34           74             23              14   June                33           68             27              14   May                 29           67             19              10    *Positive = excellent or pretty good.                                    TABLE 3               PRESIDENT JOB RATING - BY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY                            (Positive* Ratings)  "How would you rate the overall job President George W. Bush is doing as                                president?"    Base: All Adults                   Total                     Political Philosophy                                 Conservative     Moderate      Liberal                   %                 %               %             %   July           34                46              29            21   June           33                55              28            13   May            29                46              24            10    *Positive = excellent or pretty good.                                    TABLE 4                       CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults    TREND               Republican    Democrat     Other+    Undecided*+   July       %           31           44           17           7   April      %           37           41           15           6   January    %           34           43           14           9    *Undecided = No preference/don't know/refused   +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 5                CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY PARTY ID 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                      Total                 Party ID                              Republican         Independent     Democrat                      %            %                  %             %   Republican        31           82                 25             3   Democrat          44            5                 35            86   Other+            17            7                 30             9    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 6                CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY IDEOLOGY 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                     Total                 Political Philosophy                             Conservative          Moderate      Liberal                      %            %                  %             %   Republican        31           48                 25            13   Democrat          44           32                 50            68   Other+            17           15                 18            12    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 7               CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY EDUCATION 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                    Total         Highest Level of Education                              Some       College       At Least Some                             College     Graduate      Post-Graduate                             or Less                     %          %            %              %   Republican       31         29           37             37   Democrat         44         47           34             44   Other+           17         16           21             16    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 8                  CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY SEX 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                     Total                              Sex                                               Male           Female                      %                         %               %   Republican        31                         33              30   Democrat          44                         43              46   Other+            17                         17              16    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 9             CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY MARITAL STATUS 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                  Total                    Marital Status                               Married     Single     Divorced/     Widowed                                                      Separated                   %              %          %            %            %   Republican     31             35         28           28           13   Democrat       44             40         51           53           64   Other+         17             17         15           20           13    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 10            CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION RESULTS - BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME 

"If the election for Congress were being held today, would you be voting for

          the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate?"    Base: All Adults                   Total                      Household Income                               Less than $30K    $30k to $60k        $60k+                    %                %                 %               %   Republican      31               27                23              37   Democrat        44               49                27              43   Other+          17               16                 9              17    +Volunteered response                                    TABLE 11                       RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK      (Excludes No Opinion, Not Sure and Decline to Answer Responses) 

"Generally speaking, would you say things in the country are going in the right direction or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?"

  Base: All Adults                    TREND             Right Direction        Wrong Track   2006            July      %            28                     61                   June      %            28                     64                    May      %            24                     69                   April     %            27                     65                   March     %            31                     60                 February    %            32                     59                 January     %            33                     54   2005          November    %            27                     68                  August     %            37                     59                   June      %            38                     55                 January     %            46                     48   2004         September    %            38                     57                   June      %            35                     59   2003          December    %            35                     57                   June      %            44                     51   2002          December    %            36                     57                   June      %            46                     48   2001          December    %            65                     32                   June      %            43                     52                 January     %            46                     39   2000           October    %            50                     41                   June      %            40                     51                 January     %            50                     38   1999            June      %            37                     55                   March     %            47                     45   1998          December    %            43                     51                   June      %            48                     44   1997          December    %            39                     56                   April     %            36                     55   1996          December    %            38                     50                   June      %            29                     64   1995          December    %            26                     62                   June      %            24                     65   1994          December    %            29                     63                   June      %            28                     65                                    TABLE 12              MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR GOVERNMENT to address                     (Spontaneous, Unprompted Replies) "What do you think are the two most important issues for the government to                                 address?"    Base: All Adults                                       '95  '96  '97  '98  '99  '00  '01  '02                                      Feb April May  Jan  Feb  Aug  Dec  Dec                                       %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %   (The) war                           X    X    X    X    X    X    12   18   The economy (non-specific)          7   14    8    9    7    5    32   34   Immigration                         2    2    2    1    *    1     1    1   Gas and oil prices                  X    X    X    X    X    X     X    X   Healthcare (not Medicare)           25   16   10   11   12   15    5   10   Iraq / (Saddam Hussein)              *    *    *    *    1    -    -   11   Education                           10   14   15   14   21   25   12   11   Employment/jobs                     10    9    5    3    4    4    7    8   Terrorism                           X     X    X    X    X    X   22   17   Social security                     x     X    6    6   24   16    3    2   Energy                              X     X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Taxes                               12   11   14   16   12   13    6    5   Homeland/domestic security/public    safety                              X    X    X    X    X    X    8    9   Budget/Government spending           X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   (Programs for) the poor/ poverty    10    2    3    2    2    3    1    2   Military/defense                     1    1    2    2    2    4    4    1   Environment                          1    1    3    2    3    3    1    3   Domestic/social issues (non-    specific)                           4    4    2    3    2    2    2    2   Crime/violence                      21   16   19   13    8   10    1    2   Foreign policy (non-specific)        2    3    3    5    4    3    2    4   North Korea                          X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Medicare                             X    3    4    5    5    6    1    1   Homelessness                         -    3    4    4    3    3    2    2   Peace/world peace/nuclear arms       1    3    1    3    3    1    2    2   Inflation                            X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   National security                    X    X    X    X    2    2    6    3   Same sex rights                      X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Drugs                                3    4    8    6    2    5    2    3   Human/civil/women's rights           1    2    2    1    *    1    1    1   Religion (decline of)                1    *    *    1    *    1    2    1   Abortion                             3    4    2    2    2    6    1    1   Disaster relief/Hurricane Relief     x    x    x    x    x    X    X    x   Family values (decline of)           2    2    2    1    2    1    *    *   Judicial/Legal Issues                X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Welfare                             16   13   14    8    4    2    1    1   Honesty/Integrity/Moral Values       X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Ethics in government                 *    *    *    *    *    *    1    1   School safety                        X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Downsizing government                X    X    X    X    X    1    *    X   Bush/president                       x    x    x    x    x    X    X    x   Medical research                     X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X   Middle East peace process between    Palestinians and Israel             X    X    X    X    X    X    2    2   Anthrax/Biological attack            -    -    -    -    -    -    1    1   CIA leak                             x    x    x    x    x    X    X    x   FEMA                                 x    x    x    x    x    X    X    x   Election/Voter reform                X    X    X    X    X    X    X    1   Other(1)                             7    7    8   19    2   19    3    8   Not sure/refused/no issue            7    7    9   12   16   18   11   10                                   '03  '04  '05  '06  '06  '06  '06  '06  '06                                 Jun  Oct  Aug  Feb  Mar April May June July                                  %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %   (The) war                       8   35   41   27   21   23   28   27   32   The economy (non-specific)     25   28   19   15   15   12   13   14   15   Immigration                     2    2    3    5    4   19   16   20   13   Gas and oil prices              1    1   10    2    5    3   14    8    9   Healthcare (not Medicare)      14   18   11   20   16   13    8   12    8   Iraq / (Saddam Hussein)         3    9    6    5    7    7    7    8    8   Education                      13    7    8    8    7   10    5    7    8   Employment/jobs                 8   10    3    5    8    6    5    7    6   Terrorism                      11    7    7    6    6    3    3    4    5   Social security                 4    4   10    7    7    5    4    5    4   Energy                          1    1    4    4    3    3    x    4    4   Taxes                          11    8    5    6    5    5    5    4    4   Homeland/domestic    security/public safety         3    6    2    3    4    3    3    2    3   Budget/Government spending      X    X    X    X    X    X    3    5    2   (Programs for) the poor/    poverty                        3    *    4    5    4    4    3    4    2   Military/defense                5    3    1    3    3    2    1    4    2   Environment                     2    1    3    2    1    1    2    3    2   Domestic/social issues (non-    specific)                      1    2    2    *    2    *    1    3    2   Crime/violence                  3    1    3    1    1    3    2    2    2   Foreign policy (non-specific)   2    3    2    3    3    3    4    2    2   North Korea                     X    X    X    X    X    X    X    X    2   Medicare                        4    3    2    5    3    3    2    1    2   Homelessness                    1    *    1    1    1    2    2    1    2   Peace/world peace/nuclear    arms                           3    *    1    1    2    1    1    1    2   Inflation                       X    X    1    1    1    1    2    2    1   National security               6    5    2    2    3    2    3    2    1   Same sex rights                 X    1    1    *    *    1    *    2    1   Drugs                           3    *    2    1    1    2    2    1    1   Human/civil/women's rights      *    1    1    1    *    1    2    1    1   Religion (decline of)           1    1    *    *    1    1    2    1    1   Abortion                        1    4    2    1    2    1    2    1    1   Disaster relief/Hurricane    Relief                         x    X    x    1    2    *    *    1    1   Family values (decline of)      1    1    1    *    *    *    *    1    1   Judicial/Legal Issues           X    *    2    1    1    *    *    1    1   Welfare                         3    *    3    1    1    2    1    1    1   Honesty/Integrity/Moral    Values                         X    2    2    *    1    1    *    1    1   Ethics in government            1    1    1    1    X    1    2    1    *   School safety                   2    *    1    1    *    *    *    1    *   Downsizing government           X    1    *    *    1    1    *    1    *   Bush/president                  x    X    x    1    1    *    1    X    *   Medical research                2    2    1    2    1    1    1    *    *   Middle East peace process    between Palestinians and    Israel                         2    *    1    1    1    2    1    *    *   Anthrax/Biological attack       1    X    *    X    *    *    *    *    *   CIA leak                        x    X    x    X    *    1    *    *    *   FEMA                            x    X    x    *    X    *    *    *    *   Election/Voter reform           1    *    1    1    *    *    *    *    *   Other(1)                        8    8    1    5    4    4    6    6    3   Not sure/refused/no issue      12    9    8    6    8    4    4    6    8     * = Less than 0.5%    X = Not mentioned as specific issue   (1) Including government/politics (nonspecific), personal finance,       housing, Supreme Court, air travel safety, Democrats, Republicans,       corporate scandals/fraud, and programs for the elderly (not       Medicare/Social Security)    Methodology 

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted by telephone within the United States between July 7 and 10, 2006 among a nationwide cross section of 1,002 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, and region were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.

With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.

With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 1,002 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-3 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

  J28469   QA1, QA2, QA3, QA5    Harris Interactive Inc. 07/06    The Harris Poll(R) 57, July 20, 2006 

By Bill Dalbec, Vice President, Public Affairs and Policy Research Group, Harris Interactive(R)

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 13th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online, visit www.harrispollonline.com.

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Spin3 (www.spin3.com), powered by Microgaming, today announced the launch of its SpinLite™ line of stand-alone, play-for-fun casino style mobile games. The popular Tomb Raider™ video slot will be the first game to feature on SpinLite. Mobile service providers and content aggregators around the world will be able to license SpinLite games on a revenue-share, pay-per-download basis.

Spin3 is the only mobile gaming provider to offer the Tomb Raider video slot, which is themed around the queen of video gaming, Lara Croft. SpinLite enables consumers to download the exciting Tomb Raider slot onto their mobile phone, paying per download. The game is a five reel, fifteen payline slot machine sure to provide an exciting mobile gaming experience for virtual credits.

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According to Juniper Research, the evolution in mobile games is set to continue in the next five years, with a growth in global revenues from $3.1bn in 2006 approaching $17.6bn by 2011, a rise producing a cumulative revenue stream of nearly $57bn over the next six years.

Continuing in the Spin3 tradition, SpinLite features enhanced graphical game design, high quality sound and a menu system that is easy for the user to navigate and play.

Tomb Raider and Lara Croft are trademarks of Core Design Ltd. Eidos and the Eidos logo are trademarks of the Eidos Group of companies. All rights reserved.

About Spin3 (www.spin3.com)

Spin3™, the wireless division of Spiral Solutions Ltd., is the provider of the leading wireless casino system worldwide which includes the GameWire™ and SpinFone™ suites of casino applications. Spin3 has partnered with Microgaming, the leading supplier of online gaming solutions, to provide a complete mobile gaming platform, utilizing Microgaming's world-leading interactive casino management technology.

About Microgaming (www.microgaming.com)

Established in 1994, Microgaming is a leading supplier of online gaming solutions. Microgaming's mission is to develop software and management systems that allow their operators to manage reliable, credible and profitable online gaming enterprises and to champion the interests of the player through fair play, transparency initiatives and the promotion of responsible gaming.

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