MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK: October 2006 Archives

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October 29, 2006

Ice Cube Red Carpet for release of Laugh Now Cry Later

October 27, 2006

OC Hot 25

2006 Honorees

John Hueston
Assistant U.S. Attorney

Sharon Lebon
Founder and CEO, Three Dots

Janet Nguyen
Garden Grove city councilwoman

Ken Smith
Designer of The Great Park, Ken Smith Architects

Bob McKnight
Founder and CEO, Quiksilver

Scott Flanders
President and CEO, Freedom Communications, parent company of the Orange County Register

Jacquelyn Tran
Founder and CEO, Perfume Bay

Loretta Drummond
Women Build, Habitat for Humanity, Orange County

Michael Cho
Attorney, Bernard & Associates

Peter Adderton
Founder and CEO, Amp?d Mobile

Jim Doti
President, Chapman University

Erin Runnion
Founder, The Joyful Child Foundation

Laura Davick
President and founder, Crystal Cove Alliance

Ivo Tjan
Chairman and CEO, CommerceWest Bank

Jay Longley
Founder and CEO, Rainbow Sandals

Francisco Garcia
Restaurateur, founder, wegivethanks.org

Curt Pringle
Anaheim mayor

Kimberly Chavalas Cripe
President and CEO, Children?s Hospital of Orange County

Ed Grier
Mickey?s Main Man President, Disneyland Resorts

Richard Gilchrist
President, office division, The Irvine Co.

Douglas McAllister
Founder, president and CEO, Culinary Management Group

Henry and Elizabeth Segerstrom
Managing partner, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons

Ted Smith
Founder, FileNet

Emile Haddad
Chief investment officer, Lennar

Ruben Alvarez Jr.
Founder and president, Stay Connected OC

Posted by lady at 07:27 PM | Permalink

SEMA-AAPEX NEWS

Morrison’s 1960 Vette Immortalized as “Best in Show” at the Gran Turismo Awards

Art Morrison’s 3G Vette 1960 Corvette wins the coveted Best in Show Award at the Gran Turismo Awards held at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas during the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. Morrison’s Vette will now be immortalized in an upcoming Gran Turismo racing simulation game.

The Gran Turismo Awards mission is to find the hottest car of the show (SEMA Show) game. This hottest car is catapulted to stardom with the inclusion in the next Gran Turismo video game, the franchise which has sold over 40 million copies since its introduction nearly nine years ago.

Judging was done by a group of personalities and journalists from the automotive industry. Category judging was based on the judge’s choice for a car with well-balanced performance, style and speed. “Best in Show” was selected by the famed creator of the Gran Turismo franchise – Kazunori Yamauchi.

Category Award Winners

Best Japanese Import: Leigh Guarnieri, 2007 Honda FTT

Best Domestic: Tajaldas, 2006 Pontiac Solstice

Best European Auto: Don Nicholson, 2006 Volvo C30

Best Truck/SUV, Daryl Klassen and Mike Deford, Hummer 3

Best Hotrod, Craig Morrison, 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

While anticipating the award announcements, Pharrell Williams’DJ, Jus Ske kept the hip hop tunes coming as fans could drive the anticipated Gran Turismo HD of Sony’s Playstation 3, nearly three weeks prior to the street date of the PS3. A street date for GT HD has still not been announced but is expected in 2007.

After announcing the awards, fans were treated to a performance by the iconic rock band Foreigner.

Gran Turismo has sold over 45 million units worldwide on the Playstation platforms. It is considered the standard for racing games with its realistic graphic, physics and realistic cars and tracks. It’s most recent version, Gran Turismo 4 has over 700 cars and enables you to drive around the world on over 40 tracks.

www.gran-turismo.com

Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid Wins Vehicle Design Award

SEMA's Awards Program Spotlighting Accessory Friendly Vehicles Chooses the Chevrolet Silverado Classic in Best Hybrid Category

Nov. 2 The Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid -- the first full-size production pickup to utilize hybrid technology -- is also the first hybrid to be recognized as the most accessory friendly vehicle at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, capturing one of four SEMA Vehicle Design Awards and becoming the benchmark in SEMA's newest design award category.

Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.

The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid received nearly 22 percent of the votes for 2006.

"The collaboration between Chevrolet, General Motors and SEMA is very valuable. We gain a lot of accessory ideas and product ideas to give the consumers what they really want. We look closely at what is offered at SEMA, we are encouraged with what's offered and we look at new ideas. That's where the collaboration comes in strong for us," commented Dale Sullivan, Regional Sales Marketing Manager, Western Region, General Motors.

"Our participating manufacturing members had early access to the Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid and discovered that its proven lineage of design and engineering provides several opportunities for customer personalization," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president, OEM Relations. "Based on feedback from the automakers, we are having a positive impact on the design and marketing of future vehicles."

SEMA reveals the winners of the accessory friendly Car, Truck, SUV and Hybrid categories at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest automotive specialty equipment trade event where the industry unveils thousands of new products to visiting trade professionals.

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com.

Jeep Wrangler Wins Vehicle Design Award

SEMA's Awards Program Spotlighting Accessory Friendly Vehicles Chooses the Jeep Wrangler in Best SUV Category

The Jeep Wrangler was recognized as the most accessory friendly SUV at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, capturing one of four SEMA Vehicle Design Awards and joining a prestigious list of past winners.

The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Jeep Wrangler received nearly 25 percent of the votes for 2006.

"The big advantage that SEMA offers DaimlerChrysler is putting us together with providers and bringing quality parts to market. They enable us to work with the accessory companies early and ultimately the customer wins with a higher quality accessory. The Jeep Wrangler is the perfect canvas for personal accessories and re-accessorization," said Scott Brown, DaimlerChrysler Group Communications, West Coast.

"Our participating manufacturing members had early access to the Jeep Wrangler and discovered that the inherited design and classic engineering of this vehicle provides several opportunities for customer personalization," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president, OEM Relations. "Based on feedback from the automakers, we are having a positive impact on the design and marketing of future vehicles."

SEMA reveals the winners of the Accessory Friendly Car, Truck, SUV and Hybrid categories at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest automotive specialty equipment trade event where the industry unveils thousands of new products to visiting trade professionals.

Ford Shelby GT 500 Wins Vehicle Design Award

SEMA's Awards Program Spotlighting Accessory Friendly Vehicles Chooses the Ford Shelby GT 500 in Best Car Category

The high-performance Ford Shelby GT 500 was recognized as the most accessory friendly car at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, capturing one of four SEMA Vehicle Design Awards and joining a prestigious list of past winners.

The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Ford Shelby GT 500 received nearly 22 percent of the votes for 2006.

"The value of the increased collaboration with SEMA members is good for both our businesses and it's good for the customer," said John Clinard, Western Regional Manager, Ford Motor Company. "Our attitude about vehicle personalization is just pure enthusiasm, we share that with the people who buy our cars and with those who buy SEMA accessories and parts to put on our cars."

"Our participating manufacturing members had early access to the Ford Shelby GT and discovered that its unique design and muscular engineering provides several options for customer personalization," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president, OEM Relations. "Based on feedback from the automakers, we are having a positive impact on the design and marketing of future vehicles."

SEMA reveals the winners of the Accessory Friendly Car, Truck, SUV and Hybrid categories at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest automotive specialty equipment trade event where thousands of new products are unveiled to visiting trade professionals.

Toyota Tundra Wins Vehicle Design Award
SEMA's Awards Program Spotlighting Accessory Friendly Vehicles Chooses the Toyota Tundra in Best Truck Category

The Toyota Tundra was recognized as the most accessory friendly truck at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, capturing one of three SEMA Vehicle Design Awards to join a prestigious list of past winners.

Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.

The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Toyota Tundra received nearly 41 percent of the votes for 2006.
"Vehicle accessorization is becoming more and more important to our customers, especially with trucks. Toyota has always been very supportive and interested in vehicle accessorization and our partnership with these companies through SEMA allows us to have high quality accessories at the point of sale," commented Brian Smith, Corporate Manager of Truck Operations for Toyota Motor Sales USA.
"Our participating manufacturing members had early access to the Toyota Tundra and discovered that the design and engineering of this popular truck provides several opportunities for customer personalization," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president, OEM Relations. "Based on feedback from the automakers, we are having a positive impact on the design and marketing of future vehicles."
SEMA reveals the winners of the Accessory Friendly Car, Truck, SUV and Hybrid categories at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest automotive specialty equipment trade event where the industry unveils thousands of new products to visiting trade professionals.
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com
SEMA Announces New Product Showcase Winners
The 2007 SEMA New Products Award winners were announced today at the 40th Annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Winning criteria included: superiority in innovation, technical achievement, quality, workmanship and consumer appeal. Over 1,400 innovative new products were entered in this year's Showcase, making it the largest in SEMA Show history.
The 2007 New Product Winners include: Best New Mobile Electronics Product Winner: Vizualogic Product: Vizualogic Media On-Demand Runners-Up: Rosen Entertainment Systems and Custom Autosound MFG Best New Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product Winner: Warn Industries Product: Power Plant Dual Force HP Runners-Up: E.O.P and Rancho/Dynomax Best New Performance-Racing Product Winner: Synapse Engineering Inc. Product: Synchronic Wastegate Runners-Up: Pro Charger and Comp Performance Group Best New Performance-Street Product Winner: Pro Parts LLC Product: SBEK Boost Controller Runners-Up: Turbo XS and Gear Vendors Best New Street Rod/Custom Car Product Winner: Flaming River Industries Inc. Product: Cradel Rack & Pinon System for 1968-72 Chevelle and other GM automobiles Runners-Up: Dakota Digital Inc. and Experi-Metal Inc. Best New Van/Pickup/Sport-Utility Vehicle Product Winner: Fold-a-Cover/Style Step Product: Style Step Tubes Runners-Up: Pilot Automotive Inc. and Shur-Co Best Engineered New Product Winner: Center Line Wheels Corp Product: Run Flat Military Tactical Wheel Runners-Up: Pilot Automotive Inc. and Cobb Tuning LLC Best New Merchandising Display Winner: Mickey Thompson Performance Product: Mickey Thompson Off-Road Mini-Tire and Wheel Display Runners-Up: E-Racing Motorsports and MacNeil Automotive Products Best New Packaging Design Winner: Pilot Automotive Product: Tie-Down Storage Caddy Runners-Up: Warn Industries and Meguiar's Best New Interior Accessory Product Winner: B&M Racing and Performance Products Product: Black Out Guages Runners-Up: Craven Speed and PLX Devices Best New Exterior Accessory Product Winner: Pilot Automotive Product: Trailer Adapter with Dual 12 Volt Receptacle Runners-Up: Pilot Automotive Inc. Best New Tools and Equipment Product Winner: WAM Systems Product: Direct TPMS Runners-Up: GearWrench and Bartec For comprehensive information about the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAshow.com.
New SEMA Vehicle Design Awards Announced
Three New Vehicles and One Hybrid Capture Prestigious Vehicle Design Awards at the 2006 SEMA Show
-- Three new vehicles and one new Hybrid vehicle were recipients of the 2007 SEMA Vehicle Design Awards announced today at the SEMA Show. The awards are presented to the most accessory-friendly vehicle in four separate categories, Car, Truck, SUV and SEMA's newest category, Hybrid. The Toyota Tundra took top honors in the Truck category, the Ford Shelby GT 500 won in the Car category and the Jeep Wrangler won in the SUV category. The newest award for the most accessory-friendly Hybrid vehicle went to the Chevrolet Silverado Classic.
Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.
The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year.
"This is a very exciting time for the specialty equipment industry because there are so many accessory-friendly vehicles available this year, including several new Hybrids, which allowed us to create the new category," said Carl Sheffer, SEMA vice president, OEM relations. "The competition this year was intense and with so many new Hybrids on the market, the future is especially bright for the industry."
SEMA Announces Accessory Friendly Vehicles - Video Available
Four New Vehicles Capture Prestigious Vehicle Design Awards at the 2006 SEMA Show
-- Four new vehicles were recipients of the 2007 SEMA Vehicle Design Awards announced today at the SEMA Show. The awards are presented to the most accessory-friendly vehicle in four categories, Car, Truck, SUV and SEMA's newest category, Hybrid. The Toyota Tundra took top honors in the Truck category, the Ford Shelby GT 500 won in the Car category and the Jeep Wrangler won in the SUV category. The newest award for the most accessory-friendly Hybrid went to the Chevrolet Silverado Classic.
Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for specialty equipment manufacturers looking to be in-sync with the launch of new vehicles.
The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year.
"This is a very exciting time for the specialty equipment industry because there are so many accessory-friendly vehicles now available, including several new Hybrids," said Peter MacGillivray, Vice President Marketing and Communications for SEMA. "The competition this year was intense which tells us that the future of the specialty equipment industry is especially bright."

Vizualogic® VMOD™ Entertainment System Named
Best New Mobile Electronics Product at SEMA Show
– The Vizualogic Media on Demand (VMOD™) Entertainment System was named Best New Mobile Electronics Product today at the 2006 SEMA Show.
VMOD, which allows consumers to download virtually any digital media into their vehicles, is a compact, powerful computing module that combines an Intel® Celeron® M processor and a 40GB automotive-grade hard drive, running a simple plug and play operating system. The module is paired with a user-friendly software application from StreetDeck, which ties the whole user experience together in an automotive-friendly package. Its compact size makes it easy to install under a seat or virtually anywhere in a vehicle. An integrated video output allows users to plug directly into any of Vizualogic’s patented All-in-One Headrest Monitor/DVD Players, including the new iPod®-compatible A-1250, allowing users to download virtually any digital file from their home computers. (VMOD also is compatible with other Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) systems.)
“We are elated to have VMOD chosen as the best new mobile electronics product at SEMA,” said Brian Torres, vice president of business development, Vizualogic. “We have a talented and dedicated team of engineers who have a vision of where digital media is headed, and this award is very gratifying for the entire Vizualogic family.”
“This project came to fruition thanks to a partnership that includes Intel for the architecture of the new system, StreetDeck for software and integration, and Portwell for the boards,” said Ian Kelly, Vizualogic’s lead engineer on the project. “The end result is a system that allows users to play games and watch movies stored on the hard drive, browse the Internet, download and listen to music, and enjoy other multimedia experiences. Basically, anything stored on a full-size home computer can be downloaded and accessed with VMOD.”
VMOD will be sold through the automotive aftermarket and via retail channels, beginning in the first quarter of 2007. MSRP will start at $699.00.

Vizualogic, a division of TMI Products, Inc., specializes in the development and manufacture of high quality integrated mobile electronic systems and accessories. TMI, with more than 190 employees, was founded in 1982, and is based in Corona, CA.

Intel and Celeron are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

StreetDeck designs and manufactures innovative products for in-car computing, integrating elements of mobile computing, media centers, broadband networking, mobile phone technology and software in open computing platforms. The company was created in 2005 by the Mp3Car team, a group who since 1996 has been dedicated to creating the best, safest in-car computing experience possible. Over time, this car computing forum attracted over 500,000 posts by thousands of car computing enthusiasts worldwide, evolving Mp3Car into an e-commerce destination. Those roots, as well as academic research and years of development, bore StreetDeck, now jointly headquartered in Baltimore and LA, and working closely with such technology and automotive leaders as Microsoft, Parrot, and Seagate. For more information, see www.StreetDeck.com.

Subaru of America Announces New SPT Power Packs
-- SPT Delivers Big Boost in Horsepower and Torque --
-- Subaru of America announced today at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas the launch of SPT Power Packs, a performance kit designed for Subaru Impreza WRX and STI and the Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT. The Power Packs consist of the SPT Performance Exhaust System, SPT High Flow Air Intake System and SPT Heat Shield.
SPT performance products each offer great features individually, but when combined, the Power Packs deliver a big punch. The SPT Power Packs have been dyno-tested and, when measured at the wheel, produce up to 30hp and 20lb-ft of torque on a stock 2007 STI, up to 10hp with 17lb-ft of torque on a stock 2006 WRX model, and up to 30hp and 30lb-ft of torque on a stock 2007 Legacy GT Sedan.
The SPT Performance Exhaust features a larger diameter, 3-inch stainless steel construction which replaces the stock intermediate pipe and muffler, resulting in an enhanced sound and performance.
The SPT High Flow Air Intakes are constructed of 319 die cast aluminum, manufactured to ensure smooth high flowing bends. Each intake kit includes; a silicone reinforced boot, anti-vibration mounting system, stainless steel t-bolt clamps, and a SPT 4-layer cotton gauge filter with a built-in velocity stack for smooth air flow. The intakes feature a new gunmetal gray-textured power-coat finish with a raised SPT logo, and are CARB certified and compliant with 50-state emissions regulations.
The SPT Heat Shields help ensure a supply of cool air to the engine intakes, thus reducing the loss of power that comes from a heated intake charge. Cooler air is drawn from inside the passenger front wheel well and behind the headlight; not from the hotter areas surrounding the turbocharger, engine and radiator. Unlike a traditional cold air intake, which places the filter element as low as possible in the vehicle, this setup helps to supply cool air while limiting the risk of water ingestion.
For additional information on this and other Genuine Subaru Performance Parts, or to request a copy of the latest catalog, log onto http://www.spt.subaru.com/.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2005. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com/.

Two Isuzu Project Pickups to Be Displayed at SEMA
i-290 Sport Truck and i-370 Off-Road Truck Developed by Street Scene Equipment
Two exciting and aggressive Isuzu Pickup project vehicles, both developed by Street Scene Equipment of Costa Mesa, California, will be displayed at this week's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.
The project vehicles -- a 2007 i-290 Extended Cab Sport Truck and a 2007 i-370 4x4 Crew Cab Off-Road Truck -- are designed to show consumers how they can customize an Isuzu Pickup with readily available aftermarket equipment.
"These trucks may look like concept vehicles," said Rick Stipa, executive manager, accessory and product planning for Isuzu Motors America, Inc. "But any customer, with a little bit of effort and imagination, can own a new Isuzu truck virtually identical to either of these showstoppers."
Isuzu i-290 Sport Truck
It began as a stock Pacific Blue 2007 Isuzu i-290 4x2 Extended Cab. But the i-290 Sport Truck -- now featuring bright gold stripes from Ape Graphics and a Snugtop tonneau cover -- is anything but ordinary. A Ground Force lowering kit drops the vehicle two to three inches for an aggressive stance, while wide 255/45R20 Toyo Proxes S/T tires on 20-inch American Racing wheels provide a street-ready look while enhancing grip and overall performance on-road.
On the outside, Street Scene Equipment contributed Cal-Vu signal mirrors, front bumper cover, wiper cowl, roll pan and side skirts, all painted body color by L&G Enterprises. Street Scene upper and lower chrome Speed Grille inserts, custom hidden hitch and valance driving lights complete the look.
Underneath and inside, the i-290 Sport Truck offers up a Kinetik battery supplied by Stir Marketing, a Gibson exhaust system, and black leather seats with body-color-keyed Pacific Blue inserts from Roadwire and Classic Soft Trim.
The whole package, according to Mike Spagnola, president of Street Scene Equipment, is expected to appeal to young males up to 30 years of age -- and the young at heart.
This vehicle embodies street-truck performance for those that like to be seen cruising in style. Both looks and handling are improved on the asphalt where this concept is most likely to be found.
Isuzu i-370 Off-Road Truck
While the i-290 Sport Truck represents one approach to affordable, available personalization for Isuzu Pickup buyers, the i-370 Off-Road Truck demonstrates that customization can go in a completely different direction.
Beginning with a stock Pacific Blue 2007 Isuzu i-370 4x4 Crew Cab, the Street Scene team raised the truck with a four-inch lift kit from Skyjacker, then added 35-inch BFGoodrich tires outfitted with American Racing wheels that are slick, literally-because they are Teflon coated, the better to wash off the muck from an excursion on a muddy trail.
The Street Scene-supplied signal mirrors, front bumper cover, wiper cowl and roll pan were painted body color by L&G Enterprises. The hyper-aggressive look is enhanced with Street Scene's Speed Grille inserts, custom hidden hitch, flip-up license plate kit and 6.5-inch driving lights; nerf bars and Dakar light bar from Rampage; custom gold stripes from Ape Graphics; and bedliner and tailgate extender from Isuzu Motors America. Like the i-290, the i-370 Off-Road Truck features a Kinetik battery, Gibson exhaust, and leather seats from Roadwire and Classic Soft Trim.
"This truck," says Spagnola, "demonstrates just how much you can do and how far you can go with an Isuzu Pickup -- from hunting, camping and mountain climbing to hitting the dunes and towing your motorcycles. It's a rugged American look that will appeal to active adults of a wide variety of ages and interests."
Both project trucks are based on popular members of the Isuzu Pickup line, which consists of the two-wheel-drive Extended Cab (available as either an i-290 with 2.9-liter, 185-horsepower four-cylinder engine or as an i-370 with a 242-horse, 3.7-liter inline five) and the five-cylinder i-370 Crew Cab (available in both two- and four-wheel-drive models).
Based in Costa Mesa, California, Street Scene Equipment is a leading aftermarket supplier of automotive styling accessories.
Isuzu Motors America, Inc., is the U.S. distributor of Isuzu sport utility vehicles and diesel engines.

Michelin Showcases Supercars at SEMA Las Vegas
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2(TM) and Pilot Sport Cup(TM) Tires Meet Extreme Demands for High-Performance Vehicles
Michelin rolled-out some of the world's most exclusive supercars to tout its leadership position in performance tires at this years SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) convention being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Oct. 31 - Nov. 3, 2006.
Michelin tires are found on more supercars than all other tire manufacturers combined. The supercar line-up in the Michelin booth includes the Buggati Veyron, Pagani Zonda Roadster F, RUF Rt12, Saleen S7, Koenigsegg CCX, Fisker Latigo CS and McLaren F1 LM., and for the first time ever on Amercan soil, the Caparo T1.
From stronger engines to lightweight materials to improved aerodynamics, the delicate balance between performance and safety is the panacea for all supercar manufacturers. However, one element of the supercar that is not up for debate is the high-performance parts required to deliver world-class performance. This performance begins with the road and the ability to deliver a high performance tire that stands up to the unique demands of these ultimate driving machines.
"Michelin pushes the envelope for supercar performance through our research and development efforts allowing us to be a leader in creating new tire technology," said Parmeet Grover, brand director for Michelin. "These supercars provide us a unique platform, in addition to our success in motorsports, to ensure that drivers enjoy uncompromising safety and performance for both city and highway driving with ultimate confidence."
At the center of Michelin's tire research and development activities is its involvement in motorsports. Racing requires Michelin to deliver a high performance tire that is capable of handling the highest speeds in various weather and road conditions. Many supercars ride on Michelin(R) Pilot(R) Sport PS2(TM) tires, which were inspired by Michelin's success in Formula One, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series.
About Michelin
As the undisputed leader in the tire industry, Michelin (http://www.michelin.com/) designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs 22,300 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.

Subaru Showcases Two New Forester Sports Models at SEMA Show
Forester Sports 2.5 XT Adds VDC Stability Control; Unique, Sporty Styling and Exclusive Interior Features; Enhanced Audio with Available Satellite Radio
-- Subaru of America, Inc. is showcasing two new versions of its All-Wheel Drive 2007 Forester compact SUV at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The 2007 Forester Sports models combine new, more powerful styling with exclusive interior features and enhanced standard equipment. The Forester Sports 2.5 XT adds to that the 224-horsepower intercooled turbocharged Boxer engine from the 2.5 XT Limited model.
With more aggressive styling, the new Forester Sports models are distinguished from their siblings by a new front bumper and unique black mesh grille. For a sleeker profile, the standard roof rail crossbars have been deleted on the Forester Sports models, but remain available as an accessory. The Forester Sports 2.5 XT in addition features standard 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the Forester Sports models feature exclusive anthracite black fabric upholstery. An automatic climate control system replaces the manual climate control system that is standard on the regular Forester 2.5 X model. The Sports models' 120-watt AM/FM stereo with 6-disc in-dash CD changer will play MP3/WMA CDs. Also an upgrade over the regular 2.5 X model, this audio system also features SIRIUS(R) Satellite Radio Capability and a new auxiliary audio jack to connect iPods and similar music players.
All Subaru models come standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, a significant all-road, all-weather traction advantage over competitors that offer front-wheel drive as standard and make All-Wheel Drive an extra-cost option.
Four-wheel independent suspension and variable-ratio, variable-power assisted rack-and-pinion steering help make Forester models equally adept at managing twisty back roads and absorbing off-pavement ruts and bumps.
All Forester models feature as standard equipment front seat head/chest side-impact airbags, four-wheel ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), cabin air filtration system, power windows, mirrors and door locks, and a remote keyless entry system. Versatility is ensured by 30.7 cubic feet of carrying space behind the rear seat, which expands to 68.6 cu. ft. when both rear seatbacks are folded.
Legendary Subaru Performance
The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Subaru Boxer engine that powers the Forester Sports 2.5 X is among the most powerful in its displacement category, with 173 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 166 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,400 rpm. The i-Active Valve Lift system helps to ensure responsive performance at all engine speeds.
The turbocharged/intercooled 2.5-liter engine in the Forester Sports 2.5 XT produces 224 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 226 lb.-ft. of peak torque at just 3,600 rpm. The functional hood scoop, a telltale sign of every turbo Subaru model, provides a stream of fresh air to the engine-mounted intercooler. The Active Valve Control System variable valve timing technology optimizes the engine's volumetric efficiency and performance at all engine speeds. When equipped with the standard 5-speed manual transmission, the Forester Sports 2.5 XT can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under six seconds. The turbo engine meets the strict Tier 2 Bin 5 Low Emissions Vehicle II (LEV II) certification for 2007.
Three Different Types of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
In all Forester models equipped with the 5-speed manual transmission, a viscous coupling locking center differential built into the transmission case divides engine power 50:50. Wheel slippage at one set of wheels causes more power to shift to the opposite set, ensuring that the wheels with the best traction receive more power.
In the Forester Sports 2.5 X equipped with the 4-speed electronic direct control automatic transmission, an electronically managed continuously variable transfer clutch actively manages power distribution based on acceleration, deceleration and available traction.
The Forester Sports 2.5 XT with the optional 4-speed direct control automatic transmission is the first Forester model to use the advanced Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) version of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The VTD system is also used in the Impreza(R) WRX(R) Limited model equipped with the optional automatic transmission. The VTD system uses a planetary gear-type center differential that splits the power 45:55, with the rear-wheel bias enhancing handling agility and the performance-driving feel. An electronically controlled continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch controls power distribution between the front and rear wheels in response to driver input and driving conditions.
The Forester Sports 2.5 XT with automatic transmission is also the first Forester model equipped with Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC), an advanced stability system that controls VTD All-Wheel Drive operation and integrates an electronic 4-wheel traction control system (TCS). A viscous limited-slip rear differential directs power to the rear wheel with the best traction.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes All-Wheel Drive Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru is the only car company that offers Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its product line.
Source: Subaru of America, Inc.

READY, SET, GO! SONY RENEWS ITS COMMITMENT TO AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE AT SEMA SHOW

The Xplōd® Sound Expression Showcase Features Sony’s New 2007 Xplōd in-car Entertainment and Marine Products

LAS VEGAS (SEMA Booth #11066), Oct. 31, 2006 – Start your engines – Sony’s mobile electronics showroom at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual tradeshow features spankin’ new 2007 Xplōd and Marine products, plus PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system where attendees can view a demo of Gran Turismo™ HD, inside a fully-laced Scion xA. Sony’s centerpiece Scion is one of 24 customized rides parked near 14 new Xplōd products on display. Sony Xplōd equipment is featured in 59 vehicles at the show.
In It to Win It
"This year, we added two outdoor sections,” said Brennan Mullin, general manager for mobile electronics at Sony Electronics. “Combined with our indoor showroom, we have the largest square footage in the North Hall. We’ve got something for everyone – from the SPEED Channel’s “Street Tuner Challenge” Mustang to a vintage low rider."
All My Friends Know the Low Rider
Sony has announced a new Team Xplōd member, Marco Patino, whose first Sony vehicle has prime real estate in the street-themed section of the Xplōd showroom. His 1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport is an authentic low rider classic with its lay-and-display hydraulics and multiple wheels and tire combinations. With four Xplōd amps and three pairs of two-way speakers, this car’s boomin’ audio system will knock you down. Patino served as the features editor of Lowrider magazine for 15 years and is an old-school builder with several magazine covers under his belt.
Cars with Attitude
Team Xplōd members Shawn Bennett and Rodney Findley are back in the booth this year showcasing their new cars: a 2006 Porsche Cayman S and a Dodge Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. Using Xplōd GTR amps and specialty speakers in a 3-way component system, Bennett lays the audio quality on thick in his Porsche Cayman, which contains the only Vortech supercharger specially designed for the Cayman S. Findley unveils his Dodge Ram with Xplōd audio, including three component systems, four 12-inch subwoofers, and four amplifiers.
Pump up the Volume
Sony has unveiled its new GT Series speakers, the perfect complement to the GT Series head units. Four new models, XS-GT6935A (6 x 9-inches), XS-GT1625A (6.5-inches), XS-GT1325A (5.25-inches) and XS-GT5725A (5 x 7-inches) feature sleek new designs and high sound quality. Pricing starts at about $60 for the XS-GT1325A and XS-GT5725A speakers and about $80 for the XS-GT6935A speakers. The GT Series speakers will be available in January.
Additionally, Sony has introduced its new capless subwoofers. Besides delivering low frequency bass, the new subs also feature a new capless design on the back, giving more style options for car audio builders and designers. The XS-L154P5B subwoofer (15-inch), XS-L124P5B subwoofer (12-inch) and XS-L104P5B subwoofer (10-inch) will be available in January and will be priced at about $170, $110, and $90, respectively.
Size Does Matter
The Scion features some of Sony’s hottest new Xplōd products, unveiled at SEMA. The Sony slim subwoofers and amplifiers take up less room and are a great fit in both pick-up trucks and sports compact vehicles. With ten new small amps, six subs and two-way speakers, a component system and the head unit with Bluetooth® capability, the Scion is outfitted in the latest audio gear.
By Land or Sea
Outside of door 21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sony’s “toy world” showcases a ski boat and off-road vehicle decked out with Sony marine head units, subs and amps. The new splash-proof head unit is installed and on display in the ski boat. Visit toy world for a demonstration of the new marine splash-proof head unit subs and amps in the Malibu Wakesetter or visit the Sony booth (#11066) to see Xplōd slim subs and amps and nav-u™ (NV-U71T) with real-time traffic (service subscription required, sold separately). For information about these products, visit http://www.sony.com/Xplod.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
Sony reinforces its leadership role in car audio and portable navigation as an official sponsor of the National Hot Rod Association for the second consecutive year. Sony Electronics has signed up to remain the title sponsor of the NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series for 2007. This year's racing events, including eight standalone and three PowerAde events, will take place at designated NHRA sites nationwide

Samuel Hubinette-Gary Scelzi-Allen Johnson-richie Stevens jr.-Tony Steward

CHRISS ANGEL

(C) MBN 2006 (Joyce Chow & William Hoehne)

COOPER TIRE REVEALS NEW MARKETING INITIATIVE, PARTNERSHIP LOGO AT SEMA SHOW IN LAS VEGAS
(October 31, 2006) – COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (NYSE: CTB) will share the spotlight at its news conference in Las Vegas today at the 2006 SEMA Show, the biggest automotive specialty products trade event in the world. Along with announcements about company, brand and product news, Cooper and new motorsports partner the Champ Car Atlantic Series will unveil the new look and feel of the Atlantic Championship, as well as details about Cooper’s support of the series.
The news conference is scheduled for Tuesday, October 31 at 3:10 p.m. PT at the Cooper Tire SEMA display area, located at booth #40341 in the lower south hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center . The new Atlantic series logo and details of the new relationship between the Atlantic Championship series and new presenting sponsor and exclusive tire supplier Cooper Tire will be announced. Cooper Tire management will address the company’s vision for the future as well as focus on the new partnership with North America ’s premier open-wheel development series.
“The Cooper/Champ Atlantic partnership is mutually beneficial. We have conducted extensive testing with the newly-designed Swift 016.a chassis and have been able to provide a tire that allows for the best possible setup for optimal performance of both the car and tire. The Cooper Tire racing slick allows for more adjustments in the mid-range, giving teams and drivers more scope overall. We are confident that the tires will meet and exceed the teams’ expectations, resulting in high level competitive racing,” said Julian Baldwin, as Vice President, European Operations, and Managing Director, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe .
The SEMA Show, held October 31-November 3 in Las Vegas , is the leading automotive specialty products trade event in the world. Some of the brightest minds and hottest products in the automotive community will be featured at the show that’s expected to attract over 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries across the globe. The high-profile international event is an ideal place for both Cooper Tire and Atlantic officials to discuss plans for the 2007 season. Las Vegas also serves as host of the 2007 season-opening race at the Vegas Grand Prix on April 8.
The new 2007 Atlantic racing package will also be prominently displayed in Vegas during the week of the show. The Swift 016.a Atlantic chassis, featuring the 300-horsepower Mazda-Cosworth engine and equipped with the new Cooper Atlantic racing slick tires, will be featured at the Cooper Tire booth.
About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car, light truck, medium truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in motorcycle and racing tires, as well as tread rubber and related equipment for the retread industry. With headquarters in Findlay , Ohio , Cooper Tire has 60 manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire’s web site at www.coopertireandrubber.com.
About the Champ Car Atlantic Championship
The Champ Car Atlantic Championship continues to be the premier open-wheel development series in North America . In its 33^rd season in 2006, the championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition and has helped produce past Champ Car champions Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve. 2006 Champ Car competitors Alex Tagliani, Andrew Ranger, Katherine Legge, Tonis Kasemets and 2005 Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman are established Atlantic graduates along with 2004 Champ Car Rookie of the Year and 2003 Atlantic champ A.J. Allmendinger. In 2006, competitors will fight for the 12-race championship and the unique $2 million Champ Car series champion’s bonus. Beginning in 2007, all Atlantic teams will compete in Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda-Cosworth engine while riding on Cooper Atlantic racing tires. For more information on the series and to view this season’s races on demand, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com.

STRUT To Showcase New Wheel & Grille Collections at SEMA for the 2007 Escalade, Denali and Mercedes S550
—STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection.
2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000
2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000
About STRUT®
STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan.
STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan.
STRUT products are designed and manufactured to withstand any weather condition, providing ongoing luster and a superior appearance. STRUT products are available at custom automotive installation boutiques and dealerships World wide for the BMW-6 and 7 Series, Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Flying Spur, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac XLR, Chrysler 300C, Dodge Magnum,
Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly.
Cooper Tire Reaches Out to Auto Enthusiasts and Gamers Through Need for Speed™ Carbon Video Game, October 31, 2006 –
COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (NYSE: CTB) today announced its partnership with Electronic Arts on the latest title in the popular Need for Speed™ video game series, Need for Speed™ CarbonCooper has an in-game presence in the form of car decals, 10 branded billboards and three storefronts throughout the game’s cityscape as well as a Cooper-branded race. Additionally, the Cooper Zeon 2XS, used by all Cooper-sponsored drifters in reality, will be prominently featured in the game’s only drift track. For talented gamers, a set of Cooper Zeon ultra-high performance tires can be unlocked for use during the latter stages of the game. These tires mirror the excellent performance and handling characteristics found in real-world Cooper Zeon tires. “Our deep product integration into the best-selling racing game title to date provides us another unique touch point in which gamers can interact with the Cooper Tires brand in a positive, non-traditional manner,” said Dave S. Craig, director of North American advertising for Cooper Tire. “The Need for Speed series has a large and dedicated fan base that will be exposed to the level of quality and performance that our tires offer -- both on the screen and in real life.”
According to the Entertainment Software Association, 69 percent of American heads of households play video and computer games and 69 percent of gamers are 18 years of age or older. In addition, according to a random selection online survey conducted by the Need for Speed Formula Drift Championship Series (formulad.com), fans of drift racing love to game; nearly 90 percent of respondents said they own gaming systems.
Cooper activated its in-game integration through a 16-mall gaming tournament in association with Mazda in October in 16 of the top 17 markets in the United States. The winners of each regional event received an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Las Vegas, admission for two to the Mazda Party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a $500 Cooper Tire gift certificate good towards a new set of tires, a $50 GameStop Gift Card and the Need For Speed: Carbon game. The 16 regional winners flew to Las Vegas this week for the finals at the Hard Rock Café on November 2 during the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The grand prize winner will drive home a new 2007 MAZDASPEED3 Sport Model packed with a GameStop/EB Games Gift Card, Logitech Z-5500 Digital Speaker System, Logitech Harmony Advanced Universal Remote and Logitech DriveFX Wheel.
Need for Speed Carbon, which features both city street and canyon racing, is available worldwide as of November 1 for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Wii™ as well as the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™, GameBoy® Advance, PSP™ (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system, PC and mobile. More information on the game can be found at needforspeed.com. About Cooper Tire & Rubber CompanyCooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car, light truck, medium truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in motorcycle and racing tires, as well as tread rubber and related equipment for the retread industry. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has 59 manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's Web site at coopertire.com.

CIRBIN MOTORS has launched the new web site with all the information on the new VT-ROD^®. We promised to keep you informed on changes and new information; that’s what we do with this email. Please, do check this new web site. We have put-in lots of information and pictures of the VT-ROD^®, with pricing details and options.
I am sure you will be pleased with what you will find there.
NAVIGON Software Selected by Delphi for its New Personal Navigation Device
The automotive components leader teams up with Germany ’s premier navigation software provider for NAV200, one of the newest entrants to the personal navigation market
LAS VEGAS and CHICAGO -- October 31, 2006 – NAVIGON, Germany ’s leading navigation software maker, helped Delphi Corporation recently launch NAV200, a compelling new entrant to the personal navigation device market – one of the fastest-growing sectors in consumer electronics. Delphi’s NAV200 comes with clout and credibility given the company’s global leadership position in automotive technology and systems components. Delphi, with a history that spans more than 100 years, is a world leader in mobile electronics, and vehicle components and systems technology. Today, Delphi is the leading manufacturer of satellite radios and accessories with over 14 million sold to date. In fact, three out of four people listen to satellite radio on Delphi hardware. Delphi hopes to follow that success with NAV200. The product employs NAVTEQ digital maps and will launch in North America, quickly followed by Europe and South America . In the U.S. , NAV200 will sell for $399.99.
“NAVIGON played a pivotal role helping to bring this product to market. They understood the business of integration,” said Adiel Avelar, global navigation business line manager, Delphi . “They helped make the journey to market smooth and easy – just what you want from a real world navigation experience.”
Headquartered in Germany and with a growing presence in the Americas , NAVIGON creates custom navigation software solutions for the world’s best known brands in consumer electronics, as well as custom navigation software solutions for personal navigation devices and smartphones.
“Delphi’s pedigree in mobile electronics technology is unrivaled,” said Andreas Hecht, general manager of the Americas for NAVIGON. “We’re pleased to be part of what we hope and expect will be a very successful product for Delphi .”
About NAVIGON
NAVIGON creates navigation software solutions for some of the world’s best-known brands in consumer electronics. NAVIGON makes the software that drives navigation products from Sony, Delphi , Fujitsu-Siemens, and more. Founded in Germany in 1991, NAVIGON invented the world’s first mobile GPS navigation product – and today, consistently ranks as Germany ’s most trusted name in navigation. NAVIGON continues to break new ground in the sector with the recent release of onboard and off-board navigation software created specifically for smartphones. NAVIGON is headquartered in Hamburg , Germany , with offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia .
NAVIGON USA headquarters is in Chicago , Illinois . For more information, go to www.navigonusa.com.
About Delphi
Delphi was the first company to integrate a radio into the dashboard in 1936, the first to bring satellite radio to the vehicle in 2001 and the first to bring a portable satellite radio to the market in 2002. To date, Delphi has sold more than 14 million satellite radio receivers and accessories. In fact, three out of four satellite radio subscribers listen on Delphi hardware. Delphi continues to expand its in-vehicle and consumer electronics technologies and offers a broad portfolio of products to answer a wide variety of information and entertainment needs. For more information, visit www.delphi.com/media.

STINGER REVS UP POWERFUL NEW CAR AUDIO BATTERY

SP1500d brings maximum performance and simplicity to car audio systems in a compact, direct-bolt-in unit

Clearwater, Fl., October 30, 2006, 2006 – AAMP of America's high performance car audio accessories division, Stinger®, enthusiastically introduces the SP1500d car audio battery that promises maximum dependability and performance while being easy to install in many GM and Chrysler automobiles.

The SPD1500d is the newest addition to Stinger's POWER2 family of dry-cell car audio batteries, which also includes the popular SP800, SP1000, SP1700 and SP2150 models. The SP1500d boasts all the benefits you would expect from a Stinger car audio battery but has the added benefit of side terminals and mounting accommodations of a group 34/78 battery. This makes the SP1500d the perfect choice for numerous Chrysler and GM automobiles when a direct bolt-in replacement and maximum performance is required.

The SP1500d packs an impressive amount of power for its size (approximately 7"x11"x8"). With a 5 sec discharge of 1500 amps, 825 cold cranking amps, reserve capacity of 120 minutes and an extremely fast recharge capability, the SP1500d offers what you need whether for car audio or engine start application! This combined with a power-to-size ratio that is superior to many other batteries of its size, means the SPD1500d is sure to keep your tunes rocking and your wheels rolling!

Contact your Stinger representative today for more information on Stinger's line of Power2 batteries featuring compact, technologically advanced designs that resist leaks, vibrations and corrosion. You need not look any further than Stinger to fulfill your high performance battery needs!

About AAMP of America:
AAMP of America is a global supplier of a broad spectrum of car and home audio video accessories, installation supplies and OEM integration solutions. AAMP of America brings many new technologies to the forefront including; convergence of personal audio devices into the automotive environment, integration of mobile video into OEM systems, and storefront point of purchase profit centers.
with all the information on the new VT-ROD. We promised to keep you informed on changes and new information; that’s what we do with this email. Please, do check this new web site. We have put-in lots of information and pictures of the VT-ROD, with pricing details and options. with all the information on the new VT-ROD. We promised to keep you informed on changes and new information; that’s what we do with this email. Please, do check this new web site. We have put-in lots of information and pictures of the VT-ROD, with pricing details and options.
AMERICA’S TOP MEchanics Compete in National live competition
For BP Amoco Ultimate^® Golden Mechanic Title
Three of the best mechanics in America will compete at the SEMA show in Las Vegas for the golden wrench and the coveted title of AMOCO ULTIMATE GOLDEN MECHANIC.
What:               Amoco Ultimate Golden Mechanic Contest Finalist Event – a LIVE COMPETITION hosted by Car and Driver radio host, Alan Taylor – to find the best mechanic in the country.

                        Each competitor will have the opportunity to showcase their auto repair knowledge and auto diagnostic skills in a series of fast-paced physical challenges. The finalists will also flex their brain power by answering tough questions from a panel of industry experts.
                        The winner will be announced onsite and will receive $25,000, a year’s worth of Amoco Ultimate fuel at BP (valued at $1,200), and will serve as an Amoco Ultimate national spokesperson in 2007.
Who:                Through a national contest, BP and Amoco Ultimate chose three of the best mechanics in the country out of hundreds of entries to compete in front of a live audience to showcase their automotive knowledge, quick diagnostic skills and physical abilities.
                        The event will be hosted by Car and Driver radio host, Alan Taylor, and finalists will be rated by an expert panel of judges, including The Car Coach^®, Lauren Fix; Denny Kahler, past Chairman of the Board for Automotive Service Association (ASA); Evan Ngan, road test assistant for Road & Track magazine; and Steve Saleen, founder and president of Saleen Inc.
                        Where:             The competition will take place at the SEMA show in Las Vegas , the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. Look for the Golden Mechanic competition area in the Motor Trend Proving Ground, which is an outdoor area located between the Center and South halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center .
When:             Thursday November 2, 2006 from 1-2 p.m. PST
Why:               Join BP and Amoco Ultimate in showing support for the auto industry’s best. Come see the contestants in action as they compete for the coveted title of “Amoco Ultimate Golden Mechanic.”

                        Additional details:
·         Live demonstrations/visuals will provide excellent photo opportunities
·         All media invitees will have a private viewing area; lunch will be served
·         2005 Golden Mechanic and 2006 Winner available for one-on-one interviews
GSPI And NRG Resources Present TVT 24/7 Products At 2006 SEMA Show
Oct. 29, 2006 Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC:GSPI) announced that NRG Resources, Inc. will be showcasing the TVT 24/7 product lines at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 31 through November 3, 2006.
The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry's brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW), the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries.
NRG has exclusive worldwide distribution and marketing rights for the TVT 24/7 lubricant product line manufactured by Green Star Products, Inc.
NRG has recently expanded its sales staff and has demonstrated its products in over 20 nations.
TVT 24/7 products have consistently demonstrated superior performance in all applications. The extensive product line includes auto industry products as well as an exclusive product line for machine tooling tasks such as Water Soluble Cutting Oils, Stamping, Drilling and Tapping Fluids, all of which are environmentally safe and biodegradable.
Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC: GSPI) is an environmentally friendly company dedicated to creating innovative cost-effective products to improve the quality of life and clean up the environment. Green Star Products is involved in the production of renewable clean-burning biodiesel and other products, including lubricants, additives and devices that reduce emissions and improve fuel economy in vehicles, machinery and power plants. For more information, see Green Star Products' Web site at http://www.GreenStarUSA.com , or call Investor Relations at 619-864-4010, or fax 619-789-4743, or email info@GreenStarUSA.com. Information about trading prices and volume can be obtained at several Internet sites, including http://www.bloomberg.com and http://www.bigcharts.com under the ticker symbol "GSPI".
Forward-looking statements in the release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, continued acceptance of the company's products, increased levels of competition for the company, new products and technological changes, the company's dependence on third-party suppliers, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

AAIA Announces New Asian Initiative
2008 Aftermarket Expo in China Planned
LAS VEGAS, NV – Nov. 2, 2006 – The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) yesterday unveiled its new Asian Initiative, including hosting the Asian Automotive Aftermarket Expo in Macao, China, at the Venetian facility in 2008. The announcement was made at a press conference in the Venetian during AAPEX.
In addition to the expo in China, AAIA will reinforce its ongoing trade policy and promotions by hosting senior-level aftermarket executives at a seven-day Executive Enrichment Program in Shanghai and Beijing, China in March 2007.
"A recent survey of our members found a high level of interest in learning more about doing business in China and selling products to this rapidly-growing Asian vehicle aftermarket," said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO, AAIA. "The U.S. aftermarket technology, brands, products and delivery system are the best in the world and we want to give our member companies who want to sell in Asia the contacts, knowledge and assistance needed to enter the fast-growth Asian markets."
Schmatz reviewed the findings of AAIA's member survey that inspired the Asian Aftermarket Initiative. More than 78 percent of respondents are currently selling products and/or services to the Chinese market. Of those respondents who are not currently selling in China, 58 percent indicated that they are planning to, according to Schmatz.
Survey respondents indicated that AAIA could best serve their interest and needs in China by:
Identify opportunities for the sale of products and services in China.
Help establish joint-venture contacts.
Provide information on Chinese business practices and customs.
Provide information about government, investment and other regulations.
Mort Schwartz, chairman, Jarmms Associates, and longtime AAIA volunteer leader, outlined the AAIA Executive Enrichment Program that will include high-level briefings on political, economic and cultural aspects of the fastest-growing nation in the world. The program will also offer auto parts manufacturing plant and auto parts store and repair shop tours, receptions and dinners with Chinese officials and American aftermarket executives doing business in China, and sightseeing.
AAPEX show manager Bill Glasgow, Sr., W.T. Glasgow, Inc., will manage the Asian Automotive Aftermarket Expo in Macao, China. Referring to Macao as the Las Vegas of Asia, Glasgow provided information on Macao's strategic location and growing reputation as Asia's leisure, entertainment and business destination. He also discussed arrangements with the Venetian Macao.
Lee Kadrich, vice president, government affairs and trade, AAIA, provided details of AAIA's strong global focus.
"By working for global policies and providing open markets, AAIA assists its members in developing new markets worldwide," Kadrich said. "Nowhere is this more vital than in the emerging Asian markets that will soon become the global epicenter of car production and sales."
For more information on AAIA's Asian Initiative, contact Rich White at 301-654-6664 or e-mail rich.white@aftermarket.org.
About AAIA
AAIA is a Bethesda, Md.-based association whose more than 8,000 member companies and affiliates manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, service, tools, equipment, materials and supplies. Through its membership, AAIA represents more than 100,000 repair shops, parts stores and distribution outlets.

Action Aplenty at SEMA for Yokohama Tire Corp.
Two new tires on display, off-road racer Cameron Steele signing autographs and a special blackjack tourney highlight redesigned booth #40709 during 4-day trade show
It’s a sure bet the Yokohama Tire Corp. booth (#40709) at the SEMA Show will be where the action is. New tires, a celebrity racer, cool cars and even a blackjack tournament is scheduled during SEMA’s 4-day run at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
"Our booth has been redesigned to highlight our ‘Innovative Engineering Spirit’ theme and to spotlight our tire lines, making them more accessible for attendees to see," said Fred Koplin, Yokohama’s director of marketing. "We’ll have the full range, from our ADVAN flagship line to our newest tire, S.drive. We’ll even have a passenger jet tire on display."
Highlights of Yokohama’s show presence include:
* Launch of S.drive tire line: S.drive provides extraordinary grip and handling, thanks to the latest in nanotechnology. "The S.drive performs better in both wet and dry conditions than the ES-100 it replaces," said Dan King, Yokohama’s director of sales, consumer products. "The S.drive is quieter, features more even wear and is available in a much greater range of sizes than the ES-100 and the best competitors in the class." Sizes fit the broadest range of sport sedans and coupes from Europe, Asia and North America, as well as popular vehicles as the BMW 3-series, Honda Civic and the Ford Mustang. The S.drive is available in sizes to fit 15-20 inch wheels, in aspect ratios from 30-55 and in sizes up to 285/30R20 99Y. A total of 71 different sizes will available in 2007.
* Debut of AVID W4s: Since launching in 1997, the AVID line has topped the 10 million tires sold mark. The latest tire in the line is the W4s, which is the first AVID to achieve a W-speed rating. W4s is ideal for sport sedans such as the BMW 5-Series, Subaru WRX, Cadillac CTS, Lexus LS430 and Mercedes Benz E-Class, and sports cars such as the BMW Z4, Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z, Pontiac GTO. Sizes range from 205/40R17 to a 255/35R20. "The AVID W4s is engineered to deliver balance on a variety of requirements," according to King. "Today’s vehicles place a lot of emphasis on safety, environmental efficiency, power, handling and ride comfort. Yokohama engineers designed the AVID W4s to meet these demands while keeping with the popular AVID series pricing."
* Cameron Steele at booth: Off-road champ Steele, along with his Desert Assassins trophy truck, will be in the booth. The truck, outfitted with Yokohama’s Geolandar A/T-S 37-inch concept tires, will also be featured at the booth the duration of the show. Steele, who will be chasing a Baja 1,000 trophy later in the month, is scheduled to sign autographs on Tues., Oct. 31 and Wed., Nov. 1 from 11 a.m.-noon and 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
* "Beat the Odds" blackjack tourney: On, Wed., Nov. 1, from 5 -7:30 p.m., about 40 tire dealers will vie for big prizes in this single-hand elimination contest. Prizes are a 2007 Lotus Exige S (with Yokohama ADVAN A048 tires on it) for first place, and $5,000 and $1,000 in casino chips for second and third place, respectively. It’s the first official showing of the Exige S and Yokohama is the exclusive tire supplier for it and all Lotus models.
* Booth vehicles: A broad selection of vehicles, all with Yokohama tires, will be on display in the booth. The vehicles are:
-- Hummer H2 with Parada Spec-X 325/35R28 tires
-- BMW 650i with ADVAN Sports
-- Infiniti M45 Kenstyle with new S.drive tires
-- Lotus Exige with ADVAN A048s
-- Cameron Steel’s Desert Assassins Trophy Truck with Geolandar A/TS 37-inch concept tires
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global producer and distributor of premium tires for more than 89 years. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation offers a complete line of tires including high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, as well as off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
Yokohama is a strong supporter of the tire care and safety guidelines established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Details can be found at the "Taking Care of Your Tires" section at www.yokohamatire.com.

Yokohama Debuts AVID W4S All-Weather Tire at SEMA

Tire is W-speed rated, a first for the popular AVID line

Since launching in 1997, Yokohama Tire Corporation’s AVID line has topped the 10 million tires sold mark. Continuing the momentum, Yokohama will debut the latest in the AVID line – the W4s – at the upcoming SEMA show in Las Vegas.
The AVID W4s is the first tire in the AVID line to achieve a W-speed rating and is ideal for sport sedans such as the BMW 5-Series, Subaru WRX, Cadillac CTS, Lexus LS430 and Mercedes Benz E-Class, according to Dan King, Yokohama director of sales, consumer products. Sports cars such as the BMW Z4, Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z, Pontiac GTO and others are also good candidates for the AVID W4s. Sizes will range from 205/40R17 to a 255/35R20.
“The AVID W4s was engineered to deliver balance on a variety of requirements,” said King. “Today’s vehicles place a lot of emphasis on safety, environmental efficiency, power, handling and ride comfort. Yokohama engineers designed the AVID W4s to meet these demands while keeping with the popular AVID series pricing.
“Our engineers utilized the A-tech tread compound in the AVID W4s, which delivers long mileage and high traction grip, giving the driver the confidence needed for wet, dry or snow-covered roads. The tire features a durable tread wear rating of 400, which is made possible by the A-tech tread compound and the even-wear tread design.”
According to King, the large shoulder blocks provide more rubber-to-road contact, resulting in enhanced cornering grip, and the shoulders also feature varying channels that are designed to cancel road noise. The continuous center rib generates responsiveness and enhances stability.
“Because passenger safety is our main concern,” said King, “the AVID W4s all-season tire provides traction due to its four, wide circumferential grooves that ensure efficient water evacuation and improve lateral traction in the snow. The staggered block design and multiple cross grooves work with the four circumferential grooves to improve both lateral stability and snow traction.”
The AVID W4s comes with Yokohama’s 30-day performance promise. Consumers can test drive the AVID W4s for 30 days and if not completely satisfied, return them for a full refund.
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global producer and distributor of premium tires for more than 89 years. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation offers a complete line of tires including high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, as well as off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
Yokohama is a strong supporter of the tire care and safety guidelines established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Details can be found at the “Taking Care of Your Tires” section at www.yokohamatire.com.

ECLIPSE PARTNERS WITH ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC
FOR SPECIAL COMPILATION CD

October 31, 2006 — Constantly recognizing the important role of music in
making driving fun, ECLIPSE has partnered with the Island Def Jam Music Group and its
fabulous roster of recording artists that dominant today’s urban music scene. The result from
this partnership is the “ECLIPSE Driving Music” CD release that features a compilation of
established and emerging artists’ work that reflects ECLIPSE’s ongoing commitment to music
enjoyment in each of its products.

To support the release of the CD, fast-rising star Megan Rochell will make a personal
appearance at the ECLIPSE SEMA Show booth. Meet her on Tuesday, October 31st @ 2PM
signing autographs (booth #10330, North Hall).

The “ECLIPSE Driving Music” CD contains 9 selected tracks and features some of the greatest
music from: Rhianna, Ne-Yo, Megan Rochell, Shareefa, Bobby Valentino, Lionel Ritchie,
Mic Little, Chrisette Michelle and Under the Influence of Giants.

Following a highly successful radio promotion contest last year to announce LL Cool J’s latest
album, ECLIPSE and Def Jam Island Music Group have continued their collaborative efforts,
and ECLIPSE DRIVING MUSIC is bound to please fans and music lovers with its unique mix
of artists and their music.

Adam Carolla Charity Car Auction
To give back to the community, ECLIPSE recently collaborated with Make-A-Wish Foundation®,
the premier wish-granting organization. Since 1980, they have enriched the lives of children with
life-threatening medical conditions through their wish-granting work. The Foundation’s mission
reflects the life changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families,
referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.

ECLIPSE is proud to be part of the team together with AL & ED’S AUTOSOUND, FREE FM and
SANTA MONICA SUBARU that has outfitted the SUBARU WRX TR Sedan (donated by SANTA
MONICA SUBARU) with the very best aftermarket upgrades. Unveiled at the California Auto
Show in this month, the car will be auctioned online from October 25 through November 4, 2006.
The car’s transformation has been documented on Free FM’s website http://www.971FreeFM.com.
At the auction’s close, The Adam Carolla Show will present the vehicle at the LA Auto Show to the winning
bidder as well as a check to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

ECLIPSE, a division of Fujitsu Ten Ltd., designs and manufactures precision audio, video and
navigation products with legendary sound quality and performance. ECLIPSE sells products
through a select group of specialty retail partners and nationally through Crutchfield and Circuit
City Stores. Additional information is available at www.eclipse-web.com.

RealWheels Plans to FREAK OUT
At the SEMA Show in Las Vegas
Picture this… It’s Halloween in Las Vegas, and Illusionist Criss Angel, star of the A&E television series “Mindfreak” is ready to unveil a mysterious Magic-themed custom vehicle. It’s dark, extremely loud, unusual, completely customized, and a little bizarre.
On October 31^st 2006, The SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) trade show will again welcome over 100,000 aftermarket automotive industry professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center for its annual conference. This event attracts the A-list of the auto industry and custom car builders, and is considered the Super-Bowl of the aftermarket business.
Northern Illinois based RealWheels Accessories, along with the efforts of over 20 sponsors, has been working all summer on the “Mindfreak H2” with the help of award-winning illusionist Criss Angel. “Every year people ask us how we will possibly top our previous show vehicles.” Says RealWheels Vice president, Jhan R. Dolphin. “I’ve always been a big fan of magic, and this year’s SEMA show opening on Halloween presented us with the perfect opportunity to create something very unusual. As if Las Vegas isn’t weird enough on Halloween, wait till we get there with this. When I shared my idea with Criss, he was thrilled to be part of the project.”
Halloween 2006 is a big day in the Magic community, as it marks the 80^th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death, undoubtedly the World’s most famous Magician. The unusual custom Hummer project was built in the spirit of Criss Angel’s A&E series “Mindfreak”. “The more you look at this vehicle, the more interesting and unusual things you’ll find.” adds Dolphin, “Even original artifacts from Houdini’s era have been discretely added into design features of the Mindfreak Hummer from the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and from the Martinka Magic Shop in New York, once owned by Houdini himself. “Our greatest enjoyment from building a project of this scale is the reaction from people that see it, point at it, and photograph it to share with others.” Says Dolphin, “We plan to make it available at events all over the country during the next 18-24 months.”
RealWheels Accessories in Gurnee, Illinois has manufactured vehicle enhancement products for over 25 years. Their products range from stainless steel wheel simulators for big rig trucks and emergency vehicles, to chrome accessories for the Dodge Viper. They produce over 300 items for the Hummer vehicles, and recently released a line of accessories for the new Toyota FJ Cruiser. Photos of their past projects and additional information on the company can be found at: www.realwheelstrim.com. For more on Criss Angel, visit www.crissangel.com.

Volkswagen Showcases Euro-Tuning at SEMA
Volkswagen upgrades past favorites for a promising future
WHAT: Volkswagen provides a look into the future of compact car performance with the debut of the Volkswagen Rabbit and GTI concept vehicles that showcase their commitment to Euro-Tuning at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. Volkswagen also will display selected items and vehicles from their genuine VW Accessories portfolio. This year marks the return of Volkswagen to SEMA, following up on a successful debut in 2005.
WHO: Derek Jenkins, chief designer at the Volkswagen
Design Center California Ken Gurney, general manager,
Volkswagen Parts & Accessories Matthias Seidl, chief
operating officer, Volkswagen of America Gary Temple,
vice president of customer service, Volkswagen of America
Steve Keyes, director of corporate communications,
Volkswagen of America Keith Price,
public relations manager, Volkswagen of America
WHEN: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 3:40-4 p.m. PST
WHERE: Volkswagen Booth #12636, Las Vegas
Convention Center, North Hall

Boys Back at The Shop to unveil its
Web Site at SEMA
The site — a Web portal — will make it easier for “gearheads”
to find and obtain the information they need
Boys Back at The Shop, an online shopping mall devoted to auto enthusiasts and the special products they seek, will unveil its Web site (BoysBackAtTheShop.com) at SEMA October 31 – November 3.
The site is actually a Web portal which will collect all the auto aftermarket-related Web sites on the Internet and organize them all on one site. By using the Boys Back at The Shop site, car enthusiasts will now be able to quickly and easily find the information they want without having to search the entire Internet for it.
“Think of it as one huge garage that holds everything,” explains Boys Back at The Shop President Lou Mohr.
“Looking for auto restorers? We’ve collected them all for you in one convenient section — just click and look. Looking for wheel rims, they’re all in one section, too. If it’s car-related, it’s here on our site.”
According to Mohr, the site will be a popular destination for both car enthusiasts — or “gearheads” as they’re known in the industry — as well as companies looking to advertise their message to the “gearhead market.”
“Gearheads will love our site because it will allow them to spend more time on their cars and less time searching the Internet. Companies will appreciate our site because it’s obviously the place on the Internet to advertise their products and services to gearheads.”
SEMA members will have an exclusive opportunity to use the site during the show Tuesday, October 31 – November 3.

Thresher Industries at SEMA Show 2006 in Las Vegas
Thresher Industries (PINKSHEETS: THRI), manufacturer of aluminum and composite castings and a member of SEMA, will exhibit at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas October 31st thru November 3rd, 2006. Tom Flessner, President and CEO of Thresher Industries, said, "We have been focused on the automotive aftermarket as part of our sales efforts and, as a member of SEMA, feel our participation and support of SEMA is critical to our long-term success."
Thresher Industries provides conventional cast aluminum as well as reinforced metal matrix composite aluminum alloy components for a variety of customers and applications. Thresher's ThermaLite and TerraLite alloys offer unique properties compared to conventional aluminum alloys such as increased wear resistance, unique thermal properties and greatly increased strength. Thresher also offers proprietary casting technologies including its Nautilus Core Technology, a bio-degradable recyclable process that is used to generate internal shapes and passages in castings without sand or binders normally used in casting operations.
Tom Flessner, President and CEO; Roger Rowell, CFO; and the Thresher sales team will be available at the Thresher booth #24505 in the main hall. Thresher will have information available as well as sample material and cast product in the

THE ‘SUMMER SOLSTICE GIVEAWAY’ GRAND PRIZE WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE 2006 SEMA SHOW PRESS CONFERENCE
Winner to Receive a 2006 Custom-built Pontiac Solstice Convertible
—The ‘Summer Solstice Giveaway’ came to a close, but the excitement isn’t over yet! The winner of this highly-anticipated promotion will be announced at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas . Stop by the NOS Energy Drinks/Holley Performance Product Booth at the Central Hall, # 22213 on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 at 2:10PM and find out who gets to drive away in the grand prize: a fully-customized Pontiac Solstice valued at $35,000.
“Equipped with full NOS and CO2 Systems (provided by Holley Performance Products), a limited edition RK Sports body kit, Haun Racecraft Stage 2 turbo kit, BASF flat blue paint and Panasonic audio system, this is a one of a kind car—built to please the ultimate enthusiast and the NOS Energy Drink consumer,” said NOS Marketing Manager and ‘Summer Solstice’ designer, Ernie Manansala. Built by Auto Gear World and complete with Privat wheels, Status Racing Seats and Dunlop tires, “It’s a perfect example of original and precise engineering,” added Manansala.
The ‘Summer Solstice Giveaway’ was supported by appearing in several full-page print ads and featured in numerous publications like Super Street and Import Tuner. According to NOS Brand Director, Michael Fine , “There was a tremendous consumer response to the car. Over 30,000 people entered the sweepstakes on-line, at retail or at events.” Fine also pointed out, “The ‘Summer Solstice Giveaway’ further exemplifies why partnering with Holley Performance Products and brand NOS is a perfect fit for the energy drink category.”
As part of the sweepstakes, additional prizes include: First Prize: One (1) winner will be awarded a Manco Spitfire Go-Kart (est. value: $2,000). Second Prize: Five (5) winners will be awarded a Holley NOS Kit (est. value: $500/prize). Third Prize: Five (5) winners will be awarded a year’s supply of NOS Energy Drink, 12 cases (est. value: $450/prize).
Fuze Beverage, LLC and Holley Performance Products partnered in 2005 to create High Performance Energy Drinks. NOS Energy Drinks are available nationally in convenience stores, grocery stores and speed shops, for all those with a Need for Speed. For more information visit www.drinknos.com.
Holley Performance Products Inc., Bowling Green , KY , is a leader in the performance engine market, and is used throughout the world in racing, street, marine, powersports and industrial high performance engines. Holley’s family of companies includes the leading brands in the performance market including: Holley®, Weiand®, Lunati™, Hooker®, FlowTech®, Earl’s® and NOS®. For more information visit www.holley.com.
—STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly. —STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly. —STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly. Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Toyota Tundra received nearly 41 percent of the votes for 2006."Vehicle accessorization is becoming more and more important to our customers, especially with trucks. Toyota has always been very supportive and interested in vehicle accessorization and our partnership with these companies through SEMA allows us to have high quality accessories at the point of sale," commented Brian Smith, Corporate Manager of Truck Operations for Toyota Motor Sales USA.SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com —STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly. Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Toyota Tundra received nearly 41 percent of the votes for 2006."Vehicle accessorization is becoming more and more important to our customers, especially with trucks. Toyota has always been very supportive and interested in vehicle accessorization and our partnership with these companies through SEMA allows us to have high quality accessories at the point of sale," commented Brian Smith, Corporate Manager of Truck Operations for Toyota Motor Sales USA.SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com —STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly. Each SEMA Vehicle Design Award recipient was part of a selection process that encompassed several SEMA member companies and automakers who regularly participate in technology sharing programs. These programs consist of various data sharing, measurement sessions and technology transfer initiatives which provide valuable information for each specialty equipment manufacturer to be in sync with the launch of new vehicles.The SEMA Vehicle Design Awards were established to honor those newly introduced vehicles that best exemplify the alliance between the OEMs and SEMA-member companies. The awards recognize and celebrate the vehicles that a select group of voting members has chosen as the most accessory-friendly vehicles of the year. The Toyota Tundra received nearly 41 percent of the votes for 2006."Vehicle accessorization is becoming more and more important to our customers, especially with trucks. Toyota has always been very supportive and interested in vehicle accessorization and our partnership with these companies through SEMA allows us to have high quality accessories at the point of sale," commented Brian Smith, Corporate Manager of Truck Operations for Toyota Motor Sales USA.SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289 or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com —STRUT®, the leading designer of handcrafted, triple-chromed grilles, wheels and accessories for the luxury automotive market, will introduce three stunning new grille collections at the SEMA 2007 Show in Las Vegas designed exclusively for the Cadillac Escalade, GM Yukon Denali, and the Mercedes S550. The company will also debut a new Icon Wheel Collection. 2007 Cadillac Escalade—Vail Collection™ has been designed for Escalade devotees who desire to customize their vehicle with a distinctive look that showcases the owners’ flair for style. Included in the collection is one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, two side vents with STRUT shield, and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail Price: $6,000. 2007 GM Yukon Denali—Mammoth Collection™ is designed to seamlessly complement the distinctive redesign of this full-sized SUV. The collection features one crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached. One crimped mesh Lower Air Intake vent and one STRUT lift gate shield. Suggested Retail: $6,000 2007 Mercedes S550—Munich Collection™ offers owners of this high style and performance vehicle the ultimate in personalization. Included in the Munich Collection is one woven crimped mesh front grille with STRUT shield attached, one lower air intake vent with STRUT shield attached, two crimped mesh hood vents and one STRUT trunk shield. Suggested Retail: $8500 Icon7 Collection™ is a 2-piece wheel made from forged aluminum for strength and durability. Wheels feature 7-spokes with a STRUT shield at the center of each and prominently positioned on the center cap. Icon7 is available in 20, 22 and 24-inch sizes in chrome, satin or color matched to the vehicle. Suggested Retail: $10,000 - $12,000 STRUT is located in San Clemente, California where the company recently relocated to a new expanded facility. The company is known globally for their trendsetting and distinctive collections of triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and accessories designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs preferred by discriminating driving enthusiasts. All collections are handcrafted like fine jewelry of the finest triple-chromed 316L stainless steel, hand-polished, and signed by the artisan. Hummer H2, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes CLS 500, Mercedes S 550 and Range Rover. Custom grilles are also available on 2007 Sport Chassis by Freightliner heavy-duty pickup trucks. Additional introductions will be announced shortly.

Posted by lady at 10:32 AM | Permalink

October 21, 2006

Halloween

Here till Halloween we will be posting things about Halloween

http://www.fineliving.com/fine/our_shows/article/0,1663,FINE_1397_5078167,00.html

http://www.fineliving.com/fine/our_specials/episode/0,1663,FINE_5916_46880,00.html

AOL Video-Fangoria Poll Reveals What Scares Us Most In Horror Movies

More Than One-Quarter Fear The Unknown, While Supernatural Beings Give Us Chills

It’s Halloween and it’s time to spend time with our favorite horror movies, including classics like Psycho, and more recent scary movies, like the Saw trilogy. So what is it about these flicks that make our hearts race and keep us coming back for more? According to a new survey from AOL Video and Fangoria magazine, it’s the sense of the unknown, cited by the majority of fans (26 percent) as the scariest element in a horror movie.

What else scares us? Horror movie fans also find they start to tremble when scary elements can’t be seen, but they know they are there (15 percent) and during scenes related to personal phobias, such as the fear of the dark (10 percent). Meanwhile, eight percent of fans are most scared when they see blood and gore, and also when they hear dramatic music (8 percent).

This new AOL® Video-Fangoria poll also surveyed fans to determine which character scares them the most. The poll found respondents equally scared of supernatural beings, such as werewolves, aliens and zombies, and serial killers (both 23 percent). The sinister child (17 percent), the slasher (10 percent) and the undead (8 percent) round out the top-five.

“We like to be scared, so horror movie fans, like me, actively seek out films that won’t let us down,” said Tony Timpone, Editor, Fangoria. “We look for movies that feature characters most likely to scare us, like aliens and serial killers, even clowns. Scary movies can offer a natural high for both the serious horror fan and the moviegoer who checks out the horror flick at Halloween.”

In this survey, respondents were also asked what makes a good horror movie. The leading responses included:

* Good storyline & script: 22 percent

* The build-up of suspense: 21 percent

* Realism, that it could happen to you: 21 percent

* Special effects: 10 percent

* Good actors: 9 percent

Finally, in the ongoing debate over which is a better horror movie, the big budget blockbuster (63%) blew away the low budget indy film (27%). The results were similar in the battle between the R-rated horror film (71%) versus the PG-13 scary movie (19%).

In reflecting on the movie elements and characters that scare us the most, AOL Video and Fangoria compiled the “Top-Five Scariest Horror Movie Moments” in a highlights reel available for free viewing at http://www.aolvideo.com/halloween. These frightening movie moments include:

1) “Psycho:” the famous shower scene

2) “The Exorcist:” Linda Blair projectile vomiting at the priest

3) “The Shining:” ‘Here’s Johnny…’

4) “Alien:” The alien bursting out of John Hurt’s chest

5) “Poltergeist:” The evil clown appears and chokes the boy

For more great horror moments on AOL Video, viewers can check out the In2TV™ Halloween Channel, which features free television programs like Freddy's Nightmares and Dark Realm, as well as free movies, including the original versions of The House of Wax and The Mummy. AOL Video also features dozens of pay-to-download, full-length movies, such as Psycho, The Thing, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. For even more horror content, check out www.fangoria.tv.

Methodology

Survey results are based upon a telephone survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation among a national sample of 511 men and 509 women aged 18 years and older living in the continental United States. Interviews took place during the period October 19-22, 2006. Findings among horror movie fans are based on 337 people who have ever watched a horror movie.

About AOL

AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software and services, runs the country's largest Internet access business, and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. AOL LLC is based in Dulles, Virginia. AOL and its subsidiaries also have operations in Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.

About Fangoria

Fangoria Entertainment owns and operates the renowned monthly horror publication FANGORIA Magazine and the horror genre’s #1 online destination Fangoria.com. Fangoria Entertainment also produces the popular weekly 3-hour live radio show FANGORIA RADIO airing Friday nights on Sirius Satellite Radio, hosted by renowned heavy metal frontman for Twisted Sister and horror film producer-actor Dee Snider with celebrated Scream Queen and radio veteran Debbie Rochon serving as Snider’s sidekick. Established in May 1979, FANGORIA Magazine and Website rank as America’s #1 source for horror news and entertainment. Both the magazine and the website remain the most sought-after source of movies, videogames, television series, books and toys that comprise the burgeoning world of horror entertainment. This October www.Fangoria.TV launched as a broadband horror network on the web, featuring original programming, classic movies and lots more. Fangoria Entertainment is also a prime producer of horror conventions held throughout the year in major cities nationwide. In addition, the Fangoria video label is home to a collection of contemporary horror film titles in distribution on DVD and VHS.

This week every kid in the world will dress up as ugly as possible in hopes of scaring fellow uglies. Often the scarier becomes the scaree but who cares, it's Halloween!

The Celtic festival of Samhain most likely is the source of the present-day Halloween celebration. More than 2,000 years ago, the Celts lived in what is now Great Britain, Ireland, and France. They celebrated their new year on November 1 with a festival that began the night before honoring Samhain, the Celtic Lord of Death. This festival also marked the start of cold, darkness, and decay; therefore, it quickly became associated with human death. The Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for this one evening.

During the celebration, the people wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They told fortunes about the coming years by examining the remains of the animals that had been sacrificed. When the Romans conquered the Celts in 43 A.D., they combined several Roman autumn festivals with the Celtic festival of Samhain.

After the conquered people became Christians, they were allowed to keep many of the Celtic customs. In about 800 A.D., the Church started All Saints Day on November first so that all people could continue to celebrate a festival they had enjoyed before becoming Christians. The Mass that was said on this day was called Allhallowmas. The evening before became known as All Hallowsen or Halloween.

Hollowed-out-pumpkins, called jack-o-lanterns can be traced back to the people in Ireland and England who carved out beets, potatoes, and turnips to use as lanterns on this festive occasion. They were named for a miser named Jack who could not enter heaven and played jokes on the devil.

No Halloween is complete without the eerie glow of a pumpkin face in the window. This single day has made pumpkin production a booming business. It's doubtful whether large scale pumpkin production would exist without Halloween - pumpkin pie is not that great!

Fairy tales and legends from America and other countries contain many references to the pumpkin. There is the episode in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in which the ghostly character lifts his pumpkin head from the pommel of his saddle and hurls it at the fleeing Ichabod Crane.

In a legend of India, a devoted father used a large pumpkin as a tomb for his only son. In time, the pumpkin was found to be filled with water in which swam large fish. Intent on harvesting the fish, four brothers lifted the pumpkin to carry it away but became frightened and dropped it. From the resulting cracks in the pumpkin shell, a flood of water poured out to inundate the earth.

The pumpkin achieved a romantic high when one of its oversized brothers served as a golden coach for Cinderella. It also must have been a sizable pumpkin shell which Peter the Pumpkin Eater confined his wandering wife. Regardless of whether one of the legends or Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting for the "Great Pumpkin" to appear has stimulated the use of pumpkins at Halloween, this overgrown squash that we call a pumpkin is in real demand about this time of the year. The question always arises, why don't gardeners grow their own?

Certain problems arise in trying to produce pumpkins for Halloween. Pumpkin production is easier said than done which is exactly why even the most professional green thumbers purchase imported pumpkins. What is the problem? The first reason that pumpkins are in fact difficult to grow is that they are long season crops. Pumpkins require a minimum of three to four months to mature a fruit - the bigger the pumpkin desired, the longer the maturity season needed. Pumpkins are also frost susceptible and are easily damaged by cold temperatures. This means planting must occur after the last killing frost and maturity will be sometimes in mid-summer. Then you will have to store the pumpkins from mid-summer to late October.

For those who now accuse me of being a dumb Aggie for not recommending waiting to plant until July so that maturity and harvest can occur in October, think again! Even though pumpkin seeds germinate best at a soil temperature of about 95 degrees F., there is another pumpkin disaster just waiting to happen when the plants pop-up - vine borers. In the fall, these killers are so efficient that many plants are destroyed before leaves are formed. The cost of insecticides required to protect the plants for three months during such an onslaught far exceeds what a pumpkin will cost. In addition, these pumpkin plants are readily infected with virus and fungus diseases that are abundant during Texas in mid-summer and renders pumpkin production almost impossible in many areas of our state.

Suppose that you want the challenge of fall pumpkin production - if the vine borers and the mosaic virus don't get you, the space requirement might. Pumpkin vines are gigantic! Even with five feet between plants on beds which are at least 12 feet apart, these super growers may become crowded. These spacing dimensions mean that a "hill" of pumpkins requires at least 60 square feet. Some gardens aren't that big!

Obviously this profuse growth is a basis for another pumpkin legend which concerns a youth named Jack who mounted his horse on a spring day to plant pumpkins. Although he spurred his mount at top speed and dropped the seed in previously prepared hills, he was unable to keep ahead of the fast growing vines.

So as you can imagine, pumpkin production should be left to growers with large acreages. Gardeners can still enjoy the large squash called pumpkin at this time of the year when a mere vegetable becomes a magical and scary item in your youngster's imaginations.

For those of you who want to make something decent out of all that pumpkin scrapings, try Diane Sutton's Pecan Pumpkin Pie recipe -- it's so good, it's spooky!

Diane Sutton's Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
three eggs one cup of pumpkin (fresh or canned) one-third cup of sugar one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (may use one teaspoon cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon ginger, one-fourth teaspoon cloves, one-fourth teaspoon nutmeg) two-thirds cup corn syrup (light) one- half cup of sugar three tablespoons of melted oleo one-half teaspoon vanilla one cup pecans; one unbaked nine-inch pie shell.

Stir together one egg (slightly beat), one cup of pumpkin, one-third cup sugar, and the pie spice to make a pumpkin mixture. Spread over bottom of pie shell. Combine two eggs, corn syrup, one-half cup sugar, oleo and vanilla. Stir in the pecans. Spoon over pumpkin mixture described above. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50 minutes or until set. Pecan halves make prettier presentation; pecan pieces makes it easier to cut. (When using fresh pumpkin, to cook the pumpkin, remove all seed and membrane and use a knife to remove the outer skin. Cut into one-inch cubes and cook until tender in a small amount of water. Drain the water, mash the pumpkin and strain it through a colander or sieve.) Regardless, this recipe will at least make pumpkin edible. Who knows? You may even be glad that Halloween happened this year!

Why not pickle some pumpkins? Don't have a good recipe? Here it is: One 7-10 pounds pumpkin 6 cinnamon sticks 5 pounds sugar (white or mixed) 1/4 tsp. mustard seed 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 tbsp. whole cloves 1 quart white vinegar 1 tsp. whole allspice 1 pint water 1 tsp. powdered alum

Peel pumpkin, clean insides of seeds, skin and cut into 1" x 1 and " cubes. Boil in large pot with alum for 10 minutes. Drain and soak in water with ice in it until cold. Drain well on towels for at least 2 hours.

For syrup, mix sugar, water, vinegar, lemon and spices in 2 gallon kettle. Simmer syrup 15 minutes, add pumpkin; stir and cook 15-45 minutes, until desired flavor is reached.

This recipe fills 6-8 pint jars. Cover with syrup, process in hot water bath 20 minutes or refrigerate. Store 30 days before opening.

If you want a clear syrup on your pickles, use only white sugar and keep spices in a gauze bag you can remove before putting pickles in jars. I wonder if burning a candle in the pumpkin jack-o-lantern all night before pickling will give the pickles a smoked flavor?

Halloween, one of the world's oldest holidays, is still celebrated today in several countries around the globe.

The autumn rite is commemorated in the United Kingdom, although with a surprising and distinctive British twist. In Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, All Souls' Day, the third day of the three-day Hallowmas observance, is the most important part of the celebration for many people. In Ireland and Canada, Halloween, which was once a frightening and superstitious time of year, is celebrated much as it is in the United States, with trick-or-treating, costume parties, and fun for all ages.

The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (pronounced sow-in), which means "end of summer", the Celtic New year.

Trick for Treat

The custom of trick or treating probably has several origins. During Samhain, the Druids believed that the dead would play tricks on mankind and cause panic and destruction. They had to be appeased, so country folk would give the Druids food as they visited their homes.

An old Irish peasant practice called for going door to door to collect money, breadcake, cheese, eggs, butter, apples, etc., in preparation for the festival of St. Columb Kill.

Also a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.

Did You Know...

A traditional food eaten on Halloween is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater's future. If a ring is found, it means that the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is on its way.

Bobbing for Apples:

When the Celts were absorbed by the Roman Empire, many rituals of Roman origin began. Among them was the worship of Pomona, goddess of the harvest, often portrayed sitting on a basket of fruits and flowers. Apples were the sacred fruit of the goddess, and many games of divination involving them entered the Samhain customs.

The Witch's Broomstick:

The witch is a central symbol of Halloween. The name comes from the Saxon wica, meaning wise one. When setting out for a Sabbath, witches rubbed a sacred ointment onto their skin. This gave them a feeling of flying, and if they had been fasting they felt even giddier. Some witches rode on horseback, but poor witches went on foot and carried a broom or a pole to aid in vaulting over streams. In England when new witches were initiated they were often blindfolded, smeared with flying ointment and placed on a broomstick. The ointment would confuse the mind, speed up the pulse and numb the feet. When they were told "You are flying over land and sea," the witch took their word for it.

Jack-O-Lanterns:

Irish children used to carve out potatoes or turnips and light them for their Halloween gatherings. They commemorated Jack, a shifty Irish villain so wicked that neither God nor the Devil wanted him. Rejected by both the sacred and profane, he wandered the world endlessly looking for a place to rest, his only warmth a glittering candle in a rotten turnip. Read about Jack in the 'Legend of the Jack-O-Lantern' short story.

Did You Know...

The Irish Potato Famine (1845-50) prompted over 700,000 people to immigrate to the Americas. These immigrants brought with them their traditions of Halloween and Jack o'Lanterns, but turnips were not as readily available as back home. They found the American pumpkin to be a more than an adequate replacement. Today, the carved pumpkin is perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday.

Halloween Masquerade Mask:

From earliest times people wore masks when droughts or other disasters struck. They believed that the demons who had brought their misfortune upon them would become frightened off by the hideous masks. Even after the festival of Samhain had merged with Halloween, Europeans felt uneasy at this time of the year. Food was stored in preparation for the winter and the house was snug and warm. The cold, envious ghosts were outside, and people who went out after dark often wore masks to keep from being recognised.

Pumpkin Facts

In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding "gros melons." The name was translated into English as "pompions," which has since evolved into the modern "pumpkin."
Pumpkins have been grown in North America for five thousand years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere.
Pumpkins are fruits. A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitacae), which include squash, cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.
Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year.
2005 New World Record! In what has become an annual event, the world record has fallen once more. The largest pumpkin ever grown stands at 1,469 pounds. It was grown by Larry Checkon of North Cambria, Pennsylvania. It was weighed in on October 1, 2005 at the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Weighoff. Will the record fall again in 2006? I will let you know!

Best Geek Costumes For Halloween

Ghost? Zombie? Nixon? Man, these costumes are old news. This Halloween, why not dress up as something from the geek universe? Here's my picks this year for the scary, the provocative, and the outright absurd.

Sony Laptop Battery Pack - What you need: Rectangular piece of cardboard or foam, black paint, a lit cigarette (to simulate the smoking effect). Bonus points for carrying those little poppers that explode when you step on them.

Sony Rootkit-Infected CD - Large circle of cardboard covered in aluminum foil, evil laugh. (Just as scary as the battery.)

LonelyGirl15 (pictured) - What you need: T-shirt or tank top, pony tail scrunchy, tweezers (to pluck eyebrows immaculately), age-diminishing cream, Aliester Crowley books, feather boa, purple monkey puppet, general sense of rebellion and ennui about life.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs - Black turtleneck, blue jeans, iPod, glasses, smug grin.

Firefox - What you need: Fox outfit, lighter fluid, match, sense of irony, fireproofness, legion of geek followers.

The TRON Guy - Awesome TRON bodysuit, pot belly, no sense of shame.

Former HP Chairman of the Board Patricia Dunn - Liza Minnelli haircut, expensive women's suit, reporter's telephone records that you have no idea how you got, pink slip.

Guard Against Ghoulish Goodies: Keep Your Pets Safe from Halloween Hazards
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Offers Poison Safety Tips for Pet Owners

Urbana, Ill. – The arrival of Halloween brings fun parties, trick-or-treaters, and lots of delicious candies. However, some of the same goodies and decorations we humans are fond of can be potentially hazardous to our pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is offering pet owners some helpful hints to keep their pets healthy and safe during Halloween.

Halloween treats with chocolate are not appropriate for pets. Depending on the dose ingested, chocolate (bakers, semi-sweet, mmilk and dark) can be potentially poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the chocolate, the more toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened baking chocolate contains almost seven times more theobromine as milk chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as little as ¼ ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.

Candies and gum containing large amounts of the sweetener xylitol can also be toxic to pets, as ingestions of significant quantities can produce a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, incoordination and seizures. Be sure to keep such products well out of the reach of your pets.

Keep aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers away from pets. They can cause vomiting and could even produce intestinal blockage.

Keep your pet on its normal diet. Any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals that have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements.

Never offer or allow your pets to access alcoholic beverages. Place unattended drinks where pets cannot reach them. If ingested, the animal could become very ill and weak and may go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.

Halloween decorative plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively non-toxic, yet they can potentially cause gastrointestinal upset and may even result in intestinal blockage as well if large pieces are ingested.

Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of the reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to its mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Liquid potpourri, commonly used to add pleasant scent to the home during certain holidays, can be hazardous to pets. Potentially severe damage to the mouth, skin and eyes could result from exposure to both heated and cool liquid product.

If you suspect your pet may have become exposed to a potentially toxic product of substance, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately for assistance.

For over 27 years, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has been the premier animal poison control center in North America. The center, an allied agency of the University of Illinois, is the only facility of its kind staffed by 25 veterinarians including 10 board-certified toxicologists and 14 certified veterinary technicians. Located in Urbana, Illinois, the specially trained staff provides assistance to pet owners and specific analysis and treatment recommendations to veterinarians pertaining to toxic chemicals and dangerous plants, products or substances 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 2005, the center handled over 100,000 cases. In addition, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides extensive veterinary toxicology consulting on a wide array of subjects including legal cases, formulation issues, product liability, regulatory reporting and bio surveillance. To reach the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, call 1-888-426-4435. For more information on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center visit www.aspca.org/apcc (1/06)

Founded in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane organization established in the Western Hemisphere and today has one million supporters. The ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides national leadership in humane education, government affairs and public policy, shelter support, and animal poison control. The NYC headquarters houses a full-service animal hospital, animal behavior center, and adoption facility. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York’s animal cruelty laws and is featuared on the reality television series Animal Precinct on Animal Planet. Visit www.aspca.org for more information.

Source: www.aspca.org

Posted by lady at 10:02 PM | Permalink

Disney Feature Films & DVD Releases

Disneyland Makes 'Thanksgiving Dreams Come True' for National Thanksgiving Turkey ... and Some Lucky Holiday Travelers

Nov. 22 -- It's truly a "Thanksgiving Dream Come True" for the National Thanksgiving Turkey. Following today's traditional Presidential pardon of the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the White House Rose Garden, Flyer and his alternate Fryer will be rushed by police escort to Dulles International Airport. Upon arrival, the birds will "fly" First-Class on United Airlines Flight Turkey-1 to their new home at Disneyland.

In addition to the turkeys having their "Thanksgiving Dreams Come True," every passenger and crew member on United Flight Flyer is in for a special surprise. In celebration of Disney Parks "Year of a Million Dreams," everyone on board will be greeted by Mickey Mouse and given a ticket to Disneyland -- the place where dreams come true.

The trip from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles will mark the second consecutive year that the National Thanksgiving Turkey has celebrated his pardon at Disneyland. Accompanied by National Turkey Federation Chairman Mike Briggs, Flyer, a 20-week-old, 36-pound tom turkey, will be the grand marshal in a special Thanksgiving Day parade down Main Street U.S.A. Following the parade, Flyer his alternate Fryer will find a home at Santa's Reindeer Round-Up at Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland, where they'll remain throughout the holidays and the rest of their lives.

"It is a true honor and once-in-a-lifetime experience for my family and me to represent our industry at the White House during the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation," said Briggs. "This event plays such an important role in what is a uniquely American holiday, and the turkey industry is very proud to be associated with both. Having the opportunity for the National Thanksgiving Turkey to be invited again to participate in the Disneyland parade is a wonderful bonus," Briggs added.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman was the first Commander-in-Chief to be presented with a Thanksgiving turkey (in 1947) by the National Turkey Federation. This year's presentation marks the 59th anniversary of a tradition that has continued through 10 successive White House administrations. The 2006 National Thanksgiving Turkey was raised on a farm outside Springfield, Missouri.

The National Turkey Federation is the advocate for all segments of the U.S. turkey industry, providing services and conducting activities, which increase demand for its members' products and protect and enhance the ability to effectively and profitably provide wholesome, high quality, nutritious turkey products.

Source: Disneyland

All That Glitters is Holiday Magic Aboard Disney Cruise LineHoliday magic will deck the halls and add sparkle to the decks for guests who sail with Disney Cruise Line beginning this Thanksgiving and continuing through to the New Year. Both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will spread an abundance of holiday cheer, from traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts to "snowflake" sightings and seasonal caroling.

A special 10-Night Holiday Caribbean Cruise is planned for Disney Magic from Dec. 16 through Dec. 26. The Eastern/Southern Caribbean cruise will call at ports not typically on the Disney Magic cruise itinerary, including St. Lucia and Antigua.

The spirit of the season will surround cruise guests from the moment they arrive at Port Canaveral, Fla. Disney characters decked out in their finest holiday attire will welcome guests to the lavishly decorated private cruise terminal. During holiday sailings, guests will discover:

Thanksgiving festivities complete with Thanksgiving Day meal with all the trimmings, craft activities with a focus on pilgrim hats and turkeys, and visits by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in Thanksgiving costumes.
A nearly three-deck-tall tree festooned with decorations in the atrium lobby, where "snow" flurries fall and a tree-lighting ceremony occurs.
A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for all the kids.
International holiday caroling by crew members from around the globe (exclusively on the Christmas cruise).
Special family time for designing and decorating gingerbread houses.
A reading of "The Night Before Christmas" by Mrs. Claus.
Traditional holiday feasts in Disney's three themed dining rooms (Christmas cruise only).
Multiple faith and interdenominational holiday services (Christmas and Hanukkah cruise only).
A ship-wide party to ring in 2007 and a New Year's Day tailgate party.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, Disney Magic embarks on a special Western Caribbean journey, during which the ship sails twice to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. The seven-night voyage departs Nov. 18, arriving first at Castaway Cay for the usual Disney Cruise Line visit. When the ship returns the day after Thanksgiving, the island will be transformed into a Magical Wonderland, where the sandy Bahamian isle becomes a "snowy" holiday hideaway. "Snow" flurries will fall like magic, Christmas trees will glow and carolers will croon. Mr. and Mrs. Snowman, wearing shell noses and tropical attire, will greet guests with a sleigh full of presents. The tram that transports guests across the 1,000-acre island will be reindeer themed, complete with antlers and tail. A four-night Disney Wonder cruise stops at Castaway Cay on Thanksgiving Day.

At the beach, families can learn the art of sand sculpting, and kids can dive into holiday-themed activities that include making candy cane reindeer, paper plate angels and snowflake-mobiles.

The Disney Magic 10-Night Holiday Caribbean Cruise departs Dec. 16, with visits to Key West, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Thomas/St. John and Castaway Cay. The Disney Wonder four-night Christmas cruise departs Dec. 24, with visits to Nassau and Castaway Cay.

To celebrate the New Year, Disney Magic departs on its seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary Dec. 30; Disney Wonder departs Dec. 31 for its four-night cruise.

From Thanksgiving through the New Year, Disney Cruise Line guests will experience a magical holiday to remember. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888/325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

DREAMS COME TRUE, SLEIGH BELLS RING AND SNOW FALLS AT 'THE MERRIEST PLACE ON EARTH!'

‘YEAR OF A MILLION DREAMS’ HOLIDAY MAGIC

AT DISNEYLAND RESORT
MAKES SPIRITS BRIGHT, NOVEMBER 10 THROUGH JANUARY 7

ANAHEIM, Calif., – As Disneyland Resort commences its celebration of “The Year of a Million Dreams,” Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks will be transformed into dazzling holiday wonderlands featuring an array of spectacular entertainment, amazing decorations, festive foods and favorite adventures and attractions.

Additional holiday magic is provided this year as the Disney Dream Squad roams the Resort making dreams big and small come true for guests in this “Year of a Million Dreams.” Many money-can’t-buy experiences – from exclusive Dream FASTPASSES for popular Disney attractions to around-the-world vacations or a stay in the special Mickey Mouse Penthouse at the Disneyland Hotel - will be awarded at random. There are other “Dreams Come True” opportunities for guests to meet and play with Disney Princesses at Disney Princess Fantasy Faire, duel with Darth Vadar at Jedi Training Academy or join in the fun of the High School Musical Pep Rally. “The Year of a Million Dreams” continues throughout 2007.

During the holidays, the fun is extended with expanded park hours for both Disneyland Resort theme parks for much of the season. Downtown Disney District and the Disneyland Resort hotels join in the merriment with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining.

Disneyland

Holiday dreams come true as Disneyland adds a seasonal array of holiday shows, attractions and lively entertainment to such favorites, classic and new, as “Space Mountain,” “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters,” and the newly enhanced “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Guests entering Main Street, U.S.A., will find the traditional evergreen Disneyland Christmas tree in Town Square. The tree is 60 feet tall and is decorated with 10,000 ornaments and holiday lights.

At the other end of Main Street, a favorite Disneyland holiday souvenir comes to life in the form of a giant Snow Globe at Sleeping Beauty Castle. Its occupant is a snowman whose holiday dream has led him to don Mickey Mouse ears and visit Disneyland. The Snow Globe will make its first appearance December 1.

“Santa’s Reindeer Round-up” returns to Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland. The ranch has been transformed into a “West Pole” getaway where Santa can unwind with Mrs. Claus and his team of reindeer. Kids and their families can chat with St. Nick, see real reindeer grazing in a corral, play some reindeer games, create take-home Yuletide souvenirs and join in holiday line dances with music from a Western trio.

The park’s annual holiday parade, “A Christmas Fantasy,” will be presented November 17 through January 7 on Main Street, U.S.A. This ever-popular procession depicts an enchanting collection of holiday scenes, music and a cast of Disney characters and performers in Yuletide vignettes. Toy soldiers march in cadence, friendly snowmen dance and Santa waves from a soaring sleigh as his reindeer prance below.

“Haunted Mansion Holiday” returns with a madcap celebration where the traditions of Halloween and Christmas collide. The ghoulish but well-meaning Jack Skellington from the film Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas has come to the Haunted Mansion to transform it with his skewed vision of the holidays.

In Fantasyland, the classic “it’s a small world” again becomes “it’s a small world Holiday” with a popular seasonal overlay that transforms this classic Disneyland attraction into a holiday trip around the world. More than 300,000 glittery lights adorn the attraction’s façade.

A holiday evening in Disneyland is highlighted by the nightly fireworks spectacular, “Believe … In Holiday Magic,” debuting Friday, November 10. The fireworks conclude with a touching rendition of “White Christmas” and one of Disneyland’s most beloved holiday traditions: the magical snowfall which gently flutters down on Main Street, U.S.A., Small World Mall and New Orleans Square.

Disney’s California Adventure

Disney’s California Adventure will celebrate the season with fanciful park-wide decorations and lively entertainment. Guests approaching the park will immediately get in the holiday mood as the iconic entrance-way letters that spell “CALIFORNIA” have been magically transformed to appear as swirling red and white peppermint sticks.

Once inside the gates of Disney’s California Adventure, guests can enjoy the park’s newest attractions and shows, such as “The High School Musical Pep Rally” and “Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue!,” as well as favorites like “Soarin’ Over California” and “The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.”

Inside “a bug’s land,” Flik and his bug buddies have spread giant Christmas lights, oversized ornaments and towering candy canes throughout their realm. Alongside Paradise Bay, a resplendent Christmas tree provides a dazzling sight as other nearby trees sparkle with hundreds of lights and wreathes adorn lampposts.

The Sunshine Plaza becomes “Santa’s Beach Blast,” where the Disney characters playfully blend classic holiday images with the California beach lifestyle. Santa the surfer greets guests near a Woody wagon sleigh, and the area is filled with seaside-style holiday decorations.

The 500-acre Disneyland Resort in southern California features two spectacular theme parks – the world-renowned original Disney theme park, Disneyland (“The Happiest Place on Earth”) and Disney’s California Adventure where Disney magic meets California fun, plus the Downtown Disney District, a public esplanade of unique and exciting dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. Resort hotels include the luxurious 745-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, the magical 990-room Disneyland Hotel and the surfside fun of the 502-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.

More information about “The Year of a Million Dreams,” the 2006 holiday season and vacations at the Disneyland Resort is available at www.disneyland.com, by calling (866) 60-DISNEY, or by visiting local travel agents.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win in the Disney Dreams Giveaway. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Open only to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico & U.K. Void elsewhere and where prohibited. Giveaway runs October 1, 2006 – December 31, 2007 (mail-in entries postmarked starting September 18, 2006 & received by January 14, 2008 on a 3.5x5 postcard with complete name, address, daytime phone#, birth date and proper postage sent to PO Box 8629, Elmhurst, IL 60126 USA). UK residents only mail to 483 Green Lanes, London N13 4BS. Penthouse stay will be awarded most days starting December 1, 2006, will likely be awarded early in the day and will be for a stay that night. Approximate retail value of Mickey Mouse Penthouse Stay US $572. Prizes range in value from US $3.83 to US $83,701. All prize awards are subject to verification. Odds of winning on a given day depend on the number of eligible participants at a selected location or within the mail-in entry pool for the time or date (as applicable) selected. Subject to official rules at www.DisneyParks.com/rules. Sponsor: Magic Kingdom Productions, Inc., PO Box 10000, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.

For residents of Canada, a mathematical skill-testing question must be correctly answered to win any prize.

Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment Announces First Wave of Blu-ray(TM) Releases for 2007

All Titles Released in January to Be 50GB and Include Casanova, Chicago, The Guardian and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Nov. 14 Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment (BVWHE) President Bob Chapek today announced BVWHE's first wave of Blu-ray Disc(R) releases for 2007. These 50GB, dual-layer titles include Casanova, Chicago, The Guardian and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and will be in stores on January 23, 2007. Most Blu-ray titles from BVWHE will be available for $34.99 SRP.

Commenting on the announcement, Chapek stated, "BVWHE is thrilled to kick off 2007 with this 50GB slate of Blu-ray releases. We're moving forward into an exciting future with these dual-layer discs, which offer the maximum capacity for bonus materials and expanded content. We continue to forge new frontiers with our Blu-ray discs and to further explore the seemingly limitless boundaries of creativity the format allows. We've just begun to cultivate the future growth of our industry with Blu-ray."

The Blu-ray release of the Academy Award(R)-winning musical Chicago (Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere) will feature a host of exciting bonus materials, including audio commentaries from director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon; a deleted scene with optional commentary; the featurettes "Behind the Scenes," "From Stage to Screen: The History of Chicago," "An Intimate Look at Director Rob Marshall" and "When Liza Minnelli Became Roxie Hart"; extended versions of classic musical numbers including "And All That Jazz," "When You're Good to Mama," "Cell Block Tango" and more; and a Movie Showcase highlighting some of the most spectacular dance numbers.

Casanova's Blu-ray bonus materials will include audio commentary from director Lasse Hallstrom; a "Blu-scape" featurette created specially for the Blu-ray release by noted director/cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg titled "Reflections of Venice"; and the featurettes "Creating an Adventure" and "Dressing in Style."

The Blu-ray release of The Guardian will contain a host of bonus materials including deleted scenes; an alternate ending; audio commentaries by director Andrew Davis and writer Ron L. Brinkerhoff; and the featurettes "The Guardian: Making Waves" and "Unsung Heroes: So Others May Live."

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will arrive on Blu-ray with bonus materials including audio commentaries; deleted scenes; and the featurettes "The Making of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "Sing Along: So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish."

BVWHE's Blu-ray titles feature advanced new menus offering seamless navigation and on-the-fly preference selection; dynamic and unparalleled high-definition picture quality; new layer-coating technology that provides a scratch-resistant surface; Movie Showcase which highlights the most impressive high definition picture and sound moments on the disc; and new, sleek packaging. Other Disney Blu-ray feature technologies being developed include unmatched interactive features and compelling online content utilizing web connectivity, which will allow users to connect to live events hosted by the studio.

Blu-ray Disc is the next-generation optical disc format for high-definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 25GB of data, and a double-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 50GB of data. Blu-ray Disc is supported by the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and gaming companies, and, with seven of eight Hollywood studios releasing their high-definition content on Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray will deliver the widest variety of high-definition, home entertainment content.

About Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment

Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista DVD, Blu-ray Disc and electronic distribution product. Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment is a division of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Source: Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment

Walt Disney Records Celebrates 50 Years of Turning Music into Gold with a Two-Disc Commemorative Edition - Disney: The Music Behind the Magic

Featuring Special Liner Notes by Film Critic and Historian Leonard Maltin

Nov. 10, 2006 Walt Disney Records (WDR) is proud to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the November 7, 2006 release of Disney: The Music Behind the Magic, a special 2-disc commemorative edition set filled with the music that has been enchanting and entertaining audiences for generations. Disney: The Music Behind the Magic highlights 50 of the most beloved musical classics and current hits from Disney movies, television shows, theme parks and Broadway musicals. The deluxe package includes liner notes written by respected film critic and historian Leonard Maltin.

The 50 carefully selected tracks represent numerous milestones for the label and The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) such as "Some Day My Prince Will Come" from Snow White (first soundtrack), "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio (theme song for TWDC), "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (first single from a television show), "Monkey's Uncle" by Annette Funicello (the label's first teen sensation), tracks from Mary Poppins (album held the #1 position on Billboard's Top 200 Chart for 14 weeks) and "Hakuna Matata" from The Lion King (soundtrack earned WDR its first Diamond Award from the R.I.A.A., certifying sales of 10 million units). Disney: The Music Behind the Magic also includes "Cheetah Sisters" from The Cheetah Girls (multi-platinum soundtrack) and the gold single "Breaking Free" (the mega-hit single from 2006's multi-platinum soundtrack and the #1 best-selling album of the year, High School Musical).

The collection also features eight songs from one of the most admired and prolific musical talents of our time, composer Alan Menken. This Academy Award(R), Grammy Award(R), and Golden Globe Award(R) winner is responsible for a slew of unforgettable Disney classics including "Part of Your World" (Little Mermaid), "Under the Sea" (Little Mermaid), "Be Our Guest" (Beauty and the Beast), "Beauty and the Beast," "A Whole New World" (Aladdin), "Colors of the Wind" (Pocahontas), "The Bells of Notre Dame" (Hunchback of Notre Dame) and "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" (Hercules).

Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, who penned original liner notes for Disney: The Music Behind the Magic, notes, "Although Walt Disney Records is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, the music in this collection dates back even further. That these songs are not only still enjoyable but recognizable today is just one of the reasons Walt Disney holds a unique place in the annals of popular culture - and popular music. In fact, no other movie studio or television network has such a long and successful association with popular music . . . but as Walt was fond of saying, we should never forget that it all started with a mouse."

Leonard Maltin, one of the country's most recognized and respected film critics and historians, is now in his 25th season with television's Entertainment Tonight. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The London Times and other noted publications. His annual paperback, Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, established his reputation in the entertainment industry; he was 18 when the first edition was published. He also authored the book The Disney Films, a guide to Walt Disney's greatest individual achievements in film. Maltin also has written a number of television specials including Fantasia: The Creation of a Disney Classic and hosted and co-produced the popular Walt Disney Treasures series on DVD. -0-

DISC ONE:   1. "Mickey Mouse March"   2. "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf"

  3. "Some Day My Prince Will Come"   4. "Give a Little Whistle"

5. "When You Wish Upon a Star"   6. "Baby Mine"   7. "Little April Shower"

 8. "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"   9. "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes"

10. "So This Is Love"  11. "The Second Star to the Right"

12. "The Ballad of Davy Crockett"  13. "The Siamese Cat Song"

14. "He's a Tramp"  15. "Once Upon a Dream"  16. "Cruella De Vil"

17. "Let's Get Together"  18. "It's a Small World"

 19. "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"  20. "A Spoonful of Sugar"

21. "Monkey's Uncle"  22. "Winnie-the-Pooh"

23. "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers"

24. "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)"  25. "I Wan'na Be Like You"

26. "Grim Grinning Ghosts"  DISC TWO:   1. "Home On the Range"

 2. "Ducks Dance, Too"   3. "Part of Your World"   4. "Under the Sea"

5. "Be Our Guest"   6. "Beauty and the Beast"   7. "A Whole New World"

 8. "What's This? "   9. "Circle of Life"  10. "Hakuna Matata"

11. "They Live in You"  12. "Colors of the Wind"

13. "You've Got a Friend in Me"  14. "The Bells of Notre Dame"

15. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love) "  16. "Reflection"  17. "Strangers Like Me"

 18. "When She Loved Me"  19. "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"  20. "Why Not? "

  21. "Cheetah Sisters"  22. "Breaking Free"  23. "Find Yourself"

24. "Mickey Mouse Club Alma Mater"

Disney: The Music Behind the Magic is available now for a suggested retail price of $24.98 wherever music is sold. All Walt Disney Records audio products also can be ordered by visiting DisneyRecords.com.

The Eleven-Time Emmy Award Winner Is Back For More Laughs

THE GOLDEN GIRLS

Season 6

The Girls Return With A New DVD Box Set And Exclusive Bonus Features

Ready For The Holiday Gift Season On DVD November 14

The girls are back for Season 6! Everyone’s favorite female
foursome is sexier, sassier and more sarcastic than ever in The Golden Girls Season 6, a winning
DVD box set from Buena Vista Home Entertainment available on November 14. This is the hilarious,
must-see season with some of the biggest dating disasters yet as Sophia takes Blanche’s tips to
attract a man, Dorothy is wooed by the one-and-only Sonny Bono and Rose tries sky-diving to add
spice to her dating relationship. And that’s just the beginning of a season-full of genius comedy that
includes hilarious guest stars Debbie Reynolds and Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development and The
Larry Sanders Show).

The Golden Girls Season 6 has bonus features that fans will only find on DVD. Features include
candid conversations with Betty White, Rue McClanahan and others.

“The Golden Girls” is the hugely popular show that follows four friends – the smart Dorothy (Beatrice
Arthur), naïve Rose (Betty White), promiscuous Blanche (Rue McClanahan) and sarcastic Sophia
(Estelle Getty) -who move in together in Miami. Their uproarious relationships with each other and
the comical men in their lives have made “The Golden Girls” one of the most beloved comedies in
television history.

The perfect holiday gift for the entire family, The Golden Girls Season 6 is available on DVD for U.S.
$39.99 (SRP) and Canada $59.99 (SRP).

“The Golden Girls” earned an incredible eleven Emmy® Awards and four Golden Globe awards. The
Emmy® Awards included three straight Outstanding Comedy Series wins (1986-1988) Outstanding
Lead Actress Comedy wins (Betty White 1986, Rue McClanahan 1987, Beatrice Arthur 1988),
Outstanding Supporting Actress Comedy (Estelle Getty, 1988), and Best Writing Comedy (1986). The
show won the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Series -Comedy three straight times (1986-1988) and
Estelle Getty also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Comedy in 1986.

STREET DATE: November 14, 2006

Direct prebook: September 19, 2006
Distributor prebook: October 3, 206
Suggested retail price: U.S. $39.99, Canada $59.99
Rated: TV-PG

Bonus features not rated or subtitled.
Feature run time: 614:13
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 formatted 4x3
Sound: Dolby® Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Languages: English Audio.

Close captioned for the hearing impaired.

Touchstone Television has established itself as one of Hollywood's leading production companies,
supplying critically acclaimed quality entertainment to the television industry.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, an industry leader, is committed to showcasing great television on
DVD. BVHE has responded to consumer demand by providing an ever-increasing amount of quality
television entertainment in the collectible DVD format. BVHE’s superbly mastered DVD box sets
include “Alias,” “The Golden Girls,” “Home Improvement,” “Felicity,” “Boy Meets World,” “Sports
Night,” “Once And Again,” “Tilt,” “Scrubs,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Lost,” “Desperate
Housewives,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., is a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Home
Entertainment is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone,
Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

DISNEY’S DUCKTALES VOLUME 2

DVD FACT SHEET

Studio:
Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Story:

The world's wealthiest duck is back for more thrills and laughs in the second installment of Disney's

DUCKTALES. Scrooge McDuck may have an uncanny knack for making money, but he's in over

his head trying to keep up with nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Along with their friends

Launchpad McQuack, Gyro Gearloose, Mrs. Beakley and Webby Vanderquack, the DUCKTALES

gang criscrosses the globe in a never-ending search for adventure. Whether battling other-worldly

plant creatures, being mistaken for a super-spy or racing to find a lost treasure ship, Scrooge and

the rest of the crew never lose sight of the fact that true friendship is the greatest fortune of them

all. And, for the first time on DVD see how it all began with the five-part pilot episode "Treasure of

the Golden Suns." Experience some of the most memorable DUCKTALES adventures ever made

in this three-disc set. It's a wealth of fun and adventure that you and your family can bank on.

STREET DATE: November 14, 2006

Direct prebook: September 19, 2006
Distributor prebook: October 3, 2006
Suggested retail price: U.S. $34.99

Canada $37.99
Rated: Not yet rated.

Bonus materials subject to change.
Feature run time: Approximately 667 minutes
DVD aspect ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Sound: Dolby® Digital Mono Sound
Languages: English audio

Walt Disney Records Unleashes Twice the Growl Power with ``The Cheetah Girls 2 Special Edition Soundtrack,'' Available Now

Two-Disc Set Includes New Bonus Tracks, 30-Minute Concert DVD With Exclusive Interview Footage, Fold-Out Locker Poster and Free Ringtone

Nov. 10, 2006 Walt Disney Records responds to requests from Cheetahs-in-training everywhere with the November 7th release of "The Cheetah Girls 2 Special Edition Soundtrack." Building on the success of the gold-certified "The Cheetah Girls 2 Soundtrack," the highest rated Disney Channel Original Movie ever and "The Party's Just Begun" 74-date concert tour, the special edition features the complete Cheetah Girls 2 soundtrack, two new bonus tracks, a 30-minute concert DVD, a poster and free ringtone.

Disc One showcases the original soundtrack to "The Cheetah Girls 2" - including the hits "Strut" and "The Party's Just Begun" - and two bonus tracks: a "Strut" remix and a new recording of the road trip classic "Route 66." Disc Two is a concert DVD featuring live performances of five songs from "The Cheetah Girls in Concert" special that premiered on Disney Channel in September, plus an exclusive interview with The Cheetah Girls. "The Cheetah Girls 2 Special Edition Soundtrack" package also includes complete song lyrics, a bonus fold-out locker poster and a certificate for a free "Amigas Cheetahs" ringtone.

The original Cheetah Girls 2 soundtrack is gold-certified and debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and at #1 on both the Billboard Soundtrack and Children's Charts. Since its release on August 1, 2006, the soundtrack has remained in the top 25 of the Top 200 and in the top 2 on the Soundtrack and Children's Charts.

The Cheetah Girls currently are embarked on a 74-city nationwide concert tour and brisk ticket sales have made The Cheetahs one of the most successful touring groups of 2006. -0-

"The Cheetah Girls 2 Special Edition Soundtrack" track listing:

Disc One: Soundtrack  1. "The Party's Just Begun" -

Performed by The Cheetah Girls 2. "Strut" - Performed by The Cheetah Girls

3. "Dance with Me" - Performed by Drew Seeley featuring Belinda

4. "Why Wait"- Performed by Belinda 5. "A La Nanita Nana" -

Performed by The Cheetah Girls with Belinda 6. "Do Your Own Thing" -

Performed by Raven-Symone 7. "It's Over" - Performed by The Cheetah Girls

8. "Step Up" - Performed by The Cheetah Girls 9. "Amigas Cheetahs" -

Performed by The Cheetah Girls with Belinda 10. "Cherish the Moment" -

Performed by The Cheetah Girls 11. "Cheetah Sisters (Barcelona Mix)"-

Performed by The Cheetah Girls 12. "Everyone's a Star" -

Performed by Raven-Symone 13. "It's Gonna Be Alright" -

Performed by Raven-Symone  Bonus tracks:  14. "Route 66" -

 Performed by The Cheetah Girls 15. "Strut (Remix)" -

Performed by The Cheetah Girls  Disc Two:

Concert DVD featuring live performances of:  1. "The Party's Just Begun"

2. "Step Up" 3. "Cinderella" 4. "Strut" 5. "Cheetah Sisters"

 Plus an exclusive interview with The Cheetah Girls.

"The Cheetah Girls 2 Special Edition Soundtrack" is available now for a suggested retail price of $24.98 wherever music is sold. All Walt Disney Records audio products also can be ordered by visiting DisneyRecords.com. For additional information and updates, go to TheCheetahGirlsMusic.com.

CHIP ‘N DALE’S RESCUE RANGERS VOLUME 2

DVD FACT SHEET

Studio:
Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Story:

The Rescue Rangers are back for more thrills, chills and smiles! Join Chip 'n' Dale along with their

friends Gadget Hackwrench, Zipper and Monterey Jack as they embark on some of their most

memorable adventures yet in this 3-disc collection. This time around the gang matches wits with a

feisty leprechaun, encounters a villain from the deep and takes a trip to the Himalayas. Also

included is the 5-part pilot episode "Rescue Rangers to the Rescue" --on DVD for the first time

ever! So fasten your seat belts and get ready to travel the world with CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE

RANGERS!

STREET DATE: November 14, 2006

Direct prebook: September 19, 2006
Distributor prebook: October 3, 2006
Suggested retail price: U.S. $34.99

Canada $37.99
Rated: Not yet rated.

Bonus materials subject to change.
Feature run time: Approximately 549 minutes
DVD aspect ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Sound: Dolby® Digital Mono Sound
Languages: English audio

AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DISNEY DVD

Disney’s

Adventures Of The Gummi Bears

Volume One Seasons 1-3

Animated Favorite Comes Home On November 14

– For the first time, the fan-favorite animated series
Adventures Of The Gummi Bears will be available to own on DVD November 14. Volume
One, a three-disc DVD set, features the first three seasons of the show.

The Gummi Bears were stars of the first Saturday morning network cartoon series produced by
Walt Disney Productions, and the show enjoyed a very popular run from 1985 to 1991. This
pivotal series helped kick start the television animation boom in the 1980’s, and formed the
anchor for Disney’s successful weekday afternoon block.

Inspired by the Gummi Bears candy, the animated series follows the adventures of a family of
lovable Bears with a long history of extraordinary super powers. With several human friends by
their side, the Bears protect themselves and the world from evil-doers. Adventures Of The
Gummi Bears includes sterling voice talent contributions from a cast that includes the
legendary June Foray (“Mulan,” TV’s “Rocky & Bullwinkle” and many more), Corey Burton
(“Cars,” TV’s “The Boondocks”) and the late, great Paul Winchell (voice of Tigger from the
“Winnie The Pooh” series).

The three-disc set includes the entire collection of 47 fun-loving episodes from the first three
seasons – the perfect DVD for holiday gift giving. Adventures Of The Gummi Bears is
available for U.S. $34.99 (SRP), Canada $37.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

STREET DATE: November 14, 2006

Suggested retail price: 3-disc DVD set: U.S. $34.99, Canada $37.99
Rated: U.S. TV-Y.
Total episode run time: Approximately 640 total minutes, each disc 220 minutes
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 formatted 4x3
DVD Sound: Dolby® Digital Mono Sound
Languages: English audio

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is distributed by Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment,
Inc., a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment is the
marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures,
Miramax and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

Disney-Pixar's Blockbuster 'CARS' Roars into Stores for the Holidays

Year's #1 Animated Film a Huge Hit for Parents and Porsche - "Sally Carrera" is Among the Film's Favorite Characters, Especially Among Girls

Nov. 10 Holiday DVD viewing will be revved up with more horsepower this year, thanks to the release of the Disney-Pixar animated hit "CARS" which makes its DVD debut in stores this week.

Also making her holiday homecoming will be "Sally Carrera," the movie's leading lady that was modeled on Porsche's flagship sports car, the venerable 911. Sally Carrera is the only modern, production-based car with a leading role in this ground-breaking film.

CARS is a musically-charged, comedy-adventure box office favorite about a hotshot rookie race car who, with a fun cast of car-acters, goes on the ride of his life. CARS takes audiences of all ages on an incredible adventure that blends a heartfelt story, great music and breathtaking animation. Disney- Pixar's brilliant use of Sally Carrera as the "sassy blue Porsche" made her one of the most popular characters in the hit movie, and a top one with parents who saw Sally as a strong and positive role model.

CARS is one of the rare movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family, and gives parents, especially fathers, the ability to interact with children in a meaningful way.

"This incredible movie helped Porsche reach a much broader audience than any other product placement in our history, which is saying a lot considering how many Porsches have appeared on the silver screen," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Porsche Cars North America's President and CEO. "This is a softer image for Porsche."

Porsche's involvement in the film was not a case of corporate product placement. Rather, the model's attributes of high-performance, style, and sophistication, led the film's creators to cast Sally as a Porsche in the most technologically advanced animated film of its time.

The movie has given Porsche extensive exposure around the world, especially among women and children who might not otherwise be exposed to the Porsche brand. With more than 30 million people enjoying the film during its theatrical release, Porsche's involvement with the film has been a unique opportunity to reach a wide family audience that includes today's car lovers and tomorrow's aspiring ones.

"We've been thrilled to be a part of this wonderful Disney-Pixar adventure, and are excited that a whole new audience will be able to experience it as a DVD," adds Schwarzenbauer. "Beyond being a great movie for the whole family, this film also shares a common connection with Porsche, highlighting the pure pleasure of driving. Life truly is about the journey, not the finish line."

CARS' broad appeal at the box office can be attributed, in-part, to its rich blend of diverse characters. In fact, audience research has shown that adult movie-goers felt that Sally Carrera's presence is important as a strong, major female character in the film. Her positive relationship with the male lead of the film, Lightning McQueen, is also an important story point appreciated by the audience. Additional research indicated the character of "Sally Carrera" was particularly appealing to young audiences, especially young girls.

Loaded with a full tank of electrifying DVD bonus features, the highly anticipated CARS DVD debut includes an exclusive all new animated short "Mater and The Ghostlight," and Pixar's Academy Award(R)- nominated "One Man Band" (Best Animated Short 2005). Revving up and rounding out the CARS DVD bonus features is the fascinating behind-the-scenes "Inspiration for CARS," an exciting journey with director John Lasseter that explores how the story of CARS was born, as well as deleted scenes and a special sneak peek at the highly anticipated next Disney-Pixar feature RATATOUILLE.

Available in separate widescreen and fullscreen editions on November 7, 2006, CARS is priced at U.S. $29.99 (SRP) and Canada $36.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA, and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne(R) sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 300 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 213 U.S. and Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.

About Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

The Votes Are In! And There Is Only One Winner In This Race... Disney*Pixar's "CARS" on DVD Today!

November 07, 2006 -- Disney*Pixar releases the DVD debut of the smash hit #1 animated film of the year, "CARS," on DVD Today! From Pixar's Academy Award® winning director John Lasseter ("TOY STORY," "TOY STORY 2," "A BUG'S LIFE") and the creative team that thrilled audiences with unforgettable hits including "THE INCREDIBLES" and "FINDING NEMO," "CARS" is a hilarious action-packed adventure into the unique world of cars, starring a hotshot rookie race car who, with a fun cast of car-acters goes on the ride of his life. Starring Owen Wilson ("Wedding Crashers"), the legendary Paul Newman (Oscar® winner Best Actor "The Color of Money" 1986), Bonnie Hunt (as Sally, a snazzy Porsche) and an all-star cast, "CARS" takes audiences of all ages on an incredible adventure that blends comedy, a heartfelt story, great music and breathtaking animation.

Loaded with a full tank of electrifying DVD bonus features, the highly anticipated "CARS" DVD is freewheeling fun for everyone! Bonus features include an exclusive animated short "Mater and The Ghostlight," the original short from "CARS'" theatrical release; "One Man Band"; "The Inspiration for 'CARS'"; deleted scenes; hilarious end credit vignettes shown in full screen; and a special sneak peek at the highly anticipated next Disney/Pixar feature "RATATOUILLE."

Available in separate widescreen and fullscreen editions on November 7, 2006, "CARS" is priced at U.S. $29.99 (SRP) and Canada $36.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

The Santa Clause 3

Walt Disney Records' Hannah Montana Soundtrack Debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart

First-Ever Television Soundtrack to Debut at #1 Soundtrack from the Hit Disney Channel Original Series Ships Platinum in Its First Week and Claims the #1 Spot on Both the Billboard Soundtrack and Children's Charts

Nov. 1, 2006 One week after its October 24th release, the soundtrack to the hit Disney Channel original series, Hannah Montana, debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, scanning over 281,000 units for the week ending October 29 (according to Nielsen SoundScan). The impressive chart-topping debut makes the Hannah Montana Soundtrack the first-ever TV soundtrack to enter the Billboard Top 200 at #1. Additionally, the soundtrack earned the top position on both the Billboard Children's Chart and the Billboard Soundtrack Chart. The soundtrack shipped platinum (1,000,000 units) this week, with certification by the R.I.A.A. expected within 30 days.

With the #1 debut of the Hannah Montana Soundtrack, Walt Disney Records enjoys a new label best with a total of three TV soundtracks cracking the Top 5 in 2006. The Hannah Montana CD is Walt Disney Records' second TV soundtrack to hold the #1 position on Billboard's Top 200 Chart this year and the first TV soundtrack in the history of the chart to debut at #1. The triple-platinum-certified High School Musical Soundtrack twice held the #1 position on the Top 200 (week ending 2/26 and again on 3/19) and currently is the #1 best-selling album year-to-date (Nielsen SoundScan). The Cheetah Girls 2 Soundtrack entered the Top 200 at #5 in August and spent 3 weeks in the Top 5.

The Hannah Montana Soundtrack features eight songs performed by Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana, including the Hannah Montana theme song "The Best of Both Worlds," "Who Said," "Just Like You," "Pumpin' Up the Party," "If We Were a Movie," "I Got Nerve," "The Other Side of Me" and "This Is the Life." Also featured on the Hannah Montana Soundtrack is the duet "I Learned from You," performed by Miley and her real-life and on-screen father, multi-platinum-selling country music star Billy Ray Cyrus (Robby Stewart in Hannah Montana). Additional tracks from and inspired by the series include "Pop Princess" performed by The Click Five, "She's No You" performed by Hollywood Records recording artist Jesse McCartney, "Find Yourself in You" performed by Buena Vista/Hollywood Records recording artist Everlife and "Shining Star" performed by B5. The music DVD (available while supplies last) features five Hannah Montana concert videos - "Best of Both Worlds," "Who Said," "Just Like You," "Pumpin' Up the Party" and "The Other Side of Me."

Hannah Montana is a live-action comedy series that follows typical tween Miley Stewart, who lives with her older brother and widowed dad, a songwriter. But unbeknownst to her friends and classmates, Miley has a secret double life - she is the world famous pop star Hannah Montana. Combining a stage persona with creative costuming, Miley discovers she can have the best of both worlds - the fame and fortune of a well-known singer and the fun of middle school with her best friends Lilly and Oliver, whom she has entrusted with her secret identity.

Year-to-date, Hannah Montana is the #1 rated series on basic cable TV among Tweens 9-14 and #2 among kids 6-11. For third quarter 2006, Hannah Montana is the #1 rated series on broadcast and basic cable TV among Tween 9-14 and tied for #1 among kids 6-11.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 89 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 23 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group.

Walt Disney Records is part of the Buena Vista Music Group, the recorded music and music-publishing arm of The Walt Disney Company. For more information, please visit Disney Records.com.

Santa Comes Early This Year in Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

Video Game Inspired by the Upcoming "The Santa Clause 3" Film Available for Game Boy Advance

Nov. 1, 2006 Handheld video game players have a chance to help Santa rescue holiday cheer. Disney today announced that Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause is available in the United States for the Game Boy(R) Advance. In time for the upcoming feature film release of the same name, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause allows players to enter the enchanted world of Santa Claus and his elves, and save Christmas from Jack Frost. Published by Buena Vista Games and developed by 1st Playable Productions, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and is available for $19.99.

The theatrical release of the newest film in the Santa Clause franchise, Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, is set for November 3, 2006.

"The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause lets fans of the hit film franchise experience the fun of taking on the role of the big man in red in order to save Christmas," said Craig Relyea, vice president of marketing, Buena Vista Games. "Kids will especially enjoy the toy-building challenges and fun, festive scenery."

Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause features three different modes of gameplay, including saving Christmas from Jack Frost, building toys with the elves, and delivering presents via blustery sleigh rides with Santa. Overcome treacherous falling icicles, evil snowmen, powerful gusts of wind and perplexing puzzle-based challenges as you explore the North Pole, Santa's Workshop and other festive, wintry locales. Collect snow globes and milk and cookies to unwrap special bonus features, and find power-ups such as hot cocoa and candy to help Santa and his elves complete their mission.

About "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" film

Holiday magic mixes with comical chaos at the North Pole in "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause." Tim Allen reprises his role of Scott Calvin - AKA Santa - as he juggles a full house of family and the mischievous Jack Frost (Martin Short), who is trying to take over the "big guy's" holiday. At the risk of giving away the secret location of the North Pole, Scott invites his in-laws (Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin) to share in the holiday festivities, and upcoming birth of baby Claus with expectant wife, Carol - AKA Mrs. Claus - (Elizabeth Mitchell). Along for the adventure are Scott's extended family, son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), ex-wife Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), her husband, Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold), and their daughter, Lucy (Liliana Mumy), who, together with head elf Curtis (Spencer Breslin), foil Jack Frost's crafty scheme to control the North Pole.

About Buena Vista Games

Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG) is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). BVG publishes, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with third-party interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. For more information, please log on to http://www.bvg.com.

Game Boy Advance is a trademark of Nintendo.

Disney's The Little Mermaid featured in Oceans Awareness PSA Campaign.

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Environmental Defense and the Ad Council are launching a new PSA
campaign, featuring Disney's the Little Mermaid.

Oceans are essential to life on Earth, but are now at risk from human activities. Oceans
do not have an infinite capacity to absorb the pollution we allow to flow into them.

No matter where you live, plastic litter and carelessly disposed motor oil can flow
through storm drains to rivers and the sea. People generally don't realize that most
ocean pollution originates on land.

The ads in this campaign are designed to raise awareness about the connection
between our activities and the health of the oceans. Featuring characters from
Disney's The Little Mermaid, the PSAs will inspire our audience to prevent pollution
before it harms the ocean and the creatures that live there.

>> View Campaign Introduction >> View Featured PSA

We encourage you to share these links with your friends and colleagues.

Thank you,
Buena Vista Home Entertainment

"Snow" Flurries Forecast for Disney's Private Island, Castaway Cay

All That Glitters Is Holiday Magic Aboard Disney Cruise Line

Holiday magic will deck the halls and add sparkle to the decks for guests who sail with Disney Cruise Line beginning this Thanksgiving and continuing through to the New Year. Both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will spread an abundance of holiday cheer, from traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts to "snowflake" sightings and seasonal caroling.

A special 10-Night Holiday Caribbean Cruise is planned for Disney Magic from Dec. 16 through Dec. 26. The Eastern/Southern Caribbean cruise will call at ports not typically on the Disney Magic cruise itinerary, including St. Lucia and Antigua.

The Holidays are magical aboard Disney Cruise Line. Guests on both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will find a nearly three-deck-tall tree festooned with decorations in the atrium lobby, where snow flurries fall and a tree-lighting ceremony occurs.

(Click here for details)
The Holidays are magical aboard Disney
Cruise Line. Guests on both the Disney
Magic and Disney Wonder will find a
nearly three-deck-tall tree festooned
with decorations in the atrium lobby,
where snow flurries fall and a
tree-lighting ceremony occurs.

-- Thanksgiving festivities complete with Thanksgiving Day meal with all the trimmings, craft activities with a focus on pilgrim hats and turkeys, and visits by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in Thanksgiving costumes.

-- A nearly three-deck-tall tree festooned with decorations in the atrium lobby, where "snow" flurries fall and a tree-lighting ceremony occurs.

-- A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for all the kids.

-- International holiday caroling by crew members from around the globe (exclusively on the Christmas cruise).

-- Special family time for designing and decorating gingerbread houses.

-- A reading of "The Night Before Christmas" by Mrs. Claus.

-- Traditional holiday feasts in Disney's three themed dining rooms (Christmas cruise only).

-- Multiple faith and interdenominational holiday services (Christmas and Hanukkah cruise only).

-- A ship-wide party to ring in 2007 and a New Year's Day tailgate party.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, Disney Magic embarks on a special Western Caribbean journey, during which the ship sails twice to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. The seven-night voyage departs Nov. 18, arriving first at Castaway Cay for the usual Disney Cruise Line visit. When the ship returns the day after Thanksgiving, the island will be transformed into a Magical Wonderland, where the sandy Bahamian isle becomes a "snowy" holiday hideaway. "Snow" flurries will fall like magic, Christmas trees will glow and carolers will croon. Mr. and Mrs. Snowman, wearing shell noses and tropical attire, will greet guests with a sleigh full of presents. The tram that transports guests across the 1,000-acre island will be reindeer themed, complete with antlers and tail. A four-night Disney Wonder cruise stops at Castaway Cay on Thanksgiving Day.

At the beach, families can learn the art of sand sculpting, and kids can dive into holiday-themed activities that include making candy cane reindeer, paper plate angels and snowflake-mobiles.

The Disney Magic 10-Night Holiday Caribbean Cruise departs Dec. 16, with visits to Key West, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Thomas/St. John and Castaway Cay. The Disney Wonder four-night Christmas cruise departs Dec. 24, with visits to Nassau and Castaway Cay.

To celebrate the New Year, Disney Magic departs on its seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary Dec. 30; Disney Wonder departs Dec. 31 for its four-night cruise.

From Thanksgiving through the New Year, Disney Cruise Line guests will experience a magical holiday to remember. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit www.disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888/325-2500 or visit www.disneytravelagents.com

New Disney DVD Game Brings Fairy Tale Magic Home

Screenlife, LLC and Mattel's Disney Princess Dream Journey for Ages Four and Up is a Delightful Adventure Enchanted with Disney Classics

Put on your prettiest gown, polish your glass slippers and don't forget your invitation to the Royal Ball. Cinderella, along with many favorite Disney characters, invites girls to join them on a voyage through the magical kingdom in Disney Princess Dream Journey, the new DVD game from the creators of Creative Child Magazine's Toy of the Year, Disney DVD Bingo.

"The role-playing experience of this game is unique. My own four-year-old daughter plays the game as Belle from Beauty and The Beast," said Dave Long, Screenlife's co-founder and CEO. "Players can embody their favorite Disney princess characters, relive classic moments and sing along with their favorite songs."

Help your princess live happily ever after with a little imagination and some Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. Disney Princess Dream Journey comes with a sparkling new tiara that your child can wear while choosing to be one of six Disney Princesses, including Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Belle. Using the Disney Princess Controller (included), navigate through her favorite Disney Princess' movies, and with some help from host Angela Lansbury play fun mini-games and solve simple puzzles along the way. With real clips and songs from favorite Disney classics any home can become an enchanted kingdom.

Available now, Disney Princess Dream Journey can be purchased nationwide wherever games are sold, including online at www.screenlifegames.com.

About Screenlife, LLC

Screenlife, LLC is a premier game company that's bringing a new dimension to the way the world has fun. Screenlife is the creator and world's leading manufacturer of DVD games, including Scene It?, the number one selling DVD game worldwide. Screenlife games feature patented Optreve(TM) DVD Enhancement Technology and are available in five languages, across 14 countries, and in more than 40,000 retail locations. A leader in entertainment licensing, Screenlife has established thousands of partnerships with major Hollywood studios, sports leagues and recording labels as well as actors, athletes and musicians. For more information about Scene It? and other Screenlife games, visit www.screenlifegames.com or call (866) DVD-GAME.

About Mattel, Inc.

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products, including Barbie(R), the most popular fashion doll ever introduced. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Hot Wheels(R), Matchbox(R), American Girl(R), Radica(R) and Tyco(R) R/C, as well as Fisher-Price(R) brands (www.fisher-price.com), including Little People(R), Rescue Heroes(R), Power Wheels(R) and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than the 30,000 people in 42 countries and sells products in more than 150 nations throughout the world. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

Source: Screenlife, LLC; Mattel, Inc.

Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment Unveils First Day-and-Date and 50GB Blu-ray Titles

'Invincible' First Day-and-Date 'Enemy of the State,' 'Flightplan' and 'Pearl Harbor' First 50GB Titles

Other Blu-ray Titles Being Released Include 'Annapolis,' 'Goal! The Dream Begins,' 'Sky High' and 'The Wild'

Oct. 23 Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment (BVWHE) president Bob Chapek today announced BVWHE's next wave of Blu-ray Disc titles including the first day-and-date with DVD new release title -- Walt Disney Pictures' "Invincible" (December 19) -- as well as the first 50GB Blu-ray Disc titles available from the studio, Touchstone Pictures' "Enemy of the State," "Flightplan" (both November 21) and "Pearl Harbor" (December 19). These titles continue BVWHE's ongoing release strategy for Blu-ray Disc titles. Most Blu-ray titles from BVWHE will be available for $34.99 SRP.

Commenting on the announcement, Chapek stated, "As the Blu-ray technology continues to infuse our industry with robust growth, BVWHE is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the format with the release of our first 50GB titles. We have seen the future and it is here -- the digital age is upon us and Blu-ray is the format consumers have embraced for their entertainment choice."

"Invincible" marks the first day-and-date title from BVWHE on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Both editions' bonus features will include Becoming Invincible: The Story of Vince Papale and two Audio Commentaries, the first with Vince Papale, Producer Mark Ciardi and writer Brad Gann; the second with director Ericson Core and editor Jerry Greenberg. "Invincible" Blu-ray Disc includes an exclusive high-definition featurette "Recreating the Vet."

"Enemy of the State," "Flightplan" and "Pearl Harbor" mark the first 50GB titles from BVWHE on Blu-ray Disc. "Enemy of the State" bonus materials will include original DVD features Deleted Scenes, Making of Enemy of the State, All Access: The Showdown, Theatrical Trailer and Blu-ray exclusive Movie Showcase; "Flightplan" will include original DVD features Audio Commentary, Emergency Landing: Visual Effects, Cabin Pressure: Designing The Aalto E-474 and Blu-ray exclusives Movie Showcase and Blu-Scape "Jet Stream"; and "Pearl Harbor" bonus materials will include original DVD features Journey To The Screen: The Making of Pearl Harbor, Unsung Heroes of Pearl Harbor, Theatrical Trailer, Teaser Trailer, Music Video: "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill and Blu-ray exclusive Movie Showcase.

Chapek continued "The amazing presentation of "Pearl Harbor" and "Enemy of the State" on 50GB Blu-ray Disc delivers astonishing high-definition picture and theatre-quality sound. As we delve into the new world of Blu-ray, BVWHE will take full advantage of the extended capacity and bonus materials the 50GB disc allows."

BVWHE's Blu-ray titles feature advanced new menus offering seamless navigation and settings while the movie is still playing; dynamic and unparalleled, high-definition picture; new layering coating technology which provides a scratch resistance surface; Movie Showcase which highlights the most impressive high definition picture and sound moments on the disc; and new sleek packaging. Other Disney Blu-ray feature technologies being developed include unparalleled interactive features; personalized chapter selections; and compelling online content, including web connectivity, which will allow users to connect to live events hosted by the studio and more.

Additional BVWHE Blu-ray Disc titles available on November 21 include Touchstone Pictures' "Annapolis" with bonus features to include Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary and Movie Showcase; "Goal! The Dream Begins" will feature Audio Commentary, Movie Showcase and Behind The Pitch; and Walt Disney Pictures' "Sky High" will feature Movie Showcase, Alternate Opening, Welcome to Sky High, Breaking Down the Walls: The Stunts of Sky High, and "The Wild" will feature Movie Showcase, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary, "Real Wild Child" Music Video by Everlife, Eddie Izzard Unleashed and Meet Colin: The Rock Hyrax.

Blu-ray Disc is the next-generation optical disc format for high-definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 25GB of data and a double-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 50GB of data. Blu-ray Disc is supported by the world's leading Consumer Electronics, Personal Computer & Gaming companies, and with 7 of 8 Hollywood studios releasing their high-definition content on Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray will deliver the widest variety of high-definition, home entertainment content.

About Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment

Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista videocassette, DVD and Blu-ray Disc product. Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios.

Source: Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment

October

RELEASE SCHEDULE Of DVD'S

This document updated 10/04/06

THE LITTLE MERMAID: SPECIAL EDITION (Rated: G)

For a limited time only, Walt Disney Home Entertainment proudly opens the vault to debut a spectacular new two-disc Platinum Edition of the most-requested Disney DVD title ever, the Academy Award® winning (1989

Best Original Song and Best Original Score) The Little Mermaid. Available for the first time in seven years and the first time ever on a two-disc “Platinum Edition” DVD, this enchanting, music-filled adventure goes ‘under the sea’ and soars to new heights with bonus features for the whole family. Included is the new “Under The Sea Adventure: A Virtual Ride” (based on an actual Disney Imagineering concept); extensive background on the ride; a new “Kiss The Girl” music video performed by “High School Musical” sensation Ashley Tisdale; a new “Treasures Untold” making-of featurette about the film’s history, creators and famous music, new Disney Feature Animation short film “The Little Match Girl” based on another one of “Little Mermaid” creator Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tales; never-before-seen deleted scenes, and much more. The Little Mermaid ignited an animation renaissance at Disney and around the world, and this celebrated classic sparkles as never before with an all-new digital restoration and the all-new 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix.

THE FOX AND THE HOUND: The 25th Anniversary Edition (Rated: G)

This highly acclaimed classic blends vibrant animation and breathtaking action to tell the story of two best friends who didn’t know they were supposed to be enemies. The fun and adventure begin when a lonely widow adopts an orphaned fox cub named Tod. The mischievous fox soon meets up with Copper, an adorable hound puppy. As the innocent pair grow up together, they become inseparable friends. But the day soon arrives when their friendship is put to the ultimate test. With timeless values such as love, courage and respect for life, The Fox And The Hound has captured an honored place among Disney’s most beloved and endearing animated classics.

SCRUBS: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON (Rated: TV-14)

J.D. (Zach Braff), Elliot (Sarah Chalke), Turk (Donald Faison), Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) and the laugh-packed cast are back on DVD in the Emmy winning comedy “Scrubs” with Scrubs: The Complete Fourth Season. This laugh-filled DVD features the funniest guest stars yet – including Heather Graham, Colin Farrell and Chuck Woolery – in the biggest season yet, when J.D. moves out on his own and Elliot gains more confidence than ever and leaves Sacred Heart Hospital. The DVD box set is bursting with exclusive bonus features and includes the original hit music from the season.

BAD SANTA: The Director’s Cut (Unrated)

For the first time on DVD, Dimension Home Video presents the Director’s Cut of the hilarious film Bad Santa.

This exclusive version is Director Terry Zwigoff’s (“Art School Confidential,” “Ghost World,” “Crumb”) cut of the film, which also features a new audio commentary track from Mr. Zwigoff and Editor Robert Hoffman. This hilarious comedy hit stars Billy Bob Thornton (“The Bad News Bears;”“Monster’s Ball;” “The Alamo;”Academy Award® winner, Best Screenplay, “Slingblade,” 1996) as Willie T. Stokes, the incorrigible “Bad Santa,” a department store Santa of uproarious bad holiday cheer.

HANNAH MONTANA: VOLUME ONE (Rated: TBD)

The hit Disney Channel series Hannah Montana comes to Disney DVD for the first time ever. Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) gets herself into hilarious situations as she struggles to hide her true identity as superstar pop sensation Hannah Montana, in an effort to be treated like any other teenager. The premiere of Hannah Montana garnered the highest ratings ever for a Disney Channel series, and has become a smash hit with kids and tweens.

10/24 WENDY WU: HOMECOMING WARRIOR (Rated: TBD)

All-new to Disney DVD, Brenda Song (TV’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”) stars in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, filled with fun Kung Fu moves, action and excitement. Wendy’s biggest concern is winning the title of Homecoming Queen until a young Chinese monk, Shen, informs her that she’s actually a reincarnated Chinese warrior who must train to conquer an ancient spirit that threatens to destroy the world.

While struggling to balance the demands of her homecoming queen campaign, shopping, and boyfriends, Wendy discovers the importance of her Chinese roots, and trains to battle the ancient evil spirit – while she develops an unlikely friendship in the process.

10/24 BABY EINSTEIN: Baby’s First Moves (Not Rated)

From rolling and reaching to dancing and spinning, little ones discover their ability to move and are eager to interact with the world and people around them. The newest DVD title from the award-winning Baby Einstein Company, Baby’s First Moves, is a playful celebration of movement, dance and more. Featuring motion and movement appropriate for various developmental levels, Baby’s First Moves is sure to have parents and little ones clapping, waving and dancing to upbeat classical tunes from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Recommended for little ones six months and up, Baby’s First Moves is available nationwide on October 24, 2006.

10/31 KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS (Rated: PG-13)

Get ready for the laugh-out-loud comedy about one boy’s celebration of becoming a man – if he can survive the hilarious antics of his relatives! Keeping Up With The Steins is the heartwarming and funny comedy about the Fiedlers, a somewhat dysfunctional family that doesn’t quite see eye to eye. When they come together for a Bar Mitzvah and family reunion, the craziness and laughs grow bigger than the guest list, as the Fiedlers find out that they are more alike than they’d originally thought. A hysterical coming-of-age comedy in the tradition of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” Miramax Home Entertainment presents Keeping Up With The Steins on DVD October

31. The all-star cast of talent includes Golden Globe and Emmy® Award nominee Jeremy Piven (Best Actor/Outstanding Actor In A Series, TV’s “Entourage” 2005) and Jami Gertz (TV’s “Still Standing”) as Adam and Joanne Fiedler, who decide to make an over-the-top Bar Mitzvah celebration for their son, Benjamin (Daryl Sabara, “Spy Kids”). Famed director and actor Garry Marshall (“Raising Helen,” “The Princess Diaries”) is Adam’s estranged dad Irwin, Daryl Hannah (“Kill Bill”) is Irwin’s free-spirit girlfriend Sacred Feather, Doris Roberts (TV’s “Everybody Loves Raymond”) is Irwin’s ex-wife, Larry Miller (“A Mighty Wind”) is the Fiedler’s super-competitive neighbor, Richard Benjamin (“The Sunshine Boys”) is a crafty school principle and Cheryl Hines (TV’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) is the Fiedler’s high-strung party planner.

November 2006

11/7 CARS (Rated: G)

The high-octane Disney/Pixar team announce the DVD debut of the smash hit #1 animated and #2 biggest film of the year, CARS, in time for the holidays --November 7! From Academy Award® winning writer/director John Lasseter (Special Achievement, “Toy Story” 1996) and the creative team that thrilled audiences with unforgettable hits including “The Incredibles” and “Finding Nemo,” CARS is a musically-charged, comedy-adventure box office favorite about a hotshot rookie race car who, with a fun cast of car-acaters goes on the ride of his life. Starring Owen Wilson (“Wedding Crashers”), the legendary Paul Newman (Oscar® winner Best Actor “The Color of Money” 1986) and an all-star cast, CARS takes audiences of all ages on an incredible adventure that blends great music, heartfelt story and breathtaking animation. Loaded with a full tank of electrifying DVD bonus features, the highly-anticipated CARS DVD debut includes an exclusive all-new animated short “Mater and The Ghostlight,” starring audiences favorite character from the film, Mater, the good-hearted good ‘ol boy tow truck.

11/14

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Complete Sixth Season (Rated: TV-PG)

The girls are back for Season 6! Everyone’s favorite female foursome is sexier, sassier and more sarcastic than ever in The Golden Girls Season 6, a winning DVD box set from Buena Vista Home Entertainment available on November 14. This is the hilarious, must-see season with some of the biggest dating disasters yet as Sophia takes Blanche’s tips to attract a man, Dorothy is wooed by the one-and-only Sonny Bono and Rose tries skydiving to add spice to her dating relationship. And that’s just the beginning of a season-full of genius comedy that includes hilarious guest stars Debbie Reynolds and Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development and The Larry

Sanders Show).

11/14 HOME IMPROVEMENT: The Complete Fifth Season (Rated: TV-PG)

Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of one of America’s most beloved comedies with Home Improvement: The Complete Fifth Season, on DVD November 14 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The ever-popular Tim Allen (“Disney’s Santa Clause 3”) leads the way to another hysterical season of laughs and fun, in a 3-disc box set that includes exclusive DVD bonus footage found only on DVD.

11/14 DISNEY’S ADVENTURES OF THE GUMMI BEARS: Volume One (Rated: G)

For the first time ever on DVD, Disney’s first animated television series – Disney Adventures of The Gummi Bears, Volume One. Originally broadcast from 1985 to 1990, the Gummi Bears helped kick start the television animation boom in the 80’s and formed the anchor for Disney's weekday afternoon block. Inspired by the Gummi Bears candy, the animated series follows the adventures of a family of lovable Bears in medieval times who gain super powers when they drink Gummi Berry juice! The 3-Disc Set includes all 47 fun-loving episodes from the first 3 seasons -perfectly timed for Holiday gift giving!

11/14 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey Saves Santa and Other Mouseketales (Not Rated)

Come inside Mickey’s magical clubhouse with the “Sensational Six” – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto. They’re ready for adventure and learning-based fun in Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey Saves Santa And Other Mouseketales, the laugh-filled animated preschool series, available for the first time on Disney DVD on November 14. The debut of “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” on the Disney Channel enjoyed the highest ratings ever for a Playhouse Disney premiere.

11/21 ALIAS: The Complete Fifth Season (Rated: TV-14-V)

Alias fans can complete their collection as the thrilling final season of the award-winning show comes to DVD on November 21. From Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Touchstone Television, Alias: The Complete Fifth Season features the entire fifth and final season and comes loaded with exclusive bonus not found anywhere else.

Alias: The Complete Fifth Season is packed with never-before-seen bonus including interviews with the case, deleted scenes, bloopers, and more. Go behind the scenes for an exclusive look at the 100th episode celebration.

Take an on-the-set visit with new cast member Rachel Nichols. Experience the making of Alias’ music, bloopers, deleted scenes and more!

11/21 ALIAS: The Complete Collection (Rated: TV-14-V)

From the groundbreaking pilot to the heartstopping finale, own every episode of TV’s super-spy thriller ‘Alias’ in Alias: The Complete Collection – Seasons 1-5, the ultimate DVD box set, available on November 21. Alias: The Complete Collection is available in a stunning limited edition, gold-foil embossed replica of a genuine show artifact: The Rambaldi Box. This high-end collector’s edition contains every episode of every season plus a hardcover book revealing new insights to the series from the show’s cast and creators. The exclusive bonus disc comes hidden in a special compartment and is loaded with all-new special features. In all, 29 discs containing all 105 episodes and hours of original bonus. The Alias: The Complete Collection – Seasons 1-5 bonus disc features hours of never-before-seen extras including Jennifer Garner in her first interview as Sydney Bristow, an emotional cast reunion on the set of the final episode, the best and sexiest aliases of Alias. Additional bonus includes a wide ranging interview with creator J.J. Abrams, interviews with Jimmy Kimmel, Jennifer Garner and other special guests, and more including a fan tribute and the truth about the number “47.”

11/21 GRAND THEFT AUTO: Tricked Out Special Edition (Rated: PG)

Written and directed by Ron Howard (director of “The Da Vinci Code,” “Cinderella Man” and many more)!

Rich girl Paula rebels against her parents and races off to Vegas to get hitched with her boyfriend Sam. But there’s a reward on Paula for getting her back, and soon she’s racing faster than ever to avoid getting caught.

Ron Howard also stars with Nancy Morgan, Elizabeth Rogers, Barry Cahill, Rance Howard, Paul Linke, Marion Ross and more. Executive Produced by Roger Corman.

December 2006

12/5 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: Dead man’s Chest (Rated: PG-13)

Today, everyone’s a pirate as the world celebrates International “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” and to kick off the rabble rousing, Disney Home Entertainment announces the highly anticipated DVD release of Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. The action-packed worldwide film sensation will make its Disney DVD debut on December 5th . Starring Johnny Depp as that mischievous, heroic rogue Captain Jack Sparrow, this epic adventure has taken audiences by storm. The film’s Theatrical opening weekend was the biggest in U.S. box-office history, and the high-seas Hollywood tidal wave continues with a worldwide box-office gross of over a billion dollars to date, making it Disney’s most successful movie of all time. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest will be released as both a deluxe 2-disc Special Edition DVD set and as a single-disc DVD. The single-disc DVD features screenwriter audio commentary and the hilarious, never-before-seen “Bloopers of the Caribbean.” The Special Edition features limited availability holographic packaging and includes all single disc features, plus a treasure-chest of bonus booty: a behind-the-scenes documentary; a Captain Jack featurette; a sword-fighting featurette; “Creating The Kraken” on the film’s stunning sea beast; “Fly On The Set” – an on-location view of filming; a featurette on the legend of Davy Jones; bonus program on the newly “re-Imagineered” Pirates of the Caribbean resort attraction; star-studded, red-carpet Hollywood premiere footage; producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s personal on-set photo diary, and more. Much of the bonus material is exclusive to this DVD release.

12/5 DISNEY DVD GAME WORLD: Disney Princess & Disney Dogs Editions (Not Rated)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment announces an exciting, all-new innovation in Disney DVDs: Disney DVD Game World. Combining the traditional fun of classic board games with interactive and immersive 3-D game environments, these DVD games are perfect for families who want to enjoy time together. Inspired by the favorite characters from Disney’s most popular films and the worlds they live in, the DVD games feature multilevel boards and thousands of mini-games, trivia questions, and activities for up to 4 players. Because the games use virtual game pieces and spinners and play on standard and mobile DVD players, they can also be enjoyed during holiday travel on flights or long road-trips. The first two titles in the Disney DVD Game World series are:

DISNEY PRINCESS EDITION, where players get the chance to become a Disney Princess, and DISNEY

DOGS EDITION, where players can adopt their favorite Disney dog to compete in the race to win the Blue Ribbon Challenge.

12/12 THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE

WARDROBE 4-DISC EXTENDED EDITION & GIFT SET (Not Rated)

For a very limited time, Walt Disney Home Entertainment presents the ultimate “Narnia” DVD collection: Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Four-Disc EXTENDED EDITION available on DVD December 12. This extraordinary 4-disc DVD edition, a wondrous celebration of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy world, will only be available for seven weeks over the holidays, making it an excellent holiday gift. The EXTENDED EDITION features a new, extended version of the film with enhanced special effects and an extended, climactic battle scene. Viewers will venture even deeper into the beloved fantasy world of ‘Narnia’ with “C.S. Lewis – The Dreamer Of Narnia,” an all-new feature-length film about the creative genius behind the ‘Narnia’ mythos. “Visualizing the Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe: The Complete Production Experience” is an in-depth look at the process and technology of adapting the book into the stunning motion picture. For the ultimate collector, there is The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Four Disc GIFT SET. This limited-edition offering features the 4-disc DVD plus a pair of heirloom-quality bookends from the master creative artists at

WETA Ltd., the innovators who designed the breathtaking creatures for the film.

12/12 THE FOX & THE HOUND 2 (Rated: G)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment proudly presents the cherished characters, star-studded voice cast and tail-wagging musical adventure of Disney’s all-new THE FOX AND THE HOUND 2, the much anticipated sequel to the studio’s 1981 animated treasure. Brimming with memorable songs from country music luminaries Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood, boasting a celebrity cast featuring Patrick Swayze and comedian Jeff Foxworthy, filled with Disney’s renowned rich animation, and offering interactive and entertaining bonus features, THE FOX AND THE HOUND 2 premieres on Disney DVD December 12, 2006. THE FOX AND THE HOUND 2 is a timeless, tune-filled tale of enduring relationships, delivering the simple, yet powerful message that true bonds run deep and genuine friendships can’t be broken. A perfect complement to Disney’s original classic, this heartwarming story finds playful pals Copper and Tod, a hound dog and a fox, still up to their mischievous ways. With Tod’s help, Copper seeks to find his greatest talent – which leads to an adventure at the county fair. When talented diva Dixie (voiced by Reba McEntire) quits the harmonizing novelty dog act, The Singin’ Strays, the stage door swings open for Copper to steal the spotlight and join the band under the tutelage of its success-driven leader, Cash (Patrick Swayze, “Ghost” and “Dirty Dancing”). But as Copper gleams in the limelight, Tod and Dixie quickly discover that playing second fiddle isn’t their true calling – and they hatch a scheme to make things right again. As the plan goes awry with disastrous results, everyone must bond together to bring harmony back to the mutual friendships, and fame where it most belongs.

12/12 WALT DISNEY TREASURES: WAVE SIX (Not Rated)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment presents more gems from the famed Disney vault! The popular WALT DISNEY TREASURES series is back with WAVE VI, four new, 2-disc DVD sets that feature rare and never-before-seen materials on DVD December 19, 2006. An amazing collection of animated and live-action programs, each keepsake volume is hosted by noted film historian Leonard Maltin and presented with superb picture and sound. These four must-own collections once more demonstrate the rich heritage of Walt’s legendary Studio. More Silly Symphonies presents a new collection of the young Disney Studio’s pioneering, outstanding early animated shorts, including two directed by Walt himself. The Complete Pluto Volume 2 delivers more hilarious hi-jinks from Mickey’s (and the world’s) beloved canine companion, Pluto. Your Host, Walt Disney brings legendary live-action TV shows, hosted by Walt, to a new generation; and The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring The Hardy Boys is a family adventure from the Golden Age of Television, featuring Disney’s first “Hardy Boys” serialized film in its entirety. All four 2-disc DVD sets feature rare or never-beforeseen bonus materials that delve even deeper into these rich collections of Disney lore.

--End of Release Schedule -

Posted by lady at 07:12 PM | Permalink

The "pray-in" is in response to US Airways' removal of Imam Omar Shahin and five other Imams traveling from a religious leader's conference in Minnesota. Three of the Imams were observed praying prior to departure. Subsequent to boarding the plane, the six were removed from the flight, handcuffed, and detained in the airport for questioning for over five hours. Upon release, US Airways and other airlines refused to allow them to purchase tickets for other scheduled flights to Phoenix.

"The detention of these religious leaders, and the refusal of the airline to allow them travel, is a gross example of blatant Islamophobia and the violation of the civil rights of Muslim passengers", said Imam Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation.

"The last time I checked, public prayer was still protected by the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and speech. It's a shame that as an African-American and a Muslim I have the double whammy of having to worry about driving while Black and flying while Muslim. We charge the airline with not only discrimination, but with an action that is insulting and demeaning to these Muslim religious leaders, and to all people of faith."

The MAS Freedom Foundation, and many in the interfaith and civil rights community, feel strongly that in addition to religious discrimination, the issue involving the six Imams is also a religious freedom issue. We have forwarded the case to several prominent civil and constitutional rights attorneys and legal scholars.

---

The Freedom Foundation is the public affairs arm of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a national grassroots religious, social, and educational organization. MAS is America's largest grassroots Muslim organization with over 50 chapters nationwide. Learn more at http://www.masnet.org

ship docks for cleaning

A thorough scrubbing of the Carnival Liberty began Sunday as the ship docked after a virus sickened nearly 700 passengers on a trans-Atlantic cruise.

Fourteen guests and five crew remained ill and in isolation when the ship arrived at Port Everglades, according to a statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines, a brand of Carnival Corp. Some passengers were escorted off the ship in wheelchairs by crew wearing blue gloves.

Preliminary tests identified the source of the outbreak as the highly contagious norovirus, which had struck several guests just before they boarded the cruise Nov. 3 in Rome, Carnival officials said. More than 530 guests and 140 crew reported to the ship's infirmary with similar symptoms during the 16-day voyage.

Passengers who fell ill during the cruise said they received over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication and pills or an injection to ward off nausea in the ship's infirmary, and had been quarantined in their cabins.

Crews scrubbed the ship's handrails and utensils, offered disinfecting hand gel and halted the self-serve buffets after the outbreak started. Even plastic menus were wiped clean, said Pedro Carreras, 51, of McDonough, Ga.

A team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control boarded the cruise when it docked in St. Maarten to oversee the cleaning operation and try to determine what caused the outbreak, Carnival said.

Norovirus is a group of viruses that cause stomach flu symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps, according to the CDC. The illness usually lasts one to two days without any long-term health effects. It spreads through contaminated food or liquids, by touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then placing that hand in one's mouth, or through direct contact with someone who is infected and showing symptoms.

Food Industry Works On Ad Guidelines

November 18, 2006

In an epidemic of childhood obesity and increasing negative press, marketers have significantly strengthened their efforts to self-regulate food and beverage ads targeting kids under age 12.

The Council of Better Business Bureaus and the National Advertising Review Council have established the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, a voluntary program with 10 major companies as charter members.

The initiative is designed to shift the focus of advertising messages to children and encourage healthier dietary choices and healthy lifestyles.

The participating companies are Cadbury Schweppes, Campbell Soup, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hershey, Kellogg, Kraft, McDonald's, PepsiCo and Unilever.

All told, those companies account for approximately two-thirds of all food and beverage TV ads aimed at kids.

In addition, the self-regulatory guidelines for children's advertising have been revised in order to strengthen the ability of the CBBB's Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) to provide guidance and oversight to all industry sectors.

Susan Linn, co-founder of the nonprofit Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, blasted the efforts as "the clearest indication yet that, when it comes to marketing to children, self-regulation has failed. In the midst of an epidemic of childhood obesity, the industry has proposed a series of guidelines for junk-food advertising that are window dressing at best."

She maintained that the guidelines remain too vague and permissive, and will generate only cosmetic changes in the way marketers go about their business.

Today's initiative evolved from a review led by Joan Bernstein, a former director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

"I commend these 10 companies for coming together in a meaningful new program that will have strong oversight," Bernstein said. "These efforts are a great step forward."

FTC chair Deborah Platt Majoras issued a statement praising the changes, saying that they "show real promise, and I hope they will encourage more competition in developing and marketing healthier products that are attractive to kids and their parents. The FTC works closely with a number of self-regulatory programs, and will be watching closely to see whether this program results in meaningful improvements in food and beverage advertising to children."

Under the terms of the new initiative, participating companies will devote at least half of their kid-directed advertising to promote healthier dietary choices and to similarly limit products shown in interactive games. They pledged not to advertise in elementary schools nor engage in product placement in editorial and entertainment content. The companies also said they would curtail the use of third-party licensed characters.

Gary Ruskin, executive director of consumer advocacy group Commercial Alert, dismissed the effort out of hand.

"Junk food marketers are dreaming if they think they can halt tough new laws against marketing to children," said Ruskin, who called on the next Congress to swiftly pass the Parents' Bill of Rights, which, among other provisions, would revoke the federal tax deduction for advertising to children under 12.

Business as usual with Republicans

Republicans in the House of Representatives re-elected two top leaders on Friday -- 10 days after American voters voiced discontent by turning over control of the legislative body to Democrats.

House Republicans stuck with John Boehner of Ohio to head their caucus, with Roy Blunt of Missouri remaining his deputy as party whip

While victorious, Boehner and Blunt said the party needs to focus on core conservative principles of limited government, personal responsibility and reform

Tornado kills 8 in N.C.

A tornado ripped apart a mobile home park in this tiny riverside community early Thursday, killing at least eight people and raising the death toll from a devastating band of thunderstorms sweeping across the South to 11.

Two other storm victims died in car crashes early Thursday as heavy rain pelted North Carolina, a utility worker checking powerlines during the storm was electrocuted in South Carolina, and a man died Wednesday when a tornado struck his home in Louisiana as the storms began their path of destruction across the South.

Officials at hospitals in Columbus County and neighboring New Hanover County said they were treating 22 people with storm-related injuries and that at least five, including four children, were in critical condition. Easley activated the State Emergency Response Team and sent in emergency crews.

Ron Steve, meteorologist with the Weather Service in Wilmington, said the tornado touched down in the Riegelwood area shortly after 6:30 a.m

Nov. 16 The following are the prepared remarks of Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary:

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Leahy and distinguished members of the committee, it is a pleasure to appear before you

I have served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division for almost exactly one year now. I am honored to serve President Bush, Attorney General Gonzales and the professionals of the Civil Rights Division in this capacity.

I am pleased to report that the past year was full of outstanding accomplishments in the civil rights division, one in which we obtained many record levels of enforcement. I am proud of the professional attorneys and staff in the Division whose talents, dedication and hard work made these accomplishments possible. My prepared written statement details the accomplishments of each section of the division and I will only address portions of it here. Mr. Chairman, I would ask that the entirety of my prepared statement be placed into the record.

I will take just a brief opportunity to highlight some of the division's more notable accomplishments during the past year:

-- The Voting Section has filed 17 new lawsuits this year, more than doubling the average number of lawsuits filed during the preceding 30 years;

-- Just last week, we successfully mounted the largest election monitoring effort ever conducted by the Department of Justice for a mid-term election;

-- Earlier this year, the administration strongly supported passage of the Voting Rights Reauthorization legislation;

-- Last year, we obtained a record number of convictions in the prosecution of human trafficking crimes, deplorable offenses of fear, force and violence that disproportionately affect women and minority immigrants;

-- Last year, the Employment Litigation Section filed as many lawsuits challenging a pattern or practice of discrimination as during the last three years of the previous Administration combined;

-- Last year, the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section filed more cases alleging sexual harassment than in any year in its history;

-- Last year, pursuant to the Attorney General's Operation Home Sweet Home initiative, the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section conducted significantly more tests to ensure compliance with the Fair Housing Act and we are working to achieve an all- time number of such tests this year;

-- Last year, the Disability Rights Section has obtained the highest success rate to date in mediating complaints brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (80 percent).

-- In the past six years, the Disability Rights Section has reached more than 80 percent of the agreements obtained with state and local governments under Project Civic Access, a program that has made cities more accessible and made lives better for more than three million Americans with disabilities;

-- In the past six years, we have ensured the integrity of law enforcement by more than tripling the number of agreements reached with police departments and convicting 50 percent more law enforcement officials for willful misconduct, such as the use of excessive force, as compared to the previous six years;

Before I close, I would like to note that the division will celebrate its 50th Anniversary next year. As this milestone draws nears, I have reflected upon the work of the division not only during my own time of service, but over the past half-century. Since our inception in 1957, the division has accomplished a great deal and we have much to be proud of. While citizens of all colors, from every background, living in all pockets of the country -- north and south, rural and urban -- have seen gains made on the civil rights front, one need not look back very far to recall a very different landscape.

This point was made more vivid for me when I traveled with Attorney General Gonzales to Birmingham, Ala., earlier this year. We attended the dedication of the 16th Street Baptist Church as a National Historic Landmark. In 1963, racists threw a bomb in this historically black church, killing four little girls who were attending Sunday School. Horrific incidents like this sparked the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -- the most comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation passed by Congress since Reconstruction. While much has been achieved under that piece of legislation and other civil rights laws, the division's daily work demonstrates that discrimination still exists. Our work continues.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Leahy, for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions.

Cisco IP NGN ayuda a las ciudades suecas de Lund y Alvesta a convertirse en una de las comunidades de banda ancha más avanzadas de EuropaCisco y Labs2/ViaEuropa entregan velocidades de banda ancha simétricas de 1Gbps con la tecnología Ethernet Fiber-to-the-Home de Cisco

November 15, 2006 -- Cisco(R) (NASDAQ: CSCO) aanunció hoy que los residentes de Lunds Kommunala Bostäder (www.lkf.se) y Allbohus (www.allbohus.se) en Alvesta, al sur de Suecia, se beneficiarán de una de las mayores redes de banda ancha de Europa, basada en la arquitectura de Red IP de Próxima Generación (IP NGN) de Cisco. La red de fibra óptica, que conectará a 12.000 hogares de la región, está basada en la tecnología Ethernet Fiber-to-the-Home (E-FTTH) de Cisco, y entregará velocidades de acceso de bajada y de subida de hasta 1 gigabit por segundo, optimizadas para los servicios residenciales de triple pago que incorporan Internet, telefonía IP y servicios IPTV. Con este ancho de banda, los residentes de Lund y Alvesta podrán disfrutar de los mejores servicios IPTV de alta definición y estarán preparados para servicios multimedia como la telefonía por vídeo. Dimension Data Sverige A.B., un Socio Gold Certificado de Cisco, es el responsable de la integración de sistemas en este proyecto. La administración y la operación de la red y entrega del servicio corren a cargo de Labs2/ViaEuropa.

Jonas Birgersson, CEO de Labs2, dijo: "Nuestra plataforma de sistemas 'BRIKKS', combinada con el modelo de Red de Acceso Equitativo de Cisco, significa que nuestros clientes tendrán un fácil acceso a todos los servicios que se ofertan. Esto otorga a nuestros clientes la capacidad de crear sus propios paquetes de servicio cuando los necesiten. A la vez, nuestros socios proveedores de servicio pueden llegar a una amplia base de clientes ya establecida con un acceso de gran calidad".

"Desarrollamos el diseño ServiceFlex de nuestras soluciones Carrier Ethernet para ofrecer a operadores como Labs2 una plataforma muy segura, confiable y flexible que admite servicios residenciales y comerciales", dijo Jonas Phragmén, director de desarrollo de negocio para Banda Ancha en Cisco Suecia. "Lab2 puede también escalar la red en términos de banda ancha y capacidad para satisfacer la demanda y ofrecer una calidad de servicio asegurada, incluso en anchos de banda de 1 Gbps".

Las redes están diseñadas para satisfacer los requisitos de seguridad estipulados por la Asociación Sueca de Redes Urbanas (www.ssnf.org). Los enrutadores Cisco 7600 Series, y los conmutadores Cisco Catalyst(R) 3750 Series y Catalyst 3650 Series con enlaces de acceso de fibra E-FTTH, serán instalados en las redes de Lund y Alvesta con los recién presentados conmutadores ME3400 Series Metro Ethernet en la ubicación de los clientes, en edificios con varios residentes y en locales comerciales.

Acerca de Cisco Systems

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) es el líder mundial en redes que transforma la manera en que las personas se conectan, comunican y colaboran. Puede encontrar más información sobre Cisco en http://www.cisco.com. Para noticias recientes, visite http://newsroom.cisco.com. El equipo de Cisco en Europa se suministra por Cisco Systems International BV, subsidiaria de propiedad completa de Cisco Systems, Inc.

Cisco, el logotipo de Cisco, Cisco Systems, el logotipo de Cisco Systems y Catalyst son marcas comerciales registradas o marcas comerciales de Cisco Systems, Inc. y/o sus afiliadas en Estados Unidos y otros países. Todas las demás marcas comerciales mencionadas en este documento son propiedad de sus respectivos propietarios. El uso de la palabra socio no implica una relación de asociación entre Cisco y otra compañía. Este documento es información pública de Cisco.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a moderate Republican best known for his calm taking care of the city after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has taken the first step in a 2008 presidential bid.

The former mayor filed papers to create the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee, Inc., establishing a New York-based panel that would allow him to raise money to explore a White House run and travel the country.

Under federal election law, an exploratory committee allows an individual to travel and gauge the level of support for a candidacy without formally declaring themselves a candidate and adhering to all the federal rules of fundraising. An individual who spends money only to test the waters — but not to campaign for office — does not have to register as a candidate under the election law.

The GOP field is expected to grow with Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee,( Whom may reconsider after last weeks republican swan dive), Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and New York Gov. George Pataki expected to join the presidential fray.

Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa has filed to establish a full-blown campaign committee and will make a more formal announcement of his candidacy later this month.

Giuliani was widely praised for leading the city during and after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He has said for months that he would wait until the end of the 2006 elections to decide whether to embark on a White House bid.

The former mayor is a moderate who supports gun control, same-sex civil unions, embryonic stem-cell research and abortion rights — stands that would put him at odds with the majority of the GOP conservative base.

New Featured Content Pays Tribute to Africa and Introduces Users to
Historical Maps from the David Rumsey Map Collection

Nov. 13, 2006 - In celebration of Geography
Awareness Week, Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) today released new Featured
Content for Google Earth that connects users to information about the
history of the world through one of the largest private map collections
in the US. Map overlays from the David Rumsey collection, which
integrate historic cartographic masterpieces dating as far back as the
17th century, have been brought to life for the first time using
advanced digitization techniques and innovative software tools in
Google Earth. Also available with this release in partnership with
National Geographic is an interactive geography quiz that enables users
to test their knowledge of this year's Geography Awareness Week focus
region of Africa.

"We are excited to partner with National Geographic to celebrate and
encourage the study of geography with Google Earth," said John Hanke,
director of Google Earth and Maps. "Our work with David Rumsey to
bring some of the finest privately held historical maps to users
worldwide further demonstrates how Google Earth can serve as a dynamic
tool for geographic discovery."

"National Geographic has been exploring and inspiring people to care
about the planet for more than a century," said Terry Garcia,
National Geographic's Executive Vice President for Mission Programs.
"Today, anyone hooked into the Web can explore any place on Earth at
the click of a mouse. Caring begins with seeing, and there's no
better way to see a place than to be there. So we know new geographic
tools such as Google Earth and the National Geographic-ESRI MapMachine
mean better stewardship of our world's extraordinary places, animals,
and cultures."

"I am thrilled to be able to share maps from my collection with users
worldwide in Google Earth," said David Rumsey. "As a longtime maps
enthusiast, it is wonderful to see the cutting edge technology of
Google Earth introduce people to the geographic history of our world in
a new and innovative way. The cartographers who made these historical
maps hundreds of years ago would be amazed and pleased to see their
treasures in Google Earth."

More details about this release:

· David Rumsey Historical Maps - Dating from 1680 to 1892, 16
historical maps representative of various regions around the world are
available for navigation in Google Earth, including Cassini's Globe
of 1790, a map of Africa from 1787, and a 1710 Japanese-Chinese map of
Asia. When overlaid with other data layers in Google Earth, these
historical maps show in vivid detail how places have evolved over time
and how people's perception of geography has changed.

· National Geographic Quiz on Africa - An interactive educational
quiz on Africa tests users knowledge of this year's Geography
Awareness focus region as an overlay within Google Earth.

· Tracks 4 Africa - This overlay incorporates community-generated
data about Africa from Tracks4Africa, an eco-travel community of users
who have collected data on roads, trails, track data, lakes, rivers,
and tourist points of interest.

· Spotlight on Africa - Featuring flags and information about the
53 sovereign nations of Africa, this overlay provides additional
context for this year's focus region.

More information about these Featured Content overlays is available at
http://www.google.com/educators/gaw.html. Users can access these new
Featured Content layers in the left sidebar of Google Earth.

Designed to promote the study of geography in the U.S. and across the
globe, Geography Awareness Week was first organized by the National
Geographic Society and was officially recognized as the third week in
November by President Ronald Reagan in 1987.

Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google
Search to make the world's geographic information easily accessible and
useful. There have been over 100 million downloads of Google Earth
since the product's launch in June, 2005.

About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people
around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by
Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a
top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted
advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable
results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google
is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the
Americas, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

Two Out of Three Americans See President Bush as Lame Duck; Approval Hits New Low

Large Majorities Support Democratic Priorities: Controlling Drug Prices (92 Percent); Increasing Minimum Wage (89 Percent); Investigating Government Contracts in Iraq (89 Percent)

Seventy-Eight-Percent Majority Concerned Democrats Will Move Too Hastily to Withdraw Troops From Iraq; 69 Percent Concerned Congress Might Keep Bush From Doing What's Necessary To Fight Terrorism

Thirty-Three Percent of Voters Say 'Good Chance' They'd Vote for Hillary in '08, 24 Percent Say So for Giuliani, 24 Percent for Rice, 20 Percent for McCain

Two-thirds of Americans-66 percent- believe that President Bush will be unable to get much done for the remainder of his second term, according to the November 9-10, 2006 Newsweek Poll. Only 30 percent say he can be effective. Bush's approval rating has dropped to an historic low in the Newsweek Poll of 31 percent-four points below the rating recorded the week before the midterm elections in the November 2-3 poll. Only 29 percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States; 63 percent say they are dissatisfied.

Days after Congressional elections gave Democrats control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, large majorities of Americans say they support the Democrats' legislative agenda including: allowing the government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices for seniors (92 percent of those polled say it should be a priority, 75 percent say it should be a top priority); increasing the minimum wage (89 percent say it should be a priority, 68 percent say it should be a top priority); and investigating government contracts in Iraq (89 percent say it should be a priority, 60 percent say it should be a top priority).

Additionally, 86 percent of Americans say that adopting new rules to limit the influence of lobbyists should be a priority, 89 percent say investigating charges of impropriety or wrong-doing by members of Congress should be a priority and 75 percent say investigating questions about the decision to go to war with Iraq should be a priority. Rolling back some of the Bush tax cuts receives less support; 40 percent say it should be a top priority, 32 percent say a lower priority. When asked whether Congress should impeach President Bush, 25 percent of Americans say it should be a top priority and 23 percent say it should be a lower priority. Fifty percent say it should not be done at all.

Americans also have concerns over actions the new Democratic Congress may take, according to the Newsweek Poll. Fifty-one percent are very concerned that Congress might push too hastily for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq; 27 percent are somewhat concerned. Only 20 percent say they are not too concerned or not at all concerned. And 43 percent are very concerned and 26 percent somewhat concerned that the new Congress may keep the Bush administration from doing what is necessary to combat terrorism. Twenty-nine percent say they are not too concerned or not at all concerned. Sixty-six percent are very or somewhat concerned that Congress might spend too much time investigating the Bush administration and Republican scandals; 32 percent are not too concerned or not at all concerned. Fifty-four percent of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned that lawmakers might unfairly block qualified Bush appointments to the federal courts; 43 percent are not too concerned or not at all concerned.

Still, 51 percent of Americans-including 18 percent of Republicans-believe the Democrats winning control of Congress is a good thing, the Newsweek Poll shows. And 34 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of presumed House speaker Nancy Pelosi, versus 20 percent who have an unfavorable impression and 17 percent who have never heard of her. Twenty-five percent of Americans have a favorable impression of presumed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, versus 17 percent that have an unfavorable impression and 24 percent who have never heard of him.

When asked about overall priorities for the Congress and the President over the next two years, 51 percent of Americans say the Iraq war and national security should be the bigger priority, while 33 percent say domestic issues like the economy and health care should be. Fifteen percent say they should be equal priorities. When asked if Democrats and Republicans will be able to work together given that control of Congress and the White House is now split, 54 percent of Americans say that partisan bickering will prevent important work from getting done while 40 percent say the two sides will be able to work together.

Only 31 percent of Americans approve of how Vice President Dick Cheney is handling his job, according to the Newsweek Poll. Fifty-six percent disapprove. Twenty-four percent approve of how outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is handling his job; 62 percent disapprove. When asked why Bush may have refused Rumsfeld's resignation earlier in the administration, 83 percent say not wanting to change Pentagon leadership in the middle of a war was a reason (58 percent say it was a major reason), 78 percent say Bush's loyalty to those he works with was a reason (54 percent say it was a major reason), 78 percent say it was because Bush believed Rumsfeld was doing a good job and 74 percent say it was because of Bush's stubbornness and unwillingness to admit mistakes.

Looking ahead to the 2008 presidential election, the Newsweek Poll finds that 48 percent of registered voters would like generally to see a Democrat elected president; 28 percent want a Republican; 20 percent say they don't know. When it comes to specific potential candidates, 53 percent of registered voters say there's a chance they'd vote for Hillary Clinton (33 percent say a good chance). Forty-five percent say there is no chance. Fifty-one percent say there is a chance they would vote for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (24 percent say a good chance); 43 percent say there is no chance. Fifty-four percent say there is a chance they would vote for Rudy Giuliani (24 percent say a good chance); 32 percent say no chance. Fifty-four percent say there is a chance they would vote for John McCain (20 percent say a good chance); 32 percent say there is no chance.

For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates International interviewed 1,006 adults aged 18 and older on November 9-10, 2006. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. This poll is part of the November 20 issue of Newsweek, on newsstands Monday, November 13. To interview Senior Editor Marcus Mabry on the poll, call Andrea Faville at 212-445-4859 or Jan Angilella at 212-445-5638.

                              Newsweek Poll                             Post-Election 2006             Princeton Survey Research Associates International                             Final Topline Results                                 (11/11/06)    N = 1,006 national adults, 18 and over   Margin of error: plus or minus 4   Interviewing dates: 11/9-10/06    SAMPLE SIZE/MARGIN OF ERROR FOR KEY SUBGROUPS:    289  Republicans (plus or minus 7)   346  Democrats (plus or minus 6)   347  Independents (plus or minus 6)    488  Men (plus or minus 5)   518  Women (plus or minus 5)    829  Whites (plus or minus 4)   162  Minorities (plus or minus 9)(1)    268  Evangelicals (plus or minus 7)   641  Non-Evangelicals (plus or minus 5)(2)    SAMPLE SIZE/MARGIN OF ERROR FOR REGISTERED VOTERS SUBGROUPS:    918  Registered voters (plus or minus x)    273  Republicans (plus or minus 7)   315  Democrats (plus or minus 7)   314  Independents (plus or minus 7)    395  Voted Dem for Congress (plus or minus 6)   280  Voted Rep for Congress (plus or minus 7)   127  Didn't vote for Congress (plus or minus 9)

Notes: Data is weighted so that sample demographics match Census Current Population Survey parameters for gender, age, education, race, region, and population density.

Reported sample sizes are unweighted and should not be used to compute percentages.

  An asterisk (*) indicates a value less than 1%.    Questions 1 and 2 were asked in random order.   (1) Minorities are: Hispanics, non-Hispanic blacks or African-Americans,      non-Hispanic Asians, and non-Hispanic other or mixed races.  (2) Includes all who do not identify as Evangelical Christians, including      Catholics, Jews, other faiths, and non-believers.    1. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the      United States at this time?                                   Satisfied     Dissatisfied   DK   Current Total                     29              63         8      =100   Trends(3)   (11/2-3/06)                       29              64         7      =100   (10/26-27/06)                     31              61         8      =100   (10/19-20/06)                     25              67         8      =100   (10/5-6/06) Foley scandal         25              67         8      =100   (8/24-25/06)                      28              65         7      =100   (8/10-11/06)                      26              67         7      =100   (5/11-12/06) NSA wiretapping      23              71         6      =100   (3/16-17/06)                      30              64         6      =100   (11/10-11/05)                     26              68         6      =100   (9/29-30/05)                      31              61         8      =100   (9/8-9/05) Hurricane Katrina      28              66         6      =100   (8/2-4/05)                        36              54        10      =100   (12/2-3/04)                       46              46         8      =100   (10/27-29/04)                     39              56         5      =100   (10/21-22/04)                     40              56         4      =100   (10/14-15/04)                     40              55         5      =100   (9/30-10/2/04)                    38              57         5      =100   (9/9-10/04)                       39              53         8      =100   (9/2-3/04)                        43              49         8      =100   (7/29-30/04)                      36              58         6      =100   (7/8-9/04)                        40              54         6      =100   (5/13-14/04) Prisoner abuse                 scandal             30              62         8      =100   (4/8-9/04)                        36              59         5      =100   (1/22-23/04)                      43              52         5      =100   (1/8-9/04)                        46              47         7      =100   (12/18-19/03) Saddam's capture    46              47         7      =100   (10/9-10/03)                      40              54         6      =100   (4/03) Iraq War                   50              41         9      =100   (9/02)                            41              55         4      =100   (7/02)                            46              46         8      =100   (9/01) Terrorist attacks          57              34         9      =100   (6/01)                            43              52         5      =100   (3/01)                            47              45         8      =100   (1/01)                            55              41         4      =100   (6/00)                            47              45         8      =100   (8/99)                            56              39         5      =100   (9/98)                            54              42         4      =100   (1/97)                            38              58         4      =100   (3/96)                            28              70         2      =100   (6/95)                            25              73         2      =100   (8/94)                            24              71         5      =100   (6/92) Recession                  14              84         2      =100   (3/91) Gulf War Victory           66              31         3      =100   (9/90)                            37              58         5      =100   (9/88)                            56              40         4      =100   (11/85)                           51              46         3      =100   (12/81) Recession                 27              67         6      =100   (7/79) Energy/Economic Crisis     12              84         4      =100    (3) Trends from 4/03, 9.02, 6/00-6/01 and 6/95-8/99 from Pew Research       Center; 7/79 - 6/92 from Gallup    2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his      job as president?                                      Approve    Disapprove      DK   Current Total                       31            63          6     =100   Trends(4)   (11/2-3/06)                         35            56          9     =100   (10/26-27/06)                       37            53         10     =100   (10/19-20/06)                       35            57          8     =100   (10/5-6/06)                         33            59          8     =100   (8/24-25/06)                        36            56          8     =100   (8/10-11/06)                        38            55          7     =100   (5/11-12/06)                        35            59          6     =100   (3/16-17/06)                        36            58          6     =100   (11/10-11/05)                       36            58          6     =100   (9/29-30/05)                        40            53          7     =100   (9/8-9/05)                          38            55          7     =100   (8/2-4/05)                          42            51          7     =100   (3/17-18/05)                        45            48          7     =100   (2/3-4/05)                          50            42          8     =100   (12/2-3/04)                         49            44          7     =100   (10/27-29/04)                       46            47          7     =100   (10/14-15/04)                       47            46          7     =100   (9/30-10/2/04)                      46            48          6     =100   (9/9-10/04)                         48            44          8     =100   (9/2-3/04)                          52            41          7     =100   (7/29-30/04)                        45            49          6     =100   (7/8-9/04)                          48            46          6     =100   (5/13-14/04)                        42            52          6     =100   (4/8-9/04)                          49            45          6     =100   (3/18-19/04)                        48            44          8     =100   (2/19-20/04)                        48            44          8     =100   (2/5-6/04)                          48            45          7     =100   (1/22-23/04)                        50            44          6     =100   (1/8-9/04)                          54            41          5     =100   (12/18-19/03)                       54            38          8     =100   (11/6-7/03)                         52            40          8     =100   (10/9-10/03)                        51            42          7     =100   (8/21-22/03)                        53            36         11     =100   (7/10-11/03)                        55            37          8     =100   (5/29-30/03)                        61            28         11     =100   (5/1-2/03)                          65            26          9     =100   (4/10-11/03)                        71            23          6     =100   (3/27-28/03)                        68            26          6     =100   (3/13-14/03)                        53            37         10     =100   (2/6-7/03)                          61            31          8     =100   (1/16-17/03)                        56            33         11     =100   (11/7-8/02)                         60            30         10     =100   (9/12-13/02)                        70            23          7     =100   (6/27-28/02)                        70            19         11     =100   (1/31-2/1/02)                       83            12          5     =100   (10/11-12/01)                       88             8          4     =100   (9/20-21/01)                        86            10          4     =100   (9/13-14/01)                        82            11          7     =100   (8/25-9/5/01)                       51            34         15     =100    (4) Full trendline from 1/04 to present; earlier trends selected. Approval       figures for 8/25-9/5/01 from Pew Research Center.     Lowest Approval Ratings for Past Presidents   President                               % Approve   Clinton                                 36    5/26-27/93 Newsweek   G.H.W. Bush                             29    7/31-8/2/92 Gallup   Reagan                                  35    1/28-31/83 Gallup   Carter                                  28    6/29-7/2/79 Gallup   Ford                                    37    1/10-13/75 & 3/28-31/75                                                  Gallup   Nixon                                   23    1/4-7/74 Gallup   Johnson                                 35    8/7-12/68 Gallup   Kennedy                                 56    9/12-17/63 Gallup   Eisenhower                              48    3/27-4/1/58 Gallup   Truman                                  22    2/9-14/52 Gallup   Roosevelt                               48    8/18-24/39 Gallup    Source: The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research iPoll database.     3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Dick Cheney is handling his job      as Vice President?                                  Approve        Disapprove    DK   Current Total                    31              56        13       =100    Republicans                      64              23        13       =100   Democrats                        12              79         9       =100   Independents                     28              59        13       =100    Trends(5)   (2/28/06-3/1/06)                 40              52         8       =100   (1/20-22/06)                     41              47        12       =100   (11/11-13/05)                    36              54        10       =100   (1/7-9/05)                       50              40        10       =100   (1/9-11/04)                      56              36         8       =100   (1/25-27/02)                     68              18        14       =100   (5/18-20/01)                     60              26        14       =100   (4/20-22/01)                     63              21        16       =100    (5) Trend results from Gallup/CNN/USA Today polls.    4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Rumsfeld is handling his      job as Secretary of Defense?                                   Approve   Disapprove     DK   Current Total                    24          62         14          =100    Republicans                      49          35         16          =100   Democrats                        12          77         11          =100   Independents                     20          68         12          =100    Trends (Total)   (10/5-6/06)                      30          55         15          =100   (4/28-30/06)(6)                  33          49         18          =100    (6) Trend results from CBS News poll.    5. Now thinking ahead to the next PRESIDENTIAL election in November 2008      ... In general, would you rather see  ...  (RESPONSE CATEGORIES      ROTATED) a Republican or a Democrat elected as our next president in      2008?    BASED ON REGISTERED VOTERS                                                       Other                               Republican  Democrat   party(7)     DK   Current Total                   28         48         4         20  =100    Republicans                     74         10         2         14  =100   Democrats                        3         88         2          7  =100   Independents                    20         37         7         36  =100    Trend   (5/11-12/06)(8)                 32         49         2         17  =100    (7) Other party was a volunteered response category.   (8) Question was asked of Total adults. Trend results recalculated to be       based on registered voters [N=897]    6. As I read you the names of some possible candidates for president in      2008, please tell me if there is a good chance, some chance, or no      chance you would vote for each one.  If I mention someone you've never      heard of, just say so.  (First,) what about...? (INSERT NAME. ROTATE      START) (Is there a good chance, some chance, or no chance you would      vote for (him/her) as a candidate for president?)     BASED ON REGISTERED VOTERS                               Good      Some       No      Never    DK                             chance    chance    chance   heard(9)   a. Joe Biden   Current Total                7        17        34        36     6  =100    b. Sam Brownback   Current Total                3         7        23        61     6  =100    c. Hillary Clinton   Current Total               33        20        45         *     2  =100    d. John Edwards   Current Total               15        28        36        16     5  =100    e. Al Gore   Current Total               21        24        53         *     2  =100    f. Newt Gingrich   Current Total               10        17        58        12     3  =100    g. Rudy Giuliani   Current Total               24        30        32        10     4  =100    h. Duncan Hunter   Current Total                1         6        19        69     5  =100    i. John Kerry   Current Total               16        24        55         2     3  =100    j. John McCain   Current Total               20        34        32        10     4  =100    k. Barack Obama   Current Total               20        19        24        34     3  =100    l. Condoleezza Rice   Current Total               24        27        43         4     2  =100    m. Mitt Romney   Current Total                6        13        27        48     6  =100   (9) Never heard of is a volunteered response category.     7. Turning to this week's elections, do you think it's a good thing or a      bad thing that the Democrats won control of both houses of Congress -      or that it won't make much difference either way?                                   Good      Bad      Not much                                 thing     thing    difference    DK   Current Total                   51        17         27         5   =100    Republicans                     18        48         28         6   =100   Democrats                       83         3         12         2   =100   Independents                    45        10         39         6   =100    Congress Vote-Rep               16        48         31         5   =100   Congress Vote-Dem               83         3         17         2   =100   Didn't vote                     44        12         37         7   =100    Men                             50        17         28         5   =100   Women                           53        17         26         4   =100    Whites                          49        21         26         4   =100   Minorities                      61         7         26         6   =100    Evangelicals                    45        23         26         6   =100   Non Evangelicals                53        16         27         4   =100    Trend (gop control)   (11/7-8/02)(10)                 30        34         29         7   =100    (10) Trend wording read: "Turning to this week's elections, do you think        it's a good thing or a bad thing that the Republicans won control of        both house of Congress or do you think it won't make much difference        either way?"    8. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Nancy Pelosi, who      will be House speaker in the new Congress?                                                    Never                          Favorable  Unfavorable   heard(11)   DK   Current Total              34         20         17         29   =100    Republicans                17         42         15         26   =100   Democrats                  48          7         16         29   =100   Independents               34         18         16         32   =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)(12)          25         26         26         23   =100    (11) Never heard of her was a volunteered response category.   (12) Trend wording read: "Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion        of Nancy Pelosi, who is in line to become speaker if the Democrats        win enough seats in November to control the U.S. House of        Representatives?"     9. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Harry Reid, who will      be the Senate Majority Leader in the new Congress?                                                    Never                          Favorable  Unfavorable   heard(13)   DK   Current Total              25         17         24         34   =100    Republicans                14         34         23         29   =100   Democrats                  34          8         23         35   =100   Independents               25         15         27         33   =100    (13) Never heard of was a volunteered response category.    10. We're interested in why you think the Democrats were able to regain       control of Congress in this week's elections.  As I read some possible       reasons, please tell me if you think each is a major reason, a minor       reason, or not a reason for the Democrats' success.  (First,) what       about this possible reason ... (INSERT-READ AND RANDOMIZE)? (Is this a       major reason, a minor reason, or not a reason for the Democrats'       success?)                                                           Not a                                       Major    Minor    reason     DK   a. Disapproval of President   Bush's overall job performance   Current Total                        71       20         8       1  =100    b. Disapproval of how the Bush   administration has handled   the war in Iraq   Current Total                        85        8         5       2  =100    c. Corruption charges and   scandals involving Republicans   Current Total                        52       33        13       2  =100    d. Dissatisfaction with how   Republicans have handled   government spending and the deficit   Current Total                        67       23         8       2  =100    e. Democrats' ideas and   proposals for changing   course in Iraq   Current Total                        61       23        12       4  =100    f. Democrats' ideas and   proposals for improving   the economy and job situation   Current Total                        47       33        18       2  =100    g. Democrats' ideas and   proposals for improving   health care   Current Total                        47       32        17       4  =100    h. Democrats' ideas and   proposals for protecting   the environment and developing   alternative energy sources   Current Total                        35       40        21       4  =100    i. Democrats had better   candidates   Current Total                        27       38        30       5  =100    j. Disapproval of the overall   job performance of Republicans   in Congress   Current Total                        63       26         8       3  =100    k. Disapproval of the apparent   arrogance of Republicans   in Washington   Current Total                        50       28        18       4  =100    l. Dissatisfaction with the   partisan approach of Republicans   in Congress   Current Total                        48       33        13       6  =100    11. In general, which ONE of the following do you think should be a bigger       priority for Congress and the President over the next two       years...(READ AND ROTATE 1-2)?                   Iraq war and   Domestic issues                    national      econ. & like       Both                    security      health care      equally(14)   DK   Current Total      51              33              15          1   =100    Republicans        65              24              11          *   =100   Democrats          46              36              17          1   =100   Independents       49              35              15          1   =100    (14) Both equally is a volunteered response category.    12. As you may know, the Constitution prevents George W. Bush from running       for a third term in 2008. Do you think Bush can be an effective       president during his last two years in office, OR that he won't be       able to get much done for the rest of his second term?                                                   Won't be able                                      Can be       to get much                                    effective         done         DK   Current Total                        30             66           4    =100    Republicans                          55             42           3    =100   Democrats                            14             82           4    =100   Independents                         28             69           3    =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                        33             56          11    =100     13. As I read you some things the new Democratic Congress might do over       the next two years,  please tell me if you think each should be one of       their TOP priorities, a lower priority, or should not be done at all.       (First,) what about... (INSERT-READ AND ROTATE)?  Should this be one       of their TOP priorities, a lower priority, or should this not be       done?(15)                                      Top       Lower    Not    DK                                    priority   priority  done   a. New rules to limit the       influence of lobbyists   Current Total                       52         34      10     4     =100    Republicans                         51         35      10     4     =100   Democrats                           57         31       8     4     =100   Independents                        49         36      11     4     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       52         29       9    10     =100    b. Enacting all the recommendations       of the 9/11 commission   Current Total                       50         36       6     8     =100    Republicans                         44         39       9     8     =100   Democrats                           56         30       5     9     =100   Independents                        49         41       5     5     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       52         30       7    11     =100    c. Increasing the minimum wage   Current Total                       68         21      10     1     =100    Republicans                         48         33      18     1     =100   Democrats                           86         10       4     *     =100   Independents                        64         23      11     2     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       68         21       9     2     =100    d. Allowing the government       to negotiate directly with       pharmaceutical companies to       lower drug prices for seniors   Current Total                       75         17       7     1     =100    Republicans                         67         21      10     2     =100   Democrats                           86         11       2     1     =100   Independents                        68         21      10     1     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       74         18       6     2     =100    e. Broadening the kinds of       stem cell research       that can receive federal       funding    Current Total                       48         31      17     4     =100    Republicans                         34         29      32     5     =100   Democrats                           58         29       9     4     =100   Independents                        50         32      15     3     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       44         31      19     6     =100    f. Rolling back some of the       Bush tax cuts   Current Total                       40         32      24     4     =100    Republicans                         20         28      48     4     =100   Democrats                           58         29      10     3     =100   Independents                        35         38      22     5     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       38         28      28     6     =100    g. Investigating government       contracts in Iraq   Current Total                       60         29      10     1     =100    Republicans                         40         39      19     2     =100   Democrats                           73         21       4     2     =100   Independents                        62         28      10     0     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       58         29       8     5     =100    h. Investigating questions       about the decision to       go to war with Iraq   Current Total                       49         26      23     2     =100    Republicans                         23         28      48     1     =100   Democrats                           66         25       8     1     =100   Independents                        50         28      20     2     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       52         25      19     4     =100    i. Investigating charges of       impropriety or wrong-doing       by members of Congress   Current Total                       55         34       9     2     =100    Republicans                         41         43      15     1     =100   Democrats                           63         30       6     1     =100   Independents                        59         31       8     2     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       62         27       7     4     =100    j. Cutting the interest rate       on federal student loans   Current Total                       53         38       8     1     =100    Republicans                         42         43      14     1     =100   Democrats                           60         34       5     1     =100   Independents                        51         40       8     1     =100    k. Impeaching George W. Bush   Current Total                       25         23      50     2     =100    Republicans                          8         11      81     *     =100   Democrats                           38         28      33     1     =100   Independents                        23         26      48     3     =100    Trend   (10/19-20/06)                       28         23      44     5     =100    (15) Trend wording read: "As I read you some things the Democrats might do        over the next two year if they take control of Congress, please tell        me if you think each should be one their TOP priorities, a lower        priority, or should not be done at all."    14. Now that control of Congress and the White House is divided between       the parties, do you think the two sides will work together and get       some important work done for the country, or that partisan bickering       will prevent them from getting much done over the next two years?     Current                                            Rep     Dem      Ind         40 Will be able to work together               38      47       33         54 Partisan bickering will prevent             58      49       60          6 Don't know                                   4       4        7        100                                            100     100      100     Questions 15 and 16 were asked in random order.    15. Do you think the Democrats will use their new power in Congress to try       to move the country in a more liberal direction, in a more       conservative direction or do you think they will take a more moderate       approach?    Current                                              Rep     Dem     Ind        34 Will try to move the country in a more           liberal direction                             52      27      30         9 Will try to move the country in a more           conservative direction                         6      12      10        50 Will take a more moderate approach            37      55      54         7 Don't know                                     5       6       6       100                                              100     100     100    16. Do you think the Democrats SHOULD use their new power in Congress to       try to move the country in a more liberal direction, in a more       conservative direction or do you think they SHOULD take a more       moderate approach?    Current                                                Rep    Dem    Ind        20 Should try to move the country in a more           liberal direction                                8     29     19        19 Should try to move the country in a more           conservative direction                          32     14     16        57 Should take a more moderate approach            57     54     62         4 Don't know                                       3      3      3       100                                                100    100    100     17. Please tell me how concerned you are, if at all, that the new       Democratic Congress will do each of the following. (First,) what       about... (INSERT-READ AND ROTATE)?  Are you very concerned, somewhat       concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned (that the new       Democratic Congress will do this)?                                                   Not   Not at                                 Very  Somewhat   too    all     DK   a. Spending too much time   investigating the   Bush administration and   Republican scandals   Current Total                   34     32       16     16      2  =100   Trend   (10/17-22/06)(16)               25     28       25     18      4  =100    b. Going too far in rolling   back the Bush tax cuts   Current Total                   30     31       19     17      3  =100    c. Pushing for a too hasty   withdrawal of U.S. troops   from Iraq   Current Total                   51     27        9     11      2  =100    d. Keeping the Bush   administration from doing   what is necessary to combat   terrorism   Current Total                   43     26       14     15      2  =100    e. Unfairly blocking qualified   Bush appointments to the   federal courts   Current Total                   28     26       19     24      3  =100     (16) Trend results from Pew Research Center. Trend wording read: "How        concerned are you, if at all, that if the Democrats take control of        the Congress this fall they will spend too much time investigating        the Bush administration and the Republicans in Congress?" Figure for        "somewhat concerned" reflect the result for trend's "fairly        concerned" category.     18. Now turning to the topic of Iraq... All in all, do you think the       United States is making progress or losing ground in its efforts to       establish security and democracy in Iraq?                          Making progress   Losing ground     DK   Current Total                 30              63           7        =100    Republicans                   59              35           6        =100   Democrats                     17              78           5        =100   Independents                  24              67           9        =100    Trends   (10/26-27/06)                 29              60          11        =100   (10/5-6/06)                   29              64           7        =100   (8/10-11/06)                  31              58          11        =100   (9/8-9/05)                    40              49          11        =100   (8/2-4/05)                    40              50          10        =100     19. From what you know now, do you think the United States did the right       thing in taking military action against Iraq, or not?                                        Yes          No        DK   Current Total                        41          54         5       =100    Republicans                          79          20         1       =100   Democrats                            20          75         5       =100   Independents                         36          58         6       =100    Trends(17)   (10/26-27/06)                        43          49         8       =100   (10/19-20/06)                        39          54         7       =100   (10/5-6/06)                          41          53         6       =100   (8/10-11/06)                         49          47         4       =100   (9/8-9/05)                           46          49         5       =100   (10/27-29/04) RVs(18)                51          45         4       =100   (9/2-3/04) RVs                       55          38         7       =100   (5/13-14/04)                         51          43         6       =100   (4/8-9/04)                           57          39         4       =100   (3/25-26/04)                         55          41         4       =100   (3/18-19/04)                         57          37         6       =100   (1/29-30/04)                         55          39         6       =100   (12/18-19/03)                        62          32         6       =100   (11/6-7/03)                          55          38         7       =100   (10/23-24/03)                        59          34         7       =100   (10/9-10/03)                         56          37         7       =100   (9/11-12/03)                         64          31         5       =100   (8/21-22/03)                         61          33         6       =100   (7/24-25/03)                         68          28         4       =100    (17) Trend wording for 2005 read "From what you know now, do you think the        United States did the right thing in taking military action against        Iraq two years ago, or not?". Trend wording for 2004 read "...        against Iraq last year, or not?"    (18) September and October 2004 trend results based on registered voters.

20. For how long would you personally support keeping large numbers of U.S. military personnel in Iraq ... (READ)

Current 8/10-11/06 9/8-9/05 8/2-4/05 38 Total less than a year/Bring home now(19) 38 45 50 25 One to two years 18 19 13 9 Three to five years 7 6 5 1 Six to 10 years 1 1 1 * More than 10 years 1 * * 24 As long as it takes to achieve U.S. goals in Iraq 30 25 26 3 Don't know 5 4 5 100 100 100 100 (19) No longer/Bring them home now was a volunteered response category. 21. As you may know, Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down as Secretary of Defense. President Bush has said he refused to accept Rumsfeld's resignation earlier in the administration. As I read some possible reasons, please tell me if you think each is a major reason, a minor reason, or not a reason Bush refused to accept Rumsfeld's resignation before this week. (First,) what about this possible reason ... (INSERT-READ AND RANDOMIZE)? (Is this a major reason, a minor reason, or not a reason why Bush refused to accept Rumsfeld's resignation before this week?) Not a Major Minor reason DK a. Bush is loyal to those who work with him Current Total 54 24 16 6 =100 b. Bush did not want to change leadership at the Pentagon in the middle of a war Current Total 58 25 13 4 =100 c. Bush is stubborn and does not like to admit mistakes Current Total 56 18 22 4 =100 d. Bush believed Rumsfeld was doing a good job Current Total 53 25 16 6 =100 22. Thinking about U.S. foreign policy, would you prefer President Bush to cooperate more closely with other countries, as his father, the former President Bush did, or should President Bush work more independently of other countries? 67 Work more closely with other countries 25 More independent foreign policy 8 Don't know 100 D2. Now I have just a few more questions so we can describe the people who took part in our survey ... Regardless of how you might have voted in recent elections, in politics TODAY, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or Independent? Total RVs 25 Republican 27 37 Democrat 36 35 Independent 35 2 No party/Not interested (VOL.) 1 0 Other party (VOL.) 0 1 Don't know 1 100 100

President Bush marked Veterans Day by praising U.S. troops who have fought oppression around the world, yet spoke only briefly about Iraq, where U.S. commanders are re-evaluating strategy.

Speaking three days after announcing the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Bush hailed members of the armed services — past, present and future — for their dedication and bravery.

"They confront grave danger to defend the safety of the American people. They brought down tyrants. They've liberated two nations. They have helped bring freedom to more than 50 million people. Through their sacrifice, they're making this nation safer and more secure, and they are earning the proud title of veteran," Bush said in a speech Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Bush did not reference Iraq and Afghanistan by name, though he did say, "From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, our veterans have borne the costs of America's wars, and they have stood watch over America's peace."

Minutes before his remarks, the president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and held his hand over his heart as a bugler played taps. Cannons fired a 21-gun salute and soldiers holding rifles stood at attention as Bush's motorcade made its way through the cemetery on a sunny fall morning

LMNO Productions anuncia alianza con celebridad culinaria Chef LaLa para crear programación Televisiva bilingüe

LMNO Productions, productora ejecutiva del nuevo programa de entrevistas (talk show) en horario diurno “The Dr. Keith Ablow Show” ha establecido una alianza exclusiva con Chef LaLa, celebridad de renombre internacional, para la creación de programas televisivos bilingües entre los que figurará un talk show diurno. El anuncio fue dado a conocer en el día de hoy por Eric Schotz, presidente y director ejecutivo de LMNO Productions; y Jeremy Brown, presidente de Sliced Up Entertainment.

“Chef LaLa tiene todo lo necesario para ser una exitosa presentadora en horario diurno”, aseguró Schotz. “Es divertida, convincente e inteligente en lo que respecta a su especialidad, y tiene esa rara combinación que llega tanto a las audiencias de habla hispana como a las angloparlantes. Estamos extremadamente entusiasmados de trabajar con ella”.

La multitalentosa chef y nutricionista con adiestramiento Cordon Bleu es conocida por enfocar su exploración culinaria en preparaciones saludables de la cocina hispana, así como por sus numerosas presentaciones en programas de radio y televisión. Además, es autora del libro de cocina con récords de venta titulado “Latin Lover Lite”.

“La formación de un gran equipo es similar a la del plato perfecto. Los ingredientes idóneos, y enormes cantidades de talento”, explicó Chef LaLa. “Además, una pizca de pasión y un cronometraje perfecto. La alianza con LMNO Productions y Sliced up Entertainment es una receta para el éxito”.

El talk show, que ya tiene el título tentativo de “U’ LaLa”, tiene como propósito atraer a una audiencia culturalmente múltiple, y será mucho más que un programa culinario, pues tendrá un ritmo animado y será informativo y entretenido, con énfasis en el arte de vivir, no en el estilo de vida. El programa se caracterizará por su conexión diaria con la audiencia, presentando informaciones útiles con aplicaciones prácticas. Los invitados tendrán una amplia gama de procedencias, y no todos serán necesariamente celebridades.

Chef LaLa cuenta con una cantidad enorme y extremadamente diversa de admiradores, lo cual hace que sea la presentadora idónea para una programación bilingüe, comentó Brown. “La producción de estos programas en inglés y en español será una ardua tarea, y no pudimos pensar en nadie mejor para emprenderla que LMNO Productions”, enfatizó el presidente de Sliced Up Entertainment.

LMNO Productions, fundada en 1989, ha producido más de 700 programas y 60 series para la televisión por red, cable y de alcance nacional. Entre los créditos de LMNO, proveedora de programación de realidad, documental, informativa y de entretenimiento en todo el mundo, figuran “Kids Say the Darndest Things” presentado por Bill Cosby; “Wickedly Perfect” y “Fire Me…Please” para CBS; “Guinness World Records: Primetime” para FOX; “Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden” para A&E, y “The Dr. Keith Ablow Show” para Telepictures. Para obtener información acerca de la compañía y su programación, visite el sitio Web http://www.lmnotv.com.

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), considered the front-runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, intends to launch an exploratory committee next week, GOP officials said Friday.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a public statement from the four-term Arizona senator.

McCain, the GOP maverick who unsuccessfully sought his party's nomination in 2000, already has opened a bank account for the committee, one official said.

"The senator has made no decision about running for president," said Eileen McMenamin, a McCain spokeswoman.

Aides to McCain say the senator will discuss a presidential bid with his family over the Christmas holiday.

McCain is a former Navy pilot who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He was elected to the Senate in 1986, and served in the House for four years before that.

If McCain were to run, he would turn 72 on Aug. 29, 2008, at the height of the campaign. Only President Reagan was older — 73 at the start of his second term. McCain's health could be another issue. The senator has had several cancerous lesions removed from his skin.

Remarks by Secretary Rumsfeld at the Landon Lecture at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan.

(Applause.)

SEC. RUMSFELD: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you very much. I appreciate that. (Applause.)

General Dick Myers, thank you so much for those words.

And ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for that very warm welcome.

Later today, we'll be attending the dedication of a building here at Kansas State in General Myers' honor, which is a well-deserved tribute to one of this university's most distinguished alumni. Dick and Mary Jo were college sweethearts. They were married on this campus.

And my wife Joyce and I go back even farther. We met in high school and have been married some 52 years. (Applause.) Someone asked Joyce one day, how in the world did you stay married to that guy for 52 years? She very quickly said he travels a lot. (Laughter.) I thought she was kidding. (Laughter.)

Well, Dick Myers has traveled a good bit himself, and I'm sure Mary Jo would never say something like that. (Laughter.) Over the years, Dick and Mary Jo have been through countless moves. They've traveled places across the globe to serve our country. But I can tell you that their hearts have always belonged to Kansas. And I think -- I think everyone here would agree that they have done Kansas proud. Indeed, they have done our nation proud. (Applause.)

President Wefald, Mr. Reagan, Mr. Seton (ph), I certainly appreciate this invitation.

I hope all of you appreciate how I have managed so skillfully public affairs for this event. (Laughter.) I wanted to put the Landon Lecture on the map, so I did my best! (Applause.) I'm glad I could help out. (Laughter.)

It was Nancy Kassebaum, Alf Landon's daughter, who first talked to me about coming to do this lecture. And it was in Japan when her husband, Howard Baker, was the ambassador. And I said I'd really like to do it, and I'm glad I could be here.

Mr. Adams and members of the faculty -- Lucas, president of the student body -- is that what it's called? How did you do it? (Laughter.) It was easy, huh? Well, congratulations to you.

Congressman Moran, it's good to see you. I want to thank you for being here and for your service to the country.

We're also very honored to have a very special veteran with us here, born in Manhattan, a hero of the battle of Normandy, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Walter Ehlers. Where is Walter? (Applause.)

General Petreaus, General Ham, thank you both for your superb service to the country. And certainly a very special greeting to the men and women here from Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, the Kansas State Army and Air Force ROTC cadets, volunteers all. We are deeply grateful to each of you for your service to the country and for your commitment to the defense of our nation.

I would start on a personal note. My time as secretary of Defense, I've come away truly inspired by the professionalism, the dedication, the dignity of the men and women in uniform and the folks at the Department of Defense who work every day to help keep the American people safe. When I was in Afghanistan not long ago, a young soldier told me -- he said, I really can't believe we're allowed to do something this important. You know, I feel the same way. I'm so honored to have had the opportunity to be part of something so important, so vital to the future of our country and to the cause of human freedom. It has been the highest honor of my life to serve our country and to work so closely with our outstanding troops.

It's a pleasure to take part in this lecture series, named for a governor, a presidential candidate and a statesman of great civility. But I guess that perhaps what he was most proud of was that he was a Kansan, and he said so frequently.

It's said that the geographic center of the 48 states is here in Kansas, and that's fitting. If you think about it, this part of the world has given our nation some of the truly great leaders of the last century: Governor Landon; along with him was General Dwight Eisenhower from Abilene; Bob Dole from Russell; Harry Truman, who lived next door in Missouri. One of Ronald Reagan's biographers said that he really never understood President Reagan until he went to Illinois and experienced firsthand where President Reagan had grown up.

These individuals embodied the values instilled in the sons and daughters of this part of the Great Plains and Midwest. Here, folks tend to have a good perspective about things, about the difference between right and wrong. They've grown up with an appreciation for the splendor and the decency of America and of the American people.

Well, we meet today at a time of peril for our nation and for the principles that it represents. In a sense, this is not new. In different ways at different times and from different sources, our nation and our values have been threatened since our very beginnings as a country. But today, in the first war of the 21st century, we face an enemy that in many ways is unlike any our country has ever faced in our long history. We're engaged in a new and unfamiliar war that is even today not yet well understood. It's a struggle that will require all of us -- our country, our government, our military, and the American people -- to think and act differently than we have in other conflicts. And I want to spend a few minutes talking about this challenge before responding to some questions.

I'm told that Kansas State has a Cold War studies program that examines the history of the long twilight struggle. Well, like the Cold War, this era finds America and our allies in a struggle against an ideology of global reach. And like the Cold War, this era requires us to adapt and adjust our strategies, our way of thinking and our institutions.

Forty years ago, Governor Landon spoke about the challenge of that era and the need to face what he called the new realities of international life. When he spoke in 1966, there was most certainly no assurance that America would prevail against the Soviet Union. That year, the number of troops in Vietnam nearly doubled, to more than 300,000, in an increasingly divisive conflict. No less than seven violent coups occurred around the world that year. There was doubt and division, even among our allies, even within our own country. France pulled out of the NATO defense structure and invited NATO out of France.

When I was U.S. ambassador to NATO, I had to race back to Washington to testify before a U.S. Senate committee against an amendment -- a Senate amendment -- that proposed to withdraw all of our forces from Western Europe. Euro-communism, the so-called "good communism," was very much en vogue. It was popular. Many of the so- called elites in our country argued that America was the problem, not the Soviet Union; that the arms race was a big misunderstanding. Millions of people demonstrated and marched not against the Soviet Union, but against the United States and our European allies. We tend to forget that. Almost until the day of its demise, many argued that communism was the wave of the future.

President Reagan used to tell a story of a young Soviet who finally saved up enough money to buy a car, and the Soviet clerk stamped the man's paper and told him he would get his car in 10 years. The young man asked, will it come in the morning or the afternoon? (Laughter.) The clerk, astonished, responded, well, what difference does it make? And the young man replied, because the plumber's coming in the morning. (Laughter.) The great lesson of the Cold War is that totalitarianism, ruled by fear and terror in whatever guise it takes, ultimately does not work. And when people finally realize that truth, those systems tend to collapse.

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the breach of the Berlin Wall, the most visible symbol of the end of an era and of a bankrupt ideology. When thousands of Berliners climbed over that wall to reunite with friends and family that they had been separated from for decades, they went in one direction: they went west, to the free world, and they vividly understood exactly what it was that they had been fighting for all those years.

There are some similarities between the Cold War and the struggle we face today, but this long war represents and presents unprecedented challenges for us wholly unlike any that the United States has ever faced. There can be no doubt but that the murderous communist regimes imprisoned, starved and sometimes massacred their own citizens. We know that. But they were nation-states. They had capitals. They had laws. They had five-year plans. They had diplomats to sign agreements, even if they broke them.

Unlike the Cold War, our enemy has no state and no territories to defend. They murder innocent Muslim civilians by the thousands -- men, women and children alike. The enemy cannot be deterred through rational self-interest. Today's threats come less from nation-states, but rather from enemies that operate in the shadows, that strike through asymmetric and irregular means.

On September 11th, we saw the deadly effects of this new type of warfare. Armed with $5 box cutters, 19 hijackers killed 3,000 Americans and inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the insurgents fashion deadly IEDs and road bombs using propane tanks and garage-door openers. Nations like Iran and Syria seek to undermine U.S. and allied interests by moving weapons and money and terrorists and insurgents. In the future, there could be attacks on computer networks, water supplies, communications systems.

Our military was organized, trained and equipped largely for conventional warfare, not asymmetric or irregular warfare. In fact, for much of the past century, the U.S. armed forces operated essentially as separate and sometimes even competing branches of service. In 1986, Congress passed legislation to restructure the military into a more joint force. Since then, our military has been learning to fight and learning well how to fight in a single, coordinated force. That reform of the military has been one of their most impressive achievements.

But to win this global struggle against violent extremists, all elements of national power, all agencies of government, as well as a broad coalition of nations, will have to be brought to bear more effectively. To the extent possible we can no longer afford to have Defense and State Departments, CIA and Homeland Security, Treasury and Justice, Agriculture and Commerce each waging their own campaign with their own rules, their own restrictions, each overseen by separate congressional committees and subcommittees. Defense, diplomacy and development cannot fit neatly into separate compartments today. Success requires that security, governance and development programs progress together.

Our military cannot lose a battle in Afghanistan or Iraq, but our military cannot win all alone. They need the help of the other departments and agencies. They need the help of a broad coalition, and that is a vastly more complex task.

In Afghanistan, for example, provisional reconstruction teams need to draw on the forces and expertise from a range of specialties. These teams have achieved a good deal, because their success has been limited because their activities are too often thought to remain almost exclusively the responsibility of the Department of Defense. Our military cannot lose, as I say; to win will require much more than military force alone. Governance and development, as I say, must proceed apace.

Second, we need to recognize that this struggle against extremism cannot and will not be won by any single country, even the United States of America.

It will be won, over time, by the hundreds of millions of Muslims -- Iraqis, Afghans, Egyptians, Indonesians, as well as European and American Muslims -- who will ultimately be responsible for winning the struggle against violent extremists.

The Defense Department has asked for increases in funding and authority to help to build the capacity and the capabilities of partner nations. This will be a difficult shift in approach for our country. Change is hard, and it's not easy for Americans to teach and assist while others act and do. Ours is a nation and a military with a hands-on, can-do spirit. But today's war against a global enemy requires first and foremost that we enable our friends and allies, especially those in the Muslim world, to confront and defeat the extremists within their own borders and on their own airwaves.

The shift towards building our partners' capabilities requires, for example, some of the best military personnel to become trainers and advisers and embedded with foreign security forces so that they can improve their capacities and their capabilities. And as was indicated, we have a number of those folks here today who are currently training at Fort Riley as part of military transition teams. These teams will be undertaking a critical task when they deploy, to train and stand up and mentor Afghan, Iraqi security forces, and those of other nations. There's perhaps, as we move into this new period, no more important mission. So folks, I thank you for all you've done and for all you are doing and all you will do. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

In the past, U.S. efforts to train foreign security forces have been burdened by outdated restrictions. In Afghanistan, for example, building up the Afghan army was harmfully delayed because there was no such category in the U.S. federal budget at the time, and we lacked the authorities and the resources to do so for a period. Other painful delays in training the Afghan and Iraqi police forces were the result of the fact that it was the responsibility of others and not the Department of Defense, and we were prohibited from participating in training police in the early period.

Further, the realities on the ground in the rest of the world do not correspond to the U.S. yearly budget process. When you think about it, we live in a fast-moving world, and it takes, in the Department of Defense, a year to develop a budget, it takes a year of the Congress to pass it, and then it takes a year to implement that budget. That's a three-year cycle that results in a situation where, during execution, you're basically dealing with stale facts, stale assumptions -- assumptions that were fashioned two-and-a-half, three years before. And we don't have yet the speed and agility that we need. The department is currently drawing upon proposals – drawing up proposals to reform existing regulations and authorities. Some of these in response -- regulations and rules and laws date back to the 1960s and, unfortunately, hamper effective U.S. action.

Third, another area that government needs to be strengthened is in communications. Today's global, 24-hour media presents new challenges for a government that operates on a -- on a very different schedule. Al Qaeda's second-in-command, al-Zawahiri, has said that, quote, "More than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media." This is the number two al Qaeda leader explaining to his people that it's not so much only on the battlefield today, it's in the media.

The enemy we face has skillfully adapted to fighting wars in today's media age, but for the most part, our country and our government have not yet completed the adjustments that will be necessary. The enemy is fast, with headline-grabbing attacks. By doctoring photographs, lying to the media, being trained to allege torture in their training manuals, the enemy successfully manipulates the free world's press, a press that they would never allow to be free -- and they do so purposefully to intimidate and break the will of free people. We need to understand the ruthlessness, the skillfulness of this enemy.

In 1961, Dwight Eisenhower spoke to the nation for the last time as president. He warned of a long struggle ahead. He said, and I quote, "We face a hostile ideology, global in scope, ruthless in purpose, and insidious in method. To meet it successfully, we must carry forward steadily, surely and without complaint the burdens of a prolonged and complex struggle, with liberty the stake."

As we look back on those crucial years during the Cold War, so too our grandchildren will one day look back on this time as a defining moment in American history. History will judge whether this generation did all we could to defeat a vicious, extremist enemy that threatens our security, our freedom and our very way of life, or if we left it to the next generation to try to fight an enemy then strengthened by our weakness and emboldened by a lack of resolve.

Over my lifetime, I've had the opportunity to live in times of great consequence -- times of war, times of peace -- and I've met countless Americans from every corner of our magnificent country. I've developed an abiding faith in the wisdom and good judgment of the American people. Over time, on big issues, the American people find their way to right decisions. I've seen us triumph over dictators and tyrannies in many forms. And I believe that if we persevere today -- and I'm convinced we will -- and make the right choices and develop a clear understanding of this new war we face, the first war of the 21st century, we can overcome the increasingly lethal threats that challenge our country.

Despite all the enemy tries to do to make the world think otherwise, America is not what's wrong with the world. America is a force for good. We are on the right side of history. The great sweep of human history is for freedom, and let there be no doubt we are on freedom's side.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Thank you very much. I'm -- I'm told there are some microphones around, and I'd be happy to respond to some questions. I'll answer those I know the answer to, and the difficult ones I'll heave to Dick Myers. (Laughter.) Where are the microphones located? Oh, there. They've got numbers. Here's one, there's one up there, there's one up there, there's one up there. If someone would like to pose a question, why don't you go and line up near them and we can then start.

JON WEFALD (president, Kansas State University): Okay. We have a question up here.

Q: First of all, I want to thank you for your many years of service to our country.

My concern with our global war on terror is that there are so few people fighting it. Besides the military and their families, they seem to be the only ones making a --

SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm wondering if you could talk a little slower.

Q: Okay.

SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm having trouble following in the echo.

Q: Okay. My concern about the global war on terror is that there are so few people fighting it. Besides the military and their families, nobody else seems invested in the war. In World War II, the whole country was making sacrifices, trying to conserve and rationing and all of those things where everybody was involved in winning. Nowadays, it seems like the average American gets up, goes to work, comes home, watches "American Idol" and goes to bed, never contributing to the war effort. And that not only are they not contributing, but the average person isn't even inconvenienced by the war. My question is, what can be done to get more of the American people invested in winning this war?

SEC. RUMSFELD: That is a critical question, and it's something that troubles me and that I worry about, just as you obviously worry about it.

I grew up in World War II and had a victory garden and used to buy the war bonds -- $18.75, and if you held them long enough, it was $25. We, as you say, collected scrap and old rubber to be made into retread tires. The -- that was a period where the entire nation was mobilized, as it had to be, to deal with that, and it was for a relatively short period of time, and we prevailed.

The Cold War, unlike World War II, the country did not mobilize. But we demonstrated over 50 years a perseverance to deal, as President Eisenhower said, with a global struggle. We did it through successive administrations of both political parties, not just in our country, but in the democratic capitals of Western Europe. And it was a very different experience. What we're dealing with today is much more like the Cold War in that sense: that it's long, it's not a brief, high- intensity, conventional conflict where the great armies, navies and air forces compete and it's over and you sign a treaty on the USS Missouri and end it.

And what we have to do is recognize that. And I guess -- I think it was my uncle used to say that "persuasion is a two-edged sword: reason and emotion. Plunge it deep." We have to use our reason, as we did during the Cold War, to, as a nation, be persuasive to our fellow citizens, to help them understand what's at stake. Every year that goes by there is a greater and greater likelihood that weapons of mass destruction are going to end up in more and more hands. You see what Iran's doing, you see what North Korea's doing, and you see what Iran did by way of providing weapons to the Hezbollah, to a non-state entity. And you look down the road and other countries are going to say, "Well, if Iran and North Korea are developing nuclear weapons, maybe we need to do that." And then you see these weapons in the hands of non-state entities that don't have real estate to defend, don't have an industrial base to defend, and don't have a leadership class to defend, no address where you can go after them. It's a network.

It is a -- that's the world we're moving into, and we simply have to be smart enough, wise enough to marry reason and emotion to see that we do the right things in this country. We did it during the Cold War. I don't have any doubt at all but that we're going to be capable of doing it during this long struggle that we face against violent extremists.

MR. WEFALD: Mr. Secretary, let's go up here.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Good.

MR. WEFALD: Three?

SEC. RUMSFELD: I'll give shorter answers maybe. Got a lot of people lined up there.

Q: Secretary Rumsfeld, the Military Commissions Act gives you the permission to be able to designate any American citizen --

SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm sorry again. There's a big echo, and I'm having a little trouble following the words. Just go a little slower and I'll be able to hear you.

Q: Sure. The Military Commissions Act gives you the ability to --

SEC. RUMSFELD: The military what?

Q: Military Commissions Act.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Commissions. Oh, yes. Good, I hear you.

Q: -- gives you the ability to designate any American an enemy combatant. Do you think that it's an inherent danger for individual Americans to be able -- to be subject to the whim of men just if they don't agree with their, you know, political position or whatnot?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Of course not, and the legislation that was passed by the Congress and signed by the president doesn't provide that. And there are all kinds of safeguards and checks and appeal processes in the Military Commissions Act.

MR. WEFALD: We've got one right here.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Yes.

Q: Secretary Rumsfeld, thank you so much for coming today. I am the daughter of a veteran, I am the wife of a veteran, I am the mother of a veteran, and I'm the proud mother of an active-duty Marine right now, and we have two things we'd like to know from you.

SEC. RUMSFELD: (Applauds.) Thank you. (Applause.)

Q: My children would like to know what bird you flew when you
were a Navy pilot.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Which what?

Q: What bird you flew. And what --

SEC. RUMSFELD: Uh-huh. The last one I flew was an S-2F. It was a -- there are none of them around. They're all in museums. (Laughter.) It's a little embarrassing.

Q: (Laughs.) Thank you.

We would also like to know your advice for somebody like my daughter, who's going to graduate in two years, advice that you would give a young person. Thank you very much.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Advice for a young person. Study history.

MR. WEFALD: Hey, there you go. There you go. (Laughter, applause.)

SEC. RUMSFELD: We need context. We've staked everything in this country -- if you think about the gamble, we stake everything on the people, that they can -- given sufficient information, will make the right decisions. They need context. We need context. History provides that context. And if there's one piece of advice I could give, it would be to focus on that and think about it and understand it. It will improve the ability of all of us to function as citizens in this great republic.

MR. WEFALD: Okay, let's go to -- up there, at four?

Q: Yes, sir. Cadet Rhett Bytenadies (ph), Air Force Detachment 270, Kansas State.

With all the tough jobs that you have faced, and criticism and stress and et cetera, et cetera, how do you find the motivation to continue to push on?

SEC. RUMSFELD: (Pause.) My goodness. (Laughter.) Those personal questions are hard. (Laughter.) I guess the answer is that I feel so fortunate to have been able to participate and serve at important times in our country's history, and to do it with people like that. (Applause.)

MR. WEFALD: Up here at three again?

Q: How about you? Have you seen "Brokeback Mountain"? A little inside joke. (Laughter.)

MR. WEFALD: (Off mike.)

Q: My real question is this: If you were going to give yourself a letter grade for your performance as secretary of Defense, what grade would that be?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, I'd let history worry about that. (Laughter, applause.)

MR. WEFALD: Okay, good.

Q: Hello, Mr. Rumsfeld.

Since this is the Landon Lecture on public issues, I wanted to ask a question about a very pertinent public issue. And that is, Mr. Secretary, journalists across the nation, both conservative, liberal, moderate; politicians, former high-echelon military commanders --

SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm sorry; you're going to have to speak a little slower for me to follow it.

Q: Sorry. Journalists across the nation, both conservative and liberal and moderate; politicians; former high-echelon military commanders; and many other Americans say and believe that our policy in Iraq is, quite simply, broke. It's not working; it's not doing its job. What do you think that the next secretary of Defense, who's been named as Mr. Gates, can do to fix that, to make our efforts in Iraq truly successful -- truly, truly a nation-building operation that creates a free, democratic and peaceful Iraq?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Well, certainly that's the hope and the prayer of everyone involved, the troops and the leadership of our country.

I certainly can't speak for the new incoming secretary of Defense. I will say this: It is very clear that the major combat operations were an enormous success. It is clear that in phase two of this it has not been going well enough or fast enough.

On the other hand, there have been very impressive things that have been accomplished. The country has drafted a constitution. It's ratified a constitution. They have held an election and elected freely a government. Twelve million Iraqis went out to vote. That is impressive. They have a stake in the success of that situation. The schools are open. The hospitals are open. They have a stock market. They have a free press.

Now you put all that on a scale against the fact that there is violence, and sectarian violence -- and there is -- and that people are being killed and Muslims are being killed by violent, extremist Muslims. And it's important to know that that's what's happening over there.

The commanders -- General Casey and General Abizaid – have shifted their activities and their efforts over the past period as the circumstance on the ground has shifted and changed -- and it has. The enemy has a brain and they do things. They watch what happens and they make adjustments. And it is a much more complex situation. And quite honestly, our country does not have experience attempting to impose control and our will over vicious, violent extremists that don't have armies, don't have navies, don't have air forces and operate in the shadows. It is a totally different circumstance.

And I think that just as the Cold War required some patience and some perseverance and some resolve and some context, so too this effort will. And I don't have any doubt that the president, working with the commanders and the new secretary, will continue to make adjustments. And that if we have the perseverance and the resolve, we will end up seeing the Iraqi people ultimately take control of their country, govern their country, provide security for their country. And certainly that is our hope and our prayer.

Q: Good morning, Secretary Rumsfeld. Thank you for coming here to speak to us. And thank you, President Wefald and Dr. Regan (sp), for bringing him here.

My name is Way Woo (ph). I'm a Chinese language instructor here on campus. We just started a Chinese language program last year and so some of my students are here with me today to listen to your speech. I have two question and I believe my students are also very interested in hearing your answer.

First one is we would like to hear your opinion about China and U.S.-China relations. As the fall of the Soviet Union, China seems to become more obvious in this so-called communist world camp, or maybe a former communist country, because China does go through a lot of changes. As you travel to China you may see it. So we'd like to hear your opinion about China and U.S.-China relationship.

And second question is we'd like to hear about your opinion about the importance of learning Chinese language from a strategic point of view, in light of the 21st century.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Well, I was going to say I think your students chose very well to learn to study Chinese. I think it's a good thing and a wise thing and our country needs to improve our language capabilities. The Department of Defense has been working very hard to see that the languages -- that more language is taught to the people there in the department, and also that a broader range of languages are taught.

With respect to China, the Chinese people have made a very good decision to move towards a more open economic system and to engage the world, and they're doing it quite successfully. They have a very good rate of economic growth. They are increasingly, I think, recognizing that they are stakeholders in the success of the global economic system. They have a lot that depends on that.

They also have some problems. They have some very serious environmental problems. They have some demographic problems. They have some problems with respect to riots and demonstrations -- tens of thousands of them a year. Now, they have a big country, but – so they are managing their affairs in a way that is, I think, designed to create an environment that's hospitable to enterprise and to interaction with the rest of the world. They don't want to lose the Olympics, for example. They want to see that they do things in their country that makes people feel comfortable investing and trading and working with their country.

I think those are good things. I think, on the other hand, that they face a bit of a dilemma. And the dilemma is they still have an un-free political system and an increasingly free economic system. Now you can go down that road only so far, and at some point, if you want to have a highly successful economic -- free economic system, it's going to affect your political system in some way, in this sense: You're going to have an awful lot of people from other countries who are milling around in your country with computers and with cell phones doing a lot of things that make it more difficult for you to manage your political system to the extent you want to have a controlled political system.

So I don't know how those tensions will be resolved. Needless to say, like every person in the free world, we hope that they'll be resolved in favor of free systems. And I think that that is at least a reasonable prospect for China. They're not there yet. There's lots of things people can say to criticize them, but they're on a path that suggests they want to sustain that growth. And to do that, I think they're going to have to behave in a way that is entering the global economic system in a constructive way.

Do you teach something like that, or are you --

Q: I teach Chinese culture --

SEC. RUMSFELD: Culture.

Q: -- and development of China; also, U.S.-China relations.

Would you like to talk --

SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, I think, you know, it started out pretty bumpy. They crashed into our EP-3 aircraft and then held our people hostage for days, many days. And it was a most unfortunate thing. This was in 2001. They behaved very badly. I think they behaved badly because they were in a leadership struggle and there was tension between the People's Liberation Army, the PLA, and the political leadership. And Jiang Zemin, as I recall, was in South America at the time. And it was a bad scene. They handled it very badly.

Since that time it's been on a clear uptick. We've improved military-to-military relations. We have greater economic interaction with them, and the political interaction has been generally more positive. So I think it's been on an improving path.

Thank you.

MR. WEFALD: I think we have time for two more questions. One here and then we'll go up to three.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Good.

Q: Hello, Mr. Rumsfeld.

I'm Christian Schultz (sp) and I'm studying geography right now in hopes of translating maps for Japan and Korea, and possibly teaching there, and to mission there too.

Now, Mr. Rumsfeld, do you suppose that right before the invasion of Iraq, Saddam may have moved his WMDs out of the country and into the hands of countries and/or organizations friendly and sympathetic to his former regime?

SEC. RUMSFELD: There are two things that are out there that I cannot speak to with a high degree of certainty.

There are reports from people, Iraqis, that that happened – that things were moved out of Iraq just prior to the military action. I can't prove that it happened. I can't prove that it did not happen. I guess that some day we'll know.

We also know that the Iraqis buried a lot of things. They buried complete jet aircraft. I can't quite imagine that -- when you think of what they cost and how easily they're damaged -- to bury them in the ground takes a certain mentality. (Laughter.) What else they may have buried I don't know.

The Duelfer Report, he was the man who had the responsibility over there, came back and he wrote a report and said that the weapons of mass destruction efforts of Iraq were basically on hold. That is to say, they had a capability to rapidly upgrade their chemical and biological weapons. I think that's close to what he said. And they did not have a nuclear program under way, but they had kept together their nuclear cadre -- the people who had previously been involved with it. And I've not seen anything since the Duelfer report that contradicts that. So we will know more at some point.

There are literally millions of pages of Iraqi documents that are now being released into the Internet and it's going to -- (audio break) Â— one of the problems recently was some information was put on the Internet that explains how to make some weapons, which was criticized. My personal view is that it's a good idea to get that information out to the extent we can, and to do it sooner rather than later.

MR. WEFALD: Just one more up here.

SEC. RUMSFELD: This is the last question. Make it a pip!

Q: Mr. Secretary, thank you for coming.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Thank you.

Q: In your speech you mention 9/11. And it has been widely reported that 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia. And it is reported or it's believed that some of the insurgents fighting in Iraq today comes from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia was not attacked. Why?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Excuse me. You said Saudi Arabia was not attacked?

Q: Was not attacked by you and your government.

SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, I see what you're saying.

Q: Do you think that this war on terror could be successful without Saudi Arabia toeing the line?

Thank you.

SEC. RUMSFELD: The violent extremists do not all come from one country. They come from a lot of countries -- many, many countries. If one looks at the mixture in the detainees that have been arrested in Iraq and Afghanistan and London and Madrid and various parts around the world -- Saudi Arabia -- there are 10, 15, 20 countries that are represented with people, their citizens, involved in these terrorist networks.

It would be, of course, mindless to run around declaring war against all the countries who happen to have citizens who are violent extremists. Saudi Arabia, ever since they were attacked several years ago by violent extremists, has been out doing a great many things to go after the extremists in their country, to put them in jail, to arrest them and to attempt to deal with the seedbed of that problem. They've been attempting to deal with those that teach people violence and extremism.

So it is a complicated thing. We have allies, good friends and allies, that have violent extremists that come out of their country. And they don't like it and we don't like it. But the task, as I mentioned in my remarks, is for us to help them develop their capacity so that their law enforcement officers and their military develops a better capability to go after the extremists that exist in their country.

And the truth is we can't -- it's a very difficult thing. We're trying to fight a war, and how do you do that when you're not at war with the countries where the problems are? You can't just pretend you're at war with them. You're not. They're friends and allies and they're trying to do it. The only thing you can do is to help them develop their capability so that they can do a better job going after those extremists before they can attack them or other free people.

The people that are also at risk are governments like the Saudi government and like the moderate governments in that region. Those are the principal targets of al Qaeda. That is their first goal is to destabilize all of those countries.

I'm getting the hook. I've enjoyed being here, and I thank you very much. (Applause.)

Thank you very much, folks. I really appreciate that very warm welcome you've given me.

MR. WEFALD: Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for an excellent presentation. Thank you so much for answering as many questions as you did. I want to thank you and Joyce. We'll be eternally grateful that you came to K-State to deliver a great Landon Lecture.

Let's give him another big hand. (Applause.)

The decision to change leadership at the
Pentagon came yesterday, after President Bush had had a chance to meet
with his prospective nominee for secretary of defense and to have the last
in a series of conversations with outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld, the president told reporters at the White House today.

Bush announced he intends to nominate Texas A&M University President
Robert M. Gates, who ran the CIA from November 1991 to January 1993, to
succeed Rumsfeld.

"I have been talking with Don Rumsfeld over a period of time about
fresh perspective; he likes to call it fresh eyes," Bush said. "He himself
understands that Iraq is not working well enough fast enough, and he
and I are constantly assessing. ... As you know, we're constantly
changing tactics, and that requires constant assessment. And so he and I both
agreed in our meeting yesterday that it was appropriate that I accept
his resignation."

The president said that while Gates would bring a new perspective to
the job, he found that he and his prospective nominee are like-minded
when it comes to what needs to happen in Iraq. "He understands we're in a
global war against these terrorists," Bush said. "He understands that
defeat is not an option in Iraq. And I believe it's important that there
be a fresh perspective, and so does Secretary Rumsfeld."

Bush acknowledged that the fight in Iraq has been tough and that
progress hasn't always been as quick or evident as he would have liked, but
he reasserted his belief that abandoning the effort would make victory
impossible. "I wish this had gone faster," he said. "So does Secretary
Rumsfeld. But the reality is that it's a tough fight, and we're going to
win the fight. And I truly believe the only way we won't win is if we
leave before the job is done."

Bush did not provide a timeline on when Rumsfeld would leave office.

Warn Industries Inc. Recalls Eight-Post ATV Winch Kits for Overheating

Nov. 8 -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/.)

Name of Product: Warn ATV and Utility Vehicle Winch Kits

Units: About 218,000

Manufacturer: Warn Industries Inc., of Clackamas, Ore. (manufacturer of the winch kits)

Hazard: A component of the winch kit, the eight-post contactor, can continue to pull current when in the "off" position, which can cause it to overheat and pose a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Warn Industries has received one report of a contactor failure resulting in excessive heat and melting damage to the contactor. No injuries were reported.

Description: This recall involves eight-post contactors used on certain 2,500 to 3,500 lb Warn ATV and Utility Vehicle Winch Kits. The black contactors were sold as a part of winch kits and have a "WARN" logo on the top and bottom of the contactor. Warn part number 62135 is printed on the bottom. Contactors are found on the vehicle attached to the power wires, between the battery and the winch. The contactor has four holes for securing it to the vehicle. A complete listing of winch kit part numbers involved in this recall can be found at http://www.warn.com/.

Sold by: ATV dealers, ATV accessory retailers, mail order catalogs, and Web retailers nationwide from May 2001 through September 2005 for $700.

Manufactured in: United States (contactors were manufactured in Japan)

Remedy: Consumers with winch kits containing these eight-post contactors should immediately disconnect the contactor wires from the battery and contact Warn Industries or their local dealer for a free replacement contactor.

Customer Contact: For additional information, consumers can contact Warn toll-free at (866) 408-3767 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or e-mail Warn at contact@warn.com. Consumers also can visit the firm's Web site at http://www.warn.com/.

  Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 408-3767

WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: National Press Club Ballroom, 529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor Washington, DC 20045

WHY: The group's four-day visit to North Korea came immediately after Pyongyang announced its intention to return to the Six Party Talks. The trip to North Korea was organized and led by Dr. John W. Lewis of Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation, who has visited North Korea 14 times.

Speakers Short Bios:

Jack Pritchard is currently president of the Korea Economic Institute in Washington, DC. Previously he served as the U.S. special envoy for negotiations to the DPRK from April 2001 until September 2003 and before that as senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council during President Clinton's administration. He has visited the DPRK eight times.

Sig Hecker is a visiting professor at the Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation and director emeritus at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which he served as director from 1986 to 1997. He has visited North Korea three times.

Bob Carlin is currently a visiting fellow at the Center for International Cooperation and Security at Stanford University. From 2002-2006, he was the senior political advisor at the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization. Carlin was chief of the Northeast Asia division of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 1989 to 2002. He has visited the DPRK 26 times.

Tomorrow's vote is shaping up to be a dramatic and historic midterm election. Will the Democrats take back the House after 12 years of Republican control? Can the GOP hold on to the Senate? Who will be your next representatives in Congress?

We're writing today to remind you that on Election Night, you will be able to get the fastest, most accurate election results available anywhere on CBSNews.com. The second the polls close we'll have the vote count and exit polls - updated every 60 seconds - right down to the county level. We've made it all easy to use - and fast.

No more waiting around for someone to tell you what you want to know - the latest results when you want them. You'll see the numbers change right before your eyes. On CBSNews.com, you can be your own Election Night analyst. You have all the same tools the pro's have.

Our reporters and analysts will be on top of all the important stories all through the night…. Not just what's happening, but why… the issues that sent your neighbors from around the corner and across the country to the polls.

Join the dialogue on election night by telling us what you think… you'll be able to comment for all to see, on every story we cover.

On CBSNews.com, you'll be able to watch live editions of the CBS Evening News as they air across the country, and our one-hour CBS News election specials at 10pm ET and 1am ET. You'll also see live feeds from acceptance and concession speeches from the major races across the U.S.

We don't send these e-mails often. But we're especially proud of the election coverage we have planned this year. CBS News invented exit polls more than 40 years ago and has been the profession's leader ever since. That tradition continues tomorrow night on CBSNews.com. Click on us.

The CBSNews.com team

An Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein to
death today for ordering the execution of 148 men in Dujail, Iraq, in
1982.

Thousands of people in Baghdad took to the streets to celebrate the
verdict. The Iraqi High Tribunal sentenced two other defendants to death
and four to prison and acquitted one.

In anticipation of the verdict, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
had imposed a curfew in Baghdad and two Diyala and Salaheddin provinces.
The two provinces are primarily Sunni and were the base of Saddam's
support during his dictatorship. Shiite and Kurdish provinces were not
under curfew.

"The Saddam Hussein era is in the past now, as was the era of Hitler
and Mussolini," al-Maliki said following the verdict. "We want an Iraq
where all Iraqis are equal before the law," he said. "The policy of
discrimination and persecution is over."

U.S. forces captured Saddam hiding in a hole in the ground in December
2003. In a written statement, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad
called the verdict "an important milestone for Iraq as the country
takes another major step forward in the building of a free society based on
the rule of law."

Khalilzad said the verdicts demonstrate the commitment of the Iraqi
people to hold the members of the former regime accountable for their
actions.

All involved in the case showed courage in proceeding with it, the
ambassador said. Baathist "dead-enders" tried to intimidate members of the
court, and insurgents killed three defense lawyers in the course of the
trial, he noted.

"Their determination to pursue justice is a signal that the rule of law
will prevail in Iraq despite the difficult situation that the country
now faces," Khalilzad said. "A former dictator feared by millions, who
killed his own citizens without mercy or justice, who waged wars against
neighboring countries, has been brought to trial in his own country -
held accountable in a court of law with ordinary citizens bearing
witness."

The ambassador said that although Iraq may face difficult days in the
coming weeks, "closing the book on Saddam and his regime is an
opportunity to unite and build a better future. As the Iraqi people move
forward, the United States will support them in their efforts to build a just
and democratic society."

Saddam's case will be appealed automatically to the Appellate Chamber
of the Iraqi High Tribunal. The defense has 30 days to file any motions.

NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS: Highlights and Exclusives, November 13, 2006

COVER: America's God Complex. Senior Editor Lisa Miller explores the emerging tensions within the evangelical movement in the U.S. between those who emphasize sexual morality and those who are looking more to poverty and global health. A new generation of evangelical believers is pressing beyond the religious right of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, trying to broaden the movement's focus from the familiar wars about sex to include issues of social and economic justice. The result is a new hour of decision for evangelicals: How much do they have to show for the decades of activism? In the days before the midterm elections, 62 percent of evangelicals say that religion plays too small a role in American political and cultural life today, compared to 37 percent of the American public, according to the new Newsweek Poll. Twenty- nine percent of the American public is equally divided over whether the role religion plays is too big or about right; whereas 21 percent of evangelicals say that the role religion plays is about right; and 14 percent say it plays too big a role.

A Pastor's Fall From Grace. Senior Writer Jonathan Darman and National Correspondent Andrew Murr report on the scandal surrounding the Rev. Ted Haggard. Last week Mike Jones-a former male prostitute in Denver-came forward to claim he'd had a three-year sexual relationship with Haggard, a vocal critic of gay rights.

Asia's New Gods. Most Asians are unaware that Christian evangelical movements have gained enormous political power in America. And if they were to learn this, they would be mystified. Their images of America remain the old ones: Hollywood and sexual permissiveness, secularism, money worship and devotion to modern science and technology. None of these squares with an America under the sway of fundamentalist or evangelical Christianity, writes Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. The big lesson that Asians thought they'd learned from the West was that reason and faith should be kept in separate boxes. Perhaps its time for America to study Asia's best practices.

Faith's Comeback. The decline of church attendance in Europe is seen as evidence that secular modernity has entered the lives of ordinary people. But amid the apparent dusk of faith in Europe, one can already spot the religious owl of Minerva taking flight, writes Eric Kaufmann, a professor at the University of London and the author of "The Rise and Fall of Anglo-America." Demographic currents are carrying Europe toward a more American model of modernity. The revival of religiosity may reconfigure the Enlightenment belief in rational individualism. It will most likely leave its fundamental tenets- democracy, liberalism and mixed capitalism-intact. But it will deeply challenge our definition of what it is to be modern.

Ministers of Death. Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson reports that Abu Deraa, sometimes called "the Shiite Zarqawi," and the death squad he runs have been waging a campaign of Shia terror. Suspected of torturing and killing scores of Sunnis in a bloody wave of ethnic cleansing in neighborhoods across Baghdad, Abu Deraa "is a brutal, loathsome character," says a senior U.S official who asked not to be ID'ed by name because of the sensitive nature of the topic.

Bundeswehr Blues. Berlin Correspondent Stefan Theil reports that although Germany's Bundeswehr contingent has gotten more press over the past few weeks for distasteful incidents in Afghanistan, they hardly reflect upon Germany's 2,700 soldiers in Afghanistan the way prisoner abuses and allegations of torture discredited America's reputation in Iraq. If anything, the tizzy illustrates a growing nervousness on the home front. With the German Navy deploying on the coast of Lebanon last week and fresh worries that German peacekeepers in Congo may not be home as planned by Christmas, the country seems only now to be waking up to its new global military role.

Running Out of Options. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has run out of options in the fight against rampant radicalism along his country's rugged western border, reports Special Correspondent Zahid Hussain. He has switched tactics in trying to deal with the Islamists, alternating from military action to peace deals and now, apparently, back to armed force. Neither approach has worked. At the heart of Musharraf's predicament is the failure of his plan to pacify pro-Taliban tribesmen in Waziristan with a peace accord. Far from taming the cross-border violence, the Waziristan truce appears to have contributed to deteriorating conditions in the eastern Afghan border provinces.

Too Funny ... Or Too Far. Film Critic David Ansen reviews Sacha Baron Cohen's largely unscripted film "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Baron Cohen's guerrilla comedy shoots down anything in its path. Yet strangely enough, it doesn't feel angry or polemical or (and this is open to debate) mean-spirited, writes Ansen. "Mixing high and low humor, scatology and sociology, his comedy crosses the border between 'Punk'd' and performance art, the subversive wit of Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor and the deadpan put-ons of Andy Kaufman, all updated to the world of reality TV. A comedy like 'Borat' couldn't have been made in another era."

WORLD VIEW: Time to Solve Immigration. If Iraq was the dominating topic of the election season, immigration is the issue that wasn't, writes Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria. Despite the efforts of populist and nativist politicians and pundits to whip up hysteria about a looming catastrophe, Americans didn't bite. The evidence is overwhelming that the United States benefits hugely from immigration-and that it needs all the immigrants its now receiving, legal and illegal. Comprehensive reform is the only way forward. Enforcement only or first will not work. Laws that pay no heed to the forces of supply and demand end up as costly failures. The good news is that this is a rare case where good policy and good politics could come together.

THE LAST WORD: Klaus Kleinfeld, CEO of Siemens. Kleinfeld, CEO of Germany's largest company by market capitalization, talks about corporate reform, American competitiveness and how aging populations will affect business in the future. "In today's world, roughly 80 percent of total health- care costs are spent in the last five years of life," he says. "The medical industry today is in the same position that many of our industries were in the 1980s, and, like then, we're realizing that we need to make the process leaner and cheaper, while maintaining high quality. At the core of this is early detection of disease, and a focus on prevention."

Center for Health Transformation Responds to Flawed Families USA Study

The Center for Heath Transformation responded today to what it calls a flawed Medicare prescription drug benefit study designed to scare seniors before an election. The study was issued last week by the liberal activist group Families USA. In an opinion piece, Newt Gingrich, founder of the Center for Health Transformation and David Merritt, project director for Consumer-Driven Healthcare at the Center, refute the claims in the study.

The Families USA study states that the drug benefit as currently designed endangers millions of seniors by imposing financial penalties. Gingrich and Merritt assert in their piece that the study simply ignores millions of beneficiaries who have given the Medicare prescription drug benefit program their overwhelming approval. "The radical left has shown once again that its sole strategy is to score political points before the election by scaring seniors," said Speaker Gingrich.

Gingrich and Merritt show that 90 percent of Medicare beneficiaries now have broad and affordable prescription drug coverage, when compared to four years ago, only a quarter did.

According to Gingrich and Merritt, the Families USA study focuses narrowly on the so called "doughnut hole" in order to intentionally to produce its misleading results. To make the case, they list several flawed assumptions.

The study:

-- Defines "meaningful coverage" as only 25 medications, which amounts to 0.6 percent of the approximately 4,000 drugs that the typical Medicare drug plan covers;

-- Fails to note that there are other generic drugs available to treat the same conditions as those in the 25 drugs they list;

-- List four of the drugs are listed twice because they are prescribed in different doses;

-- Fails to mention that the "doughnut hole" in general will not be an issue for 71 percent of Medicare beneficiaries;

-- Does not report that only 8 percent of beneficiaries, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, will actually hit the "doughnut hole" with no coverage and that for even them they will still be far better off than they were prior to the new benefit;

-- Misses completely the fact that competition has saved the average beneficiary, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, nearly $1,500 a year off of their drug costs.

The response also points out that in twenty-seven states, Wal- Mart now offers nearly 300 generic drugs for as low as $4 for a one-month supply, regardless of insurance status. Target stores have thus far matched the price. Meijer pharmacies are offering leading generic antibiotics absolutely free.

Gingrich and Merritt say that by trotting out flawed studies on the "doughnut hole" days before the election and focusing campaign rhetoric on drug reimportation and federal negotiation with drug manufacturers, the left shows once again that it would rather scare seniors and vilify pharmaceutical companies than discuss real structural improvements in Medicare.

-----

About the Center for Health Transformation

The Center for Health Transformation, founded by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is a unique collaboration of leaders dedicated to accelerating the adoption of transformational solutions, policies and technologies in order to create a 21st Century Intelligent Health System characterized by better outcomes and more choices at lower cost. For more information, visit http://www.healthtransformation.net.

Email On-the-Go Now Even Easier -- Google Launches New Mobile Application for Speedier Access to Gmail

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) today
announced the release of an innovative new mobile client, Gmail for
mobile devices. This freely downloadable Java application delivers
Gmail users the look and feel of Gmail through a fast, feature-rich
interface that's optimized for handheld devices. With the release of
this client, Google is taking one more step toward its goal of
providing users with quick and easy access to the information they
need, when they need it.

Gmail users can already access their accounts through the browser on
their mobile devices, but this application brings users the same great
Gmail experience -- complete with search, conversation view, and
automatic synchronization with the desktop version -- with the
following new benefits:

- Up to five times faster access and use, thanks to automatic
pre-fetching of messages
- Drastically reduced clicks and scrolling to access email
- Fewer keystrokes for reading, composing, or searching mail
- Attachments, including files and photos, viewable and automatically
resized to fit the user's phone

"Google's mobile products are designed to enable people to quickly and
easily get the information they want on the go," said Deep Nishar,
director of product management at Google. "We realize the role mobile
phones play as a key driver for balancing online and offline worlds,
and we're committed to developing products that help people stay
connected when they're away from their computers. Gmail for mobile
devices delivers on that commitment."

Getting started is easy: users can go to gmail.com/app from their
mobile browser to download the app. If users don't already have a Gmail
account, they can sign up for an account via SMS by going to
gmail.google.com and clicking on "sign up for Gmail."

The application is available completely free of charge from Google
(carrier mobile data charges may still apply). It is currently
compatible with all J2ME-enabled phones in the U.S. and works with a
variety of carrier service plans.

In a separate release today, Google and Sprint (NYSE:S) announced that
Gmail for mobile devices can also be easily downloaded directly from
the Sprint PCS VisionSM or Sprint Power VisionSM home page. Google and
Sprint worked closely to ensure that Gmail is only a few clicks away
for Sprint customers.

To learn more about Google's mobile offerings, check out
mobile.google.com.

About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people
around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by
Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a
top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted
advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable
results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google
is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the
Americas, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

Google is a registered trademark of Google Inc. All other company and
product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which
they are associated.

Red Raider Outfitter Calls Judge's Ruling an Attack on College Town Businesses, Promises Appeal

November 03, 2006 -- A ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings in a case between a small business and Texas Tech University is sending shockwaves through college towns throughout Texas. The judge ordered Red Raider Outfitter, a small retailer that sells licensed Texas Tech clothing and goods, to pay the University nearly $2.9 million -- the company's total revenue during the period in question.

The judge ruled that Red Raider Outfitter's use of scarlet and black and a cowboy cartoon character -- something dozens if not hundreds of Lubbock-area businesses proudly do -- infringed on the University's trademark. In response to Judge Cumming's ruling, Stephen Spiegelberg, president of Red Raider Outfitter, issued the following statement:

"All of us at Red Raider Outfitter are disappointed by today's ruling and we are concerned for every business in Lubbock that displays the red and black colors or the cartoon character of 'Raider Red.' We are all under attack and today's ruling suggests that the University and its Atlanta licensing company believe they deserve every penny Lubbock area businesses take in.

Highlighted Links

Red Raider Outfitter Web Site

"The suggestion that Red Raider Outfitter, a company owned and operated by Texas Tech alumni, owes royalties to the University is hurtful and couldn't be further from the truth. Since 1975, Red Raider Outfitter has proudly sold apparel and other goods that are licensed by the University. A small portion of the goods that we sell was in dispute -- estimated at about $5,000. Even so, Judge Cummings ignored these facts and awarded the University every penny of our small business' revenue. If other business owners think it can't happen to them, they are wrong.

"Today's ruling is clearly intended to put Red Raider Outfitter out of business and we intend to show that Judge Cummings ruled with his heart, which bleeds red and black. As has been pointed out repeatedly in the past, Judge Cummings insists on ruling on cases involving Texas Tech, even though his close relationship with the University makes it impossible for him to rule fairly in such cases.

--  Judge Cummings is a Texas Tech graduate; --  Even during the period when this case was being heard, Judge Cummings     continued to root for Texas Tech by attending home games; --  Judge Cummings is so close to the University that he has a special     parking spot on campus for a game. --  Judge Cummings works out on campus; and --  Judge Cummings has previously been asked to recuse himself in matters     related to Texas Tech in the past.

"Red Raider Outfitter will appeal today's ruling. We intend to appeal because 1) we did not infringe Texas Tech's trademark; 2) the true ownership of the cartoon character of Raider Red is questionable, since it derives from Warner Bros. and the local Lubbock newspaper and 3) Judge Cummings should recuse himself from this case or any case related to Texas Tech because he is biased in favor of the University."

About Red Raider Outfitter

Since 1975, Red Raider Outfitter has made and sold quality collegiate sportswear and apparel with the most innovative designs and highest standards of craftsmanship. Red Raider Outfitter is alumni owned and operated. The company has been a proud part of the Texas Tech spirit and tradition for more than 20 years. More information is available at www.redraideroutfitter.com

Krisp-Pak

Consumer Alert: Undeclared Milk in Maizteca Mexican Bread

Contact:
Jessica Chittenden
518-457-3136

Nov 2, 2006 -- State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick H. Brennan alerted consumers today that 215 Washington St. Foods, Inc., d/b/a Maizteca Bakery, 215 Washington St., Newburgh, New York 12550 is recalling 1.5 pound packages of "Maizteca Mexican Bread" due to an undeclared milk ingredient. People who have allergies to milk may run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product.

The recalled "Maizteca Mexican Bread" comes in an uncoded plastic package. It was sold in New York.

The problem was discovered as a result of routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis by the Department's Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of a milk ingredient in product packages which did not declare a milk ingredient on the label.

No illnesses have been reported to date to this Department in connection with the problem.

Consumers who have purchased "Maizteca Mexican Bread" should return it to the place of purchase.

Company, Inc. Recalls Fresh Cut Fruit Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Krisp-Pak Company, Inc.
(757) 622-8440

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Norfolk, VA -- November 1, 2006 --- Krisp-Pak Company, Inc. of Norfolk, VA is recalling all lots of Krisp-Pak Brand packaged fresh cut fruit with expiration dates on or before 11/09/06, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product comes in plastic containers in 4 ounce cups, 8 ounce cups, 1 pound cups, 3 pound tubs, 10" trays (2.5 pounds) and 13" trays (4.5 pounds) for retail suppliers. The product is packaged in 5 pound trays for foodservice suppliers. The products being recalled include individually packaged cantaloupe or honeydew or red grapes, and a mixture of the three. The recall is limited to these products only.

The recalled fresh cut fruit was distributed in the Hampton Roads and Richmond, VA areas and the Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, NC areas through retail stores and foodservice distribution centers.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was the result of a sampling program by the US Army Veterinary Services/Commissary Food Inspection Section which revealed that one container of the finished product contained Listeria monocytogenes. Krisp-Pak has ceased the production and distribution of the product as Krisp-Pak continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Krisp-Pak Brand fresh cut fruit are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Krisp-Pak at 1-800-755-0746.

Boston Salads & Provisions Co., Inc. Recalls Cole Slaw Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Claudia Stohrer
617-541-9046 ext. 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Boston, MA -- November 1, 2006 -- Boston Salads is conducting a voluntary recall of Cole Slaw Salad sold in the retail deli section in 5 lb, 10 lb, 30 lb bulk and 1 lb retail containers with sell by date of November 9 and or November 11, 2006, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Boston Salads Cole Slaw Salad is available for purchase in the deli section of select supermarkets and delicatessen and convenience stores under the Boston Salads & Provisions Co., Inc., Dietz and Watson Inc., Hummel Brothers, Inc. label in the following states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

No illnesses have been reported related to this voluntary recall. If any of this Cole Slaw salad remains at home, consumers should return the product to these stores for full refund.

Boston Salads and all affiliated retailers apologize for any inconvenience, and remain committed to constantly monitor the quality of all food products to assure the safety and satisfaction of all customers. For additional information, please call Boston Salads at 617-541-9046 ext. 14.

"As part of our continuous quality control checking system at all levels of manufacturing and distribution, possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes was identified," states John A. Zofchak, president of Boston Salads & Provisions Co., Inc. "As a rapid response to this finding, we have immediately and voluntarily recalled all Cole Slaw salad from the marketplace.

Boston Salads manufactures a wide variety of premium salads and foods under their own name and private label. No other Boston Salads are affected nor have they been involved in this recall.

Precautionary Recall Alert: Sara Lee Premium White Hamburger Buns in North Carolina and South Carolina

Contact:
Sara Matheu
773-580-3775

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Downers Grove, IL -- October 30, 2006 --Sara Lee Food & Beverage is conducting a voluntary recall of its 12 oz. Sara Lee Premium White Hamburger Buns produced at its Valdese, North Carolina bakery. This limited recall is being conducted as a precaution because the 4,826 packages included may contain undeclared milk, posing a potential risk to milk-allergic individuals because the ingredient statement does not include milk.

The product was sold and distributed to retailers and grocery stores in North Carolina and South Carolina and includes Sara Lee Premium White Hamburger Buns with the UPC Code 7294575177 and the production code SEPT 10 3452401226. These products are highly unlikely to be on store shelves as they are past the expiration date, but some may remain in consumer possession. The recall does not apply to any other Sara Lee brand bakery products in any other locations; it only applies to this specific product with the production code SEPT 10 3452401226. Consumers may return affected product to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.

To date, the company has received one report of an adverse reaction to the above product from a person with a known milk allergy.

The company initiated the recall after it discovered that this product contained milk that was distributed in packaging that did not include milk in its ingredient list.

Sara Lee is conducting this recall with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Consumers who may have questions or concerns should call Sara Lee's toll-free consumer line at 1.800.889.3556. The consumer line is available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.

Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund Launches Campaign in Support of Jim Robey for Maryland State Senate

The Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund today launched an independent, direct mail and voter contact campaign in support of Maryland State Senate candidate Jim Robey (District 13) because of his commitment to reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The campaign will contrast the positions of Robey and his opponent, incumbent Sen. Sandy Schrader, highlighting Robey's leadership in passing legislation to protect all Howard County workers and families from secondhand smoke and his strong support for a statewide smoke-free law that would protect the health of all Marylanders.

"We're running this campaign in Maryland because of the clear contrast between the records of these candidates when it comes to fighting tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke," said William V. Corr, executive director of the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund. "Jim Robey is standing up to Big Tobacco and fighting to protect everyone's right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. His opponent, on the other hand, has refused to support efforts to make Maryland smoke-free. For Maryland voters who care about protecting the health of workers and families, there is a clear choice: Jim Robey for Maryland State Senate."

As Howard County Executive, Jim Robey stood up for the right of all Howard County workers and residents to breathe clean air by passing a county-wide smoke-free workplace law, making Howard County the fourth smoke-free county in Maryland and the first in the Baltimore region. Robey also supports a strong, statewide smoke-free law in Maryland. His opponent, Sandy Schrader, has refused to support a statewide smoke-free bill. Legislation in Maryland that would make all workplaces smoke-free died in a Maryland House committee last year.

The need for protection from secondhand smoke has never been clearer. In issuing his groundbreaking report on secondhand smoke on June 27, U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated, "The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and nonsmoking adults." The Surgeon General found that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, heart disease, serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome. The Surgeon General also found that secondhand smoke is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year and that there is no risk-free level of exposure.

The Surgeon General's report also confirmed that smoke-free laws protect health without harming business. To date, 14 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have passed smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars. The states are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii (effective Nov. 16), Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington (the Montana and Utah laws extend to bars in 2009, while the D.C. law does so on Jan. 1, 2007).

Samples of the direct mail can be found at:

http://tobaccofreeaction.org/adwatch/Maryland3.pdf

http://tobaccofreeaction.org/adwatch/Maryland4.pdf

------

This communication is solely from the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund (1400 I St., NW 1200, Washington, DC 20005), and has not been authorized by or coordinated with any candidate or campaign. The Tobacco-Free Kids Action is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that works in Maryland and nationwide to reduce the devastating toll of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund does not receive any government or tobacco industry funding of any kind. For more information, please visit http://www.tobaccofreeaction.org

Condista Anuncia Campañas de Mercadotecnia Afiliadas con Comcast y Charter para Promover HTV, TeleFormula y Video Rola en Cuatro Mercados

Condista, el concentrador premier de programación para televisión por cable en español en Estados Unidos, anunció campañas de mercadotecnia afiliadas que involucran tres redes de cable en español y dos operadores de cable distintos en cuatro mercados diferentes. TeleFormula y Comcast lanzaron una campaña en Albuquerque; HTV y Comcast lanzaron una promoción de adquisición en el Sur de Florida; y Video Rola y Charter anunciaron campañas para Ft. Worth y el Centro de California.

TeleFormula, una red de noticias enfocada a México, inició en el paquete de Cable Latino de Comcast en Albuquerque el 25 de septiembre. TeleFormula es un canal por cable de noticias y debates con base en México que es propiedad de y está operado por RadioFormula, el grupo radiofónico más grande de México. TeleFormula emplea a algunos de los talentos más conocidos en el género de las noticias en México y ofrece contenido de la más alta calidad abarcando una gran variedad de temas: noticias, deportes, política, temas femeninos y entretenimiento. En Albuquerque, TeleFormula compró un horario de ocho semanas para propaganda en exteriores y transmisiones en radio para promover su lanzamiento en Cable Latino de Comcast. La campaña más grande en dos años para Cable Latino incluye obsequios de boletos para conciertos de Pepe Aguilar y Juan Gabriel. A la fecha la campaña ha generado dos veces más suscriptores que durante el mismo periodo del año pasado.

HTV, el canal de música latina con transmisión las 24 horas propiedad de Claxson, anunció una campaña de adquisición "regalo con compra" en sociedad con Comcast del Sur de Florida. Los primeros 2,000 clientes en suscribirse al paquete Cable Latino de Comcast antes del 18 de noviembre recibirán un CD gratuito de Juanes. La campaña se comunicará a los residentes a través de correo directo diseñado por HTV y comerciales producidos por HTV en canales bilingües. HTV es diferente a muchos otros canales de televisión de música latina en Estados Unidos de hoy: es el único canal que integra con éxito toda la cultura musical latina en un escenario, 24 horas al día. El planteamiento de HTV está basado en una programación 100% latina que combina los mejores videos musicales y entrevistas con los artistas latinos más populares, abarcando el espectro más amplio de géneros de música latina, entre los que se incluye el pop, rock latino, reggaeton, salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia y regional mexicana. También presenta los éxitos "crossover" más populares de hoy.

Video Rola, una red basada en México que presenta videos de música regional mexicana, entrevistas de artistas, conciertos y más, anunció hoy dos campañas distintas de adquisición/mejora con Charter Communications. Una campaña es en Ft. Worth, Tejas y la otra en la región del norte y centro de California de Charter que incluye Turlock, West Sacramento y San Luis Obispo. Ambas campañas ofrecen a los residentes de esos mercados la oportunidad de ganar un par de boletos de la aerolínea Mexicana buenos para viajar a donde sea que vuele Mexicana en Estados Unidos y México. La oferta de Video Rola en el norte y centro de California se comunicará a través de diecisiete transmisiones remotas de radio y otros eventos comunitarios. En Ft. Worth, la oferta se comunicará mediante una serie de tácticas: comerciales diseñados por Video Rola en canales bilingües, anuncios impresos, tarjeta postal por correo directo, avisos colgantes en puertas y volantes. Está programado que la campaña se realice desde el 23 de octubre hasta el 31 de diciembre en ambos mercados.

Acerca de Condista:

Condista es el concentrador premier de programación en español para televisión por cable en Estados Unidos, ofrece 18 redes de cable de la más alta calidad de todo el mundo al público hispano en Estados Unidos. Los canales representados por Condista incluyen Canal 24 Horas, Cine Latino, Canal 52MX, Docu TVE, EcuaTV, El Garage TV, HITN-TV, htv musica, Infinito, SUR, SUR Perú, SUR México, TV Venezuela, Telefe Internacional, TeleFormula, TVE Internacional, Utilisima y Video Rola. Para obtener más información, por favor visite http://www.condista.com/.

Source: Condista

A Democrat Majority Would Penalize Americans for Saving, Investing

Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) today issued the following statement regarding Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi's voting record on double- taxing:

"Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) is so addicted to tax increases that she has even voted to tax some forms of Americans' income two-times. By double-taxing Americans in these instances, Mrs. Pelosi punishes responsible Americans who work hard and save their money. At the same time, she rewards and encourages the practice of spending money quickly.

"In 2003, Pelosi fought tooth and nail against the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act which was designed to spur economic growth and increase savings. Central to this plan was the reduction in the double taxation on capital gains and dividend taxes. Since the Republicans passed this legislation, more than $14 trillion of new household wealth has been created and the net worth of America's investors increased by $5.7 trillion.

"Cutting these forms of double-taxation has proven to accelerate job and economic growth, as well as consumer spending. Therefore, voting for these tax increases adversely affects economic prosperity for all Americans. The American people ought to ask Leader Pelosi if she is going to increase the double taxation on savings and investment, should she become Speaker someday."

North Korea Also a Severe Threat to Its Own People, Report Says

Citing the new UN doctrine that each state has "a responsibility to protect" its own citizens from the most severe human rights abuses, a report issued today points to egregious violations of rights by North Korea and calls for immediate action by the UN Security Council under a parallel track to the UN's actions over North Korea's nuclear test. UN sanctions levied earlier this month may inadvertently worsen the abysmal human rights situation.

Failure to Protect: A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in North Korea affirms that "the Security Council has independent justification for intervening in North Korea either because of the government's failure in its responsibility to protect or because North Korea is a nontraditional threat to the peace."

The highly detailed report, based on a careful review of available information, was prepared by the law firm DLA Piper US LLP in cooperation with the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Commissioning the report were Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic; Kjell Magne Bondevik, former prime minister of Norway and Professor Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The report can be downloaded from http://www.dlapiper.com/NKReport or http://www.hrnk.org.

Failure to Protect focuses primarily on the active involvement of the government in crimes against humanity through food policy and famine and treatment of political prisoners. The report also describes the way North Korea misallocates its resources through the production of weapons.

"For more than a decade, human rights concerns have been relegated to a second-class status for fear of driving North Korea from the nuclear talks," said Jared Genser, a Washington- based attorney with DLA Piper. "Now that its government has gone ahead with a nuclear test anyway, it is time to have a parallel- track strategy for alleviating the suffering of the North Korea people through Security Council action."

"The nuclear threat posed by the North Korean government has raised concerns all over the world," added Debra Liang-Fenton, executive director of the U.S. Committee. "But no less alarming is the active involvement of the North Korean government in committing crimes against humanity. Now, with sanctions, the people may inadvertently suffer more."

"The situation in North Korea is one of the most egregious human rights and humanitarian disasters in the world today," said Havel, Bondevik and Wiesel in a joint statement. "Yet, sadly, because North Korea is also one of the most closed societies on Earth, information about the situation there has only trickled out over time."

The report recommends the UN Security Council adopt a non- punitive resolution urging the North Korean government to allow open access for international humanitarian organizations to feed its people, calling for the release of political prisoners, as well as insisting that the government allow the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea to visit the country.

Judging Conflict of Interest Policy FAQs

[Monday, May 15, 2006]

Judging Conflict of Interest Policy

No AKC judge may have a significant interest in a dog registry or dog event-giving organization deemed by the AKC Board to be in competition with the American Kennel Club. Significant interest would include, but not be limited to ownership of, employment by, a directorship in, and holding office in.

Any AKC-approved judge, who shall judge a purebred dog event in the U.S. not in accordance with the rules of AKC, which apply to such purebred dog events without the express permission of the AKC, may be disciplined even to the extent of having his or her AKC judging approval revoked.

An AKC-approved judge may judge breeds that are not AKC registrable and/or that they have not been approved for by AKC at non-AKC events. The AKC Board has also given permission for the judging of certain other events based upon the following criteria:

AKC has no comparable events in place.
While AKC has a program in place, AKC judges have officiated at events under the aegis of the other organization for years before the AKC program was initiated.
The type of event is not or would not be perceived as being contrary to the best interest of AKC and the sport of purebred dogs.
The event is a breed or type of breed-specific performance activity.

No AKC approval is needed to judge versatility or performance activities developed by AKC Parent Clubs and sponsored by such clubs.

Events held by the following organizations meet the above criteria, and AKC-approved judges may continue to judge them:

American Sighthound Field Association Coursing Events
American Working Terrier Association Earthdog Events
American Herding Breed Association Events
North American Hunting Retriever Association (NAHRA)
North American Versatility Dog Association Pointing Breed Hunting Tests
American Field Pointing Breed Field Trials
United Kennel Club Coonhound Events
Professional Kennel Club Coonhound Events
Any of the various organizations sponsoring Agility Trials

Other activities may be added to this list at the discretion of the AKC Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did AKC adopt this policy?

A: AKC believes that its judges are among the best in the world. Among Conformation, Performance, and Companion events, AKC spends millions of dollars every year to educate, train, and approve judges to ensure that this is the case. This encompasses things like processing applications, testing, interviews, observations, recording assignments, communications, education, and even liability insurance.

When individuals apply for and are granted approval as AKC judges, they are granted a certain status in the Sport, which is recognized both nationally and internationally. In fact, many overseas registries will not approve individuals from the United States to judge their events, unless they are AKC-approved judges. In return for this status as AKC judges, AKC believes that they in return have a special responsibility to AKC and the Sport as governed by AKC. AKC does not object to other organizations sponsoring events in conflict with AKC events, but does object to AKC-approved judges giving those events the credibility that comes with using AKC-approved judges. This would not be in the best interest of either AKC or its licensed and member clubs.

Q: How does this effect judging rare breed events?

A: The policy specifically excludes breeds that AKC does not register. It also excludes breeds that an individual is not yet eligible to judge.

Q: Why are certain events excluded from the policy, while others, e.g., Obedience and Tracking, are not?

A: There are some types of Performance events that AKC does not sponsor. There is no objection to anyone judging these events. There are also some activities, which other organizations may have been sponsoring long before AKC became involved. In some cases, the initial pool of AKC judges may have come from those organizations. In these cases, those events have been excluded from the policy.

Q: Why are some organizations included in the list, while others are not?

A: The list of events excluded from the Judging Conflict of Interest Policy, was prepared based upon input from the AKC Performance division. The initial list is subject to review and revision at the discretion of the AKC Board, and others may be added to the list in the future. Inquiries on this may be directed to the AKC Performance Department.

Q: Why are the exemptions limited to Performance Events, and why aren't Conformation, Obedience and Tracking included?

A: The exemptions are limited to areas where other organizations predated AKC involvement in the activity. Conformation Events (AKC has sponsored since 1884) as well as Obedience/Tracking (AKC has sponsored since 1936) would not fall into this category.

Q: The policy refers to being able to obtain "the express permission of the AKC" to judge these events. What is the procedure for that?

A: Any exceptions to this AKC Board policy may only be granted by the AKC Board. The Board has already granted general permission for AKC judges to judge a number of non-AKC events. These exceptions are incorporated into the policy. Inquiries concerning the procedure for obtaining an exception for a specific competition, e.g. a tournament sponsored by a dog food company, dog magazine, etc., may be directed to the Judges Department.

Q: May an AKC Judge approved for one type of event, judge different types of events given by other organizations?

A: Yes. This policy is specific to the individual's approved judging status with AKC. For example if an individual has AKC approval for Obedience only, he or she would be able to judge any type of event other than Obedience at non-AKC events.

Q: What right does AKC have to prevent judges from judging anywhere and anything they wish?

A: Competition is a fact of life. There is nothing that AKC would or could do to eliminate it. However, there is no requirement that AKC actually support such competition.

There are numerous organizations in the United States that register dogs and/or conduct dog events in competition with AKC. The conflict affects all facets of the Sport, some which AKC has the ability to directly confront, and some which it does not.

Registration
AKC maintains what it considers to be the premier purebred dog registry in the United States. AKC is the only registry with a comprehensive inspection program, an automatic check when DNA profiles are received against all previously profiled dogs, and an enforced care and conditions policy. AKC is selective in determining which pedigrees it will accept from other registries. All other registries take advantage of AKC's efforts by accepting AKC pedigrees for the registration of dogs. In some cases, these organizations even waive registration fees for these dogs in order to obtain AKC breeding stock. This is something AKC could not prevent. Because of concerns for the integrity of its own registry, AKC must be much more careful about the registries it accepts and cannot therefore always respond in kind.

Exhibitors
Many AKC exhibitors participate in and support events held by different registries. While these events may cause harm to AKC clubs by reducing their entry, AKC does not approve or license exhibitors and they are therefore free to compete in any event they choose.

Clubs
No club has a right to hold AKC events. Rather AKC grants a club event-giving privileges, contingent upon that club following all AKC rules, regulations and policies. AKC Bylaws do prohibit AKC clubs from holding non-AKC events without the specific permission of AKC. A number of activities have been exempted from this prohibition in the Bylaws. They primarily consist of Performance Events, which were sponsored by other organizations before AKC developed its own programs in those areas. The full policy is part of AKC's Online Policy Manual.

Judges
AKC does not prevent judges from judging anywhere and anything they wish. AKC is simply not willing to support training, testing, evaluating, and keeping records for judges that will use this experience to benefit competing organizations. Judges are free to chose to judge for these organizations if they prefer that organization to AKC.

Q: How does judging the events of specialty registries harm or conflict with AKC events?

A: AKC breed Parent Clubs have a very unique and critical role within the Sport of purebred dogs as governed by AKC. They write and own the standard that precisely defines the standard of excellence for which a breed is to be bred and by which it is to be judged. When judging in the United States, AKC-approved judges should only be applying that standard. An AKC judge awarding placements in the United States based upon a standard other that that endorsed by the AKC breed Parent Club, in many cases to dogs that are also AKC registered, would be in conflict with the objects and interest of both the AKC breed Parent Club and the AKC. If standards, on the other hand, are so similar as to be practically identical as opposed to describing significantly different dogs, judging these specialty events would appear to be supporting events in conflict with AKC events, just for the sake of supporting them.

There are a number of cases where AKC admitted new breeds in spite of significant opposition by proponents of those breeds. In some cases, accreditation involved AKC working with a breed club that sought AKC registration, while another club opposed it, seeking to remain independent, which was it prerogative.

AKC believes that it has an obligation, as do its approved judges, to fully and exclusively support the club that is the AKC Parent Club. AKC respects the right of any other club to remain independent and to maintain its own registry. However, AKC has no obligation to actively support such organizations by having its approved judges officiate at their events. It is also under no obligation to approve as judges those individuals who wish to maintain a significant interest, as defined by the policy, in organizations that wish to remain independent from and in competition with the AKC breed Parent Club.

AP/AOL News Poll: 35 Percent of Americans Using the Internet to Gather Information on the Upcoming Election

Over Half of Liberals Compared to 39 Percent of Conservatives Getting

Election Information Online

Oct 29 Less than two weeks before the 2006 mid-term elections, a new Associated Press/AOL News poll (http://news.aol.com) just released cites that 35 percent of Americans, and 43 percent of likely voters, are using the Internet to get information about the upcoming election.

According to the AP/AOL News poll, those who describe themselves as liberals are more likely (51 percent) to get election information from the Internet compared with 42 percent of moderates and 39 percent of conservatives.

In addition, the poll found that almost a quarter, 24 percent, of respondents who get election information from the Internet indicated that they have accessed a blog this election season to gather information, while 10 percent of Internet users have accessed a message board, chat room or blog to participate in election discussions. The number of blogs has grown considerably since the previous election season. In its State of the Blogosphere, August 2006 report, Technorati claims that the worldwide blogosphere has doubled every six months for the last three years – or 175,000 new blogs per day.*

Other findings include:

49 percent of men get news or information about the election from the Internet, compared with 38 percent of women;
59 percent of those under 35 years old get election information from the Internet, 39 percent of those over 35 and 18 percent of seniors over 65 use the Internet to get election information;
Likely voters who get election information from the Internet are more likely to trust the Republican party on who would best handle taxes, 46 percent, compared with 38 percent who do not use the Internet to get election information;
Those who get election information from the Internet are less likely to say that corruption and scandal in Congress will influence their vote in November, 34 percent, than those who do not use the Internet to get election information, 48 percent.

Survey Methodology

The AP-AOL News poll was conducted by Ipsos, an international public opinion company. 2,000 adults and 970 likely voters were interviewed by telephone from October 23-25. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points for adults and 3.1 percentage points for likely voters.

About the Associated Press

The Associated Press is the world's oldest and largest newsgathering organization, providing content to more than 15,000 news outlets with a daily reach of 1 billion people around the world. Its multimedia services are distributed by satellite and the Internet to more than 120 nations. For more information, visit www.ap.org.

About AOL

AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software and services, runs the country's largest Internet access business, and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC is based in Dulles, Virginia. AOL and its subsidiaries also have operations in Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.

* Technorati, State of the Blogosphere, August 2006

BritRail presenta nuevo sitio Web en español www.BritRail.com es ahora multilingüe

Oct 28-- BritRail acaba de estrenar la versión en español de su conocido sitio Web www.BritRail.com. Ya no es necesario saber inglés para planificar un viaje con un BritRail Pass. Todo lo que el viajero independiente necesita saber está a su disposición también en español.

El sitio Web de BritRail es fácil de usar en cualquier idioma. Además de toda la gama de los mundialmente famosos BritRail Passes, ofrece también mapas, un motor de planificación del viaje atendiendo a horarios, tours e itinerarios sugeridos, reservas de asiento y literas, así como valiosas ofertas y añadidos, incluidas la tarjeta London Visitor Travel Card, los tours en autobús Citysightseeing y el pase English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass. Vaya a www.BritRail.com, seleccione Europa y haga clic en España/Espanya (Español). Planificar una visita al Reino Unido con BritRail en su propio idioma es así de simple.

Y lo que es aún mejor, los BritRail Passes y los productos de valor añadido comprados en línea se entregan en la casa del cliente antes de su viaje al Reino Unido.

Un BritRail Pass permite ilimitados viajes en la red de ferrocarril del Reino Unido durante su periodo de vigencia y a unos precios increíbles. No necesita hacer reservas por anticipado, sólo súbase al tren que elija, escoja un asiento libre, relájese y deje que el paisaje británico se deslice por su ventanilla. Las opciones de destino son innumerables: ciudades históricas, casas solariegas, la abrupta costa, colinas y valles… Un BritRail Pass abre la puerta a 19.000 trenes diarios que se detienen en 2.500 estaciones, rápida, eficiente y constantemente.

¡Adquiéralo ahora y ahorre dinero!

Compre cualquier pase BritRail FlexiPass, Consecutive Pass, London Plus Pass o Scottish Freedom Pass antes del 31 de diciembre de 2006 y viaje entre el 1 de noviembre de 2006 y el 28 de febrero de 2007 con un ahorro del 25% sobre el precio en folletos.

www.BritRail.com – sencilla lectura para fáciles viajes

Federal Jury Convicts Nashville Man on Child Pornography Offenses Involving Multiple Commercial Websites

10/27/2006 3:38:00 PM

Contact: The U.S. Department of Justice, 202-514-2008, 202-514-1888 or Web: http://www.usdoj.gov

Oct. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A Nashville, Tenn., man has been convicted by a federal jury of 11 child pornography- related offenses for the operation of several Web sites that depicted adolescent boys engaging in sexually explicit activity, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Craig S. Morford of the Middle District of Tennessee announced today.

The federal jury in Nashville returned the guilty verdicts late Thursday against Timothy Ryan Richards, 25, after a two-and- a-half week trial. He was convicted of offenses including distribution and conspiracy to distribute, advertising, production and possession of child pornography, as well as violating the record-keeping requirements associated with the distribution of sexually explicit material. Richards faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison on four of the convictions. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2007.

The investigation of Richards began in September 2005 when federal warrants were issued to search the content of computer servers in Freemont, Calif., and Los Angeles. Agents believed that these servers contained child pornography Web sites associated with then 19-year-old Justin Berry, who had come forward to cooperate with federal authorities in the investigation of the child pornography Web site Justinsfriends.com. Richards was identified as the operator of Justinsfriends as well as several other child pornography Web sites.

"We are pleased that the jury recognized the serious nature of Richards' crimes," said Assistant Attorney General Fisher. "The Department of Justice places a high priority on protecting our children from sexual predators and child pornographers. This verdict is a significant step in our efforts to combat the exploitation of our children."

"I have always believed that a society can have no greater priority than promoting the safety of its most vulnerable members, especially its children," said U.S. Attorney Morford. "That is why this case and this verdict was so significant."

Testimony at trial proved that up until the time of his arrest on Sept. 22, 2005, Richards ran several Web sites depicting adolescent boys engaged in sexually explicit activity. These Web sites included www.CaseyandKylesCondo.com, www.CaseysCondo.com, www.PenisClub.com, and www.JustinsFriends.net. The defendant himself created three of those Web sites and took over Justinsfriends in the summer of 2005.

To provide material for the various Web sites, Richards engaged in a sexual relationship with one of the victims when that boy was 14 years old. The defendant filmed and took pictures of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with that boy numerous times over four years. The defendant also traveled with that minor into foreign countries, including Australia and Iceland, where he again filmed and photographed sexually explicit activity.

As part of his operation of these commercial child pornography Web sites, the defendant advertised among his sites and others and set up elaborate affiliate marketing programs in which he rewarded others for generating new customers.

At the time of his arrest in September 2005, the defendant was living with a 13-year-old boy. Richards is also under indictment and awaiting trial on one count of distributing obscene materials to that minor.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, supported by the FBI's Innocent Images Unit and the Computer and Analysis Recovery Team, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section's High Tech Forensic Investigative Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey of the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Tennessee and trial attorney Kayla Bakshi of the Child Exploitation and

Pelosi: Bush Has Failed to Formulate a Comprehensive Counterterrorism Plan

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on reports that President Bush will release a National Implementation Plan that is four months old:

"Given the Administration's failure to plan for the war in Iraq, it is not surprising that President Bush is about to unveil a four-month old 'National Implementation Plan' for the war on terrorism that does not reflect current world events and is short on specifics.

"More than two years ago, the independent 9/11 Commission called for a comprehensive counterterrorism plan that set priorities and established a way to measure results. Yet in the five years since the 9/11 attacks, the President has failed to formulate such a plan. If the President does not produce a National Implementation Plan that takes into account the realities facing our nation today, his dismal record and failure to plan for crucial national security matters will continue.

"Democrats are committed to protecting our country with real security initiatives that are smart and tough. We will begin by implementing all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations and taking America in a new direction."

Census Bureau Data Underscore Value of College Degree

Adults age 18 and older with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $51,554 in 2004, while those with a high school diploma earned $28,645, according to new tabulations released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Those without a high school diploma earned an average of $19,169.

The series of tables, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2005, also showed advanced-degree holders made an average of $78,093.

Other highlights from the tables:

-- In 2005, 85 percent of all adults 25 years or older reported they had completed at least high school. More than one- quarter (28 percent) of adults age 25 years and older had attained at least a bachelor's degree.

-- High school graduation rates for women (ages 25 years and older) continued to exceed those of men, 85.4 percent and 84.9 percent, respectively. On the other hand, men had a greater proportion of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher (28.9 percent compared with 26.5 percent of women).

-- Non-Hispanic whites had the highest proportion of adults with a high school diploma or higher (90 percent), followed by Asians (88 percent), blacks (81 percent) and Hispanics (59 percent).

-- Utah, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire and Alaska continued to have the highest proportions of people 25 years and older with a high school diploma or higher (around 92 percent).

-- The District of Columbia had the highest proportion of people 25 years and older with a bachelor's degree or higher (47 percent), followed closely by Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey.

Fourteen tables of data on educational trends are available, and attainment levels are shown by characteristics such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, occupation, industry, nativity and period of entry, as well as metropolitan and non- metropolitan residence. The tabulations also include data on earnings and educational attainment. Although the statistics provided are primarily at the national level, some data are shown for regions and states.

The data are from the 2005 Current Population Survey's (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC). The ASEC is conducted in February, March and April at about 100,000 addresses nationwide.

---

Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. For further information on the source of the data and accuracy of the estimates, included standard errors and confidence intervals, go to Appendix G of http://www.census.gov/apsd/techdoc/cps/cpsmar05.pdf

New Boeing CH-47F Takes Flight

The Boeing Company's [NYSE: BA] first production CH-47F Chinook helicopter successfully completes its first flight Oct. 23 from its Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley Park, Pa., where testers evaluated the aircraft's systems and structural performance. Boeing will deliver the new CH-47F to the U.S. Army for operational testing before being deployed in 2007.

After conducting the flight, Boeing test pilot Erik Kocher said, "The U.S. Army will have the most advanced, mission-capable heavy lift helicopter in the world. The CH-47F will provide crews with configurable flight displays for more efficient mission performance and a communications suite for greater situational awareness. The digital automatic flight control system will provide an enhanced and safer low speed flight capability, and the airframe enhancements will yield a safer and more reliable combat system."

The same cockpit system installed on the CH-47F and MH-47G Special Operations Chinooks will be used in the HH-47 proposed in the U.S. Air Force Combat Search and Rescue program and will include terrain following/terrain avoiding radar and an integrated forward looking infrared system for nap-of-the-earth and low-level flight operations in reduced visibility conditions.

Zingy Trae las Películas a los Clientes de Verizon Wireless

Ahora los clientes de Get It Now pueden experimentar MovieGoer en los teléfonos capacitados con Flash Lite

Zingy, una empresa de desarrollo de aplicaciones galardonadas y contenido multimedia móvil, y Verizon Wireless, el proveedor de telefonía móvil líder de la nación, anunciaron hoy que los clientes de Verizon Wireless ahora pueden experimentar una versión mejorada de la aplicación líder de entretenimiento MovieGoer en algunos teléfonos capacitados con Get It Now(R). La nueva aplicación MovieGoer aprovecha la nueva tecnología anteriormente anunciada por Verizon Wireless y Adobe llamada Adobe Flash Lite, que mejora las gráficas y la animación para las descargas de Get It Now y permite que los clientes puedan "habilitar con Flash" sus teléfonos automáticamente.

MovieGoer de Zingy ofrece a los clientes una guía de películas completa en sus teléfonos celulares. Los clientes de Verizon Wireless pueden localizar los cines más cercanos, ver todas las películas y sus horarios, leer reseñas de películas aclamadas por la crítica y ver afiches de películas, todo a través de sus teléfonos celulares.

"Elegimos nuestra popular aplicación de entretenimiento MovieGoer para ejemplificar las mejoras que Flash Lite ofrece a los clientes de Verizon Wireless", dijo Martin Zary, vicepresidente de tecnología en Zingy. "Flash nos ofrece un entorno más rico y más interesante dónde presentar reseñas de películas, horarios y ubicaciones, y reconocemos la oportunidad de aprovechar los teléfonos capacitados con Flash Lite de Verizon Wireless para extender el universo de los suscriptores a MovieGoer."

MovieGoer de Zingy actualmente está disponible en cuatro teléfonos de Verizon Wireless, que incluyen el V (LG VX9800), Motorola RAZR V3c y V3m y Samsung SCH-a950 con una tarifa de acceso de $3.49 mensuales. Se espera que MovieGoer esté disponible en más aparatos compatibles con Flash Lite en las siguientes semanas. El costo de las descargas para las aplicaciones Get It Now varía y aplican cargos de tiempo aire durante la navegación, descarga y uso de ciertas aplicaciones. Es necesario que los clientes tengan un teléfono capacitado con Get It Now y los servicios digitales de Verizon Wireless para tener acceso a la tienda virtual de Get It Now.

Para obtener más información acerca de los productos y servicios de Verizon Wireless, visite una tienda de comunicaciones Verizon Wireless, llame al 1-800-2 JOIN IN o vaya a http://www.verizonwireless.com/.

Acerca de Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless tiene y opera la red móvil más confiable del país y cuenta con 54.8 millones de clientes de sus servicios de voz y datos. Verizon Wireless, con sede en Basking Ridge, N. J., es una sociedad conjunta de Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) y Vodafone (NYSE y LSE: VOD). Para más información, visite el sitio http://www.verizonwireless.com/. Para ver y solicitar secuencias de video, con resolución apropiada para difusión y fotografías de alta resolución sobre las operaciones de Verizon Wireless, visite Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library en http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Acerca de Zingy

Zingy, una empresa de servicios completos de contenido multimedia móvil y otros relacionados, se especializa en la personalización de contenido, aplicaciones descargables y soluciones de marketing y publicidad móviles. La división de personalización de contenido de Zingy crea contenido de alta calidad original y bajo licencia, incluyendo tonos de llamada, tonos de mensajes y fondos de pantalla, mientras la división de aplicaciones y servicios móviles es la editora líder de las aplicaciones y juegos descargables galardonadas BREW y J2ME. Zingy también ofrece un conjunto de soluciones de marketing y publicidad móviles de plataforma independiente. Visite http://www.zingy.com/ para obtener más información.

Get It Now es una marca comercial registrada de Verizon Wireless. Todos los otros nombres y marcas registradas son propiedad de sus respectivas empresas.

Source: Verizon Wireless

Blind Americans to Cast First Secret Ballot

National Federation of the Blind to Monitor Compliance

Oct. 24 The National Federation of the Blind announced today that it has created a hotline for blind and visually impaired voters to report any difficulties in casting their ballots both secretly and independently in the upcoming election. The purpose of the hotline will be to monitor compliance with the provisions of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) relating to nonvisual access to the voting process for the blind.

James Gashel, Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives at the National Federation of the Blind, said: "This election is historic because it is the first general election since the implementation date for the accessibility provisions of the Help America Vote Act. I was able to vote independently and completely in private for the first time in the Maryland primary election last month and look forward to doing it again in November, when many blind voters across the nation will cast a secret ballot for the first time in their lives. The ability to cast a secret ballot is not only thrilling for us as blind voters, it protects our democracy by ensuring that nobody exercises undue influence over us or engages in outright fraud while pretending to help us vote. A secret vote is just as important for blind voters as it is for every other American."

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The National Federation of the Blind led the effort to make it possible for the blind to vote independently and in secret, like all other Americans. We have been working to help jurisdictions to comply with that statute by providing educational and training materials through our National Center for Nonvisual Election Technology. Having worked so hard to achieve full and equal participation by the blind in the voting process, it is our duty to ensure that no blind American is denied the right to cast a secret ballot, and we will take any action that is necessary and appropriate to carry out that obligation."

The National Federation of the Blind HAVA National Compliance Hotline will be available at 1-877-632-1940 from 7:00 AM-10:00 PM EST on Election Day (Tuesday, November 7) and from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 8. Callers will be asked where they are voting and whether they have been able to cast their ballot with accessible equipment. The National Federation of the Blind will analyze the data collected and conduct any appropriate follow-up, including assisting voters with actionable grievances in filing complaints with the United States Department of Justice.

Passed in 2002, the Help America Vote Act was intended to help states replace outdated voting equipment such as the punch card machines that caused problems during the 2000 presidential election. The law mandates that every polling place in the nation must have at least one voting station accessible to the blind. As of January 1, 2006, jurisdictions should be complying by using electronic voting terminals, special ballot-marking devices, or vote-by- phone systems. All of these methods use audio prompts to read the ballot to a blind voter and allow the voter to make ballot choices using a keypad. This technology allows the blind to vote without the assistance of a sighted poll worker. "Since many jurisdictions will be using new voting equipment that is accessible to the blind for the first time," Dr. Maurer explained, "we feel that it is essential to collect data on whether that equipment has been implemented and works properly."

The National Federation of the Blind was instrumental in advocating for the nonvisual access language contained in the HAVA and received a grant under that statute to ensure its implementation. The National Center for Nonvisual Election Technology (NCNET) was established by the Federation to carry out the terms of the grant. The NCNET has developed an on-line curriculum and a DVD to help make election officials aware of the needs of blind voters and to help jurisdictions select appropriate equipment to provide nonvisual access to the blind at the polling place.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind and its work on access to elections, visit http://www.nfb.org/nfb/HAVA_intro.asp .

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

Source: National Federation of the Blind

SkyZone Entertainment Lanza Juegos Flash Lite, Jungle Jim y Extreme Hangman en los Teléfonos Get It Now de Verizon Wireless

Jungle Jim y Extreme Hangman viajan con Flash Lite a los teléfonos móviles

-- SkyZone Entertainment, Inc., una editorial de entretenimiento móvil, y Verizon Wireless, el proveedor de servicios de telefonía móvil líder nacional, anunciaron hoy la primera ronda de aplicaciones de juegos habilitadas con Flash Lite que harán su debut hoy en algunos teléfonos capacitados con Get It Now(R) de Verizon Wireless. Los dos primeros productos disponibles a través de SkyZone(TM) son los juegos móviles Jungle Jim(TM) y Extreme Hangman(TM), que están disponibles por un cargo de acceso mensual o para compra con uso ilimitado. Los usuarios de Verizon Wireless pueden descargar estos juegos en sus teléfonos en la tienda virtual Get It Now en el pasillo de compras de getGAMES.

"Jungle Jim y Extreme Hangman son excelentes representaciones de juegos casuales verdaderamente fáciles de sumergirse", dijo Neil Haldar, vicepresidente de estrategias y programación de contenido de SkyZone Entertainment. "Estos títulos están especialmente diseñados para adaptarse a la tecnología Flash Lite, que ofrece aún mejores gráficos y detalles en el teléfono estándar y consideramos que ayudará aún más a emprender la próxima ola de adopción de juegos móviles".

Flash Lite para BREW(R) les da a los usuarios de Verizon Wireless la capacidad de descargar aplicaciones automáticamente, tales como, Jungle Jim y Extreme Hangman y puedan "habilitar con Flash" sus teléfonos inmediatamente. Jungle Jim está disponible por US$1.99 de acceso mensual o US$4.99 para compra con uso ilimitado, inicialmente en cuatro teléfonos de Verizon Wireless, que son: The V (LG VX9800), Motorola RAZR V3c y V3m y Samsung SCH- a950. Se espera que Verizon Wireless ofrezca Flash Lite en otros teléfonos en las próximas semanas. Extreme Hangman también está disponible en los teléfonos y se puede comprar por US$1.99 de acceso mensual o por US$5.99 para compra con uso ilimitado.

Los cargos por descarga para las aplicaciones de Get It Now varían y los cargos de tiempo aire aplican durante la navegación, descarga o uso de ciertas aplicaciones. Para accesar la tienda virtual Get It Now los clientes necesitan un teléfono capacitado con Get It Now y los servicios digitales de Verizon Wireless.

Para obtener mayor información acerca de los productos y servicios de Verizon Wireless, visite una tienda Verizon Wireless Communications Store, llame gratis al 1-800-2 JOIN IN o accese, http://www.verizonwireless.com/.

Acerca de Verizon Wireless

Acerca de SkyZone Entertainment

SkyZone Entertainment, Inc. crea y ofrece contenido emocionante "Made for Mobile(TM)" (Hecho para Telefonía Móvil), que satisface la demanda emergente de los consumidores de juegos a través de varias redes de teléfonos móviles y aparatos de entretenimiento en el hogar. A través de una red de inversores y socios como SK Group, SkyZone recurre a una tradición coreana avanzada de innovación editorial e interoperabilidad de redes para ofrecer juegos de tecnología de punta y aplicaciones de marcas reconocidas que presentan gráficos en 3D, ambientes de interconexión de redes de múltiples jugadores y acceso transmedial para las portadoras de telecomunicaciones y jugadores móviles en todo el mundo. Para obtener mayor información, visite, http://www.skyzonemobile.com/.

Get It Now es una marca comercial registrada de Verizon Wireless. Todos los otros nombres y marcas comerciales pertenecen a sus respectivas compañías.

Sexy, Inc. anuncia la "Lista de los 100 hoteles más sexy del mundo 2005-2006"

Sexy, Inc. ha lanzado su segunda lista aunal de los 100 hoteles más sexy del mundo

-- Marc Holland, fundador de Sexy, Inc., afirmó, "Se evaluaron más de 500 propiedades y los ganadores se eligieron por su estilo, arquitectura, ambientación, servicios, humor y emoción." Holland agregó, "Definir 'sexy' fue la parte divertida de la tarea. Sexy no tiene nada que ver con el precio, el tamaño o la reputación, sino con el modo en que todos esos elementos se combinan para crear una experiencia sensual que evoca un sentimiento de verdadera trascendencia para el huésped."

"La característica de sexy no se puede fingir", explica Holland, "Un hotel o lugar de vacaciones es sexy o no lo es. No hay grados intermedios. Sexy podría ser un mega lugar de vacaciones en el desierto, un elegante hotel para ejecutivos en la ciudad de Nueva York, un establecimiento a orillas del mar en Malasia o un campamento de safari."

Las propiedades destacadas incluyen Rattray's en Sudáfrica, Bleibtreu en Berlín, The Montage Resort & Spa en Laguna Beach, California, Navutu Stars Resort en Fiji, Costa Rica Marriott en Costa Rica y muchas otras.

Highlighted Links

www.sexiesthotels.com

Jeff Johnson, Vicepresidente de Comercialización del Montage Resort & Spa, afirma, "Nos complace sumamente haber sido seleccionados como uno de los hoteles más sexy del mundo. Nuestro establecimiento es romántico y elegante y queremos evocar una experiencia relajada para todos los sentidos."

Julia Poppe, Directora de Comercialización, Bleibtreu Hotel, dijo, "Nos enorgullece enormemente estar otra vez afiliados con el exclusivo círculo mundial de los ‘hoteles más sexy'. Nuestro amor por los detalles más pequeños y nuestro impulso por mejorar y brindar nuestro servicio sincero permanentemente forman parte de nuestra oferta, lo cual es sumamente valorado por nuestros huéspedes. Desde la inauguración del Bleibtreu, que se traduce literalmente como 'Permanece fiel', muchos de nuestros huéspedes han mostrado lealtad."

La lista de los 100 hoteles más sexy del mundo es un emprendimiento conjunto de clasificación de viajes entre Sexy, Inc., Sky Radio & Video y SkyAuction.com, una empresa líder de subasta de viajes en línea.

1. Navutu Stars Resort, Fiji 2. Rattray's on Mala Mala, Sudáfrica 3. The Wynn, Las Vegas, Nevada 4. Amanpulo Resort, Filipinas 5. Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, Ojai, California 6. Hotel de l'Europe, Ámsterdam 7. Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach, California 8. Roger Williams, Nueva York, Nueva York 9. The Lalu, Taiwan 10. Costa Rica Marriott, San José, Costa Rica

Holland indica, "Todos los ganadores con quienes hemos conversado sienten gran entusiasmo por ser seleccionados para la lista. Están acostumbrados a ganar premios, pero el galardón al 'Más sexy' es algo que los enorgullece de forma inusual."

Visite www.sexiesthotels.com.

New AARP Survey Shows Public Strongly Opposes Social Security Private Accounts

Oct 24

A new AARP survey finds that boomer+ voters (age 42 and older) are strongly opposed to using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts. More than seven in 10 of those polled (72 percent) said they oppose private accounts. Less than one in six (16 percent) of those polled said they support such accounts.

An analysis of candidate responses to the 2006 AARP Voters' Guides in 45 competitive Senate and House races reflects that candidates are hearing the public's rejection of private accounts. AARP's 2006 Voters' Guides ask candidates whether they "support or oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts." Of the 20 Senate candidates in 10 of the closest races for which Guides are available, 14 (70 percent) of the candidates checked the box in opposition; only one (5 percent) candidate expressed support, while 5 (25 percent) candidates either did not check a box or respond..

Similarly, in 35 of the competitive House races, 43 (60 percent) of the candidates checked the box in opposition. Only two candidates (3 percent) expressed support, while 26 (37 percent) of the remaining candidates either did not check a box or respond at all.

The guides also ask candidates whether they will "support or oppose a balanced Social Security plan to continue the program's guaranteed benefits for future generations." Of the 20 Senate candidates, 15 (75 percent) candidates checked the box in support, one candidate (5 percent) opposed and 20 percent did not check a box or respond. For the House races, a total of 45 (63 percent) candidates support a balanced plan, only one (1 percent) oppose, and the remaining 25 (35 percent) candidates either did not check a box or respond.

"It is clear from the responses to our Voters' Guides that an overwhelming majority of candidates oppose private accounts and support a balanced Social Security plan to continue this critical program for future generations," said AARP Director of Government Relations David Sloane. "These candidates have committed to strengthening and preserving Social Security, and voters will expect that they follow through on their promises if elected to office."

For a complete listing of the competitive 45 races for which we have Voters' Guides, and the candidates' complete responses to the Social Security questions, including additional comments they may have made, visit:

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/house_vo ter_guide.pdf

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/senate_v oter_guide.pdf

Also, to view all the complete 2006 AARP Voters' Guides, visit http://www.dontvote.com.

The Election Watch survey was commissioned earlier this month as a national telephone survey of 1,503 individuals age 42 and older. The survey is the seventh in a series of nine scheduled for release each week leading up to the mid-term elections. AARP wanted to take the pulse of the public's opinion on issues that our members have indicated they want to hear about in the national and state public discourse.

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AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP produces The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, a monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, a bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, a quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and the Web site, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Grammy Winner Jill Scott will accept a 2006 Eddy Award tomorrow night, Oct. 24, from the Philadelphia Education Fund. The renowned singer-songwriter will be honored alongside fellow awardees: the Eagles Youth Partnership, GlaxoSmithKline, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity (Philadelphia Alumni Chapter) and current Philadelphia Scholar Tiffany A. Flippen. The celebration takes place tomorrow, from 6- 8 p.m., at WHYY and includes live interviews with the award winners by WHYY's Tracey Matisak.

Jill Scott has been writing poetry since her days in Philadelphia's public schools. Raised in North Philadelphia, a graduate of Philadelphia High School for Girls, Scott has a couple of multi-platinum albums to her name and a critically- acclaimed book of poetry. But her accomplishments don't stop there.

In 2003, Scott founded the Blues Babe Foundation to nurture college-bound students of color, aged 16-21. In addition to providing scholarships, Scott's foundation has financially supported regional schools and community centers, and is preparing to launch a summer camp for underprivileged children.

In addition to Girls High, Scott is a graduate of Thomas M. Peirce Elementary School and Albert M. Greenfield School. She released her debut album Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 in July 2000, and won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best R&B Urban/Alternative Performance for "Cross My Mind." Her book of poetry, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours, was released in April 2005. She will receive the Philadelphia Education Fund's Star Alumna Eddy.

Receiving the Star Business Commitment to Education Eddy is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The pharmaceutical company is being honored for its continued support of education programs in under- served communities, including teacher development, middle-grades education and its flagship Science in the Summer program. GSK's Director of Community Partnerships, Mary Linda Andrews, will accept the award.

The Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP), founded by the Philadelphia Eagles to tackle education and health issues faced by the region's youth, is being honored with the Star Commitment to Education Eddy. The nonprofit organization runs several signature programs, including the Eagles Book Mobile, Eagles Eye Mobile, Eagles Chess Tournament and Eagles Top Achiever Awards. Cecil Martin, former Philadelphia Eagles Fullback, will be accepting the award along with EYP's Executive Director Sarah Martinez-Helfman.

The Philadelphia Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity will be honored with the Star Community Commitment to Education Eddy Award. The city's Alumni Chapter works with young African- American males through programs, such as Guide Right, which stress positive values, direction and self-esteem. Louis Williams, Polemarch, will be accepting the award for Kappa Alpha Psi.

In addition, Tiffany A. Flippen, a participant from the Ed Fund's College Access and Philadelphia Scholars programs, will receive the Rising Star Eddy. A sophomore at Villanova University, Tiffany is an accounting major with a minor in African American Studies and is an active volunteer for Villanova's Black Cultural Society. She was also the valedictorian of her class at University City High School.

The 2006 Eddys are being sponsored by WHYY, Fox Rothschild LLP, IBM, the Philadelphia Eagles and Firstrust Bank. The Philadelphia Education Fund is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of public education for under-served youth in the Philadelphia region.

Former Enron Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey K. Skilling has been sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison on conspiracy, securities fraud and other charges related to the collapse of the Enron Corporation, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today.

In addition to the prison sentence, Skilling, 52, was ordered to forfeit approximately $45 million to be applied towards restitution for the victims of the fraud at Enron. Skilling was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake, at the U.S. District Court in Houston. He was convicted by a federal jury in Houston on May 25 of 12 counts of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, conspiracy and five counts of making false statements to auditors. Lay's co-defendant at trial, former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay, was also convicted after 56 days of trial and jury deliberations on conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges.

The convictions stemmed from a wide-ranging scheme that Lay, Skilling and other Enron executives engaged in at various times between at least 1999 and 2001, to deceive the investing public, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and others about the true performance of Enron's businesses. The scheme was designed to make it appear that Enron was growing at a healthy and predictable rate, consistent with analysts' published expectations, that Enron did not have significant write-offs or debt and was worthy of investment-grade credit rating, that Enron was comprised of a number of successful business units, and that the company had an appropriate cash flow. It had the effect of inflating artificially Enron's stock price, which increased from approximately $30 per share in early 1998 to over $80 per share in January 2001, and artificially stemming the decline of the stock during the first three quarters of 2001.

The fraud scheme eventually unraveled and Enron filed for bankruptcy in December 2001, making its stock virtually worthless. The company's collapse cost investors billions of dollars, and thousands of workers lost their jobs.

"Today's sentence is a measure of justice for the thousands of people who lost their jobs and millions of dollars in investments when Enron collapsed under the weight of the fraud perpetrated by the company's top executives," said Fisher. "Jeffrey Skilling will now spend more than 24 years in prison for committing one of the largest frauds in the history of corporate America. His conviction is the result of nearly five years of hard work and dedication by the prosecutors and investigators on the Enron Task Force, whose tireless efforts demonstrate the finest qualities of public service."

"The sentencing of Jeffrey Skilling today puts an exclamation point on many years of hard work by the Enron Task Force and reiterates the FBI's commitment to address corporate fraud, no matter how long it takes," said FBI Assistant Director Chip Burrus. "Corporate crooks should beware, if you decide to use business coffers as your personal piggy bank at the expense of investors and employees, you risk loss of personal freedom."

Kenneth Lay died on July 5, and his conviction was voided by a federal judge earlier this month. The government announced today that it is filin

MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK

October 29, 2006

Ice Cube Red Carpet for release of Laugh Now Cry Later

October 27, 2006

OC Hot 25

SEMA-AAPEX NEWS

SEMA reveals the winners of the Accessory Friendly Car, Truck, SUV and Hybrid categories at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest automotive specialty equipment trade event where the industry unveils thousands of new products to visiting trade professionals.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

RealWheels Plans to FREAK OUT

Thresher Industries at SEMA Show 2006 in Las Vegas

Fuze Beverage, LLC and Holley Performance Products partnered in 2005 to create High Performance Energy Drinks. NOS Energy Drinks are available nationally in convenience stores, grocery stores and speed shops, for all those with a Need for Speed. For more information visit www.drinknos.com.

October 21, 2006

Halloween

Disney Feature Films & DVD Releases

The Votes Are In! And There Is Only One Winner In This Race... Disney*Pixar's "CARS" on DVD Today!

"Snow" Flurries Forecast for Disney's Private Island, Castaway Cay

All That Glitters Is Holiday Magic Aboard Disney Cruise Line

Recent Posts

NEWS & NEWS IN SPANISH

Red Raider Outfitter Calls Judge's Ruling an Attack on College Town Businesses, Promises Appeal

BritRail presenta nuevo sitio Web en español www.BritRail.com es ahora multilingüe

Sexy, Inc. anuncia la "Lista de los 100 hoteles más sexy del mundo 2005-2006"

READY, SET, GO! SONY RENEWS ITS COMMITMENT TO AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE AT SEMA SHOW

	The Xplōd® Sound Expression Showcase Features Sony’s New 2007 Xplōd in-car Entertainment and Marine Products LAS VEGAS (SEMA Booth #11066), Oct. 31, 2006 – Start your engines – Sony’s mobile electronics showroom at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual tradeshow features spankin’ new 2007 Xplōd and Marine products, plus PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system where attendees can view a demo of Gran Turismo™ HD, inside a fully-laced Scion xA. Sony’s centerpiece Scion is one of 24 customized rides parked near 14 new Xplōd products on display. Sony Xplōd equipment is featured in 59 vehicles at the show. In It to Win It "This year, we added two outdoor sections,” said Brennan Mullin, general manager for mobile electronics at Sony Electronics. “Combined with our indoor showroom, we have the largest square footage in the North Hall. We’ve got something for everyone – from the SPEED Channel’s “Street Tuner Challenge” Mustang to a vintage low rider." All My Friends Know the Low Rider Sony has announced a new Team Xplōd member, Marco Patino, whose first Sony vehicle has prime real estate in the street-themed section of the Xplōd showroom. His 1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport is an authentic low rider classic with its lay-and-display hydraulics and multiple wheels and tire combinations. With four Xplōd amps and three pairs of two-way speakers, this car’s boomin’ audio system will knock you down. Patino served as the features editor of Lowrider magazine for 15 years and is an old-school builder with several magazine covers under his belt. Cars with Attitude Team Xplōd members Shawn Bennett and Rodney Findley are back in the booth this year showcasing their new cars: a 2006 Porsche Cayman S and a Dodge Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. Using Xplōd GTR amps and specialty speakers in a 3-way component system, Bennett lays the audio quality on thick in his Porsche Cayman, which contains the only Vortech supercharger specially designed for the Cayman S. Findley unveils his Dodge Ram with Xplōd audio, including three component systems, four 12-inch subwoofers, and four amplifiers. Pump up the Volume Sony has unveiled its new GT Series speakers, the perfect complement to the GT Series head units. Four new models, XS-GT6935A (6 x 9-inches), XS-GT1625A (6.5-inches), XS-GT1325A (5.25-inches) and XS-GT5725A (5 x 7-inches) feature sleek new designs and high sound quality. Pricing starts at about $60 for the XS-GT1325A and XS-GT5725A speakers and about $80 for the XS-GT6935A speakers. The GT Series speakers will be available in January. Additionally, Sony has introduced its new capless subwoofers. Besides delivering low frequency bass, the new subs also feature a new capless design on the back, giving more style options for car audio builders and designers. The XS-L154P5B subwoofer (15-inch), XS-L124P5B subwoofer (12-inch) and XS-L104P5B subwoofer (10-inch) will be available in January and will be priced at about $170, $110, and $90, respectively. Size Does Matter The Scion features some of Sony’s hottest new Xplōd products, unveiled at SEMA. The Sony slim subwoofers and amplifiers take up less room and are a great fit in both pick-up trucks and sports compact vehicles. With ten new small amps, six subs and two-way speakers, a component system and the head unit with Bluetooth® capability, the Scion is outfitted in the latest audio gear. By Land or Sea Outside of door 21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sony’s “toy world” showcases a ski boat and off-road vehicle decked out with Sony marine head units, subs and amps. The new splash-proof head unit is installed and on display in the ski boat. Visit toy world for a demonstration of the new marine splash-proof head unit subs and amps in the Malibu Wakesetter or visit the Sony booth (#11066) to see Xplōd slim subs and amps and nav-u™ (NV-U71T) with real-time traffic (service subscription required, sold separately). For information about these products, visit http://www.sony.com/Xplod. Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! Sony reinforces its leadership role in car audio and portable navigation as an official sponsor of the National Hot Rod Association for the second consecutive year. Sony Electronics has signed up to remain the title sponsor of the NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series for 2007. This year's racing events, including eight standalone and three PowerAde events, will take place at designated NHRA sites nationwide