QLD:Qld govt staff to stop work over pay

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2011
QLD:Qld govt staff to stop work over pay

Government workers aiding the reconstruction of Queensland's flood-hit roads will stop
work today in a dispute over pay.

White-collar staff from the Transport and Main Roads department will walk off the job
for up to five hours from midday, as part of state-wide, protected industrial action.

The action will affect planning for road construction, transport and other projects.

Unions say the state government's refusing to negotiate on a fair and reasonable three-year
collective agreement.

AAP RTV tnf/jmt

KEYWORD: RECOVERY (BRISBANE)

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

VIC:Guards at Melbourne prison set for strike

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2011
VIC:Guards at Melbourne prison set for strike

Guards at Port Phillip Prison are set to take strike action .. abandoning daily cell
security checks that make sure each prisoner is accounted .. over a pay dispute.

A key issue for the prison officers is the figure for the final year of their proposed wage deal.

Community and Public Sector Union secretary KAREN BATT says the prison operator G4S
offered an undefined figure based on the cost and wages index.

She says the overcrowded prison is also a concern .. there's almost 800 people inside
.. which Ms BATT describes as way over original muster.

Members will return a ballot on April 27 to determine if strike action will occur and
in what form.

AAP RTV jcr/gfr/nap

KEYWORD: PRISONS VIC (MELBOURNE)

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

The main stories on 0000 ABC 702 news

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2010
The main stories on 0000 ABC 702 news

SYDNEY, Dec 16 AAP - Main stories in 0000 ABC 702 news:

- The Royal Flying Doctor Service is preparing to transfer two asylum seekers to Perth
after their boat crashed off Christmas Island.



- Iranian officials say 38 people have been killed at a suicide bombing at a mosque.



- A federal government official says WAYNE SWAN intervened in preventing Aussie Home
Loans getting access to a government program.



- The prosecutor at the ICC has accused six prominent Kenyans of crimes against humanity.



- SPORT

AAP RTV jen/

KEYWORD: MONITOR 0000 ABC 702

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

WA:Man glassed at Perth nightclub

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2010
WA:Man glassed at Perth nightclub

PERTH, Aug 8 AAP - A man may be permanently scarred after being glassed in an apparently
unprovoked attack at a Perth nightclub.

Police say the victim was standing near the dance floor at Sunda the Ambar nightclub
in the city's CBD at about 3am (WST) when he was struck in face with a glass object.

The man, 22, from Kingsley in Perth's north, suffered extensive lacerationS to the
left side of his face and neck.

Nightclub staff assisted the man until he was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital by ambulance
for immediate medical attention.

He underwent surgery on Sunday and as yet has been unable to talk to police.

Police said either a glass or bottle was used in what they believed was an unprovoked attack.

Anyone who can assist police with their inquiries is asked to contact Crime Stoppers
on 1800 333 000.

AAP jsj/jl

KEYWORD: GLASSING

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

Qld: Japanese driver of 4WD fatal given driver info in English

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2009
Qld: Japanese driver of 4WD fatal given driver info in English

BRISBANE, Dec 29 AAP - The driver of a four-wheel drive that crashed on Fraser Island
killing a Japanese tourist was shown an English instruction video when he hired the vehicle
but his understanding of the language was "not 100 per cent".

A hired Landcruiser carrying eight Japanese tourists overturned on the island's Eastern
Beach earlier this month, killing a man and injuring his travel companions.

Through a translator at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Takashi Nukutou,
29, told an inquest into the death that his Japanese licence, which he had held for more
than 10 years, allowed him to drive a manual and he had driven a 4WD in Japan.

He said he had driven in snow but never on the beach.

Mr Nukutou had been in Australia for two months on a working holiday visa at the time
of the accident.

The inquest, that began on Tuesday in front of state coroner Michael Barnes, was urgently
convened to secure the evidence of the driver before his return to Japan.

There have been 41 serious 4WD accidents on the island between 2003 and 2009, with
the majority involving foreign drivers and an even larger portion involving vehicles with
more than nine seats.

The government was due to bring in tougher regulations regarding troop-carriers in
2010 but is now considering whether those restrictions need to be further strengthened.

The inquest continues.

AAP gd/jmm/dep

KEYWORD: ROLLOVER

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

FED: Suspending laws 'discriminatory': UN rapporteur

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2009
FED: Suspending laws 'discriminatory': UN rapporteur

The United Nations' special delegate on indigenous human rights .. says the Australian
government was discriminatory when it suspended laws to bring in the Northern Territory
intervention.

The Racial Discrimination Act was suspended by the former Howard government so quarantining
welfare payments in indigenous communities could be rolled out.

Professor JAMES ANAYA is in Australia to investigate whether the intervention violates
human rights.

He says on the surface .. suspending the Racial Discrimination Act was discriminatory
.. but he's yet to make up his mind that if doing so was in the best interests of indigenous
people.

During his 11-day visit .. Professor ANAYA will visit Canberra .. Adelaide .. Perth
.. Alice Springs .. Darwin .. Yirrkala .. Groote Eylandt .. Cairns .. Sydney and Brisbane.

AAP RTV jcd/sb/ka

KEYWORD: INTERVENTION (CANBERRA)

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

FED: Broadband plan not original, Nationals = 5

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2009
FED: Broadband plan not original, Nationals = 5

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) said the network's construction
would provide a substantial stimulus for the nation as it contends with the economic slowdown.

It said it was encouraged that the private sector would be heavily involved in the
project, and that the government's majority interest would be sold within five years of
the network being fully operational.

"Government shouldn't be in the business of running telcos on any long-term basis,"

ACCI director for industry policy and economics Greg Evans told reporters in Canberra.

Faster broadband was an important part of the modern economy, and business was frustrated
by current download speeds.

"There is no doubt about it, there are important economic spin-off benefits to business
in terms of faster broadband," Mr Evans said.

MORE cb/rl/tnf

KEYWORD: BROADBAND REAX 5 CANBERRA

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

Fed: Blame the gov't for any cash flow delay, opposition=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2008
Fed: Blame the gov't for any cash flow delay, opposition=2

Senator Fielding accused the government of using bully-boy tactics.

"We are talking about schools and they are using the school yard of parliament to try
and bully parliamentarians into signing up for something unseen. That is outrageous,"

he told reporters.

The national curriculum did not need to be tied to the funding bill, even though most
Australians agreed there should be a national curriculum.

"The debate we are having is should schools be forced to sign up to an unseen national
curriculum? Most Australians would say no."

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, who voted for the draft laws, says the government
had set out the basis for a national curriculum.

"I would have thought that's enough," he told reporters.

"If we don't sort this out every MP is going to be in for detention because ... we
will be sitting this out until we do."

AAP mb/rl/ss

KEYWORD: SCHOOLS MPS 2 CANBERRA

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

What Australian newspapers say on Wednesday, April 30, 2008

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2008
What Australian newspapers say on Wednesday, April 30, 2008

SYDNEY, April 30 AAP - The debate over whether the Reserve Bank of Australia should
rethink its response to inflation being driven by higher global oil and food prices has
certainly unmasked some middle-class thinking by economic commentators troubled by the
notion of change, The Australian says today in an editorial.

But this is not a debate about whether inflation is such a bad thing after all. Of
course it is. Unchecked inflation saps the value of retirement savings and forces wage
earners to work harder to stand still. But recognising the odious nature of inflation
is a different thing entirely from knowing how to combat it in all circumstances.

Consumer and business confidence measures have plunged but inflation has remained stubbornly
high. Those economists who now question whether a rethink is necessary have accepted the
lessons of history.

The death of an Australian commando in fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan,
and on the same day a brazen assassination attempt against the country's president, Hamid
Karzai, during a military parade in the capital, Kabul, were shocking reminders of the
perils inherent in Australia's commitment there, The Sydney Morning Herald says.

To his credit, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was commendably frank in describing the situation
as grim, and warning that the year ahead will be "difficult and dangerous and bloody",
with more Australian casualties very likely.

But being honest about the immediate security prospects is not enough. If the toll
of dead and wounded does indeed mount, a restive public will increasingly ask other more
basic questions. Such as, what are we hoping to achieve there? What are the benchmarks,
military and political, by which we will know whether we are succeeding, or that it is
time to bring our troops home?

It has been accepted for nearly two decades that a national economy requires a national
system of corporate regulation, The Australian Financial Review says.

Attempts to establish national markets for energy and water followed with mixed results.

But a national system of occupational health and safety rules backed by a competitive
national market for workers' compensation has still not been agreed on.

This is despite the Productivity Commission putting it on the agenda in 1994 and persuading
then Labor minister Gary Johns to run with it. He hit a brick wall of union resistance
that has continued to this day, fortified by the states' reluctance to give up their workers'
compensation monopolies and small business's addiction to the subsidies they receive at
the expense of big companies.



The problem for NSW premier Morris Iemma isn't his government's enthusiasm for privatising
the state's electricity supply, The Daily Telegraph says.

In fact, this newspaper is on record as supporting privatisation, provided consumers
are not slugged with increased costs.

Privatise away, we say. After all, it's probably not a great idea to leave a few trillion
deadline volts in the hands of such a butter-fingered government in the first place.

The problem for Mr Iemma is that he wasn't up front about his government's privatisation
ambitions.

Knowing privatisation would be unpopular with sections of the ALP base, such as unions
and power workers, Iemma's office sought to reassure them before last year's election.

If he had been up front, we may have had a proper debate on the merits - which we still
maintain are considerable - on the privatisation of the state's power supply.



The federal government's preventative health task force might well have logic on its
side when one of its members suggests that beer and wine should be taxed on the basis
of their alcohol content and not on what the drink looks like, The Courier-Mail says.

But really, what a silly idea. The resulting 300 per cent tax increase would see the
cost of a beer jump by 46 cents and bottled wine by 63 cents a glass. And for what reason,
apart from simply satisfying those who like their tax laws neat and tidy?

The argument seems to be that it would be good for the nation's collective well-being.

Similar proposals have been put forward for tobacco, with preventative health taskforce
chairman Rob Moodie calling for a 2.5 cent a cigarette increase in the tobacco tax to
raise $400 million a year for anti-smoking measures.

Others have called for levies on fast food. In other words, there is growing support
for punitive new taxes all in the name of improving the health of those who smoke, drink
or eat too much.

And nothing of course to do with plain old boosting government coffers. Drinkers and
smokers have always been soft targets for federal treasuries. And the way things are going,
fast food munchers might also one day join them.



Plans for a rail link to Melbourne Airport and to extend the city's clearways shows
Melbourne is bursting at the seams, the Herald Sun says.

The rail link proposal, part of the privatised airport's draft master plan, acknowledges
that Tullamarine's infrastructure could soon become inadequate as the population grows.

So far, the government has ruled out an airport rail line, saying it doesn't stack
up financially.

Similar ventures in Sydney and Brisbane have struggled to make money.

But yesterday's announcement the government would extend the operating hours of 150
clearways on arterial roads within 10km of the CBD was a small, but sensible step, the
editorial says.



With interest rates on the rise and pressure from the global credit crunch, the new
Victorian and federal treasurers face tough first budgets, The Age says today.

Victorian Treasurer John lenders delivers his budget on Tuesday, with Mr Swan to follow
a weeks later, the editorial says.

The Reserve Bank board meets on the day of the state budget, and its decision may cast
a shadow over both performances, it said.

Inflation has risen to 4.2 per cent nationally in the year to March, and 4.4 per cent
in Victoria over the same period, the editorial says.

The credit crunch has forced Australian banks to raise interest rates independently
of the Reserve for the first time, despite Australia's limited sub-prime exposure, it
said.

Treasurer Swan has emphasised two elements in the lead-up to the May 13 budget: that
it will be tough and that it will look after `working families', it said.

Labor has guaranteed tax cuts from July but must put the dampeners on spending, it
said. The answer, it said, was infrastructure spending.

Mr Swan's balancing trick will be to help families yet not fuel inflation. A view to
the long-term must be included in the government's economic strategy. Indeed, it should
be the view of all governments, it said.

Infrastructure may not be one of the most beautiful words in the language, and nor
does it have in the short-term much electoral appeal, but it does have the potential to
enrich society if investment is made wisely into its best use for communities.

Hospitals, schools, public transport and water needed greater spending now, the editorial said.

More broadly, in a two-tiered economy the challenge is to expand productivity across
the board. Messrs Swan and Lenders have that task before them, it said.

AAP cmc

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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

NSW: Storms expected around Sydney, flooding in north-west NSW

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2007
NSW: Storms expected around Sydney, flooding in north-west NSW

SYDNEY, Dec 27 AAP - The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a severe thunderstorm
warning for parts of NSW, with heavy rain, hail and flash flooding expected to hit this
afternoon.

A BoM spokesman said the warning was issued at midday (AEDT) today for the Hunter and
Central Tablelands, Illawarra and western parts of metropolitan Sydney.

Richmond and surrounding areas could be affected, and hail had already begun falling
in Lithgow and Katoomba at 1pm (AEDT), the spokesman said.

"We are expecting a few showers and then a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, mainly
in the west (metro) area," the spokesman said.

Sydney city could also expect some showers this afternoon or early evening.

Elsewhere in the state, slow-moving floodwaters and stormy weather are expected to
create more havoc for property owners in north-west NSW this weekend.

After floodwaters stranded dozens of properties in Coonamble on Christmas Eve, the
State Emergency Service (SES) is now warning of potential floods in Nyngan and other areas
along the Bogan River.

With heavy winds and rain forecast in various parts of the north-west, as well as a
swell of water flooding down from Queensland, the Bogan River is expected to peak on Sunday.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell said there was no direct threat to Nyngan, which should
be well protected by its levee.

"We have the flood peak due to hit Nyngan on Sunday, (but) Nyngan is well protected,"

he told AAP.

"Rural property isolation (is) the most likely problem."

Property owners should keep supplies to last them at least one week, Mr Campbell said.

The SES was also keeping a close eye on the Paroo River and the Warrego River, which
have isolated some properties for as long as a month.

"There's been a bit of extra rain from Queensland, just pushing the Paroo in particular
up again," Mr Campbell said.

In Coonamble, several dozen properties remain cut off for the third day after the Castlereagh
River peaked at 4.75 metres late on Christmas Eve.

SES deputy regional controller in Dubbo, Allen Luzuriaga, said two helicopters were
each doing two to three food drops to local families a day, and more to stranded cattle.

He said there had been no reports of cattle losses, and the water was now slowly, but
surely, receding.

"On Christmas Day, I noted that the water was 0.2 metres over the (Coonamble to Quambone)
road. Today the road is now passable," Mr Luzuriaga said.

AAP cj/hn/jl/mn

KEYWORD: STORMS NSW (FILE PIX AVAILABLE)

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

Qld: Govt using 'push-polling' on council mergers: Seeney

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2007
Qld: Govt using 'push-polling' on council mergers: Seeney

Queensland's opposition has accused the state government of push polling .. to legitimise
its forced council mergers.

Premier PETER BEATTIE's released new government-commissioned research today .. which
shows 73 per per cent of Queenslanders believe stronger councils are needed to handle
population growth.

Opposition Leader JEFF SEENEY says the government asked the questions it needed to
.. to get the answers it wanted .. in a classic case of push polling.

He says asking people if councils need to be strengthened .. is a bit like asking people
whether they love their mother.

AAP RTV rm/jmt

KEYWORD: COUNCILS SEENEY (BRISBANE)

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

RL: Murris youngster in demand says Currie

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2007
RL: Murris youngster in demand says Currie

By Wayne Heming

BRISBANE, April 3 AAP - Former Australian Test centre Tony Currie says player managers
are already chasing outstanding Queensland Murris vice-captain Casey Fraser at age 15.

Fraser, who starred in Queensland's 34-14 loss to the NSW Kooris in the recent Indigenous
Challenge, was one of seven Queenslanders named today in Australia's under-16 Indigenous
side to tackle the New Zealand Maoris as a curtain raiser to Friday week's Test between
Australian and the Kiwis at Suncorp Stadium.

The strongly-built Fraser turned heads in the match against NSW, displaying a steely
determination to match his athletic ability.

He scored an impressive solo try and repeatedly drove back the opposition with his
big tackles to collect the Queensland Players Player award.

Hailing from Nanango in the South Burnett region, Fraser plays for Stanley Rivers in
the Sunshine Coast Junior Rugby League.

Murris coach Currie, the former Queensland Origin and Broncos player, said a handful
of player managers had contacted him after the interstate match to discuss Fraser and
his future.

Fraser will be joined in the national side by fellow Queenslanders Lyndon Law, Ricky
Barber, Leon Taylor, Dane Gagai, Jack Warwick and Robert McLeod.

NSW five-eighth Albert Kelly, another raw, exciting talent from Kempsey, will captain
the Australian side.

Kelly produced the play of the game in the second half to set up teammate William Beale
for a spectacular try.

Former Gold Coast Giants player Scott Mieni will coach the side who'll play the first
curtain raiser before the clash between Australia and New Zealand's Combined Services
and the Test on April 20.

The Australian Indigenous U-16 squad is: Karl Quinlan (NSW), Dewayne Sampson (NSW),
Lyndon Law (QLD) Tyrone Roberts (NSW), Trevor George (NSW), Albert Kelly (NSW), William
Beale (NSW), Ryan James (NSW), Ricky Barber (QLD), Lance Whitnall (NSW), Leon Taylor
(QLD), Kirran Shearer (NSW), Casey Fraser (QLD), Richard Peckham (NSW), Dane GAGAI (QLD),
Jack Warwick (QLD), Robert McLeod (QLD).

AAP wh

KEYWORD: LEAGUE INDIGENOUS

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

Fed: Pom more likely to be affectionate than hurtful - expert

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2006
Fed: Pom more likely to be affectionate than hurtful - expert

The man who oversees the Australian Oxford English Dictionary says the term Pom is
an affectionate one .. and shouldn't be seen as offensive.

Dr BRUCE MOORE .. from the Australian National University .. says the terms Pom and
Pommy are colloquial .. and aren't designed to be derogatory.

Some British expatriates living in Australia .. calling themselves British People Against
Racial Discrimination .. have launched legal action to be rid of the word Pom in advertising
.. saying it's a derogatory term.

AAP RTV dep/wf

KEYWORD: POM ANU (CANBERRA)

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

Tas: Mine company fears the worst = 3

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2006
Tas: Mine company fears the worst = 3

West Tamar mayor Barry Easther said the rescue effort was at a very crucial stage.

"I believe they are getting very close to the rockfall where these three men were last
seen," he told reporters in Beaconsfield.

"The community is absolutely devastated at the likely result of the rockfall in the mine.

"There is a very sombre mood around the community today and it's going to take a lot
of resilience to overcome this disaster."

Mr Easther said that right from the outset yesterday the company said they feared for
the safety of the men.

"Thirty hours have gone by, so things are looking pretty grim."

Mr Easther said the miners' families were coping as well as could be expected.

MORE jlw/ao

KEYWORD: MINE 3RD D/L 3 BEACONSFIELD

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

NSW: Deadly holiday period looms

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2004
NSW: Deadly holiday period looms

By Paul Carter, Police Reporter

SYDNEY, Dec 22 AAP - Fewer highway patrol officers doing less time behind the wheel
made for a deadly holiday period ahead on NSW roads, the state opposition said today.

Police Commissioner Ken Moroney acknowledged the highway patrol was under strength
and a reduction in mileage was an issue, even though productivity was up.

Traffic Services Commander John Hartley said times and equipment had changed, helping
patrol officers to work smarter and move less.

Mr Moroney today announced operational changes to the highway patrol, following an
extensive internal review of the service.

Under the changes, the use of local intelligence will be enhanced and strategies planned
at a local level to ensure patrol officers can be at the right place at the right time
to target blackspots and repeat offenders.

The announcement came ahead of the annual holiday road blitz, Operation Safe Arrival.

This begins at one minute past midnight on the morning of Christmas Eve (Friday) and
will target holiday destinations along the coast until January 3, with double demerit
points.

But NSW opposition police spokesman Peter Debnam sounded a dark warning based on figures
he said showed patrol numbers were down by 500 on the 1,200 officers patrolling NSW roads
20 years ago.

Mr Debnam called for an increase in the "piddling couple of million dollars" spent
on highway patrol from the $100 million raised each year from speed cameras.

The road toll had plateaued in recent years, after seatbelt and drink driving campaigns
took effect, he said.

So far this year 517 people have been killed on NSW roads - five less than at this
time last year.

"Motorists know they can do whatever they like on the roads because the chance they
will be caught is remote," Mr Debnam said.

"The reality is, with the reduced number of highway patrol officers, if the weather
is wet, it's going to be a deadly holiday period."

Mr Moroney acknowledged a report in The Daily Telegraph today which included documents
revealing the state's highway patrol cars were vanishing with the fleet travelling 2,000
km less a day than six years ago.

He said the decrease "is an issue" and "highway patrol numbers are coming up to strength".

"But at the same time we've got to look at the productivity of the highway patrol over
the same period of time," he said.

"And in that five year period criminal charges proffered by the highway patrol have
gone up by 14,000 charges."

Supt Hartley said the introduction of hand-held radars, more RTA speed cameras, and
an increase in random breath testing resulted in more stationary activities for patrol
officers.

"The kilometre issue is one we need to look at and see why the decrease has occurred,
but we are aware our work practices have changed over the last five years," Supt Hartley
said.

"You don't need to do as many kilometres, we are just working smarter."

Twenty-one people died on NSW roads in the last Christmas period, with two-thirds killed
in country areas.

AAP pc/nf/cjh/

KEYWORD: XMAS TOLL NSW (WITH FACTBOX)

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

Kshatra

Kshatra Also known as Shatevar, meaning “Power,” this is one of the Zoroastrian (see Zoroastrianism) Amesa Spentas (see Amesa Spentas). He is a war god of sorts who uses his power in the interest of peace, religion, and the poor. He is assisted by the powers of the heavens—the Sky, the Sun, and Mithra (see Mithra).

WHEN STARTUPS SHUT DOWN THOSE WHO LOSE JOBS FIND PLENTY OF OPTIONS IN STILL-HOT MARKET.(Business)

Byline: Dina Berta and Kris Hudson News Staff Writers

John Fischer was on a summer vacation, visiting his mother in Wisconsin, when he lost his job.

Wholepeople.com in Thornton, a lifestyle-oriented Web site he helped build from scratch for Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Inc. was being sold to its rival, Gaiam.com in Broomfield.

Gaiam.com hired a few employees from Wholepeople.com but had no need for the other 111. They were let go, Fischer, vice president for marketing, among them.

Fischer, 35, a married man with three young children and a mortgage, sounded like he was in good spirits by the time reporters caught up with him in Door County, Wis.

``If there is one thing that I've learned, and I've been in the dot-com industry for five years, the dot-com business is volatile and uncertain,'' he said.

Fischer was undoubtedly buoyed by the fact that the day the doors slammed shut at Wholepeople.com, recruiters and other companies called him. He had about 10 job leads on his voice mail.

Using the word volatile to describe the dot-com industry is an understatement. Since the bloom faded from e-commerce after April's market downturn, Internet companies have either downsized or folded completely.

In the Denver area alone, at least 11 dot-coms have trimmed staff or closed. According to a recent national survey, at least 122 dot-coms have laid off nearly 8,000 workers since December. About 20 percent of those 122 are now out of business.

Dot-com turmoil has more people looking for jobs, but the demand for Internet workers remains high. With Colorado's low unemployment rate, most of those laid off are likely to find other positions. But while the fast pace of a dot-com business still allures, job seekers are becoming more cautious in selecting their next employers. And Internet companies are changing their strategies to attract people, now that stock options are less of an enticement.

Internet companies are trying to tell their story better to job candidates, said Sam Brown, a high-tech recruiter for Denver-based Solution Partners recruitment firm.

They sell their creative work environments, relaxed dress codes, opportunities to telecommute, the chance to gain great work experience quickly, Brown said.

He advises job candidates to ask good questions and research a company before making a decision.

What's the company's funding situation? How much does it have, and how long will that last? And where is the money coming from - private investors or venture capitalists? Venture capitalists are more likely to research a company before investing in it, Brown said.

What's the experience level of upper management? The company may have a good idea, but is there a viable market for its product?

If stock is offered, find out how many shares are outstanding. The impact of 100,000 shares is different if there are 20 million shares or 10 million shares outstanding.

Dot-com employees should prepare themselves financially, as well.

Fischer took off on a monthlong vacation with his family before making a decision on a job offer.

``If you enjoy the chaos of start-ups, you need to be prepared,'' he said. ``Whether that means saving money every month or negotiating a severance package that's reasonable upfront.''

Having savings can also help job hunters slow down and wait for the right offer, said Rusty Thulin, director of staffing and recruiting for FastIdeas, a Westminster incubator.

As investors in dot-coms have become more cautious since April, so too have dot-com employees, Thulin said.

``I'm finding there are several parallels. The wariness of investing in dot-coms has translated to people feeling the same way about investing their careers,'' he said. ``The biggest thing is that the romance of the startup is lost; it's kind of like innocence is lost.''

The end of the romance comes through in the stories of people who lost their jobs at dot-coms.

Epidemic Marketing

Roughly 60 people lost their jobs when e-mail marketer Epidemic Marketing closed its Denver headquarters in June. Those cut loose were so distraught they threw a party.

``What was funny was that on the day it happened there wasn't anybody who seemed to have any anxiety,'' said James Wallen, an early Epidemic hire who served as director of national accounts when the company folded. ``They came down and said, `That's it; the merger won't happen, and we don't have money to pay you for the last couple of weeks.' There was no one who was even angry.''

Epidemic ran out of cash, thanks in part to an ill-conceived Super Bowl ad that burned $1.6 million of the company's $4 million in financial backing. When a last-ditch merger fell through, Epidemic's financiers pulled the plug.

Employees marked the occasion with a keg party at a loft owned by two of Epidemic's former vice presidents. The techies knew they could find work the next day if they wanted it. Wallen received numerous job leads, but he opted to take a vacation to Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Amsterdam because he couldn't be sure of when he'd get another chance.

``I definitely want to stay involved in the dot-com / Internet / high-tech industry,'' he said. ``It's an addictive industry because there are no policies and procedures. It's just first-to-market: Who can get there, and who can do it best? It's unrestrained, as opposed to any other industry.''

Scott Brown also took a vacation. The former Epidemic chief information officer quit a few days before Epidemic's collapse. He has fielded several inquiries and job offers in the weeks since. Last week, he considered several technology jobs in the Denver area.

Sometimes, Epidemic's failure becomes a discussion topic during Brown's job interviews.

``Everybody's curious, but I think it's really true right now that people learn as much in failure as they do in success,'' Brown said. ``Not to say that Epidemic was a failure, but you learn a heck of a lot from the experience, the creativity and the challenge of a start-up.''

Mobilize Inc.

Dave Shulkin was caught off guard last week.

Three and a half months after he left his job at ChannelPoint to take an offer from Mobilize Inc. in Colorado Springs, Shulkin found himself heading out of Mobilize's doors for the last time. Fourteen other employees had the same fate.

Mobilize, which offers software for extending the reach of companies' enterprise software systems to employees in the field, trimmed about 10 percent of its staff to comply with the terms of its latest round of financing. Such moves are common these days, as companies adjust to tighter capital markets.

``It highlights a point for me,'' Shulkin said. ``You can't do much (research) on these private, venture-backed companies. It's just hard. You can't really look at their revenue numbers. You just have to trust them. I was convinced . . . that Mobilize was a place I'd be stable at for at least a year.''

By Wednesday, two days after Shulkin's departure from Mobilize, he had completed two phone interviews and scheduled an in-person interview for Thursday. He used the Web to advertise himself and received a dozen calls on Wednesday alone as a result.

Shulkin's advice to other potential victims of the ``dot-bomb'': build a nest egg for emergencies and prepare yourself emotionally for the possibility.

``Depending on how financially ready you are for this, it's hard to balance taking a quick offer that might not be the perfect offer or (waiting for) the right fit,'' he said. ``It depends on whether you have $20,000 in the bank to live off or if you're living paycheck to paycheck. I'm lucky enough that I can do this for a couple of months.''

Plasticsmart.com

Patrick Leonard took a harder hit than most. Not only did his company close, but he also had to do the closing.

Denver-based Plasticsmart.com, a business-to-business software company that catered to the plastics industry, closed its doors in late June after its prospects for gaining $6 million to $8 million in first-round financing dried up. Leonard, Plasticsmart's vice president for product strategy, founded the 10-employee company in January with a colleague.

``I noticed that the other people there who were vested were upset to see it close,'' Leonard said. ``But I think it was different as a founder, having put the business plan together and being emotionally vested in it. It was probably a little tougher.

``But I think it was hard for everybody,'' he said. ``You get this team of great people together, everyone's excited and the whole world is lying out in front of you - it's all opportunity. Then all of the sudden, you come to this point that it's over, and it's a bit surreal. On the other hand, everyone knows they can get another job, and that lifts a lot of the stress.''

After Plasticmart's closure, Leonard, a veteran of Andersen Consulting and J.D. Edwards & Co., took some time to regroup. Since then, he's reviewed five to 10 job possibilities and found his experience in starting his own company has helped him size up potential employers.

``As a perspective employee, it's important to view it from the perspective of an investor, because you really are,'' said Leonard, who hopes to accept an offer by the end of the month. ``I think it is important to . . . make sure that this place where you're investing your time is going to give you a good return.''

KickStart.com

When startups trim their staffs, the marketing people are usually the first to go. Moz Mirbaba knows this.

After leaving KickStart.com in a round of June layoffs that cut the struggling company's staff in half, Mirbaba found that many Internet startups simply weren't hiring marketing executives anymore. When cash flow is squeezed, marketing budgets often collapse first.

Mirbaba, a former marketing manager at KickStart, took several weeks off to contemplate his next career move. He decided to avoid the instability of the Internet startup scene, instead seeking opportunities with established high-tech companies.

In July, Mirbaba took a job as a national brand manager at AT&T Broadband in Arapahoe County. KickStart shut its doors earlier this month.

``I had a long time to actually think about my experiences there,'' he said of KickStart, a Web portal for school groups and youth teams. ``I wouldn't have traded it for the world. The thing that's really disappointing is that a lot of those people are very young and have nothing to lose, and you tend to bond with those folks.

``You're there late at night, early in the morning, working weekends. You pour your passion into the job. So when you see at the end of the day that it didn't work out, it hurts you a little bit.''

KBKids.com

Eric Gertler was laid off once before. Sybase cut him loose in 1997 after five years of service. In May, he experienced another layoff. This time, he got pink-slipped from Denver-based online toy seller KBKids.com.

``It was very different,'' said Gertler, KBKids' former director of finance. ``With Sybase, it was my choice. It was a large company, and I could have taken another job if I chose to relocate. I decided I just didn't want to do that. Sybase had a very generous offer, and they worked with me on getting my vacation (pay).

``With KB, it was less organized. The interesting thing about their severance package is that it was paid out like regular payroll. If you found a job, you were required to tell them so they could stop the severance payments.''

Gertler signed an offer letter within one week of his departure from KBKids. He's now the controller at online billing company Solant in Longmont. He says layoffs are still as difficult to accept now as they were years ago, but the stakes aren't as high.

``I think today it's less about `Am I going to be able to pay the mortgage?' and more about `Am I going to be able to find a situation that I like?' That, by definition, is less scary,'' he said. ``And there's certainly far less stigma associated with it.''

When Kersten Webb lost her job at KBKids, she had another lined up the next day. She became a buyer for Achieve.com, an education Web site that planned to roll out an e-commerce component. However, two weeks ago, the company changed direction, and Webb was once again out of work.

``I think I'm going to take a break from dot-coms for a while,'' said Webb, is pursuing a job with a Fortune 500 company.

CAPTION(S):

Color Photo, Photo

John Fischer of Longmont plays in his back yard in July with his children, from top, Izzy, 4, Jesse, 2, and Izzy's twin brother, Joel, 4. Fischer recently lost his job as Wholepeople.com's vice president for marketing. The same day, he received several phone calls from recruiters and other companies. By Steve Peterson / Special to the News.

CAPTION: John Fischer schedules meetings on his computer at his Longmont home while talking to his wife, Xan, in July. ``If there is one thing that I've learned, and I've been in the dot-com industry for five years, the dot-com business is volatile and uncertain,'' Fischer says. By Steve Peterson / Special to the News.

LaCrosse Footwear Names Chief Executive Officer.

LA CROSSE, Wis., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ --

The Board of Directors of LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. (Nasdaq: BOOT) today announced that Joseph P. Schneider has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Since August 2000, Mr. Schneider has served as the Company's interim President and Chief Executive Officer, a role he was elected to following the resignation of his predecessor.

Mr. Schneider, who is a director of the Company, served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Danner Shoe Manufacturing Company (a Company subsidiary) prior to being named interim President and Chief Executive Officer.

"I am looking forward to working with the Board and management team of the Company to successfully implement the Company's strategy focusing on marketing, combined with flexibility in sourcing products domestically or offshore as circumstances warrant. While there will be challenges, I am confident that we have solid brand names and excellent people in place," said Schneider.

"The weather over the past month has resulted in increased demand for the Company's footwear. As a result, our customers should be in a better inventory position at the end of the year which should result in a more positive selling environment in 2001 than we have seen in the last three years."

LaCrosse Footwear is a leader in the design, development, marketing and manufacturing of premium quality protective footwear and rainwear for the sporting and outdoor, farm and general utility, occupational and children's markets under the LaCrosse(R), Danner(R), Red Ball(R), and Rainfair(R) brands and for private label customers. For more information about LaCrosse Footwear products, please consult our Internet web sites at http://www.lacrosse-outdoors.com , http://www.danner.com and http://lacrosserainfair.com

TUCOWS Acquired by Steinmetz Technology Holding International.

New Company TUCOWS.com to be Formed

TORONTO, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- TUCOWS Interactive Limited announced today that the majority of the company has been acquired by B. Steinmetz Technology Holding International (STHI), a private financial investment company. Under the agreement, STHI, through TUCOWS.com Inc., has acquired all of the TUCOWS assets and businesses. Additional investors in the acquisition include representatives from the Arison Group, including Bank Hapoalim, Eurocom, F.I.B.I. Investments, and XDL, a Toronto-based venture capital fund.

TUCOWS (The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software), a leader in the downloading and distribution of software and online content, will be operated through the new entity, TUCOWS.com Inc., beginning immediately. Terms of the deal, which was signed earlier this month, were not disclosed. STHI will maintain control and chairmanship of TUCOWS.com. TUCOWS founders and managers, Scott Swedorski and Elliot Noss, will retain an interest in the company. Noss will remain as president of TUCOWS.com, and Swedorski will remain as editor-in-chief of the site. A list of the TUCOWS.com board of directors will be announced at a later date.

"TUCOWS is poised to become the leading online software delivery company," said Beny Steinmetz, chairman, TUCOWS.com. We expect to leverage TUCOWS' unique online distribution avenues to grow our reach of audience."

"The strength of Beny Steinmetz's group will open up exciting opportunities for growth at TUCOWS," said Elliot Noss, president of TUCOWS. "We are looking forward to this new phase in the development of our business. Expect to see a host of new services with TUCOWS.com."

Investment in Internet technology is an important focal point of STHI. The company has invested in more than 35 hi-tech companies worldwide, including comparative shopping on the Internet; text analyzing and automatic E-mail answering; distance learning; security; e-commerce; web-based e-mail; high speed communication modems; digital images; authentication and signatures; net exchanges; Online retail sales companies; and more.

About TUCOWS.com Inc.

With offices in New York City, Flint, Michigan and Toronto, Canada, TUCOWS (The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software) is one of the largest Internet distribution sites featuring Windows(R), Macintosh(R), Linux(R) and PDA software. TUCOWS was founded in 1994 as a public service to new Internet users. Today the privately owned and operated TUCOWS offers an array of electronic downloaded software programs that can be accessed at over 900 mirror sites on six continents, in over 75 countries world-wide. The site serves more than 70 million pages per month, making TUCOWS one of the busiest sites on the Internet.

People's Bank and UZPaynet launch new distant bank servicing.

TASHKENT, July 25, 2011 (UzReport.com): Opportunities of any credit organization depend on the quality of information systems. IT-infrastructure in banks takes one the leading positions.

To create maximum conveniences for clients, Khalk Bank (People's Bank) jointly with UZPaynet launch new high quality system of distant bank servicing providing to turn back upon traditional payment methods.

A special program was developed to enable users to make home payments by personal requisites in favor of public utilities bodies, for Internet, mobile or city phone, inter-city connection

"Uyali pul" is a multifunctional decision guaranteeing the convenient and reliable e-servicing of retail bank clients with the use of Internet, kiosks or mobile phones. The bank offers complex decision for everyone to satisfy all client needs in distant servicing.

The application of new technologies will help bank to become closer to its clients, and help clients to save money for visiting the office, account management and enable them to make home payment for services 24/7.

For Khalk Bank, the development of information technologies is a compulsory condition for the support of its competitiveness in the market of modern advanced bank services, ensuring safe functioning and dynamic response to market environment.

Step-by-step client connection to Uyali pul will take place at branches of Khalk Bank.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

VZ, EVBS, SALM, PJC, PWR, YDNT Expected To Be Down Before Next Earnings Releases.

M2 PRESSWIRE-June 28, 2011-BUYINS.NET: VZ, EVBS, SALM, PJC, PWR, YDNT Expected To Be Down Before Next Earnings Releases(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:28062011

BUYINS.NET / www.squeezetrigger.com is monitoring the performance of all stocks with earnings being released in the coming weeks and determining how the stocks have performed Before their last 12 quarterly, 6 quarterly and December earnings reports. VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC (NYSE:VZ), EASTERN VIRGINIA BANKSHARES (NASDAQ:EVBS), SALEM COMMUNICATIONS -CL A (NASDAQ:SALM), PIPER JAFFRAY COS (NYSE:PJC), QUANTA SERVICES INC (NYSE:PWR), YOUNG INNOVATIONS INC (NASDAQ:YDNT) are all expected to be Down Before their earnings are released. The movement of stock prices in the days and weeks leading to and following these earnings announcements may follow a predictable pattern. Most companies stock price histories show random or unpredictable movements around earnings dates. But some seem to repeat the same pattern quarter after quarter, year after year. The # of Reports in the table below shows how many previous quarterly reports comprise the indicator that predicts how a stock will act after its earnings are released. The specific technology used to make these predictions is available for a low monthly fee at http://www.squeezetrigger.com/services/strat/mh.php . The following stocks are expected to go Down Before earnings are released Friday:

Symbol Company # of Reports Quarter Release Date

VZ VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC 12 Quarter Q2 07/22/2011

EVBS EASTERN VIRGINIA BANKSHARES 6 Quarter Q2 07/22/2011

SALM SALEM COMMUNICATIONS -CL A August Earnings Q2 08/08/2011

PJC PIPER JAFFRAY COS July Earnings Q2 07/21/2011

PWR QUANTA SERVICES INC 6 Quarter Q2 08/04/2011

YDNT YOUNG INNOVATIONS INC 6 Quarter Q2 07/20/2011

This technology is designed to help the stock trader identify those companies that seem to have a consistent pattern of movement before or after the earnings release date, based on the history of earnings releases for that company. It combines a calendar of expected earnings releases with a history of past earnings releases in a way that lets you see if a pattern exists.

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC (NYSE:VZ) - Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.

EASTERN VIRGINIA BANKSHARES (NASDAQ:EVBS) - Eastern Virginia Bankshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for EVB that provides personal and commercial banking products and services in Virginia. The company primarily engages in generating deposits and originating loans. Its deposit products include checking accounts, savings deposits, money market accounts, time deposits, and demand deposits, as well as certificates of deposits. The companys loan portfolio comprises construction loans; commercial business loans; commercial real estate loans; residential one-to-four family mortgage loans; and consumer loans consisting of unsecured personal loans and lines of credit, automobile loans, boat loans, deposit account loans, installment and demand loans, credit cards, and home equity lines of credit. In addition, Eastern Virginia Bankshares offers Visa revolving credit accounts, drive-in banking services, automated teller machine transactions, Internet banking, wire transfer services, travelers checks, safe deposit box rentals, collections, and other customary bank services. Further, the company provides securities, brokerage, investment advisory, and title insurance services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 25 full service branches primarily in Caroline, Essex, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent, Richmond, Northumberland, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex counties, as well as in the City of Colonial Heights. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tappahannock, Virginia.

SALEM COMMUNICATIONS -CL A (NASDAQ:SALM) - Salem Communications Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a commercial radio broadcasting company in the United States. It owns and operates radio stations in metropolitan markets. The companys radio business focuses on the clustering of strategic formats, including Christian teaching and talk, contemporary Christian music, conservative news talk, and Spanish language Christian teaching and talk. It also owns and operates Salem Radio Network, a national radio network that syndicates music, news, and talk to approximately 2,000 affiliated radio stations. In addition, the company provides online Christian content and streaming; publishes Christian magazines; and provides print-on-demand publishing services targeting the Christian audience. Further, it specializes in placing national advertising on religious format radio stations; and contracts with individual radio stations to sell air time to national advertisers. Salem Communications Corporation was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Camarillo, California.

PIPER JAFFRAY COS (NYSE:PJC) - Piper Jaffray Companies provides investment banking services, institutional sales, trading and research services, and asset management services worldwide. The company primarily raises capital through equity financings for its middle-market clients operating in various industries, including the business services; clean technology and renewables; consumer; financial institutions; healthcare; industrial growth; and media, telecommunications, and technology. It offers financial advisory services relating to mergers and acquisitions; underwrites debt issuances; and provides financial advisory and interest rate risk management services. The companys public finance investment banking capabilities focus on state and local governments, healthcare, higher education, housing, hospitality, transportation, and commercial real estate industries. Piper Jaffray Companies also offers equity and fixed income advisory and trade execution services for institutional investors, public and private corporations, public entities, and non-profit clients; has equity sales and trading relationships with institutional investors in the United States, Asia, and Europe; and engages in proprietary trading. In addition, it provides asset management services to separately managed accounts, partnerships, and open and closed-end mutual funds; offers an array of investment products comprising small and mid-cap value equity, master limited partnerships focused on the energy industry, as well as fixed income; and invests in private equity and venture capital funds. The company was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

QUANTA SERVICES INC (NYSE:PWR) - Quanta Services, Inc. provides specialty contracting services primarily in North America. Its Electric Power Infrastructure Services segment offers network solutions to customers in the electric power industry. This segments services principally include the design, installation, upgrade, repair, and maintenance of electric power transmission and distribution networks, substation facilities, and wind turbine facilities and solar arrays; and emergency restoration services, such as repairing infrastructure damaged by inclement weather, energized installation, and maintenance and upgrade of electric power infrastructure. The companys Natural Gas and Pipeline Infrastructure Services segment provides network solutions to customers involved in the transportation of natural gas, oil, and other pipeline products. Its services comprise the design, installation, repair, and maintenance of natural gas and oil transmission and distribution systems, compressor and pump stations, and gas gathering systems, as well as related trenching, directional boring, and automatic welding services; and pipeline protection, pipeline integrity and rehabilitation, and fabrication of pipeline support systems. This segment also designs, installs, and maintains airport fueling systems, and water and sewer infrastructure. Its Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segment involves in the design, installation, repair, and maintenance of fiber optic, copper, and coaxial cable networks used for video, data, and voice transmission; and design and installation of wireless communications towers and switching systems to customers in the telecommunications and cable television industries. The companys Fiber Optic Licensing segment designs, procures, constructs, and maintains fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure; and licenses the right to use these point-to-point fiber optic telecommunications facilities. Quanta Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

YOUNG INNOVATIONS INC (NASDAQ:YDNT) - Young Innovations, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of supplies and equipment used by dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and consumers. It offers preventive products, such as disposable and metal prophylaxis (prophy) angles, prophy paste, fluorides in gel formulation, dental handpieces and related components, and moisture control products. The company also provides infection control products, such as liquid surface disinfectants, evacuation system cleaners, gloves and masks, ultrasonic cleaning systems, and instrument disinfectants; micro-applicators, including disposable micro-applicators and bristle brush applicators; and home care kits comprising brushes, wax to protect the inside of the cheek from irritation due to brackets, a timer to monitor brushing time, and floss, as well as toothbrushes. In addition, it offers endodontic products consisting of Obtura family of endodontic units, which are gun-type, heat-softened gutta percha delivery systems, as well as ultrasonic scaling units and handpieces; and diagnostic products, including panoramic X-ray machine and cephalometric images, as well as dental X-ray supplies comprising film, film cassettes and intensifying screens, processing chemicals, and darkroom supplies. The company sells its products primarily through distributors, as well as sells directly to dental providers and dental hygiene schools, Veterans Administration healthcare facilities, and the U.S. military bases. It markets its products primarily in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Central America, and the Pacific Rim. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Earth City, Missouri.

SqueezeTrigger.com has built a massive database that collects, analyzes and publishes multiple proprietary trading strategies that predict price moves in stocks, commodities and currencies. The data has then been integrated into an automated trading platform which can be used to connect to a live online broker and automate your trading of each of the strategies highlighted. It is extremely powerful with lightening fast execution at a very low price. Both the trading software and SqueezeTrigger data feed are available at http://www.squeezetrigger.com

www.squeezetrigger.com monitors trading in all US stocks in real time and maintains massive databases of short sale and naked short sale time and sales data, short squeeze SqueezeTrigger prices, market maker price movements, shareholder data, statistical data on earnings, sector correlation, seasonality, hedge fund trading strategies, comparable valuations. Reports include:

REGULATORY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

Friction Factor -- market maker surveillance system tracking Level II market makers in all stocks to determine Price Friction and compliance with new "Fair Market Making Requirements".

RegSHO Naked Shorts -- tracks EVERY failure to deliver in all US stocks and tracks all Threshold Security Lists daily for which stocks have naked shorts that are not in compliance with Regulation SHO.

INVESTMENTS & TRADING

SqueezeTrigger -- 25 billion cell database tracks EVERY short sale (not just total short interest) in all US stocks and calculates volume weighted price that a short squeeze will begin in each stock.

Earnings Edge -- predicts probability, price move and length of move before and after all US stock earnings reports.

Seasonality -- predicts probability, price move and length of move based on exact time of year for all US stocks.

Group Trader -- tracks sector rotation and stock correlation to its sector and predicts future moves in ALL sectors and industry groups.

Pattern Scan -- automates tracking of every technical pattern and predicts time and size of move in all stocks.

GATS (Global Automated Trading System) -- tracks all known trading strategies and qualifies and quantifies which are working best in real time.

About SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM

WWW.SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM is a service designed to help bonafide shareholders of publicly traded US companies fight short selling. SqueezeTrigger.com has built a proprietary database that uses Threshold list feeds and short sale time and sale data from NASDAQ, AMEX and NYSE to generate detailed and useful information to combat the short selling problem. For the first time, actual trade by trade data is available to the public that shows the attempted size, actual size, price and average value of short sales in stocks that have been shorted. This information is valuable in determining the precise point at which short sellers go out-of-the-money and start losing on their short trades.

SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM has built a massive database that collects, analyzes and publishes a proprietary SqueezeTrigger for each stock that has been shorted. The SqueezeTrigger database of nearly 2.5 billion short sale transactions goes back to January 1, 2005 and calculates the exact price at which the Total Short Interest is short in each stock. This data was never before available prior to January 1, 2005 because the Self Regulatory Organizations (primary exchanges) guarded it aggressively. After the SEC passed Regulation SHO, exchanges were forced to allow data processors like SqueezeTrigger.com to access the data.

The SqueezeTrigger database collects individual short trade data on over 7,000 NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ stocks and general short trade data on nearly 8,000 OTCBB and PINKSHEET stocks. Each month the database grows by approximately 50,000,000 short sale transactions and provides investors with the knowledge necessary to time when to buy and sell stocks with outstanding short positions. By tracking the size and price of each montha'a"s short transactions, SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM provides institutions, traders, analysts, journalists and individual investors the exact price point where short sellers start losing money and a short squeeze can begin.

All material herein was prepared by SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM, based upon information believed to be reliable. The information contained herein is not guaranteed by SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM to be accurate, and should not be considered to be all-inclusive. The companies that are discussed in this opinion have not approved the statements made in this opinion.

Occassionally companies pay $995.00 to purchase data for information provided in reports issued by BUYINS.NET, a company affiliated with SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM. The data service can be cancelled at any time. This opinion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM is not a licensed broker, broker dealer, market maker, investment banker, investment advisor, analyst or underwriter. Please consult a broker before purchasing or selling any securities viewed on or mentioned herein. SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM will not advise as to when it decides to sell and does not and will not offer any opinion as to when others should sell; each investor must make that decision based on his or her judgment of the market.

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By visiting SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM or using any data or services, you agree to assume full responsibility for the decisions or actions that you undertake. Global Automated Trading Systems, LLC, its owner(s), operators, employees, partners, affiliates, advertisers, information providers and any other associated person or entity, shall under no circumstances be held liable to the user and/or any third party for loss or damages of any kind, including but not limited to trading losses, lost trading opportunity, direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, or punitive damages. As a user, you agree that any damages collected shall not exceed the amount paid to SQUEEZETRIGGER.COM and/or its owners. As a website user, you agree that any and all legal matters of any kind are to be reviewed and handled in their entirety within the State of California only. By using the services of this website, you are consenting to the terms as outlined, and forfeit all legal jurisdictions in any other State.

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SqueezeTrigger is a registered trademark, Reg. No. 3,120,641

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

MillenniumIT wins Regional Award for Partner Excellence.(Company overview)

Sri Lanka, June 8 -- Millennium Information Technologies Pvt Ltd (MillenniumIT), a premier technology solutions provider and member of the London Stock Exchange Group, had been awarded the coveted Best Partner of the Year 2010 in the SAARC region by Check Point Software Technologies India at an awards ceremony held recently. Check Point Software Technologies, a worldwide leader in securing the internet, provides customers with uncompromised protection against all types of threats, reduces security complexity and lowers total cost of ownership.

At the Check Point Indian subcontinent Partner Sales Kick Off 2011 held in Goa, India, attended by over 150 partners from across the region, MillenniumIT was presented with Check Point's Best Partner for 2010 for the SAARC region based on their superior technical skills and commercial success.

MillenniumIT Information Security Head Rahal Jayawardena said: "We are very pleased to receive the prestigious Best Partner of the Year award for the SAARC region from Check Point. This award is an acknowledgement of our technical excellence and reaffirms the trust placed in us by our customers to design and implement advanced security solutions. This year we aim to reach another important milestone with Check Point by completing the integration of their entire solution stack, including Check Point's high-end solutions targeted at Managed Service Providers, a rare achievement for any systems integrator in Asia."

India and SAARC Regional Director Bhaskar Bakthavatsalu at Check Point Software Technologies said, "MillenniumIT definitely deserves this award. They are constantly growing, evolving, both in consulting and delivering solutions around our various technologies. MillenniumIT played an essential role in Check Point's success in Sri Lankan market in the past eight years. Check Point Partner Awards was instituted to recognize and honour our partners. We are committed in providing development opportunities in the industry for our partners and are keen in providing them constant support and training. MillenniumIT is one of our dedicated partners and we are confident of even better accomplishments together in future."

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

Copyright 2011 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. brought to you by HT Media Ltd.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Programs help rural communities get connected and diversify; Alberta government three-year funding initiative completed.

M2 PRESSWIRE-May 20, 2011-: Programs help rural communities get connected and diversify; Alberta government three-year funding initiative completed(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:20052011

Edmonton... The Alberta government has approved 28 new projects that will create economic opportunities and improve access to high-speed broadband services in rural communities.

The $3.9 million investment completes a three-year funding initiative through the Rural Community Adaptation Grant Program and the Rural Connections: Community Broadband Infrastructure Pilot program. Funding for both programs was made available through the Government of Canada's Community Development Trust Fund to help provinces and territories assist communities, organizations and workers move towards great economic sustainability.

Since 2008/09, the Rural Community Adaptation Grant Program has provided $13.6 million to 67 projects to help rural communities adapt to changing economic circumstances. New projects receiving assistance include: the Vulcan Business Development Society will use a $144,000 grant to develop and implement a branding and marketing strategy for the region; a $250,000 grant will enable the Whitefish Lake Band #128 to further develop their business and human resource plan; and, the Village of Foremost received $250,000 to plan and advance the Unmanned Air Systems Training and Development Centre in the region.

Under the Rural Connections: Community Broadband Infrastructure Pilot Program, priority was given to community-led broadband infrastructure projects where rural Albertans have limited or no access to broadband connectivity. Since 2008/09, this program has provided $10.4 million to 34 projects connecting more rural communities to high-speed internet. New projects receiving assistance include: the Round Hill & District Agricultural Society received a $135,570 grant to develop and construct a wireless broadband infrastructure network in Round Hill and the regions north of Gwynne and south of Miquelon Lake; a $115,600 grant will assist the Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26 with an expanded wireless broadband network to areas in the southwest region of the Municipal District; and, Lac Ste. Anne County received $460,440 to support the development and construction of a wireless broadband network to provide coverage to areas of the County around the Cherhill and Rochford Bridge region.

Descriptions of all approved projects for the Rural Community Adaptation Grant Program and the Rural Connections: Community Broadband Infrastructure Pilot Program are available at www.rural.alberta.ca or by calling the Rural Development Division at 780-427-2409.

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Drew Hiltz

Rural Development Division

Agriculture and Rural Development

780-643-1830

Ag Media Line

780-422-1005

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

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

Brangelina restore chapel, spark wedding rumours.

starting restoration work on a 16th century chapel situated on their French estate.

Internet is abuzz with reports that the couple plan to tie the knot in the ancient church which they are restoring.

"Unless they're planning to use the venue for salsa dancing classes or speed dating nights for locals, this will inevitably lead to speculation they want to get hitched in it," read a report on E! Online.

"With six kids to look after, you can hardly blame the pair for keeping things close to home," said Sun online.

The couple splurged USD 55 million on the sprawling estate in the French Riviera near showbiz pals Johnny Depp and Bono. PTI KKR KKR 05041438

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE) 04-05 2011

Live Webinar Series: Sonic Foundry Announces April Lineup.

This month's best practice webinars feature Ashland University and key meeting services players

MADISON, Wis., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonic Foundry, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFO), the recognized market leader for rich media webcasting, lecture capture and knowledge management, will host two live webinars this month as part of the company's continuing best practice series.

To register for these webinars and to view a complete list of on-demand webinars visit www.sonicfoundry.com/webcasts.

Webinar: The Educational Technology Shopping List for Pain-Free Lecture Capture

When: Tuesday, April 26, 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. Central

Where: Register at http://bit.ly/dXMWii.

	Nontraditional students are increasing their demand for online learning. Thomas Kemp went looking for tools that would build a goof-proof, pain-free - and in some cases completely hands-free - technology-enhanced classroom. A space that would increase recording capacity, and ability to archive and distribute lecture captures, but decrease the amount of training time for staff, faculty and students.
	The search led to the Mediasite lecture capture system integrated with room control panels, electronic whiteboards, ceiling-mounted microphones, in-class mounted confidence monitors, high-tech projectors and motion-sensing wall-mounted cameras that auto-track the presenter. Put it all together and what do you get? A smart classroom that eliminates the need for staff to manually operate anything.
	Join us for this live webinar where Thomas will present his latest shopping list for automated lecture capture solutions and examples of room technology options that work.

Presenter: Thomas Kemp, director of instructional technology and support at Ashland University

Moderator: Sean Brown, vice president of Education of Sonic Foundry

Webinar: Don't Let the Technology Scare You - 2011 Virtual Meeting Series

When: Thursday, April 28, 11:00 - noon Central

Where: Register at http://bit.ly/dX9fRs.

	The final in a four-part webinar series, this webinar prepares you to integrate virtual event technologies to your event marketing plans. The technology can feel daunting and understanding technical requirements may go beyond the event professional's standard skill set. However, this session will give you the basic understanding of technical requirements to get you started.
	Key take-aways for participants include:
	* Knowledge of the technology and internet infrastructure required for integration on a small scale
	* The technical requirements, equipment needed and considerations for medium and larger events
	* How to leverage current program assets to easily integrate virtual event elements

Presenters:

Lynn Randall, managing member of Randall Insights LLC

Donny Neufuss, account manager of Sonic Foundry Event Services

Patrick Saty, vice president of sales of Client Solutions, Innovative Event Production/PRG

About Sonic Foundry, Inc.

Sonic Foundry (NASDAQ: SOFO, www.sonicfoundry.com) is the global leader for rich media webcasting and knowledge management, providing enterprise communication solutions for education, business and government. Powered by Mediasite, the patented webcasting platform which automates the capture, management, delivery and search of lectures, online training and briefings, Sonic Foundry empowers people to transform the way they communicate. Through the Mediasite platform and its Event Services group, the company helps customers connect a dynamic, evolving world of shared knowledge and envisions a future where learners and workers around the globe use webcasting to bridge time and distance, accelerate research and improve performance. Product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of Sonic Foundry, Inc. or their respective owners.

Certain statements contained in this news release regarding matters that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Because such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, uncertainties pertaining to continued market acceptance for Sonic Foundry's products, its ability to succeed in capturing significant revenues from media services and/or systems, the effect of new competitors in its market, integration of acquired business and other risk factors identified from time to time in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Sonic Foundry, Inc.