Vic: Ex-lawyer jailed for seven years over $185m tax scam

AAP General News (Australia)
02-22-2008
Vic: Ex-lawyer jailed for seven years over $185m tax scam

A former Melbourne lawyer .. who set up bogus investment schemes to defraud the Commonwealth
of 185 million dollars .. has been jailed for seven years.

57 year old PETER AMBROSY of East Malvern allegedly promoted schemes which claimed
false tax losses from the tax office between 1997 and 1999.

He's been sentenced in the Victorian Supreme Court to seven years jail today .. with
a minimum term of five years .. after pleading guilty to three counts of defrauding the
Commonwealth.

Judge MICHAEL MCINERNEY has described the fraud as a …

FED:Avoid rallies at wedding: DFAT

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2011
FED:Avoid rallies at wedding: DFAT

CANBERRA, April 28 AAP - Australia's foreign affairs department has warned visitors
to London for the royal wedding to avoid rallies as they may turn violent.

Official advice posted on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website says
the royal wedding may see "some protest activity".

"You should avoid all protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent," the department
advises.

"There will be heightened security provisions in place. You should follow the advice
and instructions of local authorities at all times."

But the overall advice - to "exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect
your safety in the United Kingdom because of the risk of terrorist attack" - has not changed.

Intelligence figures say the UK remains a potential target for terrorist activity,
with major attacks in 2005 and 2007.

AAP pjo/sb/de

KEYWORD: WEDDING DFAT

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

FED:RBA faces reshuffled economics committee

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2011
FED:RBA faces reshuffled economics committee

By Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - It's not usual for the nation's most influential banker to be
playing second fiddle to the politicians that keep a watchful eye on his monetary policy
operations.

But ahead of Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Glenn Stevens' six monthly appearance
before federal politicians this Friday, a key member of the House of Representative economics
committee has been grabbing the headlines on other monetary matters.

Embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson stood down as chair of the committee this week after
NSW police said they were looking into the alleged misuse of a credit card issued to him
when he was general secretary of the Health Services Union.

The member for Dobell has repeatedly denied claims he used the card to pay for the
services of prostitutes, but the issue has the potential to bring the minority Gillard
government to its knees should he be found guilty and have to stand down as a parliamentarian.

Still, such distractions are unlikely to interfere with Friday's proceedings in Melbourne
when Mr Stevens and his economics team face a three-hour grilling on interest rates, the
employment outlook after a spate of high-profile redundancies, the economy more generally,
and the impact of an uncertain global economy.

Labor member for Parramatta Julie Owens, who has been elevated to committee chair,
says the hearing is timely given the "competing pressures in the economy".

However, newly-appointed committee member Greens MP Adam Bandt will also quiz the governor
on the central bank's own scandal surrounding allegations of bribery, fraud and the supplying
of prostitutes to win contracts at its 50 per cent-owned company, Securency.

Seven people have already been charged for bribery offences in attempts to win contracts
for the polymer banknote-maker in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria to win contracts
between 1999 and 2005.

On more mainstream matters, the committee is expected to seek more detail on the economic
challenges facing the RBA, raised by deputy central bank governor Ric Battellino this
week.

"The resources boom has strengthened but the divergence between the mining and non-mining
sectors of the economy has increased and the mix of growth and inflation has turned out
to be less favourable than expected a year ago," Mr Battellino said in a speech in Sydney.

"There has been less growth but more inflation."

In its quarterly statement on monetary policy in early in August, the RBA slashed its
near-term economic growth forecasts.

This was due to coal production taking longer to recover from last summer's natural
disasters than first thought and a downward revision to consumer spending due to both
domestic and international worries.

But it was still pretty upbeat about the outlook, with Australia continuing to benefit
from the strong growth in Asia and a terms of trade estimated to be the highest level
on record.

By mid-2012, it expects the economy to be thundering along at 4.5 per cent.

However, the budget problems of Europe and the US do pose a "key downside risk".

Market volatility has seen local financial markets factor in the risk of 100 basis
points of interest rate cuts by the end of the year, starting with a reduction in September,
rather than the potential rate increases the central bank appeared to be alluding to just
a few months ago.

"An important issue ahead of us will be to assess what impact this is likely to have
on global and domestic economic activity, commodity prices and inflation. As yet, there
is little information on which to base such judgements," Mr Battellino said.

National Australia Bank senior economist David de Garis said the deputy governor's
comments "strongly implied" a September interest rate cut was unlikely.

AAP cb/klm/de

KEYWORD: RBA PREVIEW

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

FED:National Newslist for Monday, Feb 14

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2011
FED:National Newslist for Monday, Feb 14

AAP's National Newslist for Monday (not for publication). This is a guide only and
stories are subject to change. AAP's news editors can be contacted on 02 93228611/8610.

NATIONAL
HOSPITALS
- PM begins hard sell of hospitals funding agreement with states and territories; admits
it will be hard to achieve targets.

- Oppn says it is a political win for PM, but not health reform
- WA Premier Colin Barnett says the devil will be in the detail yet to be thrashed out.

- Health reform advocate describes deal as hospitals funding plan, not health reform.

- NSW Oppn Leader Barry O'Farrell under pressure to reveal his view of the health reform deal.

- Outwatching more reax.

ATKINSON
- Memorial Service for Cpl Richard Atkinson killed in Afghanistan in Launceston.

COURTS
MELBOURNE
- Trial continues for Judy Moran, charged with the murder of her brother-in-law Des Moran.

- Trial continues for a Victorian woman charged with murdering her husband after he allegedly
made constant demands for kinky sex.

- Trial expected to start between the Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria and a charity's
false claims about curing cancer, Supreme Court.

ADELAIDE
- Unionists rally outside Supreme Court ahead of a full court hearing of their challenge
to state budget.

- Murder trial Leanne Moorfoot over stabbing death of man in a drug-fuelled argument.

SYDNEY
- Inquest on Stacey Hutchins, who died after falling from cabin of semi-trailer near Blayney.

- Possible hearing for Benjamin McCall, accused of manslaughter of his brother.

CANBERRA
- Confirming reports Family First's Steve Fielding will support levy.
- ABS housing finance for December 1130(AEDT)
- Australia urges Egypt's military leaders to set a timetable for democratic elections.

- Business Council of Australia says Indonesian schools a possible area for savings in
the May budget.

- Joint parliamentary committee inquiry hearing into gambling reform 0900.

- Senate inquiry hearing into biosecurity and quarantine 1045.

ACT
- Man shot dead by police on Sunday, was also shot by police three years ago.

SYDNEY
POLLNSW
- Polls suggest Kristina Keneally will keep her seat in the March election but ministers
Matt Brown and Verity Firth will lose theirs.

- Keneally campaigning in outer southwest Sydney.

OTHERS
- ICAC inquiry into funding fraud allegations at Royal Hospital for Women and Royal North
Shore Hospital.

- NSW ambulance computer back online in three regions after a virus forced a shut down.

- Three men have been wounded in a drive-by shooting in Sydney.

- Police appeal for information about Sydney man missing for six months under suspicious
circumstances.

- World's first wind-powered car arrives in Sydney after trip from Perth.

- GetUp launches national TV campaign for gay legalisation of same-sex marriage.

MELBOURNE
- Melbourne based QANTAS pilots meeting at Tullarmaine.

- Aged care reform national day of action launch in Melbourne calling for more funding.

- Hotel cleaners protest on pay/conditions.

- Police seek witnesses to a shooting, after man arrived at hospital with a gunshot wound
to his leg.

- Mother of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says her son is the vitim of something akin
to a American "fatwa" and she fears for his wellbeing.

BRISBANE
- Possible court appearance of convicted murderer Luke Hunter caught after 15 years on the run.

- Seeking Bligh, Lucas, others on COAG health agreement.

- Yasi victims can apply for payments from premier's disaster relief fund; All north Qld
schools closed by Yasi to reopen today.

- Man man killed, woman injured in Gold Coast house fire.

- Brisbane ferry services resume after January floods.

GOLD COAST
- AWU Conference on Gold Coast. Anna Bligh official opening 1130; Julia Gillard dinner
guest speaker 1830. AAP covering.

ADELAIDE
- State government claiming credit for a baby boom of native fish

PERTH
- Outwatching bushfires.

HOBART
- Memorial service in Launceston for Corporal Richard Atkinson - killed in Afghanistan
on Feb 2. Funeral to be attended by Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Defence chiefs. St
Johns Anglican Church. AAP covering.

MEDICAL
- Researchers have pooled nearly 200,000 patient cholesterol records to point a finger
at the Australian states which have the unhealthiest hearts.

ENTERTAINMENT
LONDON - Geoffrey Rush picks up his third BAFTA for his role in The King's Speech
LA - Keith Urban wins Grammy but four Buddhist monks who teamed up with a producer on
the NSW north coast miss out.

SYDNEY - Sunday night TV ratings
SYDNEY - Weekly music charts
SYDNEY - Weekend US and Aust box office figures

The following AAP entertainment stories and features will be available today exclusively
on AAP's premium entertainment service. For a free trial contact David Gifford (02 93228400,
dgifford@aap.com.au), Amrita Sidhu (02 93228299 asidhu@aap.com.au) or Brooke Gold (02
93228401 bgold@aap.com.au)

SYDNEY - Interview with Peter Weir for the film The Way Back. (Film Back, by Katelyn Catanzariti)
SYDNEY - The Way Back review. (Film WayBack Review, by Katelyn Catanzariti)
SYDNEY - Celebrity quotes of the day (Celebrity Quotes)

INTERNATIONAL
AUCKLAND - NZ Green Party tries to block plans for Julia Gillard to address parliament
during her visit to Wellington.

AUCKLAND - The Princess Ashika manslaughter trial is expected to resume today.

JAKARTA - Terrorism trial of Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the suspected
mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombing, resumes.

PORT MORESBY - Reports an attack on Australian aid worker in a car jacking in Port Moresby
is linked to his work exposing corruption.

FINANCE
ECONOMICS:
Sydney - Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) housing finance data for December

EQUITIES:
Sydney - Leighton Holdings Ltd says it expects full year net profit to fall to $480 million
in 2010/11, after reporting a 25 per cent drop in first half profit.

Sydney - Insurance Australia Group Ltd forecasts that first half insurance profit will
decline 3.7 per cent as the company faces a greater than expected loss in the UK.

Melbourne - Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd has lifted first half profit by 67.1 per cent
and says solid margins and credit quality will protect it against volatile trading in
the second half.

Sydney - Specialty Fashion Group Ltd says first half profit fell 37 per cent due to a
very difficult trading environment and heavy discounting, and says apparel retailers face
"a new headwind" in rising input costs from China.

Sydney - Direct marketer Salmat Ltd has posted lower half year profit, but says it can
meet full year earnings guidance provided trading conditions remain stable.

Sydney - Lasoo Online Retailing 2011 press lunch
Sydney - Earthmoving equipment provider Emeco Holdings Ltd says it will book a $7.85 million
pre-tax impairment charge on its Indonesian business.

Sydney - Interactive Advertising Bureau Standards report to be released
Also Stocks, Dollar and Finance Briefs to come.

SPORT
CRICKET
BANGALORE, India - World Cup co-hosts India took advantage of an old-fashioned turning
pitch to crush Australia by 38 runs in a warm-up match in Bangalore on Sunday.

HOBART - Sheffield Shield: Tas v Vic, Bellerive Oval, day 4.
SOCCER
SYDNEY - A-League finals launch, Yaama Dhiyaan, Wilson St, 1100.

MELBOURNE - PFA Awards and Mark Viduka expected to win Alex Tobin Medal, 1930, Crown;
also Ben Buckley doorstop.

LEAGUE
SYDNEY/BRISBANE - News ahead of next round of NRL trial matches.

LONDON - Former Wests Tigers secondrower Ben Galea bagged a double as Hull KR earned the
bragging rights over rivals Hull yet again on the opening weekend of new Super League
season in Cardiff.

RUGBY
SYDNEY - NSW Waratahs training and 0845 media session Victoria Barracks ahead of opening
round of Super Rugby match v Melbourne.

MELBOURNE - Melbourne Rebels news ahead of clash v Waratahs.

BRISBANE - Qld Reds news.

AFL
MELBOURNE - AFL news ahead on next NAB Cup matches.

SYDNEY - GWS coach Kevin Sheedy presser, Blacktown Olympic Park, 1215, ahead of NAB Cup
clashes with Sydney and Gold Coast.

BRISBANE - Media conference with Brisbane coach Michael Voss, 1130 AEDT, Coorparoo.

RACING
MELBOURNE - Nominations for Saturday's Lightning Stakes meeting at Flemington featuring
Black Caviar.

SYDNEY - Entries for Saturday's Apollo Stakes meeting at Rosehill.

AAP bwl

KEYWORD: NATIONAL NEWSLIST

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

FED:Main stories in Tuesday's 0745 ABC news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2010
FED:Main stories in Tuesday's 0745 ABC news

SYDNEY, Aug 31 AAP - Main stories in Tuesday's 0745 ABC news:

- Prime Minister Julia Gillard will renew her case for governing during a speech at
the National Press Club later on Tuesday. The federal coalition is claiming to be in the
box seat on a two-party preferred basis.

- There will be three vacant seats in the upper house of the NSW parliament when it
resumes on Tuesday. It follows the resignations of Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, Labor's John
Della Bosca and the death of Shooters MP Roy Smith.

- Laws which would allow same sex couples in NSW to adopt will be voted on during the
current state parliamentary session, with Premier Kristina Keneally said to support the
issue.

- Former prime minister John Howard has taken sides in a factional dispute in the NSW
Liberal party by endorsing a candidate in a pre-selection contest.

- The NSW Department of Health says it is confident all hospitals across the state
will now have better procedures for administering epidural anaesthesia. This follows an
incident in Sydney's south in which a woman was injected with antiseptic rather than anaesthetic
as she gave birth.

- The United Nations climate panel has been told it needs to make fundamental reforms
to prevent the kind of embarrassing errors found in one of its global warming studies.

- The former partner of one of the Pakistani cricketers implicated in the current betting
scandal allegations has claimed he told her the Sydney Test between Australia and Pakistan
was rigged.

- US President Barack Obama has tried to calm jittery financial markets, promising
new measures including further tax cuts.

- The new prime minister of the Solomon Islands says sanctions will not bring about
change in Fiji and has called for positive engagement.

- Detectives will today question a man who drove himself home after being shot in the
head outside a property in Granville, in Sydney's west.

- The Australian share market is set to open lower after weak offshore leads.

- Victorian police say charges will not be pursued after Travis Tuck, a player with
AFL club Hawthorn Hawks, suffered a suspected drug overdose.

AAP mdg/wjf

KEYWORD: MONITOR 0745 ABC SYDNEY

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

Fed: War memorial unveils rare Gallipoli images

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2010
Fed: War memorial unveils rare Gallipoli images

The Australian War Memorial has unveiled seldom seen images of Australian sailors at
Gallipoli in 1915.

The pictures show men of the 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train at Suvla Bay
.. who were part of a little known Royal Australian Navy operation at Gallipoli.

The war memorial in Canberra says most of the images ..from the collection of Rear
Admiral LEIGHTON SEYMOUR BRACEGIRDLE .. have been held in the photograph collection for
decades.

They're now being released ahead of the 95th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli
.. to broaden public understanding of the ANZAC story on the Turkish peninsula.

AAP RTV mb/rl/wz/psm/

KEYWORD: GALLIPOLI IMAGES (CANBERRA)

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

NSW; One dead one critical after helicopter crash =2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2009
NSW; One dead one critical after helicopter crash =2

Police say the helicopter crashed in rainforest near Dorrigo .. inland from Coffs Harbour
.. about 11.30am (AEDT)

The injured person has been taken to Dorrigo Hospital .. and will be airlifted to another
hospital for further treatment.

AAP RTV wjf/wf

KEYWORD: HELICOPTER 2 SYDNEY

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

Telenet Chooses Comverse One Billing and Active Customer Management Solution

Wireless News
07-24-2009
Telenet Chooses Comverse One Billing and Active Customer Management Solution
Type: News

Telenet Group Holding, a provider of broadband cable services in Belgium, will use Comverse One Billing and Active Customer Management as its real-time rating and billing platform for digital television and mobile services.

By selecting Comverse One, Telenet confirmed its long-standing partnership with Comverse to provide a broad set of new subscriber services through advanced real-time rating and charging, subscriber account management, and billing for content, data and other value- added services. Comverse One's real-time functionality also will allow Telenet to customize marketing and promotional campaigns to encourage service usage and adoption among its subscribers.
"Convergent real-time rating and billing uniquely gives us the ability to use one system to manage all subscribers consistently, regardless of payment or service type, as well as accelerate the launch of new offers and promotions," said Telenet Executive Vice President Technology & Solutions Jan Vorstermans. "It gives Telenet the flexibility for key differentiation through personalization and bundled offers across fixed and mobile services."

Real Time Billing is just one of several deployment modes within the Comverse One solution, which is a converged Business Support System (BSS) that enables multi-play operators to support any type of payment, such as prepaid, postpaid or hybrid. Comverse One also allows operators to create and deliver any service over its network.

"Comverse is very pleased to be selected by Telenet, Belgium's largest cable broadband provider, as we believe that our BSS solution makes an excellent fit with the needs of cable telecom operators," said Urban Gillstrom, Group President of Global Sales at Comverse. "As more operators become quad-service players, Comverse One Billing and Active Customer Management is an ideal BSS solution due to its single data model approach and unified architecture that reduce complexity and speed time to market with its ability to support any service, any network, and any payment type -- all natural advantages in multi-play environments."

Comverse is a provider of software and systems enabling value- added services for voice, messaging, mobile Internet and mobile advertising; converged billing and active customer management; and IP communications.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2009 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SA: Business taxes costing jobs in SA says the opposition

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2008
SA: Business taxes costing jobs in SA says the opposition

The South Australian opposition has claimed high taxes are costing jobs in the state.

Opposition deputy leader VICKI CHAPMAN says a report from the Institute of Public Affairs
rates SA second behind NSW as the worst in the nation for business taxes.

Ms CHAPMAN says the IPA report comes after the Commonwealth Grants Commission rated
South Australia the highest taxing state.

She says next year will be a major struggle for businesses to keep staff and the government's
addiction to increasing taxes will mean fewer jobs for those who need them most.

But Premier MIKE RANN says the IPA report wouldn't have taken into account the latest
cuts to payroll tax.

Mr RANN's told ABC radio it's also important to keep the balance between revenue and
expenditure needs to help provide extra funding for health and to employ more doctors
.. nurses and police.

But Ms CHAPMAN says the IPA report shows tax reform in South Australia is a must.

AAP RTV tjd/crh

KEYWORD: TAXES SA (ADELAIDE)

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

FED: Aust and Fiji trade threats at Pacific leaders forum

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2008
FED: Aust and Fiji trade threats at Pacific leaders forum

Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD believes Fiji hasn't done itself any favours by boycotting
the Pacific leaders meeting in Niue.

Mr RUDD arrived in Niue's capital Alofi last night Australian time .. for three days
of talks with 14 other leaders at the 39th annual Pacific Islands Forum.

He suggests that Fiji's boycott of the forum may convince other nations to take a tough
stand on fresh Fijian elections.

Fiji's self-appointed prime minister FRANK BAINIMARAMA is boycotting the summit ..

and has complained he's being pushed to hold elections too soon.

He's told South Pacific governments his country needs their support as it reforms ahead
of promised elections .. but warns it would proceed without them if necessary.

Fiji's slow progress to democracy will be a major focus of the forum .. but the Pacific
leaders are also expected to discuss guest workers schemes and climate change.

AAP RTV jcd/wz/af

KEYWORD: FORUM (CANBERRA)

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

Fed: Struggling world economy will mean a tough budget: Swan

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2008
Fed: Struggling world economy will mean a tough budget: Swan

Treasurer WAYNE SWAN says the ailing global economy will make the RUDD government's
first budget a tight one.

He's issued the warning after meetings at the International Monetary Fund in Washington.

Mr SWAN's told ABC radio that slowing world growth .. international financial market
turmoil and higher inflation in the developed world .. all pose challenges for Australia.

He says we're better placed than most countries to handle the situation .. but it will
have a significant impact on the economy and the May 13 budget.

AAP RTV mj/jmt

KEYWORD: BUDGET SWAN (CANBERRA)

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

NSW: Man dead, another wounded after suspected knife fight

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2007
NSW: Man dead, another wounded after suspected knife fight

SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - One man is dead and another in hospital after what police suspect
was a knife fight in Sydney's west.

Police said officers were called to a service station on the Great Western Highway
at St Marys about 7am (AEDT) where a 21-year-old man was suffering from stab wounds.

He was rushed to hospital, where he was this morning in a stable condition.

After police spoke to him, officers attended a nearby unit block and found the body
of another man in the building's stairwell.

He had also suffered stab wounds, which investigators believe were the result a knife
fight, a police spokeswoman said.

Police have established crime scenes at the locations and were continuing their investigation.

AAP vpm/was/maur/jlw

KEYWORD: STABBING

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

Fed:Labor IR umpire plan another blow for small business =2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2007
Fed:Labor IR umpire plan another blow for small business =2

Labor's spokesman for small business Craig Emerson said Ms Bailey's claims were just plain wrong.

"Shadow industrial relations minister, Julia Gillard and I have already indicated publicly
that unfair dismissal cases will be resolved by the independent umpire, not union officials,"

Dr Emerson said.

"The claim from Small Business Minister Fran Bailey of union domination is parroting
straight from John Howard's propaganda machine.

"Minister Bailey has today referred to foxes and hens, but there's a lot of parroting
going on in the coalition's farmyard."

He said Fair Work Australia would benefit small business as a one-stop shop for practical
information and guidance on rates of pay and minimum working conditions.

It would be a decentralised body with mobile experts in dispute resolution, including
on unfair dismissals, being available at venues agreed by employers, he said.

Fair Work Australia would have a central telephone information service and will publish
workplace information on its website.

"It will be efficient, effective, informal and easily accessible to all Australians,
including small businesses," he said.

"Minister Bailey's claim that Labor's Fair Work Australia will comprise union officials
who will decide unfair dismissal cases is plain wrong."

AAP cb/cjh/cdh

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE BAILEY 2 CANBERRA (REOPENS)

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

Main stories in today's 1800 Nine news

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-2006
Main stories in today's 1800 Nine news

MELBOURNE, Dec 26 AAP - Main stories on today's National Nine News bulletin:

- As fairytales go, Shane Warne's couldn't have been better written as he scored his
700th Test wicket today.

- The Packer family has established a $10 million foundation for upcoming cricketers
in honour of Kerry Packer.

- Another Boxing Day tradition is underway as the Sydney to Hobart yacht race heads
down the New South Wales east coast.

- Department stores were under siege today for the Boxing Day sales.

AAP cmb/jnb

KEYWORD: MONITOR NINE 1800

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

Tas: Wildilfe groups appeal wallaby, pademelon harvesting plan

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2006
Tas: Wildilfe groups appeal wallaby, pademelon harvesting plan

Wildlife protection groups will appeal the federal government's approval of the harvesting
and export of wallabies and pademelons in Tasmania.

The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia will launch its challenge in the Brisbane
Administrative Appeals Tribunal on Monday.

WPAA president PAT O'BRIEN says the plans .. approved by the federal government last
year .. allowed the export of Bennett's wallaby skin and meat from King and Flinders islands.

They also include the export of Tasmanian pademelon products from Flinders Island.

The association claims the plans breach the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act by allowing the use of low-powered and inaccurate 22 calibre rifles for
harvesting.

Mr O'BRIEN says the plans also fail to deal with humane issues .. particularly in relation
to the killing of joeys.







Tasmanian Primary Industries Minister DAVID LLEWELLYN has welcomed the appeal.

He says harvesting of wallabies and pademelons is an important step to finding sustainable
and humane alternatives to 1080 poison.

AAP RTV rgr/crh/bart

KEYWORD: WALLABY (HOBART)

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

Fed: Scrap $200m divorce reforms, report urges

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2006
Fed: Scrap $200m divorce reforms, report urges

(EDS: Embargoed until 0001 AEST on Wednesday, April 12, 2006)



By Robin Pash

CANBERRA, April 12 AAP - The federal government is wasting $200 million on family law
reform centres that will not be used by 95 per cent of separating couples, new research
suggests.

The study by the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), a public policy think tank,
found the federal government's plans to establish a network of Family Relationship Centres
would duplicate existing services determining custody issues involving children in separated
relationships.

The CIS said the new service would not be needed by 95 per cent of separating couples
and would do nothing to improve the divorce process.

In an effort to make divorce involving child custody less adversarial, the government
is setting up 65 centres nationwide to provide dispute resolution services before cases
go to court.

The system, part of the biggest shake-up to family law in more than 30 years, forces
couples on the verge of a break-up to seek mediation and develop parenting plans that
allow children to spend time with both parents.

The system aims to make the Family Court a place of last resort, dealing with only
the most difficult cases involving child custody.

But CIS researcher Arti Sharma found the centres would be a waste of resources and
money and the program should be scrapped.

"They are being established so that the government is seen to be doing something about
the divorce process, but in reality these centres will do nothing at all to improve the
system," she said.

Requiring couples to develop parenting plans ahead of a court case was sound, Ms Sharma
said, but how the plans were developed should be left to the parents.

"Only after couples have tried to resolve parenting issues and failed is there any
need for compulsory dispute resolution," she said.

"By making dispute resolution compulsory for divorcing couples who do not need help,
the government is reaching new levels of paternalistic intervention."

The report found the centres would needlessly duplicate relationship services already
available through community providers.

"The danger is that this will end up destroying the community sector's independence,
wasting taxpayers' money and hindering rather than helping couples who need assistance
with the divorce process," Ms Sharma said.

"Family Relationship Centres represent the incorporation of private, voluntary and
community services into an intrusive bureaucracy."

Ms Sharma said there was a danger the new centres would overlook more difficult cases
in favour of simpler ones.

The report said the reforms were well intentioned, but good outcomes were "highly doubtful".

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock last week invited a small group of mainly church-run
welfare groups to operate the first 15 centres.

AAP rp/so/jm/de

KEYWORD: DIVORCE (EMBARGOED)

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

THE MARKETS.(Business)

A last-minute rally yesterday pulled blue-chip stocks out of a deep slump, slashing sharp losses to nearly nothing in the final 30 minutes of trading. The Nasdaq composite index reached its tenth record since Dec. 18. Among stocks in the news:

Amazon.com Inc., up 20 9/16 at 158 9/16. Internet stocks rose on prospects for booming sales and increased profits.

SeaMed Corp., down 3 15/16 at 7 9/16. The Redmond maker of advanced medical instruments warned it expects net income for the second quarter ended Dec. 31 will be 15 cents a share to 17 cents because of delays and cancellations of projects. The company was expected to earn 21 cents, the average estimate of four analysts surveyed by First Call.

Lowe's Companies Inc., up 1 9/16 at 53 13/16. The nation's No. 2 retailer of home-improvement products, which is buying Eagle Hardware, said sales for the five-week period ended Jan. 1 rose 24 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.

ThereAEs no limits.

After facing death on a mountain peak, a Dubai-based adrenaline junkie tells Eve Dugdale that everything is possible If you need to prepare yourself for blizzard like conditions and sub zero temperatures where would you head to? China, the Alps, maybe even the north of England. What about right here in the middle of the desert? When experienced British climber, Squash Falconer, decided to move to Dubai to work, she thought she'd have to give up her number one hobby - climbing the world's highest mountains. But as it happened the emirate provided Squash, 27, with everything she needed to prepare herself for one of her most dangerous and challenging trips. "I was only meant to be here a few weeks but I ended up being offered more work and decided to stay. I basically put on loads of weight and everyone was saying to me "You've got the Dubai stone!" she recalls. "That encouraged me to start thinking about climbing my next mountain, but I was in conflict, because I thought I need to be in the Alps, I need to be in England, I can't possibly train in Dubai." Squash came to associate Dubai with working hard, having no life, doing no exercise and getting fat. She decided she needed to change her perspective and signed up for the gym. After becoming bored with that she discovered Ski Dubai and before long set up a training regime that involved getting a regular 'cold fix' at the indoor skiing centre. "People were really surprised when I told them I was still doing the mountain climb, because I was based in Dubai. They all thought I needed to be in England or France." Squash found however, that she simply needed to wait for the cooler temperatures in the evening, and then run along the beach or marina in order to train in Dubai. "You have the sea, you have the views and the sail in the background, its like you're running in a picture. "The heat's actually quite good too, because it makes you sweat. I also did wake boarding for strength training in the sea." As well as skiing and boarding at Ski Dubai, Squash also took to walking up the sides of the slope with a pack on her back to imitate being on a steep mountain climb. "You haven't got the altitude, but that's not a problem because even if I trained in England I wouldn't be doing altitude training anyway." Before long Squash was on her way to Cho Oyu on the border of China and Nepal. The 8,201-metre mountain has been skied by fewer than ten people and no British women. But Squash's Dubai training regime set her in good stead to become the first woman to 'bum board' (like a snowboard that you sit on) down the mountain. It wasn't all fun however. Squash's expedition team were caught up in a blizzard which ripped away all their tents in the middle of the night, leaving them clinging to the ground with ice axes. She also came face to face with death on the mountain after developing suspected cerebral edema - a brain swelling condition related to low oxygen levels in the air. "I lost the ability to speak and I couldn't function properly," she says. "I was abseiling down a rock face and the snow was coming in horizontally, so I couldn't see the face I was climbing on. "I was stabbing my crampons (boots with pointed metal parts to stab into the ice) through when I stabbed an old rope." Squash's foot was jammed, the oxygen tank on her back was weighing her down and she was also exhausted from the cerebral edema. She had to let go of her rope and was slipping in and out of consciousness while hanging upside down from her harness. Fortunately, a local mountain guide and fellow climber spotted her and came to the rescue. "The drop was thousands of metres and once you start falling you're dead. "We had a guy fall near where I fell and he died, so I was really lucky," she says. Squash is now putting her life experiences to good use with a company she co-founded - Sanity Management - which helps people become more successful at what they do. The company is global and Squash hopes to remain in Dubai. She adds: "You can do anything here, the opportunities are amazing. "I won't hear of it when people say they can't do something because they're here in Dubai." Squash's next ambition is to climb Everest.

2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Reports from E.O. Im and Colleagues Advance Knowledge in Obstetrics.

In this recent article published in the Jognn - Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, scientists in Austin, United States conducted a study "To explore attitudes toward physical activity of White midlife women in the United States using a feminist perspective. A cross-sectional qualitative study using a thematic analysis."

"Internet communities for midlife women. Twenty-nine White midlife women in the United States recruited using a convenience sampling method. We used 17 topics on attitudes toward physical activity and ethnic-specific contexts to administer an online forum. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis. We found three themes: thinking without action, gendered and sedentary culture, and motivating myself. The women knew and understood the necessity of physical activity for their physical and mental health but in most cases had not been able to take action to increase their physical activities. Although the culture that circumscribed the women's physical activity was sedentary in nature, the women tried to motivate themselves to increase their physical activities through several creative strategies," wrote E.O. Im and colleagues (see also Obstetrics).

The researchers concluded: "The findings strongly suggest that although women were doing their best, American culture itself needs to be changed to help women increase physical activity in their daily lives."

Im and colleagues published their study in Jognn - Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing (Attitudes Toward Physical Activity of White Midlife Women. Jognn - Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 2011;40(3):312-321).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting E.O. Im, University of Texas Austin, School Nursing, La Quinta Motor Inns Inc., 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, United States.

The publisher of the Jognn - Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing can be contacted at: Wiley-Blackwell, Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA.

Keywords: City:Austin, State:Texas, Country:United States, Region:North and Central America, Gynecology, Obstetrics, Women's Health

This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com.

Recent Findings from National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Highlight Research in Environmental Conservation.

According to a study from Nelson, New Zealand, "Trade in ornamental marine species in Australia, a country with relatively stringent import controls, was investigated using a telephone survey of wholesalers and retailers, and a desktop review of internet import databases and hobbyist trading websites. Information on the regulatory framework was obtained from government and other published or online sources, and from staff of regulatory agencies."

"Although the trade is small relative to that in the USA, Europe and parts of Asia, Australia imports significant numbers of marine fish each year for the aquarium trade. Many of the more than 200 species imported have the potential to become environmental and/or economic pests. Imported individuals of native species could act as vectors of disease or affect the genetic diversity of native populations if they were released into the wild. Regulatory measures include the use of lists of permitted species of plants and animals, a case-bycase risk assessment process for species not on these lists, and requirements for health certification and quarantining of imported stock. Once within Australia, however, translocation is less rigorously controlled, being managed by individual states and based largely on lists of prohibited species, though generally with scope for case-by-case assessment and refusal of permits for unwanted species, such as recognized pests. Wholesalers and retailers interviewed generally showed a responsible attitude to the disposal of dead or unwanted stock, but awareness and understanding of the potential pest risk of ornamental marine species was generally poor," wrote D. Morrisey and colleagues, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

The researchers concluded: "The importance of raising public awareness of the pest potential of ornamental marine species is likely to increase with the growing importance of mail-order and internet trade."

Morrisey and colleagues published the results of their research in Environmental Conservation (Characterization of the marine aquarium trade and management of associated marine pests in Australia, a country with stringent import biosecurity regulation. Environmental Conservation, 2011;38(1):89-100).

For additional information, contact D. Morrisey, National Institute Water & Atmospher Research Ltd, POB 893, Nelson, NEW ZEALAND.

The publisher of the journal Environmental Conservation can be contacted at: Cambridge University Press, 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473, USA.

Keywords: City:Nelson, Country:New Zealand, Region:Australia and New Zealand, Asia, China, Ecology, Environmental Conservation

This article was prepared by China Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, China Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

bswift Executives Participate in Utah Health Exchange Symposium.

Executives from bswift addressed 79 top policy officials from 30 states at a state health exchange symposium in Salt Lake City hosted by Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert and members of his Utah Health Exchange team.

The Company noted the officials came to learn how the state of Utah has built and operated its Health Exchange, an operational exchange. Key private sector partners in the Utah Health Exchange, including bswift, the Exchange's technology platform provider, also participated in the Symposium.

In his remarks, bswift Executive Vice President Raymond Seaver emphasized two critical factors in the development of efficient and viable health exchanges:

1) Involvement of experienced private-sector partners who understand the administrative challenges and complexities of building an exchange; and

2) Use of an employer-based exchange model, such as the Small Business Health Option (SHOP) exchange defined in the 2010 health care reform legislation, in addition to the widely discussed individual exchange model, i.e. the American Health Benefits Exchange (AHBE).

"Shopping for health insurance on the Internet is much more complicated than buying a plane ticket or a hotel room," Seaver explained, "because there are myriad rules governing enrollment and eligibility that need to be built into the online exchange system. That's why it's so critical for state governments to partner with experts such as bswift rather than trying to build the technology themselves. What we've learned in Utah is that the user friendliness of the shopping experience will always be important, but there are numerous complex back-end processes and administrative functions that need to be worked out amongst multiple stakeholders - including employees, employers, brokers and carriers - in order to enable the consumer to shop and obtain coverage."

In her remarks, Patty Conner, director of the Utah Health Exchange, stressed the advantages of leveraging the existing capabilities of private sector companies to launch and operate an exchange, both from an economic and technological perspective.

"Utah is a national model for other states who are interested in building their own exchanges, either to comply with new federal laws or as a way of making insurance more accessible," noted Conner.

"Utah's defined-contribution model is proving effective in enabling employers to provide funding for health care, while transitioning 'ownership' of the health insurance purchase to consumers," said Seaver. In the Utah model, employers give employees a specific amount of money to purchase health care insurance on the Utah Health Exchange and to choose from four carriers and more than 100 plans.

"As a key Utah Health Exchange technology partner, bswift is proud to support the launch of this model," says Rich Gallun, bswift CEO. "We foresee that most of our clients will eventually participate in health exchanges in one way or another, so we have a vested interest in helping them through this transitional period and in helping other states develop solutions that can be operationalized quickly and effectively to help their constituents."

Based in Chicago, bswift offers software and services that streamline HR and benefits administration.

More information:

bswift.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Seagate Appoints Industry Veteran Albert "Rocky" Pimentel as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing.

Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) announced that Albert "Rocky" Pimentel has joined the company as executive vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing. In his new role, Pimentel will lead the global team comprising Sales, Sales Operations, Product Line Management, Marketing and Retail.

Mr. Pimentel has served on Seagate's Board of Directors since 2009 and has played a central leadership role at a number of well-known technology companies. His storage industry experience includes being a member of the early Seagate management team working with founders Al Shugart and Finis Conner as well as being part of the founding management team of Conner Peripherals. Since that time, his diverse career experience included having served as COO and CFO of McAfee, and SVP and CFO of LSI Logic. His lengthy high-technology background also includes serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Xilinx, as well as senior leadership positions at Glu Mobile, Zone Labs, WebTV Networks and Redpoint Ventures. His successful experiences in storage, enterprise software, consumer software, internet services, digital media and consumer appliances complements the current and future market opportunities Seagate is pursuing.

"Rocky will be a tremendous asset as a member of our day-to-day leadership team," said Seagate Chairman and CEO Steve Luczo. "He has a wealth of experience in technology that will be beneficial to Seagate, ranging from storage to semiconductors to mobile and security software. Rocky's tenure on Seagate's Board gives him a deep understanding of our business and visibility into the company's operations. I speak for the entire management team when I say that we look forward to Rocky's leadership in driving our new global sales and marketing initiatives and brand awareness."

"The storage industry has many great opportunities for growth and Seagate has the innovation, operational excellence, and world-class team onboard to excel," said Pimentel. "I'm pleased to be part of such an accomplished group and look forward to helping strengthen our position further in the market."

Pimentel's position was previously held by EVP Kurt Richarz on an interim basis as Seagate's management team planned its realignment strategy. Richarz will continue to manage Sales, Sales Operations and Marketing to ensure alignment and efficiency. Pimentel has ended his tenure on the Seagate Board of Directors and will report directly to Steve Luczo in his new executive management position. About Seagate Seagate is the world leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions. Learn more at Seagate.com

Keywords: Advertising, Electronics, Marketing, Seagate, Semiconductor, Software, Technology.

This article was prepared by Computer Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Computer Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

Penn Virginia Corporation Schedules Conference Call for First Quarter 2011 Results.

RADNOR, Pa. -- Penn Virginia Corporation (NYSE: PVA) today announced that it will release its first quarter 2011 results after the market closes on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 and hold a conference call / webcast on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

The full text of the press release and a link to the webcast will be available at PVA's website or at http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=278757&s=1&k=7F01D336DE52A8FF5C633E22D3BA6874, as well as through other electronic business news services.

We invite you to listen to the conference call, during which prepared remarks by H. Baird Whitehead, President and Chief Operating Officer, and other members of management will be followed by a question and answer session. You can participate in the conference call by phone or via the Internet.

			Event:				Conference call to discuss first quarter 2011 results.
			Timing:				May 5, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
			Internet:				Log onto PVA's website, www.pennvirginia.com, 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call to download and install any necessary audio software.
			Phone:				Dial 866-630-9986 five to ten minutes before the scheduled start of the conference call and use the conference code 7415900.
			Replay:				A telephonic replay will be available for two weeks beginning approximately 24 hours after the call. The replay can be accessed by dialing toll free 888-203-1112 (international: 719-457-0820) and using the replay code 7415900. In addition, an on-demand replay of the webcast will also be available for two weeks at PVA's website beginning approximately 24 hours after the webcast.

Penn Virginia Corporation (NYSE: PVA) is an independent natural gas and oil company focused on the exploration, acquisition, development and production of reserves in onshore regions of the U.S., including Oklahoma, Texas, the Appalachian Basin and Mississippi.

For more information, please visit our website at www.pennvirginia.com .

PACKAGE TRAVEL : OPTIONS FOR BOOSTING PROTECTION OF HOLIDAY MAKERS.

The consequences of the cloud of volcanic ash on holiday makers and service providers brought back to centre-stage the need to clarify the question of liability. Directive 90/314/EEC on package travel, package holidays and package tours does not make a distinction between the organiser and the retailer in terms of liability. Nor does it cover situations that did not exist (or were relatively rare) at the time of its adoption, in 1990. Indeed, consumers who put together their own package in just a few clicks on sites like Opodo, Expedia or TripAdvisor are not protected by this directive.

The results of a public consultation on revision of this directive show that views differ on the different aspects to be regulated and on how to do so. The European Commission sponsored a workshop, on 22 April, to present its different proposals.

EIGHT APPROACHES

After studying the 161 responses to its public consultation, which closed on 7 February, the Commission identified eight options.

1. The status quo - maintaining the directive in its present form. Infringement proceedings could be launched against member states not applying the directive correctly or failing to transpose it correctly into national law.

2. Maintaining the directive in its present form and preparing guidelines on the scope and liabilities of organisers and retailers and the role of the Court of Justice.

3. Introduction of a European logo that helps consumers to identify whether the package falls under the scope of the directive; its introduction would be matched with information campaigns.

4. Repeal of Directive 90/314/EEC and self-regulation by the industry.

5. A minimum legislative approach: the basic legal structure of the existing directive would be kept but the text would be adapted. In concrete terms, the revision would involve coverage of dynamic packages, ie put together by consumers themselves from a single site, and would clarify professionals' obligations (information and assistance). It would also involve an update of information requirements and special requirements for pre-contractual information. Price revision after conclusion of the contract would be limited to 10% under specific conditions.

6. A medium legislative approach: adaptation of the directive would include packages assembled through the internet from two or more websites ( click-through sales').

7. A maximum legislative approach would include protection against insolvency.

8. A maximum plus' approach: the consumer would be protected for all travel arrangements.

For the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators' Association (ECTAA), consumers obviously have to be protected, but the sector's competitiveness also has to be safeguarded and greater protection comes at a cost. ECTAA prefers certain policy principles - eg only private consumers should be covered - to the different options presented. The travel association ABTA, which represents travel agencies and tour operators, backs the medium legislative approach involving extension of the directive's scope (to combined holidays, for instance) and coverage of click-through sales.

At the EP plenary, on 8 March, Consumer Affairs Commissioner John Dalli promised to present legislative proposals by the end of 2010 or early in 2011.

High Density Networks Closes a $1 Million Investment Round.

New investment comes from both existing and new investors, Investment will fund continued market expansion of leading next generation broadband wireless service provider.

LOS ANGELES, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- High Density Networks, ("HDN") a leading provider of WiMAX / Wi-Fi Internet access, single dish High Definition DIRECTV and digital voice (d-Voice(R)) for multi-dwelling units (MDUs), announced today it has closed its latest round of financing with $1 million in cash. HDN will use the proceeds to expand its customer base through organic growth as it continues to populate its built-out Los Angeles network. The investment comes from existing investor, Certare Ventures, LLP, as well as from Barry Pier, the new Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of HDN. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

"This is a critical time in the evolution of the wireless broadband market, and the proceeds of this round will help us reach our goal of becoming one of the leading wireless broadband companies," said Barry Pier, CEO of HDN. Pier added, "We plan to use the proceeds of this round to establish a scalable and profitable model for expansion within our Los Angeles network. Establishing these 'proof points' will serve us well as we explore additional market expansion opportunities. We are pleased to have participation from our existing investors who have a successful track record and their continued interest validates our view that HDN is taking the lead in a market space with tremendous growth potential."

HDN is currently pioneering the development of fixed wireless networks utilizing a combination of building rooftops and wireless in-building systems. HDN delivers high-speed Internet access with symmetrical upload and download speeds that surpass cable and phone company offerings. HDN's current network addresses over 150,000 units in the Los Angeles market.

About High Density Networks:

High Density Networks, Inc. (HDN) is one of the largest service providers of WiMAX / Wi-Fi, DIRECTV and digital voice for multi-family communities, commercial office buildings and municipalities. HDN provides high speed wireless Internet (starting at $29.99 with speeds up to 7.5Mbps), DIRECTV ($29.99) and Digital Voice d-Voice(R) ($24.99). Bundle discounts and private label bulk rate services are available from HDN. For commercial use, HDN provides up to 100 Mbps and enterprise digital voice services to small and medium size businesses (SMB). For more information, please visit hdn.net.

CONTACT: Barry Pier, CEO of High Density Networks, Inc., +1-303-915-3375, barry@hdn.net

Web Site: http://www.hdn.net/

The World Wide Web. (information on spinal cord injury)(part 1)

References to the World Wide Web are everywhere--companies, businesses, public services, hospitals, and the media advertise with "See our home page on the World Wide Web." Web site addresses appear in billboard, newspaper, and TV ads. If you have seen something the symbols "http://www news.com," it's an Internet/ World Wide Web address. The White House, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Smithsonian all have home pages on the Web. The Sunday comics are full of references to the information superhighway.

Never been on the Internet? Can't imagine what it all means? Here's a short course about the Web to bring you up to speed.

THE INTERNET

The Internet began in the 1970's when the U.S. Department of Defense created a way to route messages in a national emergency even if part of the network was shut down. Near the end of the 1980's, the National Science Foundation added five research-center computers to this network to share information. In the early 1990's, commercial sites joined the Net, the World Wide Web was created, and several browsers became available. (More on browsers later.

Approximately 50,000 mainframe and work-station computers make up the Internet. When you use your computer and modem to gather information or communicate with others, you may be sitting in your bedroom, but you're operating in cyberspace.

Cyberspace is an intellectual or mental environment. You represent yourself in that community according to what you type into the computer, not how you look physically. Cyberspace has a culture with rules and etiquette. A 65-year-old West Indian woman and a white male with C2 quadriplegia look the same online. If you want to make an impression on the Internet, exercise your mind and buff up the way you express yourself; no one looks at your body.

To get a picture of the Internet, think of the Earth with 50,000 computers as dots scattered around the globe. Connect the dots between each computer to "see" he Internet, a network of communication. Each computer can connect with every other one and transmit information along those pathways. Most of the host computers on the Internet were UNIX work-stations that required users be fluent in UNIX operating-systems commands. I took several workshops on the Internet, but I never seemed to feel the effort was worth it until the Web came along.

Tim Berners-Lee, at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (currently with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), started the World Wide Web in 1992. The Web offers point-and-click access to the most colorful and interesting information on the Internet. Originally designed to distribute scientific research, the Web allows computer users to view information by pointing and clicking on icons.

Creation of the Web made information easier to access and more interesting to view. In addition to text, Web sites present their public faces as documents containing photographs, drawings, diagrams, sounds (including music), and video sequences. Having a home page on the Web, a Web home page, or a World Wide Web site is the equivalent of opening a storefront in cyberspace. Now we are listed in telephone directories; someday we will have home pages.

SURFING THE WEB

In order to surf the Web, you need an Internet connection and browser software. Browsers include Mosaic, Lynx, and Netscape. Next month's column will contain technical information on the different kinds of Internet connections, but for now we are just going to assume you have a connection and are using Netscape, one of the most popular Web browsers.

To get on the Net, double click on the Netscape icon. It opens to a master page with buttons to "print," "stop," and "search," in addition to the regular menu-bar commands. Now I do all my research for Computer Bits on the Web. For this column, I typed in the word "Web" and printed out 25 pages of information from different sources, mostly from Georgetown University's "Guide to the Web" page.

To browse, type in the exact address or a general category. For example, the San Francisco Giants baseball team has a Web page called "Virtual Dugout." To get there, you key in "virtual dugout" or "Giants baseball." A menu of buttons appears on your screen so you can choose more information such as photographs, biographies, statistics, game schedules, conference standings, directions to the ballpark, the latest on the proposed new field, an opportunity to buy a sweatshirt from the online color catalog, or tickets to today's game.

Some Web sites are interactive and allow you to leave messages or order products, but many only let you view the contents. Not only can you visit a Web site, you can also publish your own or help others create home pages. Wherever you go on the Internet, you are traveling on the cutting edge of the information age. Next month's column will review some of the technical aspects of the Web and suggest some sites worth visiting.

9/11 exhibit travels to Aurora Museum will display items from ground zero.(News)

Byline: Kari Craig, Rocky Mountain News

A damaged American flag, a firefighter's oxygen tank, a fragment of an airplane - those are among items recovered from the World Trade Center that will go on display in Aurora on July 3.

Curators at the Aurora History Museum Friday began unpacking crates of World Trade Center wreckage in preparation for an exhibit documenting the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.

"I'm really excited that we're getting to host something so unique," museum curator Matt Chasansky said Friday.

"We're, for the first time, doing something that has an immediate impact on people's lives," he said. "We're telling a story that is continuing to evolve."

The wreckage was recovered by the New York State Museum. Also on display will be a fragment of the World Trade Center facade and a 21-foot replica of the Sept. 11 timeline that was displayed at ground zero.

Friday afternoon, the gloved hands of curators unwrapped crates containing relics of the tragedy: keys to doors that no longer exist, magnets once meant for WTC tourists.

And then there's the flag. It was recovered from atop one of the towers, its once-white stripes turned gray with dirt and soot, its red-and-blue hues running together.

Because they haven't finished unpacking all the crates, staffers were not sure how much will go on display.

Fort Collins resident and Poudre High School teacher Craig Woodall lost his brother, Brent Woodall, when the south tower collapsed. The exhibit sounds like something he would like to see.

"I think it's good that they are reminding people of this event," he said. "It's easy to get caught up in your everyday life and forget about what happened that day."

It was an accident that brought the exhibit to Aurora, Chasansky said. He came across a New York State Museum exhibit about Sept. 11 while doing Internet research more than a year ago.

A call to the New York State Museum prompted the idea of a traveling 9/11 exhibit, which contains many items that have not been publicly displayed.

"September 11, 2001: The First 24 Hours" also includes a musical composition commissioned by the Aurora Museum Foundation.

A photo of recovered metal inspired Ken Clinton's The Recovery Suite. Hand bells and French horns are mixed with personal interviews from people who were at the WTC on Sept. 11.

The instruments mimic collapsing buildings.

"There's a section where you hear in slow motion the ... buildings that went down. It's like they're all going down at the same time," he said.

"You can hear the dust, and you can hear clanging of metal."

The movement ends with a lone G pitch - G for ground zero.

INFOBOX

Sept. 11, 2001: The First 24 Hours

* Where: Aurora History Museum, 51051 E. Alameda Parkway.

* When: July 3-Sept. 30, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

* Admission: Free.

For more information, call the museum at 303-739-6666 or visit its Web site at auroramuseum.org.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Matt Chasansky, right, and Michael Thompson unpack artifacts Friday for the upcoming 9/11 exhibit at the Aurora History Museum. The items documenting the tragic events of Sept. 11 , 2001, are on loan from the New York State Museum. PHOTOS BY CHRIS SCHNEIDER / ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS