SA: Crisis to plunge SA further into deficit

AAP General News (Australia)
02-06-2009
SA: Crisis to plunge SA further into deficit

ADELAIDE, Feb 6 AAP - South Australia's budget will plunge further into deficit because
of the global financial crisis.

Treasurer Kevin Foley confirmed on Friday that the downturn would wipe another $880
million from the state's expected tax revenues over the next four years, taking the total
forecast damage to more than $1.5 billion.

Mr Foley said it was a "huge hit" for the SA economy.

"Our budget will be going into deficit in this financial year and for the next few
financial years as we work our way through this incredibly sharp downturn," …

Intermedia Acquires Zlago

Wireless News
06-17-2011
Intermedia Acquires Zlago
Type: News

Intermedia, a global provider of cloud services and the largest Microsoft Exchange hosting provider, announced its acquisition of Zlago, a privately held provider of cloud services.The Zlago acquisition was executed as part of Intermedia's recent acquisition by private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners. Zlago founder and CEO Michael Gold now serves as Intermedia's president, reporting to Intermedia chairman and CEO Phil Koen - former CEO, Savvis.Intermedia distributes cloud services to 38,000 small and mid- size business customers directly and through its 6,800 global channel partners. The company manages 320,000 premium hosted Exchange mailboxes."Intermedia's products and channel programs are widely viewed as best in class," said Michael Gold, president, Intermedia. "I am pleased to bring their superior support, complimentary migration to the cloud, innovative technology, and always-on operations to Zlago's partners. My focus at Intermedia will be on continuing to improve that industry-leading experience and extending it to an even broader set of cloud services."Gold brings over 15 years of senior management experience in cloud services and channel development to Intermedia. Prior to Zlago, he was CEO of Sphera, a cloud services software company that he sold to cloud automation provider Parallels, where he served as a senior VP. Gold has held a variety of other executive roles in the industry, including CEO of software company Vicorp and senior VP of Qwest Communications (now CenturyLink), where he had P&L responsibility for the Internet Products business and launched Qwest's CyberCenter datacenter and hosting business.((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

FED:GDP data will show economic strength: Swan

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2011
FED:GDP data will show economic strength: Swan

By Ed Logue

CANBERRA, Dec 4 AAP - Treasurer Wayne Swan says the release of the latest economic
growth data will again emphasise the strength of Australia's economy compared with its
fellow developed nations.

This is despite the government last week publishing downward forecasts for the local
economy over the next four years.

The release on Wednesday of the national accounts, including gross domestic product
(GDP), for the September quarter would reveal how the economy travelled in that period,
Mr Swan said.

Economists from AMP, the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac have all forecast that the economy
will have expanded between one and 1.3 per cent during the September quarter.

It would follow the 1.2 per cent growth in the June quarter after the economy contracted
by 0.9 per cent in the first three months of 2011 because of the summer natural disasters.

Mr Swan said the economy's fundamentals were strong, which allowed Australia to remain
streets ahead of its peers in most economic measures.

"While we shouldn't downplay the challenges confronting the global economy, it's just
as important not to lose sight of our own strengths," he said in his weekly economic note
released on Sunday.

Data released last week showed an ongoing boom in capital spending and indicated Australia's
economic strength for the years ahead, Mr Swan said.

He said companies continued to invest in new buildings, machinery and equipment, with
spending set to rise by 32 per cent to a record $158 billion in the year ending June 30,
2012.

The increase in business investment was a "resounding vote of confidence" in the national
economy, Mr Swan said.

"Businesses are spending more money to expand production and add capacity because they
have faith in the future - that's good news for jobs," he said.

Asian demand for Australian coal, iron ore, oil and natural gas would power investment
in the resources sector, the note said.

"This record level of investment provides a solid bedrock for our economy that will
help us withstand the global turbulence we're likely to see continue for some time to
come," it said.

While the mining boom continued, Mr Swan said it was important for the government to
return the budget to surplus in 2012-13.

Treasury forecast an underlying budget surplus of $1.5 billion in 2012-13, down from
$3.5 billion predicted six months ago.

"Maintaining our fiscal rigour is absolutely essential at a time when markets are punishing
those without discipline," Mr Swan said.

But the deficit for the current financial year expanded, to $37.1 billion from $22.6
billion forecast in May.

With the economy recovering from early 2011, the likelihood has diminished of a second
consecutive rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The central bank cut its overnight cash rate from 4.75 per cent to 4.5 per cent in November.

Seven of the 14 economists surveyed by AAP forecast the RBA to cut the cash rate by
a quarter of a percentage point to 4.25 per cent on Tuesday.

This would cut $49 from a monthly repayment for a $300,000 mortgage over 25 years.

Concerns about sovereign debt woes, particularly in the eurozone, had raised raised
expectations the bank would cut again to provide some stimulus to the Australian economy.

AAP el/mp/de

KEYWORD: ECONOMY

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

Optimus Santa Monica and United Online Launch MemoryLane.com

Wireless News
03-29-2011
Optimus Santa Monica and United Online Launch MemoryLane.com
Type: News

Optimus Santa Monica, a post-production house, announced with United Online, a provider of consumer products and services over the Internet, the launch of a national spot for MemoryLane.com, a website inviting visitors to relive the past through 60 years of Americana and over 100 million pieces of content dating from 1940 through 1999.

The spot, "Time Machine" - which is part of a larger marketing campaign - features a man scrolling through thousands of artfully displayed images and clips of nostalgic moments. Optimus Santa Monica Editor Justin Amore cut and finished the spot.
"Time Machine" entices viewers to visit MemoryLane.com, the website that includes a growing collection of vintage magazines, historic newsreels, classic sports highlights, movie trailers, song samples and cover art from memorable albums, timeless photos, and a catalog of digitized high school yearbooks online.

The actor and the elaborate chair are the only tangible items in the spot. The creative team worked with computer generated imagery (CGI) to create the rest, making for a complex editing process. Amore worked closely with United Online VP of Creative Service Bry Antonio and Director and Visual Effects Supervisor Gil Baron from Method Studios to precisely time the images creating seamless transitions.

"Time Machine" began to air on Monday, March 21 on national cable, syndication and network TV.

More Information:

http://www.memorylane.com

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

Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

FED:Taxpayers to foot bill for smoking patches

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2010
FED:Taxpayers to foot bill for smoking patches

Anti-smoking groups say the government's decision to put Nicotine patches on the PBS
means the cost of giving up cigarettes just got cheaper.

Quit spokeswoman FIONA SHARKIE says at present the cost of a four-week course of nicotine
patches is between $100 and $140 .. but under the new arrangements .. some smokers who
get a doctor's prescription could get a course of patches for as little as five dollars.

Australian Council on Smoking and Health president MIKE DAUBE has told ABC Radio that
smokers see the cost of patches as a disincentive and this will give them a financial
boost.

AAP RTV bsb/ar/jen/

KEYWORD: SMOKING (SYDNEY)

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

VIC:New approach to prevent bushfire arson

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2010
VIC:New approach to prevent bushfire arson

A national strategy to prevent bushfire arson is expected to be completed this month.

An Australia-wide database of convicted and suspected arsonists has also been proposed
by a working group made up of Commonwealth, state and territory police and emergency management
ministers.

The strategy would see arson hot spots in high bushfire risk areas identified and patrolled
by police on high fire risk days .. while car and pedestrian traffic in these areas would
be restricted.

Police would also target people suspected of bushfire and arson and investigate them
while profiles of persons of interest would be distributed to regional police.

The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission's final report .. released on Saturday ..

found many arson offenders go undetected and it's difficult to prosecute those who are
caught.

Four of the Black Saturday bushfires including the Murrindindi blaze .. which destroyed
the township of Marysville .. were found to be suspicious.

AAP RTV md/gfr/sw/

KEYWORD: TEAGUE ARSON (MELBOURNE)

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

NSW: One woman dead, another critically injured in house

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2009
NSW: One woman dead, another critically injured in house

SYDNEY, Dec 19 AAP - Police are looking for three cars after one woman was found dead
and another critically injured in a house in Sydney's west.

Police were called to a house in Langland Street, Wetherill Park, at about 8pm (AEDT)
on Friday after reports that two women had been injured.

They found one women dead and another with critical injuries, who underwent emergency
surgery overnight.

A post mortem examination will be conducted to determine the identity of the dead woman
and the cause of death.

Police are seeking the occupants of three cars they believe may be able to assist with
inquiries: a 1985 white Holden Commodore station wagon with Queensland registration plates
433-KGZ; a 2005 silver Holden Commodore station wagon with NSW registration BD-26-EQ;
and a 2006 black Volvo sedan with NSW registration SB-54-AN.

Fairfield Local Area Commander Acting Superintendent Peter Brooks says police are seeking
public help to find the vehicles.

Police are appealing to anyone who might have been in Langland Street on Friday night
and saw any suspicious activity to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AAP ao

KEYWORD: BODY AM UPDATE

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

Fed: Greens want ETS vote delayed

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2009
Fed: Greens want ETS vote delayed

The Australian Greens are calling for voting to be delayed on the government's Emissions
Trading Scheme.

Deputy leader CHRISTINE MILNE says both the government and coalition plan for reducing
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 are flawed.

The government wants a five per cent reduction .. while the coalition yesterday unveiled
its plan for a 10 per cent cut.

But Ms MILNE says the government needs to start over .. to get some environmental and
economic integrity into the scheme.

Debate on the scheme starts today in the Senate .. with a vote scheduled for Thursday.

AAP RTV sjc/sb/wf/ka/psm/

KEYWORD: CLIMATE MILNE (CANBERRA)

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

Fed: Medicare levy should be upped to fund dental care: report

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2009
Fed: Medicare levy should be upped to fund dental care: report

By Melissa Jenkins

CANBERRA, Feb 16 AAP - Taxpayers would be charged a higher Medicare levy to fund a
universal dental scheme under a radical proposal by the federal government's health reform
body.

Accommodation bonds for high-care nursing home residents was another idea floated by
the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission in its interim report, released on
Monday.

Commission chairman Dr Christine Bennett told the National Press Club in Canberra that
about 670,000 adults were on public dental care waiting lists, with an average waiting
time of 27 months.

The commission has recommended a 0.75 per cent increase in the Medicare levy to pay
for a scheme, called Denticare Australia, which would replace existing premiums paid for
private dental insurance.

"(Denticare) would give every Australian universal access to preventative and restorative
dental care and dentures, regardless of a person's ability to pay," Dr Bennett said.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the government was committed to long-term health
reform, despite a looming recession.

"They (the commission) have put forward a fairly radical proposal, obviously the way
of delivering the services, and a tax, an extra levy attached to it, it is a fairly ambitious
proposal," she said of Denticare.

"But we are interested in the community's response to this issue. I think people do
feel that something new is needed in dental care."

Australian Dental Association president Neil Hewson said targeted funding was a better
approach than a universal scheme.

"Denticare, as is suggested by the commission, is not necessary and would be fiscally
irresponsible and unlikely to deliver quality dental care," he said.

Dr Bennett said Australia's aged-care system needed to be overhauled to respond to
changing consumer expectations.

"We recognise that providers will need to be able to raise revenues to invest in expanded
places and offer greater choice," she said.

"We therefore suggest that accommodation bonds, and other alternative approaches for
payment, be explored."

A spokesman for Ms Roxon said the government was not currently considering introducing
bonds in high-care.

The commission called for the Commonwealth to take over responsibility for primary
care, that is services provided outside of hospitals by professionals such as GPs and
physiotherapists.

But it stopped short of recommending a takeover of state hospitals, instead putting
three options forward for discussion.

Under the first model, responsibility for the nation's health system would continue
to be shared by the Commonwealth and the states, while the second model advocates a federal
takeover of the system, with services delivered by regional health authorities.

The third and most radical option is a socialisation of the system, whereby the Commonwealth
would be responsible for health-care and establish a compulsory social health insurance
scheme.

Ms Roxon described the third option as radical, while Australian Medical Association
president Rosanna Capolingua said it seemed to be similar to the model in the United States
where private health insurers controlled the system.

"What happens there is that when you have something wrong with you that doesn't fit
into the plan then there is no one to look after you," Dr Capolingua said.

The health minister repeated the government's threat to hold a referendum on whether
or not Canberra should assume control of public hospitals if the states don't lift their
game by the middle of the year.

But despite that deadline being just four months away, Ms Roxon again refused to reveal
exactly what the trigger point for such action would be.

AAP mj/tnf/de

KEYWORD: HEALTH WRAP (WITH FACTBOX)

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

FED: Coalition to oppose 'punitive' luxury car tax in Senate=2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2008
FED: Coalition to oppose 'punitive' luxury car tax in Senate=2

Senator Abetz says 70 per cent of cars subject to the luxury car tax are sold for less
than $75,000.

"They are not the cars of millionaires," he said.

"The highest selling so-called luxury car is the Toyota Landcruiser, which retails
for around $70,000, and are driven primarily by those in rural and regional Australia
and those with the need for a people mover."

Industry Minister Kim Carr yesterday said if the coalition blocked the government's
proposal it would add to the size of the hole it was blowing in the budget.

"The opposition has decided to stand up for lower taxes on luxury cars rather than
for lower interest rates for working families," Senator Carr said.

The Australian Greens have said they will oppose the bill unless it is changed to slug
only fuel-guzzling vehicles.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has questioned the sense in making new car buyers pay more
for fuel efficient cars.

Fellow balance of power senators Steve Fielding and Nick Xenophon have also expressed
concern about the tax hike.

AAP jcd/rl/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: CARS 2 CANBERRA

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

Fed: Olympic flame arrives in Australia=4

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2008
Fed: Olympic flame arrives in Australia=4

The flame lantern was carried off the plane by two Beijing Olympic officials.

MORE pw

KEYWORD: OLY08 FLAME ARRIVE 4 CANBERRA

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

Fed: let the house go but keep your super - experts

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2007
Fed: let the house go but keep your super - experts

People who face having their homes repossessed .. are being warned dipping into their
superannuation savings to pay the mortgage should always be a last-resort.

And even then .. the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees says you'd probably
be better off letting the house go .. and hanging on to your super.

A report by the ACT Consumer Law Centre .. released yesterday .. shows an increase
in early drawdowns on super corresponds with an increase in mortgage foreclosures.

AIST chief executive FIONA REYNOLDS says using super to get out of financial trouble
may simply delay the inevitable .. and also put the person's future financial security
at risk.

She says reducing a super balance by even a few hundred dollars could have a significant
impact on many people's retirement plans.

AAP RTV dep/rl/bart

KEYWORD: REPOSSESSIONS (CANBERRA)

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

SA: The main stories in the 1200 ABC SA news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2007
SA: The main stories in the 1200 ABC SA news

ADELAIDE, Aug 7 AAP - The main stories in the 1200 ABC SA news:

- The SA government to drop the state's double jeopardy laws to allow alleged offenders
to be tried a second time for the same offence.

- The workplace ombudsman to investigate the case involving a former painter who now
appears as an actor in a government Work Choices advertisement.

- Federal government MPs attack Labor leader Kevin Rudd, calling him a media tart.

- Latest polling shows support for Labor remains strong.

- British officials begin slaughtering a second herd of cattle believed to be infected
with foot and mouth disease.

- Rescuers dig through rubble to get to trapped coal miners in Utah.

- The flu hits Sydney businesses hard with 20 per cent of some companies absent.

- Australian share market higher in morning trade.

- Western Bulldogs player Tom Williams gets AFL rising star nomination.

- Michael Rasmussen returns to competition after being kicked out of the Tour de France
by his Rabobank cycling team.

AAP tjd

KEYWORD: MONITOR 1200 ABC SA NEWS

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

Tas: Woman attacked with scissors

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2007
Tas: Woman attacked with scissors

A woman's been attacked by a girl armed with a pair of scissors in Hobart.

Police say the incident happened at the Elizabeth Street bus mall yesterday afternoon
.. and they want to hear from witnesses.

The woman was treated at hospital for minor injuries to her head and neck.

AAP RTV mi/ibw/jmt

KEYWORD: SCISSORS (HOBART)

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

Fed: Hicks will not face death penalty - US ambassador

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2006
Fed: Hicks will not face death penalty - US ambassador

CANBERRA, Aug 28 AAP - Australian terrorist suspect David Hicks definitely will not
face the death penalty if found guilty by a US military commission, new US Ambassador
Robert McCallum says.

But Mr McCallum said Hicks, who has been in US custody for four-and-a-half years, could
expect a long wait until his hearing.

Mr McCallum, who took up his Australian posting last week, said the US Congress would
decide sometime after September how to proceed with the military commission process following
a court ruling that the set-up was unlawful.

"The rule of law, international established law, the law of war, allows the detention
of enemy combatants during the course of the hostilities. There is still a war on terror,"

Mr McCallum told reporters.

Hicks, 31, has been in US custody in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, since January 2002, a month
after he was captured fighting among Taliban forces in Afghanistan.

He was to have been tried by a military commission, but the US Supreme Court has ruled
the commissions unlawful, forcing the US Administration to revamp the process.

Hicks' military lawyer US Major Michael Mori raised concerns at the weekend that new
process would allow the presiding military officer to order capital punishment.

Mr McCallum said Hicks would have the same protection from capital punishment under
a new commission process that he had under the previous process.

"He will not face the death penalty," Mr McCallum said.

"Attorney-General (Philip) Ruddock has been in conversation on a number of occasions
with United States Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales and there have been certain assurances
given to the attorney-general and to Prime Minister (John) Howard about the death penalty.

"He will not face the death penalty in the military commission proceedings that he faces."

The Adelaide-born Muslim convert is accused of having trained with Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaeda terror network and has been charged by US authorities with aiding the enemy,
attempted murder and conspiracy.

Mr McCallum said Hicks would remain detained until Congress decided how to proceed.

"That is the rule of law under the architecture that exists for military commissions
trying war criminals, or alleged war criminals," he said.

"And it is not at all unusual or unprecedented for such individuals to be detained
pending the military commission outcome.

"There is no dispute that Mr Hicks was detained and captured in Afghanistan. So I don't
think there is any dispute about him being an enemy combatant in that sense."

The US has released all British detainees being held in Guantanamo Bay following representations
from the British government.

Hicks is reported to have been stripped of British citizenship immediately after the
High Court in London ruled he was entitled to it.

AAP mfh/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: HICKS MCCALLUM (PIX AVAILABLE)

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

FED: Australia needs to stay in Solomons as long as it takes: minister

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2006
FED: Australia needs to stay in Solomons as long as it takes: minister

SYDNEY, April 21 AAP - Australian troops will stay in the Solomon Islands for as long
as it takes to build stability in the troubled nation, Acting Defence Minister Bruce Billson
says.

A deployment of 110 Australian troops and 70 Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers
arrived in the Solomons on Wednesday night, following riots in the capital, Honiara.

They joined 282 AFP officers already there as part of the Regional Assistance Mission
to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

The troops have restored peace in the strife-torn nation but there are fears violence
could again erupt when the first session of parliament commences next week.

Mr Billson told the Seven Network today Australia would remain in the Solomons for
as long as it took to build a "vibrant" and "stable" state.

"We'll be there as long as we need to be there," he said.

"The Solomon Islands is an important regional neighbour and it's in our interest as
much as it's in the interest of the people of the Solomon Islands not to see the Solomon
Islands become a failed state.

"We need Solomon Islanders feeling that they've got prospects of a better livelihood.

That's good for the region; that's good for the Solomon Islands; and it's good for our
nation."

Opposition treasury spokesman Wayne Swan said there was very strong bipartisan support
in Australia for the sovereignty of the Solomons.

More resources were needed for the troubled nation, however, in terms of policing and
social aid, Mr Swan said.

"We (Labor) will be supportive of that because we have no choice," Mr Swan told the network.

"The alternative is simply too horrible to contemplate."

AAP af/tam/pe

KEYWORD: SOLOMONS BILLSON

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

AP Top News at 8:35 a.m. EDT

AP Online
08-19-2005

Israeli Troops Clear Out Gaza Synagogue

In this photo made available by the Israeli goverment press office, Israeli security forces storm the Kfar Darom synagogue where settlers barricaded themselves to resist forced evacuation, in the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in the southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005. Helmeted riot police stormed the roof top of the synagogue in this hardline settlement Thursday, battling dozens of protesters who threw acid, sand and buckets of green liquid and tried to hit officers with sticks. It was the most violent confrontation yet between protesters and troops during the Gaza pullout. (AP Photo/Moshe Milner, GPO)

GADID, Gaza Strip (AP) _ Israeli troops quickly cleared out a synagogue full of dozens of opponents to the Gaza pullout on Friday, avoiding a repeat of previous day's violence in which youths holed up on a rooftop pelted soldiers with acid, oil and sand. The smooth operation that cleared out the small settlement of Gadid was the latest sign of progress as Israel pushed forward with its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Attackers Fire Missiles at U.S. Navy Ship

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) _ Unknown attackers fired at least three missiles from Jordan early Friday, with one narrowly missing a U.S. Navy ship docked in a Jordanian port and killing a Jordanian soldier. Another fell close to a nearby airport in neighboring Israel, officials said. A group linked to al-Qaida claimed responsibility in an Internet statement. The statement purportedly from the Abdullah Azzam Brigades could not immediately be verified.

Pope Warns of Increase in Anti-Semitism

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he leaves German President Horst Koehler's official residence Villa Hammerschmidt in the former German capital Bonn Friday, Aug 19, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI arrived Thursday on his first foreign trip as pontiff to take part in the Roman Catholic Church's 20th World Youth Day in Cologne. (AP Photo/Arnd Wiegmann, pool)

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) _ Pope Benedict XVI warned Friday of rising anti-Semitism and hostility to foreigners, winning a standing ovation from members of Germany's oldest Jewish community during a visit to a rebuilt synagogue that had been destroyed by the Nazis. With the shrill sound of a ram's horn and a choir chanting in Hebrew "peace be with you," Benedict became only the second pope to visit a synagogue, praying and remembering Holocaust victims.

Victims' Relatives Confront Serial Killer

Beverly Plapp, center, looks at Dennis Rader as he makes a final statement Thursday afternoon, Aug. 18, 2005, during the sentencing phase of his trial in Wichita, Kan. Rader confessed to killing Plapp's sister Nancy Fox and nine other people from 1974 to 1991. Rader was sentenced to serve 10 consecutive life terms. (AP Photo/Pool, Bo Rader)

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ As the BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader thrived on having the last word during a 17-year slaying spree that claimed 10 lives. But as family members of the victims took their turn at the microphone Thursday to confront the killer during his sentencing hearing, Rader could do nothing but listen as they vented their anger. "I can think of nothing but savoring the bittersweet taste of revenge as justice is served upon this social sewage here before us today," said Jeff Davis, whose mother was strangled by Rader.

NASA Pushes Back Next Launch Date to 2006

In an image from NASA television, a silhoutte of one of the astronauts conducting a space walk is seen between two of the international space stations array panels, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005 in space. The two residents of the station, NASA Science Officer John Phillips and Expedition 11 Commander Sergei Krikalev floated outside and left their orbiting home vacant Thursday to retrieve a nearly lifesize space doll and other science experiments. (AP Photo/NASA TV)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) _ NASA said Thursday it is pushing the next shuttle flight into 2006 to give engineers time to understand dangerous fuel-tank foam loss and to avoid the string of unrealistic launch dates that preceded Discovery's just-completed mission. In stinging comments Wednesday, seven members of a return-to-flight oversight group said the best solutions for improving Discovery's safety were not always pursued because of "this false schedule pressure."

Virus Shuts Down Customs Computer System

MIAMI (AP) _ Travelers arriving in the United States from abroad were stuck in long lines at airports nationwide when a virus shut down a U.S. Customs computer system for several hours, officials said. Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said the virus impacted computer systems at a number of airports Thursday night, including those in New York, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Laredo, Texas.

AnnTaylor's 2Q Profit Plunges on Charge

NEW YORK (AP) _ Women's clothing retailer AnnTaylor Stores Corp. on Friday posted a sharp drop in second-quarter profit, hurt by weak sales at its flagship stores and one-time costs from moving its corporate headquarters. Quarterly income fell to $7.1 million, or 10 cents per share, from $30.1 million, or 41 cents, the year before. Setting aside relocation costs, adjusted earnings were 18 cents per share, a penny higher than the average estimate from analysts polled by Thomson Financial.

Eminem in Rehab for Sleep Medication

Rapper Eminem gestures as he arrives at the Roseland Ballroom for "The Shady National Convention" concert, in this file photo from Oct. 28, 2004 in New York. Jack and Betty Schmitt, Eminem's uncle and aunt, have filed a lawsuit aganist the rapper and are seeking more than $350,000 and possession of the home he had built for them. (AP Photo/Ramin Talaie-File)

DETROIT (AP) _ Eminem is undergoing treatment for dependency to sleep medication, his publicist said Thursday, two days after the Grammy-winning rapper canceled his European tour citing exhaustion. In a brief statement, Dennis Dennehy said Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, "is in the hospital under doctors' care."

'Stressed' Gator Makes Calif. Lake Home

Alligator wrangler Jay Young, owner of the Colorado Gator Farm and Reptile Park in Mosca, Colo., searches in a section of Machado Lake on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005, to catch what is believed to be a seven to nine foot-long alligator living in Harbor Regional Park in Los Angeles. Authorities called in the $800-a-day specialist after failing to catch the animal for nearly a week. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Alligator wrangler Jay Young took a break Thursday and headed back to his native Colorado after several unsuccessful attempts to catch the mysterious gator discovered in a local lake Aug. 12. Los Angeles officials who contracted Young said they were giving the animal a breather in hopes that a more relaxed gator would be easier to catch. "The gator is stressed, and we don't want him scared or sick," Young said.

Angels Rock Red Sox 13-4 in Series Opener

Los Angeles Angels' Juan Rivera watches his second three-run home run of the night against the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) _ Bartolo Colon shut down Boston's big hitters and Juan Rivera took care of the Angels' offense with two swings. Rivera hit a pair of three-run homers and Colon won his fifth straight decision as Los Angeles defeated the Red Sox 13-4 on Thursday night in a matchup of AL division leaders. Rivera isn't an everyday player, but he made the most of his at-bats, homering on the second pitch from Mike Myers after Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield got hit in the right ankle on a comebacker by Casey Kotchman and left the game in the fifth inning.

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved

Fed: Govt flags indigenous work overhaul

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2005
Fed: Govt flags indigenous work overhaul

By Paul Osborne

CANBERRA, April 13 AAP - Employment Minister Kevin Andrews has flagged a major overhaul
of the welfare system and job schemes to get more indigenous people into work.

Mr Andrews told the Institute for Public Affairs in Melbourne tonight the Howard government
had two goals in addressing the plight of indigenous people.

"First, rejecting the notion that indigenous people as lesser economic beings," Mr Andrews said.

"And second, challenging a welfare culture in favour of an entrepreneurial culture
is as a noble cause as those of political equality or addressing dispossession."

Mr Andrews said part of his plan was to reform the community development employment
program (CDEP), set up by the Fraser government in 1977.

He said the program, the largest indigenous scheme in the nation, had initially been
set up so remote communities could forgo the dole to work on community projects.

It has now expanded into 37,000 urban and regional communities with funding of more
than $500 million.

But Mr Andrews said CDEP had become more of a problem than a solution and he would
announce changes to it later this month.

"Despite this growth, it has neither been effective in linking individuals to local
labour markets nor uniformly enforcing its mutual obligation requirements," Mr Andrews
said.

"This was partly because creating work ready CDEP participants was a very low priority.

"CDEP often became a 'sit-down money' program and therefore part of the problem it
was designed to solve."

Mr Andrews said the number of indigenous people relying on pensions and benefits had
fallen from 55 to 50 per cent in the eight years to 2002, but welfare dependency remained
a problem.

The reforms would help the CDEP live up to its original intentions and effectively
link it to the labour market.

Mr Andrews said the risk in indigenous job strategies could be further cut through
welfare reform, which would mirror those introduced in New Zealand.

"This responsibility to fashion a more balanced regime with effective disincentives
and incentives is one the Australian government is taking seriously," he said.

"I am especially conscious of New Zealand's very effective 'work-first welfare-second'
reforms since its implementation in 1999.

"The unemployment rate among Maoris has declined from 16 per cent in 1999 and 13 per
cent in December 2001 to just 8.9 per cent in December 2004.

"Without the tightening of mutual obligation requirements in welfare, it is difficult
to imagine how indigenous job seekers can benefit from other reforms in indigenous affairs."

AAP pjo/sb/de

KEYWORD: INDIGENOUS ANDREWS

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

section 37 investigation

section 37 investigation An investigation of a child's circumstances ordered by the court to be carried out by a local authority when the court has cause for serious concern about the child's upbringing. The order may be made in any family proceedings, for example when an application for a residence or contact order is being made by a parent (see section 8 orders). The local authority carrying out the investigation must consider whether it should apply for a care order or a supervision order or assistance for the child or its family or take any other action with respect to the child.

IBM to help CERN build massive data grid to understand origins of the Universe.(European Organization for Nuclear Research )

EUROPEMEDIA-(C)2003 Van Dusseldorp & Partners - http://www.vandusseldorp.com/

IBM and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) have announced thatIBM is joining the CERN openlab for DataGrid applications to collaborate in creating a massive data-management system built on grid computing.

IBM's innovative storage virtualisation and file management technology will play a pivotal role in this collaboration, which aims to create a data file system far larger than exists today to help scientists at the particle physics research centre understand some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the universe.

Conceived in IBM Research as Storage Tank, the new technology is designed to provide scalable, high-performance and highly available management of huge amounts of data using a single file namespace regardless of where or on what operating system the data reside. IBM and CERN will work together to extend Storage Tank's capabilities so it can manage and provide access from any location worldwide to the torrent of data - billions of gigabytes a year -- that CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is expected to produce when it goes online in 2007. The LHC is the next-generation particle accelerator. It will recreate - on a tiny scale - conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang, enabling researchers to answer outstanding questions about what the universe is made of and the laws that govern its behaviour.

The very same CERN community that invented the worldwide web in 1990 is now developing a new application for the internet - Grid computing. CERN openlab is a collaboration between CERN and industrial partners, which aims to create and implement data-intensive grid-computing technologies that will aid the LHC scientists. Because the same issues facing CERN are becoming increasingly important to the IT industry, the CERN openlab and its partners - which include Enterasys Networks, HP and Intel - are eager to explore new computing and data management solutions beyond internet-based computing.

By 2005, the CERN openlab collaboration with IBM is expected to be able to handle up to a petabyte (a million gigabytes) of data, which is equivalent to the information stored in 20m four-draw filing cabinets full of paper, or 500m floppy disks, or 1.5m CD-ROMs.

As part of the agreement, several storage management experts from IBM's Almaden and Haifa (Israel) Research Labs will work with the CERN openlab team. In addition, through its Shared University Research (SUR) program, IBM will supply CERN with the system's initial 20 terabytes of high-performance disk storage, a cluster of six eServer xSeries systems running Linux and on-site engineering support and services by IBM Switzerland. The SUR award is valued at E1.4m for the first year.

Storage Tank employs policy-based storage management to help lower its total cost of ownership. Clustering and specialized protocols that detect network failures enable very high reliability and availability

In this initiative, IBM is following a collaboration strategy initiated in 2001 with the European Union-sponsored European Data Grid project, which is also led by CERN.((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))