NSW:Web reminders to reduce cervical cancer

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2011
NSW:Web reminders to reduce cervical cancer

Eds: Not for use until 05:00 (AEST), Tuesday August 9

SYDNEY, Aug 9 AAP - Online reminders about cervical cancer check-ups could save the
lives of hundreds of women, NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner says.

The pilot program, which will be trialled in parts of NSW, will send online reminders
to doctors if women miss regular tests and also generate letters reminding women to get
screened.

"This is such a forthright idea that could potentially save the lives of hundreds of
women across the state," Ms Skinner said in a statement.

"Studies have shown that early detection through screening can prevent invasive cervical
cancer developing, help to increase survival rates and reduce mortality."

The trial program will build on the current system used by the pap test registry, where
letters are sent to women when they have not had a pap test within 27 months or if they
have abnormal test results.

Ms Skinner said the pilot would run for six months in parts of Sydney and the Hunter
where participation in cervical screening has been poor compared to the rest of the state.

If successful, the online reminder system could be replicated in other parts of the state.

AAP ct/nb

KEYWORD: CERVICAL

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

WA: Jehovahs court ruling welcomed by AMA

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2005
WA: Jehovahs court ruling welcomed by AMA

PERTH, Feb 19 AAP - The peak doctors group has welcomed court intervention which allows
a Perth hospital to give a blood transfusion to a 15-year-old Jehovah's Witness, despite
his family's wishes.

The WA Supreme Court recently ruled that staff at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
can give a teenaged cancer patient blood transfusions, even though he and his parents
object to the treatment on religious grounds.

Doctors argued the 15-year-old, whose name has been suppressed, may need transfusions
because of side effects from chemotherapy.

Dr Rosanna Capolingua, chair of Australian Medical Association ethics committee, said
doctors were obliged to provide the best care possible.

"The AMA recognises that people do have different belief systems and that doctors have
a priority to preserve life to provide best care," she said.

"In this particular case, there was a minor involved and the parents did not want the
child to be given a transfusion and the doctors felt it was in the best interests of the
child to be given a transfusion."

Dr Capolingua said doctors needed to get a court order to provide the blood transfusions.

"When there are clashes between best care and belief systems there needs to be a way
of working through them," she said.

Many Jehovah's Witness refuse to accept blood transfusions because of a literal reading
of the Bible.

AAP kjd/sd

KEYWORD: JEHOVAHS

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

The main stories on today's 1900 ABC TV news

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2011
The main stories on today's 1900 ABC TV news

The main stories on ABC television's 1900 news:





1. The new state government put transport at the top of it's to-do list, but two days
after a triathlon brought Sydney traffic to a standstill, a peak-hour power spike has
stopped the rail network.





2. Pauline Hanson won't be taking a seat in the New South Wales parliament after all,
after the distribution of preferences dashed the hopes of the former One Nation leader.





3. The prime minister has backed the right of women to die for their country after
some defence analysts criticised the military's move to open frontline combat roles to
women.





4. A Sydney man who stabbed his father and sister to death says he'll forever be sorry
for what he did.





5. The Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody warned that far too many
Aborigines were being locked up, but twenty years on rates of Aboriginal incarceration
have more than doubled, and the Social Justice Commissioner says it's not good enough.





AAP RTV tm

KEYWORD: MONITOR 1900 ABC NEWS

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

VIC:Three guilty of planning terror attack=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2010
VIC:Three guilty of planning terror attack=2

A Victorian Supreme Court trial, which has been running for three months, was told
the five men planned a shootout at the Australian Army Barracks at Holsworthy in the belief
Islam was under attack from the west.

The jury heard the men took steps to obtain a religious decree to endorse the attack
at the barracks and shoot as many people as possible until they were killed or overwhelmed,
to advance Islam.

Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 34, of Melbourne, Saney Edow Aweys, 27, of Carlton North and
Nayef El Sayed, 26, of Glenroy were found guilty of conspiring to prepare for or plan
a terrorist act between February 1, 2009 and August 4, 2009.

Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 26, of Preston, and Yacqub Khayre, 23, of Meadow Heights,
were found not guilty.

The jury deliberated for more than five days.

MORE mi/gfr/was

KEYWORD: TERROR VIC 2 MELBOURNE

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

NSW:Main headlines on 2GB's 1100 news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2010
NSW:Main headlines on 2GB's 1100 news
- A pedestrian has lost his arm after being knocked down on the northern beaches
- Liverpool mayor says everything in the council's offices have been lost in a devastating fire
- Former David Jones boss MARK McINNES has arrived back in Australia with his pregnant
girlfriend to fight a multi-million dollar sexual harassment case
- Opposition leader TONY ABBOTT is pushing for another town hall-style debate before election day
- The PM has been talking up her government's economic credentials by playing down the nation's debt
- The police commissioner is appealing for help to cut down on gun crime .. he wants the
public to dob in anyone with an illegal firearm
- Two men with sawn off shotguns have terrorised two women in a home invasion on the NSW
mid-north coast
- A poll's found one in three Australians wants convicted drug smuggler SCHAPELLE CORBY
to be freed from her Indonesian jail
- Sport

AAP RTV /jmt

KEYWORD: MONITOR 1100 2GB (SYDNEY)

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

NSW: Government calls for tenders for shark meshing scheme

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2010
NSW: Government calls for tenders for shark meshing scheme

The New South Wales government is calling for tenders to run its shark meshing scheme
.. aimed at protecting swimmers on the state's beaches.

The three-year contract will cover 51 beaches from Newcastle to Wollongong .. and
has new conditions to reduce any impact on the environment following a review last year.

They include more checks on the nets .. and the continued development of a DNA database
for research into shark populations .. size and movements.

AAP RTV bzs/ar/ajw/

KEYWORD: SHARK (SYDNEY)

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

Fed: Motorists payng $35 a month extra for petrol

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2009
Fed: Motorists payng $35 a month extra for petrol

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - Petrol prices have risen for four straight weeks, costing motorists
around an extra $35 a month compared to the start of the year, an economist at Commonwealth
Securities says.

However, CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian says pump prices should be stable over
the next fortnight.

The latest weekly petrol prices report by the Australian Institute of Petroleum showed
the national average unleaded price rose 0.9 cents per litre to 127.6 cents in the past
week.

The average metropolitan price rose 1.0 cent per litre to 127.8 cents, while the regional
price was up 0.5 cent to 127.2 cents.

The cost of petrol has risen just shy of six cents a litre over the last month to stand
at levels last seen 10 months ago.

"Unfortunately the outlook for motorists is not great," Mr Sebastian said in a research note.

He said while over the past week the price of Singapore unleaded fuel - the benchmark
for the Australian price - had fallen by over $US2 a barrel, the Australian dollar has
also seen weakness.

"The end result is that the Singapore unleaded price is still holding near 10-month
highs of A$100 a barrel," he said.

"If there is any silver lining, it is that pump prices are likely to stabilise around
current levels over the next fortnight."

AAP cb/it

KEYWORD: PETROL

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

Qld: Gas executive engaged in insider trading: court

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2009
Qld: Gas executive engaged in insider trading: court

BRISBANE, April 15 AAP - A former Queensland Gas executive engaged in insider trading
when he bought $1.3 million of the company's shares, a court has been told.

Mukesh Panchal, 42, was the company secretary when he bought 418,148 Queensland Gas
shares in January last year, the Brisbane District Court was told on Wednesday.

The shares were valued at more than $1.3 million.

The court was told Panchal purchased the shares when he had inside information about
an $870 million alliance with British-based BG Group.

The court was told this information would have affected the value of Queensland Gas
shares if it had been publicly available at the time.

Panchal has pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing shares while in possession
of inside information.

His sentencing hearing, which began on Wednesday, has been adjourned until April 27
so the lawyers can obtain further information on comparable sentences.

AAP cf/pjo/ht/mn

KEYWORD: PANCHAL

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

Qld: ABC to announce new Brisbane headquarters

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2008
Qld: ABC to announce new Brisbane headquarters

The ABC's due to announce a new site for its Brisbane operations this morning .. after
abandoning its old building following a spate of cancer cases.

Staff moved out of the national broadcaster's Toowong premises two years ago after
it was discovered their incidence rate of breast cancer was six times higher than average.

To date .. 17 staff have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Plans to build at Newstead were dumped amid claims the site was contaminated.

AAP RTV pjo/jmt

KEYWORD: BREAST (BRISBANE)

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

Oly: Beijing Olympics doping timeline

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2008
Oly: Beijing Olympics doping timeline

BEIJING, Aug 6 AFP - Timeline of doping controversies at the Beijing Olympics. (Note:
Starts from opening of the Olympic village in Beijing on July 27).

July 28

- Greece includes controversial sprinter Ekaterina Thanou in their squad for China.

A silver medallist in the women's 100m in the Sydney Olympics, Thanou caused a major doping
furore at the Athens 2004 Games when she missed a test along with training partner Costas
Kenteris. They were banned for two years and admitted missing a total of three doping
tests prior to the Athens Olympics.

- Italy's world champion road cyclist Marta Bastianelli tests positive for a banned
stimulant and is kicked off China-bound team.

- Denmark's cross-country mountain bike champion Peter Riis Andersen tests positive
for banned blood booster EPO (erythroipoietin) and is expelled from Danish team for China.

July 29

- US gymnast Morgan Hamm gets go-ahead to compete after the International Gymnastics
Federation said it will not appeal the US Anti-Doping Agency decision to forego a ban
after he tests positive for a physician-prescribed anti-inflammatory medication without
first seeking a therapeutic use exemption.

- Sprinter Julien Dunkley axed from the Jamaican track and field squad after reportedly
testing positive for the banned substance Boldenone, a favourite among body builders.

July 30

- Positive dope tests from the Bulgarian men's and women's weightlifting teams confirmed.

The Bulgarian teams withdrew from the Games in June after the A-samples of all 11 competitors
tested positive for a banned substance. Georgy Markov, Alan Tsagaev and Gergana Kirilova,
risk life bans as this is their second doping offence.

July 31

- Seven top Russian woman athletes are temporarily suspended for the suspected switching
of urine samples in drug tests. The controls showed discrepancies in their DNA samples,
the IAAF said. Yelena Soboleva, who had clocked the fastest times in the world this year
over both 800m and 1500m, was targeted as well as fellow middle distance runners Svetlana
Cherkasova, Yulia Fomenko, former double world champion Tatyana Tomashova and Olga Yegorova.

Hammer thrower Gulfiya Khanafeyeva, a former world record holder, and reigning European
discus champion Darya Pishchalnikova, were also named.

- Romanian middle distance runners, Elena Antoci and Cristina Vasiloiu, kicked off
Olympics squad after testing positive for EPO.

Aug 1

- Italian fencer Andrea Baldini, a gold medal favourite, tests positive for the banned
diuretic furosemide. He misses the Games and is replaced in the squad by Andrea Cassara.

Aug 2

- The International Olympic Committee strips the United States' 4x400m men's relay
team of the gold medal it won at the Sydney 2000 Olympics for doping. The decision was
made after team member Antonio Pettigrew admitted in May to doping as far back as 1997
and agreed to return his Sydney gold medal.

Aug 4

- Baldini's positive test for banned diuretic confirmed by B sample. Andrea Cassara
named as replacement in team.

Aug 5

- Russian cyclist Vladimir Gusev omitted from the Russia squad following his sacking
from the Astana team after doping controls revealed "irregular blood values". Denis Menchov
called up as replacment.

- Athletics legend Michael Johnson hands back the 4x400 metres relay gold medal he
won in the 2000 Olympics after Pettigrew's admission.

- IOC drugs chief Arne Ljungqvist accuses Russia of systematically doping after seven
athletes were hit with suspensions which could lead to four-year bans.

Aug 6

- India withdraws weightlifter Monika Devi from the Olympics after she tests positive
for a banned steroid in a pre-Games test. Devi, who was due to compete in the 69kg category,
was picked for the lone Indian weightlifting berth amid controversy after the original
choice, Shailaja Pujari, was dropped following a cash-for-selection scandal.

AFP nh

KEYWORD: OLY08 DOPING TIMELINE

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

SA: South Australia to double deposit on drink bottles and cans

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-2008
SA: South Australia to double deposit on drink bottles and cans

ADELAIDE, Feb 12 AAP - South Australia has moved to double the deposit on drink bottles,
cans and cartons in a move Clean Up Australia has hailed a model for the rest of the country.

Premier Mike Rann today said the current five cent deposit on drink containers, which
had been in place since 1977, would be doubled to 10 cents later this year.

He said the increase would provide a greater incentive to recycle empty containers
and cut into the 185 million still going to landfill each year.

"It will ensure even more containers are recycled, as well as reducing litter and increasing
the amount of money community groups can generate from the return of containers," Mr Rann
said.

In recent years, the return rate for drink containers had dropped from about 84 per
cent to 70 per cent, suggesting, the premier said, the time was right to increase the
deposit.

Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan said doubling the refund for recycling drink
bottles and cans was the most effective way to boost recycling rates and SA's lead should
be followed by other states.

He said a poll conducted last year indicated 82 per cent of people across Australia
supported the idea of a national 10 cent refund.

"It's a no-brainer," Mr Kiernan said.

"The community, government and industry all have a role to play and a shared responsibility
to make recycling an effective solution to waste.

"A financial incentive to recycle is a compelling reason not to dump bottles and cans
in the environment."

Mr Rann said South Australia's aim was to have every container carrying the deposit
returned for recycling.

He said the government would consult with the beverage industry and container collectors
to ensure the transition to a 10 cent deposit was carefully planned.

AAP tjd/it/cdh

KEYWORD: CONTAINERS

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

Fed: ACT horses banned from moving out of or around territory

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2007
Fed: ACT horses banned from moving out of or around territory

CANBERRA, Aug 25 AAP - ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has banned all horses from being
moved within or out of the ACT in response to the equine influenza (EI) scare.

The ban corresponds with federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran's decision to
impose a 72-hour Australia-wide ban on all thoroughbred and harness racing.

The virus has been detected in at least 16 horses in Sydney and there is now a 10km
exclusion zone around the Centennial Park stables, where the infected horses are kept.

The "bush capital" of Canberra has hundreds of horses, both in paddocks and stables.

After hearing of the outbreak in Sydney, Mr Stanhope today declared the ACT a quarantined
area under the Animal Diseases Act 2005.

"Horse owners are required not move their horses across the ACT/NSW border or within
the ACT unless they have prior written approval from the Senior Veterinary Officer," Mr
Stanhope said in a statement.

"This means that horses should not be removed from the premises where they are currently
agisted."

The quarantine applies to all equine species and equine products, including items such
as bridles, saddles and saddlecloths.

At Thoroughbred Park, Canberra's racing club, 210 horses which are now confined to
the racecourse.

Canberra Race Club Chief Executive Peter Stubbs said he received a call from the Australian
Racing Board this morning advising him to keep the horses where they were.

"As a result of that we placed an embargo on the transportation into or out of Thoroughbred
Park," he said.

He said all of the 210 horses were based at Thoroughbred Park where they trained and
were stabled.

It is not believed any of them have been infected with equine influenza.

"We haven't had any sign of it at this point, fortunately," he said.

AAP kc/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: STALLIONS ACT

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

Main stories in WA today

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2007
Main stories in WA today

PERTH, April 11 AAP - The main stories in today's The West Australian.

Page 1: A boy told the horrific story yesterday of how he was kidnapped from a busy
Perth street by two homosexual perverts and raped, tortured and abused for three weeks.

Page 3: Australia will increase its troop commitment to Afghanistan for the third time
since the war began.

Page 5: The mining company at the centre of the Esperance lead scandal is trying to
persuade Fremantle Ports to ship its metal.

World: China has complained bitterly after the US finally said it was taking their
dispute over pirated movies, music and books to the World Trade Organisation (Beijing).

Finance: A little known Perth financier has launched an ambitious $75 million rescue
bid for endangered animal drug developer Chemeq, fuelling a sharp recovery in the biotech's
hard-pressed share price.

Sport: The greatest player of football's modern era, Wayne Carey, has rated West Coast
dynamo Daniel Kerr ahead of the 2004 Brownlow medallist Chris Judd as the AFL's best player.

AAP np/cp

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS WA

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

NSW: Intellectually disabled man missing in Sydney=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2006
NSW: Intellectually disabled man missing in Sydney=2

Police later said the 19-year-old was found safe and well at Waverley, in eastern Sydney,
just after 5.15pm (AEDT).

AAP nr/evt/cdh

KEYWORD: MISSING 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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

Qld: Elective surgery waiting lists increase

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2006
Qld: Elective surgery waiting lists increase

By Jade Bilowol

BRISBANE, Aug 2 AAP - The number of Queensland patients waiting for elective surgery
has jumped despite a massive state government campaign to fix the struggling health system.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson today said the total number of patients waiting for
elective surgery statewide increased by 791 over the 12 months to July this year, peaking
at 35,609.

Mr Robertson blamed a six per cent spike in demand for lifesaving emergency and trauma
surgery, saying it had hampered the public hospital system's ability to tackle elective
surgery lists.

"Significant on-going growth in patient demand for lifesaving emergency surgery continues
to affect elective surgery opportunities in our hospitals," he said.

"Emergency surgery is the most urgent type of surgery provided in public hospitals
and must always be given priority over elective surgery cases."

Opposition health spokesman Bruce Flegg poured scorn on the spiralling waiting list,
saying it proved the government had not turned a corner on health.

Dr Flegg said that over the three month period to July 1 this year, there were 1,953
more people on the waiting lists and 1,336 fewer operations being completed compared to
the same period the year before.

He also said an extra 1,970 Queenslanders were waiting beyond the recommended time
for treatment over the last quarter of the past financial year compared to the same time
last year.

"What these figures show is that despite the Beattie government's claims that they
have turned the corner on health, things just continue to deteriorate for Queensland's
public health system under this government," Dr Flegg said.

A spokesman for Mr Robertson said the waiting lists, contained in the latest Elective
Surgery Waiting List quarterly report, did not include specialist outpatient lists, which
are under review.

These lists, branded "secret" waiting lists by the state Opposition, feature patients
seeking an appointment with a specialist to determine if they should be included on the
elective surgery waiting lists.

Mr Robertson said the government was working to improve its elective surgery performance
by recruiting more doctors and nurses, open more hospital beds and fund more operations
visiting medical officers and the private sector.

AAP jvb/sc/goc/grc/sd

KEYWORD: ELECTIVE

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

NSW: Thousands affected by power failure

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2006
NSW: Thousands affected by power failure

About 30 thousand residents in Sydney's south and north .. are without power this morning.

A spokeswoman for EnergyAustralia says insulators on high-voltage lines at Menai and
Berowra shorted about 9.45pm (AEDT) last night .. and repair crews had to wait for the
sun to rise and burn off the dew before they could get to work.

She says supplies should be restored shortly.





Lights are out in the Menai and Berowra areas .. including major intersections at Alfords
Point Road and the Bangor Bypass .. and police are directing traffic.

EnergyAustralia says customers who have lost power for more than 10 hours .. are entitled
to compensation for food spoilage.

AAP RTV ajc/jmt

KEYWORD: POWER (SYDNEY)

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

circular normal distribution

circular normal distribution See von Mises distribution.

Visalign Acquires E-Commerce Development Company.

PHILADELPHIA, April 17 /PRNewswire/ --

In keeping with an aggressive expansion plan outlined earlier in the year, Visalign (formerly Forte Systems, LLC.), a technology related total solutions provider, today announced their acquisition of a strategic business partner, e-nterDev, a leading designer of e-commerce applications. This acquisition is expected to further extend Visalign's capabilities in the web service and e-business marketplace.

e-nterDev was founded in 1999 by David Resnik and Jason Leedy. One of the fastest growing companies in the Delaware Valley, e-nterDev utilizes emerging technologies to harness the power of the "Working Internet." They have specialized in helping clients leverage the Internet to gain a competitive advantage. Visalign, founded in 1989 by Randy Illig and Jennifer Horrocks, has evolved strategically into a client focused IT services related leader employing approximately 450 people in five regional markets from New York to Atlanta with headquarters in West Chester, PA. They provide integrated technologies and strategies with key capabilities in web solutions, web infrastructure and managed services to address operational needs. Visalign's annual revenues in 1999 were $43 million.

"We think that the addition of e-nterDev to our existing strategic and tactical capabilities will substantially benefit our clients," said Randy Illig, President and CEO of Visalign. "Since working with Jason and David, we've been impressed with their technical & business capabilities as well as the compatible fit of our corporate values, which have always been the cornerstone of the way we do business at Visalign," continued Illig.

Resnik and Leedy will join the Executive team at Visalign to provide valuable leadership and insight into the expansion and rapid growth they have been experiencing in the e-commerce arena. "We're excited about joining the team at Visalign, which has demonstrated time after time their leading edge capabilities in the marketplace. Their existing strategic alliances with Microsoft and HP reinforced to us the confidence that their partners have in them," said Resnik. "We're looking forward to a future that is mutually beneficial to our clients and our employees," added Leedy.

e-nterDev has developed many innovative application developments with key accounts that include a variety of Fortune 1000 and dot com companies. As a total solutions provider, Visalign has established leadership working in the pharmaceutical, media, utility and chemical industries to name a few.

For more information, visit Visalign's web site at www.visalign.com.

Webroot.

Webroot, an internet security firm, has appointed Michael Malloy as executive vice president of products, and Gerry Coady to the role of chief information officer. Malloy previously served as chief marketing officer at Wily Technology, now part of CA, and Coady most recently was senior VP and CIO at Republic Airways/Frontier Airlines.

www.webroot.com

KANA COMMUNICATIONS: Ten of top twenty most visited sisites use Kana to manage their online customer comms.

M2 PRESSWIRE-5 October 1999-KANA COMMUNICATIONS: Ten of the top twenty most visited sites on the Web use Kana to manage their online customer communications (C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:041099

* Successful e-businesses Trust Kana to Power their Online Customer Communications

Borehamwood Herts -- Kana Communications (www.kana.com), a market leading provider of online customers communications solutions for electronic direct marketing, e-commerce and customer service, today announced that the company's rapidly expanding customer base now includes companies with ten of the top twenty most visited sites on the web, according to the August 1999 Media Metrix survey. Among the companies with the most heavily trafficked sites using Kana are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Lycos (NASDAQ: LCOS), Excite (NASDAQ: ATHM), eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY), XOOM.com (NASDAQ: XMCM) and CNET (NASDAQ: CNET).

This exclusive list of companies joins a list of Global 2000 companies and leading Internet retailers, such as: Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM), The Gap (NYSE: GPS), Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWB), priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN), PeopleSoft (NASDAQ: PSFT), The Weather Channel, CDNOW (NASDAQ: CDNW), eFax.com (NASDAQ: EFAX), eGreetings, eToys (NASDAQ: ETYS) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F).

Kana's customers use the award-winning Kana solution to enhance customer loyalty, generate additional revenue opportunities and reduce the cost of online communications.

"Our premier group of blue chip customers -- ranging from Fortune 500 companies to leading 'dot com's' -- is a strong and powerful endorsement of the scalability and reliability our solution," said Michael McCloskey, CEO of Kana. "E-businesses like these must provide exceptional online customer communications in order to differentiate and succeed in today's highly competitive and fast-moving marketplace."

"eBay is committed to a high standard of excellence when it comes to customer service," said Sol Bechtold, Director of Customer Support Systems for eBay. "When we looked for a partner to help us manage our online customer communications, we needed a comprehensive and integrated solution that could scale to meet our demanding and growing needs. Kana remains our partner of choice by continuing to deliver best-of-class software products and services that help us maintain exceptional customer relationships."

The Kana solution currently handles more than four million customer messages per week for its customers. In a related announcement, Kana announced the availability of Kana 4 (see today's related announcement entitled, Kana Launches Comprehensive Platform for Online Customer Communications), the company's updated platform to manage the entire lifecycle of online customer communication.

About Kana Communications

Kana Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: KANA) is a market leading provider of online customer communications solutions for electronic direct marketing, e-commerce and online customer service. Kana develops, markets and supports a comprehensive suite of e-business infrastructure solutions that allow companies to manage high volumes of inbound and outbound e-mail and Web-based communications, while facilitating the delivery of targeted and personalised information to each customer. The company has more than 130 customers, including ten of the top twenty most visited sites on the Internet. Kana is based in Palo Alto, California, with offices Worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit Kana's website at http://www.kana.com or call Ann James at 0208 387 1252.

Kana Communications, Kana and the Kana logo are trademarks of Kana Communications, Inc. All other company and/or product names are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Peter Shackleton/Sian Ford, eclat MARKETING Tel: +44 (0)1628 400900 e-mail: peter@eclat.co.uk Ann James, Kana Communications Tel: +44 (0)208 387 1252 e-mail: ajames@kana.com

*M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*

ATF AND TTB ACCEPT $1.25 MILLION CIGARETTE SETTLEMENT ST. REGIS MOHAWK COMPANY OBTAINS FEDERAL PERMITS.

NEW YORK -- The following information was released by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge New York Field Division Ronald B. Turk and Thomas Crone, Assistant Administrator for Field Operations for the U.S. Treasury Department's Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announce that Jacobs Manufacturing an unlicensed cigarette manufacturer on the New York St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, has agreed to forfeit $1.25 million dollars to ATF for prior violations of the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act (CCTA) and additionally has agreed to come into compliance with all applicable federal statutes and regulations. Jacobs will also have to pay all required cigarette taxes under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) and has agreed not to illegally operate a cigarette internet site in violation of the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT) Act. TTB, which investigated the case along with ATF, has agreed to issue a tobacco manufacturing permit to Jacobs.

As a part of the settlement agreement, Jacobs denied violating any laws or regulations.

Jacobs is the fourth cigarette manufacturer on the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation to resolve past violations of the CCTA and the IRC with ATF and TTB. In 2006, Native Trading Inc. became the first St. Regis manufacturer to enter into an agreement resulting in a $2 million forfeiture to ATF. In 2010 Tarbell, became the second manufacturer to voluntarily come into compliance with Federal law and forfeited $1.75 million dollars to ATF. Earlier this year, King Enterprises agreed to voluntarily cease illegally manufacturing activities and forfeited $200,000.

There are still several unlicensed cigarette manufacturers on the St. Regis Mohawk reservation, which straddles the United States/Canada border. These illegal operations continue to be a source of illegally manufactured cigarettes which are distributed without payment of tax in both countries. ATF Special Agent in Charge Turk and TTB Assistant Administrator Crone commend Jacobs for voluntarily coming into compliance with Federal cigarette law and also reaffirm that their agencies will continue to work together and in conjunction with the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York to eliminate the manufacture and distribution of untaxed cigarettes.

SteelHouse Reveals 10 Most Common 'Shopping Personalities' - Insight that Helps Boost eCommerce Revenue.

Helps eCommerce Marketers Target Their Offers to Increase Response Rates to Offers and On-Site Messages to Consumers

SAN DIEGO -- Behavioral Commerce pioneer SteelHouse (www.SteelHouse.com) today unveiled the 10 most common consumer shopping personalities, giving eCommerce marketers insight into what kinds of shoppers help increase their sales.

SteelHouse unveiled the Top 10 Shopping Personality Profiles at the Internet Retailer 2011 Conference & Exhibition, held here through Friday.

"How can you make effective offers unless you understand the shopping personalities and buying behaviors of your shoppers?" said SteelHouse CEO Mark Douglas. "Most retail marketing is focused on the 'what' - what product someone is viewing - but that doesn't tell you anything about who that shopper is and what drives them to actually buy. Does that person ever buy on a first visit? Only buy with free shipping? Usually buy at full price?

"Without that insight, you might needlessly give discounts to people who would pay full price, or spend money on ineffective offers targeting shoppers with an incentive that won't work. SteelHouse technology segments shoppers based on their personality and buying behaviors which enables marketers to present the right offer to the right type of shopper at the right time. This approach is increasing conversion and revenue in a big way."

SteelHouse identified the most common shopping personalities based on aggregate shopping information because clients who understand who their shoppers are can finally approach them with real-time offers that actually appeal to them and cause them to convert - thereby generating significant amounts of revenue. Understanding the different types of shopping personalities is the first step, according to Douglas. "But it's the ability to act on that intelligence with real-time offers that really gives our clients the edge over their competition."

The 10 Most Common Shopping Personality Profiles

* Distracted Shopper - When I shop online, I often like to begin the checkout process but for one reason or another, I don't always complete the purchase.

* Premium Shopper - I only buy the best. I want premium name brands with the latest features, trends and the most advanced technology.

* Determined Shopper - I always research before I buy. I will view the exact item I want multiple times, looking for a drop in price or an offer.

* Active Shopper - I am always shopping online, not always buying, but always browsing. I am not looking for incentives but they can help me convert when I'm window shopping.

* Free Shipping Hunter - I like to buy online, but it has to include free shipping. If I find out the store doesn't offer free shipping, I'll leave and find a website that does.

* Thrifty Shopper - I like to buy used or refurbished items. If I can get the same product used for much less, I'll buy it.

* Loyal Shopper - I only purchase if I can join a rewards club or special rewards program. This often leads to me purchasing at the same stores.

* Methodical Shopper - When I shop online, I like to browse for the exact product I'm looking for. I often browse using site navigation, browsing through each product until I find that perfect product.

* Impatient Shopper - When I shop online, I search for what I'm looking for at a given site. If I don't find it immediately, I look somewhere else.

* Wish List Shopper -I like to shop online--I just don't always purchase. I add everything I am interested in to the shopping cart to see what the total price might be.

"Until now there hasn't been a way for marketers to combine this type of insight with the ability to immediately act on it," said Douglas. "That's what we call Behavioral Commerce."

Last week, SteelHouse won the top award at the prestigious Launch: Silicon Valley 2011 startup showcase. SteelHouse's pioneering work in Behavioral Commerce was singled out as the most promising and innovative work in the "Next-Generation Internet" category.

SteelHouse has patent-pending Behavioral Commerce technology - called The Opportunity Machine - that identifies a number of unique shopping personalities and buying behaviors for each eCommerce website, then enables marketers to act on that intelligence with real-time offers that will increase their conversions, sales and revenue.

About SteelHouse

SteelHouse[TM] (www.SteelHouse.com) is pioneering the emerging field of Behavioral Commerce, helping eCommerce companies give different shoppers different offers based on their shopping personalities and buying behaviors. SteelHouse's patent-pending technology is called The Opportunity Machine[TM], and it's the world's first personality-driven offer platform. For the first time, marketers can truly understand who their shoppers are by their shopping personalities and buying behaviors and - just as important - they can act on that intelligence with real-time offers that will increase their conversions, sales and revenue. SteelHouse was selected by TiE Silicon Valley as one of the Top 10 Emerging Internet Technologies in the world, and won the top award at the prestigious Launch: Silicon Valley 2011 showcase event in the Next-Generation Internet category. Investors include Silicon Valley legend Ron Conway and venture capital firm Baroda Ventures. The SteelHouse team includes veteran direct marketers and engineers from eHarmony, E*TRADE, Oracle and the Rubicon Project. SteelHouse is based in Los Angeles, Calif.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY: MORE AUSTRALIAN MUMS BENEFIT FROM PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.

CANBERRA, Australia -- The following information was released by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs of Austrailia:

Australian mums have an additional reason to celebrate this Mothers Day, with more than 48,000 new and expecting parents having applied for Government-funded Paid Parental Leave.

Paid Parental Leave gives parents the financial security to spend time at home with their new baby in the critical early months.

For many mums, particularly the self-employed and those in part-time, casual, seasonal or contract work, this is the first time they have had access to Paid Parental Leave.

The scheme also helps women stay connected to the workforce, and helps employers attract and retain valuable and skilled staff.

The Australian Government introduced this historic reform in January and more than 22,500 parents are already receiving Parental Leave Pay.

The Government's Paid Parental Leave scheme provides eligible working parents with Parental Leave Pay for up to 18 weeks at the national minimum wage (currently $570 a week before tax).

Parental Leave Pay can be transferred between eligible parents to give families more options to balance work and family.

Families who don't qualify for Paid Parental Leave still have the option of the Baby Bonus and other family payments if eligible.

Parents can find out more by visiting the Family Assistance Office at http://www.familyassist.gov.au/ or calling 13 61 50.

Employers can find out more by visiting http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/home/index.htm or by contacting the Centrelink Business Hotline on 13 11 58.

Number of people who have claimed Paid Parental Leave by State/Territory

EarthLink to Announce Second Quarter 2010 Earnings.(Financial report)

ATLANTA, July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EarthLink, Inc. (Nasdaq: ELNK) today announced it will host a conference call on Tuesday, July 27 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss its second quarter 2010 financial results. The earnings press release will be issued at 7:00 a.m. ET. EarthLink's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rolla P. Huff and Chief Financial Officer Bradley A. Ferguson will lead the call.

Conference Call Details

U.S. and Canada Dial-in Number	800-706-0730
International Dial-in Number	706-634-5173

Participants should reference "EarthLink's 2nd Quarter 2010 Conference Call" and dial in 10 minutes prior to scheduled start time.

Webcast

A live Webcast of the conference call will be available at: http://ir.earthlink.net/index.cfm

Replay

Replay available from 11:30 a.m. ET on July 27 through 12:00 midnight on August 3.

Dial 800-642-1687 from US and Canada, International callers dial 706-645-9291.

The replay confirmation code is 86028688.

The Webcast will be archived on the company's website at: http://ir.earthlink.net/events.cfm

About EarthLink

"EarthLink. We revolve around you(TM)." A leading Internet service provider, Atlanta-based EarthLink has earned an award-winning reputation for outstanding customer service and its suite of online products and services. EarthLink offers what every user should expect from their Internet experience: high-quality connectivity, minimal online intrusions and customizable features. Whether it's dial up, high speed, voice, web hosting or "EarthLink Extras" like home networking or security, EarthLink connects people to the power and possibilities of the Internet. Learn more about EarthLink by calling (800) EARTHLINK or visiting EarthLink's website at www.EarthLink.net.

SOURCE EarthLink, Inc.

Commonwealth Gas Co. Modifies Contract Proposal Workers Rejected in April.(Originated from The Boston Globe)

Jul. 16--Commonwealth Gas Co. yesterday said it had modified a contract proposal rejected by workers in April and threatened to declare an impasse if the new offer is not accepted by negotiators for 372 locked-out union workers.

Declaration of an impasse would mean ComGas could impose its final contract offer and demand that employees return to work under conditions spelled out in the final agreement. At that point, the workers would have to choose between returning to work under the company's conditions or going out on strike.

Stephen Bryant, vice president of marketing and customer relations, said the utility's final offer eliminates a proposed two-tier wage proposal, limits the use of independent contractors to pipeline work and one department, and reduces the amount workers would have to pay for health care from $22 per week to $15.

"Those are significant modifications to the initial proposal. So, our position is that we have nothing left to offer, and we are at an impasse," said Bryant. "The final offer we've made helps these workers remain the highest paid, or close to the highest paid, gas union employees in New England. We can't do better than that."

A spokeswoman for United Steel Workers Union Local 12004 appeared unimpressed with ComGas' concessions.

Tammy Lynch, a labor consultant from Snow & Courtney in Boston, who is representing the union, said that, if an impasse is declared, the union would file an unfair labor practice charge against ComGas with the National Labor Relations Board.

Lynch said that despite the concessions, there are still 34 outstanding contract issues. "If the company declares an impasse, then they are saying that those issues are unresolvable even though negotiations have been held only four times in the last four months," she said.

Also yesterday, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), joined locked-out workers at a picket line outside the utility's parent company, Commonwealth Energy System Inc. in Cambridge.

Kennedy pledged continued support for the employees, who were locked out of their jobs at midnight April 1 after rejecting a contract proposal that would have expanded the duties of independent contractors, required for the first time that employees help pay for health care coverage, and established a two-tier pay system, among other things.

-----

ON THE INTERNET:

Visit Boston.Com, the World Wide Web site of The Boston Globe. Point your browser to http://www.boston.com/globe

-----

(c) 1996, The Boston Globe. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News.

CES

Obama Will Improve Health Care Quality, Affordability by Increasing Information Available to Consumers.

STORM LAKE, Iowa -- On the second day of a two-day swing through Iowa, U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) said that as President, he will improve the quality and affordability of healthcare by making more information available to consumers about hospital performance and complicated prescription drug plans. Obama's plan, which can be viewed in full HERE (http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/Press/Health%20Care%20Transparency%2 0Fact%20Sheet%20090407%20%282%29.pdf.pdf; Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.), is similar to his successful efforts in the Illinois state Senate to pass the Hospital Report Cards Act, a law that requires hospitals to make public facts and figures about the quality of care they're providing.

"Today, seniors are flooded with material about lots of different plans, but they get little guidance about which is actually best for them," Obama said. "As a result, many people are paying a lot more than they should be. When I'm President, we'll make sure seniors are provided with information about what prescription drug plan is best for them. And we'll also require companies to make information about these plans available online so seniors can do some comparative shopping and find the best price."

Obama said American health care consumers are not armed with the cost and quality information they need to make good decisions about their care. A recent study in Wisconsin found that seniors are spending on average about $500 more than they should be. In another survey of 2,000 Americans, 63 percent of respondents who had received treatment for a serious health issue or had a close family member receive treatment did not know the cost until after treatment was received. Participants were able to predict the price of a Honda Accord within $300 on average, but were off by $8,100 on a four-day hospital stay.

"I think it should be public knowledge if a hospital's making lots of preventable mistakes, or if there are only a few nurses for every patient, or if patients are getting lots of infections while they're in the hospital," Obama said. "People should be able to know which hospitals are doing a good job and which aren't. And when I'm President, they will."

Obama also discussed his detailed universal health care plan, which will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family's premiums by up to $2,500 per year.

BIZ BUREAU: DON'T SPREAD IDEAS ABROAD.(Business)

Dear BIZ

I HAVE had an idea for an invention and I'd like to patent it. I looked on the internet and found a company in New York that might be able to help me. Should I use them?

Kev, by email

BIZ Says:

We are concerned that you are thinking of using a company in the US, rather than one based here in the UK. Surely you would be better off dealing with someone closer to home?

There are lots of patent agents here that can help you to get an idea protected. Check out www.cipa.org.uk, Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, the professional body for patent agents, where you can find information and advice on patents as well as a Register of Patent Agents. Also, take a look at the Patent Office website at www.patent.gov.uk.

You will find lots of really useful advice, information and links to help you decide how to protect your idea.

Using a patent agent, although the best route through the complicated process of obtaining a patent, can be expensive.

You can, however, do it yourself and the Patent Office will guide you through the process. Best of luck to you.

Southwest Airlines Offers Hot Air Fares as Low as $49 One-Way; Low Fares Make It Easy to Hop Aboard Southwest Airlines.

DALLAS, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hop aboard Southwest Airlines with systemwide hot, low fares. These southwest.com-only air fares are as low as $49 one-way with a 21-day advance purchase. Fares range from $49 to $159 one-way and vary by destination and day of travel. To book these low air fares available only at http://www.southwest.com/ , go to: http://www.southwest.com/jp/luvhome.shtml?src=PR_SysSale_022406

"We are known for consistently low fares, but these special Internet-only fares make it even easier to get away," said Kevin Krone, Southwest Airline's Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Distribution. "At Southwest Airlines, we know that getting there is half the fun. A low fare, fun flight, ontime arrival, and excellent Customer Service ensures our Customers an excellent start to their spring break trip."

   The following are examples of the low air fares (see Fare Rules):    *  $49 one-way fares are available between Houston Hobby and Jackson,       between Burbank and Phoenix, and between Birmingham and New Orleans.    *  $79 one-way fares are available between Cleveland and Long       Island/Islip, between Ontario and Tucson, and between       Baltimore/Washington and Louisville.    *  $89 one-way fares are available between Salt Lake City and Sacramento,       between Reno/Lake Tahoe and San Diego, and between Albany and Norfolk.    *  $99 one-way fares are available between Pittsburgh and Providence,       between Nashville and Philadelphia, and between Hartford and Columbus.    *  $109 one-way fares are available between El Paso and Las Vegas,       between Chicago Midway and Raleigh-Durham, and between       Baltimore/Washington and Detroit.    Midwest Fare Sale  

Now is the time to travel the Midwest with fares of just $49 (see Fare Rules) one-way. These southwest.com-only air fares are available seven days a week with a 21-day advance purchase. Examples of the low $49 one-way fares are between Nashville and Chicago Midway, between St. Louis and Omaha, between Kansas City and Oklahoma City, between Little Rock and St. Louis, and between Indianapolis and Chicago Midway.

California Fare Sale

Californians can hop onboard Southwest Airlines to select California cities for just $59 (see Fare Rules) one-way with a 21-day advance purchase. Fares are available seven days a week. Examples of the hot $59 one-way fares are between Burbank and Oakland, between Los Angeles and San Jose, between Ontario and Sacramento, and between San Diego and Oakland.

Northwest Fare Sale

Travel the Northwest with Southwest Airlines' fares ranging from $49 to $99 (see Fare Rules) one-way. Fares are available seven days a week. These southwest.com-only air fares are available with a 21-day advance purchase and fares vary by destination.

    The following are examples of the hot low fares now available:    *  $49 one-way fares are available between Spokane and Boise, between       Seattle/Tacoma and Spokane, and between Portland and Boise.    *  $79 one-way fares are available between Seattle/Tacoma and Reno/Lake       Tahoe, between Portland and Salt Lake City, and between Spokane and       San Jose.    *  $99 one-way fares are available between Portland and Los Angeles,       between Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix, between Spokane and Las Vegas,       between Portland and San Diego, and between Seattle/Tacoma and       Burbank.    Heartland Fare Sale  

Visiting friends and family has never been more affordable with Southwest Airlines' low fares of $49 and $79 (see Fare Rules) one-way. These southwest.com-only air fares are available seven days a week with a 21-day advance purchase. Examples of the low $49 one-way fares are between Austin and Harlingen/South Padre Island, between Dallas Love Field and Little Rock, between Houston Hobby and San Antonio, and between El Paso and Lubbock. Examples of the low $79 one-way fares are between Austin and Oklahoma City, between Corpus Christi and Midland/Odessa, between El Paso and Harlingen/South Padre Island, and between Houston Hobby and Little Rock.

Long Island/Islip Fare Sale

For the best way off the island, take advantage of $29 to $99 one-way fares. These southwest.com-only air fares are available seven days a week with a seven day advance purchase. Customers can take advantage of the following fares from Long Island/Islip:

    *  $29 one-way fares are available between Long Island/Islip and       Baltimore/Washington.    *  $39 one-way fares are available between Long Island/Islip and Chicago       Midway.    *  $99 one-way fares are available between Long Island/Islip and Ft.       Lauderdale/Hollywood, Ft. Myers, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa       Bay, or West Palm Beach.    Houston Fare Sale  

Yeehaw for hot low fares between Houston Hobby and select cities. These $89 and $99 (see Fare Rules) one-way fares are available on Southwest Airlines with a 21-day advance purchase. Fares are available seven days a week and are available only on http://southwest.com/ . The low $89 one-way fares are available between Houston Hobby and Phoenix, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Chicago Midway, or Baltimore/Washington. The hot $99 one-way fares are available between Houston Hobby and Los Angeles, Oakland, and Philadelphia.

Fare Rules

All fares (except fares for Long Island/Islip travel noted above) are available for purchase today through March 6, 2006, and are valid for travel from March 17, 2006, through the end of Southwest Airlines' published schedule (currently Aug. 3, 2006). For Long Island/Islip travel, the fares are available for purchase today through April 3, 2006, and are valid for travel from March 3, 2006, through the end of Southwest Airlines' published schedule (currently Aug. 3, 2006). All tickets (except fares for Long Island/Islip travel noted above) must be purchased 21 days before departure. For Long Island/Islip travel, tickets must be purchased seven days before departure. Fares are available one-way and are combinable with all other fares. When combining fares, all ticketing restrictions apply. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination and day of travel and will not be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3.30 per takeoff and landing. Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9 one-way and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fees of up to $5 one-way. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Tickets are nonrefundable but may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines. Fares are valid on Southwest-operated published, scheduled service only and are not available through the Group Desk. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Fares are not necessarily common rated in the Bay Area or the Los Angeles Basin. Orange County's John Wayne Airport is not included in this sale. Blackout days apply for travel to and from Florida from March 8, 2006, to April 24, 2006.

To take advantage of Southwest Airlines' super low fares, Customers who book their travel via the Internet can subscribe to Southwest Airlines' Click 'n Save e-mail updates as well as Southwest Airlines' newest technological innovation - DING!

DING! delivers Southwest Airlines' hottest deals directly to Customers' desktops allowing Customers to get a jump on the latest southwest.com sales! For more information, visit http://www.southwest.com/ding .

http://www.southwest.com/

CONTACT: Public Relations of Southwest Airlines, +1-214-792-4847

Web site: http://www.southwest.com/ http://www.southwest.com/jp/luvhome.shtml?src=PR_SysSale_022406 http://www.southwest.com/ding

Day After Thanksgiving Sees Highest Number Of Online Shoppers in Holiday Season 2003 so Far According to Nielsen//Netratings; Consumer Electronics Category is Fastest Growing Sector Among Online Shoppers: Surges 187 Percent From Previous Week.

Nielsen//NetRatings, the global standard for Internet audience measurement and analysis, today reports that the Friday after Thanksgiving saw the biggest daily online shopping audience of the season so far. The Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday eCommerce Index found 28 percent more visitors went to online retail sites on Friday than the previous Friday, November 21st, and 19 percent more at-home visitors shopped online than the average over the previous four days.

"Retailers recognize the Friday after Thanksgiving as the official start of the holiday shopping season, and this year online retail Websites saw similarly brisk Internet activity on Friday," said Robert Leathern, director of commerce analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Online sellers can look forward to many more consumers shopping and buying online in the coming weeks: 'Black Friday' may be the biggest day so far, but from past years' data we expect even more consumers to flock online in the coming days and weeks."

The weekly Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday eCommerce Index measures the amount of online shopping activity at 112 retail Websites during the course of the holiday season. The index is comprised of representative retailers in each category as well as multi-category retailers and comparison shopping sites, and is meant to act as a barometer to gauge the level of activity at online shopping destinations during the holidays. The categories are meant to be illustrative of activity in various categories and should not be ranked by unique audience figures.

This year consumer electronics saw the biggest jump on 'Black Friday' from the previous week, with 187 percent more visitors than Friday November 21st (see Table 1). Traffic to home and garden sites jumped 105 percent and apparel sites attracted 90 percent more shoppers on Friday, November 28th. Toys and videogames had the biggest growth over the course of the week, with 123 percent more on Friday than the Monday-Thursday average. Rounding out the top five fastest growing, shopping comparison sites and portal shopping channels saw their Friday traffic jumping 63 percent from the previous week.

General retail destinations like Amazon, eBay, Target.com, Wal-mart.com and QVC saw 8.7 million unique visitors on Friday, 19 percent more than the previous four days' average and 27 percent more than the previous Friday. Specialty sites in the books, music and video category actually drew seven percent fewer unique visitors versus the previous Friday.

    Table 1. Nielsen//NetRatings' Holiday eCommerce Index, Top Shopping    Categories, Ranked by Percent Growth on 11/28 (U.S., Home)                                      Unique Visitors (000)                                                                     Percent    Category                         Friday      Black Friday     Growth from                                     (11/21)        (11/28)    11/21 to 11/28    1. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS             482           1,382          186.8%    2. HOME AND GARDEN                  497           1,022          105.4%    3. APPAREL                          465             882           89.8%    4. TOYS/VIDEOGAMES                  443             836           88.7%    5. SHOPPING COMPARISON/PORTALS    1,438           2,343           62.9%    6. JEWELRY                          106             146           37.7%    7. FLOWERS AND GIFTS                168             220           30.7%    8. COMPUTER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE       867           1,110           28.0%    9. RETAIL                         6,875           8,737           27.1%    10. BOOKS/MUSIC/VIDEO               534             495           -7.3%     Source: Nielsen//NetRatings Daily Overnight Analysis, November 2003    About Nielsen//NetRatings  

Nielsen//NetRatings is the global standard for Internet audience measurement and analysis and is the industry's premier source for online advertising intelligence with its NetView, AdRelevance, @Plan, WebRF, LemonAd, MegaPanel and SiteCensus services. Covering 70 percent of the world's Internet usage, the Nielsen//NetRatings services offer syndicated Internet and digital media research reports and custom-tailored data to help companies gain valuable insight into their business. For more information, please visit http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/.

Editor's Note: Please source all data to Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday eCommerce Index.

    NetRatings, Inc.    Max Heineman (212) 703-5953    Grace Kim  (408) 941-2932  

CONTACT: Max Heineman, +1-212-703-5953, or Grace Kim, +1-408-941-2932, both of NetRatings, Inc.

Web site: http://www.netratings.com/ http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/

New Mexican airline to spread its wings.

MEXICO CITY, Nov 22, 2004 (Cronica/Corporate Mexico by Internet Securities, Inc. via COMTEX) -- The Mexican government has given the green light for the new airline A Volar Aerolineas to begin operating. The new firm will specialize in offering low-cost, domestic flights.

The director of the firm, Jorge Nehme, stated that A Volar expects to begin operating some time next year, since on Oct. 27 authorities granted it an operating license for domestic, commercial flights. "We are looking to be an alternative in the air market for users that demand more options", stated Nehme.

Meanwhile, a group of businessmen are waiting to receive authorization from the Transportation and Communications Secretariat (SCT) to begin participating in the commercial aviation market with the new airline to be called Mesoamerica, which plans to fly between Mexico and several Central American destinations.

As regards international firms, for now there is only interest to begin flying to new routes not yet authorized, stated Gilberto Lopez Meyer, general manager of Civil Aviation. He added, however, that several international companies have expressed an interest in flying to Mexico, although there are no concrete plans to announce.

This abstract is provided by Internet Securities, Inc. as a service to its customers. Internet Securities, Inc. makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy or content of the translation.

URL:              www.securities.com 

Copyright 2004 Internet Securities, Inc., all rights reserved. A Euromoney Institutional Investor Company.

News Provided by COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)