At the Sign of the Whale to host print exhibition

The show, which kicks off Friday (June 1), will feature the work of members of the Nova Scotia Printmakers Association.

The participating artists come from throughout the province, including five from the Yarmouth area and three from Clare.

The exhibition will consist of about 40 works, says Frances Morris, co-owner of At the Sign of the Whale Gallery, noting that the pieces are original works of art.

Visitors to the gallery during the exhibition’s June 1-23 run will find various examples of print-making techniques, including etching, mono print, lithograph, mezzotint, serigraph and linocut.

The show will feature different styles as well, from abstract images to realistic ones.

Morris credits Cecil Day – one of the Yarmouth-area artists taking part in the exhibition – for the strong local contingent in the show, given the many years she has spent providing instruction in etching.

Day will make a presentation on etching Saturday afternoon, a session where Angelina Comeau, another of the artists featured in the show, will discuss monotypes and collagraphs.

Members of the public are invited to meet some of the artists at this time (Saturday, June 2, 2 to 4:30 p.m.), as well as Friday evening (7 to 9:30), when the exhibition opens.

Aside from Cecil Day, Yarmouth-area participants in the show include David Cain, Maria Ludwig, Ruth Rideout and Virginia Stoddard.

Representing Clare are Marcelle Belliveau, Angelina Comeau and Denise Comeau.

Artists from other parts of the province taking part in the show: Kate Brown Georgallis, Ruth Greenlaw, Bob Hainstock, Judith Leidl, V.L. MacLean, Peter MacWhirter, Susan Paterson, William Rogers, Diane Rosati, Kath Rutherford, Robert Rutherford, Anna Syperek.

At the Sign of the Whale’s gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

source : www.novanewsnow.com

Profitable Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing

In today's competitive world, new products and companies are crowding the marketplace, making it increasingly difficult for customers to differentiate product features and benefits. Many promotion techniques are currently available and new ones are constantly evolving. In selecting a tactic, the marketer must consider its appeal for the target group and its compatibility, with the brand's objectives, and budget parameters.


IIR's Business Building Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing course will focus on the critical factors for promotion success and ROI.

You will learn how to quickly diagnose promotions for the unique appeal factor and hallmarks of success. The approach is to lay out a step-by-step disciplined process in developing effective promotion campaigns with case history examples to cement the learning.

You can learn more about this event by visiting - www.iirme.com/salespromo

Wedding show offers ideas for couples planning to tie the knot

If your DJ, minister or bridesmaid cancels mere weeks before your wedding, what would you do?

Would you panic? Or would you have other resources to call in a moment of crisis? Many brides and grooms-to-be do not have a wealth of contacts when it comes to planning their wedding, says Linda Densmore.

Densmore has worked with the Welcome Wagon and Wedding Extravaganza events for the past eight years. The two groups used to provide wedding trade shows that offered a bevy of information and contacts for couples planning their I Dos.

However, those two events are no longer regularly available in Truro, said Densmore. So she is taking on the trade show by herself.

“Brides are starting to drive to Halifax to find what they need to plan their wedding, thinking there’s nothing here. There is, but it’s hard to find,” Densmore said. “This is about bringing awareness to what’s available in Truro, and to help the community.”

A wedding trade show, called Weddings for Wellness, is being planned in Truro for the end of September. But for that to happen, Densmore needs sponsors to come forward. She wants at least 30 sponsors - people who offer some type of wedding expertise (limo drivers, cake makers, DJs, photographers, dress makers, etc.) – to come forward for engaged couples, and the public, to collect information and local contacts.

“We are desperate for cake (makers), and wedding dress (makers) to come forward,” said Densmore, adding the more professionals who make themselves available, the less stress for engaged couples.

“It can be stressful planning a wedding ... with all the details and sometimes something happens that you need to be prepared with a (backup),” said Densmore, who also owns a video and photography business with her son in Hilden.

For example, Densmore has come to the rescue of people who, within weeks, have had their justice of the peace cancel or had their DJ back out at the last minute.

Not having a number of other contacts could be disastrous, especially when many professionals tend to book in advance.

To become a sponsor for the September show, or for more information, call Densmore at 893-3692.



mchiasson@trurodaily.com

Deutsche Messe Brings Mega Trade Fairs To India

Deutsche Messe, a trade fair company based in Hannover, Germany and also the organiser of the world's leading technology event HANNOVER MESSE (the Hannover Fair) has announced support for its export-oriented clients as they seek to establish themselves in key future markets - India, China and Turkey. Deutsche Messe is going to hold three trade fairs from 4 to 7 December 2007 in the city of Bengaluru.

The three trade fairs to be staged congruently in Bengaluru are as follows: Industrial Automation INDIA, which will highlight all segments of the fast-growing industrial automation sector; Motion, Drive & Automation INDIA (MDA INDIA) - a tradeshow for power transmission and fluid power, including an integrated special display featuring the entire energy supply chain, plus all the key target markets; and CeMAT INDIA, covering all segments of intralogistics, from materials handling and warehousing to packaging and order picking.

The simultaneous staging of these specialist shows will provide attending professionals and exhibiting entrepreneurs with an overview of related technology sectors in a compact, easy-to-cover setting - a concept which has proved particularly popular at the exhibition centres in Hannover, Istanbul and Shanghai.

Deutsche Messe has assumed international marketing responsibilities for BIEC (the Bangalore International Exhibitions Centre). The company aims to expand its business activities abroad and India, as the world's no. 2 growth market after China, represents an ideal opportunity for Deutsche Messe to do so. Future targets for Deutsche Messe include Brazil and Russia.

"The intensification of our international activities will continue to be a mainstay of our core exhibition business at Deutsche Messe," explained Sepp D. Heckmann, chairman, managing board, Deutsche Messe.

Deutsche Messe will also organise the following three tradeshows concurrently from 10 to 13 October 2007 in Shanghai: CeBIT Asia, where an offshoot of the world's biggest electronics show is being established in the international production centre of the electronics industry; PTC ASIA, a trade fair for power transmission and fluid power as well as compressors, compressed air and vacuum technology; and CeMAT ASIA, a trade show for intralogistics.

This Shanghai-based 'triumvirate' will enable providers to meet an industrial cross-section of Chinese and Asian customers, and exhibitors and visitors from Europe will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of future trends - with obvious benefits for their domestic business.

A few weeks later, from 6 to 10 November 2007, three trade fairs will be staged simultaneously at the SNIEC centre by Deutsche Messe in cooperation with CIIF: the Industrial Automation Show, the Metalworking and Machine Tool Show, and the Energy Show.

Along with these three trade fairs, SWEG (the Shanghai World Expo Group) will be producing another three: the Information Technology & Equipment Show, the Environmental Protection Technology and Equipment Show, and the Scientific Technological Innovation Show.

source : www.efytimes.com

Business owners can register for SJAFB Purchase Cardholder Trade Show

Local business owners have two more weeks to register so they can participate in the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Purchase Cardholder Trade Show June 12.

By registering through the federal government, local business owners can apply for military contracts with any of the state's military installations and other federal offices, said Cindy Marrette, coordinator of the Military Business Center at Wayne Community College.

Although the process used to require reams of paperwork and long waits, Mrs. Marrette said it can now be completed within 72 hours.

The trade show, which will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Goldsboro Country Club is not open to the public. Only those registered to do business with the government are allowed at the event, where they can meet the base's purchase cardholders and others who work in procurement.

The event, which is sponsored by the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Small Business Center and Military Business Center of Wayne Community College and the Exchange Club of Goldsboro, will feature representatives from the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, General Services Administration, Small Business Association and Military Business Center.

Mrs. Marrette said there is plenty of business that can be done with the government, especially at Seymour Johnson.

The base has more than 500 government purchase cardholders who leave the base every day to buy everything from office products to live chickens to test for bird flu, she said.

Those cardholders were responsible for making about $54 million in purchases last year. Government purchase cardholders can spend up to $2,500 each time they swipe their card.

And there are still spaces available at the 2007 Government Purchase Cardholders Trade Show for any interested local business owners.

To obtain registration to do business with the government, contact the Military Business Center at WCC at 735-5151, ext. 306.

Once registration is complete, a business owner can purchase a table at the event to highlight his or her business by calling Patty Graham at the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce at 734-2234. Information is also available at the Chamber building, which is located at 308 N. William St.

information from : www.newsargus.com

Manufacturer of Anti Tarnish Products, Intercept Silver and Jewelry Care Company Announces Participation in JCK Show in Las Vegas

In the world of jewelry, nothing is bigger or more glitzy than the JCK show taking place from June 1st to 5th in Las Vegas. At the Sands Expo and Convention Center, jewelry manufacturers, retailers, buyers, and designers from around the world will be touring the show floor to find the latest in the jewelry world from jewelry packaging, software and tools to gorgeous baubles and bling.

Buyers at the show are from all over the United States and represent small retail jewelers, as well as large independent chains and the largest corporate jewelry retail chains.

"Intercept Silver and Jewelry Care is really excited about attending the JCK trade show. The JCK Las Vegas show meets our needs since buyers come from all over including the biggest names in the jewelry industry. We're really thrilled that we will be meeting all types of jewelry buyers and educating them about our unique and effective products," comments Marc Rothenberg from Intercept Silver and Jewelry Care Co.

Intercept Silver and Jewelry Care Co. is the exclusive distributor of Intercept Technology™ anti tarnish products to the jewelry industry. Their line up of anti tarnish strips, tabs, pouches and boxes contain reactive materials that react with and neutralize all corrosive gases that contact the film, thereby leaving the jewelry item tarnish free. In addition, their products are non-toxic and non-abrasive, thus leaving the jewelry unharmed through use of the anti-tarnish tabs, strips, boxes, bags, and/or pouches.

Manufacturers or buyers interested in learning more about Intercept Silver and Jewelry Care's unique line of Intercept Technology™ anti-tarnish products are invited to visit booth number 29109 at the show or contact the company directly.

About Intercept Silver & Jewelry Care Company:

Intercept Silver & Jewelry Care Company is an exclusive authorized distributor of Intercept Technology™ anti-corrosion and anti tarnish products for the silver and jewelry industries in the United States and certain territories outside of the U.S.

The anti tarnish products incorporate Corrosion Intercept® and Static Intercept® polymers and inks that react with and permanently neutralize corrosive gases that lead to corrosion and tarnishing of metals, both precious metals as well as other metals used in silver and jewelry products.

At Intercept Silver & Jewelry Care Company, Corrosion intercept® and Static Intercept® are available throughout the entire tarnish prevention product line. Customers are afforded the finest in anti tarnish packaging and storage systems as well as custom products for manufacturers, designers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers.

Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/TWFnbi1aZXRhLUNvdXAtU2luZy1UaGlyLVplcm8=

Amazing Turnout

Hundreds of people turned out to the Bahamas Telecom-munications Company's (BTC) tradeshow and expo this weekend.

The tradeshow, which featured international and local speakers as well as over 40 exhibitors, will end today.

"Technology and You: Connecting You To Tomorrow's Technology Today," was the theme and the expo aimed to introduce and demonstrate new technological products and services in the telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics industries to the public.

Henry Romer, vice president of BTC Northern Bahamas said that he was pleased with the number of persons that visited the expo over the weekend.

"The turnout was phenomenal. The crowd is a little bit more than we anticipated for an event like this. I see a lot of young people out here and hopefully they would take a lot away from the technology and see that there is a great future in it for them," he said.

Romer also said that the exhibitors seemed pleased with the response from the public to their products.

"I was speaking to some of the exhibitors earlier and they were elated. The event's goal was to bring persons out so that the business community and community in general could benefit and I think that has happened," he said.

Noting that the date of the event was strategically chosen since it was a holiday weekend and there were no other major events planned, Romer said the number of families that were able to attend the show was increased.

"I'm pleased with what I see. All our expectations have been realized and I look forward to the next two days," he added.

Many of the exhibitors also expressed their pleasure with the number of persons attending the show.

"The expo has been wonderful, the turnout has been great. The crowd is amazing, I never knew Freeport had this many people that would come, especially on a holiday weekend," said Vanda Rahming, the Freeport manager of Tripoint Communi-cations, one of the exhibitors, which was touting its phone card machines.

"We had lots of persons coming over to our booth, business owners as well as individuals, to find out exactly what they need to do to be able to sell phonecards."

The Ministry of Tourism, one of the partner hosts of the tradeshow also had a booth in the ballroom, where they provided information about upcoming events such as a visit by pastor/author TD Jakes, the Dolphin Fest Camp and the Summer Junkanoo Festival on Taino Beach.

"The turnout was really good. Most of the persons that came out today were really looking for cellphones and giveaways, but the information they got was really helpful," said Philip Patton, human resources assistant in the Ministry.

"A lot of persons were wondering why the Ministry of Tourism was here, but after a little interaction they understood."

Another exhibitor, the Emida company, was promoting it's paperless phone credit system, which allows persons to top up their cellular phone online or at stores, eliminating the need for paper or plastic phonecards, which is better for the environment.

"It's been excellent. I think it's been really good exposure. We've had an awful lot of interest in both what we do and what we're hoping to do in the future. People have been very excited about what we've been able to offer," said Steve Gooderham, vice president of operations for Emida.

He said persons visiting the booth have expressed interest in their product and were asking when it would be available. It is expected to be available from November.

"I'd say the expo exceeded our expectations, there were a lot more people than we expected. It's nice to talk to members of the public who are actually using the product."

Visitors to the show were equally pleased with what they saw. Many persons said they did not quite know what to expect when they came, but were impressed with the array of technological ideas and concepts that were presented by the exhibitors.

"I'm a technology buff so I had to come out to see what they had. I love the cars too," said Joanna Carey referring to the vehicles which were parked in the ballroom as part of the display by Freeport Jet Wash, an exhibitor.

Larry Albury, general manager, said that the cars attracted constant attention and many questions from visitors.

"It's been great this year, lots of people coming out to find out about the blue tooth technology for your vehicle as well as our new silent diesel vehicle. A lot of people have been interested in that, they like the diesel because of the gas prices in today's world," he said.

Another attendee, Patrick Strachan, brought his family to the tradeshow and said he thought the products on display were very interesting.

"I only participated in one of the exhibitions and I thought it was very technical. I am a technical person but it still went over my head. Other than that, the expo has been great so far. My kids are into the Internet, gaming, downloading music and all so they're very into this," he said.

One of the entertainers performing at the show, Alvin "Papa Smurf" Simms, also took the time to walk around to the various booths and said he was impressed with everything he saw.

"Everything is nice, everyone is showing off what they've got. At these kinds of trade shows you don't come out and bring no shabby stuff, you bring top of the line stuff, and that's what these booths have. People are excited about what they're seeing at the booths," he said.

SHARING INFO — This mother and daughter is pictured speaking with one of the vendors about his products and services on display at the BTC Trade Show and Expo 2007 held yesterday at Our Lucaya. See more photos on page 8

source : freeport.nassauguardian.net

Global ECO brings first eco apparel trade show to Vegas

By attendance, media, or the grape vine, you probably heard that the First Global ECO Apparel Trade and Fashion Show was a huge success. This is now officially a biannual event with the next show this coming, August 26-29, 2007. Venetian Hotel, Grand Ballroom, Las Vegas, NV.

We invite the general eco minded public (free) who then become our ambassadors going home and spreading the environmental word to families, friends and telling their local retailers to buy Eco..Our exhibitors love the ability to educate. No other trade show does this! We have an Eco fashion show. No other trade show does this!

All our exhibitors are eco minded. No other trade show does this! Our trade show is the only expo about Eco Products. No other trade show does this!

All our attendees want eco products. No other can trade has this type of buyer! Over 90% of our exhibitors are returning. Now that says it all, an overwhelming vote of confidence from exhibitors who proclaim that the Global Eco Apparel Trade and Fashion show was a 100% success!!!

We also serve free breakfast drinks, free 1st class delicious brunch prepared by the Venetian Hotel, free wines, free mixed drinks and free lite dinner prepared by the Venetian hotel First class is first class.

1. Sponsorships are available.
2. Media partners are desired.
3. $250 is the fee for the fashion show, brands get to show 10 outfits and we will highlight only 10 manufacturers in the Eco fashion show.

www.compassionatefashioncollective.com

Economic benefits for country from Bridex 2007

A MARKET place is one to which buyers throng to meet sellers of wares, produce and items that have an economic value. In the olden days of yore, traders travelled from afar to congregate in exchange of goods and knowledge of the marketplace.

Those humble beginnings are still around today while many have transformed into what we now know as exhibitions. Exhibitions are indeed marketplaces where buyers meet sellers and where business deals worth up to millions of dollars are made.

There are two main categories of exhibitions, namely consumer exhibitions and trade exhibitions. Trade exhibitions or trade shows, as they are commonly called, provide an avenue to exhibitors to showcase their products and services to a select audience of a particular trade or industry. For example, Food & Hotel Asia or FHA in Singapore is a show held every two years where exhibitors' display products like food, beverage, equipment, products and services for buyers and traders from the food, beverage and hospitality industry.

Trade visitors to the show get the opportunity to be exposed to all kinds of products from all over the world that are relevant to the enhancement and development of their businesses, such a trade show is also an ideal platform for the initiation of contracts for the supply of capital goods, projects and joint ventures.

In Brunei, we are about to witness a highly niche trade show specifically designed for the defence and security industry for the Southeast Asian region. Companies that design, manufacture and produce equipment, products and services for the enhancement of security, in general, will exhibit their wares to buyers who are primarily governments from the region.

Bridex 2007, the inaugural Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition and Forum, will take place at the International Convention Centre. It has attracted 108 exhibiting companies from 18 countries. Of these, 85 per cent are foreign entities.

In addition to the opportunity for the various governments from the region to view new equipment and technology, the show will also provide a platform for players to explore possibilities in the development of a defence industry in Brunei.

The Global Forum that will be held in conjunction with the Bridex 2007 trade show will give participants a chance to exchange ideas in enhancing defence capabilities like homeland security and the use of C4ISR and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles technologies.

Together, the trade show and the conference will see the gathering of at least 2,000 local and foreign industry players and professionals from around the world.

In the short to medium term, an event like Bridex will undoubtedly benefit all participants in addressing commercial and national defence needs of the exhibitors and countries in this region, respectively.

Just as important, if not more, is the economic impact that an event of this nature has on the host country.

In the United states of America, a 2004 study found that the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) industry generated US$122.3 billion in total direct spending supporting 1.7 million jobs within that country alone. It generated 36 per cent of the hotel industry's total operating revenue. The largest share of the Mice dollar is spent on hotels (35 per cent), followed by air transportation (24 per cent), food and beverage (14 per cent) and business services (12 per cent).

In Germany, cities built mega-sized exhibition halls catering to many of the world's largest trade shows. Each time such shows take place the entire city's economy will erupt, benefiting even homeowners who rent out accommodation to the show visitors. One such show alone can attract 100,000 visitors from all over the globe to the city within the few days that it is held.

However it is of interest to note that the size of a trade show is dependent on several factors. Firstly, it is the industry in which the show serves. A fast, developing industry in a bouyant economy will be able to catalyse the rapid development of a show. On the other hand, a show will reduce in size with a shrinking market or economy. This was clearly evident in the last Asian financial crisis where many mega regional events had shrunk by more than half their original size.

Secondly, a trade show needs time to develop. First time shows are usually not very large. They can only grow once the industry gains confidence in it and view it as the show that represents the industry's needs. Once this is achieved, the next edition will see an increase in size and keep growing with each edition. German shows have grown over time serving the global market. Buyers from all over the world come to these shows to source for capital goods, products and services of every kind of industry imaginable.

Likewise can be said of many other mega shows in Europe and the United States.

Other trade show critical success factors include hardware like infrastructure and facilities and software like industry backing, show management, business and other support services.

China is a success story where in recent years, we saw a phenomenal rise in the number of exhibitions and conventions in the country. New venues were built in record time with major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzen, Chengdu and Kunming boasting state-of-the-art infrastructure.

In conclusion, the Mice sector is indeed a vital economic engine and a very important foreign exchange earner. Needless to say, it is imperative that every player in the Mice industry from the government to the taxi driver and the man on the street will need to work towards contributing to the development of the industry and the success of every event large and small.

Steven Thong is the Exhibition Director for the Brunei Darussalam International Defence Exhibition and Global Forum 2007.

source : www.bruneitimes.com.bn

Portable, Scalable Trade Show Booth Designed for International Skin Care Company

E&E Exhibit Solutions' trade show booth design for PCA SKIN®, an international skin care products company based in Scottsdale, received an international design and innovation award recently in Las Vegas at EXHIBITOR, the national conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketers. PCA SKIN's portable booth design won a Teddy Award from Nomadic Display, a manufacturer of portable and modular exhibits.

E&E Exhibit Solutions' winning design is a portable and scalable booth, meaning one display structure can transform to fit multiple sizes of trade show spaces. Designed and constructed in early 2006, PCA SKIN's booth can fit a standard size of a 10 ft. by 10 ft. booth up to 10 ft. by 40 ft. "This scalability is essential, as the space that we purchase at each show varies based on the audience and the type of show. We use the 10x20 and 10x30 set ups most often. But, because of the esthetics of the booth, our company stands out regardless of the booth size," said Terra Tham, marketing communications manager for PCA SKIN.

PCA SKIN attends about 30 trade shows each year and uses the eye-catching display to educate trade show attendees about and demonstrate its various skin care products. Booth visitors can also purchase skin care products, which the company displays and stores on site in decorative showcases. The booth also features large, billboard graphics to convey PCA SKIN's marketing message and branding.

Daniel Chaddock, president of E&E Exhibit Solutions and exhibit design consultant for PCA SKIN's booth, said, "Because of PCA SKIN's requirements for multiple booth sizes, storage and high-end look and feel, a custom portable exhibit is the perfect solution." Custom portable booths like PCA SKIN's are constructed of pre-engineered, lightweight and compact materials and ship in small cases. These features save exhibitors money on booth production, shipping, and set up at trade shows, when compared to fully-custom exhibits designed and built from scratch using heavier, more cumbersome materials, Chaddock said.

Each year, Nomadic Display recognizes outstanding exhibits designed by its network of distributors worldwide. E&E Exhibit Solutions has also won Teddy Awards for innovative booth designs in 1998 and 2004.

About E&E Exhibit Solutions

E&E Exhibit Solutions is a Phoenix trade show display company that provides complete solutions for exhibits, events and environments. The company specializes in custom portable displays and modular displays, including island exhibit displays and double-deck booths, trade show booth graphics, trade show rental exhibits, display storage, shipping and show-site installation services. The company's newsletter also provides valuable trade show tips and special offers. Visit www.exhibitsusa.com for your display ideas.

About PCA SKIN®

Nearly two decades ago, PCA SKIN® pioneered unique light to medium range chemical peel formulations utilizing a progressive, not aggressive approach. Since then, the company has been working with physicians and skin care professionals to help their patients achieve their skin care goals with a combination of clinically proven daily care products and sophisticated professional treatments. Relationship building, trusted educational resources, outstanding customer support, and healthy, beautiful results are the reasons why doctors trust the health of their patients' skin to PCA SKIN®. For more information, visit www.pcaskin.com.

About Nomadic Display

Nomadic Display revolutionized the display industry 30 years ago with the invention of pop-up exhibit displays. Today, the company is a leading producer of portable and modular exhibit systems with manufacturing facilities in suburban Washington, D.C. and Ireland. Nomadic products are sold through 200 showrooms worldwide. To learn more, visit www.nomadicdisplay.com.

Internationally Renowned Speaker Line Up To Open UDT Europe 2007

The 20th annual Undersea Defence Technology Europe conference and exhibition (UDT), is set to be the most influential yet, with an unprecedented line up of speakers cementing the show's reputation as the must attend event in the international defence calendar. The event will take place at La Mostra d'Oltremare in Naples, Italy, from the 5th – 7th June 2007.

Internationally renowned speakers opening the conference include: Italian Deputy Minister for Defence, Senator L. Forcieri; National Armament Director, Italy, General G. Botondi; Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral P. La Rosa and Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Naples, Admiral H.G Ulrich III.

UDT Europe 2007 is expecting to see over 1, 500 visitors and delegates from 40 countries descend on Naples for the event, along with over 100 exhibitors and speakers.

Since its launch, in 1987, UDT has developed an enviable reputation as the only dedicated conference and exhibition serving the undersea defence sector. Alongside the three full exhibition and conference days, UDT Europe will additionally offer numerous networking opportunities, including the first ever UDT Gala Dinner on Wednesday 6th June, open to all conference delegates and exhibitors.

Summertime Consumer Goods Fair

For the third time, the focus will be on 'big business' at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre when Collectione Preview Spring + Summer, the consumer-goods highlight for bulk-buying specialists, takes place from 17 to 20 June 2007. On around 20, 000 square metres of exhibition space, some 200 exhibitors will present the latest products and innovations for the 'big business' segment of the market. To ensure maximum efficiency at the fair, it is essential that visitors make good preparations for their time in Frankfurt.

Permanent availability is nowadays a must for all business people. Thanks to W-LAN, it is possible for visitors and exhibitors to access the internet using wireless technology no matter where they are in the Exhibition Centre. W-LAN tickets can be purchased from vending machines at the entrances to their fair.

Even if time is short, xGuide means an efficient visit is still possible: visitors can download xGuide free of charge onto their personal PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) – the software will be available on the internet shortly before the fair begins and at the Compass stands during the event. The xGuide software enables users not only to conduct exhibitor and product-group searches but also shows the location of exhibitors on hall plans.

Music, cabaret, finger food – the best prerequisites for a successful evening, to which Collectione exhibitors and visitors are invited on Monday, 18 June 2007. Under the motto, 'Garden Party', the Get Together, which will be held in Galleria 1 and begins at 6 p.m., will give guests the chance to exchange opinions and experiences and to round off the day in a pleasant atmosphere. Entertainment will be provided by cabaret artists, magicians and jugglers while the original interpretations of popular songs played by the 'Acoustic Fun Orchestra' are sure to get lots of people onto the dance floor.

EP Shanghai

China Electricity Council and Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd will join hands in holding the next EP expo, The 6th International Exhibition on Electric Power Equipment and Technology and the 5th International Exhibition on Electrical Engineering, Electrical Equipment and Contractors' Supplies from June 5 - 7, 2007 at the Shanghai International Exhibition Centre (INTEX), Shanghai, PR China. The organizers estimated the 2007 show scale will reach a 30% growth as compared to EP Shanghai 2005, with participation from over 300 local and overseas exhibitors.

Furthermore, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of Germany, Embassy of the United States of America - US Commercial Service, Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade and Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers' Association (IEEMA) highly support to organize large official pavilions to participate in the exhibition.

In light of the constant growth in power industry of China, China Electricity Council will organize the China International Power Generation Technology Conference alongside EP / Electrical Shanghai 2007. Piloted by the main theme on "Green Power --- New Development of China Power Generation in the 21st Century", the conference will serve for the advanced and new power generation technological exchange between China and overseas professionals, especially to explore insights on renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental protection and power construction. Over 300 delegates from power plants, power corporations, power supply bureau, design institute and the related Governmental officials will be invited to this significant event and visit the expo as well.

To further provide an in-depth communication platform for visitors and the industrial players, a series of technical seminars on Power Technology and Power T&D will be concurrently held. Speakers include Areva, GE Energy, Dow Corning and Nexans.

Meanwhile, the organizers are undertaking a wide-ranging local and overseas promotion campaign for EP / Electrical Shanghai 2007 with their strong connections in power industry in China. Aiming at facilitating overseas buyers, an online visitor pre-registration is available to serve overseas buyers with easy and free registration, travel and accommodation information, and a lucky draw to win free accommodation during the expo.

Founded in 1986, EP / Electrical China and EP / Electrical Shanghai are organized by China Electricity Council and held rotationally in Shanghai and Beijing in alternate years. As the largest and most reputable electric power and electrical trade fair in China, EP China / Shanghai has become the only power expo endorsed by UFI Approved Event in China, with full support from major power group corporations and power grid corporations in China.

Dairy-Deli-Bake 2007

The International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association's 43rd annual seminar and expo, Dairy-Deli-Bake 2007, will feature IDDBA's 12th annual Cake Decorating Challenge and a special display highlighting the hundreds of new products which will be introduced. The show will be held June 3-5 in Anaheim, CA. The theme for this year's show is "All Access Backstage Pass."Three highly-skilled, creative supermarket cake decorators will vie for top honors as they demonstrate their decorating skills and creative talents in IDDBA's 12th Annual Cake Decorating Challenge.

The three-day contest (they're not judged on endurance, but that's certainly a factor) begins with the creation of a wedding cake on Day One. Day Two is devoted to creating enough production cakes to fill an 8' bakery case. Day Three is a special "Decorator's Choice" theme event. Contestants receive an all-expense paid trip to Anaheim, gifts, trophies, bragging rights, and publicity.

Scouting out that hot new product or package or service is a challenge under the best of conditions. And when you're faced with the thousands of new product introductions that hit supermarket shelves every year, it becomes an even greater challenge. Buyers and merchandisers who attend the IDDBA show get an intense, all-encompassing look at these new products — all in one place and at one time. Several hundred new products were introduced at last year's show. Attendees get a handy check-list (for targeting specific exhibits), a display that previews selected products, and the opportunity to do aisle-by-aisle taste testing.

The best ticket to any event is the one that says "All Access" and "Backstage Pass." The IDDBA show will bring the buyers and sellers and the producers and directors together in an open forum where they can view the latest promotions, hear the best and brightest speakers, tap into the newest ideas, and taste-drive the hottest new products. Each show is unique and focuses on a new, mainstream marketing concept. This year's focus is Extreme Retailing. Extreme Retailing embraces products, merchandising, packaging, ingredients, and technology.

CMM International 2007

More than 100 new companies have signed on to exhibit at CMM International 2007 during the last three months. These companies have joined hundreds of other organizations from around the world that have already reserved their booth space for the industry's largest converting exposition and conference June 4-7 at the Rosemont Convention Center outside of Chicago.

According to CMM Show Management, many of these companies are either new to CMM or have come back to the show after not participating in recent years. Several companies also have expanded their original booth size and many of them now are planning to bring running equipment.

Among the many new enhancements to CMM 2007 are two Technology Centers that will feature the most advanced equipment producing actual converting jobs on the show floor all four days of the event. The Flexible Packaging Technology Center was just announced in late October and several industry leaders have already signed to sponsor it and bring their latest equipment.

Bobst/Schiavi will showcase its latest flexo press, Profama is bringing a new slitter/rewinder and Hudson-Sharp will feature an advanced state-of-the-art bag making machine, and AirTrim will provide a pneumatic trim system. Several other participating companies in the Flexible Packaging Tech Center will be announced soon.

Also new to the 2007 show is the Narrow To Mid-Web Technology Center that will feature leading suppliers showcasing the latest equipment that can produce jobs on both narrow and mid-web 2 equipment.

The biennial CMM International is the world's showcase and educational forum for the global converting and package printing industries. More than 15, 000 converting professionals from over 60 countries are expected to attend the 2007 CMM International.

2007 EPHJ show

As to the enterprises, which wished to exhibit at the EPHJ Show, but have not signed up yet, they still have the alternative, unless their activities are exclusively in jewellery and watch-making, to present and make their specificity known by exhibiting at the EPMT Show (Professional Microtechnology Environment - Environnement Professionnel MicroTechnologies) which will take place at the same time as the EPHJ Show, from June 5 – 8, at Beaulieu in Lausanne.

Indeed, this Trade Show is devoted to enterprises engaged in all the micro-nanotechnologies, in areas as varied as, yet close and complementary to, the aerospace industry, robotics, medical equipment, phototonics, biotechnology, automobile equipment, etc. The two Shows, which are both identical and complementary, will host all visitors, whether they come specifically to explore only one or the other of the Shows.

Moreover, the Swiss Federal University of Technology (EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and the Swiss Foundation for the Research in Microtechnology (FSRM - Fédération Suisse pour la Recherche en Microtechnique) have planned to organise – on the occasion of the EPMT Show - a series of lectures this year on the subject of robotics and automation.

On the same occasion, the France-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CFSCI) will also organise a one-day business forum on June 7th (scheduled and personalised encounters) for Swiss professionals placing orders (no charge for participation) and French sub-contractors (EPMT/EPHJ exhibitors will be charged highly preferential rates). The sectors targeted specifically are: machine tools/special machines, electric and electronic appliances, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology/nanotechnology, semi-conductors/ telecommunications, aeronautical industry.

Stone+Tec 2007

At Stone+tec 2007 in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 6-9 June 2007, companies from all over the world offer a wide variety of natural stone and the technologies for its specific application. The International Trade Fair Natural Stone and Stoneprocessing Technology with some 1, 000 exhibitors is one of the biggest get-togethers for natural stone professionals at the heart of Europe. "Made in Germany" has become synonymous with high quality throughout the world. The term, which was originally coined in the British Merchandise Marks Act exactly 120 years ago to provide protection against poor quality products from abroad, has changed in the course of time to become an unofficial seal for products of high quality.

The special show "Natural Stone Architecture – Made in Germany" in hall 1 at Stone+tec 2007 takes up this quality term and shows a cross-section of the products of leading German natural stone companies. The presentation is intended primarily for architects and material decision-makers involved with large building projects.

The name of the place of origin as a quality feature is also used in another setting: Euroroc – the European & International Federation of Natural Stone Industries – has adopted the logo "Natural Stone – Every Piece Unique" as a common logo in various language versions to support its work and show consumers they are getting natural stone quality from Europe.

On 7 June 2007, the "Stone Craft Day" at Stone+tec 2007, the presentation of the Peter Parler Award in the morning is followed by an afternoon geared to restoration: Starting at 2 p.m., experts from exhibiting companies provide information at five presentations chaired by the Bundesinnungsverband des Deutschen Steinmetz-, Stein- und Holzbildhauerhandwerks on the following subjects: "Professional Cleaning, Hardening and Impregnation of Sandstone", "Natural Stone Repair", "Renovation of Floors", "Laying Bonded Paving" and "Laying Natural Stone without Discolouration".

Natural stone has always been a popular element of bathing culture, which combines cleaning the body with cleaning the soul. It serves as a basis for steam and sweating baths in the form of glowing stones and is used as material for baths, loungers, floors and walls. The Greeks and Romans in the Ancient World appreciated it just as much as the Arabs in their public baths of medieval times.

Wellness oases have developed into popular places of relaxation in the hectic modern world in hotels specially designed for this trend and within people's own four walls. Natural stone plays an outstanding role here in each very individual design, whether as aesthetic design element or as part of Feng Shui concepts. The exhibitors at Stone+tec 2007 offer an extensive range of products for every taste especially for interior design use in wellness areas and baths.

Products on display at Stone+tec 2007 natural ston: Natural stone for interior use, facades and exterior use; all types of stone and processing, Fixing, maintenance, preservation and restoration of natural stone, Industrial safety and environmental protection, Services, trade press, associations.

Technology: Machines, installations and tools; for quarrying natural stone; for processing natural stone; for moving and installing natural stone; for manufacturing diamond tools; Conveying, transport, packaging; Gravestones and accessories; Natural stone for graveyards; Grave design and decorationv.

GovSec – Law Enforcement – Ready! Europe Exhibition & Conference

Law enforcement with a human face, ensuring biosafety in an open society and deployment of a pan-European emergency number will be the three main themes at the first edition of GovSec – Law Enforcement – Ready! Europe Exhibition & Conference. This event aims at the entire European safety & security industry and takes place at Brussels Expo, Belgium, on June 6th and 7th 2007. Several security and safety incidents in the last 5 years have raised new questions for the European security community: how can we maintain the norms and values of an open society in a region that is facing new internal and exogenous threats.

Three main segments of the European safety & security community will debate these issues in their own domains during international conferences under the umbrella of GovSec – Law Enforcement – Ready! Europe Exhibition & Conference.

This professional event creates a unique platform for the exchange of know-how and expertise in 3 areas of competence: GovSec is Europe's premier event for homeland security and the civil protection of people, goods and data. GovSec offers a complete range of products and services for safety and security professionals and is host to the first European Biosafety Congress.

Law Enforcement aims at European police officers with a large offer of equipment, materials and investment goods for civil policing and law enforcement. Law Enforcement is host to the first international conference on Community Oriented Policing, organized by the Belgian Federal Police.

Ready! Europe is the first pan-European platform for managers of emergency services and first responders. Ready! Europe is host to the first European Safety & Security Summit, organized by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA). This conference will focus on the roll-out of the universal emergency number 112.

The program of the three international conferences is steadily taking shape. The International Conference on Community Oriented Policing will feature statements by Belgian Home Secretary Patrick Dewael and Minister Laurette Onkelinx, academics from Belgium and abroad (a.o. professor Gabriël van den Brink, professor Lawrence W. Sherman, professor Paul Ponsaers and professor Brice De Ruyver) and will be attended by over one thousand European police officials.

The European Safety & Security Summit takes place under the patronage of European Commissioner Stavros Dimas and has among its guests Diana Wallis and Gérard Onesta, vice-presidents of the European Parliament, European MP Ari Vatanen and Demetrios Pyrros, president of the World Association of Disaster & Emergency Medicine.

11th International Trade Fair for Logistics, Telematics and Transport

Globalisation is setting the pace at transport logistic 2007. For this 11th International Trade Fair for Logistics, Telematics and Transport, the organiser Messe München is expecting over 1, 500 exhibitors from around 60 countries. That represents a rise of around 15 percent. Approximately 40 percent of these companies come from outside Germany. This year exhibitors from almost 60 nations will be putting on a display at transport logistic 2007, which takes place from 12 to 15 June 2007 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

The world´s markets are growing closer and closer together. Goods have to be delivered on a just-in-time basis, no matter how far-flung the destination. This challenge is prompting more and more countries to look for international partners and forge new links. Algeria and Jordan, for example, will be putting on a presentation at transport logistic 2007 for the first time.

Especially interesting for these countries is the transport of goods by air and sea. Jordan´s only access to the sea, for example, is at Aqaba, on the Red Sea. Run by the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), this port gives access to the eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Egypt and destinations in Asia. "transport logistic is the world´s biggest trade fair for the sector in terms of the number of international exhibitors and visitors. It offers us the best opportunity to present our multimodal transport and logistics solutions, " says Imad Najeeb Fakhoury, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Aqaba Development Corporation.

Also premiering their potential at the world´s leading trade fair for logistics and transport are companies from new, fast-growing markets spanning from northern Europe through to beyond the Urals – including countries like Azerbaijan, Estonia and Georgia. More and more countries, regions and locations are actively seeking synergies and coordinating their expertise and exhibiting at a joint stand at the fair – this year for the first time there will be joint stands from Hungary, Romania, Russia and the US. A range of other countries, among them Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia, are also organising national pavilions.

The international orientation of the fair is continued in the accompanying programme of events. In a series of country specials, high-ranking experts from industry, the transport sector and politics will be giving insights into the exciting markets of Russia, India, the hubs in the Baltic and the new EU member states of Bulgaria and Romania.

GSM>3G Russia / CIS Congress and Exhibition in Moscow

As expected, Russia's big three mobile operators are to receive the initial three 3G licenses issued by the Government. In total, twelve 3G bids had been submitted following publication of the tender rules in December 2006. Among those to lose out were Tele2 subsidiary Chelyabinsk Cellular Communications and New Telephone Company, based in Vladivostok. Informa Telecoms & Media's annual GSM>3G Russia / CIS conference and exhibition offers a unique opportunity to do so, taking place this year June 5-6 in Moscow.

The licensing situation now finally clear, the next battle will be the race actually to roll out 3G services. MTS is planning to provide services in the largest few cities before the end of 2007, well ahead of any obligatory targets set by the Government. The company has also announced that right away subscribers will benefit from HSDPA technology, supporting video calls, video conferencing and mobile TV over 3G network. VimpelCom and Russia's third-placed operator MegaFon have said less about their deployment plans.

This recent confirmation of the big three operators' 3G licence wins does not mean that the licensing story is necessarily over. A spokesperson for the Russian Federal Communications Agency has reportedly told Russian business daily Kommersant that a fourth 3G license will be awarded in 2007, saying that it would assign frequencies currently utilised by SkyLink, a CDMA operator that has been trialling a 3G service for a number of years.

Annual High-Tech and Venture Capital Conference

The Israel Venture Association (IVA) announced today that it will host leading entrepreneurs and CEOs in their fields, that have established and led the largest and most successful international companies, to address the annual High-Tech and Venture Capital Conference. The Conference will be held on June 10 - 11, 2007 at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv.

The speakers who will address the Conference include: Shay Agassi; Israel Makov; Prof. Paul Gompers; Dov Moran, Founder; Eyal Waldman; Haim Shani; Yigal Jacoby, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Allot Communications (Nasdaq:ALLT). Jacoby, a veteran entrepreneur, previously founded Armon Networking which was eventually sold to Bay Networks in 1996.

The theme for this year's event is "Start Up Big!" and it will focus on Building Large Companies with a stimulating program that includes how to better leverage Israeli innovations to create larger companies, what this means to Israeli entrepreneurs/VC's and LPs, local and global case studies, which sectors to invest in, CleanTech and other emerging sectors with the potential to impact the industry. In addition, the Conference will include focused breakout sessions on Networking and Home Networking, Web 2.0 & 3.0, new models for Enterprise Software, Medical Devices and Biotech as well as Gaming and Digital Media.

IVA has partnered with the Red Herring business and technology magazine to co-manage the Conference panels and the "Start-up of the Year" competition. The competition will honor the best start-ups of 2007 in the categories of Software & Internet, Semiconductor & Communications, and Life Sciences.

In addition, a special IVA committee will elect the IVA Persons of the Year in the following categories: the most significant contribution to the Israeli high-tech and venture capital industry, the technology entrepreneur, and the venture capitalist who has prominently contributed to the community. Representatives of the IVA and Red Herring will present the awards to the winning start-ups in each category of the start-up competition and the IVA Person of the Year awards.

The 10th International Leshow Leather & Fur Fair / Moscow

The 10th International Leather and Fur Trade Show "LeShow-2007" will take place on June 6 through 8, in the Exhibition Center EXPOCENTR, Pavillion 2. Since 1993, Turkel Fair Organization Inc., has been organizing trade fairs on a wide spectrum across the four continents, including such countries as Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic Republics, Poland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Denmark, Spain, Latvia, Romania, Tunis, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Ghana, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, Venezuela, Canada, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Tatarstan.

Turkel organizes twenty five trade fairs each year and the biggest in its class international exhibition of fur- and leatherwear "LeShow", which is annually staged in Moscow, is a kind of the company's business card.

LeShow, the most comprehensive marketplace for leather and fur industry in Russian Federation establishes the platform for fashion business where thousands track trends, find new sources and find new business partners.

All of them are aiming at taking advantage of the unique opportunity to exchange new ideas and share projects, demonstrate the new collections, get acquainted with the latest novelties in the field of leather and fur processing, and make contracts for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The exhibitor sections of LeShow; Leather clothing, Fur clothing, Treated leather, Accessories, Chemical raw material, for leather and fur industry. The selected exhibitors have chance to display their latest collections with the fashion shows with the participation of Russian top models.

Gardening Scotland 2007

Gardening Scotland 2007 will take place this year from June 1 until June 3 at The Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh. It will feature a diverse range of innovative and inspiration show gardens, including the 'Re-Use, Recycle & Retire' Garden created by Oatridge College for the gardeners' charity, Perennial and the "Room with a View" garden by designers Stone, Wood, Water & Light. Cox TO most people it would seem like an impossible task, but for Carol Gallagher McCulloch it is simply child's play. The Dunblane-based designer has undertaken the huge challenge of creating, not just one, but two show gardens at Gardening Scotland 2007.

In demonstrating how she will turn two bare patches of earth into mini Edens in just eight days, Carol had a little help from a giant snakes and ladders set, a toddler's paddling pool and her own six-year-old daughter, Holly.

At the same time as she is wrestling with grassy reptiles, Carol will also be creating the Garden of the Future for Scottish Water. With hotter summers, lower rainfall and predictions of more climate change to come, then gardeners are going to have to become water-wise if they want their gardens to flourish.

After the Show, the Garden of the Future will be donated to Barnardo's - Gardening Scotland 2007's nominated charity - for use in a garden project it is creating at a children's nursery.

Three students completing the new Diploma in Garden Design at the RBGE, Cox Muir & Erskine, will build and design a garden titled 'Wet and Wildness'. Colin Bell and students from the Scottish Agricultural College are set to make a feature that comes to life at night with plants, artwork and surfaces that reflect pale light in the 'Urban Moonlight' garden.

The 34th Barcelona International Motor Show

The 34th Barcelona International Motor Show will be the most interactive and festive yet, with 89 direct exhibitors, 43 vehicle makes and a multitude of unique activities which will turn From the 9th to the 17th of June in the Montjuïc exhibition centre into a major automobile fiesta. The show will take up the entire Montjuïc venue, with 250, 000 square metres of floor space. Organised by Fira de Barcelona, the show has the support of the two most important Spanish associations, ANFAC and ANIACAM and is the only one in Spain sanctioned by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), the world automobile trade association.

The 2007 Motor Show will turn the Barcelona in a major automobile fiesta, with unique activities and exhibitions. This year's main attraction will be the exhibition "Tintin and his cars", included in the official programme of the centenary celebrations of the birth of Hergé, the Belgian creator of the famous reporter's adventures, in which the vehicles play a very important part.

There will also be a spectacular Rolls Royce exhibition, with vehicles from 1921 to 1990; open air freestyle shows; a racing car exhibition; 4x4 track circuits; road education tracks and the tuning and car audio contest, among other activities.

Professionals will also be able to participate in a wide range of interesting events, such as the 6th International Motor Show Awards, which reward the best innovations in the industry.

Autosalon Brno 2007

Only once in two years the fans of cars and everything around them have a chance to visit this prestigious motor show. In June the Brno Exhibition Centre will host AUTOSALON BRNO 2007, the largest show of cars and accessories in Central Europe and the only car show in this region put on the O.I.C.A. international calendar of events. The reason for two-year periodicity is that in even years it takes turns with AUTOTEC, international exhibition of utility vans and trucks. The Czech Republic is slowly but surely becoming the biggest producer of cars per one inhabitant. After the TPCA Kolín has started its full production, the current production reaches the level of approximately 900, 000 cars manufactured per year.

Apart from the so far biggest producer in Slovakia – Volkswagen, production is being started in two plants – Peugeot is manufacturing its new model 207 here and the first European plant belonging to Korean Kia is commencing its operations here as well. Dynamic growth in sub-contractors is coming hand in hand with the new production and increasing production in existing plants, manufacturing parts and components for motor vehicles. This industry is already exceeding the final product manufacturers output in the region of former Czechoslovakia.

This year is bringing more than just an increase in the number of produced cars. The latest models will be launched as well. What will the car manufacturers operating in our region want to boast? For example, the previously mentioned Kia operation located in the vicinity of Žilina has prepared, apart from its new five-door hatchback named cee'd that has already been presented to the pubic, a combi version to be designated as a sportywagon and a three-door version is also anticipated, probably designated as sportyhatch (the three-door car concept is currently named pro_cee'd).

We can further expect AUTOSALON 2007 to become the place where our motorists will be introduced the newly arriving model from a Korean manufacturer who will begin its production in this country in the near future. Hyundai has already prepared a new car, which is in the stage of design study at the moment, bearing an interesting name – Arnejs. This car is a prototype of the newly prepared five-door hatchback in the C segment that is expected to contribute to Hyundai's growth on European markets in a significant way. The place where this car is planned to be manufactured in series is probably the newly built facility in Nošovice, Czech Republic. The manufacturer's objective is to sell approximately 150 thousand cars in Europe every year. Apart from the hatchback version they are likely to offer combi and maybe also coupe-cabriolet versions.

Our biggest manufacturer – Škoda Auto company – will not stay behind the competitors this year and it will offer its customers a whole range of innovations. We cannot expect a mass production of the three-door compact car for leisure time named Joyster this year but, for example, a presentation of a new Fabia range is being prepared. And, of course, due to the tough competition on the motor vehicle market, we can expect that Škoda will surprise us with something new, such as a study for a new model.

And what more can we look forward to? There are still a couple of months to go before the beginning of AUTOSALON 2007 and the biggest brands are still being secretive about the best "crowd pullers". But we do know for certain already that you will see innovations such as a two-door coupe Audi R8 or new models M3, X5 by German manufacturer BMW or cabrio in the three range. Mercedes-Benz se will introduce its C cars. Volkswagen is preparing its latest SUV Tiguan. French Citroën is bringing its new C model – Crosser to Brno, Dacia will introduce the long-anticipated Logan Kombi, Renault will offer a new Twingo range and Peugeot will present the 4007 car at its stand among many other things.

The manufacturer with a rearing up horse in its coats of arms will certainly please its supporters with the Ferrari 599 model and another Italian manufacturer, Fiat, will bring its latest innovation Bravo. Ford will boast the successor to the successful Mondeo range, Land Rover will show its new Freelander. In terms of Japanese cars, we can look forward to introductions of Honda CRV or Civic Type R as well as Mitsubishi Lancer. For experts there will be a treat in the form of Maserati Coupe as well as many other brands, model ranges and concepts.

Markex is The Definitive Marketing, Promotions and Special Events

Markex is the definitive marketing, promotions and special events exhibition and has a long history this year the show will celebrate its 21st anniversary - since it was first launched in Johannesburg. Gauteng will play host to the event from June 5-7 at the Sandton International Convention Centre, while this year the exhibition will take to the East Coast when, for the first time, Durban will play host to a sister event in August 14 - 16 at the city's renowned International Conference Centre (ICC).

There are a large number of corporates either based in Durban or with their head offices situated there, so the market demand for an exhibition of this nature has been growing for some time and we felt the time was right to
respond to this demand.

Chamier says both shows will give industry players an opportunity to meet the market face-to-face, build stronger prospect databases, generate high-quality sales leads, increase media exposure and build brand awareness.

Markex 2007 provides a forum for exhibitors to display innovative, ground-breaking, new ways of marketing that targets local consumers and business persons, says Chamier.

Coupled to the fact that our company is the leading organiser of business-to-business shows in South Africa and we have the best venues in both Durban and Johannesburg booked for the event, I would have to say that all round it is a fantastic opportunity for industry players.

Against this backdrop, the new Business of Sport Exhibition will run concurrently with Markex & World of Events at the Sandton International Convention Centre. Business of Sport 2007 will showcase the full spectrum of sports-related ideas, products, companies and organisations in South Africa.

The global sports business and sponsorship industry continues to grow with more companies putting these activities at the core of their communications strategies to maximise media exposure, raise brand awareness, gain mind share and create greater customer loyalty, says Chamier.

Exhibition and Conference in The Forest Industry - PulPaper 2007

This year's exhibition and conference in the forest industry, PulPaper 2007, is organised at the Helsinki Fair Centre 5-7 June. Special attention is put on the latest innovations and challenges of the future. The exhibition space is nearly sold out with 700 exhibiting companies from 33 different countries. The global environment of the forest industry has changed rapidly and companies face challenges in creating competitive advantage in the new situation. PulPaper 2007 gives a profound overview of new possibilities, innovations and business sectors. Professionals from over 50 different countries are expected to visit the event.

The main theme for the conference "Innovative and Sustainable Use of Forest Resources" is divided into half day sessions which provide the different visitor groups a convenient and flexible way to participate.

A novelty at the fair is a marketing conference which takes place on the opening day. It is organised by Prima (Paper & Related Industries Marketing Association). - For the first time also the viewpoint of marketing is taken under consideration in more detail at the fair.

Wind Power Asia 2007

Wind Power Asia 2007, the 4th Asian Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition is expected to grow substantially with respect to the number of exhibitors and exhibition area. The fair will have considerably more exhibition space when it opens its gates from 28 to 30 June 2007 at China World Trade Centre. 117 exhibitors participated in the last event, covering more than 10.000 square metres exhibitions space. Wind Power Asia thus has become the number one event for wind energy industry in China and Asia. The number of exhibitors for Wind Power Asia 2007 is expected to increase strongly again. The trade fair is planned to cover approximately 13, 000 square metres of exhibition area.

Therefore, Wind Power Asia 2007 will be as expected the most important and largest international trade fair for wind energy in Asia. As in 2006, Unique International Exhibitions is continuing its successful cooperation with its Chinese governmental partners: The Bureau of Energy of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), The Department of High and New Technology Development and Industrialization of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). These departments will guarantee the very quality of the trade visitors.

The Industry leaders are going to present the latest products for the Asian market. The entire range of wind energy machinery including wind turbines, generators, cables, blade, gearboxes, control, inspection and accessories will be on display at Wind Power Asia. Visitors who attend Wind Power Asia are predominantly decision-makers from the electricity industry, the investors, the service providers as well as state and regional government institutions from approximately 20 countries especially China and Asia, with the focus on Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Malaysia and Singapore.

CommunicAsia

The region's premier technology event, CommunicAsia, will return to the Singapore Expo from 19 to 22 June 2007 to showcase a converged world, featuring a wide spectrum of leading-edge, enabling digital technologies by global companies. Illustrious tech doyens are also scheduled to share their vision of Digital Convergence during the four-day event. Spread over a total of eight halls, CommunicAsia -- alongside EnterpriseIT, BroadcastAsia, and InteractiveDME -- will see the gathering of over 2, 400 companies as they come together to demonstrate the transforming powers of digital technologies that are redefining the boundaries of traditionally-segmented telecommunications, networks, enterprise solutions and entertainment arenas.

Interactive, digital media and entertainment in the spotlight this year
The convergence of media, communications and IT has dramatically changed the landscape of the media and entertainment industry, and is revolutionising the way we think, live, work and play.

Reflecting the growth of the industry and its demand for enabling solutions, interactive and digital media as well as entertainment technologies will be in the limelight at CommunicAsia2007. Some 'hot' converged applications under the CommunicAsia spotlight this year include mobile entertainment, IPTV, connected digital home devices, as well as mobile gaming, amongst others. Some of the key enabling technologies that will occupy top prominence on the show floor this year are Wireless; Broadcasting; Digital Networks.

World-renowned companies such as Ericsson, Hewlett Packard, Huawei Technologies, LG Electronics, Nokia Siemens Networks, PCCW and Samsung are amongst the growing list of exhibitors to leverage on the event to showcase their digital innovations delivering the Digital Convergence experience, to a global audience.

CommunicAsia, EnterpriseIT and BroadcastAsia will play host to a combined total of 30 group pavilions this year. For CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT these hail from Europe (including Germany, Sweden and UK), Asia (such as Korea, China, Taiwan) and the United States. Likewise, BroadcastAsia will feature pavilions from China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, USA and UK.

To take place from 19 to 21 June at Suntec Singapore, the CommunicAsia2007 Summit takes a high-level, strategic overview at the way new technologies are applied in business, and how attendees can leverage market intelligence to sharpen their competitive edge, grow revenue and gain market share.

This year, the Summit will highlight three new additions as part of its programme line-up --the Convergence, Satellite and Wireless Broadband Forums. These one-day 'hotspots' will touch on some of the most talked about developments in the industry today.

Electrical Building Technology Guangzhou

Electrical Building Technology Guangzhou, scheduled for 8 – 11 June 2007, is a professional trade fair for manufacturers and suppliers of building automation, electrical engineering and HVAC products and technology, who want to reach such buyers. The Intelligent Building Group have lent their full support to the event.

In recent years, due to the immense growth and development of China and the rise in living standards and quality of life, demand for better quality homes has increased. Yet, traditional architectural and construction methods consume a lot of resources and cause large amount of pollution.

The Chinese Government recognizes the construction industry as a major driver of the nation's economy, and is taking steps to make it more environmentally-friendly and sustainable in the long term. A-grade facilities require cutting edge electrical engineering technology, automation and HVAC systems so they may operate with maximum efficiency – and much of this technology must be imported from overseas.

ProPak Asia 2007

Begins the countdown for the biggest industrial machinery exhibition of 2007. ProPak Asia 2007 is the only show that brings all machineries and technologies for processing and packaging from all over the world together. Come to see for yourself at BITEC Bangna Bangkok during 13-16 june 2007.

Propak Asia has been renowned to be for its variety of processing and packaging machinery solutions. More than 680 companies from over 30 nations over the world has brought their new processing, packaging machines and technologies for industries such as, cosmetics, cannery, freezer, breweries, beverages, plastics, filling. Full of 20, 000 sqm, 4 halls of BITEC.

Propak asia 2007, is the 15th event of its series guarantees to complete the circle for processing and packaging industries, bringing producers, manufacturers, and users together to exchange their technologies and for the product hands-on experience. With the ongoing business-to-business connections exhibitors have succeeded within just 4 days, the event has developed many loyal exhibitors and appealed to many newcomers as well.

Introducing this year, Lab & Test Asia 2007, the first International Laboratory Equipment, Instrumentation, Test and Measurement, and Quality Control Exhibition displays the complete in Thailand. A new sub-show of PROPAK ASIA 2007 has been given much attention from many suppliers and producers for laboratory equipments.One of them is Mrs.Kruewal Somana, Managing Director, the leader of Becthai Bangkok Equipment & Chemical Co., Ltd., the major player in the laboratory and science industries that emphasizes on quality products and customer services for a just price.

With more than 90% of the machines exhibited are from overseas, PROPAK ASIA 2007 has been considered to be the most "International" exhibition. Several of the biggest players in the world exhibiting this year are bringing their never-seen-before in Thailand exhibits such as: Siemens exhibiting their advanced packaging automation; Bosch exhibiting their Sigpack's pullpack, an innovated wafer packaging; Europac exhibiting STOROpack's PAPERplus, an innovated paper padding for packaging solution. SCG Paper, of Siam Cement Group is exhibiting their paper packaging as well.

Kitel 2007

On 29 May through 1 June 2007, Almaty will be hosting KITEL 2007, the biggest telecom and computer technology exhibition in Kazakhstan and Central Asi. With its 146 stands, the exhibition will present 250 companies from 20 countries: China, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, U.A.E., U.K., Ukraine, U.S.A., and Uzbekistan. The telecom and computer technology exhibition KITEL 2007 will be held in Pavilions 9-а, 9-b, and 9-c of Atakent KBCC and occupy an area of 2, 500 sq. m.

The exhibition KITEL 2007 combines several topics: Telecommunications and Computer Technologies – KITEL, TV and Radio Broadcasting and Broadband Communication Networks – TRBK, Software and Automation – Software Showcase, and Banking Technologies, Equipment and Services – BankTech. The event is organised by the Kazakhstan exhibition company Iteca and its international partners. They point out that Kazakhstan's telecom market is witnessing a new wave of growth. For example, 45% of companies exhibiting at KITEL 2007 will present telecom equipment and services – and most of them are companies from Kazakhstan and Russia.

New items and premiers will be offered to visitors at the stands of companies from Luxembourg, China, Japan, South Korea, Lithuania, Latvia, U.A.E., Ukraine, Russia, Italy, France, and many other countries. BankTech will present banking technologies, services and equipment by 11 companies from Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Switzerland (or 8.5% of the total number of exhibitors). SberBank (Savings Bank of Russia) is a first-timer at the exhibition.

Exhibitors of TV and Radio Broadcasting and Broadband Communication Networks – TRBK include over 20 companies with satellite technologies, TV and radio systems and equipment, optical and cable technologies. The exhibition programme will include specialised workshops and presentations and, according to the organisers, will be useful not only for visiting specialists but also exhibiting companies. Day One will include workshops by 1S Kazakhstan. On May 30 and 31, workshops will be held by such companies as 3М, Matrix Plus, KazTransCom, CompTek, Okno-TV, Tandem TVS, etc.

Domotex Middle East

When it opens its gates to the visiting public in Dubai, the second edition of DOMOTEX Middle East (11 - 13 June) will see around 260 exhibitors from 36 countries, including several market leaders. This International Trade Fair for Carpets and Floor Coverings is the ideal springboard to new market opportunities throughout the Middle East. The exhibitors will profit directly from the strong economic growth and the associated construction boom in the Gulf Region. DOMOTEX Middle East focuses on hand-made and machine-made carpets and rugs, textile floor coverings, resilient floor coverings, parquet and timber flooring, laminate flooring, ceramic tiles, as well as natural stone and marble.

Several major residential projects are under way in the Gulf Region. The "Al Reef Villas" project in Abu Dhabi, for example, consists of 2, 500 villas and 1, 700 apartments in the medium price range. Other examples include the "Saadiyat Island" project (which will house 150, 000 inhabitants) and "The Gate" (designed for 120, 000 residents). These and other projects are generating increases in sales potential for floor covering manufacturers. Demand is high in all the various price segments. Against this background DOMOTEX Middle East will function as the ideal stepping-stone to these growth markets.

An extensive advertising campaign has been started to raise awareness of DOMOTEX Middle East in the region. This campaign consists of focused mailshots, TV and radio commercials, plus advertisements in daily newspapers and trade journals. DOMOTEX Middle East is targeted at the following visitor groups: wholesalers and retailers of flooring products; decision-makers from the commercial property sector; planners, architects, interior designers and interior decorators; construction companies and their purchasing staff; project developers and managers; floor fitting and laying companies.

Visitors can look forward to a fascinating line-up of special displays at DOMOTEX Middle East. A new highlight in 2007 will be "Creative Flooring" in Hall 5. On two separate stages professional floor fitters will demonstrate the possibilities for combining different materials in order to create completely new visual effects. The spotlight will also be on new floor-fitting techniques. This special display will appeal to members of the skilled trades, as well as to architects and interior designers. In the words of Kenneth Laidler, President of the Association for Professional Interior Designers (APID), "DOMOTEX Middle East plays an important role. Interior designers are always looking for unique, new materials and concepts."

A further highlight will be the presentation of the eleven winners of the Carpet Design Awards (CDA) that had previously been shown at DOMOTEX HANNOVER. The CDA singles out outstanding examples of creativity and quality in the hand-made carpets segment. One of the exhibits, which had meanwhile been sold, was recreated specially for DOMOTEX Middle East so that the CDA ensemble can be presented in its entirety. During the show visitors will have the chance to vote for their favourite carpet and win a prize.

The 4th Exhibition Furniture and Manufacturing Technologies

The 4th Uzbekistan International Exhibition "Furniture and Manufacturing Technologies - MebelExpo Uzbekistan 2007" will be held at the Central Exhibition Hall of the "UzExpoCenter" National Exhibition Company in Tashkent from 29 to 31 May 2007.

The Mebel Expo Uzbekistan 2007 exhibition will gather specialists of furniture and wood-working industries: heads of key ministries and departments, general directors, top managers of furniture and wood-working industries, companies supplying technologies and equipment, engineers, designers, and architects from leading enterprises of Uzbekistan, countries of near and far abroad.

More than 30 companies and firms will participate at the exhibition: local and foreign manufacturers of furniture, suppliers of raw materials and constituent parts, vendors of corresponding goods, and designers. The following countries are among the participants: Russia, Germany, Poland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Uzbekistan and others.

Mebel Expo Uzbekistan exhibition reflects all modern trends of development of the furniture and wood-working industries. This year the MebelExpo Uzbekistan exhibition is being held for the fourth time. The main objective of the exhibition is to contribute to attraction of foreign investments and promote competition at the furniture market of Uzbekistan. Over the period of its existence the exhibition by right gained a status of the main professional event of the sectorial market.

This year, the following companies can be noted from among the constant participants: "Fayz" Holding Company, Progress Association, Almalyk furniture plant, Orient Mebel (Uzbekistan), Tus Buero Joint Venture, Technoinvest – ST company and others.

For the first time the exhibition gathered the following companies - from Russia: Boyard, Slotex OJSC, a number of companies from Malaysia will display samples of their unique furniture, embassies of Poland and Indonesia are participating with their national stands, and the following companies are among the debutants: Yuan (Poland) and Arsenal MebelLux (Uzbekistan).

InfoComm 07

More than 10, 000 of the hottest technology products from more than 800 companies will be at InfoComm 07 in Anaheim, Calif., June 15-21, at the Anaheim County Convention Center.

InfoComm 07 will offer 28, 000 attendees the newest AV technology and provide the multi-billion dollar industry and its customers with unsurpassed education and training. Attendees will hear from more than 20 brands in audio demo rooms and 250 audio exhibitors, get connected with collaborative conferencing in the Unified Collaborative Conferencing Pavilion, view the signs of the times at the Digital Signage Pavilion, see the latest in illumination and production in the Lighting and Staging Pavilion and experience the wizardry of programming and graphics in the Digital Content Creation Pavilion.

InfoComm is often praised by attendees and exhibitors as the "can't miss" technology show of the year because of the ability to interact with all segments of the industry in just a few days, while having the opportunity to attend over 250 educational sessions, including Syn Aud Con and EASE audio training, a hands-on AV/IT class designed to bridge the gap between AV and IT workers, and the only AV-specific project management training with Microsoft Project training. AV Technology Tours will also allow attendees to see installed AV projects in action.

InfoComm 07 has more than 450, 000 net square feet of show floor exhibits and special events, and already has more exhibit space contracted than InfoComm 06. Show sponsors include: Barco, Bosch Communications Systems, Crestron, Extron, Sony, Christie and Tandberg.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is supporting InfoComm 07 by promoting the show to overseas attendees because of its export potential, international interest, U.S. exhibitor offerings, stature and overseas marketing efforts. Over 28, 000 people are expected to attend the show, including more than 13, 000 dealers, systems integrators, consultants, independent reps and VARs, 7, 000 technology managers and 1, 200 manufacturers.

InfoComm attendees include commercial AV solutions providers for fixed installations and live events. The show attracts the buyers, designers and users of AV technology, including IT professionals, architects, facilities managers, engineers, presentations designers, technology managers, sales and marketing staff and meeting planners. InfoComm caters to a broad spectrum of market sectors, including business, government, military, education, worship, healthcare, retail and entertainment.

ERI eXchange 2007

ERI eXchange, The Conference and Expo for the Extended Retail Industry incorporates the annual Retail Systems Conference & Exposition while extending its reach beyond technology to the key business issues facing the extended retail industry today. The event will be held June 4-7, 2007 at the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Boston, Massachusetts.

Each of the major sponsor participants is taking the opportunity to demonstrate their leading positions in the industry through the delivery of provocative content. Through the new Luncheon Roundtables and Retail Winners, StoreFrontBackTalk Tracks, our ERI eXchange partners will tackle the key issues and opportunities the industry is facing.

ERI eXchange will attract both line of business and IT professionals in the extended retail industry. The event will showcase how the industry addresses pressing business issues and offer actionable information on the processes and technology applications that are most relevant to them.

This year's conference program will focus on practical innovation and encompasses many of the business disciplines in retail including: Merchandising, Planning, Purchasing, E-commerce, Data Security, Operations, and Technology.

ERI eXchange networking and educational opportunities include PCI Compliance Workshop – Examine the latest issues surrounding retail data security; Retailer Excellence Tour – See first-hand how top-notch retailers like Jordan's Furniture and Newbury Street's elite excel in store operations;

Extended Retail Industry Awards –Join RSAG, Chain Store Age, Women's Wear Daily and RILA for a thrilling evening of recognition; Luncheon Roundtable Discussions – Topics include Workforce Optimization, Cross-channel Integration, Product Lifecycle Management and more; Innovation Generation - Explore the latest technologies and processes in the market at this unique section of the Expo floor.

The 152nd semi-annual Portland Gift & Accessories Show

The 152nd semi-annual Portland Gift & Accessories Show, which takes place June 2-5, 2007, is the first gift market of the summer buying season. This June, the Portland market boasts a new design to the exhibit floor and brings fresh manufacturers and artisans—many of which use this event to premier their product to the wholesale trade. In addition, Show Management has put together a fabulous after-hours event and educational programming ensuring that buyers will be treated to "more than a gift show."

The Portland market will include 300 exhibiting companies, encompassing 43, 500 net square feet of exhibit space at the Oregon Convention Center. The Portland Gift & Accessories Show will feature a variety of giftware, decorative accessories, personal and fashion accessories, home décor, garden & outdoor product, one-of-a-kind, handmade merchandise, antiques and collectibles, tableware and fine jewelry. Nearly 5, 000 buyers are expected to attend the show.

The Portland Gift & Accessories Show will feature new educational programming. These programs are specifically designed to educate retailers in increasing their profit margins. Please view the At-A-Glance information for complete details.

NXTcomm

NXTcomm, the only venue where the business and technology of communications, information and entertainment meet, announced the most comprehensive forum for the convergence of communications, IT and entertainment. With more than 450 exhibitors, 200, 000 net square feet of exhibit space and more than 100 educational sessions, no other industry forum delivers a more comprehensive view of the convergence of so many growth industries. NXTcomm will be held June 18-21, 2007, in Chicago.

NXTcomm programming highlights include an all-star lineup of communications and entertainment industry CEOs who will deliver must-see keynote addresses. Keynote speakers include AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson; Bell Canada President and CEO Michael Sabia; Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers; GE Vice Chairman and Executive Officer and NBC Universal Chairman Bob Wright; Motorola Chairman and CEO Ed Zander; Verizon Communications Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg; and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin.

Speakers at the ATIS TechThink Technology Conference include Matt Bross, Group Technology Officer, British Telecom; Pieter Poll, Chief Technology Officer, Qwest; Chris Rice, Chief Technology Officer, AT&T; and Mark Wegleitner, Senior Vice President of Technology and Chief Technology Officer, Verizon.

Fiercemarkets - WiMAX Strategies conference speakers include Scott Richardson, Chief Strategy Officer of Clearwire and Barry West, Chief Technology Officer of Sprint Nextel and President of 4G Mobile Broadband.

NXTcomm will bring together top executives from every segment of the global industry to exhibit, explore new business opportunities and buy the latest technologies driving the converged communications and entertainment industry. Showcasing hundreds of new and innovative products, the NXTcomm exhibit floor will reflect the dramatic changes in the industry. The show will also feature a broad range of educational programming.

BIO VentureForum East 2007

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) will join BIOTECanada and 14 state biotech associations to host the BIO VentureForum East 2007 investor conference at the Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Quebec, Canada June 18-20, 2007.

The event will feature more than 60 presenting biotech companies from both the U.S. and Canada, a series of workshops on biotech trends and strategies, business development opportunities, and networking receptions. Alnylam's president and CEO John Maraganore, Ph.D., and Stephen Sands, managing director of Lazard, are the featured keynote speakers and will present on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

BIO and BIOTECanada's partners for the conference are BioFlorida, Biotechnology Association of Alabama, Biotechnology Council of New Jersey, Connecticut United for Research Excellence, the Delaware BioScience Association, the Georgia Biomedical Partnership Inc., MdBio, the New Hampshire Biotechnology Council, the New York Biotechnology Association, the North Carolina Biosciences Organization, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the Palmetto Biotechnology Alliance, Pennsylvania Bio, the Tennessee Biotechnology Association and VaBio (Virginia Biotechnology Association).

ValueRich Small-Cap Financial Expo New York 2007

ValueRich, Inc., the financial and corporate media specialists who "Think Small-Cap!, " will be bring their ValueRich Small-cap Financial Expo to Manhattan on June 21, 2007. The event, which is co-sponsored by Vision Opportunity Capital Management, will take place at the exclusive W New York Hotel at 541 Lexington Ave.

The CEOs and executive teams of 30 small-cap public companies will participate in an intimate event offering unlimited one-on-one, executive leadership business development, lavish networking events and traditional financial presentations to an audience of hundreds of investment bankers, fund managers, institutional and accredited investors, research analysts, accountants, and attorneys.

The broad range of presenting companies for the New York 2007 Expo includes: Hyperdynamics Corp. (HDY), DigitalFX International, Inc. (DFXN), Dot VN, Inc. (DTVI), Foldera, Inc. (FDRA), Marketing Wordwide Corp. (MWWC), EMTA Holdings, Inc. (EMHD), Real Paper Displays, Inc. and NexGen Biofuels, Inc.

Vision Opportunity Capital Management will co-host this unique New York City event along with iValuerich.com, the financial Web 2.0 community "Where Money & Ideas Connect." Additional sponsors include Ayuda Funding Corp, Harbinger Research, Business Wire, EDGAR Online (EDGR), Clearly Canadian (CCBEF), and Onstream Media (ONSM), who will be hosting the web casts of the company financial presentations.

FachPack+PrintPack+LogIntern

FachPack+PrintPack+LogIntern are in the starting blocks at the exhibition center in Nuremberg from 25 to 27 September 2007. In 2008 the successful Nuremberg Fair Exhibition Trio, with its focus on packaging, will take its turn. In this interim year, Swiss Exhibition in Basel will for the first time organize the newly designed trade fair for integrated logistics solutions and packaging technology, PACK&MOVE, from 18 to 21 November 2008. The Nuremberg Exhibition and MCH Swiss Exhibition have agreed on a "working partnership", from which exhibitors and visitors at both events will benefit.

From now on, all companies within the sector will receive a regular invitation to a Europe-wide packaging and internal logistics exhibition, to be held in the autumn. Claus Rättich, member of the Management Board of the Nuremberg Exhibition: "The Nuremberg packaging exhibitions are highly regarded by Swiss participants – they represent the largest number of international exhibitors – and trade visitors (at last count more than 800). There is, however, in our view further potential – especially for exhibitors in the logistics sector and of course for visitors."

PACK&MOVE will be more focused on the logistics area than the Nuremberg Exhibition Trio, owing to its history. In Basel, it is the forklift sector that is particularly well represented. In contrast to Nuremberg, Basel is counting on an expansion of the packaging sector as a result of the cooperation.

Both events complement one another optimally. PACK&MOVE will take place each autumn in the FachPack-free years. They address in particular visitors from Switzerland, Southern Germany and Alsace. Thus, by attending both partner exhibitions, two neighboring and dynamic economic regions can be managed in a regular cycle.

The first visible signs of the cooperation of the two exhibitions is the attractive PACK&MOVE-Lounge in Hall 4 of the FachPack, directly by LogIntern in Hall 4A.

'Connection of Competence' seminars 2007

PrintCity is organising a 'Trends, Innovations and Value Added Printing' seminar in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on Wednesday June 6th as part of the widening programme of 'Connection of Competence' seminars in 2007. This premier PrintCity seminar takes place during the PRINTCOM exhibition in Plovdiv, Bulgaria's largest and most important graphic arts event. This PrintCity seminar forms part of the Balkan Forum of the printing unions. PrintCity seminars of this type bring latest industry knowledge direct to specific customer groups, and allow a close interaction between suppliers and customers, to create new business opportunities.

PrintCity members will present latest thinking in the printing Industry, including Trends & Innovations in Printing & Publishing; Value Added Printing & Packaging; World Paper Market and Value Added Papers.

Most importantly these seminars show the influence of all materials and equipment used in the supply & production chain, for sheetfed and web offset printing.

PrintCity alliance members MAN Roland and UPM will report their experiences from the world market and offer 'best practice' knowledge, advice and solutions to Bulgarian commercial printing and publishing executives.

Grand Designs Live 2007

Visitors to Grand Designs Live 2007 (8 –10 June, ExCeL, London) will able to experience the future, today… at least in terms of kitchens and bathrooms, the two most popular rooms in most households. Whilst a waterless washing machine or a collapsible fridge may sound like stuff of science fiction, they are no longer an impossibility. This year Electrolux, the leading home appliance designers, have run a competition where entrants can combine their creativity and technological know-how to come up with appliances of the future.

The following are just few of the many products on show in the GRAND Design Lab:

The Airwash is a waterless washing machine for the home of 2020. It uses pressurized air negative ions to clean clothes, eliminating the need for detergent and saving on water resources.

The Eclipse Vacuum Cleaner removes the problems associated with traditional vacuuming. It is able to avoid obstacles thanks to its sensor-controlled navigation, enabling it to follow you around while you clean.

Apparently, future societies mobility will increase, as will the need for portable appliances. The Soft Refrigerator fits that mould perfectly. This cool device features a soft membrane coating that insulates the contents and can expand and fold down to adapt to the amount inside.

Happy Feet is a solution for sanitizing shoes and is set to walk all over conventional methods of cleaning. It uses charcoal and ultraviolet rays to eliminate odours and sterilize footwear, both inside and out.

For the future chefs of 2020, The Flaming Stone is the versatile cooking apparatus catering to even the most creative of cooks. Stones are heated and regulated by electromagnetic induction within a bowl. Roast vegetables, bean or meat or remove the stones and use them to heat water or soup or even cook meat from the inside.

There's nothing more relaxing than a long bath or a hot shower, but water wastage is a huge issue. The Pontos Aquacycle grey water system can re-use that water to flush toilets, supply washing machines, water the garden and clean the house thereby reducing bills and benefiting the environment.

At Grand Designs Live you'll be able to see how the system works in a sleek & luxurious bathroom from DuPont Corian, proving that eco-friendly measures can go hand in hand with glamour.

With this year's event focusing heavily on how to be greener and cleaner and living in the most sustainable way possible, eco- friendly technology will also be at the forefront. The Gadget Show's Jason Bradbury will be conducting an 'EcoTech' seminar. Jason, who is also currently appearing on ITV's This Morning as the gadget guru, will be joined by Philip Ross from Cordless Group and Henrik Sundstrom of the Environmental and Sustainable Practice Group.

TrasCom, the First Specialized Commercial Transport Exhibition

TrasCom, the First specialized Commercial Transport Exhibition, will take place at the new exhibition area at Fiera di Roma exhibition centre, from 7-10th June 2007.

There are 2, 500, 000 commercial vehicles circulating in Italy today that are produced by approximately thirty manufacturers; with more than 220, 000 new registrations every year and a wide range of equipment suitable for a vast number of intended uses.

With regard to exhibitions, commercial vehicles have always been considered a kind of no man's land. They have sometimes been grouped with industrial vehicles, and included at other events mainly dedicated to cars. This situation was also evident in the sales network of leading manufacturers, at least until a few years ago.

Instead, functions, requirements, market solidity and related problems have altered over the last few years and are still undergoing rapid change. An increase in uses, which also often involve public transport, demands from users for a more professional assistance network and for a range of increasingly dedicated equipment, encourage manufacturers to diversify their sales and assistance networks and request real and separate visibility for this sector, requested many times in the past but denied.

This event at Fiera di Roma exhibition centre was based on setting up an industrial project that TrasCom offers the market today. Outlines and contents of the project were discussed at length with those concerned and, with work in progress, exhibitors and sector-related associations will be increasingly involved to achieve an Exhibition designed to meet exhibitors' demands and visitors' expectations.

This task has been entrusted to two other partners, who, together with Fiera di Roma exhibition centre, have set up this new exhibition. One of these is Solly Cohen, Chief Executive Officer for Fiera Milano International, with long-standing experience in international relations, and Gian Paolo Pinton, a well-known manager for the trade fair sector and protagonist at freight transport exhibitions for more than a decade.

The project at this Exhibition is divided into four basic areas: Innovation, Safety, Sustainable Mobility and the Second-hand Market for commercial and industrial vehicles, considered crucial for the transport system today.

Innovation and technological research. At the end of a long period when comfort and vehicle performance were the aspects of research and innovation that manufacturers largely invested in, the technological component and marketing innovation are the themes that have attracted more attention over the last few years.

In fact, much is being done and many margins still need to be recovered. Protecting the environment is an essential requirement of international protocols, European directives, Italian regulations and the rules of public administrators, who require positive solutions from manufacturers.

Innovation in the field of marketing – which is the goal of TrasCom, with its specialization and location (the new exhibition area at Fiera di Roma exhibition centre) - means meeting the requirements of an increasingly varied demand.

The MiNaT Congress on Micro Technologies, Nano Technologies

Micro technologies have laid the foundations and now facilitate new applications and products in mechanical engineering, plant construction, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the car industry, electrical engineering and medicine – beyond the boundaries of our current imagination. The MiNaT Congress on Micro Technologies, Nano Technologies and Nano Sci-ence will take place in Stuttgart from 11 to 15 June 2007. The Congress will be ac-companied by MiNaT, International Trade Fair for Precision Mechanics and Ultra-Precision, Micro and Nano Technologies, which will be held in Stuttgart from 12 to 14 June 2007.

The MiNaT Congress will be an ideal platform in this respect. It will clearly demon-strate that micro technologies and nano science, as key technologies, can improve the competitiveness of industry and continuously help to attain economic success and create new jobs. The focal points of the Congress will be trends and the latest know-how on micro technologies and nano technologies for the development of new and competitive products.

The MiNaT trade fair, which will be held concurrently with the Congress, will create a link between science and industry. As an inter-industry idea bourse for future-oriented products and production systems, MiNaT will focus on the industrial suit-ability and customer benefits of these technologies. Companies from the mechani-cal engineering, plant construction, car, automotive component supply, electrical engineering, electronics, life science industries and many more industries besides will be represented at the trade fair. The promotional supporter will be the Micro Technology Association in the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

Pharmintech 2007

All is ready for Pharmintech 2007, the reference exhibition for the pharmaceutical, personal care and nutraceutical industry. Exhibiting at BolognaFiere which will host the exhibition in pavilion 36 from June 12th to 14th: 7.000 sqm, 236 exhibitors, 30% of which from 13 countries outside of Italy. The exhibition will have a strong international character, especially because of market players, trade journalists and opinion leaders from all over the world whom are expected to attend Pharmintech to discuss innovation in the Italian packaging industry; this highly developed sector reaches its internationally competitive peak with pharmaceutical packaging.

Pharmintech will display state-of-the-art technology and services for the processing and packaging of pharmaceutical, personal care and nutraceutical products; facilities, plants, logistics, services, packaging materials and containers, ancillary equipment.

Trade journalists are expected to come from France, Germany, UK, India, Russia, Spain and USA, thanks to the cooperation with ICE (the Italian Trade Commission) and UCIMA (Italian Association of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machinery Manufacturers) and a trade agreement with the Ministry of International Trade.

Organizers are also expecting delegations from Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, Asia and Latin America. International trade press is also a significant presence: all the most prestigious trade publications will have a booth, in addition to 29 publications from 12 countries which will be on display at the International Trade Press Booth.

Blechexpo, International Trade Fair For Sheet Metal Processing

BLECHEXPO, international trade fair for sheet metal processing and joining technology, will lead the way in relocating an entire series of industrial trade fairs to the new Stuttgart Exhibition Centre from the 13th through the 16th of June, 2007. The 8th BLECHEXPO will take place at the new Stuttgart Exhibition Centre, which is currently evolving into Europe's most up-to-date trade fair venue. Construction and fitting-out of the facilities, as well as ideal connections to all important means of transportation, will be completed before the event opens, so that exhibitors and expert visitors will be able to access the new complex without any trouble.

Not only are domestic and foreign exhibitors and expert visitors looking forward to the new exhibition centre, but rather above all trade fair promoters P.E. Schall GmbH and project manager Monika Frank. Based upon current figures, the 8th BLECHEXPO will presumably occupy more than 538, 000 square feet of overall exhibition floor space for a new record breaking level. And not without good reason, because impartial exhibitor and visitor surveys have confirmed very good results.

The fact that the number of participating foreign exhibitors and expert visitors, as well as decision makers, has increased every year, and that 22 countries were represented at the last event, is noteworthy. These figures will more than likely once again be significantly increased as a result of the move from Sinsheim to Stuttgart. And this will demonstrate, on the one hand, the great importance of BLECHEXPO as an internationally recognised information, communication, sales and procurement platform and, on the other hand, the enormous drawing power of the highly concentrated market at the heart of Europe.

Entertainment giants are battling for domination of the next generation of DVDs but an outright win is an unlikely outcome, reports Kate Bulkley.

If it was a Hollywood movie it would be a remake of Alien v Predator. On one side is the giant Sony corporation, which is backing the Blu-ray high definition DVD format by building it into its PlayStation 3 games consoles. Facing it across the global battlefield is Toshiba, backed by Microsoft and Intel, promoting the rival (and incompatible) HD DVD format.

The stakes are very high indeed for both companies. Yet Sony, the pre-fight favourite because it has the best-selling games console franchise in the world and the backing of seven Hollywood studios (basically all of the big ones except Universal Pictures), which have made their movies available on Blu-ray, is nowhere near delivering the early knockout blow it was hoping for.

Instead, early defections from the Blu-ray camp and lagging sales of PS3 consoles have blurred the picture of which format will win. Samsung broke ranks with Blu-ray last month by announcing it will make players that play both HD formats, following a similar move by LG. In addition, most analysts acknowledge that the PC manufacturers will play a key role in the format war - and having Microsoft and Intel behind HD DVD is significant. Neither of these Toshiba allies has shown signs of switching camps so far.

Meanwhile, PS3 sales in Britain, the European market where PS3 has had its most successful launch, were 165,000 in week one but fell to 28,000 in the second week, a trend that has been echoed in other markets as well.

Sony took a big gamble bundling the Blu-ray player with the PS3, resulting in delayed release and higher prices for the consoles. Ken Kutaragi, the "father of the PlayStation", recently paid the price and resigned as chairman and chief executive of the Sony Computer Entertainment unit.

With the sales of PS3 lagging, the new machines may not be the cornerstone of a recovery at Sony, with videogame-related losses for Sony's year ending in March expected to amount to $US2 billion ($2.4 billion) - twice the original expectations.

source : www.theage.com.au

Resort promotion budget increase approved by council

The Paradise Valley Town Council has earmarked $600,000 for the new fiscal year for the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to promote the town's nine resort properties.

The amount is $25,000 more than the $575,000 the town budgeted for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

"Every year we make an investment and I call it an investment because our returns far exceed our expenditures," said Town Manager Tom Martinsen.

In addition, the council unanimously approved Thursday an additional $75,000 in special funding in the new budget as part of the town's long-term support of the Fiesta Bowl. The current fiscal year's contribution also is $75,000.

Although the Fiesta Bowl moved to Glendale from Tempe, resorts in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale continue to host the game's teams and fans, and will do so through 2027.

This is the 20th anniversary of the town's relationship with the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

During the past two decades, the town has contributed $8.95 million to the organization. From 1987 through 2006, the town has collected nearly $36 million in resort bed taxes.

Rachel Sacco, the bureau's president and chief executive officer, said just in the past 10 months alone the town benefited from more than $2.8 million worth of national editorial exposure for its resorts.

That same period, there were 51 confirmed convention bookings at the town's resorts, generating $12 million worth of business.

In other action, the council:


• Approved the town's tentative budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and set a public hearing for June 28 to adopt the final budget.


• Authorized town staff to be flexible with the purchase price for future sales of Barry Goldwater maquettes.

They are miniature versions of the 10-foot-tall bronze statue of the late senator, the centerpiece of a public town memorial northeast of Tatum Boulevard and Lincoln Drive. Proceeds from their sale help defray the town's $1 million-plus cost for the memorial.


• Approved architectural design concepts for Fire Station No. 2 to be built at Casa Blanca Road and Lincoln. The site plan was redesigned after neighbors raised concerns about fire truck access and how the station's appearance would fit in with homes in the area.

source : www.azcentral.com

CMG - Cenmag Holdings Limited - Trading Statement

CMG
CMG - Cenmag Holdings Limited - Trading Statement
CENMAG HOLDINGS LIMITED
(Registration number 1987/004821/06)
Share code: CMG & ISIN: ZAE000001533)
("Cenmag")
TRADING STATEMENT
In terms of the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited, companies are
required to publish a trading statement as soon as they become reasonably
certain that the financial results for the period to be reported on next
will be more than 20% different from that of the previous corresponding
period.
Accordingly, the financial results for the period ended 28 February 2007
have indicated that Cenmag will be reporting earnings of between 4.3 cents
and 4.4 cents per share, and headline earnings of between 4.5 and 4.6 cents
per share, compared to earnings per share and a headline loss per share of
7.66 cents and 16.71 cents per share respectively for the corresponding
period ended 28 February 2006.
The above information has not been audited, and such results are expected
to be published within the next week.
Isando
28 May 2007
Sponsor
Sansara Independent Sponsors (Pty) Limited
Date: 28/05/2007 13:22:01 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.

Technical trading during the markets holiday

The major world markets today are closed. The market is flat and in low volumes. The traders will wait at the end of the week when are the major economic events. For today the cable move down about 20 pips versus the dollar. Also the dollar is recovering against the Swiss franc. For today’s traders we advice trading into 15/25 pips range. Hold positions by the prior week waiting for the coming fundamental release.

The trading today is dominate by the technical analysis in a absent of any economic news for the day.

source : www.fxstreet.com

CNQ Bulletin - Canadian Trading and Quotation System Inc. - Approved - Cuervo Resources Inc. (IRON)

The common shares of Cuervo Resources Inc. have
been approved for listing on CNQ. Following the Initial Public Offering of
5 million units (one common share and one common share purchase warrant) at
$0.50 per unit, there are 21.1 million common shares outstanding with a public
float of 18.8 million common shares. Jones, Gable & Company Limited acted as
Agent on the Offering.

Cuervo Resources, through its wholly owned subsidiary Minera Cuervo, has
acquired 14 mining claims in Peru, including a contiguous block of six claims
comprising the Cerro Ccopane Property. The Cerro Ccopane Property is the
company's principal and qualifying property. Previous exploration on the
Property has identified the potential to support a small-scale mining
operation producing a high grade magnetite concentrate and has good potential
for the discovery of additional iron skarn mineralization.
Listing and disclosure documents for Cuervo Resources Inc. will be
available in the CNQ Listings Disclosure Hall

Trading Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Symbol: IRON
CUSIP: 22983R 10 5

Applications are being accepted for Market Makers for "IRON".

For further information: If you have any questions or require further
information about this or anything else about CNQ please contact Radhika
Ramkarran at (416) 572-2000 X 2435 or E-mail: radhika.ramkarran@cnq.ca

Canada Morning: C$ Drifts Lower In Moribund Trading

Canada Morning: C$ Drifts Lower In Moribund Trading

TORONTO (Dow Jones)--The Canadian dollar is slightly lower in moribund trading Monday morning as holidays in the U.S. and the U.K. deprive currency markets of flows.

The U.S. dollar was trading at C$1.0805at 9:52 p.m. EDT (1352 GMT), from C$1.0812 at 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), and from C$1.0792 late Friday.

Memorial Day closed financial markets and institutions in the U.S. Monday, with the Spring Bank Holiday in the U.K. and Whit Monday in Switzerland having the same effect in those jurisdictions.

That resulted in limited trading activity even in those markets which were nominally open Monday, such as Canada.

"The phones aren't ringing off the hook, today," said one Toronto currency trader. "Everything has been very quiet overnight, and certainly so far this morning."

There were no significant data releases in Canada Monday.

Exacerbating the quiet tone in Canadian dollar trading is the Bank of Canada's monetary policy announcement Tuesday morning, which will could activity in the currency on the cautious side.

"All eyes are on the bank tomorrow," the trader said.

Analysts expect the bank to leave its key overnight target rate at 4.25% Tuesday. But many believe the bank could alter the tone of the accompanying statement to reflect a more hawkish tone on interest rates in light of recent robust activity and inflation data.

"I think they will continue to tweak the language of the statement, and to the extent they tweak the language it will be toward a more subtly hawkish stance than anything else," the trader said. "The question will be the degree to which they change the statement at this point."

The trader said that Friday's low of C$1.0776 on the downside is key support for the U.S. dollar.

On the topside, C$1.0840 is the site of a short-term resistance line for the currency, he said.

"I'd be surprised if we get as wide as those two extremes," the trader said.

An email report from Scotia Capital said commitments of traders data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed traders paring their net long position in the Canadian dollar by C$413 million.

That is just one of the several signs that indicate a more moderate move in USD/CAD going forward, the report said.

These are the exchange rates at 9:52 a.m. EDT (1352 GMT), 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), and late Friday.

source : www.fxstreet.com

Sterling Eases To Dollar, Euro In Subdued Dealing

The sterling softened against its American and European counterparts Monday morning in New York. Trading was subdued, with many markets closed for a long weekend.

The sterling weakened a bit to the dollar Monday morning in New York, falling to 1.9825 after fetching 1.9845 in overnight dealing. With the US market closed for Memorial Day, traders await reports on consumer confidence, employment, manufacturing activity, and first quarter GDP later in the week.

The sterling eased further against the Euro Monday morning in New York after reaching a 6-week high last week. Trading was subdued with many markets in Europe closed for holidays.

The sterling was range bound against the yen Monday morning in New York, moving between 241.58 and 241.25 as traders assessed data showing that Japan's corporate service prices continued to climb in April.

source : www.rttnews.com

Yen Moves Roughly Sideways On Quiet Trading Day

With traders in many western nations on holiday Monday, the yen was little changed in early dealing as traders assessed data showing that Japan's corporate service prices continued to climb in April.

The yen was range-bound against the yen Monday morning in New York, moving between 241.58 and 241.25 with many traders on the sidelines in the UK observing Whit Monday.

The yen continued to hover near a 2 ½ month low against the dollar Monday morning in New York, moving near 121.65 amid subdued dealing on Memorial Day in the US.

The yen stabilized against the euro Monday morning in New York, moving roughly sideways around 163.70 after losing ground Friday evening. Trading was quiet with many European markets closed for a long weekend.

source : www.rttnews.com

Don't expect APEC carbon trading deal: Govt

The US and Australia have snuffed out suggestions that an international carbon emissions trading scheme could be drawn up at this week's APEC forum in Darwin.

The 21 member countries taking part in the APEC meeting account for 40 per cent of the world's population.

But Australian Energy Minister Ian Macfarlane says no-one has raised the issue of a regional emissions trading scheme.

"I think it's something that countries will discuss but it hasn't been raised with me so far," he said.

Mr Macfarlane says most countries are focusing on securing their energy supplies.

New Zealand's Energy Minister, David Parker, wants to set one up if only to give industry certainty about where to invest their money.

"I think that emissions trading is an important instrument that gives an important signal to private enterprise," he said.

The United States has indicated it may set up a national emissions trading scheme, at least for cars.

US Energy Department representative Clay Sell says a recent Supreme Court Decision means it is possible for there to be national legislation on the issue.

"That is an argument for an appropriate federal response but that will play out over the coming months and years in
Washington," he said.

Australian officials estimate that investment in renewable technologies will be worth $7 trillion over the next 22 years.


source : www.abc.net.au

Coin Collecting goes online in unique Coin Trading Forum for Coin Collectors.

As the old saying goes, ‘a penny saved is a penny earned.' Depending on the age, condition and rarity of that same penny - it could prove to be worth a lot more.

It is generally believed that coin collecting began in the fourteenth century. Today, it is considered a very competitive sport
among devote coin collectors and coin traders. Coin collecting has become such a huge industry in the United States, each year one week in April is noted as National Coin Week.

This year's event ran from April 15 - 21. The American Numismatic Association (ANA) sponsors this annual event as a way to increase general public interest in coin collecting. A coin drop kicks off the week long festivities and collectors are encouraged to put one of their collectables into circulation in the hope that the person who receives it will become a rare coin collector once this treasure has been found.

The art of coin trading is quickly modernizing and is making the move on-line. One unique site, Coin Trading Online, on the web at connects buying collectors and sellers in an Internet forum for discussion and trading of rare and precious coins from around the world.

Each collector has a different approach to coin collecting - some try to collect nickels or pennies from each year as far back as possible while others focus on various special collections issued by the US Mint or other providers of currency. For many coin collectors, coins can become a profitable investment.
Contact Information:
Coin Trading Online



Contact Person:
Lance
Coin Trading Online
Phone: 416-894-0207
email: email

Web: http://www.cointradingonline.com

Gref tells Putin about VTB stock trading on first day-adds.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the government should continue the practice of initial public offering (IPO) of Russian companies’ shares so that everybody who wants could purchase the shares.

“I think this practice should be continued, more and more national companies will enter the primary market, this shows that people are willing to invest money in Russian reliable companies,” the Russian head of state said at a meeting with government members on Monday.

Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref said that “today is the first day of trading (in VTB – Vneshtorgbank shares). The total volume exceeded one billion roubles, the price of one share is 14.5 kopecks, which is by 7.5 percent higher than the government set.” According to him, “This happens against the background of the market fall and lowering of the RTS (Russian Trading System).” In his view, “in this placement all decisions were quite positive, people will get the necessary profits.” “During making decisions we were seriously oriented towards potential market demand in order to prevent violations of citizens’ interests,” Gref added.

Due to speculative demand (a 54-percent growth) on VTB stocks on one of Moscow’s two stock sites – the Interbank Currency Exchange – trading in the main issue of VTB stocks was suspended. Trading in an additional issue of VTB stocks continues.

In late December last year, the Russian government allowed to increase the authorized capital of the VTB OJSC that had been named Vneshtorgbank before, at the expense of additional issue of stocks. The Bank of Russia that owned 99.9 percent of the bank’s stocks was at the moment the main stockholder of Vneshtorgbank founded in 1990. As of the beginning of the year, VTB was Russia’s largest commercial bank with authorized capital worth 52.1 billion roubles, shareholder ownership capital worth 118 billion roubles and an astronomic size of resources worth 763 billion roubles. Among the bank’s minority stockholders are Gazexport, Russia’s Savings Bank, Energomashexport, Ingosstrakh and the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

At present the VTB is a leading Russian bank in the sphere of foreign trade settlements, has a broad network of branches, as well as daughter banks in Russia and abroad. The bank services defence and atomic contracts, interacts with foreign expert insurance agencies and export-import banks. The bank’s credit investments in the non-financial sector (including in enterprises of the fuel and energy sector, machine-building and foreign trade) reach 377 billion roubles.

It is planned that by 2010 the state will stage by stage reduce twice its share in the bank’s capital. Within the framework of the implementation of the programme’s first stage the VTB bank group this month conducted public offering of stocks and global depositary receipts (DGR) on stock markets in Moscow and London. The Financial Time called the results of this premiere an amazing debut of IPO that became the largest initial public offering of GDR this year. In the view of the newspaper, this fact brings to the fore a huge appetite of investors for securities offer on the part of companies that may profit on the Russian consumer boom.

Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin for his part called the initial public offering of VTB “one the most massive, people’s IPO of all Russian companies.” On May 14, Kudrin informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the results of preliminary trading in stocks of this bank group. According to him, 22.5 percent of stocks have been placed that brought eight billion US dollars. “The demand was extremely high and 7.5 times exceeded the offer,” the minister stressed.

Kudrin specified then that 65 percent of stocks were offered abroad – at the London Stock Exchange and 35 percent – on the Russian market. Over 130,000 citizens of Russia – individuals, took part investing 1.5 billion dollars in the stocks. Besides, “all leading investment funds took part,” the finance minister noted. “This testified to a high degree of trust to the Russian banking sector and prospects for its development that will grow in the coming years,” Kudrin pointed out.

source : www.itar-tass.com

Carbon trading market 'as early as 2011'

A NATIONAL emissions trading scheme to reduce greenhouse gases could be introduced as early as 2011 if the Howard Government adopts a joint industry and government blueprint to be delivered on Thursday.

John Howard's hand-picked emissions trading task group is expected to recommend that revenue from the sale of emission permits to polluters be used to assist low-income households with higher power bills and to accelerate development of new low-emission technologies.

Peter Costello flagged assistance after this month's budget for low-income households forced to pay higher energy bills caused by the greenhouse gas-abatement measures.

The task group's report will trigger a comprehensive policy response from the Government following on from its energy white paper, handed down in 2004, which flagged emissions trading only after the emergence of an effective global strategy.

The Prime Minister yesterday repeatedly denied he had signed off on a $23million advertising campaign to sell the Government's looming policy response to global warming.

In parliament yesterday, Kevin Rudd asked Mr Howard to confirm that the proposed advertising campaign was to be called Climate Clever.

In reply, Mr Howard said: "I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that it won't be called 'Double standards out of hypocrisy'."

The task group's report is expected to be made public as early as next week, with any subsequent announcement by the Prime Minister launching up to two years of aggressive lobbying by industries over the detailed design of the multi-billion-dollar scheme.

An emissions trading scheme would allow companies that met a nationwide emissions cap - likely to be set by the federal Government - to sell emission permits. Polluters who could not meet their cap could buy permits to emit extra greenhouse gases.

Mr Howard has rejected the Labor premiers' plan for a national emissions trading scheme, saying the creation of a national scheme before a global trading mechanism was developed could harm Australian industry.

Key business submissions to the task group have backed the development of a comprehensive trading scheme provided it was part of a global program.

Treasury is expected to be given the job of co-ordinating the detailed design work for the trading scheme, with enabling legislation to be ready by 2009, trials and permit allocations in 2010 and a notional 2012 start date to coincide with the start of any post-Kyoto agreement.

The start date could be brought forward a year if a global trading scheme were ready.

Mr Howard acknowledged in a speech to the Business Council of Australia in Canberra last night he had not moved as quickly on climate change as some people wanted. He said it was now clear a national emissions market would be formed before a global scheme emerged.

He also predicted "a series of regional groupings" would precede a global market.

"I know it's appeared on occasions in the past six months that the Government has been not responding as rapidly as some people would have liked," he said. "I acknowledge that. But our response when it comes and it will come to this report, it will be a very speedy government response. It will be a response which will be seen as a mature, balanced, long-term response."

The task group's report will identify the need for improved greenhouse gas inventory procedures, increased action to develop forest sinks to absorb carbon emissions, and increased investment in research and development and energy efficiency measures.

At the APEC energy ministers meeting starting today in Darwin, Greenpeace will launch a report claiming that fast-developing economies such as China can maintain economic growth and stabilise greenhouse emissions by shifting new investment towards energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The Greenpeace report claims energy efficiency measures can halve energy demand across the OECD-developed countries in the Pacific, including Australia, by 2050, with renewable energy able to deliver nearly 70 per cent of electricity supply.

There is understood to be some disagreement within the Prime Minister's task group about the level of detail of its report, and in particular whether existing government modelling by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics on the economic impact of climate change policy should be included.

The report will include modelling commissioned by the task group from economic consultants ACIL Tasman, which looked at the impact a trading scheme would have on electricity prices.

There has been debate about whether the task group should recommend the setting of a long-term aspirational emissions reduction target. The Government has repeatedly criticised Labor for committing to a target of cutting emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 without any supporting analysis.

But the report is expected to recommend an abatement trajectory that starts just below current emissions and moves to deeper cuts over time, with wide coverage across the economy.

This will create problems for sectors such as agriculture and land use, which account for about 23 per cent of Australia's greenhouse emissions but face measurement uncertainty and high compliance costs.

Deloitte director Lorraine Stephenson said any exclusion of major sectors such as agriculture would increase the cost for covered sectors such as electricity.

She questioned whether emissions trading was the right policy for the transport sector, because it would require huge price rises to change behaviour.

The Council of Australian Governments has backed mandatory reporting from next year for firms emitting more than 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.

source : www.theaustralian.news.com.au

Online trading still very nascent

Players in IT retail seem to be gung-ho about their online portals and are offering IT goods like laptops and MP3 players at huge discounts online. Recently, AXAAN Systems announced the launch of its unique business-to-consumer (B2C) portal Cafegadgets.in that offers a comprehensive range of technology and digital lifestyle products at heavily discounted prices. According to Hitesh Dhingra, Director—Operations, AXAAN Systems, “Cafegadgets.in makes a lot of sense not just for an individual retail customer but also for purchase managers and IT managers in corporate responsible for buying technology products, as they can now choose from more than 1,200 products from 40 top brands with just a click.”

However, the channel partners do not appear as enthusiastic. According to Shital Nahar, Integrated Systems, Pune, “The Pune market has still not taken fancy to the concept. Traders believe in trading goods over the counters, since online transaction has lot of strings attached, especially shipment of goods and services.

Ramesh Vora, who also ventured online is not happy with the response he got. “I have been uploading goods on the portal for the past four months. But the response that I have got has not been very encouraging.”

Umang Mehta of Mumbai-based Roop Technology pointed out that many dealers are not accustomed to the use of technologies like e-mails, which are the basic need of online transaction. “In smaller cities the dealers frequently change their e-mail ids and that poses as a major hurdle for smooth online transaction,” he said.

Rajiv Khanna of Jalandhar-based Computer Touch sees online trading as a challenge to the channel community. “I had uploaded one of my products on a portal. At the same time the principal company offered the products at a much lower rate. The buyers opted for the cheaper option. In my opinion only big players can survive the price-cutting competition on the Net. Online trading will make life difficult for small dealers like us,” he said.

KL Lalani of Lalani Infotech, Kolkata, however believes it is a lucrative option. “I think now is the right time to look at the online medium once again. I am sure if it is followed systematically and publicized well, it will be a viable option for partners,” he said.

Sreedhar of Bangalore-based Triangle Technologies pointed out that online shopping was at a nascent stage in India and customers were not comfortable with the idea. In India, customers want to touch and feel the product. Also they are worried about whom to approach for post-sales service issues, he said.

source : www.dqchannels.com

DRC MINERAL EXPLOITATION, WEAPONS TRADING INVESTIGATION DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN MATTER OF WEEKS

The Office of Internal Oversight Services’ (OIOS) investigation into allegations that, in 2005-2006, a contingent of peacekeepers serving with the United Nations peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) was involved in mineral resource exploitation and weapons trading in the town of Mongwalu, in the Ituri District of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, is due to be completed in about three weeks, says the Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Upon its completion, OIOS will transmit its findings to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for action.

Ki-moon looks forward to the early completion of the investigation, and will act upon its findings expeditiously and transparently.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Lacy Swing, requested an immediate OIOS investigation after an internal MONUC inquiry brought these allegations to light. That investigation began in early 2006.

source : www.diamondintelligence.com

Chinese Traders, Getting a Headache While Trading with the North

The number of Chinese traders who enter North Korea is not small.

North Korea’s domestic situation that they have relayed helps us understand North Korea’s current situation. Chinese traders, in reality, are important conduits for the influx and outflow of information. Also, information that they relay is relatively objective.

Jin Young Lim (43), who has been trading between North Korea and China for 10 years goes to North Korea usually every two to three days. He is a trader using 2.5 ton and 5 ton trucks.

Mr. Jin, in a phone conversation with Daily NK on the 20th said, “We have to be cautious from the North Korean customs after crossing the Chinese customs.” Why do they have to be cautious? The situation he relayed is this.

The distance between the point of his departure from the North Korean customs to his destination is about 50km. However, the road is unpaved, so the trip requires over an hour and a half. The road is close to a residential area, so quite a few people can be found walking along the street.

Until several years ago, Mr. Jin picked up North Koreans, who would stand on the sides of the streets waving their hands, in the back of the trucks or in the passenger’s seat.

However, the word was that Chinese merchants at some point started speeding up upon seeing North Koreans.

The reason was simple. At first, they picked up North Koreans out of sympathy, but they would take the goods on the trucks or steal things whenever they had the chance.

There have even been people who pulled out their knives and demanded money from the merchant who was driving them. Mr. Jin said that after one of his colleagues was robbed, he never picked up another person again.

But worse events took place. When Chinese merchants stopped picking up passengers, North Koreans would climb onto the truck, throw out the loaded items, and descend from the trucks.

Mr. Jin said that jumping onto or off of a running vehicle is a very risky act, but North Koreans do not seem to be afraid of anything anymore.

Due to these events, Chinese merchants are taking a “new course of action.” Mr. Jin said, “Losing not just one or two carts but several ones leads to a huge loss, so the merchants started covering the cargo department with metal, so that North Korean civilians cannot hang onto the running vehicles.”

Losses have almost been minimized by covering the back of the trucks, but this has not been a perfect solution.

With the road splitting due to snow gathering during the winter or heavy rain during the summer, there have been incidents where civilians demolished the door of the cover while the truck was going slowly and stole the goods. Mr. Jin said that in such cases, trucks stay close to each other and keep on the look-out.

Mr. Jin said, “In order to trade with North Korea, it is important to fend the attacks of the “enemy” and one can succeed only by tasting both sweet and bitter experiences.” He said his friends call him a “North Korean ghost” because he has long years of experience under his belt now.

”Trade will be better if North Korea shows a definite, open posture.”

Chinese merchants said an another source of headache while trading with North Korea is the food issue.

Trader Yang Jin Su (45) said, “There are not adequate places where one can have a meal nowadays, so we make our own food when we enter North Korea.”

Chinese merchants stay at hotels (inns), but usually have eaten their meals at Chinese-run restaurants. These restaurants were good at first, but their numbers kept dwindling. The customers started drying up at these Chinese restaurants and the Chinese restaurants operating nowadays cater to North Koreans as well, so it is difficult for the palettes of the Chinese merchants.

Mr. Yang said, “Because of such a situation, Chinese merchants bring electric rice-cookers and cooking utensils and prepare their own rice and side dishes at the hotel.”

Do hotel managers stay silent if they cook in the rooms? Mr. Yang said, “We are not supposed to eat in the rooms, but North Korean hotels do not have guests, so they turn a blind eye to us because they do not want to lose their guests.”

Due to the recent nuclear problem, foreign tourists have decreased in North Korea and North Korea and China’s trade declined significantly as well. Many Chinese who were managing hotels and restaurants in North Korea returned to China.

Mr. Jin and Mr. Yang said there have been merchants who quit their trading due to the difficulties experienced in North Korea. There is a saying that trade “has high returns in a dangerous and dark place,” but North Korea is not this way. Merchants go wherever there are gains, but North Korea does not have a large profit margin in poorer environments.”

They said if North Korea showed a definite open and reform posture, then trade will be better than the current state, but the lack of clarity of development is the biggest problem.

source : www.dailynk.com

Secret contracts may surface in ex-Qwest CEO's insider trading appeal

Former Qwest Communications chief Joe Nacchio, convicted of illegally selling $52 million in stock, may not be done talking about the spy business yet.

Attorneys working on Nacchio's appeal may resurrect a defense built on classified, potentially lucrative telecommunications contracts with clandestine government agencies. Early on, Nacchio claimed his stock sales were legal because he knew Qwest could land the contracts, yet the argument never surfaced at trial.

Legal analysts speculate the judge in the case issued a ruling restricting use of the classified information, prompting attorneys to scrap the strategy. But it could be cited on appeal.

"The issue of excluding evidence has gone before the Supreme Court and the court has said judges can apply the rules of evidence," said Wayne State University Professor Peter Henning in Michigan. "There is, at the same time, this right to offer a defense and there is a real tension in that -- how far can the judge go in restricting what a defendant can offer as evidence?"

Nacchio led Qwest's acquisition of US West Communications Inc. in 2000, which made Qwest the dominant phone company in Portland and most of Oregon. Qwest employs 1,500 people in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Nacchio, who resigned from Qwest amid a multibillion dollar accounting scandal, was convicted April 19 for dumping stock when he knew the company was at financial risk but he didn't tell investors. He was charged with 42 counts of insider trading but only convicted of 19 counts for trades that occurred in April and May 2001.

At his July 27 sentencing, Nacchio faces as long as 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each of the 19 counts. Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham to require Nacchio to forfeit the $52 million gross profit from the sales.

Attorneys for both sides have consistently declined comment on the case.

As head of Qwest Communications International Inc., Nacchio not only oversaw its traditional telephone service but worked to build business on a network that could carry data and voice on a highway of fiber-optic cables stretching across the United States.

It is the network that prompted talks about government contracts after Qwest became a public company and began working on its merger with former Baby Bell U S West Inc.

Although most of the legal debates and court rulings about the classified material have been withheld from the public under federal law, a few court filings provide a glimpse OF the issue, which is believed to center on communications services for clandestine government agencies.

Denver defense attorney Scott Robinson believes Nacchio will raise the secret documents on appeal.

"Statistically, it's unlikely that Joe Nacchio will succeed on appeal but every appeal has to be ruled on its own merits, and since we don't have access to the classified information documents, it's impossible to talk about it and analyze them," he said. "There's probably a better issue out there that none of us know anything about."

In addition to the criminal case, Nacchio also is one of several former Qwest executives accused in a civil fraud case. The Securities and Exchange Commission maintains the one-time Qwest leaders engineered a fraud that led to an accounting scandal that forced Qwest to restate about $2.2 billion in revenue.

source : www.oregonlive.com

Trading standards boss confesses to works syndicate: I pocketed £5000 of your ticket cash

A LOTTERY syndicate of trading standards officers was fleeced for thousands of pounds by a boss who pocketed the weekly ticket money.

Admin head Janice Struthers had to confess her crimes in front of 20 colleagues who had been paying her £1 a week for five years.

The officers - who are employed to investigate conmen - were furious and Struthers, 37, has resigned.

A colleague became suspicious when they failed to win even a tenner over the five years of the syndicate.

Struthers, who worked for South Ayrshire Council, was called in by the department chief and challenged.

David Thomson, head of the council service and a leading trading standards figure in Scotland, found out she had pocketed the cash and forced her into a grovelling apology in front of workmates.

Struthers, of Mill Street, Ayr, also handed over a charity cheque for £5000 to cover the missed payments and resigned her £25,000-a-year post. She has been reported to the police.

An insider said: "Janice had been with the council since she left school and worked her way up the ladder.

"She collected the lottery money from everyone.

"David Thomson made her face the people she had robbed and tell them exactly what she had done. Then he allowed her to resign rather than face the sack over her dishonesty.

"It is a huge embarrassment to the service - especially when they are out daily trying to catch crooks and there was one in their own office fleecing them.

"She has hardly left her flat in Ayr since this happened because she is so mortified.

"God knows what she would have done had the numbers come up and she hadn't put the money on.

"It was only £20 a week and you have to wonder why someone would do that and jeopardise a good job for life with the council."

source : www.sundaymail.co.uk

Do rising markets make you a trading genius?

So far this year, the Dow Jones industrial average is up more than 8 percent, the S&P 500 is up more than 6.5 percent and the Nasdaq is up more than 5.5 percent.
And if you look back to last year, those percentages get even better.
In other words, this investing thing is easy, right? Let's trade!
Well, let's not get carried away.
That's the advice of two professors at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management, who published an article in the Review of Financial Studies last year.
Steven Thorley, the H. Taylor Peery professor of finance, and Keith Vorkink, the Richard E. Cook associate professor of finance, completed the study with Meir Statman, the Glenn Klimek professor of finance at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University.
And even though Steven says they did much of the research and legwork six or seven years ago, its findings are relevant today.
"Our motivation was, originally, the somewhat casual observation that an old saying on Wall Street is correct: Don't confuse brains with a bull market," Steven says.
He says their research found that trading volume on Wall Street seemed higher than usual when the market was rising, but once the market went down, trading volume dried up. After validating that observation with research databases, they turned to the question of why.
"We came to the conclusion that it's related to a very well-documented and now very important behavioral phenomenon called overconfidence. ... People tend to be overconfident in their own skills," Steven says.
But overconfidence was not the only possible explanation for the jump in trading. Keith says they also checked the potential impact of the "disposition effect."
"The disposition effect states that we get satisfaction or, as economists like to call it, utility, from actually realizing a gain on a trade," Keith says. "For example, if I buy IBM at $50 a share, and it goes up to $75 a share, I get more utility from that outcome when I sell IBM at $75 and realize a gain, as opposed to keeping IBM in my portfolio.
"So the alternative explanation for trading after the market goes up is that we all want the satisfaction of realizing our trading gains, and hence we trade."
When the researchers put the two possibilities to the test, however, overconfidence was clearly more influential.
"When the market goes up, we attribute the gains in our portfolio to our skill, and hence that makes us more likely to do subsequent trades," Keith says.
A rising market leaves the average investor feeling like a genius, and people start talking about their portfolios around the proverbial watercooler. But those people tend to ignore the overall strength of the market.
"People shouldn't count their success by a gain in their portfolios," Steven says. "It should be how much better or worse their portfolio did than standard benchmarks, like the (Standard & Poor's 500) or the (Dow Jones industrial average). ... Having a gain of 12 percent in your portfolio really isn't very good if the general market went up 15 percent."
Ignore that fact, he says, and overconfidence will lead to increased trading, which in turn leads to more transaction costs and brokerage commissions, not to mention possible tax issues.
"Probably the most profound (detriment) from our perspective is just that people spend a lot of time and energy ... to do this trading, when in fact it doesn't do them any good," Steven says.
Keith says investors should remember how competitive markets are. Many would be wise to pursue more passive investing in something like an index fund or exchange traded fund that mirrors the market's natural rise.
"It's difficult to pick which stocks are going to do well, but it's pretty easy to minimize the fees and costs of trading," Keith says.
So if the stock market's recent rise has pushed your exuberance near the level of irrationality, sit back, take a deep breath and ponder the results of this study.
Maybe you are a stock-picking genius. Or maybe your desire to trade stems more from a bull market and less from brains.
If you have a financial question, send it to gkratz@desnews.com or to the Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.

Emissions trading hot topic at APEC

AUSTRALIA will press members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum to consider working towards an emissions trading scheme, at a meeting of APEC energy ministers in Darwin this week.

The wording of the move will be broad in the context of the ministers' talks on energy sustainability and the environment, allowing for the wide divergence of views among the 21 APEC member countries.

It will be an important recognition that APEC cannot stand aside from the growing world concern over climate change.

The meeting's host, federal resources minister Ian Macfarlane, has made it clear a formal emissions trading scheme is not being discussed or even proposed but that the APEC ministers will be taking the first steps towards a unified view of how climate change might be handled.

A business forum to be held today ahead of the formal ministerial meeting will concentrate on the question of high energy prices and climate change.

The aim is to present APEC's political leaders with a comprehensive and up-to-date view of the climate change debate as business sees it, and consider some sort of program for the year ahead.

Executives such as Russell Caplan from Shell, Charlie Lenegan from Rio Tinto, Rod Eddington representing JP Morgan, Gerry Hueston from BP and Denny Mooney from GM-H will lead sessions in the forum.

Business observers say APEC is an ideal group to take the climate change debate forward. It is estimated that APEC economies will have to invest about $US6 trillion ($7.3 trillion) in the energy sector between now and 2030 to meet rapid growth in demand.

According to the APEC secretariat, coal will continue to be the major energy resource contributing to electricity generation, with its share increasing from 44 per cent in 2002 to 53 per cent in 2030.

The expected absence of US energy secretary Samuel Bodman is being remarked on, as the US is the most adamant opponent of mandatory caps on emissions.

The US, Australia and Canada are the main proponents of technology solutions to climate change problems.

That's what the business forum will be encouraging the APEC energy ministers to adopt as the underlying platform for an APEC-wide move on emissions abatement. Mr Macfarlane said last week energy security issues would be high among discussion topics, particularly relating to rapidly increasing demand for primary energy from countries such as China, India and South Korea.

All three countries are key targets of the Australian liquefied natural gas industry, which is aiming to become the world's second largest supplier by the end of next decade.

It is also expected that South American countries such as Chile will become involved in discussions on LNG and possibly on uranium.

source : www.theaustralian.news.com.au

Premiers push for 2010 carbon trading

STATE and Territory leaders have urged Prime Minister John Howard to launch an emissions trading scheme by 2010 with an environmentally credible target to cut greenhouse gases.

All eight Labor premiers and chief ministers signed the open letter to Mr Howard ahead of his emissions trading task force reporting on Thursday.

They reminded the Prime Minister their governments had already committed to a national emissions trading scheme by 2010.

"We see such a scheme as an indispensable step in tackling climate change and ensuring Australia reduces its greenhouse gas emissions at least cost," the letter said.

"Any scheme must have an environmentally credible, long-term target for emissions reduction, helping to ensure investment certainty while also including measures to protect our energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries."

The eight leaders also called for renewable energy targets and research and development of clean coal, carbon capture and renewable energy technologies.

"By working together with states and territories you will help ensure a comprehensive approach to climate change action in Australia."

Meanwhile, 75 professors of economics today called on the Federal Government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Australia and the United States are the only developed nations not to have signed the environmental blueprint.

The economists signed a statement saying Australia would suffer economic damage by failing to reduce emissions.

"Policy measures are available that would greatly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at modest economic cost," the statement said.

"Credible estimates suggest that a 50 per cent emissions reduction is achievable for less than one year's economic growth."

source : www.theaustralian.news.com.au

La Trinidad trading post code passage may be delayed: vice mayor

LA TRINIDAD Vice Mayor Artemio Galwan said the much-awaited passage of the vegetable trading post code might not be done by the current set of officials, adding that the next public consultations may require more time to study the code.

"If there's a need to (extend) the passage, then we would leave it to the next officers," Galwan said, adding that there is a possibility that the measure would need more revisions to accommodate recommendations coming from the affected group within the trading facility as well as the public.

The trading post ordinance was subjected to a consultation among stakeholders at the trading post early this year. Galwan said the business group's recommendations were incorporated in the code, although other suggestions were also disregarded.

"There might be a need for additional amendments and we would subject this again to another consultation, which would involve not only the group at the trading post but the general public. All interested parties would be given the opportunity to give their views," he said.

The trading post code was proposed in 2005, which aims to regulate the conduct of business transactions within the trading facility.

Traders earlier sought the immediate passage of the ordinance to correct the irregularities committed inside the facility and to safeguard individuals involved in the trading.

Opening of La Trinidad's controlled dumpsite deferred

THE supposed opening of La Trinidad's controlled dumpsite in Barangay Alno in the town suffered another setback after barangay chairman Rodrigo Luis requested the deferment of the delivery and disposal of garbage to the area.

In his letter addressed to the La Trinidad Municipal Government, Luis sought deferment of the opening of the controlled dumpsite, saying he received the memorandum of agreement (MOA) late.

Luis said the draft MOA was forwarded to his office May 22, which he said is a late date for him to decide whether or not to allow the delivery of garbage to the village.

"The MOA will still be presented to the barangay council for comments, suggestions, approval and give authority to the barangay chairman sign the MOA," he said.

The agreement contains obligations of both parties and conditions that must be complied by both in the operations of the controlled garbage facility.

Luis did not mention in his letter if how long the requested deferment would last.

The controlled dumpsite was supposed to open Friday after Mayor Nestor Fongwan ordered the closure of the town's open dumpsite in Barangay Buyagan and subsequent opening of Alno.

Garbage trucks failed to deliver the town's waste to the area due to Luis's request.

The operation of the controlled dumpsite is pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which mandates local government units to establish their own controlled dumping facility.

La Trinidad is the first local government unit in Northern Luzon to construct its solid waste management facility.

source : www.sunstar.com.ph

Dow, S&P 500 Climb To Record Levels - Learn About The Latest Trading Products, Services And Trading Strategies At Traders Expo

RTTNews invites you to join us at The Traders Expo · San Diego, June 20-23, at The San Diego Marriott & Marina. During the show experts from the industry will offer free and informative stage panels discussions and presentations. We encourage you to visit us at booth #713 in the exhibit hall for an opportunity to meet our company representatives.

This is an opportunity to learn about latest trading products and services available today and four days of free education. At the Expo you will learn specific trading strategies and techniques from more than 50 trading experts in 100+ workshops, live trading demonstrations and interactive panels; browse the exhibit hall with over 100 product-and-service providers and more!

At The Traders Expo · San Diego you will also receive the latest predictions and advice from the host of CNBC's Mad Money Jim Cramer, Bryan Perry, Dan Gramza, Jon Najarian, Oliver Velez, Alexander Elder, John Carter, Toni Turner, Mike McMahon and over 40 other experts. You will learn new ways of looking at charts and indicators, acquire simple risk management techniques, receive updates on the latest securities you can trade, hear expert views on current and impending market trends and much more. We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

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CanWest MediaWorks recent trading activity

There were six trading flags identified for CanWest MediaWorks Income Fund (CWMu/TSX) shares on Thursday.

The chart below shows Measuredmarkets' analysis of the deviant trading behaviour for the stock.

Measuredmarkets Inc.'s Early Warning Service alerts investors to when a stock’s trading pattern changes significantly from its normal behaviour. The trading analysis covers nine time periods, examining closing price, total volume and the number of individual trades. It surveys the NYSE, NASDAQ (National Market), AMEX and TSX, and is available at measuredmarkets.com

PAKISTAN: INSIDER TRADING PROBE MAY FINGER TOP GOVERNMENT FIGURES

Despite official denials, speculation on the fall-out from a visit to Pakistan by FBI investigators, pursuing a US probe into multi million dollar insider trading involving a Pakistani banker, is mounting. It is believed that the complex web that is emerging around banker Hafiz Naseem may involve top Pakistani financial decision makers. Naseem, 37, was arrested in New York earlier this month and charged with 26 counts of conspiracy and securities fraud. He is accused of leaking details about nine deals, including the record 32 billion US dollar leveraged buyout of Texas energy giant TXU.

One Pakistani banker, Ejaz Rahim, was also named in investigations for his alleged connection with Naseem’s network on one side and with top Pakistani financial figures on other side.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in a lawsuit filed in a Chicago federal court earlier this month, accused Rahim of insider trading based on information it said he got from a Credit Suisse Group investment banker in New York, Hafiz Naseem.

The SEC said Rahim received non-public information about the proposed leveraged buyout of TXU from Naseem, and that Rahim then bought TXU call option contracts and stock. Rahim reaped about 5.1 million dollars in profits through the trades, according to the SEC complaint.

According to sources, a FBI team arrived in Pakistan recently to probe the case and interviewed many top Pakistani bankers. Among those they wanted to talk to sources maintained, were the President of the National Bank of Pakistan, Ali Raza, Zaigham Mehmood Rizvi of House Building Finance Corporation of Pakistan, Farooq Bengali of Faysal Bank, prime ministerial financial advisor Salman Shah, Chief of Pakistan Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation Mohammed Ali Khoja.

The name of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, formerly a senior official in Citi Group has also been linked to the probe, it is understood.

A top security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the FBI interviewed top finance officials but maintained that it was not exactly related with international insider trading.

“The third party involvement is not specificallly connected to the insider trading allegations. Most of the trading was done personally by Ejaz Rahim himself. What I know of the FBI investigations is that they are about money transactions concerning terror networks like Al-Qaeda,” the official asserted.

The involvement of top Pakistani decision-makers in the financial markets is a relatively recent trend, dating back to several years ago. Some of them have risked their reputations in deals which later appeared more like scams. However due to their political clout they managed to play down the issue and ensure their names were omitted.

One reason the names of the big stock market players, including brokerage houses and the financial decision-makers, is the involvement of strategic institutions such as the intelligence services ISI in the stock market where it invests money and generates profits. Top brokerage houses often serve as front.

The stock market fiasco in March 2005 caused losses of over Rs780 billion (12.87 billion dollars) and many of those who suffered most were small investors. The crash had raised many questions about the role of the regulator, the Security Exchange Comission of Pakistan (SECP) and the management of the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE).

A task force was formed, headed by a retired justice, which pinpointed 11 big brokerage houses allegedly involved in malpractice which led to the market crash. However, the real bombshell was the statement by the former chairman of Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Tariq Hassan, in which he alleged that high-ranking finance ministry officials, including Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, had forcibly stopped him from taking action against the “big fish.”

Aziz is a close friend of disgraced World Bank governor and forrmer US deputy defence secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, who allegedly played a role in him securing the prime minsiter's job. When Shaukat Aziz was still finance minister in Musharraf's cabinet, Wolfowitz visited the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, where he spoke to correspondents of Pakistani newspapers in favour of his friend, Aziz, a former banker on Wall Street, as the most suitable person to be premier.

Wolfowitz's comments were widely published in the Pakistan media and eventually Musharraf was convinced that Aziz, who was little known politically, would be able to quietly work to turn around Pakistan's economy.

Aziz was sworn in as 23rd prime minister of Pakistan on August 28, 2004. During Aziz’s time in the political limelight, first as the finance minister and later as the prime minister, the country’s stock market has crashed several times.

source : www.adnki.com

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Archstone-Smith Trust Is Breaking Out [ASN]

5/25/2007 9:41:37 AM Archstone-Smith Trust (ASN) gapped up sharply at the open and is currently moving further higher on increasing vlume. The stock has exceeded it's 50 day moving average and is now approaching it's 200 day moving average. The stock is trading higher by $.91 at $55.94.

CDI Corporation Is Taking Out The Highs Of The Trading Session [CDI]

5/25/2007 1:22:47 PM CDI Corp (CDI) has traded in a range for the last 2 months and today the stock has broken out to a multi-year high. The stock is currently extending the gains as most of the markets are flat, and is taking out the highs of the trading session.

Shares of CDI are currently trading higher by $2.88 at $32.25.

Nymex set to cut trading floor

The New York Mercantile Exchange is reportedly cutting back on its trading floor as its electronic trading platform takes off, reflecting similar moves by NYSE in the wake of regulatory changes.

Jim Newsome, Nymex’s chief executives said that substantial savings could be realized by consolidating the exchange’s operations into more efficient space, Reuters said.

Newsome stopped short of saying that the physical exchange would be scrapped altogether, noting that options trading was still 20% of floor volume.

Nymex started trading electronically on CME Globex in June 2006 and runs its floor trading side-by-side in a hybrid electronic/open outcry model. Its floor-traded energy futures and options volumes dropped by 39% in the first quarter compared to year-on-year volume.

Volumes on NYSE’s trading floor have dwindled since US regulators introduced Regulation National Market System on March 7 and many of NYSE’s top brokers have reduced their number of floor staff this year. UBS took out 23 of its 30 floor positions in March, while Dutch marketmaker Van der Moolen, Bank of America, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs have laid off specialists and direct market access staff.

NYSE cut its own staff by more than a third last year to 2,578.

Separately, Nymex received final regulatory clearance to go ahead with its planned June 1 opening of its Dubai Mercantile Exchange, the Middle East’s first and only physically-settled energy futures contract exchange.

source : www.financialnews-us.com

Call to take risk out of carbon trading

BUYERS of carbon rights were exposed to huge levels of risk, and the viability of carbon trading in Australia was threatened by the absence of coherent property rights in carbon, NSW API Carbon Property Rights Committee chairman John Sheehan told a Climate Change conference in Brisbane this week.

"It is essential that carbon property rights are established hand-in-hand with a consistent scheme or schemes for carbon trading nationwide," Mr Sheehan said.

"Shortly, there will be large sums of money invested in carbon forests and carbon trading. The creation of true property rights in carbon will go a long way to providing the marketplace with the certainty and clarity that it requires. It is important that we are confident in the value of either the asset or the right we are purchasing.

"Without that confidence, any trading scheme in Australia will struggle to fulfil its potential. The current multitude of trading regimes is exposing carbon traders to an unacceptable level of risk, as they have no certainty at all in what they are trading."

Mr Sheehan also said there were still some crucial issues that needed to be addressed before property rights in carbon could be established in Australia.

"Carbon sequestration by tree species must be ascertained with certainty. Sequestration may vary during the life cycle of species," Mr Sheehan said. "There is currently a presumption that carbon sequestration occurs at a different rate for specific species life cycle, however greater scientific clarification is needed in this area.

"This clarification is essential if accurate valuations are to be made of carbon property rights especially for the purposes of substantial debt or equity raising."

Mr Sheehan said it was important to note that property rights in carbon were not a magic solution to emissions reduction.

"Carbon property rights are not a panacea for emissions reduction. They are one important part of the range of policy tools needed for decarbonisation in Australia."

Royal Bank Profit Misses Estimates as Trading Falls

Royal Bank of Canada said second- quarter profit rose 14 percent, missing analysts' estimates for the first time in almost three years, as trading revenue fell and earnings growth slowed in the U.S.

Net income for the period ended April 30 climbed to C$1.28 billion ($1.18 billion), or 98 cents a share, from C$1.12 billion, or 85 cents, Canada's biggest bank said today in a statement. Revenue rose 11 percent to C$5.67 billion.

Profit from the U.S. unit rose 8 percent, trailing growth in Canada, as expenses rose for acquisitions and new branches, and after the Canadian dollar gained against the U.S. currency.

``You've had the currency dragging that down,'' in the U.S., said Gavin Graham, chief investment officer for Guardian Group of Funds in Toronto, which oversees about $5.3 billion in assets including Royal Bank shares. ``It's not a good place to be for a commercial bank.''

Excluding some items, profit was 99 cents a share, trailing the C$1.03 median estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News, the first time in 11 quarters that earnings lagged analysts' expectations. Profit growth was the slowest in six quarters.

Royal Bank fell C$1.81, or 3 percent, to C$58.81 at 2:06 p.m. trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the biggest drop since Aug. 27, 2004. The stock has risen 6 percent this year, beating the 4.5 percent gain for the nine-member Standard & Poor's/TSX Banks index.

Full Value

``After much stronger-than-expected earnings last quarter, Royal was the best performing Canadian bank stock over the past three months,'' Desjardins Securities Inc. analyst Michael Goldberg said today in a note. ``With these results and its relatively full evaluation, that strong relative performance is unlikely to continue.''

Consumer banking profit in Canada rose 21 percent to C$618 million and posted a 29 percent return on equity, a measure of profitability. Mortgages, personal loans and credit card balances rose in the period. Earnings at that unit were tempered by a slump in insurance, as operating profit fell 27 percent to C$43 million on higher claims and other expenses.

``Some of the businesses where they did disappoint are ones that are more volatile in nature anyway,'' said Juliette John, who helps manage about C$19 billion at Bissett Investment Management in Calgary. ``The strength that we've seen on the retail side as well as the wealth management side are still the more high-quality businesses.''

Profit from U.S. and international consumer banking, which includes Raleigh, North Carolina-based RBC Centura, rose to C$67 million, with a return on equity of 7.4 percent.

Branches

Costs in the U.S. rose 18 percent as the bank expanded through acquisitions and new branches. Royal Bank bought 39 branches in Alabama from AmSouth Bancorporation and acquired Flag Financial Corp. in the past year, helping to add another 70 offices and 2,267 employees.

Royal Bank set aside C$188 million for bad loans, up from C$124 million a year ago and the highest in at least nine quarters.

Profit at RBC Capital Markets fell 15 percent to C$350 million. Trading revenue fell 7.2 percent to C$544 million on lower revenue from fixed-income, including a trading loss from high-risk, or ``sub-prime'' mortgage loans in the U.S. Revenue from equity trading almost doubled. By comparison, Bank of Montreal, which lost C$680 million this year from trading natural-gas contracts, had a C$10 million trading loss in the period.

IPOs

An increase in new stock issues and a surge in sales of Canadian-denominated Maple bonds helped increase underwriting fees, after the bank helped manage a C$2.5 billion sale for Morgan Stanley in February, the largest corporate bond sale in Canada.

The wealth management group's earnings rose 22 percent to C$194 million. Mutual fund sales climbed 25 percent to C$2.8 billion from the previous year as stock prices rose and the bank sold more funds through its branches. Fund industry sales hit a nine-year high last month, with Royal Bank and Toronto-Dominion Bank leading net sales in Canada.

Royal Bank is the third Canadian lender to report second- quarter earnings. Bank of Montreal said May 23 that profit rose 3 percent to C$671 million as higher investment banking fees and mutual funds offset losses from commodities trading. Toronto- Dominion Bank said yesterday that profit rose 19 percent to C$879 million. Both banks' profits beat analysts' estimates.

Bank of Nova Scotia, the third-largest bank, reports earnings on May 29. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the country's fifth-largest lender, and National Bank of Canada, the sixth-largest, report on May 31. To contact the reporter on this story: Doug Alexander in Toronto at dalexander3@bloomberg.net

* Market Update: Sri Lanka stocks slide again in thin trading

Sri Lanka stocks fell slightly again today at the Colombo Bourse in thin trading as investors skimmed profits off recently gained shares.

Main Colombo All Share Price Index fell 3.16 points or 0.12% to close at 2,559.54 while the highly capitalized Milanka Price Index rose by 2.22 points or 0.06% to close at 3,614.43. The turnover was low ending at 90.4 million rupees while the trading volume closed at 3.6 million shares.

Dominating the turnover with 26.3 million rupees market heavyweight Dialog Telekom remained flat at 24.75 rupees trading 1.06 million shares while the fixed-line operator Sri Lanka Telecom trading 217,400 shares rose 0.69% to 36.50 rupees. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings remained flat at 146.25 rupees.

Other major contributors to the turnover included ACl Cables (56,300), Dockyard (137,000), John Keels Hotels (638,300) and Lanka IOC (49,600).

Information Technology sector gained 7.85% while Services sector rose 4.69%. Construction and Engineering index closed up by 3.80%. Power and Energy sector posted a loss of 2.78%.

DFCC Bank - rights gained 3.25 rupees or 46.43% to top the gainer’s list. The other top gainers included Royal Palm Beach Hotel (25.00%), Balangoda Plantations (14.29 %), The Colombo Fort Land & Building Company (10.34%) and Blue Diamonds (9.09%).

Three Acre Farms lost 8.57% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. Other top losers included Pegasus Hotels (-8.33%), Lanka Aluminium (-7.14%), John Keells Hotels (-6.90%) and O’Nally (-6.20%).

Rupee remained unchanged today from previous close against the dollar according to the Central Bank figures buying at 110.15 rupees and selling at 111.41 rupees.

source : www.colombopage.com

Sales of stress tests at a high

Stressed Shrewsbury Town supporters are joining other football fans in keeping a close eye on their blood pressure levels ahead of this weekends play-offs, a leading retailer said today.

Superdrug said sales of its blood pressure monitors had gone through the roof .

It said sales has risen more than 1,000 per cent ahead of the three League play-off games at Wembley - which kick off with Shrewsbury Town v Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

Heart rates are set to soar for at least 90 minutes as Town’s players look to seal their place in League One.

Superdrug has had to draft in extra stock, with nervous fans eager to keep their blood pressure down.

It is offering a clinically validated blood pressure monitor at less than half price this weekend. And if Saturday’s big game is as nerve racking as the semi-final against MK Dons, health conscious Town fans may need to keep their fingers on their pulses.

Peter Newbould, Director of Health at Superdrug said: “We imagined that the blood pressure monitors would be bought by those with a predetermined condition. However we’ve found that they are being bought by anyone with a general interest in their health.”

Carol Wood, manager of the Shrewsbury store, said: “We had a delivery of monitors on Monday. It’s always good for people to keep an eye on their blood pressure levels, especially during stressful periods.

“Shrewsbury Town fans should come along and get one. It will help them see how excited they get during Saturday’s big game.”

Special coverage in the Shropshire Star:

* A Wembley special of the newspaper will be on sale from 6.30am on Saturday. This commemorative edition will include a chance for readers to win a Town season ticket.
* We also want readers to send in their photos, wherever you are on the big day - at Wembley, at home, in the pub or at your local club. The best pictures will appear in Monday´s paper and online. The top 10 pictures will win prizes.
* Text the word pic below your picture in the message box, along with your name and address. Text your picture to 07843 500911 (Picture texts cost 50p plus your standard picture messaging rate)
* We want your films of the Shrews big day, whether it´s a video of you on the way to the ground, watching with your family or, hopefully, celebrating promotion after the game.
* Anyone who sends in video footage from the big day will also be entered to win a prize. Simply send your video, with your name and address, to: internet@shropshirestar.co.uk

Promotion of biofuels unsettles agricultural markets - Rabobank

owned bank's senior analyst for food and agribusiness Ingrid Richardson said agricultural prices were increasingly volatile and supply and demand dynamics were moving.

Richardson was a keynote speaker at the World Seed Congress in Christchurch this week and also spoke to farmers later.

Grain prices were rising globally. Where grains were used for stockfeed consumers were already paying more, particularly in the United States, for chicken, beef and sugars and sweeteners.

There were opportunities for higher prices for New Zealand and Australian beef producers whose animals were grass-fed. She was reluctant to be unequivocal and say grass-fed beef would be cheaper and more competitive because agricultural markets were in a state of flux.

"It's destabilising and people are trying to work out what's happening and who's going to be more competitive," Richardson said.

Biofuels were only made viable by "serious" government support.

They were not being produced because the economics made sense, but because of government policies.

"It's not about viability, it's about politics."

Those supports came in a variety of forms, including subsidies, capital grants to build plants, compulsory sale obligations on oil and petrol retailers, and lower taxes for biofuels, Richardson said.

New Zealand had opted for simple sales obligations on oil companies to sell a small proportion of biofuels.

New Zealand was not large enough to do large-scale canola growing for biodiesel production, she said.

State coal miner Solid Energy has plans to contract farmers to grow canola in North and South Canterbury and in Southland to produce 70 million tonnes of biodiesel a year in three years.

Richardson said between 70 per cent and 90% of the cost of biodiesel production was the feedstock.

She considered tallow to be a more cost-effective feedstock to produce biodiesel although, she said, the price of tallow was rising globally because of increased demand.

information from : www.stuff.co.nz

Staples buys promotion firm

Office supply giant Staples Inc. has acquired Overland Park-based American Identity, a maker of corporate branded merchandise, for an undisclosed amount.

American Identity was acquired from the private equity group Republic Financial Corp. of Aurora, Colo.

“Our ownership group was approached quite a few times last year and they decided, as a financial partner, they wanted to exit the business,” said Roger Henry, chief executive officer of American Identity.

American Identity — which puts companies’ names on such items as mugs, key chains, clothing, caps and clocks — has 800 employees, including about 250 at its corporate offices in Overland Park.

Henry said the company would operate as a standalone, although the deal will mean Staples customers can buy merchandise from American Identity.

“We’ve dabbled in this business, but I’m not so bold as to say that we’re ‘in’ this business, so we’re happy to gain their expertise,” said Ray Baitler, executive vice president of Staples, based in Framingham, Mass. “It’s a scenario we’ve dabbled in, liked and wanted to get serious about, and we were impressed with their people and values.”

Before announcing the acquisition, Staples on Tuesday reported a 12 percent increase in first quarter profits but lowered its profit expectations going forward. The company said that sales were flat for its core office supplies and that the pressure to cut costs among consumers and businesses could slow already sluggish U.S. sales.

Staples’ stock closed Tuesday at $25.05, down 62 cents.

Baitler said Staples and American Identity were a good fit because both served small to large businesses.

“We’re heavily Internet penetrated in our business and are the second largest Internet-based retailer in the world after Amazon,” Baitler said.

Henry said that there would be no changes to the way American Identity did business and that it would be status quo for its 250 area employees, as well as the 550 workers primarily based in northern Iowa.

He said American Identity also had a strong presence on the Internet, with about 55 percent of its sales done online.

“We can serve every level of business as we sell to everyone from the smallest customer to IBM,” Henry said. “This is the perfect storm for both of us.”

Henry said the company attracted interest from other buyers, but he declined to identify them. Staples and American Identity declined to disclose the terms of the deal.

Republic acquired full ownership of American Identity in February 2005 for an $11 million equity investment and a $10 million long-term subordinated debt agreement.

American Identity began in 1946 as the Nat Nast Co., a bowling shirt manufacturer in Bonner Springs. It was renamed Swingster in 1971 and in 1988 was one of two companies to provide official licensed merchandise to the United States Olympic Committee.

In 1998, Swingster and another promotional products company, K-Products, merged to create American Identity. The company acquired Boise Marketing Services in 2000.
To reach Jennifer Mann, call 816-234-4453 or send e-mail to jmann@kcstar.com.

Promotion tracking yields positive results

Walgreen Co. is expanding its use of wireless tags that track in-store displays to determine whether and how the promotions entice shoppers to buy.

Walgreens has had a positive return on its investment in the system, said a spokeswoman for the Deerfield-based drugstore chain. The retailer uses the system to figure out which displays are effective, and which need to be changed.

Bob Michelson, CEO of Goliath Solutions, the Deerfield-based company that supplies the systems, explained, "Think of a display promoting M&Ms. Are you better off with a promotion offering $2 off or 25 percent off? Do the M&Ms sell better if the display is red or if it is blue? Where should the display be set up to draw the most attention?"

In one instance, Valentine's candy proved that it would sell better in the cosmetics aisle than in the candy section, for example.

The system is in 1,000 Walgreens stores, and involves 18 of the chain's suppliers of cough drops, shampoo, cosmetics, candy and other consumer goods.

Expansion planned

A Walgreens spokesman said the retailer plans to roll out the system within the next 12 months to its 5,693 U.S. stores in 48 states and Puerto Rico. He declined to disclose the cost involved.

Michelson, the Goliath Systems CEO, said, "We believe [the Walgreens initiative] is the largest such use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in the retail industry."

The Goliath system is unusual in that it embeds RFID chips in merchandise display racks or stands. A handful of retailers and manufacturers use RFID tags embedded in each individual product, exclusively for high-ticket items. Those costs can range from 20 cents to $2 per chip, depending on the distance at which the chip is read by a reader. The Goliath system is focused on the display, not the individual products, and can be most cost-efficient in large deployments.

Activating chips

When a shopper removes a product from a Goliath in-store display, small receivers placed in store ceilings read the chips' signals. A hub network "polls" the receivers several times each day. The hub asks the readers a series of questions: Are the displays set up in the store? If so, where? What time was a display put up or taken down? Have the displays been moved since the last poll?

Goliath Solutions receives the data, and analyzes it along with other data it gets from Walgreens, such as sales at each store and the sales results for each product in each display in each store. The data does not track individual shoppers.

Walgreen Co. executives access the analysis through a secure Web site, and can communicate the results to store managers within 48 hours. Store managers also get a weekly report about the sales results from each RFID-tracked display.

Goliath wants to expand its system to other retailers, including grocery stores, discount stores and office-supply chains.

Opportunity abounds

In-store advertising is becoming increasingly important to national-brand companies because their TV and radio commercials are being "Tivoed" and "iPoded" into thin air.

The 2006 Trends Report published by Point of Purchase Times showed that 47 percent of national marketers said they would give in-store signs and displays greater emphasis, while 15.2 percent said they would spend more on TV advertising and 12.5 percent reported a planned increase in radio ads.

Arguments remain as to whether stores are losing or gaining control over displays - and clutter - within their four walls, and whether national brands or a store's own private label brands will win the war for floor space. The issue reveals how retailers are wrestling with new technologies, including more invasive electronic ads at check-out counters and promotions that can be sent to shoppers' grocery carts and cell phones.

Brian Harris, chairman of The Partnering Group, a Cincinnati consulting firm, said technological advances have placed a renewed emphasis on the store itself.

"Digital signs on shelves, advertisements on big screens at the check-out, and 'smart' shopping carts that deliver messages based on the user's loyalty-card purchases enable the store itself to be a medium, rather than simply a place to buy goods," he said.

Sun-Times News Group

Profitable Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing

In today's competitive world, new products and companies are crowding the marketplace, making it increasingly difficult for customers to differentiate product features and benefits. Many promotion techniques are currently available and new ones are constantly evolving. In selecting a tactic, the marketer must consider its appeal for the target group and its compatibility, with the brand's objectives, and budget parameters.


IIR's Business Building Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing course will focus on the critical factors for promotion success and ROI.

You will learn how to quickly diagnose promotions for the unique appeal factor and hallmarks of success. The approach is to lay out a step-by-step disciplined process in developing effective promotion campaigns with case history examples to cement the learning.

You can learn more about this event by visiting - www.iirme.com/salespromo

Earthrace fundraising bid

The Earthrace World Record Attempt Team launched today a Sales Promotion Raffle to increase the sales of it T-shirts, Posters, DVD's and World Record Stickers. The effort is sponsored by Earthrace Ltd which is a bid to break the world record for global circumnavigation in a powerboat using only 100% Pure Biodiesel ... a renewable fuel.

The Earthrace Sales Promotion Raffle is now accepting entries via their Sales Promotion Raffle Product Store on their website www.earthrace.net via the purchase of official Earthrace Sales Promotion Raffle Products. Each item you purchase will include a FREE raffle entry. Only 3,000 entries will be accepted and you can pay online via Pay pal and major credits on their secure site. The Earthrace is currently enroute to Suez, Egypt only 930 nautical miles behind world record pace as reported last on March 22, 2007.

With all raffles there are prizes and the one item that will draw the most interest is a trip on the one-of-a-kind Earthrace Wave Piercing Trimaran during the world record attempt. The winner will actually be a member of the crew with crew responsibilities as any other. Included in this Grand Prize, the winner will be flown to and from their location to one of 4 possible race leg stops where Earthrace will be docking to refuel and re-supply. The possible race legs available for the winner are Canary Islands -to- Barbados, Barbados -to-Panama, Panama -to- Acapulco, or Acapulco -to- San Diego, California ... the recently announced updated finish line.

For those looking for less adventurous prizes, The Earthrace World Record Attempt Team has provided Customer Appreciation Prizes:

1st Prize: A licensed copy of Nobeltec's Visual Navigation Suite Navigation Software, courtesy of Crystal Friedman at www.nobeltec.com.

2nd Prize: A relaxing 6 hour sailing excursion on a 50' sailboat for up to 8 adults including refreshments in beautiful Acapulco, Mexico courtesy of Captain Miguel Angel Sempre Ramirez of RAL Industrial Marine Service.

3rd Prize: A private 2 hour sunset cruise for 2 adults on a 35' Meridian Yacht on San Francisco Bay, California including fully catered dinner and wine tasting. Then the excitement continues with 2 tickets to a San Francisco Giants Major League baseball game to watch Barry Bonds' bid to break the all time home run record! This excursion is courtesy of Edgar Perez an Earthrace supporter and volunteer.

4th Prize: A brand new FinePix F650 digital camera courtesy of Earthrace Ltd.

Earthrace will be drawing the winners on June 9, 2007 and the captain Pete Bethune will be announcing the winners on location via a video blog on the Earthrace sales Promotion Raffle website. You have only until 11:59pm EST on June 8, 2007 to enter and enter as many times as you wish. For further details on raffle rules, prizes frequently asked questions, please visit www.earthrace.net or contact the Raffle Facilitator David Perez at david@earthrace.net

SOUTHGATE PONDERS SUMMER SALES

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate may consider cashing in on some of his assets to land his summer transfer targets.

The 36-year-old is hoping to keep all his better players as he builds for the future, but admits he may sell to fund his recruitment plans.

However, much of what he will be able to do during the closed season will depend on striker Mark Viduka's decision over his future.

Asked if he knows what his budget will be, Southgate said: "Not really because it is slightly dependent on what happens with Mark.

"We have not got fortunes by any means and if I have to move people on to raise funds to do what I want to do, then I would be prepared to do that.

"But having seen what happened last year in the dealings I had, it is important to try to keep your players and build from there.

"Nobody really wants to let their better players go. It is not easy to keep your own players, but it is much harder to get players in from elsewhere, even if the clubs have failed to go up or have gone down.

"There has got to be an overhaul and we have got to fund it in whatever way is feasible.

"If we can do it without moving players on, great, because I do not really want to sell people.

"But if we get a few months down the line and we have to raise money, then I have got to be prepared for the fact we may have to balance the books in some way."

Out-of-contract Viduka would command no fee, but England winger Stewart Downing has been repeatedly linked with Tottenham - indeed, the Londoners have had two bids rejected in the past - while there is speculation that Portsmouth are ready to try to secure Ayegbeni Yakubu's return to the south coast two years after selling him to Boro for £7.5million.

However, while Southgate may be prepared to sell some members of his squad, he is adamant he wants to hang on to those who he believes have major roles to play, and that includes the Nigeria international.

He is currently concentrating on his own targets, and while he is not identifying them publicly, he has admitted he had an interest in Crewe striker Luke Varney before his move to Charlton earlier this week.

However, it is understood Southgate's long-standing pursuit of Arsenal's Jeremie Aliadiere is still very much alive, while West Brom's Diomansy Kamara could be in his sights should the Baggies fail in their attempt to make it back into the Barclays Premier League via the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs.

With limited cash at his disposal, Southgate knows the relegated top-flight clubs and those who narrowly miss out on promotion from the Championship may be a source of potential signings.

And having reaped rich rewards for his £1.75million investment in Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca last summer following the Black Cats' relegation, that is a road he could be prepared to travel once again.

Southgate said: "Those situations help matters, like when we were trying to bring Julio here.

"Sunderland were in a position at that stage where they probably needed to move him on.

"We will have to see if we can make moves on players in those sort of situations.

"But the teams who have stayed up are not really going to want to let their players go unless there is a contractual problem or whatever."

souurce : www.sportinglife.com

The Secret to Setting and Achieving Your Goals

Melissa was a stellar sales associate in a small furniture store. After years of being the top earner in her company, she moved from that small store to one of the largest design oriented home furnishings retailers. Melissa felt like she was moving up in the world and had high expectations to achieve even more in her new job.

Unfortunately, after a few months of lackluster sales, Melissa felt like she wasn’t living up to it. She was worried that she wouldn't be considered for future sales management promotions and she couldn’t understand why – she was doing the same kind of prospecting, honing her closing skills, house calls and working longer hours. But she didn’t know exactly what her objective was. Melissa was missing a goal. She was trying to achieve a vague dream, without a map or action plan to reach it.

There’s no big secret to achieving what you want out of life. The way to make your goals a reality is by empowering yourself with intellectual, emotional and practical tools, and converting them into habits. Here are the seven tools you need to achieve your professional or personal goals:

Define your dream.

Many of us dream about getting a promotion, earning more money or changing careers. Have you ever asked yourself why it is that once you have the promotion, the additional spending money or the new job, why you still aren’t happy? The reason is probably because you haven’t defined what your dream really is. It might not be the promotion, but just recognition for a job well done; nor the extra cash but the means to surround your family with comfort; and changing careers, could be because you think that a new career will give you the excitement and enthusiasm you have lost.

It’s not until you know what your dream truly is that you will be able to do the work necessary to achieve it and receive the satisfaction and rewards you deserve. Now, without censoring yourself, say out loud: “My dream is…”

Convert your dream into a goal.

The difference between a dream and a goal is a written date. Writing down a specific goal and a date forces us to do things we might never have done. It permits us to measure our progress and keep us focused on reaching that dream.

Get a pen and paper and write down your specific dream or goal, along with the date when you are going to achieve it. If you won’t commit to paper and pen, you won’t be able to commit to the reality of accomplishing the task when faced with challenges. Write it down in your calendar or PDA so that you can keep track of your progress and make the efforts necessary to reach it.

Write your goal on post-it notes and put them everywhere.

Each morning and evening before you go to sleep, read your goal. Envision yourself as that successful person. Feel the luxury of that new car. Smell the ocean from your dream vacation. See yourself sitting at the desk of your own company. Make that goal yours in your mind. When you write down your goal, make sure that it is specific and motivates you.

For example: “On April 30, 2008, I, Henry Smith, have been promoted to regional sales manager. I am in charge of a productive sales team, where each member is respectful of my position. My job is fulfilling and challenges me. I have the ability to balance the life I have at work and the life I have at home. I feel confident, secure and free to be myself.”

Make a list of your assets and resources.

An asset could encompass your education, experience, or personality; it could include the people you know, your bank account, your personal appearance and even your car. If you have a hard time coming up with your assets, ask your friends, colleagues and family about your good qualities.

In Henry’s pursuit for a promotion to regional sales manager, he might say he is hard-working, determined, honest, organized and intelligent. He also has a good sense of humor and likes people. All of these qualities would be good for a manager.

Your resources, such as the people you know, your education and experience can help you achieve your goal. Henry knows that his neighbor Sam works in the same industry. He’s talked to him about sports, but has never brought up talk about their industry or asked how Sam got to his position as vice president. Perhaps Sam would be willing to help, or knows someone who could. Your education is another resource – does your school have an alumni association or networking events that you could attend? Do you need additional education to make your goal a reality?

Write down the obstacles.

The moment you set a goal, you and others will find a million reasons why you can’t or shouldn’t go after it. Contrary to a popular book, you will not attract obstacles or the naysayers, just because you are aware of them. In fact, the purpose of preempting barriers will facilitate your recognizing them when they occur and not use them as excuses to desist.

For example, an obstacle list could include:

- “I am afraid of failure.”

- “I am too old for the job and no one will promote me.”

“I am too busy with my home life to put the time into getting promoted.”

- “I am not experienced enough to lead a large staff.”

It is obvious that Henry wants something but is sabotaging himself with negative self-talk. Before he begins his action plan, Henry needs to work on his belief system and find out where it comes from.

Write down why you want this goal.

Do you deserve to be happy and have what you want? What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve it? Do you want this more than anything else and are you willing to face anything to achieve it? If your “why” isn’t strong enough, you will not achieve your goal and will be able to blame the perceived obstacles.

Your why should look something like this: “I want to become regional vice president because I want to proud of my accomplishments. I want my family and friends to feel happy about my achievements. I want to do more for myself and my family, and by accomplishing this goal, I can provide them with the lifestyle they deserve.”

Write your action plan. A book is read from the first page to the last, but goals are set from the end and work up to the beginning. Where do you want to be in twenty years, ten, three, one year, a month from now?

Most of us spend our time on putting out fires, helping others and dealing with life’s daily activities, many of which have nothing to do with our dreams. From now on I want you to focus, focus, focus. Everything you do should lead you to achieving your goal. Notice how you spend your money and what percent goes towards achieving that goal.

Now you know what your goal really is, you have written down the exact date and possess a strong action plan. Who do you have to call? What do you have to read? What do you have to buy? Who do you have to be so that you can take back your power? Guess what? It’s no secret - you are already that person…it’s just a matter of time!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Nacif, author of “Jump and the Joy Will Follow: How to Live in Conscious Joy and Health in Every Stage of Life,” is a bilingual author and speaker with a Master’s degree in clinical psychology. Through Linda’s breakthrough techniques and passionate communication, she encourages clients to dare to go beyond their comfort zone by being adventurous, fit and enthusiastic. For information on her keynotes and seminars, visit: www.lindanacif.com or call: 619-733-2071.

Electronic GameCard Signs Rank's Mecca Bingo for First UK Bingo Promotion

Electronic Game
Card, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: EGMI), the creator of the Electronic
GameCard(TM), today confirmed that Mecca Bingo, a subsidiary of The Rank
Group Plc ("Rank"), has placed an order to use Electronic GameCards (TM)
for a trial in selected Mecca venues.
Mecca Bingo is the UK's second-largest bingo club operator, with 103
bingo clubs across England, Scotland and Wales, catering to over 1.1
million active members. As the proliferation of bingo establishments
matures, Mecca Bingo is strategically focused on gaining and retaining
market share through its development of "best in class" products, service
and operational standards.
A spokesperson for Electronic Game Card, Inc. said, "Our focus over the
past nine months has been to deliver a perfected next generation product to
meet the standards of an organization as highly regarded as Rank's Mecca
Bingo. Today's order marks the first adoption of our Electronic
GameCard(TM) into the large United Kingdom bingo club market. Our
innovative GameCards are a cost efficient and highly effective promotional
device for achieving the campaign revenue objectives for discretionary
spending and increasing awareness and frequency of attendance among the
UK's bingo player population."
About Electronic Game Card. Inc.
Electronic Game Card Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: EGMI), develops,
produces and markets innovative games to the lottery, casino, and
promotional industry worldwide. The Company's lead product is the EGC
GameCard, a unique credit card-sized pocket game combining proprietary
technology of interactive extended play capability with "instant win"
excitement. The "Electronic GameCard (TM)" can be programmed to suit a
variety of gaming and promotion applications with over 21 software programs
available for players enjoyment.
Electronic Game Card's client base is across the $100 billion global
market of state and national lotteries, Gaming and Casinos, Indian Gaming
and the expanding sales promotion and incentive markets. Electronic Game
Card develops sales and marketing relationships with agents and
distributors globally.
For further information, please visit http://www.electronicgamecard.com
About Rank Group Plc
Rank Group Plc is a leading European gaming business, based in the UK
and listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Group's principal activities
are the operation of bingo clubs and casinos in the UK with complementary
on-line gaming and bookmaking services.
For more information please visit: http://www.rank.com
Certain statements in this news release may constitute
"forward-looking" statements within the meaning of section 21E of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. The Company believes that its
expectations, as expressed in these statements are based on reasonable
assumptions regarding the risks and uncertainties inherent in achieving
those expectations. These statements are not, however, guarantees of future
performance and actual results may differ materially. Risk factors are
listed in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and Quarterly Report
on Form 10-QSB filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

source : www.prnewswire.com

Amgen Gets NY State Subpoena Related to Sales and Promotion of Its Biologic Drugs

Amgen Inc. disclosed on May 22nd that it has received a subpoena from the New York state attorney general seeking documents related to its promotions, sales and marketing activities for its biologic drugs.

Amgen received the subpoena May 10, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. "Amgen intends to fully cooperate in responding to the subpoena," the company said in the filing.

In addition to focusing on the company's promotions, sales and marketing activities, the subpoena also sought documents related to medical education, clinical studies, pricing and contracting, license and distribution agreements and corporate communications.

Amgen said the U.S. Senate Finance Committee also sent a letter to the company on May 16 requesting a briefing to discuss the issues and concerns reported in the media related to the marketing and safety of biologic anemia drugs.

An advisory panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month recommended that new restrictions be placed on prescribing Amgen biologics Aranesp and Epogen.

Amgen also said it was served May 14 with a shareholder demand that the company's board of directors create a special litigation committee to investigate potential breaches in fiduciary duties by current and/or former officers and directors of the company.

In addition, a class-action shareholder lawsuit was filed against Amgen and individual defendants in U.S. District Court on May 11, according to the SEC filing.

source : www.biologicdrugreport.com

Chinaplas´07 underway in Guangzhou

Asia's largest plastic and rubber trade show is currently underway in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. The 21st International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries, or Chinaplas 2007, is also the world's third largest of its kind.

In line with industrial development, the theme of this year's plastic and rubber show is "bringing innovation to life, and success to your business". Over 16 hundred exhibitors from 36 countries and regions are showcasing their up-to-date technology and products, with another 60 thousand visitors from over 100 countries attending this mega show.

"We've been participating in Chinaplas for 6 consecutive years. Many industry big shots attend the show. The fair helps us build up the company image and provide many business opportunities."

Don't mistaken this as an auto show. This is just one example of how engineering plastic is applied in our daily life. As car makers strive for lighter cars with better energy efficiency, engineering plastic is offering a good solution.

China is now one of the world's largest plastic producer and consumer. The close link of plastic with people's daily life has provided vast business opportunities. Many international company are eyeing the Chinese market, and hope to grow in tangent, with the country's red hot economy.

The annual trade show is held in Shanghai every even year, and rotates in Beijing and Guangdong for odd years. Chinaplas 2008 will be held in Shanghai next April.

source : www.cctv.com

Staples buys promotion firm

Office supply giant Staples Inc. has acquired Overland Park-based American Identity, a maker of corporate branded merchandise, for an undisclosed amount.

American Identity was acquired from the private equity group Republic Financial Corp. of Aurora, Colo.

“Our ownership group was approached quite a few times last year and they decided, as a financial partner, they wanted to exit the business,” said Roger Henry, chief executive officer of American Identity.

American Identity — which puts companies’ names on such items as mugs, key chains, clothing, caps and clocks — has 800 employees, including about 250 at its corporate offices in Overland Park.

Henry said the company would operate as a standalone, although the deal will mean Staples customers can buy merchandise from American Identity.

“We’ve dabbled in this business, but I’m not so bold as to say that we’re ‘in’ this business, so we’re happy to gain their expertise,” said Ray Baitler, executive vice president of Staples, based in Framingham, Mass. “It’s a scenario we’ve dabbled in, liked and wanted to get serious about, and we were impressed with their people and values.”

Before announcing the acquisition, Staples on Tuesday reported a 12 percent increase in first quarter profits but lowered its profit expectations going forward. The company said that sales were flat for its core office supplies and that the pressure to cut costs among consumers and businesses could slow already sluggish U.S. sales.

Staples’ stock closed Tuesday at $25.05, down 62 cents.

Baitler said Staples and American Identity were a good fit because both served small to large businesses.

“We’re heavily Internet penetrated in our business and are the second largest Internet-based retailer in the world after Amazon,” Baitler said.

Henry said that there would be no changes to the way American Identity did business and that it would be status quo for its 250 area employees, as well as the 550 workers primarily based in northern Iowa.

He said American Identity also had a strong presence on the Internet, with about 55 percent of its sales done online.

“We can serve every level of business as we sell to everyone from the smallest customer to IBM,” Henry said. “This is the perfect storm for both of us.”

Henry said the company attracted interest from other buyers, but he declined to identify them. Staples and American Identity declined to disclose the terms of the deal.

Republic acquired full ownership of American Identity in February 2005 for an $11 million equity investment and a $10 million long-term subordinated debt agreement.

American Identity began in 1946 as the Nat Nast Co., a bowling shirt manufacturer in Bonner Springs. It was renamed Swingster in 1971 and in 1988 was one of two companies to provide official licensed merchandise to the United States Olympic Committee.

In 1998, Swingster and another promotional products company, K-Products, merged to create American Identity. The company acquired Boise Marketing Services in 2000.
To reach Jennifer Mann, call 816-234-4453 or send e-mail to jmann@kcstar.com.

D&H To Host June Technology Show

Harrisburg, Pa. ' D&H Distributing, distributor of computer products and consumer electronics, is hosting the first of two Mid-Atlantic Technology Shows on June 6 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pa.

The event, taking place from 8 a.m. through 9:30 p.m., will feature 11 seminars or 17 total hours of training opportunities on subjects including networking, voice, digital signage, HDTV, network cameras and more. According to the company, the event will also feature more than 100 exhibitors including Microsoft, Cisco and Linksys.

As part of the show, the company has planned a new feature called "Digital Home Alley" that will showcase key trends in home networking, entertainment and small office/home office solutions and will feature presentations from vendors like Bedrock Learning, NEC and Panasonic.
This year the company said that it has decided not to hold its annual stand-alone digital convergence expo so that it could instead work elements of the event into each of its regional shows. The Digital Home Alley represents an attempt on behalf of D&H to make information on these subjects more readily available to its members year-round.

D&H kicked off its trade show schedule in February with its West Coast Technology Show. The company has augmented its schedule and it is planning two Mid-Atlantic Events this year, this one and another in the fall. It will also host a New England event in August.

Click here http://www.dandh.com/hershey07 for more information on the June event.

The event, taking place from 8 a.m. through 9:30 p.m., will feature 11 seminars or 17 total hours of training opportunities on subjects including networking, voice, digital signage, HDTV, network cameras and more. According to the company, the event will also feature more than 100 exhibitors including Microsoft, Cisco and Linksys.

As part of the show, the company has planned a new feature called "Digital Home Alley" that will showcase key trends in home networking, entertainment and small office/home office solutions and will feature presentations from vendors like Bedrock Learning, NEC and Panasonic.

This year the company said that it has decided not to hold its annual stand-alone digital convergence expo so that it could instead work elements of the event into each of its regional shows. The Digital Home Alley represents an attempt on behalf of D&H to make information on these subjects more readily available to its members year-round.

D&H kicked off its trade show schedule in February with its West Coast Technology Show. The company has augmented its schedule and it is planning two Mid-Atlantic Events this year, this one and another in the fall. It will also host a New England event in August.

Click here http://www.dandh.com/hershey07 for more information on the June event.

WISH-TV INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Internships at WISH-TV are for full-time Juniors and Seniors in 2 - 4 year colleges and universities. Interns receive college credit and are without financial compensation. We allow one-full-semester internship per student. The minimum hours worked is 10 weeks, 15 hours per week. The length of the Internship and the number of hours awarded for the work is made in accordance with the university policies. As we consider resumes, we attach the same standards that we use when hiring staff.

To apply, students should submit a resume and a cover letter , stating the department in which they want to intern. Internship positions are usually available in News Reporting, I-Team Reporting, Sports, Photography, Production, Promotion, Graphic Arts, Sales & Marketing, Public Affairs and Broadcast Engineering. Information is also required from the student’s faculty advisor stating the length of the internship and that they will receive credit before any internship is made final.

Once the information is received from the student, it is forwarded to the appropriate department head. They will then decide if they need or want to set up an interview for internship. When an intern comes on board, the student’s name, school information, liability waiver, and EEO1 form must be signed by the intern, and are kept in the Public File.

WISH-TV periodically sends internship information to local colleges, universities, and trade schools to be placed on their bulletin boards with information about the availability of internships in various departments.

For consideration, please submit a resume and a cover letter to:

WISH-TV Internship Program, 1950 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Email: careers@wishtv.com

Extraplay.com Heralds Online Music Revolution for Music Makers and Music Buyers

New music online store extraplay.com is
offering a new concept in the music industry that benefits both music makers
and music download consumers worldwide.
For musicians, artists, bands and record labels, extraplay.com gives them
powerful and ultimate control of the way their music is priced, packaged,
bundled and sold worldwide, all of which they can change in seconds.
For the first time, musicians and record labels can upload Singles, EPs,
albums and one-off unique compilations, as well as reporting sales minute by
minute and seeing them live. This means no more waiting for quarterly sales
reports to see how sales are moving.
For consumers besides its download facilities, extraplay.com has created
an innovative global music super portal where at the click of a mouse music
fans can be in direct contact with each other, their favourite bands, top
venues and even the music industry itself.
Equally an artist, band or record label with a new release, or special
compilation offer, can announce this news in seconds. All music on the site
can be searched and filtered easily by those hungry for new talent and sound.
Then it's a matter of sitting back while the samples, or full versions, are
played back to back before selections are placed into the musical shopping
basket.
So, what's new then? We've already got iTunes.
This music download store's features go well beyond the boundaries of
iTunes and other popular download stores. Here music makers, Artists, Bands
and Record Labels can...

<<
- Upload their music directly to the sales system, and be selling in
minutes not weeks.

- Set and adjust the price of all their music according to demand in
seconds.

- Expect a higher net return on their music sales than on any other
download store.

- For goodwill and promotion. Donate to, and cross promote with
charities.

- Offer free songs on promotion, pricing them later.

- Compile songs to Albums matching physical CDs on sale.

- Compile brand new Special Compilation mixtures of songs not available
on CD.

- Create promotional "Specials" and "Limited Offer" music bundles.

- Announce the news of Special music bundles in seconds using the
feature "Plugger"

- Set songs "Play only" "Free download" or for "Sale".

- Samples can be played from the site, and Full Versions downloaded
when sold.

- See download sales live from the site, no waiting for sales reports.

- Create, manage and control their own unique profile and its content.

- Grow and directly email their fan base, and all other site members.

- Take full control of all their online music sales and its promotion.

From the music buyer's perspective, there are also features going well
beyond the boundaries of iTunes. Music buyers can...

- Find music easily using powerful search features.

- Play lists of music back to back from their searches of genre and
even "sounds like".

- Also support charities when buying songs showing the "Music4Charity"
logo.

- Buy and check out with one single basket of music by various artists
and bands.

- Email their favourite artists, bands, and all other members of the
site.

- Create their own personal web site adding photos, interests, and
text.

- Build their own community, inviting music fans, friends and even
artists to join them.
>>

The site charts music automatically every week by download sales of
Singles, Albums, Free Downloads and Plays. All those categories of music
charts are also selectable by Country, Genre and even a mixture of both.
The new charts are media catching attention, and extraplay.com are
already in licensing talks with radio stations to play the cream of these
charts weekly.
Nicholas Cope of extraplay.com says: "if you're serious about selling
music, extraplay.com will seriously help you do it. Make sure this site is on
your music distribution and sales list. If you're serious about playing great
music, extraplay.com will seriously help you download it."

For further information: Nicholas Cope, Tel: +44-(0)845-094-3616, Email:
info@extraplay.com

Wal-Mart Lifts Ban On Sales Data

The battle by retailers to grab the attention of store shoppers got a boost last week from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., when it partially lifted a six-year ban on providing sales data to syndicated market research firms who want to measure in-store marketing more effectively.

Wal-Mart Chief Marketing Officer Stephen Quinn said at a consumer conference in Florida that the Bentonville-based retailer will provide sales data from 1,000 of its more than 3,000 stores in the United States to the Nielsen In-Store service and Starcom MediaVest Group, according to Ad Age.

The move by Wal-Mart is seen as important because sales and marketing executives have had to work in a retail arena made less transparent by a lack of Wal-Mart sales data and a recognized way of measuring who is exposed to in-store media, Ad Age said.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Linda Blakely said in an e-mail to The Morning News that Wal-Mart is one of several companies taking part in what is called the Prism project, led by the In-store Marketing Institute and Nielsen In-Store.

"The project is designed to create a common platform for measuring in-store customer reach," she said. "It was piloted in May 2006 and as the project moves into the second phase, Wal-Mart will continue to participate -- sharing customer counts recorded by sensors set up in stores."

Blakely said Wal-Mart decided to end its ban on releasing sales data because it believes the Prism project can lead to an industry standard for in-store measurement.
*

The Nielsen In-Store service launched two weeks ago on a limited national basis, with plans to roll out nationally in early 2008. It will count traffic in stores that are in compliance with a media or promotion program and seek to count shoppers who actually walk down a particular aisle and have an opportunity to see the media or promotion in place, Ad Age said.

Wal-Mart's biggest supplier, Proctor & Gamble, also is backing the project. Laura Liebeck, editor of smartsupplier.com, an industry newsletter that keeps track of supplier issues, said Wal-Mart releasing sales data could be a "big benefit" to Wal-Mart and its suppliers.

"When it comes to knowing what your customers want, companies like Wal-Mart have always been very creative in trying to extract as much information as possible," Liebeck told The Morning News. "This is a way for them to capture who walked down the aisle ... and if you want to sell, you want to know what customers are looking at and did it result in an actual sale. Nielsen probably kept after them and showed them what the benefit would be, would be my guess."

Dina Howell, a Proctor & Gamble executive who attended the conference along with Quinn, said an initial test of the program last year in 10 Wal-Mart stores had shown a better-than-expected 76 percent accuracy rate, Ad Age reported.

"We will now have the right tools to make the right choices on how, when and where to spend our dollar to generate the greatest consumer impact," Howell said in the article.

She said retail marketing has grown more important as other forms of mass marketing have become more fragmented and less effective.

Others among the more than 20 syndicate participants include such Wal-Mart suppliers as Unilever, Kraft Foods, General Mills, Miller Brewing, Hewlett Packard, Kroger Co. and Meijer.

Wal-Mart pulled out of a similar pact with ACNielsen and rivals Information Resources Inc. and NPD in 2001, saying at the time it wasn't getting as much out of data it received as it was giving up in the way of competitive intelligence by providing data to syndicators, according to Ad Age.

source : www.nwaonline.net

Daniel Lynch Sales Company Changes Name To The Lynch Sales Company

The Daniel Lynch Sales Company, headquartered here, announced that it has officially changed its corporate name to the LYNCH SALES COMPANY and is introducing a new logo to commemorate the event. This is only the fourth time the company has updated its name and logo in its nearly 100 years and three generations of existence.

“This is more than just a name change,” according to Jud Lynch, the company’s Co-CEO with his brother Chris. “While the name change is subtle, it reflects our continued commitment to the furniture industry and our clients, even as our business grows in diversity and sophistication.”

The company, which started as the Joseph P. Lynch Sales Company in 1914, has been intimately involved in the retail furniture industry for three generations and is frequently credited with having invented the sales promotion business as we know it today.

In 1945, the company became Lynch Brothers Sales Company as Joseph’s sons, Daniel and Phillip, took over the reigns. Then, in 1979, the name was changed to The Daniel Lynch Sales Company to reflect Philip’s departure and the entry of Daniel’s three sons; Dan Jr., Judson and Chris.

Over the years, while the furniture industry has evolved in response to changing consumer tastes and economic factors, the Lynch Sales Company has remained focused on its core values: integrity, respect for its clients and their businesses, and achieving results for those clients. The effect is that the company has established an enviable reputation for delivering on its promise to help furniture retailers generate cash quickly in response to a wide variety of circumstances.

While historically the company has been best known for orchestrating Sales in anticipation of a store’s closing, in recent years the Lynch Sales Company has shifted to working with furniture retailers interested in maximizing the potential of their current operations to better position themselves for growth. In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, Lynch Sales Company frequently finds itself called upon to help its clients maintain growth and succeed.

“Truth be known.” Chris Lynch, Co-CEO noted, “The high-end sector is going through some turbulent times. When many of the world’s more prominent furniture dealers want to build upon their success, they rely on the Lynch Sales Company. For while its true that we’re the industry leader when it comes to liquidation Sales, the majority of our Sale Events are conducted for those looking to increase their sales and profits by staying in business.

In fact, we originated the entire concept of promotional Sales to generate cash, expand or change location, remodel stores or update inventory, all designed to make successful stores even more successful,” added Lynch.

The Lynch Sales Company serves clients in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom from offices in Grand Rapids, Miami, Los Angeles, Tulsa, Ottawa, and Emsworth, Hampshire England.

source : www.furninfo.com

Birmingham City H1 pretax profit rises; sales decline UPDATE

Football club Birmingham City PLC reported a pretax profit of 3.4 mln stg in the the six months to Feb 28 against 1.2 mln a year ago, adding it expects the remainder of the financial year to end-August to show a loss.

The club posted a decline in sales in the period under review to 14.3 mln stg from 24.5 mln after its relegation to the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football, for the 2006-07 season.

However, Birmingham recently achieved promotion back into the Premier League, English football's top flight, for the 2007-08 season.

The consequent trading losses in the half were offset by gains from the sale of David Dunn and Matthew Upson, the company added.

Birmingham City said promotion to the Premier League will significantly improve trading levels, but the effect will largely not show through until the next financial year.

TFN.newsdesk@thomson.com tsm/tc

Low-Alcohol and Alcohol-Free Drinks Could See a Decline in Sales if Major Innovative Marketing is Not Undertaken

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c57609) has announced the addition of Low-alcohol and Alcohol-free Drinks in the United Kingdom 2007 to their offering.

Growth in the market has slowed almost to a halt since the last report. Low/no alcohol drinks have seen low levels of innovation and promotion. They are competing against alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, two huge markets that have seen innovation and heavy promotion. Furthermore, the development of low-strength lagers and premium adult soft drinks has intensified the competitive pressure.

This report examines whether low/no alcohol drinks could see a decline in sales unless there is a supplier prepared to champion the sector, with increased promotional spend and an innovative approach to marketing.

Companies Mentioned:
Adnams/Bitburger
Bavaria
Beck’s
Diageo/Guinness
Kaliber
Chalié Richards/Eisberg
Fürstenberg
Harveys
Holsten
LoNo Drinks Company
PLB/Sutter Home Fre
Refresh UK
Surfax/Clausthaler
H Weston & Sons
Others
Kopparberg
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c57609

Electronic GameCard Signs Rank's Mecca Bingo for First UK Bingo Promotion

Electronic Game
Card, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: EGMI), the creator of the Electronic
GameCard(TM), today confirmed that Mecca Bingo, a subsidiary of The Rank
Group Plc ("Rank"), has placed an order to use Electronic GameCards (TM)
for a trial in selected Mecca venues.
Mecca Bingo is the UK's second-largest bingo club operator, with 103
bingo clubs across England, Scotland and Wales, catering to over 1.1
million active members. As the proliferation of bingo establishments
matures, Mecca Bingo is strategically focused on gaining and retaining
market share through its development of "best in class" products, service
and operational standards.
A spokesperson for Electronic Game Card, Inc. said, "Our focus over the
past nine months has been to deliver a perfected next generation product to
meet the standards of an organization as highly regarded as Rank's Mecca
Bingo. Today's order marks the first adoption of our Electronic
GameCard(TM) into the large United Kingdom bingo club market. Our
innovative GameCards are a cost efficient and highly effective promotional
device for achieving the campaign revenue objectives for discretionary
spending and increasing awareness and frequency of attendance among the
UK's bingo player population."
About Electronic Game Card. Inc.
Electronic Game Card Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: EGMI), develops,
produces and markets innovative games to the lottery, casino, and
promotional industry worldwide. The Company's lead product is the EGC
GameCard, a unique credit card-sized pocket game combining proprietary
technology of interactive extended play capability with "instant win"
excitement. The "Electronic GameCard (TM)" can be programmed to suit a
variety of gaming and promotion applications with over 21 software programs
available for players enjoyment.
Electronic Game Card's client base is across the $100 billion global
market of state and national lotteries, Gaming and Casinos, Indian Gaming
and the expanding sales promotion and incentive markets. Electronic Game
Card develops sales and marketing relationships with agents and
distributors globally.
For further information, please visit http://www.electronicgamecard.com
About Rank Group Plc
Rank Group Plc is a leading European gaming business, based in the UK
and listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Group's principal activities
are the operation of bingo clubs and casinos in the UK with complementary
on-line gaming and bookmaking services.
For more information please visit: http://www.rank.com
Certain statements in this news release may constitute
"forward-looking" statements within the meaning of section 21E of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. The Company believes that its
expectations, as expressed in these statements are based on reasonable
assumptions regarding the risks and uncertainties inherent in achieving
those expectations. These statements are not, however, guarantees of future
performance and actual results may differ materially. Risk factors are
listed in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and Quarterly Report
on Form 10-QSB filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Electronic Game Card, Inc.

TNA TODAY REPORT

The latest installment of TNA Today brings us the weekend edition and opens up with an exclusive one on one matchup pitting LAX member, the Notorious 187 Homicide versus the former X Division Champion, the Warrior Senshi. With the crowd cheering loudly, the beginning of the match produces a stalemate as both Senshi and Homicide jockey for control with a collar and elbow tie-up. After some brief posturing to the crowd on the part of Homicide, the match continues with Senshi gaining the upper hand. Following a series of chain wrestling maneuvers, Homicide is able to gain control by executing an overhead release german suplex, which then sends us to a commercial.

As we break from the in-ring action, we now have a commercial air for TNA’s 5 year celebration, Slammiversary, which will be featured live and on pay per view from Music City, in Nashville, Tennessee. The event, tabbed as being five years in the making will take place on June 17th, right back where from it all began, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Coming back from the break, we find Homicide still in control over Senshi. After a series of near falls on Senshi, the Warrior Senshi is able to regain the offensive by executing a series of stiff chops, followed up by a stiff clothesline. Senshi continues on the offensive, attempting to pin Homicide with a bridge, but Homicide is able to kick out. As the battle raged on and the crowd continues to roar its approval, Senshi ascends to the top rope to attempt to hit the Warrior’s Way, Homicide is able to roll out of the way. Homicide follows up by nailing Senshi with the Cutter, enabling him to once again gain the upper hand. Sensing impending victory, Homicide set up Senshi for the Gringo Killer, only to have Senshi roll through and arc a bridge to score the pinfall victory over Homicide.

Following this great matchup of two X Division stars, a commercial is shown for the brand new and high popular TNA Mobile. Fans wishing to sample TNA Mobile and have access to exclusive content can text “TNA” to 76000 and have the opportunity to try the service for one week for free.

Next up is a video advertising an exclusive TNA Mobile “Backstage Pass” six part video featuring Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley. The first of the exclusive six part series will be coming next week to mobiletnawrestling.com. Watch as Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley interact with a variety of TNA talent and staff, seemingly in a contest as to who can be more fake with people.

After the advertisements, we now are presented with a special interview with wrestling legend Antonio Inoki, as he is interviewed by TNA’s Jeremy Borash. Jeremy begins the interview by asking about Inoki’s thoughts on TNA and the iMPACT! Zone. Antonio responds by saying that he finds TNA to be very interesting and does watch the programming on tv.

Talk shifts from TNA Wrestling to wrestling in general and what Inoki is trying to do with his new promotion, IGW. Mr. Inoki explains that he is trying to reinvigorate Japanese wrestling. He has noticed in recent times a sharp downturn in wrestling in Japan and he hopes to change that trend. He believes that back in his day that wrestling was more ‘fight’ oriented whereas today it has become more of a show spectacle. Mr. Inoki desires to bring wrestling in Japan back to its heyday when it was not uncommon to have crowds in excess of 70,000.

As the interview continues, Jeremy Borash makes the announcement that as part of the IGW promotion, TNA’s own Olympic Hero Kurt Angle will be traveling to Japan to compete in June 29th. The announcement is also made that as we draw closer to the show on June 29th, more TNA stars may be making the trip to Japan to be a part of this great show.

As Jeremy Borash inquires about what Mr. Inoki sees in the next few years for his promotion, Mr. Inoki responds by stating he wants to see his promotion take on an international scope, and being able to exchange fighters from points all across the country and around the world.

JB brings the interview to a close asking Antonio Inoki who was his toughest opponent and with whom he had his greatest match. Mr. Inoki responds that his toughest opponents have been the Immortal Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant and that perhaps his greatest match, was his 60 minute battle with Dory Funk, Jr.

Next up is a commercial for the music cd, TNA 3rd Degree Burns, which features 20 TNA superstar entrance themes. This cd can be found on TNAwrestling.com and also in many major retailers.

The final segment of the Weekend Edition of TNA Today brings us Don West and Jeremy Borash and the “Don West Deal of the Day.” After some bantering back and forth and some serious mathematical calculations, the deal of the day is 20 great TNA 8x10 photos for the unbelievable price of only $19.99 These photos are of all the great stars of TNA Wrestling and are perfect for autographs. To get this deal and many more, visit TNAWrestling.com Stay tuned to see what the next edition of TNA Today brings us.
source: www.pwinsiderxtra.com

Entercom and igourmet.com Tune in to Liquid Compass

Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM), one of the nation's largest radio broadcasters, teamed up with Liquid Compass to provide customized video gateways for Entercom advertiser igourmet.com.

Utilizing the S.O.S. ad replacement software* provided by Liquid Compass, Entercom offered seasonal advertiser igourmet.com the ability to run a customized video pre-roll (also called a video gateway), which played each time a listener opened a media player on one of Entercom’s 12 participating streaming radio stations across five markets. In addition to an in-stream commercial spot, a synchronized banner ad appeared inside each media player.

This technology gave igourmet.com the ability to place customized advertising for its holiday promotion at a rate much lower than traditional radio advertising. In addition to the cost benefit of using less-expensive streaming ad replacement, igourmet.com also achieved extremely high click-through rates.

For example, click-through rates were strongest over weekends (between 12 percent and 19 percent), presumably when listeners had more time for Internet browsing. The company realized a 24 percent lift over results for the company’s entire 2005-2006 marketing campaign in the markets where the ad ran.

“The tangible results from igourmet.com’s holiday advertising promotion gave us the missing link between advertising and listeners taking action,” said Amy Van Hook, director of digital operations for Entercom. “Traditionally with broadcast advertising, it is hard to trace to results. However, we now have proof that advertising spurred action and sales.”

Entercom’s ability to offer its advertisers streaming advertising gateways – using the services and technology offered by Liquid Compass – provides Entercom an additional revenue stream for its Internet radio broadcasts. To see a full version of this case study, please visit http://liquidcompass.net/overview_in_the_news.php.

(* S.O.S. – Stream Overlay Software and StreamAds, developed by Spacial Audio, are exclusively licensed to Liquid Compass for terrestrial radio stations in North America.)

About Liquid Compass

Liquid Compass (www.liquidcompass.net) is a premier streaming and creative media provider headquartered in Denver, Colorado. In addition to providing stream-hosting services, Liquid Compass also offers customizable media player development, web development, online content and traffic management, and advertising sales.

Currently, Liquid Compass provides streaming media services to more than 500 radio stations and networks, including: Entercom, Lincoln Financial Media, Bonneville, Cumulus Media, Saga Communications, Crawford Broadcasting and more. For more information about Liquid Compass, log onto the web at www.liquidcompass.net.

Calls for tighter ad controls as 13-year-olds demonstrate savvy for alcohol brands

The findings come from early results of the largest UK study into the effect of advertising on underage drinking and have prompted calls for stricter control of the marketing techniques employed by the alcohol industry.

Professor Gerard Hastings, director of the Institute for Social Marketing at Stirling University, where the research is being carried out, argued that drinks manufacturers have had "free rein" for too long, with government only "tinkering at the edges" of the problem.
advertisement

He also attacked the use of indirect marketing by the alcohol industry, particularlyinsports,suchasglobal drinks conglomerate Diageo's support of the Glasgow bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Hastings, whose work paved the way for Britain's tobacco advertising ban, told the Sunday Herald that interviews with 13- and 14-year-olds had revealed that they preferred to drink certain brands over others - for instance, the alcopop WKD was viewed as "cooler" than Bacardi Breezer.

"Children are full of comments on brands; they know that Carling sponsor CelticandRangersandmake comments on everybody knowing what Carlingis,"hesaid."Ithasbeen announced that Diageo is going to be a sponsor of the bid to get the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - but what on earth has alcohol got to do with sporting prowess?"

He added: "There is an extent to which I think because we are in the midst of all this, we are completely unaware of it.

"ButifaMartian-orindeeda Frenchman - were to come to Scotland and see this sort of thing going on, they would be appalled and not in the least surprised that we have a got a problem."

Hastings, who has just published a new book entitled Social Marketing: Why Should The Devil Have All The Best Tunes?, said that public health bodies should use techniques employed in commercialmarketing-suchas connecting with audiences and building brands - to successfully get their message across.

But he argued that efforts to curb underage drinking were hampered by the number of alcopop-type drinks on themarketthatcouldparticularly appeal to "young palates".

"Having public health adverts on the telly saying that young people should watch what they are drinking is just farcically inadequate when you have got all these other messages going on directly, but much more important indirectly just by the very existence of these products," he said.

In the UK, around £200 million is spent on alcohol advertising every year, with additional promotion and marketing budgets estimated to be more than three times that figure. Advertising is controlled by a combination of self-regulation and legislation.

Campaigners pointed out that drinks brands are being increasingly promoted throughsponsorshipofsportsand music events, many of which appeal to young people. Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said a fee based on marketing spend should be levied on drinks companies and used to fund campaigns to warn of the harmful effects of alcohol.

However, David Poley, chief executive of thePortmanGroup-whichpromotes responsible drinking on behalf of the UK's leading drinks producers - claimed that alcohol advertising, marketing and sponsorship were all "strictly" controlled.

He said: "Sponsorship may influence people's brand choice but there is no evidencethatitcausespeopletodrink more.

"Our rules stop companies sponsoring events if more than one-quarter of those taking part or watching are under 18."

RobShorthouse,spokesmanforthe Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 bid team, said that Diageo was backing the bid as a major employer in Scotland.

"They are not trying to push one brand, it is very much pitched at a corporate level and they won't get any kind of consumer benefit out of it at all," he said. "You won't find Glasgow 2014 events with Guinness posters all over them."
source : www.sundayherald.com

Bookings indicate winning trade show, conference

The annual Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), to be held in Sydney August 19-21, 2007, is shaping up to be a hugely successful show, judging by registrations for the trade show and conference, and bookings for the exhibit space.

“We have already sold over 90% of the exhibit area, which covers 15,000 square metres over three halls at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour,” said Mr Ross Ferrar, Executive Officer, Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (AGMMA), which hosts and operates the AGE.

“Judging by pre-registrations for the trade show which is open the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 10am over each of the three days, we expect to welcome thousands of key industry executives, senior management and other trade visitors from the gaming industry,” he said.

In addition to the trade display, a number of key industry representatives will present at the conference on the first day of the show. This initiative also brings together the major industry Associations in Australia and New Zealand – AGMMA, the Australian Hotels Association, Australian Casino Association, Clubs Australia and the Gaming Machine Association of New Zealand.

The Australian Productivity Commission’s Chairman, Mr Gary Banks, will deliver the keynote address. He will highlight the opportunities and challenges facing clubs, hotels, casinos, betting outlets and other gaming operations as a result of the landmark gambling study that was conducted under his guidance in the year 1999.

This will be followed by a lively and informative “hot topics” discussion from six key industry organisations, ranging from facial recognition technology and money-laundering to problem gambler identification and gambling expenditure pre-commitment. The final sessions, outlined at www.AustGamingExpo.com will provide expert research and views on solutions that achieve a sustainable gaming industry, and new technology such as downloadable server-based games.

Indeed, the level of awareness of the entire event has been heightened this year with the support of a multi-faceted advertising campaign focussed on the general gaming community, as well as targeting the club, hotel, and casino sectors of the industry.

For further information, please visit www.austgamingexpo.com

ENDS

Partner Power

Wishing for more subscribers to your company's e-newsletter? Then create a co-registration campaign to connect with a new audience--visitors on other websites will be able to sign up for your newsletter on the spot.

Newsletter owners with a list size comparable to yours might do a free cross-promotion. Search the web for newsletters with content similar or relevant to yours. For example, if you publish a parenting newsletter, look for newsletters on pregnancy or children's sports. You can also try finding partners at the Co-Registration Directory, a free service run by Co-Reg Complete.

If your newsletter contact list isn't big enough for cross-promotion yet, or you want to boost your subscriber numbers quickly, work with an agency that brokers co-registration deals, such as Aptimus Inc., PermissionDirector SilverCarrot Inc. Rates can range from 4 cents to more than $1 per subscriber, with a minimum investment of $1,000 to $2,500. But before you buy, make sure you ask these questions to prevent being accused of sending spam:
1. Where will my newsletter opt-in form be posted? If the co-registration agency won't tell you which sites will post your sign-up form and won't give you tracking data, then the agency might be sending unsolicited e-mail.

2. How will my newsletter sign-up information look? Make sure your company or newsletter name and a description are included. People should sign up for your newsletter specifically, not one on a particular topic, or your e-mail could be mistaken for spam.

3. What kind of tracking information will I get? At a minimum, you should receive the times, dates and IP addresses where newsletter sign-ups occurred. Get actual websites whenever possible.

Customize your confirmation e-mails sent to new subscribers. Thank them for subscribing from the referring site, and offer newsletterlike content. This helps safeguard your company against potential spam complaints--and it makes new subscribers feel welcome.
source : /www.entrepreneur.com

LIGHTS AT LAST

Benton Advertising and Promotion Commission members, from left, Brad Moore, Alan Jessup and David Prater stand in front of the lighted marquee and neon sign of the Royal Theatre. The Royal Players received an $18,500 grant from the commission to refurbish the sign and marquee. The vertical sign had not been lighted since 1965. ACE Sign Co. refurbished the marquee and sign, which were turned on for the first time Friday night during a lighting ceremony hosted by the Royal Players.
source : www.bentoncourier.com

Gohoubi offers free promotion and advertising

For those who have been searching for ways to revive sagging arrival numbers of Japanese tourists, "Gohoubi" could not have been proposed a day sooner.

The Guam Visitors Bureau and the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association launched the Gohoubi campaign yesterday during a GHRA meeting at the Outrigger Guam Resort.

Gohoubi is a Japanese word meaning reward. The Gohoubi web site, which will be online in June, is interactive. Japanese visitors to the site can click on links to learn more about Guam's culture, history, and local businesses and institutions.
"They can also win prizes that ranging from free trips to Guam to a free soft drink," according to a GVB press release.

"It's a wonderful way to get people interested in Guam and to learn more about Guam," said Richard Rennie, general manager of Royal Orchid Guam. "It will give people more reason to come to Guam."

There will be information about Guam companies on the Web site, but those who donate prizes will get more exposure, said Rennie, who was involved with the planning of the Web site.

"This is the first time for the entire community to get together to promote Guam," said GHRA President Mary Torre. "It's free advertising, free promotion."

Torre added: "And the prizes are good for three months to one year so that people have enough time to plan their trips or it will encourage them to do a return trip."
source : www.guampdn.com

Harkin takes on Shrek’s promotion of snack food

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, wants Shrek to shape up.
Harkin is objecting to the movie’s marketing partnerships promoting snack food, candy and other products.
Harkin, a proponent of decreasing childhood obesity, reintroduced a bill to combat the problem, including giving the Federal Trade Commission greater authority to regulate advertising to children.

Harkin sent a letter to Jeffrey Katzenberg, the head of DreamWorks Animation, Shrek’s creator, objecting to the movie’s commercial partnerships promoting snack and junk foods.
While Harkin commended Shrek’s promotion of healthier meal options at McDonald’s, he said the ogre’s promotion of other products sends a mixed message.
‘‘This is totally irresponsible on DreamWorks’ part,’’ Harkin said on Thursday. ‘‘Why isn’t Shrek advertising fresh fruits, healthy vegetables?’’
Bob Feldman, a Dreamworks spokesman, released a statement saying the movie company is ‘‘committed to responsible marketing.

‘‘Our partners offer a full range of consumer choices and ... we support balanced diets and regular exercise,’’ Feldman said.
Katzenberg, a prominent Democratic donor, gave Harkin $1,000 in 1996 and 2001. Harkin said he wouldn’t give the money back.
‘‘Heck no, I’m not going to give it back to him. Serves him right,’’ he said.
Shrek 3 opened in theaters on Friday.
source : www.timesrepublican.com

Presentation CDs expected to become popular in a few years

A printer and several CDs: this is all one needs to start a business with presentation CDs for firms. Though in Romania this activity is considered just a related service provided by web-design firms, people creating presentation CDs are confident their popularity will increase in the following years.

"The idea of starting this business came to me when I discovered, on the Internet, foreign firms that provided this type of service, firms that also explained the need to have presentation CDs and their benefits compared with other promotion methods," recalls Sorin Murar, manager of Impact Design, Alba Iulia, who was 35 when he decided to start this business.
source : www.zf.ro

Critical Therapeutics' Co-Promotion Partner, DEY, L.P., Launches U.S. Sales and Marketing of Zyflo for Asthma

Critical Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRTX) announced today that Dey, L.P. (DEY), an affiliate of Merck KGaA in Germany, began promoting ZYFLO(R) (zileuton tablets), Critical Therapeutics' asthma drug, in the U.S. on April 30, 2007. The addition of the DEY sales force brings the total number of sales representatives promoting ZYFLO to approximately 220. The combined sales force is focusing primarily on respiratory specialists, such as allergists and pulmonologists, as well as certain targeted primary care physicians.

"The significant increase in the sales promotion effort behind ZYFLO should generate greater physician and patient awareness of the therapeutic benefits of our asthma treatment," said Frank Thomas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Critical Therapeutics. "At the same time, we expect ZYFLO to gain greater traction in the market as information about the product becomes widely available. The combined sales effort should allow us to reach a significant base of physicians who treat asthma patients."

In March 2007, Critical Therapeutics and DEY entered into an agreement for the joint promotion of ZYFLO and, if approved by the FDA, the controlled-release formulation of zileuton (zileuton CR). Zileuton CR has a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of May 31, 2007. ZYFLO is the FDA-approved immediate-release formulation of zileuton, a four-times daily medication for asthma in patients 12 years of age and older. Zileuton CR is a twice-daily formulation that, upon FDA approval, will be marketed for asthma patients 12 years of age and older. Zileuton CR uses SkyePharma PLC's proprietary Geomatrix(R) drug delivery technology, which controls the amount, timing and location of drug released into the body.

About ZYFLO and Zileuton

ZYFLO(R) (zileuton tablets) is indicated for the prevention and chronic treatment of asthma in adults and children 12 years of age and older. Zileuton inhibits 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of leukotrienes from arachidonic acid. 5-LO is the main enzyme responsible for the production of leukotrienes, a family of inflammatory mediators that can trigger asthma symptoms, including inflammation, swelling, bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion. ZYFLO is the only 5-LO inhibitor approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ZYFLO is not indicated for use in the reversal of bronchospasm in acute asthma attacks, including status asthmaticus. Mild to moderate side effects associated with the use of ZYFLO are abdominal pain, upset stomach and nausea. A small percentage of patients treated with ZYFLO show an increased release of a liver enzyme known as ALT. As a result, the level of liver enzymes in patients treated with ZYFLO should be measured by a simple blood test. It is recommended that physicians perform this test before administering ZYFLO and repeat the test on a regular basis while patients are on the medication. ZYFLO is contraindicated in patients with active liver disease or transaminase elevations greater than or equal to three times the upper limit of normal.

For full prescribing information, please visit www.crtx.com/pat_pi.html or call the Company's toll free telephone number 1-866-835-8216 to request medical information.

About Critical Therapeutics

Critical Therapeutics, headquartered in Lexington, MA, is developing and commercializing innovative products for respiratory, inflammatory and critical care diseases. The Company owns worldwide rights to ZYFLO(R) (zileuton tablets), which is marketed in the United States for the prevention and chronic treatment of asthma in patients 12 years of age and older. Critical Therapeutics is working to expand its zileuton franchise by developing a twice daily, controlled-release formulation for the prevention and chronic treatment of asthma and an injectable formulation for acute asthma attacks that lead patients to the emergency room and other urgent care settings. The Company also is collaborating with MedImmune, Inc. to design antibody therapies that treat acute and chronic diseases triggered by the inflammatory cytokine HMGB1. Research pipeline programs include lifecycle management to extend the zileuton franchise and an alpha-7 project for the treatment of inflammation. For more information, please visit www.crtx.com.

Critical Therapeutics' Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Critical Therapeutics, Inc., including, without limitation, statements regarding possible therapeutic benefits, market acceptance and future sales of ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR; the anticipated success of our co-promotion arrangements with DEY; the progress, timing and success of our regulatory filings, regulatory approvals and product launches, including for zileuton CR; and all other statements that are not purely historical in nature, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks and uncertainties relating to: the expected timing and outcome of the new drug application (NDA) for zileuton CR and related discussions with the FDA, including our ability to rely on historical data in the NDA and the sufficiency and acceptability of the results of pharmacokinetic studies of zileuton CR for FDA purposes; our ability to successfully market and sell ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR, including the success of our co-promotion arrangement with DEY; our ability to develop and maintain the necessary sales, marketing, distribution and manufacturing capabilities to commercialize ZYFLO, and, if approved, zileuton CR; patient, physician and third-party payor acceptance of ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR, as a safe and effective therapeutic product; adverse side effects experienced by patients taking ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR; our heavy dependence on the commercial success of ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals to market and sell ZYFLO and, if approved, zileuton CR; our ability to successfully enter into additional strategic co-promotion, collaboration or licensing transactions on favorable terms, if at all; our ability to obtain the substantial additional funding required to conduct our research, development and commercialization activities; our dependence on our strategic collaboration with MedImmune, Inc.; and our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for ZYFLO, zileuton CR, our discoveries and our drug candidates. These and other risks are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings that we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more of these factors materialize, or if any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

The statements in this release reflect our expectations and beliefs as of the date of this release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and beliefs to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements publicly at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release.

ZYFLO(R) is a registered trademark of Critical Therapeutics, Inc.

Contact

Critical Therapeutics
Linda S. Lennox, 781-402-5708
Vice President, Investor & Media Relations
llennox@crtx.com

Overhead Door Names Western Regional Sales Manager

Stowe Harbin has been promoted to regional sales manager of the west region for Overhead Door Corporation. His responsibilities encompass developing and executing sales strategy and managing his sales team overseeing Ribbon Distributors in the 19 western states.

Prior to his promotion, Harbin was district sales manager for the central region, overseeing Ribbon Distributors in Texas and portions of Louisiana. At Overhead Door’s national sales meeting in February, Stowe was recognized for his outstanding performance and was honored with the following awards: Residential Door Sales Dollar Increase Growth Award, Residential Door Percent Increase Growth Award, Pinnacle Award and the Above and Beyond Award for district sales manager of the year.

Harbin has more than ten years of sales and managerial experience, working for a variety of consumer goods and business-to-business organizations, including Disney, Epson and Canon. His consumer experience includes managing sales and operations for such companies as Irving, Texas–based Mosaic Sales Solutions, where he managed a nationwide merchandising program for Disney/BVHE and managing the sales, operations and marketing efforts for Izakov Diamond Corporation. He has worked for such companies as Lucent Technologies, Adobe Software and GE Medical Systems.

Harbin started his career in sales as a business machine specialist and managerial trainee for Delray Beach, Fla.–based Office Depot. Prior to this, he served in the United States Army, where he was a squad leader and mortar gunner. In 1991, he was recalled for active duty for Operation Desert Storm.

Harbin holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies focusing on behavioral sciences from Northeast Louisiana University. He resides in Carrollton, Texas with his wife Nena and son Connor.

source : www.professionaldoordealer.com

Utah tourism pitch paying off

Utah's "Life Elevated" promotion is increasingly striking a responsive chord with potential out-of-state tourists, on the Web and elsewhere, according to the outside research company hired by the Utah Office of Tourism to track campaign results.
That was good news to more than 200 local and regional tourism industry representatives who have been welcomed to this coal-country city this week for the fourth annual Utah Tourism Conference. After all, their livelihoods - especially those from largely rural areas - depend heavily on Utah being a popular travel destination.
Their eagerness to cash in on the Web-oriented was reflected in a Thursday morning breakout session where almost 100 conference attendees packed a talk on ways to improve Web sites.
With good reason, said Tho- mas Cooke, an executive with Struck, the advertising company developing the "Life Elevated" campaign for the tourism office. His research shows that 66 percent of leisure travelers use the Internet to obtain their information, up from just 35 percent in 2000. Consumers generally trust information they find on Web sites, too, he said, much more than travel advertising and blog recommendations. Only the advice of family and friends rates higher than Web site material for trustworthiness.
In addition, 57 percent of travelers now make their reservations through the Internet, up from 19 percent

seven years ago. And almost 80 percent of leisure travelers have Internet access in their homes, and 71 percent of those have high-speed systems capable of quickly handling the videos and other technology that can make a Web site appealing, Cooke said.
This reliance on the Internet is only going to increase, so Cooke and Struck colleagues Michael Kern and Steve Driggs described a number of features that even small, underfunded tourism organizations can employ rather cheaply on their Web sites to make an impression on potential visitors.
The two most desirable features allow Web site visitors to check for the lowest fares available, whether that involves lodging or use fees, and an easy-to-use method for booking reservations. Consumers also like to see pictures of a resort or rooms to help them make decisions, Cooke added.
Another important lesson of "Webonomics," Kern said, is to know that consumers rarely are willing to pay a subscription fee to access a Web site. "You're not The Wall Street Journal. You don't have that kind of content," he said. Visitors also want to be rewarded when they disclose information about themselves to a Web site, even if it is just providing their e-mail address. The reward can be simply to provide them with compelling information about the tourist site or some interesting way to play with the Web site.
Kern noted that the milk industry has a "Get the Glass" campaign that often keeps visitors on their Web site for more than 30 minutes as they play a three-dimensional video game about a glass of milk. "This is something really interesting and it's starting to happen all over. There's no other place you can get that kind of attention but on the Internet."
Denise Miller of Strategic Marketing & Research, the Indiana-based company retained by the Tourism Office to track the progress of the "Life Elevated" ads, also noted that with state money focusing on television advertising, local tourism groups and companies are wise if they invest in other modes of communication, such as print and online ads, to hit potential customers from all angles. Research shows a multimedia approach better sticks in people's memories, she added.
The importance of repetition also is illustrated in the effectiveness of the "Life Elevated" campaign, Miller said. Since its debut a year ago, the campaign has gone through a summer and a winter promotion, and is in the midst of its second summer promotion.
Initial research suggests almost 42 million people nationally will have some recollection of seeing a Utah ad in this second summer promotion, compared with 2.5 million in the first promotion, which started later in the year and had less funding. The winter campaign was effective, Miller said, reaching an estimated 29.3 million people nationally.
"As people see multiple ads about Utah, it changes their overall attitudes about it," she said, adding that her polls showed that the number of people who said they were likely to visit Utah increased from 9.8 percent to 15 percent among viewers of a summer ad, and from 4.9 percent to 10.2 percent among viewers of the winter promotion.
Miller said Los Angeles looks like the best market for Utah to target because of its size, the limited familiarity with Utah and the positive reaction of Southern Californians to "Life Elevated" ads.
"It's a big market. They're still not coming in big numbers, so there's a lot of potential there," she said.
The conference concludes today with an address by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

Stock and Bond Trading as a Conservative Investment Strategy

It's likely that either curiosity or skepticism led you to this article, and I would agree that, for most individual investors, trading is approached in a totally speculative manner. Stock trading, in its more popular forms (Day Trading, Swing Trading, Penny Stock Speculating, etc.) includes none of the elements that a conservative investment strategy would have at its very core: Little if any attention is given to the fundamental Quality of the equities selected. Any Diversification that exists in the portfolio is determined by chance alone and is, at best, a transient result of the selection guesswork. No attempt whatever is made to develop an increasing and dependable stream of Income. But stock trading by individual investors doesn't deserve quite as bad a "rep" as it has earned. After all, its very foundation is Profit Taking, probably the most important (and possibly the most often neglected) of the activities required for successful investment portfolio management. Unfortunately for most non-professional equity traders, loss taking is a more common occurrence.

Bond, (and other Income Security) trading is generally avoided by most non-professional traders. Obviously, it takes more investment capital to establish positions in Corporate and Municipal Bonds, Real Estate, or Government Securities than it does in Equities, and the volatility that traders thrive upon is just not a standard feature of the mundane world of debt securities. Surprisingly, most investment advisors and stock brokers have not discovered that there is a more exciting approach to Income Investing that is actually safer for investors and less inflexible in the face of changing interest rate expectation scenarios. Certainly, Wall Street financial institutions pressure their representatives to push individual new issues and/or investment products, but I think that the Market Value fixation that stretches from Wall Street to Main Street is the real culprit. Income securities need to be "valued" for long-term income growth and traded with great pleasure... albeit much less frequently.

Consequently, most trading is done in an Equity only environment that, by its very nature, is too speculative for most mature (in whatever sense you choose) investors. But this is not the way it needs to be. Since stock prices are likely to remain volatile in the short run and cyclical in the long run, there will always be opportunities for profit taking. [Note that it is the combination of volatility, market accessibility, universal equity ownership, and confiscatory taxation that have made "Buy 'n Hold" a tar pit Investment strategy.] Similarly, there are no rules against taking advantage of the cyclical nature of interest rate sensitive security prices. Trading is the world's oldest form of commercial activity, and it is unfortunate that it is treated with such disrespect by our dysfunctional tax code. It is even more unfortunate that it is looked at askance by client attorneys and brokerage firm compliance officers... masters of hindsight that they are.

Trading does not have to be done quickly to be productive, and it doesn't have to focus on higher risk securities to be profitable. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn't have to avoid the interest rate sensitive income securities that are so important to the long-term success of any true investment portfolio. No matter how beaten up a speculative day trader becomes, whatever profit taking experience there has been is invaluable. Once a trader/speculator is weaned off the gambling mentality that brought him to the "shock market" in the first place, he can apply his trading skills to investing and to portfolio management. The transition from trader/speculator to trader/investor requires some education... education that cannot be obtained from product salespersons.

Step One is to gain an appreciation of the power of Asset Allocation using the principles of The Working Capital Model. Asset Allocation is the process of dividing the portfolio into two conceptual "buckets". The first of these will contain Equity Securities, whose primary purpose is to produce growth in the form of Realized Capital Gains. The other bucket will contain various securities whose primary purpose is to produce some form of regular income... dividends, interest, rents, royalties, etc. The percentage allocated to each is a function of a short list of personal facts, concerns, goals, and objectives. The cost basis of the securities, absolutely not their constantly changing Market Values, must be used in all Asset Allocation calculations. Asset Allocation is a critical portfolio planning exercise that is: based on the purpose of the securities to be purchased, long term in nature, and never "rebalanced' or altered due either to current market circumstances, hedging, or some form of market timing (which, of course, is impossible).

Market Values are used in the selection process that identifies trading candidates that will fill the buckets... cash from all income sources, by the way, is always "destined" for one bucket or the other, and may be held unused if no proper candidates exist. Selecting potential Equities must first be "fundamental", then "technical"... i.e. based on the Quality of the security first, and the price second. My experience is that higher quality companies purchased at a 20% or more discount from the 52-week high, with a profit target of approximately 10% (realized as quickly as possible) is a very manageable approach. The proceeds find their way back into the "smart cash" pot for Asset Allocation according to formula. There will be times when "smart cash" grows quickly while the list of new trading candidates shrinks, but when trading candidates are all over the place, "smart cash" is replenished with a portion of every income dollar produced by both fully invested buckets! Thus, insistence upon some form of income from all securities owned makes enormous sense!

But what about trading the Income Bucket securities? Enter the Closed End Income Fund, in the form of a common stock, and in a surprising variety of income producing specialties ranging from Preferred Stocks to Oil Royalties, Treasury Securities to Municipal Bonds, and REITs to Mortgage Income. No more worries about liquidity and hidden markups. No more cash flow positioning or laddering of maturities. And best of all, no more calls of your highest yielding paper when interest rates fall. Instead, you are taking capital gains, compounding your yield, and paying your dues to the Equity Bucket. And when interest rates move back up... you'll have the luxury of reducing your cost basis by adding additional shares. Of course its magic... that's what we do here on Wall Street!

source : www.americanchronicle.com

Luis Padilla joins trade show producer ENK as president

Luis Padilla has joined trade show producer ENK International in the new post of president.

Padilla comes to ENK after a long retail career that included the presidency of Sears and major posts with the Target and Marshall Field's divisions of Target Corp.

At ENK, he reports to Elyse Kroll, chairman and chief creative officer.

Padilla said: "It's great to be in a smaller, more entrepreneurial company with unlimited potential. As a buyer I always had great respect for the way Elyse was really a show manager, rather than just a seller of real estate. She built this business intuitively and she's done a remarkable job.

"I see my role as bringing in some of the planning, building and infrastructure to help it grow to the next level more efficiently," he concluded.

Kroll, who founded ENK as the promotional arm of the Designers' Collective in 1979, commented: "Luis brings a lot to the table. His background fascinates me because was the ultimate end user of ENK events. So far, I am truly enjoying having him with me to plan the future."

Padilla was named president of merchandising of Sears, Roebuck in 2004 following 22 years with Target Corp, most recently as executive vice president of merchandising for the Marshall Field's division (subsequently sold to May Department Stores and later Federated_Department_Stores).

Prior to that, he was senior vice president of softlines merchandising for Target Stores from 1994 to 2001.

He also served briefly as chairman, chief executive officer and chief creative officer of Kuhlman Co beginning in late 2005 and, in the past year, as a retail consultant.

Highlighted by The Collective and Fashion Coterie, ENK's roster of men's, women's and children's apparel trade shows also includes Blue, Intermezzo, Brighte and Accessorie Circuit.

source : www.just-style.com

COZUMEL HOSTS 14TH ANNUAL FCCA CARIBBEAN CRUISE CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW

Long heralded as a leading cruise port destination, the island of Cozumel is this year's destination of choice for the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association's (FCCA) 14th Annual FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference and Trade Show, which will take place October 8-12, 2007.

One of the most popular ports of call in the Caribbean and world-famous for its diving, snorkeling and other ocean adventures, Cozumel provides the perfect backdrop for the FCCA annual cruise conference. With nearly 1,200 cruise industry partners, including approximately 100 cruise executives, attending the FCCA annual conference each year, the event will be one of the largest conventions Cozumel has ever hosted.

"We are pleased to be the host of the 14th Annual FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference and Trade Show," said Mr. Gustavo Ortega, Mayor of Cozumel. "The conference will give the people of Cozumel a chance to showcase the new and exciting attractions and amenities the destination has to offer to future cruise goers and other travelers wishing to experience the island's famed reefs and abundant adventures."

Supporting the FCCA event will also provide Cozumel with the opportunity to demonstrate the destination's growing meeting and conference capabilities, with many of island's hotels now offering new convention centers, meeting space, amphitheatres, state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and expanded business services and amenities.

# # #

About Cozumel
The island of Cozumel named "The Land of the Swallows" by the Maya who inhabited it more than 2,000 years ago, is located in the state of Quintana Roo, east of the Yucatan Peninsula. Situated along the largest reef network in the Western Hemisphere and home to the famed Palancar Reef, discovered by Jacques Cousteau in 1962, Cozumel boasts a first-class international dive and snorkel reputation. Cozumel has also established itself as a prime golf, honeymoon and family vacation destination. The island is recognized as a top vacation destination, noted for its diversity, offering something for every traveler, and great vacation value. Visit Cozumel on the World Wide Web at www.islacozumel.com.mx

About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)
FCCA is a trade association composed of 11 Member Lines: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc., Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. It was created in 1972 by the Member Lines operating more than 100 vessels in Florida, Caribbean and Mexican waters, in order to discuss and exchange views on issues relating to: legislation, tourism development, ports, safety, security and other cruise industry issues.


source : travelvideo.tv

AEM, NSSGA partner to launch World of Aggregates trade show

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has joined with the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) to provide show management services to NSSGA's new World of Aggregates Forum & Expo, which will be co-located with the World of Asphalt Show and Conference in March 2009 in Orlando, FL.

AEM will be responsible for managing exhibit space sales and services, registration, housing, marketing and on-site operations. AEM will also provide assistance in developing an education program in conjunction with the exhibits.

World of Aggregates will bring together NSSGA's educational conferences and workshops and offer exhibits of aggregates-related equipment, products, services and technologies.

Owned by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), along with AEM and NSSGA, World of Asphalt is held annually except in CONEXPO-CON/AGG show years. AEM also provides show management services to World of Asphalt.

source : www.expoweb.com

APPLICATIONS FOR MORE TRADE SHOW FUNDING NOW OPEN

(PressZoom) - Small businesses from Cairns to Coolangatta may be eligible for State Government help to show their wares overseas.

Acting Minister for State Development Desley Boyle said the Queensland Government has made more funding available to help small biotechnology and information and communications technology ( ICT ) companies attend international trade shows.

“It can be very expensive for small businesses to even think about going overseas.
“The International Trade Show Assistance Program ( ITSAP ) that began in 2000 provides grants up to $5000 to each successful applicant.

“So far ITSAP has helped 109 companies to generate immediate export sales of more than $5.6 million,” Ms Boyle said.

“These companies have projected more than $310 million in future exports and more than 450 new jobs.

“Previous ITSAP recipients have gained invaluable exposure at trade shows across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the UK, America and Asia Pacific regions.”

Ms Boyle encouraged eligible ICT or biotech companies who had identified an export market or had a product or service that had export potiential and were export ready to take the next step and show the world the highly innovative products and services Queensland had to offer.

“This funding is for Queensland-based, small to medium businesses that primarily operate in the ICT or biotechnology areas and who employ less than 100 people – this means most of Queensland’s ICT and biotech companies,” she said.

He said applicants were assessed by a panel to make sure the selected companies were ready to enter the export market.

source : presszoom.com

Trade show on the Mediterranean

To answer your first question: Yes, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will be there. George Clooney will be there, too, on the occasion of the "Ocean's 13" premiere, which is not competing for any awards; it's strictly a glam magnet.

Michael Moore is showing his health-care documentary "Sicko." Martin Scorsese is teaching a master class. And the public is not invited. The public is never invited to Festival de Cannes.

It is the world's most public private affair.

The first Cannes festival came in 1939, as an anti-fascist response to the Mussolini-sanctioned Venice festival. Only one film was shown, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." News of Hitler's invasion of Poland canceled the rest of the lineup, and the festival didn't resume until 1946.

By the time forgotten starlet Simone Sylva was photographed, topless, in front of Robert Mitchum on the Cannes beach in 1954, the festival's hedonistic image was secure.

For 12 days Cannes turns into a cross between a French Riviera resort town and a trade show in Anaheim, Calif. A collision of art and commerce, residing along the beachfront stretch called the Croisette, the festival is a cinematic femme fatale. She crushes visitors in her embrace and leaves them spent on the floor wondering what just happened.

In competition for the Palme d'Or, the major prize awarded by the Cannes Film Festival, here are five films garnering considerable pre-festival attention:

"No Country for Old Men," directed by Ethan and Joel Coen. Twenty-three years after their feature film debut, the Coens return to the blood-simplicity of Texas as they adapt Cormac McCarthy's novel about a drug deal gone horribly wrong in border country. Starring Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson and, a long way from Scotland, Kelly Macdonald.

"My Blueberry Nights," Wong Kar-Wai. A Cannes favorite ("In the Mood for Love," "2046"), Wong makes his first film in English, in which Norah Jones probes matters of the heart while road-tripping across the U.S. Also starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Tim Roth.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," Julian Schnabel. How could an autobiographical bestseller be made from the story of a Frenchman who is paralyzed from head to toe, except for one eye? How will it be imagined on film?

"The Man From London," Bela Tarr. Tilda Swinton stars in the Hungarian auteur's latest, about a railway signalman who witnesses a murder. Tarr's "Satantango," enveloping as it was, ran 450 minutes; this one's a mere 132.

"Persepolis," Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. Satrapi's French-language graphic novel, about growing up in Iran during the shah's overthrow, becomes a spare and reportedly striking animated feature.

source : www.nyjournalnews.com

HIGH REGIONAL AIRFARE THWART PLANS OF MANUFACTURERS TO PARTICIPATE IN TRADE SHOW IN TRINIDAD.

The high cost of regional travel which has been generating much public debate locally and regionally has reportedly led members of the Grenada Manufacturers Association to cancel a planned trip to Trinidad.

According to reports, twelve members of the Grenada Manufacturers Association including craft producers were scheduled to attend a trade show in Trinidad on Friday.
But according to a source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said each individual was quoted 760 dollars per ticket for one day return.

The source added that when the cost of departure tax and other miscellaneous costs were added, it proved to be too much for a one day

source : www.klassicgrenada.com

Annual Trade Show Planned This Afternoon

Hollister - The Veterans Memorial Building will be hosting the 12th annual Spotlight on Hollister and San Benito County Trade Show and Job Fair this afternoon.

Al Martinez, who has organized the event since its inception, said things are going to be a little different this year.

The big change is the event's time and day. Spotlight has traditionally been held on Wednesday between noon and 7pm, Martinez said. This year, it will take place on a Friday and run from 4pm to 8pm.

Spotlight will include bonding activities for business owners before the main event, but Martinez emphasized that unlike most trade shows, the event isn't just for business people and job-seekers.

"Our trade show is targeted to interface between business and the public," he said. "It's always been my desire to let people know what kinds of businesses we have here."

Admission to the trade show is free.

source : hollisterfreelance.com

Iranian exhibition wraps up in Saudi Arabia

Director of the exhibition internal affairs Mehdi Tondguyan told IRNA that Iranian and Saudi companies inked some 12 contracts in the event.

If certain obstacles including issuing visas for Iranian merchants and technical experts are removed, the aforementioned contracts will become operational soon, he added.

"Participation in implementation of a 150-kilometer railroad, exporting 2,000 cars to Saudi Arabia, constructing a factory to produce detergents and health materials, and setting up production line of lead and zinc are envisaged in the contracts, signed by the businessmen of the two sides," he added.

The exhibition was opened in the presence of Ministers of Commerce of the two countries in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.

Some 70 Iranian companies involving in production, industry and service sectors participated in the event actively.

The exhibition was held with the aim of introducing the economic potentials of the Islamic Republic in the three aforementioned sectors.

Holding discussions with businessmen and industry owners as well as exchanging experiences between economic and trade specialists of the two countries were among other objectives of the exhibition.

source : www.iranmania.com

'J&C' wins Silver ADDY at district

The North Central Advertising Federation handed out 14 Gold ADDY awards last month, during its annual celebration of the area's best print and broadcast advertising and promotional materials.

All Gold ADDY winners advanced to district competition, where one local entry received a Silver ADDY.

The Journal & Courierwon the district award in the Newspaper Self-Promotion category. The paper won the Silver ADDY for its invitations to an open house for its $24.1 million new press and printing center.

source : www.jconline.com

Bindi draws US eyes to Oz promo

Media coverage of eight-year-old Bindi – the precocious daughter of television conservationist Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, who died from a stingray strike in north Queensland last year – accounted for 78 per cent of print and TV coverage and 89 per cent of total advertising equivalency, according to data compiled for the Australian consulate in New York.

With Bindi leading the way, total audience impressions during the two-week promotion, also known as G'Day USA, reached 400 million, a fourfold increase on 2006 and 20 times higher than in 2005.

The figures are another indication of Bindi's potential to match or perhaps even surpass the spectacular international marketing successes of her "wildlife warrior" father.

The Consul-General for New York, John Olsen, who founded the Australia Week concept in Los Angeles four years ago, said negotiations were under way to have Bindi and her mother Terri Irwin return for the 2008 promotions.

"Bindi is an outstanding ambassador for Australia Zoo and Australia, and it reflects enormous credit on her as an individual," Mr Olsen said.

"We would welcome her involvement again. Steve Irwin did two previous G'Days, so the Irwin family has now participated in the last three."

Mr Olsen said the success of the 2007 promotion was extraordinary, even allowing that a New York leg had been added for the first time.

He said the event had set a benchmark for the international promotion of Australia and Australian interests, and recommended the education and skilled immigration sectors look at the template as a way to boost the numbers of full-fee students and skilled migrants coming to Australia.

"We have created a new way of delivering an integrated Australian branding exercise," Mr Olsen said.

"The platform we used in January had trade, climate change, tourism, entertainment, investment, food and beverages, education, culture, lifestyle promotion and philanthropy: a broad template that provides a new platform for public diplomacy.

"But the real key is getting Qantas, Tourism Australia and Austrade working together.

"If that happens, you can really deliver a powerful message that produces far better marketing outcomes."

According to Tourism Australia research, Australia Week, with 230 Australian companies involved, is the largest annual foreign-country promotion in the US.

The Bindi factor produced record online visits to Australia.com and Australia-Week.com, record bookings on Qantas, and record attendances at many Australia Week events.

Online there were 150,000 hits, with visitors spending 17,500 hours learning about Australia.

On TV, Americans were exposed to 8.15 hours of Australia Week news in prime time, compared with just 11 minutes in 2006.

Bindi and her mother were the driving force as they completed a busy schedule of appearances on some of America's highest-ranking morning, late-night and family entertainment programs, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC and the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS.

source : www.news.com.au

Utah tourism pitch paying off

PRICE - Utah's "Life Elevated" promotion is increasingly striking a responsive chord with potential out-of-state tourists, on the Web and elsewhere, according to the outside research company hired by the Utah Office of Tourism to track campaign results.
That was good news to more than 200 local and regional tourism industry representatives who have been welcomed to this coal-country city this week for the fourth annual Utah Tourism Conference. After all, their livelihoods - especially those from largely rural areas - depend heavily on Utah being a popular travel destination.
Their eagerness to cash in on the Web-oriented was reflected in a Thursday morning breakout session where almost 100 conference attendees packed a talk on ways to improve Web sites.
With good reason, said Tho- mas Cooke, an executive with Struck, the advertising company developing the "Life Elevated" campaign for the tourism office. His research shows that 66 percent of leisure travelers use the Internet to obtain their information, up from just 35 percent in 2000. Consumers generally trust information they find on Web sites, too, he said, much more than travel advertising and blog recommendations. Only the advice of family and friends rates higher than Web site material for trustworthiness.
In addition, 57 percent of travelers now make their reservations through the Internet, up from 19 percent
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seven years ago. And almost 80 percent of leisure travelers have Internet access in their homes, and 71 percent of those have high-speed systems capable of quickly handling the videos and other technology that can make a Web site appealing, Cooke said.
This reliance on the Internet is only going to increase, so Cooke and Struck colleagues Michael Kern and Steve Driggs described a number of features that even small, underfunded tourism organizations can employ rather cheaply on their Web sites to make an impression on potential visitors.
The two most desirable features allow Web site visitors to check for the lowest fares available, whether that involves lodging or use fees, and an easy-to-use method for booking reservations. Consumers also like to see pictures of a resort or rooms to help them make decisions, Cooke added.
Another important lesson of "Webonomics," Kern said, is to know that consumers rarely are willing to pay a subscription fee to access a Web site. "You're not The Wall Street Journal. You don't have that kind of content," he said. Visitors also want to be rewarded when they disclose information about themselves to a Web site, even if it is just providing their e-mail address. The reward can be simply to provide them with compelling information about the tourist site or some interesting way to play with the Web site.
Kern noted that the milk industry has a "Get the Glass" campaign that often keeps visitors on their Web site for more than 30 minutes as they play a three-dimensional video game about a glass of milk. "This is something really interesting and it's starting to happen all over. There's no other place you can get that kind of attention but on the Internet."
Denise Miller of Strategic Marketing & Research, the Indiana-based company retained by the Tourism Office to track the progress of the "Life Elevated" ads, also noted that with state money focusing on television advertising, local tourism groups and companies are wise if they invest in other modes of communication, such as print and online ads, to hit potential customers from all angles. Research shows a multimedia approach better sticks in people's memories, she added.
The importance of repetition also is illustrated in the effectiveness of the "Life Elevated" campaign, Miller said. Since its debut a year ago, the campaign has gone through a summer and a winter promotion, and is in the midst of its second summer promotion.
Initial research suggests almost 42 million people nationally will have some recollection of seeing a Utah ad in this second summer promotion, compared with 2.5 million in the first promotion, which started later in the year and had less funding. The winter campaign was effective, Miller said, reaching an estimated 29.3 million people nationally.
"As people see multiple ads about Utah, it changes their overall attitudes about it," she said, adding that her polls showed that the number of people who said they were likely to visit Utah increased from 9.8 percent to 15 percent among viewers of a summer ad, and from 4.9 percent to 10.2 percent among viewers of the winter promotion.
Miller said Los Angeles looks like the best market for Utah to target because of its size, the limited familiarity with Utah and the positive reaction of Southern Californians to "Life Elevated" ads.
"It's a big market. They're still not coming in big numbers, so there's a lot of potential there," she said.
The conference concludes today with an address by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

source : mikeg@sltrib.com

Promotion of new COO for FPI USA

ST. JOHN'S, NL, May 18 /CNW/ - FPI Limited ("the Company") today
announced the promotion of Mr. Keith Decker to the position of Chief Operating
Officer of Fishery Products International, Inc. ("FPI USA"), a subsidiary of
the Company based in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA.
Mr. Decker became Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing of FPI
USA in 2006, having served previously as Vice President of Sales. During his
12-year tenure with the Company, he has held the positions of National Sales
Manager, Director of Foodservice Sales, Director of Commodity Sales, and
General Manager of West Coast Operations. Mr. Decker brings 21 years of
seafood industry experience to his new role as COO of FPI USA.

About FPI: FPI Limited is a Newfoundland and Labrador-based seafood
company engaged in harvesting, processing, global sourcing, and marketing a
wide selection of high quality seafood products.

source : www.newswire.ca

Profitable Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing

In today's competitive world, new products and companies are crowding the marketplace, making it increasingly difficult for customers to differentiate product features and benefits. Many promotion techniques are currently available and new ones are constantly evolving. In selecting a tactic, the marketer must consider its appeal for the target group and its compatibility, with the brand's objectives, and budget parameters.


IIR's Business Building Sales Promotion & Loyalty Marketing course will focus on the critical factors for promotion success and ROI.

You will learn how to quickly diagnose promotions for the unique appeal factor and hallmarks of success. The approach is to lay out a step-by-step disciplined process in developing effective promotion campaigns with case history examples to cement the learning.

source : www.iirme.com/salespromo

US: Luis Padilla joins trade show producer ENK as president

Padilla has joined trade show producer ENK International in the new post of president.

Padilla comes to ENK after a long retail career that included the presidency of Sears and major posts with the Target and Marshall Field's divisions of Target Corp.

At ENK, he reports to Elyse Kroll, chairman and chief creative officer.

Padilla said: "It's great to be in a smaller, more entrepreneurial company with unlimited potential. As a buyer I always had great respect for the way Elyse was really a show manager, rather than just a seller of real estate. She built this business intuitively and she's done a remarkable job.

"I see my role as bringing in some of the planning, building and infrastructure to help it grow to the next level more efficiently," he concluded.

Kroll, who founded ENK as the promotional arm of the Designers' Collective in 1979, commented: "Luis brings a lot to the table. His background fascinates me because was the ultimate end user of ENK events. So far, I am truly enjoying having him with me to plan the future."

Padilla was named president of merchandising of Sears, Roebuck in 2004 following 22 years with Target Corp, most recently as executive vice president of merchandising for the Marshall Field's division (subsequently sold to May Department Stores and later Federated_Department_Stores).

Prior to that, he was senior vice president of softlines merchandising for Target Stores from 1994 to 2001.

He also served briefly as chairman, chief executive officer and chief creative officer of Kuhlman Co beginning in late 2005 and, in the past year, as a retail consultant.

Highlighted by The Collective and Fashion Coterie, ENK's roster of men's, women's and children's apparel trade shows also includes Blue, Intermezzo, Brighte and Accessorie Circuit.

Why you should attend the Onrec Conference and Exhibition

The Onrec Conference and Exhibition on the 5th June in central London is the event of the year as far as online recruitment is concerned. Building on the success and feedback from last years event, and backed by our Gold sponsor hotonline.com, this conference will provide you with an insight into the trends, developments and burning questions in online recruitment.

Where is the industry going? What’s next? How can you make more effective use of the internet to source candidates? What are the challenges encountered by Corporates in the development and management of candidate tracking systems? How can you solve your online recruitment difficulties?

These are the kind of challenging questions the Onrec event will pose and discuss. Panel debates give you the opportunity to be heard, and to listen to the views and experiences of your peers and colleagues. The refreshment breaks, lunch and drinks reception provide further networking opportunities in this niche industry. This event is one of a kind. Don’t miss out, book your place now.

source : www.onrec.com

Professional Exhibits & Graphics Celebrates Twenty Years in Business

5/16/2007 - Professional Exhibits & Graphics (PE&G) – a full service trade show exhibit company, celebrates twenty years in the trade show industry as of June 2007.

Professional Exhibits & Graphics currently has a staff of 45 full time employees and hundreds of partners worldwide. PE&G specializes in designing and building custom trade show exhibit properties. They are also the exclusive authorized dealer/supplier for Exponents and Nomadic Display in Northern California. PE&G is known for its rapid revenue growth. For the years 1992 – 1997 the trade show display company went from $1 million to $10 million landing them on the Inc. 500 list for fast revenue growth. Having successfully survived the dot com bust, PE&G’s revenue handily increased 50% in 2004; 20% in 2005; and 45% in 2006.

Over the years, the company has received dozens of business awards such as Inc. Magazine’s “500” List as one of the 100 fastest growing companies Silicon Valley, to the most recent one by Exponents as their #1 producer in sales revenue for its worldwide market in 2006. Exponents at the 2007 Exhibitor Show granted the award. At that show, PE&G was also acclaimed by Nomadic Display as their #3 top producer in sales revenue in their non-company owned distribution network in over 200 locations around the world in 2006.

According to Dick Wheeler, President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, ‘Our consistent success in business is largely due to our focus on being an innovative trade show exhibit, graphics and design company that exceeds our clients’ expectations. We have assembled a highly dedicated, hard working customer-service oriented sales and account management team that anticipates and meets our client needs. In addition, we have recruited ongoing exceptional design talent to create solutions for our customers’ wishes in innovative 3-dimensional environments.

Bringing new products and services unique to the industry and offering a turnkey solution to the trade show client enables us to handle the client’s needs from A to Z in the trade show arena. We also provide collateral, web design, and event planning in addition to numerous trade show display booth options from custom trade show displays to custom modular trade show exhibits to portable trade show exhibits, trade show booth rentals and sales, shipping, storage, and all related services.’

Wheeler continues, ‘I feel fortunate to work in an industry that has such good, creative and hard working people. It has been a joy for the past 20 years.’

Professional Exhibits & Graphics is a full-service trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company that is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with a showroom in Sacramento. They are a true leader in the custom trade show exhibit and custom modular trade show display and trade show booth rental industry.

information from www.proexhibits.com.

Doin' It Bloggystyle: Random Beards, Those Whacky Economists, Trade Show and the Wright Stuff!

Nothing could possibly excite Financial Media more than a Rock Star Investor buying a stake in a Big Cap Titan. Abnormal Returns scans the globe and finds these opinions.

* Citigroup's (C) worst nightmare? FT Alphaville wonders.
* Peridot Capitalist points out that hopes for some Lampert activism may be overly optimistic given his small stake.
* Richard Sichel, chief investment officer of Philadelphia Trust Co, says "the market is hoping he can come in and create value in one way or another by cost cutting or finding value in the different parts," via Dealbook.
* Felix Salmon finds that assessment of Lampert's power a tad optimistic.


Those Whacky Economists

* Barry looks at the Core Inflation/Headline CPI Spread here and here. Conclusion? "BLS has been consistently under-reporting inflation over the past eight years."
* The Mess That Greenspan Made glances at the new working relationship between Sir Alan and Sir Bill Gross.
* Lots of chatter about this Times article by Tyler Cohen. Why Is Income Inequality in America So Pronounced? Consider Education. Here's some parsing from Economists View.


Trade Show

* Brad Sullivan gets chart crazy. A little blowoff in the DJIA vs. Russell?
* A crude oil trading system from Bill Rempel.
* Why isn't Wal-Mart (WMT) in the Real Estate Agent biz, wonders Muckdog.
* OptionAddict goes over some exits.


The Wright Stuff

* This from the New York Times. "Anecdotal evidence, collected from bartenders, merchandise dealers and bleacher creatures, suggests that the Mets — with their core of young, flashy players and recent winning ways — are taking substantial bites out of the Yankee fan base, at least in Westchester."
* Just waiting for one of Westchester's last Yankee fans, someone like Dave, to ping me that a bunch of kids are outside his door singing "Jose... JoseJoseJose... Jose... Jose."
* The Nation still hasn't caught on though. according to Darren Rovell. "In terms of total items sold this year, the Yankees made up 18.7 percent of all Major League Baseball team sales and 22.7 percent of the licensing money came from the Yankees, according to market tracking firm SportsOneSource. Compare that with the Mets, who only made up 4.3 percent of total items sold and 5.3 percent of the dollars grossed from the sale of MLB items this year. "
* The NYTimes' fossilized sports columnists continue to drive me nuts with comments like this: "In the Mets’ success and the Yankees’ struggle approaching their annual intramural inspection beginning tomorrow night at Shea, they continue to hold tryout camps for another starting pitcher. Hardly the ideal situation for two teams expected to be competing in October."
* The Mets are 3rd in the league in ERA, Mike Pelphrey laid an egg as the 5th starter, and the team replaced him with Jorge Sosa, who is now 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 20 innings. How is that possibly a huge worry? I repeat, this is the 5th starter.

Information from: www.minyanville.com

Call for National and International Entries: Juried Photography Exhibition in Honor of Gordon Parks

Oakland, CA, May 18, 2007 --(PR.com)-- The Joyce Gordon Gallery is seeking photography entries for “Glimpses in Time: A Juried Photography Exhibition in Honor of Gordon Parks.” Gordon Parks’ artistic talent, renaissance spirit and social activism serve as the inspiration for this exhibit and embody the gallery’s mission: To represent the creative pursuit of the individual. Stephen Wirtz of the prestigious Stephen Wirtz Gallery in San Francisco will be jurying this exhibit. A solo exhibition at the Joyce Gordon Gallery will be among the top awards. An exhibit of all winning photographs will run from August 1 – 31, 2007 at the Joyce Gordon Gallery in Oakland, California.

All forms of photography-based work may be entered, including digital, alternative processes, photo collage and montage.

• CD submissions will be accepted at Joyce Gordon Gallery until 6pm on July 1, 2007

• In person submissions until 6pm on July 13, 2007.

• An entry fee of $30 (US dollars) is payable to Joyce Gordon Gallery and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Seven Tepees Youth Program in San Francisco.

• Winning photographs will be selected July 14, 2007

• Winners selected for the exhibition will be notified July 15, 2007.

• Exhibition of winning photographs will run from August 1 -31, 2007 at the Joyce Gordon Gallery

• A reception for the selected photographers, the press and guests will be held August 3, 2007 from 4 – 8pm

Entry forms, detailed submissions requirements and further information are available on the Joyce Gordon Gallery website (http://www.joycegordongallery.com/parks_2.html).

There will be three categories of awards:

Gordon Parks Award: Awarded to the most compelling photograph based on exceptional overall composition, technique and content that Parks was known for. The winner will be awarded a solo exhibition in the Joyce Gordon Gallery annex.

Creativity Award: Awarded to the photographer expressing the most original artistic perspective or unique relationship to his/her image.

Juror Awards: Special recognition to select photographers for outstanding technical and creative talent.

About Joyce Gordon Gallery

The Joyce Gordon Gallery is one of the most well-respected and recognized commercial fine arts galleries in Oakland, California and the East Bay area. Since 2003, the gallery has evolved into an important venue for scores of artists not only from the Bay Area, but from around the world. Joyce Gordon Gallery has exhibited works by some of the most talented up-and-coming artists in the country as well as internationally renowned artists including Raymond Saunders. In 2005, the gallery had the exclusive honor of exhibiting works by Bay Area artists at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
Information from: /www.pr.com