September 2006 Archives

Recent IPO Filings

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Recent IPO Filings. Check it out:
(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
Filing Est. Amt
Date Company Name (Mil.)
------ ------------ --------
09/29 Altra Holdings Inc. (Quincy, MA) $172.5
Is a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a wide
range of mechanical power transmission.
09/28 Mellanox Technologies Ltd. (Yokneam, ) $86.2
Is a leading supplier of semiconductor-based, high-
performance interconnect products.
09/28 AeroVironment Inc. (Monrovia, CA) $115.0
Designs, develops, produces and supports a technologically-
advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft systems.
09/27 Switch & Data Inc. (Tampa, FL) $150.0
Is a leading provider of network neutral interconnection and
colocation services.
09/26 CVR Energy Inc. (Sugar Land, TX) $300.0
Is an independent refiner and marketer of high value
transportation fuels.
09/22 Carrols Holdings Corp. (Syracuse, NY) $210.0
Is one of the largest restaurant companies in the United
States.
09/21 NewStar Financial Inc. (Boston, MA) $100.0
Is a commercial finance company.
09/21 St. Francis Medical Technologies Inc. (Alameda, $86.2
Is a medical device company.
09/20 Paradigm Ltd. (George Town,Grand Cayman, ) $200.0
Is a leading provider of enterprise software solutions.
09/19 Danaos Corp. (Piraeus, ) $259.3
Is an international owner of containerships, chartering our
vessels to the largest liner companies.
# # #
This information is provided AS-IS, without any warranty of any kind.
IPO Monitor makes no claims concerning the accuracy or validity of the
information, and shall not be held liable for any errors, delays,
omissions or use thereof.

Copyright 2006 (c) IPO Monitor. All rights reserved.

Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'. Check it out:
(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Tokyo, Japan, Sep 29, 2006 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) --Wacoal Holdings (TSE:3591; NQ: WACLY) has published its Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended March 31, 2006. The Company reported an increase in consolidated net sales of 2.0% year on year, to JPY 164.1 billion. Operating and net income decreased due to the recording of extraordinary factors, however excluding these factors, operating income was up 57.0% year on year.



Wacoal laid the foundations for new medium-to-long-term growth through initiatives such as the transition to a holding company system and the introduction of a special voluntary retirement scheme. To raise business value by stepping up the pace of growth, the Company vigorously enhanced the operations of existing businesses, expanded its share of Japan's innerwear market, continued to rebuild and strengthen overseas operations, and developed peripheral businesses.

To download the Wacoal Holdings 2006 Annual Report, please visit the Company IR website at http://www.wacoal.co.jp/w-holdings/aboutcom_e/ir/index_e.html

Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'

Yoshikata Tsukamoto, Wacoal Representative Director, speaks about the launch of the Holding Company system, strategies for the future, corporate governance and his outlook for the Company in his 2006 Address to Shareholders.

"In October 2005, the Company changed its name from Wacoal Corp. to Wacoal Holdings Corp., which became the parent company of subsidiaries in the Wacoal Group. Under the holding company system, the roles of Wacoal Holdings and such Group operating subsidiaries as Wacoal are clearly defined. The holding company manages the Group and oversees operating subsidiaries, while the operating subsidiaries implement operations. This system enables the holding company to target growth and deploy resources on a Groupwide basis. Also, the delegation of authority and responsibility to the operating subsidiaries enhances the efficiency and dynamism of operational implementation. Moreover, because it facilitates reorganization by business type or function, the holding company system is the most suited to pursuing business tie-ups and mergers and acquisitions aimed at achieving corporate structural reform to reflect the times.

Medium-to-Long-Term Strategies

"At present, Wacoal Holdings and its operating subsidiaries are taking steps based on the Corporate Activation Project 21 (CAP21), which sets out medium-to-long-term strategies for enhancing business value. CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies) formulates new business strategies that will enable the Company to make a fresh start and step up the pace of growth. Our transition to the holding company system resulted from the implementation of one such strategy. Guided by CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies), we are reorganizing and strengthening existing businesses. Those efforts focus on rigorously heightening the efficiency of management systems and operational processes to bolster competitiveness and create an unshakable platform for growth. Further, not limiting ourselves to independent business development, we are cultivating businesses in areas that promise growth through the active pursuit of mergers and acquisitions, strategic operational tie-ups, capital tie-ups, and OEM. For example, in June 2006 the Company entered into an operational and capital tie-up with Peach John Co., Ltd., which mainly conducts mail-order sales of innerwear. Very popular among women in their teens and 20s, Peach John has grown rapidly in recent years.

The Company's overriding management goal is to benefit society at large by enabling women the world over to express their beauty. Also, in our business and management activities we seek to create value and establish a reputation befitting an international brand. Mindful of those management goals, we will implement the strategies of CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies), aiming to surpass consolidated net sales of JPY 200 billion, ROE of 6%, and an operating income margin of 9% by the year ending March 2011. To meet those targets, we will implement a strategy of actively investing in businesses to realize new operational expansion. We aim to increase sales in markets in Japan, the United States, China, and Europe. Moreover, we will mull forays into markets in new regions.

Business Review

"In fiscal 2006, consolidated net sales increased 2.0% year on year, to JPY 164.1 billion, operating income was down 88.7%, to JPY 1.3 billion, and net income decreased 58.5%, to JPY 2.8 billion. The decline in operating income was mainly due to the recording of a government subsidy of JPY 7.1 billion in the previous fiscal year and the November 2005 recording of JPY 6.9 billion associated with special retirement related expenses.

Excluding such temporary increases and decreases in income due to the recording of extraordinary factors, operating income was up 57.0% year on year. The main contributions to higher net sales came from brisk sales of Wacoal-brand Hip Walker and Wing-brand Style Up Pants. Also-a focus of our promotional efforts in winter-sales of innerwear products designed for cold weather were favorable, centered on the Kaiteki NAVI lineup, which we launched in response to the Japanese government's "Warmbiz" environmental initiative to encourage the wearing of thermal business apparel to minimize the use of heaters in winter. On the other hand, net sales growth was held back by generally sluggish sales of mainstay brassieres and continuing weak mail-order catalog sales. Overseas, business grew favorably, with the exception of operations in France, where consumer spending remained flat. Wacoal America, Inc., posted particularly strong growth, with sales up more than 15% year on year.

Corporate Governance

"The basic corporate governance policy of Wacoal Holdings is to continue heightening enterprise value by enhancing the efficiency and transparency of management from the perspective of all of the Company's stakeholders. In 2003, we established the Disclosure Committee to strengthen corporate governance and ensure the reliability of financial and other information that we issue. That committee checks the propriety of internal controls and-pursuant to Section 302 of the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act-the propriety of disclosure with respect to annual reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the accuracy of disclosed information.

In 2005, due to the discovery of potential defects in certain products sold, the Company provided replacements or refunds. In addition, there was a leakage of the personal info-rmation of certain customers of Wacoal's Internet shopping service. To restore customer confidence, we strengthened our quality control system through stringent implementation of an ISO quality management system and other measures. Further, aiming to deal with overall management risks, we changed our Crisis Management Committee to the Risk Management Committee, under which we established a subcommittee responsible for measures relating to accidents and disasters. Also, we created a system to counteract information security risks based on the establishment of a new department that is dedicated to addressing such risks.

In addition, by introducing the holding company system we clearly separated the role of the holding company, which undertakes Group management and oversees operating subsidiaries, and the role of the operating subsidiaries, which implement operations. We plan further development of systems for oversight and operational implementation.

Returns to Shareholders

"Our basic policy for returns to shareholders is to continue steady cash dividend payments, invest actively to enhance earnings and business value, and increase earnings per share. The Company intends to invest retained earnings to increase profit, raise business value, and enhance future returns to shareholders. Those activities will concentrate on the creation of new sales areas through the development of SPA shops, the development of new points of contact with customers, aggressive investment in overseas operations, and investment in new businesses.

Despite a significant decrease in earnings associated with such factors as the recording of special retirement related expenses, in the fiscal year under review we maintained cash dividends per ADR at the previous fiscal year's level of JPY 100.

Outlook

"In Japan, the women's fashion apparel industry promises robust growth as economic recovery bolsters consumer confidence. As the second year of the government's "Coolbiz" environmental initiative, 2006 will likely see stepped-up efforts to encourage the wearing of light business apparel to curb the use of air conditioners in summer. Amid those business conditions, the Company will redouble efforts to develop products that earn customer endorsement by fortifying new strategic product categories, such as Style Science lineups. At the same time, we will decisively implement measures aimed at expanding SPA operations and increasing new points of contact with customers. And, we will accelerate growth by implementing the strategies of CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies).

In the current fiscal year, ending March 31, 2007, we project increases of 2% in consolidated net sales, to JPY 168.0 billion; 9.5 times in operating income, to JPY 12.6 billion; and 2.8 times in net income, to JPY 8.0 billion. The main factors contributing to the significant increase in operating income will be: improved return on sales through the reduction of such items as selling, general and administrative expenses; the absence of the JPY 6.9 billion special retirement related expenses, which was temporarily incurred due to the October 2005 implementation of the special voluntary retirement scheme; the absence of a JPY 0.6 billion additional retirement benefit expense that was recorded in the year under review stemming from the dissolution of Fukushima Wacoal Sewing Corp.; and lower personnel costs resulting from special voluntary retirement."

(Excerpts from the 2006 Wacoal Annual Report to Shareholders)

To download the Wacoal Holdings 2006 Annual Report, please visit the Company IR website at http://www.wacoal.co.jp/w-holdings/aboutcom_e/ir/index_e.html or the JCN Network Annual Report Gallery at http://www.japancorp.net/reports.asp

About Wacoal Corporation

Wacoal (TSE:3591; NQ: WACLY) has led the Japanese market for women's innerwear since its establishment in 1949. Still holding a dominant share of the home market, the Company is steadily growing sales in North America, Europe, and Asia. In October 2005, the Company changed its name from Wacoal Corp. to Wacoal Holdings Corp., which became the parent company of subsidiaries in the Wacoal Group. For more information, please visit www.wacoal.co.jp.

Contact:

Wacoal Holdings Corp.
Tadahiro Kondo
Tel: +81-75-682-1028
Fax: +81-75-672-3219
Email: t-kondo@wacoal.co.jp

Copyright (C) 2006 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network K.K.

**********************************************************************

As of Tuesday, 09-26-2006 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend(SM) Alert,
an automated pattern recognition system, indicated an UPTREND on
11-22-2005 for WACLY @ $68.83.

For more information on Comtex SmarTrend Alert, contact your market data
provider or go to CSTADirect.com

SmarTrend is a registered trademark of Comtex News Network, Inc.
Copyright 2004-2006 Comtex News Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kaine says Va. poised for bright economic future: For the state to realize its potential, the governor said, it must first settle its transportation problems.

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Kaine says Va. poised for bright economic future: For the state to realize its potential, the governor said, it must first settle its transportation problems.. Check it out:
(Roanoke Times, The (Roanoke, VA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 30--Gov. Tim Kaine disclosed his administration's economic development strategy Friday in Roanoke, saying Virginia has a highly rated business climate with strong air and sea connections to other countries.



Those strengths were not helped by the General Assembly's transportation special session, which "came to a very ignominious end" Thursday in Richmond, Kaine told the Virginia Economic Developers Association meeting in Roanoke.

Lawmakers failed to adopt a transportation funding plan during the three-day session.

Still, Kaine said he was optimistic about Virginia's economic potential 10 to 20 years from now.

"I believe we are in a very powerful position here in Virginia," Kaine said, because of opportunities in global trade.

Virginia was formed, he pointed out, with English investors backing the Jamestown colony 400 years ago.

Today, some Virginia communities that have lost textile and other manufacturing jobs have reason to fear global competition, Kaine said, but companies on other continents are willing to invest in any American states that compete for them.

"We have to embrace that competition and win," Kaine said.

That could mean an attractive incentives package for a select few types of businesses, Kaine said. Virginia can't afford the dollars some states put into incentives, he said, but the right prospect might be worth a generous package.

Virginia's business climate was endorsed this year by Forbes magazine's first rating of states for their business climate. No other state "was even a close second" to Virginia's No. 1 ranking, Kaine said.

Two things in Virginia's favor are Dulles International Airport and the ports of Virginia, he said.

Dulles has direct flights to every continent, and few states can match that, Kaine said. The problem that keeps Dulles from reaching its potential, Kaine said, is congestion on the roads leading to it.

Virginia's ports already are the second-busiest on the East Coast, and can surpass New York because Virginia's bays can be dredged to accommodate ever-larger ships.

New York Harbor has a rock bottom, and making it deeper would be difficult, Kaine said.

Virginia needs better highway and rail connections with the ports, Kaine said.

"I look at the power of our education system and the connections we have in transportation that other states don't have," Kaine said.

But there are some "flies in the ointment," he said, and a major one is that the legislature, after nine months of talking about transportation, has "ended up with very little to show for it."

A compromise plan that was developed over the summer by Republican legislators from Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads was shot down Tuesday, the first day of the special session, Kaine said.

"On the critical issue of investing dollars in what we need, there has been zero progress," he said.

Kaine said the transportation issue isn't settled yet.

"I don't have any doubt we will deal with it in the course of my term," he said. But the delay means inflation will reduce what Virginia can afford for a solution, Kaine said.

His presentation in Roanoke also attracted a protest.

A newly formed group called Free Enterprise Watch, headed by Michael Reynold in Richmond, posted a mockup of a Trojan horse near the Hotel Roanoke, where Kaine spoke.

The group said Kaine favors organized labor because he received 10 times more campaign contributions from labor groups that did his predecessor, Gov. Mark Warner.

Free Enterprise Watch also noted Kaine appointed two people from labor groups to his administration: former AFL-CIO president Daniel LeBlanc to be his senior work force adviser; and Jean Bankos, former president of the Virginia Education Association teachers' group, as his senior adviser for education projects.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Roanoke Times, Va.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Former executives get 6 to 8 years: Baptist Foundation pair maintain their innocence

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Former executives get 6 to 8 years: Baptist Foundation pair maintain their innocence. Check it out:
(Tribune, The (Mesa, AZ) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 30--Two former executives of the bankrupt Baptist Foundation of Arizona maintained their innocence Friday as a judge gave them eight- and sixyear prison terms for their roles in one of the largest collapses of a non-profit organization ever.



Former president William Crotts, 61, and former general counsel Thomas Grabinski, 46, said they always believed they were following the letter and spirit of the law in structuring the foundation's finances and they never tried to steal anyone's investments.

"There's no pot of gold hidden away," Grabinski said, addressing Judge Kenneth Fields of Maricopa County Superior Court, who imposed upon him a six-year prison term.

Fields, the prosecutor and defense attorneys agreed that the case was unusual as far as fraud cases go because there was no intent to steal, and many of the victims came to the defense of the defendants.

A jury convicted them in July on three counts of fraud and one count of knowingly conducting an illegal enterprise, but acquitted them of 23 counts of theft.

Fields gave them harsher penalties than what the law typically calls for, saying the circumstances calling for a tougher sentence outweighed those for a lighter one by a "small degree."

Fields said some of the reasons for the tougher sentence were the high number of victims -- most of them elderly -- the emotional and financial harm they endured, and the two former executives exploited their religious beliefs for many years to get them to invest.

"I thought it was a fair judgment," said Katy Moss, 81, of Scottsdale, who invested $250,000 before recouping about 53 percent of her loss in the bankruptcy proceedings.

Grabinski's father, Dale Grabinski, said his son refused to take a plea deal like five other defendants did because any admission to committing a crime would have been a lie.

The foundation, which was formed in 1948 to raise money for Baptist causes, declared bankruptcy in November 1999, owing 11,000 to 13,000 investors between $500 million to $600 million.

Investors were able to regain up to 70 percent of their money after the sale of assets and lawsuit settlements.

Prosecutor Donald Conrad said the foundation continued to seek investors even as Crotts and Grabinski knew it was sinking financially, telling them it was financially sound.

Conrad said the men misled investors by hiding the foundation's losses in associated companies.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

University doctors' offices sprouting in the northwest

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 PM | | Comments (0)
University doctors' offices sprouting in the northwest. Check it out:
(Columbia Daily Tribune (Columbia, MO) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 30--Construction is under way on a 15,000-square-foot one-level medical office building on the northwest corner of Smiley Lane and Oakland Gravel Road for a University Physicians Family Medicine Clinic slated to open in about a year.



The property is near Lange Middle School and the Springdale Estates subdivision. Bruce and Elizabeth Odle purchased the land in April from Drew Properties LLC, according to county records.

The sprouting medical complex is a project of the Odle family's Trittenbach Development LLC.

Officials at the University of Missouri-Columbia approached the Odles and pitched a deal to lease the entire building to house the clinic, Nathan Odle said. The deal is a classic win-win, he said.

"It's going to be really good for that area because it is going to be family medicine," Odle said. "It's a good use for that corner."

The Odles develop commercial and residential property and have forged a niche in medical office buildings near Columbia Regional Hospital. Construction is under way on their four-level, 60,000-square-foot 303 N. Keene St. medical building, part of their Columbia Medical Plaza.

The sprouting complex, expected to open at the end of this year, will feature covered parking, high-speed elevators, a private workout facility and outdoor patios.

GODAS GRACIOUS

Lakeview Mall, a 27,000-square-foot retail center north of Interstate 70 just off the Lake of the Woods exit, recently bagged a store expansion and a new tenant.

La Acapulquena Supermarket, which opened this month in a 1,700-square-foot leasehold, will expand 3,300 square feet to stock more goods and launch a taqueria, a small eatery for shoppers to take a break and have a snack, co-owner Brandie Garay said.

The Garay family enterprise sells fresh fruits and vegetables and canned goods. Fresh meat is coming soon. Plans for the additional space include a Mexican bread shop and a sports store specializing in soccer clothing and gear.

The expanded area is expected to open early next year.

And Chris Daly of Cape Girardeau plans to open a gardening store called Let it Grow in a 1,700-square-foot leasehold. The store will sell indoor and outdoor gardening products and supplies.

Lakeview Mall is owned by local businessman and real estate developer George Godas. Leasing agent John John of Re/Max Boone Realty said about 12,000 square feet remains available for lease.

WE'LL SEE

Here's more on what's happening along the burgeoning Range Line Street, aka Highway 763, corridor.

A Commerce Bank branch at the southeast corner of Range Line and Brown School Road is under construction and slated to open by the end of the year, said Teresa Maledy, the bank's president and market manager for the Central Missouri Region.

Across the street is a planned phase of the commercial and residential Auburn Hills development, owned by a group that includes local developer Rob Wolverton.

Last year, a local company linked with the Grindstone Parkway Wal-Mart Supercenter bought an option to buy land in the development, fueling speculation that the land would someday sprout a Supercenter. Mum is still the word on that deal.

On Brown School Road just east of Range Line, a UMB Bank branch and a 20,000-square-foot retail center is planned, or so says a sign posted on the property.

Brian Neuner, president of UMB's three Columbia branches, said it might be time to take that sign down. He said the bank has taken a "wait-and-see" attitude about the location and could end up selling its 1-acre parcel.

"We're waiting to see what's going to happen up there," Neuner said. "There are so many factors that we can't control," he said.

A PEnOS BY ANY OTHER NAME

Would you buy a house on a street named Point Penos?

That street name in the sprouting 102-lot Monterey Hills residential subdivision was changed to "San Mateo," Planning and Development Director Tim Teddy told the city's Planning and Zoning Commission last week.

The development, off Stadium Boulevard just north of Interstate 70, is named after the Monterey Bay area of California with street names that include Cannery Row Court, Spanish Bay Drive, Carmello Rock Drive and the like.

The name change notice from Teddy drew muted laughter and shoulder bobs from Commissioners David Brodsky and Glenn Rice, who likely thought the obvious -- add a Missouri drawl and the name could be trouble.

Teddy let out a polite chuckle this week when he heard about the heehaw going on over the name. Maintaining proper decorum, Teddy chose the higher ground and stuck to the official explanation: The street name was changed to avoid having two streets in the development that start with "Point."

MORE GRAF

The Mexico City Council recently approved $800,000 in Chapter 100 industrial development bonds to build a new 23,000-square-foot distribution and customer service facility for homegrown Graf & Sons, a manufacturer of reloading products and accessories for the sport shooting industry, according to a news release.

Company officials said the planned expansion, expected to open in the spring, will create 20 new jobs, or a 50 percent increase from the current payroll of 40 employees.

Bond proceeds will be used by the city to buy the land and build the facility. The company leases the property from the city, and the lease payments are used to repay the bonds.

Arnold Graf and sons Bob and Howard founded the company in 1957.

QUICKIES

Local franchise owner Mark Telken wrote to say that the name of his upcoming seafood restaurant at the Shoppes at Stadium has changed to Joey's Seafood & Grill. The restaurant is expected to open in November. Veteran local travel agent Dan Stookey has left Summit Travel and teamed up with Great Southern Tiger Travel, a subsidiary of Springfield-based Great Southern Bank that has bought two local travel agencies during the past year. Last year, Summit Travel owner Jerry Price bought Cooper Travel Service from Stookey. ... Jefferson City-based Premier Bank, founded by Bruce Wiley in 1995, has reached the $1 billion in assets milestone, according to a news release. To celebrate, the bank plans to give away a vacation to Napa Valley, Calif.

Copyright (c) 2006, Columbia Daily Tribune, Mo.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Congress repeals Wright: Love flights anywhere allowed when bill signed as early as next week

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Congress repeals Wright: Love flights anywhere allowed when bill signed as early as next week. Check it out:
(Dallas Morning News, The (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 30--WASHINGTON -- Congress approved legislation late Friday to repeal the Wright amendment, potentially resolving a decades-old battle over the role of Dallas Love Field.

The bill to phase out flight restrictions at the Dallas airport cleared the House overwhelmingly in a late-night vote before lawmakers departed for a pre-election recess.

The legislation won passage in the Senate earlier Friday after months of pressure by Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn to win over a final detractor, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

President Bush is expected to sign the measure as early as next week.

"It's a great relief to have a final solution," said Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell, whose district includes Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. "The fact that none of the parties are completely happy, and all of the parties are relieved to have it over, should be a sign that it's a good agreement."



Still, lawmakers acknowledged that the Wright battle may not be over. North Texas residents and groups that opposed the deal are expected to challenge the legislation in court.

The Wright legislation stalled this summer under criticism over its treatment of federal antitrust laws, and supporters in Congress fought hard for language to help shield the deal from a long court fight.

The legislation will repeal Wright in 2014, implementing a June agreement by the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and D/FW Airport.

It would immediately allow flights anywhere from Love Field, as long as they first stopped inside the nine-state Wright perimeter.

The agreement would also cut the number of available gates at Love from 32 to 20, part of a plan to compensate for an expected increase in noise, pollution and congestion. Nineteen gates are in use now.

On Congress' last day, the House turned out to be the greatest source of contention over repealing the Wright law.

House members planned to clear their bill under suspension of normal rules, a procedure often used for uncontroversial measures that would prevent lawmakers from offering amendments.

Suspension bills often pass without recorded votes, but objections to the Wright legislation forced proponents to corral the support of two-thirds of those present.

A heated evening debate had opponents sparring over the antitrust issue, while also arguing that residents outside the existing Wright perimeter would be saddled with higher airfares as a result of the deal.

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said the bill "will continue vestiges of the Wright amendment" until 2025, when gate arrangements expire under the deal.

In a departure from many congressional debates, supporters and opponents of the Wright agreement weren't split by party affiliation or geography.

Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, argued against a frequent ally, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, whose district includes Love Field.

Bumper sticker

Mr. Sensenbrenner, recalling the "Don't Mess with Texas" bumper stickers in the House garage, said, "Tonight is one of the nights where we ought to mess with Texas.

"This is the most anti-consumer, anti-free-enterprise bill that has come before this House in a long time," he said.

The debate on the House floor was not expected a day earlier. North Texas lawmakers positioned the legislation to allow it to pass easily.

A tougher fight had been expected in the Senate, where rules and traditions allow a single member the power to block legislation.

By early Thursday afternoon, after House members from North Texas had forged a path for their bill to reach the House floor, the pressure had grown on Ms. Hutchison and Mr. Cornyn.

Efforts in recent weeks to find language that was acceptable to Mr. Leahy and the North Texas parties had failed, even after changing the antitrust language from an explicit to implicit exemption to win over the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

Word came from the Texas senators' staffs later Thursday afternoon that Mr. Leahy could come to an agreement for bringing the Wright bill up under unanimous consent, a procedure used for noncontroversial measures.

The senators and their staffs started working on statements to be read on the Senate floor.

Ms. Hutchison reached out to House members about her progress, e-mailing and talking with Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, past midnight and into Friday morning, to ask her to wait for a Senate bill to come to the House to prevent further procedural delays.

By Friday morning, Ms. Hutchison was sitting in a cloakroom off the Senate floor working out how the bill would come up under unanimous consent.

Mr. Leahy had been pushing a wilderness bill to move under unanimous consent, a measure that largely affected Vermont and New Hampshire.

Asked later if she was holding up his bill, Ms. Hutchison smiled. "Why would someone do that?

"Let's just say that we came to an agreement to pass both bills," she said.

The bill passed the Senate in less than a minute just before 1 p.m. Dallas time.

Then Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Leahy engaged in a colloquy, a discussion on the Senate floor that allows lawmakers to share their thinking for the record.

The dialogue does not offer the force of law but gives judges an opportunity to glean congressional intent in a court challenge over the antitrust issue

"Senator Cornyn and I share a concern about providing antitrust immunity to agreements involving private parties," Mr. Leahy said. "While I would prefer greater clarity on this point in the bill, I am pleased that Senator Cornyn and I agree that this is an entirely unique situation, which should not be repeated."

Mr. Cornyn agreed that "the legislation contemplated here should not be a model for any future arrangement.

"In no way can I imagine a situation arising with a set of facts remotely similar to that created in Dallas by the passage of the Wright Amendment," he said.

Mr. Cornyn, who serves on the judiciary committee with Mr. Leahy, said later that ending the impasse was a matter of talking through the details of the Wright law and the uniqueness of the situation.

"We had to explain to him that actually this increased competition rather than decreased competition," Mr. Cornyn said. "That was one of the hard things for people to understand because of the unique nature of the Wright amendment."

Ms. Hutchison, who urged North Texas officials early in the year to come up with a solution, said the Wright legislation took "an inordinate amount of time for a bill that shouldn't have been this complicated."

"I have to say that in my 12 years in the Senate, the hardest thing that I've ever had to explain was the Wright amendment to outside people," she said.

Miller euphoric

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller was euphoric Friday afternoon. She'd feared the Senate would be the bigger obstacle.

Ms. Miller said she was confident the terms of the bill would protect Dallas from losing a court challenge, due to a dedicated North Texas delegation and attorneys who worked around the clock.

"Without the language crafted in the Senate ... we would have a huge problem," Ms. Miller said.

Friday's actions followed a nearly two-year fight over the Wright amendment and Love Field.

In November 2004, Southwest Airlines announced that it would lobby Congress to lift the flight restrictions.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, introduced legislation the following May to repeal Wright completely, spurring lawmakers nationwide to pick up the cause to win cheaper flights to and from North Texas.

But Mr. Hensarling decided not to back the compromise agreement, saying he could not support the nation's only congressional mandate on the number of gates at a local airport.

He sat quietly in the back row of the House on Friday evening to watch the debate. He planned to vote against the bill but did not fight the compromise agreement.

Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Plano, who co-sponsored the original Wright repeal legislation with Mr. Hensarling, said the compromise was "not perfect" but still an agreement worthy of support.

Staff writer Emily Ramshaw in Dallas contributed to this report.

E-mail sreddy@dallasnews.com

HOW THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT WOUND UP ON ITS FINAL DESCENT

Key events in the history of the Wright amendment:

1979

In an effort to protect a young Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from competition at Dallas Love Field, Congress approves the Wright amendment, named for U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright of Fort Worth. The law, which took effect the following year, limits flights from Love Field to airports in Texas and its adjoining four states, but allows commuter planes with 56 seats or fewer to fly farther.

1997

Congress approves the Shelby amendment, adding Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi to the Wright territory.

2000

April: Legend Airlines starts service from its own terminal at Love to Los Angeles and Washington with modified 56-seat jets. Continental Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also launch Love service.

December: Legend declares bankruptcy and stops all service. Eventually, American and Delta pull out of Love. Continental remained.

2004

September: Delta announces it will close its D/FW hub, reducing its daily schedule here from 254 nonstop flights to 21.

November: Southwest CEO Gary Kelly says the carrier considered filling some of Delta's void at D/FW, but decided against it. Instead, Mr. Kelly calls for repeal of the Wright law.

D/FW and American express strong support for continuing the Wright limits.

2005

May: U.S. Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, and Sam Johnson, R-Plano, introduce legislation in the House that would fully repeal Wright.

July: Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign introduces a similar bill in the Senate.

November: Missouri becomes the ninth state outside of Texas that can be served from Love Field, when Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., tacks his state onto the Wright perimeter in a transportation-spending bill.

December: Southwest launches new service to St. Louis and Kansas City from Love.

2006

February: Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn urge airline and government leaders in North Texas to come up with a compromise to settle the Wright fight.

March: American returns to Love, with service to St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as to Austin and San Antonio.

June: The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, along with D/FW, Southwest and American, announce a compromise that would allow for immediate through-ticketing and full repeal in 2014.

July: House and Senate committees approve legislation to enact the agreement. But a lobbying effort from the owners of the former Legend terminal, set to be demolished under the deal, draws detractors in Congress. The bills stall over antitrust exemptions.

September: The Senate approves legislation reflecting the North Texas compromise. A vote was set for late Friday in the House.

REPEALING WRIGHT

Once signed into law, legislation approved in the House and Senate on Friday would:

--Immediately allow commercial travel anywhere from Dallas Love Field if planes first stop at an airport in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma or Texas.

--Permit commercial flights to travel nonstop to any destination in the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, beginning eight years after enactment.

--Direct the city of Dallas to reduce and cap the number of gates at Love Field at no more than 20; the airport now has 32 gates, 19 of which are in use.

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research

Copyright (c) 2006, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Football: William Hill's decision to close US operation ironic

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Football: William Hill's decision to close US operation ironic. Check it out:
(The Birmingham Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Despite the advertising campaign for their self-styled 'Gods of Poker' being a bit on the naff side, I like the William Hill poker website. The company has embraced the game by offering decent sign-up bonuses and $1 million prize pools every week. It sponsors a raft of professionals, has a good online poker school and a poker show broadcast on Sky each Wednesday.



Now, William Hill are not doing all of this because they're nice guys - although I'm sure they are - the company is involved in poker and other gaming activities because it wants to make a profit. Few people would contest their absolute right to do so.

The company do not force anyone to play and take a responsible approach towards gaming, so I was disappointed when they became the umpteenth company to effectively close down their US operations earlier this week.

There is a certain irony about internet poker and other gaming activities being actively discouraged in parts of the US.

America was built on free enterprise and its citizens remain justifiably suspicious of politicians and others who pursue actions in the name of the public good. Yet the world's richest, most entrepreneuri ally-focused nation insists on trying to behave like King Canute and prevent people from playing poker and participating in other forms of online gaming.

According to Hill's head honcho, Tom Singer, the fear of arrest prompted the company's decision to abandon the US market following the arrest and subsequent release of executives at Sportingbet and Bet On Sports earlier this year. Peter Dicks, the former chairman of Sportingbet, said he suspected that arrest warrants had been issued for a number of senior executives at companies involved in online poker and gaming.

In view of this, William Hill's decision was entirely understandable. As Mr Singer said: "Why do I need to live with the risk [of arrest] as a William Hill director?" He's absolutely right, yet there is evidence to suggest that the American crackdown on internet betting is set to move up a gear.

America's anti-poker crusade is being led by prosecutors in Louisiana, one of seven states that expressly outlaws online gaming. There is speculation within the gaming industry that the state has 58 arrest warrants ready to be issued should senior executives at internet gambling firms set foot on US soil.

There is further irony in the state of Louisiana's actions. The USA remains home to the world's largest gambling centre. Las Vegas, where the World Series of Poker is contested amid every conceivable gaming activity, contributes billions of tax dollars to the federal government.

But there is an even greater irony in Louisiana law-enforcers trying to prevent people playing poker. The game is a direct descendent of a French game called Poque, a name derived from the French verb pocher, to bluff. The modern form of draw poker originated in the US during the 19th century and became popular on Mississippi steamboats leaving French-speaking New Orleans. That's right: New Orleans in the state of Louisiana.

Copyright 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd.

FOOD& DRINK: Cafe's a lifestyle choice

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:30 PM | | Comments (0)
FOOD& DRINK: Cafe's a lifestyle choice. Check it out:
(The Birmingham Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) It is a typical Kings Heath street. Rabbit hutches are piled up outside a pet shop, several sofas peek out of a furniture store and a couple are enjoying a fry up at a greasy spoon across the road.



But there is a hidden gem among these standard array of shops and it has got residents excited.

For those who have bemoaned the rise in charity shops and for the council, which is thinking up a strategy to make Kings Heath "more like Moseley" with a better class of shop, they may be pleasantly surprised that there is hope on the horizon.

Behind some smart iron gates and through a little alleyway off York Road lies Kitchen Garden Cafe - an enterprise set up by two passionate environmentalists keen to add something to this diverse community.

"People seek us out when they come in and tell us this is exactly what Kings Heath needs," says owner Brett Rehling, who gave up his job as an IT manager for Cadbury's to create this cafe and garden shop.

"Within two weeks of opening we were getting 60 to 70 covers and that was without a single bit of advertising. The great thing about Kings Heath and Moseley is that people speak to each other and our business has come from word of mouth," he adds.

Brett, who met his wife Tracey Fletcher while volunteering at Birmingham Friends of the Earth, greets me with a wide smile, keen to show off the huge renovation of this former hardware shop.

He now works at the cafe full time, with Tracey chipping in whenever possible in between working for WWF and caring for their two-year-old son, Sacha.

"This was the old hardware store," he says pointing at the shiny new kitchen where a cheery chef is busy dishing out breakfasts. "And this was an old greenhouse full of rubbish," he says as we walk among the wooden tables. "And over here was Kings Heath's former blacksmiths. When we came, it had been used as a saw mill and was knee deep in sawdust."

It is clear the couple's passion to make such a venture work is reflected in the way they have renovated this old building.

The original brick walls and Victorian windows have been restored, and blue bricks from the former blacksmith's have been used to create a Mediterranean style patio and courtyard.

Chunky wooden tables have been created from scaffolding boards and the chairs and cabinets have been bought from local auctions.

Work from local artists adorn the walls and in the corner a mum and toddler enjoy a quiet moment in the specially created children's play area.

As Brett shows off the building work, Tracey bounds in, keen to explain why the pair decided to embark on this ambitious project.

Both are so enthused, it is soon clear their business is more about creating a sustainable community than it is about making money.

"We want it to be attractive to everyone," says Tracey. "It is a cool place for young people and a nice environment for families."

"When you go to Spain you get restaurants which are like meeting places for families, there is a real mixed bunch of people," Brett chips in.

"Now we have got a child we know what people with young children want - they want to go somewhere other than a Wacky Warehouse," adds Tracey.

The pair are desperate to move away from the chunky cardigan, sandal wearing image an organic cafe might attract and hope the diverse community of Kings Heath will find something here for them.

"It would be the end of the world if the fact we were organic meant we only attracted posh, rich people," says Tracey.

"The cafe dispels two common misconceptions: first, that organic food is an exclusive, over-priced niche market' and second, that organic is boring, all lentil loaves and curd cheese. We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to experience the creativity that is possible with organic, seasonal and local food, at prices they can afford."

But the pair find it difficult to cover costs and overheads without pushing up their prices.

"We are not breaking even yet, and people seem surprised when we tell them that," Tracey explains.

"But we are confident we will get there," Brett adds, as he sets out a vision for evening events from cabaret acts to cheese and wine tasting.

"We are not in the city centre or in Brighton or London - this is Kings Heath and people are not going to spend a lot on lunch. So we have to be very resourceful," he adds.

It is 11am and the cafe is gearing up for what they hope will be a busy lunch. An aroma of tomato soup and marrow fritters flows from the kitchen while a chef's assistant slices thick chunks of fresh organic bread.

The marrow has been taken off a plant grown in the garden, where a variety of plants from olive trees to courgettes are up for sale.

"I always liked food and being a host.

"We used to have a lot of parties, and so we were used to doing it for nothing," says Brett as he explains what made him give up his job for this new competitive world of hospitality.

For Tracey, it was a desire to do more for her local community which prompted the move.

"I started working for WWF eight-and-a-half years ago, which was really fulfilling, but for the last few years it has not been enough for me - I wanted to do something really practical.

"We were doing a regional strategy for WWF, but I wanted to look at what is actually happening in the community - getting real results. I had lots of ambition to have a real sustainable community, have a central meeting point where people can come and relax."

As well as the cafe, the couple have created a small shop and deli selling local foods, such as Fowlers' cheese from Warwickshire and yoghurt from the Dairy House in Herefordshire.

There is also an array of organic veg from a Malvern farm, packs of Tyrrells Crisps, ice-cream from September Dairies in Herefordshire and Frank's hand-made biscuits, also from Herefordshire.

Tracey coaxes me into the garden shop, where everything related to organics can be found.

"I was just fed up of going into garden centres and seeing such a pathetic section on organic gardening," she says.

Everything from bird boxes to organic fertilisers can be found, with both organic and non organic plants scattered around the entrance.

"We wanted to link growing and eating organically," she says.

"We are going to have an apple day soon and next year we hope to stock lots of seeds for the allotment holders around here," she adds.

Their vision had been to find a venue where they could create a community one stop shop, a space for a creche, restaurant and, at one stage, a launderette.

To some it may seem like another, if not attractive looking, cafe. But to them it is a lifestyle they want to share with the rest of Kings Heath.

"We want it to be a community place. In some areas mums meet up in these grim community centres because there is no where else to go," says Tracey. "I hope we have created somewhere attractive for all sorts of people within the community."

Copyright 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd.

Recent IPO Filings

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Recent IPO Filings. Check it out:
(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
Filing Est. Amt
Date Company Name (Mil.)
------ ------------ --------
09/29 Altra Holdings Inc. (Quincy, MA) $172.5
Is a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a wide
range of mechanical power transmission.
09/28 Mellanox Technologies Ltd. (Yokneam, ) $86.2
Is a leading supplier of semiconductor-based, high-
performance interconnect products.
09/28 AeroVironment Inc. (Monrovia, CA) $115.0
Designs, develops, produces and supports a technologically-
advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft systems.
09/27 Switch & Data Inc. (Tampa, FL) $150.0
Is a leading provider of network neutral interconnection and
colocation services.
09/26 CVR Energy Inc. (Sugar Land, TX) $300.0
Is an independent refiner and marketer of high value
transportation fuels.
09/22 Carrols Holdings Corp. (Syracuse, NY) $210.0
Is one of the largest restaurant companies in the United
States.
09/21 NewStar Financial Inc. (Boston, MA) $100.0
Is a commercial finance company.
09/21 St. Francis Medical Technologies Inc. (Alameda, $86.2
Is a medical device company.
09/20 Paradigm Ltd. (George Town,Grand Cayman, ) $200.0
Is a leading provider of enterprise software solutions.
09/19 Danaos Corp. (Piraeus, ) $259.3
Is an international owner of containerships, chartering our
vessels to the largest liner companies.
# # #
This information is provided AS-IS, without any warranty of any kind.
IPO Monitor makes no claims concerning the accuracy or validity of the
information, and shall not be held liable for any errors, delays,
omissions or use thereof.

Copyright 2006 (c) IPO Monitor. All rights reserved.

Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:30 PM | | Comments (0)
Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'. Check it out:
(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Tokyo, Japan, Sep 29, 2006 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) --Wacoal Holdings (TSE:3591; NQ: WACLY) has published its Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended March 31, 2006. The Company reported an increase in consolidated net sales of 2.0% year on year, to JPY 164.1 billion. Operating and net income decreased due to the recording of extraordinary factors, however excluding these factors, operating income was up 57.0% year on year.



Wacoal laid the foundations for new medium-to-long-term growth through initiatives such as the transition to a holding company system and the introduction of a special voluntary retirement scheme. To raise business value by stepping up the pace of growth, the Company vigorously enhanced the operations of existing businesses, expanded its share of Japan's innerwear market, continued to rebuild and strengthen overseas operations, and developed peripheral businesses.

To download the Wacoal Holdings 2006 Annual Report, please visit the Company IR website at http://www.wacoal.co.jp/w-holdings/aboutcom_e/ir/index_e.html

Wacoal Holdings Annual Report to Shareholders, 'Transition to a Course of Growth'

Yoshikata Tsukamoto, Wacoal Representative Director, speaks about the launch of the Holding Company system, strategies for the future, corporate governance and his outlook for the Company in his 2006 Address to Shareholders.

"In October 2005, the Company changed its name from Wacoal Corp. to Wacoal Holdings Corp., which became the parent company of subsidiaries in the Wacoal Group. Under the holding company system, the roles of Wacoal Holdings and such Group operating subsidiaries as Wacoal are clearly defined. The holding company manages the Group and oversees operating subsidiaries, while the operating subsidiaries implement operations. This system enables the holding company to target growth and deploy resources on a Groupwide basis. Also, the delegation of authority and responsibility to the operating subsidiaries enhances the efficiency and dynamism of operational implementation. Moreover, because it facilitates reorganization by business type or function, the holding company system is the most suited to pursuing business tie-ups and mergers and acquisitions aimed at achieving corporate structural reform to reflect the times.

Medium-to-Long-Term Strategies

"At present, Wacoal Holdings and its operating subsidiaries are taking steps based on the Corporate Activation Project 21 (CAP21), which sets out medium-to-long-term strategies for enhancing business value. CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies) formulates new business strategies that will enable the Company to make a fresh start and step up the pace of growth. Our transition to the holding company system resulted from the implementation of one such strategy. Guided by CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies), we are reorganizing and strengthening existing businesses. Those efforts focus on rigorously heightening the efficiency of management systems and operational processes to bolster competitiveness and create an unshakable platform for growth. Further, not limiting ourselves to independent business development, we are cultivating businesses in areas that promise growth through the active pursuit of mergers and acquisitions, strategic operational tie-ups, capital tie-ups, and OEM. For example, in June 2006 the Company entered into an operational and capital tie-up with Peach John Co., Ltd., which mainly conducts mail-order sales of innerwear. Very popular among women in their teens and 20s, Peach John has grown rapidly in recent years.

The Company's overriding management goal is to benefit society at large by enabling women the world over to express their beauty. Also, in our business and management activities we seek to create value and establish a reputation befitting an international brand. Mindful of those management goals, we will implement the strategies of CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies), aiming to surpass consolidated net sales of JPY 200 billion, ROE of 6%, and an operating income margin of 9% by the year ending March 2011. To meet those targets, we will implement a strategy of actively investing in businesses to realize new operational expansion. We aim to increase sales in markets in Japan, the United States, China, and Europe. Moreover, we will mull forays into markets in new regions.

Business Review

"In fiscal 2006, consolidated net sales increased 2.0% year on year, to JPY 164.1 billion, operating income was down 88.7%, to JPY 1.3 billion, and net income decreased 58.5%, to JPY 2.8 billion. The decline in operating income was mainly due to the recording of a government subsidy of JPY 7.1 billion in the previous fiscal year and the November 2005 recording of JPY 6.9 billion associated with special retirement related expenses.

Excluding such temporary increases and decreases in income due to the recording of extraordinary factors, operating income was up 57.0% year on year. The main contributions to higher net sales came from brisk sales of Wacoal-brand Hip Walker and Wing-brand Style Up Pants. Also-a focus of our promotional efforts in winter-sales of innerwear products designed for cold weather were favorable, centered on the Kaiteki NAVI lineup, which we launched in response to the Japanese government's "Warmbiz" environmental initiative to encourage the wearing of thermal business apparel to minimize the use of heaters in winter. On the other hand, net sales growth was held back by generally sluggish sales of mainstay brassieres and continuing weak mail-order catalog sales. Overseas, business grew favorably, with the exception of operations in France, where consumer spending remained flat. Wacoal America, Inc., posted particularly strong growth, with sales up more than 15% year on year.

Corporate Governance

"The basic corporate governance policy of Wacoal Holdings is to continue heightening enterprise value by enhancing the efficiency and transparency of management from the perspective of all of the Company's stakeholders. In 2003, we established the Disclosure Committee to strengthen corporate governance and ensure the reliability of financial and other information that we issue. That committee checks the propriety of internal controls and-pursuant to Section 302 of the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act-the propriety of disclosure with respect to annual reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the accuracy of disclosed information.

In 2005, due to the discovery of potential defects in certain products sold, the Company provided replacements or refunds. In addition, there was a leakage of the personal info-rmation of certain customers of Wacoal's Internet shopping service. To restore customer confidence, we strengthened our quality control system through stringent implementation of an ISO quality management system and other measures. Further, aiming to deal with overall management risks, we changed our Crisis Management Committee to the Risk Management Committee, under which we established a subcommittee responsible for measures relating to accidents and disasters. Also, we created a system to counteract information security risks based on the establishment of a new department that is dedicated to addressing such risks.

In addition, by introducing the holding company system we clearly separated the role of the holding company, which undertakes Group management and oversees operating subsidiaries, and the role of the operating subsidiaries, which implement operations. We plan further development of systems for oversight and operational implementation.

Returns to Shareholders

"Our basic policy for returns to shareholders is to continue steady cash dividend payments, invest actively to enhance earnings and business value, and increase earnings per share. The Company intends to invest retained earnings to increase profit, raise business value, and enhance future returns to shareholders. Those activities will concentrate on the creation of new sales areas through the development of SPA shops, the development of new points of contact with customers, aggressive investment in overseas operations, and investment in new businesses.

Despite a significant decrease in earnings associated with such factors as the recording of special retirement related expenses, in the fiscal year under review we maintained cash dividends per ADR at the previous fiscal year's level of JPY 100.

Outlook

"In Japan, the women's fashion apparel industry promises robust growth as economic recovery bolsters consumer confidence. As the second year of the government's "Coolbiz" environmental initiative, 2006 will likely see stepped-up efforts to encourage the wearing of light business apparel to curb the use of air conditioners in summer. Amid those business conditions, the Company will redouble efforts to develop products that earn customer endorsement by fortifying new strategic product categories, such as Style Science lineups. At the same time, we will decisively implement measures aimed at expanding SPA operations and increasing new points of contact with customers. And, we will accelerate growth by implementing the strategies of CAP21 (Medium-to-Long-Term Growth Strategies).

In the current fiscal year, ending March 31, 2007, we project increases of 2% in consolidated net sales, to JPY 168.0 billion; 9.5 times in operating income, to JPY 12.6 billion; and 2.8 times in net income, to JPY 8.0 billion. The main factors contributing to the significant increase in operating income will be: improved return on sales through the reduction of such items as selling, general and administrative expenses; the absence of the JPY 6.9 billion special retirement related expenses, which was temporarily incurred due to the October 2005 implementation of the special voluntary retirement scheme; the absence of a JPY 0.6 billion additional retirement benefit expense that was recorded in the year under review stemming from the dissolution of Fukushima Wacoal Sewing Corp.; and lower personnel costs resulting from special voluntary retirement."

(Excerpts from the 2006 Wacoal Annual Report to Shareholders)

To download the Wacoal Holdings 2006 Annual Report, please visit the Company IR website at http://www.wacoal.co.jp/w-holdings/aboutcom_e/ir/index_e.html or the JCN Network Annual Report Gallery at http://www.japancorp.net/reports.asp

About Wacoal Corporation

Wacoal (TSE:3591; NQ: WACLY) has led the Japanese market for women's innerwear since its establishment in 1949. Still holding a dominant share of the home market, the Company is steadily growing sales in North America, Europe, and Asia. In October 2005, the Company changed its name from Wacoal Corp. to Wacoal Holdings Corp., which became the parent company of subsidiaries in the Wacoal Group. For more information, please visit www.wacoal.co.jp.

Contact:

Wacoal Holdings Corp.
Tadahiro Kondo
Tel: +81-75-682-1028
Fax: +81-75-672-3219
Email: t-kondo@wacoal.co.jp

Copyright (C) 2006 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network K.K.

**********************************************************************

As of Tuesday, 09-26-2006 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend(SM) Alert,
an automated pattern recognition system, indicated an UPTREND on
11-22-2005 for WACLY @ $68.83.

For more information on Comtex SmarTrend Alert, contact your market data
provider or go to CSTADirect.com

SmarTrend is a registered trademark of Comtex News Network, Inc.
Copyright 2004-2006 Comtex News Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fitch affirms ProCredit Bank Ukraine at 'BB-'

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Fitch affirms ProCredit Bank Ukraine at 'BB-'. Check it out:
(Interfax News Agency Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) MOSCOW. Sept 28 (Interfax) - Fitch Ratings on Thursday affirmed ProCredit Bank Ukraine's ("ProCredit Ukraine") ratings at foreign currency Issuer Default 'BB-' (BB minus), Short-term foreign currency 'B', local currency Issuer Default 'BB', Short-term local currency 'B', Individual 'D', and Support '3', the ratings agency said in a release.



The Outlooks on the Issuer Default ratings ("IDR") are Stable. The national rating is affirmed at 'AAA(ukr)'.

The IDRs, Short-term and Support ratings of ProCredit
Ukraine are
based on Fitch's view of the potential support from its
owners,particularly ProCredit Holding AG ("PCH"; rated 'BBB-' (BBB minus)), its 60% owner, in case of need. However, the 'BB-' (BB minus) Country Ceiling of Ukraine limits the extent to which support can be factored into the IDRs. The ratings also take into account PCH's centralized control and risk management and ProCredit Ukraine's high degree of integration within the ProCredit group. The Stable Outlook on ProCredit Ukraine's IDRs reflects that of Ukraine's IDRs.

Fitch notes that any movement in the Country Ceiling for Ukraine would have implications for ProCredit Ukraine's IDRs. Downward movement in the Country Ceiling would also result in a change to the bank's Support rating.

"Upside potential for the Individual rating is currently limited by ProCredit Ukraine's small size," says Tomasz Walkowicz, an analyst at Fitch's Financial Institutions Group. "A significant deterioration in asset quality, capitalization and liquidity leading to a need for support would contribute to a downgrade."

ProCredit Ukraine is the 35th largest bank by total assets in Ukraine. In addition to PCH, its other shareholders include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Western NIS Enterprise Fund (a U.S. body), which have a 20% stake each.

PCH was set up as an equity investment company in 1998 by Frankfurt-based Internationale Projekt Consult GmbH to invest in the global network of ProCredit banks, which provide financing to micro-and small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets. At end-May 2006, the group consisted of 19 banks in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa, while the group's total assets were around EUR2.5 billion. PCH is responsible for group administration, strategy, risk management controls and supervision. PCH is not regulated as a banking group, but the ProCredit banks are regulated in their home countries.

Copyright 2006 Interfax News Agency. Source: Financial Times Information Limited.

The mothers of re-invention

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:32 AM | | Comments (0)
The mothers of re-invention. Check it out:
(China Daily Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Before China started its reforms and opened up to the outside world, many foreigners had the notion that Chinese women enjoyed unprecedented independence from men and high participation in the public sphere. This liberation for women, however, worked as a double-edged sword. Very often, it forced them to juggle jobs and families with great difficulty. Things are different today in a market economy in which masculinity is measured by the amount of money a man makes. A husband's higher income has taken the pressure off many working wives. Urban Chinese women, particularly in the middle-class, now have more options on how to spend their time. Some women feel their social identity is no longer contingent on them staying in the workforce. Instead, they see family as the primary commitment, and are proud to play a supporting role to the husband. Although it is a relatively recent phenomenon, it is no longer uncommon to see a small number of "full-time wives" (quan zhi tai tai) in Chinese cities, particularly within the rich and privileged echelon. The reasons behind this new phenomenon are many and diverse. Some believe such a trend has become possible simply because a growing number of families can afford not to have two incomes. Others point out that their lifestyle and choices owe not only to the economic boom but also to increasing social stratification, with the availability of migrant and laid-off workers as home-making helpers.



Meng Baili, a manager in an IT company in Beijing, is still looking for "Mrs Right," and in the meantime has his apartment cleaned by a local Beijing woman, a former factory worker who lost her job due to enterprise restructuring. Would he want his future wife to work? Meng said he was happy either way. "She does not have to work, as my salary is good enough to support her. But if she wants to work, it's her choice. As long as she fulfils her duties as a wife, I have no objection," he said.

When asked how he preferred to see his wife spending her time, Meng replied: "She can do community or charity work or work out in the gym to stay slim and fit but she shouldn't do housework. That's the maid's job." Indeed, very few full-time wives quit jobs to do housework. Hua Ruiling is in her late 30s and has two children, 15 and 3. Her husband is a real estate developer, and the family live at an expensive address in Haidian District, Beijing. Hua employs two full-time domestic helpers; one cooks while the other works as a nanny. Hua said that her husband was often away on business, sometimes abroad, but she had her own network of friends. She attends adult education classes and yoga classes, and drives her children to school and childcare. Currently she is attending an adult education course designed for women like herself. Offered by a prestigious university at a price which labourers and migrant workers would find astronomical more than 30,000 yuan (US$3,700) for one participant the course covered a wide range of subjects including literature, history, home science, and child development.

"There is a lot of useful knowledge and information out there. I feel that I can become a more cultivated person. I also meet a lot of new friends by going to these activities," Hua said.

Pros and cons Feminists debate the pros and cons of women returning home to become full-time mothers and wives. Some see this move as socially regressive because women run the risk of losing their independence and becoming socially disempowered. Others see it as a positive change for women, as they now have the option of not working, thus having more autonomy to follow their own dreams.

"Some women decide to quit man's world so that they can pursue their own idea of work. Stopping working for money doesn't mean that they disappear from public sphere. For instance, doing volunteer work, charity work, and running parents' groups online is also an important way of making contribution to society," said Wang Gan, an anthropologist who has written extensively on the topic of work and motherhood. While some women decide to become full-time wives because they bring clout and "face" to their husband, some men consider it a status symbol to keep their wives at home. Other women have decided to leave the workforce because they see fit to adjust their priorities in the face of changed domestic circumstances. This shift tends to happen when a couple is starting a family. Jiang, who declined to give her full name, worked as an accountant in a German-owned company in Beijing but stopped working after giving birth to her son. However, she stressed this may be an interim plan and she may not want to stay away from work permanently. "I read many books on parenting, and most of them point to the importance of bringing your child up on your own instead of using a nanny, especially during the first couple of years. So for the sake of my child's future, I am happy to stop working for a year or two," Jiang said.

In spite of the glamour of the "full-time wife," to most middle-class urban women, it is more desirable to have a foot in both worlds. In constructing a profile of the archetype "Vogue" woman, Liu Dan, from Conde Nast, which produces the Chinese Vogue magazine, said: "The archetypical Vogue woman is not a full-time wife, nor is she stressed out with work. She balances work and family, successfully and effortlessly." Xia Jun, 31, HR consultant with a trans-national corporation in Beijing, had a baby boy six months ago, and is currently still on unpaid maternity leave. With the help of a full-time live-in maid, Xia divides her maternity leave between her baby and trying to finish a research project for her Master's thesis. She will go back to work in eight-months. "It never occurred to me to become a full-time mother. It's important to have my own social life, to be exposed to smart people and exciting things," Xia said.

Xia also believed it was risky for a woman to build her sense of security around a man, especially considering the growing infamy of married rich men betraying their wife and taking on lovers and mistresses. "During the last few months since I had the child and stayed at home, I noticed I have become emotionally more dependent on my husband, more demanding of his attention and understanding, and more insecure about his feelings for me," Xia said. "This is because he has a whole world outside home, and I have nothing else to talk about apart from home. When I was working, I was not like this," she said. Although pleased with the time off during her maternity leave, Xia fears she can't afford to stay away from work for too long. "Things change fast, and organizational cultures and structure changes fast too. If you don't keep up, you may not be able to cope with the change," Xia added. "In my company, organizational structures are altered every half a year. I also know that if I stay away for too long, say for two or three years, there will be new people coming in, younger and with more credentials." From what Xia can see, the full-time wife phenomenon is a symptom of a patriarchal society. "It never occurs to my husband that he could quit work and look after the child. That's almost unheard of in China. I know it's quite common with Westerners. At work, I have quite a few European female colleagues whose husbands are here to look after children. But that's almost unheard of among Chinese men," she said. Both the birth of the "full-time wife" and the emergence of the "vogue woman" have taken place in Chinese cities not in spite of, but precisely because of, growing social and economic stratification over the last couple of decades. Social stratification To be sure, urban middle-class women can afford to choose between working and not working, but they cannot do it without cheap labour provided by rural women and laid-off factory workers who work as their domestic helpers. The latter are not blessed with these options. While some women in the cities are thinking of quitting jobs or cutting down work hours to spend time with their family, more and more rural women are leaving home and their families in order to work in cities as domestic workers. Currently there are at least 200,000 domestic workers in Beijing, and another 200,000 vacancies waiting to be filled. Xie Hong is one of the thousands of women in Beijing who leave her children behind in the village in order to make money working as a baomu. A young woman from Sichuan and in her late 20s, she works as a part-time domestic cleaner. Xie said she missed her own children badly and talked to them on the phone whenever she could. "City kids are so spoilt and live like princes and princesses. Each time I look at them, especially those who are at a similar age to my own children, I get upset. I am also a mother, but why can't I cuddle my children and buy them their favourite treats every day?" Xie said. "I know I am doing this for my kids, but I am also missing out on so much by being away. Last time I went home to see my kids, they looked at me as if I was a stranger and wouldn't come close to me," Xie added, her eyes filled with tears. Because of migrant women such as Xie, and thanks to the growing trend of outsourcing domestic work in urban China, middle-class urban women across the board are increasingly able to tailor their lifestyles and work patterns to suit their individual needs, thereby freely negotiating between working and not working, between full-time and part-time work, or between working for money and working to fulfil one's dreams. For many single professional women, life without a man is just fine, as long as she has the help of a maid. Similarly, for married women, their lifestyle either as a full-time wife or professional is hardly sustainable without the availability of paid domestic work.

Copyright 2006 China Daily. Source: Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Intelligence Wire.

Live from Comdex, it's Enable

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Live from Comdex, it's Enable. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) COMDEX is the premier showcase of the latest breakthroughs and innovations in the IT marketplace. Many leading companies use COMDEX to launch their newest and next flagship products. In the IT arena, COMDEX is the place to see and be seen.



COMDEX is also where you will come in contact with the next big thing before it actually becomes the next big thing. For example, today the buzz is all about Tablet PCs. Yet, I saw the first Tablets at COMDEX two years ago. The same is true for smart phones and WIFI.

The next edition of Enable will be coming at you live from COMDEX and will let you in on the next big things. Until then, the COMDEX web site is chock full of added value and today's Enable looks at two such added value sections Research and White Papers.

Research Reports For Free

COMDEX is committed to providing the IT community with FREE quality research on the most important technology and business segments to help buyers and sellers make crucial decisions. The COMDEX Reports series includes market studies on technologies such as IT security, development environments and wireless, as well as buyer segments such as enterprise businesses and women in technology. To access the reports, just provide an email address when prompted. You should also check back often as new FREE reports are posted regularly.

The following are highlights of a few of the reports: COMDEX Report on Small Business - Home Office vs. Commercial Office Workers One of the key findings of the COMDEX Research Panel Small Business study is that small business respondents who work from home are very different from respondents who work at an office outside the home. This paper will develop an in-depth profile of these two groups and help foster an understanding of the differences between home office workers and those who work in an office outside the home.

COMDEX Report on Women Technology Buyers COMDEX, in partnership with WITI (Women In Technology International), commissioned a study on the involvement of women in purchasing technology for their businesses and organizations. This study explored the role of women in IT, technology products women purchase and the amount they are authorized to spend.

COMDEX/FORTUNE 1000 Technology Decision Maker Study The COMDEX/FORTUNE 1000 Technology Decision-Maker Survey was conducted to provide a snapshot of how technology influencers in the largest US companies feel about the economy, the prospects of a turnaround, and how the current downturn has affected budgets and decision-making processes within their companies. In addition, the study examines the importance of a range of business issues to companies today, and how these companies have fared in dealing with these important issues.

COMDEX Report on Biometrics Biometrics is one of the newest security technologies available. While clearly an immature market, biometric technologies are sure to become more widely used in the future as costs decrease and companies'

Wireless Technology: The Big Picture COMDEX panelists are involved users and evaluators of wireless technology. The COMDEX Panel survey on Wireless Technology found significant differences between how companies of different sizes are using and implementing wireless technology.

Small Business: Online vs. Non-online Businesses Among small businesses, those that consider themselves online businesses have a distinct profile from those who do not. The COMDEX Research Panel Small Business study seeks to develop a profile of online businesses and understand the key differences between online and non-online small companies.

Security Information security is one of the most important issues facing businesses today. The COMDEX Panel study on security aims to explore what security measures companies are taking and how panelists feel about the trade-off between privacy and security. This study found that while security is important to all panelists, companies of different sizes face different challenges when implementing security measures.

White Papers

COMDEX prides itself on community, content and commerce. In the White Paper section of the website you can search for in-depth information from the leading technology vendors and analyst groups. The White Papers are free, but you will have to pay for the Analyst reports.

White Paper topics include: Hardware Electronic Commerce Enterprise Applications IT Management Networking Software Development Telecommunications

Take advantage of the information provided by COMDEX. It is for the most part free and provides you with a wealth of information.

Next week we are LIVE from Las Vegas at COMDEX

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Invest In The Hiring Process

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Invest In The Hiring Process. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) As we continue with our roadmap for success, we move on to the issue of hiring employees for your new enterprise. Hiring new employees is another example of a critical situation facing startups that if not handled correctly from the onset - will probably never be rectifiable. In today's Internet paced world, time is everything. Many new companies simply do not have the time or the personnel to properly hire new employees. Yet, a proper investment of your time during the hiring process will save you a lot if time in the future, and more importantly will prevent major headaches and even catastrophes for you and your company. Today's Enable provides you with some tips that will help you hire the right person for the job. The key is to invest a little time now - to save a lot of time later on.



What Is The Cover Letter Like?

Most companies try to weed out candidates as quickly as possible. A good method for doing this is via the cover letter. Does it show that the candidate investigated the firm in any way? Are there spelling or grammar mistakes? If it was faxed, was it sent from the potential employees current place of business (check the header of the fax)? Is there some kind of a statement that stands out and demonstrates that this candidate is serious? Is the cover letter a little too haughty? No cover letter at all could be an indication of either laziness or lack of experience. A very well done, professional cover letter is an excellent indication that the candidate is serious.

Resumes Are Sometimes Wish Lists

It is very easy for almost anyone to put together an impressive looking resume. As you review a potential employee's resume, take nothing for granted. You must check each and every "fact" very carefully because many items may be exaggerated or even a figment of the potential employees imagination. A friend of mine once told me that his rule for drafting a resume was - "if it could have been true, I put it in."

Check References!!

One of the most important, yet often ignored ways of insuring that you hire the best person for the job is to check their references. Use the telephone and email to contact each and every reference and try to learn as much as you can about the prospective employee. Other than simply checking to make sure everything on the resume is true, you should also ask questions like: What is the candidate's greatest asset? How did the candidate add value to the company? How did the candidate interact with co-workers? Is there anything negative you can say about the candidate? Why did the candidate leave?

The most important question you must ask is: "Can you give me names of other people at your company, or outside of the company (like clients or suppliers), whom I can speak with?". This will help you learn more and will enable you to deal with "cherry picked" references.

The Turndown - Be Professional

It is highly professional to send out "rejection" letters to all candidates that sent you their resumes. Most companies, especially those in Israel fail to do this. Business is all marketing. The candidates that you have decided not to hire - for whatever reason will all most likely find jobs at other companies in your industry. Do not use obvious form letters and the like. If you do not have time for a professional letter, at least send an email. Israel is a very small country, and your paths will cross with many of the candidates. Your reputation is very important and a professional turndown can pay off in the future.

Next week we will deal with executive search firms and with using the Internet to find potential employees.

Published by Israel's Business Arena on January 10, 2000.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Those Who Do - Should Teach

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Those Who Do - Should Teach. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) When I was in law school, my favorite courses were taught by lawyers who were not professors but who simply like to teach. They typically taught at night and most of the time gave us all kinds of war stories. They lived it and were giving us real examples from the real world. They talked about everything we wanted to do - and they were doing it!



Today's Enable incorporates this concept via Joe Hadzima, a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Director and General Counsel to the MIT Enterprise Forum, Inc., and Managing Director of Main Street Partners LLC, a venture investing and technology commercialization firm located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is a former partner and founder of the High Tech/ New Ventures Group and Sullivan & Worcester LLP, a major Boston-based law firm.

Hadzima writes a column called Starting Up for the Boston Business Journal. The column is written about real life problems and experiences faced by new and emerging companies in the New England area - but the topics covered are relevant to startups around the globe. The column, like my favorite law school professors, provides practical information to entrepreneurs.

Enable has reviewed the column, including the archives. Today we'll see how Hadzima deals with a crucial issue - the Board of Directors.

Don't Bore the Board of Directors - How To Use A Board Effectively tells you how to get the most out of your Board and how to ensure you don't waste their time. The ins and outs include:

Board Size Size and the resulting group dynamics will dictate much of how you deal with the Board. Most entrepreneurial private companies have Boards comprised of 3 to 5 Directors. Some have advisory boards (e.g. a Science Advisory Board) which are larger but the legal Board usually does not exceed 5 in number and rarely is greater than 7. Larger public companies usually have larger Boards, partly because of the need to have specialized committees (e.g., Audit Committee, Compensation Committee).

Outside of the Board Meeting In recruiting a Director you should have worked out the Director's level of activity and attention both in terms of the number of Board Meetings expected and, if the "job description" includes it, interactions outside of the Board room. These outside interactions with individual Directors are your opportunity to obtain individual advice and assistance. Establish a format which works for the individual Director and for you- a weekly breakfast, a monthly lunch, twice a week telephone call, frequent email, a tennis match followed by a half hour discussion by the juice bar-whatever works.

The Board Meeting The strength of the Board of Directors system comes from the collective action of experienced and informed people. It follows that the Board Meeting has to be a combination of information transfer processes and resulting decision making. Board Meetings rarely last all day unless some major event is being considered such as an acquisition. For a normal Board Meeting plan on a minimum of 12 to 2 hours, more typically 3 to 4 hours.

Information Because time is limited, you should "offload" as much of the background information transfer process as possible so that the Meeting can focus more on decision making. The "Board Package" is the main method of off-line information transfer and should be distributed to the Board with enough time for the Directors to be able to read and digest the material but not so far in advance that the information is out of date. Plan on getting the materials to the Directors about 3 days before the Meeting. A typical package will contain the following: An Agenda, Draft Minutes of the Last Meeting, Financial Reports with Management Commentary, Other Relevant Information. Be sure to keep the Directors informed of general developments between meetings- e.g., include the Directors on press release lists, product mailings etc. It can be very annoying to a Director to find out something about the Company from a source outside of the Company.

Knowledge@Wharton Revisited

As promised, we now return to Knowledge@Wharton to finish our overview of this excellent site. As mentioned last week, this is an online resource that offers the latest business insights, information and research from a variety of sources, including an in-depth searchable database.

In completing our look at this site, we move to the section entitled: Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Here, you will find an excellent piece called Uncertainty, Technological Turbulence, Competition - What's a Manager to Do? Thrive on It, that teaches the concept of "habitual entrepreneurs." Habitual entrepreneurs have made careers out of starting businesses either within existing firms or independently. You will learn that they passionately seek new opportunities and pursue them with enormous discipline. Furthermore, they pursue only the best opportunities, and avoid exhausting themselves and their organizations by chasing every option. They focus on execution and change direction if necessary. And they engage the energies of everyone who works with them. You will also be provided with a detailed plan, based on these qualities, for you to apply to your own company.

In the same section you will also find an article entitled: Mercenaries vs. Missionaries: John Doerr Sees Two Kinds of Internet Entrepreneurs. John Doerr is a legend in the venture capital industry and you should pay very close attention to what he has to stay.

Doerr believes that as the new economy develops, several trends are emerging. Among his forecasts for the future: IP, or internet protocol, will be as important as the car or television. The web will become the standard communications platform in healthcare. Charter schools, and educational portals for the home and school, will transform education. Bandwidth will be crucial. Despite current skepticism about business-to-consumer e-commerce, it will remain a big trend, as will business-to-business e-commerce. Wireless information appliances will be big in the future. "That's how a billion Chinese will get onto the Internet," Doerr says. Genomics will be "fabulous" after 2005, as the human genome is fully mapped.

Doerr also predicts that the Internet will evolve into what he calls "the Evernet," which is "always on, high speed, ubiquitous and available in multiple formats." These formats will include a "voiceweb" for voice communications, a "handweb" for hand-held devices, a "PC web" for PCs, a "videoweb" for video and an "e-web" in which machines will communicate with machines. These changes will consolidate the foundations of the new economy.

Read the entire section and learn from one of the leading venture capitalist in Silicon Valley.

Published by Israel's Business Arena on September 26, 2000.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Wireless For Everyone

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Wireless For Everyone. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) As we continue our focus on added value wireless related sites, Enable takes a look at www.wirelessdata.org. This site has something for everyone - from novice to expert.

Beginners will benefit from the site's wireless data primer. Developers will glean a lot of value from the developers green house section, and virtually anyone interested in the industry will be able to benefit from the free market research available on the site.



These and other features are described in detail below. This description is followed by a brief look at the organization behind the site - The Wireless Data Forum.

Wireless Data Primer

The last twenty years have seen an explosion in wireless communications and computer technology. The last five years have seen the explosion of the Internet. Standing at the center of this convergence is the wireless data industry. The primer provides a general overview of the industry and its key components.

The primer is in beta version, and is still not searchable. When I used it, the primer was bug free. However, be aware that some of the information is not exactly up to date.

Developers Greenhouse

This section is for those that want to join the Wireless Revolution. It provides a slew of resources to help you successfully develop applications for Wireless Data. This includes: Ardis Wireless Software Developers Program CDMA Online GSM World, the web home of the GSM Association, features the GSM Data Window. The RIM Developer Zone Sierra Wireless Developers Toolkit WAP Forum (Wireless Application Protocol) WAP.NET Wireless Developer Wireless Developer Network

Market Research

In the section called Market Index, you can look up over 100 reports, forecasts, and articles about Wireless Data. You can search by categories like new applications, international, enterprise, or consumer - or simply by keyword.

You only receive short blurbs, but the information contained in the blurb provides you with enough background to get a general idea of the particular market, product, etc, that you searched for.

For example, when I searched the word "palm", the following (among others) came up:

"Future of Palm VII dim. [6/9/99]"

"Analysts at the Wheaton, Md.-based consultancy Herschel Shosteck Associates aren't so sure and say the future is not bright for Palm VII. They predict sales of 100,000 units in the first year, a mere fraction of the projected 3.9 million personal digital assistants that will be sold in the United..."

"IBM Makes Wireless Deal; Suggested: Wireless devices to outnumber PCs on Internet, IBM expects [1/24/00]"

"IBM will design, build and run a global wireless Internet portal for Vodafone AirTouch PLC, the world's largest mobile phone operator, the companies announced earlier this month. The portal, which will be launched in July in Europe, North America and Australia, is based on software from..."

When I clicked on the above link, this is what I got:

"Summary: IBM will design, build and run a global wireless Internet portal for Vodafone AirTouch PLC, the world's largest mobile phone operator, the companies announced earlier this month. The portal, which will be launched in July in Europe, North America and Australia, is based on software from the Sun-Netscape Alliance and InfoSpace.com Inc. It will give users of mobile phone and handheld devices from Nokia Corp., Ericsson Inc. and Palm Computing Inc. access to messaging and calendaring functions, in addition to travel information and financial services."

The Wireless Data Forum

The Wireless Data Forum is a new organization with a new focus. Dedicated to publicizing successful wireless data applications and customer communities, the WDF is composed of network service providers, wireless device and infrastructure equipment manufacturers and vendors, computer software and hardware developers, and information services content providers. New members are actively being recruited from the wireless telecommunications, mobile computing, and Internet industries. The Wireless Data Forum's leadership is committed to being an industry-building mechanism. The Wireless Data Forum's work will focus on consensus building and promoting the entire wireless data industry.

It seems that the Forum means well and its current site does provide added value. Enable will continue to check on any updates and will keep you posted on the progress of this site, especially the Primer.

Published by Israel's Business Arena on June 20, 2000.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

A Developer's Dream

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
A Developer's Dream. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Today's Enable is dedicated to developers. You guys and gals don't get the credit you deserve and are typically blamed for product bugs and problems. Are these product faults really your fault?



You are being pushed from all sides. You need prototypes, beta sites, etc. Your marketing "friends" are pushing you to get the product to market in record time. You feel the pressure every day - but where can you turn for help? Can the Internet help you like it seems to be helping everyone else?

If you are a wireless developer, you're in luck. AnywhereYouGo.com provides you with online tools and other information to help you develop applications that work without bugs and other problems - fast.

The solutions AnywhereYouGo.com provides are crucial because, according to the IGI group, by the year 2003 more people will access the Internet via a mobile phone than via PC. This will drive mobile e-commerce, which Strategy Analytics forecasts will reach a total 14 billion transactions in 2005 for a total market of $200 billion. The challenge is for today's wireless developers to build applications for multiple technologies, devices, and country standards.

AnywhereYouGo.com is the largest independent community of wireless application developers. The AnywhereYouGo.com web site provides industry and product news, developer tools and resources, industry reports, online application testing, directories of developers and applications, training and tutorials, and discussion groups covering wireless application development:

The entire site is excellent - especially the newsletters which I subscribe to personally. But today is dedicated to developers only, and as such Enable only focuses on the developer tools and application testing sections.

Five Steps To WAP Development

Anywhereyougo.com provides developers with a five step process for WAP development.

The steps are summarized below: Step 1 - Understand WAP: Step 2 - Get The Tools You Need Step 3 - Write Your First Application Step 4 - Write advanced applications Step 5 - Test Your Application

Online WAP Testing Tool

This section is specifically designed to ensure that your WAP users seeing the application you wrote, the way you intended. You can test your existing WAP applications using the online utility for code errors, common mistakes, and valid links.

You can choose from the following tests to run against your site: Check the document's content type header Validate the document against the DTD declared in it Check the document for formatting tags that are not commonly supported Check the compiled size of the document Follow links that lead off of your site to other sites?

Developer's Notebook

The site also has a very detailed developer's notebook which contains articles submitted by members of the community - people who are working in the trenches to make wireless work around the world.

Some sample articles include:

Real-Time Debugging Highly Integrated Embedded Wireless Devices by David Ruimy Gonzales In this installment of the Developer's Notebook, Motorola's David Gonzales examines the trend toward reducing the number of components in these systems as it relates to cost, overall power consumption and manufacturing complexity.

Dual Core Architecture for Cellular Handsets by David Ruimy Gonzales The exponential growth of the wireless communications industry has created a multitude of new products with advanced features that allow users to stay in touch with every aspect of their lives wherever they may be. These new products are quite diverse, require more system performance with no exceptions to power conservation and have short product life cycles.

Introduction to Location Services and Location-Based Services by John Davies AnywhereYouGo.com community member John Davies provides part one in a three-part series on location and location-based services.

Seven Steps to Success in the Mobile Wireless Enterprise by Tanya Candia In a Developer's Notebook white paper, F-Secure VP Tanya Candia explains why companies who are looking to make it in the m-commerce space have to make changes in the way they do business.

All of the above are only brief highlights of what the site has to offer. Take the time to go to AnywhereYouGo.com and check it out thoroughly. Enable guarantees that you will return - again and again.

Published by Israel's Business Arena on September 5, 2000.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Now is a good time to "Buy"

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Now is a good time to "Buy". Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) We have ample experience in the local stock market and listen carefully to the opinions of local analysts. We don't doubt that foreign investment banking firms may have superior analyst abilities. However, their direct contacts with the managements of local companies are minimal. The local analyst may find that he knows several heads of companies as they are his buddies in his reserve unit. The local grapevine is an invaluable supply of information. Some even went to school together.



The local daily press, available in English, is a good source of information. The daily newspapers have Internet web sites that publish the most important news that appears in the printed newspaper.

We believe that now is a good time to invest in Israel and would like to review various avenues open to the investor.

The Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange has several hundred securities listed for trading. The Exchange has a web site (http://www.tase.co.il); prices are posted daily and in near-real time. We favor companies whose activities are international and whose products are internationally recognized.

Most Israel interested investors have heard off Check Point, Converse and Teva but how many know about Aladdin? Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALDN) is recognized as the worldwide leader in Software Digital Rights Management (DRM) and USB-based authentication solutions. The company, is an innovator in enterprise secure content management (Enterprise Security). Its shares are traded on Nasdaq and the company has just reported record quarterly earnings of $3.59 million for the second quarter. This represents a 73.4 percent growth year-over-year and revenues of $20.06 million, representing 21.4 percent growth year-over-year.

AudioCodes Ltd. (Nasdaq: AUDC:) whose shares are traded on Nasdaq, designs, develops, and markets enabling technologies and system products for the transmission of voice, data, and fax over packet networks. The company's products are unique and its sales are growing as the Voice over the Internet. However, it should be kept in mind that AudioCodes sales are only at the $100m. level and profits are under 3%. The shares are favorably priced at $10 and appear to have good support at that level and upside potential. In the second quarter revenues Increase to $28.5 Million, Up 6% Sequentially and 49% year-over-year. Net Income was$3.1m, or $0.07 per share.

Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA) is a vertically integrated company primarily engaged in the geothermal and recovered energy power business. It designs, develops, builds, owns and operates geothermal power plants. Additionally, the company designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and recovered energy power units and provides related services. More than 70 patents cover Ormat products and systems. Ormat currently has operations in the United States, Israel, the Philippines, Guatemala, Kenya, and Nicaragua. The company was founded by the Bronickis, husband and wife, and has been managed by them since its inception in 1965.

NICE-Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: NICE; TASE:NICE) is a vehicle that enables the investor to participate in the burgeoning security industry. NICE Systems (NASDAQ: NICE) headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel, is a leader of multimedia digital recording solutions, applications and related professional services for business interaction management. NICE products and solutions are used in contact centers, trading floors, air traffic control (ATC) sites, CCTV (closed circuit television) security installations and government markets.

NICE's subsidiaries and local offices are based in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Hong Kong. The company operates in more than 100 countries through a network of partners and distributors.

Other interesting companies, worthy of investment consideration, include CheckPoint (CHKP: Nasdaq) leader in computer protection software, Comverse (CMVT: Nasdaq) messaging, Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA:Nasdaq), world's largest generic drug manufacturer and Retalix (RTLX: Nasdaq) computerization at the check out counter.

None of the companies described above are "cheap". Most have p/e ratios of more than 30. However, they are in active in highly exciting technology fields. We were not able to pinpoint neither any biotechnology companies nor those in the medical instrumentation field. Most of the participants in these industries are young companies that have as yet to prove their investment worthiness.

For investors who are prepared to undertake the risks in private equity there are venture capital funds that are prepared to accept investments of $100,000 or more. However, for the greater part, and partially due to the dot.com debacle these have not, for the greater part, outstanding track records.

We believe that a portfolio of the above-described companies would yield above average results.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on October 6, 2005

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Israeli VCs miss the mark

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Israeli VCs miss the mark. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Venture capital provides a source of funds through investment, usually for companies or projects that are un the start-up or at a very early stage of product development. These projects and organizations generally would not attract sources of finance such as loans and could not raise money in the major public stock markets.



The role of venture capital in enterprise development in developing countries is critical. The collateral of emerging enterprises is not incorporated in fixed tangible assets like plant and machinery, but more on elements like market access, human capital, intellectual property and goodwill. Manpower and financial needs in new companies are generally focused on research, development and introduction of a product into the marketplace, production and manufacturing. This results in initial low or negative cash flows and the need to finance these companies rests on potential future earnings rather than current profits. These factors make it difficult for new and emerging companies to obtain traditional financing.

We believe that in the area of financing start-ups the Israeli venture capital industry is lagging sadly behind its overseas counterparts. According to a recent IVC Center Research report Israeli venture capital companies thirteen seed companies attracted $34 million, 10 percent of the total amount raised in Q3. During the first three quarters of the year, seed companies attracted eight percent of the total funds, compared with six percent in Q1-Q3 2004.

By contrast American seed and early stage companies accounted for 36.8% of all companies funded in the second quarter, according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers/Thomson Venture Economics/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree Survey. These figure indicate that the Israeli venture capital financing industry is far from being venturesome and that it underperforms in the area, which is basic to its tenets. There is a yawning chasm between its funding of local start ups as compared with the American industry.

Notwithstanding the industry has badgered the Government for preferential conditions for foreign investors. Perhaps most damning are the poor returns that the industry provides for its investors. Many of the venture capital companies are still stuck with the unprofitable investments from the dot.com era. Had the rate of investments in start ups been higher in previous years we would see a parade of initial public offerings in a period when the stock markets are absorbing them so successfully.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 15, 2006

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

When money grew on trees

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
When money grew on trees. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Bonsai growing is the art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape by growing, pruning and training them in containers. True Bonsai take years to grow... and are usually priced accordingly, and there's the rub.



Israelis by nature are impatient, and it would never occur to them to initiate an enterprise that might take several years before achieving a saleable product. They love flowers, and will travel to greenhouses to buy flowers and seedlings for their gardens.

The Israeli bonsai industry (and mind you, at one time there was a bonsai industry in this country), is now defunct. I remember seeing no fewer than one million bonsai plants in various forms and shapes, sitting neatly on shelves at a growing area just outside of Tel-Aviv.

Their elegant shapes were beautiful. They were being prepared for shipment to Britain to be sold at Marks & Spencer. No further proof of the industry's existence was needed.

The origin of the Israeli bonsai industry goes back to the period when a demobbed Israeli soldier decided to take a post army service trip to the Far East. In Japan he worked at various jobs, mostly physical labor. His life took a major turn when he came across a bonsai farm. The one time soldier was taken back to his childhood days when he lived on a kibbutz farm. He loved trees and flowers. By then he knew some Japanese and asked whether he could be hired. It was there that he learned the art of bonsai growing. He also fell in love with a Japanese girl who agreed to move with him to Israel.

Back in Israel, a friend, on hearing the story, and having some idea of the value of bonsais, suggested that they establish a bonsai growing farm.

It was a miracle of modern Israel. The seedlings grew to bonsai plants in a matter of weeks. Father time had been conquered and only a few insiders knew how it was done. The shaping, the twisting of the roots were done quite openly in the daytime. However, only a few were aware that the Israelis were taking advantage of modern science and technology to enhance the growing progress.

The height of a bonsai plant can range from six inches to approximately 36 inches. To reach the appropriate size in record time, the grower turned to the Agricultural Research Institute of a major Israel university. They were happy to comply and told him which accelerator he must spray on the seedling to set it on its way to adulthood. But that was not all. When the plant reached its desired height, the growing process had to be arrested. The scientists at the Agricultural Research Institute were happy to comply. They supplied a growth retardant and with the help of these two substances one million bonsai came into being in record time

However, the business partner of the enterprise walked away with a major money investment, spelling the death of the bonsai enterprise.

What further proof was needed to show how modern agricultural science with its accelerators and growth suppressants could help Mother Nature and enhance the ancient art of bonsai growing?

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 28, 2006

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

A shortcut to insight

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
A shortcut to insight. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) A new trend among informative websites: less is more. This is a welcome change from the early days of the Internet where every site wanted to be the next Amazon.com and tried to provide as much information on a particular subject as their website could hold. I for one stop going to sites where I was inundated with way too much information. I now look for sites that provide quality - not simply quantity.



Today's Enable looks at such a site. It is called CIObriefcase and it provides CIOs as well as businesspersons with valuable information in a short and sweet format. While the site stresses topics for CIOs, it is worth it for anyone in business to check this site out. As demonstrated by the examples below, you will not have to spend a lot of time to glean critical information.

What's Hot

The site begins with a section called what's hot. Currently you will see three topics:

Security: Shared knowledge is key to security success Outsourcing: Five classic outsourcing blunders Systems Integration: The hidden costs of data integration

The key feature here is that you simply choose a topic and then you only get the five most valuable news stories, white papers and peer discussion groups for that topic. You probably do not need any more information on the particular topic and if you are a typical business person - you definitely do not have time to read more.

The site is your filter - choosing the most relevant information for you.

In Depth Archive

Another nice feature of the site is its archive. Here you will find new stories and white papers on topics ranging from Security, Outsourcing and Systems Integration to Web Services, CRM and Storage Area Management.

Click on any of the topics and you are provided with links to five news stories and five white papers on the particular topic.

I did a search of Business Continuity and came up with the following stories and white papers:

Stories

The ABCs of disaster recovery Security enters disaster-recovery maze Sept. 11 attacks prompt decentralization moves Skilled for business continuity

White Papers

A guide to business continuity planning: Protection and recovery services Netsourcing: There's no upside to downtime Cyberterrorism: Take effective action while you still can Business continuity for today's manufacturing enterprise Ensuring e-business continuity for financial services

Take advantage of CIObriefcase's brevity - it saves you time by providing your with short and sweet information in areas critical to your ongoing success.

Published by Israel's Business Arena on 26 March 2002

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

How Israeli High-Tech Happened

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
How Israeli High-Tech Happened. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Israel became a high-tech hothouse because she had to. True, she enjoys favorable conditions for the growth of high-tech industries; chief among them, well-educated, inventive, enterprising people. Relative to the size of her population, Israel has more engineers, and sees more scientific articles published, than any other country in the world (Israel has 135 engineers per 10,000 people; the US has 85). However, the stimulus for the industry's growth has been national survival, both military and economic.



David among Goliaths

As a small country in a hostile neighborhood, Israel must strive to maintain a qualitative military edge over her potential enemies. Experience in a series of wars has taught Israel that she needs to develop that edge independently as far as she can. In large part, Israel's high-tech industries are a spin-off from that process.

Israel fought the 1967 Six Day War largely with French weaponry. When President de Gaulle imposed an arms embargo after that war, Israel turned to the United States, and to herself. The commercial consequences can be seen today. Blades Technology, for example, a company originally set up to manufacture engine parts for the Israel Air Force's Mirage aircraft, now has annual sales of $90 million, and joint ventures with Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce.

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel was surprised by the technological capabilities of her enemies, and also experienced difficulty in obtaining vital materiel from her foreign suppliers, spurring efforts for technological supremacy and self-sufficiency. The Kfir jet fighter, based on the French mirage, was one of the first large-scale projects in this effort.

Lavi grounded, high tech takes off

The effort for military self-sufficiency reached its limits in the 1980s, when Israel tried to develop the Lavi jet fighter. The cost proved beyond her and the project was abandoned, but this meant that, in the mid-eighties, hundreds of engineers with experience at the cutting edge ofaerodynamics, avionics, computers and electronics were released onto the market. The Lavi project's demise has been described as one of the greatest ever boosts to Israeli high-tech industry.

Since the Lavi, Israeli defense industries have focused more on components, electronics, avionics and other systems that are installed on American or other platforms. Israel has arranged many reciprocal procurement agreements with leading aerospace and military manufacturers, which help sustain high-tech industries. The development of these auxiliary systems has also given Israeli high-tech industries an edge in civilian spin-offs in security, electronics, computers, software and the burgeoning Internet sectors.

Into space

The military imperative has not disappeared. Even in the era of the peace process, Israel must keep up her guard. In response to the Iraqi Scuds that hit Tel Aviv in the 1991 Gulf War Israel began development of the Arrow anti-missile missile. The Arrow program began as part of the US SDI (Star Wars) program, requiring considerable advances in electronics, computers and ballistics. The Arrow will soon be ready for operational deployment. In general, the search for better systems in the areas of weapons, intelligence gathering, and command and control, goes on apace.

In the 1990s, Israel became only the eighth country in the world to develop and launch satellites, beginning with the Amos civilian communications satellite, followed by the Ofek military satellites and the Eros civilian photo-reconnaissance satellite. Israel now partners with NASA, the ESA and the Russian space program, building component and complete satellites for scientific and civilian uses.

In 2002, two of Israel's six largest industrial companies by turnover were high-tech companies: Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), Intel Electronics, as well as pharmaceutical company Teva (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE:TEVA). The largest exporters in terms of sales included high-tech companies Teva, IAI, Intel Electronics, and Vishay Intertechnology (Israel), with over $1 billion in exports each.

Economic imperative

In part, the economic necessity derives from the military one. Israel's defense budget is inadequate for her to maintain her military advantage. One solution is export. Israel is both a highly successful defense and civilian high-tech exporter.

However, the global defense market is shrinking. Civilian applications of the skills in software, communications, imaging, process control, etc., derived from military industries, have therefore become increasingly important. For example, the need for better night-vision equipment led to local engineers becoming trained in the field of image processing, and to the establishment of two trailblazing Israeli high-tech companies: Scitex (Nasdaq: SCIX; TASE:SCIX), and Elscint. Because Israel is such a small market, export is essential for civilian products too, providing a further incentive to maintain technological excellence, particularly in certain niche markets - network security, for example, where Check Point (Nasdaq: CHKP) is a world leader; Mercury Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq: MERQ) is a leader in enterprise testing and performance management solutions; and Amdocs (NYSE: DOX) is a leader in customer relations management, billing and order management solutions.

Pharmaceuticals

In the 1990s, pharmaceuticals and medical devices became a rising high-tech sector. Teva has become a leading global generic drug maker, followed by Taro Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TARO) and Agis Industries (TASE:AGIS). Medical device company Given Imaging (Nasdaq: GIVN) and biopharmaceutical companies such as Savient Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:SVNT) are becoming prominent players, listed on Nasdaq and European bourses.

Immigration

The wave of immigration from the countries of the former Soviet Union in the 1990s provided an influx of skilled scientists and engineers. The government's technology incubator program was largely a response to the need to provide these newcomers with employment, and harness their talents to the needs of industry. The immigrants helped fuel Israel's phenomenal growth rate between 1991 and 1994, and helped man the high-tech boom after 1998. In the late 1990s, Israeli high-tech began suffering from a shortage of skilled manpower. The government and industry have been expanding educational and vocational programs to meet the demand. The high-tech slump since late 2000 has slowed demand for trained personnel, but not ended the shortage altogether.

Liberalization

Israel has few natural resources. The aspiration of her population for a Western standard of living can only be satisfied through integration into the global market. Israel's transition from a State-dominated, centralized, protectionist economy to a free market means that traditional industries such as textiles are disappearing, losing out to low-cost overseas competition. How far and how fast this transition should go is a matter of debate, but there is no doubt that high-tech, where Israel enjoys a relative advantage, will be a mainstay of Israel's economic future. As Israel's economy restructures from traditional industries for the local market to export-oriented high-tech, high-tech exports as a percentage of total exports has been steadily increasing, rising from 45% in 1995 to 57% in 2000.

Exports of electronics communications components, electronic components, medical equipment and software and IT products soared to over $13 billion 2000. Although the onset of the high-tech crisis in late 2000 caused a sharp contraction in exports and production,electronics, communications, monitoring and control equipment, and avionics are still key exports. Pharmaceuticals and medical devices and equipment are also becoming increasingly important. High-tech is still the key growth engine for the Israeli economy and a mark of its integration into the global economy.

Foreign investment

An important aspect of Israel's integration into the world economy has been increasing inward investment, particularly in the high-tech industry. Companies like Cisco Systems, Motorola, Intel, IBM, Nortel, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Deutsche Telekom, aviation and space companies, to mention just a few, have recognized that Israel is a fount of high-tech innovation they cannot afford to ignore. They have set up subsidiaries and research centers here, invested in Israeli companies, technology incubators, and venture capital funds, or found Israeli strategic partners.

Annual foreign investment in Israel grew from $400 million in 1992, to peak at $5.0 billion in 2000. Foreign investment subsequently contracted, due to the high-tech crisis, the global economic slowdown and political tensions in the Middle East, but is still substantial. Foreign venture capital investment grew apace, rising from $587 million in 1998, peaking at $3.1 billion in 2000, before falling to $982 million in 2002, still higher than the level of five years previously. Investment by Israeli venture capital funds followed the same pattern: peaking at $1.27 billion in 2000, but totaling only $481 million in 2002, including $62 million in foreign companies. (Sources: MonetyTree and IVC). The Bank of Israel reported that total foreign investment in Israel amounted to $2.6 billion in 2002, including $1.2 billion in direct foreign investment.

Start-up country

With 3,000 start-ups, the Global Competitiveness Report 2000 ranked Israel second behind the US in the number of start-ups and first relative to population. The weight of start-ups of GDP was 3% in 2000, compared with 0.4% in 1997. The comparable figures for the US was 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively. Israel was was highly ranked in terms of the number of engineers and education, but poorly in terms of physical infrastructure, a situation the government is trying to remedy.

Israel was ranked second in civilian R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, rising from 2.7% in 1994 to 4.2% in 1999. Total R&D expenditure in 2000 was $4.2 billion and NIS 23.9 billion in 2001. State expenditure on civilian R&D has been rising faster than GDP through the 1990s, mostly being invested in high-tech, but also agriculture, manufacturing and biotechnology.

Next steps

In any discussion of the future of Israeli high-tech, the following points tend to emerge:

The limiting factor on the sector's growth is a shortage of engineers and managers. Although training programs at universities, colleges and government and industry sponsored retraining courses have been expanding, plus attempts to expand the labor pool by tapping haredi (ultra-orthodox) and other communities, demand continues to outstrip supply, even in the wake of the cutbacks due to the high-tech crisis since mid-2000. Demand to allow the entry of foreign skilled engineers and programmers for the high-tech sector have abated, the issue may re-emerge when the industry recovers and if the Israeli labor pool remains insufficient.

The industry needs to consolidate through company mergers.

The government's role needs to be reviewed. Many argue that government support for civilian R&D is not sufficiently discriminating, resulting in financial and human resources becoming too thinly spread.

Tax reform to ease mergers and acquisitions, better reward employees, and encourage foreign investment. Although progress has been made on these issues, stumbling blocks remain.

New directions: Biotechnology and medical devices are seen as coming fields. While Israel is well placed to exploit it, with outstanding life sciences and medical research institutions, this will mean a departure from the military-industrial symbiosis which has done so much to sustain high-tech development up to now. Nevertheless, Israel has a number of outstanding and growing start-ups and companies in these fields, including many new listings on Nasdaq and European exchanges. Israel is ranked third in the world in biotechnology start-ups.

In 2000 there were 160 biotechnology and 400 medical device companies in Israel, compared with 25 in 1988, employing 4,000 people and generating $800 million in turnover. 20 companies are publicly traded, half in the US and half in Europe. Investment in biotechnology has been growing steadily, reaching totaled $1.7 billion in 2000, including about $200 million in venture capital. There are 15 life sciences venture capital funds operating in Israel.

Some figures

In 2000, exports of high-tech products accounted for 55% of all exports, up from 23% in 1991. Exports of electronics communications components, electronic components, medical equipment and software and IT products peaked at over $13 billion, before the onset of the high-tech crisis in late 2000 caused a sharp contraction in exports and production.

In 2000, 195,000 people were employed in the various high-tech sectors, compared with 148,870 people a decade earlier. Demand for engineers and technicians is estimated at 2,000-3,000 a year. The various academic institutions currently supply 1,000-1,300.

National expenditure on civilian R&D amounted to NIS 23.9 billion (over $5 billion) in 2001, 4.2% of GDP. Spending on civilian R&D has remained stable despite the recession since 2000, although the focus on research has been shifting from Internet and software to new fields such as biotechnology, nanotechnology. Chemical and chemical products, electronic components, communications components, supervision, monitoring, and medical equipment accounted for 87% of industrial R&D expenditure in 2001.

Israel issues the largest number of companies in the US after the US itself and Canada. According to the Bank of Israel, investment by foreign residents totaled $9.4 billion in 2000, up from $3 billion in 1995. Israeli companies raised $4.2 billion overseas in 2000, mostly on Nasdaq, but also including $800 million raised on European exchanges. The 2000 figure is 13 times the amount raised only five years earlier, in 1995, reflecting the immense growth by Israeli high tech and its emergence as a global player. Foreign investment and the raising of capital by Israeli companies overseas has since fallen to a fraction of the 2000 figure.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Technology Incubators

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Technology Incubators. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) On this page: Background Incubator Directory

1. Background

The incubator program aims to turn technological ideas into commercial successes. It operates under the aegis of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The incubators provide fledgling enterprises with a supportive framework, including administrative back-up and consulting services, while the Office of the Chief Scientist provides finance. An enterprise can generally remain within an incubator for two years, within which time it is expected to complete development of its product and find independent sources of finance.



An incubator may be independent, or backed by an investor, or part of an established company. Government support is given on different terms in each case.

Most of the incubators are located outside the central Tel Aviv-Gush Dan area.

There are about 200 projects in the independent incubators. The main R&D fields are chemical and electrochemical, mechanical and electromechanical, software, electronics, biotechnology, and computers. The applications for the technologies being developed are predominantly in industrial and control processes, medicine and cosmetics, and transport and communications, with agriculture also a significant beneficiary.

The incubator program began as a response to the influx of scientists and engineers from the countries of the former Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s, when immigration from those countries was at its height. Immigration has since abated, and the effectiveness of the scheme, and of other aspects of government support for R&D, is now being questioned, though the Office of the Chief Scientist claims a high success rate for incubator enterprises, and the scheme has been held up internationally as a model of its kind.

For further details, see Investment Incentives. The Office of the Chief Scientist site provides a full guide to the incubator scheme and to the incubators themselves, plus a project database . The site does not include incubators that operate within companies.

2. Incubator Directory

Advanced Technologies Center (ATC) Rotem Industrial Park, Mishor Yemin, 206 Oron Road Arava, 86800 Tel: 972 8 655 8796 Fax: 972 8 655 6106 E-mail: atctemed@netvision.net.il

Am-Shav Technological Applied Development Center Midreshet Sde-Boker 84990 Tel: 972 8 653 2726; Fax: 972 8 653 2266; E-mail: amshav

Ashkelon Technological Industries (ATI) 7 Haofa Street, South Industrial Zone POB 7284 Ashkelon 78172 Tel: 972 8 671 1852/3/4 Fax: 972 8 671 1855 E-mail: ati

DIMOTECH at the Technion

HiTEC Technology Enterpreneurship Center Har Hotzvim POB 45010 Jerusalem, 91450 Tel. 972 2 587 0710 Fax 972 2 581 2386 E-mail: yirmi@hitec.co.il

Incentive Technological Incubator PO Box 3, Ariel 44837 Tel: 972-3-936-4754, Fax: 972-3-936-6873 E-mail: Info

The Initiative Center of the Negev 15 Yehoshua Hatzoref St. Beersheva 84106 POB 844 Tel: 972 8 623 1212 Fax: 972 8 623 1246 E-mail: ceo

Incubator for Technological Entrepreneurhsip (ITEK) Kiryat Weizmann Science Park, Bldg.13A, Ness Ziona 70400 Tel: 972-8-940-9086 Fax: 972-8-940-8085 E-mail: itek@itek.co.il J.C. Technologies 21 Havaad Haleumi St. PO Box 16120, Jerusalem 91160 Tel: 972-2-675-1123 Fax: 972-2-675-1195 E-mail: info

Kinarot Jordan Valley Technology Incubator Zemach, Jordan Valley 15132 Tel: 972 4 670 9018, Fax: 972 4 670 9014 E-mail: kinarot

Lab-One Innovations Formerly Nitzanim Initiative Center. Affiliated with StageOne Ventures 6 HaNehoshet St., Ramat Hahayal, Tel Aviv 69710 Tel: 972-3-6475788 Fax: 972-3-6473819 E-mail: Lab-One

Jerusalem Software Incubator POB 45125 Jerusalem, 91450 Tel: 972 2 587 0012 Fax: 972 2 587 0015 E-mail: ceo

Maayan Technology Ventures 3 Azrieli Center, Triangle Tower, 42nd Floor, Tel Aviv 67023 Tel. 972-54-4555219 4 HaNachtom St., PO Box 844, Beltec Building, Beer-Sheva 84106 Tel. 972-8-6231212 Fax: 972-8-6231246 E-mail: info

Magnet Program Ministry of Industry and Trade Office of the Chief Scientist.

MATAM Advanced Technology Center, Haifa Haifa 31905 Tel: 972 4 855 0066 / Ext. 126 Fax: 972 4 855 0888 E-mail: matam@netvision.net.il

Not itself an incubator, MATAM is an industrial park that provides services to tenants.

Meytag Technology Incubator Katzrin Industrial Zone POB 12 Katzrin 12900 Tel: 972 4 696 2561 Fax: 972 4 696 2564

Meytav - Technological Enterprises Initiation Center POB 408, Kiryat Shmona10200 Tel: 972 4 681 8800 Fax: 972 4 681 8806 E-mail: meytav

Misgav Carmiel Incubator MP Misgav 20179 Tel: 972 4 999 1991 Fax: 972 4 999 1901 E-mail: misgavtc

Mofet B'Yehuda - Technology and Business Incubator POB 80, Kiryat Arba 90100 Tel: 972 2 996 3880 Fax: 972 2 996 1571 E-mail:info

Mofet also manages an enviromental division: GreenTech that focuses on start-up entrepreneurs and investors interested in meeting the growing global demand for new ecological and environmental technologies.

New Generation Technology (NGT) Nazareth Industrial Area, P.O. Box 2252, Nazareth 16000 Tel: 972-4-656-4118, Fx: 972-4-656-4129, E-mail: Sharon Dvir, CEO

A high-tech incubator founded by a group of Israeli Arab and Jewish businesspeople.

Naiot Technological Center Affiliated with Ofer Brothers. POB 732 Nazareth Illit 17106 Tel: 972 4 650 0764/564-092 Fax: 972 4 656 6735 E-mail: info

Ofek LaOleh Jezre'el Valley Initiative Center POB 73, Migdal Ha'emek 23100 Tel: 972 4 654 3081 Fax: 972 4 654 3082 E-mail: Avraham Maoz

Ofakim Innovative Technologies (O.I.T.) 7 Betsalel St., POB 633, Ofakim 80300 Tel: 972 8 992 5580 Fax 972 8 992 6581 E-mail: oitech

Orit Technological R&D Center Affiliated with the Ofer Brothers Group P.O. Box 3 Ariel 44837 Tel: 972-3-936-4754 Fax: 972-3-936-6873 E-mail: orit

Patir R&D Center Incubator 21 Havaad Haleumi St. PO Box 16120, Jerusalem 91160 Tel: 972-2 675 1123 Fax: 972 2 675 1195 E-mail: info@patir.co.il

Rad-Ramot 2a Katzir Street, Tel Hashomer Ramat Gan 52656 Telefax: 972 3 531 2600 E-mail: info

Rad-Ramot is a joint venture of Rad Data Communication Ltd. and Ramot, the commercial arm of Tel Aviv University. It focuses on bio-medical and life-science projects.

Targetech Innovation Center Poleg Industrial Area, POBox 8027, Netanya, 42101 Tel: 972-9-885-1116 Fax: 972-9-885-1090 E-mail: Azriel Kadim

Targetech Innovation Center Poleg Industrial Area, POB 8027, Netanya 42101 Tel: 972 9 885 1116; Fax: 972 9 885 1090 E-mail: info

TEIC, The Technion Entrepreneurial Incubator Company Science Park Technion, Nesher, POB 212 Nesher 36601 Tel: 972 4 830 8333 Fax: 972 4 821 0531 E-mail: info

Western Negev Initiative Center POB 321 Neve Dekalim, 79779 Tel: 972 8 684 2983 Fax: 972 8 684 6457 E-mail: dov

Xenia Ventures Technology Incubator Gat High Tech Center (Matmag) Kiryat-Gat New Industrial Zone 1 Leshem St., Kiryat Gat 82000 Tel: 972-8-6811761/2 Fax: 972-8-6811763 E-mail: Hagay

YEDA Research and Development of the Weizmann Institute of Science Incubator for Technological Entrepreneurship - Kiryat Weizmann Ltd. Building No. 3, Kiryat Weizmann Science Park, Ness Ziona 70400 Tel: 972 8 940 9086 Fax: 972 8 940 8085

Yozmot - Granot Initiative Center Mobile Post Hefer 38100 Tel: 972 6 632 1390-1, Fax: 972 6 632 1392 E-mail: elizo@trendline.co.il

Yozmot Ha'Emek Ofek La'Oleh Technological Incubator PO Box 73, Migdal Ha'Emek 23100 Israel Tel: 972-4-6544800 Fax: 972-4-6543082 E-mail: Avraham (Avri) Maoz, Managing Director

</

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Investment Incentives

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Investment Incentives. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) On this page: Government Incentives - Overview Approved Enterprises Other Government Incentives Research and Development Incubators Free Trade Agreements International R&D Funds Free Trade and Free Processing Zones Further Information



1. Government Incentives - Overview

The Israeli government provides various incentives to encourage economic development, and overseas investors may benefit from these. Indeed, incentives are enhanced for projects in which there is foreign involvement. There are generally no restrictions on the extent of foreign ownership in an enterprise, except in the security sector.

Incentives take the form of cash grants, loan guarantees, and tax benefits. Research and development attracts special assistance. There is also an technology incubator scheme which nurtures new ideas, providing practical as well as financial aid to entrepreneurs.

2. Approved Enterprises

The main incentives are set out in the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959. Assistance provided under this law is administered by the Investment Center, which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The Investment Center Ministry of Industry and Trade 30, Agron St. Jerusalem. Tel: 972-2-6220373/4/5 Fax: 972-2-6250442

Most assistance relates to projects awarded "approved enterprise" status by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In general, projects that will help to develop the economy, generate employment, or improve the balance of payments, qualify for such status. An additional criterion is that projects must have paid-up capital amounting to 30% of the total investment required.

An approved enterprise may be owned by a foreign company.

Types of assistance available

Note:

Enterprises must select an assistance track at the outset. It is not possible to change from one type of assistance to another.

In some circumstances, assistance may be available to expand an existing enterprise as well as start a new one.

Cash grant

Grants are available for investment in tangible fixed assets. The rate of grant varies according to the enterprise's location. Outlying areas attract higher rates; the central area no grant at all. The current (1998) range is 10-20% for those areas that qualify for grants.

Loan guarantee

The State guarantees loans from Israeli banks at regulated interest rates covering up to two-thirds of project outlays.

Tax holiday

A total exemption from company tax on undistributed profits for between four and ten years, depending on location.

Composite assistance - grant and loan guarantee

Enterprises may elect to receive a reduced rate of grant topped up by State guaranteed loans. The total amount of grant plus loan may be up to two-thirds of the outlays on fixed assets and working capital.

Composite assistance - tax holiday and loan guarantee

A company that elects to take a tax holiday may also obtain a State guaranteed loan, but the period of tax exemption is then reduced.

Tax Benefits

Approved enterprises that do not choose a tax holiday nevertheless enjoy a reduced rate of company tax for a period of seven years. Approved enterprises may also claim accelerated depreciation rates on fixed assets and buildings for the first five years of their use.

Foreign Investors' Companies (at least 25% foreign owned) benefit from reduced company tax rates for a period of ten years. Moreover, the higher the level of foreign ownership, the greater the reduction in the rate.

Companies that do choose a tax holiday receive the general tax benefit between the end of the holiday and the end of the applicable tax benefit period if the tax holiday expires first.

3. Other Israel Government Incentives

"Industrial Enterprises"

A project that does not qualify for approved enterprise status may nevertheless come within the definition of an "industrial enterprise" for the purposes of the Law for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes) 1969, in which case it can claim special depreciation and amortisation rates on tangible and intangible fixed assets.

Small Business Loan Fund

The fund provides loans and guarantees for the establishment or expansion of enterprises employing up to 75 people. Projects receiving other forms of government support are not eligible for assistance from the fund.

Exporters

Exporters can obtain a range of benefits, including relief on import duties on materials incorporated into exported products, accelerated VAT refunds, support for offering credit to overseas customers, and insurance covering various kinds of overseas trading risk.

Special Incentive for Overseas Investors - "Capital Intensive Companies"

This incentive applies only to companies in which share ownership is restricted to non-residents.

Under the Law for the Encouragement of Investments (Capital Intensive Companies) 1990, companies awarded capital intensive company status by the Minister of Finance benefit from a 25% corporate tax rate on retained profit, and their shareholders are exempt from capital gains tax upon sale of their shares. These benefits apply for 30 years.

A company may benefit from capital intensive company and approved enterprise status at the same time.

Besides being foreign owned, to receive capital intensive company status a company must have paid-up capital of at least $30 million, 75% of which must be invested in qualifying activities. Qualifying activities include, inter alia, the establishment or expansion of an enterprise dealing in communications infrastructure or computers, or engaging in R&D in these fields.

4. Research and Development

Grant Aid

The Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade administers various forms of grant aid to encourage innovation all the way from pre-industrial academic research to beta-site testing of new products. Rates of grant range from 20% to 66%. The definition of approved expenditure attracting grant aid is reasonably wide.

If an R&D program results in a commercial product, the grant becomes repayable by way of a royalty payment. Other conditions include a stipulation that products resulting from government supported R&D be manufactured in Israel, and restrictions on the transfer of know-how to third parties.

R&D Tax Benefits

Accelerated amortisation rates apply to R&D expenditure.

5. Incubators

Incubators provide a supportive framework for entrepreneurs with ideas but without the necessary resources or business experience to develop them. The assistance goes beyond grants, and includes practical help - administrative back-up, business planning, finding sources of finance, and so on. In essence, the incubator scheme give enterprises two years in which to develop a marketable product and become self-sustaining.

An incubator may have backing from an established company or an investor, or it may be independent. Incubator projects attract especially high levels of grant aid from the Office of the Chief Scientist for two years. After that, they may obtain aid under the regular R&D grant system mentioned above.

The assistance available includes a market feasibility study carried out by the Office of the Chief Scientist, or a grant towards a privately conducted study. Projects in incubators with industrial or investor may obtain a grant of 66% of R&D costs. For projects in independent incubators, the grant available is 100% of labour costs and 75% of other approved costs. There is a grant ceiling in each case. Independent incubators themselves receive up to 100% grants towards establishment and operating costs.

In most cases, the same payback rules apply to incubator projects as apply to R&D assistance in general.

See also Technology Incubators

International Aspects

6. Free Trade Agreements

Israel enjoys the unique advantage of having free trade agreements with the US, the European Union, and EFTA. Apart from the direct benefits this confers, it also means that Israel can act as an efficient bridging country between these markets. For example, components may be imported into Israel from the US tariff-free, and incorporated into products sold, again tariff free, to EU countries.

Israel has General System of Preferences status for developing countries in Australia, Canada, and Japan, giving Israeli exports to those countries customs duty reductions. Israel also enjoys most-favoured-nation status in the Chinese market.

7. R&D Funds

R&D Funds are discussed here in terms of the State financing available through them. For a more complete guide to agencies promoting international R&D cooperation, see Research and Development.

Israel has agreements with several countries for joint R&D financing.

The Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (known as BIRD F) promotes partnerships between Israeli and US companies. This typically means a US company utilising or distributing an Israeli company's innovative technology. BIRD F is administered by the Chief Scientist in conjunction with the US Standards Institute. It will contribute up to 50% of the cost of R&D projects over one to three years. The grant becomes repayable if the project succeeds. Projects cannot obtain BIRD F funding and Office of the Chief Scientists support at the same time.

The Canada-Israel Industrial Research & Development Foundation (CIIRDF) operates on similar lines. Israel also operates bilateral funds with Germany (GICT) and Singapore (SIIRD).

In addition, Israel has signed memoranda of understanding on R&D co-operation with several countries. The Office of the Chief Scientist site provides a complete list.

R&D Co-operation with European Union

Israel is a member of the European Union's Fifth Framework Programme of scientific research and technical development. Israel also has a Public Procurement Agreement with the EU, which provides, among other things, that the EU will not apply preferences to EU companies against Israeli companies in telecommunications tenders, and that the Israeli government act similarly vis-a-vis EU companies.

For further information, see the Delegation of the European Commission to the State of Israel and CORDIS sites.

8. Free Trade and Free Processing Zones

The city of Eilat, on the Red Sea at the point where Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt meet, is a free port and free trade area. Enterprises in Eilat enjoy company tax concessions, and most goods imported into Eilat, and transactions within the Eilat free trade area, are exempt from import taxes and VAT. Most goods purchased from elsewhere in Israel are zero-rated for VAT.

Recent legislation provides for the setting up of Free Processing Zones. Enterprises in these zones will enjoy certain tax benefits, and most transactions within the zones will be zero-rated for VAT.

9. Further information

The Ministry of Finance site (International Division) gives up-to-date information on the investment incentives available.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Start-up Reviews - Computing, Internet

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Start-up Reviews - Computing, Internet. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Click company name to obtain Arena's write-up. Links automatically open a new browser window. You may need to scroll down the new window to find the article on the company you are looking for.



Computing, Internet

AbirNet SessionWall-3, network security and employee monitoring (April '98) EXIT: Acquired by Memco Software in 1998.

Acceloop Internet traffic control software (October 2001)

Actimize Software for server load-balancing (July 2001)

Adyoron Intelligence Systems Video compression and streaming technology on Texas Instruments DSP chips (January 2001)

Aliroo User-friendly encryption systems (November '98)

Appilog Monitoring and control software for electronic systems (June 2001)

AudioCodes Voice compression chips and boards for Internet Protocol telephony (February '99) EXIT: Nasdaq and TASE IPOs in 1999.

Balisoft Technologies Software products to support Internet trading and customer services (June '98) EXIT: Balisoft merged with ServiceSoft Corporation to form Servicesoft Technologies Inc., which was I acquired by Broadbase Software now Kana (Nasdaq:KANA) in December 2000.

Bridges for Islands Enterprise integration software (December '99) EXIT: Accquired by Attunity (Nasdaq:ATTU) in February 2000.

BroadLight Technology for 3G passive optical access communications networks (June 2001)

BuildCom Electronic Commerce International electronic market place for the A/E/C industry (May 2000)

Bug-Life Animation technology for various platforms (April 2001)

Business Layers Enterprise digital resources & services management (October '99) EXIT: Acquired by Netegrity (NETE) DEcember 2003.

cSafe Technology preventing pictures from being copied from the Internet. (Demo99 March '99) EXIT: Renamed Alchemedia Technologies, and acquired by Finjan Technologies in January 2003.

Informative Inc. (formerly Cahoots) Live web-wide communications network (May 2000)

CommerceMind Infrastructures for directory services and e-commerce (March 2002)

Congruency Server system to centralize Internet-based communications applications for small businesses (January '99) EXIT: Telrad Tenecs to merge with Congruency (March 2002)

Cobrador Enterprise security system based on both software and hardware (February 2002)

Corigin Still in the mainframe (February 2003)

Correlate Technologies (US start-up) Project management software (May '99)

Cyber-Ark Comprehensive information security solution (June 2001)

Cydoor Desktop Media Server-Client system for displaying ads on Internet (January '99)

Cyota Secure online purchases system (November 2001)

Digital Fuel Technologies Enterprise sourcing relationship management software solutions.

Doc Witness Anti-piracy device for CDs. (June 2002)

DVDemand Technologies Engine for assembling a multimedia DVD online (October 2000)

Enbaya 3D compression and streaming technology (June 2001)

eplication Content delivery system (May 2001)

Extent Technologies Applications-on-demand technology (June 2001)

GlobaLoop Internet access solution for high concentration of users (May '99)

Firebit.net Next generation Internet network service platforms (October 2000)

Hello Tech Technologies Voice operated m-commerce systems (March 2002)

Hotbar.com Internet infrastructure utility (December '99)

ibetcha.com Internet betting site (April 2000) EXIT: Acquired by Uproar in August 2000.

idcide.com Browser add-on that displays the attempts of visited sites to track the user and blocks such attempts. (May 2000)

Idium Systems e-commerce security software (January 2002)

i-Labs Internet traffic analysis and forecasting (May '98)

InfoCyclone High-speed information retrieval (April 2001)

ClearForest (formerly Instinct Software) Advanced text information retrieval (March 1999)

Intellipen Electronic pen (February 2002)

AlwaysOn.com (formerly LightPC.com) Application service provider (May 2000)

Mango DSP Multiprocessor DSP development environment software and hardware solutions. (April '99)

MaxBill Telecom billing systems (January 2001)

Mercado Software E-commerce catalog integration (July 2000)

Midbar Tech Copyright protection solutions (January 2001) EXIT: Acquired by Macrovision (Nasdaq:MVSN) in November 2002.

Monosphere Software for managing storage networks (June 2001)

Identity Software (formerly MuTek Solutions) (August software black-box tool (June 1999)

Oblicore A service level management solution for ASPs (April 2001)

P-Cube IP service management and provisioning platform (April 2001) Exit: Acquired by Cisco Systems for $200 million in August 2004

ProActivity E-processing solutions for enterprise systems (August 2000)

Quiver Human powered web directory (March 2000) EXIT: Acquired by Inktomi in July 2002 for $12 million. Yahoo! acquired Inktomi in March 2003.

RichFX Compression of high-quality video for quicker downloading (July 2000)

Riverhead Networks Denial of attack (November 2002) EXIT: Acquired by Cisco Systems for $40 million in March 2003.

Sanctum (Formerly Perfecto) Application-level security software for e-business companies (September '99) Acquired by Watchfire in July 2004

Sanrad IP-based Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions (February2002)

Security-7 Security software systems (August '98) EXIT: Acquired by Computer Associates (NYSE:CA) in June 1999.

SoftWatch Internet customer relationship management (June '99)

Shopping.com (formely DealTime) E-commerce price comparison website (March 1999).

TopTier Software Making relational databases & Internet compatible (September '98) EXIT: Acquired by SAP (NYSE; LSE: SAP; XETRA:SAPG) in 2001.

Trivnet Digital payment system (June 2000)

Unicorn Connectivity software (June 2001)

VisionTech MPEG-2 method video compression encoder (March '98) EXIT: Broadcom buys VisionTech for $800 mln in shares (November 2000)

Whale Communications Internal network security via physical Internet disconnection (May 2001)

XACCT Technologies Infrastructure product for network service providers (January 2000) EXIT:Acquired by Amdocs in 2003.

Xpert IP infrastructure solutions and consultancy and implementation services (April 2001)

Zend Technologies PHP development tools (February 2002)

Zoomix Data conversion technology for information systems (November 2001)

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Venture Capital Firms G-J

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Venture Capital Firms G-J. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Galram POB 14, Haifa 31000 Tel: 972-4-877-1117 Fax: 972-4-879-4415 E-mail: info@galram.co.il

Affiliated with Rafael Development Corporation.

Gemini Israel Funds 11 Galgalei Haplada St., POB 12548, Herzliya 46733 Tel: 972-9-958-3596 Fax: 972-9-958-4842 E-mail: hazel@gemini.co.il

Gemini Israel Fund; Gemini Israel II Gemini focuses on early stage Israeli companies in enterprise software, Internet and e-commerce, communications, semiconductor and industrial equipment, and medical technology.

Genesis Partners P.O.B. 23722 Tel-Aviv 61231 Tel: 972-3-526-2644 Fax: 972-3-526-2696 E-mail: office@genesispartners.co.il Funds: Genesis I & II. Investment focus: Communications and wireless, Internet infrastructure, enterprise software, Internet software and other industries.



Gilbridge Holdings 4 Maskit St., PO Box 12853 Herzliya 46733 Tel.: 972-9-956-7040 Fax: 972-9-956-7010 E-mail: Michelle Mayan Investment focus: Seed stage therapeutics, medical devices and telecom companies.

Giza Venture Capital Ramat Aviv Tower - 12th floor, 40 Einstein St., POB 17672, Tel Aviv 61172 Tel: 972-3-640-2323 Fax: 972-3-640-2300 Email: esoref@giza.co.il Giza GE Venture Fund III. The ABS GE Capital Giza Fund (BT Alex. Brown and GE Capital Corporation) and First Israel Fund are fully invested. Investment focus: Early stage communications, Internet-enabling, software and healthcare.

GlenRock Israel 85 Medinat Hayehudim St., Herzliya Business Park,Tower G, 8th Floor Tel: 972-9-9701800 Fax: 972-9-9701866 E-mail: info A private equity investment company affiliated with the GlenRock Group making investments in life sciences and high-tech companies, and makes buyouts. It has also invested in the Maayan Technology Ventures incubator.

Global Catalyst Partners A US incorporated fund. Israel office: 1 Eliahu House, 2 Ibn Gvirol St., Tel Aviv 64077 Tel: 972-3-696-8224 Fax: 972-3-695-6847 E-mail: Eliezer Manor, or Janice Rebibo Investment focus: Seed and start-up investments in IT, telecommunicatIons and Internet companies. Investment focus: Israeli biotechnology, medical devices and healthcare services companies expanding into the US.

Hadar Weitzman Management Group 68 Ahuza St., Eliav Center, Ra'anana 43212 Tel.: 972-9-745-1010 Fax: 972-9-745-2030 E-mail: info@hadarweitzman.com Investment focus: Israeli and Israeli related telecommunications, data communications and semiconductor companies.

HB Investments 32 Magal St., Savyon Tel.: 972-3-645-9609 Fax: 972-3-534-2698 E-mail: Zohar Heiblum Investment focus: All high-tech telecom, industrial technology, semiconductor, medical technology biotechnology sectors.

HK Catalyst Portview Communications Partners 10 Hayetsira St. POB 2197 Ra'anana 43650 Tel: 972 9 741 3140 Fax: 972 9 741 3240 E-mail: Robin Hacke or Julie Kunstler Investment focus: Early stage Internet infrastructure and communications software, wireless, broadband companies. Honeycomb Ventures c/o AsiaGate, 12 Yehuda Hamaccabi St., PO Box 4029 Herzliya 46140 Tel.: 972-9-956-6885 Fax: 972-9-955-1345E-mail: ching@netvision.net.il or avilir@netvision.net.il Investment focus: M&A strategic partnerships in IT, telecom, Internet and service companies.

Hyperion Israel Advisors 11 Ha'amal St., Afek Park, Rosh Ha'ayin 48092 Tel.: 972-3-903-9988 Fax: 972-3-903-6688 E-mail: yes@hyperionisrael.com Investment focus: Seed and later stage investments in Israeli wireless communications, telecommunications and Internet companies.

InnoMed Ventures Globus Communication Center, Suite 220, Neve Ilan 90850 Tel: 972-2-5332808 Fax: 972-2-5702352 E-mail: Dr. Dalia Megiddo Investment focus: Seed through mezzanine investments in life sciences companies in cardiology, diabetes, neurological disorders, orthopedics, women's care, geriatrics and other medical sectors.

Incutech 12 Zvi St., Ramat Gan 52504 Tel.: 972-3-752-5216 Fax: 972-3-752-5120 E-mail: Nehemiah Kaben Investment focus: Incubation and early stage financing for Israeli biotechnology, medical devices, agrotechnology, healthcare and applied materials companies.

Infineon Ventures Germany: St.-Martin-Str. 53, 81541, Munich Tel: +49 89-234-26359 Fax: +49 89-234-27483 E-mail: ventures@infineon.com USA: 1730 North First St., San Jose, CA 95112 Pre-IPO investments in pace-setting technologies or establish new applications in areas where microelectronics is or will be a key enabling technology. Innomed E-mail: info@innomed.co.il Innomed is managed by Jerusalem Global Ventures, focusing on medical device companies.

Intel Capital In Israel: Har Hotzvim Park, PO Box 3173, Jerusalem Tel.: 972-2-589-7111 or 972-3-607-4701 Fax: 972-2-589-7712 E-mail: Shlomo Caine or Uri Arazy Investment focus: Internet economy companies.

Israel Cleantech Ventures E-mail: info

Israel Healtchare Ventures (IHVC) 32 Habarzel St., Ramat Hahayal, Tel Aviv 69710 Tel.: 972-3-648-8566 Fax: 972-3-648-8474 E-mail: ihvc@ihvc.co.il Investment focus: Medical devices, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical-related IT.

Israel Infinity Fund 3 Azrieli Center, Triangle Tower, 42nd fl., Tel Aviv 67023 Tel: 972-3-607-5456 Fax: 972-3-607-5455 E-mail: info@israel-infinity.com or anatk@clal.co.il Israel Infinity Fund is in association with Clal, and Banque Nationale du Paris (BNP). It focuses on early-stage IT, medical and other high-technology products companies.

Integrated Technologies of Israel Ltd Aviv Towers Tower A, 46 Petach Tikva Rd., Tel Aviv 66184 Tel: 972 3 639 7850 Fax: 972 3 639 7851

Jointly owned by Israel Aircraft Industries and a group of Israeli and US entrepreneurs, bankers and industrialists.

Inventech Investment Company Shalom Mayer Tower, 9 Ahad Haam Street, Tel Aviv Tel: 972 3 517 5273 Fax: 972 3 517 5275 E-mail: office@inventech.co.il A private venture capital company investing in high-tech start ups.

Israel R&D Corporation 4 Weizmann St., Tel Aviv 61336 Tel: 972 3 697 2857 Fax: 972 3 695 3177

Israel Seed Partners 64 Emek Refaim St., Jerusalem Tel: 972 2 561 2090 Fax: 972 2 561 1955 E-mail: info@israelseed.com Investment focus: Seed stage Internet, e-commerce, enterprise software, communications, semiconductor and electronics and life sciences start-ups. Isratech; Reico Ventures is Isratech's Israeli branch. 11 Cross Keys Close, London W1M 5FY, England Tel: 44 171 935 2070 Fax: 44 171 935 2680 40 Einstein St. Ramat Aviv 69101 Tel: 972-3-643-9986 Fax: 972-3-643 E-mail: reico@netvision.net.il Funds: Astra, First Isratech, Millennium I & II Life sciences, biotechnology, medical devices, Internet and software.

JAFCO Investments (Asia Pacific) JAFCO Investments (Asia Pacific) is part of JAFCO Co. Ltd. of Japan, which is a member of Nomura Securities Ltd. 6 Battery Rd. #42-01, Singapore 049909 Tel: 65-224-6383 Fax: 65-221-3690 E-mail: byron@njiasia.com.sg Byron Askin Investment focus: Assist Israeli companies to penetrate Asian markets and/or find Asian strategic partners.

Janney Montgomery Scott 1801 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel. 215-665-6180 Fax 215-665-6197 Investment focus: Internet, IT and business services, telecommunications and broadband, medical technology, life sciences and biotechnology, and other manufacturing, retail and financial, consumer services and utilities fields.

JC Technologies JC Technologies is affiliated with Patir high-tech incubator. 21 Havaad Haleumi St., PO Box 16120 Jerusalem 91160 Tel.: 972-2-675-1123 Fax: 972-2-675-1195 E-mail: Jay Kalish Investment focus: Incubation, seed and early stage financing for Israeli start-ups.

Jerusalem Capital Partners E-mail: Managing partner Jacob Ner-David Tel. 972-54-480-7334 E-mail: Principle Michael Brous Tel. 972-54-797-1071 Investment focus: Jerusalem-based technology-driven companies.

Jerusalem Global Ventures Jerusalem Technology Park, Building 98, P.O. Box 82, Malcha, Jerusalem 96951 Tel: 972-2-649-0750 Fax: 972-2-649-0740 Email: skalish@jgv.com Jerusalem Global Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests in early stage Israeli related companies developing technology solutions for the consumer, enterprise, service provider, and government markets. Jerusalem Venture Partners Jerusalem Tech Park, Bldg. 1, Malha, Jerusalem 91487 Tel: 972 2 679 7270 Fax: 972 2 679 7273 E-mail: erel@jvp.co.il Jerusalem Pacific Ventures; Jerusalem Venture Partners LP JVP invests in early-stage companies in five core areas: Optical communications, data communications, wireless communications, e-commerce infrastructure and service infrastructure.

Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation Corporate venture arm of Johnson & Johnson Israel address: Kibbutz Shefayim 60990 Tel.: 972-9-959-1176 Fax: 972-9-951-9797 E-mail: Zeev Zehavi Investment focus: Biotechnology, medical devices, drug discovery and pharmaceuticals companies.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Venture Capital Firms A-C

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Venture Capital Firms A-C. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Accel Partners 428 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 Tel: (650) 614-4800 Fax: (650) 614-4880 Investment focus: communications; Internet/Intranet

Accelerate Technology & Business 33 Jabotinsky St. Ramat Gan 52511 Tel.: 972-3-575-1575 Fax: 972-3-2770 E-mail: info@accelerate-tech.com A start-up accelerator focusing on supporting early stage high-tech companies in the semiconductor, new materials, electronics and opto-electronics and IC equipment fields. ADC Ventures The investment arm of ADC Telecommunications P.O. Box 1101, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1101 Tel: (612) 946-3333 Fax: (612) 946-3292 Contact: Robert Switz, ADC Sr. Vice President, CFO and Head, Business Development Investment focus: Next generation broadband technologies.



AG-Tech Fund Managed by Nessuah Zannex 3 Abba Hillel St., Ramat Gan 52522 Tel: 972-3-753-2020 Fax: 972-3-753-2022 E-mail: mail@agtechfund.com Investment focus: Biotechnology, e-health, healthcare and medical devices.

Agilent Ventures The venture capital arm of US-based Agilent Technologies. Israel office: Agilent Technologies Israel, Azorim Business Park, 94 Em Hamoshavot Rd., Petah Tikva 49527 Tel.: 972-3-928-8555 fax: 972-3-928-8501 Contact: E-mail: Noam Zahav Investment focus: Telecommunications, biotechnology, informationa technology, test equipment, and semiconductors

AIG-Orion Venture Capital Advisors 3 Hayetzira St., Ramat Gan Tel: 972-3-753-8890 Fax: 972-3-753-8895 E-mail: gary@orion.co.il AIG Orion invests in Internet software and information technology.

Alice Ventures Tel Aviv office: Ziv Towers, Building D, 24 Raoul Wallenberg St., Tel Aviv 69719 Tel.: 972-3-766-6547 Fax: 972-3-766-6559 E-mail: Hillel Milo A multinational venture capital fund based in Milan and Tel Aviv. Investment focus: Early stage communications, software and life science companies. Alon Technology Ventures Jointly managed by Gaon Asset management owned by B. Gaon Holdings and the Jupiter Group of the UK and CAIB Bank of Austria. Gibor Bldg. 14th fl., 6 Kaufman St. Tel Aviv 68012 Tel: 972-3-795-4121 Fax: 795-4122 E-mail: dangalit@gaon.com or E-mail: sylvie@gaon.com Investment focus: High-tech

See: Arena Feature -Alon Technology Ventures: The European investor is more trustworthy

Amanet Technologies Business, Real Estate Development and Entrepreneurship Division 34 Habarzel St., Tel Aviv 69710 Tel: 972-3-765-9555/02 Fax: 972-3-644-0125 E-mail: amanet@amanet.co.il Incubation, seed and start-up investment in IT, telecommunications, Internet and software companies. Ampal-American Israel Corporation (Bank Hapoalim group) 111 Arlozorov St. Tel Aviv 62098 Tel.: 972-3-608-0100 Fax: 972-3-608-101

Anschutz Investment Company US: 555 17th St., Suite 2400, Denver, CO 80202 Tel: (303)298-1000 Fax: (303) 299-8881 Europe: Polarisavenue 53, PO Box 2030, 2130 GE Hoofdorp, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)23 568 59 70 Fax: +31 (0)23 568 59 74 Investment focus: High-tech, telecommunications, Internet and software services companies.

Apax Partners(Israel) 2 Maskit St. P.O. Box 2034 Herzilya 46120 Tel: 972-9-958-6330 Fax: 972-9-958-8366E-mail: info@apax.co.il Funds: Apax Israel II; Israel Growth Fund Invests in privately-held Israel affiliated companies in Internet and information technology, telecommunications, services, healthcare and life sciences and management buyouts.

Apropos IT Ventures Jerusalem Technology Park, Malcha, Building 1, Entrance B, 1st Floor P.O. Box 48180, Jerusalem 91481 Tel: 972-2-648-2350 fax: 972-2-679-9931 US eFax: (775)-993-3039 E-mail: Business plans Investment focus: Internet and information technology companies with Israel Talent.

Arba Finance Company America House, 3rd fl., 35 Shaul Hamelech Blvd., P.O. Box 33406 Tel Aviv 61333 Tel.: 972-3-696-4420 Fax: 972-3-695-0029 E-mail: arbafin@arbafin.com Investment focus: Incubation, seed stage, start-up, mezzanine and bridging financing for telecommunications, Internet, software, robotics, medical technology and other high-tech companies.

Aria Ventures 85 Medinat Hayehudim St., P.O.Box 12245, Herzliya 46733 Tel: 972-9-956-7484 Fax: 972-9-951-4152 E-mail: amit@ariaventures.com Investment focus: Seed stage companies in the IT, enterprise hardware and software, communications infrastructure and applications, Internet &intranet, telecommunications technologies, software products and applications.

Ascend Technology Ventures 14a Ahimeir Street, Ramat Gan 52587 Tel: 972 3 751 3707 Fax: 972 3 751 3706 E-mail: info@ascendvc.com

Ascend invests in communications, internet and internet infrastructure, software, semiconductors and medical devices.

Asiagate Herzliya Business Park P.O.Box 4029, Herzliya 46140 Tel: 972-9-970-1886 Fax: 972-9-970-1887 E-mail: info@asiagate.co.il A spin-off of Jerusalem Global Ltd. for Asian and Japanese entities wishing to establish connects with Israeli high-tech companies and for Israeli companies seeking to enter Far Eastern markets.

Astra Technological Investvestments Atidim Tower, Kiryat Atidim P.O.B 58177, Tel Aviv 61580 Tel.: 972-3-649-1990 fax: 972-3-649-1992 Contact: E-mail: CEO Gil Klopman Investment focus: Acquiring minority interests in Israeli or US high-tech start-ups with a strong biotechnology or biomedical focus.

Atara Technology Ventures Atara is the venture capital investment arm of Israel Phoenix Assurance Company. 30 Levontin St., Tel Aviv 65116 Tel.: 972-3-7141-793 Fax: +972-3-7141-165 E-mail: David Furst Investment focus: Early stage, seed and start-up financing for Internet, IT, telecommunications and software companies.

Aviv Venture Capital Aviv Building, 49th floor 7 Jabotinsky St., Ramat Gan 52520 Telephone: 972-3-6114050 fax: 972-3-6114051 E-mail: info Investment focus: Early and mid-stage Israeli related companies.

AxcessNet AxcessNet is the Israeli affiliate of Broadview. P.O. Box 3587, Ramat Hasharon 45930 Tel: 972-9-743-4710 Fax: 972-9-742-3889 E-mail: eyal@axcess-net.com E-mail: michal@axcess-net.com A facilitator of the Israeli IT and the global industry and the exclusive representative of Broadview for transactions with Israeli companies.

Azritech Ventures A subsidiary of the Azrieli Group. Azrieli Center 1, Tel Aviv, 67021 Tel: 972-3-608-1300 Fax: 972-3-608-1380 E-mail: Zeev Zeevi Investment focus: Seed through third-stage start-ups in telecommunications, IT and medical equipment companies.

BCS Investment Company 3 Daniel Frisch St., Tel Aviv 64731 Tel.: 972-3-696-3221 Fax: 972-3-696-8828 E-mail: Yariv Caspi Investment focus: high-tech, media and communications companies from seed capital to mezzanine stage.

Benchmark Capital 9 Hamanofim St. Herzliya Pituach 46725 Tel.: 972-9-9617600 Fax: 972-9-9617601 E-mail: israelinfo@benchmark.com Focus: Early-stage high-technology

Biomedical Investments Golda House, 23 Shaul Hamelech St., Tel Aviv 64367 Tel: 972 3 696 6557 Fax: 972 609 5322 E-mail: biomedical@biomed.co.il

Investment areas: Medical equipment, biotechnology

See: Arena Feature - Pay n Tell

Biocom VC 40 Einstein St., Ramat Aviv Tower, Tel Aviv Tel.: 972-3-643.8890; fax: 972-3-643-6662 E-mail: David Schlachet Investment focus: Biotechnology, enabling platform technologies, biopharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Boticelli Venture Funds 28 Bezalel St. Gibor Sport Building (15th floor), Ramat Gan 52521 Tel.: 972-3-575-3222 Fax 972-3-575-3666 E-mail: Judith Investment focus: Advertising, interactive and media enabling technologies.

BRM Capital Israel Office: Akerstein Towers, 11 Hamenofim St., Herzliya Pituach 46725 Tel.: 972-9-954-9555 Fax: 972-9-954-9557 Email: info@brm.com

Britech Israel office: Gibor Sport Tower, 28 Betzalel St., Ramat Gan 52521 Tel.: 972-3-754-9581 Fax: 972-3-754-9582 E-mail: britech@actcom.co.il The Britain-Israel Technology Foundation fosters collaborative R&D links between British and Israeli companies.

Canada-Israel Opportunity Funds 1090 Don Mills Rd., Toronto, Ontario M3C 3R6 Tel: (416) 444-6660 E-mail: info@ciofund.com The Funds participate in direct investments with entities in the Shrem Fudim Kelner Group and the Polaris II Fund. Investment focus: Israeli high-tech companies.

Carmel Ventures Delta House, 16 Hagalim Avenue, Herzeliya 46725 Tel: 972-9-959-4894 Fax: 972-9-959-4898 E-mail: contact@carmelventures.com Investment focus: post-seed, companies developing software platforms and applications for the digital economy.

Catalyst Fund 3 Daniel Frish St., Tel Aviv 64731 Tel: 972-3-695-0666 Fax: 972-3-695-0222 E-mail: info@catalyst-fund.com Investment focus: Late-stage Israeli companies in the IT, software, telecommunications, semiconductor, biotechnology and medical devices sectors.

Cedar Fund 9 Keren Hayesod St., POB 505, Herzliya 46105 Tel: 972 9 957 7227 Fax: 972 9 957 7228 E-mail: info@cedar.co.il The Challenge Fund Etgar 1 Hashikma St., P.O. Box 55 Savyon 56530 Tel: 972-3-562-8555 Fax: 972-3-562-1999 E-mail: etgar@challenge.co.il Two funds for early-stage high-tech and non-high-tech companies.

Clal Industrial Investments 3 Azrieli Center, Triangle Tower 45th fl. Tel Aviv 67023 Tel.: 972-3-6075777 Fax: 972-3-607-5778 E-mail: cii@cii.co.il Funds: Venture Capital Fund focuses on IT, telecommunications, software and life sciences (biotechnology and medical devices); Israel Infinity Fund focuses on early-stage high-tech telecommunications, IT and healthcare; Millennium Materials Technologies Fund specializes in the development and commercialization of novel advanced materials and industrial processes; Clalit Venture Capital Fund focuses on diversified mezzanine investment opportunities in Israel and Israeli related technology companies; the Harvest Fund (with Evergreen) is a secondary venture capital fund; IJT Technologies (with Evergreen) focuses on high-tech; Peace Technology Fund, jointly managed with Virginia-based International Capital Advisors, to invest in the Palestinian economy and encourage Israeli-Palestinian cooperation; Israelseed III; Periscope I (with Evergreen) focuses on high-tech.

Clal Biotechnology Industries 3 Azrieli Center, Triangle Tower 45th fl. Tel Aviv 67023 Tel.: 972-3-6075733 Fax: 972-3-607-5734 E-mail: Ophir Shahaf or David Haselkorn Tel: 972 3 765 0306 Fax: 972 3 765 0329

Clalit Capital & Investments 5 Druyanov St., Tel Aviv Tel: 972 3 526 3370 Fax: 972 3 528 0769 E-mail: Manpikim@netvision.co.il

Clalit Capital Fund

Comverse Investments Efrat-Comverse House, 23 Habarzel St., Ramat Hachayal, Tel Aviv 69710. Tel: 972 3 645 4910 Fax: 972 3 645 4916 E-mail: comin@icomverse.com

ComSor Investment Fund

Columbine Ventures Top Tower, 22nd fl., 50 Dizengoff St. Tel Aviv 64332 Tel.: 972-3-620-9010 Fax: 972-3620-9011 E-mail: Carine Wiener Investment focus: Early stage financing for Israel and Israel-related biotechnology, therapeutics, medical devices, bioinformatics and diagnostic technology companies.

Concord Ventures 85 Medinat Hayehudim St., P.O.Box 4011, Herzeliya 46140 Tel: 972-9-960-2020 Fax: 972-9-960-2022 E-mail: office@concordventures.com Investment focus: datacom and telecommunications, Software applications and Internet infrastructure, medical technologies and biotechnology.

Coral Ventures Main office: 60 South Sixth St., Suite 3510, Minneapolis, MN 55402 Tel: (612) 335-8666 Fax: (612) 335-8668 A private venture capital company focusing on technology (communications, Internet, software, information and systems) and healthcare (biotechnology, medical devices and diagnostics) industries.

Investment focus: Healthcare and high-tech.

Corex Industries Management Corex Building, Maskit St., Herzliya Pituah 46733 Tel: 972 9 957 2777 Fax: 972 9 957 2772 E-mail corex@corex.co.il Investment focus: Expansion, mezzanine and bridging investments in IT, telecommunicaitons, Internet, electronics and software companies.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

Venture Capital Firms P-T

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
Venture Capital Firms P-T. Check it out:
(Israel Business Arena Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Pamot Rehovot Advisors Weizmann Institute Campus, POB 2439, Rehovot 76123 Tel: 972 8 936 5431 Fax: 972 8 946 0484 E-mail: pamot@netvision.net.il

Pamot has a first right of refusal on investment in projects being developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science

Partech International Israel office: 39 Derech Haganim. PO Box 9129, Kfar Shmaryahu 46910 Tel: 972-9-951-4189 Fax: 972-9-951-5782 E-mail: Ami AMir Investment focus: Communications

Peregrine Ventures 6 Yoni Netanyahu St. Or Yehuda 60376 Tel: 972-3-6349990 Fax: 972-3-6349910 E-mail: contact@peregrinevc.com Investment focus: Part venture fund and part technology incubator for communications, e-commerce, software and medical equipment start-ups.



Persys Investment 7 Ha'marpe St., Har Hotzvim, P.O.Box 45036, Jerusalem 91450 Tel: 972-2-5322-779 Fax: 972-2-5322-673 E-mail: yaron@persystech.com Yaron Kimchi or, E-mail: mati@persystech.com Investment focus: Seed-stage investments in advanced technology start-ups in healthcare, testing technologies, wireless communications and IT companies. Pitango Venture Capital Formerly Polaris Venture Capital 11 HaMenofim St., Building B, Herzliya 46725 Tel: 972-9-971-8100 Fax: 972-9-971-8102 E-mail: polaris@polarisvc.com Pitango has offices in Menlo Park, California and London Investment focus: Communications, Internet infrastructure and related technologies, software, medical devices and biotechnology. Platinum Neurone Ventures Israel office: 21 Ha'arba'ah St., 15th Floor, Tel Aviv 64739 Tel.: 972-3-684-5700 Fax: 972-3-686-9535 E-mail: Asi Investment focus: First and second round investments in enterprise software, communications, IT and semiconductor companies.

Plenus Technologies Delta House, 16 Hagalim Ave., Herzeliya 46725 Tel.: 972 9-957-4944 Fax: 972-9-957-8770 E-mail: contact@plenus.co.il Bridge loans to late emerging high-tech companies. POC Technostart Azrieli Center #1, Tel Aviv 67021 Tel.: 972-3-608-1616 Fax: 972-3-608-1617 E-mail: infor@poc.co.il Investment focus: Post seed-stage investment in early-stage communications and Internet companies.

Polar Investments Formely Poalim Investments, and a member of the Shrem Fudim Kelner Group. 21 Ha'arba'ah St., Tel Aviv 64739 Tel: 972-3-6845666 Fax: 972-3-6850857 E-mail: pil@poalim-investments.co.il Investment focus: Software, robotics, biotechnology and agro-technology.

Potalium Ventures EDS Building, second floor, 7 Sapir St., Herzliya Pituach, 46852 Tel: 972-9-970-8158 Fax: 972-9-958-0897 E-mail: Portalium Investment focus: Portalium provides services for European and other venture capital and private equity funds seeking to invest in Israel, including locating, screening and compiling suitable high-tech investment opportunities.

Portview Communications Partners See HK Catalyst ProSeed Venture Capital Fund 10 Planut St. Sciecen Bldg. #1, Rehovot 76122 Tel.: 972-8-948-4966 Fax: 972-8-948-4967 E-mail: mail@proseedco.il

ProSeed Venture Capital calls itself "the angels' venture capital fund". Investment focus: Israeli and Israel-related seed and early stage medical devices and IT companies

ProSeed Capital Holdings CVA Israel office: A' Aviv Tower, 48 Petach-Tikva Rd., Tel Aviv 66184 Tel.: 972-3-537-1173 Fax: 972-3-548-8069 E-mail: Ori Shilo

ProSeed Capital Holdings focuses on early stage high-tech startups in Israel, Europe, the US, Canada and India.

Rafael Development Corporation (RDC) Ltd. Ramat Aviv Tower, 5th floor, 40 Einstein St. P.O. Box 15, Tel Aviv 61172 Tel: 972-3-643-9912 Fax: 972-3-643-9916 bldg 7, New Indusrial Park, P.O. Box 258, Yokne'am 20692 Tel: 972-4-959-9511 Fax: 972-4-959-0720 E-mail: rubenk@rdc.co.il Investment focus: Start-up, seed and incubator investment in software, telecommunications, data communication, semiconductors, healthcare and medical devices.

Samurai Web Ventures Israel office: 1 Korazin St., Givataim 53583 Tel: 972-3-571-0222 Fax: 972-3-571-0225 E-mail: info@samurai.co.il Investment focus: Initiate and manage start-up companies in the areas of Internet and Information Technology.

Sequoia Capital Seed Fund Israel contact: Tel: 972-9-957-9440 Fax: 972-9-957-9443 E-mail: Hagit Avneri Investment focus: Israeli and Israel-related companies in the communications and Internet sectors. Shalom Equity Fund Israel office: Shalom Tower, 9 Ahad Ha'am St., Tel Aviv 65251 Tel.: 972-3-510-8581 Fax: 972-3-516-3413 E-mail: info@shalom.com Investment focus: Early-stage high-tech and Internet companies.

Shamrock Holdings Israel & Europe office: 28 Grosvenor St., London W1K 4QR, UK Tel: 44 (20) 7917-9755 Fax: 44 (20) 7917-9654 E-mail: mgeiger@shamrock.com Michael Geiger Investment focus: Media, technology and communications.

Shirat Enterprises Ltd. Eliahu House, 2 Ibn Gvirol St., Tel Aviv 64077 Tel: 972 3 696 8224 Fax: 972 3 695 3847 E-mail: shirat@netvision.net.il

Shrem Fudim Kelner 21 Haarbah St. Tel Aviv 64739 Tel: 972-3-684-5555 Fax: 972-3-684-5554 E-mail: miri@sfk.co.il Funds: Canada Israel Opportunity Fund; CMS/DS Israel Fund; Dovrat, Shrem Skies '92 Fund; Dovrat, Shrem Founders Group; Dovrat Shrem Rainbow Fund; Horizon Fund. Investment focus: Venture Capital management, Finance, investments in High-Tech & Telecommunications, and long-term investments in traditional industries.

Siemens Venture Capital Siemens Venture Capital invests in Israel through Carmel Ventures, Millennium Materials Management Fund, Portview Communications Partners, Rama Partners and SVM Star Ventures Capital Management. Israeli operations director: Asriel Eisinger Tel: +49 89 636 41084 E-mail: asriel.eisinger@mch11.siemens.de Investment focus: Seed, early, and mezzanine stages in the fields of IT, telecommunications, medical engineering, automation and microelectronics.

StageOne Ventures Levinstein Tower, 29th fl., 23 Petach Tikva Rd. Tel Aviv 66182 Tel.: 972-3-710-0140 Fax: 972-3-710-0150 E-mail: contact@stageonevc.com StageOne is sponsored by Bezeq and Discount Capital Markets. Investment focus: Very early stage communications technology companies.

Star Ventures A Munich-based venture capital fund with a branch in Israel. 11 Galgaley Haplada St., P.O. Box 12600, Herzliya Pituah 46733 Tel: 972-9-951-2888 Fax: 972-9-951-2889 E-mail: mail@star-ventures.com Investment focus: Early-stage high-tech companies in the communications, Internet, software and medical devices fields.

Steps Investments in Technology Midgal Shalom, 26th fl., P.O. Box 29161, Tel Aviv 61291 E-mail: info@steps-ventures.com Investment focus: Early-stage telecommunications, software and semiconductor start-ups.

STI Ventures 85 Medinat Hayehudim St., Herzliya Pituach 46851 Tel: 972-9-971-0710 Fax: 972-9-971-0711 E-mail: info@stiventures.com Investment focus: Partnerships in wireless and communications technologies, Internet infrastructure, and enterprise software start-ups.

Syntek Capital Israel branch: E-mail: info.telaviv@syntekcapital.com Investment focus: European, Israeli and US start-ups in the IT, software, telecom and media fields.

Tamar Technology Ventures Israel office: 50 Ramat Yam St., Herzliya Pituach 46851 Tel: 972-9-954-3555 Fax: 972-9-954-3423 E-mail: info@tamar-vc.co.il Investment focus: start-up, early stage and mezzanine financing in IT, data communications, telecommunications, Internet &intranet, electronics, software, multimedia, semiconductors, medical devices, biotechnology and healthcare companies.

Tamir Fishman Ventures Alrov Tower,46 Rothschild Blvd., Tel Aviv 66883 Tel: 972-3-7148444 Fax: 972-3-5605010 E-mail: info@tfventures.com Funds: Eucalyptus Ventures (fully invested) and Tamir Fishman Ventures II Investment focus: Early-stage communications. Internet and software companies focusing on B2B services and infrastructure solutions.

TDA Capital Partners Formerly: Templeton Direct Advisors Israel office: 19 St., Ramot Zahala, Tel-Aviv 69358 Tel: 972-3-649-9817 Fax: 972-3-649-9827 E-mail: info@tdacapital.com Investment focus: Seed, early-stage and mezzanine financing in IT, telecommunications, Internet & intranet, semiconductor and medical device companies. Tecc-IS plc Levinstein Tower, 23 Petah Tikva Rd. Tel Aviv 66182 Tel.: 972-3-566-4464 fax: 972-3-566-4465 E-mail: Simon Larah Investment focus: Seed and early stage investments in Israeli telecom, Internet and software technology companies.

Technolplus Ventures Ziv Towers, 24 Raoul Wallenberg St., Tel-Aviv 69719 Tel: 972-3-766-6555 Fax: 972-3-766-6556 E-mail: info@technoplusvc.com A Tel Aviv Stock Exchange-listed company (TASE: TNPV), infrastructure and enabling technologies, data communications and enterprise software.

Technorov Holdings 46 Rothschild Blvd.. Alrov Tower Tel Aviv 66883 Tel: 972-3-714-7770 Fax: 972-3-714-7772 E-mail: technorov@interent-zahav.net

Al-Rov Technologies (1983) Ltd; Technorov Holdings (1993) Ltd

TeleSoft Partners Israel office: 14 Shenkar St., Herzliya Pituah 46733 Tel.: 972-9- 954-0828 Fax: 972-9- 958-9695 E-mail: Avi Mazor or Ron Hiram Investment focus: Early, development/expansion, bootstrapped/later stage next generation communications services, software, and Internet companies.

Teuza Management and Development 49 Hahistadrut Boulevard, POB 25266 Haifa 31250 Tel: 972 4 872 8788 Fax: 972 4 872 9393 E-mail: teuza@teuzafund.com A Fairchild Technology Venture Ltd Early-stage seed companies in the communications, advanced manufacturing equipment, semiconductors, software and biotechnology and healthcare sectors.

Trinet Investment in High Tech Ltd Tel: 972-3-751-3707 Fax: 972-3-751-3706. Investment focus: Early-stage, seed and start-up capital for IT, telecommunications, Internet & intranet, multimedia, software, semiconductors, biotechnology, medical devices and healthcare companies.

TopNotch Capital Vered Tower, 20th Floor, 53 Hashalom Rd., Givatayim 53454 Tel: 972-3-732-6616 Fax: 972-3-731-3340 E-mail: info Investment focus: An investment banking boutique specializing in early stage life science companies.

Copyright 2006 Globes. Source : Financial Times Information Limited.

To sustain rate, push reforms, core sector

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:31 AM | | Comments (0)
To sustain rate, push reforms, core sector. Check it out:
(Indian Express Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) With GDP growth of 8.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2006-07, the Indian economy continues to do well. While manufacturing and services kept their momentum of growth, the high growth in agriculture at 3.4 per cent helped attain the nearly 9 per cent growth. While the news is great, the first question that most people ask is whether the country will be able to sustain this rate of growth. The rapid upswing witnessed in recent years has been a combination of a higher trend and the high of a business cycle. In the last few years, the economy has seen an increase in the trend growth rate to about 6.25 per cent. This trend has had a cycle around it so that the growth rate moved in a band of around -2 and +2 percentage points. In other words, the rate has ranged from 4.5 to 8.5 per cent. The GDP growth rate of this quarter is an improvement on this. When the economy is at the high of a business cycle, it is natural to be concerned about a downturn. But while the cycle can turn down due to a number of factors - both domestic and international - there is reason to be optimistic about the higher trend growth path. This is a consequence not of the government setting a target and investing and producing more. It is, in fact, the result of the taking away the restrictions that the government had put on private enterprise for nearly 30 years, from the 60s to the early 90s. By slapping various restrictions, licences and controls, the government had constrained individual initiative and prevented higher growth. Now that it is trying to create a supportive environment with better infrastructure and facilities for private initiative, every individual who does better for himself does better for the country, too. Indeed, this is India's main strength in contrast to China's, where there is an attempt to develop private enterprise. This is not to say that the we can take high growth rate for granted. There will be a need to focus on two things. One is to remove the remaining restrictions on movement of goods and on factors of production - labour, capital and land - so that they can move freely across uses and be available for use in the most efficient and productive way. This will mean bringing changes in land use policies, exit policies, labour laws and the financial sector. The second is improving infrastructure. The first can be attained by the stroke of a pen, though it needs political consensus which may take a little time to come about. It is building infrastructure that will take time and resources. But as and when it gets done, and sooner or later it will, the world can bet on India for even faster growth than it has seen this quarter.



Copyright 2006 The Indian Express Online Media Ltd.. Source: Financial Times Information Limited.

Purdue-Indiana University Team Selected as National Cancer Institute Proteomics Center

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Purdue-Indiana University Team Selected as National Cancer Institute Proteomics Center. Check it out:
(Ascribe Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Sept. 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- Purdue and Indiana universities' proteomics team has been selected as one of five national centers for cancer research.

The National Cancer Institute announced Wednesday (Sept. 27) its selection of the Purdue-IU Analytical Proteomics Team for inclusion in a new consortium to assess proteomic technology and its applications for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.



The NCI awarded a $7 million grant to the Purdue-IU team, which pairs Purdue's experts in mass spectrometry and proteomics technology with the expert clinical team of cancer researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine. Together they will focus on technology to diagnose breast and prostate cancer through blood samples.

This is the future of cancer detection in America, said Fred Regnier, Purdue's John H. Law Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and principal investigator for the team. Proteomics, the study of proteins, holds great promise for more precise diagnosis and tailored cancer therapies through the identification of proteins specific to cancer and other diseases, called 'biomarkers.'

However, more work needs to be done to establish protocols for these approaches and the technology used. The NCI program creates a consortium for this purpose and is a great advancement for the field. Remarkably, all five centers included breast cancer as an area of study, which will allow for incredible scientific collaboration and evaluation of data from patients nationwide.

The consortium will receive $35.5 million in awards and is one of three components of the NCI's $104 million five-year clinical proteomic technologies initiative for cancer national program.

This program is a critical component of NCI's strategy for leveraging the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of proteomics for cancer patients, said NCI deputy director Anna D. Barker. I am confident that the complementary proteomic expertise of the awardees, and their commitment to interinstitutional collaboration and real- time data sharing, will enable the development of biomarkers to contribute to a new generation of molecularly based interventions to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer.

The team, based at Purdue's Bindley Bioscience Center at Discovery Park, will develop protocols and standards for mass spectrometry- based cancer proteomics relating to breast and prostate cancer. The endeavor will involve close cooperation between Purdue and Indiana University experts in proteomics, informatics and cancer biology and treatment.

This is a perfect example of how great things will happen in Indiana when IU, Purdue and the private sector collaborate on life sciences research, said Dr. D. Craig Brater, dean of the IU School of Medicine and vice president of IU with responsibility for life sciences.

Four hundred clinical samples will be collected for breast cancer analysis by the Hoosier Oncology Group, an Indiana statewide network of cancer physicians chaired by Christopher Sweeney, an oncologist and associate director of clinical research at the IU Cancer Center. Prostate cancer samples also will be collected from the NCI-sponsored Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial.

As co-principal investigators, Sweeney and Harikrishna Nakshatri, the Marian J. Morrison Investigator in Breast Cancer Research in the IU Department of Surgery, and others will conduct cancer biology research. Discovery Park's Oncological Sciences Center played a key role in connecting clinical and basic science researchers in the project.

The goals of the program are to define existing technologies and identify emerging technologies that will enable precise and reproducible measurement of biomarkers in cancer, said Jiri Adamec, a Purdue research assistant professor and lead scientist at Bindley Bioscience Center and co-principal investigator. Other Purdue team members include research assistant professor Xiang Zhang and chemistry professor Scott McLuckey.

The team will employ both electrospray ionization and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry platforms.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches have the advantage of excellent sensitivity and high analytical precision, Adamec said. Our team will focus on the use of this technology in providing insight into breast and prostate cancer biomarkers. These biomarkers will have dramatic impact for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

The team will use the emerging bioCD technology invented at Purdue and commercialized by QuadraSpec, a Purdue Research Park company, to expand the detection and quantification of specific candidate cancer protein biomarkers. The technology enables evaluation of hundreds of proteins of interest from hundreds of samples in minutes by incorporating specific antibodies on a microfabricated optical disk that is read by spinning disc inferometry, said Charles Buck, director of operations for Bindley Bioscience Center.

In Bloomington, the startup company Predictive Physiology and Medicine will work with David E. Clemmer, the firm's scientific co- founder and chairman of the IU Department of Chemistry, and Clemmer's team at IU Bloomington to provide ion mobility spectrometry evaluation. This proprietary technology greatly broadens the range for cancer biomarker proteomics studies, Buck said.

In Indianapolis, proteomics work will be conducted by the Protein Analysis and Research Center, the academic service component of the Indiana Centers for Applied Protein Sciences (INCAPS), said Mu Wang, director of PARC and an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the IU School of Medicine. That work will include planning and execution of the projects to identify and validate targeted biomarkers for breast and prostate cancers.

Statistical analysis and processing of the data will be overseen by Jake Chen, assistant professor of informatics at IU and co-principal investigator.

For a large NCI program such as this, data is going to be generated and collected from clinical laboratories, individual research labs at Purdue, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, IU School of Medicine, IU Bloomington, and various contracting companies across the state, Chen said. Therefore, it's essential for a team of computational scientists to work together, linking data, storing them, and analyzing them using computational and statistical tools. The work ahead will be very exciting.

The team will take advantage of Purdue's discovery pipeline for high- complexity data handling to deal with the challenge of data collection, management, and analysis. This discovery pipeline was developed from cooperation among the Bindley Bioscience, e-Enterprise and Cyber centers at Discovery Park.

The NCI's Clinical Proteomic Technology Assessment for Cancer awardees were chosen based, in part, on the broad expertise of their proteomic research teams and their familiarity with and regular use of a wide range of proteomic technologies. The five teams define a cross-institutional and multidisciplinary network of assessment centers that will evaluate and compare different commercially available proteomic platforms and analysis software packages in the context of their potential applicability to cancer. They will also work together to develop a comprehensive approach to assess intra- platform and inter-laboratory variability in these measurement technologies.

CPTAC is one of three major Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative program components integrated by the National Institutes of Health NCI to address the fundamental scientific requirements that must be met in order to realize the promise of proteomics for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Together, they have been charged with providing the scientific community with an assessment of current proteomic technologies, developing and assessing novel technologies and computational methods, and creating a central repository of the resources needed to use these proteomic tools.

RELATED WEB SITES:

Bindley Bioscience Center: http://discoverypark.purdue.edu/wps/portal/ Bioscience

Discovery Park: http://discoverypark.purdue.edu/wps/portal

Purdue University: http://www.purdue.edu

Indiana University School of Medicine: http://www.medicine.iu.edu

Indiana University: http://www.Indiana.edu

Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative for Cancer and the Clinical Proteomic Technologies Assessment for Cancer awards: http:// proteomics.cancer.gov

National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov

- - - -

CONTACTS:

Sources - Fred Regnier, 765-494-3878, fregnier@purdue.edu

Jiri Adamec, jadamec@purdue.edu

Charles Buck, 765-494-2208, cbuck@purdue.edu

Christopher Sweeney, 317-274-3515, chsweene@iupui.edu

Jake Chen, 317-278-7604, jakechen@iupui.edu

Writers - Elizabeth Gardner, 765-494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

Phillip Fiorini, 765-496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu

Eric Schoch, 317-274-8205, eschoch@iupui.edu

AUDIO: Audio clips from Charles Buck, director of operations for Bindley Bioscience Center, and publication-quality photos are available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/ 2006/060928RegnierNCI.html

PHOTO: A publication-quality photo is available at http:// news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2006/regnier-proteomics.jpg

PHOTO CAPTION: Jiri Adamec, from left, a research assistant professor, discusses the results of an experiment with Fred Regnier, Purdue's John H. Law Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, in the Bindley Bioscience Center's Proteomics Lab. The Purdue-IU Analytical Proteomics Team, led by Regnier, has been approved as a national center in the National Cancer Institute's Consortium for Proteomics Technology Assessment for Cancer. The team studies the detection and prediction of cancer through analysis of blood samples. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

Copyright 2006 AScribe inc.

'Roadmap' aims to make county better

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
'Roadmap' aims to make county better. Check it out:
(Harrogate Advertiser Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) A NEW 'roadmap' for Yorkshire and Humber's economic growth, the Regional Economic Strategy 2006-2015 (RES), has just been launched by Yorkshire Forward.

The RES provides a ten year outline of what the region needs to do to grow its GBP75 billion economy. The overall aim is to make Yorkshire and Humber a better place to live, work and invest.

To outline how this can be achieved, the document offers a straightforward guide to economic development and investment - unique to the region and its circumstances, diversity and places. It also specifies who needs to take responsibility for delivering each action and calls on the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to pool their efforts.



The strategy highlights three key areas as being essential to Yorkshire and Humber's future economy: business, people and the environment.

Business objectives outline that the region needs 'more businesses that last', placing emphasis on the need to encourage enterprise in groups to drive productivity, while 'more competitive businesses' highlights that innovation activity is core to economic growth.

People objectives focus on 'skilled people - benefiting business and individuals' as this drives productivity and has knock-on benefits on quality of life, while 'connecting people to good jobs' will tackle worklessness and remove barriers to work.

Environment objectives consider 'transport, infrastructure and the environment', looking at transport schemes of economic priority, the role of the private sector in utilities and infrastructure, plus activity to enhance and utilise the environment and natural resources. A final objective stresses a drive for 'stronger towns and cities' and the role of their renaissance in driving the economy.

Underpinning all six objectives are three themes which aim to achieve quality of delivery. 'Sustainable development' aims to grow business via a long term approach that benefits the environment and enhances quality of life, 'diversity' aims to ensure all people and businesses realise their potential, while 'leadership and ambition' acknowledges that the region needs to raise its sights and promote a culture where people, businesses and agencies aim high, drive change and make the most of their abilities.

Produced by Yorkshire Forward on behalf of the region, the new strategy is the second to be launched by the RDA since its inception. It is the product of the ideas of more than 5,000 people, from three rounds of extensive and inclusive consultation.

Yorkshire Forward chairman Terry Hodgkinson said: "Our region has come a long way since the launch of the first Regional Economic Strategy in 2000, and as a result our economic landscape has changed. This new RES recognises these changes and has refocused our priorities accordingly.

"If people are looking to start or expand a business, want to achieve their potential or transform the place in which they live, then this strategy exists to make this possible." Copies of the RES are available at www.yorkshire-forward.com or by telephoning Yorkshire Forward on 0113 3949600.

Copyright 2006 Johnston Press Plc. Source: Financial Times Information Limited

Do you deserve to win a prestigious Queen's Award?

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Do you deserve to win a prestigious Queen's Award?. Check it out:
(Harrogate Advertiser Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) THE Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance.

They recognise and reward outstanding achievement by UK companies. They are presented in three separate categories: l International Trade - recognising companies that have demonstrated growth in overseas earnings.

l Innovation - recognising companies that have demonstrated commercial success through innovative products or services.

l Sustainable Development - recognising companies that have integrated environmental, social, economic and management aspects of sustainable development into their business.

The awards are made each year by The Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is assisted by an Advisory Committee that includes representatives of Government, industry and commerce, and the trade unions. Outstanding businesses from all sectors are currently being invited to apply for the 2007 awards. The deadline for this year's awards is October 31.



In 2006, 145 companies - large and small - won a Queen's Award. The main benefits of winning are recognition, publicity, staff motivation and use of The Queen's Award Emblem for five years - and, impressively, 92 per cent of the 137 award winners last year said they thought winning a Queen's Award had brought added commercial value to their firm, with 22 per cent noticing a significant increase in new business since winning the award.

"This is a chance for a company to be recognised as a leader in its market and one of the top businesses in the UK," says Stephen Brice, secretary to The Queen's Awards office.

"There is no limit to the number of awards available each year - if a company's achievements are deemed truly outstanding for its sector, then it stands a good chance of winning an award." Over the next few months, officials from The Queen's Awards office will be touring the country to promote the awards, supported by talks and presentations. They will also be inviting nominations for The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion - an award for individuals helping and inspiring tomorrow's entrepreneurs.

Judging is thorough, so apply only if you can answer a definite 'yes' to these questions: l Does your business have a UK base? l Does your business employ at least two full-time workers (or part-time equivalent)? l Do you believe your business is one of the best? l Can you demonstrate commercial success? For details visit: www.queensawards.org.uk.

Copyright 2006 Johnston Press Plc. Source: Financial Times Information Limited

Hat maker a top ten business hero

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Hat maker a top ten business hero. Check it out:
(Harrogate Advertiser Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) A WETHERBY woman who turned her life from tragedy to triumph has been crowned one of Britain's top ten business heroes by setting-up her own hat-making enterprise.

Milliner Woody Whittick, who set up She's All That a year ago, was presented with her winner's trophy by GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips at a glittering gala dinner in London on Wednesday.

The hat maker beat off fierce competition from hundreds of applicants, to finish as a finalist in the Barclays Trading Places Awards, launched this year to people who have overcome personal adversity to positively change their lives by setting up a thriving business.



Woody has fought a battle with ill health since suffering from ME in her teens. She suffered a paralysing spine injury at only 30, and was made redundant during her recovery when her employer went bankrupt.

But after a change of direction she found her calling.

Since opening She's All That last Summer, Woody has designed hats for hundreds of women, including celebrities and catwalk models, featured at Royal Ascot, designed the crown for Miss York 2006 and been elected vice-chair of the British Hat Guild.

Barclay's John Davis said: "The quality of entries made judging extremely difficult but all the judges felt She's All That shone out as a real-life example of an outstanding business that has thrived despite what seemed like impossible odds.

"We congratulate Woody Whittick on being crowned a 2006 National Finalist."

Copyright 2006 Johnston Press Plc. Source: Financial Times Information Limited

Inside Business Pink

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Inside Business Pink. Check it out:
(Harrogate Advertiser Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) WELCOME to the September edition of our 12-page Business Pink supplement, which contains a wealth of business stories, features with members of the business community, appointments, opinions and advice.



Business Pink is published every two months with each title in the Harrogate Advertiser Series and focuses on businesses and individuals throughout the districts of Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Wetherby, Nidderdale and Northallerton.

This supplement also features a four-page On Location section, brought to you in conjunction with Harrogate Borough Council, which provides infomation to help businesses develop and succeed within the district.

If you have any stories or information which you think may be appropriate for the next issue of Business Pink, due out in November, please contact business editor Katie Moulds on 01423 707509 or by emailing katie.moulds@ypn.co.uk.

For the On Location section, please contact Harrogate Borough Council's Economic Development Unit on 01423 556077 or by email to edu@harrogate.gov.uk.

Page 2 - HARROGATE-based Avenir properties has reaped more than one reward from its recent development of land at Cardale Park. State-of-the-art offices making up the Greengate site have proved so successful that the company is now planning on replicating the project elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Page 3 - THE Oscars of the food and drink industry saw dozens of companies from the Harrogate district pick up presitigious awards. Among them was Masham firm Rosebud Preserves, which was crowned Yorkshire champion.

Page 4 - MARK Leather had no idea how much the internet would benefit his business until he was persuaded by website design company Extreme Creations to develop his website into an online shop. Now selling 1,500 natural food products online, Mark says the website has played a major part in his company's 100 per cent rise in turnover in less than two years.

Page 5 - THE first page of the On Location section takes a closer look at a council-led scheme which aims to help businesses comply with new EU regulations on food. Since January this year, all food businesses are required by law to put in place documented food safety management procedures - but many companies are still unaware of or ignoring the regulations.

Page 6 - RECOGNISING and rewarding outstanding achievement by UK companies is the aim of the prestigious Queen's Awards for Enterprise. Outstanding businesses from all sectors are being invited to apply for the 2007 awards - find out how you can take part.

Page 7 - LOOKING for hassle-free office space in Harrogate? On Location tells you what's on offer with regards to serviced office accommodation in the town, from rooms in traditional, converted buildings to modern, newly-built flexible offices.

Page 8 - ARE you prepared for the worst? What would you do if your business was affected by flood, fire or even terrorism? We tell you why a business continuity plan is so important, and explain what it should contain, how to test it - and how to prevent a disaster happening in the first place.

Page 9 - FOLLOWING the success of last year's inaugural Ackrill Media Group Business Awards, the event has now become an annual celebration of the best that businesses have to offer in our district. We begin a three-page look at the launch of this year's awards by introducing the categories and the criteria and, of course, giving you details on how to enter.

Page 10 - MEET the sponsors of the Ackrill Media Group Business Awards. Find out who is sponsoring which award, and learn what they are looking for in their winner.

Page 11 - THE second page introducing you to the category sponsors of the Ackrill Media Group Business Awards.

Page 12 - LOOKING back at ten years in the notoriously difficult Harrogate nightlife industry, Jason Smith, below, admits there have been some tough times. But the owner of Monteys Rock Cafe credits consistency and determination as the secrets of his business survival, as well as, of course, maintaining a good bar.

Copyright 2006 Johnston Press Plc. Source: Financial Times Information Limited

Women's group success

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Women's group success. Check it out:
(Harrogate Advertiser Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) THE inaugural meeting of a new Harrogate-based business networking group for women has proved a huge success.

Around 40 members of WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) attended this week's event at Evans Easyspace Ltd on Hartwith Way, Harrogate.

WiRE is a national business club for women operating in rural areas, offering a dynamic package of practical services and assistance.

The Harrogate group, one of a number of regional networks, aims to provide localised support for members and increase their business activities across the region.

Members will meet once a month to enjoy talks from expert speakers and the chance to chat and discuss business opportunities.

Group co-ordinator Sarah Manby, of Mango Mutt, said: "It's great that so many WiRE members are supporting a local network - the response clearly shows there is the need for one.

"We are looking forward to getting to know each other and helping each other succeed in our various enterprises. We're all women trying to run businesses in rural areas, so we have a shared bond in understanding how difficult this can sometimes be." All members of WiRE are welcome to attend the meetings, but places must be booked in advance.



For more information contact Sarah Manby on 01423 545787 or email info@mangomutt.co.uk.

Copyright 2006 Johnston Press Plc. Source: Financial Times Information Limited

The Denver Post Al Lewis column

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
The Denver Post Al Lewis column. Check it out:
(Denver Post, The (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 29--After losing her job and getting dragged into a congressional inquiry, Hewlett-Packard's deposed chairwoman Patricia Dunn can't make up her mind.

Is it OK to impersonate people and steal their phone records -- or not?

"I still do not understand whether it is legal or not, as opinions vary," Dunn told Congress on Thursday.

Even Silicon Valley lawyer Larry Sonsini's opinions vary. Acting as HP's outside counsel, Sonsini had advised that this practice, known as pretexting, is "not generally unlawful." On Thursday before Congress, though, Sonsini said pretexting is probably illegal but that there ought to be a new law to make this clear.



Wouldn't disbarment or a legal-malpractice lawsuit also make this clear?

And what about existing laws against deceptive trade practices, criminal impersonation, identity theft or wire fraud?

Don't they provide clarity?

Could Dunn and Sonsini really be this dumb? Do they really think the people watching their charades are dumb, too?

What's not ostensibly clear to Dunn and Sonsini seemed abundantly clear to HP general counsel Ann Baskins.

Hours before Baskins was scheduled to testify, she resigned from her 24-year career at HP and invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self- incrimination.

Also taking the Fifth were a host of others involved in HP's cloak-and-dagger investigation of boardroom leaks to reporters. They included Ronald DeLia, who runs the detective firm that HP used; Anthony R. Gentilucci, who managed HP's global investigations unit in Boston; and Kevin T. Hunsaker, HP's former chief ethics officer, who was fired apparently for a lack of ethics in this matter.

Then there's HP chief executive Mark Hurd, who did not take the Fifth. Congress cut Hurd way too much slack Thursday, allowing him to testify alone, without his suspicious-looking colleagues at his side.

Everybody seems to love Hurd because HP stock has soared since he became CEO last year. And at least Hurd was apologetic about HP's misadventure, describing it as a "rogue investigation that violated HP's own principles and values." But Hurd also did a fine job of playing dumb. He told Congress he had had discussions about the investigation but was not involved in it and did not know the details. Maybe he didn't know because he didn't want to know.

"I understand there is also a written report of the investigation addressed to me and others, but unfortunately I did not read it," Hurd said in prepared testimony. "I could have, and I should have." But somehow, he just didn't.

How dumb is that?

So everyone involved in HP's investigation either took the Fifth, said they didn't know or said they were assured that what went on was legal.

Dunn, I think, explained it most eloquently: "Reliance on representations from trusted sources is a bedrock concept in board governance." Here's another "bedrock concept" if you ever want to run a complex enterprise like HP: Question everything. But don't try to look smart when prosecutors are watching your every facial twitch on C-SPAN. Better to play dumb.

Like Bryan Wagner of Littleton, who once worked for Action Research Group.

Wagner, 29, is the nephew of private investigator James Rapp, who pleaded guilty in 1999 after selling information about Los Angeles organized-crime detectives to the Israeli mafia.

Denver Post reporter Kimberly Johnson approached Wagner on Wednesday outside his apartment as he waited for a shuttle to take him to the airport for his flight to Washington. "Action (Research Group) has lawyers to make sure that we're doing everything legally," he told Johnson. "I never thought I was doing anything wrong." Wagner, however, took the Fifth on Thursday before Congress. And well before that, he reportedly took a hammer to his computer.

"I'm not going to say any more about the computer," he said. "I'm afraid I'll be charged with destruction of evidence."

OK, so I'll take it back. Wagner may be the one guy in the HP affair who is not playing dumb. Everyone else -- please!

Al Lewis' column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Respond to him at denverpostbloghouse.com/lewis, 303-954-1967 or alewis@denverpost.com.

To see more of The Denver Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.denverpost.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Denver Post
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

PurdueIndiana University Team Selected as National Cancer Institute Proteomics Center

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
PurdueIndiana University Team Selected as National Cancer Institute Proteomics Center. Check it out:
(Ascribe Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue and Indiana universities' proteomics team has been selected as one of five national centers for cancer research.

The National Cancer Institute announced Wednesday (Sept. 27) its selection of the Purdue-IU Analytical Proteomics Team for inclusion in a new consortium to assess proteomic technology and its applications for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.



The NCI awarded a $7 million grant to the Purdue-IU team, which pairs Purdue's experts in mass spectrometry and proteomics technology with the expert clinical team of cancer researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine. Together they will focus on technology to diagnose breast and prostate cancer through blood samples.

"This is the future of cancer detection in America," said Fred Regnier, Purdue's John H. Law Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and principal investigator for the team. "Proteomics, the study of proteins, holds great promise for more precise diagnosis and tailored cancer therapies through the identification of proteins specific to cancer and other diseases, called 'biomarkers.'"

"However, more work needs to be done to establish protocols for these approaches and the technology used. The NCI program creates a consortium for this purpose and is a great advancement for the field. Remarkably, all five centers included breast cancer as an area of study, which will allow for incredible scientific collaboration and evaluation of data from patients nationwide."

The consortium will receive $35.5 million in awards and is one of three components of the NCI's $104 million five-year clinical proteomic technologies initiative for cancer national program.

"This program is a critical component of NCI's strategy for leveraging the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of proteomics for cancer patients, " said NCI deputy director Anna D. Barker. "I am confident that the complementary proteomic expertise of the awardees, and their commitment to interinstitutional collaboration and real- time data sharing, will enable the development of biomarkers to contribute to a new generation of molecularly based interventions to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer."

The team, based at Purdue's Bindley Bioscience Center at Discovery Park, will develop protocols and standards for mass spectrometry- based cancer proteomics relating to breast and prostate cancer. The endeavor will involve close cooperation between Purdue and Indiana University experts in proteomics, informatics and cancer biology and treatment.

"This is a perfect example of how great things will happen in Indiana when IU, Purdue and the private sector collaborate on life sciences research," said Dr. D. Craig Brater, dean of the IU School of Medicine and vice president of IU with responsibility for life sciences.

Four hundred clinical samples will be collected for breast cancer analysis by the Hoosier Oncology Group, an Indiana statewide network of cancer physicians chaired by Christopher Sweeney, an oncologist and associate director of clinical research at the IU Cancer Center. Prostate cancer samples also will be collected from the NCI-sponsored Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial.

As co-principal investigators, Sweeney and Harikrishna Nakshatri, the Marian J. Morrison Investigator in Breast Cancer Research in the IU Department of Surgery, and others will conduct cancer biology research. Discovery Park's Oncological Sciences Center played a key role in connecting clinical and basic science researchers in the project.

The goals of the program are to define existing technologies and identify emerging technologies that will enable precise and reproducible measurement of biomarkers in cancer, said Jiri Adamec, a Purdue research assistant professor and lead scientist at Bindley Bioscience Center and co-principal investigator. Other Purdue team members include research assistant professor Xiang Zhang and chemistry professor Scott McLuckey.

The team will employ both electrospray ionization and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry platforms.

"Mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches have the advantage of excellent sensitivity and high analytical precision," Adamec said. "Our team will focus on the use of this technology in providing insight into breast and prostate cancer biomarkers. These biomarkers will have dramatic impact for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics."

The team will use the emerging "bioCD" technology invented at Purdue and commercialized by QuadraSpec, a Purdue Research Park company, to expand the detection and quantification of specific candidate cancer protein biomarkers. The technology enables evaluation of hundreds of proteins of interest from hundreds of samples in minutes by incorporating specific antibodies on a microfabricated optical disk that is read by spinning disc inferometry, said Charles Buck, director of operations for Bindley Bioscience Center.

In Bloomington, the startup company Predictive Physiology and Medicine will work with David E. Clemmer, the firm's scientific co- founder and chairman of the IU Department of Chemistry, and Clemmer's team at IU Bloomington to provide ion mobility spectrometry evaluation. This proprietary technology greatly broadens the range for cancer biomarker proteomics studies, Buck said.

In Indianapolis, proteomics work will be conducted by the Protein Analysis and Research Center, the academic service component of the Indiana Centers for Applied Protein Sciences (INCAPS), said Mu Wang, director of PARC and an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the IU School of Medicine. That work will include planning and execution of the projects to identify and validate targeted biomarkers for breast and prostate cancers.

Statistical analysis and processing of the data will be overseen by Jake Chen, assistant professor of informatics at IU and co-principal investigator.

"For a large NCI program such as this, data is going to be generated and collected from clinical laboratories, individual research labs at Purdue, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, IU School of Medicine, IU Bloomington, and various contracting companies across the state," Chen said. "Therefore, it's essential for a team of computational scientists to work together, linking data, storing them, and analyzing them using computational and statistical tools. The work ahead will be very exciting."

The team will take advantage of Purdue's discovery pipeline for high- complexity data handling to deal with the challenge of data collection, management, and analysis. This discovery pipeline was developed from cooperation among the Bindley Bioscience, e-Enterprise and Cyber centers at Discovery Park.

The NCI's Clinical Proteomic Technology Assessment for Cancer awardees were chosen based, in part, on the broad expertise of their proteomic research teams and their familiarity with and regular use of a wide range of proteomic technologies. The five teams define a cross-institutional and multidisciplinary network of assessment centers that will evaluate and compare different commercially available proteomic platforms and analysis software packages in the context of their potential applicability to cancer. They will also work together to develop a comprehensive approach to assess intra- platform and inter-laboratory variability in these measurement technologies.

CPTAC is one of three major Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative program components integrated by the National Institutes of Health NCI to address the fundamental scientific requirements that must be met in order to realize the promise of proteomics for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Together, they have been charged with providing the scientific community with an assessment of current proteomic technologies, developing and assessing novel technologies and computational methods, and creating a central repository of the resources needed to use these proteomic tools.

RELATED WEB SITES:

Bindley Bioscience Center: http://discoverypark.purdue.edu/wps/portal/ Bioscience

Discovery Park: http://discoverypark.purdue.edu/wps/portal

Purdue University: http://www.purdue.edu

Indiana University School of Medicine: http://www.medicine.iu.edu

Indiana University: http://www.Indiana.edu

Clinical Proteomic Technologies Initiative for Cancer and the Clinical Proteomic Technologies Assessment for Cancer awards: http:// proteomics.cancer.gov

National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov

- - - -

CONTACTS:

Sources - Fred Regnier, 765-494-3878, fregnier@purdue.edu

Jiri Adamec, jadamec@purdue.edu

Charles Buck, 765-494-2208, cbuck@purdue.edu

Christopher Sweeney, 317-274-3515, chsweene@iupui.edu

Jake Chen, 317-278-7604, jakechen@iupui.edu

Writers - Elizabeth Gardner, 765-494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

Phillip Fiorini, 765-496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu

Eric Schoch, 317-274-8205, eschoch@iupui.edu

AUDIO: Audio clips from Charles Buck, director of operations for Bindley Bioscience Center, and publication-quality photos are available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/ 2006/060928RegnierNCI.html

PHOTO: A publication-quality photo is available at http:// news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2006/regnier-proteomics.jpg

PHOTO CAPTION: Jiri Adamec, from left, a research assistant professor, discusses the results of an experiment with Fred Regnier, Purdue's John H. Law Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, in the Bindley Bioscience Center's Proteomics Lab. The Purdue-IU Analytical Proteomics Team, led by Regnier, has been approved as a national center in the National Cancer Institute's Consortium for Proteomics Technology Assessment for Cancer. The team studies the detection and prediction of cancer through analysis of blood samples. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

((AScribe - The Public Interest Newswire / http://www.ascribe.org))

Copyright 2006 M2 Communications Ltd.. Source: Financial Times Information Limited.

Health, energy issues discussed at Illinois chamber of commerce briefing

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Health, energy issues discussed at Illinois chamber of commerce briefing. Check it out:
(News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 27--CHAMPAIGN -- There's no consensus among Illinois employers about what government should do to make health care more affordable, the president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce says.



Some employers want government-provided health care. Others are seeking a solution from free enterprise. Still others aren't providing health insurance at all.

"There's not a clear answer to what the state can and should be doing," chamber President Douglas Whitley told 35 business people at a briefing in Champaign that tied in with the chamber's endorsement of Republican Judy Myers for the 52nd Senate District seat.

Myers faces Democrat Mike Frerichs and Socialist Equality candidate Joe Parnarauskis in the Nov. 7 general election. The winner will succeed Republican Sen. Rick Winkel.

At the chamber's briefing at the Hawthorn Suites Hotel, audience member Carol Timms asked what the state could do to help small businesses with mounting health insurance costs.

Myers said a tax credit could help to some extent. Whitley said employers would be helped if the state made fewer mandates for health care coverage.

He said the state has 26 different health insurance mandates, and the chamber believes insurance decisions "ought to be more like a smorgasbord. You ought to be able to pick and choose."

Whitley, who grew up in Atwood, said the state chamber has also endorsed Republican Judy Baar Topinka over Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Whitley chided Blagojevich for "very anti-business policies," namely imposing new taxes on business.

Whitley claimed the Blagojevich administration thinks it is "OK to increase the costs of doing business" because employers have "deep pockets" that can absorb taxes.

Specifically, Whitley assailed the state's delay of payments to medical providers and its failure to meet public employee pension obligations. He said some Illinois doctors are fleeing to Indiana and Wisconsin to avoid the high costs of doing business here.

Audience member Andrew Timms asked Myers how the state's budget problems could be solved if taxes are cut, as she advocates.

"If you have a strong business community and an attractive business climate, then the revenue will come," Myers said.

Earlier, Whitley sounded the same theme, saying "the only way out of (the state's budget woes) is to grow the economy. The current administration does not do this."

Whitley did credit Blagojevich with realizing the importance of energy to Illinois, specifically with regard to the $1 billion FutureGen project to demonstrate clean-coal technology.

A private-public partnership is trying to decide whether the FutureGen plant should be built in Illinois at either Mattoon or Tuscola or at one of two sites in Texas.

Responding to a question from real estate developer Brett Benso about the plant's eventual location, Whitley said the "only issue" appears to be what position, if any, President Bush takes on the matter.

Bush is a Texan, and Whitley said public officials leaving office sometimes steer federal projects to their home states. Whitley called the practice "the Lyndon Johnson syndrome."

He said Texas wound up with the superconducting supercollider project during the presidency of George H.W. Bush, after fierce competition with Illinois.

"FutureGen is research, and whether that (project) goes to Illinois or goes to Texas, the research done there will benefit Illinois coal," he said.

With regard to economic development, Whitley said the state must move away from government-controlled solutions and toward more public-private partnerships.

"In Illinois, we've had a top-down economic development focus the last 30 years ... Some years we've had genuine success, but for the most part, it's been muddling," he said.

To see more of The News-Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.news-gazette.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Unless you're creating and editing high-resolution video, NAS might be all you need.

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Unless you're creating and editing high-resolution video, NAS might be all you need.. Check it out:
(www.enterprisestorageforum.com Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
Streaming data technology has become ubiquitous in recent years. Just about everyone from CNN.com to your local cable company uses it. On demand video, music, news broadcasts and security cameras are just a few examples of streaming data.



Since you're likely to run into the technology at some point, it's probably worth a closer look. Let's say you want to set up a streaming server; what are the issues you'll face, and how do you go about determining what to buy and how to configure it?

Once again, we'll begin with the issue of requirements. The requirements for gaining an understanding of streaming data (video or audio) can be complex or simple, depending on a number of factors:

The number of simultaneous users; The required data rate to the users compared to caching for example, MS Windows Media Player and RealPlayer both cache the stream and do not begin playing until enough data is cached to begin playback; Is the data stream real-time, cached or both real-time data might require less of some system resources and more of others than playing back already captured data, and vice versa; Will the playback be sequential for non-real-time data, this will definitely affect storage and file system performance. We can divide much of the common streaming applications into two separate and distinct categories:

High-performance playback and editing, which is used for high-definition streams. This is very uncommon and an example of this type of work is the animation done by the movie industry, especially for animation; and Low-resolution playback or capture the most common type of streaming application, with one of the new areas needed for data capture being security cameras. High-Performance Streaming Architecture

High-performance streaming is much harder to develop an architecture for since the requirements are much greater. The data rates needed for streaming I/O can exceed 30 MB/sec, and multiple streams are active simultaneously. Shared file systems are often used, which require even more complex architectural analysis since multiple systems are accessing the storage system. A number of shared file systems were actually developed in the late 1990s specifically for editing streaming video.

Even with 4Gb Fibre Channel and high-performance storage, the problem is still complex and requires careful attention to file system allocation and tuning, RAID tuning and a myriad of other data path tuning issues.

Luckily for most sites, requirements such as these are uncommon, and people working on this type of problem have years of experience in this area. These environments are often made even more complex because of the need to have massive amounts of data that is maintained by a hierarchical storage management system ( HSM ).

If this is your type of environment, you have a great deal of hard work ahead of you to ensure that your environment can meet the performance requirements. Nothing on the storage horizon is going to make it any easier in the near future, given that file systems and storage devices cannot communicate topological information about the location of the data and file system metadata. This can severely limit the performance of the environment, especially if many large files (most systems of this type only write large files) are being written at the same time, given the inherent file system fragmentation.

The only good news for this type of architecture is that it is not that common except in places like Hollywood and other high-resolution visual environments. Personally, I think working on these types of systems is a lot of fun given the complexity of the problems and the large amount of hardware and specialized software needed to meet the operational requirements.

Lower-Performance Architecture

Creating or developing an architecture for lower-performance/resolution environments is much easier for a number of reasons: the data rates are much lower; most of the applications cache the data, so real-time streaming is not that important; and network latency is very high and the relative performance is low.

Lower rates: For these environments, data rates tend to be in kilobytes rather than in megabytes. When the required data rate is three orders of magnitude less, this simplifies the architecture enormously.

Applications : The applications in these environments are often products like Windows Media Player and RealPlayer. These applications measure the income data rate and cache the data before beginning playback. If the network performance changes, these products stop and wait for the data rate to catch up and begin playback again.

Network latency and performance: In most of these environments, it is all about network latency and bandwidth. If you are streaming video from sites such as Yahoo, CNN and the like, the local bandwidth and latency at these sites is far greater than what you have at home with high-speed cable. The fastest common home network connection I have seen is 5 Mbits/sec. This far exceeds the rate needed to play most visual video streams, but the latency between you and the video stream can be high, especially if what you want to look at is a hot news or sports item. The latency is caused by contention for the video stream and a lack of bandwidth to the outside world from where the data is stored.

Choosing the Right Architecture

Obviously, since high- and low-performance streaming environments are so different, different architectures are needed for each. Using an HPC architecture for a low-performance environment would be overkill, unless the low-performance architecture was so large that an HPC architecture might make sense.

HPC Architecture

For the high-performance architecture, I would be looking at a 4Gb Fibre Channel environment, high-speed RAID controllers, PCI Express -based HBAs , a server with a great deal of memory bandwidth, and a-high performance file system with HSM capabilities.

A number of vendors develop solutions specifically for these types of environments. In the 1990s, both Apple and SGI dominated this market segment, but their domination has waned given the commoditization of everything. Some companies will still pay big bucks to ensure that they can meet their requirements because not getting a movie out on time can cost a lot of money.

Today, companies such as Quantum/ADIC, Sun and a myriad of others provide solutions in this market space. It's not a big market, but it is prestigious.

Low-Performance Architecture

For low performance needs, the first thing I would consider is NAS . Since the problem is all about low-resolution video data, NAS is often the best solution because it is easy to use, configure, maintain and manage. A number of vendors have optimized systems for exactly this type of application, such as Isilon, NetApp and others.

Managing content delivery of streaming data is not that difficult, given the latency, applications and file sizes, because the applications have addressed the network latency. Streaming I/O is not that big a deal over the Internet, and is often a function not of the storage system, but the interface to the Internet. Most NAS devices can handle the requirement without much architectural work, and this is true even for delivery of content within an intranet. The streams just are not that demanding of bandwidth and can be addressed by NAS technology.

On the other hand, editing and creating content is not that easy and requires careful attention to architectural planning and usually high-performance hardware and file systems. All of this might change over time as hardware gets faster and software gets more efficient, but for the time being, that's the way it is.

Henry Newman, a regular Enterprise Storage Forum contributor, is an industry consultant with 26 years experience in high-performance computing and storage. See more articles by Henry Newman .

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The ServerWatch newsletter for Friday, September 29, 2006

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
The ServerWatch newsletter for Friday, September 29, 2006. Check it out:
(www.serverwatch.com Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
*********************************** ServerWatch Newsletter upt_http://www.serverwatch.com/ Friday, September 29, 2006 **********************************

---------------------- New on ServerWatch ----------------------

1. Virtually Speaking: Management Is the Key September 29, 2006 When it comes to virtualization, bad planning and poor management will merely replace a headache with a toothache.

http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3634966

------------------------------------------------------------ 2. The Hows and Whys of Server Virtualization September 28, 2006 How does virtualization work, and why is now a good time to check it out?

http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/3634911

------------------------------------------------------------ 3. SMB Space Gets High-End Feature Boost September 28, 2006 There's nothing small about virtualization for the SMB space. Dell's newest systems aim to serve this and other high-end features to the SMB market.



http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3634861

------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Getting Back to Business September 27, 2006 Security and advanced tools are cool, but day-to-day routines have an even bigger impact on server security and reliability.

http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/3634671

------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Enterprise Unix Roundup: Unix Buzz Defies Prognosis September 27, 2006 The research firms may be reading the end of Unix in their tea leaves, but word on the street says otherwise.

http://www.serverwatch.com/eur/article.php/3634546

------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Linux Developers Reject GPL 3 September 26, 2006 Top Linux kernel developers, Torvalds included, vote version 3 of the GPL a no-go.

http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3634131

------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Tip of the Trade: DTrace September 26, 2006 DTrace is considered by many to be one of the best features in Solaris 10. The troubleshooting tool is a powerful dynamic tracing utility for observing, debugging and tuning system behavior. The one downside? Its complexity.

http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/3634126

------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Hardware Today: Building an Uninterruptible Data Center September 25, 2006 In the next five years, power failures and power availability limitations may halt data center operations in more than 90 percent of companies. A UPS and a strategy for reducing power output is one way to be in the other 10 percent.

http://www.serverwatch.com/hreviews/article.php/3634071

------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Squid Internet Object Cache vs. InterGate September 25, 2006 Non-Windows proxy servers are a rare breed. Here are two to get you started on your search.

http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/313890_Ext

------------------------------------------------------------ 10. IBM Takes Tape Storage Into Overdrive September 22, 2006 Big Blue adds long-distance disaster recovery and grid tools to its enterprise-class tape system.

http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3633771

------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------- Server Updates ---------------------------------

Updated Mailtraq, a 4 star Mail server, to version 2.9.0.2082. - Sep 29, 2006 http://www.serverwatch.com/stypes/server/index.php/17171

Updated Axigen Mail Server, a 4 star Mail server, to version 1.2.6. - Sep 29, 2006 http://www.serverwatch.com/stypes/server/index.php/17187

Updated Merak Mail Server, a 5 star Mail server, to version 8.5.0-8. - Sep 25, 2006 http://www.serverwatch.com/stypes/server/index.php/16181

Internet.com Corp.

Copyright 2003 Jupitermedia Corp. All rights reserved.
Republication and redistribution of Jupitermeida Corp. content is
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Corp.. Jupitermedia Corp., shall not be liable for any errors
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Copyright 2006 Jupitermedia Corp.

Congress repeals Wright: Love flights anywhere allowed when bill signed as early as next week

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Congress repeals Wright: Love flights anywhere allowed when bill signed as early as next week. Check it out:
(Dallas Morning News, The (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 30--WASHINGTON -- Congress approved legislation late Friday to repeal the Wright amendment, potentially resolving a decades-old battle over the role of Dallas Love Field.

The bill to phase out flight restrictions at the Dallas airport cleared the House overwhelmingly in a late-night vote before lawmakers departed for a pre-election recess.

The legislation won passage in the Senate earlier Friday after months of pressure by Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn to win over a final detractor, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

President Bush is expected to sign the measure as early as next week.

"It's a great relief to have a final solution," said Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell, whose district includes Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. "The fact that none of the parties are completely happy, and all of the parties are relieved to have it over, should be a sign that it's a good agreement."



Still, lawmakers acknowledged that the Wright battle may not be over. North Texas residents and groups that opposed the deal are expected to challenge the legislation in court.

The Wright legislation stalled this summer under criticism over its treatment of federal antitrust laws, and supporters in Congress fought hard for language to help shield the deal from a long court fight.

The legislation will repeal Wright in 2014, implementing a June agreement by the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and D/FW Airport.

It would immediately allow flights anywhere from Love Field, as long as they first stopped inside the nine-state Wright perimeter.

The agreement would also cut the number of available gates at Love from 32 to 20, part of a plan to compensate for an expected increase in noise, pollution and congestion. Nineteen gates are in use now.

On Congress' last day, the House turned out to be the greatest source of contention over repealing the Wright law.

House members planned to clear their bill under suspension of normal rules, a procedure often used for uncontroversial measures that would prevent lawmakers from offering amendments.

Suspension bills often pass without recorded votes, but objections to the Wright legislation forced proponents to corral the support of two-thirds of those present.

A heated evening debate had opponents sparring over the antitrust issue, while also arguing that residents outside the existing Wright perimeter would be saddled with higher airfares as a result of the deal.

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said the bill "will continue vestiges of the Wright amendment" until 2025, when gate arrangements expire under the deal.

In a departure from many congressional debates, supporters and opponents of the Wright agreement weren't split by party affiliation or geography.

Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, argued against a frequent ally, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, whose district includes Love Field.

Bumper sticker

Mr. Sensenbrenner, recalling the "Don't Mess with Texas" bumper stickers in the House garage, said, "Tonight is one of the nights where we ought to mess with Texas.

"This is the most anti-consumer, anti-free-enterprise bill that has come before this House in a long time," he said.

The debate on the House floor was not expected a day earlier. North Texas lawmakers positioned the legislation to allow it to pass easily.

A tougher fight had been expected in the Senate, where rules and traditions allow a single member the power to block legislation.

By early Thursday afternoon, after House members from North Texas had forged a path for their bill to reach the House floor, the pressure had grown on Ms. Hutchison and Mr. Cornyn.

Efforts in recent weeks to find language that was acceptable to Mr. Leahy and the North Texas parties had failed, even after changing the antitrust language from an explicit to implicit exemption to win over the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

Word came from the Texas senators' staffs later Thursday afternoon that Mr. Leahy could come to an agreement for bringing the Wright bill up under unanimous consent, a procedure used for noncontroversial measures.

The senators and their staffs started working on statements to be read on the Senate floor.

Ms. Hutchison reached out to House members about her progress, e-mailing and talking with Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, past midnight and into Friday morning, to ask her to wait for a Senate bill to come to the House to prevent further procedural delays.

By Friday morning, Ms. Hutchison was sitting in a cloakroom off the Senate floor working out how the bill would come up under unanimous consent.

Mr. Leahy had been pushing a wilderness bill to move under unanimous consent, a measure that largely affected Vermont and New Hampshire.

Asked later if she was holding up his bill, Ms. Hutchison smiled. "Why would someone do that?

"Let's just say that we came to an agreement to pass both bills," she said.

The bill passed the Senate in less than a minute just before 1 p.m. Dallas time.

Then Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Leahy engaged in a colloquy, a discussion on the Senate floor that allows lawmakers to share their thinking for the record.

The dialogue does not offer the force of law but gives judges an opportunity to glean congressional intent in a court challenge over the antitrust issue

"Senator Cornyn and I share a concern about providing antitrust immunity to agreements involving private parties," Mr. Leahy said. "While I would prefer greater clarity on this point in the bill, I am pleased that Senator Cornyn and I agree that this is an entirely unique situation, which should not be repeated."

Mr. Cornyn agreed that "the legislation contemplated here should not be a model for any future arrangement.

"In no way can I imagine a situation arising with a set of facts remotely similar to that created in Dallas by the passage of the Wright Amendment," he said.

Mr. Cornyn, who serves on the judiciary committee with Mr. Leahy, said later that ending the impasse was a matter of talking through the details of the Wright law and the uniqueness of the situation.

"We had to explain to him that actually this increased competition rather than decreased competition," Mr. Cornyn said. "That was one of the hard things for people to understand because of the unique nature of the Wright amendment."

Ms. Hutchison, who urged North Texas officials early in the year to come up with a solution, said the Wright legislation took "an inordinate amount of time for a bill that shouldn't have been this complicated."

"I have to say that in my 12 years in the Senate, the hardest thing that I've ever had to explain was the Wright amendment to outside people," she said.

Miller euphoric

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller was euphoric Friday afternoon. She'd feared the Senate would be the bigger obstacle.

Ms. Miller said she was confident the terms of the bill would protect Dallas from losing a court challenge, due to a dedicated North Texas delegation and attorneys who worked around the clock.

"Without the language crafted in the Senate ... we would have a huge problem," Ms. Miller said.

Friday's actions followed a nearly two-year fight over the Wright amendment and Love Field.

In November 2004, Southwest Airlines announced that it would lobby Congress to lift the flight restrictions.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, introduced legislation the following May to repeal Wright completely, spurring lawmakers nationwide to pick up the cause to win cheaper flights to and from North Texas.

But Mr. Hensarling decided not to back the compromise agreement, saying he could not support the nation's only congressional mandate on the number of gates at a local airport.

He sat quietly in the back row of the House on Friday evening to watch the debate. He planned to vote against the bill but did not fight the compromise agreement.

Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Plano, who co-sponsored the original Wright repeal legislation with Mr. Hensarling, said the compromise was "not perfect" but still an agreement worthy of support.

Staff writer Emily Ramshaw in Dallas contributed to this report.

E-mail sreddy@dallasnews.com

HOW THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT WOUND UP ON ITS FINAL DESCENT

Key events in the history of the Wright amendment:

1979

In an effort to protect a young Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from competition at Dallas Love Field, Congress approves the Wright amendment, named for U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright of Fort Worth. The law, which took effect the following year, limits flights from Love Field to airports in Texas and its adjoining four states, but allows commuter planes with 56 seats or fewer to fly farther.

1997

Congress approves the Shelby amendment, adding Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi to the Wright territory.

2000

April: Legend Airlines starts service from its own terminal at Love to Los Angeles and Washington with modified 56-seat jets. Continental Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also launch Love service.

December: Legend declares bankruptcy and stops all service. Eventually, American and Delta pull out of Love. Continental remained.

2004

September: Delta announces it will close its D/FW hub, reducing its daily schedule here from 254 nonstop flights to 21.

November: Southwest CEO Gary Kelly says the carrier considered filling some of Delta's void at D/FW, but decided against it. Instead, Mr. Kelly calls for repeal of the Wright law.

D/FW and American express strong support for continuing the Wright limits.

2005

May: U.S. Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, and Sam Johnson, R-Plano, introduce legislation in the House that would fully repeal Wright.

July: Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign introduces a similar bill in the Senate.

November: Missouri becomes the ninth state outside of Texas that can be served from Love Field, when Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., tacks his state onto the Wright perimeter in a transportation-spending bill.

December: Southwest launches new service to St. Louis and Kansas City from Love.

2006

February: Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn urge airline and government leaders in North Texas to come up with a compromise to settle the Wright fight.

March: American returns to Love, with service to St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as to Austin and San Antonio.

June: The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, along with D/FW, Southwest and American, announce a compromise that would allow for immediate through-ticketing and full repeal in 2014.

July: House and Senate committees approve legislation to enact the agreement. But a lobbying effort from the owners of the former Legend terminal, set to be demolished under the deal, draws detractors in Congress. The bills stall over antitrust exemptions.

September: The Senate approves legislation reflecting the North Texas compromise. A vote was set for late Friday in the House.

REPEALING WRIGHT

Once signed into law, legislation approved in the House and Senate on Friday would:

--Immediately allow commercial travel anywhere from Dallas Love Field if planes first stop at an airport in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma or Texas.

--Permit commercial flights to travel nonstop to any destination in the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, beginning eight years after enactment.

--Direct the city of Dallas to reduce and cap the number of gates at Love Field at no more than 20; the airport now has 32 gates, 19 of which are in use.

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research

Copyright (c) 2006, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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Football: William Hill's decision to close US operation ironic

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
Football: William Hill's decision to close US operation ironic. Check it out:
(The Birmingham Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Despite the advertising campaign for their self-styled 'Gods of Poker' being a bit on the naff side, I like the William Hill poker website. The company has embraced the game by offering decent sign-up bonuses and $1 million prize pools every week. It sponsors a raft of professionals, has a good online poker school and a poker show broadcast on Sky each Wednesday.



Now, William Hill are not doing all of this because they're nice guys - although I'm sure they are - the company is involved in poker and other gaming activities because it wants to make a profit. Few people would contest their absolute right to do so.

The company do not force anyone to play and take a responsible approach towards gaming, so I was disappointed when they became the umpteenth company to effectively close down their US operations earlier this week.

There is a certain irony about internet poker and other gaming activities being actively discouraged in parts of the US.

America was built on free enterprise and its citizens remain justifiably suspicious of politicians and others who pursue actions in the name of the public good. Yet the world's richest, most entrepreneuri ally-focused nation insists on trying to behave like King Canute and prevent people from playing poker and participating in other forms of online gaming.

According to Hill's head honcho, Tom Singer, the fear of arrest prompted the company's decision to abandon the US market following the arrest and subsequent release of executives at Sportingbet and Bet On Sports earlier this year. Peter Dicks, the former chairman of Sportingbet, said he suspected that arrest warrants had been issued for a number of senior executives at companies involved in online poker and gaming.

In view of this, William Hill's decision was entirely understandable. As Mr Singer said: "Why do I need to live with the risk [of arrest] as a William Hill director?" He's absolutely right, yet there is evidence to suggest that the American crackdown on internet betting is set to move up a gear.

America's anti-poker crusade is being led by prosecutors in Louisiana, one of seven states that expressly outlaws online gaming. There is speculation within the gaming industry that the state has 58 arrest warrants ready to be issued should senior executives at internet gambling firms set foot on US soil.

There is further irony in the state of Louisiana's actions. The USA remains home to the world's largest gambling centre. Las Vegas, where the World Series of Poker is contested amid every conceivable gaming activity, contributes billions of tax dollars to the federal government.

But there is an even greater irony in Louisiana law-enforcers trying to prevent people playing poker. The game is a direct descendent of a French game called Poque, a name derived from the French verb pocher, to bluff. The modern form of draw poker originated in the US during the 19th century and became popular on Mississippi steamboats leaving French-speaking New Orleans. That's right: New Orleans in the state of Louisiana.

Copyright 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd.

FOOD& DRINK: Cafe's a lifestyle choice

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 6:30 AM | | Comments (0)
FOOD& DRINK: Cafe's a lifestyle choice. Check it out:
(The Birmingham Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) It is a typical Kings Heath street. Rabbit hutches are piled up outside a pet shop, several sofas peek out of a furniture store and a couple are enjoying a fry up at a greasy spoon across the road.



But there is a hidden gem among these standard array of shops and it has got residents excited.

For those who have bemoaned the rise in charity shops and for the council, which is thinking up a strategy to make Kings Heath "more like Moseley" with a better class of shop, they may be pleasantly surprised that there is hope on the horizon.

Behind some smart iron gates and through a little alleyway off York Road lies Kitchen Garden Cafe - an enterprise set up by two passionate environmentalists keen to add something to this diverse community.

"People seek us out when they come in and tell us this is exactly what Kings Heath needs," says owner Brett Rehling, who gave up his job as an IT manager for Cadbury's to create this cafe and garden shop.

"Within two weeks of opening we were getting 60 to 70 covers and that was without a single bit of advertising. The great thing about Kings Heath and Moseley is that people speak to each other and our business has come from word of mouth," he adds.

Brett, who met his wife Tracey Fletcher while volunteering at Birmingham Friends of the Earth, greets me with a wide smile, keen to show off the huge renovation of this former hardware shop.

He now works at the cafe full time, with Tracey chipping in whenever possible in between working for WWF and caring for their two-year-old son, Sacha.

"This was the old hardware store," he says pointing at the shiny new kitchen where a cheery chef is busy dishing out breakfasts. "And this was an old greenhouse full of rubbish," he says as we walk among the wooden tables. "And over here was Kings Heath's former blacksmiths. When we came, it had been used as a saw mill and was knee deep in sawdust."

It is clear the couple's passion to make such a venture work is reflected in the way they have renovated this old building.

The original brick walls and Victorian windows have been restored, and blue bricks from the former blacksmith's have been used to create a Mediterranean style patio and courtyard.

Chunky wooden tables have been created from scaffolding boards and the chairs and cabinets have been bought from local auctions.

Work from local artists adorn the walls and in the corner a mum and toddler enjoy a quiet moment in the specially created children's play area.

As Brett shows off the building work, Tracey bounds in, keen to explain why the pair decided to embark on this ambitious project.

Both are so enthused, it is soon clear their business is more about creating a sustainable community than it is about making money.

"We want it to be attractive to everyone," says Tracey. "It is a cool place for young people and a nice environment for families."

"When you go to Spain you get restaurants which are like meeting places for families, there is a real mixed bunch of people," Brett chips in.

"Now we have got a child we know what people with young children want - they want to go somewhere other than a Wacky Warehouse," adds Tracey.

The pair are desperate to move away from the chunky cardigan, sandal wearing image an organic cafe might attract and hope the diverse community of Kings Heath will find something here for them.

"It would be the end of the world if the fact we were organic meant we only attracted posh, rich people," says Tracey.

"The cafe dispels two common misconceptions: first, that organic food is an exclusive, over-priced niche market' and second, that organic is boring, all lentil loaves and curd cheese. We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to experience the creativity that is possible with organic, seasonal and local food, at prices they can afford."

But the pair find it difficult to cover costs and overheads without pushing up their prices.

"We are not breaking even yet, and people seem surprised when we tell them that," Tracey explains.

"But we are confident we will get there," Brett adds, as he sets out a vision for evening events from cabaret acts to cheese and wine tasting.

"We are not in the city centre or in Brighton or London - this is Kings Heath and people are not going to spend a lot on lunch. So we have to be very resourceful," he adds.

It is 11am and the cafe is gearing up for what they hope will be a busy lunch. An aroma of tomato soup and marrow fritters flows from the kitchen while a chef's assistant slices thick chunks of fresh organic bread.

The marrow has been taken off a plant grown in the garden, where a variety of plants from olive trees to courgettes are up for sale.

"I always liked food and being a host.

"We used to have a lot of parties, and so we were used to doing it for nothing," says Brett as he explains what made him give up his job for this new competitive world of hospitality.

For Tracey, it was a desire to do more for her local community which prompted the move.

"I started working for WWF eight-and-a-half years ago, which was really fulfilling, but for the last few years it has not been enough for me - I wanted to do something really practical.

"We were doing a regional strategy for WWF, but I wanted to look at what is actually happening in the community - getting real results. I had lots of ambition to have a real sustainable community, have a central meeting point where people can come and relax."

As well as the cafe, the couple have created a small shop and deli selling local foods, such as Fowlers' cheese from Warwickshire and yoghurt from the Dairy House in Herefordshire.

There is also an array of organic veg from a Malvern farm, packs of Tyrrells Crisps, ice-cream from September Dairies in Herefordshire and Frank's hand-made biscuits, also from Herefordshire.

Tracey coaxes me into the garden shop, where everything related to organics can be found.

"I was just fed up of going into garden centres and seeing such a pathetic section on organic gardening," she says.

Everything from bird boxes to organic fertilisers can be found, with both organic and non organic plants scattered around the entrance.

"We wanted to link growing and eating organically," she says.

"We are going to have an apple day soon and next year we hope to stock lots of seeds for the allotment holders around here," she adds.

Their vision had been to find a venue where they could create a community one stop shop, a space for a creche, restaurant and, at one stage, a launderette.

To some it may seem like another, if not attractive looking, cafe. But to them it is a lifestyle they want to share with the rest of Kings Heath.

"We want it to be a community place. In some areas mums meet up in these grim community centres because there is no where else to go," says Tracey. "I hope we have created somewhere attractive for all sorts of people within the community."

Copyright 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd.

Determina Announces Immediate Availability of Protection from Critical Microsoft Zero-Day Vulnerability

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:33 AM | | Comments (0)
Determina Announces Immediate Availability of Protection from Critical Microsoft Zero-Day Vulnerability. Check it out:
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Determina(R) Inc. today announced that it is making a free VPS Shield available for the latest Microsoft zero-day vulnerability announced on September 28, 2006. This vulnerability does not have a vendor patch available, potentially exposing customers to attacks that exploit this zero-day vulnerability.



The previous VPS Shield that Determina produced for the WMF vulnerability was a huge success. Thousands of individuals and enterprises downloaded and deployed the Shield, which can be installed directly onto an affected system without any modifications to critical Windows files, configuration, or functionality. Once the patch is available and the user deploys it on their system, Determina VPS automatically detects the patch and no longer applies the Shield. Determina intends to continue to deliver free shields when there are critical zero-day outbreaks for which there are no patches available.

Determina customers who have the Vulnerability Protection Suite (VPS) are not threatened by these vulnerabilities and have true "zero-day" threat protection from any attacks.

Third-party patches -- yes, there is a difference

Unlike other so called "third-party patches" available from other vendors and researchers, Determina's Shields do not modify any system files or configuration of a system, and do not disable any critical system functionality on the affected system. In some cases, "patches" from other vendors can result in permanent modification to the system, making it hard or impossible to revert back to the original system configuration when the "patch" is removed.

Determina's Shields are also based on the vulnerability itself, and not on any specific attack vector. Therefore, any malware that utilizes these vulnerabilities to infect a system will be stopped, even if the attacker changes the attack. Unlike other attack-oriented security products from other vendors, Determina VPS is the only system that provides customers with true "vulnerability protection" that directly fixes the vulnerability in the code itself.

"Users remain vulnerable to these zero-day vulnerabilities until Microsoft releases a patch. Today's anti-virus and anti-spyware products are already known to be ineffective in preventing attackers from compromising systems using "drive-by" and other techniques -- the signatures simply cannot keep up with the large number of malware variants," said Sandy Wilbourn, VP of Engineering and Customer Support, Determina.

Free downloadable fix available

As reported in a Sept. 28, 2006 Determina Security Advisory, a remote code execution vulnerability exists in the Internet Explorer WebViewFolderIcon ActiveX control that could allow remote attackers to hijack an affected system to execute malicious code or install spyware. Determina's VPS Memory Firewall, by default, protects users against code execution that may result from exploitation of the memory corruption based vulnerabilities reported in this advisory. The full advisory is available at http://www.determina.com/security_center/security_advisories/ securityadvisory_0day_09282.asp. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Determina has also released a free, downloadable Shield to the general public. This standalone Shield for Internet Explorer will prevent this critical vulnerability from being exploited until Microsoft is able to issue a patch. Desktop users without proactive protection against vulnerability exploits may consider installing this Shield if they believe they might have exposure to web-based attacks.

The Shield can be downloaded from Determina's Security Research website at http://www.determina.com/security.research/. The Shield applies to all currently known affected versions of Windows. The Shield fixes the flawed code in memory when a vulnerable version of the ActiveX control in Internet Explorer is running, without affecting the installation of the web browser on disk or disabling any browser functionality. It should also not interfere with the installation of a Microsoft patch when one becomes available.

Determina Vulnerability Protection Suite (VPS): Real-Time Vulnerability Protection

Determina VPS' unique ability to protect against 100 percent of critical Windows vulnerabilities has earned positive reviews in leading publications, including InfoWorld, PC Magazine, and Secure Enterprise. The company also received the InfoWorld 2005 Innovators Award for its pioneer work in mitigating critical Windows vulnerabilities.

Unlike attack-oriented security technologies, vulnerability protection offers customers the ability to comprehensively address the security and operational issues around security and patching. The Determina VPS suite offers comprehensive vulnerability protection though its two products: Memory Firewall(TM), which provides proactive, zero-day protection for the most dangerous class of vulnerabilities, and LiveShield(TM), which provides precise vulnerability protection in real-time.

Further product information is available at www.determina.com, and requests for evaluation of Determina VPS may be made at www.determina.com/sales/request_info.html.

About Determina

Determina(R) is a leading provider of proactive host intrusion prevention solutions (HIPS) for servers and desktops based on breakthrough technology developed at M.I.T. Determina Vulnerability Protection Suite(TM) (VPS(TM)) is the only solution to address the root cause of attacks -- the software vulnerabilities themselves. Through this unique approach, it is the only solution for continuous protection from the latest worms, malicious code, and directed attacks, eliminating the need for reactive security patching. VPS consists of two products providing complimentary vulnerability coverage: Memory Firewall(R), which provides proactive, zero-day protection for the most dangerous class of vulnerabilities without the need for updates, and LiveShield(R), which provides precise vulnerability protection in real-time.

Determina is headquartered in Redwood City, CA with development offices in Cambridge, MA. Determina VPS has been rapidly and broadly deployed by enterprise customers in industries demanding the highest level of security and availability.

Oracle joins Itanium Alliance.

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:33 AM | | Comments (0)
Oracle joins Itanium Alliance.. Check it out:
(www.internetnews.com Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
SAN FRANCISCO -- Ten years ago, Unix was all about proprietary chipsets and Unix flavors. Since then, HP, SGI and IBM have ditched their homegrown chips and Unix in favor of the Itanium processor from Intel and Linux.

This migration has picked up steam, with Itanium now accounting for 11.2% of all non-x86 server revenue, according to IDC.

Here at the Intel Developer Forum, the Itanium Solutions Alliance (ISA) held its first Itanium Solutions Summit this week to discuss the growth of Itanium 2-based solutions. There are now 10,000 Itanium applications, doubling the number in the past year.



The newest supporter of the ISA is Oracle . The database software giant announced it will work with the Alliance to certify Oracle software on Itanium platforms. Oracle said it will certify the next major releases of its database and Oracle Fusion middleware across a range of operating systems for Itanium.

For applications that haven't made the move, Transitive has announced QuickTransit, which lets applications native to different operating systems run on Itanium-based systems. The demo at the show featured Solaris applications running natively on an Itanium-based computer.

With Itanium sales in the first half of 2005 up 40 percent over the first half of 2005, Itanium appears to be finding a home after a bumpy start. That was due to misperceptions of what the Itanium was for, said ISA members.

"There was this misconception that the Itanium would be a volume chip and would displace x86 CPUs and that's not the case," said Stephen Howard, director of Enterprise Solution Alliances at HP .

HP recently refreshed its Itanium server offerings with the new dual core Itanium2 9000 chips, which came out in July .

"Although mission critical computing doesn't put out the volume of mass market CPUs, mission critical servers make up more than half the revenue for the total market," added Tony DeVarco, senior manager for global technology partnerships at SGI .

Itanium is finding a home with HP customers who bought SuperDome servers as well as old DEC Alpha customers, a legacy platform that HP inherited with its acquisition of Compaq. SGI, which recently expanded its offerings to include Intel Xeon-based systems, also has a strong Itanium portfolio for customers of its older MIPS-based Origin servers

As part of this migration, HP and SGI offered up parts of their respective Unixes, HP-UX and IRIX, to the open source community. This included real-time support, SGI's XFS file system and numerous other tools and core Unix services.

Internet.com Corp.

Copyright 2003 Jupitermedia Corp. All rights reserved.
Republication and redistribution of Jupitermeida Corp. content is
Expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Jupitermedia
Corp.. Jupitermedia Corp., shall not be liable for any errors
or delays in the Content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Copyright 2006 Jupitermedia Corp.

Qenos Selects UNIPOL APC+(TM) for Its Alkatuff Plant

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:33 AM | | Comments (0)
Qenos Selects UNIPOL APC+(TM) for Its Alkatuff Plant. Check it out:
HOUSTON --(Business Wire)-- Qenos Pty Ltd has selected Univation Technologies' Advanced Process Control software (APC+) for use at its Alkatuff plant in Botany, Sydney, Australia.

APC+, a tool specifically engineered for the UNIPOL(R) PE Process, has been proven to improve plant performance by limiting process variability, reducing unplanned downtime, and increasing aim-grade production while maximizing throughput.



"We selected APC+ for implementation in our UNIPOL PE reactor because it's a cost-effective way to significantly improve plant performance while working within our already-existing facility constraints. We expect to start realizing immediate payback when the software becomes operational sometime in the first quarter 2007," said Rod Campbell, Qenos Product Technology Manager.

Univation APC+ software runs on a Microsoft(R) Windows platform for easy integration into already-existing third-party technologies and enterprise resource planning systems. Having already been implemented at many other UNIPOL commercial operations worldwide, the software has been shown to increase production rates by as much as 9%, improve transition efficiency by as much as 35%, and raise on-stream time by up to 2 percentage points. These improvements can translate into millions of dollars in savings yearly.

The Alkatuff plant produces 120 kta of primarily LLDPE for domestic Australian consumption and has been operational since 1992.

Univation Technologies, LLC is the world leader in licensing gas phase polyethylene technology. Univation has comprehensive technology programs focused on the UNIPOL(R) PE gas-phase process, conventional catalysts (UCAT(R) catalysts), and metallocene catalysts (XCAT(R) catalysts and PRODIGY(R) catalysts).

Visit Univation's website for more information at www.univation.com.

Intel layoffs to hit 159 Folsom, Calif., workers

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Intel layoffs to hit 159 Folsom, Calif., workers. Check it out:
(Sacramento Bee, The (CA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 28--Intel Corp. will lay off 159 workers from its Folsom campus over the next several months, a fraction of roughly 7,000 employees worldwide expected to be let go in the first phase of a major restructuring the company announced last month.



With this wave of layoffs, Intel has accomplished about 70 percent of its goal of paring more than 10,000 people from its global work force by the middle of 2007, said Intel spokeswoman Teri Munger.

Locally, the largest contingent of laid-off workers, 117, comes from Intel's Folsom-based information technology department, which handles the company's internal network operations.

In a letter sent to Folsom and Sacramento County officials Wednesday, Intel human resources manager Matthew Smith said the company has already started informing workers of their fate, but the bulk of the cuts will come Oct. 26.

It's not clear if most of the job cuts in Folsom will come during this phase, or in the first half of 2007, when the remainder of the job reductions are planned.

In the letter, Smith told government officials that the workers can volunteer for immediate separation from the company or look for other work at Intel. But it's uncertain how successful those job searches would be given the company's downsizing efforts.

Those who depart immediately will receive two months of salary, plus additional weeks based on years of service. They also will receive a lump sum to pay for four months of health coverage.

Workers who elect to search for other Intel jobs can receive two months of salary and benefits during their job hunt. If they don't find work in two months, they will be terminated and receive additional weeks of pay based on years of service.

Those positions -- which range from hourly workers to management -- pay between $45,000 and $120,000 a year, said Peter Finn, who left Intel in August to form his own IT consulting firm, Gold Rush Media.

Finn said he expected many of the workers would have to leave the region to find comparable work. "There's really only 10 or 15 decent (IT) jobs that open up here every month," he said. "One of the reasons I left Intel early is that I didn't want to be in a pool competing for a finite number of jobs."

Oleg Kaganovich, chief executive of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance, said he expected the most skilled Intel workers will be able to land jobs in the area.

"There are a lot of companies that are always looking for good people," he said. "If they see someone they can add to their staff that will bring immediate value, there's no reason not to bring them on board."

While IT operations take the biggest hit, others are affected, too.

Folsom's digital enterprise group will shed 31 jobs between now and October 2007. Its technology and manufacturing group will cut 10 jobs late next month. Intel Capital, which invests in technology companies, will cut one job on Oct. 13.

The number of cuts is smaller than some had anticipated after Intel's announcement during the summer that it planned to trim 10 percent of its worldwide work force as it sought to reverse disappointing financial results and fight off challenges from Silicon Valley rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

"Any reduction is an important issue, and we feel for the workers and their families," said Joe Luchi, Folsom's economic development director. "Fortunately the number isn't bigger."

While the most recent cuts are the largest Intel has announced, they aren't the only jobs that have been eliminated from Folsom this year.

In July the company laid off 1,000 managers worldwide including an estimated 77 in Folsom. In late June it sold a division that makes chips for cellular phones to Marvell Technology Group of Santa Clara for $600 million. Intel would not disclose the number of Folsom employees in that unit, but it's estimated to be more than 100. Marvell was expected to keep the majority of those workers in a new office it is opening in the region.

And earlier this month it sold a piece of its optical networking division that employed 125 workers, including an undisclosed number in Folsom.

To see more of The Sacramento Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sacbee.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Bank targets Hispanic customers

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Bank targets Hispanic customers. Check it out:
(High Point Enterprise (NC) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 29--ASHEBORO -- "Bienvenidos al Primero Banco de Asheboro" is what customers may hear when First Bank's first Hispanic branch opens.

First Bank Executive Vice President Anna Hollers is in charge of planning the new bank. Hollers said bank officials are converting documentation and procedures into Spanish and finding the right people to place in positions. The Hispanic bank will be the first in Asheboro and the second in the state. People's Bank opened the first all-Spanish speaking branch in Charlotte. First Bank also is slated to open another Hispanic branch in Montgomery County at the same time as the Asheboro branch.



"We've been talking about it all this year," Hollers said. The new branch will be staffed by people who speak Spanish. Those employed will be able to speak English as well. Randolph Community College Small Business Center Director Victor Dau said the bank is an ideal opportunity not just for the Hispanic community, but for everyone.

"We all need to work together. We are one community with smaller units," Dau said.

According to Hollers, the growth of the Latino/Hispanic population in recent years will continue and prompted First Bank to open the new branches.

"The bank will serve the Hispanic population and perhaps make them more 'bankable,'" Dau said, adding the community can use the banking services and help Hispanic businesses financially. "We felt it would be a natural fit. There is already (Hispanic) industry and community in the area," Hollers said.

The bank will be on N. Fayetteville Street in Asheboro in an existing building. There are Hispanic tiendas, or stores, and churches near the location. Educational and cultural training seminars will be provided to First Bank staff prior to the bank's opening, which will be sometime at the end of this year.

To see more of the High Point Enterprise, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.hpe.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, High Point Enterprise, N.C.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Mingkwanwill be hard act to follow: MCOT shares down 28.75% since coup

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Mingkwanwill be hard act to follow: MCOT shares down 28.75% since coup. Check it out:
(Bangkok Post (Thailand) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 29--The successor to Mingkwan Saengsuwan, the former president of the SET-listed broadcaster MCOT Plc, will be under pressure to restore investor and employee confidence in the company, analysts say.



Mr Mingkwan and the MCOT board members announced their resignations on Tuesday. They acted in order to accept responsibility for the airing of a state of emergency declaration by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on MCOT's Channel 9, hours before he was ousted by the military on Sept 19.

On Tuesday, MCOT shares on the Stock Exchange of Thailand dropped 4.3 percent to 33.50 baht, as reports of the resignations spread. They plunged a further 11.9 percent on Wednesday before steadying yesterday to close unchanged at 29.50 baht, in trade worth 523.5 million baht. The shares had been at 40 baht the day of the coup and had traded in a range of 37.75 to 40.50 baht since the start of August.

The analysts said it was clear that in investors' minds, Mr Mingkwan had a strong influence over MCOT.

He left Toyota (Thailand) in 2002 to take the top position at the state-run organisation, where he proceeded to make dramatic and successful changes.

In Mr Mingkwan's first four-year term (2002-05), he successfully privatised MCOT, listing it on the stock exchange in late 2004. He also transformed Channel 9 into Modern 9 TV, as well as adopting a niche market strategy for a knowledge-based society.

Television revenue increased by 145 percent and radio revenue by 71 percent. At the same time, the company's total revenue grew by 86 percent and net profit by 48 percent.

An analyst from SCB Securities said Mr Mingkwan was unlikely to return to his job in the future as MCOT was the only channel that had broadcast Mr Thaksin's announcement on the night of the coup.

They agreed that his resignation would have a short-term impact on the company and may affect its business strategy. However, thanks to its strong business foundations, MCOT would not suffer in the long run.

"In the long term, if the new president of MCOT continues with existing business policy, there will be no effects," an analyst at KGI Securities said in a report.

An analyst at Sicco Securities Plc said Mr Mingkwan had a strong leadership image at MCOT and his successor would have to work hard to make the same impression. But the new president should not throw away the current business model laid down by Mr Mingkwan, because it worked well, said analysts.

Patchara Sarapimpa, the president of the state enterprise labour union of MCOT, accepted that the former president's working performance was outstanding. The successor was expected to be as good as Mr Mingkwan.

"As employees, we will not be involved in the selection process of the new president. But we would love to see that our leader is a competent and honest person. As a communication organisation, good communication is important because we have a responsibility to the public," said Mr Patchara.

He explained it would likely take two or three months to appoint a new president.

As a state enterprise under the Office of the Prime Minister, the newly appointed board will be in charge of the selection process, unfortunately, it has to wait until the country has an interim government.

Wasin Teyateeti, president of Media Intelligence Co, a media agency, was still wondering whether the new president would be able to run MCOT as well as Mr Mingkwan. Channel 9 had become more popular among audiences thanks to his skilful management, he added.

Analysts were also concerned that the station's revenue would drop in line with advertising spending by government departments, a major source of MCOT's revenue for years, accounting for 30-35 percent of total revenue.

Analysts said the interim government was unlikely to spend much on advertising.

According to Nielsen Media Research, among the six free TV stations, government departments spent the most advertising money through Channel 9, at 547 million baht in the first eight months of the year, followed by Channel 5 at 339 million and Channel 11 at 219 million baht.

To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Bangkok Post, Thailand
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

CAT bid procedure questioned: Relaxed terms could favour Huawei

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
CAT bid procedure questioned: Relaxed terms could favour Huawei. Check it out:
(Bangkok Post (Thailand) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 29--CAT Telecom has called bids for three transmission infrastructure projects worth a total of 3.3 billion baht without setting conditions of past performance.

A source at the state enterprise said CAT had hastily sold terms of reference documents to bidders on Wednesday for fibre-optic networks linking all regions of the country and worth 2.2 billion baht, an automatic switching optical network worth 606 million, and a next-generation network (NGN) project worth 500 million baht.



The documents did not call for past performance records, such as in SDH transmission and fibre-optic projects, as a requirement for bidders, which has been standard procedure in the past.

Some bidders interpreted the move as an attempt by CAT to allow the Chinese telecom giant Huawei to enter the bids.

Huawei was the only bidder that did not have SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) or fibre-optic project experience in Thailand, the source said.

The Chinese company last year won the contract to build a nationwide CDMA mobile phone network for CAT, involving 1,600 base stations, with a bid of 7.2 billion baht bid through an electronic auction.

Rival bidders at the time questioned the technical specifications and low price, which was almost half the amount quoted in earlier bids that were later annulled.

The source said that if Huawei won new bids by cutting prices, or if the terms was later amended to avoid fines for late completion, it would only damage CAT's reputation further.

Hutchison CAT Multi Media, the 75:25 joint venture of Hong Kong's Hutchison Telecom and CAT Telecom that provides the Hutch mobile-phone service, is currently being investigated by the Office of the Auditor-General.

Another source said that CAT's new board, chaired by Kraisorn Pornsuthee, the permanent secretary of the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, had agreed to waive fines for Huawei's late delivery of 800 base stations in Phase 1 of the CDMA project.

The contract terms allow CAT to fine the company 90 million baht a day for late delivery.

Huawei delivered 800 base stations 42 days after the Jan 26, 2006 deadline. It cited flooding in several northern provinces, as well as unrest in the South as reasons. CAT board members reportedly disagree over whether Huawei should be fined. However, the latest meeting concluded not to impose fines, the source said.

The source said that Huawei had established strong connections with the former Thaksin government because it had constructed Advanced Info Service's mobile-phone prepaid-service network. It also offered to create the network first and bill later in accordance with the number of users.

To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Bangkok Post, Thailand
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Australian independent forges new link with Indonesia

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Australian independent forges new link with Indonesia. Check it out:
(Lloyds List Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) AN ALLIANCE between two privately owned freight forwarders for door-to-door services between Australia and Indonesia has been welcomed by shipowning, port and rail companies.

Independent Australian enterprise Northline has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitra Intertrans Forwarding, a subsidiary of Pelayaran Meratus (Meratus Line) in Surabaya.

The alliance hopes to create a A$30m ($20m) market for end-to-end freight forwarding using Darwin and Surabaya as the main ports which will eventually take in points further north in Asia.

It aims to carry project cargo for the mining and energy sectors northward and provide just-in-time transport for Indonesian manufactured exports south.

Northline chief operating officer Phillip Taylor said: 'Many of our existing clients require an end-to-end service throughout Asia, so now Northline can provide that single-supplier service.

'Our focus will be on expediting the freight process between Indonesia and Darwin, then using our national freight network to transport goods throughout Australia.

'This overrides the delays and warehousing costs of shipping through Sydney or Melbourne.'

Though a test run has not been made, Northline head of strategic development Paul Booth told Lloyd's List that times posted by other companies doing a similar job indicated a saving of 10-14 days.

Port of Darwin trade development manager Garry Scanlan said the port was very happy with the development and would do anything it could to help it succeed.

Shipowner Swire, the only other line that serves Darwin, would not comment until meeting the alliance.

Shipping services from southeast Asia to Darwin now take in Singapore (Swire) or Dili (Perkins). Sources familiar with the deal said Meratus was unlikely to be able to spare its own container and breakbulk tonnage due to weight of work on its existing routes.



'We have already started giving quotes and we are talking to a shipping line at the moment about frequency of service,' Mr Booth said.

'A lot of it is dependent on volume coming through. As volumes increase we hope to gain the frequency and more of a direct service between Darwin and Surabaya.'

Though Northline recently retreated from rail, now carrying only 10% of its goods by train, rail company Freight- Link was keen to see the alliance succeed.

Freightlink chief executive John Fullerton said the partners should be congratulated on being the first to make this long-talked about move.

Mr Booth said: 'We have met with FreightLink... and been assured that we will be offered some good rates for full container load cargo straight through on the rail.'

Northline said it expected opportunities for the international freight forwarding alliance to include:

- A mining and resources supply base in Darwin to service mines in Indonesia and beyond.

- A reliable import hub for products manufactured in Indonesia, with onward distribution to all Australian markets on a 'just in time' basis.

- Reverse logistics, especially for equipment maintenance and repairs from Indonesian mines.

Northline is completing construction of a A$4m, 4,000 sq m distribution centre in Darwin in addition to its existing 10,000 sq m of contract logistics warehousing.

Copyright 2006 Informa Martime Trade and Transport

Foundation investors speak on sentencing of execs: Ex-president, ex-counsel were convicted of fraud

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Foundation investors speak on sentencing of execs: Ex-president, ex-counsel were convicted of fraud. Check it out:
(Tribune, The (Mesa, AZ) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 29--The investors of the bankrupt Baptist Foundation of Arizona all suffered financial losses, but on Thursday, they were divided by the sentiments they had for the men convicted of defrauding them.



The victims of the scandal came from all over Arizona to a downtown Phoenix auditorium to tell Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fields of the impact the loss had on their lives and to recommend a sentence for William Crotts, the foundation's former president, and Thomas Grabinski, its former general counsel.

"These men have damaged a lot of lives and ruined a lot of lives," said Patricia Srader of Sonoita, who invested more than $1 million into the foundation.

Srader and her husband eventually got back 70 percent of their loss, as did most of the 13,000 investors who lost an estimated $500 million to $600 million when the foundation collapsed in November 1999.

Crotts, 61, and Grabinski, 46, sat at the front of the auditorium, where about 100 investors -- most of them elderly--could see the live feed of the proceedings on three giant screens suspended from the ceiling.

Mesa resident Clara Jo Ziervogel, a former foundation employee who was fired, said she lost a nominal amount of money, but she once believed in the organization and had persuaded friends and family to invest significant amounts.

"I have had to overcome a significant amount of guilt," Ziervogel said.

But Barbara Secrest, a friend of the defendants who invested about $50,000 in the foundation, said it would be a waste of taxpayer money to incarcerate the men, who are facing prison terms of six to 86 years.

"We feel we're a victim of the state of Arizona," she said.

She believes that if the state hadn't shut down the organization, then all of investors would have all of their money today.

By lunch recess, 21 of the 34 investors -- including family members of the defendants -- had taken the podium.

The nonprofit Baptist Foundation of Arizona was founded in 1948 to raise money for Southern Baptist causes, such as building churches.

Prosecutor Donald Conrad alleged in court that the group's sales pitch was based on religious faith, and investors were told the nonprofit was solvent, even though Crotts and Grabinski knew it was losing millions of dollars.

In July, a jury found each man guilty of three counts of fraud and one count of knowingly conducting an illegal enterprise, but acquitted each of 23 counts of theft.

Fields is expected to impose sentences today.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

OnLine Distribution and Symbol Technologies celebrate four years of partnership

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
OnLine Distribution and Symbol Technologies celebrate four years of partnership. Check it out:
(Al Bawaba Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL), the enterprise mobility company, and its value added networking distributor, Online Distribution, have registered substantial business success in the region and will continue to work together to offer end to end networking solutions across the Middle East.



The Symbol distributorship agreement enables Online to be a Symbol channel partner that qualifies to provide complete value-added services to resellers. These services include finance, logistics, sales, marketing, configuration, technical support and professional services in support of Symbol products.

"We are proud of what we have achieved with Online Distribution in the region over the past four years," said Tarek Hassaniyeh, sales manager, Symbol Technologies Middle East and Africa. "This demonstrates our shared commitment to improving our partner relationships, and to creating a market opportunity through partner collaboration. We believe in a value driven channel strategy and Online Distribution shares our corporate vision." As a result of a successful partnership in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Symbol extended the agreement to cover the Indian Sub-Continent (ISC) countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal in March this year.

"The relationship with Symbol is a critical part of Onlines future," explained Keith G Rich, managing director, Online Distribution. "Symbol is the brand leader in enterprise mobility, and we look forward to leveraging their experience and skills in delivering world class solutions to our resellers." About Online Distribution: OnLine Distribution Ltd. is a value-added distributor for data networking products and services covering the Middle East, Western Asia and North Africa. It is a subsidiary of Datatec, an international networking and IT services group.

Based in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone of Dubai, the company has stocking locations and offices in both Jebel Ali and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It provides its partners with technical expertise, network design solutions, logistics and sales support for all its vendors, as well as their large inventory of products.

About Symbol: Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company, is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services programs under the Symbol Enterprise Mobility Services brand. Symbol enterprise mobility products and solutions are proven to increase workforce productivity, reduce operating costs, drive operational efficiencies and realize competitive advantages for the world's leading companies.

2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Copyright 2006 Al-Bawaba.com, Inc.

Satyam stages first cross-border country outage and business continuity operation in Singapore

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
Satyam stages first cross-border country outage and business continuity operation in Singapore. Check it out:
(Al Bawaba Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Satyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE:SAY), the leading global consulting and information technology services company, has completed what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind, cross-border country outage recovery.



Satyam simulated a nationwide outage in India, and revived business operations from its Global Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Center in Singapore. The exercise showcased Satyams ability to ensure seamless business continuity for its customers, as well as its disaster recovery capabilities. It also highlighted the complex processes involved in an event of such magnitude.

On the morning of September 25, Satyam initiated a three-day mock drill, a simulation of a national disaster that disrupted Satyams business. Network control and command resumed almost instantaneously from Satyams Global Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery site in Singapore.

Additionally, in less than 24 hours, Satyam deployed more than 30 mission-critical engineers to Singapore. The entire exercise was facilitated by the Singaporean Government, which provided pre-approved employment passes for the engineers who were flown in on Singapore Airlines.

"This landmark event is further proof of Satyams commitment to our global customers and their business continuity," said B. Ramalinga Raju, Satyams founder and chairman, who witnessed the drill from Singapore. "It ensures that their businesses will never stop for any issues related to the services that Satyam, as an organisation is providing to them." Raju added: "This initiative and investment are extremely strategic for Satyam. Our demonstration today enables the organisation to leverage the Singapore facility as a new, global offshoring centre outside India. It also places Singapore in an important position with respect to our global operations. We are deeply grateful for the support shown by the Singapore authorities over the last few years to enable this expansion." Upon arriving at the Global Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Centre (in the Overseas Union Bank Centre) in downtown Singapore, Satyams Hyderabad-based business continuity team connected to the customers network and commenced business via an enhanced bandwidth. The engineers also ensured Satyams capabilities to monitor its network, network security, and exchange and enterprise applications servers. They also assured immediate availability of a secondary monitoring capability, availability of a global help desk, replication of mission-critical associates email boxes, automatic forwarding of transactions to the new server, and availability of business data.

Satyams Global Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Centre, the only facility of its kind outside India, is validated by the Disaster Recovery Institute of Asia, and enables replication between servers in Hyderabad and Singapore. Data stored within both servers is synchronised every four hours.

"We are very pleased with the support and proactive engagement of the Singaporean government," said Virender Aggarwal, senior vice president and director at Satyam.

"The Economic Development Board, especially, has been a driving force and constant source of support. Singapore is ideally positioned to benefit from the shift we perceive will take place in the back offices of major global multinational and financial corporations, and Satyam is determined to support and benefit from that shift." As Asia Pacific gains momentum as the global innovation hub in the coming years and hence becomes a critical component and one of the main focus areas in Satyams global growth plan, Singapore gains strategic value. Its quality infrastructure, economic and political stability and security make it an ideal hub that can double as a secondary command and control centre for controlling global network operations and ensuring that Satyams customers are serviced seamlessly, in case of business disruption.

About Satyam Computer ServicesSatyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE: SAY) is a global IT consulting and services provider, offering a range of expertise aimed at helping customers reengineer and reinvent their businesses to compete successfully in an ever-changing marketplace. More than 28,000* highly skilled professionals in Satyam work onsite, offsite, offshore, and near shore, to provide customized IT solutions for companies in several industries. Satyams ideas and products have resulted in technology-intensive transformations that have met the most stringent international quality standards. Satyam has Development Centers in the USA, the UK, the UAE, Canada, Hungary, Malaysia, Singapore, India, China, Japan, and Australia. These centers serve 469* global companies, of which 156* are Fortune Global 500 and Fortune US 500 corporations. Satyams presence spans 53 countries, across six continents.

*As of March 31, 2006 2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Copyright 2006 Al-Bawaba.com, Inc.

TMCnet's SIP Week in Review

By
Tom Keating
on September 30, 2006 12:32 AM | | Comments (0)
TMCnet's SIP Week in Review. Check it out:
September is coming to an end, but no need to be sad. October is inching closer, and you know what that means-- time for IT Expo West! INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & Expo, WEST, the leading VoIP Expo, will be held October 10-13, 2006, in San Diego- this is an event you won't want to miss.


 
This week in SIP news, Patton Electronics and Corp. announced SIPxNano, a new IP-PBX (News - Alert) for businesses with fewer than 30 extensions and designed to bring enterprise quality SIP-based VoIP to SMBs.
 
According to a report by TMCnet's Patrick Barnard, the new services now available via the SIPxNano are a combination of "Patton's NanoServ ultra-compact server technology with a tailored version of Pingtel's (News - Alert) SIPxchange ECS software."
 
CounterPath, provider of SIP-based telephony software solutions, was highlighted this week in an article by TMCnet's Mae Kowalke. Mae spoke with Donovan Jones, the company's President and Chief Operations Officer about Counterpath's happenings over this past year. The conversation covered topics like their headquarters move, their marketing focus shift, recent contracts, and even discussed X-Lite, the company's free SIP softphone. This is what Jones had to say about X-Lite during the conversation: 
 
"This phone is what we consider to be a feature core version because it doesn’t have the ability to brand the interface in terms of changing the look and feel."
 
To read more about what Counterpath is working on and has accomplished CLICK here for the full article.
 
TMC President and Editor-in-Chief Rich Tehrani wrote an interesting article on SIP this week titled, "Quality SIP Trunking