QLD: Woman driver barely hurt in Cairns level crossing smash

AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2009
QLD: Woman driver barely hurt in Cairns level crossing smash

BRISBANE, Feb 18 AAP - A woman has escaped with only minor injuries after her car collided
with a train at a level crossing on the southern outskirts of Cairns.

Police said the woman's car appeared to have been dragged for several hundred metres
before the train came to a stop.

The level crossing at the intersection of Coombes Street and the Pacific Highway, White
Rock, had flashing lights and warning signs, though no boom gates, a spokeswoman for Queensland
Rail told AAP.

Anecdotal evidence indicated the lights were functioning when the crash occurred at
7.35pm (AEST) on Tuesday, police said.

The 33-year-old woman driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Cairns Base Hospital,
but no one on the train was reported to be hurt.

This was the latest in a spate of level crossing smashes in the region.

On New Year's Day, a truck driver was killed when his garbage truck was hit by a train
on a level crossing at Mundoo, near Innisfail.

Two tilt train drivers died at Cardwell, 100km south of Innisfail, in November.

Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel has said 50 per cent of level crossing collisions
occurred at crossings with boom gates or flashing lights.

AAP stg/jl

KEYWORD: CROSSING

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

Out of their ivory towers

JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Jerusalem Post
07-03-2011
Out of their ivory towers
Byline: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Edition: Daily
Section: Features
Type: News

The scientific establishment - exemplified by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, but including university professors and lecturers - has abandoned its ivory towers gone out to talk to the people. No longer are scientists ensconced in their labs and lecture halls; some of them have gone to speak to commuters in moving railway cars, Web surfers, Facebook or Twitter afficionados, and those just having a good time in cafes and pubs.

Scientists have realized that "science communication" is no less important a subject than those in which they have doctorates, and that getting the public to appreciate what they do can lead to more approval of budgets for basic and applied research.
For the second year in a row, academy president Ruth Arnon - a world-renowned immunologist from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot - has hosted an all-day conference on science communication at its headquarters next door to Beit Hanassi in Jerusalem. The academy was assisted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and of course by academy spokeswoman and public relations director Avital Baer. The conference changed its title from the previous rather limited "Science in Communications" to the more inclusive "Science Communication."

"Science communication" is a relatively new field. The media are the general public's main source of information. What they report affects the image of scientific subjects not only among the general public but also among the people who must make decisions on the basis of facts" said Arnon. "Thus we want the discussion carried out on the basis of knowledge about scientific facts and techniques. Explaining science can also inspire the next generation of students and scientists. There has to be dialogue, so we took the initiative."

She described the "triangle" of the media, the academic world and the public, and that communications among them need improvement. "Until recently, we put most of the responsibility on the media and the public. The time has come for the academic establishment to understand that there is a role in the exposure of scientists to the general public in creating dialogue. I welcome the participants and guests of the conference from Israel and abroad - journalists, editors, scientists, communications researchers, spokesmen of the academic institutions, formal and informal educators, science teaching researchers, and all who care about the place of science in Israeli society."

DR. AYELET BARAM-TSABARI from the department of technology and sciences in the Technion, said that when new scientific knowledge is created, science communication is a tool to spread the word. "The Internet has added more science communication to what has long appeared in the print media, radio and TV," she said. "It has expanded the supply and democratized information, even though it cannot all be relied upon. Explanations can be given in a popular way, serving as a bridge to public understanding." She gave credit to the academy and its belief in the importance of creating a community of science communicators.

The Internet is fast acquiring global dimensions in explaining science, but it is only one of numerous channels, said former HU president Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, who last year took his keen knowledge of and interest in the personal life and scientific work of Albert Einstein to people riding the Israel Railways. It was a big hit and a pioneering effort of the HU to get the public interested in scientific subjects.

Throughout the world, governments and scientific societies are committing new resources to communicating science and technology, said Prof. Bruce Lewenstein of the communications department at Cornell University in New York. "This ranges from support for science centers and university outreach projects to sponsorship of science festivals and training of science journalists," he explained. "Driven by these activities, a new field of research into science communication has been growing, now supporting at least five peer-reviewed journals in English and one in Chinese."

He noted that outreach, training and research is motivated by the institutional needs of different groups. For example, "magazine publishers and website producers are trying to drive readers to their products so advertisers will be rewarded by purchases from those readers and viewers. Scientific societies are trying to influence the allocation of resources to science in general, and sometimes to their particular discipline. Government agencies are trying to ensure that they have the expertise needed to carry out their obligations, as well as trying to influence citizens to support increased allocations to their budgets," said Lewenstein.

WITH THESE institutional needs, it is not surprising that terms like "science literacy," "public understanding of science" and "public engagement with science" usually mean "public appreciation of the benefits that science provides to society," he said. "It is very important to understand that innocuous terms [like these] actually represent the interests of particular institutions or sets of people. These are political terms with meanings that go beyond the simple meaning of the words." So the Cornell professor concluded that "if we are to understand how public engagement in science and technology can serve democratic societies, we need to understand the politics of the institutional and social relationships involved in the process of public engagement." Science, he said, "is a beautiful thing - the supreme achievement of the human mind. Science is an expression of our humanity." But too many people are ignorant of what is. He noted that "only about half of Americans know that dinosaurs and people weren't alive at the same time. You can call it the 'Fred Flintstone effect," he jokes.

There is "a small set of people who pay attention to any topic, are attentive and informed." They constitute between five percent and 8%, he said.Then there are about 15% who are interested but not obsessed. All the rest comprise about 80%, and they are the one who most need help and direction, said Lewenstein.

While there are laymen who naturally have a positive view about monitoring of water purity, other issues such as nanotechnology and biotech are controversial. Many are afraid that such work "could lead to something different than what scientists intended." Although Gutfreund and others noted a growing interest in science spurred by the Internet, Israel Radio science reporter Ettay Nevo declared that coverage of science in Israel is declining. He studied six daily papers in Hebrew (only) for a month and recorded how many news stories (he did not count feature articles) on science appeared in each. He noted that more articles appeared on Sunday - conveniently for the publishers, because that day comes after Shabbat, when not much news occurs.

Nevo surveyed Yedioth Aharonoth (the second-largest tabloid), Ma'ariv (the much-diminished tabloid), Ha'aretz (the left-wing paper that likes to be regarded as the most authoritative in Hebrew), Mekor Rishon (with a right-wing, largely religious audience), Hamodia (the hassidic daily) and Yated Neeman (the "Lithuanian" daily for haredim.

He did not include Yisrael Hayom, the free tabloid supporting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, or English-language The Jerusalem Post, which publishes a plethora of original articles and news stories on science and medicine. Gutfreund later took the rostrum and objected to his leaving The Post out; Nevo promised to consider this in his next survey.

Nevo reported that Ha'aretz had the most and longest news stories (21 during this period) compared to 13 in Ma'ariv, only seven in Yedioth Aharonoth, six in Yated Nee'man, four in Hamodia and just three in Makor Rishon. He noted that many of the science stories in the haredi papers referred to scientific events as "miracles" - and giving a divine twist to things.

Only six of the 54 news stories he found were published on page one.

The subjects for articles included reports on satellites and missiles, medicine, space, archeology, physics, computers and science policy, in that order. Comparing the latest results to a survey conducted in 1998, Nevo said the number of articles declined by "80%" and rather flimsily concluded that there is a crisis in science reporting. He implied that publishers are less interested in science reporting, so they don't invest in covering this important subject. But there were no data on how coverage of the Knesset, sports, diplomacy, celebrities, transportation and other subjects have changed since 1998.

HU COMMUNICATIONS expert Prof. Yaron Ezrachi said "if knowledge is power, knowledgeable citizens have more power vs. the government than ignorant citizens. The 18th century was called The Age of Reason, with Immanuel Kant, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. They all believed government should be transparent to a knowledgeable public. They called for an accountable democracy, so universal education was set up. Israel's educational system is one of most retarded."

Ezrahi recalled from history that Galileo wrote a letter to the Duchess Christina to explain his scientific positions regarding the demands of the church; the papacy was undermined by what he stood for. The more science became relevant to public policy, the more it was contested. Scientists became advocates of public opinion."

The communications expert added that "the problem in Israel is not the availability of knowledge, but public indifference to scientific knowledge. Science must play a role in democracy, but our political culture is passive. There is too little public engagement. The educational system is responsible for making graduates too passive." He continued that "science can't give absolute answers. The most acute problem is democracy. The people are like clients, not sovereigns. True democracy must penetrate the educational system. There are unforgivable cuts in education. The public can be encouraged to know that science is important in how it will affect their lives but especially how it will affect their autonomy. Without it, they will be more subjects to government rather than participants." But with a glint of optimism, he said that recently he has seen "some signs of public engagement" with these issues.

After the theoretical discussion, numerous people involved in science education described their efforts to promote public understanding. Dr. Ronen Mir, director-general of the MadaTech Science Museum at the Technion in Haifa, recalled the controversial 2010 exhibition from abroad that was visited by 300,000. The exhibits of skinless preserved human remains in living poses enchanted many people but infuriated others. "There were almost 500 media reports," said Mir.

Uri Aviv of the British Council described the success of FameLab - an annual event in its fifth year in which scientists explain a phenomenon or topic to young Israeli audiences in a few minutes.

Representatives of the Bloomfield Science Museum, headed by Maya Halevy along with information director Dea Brokman, told participants about TWIST, a program to get teenage girls interested in science by introducing them to successful women scientists, one every few minutes, like "speed dating." Numerous other projects were presented in poster sessions.

While some scientists wring their hands and say the "dumbing down" of populations in Israel and abroad makes science communication hopeless, the opposite was proven by many of those present.(c) Copyright Jerusalem Post. All rights reserved.

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: Ruth Arnon: Scientists must no longer be reticent about
explaining their work to the public, as they need financial and
political support and can even interest the young in considering
such careers.

(Copyright 2011 The Jerusalem Post)

SA:Thousands of jobs on offer in SA

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2011
SA:Thousands of jobs on offer in SA

By Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Dec 7 AAP - Infrastructure projects, mining developments and South Australia's
ageing workforce will help create 160,000 jobs over the next five years.

The state's training and skills commission says 69,000 will be new jobs and 94,000
replacement positions as older workers retire.

It says the state must be ready to meet the skills demand.

"We must make sure our workforce and our workplaces are geared up for the unprecedented
growth opportunities ahead flowing from major investment in resources and infrastructure,"

commission chairman Adrian Smith said.

"Detailed workforce planning should focus on those specialist skills which are critical
for an enterprise, and in turn the economy, to function and which involve highly specialised
and often lengthy training.

"Our analysis shows that around 33 of 87 specialist occupations may have insufficient
supply of qualifications to meet industry demand."

Higher Education and Skills Minister Tom Kenyon said the state government was committed
to creating 100,000 extra training places over six years to help meet the skills shortage.

"South Australia has a record $109 billion of major developments under way or in the
pipeline and ensuring we have a highly skilled workforce will be fundamental to realising
the full potential of those developments to our economy," Mr Kenyon said.

Those developments include the likely $30 billion expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium
and copper mine in the state's north and infrastructure projects including the new Royal
Adelaide Hospital and the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval.

AAP tjd/sn/

KEYWORD: SKILLS

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

Citrix Systems Bolsters Its NetScaler Service Delivery Networking Products

Wireless News
04-04-2011
Citrix Systems Bolsters Its NetScaler Service Delivery Networking Products
Type: News

To address the exponential growth in cloud, mobile and corporate data, Citrix Systems has unveiled a new DataStream technology in its NetScaler service delivery networking product line.

In a release, the Company said that NetScaler is already firmly established as the delivery infrastructure of choice for most consumer websites and cloud providers, touching an estimated 75 percent of all internet users each day. Leveraging its experience in web applications, NetScaler becomes, the Company noted, the industry's first service delivery controller to extend the benefits of scalability, availability and security for the web tier to the data tier for both enterprise IT and cloud and mobile providers.
Corporations of all sizes are dealing with an explosive growth in data. This growth is driven by broader trends such as the rise of social networks, video and web, along with the expanding number of mobile and consumer devices being used in the workplace. Providing visibility and business intelligence into this data is placing increasing demands on traditional databases, cloud storage models and unstructured file systems like Hadoop. Together, these trends have created an increasing need for solutions that can effectively scale, secure and optimize data infrastructures.

Citrix said that the new NetScaler DataStream technology addresses this challenge by inspecting data traffic in real time and applying optimization and security policies. It is the first networking solution of its kind to apply native data protocol and transaction intelligence to both structured and unstructured data. For databases like Oracle MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server, NetScaler with DataStream technology enables enterprises to scale-up their data infrastructure by offloading CPU and memory-intensive database server connections. For cloud providers who experience three times the average client traffic of the enterprise database, creating a cost-effective, massively scalable database infrastructure is also a key benefit. The new NetScaler DataStream technology also helps companies scale-out their datacenters and private clouds by intelligently load balancing SQL requests to the most appropriate and available servers. It also allows customers to set policies that secure, control and audit data access in real time.

Jacob Rosenberg, Senior Technical Director, Content Services, AOL Inc. said "AOL has leveraged horizontal scaling and sharing of databases to ensure scalability and reliability for our important products. With native SQL awareness for Oracle MySQL databases, NetScaler with DataStream technology provides groundbreaking solutions for database scaling as part of their platform which will let us meet operational and business needs in a cost effective and standard way."

Jarrett Irons, Principal Systems Engineer, Myspace, Inc. said "Myspace employs hundreds of servers to power and manage memory- intensive SQL connections. With the new NetScaler SQL connection management technology, we are able to cost-effectively scale our database infrastructure and achieve greater database density on our Microsoft SQL servers."

Chris Tolson, Chief Platform Architect, bet365 said "A SQL load balancer is an innovative and practical solution to problems of horizontal scalability and resilience for read-only databases. As a large database consumer for high transactional throughput systems, we need to scale out our databases to accommodate both the rate of change in data and the bursts in client demand. We welcome the new feature and are currently evaluating its role in improving this database delivery."

The new DataStream technology is available now in NetScaler version 9.3. This new functionality is supported in all NetScaler editions at no additional cost. The new DataStream technology is available on both NetScaler MPX physical appliances as well as NetScaler VPX virtual appliances.

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

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

TAS:Teen drowns off Tasmania's north coast

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2010
TAS:Teen drowns off Tasmania's north coast

HOBART, Dec 12 AAP - A teenaged boy has drowned off Devonport on Tasmania's northern coast.

Emergency services were called to Devonport Bluff, north of the Bass coast city's CBD,
about 5.50pm (AEDT) on Sunday.

Two males were in difficulty with one face down in the water, a Tasmania Police spokesman said.

Local surf lifesavers helped police bring the males to the shore.

One was revived but the other, a 17-year-old, had died.

A coronial inquiry will be held.

Police have asked for any witnesses to come forward.

AAP jrd/was/msk

KEYWORD: BLUFF

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

VIC:Life ban for knife-wielding player

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2010
VIC:Life ban for knife-wielding player

A 26-year-old country rugby league player has been banned for life .. after pulling
out a knife during a heated finals match.

The sanction comes as a league-wide investigation is launched into using unregistered
players in the Sunraysia Rugby League in northwestern Victoria.

Officials say all SRL clubs could face further sanctions as violent players are stamped
out for totally unacceptable behaviour.

KAVA LUMANUVAO is banned for life from playing in or attending any games in both the
SRL and the Victorian Rugby League.

AAP RTV sbl/pmu/wz

KEYWORD: KNIFE (MELBOURNE)

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

Vic: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers =2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2009
Vic: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers =2

THE AGE

Page 1: Overcrowding at Christmas Island has forced the Rudd government to move 30
Afghan youths to Melbourne to speed up processing of their claims for asylum; Mentally
ill inmates at Thomas Embling Hospital will still be allowed to use knives, live together
and go out on leave, following a review of two stabbing deaths at the facility.

Page 2: Australia should adopt only a 5 per cent 2020 emissions cut after a weak outcome
at the Copenhagen climate summit, according to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Page 3: Victorian women will be able to give birth at home - with hospital back-up
for the first time - under a pilot project starting at three hospitals next year.

World: Evidence that the British Army subjected prisoners in Northern Ireland to waterboarding
during interrogations in the 1970s is emerging after one of the alleged victims launched
an appeal against a conviction for murder.

Finance: Macarthur Coal has set its sights on becoming Australia's dominant independent
coal producer, launching a $1.2 billion bid to take over NSW miner Gloucester Coal and
buy key assets from Hong Kong commodities trader Noble Group.

Sport: Australia has been given a sobering snapshot of the looming challenge to keep
its best cricketers in baggy greens, with one in five of the nation's star players revealing
they would consider knocking back a Cricket Australia contract to pursue a freelance career.

AAP jrd/tr

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS VIC 2 MELBOURNE

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

Fed:Average weekly wage rises to $1196

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2009
Fed:Average weekly wage rises to $1196

The average weekly wage in Australia is now one thousand 196 dollars 50 .. after surging
by 6.1 per cent in the year to May.

The strength of the rise is a surprise .. given the effect of the economic downturn
on the labour market .. and puts the annual rate well above the Reserve Bank's preferred
cap of 4.5 per cent.

However the RBA prefers to use the wage price index .. released yesterday .. as a strong
guide to wages growth.

That index showed a more subdued annual wage rise of 3.8 per cent.

AAP RTV cb/rl/rt

KEYWORD: WAGES (CANBERRA)

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

Vic: Bogus water firm claims city's drinking water is health risk

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2009
Vic: Bogus water firm claims city's drinking water is health risk

MELBOURNE, April 3 AAP - Dodgy sales people are posing as water authorities and warning
residents their water may be unsafe to drink, in a bid to sell filters worth thousands
of dollars, a Victorian company claims.

Melbourne water retailer South East Water says the bogus company dresses like its own
staff when door-knocking houses.

Residents have received letters from the company, Australian Water Solutions (AWS),
stating their water may be a health risk following the recent dry spell and bushfires.

The company offers to send water advisers to homes to analyse residents' water and
then uses powdered tints to falsely indicate the water may be a health risk, South East
Water general manager of corporate services, Russell Eddington said.

Some residents have reported spending up to $2,800 on water filters from Australian
Water Solutions, and have then complained to South East Water that the filters don't work,
believing them to be from the water retailer.

Mr Eddington assured residents their water was safe to drink and warned them to be
on alert for the bogus company.

"Every so often, we see letters like this and residents should not be scared into spending
thousands of dollars," Mr Eddington said.

"Companies like this prey on the elderly and vulnerable and should be exposed."

South East Water is investigating the matter and will take further action if necessary.

The company has come to the attention of South East Water on previous occasions over
the past few years and moves to other cities when it is exposed.

Australian Water Solutions lists its address on its mail-out as Level 28, 303 Collins Street.

The address is occupied by Regus, a company providing office space, meeting rooms and
reception services.

The receptionist who answered the Australian Water Solutions number said she had never
heard of the company's chief executive, John Wilkinson.

Comment was still being sought from the company.

AAP md/sjm/wf

KEYWORD: BOGUS

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

Qld: Search continues for missing light plane

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2008
Qld: Search continues for missing light plane

An air and sea search has been mounted for a Russian-built light plane with two men
aboard missing off south-east Queensland today.

Australian Search and Rescue Coordination Centre says the plane's believed to be a
Yak 52 World War II vintage warbird which took off from Archerfield airport .. west of
Brisbane .. late this morning (AEST).

AusSAR spokeswoman TRACEY JIGGINS says it was meant to be back within an hour but didn't return.

Water police and a number of vessels are searching around Jumpinpin Bar .. after the
plane was reportedly spotted ditching in the sea about 12.30pm (AEST).



Eds: changes keyword from plane



AAP RTV rad/af

KEYWORD: AIRCRAFT (BRISBANE)

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

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 19:00, April 25

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2008
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 19:00, April 25

SYDNEY - A tiny village in rural France and a rusting hulk on the floor of the Indian
Ocean provided two poignant focal points for Australians commemorating the 93rd Anzac
Day. (Anzac Nightlead (Pix available))

VILLERS-BRETONNEUX - The thousands of Australian Diggers lying beneath the former World
War I battlefields of France would have been proud. (Anzac France Nightlead (Pix to come))

MELBOURNE - The lure of Gallipoli for Australians shows no sign of abating, with a
near-record crowd of 10,000 gathering in the chill at Anzac Cove for today's dawn service.

(Anzac Gallipoli Nightlead)

SYDNEY - A proud and emotional Governor-General Michael Jeffery today spoke of the
"deep cuts" of personal sadness he felt when honouring Australian front-line troops who
had died in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. (Anzac Afghan GG)

MELBOURNE - Rugged and dangerous, Afghanistan goes some way towards teaching modern-day
Australian soldiers what life must have been like for the Anzacs at Gallipoli. (Anzac
Afghanistan)

MELBOURNE - Anzac Day has a sporting as well as a spiritual tradition - a fact not
forgotten by Australian troops in Iraq today. (Anzac Iraq Sport)

HELLFIRE PASS - Several hundred Australians and New Zealanders today mourned World
War II prisoners of war who died by the thousands as they hacked through Thailand's jungles
to build a railway under the guns of their Japanese army captors. (Anzac Thai )

PHNOM PENH - Hundreds of Australians, New Zealanders and Cambodians gathered near the
capital's most important Buddhist sites today to commemorate Anzac Day. (Anzac Cambodia
)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd used his first Anzac Day address today to declare
that Australia's war history confirmed it as a nation of good people. (Anzac Canberra
Nightlead)

SYDNEY - They were united in wishing to honour the sacrifices of their fathers and
grandfathers, but divided in where to join today's Sydney Anzac Day march. (Anzac NSW
Nightlead)

SYDNEY - Indigenous Australians who went to war for their country were not discriminated
against on the battlefield, but say they faced injustice from the RSL when they returned
home. (Anzac Indigenous)

MELBOURNE - HMAS Sydney veteran Allen Guthrie was "proud and humbled" today as he led
a special tribute to the sunken warship during Melbourne's Anzac Day march. (Anzac Vic
Nightlead (Pix available))

BRISBANE - World War II veteran Merv Clarke has been part of every Anzac Day march
since 1946, but he's still waiting for official word that the war is over. (Anzac Qld

Nightlead)

PERTH - A defiant 83-year-old Trixie Sullivan needed a zimmer frame as she marched
in Perth today to honour the memory of a long dead fiance, a victim of one of the most
infamous episodes of World War II. (Anzac WA Nightlead (Pix available))

ADELAIDE - Lonely banners under which many once proudly marched today served as a moving
tribute to the depleted ranks of World War II veterans in Adelaide's Anzac Day march.

(Anzac SA Nightlead )

LONDON - On April 25, 1915, Australians and New Zealanders fought and died together
on the distant shores of Gallipoli. (Anzac UK Nightlead)

in other news.....

SYDNEY - National Australia Bank has chosen the Anzac Day public holiday to announce
another rise in its home loans rate. (NAB Rates)

BEIJING - Australian mining giant BHP Billiton is among key Beijing Olympics sponsors
criticised for failing to press China to help end fighting in Darfur. (China Darfur)

SYDNEY - A woman found tied up in a Sydney park today has been identified as a woman
who was reported missing six days earlier from the same area. (Park. N/L to come.)

MELBOURNE - Gaining inspiration from the unlikely source of Fremantle discard Paul
Medhurst, Collingwood again claimed Anzac Day honours with a 73-point demolition of Essendon
today. (AFL Magpies)

ADELAIDE - Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams is adamant more of the AFL's time and
money should be committed to tapping indigenous communities for playing talent, perhaps
at the expense of the Irish experiment. (AFL Indigenous )

more

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL UPDATE

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

Qld: Tough biker jokes about mozzies, not injuries

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2007
Qld: Tough biker jokes about mozzies, not injuries

By Rosemary Desmond

BRISBANE, Dec 21 AAP - A trail bike rider crippled when he hit a tree spent two days
helpless and alone in bushland near Brisbane, dragging himself a kilometre on his elbows.

But when medical staff later asked 38-year-old David Roberts about his agonising ordeal,
he joked about mosquitoes rather than complain about his injuries, his doctor said today.

The father-of-two, a metalworker from the Ipswich suburb of Chuwar, broke his pelvis
when hit a tree while riding in a state forest north of Gatton on Monday.

The container in his backpack also broke, leaving him without water.

Unable to walk and without mobile phone reception, he was forced to "commando crawl"

on his elbows along a bush track in search of water and help.

It was not until another trail bike rider found him two days later that he could be
airlifted to Brisbane's Prince Alexandra Hospital for treatment.

Medical staff were astounded at his powers of endurance.

"He really amazed us," his doctor Dr Roland Assmann told reporters today.

"He's a very, very tough guy - a typical Australian.

"I asked him what was his main problem in the 48 hours he has been on his own and he
said it was the mozzies.

"At the same time, he thought he had been on his own for three days.

"But we counted the days and his comment was `you see what the mozzies did to me'.

"It's unbelievable."

Mr Roberts, who is expected to make a full recovery in several weeks' time, said during
his two days lying in the bush he was in a "little bit of pain", but never gave up hope
of being found and never called out for help.

"There was no-one there so you are just wasting your energy," he said.

"So you just wait until someone comes past because there is always going to be someone
eventually - it's just how long it's going to take."

Mr Roberts said he often went trail bike riding and camped in the bush, so his wife
was not concerned that he had been missing for two days.

And despite suffering injuries on previous rides, he was not deterred from going bush again.

"I'll give it another shot," he said.

AAP rad/lc/sp

KEYWORD: BIKE (PIX TO COME.)

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

Qld: Hanson's competition confident she won't win support

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2007
Qld: Hanson's competition confident she won't win support

BRISBANE, Aug 15 AAP - Pauline Hanson's rivals for a Queensland Senate seat are confident
she won't win public support this time around.

The former One Nation leader has applied to the Australian Electoral Commission to
register Pauline's United Australia Party.

If successful, an abbreviated name, Pauline, will appear above the line on the Senate
ballot paper, making it easier for people to vote for Ms Hanson.

The 53-year-old today said her policies had not changed since her days as the independent
MP for the Queensland electorate of Oxley.

Ms Hanson would like a moratorium on Muslim immigration, and would seek to protect
local manufacturing from "cheap imports", she told ABC Radio today.

"Most definitely, nothing's changed," she said.

"I think that we need to look at getting out of the 1951 convention of refugees, and
not being forced into taking refugees in this country that bring in diseases, who are
incompatible with our lifestyle."

Of Queensland's six Senate positions available at the election, five are held by the
major parties, with the remaining seat held by Australian Democrats senator Andrew Bartlett.

Ms Hanson will be up against Senator Bartlett, the Greens' Larissa Waters and Family
First's Jeff Buchanan for the required 14.5 per cent of the vote to gain a Queensland
Senate seat.

Ms Waters today said people had "moved on" from the ideas Ms Hanson represents.

"The name of the party is extremely ironic considering Pauline stands for policies
that are extremely divisive," she told AAP.

"I don't think that Queenslanders share Pauline's views and I don't imagine that she
will be a senator in Queensland."

Senator Bartlett said Ms Hanson personified a "divisive, inward-looking approach".

Meanwhile, Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said he would examine Ms Hanson's policies
before deciding to support her bid for a seat.

He also questioned whether her stint as a contestant on TV's Dancing with the Stars
was a good idea.

"I don't think people associate Dancing with the Stars with leading the country, and
I think that's an issue where you've got to be a little bit careful about how you're perceived,"

Senator Joyce said.

Ms Hanson won Oxley at the 1996 election after being expelled from the Liberal Party
due to her views on immigration.

Her maiden speech to the House of Representatives in 1996 warned against Asian immigration,
and caused a sensation around the world.

Her anti-immigration One Nation party expired amid bitter infighting, but not before
it won a big tally of seats at the Queensland state election. Ms Hanson lost her own seat
at the next federal election.

The Electoral Commissioner will call for objections before the possible registration
of Pauline's United Australia Party, which could occur next month.

AAP gd/evt/mn

KEYWORD: HANSON NIGHTLEAD

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

Qld: King tides expected to pound beaches this weekend

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2007
Qld: King tides expected to pound beaches this weekend

King tides are expected to pound Queensland beaches this weekend .. creating dangerous
conditions for swimmers.

An increased swell .. combined with the king tides .. will affect the Gold Coast ..

the Sunshine Coast .. and the Wide Bay-Capricorn region.

Surf Life Saving Queensland warns the worst conditions are expected on Sunday.

Lifesavers are urging people to swim between the flags.

AAP RTV cf/pjo/ibw/bart

KEYWORD: TIDES QLD (BRISBANE)

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

SA: Beazley cheers on IR protest

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2006
SA: Beazley cheers on IR protest

By Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Aug 30 AAP - Opposition Leader Kim Beazley cheered on a group of workers
in Adelaide today as they tore up their individual contracts in protest over the federal
government's new workplace laws.

The move was described by Prime Minister John Howard as a theatrical stunt, after Mr
Beazley said he was impressed by the fight being put up by the group of technicians and
other staff employed by electrical retailer Radio Rentals.

"Their's is a small unit here, but their struggle has implications right across the
country," Mr Beazley said.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) said workers at Radio Rentals were
frustrated and angry that the company would not negotiate a new collective agreement.

"Members at this site haven't had a pay rise for three years and all they want is to
be able to stick together and get a new collective agreement," AMWU state secretary John
Camillo said.

"But the company wants them to sign Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) which will
strip away the award safety net and allow the company to remove and vary employment conditions
at their discretion.

"This, unfortunately, is the type of situation that the federal government's industrial
laws are delivering."

Radio Rentals chief executive Gavin Hancock said technical service staff voted in May
this year to reject a new collective agreement that had been negotiated with the union.

He said workers were still being paid above the award and in accordance with a previous
collective agreement.

"The AWA on offer to the technical service staff improves their current employment
conditions and is vastly better than those prescribed in the award," he said.

Mr Beazley said the actions of Radio Rentals were evidence that employers across the
nation were gradually becoming aware of all the tricks that the new industrial laws offered
them.

"Businesses operate in a competitive environment and if they think somebody down the
street is stealing the march on them they try to get ahead," he said.

"The point is not what businesses do, but what the government is doing.

"What I'm prepared to do in government is restore the balance.

"I'm not looking for an advantage for one side or another in industrial disputes, I'm
looking for balance."

Mr Howard said Mr Beazley's actions were "rather theatrical".

"AWAs create better wages and better conditions for people who have them," Mr Howard
said in Adelaide.

"And if Mr Beazley thinks that by the time of the next election one million people
who have got AWAs and earning higher wages and earning better conditions are going to
enjoy him ripping them up, then I think he has got another thing coming," Mr Howard said.

AAP ks/bwl

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE BEAZLEY NIGHTLEAD (WITH PIX)

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

Fed: US will have fewer troops in Iraq by year's end: Downer

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2006
Fed: US will have fewer troops in Iraq by year's end: Downer

CANBERRA, April 24 AAP - The US will have fewer troops in Iraq by the end of the year,
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says.

But the future of Australia's troop commitment depends on how quickly the Iraqi army
can be trained to handle security there.

"... I think by the end of the year ... there'll be fewer American troops in Iraq than
there are now," Mr Downer told ABC Radio, adding that could change if unforeseen circumstances
arose.

"(But) I wouldn't want to overstate that. There'll still be a large number there.

"In our case ... withdrawal is conditions-based, and not time-based.

"That is, the more that the Iraqis can handle the security situation, the less they'll
need our support.

"The capacity of the Iraqis to handle the security situation will depend very much
on the speed at which we can set up a trained, really efficient Iraqi army."

Mr Downer also welcomed the formal invitation to Jawad al-Maliki to form a government
in Iraq, ending a political deadlock there.

"It will take time for the prime minister to put his government together. I hope that
time frame will be met," Mr Downer said.

"But, in any case, it needs to be a broadly-based government, a government of national unity."

Mr Downer said terrorists would keep up their efforts to undermine democracy in Iraq.

"I think the terrorists will continue to try to destroy the democracy which has been
embraced by a massively overwhelming majority of Iraqis," he said.

"They want to destroy democracy in Iraq and they want to destroy freedom in Iraq and
they will continue to fight some time yet in order to achieve that.

"The only way they will win is if the majority of the Iraqis themselves and we, their
supporters, are defeatist about it, and just give up."

AAP dep/it/nf

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST DOWNER

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

Fed: Tsunami disaster exploited by Aussie paedophiles

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2005
Fed: Tsunami disaster exploited by Aussie paedophiles

MELBOURNE, April 16 AAP - Up to 20 paedophiles from Australia who tried to travel to
tsunami ravaged countries were stopped under the rules of the new child sex offender register,
it was reported today.

The convicted offenders, whose names are on the recently set up national register,
had to tell police of their plans to travel.

The Australian newspaper today reported that their travel details were sent by police
to Indonesian and Thai authorities who refused them entry.

Child Wise director Bernadette McMenamin told AAP today authorities had known that
paedophiles would be targeting children in countries that had been hit by the tsunami.

She said it was well known that when countries experienced natural disasters or military
crises paedophiles exploited the instability.

"Post-tsunami we expected that a lot of Australian child sex offenders would target
these countries," she said.

Ms McMenamin said she was happy the new child sex offender register had worked but
said more could be done to stop Australian paedophiles from abusing children overseas.

She called for the government to prevent "professional" recidivist paedophiles from
travelling overseas at all.

"We do think that some offenders are too high risk and they shouldn't be allowed to
travel overseas," she said.

"I have checked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and they said they do have the
power to remove passports from people who they believe will harm others overseas."

Child sex offender registers have been set up in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western
Australia and the Northern Territory and are being prepared in the other states and territories.

The state registers are linked to the national register, and police believe there will
be 15,000 paedophiles listed by the end of the year.

AAP apw/arb 7

KEYWORD: PAEDOPHILES

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

7 Days

Saturday August 17 National Homeless Animals DayDominion over rock

Local metal band Dominion brings its fury of sound and mental imagery to Rockhouse USA tonight.

Rockhouse is at 110 N. Lake St. in Aurora. (630) 896-1031.

Fox Valley Fire to rock the city

Fox Valley Vineyard presents "Fox Valley Fire (Freedom Rocks!)" from 2 to 9 p.m. at Mount St. Mary's Park in St. Charles.

It will feature seven area bands and other activities, with featured speakers from the Fox Valley area.

Call (630) 892-0151.

Here's to health

Countryside Center hosts the "Back to School and Health Fair" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at routes 34 and 47, Yorkville.

Call (630) 553-1130.

Drumming up support

The Chicago Royal Airs will open the International Festival of Racing at 1:30 p.m. at Arlington International Racecourse.

The performance will be telecast as part of ESPN's NTRA Racing to the Breeders' Cup from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Guild on gallery

Artists from the area are featured in the Batavia Artists' Guild gallery show, which is open to Sept. 28 at Lane Allen Architects at 8 W. Wilson St. in Batavia.

On Stage

`Alice': The children's production, Alice In Wonderland, will be performed at 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday.

First Street Playhouse is at 180 First St. in Batavia.

Tickets: $5. Call (630) 406-6367.

Luv: The brainy, offbeat comedy Luv will be staged by First Street Playhouse in Batavia, opening tonight.

Luv will play at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 5 p.m. Sunday.

First Street Playhouse is at 180 First St. in Batavia.

Tickets: $12 for adults; $10 for students and seniors.

Call (630) 406-6367. `Sins of the Fathers': The Riverfront Playhouse presents this Americanized retelling of Henrick Ibsen's classic drama, Ghosts, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Tickets are $12/$10. The Riverfront is at 11-13 S. Water St. Mall, Aurora. (630) 897-9496.

Monday August 12 International Youth Day

Shop 'til you drop

Today's the last day to make a reservation for Thursday's "Shop 'til You Drop Luncheon." The Fox Valley Women's Connection holds this event from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Mill Creek Golf Club, Geneva.

Kathy Ivec will present.

Cost: $14 per person. (630) 584-5386.

The good word

Women in the community are invited to Batavia United Methodist Church, 8 N. Batavia Ave., at 10 a.m. for Christian fellowship and learning.

Child care is provided.

Call (630) 879-7060.

How does your garden grow?

The Fox Valley Garden Club meets at 7 p.m.Monday at Blackberry Historical Farm's glass house, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora.

New members are welcome.

Call (630) 859-1922.

Oh you pretty little baby face

Let a new brother or sister see where baby will be born in a tour created especially for them.

Free tours of Rush-Copley's maternity unit are offered at 5:30 p.m.at Rush-Copley Medical Center, 2000 Ogden Ave, Aurora.

Registration is required.

Call (877) 694-7262.

Their Time

Weekly and monthly observances designated by groups and movements to promote their causes: This week is ...

* "The King" Week

* Stock Up on School Supplies Week

* Truck Drivers Week

* Weird Contest Week

* Thanks for the Gift Week. Sunday August 18 Bad Poetry Day

This picnic goes "electric"

The Blue Rubies, Two for Brazil, Professor John and Henry Johnson and the Organ Express make up the entertainment lineup for the Electric Picnic outdoor music festival which begins at 1 p.m. in the McAninch Arts Center Courtyard at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.

Tickets: $7. (630) 942-4000.

Changing landscapes focus of program

Original settlers of the Fox River Valley encountered a strikingly different landscape than we know today.

The early 19th-century environment will be the focus of a presentation at 2 p.m. in the 1843 Durant House Museum, Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve, Dean Street, St. Charles. $1 per person. (630) 377-6424.

Old, older and older yet

The Sandwich Antiques Market presents, Better Than the Internet: See It, Touch It, Talk About It, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sandwich Fairgrounds, one block north of Route 34, Sandwich.

Admission is $5. Call (773) 227-4464.

Keep on canning

Visit Kline Creek Farm from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to learn how and why 1890s farm women canned thousands of jars filled with fruits and vegetables every year.

While at Kline Creek Farm, visitors can also tour the house and barn.

Kline Creek Farm is an 1890's living-history farm owned and operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

The farm is on County Farm Road, one-half mile south of North Avenue in Winfield.

Call (630) 876-5900. Thursday August 15 Relaxation Day

Learning lamaze

Learn breathing, relaxation and pushing techniques to reduce childbirth-related pain and stress.

Four-week classes will be offered from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning today at the Paul R. Hatcher Memorial Medical Center, 507 W. Kendall Drive, Yorkville.

Cost for either class: $85. Call to register.

Neighborhood watch

The Near South East Neighbors meet at 7:30 p.m. at the First Methodist Church, South Lincoln Highway and East Downer Place, Aurora. (630) 859-3858.

Musical Progressions holds open house

The Musical Progressions Conservatory will host an informal open house and registration session from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Conservatory, 355 Stevens St., Geneva.

Many of the classes will be offered through the Geneva Park District and the open house will give parents and children a chance to meet the instructors. (630) 208-6683.

Friday August 16 Roller Coaster Day

Comedy troupe debuts at Steel Beam

Steel Beam announces the debut of their Improv Comedy Troupe at 9 p.m. at the theatre, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles.

An auditioned ensemble of talented improv actors have created an original comedy revue offering a satirical look at life in the Western burbs, as well as life in general.

Tickets are $10; reservations suggested. (630) 587-8521.

For you book worms

The Friends of the Town and Country Public Library District in Elburn will hold their 22nd annual used book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during Elburn Days, today and Saturday, at the library, 320 E. North St. in Elburn.

Senior know-how

Ziv Sabin, assistant executive director of Senior Services Associates, will be at the Township Offices, 2202 Gary Lane, Geneva from 9 a.m. to noon to provide information to seniors ages 60 and older. (630) 232-3609.

Finding your path

Join the Praise & Worship gathering at 7 p.m. at Pathfinders Place, routes 34 and 71, Oswego.

Call (630) 554-3218.

At the movies

The Adventures of Pluto Nash: Eddie Murphy stars in this futuristic film in which a man struggles to keep control of his nightclub from Mafia control in space.

Blue Crush: Living in a beach shack with three other roommates including her rebellious younger sister, Anne Marie is up before dawn every morning to conquer the waves and count the days until the Rip Masters surf competition.

Simone: When his star stalks off the set, a desperate producer (Al Pacino) decides to create a CGI actress to take her place.

Things get complicated when the digital diva becomes an overnight sensation. Wednesday August 14 V.J. Day

Wind up that watch

The Fox Valley Watch & Clock Collectors Guild meets at 7 p.m. at Prisco Center, Aurora Park District Fieldhouse, Illinois Avenue and Lake Street, Aurora.

Doors open at 5 p.m. (630) 896-1510.

Do-si-do

The Kingsway Kickers Country Western Dance Club offers a line dance class at 7 p.m. at the Plainfield American Legion, 1356 Renwick Road, Plainfield. $6. (815) 498-1882

Jazz and more jazz

Bistro America has live jazz with the John Mose Trio at 12 N. River St., Batavia, (630) 406-0008, while the Viking Steak House brings the Bruce Oscar Trio to its performer stage at 27W150 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. 653-2110.

Be a picky eater

The Salvation Army will offer a free class on how to make wise food choices at 10 a.m. at the new Joe K. Anderson Community Center, 1710 S. Seventh Ave., St. Charles.

Call to register. (630) 208-3997.

Tuesday Aug. 13 Resurrect Romance Day Blame Somebody Else Day

How does your garden grow?

The Plain Dirt Gardeners meet at 7:30 p.m.in the Bartholomew Room of the Batavia Park District Building, 327 W. Wilson St. (630) 879-7578.

Closing the sale

Marketing professor and author Shawn Green will present "Four Key Questions to Close a Sale" at 7:30 a.m. at the Aurora University Sales Institute, a monthly breakfast series in the university banquet hall at Alumni Hall, 1410 Marseillaise Place, Aurora.

The program is free.

A free continental breakfast is at 7 a.m. Reservations are not required. (630) 844-5527.

Help for those who need it

The Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association of Fox Valley meets at 7:30 p.m. in the dining room of the Behavioral Health Services Building on the Central DuPage Hospital campus at 25 N. Winfield Road, Winfield.

Call (630) 859-8035 or 466-4851.

On video

Clockstoppers: This should appeal to kids and tweeners who loved Spy Kids, but is a little silly and childish to hold most adults' interest.

A middle-schooler finds a wrist watch that enables him and whoever is touching to freeze time to what seems like a virtual standstill for everybody else while he moves around at what seems like normal speed.

An angry federal spy agency wants to get the doodad back.

Starring Jesse Bradford, Julia Sweeney, French Stewart and Michael Biehn.

Rated PG.

Also on video ... Showtime In the Bedroom The New Guy Birthday Girl The Accidental Spy 24 Hours in London Last Orders

ISP-Market, LLC Launches New Online Property - XSPsite.net.

Industry Leading Website Sharpens Focus on the Service Provider Community

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ --

ISP-Market, LLC, a marketing consulting and research firm that focuses exclusively on the Internet Service Provider community, has launched www.XSPsite.net, the only reference site demystifying, driving and defining the service provider market. The recent explosion in the service provider acronym race has created a lot of buzz as well as a lot of confusion. At launch the site includes six sections, each focused on a specific segment of the Internet Service Provider industry.

Understanding the service provider marketplace is a top priority for many new and established technology companies and XSPsite.net is an effective vehicle for all to understand this complicated market and its many segments. In addition to helping define each segment of the xsp game, XSPsite offers service providers and vendors comprehensive resources, editorial content, analyst commentary, timely news and a little of bit of fun. "Spending the last few years working with clients in the service provider space as well as software and hardware vendors has made it obvious to us that there is a lot of confusion. Everyone seems to have his or her own definition of and ASP, CSP, MSP, etc. We've decided to put together a comprehensive resource site to help define these segments and educate professionals," said Tom McCafferty, Managing Partner. "XSPsite.net is the online destination for anyone who wants to understand the hottest growth areas of Service Provider market."

By delivering explicit coverage of, definitions, research, analysis and events devoted to the exploding service provider phenomena, ISP-Market expands their unique combination of assets and strengthens their presence in the service provider community. For the past 2 years ISP-Market has been designing innovative and comprehensive marketing consulting and research focused on helping technology companies reach the Internet Service Provider community. "We're the only marketing consulting firm with an established business model focused exclusively on the Service Provider market" said Mike Cassidy, Managing Partner.

About ISP-Market

ISP-Market offers proven expertise in developing strategies and implementing successful marketing programs that reach professionals in the ISP, ASP, HSP, MSP, NSP and CLEC business. The executive team at ISP-Market has designed and executed online marketing campaigns and lead-generation programs for networking giants like Ascend, U.S. Robotics, Redback Networks, Cobalt Networks, iBeam Broadcasting and CacheFlow Inc. as well hot start-ups like ISPsoft, Phobos, Entera and Interlink Networks. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA., ISP-Market can be reached at http://www.isp-market.com, 925-274-1310 or info@isp-market.com.

To visit XSPsite.net, The Service Provider Industry Network: http://www.xspsite.net.