Aug 07, 2008
Batman film breaks another record
Posted by : limpidxinBatman film breaks another record
Batman film The Dark Knight has broken another box office record after taking just 18 days to make more than $400 million (£204m) in North America.
Royal premiere for new Bond film
Posted by : limpidxinRoyal premiere for new Bond film
Princes William and Harry will attend the world premiere of the next James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. They will be joined on the red carpet in London by 007 actor Daniel Craig, as well as co-stars including Dame Judi Dench and Gemma Arterton.Pants author cheerleader for film
Posted by : limpidxinPants author cheerleader for film
"I really have been a cheerleader from the sidelines," says the amiable Brashares in a phone interview to promote the film. ". . . You can't worry about the literal stuff. Will purists be upset? If they were lesser movies, I would have been more concerned. I'm not exactly objective, but I think these are very emotional movies and they don't flatten them out or simplify them or make them brighter and happier than I had imagined."The four books have earned a strong following since the first one debuted in 2001. They chronicle the globe-trotting adventures of a group of girls who bond over a magical pair of jeans that fit all four of them perfectly, despite them being of all shapes and sizes. The sequel, which opens today, is based primarily on the fourth book of the series, Forever in Blue, and reunites the cast of young actresses from the first movie. Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively and America Ferrera have all seen their profile rise in the past three years, something Brashares saw first-hand last week.News Corp. profit rises 27% on film, cable increases
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News Corp. profit rises 27% on film, cable increasesCHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- News Corp. said Tuesday its quarterly profit rose 27% on improved results at its film studios and cable television networks, as well as gains related to its sale of stakes in Fox Sports Bay Area and Gemstar-TV Guide.
"The Dark Knight" tops 400-million-dollar mark
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"The Dark Knight" tops 400-million-dollar mark LOS ANGELES, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- "The Dark Knight" topped the 400-million-dollar mark in box office receipts in just 18 days, shattering the record set by "Shrek 2," according to figures released on Tuesday. The latest installment of the Batman film series earned nearly 6.3 million dollars at the box office on Monday, giving it a total of more than 400 million dollars in its 18 days of release, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers. The 18-day sprint to 400 million dollars beat out previous record-holder "Shrek 2," which needed 43 days to reach the financial milestone in 2004, the company reported. "The Dark Knight" has topped the box office during all three weekends in release. The film stars Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader and the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription medication in January. "The Dark Knight" is his last completed film role
Horror Author Lia Scott Price's Free Film Shorts and Stories
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Horror Author Lia Scott Price's Free Film Shorts and StoriesLOS ANGELES, Aug 05, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Horror Novelist and Film Producer Lia Scott Price has launched a series of free short stories and film shorts online. The short stories, called Lia Scott Price's The Dark Fiction Chronicles(TM), and their companion film shorts (released by DarkAngel Distributors(TM)), Lia Scott Price's Dark Fiction(TM), focus on the fictional diary of a female serial killer. "I write about what goes on in the mind of my character," Price says. Price even plays the female serial killer character in one of her film shorts. The diary spells out in detail the motivations behind the serial killer's actions, revealing an abusive childhood and a deadly desire for revenge against the character's abusers. "Female serial killers fascinate me. You don't see that many of them in popular fiction. If you do see them, they are most likely portrayed as Black Widows with motivations limited to money. Poison or guns are the weapon of choice." However, Price's female serial killers employ more gruesome methods involving sharp objects. The diary is written at random, "Based on whatever thoughts the character has at the moment, in jagged but almost poetic format, in no particular order, about what the character is thinking or doing at that particular moment." Price had suffered through an abusive childhood and, "This is my way of venting creatively, through fiction." However, Price stresses that, because of the dark nature of her stories, "Remember that this is all just fiction." Lia Scott Price's Dark Fiction(TM) Film Shorts and Lia Scott Price's The Dark Fiction Chronicles(TM) Short Stories can be viewed at
Pro-Tibet film gets rare Beijing showing
Posted by : limpidxinPro-Tibet film gets rare Beijing showing
By Ben BlanchardBEIJING (Reuters) - A new documentary made by a pro-Tibet group on what Tibetans think of the Olympics premiered in Beijing on Wednesday under a veil of secrecy.The film, "Leaving Fear Behind", was shown to a small group of foreign reporters in a dingy hotel room in central Beijing, not far from Tiananmen Square.Security officials did not interrupt the screening but Dechen Pemba, a British Tibetan woman deported from China last month, told Reuters by telephone that a second screening was halted by the hotel, under police instructions."Now that the Olympic Games are finally upon us, it's a chance to show how Tibetans feel and what their hopes are," Dechen Pemba said in a videoed statement.The film featured a series of interviews with Tibetans talking about how their culture had been trampled on, how they still loved exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and how they viewed the Olympics as having done little to improve their lives."Outsiders may think that the Tibetans are treated very well and that they are happy. But the truth is that Tibetans are not free to speak of their suffering," one Tibetan said on the film."Even if I had to sacrifice my life for this message to be seen by the Dalai Lama, I agree and welcome this chance," said another.The Dalai Lama fled into exile in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule.Report from Traverse City Film Festival
Posted by : limpidxinReport from Traverse City Film Festival
Former Kalamazoo resident and Western Michigan University graduate Jake Ziegler has been a freelance entertainment writer for the Gazette for several years. He's currently living in the Traverse City area, which meant that he was able to attend last week's Traverse City Film Festival. Since I could not make it -- and I am doubly upset because in addition to missing some good movies I missed out on those delicious cherry burgers that are a Traverse delicacy -- I asked Jake to share some of his observations and he happily obliged.The fourth annual Traverse City Film Festival wrapped on Sunday night after six days with more than 80,000 admissions to screenings of 71 films at six venues, five panel discussions, and six parties to celebrate another record breaking year.The small Northern Michigan town was graced with the presence of pop royalty Madonna on Saturday night for a special screening of her new documentary "I Am Because We Are," but the fun didn't stop there. The last day of the festival offered plenty for filmgoers, and 17 awards were handed out.The big winner of the festival was the Jordanian film "Captain Abu Raed," the first independent film to ever come from Jordan, and their first feature of any kind in the last fifty years. Both screenings on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon were greeted with a standing ovation and thunderous applause. It won the Audience Award for Best Fiction Film, as well as the Best of Fest Fiction Film.
Aug 06, 2008
CCTV blunder: wrong 'sex attacker' charged
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CCTV blunder: wrong 'sex attacker' chargedA man, mistakenly accused of being a sex predator after CCTV footage of him was shown on television, has been released fromcustody after police realised he was not the culprit. - Accused man not sex predator - Footage shown on television news bulletins - Police renew appeal for information But the mistake has prompted the Australian Council for CivilLiberties to call for CCTV footage of suspected offenders to bebroadcast only if police are granted a court order to do so. The council's national president, Terry O'Gorman, said the policetactic, widely used around Australia, was a concern for tworeasons. "Firstly, often identification is a real issue in a case as thebroadcasting of CCTV or other pictures often interferes with theintegrity of a court case," he said. "Secondly, it's a huge invasion of privacy and it's a procedurewhich we think should be kept under control. Clearly here thestandard of policing has been unacceptably low. If the police can'tget their act together and they are making that kind of mistake,the protection of the courts is needed." In the latest twist in the hunt for the "buck-tooth" sex predatorstalking teenaged girls in Sydney's west, police last nighthurriedly applied to the Supreme Court to release the man, who hasbeen held in custody since Sunday. One of the sex offender's teenaged victims reported seeing herattacker in Woodcroft on July 25 and, soon afterwards, policereleased CCTV footage from Blacktown train station of the manwanted for the crimes. It was this footage, shown on television news bulletins over theweekend, that prompted the released man to go to Mount DruittPolice Station on Sunday, police say. On Sunday detectives from Strike Force Luxford, set up to catch thesex-predator, were thanking the public and the media "for theirassistance during the investigation" after they arrested a23-year-old Minchinbury man. The man appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday charged with 11offences related to attacks on six teenaged girls between April andJune.
China TV, US agency IMG launch sports venture
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China TV, US agency IMG launch sports ventureChinese state television and IMG, the U.S. sports marketing giant,announced a 20-year partnership Thursday to produce and broadcastsports in China. The deal, unveiled ahead of the Aug. 8 start of the BeijingOlympics, comes as Chinese and foreign broadcasters and promotersrace to tap into China's increasingly lucrative sports market. The new venture, CCTV-IMG Sports Management Co., will produce livesporting events and television and multimedia programming, thecompanies said in a statement. No financial information or detailsof planned sports events were released. The venture "will generate many different opportunities to enhancethe sports and media landscape in China," said IMG Chairman andChief Executive Ted Forstmann in the statement. IMG said it was thefirst non-Chinese company to form such a multiyear, multisportventure with CCTV. IMG Sports Media says it is the world's largest independentproducer of sports programming. CCTV, China's national broadcaster, operates 17 channels includinga 24-hour sports channel. The network says it commands an 80percent share of China's TV sports viewership. The popularity of professional sports, especially basketball andsoccer, has exploded in China in recent years. CCTV and some 50smaller Chinese broadcasters air National Basketball Associationgames. On the 'Net: Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materialmay not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
NexxNow, Inc. to Congratulate IMG and China Central Television ...
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NexxNow, Inc. to Congratulate IMG and China Central Television ...CCTV This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaningof Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, andSection 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Allforward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they arebased on current expectations and assumptions concerning futureevents or future performance of the company. Readers are cautionednot to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements,which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. Inevaluating such statements, prospective investors should reviewcarefully various risks and uncertainties identified in thisrelease. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company'sactual results to differ materially from those indicated in theforward-looking statements.
IMG & CCTV Agree Sports TV Deal
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IMG & CCTV Agree Sports TV DealGlobal sports marketing company, IMG Worldwide, has agreed anexclusive 20-year deal with China Central Televesion (CCTV) todevelop and market new sports events, Sport Business reports. According to the Wall Street Journal, the venture aims tocapitalise on the post-Olympics commercialisation of sports inChina and will develop sports and entertainment events across Chinafor broadcast on state-owned CCTV. IMG will sell sponsorship rightsfor those events. "The fundamental purpose of the joint venture is to marry whatCCTV does in China and what IMG does all over the world," saidTed Forstmann, IMG's Chairman and Chief Executive. "If we aresuccessful [in China], there are going to be a whole lot of eventsthat do not exist today," he added. Last update : Sunday, 03 August 2008
'How do I use the CCTV monitor?'
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'How do I use the CCTV monitor?'MUMBAI: A CCTV monitor installed in Ghatkopar station manager S PJagtap's office is not serving its desired purpose . "I have noworking knowledge about it. The contractor appointed by CentralRailway (CR) installed this monitor more than two months agowithout educating me about its elementary operations . I have triedoperating it through trial and error, but I can't understand how itfunctions,'' said Jagtap. Generally the sets are installed in RPF chowkies at nodal stationswhile at smaller stations they are kept in station masters'offices. The purpose of a CCTV is to prevent crime and aidinvestigations as the data collected can be stored for up to fivedays. The CCTV monitor at Ghatkopar station was installed in Jagtap'soffice as there is no RPF chowkie there. However, one wonders howmuch justice the station master can do to his newly-addedresponsibility along with his other duties. Jagtap said there was a proposal to install 16 CCTVs at Ghatkopar.However, as he fiddled with the buttons on the regulator projector,the screen showed views from only three cameras. One of which isprojected to the ceiling. Even the clock was twenty minutes behind. "I am clueless on the know-how of these CCTVs. I even can'tfigure out if the CCTVs are working as I don't know where they arelocated. I wasn't given any information about their locations,''said Jagtap. Jagtap said even the service personnel couldn't help him." Theservice personnel come here periodically but say they don't knowhow the equipment works. One of them even asked me to show him howto operate it,'' he said. Chief PRO S C Mudgerikar said CR appointed contractors through itssignal and technology department. "The contractor , has to explainto the RPF or the railway staff how to use the monitor. Queries canalso be cleared at the time of supervision. I am sure such problemsare rectified if and when they are brought to our notice,'' saidMudgerikar.
China's CCTV.com to Stream Live Coverage of 2008 Olympic Games via ...
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China's CCTV.com to Stream Live Coverage of 2008 Olympic Games via ...CCTV The views expressed in the articles are not necessarily those ofearthtimes.org and we accept no responsibility for the views oropinions expressed in the articles either direct or indirect.
CCTV.com and Adobe Partner to Bring 2008 Beijing Olympics to ...
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CCTV.com and Adobe Partner to Bring 2008 Beijing Olympics to ...today announced a strategic relationship with CCTV InternationalNetworks Co., Ltd.(CCTV.com) to deliver the 2008 Beijing OlympicGames' coverage through the Web. The coverage will be delivered tomillions of sports fans in mainland China and Macau through the"Olympic Network TV Station," CCTV.com's next-generation onlineexperience based on Adobe(R) Flash(R) and Flex(R) technology.CCTV.com owns the online video rights to the 2008 Beijing OlympicGames for mainland China and Macau. With thousands of hours ofcompetition video available on CCTVOlympics.com, the OlympicNetwork TV Station will allow sports fans to view the Olympicsports, athletes and country teams of their choice.
Garda CCTV training to boost long eye of the law
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v Garda CCTV training to boost long eye of the lawBig Brother's eye sight is set to get a whole lot clearer on ourstreets with an updated CCTV training system in the offing forgardai. As part of the on-going expansion of CCTV systems in towns acrossthe country, garda chiefs have put to tender a new in-depth coursefor members. They have advertised for applications from relevant bodies tosupply and deliver CCTV training for offices and garda stationsacross the country. Development "This would be part of on-going development within the gardai.There is continued training in the force for this type of thing. Itis a development thing," a garda spokesperson said. The chosen applicant will be charged with the task of traininggardai in the use of the system and also providing them with thetools necessary to get the most from the camera system. The widespread introduction of the closed circuit televisionsystems around the country has helped gardai in their fight againstanti-social behaviour and public order offences. Pointed and strategically placed cameras are a common sight on ourstreets and a roll out of the systems to rural towns and villageshas been welcomed by residents. Naas in Co Kildare is one such town that recently benefited fromthe addition of a newly installed CCTV system. CCTV cameras are seen to be both a deterrent and an aid whencracking crime. A number of cases before our courts today rely on or arestrengthened by the presence of CCTV footage. The system is particularly helpful to gardai in the fight againstpublic order incidents which include drunken rows and assaults. It can also help gardai pinpoint the movements of known orsuspected criminals. It has also been used in recent times to provide a timeline formissing people. - Lisa-Anne Crookes Printing & Publishing类
Aug 05, 2008
Refurbished Gulfport Rec Center Reopens
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Refurbished Gulfport Rec Center Reopens tiles By Trang Pham-Bui - GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) - You can once again hear the sneakers hittingthe hard court and the excitement of sinking a basket. It soundslike the city of Gulfport is bouncing back from Katrina. "We know it's been along time coming, and everybody's been verypatient with us," said David D'Aquilla, Assistant Director of theGulfport Department of Leisure Services. "The public interest isout there, and we're just thrilled to get this thing open." The popular Herbert Wilson Recreation Center on Hancock Avenue hasundergone quite a transformation since Katrina damaged the roof andsoaked the entire building. "It was quite amazing," said D'Aquilla. "The roof, all the ceilingtiles, all the flooring tiles, basically everything that could bewet, was wet." The once water-logged facility now boasts four refurbished racquetball courts, a renovated multi-purpose room and kitchen, andfreshly painted gym. James Nance and his three children were amongthe first to check-out the newly-restored rec center. "I think it's immaculate. It's nice. The floors are beautiful, andit's a nice facility to come and just hang out," said Nance. Before Katrina, this Gulfport family used to come to the center allthe time to shoot hoops. Now, that fun, family tradition is back. "They love sports, and they'll probably be doing this for a longtime," said Nance. And this Gulfport community has a place to gather and have a ballonce again. The storm repairs cost more than $1 million. Two other Gulfportrecreation centers are also coming back. The Gaston Hewes facilityis under construction on 28th Street, and the Gaston Point buildingon Mills Avenue is under renovation.
Two looted in broad daylight
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Two looted in broad daylight tiles PUNE: A common modus operandi was employed to loot two people onconsecutive days in the city recently. In the first instance, Shivaji Ramayya, a businessman fromKarnataka, was relieved of Rs 2.50 lakh by two unidentified personswho threw dirt on his shirt and while he was cleaning the filth,ran away with his money. The incident occurred near Panchalirestaurant on J M road on Saturday morning. Ramayya has a tiles manufacturing unit at Davangiri in Karnataka.He used to supply tiles to the traders in the city. On Friday, hecame to Pune to collect his dues. The incident occurred on Saturdaywhen he was on his way to Shivajinagar ST stand to catch a bus backhome. Ramayya went into the Pancahmi restaurant to clean his shirt. Whilehe was cleaning, the duo decamped with his bag containing the cash.Sub-inspector Pramod Waghmare of Shivajinagar police station isinvestigating the case. In another incident, Sangita Dhavale, a resident of UpperBibvewadi, was looted in the same manner on Tilak road on Fridaymorning. According to police, Dhavale withdrew Rs 50,000 from the Tilak roadbranch of Bank of India on Friday morning and was on her way homewhen mud was hurled at her. A boy gave her water to clean and whileshe was cleansing, he fled with her purse containing Rs 50,000.Assistant sub-inspector B Y Holkar is investigating the case.
It's in the tiles
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It's in the tiles tiles That mosaic w ill depict the front entrance of the 105-year-oldschool and the trees and shrubbery that make up its grounds. Allthis will be contained within a heart shape, and with a motto:"We all grow together. One heart. One school" at thebottom. The mosaic is divided into 81 squares, 8 inches per side, which areassigned to students singly or in pairs. Those squares have beendivided up and numbered on a drawing mounted on the cafeteria wall. The students choose which of the 81 squares they want to do, andpick the appropriately colored tiles out of several grocery bagsplaced along the wall. They trace their part of the mosaic ontopaper then put a piece of plastic and a tile mesh over that. Thenthey start gluing the tile pieces onto the mesh, cut to make thesquare. They use special snippers to cut the tile pieces into tinytriangles and squares to fit, puzzle-like, into their part of themosaic. By Thursday morning, the mosaic was taking shape on the cafeteriafloor, with only 20 squares remaining to be finished. Still, with aweek left in summer school, it's crunch time, and Brisbois hassummoned 16 of the summer school's rising 7th- through 9th-graders,instead of the usual eight, to work their 45-minute shifts on themosaic. Once it's done, it will be placed, piece-by-piece, ontoboards mounted on the wall and grouted together. The atmosphere Thursday was chatty, yet focused. "If we goof off, we have to go back upstairs," said12-year-old Brittany Hlavka, who was working on an especiallydifficult square with partner Brandi Davis, 13. Difficult becausethey've got parts of the motto, including letters and parts ofletters. "Words are hard to do," Brandi said. "There areturns and all that." Brandi pronounced working on the mosaic"way more fun" than the reading and math work going onupstairs. But Brisbois let on to a little secret here: By studyingthe dimensions of the mosaic and its parts, then fashioning piecesmeant to fit together to form a recognizable shape, she has beensneakily exposing them to math. "They might not realize that they're doing math, but theyare," Brisbois said. "It's a real-life integration ofmath and art."
But This is Chico: Constructing mansion's present through stories ...
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But This is Chico: Constructing mansion's present through stories ... tiles Living History Days at the mansion, writes that when he came herein 1980 "You couldn't look out the dining room windows. The VisitorCenter was in the way." The Visitor Center was housed in the former "new" kitchen. To thewest was an addition built in 1922 after Chico State Collegeacquired the mansion. Kupp writes that Steve Feazel, who was the supervising ranger atthe mansion, couldn't wait for those additions to be gone "so themansion could be returned to its original state." The current Visitor Center, a free-standing building to the northof the mansion, was completed in 1993. Demolition of the mansion additions began in 1997. By that time,Paul Holman had succeeded Feazel as the ranger. The next major project was the restoration of the original kitchen,which had been converted into restrooms many years earlier. When Ibecame a volunteer tour guide at mansion at the beginning of 2001,the kitchen had just been completed, but it still needed somefurnishings. The mansion has been extensively renovated since it became a statepark. There have been projects both large and small. Laura Bercea,who was a tour guide at the mansion in the early 1990s and is nowoperations manager at the California Railroad Museum, grew up inParadise. She writes that she was 10 when she first visited themansion. "My grandparents took me there in the summer of 1971. Thevolunteer association was raising funds to carpet the second floorand sold tile squares for $1 each. I signed my name 'Laura Yates'on a tile in one of the bedrooms." Verna Cushman also has memories of the tiles. "The mansion needed alot of work," she writes. "I remember they were selling tiles toraise money. They were ugly brown floor tiles and you could writeyour name on them." Charles Feldhaus, who began exploring Bidwell Mansion and itsgrounds after his family moved to nearby Mansion Park when he was 4years old, writes that he remembers "writing our names on asphalttiles upstairs in order to raise money to cover the names with newcarpet." Steve Brown is a copy editor at the Enterprise-Record. He can bereached at 896-7773 or sbrown@chicoer.com.
Topps Tiles in Talks With Banks to Reset Covenants, FT Reports
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Topps Tiles in Talks With Banks to Reset Covenants, FT ReportsTopps Tiles in Talks With Banks to Reset Covenants, FT ReportsTopps Tiles Plc is in talks with its banks to reset covenants as the U.K. retailerattempts to weather the slowdown in the home-improvement market,the Financial Times reported, citing Chief Executive Matthew Williams. The banks have not yet agreed to change the covenant terms, thoughthey had stated their support, Williams was cited as saying. To contact the reporter on this story:
Topps Tiles 17-week LFL sales down 7.7 pct, trading still ...
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Topps Tiles 17-week LFL sales down 7.7 pct, trading still ...tiles LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Topps Tiles Plc. said tradingconditions remained challenging in the first 17 weeks of thefinancial year, with like-for-like revenue declining 7.7 percent. The tile and wood flooring specialist said its overall revenuedeclined 2.7 percent during the period. Chief Executive Matt Williams said: 'As we said at our half yearresults, the retail environment remains challenging. 'We are, however, managing the business prudently, with emphasis oncosts and cash. We have a resilient business model and areconfident that we can grow market share in the current tougheconomic climate.' The company said it is on track to open a net 20 new stores in theUnited Kingdom in its financial year and plans to open one moreshop in the Netherlands. Topps Tiles said it has exchanged contracts for the sale andleaseback of four freehold properties for 4 million pounds. TFN.newsdesk@thomson.com ami/wj/ami/kf1 COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson FinancialNews Content, including by framing or similar means, is expresslyprohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson FinancialNews. Neither the Subscriber nor Thomson Financial News warrants thecompleteness or accuracy of the Service or the suitability of theService as a trading aid and neither accepts any liability forlosses howsoever incurred. The content on this site, includingnews, quotes, data and other information, is provided by ThomsonFinancial News and its third party content providers for yourpersonal information only, and neither Thomson Financial News norits third party content providers shall be liable for any errors,inaccuracies or delays in content, or for any actions taken inreliance thereon.
Encino house's pool gets a remodel with new tiles
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Encino house's pool gets a remodel with new tilestiles For inspiration, the couple looked at pictures of two homes by thesame architect in a 1958 spread in the Los Angeles Times. One househad a marvelous fountain "covered in thin reflective slivers oftile that looked almost like piano keys," Walcott says. They went to Creative Environments in the Pacific Design Center.The showroom didn't have the shape of tile they sought, but it didhave larger 12-inch-square marble tiles that were the righttranslucent shades of blue and gray. Walcott and Coolidge bought the larger tiles, then had them cutinto short strips and fitted together in a rectilinear patternsimilar to what they saw in the old photographs.
Overall revenue down 2.7 per cent at Topps Tiles
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Overall revenue down 2.7 per cent at Topps TilesOverall revenue declined 2.7 per cent in the 17 weeks to July 26 atTopps Tiles and like-for-like revenue declined 7.7 per cent. Theresults showed a continued decline, but the company said it wasresilient enough to survive and gain market share in the currenteconomic climate. In the UK, overall revenue declined 2.9 per cent in the period andlike-for-like revenue was down 7.9 per cent. The companysoperations in Holland were also hit by the onset of the creditcrunch, with overall revenue down 0.7 per cent, compared with lastyears 27.2 per cent increase for the same period. Topps Tiles said it would continue to manage costs prudently andalso announced that it would continue to review dividend policywith the intention of reducing net debt and improving financialflexibility. Topps Tiles chief executive Matt Williams said: "As we said at ourhalf year results, the retail environment remains challenging. Weare, however, managing the business prudently, with emphasis oncosts and cash. We have a resilient business model and areconfident that we can grow market share in the current tougheconomic climate." Tile and wood flooring retailer Topps Tiles first opened inManchester in 1963; it now has more than 250 UK stores. Theretailer stocks floor tiles, natural stone, laminate and solid woodflooring and under floor heating as well as tools, adhesives,grouts, accessories and cleaning products. Related articles in this category: DIY
Jul 30, 2008
US consumer bill partially bans plastic softener
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US consumer bill partially bans plastic softenerBy Georgina Coolidge plastic bagWASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - A partial ban on controversialplastic-softening chemicals called phthalates has been agreed on aspart of a bill to revamp consumer product safety, lawmakersinvolved in the negotiations said on Monday.The legislation also would sharply cut the amount of lead allowedin toys and other products while increasing funding for theConsumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an agency muchcriticized after millions of toys, mostly made in China, wererecalled last year.The ban on phthalates, which some believe can cause abnormalreproductive development in children, was one of the most hotlydebated items considered by members of the House and Senate whohammered out the final version of the legislation.Three types of phthalates would be permanently banned in children'stoys and child care items, except for minute amounts, while threeothers would be temporarily banned pending further study."The compromise on phthalates is a significant victory forfamilies, because the ban goes into effect before the researchreview is completed," said Diana Zuckerman, president of theNational Research Center for Women and Families, a consumer group."Congress put children's safety first."But the American Chemistry Council criticized the phthalaterestrictions. "There is no scientific basis for Congress torestrict phthalates from toys and children's products," theindustry group said.
The bill, which still needs to be voted on, also would mandatenational safety standards for all-terrain vehicles, linked tohundreds of deaths each year, as well as set standards for toys.It would authorize an increase in the CPSC's annual budget from itscurrent $80 million to $118 million starting in fiscal 2010 andgrowing to $136 million over five years. Continued...
The bill, which still needs to be voted on, also would mandatenational safety standards for all-terrain vehicles, linked tohundreds of deaths each year, as well as set standards for toys.It would authorize an increase in the CPSC's annual budget from itscurrent $80 million to $118 million starting in fiscal 2010 andgrowing to $136 million over five years. Continued...
CCID Consulting Analyzes China Consumer IC Market Development Trends
Posted by : limpidxin
CCID Consulting Analyzes China Consumer IC Market Development TrendsTV IC BEIJIN "sleading research, consulting and IT outsourcing service provider,and the first Chinese consulting firm listed in Hong Kong (HongKong Stock Exchange: HK08235), recently released its article onChina"s consumer IC market development trends.The market of China"s main electronic products grew steadily in2007, with a market value of 150 billion Yuan. In the next fiveyears, China"s consumer IC market will develop smoothly and themarket will maintain an upward momentum. However, the growth ratewill decrease due to lack of emerging applications. CCID Consultingforecasts that the compound growth rate in the next five years willreach 16.9%.Figure: Forecast on China"s Consumer IC Market Scale, 2008-2012http://www.ccidconsulting.com/upload/13315.jpgData Source: CCID Consulting, January 2008Decreasing Growth RateThe Consumer IC market develops the slowest among other IT fieldssuch as computer, network and communication, industrial control,automobile electronics, and other main applications fields. Themain reasons lie in sharp decrease of traditional black goodsproduction, which leads to the significant shrinkage of the relatedIC market. On the other hand, emerging consumer products such asdigital TV and digital photo frame have not form enough scale todrive market development, and digital consumer electronicsproduction develops steadily which leads to a stable digitalconsumer IC market. Besides, decreasing product price limits thegrowth rate of China"s consumer IC market greatly.Digital Consumer ICs Dominating Consumer IC MarketThe market of China"s traditional home appliance and smallappliance market, including that of color TVs, audio products,washing machines, refrigerators, air conditions, microwave ovens,fans, and electronic toys, has gone from a rapid growth stage to amature stage, which provides little support for the development ofconsumer IC market. On the contrary, as the acceleratingreplacement of digital consumer electronics to traditional productsand corresponding industry transfers to mainland, demands ondecoders, memories, high performance processors, graphicalprocessors, and other high end chips will grow rapidly, whichdrives the upgrading of China"s consumer IC market.As an important consumer product in the next five years, thepopularization process of digital TV will drive the development ofIC market. Rapid growth of digital TVs will promote a new round ofgrowth of digital TV ICs, embedded CPU, FPGA, memories and otherICs. Besides, set-top box, acting as a transition product fromanalog age to digital age, will be a leading product for digital TVindustry in the future five years.With a fast-growing consumer electronics market, China"s consumerelectronics manufactures will face more challenges in choosingproduct types, IC providers, developing solutions, technologyupgrades, and other issues. Besides, as new IC products emerge,consumer electronic manufacturers will need more support on producttypes, reference design, development tools providing, and R&Dstaff training.Facing increasingly fierce competition and globalization IC supplytrend, the diversion of industrial divisions in the industrialchain will become more professional. For chip providers, the futurelies in the construction of logistics and engineers, third partydesign plan partners, technology supporting capability,localization and business management.About CCID ConsultingFor more information, please contact:Cynthia LiuCoordinating ManagerCCID Consulting Co., Ltd.Tel: +86-10-8855-9080Email: liuyan@ccidconsulting.com
Printing firm fined for machine incident
Posted by : limpidxinPolish worker, Kamil Podsaidly, 20, was working a night shift onJuly 17, 2007, when he spilled some ink and was attempting to cleanit up when the accident happened.
Mr Podsaidly, who still works as a printer for Britton DecoflexLimited, in Skerne Road, Hartlepool, lost the tip of his middlefinger on his left hand, which was also broken.
The company appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court yesterday andadmitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing toprevent access to dangerous moving parts of machinery and was fined 2,000 and ordered to pay printing machine 4,383 in costs.
Prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) MelonyRidgeway-Buckley, said: "On July 17 Mr Podsaidly was working anight shift. He had spilled some ink on or around the machine andwent to get rags from the shop floor.
"He climbed a ladder to access the print station and attempted toclean the ink off."
She said that at the time the machine was running at full speed,which is between 80 and 100 metres per minute, when his handgripping the rag was drawn in between the metal rollers.
The court heard that guards in place, which should stop the machinebefore anyone can get close to it, did not work properly because aswitch had been tampered with.
The prosecutor said: "The switch arrangement had clearly beentampered with as there was blue tape being used to hold the switchonto the machine."
Mrs Ridgeway-Buckley said witnesses had told how the switch had notbeen functioning properly for a number of weeks before the accidentand the company had failed to carry out checks.
Mitigating, John Ellwood said the company, which prints informationonto plastic containers and has been in Hartlepool for 60 years,co-operated fully with the investigation and had a previouslyunblemished safety record.
Mr Ellwood said a disciplinary procedure had been carried outagainst Mr Podsaidly in connection with the incident, which he hadnot appealed against, and despite this incident the employee is a"good worker" and is still with the firm.
Magistrates fined the company 2,000 and ordered them to pay4,383 investigation costs to the HSE. They were also ordered topay 15 victim surcharge.
After the hearing Mr Ellwood said on behalf of managing director,Barry Turner: "The company is delighted that this upsetting matteris now at an end."
Delta Air Lines Offers Crown Room Club Members Added Benefits with ...
Posted by : limpidxinDelta Air Lines Offers Crown Room Club Members Added Benefits withNew Mobile printing machine Service
As an added benefit for Crown Room Club members, Delta Air Lines(NYSE: DAL) is now offering special pricing on mobile printingservices that allow Club members to print documents directly fromtheir personal device assistants (PDA) to any fax machine,anywhere. The technology to print directly from mobile devices tofax machines, now available in Delta Crown Room Clubs throughoutthe United States, is provided by Premiere Global Services, Inc.(NYSE: PGI), a global provider of on-demand, communicationtechnologies-based business process improvement solutions. "Stayingproductive and connected while on the go is crucial - particularlyfor Delta enhancements; integration of acquired companies; serviceinterruptions; increased financial leverage; our dependence on oursubsidiaries for cash flow; continued weakness in our legacybroadcast fax business; foreign currency exchange rates; possibleadverse results of pending or future litigation or infringementclaims; federal or state legislative or regulatory changes; generaldomestic and international economic, business or politicalconditions; and other factors described from time to time in ourpress releases, reports and other filings with the SEC, includingbut not limited to the "Risk Factors" sections of our Annual Reporton Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and our QuarterlyReport on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. Allforward-looking statements attributable to us or a person acting onour behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by thiscautionary statement.
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erschienen am 21.07.2008 um 21:01 Uhr