~ M. Daniels

Charles Osgood of CBS News Sunday Morning

2008 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Photo: Business Wire

December 12, 2007 06:52 AM Pacific Time

The New York Times Student Journalism Institute Accepts Twenty Students into its Annual Program

Seminar Offered in Collaboration with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The New York Times Student Journalism Institute announced today the list of participants admitted into its annual program with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), to be held Jan. 2 to 13, 2008, at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The Institute is an 11-day, hands-on journalism residency program offered to aspiring reporters, editors, photographers and designers who are student members of the NAHJ. The students were competitively selected based on an essay they wrote, clips or portfolios they submitted and their previous journalism experience. They will be offered the opportunity to sharpen their writing, reporting, editing, photography and multimedia skills while covering current events in the Tucson area and working under newsroom deadlines. They will learn from professional journalists from The New York Times, The Boston Globe and the Times Company’s Regional Media Group.

Students will maintain a Web site (www.nytimes-institute.com) and produce a newspaper containing the best work generated during the program.

“The Times is delighted to again offer this program in conjunction with the NAHJ,” said Jill Abramson, managing editor, The New York Times. “In this ever-changing media landscape, programs like this Institute are essential to help newsrooms across the country recruit young talented journalists from diverse backgrounds.”

“The kind of training this program provides is essential to making sure that more of our aspiring Latino journalists get into newsrooms,” said Iván Román, executive director, National Association of Hispanic Journalists. “The country’s rapid demographic changes make bringing more of our voices and perspectives to the news media even more urgent than ever before. So we’re happy this can give a boost to the careers of our younger brothers and sisters.”

The 20 students selected for this year’s program represent 16 colleges and universities from around the country. The program accepts applications from promising students in good academic standing who have worked for at least one semester on a student publication, or as an intern or employee of a news organization.

This year’s students are: Yolanne Almanzar, Florida International University; Nicolas Barajas, Ithaca College; Julian Cavazos, Brigham Young University; Arcynta Ali Childs, New York University; Fernanda Echavarri, University of Arizona; Astrid K. Galvan, Arizona State University; Brian Anthony Hernandez, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Lauren E. LePage, University of Arizona; Mariana Minaya, University of Maryland, College Park; Aaron Montoya, Colorado State University; Tracie Morales, University of Texas, Arlington; Nathan Olivarez-Giles, University of Arizona; Jose Pagliery, Florida International University; Marlene Peralta, City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism; Jennifer L. Perez, University of Central Florida; Elizabeth Ann Perez, University of Texas, Brownsville; Solange Reyner, University of Miami; Rick A. Rojas, Texas A&M University; Roxana Vasquez, University of Arizona; and James Wagner, University of Virginia.

The New York Times Student Journalism Institute offers two programs each year. In cooperation with the Black College Communications Association, an Institute is held each May at Dillard University in New Orleans. That program was created in 2003 for journalism students at historically black colleges and universities, and now also accepts student members of the National Association of Black Journalists. In 2007 a second program was inaugurated in collaboration with NAHJ and designed for its student members. That program is held each January, alternating between the University of Arizona in Tucson and Florida International University in Miami. The Student Journalism Institute now has 170 graduates, more than a dozen of whom have been hired full time at Times Company newspapers; others have gone to such newspapers as The Detroit Free Press, USA Today and The Washington Post as well as a number of small and medium-size publications.

About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2006 revenues of $3.3 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 30 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

About National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Founded in 1984, NAHJ's mission is to increase the percentage of Latinos working in our nation's newsrooms and to improve news coverage of the Latino community. NAHJ is the nation's largest professional organization for Latino journalists, with more than 2,300 members working in English and Spanish-language print, photo, broadcast and online media. NAHJ is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.nahj.org

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS (RWB/RSF) DEFENDS IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS AND PRESS FREEDOM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

~~~~~~~~~~

RWB HAS NINE NATIONAL SECTIONS (AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY, ITALY, SPAIN, SWEDEN AND SWITZERLAND). RWB/RSF REPRESENTATIVES IN BANGKOK,
LONDON, NEW YORK, TOKYO AND WASHINGTON. AND IT HAS MORE THAN 120 CORRESPONDENTS WORLDWIDE.

~~~~~~~~~~

From: Tuesday 16 October 2007

Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007

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ERITREA RANKED LAST FOR FIRST TIME WHILE G8 MEMBERS, EXCEPT RUSSIA, RECOVER LOST GROUND

Bloggers now threatened as much as journalists in traditional media

Eritrea has replaced North Korea in last place in an index measuring the level of press freedom in 169 countries throughout the world that is published today by Reporters Without Borders for the sixth year running.

“There is nothing surprising about this,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Even if we are not
aware of all the press freedom violations in North Korea and Turkmenistan, which are second
and third from last, Eritrea deserves to be at the bottom. The privately-owned press has been
banished by the authoritarian President Issaias Afeworki and the few journalists who dare to
criticise the regime are thrown in prison. We know that four of them have died in detention and
we have every reason to fear that others will suffer the same fate.”

Outside Europe – in which the top 14 countries are located – no region of the world has been
spared censorship or violence towards journalists.

Of the 20 countries at the bottom of the index, seven are Asian (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos,
Vietnam, China, Burma, and North Korea), five are African (Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya,
Somalia and Eritrea), four are in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestinian Territories and Iran),
three are former Soviet republics (Belarus, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) and one is in the
Americas (Cuba).

“We are particularly disturbed by the situation in Burma (164th),” Reporters Without Borders
said. “The military junta’s crackdown on demonstrations bodes ill for the future of basic
freedoms in this country. Journalists continue to work under the yoke of harsh censorship from
which nothing escapes, not even small ads. We also regret that China (163rd) stagnates near
the bottom of the index. With less than a year to go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the reforms
and the releases of imprisoned journalists so often promised by the authorities seem to be a
vain hope.”

G8 members, except Russia, show slight improvement

After falling steadily in the index for the past three years, the G8 members have recovered a few
places. France (31st), for example, has climbed six places in the past year. French journalists
were spared the violence that affected them at the end of 2005 in a labour conflict in Corsica
and during the demonstrations in the city suburbs. But many concerns remain about repeated
censorship, searches of news organisations, and a lack of guarantees for the confidentiality of
journalists’ sources.

There were slightly fewer press freedom violations in the United States (48th). Blogger Josh
Wolf was freed after 224 days in prison and the repeated attacks on the confidentiality of
sources seemed to have let up. But the detention of Al-Jazeera’s Sudanese cameraman, Sami
Al-Haj, since 13 June 2002 at the military base of Guantanamo and the murder of Chauncey
Bailey in Oakland in August mean the United States is still unable to join the lead group.
Italy (35th) has also stopped its fall, even if journalists continue to be under threat from mafia
groups that prevent them from working in complete safety. Japan (37th) has seen a letup in
attacks on the press by militant nationalists, and this has allowed it to recover 14 places.

“These developments are good news,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Perhaps the repeated
calls to these democracies to behave in an exemplary manner has finally borne fruit. But we
must remain careful and vigilant. Nothing can be taken for granted and we hope this trend will
continue or even accentuate near year. We regret all the same that only two G8 members,
Canada (18th) and Germany (20th), managed to be among the top 20.”

Russia (144th) is not progressing. Anna Politkovskaya’s murder in October 2006, the failure to
punish those responsible for murdering journalists, and the still glaring lack of diversity in the
media, especially the broadcast media, weighed heavily in the evaluation of press freedom in
Russia.

Bulgaria and Poland – Europe’s bad boys

All of the European Union member countries made it into the top 50 except Bulgaria (51st) and
Poland (56th). In Sofia, journalists can be physically attacked because of their work. The climate
got even worse after charges were withdrawn against police officers who beat up a journalist in
May. In Poland, the authorities refuse to decriminalize press offences and the courts often pass
suspended prison sentences on journalists. Ever since Lech Kaczynski became president in
October 2005 and his brother, Jaroslaw, became prime minister a few months later, there has
been an increase in prosecutions of news media.

The countries of northern Europe are always the ones who behave best. The exception is
Netherlands (12th), which has fallen 12 places because it kept two Telegraaf journalists in
custody for two days for refusing to reveal their sources to the judicial authorities.

Fickleness of young democracies

Some non-European countries have made their first appearance in the top 50. They are
Mauritania (50th), which has climbed 88 places since 2004, Uruguay (37th) and Nicaragua
(47th). “We hope these improvements will be lasting ones,” Reporters Without Borders said.
“Bolivia (68th) rose dramatically last year, but that improvement unfortunately seems to have
been purely circumstantial as it has fallen many places this year because of serious press
freedom violations.”

Some countries that traditionally held a good position have also fallen noticeably. This is the
case with Benin (53rd) and Mali (52nd). Journalists have been imprisoned in these two African
countries for the first time in several years for defamation or insulting the president. In the
Americas, El Salvador (64th) also dropped from the top 50, falling 36 places in two years.

Government repression no longer ignores bloggers

The Internet is occupying more and more space in the breakdown of press freedom violations.
Several countries fell in the ranking this year because of serious, repeated violations of the free
flow of online news and information.

In Malaysia (124th), Thailand (135th), Vietnam (162nd) and Egypt (146th), for example,
bloggers were arrested and news websites were closed or made inaccessible. “We are
concerned about the increase in cases of online censorship,” Reporters Without Borders said.
“More and more governments have realised that the Internet can play a key role in the fight for
democracy and they are establishing new methods of censoring it. The governments of
repressive countries are now targeting bloggers and online journalists as forcefully as journalists
in the traditional media.”

At least 64 persons are currently imprisoned worldwide because of what they posted on the
Internet. China maintains its leadership in this form of repression, with a total of 50 cyberdissidents
in prison. Eight are being held in Vietnam. A young man known as Kareem Amer was
sentenced to four years in prison in Egypt for blog posts criticising the president and Islamist
control of the country’s universities.

War and peace

War is largely responsible for the low position assigned to some countries. The increase in
fighting in Somalia (159th) and Sri Lanka (156th) has made it very hard for journalists to work.
Several have been killed and censorship has been stepped up as clashes became frequent.
The belligerents refuse to recognise journalists’ rights and accuse them of supporting the other
side.

The battle raging between Hamas and Fatah is the main cause of the large number of serious
press freedom violations in the Palestinian Territories (158th). Hostage-taking, arrests, physical
attacks and ransacking of news organisations – the Palestinian media and the few visiting
journalist are threatened from all sides.

As predicted last year, Nepal (137th) has jumped more than 20 places in the ranking. The end
of the war and the return to democratic rule resulted in an immediate recovery of basic
freedoms and created new space for the media.

Reporters Without Borders compiled this index by sending a questionnaire to the 15 freedom of expression
organisations throughout the world that are its partners, to its network of 130 correspondents, and to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. It contained 50 questions about press freedom in their countries. The index covers 169 nations. Other countries were not included because of lack of data.

47 rue Vivienne – 75002 Paris (France)
Tel: 331-4483-8484 / Fax: 331-4523-1151
index6@rsf.org – Read more on www.rsf.org

World Press Freedom Index 2007 - The rankings
Rank / Country / Note

~~~~~~~~~~

1 Iceland 0,75

2 Norway 0,75

3 Estonia 1,00

4Slovakia 1,00

5 Belgium 1,50

6 Finland 1,50

7 Sweden 1,50

8 Denmark 2,00

9 Ireland 2,00

10 Portugal 2,00

11 Switzerland 3,00

12 Latvia 3,50

13 Netherlands 3,50

14 Czech Republic 4,00

15 New Zealand 4,17

16 Austria 4,25

17 Hungary 4,50

18 Canada 4,88

19 Trinidad and Tobago 5,00

20 Germany 5,75

21 Costa Rica 6,50

22 Slovenia 6,50

23 Lithuania 7,00

24 United Kingdom 8,25

25 Mauritius 8,50

26 Namibia 8,50

27 Jamaica 8,63

28 Australia 8,79

29 Ghana 9,00

30 Greece 9,25

31 France 9,75

32 Taiwan 10,00

33 Spain 10,25

34 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,17

35 Italy 11,25

36 Macedonia 11,50

37 Japan 11,75

38 Uruguay 11,75

39 Chile 12,13

40 South Korea 12,13

41 Croatia 12,50

42 Romania 12,75

43 South Africa 13,00

44 Israel (Israeli territory) 13,25

45 Cape Verde 14,00

46 Cyprus 14,00

47 Nicaragua 14,25

48 United States of America 14,50

49 Togo 15,17

50 Mauritania 15,50

51 Bulgaria 16,25

52 Mali 16,50

53 Benin 17,00

54 Panama 17,88

55 Tanzania 18,00

56 Ecuador 18,50

57 Poland 18,50

58 Cyprus (North) 19,00

59 Montenegro 19,00 n. c.

60 Kosovo 19,75

61 Hong-Kong 20,00

62 Madagascar 20,00

63 Kuwait 20,17

64 El Salvador 20,20

65 United Arab Emirates 20,25

66 Georgia 20,83

67 Serbia 21,00

68 Bolivia 21,50

69 Burkina Faso 21,50

70 Zambia 21,50

71 Central African Republic 22,50

72 Dominican Republic 22,75

73 Mozambique 23,00

74 Mongolia 23,40

75 Botswana 23,50

76 Haiti 23,50

77 Armenia 23,63

78 Kenya 23,75

79 Qatar 24,00

80 Congo 24,50

81 Moldova 24,75

82 Argentina 24,83

83 Senegal 25,00

84 Brazil 25,25

85 Cambodia 25,33

86 Liberia 25,33

87 Albania 25,50

88 Honduras 25,50

89 Niger 25,50

90 Paraguay 26,10

91 Angola 26,50

92 Malawi 26,75

93 Ukraine 26,75

94 Côte d'Ivoire 27,00

95 Timor-Leste 27,00

96 Comoros 28,00

97 Uganda 28,00

98 Lebanon 28,75

99 Lesotho 29,50

100 Indonesia 30,50

101 Turkey 31,25

102 Gabon 31,50

103 Israel (extra-territorial) 32,00

104 Guatemala 33,00

105 Seychelles 33,00

106 Morocco 33,25

107 Fiji 33,50

108 Guinea 33,50

109 Guinea-Bissau 33,50

110 Kyrgyzstan 33,60

111 Cameroon 36,00

112 United States of America (extra-territorial) 36,00

113 Chad 36,50

114 Venezuela 36,88

115 Tajikistan 37,00

116 Bhutan 37,17

117 Peru 37,38

118 Bahrein 38,00

119 Tonga 38,25

120 India 39,33

121 Sierra Leone 39,50

122 Jordan 40,21

123 Algeria 40,50

124 Malaysia 41,00

125 Kazakhstan 41,63

126 Colombia 42,33

127 Burundi 43,40

128 Philippines 44,75

129 Maldives 45,17

130 Gambia 48,25

131 Nigeria 49,83

132 Djibouti 50,25

133 Democratic Republic of Congo 50,50

134 Bangladesh 53,17

135 Thailand 53,50

136 Mexico 53,63

137 Nepal 53,75

138 Swaziland 54,50

139 Azerbaijan 55,40

140 Sudan 55,75

141 Singapore 56,00

142 Afghanistan 56,50

143 Yemen 56,67

144 Russia 56,90

145 Tunisia 57,00

146 Egypt 58,00

147 Rwanda 58,88

148 Saudi Arabia 59,75

149 Zimbabwe 62,00

150 Ethiopia 63,00

151 Belarus 63,63

152 Pakistan 64,83

153 Equatorial Guinea 65,25

154 Syria 66,00

155 Libya 66,50

156 Sri Lanka 67,50

157 Iraq 67,83

158 Palestinian Territories 69,83

159 Somalia 71,50

160 Uzbekistan 74,88

161 Laos 75,00

162 Vietnam 79,25

163 China 89,00

164 Burma 93,75

165 Cuba 96,17

166 Iran 96,50

167 Turkmenistan 103,75

168 North Korea 108,75

169 Eritrea 114,75

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Reporters Without Borders - World press freedom ranking 2007

December 11, 2007 04:55 AM Pacific Time

earthmine Signs Exclusive Agreement with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Deal Utilizes Mars Rover Technology to Deliver High-Density 3D Street-Level Data

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--earthmine inc., a 3D, street-side mapping company, today announced it has finalized an exclusive agreement with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to license 3D data-generation software and algorithms created by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and utilized on the Mars Exploration Rover Missions. earthmine recently unveiled its ground-breaking technology for collecting and delivering street-level, three-dimensional geospatial information for cities. The agreement with JPL and Caltech includes an exclusive and perpetual license for photogrammetric technology allowing for the creation of very dense and accurate 3D data from stereo panoramic imagery. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but Caltech has taken an equity position in earthmine.

JPL and earthmine Agreement

The agreement between JPL and earthmine includes exclusive use of software and algorithms for street level mapping and asset management, and encompasses stereo vision systems and camera calibration algorithms. earthmine will utilize the software and algorithms as a part of its processing pipeline, which automates the creation of high-quality, seamless panoramic imagery with pixel-for-pixel 3D depth information from its image collection system.

The technology licensed by earthmine is currently utilized as a part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet. Wide-angle stereo cameras are mounted on NASA’s twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) launched toward Mars in 2003. The licensed software and algorithms are used to create a 3D representation of the local terrain, allowing autonomous routing of the MERs through the Martian environment. earthmine has combined this JPL technology with its unique, capture hardware and web delivery technology to deliver 3D data with unprecedented density and accuracy. For a video presentation of 3D technology, visit http://www.earthmine.com/media/announcements-20071211-01.php

“The JPL technology provides an unsurpassed level of accuracy and density in our 3D data generation process,” said earthmine co-founders John Ristevski and Anthony Fassero. “The problem of generating very dense and accurate 3D data from wide-angle images is an extremely difficult one, which engineers and scientists at JPL have been working on solving for over a decade. Licensing this technology from JPL gives earthmine a significant advantage and will enable ongoing improvements in our technology.”

earthmine Technology

earthmine integrates hardware, software and workflow technologies to deliver accurate street-level geospatial data through a web-based interface. The core technology, called reality indexing, manages the entire flow of information, from streamlined data collection and data processing, to web-based dissemination. The three-dimensional, high-resolution panoramic images are collected through an automated vehicle-based camera array, with the ability to capture entire metropolitan areas in a few weeks.

Within the immersive, high-resolution images, each pixel contains real-world latitude, longitude and elevation information. Because of the three dimensionality of the data set, everything within an image can be accurately located, measured or modeled using points, lines or polygons. This data mine can be accessed by users through a web-based interface where they can identify, view, and extract geospatial data and information from a human perspective. earthmine’s solution also gives users the ability to integrate this geospatial framework into any web application and allows them to visualize existing abstract spatial data in context. Additionally, unique tools for viewing, creating and extracting spatial data in context will make this data broadly accessible. The comprehensive field of view in the imaging system leaves no detail undocumented, allowing visualization of everything from overhead power lines and multi-story buildings, to underlying road and curb features.

About JPL

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA’s Office of Space Science, Washington. For information about the Mars Exploration Rover project on the Internet, visit: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer

For more information about JPL, visit www.jpl.nasa.gov

About earthmine

earthmine inc. is a street-level, 3D mapping company that provides software and data as a service to those who gather, analyze and communicate location-based information from a street-level perspective. The company is focused on indexing reality, creating a robust geospatial data mine of urban environments that is accessed from the human perspective. earthmine solutions enable better informed and more effective geospatial decision making by delivering a highly accurate and realistic user experience that can be easily viewed, annotated, analyzed, measured and shared. The company, headquartered in Berkeley, California, was founded in 2006 and is privately held. For more information, visit www.earthmine.com

~~~~~~~~~~

Contacts

Press Contacts:
earthmine inc.
Kris Kelsay, 206-230-0880
kris@earthmine.com
or
Impact Communications
Allison Niday, 831-439-9068
allison@impactcommpr.com

December 13, 2007 11:37 AM Pacific Time

Qipit Helps ''Resolutionists'' Use New Camera Phone to Get Organized in the New Year

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For those who received new camera phones or digital cameras for the holidays, it’s time to put the gifts to work to help organize your life. According to the pundits, “resolutionists” who start the New Year with plans to alter their bad habits put organizing paperwork and eliminating clutter at the top of their list.

From user manual pages and tax receipts to the journal of gym exercises, from calorie counters to the roster on your child’s basketball team, Qipit helps get documents into a highly readable, useable digital format using a camera phone or digital camera. This eliminates the need to keep paper in piles using the device most people carry with them at all times. Documents scanned with qipit are accessible through the Internet via a secure connection, making them accessible to read, share or print from anywhere.

All it takes is a few clicks and Qipit allows users to transform any physical documents into scan-quality copies that users can securely store or conveniently share as digital documents on their computers and online at www.qipit.com. This means you can “qipit” on the go, when you’re not near a scanner or copier, and keep organized.

To use Qipit, first set up two new addresses in your phone: copy@qipit.com (for black & white copies) and color@qipit.com (for color copies). When you need to make a copy, simply take a photograph of a handwritten or printed document, and send the image to the appropriate qipit e-mail address. Qipit’s patented ink-extraction technology then automatically transforms it into a high contrast, easy-to-read digital copy or “qipit” that can then be stored or shared online, safe from physical harm. Qipit also sends a copy of the scanned document to your camera phone for you to reuse while on the go.

Unlike the original photograph of a document, which appears as a dark, low contrast picture, scan-quality “qipits” are clear ink-on-white digital copies of the original documents. And, thanks to Qipit’s best-in-class scanning technology, the text quality and readability is improved and the quality and integrity of the photographs in the documents are maintained. A Qipit digital copy can be easily read, printed, and faxed. In addition, Qipit copies can be made public and shared via a URL link to the original online document for easy access and sharing in an emergency.

About Qipit

Qipit turns camera phones and digital cameras into mobile copy centers so people can turn photographs of written and printed materials into scan-quality digital documents they can share and store on the go. Based on advanced, patented image processing technologies developed by Realeyes3D, Qipit provides consumers with convenient communications services that enhance and enable their increasingly mobile lifestyle. Qipit, Inc., is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and is a wholly owned affiliate of Realeyes3D S.A.

December 13, 2007 09:31 AM Pacific Time

EarthCam Announces Annual ``25 Most Interesting Webcams'' for 2007

Producers of Two Blockbuster Movies Among VIP Judges

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EarthCam, the world's favorite webcam network and recognized authority on the Internet camera industry, today released its ninth annual list of the world's most interesting webcams.

Leading with the only known webcam transmitting street views from Havana, Cuba, this year's 25 Most Interesting Webcams are viewable online at www.EarthCam.com/top25 and honor worldwide Internet camera producers for concept creativity, technology, visual quality and design.

EarthCam producers search through more than 5,000 webcams throughout the year to choose 125 semi-finalists that a VIP panel of judges votes on to select the winners. The 2007 list offers some of the most stunning scenic cams to date, including dramatic live deep-sea views, picturesque and exciting travel destinations and an assortment of whimsical and unique entries from 12 countries.

Live underwater cams in a giant ocean tank in Boston, MA, a coral reef in Bonaire and a robotic camera in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy bring new dimensions to the mysteries of the deep.

Beautiful views of a boat excursion in Interlaken, Switzerland, the chance to watch mechanical saints appear in windows of an historic clock in Prague, the architecture of Vatican City, the bustle of Times Square, New York and rare live glimpses of Havana offer unique travel experiences.

The assortment of live cameras also introduces viewers to antics of Seattle, Washington’s “Flapper The Duck,” tests their patience watching a mussel grow on Prince Edward Island, Canada and invites visitors inside a Chicago condo where they can operate the camera and send an instant message on an LED sign.

Also featured among the winning cameras are 24/7 sights of a wildlife watering hole in Botswana, Africa, as well as animals in the woods of western Pennsylvania, USA. Scenic vistas in Norway, a news studio cam in Milwaukee, WI and an eatery in London called the Tokyo Diner also offer intriguing possibilities.

“We are delighted to recognize the talent, hard work and leadership of the winning webcam site creators and managers as they inform, educate and entertain the world. They are among the elite of the Internet,” said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam. “We are also grateful for the time and efforts of EarthCam’s VIP judging panel this year that included two movie industry giants, Michael Bay and Barry Josephson.”

Bay, Executive Producer of the blockbuster “Transformers,” and Josephson, producer of the current number one movie, “Enchanted,” joined other prominent judges from entertainment and business including Olympic Silver Medalist Gordy Sheer, Director of Marketing and Sponsorship for USA Luge; Lisa Hungness of the WildCam Program at National Geographic Society; Charnsin Tulyasathien, Sprint Product Management for Consumer Applications and GPS Solutions; Stefanie Luciano, VP of Marketing for Mountain Sports Media; and Ken and Sheryl Borton, producers of Gaylord, Michigan's world famous “Snowman Cam,” a winner from last year’s 25 Most Interesting Webcams.

EarthCam.com is the leading network of live webcams and offers the most comprehensive search engine of webcams from around the world with more than 200,000 unique visitors daily. EarthCam provides complete infrastructure services to manage, host and maintain live streaming video camera systems for its corporate clients. Clients include Panasonic, Ford, NASA, Pfizer, This Old House, Sprint, Toyota, Yahoo!, Disney, Coca-Cola, Discover Card, Turner Construction, Bechtel Corp, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, numerous state and federal government agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security. EarthCam has webcast premier events such as international concerts, Emmy and Grammy Awards, Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageants, Mardi Gras, and New Year's Eve in Times Square.

NOTE: Winning cameras in the USA are located in: Boca Raton, Boston, Chattanooga, Chicago, Milwaukee, Murrysville, PA, New York City, Timberline, OR, and Washington, DC.

www.EarthCam.com/top25

Visit EarthCam at www.earthcam.com

December 11, 2007 12:53 PM Pacific Time

San Diego Chooses American Traffic Solutions to Administer Photo Enforcement Program

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The San Diego City Council unanimously approved American Traffic Solutions, Inc. as the new vendor for the City’s Red Light Photo Enforcement program (RLPE). The contract is for an initial term of three years with potential options for two one-year extensions.

Per the contract, ATS will support the City’s RLPE efforts to expand the number of intersections featuring red light cameras to 15, and by upgrading the red light camera technology to an advanced all digital color camera system (some of the current vendor’s cameras used film instead of digital).

San Diego is the sixth California city where ATS has been chosen to provide enforcement programs with the company’s next generation suite of photo traffic safety and enforcement products. ATS has successfully expanded and improved several photo enforcement programs in other parts of the country after replacing other vendors, including Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale, Arizona, Washington, DC and Anne Arundel County and Laurel, Maryland.

About American Traffic Solutions, Inc.:

Headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, American Traffic Solutions is a leading provider of technology and business solutions that support traffic safety and electronic toll collection programs worldwide. ATS is a private corporation, serving more than 100 municipalities and government agencies. ATS is the largest provider of photo traffic enforcement programs to America’s big cities, with contracts in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, San Diego and Seattle; Houston, Fort Worth, Irving and Arlington, Texas; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona. ATS is also responsible for the supply and support of Canada’s largest digital red light camera and speed enforcement program in Calgary, Alberta.

Contacts

American Traffic Solutions
Josh Weiss, 480-443-7010
josh.weiss@atsol.com

December 10, 2007 09:46 AM Pacific Time

Macworld Conference & Expo: What’s New On The 2008 Show Floor

New attractions add excitement to Macworld show floor

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events, today announced new show floor attractions for the upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo, scheduled to be held on January 14-18, 2008 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. For the past 23 years, Mac enthusiasts have attended Macworld to see the latest hardware, software and consumer electronics innovations. This year’s event offers exciting new show features, including a live Podcast Studio, an enhanced Digital Photography Experience, a state-of-the-art music studio and more.

“Macworld Conference and Expo offers attendees a hands-on, interactive show floor that enhances their Mac experience,” said Paul Kent, General Manager, Macworld Conference & Expo. “This year there are more ways than ever for Mac users to learn about photography, podcasting, music, blogging, and other cool ways to use their Mac.”

New show floor features for 2008 include:

Podcast Studio: Learn the ins and outs of producing for this new media phenomenon as many of the most popular online media professionals come to Macworld Conference & Expo to conduct live shows and training sessions direct from the exhibit hall. The Mac community, pop culture, technology news, and more will be explored during these fun, informative and entertaining broadcasts.

Digital Photography Experience: The new Digital Photography Experience is dedicated to product comparisons, hands-on demonstrations and training, as well as tips and techniques on cameras, printers, hosting services, asset management and more.

Dream Studios:Making Music with the Mac: Sponsored by harman/kardon, Berklee College of Music presents its "Dream Studio," a state-of-the-art music studio filled with Mac hardware and software to help bring musical vision to life. The "Dream Studio" will feature a self-guided tour, music production demonstrations and daily lectures led by Berklee faculty.

Macworld Learning Center: Want to learn about the Mac for free? Visit the Macworld Learning Center for a taste of what goes on in our world-class conference programs during these complimentary lectures. Topics include: getting the most from your iPod; classes for new Mac users; fun and imaginative ways to use your Mac; and how the Mac can help harness and improve your artistic capabilities.

Microsoft Blogger Lounge: Attention bloggers! Microsoft's Mac Business Unit (MacBU) is hosting a Blogger Lounge for Macworld 2008. Located in Booth 738 and open during Exhibit Hall hours, bloggers are invited to stop by, hangout, blog and meet fellow community members. This is a relaxed, dedicated area for bloggers, as well as podcasters and active forum members, to share their experiences with the rest of the Mac community. iMacs will be available in the Blogger Lounge, but attendees can also bring their own notebooks.

Dice Career Fair For Mac Professionals: During the career fair, attendees can meet with recruiters and representatives to explore new career opportunities from leading companies in the Mac industry.

Attendees will also notice that in addition to the traditionally sold out South Hall, Macworld has taken up full residence in Moscone’s West Hall this year, which will feature several components of the conference program as well as an additional exhibit floor that will be packed with exhibits.

For a complete listing and description of what’s new at Macworld, visit www.macworldexpo.com .

About Macworld Conference & Expo

Owned and produced by Framingham Mass.-based IDG World Expo, Macworld Conference & Expo is the world's most comprehensive Macintosh OS event. Macworld Conference & Expo showcases products and services for professionals involved in media and creative content development for corporate and home applications, as well as prosumers using the Mac at home. Macworld Conference & Expo brings together the loyal base of Mac OS audiences in creative services, education, application development, entertainment, small office/home office and Internet-based environments. Macworld Conference & Expo offers professionals and prosumers alike the opportunity to discover the latest developments and hottest products these markets offer. For more information or to register for the event, please visit the Web site at www.macworldexpo.com , or call (800) 645-EXPO. For exhibiting opportunities, please contact Annie Rice McKnight at (508) 424-4839 or annie_rice@idg.com or Ron Moreau at (508) 424-4804 or ron_moreau@idg.com . For sponsorship opportunities contact Ellen Boland at (508) 988-7830, or ellen_boland@idg.com

About IDG World Expo

IDG World Expo ( www.idgworldexpo.com ) is a leading producer of tradeshows and events for professionals and consumers seeking world-class education, peer-to-peer networking and one-stop comparison shopping. IDG World Expo's portfolio of conferences and events includes Entertainment For All™ (E For All™), E3 Media & Business Summit, GreenXchange Xpo™, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo®, Macworld Conference & Expo® and Next Generation Data Center™ (NGDC™). IDG World Expo is a business unit of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research and event company.


Contacts
IDG World Expo
Charlotte McCormack, 508-424-4837
charlotte_mccormack@idg.com

Contests

Vivid sunsets on the Paradise Coast frame the perfect backdrop for your dream destination beach wedding.

Photo: Naples Marco Island Everglades CVB via Business Wire

December 12, 2007 04:00 AM Pacific Time

Win a Free Destination Wedding in Naples, Fla. at www.ParadiseCoast.com

NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The beautiful white sands of Naples Beach framed by a spectacular Gulf of Mexico sunset will be the location on June 8, 2008 of a free destination wedding for twenty people, including the bride, groom, and 18 of their family and friends.

The Paradise Coast of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades in Southwest Florida is a dream location for many couples planning a romantic beach wedding, and destination weddings complete with wedding party and guests is a growing trend.

The area’s Convention and Visitors Bureau is giving away a free destination wedding package for 20 people including one lucky couple. To enter, couples need to produce and upload a 2-minute video explaining why they should be the recipient of a free Wedding in Paradise to www.paradisecoast.com/wedding by 12:00 pm EST January 15, 2008.

Couples should use their creativity and originality to tell their 2-minute video story. A panel of judges will select five finalists and then the public will be allowed to vote online between January 15 – 31st for the couple they think should win the Wedding in Paradise. The winning couple will be announced on the Paradise Coast Web site on February 14, 2008.

The Wedding in Paradise package includes accommodations at the romantic Inn on Fifth in downtown Naples for 20 including the bride and groom, with arrival on June 6 and departure June 9. A separate room will be available for the bride and groom on Friday and Saturday nights prior to the Sunday wedding. Other rooms are double occupancy. In addition, the package includes local ground transportation; a rehearsal dinner for all the guests and the wedding officiate; beach wedding ceremony with officiate, flowers and music; limousine transportation; a horse drawn carriage ride for the bride and groom; photography and video of the wedding; a wedding reception with DJ; a wedding cake; a farewell brunch for the wedding party; and a Gulf-view deluxe room for two for five nights at the luxurious LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort for a romantic and relaxing honeymoon for the lucky couple.

Whether you’ve been planning your wedding in advance or are a spur-of-the-moment romantic, now is the time to submit your video for the chance to receive an unforgettable destination wedding in one of Florida’s most beautiful destinations.

For full details, rules and video upload instructions, log on www.paradisecoast.com . For a free visitors guide about the Paradise Coast of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades call 1-800-688-3600.


Contacts:

For Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB, Naples
JoNell Modys, 239-252-2425
jonellmodys@colliergov.net