среда, 29 февраля 2012 г.

FED:Drop tax during economic turmoil: Bishop


AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2011
FED:Drop tax during economic turmoil: Bishop

Acting Opposition Leader JULIE BISHOP says the federal government should abandon the
introduction of a carbon tax while international markets are in turmoil.

She says business and consumer confidence in Australia is still fragile, and the government
should not impose a carbon tax on the economy now.

Her call came after Australian shares lost almost 60 billion dollars in value yesterday,
in line with massive stock market drops overseas, driven by new debt fears in Europe and
concerns about the US economy.

AAP RTV ldj/wz/apm

KEYWORD: ECONOMY BISHOP (PERTH)

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

radiation units

radiation units Units of measurement used to express the activity of a radionuclide and the dose of ionizing radiation. The units curie, roentgen, rad, and rem are not coherent with SI units but their temporary use with SI units has been approved while the derived SI units becquerel, gray, and sievert become familiar.

The becquerel (Bq), the SI unit of activity, is the activity of a radionuclide decaying at a rate, on average, of one spontaneous nuclear transition per second. Thus 1 Bq = 1 s–1. The former unit, the curie (Ci), is equal to 3.7 × 1010 Bq. The curie was originally chosen to approximate the activity of 1 gram of radium–226.

The gray (Gy), the SI unit of absorbed dose, is the absorbed dose when the energy per unit mass imparted to matter by ionizing radiation is 1 joule per kilogram. The former unit, the rad (rd), is equal to 10–2 Gy.

The sievert (Sv), the SI unit of dose equivalent, is the dose equivalent when the absorbed dose of ionizing radiation multiplied by the stipulated dimensionless factors is 1 J kg–1. As different types of radiation cause different effects in biological tissue a weighted absorbed dose, called the dose equivalent, is used in which the absorbed dose is modified by multiplying it by dimensionless factors stipulated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The former unit of dose equivalent, the rem (originally an acronym for roentgen equivalent man), is equal to 10–2 Sv.

In SI units, exposure to ionizing radiation is expressed in coulombs per kilogram, the quantity of X- or gamma-radiation that produces ion pairs carrying 1 coulomb of charge of either sign in 1 kilogram of pure dry air. The former unit, the roentgen (R), is equal to 2.58 × 10–4 C kg–1.

QLD:Motorbike rider, 5, hurt in forest crash


AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2011
QLD:Motorbike rider, 5, hurt in forest crash

A five-year-old boy is in hospital with serious head injuries .. after a crash between
two motorbikes on a track north of Brisbane.

The boy was riding a bike at the weekend in the Twin View State Forest at Elimbah ..

north of Caboolture.

He's in Brisbane's Royal Children's Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

AAP RTV tnf/ajw/

KEYWORD: BIKE (BRISBANE)

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

VIC:Saints captain to face media= 2


AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2010
VIC:Saints captain to face media= 2

In one of her Twitter posts, the girl said her Facebook account had been deleted.

She said she released the photos because she wanted revenge.

The girl also commented on the Federal Court injunction.

"So, Tell me how I have a `court order' against me, I haven't been served this `order',
or even been contacted by the police?" she tweeted.

A statement released by St Kilda on Monday said the club has been made aware that an
image of two of its players had been posted on the internet.

"The club can confirm that the image was not distributed with the players' consent.

"The club can also confirm that the photo was not taken by the person responsible for
posting it online and believes that it was obtained illegally.

"As the matter is subject to discussions between St Kilda Football Club, Victoria Police
and its legal representatives, the club is not in a position to make any further comment
at this stage."

AAP md/gfr/sn/nb

KEYWORD: AFL PHOTOS 2 MELBOURNE

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

POLL10 RANKIN QLD


AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2010
POLL10 RANKIN QLD

CANDIDATE PARTY VOTES % SWING
------------------------------------------------------
TODD, Alexandra FFP 0 00.00 00.00
SMITH, Luke LNQ 0 00.00 00.00
COTTER, Neil GRN 0 00.00 00.00
+EMERSON, Craig ALP 0 00.00 00.00

FORMAL 0 00.00 00.00

INFORMAL 0 00.00 00.00

TOTAL 0

Two Candidate Preferred:

Candidate1 XXX 0 00.00 00.00

Candidate2 XXX 0 00.00 00.00

2007 result: LP 27,299; LDP 463; ALP 44,858; GRN 3,773; FFP 2,827; DEM 590; CEC
273; Formal 80,083; Informal 3,764; Total 83,847.

Notional swing needed 11.67 per cent.

KEYWORD: RANKIN - Queensland. 94,227 enrolled. 00.00% counted.

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

Fed: Rudd wishes the nation happy Easter


AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2010
Fed: Rudd wishes the nation happy Easter

CANBERRA, April 4 AAP - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has wished the nation a happy Easter,
following Sunday mass in Canberra.

Mr Rudd and his wife Therese Rein attended St John the Baptist Anglican Church in the
inner-northern suburb of Reid, before heading to the Snowy Mountains for horse-riding.

Mr Rudd and Ms Rein handed out chocolate Easter eggs to waiting media as they joined
about 100 other worshippers at the service.

Afterwards, he refused to be drawn on the subject of asylum seekers, preferring to
spread Easter cheer instead.

"All I'd say to Australians is wish them a very happy Easter," he told reporters.

"I hope all the kids of Australia scored lots and lots of eggs this morning, and also,
that they are very good to their parents."

AAP bsb/tr

KEYWORD: EASTER RUDD

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

Fed: Govt lists Al-Shabaab as terrorist group


AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2009
Fed: Govt lists Al-Shabaab as terrorist group

The federal government's listed Somali-based Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organisation.

Foreign Minister STEPHEN SMITH has listed the group under the Charter of the United Nations Act.

AAP RTV so/wf

KEYWORD: TERROR AUST (CANBERRA)

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

SA: Main stories in today's Adelaide newspapers


AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2009
SA: Main stories in today's Adelaide newspapers

ADELAIDE, April 13 AAP - The main stories in today's Adelaide Advertiser:

Page 1: Financially challenged AFL club Port Adelaide will not move to cricket controlled
Adelaide Oval without SANFL approval. Jumps jockey Adrian Lechmere has overcome plenty
of obstacles in his life.

Page 2: Australian grand prix champion Jenson Button has reportedly blown up at billionaire
team sponsor Richard Branson over the driver's girlfriend. Flight Centre says more staff
will go, despite tipping the worst of the economic slowdown has passed.

Page 3: SA drivers continue to flout 50km/h speed limits, police say.

World: Thailand's prime minister narrowly escaped a savage attack and rioting ensued
in Bangkok as protesters commandeered public buses and swarmed over military vehicles.

The Obamas have chosen a six-month-old Portuguese water dog to be First pet.

Finance: Extreme volatility on share markets in the past year has been a day trader's
dream - or a nightmare, depending on how well they placed their bets.

Sport: Adelaide's tall options tumble further with the expected loss of Scott Stevens
and Nick Gill to injury.

AAP sl/sn

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS SA

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

FED: Commonwealth gold medallist Kerryn McCann dies from =2


AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2008
FED: Commonwealth gold medallist Kerryn McCann dies from =2

McCann revealed last year that she had beaten breast cancer after it was detected during
her third pregnancy.

Doctors had induced an early labour at 34 weeks in the preceding month for baby Cooper,
now 14 months old, who was born healthy at 2.4kg.

A 2.5-centimetre lump was removed from McCann's right breast during the pregnancy and
she underwent an 18-week course of chemotherapy after the birth.

"The surgeon was confident he got it all and he was right. It's fantastic news," McCann
told New Idea in October 2007.

However, in September of this year, her husband said his wife was undergoing a "few problems".

It was understood she was stricken by a secondary cancer in her liver.

A spokeswoman for the Breast Cancer Network said the ultimate cause of death was determined
as breast cancer after secondary cancers developed.

McCann's family has asked for privacy and requested that flowers not be sent.

Instead, they welcome donations to the Breast Cancer Network Australia or the McGrath Foundation.

Jane McGrath, wife of cricketer Glenn McGrath, lost her 11-year battle with breast
cancer in June this year.

AAP vpm/wjf/srp

KEYWORD: MCCANN 2 SYDNEY

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

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 4 = 2


AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2008
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 4 = 2

SYDNEY - Former Sunday program host Ellen Fanning has today defended the reputation
of the program which has now gone off the air after 27 years. (Sunday Fanning)



CANBERRA - Federal police say they are unable to make public their submission to the
inquiry investigating the bungled terrorism case against Mohamed Haneef without the consent
of British authorities. (Haneef AFP)



CANBERRA - Fewer than 20 per cent of Australia's baby boomers have adequate superannuation
and private insurance cover to fund their health care in retirement, a new study finds.

(Aged)



CANBERRA - Unions say Telstra should quit stalling and return to the negotiating table
for talks on a new enterprise agreement. (Telstra ACTU)



CANBERRA - Cape York Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson has backed mining mogul Andrew
Forrest in his push to create 50,000 jobs for indigenous Australians. (Indigenous Jobs)



CANBERRA - The federal opposition doubts whether a national grocery price survey will
do anything to lower prices. (Grocery)



SYDNEY - Childcare centres and pre-schools that are prosecuted by the NSW government
for serious health and safety breaches are to be named and shamed on a new website. (Childcare.

N/L to come)



SYDNEY - Just like the Quitline helped thousands stop smoking, the NSW government is
hoping a new "get healthy" line will tackle the obesity epidemic. (Obesity)



SYDNEY - Images of five missing people will be splashed on the big screens at National
Rugby League games this week, as the football code does its bit for National Missing Persons
Week. (Young NRL)



SYDNEY - An inquest into the fate of a Sydney law teacher who disappeared more than
a year ago has been adjourned while police follow up a reported sighting. (Morgan )



MELBOURNE - The last time Jenny Bird saw her beloved daughter Prue, the teenager was
at home getting cordial from the fridge. (Bird N/L)



MELBOURNE - Police will have the power to ban troublemakers from five party hot spots
in Melbourne and regional Victoria under an extension of measures to combat alcohol-fuelled
violence. (Binge Vic Lead. N/L to come)



MELBOURNE - Victorian Gaming Minister Tony Robinson has conceded lottery agents and
the state government are losing out under new licensing arrangements with Intralot. (Gaming
Vic)



MELBOURNE - Accused murderer and drug trafficker Tony Mokbel has hired a new lawyer
to fight his charges. (Mokbel)



MELBOURNE - Victoria could suffer a locust plague that will ravage crops and pastures
this spring, the state government has warned. (Locusts)



BRISBANE - Jane Hamilton says her elderly parents are trapped in their own home - by
the Queensland government. (Subsidence Lead. N/L to come. Pix available)



BRISBANE - Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin today will meet with
the owner of a bayside Brisbane veterinary practice infected by the Hendra virus to discuss
ways it can avoid closure. (Hendra. N/L to come)



BRISBANE - The Queensland opposition says two years is an unacceptable time to complete
a report on a surgeon accused of bungling operations in a regional hospital. (Khalifallah.

N/L to come)



BRISBANE - Environmentalists have reacted angrily to reports that Queensland's new
conservative party will consider lifting the state's ban on tree clearing if it wins government.

(Tree. )



BRISBANE - A Gold Coast couple say they will seek up to $2 million compensation following
the federal government's decision to ban savannah cats from the continent. (Savannah)



ADELAIDE - South Australian teachers will hold the first of a series of half-day strikes
today in support of their pay and conditions claim. (Teachers SA. N/L to come)



ADELAIDE - The South Australian government will push for a national ban or tougher
controls on the use of trans fats in foods. (Fats )

AAP jlw

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL 2 SYDNEY

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

What Australian newspapers say on Monday, February 11, 2008


AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2008
What Australian newspapers say on Monday, February 11, 2008

SYDNEY, Feb 11 AAP - The stage has been set for the federal government to say "sorry"

to the stolen generations on behalf of White Australia on Wednesday, The Australian says
in its editorial today.

Come Thursday, indigenous advocates should move on and turn their efforts to practical
reconciliation, the newspaper says.

"Today's Aboriginal children, whose futures are stolen by infant mortality, fetal alcohol
syndrome, malnutrition, abuse, health problems and lack of education, are Australia's
most pressing social priority."

Melbourne's The Age says the opening of federal parliament this week means showtime
for the Rudd government.

Top of the agenda will be the apology to stolen generations.

"Critical to saying sorry is the belief that, in doing so, all peoples can then begin
the long and arduous journey of emotional, spiritual and social renewal that such acknowledgement
provides," the newspaper says

After the apology, it will be time to implement the government's promised reforms.

These include repealing the Work Choices legislation, dealing with mounting global
economic problems, its so-called education revolution and improving the health system.

The Australian Financial Review says Kevin Rudd wants to make his mark on Australia
but is now faced with a suddenly more challenging economic environment.

He will need luck in his advice and skill in his judgement. He will need to avoid the
pitfalls of spreading himself and senior ministers too thin, of government overreach and
of the unintended consequences of well-meaning policies.

"Mr Rudd's ideas summit and his willingness to expose the government and the bureaucracy
to such free thinking is welcome," the newspaper says, "but in the end it is political
courage and grit that is in the shortest supply."

He will, above all, need the courage to take on vested interests -- and in some cases
tell constituencies that government cannot solve all their problems and they also have
to help themselves.

The Sydney Morning Herald says Australia might look for lessons in the latest furore
to engulf the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

The head of the Anglican Church in Britain is under attack for saying Islamic religious
law or sharia should be adopted in Britain.

His suggestion is simply wrong in principle: it ignores the age-old division of church and state.

One of Britain's great strengths, as it is one of Australia's, is a secular body of
law presided over by secular judges. A fair society has one law for all; it treats everyone
equally regardless of differences, including religion.

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph says the fine enforcement system as it now applies on
NSW roads has gone beyond punishing the deserving to a regime that has all the look, smell
and texture of revenue raising.

Fines have soared from $118.3 million around 2000 to $312 million in six years --
"an inexplicable and indefensible growth in revenue".

Little of this massive revenue is finding its way into improving roads or young driver
education, the newspaper says.

"It's time for the Iemma government to ease up on this shameful plundering of motorists'
wallets."

Melbourne's Herald Sun says a new plan that will cut profits from poker machines for
gaming operators and state government is worth considering.

Family First Senator Steven Fielding's 10-year scheme to make pokies unappealing to
pubs and clubs by using a new tax to "nibble" at their profits over the period could be
a "novel way to reduce and eventually eradicate the pokies problem", the newspaper says.

It is clear the $2.5 billion a year split between government and operators is the
biggest barrier to addressing the menace.

Senator Fielding's proposal is worth thought as it would treat the cause of the cancer,
not the symptom.

Brisbane's The Courier-Mail says banks are their own worst enemy when it comes to public
relations, lifting mortgage rates by more than official increases and raising them independently
between Reserve Bank announcements.

Banks respond to criticism by arguing they are merely meeting shareholders' demand
-- providing lean overheads and fat dividends. But the industry appears to have lost sight
of a broader obligation to act as good corporate citizens and responsible members of the
wider Australian community.

Responsible banking practice requires lenders to look out for the welfare of clients
as well as investors -- for without customers, there would be no banks.

AAP jrd/rs

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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

Fed: Survey shows Work Choices making people better off - Howard


AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2007
Fed: Survey shows Work Choices making people better off - Howard

SYDNEY, Aug 23 AAP - A survey of 1,000 human resource managers by Deakin University
has proved Work Choices is making Australian workers better off, Prime Minister John Howard
says.

The study, commissioned by the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), found more
than a quarter of respondents had allowed employees more sick days and had more direct
communications with employees.

The report also found since Work Choices was introduced more personal carer days had
been allowed, with 38.7 per cent of respondents saying there had been increased activity
in this area.

Mr Howard welcomed the report and warned Australians against Opposition leader Kevin
Rudd's plan to scrap the controversial workplace agreement scheme.

"It's clear from that report that Work Choices has given employees and employers more
flexibility and more opportunities," he told reporters today.

But the report also found 55 per cent of respondents noted a need for more record keeping
and a need to seek legal advice, and 40 per cent said Work Choices made employment arrangements
more complex.

"Any new law requires a period of time for people to get to understand it but it's
the outcomes that matter," Mr Howard said.

"Outcomes is the most important thing of all, process in a way is irrelevant to the
average person," he said.

"I thought the most significant thing was improved choices in relation to work-life balance.

"I thought the fact that more time was given to parents who had sick children because
of the greater flexibility, employers and employees were able to reach arrangements to
their mutual benefit - that is a message to me that is very relevant to this whole debate."

AAP ig/bd/wjf/maur/de

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE HOWARD

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

NSW: Police charge 19 people after mine protest


AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2007
NSW: Police charge 19 people after mine protest

SYDNEY, April 9 AAP - Police have charged 19 people following a protest at a central-western
NSW mining site, including a man who attempted to disrupt the activists' campsite.

Eighteen people entered the Barrick Gold site at Lake Cowal at about 1.30pm (AEST)
yesterday, invading the site office and chaining themselves to machinery.

Protesters say the company is stripping the area of precious water supplies and destroying
the land of the traditional owners, the Wiradjuri people.

Police said the 18 were arrested and charged with entering enclosed lands.

They have been granted conditional bail and will appear in West Wyalong Local Court on April 26.

In a separate incident, a 32-year-old man from Western Australia allegedly drove into
the protesters' campsite and damaged their cars and tents.

He was arrested and charged with malicious damage, failing to undergo a breath analysis,
stalking/intimidation, carrying a knife in a public place and driving offences.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Griffith Local Court today.

AAP nr/ao

KEYWORD: COWAL DAYLEAD

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

Qld: Rapist risks re-offending under intense scrutiny


AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2006
Qld: Rapist risks re-offending under intense scrutiny

A leading criminologist says intense scrutiny of serial rapist ROBERT JOHN FARDON following
his release this week .. will only increase his risk of re-offending.

Professor PAUL WILSON .. from Bond University .. says the pressure put on FARDON since
his release is disgusting .. and is setting him up to fail.

He says if you kick dogs .. they react viciously and angrily.

Professor WILSON'S comments follow a decision by several media outlets .. to publicise
details of FARDON'S new residence on Brisbane's western outskirts.

The 58-year-old was released on Monday .. after the Queensland Court of Appeal dismissed
an appeal by Attorney-General KERRY SHINE to have him indefinitely detained.

FARDON'S spent the last 27 years in prison for violent sexual offences.

AAP RTV cf/sc/wf/bart

KEYWORD: FARDON (BRISBANE)

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

Fed: Howard to stay but won't commit to serving full term


AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2006
Fed: Howard to stay but won't commit to serving full term

CANBERRA, Aug 1 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard has vowed to stay on and fight the
next election, but won't say if he will serve a full term if he is returned to office.

Mr Howard yesterday ended weeks of speculation by announcing he would seek a fifth
term as prime minister next year, dashing the leadership ambitions of his treasurer, Peter
Costello.

Three weeks after Mr Costello demanded Mr Howard retire by Christmas, the prime minister
faxed Liberal Party MPs telling them he intended to stay on as leader.

Mr Howard was pressed for further detail on his plans yesterday as he toured parts
of north Queensland recovering from Cyclone Larry, which devastated the region in March.

But he refused to commit to serving a full term if the government is re-elected next
year, leaving a glimmer of hope for Mr Costello that he may have a shot at the top job
in two to three years.

"Let us get to the election," Mr Howard said.

"I'm not giving any undertakings beyond what I have previously said and that is that
I'll continue to serve as leader of the Liberal Party for so long as my party wants me
to and it's in the party's best interests that I do so."

Mr Costello says he will remain on the frontbench, as most coalition MPs want him to
stay on as treasurer and deputy Liberal leader.

But Mr Howard's extended stay as leader gives Mr Costello's potential rivals for the
prime ministership - such as Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott - extra
time to consolidate support.

Labor leader Kim Beazley says he's glad Mr Howard will face the voters one more time,
as he should be held accountable for his industrial relations policies and interest rate
rises.

AAP dcr/cjh/de

KEYWORD: LEADERSHIP DAYLEAD

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

Fed: Premiers arrive for COAG meeting =4


AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2006
Fed: Premiers arrive for COAG meeting =4

Mr Iemma called for a national action plan on mental health, although he said the finer
detail and funding could be worked through in the coming months.

"There has to be a recognition that there has been a national under-investment in young
Australians - young men and women wanting to be doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and psychologists,"

he said.

"And we have to leave today with an understanding that there has to be a national action
plan starting with investing in our own people".

On the subject of broader health funding, Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon said his government
had put an additional $285 million into the health sector over the past five years.

But he said only $60 million had come from the Commonwealth over the same period.

"We can't begin to meet the expectations of Australian families unless state and federal
governments work closer together," he said.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann said the SA government had increased its funding
to hospitals by 35 per cent over the past two years alone, compared to a commonwealth
increase of just nine per cent.

"So what we want to see out of today is at least the start of a better partnership
between the federal government and the states," he said.

Mr Rann and Mr Beattie also will be seeking an increase in the number of commonwealth-funded
places for the training of doctors and associated health professionals.

"I'm going in hard today to see if we can get more places in our universities to train
doctors," Mr Rann said.

"We as a state government have recruited an extra 1,300 nurses ... and an extra 349
doctors, and we're having to go overseas to get them.

"What I would like to see is local people trained to be doctors so they can work in
South Australia."

AAP db/sb/it/bwl

KEYWORD: COAG PREMIERS ARRIVE 4 CANBERRA

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

понедельник, 27 февраля 2012 г.

Qld: Sir Joh was loathed and loved


AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2005
Qld: Sir Joh was loathed and loved

By Chris Herde and Gil Breitkreutz

BRISBANE, April 24 AAP - Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, who has died at age 94, occupies
a unique place in Australian political history.

No other premier inspired such deep affection and equally great loathing among his
own constituency and the nation.

His death yesterday ends a stormy and at times quite surreal period in Australia's
political history.

There were always two sides to Sir Joh.

The southern press loved to lampoon him as a bible-thumping, anti-union, right-wing
peanut farmer, ready to lend his name to a wide variety of mad schemes.

In 1974, Sir Joh backed the world's first mass produced hydrogen-powered motorcar and
in 1980 he tried to lure cancer quack Milan Brych to Brisbane.

Never one to take any notice of the doctrines of ministerial responsibility or separation
of powers, Sir Joh managed to disarm journalists and critics alike with his homespun mantra
of "don't you worry about that".

But beneath the local yokel facade was a machiavellian politician which his rivals
on both sides of politics would underestimate at their own peril.

Supporters of Sir Joh point to the rapid development of Queensland during his record
19-plus years as premier.

Many a time he would point to the number of cranes on the Brisbane skyline as evidence
of progress and he endeared himself to Queenslanders by bringing the 1988 Expo to Brisbane.

But his premiership also ushered in a culture of corruption of which critics believe
only paralleled that of the NSW Rum Corp almost 200 years ago.

And he ruled thanks to a gerrymander which gave his National Party a great electoral advantage.

Regardless of his imperfections, Sir Joh will be remembered as one of the great forces
in public life in Queensland and Australia.

A Brisbane Sunday Mail newspaper poll published in 2001 named Sir Joh was the greatest
Queenslander of all time, with twice as many votes as The King of rugby league Wally Lewis
and ten times as many as former swim star Kieren Perkins.

Johannes Bjelke-Petersen was born in Dannevirke, New Zealand, on January 13, 1911,
the son of a Danish Lutheran pastor.

The young Joh grew up on the family property, Bethany, in Queensland's South Burnett
district, and, after failing the Queensland state school scholarship examination, seemed
destined to remain a farmer.

But in 1946 he was elected to the Kingaroy Shire Council and three years later entered
state parliament.

In 1952, at the age of 41 when he married Florence Gilmour, the Main Roads Commissioner's
private secretary.

Over the next five decades, as wife, mother and political partner, including a period
as Queensland Senator, Lady Flo was one half of a formidable team.

In 1963 Sir Joh moved into state cabinet as Works and Housing Minister, a post he held
until he came from obscurity to became premier in 1968 after the sudden death of Premier
Jack Pizzey.

The peanut farmer was hardly known outside of Queensland but within a few years he
made his presence felt.

In 1971 when he declared a State of Emergency to allow the South African Springbok
rugby union team to play in Brisbane, even if it was behind barbed wire and police barricades
at the Exhibition Ground.

Then with a second state election win under his belt, he was ready to face a decade
of protests, led by militant unionists and left wing university students.

Some of the biggest demonstrations involved people marching for the right to march.

Thousands took to the streets of Brisbane and hundreds of police tried to stop them.

At one of the largest protests, in October 1977, a total of 662 people were arrested,
mostly for traffic violations and failing to obey a lawful direction.

There were also protests over the destruction of the famous Brisbane landmark, Cloudland
Ballroom, to make way for housing, and the midnight wrecking of the Belle Vue Hotel opposite
parliament house.

Queensland's reputation as the deep north was enhanced when sex education was banned
in state schools.

Police arrested comedian Rodney Rude for foul language and in dawn raids removed condom-vending
machines from university toilets.

Yet it was on the Australian political stage he made his greatest mark.

Sir Joh's took part in regular "Canberra bashing", especially against Labor PM Gough
Whitlam who labelled him a "bible-thumping bastard".

Sir Joh proved to be a unforgiving antagonist and in 1975 he helped topple the Whitlam
government.

He did this by breaking convention to nominate the Whitlam-hating Albert Patrick Field
to fill a casual Labor vacancy in the Senate.

This gave the Opposition the numbers to block supply and led to the eventual election
of Malcolm Fraser.

Sir Joh swept through the 1977 Queensland election, then thwarted Liberal attempts
to gain an extra Senate seat from the Nationals in 1980 by putting his wife Flo at the
head of the Senate ticket.

In 1979, Sir Joh was returned with a record 69 seats in the then 82 seat parliament,
reducing Tom Burns' Labor Party to a cricket team of 11 members.

In 1983, the Nationals won government in their own right, with the help of Liberal
defectors Brian Austin and Don Lane.

In that same year he was knighted.

Sir Joh took on the electricity unions in the mid-1980s and won wide support from a
public sick of blackouts and cold showers in winter.

But dark clouds started to gather with the jailing of his press secretary Allen Callaghan,
and his wife Judith, on charges of misusing government funds.

Sir Joh won a $400,000 out-of-court settlement from Allan Bond, who then owned Channel
Nine, after the station suggested Joh had travelled to Japan, not on state business, but
for his son John.

Bond said later he paid the settlement to ensure he could do business successfully in Queensland.

But the ambitious politician by this time was setting his sights on Canberra and his
Joh for PM campaign.

The campaign managed to derailed the John Howard-Ian Sinclair opposition and from then
the Sir Joh edifice started crumbling.

At home, unrest was growing among his own troops.

While on an overseas trip in 1987, deputy premier Bill Gunn was pressured into announcing
a "six-week" Royal Commission to deal with escalating claims of official corruption and
wrongdoing.

The Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption ended two years later and the conservatives
were on the nose.

Four Bjelke-Petersen ministers went to jail following the inquiry.

His police commissioner Terry Lewis was stripped of his knighthood and thrown in jail
for corruption.

In a 1989 interview with an Fitzgerald Commission investigator published in 2003, Sir
Joh admitted he may have been too loyal.

"I treat people the way they treat me. That's been my philosophy all my life. I stick
with people and then those people stick with me," Sir Joh said.'

Sir Joh resigned as premier at the end of 1987 just short of his long-cherished goal
of 20 years at the helm of the state.

But that was not the end.

In 1991 Sir Joh narrowly missed a guilty verdict for perjury, later claiming the cost
of defending the court action had sent him broke.

Bitter over his treatment he was still active, bobbing up in Tasmania and the face
of a number of business and political initiatives.

Back at home he greeted tourists who arrived at his beloved Bethany property for the
pumpkin scones or to stay in the property's bed-and-breakfast cottages.

He was also not prepared to remain quiet in his retirement, and in 1998 he gave Pauline
Hanson a ringing endorsement, saying she had struck a chord with voters the major parties
could not match.

He slammed his former National Party colleagues as "stupid" and "without a hope in the world".

In his final years suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy, a condition similar
to Parkinson's disease, Sir Joh professed his admiration for Labor Premier Peter Beattie,
who in typical fashion played up to the link.

At the age of 92, still angry over his treatment, Sir Joh launched legal action over
money he said he was owed from the Fitzgerald Inquiry and his subsequent perjury case.

He lodged with the Queensland government a $338 million compensation claim, based on
the assertion the inquiry was not lawfully commissioned by state cabinet and had acted
outside its powers.

But the claim was rejected by the crown solicitor who found Sir Joh had been "fortunate"

not to be tried a second time for perjury.

Perhaps a clue to his character comes from University of Queensland political scientist
Rae Wear who concluded Sir Joh believed he had God on his side.

"It gave him a sense of rightness," she said.

"Sir Joh was part of an authoritarian government that demanded loyalty and he was kept
in power by a political culture of dominating leaders."

Sir Joh is survived by his wife of 52 years, 84-year-old Lady Flo, their son John,
daughters Helen, Meg and Ruth, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

AAP ch/sc/hu/de

KEYWORD: JOH OBIT (REPEATING)

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

alunogenite

alunogenite A mineral form of hydrated aluminium sulphate, Al2(SO4)3.18H2O.

GET INTO SHAPE FOR THE LEAN TIMES AHEAD; Experts advise cutting debts before interest rates take off.

Byline: NEIL SIMPSON

BRITAIN has gone mortgage crazy since interest rates started tumbling at the start of 2000.

The number and size of new loans has soared. And borrowers already in the housing market are remortgaging in record numbers, cashing in on rising property prices and increasing loans for everything from home improvements to expensive holidays.

But while most people can afford the interest while rates are low and they have good jobs, there are fears that a credit crunch could be around the corner if the economy takes a turn for the worse.

According to many experts, repaying debt should be a priority in these uncertain times.

Simon Jones of London-based mortgage broker Savills Private Finance says: 'With a cash windfall of [pound]1,000, it makes sense to use it to bring the mortgage down to earth.

'Paying off a loan gives you strong, guaranteed savings every month - something that is hard to find in most other savings plans or investments.'

It makes most sense to try to cut the size of a mortgage early if you have an interest-only loan and are not sure how you will repay the capital. Borrowers should also try to cut outstanding loans if they have an endowment mortgage and have been told their investment plans are unlikely to grow fast enough to cover the debt.

Making a lump-sum payment to reduce debt can be done in two ways.

The simpler path is to cut the amount of capital owed, reducing monthly interest bills. This leaves you with more cash to spend each month.

The more modern way, which can provide bigger long-term rewards, is to continue with the same monthly repayments. By effectively making even small monthly overpayments like this, you chip away at your debt and can clear the loan faster than the usual 25 years.

That's what Harry and Angela Walsh are trying to do on their home in Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland.

Harry, 35, and Angela, 31, have a flexible mortgage with Intelligent Finance, the phone and internet arm of Halifax bank. The couple, who have two children, Hannah, 7, and Rachel, 4, had a mortgage with a High Street bank for years.

But when they wanted to borrow extra for home improvements, they spoke to an independent financial adviser who suggested a newer loan.

Harry, an electrical engineer, says: 'We borrowed enough extra money to have all our windows replaced and are still paying [pound]40 a month less interest with Intelligent Finance than we were with the bank.

'It was easy to switch lender and we are now setting our savings interest against the loan to cut the interest bill and help us to clear it years ahead of schedule.' UNFORTUNATELY, many borrowers hold back from using savings or windfalls to repay part of a mortgage in case they need the money later. But this need not be a problem.

Simon Tyler of London-based Chase de Vere Mortgage Management says: 'Most mortgages have a degree of flexibility about them now so overpayments can be withdrawn again later.

'Just check that you don't face any early redemption penalties when you pay any extra off a mortgage.'

Unlocking those loan handcuffs

USING a modest windfall to pay off a personal loan should become easier if Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson has her way.

She has announced a shake-up of consumer credit laws to bring growing levels of personal debt under control. Along with most independent analysts, the Government is worried that people are taking on too many debts without fully understanding the small print.

Johnson says: 'Consumers need a far better deal in the credit market. They also deserve better protection from lenders, which is why we have embarked on this massive overhaul of credit laws.' Among the Government's targets are confusing interest rates quoted on credit cards as well as problems with unlicensed loan sharks.

Also under attack are unfair early redemption penalties that handcuff borrowers to costly loans, even if they have the funds to clear their debts.

Financial statistics provider Moneyfacts says most personal loan companies charge one or two months' interest as a penalty if borrowers repay debts early.

Fair-play lenders that allow borrowers to clear loans at any time - and charge reasonable interest rates - include Northern Rock, Halifax-owned Intelligent Finance and American Express.

Strangely enough, the most modern personal loans - internetonly loans from the likes of abbeynational.co.uk, lombard direct.com, smile.co.uk and tesco.com - all have outdated penalties of two months' interest on early redemptions.

Dell Continues Pursuit of Its Internet Strategy.(Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News)

Apr. 6--NEW YORK--Dell Computer Corp. continued its migration from PC maker to provider of all things Internet on Wednesday, unveiling new hardware products and services aimed at those who provide access to the Web and others looking to get on board the e-commerce train.

Dell launched a line of Internet appliance servers, which are stripped-down servers aimed at performing specific tasks such as hosting Web pages or handling e-mail. The company also said it will begin offering its own e-commerce know-how to customers under a consulting partnership with Arthur Andersen and Gen3 Partners. The venture will be called "E"xpert Services.

"It's a shift in our business model," Chief Executive Michael Dell told a press conference at The Pierre, a Four Seasons Hotel across Fifth Avenue from Central Park.

Dell sees the company being pulled both toward the "core of the Internet" -- providing the servers and storage equipment needed for the infrastructure -- and the "outside" with PCs that allow users to access the Web.

Dell executives are in New York for the company's spring meeting with analysts, an April rite where they outline plans for the coming year for Wall Street analysts.

Dell is increasingly branding itself as an e-commerce company rather than simply a PC maker. Now the company is exploiting its success in selling its own products on the Web -- generating more than $40 million a day in sales. In recent advertising, Dell bills itself as the company that "knows how E works."

It has partnered with or invested in a number of young Internet-related companies that value both Dell's e-commerce knowledge and large customer base.

That's where the partnership with Andersen and Boston-based Gen3 comes in. Many have wondered whether Dell would start a consulting service, charging for e-commerce expertise that it previously offered some customers as a way to win and maintain business.

Dell doesn't plan to create a full-blown consulting division. That's why it's partnering with Andersen and Gen3.

"They already have an army of people trained and ready to serve this market," said Dell Vice Chairman Kevin Rollins. "We bring existing customers, and they bring knowledge about how to complete a consulting project."

Dell also announced increased technical support for Internet service providers, application service providers and Web-hosting businesses.

"This is less of a PC play and more of an Internet and services play," said Carl Howe, research director at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass.

Kurt King, an analyst at Banc of America Securities, said he doesn't expect the initiatives to have a big financial impact for Dell just yet, but it's a timely move typical of the company.

"Dell has the most flexible business model in the industry," he said. "When it sees an opportunity come up, it reacts quickly."

The announcements Wednesday are the latest in a series of efforts by the company to take advantage of the dramatic growth of the Internet as a business tool. In recent months, Dell has unveiled a targeted effort to sell its products to Internet service providers and application service providers, launched a Web-hosting service and purchased a data-storage company, ConvergeNet.

With the new server offerings, Dell is chasing the so-called Internet infrastructure market for the hardware and services that drive the Web, which is estimated by International Data Corp. to more than double to $370 billion by 2003 from about $124 billion last year.

Dell sees demand for hardware, especially by Internet businesses, increasingly moving toward Windows- and Linux-based servers that offer fast capabilities in small packages and away from Unix-based "legacy" systems made by Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and IBM.

What the appliance servers lack in breadth they make up for with speed. An Internet appliance running on Windows 2000, for example, would have Microsoft's operating system for servers but not its ubiquitous word-processing and spreadsheet applications, Word or Excel. Designed to do a few jobs quickly and efficiently, the servers are built for the behind-the-scenes heavy lifting required on Web sites.

Dell, the No. 2 server provider, is hoping to continue closing in on the leader, Houston-based Compaq Computer Corp. Both Compaq and IBM also have recently unveiled appliance servers, though at a base price of $1,899 for its announced PowerApp server, its first new server product in two years, Dell may characteristically undercut its competitors.

"We're hoping to move from the No. 2 to No. 1 server provider," said Mike Lambert, Dell's senior vice president for enterprise systems.

To see more of the Austin American-Statesman, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.austin360.com

(c) 2000, Austin American-Statesman, Texas. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

воскресенье, 26 февраля 2012 г.

Sprint Announces Enterprise-Class Managed Internet VPN Solution for Global Companies.

Security Management and Verifiable Performance are Key Benefits for Customers

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to the increasing demand for a reliable, secure and managed Internet VPN solution, Sprint (NYSE: FON) today announced a managed service to improve business customers' productivity over the Internet. Sprint's Global Internet VPN service available in November 1999 will combine the security of private networks with the flexibility of the Internet. The service will enable customers to transact business securely over the Internet with the speed, performance and proven reliability of Sprint's network.

Sprint's Global Internet VPN service, integrates new hardware, software and network capabilities into an Internet solution that enables corporations to dramatically improve the way they use the Internet to connect their dedicated access locations to other dedicated access locations, remote users, partners and suppliers. Sprint will offer Global Internet VPN internationally to over 30 countries with the support of Global One, its worldwide joint venture with Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom.

"Companies are constantly looking for ways to streamline processes and gain efficiencies in the digital economy," said Kathy Walker, vice president of product management, Sprint Business. "Sprint's Global Internet VPN services represents a critical step in enabling the outsourcing of enterprise applications to Internet-based solutions, allowing corporations to focus on their core business strategies."

Sprint will address customer security requirements by providing industry leading IPSec-based customer equipment for site-to-site and remote access users while reducing security costs. Sprint's new security solutions will allow enterprises to efficiently scale their VPNs to thousands of internal and external users through a centralized Web-based management tool. Global Internet VPN service will also support Certificate Authority for fast and scalable authentication which in turn will help facilitate the building of extranets.

As part of the service, Sprint will help customers who want to define and/or refine their overarching e-commerce and security policies as they apply to their intranet, Internet and extranet strategies. Once these policies are defined, Sprint can then design and implement the hardware and software solution required for meeting customers' needs.

The Global Internet VPN service leverages Sprint's world class OC48 based Internet network to address corporate customer requirements for performance by offering enhanced SLAs for delay. In addition, Sprint will be offering industry-first guaranteed service levels against packet loss and delay variation with secure, Web-based tools to track the performance of their Global Internet VPN service and Sprint's adherence to its service level guarantees by 1Q00. Sprint will also expand its guarantees beyond the backbone to cover end-to-end performance.

Sprint also is offering first-level help-desk support that extends to the Internet VPN end-user. First-level help-desk support will also be offered for both the remote access dialer software and IPSec client software.

Also, Sprint's fully redundant operations centers will provide continuous, pro-active monitoring and control of both the communications and security policy functions.

"Sprint's Global Internet VPN service demonstrates how we are responding to customer's demands for secure, managed and performance-reliable Internet VPN solutions," said Tammy Cancela, vice president, large business marketing at Sprint Business. "This new service will alleviate many of the concerns that customers have regarding the shift of their mission critical applications to Internet VPNs."

Sprint has selected Nortel Networks* (NYSE: NT; Toronto) to provide its broad customer base with customer premise equipment to enhance the security, flexibility and management features of this Global Internet VPN offering, which will be available in November.

"Sprint's Internet VPN will provide customers with reliable connections when conducting business online," said Clarence Chandran, president, Carrier Packet Solutions, Nortel Networks. "Nortel Networks' industry-leading Contivity* Extranet Switch provides secure tunneling, bandwidth management, authentication and data integrity across managed IP networks and the Internet -- critical elements to the success of IP VPNs. Nortel Networks is pleased our Contivity* Extranet Switch has been selected to deliver Sprint's service."

For its unique IP clustered technology, Sprint has also selected Network Alchemy, which provides scalability and promises a smooth, uninterrupted customer experience, even during upgrades and periods of extremely high traffic.

"The Network Alchemy solution offers Sprint's customers non-stop clustered networks -- a factor of reliability not available from other Tier-1 carriers," said Kenny Frerichs, president and CEO, Network Alchemy. "The secure global VPN, with its emphasis on reliability, performance and scalability, allows Sprint to deliver unmatched value among their competitors. We are pleased to work with an industry leader such as Sprint to provide this first-of-its-kind service."

ABOUT NORTEL NETWORKS

Nortel Networks delivers value to customers around the world through Unified Networks* solutions, spanning mission-critical telephony and IP- optimized networks. Customers include public and private enterprises and institutions; Internet service providers; local, long-distance, cellular and PCS communications companies, cable television carriers and utilities.

Nortel Networks' common shares are listed on the New York, Toronto, Montreal and London stock exchanges. Nortel Networks had 1998 revenues of US$17.6 billion and has approximately 70,000 employees worldwide.

ABOUT NETWORK ALCHEMY, INC.

Alchemy was founded in September of 1997 to develop and market non-stop infrastructure solutions that advance the use of the Internet for secure private communications, commerce and collaboration. The founders, recognized for their innovations in the fields of TCP/IP networking, security and operating systems software, developed the industry's first secure IP clustered networking solution that delivers true scalability, high system availability and superior price/performance, with no single point of failure. In its first application, virtual private networks (VPN), Network Alchemy's patent-pending CryptoCluster technology has enabled secure, fast and low-cost communication for corporations developing new e-commerce applications through more reliable connectivity with partners, customers and within the enterprise. For more information on Network Alchemy, visit Network Alchemy on the Web at www.network-alchemy.com.

ABOUT SPRINT

Sprint is a global communications company -- at the forefront in integrating long-distance, local and wireless communications services and one of the world's largest carriers of Internet traffic. Sprint built and operates the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and is a leader in advanced data communications services. Sprint has $17 billion in annual revenues and serves more than 20 million businesses and residential customers.

* Nortel Networks Corporation, Unified Networks and Contivity are trademarks of Nortel Networks.

Iran set to scuttle Internet in a suitcase plan: minister.

TEHRAN, July 2 (MNA) -- Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Reza Taqipour has said that Iran has taken the necessary technical measures to thwart the "Internet in a suitcase" plan. "Certain measures that the United States and its allies are adopting are examples of cyber terrorism," Taqipour told reporters on Saturday. The New York Times reported on June 12 that the U.S. administration is leading a global effort to deploy "shadow" Internet and mobile phone systems that dissidents can use to undermine governments that seek to silence them by censoring or shutting down telecommunications networks. The effort includes secretive projects to create independent cellphone networks inside foreign countries, as well as one operation out of a spy novel in a fifth-floor shop on L Street in Washington, where a group of young entrepreneurs who look as if they could be in a garage band are fitting deceptively innocent-looking hardware into a prototype "Internet in a suitcase." Financed with a $2 million State Department grant, the suitcase could be secreted across a border and quickly set up to allow wireless communication over a wide area with a link to the global Internet. EP/PA END MNA

2003-2011 Mehr News Agency

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT URGES THOSE AFFECTED BY WILDFIRE TO ACQUIRE FLOOD INSURANCE.

WASHINGTON -- The following information was released by the office of Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Today the Arizona Division of Emergency Management sent out the following release urging residents affected by the wildfires to consider acquiring a federal flood insurance policy.

For Immediate Release Public Information June 13, 2011 CONTACT: Erin Klug, 602-364-3471

Preparation for Flooding Begins Immediately Following Wallow Fire

30 Days Required from Purchase of Insurance Before Policy Goes Into Effect

PHOENIX-Residents affected by the Wallow Fire may think the worst is over after the flames are extinguished but without proper preparation, a flooding disaster can be around the corner.

Wildfire alters the landscape in ways that increase water and mud runoff in burned areas. Under normal circumstances, the forest floor drains, dissipates and absorbs water effectively enough to reduce flooding downstream. Burned forest areas are more unstable and less able to hold water, collecting downstream with increased velocity and often resulting in urban and flash flooding.

This is why it pays to have flood insurance. Most homeowners' insurance policies do not cover flood damage but most agents who sell homeowner's insurance also can sell federal flood insurance policies. Detailed information about the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is available at FloodSmart.gov on the Internet.

A phone call to the NFIP referral center at (888) 379-9531 will connect directly with a program representative who can provide local insurance agents and mail a program brochure.

It takes 30 days for an NFIP policy to go into effect after it is purchased, and with Arizona's monsoon season rapidly approaching, now is the time to consider buying flood insurance.

Flood insurance is also available to renters to cover their belongings, and businesses, which can cover properties and contents. Residents and business owners in flood hazard zones, known as floodplains, may be required to carry flood insurance by their lender.

Although many tribes in Arizona do not participate in the NFIP, those tribes are encouraged contact FEMA directly for more information on the process to become eligible.

A few more tips:

- Buying flood insurance can require diligence by purchasers. While insurance agents sell the insurance, they may not be as familiar with its details as they are with other insurance products.

- Remember: Only 10 percent of the flood insurance coverage on the primary structure can be used to repair accessory structure(s) on the property so it is recommended that a separate policy be purchased for each structure.. For example, that means a separate policy for a detached garage, a guest house or any other structure you wish to protect. Additional separate policies are encouraged to insure the contents of each structure.

FLOOD INSURANCE FAQ

Q. Why should people buy flood insurance now?

A. You can't wait until the rain starts falling because it takes 30 days for the policy to go into effect.

Q. Doesn't my homeowner's policy cover floods?

A. No. Flood insurance has to be obtained separately. It is available to property owners in any community that participates in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program.

Q. How much flood insurance is available?

A. Homeowners can obtain up to $250,000 on their home and up to $100,000 for contents. Non-residential buildings, such as businesses, can obtain a maximum of $500,000 on the structure and $500,000 on the contents.

Q. Can renters obtain flood insurance?

A. Yes. They may purchase insurance for up to $100,000 on the contents.

Q. Where can people purchase flood insurance?

A. Through their regular insurance agents.

Q. Is flood insurance available for homes and other buildings outside the high-risk zones?

A. Yes, and it's a good idea to buy it no matter where you live. Between 20 and 25 percent of all flood insurance claims comes from low-risk areas.

Q. How can people find out more about the level of flood risk for their home?

A. One way is to go to www.floodsmart.gov. In most cases, by entering your address in the designated space, you will be advised on whether your structure is in a low-, moderate- or high-risk zone.

However, the flood risk within the Wallow Fire burn area has increased so existing maps that are used by the insurance industry will not reflect the increased risk of flooding. Many owners of structures within the Wallow Fire burn area will pay low to moderate flood insurance premiums unless their structures are located in flood-prone areas prior to the Wallow Fire.

Q: What are premium rates based on?

A: Premium rates for flood insurance are based on flood risk. Most inhabited areas of the nation have been assigned to a risk category; two neighbors' property may be in different risk categories. Look up flood risk categories on FloodSmart.gov and find out what the insurance premium would be.

###

Frontier Communications to Grow Its Rochester Workforce.

Frontier Communications (NYSE: FTR) announced that it is adding at least 30 new jobs in its Carrier Sales and Service Division at Frontier's regional headquarters 180 South Clinton Avenue in Rochester, New York.

"The addition of these local jobs is exciting for our company. These additional jobs demonstrate Frontier's commitment to the Rochester community and its economic health," shared Ann Burr, President, Northeast Region. "I also want to express Frontier's thanks to the Rochester Regional Joint Board, Workers United Local 2714 for partnering with the Company to facilitate the creation of jobs. This is a good example of the positive results that can be achieved through a great partnership of a company and union working together."

"I am very excited with the addition of these jobs and at the chance to grow our membership," remarked Marie Rodgers, Business Agent for the Rochester Regional Joint Board, Workers United. "I attribute this opportunity to the positive partnership our union has with Frontier and the professionalism of those currently working as part of Frontier's Carrier Sales and Service Team."

Frontier Communications offers an extensive suite of telecommunications products and services for businesses and consumers. These newly-created Special Account Representative jobs will be responsible for processing orders from Frontier's wholesale customers. Ideal candidates should possess a valuable combination of hands-on experience in customer service and sales, and a focused dedication to providing unmatched service to customers.

"We are grateful to the leadership team in the carrier services group led by Stephen LeVan, SVP Carrier Sales & Service, Kim Czak, AVP Wholesale Product, and Jim Abbott, Executive Director of Operations, for identifying Rochester as the right location for these new positions," stated Burr.

Frontier will be hosting a career fair on Wednesday, May 25th (location to be announced shortly). For more information or to apply, interested candidates can visit www.frontier.com/careers. Frontier Communications is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Frontier Communications does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship status, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected class. Frontier is proud to have a 100 percent U.S. based workforce, and places a priority on hiring veterans. About Frontier Communications Frontier Communications Corporation (NYSE: FTR) offers voice, High-Speed Internet, satellite video, wireless Internet data access, data security solutions, bundled offerings, specialized bundles for small businesses and home offices, and advanced business communications for medium and large businesses in 27 states and with approximately 14,900 employees. A Fortune 500 company, Frontier is included in the S&P 500 Index and is the largest provider of communications services to rural America. It has a 100 percent U.S.-based workforce. More information is available at www.frontier.com and www.frontier.com/ir.

Keywords: Frontier Communications, Networks, Telecommunications, Wireless Internet, Wireless Technology.

This article was prepared by Information Technology Newsweekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Information Technology Newsweekly via VerticalNews.com.

HELP! You ask me.(Features)

Byline: Quentin Willson

Q MY brother owns a 1975 Iso Rivolta Lele, a rare right-hand drive example in outstanding original condition, which has been stored for the last eight years. We've searched the internet but can't find an accurate valuation. What's it worth? - William, by email

A The Rivolta Lele went into production in 1969 with an Italian body and 300bhp Chrysler V8. They're hugely desirable now (like all classic Italian supercars), so if your brother's is as good as you say and the mileage is reasonably low, it could be worth pounds 30k. And if it's the rare Sport model (only 20 were made), you're looking at pounds 40k-pounds 50k. I'm really jealous.

CAPTION(S):

Iso is so swish...

суббота, 25 февраля 2012 г.

Access to research information in cybercafes: the challenge to academic libraries.(Report)

Introduction

Information is increasingly becoming a critical determinant of the success of human endeavour. It is crucial to the performance of academics who are both consumers and producers of information. Information and documentation including printed and online materials are the most important means to control and access scientific result. For the academics to have rightful information, the university libraries have a part to play. The vision, mission and strategies which are selected by universities as a guide for meeting the core function of teaching, learning, research and providing information form the foundation on which the role of the university library is established. Based on these functions, Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009) emphasised that the primary purpose of university libraries is to support teaching, learning and research in ways consistent with, and supportive of the institution's mission and goals. In other words library resources and services should be sufficient in quality, depth, diversity and currency to support the institution curriculum. In line with this, Aino (2006) opted that university libraries are expected to provide information materials in all kinds of format, providing wider access of information in form of electronic journals, books, full text journals, CD-ROM, databases and internet. Failure to have access to information has numerous consequences like duplication of research work, frustration, low morale and low productivity in research and teaching. This lack of access to information has resulted to academics seeking for information in the cyber-cafe, which they feel offers similar information access services. In addition Popoola (cited in Oyewusi and Oyeboade, 2009) submits that the inability of university libraries to meet the information requirements of some library users might have force them to use personal collections including internet resources when conducting research. This implies that if the libraries neglect to match library services capabilities to users' needs, then the libraries run the risk of being marginalized and therefore users will seek alternative competitive offerings in order to satisfy their many academic needs. Broadly-Preton and Barnes (2002) was of opinion that the success of organisation depends on ability to respond to the needs of customers more effectively and organisation must avoid complacency at all cost. In order for university libraries to fulfil their objectives, there is need to improve on library services. The paper is then aimed at finding out the extent computer services that are available in the university libraries and the extent university libraries meet researchers' information needs.

Literature Review

The changes in scholarly communication associated with electronic publishing, however have led to a variety of economic policy and technological issues. The implication is that most scholarly works are created in electronic form and much of the publication process are electronic, regardless of whether the end result is a print or an online publication. Brown (1999) and Cronin (2002) believed that increased use is being made of electronic means of communication facilities such as electronic mail (e-mail), fax, electronic bulletin boards, computer conferencing, newsgroup and other telecommunication channels. Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009) established that researchers prefer internet in Nigeria because internet provides up to date information than the library resources, also retrieval of information is faster and there are various source to consult. They are various form of electronic according to Jirjwong and Wallin (2002), which include; on-line databases, online public access catalogs (OPAC), e-conference, e-mail discussion, full- text databases, books, scholarly websites, pre-print archives and bulletin boards. Some of these sources are available in few university libraries and cyber-cafe in Nigeria. Oyewusi and Oyeboade also found out electronic data bases, OPAC, close circuit TV (CCTV), e-journal, microfilm and facsimile were not accessible for use in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria. They further said that the university has not been able to acquire the electronic resources because of financial constraints.

However the integration of new technology especially computer and internet into the library is a major force change in the nature of librarianship and careers of information professionals Dolon and Schumacher (as cited in Aharony, 2006). The question is to what extent do the university libraries in Nigeria meet research information needs, within this era. The new information environment requires that librarians now have new opportunities and new roles to play. Therefore, for the librarians to adapt to this new role, which requires skills, they require training. Cowgill, Beam and Wess (2001) emphasized that the major issue raised in the implementation of information commons of University of Colorado was staff training modules. Anao (cited in Emojorho and Nwalo, 2009) retreated that librarians must retool and restrategize, if they fail to do these things they will lose ground, decline in relevance and face the possibility of extinction. This is extremely important to enable librarians to fulfil their duty at this era of information technology. Ahorony (2006) emphasized that many studies have found that the status of the librarian is low, even in the information generation. He also went further to say that working within information is not limited to librarians and to the library, there is fear that librarians will be needed less in future. On the other hand, Fleck and Bowden's (as cited in Aharony (2006) found out that library and information science is highly regarded and perceived as service oriented and not as a dynamic or proactive profession. Librarians are regarded as unambitious people who find satisfaction in helping others to fulfil their needs. In line with the of issue of non-proactive by librarians, Omekwu (2007) emphasised that in an environment of change and reform, information professionals should be proactive rather than reactive in library and information delivery. The professional image of the librarians is one of the topics that concern them, which is management of information. Aharony (2006) enumerated the roles of librarians as follows, items that relate to information retrieved, building and managing sites, information filtering, matching processed information to the client's personal profile, instruction in and use of information resources, reference, indexing and classification. These roles are challenges to librarians in the rapidly evolving environment of networked information, information explosion, remote access and fast growing needs to help users to use information effectively. OCLC (as cited in Oyewusi and Oyeboade, 2009) emphasised that study had shown that libraries were seen as been more trustworthy/credible in providing more accurate information. World Book Encyclopaedia (2005) emphasised the concern over the internet about the accuracy and the appropriateness of the materials available in internet which may be misleading inaccurate or even fraudulent. To coped with information explosion, complexities in information packaging and access, unfiltered information, Adeogun (2006) suggested the need to develop a stronger intellectual framework for using information effectively to make the library user heavily dependent on the skilled assistance of information professionals in their search for relevant information seeking. For the academics to accomplish their duty in teaching and research, the librarians need to collaborate with teaching staff in incorporating electronic resources, internet and other resources in the library. Okafor and Ukwoma (2007) found out that academics in science and engineering in Southern Nigeria do not frequently use current awareness services, consultation with librarians and exhibitions as means of gaining required information in the library. This aspect of library services is essential for the users. Emojorho and Nwalo (2009) emphasised that collection management is much more than collection building; it entails the use, storage and organisation of collection and making it accessible to users. Adeogun (2006), was of the opinion that the value of information service in the present information dispensation is not possessing information but in providing access to it, and more importantly in developing the organisational and technological capabilities in the end-user to be able to identify, access, sift and determine the authenticity and validity of information.

Morgan (as cited in Broadly-Preston and Barno, 2002) observes that there are many more people and institutions providing information services today. We have to do more to improve our services and convince people that they should use libraries instead of other information providers. Shefique (2009) expressed the idea that library services must be based on the modern concept of marketing to achieve readers' satisfaction and to nurture a culture of customer service to enhance the library's image in the eyes of the users. This can be done by introducing library liaison, Corrall (2004) suggested that the library liaison should now include provision and accessing electronic databases and journals, finding high quality resources on the web, keeping up the data with new information, using bibliographic software packages, carrying citation and advanced database searches and searching for systematic reviews. This requires training of the users. Olumide, (2007) recommended that in other to make library more vibrant and more accessible to users, it requires periodic users education/training on the use of internet and information technology. This could be in form of seminars or conferences, with the aim of alerting the users of findings emanating from a research project. In view of these, Adebayo (2009) was of opinion that more dynamic, challenging and practical user-friendly services such as current awareness services, selective dissemination of information, literature searching, indexing and abstracting and functional ICT services should be given priority. This is necessary because Document of University of Chicago (2007) library explained that traditional library access refers to policies defining what individuals or groups have, physical access to a library collection and what services are available to them, but as more and more library and information resources become available on the internet, libraries have expanded these policies to incorporate virtual as well as physical access. Therefore the librarians have to get themselves equipped with what it takes to have a virtual library.

Studies have shown various rates of main sources of academics in publishing. Shohan (1998) found that 92% of faculty members in two Israeli academic universities used professional journals in their recent research, followed by 85.7% using monographs. She went further to express that in detail 85.7% of engineers used monographs and 92.9% used periodicals while 78.5% of lecturers in science make use of monographs and 94.9% used periodicals and 38% used computerized databases. Brown (1999) investigated how the scientists keep abreast with current developments in their field, 85% of the chemists indicated that they scan current issues of journals to stay current in their field and 91% of Mathematicians also scan current journals to stay current in their field. In the same manner, Lumand and Mutshewa (1999) discovered that University of Botswana, Faculty of Science academics also used professional journals mainly as their source of information have 70.4%of usage while textbooks have 64.8% usage and online database (internet) 42.6%. Emojorho and Nwalo found out that users responses on effectiveness of ICTs on collection management for university libraries in Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria was 40% low effect, followed by 30% no effect while special libraries showed that nearly 80% indicated low or no effect.

For countries that are advanced in information technology to rate high use of professional journals showed that there are specific information that are contained in journals that are not free information one can easily access in internet in cyber cafe. Internet is used for various purposes like faxing letters, e-mail etc, but when it comes to the academic work of research and publishing, the required information is in the core journals. The information should be available in the university library either in printed copy or on-line e-journals. Parameshwar and Patil (2009) found that at Gulbarga University that majority of the faculty members and research scholars, up to 63.5% reported they accessed the internet through their central library. The respondents also commented that the digital learning resource centre and digital library (central library) was the most comfortable place for accessing the internet. The question is, are the information available and do the academics have access to the information in Nigeria university libraries? The required information may not be fully available in the university libraries in Nigeria. Ehikhamenor (1993) was of the view that the solution to the developmental problems of the third world lies in information management. The information management could also be used to improve library use by applying other library services. Shafique (2009) found that the new library services that can enhance the access to library resources were, open access to the library collections, SDI in relevant research areas, effective reference services/personalised reference service, current awareness service, library orientation, help in online searching, document delivery, Blog development, e-mail alerts, photocopying and interlibrary loan. All these library services are means of meeting the library users at their needs. Gronroos (as cited in Broady-Preton and Barnes, 2002) emphasised that the new paradigm of customer relationship management is now coming to the fore base of creating value interactions between supplier and the customer, with cooperation being required to creating the value the customer seeks. This concept of cooperation with customers and treating each one as individual is relevance to the librarians in this task of new era of library management.

Methdology

Descriptive survey method was used for the study. The study was conducted in southern Nigeria. Southern Nigeria is made up of three geo-political zones of south-east, south-south and south-west. There are 13 federal universities in southern Nigeria out of which 6 universities were selected for the study, two universities from each zone. The population of the study was made of academics in science and engineering. The total of 435 academics in the rank of professors, readers, senior lecturers, lecturers 1 and 11 were used for the study. There was a response rate of 67% with 291 questionnaire returned and properly completed. Four research questions were used for the study and they were analysed using percentages and bar chart.

Findings

Table 1 below shows the extent of computer services in the university libraries used for the study.

Data in Table 1 above shows that respondents from University of Ibadan, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Indicated they often have computer services in their university libraries with the following percentages 83.6%, 75.0% and 72.4% respectively. On the other hand, respondents from University of Uyo, Uyo, University of Benin and University of Nigeria, Nsukka indicated that they do not often have computer services in their university libraries as follows 49.1%, 43.8% and 28.6% respectively. This shows that University of Ibadan has more computer information services than other universities while University of Nigeria, Nsukka has the least of computer services available. Since the computer services were not often available in some of the university libraries, what then is the extent of Internet utilisation of the academics?

The data on Table 2 showed that academics in University of Ibadan utilize the Internet very much with 69.4% while the other five universities had very much use of the Internet as follows; University of Benin 60.4%, University of Agriculture Abeokuta 57.1%, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 53.6%, University of Uyo 45.8%, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 41.4%for their research information needs. The grand total shows that 86.6% of the academics frequently make use of the internet. Since the universities utilize the Internet much, it is then necessary to find out whether the university libraries meet the academics information needs.

Data on Table 3 above shows that university libraries do not frequently meet the information needs of the academics as follows: Universities of Ibadan (32.7%), Uyo (31.3%), Benin (24.5%), Nnamdi Azikiwe (20.7%), Agriculture, Abeokute (17.9%) and Nigeria, Nsukka (15.5%). The six university libraries do not often meet the information needs of the academics. Libraries of University of Ibadan, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and University of Nigeria, Nsukka sometimes meet the information needs of their academics as follows while libraries of University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Benin and University of Uyo rarely meet the information needs of the academics as indicated by the respondents. Since the university libraries do not often meet the information needs of academics, the fourth question was imposed. To what extent do academics in science and engineering have access to the information used for their research? The data to this question is presented on Table 4 below.

Table 4 above shows that academics in Universities of Ibadan, Uyo, Benin and Agriculture. Abeokuta indicated higher access to information when very frequently and frequent access were join together as follows, 71.4%, 66.7%, 69.9% and 82.1% respectively while Universities of Nigeria, Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe have least access to information as 60.7% and 55.2% respectively. This shows that University of Agriculture, Abeokuta had the highest access to information while Nnamdi Azikiwe University had the least access to information. The extent the University libraries meet the academics information needs and the extent of access to information is illustrated using the bar chart in fig 1 and extent of internet availability in the university library and internet utilization by the academics also in Fig 2 below.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

Discussion

The findings revealed that university libraries of the six universities do not frequently meet the academics information needs. This may be due to lack of current printed library resources especially the professional journals or due to lack of computer services including internet or inability of the librarians to provide the required information. Studies have shown that academics make use of professional journals frequently. Shoham (1998) found that 92% of faculty members in two Israeli academic universities used professional journals in their research. It is the same with Nigeria academics, however Okafor and Ukwuoma (2007) discovered that though the academics use professional journals frequently, but current journals were not always available in the university libraries. The question then is the computer services available in the university libraries. Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009) in their study found out that electronic and internet facilities were not available in some Nigerian university libraries. The study revealed that 3 out of 6 universities had computer information services frequently available in their university libraries. The study also revealed that these university libraries could not frequently meet the researchers' information needs. In spite of the availability of internet in some of the university libraries none of them could frequently meet the researchers' information needs. This shows that the problem to some extent is with the librarians and the library staff, this is illustrated in Fig 1 above. This shows that according Anao (cited in Emojorho and Nwalo, 2009) librarians must retool and restrategize themselves to face the challenges of information technology. In addition, acquiring information resources is not the only issue, Emojorho and Nwalo reiterated that collection management is much more than acquisition of library resources; it entails the use, storage and organisation of collection and making it accessible to users. On the other hand, the findings revealed that the academics make much use of internet with 86.6% average and have much access to information. Some of the Universities that indicated non- availability of computer services in their university libraries indicated high use of internet services as seen in Fig 2 above while those who have computer services in their libraries revealed that their libraries sometimes meet their information needs. The implication is that since all the academics had much access to information through the internet, it means that they access the internet outside the library and probably in the cyber cafe since not many offices and homes had internet facilities. The use of internet outside the library as only source of information has implications for the academics and librarians. Parameshwar and Patil (2009) reported that 63.5% used their university library for internet search because it was the most comfortable place for them. Considering this issue of use of library, Shefigue expressed that library services must now be based on the modern concept of marketing to achieve readers' satisfaction, and to nurture of culture of customer service to enhance the library's image in the eyes of the users. This is not in line with Lumande and Mutshewa (1999) who found out that, lecturers in the Faculty of science in University of Botswana had only 42.6 % usage of online database. Studies have shown that academics use technical journals as the main sources of their information for research. It means that the frequent use of interent sources may be due to the fact that most of the academic libraries used for study do not have current professional journals. Therefore for the academics to keep abreast of current trends in their fields they resorted to the use of internet. This led them to indicate that they have frequent access to information. It is an established fact that it is difficult to get core journals in different profession of science and engineering in the internet without subscription. Apart from this, there are other problems in using the internet without direction. Burke (1999) enumerating the problems as frustration in finding the exact information, sources in the net are not organized, it is difficult to choose the best source when there are many of them, some information in the net are biased, some are simply incorrect or incomplete. Added to this, World Book Encyclopaedia (2005) emphasised that among the concerns over use of internet are doubts about the accuracy and appropriateness of the material available in the net, that information posted on the internet may be misleading, inaccurate or even fraudulent. It then means that to get required information for research in the net, it requires professional information retrieval experts to avoid waste of time. This is supported by OCLC (as cited in Oyewusi and Oyeboade, 2009) that libraries are seen as been more trustworthy and credible in providing more accurate information.

Academics that have computer services in their library, scored low in the way university libraries provide the information needs and high in the way they get access to information through the internet outside the university libraries. This is due to the fact that according to Oyewusi and Oyeboade (2009) researchers prefer internet because of internet provides up to date information and it is faster and there are various sources to consult. On the other hand Aharony (2006) found out that librarians are low in information generation. He enumerated the roles of the librarians as follows: information retrievals, building and managing sites, information filtering, matching processed information to the client's personal profile, instruction and use of information resources. This implies that librarians have a lot to do to improve in their services to users and make the necessary information delivery. This is supported by Adebayo (2009) emphasised that librarians should be involved in practical user-friendly services such current awareness services, selective dissemination of information and ICT services should be given priority. In the same line Shafique (2009) added services like personalised reference service, blog development, e-mail alerts and help in online searching could help. This requires according to Adeogun (2006), the need to develop a stronger intellectual framework for using information effectively and making the library users heavily dependent on the skilled assistance of information professional. It also requires that librarians have to improve on their personality, willingness and methods of information delivery as emphasised by Aharony (2006) and Omekwu (2007) that in an environment of change and reform, information professionals should be proactive in information delivery. It is necessary that librarians improve our library services to ensure survival and prosperity in a dynamic environment categorized by increased competition.

The Way Forward

For the librarians to fulfil their objectives in helping the universities in fulfilling the major objectives in teaching, learning and research the following points should be considered:

Training of Librarians and Library Staff

Training librarians on all aspect of ICT should be emphasised because we cannot give what we do not know or understand, we need to update our information in customer services. We need also to be current in the information we render. That will lead us to know ways and means of access to information and then be able to explain that to our customers. The complexity of global information sources, the rapid change of information and impact of ICT's on its access has magnified the need for information coordination by well qualified and skilled library and information personnel for the benefit of university customers. Information professionals, must equip themselves with a high level of technological skills for access and manipulating information. They should know how to use search engines and database in different subject areas and this will help in assisting the users.

Human Relationships

This implies that we treat the clients courteously with respect, the way to maintain a good service is to take interest in our job. Also interacting with academics to know their needs and communicate information for development in real time without barriers. Our personal appearance, the way we behave, smile, how services are rendered reflects the image of the library. User care should be at the centre of the mission's strategic policies for us to succeed and fulfil the major aim by which the library was established

Training of Users

This could begin with library orientation to the library users to help them adapt to different library services and library equipment. This will help the users on how, where and when to look for information, a guidelines like this will help them not only how to use the library but on how to scout out for information for their research. This will also enhance maximum use of different library services available. User education could be done through library instruction, workshop, seminar and computer aided instruction. This will enable the librarians to explain to the library client how to get access to the required information, either through internet in the library or having access to the library database and other sources. Training the users will involve user sensitisation to respect, make appropriate use and safe guard the library materials and equipment

Improve Library Organisation and Management

The library management should analyse the organization's set objectives, decide on strategies and formulate tactics. The management in other to achieve the stated objectives has to manage the human resources very well considering who knows the service and client better. Some of the services could be improved on, like current awareness services, which help to inform the users of required information that is newly available. The management also should get the authority to see the need of internet facilities and database in the library for the university libraries that do not have already. As most library services involve blended information delivery which includes physical materials and electronic services, the management should make sure that the users know their website. The library management should also subscribe to some the core e-journals and printed journals in different disciples, this will attract academics into university libraries.

Marketing

Marketing of information materials and services is a management process, which identifies, anticipates and supplies users requirements efficiently through response to user priorities. The concern is how information might be customised, packed and delivered to the users through different library services. This will involve making the users aware of what is in the library, this may lead into changing users perception or actually encouraging the users to make use of the library resources. This will involve creating awareness to attract attention through telephone calls, in house bulletins, local newspaper, etc. Other marketing strategy includes exhibitions, posters, in-house journals and newsletters, displays and talks. It can involve librarians going out to present their specialisation to the library users

Establishment of Library Liaison

Library liaison is not common in university libraries in Nigeria. It is a librarian appointed by the library management to liaise with academic department or faculty, for better information searching and delivery. Usually the librarians are assigned to area of his specialization. It is assumed that library liaison should be accept in finding quality resources on the web and carry out citation and advanced database searches. This will bring about cooperation and collaboration with departments and academic staff. It will lead to librarian acting like counsellors, advisers and teachers.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that for the academics to fulfil fully the duty of research, publication and impacting knowledge, they need information supplied from authenticated sources. The need for university libraries to achieve its expected functions of acquiring; processing and disseminating information should be of paramount importance. Availability is one thing but most importantly making the information accessible to the library uses is another. Our organisations success is dependent upon our ability to satisfy our clients repeated needs through improved organisation and management of our resources and good relationship. This could be enhanced through training of librarians, staff and users, through applying practical friendly orientated services and also marketing the library resources and services. These will simultaneously create in the minds of our clients a perception of quality value and superiority over our competitors. It will attract new users who hope to get better things for their research.

References

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Victoria N. Okafor

Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria

Nsukka, Nigeria

Table 1: Extent of computer services in the university library             Very often    Often         SometimesName ofuniversity   No.    %      No.    %      No.    %UNIBADAN     18     36.7   23     46.9   5      10.2UNN          16     11.9   14     16.7   17     20.2UNIBEN       11     20.8   15     28.3   10     18.9NAU          14     48.3   7      24.1   2      6.9UNAAB        12     42.9   9      32.1   6      21.4UNIUYO       6      12.5   15     31.3   9      18.8             Rarely        NeverName ofuniversity   No.    %      No.    %UNIBADAN     --     --     3      6.1UNN          16     19.0   27     32.2UNIBEN       5      9.4    12     2261NAU          4      13.8   2      6.9UNAAB        1      3.6    --     --UNIUYO       3      6.3    15     31.3Table 2: Extent of Internet use according to university             Very much     Much          SomewhatName ofuniversity   No.    %      No.    %      No     %UNIBADAN     34     69.4   15     30.6   0      0UNN          45     53.6   24     28.6   9      10.7UNIBEN       32     60.4   14     26.4   5      9.4NAU          12     41.4   11     37.9   2      6.9UNAAB        16     57.1   7      32.1   2      7.1UNIUYO       22     45.8   18     37.5   5      10.4TOTAL        161    55.3   91     31.3   23     7.9             Little        Not at allName ofuniversity   No     %      No     %UNIBADAN     0      0      0      0UNN          4      4.8    2      2.4UNIBEN       1      1.9    1      1.9NAU          3      10.3   1      3.4UNAAB        0      0      1      3.6UNIUYO       0      0      3      6.3TOTAL        8      2.7    7      2.8Table 3: Extent university library meets information needsaccording to university.             Very             frequently    Frequently    SometimesName ofuniversity   No     %      No     %      No     %UNIBADAN     --     --     16     32.7   28     57.1UNN          --     --     13     15.5   44     52.4UNIBEN       1      1.9    13     24.5   23     43.4NAU          1      3.4    6      20.7   16     55.2UNAAB        4      14.3   5      17.9   11     39.3UNIUYO       4      8.3    15     31.3   12     25.0TOTAL        10     3.4    68     23.4   134    46.0             Rarely        NeverName ofuniversity   No.    %      No     %UNIBADAN     4      8.2    1      2.0UNN          23     27.4   4      4.8UNIBEN       10     18.9   6      11.3NAU          4      13.8   2      6.9UNAAB        6      21.4   2      7.2UNIUYO       11     22.9   6      12.5TOTAL        58     19.9   21     7.3Table 4: University and extent of access to Information             Very             frequently    Frequently    SometimesName ofuniversity   No.    %      No.    %      No.    %UNIBADAN     11     22.4   24     49.0   14     28.6UNN          21     25.0   30     35.7   29     34.5UNIBEN       11     20.8   26     49.1   14     36.4NAU          4      13.8   12     41.4   9      31.0UNAAB        9      32.1   14     50.0   1      3.6UNIUYO       8      16.7   24     50.0   16     33.3TOTAL        64     22.0   130    44.7   83     28.5             Rarely        NeverName ofuniversity   No.    %      No.    %UNIBADAN     --     --     --     --UNN          4      4.8    --     --UNIBEN       1      1.9    1      1.9NAU          3      10.3   1      3.4UNAAB        2      7.1    2      7.1UNIUYO       --     --     --     --TOTAL        0      3.4    4      4.8