Swiss air crash verdict expected

The Russian children on board were going on holiday to Spain

By Imogen Foulkes
BBC News, Berne

A court in Switzerland is due to deliver a verdict in the trial of eight employees of the air traffic control company Skyguide.

The eight are charged with manslaughter and negligence over a midair collision in 2002, in which 71 people died.

The prosecution wants prison sentences of up to 15 months for the accused.

Two investigations have already found what are described as organisational deficiencies within Skyguide, claimed to have contributed to the accident.

All eight men on trial maintain their innocence - seven still work for Skyguide.

Seventy-one people died when the Russian charter flight carrying children on holiday collided with a cargo plane in Swiss airspace on 1 July 2002 - the wreckage came down in Germany.

Controller stabbed

The trial revealed that minutes before the crash a single air traffic controller was in charge of 15 planes, he made 118 radio contacts with them, and he was guiding a plane into land.

The controller was stabbed to death in front of his wife at his home

Technical repairs were being carried out and some radar systems were not working.

That air traffic controller was later stabbed and killed by the father of two of the children who died.

At the time Skyguide insisted that having just one air traffic controller on duty was normal - but it has since outlawed the practice, and provided financial compensation to some of the bereaved families.

What many Russian relatives say they want from this verdict, however, is an official admission of responsibility for the crash.

Deals take off at Hong Kong airshow

By Sharanjit Leyl
Business reporter, BBC News, Hong Kong

From the manufacture of wing tips to the upholstery that goes on to the seats, planes mean big business - and it is getting even bigger.

Visitors look at models of the Airbus A380 at the Asian Aerospace show in Hong Kong
Asia's biggest airshow is a newcomer to Hong Kong

Five hundred companies from more than 20 countries, as well as 10,000 trade visitors, are at Hong Kong's Asian Aerospace show this week to strike deals that will shape the future of Asia's aviation industry.

And much of it seems to be focused on China. One of the mainland's big three carriers is already celebrating a $1bn deal with Singapore Airlines inked earlier in the week.

It will bring finance and know-how to China Eastern Airlines, which is based in Shanghai. It also shows the direction the industry's big players are looking.

According to Vincent Liu, the manager of service standards at China Eastern, there is increasing demand for travel within China and more foreigners are flocking to the mainland.

It means the airline business is "increasing vastly, especially for China Eastern", he says.

One of the supporting organisers of this year's Asian Aerospace is also keeping a keen eye on the mainland.

Martin J Craigs, president of Aerospace Forum Asia, says: "The centre of gravity has moved north over the last 20 years.

"China is a big market that's growing - 180 million passengers right now and 780 million in 20 years. That's a new aircraft delivered every two-and-a-half days for 20 years."

Eastern gateway

But the market is not without risks. Already the Chinese government is placing limits on the number of flights over the mainland, because of fears that too much demand could overwhelm the existing infrastructure.

That is perhaps partly why Asia's biggest airshow has chosen to move to the relatively new surroundings of Hong Kong's international airport, after having spent nearly two decades in Singapore.

Tony Tyler - the newly-installed chief executive of Hong Kong's biggest airline, Cathay Pacific - is trying to turn Hong Kong into a stronger hub and gateway to China.

Cathay Pacific notice board
Cathay Pacific has been extending its routes in mainland China

He contends there are still challenges to rival Shanghai, which is quickly becoming a vital business destination.

"Shanghai's a huge city, it's clearly going to be a major city," he says.

"But as an aviation hub, it has disadvantages, as the domestic and international operations operate out of essentially two different airports. That prevents it from being an effective hub for mainland China."

Still, many of the plane manufacturers and suppliers who have come from countries as far afield as Romania and Canada have one thing on their minds - courting China.

Hong Kong, in its role as gateway to the world's fastest-growing economy, may provide an essential link now.

But critics predict that the Asian Aerospace show may well move again, to Beijing or possibly even Shanghai.

First outing for faster Eurostar

Eurostar is making its inaugural journey from Paris to London via Britain's new high-speed line.

The train - carrying members of the media - will arrive at St Pancras International station, instead of Waterloo, for the first time.

The 186mph (300km/h) line is expected to cut journey times from Paris to London by 20 minutes to 2hr 15min. It will open to the public on 14 November.

Construction of the line and revamping St Pancras cost £5.8bn in public funds.

The high cost of the project is partly due to some major engineering challenges, including laying track to pass over the River Medway, under the River Thames and through 11 miles of tunnels beneath London.

	PROJECTED JURNEYIMES London-Paris 2 hrs 15 mins London-Brussels 1hr 51 mins London-Lille 1hr 20 mins

The 306-mile (490km) test-run is expected to set a new record for the journey time between Paris and London.

The train was due to leave Paris at 0944 BST and is expected to reach speeds of up to 186mph - 50% faster than domestic rail services.

It will join the new 68-mile (110km) line, known as High Speed 1, at the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone, before arriving at St Pancras at about midday.

The train will pass through the new £100m Ebbsfleet International station near Dartford, in Kent.

Seven services to Paris and five to Brussels will start running from Ebbsfleet from 19 November and a ticket office has been opened at Bluewater Shopping Centre two miles from the station.

It's as quick and more frequent and we will be matching airline prices Richard Brown Eurostar chief executive

Trains have always travelled along the French section of the route at high speeds, but were forced to slow down on the British side because they shared a track with commuter services in and out of London.

Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar, said he hoped that by 2010 10m people would travel by Eurostar each year.

"Today marks Britain's entry into the European high-speed rail club," he added.

"We can now run trains at high speed all the way from the Channel Tunnel to London, making journeys between cities quicker, more convenient and far greener than flying."

He said journey times to Paris, even for people travelling from Yorkshire, would be broadly the same as for those flying due to lengthier check-in times at airports.

"It's as quick and more frequent... and we will be matching airline prices."

Nigel Harris, managing editor of Rail Magazine, said he was thrilled to be among the first passengers to travel on the new high-speed line.

Trains will run from the new St Pancras from November

He said it would mean hundreds of thousands of people from the North would be able to travel to Paris without facing the drag of travelling across London on bus, Tube or train to get to Waterloo.

London and Continental Railways (LCR), the company behind the construction of the new line, said it was the first new railway for 100 years and Britain's largest single construction in history.

A spokesman for LCR said it would be a "very powerful catalyst" for regeneration.

He said LCR had a commitment to repay some of the £5.8bn in government money from profits generated from large areas of land bought around the track.

St Pancras station, which has undergone an £800m refurbishment, will eventually be linked to the site of the 2012 Olympics at Stratford, east London. (BBC News)

Virgin's Branson To Shun Thirsty 4-Engined Planes

Virgin Group boss Richard Branson said he would aim to avoid buying fuel-thirsty four-engined planes in future to curb fuel costs and the environmental impact of his fast-growing airlines.

Fears that CO2 emissions from airlines are fueling climate change will not reduce demand for air travel, he added, but innovation in biofuels could provide a solution in the next decade.

Virgin Atlantic's fleet of 38 planes all have four engines, and it has six four-engined Airbus A380 superjumbos on order.

But in April the airline said it was buying 15 of Boeing's new fuel-efficient carbon-composite 787 jets with two engines, which burn 27 percent less fuel than the Airbus A340s they will replace.

"Global warming has become a priority, but it also makes good economic sense to be eco-friendly," Branson told reporters, adding he favored two-engined jets for the future. "We've just announced the 787, which has two engines."

In the past Branson favored four-engined planes because he said passengers, staff and pilots preferred them.

But aviation's impact on the environment has become a hot topic in Britain this summer, with climate change protesters camping at London's Heathrow Airport to protest against the industry's rapid expansion.

From 3 percent of mankind's total contribution to global warming in 2005, aviation's emissions are set to rise by a factor of two to five by 2050, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a major report this year.

Branson, who was in London to promote the PICNIC environmental innovation competition, doubted travelers would be deterred by the figures and called on politicians to act.

"Realistically, flying is something people need to do and will do," he said. "I don't think people will change their habits if it affects their lifestyle."

"It's up to business leaders and politicians to come up with ways of reducing emissions," he added. "I suspect governments should make sure fuel prices don't drop."

Virgin is developing biofuels for aircraft alongside Boeing and engine-maker GE Aviation and plans to test them next year.

"We've said we will fly a jet engine on a 747 using biofuels sometime next year, people say the end of next year," said Branson. "But I believe we'll be able to bring that forward. We have to make sure it's economically viable to roll out across the Virgin fleet."

"Hopefully, ten years from now our planes can be carbon neutral," he added. "It's not just charitable. We've got to come up with a fuel that knocks oil for six."

Branson has pledged that for the next 10 years all profits from his 51 percent stakes in Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains will be invested in renewable energy.

"I've got a dirty business with my planes... Let's put some money into doing something about it," he said.

Branson also holds smaller stakes in Australian airline Virgin Blue, Malaysia's AirAsia X, US low-cost airline Virgin America and Virgin Nigeria. (Reuters)

Airbus Sees Booming Chinese Jet Demand

European plane-maker Airbus expects Chinese airlines will need up to 150 of its jets a year over the next five years, including its giant A380s, as Chinese carriers expand to serve a domestic and international travel boom.

Airbus foresees local carriers needing 113 of its A380s -- the world's largest passenger aircraft -- over the next two decades.

Asia and China are a pivotal battleground between Airbus and Boeing, both of whom are battling to sell airliners to the country's three top carriers: China Southern, China Eastern and Air China.

"Over the next year we will see incremental orders from China for A380," John Leahy, chief operating officer, customers, told reporters on the first day of the Asian Aerospace forum.

"The demand in the Chinese market will see, for us, around 100-150 aircraft each year for the foreseeable future (of around 5 years), which is one of the reasons that we decided to put our own assembly line in China."

Travel to and from China, the world's fourth-largest economy, is expected to continue climbing alongside its double-digit economic growth, dwindling restrictions and increasingly open skies.

Morgan Stanley estimates that global airline seat capacity will expand 3.8 percent in 2007 and 5.2 percent in 2008 -- driven largely by Asia. For Asia alone, those estimates rise to 8-9 percent for 2008-09, versus 5 percent in 2007.

Leahy did not say how Airbus had arrived at its forecasts.

Airbus, which this year is edging out Boeing in the annual race to sell planes globally after losing in 2006, expects its first assembled-in-China jet to be delivered in 2009. The assembly line in Tianjin should hit full capacity -- four planes a month -- in 2011, Leahy said.

China Southern Air, the country's largest carrier by fleet size, has placed five orders for the A380, on which Airbus has spent more than USD$10 billion developing. (Reuters)

Banyan Tree to operate first resort in Bodrum

Banyan Tree enters the Turkish market with the signing of a new management contract in Turkey. This follows on earlier announcements in the year on management deals in China and Mexico and furthers Banyan Tree’s continued expansion into new destinations around the world.

“This project exemplifies Banyan Tree’s ability to continually lead the markets by tapping into what we see as Bodrum’s yet unrealized potential as a high-end resort and vacation home ownership destination. Banyan Tree Bodrum is another key step in the Group’s diversification into key regions globally,” said Executive Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping.

In its first foray into Turkey, Banyan Tree will manage a boutique resort and residential development located in the northern coast of the Bodrum peninsula. Developed by Osmanli Yapi 1 Insaat Turizm Sanayi ve Tic. A.S., a subsidiary of the London listed Ottoman Fund, the resort will also include a 4,000 square meter spa facility featuring Banyan Tree’s spa treatments.

These new developments are not expected to have any material financial impact on the Group’s earnings and its net tangible assets for 2007.

Rania Deimezi - Tuesday, September 04, 2007

W Hotels to open first property in Indonesia

W Hotels will open its first property in Indonesia in 2009 as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide revealed. W Retreat & Spa-Bali will be the brand`s fourth retreat in the world, following the W Retreat & Spa-Maldives, which opened in September 2006, and the impending openings of W Retreat & Spa-Vieques, scheduled to open in late 2008, and W Retreat & Residences-Koh Samui, scheduled to open in 2009.

The newly built W Retreat & Spa-Bali will be located in the Seminyak area on the paradise isle of Bali, featuring 232 rooms, including 80 villas.

"Following the success of our first W Retreat & Spa, the award-winning W Maldives, W Retreat & Spa-Bali is a terrific extension of our brand`s growth in the Asia Pacific region," said Ross Klein, President, Starwood`s Luxury Brands Group. "The rich and deeply spiritual culture of Bali, combined with the cosmopolitan style and energy of Seminyak, provides a perfect setting for the newest edition to our Retreat & Spa product offering. With the announcement of W Retreat & Spa-Bali, the W brand continues to extend beyond the boundaries of everyday travel, offering a magical mix of sexy destinations and sublime design."

"We are thrilled with the signing of W Retreat & Spa-Bali, marking the entry of the W brand into Bali, undeniably one of the top-rated resort destinations in the world," said Miguel Ko, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific.

"The W Retreat & Spa - Bali will be a unique alternative to the more traditional Bali resorts. Located on a seven hectare absolute beachfront site in Seminyak, the resort will be within walking distance to Bali`s most trendy boutiques, galleries, restaurants and clubs. This addition of this retreat, coupled with The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien and Westin properties will certainly strengthen our presence in Bali," added Ko.

"We are thrilled that we will open W Retreat & Spa- Bali, the first W resort in Indonesia, and to start our partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts," said Magda Hutagalung, President Director of PT Dua Cahaya Anugrah. "Given the energy and style of the island, Bali, known as the most popular island destinations in the world, is certainly the most appropriate fit for the W brand," added Magda.

Fiona Jeffery appointed Chairman of WTM

Fiona Jeffery, Managing Director of World Travel Market, part of Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), has been appointed to the role of Chairman. She will be concentrating on the event’s strategic development, as well as building and developing Just a Drop and WTM’s World Responsible Tourism Day. Jeffery continues to report to Richard Mortimore, Managing Director of Reed Travel Exhibitions.

The day to day running of the global business event in London is to be undertaken by Craig Moyes, recently appointed Exhibition Director. He has spent 15 years in the exhibition industry, including experience in travel and tourism sectors.

In announcing the management changes, Richard Mortimore, Managing Director of RTE said: “Many congratulations to Fiona, who has been responsible for driving and developing the World Travel Market brand for 20 years. Her contribution to the evolvement and growth of the event has been exemplary. Craig Moyes appointment means that she will have more time to concentrate on key aspects of the business, including the development of partnerships. She will also continue her role as spokesperson for World Travel Market.”

Jeffery was instrumental in helping take these issues up the industry agenda. She has also increased the internationalism of World Travel Market and ensured its leading role as a major global business forum for the travel and tourism industry.

She founded Just a Drop on behalf of the international industry nine years ago, highlighting the importance of clean water, particularly for children under the age of five whose immune systems are unable to cope with dirty water. The charity, of which she is Chairman, has raised nearly $1.6m and helped over 800,000 children and their families living mostly in remote areas in 24 countries.

Moyes says he is looking forward to the new challenges of World Travel Market. He added: “There is no other business event on earth like World Travel Market and I feel privileged and delighted to be involved”.

In 1993, Moyes and his business partner successfully launched China International Boat Show in Shanghai, managing the event until 1996.

Michael Verikios - Monday, September 03, 2007

Kuoni concludes acquisition of Russia-based UTE Megapolus Group

Following approval of the transaction by the Russian competition authorities, Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. formally acquired a majority shareholding in Russia-based tour operator UTE Megapolus. Kuoni has acquired 80% of share capital under the transaction; the remaining 20% remain in the possession of the company’s founding shareholders.

UTE Megapolus specialises in providing high-quality leisure travel products for a more affluent clientele. Its product portfolio includes ski vacations in the Alpine region, beach holidays in Greece and Croatia, and India and China travel itineraries. The Moscow-based company has four sales outlets in the capital and one in Nizhny Novgorod, and generated total turnover of CHF 51 million last year with a workforce of around 200 personnel.

“I am delighted that we have now received formal approval of our acquisition from the Russian competition authorities,” says Armin Meier, CEO of the Kuoni Group. “The Russian tour operating market has seen annual growth of 10 to 15 per cent in the last few years. And it has massive further potential, especially in the field of providing high-quality travel products for more affluent customers. Our acquisition also fits exactly into our strategy of achieving further business growth in expanding markets and the specialist segment.” UTE Megapolus has won several awards within the Russian leisure travel sector for its branding and the high quality of its services over the past few years. The company distributes its products via its own sales offices and through independent travel agencies.

Eduard Kuznetsov, the company’s founder and former majority shareholder, will remain as CEO. He will report to Fons Brusselmans, Head of Business Unit Spirit, within the Kuoni organisation. All the present UTE Megapolus employees will also be retained. The parties agreed not to divulge the purchase price involved.

Singapore attracts highest numbers of business visitors

In total, close to 25,000 foreign delegates, contributing at least £13 million (SGD 40 million) to Singapore’s total Tourism Receipts, visited Singapore to attend various business events including the 27th International Epilepsy Congress, Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2007 and the World Glaucoma Congress 2007. The events encompassed all four segments of the MICE industry including Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Exhibitions. “The high concentration of business events in the month of July reaffirms Singapore’s position as a premier destination for high-level intellectual exchange and networking opportunities. Our strategic location and extensive connectivity, professional MICE industry, excellent infrastructure and strong knowledge-based economy all combine to make Singapore an ideal destination for MICE event organisers and visitors from all over the world,” said Mr Aloysius Arlando, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Travel and MICE Group, Singapore Tourism Board (STB). “Leveraging STB’s Strategic Cluster Approach*, we will continue to build on the momentum of working with Singapore Inc government agencies and private sector industry partners to create, develop and attract more business events which will provide the platform for intellectual exchange and collaboration thus adding impetus to drive Singapore’s key economic sectors.” Business Travel and MICE is identified as one of the key drivers of tourism in Singapore, with visitor arrivals constituting approximately 28 per cent of total visitor arrivals and 35 per cent of total tourism receipts (TR) or £1.3 billion (SGD 4 billion) in 2006. The STB aims to raise the contribution of the BTMICE sector to £3.5 billion (SGD 10.5 billion) while maintaining its overall proportionate share of total TR. The increase in business events taking place in Singapore follows the launch in 2006 of the “BE in Singapore or Business Events in Singapore” Incentive Scheme, a £56.6 million (SGD170 million) initiative by the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB) to finance the development of high calibre business events to be staged in Singapore over next five years (2006-2010). One of the first recipients of the scheme was Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2007 (18 – 22 July), the largest corporate meeting that Singapore has ever hosted with close to 16,000 delegates from 14 countries. The 27th International Epilepsy Congress (8 – 12 July) was one of the largest medical conventions in the world dedicated to epilepsy. It was jointly hosted by the Singapore Epilepsy Society (SEC) and the Singapore Epilepsy Foundation (SEF), and organised by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE). Both ILAE and IBE are non-profit organisations with official links to the World Health Organization. “Singapore is an ideal venue for international congresses as it’s easily accessible with a state-of-the-art telecommunications network and an excellent infrastructure. There are countless hotels to suit all budgets and cosmopolitan cuisine to suit all tastes thanks to its international makeup. It is a welcoming, clean, and above all, safe place, something that is of paramount importance to today’s international business traveller,” said Mr Richard Holmes, International Director of Meetings, ILAE and IBE. The Congress brought together clinicians and researchers from different continents, facilitating the exchange of knowledge about this medical condition. Participants shared scientific and educational programmes that covered clinical updates and treatments. The programme also catered to clinicians who are non-epileptologists and allied health professionals who provide epilepsy care. Amidst intensifying competition, Singapore is keenly aware of the need to continually re-invent itself to remain a relevant, compelling and appealing MICE destination. Mr Arlando said: “Singapore is moving beyond being merely an efficient and effective venue. We strive to be a catalyst for business success and an exchange capital of the world where people, technology and ideas converge to create value for both business events and visitors.” With new developments such as the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort and the redevelopment of the Marina Bay area into a vibrant MICE hub that will offer up to 200,000 sqm of convention and exhibition space, as well as exciting and enriching leisure and entertainment options, the stage is set for the SECB to partner the industry to attract, create and grow even more strategic business events. Theodore Koumelis - Monday, September 03, 2007

Revenues from ancillary services an underdeveloped area in Indian aviation market

76% of Full Service Carrier(FSC) passengers and just under 79% of Low Cost Carrier (LCC) passengers in the Indian domestic aviation market were extremely, perhaps surprisingly, prepared to pay for in-flight catering if traveling on an LCC according to a new survey by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Only 29% of FSC and 21% of LCC passengers expressed a willingness to pay for LCC in-flight entertainment.

In regard to accommodation services, less than 7% of surveyed FSC and LCC passengers had arranged accommodation using the airline’s website.

Nearly 63% of FSC buyers used a travel agent to arrange accommodation, virtually the same as LCC buyers (nearly 64%).

These responses would draw to the conclusion that non-ticket revenues represent a largely untapped revenue potential for Indian airlines. Furthermore, as retail opportunities definitely exist in the Indian aviation sector (see Part 4 of this survey), it is logical to assume that airlines could also look at in-flight sales as an additional source of ancillary revenue.

These areas of activity could forseeably play a role in returning some LCCs to profitability earlier than expected.

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, September 03, 2007

Aviation industry registers record traffic volumes

Year-on-year passenger demand was up 5.9% for July 2007 over July 2006 while passenger demand grew 6.2% during the January-July period over the same period in 2006 according to traffic results released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for July 2007 .

Other highlights are:

• Much of this growth is facilitating economic development as business traffic is growing faster than economy traffic on long-haul routes.
• The average passenger load factor hit a record 81% in July, up 0.3% from the previous high in July 2006.



• With the exception of April 2007, monthly load factors have risen every month during the past two years.



• The average load factor during January-July 2007 was 76.5%, up from 76% recorded during the same period in 2006.
• Airlines in the Middle East continued the double-digit growth seen over the last three years with demand growth of 18.8% in July. Improved demand growth in Asia Pacific (5.5%) and Europe (4.5%), which together comprise almost two-thirds of total international traffic, boosted overall July results.

“Efficiency is the story of the summer. More people are travelling than ever before with airlines registering a monthly record of over 220 billion revenue passenger kilometres in July with record load factors. Combine that with a 10.5% improvement in fuel efficiency and a 56% increase in labour productivity since 2002 and it’s clear industry efficiencies have hit an all-time high,” said Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO of IATA. “But there are risks. If the volatility in global stock markets begins to affect the wider economy, the spin-off effect could put a drag on demand. Airlines will have to maintain a prudent approach to adding new capacity.”

From 18 to 28 September the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will meet in Montreal. Aviation and the environment will be the number one issue discussed.

“Industry efficiency translates into improved environmental performance. Airlines contribute 2% of manmade C02. IATA’s vision is to do even better. We are targeting carbon neutral growth in the near term. And in the longer-term our goal is nothing less than to become carbon-free. The challenge for the 190 contracting States of ICAO is to deliver the global political leadership needed to bring this vision to reality,” said Bisignani.

Industry Registers Record Traffic Volumes, Load Factors in July

July 2007 vs July 2006	RPK Growth	ASK Growth	PLF
Africa	5.9%	6.1%	71.7
Asia/Pacific	5.5%	4.9%	78.5
Europe	4.5%	4.2%	82.1
Latin America	6.7%	8.2%	79.5
Middle East	18.8%	14.4%	80.2
North America	3.7%	4.2%	85.6
Industry	5.9%	5.5%	81.0

Jan-July 2007 vs Jan-July 2006	RPK Growth	ASK Growth	PLF
Africa	9.6%	7.6%	68.4
Asia/Pacific	6.1%	5.2%	75.0
Europe	4.9%	4.2%	77.2
Latin America	2.0%	2.6%	72.7
Middle East	16.8%	13.7%	75.3
North America	4.9%	4.8%	81.1
Industry	6.2%	5.5%	76.5

RPK: Revenue Passenger Kilometres measures actual passenger traffic ASK: Available Seat Kilometres measures available passenger capacity PLF: Passenger Load Factor is % of ASKs used. In comparison of 2007 to 2006, PLF indicates point differential between the periods compared.

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, September 03, 2007