Caution for buyer nations of fighter jet

THE US Government watchdog has issued a warning to nations, including Australia, planning to buy the Joint Strike Fighter jet.

In its latest report on the jet, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has cautioned the Pentagon and others over any move to buy the jet before testing is completed.

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is almost certain to confirm Australia's purchase of up to 100 of the jets in the Defence white paper due some time before June.

Final tests on the jet are not expected to be done until 2014.

Buying jets while they are still being tested "does not seem prudent", the GAO report said.

The office also pointed to a massive blowout in US government spending on the technologically advanced jet, suggesting the Pentagon's plan to fast track purchases could add as much as $A45.84 billion to the cost.

The jet's manufacturer Lockheed Martin said in a statement that "the overall health of the F-35 program is sound in all areas''.

There have been conflicting suggestions about the number of jets Australia might buy now the global financial crisis has hit every government department.

Some reports suggest Defence may buy only 75.

Late last month Mr Fitzgibbon announced 12 of 24 Boeing Super Hornets on order for the RAAF would be rewired so they can be readily upgraded.

The upgrade may be a trade-off for fewer JSF jets.

Under plans launched by the former Coalition Government, the RAAF's ageing F-111 bombers will be retired in 2010.

The RAAF's current fleet of F/A-18 Hornets will remain in service but will be gradually replaced by the JSF from 2015.

To ensure there was no gap between retirement of the F-111s and the arrival of the JSF, the then Government ordered the Super Hornets at a cost of $6bn.

The first Australian Super Hornets will be delivered next year.

Develop Marketing Strategy With Predictable ROI

New Book - Formula For marketing Success - Illustrates how to predict results, in advance and how to make it happen.


Montrose, CO, April 20, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Gerald Harrington's New Book- “Formula For marketing Success” – Illustrating, how to predict marketing results is now available.

Predicting the outcome is absolutely possible, and author, Gerald Harrington has detailed a book that will prove this and more. Formula for Marketing Success is easy to understand and will make believers of us all.

The main purpose of “Formula For Marketing Success” was to outline how to predict results, perhaps even better known as Return On Investment (ROI), in advance of making the marketing expenditure. You will see the methods used in developing actual programs wherein each reached 94% of the projected goal.

To best understand the process of setting an objective one must first determine if the goal or objective is reasonably obtainable. Objectives cannot be outside the scope of the capabilities. There also must be an appreciation for gathering all the facts. It is only with all the information can a true target objective be structured.

Harrington said. “Having developed and implemented marketing campaigns for more than twenty-five years I personally have predicted resulting within ten percent and what was even more exciting was that 6% was the average”.

Writing was never Harrington’s interest yet wanting to document how strategies are concluded became the primary thought and what could be better than to gathered it from actual experience. Then at prompting from associates, “Formula For Marketing Success” came to be.

Mr. Harrington’s career included engineering, in new product development, national sale director and as GM of 480 employee manufacturing facility. These experiences provided a solid background when Harrington launched into the field of market consulting. His expertise made it easy to communicate with the various decision makers within the corporate structure.

So that the book would not be outdated at the first printing Harrington spent nearly two years researching Internet marketing for the last chapter titled, "Internet Yes or No?" This now will most likely be Harrington’s next area of interest. His answer, when asked about the area of Internet marketing, was, “Many known marketing principles can be employed for Internet marketing however, it must be used in a very disciplined manor. While the consumer remains virtually the same buying methods are changing and the Internet marketer must both comply and at the same time attempt to direct to stay above the “Internet Noise Level.”

Top attendance for HSMAI`s travel internet marketing strategy conference

With an early registration roster of more than 160 executives, a sought-after-level line-up of presenters including Kayak and Travelocity founder, Terry Jones, and new features such as a ‘podcast’ of the blog panel, the 6th HSMAI Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference to be held at the Hilton New York on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 is anticipating a huge success.

From presidents and CEOs, to vice presidents of global marketing, eCommerce and distribution, attendance will be a remarkable cross-section of top-level executives from the hospitality and online marketplace, such as Microsoft Corp., MeriStar Hospitality, Hotwire, Amtrak, Google, VEGAS.com, VISIT FLORIDA, The Hertz Corporation, American Express, Best Western International, Inc., Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group and TripAdvisor.

The event will held in conjunction with TIA’s TravelCom. A highly interactive program of discussions on hot topics including metrics, blogs, legal issues and best practices, as well as an aggregation of trends from multiple research reports, the conference will deliver an in-depth look at what’s happening online – customers, their attitudes and behavior.

Also on the agenda is a timely keynote address on “The Internet Landscape in 2006 and Beyond” by Michael Tchong, trends analyst, Ubercool LLC, who was recently called “the most influential trendspotter in America” by London’s The Daily Telegraph.

“We are very excited to offer such a compelling program with a distinguished group of leading Internet marketing experts and visionaries, bringing to light some global trends, topical issues and projections for the future,” notes James Zito, director, interactive marketing & development, Affinia Hotels and The Benjamin, and co-chair of the Hotel Internet Marketing Committee.

“Our goal is to have all those in attendance walk away with at least one item they can action and get positive results, whether they are beginning to venture into this exciting medium or have years of experience and best practices,” states Karmela Gaffney, director, eCommerce, Best Western International, and co-chair of the Hotel Internet Marketing Committee.

A one-of-a-kind event, the conference is targeted to individuals who are in corporate and regional positions dedicated to Internet marketing and for those who want to learn more.

Theodore Koumelis - Friday, April 14, 2006