Friday, March 2, 2012

James Montgomery, CEO, Montgomery & Company

(This is not a legal transcript. Bloomberg LP cannot guarantee its accuracy.)

JAMES MONTGOMERY, CEO, MONTGOMERY & COMPANY, IS INTERVIEWED AT BLOOMBERG TV

JUNE 2, 2011

SPEAKERS: MICHAEL CRUMPTON, BLOOMBERG NEWS ANCHOR

JAMES MONTGOMERY, CEO, MONTGOMERY & COMPANY

14:31

MICHAEL CRUMPTON, BLOOMBERG NEWS ANCHOR: Well, while the beer and beverage industries have been hot with merger activity, my next guest says that there's an even hotter area M&A - IT and cyber security. He should know. He runs one of the best-known investment banks that caters to technology, healthcare and media.

Joining me from our San Francisco bureau for the third part of our series, "The Real Deal," is James Montgomery, the CEO and Founder of Montgomery & Company.

Mr. Montgomery, welcome to "Bottom Line." Thanks for coming on today.

JAMES MONTGOMERY, CEO, MONTGOMERY & COMPANY: Thank you, Mark.

CRUMPTON: Sir, you say that the IT security sector is the gift that keeps on giving for investment bankers. Why?

MONTGOMERY: Well, there's continued innovation by growth companies. And the threat keeps changing and the larger companies have to keep adding solutions to their product suite so they keep acquiring the growth companies.

CRUMPTON: Sir, if I might ask, then, because of the announcement that we were hearing this week out of Washington, that some of our lawmakers, some of the people in charge, are taking the cyber security threat seriously and perhaps saying that in the future, we should look at this as a threat to national security and proceed as necessary.

MONTGOMERY: Well, it's been a big issue for a while. I think it was sort of ignored. We've had advanced persistent threat from the Chinese, the North Koreans, the Russians, various countries - Iranians and now, the government's woken up and is very belligerent about the threat.

I think last weekend, the hacking of the RSA security and Lockheed discussing how they're under attack really woke up a number of the lawmakers in Washington.

CRUMPTON: Well, if we look at the history of the venture-backed M&A market this year, it looks like it's going to be a very good one. Do you expect it to be a record?

MONTGOMERY: It could be. Certainly, in the number of deals, between 2000 and 2007, there are about 450 venture-backed M&A deals a year. We're probably between 550 and 650 this year. So certainly be a record. It could go higher. It could be as much as 750 deals a year.

So absolutely, it's a very robust time as a number of reasons for that obviously.

CRUMPTON: What sectors of the venture-backed M&A landscape are the hottest right now and why?

MONTGOMERY: Well, first of all, you have a number of the large buyers who are cashed up. And they're in industries that are consolidating. And they will need to make acquisitions to broaden their product suites. And there's a number of sectors that have been completely dis-intermediated by a technology innovation.

So we see a software as a service as (ph) platform companies being very inquisitive as they have a model there to attract customers. And acquisitions can be very accretive to him. We see a lot of areas and acquisitions in the cyber security area as discussed.

We see the internet space returning with quite a few deal transactions there as well. Q1 kind of reflects those trends as well.

CRUMPTON: Mr. Montgomery, why are venture-backed companies now moving into a wave of consolidation? Is that a risky thing to do given the economy that we're in right now?

MONTGOMERY: Look, IT spending was very strong in the Q1. I think you really have kind of a two-tiered economy. Housing is tough. Some of the financial markets are tough. You know, manufacturing is starting to take hold. And technology spending - a number of the companies had record Q1s.

Mobile is continuing to grow. The internet share of advertising is continuing to grow. So you know, overall, the economy is starting to recover. And some parts of the economy are doing extremely well. And that's reflected in what we're talking about today.

CRUMPTON: Yes. Let's discuss the private company landscape right now. You break it into three groups. The first is secured content and threat management. And we see a company like Fidelis. Are these prime candidates to be snapped up by a Microsoft or even an Oracle?

MONTGOMERY: Probably more of the security players. I mean, we're talking specifically about cyber security. Fidelis has deep packet inspections. They really look at what's coming across the internet in terms of corporate threats. Quite a bit of their business is with the U.S. government market.

They're growing rapidly. This is an area that, you know, is really deserves quite a bit of attention in IT spending. So at some point in time, they're going to be large enough to have a lot of interest from a Symantec of McAfee which is now a part of Intel or some of the larger players who really need to have that expertise.

CRUMPTON: Now, your second group in private IT companies is the secure and vulnerability management sector. And we see a company like Solara (ph). Why would big companies be interested in it?

MONTGOMERY: Well, it's interesting. Last weekend, we read about the RSA tokens being broken. And I was discovered by a company called NetWitness. NetWitness was recently acquired by EMC which also owns RSA.

And the network forensic software that NetWitness used and they've sold for about 10 times their software revenue. So it was a big multiple. It was absolutely critical for them to maintain their edge in security. Solara (ph) is one of the few companies remaining independent in that area.

Whether you're a government contract or a large IT vendor, you're going to need that expertise. And you know, I'd expect that we (ph) will be knocking on their doors, too. I mean, when you have a great company and you're growing rapidly, you're constantly going to have options whether as to go public or get sold or financed.

And you know, some industries, you know, just attract a lot of attention. And this is an area that's just going to have a lot of heat around it.

CRUMPTON: Yes.

MONTGOMERY: And these are, you know, the best companies always get the highest offers.

CRUMPTON: And you have a third group as well - identity and access management. A company in that space, for example, is Simplified. Why would this company be snapped up by the big guys?

MONTGOMERY: Well, I think they probably can grow a big company there. But you know, the security space, the number one issue that people on moving to the cloud is security and access. And you know, there's some companies out there and Simplified is one.

They're just doing a great job of controlling access and managing the access and single sign-on. And it's just a great company. They can grow a billion dollar company in that space. And I imagine they'll probably do something like that.

And someone tries to buy them along the way, that would make sense. But you know, I think they could grow a really big company in that space. And it's a big problem. It's an opportunity for a number of people to grow big companies. And they have a good management team.

I see that, you know, as being just a hot company. And again, any hot company will have a number of exit (ph) alternatives.

CRUMPTON: Yes. Mr. Montgomery, speaking of hot companies, we've been showing our viewers on the screen that you founded your company back in 1986. It's been 25 years. That's a quarter of a century.

MONTGOMERY: Yes.

CRUMPTON: Do you ever recall during that time...

MONTGOMERY: Yes.

CRUMPTON: ...seeing this much velocity in the sector?

MONTGOMERY: Yes, this reminds me of 2007, 2008. There are good companies. The private financing markets are more robust than I've ever seen. There's some unique aspects of the market, a secondary market where companies are buying founder shares...

CRUMPTON: Yes.

MONTGOMERY: ...and providing liquidity to the founder is unique. The old days, companies will go public a little bit earlier in the mid to late nineties. Now, you're having a large private investment coming in and taking the role of the early IPOs.

The IPO market is coming back. You know, it will never be what it was. But the private capital markets are certainly the most robust. I think M&A is on a steady recovery and one that we'll see build over the next three or four years.

CRUMPTON: And then seeing over the next three or four years, as you mentioned, is M&A the space to be if you're looking for growth? We were talking to some people earlier this week.

And for the health care sector for one example, it might be better to make an M&A deal because research and development would take too much time.

MONTGOMERY: Well, yes, health care has been a tough sector with the, you know, FDA being slow to approve companies, the concerns about what can be reimbursed. You know, if things become clear there or there are consumer disposable, people are going to spend their own money on, I think you'll see a lot pick up.

The big biotech companies and pharma companies have a lot of drugs coming off of patent and they need to replace that revenue stream. So clearly, they'll be making defensive acquisitions just to maintain their scale.

CRUMPTON: James Montgomery, he's the CEO and Founder of Montgomery & Company, joining us from San Francisco. Mr. Montgomery, thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate it.

MONTGOMERY: Thank you very much. A pleasure to be here.

CRUMPTON: You, too.

14:39

***END OF TRANSCRIPT***

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REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA ISSUES MAIL SHEET OF ORDER REGARDING REGULATORY COST CHARGE QUARTERLY RETURN FOR CERTIFICATE 488

JUNEAU, Alaska, Jan. 17 -- The Regulatory Commission of Alaska issued the following mail sheet:

Type: Reports & Studies (Finance)-RCC Quarterly Report 47.050(a),(b)

Date Filed: 1/17/2011

Tracking Number: TR1100228

Filed By: JASON G. OLSON

Entities: AT&T Alaska

Certificate(s): 488

Means Received: Internet

Related Matters

488_1172011.txt: http://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/ViewFile.aspx?id=fe65ab50-f798-4773-8672-8222876885a8 For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

CODE SMART, COLLECT SOONER

Why do legitimate claims for dental services get delayed, rejected or sent back for more information? According to dental claims review experts, most returns and rejections could be avoided with a combination of more complete clinical information and careful form completion.

Richard Celko, DMD, MBA, and Certified Dental Consultant (CDC) is the national dental director of utilization management for Aetna and president-elect of the American Association of Dental Consultants (AADC), the professional organization for dental benefits consulting, dental claims management and plan administration. "The most important thing," says Mr. Celko, "is to make sure the claim submitted has accurate patient and provider information."

Claims software often does not auto-populate fields correctly. Missing phone numbers, signatures or Social Security numbers will often cause a claim to be delayed or rejected. If a patient is covered under an employer's dental plan and has recently changed companies or initiated treatment under one carrier and is completing treatment under a new carrier, those changes should be noted to explain the treatment continuum.

Vicki Anderson is the president of American Dental Support, LLC, editor of Insurance Solutions Newsletter and an AADC affiliate member. She is a frequent speaker on dental coding issues and taught at the ADA Annual Session in 2005. According to Ms. Anderson, something as simple as using a patient's nickname instead of a full name ("Bob" instead of "Robert") can lead to rejection, as can a missing/incorrect birth date, address or plan/group number. The dentist's office address should be correct, too. "A surprising number of payment checks are returned to insurance companies marked 'moved, no forwarding address,'" Anderson says.

Since the dental plan does not have a patient's full medical record, medical conditions that impact treatment choices, such as the presence of braces or other orthodontia, should be noted. Progress notes must provide full explanation. Notes should be sufficiently detailed to show the need, history and treatment planned, and explain whether adjunctive procedures are or will be performed. Legibility counts, too.

"Ask yourself - if I didn't know the situation, would I understand the treatment?" says Jerome Blum, DDS, 2005 president of the AADC, a Certified Dental Consultant and a dental director at LJCCI. Complicated treatment plans require a rationale or letter of explanation, says Dr. Blum, as well as X-rays and perio charts.

Knowing the carrier's standards for frequency of treatment is important. If a medical condition or accident requires deviating from the norm, that exception must be documented in the remarks section for reviewers to consider. Dental work resulting from an accident - such as a car crash - may be covered under a patient's medical plan.

The claim form should have the proper taxpayer identification number (TIN) for the dentist. It is also important to note procedure codes accurately and to make sure that the procedure submitted is the procedure performed. "Always make sure the treatment performed matches the description as identified in the most current CDT manual," Dr. Celko advises. Obsolete CDT codes may also cause rejection, notes Vicki Anderson.

Every insurance company has different requirements, but some of the larger companies post their guidelines on the Internet. Offices that submit electronic claims through National Electronic Attachments (NEA) can obtain carrier requirements at the NEA web site (www.nea-tastattach.com).

Radiographs ("X-rays") are a common problem - both for claims submitters and claims reviewers. Submitters are often unsure when an X-ray is necessary. Reviewers report that many X-rays cannot be read because they are too dark, overexposed, handled incorrectly during processing or corrupted with chemical residue that leaves specks on the image and makes it impossible to interpret. Dr. Celko emphasizes the importance of submitting quality diagnostics.

"If the X-ray is not definitive as to the need, you need a narrative to define the need," according to Dr. Blum. Films should be oriented to note right and left, since tooth #30 looks the same as tooth #19 without markings.

Tom Limoli, Jr., the author of numerous textbooks on the administration and payment of benefit claims for over 25 years and an AADC affiliate member, is president of Limoli and Associates, sums it up this way: "Your clinical record must...tell them what you are looking for, tell them what you are looking at, tell them what you found."

Back-office processes also result in claim delay and rejection. Without complete charting to industry standards, information may not be available to fill out forms adequately. This means having proper tooth numbers, updated treatment notes and full treatment explanations. Noting when treatment was initiated is also very important.

"Remember that the consultant reviewing the claim does not have the benefit of being able to see the patient clinically," says Ms. Anderson. "A film can't show the whole three-dimensional view of the tooth," she adds. Dr. Blum estimates that many perio charts submitted do not agree with the X-rays on the same claim. Such discrepancies lead to delay or rejection.

Ms. Anderson further states that "Clinical staff often only document the services that were performed, but fail to document why the services were performed." Frequently, the chart itself does not provide the explanation. According to a web poll by Insurance Solutions Newsletter, when asked "How would you describe your dental office's chart notes?" 63% of respondents said, "There is definitely room for improvement," 22% percent characterized the notes as, "Very thorough and detailed," 8% said, "Our chart notes are woefully inadequate," 5% were not sure what needed to be documented, and 2% did not know general standards for documentation.

At a minimum, says Anderson, good chart notes should include:

* The patient's medical history

* The patient's chief complaint

* The diagnosis

* treatment plan

* Office visit dates and a description of services rendered at each visit

* A description of all radiographs taken and diagnostic models made, identified with the patient's name and the date

* The date, dosage and amount of any medication prescribed, dispensed or administered to the patient

* A record of the recommendations and referrals for treatment/consultation made to the patient, even if the patient chooses not to follow them.

Jerome Blum says that claims should only be submitted once. Claim clearinghouses often automatically resubmit claims if they have not been paid within a certain number of days. This generates duplicate submissions. If a claim appears to be delayed, he advises calling to follow up. Electronic claim filing is often a faster, more efficient choice because it minimizes handling and reduces the possibility of attachments being separated from the claim. When filing a claim for secondary insurance, Ms. Anderson notes that including the explanation of benefits (EOB) from the primary carrier is necessary.

Because carriers' requirements differ - and self-insured companies set their own rules - the ultimate responsibility for understanding coverage lies with the patient. Treatment that may be necessary and appropriate still may not be covered by contract. That is why an upfront benefits determination and a discussion of financial responsibility with the patient are essential.

"Not confirming eligibility immediately prior to treatment," is what Mr. Limoli calls the number one "deadly dental insurance mistake" (also see sidebar: Top Reasons Claims Are Rejected). He also points out that it is important to separate benefit assessment from financial arrangements. "Be certain you have written financial objectives established and agreed to prior to the initiation of treatment, as well as insurance consideration," he advises.

"Most claims are denied for contractual, rather than professional, reasons," agrees Dr. Blum. Although insurers vary widely on their protocols, some of the things that can trigger additional review and delay - include:

* Procedures that are commonly miscoded

* Procedures that are frequently abused

* Coverage under an ASO account (companies that are self-insured)

* Whether the service is temporary or definitive

* Service that appears to be inappropriate for the patient's age without explanatory documentation

* Exceeding the frequency expectation for a type of service without explanation of medical necessity

* Service that is preparatory for additional future services without explanation of the treatment plan.

The best way to speed claims processing is to understand the requirements of the insurance plans your office accepts. Take advantage of online documentation, plan-specific coding manuals and provider liaisons to find appropriate codes. Contact your provider representative if problems persist.

[Sidebar]

AADC members - practicing dental benefits consultants as well as representatives from all levels of the insurance industry - have a passion for responsible management of dental claims to meet the needs of patients, dentists and the insurance industry. As dentists and dental benefits consultants, AADC members are in a unique position to bridge the gap between insurer and provider. AADC members, many of whom are dentists, share a commitment to helping eligible patients, dentists and benefit companies get the right benefits to the right people and "do the right thing." AADC welcomes insurance professionals and non-dentists involved in the dental benefits industry as affiliate members. For more information on AADC and affiliate membership, visit www.aadc.org.

[Sidebar]

Top Reasons Claims Are Rejected

1. Using a patient's nickname instead of his/her full name

2. Substituting a dependent's Social Security number instead of the insured's number, or providing no number at all

3. Missing or incorrect patient DOB or address

4. Missing or incorrect plan/group number

5. Incorrect address or phone number for the dental practice

6. Missing or incorrect dental license number or TIN

7. Tooth number, quadrant, surface or arch not shown on claim form

8. Missing or incorrect treatment date

9. No date of prior placement for replacement of crowns, bridges, partial/ complete dentures

10. Primary EOB not included with secondary claim

11. Illegible handwriting

12. Incorrect or obsolete CDT codes

Source: Vicki Anderson, American Dental Support, LLC.

Census Bureau Reports State Retirement Systems Assets Fall $641 Billion in 2009

Latest Report Shows Two Consecutive Years of Loss in InvestmentEarnings

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thenation's state retirement systems totaled $2.0 trillion in holdingsand assets in 2009, a loss of $641.3 billion (24.0 percent) from$2.7 trillion in 2008, according to new data from the U.S. CensusBureau. This follows a $152.2 billion loss the previous year. (SeeTable 1)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

These large decreases are mostly attributed to a $484.9 billiondecrease in earnings on investments between 2008 and 2009, followinga loss of $439.8 billion the previous year. Retirement systems havesubstantial investments in financial markets and consequentlyearnings are dependent on changes in market performance.

These new data come from the 2009 Annual Survey of Public-Employee Retirement Systems, which reports the annual financialactivity for the nation's 222 state administered public employeeretirement systems, including cash and security investmentsholdings, securities, receipts and payments. Data are shown for thenation and individual states. For the first time, this data set willalso include actuarial liability data, which projects the totalobligation required to cover costs for providing pensions to formerand present employees.

Receipts

In 2009, investment earnings lost $524.0 billion, reflecting atotal receipts decrease of $484.9 billion, the second year of lossesfollowing a decrease of $439.8 billion in 2008. (See Table 2)

Total contributions were $64.8 billion in 2009, with employeecontributions increasing 5.4 percent to $33.3 billion.

Cash and Security Investment Holdings

Among the cash and security holdings for public pensions,government securities fell 17.0 percent in 2009 to $163.9 billionfrom $197.6 billion in 2008. This follows a decline of 12.9 percentin the previous year. Government securities comprised 8.1 percent ofthe total cash and security holdings of all state employeeretirement systems. Other investments (e.g., real property andmiscellaneous investments) decreased 10.5 percent in 2009 to $328.4billion.

Nongovernmental securities (e.g., corporate bonds and stocks,mortgages, funds held in trust, foreign and internationalsecurities, and other securities) were $1.5 trillion in 2009, a 28.8percent decrease from 2008. Nongovernmental securities comprised71.6 percent of total cash and security holdings. Corporate stocksmade up the greatest amount of nongovernmental securities at 45.4percent, totaling $658.8 billion in 2009, a 30.7 percent declinefrom the previous year.

Total federal securities, total corporate bonds and othernongovernmental securities also saw decreases. Gains were reportedin mortgages ($14.1 billion) and funds held in trust ($62.8 billion)in 2009.

Payments

Covered payroll -- payments made to active employees on whichcontributions to a pension plan is based -- increased by 5.1 percentto $563.5 billion in 2009 from $535.9 billion in 2008. Pensionobligations also saw an increase of 4.1 percent. (See Table 6.)

Total payments in 2009 were $161.7 billion, a 2.7 percentincrease from 2008. This increase was because of a 5.9 percentincrease in benefits totaling $151.9 billion. (See Table 3.)

"Census Bureau data is critical in providing a single,consolidated source of information regarding the entire publicpension community," said Keith Brainard, research director for theNational Association of State Retirement Administrators. "Combinedwith other data the Census Bureau provides on state and localgovernment finance, the result is a mosaic of facts and figures thatfosters analysis and insight into this community."

Data are shown for individual retirement systems and foraggregate national and state levels. The structure of retirementsystems varies widely among states. In some jurisdictions, state andlocal government employees are vested in a small number of statewidesystems.

Additional data from the Annual Survey of Public-EmployeeRetirement Systems for fiscal year 2009 is scheduled for release inSummer 2011.

The Internet tables are from the Annual Survey of Public-Employee Retirement Systems for fiscal year 2009. The data in thesetables are from all state-administered public employee retirementsystems and as such are not subject to sampling variability. Thedata are subject to coverage, response and processing errors as wellas errors of nonresponse. For more information on the datalimitations, definitions and methodology, see http://www.census.gov/govs/retire/how_data_collected.html.

For more information on realized and unrealized gains/losses, seeSection 7.2.2, Measurement Issues: Valuation, of the 2006 GovernmentFinance and Employment Classification Manual at http://www.census.gov/govs/classification/.

Detailed tables

Briana Kaya301-763-3030/3762 (fax)email: pio@census.govPublicInformation Office, 301-763-1225

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

60 SECOND BRIEFING

SNP In Aberdeen, Alex Salmond published a poll showing 71-percent public support for scrapping the council tax, then flew toStornoway to campaign in the Western Isles marginal seat. The partygave details of its campaign tactics, with one million leafletsbeing published, a cinema advert featuring Sir Sean Connery,hundreds of billboards and internet innovations. It is claimedmembership is up, and the campaign fund has passed GBP1.5m.

LABOUR Jack McConnell attacked his Nationalist rival, AlexSalmond, for not answering economic questions posed by Labour, andfor his reluctance to take questions at press conferences. The FirstMinister spent the Bank Holiday in Largs and Loch Lomond talkingtourism, setting a goal of increasing its income value by 50-percent within eight years, and with a promise to create an elite golfacademy for secondary pupils, based in Nairn.

CONSERVATIVES Annabel Goldie was also campaigning in Largs. Atthe start of Mental Health Week, she promised GBP10m extra formental health, to improve services and work with the voluntarysector. A Tory internet image targeted Labour, with a vase of wiltedroses and the message: "Labour has had its day."

LIBDEMS The LibDems promised 1000 more teachers to reduce classsizes and boost individualised teaching. In Aberdeen, leader NicolStephen said the priority is to have no more than 25 pupils inprimary one to three. There was an attack on Tories for allocatingmore of their new spending priorities to roadbuilding rather thanhealth.

OTHERS The new Scottish Voice/NHS First party published its listof candidates, targeting seats around Monklands Hospital, with SusanWighton, former "Angel of Beirut" as northeast list candidate, andwith millionaire funder Archie Stirling standing in MidScotland andFife. Green justice spokesman Patrick Harvie argued for moreChildren's Panel funding, and more effort to tackle the causes ofcrime. Solidarity said Labour had stolen its policy for cuttingScottish Water bills.

TODAY'S AGENDA Labour will be launching its manifesto in Glasgow,while Scottish Socialists are publishing their plans at Hampden.Alex Salmond is in North Uist, launching the SNP's Gaelic strategy.Nicol Stephen is with former leader Charles Kennedy, talkinghealthcare in the Gordon marginal, while Annabel Goldie is talkingpolice officers in Edinburgh.

QUOTE THE Greens' Patrick Harvie, on rivals' plans for crime andpunishment: "Anyone who is happy with the status quo will be spoiledfor choice in May."

P.S.

SNP MP Angus MacNeil was lying low on his Barra croft afteradmitting to drunken fumblings with two 17 and 18-year-old girls inShetland two years ago. It emerged yesterday that he had signed upto Commons motions decrying teenage peer pressure for sex. Screamingheadline of the day was in the Sun: "I'm a Love Rat Nat."

Gym: Gymnast taken to hospital after Olympic fall


AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2004
Gym: Gymnast taken to hospital after Olympic fall

ATHENS, Aug 23 Reuters - Russian Olympic gymnast Alexei Bondarenko was taken to hospital
for tests tonight after falling during the men's vault final.

The 2000 silver medallist, with nothing to celebrate on his 26th birthday, landed awkwardly
after both his vaults and lay on the floor of the hall in evident distress with his hands
covering his face.

He was attended to and then carried away on a stretcher.

Organisers said in a statement that Bondarenko had suffered an injury of the lumbar
spine and had been taken to the KAT hospital for further tests.

Bondarenko qualified in second place for the final but landed on his stomach after
the first vault and ended up sprawled on his back after the second, for which he received
no score. He was classified last.

Reuters sp

KEYWORD: OLY GYM FALL

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Pet store owner robbed near shop


AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2004
Vic: Pet store owner robbed near shop

MELBOURNE, April 18 AAP - A pet shop owner was robbed after locking up his shop in
Melbourne's east tonight.

The 48-year-old was walking to his car, which was parked behind the shop in Colchester
Road, Kilsyth South, when the robber approached him about 6.45pm (AEST).

The robber extended his arm as if holding a gun and demanded the car keys and a briefcase
containing the day's takings.

He fled in a white 2003 Nissan Patrol utility.

The man, who had a mask on, is described as being of solid build. He wore a dark jacket
and shorts.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

AAP kw

KEYWORD: PET

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.