2

Microsoft head honcho Steve Ballmer will return to CES in January 2012, kicking off theconsumer technology tradeshow with a preshow keynote, the fourth time he’ll be taking thestage to do so.

“We are pleased to welcome Microsoft back to the CES keynote stage,” said Gary Shapiro,president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which owns andproduces CES.

The 2012 International CES is scheduled January 10-13, 2012, in LasThe 2012 International CES is scheduled January 10-13, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada.CEA says the full line-up of 2012 International CES keynote addresses will be announcedin coming months.

Ballmer’s preshow keynote address is slated for 6:30 PM on Monday, January 9, inThe Venetian.

Microsoft has used the CES keynote stage in previous years to unveil products like theoriginal Xbox and Avatar Kinect.

3

Without any Government Bailouts!By Shani Burton JohnsonFord wants you to know. They make great affordable cars.

Derrick Kuzak is Ford Motor Co.'s Ford Group Vice President of Global ProductDevelopment. He leads a team responsible for bringing to world markets moreFord vehicles people want with greater efficiency. For instance, the newFord Fiesta is an example of a single vehicle line being developed foFord Fiesta is an example of a single vehicle line being developed for sale in adiverse array of global markets. Kuzak began his global role in December, 2006.Before that, he joined Ford's American Leadership Team in August, 2005, whenhe was named vice president, North American Engineering for the automaker.Kuzak also has served as Vice President of Product Development for Ford of Europe.

Shani Burton Johnson interviewed Mr. Kuzak during Ford's media preview of the newFiesta in San Francisco.

MNN.MNN. There's always been considerable differences between very attractive Fordmodels sold in Europe and duller ones offered in America. Is there much of a differencebetween a European Fiesta and an American Fiesta?

Mr. Kuzak. There's very little difference, which is one reason the new Fiesta is so muchfun to drive. Europe's roads are more demanding and call for cars that are nimbler and thus more enjoyable to drive.

MNN. Most Americans have associated small cars with cheap cars. But the Fiesta is billed as a small-but-upscaleauto that Ford calls a "game-changer."

MMr. Kuzak. The only way to convince people that small, upscale cars are desirable is to produce them with featurescustomers want, such as quiet interiors. We expect the small car market to grow considerably in America, andintend to change expectations of people as to what they can get in a small car.

MNN. What Fiesta features do you hope will change minds?

Mr. Kuzak. Besides a design that imparts a sense of movement even while motionless and a quiet interior, theFiesta, for instance, has standard electronic stability control and can be had with heated, leather-covered seats,push-button engine starting, an innovative six-speed automatic transmission and advanced technology itemssuch as voice-activated communications system. Mosuch as voice-activated communications system. Moreover, striking paint such as the Fiesta's "Tuxedo Black"metallic never was found on small cars.

MNN. The Fiesta still must have good performance and "small car" fuel economy.

Mr. Kuzak. This car has an advanced four-cylinder engine that delivers lively acceleration and an estimated 40 mpgon highways and 30 mpg in the city.

MNN. A four-cylinder? That makes me wonder-- Ford has been associated with the V-8 engine since it became thefirst automaker to offer a V-8 for the masses in 1932. But some say much stricter upcoming federal emissionsstandards will make thestandards will make the V-8 obsolete, replaced by six- and four-cylinder cars. I can't imagine a Ford Mustangwithout a potent V-8. What's the future of that engine with Ford?

Mr. Kuzak. If customers want a Ford Mustang V-8 in the future, we'll provide it. Technology will assure there will bea variety of power systems for cars, such as as plug-in gasoline-electric hybrids. We'll lower the cost of such vehiclesand eliminate customer anxiety that they won't have sufficient driving range. We'll also continue to improveefficiency of gasoline engines, including V-8s, with direct fuel injection and such. Our twin-turbocharged EcoBoostgasolinegasoline V-6 generates 355-365 horsepower and great torque while providing V-8 performance in Ford and Lincolnmodels. Our new gasoline Mustang V-6 has 305 horsepower but still delivers an estimated 30 mpg on highways.Our mid-size Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids provide an estimated 41 mpg on highways. But none of thatmeans the V-8 will be eliminated.

MNN. Is there any chance that electric cars will replace gasoline-engine autos in large numbers in a few years?

Mr. Kuzak. No, because the infrastructure just isn't there to support a big electric vehicle population, which would call for manycharging stations.charging stations. The same holds true for a sudden switch to fuel-cell vehicles. Note that automakers have invested enormoussums to produce internal combustion gasoline engines and can't change things overnight. Such engines are becoming far moreefficient and have a well-established infrastructure with such things as gas stations to support them.

MNN. Many politicians seem to have little knowledge of the auto industry, but what if they demand a tremendous transition toalternative powertrains?

Mr. Kuzak. We're more than willing to work things out with politicians.

MNN. Half of European cars have diesel engines. They're considerably more fuel-stingy than gasoline engines found in mostU.S. cars, andU.S. cars, and Volkswagen diesel cars are popular here. Why don't we have more diesel autos in America?

Mr. Kuzak. Modern diesels are a big improvement over the old smelly, noisy ones. But diesel engines cost more than gasolineengines, and diesel fuel is more expensive in this country. American emissions standards also are more stringent for diesels thanthose in Europe. And many Americans aren't familiar yet with modern diesels. 4

5

PRODUCER FEELS LAS VEGAS SHOWS NEEDA SHOT IN THE ARM IN SAGGING ECONOMY

Writer/producer Greg Thompson has produced more than 800 shows in his 50 years in show business and hasseen entertainment and audiences change dramatically over the years. His first production in Las Vegas was in1982 at the legendary Dunes Hotel and since that time he has produced casino shows, corporate events and legitimatetheatre works on 5 continents and in more than 200 cities around the world.

MNN:MNN: What do you think has changed in the economy that has affected show business in Las Vegas?

GREG: There was a time in the casino business when casinos basically gave away entertainment to their customers to getthem in their establishments to gamble. Those days are gone now. Casinos are run by corporations that want to see everyinch of the casino property generating income. In order to do that the showrooms need to be rented out like gift shops and restaurants.Today shows have to pay their own way!

MNN: How has that changed the look of shows in Las Vegas?

GREG: GREG: The change has been dramatic. The economy has affected everyone in show business. Forbes Magazine recently reportedthat the two jobs disappearing in America the fastest are secretaries and stage performers. There has been a reduction of 65% in jobsfor stage performers in America and I would venture to guess most of them are unemployed in Las Vegas.

MNN: So what effect has it had on the shows specifically?

GREG: First of all, they are smaller. Producers are doing shows that might have had 20 to 30 performers on stage 10 years ago withcasts of four to eight performers. And there are fewer performances. It used to be a show would run 12-14 performances a week.TTwo shows a night and three on weekends. Now most shows are lucky if they can perform 6 shows in a week.

MNN: And that means less revenue for producers! So what can be done under the current situation?

GREG: Well, we certainly need some new ideas. There are no longer showrooms in Vegas with stars. You have Celine Dion and afew older stars that are grinding it out but the days of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Ann Margret and Debbie Reynolds are gone.Today's big recording stars can't and won't perform every night in a casino. They are looking for huge concert venues because that’swhere the money can be generated.

MNN: Okay! So what's the answer?

GREG: GREG: The reason entertainment was so great in Las Vegas in the old days was because the shows were sponsored and paid for bythe casinos. Say what you want about the days when The Mob ran Vegas but they spent money on great entertainment! I don't thinkthe corporate leaders in Las Vegas are going to be doing that anytime soon in lieu of the present economy so we either have to findnew sponsors or the shows will get smaller and cheaper looking with each passing year!

MNN: That sounds a little depressing. What can Las Vegas producers do now to stop the recession into mediocrity?

GREG: It's not all that depressing, we just need to reinvent ourselves. Producers need to get in bed with major sponsors to secureGREG: It's not all that depressing, we just need to reinvent ourselves. Producers need to get in bed with major sponsors to securefunds to build bigger and better shows. The best shows in the past were financed by the casinos. Today they are self-funded andunfortunately most entertainers are not great businessmen. We need more money to produce a better product. We can't keep doinglook-a-like, tribute shows forever. Securing sponsorship, the same way professional sports do to improve their product is the only wayout of oblivion.

MNN: So what are you personally doing about it?

GREG: GREG: We have seen the need for this kind of financing of shows for a number of years now. Currently we are working with a numberof Fortune 500 companies on ideas for tying their names into the production of major shows in Las Vegas. It has to do with massivemarketing tie-ins all over the country, not just in Las Vegas. We envision shows that have national recording acts rotating through asguest stars and physical productions that are seldom seen in Las Vegas outside something produced by Cirque du Soliel. We seemarketing potential that will entice Las Vegas visitors to come see specific shows before they even get off the plane at McCarran Airport.It's an entirely new way of marketing entertainment!It's an entirely new way of marketing entertainment!

MNN: That sounds like we can expect something new produced by Greg Thompson Productions to debut in Las Vegas in the near future.

GREG: We are looking forward to putting these new marketing concepts into play in the Las Vegas marketplace in the near future.We are exploring concepts and venues and hope that by early 2012 there will be something new on the Las Vegas strip for visitors to see!

6

Writer/producerGreg Thompsonhas produced morethan 800 shows inhis 50 years inshow business

7

Las Vegas veteran performer Sunny Thompson as Marilyn Monroe

MARILYN MONROE ART & COSTUME EXHIBIT ALONG WITH THE AWARD-WINNING PLAY"MARILYN FOREVER BLONDE" MAY ADD LAS VEGAS TO 2012 WORLD TOUR

17

"Marilyn Monroe, Life As A Legend”, the popular art and costume art exhibit that has been touring the world for the past four years and "Marilyn: Forever Blonde", the award-winning, critically acclaimed Marilyn Monroe Story in her own words and music starring Sunny Thompson is currently considSunny Thompson is currently consid-ering adding Las Vegas to it’s 2012 Marilyn Monroe Anniversary Tour that includes New York, London, Hamburg, Paris, Rome, San Paulo and Japan. 2012 marks the 50th anniver-sary of the screen goddess who passed away in 1962. Sunny Thompson has been recreating Marilyn on stage for the past four years and thinks Las Vegas will be thrilled with the anni-versary show and exhibit.

9

MNN: Sunny, what makes Marilyn Monroe and Las Vegas a perfect fit?

Sunny: Well, Marilyn Monroe on the outside was all about glamour Sunny: Well, Marilyn Monroe on the outside was all about glamour and sex appeal and I think that's what makes Las Vegas attractive as well! All women have a soft spot in their hearts for Marilyn Monroe and when they see these fabulous photos and art by artist like Andy Warhol, Douglas Kirkland, Robert Indiana, Eve Arnold and Bernard of Hollywood put together with many of her dresses and personal items it an emotional moment for many of them. We try to accom-plish that with our play "Marilyn: Forever Blonde" and fortunately we plish that with our play "Marilyn: Forever Blonde" and fortunately we have been very successful in doing so.

MNN: What do you think sets MFB apart from previous stage produc-tions about Marilyn Monroe?

SUNNY: Most stage shows or films about Marilyn have scripts with words writers “think” Marilyn would say. The MARILYN: FOR-EVER BLONDE script is made up entirely of Marilyn Monroe’s own words and all 17 songs are songs she performed in her films. I think this gives the play a strong sense of authenticity that I believe is im-portant when you’re dealing with such an iconic figure.

MNN: For any actress the script is crucially important. No matter how good you look/act – if the right words are not there nothing can save the performance – so bearing this in mind – how did you feel when you first read the script?

SUNNY: When I first read the script I immediately said, “It’s great SUNNY: When I first read the script I immediately said, “It’s great but not for me! No woman should have to be compared to Marilyn Monroe!” Then after my husband, Greg Thompson, who incidentally wrote the script, finally “nagged me” into doing the play I began to do some research. It didn’t take long before I was enchanted and capti-vated by Marilyn’s story. I then found myself becoming very protec-tive of her, possibly because I started to have some understanding of the pain and frustration Marilyn experienced in her short meteoric rise to fame! For me the script was more a woman’s struggle for love and recognition in a man’s world than a look at a Hollywood movie star’s career.

MNN: I know that Jimmy James was responsible for your Marilyn makeup – how did you feel the first time he worked his magic and you looked in the mirror?

SUNNY: Jimmy James is truly amazing. I love him to death and cannot thank him enough for his contribution to the look of this play. The first make-up session was for a photo shoot. We had a photogra-pher ready to go and Jimmy was creating. It took 8 hours to do my make-up the first time but it was worth it! The photos turned out beautiful, if I do say so myself, thanks to Jimmy and the photogra-pher, Howard Petrella. Now it takes me 2 ½ hours to do my make-up for the stage. Incidentally, Jimmy also coached me on Marilyn’s mannerisms, her speech patterns, and her walk. I flunked walking ini-tially but I think I have it down now.

MNN: Often, when I’m doing something really important in my waking hours it moves into my dreams – when you’re repeating the same performance time and time again and running on such high levels of adrenalin – does this ever happen to you? Do you ever dream about MM?

10

SUNNY: I don’t dream about Marilyn but I do think about her often. Knowing so much, I feel I almost know her. When her very good friend, fashion critic, Mr. Black-well came backstage in Hollywood and said, with tears in his eyes, “I never thought I’d see you again” I got goose bumps and chills! I often think about the problems and chills! I often think about the problems and demons Marilyn faced everyday and I’m thankful I have a husband and a family that loves me for who I am instead of the person I play on stage!

MNN: Your costumes for the show are stunning – have you ever had the opportunity to wear anything that once belonged to MM?

SUNNY: My costumes in the play are wonderful but because I do all my costume changes on stage, in front of the audiSUNNY: My costumes in the play are wonderful but because I do all my costume changes on stage, in front of the audi-ence, they are pretty easy to slip on and off. I don’t think I could be “sewn into a dress” every performance! I did how-ever get to wear one of Marilyn’s actual dresses. Greg Schreiner, President of the Marilyn Remembered Fan Club in Hol-lywood invited me to his home to see his collection, which is absolutely amazing. Greg has many of Marilyn’s dresses and he let me pick one out to try on. It was the silver lame number she wore to the Golden Globe Awards. Greg had only seen her dresses on mannequins, which don’t have many curves, so when I filled out the dress (fit perfectly I’m proud to say) he was so excited. It was an amazing thrill. Marilyn and I are exactly the same height and I put on 10 pounds to get a few more curves. Jimmy James said I was too “hard-bodied” to play Marilyn. So we went out for ice cream and then he taught me to walk like MM...a woman who knew what to do with those curves.

MNN: Since you have been engaged in this project has it made you want to own any Marilyn items? If yes – what would you like to own? If no… why not?

SUNNY: I don’t own anything of Marilyn’s but at one show a Korean veteran told me he saw Marilyn on her USO tour of Korea in 1952. His platoon had a pin, only members of the unit were allowed to wear and he said they loved Marilyn so much that they voted the night after her performance to send her a pin and make her their only honorary member. The next day his platoon went on a mission into enemy territory, they were ambushed and many of his men were killed. He was one of the few survivors. He said he had Marilyn’s pin at home and he wanted to send it to me. When I received it I cried. It was very special.

If I could own something of Marilyn’s... it would be her house or her apartment. Someplace she felt safe and comfortable. If I could own something of Marilyn’s... it would be her house or her apartment. Someplace she felt safe and comfortable.

MNN: What do you most like about Monroe?

SUNNY: I love her sense of humor!!! She was very funny, clever and witty. I especially enjoy the talent she had for turning a phrase. The play is full of Marilyn’s humor even in the saddest of times she finds something humorous about the situation. I admire her for that!

MNN: Is there anything you have learned about Marilyn that you don’t like?

SUNNY: Wow! Tough question! Things were so much different for women back in the 40’s and 50’s. It was a man’s SUNNY: Wow! Tough question! Things were so much different for women back in the 40’s and 50’s. It was a man’s world and a woman had to do, what she had to do to get ahead, if she wanted to compete. I guess I could say I don’t like the fact she and Joe didn’t get back together because I think he really loved her and had learned his lesson. I think she might have had a chance for happiness the second time around with Joe.

MNN: When you first embarked on the research for part and began reading – did anything you learned about Marilyn sur-prise or shock you, or change your previous opinion of her?

SUNNY: Truthfully I didn’t know much about Marilyn Monroe when I started this project. I knew she was a beautiful movie star who died too young and there was tragedy in her personal life. She surprised me in so many ways. How smart she was. She was a career woman of the 50’s who created her own image then did what she had to do to develop and sell it. That surprised me! I admire her marketing genius and how deeply she cared about everything she took on in her life...modelling. Acting, husbands, step children, pets, poetry

11

Introducing The World’s First and Only Electrophoretic E-Tab Mobile Billboard Display Trucks.

Debut in Las VegasJANUARY 10TH, 2012

SEE THE NEWEST HIGH DEFINITIONDAYLIGHT READABLE DISPLAYS

DURING CES 2012

Introducing The World’s First and Only Electrophoretic E-Tab Mobile Billboard Display Trucks.

14

(CONT) etc. I am often asked why I think the world has such a fascina-tion with Marilyn. I think it’s the sense of caring we see in her eyes in photographs... a promise that she would care about you and accept you as you are...she would be your friend. I never tire of looking at photo-graphs of Marilyn, which surprises me. I love nothing more than to discover a new photograph of her. What I find shocking is how she loved to shock people, just to make sure they were paying attention. She could be a bit of a brat at times...that makes me giggle and love her all the more.

MNN: Out of the excess of 250 books that you read on MM, was there any one book in particular that became your favourite and why?

SUNNY: Actually, there are five. The Maurice Zolotow biography “Marilyn”. Because he knew her and it was written when she was alive. She was said to have read it and although she wasn’t thrilled, she didn’t disapprove.

““Will Acting Ruin Marilyn’s Success” by Peter Martin. Again, written during her lifetime, offers a clear perspective of what stereotypes Marilyn faced being a woman of the 1950’s in a man’s world. It was also interesting to realize the magnitude of her fame in her day.

Lena Pepitone’s book “Marilyn Monroe Confidential”. Not for facts, but for the glimpse it provides into Marilyn’s daily life in her apartment in New York.

Bert SternBert Stern’s “The Last Sitting” and Douglas Kirkland’s “An Intimate Evening With Marilyn”. These books are based on photo sessions that inspired the set of our play and it is here that Marilyn tells her story in Marilyn Forever Blonde.

MNN: Conversely, were there any particular books you really disliked?

SUNNY: Lots of them! The ones with the made up stories, filled with speculation and untruths. I used to get mad about it but now I just put them on the shelf with the rest of my Marilyn library.

MNN: How long does it take you, before you go on stage to get into the ‘feel’ of the character? How long are you in makeup, hair and wardrobe for?.

SUNNSUNNY: Like I said, it takes 2 1/2 hours in makeup and I spend the entire time listening to Frank Sinatra music from the 50’s and 60’s. I have a custom made wig made every six months in Hollywood. The microphone and battery pack fit in my wig, which works well as there is no place to hide the battery pack during costume changes on stage. I open the play on a bed draped in a sheet...so wardrobe doesn’t require anytime at all.

MNN: Are you, or have you ever been, a member of any the numerous Marilyn fan clubs or online groups?

SUNNSUNNY: I am on Face book, which has been a wonderful way to network with many, many Marilyn fans and fan clubs. I feel a certain kinship to people who are fellow fans. When at all possible I make every effort the meet the fans after the play. Although it takes about 30 minutes for me to regroup...so there is a bit of a wait, but if they wait I’m thrilled to meet them.

MNN: Have you visited any key Marilyn sites? Such as her home in Brentwood, her crypt etc?

SUNNY: We were in Calgary with the play this past year and we were invited to The Banff Springs Hotel to see where Marilyn stayed and where they shot “The River of No Return”. I’ve seen most of the sites in Hollywood as we opened the play there atI’ve seen most of the sites in Hollywood as we opened the play there at The Stella Adler Theatre in February 2007. Her star directly across the street on Hollywood Blvd. I saw her crypt, the roof of her Brentwood home, by standing on the roof of my assistants’ car (the house is enclosed by a very tall fence) and every house I could find in my Marilyn address book. Playing Hollywood was an incredible experience because I got to meet so many people who knew and worked with Marilyn when they came to our play. Mr. Blackwell of Hollywood’s Worst and Best Dressed List, Marian Collier and several girls in the band from “Some Like It Hot”, Stanely Rueben, MarilynRueben, Marilyn’s producer on the film “The River of No Return” and many more. They sat in my dressing room and told me story after story of their experiences with Marilyn. Stanely Rubin and I went to lunch at his regular corner booth at Musso & Franks on Hollywood Blvd. Meeting Greg Schriener, the President of Marilyn Remembered was a real treat. After he saw the play opening night he invited his fan club to attend the play and many of them saw it multiple times. It was fantastic to see Greg’s Marilyn Collection; I’m quite envious of his collection of MM books.

MNN: In my experience every fan of Marilyn I know exhibits at least one strong personality trait of Marilyn’s! Are you able to identify personally with any aspects of MM’s character/personality?

SUNNY: I’m never on time! It drives my husband crazy. I love Marilyn’s line... “People always tell me, you’ve got to get there! Well, what’s there when you get there!” My husband is often asked, “What’s it like to sleep with Marilyn Monroe?” and he tells them I don’t wear the wig or the make-up home to bed so he really couldn’t say but he says he knows what it’s like to live with Marilyn Monroe. She’s always late!

16

8

Michael Feinstein’sThe Great American Songbook

Exclusive Interview With Michael FeinsteinIf you haven’t heard of Michael Feinstein, then you’re missing out. He’s the five-time Grammy-nominated American entertainer that has found success by singing the songs of the greats like Sinatra.Michael is bringing his 17-piece Sinatra string band to Australia.

MNN: What is it about the big band music that is so enduring?MF: MF: The music is timeless. It’s not based on a pop hit. I’ve never stopped working from the time I started and it just seems to expand. It’s the kind of show that was the norm at one time but no longer exists. I love what I do and the audiences love it and I don’t have to worry about the next pop hit.

MNN: Do you have favourite songs that you like to sing or does it change for each perfor-mance?MF: Well I have favourite songs, but I don’t have a single favourite song. There are so many and they are all extraordinary because the writers were all so brilliant. They wrote at such a high level of quality and they were so clever, that’s why they hold up.

MNN: Your coming to Australia to perform. Have you been here before?MF: Many times.

MNN: What do you think of our country?MF: IMF: If I had to leave the United States for any given reason, Australia is the place I would like to come to.

MNN: You are performing at the Sydney Opera House as part of your tour. Have you per-formed there before?MF: I haven’t. When I played in Sydney it was the State theatre, but not the Opera House. I’ve toured it but I had no idea I would be singing their one day.

MNN: For someone who loves music, are you excited to play at that venue?MF: It is special because every physical place has an energy that is filled with the voices of those who have come before.

MNN: Tell Australians about the tour. What can we expect?MF: MF: The music is extraordinary. The sound of the big band is thrilling for me. I think many people today are used to hearing music in a canned fashion, through iPods or artificial means, so the acoustic sound of the band is hair-raising. There is a lot of humour and interplay with the audience and I like to tell stories about the songs, which sometimes makes people think or feel differently about them.

MNN: There is a rumor that you are working with Bernard Jackson of the group Surface.MF: I am. He is an incMF: I am. He is an incredible vocalist. I’ve never heard anyone sing as pure as him. He sings Frank, Nat King Cole, Neil Diamond and then turns around and does John Denver. And it is all beyond belief. Singing the Beatles with a faithful and yet original style. I can’t really explain it. You have to hear it for yourself. He is already a proven Pop and R&B singer but he really shines when he performs the classics. He’ll be performing at my res-taurant and in Las Vegas soon. I hope he sticks to signing Barry Manilow. I was blown away when I heard him sing Mandy.

MNN: You’ve performed at Buckingham Palace and at the White House. You’ve been nom-inated for five Grammy’s. Has there been a highlight along the way?MF: Playing at Buckingham Palace was certainly fun because of the whole pomp and cir-cumstance of it. But for me, the most exciting experiences were meeting the songwrit-ers. Performing at Carnegie Hall the first time was exciting and sharing the bill with Frank Sinatra. The first time I performed with Liza Minnelli was extraordinary. So grate-fully there are a lot of highlights.

MNN: You have met Sinatra, are you anything like him?MF: Well the Sinatra that I knew was a very nice man, he was great to me. I was a nobody and he was very kind and he answered all my questions about music and songs. I think Sinatra, despite his storybook success, had a very difficult life and carried a sort of insecurity underneath all the bravado. I think that he reinvented popular music and I’m proud to celebrate that. But as far as personality goes, I’ve never wanted to have anyone beaten up! (Laughs).

FFor more information and tickets, visit www.michaelfeinstein.com

19

Bernard Jackson has been singing and writing hit records since he turned14 years old. Starting his illustrious musical career as a EMI staff writerwriting songs for many superstars and eventually joining with David

Pic Conley and the late David Townsend in the hit group Surface. Bernard’svocal talents have yet to be completely recognized. Now he will wow Las

Vegas with a musical journey through some of the greatestsongs of all time. You have to hear the magic that is capturedsongs of all time. You have to hear the magic that is capturedin the faithful interpretations of the greatestest songs of all time!When he sings Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, John Denver,

Neil Diamond, The Beatles, The Carpenters Jerry Vale, Squeeze,The Herman’s Hermits and many more, you would swearthat he was the original performer of these chart toppers.

He doesn’t imitate he originates!You have to hear this to believe it.You have to hear this to believe it.

One singer, One voice, Many hits!www.surfacetheband.com

Songs and albums available on Itunes, Amazonand at any music retailer in the world.

FROM THE TOP OF THEBILLBOARD CHARTS

TO

LAS VEGAS

22

How to Save at CESby Katie Swearingen

We have all seen the effects of a down economy, and I know that most of you are being asked to stretch those budget dollars and do morewith less. In light of that, I thought it would be fitting to give you some pointers on ways to save at the 2012 CES. If I were an exhibitor,here are the things I would definitely do to maximize my budget – and that I recommend to you.

GES One-on-One MeetingsWhile to some this may look like an added expense – catching a flight to LasWhile to some this may look like an added expense – catching a flight to Las Vegas, booking a hotel room, etc. – we are confident this willhelp you save money overall. The ability to discuss every item in detail with the show’s general contractor who will be responsible forexecuting it is a huge plus for any exhibitor -- first-timers and veterans alike. What better way to get tips on how to save money than byasking directly? I recommend you schedule your time to go through your plans and discuss ways to accomplish your budget goals. Fromfreight to rentals, GES is happy to work with you and find ways to meet your needs. Get more details on our hot topics page.

Exhibitor WorkshopOur ExhibitorOur Exhibitor Workshop webinars have been around for awhile now, but you may not realize they provide cost-saving tips. From keydeadlines to free promotional opportunities, you’ll get a lot of CES knowledge by listening in to these free tutorials. Definitely considerregistering, even if you aren’t available at the date and time specified. You will be able to get access after they air and refer to theinformation as needed.

Buy Your Water In BulkWe’ve heard many times in the past that the price of a case of water at the LVCC is exorbitant – and Aramark is listening. In an effort tohelp your wallet, we’re teaming up withhelp your wallet, we’re teaming up with Aramark to open the Exhibitor Provisions Outlet during the last two days of move-in. This isan area located in each hall at the LVCC that will offer bulk food items and water at a discounted price. For example, water will be offeredat $19 a case – less than half the normal cost -- and we’ll have complimentary labor on hand to help you get everything back to yourbooth. You can keep your staff and customers happy and hydrated during the show for less. Get more details on our hot topics page.

Hit Show DeadlinesPaying attention to discount deadline dates and reading the manual are items we try to educate our exhibitors on all the time. Someexhibitors may not realize that reading through the manual, understanding all the rules and forms and asking questions can lead to savings.exhibitors may not realize that reading through the manual, understanding all the rules and forms and asking questions can lead to savings.The more educated you are about what you need and what to order; the more likely you are to save some cash. Similarly, knowing thediscount deadlines and placing your orders on time can save the average exhibitor up to 30 percent. In this case, time really is money.

I hope that, armed with this information, you will have a successful and budget-savvy CES. Please don’t hesitate to contact myself or anyof our CES Operations staff with any questions. We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas in January!

Katie SwearingenSenior Manager, CES Operationskswearingen@CE.okswearingen@CE.org Katie Swearingen

Senior Manager, CES Operations