Interpol fury over Lolly deal The hitman ... the sleaze king ... and the fugitive; SA asked how hunted Czech criminal got immunity to rat out killer.(News)

BYLINE: STAFF REPORTERS

Interpol is furious that local police have given indemnity to a fugitive Czech billionaire because he may have information about Lolly Jackson's murder.

Radovan Krejcir, a close friend of the murdered Teazers boss, has apparently agreed to turn State witness in the hunt for Jackson's killer. In return, Krejcir will be allowed to stay in the country, avoiding prosecution both abroad and in South Africa in major criminal investigations that had been building up around Jackson.

But Interpol is demanding answers from the Department of Justice about the indemnity granted to Krejcir and from the Department of Home Affairs about his application for asylum in South Africa.

Interpol spokeswoman Colonel Tummi Golding said Krejcir was wanted in the Czech Republic in connection with a murder and on charges of defrauding the state as well as several other cases.

"We know that he entered South Africa bearing incorrect information - it gave the wrong date and place of his birth," she said, adding that his identity had been circulated on the police's Movement Control System and he had been listed as wanted worldwide.

"He was fighting his extradition and he has applied for political asylum. What happened doesn't make sense. Krejcir, who was one of Jackson's best friends, came to this country illegally on false documents and now he is being allowed to escape from the law.

"We need to know why, because it says it is all right to allow people who enter South Africa illegally to stay without any consequences."

Neither Home Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa nor Justice Department spokesman Tlali Tlali returned phone calls yesterday.

The deal apparently involves Krejcir becoming a State witness and being granted immunity in any cases involving Jackson and alleged hit man George Smith linking him to money laundering or human trafficking.

Krejcir's lawyer Ian Small-Smith, who was not available for comment this morning, earlier confirmed that police had been in contact with Krejcir.

A team of specialised detectives yesterday spent two hours questioning him.

"My client is a State witness and not a suspect... My client is co-operating with the police and providing them with all the information he has in regard to George Smith, who he met in South Africa and who he has known for several years. While he does not know where he is, he will try to help the police find him."

Small-Smith confirmed that Krejcir had applied for political asylum.

Krejcir was arrested in South Africa in 2007. He is wanted in the Czech Republic to help in a multimillion-euro fraud case and an attempted murder case, but has been fighting an extradition order.

Krejcir is believed to have links to several major international criminal networks apparently involved in money laundering and human trafficking, as well as links to clandestine crime organisations the Teazers boss allegedly ran.

He told police the exact workings of a money-laundering scam involving him and Jackson.

He also apparently lived on the same street in Bedfordview as Jackson and Smith.

Jackson had owned the house at 40 Kloof Road for years and Krejcir lived at 54A, which was owned by Katerina Krejcirova.

Smith, the man suspected of murdering Jackson, is a Cypriot, a failed police informer and was an alleged hit man for Jackson. He lived next to door to Krejcir at 54 Kloof Road. Smith was apparently renting the house in Edleen, Kempton Park, where Jackson was shot dead on Monday night.

Sources close to Jackson have suggested two motives for the killing so far: money and murder.

Sources have said both Jackson and Krejcir fell out with Smith over money deals that went sour.

And yesterday one of Jackson's business rivals, Michael Kalymnios, told The Star that Jackson hired Smith to murder him. Kalymnios said the relationship between Jackson and Smith soured when Smith didn't do the hit.

There was trouble between Jackson and Kalymnios last year when Kalymnios fell in love with a Ukrainian stripper, Yuliyana Moshorovs'ka, at Teazers.

After Moshorovs'ka's contract ended, she returned to Ukraine. But she came back to Joburg to be with Kalymnios - sparking threatening phone calls and alleged spying. The couple went to the police to get a protection order.

"I only learnt now that he had hired a hit man to kill me. I am supposed to be dead, not Lolly. He is a scumbag," Kalymnios said.

Kalymnios said Jackson had made four payments to Smith. "I know he paid him four times. I am not sure how much. He threatened and intimidated me before."

The pawnbroker businessman said he had always known that Jackson wanted him dead. He had caused problems for Jackson by suing him for R5.2 million for threatening him, defaming him and for putting pictures of his girlfriend on the internet.

"That's why he was trying to get rid of me. The wheels turned and he was killed - not me. My mother is watching over me. She is my guardian angel."

Kalymnios met Smith at gambling houses in Joburg. "He was a gambler and a drug addict, always high on cocaine. I won't be surprised if he was high when he killed Lolly."

A waiter at a Bedfordview restaurant said Smith and Jackson used to meet there but on Sunday they had a row and Jackson stormed out. On Monday, after the shooting, Smith went to the same restaurant and demanded two packets of cigarettes. "He refused to pay, saying he only had R100 notes. He said he was in a hurry."

The waiter said he and other staff were scared of Smith.

Earlier head of police crime intelligence Major-General Joey Mabaso said Smith had been a police informer for a while until he was dropped because of his involvement in drugs. He said police hadn't been able to establish Smith's real name, address or "how he got into the country". Smith's real name is understood to be Georgianos Louka.

He served seven years in a Swiss prison for drug trafficking.

Police spokesman Eugene Opperman said: "I got an instruction I should not comment any further until we have possible success in this matter. The guys say they just want some room to do the work properly."

Piazza Italian Market Schedules Late Summer Opening in Easton.

EASTON, Md., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Piazza of Easton, LLC announced today plans to open a new gourmet retail store in the TalbotTown Shopping Center, in the heart of Easton, MD. The store will be called Piazza Italian Market, and plans to fill a niche in the Talbot County community for very high quality Italian food.

More than just a traditional Italian deli, Piazza Italian Market will provide the whole experience of an Italian "alimentari" -- a local grocery store much like that you would find in Verona, Milan, or Naples. Along with typical Italian deli meats and sandwiches, the store will also offer high quality fresh, dried, and frozen pasta, extra virgin Italian olive oil, balsamic vinegars, hard to find Italian cheeses, and a wide selection of canned and jar products such as pesto, mostarda, Italian tomatoes, and locally grown Italian fruits and vegetables in season. Panini sandwiches - the fast food of Italy - will also be available. Take-home prepared side dishes and heat-and-eat Italian foods will also be available. Advice on Italian cooking and travel will also be offered by the knowledgeable staff during regular store hours and after-hours special events.

The store will be managed by Ms. Emily Chandler, who is relocating from Brooklyn, NY where she has worked for the last two years at Bedford Cheese Shop, a well-respected gourmet food shop in the hip Williamsburg neighborhood. Ms. Chandler previously worked at the acclaimed Coach Farms in New York State, where she learned the art and craft of making high quality goat cheese, and plans to bring this talent to the Easton store in the form of fresh handmade mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Ms. Chandler has lived in and traveled extensively in Italy and has her own following as a fine Italian cook.

Ms. Chandler commented, "In looking for a store location, I felt that Easton is the perfect place -- there is nothing else like this store in the area, and we talked to so many permanent and weekend residents who expressed strong support for our store concept." Asked to elaborate on the store concept, Ms. Chandler noted, "I wanted to have a store that offers all the great ingredients of Italian cooking both for people who just want a great Italian sandwich at an affordable price, and also for the serious cooks who want to make a meal at home with unusual and hard to find things like black risotto or fresh truffles, but can't find those things in the other stores in the area. We plan to offer events and tastings to help people understand more about Italy and Italian food. Even the sandwiches will list the ingredients so you can make the same thing at home with the raw ingredients we sell."

The store plans to open in late summer or early fall, and will announce an official opening date closer to that time. Ms. Chandler is already busy with lining up the special requests from people in the area who have heard about the store.

Piazza Italian Market is owned by Piazza of Easton, LLC, a new company formed by the founders of Olio2go.com, the widely acclaimed Internet site (http://www.olio2go.com/) for ultra-high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil and related products. Olio2go will provide Internet shopping services to Piazza customers.

CONTACT: Emily Chandler, Manager of Piazza Italian Market, +1-703-967-8051, info@piazzaitalianmarket.com

Web site: http://www.piazzaitalianmarket.com/ http://www.olio2go.com/

The iPhone is Apple's first attempt at a wireless handset, and in several significant ways it feels like a Version 1.0 product.: GETTING AN IPHONE REQUIRED WAITING; SO DOES USING IT.

Byline: Troy Wolverton

Jun. 30--Yes, the phone's got many neat bells and whistles. I have no doubt Apple will sell millions based on the hype alone. But for those of you who can bear to do so, you probably should wait until Apple gets all the kinks worked out (and hopefully lowers the price).

Apple began selling it Friday. It comes in two versions: a four-gigabyte model, which sells for $499, and an eight-gigabyte one that sells for $599.

It is essentially three gadgets in one: It makes voice calls, it has a built-in iPod music and video player, and it's an Internet device that can check e-mail and surf the Web.

Apple's big idea with the iPhone was to have a handset whose primary interface was a large, touch-sensitive screen. Instead of the typical keypad and dedicated keys found on most cell phones, the iPhone's screen displays virtual buttons that change depending on the application.

If you need a QWERTY keyboard, for instance, it's there. But it disappears when you don't need it in favor of navigation buttons or full-screen videos.

The screen is beautiful. And the navigation system is largely impressive and easy. Once I figured out how to turn on the phone function -- there's a phone button at the bottom of the iPhone's home screen -- making a call was simple. And with the touch of one button, I was able to set up a quick conference call with my wife and mother.

But the touchscreen has its drawbacks. For one, it smudges easily. And that's largely inevitable, because the screen was designed to be controlled with your fingers. Beware if you've been eating a greasy hamburger.

More seriously, the lack of a physical keyboard can prove very frustrating. When typing an e-mail, or setting configurations, you can only use the iPhone's screen in portrait mode. That means that instead of allowing the keyboard to stretch out across the wider part of the screen, it's forced to fit into the narrower one. That makes for a cramped keyboard -- and lots of mistakes. I kept typing "q" when I wanted "w" and "p" when I wanted "o."

The software does offer suggestions as you type an e-mail or a text message. But it didn't when I was trying to set up my e-mail account. And no matter how good the suggestive typing system, it's not going to suggest the right thing when I'm trying to type in my last name.

One of the iPhone's big selling points is that it has a full version of Apple's Safari Web browser, meaning it can display Web pages in the same way as you'd see them on your computer. Having been frustrated for years by the difficult-to-navigate mobile Web on my Verizon phones, I loved the idea that I can finally get the real Web on a cell phone.

But for the most part, that remains just a good idea rather than a reality with the iPhone.

The device's worst flaw is the wireless network it runs on. Apple chose to partner with AT&T, but in order to save space inside the phone and conserve battery life, the company chose to have the iPhone work with AT&T's older EDGE network, instead of its newer, faster 3G Mobile Broadband one.

I understand the reasoning, but it doesn't make waiting to pull up Web pages any more bearable. Even simple ones with minimal graphics can take minutes to download.

And it's not just Web pages that are slow. Prepare to wait for e-mail message coded in HTML or ones that have attachments. Even trying to pull up a stock chart using one of the iPhone's included programs can make you feel like you are waiting for paint to dry.

The iPhone does have a built-in radio for connecting to WiFi networks, which can be 10 or more times faster than EDGE. I didn't get to test out the WiFi antenna, though, because we don't have a WiFi network in our newsroom. That points to the big hole in having WiFi as the backup data plan: As popular as wireless networking has become of late, it's still not everywhere -- or even in most places.

One of the neat things about the iPhone is that what's on the screen rotates as you turn the device. Turn the iPhone 90 degrees, and you can see a picture or a Web page in landscape mode, stretched out across the wider part of the screen.

But this feature doesn't work with everything. It doesn't work with the iPhone's home screen, for instance, or with its e-mail or SMS messaging programs.

And many of the rotations are slow. If you rotate the iPhone while Safari is trying to pull up a Web page, it will take several seconds to respond; it's not instantaneous.

Some of my complaints about the device are nitpicks, I know. But if you're like me, if you're going to pay $599 for a phone -- a phone! -- when you can get a pretty good one for hundreds of dollars less (or even free), you're expectations are pretty high.

This Apple's pretty, but it could take more polishing to really shine.

Contact Troy Wolverton at (408) 920-5021 or twolverton@mercurynews

.com.

To see more of the San Jose Mercury News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.mercurynews.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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TICKER SYMBOL(S): NYSE:VZ, NYSE:T

Easy steps add zip to slow PC.(Life - Money)

Byline: Kin Komando

Even the fastest computers get bogged down over time. But it takes just five easy steps to reclaim your once zippy Windows machine.

1. Lighten

A hard drive slows down as it reaches 90 percent capacity. To remove unused programs, click Start, Control Panel (in Windows 98/ME, Start, Settings, Control Panel). Double-click Add or Remove Programs. Click the program, then click Change/Remove (in Windows 98/ME, click Add/Remove).

When uninstalling programs, if message asks if you want to remove a shared component, select "no to all." These files may be necessary for other programs to operate properly.

2. Clean it up

Disk Cleanup will delete downloaded program files, temporary Internet files and Recycle Bin items. Windows XP's version of Disk Cleanup deletes offline Web pages and compresses rarely used files.

Click Start, (All) Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup. Select the drive you want to clean (most likely C:) and click OK. Place a check mark next to the items you want deleted; click OK.

To remove unused Windows components and accessories, start Disk Cleanup and click the More Options tab. Click "Clean up" under Windows components.

3. Reduce startup times

Stop instant messaging and other programs which automatically start by clicking Start and Run. Type "msconfig" without the quotes and click OK. Click the Startup tab.

You'll see a number of programs listed. You can find a list of entries and explanations at http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php. Clear the boxes for the unneeded programs. Click Apply and OK. You'll be prompted to restart your computer.

After restarting, see message "System Configuration Utility is in Diagnostic or Selective Startup mode." Check box next to "Don't show this message again"; click OK.

4. Consolidate

It's easy to have multiple copies of digital picture files. A good photo organizer will help consolidate your pictures and remove duplicates.

There are a number of good organizers costing less than $50 from Adobe, Nero and Ulead. Picasa (http://www.picasa.com/picasa) from Google has fewer extras, but it's free.

5. Search

Find and remove inordinately large files through Windows' search function. Click Start, Search, All files and folders. Then click on the arrow next to "What size is it?" Click Large, Search. If you're unsure of the nature of a file, conduct an Internet search using its name.

With a little diligence, computer housekeeping can keep your PC clutter-free and speedy.

- With reports by Ted Rybka.

Well-equipped: check out three electronic essentials for the ultimate smart home.(Trends)

Consumers want electronic stuff--and lots of it.

According to a nationwide survey conducted by the Internet Home Alliance (IHA), homeowners show a strong interest in technology ranging from appliances to entertainment systems. IHA surveyed 400 new or prospective home buyers to learn how they make decisions about purchasing, installing, and maintaining home technologies. Forty-nine percent of the buyers presented with at least one home technology option made a purchase. Home security led the list, followed by pre-wiring for cable or satellite TV and a built-in home theater.

Respondents assigned "somewhat important" status to technologies including structured wiring, multi-zone HVAC, air purification systems, wireless home PC networks, energy management, community-wide high-speed Internet connections, and home control/ automation and lighting control.

This year, there are several new exciting home technologies to choose from. For example, Sony launched its version of the 21st-century intercom system, at the same time lowering the entry point for multi-room audio and video. The two systems, designed specifically for new-home construction, take a cookie-cutter approach to whole-house audio to provide a lower-cost alternative to custom-designed systems. By using pre-selected equipment, installers can reduce design and installation time for whole-house entertainment systems, resulting in systems retailing for $1,000 to $2,000 per room, including installation.

Sony's audio-only package is built around an in-wall module combining a CD player, AM/FM radio, amplifier, intercom, and room monitor along with Sony-selected speakers. The video package adds DVD players for each local room. The system supports from one to seven sources and from one to seven zones. It is designed for new homes costing up to $500,000.

Attempting to bring new energy to the mature water heater market, Rinnai floated a new product concept--flat-panel TVs--to complement its tankless water heaters. In an effort to bring "35-year-old technology" up to date, Rinnai has added a waterproof 12-inch LCD TV for use in upscale bathrooms. Built into waterproof housings designed to be mounted beneath a showerhead or in another location away from direct spray, the Rinnai TV can be connected to cable, satellite, or antenna feeds to bring TV programming to the shower or bath.

The company claims its wall-mounted, continuous-flow heaters shave $6 to $10 a month off the cost of utility bills compared with tank water heaters because the water is heated as needed rather than heated and maintained. Digital technology enables users to further tailor water temperature and usage to their needs, and the TVs include buttons that communicate with the water heater.

LG Electronics, the company that brought the world the Internet refrigerator, now has a networked washer/dryer, the Remote Monitoring Laundry System. The concept enables folks to monitor their laundry cycle from elsewhere in the home using a remote device. Positioned for use in existing homes as well as new ones, the Remote Monitoring system communicates using Power Line Communication (PLC) technology over standard electrical wiring.

LG Electronics. The company that brought the world the Internet refrigerator now has a networked washer/dryer, the Remote Monitoring Laundry System. The concept lets you monitor laundry cycles from elsewhere in the home using a remote device. The Remote Monitoring system communicates using Power Line Communication (PLC) technology over standard electrical wiring. 800-243-0000. www.lge.com. Circle 182.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sony. Two systems, designed for new-home construction, take a cookie-cutter approach to whole-house audio to provide a lower-cost alternative to custom-designed systems. By using pre-selected equipment, installers can reduce design and installation time, resulting in systems retailing for $1,000 to $2,000 per room (including installation). Systems come pre-programmed to control Sony components. 800-222-7669. www.sony.com. Circle 180.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Rinnai. The firm is floating a waterproof 12-inch LCD flat-panel TV to complement its tankless water heaters. The TV can be connected to cable, satellite, or antenna feeds. Using buttons on the TV and feedback from the screen, homeowners can set fit and temperature levels for the bath, including automatic shutoff when the proper level iS reached. 800-621-9419. www.rinnai.us. Circle 181.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This story first appeared in CUSTOM HOME magazine.

New academic initiative from IBM.(Information Technology Update)(Brief Article)

IBM is leading a new initiative to collaborate with educators in teaching students the open standards skills necessary to compete and keep pace with changes in the information technology workplace. When the company announced the IBM Academic Initiative in July, it noted that the program is intended to "better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow."

Describing it as "an innovative program offering a wide range of technology education benefits from free to fee that can scale to meet the goals of most colleges and universities," IBM said that it would work with schools that support open standards and seek to use open source and IBM technologies for teaching purposes, IBM will work with these institutions both directly and via the Internet.

Moreover, IBM says that it will work with a wide range of postsecondary institutions--from large universities to community colleges to career and technical schools. The company will work with select schools that support open standards in three key objectives: training an IT workforce to fill the new kinds of jobs that are emerging at IBM and across the industry; providing the right skills to the next generation of IT workers to ensure they are qualified for the jobs of tomorrow; and ensuring that universities have the most current, relevant curricula that map to the kinds of jobs that are expected, so schools can be attractive for enrollment, funding and growth.

As one of the initiative's benefits, IBM will assign a technical team to assess an institution's IT curricula and provide technical training and skills for faculty and staff. Academic Initiative participants can also take advantage of IBM's Workforce Development Solutions and Advanced Career Education.

For more information, visit www.ibm.com.

New value for pop-up windows.(global update: marketing)

TORONTO When Fairmont Hotels & Resorts set out to redesign its Web site, its aim was to expand its interactive capabilities. "It's great medium to build a relationship with customers. We wanted to interact with customers as much as possible. A lot of sites don't do that," says Jens Thraenhart, director of Internet strategy for the Toronto-based company.

As a result, the company devised a Web site that would have multiple "touch points," or places where it could receive immediate feedback as a way to improve customer service. Among the more innovative approaches devised by Thraenhart and his team was to create a pop-up window for Customers who begin an online reservation, but do not complete the booking. While the company has had success--meaning a 60% to 70% response rate--to its year-old pop-up window asking for feedback from customers who do complete a booking, asking customers to complete a survey about why they aborted a reservation was something no other hotel company was doing.

"We wanted to find out how people are using the Web site. We had no expectations because no one was doing it," Thraenhart says. "We didn't know if people would fill out the form at all, or if we would get nasty feedback. But nothing like that happened."

Instead, response has been tremendous. Since it launched in October, Fairmont has received around 70 e-mails per day regarding the uncompleted reservation. This is without offering any incentives.

So what are customers citing as their reasons for not booking? Showing a growing confidence in the Web, Thraenhart says few are saying they have security or privacy concerns, or even technical problems. Rather, most have said that they are still in trip-planning stages or that they were looking for specific offers they didn't see on the site. "From a revenue management standpoint it is also a great tool to see if we're pricing ourselves competitively," Thraenhart says.

Completing the process, Fairmont will contact the user within four hours of receiving feedback to ensure it doesn't miss an opportunity to get a reservation.