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               C L A S S   A C T I O N   R E P O R T E R
  
              Wednesday, January 22, 2003, Vol. 5, No. 15

                              Headlines                            

BLOCKBUSTER INC.: Video Rental Suit May Result In Million Dollar Costs
CANADA: Ontario Police Engage In Profiling, Chief Counsel Tells Court
CANADA: Settlement Looms For Lawsuit Over Halt of Shopping Mall Promo
CANADIAN PACIFIC: Residents Awaiting Probe Results on Train Derailment
FIRST USA: Enters Pact Over Deceptive Credit Card Marketing Practices

FORD MOTOR: CA, 52 States Enter US$51.5M Settlement Over SUV Litigation
INDIANA: Parties in Overcrowded Jail Suit Close To Reaching Accord
KAVA: Fiji Trade Organization To Lodge Suit Over Beverage Product Ban
LOCAL 213: Union Member Sues Over Unlawfully Collected Membership Dues
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL: Two Investors Sue Over "Improper Accounting"

MEGAN'S LAW: Attorney General Says Proper Enforcement To Cost $15-$20M
MONTROSE WHOLESALE: Recalls 247,000 Disposable Lighters For Fire Hazard
NEW YORK: Amherst Residents Consider Lawsuits Over Deteriorating Homes
PFIZER INC.: Settles Ear Infection Drug Advertising Litigation
PHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS: California AG Sues Over False Drug Pricing Data

SLAVE REPARATION: TX Slave Descendants To Commence Suit V. 100+ Firms
UNITED STATES: Three Somali Men In INS Detention Set To Be Released
WASHINGTON: Judge Rejects Request To Stop Household Int'l Foreclosures

*Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers Live in A World Of Service, Greed

                   Meetings, Conferences & Seminars

* Scheduled Events for Class Action Professionals
* Online Teleconferences

                    New Securities Fraud Cases

800AMERICA.COM: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. NY
CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Charles Piven Commences Securities Suit in UT
H&R BLOCK: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in S.D. NY
HOTELS.COM: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in N.D. TX
LEAP WIRELESS: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. CA

NASH FINCH: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in MN Court
RURAL CELLULAR: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in MN Court
SEACHANGE INTERNATIONAL: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Lawsuit in MA
SMARTFORCE PLC: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in NH Court
TENGASCO INC.: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in E.D. TN

TRANSACTION SYSTEMS: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Suit in NE Court
WESTAR ENERGY: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in KS Court

                            *********


BLOCKBUSTER INC.: Video Rental Suit May Result In Million Dollar Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A decision with possibly multimillion-dollar consequences is expected
later this month or in early February from Quebec Superior Court as to
whether a class action against Blockbuster Video Canada can go ahead,
reported The Globe and Mail. The Quebec suit is just one of four
pending across Canada against Blockbuster, the country's biggest retail
renter of movies and video games.

In late December, London, Ontario lawyer Michael Peerless participated
in a two-day hearing at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto,
seeking certification of a class action on behalf of Blockbuster
customers in Ontario and the rest of Canada, (but excluding Quebec,
British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Lawyers for Blockbuster clients in
the last two provinces filed applications last year.)

At issue is late fees, which have been essentially the same as its
rental fee.  Also at issue are the replacement fees charged for a lost
video, which is $17.99, plus a daily penalty up to a maximum of 15
days.

The Canadian court activity largely mimics a class action initiated in
2001 in Texas.  That action resulted in the US customer receiving free
video rentals and dollar-off coupon worth, if redeemed, $500 million.


CANADA: Ontario Police Engage In Profiling, Chief Counsel Tells Court
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The burning issue of racial profiling took an astonishing turn
recently, when a senior Ontario government official said that police do
engage in racial profiling, The Globe and Mail reports.

"I am not disputing the phenomenon (of racial profiling) exists,"
government official James Stewart told a racially charged hearing in
the Ontario Court of Appeals.  "This is a problem that warrants
corrective action."

The racial-profiling issue has been explosive in Toronto.  Police Chief
Julian Fantino has repeatedly denied allegations from black people that
his officers target that his officers target them because of their skin
color.  In fact, the Toronto Police Association has filed a $2.7
billion class action against The Toronto Star, alleging that its series
on race and crime defamed the police.  The articles concluded that
police engage in racial profiling.

Julian Falconer, lawyer for the Urban Alliance for Race Relations,
expressed gratitude for Mr. Stewart's statement.  "This concession
carries tremendous significance for the legal debate we must engage in
today and for years to come . This concession by the Ontario government
is a monumental development in the effort by racial minorities across
the country to have racial profiling recognized."

The court was packed for the appeal involving former Toronto Raptors
basketball player DeCovan Brown.  Mr. Brown was picked up for speeding.  
He appealed his conviction, alleging racial profiling and his
conviction was overturned.  During his lower court trial, Ontario Court
Judge David Fairgrieve made remarks that smacked of bias, telling Mr.
Brown that he should consider apologizing to the police.

However, the most dramatic and possibly even the most important thing
that happened during this day in court was Mr. Stewart's concession
that the police engage in racial profiling.  Mr. Falconer made a
critical observation about Mr. Stewart's concession when he said that
Mr. Stewart, by citing the findings of a 1995 commission into racism in
the Ontario criminal justice system, Mr. Stewart became the first
authority figure to recognize the legitimacy of the report since it was
released and hurriedly shelved.


CANADA: Settlement Looms For Lawsuit Over Halt of Shopping Mall Promo
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A settlement is in the works for a class action filed by investors
against the Ontario Government after it froze a high-yield shopping
mall promotion in Ajax, Ontario 13 years ago, the Globe and Mail
reports.

The suit was filed on behalf of about 4,000 people, chiefly from the
Niagara Peninsula, who lent more than $90-million at interest rates as
high as 25 per cent to the mall's developer, Mater's Management Ltd.  
The investors blamed the government for their losses as the company
collapsed in 1990 when both government regulators and police moved in.

The owner of Mater's Management, Alberto DoCouto, was charged with
fraud and conspiracy in 1992, the Globe and Mail states.  The criminal
case was thrown out of court in 1998 by a judge who described the
provincial investigation as rife with legal errors, abuse of process
and bulldozing of rights.

Under a tentative settlement, the investors will only stand to recover
legal costs.  The deal, which would provide $1.2-million to repay those
who helped to finance the suit, is to be submitted to Mr. Justice
Maurice Cullity of the Ontario Superior Court on February 17, the Globe
and Mail reports.

Bob Bond, a member of the investor committee that launched the suit,
said the group agreed to settle because it cannot afford to continue.  
"That $1.2-million will only give investors back what they themselves
spent to fight this case," Mr. Bond told the Globe and Mail.  "It won't
give them one damn nickel of their investment or any interest of any
kind . It's a complete and total injustice as far as we're concerned."


CANADIAN PACIFIC: Residents Awaiting Probe Results on Train Derailment
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Minot, North Carolina residents say the full story of what happened
during a Canadian Pacific Railway train derailment has yet to be told.  
The accident happened on January 18, 2002, shortly after 1:30 am when
the train jumped the tracks on the west edge of Minot, sending 31 cars
fully loaded with hazardous material crashing onto the land nearby.

Seven of the cars ruptured, spilling 290,000 gallons of anhydrous
ammonia that soaked into the soil and onto the frozen Souris River,
filling the air with a deadly plume.  Hundreds of people were injured
and one died.  Federal investigators described the derailment as
"catastrophic."

Today, few scars remain on the land.  The piles of twisted metal are
gone.  Contaminated soil removed from the site would cover a football
field 28 feet deep.  The soil around the tracks has been returned to
the crop land it was before the derailment.  The site is quiet,
disturbed only by the sound of a passing train.

However, residents say they wish they could tell the full story.  They
have been instructed by the investigators and their lawyers not to tell
it, until they are through with their work and that could take months.  
John Bergeme, a spokesman for the Canadian Pacific Railway, won't
discuss the derailment's specifics until a report from the National
Transportation Safety Board is complete, probably in early summer.

The railroad has been focusing on the cleanup, which has cost Canadian
Pacific millions of dollars, and with settling thousands of medical
claims.  It is also preparing for the lawsuits which inevitably will
come.

Medical experts say exposure to anhydrous ammonia can cause long-term
health effects, including breathing problems, burning eyes or impaired
vision, fatigue, memory lass.  Disasters, they say, leave emotional
wounds that sometimes never heal.

Mike Miller, a Fargo attorney, representing about 800 Minot residents,
said there is the possibility of a class action that would cover
everyone in the Minot area injured by the derailment and chemical
spill.

Tom Lundeen, like everyone else in this small, close-knit neighborhood
nestled amid trees, has a horrifying tale to tell, but like everyone
else, he has a lawyer advising against it.  Mr. Lundeen is still trying
to get his life back to normal, but he doubts he ever will.  Mr.
Lundeen, his wife and two teenage children spent five hours hunkered
in their basement waiting for rescuers, and then three months in a
hotel waiting for emergency officials to declare their neighborhood
safe enough for them to return.

However, six of the 21 families in the subdivision have gone to
Minneapolis to live.  They know their neighborhood is viewed as
polluted, they catch whiffs of the ammonia and believe the chemical is
still present in the ground.

"Five years from now, who knows how all this will shake out," says Mike
Elm, who lives just beyond the tracks.  "We don't know what to think
and nobody knows what to tell us," says Mr. Lundeen.


FIRST USA: Enters Pact Over Deceptive Credit Card Marketing Practices
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced in a press statement the
details of a settlement with First USA Bank, over lawsuits filed over
the deceptive marketing practices of third-party vendors who target
First USA customers using information obtained from the credit card
company.

Under an agreement reached with California, 27 other states and Puerto
Rico, the Company, which offers credit cards under its own name as well
as that of its parent company, Bank One, must require third-party
vendors to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures to consumers and
comply with other pro-consumer changes in telemarketing and mail
solicitation practices.  The Company also must pay $1.3 million for
attorneys fees, investigative costs and consumer education.

"This settlement takes aim at marketing abuses in which First USA
customers were charged for purchases they didn't realize they had
'agreed' to buy," Mr. Lockyer said.  "The new practices by First USA
and its vendors will ensure that consumers will have the information
they need to avoid falling victim to these deceptive practices."

The multi-state group two years ago began investigating the practices
of several banks that shared consumer information with third-party
vendors for the purpose of marketing the vendors' products and
services to the banks' customers.  A similar agreement was reached
with Citibank in February.

The investigation showed that the marketing practices of vendors
frequently were deceptive and sometimes resulted in consumers being
charged for products or services that they didn't realize they had
"agreed" to purchase.  The solicitations often touted a "trial offer"
that allowed the consumer to examine a product or service "risk-free,"
but did not make it clear that the cardholder would be charged unless
they affirmatively canceled within a specific number of days.

Although the solicitations were made by third-party vendors, First USA
selected cardholders for the vendors, the solicitations prominently
used First USA's name, First USA approved all telemarketing scripts and
mail solicitations and First USA received a percentage of the vendors'
sales revenues.  The company disavowed all responsibility for the
third-parties' marketing practices.

Under the negotiated settlement, the Company agreed to permanently
ensure that:

     (1) A cardholder's account shall not be charged without his or
         her express authorization of the purchase;

     (2) First USA reviews and approves all scripts and marketing
         materials;

     (3) No solicitation, material or script used by third-party
         vendors is deceptive;

     (4) Vendors who mention First USA in scripts or solicitations must
         make it clear that the bank is not affiliated with the vendor;
         and

     (5) Vendors must comply with all applicable consumer protection
         laws.

First USA also agreed, for a five-year period, to ensure that:

     (i) Vendors substantiate all descriptions of products and services
         as accurate and complete;

    (ii) The identity of vendors and the fact that they are not
         affiliated with the bank is made in the opening of any
         telephone script and in the first page of any written
         solicitation;

   (iii) Vendors clearly and conspicuously disclose information about
         the terms of the trial offer, including its duration and how
         to cancel; and

    (iv) All solicitations and renewal notices clearly and
         conspicuously disclose important information, such as a
         description of the product or service and any limitations, the
         term of the trial offer, the fee, the method to cancel,
         including a toll-free number; information on the automatic
         renewal and the cardholder's right to receive a full refund
         within the first six months after purchase.

"These are important safeguards that will more fully protect consumers,
many of whom only "agree" to look at a product in order to end an
unwanted call from a telemarketer," Mr. Lockyer said.  "Under this
agreement, the chances of consumers opening up their credit card
statements and being confused about an unknown charge should be greatly
reduced."

For more information, visit the Website:
http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/2002/02-144.htm


FORD MOTOR: CA, 52 States Enter US$51.5M Settlement Over SUV Litigation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
California's Attorney General William Lockyer and the Attorneys General
of 52 other jurisdictions entered a $51.5 million national settlement
with Ford Motor Company that resolves allegations the car maker
knowingly sold consumers sport utility vehicles (SUV) prone to tire
failures and rollovers, according to a statement released by Attorney
General Lockyer's office.

The states will use $30 million of Ford's settlement payment to mount a
nationwide public service, consumer education campaign on SUV safety.  
Another $15.9 million will provide payments of $300,000 each to the 50
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  
The remaining $5.6 million will be used to pay the costs of the states'
investigation.  Ford's $300,000 payment to California will include
$100,000 in civil penalties and $200,000 for attorney fees and costs.  
The Company already has spent approximately $2 billion to replace tires
in the 53 jurisdictions.

"This investigation was about fair advertising and consumer safety,"
said Mr. Lockyer.  "Ford's conduct jeopardized the safety of drivers
and their families.  I am pleased Ford has resolved this matter and
accepted the responsibility of raising consumer awareness about SUV
safety."

The states alleged Ford failed to disclose to car buyers that certain
Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires which came equipped on some Ford
SUVs made the vehicles unsafe because the tires had unacceptable
failure rates and made the SUVs more prone to roll over.  The states
alleged Ford continued to use the tires even after the company knew
about the defects.

Ford exacerbated the problem, the states alleged, by misleading
consumers in advertising about the safe use of Ford SUVs.  According to
the states, Ford advertisements exaggerated the safe loading capacity
and maneuverability of its SUVs.  Additionally, Ford falsely told
consumers that certain aftermarket tires sold through the company's
"Around the Wheel" program were the same as the tires that came
equipped on Ford SUVs, the states alleged.

The Ford agreement comes a year after the states entered a $51.5
million national settlement with Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., related
to the advertising and sale of tires with high rates of tread
separation.  Bridgestone/Firestone manufactured the tires specifically
for use as original equipment on Ford Explorers and Mercury
Mountaineers.

Besides funding a national SUV safety campaign, the Ford agreement
contains a number of other important provisions to enhance consumer
safety:

     (1) The settlement prohibits Ford from misrepresenting the cargo
         capacity, safety and handling characteristics of its SUVs.  
         Ford specifically is prohibited from using the term "car-
         like" to describe the steering and handling of its SUVs.  
         Additionally, Ford cannot mislead consumers about the purpose
         of any recall or recommended inspection;

     (2) The company must have reliable scientific evidence to
         substantiate any representations about vehicle safety,
         performance or durability;

     (3) Ford must provide safety information about cargo loading and
         vehicle handling to each consumer who buys a Ford SUV, and
         provide Spanish language owners' guides upon request;

In the agreement, Ford spelled out a number of consumer education
initiatives it will launch in the coming year.  Ford also agreed to
abide by all state and federal laws governing SUV safety, including a
federal regulation that requires manufacturers of SUVs with a wheelbase
under 110 inches to alert purchasers that those vehicles have a higher
possibility of rollover than other vehicles.  In addition, Ford will
advise consumers of steps they can take to reduce the potential for
rollover or rollover-related injuries.

The California complaint and judgment were filed today in San Diego
Superior Court.  The settlement does not preclude an individual's right
to assert legal claims against Ford.


INDIANA: Parties in Overcrowded Jail Suit Close To Reaching Accord
------------------------------------------------------------------
Parties to the class action pending against the Johnson County, Indiana
government are moving close to a settlement, five and a half years
after the suit was filed over inmate overcrowding at the Johnson County
jail, the JournalNet.com reports.  The two sides, the Indiana Civil
Liberties Union and the Johnson County government, have jointly asked a
judge to dismiss the lawsuit.  That could happen as early as next
month.

The ICLU sued the county in August 1997, alleging that conditions
inside the old county jail in Franklin were inhumane and unsanitary.  
The old facility was built for 104 prisoners but routinely housed twice
as many.  Overcrowded inmates slept on the cellblock floor,
Journalnet.com reports.  

To accommodate the growing inmate population, Johnson County renovated
and expanded the jail at a cost of $9.5 million.  It opened in fall
2001 and now can house up to 292 inmates.  This week, the population
was 235.  Creating more elbow room for inmates satisfied the main
concerns of the ICLU, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of overcrowded
prisoners.

"This was never a problem with (jail) staff versus prisoners; this was
a problem of an unconstitutional facility, because it was just too
small and old," Kenneth Falk, attorney for the ICLU told
Journalnet.com.  

County commissioner Bill Walker, who by virtue of his office was one of
the defendants in the lawsuit, also believes the case will settle soon.  
"That's the understanding that we have. We've had that for three or
four months now, that things were like (the ICLU) wanted it and like we
wanted it," Mr. Walker told Journalnet.com.  "We were glad to bring
(the jail) up to that standard."

In resolving the suit, the ICLU and inmates don't get any damages, but
the county agrees to pay $9,500 in plaintiff's attorneys' fees.


KAVA: Fiji Trade Organization To Lodge Suit Over Beverage Product Ban
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fiji Kava Council (FKC) is considering filing a multi-billion class
action against the United States of America and countries in Europe for
imposing a ban on the beverage product, FijiOnline.com reports.  "Kava"
was banned because of certain scientific reports saying that the
consumption of the beverage causes liver failure.

Ratu Josateki Nawalwalo, chairman of the FKC, said that the council
will also enlist the participation of other island nations to join the
possible suit, which will be lodged at the International Court of
Justice or with the World Trade Organization.

The ban has cost Fiji a large sum of money because the kava industry
was becoming renowned worldwide.  Ratu Nawalowalo told FijiOnline.com
the council is planning to hold an International Kava Symposium this
year to see if international scientists and health authorities have
found any scientific truth to the claims that it is damaging to the
liver.  The last symposium held in December last year proved that no
scientists or health experts from the region had evidence that it
caused liver problems.

"If we find out that the regulatory authorities of these countries are
passing decisions on unproven scientific evidence, we will be taking
the matter through to the International Court of Justice or with the
World Trade Organization to register the claims with them," Ratu
Nawalowalo told FijiOnline.com.

The council is aiming to export overseas again, mainly to the Asian
market in places like India, China and Taiwan where 60 per cent of
medicines used are herbal medicines, he said.  "Once we start exporting
again, we aim to make the kava industry a big one, coming after the
sugar industry in terms of export quantity and quality," he said.


LOCAL 213: Union Member Sues Over Unlawfully Collected Membership Dues
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Local
213) launched a class action against the union, claiming hundreds of
thousands of dollars of members' dues have been collected unlawfully in
a failing scheme to support union contractors.

Richard Frick, a 36-year-old electrician from Port Coquitlam, is suing
his union to recover members' dues used by the union to subsidize union
contractors' bids on certain construction projects.  "The IBEW has
unlawfully collected thousands of dollars in union dues without the
consent of its members," says Mr. Frick. "It's not fair and we want
our money back."

In June 1992, the IBEW (Local 213) began collecting five per cent of
members' wages from hundreds of members (approximately $200.00 per
month per member) to go towards an Electrical Industry Advance Fund.
This deduction is on top of the 1.3 per cent of members' wages already
deducted as regular union dues.  Union contractors, when faced with
open-shop competition, make application to the IBEW leadership for
subsidies from the fund to effectively lower the price of their bids.

According to Mr. Frick's statement of claim, the deductions were only
to take place on work done under the IBEW's Inside Wiremen's Agreement
when members were working for the full collective agreement wage rate.
He says the practice was unlawfully extended to include major projects
built under the NDP's union-only schemes including Highway Constructors
Ltd. (HCL) and Columbia Hydro Constructors Ltd.  Under these agreements
members were already paid a reduced wage rate.

"We were already working at reduced hourly rates on the HCL projects,"
says Mr. Frick.  "Then, without our agreement, the union came along and
took another five per cent of our pay cheques and gave it to the
contractors."

Major projects where these deductions occurred include the Skytrain
expansion, improvements to the Port Mann Bridge and the construction of
the HOV lanes on Highway 1.  Mr. Frick is also looking for a full
accounting of how the money has been spent and is concerned that the
fund may currently be running a deficit.

"The membership has asked time and time again for a complete accounting
of this fund," says Mr. Frick. "It's our money and the IBEW leadership
has not been clear about how it has been spent. What really concerns me
is the impact this can have on bargaining. If the union owes money to
contractors, does this become a factor when our wages and benefits are
being negotiated?  How can they effectively bargain with them at
contract time?"

"The practice of subsidizing contractors' bids with workers' money is
simply not working. They're using our own money to buy our jobs," adds
Mr. Frick.  "The union said it would help protect our jobs but the
market share for our members has gone down. The only people who seem to
have benefited are a select few chosen contractors."

"Job targeting" or "market recovery" programs are used by the
construction craft unions to subsidize union contractors when bidding
against open-shop contractors.  The union creates a 'market recovery'
fund, financed through union dues levied on its members and deducted
from their wages.  As in the case of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (Local 213), this 'market recovery' levy is 5% of
workers' wages, on top of regular union dues collected.  This amount is
deducted off the union members' paychecks and remitted by the employer
to the union.

If a union contractor identifies competition from an open-shop
contractor on a prospective job, they apply to the union for a wage
subsidy.  They forward the names of the competitors (both union and
open-shop), ballpark estimates of man-hours, etc., to the union.  The
union business agent decides whether the application is eligible, sets
the amount of the hourly wage subsidy and informs the contractor, who
then submits a bid.

In October, 2002, The Vancouver Sun reported that the average wage
subsidy paid by the IBEW under their market recovery plan was $7.30 an
hour, amounting to $5.3 million in subsidies to contractors.  A study
by the Work Research Foundation found "the effect of the (job targeting
program) is to introduce non-economic considerations into the bidding
process.  (Their) continued prevalence has significant potential to
hurt the image of the industry and erode confidence among
participants."  (Vancouver Sun, October 5, 2002)

Unions contend this practice protects union jobs and allows them to
remain competitive with the non-union sector.  The open-shop sector,
however, argues that this practice can be used to "target" specific
contractors by subsidizing the bids of their competitors - thus the
name "job targeting."

For more information, contact Richard Frick by Phone: 604-802-2747 or
contact Rob Grant of Heenan Blaikie LLP by Phone: 604-891-1150.


MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL: Two Investors Sue Over "Improper Accounting"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriott International, Inc. and three of its top executives face a
shareholder lawsuit filed in Delaware Chancery Court, alleging they
improperly accounted for costs and rebates on behalf of the hotels that
the Company manages, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The suit was filed on behalf of two small shareholders, Daniel and
Raizel Taubenfeld, and follows several big lawsuits filed last year by
owners of Marriott hotels.  The Taubenfelds are being represented by
the law firm of Milberg Weiss, Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP.  The Milberg
Weiss lawsuit doesn't seek class-action status.  Instead, it seeks to
force the defendants to pay undetermined damages and repay their
salaries or other remuneration to Marriott.  It also demands that the
defendants establish an effective compliance program to prevent further
"wrongful and illegal practices."  Milberg Weiss would take a
percentage of any payment as its fee, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Marriott has denied any wrongdoing and argued that short-sellers in the
stock market have stirred up anti-Marriott sentiment as they attempt to
profit from drops in the company's stock price.  A Marriott spokesman
called the suit "frivolous" and said it "seems to replay short sellers'
old accusations."


MEGAN'S LAW: Attorney General Says Proper Enforcement To Cost $15-$20M
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Attorney General Bill Lockyer says it would cost communities $15 to $20
million to properly enforce Megan's Law, named for a New Jersey girl
who was murdered by a sexual offender in 1994, which requires a person
convicted of certain crimes to register with his county's sheriff's
department.  

In a statement, Mr. Lockyer stated several problems with identifying
the whereabouts of approximately 30-40 percent of the 100,000 sex
offenders who are required to register with local law enforcement
agencies.

He said, `I welcome the attention and interest in this nationwide
problem, which is no secret in the law enforcement community.  I have
sponsored efforts to improve the technology and make the data more
accessible to the public, including making Megan's Law data available
over the Internet.  Further improvements to ensure that sex offender
registrants are complying with registration laws will require local law
enforcement agencies to spend more money to track those individuals and
see that they comply with the law.  It is important to recognize that
California has statewide problems at least as significant as the fact
that sex offenders are not complying with registration mandates.  To
name just one, California has over two million unserved arrest
warrants, including at least 300,000 felony arrest warrants."

He said that the Department of Justice has greatly improved the
technology used to collect, retain and disseminate sex offender
registration data.  He, however, added that the information in the
database is only as current as the information provided to us by local
law enforcement agencies.  The problem is local police chiefs and
sheriffs have limited resources and must juggle many important duties,
including investigating gang crimes, homicides and rapes.

"If lawmakers want to direct local law enforcement agencies to do a
better job tracking sex offenders who don't register, I would urge
them to appropriate money to fund a large number of officers designated
to ensuring that sex offenders are complying with the law.  I would be
supportive of assigning state Department of Justice agents to lead
local-state task forces. I would not support any efforts to
re-prioritize or second-guess from Sacramento the law enforcement
decisions about how to spend limited public safety dollars," Mr.
Lockyer stated.

"An audit of the state database is welcome if it will help inform the
public accurately of the scope of the problem and give government
decision-makers a realistic and useful assessment of whether changes in
statute or in the allocation of scarce dollars can help reduce or
eliminate the problem.  I will provide other specific recommendations
to improve the system as this issue is considered by the Legislature,"
he concluded.

According to an earlier Class Action Reporter story, a class action was
brought against Missouri law enforcement agencies by six men who argue
they should not have to register as sex offenders.  As a class, they
would potentially represent more than 17,000 people across the state.  
The suit is awaiting class certification by a Missouri federal court.


MONTROSE WHOLESALE: Recalls 247,000 Disposable Lighters For Fire Hazard
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries, Inc. is cooperating with the US
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) by voluntarily recalling
about 247,000 disposable cigarette lighters.  The lighters do not have
child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law.  Young children
could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.

These "BIC" brand lighters were illegally imported into the United
States by Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries, Inc., a Chicago
importer.  This recall does not involve lighters sold in the US by BIC.  
In the United States, BIC sells only lighters with a child resistant
mechanism.  BIC notified CPSC of these illegally imported lighters, and
CPSC investigators caught the non-child-resistant lighters for sale in
several stores in the Chicago area.

All disposable lighters imported and sold in the US are required by law
to be child-resistant.  The Company is not aware of any injuries
involving these lighters. This recall is being conducted to prevent the
possibility of injuries.

The disposable cigarette lighters being recalled are oval-tube-shaped
"BIC" and mini-"BIC" brand lighters.  The lighters have a green, red,
blue, black or yellow body and a metal top.  "BIC" and "Made in France"
are imprinted into the metal top of the lighter.  A label on the
lighter reads, "WARNING KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN."  The recalled
lighters are not equipped with a metal shield over the spark wheel.  
The child-resistant lighters have that shield.  The recalled standard
size lighters have the UPC number "3 086120 600020" and the mini-
lighters have the UPC number "3 086120 600051."

A recalled lighter without a child-resistant mechanism (left) and a
lighter with a child-resistant mechanism (right).  Convenience, gas,
and grocery stores in the central US sold these disposable cigarette
lighters from September 2002 through December 2002 for about $1.

For more information, call CPSC's Hotline: (800) 638-2772 anytime.


NEW YORK: Amherst Residents Consider Lawsuits Over Deteriorating Homes
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Several Amherst, New York residents are considering filing class
actions over the sorry state of their houses, the Buffalo News reports.  
Amherst residents who live in houses with sinking and cracking
foundations are organizing into groups to seek financial help,
according to Council Member William L. Kindel, who has been working
with the homeowners.  Publicity about the problems has hurt the town as
a whole, according to Terry D. Moore, an Audubon community leader.

Groups of residents are forming in Audubon, Getzville, the Pines,
Ransom Oaks, Wellington Woods and Willow Ridge, Buffalo News reports.  
Mr. Kindel said the group leaders plan to meet in March with area
congressional representatives to discuss how they can help homeowners.  
He is asking officials for federal aid for residents who have already
repaired damage to their homes, as well as for those who are planning
to make repairs.  Estimates are that hundreds of homes have been
damaged by unstable and sinking soil, in some cases causing tens of
thousands of dollars in damage, losses not covered by most homeowners
insurance policies.

"The suffering (has) grown to the point that foundation problems (have)
become a community problem," Mr. Moore, a real estate broker, told
Buffalo News.  "It has damaged, to a great extent, all Amherst . since
the very real possibility of more damaged basements in the affected
areas . will undoubtedly result in fewer house sales and lower sale
prices."

Neighborhood leaders urge residents with foundation problems to contact
them.  Mr. Kindel is asking homeowners to send him letters listing
damage so the facts can be forwarded to federal officials.

Neighborhood contacts include:

     (1) Audubon - Terry Moore, 689-8491,

     (2) Getzville - Mary Hay, 688-2782,

     (3) Pines - Peter Messenger, 688-0692,

     (4) Pines East - Darlene Torbenson, 688-6063,

     (5) Ransom Oaks - Wayne E. Gage, 688-6544,

     (6) Wellington Woods - Betsy Elliott, 689-1971 and John Rachal,
         689-7439 and

     (7) Willow Ridge - Sue Jaworski, 691-5878


PFIZER INC.: Settles Ear Infection Drug Advertising Litigation
--------------------------------------------------------------
Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced the details of a
settlement his office and the Attorneys General of 18 other states
forged with Pfizer, Inc. for litigation over its advertising for
Zithromax, a product used to treat severe ear infections in young
children.

"When a child is sick, parents can panic and may insist on medications
that may not be the cure-all for their child's illness," Mr. Lockyer
said.  "This settlement should help encourage consumers to never rely
solely on claims made in paid advertisements.  Consumers should always
consult a physician, who can discuss all possible treatments and
determine which drug, if any, is appropriate."

California and eighteen other Attorneys General Offices began the
investigation in 2001 into Pfizer's direct advertising to consumers
touting Zithromax, as well as promotional material aimed at health care
professionals.  The consumer ads ads focused on how many doses and how
often Zithromax should be administered.  However, the ads failed to
disclose information about antibiotic resistance and other factors that
need to be considered by a physician before prescribing antibiotic
treatment for otitis media, a severe ear infection suffered by young
children.

Under the agreement, Pfizer will pay the 19 states a total of $4
million for costs and attorneys fees.  The company also will fund a $2
million public service announcement (PSA) campaign during the next
three years to educate parents about medical decisions that are made
when describing specific treatments.  The campaign will run during the
cold and flu seasons, November through March, in 2003-2005.

The agreement also prohibits Pfizer from making any representations in
consumer ads about Zithromax regarding dosing convenience, frequency of
use or effectiveness unless Pfizer has competent and reliable
scientific evidence to support such claims.  Under the agreement,
Pfizer will not make representations about Zithromax in consumer ads:

     (1) Regarding the dosing convenience or frequency of use unless
         the company includes the following disclosure:  "Your doctor
         will consider many factors when choosing an antibiotic. Dosing
         convenience is one of them."

     (2) Comparing the effectiveness of Zithromax for treatment of
         otitis media to other antibiotics unless the company includes
         the following disclosure:  "Antibiotic resistance is a
         consideration that may affect your doctor's choice of
         treatment for your child's ear infection."

Pfizer also must include a disclosure in all direct consumer ads
promoting Zithromax, stating "Remember that antibiotics don't work for
viral infections, such as a cold or flu, so don't insist on a
prescription for an antibiotics.  Only your doctor can decide what type
of infection your child has and the best way to treat it."

Additionally, if consumer ads for Zithromax refer to data in a
scientific study related to dosing convenience, frequency of use or
effectiveness, Pfizer must disclose whether the study was published,
reviewed by peers, or funded by Pfizer.  The company also must make
available to consumers the full study or a summary of the study.  In
addition, the company must post the study or a summary on its Internet
site.  To ensure summaries are accurate and complete, an unabridged
copy of the study must be made available to any Attorney General on
request.  Pfizer also agreed to permanently discontinue the direct
consumer ads that were the subjects of the investigation.


PHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS: California AG Sues Over False Drug Pricing Data
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pharmaceutical giants Abbott Laboratories and Wyeth faces charges from
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer stating the firms cheated
California taxpayers out of millions of dollars by reporting false drug
pricing data which is relied upon by the state's Medi-Cal program to
set reimbursement rates.

"This prescription drug-pricing fraud took advantage of sick patients
and cost California taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in
unnecessary health care costs," Mr. Lockyer said in a statement.  "The
drug makers hid the true costs of their drugs so that Medi-Cal
reimbursements would be artificially inflated.  We believe this kind of
illegal conduct bloated some drug prices by up to 1,198 percent and
contributed to soaring health care costs for needy Californians. "

The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court under
California's False Claims Act, which provides treble damages and
penalties of up to $10,000 per false claim.  Illinois-based Abbott
Laboratories manufactures a significant number of the pharmaceutical
products approved for usage by Medi-Cal.  Wyeth of New Jersey is
another major national drug company.

In California, health care providers are reimbursed for drugs
prescribed to Medi-Cal patients.  The reimbursement rates are
calculated using pricing data supplied by drug manufacturers.  The
complaint alleges that the drug makers grossly misrepresented the
prices, resulting in inflated costs to the state's $27 billion Medi-Cal
program, which provides essential health care to poor, elderly and
disabled Californians.

The complaint was prompted by a whistleblower lawsuit filed in
California by a small pharmacy, Ven-A-Care, which gathered data on the
vast discrepancies between the actual prices that it was paying to
manufacturers versus the over-inflated prices reported to Medicaid,
which is called Medi-Cal in California.  After investigating the
pricing practices of more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies
participating in the state's Medi-Cal program, the California Attorney
General's Office intervened in the case.  Mr. Lockyer said he expects
similar lawsuits will be filed against other pharmaceutical companies.

The complaint notes that in 1996, Abbott reported that a one-gram dose
of its antibiotic Vancomycin was priced at $55.59.  Relying upon this
information, the Medi-Cal program set its reimbursement rate at $55.59.
However, the actual cost to Ven-A-Care was $6.29.  Medi-Cal was
defrauded into paying a 752 percent mark-up.  The small-volume pharmacy
similarly paid $11.20 for a 10 milliliter dose of the sedative Ativan,
manufactured by Wyeth, while the Medi-Cal program paid $70.19,
resulting in a 523 percent mark-up.

"While the number of Medi-Cal patients declined by 15 percent between
1997 and 2001, Medi-Cal's prescription drug costs have doubled," Mr.
Lockyer said.  "We believe one of the reasons is the inflated drug
prices reported by pharmaceutical companies."

In addition to the fiscal harm suffered by the state, these illegal
marketing schemes may have created a public health risk.  For example,
Abbott's Vancomycin has been known for over twenty years as the
"antibiotic of last resort" for life threatening or severe infections
involving bacteria which have developed resistance to other
antibiotics.

For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Federal Drug
Administration have sponsored educational campaigns encouraging
providers to limit their use of Vancomycin and issued strong
admonishments that over-utilization of this last line of defense can
and already has led to the development of bacteria resistant to
Vancomycin.  However, Abbott has created a large financial inducement
for physicians and pharmacies to prescribe Vancomycin in scenarios
where it may not have been necessary.

For more information, visit the Website:
http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/2003/03-004.htm


SLAVE REPARATION: TX Slave Descendants To Commence Suit V. 100+ Firms
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Descendants of Texas slave plan to launch a federal class action in
Galveston, Texas federal court against several American corporations
who allegedly profited from slavery, the Houston Chronicle reports.  
The Texas National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) announced plans for the suit during the Martin Luther King Jr.
festivities held Monday in Austin.  The suit will be filed against J.P.
Morgan Chase & Co., WestPoint Stevens Inc., Union Pacific Railroad and
100 unnamed defendants.

"As far as we know, this is the first such lawsuit to be filed in the
state of Texas," NAACP Texas President Gary Bledsoe told the Chronicle.   
The lawsuit is the latest of a number that have been filed in states
across the South seeking payments from companies that were either
directly or indirectly involved in financing slavery.  Lawyers handling
the case believe it will be consolidated with the other lawsuits in
Chicago.

Mr. Bledsoe said the case is a reconciliation lawsuit, not a
reparations lawsuit.  He said a reparations lawsuit seeks payment for
individuals while this lawsuit seeks to have a trust fund set up to
benefit African-Americans.  That trust fund governed by a commission
might make payments to individuals, he said, but its main goal will be
to promote health care for African-Americans, programs to remove the
vestiges of slavery and to promote racial healing, states the Houston
Chronicle.

The first in the series of lawsuits was filed last year against Aetna
insurance and CSX railroad.  Legal experts at the time said the lawsuit
was a long shot because of the amount of time that has passed since the
offenses.  Also, the slaves most directly impacted by slavery have all
died.  Reparations cases involving Holocaust survivors and Japanese-
Americans interned during World War II were successful in part because
the people harmed were still living.  However, German corporations hit
by lawsuits for their role in the Holocaust settled for billions of
dollars in part to avoid unfavorable and continuing publicity,
according to the Houston Chronicle.

The suit charges J.P. Morgan Chase with leading a consortium that
raised money to insure slaves.  WestPoint Stevens allegedly used cotton
from Southern planters, and Union Pacific built railroads with slave
labor.  Spokesmen for Chase and WestPoint could not be reached for
comment, according to the Chronicle.

Mark Davis of Union Pacific said the lawsuits target rail companies
that no longer exist.  "We never did benefit from any of the alleged
actions," Mr. Davis said. "The modern Union Pacific was formed in 1897.
That's almost three decades after the Civil War."


UNITED STATES: Three Somali Men In INS Detention Set To Be Released
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Three of the four Somali men who have been at the center of a national
deportation case will be released from INS detention no later than
Wednesday this week, The Seattle Times reports.  The men, jailed by
immigration authorities in November, were plaintiffs in a federal court
case that prevented deportation of Somalis back to the East African
nation.

In a recent ruling, US District Judge Marsha Pechman ordered the men
released, citing a 2001 Supreme Court case known as Zadvydas v. Davis.  
The case prohibits indefinitely detaining people who face deportation
but whose countries don't accept them.  Somalia has been without a
central government since the ouster of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, and
"a state of general chaos persists," Judge Pechman wrote in her ruling.  
"With no evidence to suggest that conditions in Somalia are likely to
change in the near future, the court finds there is no significant
likelihood of petitioners' removal in the reasonably foreseeable
future.  The court finds no rational reason to require them to continue
in detention."

Orders for the release of three of the four detainees from the INS
detention facility have gone forth.  A fourth man filed a prior
petition in federal court, to be decided by Judge Barbara Rothstein.  
He is Gama Kalif Mohamud.

Lawyers representing the Somalis applauded the ruling and said they now
will seek the release of all deportable Somalis held in detention,
which has been estimated at 39 nationwide as of December 16.  In her
ruling, Judge Pechman said there appears to be no credible link between
any organization in Somalia and al-Qaida.

The case of the four Somali men (a fifth who had been arrested at the
same time was eventually released) was granted class action status by
Judge Pechman last week, thereby halting the removal of 2,000 Somali
nationals who are not necessarily in detention but who could have faced
deportation.


WASHINGTON: Judge Rejects Request To Stop Household Int'l Foreclosures
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Seattle federal judge has rejected a request to stop foreclosure
actions against Washington homeowners who financed a first or second
home loan with Household International subsidiaries over the past four
years, The Seattle Times reports.  The relief has been requested on
behalf of homeowners in a prospective class action pending before US
District Judge Robert Lasnik.

Last fall, Household International cut a deal for $480 million with
more than 40 states to make restitution for predatory lending
practices.  About $20.6 million is allocated for as many as 11,000
Washington homeowners.  The predatory practices engaged in by the
Household subsidiaries included misrepresenting the true terms of the
loan, inserting onerous "prepayment" penalties for getting out of loans
and failing to disclose important information to consumers.

The Household subsidiaries included Household Finance, Household Realty
and Beneficial Mortgage, all companies that specialized in the "sub
prime market," meaning customers with blemished credit histories.

In his recent ruling, Judge Lasnik said the preliminary injunction
requested by plaintiffs' attorney, Robert Parlette, was overly broad
and that Mr. Parlette had failed to meet the burden of showing a
probability of success on the merits.  Judge Lasnik wrote "Plaintiffs
have provided little evidence that the alleged misleading conduct
(by Household) led or will lead to foreclosures on plaintiffs' homes .
or the homes of thousands of other Washington borrowers who refinanced
debts with Household."

Mr. Parlette said he had asked Judge Lasnik to suspend the foreclosure
actions while the litigation was pending or until proceeds from the
Household settlement could be disbursed later this year, probably not
before spring.  Mr. Parlette noted that the underlying complaint
remains very much alive, with a hearing to certify it as a class action
set for March.  If he succeeds in proving the allegations that
Household cheated homeowners, then "these people could get an award of
damages for having to move out of their house and find a new home,"
said Mr. Parlette.


*Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers Live in A World Of Service, Greed
------------------------------------------------------------------
Employers of some 200 million Americans hire pharmaceutical-benefit
managers (PBMs), in hopes of containing fast-rising drug bills through
the use of mail-order refills and preferred lists of cost-effective
drugs.  Class actions, however, have charged PBMs with pocketing money
from the drug makers to push drugs that cost more, not less, Barrons
reports.

For example, last month, plaintiffs' lawyers offered to settle a class
action against PBM Medco Health Solutions, a unit of Merck, for $42.5
million, a relative pittance compared to the $5 billion in book value
that Medco showed last March.

The PBMs have members, derived through their clients, the companies who
employ millions of workers and the employees become members by virtue
of the health benefit contract entered into between employer and
employee.  Medco, for instance, has 65 million members.

PBMs extract discounts by forcing drugstores and drugmakers to compete
for access to these millions of members.  There are still other ways:
For example, insurers sometimes let PBMs make lists of preferred
products, and by closing such a list, known as a formulary, to all but
one cholesterol-fighting drug, for instance, the PBM can extract
discounts on the preferred brand.  They may also extract rebates,
payable at the end of a quarter, based on prescription volumes across a
wide swath of one drug maker's product line.

PBMs pass along some, but not necessarily all, of these discounts and
rebates to their clients -- the employers and insurers that sponsor the
drug benefits.  Critics contend that some PBMs have betrayed their
clients by pushing higher-priced drugs for their manufacturers, in
exchange for bigger rebates or payments disguised as consulting fees.  
Just a cursory reading of this process makes one wonder.  The state of
West Virginia wondered a lot and sued Medco in state court in November,
alleging that the company had violated consumer protection laws by
steering state employees to expensive pharmaceuticals from its parent,
Merck, while pocketing hidden rebates.  The case is in the pre-trial
stage.

However, state officials, elsewhere, do not seem ready to jump on the
litigation wagon.  While attorneys general for several states,
including New York, reportedly have made informal and very preliminary
investigations, none has yet filed a lawsuit.

The main legal action, so far, has been a consolidation of several
private lawsuits before US District Judge Charles Brieant in White
Plains, New York.  The actions, filed on behalf of employees of
companies including Daimler Chrysler and Northwest Airlines, contend
that Medco violated the federal Employee Retirement Security Act by
favoring expensive Merck drugs and pocketing rebates that rightfully
belong to the employees' health plans.  Evidence produced in the case
show that some Merck products, such as the cholesterol-lowering Zocor,
had almost double the market share in the Medco plan than in the
outside market.

Among lawyers representing some of the plaintiffs is David Boies, who
earned a fierce reputation litigating antitrust cases involving
Microsoft and IBM.  On December 9, after a year of arduous settlement
negotiations, the depositions of seven Merck Medco executives and the
examination of 150,000 pages of documents, Mr. Boies and his colleagues
agreed to settle the case for $42.5 million and Medco's commitment to
disclose rebates to its clients.  Plaintiffs in five of the six
consolidated cases agreed to this relatively modest settlement, which
still must be approved by Judge Brieant at a hearing this spring.

The sixth plaintiffs' group, represented by David A. McKay of the
Atlanta firm Herman, Mathis, Casey, Kitchens & Gerel, objects to the
deal.  Among Mr. McKay's law partners is Russ Herman, one of the lead
plaintiffs' lawyers in litigation against the tobacco industry in the
1990s.

Mr. McKay's experts said that Medco owes plaintiffs billions of dollars
in discounts and rebates.  Mr. McKay, noting that his firm had
investigated the consolidated cases for over 18 months and that his
lawsuit had not been consolidated with the others until recently,
added, "We are confident in our allegations."


                   Meetings, Conferences & Seminars


* Scheduled Events for Class Action Professionals
-------------------------------------------------

January 23-24, 2003
    INSURANCE BAD FAITH
       The Definitive Conference on Insurance Bad Faith Litigation
          in California
             Bridgeport Continuing Education
                San Francisco
                   Contact: 818-505-1490

January 25, 2003
    TORTS PRACTICE: 18TH ANNUAL RECENT DEVELOPMENT
       CEB.Com
          San Diego Concourse, California
             Contact: 1-800-232-3444; customer_service@ceb.ucop.edu

January 25, 2003
    TORTS PRACTICE: 18TH ANNUAL RECENT DEVELOPMENT
       CEB.Com
          Hyatt Regency, California
             Contact: 1-800-232-3444; customer_service@ceb.ucop.edu

January 30, 2003
    TORTS PRACTICE: 18TH ANNUAL RECENT DEVELOPMENT
       CEB.Com
          Four Points Hotel Sunnyvale, California
             Contact: 1-800-232-3444; customer_service@ceb.ucop.edu

January 30-31, 2003
    REINSURANCE CONFERENCE: A PRACTICAL OVERVIEW OF CURRENT ISSUES
       Mealey Publications
          The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

February 3-4, 2003
    DEFENSE STRATEGIES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE LITIGATION
       Mealey Publications
          The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Phoenix, AZ
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

February 3-4, 2003
    MOLD LITIGATION CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          La Jolla Marriott, San Diego, CA
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

February 13-14, 2003
    PRODUCTS LIABILITY
       American Law Institute
          Coral Gables, Florida
             Contact: 215-243-1614; 800-CLE-NEWS x1614

February 14, 2003
    THE SCIENCE OF MOLD
       Bridgeport Continuing Education
          Sacramento
             Contact: 818-505-1490

February 19, 2003
    INSURANCE COVERAGE 2003: CLAIM TRENDS AND LITIGATION
       Practicing Law Institute
          PLI New York Center
             Contact: 800-260-4PLI; info@pli.edu.


February 19, 2003
    ASBESTOS PREMISES LIABILITY CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          The Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

February 20-21, 2003
    ASBESTOS LITIGATION 101 CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          The Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

March 3-4, 2003
    TOXIC MOLD LITIGATION
       Marriott East Side Hotel, New York
          Contact: 1-888-224-2480;
             http://www.americanconference.com


March 3-4, 2003
    PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR THE CLAIMS PROFESSIONAL
       Mealey Publications
          The Westin Hotel, Stamford
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

March 6-7, 2003
    VACCINE LITIGATION CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Commons, Boston
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

March 20-21, 2003
    FUNDAMENTALS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE LAW
       Mealey Publications
          The Westin Hotel, Philadelphia
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

March 23-24, 2003
    CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
       Bridgeport Continuing Education
          Long Beach
             Contact: 818-505-1490

April 2-5, 2003
    INSURANCE INSOLVENCY & REINSURANCE ROUNDTABLE
       Mealey Publications
          The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, AZ
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

April 4-5, 2003
    TOXIC TORT IN CALIFORNIA
       Bridgeport Continuing Education
          San Francisco
             Contact: 818-505-1490

April 4-5, 2003
    TOXIC TORT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IN CALIFORNIA
       Bridgeport Continuing Education
          Contact: 818-505-1490

April 8, 2003
    SILICA LITIGATION CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Boston
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

April 10-11, 2003
    HANDLING CONSTRUCTION RISKS 2003:
       ALLOCATE NOW OR LITIGATE LATER
          Practicing Law Institute
             PLI New York Center
                Contact: 800-260-4PLI; info@pli.edu.

April 28-29, 2003
    EPHEDRA LITIGATION CONFERENCE
       Mealey Publications
          The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa, Pasadena, CA
             Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
                mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

May 8-9, 2002
FEN-PHEN LITIGATION CONFERENCE
    Mealey Publications
       The Fairmont Hotel, Dallas
          Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
             mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

May 14-15, 2003
    CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
       Bridgeport Continuing Education
          San Jose
             Contact: 818-505-1490

June 12-13, 2003
    ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
       American Law Institute
          Boston
             Contact: 215-243-1614; 800-CLE-NEWS x1614

June 16-17, 2003
    LITIGATING EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION &
       SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS
          Practicing Law Institute
             PLI New York Center
                Contact: 800-260-4PLI; info@pli.edu.

TBA
    Water Contamination Litigation Conference
       Mealey Publications
          Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
             mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com

TBA
    Fair Labor Standards Conference
       Mealey Publications
          Contact: 1-800-MEALEYS; 610-768-7800;
             mealeyseminars@lexisnexis.com


* Online Teleconferences
------------------------

January 06-31, 2003
    ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MASS TORT
       AND CLASS ACTION LITIGATION IN TEXAS
          CLE Online Seminar
             Contact: 512-778-5665; info@cleonline.com

January 06-31, 2003
    NBI PRESENTS "LITIGATING THE CLASS
       ACTION LAWSUIT IN FLORIDA
          CLE Online Seminar
             Contact: 512-778-5665; info@cleonline.com

May 14, 2003
    CLASS ACTION BASICS
       ABA-CLE
          Contact: 800-285-2221; abacle@abanet.org

PAXIL LITIGATION
    LawCommerce.Com
       Contact: customerservice@lawcommerce.com

INTRODUCTION TO CLASS ACTIONS AND LARGE RECOVERIES
    Big Class Action
       Contact: seminars@bigclassaction.com

RECOVERIES
    Big Class Action
       Contact: seminars@bigclassaction.com

SHOULD I FILE A CLASS ACTION?
    LawCommerce.Com
       Contact: customerservice@lawcommerce.com

THE EFFECTS OF ASBESTOS ON THE PULMONARY SYSTEM
    LawCommerce.Com
       Contact: customerservice@lawcommerce.com

THE STATE OF ASBESTOS LITIGATION: JUDICIAL PANEL DISCUSSION
    LawCommerce.Com
       Contact: customerservice@lawcommerce.com

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                    New Securities Fraud Cases

800AMERICA.COM: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. NY
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York against 800America.com (Other OTC: ACCO.PK) and three individual
defendants on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or
otherwise acquired the Company's securities during the period between
January 17, 2001 and November 13, 2002.

The lawsuit charges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by engaging in a massive, multifaceted
scheme to artificially inflate the value of 800America stock by
"cooking" its books and records, and by issuing public filings that
grossly distorted the Company's true state of affairs.

The suit alleges that, throughout the class period, defendants engaged
in fraudulent actions which included, among other things:

     (1) reporting millions of dollars in fictitious earnings,
         revenues, expenses and assets, deliberately concealed by
         defendants' creation of phony bank statements, checks,
         invoices and a general ledger, which they supplied to
         800America's auditor,

     (2) the misappropriation and looting of substantial assets of the
         Company by defendants David Elie Rabi and Tillie Ruth Steeples
         through transfers of funds from 800America accounts to
         accounts controlled by Mr. Rabi and/or Ms. Staples,

     (3) the issuance of a press release falsely denying Mr. Rabi's
         criminal past and failing to disclose that Ms. Steeples was a
         control person of the Company; and

     (4) the filing of a 10-KSB which listed as officers and/or
         directors or "significant employees" several individuals who
         had either left the Company or could not be located by the
         Company

The suit further alleges that 800America maintained two separate sets
of books in furtherance of their fraud, in which virtually all of its
reported revenues in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 were fictitious.  In
addition, the Company reported approximately $13.2 million in cash
assets for fiscal year 2001-supported by a phony bank statement
provided to the Company's auditor reflecting approximately $12.67
million in cash-while the actual bank statement reflected that such
account never contained more than $640.66 for that entire period.

On November 13, 2002, the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) filed
a civil action against 800America, Mr. Rabi and Ms. Steeples in the
Southern District of New York, alleging that the Company falsified
virtually all of its reported revenue, concealed the criminal histories
of Mr. Rabi and Ms. Steeples, and otherwise perpetrated a massive fraud
against investors.  Both Mr. Rabi and Ms. Steeples were arrested on
criminal charges in connection with this fraud.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Charles Piven Commences Securities Suit in UT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, PA initiated a securities class
action on behalf of shareholders who purchased, converted, exchanged or
otherwise acquired the common stock of ClearOne Communications, Inc.
(Nasdaq:CLRO) between January 1, 2001, and January 15, 2003, inclusive,
in the United States District Court for the District of Utah against
the Company and certain of its executive officers.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the class period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

For more details, contact Charles J. Piven by Mail: The World Trade
Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525, Baltimore,
Maryland 21202 by Phone: 410-986-0036 or by E-mail:
hoffman@pivenlaw.com


H&R BLOCK: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in S.D. NY
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York on behalf of a class of all persons who purchased securities of
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) between November 8, 1997 and November 1,
2002, inclusive.  The suit names as defendants the Company and:

     (1) Mark A. Ernst,

     (2) Frank J. Cotroneo,

     (3) Frank L. Salizzoni,

     (4) Matthew A. Engel,

     (5) Cheryl L. Givens,

     (6) Ozzie Wenich, and

     (7) Partick D. Petrie

The suit alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder, by issuing a series of material misrepresentations to the
market during the class period thereby artificially inflating the price
of H&R Block's securities.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


HOTELS.COM: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in N.D. TX
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
on behalf of purchasers of Hotels.com (NASDAQ: ROOM) publicly traded
securities during the period between October 23, 2002 and January 6,
2003.

The complaint charges Hotels.com and certain of its officers and
directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  
Hotels.com is an online consolidator of hotel accommodations,
contracting with hotels in advance for volume purchases and guaranteed
availability of hotel rooms at wholesale prices which are then sold to
customers.

On October 10, 2002, USA Interactive announced that it was ending its
ongoing process to acquire all of the shares of Hotels.com that it did
not own.  Hotels.com then claimed that its prospects were "excellent"
and days later, on October 23, 2002, the Company projected phenomenal
growth for its Q4, including Q4 02 revenue of $283-$289 million and
cash earnings per share of $0.46 to $0.47.  These projections, on top
of the Company's October 10, 2002 announcement, sent the Company's
shares soaring to above $60 per share, eventually hitting a class
period high of $75 on December 2, 2002.  Then on January 6, 2003, with
more than $42 million of insider trading proceeds, the defendants
announced that the Company would fall materially short of hitting its
forecasted projections.  On this news, the Company's shares dropped to
$44 from $59, a market cap loss of more than $855 million.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


LEAP WIRELESS: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. CA
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
California on behalf of a class of all persons or entities who
purchased securities of Leap Wireless International, Inc. (OTCBB:LWIN)
between February 11, 2002 and July 24, 2002, inclusive, against the
Company and:

     (1) Harvey P. White, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,

     (2) Susan G. Swenson, President, Chief Operating Officer and
         director,

     (3) Manford Leonard, Vice President and Controller and

     (4) Jill E. Barad, Accounting Officer and director

The suit alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder, by issuing a series of material misrepresentations to the
market during the class period thereby artificially inflating the price
of Leap's securities.  Specifically, the suit alleges that in starting
on February 11, 2002, the day after the Company publicly announced its
financial results for its fiscal year ending December 31, 2002,
defendants concealed the deteriorated value of its wireless license
assets by undertaking a fraudulent impairment test of those assets
which grossly overstated the value of Leap's wireless license assets in
its financial statements.

The suit alleges that defendants were motivated by the need to preserve
the image of Leap as a viable wireless company with valuable assets,
sufficient to persuade lenders, investors and vendors to provide
capital, loans and equipment to the Company.  Defendants issued
materially false and misleading statements on February 11, 2002, April
24, 2002 and May 2, 2002.  On July 24, 2002, the last day of the class
period, Leap announced its financial results for its second quarter of
2002 and admitted for the first time that circumstances existed
throughout the year were adversely affecting the Company.  On this news
the market price of Leap shares fell from a class period high of $10.00
to below $1.00 and are presently trading at less that $.40 per share,

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


NASH FINCH: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in MN Court
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota on
behalf of purchasers of Nash Finch Company (NASDAQ: NAFC; NAFCE) common
stock during the period between July 15, 2002 and November 8, 2002.

The complaint charges Nash Finch and certain of its officers and
directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Nash
Finch is a food distribution and retail company in the United States.  
The complaint alleges that during the class period, Nash Finch issued
false statements, including false financial results in which the
Company included income from vendor promotions to which Nash Finch was
not entitled, so as to maintain favorable credit ratings on its debt.  
As a result of defendants' false statements, the Company's stock traded
at artificially inflated levels, permitting Nash Finch to maintain
credit ratings on its $400 million in debt.

Then, on November 8, 2002, Nash Finch issued a press release entitled
"Nash Finch Explains Postponement of Earnings Release" which disclosed
an SEC inquiry into its accounting practices.  Once this news was
revealed, Nash Finch's stock collapsed to $7.60 before closing at
$8.18, some 70% below the class period high of $28.85.  It was also
noted in November 2002, that Nash Finch's former CFO had sued the
Company claiming he was fired in 2000 for refusing to manipulate Nash
Finch's reported financial results.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


RURAL CELLULAR: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in MN Court
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota on
behalf of purchasers of Rural Cellular Corp. (NASDAQ: RCCC) publicly
traded securities during the period between May 7, 2001 and Nov. 12,
2002.

The complaint charges Rural Cellular and certain of its officers and
directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The
complaint alleges that during the class period, defendants caused Rural
Cellular's shares to trade at artificially inflated levels through the
issuance of false and misleading financial statements.  Then, on Nov.
12, 2002, after the market closed, defendants revealed that Rural
Cellular's fiscal 2001 through Q2 2002 results had been materially
misstated and would have to be restated.

Rural Cellular has now admitted that it inappropriately recorded
transactions included in its FY 2001 through Q2 2002 results, and has
restated those results to remove millions in improperly reported income
(which illegally decreased the Company's losses) such that its FY 2001
through Q2 2002 financial statements were not a fair presentation of
Rural Cellular's results and were presented in violation of Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles and SEC rules.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


SEACHANGE INTERNATIONAL: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Lawsuit in MA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, on
behalf of all persons other than defendants who purchased the common
shares of SeaChange International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEAC) in or traceable
to the offering conducted by SeaChange on or about January 29, 2002.
The action, is pending against the Company, certain of the Company's
directors and officers and the lead underwriters of the offering.

The suit alleges that defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15
of the Securities Act of 1933 by issuing a false and misleading
prospectus on or about January 29, 2002.  As alleged in the suit, at
all relevant times, SeaChange purported to be a leading developer,
manufacturer and marketer of video storage systems which purportedly
automate the management and distribution of video streams, such as
movies and other feature presentations and advertisements.

The suit further alleges that the Prospectus was materially false and
misleading because it failed to disclose, among other things, that the
Company was unable to compete effectively due to its inability to
provide server systems large enough to meet the needs of cable
companies located in major metropolitan areas and that the Company's
products were dependent on technology, developed and patented by a key
competitor, as to which SeaChange did not have proprietary rights.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


SMARTFORCE PLC: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in NH Court
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court, District of New Hampshire against
defendants SmartForce PLC d/b/a Skillsoft, and executives William
McCabe and Gregory Priest, on November 22, on behalf of all persons who
purchased and/or acquired American Depository Shares of SmartForce PLC
d/b/a Skillsoft between October 19, 1999 through and including November
18, 2002 to recover damages caused by the defendants' violation of
federal securities laws.

Specifically, this class period includes the following members:

     (1) all purchasers of SmartForce PLC's ADSs from October 19, 1999
         through September 6, 2002, trading under the ticker symbol
         SMTF;

     (2) all persons who acquired shares of SmartForce PLC's ADSs as
         part of the merger between SmartForce PLC and Skillsoft
         Corporation completed on or around September 6, 2002;

     (3) all purchasers of SmartForce PLC's ADSs after September 6,
         2002 when it began doing business as "Skillsoft" trading under
         the ticker symbols (Nasdaq: SKILD) and then (Nasdaq: SKIL).

The complaint charges that during the class period, the defendants and
its predecessors issued and/or failed to correct false and misleading
financial statements and press releases concerning the Company's
publicly reported revenues and earnings directed to the investing
public. Specifically:

     (i) SmartForce improperly recognized revenue under a reseller
         arrangement, resulting in the booking of revenue before it was
         received from the resellers;

    (ii) SmartForce recognized revenue for software sales upon
         shipment, even though the payment schedules for those
         contracts extended over several years;

   (iii) SmartForce recognized revenue in connection with other
         customer contracts upon execution of those contracts, even
         though the terms were four to five years in length;

    (iv) lastly, SmartForce improperly accounted for bad debt, causing
         an increase in its reserve.

On November 19, 2002, SmartForce shocked the market by announcing that
it intended to restate the historical financial statements of
SmartForce for 1999, 2000, 2001 and the first two quarters of 2002.  In
the process of preparing the closing balance sheet of SmartForce as of
September 6, 2002, SmartForce identified several accounting issues that
required the pre-merger SmartForce financial statements to be restated.  
In response to this announcement, the market reacted sharply and
swiftly.  The shares of SmartForce dropped 33.7% to close at $3.07.

As a result of the restatement, SmartForce was forced to delay the
release of its operating results for the quarter ended October 31,
2002.  SmartForce stated that it could not currently determine when it
would be in a position to file the Form 8-K amendment and report its
third quarter results.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


TENGASCO INC.: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in E.D. TN
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Tennessee on behalf of all shareholders who purchased Tengasco, Inc.
(AMEX:TGC) common stock between August 1, 2001 and April 23, 2002.

The complaint alleges that Tengasco and its Chief Executive Officer
violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by making materially false
and misleading statements concerning hydrocarbon production, drilling
success and prospects of Tengasco's Swan Creek Field and also made
materially false and misleading statements concerning Tengasco's
earnings potential during the class period.  The defendants were
motivated to make such false and materially misleading statements in
order to secure a multi-million dollar loan from Bank One; certain of
the proceeds of which were used to pay off loans made by Tengasco
insiders.

The complaint alleges that as a result of these false and misleading
statements, the price of Tengasco's shares were artificially inflated
throughout the class period causing plaintiff and the class to suffer
damages.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


TRANSACTION SYSTEMS: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Suit in NE Court
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska on
behalf of all purchasers of the common stock of Transaction Systems
Architects, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSAIE) between January 21, 1999 and November
18, 2002, inclusive.

The suit charges that during the class period, Transaction Systems
Architects and certain of its officers and directors issued and/or
failed to correct false and misleading financial statements and press
releases concerning the Company's publicly reported revenues and
earnings directed to the investing public.  Specifically:

     (1) the Company's software license revenues and net income for
         1999, 2000, 2001 and for the ninth-month period ended June 30,
         2002 have been seriously overstated;

     (2) the Company lacked sufficient internal controls and therefore
         was unable to understand its true financial standing, and

     (3) because of these problems, the value of the Company's balance
         sheet and income statement were materially overstated at all
         relevant times.

On August 14, 2002, the Company shocked the market and revealed that
management was reviewing several transactions involving the Company's
customers that occurred during fiscal 1999 and 2000, to determine
whether they had been accounted for appropriately.  The Company
announced that it would conduct a re-audit of the financial statements
for fiscal years 1999, 2000 and 2001.  In response to the news, the
Company's shares plummeted more than 20%, falling $2.22 per share (from
the previous day's closing price of $10.72 per share), to $8.50 per
share on August 15, 2002.

On November 19, 2002, the Company confirmed that in the course of the
review of its financial statements, the Company identified certain
accounting adjustments that will result in the restatements of the
Company's financial statements for fiscal 1999, 2000 and 2001, as well
as the restatements of previously announced 2002 quarterly results
because it improperly recognized revenue in conjunction with its
software licensing arrangements.

As a result, previously reported Company's software license revenues
and net income will decrease substantially in fiscal 1999, 2000 and
2001.  The Company said that these adjustments may be material.  
Further, the Company announced that as a result of these adjustments,
it is not possible to complete the re-audit prior to the November 29,
2002, deadline allowed by NASDAQ.  The Company requested an extension
from NASDAQ until December 31, 2002 to complete the re-audit process.  
After the market digested the November 19, 2002 announcement, TSA's
shares fell to a low of $ 6.50, closing on November 20th at $7.35.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


WESTAR ENERGY: Marc Henzel Commences Securities Fraud Suit in KS Court
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Marc S. Henzel initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas on
behalf of all purchasers of the common stock of Westar Energy Inc.
(NYSE: WR) and on behalf of all purchasers of Western Resources Capital
I Cumulative Quarterly Income Preferred Securities Series A (NYSE:
WR_pa) from March 31, 2001 through December 26, 2002, inclusive.
The complaint charges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder, by issuing a series of materially false and misleading
statements to the market between March 31, 2001 and December 26, 2002.

As alleged in the complaint, these statements were materially false and
misleading because they failed to disclose and/or misrepresented the
following adverse facts, among others:

     (1) that the Company had engaged in certain trades that may have
         violated Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) affiliate
         transaction rules, specifically that these transactions
         involved power sales from one Cleco Corporation (NYSE: CNL)
         affiliate to Westar and then back to another or the same Cleco
         affiliate, these transactions totaled approximately $3.4
         million in 2000, $12.6 million in 2001 and $3.8 million in
         2002; and

     (2) further as a result of a improper accounting practices
         regarding Westar's approximately 88% ownership of Protection
         One (NYSE: POI) a provider of property monitoring services,
         including electronic monitoring and maintenance of alarm
         systems, first and second quarter 2002 financial earning
         results had to be re-audited and restated.

On December 26, 2002, the last day of the class period, the Company
announced in a press release that it had received a subpoena from the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on December 16, 2002, and that in
addition to seeking details on trades with Cleco and its affiliates,
FERC also requested documents concerning power transactions between
Westar's system and marketing operations, and information on power
trades in which Westar or other trading companies acted as
intermediaries.

For more details, contact Marc S. Henzel by Mail: 273 Montgomery Ave.,
Suite 202, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Mail: 610-660-8000 or 888-643-6735
by Fax: 610-660-8080 by E-Mail: mhenzel182@aol.com or visit the firm's
Website: http://members.aol.com/mhenzel182       


                              *********


S U B S C R I P T I O N   I N F O R M A T I O N

Class Action Reporter is a daily newsletter, co-published by
Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Trenton, New Jersey, and
Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.  Enid Sterling, Aurora Fatima
Antonio and Lyndsey Resnick, Editors.

Copyright 2002.  All rights reserved.  ISSN 1525-2272.

This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale or
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