Tabloids dubbed Markoff "the Craigslist killer." The murder followed the killing of George Weber, a New Yorkreporter knifed to death after responding to a personal ad heplaced on Craigslist in March, and the early-April sentencingof Michael Anderson, a Minnesota man convicted of killing awoman who responded to a babysitting ad. "We will be monitoring closely to make sure that thismeasure is more than a name change from erotic to adult andthat the manual blocking is tough and effective to scrubprostitution and pornography," said Blumenthal, who has led atask force with other attorneys general on Craigslist. The Craigslist measures could set a precedent for similarsites, Blumenthal said. Along with its free listings for just about anything --from apartments to furniture, jobs and cars -- SanFrancisco-based Craigslist provides one of the largest andmost controversial sex-service listings. Craigslist, a 14-year-old online bazaar that generates morethan 20 billion page views per month in 50 countries with astaff of just 28 people, is partially owned by onlineauctioneer eBay (EBAY.O), which bought 25 percent in 2004. Craigslist informed him of the changes on Tuesday night,Blumenthal said. In April, Blumenthal had asked Craigslist officials toeliminate photographs in the "erotic services" and similarsections of the site, hire staff to screen ads that blatantlyviolate Craigslist rules and offer incentives for people whoflag and report prostitution advertisements.

The rules will affect 13 international companiesthat sell their products in Indonesia but do not have manufacturing facilities. For more information about SIPC, see "The Investor's Guide to Brokerage FirmLiquidations" at http:// Anderson, +1-703-276-3256, , forthe Securities Investor Protection Corporation, Washington, D.C., and IrvingH. Picard, New York, NY/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- May 13/SOURCESecurities Investor Protection Corporation, Washington, D.C.; IrvingH Picard, New York, NY. This figureincludes a maximum of $100,000 on claims for cash. From the time Congresscreated it in 1970 through December 2007, SIPC has advanced $507 million inorder to make possible the recovery of $15.7 billion in assets for anestimated 626,000 investors.

The statute that created SIPC provides that customers of a failed brokeragefirm receive all non-negotiable securities -- such as stocks or bonds -- thatare already registered in their names or in the process of being registered.At the same time, funds from the SIPC reserve are available to satisfy theremaining claims of each customer up to a maximum of $500,000. ABOUT SIPCThe Securities Investor Protection Corporation is the U.S. investor's firstline of defense in the event a brokerage firm fails, owing customer cash andsecurities that are missing from customer accounts. SIPC either acts astrustee or works with an independent court-appointed trustee in a brokerageinsolvency case to recover funds. EDT on May 14, 2009 at http:// CONTACT:Leslie Anderson, (703) 276-3256 or .