9 million units the company said in astatement

Fourth-quarter laptop PC shipments could be between 1.5million and 1.6 million units, lower than a previous forecast ofbetween 1.7 million and 1.9 million units, the company said in astatement. Shipments of its cheaper, mini Eee PCs could have reachedbetween 1.4 million and 1.5 million units in the same quarter,compared with 1.6 million to 1.8 million units forecastpreviously. Analysts said that would imply Asustek could have been inthe red in the fourth quarter Its fourth-quarter and 2008profits are due out on Feb 12. Asustek said its net profit reached T$19.254 billion ($582million) in the first three quarters of 2008, but full-year 2008profit was likely to be lower than its expectations It did notgive its previous forecast. Separately, the company's chief executive and other topexecutives decided to cut their salaries by 30 percent to reducecosts, the company said. The announcement came after the Taipei stock market closedon Thursday. Asustek shares fell 6.9 percent to their dailylimit, while the main TAIEXshed 5.3 percent.

(US$1T$33.1) (Reporting by Baker Li, Editing by Jon Loades-Carter). Zach Parise is the simplest pick on this US team destined to go to Vancouver for the Olympics. Who else will or should make up this team and how will they fareGoaltendersThis is the strongest set of US goalies ever available for any US international team. This may be the first time since the 1996 World Cup with Mike Richter that the US is entering an international tournament with the best goaltending in the world.Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres is looking like the starter on this team. Craig Anderson and last year's Vezina trophy winner Tim Thomas will back him up. That's depth in nets.Last year Thomas lead all goalies who played at least a third of their team's games with a .933 save percentage Craig Anderson was third and Ryan Miller was eighth. Nice grouping.This year Miller is tied for first, Anderson is fourth, and Thomas is 12th tied with Henrik Lundquist.Goaltending should be an American strength at these Olympics.Jonathon Quick would be the fourth US goalie and the first injury replacement, but he won't be needed. DefensemenBrian Rafalski will be the veteran leader on this defense.

He still can skate and be the power play quarterback.Brooks Orpik is the nasty edged shutdown guy crucial for playoff success. He should still be valuable in an Olympics being played on NHL-sized rinks.Ryan Suter still looks great on a horrible Nashville team, 2 on that team is incredible.Eric Johnson is another huge kid who can move the puck. Zach Bogosian the Atlanta rookie has yet to look out of place in the NHL. He's out with a bad shoulder until late November. If he's healthy he should be the other point man on the power play, otherwise Joe Corvo can fill his spot. Ryan Whitney was a lock for this team when he was one of the best defensemen on a Pittsburgh team that lost to Detroit in the Stanley Cup.Since then he's suffered a mysterious foot ailment and been traded at last year's deadline to Anaheim for Chris Kunitz. Still, if he's skating well and seems healthy he'd be my seventh defenseman on the US Olympic team.I'd keep seven defensemen on my Olympic roster, while the eighth guy or first injury replacement could be power play quarterback and veteran Joe Corvo or young Dallas defenseman Matt Niskanen. Keith Yandle is also an option as the eigth defenseman as is Rob Scuderi.New Jersey veteran Paul Martin would be on my team but the 28 year old is out for 4-6 weeks with a fractured wrist. Alex Gologoski is having a breakout offensive year in Pittsburgh. His inexperience and poor performance last year kept him out of the mix this year and he's currently hurt.Matt Carle is another offensive defenseman whose defensive liabilities are too glaring. Jack Johnson is another kid with a great international hockey resume, but his tendency to jump into the rush has lead to a five-point -10 season on a good LA team. Tom Gilbert was another offensively skilled defenseman who didn't look quite as good as some of the alternatives. Mike Komisarek is hurt and too weak defensively. ForwardsZach Parise is a nice, easy pick for first line LW.