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On October 11, 2011, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, in TianRui Group Company Limited v. U.S. International Trade Commission, issued an important decision addressing the scope of the International Trade Commission's ("ITC" or "Commission") jurisdiction in trade secret cases.
Specifically, the Federal Circuit held that the Commission "has authority to investigate and grant relief based in part on extraterritorial conduct insofar as it is necessary to protect domestic industries from injuries arising out of unfair competition in the domestic marketplace." The Federal Circuit also upheld the Commission's decision that the complainant could obtain relief under Section 337 based on injury to a domestic industry, even though no domestic manufacturer was currently practicing the protected process.
The ITC's investigation was instituted based on a complaint filed by Amsted Industries (Amsted), a domestic manufacturer of cast steel railway wheels. Amsted alleged that it owned two secret processes for manufacturing these wheels: the "ABC process" and the "Griffin process." Amsted had previously practiced the ABC process in the United States, but was no longer using that process. However, Amsted licensed the ABC process to several companies with foundries in China.
The respondents in the ITC investigation (TianRui) manufacture cast steel railway wheels in China. They tried to license Amsted's technology but were unable to agree to terms. After the negotiations failed, TianRui hired nine employees away from one of Amsted's licensees in China. Amsted alleged that these employees disclosed information and documents to TianRui that revealed details of the ABC process, and that, therefore, TianRui misappropriated Amsted's trade secrets.
Amsted filed a complaint with the ITC alleging that the misappropriation of its trade secrets constituted an "unfair method of competition and unfair act in the importation of articles … into the United States … the threat or effect of which is … to destroy or substantially injure an industry into the United States." While most cases brought under Section 337 are based on alleged patent infringement, the reach of Section 337 is much broader and can include a variety of unfair acts, including trade secret misappropriation.
After a 10-day evidentiary hearing, the ITC's Administrative Law Judge found that TianRui had misappropriated 128 trade secrets relating to the ABC process and used those trade secrets in manufacturing cast steel railway wheels that were imported into the United States. The Commission affirmed the ALJ's decision, and TianRui appealed to the Federal Circuit.
On appeal, the Federal Circuit considered "whether section 337 applies to imported goods produced through the exploitation of trade secrets in which the act of misappropriation occurs abroad." The Federal Circuit acknowledged that there is a general presumption that legislation should not be applied to have extraterritorial effects. Here, however, the Court held that the "presumption against extraterritoriality" does not govern for three reasons. First, Section 337 is expressly directed at unfair methods of competition and unfair acts "in the importation of articles" into the United States. Thus, the Federal Circuit held that Congress did not have only "domestic concerns in mind" when it enacted the statute. Instead, "the focus of section 337 is on an inherently international transaction—importation."
Second, the Federal Circuit held that the Commission's Exclusion Order was not limited to regulating extraterritorial foreign conduct. Instead, the Order prohibited foreign unfair activity only to the extent that it results in the importation of goods into this country causing domestic injury.
Third, the Federal Circuit held that the legislative history of Section 337 supports the Commission's interpretation of the statute. By prohibiting "unfair methods of competition" instead of the traditional phrase "unfair competition," Congress intended for Section 337 to have a broad reach.
The Federal Circuit rejected TianRui's arguments that applying US trade secret law to conduct occurring in China would cause improper interference with Chinese law. Instead, the court held: (i) that by requiring importation of goods into the United States, the reach of the statute was not purely extraterritorial; (ii) that TianRui had failed to identify a conflict between principles of misappropriation that the Commission applied and Chinese trade secret law; and (iii) that in any event, the employees at issue had signed agreements not to disclose Amsted's trade secrets. To hold that the disclosure of information in breach of that duty was beyond the scope of Section 337 simply because the breach itself took place outside the United States would "invite evasion of section 337 and significantly undermine the effectiveness of the congressionally designed remedy."
The Federal Circuit also held that Amsted could obtain relief even though it was not itself using the trade secrets to make products in the United States. The court noted that in a trade secret case under Section 337 (unlike a case involving patents), relief is available based on unfair competition that threatens "to destroy or substantially injure an industry in the United States." Because Amsted was being injured, it met the statutory test.
In dissent, Judge Moore disagreed with the majority's holding that Section 337 could be used to exclude products from entering the United States where the trade secret misappropriation took place abroad. She found no "clear indication of congressional intent" to extend the reach of Section 337 to "wholly extraterritorial unfair acts," and, as there was nothing unfair about the importation of the wheels, as opposed to their manufacture abroad, she would have found no violation of the statute.
The Federal Circuit's decision in TianRui Group is significant because it establishes the proposition that Section 337 is available in cases where the unfair acts occur abroad as long as the resulting products are imported into the United States. One leading commentator has described the ITC's exclusion orders as a "powerful, and "formidable" remedy available to trade secret owners. Where the importation requirement can be satisfied, companies in the United States concerned about their trade secrets being misappropriated abroad should consider Section 337 as a possible remedy.
For more information about the TianRui Group decision, or any other matter raised in this Legal Update, please contact Gary Hnath.
Learn more about our Intellectual Property and Global Trade practices.


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Will Probably Look Great, Sound Awful
With "Noah" not set to film until next year, and now probably looking for a new leading man since Christian Bale is gonna spend his 2012 tossing back brews with Terrence Malick as they embark on two films together, Darren Aronofsky is likely looking to keep his directing skills a well oiled machine, so what the hell, he's just gonna go direct a video for Metallica and Lou Reed.
In case you haven't heard, the aging metal band and elder cantankerous Velvet Underground frontman have collaborated on a new two-disc, ninety minute opus Lulu. The concept album is based on the plays by Frank Wedekind about a stripper turned social-climber turned prostitute, and yes, it's apparently as ear-rapingly terrible as all that suggests. Oh, are we being too harsh? Have a listen to "Iced Honey" yourself below, as it's the song that will be getting turned into a video.
Lars Ulrich, who has admitted losing sleeping over "Kill Bill," won't fuck up again with another filmmaker and is excited at the opportunity to be working with Aronofksy. "As if making a record with Lou Reed is not enough, now I get to make a video with Darren Aronofsky, who has been among my very favorite filmmakers since his first movie, 'Pi,' " he said, probably after looking the guy up on IMDB.
But at the very least, this thing will probably look great. Aronofsky is bringing his regular collaborator, Matthew Libatique, to take on director of photography duties. So expect some tracking shots of Lou Reed from directly behind his head. "Iced Honey" will shoot in the San Francisco Bay area, and it will be turned around fast, as it's expected to premiere later this month. We have to admit, we're curious, in a watching-a-car-crash sort of way. Aronofsky+Metallica+Lou Reed…what could possibly go wrong? [AP via Stereogum]
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One of the best ways for us to save wildlife is to protect the resources that they need to survive. In the Fall of 2014, California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved Tri-Valley Conservancy as habitat easement holder which allows us to preserve the land's habitat forever and ensure the management plans in place are successful in helping threatened species recover.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Habitat Easement program allow conservation organizations to partner on projects and together provide professional expertise in land management, habitat restoration and wildlife monitoring. When habitat is protected for threatened species many other wildlife and plant species are also supported. There are several threatened species in The Tri-Valley including San Joaquin kit fox, California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog and burrowing owl. We are in the process of assisting with multiple habitat conservation easements thanks to our supporters and partners.


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Holiday Hiking in Stephens State Forest, Iowa
Enjoy fall leaves and wildlife on this Midwestern getaway.
Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ Sign up for Outside+ today.
Sure, hiking season in the Midwest may be winding down come the end of November, but it's not over yet. I know it as I walk beneath a canopy of gilded oaks and hickories on a short, 3.4-mile loop an hour outside Des Moines. It's the day before Thanksgiving, and the Woodburn Unit seems dressed for the occasion. Wild turkeys even flutter across the path. Tomorrow, I'll be sitting around a long table with friends and family celebrating a great American holiday, but when you can sneak in a quick overnight in these fall-perfect woods, it makes for a festive start.
Turn-by-turn from the Woodland Unit trailhead
Cross unpaved 330th Ave. and pick up the Turkey Foot Trail to tackle the East Loop counterclockwise. Take it roughly .8 mile to a river crossing.
Cross Arrowhead Stream (likely only a trickle in November) and continue north-east on the Blackjack Trail to a junction
at mile 1.2.
Turn northwest onto the Buckeye Trail and go another .2 mile to an intersection.
Veer northwest toward signs for Longbeard Camp at mile 1.6.
Back on the Buckeye Trail, continue .2 mile southwest to the Broken Bone stream crossing.
Rock-hop through the trickle and keep going 1.4 miles on the Twin Oaks Trail to the parking lot. (From there, you can tack on the 2.7-mile West Loop to make a longer figure eight.)
Campsite: Longbeard Camp (mile 1.6)
Find this shady spot a short jaunt off the main trail. Set up your tent in the small clearing of oaks and hickories. A number of unnamed streams run by, but they're unreliable in fall, so pack in your water. (It's just 1.6 miles, after all.)
Turkeys, cottontails, squirrels, and white-tailed deer roam through the forests here in fall. (November is hunting season, so wear blaze orange.) Keen-eyed hikers may spot foxes or coyotes.
Red and white oaks, along with shagbark hickories, thrive in the upland flats. Foliage here tends to peak in late October, but the color often lasts well into November. Ashes, cottonwoods, hackberries, and elms along the ravine bottoms change color earlier in October.
DO IT Trailhead 40.964067, -93.576785; 15 miles east of Osceola on 330th Ave. Season Year-round; November is best for solitude and foliage. Permit None Custom map ($15) Contact


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Royal Melbourne, Metropolitan in Div 1 Pennant Final
Royal Melbourne and Metropolitan will contest the 2016 Melbourne Men's Pennant Division 1 final this Sunday at Spring Valley after securing their final placings following the completion of the seven round qualifying format.
Royal Melbourne finished on top of the leaderboard with six wins, the team's only loss occurring on Sunday against Commonwealth, who narrowly missed making the final to Metropolitan by five games.
David Miceluzzi (Credit: Anthony Powter)
Metropolitan enters this week's final with momentum on their side after a stunning 6&1 win over Victoria.
State representative David Miceluzzi (pictured) playing the top-order position for Metropolitan secured a solid 6&5 win over Leonard Chin, which spearheaded the team's victory.
Lukas Michel a number 2 won his match against Konrad Ciupek on the 25th, Ted Donoghue pipped Mark Brooks on the 20th, in two nail bitting matches. Metro's middle order was solid with Blake Collyer accounting for Luke Murnane, 6&5, Aiden Didone winning his match against Jacob Nashar, 4&3, and Matt Roberson defeating Jack Sandic on the 19th.
William Hume at number 7 for Victoria secured his team's win with a 2&1 victory over Nick Brown.
Royal Melbourne in contrast will be looking to turn its top-order around after a narrow 4&3 loss to Commonwealth on Sunday.
Commonwealth's Zach Murray defeated Darcy Brereton, 4&2, in the top-order match and Cameron John playing number 2 defeated Matias Sanchez 4&3. Frazer Droop at number 3 for Commonwealth also accounted for William Heffernan on the 20th.
Pennant matches are nearly always won from the bottom order up and Royal Melbourne's middle order of James McMillan, Josh Hetherington and Paul Little have had a standout season so far, with Little and Hetherington undefeated players in the series.
Southern and The Heritage have been relegated to Division 2 for 2017.
Peninsula-Kingswood and Latrobe will move to the top division next year and are set to contest the Division 2 final at Riverside Golf Club. Gisborne and Cheltenham have been relegated to Division 3 for 2017.
Division 3 sees Rosedale and Keysborough in the final to be played at The Heritage Golf & Country Club with former Division 1 Pennant winners Waverley relegated to Division 4 along with Spring Valley for 2017.
Heidelberg and Huntingdale will contest the Division 4 final at Riversdale Golf Club with Patterson River and Green Acres relegated to Division 5. Eastwood and Sandhurst will battle the Division 5 final with Sunshine and Box Hill relegated to Division 6.
Division 6 sees Berwick-Montuna playing Bacchus March at Heidelberg Golf Club.


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Who would ever want to be King? (Or How To Recognize A Revolution In One Easy Step)
It's not the best of times for Kings.
From Wall Street titans like Dick Fuld to Main Street titans like Howard Schultz the future looks difficult.
Even the kings of the blogging world are beginning to whine.
On the same day that Mike Arrington announced a vacation from blogging and blamed other bloggers for threats on his life, his friend Jason Calacanis released a 10,000 word (at least) opus on how technology has pretty much fucked up his head and that we need "change".
Of course I'm all for change, especially since it's pretty much inevitable. But whining only when the arrows come at you doesn't taste right. And anyway, what I am even more interested in is the timing of both of these screeds and what's happening underneath and below the noise.
Let's be real.
Arrington is a brilliant entreprenuer and what he has done with Techcrunch over the years is nothing short of amazing. His chutzpah, timing and ruthless focus makes him an internet legend.
But let's also be honest, Techcrunch's future ain't exactly bright.
With the economy tanking (and all the smart guys betting it's going to get worse) a website that makes it's money from folks who get their money from VCs doesn't seem like a growth industry, at least for the next couple years.
I might be a little stressed too, thinking about how to keep the cash rolling in during the next two years of lower revenue and increased competition.
A sabatical might be just what I need.
"…revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate…"–vida la viva
You know how to spot a revolution?
By looking at the kings who litter the floor.
People get hurt in revolutions.
Some may be innocent bystanders but most victims are supporters and emissaries of who or what it is that's changing. Today our government is trying to save industries that came to life around the last great depression. But all the government help in the world couldn't save the horse and buggy.
That's just the way revolutions work.
Not everyone gets out alive.
What does that mean for our blogging kings?
Well maybe instead of trying to change the public they might want to look at themselves.
Not because nutjobs who spit on people have a point, but because if your gut says something needs to change, it's probably right.
And all change starts from within.
It's also probably time for some Denton-like creative self-destruction
or bullet-proof vests.Explore posts in the same categories: blog networks, chartreuse (beta), new media
Tags: denton, dick fuld, howard schultz, Jason Calacanis, Mike Arrington, revolutions, Starbucks, techcrunchYou can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
23 Comments on "Who would ever want to be King? (Or How To Recognize A Revolution In One Easy Step)"
January 29, 2009 at 10:04 am
and Kings can only become great after they look at themselves
January 29, 2009 at 10:28 am
As usual, a completely different perspective. You need to write more!
January 29, 2009 at 10:39 am
two words on this post: epic fail
You're missing the point. People are nasty behind the internet curtain and every so often this cruelty happens to public personas (arrington, k. sierra, etc) to bring a public hue & cry. be cynical all you wish, but traffic is the least motivating factor to talk about such an incident.
January 29, 2009 at 10:45 am
I don't see the point of this article. Are you saying BLOGGING is going through some sort of revolution? Or that Jason and Mike are?
Either way I think you completely missed the point of Jason's post. He was talking about empathy not change!
January 29, 2009 at 1:33 pm
There's more irony here.
I like Jason a lot (from what I know of him).
Mike I'm not so sure about (from what I know of him).
But historically, no one would accuse either of them of being "nice," at least as media personas.
Reap, sow, etc.
January 29, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Brian nailed it. Reap, sow…
Make your bed, lie in it, etc…
Shall we go on and on?
January 29, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I'm not so sure this is because they're king as much as because they are themselves. From what I've heard, Arrington isn't exactly Mr. easy-going. But, hell, I've never met the man.
January 29, 2009 at 1:52 pm
It is most interesting to me that both of these "notices" appeared at the same time, from the same "type" (i.e. A-lister) of blogger.
Haven't yet seen any up-and-comers griping about how tough it is – just the opposite. Many of the growing, entrepreneur-types are pretty excited about the possibilities in this downturn, and what it may mean for their own businesses.
I also notice that Chris Brogan isn't cutting and running, in fact he seems to be in even more places than ever. Just sayin'.
January 29, 2009 at 1:56 pm
What about those high ranking bloggers that make their money primarily from ad revenue?
January 29, 2009 at 2:11 pm
In no way am I condoning death threats or spitting in someone's face, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for Michael Arrington. The man is a millionaire because of his "fame" from TechCrunch. The site gets a ton of traffic and therefore people court Michael's coverage. Many of them feel (perhaps erroneously) that one mention on TechCrunch could save their business/startup. This introduces desperation and desperate people take desperate actions and have strong feelings. And let's not forget that Michael has strong opinions. There are a lot of companies that he has absolutely skewered in a very public way. He very often is not "nice" when talking about companies and people (remember his PR rant a few weeks ago?). So while I hope for Michael's safety and peace of mind, I don't feel bad for the guy.
January 29, 2009 at 2:26 pm
How about some Denton like blatant idea-theft. In the last week, Gawker media properties have stolen titles and concepts from two of my properties:
January 29, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Just like the old days with Site Security. Damn, things were good back then, no?
January 30, 2009 at 1:11 am
Just as interesting are blogging 'celebrities' who have become famous but apparently haven't engendered any hatred.
Case in point: Steve Pavlina, who started out as a lifehacker/GTD type blogger, but has veered into personal development and a lot of New-Agey thought. He's still going strong. Though I disagree with the majority of his spiritual philosophy, I have to admire his blogging and business acumen… 🙂
January 30, 2009 at 12:10 pm
"Those were the days". Time and consistency mean you feel Brian and Loren are compadres. I love the reality of the relationship. No flattening of character into "the poor guy who got flamed". Memory is so short.
There is so much blather online that gets regurgitated. What's the point? What's the damn motivation? Haque is the type where it starts. The actual creation, the actual thought, the actual actuality. The rest usually just serves to bounce shit around until everything gets dumbed down or misinterpreted into mush.
So it depends on what type of king you are. You're all the same people.
February 6, 2009 at 6:02 am
[…] Everyone makes mistakes and everyone is hypocritical. How you treat others helps determine how they treat you when bad news comes out about you or you have a rough patch. If you act like a wanker, eventually it comes back to you. […]
February 6, 2009 at 9:49 am
[…] Everyone makes mistakes and everyone is hypocritical. How you treat others helps determine how they treat you when bad news comes out about you or you have a rough patch. If you act like a wanker, eventually it comes back to you. […]
February 8, 2009 at 12:14 am
[…] Everyone makes mistakes and everyone is hypocritical. How you treat others helps determine how they treat you when bad news comes out about you or you have a rough patch. If you act like a wanker, eventually it comes back to you. […]


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Exploding Head: Juice With Lead
A few days ago regular commenter Erin Lenseth brought something rather alarming to my attention over at the FLB Facebook page.
Lead has been found in grape and apple juice at concentrations to warrant the mandatory labeling, "This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." It was also found in packaged pears, peaches and fruit cocktail.
The story, which includes mention of the group spearheading the effort, the EPA-certified lab that ran the tests, and all the legal mumbo jumbo, can be found at the NPR website, along with links to the full list of brands involved.
Over the past several months, I have been banging the drum over the shenanigans with our food supply. I thought the dirty little secret of the natural foods industry was bad. But I never suspected organic juices (along with their non-organic counterparts) to be contaminated with lead.
Now that I have read about the situation, it doesn't seem like it's a new phenomenon.
This post from a couple of years ago discusses the presence of lead in balsamic vinegar. The fact that not all products that are manufactured in similar ways or that are produced from similar ingredients contain lead suggests it is avoidable. But there is still uncertainty about exactly how this chemical has entered the foods in question.
According to the lead FAQ from the Environmental Law Foundation:
– Three sources of lead continue to contaminate the environment and food supply: decades of pesticide application, leaded gasoline, and airborne lead from coal-fired power plants.
– Exposure to small amounts of lead can be harmful. The body stores lead in bones, and small amounts of lead can build up in the body and cause lifelong learning and behavior problems.
– The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that there is no "safe level" of lead for children.
It's alarming.
Especially since I've just recently starting giving more juice to Little Miss Fussy, and I have open bottles of Welch's and Santa Cruz Organics in the refrigerator. Both brands were found to contain levels of lead that exceeded California's limits.
So I decided to contact Welch's. I wanted to hear what they had to say. That led me to their site where I sent them my concerns via a handy dandy form. And I waited for an email response.
Here is the entirety of what they said:
Thank you for contacting Welch's. We appreciate your comments and questions regarding Welch's Grape Juices.
It is important for our company to receive comments from our consumers, and you can be assured yours will be shared with the appropriate individuals in our organization.
Please watch your mail for a letter from Welch's. We can assure you all of Welch's products are safe to use and are with all FDA standards and requirements.
I was underwhelmed. And it inspired me to write them this follow up letter:
How can you say all of your products are safe to use when recent tests have revealed some of them contain 0.5 micrograms or more of lead per serving? How does lead even get into juice in the first place?
I have a giant bottle of your juice sitting open in my refrigerator right now that I do not feel comfortable giving to my kids.
Regretfully, your assurances do little to quell my concerns.
But rest assured, I will be watching my mail for a letter from Welch's. And in the meantime, I'm going to help spread the word about the lab's report. Because despite the story being broadcast on NPR over a week ago, there are still a ton of people who haven't heard about it yet.
Maybe next time, Welch's PR will not drag its feet when responding to a crisis of the public's trust in their products. Although they shouldn't be singled out. Two other food giants, Dole and Del Monte are being oddly quiet about this too.
Ellen Whitby permalinkJune 17, 2010 1:34 pm
Here are a couple of miscellaneous thoughts.
1. Really? Why are you surprised? Why, after learning about and revealing all the other things about the non-food in food, does it shock you to learn about one more thing in the food that we eat? At this point, it feels naive to believe that food manufacturers prioritize the consumer's best interest over the bottom line. If it's expensive to keep or get the lead out, why would they bother? After all, it's been in there all along and most people are okay, right? I am bothered too. Disgusted even. I don't trust the food industry, which makes food shopping much more difficult.
2. Regarding the wishy-washy non-answer you received from Welch's, I have yet to hear back from the Capital District Community Gardens about the toxic pesticides that were sprayed near my plot in Ridgefield Gardens in Albany. Sure, they didn't know it was a banned substance and they have probably been spraying it there for the last 11 years anyway (the ban was implemented on paper, at least, in 1999) so why should they think that the vegetables I'm growing there would be any worse off than last year's. Still, I was expecting some kind of a response. Something more than the nothing I've gotten (which is less than you've gotten from Welch's).
It sucks. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to be oblivious.
Erin Lenseth permalinkJune 18, 2010 1:42 pm
Thanks for reposting this. I think it's important that the word get out; I'm deeply unsettled by the fact that so many companies that are considered to be fairly reputable in terms of healthy products for children would expose their primary consumers to this. Ever since the banning of lead paint in 1977 people have been more widely aware of the effects of lead, particularly on those with developing minds and bodies; how disgusting is it that juice companies have subjected our youth to this toxic substance?
And to Ellen: while it is naive, I do believe that companies have a responsibility and a duty to their consumers to make them aware of exactly WHAT they are being subjected to when using the companies products; certainly, it is to the point of where this became so neglected that the FDA had to regulate such things, but we as consumers also need to continually demand better by boycotting products that subject us to such risks as this one. They only feel it when it hits their bottom line, IMO. And being oblivious would be nice in an ideal world- I understand why you say that, it's frustrating to have to scrutinize each and every thing purchased for potential undesirable effects or ingredients, but to be aware, en masse, will mean progress towards good products in the long run.
February 15, 2011 12:56 pm
I just wondered if you ever got a response back from Welchs about the lead in their juice?


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Boat Oasis, the multi-peril catastrophe risk modelling platform that operates on the Oasis Loss Modelling Framework (LMF), has expanded the offerings supported on the platform with the addition of risk models for Australian perils from COMBUS and an integration with TigerEye.
COMBUS, an Australian actuarial consulting and catastrophe modelling firm, is the first provider of Australian catastrophe risk models to make its solutions available on Boat Oasis, bringing models for the diverse range of perils it covers to users of the platform for the first time.
Dr Will Gardner, Managing Director of COMBUS, explained; "COMBUS's Australian Bushfire, Severe Convective Storm, Low Pressure System, Tropical Cyclone and Earthquake models are now available on the Boat Oasis shared service platform. By integrating with Boat Oasis, COMBUS becomes more easily accessible to (re)insurance firms globally, helping them manage their risk associated with catastrophes in Australia."
These models could be particularly of interest in reinsurance and ILS markets, as some of these perils are not particularly well-covered elsewhere.
"Boat Oasis was formed to enable wider adoption of models in the global (re)insurance environment and we are delighted to welcome COMBUS onto the platform to help further this mission. The integration of COMBUS supports and strengthens our commitment to provide the (re)insurance industry with a deeper understanding of risk and it is great to see that (re)insurance firms are beginning to realise the value in accessing and utilising a range of high quality risk models," commented Jamie Khurshid, CEO of Boat Services.
Oasis Chief Executive, Dickie Whitaker, added; "It's great to see the momentum developing on new models available on the Oasis platform because the market needs more choice and greater transparency. COMBUS fits these needs perfectly."
Boat Services has also announced an integration with TigerEye, the pricing and portfolio management platform from Applied Insurance Technologies, a subsidiary of reinsurance broker and risk capital advisor TigerRisk Partners.
TigerEye provides users with pricing and portfolio management analytics and tools and is the first external analytics platform to integrate with Boat Oasis.
TigerEye helps users to leverage the full power of any vendor risk models, enhancing the picture of the underlying risk exposures and helping them design optimal risk to capital solutions.
Users can use risk modelling outputs to drive better business decisions, answering questions such as "should we write this risk?", "is this price acceptable", and "how does this impact my portfolio", with the system offering responses within minutes.
"We're very excited to bring TigerEye's industry leading reinsurance pricing and portfolio management capabilities to the Boat Oasis platform," said Vladimir Kostadinov, Head of TigerEye Business Development.
"TigerEye is absolutely the right solution for the market and we couldn't be happier to offer the tool to our clients. Boat Oasis was formed to provide the (re)insurance industry with a deeper understanding of risk and the integration with TigerEye helps us do exactly that," added Khurshid, CEO of Boat Services.
"Integrating TigerEye with the Boat Oasis platform is a great example of collaborative work between model vendors in our industry. Having TigerEye available on Boat Oasis benefits the insurance industry by providing a holistic turn-key solution for multi-vendor catastrophe modelling and portfolio management," Jayant Khadilkar, Global Head of Analytics and Technology at TigerRisk stated.
Boat Oasis now works with a range of independent risk model providers, including ARA, CATRisk Solutions, and now COMBUS.
By adding risk analytics from TigerEye the platform, as well as offering an independent platform for (re)insurers to consume models through, also offers insurance, reinsurance and ILS users additional tools that can help them perform their jobs of risk selection even more effectively.
View all of our Artemis Live video interviews and subscribe to our podcast.
All of our Artemis Live insurance-linked securities (ILS), catastrophe bonds and reinsurance video content and video interviews can be accessed online.
Our Artemis Live podcast can be subscribed to using the typical podcast services providers, including Apple, Google, Spotify and more.


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In he name of joy, I present the second half of Dave Stuckey and Hal Smith's Western Swing party at the 2019 Redwood Coast Music Festival.
But for the people who didn't get yesterday's plateful, here it is. (Not just music, but two lovely essays on Western Swing, one each by Hal and Dave.)
The wondrous music-makers are Dave Stuckey, guitar, vocal; Elana James, fiddle, vocal; Hal Smith, drums; James Mason, fiddle; Dan Walton, piano, vocal; Marc Caparone, cornet; Jonathan Doyle, reeds; Rusty Blake, steel guitar; Chris Wilkinson, guitar; Jamey Cummins, guitar; Wally Hersom, string bass. And this glorious outpouring took place at the Redwood Coast Music Festival on May 10, 2019. (I will point out that next year's RCMF is May 7-10, 2020, and we are going to be there.)
Here's the swinging REMINGTON RIDE:
Asking the musical question, WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE MILL? — a song I could hear Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys doing (with a cameo appearance by the Roving Photographer):
Cindy Walker's I HEAR YOU TALKIN' with echoes of Fifty-Second Street:
The pretty MAIDEN'S PRAYER:
TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING, as we know:
Dan Walton's PIPELINER'S BLUES, from the Moon Mullican book:
Cindy Walker's DUSTY SKIES:
SAN ANTONIO ROSE, the "Western Swing national anthem":
How can you hear more of this . . . . ? Come to the Redwood Coast Music Festival, May 7-10, 2o2o.
May your happiness increase!


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Opportunity Access
Nova Gaia's purpose is to bring about global change in human consciousness leading to a revolutionary change in the status quo. This paradigm shift vision is shared by our funding partners who've already committed billions of dollars to projects around the world. These prosperity funds are available for Humanitarian Projects that address: famine, hunger, water, farming, nutrition, schools, education, relocation, poverty and other projects that will create a more fair and accessible society.
Humanitarian Vision
Nova Gaia Foundation has been proudly selected to globally source humanitarian projects, driving our partners ambition to create a more equal society that thrives in self-sustainability, respect, promise and integrity. We are building the New Society now.


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Thursday, July 05, 2012
the possibilities are endless
Mrs. Angus and I recently bought a piece of dirt outside Santa Fe and are considering building there.
Originally we were going old school with traditional adobe walls both exterior and interior.
However, a somewhat new to America concept called Passive House, has caught our eye.
The idea is to build in a way that requires very little energy to heat and cool the house (often 80% less than typical new construction).
We are thinking of adding a smallish grid-tied solar system to make the house a net energy generator!
5 comments:
Welcome to the 21st century!
But seriously, if you really build one pay attention to sufficient air circulation. In Germany some houses are so well insulated that as a result mold develops due to a lack of air circulation.
- 4:45 PM, July 05, 2012
Passive solar = excellent, pays for itself fast, solar. Well played.
- 5:05 PM, July 05, 2012
- bamboo investments said...
I had never heard of that idea of passive before, what a fascinating approach.
- 6:20 PM, July 05, 2012
I chose a passive agressive house, big mistake. Good luck to you.
- 11:48 AM, July 06, 2012
- Angus said...
Anon #1: yes, the house will have an air exchanger for exactly those reasons
Anon #3: well played!
- 10:57 PM, July 06, 2012
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Jan 2015 01
KIMMT 2015 – CompetePosted in Featured, Shows
The 2015 KIMMT midget hockey tournament will drop the puck for the 36th time beginning Wednesday January 7, 2015. Two different venues will be used for the 12 team tournament; Rutland Arena and Memorial Arena.
Teams will travel from as far away as Ontario and will even dip into the United States. One of the teams back for their second straight year is the Compete Hockey Academy Rams from Coeur d'Alene Idaho.
This season Ryan and Intersync Video Productions will broadcast the semi-final games and the championship game on January 10 and 11. The broadcasts will be free to watch for fans across the world.
Compete is led by head coach Rob Dumas who Ryan talks with …


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Session 1: Disability in the Middle Ages
Chair: Sandra Sufian, University of Illinois at Chicago
Kings and Cripples: Royal and Eccentric Bodies in Medieval Europe
Christopher Baswell, Barnard College and Columbia University
Mephibosheth in the Middle Ages: Disabilities, Children, and the Most Vulnerable of the Vulnerable in Medieval Europe
Walton O. Schalick III, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Children are central to understanding disability in the Middle Ages. Much of this focus stems both from inherent features of children and from medical interpretations of those features. The inchoate medicalization of disability and the social responses thereto emerge as a valuable contribution to disability history's truly longue durée.
Does Sin Cause Disability? Some Medieval Perspectives
Edward Wheatley, Loyola University Chicago
In the Middle Ages Christian teaching remained ambivalent about whether disability resulted from sin. Although the New Testament generally suggested that it did not, some medieval political and religious practices created different perceptions. Rather than attempting to reconcile these ideas, this paper will examine the tensions between them and how they affected the lives of people with disabilities.
Roundtable discussion with morning speakers
Session 2: Disease and the Body in the Renaissance
Chair: Wendy Wall, Northwestern University
Sickening India
Jonathan Gil Harris, George Washington University
Seventeenth-century European travelers to India understood the often debilitating illnesses they contracted there in astonishingly diverse and even contradictory ways: as divine punishment for sin and as the consequence of exposure to torrid climate; as a marker of European difference from India and as a physical transformation into Indianness. The latter suggests a mode of becoming-other that informs the European colonial projects of later centuries yet nonetheless unsettles the certainties of racial identity those projects helped foster.
Lessons from the Body: Shakespeare and the Ethics of Disease
Michael Schoenfeldt, University of Michigan
Disease in Shakespeare is frequently thought to arise from some ethical failure of the sufferer. This paper explores Shakespeare's profound ambivalence about strong passion, demonstrating how passion becomes at once the occasion of redemption and the source of disease.
Deadly Contacts: Imagining Disease in the New World
Scott Stevens, D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian Studies, The Newberry Library
The visual records of the period of contact and conquest represented the catastrophic onslaught of Old World pathogens in various modes. This paper considers the cultural and political ramifications of this legacy across a number of contemporary discourses, which often confer exculpatory significance on the epidemics that decimated the Americas.
Roundtable discussion with afternoon speakers
Evening Concert
Music Hath Charms: Disease and Disability in Music
The Newberry Consort Early Music Chamber Ensemble
David Douglass, director of the Newberry Consort, along with soprano Ellen Hargis, harpsichordist David Schrader, and viola da gambist Craig Trompeter, presented a special program on how early modern people coped with illness through the power of music, from the depths of melancholy to a comic depiction of a gall bladder operation.
Learn more about Center for Renaissance Studies programs.


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Kidneys are part of your excretory system and are responsible for removing waste substances through the urine.
Because they play a very important role in cleansing your bloodstream, their operation is vital to the overall health of your body.
Due to dehydration, excessive toxins, and certain diseases, however, crystallized minerals and urine proteins may result in the formation of kidney stones.
This condition not only causes the patient severe pain, but can also block the flow of urine and lead to more serious illness.
The good news is that there are some 100% natural recipes that help detox your system and prevent and combat their development.
Today we want to reveal the six most effective natural remedies to fight kidney stones, don't hesitate to try them at home.
1. Lemon and olive oil to fight kidney stones
This treatment made of lemon and olive oil is one of the most popular remedies for kidney stones.
The alkaline properties help detox your bloodstream and promote the regulation of your body's pH.
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (16 g)
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (10 ml)
What should you do?
- Combine the lemon juice with the extra virgin olive oil and drink it on an empty stomach.
- Repeat this dose every day for at least three weeks in a row.
2. Burdock tea
Burdock tea is a diuretic and anti-inflammatory remedy that helps to cleanse the kidneys and your bladder.
- 1 teaspoon of burdock seed (5 g)
- 2 cups of water (500 ml)
What should you do?
- Pour two cups of boiling water over the teaspoon of burdock seeds and let it stand for half an hour.
- After this time, strain off the liquid and consume it.
- Drink up to two cups a day, preferably on an empty stomach.
3. Celery and apple juice
This natural beverage made with celery and apple is one of the most delicious and effective remedies for problems that affect kidney health.
Both ingredients have diuretic and antioxidant properties that stimulate the removal of waste.
- 1 cup of apple juice (250 ml)
- 2 stalks of celery
What should you do?
- Obtain a cup of apple juice and add it to the blender along with two stalks of celery.
- Be sure to obtain a homogeneous beverage and consume this without straining.
- Drink one glass on an empty stomach for five days.
4. Cranberry juice
Natural cranberry juice is an excellent remedy for balancing the body's pH, removing waste from the bloodstream, and improving the function of your kidneys.
- 1 cup of cranberry juice (250 ml)
- 1/2 cup of water (125 ml)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (5 ml)
What should you do?
- Extract the cup of cranberry juice and mix it with a half cup of water and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Drink two to three glasses a day.
5. Dandelion tea
Drinking dandelion tea in moderate doses naturally stimulates the production of urine, and helps fight fluid retention and kidney stones.
We recommend it for cleansing the bloodstream, controlling high cholesterol, and fighting diabetes and high blood pressure.
- 1 tablespoon of dried dandelion (10 g)
- 1 cup of water (250 ml)
What should you do?
- Bring the cup of water to a boil and add the dried dandelion.
- Let it steep for 10 minutes, strain the liquid, and drink it.
- You can drink two to three cups per day.
6. Beer and lemon juice
Lemon juice is a traditional remedy that stimulates the cleansing of the kidneys and the removal of kidney stones.
In this case we combine it with the diuretic properties of beer, which when consumed in small doses can dilate the urinary tract and reduce pain.
- The juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (55 g)
- 1/2 cup of beer (100 ml)
What should you do?
- Combine all ingredients in an airtight container, shake to blend, and consume two tablespoons a day.
- Repeat this dose for two to three weeks in a row.


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Fourth call for Modular projects
The 4th call for modular projects, restricted to transfer and mainstream projects opened on the 1st October 2020 until the 15th of December 2020.
Eleven applications for projects involving 78 partners from 10 countries were submitted.
The Monitoring Committee approved 8 projects on 22nd February 2021 (see the results below).
This call targeted the programme priority axe 2, S.O.2.1. Energy efficiency in buildings and S.O.2.2. Renewable Energy for the transfer or mainstreaming of shortlisted outputs of finalised Interreg MED projects.
The financial allocation for this call is 3,8 millions euros, of which ERDF represents 3,2 millions euros.
For more more information, please read:
For complete information, please refer to the Terms of Reference for all requirements in the section below.
Review your application on Synergie CTE
- An Applicant Seminar was held on-line on 7th October 2020 for the launch of the 4th call for modular projects - restricted call for transfer and mainstream projects.
- A second Applicant Seminar was held online, on 10th November 2020.
- A Lead Partner seminar was held online on 11th March 2021 :
application pack
The application pack contains the following:
- Associated Partner declaration
- "De minimis" declaration
- Partner (ERDF/IPA) declaration
- Lead Partner declaration
- Application form template
- Terms of Reference


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Tablet technology can bring the world to students' fingertips. There are lots of iPad apps with animals. There are apps include animal characters and some great choices connecting students to the real thing. These apps could be integrated into a unit on ecosystems or animal life. Students might explore favorite animals in partners or gather information for a research project on their own device. In whole class lessons, you could use these apps to hook students before an activity or provide background knowledge for students. Here are a few favorites!
iPad Apps with Animals
Plants by Tinybop lets kids interact with different ecosystems. They'll see the creatures that live in different places and even which ones stay up late at night. This is an app that promotes student inquiry and lets them take the lead in their learning.
This app from National Geographic is full of weird but true facts that students will love. Kids can swipe through the screen for tons of wacky information, many involving animals. It's a super fun app that will spark a discussion and pique the curiosity of kids of all ages.
This super cool iPad app combines live web cams with interactive games for students. Kids learn about the lives of lions, meerkats, giraffes and rhinos as they tilt their device and swipe their screen. Students can see each animal up close and personal while learning new facts.
The World Wildlife Foundation has a totally free app for iPads full of information on threatened populations of animals. Kids can see maps of where different animals live, and learn about some of the challenges each group of animals' faces.
This post was originally published on Teachability's blog – view the original.


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Experience-Driven Commerce: Elastic Path Edition for Adobe Experience Manager
It's my pleasure to announce our new flagship ecommerce suite - Elastic Path Edition for Adobe Experience Manager. This breakthrough product represents a radically new way to engineer an ecommerce platform, and is the very first enterprise commerce product built exclusively for use with Adobe Marketing Cloud.
Through our partnership with Adobe, we're now able to provide best-of-breed capabilities under one unifying platform to empower marketers to deliver a powerful mix of content and transactions to every experience touchpoint, create the ubiquitous shopping experience that consumers expect and make the commerce experience the ultimate brand experience.
For the first time ever, marketers working in Adobe Experience Manager have live, real-time access to sophisticated ecommerce at their fingertips. New products can be sold consistently across every touchpoint, or limited to just one exclusive experience.
Dynamic pricing can be created that simultaneously responds to segments, channels, and devices. Offers and campaigns that reflect live merchandising, inventory, and customer history can be constructed. Elastic Path Edition for Adobe Experience Manager is more than just an ecommerce platform. It's a way to get maximum value from your investment in Adobe Experience Manager.
Experience is Everything
In this new digital economy, brands that can leverage digital experiences to generate revenue and win over new customers are going to be the most successful. In this new paradigm, marketers will increasingly rely on an integrated brand and commerce strategy to boost conversions, loyalty and sales.
For instance:
- With iBeacons, advanced sensors, geo-location and other technologies measuring fine-grained details of our lives, the context in which we interact with a brand, its products and services is giving rise to powerful sales opportunities. Marketers will need to take into consideration the context in which customers interact with their brand in order to deliver the right promotion or price point at the right time.
- The strategy of gamification - teasing and tempting customers into increasing levels of interaction with your brand through cross-sells, up-sells and bundles - will rise to the fore. Rather than placing the "Buy" button at the end of the funnel, marketers will require data to seamlessly flow between their commerce and content systems to generate the necessary cadence of promotions, bundles and purchase points along touchpoints as a campaign unfolds.
- The ability to react and respond to events in "true" real time will be essential. Consider this scenario: It's Oscar night and the winning actor runs up on stage to get his statue and the camera pans across the label on his jeans. It's your brand, shown to 40 million viewers across the world. Seizing this opportunity, a marketer with integrated commerce capabilities can instantly reduce the price on the jeans, create a promotion and announce it via mobile app, web, twitter and Facebook. The resulting spike in sales will now be calculable in terms of dollars and true ROI, not just in impressions and tweets.
Better Components Create Better Experiences
To create relevant and spectacular commerce experiences across target segments and channels, the use of components comes into play.
Components can best be thought of as tools that contain discrete functionality such as the ability to place a carousel or build a bundle on a page. The more components a marketer has to play with the greater their power to craft the customer experience. Qualities that are essential for experience-driven commerce include:
- Components that can be developed efficiently. When new systems or data points are added on the backend, can their functionality or data be surfaced into the marketer's authoring environment?
- Commerce Components that are granular. The checkout process is often lengthy and complex and poses hurdles to the completion of the sale. Subtle design elements, such as the placement of a horizontal line in the wrong place can impede a sale. Are your components granular enough to create customized flows for specific interfaces – such as a one screen "click and buy" experience for iPad or smartwatch? Are they granular enough to A/B test in detail?
- Components that require a site refresh are to be avoided. Site refreshes cause time delays as data that is entered has to be sent to backend systems before the form is resurfaced. Site performance is key when it comes to the checkout so refreshes should be avoided at all cost.
- Components that can surface to all available touchpoints, current and future.
- Components that allow for real-time data to be updated in commerce from the web experience management interface. This gives a marketer full capabilities to affect product price and details (given the right permissions) without involving IT.
The Elastic Path Edition for Adobe Experience Manger Solution
Opportunities to engage customers and drive revenue from digital experiences have never been greater. However, creating this seamless customer journey has proven to be both enticing and elusive to enterprises as they struggle with legacy technology, the emergence of the API economy, big data, the proliferation of touchpoints and ever-changing business models.
To bring commerce and the product into the realm of the marketer, the Elastic Path solution provides marketers with the tools they require to create ubiquitous, branded shopping experiences, personalized pricing and promotions and monetized campaigns all from within the familiar AEM authoring environment.
Our solution includes a set of powerful capabilities so brands can create their own environments and experiences and quickly respond to new and emerging scenarios. Dozens of enterprise-grade transactional components – including catalog management, merchandising, pricing, and promotions – are included giving you unparalleled control over the layout, testing, and administration of commerce-enabled customer flows.
Elastic Path at Adobe Summit
It is our goal at Elastic Path to help marketers deliver the perfect blend of commerce and content to every touchpoint and build an experience-driven commerce platform that amplifies customer engagement.
We will be presenting a session The perfect union: Adding commerce to Adobe Marketing Cloud at Adobe Summit. March 24-28th in Salt Lake City and would love for you to drop by our booth to learn more about our solution and its potential benefit to your brand.
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STELLA GETS SURREAL: Winter ad campaign time. Stella McCartney, who has used Natalia Vodianova's fresh-faced friendliness to represent her collections in the past, went for something edgier for fall. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott shot Suvi Koponen and Chiharu Okunugi in two London scenes, one featuring Okunugi partially submerged in a swimming pool wearing an oversize plaid coat, and the other showing Koponen in a giant purple coat on a London street.
"This season I wanted to capture the spirit of the city and the streets; an expression of urban life and real, everyday moments. We wanted to have a sense of fun and freedom, then contrast it with something slightly unexpected," said McCartney, who styled the campaign herself. "There is a bit of surrealism, which may even be a bit strange."
Four versions of the campaign will break in September issues of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W, Elle, V and Interview, as well as international editions.


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Goenkan Chef: Class I (29 August 2019)
Goenkan Chef: Class I (29 August 2019)
"Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes and cooking. It's about harnessing imagination, empowerment and creativity." -Guy Fieri
Class I little chefs created magic with the mouth watering dishes that they prepared during the event, 'Goenkan Chefs'. Everyone around was amazed to see these dexterous hands prepare such palatable nutriments, that too without flame!!
Splendid work class I!


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Another high-level Bush administration official announced his departure Tuesday, with Tom Ridge saying he would step down in February as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Ridge was the first person to head the new department, formally established in January 2003. The huge new internal security organization combines 22 previously separate and distinct government agencies, ranging from the Coast Guard to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Ridge was previously selected by Bush in October 2001 as a homeland security adviser serving in the White House, supposedly coordinating homeland defense policy in the same way that national security adviser Condoleezza Rice coordinated foreign policy.
Bush appointed Ridge after the September 11 terrorist attacks, and only a few days after the first of the anthrax mailings on the East Coast, which ultimately killed five people. The Bush administration's response to the anthrax attacks was widely condemned as inept and panicky, and Ridge was given the responsibility for presenting a more reassuring public face to domestic security measures.
Within a year, however, Ridge had become the object of widespread derision, the butt of jokes about the color-coded warning system adopted by the Bush administration and his own well-publicized call for every American to stockpile duct tape as a precaution against chemical, biological or nuclear terrorist attacks.
When a group of Senate Democrats and Republicans called for the establishment of a new federal department of homeland security, in the fall of 2001, the Bush administration rejected the idea. For a time, the White House even waged a legal battle to prevent Congress from calling Ridge to testify on Capitol Hill, claiming this would violate the separation of powers since Ridge was a White House adviser.
In the summer of 2002, however, amid mounting revelations about the Bush administration's disregard of warnings of impending terrorist attacks in the months leading up to September 11, the White House concluded that it needed the new department as political cover. Bush shifted his position to back the Senate bill that had been introduced by Democrat Joseph Lieberman and Republican John McCain. Once the department was established, Bush nominated Ridge to head it.
The Department of Homeland Security served multiple purposes for the Bush administration, all of which have little to do with protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks.
It provided a necessary diversion from any serious examination of the Bush administration's own conduct before and on September 11, as well as a cover for subsequent security debacles, like the failure to find the individual—most likely a former US biological weapons scientist—who carried out the anthrax attacks.
The new department provided a political club to use against critics of the Bush administration. First, in the 2002 congressional election, Republicans campaigned as supporters of the Department of Homeland Security—although Bush had initially rejected it—and portrayed the Democrats as undermining domestic security because they had demanded that federal government workers transferred to the new department retain their union representation rights. At least one incumbent Senate Democrat, Max Cleland of Georgia, was defeated for reelection on this issue, after the Republicans sponsored television commercials picturing him side-by-side with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
Throughout the 2004 presidential election campaign, the DHS served as an instrument for raising public fears about new terrorist attacks whenever it served the political purposes of the Bush reelection campaign. This included the announcement by Ridge and Attorney General John Ashcroft, in the midst of the Democratic National Convention, of alleged new terror threats to buildings in New York City, Washington and Newark, New Jersey.
Ridge provoked considerable criticism even in the tame US media when he issued a report on homeland security attributing the absence of new terrorist attacks on US soil since September 11 to "the president's leadership" on the issue. The former Pennsylvania governor's repeated claims that "we don't do politics" at the Department of Homeland Security were undercut by the peculiar—and frequent—coincidence between declines in Bush's standing in the polls and new warnings from the department about imminent terrorist attacks.
As an institution, the Department of Homeland Security was another vehicle through which the Bush administration could prosecute its basic social agenda: attacking the working class and favoring the wealthy and corporate America. The 180,000 employees of the new department have been largely stripped of civil service protection and union representation, with the administration ceaselessly presenting workers' rights as an obstacle to an effective struggle against terrorism.
Most recently, it has been revealed that all department employees are being compelled to sign nondisclosure agreements that prohibit them from sharing even unclassified information with the public, Congress or the press. Two federal employee unions, in a joint statement November 29, called the agreements "unprecedented restrictions and conditions on free speech rights" whose purpose was to prevent whistle-blowing and provide "a convenient device for officials to suppress and cover up evidence of their own misconduct or malfeasance."
The DHS has slavishly served the interests of corporate America. Although terrorist attacks on oil and chemical plants could potentially threaten the health and even the lives of millions of people, the DHS backed off on plans to impose new safety rules on such facilities after a meeting of industry lobbyists with Bush's chief political adviser Karl Rove. While Ridge insisted that he must have unchecked administrative authority over his own department's workforce, including the right to hire and fire at will, he declared that he had no authority at all over American businesses.
More fundamentally, the establishment of the DHS provides the framework for a future police state in America, by centralizing 22 separate agencies with responsibilities for domestic policing and emergency management, ranging from border control to disaster relief to baggage inspection and passenger checking at US airports. Previous administrations rejected such a huge consolidation on the grounds that it would spark fears of a federal Big Brother. The Bush administration has no such reservations.
Ridge's own resignation undercuts the central premise for his department's existence: the claim that the Bush administration is engaged in a "global war on terror" that is the defining struggle of the twenty-first century. If that myth were true, Ridge's decision to quit would be tantamount to desertion in wartime.
The departing secretary, like CIA Director George Tenet when he stepped down in July, cited the desire to spend more time with his family. His announcement included a few maudlin phrases about wanting to see more of his son's high school rugby games. It would have been unthinkable for a high-ranking military or defense official in World War II to have made a similar excuse for abandoning his responsibilities.
As in every action of the Bush administration, Ridge's resignation reveals the enormous social gulf between the American ruling class and ordinary working people. An executive like Ridge can leave the field of battle when he pleases, whether to rake in a seven-figure corporate salary or prepare to seek higher political office.
There are no doubt many soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, largely drawn from the ranks of the working class, who would like to spend more time with their families, see their sons play baseball, or return to jobs that pay better than their military stipends. They are not permitted to do so, however. On the contrary, their terms in the war zone have frequently been extended by months. Many soldiers, sent to war on the basis of lies in the first place, have been killed in attacks that took place after their scheduled time to return home to their families.


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Shweta Singh
Shweta Singh is a PhD student majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University. Singh holds a Master's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Kent State University. Although she has multiple years of marketing and operations experience in various parts of the tourism and hospitality industry, the most notable is her time working for Indian Railways' luxury tourist train, the Maharaja Express, voted the world's leading luxury train. Singh is an avid traveler and has her own travel blog.


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What is the best Bluetooth speaker for 2021?
Bluetooth speakers let you stream music straight from your phone, so you have a whole world of music at your fingertips. Considering how most people consume music today, a Bluetooth speaker is an obvious choice for most households.
So, what is the best Bluetooth speaker? The Denon Home 350 Wireless Speaker is a quality choice overall, thanks to its excellent sound quality and versatility. However, the right Bluetooth speaker for you fits your needs.
What to know before you buy a Bluetooth speaker
Wired vs. portable
Bluetooth speakers can either be wired or portable. Wired Bluetooth speakers plug into a standard power outlet designed for indoor use as a modern alternative to a CD stereo system. Because they can be larger, you generally get better sound quality for your money from a wired Bluetooth speaker than a wireless model. Portable Bluetooth speakers have built-in batteries so that you can use them anywhere, like your backyard, at the park or on camping trips. They often aren't as loud as wired speakers, but they're ideal if you want to listen to music out of the house.
Multi-speaker pairing
Some Bluetooth speakers give you the option to pair more than one speaker of the same type so you can listen to audio in stereo. If you want a Bluetooth speaker setup that will rival your old HiFi or stereo system, multi-speaker pairing is what you need.
Other connectivity options
Many Bluetooth speakers give you the option to connect and play music in various ways other than Bluetooth. It's common for wired Bluetooth speakers to connect to your Wi-Fi, allowing you to play songs from your favorite streaming service without the added step of Bluetooth pairing. If you're using an Apple iPhone or iPad, you may also be able to use AirPlay to send music from your device to your speaker.
What to look for in a quality Bluetooth speaker
Voice assistant
High-end Bluetooth speakers can have a built-in voice assistant, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Alternatively, some models pair with your phone in a way that lets you use your phone's voice assistant to control the speaker. Either way, this allows you to use voice commands to play songs, pause, skip tracks and more.
Sound quality
Just because you're buying a Bluetooth speaker doesn't mean you need to compromise on sound quality. You can find some excellent wireless and Bluetooth speakers on the market that sound just as good as stereo speakers. When it comes to sound quality, you're better off buying from big-name audio brands known for their quality speakers. Buying cheap speakers or unknown brands is a recipe for flat, tinny sound.
Battery life
The best portable Bluetooth speakers have decent battery lives. You want a speaker that will last a full day at the beach or keep you entertained all evening around a campfire. We'd recommend choosing a speaker with a battery life of at least 8 hours, but some can last more than 15 hours between charges.
How much you can expect to spend on a Bluetooth speaker
While you can find standard Bluetooth speakers for less than $100, you'll get far better sound quality in the $100-$200 range. High-end Bluetooth speakers can cost well over $500.
Bluetooth speaker FAQ
What's the difference between a wireless speaker and a Bluetooth speaker?
A. Technically speaking, a wireless speaker is a speaker that connects to a Wi-Fi network, while a Bluetooth speaker pairs with your phone over Bluetooth so you can play audio from your phone when you don't have Wi-Fi, which is excellent for outdoor use. However, many new speakers have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, so they're both wireless speakers and Bluetooth speakers in one handy package.
Are portable Bluetooth speakers powerful?
A. You might be wondering how powerful portable Bluetooth speakers are and if they're loud enough for a garden party or other outdoor gathering. This varies between models, so there's no definitive answer. Cheap portable Bluetooth speakers are often relatively quiet and can sound tinny if you turn the volume up too high. Higher-end Bluetooth speakers are more likely to be louder overall and maintain their sound quality when you crank up the volume.
What's the best Bluetooth speaker to buy?
Top Bluetooth speaker
Denon Home 350 Wireless Speaker
What you need to know: With excellent sound quality, this is a top choice for audiophiles looking for a Bluetooth speaker.
What you'll love: It features two tweeters, two woofers and two mid-bass drivers. This option has a built-in Alexa voice assistant and is compatible with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2.
What you should consider: This option is quite expensive.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Bluetooth speaker for the money
What you need to know: This is a great-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker for those who want to listen anywhere without sacrificing audio quality.
What you'll love: It offers excellent value for money, a 10-hour battery life and it works with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2. It's also waterproof and drop-resistant.
What you should consider: You can find better-wired choices for less money if you'll only be using it in the house.
Where to buy: Sold by Sonos
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This portable Bluetooth speaker has the sound quality buyers have come to expect from Bose.
What you'll love: The 360 speakers sound great from any angle. They're easy to pair with Bluetooth, water-resistant and have an impressive 17-hour battery life.
What you should consider: You may prefer if it was waterproof rather than water-resistant.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2021 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.


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Please find below various customised offers to avail an Instant Personal loan in Noida
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Jack Enrile and Nancy Binay's edge
TANAUAN, Leyte—The name of the game is name recall and public perception—so every little bit helps.
Senatorial candidates Nancy Binay and Jack Enrile hope the recent improvement in the approval ratings of their fathers will rub off on them.
The latest Pulse Asia survey results showed improvements in the approval ratings of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Nancy's father, and Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, the father of Jack.
The Vice President's rating jumped six points to 76 percent, while that of the Senate president improved by seven points to 53 percent. The two officials also enjoyed trust ratings of 75 and 51 percent, respectively.
Jack Enrile said the better approval ratings of his father could help his campaign. The younger Enrile was in the 11-16th place range in the latest Pulse Asia survey.
"We all know that the name of the game is name recall and public perception, so every little bit helps," Enrile told reporters.
He also noted that the ratings of the candidates were too close together, with only a miniscule difference between them, which is why the rankings are fluid and could very well change when the next issue comes along.
Nancy Binay, interviewed in Baybay, said the improved trust ratings could also help her among voters, since she bears her father's surname.
"I guess if he has high ratings it will rub off on me, on all of us," she said. She was in the fourth to 11th place range in the latest Pulse Asia survey.
She added that she had once seen a survey showing that the Vice President has good endorsement powers.
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Who can forget that offer from Columbia House? Get 12 CDs – or albums, if you can remember that far back – for a penny. I did some searching and asked around but couldn't track down who came up with this promotion (If anyone knows, please e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll give recognition where recognition's due.). However, I did come across a few online references saying that Columbia House changed its original offer of 10 records for $1.99 plus free shipping and handling to 10 records for a penny, plus $1.98 shipping and handling, and saw its response rate jump 30 percent.
Thanks to Apple's iPod and iTunes, I can't think of the last CD I bought, and the last time I was in a record store was before the holidays last year. But all that is passé when reading the latest news from Yahoo. Though the BMG Direct-Columbia House merger made headlines last week, it was pushed aside by Yahoo's announcement that it will offer a subscription service from a library of 1 million songs for $6.99 a month. Users can transfer songs from their PCs to portable devices or share music with friends through Yahoo Messenger. They get to keep access to their music libraries as long as they pay the subscription fee.
Yahoo also has started selling songs for 99 cents each to go after the Apple/iTunes market, which sells music by the song instead of a subscription service. Not to be left out, cell phone makers are looking to cash in on the digital music player market and offer phones with built-in music players and features that let users download music to their handsets. Thanks to the ubiquitous cell phone, this is probably the application to beat.
My guess is that Apple's bloom will fade in time as young people head down the rental route instead of buying. An iPod can't be the "it" item forever – and if you can have access to any music, anytime, anywhere, why buy it one song at a time? Remember, attention spans are getting shorter, and my CDs are collecting a lot of dust. If the developers at Apple were smart, they already would be working on the next big thing in that regard. I'll bet they are.
JupiterResearch expects the online subscription market to surpass buy-to-own music in four years, when revenues will reach $900 million and $800 million, respectively. Still, together they will make up only 12 percent of the $13.5 billion music market in 2009. Sounds like many people will be buying CDs for years to come. It will be interesting to see how BMG adapts to the digital world.


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Posted on 08/30/2019 at 01:14 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
Authors who are balancing writing with a day job are probably thrilled to see the long weekend ahead of them.
If you're among them, make sure you take advantage of this extra time — and one way to ensure you're not staring at a blank page is to check out writer Deborah Tobola's seven exercises to fuel your creativity.
Not a fan of them or need more help? Find all of our writing-prompt posts here!
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Pakistan on Friday denounced as "extremely irresponsible" comments by the top-ranking U.S. military officer that elements of the Pakistan government had sanctioned the killing of a Pakistani journalist in May.
The remarks by Admiral Mike Mullen are likely to place new strains on Pakistan.-U.S. ties, already seriously damaged following the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces in Pakistan in May.
The death of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad prompted intense speculation about the possible involvement of the Pakistan military's powerful spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), but Mullen said on Thursday he could not confirm involvement of the ISI.
Mullen said he did not have a "string of evidence" linking Shahzad's death to a specific government agency.
But he added: "I have not seen anything that would disabuse that report that the government knew about this."
"It was sanctioned by the government, yeah," he told reporters from the Pentagon Press Association.
Mullen said Shahzad's death and the reported abuse of other journalists was not the way for a government to move ahead.
"It's a way to continue to, quite frankly, spiral in the wrong direction," he said.
The remarks were the most explicit remarks to date on the case by a senior U.S. official.
'Will not help'
"If it is true, than the statement is extremely irresponsible," a Pakistani government spokesman said of Mullen's remarks, in a statement quoted by the official APP news agency. "It will not help in investigating the issue."
Shahzad, who worked for the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online, disappeared from Islamabad on May 29. His body was found in a canal two days later, bearing what police said were signs of torture.
The government said it had set up a judicial commission to investigate Shahzad's death, and that any information "at national or international level" should be shared with the commission.
"If any statement is issued other than this way, it will be considered an attempt to influence the proceeding of the Commission." the spokesman said. "It seems that some elements are trying to use this issue against the elected democratic government and Pakistan."
Shahzad had been investigating and writing about alleged links between the ISI and militant groups.
He had reported that an attack on a major navy base in the southern port of Karachi in May was carried out by al-Qaida militants after talks failed to secure the release of two naval officials accused of having ties to militants.
The attack on the PNS Mehran base was launched after the killing of bin Laden by U.S. Navy SEALs in a secret mission in the northwestern garrison town of Abbottabad on May 2. A small group of militants held out for 16 hours at the base against 100 commandos and rangers.
Bin Laden's killing and revelations that he had lived for years not far away from the military's top academy caused huge embarrassment for Pakistan's military and the ISI.
Deteriorating relations
Mullen has acknowledged the deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Islamabad. On Thursday, he said Pakistan was still reassessing its relationship with the U.S.
Mullen said he was not sure how it will turn out.
U.S. officials have expressed growing frustration with Pakistan's unwillingness to go after militants who are hiding in havens along the border and routinely cross into Afghanistan to attack U.S. and allied forces.
Even as Mullen and other U.S. leaders stress the importance of America's long-term relationship with Pakistan, members of Congress are pressing to cut funding to Islamabad or make aid contingent on more aggressive efforts to go after insurgents.
Militant groups seen as most dangerous in the ongoing Afghan war — the Haqqani network is one example — base their operations in Pakistan.
While acknowledging Pakistan's failure to go after key insurgents, Mullen said Islamabad's military has taken enormous steps, moving into some of the border areas and battling terrorists. Islamabad has failed, however, to stem the increasing flow of ammonium nitrate, a key bomb ingredient, into Afghanistan.
Used as fertilizer, ammonium nitrate is manufactured at a number of locations in Pakistan. U.S. officials would like Islamabad to better regulate it or fashion some type of coloring that would identify where it came from, when it's discovered in bomb-making materials moving across the border.
Efforts to root out militant groups in Pakistan is considered an important element in the effort to wind down the war in Afghanistan so that U.S. troops can leave by the end of 2014 and turn security of the country over to the Afghans.


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Reflections On A Birthday
Posted by: Liesbet van Zoonen
My eldest son turned 18 yesterday. Evidently, this was an occasion to look back on his youth, and apart from all the personal and intimate memories we shared, it also occurred to me how many moments of 'identity management' he has gone through already. As a newborn in the hospital, he had a wristband to distinguish him from the other babies. Not that we would make a mistake, I hope, but for the nurses they must indeed all look alike. We also bought him one of these pre-formatted baby books, with a family tree, and chapters like 'Your parents', 'The Big Day', and 'This is You'. The 'You' was defined by gender to begin with; day, date and time of birth; astrological sign; weight and length; colour of his hair and eyes; blood type and head perimeter; and some special features. At the time we thought he had remarkably big feet.
We named him Tom, in full Thomas Adriaan Willem. Tom simply because we liked it, Adriaan after my father, Willem after my husband's grandfather. I remember there were some students at the maternity ward at the time, doing research about what names meant for parents. The only association I had, embarrassingly, was with a somewhat well-known national hockey player. It probably would have pleased the researchers if I therefore had hoped my Tom would become a hockey hero, but instead I only hoped – lame but sincere – that he would be healthy and happy. For the record, though: at 18, he is healthy, seems happy, and plays hockey heroically …. in our eyes.
All of this was even before we had to officially register him at Amsterdam city hall. Countless registrations followed, of course: for preschool, for school, for health insurance, for track-and-field, for baseball; for skating lesson and for hockey; for hockey and holiday camps. For swimming lessons, and more swimming lessons, and more swimming lessons. At 14, the Dutch state forced us to get him an identity card which officially, he needs to have on him, always. Yet, when you google him, he does not have much of an online presence yet, and although he did have a profile on an early Dutch social network, he doesn't find Facebook very appealing.
Now that he is 18, he can vote in the next Dutch elections, which are only months away. He has received offers from all kinds of organisations who want him to consider health insurance, bank accounts and study loans. He has not only become a full Dutch citizen, but also an independent client and consumer. 18 years ahead, he will be 36. He'll only need to talk to his bike to unlock it; he'll travel without documents because he has acquired trusted traveller status; his wedding ring also opens the doors to his house, to his office, and to the lockers in his gym. He has a pocket implant on his left arm which holds his smart phone: without it, he would be no one, he would be disconnected, he would cease to function….. that sounds familiar.


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Dr. Cal Hisley came to DMU in the 2007 fall semester to teach gross anatomy and neuroanatomy and augment the current curriculum with medical imaging-related training electives. His primary contributions to DMU are 1) the development and communication of digital knowledge engineering methods and projects related to medical education, and 2) his introduction of rigorous radiology/medical imaging courses to the curriculum.
Within six months of his arrival, Dr. Hisley, in collaboration with Dr. Ted Rooney, initiated a strong collaboration with Dr. William Young, chair of radiology at Mercy Medical Center. This resulted in the first direct online link between a DMU department and Mercy Radiology for the transfer of anonymized patient radiological imaging sets as an important anatomical education resource. Concurrently, Dr. Hisley worked with Dr. Young in the planning of several clinical fMRI research projects involving collaborations with additional Mercy clinicians, including stroke recovery assessment with Dr. M. Jacoby, neurology, and improved radiation treatment planning procedures with Dr. R. Deming, radiation oncology.
During Dr. Hisley's first year at DMU, he applied object-oriented multimedia relational database design methods to the prototyping of two innovative educational tools: an online digital anatomical dissector and an innovative digital auscultation simulator to be used in the DMU simulation laboratory. The initial results from these projects became the basis for research and collaboration with Drs. James Oliver and Eliot Winer of the Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC), College of Engineering, Iowa State University. Both projects represent key innovations. The dissector introduced real-time student progress tracking and multimedia self-assessment exercises to course execution in the dissection laboratory. The auscultation simulator project, undertaken with Dr. Roberta Wattleworth, DMU's chair of family medicine, and Dr. Vassilios Vardaxis, professor of physical therapy, introduced the concept of real-time spatial coordination of the stethoscope to both position-specific diagnostic sounds and corresponding views of 3D CT-based volumetric models.
Both projects will use these digital tools to collect research data on student and clinician behavior as well as to enhance the DMU educational experience. Publication of both of these systems in peer-reviewed journals is anticipated.
Dr. Hisley also published a paper titled "Coupled Physical and Digital Cadaver Dissection Followed by a Visual Test Protocol Provides Insights Into the Nature of Anatomical Knowledge and Its Evaluation," which laid the foundation for a new type of anatomical assessment procedure using 3D anatomical models and featuring anatomical volumes sliced and presented in different viewpoints.
During Dr. Hisley's second and third years, he designed and delivered two successful courses, one an elective, Introduction to Clinical Imaging, and the other, Exploration of Gross Anatomy Using Medical Imaging, a required seminar in DMU's master of science in anatomy program. Both courses provided systematic training in the application of medical imaging techniques to gross anatomy in preparation for clinical radiology experiences expected in the third- and fourth-year rotations.
During this time, Dr. Hisley's summer research program students, working with Dr. Brad Klock and the DMU osteopathic manual medicine department, created the first precise 3D digital models of the fascia of the thigh and developed a precise anatomical nomenclature. These results, presented in the SRP Symposium as a poster, are being used in a paper for submission to the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. While awaiting required fMRI equipment at Mercy Medical, Dr. Hisley initiated an additional productive fMRI-based collaboration with Mercy neurosurgeons Drs. Chris Karas and Mirza Baig, investigating the application of cortical activation and white matter tractography for improved resection of gliomas during both the planning stages and at surgery.
Finally, during this past year, Dr. Hisley has worked closely with DMU's chief information officer, Wayne Bowker, in planning operational computer database programming functions specifically supporting academic teaching functions across the four years of our curriculum.
Dr. Hisley will become an associate professor in Touro University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in California in December 2010. He will maintain all collaborative relationships possible with DMU to continue the investigation into the applications of technology to medical education.


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There is a wide range of zoos and petting farms of all sizes across Essex, from the world-renowned Colchester Zoo that will take several visits to get to see everything and where a season ticket would be a good investment, to Pets Corner in Harlow which is free of charge.
Barleylands Farm Park
Barleylands Road, Billericay, CM11 2UD. Open every day 10am to 4pm (autumn winter) 5pm (spring summer)
Alpacas, pigs, sheep, cows, birds of prey and more. Many of the paddocks give opportunities to feed the animals, and there's a new Animal Barn in the dry. Activities and events throughout the year.
more details
Boydells Dairy Farm
Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex CM7 4AQ
Try your hand at milking a cow, feeding hens, riding a donkey cart or outstaring a llama. But the chief part of your visit will be the sheep milking which takes place in a modern "rapid exit" parlour, milking batches of18 ewes at a time.
more details
Colchester Zoo
Maldon Road, Colchester, CO3 0SL. Open daily from 9.30am, closing times vary according to season.
"Colchester Zoo is home to over 260 species set in 60 acres of parkland and lakes. During your visit you will see species from around the world and learn more about them at daily encounters, giving you the chance to see the animals being fed, watch a training session or perhaps just quiz the keepers!"
more details
Hadleigh Farm Rare Breeds Centre
Castle Lane, Hadleigh SS7 2AP.
"The Rare Breeds Centre is a long standing favourite with people of all ages. You will love our array of unique and fascinating animals. We have some real characters here, too. After being greeted by the braying of Dylan the Donkey and the graceful beauty of Cookie the Exmoor Pony."
more details
Hopefield Animal Sanctuary
Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, CM15 9BY. Open to the public 1pm to 4pm daily.
"Hopefield cares for a variety of animals including horses, donkeys, goats,sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, ducks, cats and more recently has become home to smaller animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchilla's. The sanctuary even has its own resident bull called Max, who loves nothing more than being tickled between his horns!"
more details
Lee Valley Park Farms
Stubbins Hall Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2EF. Open every day 10am to 5pm.
Pigs, sheep, goats, cows, chickens, ducks, llamas, reindeer, meerkats, ponies, and many more… Bundle Barn, Hilltop Adventure and Alpine Adventure
more details
Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park
Marsh Farm Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5WP. Open Monday to Sunday 10am – 5pm.
Lots of animals, birds of prey, pony rides, and indoor and outdoor events, and much, much more.
more details
Mistley Place Park
Mistley Place Park Animal Rescue Centre, New Road, Mistley CO11 1ER.
Announced at the end of May 2019 they were closed 'for the forseeable future' as they were unable to find the money to meet improvements required by Tendring DC, and also citing old age and ill health as well as 'circumstances'.
more details
Muddy Boots Farm
Creeksea Place Farm, Ferry Road, Burnham-on-Crouch Essex CM0 8PJ
Opened in April 2017, offering hands-on sessions for children under 12. By May 2019 their website and facebook page had disappeared.
Old MacDonald's Farm
Weald Road, South Weald, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5AY. Open 10am – 5pm March-Nov, 10am – 4.30pm (or dusk) Nov-March.
Animals, trains, roller-coaster, giant tractor rides, trampolines and much more.
more details
Pets Corner Harlow
Town Park, Harlow, CM20 2QG. Open 11am to 4:45pm summer, 11am to 4:00pm winter.
Pets Corner is a small friendly open farm located in Harlow Town Park. It has a large selection of traditional farm animals, more exotic animals such as Reindeer, Llamas and Alpacas, whilst still keeping with the visitor's favourites' of rabbits, Guinea pigs and chickens and ducks.
more details
Redwings Ada Cole Visitor Centre
Broadley Common, Nazeing, EN9 2DH. Open daily 10am to 4pm.
More than 50 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules at the site.
more details
Sealife Adventure
Seafront, Southend on Sea, SS1 2ER. Open all year around 10am/11am to 5pm/8pm.
Over 40 displays featuring sea life from all over the world.
more details
Tiggy's Barn
Greenstead Farm, Greenstead Green, Halstead
A small educational petting farm launched in autumn 2016 which lasted three years.
Tropical Wings Zoo
Wickford Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5QZ.
Owners Dennis and Rona Strong announced in November 2017 that the zoo would close on 3rd December 2017 due to their ill health.


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