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"With the rush for patents has come an increase in disputes. Since 2006 more patent lawsuits have been filed in China than anywhere else, even litigious America. Most pit domestic firms against each other, but in recent years foreigners have found themselves on the receiving end too. In December Samsung, a South Korean conglomerate, was ordered to pay compensation to Holley, a Chinese telecoms firm. The recent victories and lucrative awards will open the floodgates to more suits, predicts Tony Chen of Jones Day, a law firm".It may however soon be spreading to the US, where Chinese applicants were granted 1,225 patents last year. Judging by the tenacious manner in which Chinese businesses have contested challenges to their Community designs, they will be formidable foes.
The PatLit weblog covers patent litigation law, practice and strategy, as well as other forms of patent dispute resolution. If you love -- or hate -- patent litigation, this is your blog. You can contact PatLit by emailing Michael here
Thursday 30 April 2009
Chinese patentees turn increasingly to litigation
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Qualcomm, Broadcom settle on terms
In this complex litigation, Broadcom had alleged anticompetitive practices on the part of Qualcomm, which had already successfully resisted three consumer class-action suits alleging antitrust violations following accusations that it had failed to license its technology on fair terms.
This settlement looks like another of those complex agreements that the parties would have been highly unlikely to make if they had not been locked in litigation in the first place.
Monday 27 April 2009
Affordable patent litigation and the Burdon Plan: some additional comments
"The purpose of this note is to provide some additional comments on the ideas outlined in my earlier note, especially taking into account numerous communications and discussions I have had since its original publication, including discussions with industry bodies and professional organisations, such as the IPLA. I also appreciate that the Plan would require a change of rules in the light of Nichia v Argos and Knight v Beyond.
Key Points
The main assumption in my paper was that there was a substantial body of patent litigation which did not occur in the UK because companies could not afford it. This assumption is supported by my discussions. The problem of lack of access to justice lies not only with patent owners being unable to enforce their rights but also with companies which are forced to change their R&D and/or take licences when they do not consider the relevant patent to be valid but cannot afford to challenge it.
The crucial factor in deciding to litigate (after prospects of success) is the cost. There would be considerable more appetite for patent litigation in England if (1) it were cheaper and (2) the costs risk was more reliably predictable. The certainty of the maximum costs exposure at the outset is as important as the total amount. Litigants can negotiate some certainty about costs with their own chosen advisers, but the estimate and the assumptions on which costs are predicted or agreed often change because the course of litigation cannot be controlled or predicted. At present, it is almost impossible for one side to predict the likely exposure to the recoverable costs of the other side within a meaningful range.
The success of this proposal depends on there being a predetermined cap on the recovery of costs and the associated alternative cost-effective procedure which enables the cap to be met. These two related ideas provide the basis for assuring a litigant of the reliability and certainty of the overall costs exposure – not just one's own costs but especially the costs of the other side. The only way to deal reliably with the certainty of costs risk is to ensure that the recoverable costs of the other side are capped at a sensible fixed amount which is known before proceedings begin.
I have then sought to design a procedure which could be undertaken within that capped costs constraint. This procedure would then, in turn, enable the party commencing the litigation to agree a more certain costs position (perhaps on a fixed or capped costs basis), in advance, with its advisers. Advisers would be more readily able to do this if the procedure and time lines were clear, with minimal scope for variation. Time is critical to cost.
It would not achieve the objective to determine the costs cap after the litigation has been commenced. This involves too much uncertainty and risk as to future cost exposure. Industry feedback supports my belief. Such a provision would have little effect on providing access to justice in smaller cases. Companies will simply not take the risk of unquantified costs exposure.
The other main aspect of the proposal is to ensure procedural certainty and fairness. I do not consider it practical to prevent a party spending more than £100k on its case. However, any benefit obtained from the ability of one party to out-spend its rival should be restricted. The procedures and limits on the length of documents and submissions are designed to balance the parties' positions, irrespective of funding, as well as making the costs cap reasonable. While the precise details of the procedural steps under such a Plan might be different than that which I proposed, it is important that the procedure is clearly identified and restricted with these principles in mind.
As stated in the orginal proposal, the procedure should not be varied from case to case. Otherwise, it will affect the ability of the parties and their advisers to work within these costs constraints. There should seldom be a need for an application during the proceedings.
Certainty of costs exposure should be secured from the outset. This would enable a company considering litigation to budget for it and approve it on the basis of an ascertainable and reliable costs risk. It would be for the claimant to elect for the scheme to apply. There could be various safeguards built in, to ensure that the scheme would not be used inappropriately for more complex cases. For example the party commencing the case could certify it was appropriate; the issuing court could review the patent and perhaps a short one-page submission from the claimant as to why the scheme were appropriate before approving the application of the scheme. However, there may be occasions, on which a case may be removed from this scheme, especially by application of the Defendant; e.g. if it involved experiments.
I consider that these situations should be truly exceptional, but not impossible. Therefore, as a safeguard to the party commencing the proceedings, I propose that if a case is removed from the scheme, the claimant be given a short time in which to withdraw its case (i) on a without prejudice basis and (ii) without any payment of costs to the defendant. The claimant would suffer no estoppel from having brought and withdrawn a case, nor would it suffer any risk of paying costs to the other side. I believe the claimant would need this safeguard in order to be encouraged to use the scheme. The defendant could not be prevented from commencing proceedings; e.g. in the High Court, after the claimant's withdrawal.
Additional Comments
The scheme I propose was always intended to be an alternative to mainstream patent litigation. It was not intended to be used for most of the cases currently heard by the Patents Court but could probably be used for most, if not all, cases heard by the Patents County Court. I initially proposed the scheme for use in the Patents County Court to allow a clear demarcation with the Patents Court and because it permits more flexible representation. However, there is no reason why it should not be used in the High Court. I did not anticipate that it would be used for complicated cases but the category of technology should not necessarily be a bar. For example, members of the BioIndustry Association (BIA) Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC), on which I sit, were very supportive of this scheme and did not want to be excluded from it. It might also be useful to introduce a system of Appointed Persons to hear these cases.
I proposed a novel procedure where the defendant's witnesses are cross-examined before the claimant's. On reflection, while I recommended the court time is limited and allocated equally between the parties, I suggest all cross-examination takes place on day 1 – shared equally with a maximum of 3 hours available to each party, perhaps after a short (30 minute) opening by the claimant with closing submissions on the second day (shared equally with a maximum of 3 hours each party, defendant first). The judge would pre-read the day before the trial and give judgment the day after trial.
I have received various suggestions that £100k, although a laudable objective, may be unrealistic and that recoverable costs should be capped at £150k (and index linked). The cap will apply to the total costs of all members of the relevant legal team (solicitors, barristers and patent attorneys), and the expert. It would include the costs of any counterclaim for invalidity or infringement.
I do not consider that any premium payable under a conditional fee agreement (CFA) should be recoverable from the losing party, especially if the total recovered would exceed the cap. However, that would not prevent a party agreeing a CFA with its adviser and paying a success fee. I also anticipate that the certainty of this scheme would make it easier, and more practical, to obtain insurance cover.
Some have commented that the position on costs recovery is unclear in my original paper. Time spent in detailed costs assessments and in arguing and negotiating costs is wasteful and disproportionate, especially with the amounts at stake under this scheme. I anticipate that the judge would make an overall assessment of costs recovery based on the issues on which both parties were successful. If, for example, the judge decided the winning party was successful overall on 65% of issues and had spent £100k, or more, on its legal advisers, then it would recover £65k without a detailed assessment. If it spent less than 100k, it would be entitled to recover 65% of its actual costs.
I have received suggestions that the remedies of the claimant should be restricted, and in particular injunctions and revocation should not be available. While I can see the force in having the remedies in cases brought under this scheme available only on an inter-parties basis, I can see problems in applying such limited relief in practice (e.g. to what extent should the outcome be transferable?) and compliance with international obligations.
Appeals on procedural points are difficult to envisage and should be exceptional (if at all). There should be corresponding limits on the length of substantive appeal documents, submissions and recoverable costs. The appeal should certainly take less than 1 day and recoverable costs should likewise be capped (e.g. 25% of the trial costs).
Friday 24 April 2009
Tarceva case: Roche fined for "material suppression"
"Interestingly, and perhaps very damagingly for Roche, the judge also imposed a cost of 5 lakhs (approximately USD 10,000) on Roche for suppressing material facts. The court appears to suggest that Roche had taken the patent office and the court for a ride by suppressing facts. Roche has around ninety days to appeal to the Supreme Court of India now. If not for anything else, it ought to appeal to reverse the finding that it suppressed material facts".Since Shamnad did not have an opportunity to read the judgment in full before posting, we may expect more detail in his follow-up post. It would be good to know whether the fine was imposed under an inherent jurisdiction for contempt of court or under some specific statutory power under the Indian patent legislation. In either event, since India is becoming an increasingly important venue for patent actions, litigants should be aware of the risk incurred in taking what is seen as suppressive action.
Thursday 23 April 2009
Taking account of foreign and EPO decisions
Tuesday 21 April 2009
License to speed -- but not to shred
The plaintiff in these proceedings is actually Micron, which sought and obtained a declaratory ruling from the District Court of Delaware that, by intentionally destroying documents when litigation was reasonably foreseeable, Rambus knew, or should have known, that a general implementation of its document retention policy (sic) on certain "shred days" was inappropriate. Put simply, Rambus had failed in its duty to preserve potentially relevant evidence. In result of this conduct, which materially impugned the litigation process, Micron was materially prejudiced.
Rambus has appealed to the US Federal Court of Appeal. Meanwhile, other proceedings in Delaware and California in relation to similar facts involving Rambus and other parties have been stayed, pending the outcome of this appeal. The authors of this note add:
" ... Micron demonstrates the importance of considering the impact of any actual or anticipated litigation when formulating any document policies to ensure the preservation of potentially relevant documents".This advice might seem obvious to patent attorneys, but shredding evidence makes perfect sense to the business community and the time to teach them good habits is long, long before litigation looms on the horizon.
Friday 17 April 2009
An insight into Dutch costs
For obvious reasons the cost of patent litigation varies considerably between different European forums and there is no stable and predictable scale by which they can be confidently measured and compared against one another. This does not stop litigants asking where litigation might cost them less, though. The paragraph reproduced below, however, serves to give some guidance concerning what started out as three separate actions which came before the preliminary relief judge in April, May and June 2008 respectively, but which eventually coalesced:
"The costs of the proceedings on the part of Tiefenbacher and Centrafarm, fixed at €276,357.97 are not disputed. These will be allocated to the parties in equal shares. Lundbeck has disputed that the attorney's fees presented by Ratiopharm in the amount of €427,346.58 are to be deemed 'reasonable and balanced'. The court shares Lundbeck's opinion that these costs, in comparison with the attorney's fees claimed by Lundbeck and Tiefenbacher/Centrafarm (€291,691 and €126,155.80 respectively) appear to be too high and are not justified by the circumstance that it, contrary to the other parties, was not involved in foreign litigation. It has not appeared, after all, that the Dutch attorneys of the other parties were involved in such litigation, while moreover these proceedings included other experts and, in part, other positions than was the case in those foreign proceedings. The court will reasonably fix the attorney's fees of Ratiopharm at an amount of €290,000, equal to the amount in attorney's fees claimed by Lundbeck. The costs of patent attorneys and experts of Ratiopharm of €141,186.72 are not disputed and will therefore be awarded as claimed, so that of the costs claimed by Ratiopharm a total amount of €431,186.72 is eligible for allocation. As no independent arguments were presented in the counterclaim, all costs will be allocated under the principal action".PatLit is curious to hear from its readers, in the light of experiences in their own jurisdictions, whether the Dutch award would rank as a bargain buy, a fair figure or an expensive deal in comparison.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Book review
This is not at all the book that this reviewer planned to write, however. As the description suggests, it is at heart a jurisprudential work, addressing the relationship between the EU's legislative organs, the Member States and the Directive itself. Although the sincerely committed practitioner will find much of interest, particularly at the appellate level where the interpretation of implemented (or supposedly implemented) provisions of the Directive is the fulcrum around which litigation turns, this is not a "how to do it" manual for IP litigators. Written too early in the history of the implementation of the Directive to be able to analyse a large and indicative body of post-implementation cases, the book must draw on other sources -- which it does most effectively; this inevitably gives it the more fragrant aroma of the corridors of the legislature rather than the stench of contested infringement proceedings."The three authors' vastly detailed, article-by-article analysis of the fortunes of Directive 2004/48 EC in three EU jurisdictions offers enormously valuable insights into the complex ways Member States respond to Community law, and in so doing provides an important addition to the ongoing inquiry into the nature of the reciprocal tensions between EU law (both judicial and legislative) and the laws of Member States.
The particular investigation undertaken here reveals three paradigmatic situations:
* the situation in which the Directive has not been implemented at all, either because the Member State believes that its current legislation is adequate or that the wording of the Directive is such that no special legislation is required (England);* the situation in which implementation has been inadequate, because either the pre-existing legislation constitutes inadequate legislation or because the specifically adopted legislation proves to be legally uncertain (The Netherlands); and
* the situation in which the relevant time for implementation for the Directive has elapsed and no specific legislation has been adopted (Germany).
If there really is, as the European Commission contends, an 'enforcement deficit' in the protection of intellectual property rights by national rules of procedure, then the most effective remedial approach, Cummings shows, is through the principles of legal certainty, full effect, and effective judicial protection. These principles will assist the national court in interpretation of the precise meaning of the substantive obligations under the Directive. Drawing on the tenor of ECJ law that national procedural rules should not present an obstacle to adequate judicial protection, the author considers the conditions that must be fulfilled before an eventual claimant, who has suffered loss and damage caused by either the non-implementation or the incorrect implementation of a directive, may bring an action against the State for breach of Community law. ... ".
For the patent litigator there are discussions of such live issues as cost-capping, as well as reviews of other issues that apply across all IP rights. The text is well organised and retains the reader's attention. It also provides an excellent basis for getting to know the Directive, having the ability to introduce the intelligent reader to the topic while not in any sense being a beginner's-only read.
Bibliographic details: publisher Wolters Kluwer (October 2008), ISBNs 9041127267 and 13: 9789041127266. Hardcover, xiv + 317 pp. Website here.
Friday 3 April 2009
Super-complainants: do they have a role in patent litigation?
"The Enterprise Act 2002. .. gives certain designated consumer bodies the right to make a "super-complaint" where they consider that there are market features (such as the market structure or the conduct of firms operating within it) that may be significantly harming the interests of consumers. The market in question may be regional, national or supranational (where the UK forms part of that market). Individual consumers do not often have access to the kind of information necessary to make a judgement about market failure and so the aim of the procedure is to encourage groups who represent consumers to make relevant super-complaints on their collective behalf. The OFT, or where appropriate the relevant sectoral regulator, will be obliged to respond to a super-complaint within 90 calendar days".It does not take much imagination to see how super-complainant status can affect patent litigation. At present, a party seeking a compulsory patent licence in the UK under the Patents Act 1977 must effectively play the part of champion of a greater public interest, whether economic or of another nature, in seeking to persuade a tribunal that the private interest in the sanctity of an unused or underused monopoly right should be sacrificed to a greater good. Unlike a compulsory licence applicant, who may have an expectation of substantial profit if the licence is granted, an application for, say, a patent to be subject to a licence of right, made by a super-complainant representing a vulnerable consumer group (hospital patients, perhaps?) might be more likely to succeed where it is viewed as altruistic.
Thursday 2 April 2009
Streamlined procedures: obstacles in the fast track
"18. The action has been conducted without written or oral evidence under the streamlined procedure in the Patents Court".He then lists "principal facts which are ... agreed (as opposed to assumed)". All this looks very promising: the parties both wanted to press on; they were going full speed ahead and they were even agreeing facts in advance -- though a minor rap on the knuckles was administered by the judge when he expressed his disappointment that he was given two different English translations of the same Bundespatentgericht decision ("46. I do not think there is much difference between them"). The hearing lasted a single day, with judgment delivered inside a month. What could go wrong?
The answer here is "the law". Synthon and Merz were arguing over the meaning of Article 2 of the SPC Regulation (Regulation 1768/92). One party's interpretation led to a conclusion that was "bizarre"; the other's interpretation that rendered the provision "otiose". There was nothing for it but to refer questions (on the precise formulation of which the judge has invited the parties to make submissions) to the Court of Justice of the European Communities for a preliminary ruling. This rather slows things down. The life expectancy of a healthy SPC is five years, with the possibility of a six-month paediatric extension in an appropriate case, but the average time taken to refer a case to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling and get the answer back is around the two-year mark. The SPC in this case was granted in 2003; Mr Justice Floyd will probably get his answer in early 2011, following which the litigation can slip back into streamlined mode.
The Court of Justice can accelerate the reference process but, as it made plain recently in Cases C-403/08 and 429/08 (the 'Greek football broadcasts to English pubs' cases, Order of 3 December 2008), an accelerated reference is only possible where there is both (i) importance of the main proceedings and (ii) urgency of giving judgment. Neither factor is apparently present in Synthon v Merz. One might speculate as to whether parties should be given the option of an accelerated reference, where they can demonstrate that they have chosen a fast-track dispute resolution mechanism under national law and the trial judge certifies that they have complied with its requirements.
Wednesday 1 April 2009
French ruling confirms jurisdiction in IP trials
Source: note by Richard Milchior, Granrut Avocats, Paris, in World Trademark Review


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subset: commoncrawl


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In Alexandria, Va., the rate of antidepressant use is the highest in the country, with a full 40 percent of residents receiving prescriptions.
Cape Cod, Mass., tops the country in the use of stimulants, with 16 percent of the population filling at least one prescription, compared to a mean of 2.6 percent nationally.
Gainsville, Fla., has the highest utilization rate of antipsychotics – 4.6 percent of residents, well above the national mean of .8 percent.
Usage rates of the three classes of mental health medications vary widely across the U.S., with Connecticut in the middle, according to a new study by the Yale School of Management.
The study found that much of the geographic variation could be explained by access to health care and pharmaceutical marketing efforts, rather than by the underlying prevalence rate of the psychiatric disorders.
For all three classes of medications, use rates were higher in areas with better access to health care, as measured by the number of physicians in a three-digit zip code area. More surprisingly, the study found that in regions of the country where pharmaceutical companies spent the most money marketing drugs, the utilization rate of psychotropic medications was at least 10 percent higher than in areas with the lowest marketing expenditures.
The study is the first to demonstrate that "marketing efforts have a substantial impact on utilization rates," said Marissa King, assistant professor of organizational behavior at the Yale School of Management and the study's lead author. "There's a huge geographic variability in utilization rates, and it appears that part of the puzzle is marketing."
King and co-author Connor Essick of the Yale School of Public Health examined 2008 national data on retail prescriptions for antipsychotics, stimulants and antidepressants. They mapped patterns in usage rates, both across the country and within states. Clusters of high use were identified, including one in the south, centered on Tennessee.
Within Connecticut, the New Haven area had the highest rate of antidepressant use – 14.7 percent, compared to the mean of 10.4 percent nationally. Stimulant use was highest in Stamford – 3.9 percent, compared to 2.6 percent nationally. Antipsychotic use was highest in the Hartford area – 3.8 percent, compared to the .8 percent national mean.
The Bridgeport area recorded the lowest rates of stimulant and antidepressant prescribing (1.6 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively), while antipsychotic use was lowest in the Stamford zip code area (1.3 percent).
Nationally, the study found that use of the psychotropic medications was lowest in the western part of the U.S., with clusters of high use in other regions. In a large area of the South centered on Tennessee, for example, use of antidepressants, antipsychotics and stimulants was 40 percent higher than in the rest of the country. Residents in this region were 77 percent more likely than people outside the cluster to be using stimulants, the study found.
The cluster in the South overlaps with an area known as the "stroke belt," an 11-state region that has been recognized by public health authorities as having an unusually high incidence of stroke, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. The finding of a high use of psychotropic drugs in that region raises questions about possible links between mental health treatment and other health outcomes, King said.
King said she was surprised that the geographic differences in usage were not explained by the underlying prevalence of depression or related mental health disorders. The exception was stimulant use, which correlated to states' ADHD prevalence rates.
"I was definitely surprised that prevalence wasn't a determining factor," she said.
Instead, the study points to other reasons for the variability – namely, pharmaceutical marketing efforts and access to health care. Pharmaceutical companies pay doctors to promote their drugs and are likely to direct marketing dollars to areas that have large numbers of physicians, the study says. Antidepressants, antipsychotics and stimulants are among the most heavily marketed – and highest-grossing – medications.
"By shaping patients' and physicians' knowledge about existing treatment options, as well as perceptions about the appropriateness of given treatments, marketing efforts may be an important factor in health care utilization," King and Essick wrote.
Because of recent public disclosures by drug companies of their payments to doctors for speaking and consulting services, King and Essick were able to track correlations between marketing expenditures and prescribing rates. The correlations were not exact: expenditures were from 2008 and 2009, while prescriptions were from 2008 only. Federal "sunshine act" provisions require pharmaceutical companies to report all payments to physician speakers and consultants beginning this year; some drug companies have already started providing that data.
King said she expects the public disclosures of physician payments to prompt more studies of prescribing and usage patterns.
"I think with the sunshine act, having the information available to researchers on a much larger scale will help us look at how marketing is influencing prescribing behavior," she said.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has pulled his support from a deal to sell the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and will pursue his $1 billion federal lawsuit against the NBA, his attorney said Monday.
"We have been instructed to prosecute the lawsuit," said attorney Maxwell Blecher. He said co-owner Donald Sterling would not be signing off on the deal to sell.
Donald Sterling issued a one-page statement dated Monday titled "The Team is not for Sale" and said that "from the onset, I did not want to sell the Los Angeles Clippers."
The $2 billion sale was negotiated by his wife Shelly Sterling after Donald Sterling's racist remarks to a girlfriend were publicized and the NBA moved to oust him as owner.
The lawsuit alleges the league violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling $2.5 million and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.
"I have decided that I must fight to protect my rights," Donald Sterling said. "While my position may not be popular, I believe that my rights to privacy and the preservation of my rights to due process should not be trampled. I love the team and have dedicated 33 years of my life to the organization. I intend to fight to keep the team."
Donald Sterling had agreed to ink the deal and drop the suit last week assuming "all their differences had been resolved," his attorneys said. But individuals close to the negotiations who weren't authorized to speak publicly said he decided to not sign the papers after learning the NBA won't revoke its lifetime ban and fine.
"There was never a discussion involving the NBA in which we would modify Mr. Sterling's penalty in any way whatsoever. Any suggestion otherwise is complete fabrication," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.
Shelly Sterling and her attorney Pierce O'Donnell declined to comment through representatives.
Shelly Sterling utilized her authority as sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, to take bids for the team and ultimately negotiate a deal with Ballmer. The deal would be record-breaking if approved by the NBA's owners.
An individual familiar with the negotiations who wasn't authorized to speak publicly said Monday that there were two options for Donald Sterling — to either sign or go to court. But even if he wins in court, he's ultimately winning a judgment against himself because his wife Shelly Sterling has agreed to indemnify the NBA against all lawsuits, including by her husband, the individual said.
Donald Sterling's comments to V. Stiviano included telling her to not bring black people to Clippers games, specifically mentioning Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. They resulted in a storm of outrage from the public and players and even prompted President Barack Obama to comment on what he called Sterling's "incredibly offensive racist statements."
Donald Sterling said in his statement that he was "extremely sorry for the hurtful statements" he made privately but said them out of anger and jealousy and didn't intend for them to be public.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ultimately decided to ban Donald Sterling for life, fine him millions, and began efforts to force Sterling to sell the team. Those efforts ended with Shelly Sterling's deal with Ballmer.
If this deal ultimately goes through, its terms allow Shelly Sterling to remain close to the organization by allowing for up to 10 percent of the team — or $200 million — to be spun off into a charitable foundation that she would essentially run.
Shelly Sterling and Ballmer would be co-chairs of the foundation, which would target underprivileged families, battered women, minorities and inner city youths.
Under the deal Shelly Sterling would also get the title of "owner emeritus" and be entitled to continuing perks such as floor seats, additional seats at games and parking.
One of the individuals said the deal also includes conditions that allow Ballmer to buy back the 10 percent portion of the team for a pre-designated price upon Shelly Sterling's death.
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in Miami contributed to this report.
Follow Tami Abdollah on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/latams


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Information Possibly Outdated
The information presented on this page was originally released on November 7, 1997. It may not be outdated, but please search our site for more current information. If you plan to quote or reference this information in a publication, please check with the Extension specialist or author before proceeding.
Farmers Survive 1997's Wild Ride
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Like a real roller coaster ride, 1997 left some farmers saying, "Let's go again," and others saying, "No way."
Cold, wet conditions at planting time had row-crop growers struggling to plant fields. As the conditions persisted, the young plants struggled to mature.
"Early season conditions resulted in about 30,000 acres of cotton being destroyed -- mainly in Northeast Mississippi," said Dr. Will McCarty, extension cotton specialist at Mississippi State University.
Growers planted much of the state's cotton later than ideal.
"We had one of the coldest, wettest starts on record. Some areas in Northeast Mississippi received 40 inches of rain in April and May," McCarty said.
Odds already were against the crop as growers faced a high cost of production and relatively flat prices. The Freedom to Farm act and competitive corn and soybean prices influenced more growers away from cotton, their traditional favorite.
1997 was the first year since 1982 that Mississippi cotton growers planted less than 1 million acres, and only the third time since record keeping began in 1866.
Fields that endured the early season weather benefitted from better midsummer conditions and much better later season weather.
"This favorable weather allowed plants to mature late bolls. Insect pressure also was light to moderate," McCarty said. "The boll weevil eradication program in the hills resulted in one of the best top crops ever in that region."
Mississippi's 960,000 cotton acres are expected to average 820 pounds.
"1997 will be only the sixth time we've exceeded 800 pounds per acre and the first time we've done it in back-to-back years," McCarty said. "This could turn out to be one of our top five crops."
Mississippi's two row crops riding a new wave of interest are corn and soybeans.
Mississippi harvested about 450,000 acres of corn this year. Cool, wet conditions in May and June also took a toll on corn. Both acreage and yields are down this year, but corn remains a viable alternative as a rotation crop.
Dr. Alan Blaine, extension agronomist at MSU, said some soybean growers have harvested their "best-ever yields," and others experienced their "worst ever."
Soybeans' biggest problems were late plantings and insects in the Delta.
"We have got to aggressively control insects, such as bean leaf beetles and stink bugs, to protect yields," Blaine said.
Still, Mississippi is looking at yields of about 29 bushel per acre, which is one of the state's top four soybean crops.


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Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) ("Bunge") today announced it has completed its acquisition of a 70% ownership interest in IOI Loders Croklaan ("Loders") from IOI Corporation Berhad (KLSE: IOICORP) ("IOI").
The acquisition establishes Bunge as a global leader in business-to-business oil solutions with expanded value-added capabilities, reach and scale across core geographies. With Loders, Bunge will provide a comprehensive customer offering, from core products to specialties, for B2B customers in the food processing, industrial and artisanal bakery, confectionery, human nutrition and food service segments.
We expect Loders will generate $105 million of full-year EBITDA in 2018, plus $15 million in synergies. We also expect the transaction to be accretive to earnings on a cash basis this year. The enterprise will operate within Bunge's Food & Ingredients business as "Bunge Loders Croklaan."
Soren Schroder, Bunge's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This is a transformational acquisition that increases our value-added food and ingredients activities to the 35% to 40% share of our portfolio we've targeted. With a comprehensive product offering derived from seed and tropical oils, leading innovation and application capabilities, and world class sustainability programs, Bunge Loders Croklaan will be the first choice for global edible oils customers seeking to innovate and grow."
Gordon Hardie, Bunge's President of Food & Ingredients, stated, "We're excited to leverage the combination of Bunge's integrated supply chain and existing oils portfolio with Loders' high-end specialty and semi-specialty products to help our customers grow their brands and businesses around the world. We're also excited to begin working alongside our new colleagues, whose deep market and technical knowledge will benefit our continuing development of a wide range of edible oils applications aligned with consumer trends and customers' needs."
For any further questions regarding the acquisition or to discuss any new project opportunities because of this collaboration, don't hesitate to contact us.
The ZDS Fat Symposium, an event in cooperation with Bunge Loders Croklaan, provides an overview of the latest topics around fats and oils for the confectionery industry. The latest product concepts and trends as well as findings on processing will be presented by experts. Anton Hutten, Director Global Quality and Food Safety and Renee Boerefijn, Director Innovation EMEA at Bunge Loders Croklaan will be among the speakers.
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Due to its ability to increase blood flow to the scalp, massage for hair loss holds many potential benefits. Massage for hair loss is the act of rubbing, kneading and applying pressure to the skin of the scalp with the fingers and hands. Of the wide range of benefits scalp massage can provide, perhaps the greatest benefit is considered to be the increased blood flow to the surface of the skin. This is the reason why individuals suffering from hair loss are turning towards massage for help.
Techniques and Benefits of Scalp Massage for Hair Regrowth
Massage for hair loss performed by a trained massage therapist will increase blood flow to the hair follicles, condition the scalp, and enhance the strength of the roots. It will also aid relaxation and reduce feelings of stress. Kneading during a massage warms the skin and opens up the blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow. Increased blood flow to the hair follicle will result in increased nutrient intake. All hair follicles need an adequate supply of nutrients in order to grow. Rubbing during a massage promotes relaxation and aids in stress reduction. Reduced levels of stress hormones allow the body to function with increased efficiency and this, in turn, enhances the ability of the hair follicles to grow hair.
The use of nourishing oils during scalp massage for hair loss is thought to condition the scalp, hair root, and hair shaft. It reduces conditions that can interrupt the process of hair growth, including dandruff and dry skin. Regular massage for hair loss involving oils can reduce the chances of the hair strands becoming brittle, split, and broken.
Are you interested in becoming a certified massage therapist?
Visit the links below to explore our massage therapy programs at a campus near you:
Clinical Studies and the Effectiveness of Scalp Massage
The results of a randomized, seven month trial used to investigate the effectiveness of aromatherapy in the treatment of people with alopecia areata were reported in the Archives of Dermatology in 1998. The study, conducted by Isabelle C. Hay, Margaret Jamieson and Anthony D. Ormerod in the Department of Dermatology at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, United Kingdom, involved eighty-six people, all of whom had been diagnosed with alopecia areata, a condition in which hair loss is apparent on some or all parts of the human body, particularly the scalp.
The participants in the study were divided into two groups. The first group, referred to as the active group, received a daily massage for hair loss over a period of seven months. The essential oils of lavender, cedarwood, thyme and rosemary in a blend of the carrier oils of jojoba and grapeseed were massaged into the people's scalps in the first group. The second group, referred to as the control group, received daily massages with only the carrier oils of jojoba and grapeseed over the same time period.
Hay and Ormerod then set about evaluating the success of massage for hair loss using computerized analysis of the traced areas of hair loss shown in the photographs they had taken throughout the study. They also used a six-point scale to measure the effectiveness of massage for hair loss in the two groups. Hay et al. witnessed an improvement in 44% of the 43 patients making up the active group. In contrast, the same could only be said for 15% of the 41 patients allocated to the control group. The results of this study indicate that massage for hair loss with essential oils is an effective treatment for the condition of alopecia areata.
In addition to stimulating blood flow through the scalp and increasing the probability of healthy hair growth, scalp massage is soothing and can help prevent headaches as well as benefit sleep patterns. A massage therapist trained in Asian Bodywork can also use acupoints found on the scalp, and tailor the massage treatment to the individual to help relaxation.
Click here to learn more about Pacific College of Oriental Medicine's Chicago, New York, and San Diego Massage Therapy Programs.
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Spring in Virginia is so variable in temperature! But this year is more so than usual. We've just had three days with high temperatures of 90F (31C) or more. Not so long ago we had night-time lows of 20F (-6.5C). Late February and all of March was full of snow and rain.
The only thing we managed to plant in the garden for the whole of March was a small amount of shallot bulbs. We've been doing an impressive amount of scrambling in the first ten days of April, to make up for lost time. Some crops we had to cut back on, because it got too late to plant. We only have a quarter of the onions we planned, half of the peas, a fifth of the spinach, and no fava beans this year. I realize it would be useful to have "last worthwhile planting dates" for all our spring crops, to help decision-making.
To add insult to injury, a Beast ate half of our early broccoli transplants in the cold-frame one night. Because there were big surface tunnels, I think it was Eastern Moles. They are insectivorous, not vegetarian, but they do use leaves to line their nests, which they make at this time of year. I bought a trap – no luck. I covered the remaining broccoli and lettuce flats as best I could with rat wire "lids" and clear plastic domed food covers – things I had handy from previous depredations. What seems to have worked is to line the coldframes with landscape fabric and set the flats on that, tightly up against the edges, leaving no wiggle room. Wisely, we do a later, third, sowing of broccoli to cover emergencies, so we spotted those out into bigger flats. We're going to need them this year.
We have at last got our potatoes in the ground, three weeks later than ideal. On the positive side, they had been chitting (green-sprouting) in crates under lights in the basement since the beginning of March, so I could console myself that they were growing anyway. And probably they will come up quicker in the (suddenly!) warmer soil. We cut them for planting once the area was disked for planting and we were pretty sure we could get them in the ground in a few days.
We've busily transplanted spinach, kale, lettuce and scallions, and sowed carrots, more scallions and the third bed of beets. We used the Earthway seeder for the beets, and found the radish plate worked better than the beet plate for Cylindra seed, which were smaller than the Detroit Dark Red. We also tried the popcorn plate with some success, when the beet plate jammed.
We flamed one of our first two beds of beets, to kill the weeds that didn't die properly with our hasty delayed rototilling. We would have flamed both, but the Cylindra popped up overnight earlier than I expected (going by soil temperature), so we'll have to hoe those really soon, maybe this afternoon.
Next we'll be prepping our cabbage and broccoli beds. We make temporary raised beds, roll out round hay bales over them, then transplant into the mulch. We do this by first measuring and making "nests", using our hands to open up the mulch down to the soil. The brassicas appreciate the mulch to moderate the soil temperature and keep some moisture in the soil.
Our big weeding projects have been the raspberries and the garlic.(Goodbye, henbit!)
Today we might sow our parsnips. I just wrote an article about them in the March issue of Growing for Market. This issue also contains articles about increasing hoophouse tomato production, adding solar panels, equipment for tracking the weather, food safety and new interesting cut flowers.
The April issue is also out. For that, I wrote about fennel – bulbs, leaves, seeds and pollen. Other articles include one about Johnny's Salanova lettuce, others about training cucumbers and tomatoes up strings in the hoophouse, a tractor implement for rolling out round hay bales (which is only fun to do by hand the first ten times, max), more on food safety, and an interview/field trip to Texas Specialty Cut Flowers.


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Build, collect and quest with your favorite Family Guy heroes and villains in a freakin' hilarious new sandbox game!
After another epic battle with the giant chicken, Peter Griffin has accidentally destroyed Quahog! Play for FREE and rally your favorite FG characters (even Meg) to save the city in a hilarious new adventure from the writers of Family Guy. Or don't, and regret it forever!
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• It's Free! Freakin' free? Freakin' sweet!
• Build a living Quahog that fits enjoyably in your pants
• Collect hilarious outfits for your characters like Mermaid Peter, Bikini-Clad Quagmire, and Rambo Lois
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• Peterfy your town with decorations such as The Petercopter, The Peterdactyl, and The Hindenpeter
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Build a city with Peter Griffin and all of your favorite Family Guy characters! What could possibly go wrong?
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Snowdrop and Seven Little Dwarfs
Share this bedtime story for kids
Read Snow White and Seven Little Dwarfs Story
There was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They slept in twelve beds all in one room; and when they went to bed, the doors were shut and locked up; but every morning their shoes were found to be quite worn through as if they had been danced in all night; and yet nobody could find out how it happened, or where they had been.
Then the king made it known to all the land, that if any person could discover the secret, and find out where it was that the princesses danced in the night, he should have the one he liked best for his wife, and should be king after his death; but whoever tried and did not succeed, after three days and nights, should be put to death.
A king's son soon came. He was well entertained, and in the evening was taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses lay in their twelve beds. There he was to sit and watch where they went to dance; and, in order that nothing might pass without his hearing it, the door of his chamber was left open. But the king's son soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The same thing happened the second and third night: so the king ordered him to be punished as per law. After him came several others; but they had all the same luck, and all lost their lives in the same manner.
Now it chanced that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king reigned: and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. 'I hardly know where I am going, or what I had better do,' said the soldier; 'but I think I should like very well to find out where it is that the princesses dance, and then in time I might be a king.' 'Well,' said the old dame, 'that is no very hard task: only take care not to drink any of the wine which one of the princesses will bring to you in the evening; and as soon as she leaves you pretend to be fast asleep.'
Then she gave him a cloak, and said, 'As soon as you put that on you will become invisible, and you will then be able to follow the princesses wherever they go.' When the soldier heard all this good counsel, he determined to try his luck: so he went to the king, and said he was willing to undertake the task.
Continue reading "Snow white and seven little dwarfs" story below >>
He was as well received as the others had been, and the king ordered fine royal robes to be given him; and when the evening came he was led to the outer chamber. Just as he was going to lie down, the eldest of the princesses brought him a cup of wine; but the soldier threw it all away secretly, taking care not to drink a drop. Then he laid himself down on his bed, and in a little while began to snore very loud as if he was fast asleep.
When the twelve princesses heard this they laughed heartily; and the eldest said, 'This fellow too might have done a wiser thing than lose his life in this way!' Then they rose up and opened their drawers and boxes, and took out all their fine clothes, and dressed themselves at the glass, and skipped about as if they were eager to begin dancing. But the youngest said, 'I don't know how it is, while you are so happy I feel very uneasy; I am sure some mischance will befall us.' 'You simpleton,' said the eldest, 'you are always afraid; have you forgotten how many kings' sons have already watched in vain? And as for this soldier, even if I had not given him his sleeping draught, he would have slept soundly enough.'
When they were all ready, they went and looked at the soldier; but he snored on, and did not stir hand or foot: so they thought they were quite safe; and the eldest went up to her own bed and clapped her hands, and the bed sank into the floor and a trap-door flew open. The soldier saw them going down through the trap-door one after another, the eldest leading the way; and thinking he had no time to lose, he jumped up, put on the cloak which the old woman had given him, and followed them; but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the gown of the youngest princess, and she cried out to her sisters, 'All is not right; someone took hold of my gown.' 'You silly creature!' said the eldest, 'it is nothing but a nail in the wall.'
Then down they all went, and at the bottom they found themselves in a most delightful grove of trees; and the leaves were all of silver, and glittered and sparkled beautifully. The soldier wished to take away some token of the place; so he broke off a little branch, and there came a loud noise from the tree. Then the youngest daughter said again, 'I am sure all is not right—did not you hear that noise? That never happened before.' But the eldest said, 'It is only our princes, who are shouting for joy at our approach.'
Then they came to another grove of trees, where all the leaves were of gold; and afterwards to a third, where the leaves were all glittering diamonds. And the soldier broke a branch from each; and every time there was a loud noise, which made the youngest sister tremble with fear; but the eldest still said, it was only the princes, who were crying for joy. So they went on till they came to a great lake; and at the side of the lake there lay twelve little boats with twelve handsome princes in them, who seemed to be waiting there for the princesses.
One of the princesses went into each boat, and the soldier stepped into the same boat with the youngest. As they were rowing over the lake, the prince who was in the boat with the youngest princess and the soldier said, 'I do not know why it is, but though I am rowing with all my might we do not get on so fast as usual, and I am quite tired: the boat seems very heavy today.' 'It is only the heat of the weather,' said the princess: 'I feel it very warm too.'
On the other side of the lake stood a fine illuminated castle, from which came the merry music of horns and trumpets. There they all landed, and went into the castle, and each prince danced with his princess; and the soldier, who was all the time invisible, danced with them too; and when any of the princesses had a cup of wine set by her, he drank it all up, so that when she put the cup to her mouth it was empty. At this, too, the youngest sister was terribly frightened, but the eldest always silenced her. They danced on till three o'clock in the morning, and then all their shoes were worn out, so that they were obliged to leave off. The princes rowed them back again over the lake (but this time the soldier placed himself in the boat with the eldest princess); and on the opposite shore they took leave of each other, the princesses promising to come again the next night.
Continue reading "Snow white and seven little dwarfs" story below >>
When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the princesses, and laid himself down; and as the twelve sisters slowly came up very much tired, they heard him snoring in his bed; so they said, 'Now all is quite safe'; then they undressed themselves, put away their fine clothes, pulled off their shoes, and went to bed. In the morning the soldier said nothing about what had happened, but determined to see more of this strange adventure, and went again the second and third night; and every thing happened just as before; the princesses danced each time till their shoes were worn to pieces, and then returned home. However, on the third night the soldier carried away one of the golden cups as a token of where he had been.
As soon as the time came when he was to declare the secret, he was taken before the king with the three branches and the golden cup; and the twelve princesses stood listening behind the door to hear what he would say. And when the king asked him. 'Where do my twelve daughters dance at night?' he answered, 'With twelve princes in a castle under ground.' And then he told the king all that had happened, and showed him the three branches and the golden cup which he had brought with him. Then the king called for the princesses, and asked them whether what the soldier said was true: and when they saw that they were discovered, and that it was of no use to deny what had happened, they confessed it all. And the king asked the soldier which of them he would choose for his wife; and he answered, 'I am not very young, so I will have the eldest.'—And they were married that very day, and the soldier was chosen to be the king's heir.


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About Us
Homeschooling Supplies (Aust) was run by Frank and Valerie Marett for 20 years. Since Frank's death, on 6th June 2014, Valerie has continued to run the business with the help of her family. We are based in Melbourne Australia. We had six children and homeschooled for over twenty years. Our supplies are a collection of high quality, attractive, Australian books that are self-instructional, if used in the right order, and contain answers. We provide the core subjects of phonics, maths, english, spelling, society and environment (HSIE), and science. We also have a variety of art, craft, various electives and literacy for all levels. We carry a large range of books because children are not all the same and they need books individually chosen for them. We are experienced in helping both the bright child and the slow learner. We recommend that children are tested before using the material so that they can be placed at a point where they can succeed. To find these tests look under ?Curriculum Guide? then ?Tests.? It is recommend that you test for the last year completed. Once your child has been tested we are available to assist you in selecting books that will suit your child's individual needs. Books costs approximately $300 per year for primary school and $350 per year for secondary school per child. The material on this website is the only Australian curriculum produced specifically for homeschooling, i.e., it has not been adapted from something that has been written for use in school or from another country. Our advice is free and we are able to offer a year ten certificate should you require it. Ordering The easiest way to order is by going to the ?Curriculum Guide? and clicking on the grade required. It is strongly recommended that you test your child when ordering for the first time as the grades do not always line up with what is taught in school for the same grade number. The material we supply is of a high standard. Tests Test on the last year completed. The three subjects that need to be tested are maths, english and spelling or maths and language for years eight to ten. This is because these subjects are sequential, i.e., they build on previous knowledge. Subjects such as science, history, social studies and geography are more topic based and are selected according to the child's comprehension level. For level one maths and English are tested with Test Your K-1 and Test Your English K-1. For level two maths and English are tested with Test Your and Test Your English 2. The two books cost $25.90 including postage and handling. Three books are used to test at level three, Test Your Maths 3, 4, 5 or-6, Test Your Spelling 3 & 4 or 5 & 6, and Test Your English 3.4, 5, 6 or 7 The cost is $40.85 including postage and handling. Do not help your child during these tests or attempt to teach through them. If you do it defeats the purpose of the test. The tests have scores. The total scores show which books to use next. Feel free to contact us if you need help. For the higher levels the two subjects are covered in the one book in the Language/maths 8. The cost is $14.45 including postage and handling. These tests may be found listed under ?Curriculum Guide? then ?Tests.? To test your child if they are just learning to read or experiencing reading difficulties use the "Test your Reading and Phonics". A quick reading test may be had by clicking here but it is not as comprehensive as the previously mentioned test. For grade eight two subjects are covered in the one book in the Language/maths series. The cost is $14.45 including postage and handling. These tests may be found listed in our catalogue under Tests Language/Maths To test if your child is just learning to read or experiencing reading difficulties use the "Test your Reading and Phonics". A quick reading test may be download by clicking here . Advice Our website contains a large amount of information on starting homeschooling but if you can't find what you are looking for or have special needs feel free to contact us. |


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Sometimes the simple beauty of fresh summer vegetable almost takes my breath away. These small eggplant came from our neighborhood farm stand yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet, but that's fine because at the moment I'm just having fun taking pictures of them.
When I was a little girl, my mom would make her own eggplant parmigiana. I used to love eating the freshly fried eggplant slices, before they ever got layered with cheese and sauce. I'm thinking I may have to fry these. They are so small though, that they will turn out the size of coins. Ah well, c'est la vie. Can you tell I'm in a French mood lately? And while we're on the subject, doesn't aubergines sound so much prettier than eggplant? :)
Happy weekend, dear bloggers!
I'm still struggling to get to all your mosaics from last week, but I hope you will forgive me and join the fun again this week. Mr. Linky will be up by 8:30 pm Sunday. There will be no Mosaic Monday on August 9th. I'm taking a week off to recharge the batteries. ;)


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C.J. Sansom- Dissolution. A Tudor mystery. And it's not as cheesy as it sounds, I promise. I couldn't bring myself to read Wolf Hall because having read (and still do) countless of Tudor history books I thought I was all Boleyned out, but this one is different. Mainly because it's not about court life at all.
Cowboy Junkies- Sweet Jane.
Yes, that old thing. The funny thing is that after hearing it yesterday on the radio in my car I went on iTune to get it, only to realize that I've had it forever. What my playlist was missing apparently, was the Velvet Underground original (how did that happen?). All fixed now.
Project Runway. I've missed Tim Gunn.
Neela Vermeire- Pichola. A sexy tuberose if there ever was one.
Light colors on the lid and minimal eyeliner. Not my typical thing, but it's fun.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
It's the dog days of summer dressing. I'm starting to bore myself with my dresses and hats.
Guilty Pleasure
Not for the first time, reading until all hours and then sleeping in. I'm having an easier time concentrating at night with no distractions.
The husband took a cooking class at the Natural Gourmet Institute, which inspired him to experiment with his recipes. I'm enjoying it greatly.
Insects. All of the creepy crawlers in the Tri-State area have conspired to suck my blood and give me allergic skin reactions. I'm not amused.
Home. It's where everything I love is.
spending time with my niece and nephew (They're seven and three).
A calico kitten.
Random Thought
That hair stylist who criticized Duchess Kate for showing gray roots should be locked up in the Tower. And not where the crown jewels are kept.
How are you doing? Please share your recommendations, ideas, and thoughts.
Art: Will Barnet- The Reader, 1979


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Ha Long Bay
Situated in the north-east region of Viet Nam, Halong Bay is a part of Bac Bo Gulf and comprises the sea area of Halong City, Cam Pha Town and a part of Van Don island district, Quang Ninh Province. It borders Cat Ba Island to the south-west, the mainland to the west with a 120km-long coastline.
Natural Beauty
Halong Bay covers a total area of 1,553km², including 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the south-east (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay) and the south-west (belonging to Halong Bay). The average geological age of the islands is between 250 and 280 million years old.
Halong Bay has been called by the great national poet Nguyen Trai: "a marvel of the earth erected towards the high skies". While exploring the bay, tourists will feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands which shapes change depending on the angle and the light. There are many names given to islands according to their shapes and forms such as Hon Dau Nguoi (Human Head Islet), Hon Rong (Dragon Islet), Hon Canh Buom (Sail Islet), Hon Trong Mai (Cock and Hen Islet)… But the beauty of Halong Bay does not consist only in the forms of its mountains, islands and the colour of its waters, but also in its infinitely rich system of grottoes and caves such as: Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto), Trinh Nu (Virgin Grotto)…. Each is a grandiose and refined natural architectural creation.
Geological value
The most remarkable geological events of Halong Bay's history in the last 1,000 years include the advance of the sea, the raising of the bay area and the strong erosion that has formed coral and pure blue and heavily-salted water. This process of erosion by sea water has deeply engraved the stone, contributing to its fantastic beauty. Present-day Halong Bay is the result of this long process of geological evolution that has been influenced by so many factors. It is because of all these factors that the tourists now visiting Halong Bay are not only treated to one of the true wonders of the world, but also to a precious geological museum that has been naturally preserved in the open air for the last 300 million years.
Value of biological diversity
Results of scientific research show that Halong Bay features ecosystems of a tropical ocean region such as ecosystem of coral reefs with 232 species of coral distributed mainly in the areas of Cong Do and Bo Hung. It is also home to 81 species of gastropoda, 130 species of bivalvia, 55 species of polycheta and 57 species of crab. The ecosystem of salt water-flooded forests chiefly concentrated in the zones of Tuan Chau, Cua Luc and Ba Che has the most diversified collection of species of salt water-flooded plant in North Vietnam. Also living in this ecosystem are a great many species of animals: migrating birds (200 species), polycheta (169 species), seaweed (91 species), reptile (10 species). Halong Bay also has ecosystem of tropical rain forests with various rare and precious creatures: deer, weasels, squirrels and in particular, white-tabby and red-haired monkeys. In addition, there is a system of small caves along the sea, which are the living and development places for many animals and plants: seaweed, water plant, algae, fish and shrimp. Deeper into the water, there are also many species of shrimp, fish, abalone and other sea-specialities.
Historical and cultural value
Halong is a place closely linked to Vietnam's history with such famous geographical names as: Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port); Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems by emperors and other famous people of the past); and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors). This is not all, Halong has been proven by scientists to be one of the first cradles of human existence in the area, with such archaeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu and Thoi Gieng…
On December 17, 1994, Halong Bay was recognised as world natural heritage for its natural beauty at the 18th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Thailand. On December 12, 2000, Halong Bay was recognised as world natural heritage for the second time based on its geological value at the 24th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Cairns, Australia. The recognised site covers an area of 434km², comprises 775 islands and forms a triangle: with Dau Go Island (Driftwood Grotto) to the west; Ba Ham Lake (Three Shelter Lake) to the south and Cong Tay Island to the east.
Other News
- Hoi An Ancient Town, A World Cultural Heritage Site
- My Son Sanctuary
- Complex Of Hue Monuments
- Ca Trù Singing (Intangible Cultural Heritage)
- The Cultural Space of Gong in the Central Highlands
- Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park
- Nha Nhac Vietnamese Court Music
- Central Sector Of The Imperial Citadel Of Thang Long Ha Noi


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My Latest Pull List – May 16th, 2012
Weekly comic books are a big part of my life and below is a list of what I'll be picking up this Wednesday along with cover artwork and previews courtesy of Comixology's Pull List app.
Ten new books on my list this week and a fair number actually aren't part of the Marvel Universe. The ones that are fall almost entirely under the Avengers vs. X-Men banner.
- AVENGERS #26 – Of all the AvX tie-ins I'm reading, Brian Bendis' Avengers one is possibly the weakest. It's not a bad book, but it has some strong competition including Bendis' New Avengers which is tremendously enjoyable. I have faith that things will pick up here and having Walt Simonson drawing the book makes it a must read.
- AVENGERS ACADEMY #30 – The first AvX issue of this title did little for me until the final pages. Sebastian Shaw has been a ticking time bomb since returning in Generation Hope and it looks like time's up.
- AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #4 – I'm enjoying this event title well enough, but there have been moments where characters just haven't seemed like themselves (particularly Cyclops and Captain America). This is clearly a series that I'll follow to the end, but I'm looking for more of Hope Summers and the Scarlet Witch. Hopefully it's coming soon.
- AVX VS. #2 – This book delivered exactly what it promised: nothing but fights that spill out of the main AvX series. My chief complaint from the first issue was declaring a winner from each match up when no one really "won." It's hard to believe we're headed for anything but double count-out finish for the whole series.
- JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 – Jim Lee returns to continue the story of the JLA in the current New 52 universe. Admittedly, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the two issues Lee was away for, and I'm hoping this starts immediately moving toward the events of DC's Free Comic Book Day issue and Trinity War.
- THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #3 – Image Comics is publishing a host of great new series as they celebrate their 20th anniversary, and Jonathan Hickman's The Manhattan Projects is right up my alley with its alternate history, supernatural stuff, and science(!).
- NEW MUTANTS #42 – Part three of the Exiled crossover with Journey Into Mystery. It's nice to see that not every book is getting pulled into AvX, but it's been tough keeping up with this crossover as it seems like it's shipping every week.
- SAGA #3 – Another Image series that's captured my attention. It's no surprise given Saga's creative team of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, and so far this has delivered something remarkable with each issue.
- UNCANNY X-MEN #12 – I really like the way Kieron Gillen is working AvX into his ongoing story. This issue looks to be heavy on the fighting, and unfortunately there's a lot of that going around this week. Plus it's another issue featuring Greg Land art.
- X-FACTOR #236 – There's a lot happening in this book right now with Havok and Madrox's power struggle, the return of the Isolationist, and a new villain stalking the would-be-heroes of Seattle. All this along with some strong hints that the connection between Longshot and Shatterstar may soon be revealed. My money's still on Shatterstar as the child of Longshot and Spiral.
Check back every week to see what's on My Latest Pull List and please share your thoughts on these titles and everything you're reading this week in the comments.


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"Sadly, the gift of disobedience is clearly seen in the children. I don't know where they get it! Lying was never taught to them."
It highlighted, very clearly for me, just how unaware 'we' are of our own behaviour.
While a child might not learn to lie from the environment in which it is raised, the ability to deceive could be seen as a genetically encoded survival mechanism, it will learn the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.
Tooth Fairy, Father Christmas, The Bogeyman, a hundred and one other myths, legends and fairy tales are displayed to the child (I realise that's a description for European descendant childhood but similar rites & phantoms likely apply in all social structures)
These fables are employed to educate the child in 'our' social ways, customs, ethics, morality etc. All very inclusive and laudable on the surface.
I wonder though, does it actually do society harm to employ these fables?
As the child uncovers the truth about each of these fake characters it comes, via subconscious or conscious route, to the solid fact that ALL the adults who kept the 'secret' were actually lying.
And, from the child's point of view these lies are for no good reason other than the adults own ends; to entertain themselves, discipline or educate the child, for the parent to 'get their own way all the time' or, more dramatically, the free will of the child is suspended by the dictator adult.
I know that sounds childish but it's how the child perceives the lies that's pertinent.
Regardless of what the child is told about the ethics or immorality of lying the child learns, by example, that it is advantageous to lie; that one lies to direct the thoughts and actions of others to one's own benefit.
If the child also has the misfortune to be brought up in a religious household they will also, alas, suffer under the largest lie of all, god. Don't get all bristly, religious folks, all I'm saying is this...
No matter what one chooses to believe or where one stands on atheism the following statement is true
is indistinguishable from a lie
If one teaches a child about a god as if it's the truth but that entity, the god, is the very epitome of unmeasurable, how can the child, or anyone, distinguish it from a lie?
How can anyone trust someone who promotes such an unmeasurable truth?
How can any rational person be in favour of the followers of an unmeasurable truth wielding, on unmeasurable authority, the power to punish, torture or slaughter any individual who disagrees with that unmeasurable truth?
Shouldn't the United Nations, the Court of Human Rights or whomever may be concerned, be working toward an end of all 'law' which is drawn up under an unmeasurable authority?
Finally it occurs...
Is it any wonder that so many young grow through adolescence with the Peter Pan ethos, 'you cannot trust an adult'?
And, if we acknowledge that they do, why do we persist with these exercises in breaking our children's trust in adults?
Is it merely because we are too primitive to notice the consequences of our poor education methods?
If so, surely we must now be smart enough pass on our essential values without all the magical claptrap?
Please leave a comment - Anything will do
The best communications are often,
The best communications are often,


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Sault Tribe's government is driven by its Constitution. In the early 1970s, the leaders of the Orginal Bands of Chippewa Indians traveled to Washington and successfully submitted their historical findings and legal argument to the Secretary of the Interior, who granted the tribe federal status in 1972. Sault Tribe members adopted the tribe's Constitution in fall 1975. The governing body of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is the Board of Directors. Sault Tribe Law Enforcement and the Tribal Court enforce tribal law as expressed by the Tribal Code.


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Monday, August 11, 2008
swimmer's chest
when i was in my training, a very good friend and i had the privilege of treating a pregnant woman with a gunshot abdomen (take a look at the incident here). when we took her back a private consultant who was associated with our firm offered to join us in theater. but he was no ordinary private surgeon. he was one of only a few hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons in town and a particularly good one at that. truth be told, the reason he offered to join us had to do with the fact that i initially thought that the hepatic artery proper had been shot off. as it turned out the artery in question was an aberrant left hepatic artery and didn't count for much so his presence was not needed, but that is beside the point.
the consultant had never met my junior colleague who was a bit late for theater that day because he needed to sort something out in the wards. when he joined us we had just opened.
"sorry i'm late" he said "i just had to sort something out in the wards."
"doctor 'consultant' this is my colleague and friend doctor b." i said by way of introduction.
"are you a swimmer?" asked the consultant. there was a moment of silence.
"no." answered my friend, somewhat surprised.
"you look like a swimmer. you have a swimmer's chest." at this my friend looked down at his own chest concealed by his theater gown as if to see what a swimmer's chest looks like. even in the presence of this prestigious surgeon and, it seems, swimmer enthusiast, i laughed out loud. from that moment on i always referred to him as the swimmer's chest.
time passed. it seems to do that quite well. then in true south african form, the consultant's family was the victim of violent crime. his house was targeted. his daughter and wife were held at gunpoint as the place was cleaned out. by south african standards it went quite well. nobody was shot and nobody was raped. but by standards of humanity it was too much. it helped him with the decision to leave these shores. thus south africa lost a great surgeon.
before he left he gave the swimmer's chest a call. basically he handed his very successful and lucrative practice over to him, lock, stock and barrel. what a gift. what a privilege to just fall into such a tub of butter, rear end first. what an extraordinary result of the ridiculously high level of crime in this beloved country.
7 comments:
- rlbates said...
Surely not simply because of his "swimmer's chest"? Did they just work together that one case? [Sad that someone's misfortune can be someone else's fortune.]
- August 12, 2008 1:34 am
- Bongi said...
rlbates, that was just when they met. that was many years ago and obviously gave rise to a good friendship. there was a bit of competition for the practice, but the consultant gave it to someone who was not even trying to get it, ie my friend. when he got it he upset quite a few people.
obviously when i speak to him i attribute it solely to his swimmer's chest. - August 12, 2008 1:40 am
- rlbates said...
Maybe he would actually pose so we could see his swimmer's chest. :)
Good for your friend. - August 12, 2008 3:10 am
- Megan said...
very interesting.
- August 12, 2008 3:34 am
- Devorrah said...
Yes, we want photos (-:
- August 12, 2008 9:42 pm
- Bongi said...
what's wrong with the photo i posted?
- August 13, 2008 12:10 am
- rlbates said...
Not a thing, Bongi. We just want to see the real "swimmer's chest". :)
- August 13, 2008 12:35 am


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karate chop the fourth-line center" move
no longer worked as well as it used to.
Apparently, Brian Burke agreed. The Leafs general manager fired Wilson on Friday evening, ending weeks of speculation during which he'd repeatedly told reporters that he wasn't contemplating a coaching change. On the one hand, Wilson is one of the most successful coaches in NHL history, and he was never given an elite roster to work with in Toronto. On the other hand, somebody had to take responsibility for the plunge in the standings, and Wilson turned out to be the guy.
Was it the right call? It's tough to say. Here are some of the pros and cons Burke was no doubt considering this week while deciding where to pull the trigger on a coaching change.
Pro: A new coach would be given a honeymoon period by local fans and media where his every decision wouldn't be immediately subjected to kneejerk criticism, and if he plays his cards right he could probably get it to last for almost the entire introductory press conference.
Con: It would be difficult to make a change now that the trade deadline has passed, since we're pretty sure the league has a rule this year where any team that wants to fire its coach has to go out and acquire Tomas Kaberle first.
Pro: Don Cherry has been criticizing Wilson for years, and it would be nice to see a humble guy like that finally be able to take credit for being right about something.
Con: Wilson is a highly respected veteran who other coaches go out of their way to observe and learn from, we assume, since it would explain why Randy Carlyle has watched the last few Leaf games from the seats behind the bench while wearing a fake moustache and glasses.
Pro: Bringing in a new coach would certainly address the Maple Leafs biggest area of weakness. Wait, the coach is the one with all the pads who stands in front of the net and tries to stop the puck, right?
Con: Sometimes avoiding the temptation to make a coaching change can lead to future success. For example, the St. Louis Blues have stuck with Ken Hitchcock since November and they're practically in first place.
Pro: Recently the team has appeared to be tuning out Wilson's message, assuming his message is "Try not to pass the puck directly to the other team every time you touch it".
Con: A coaching change will only add to the crushing pressure already being felt by Toronto players facing the stress of knowing the 2013 trade deadline is only 360 days away.
Pro: The much-maligned Maple Leafs penalty kill has been much better ever since Wilson clarified to the players that when he tells them to spend the entire two minutes in a tightly controlled box formation in front of the net, he's actually referring to the defensive zone.
Con: Putting a stop to all the constant Wilson speculation will force the media to pay attention to other Canadian teams for a change, and it's just so cute how nobody outside of Ottawa realizes Erik Karlsson broke the career scoring record for defencemen three weeks ago.
Pro: The transition to a new coach will be made easier by the soothing presence of all those desperately needed veterans the Maple Leafs acquired at the trade deadline and… wait, what? Really? Wow.
Con: Firing Wilson now will cost MLSE several million dollars since he recently signed an extension, meaning the organization will have to go out and find a way to sell an extra six tickets.
Pro: Coaches who are fired mid-season are inevitably inundated with job offers from all of their various friends in the media, so in Wilson's case he'll probably enjoy the time off.
Con: While making a change now would give the new coach additional time to prepare for the playoffs, in the grand scheme of things the difference between five years and five years plus one month isn't all that much.
Pro: Admit it, it will be kind of fun when the Leafs had their first bad shift under Carlyle and all the fans starting chanting "Rehire Wilson" just to see if they can make Brian Burke's head explode.


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I (nurse) took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation.
Asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning somewhere else, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.
I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease. As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.
I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said. "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."
True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.
Good friends are like stars…You don't always see them, but you always know they're there.


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British Pakistani Christian Peace Rally
The British Pakistani Christian Association were active in London today with a Protest outside the Pakistani High Commission, a Petition presented at 10 Downing Street, and a Peace Concert in Trafalgar Square.
I was in town for a meeting of the Faith Movement which finished mid afternoon. With a supply priest covering my evening Mass, I took the opportunity to visit the Peace Concert. I was delighted to meet the members of the band ooberfüse (right): the other day I mentioned their song His Blood Cries Out which is dedicated to Shabaz Bhatti, who died for the faith. (Unfortunately my camera battery died just has I had got someone to take a photo of me with the group.)
Here is one of the other singers at the event, entertaining some of the supporters as well as Joe Public:
Other religious minorities are persecuted in Pakistan but the Christians seem to have borne the brunt of the violence. Today was one of those ecumenical events that I really enjoy, standing together with other Christians on an issue where there is real co-operation and unity of purpose. The lineup of speakers included people of other faiths as well as Christians. John Pontifex of Aid to the Church in Need, and others from ACN were there. John read a message of support from Bishop Lang, Chairman of the Department of International Affairs for the Bishop's Conference and spoke himself of Shabaz Bhatti, mentioning Pope Benedict's tribute to him.
(Aid to the Church in Need is holding a Vigil on Thursday 17 May at Westminster Cathedral. Sung Mass at 5.30pm celebrated by Archbishop Coutts of Karachi, Pakistan; 6.30pm Rally in the Cathedral Piazza with Iraqi, Pakistani, Sudanese, and Egyptian groups in the UK; 7.30pm Cathedral Vigil in thanksgiving for the sacrifice of persecuted Christians today.)
I met the organiser Wilson Chowdhry, and he asked me if I would speak from the platform. I agreed, since there didn't seem to be any other Catholic clerics there, and it was an opportunity to show the support of the Church for this important cause. It was just a short ferverino encouraging people to use the religious freedom that we have on behalf of those who are denied the freedom to practise their faith. I finished by referring to the ongoing battle in which the Pakistani Government is seeking ways to ban the use of the words "Jesus Christ" in SMS text messages. I said that we should use the name of our Lord while we are free to do so and asked people to join in shouting out "Praised be Jesus Christ" three times.
The situation for Christians in Pakistan is very serious. On the website for the British Pakistani Christian Association, the "popular posts" widget on the sidebar has such entries as Murdered by Axe blows for failing to convert to Islam! Rashid Masih (RIP), and Karachi Trainee nurse raped and thrown out of window. Rape (often of schoolgirls), murder, kidnapping, and forced marriages are commonplace with a rate of at least two such atrocities each day.
I found this video at the website for today's events. It is harrowing in parts but is a good introduction to the issue if you want to find out what is happening in Pakistan.
Two lessons I drew from today's event:
- We must stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistani Christians and others who are subject to persecution, and use our freedom of expression to keep their plight in the public eye.
- We must use the freedom that we still have, to stand up for our faith regardless of the relatively minor tribulations that may come our way for doing so.