Michaela Strachan is to open a new visitor centre at Abberton Reservoir near Colchester
By Chris Harris
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
7:48 AM
TELEVISION presenter Michaela Strachan will officially unveil a new wildlife visitor centre and nature reserve in Essex.
Ms Strachan, who has just finished filming Springwatch for the BBC, will open the Essex Wildlife Trust building at Abberton Reservoir near Colchester.
The 15-sided visitor complex has been built as part of a £150million project to increase the reservoir’s capacity by 15billion litres.
John Hall, chief executive of Essex Wildlife Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome a wildlife champion like Michaela Strachan to Abberton Reservoir to carry out the official opening duties of our new visitor centre and reserve.
“We look forward to welcoming guests and the public to what should be a memorable day. Abberton is already a hugely significant site for wildlife and our new reserve will help make it even more crucial over the coming years.
“Our fabulous new visitor centre brings people closer to that wildlife. The trust’s vision is of a ‘Living Landscape’ where wildlife and people co-exist side by side, to mutual benefit, and Abberton is a fine example of that ideal.
“Together with Essex & Suffolk Water we are making Abberton Reservoir better for wildlife, better for people – and better for future generations.”
Strachan will officially open the centre on Saturday and will be joined by the Mayor of Colchester and representatives from Layer-de-la-Haye Parish Council, Essex Birdwatching Society, Natural England, Abberton Management Committee and TJ Evers, who built the visitor centre.The opening ceremony will coincide with a special fair, which will include a birds of prey display, charity and trade stands, refreshments and a beer tent.
John Devall, operations director of Essex & Suffolk Water, said: “Abberton Reservoir is one of the most important sites in Europe for its wildlife and is also an essential part of the county’s infrastructure helping us supply water to more than a million people in Essex.
“The official opening of the visitor centre is a chance to celebrate this fantastic new facility, which provides a gateway to access this very special site.
“The relocation and enhancement of the visitor centre is part of the Abberton Scheme, which includes the expansion of the reservoir’s capacity by 58%.
“Guests at the opening event will also have the opportunity to learn more about this essential and major Scheme from the project team.”
The old visitor centre, opened in 1990, has been dismantled on low-lying land that will be flooded. The new visitor centre is on adjacent higher land, at the heart of an 80-acre nature reserve.
Source: www.eadt.co.uk
Does the existence of Facebook really merit a rewrite of data law? - The Register
Comment The British government is keen for more public data and private transactions with taxpayers to be pushed online at precisely the same time as the Home Secretary demands more powers for security services to effectively snoop on communications traffic with the help of telcos and social networks.
Add to that the fact that spooks are constantly trying to interrupt encrypted sites that - they argue - are used by organised criminals and terrorists.
Then factor in the European Commission's vice president Viviane Reding's efforts to convince the EU parliament to pass a new data protection law because she and many others believe that the one written in 1995 is out of date.
Reding has repeatedly reminded audiences of computer academics and internet players, whom she has lobbied hard with her draft DP bill, that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was only 11 when the previous legislation came into being.
Viviane Reding continues to lobby for rewrite of Euro data protection law
Indeed, that justification for overhauling the law was bandied around again by the Brussels' justice commissioner earlier this week when she was speaking at the inaugural Digital Enlightenment Forum in Luxembourg.
Google, she added, was in 1995 still three years away from being incorporated and its young execs were still working in a garage office in California.
Reding's views were met, in the main, with a positive response from the gathered crowd, many of whom expressed a sense of the digital world moving too fast.
This shifting sands attitude was pervasive at the event in which many experts on the topic of data protection and online identity were in agreement that legislation needs to happen, and that it needs to happen quickly.
The word "enlightenment" was somewhat cringingly used to help explain that sense of urgency. Some considered that we are in fact living through a kind of Enlightenment 2.0 - with the engine behind that apparent radical change in thinking being the internet and how society operates on it.
Facebook's dominant social data farm has seemingly proved to be the trigger for many of these thinkers.
Google - a startup born in the late 90s that became the world's biggest ad broker with billions of dollars of revenue - never got the sort of attention in Luxembourg this week that was lavished on data hoarder-extraordinaire, Facebook, with its modest sales garnered from an ad business model that still looks amateurish compared with that of Google's.
And many experts in the field of identity couldn't help but look on in awe at Zuck's vast 900-million-people-strong siloed estate.
Some contended that a new "social contract" was required that would put the user in charge of accountability when it comes to what data is stored online.
It's precisely the kind of contract that the UK's Cabinet Office is mulling over as part of its proposals to farm out the handling of taxpayers' online identities to the private sector.
A move which, as the Reg has previously reported, would eventually require primary legislation and regulations implemented in the same way that banks are scrutinised.
Some of the proposals the Cabinet Office has put forward were aired at the forum - that included holding up the principles of user control, transparency, governance, certification and, among other things, portability.
Portability is of course a concept that Facebook does not approve of. It has long held on to its users' data and declined to let the likes of Google tap into that information. The recently floated company does allow its users to take chunks of their data with them if they choose to leave the social network, but that data does not easily flow into competing websites.
What was fascinating at this conference was the fixation, not with Google or even Microsoft - a company behind, for example, the previous UK government's online "gateway" system for taxpayers to access services online - but with that of upstart Facebook.
Zuck continues to dig deep for ad revs
Perhaps that's not unreasonable given how many people are sharing their lives on Facebook. Zuckerberg has previously floated the smug notion that his userbase could be considered the world's third largest country.
Indeed, it has done what others including Google have failed to do - amass fine-grained, near real-time data that ought to be an advertiser's dream come true.
One speaker at the event naively likened today's social networks to US analogue television broadcasters of the 1950s and 1960s because TV audiences back then understood the commercial contract involved. Of course, that relationship was arguably much more benign than the interplay of Facebook with our lives today.
But making Facebook a major catalyst for an overhaul of European data protection law that many might hope will be expected to stand up to the tests of time better than the one written in 1995 could yet prove to be a huge, short-sighted error. ®
Source: www.theregister.co.uk
'Someone's after more money': Katie Price blames ex-husband Alex Reid for deliberating delaying their divorce - Daily Mail
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It looked like Katie Price and Alex Reid's brief marriage was finally over when they were granted a decree nisi in March.
However, the glamour model today complained the final divorce ruling has been delayed because her estranged husband wants more money.
Although a High Court judge initially granted the couple a divorce on the grounds of Reid's 'unreasonable behaviour' in March, they are yet to have it finalised.
Feminine look: Katie Price wears a pink top and orange skirt as she arrives at ITV studios
Following the decision in March, it normally takes between five to six weeks for a divorcing couple to be given a decree absolute.
However, appearing on Loose Women today, Katie bemoaned the fact she was unable to move on properly with new fianc Leandro Penna because she was still wed to Alex.
The 34-year-old said: 'I'm still married.
'It would have been quicker, but obviously someone's after more money.'
Holding things up? Alex Reid, pictured outside his Essex home yesterday, has been blamed for delaying the divorce
Katie and Alex famously split in January 2011 after just 11 months of marriage.
The mother-of-three ended up marrying Alex in Las Vegas just nine months after she was dumped by first husband Peter Andre.
On reflection, she concedes she was on the rebound from Peter when she started dating Alex eight weeks later.
Speaking on Radio 4's Woman's Hour today, she admitted: 'The public was right about Alex, I was on the rebound.
Glam: The glamour model is promoting her new novel In The Name Of Love
'Yes, I know I was on the rebound and I'm not rushing into getting married again. Yes, I'm engaged, but I've actually grown-up and thought there's no rush for anything.'
For her appearance on Loose Women, it was quite a surprise to see the former glamour model looking demure in a pink top and flowing orange skirt today.
However, it was only when she turned around, she was given a cheeky flash of bra, which she had co-ordinated with her top.
On Woman's Hour, she praised her 'intelligent' Argentine fianc for learning English, admitting it was difficult when they first started dating.
Pink to make the boys wink: Katie flashed her pink bra in the partially-backless top
She explained: 'I said, "yeah, yeah, I'm gonna learn Spanish" but you just don't. I think, "everyone speaks English, he'll end up speaking English." And he does.'
When Jenni asked if she had tried to learn Spanish, Katie replied: 'I haven't had the time. That's awful isn't it?
'He's made the time and the effort and we can actually have a conversation now. He went to English school and properly learned English. In fact, he speaks it better than me.'
Addressing her split from Peter, she added: 'I never wanted to split from him. Its just unfortunate he thought I was having an affair with my riding instructor.
English lessons: Katie said her Argentine fianc Leandro Penna spoke better English than she did
'He always says "I can never say why", because he knows he's married with his family and if he does say it, we'll all jump on the bandwagon and say, "prove it."
The mother-of-three is currently promoting her new novel In The Name Of Love, which tells the story of a holiday romance between sports presenter Charlie and Spanish Olympian horse-rider Felipe.
The book is her eighth novel and has been ghost-written with author Rebecca Farmsworth.
Speaking about their partnership on Woman's Hour, she said: 'I feel sorry for Rebecca. I speak into the Dictaphone. You've definitely got to have a talent to sit there and write the book and she's amazing at it.
'I come up with the plot and we go through each chapter together.'
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Divorce woman wins house-move fight - Belfast Telegraph
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
The woman, who has two children, was ordered to live at a specified address nearly two years ago by a district judge overseeing divorce proceedings.
But a High Court judge lifted the restriction after ruling that the woman should be allowed to find work and support her children as she wished.
The woman compared the restriction to being under "house arrest" and complained that it limited her chances of finding work, hampered her children's relationship with relatives, and left her struggling to pay bills.
Mr Justice Charles disagreed with the "house arrest" comparison but told a High Court hearing: "It seems to me that she should have the opportunity to seek employment, and therefore to support herself and her children, as she wishes."
He heard that the restriction was part of a "prohibitive steps order" made by a district judge in 2010. The woman's estranged husband lived near the specified address and the arrangement allowed him to have regular contact with the children, the judge was told.
The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, challenged the restriction at a private hearing in the family division of the High Court in London. Mr Justice Charles gave permission for a journalist to attend the hearing and for parts of the proceedings to be reported after an application by the Press Association, which argued that coverage would be in the public interest.
The judge said the woman and her children had to remain in England or Wales - within the jurisdiction of the High Court - while legal proceedings continued. A further High Court hearing related to the divorce fight is scheduled to take place later this year.
Mr Justice Charles said he had to decide whether to continue the restriction to ease contact arrangements or allow the woman to move. He said the balance lay in allowing the woman to move. The estranged husband had argued the woman's "true agenda" in wanting to move home was to "frustrate" contact arrangements. Mr Justice Charles said the estranged husband had a right to regular contact and the woman had to comply with the provisions of a separate court order relating to access visits, regardless of where she lived.
"I'd tried to get the restriction discharged before but failed," said the woman, who was not represented by a lawyer at the High Court hearing. "I was a bit overwhelmed when it was actually lifted." She added: "It was a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I hope Mr Justice Charles' decision helps other people in similar situations."
Source: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Council staff spend £5m in two years, buying make up, fast food and trips to India - Daily Telegraph
Figures published by the Brentwood Gazette as part of an investigation into council waste found officers spent £5,136,145 in 27 months.
Eric Pickles, local government secretary and Brentwood and Ongar MP told the newspaper the amount “strikes him as excessive”.
He said: “People at Essex County Council need to realise that it isn’t Essex’s money, it isn’t the Government’s money, it is the public’s money and the public have a right to know how it is being spent.”
He advised the council to publish all transactions online, adding: “If they do that you are not likely to get money spent on cosmetics and McDonald’s.”
Last month, a report by the Audit commission criticised council staff for failing to provide receipts in relation to purchases made on the card "in some cases".
It recommended: “The Council should issue further instructions to staff explaining they must submit receipts with claims and consider withdrawing procurement cards in response to expenditure being incurred with no receipt repeatedly.”
Since December 2009, the council have spent £3,827 on bars, discos and nightclubs, £644 on cosmetics, £1,915 on hair and beauty shops and £635,960 in supermarkets and grocery stores.
Other receipts show spending on flights with Virgin Atlantic, alcohol from Majestic Wines and trips to Thrope Park, Alton Towers and the London Eye.
A further £53,869 was spent on theatre productions, £51,350 on card, gift and souvenir shops and £67.89 at a fancy dress shop.
Another £3,116 was spent on six people staying at the Nan Lin Hotel in China, and £1,301 for six people to stay at the Taj Lands End hotel in India.
The figures do not include details of former leader Lord Hanningfield, who is being investigated by police for his expenses.
Robert Oxley, from the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be left gobsmacked that their money has been spent on the council living it up at night clubs plus stays at five star hotels, shoe shining and even hat cleaning.
“Residents will be left wondering why they are picking up bills totalling tens of thousands of pounds at country clubs, florists, bakeries and record shops.
“The receipts suggest officers at Essex County Council have been enjoying the high life at taxpayers’ expense.”
The P cards, which are intended for low value transactions under £2,000, provided by Barclaycard and have an interest rate of 0 per cent, are currently used by 757 council officers and no council members.
The council’s policy states they must not be used for personal purchases or the withdrawal of cash, with staff instructed to provide receipts for every transaction.
A spokeswoman for Essex County Council said: “Essex County Council has a robust policy relating to spend on p-cards and all p-card holders must be given authorisation by a senior manager to carry out such transactions.
“Like all businesses Essex County Council incurs costs which must be met and p-cards are an efficient way to do this. The p-cards are used by officers working across all the Council's services including schools, children's homes and our country parks.
"Essex County Council is the corporate parent for children aged 15 and under who become looked after when their birth parents are unable to provide ongoing care in either a temporary or permanent capacity.
"Our Looked After Children teams take on the role of a parent for these children and are responsible for their daily care needs while they are under the care of the County Council’s Children’s Social Services.
"Approximately 750 of the 38,000 officers employed by Essex County Council have a card and expenditure on them only relates to a small proportion of our overall budget.”
The total amount spent on p-cards in the 2011/12 financial year was £2.7million which is a small proportion of ECC’s overall budget which was £2.096bn.
No cardholders have been disciplined in relation to p-cards since December 2009, a spokeswoman added.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Law firm appoints Middle East managers - Financial Times
June 20, 2012 3:45 pm
Source: www.ft.com
Totes embarrassing! TOWIE's Lauren Goodger fails to draw in the crowds as just a handful of fans turn up to her fake tan launch in Romford - Daily Mail
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She found fame as the star of hit reality show The Only Way Is Essex but Lauren Goodger appears to have enjoyed her fifteen minutes.
The reality star was left rather embarrassed after a pitiful number of fans turned up to meet her at a department store today.
Lauren,25, had expected to meet hordes of fans at the Debenhams store in Romford, Essex.
Can't pull in the crowds: Lauren Goodger found herself greeting just a handful of people at the launch of her Lauren's Way tanning range in Debenhams in Romford today
But an onlooker told MailOnline that only ten people turned up to enjoy a moment with the reality star.
A spokesperson for Lauren, who did not attend the event commented: 'We have no involvement with Lauren’s Way so have no idea ourselves however the Lauren’s Way team told us that there were approximately 100 people over the course of the time she was there.'
It was clear that Lauren and her team had expected a large number of people at the event to launch her fake tan range in the store, and barriers were put up in anticipation of the crowds.
No need for the barriers: The team had expected a big turn out at the store and put up barriers in anticipation but they were not needed as only a small number of people turned up
Wasted efforts: There were signs prepared but they were not needed at Lauren's launch today
Yesterday Lauren, who has over a million followers on Twitter, posted: 'I start my tour of Launches in @Debenhams tomorrow looking forward meeting everyone! 1pm I will be at the Romford store ♥.'
While she might not have the most fans the few people that did turn up to spend time with her were glad for the opportunity.
One fan posted: 'Yaayy I just met @LaurenGoodger at debenhams, I'm so excited #MyFavTowieGirl #SheIsStunning http://pic.twitter.com/vUvvdLdw'
Ghost town: While a source told MailOnline only ten people turned up Lauren's spokesperson said 100 people turned up non of whom can be seen in this photo taken at the time of the event
Trim shape: Lauren showed off her trimmer shape in a pair of navy shorts and a cream top at the department store launch
Another was equally excited and tweeted: 'Best moment of my life! I love you @LaurenGoodger xxxxx'
Lauren showed off her slimmer shape in a pair of navy shorts and a blouse for the occasion.
The embarrassing turn out comes just a few days after Lauren found only a small amount of people turn up to a nightclub evening she was hosting.
A clubber at Nu Bar in Essex told MailOnline: ‘Lauren turned up at about midnight to do a planned personal appearance. It was quite embarrassing because only about 60 or 70 people had showed up to see her.'
'This guy tried to get a picture and a kiss and at first she refused. In the end Lauren let him take the picture but he tried to kiss her and she stumbled and then he took pictures of her on the ground.'
Happy fans: The few people that did turn up were delighted to meet Lauren
‘She tried to get them deleted and security had to be called. Eventually the pictures were deleted but Lauren refused to take any more photos with anyone. She left then and we saw her sitting on the stairs for a while.
‘Two girls who were leaving the club were furious, ranting “F*****g Lauren Goodger, who does she think she is? She’s nothing but a s**g.” Lauren must have heard them because they were shouting really loudly.
‘Last I saw of Lauren was when she got paid and left.’
She looks a little awkward: Lauren was armed with a stack of cards ready to sign but she didn't need most of them
Lauren has recently spoken out about how she has suffered bullying over the internet from fans of the reality show.
She has revealed how the horrible messages have knocked her confidence.
Lauren said: '’ll get hundreds of responses to anything I post saying things like "you’re fat", "you’re ugly", or "who are you?"
Some of the more horrific messages read:'I bet your mum and dad hate you' and 'I bet your mum wishes her egg had never accepted the sperm that made you.'
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Essex Captain Relieved After Collision - Military.com
SAN DIEGO -- The Navy relieved the commanding officer of the USS Essex of his position, saying Tuesday that officials lost confidence in his abilities after his ship collided with a tanker at sea.
Capt. Chuck Litchfield had only been the commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship for a few weeks when the crash occurred about 120 miles off the coast of Southern California on May 16. There were no injuries or fuel spills.
The Essex was approaching the oiler USNS Yukon to be refueled as part of a routine operation when they ran into each other. Both ships were damaged but were able to continue on their way to San Diego.
Navy spokeswoman, Cmdr. Tamsen Reese, said the steering failed on the Essex, which caused the two ships to move closely together.
But the crew was able to regain control of the rudder before the collision.
The investigation determined that there were break downs in the command and control of the Essex, and in the communication between the two ships, Reese said.
Authorities also found there was a loss of situational awareness on the bridge.
All those factors, Reese said, led to the collision.
Essex was carrying 982 crew members on its way to San Diego for scheduled maintenance. It had spent the past 12 years based in Sasebo, Japan, as command ship for the Navy's Expeditionary Strike Group 7.
Litchfield was relieved Monday of his position and has been administratively reassigned to the staff of Commander, Naval Air Force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
He could not be reached for comment.
Litchfield graduated with merit from the Naval Academy in 1988 and has been recognized for his achievements as a naval aviator. He was selected for major sea command in 2009.
Capt. Jonathan Harnden has temporarily assumed command of the Essex until a permanent replacement is assigned. Harnden previously commanded the USS Bonhomme Richard, which Litchfield had taken command of Feb. 3 before switching over to the Essex on April 23.
Officials said the Essex will depart Wednesday as scheduled to participate in the Rim of the Pacific exercise this summer in Hawaii.
Source: www.military.com
Win tickets to see Sussex Sharks v Essex Eagles - Chichester Observer
Sussex Sharks’ Friends Life t20 campaign is finally under way following an impressive 11-run victory over Middlesex Panthers at Lord’s on Sunday.
Overseas star Scott Styris announced himself in Sharks colours with a knock of 48 from 30 balls while Murray Goodwin made 43 from 38.
In a thrilling Middlesex run chase, it could have gone either way at the home of cricket but left-armer Chris Liddle ensured the points came back to Hove with devastating figures of five for 17.
The Panthers will look to exact revenge when they travel to The PROBIZ County Ground on Friday evening before Sussex host the Essex Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
We have two pairs of tickets for the Essex clash to give away.
To enter, just name three of the other counties in Sussex’s t20 south group this year. Email your answer, plus your name, address and telephone number, to sport@chiobserver.co.uk by the deadline of 10am Friday (June 22). The winners will be notified on Friday. Entrants’ details will be destroyed.
If you’re not lucky enough to get your hands on a pair in our competition, tickets are on sale now for both the Friday and Sunday matches priced at £20 each for adults and £10 for juniors (in advance).
Call 0844 264 0206 or book at www.sussexcricket.co.uk or why not enjoy a ‘fantastic family Sunday’ which includes a two-course Sunday lunch, a match ticket v Essex and dedicated seating in the BrightonandHoveJobs.com Boundary Rooms.
This costs £40 for adults, juniors £20, or a family ticket of two adults and two juniors is £100.
Call or book online.
Email to a friend
Print this pageSource: www.chichester.co.uk
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