14 March 2013/02 Jumada l-Ula 1434/24 Esfand 1391/3 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
Scott's Ski & Sports going out-o-business! This used to be an appliance/electronics store a while back. Scott's moved in from another location a few years ago.
Long time winter sports equipment supplier (as well as bikes and other sporting stuff) in Pocatello, Idaho, going out of business. There’s currently no mention on their website, and so far no mention in the local media.
In California, the company behind the computer effects in the movie Life of Pi, now bankrupt! Rhythm & Hues laid off at least 200 employees! The company is apparently broke and can’t even pay employees.
Schmidt’s Bakery and Delicatessen in Colorado bankrupt. 40 people out-o-work. Former employees must now deal with state tax officials to try and get their final paychecks. State tax officials seized the company on 08 January 2013.
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) warned of up to 450 layoffs. These are not because of government spending cuts, but are being blamed on increased costs of operations.
In New York, the Horseheads Central School District said they will have to lay of employees and close down at least one school. They blame it on a $8.2 million USD budget shortfall. Also, Garden City says they will layoff six firefighters, and a lieutenant reduced in pay. Some of the city officials said the city needed to save money and their fire department was overstaffed. In Leicester 70 years old Christano Hardware closed down. Owners blame competition from national chain stores. A Kmart in Depew will close down by April, 68 people out-o-work. Advanced Monolythic Ceramics shutting down their Ocean factory, 65 people out-o-work. Company officials blamed the bad economy for forcing a consolidation of operations.
Epic Game’s closing its Maryland operation. Company officials said things just weren’t “working out”.
In Pennsylvania, Kettering Corner ice cream shop closed down. The owner says she can’t do it anymore, since her husband died. And Jonathan Best gourmet grocery store closing down by the end of March. The owner blamed increased competition.
The Circle II Restaurant in North Carolina seized by state tax officials. State officials say the owners owe $178000 in back taxes. The Women’s Choice clinic closed down, no details as to why, but several protesters said they are happy about it.
In Batavia, Illinois, Portola Packaging closing its factory and consolidating operations to Tennessee and Arizona. 76 people out-o-work in Illinois. It’s not that the company doesn’t have the money, they’re spending $12 million USD on upgrading the Tennessee and Arizona factories.
In Texas, Gene Allen’s Gifts closing down its Arlington shop on 15 March. The owner blames the greedy landlord.
Too Big to Jail, U.K. based Barclays increased their planned layoffs to 3700 worldwide! The layoffs will affect employees in the United States. The massive layoffs are being called Project Transform.
It’s been revealed that a major drug maker, Pfizer, has laid off more people than it officially announced two years ago. It turns out that the pharmaceutical company laid off 250 more people at its Groton laboratories, than first stated!
11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711
As war drums are beating, unnamed officials in Republic of Korea (ROK) are blaming Idaho based Micron Technology of fixing prices for computer memory chips: “It’s quite strange that the global memory chip market is seeing unexpected price rises amid less demand for conventional personal computers. It’s highly possible that the chipmakers are engaged in price-fixing. Among other firms, Micron Technology is apparently using its commanding position to manipulate computer chip prices. We are watching it closely.”
Micron apparently controls half the World’s chip market! ROK’s SK Hynix controls 30%, and Samsung 15%. Those three companies are the only major memory chip makers left in the World, several years ago there were more than ten!
Officials from ROK base their claim on decreasing computer demand on information recently released by International Data Corporation.
This isn’t the first time Idaho’s Micron has been accused of price fixing.
In Arizona, the Douglas Hospital bankrupt. Federal court will decide who will take over operations.
In Iowa, Keokuk Area Hospital laid off 24 people, blaming it on long term debts.
The maker of scooters and power chairs, The Scooter Store, cut production and laid of 150 employees! They laid off 220 people back in September 2012! Company officials blame new regulations in the Obama/Romney Care reforms.
In New York, the Sister Rene’ Dental Center shut down. Operators blame the reduced federal reimbursements under Obama/Romney Care. The overwhelming majority of their patients are on Medicare.
Our Lady of the Assumption School in Atco, Pennsylvania, closing down. Officials running the Christian school say enrollment just wasn’t high enough, and at least 20 families are a year behind on their payments! Some parents counter the claims of the church officials and say they are ready to sue the Christian school.
In Tennessee, the Milan Arsenal laying off more employees. 30 people lost their jobs. It’s all part of planned layoffs announced in 2008. The arsenal will eventually move to Iowa. Also, TE Connectivity shutting down some of its operations, 33 employees affected. The electronics company began laying off employees back in October 2012, at least 66 regular employees and 20 temps will be let go by the end of March.
E-commerce manager, Digital River, to close offices and layoff employees. Company officials didn’t specify how many people will be let go. The company lost $200 million USD in its 4th Quarter.
Enterprise collaboration company, Yammer, laid off 20 people. Last year the company was taken over by Microsoft.
In California, family owned Sam’s Food City will shut down its last three grocery stores. The owners said they could not compete with national chain stores. Also, Too Big to Fail Citigroup laying off 181 people in Sacramento! It’s part of Citigroup’s plan to layoff 11000 people!!! And Kelly-Moore Paint laying off 20 employees despite an increase in sales: “To ensure our success now and into the future, we are making some internal adjustments to our structure to become more efficient in streamlining our operations while still providing the same high-quality products and services to our customers. As we make these changes, we continue to expand our retail stores in California and the West.”– Steve DeVoe, president
BAE announced it will layoff 200 people in New Hampshire in March! The British Red Coat defense contractor said it’s due to an expected reduction in government spending.
In Virginia, the Dominion Mine shut down. Operators blame it on a drastic reduction in coal prices.
In West Virginia, a Shoney’s restaurant closed down. 30 people out-o-work. It’s at least the second Shoney’s in the Kanawha Valley to close.
In Connecticut, the Shadow Room nightclub in Middletown, closed down. The owners want to open a new nightclub in a better location.
In Florida, Aardvark Video in Macclenny shut down. The owners of the 28 years old store blame the internet.
In Edina, Minnesota, the Blockbuster Video store shut down.
In Chillicothe, Ohio, the Blockbuster Video store shut down. It’s part of the company’s plans to shut down 300 stores!
“…we’re learning about this through employees and when we’re dealing with multi-national corporations it makes it very difficult…….It’s just one hit after the other but we’re going to keep plugging.”-Anthony Dolce, Mayor of Dunkirk, New York, reacting to yet more layoffs
In Dunkirk, New York, Cott Corporation laid off at least 20 people. No explanation as company officials commented that they “had no comment at this time.”
The City of Beacon, New York, about to layoff a few cops. The Police Union says city officials are threatening them with the layoffs, but the Mayor said the budget crisis is for real: “I told every union that it would be a tough budget. I had to raise taxes 11.25%! I’ll do what I have to do to save the city money.”-Randy Casale
In New York City, the Pink Tea Cup is bankrupt. The new owners moved the iconic restaurant to a new location, but were unable to get a new liquor license. They say being unable to serve alcohol lost them so much business they’re now broke. They told the court that now that they have the alcohol license their business has picked up, they just need time to make enough money to pay their debts.
In West Virginia, another multi-national company, Hino Motors, is laying off an undetermined amount of employees at its Williamstown factory. Company officials say they were shocked at how bad their 4th Quarter sales were: “Due to unexpected soft fourth quarter sales…..Hino Williamstown will temporarily reduce production volumes to achieve a more optimal inventory level.”-Sandy Ring, Hino rep
Knight Capital, a financial services company that specializes in buying and selling stocks (aka market making), and automated electronic trading, to layoff about 75 employees after being sold to a competitor.
In Maine, six executives got laid off at the Hannaford supermarket HQ. Company officials say it’s part of the parent company’s (Delhaize America) plans to reduce executive positions. Delhaize America laid off 15 executives across the country.
In Beaver Dam, Kentucky, Nestaway closed down. Nestaway made parts for the appliance industry. Their biggest customer found a new source and as a result 75 people will be out-o-work. Beaver Dam has a population of about 3200 people.
In Massachusetts, Concord Hand Designs closing down in May. The sister owner/manager team said that after 28 years they decided that since the lease was expiring, it was time to retire.
In Pennsylvania, the Hooters restaurant in Altoona closed down without notice. Local reports say it was always popular, and was packed the day before it closed. Even employees didn’t find out until the day it closed. Locals have been protesting the closing. The Hooters chain has been closing restaurants across the United States, claiming they are under performing, yet by all accounts the Altoona restaurant was making money. In 2011 the Hooters chain was sold to a group of vulture capitalists (Mitt Romneyites).
Also in Pennsylvania, another restaurant closed. In Bethlehem the Confetti Cafe shut down because of the owner’s health issues and the bad economy.
By April no more ALCO store in Dodge City, Kansas. Company officials blame the bad economy: “The decision to close the store in Dodge City was a difficult one. We have valued the opportunity to be a part of this community, but unfortunately the store’s performance does not meet our financial requirements. The economy has clearly had an impact on store sales, and we’ve made the very difficult decision to close.”
Arts cable channel, Ovation, began laying off employees in California. So far 25 people have lost their jobs, but company officials say this is the beginning of layoffs that will affect other employees in Illinois and New York. Time Warner dropped Ovation from its cable lineup at the end of 2012.
Another California based company, Wet Seal, a junior sized women’s clothing company, eliminated 35 positions. Most of those are at their Foothills Ranch HQ, including the position of chief operating officer (COO). Sales are down, and last year the fired their CEO!
No more scrapbooking in California? Our Paper Place closed down their Newark location. As of 30 January all fixtures were on sale.
In Oakland, California, the Children’s Hospital & Research Center closed its Cytogenetics Laboratory. They say the amount of work the lab did dropped by 69% in the past two years!
The Dow Jones’ MarketWatch media division laid off at least nine people. It sounds like they are trying to replace older reporters with younger reporters willing to work for less pay.
In southern Idaho, J.R. Simplot shut down its Heyburn potato processing factory. 56 employees affected. The company spent big bucks building a new more efficient potato factory in Caldwell. What’s interesting is that the Heyburn employees say the news was a surprise to them, however I’ve been reading about the planned move since November 2011!!! According to Capital Press, the November 2011 announcement said the new Caldwell factory would be so efficient that J.R. Simplot would shut down three older factories in Idaho (including Heyburn), resulting in 800 Idahoans losing their jobs! (in fact I warned about it in a 10 November 2011 posting)
Former location of J.R. Simplot Corporate HQ, Chubbuck, Idaho. They moved it to Boise more than ten years ago. The Chubbuck HQ was torn down and this strip mall built. At least two of the stores listed on the sign are now out of business, as well as others that are not on the sign.
Ex J.R. Simplot Chubbuck HQ awnings adding character to the otherwise drab Pocatello City Hall. Pocatello is the home of the Simplot Games, an international high school track & field event sponsored by J.R. Simplot. (we need jobs, not high school sports)
Two Renton Western Wear stores in Tacoma, and Renton, Washington closed down after 62 years of operations. Returns will be accepted until 15 March. The store’s website gave no reason for the shut down.
The Chocolate Peacock shut down in Omaha, Nebraska. No it’s not a chocolate store, it was a women’s clothing store (like there aren’t enough of them anyway). The owner said she had to choose between her ‘brick & mortar’ store or internet sales.
In Michigan, the city of Detroit abandoning 50 recreational areas! City officials said they don’t have enough money to maintain city parks. 38 other parks will have maintenance services cut in half.
In Geneva, Illinois, the Erday’s men’s clothing store out-o-business, after almost 88 years of operations. The store specialized in ‘dress’ clothes for men, and blames part of their demise on the advent of casual dress days for work. They also blamed competition from national chain stores.
In Watchung, New Jersey, Valley Furniture (aka Pratt Furniture) announced they will end operations once all their inventory is sold. The store first started in 1946. At one time the store stocked only U.S. made furniture, until the U.S. companies that made them went out-o-business. Then the bad economy hit in 2008 and sales crashed, despite everything the family owners did. About 20 employees affected.
After nearly 67 years of business, Hodges Jewel Box in South Boston, Virginia, shut down. The lifetime owner blamed declining sales on the bad economy.
25 February 2013/14 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/07 Esfand 1391
This past weekend, while dropping off recycling at the Chubbuck, Idaho, dumpsters next to City Hall, I noticed they’ve put new signs up: No glass and no styrofoam!
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Chubbuck officials are so upset about non-recylables being thrown into recycling containers that they will now fine anyone who puts non-recyclables into their residential recycling dumpsters. City officials say the recycling company is taking those mis-filled dumpsters to the landfill, rather than spend the money on manpower to sort the contents.
I wrote about this more than two years ago, concerning the recycling dumpsters for the city of Pocatello.
Back then there were some glass and styrofoam recyclers in other parts of Idaho. I just checked the Department of Environmental quality’s web site, and I counted about 18 glass recyclers and one styrofoam recycler (however, just like two years ago, when I check that recycler’s web site there’s no mention of styrofoam recycling). None of those recyclers are in our southeastern Idaho area. The cost to transport such items out of the area will cancel any cost savings or revenue enhancements that cities are trying to achieve with their recycling programs.
Here’s why recycling glass is a waste of money, and does not help the environment: One of the fallacies in the argument for glass recycling is that recycling glass bottles uses 40% less energy than making it from new materials. This argument does not take into account the increasing costs of transporting the old glass to the recycling centers, and then to the consumers, when you do it becomes more expensive.
According to the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, ever increasing costs of transportation actually makes glass recycling more costly than making glass from raw materials. The ingredients of glass are soda ash, limestone and sand (silica). None of these materials are in short supply, making them relatively cheap.
Next, the Michigan Technology University Institute of Materials Processing points out that the cost of employing people to handle the recycled glass also makes recycling more expensive than making glass from raw materials. Efforts are being made to convince buyers of glass to use mixed colored glass bottles, which would cut way back on the number of people needed to sort glass bottles at recycling factories.
Also, employees involved in glass recycling cost more to their employers because of insurance liability reasons, according to the Joint Service Pollution Prevention and Sustainability Technical Library.
In the parts of Idaho that do recycle glass, it is mainly for use in road construction, not for making new glass bottles. Studies show this type of use for recycled glass is the least costliest. As is simply pulverizing the glass into powders that can be used in ceramics, plastics or brick making.
When it comes to the environment, we can go back to transportation issues. Trucks create pollution by using up petroleum based fuels and oils. Another claim is that glass is hurting landfills, which is impossible because glass is the most inert product made by humans (only if you cut yourself with it, but who’s gonna go digging around in a landfill).
Another issue, glass from windows and mirrors can not be recycled. They can only be crushed into powder for possible use in construction. Also, according to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, less than 40% of a glass container can be recycled. And those Pyrex or Anchor Hawking brand glass kitchen utensils are not recyclable (they are treated the same way windows and mirrors are).
Not only can you not recycle windows and mirrors, but you can not use recycled glass to make new windows: “As it pertains to green programs, architectural glass currently has very little opportunity to take advantage of the use of recycled glass.”-Tracy Rogers, Technical Director for Edgetech IG
The reasons that new windows and mirrors are made from new materials are: The raw materials are cheaper (see above). Glass making is a very specific process, what type of glass you want depends greatly on how you blend the ingredients (called Cullet), window glass is not the same as glass for bottles.
Even if you replace your old windows with new ones, the old glass can not be recycled into new windows, it typically goes into the garbage dump. The only other thing they can do is what the industry calls “down-cycling”, turning it into a lesser quality product for use in fiberglass or road construction (see above), but that is expensive because they must separate frames, spacers and even the laminate before down-cycling.
And, finally, glass that is already broken is not accepted, because the recycler can’t tell exactly what kind of glass they’re dealing with.
Now what about styrofoam? Recycling styrofoam (foamed or expanded polystyrene, the same plastic used to make model kits) is expensive because it does not break down as easily as other plastics. Also, since the invention of starch based ‘foams’ styrofaom is actually no longer needed. Starch based foams can be broken down incredibly cheaply and easily simply by soaking them in water.
I hate those styrofoam packing peanuts, but what can you do with them? Some shipping companies will gladly take those packing peanuts you get with that latest order from Amazon or ebay. In fact that seems to be the most effective way of recycling styrofoam packing peanuts.
As far as styrofoam containers, or boards or sheets, we model builders have been recycling them into diorama bases for years. It’s also been used for architectural and railroad model building. But we can’t use it all, and they don’t react well with oil based paints (you have to use a water based primer first).
Bottom line, recycling glass and styrofoam does not pay off, and stop throwing them into southeast Idaho recycling dumpsters!
“It all comes down to finance and economics, what’s best for the company. It’s going to trickle down and hurt everybody, employees, residents, taxpayers, everybody is going to be affected.”-Linda Schwager, Mayor of Oakland, New Jersey, commenting on the never ending layoffs
In Florida, 79 cement company workers losing their jobs. Mexican owned Cemex says their outlook for the economy is so bad, that they have to make these additional layoffs on top of those announced at the end of last year. The views of the Mexican company counter those of the Portland Cement Association, which expects an 8% increase in construction this year.
A state run toll road company, and a state run canal company, have finally released the number of employees they will layoff this year. New York State Thruway Authority will eliminate 192 jobs! Officials blame declining traffic (you see, ‘mericans are driving less and using less fuel!) and increasing costs of repairing the roads. Elected officials refused to increase the tolls (at the behest of constituents), so the company is forced to cut back. New York State Canal Corporation will layoff 42 people. Unions are fighting the current round of layoffs, over the past several years hundreds of employees were already laid off.
Also in New York, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) laying off an undisclosed amount of employees. ACS is owned by Xerox and processes student college loan applications. It doesn’t sound good for the current 800 employees. Local media says rumors of layoffs have been circulating since October 2012, and an official statement from company officials says all loans will be “cleared from their system” by August. The layoffs will take place in two phases, in March and June.
In California, the South Pasadena Unified School District revealed that 32 teachers will be laid off in March. That is if local voters fail to extend the Measure S parcel tax. The school district has been relying on the temporary tax to maintain a 1 teacher to 20 student ratio, but it also shows that the district can’t manage its funding because teacher pay should be coming from the standard local property taxes/fees, as well as state and federal funds, not additional special taxes.
Also in California, the Cask & Cork restaurant in Fresno closed down. It had failed after only eight months of operations. The owners say they will try again in a different city.
New Hamshire’s Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene hospital eliminated 34 jobs. They’re trying to save $1 million USD, due to declining revenue and decreasing state and federal reimbursements (Obama/Romney Care).
More lay offs for Illinois. Abbott Laboratories let go an undisclosed amount of employees. The global health care company already laid off 700 people last year. The company is “restructuring”.
In Little Rock, Arkansas, two local competing TV stations have merged. The local KLRT Fox affiliate and KARK NBC station are now under one owner, resulting in 28 employees losing their jobs. A similar thing happened here in East Idaho in 2010, when the KIFI ABC affiliate, and the KIDK CBS affiliate came under the single operation of Missouri based News-Press and Gazette (NPG). NPG cornered the East Idaho/West Wyoming broadcast market by taking over Telemundo, CW, NOW and KXPI Fox affiliate (the Fox affiliation used to be handled by a former employer of mine, then KIDK & KXPI came under the ownership of Fisher Communications who then turned operations over to NPG). By the way, it used to be illegal to corner local news media markets, but my former employer, and other media leaders, lobbied hard to change that! At the end of last year NPG paid $14.3 million to take over Santa Barbara, California’s KEYT ABC affiliate.
In Minnesota, Gerdau Steel laid off 31 employees. The Brazilian based company blamed it on the bad economy, and said if it weren’t for the terms of a recent loan (which requires them to maintain a specific number of positions) they would have laid off even more employees!
Estee Lauder shutting down its Oakland, New Jersey, factory. 116 employees affected! The cosmetics company is consolidating operations.
In Lewisville, North Carolina, a bicycle store named Neighborhood Transportation, shut down. The owner blamed his bad health.
In Jackson, Mississippi, Haverty’s is closing down its only furniture store in the Magnolia State. Company officials said the landlord wanted to increase the rent.
67 years old Peschell’s Bakery shut down in West Haven, Connecticut. The owners blamed the bad economy and competition from national chain stores.
63 people out-o-work in Decatur, Alabama. The Eaton Manufacturing hydraulic cylinder factory is closing down. Company officials blame it on a decrease in demand (bad economy).
138 jobs lost in Maryland! A British Red Coat company (Cobham) is shutting down two electronics factories. Cobham makes its money off U.S. taxpayers, as it is a military contractor. They blame the layoffs on expected and drastic federal government spending cuts.
After only a few months in business, Canadian-American Structured Solutions (CASS) has laid off half of its employees at its Montana modular homes operation. Good news, they say it’s temporary: “This is a temporary situation as we wait for materials to arrive for our next projects. And this is a very common practice within the industry.”-Lorne Wallace, CEO
In Arkansas, Nestle laying off 70 people, and cutting production days from six days per week down to just four! The prepared foods maker blames it on increased costs of food products (inflation).
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Kansas based electrical equipment rebuilder, Solomon, let go another 33 employees. Company officials blame the bad economy.
Wireless equipment maker, PowerWave, goes bankrupt with hundreds of millions in debt.
Wisconsin based School Specialty goes bankrupt. The school supply company is selling off assets.
After 28 years in business, Florida’s Kitchenique Cooking School shutting down. The owner blames the bad economy and a bad location for a steady drop in business: “This is hard; very emotional. Writing the closing announcement was almost like writing my obituary.”-Vicki McCain
New Mexico reporting one 2 years old girl, and one 15 years old boy, died due to flu. Since October 2012, 89 people have died from flu related complications.
Fresno, California, reporting high incidence of flu cases: “We’re still seeing a lot of calls, a lot of visits, a lot of emergency room visits.”-Dee Lacy, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center-Fresno
In Texas, druggists say it looks like the latest influenza is getting out-o-town quick: “It is considerably down from a couple of weeks ago. We were dispensing 25 to 30 prescriptions of Tamiflu a day about a month ago. We’re down to a couple a day.”-Louis Morgan, Shawn Sams pharmacy
However, officials with Texas Department of Health Services says flu cases are still up: “Statewide, we’re still seeing a high level of flu activity, though the proportion of people showing up at the doctor for flu-like illness is less than it was in the final week of 2012, according to the providers who report that information to us.”-Chris Van Deusen
Indiana reporting 56 deaths since the flu season officially began in December 2012: “Tragically, we are continuing to lose lives due to flu-related illnesses in the state. We still have months left in this flu season.”-William VanNess, Health Commissioner
Two South Carolina prisons report flu outbreaks. A maximum security men’s prison, and a minimum security women’s prison have been put in lock down as a result.
South Dakota reporting the deadliest flu season in the past eight years. 30 people have died.
Nebraska reporting at least 12 deaths.
Oklahoma reporting 25 deaths, two in the past week.
Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare reporting at least 23 people have died. 21 were more than 50 years of age, the others were children. The number of people who’ve died this flu season is approaching the high set ten years ago.
Washington reporting more than 40 flu deaths. 38 have been confirmed as flu caused: “People shouldn’t confuse flu season peaking with flu season ending. There are a lot of people still getting sick. And there will be a lot more flu illnesses occurring in the community over the next six to eight weeks.”-Jeff Duchin, Public Health Seattle & King County
The new flu that’s taking down dogs (Canine Influenza/H3N8) has hit the state of Oregon. Several dogs in a Salem shelter are sick, the shelter even shut down for one day. Its now identified in 22 U.S. states. As I’ve reported before: “Canine Influenza is a very rare and unusual disease that’s new to dogs. It’s only been since 2005, 2006 that there’s been any cases known in the United States.”-Joan Towers, Willamette Humane Society
Influenza is making the rounds globally; in United Kingdom deaths are being reported (at least 18 in Scotland), as in India (from swine flu).
Indian health officials report new versions of H1N1 (aka swine flu), H3N2 and flu B.
Cases of H5N1 (aka bird flu) are popping up in Egypt, Cambodia and China. So far for Gregorian year 2013 there are ten confirmed human cases, eight of those infected died. That’s an 80% kill rate for this year’s H5N1 bird flu.
Bird flu does not spread easily to humans, but when it does it’s usually deadly. This years bird flu strain has the Philippine Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health, on alert. They’re even warning about another version of bird flu, H7N3.
H7N3 hit Mexico hard in 2012. By January 2013, 20 million chickens were killed (by the virus or by culling), and at least 66 million were vaccinated. Interestingly officials declared the outbreak over in October 2012, but cases are still being reported (the most recent involves an outbreak at seven farms just this past week).
On 17 February 2013, a farm in Germany (east of Berlin) had to cull 14,000 ducks after lab tests showed they were infected with the H5N1 version of bird flu.