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Does Turkey offer a model that the Mideast can emulate? avril 13, 2012Posted by Acturca in Moyen Orient, Turquie. Tags: AKP, Arab Spring, foreign policy, Middle East, Neo-Ottomanism, Nora Fisher Onar, Turkey, Turquie The Daily Star (Lebanon) April 13, 2012, p. 7 Türkçe By Nora Fisher Onar * Turkey is often touted as an inspiration for the countries of the rest of the Middle East – a characterization it accepts and pursues. In recent years, Turkish policymakers have worked hard to establish “Turkey Inc.” as the model of a relatively free, stable and increasingly prosperous Muslim-majority country with great economic and foreign policy leverage. But what does the Turkish experience actually represent for the states of the Arab Middle East? How convincing is Turkey, Inc. – and as a model can it really be emulated? Perhaps the most attention has been paid to the free and fair rise to power of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), which Islamist movements in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Syria have heralded as a symbol of Muslim majoritarian democracy – even explicitly referencing it in the names and platforms of their own parties, movements and factions. To both domestic and international observers, this might signal that, like the AKP in Turkey, Islamist parties elsewhere do not seek to dismantle their states’ secular framework – at least for the time being. But in spite of its appeal to both traditional Islamists and “post-Islamists” – that is, those who fully reconcile their particular politico-religious commitments with globalization – the Turkish formula may not be replicable. Civil-military relations in Turkey have undergone a double-sided transformation over recent decades. As a consequence of the intermittent censure by the army, political Islamists had to moderate their demands and practices; simultaneously, the Turkish army – accustomed to the barracks and aware that interference in government hurt Turkey’s international standing – increasingly relied on civilian allies to pursue its agenda vis-à-vis the AKP. Eventually, the military relinquished control of crucial institutions (such as the National Security Council), and the final showdown over control of the presidency in 2007 was fought not with bullets and tanks, but with Web declarations, public rallies and court cases. A similar tipping point regarding civilian control of the state is hardly a foregone conclusion in countries still under transition, where national militaries continue to exert a dominant presence in political life. Other countries in the Middle East also lack the trajectory that Turkey has followed with regard to its economic development. This is particularly true of the export-driven rise of the middle class that has been experienced by religious constituencies across the Anatolian periphery. Such a trend has underpinned the AKP’s moderation, political success and interregional presence. Indeed, Turkey’s recent economic trajectory is a central component of its appeal in the Arab world. Over the past decade, Turkey has tripled its Gross Domestic Product and – excluding a dip to minus-4 percent real growth in 2009 – has managed to ride out the global economic crisis with relative equanimity. Commentators have argued that Turkey may be part of a second tier of rising economic powers (alongside such countries as South Korea, Mexico and Indonesia) that is hot on the heels of the Big Four (Brazil, Russia, India and China). This holds two implications: On a symbolic level, the Turkish experience (along with that of Indonesia and Malaysia) has dramatically undermined theories of Islam’s incompatibility with modernization, especially in the arena of economic governance. More tangibly, over the past decade Turkey has actively sought out partners for sustainable trade-driven growth in a region that has been long addled by the heady cocktail of oil wealth and chronic underdevelopment. Although economic partnerships were in no way guided by Turkish concerns for democratic governance – a reality that was attested to by Turkey’s once cozy ties with authoritarian leaders – they have had unintended consequences with positive implications for political reform. For example, the influx of cheaper, better quality Turkish goods in Syrian markets may have undermined a backbone of President Bashar Assad’s regime: namely the interests of the regime’s business cronies. To understand the parameters of Turkey’s role in the region, we should also acknowledge the sensitivities that have arisen from the Ottoman legacy. Some believe that Ankara seeks to reclaim its historical leadership of the Middle East, the Caucasus and the Balkans, something that can rub interlocutors the wrong way. Hence, Turkish foreign policymakers’ reluctance to employ Ottomanist frames of reference. However, at the domestic social level in Turkey, there remains a growing receptiveness to self-depiction as the benign heir to the Ottoman Empire. This is evident in the proliferation of cultural commodities that employ Ottoman referents. That is the case of the recent record-grossing film “Conquest 1453,” about what Western historiography calls the “fall” of Constantinople. In the film, Mehmet the Conqueror – played by an actor who bears a remarkable resemblance to a young Recep Tayyip Erdogan – is shown to be a forceful and compassionate protector of Muslims and Christians alike (though there is no mention in the film of Jews). The image of Turkey as a “big brother” to downtrodden Muslims in such places as Palestine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Kosovo, and Bosnia-Herzegovina – characterizes an emerging “neo-Ottomanist” national image that seems to drive Turkish aspirations of regional leadership within the country and amplify Erdogan’s profile abroad. Whether this is a matter of hubris or of genuine capacity remains to be seen. A final component that is crucial for evaluating Turkey’s example is that the country has yet to develop a framework for meaningful multiethnic, multisectarian co-habitation. Mounting violence on the part of militant Kurds and the Turkish state’s heavy-handed response has fueled hostility between ordinary citizens. For instance, recent court rulings suggest that vigilante terror toward prominent members of the Armenian and Alevi communities is permissible and will go unpunished. Disturbing numbers of journalists, scholars, and students who have expressed critical views on these fronts have been jailed. There is also deep concern in constituencies that embrace secular lifestyles that recent reforms in fields such as education will yield an ever more restricted Turkish society. Given the need to put its own house in order and the fact that inter-communal tensions across the Middle East are likely to become worse before becoming better, Turkey’s AKP government must take very seriously its mandate to write a new and inclusive Constitution. In the longer tem, Turkey must confront the standing challenge of the region – learning to live together despite differences – a challenge which also happens to be Turkey’s own. At the end of the day, the export of Turkey, Inc. needs stable and predictable conditions in which trade and investment can thrive; hence, the commitment to the “zero problems” policy that Turkey employed with neighbors in its economic and foreign agendas over the past decade. Due to last year’s upheavals in the Arab world, however, this policy is unsustainable. Once well-placed to broker a dialogue between Iran and Israel, Turkey is now more alienated from both countries than before as the two nemeses lock horns in what Graham Allison has called the “Cuban missile crisis in slow motion.” Should Israeli-Iranian antagonism spill over into war, the delicate balance in Iraq may unravel into protracted sectarian and ethnic conflict, just as Syria’s brewing civil war may spill over into neighboring Lebanon. But even without an Israeli-Iranian showdown and an intensified conflagration in Iraq and Syria, Turkey’s Kurdish question is, quite literally, kindling awaiting a flame, as attested to by recent clashes during Nevruz, or Nowruz, celebrations. All of this suggests that Turkey’s aspirations to regional leadership are tactically dependent on forestalling an Iranian-Israeli showdown – an end to which it should leverage all its diminished diplomatic capital in the two countries and in partnership with the United States. Before the AKP came to power and the Arab Awakening broke out, the received wisdom was that when it came to Islam, democracy and secularism, one could have any two but never all three. Similarly, doubts have long been expressed about whether political and economic liberalism can thrive simultaneously in a Muslim-majority setting. Taken together, it seems that if the purveyors of Turkey, Inc. can show that liberal economics goes hand-in-hand with liberal democracy in a country that is governed by pious Muslims, then the Turkish model-in-progress may achieve fruition and offer a timely example for the Middle East. * Nora Fisher Onar is an assistant professor of international relations at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul. She is also a Ronald D. Asmus Policy Entrepreneur Fellow with the German Marshall Fund and is a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for International Studies (CIS) at the University of Oxford. This commentary first appeared at Sada, an online journal published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

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Israel (מדינת ישראל) is a small yet diverse Middle Eastern country with a long coastline on the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a small window on the Red Sea at the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba). Israel was established as a state for the the Jewish people, following the Second World War. Israel is considered part of the Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories). The three major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—all have historical ties to the region. Israel thus contains a vibrant modern history and culture, based in part on the diverse, immigrant origins of its inhabitants returning from the Jewish Diaspora. These aspects make Israel a fascinating destination for many travellers and pilgrims. For Singaporeans, many of us have a warped perception of Israel as a dangerous place to visit because of the frequent news reports of conflicts in the Middle East. When I told my friends and family that I was travelling to Israel, the most common comment I get from those who have not been there is that I should be very careful for my safety. The worries are unnecessary. I had a great one week stay at Israel, thanks to the wonderful team from Dig Israel who hosted me there. For the uninformed, Israel is a safe place to visit (excluding the West Bank and Gaza Strip which are not tourist destinations). It is like many other cosmopolitan cities around the world, but with it’s own quirk, diverse culture and people. I will share more about my Israel trip in my subsequent blog posts. This post is to share some travel tips for Singaporeans who are planning to visit Israel on your own without going through a package tour: 1. Israeli currency – New Israel Shekel This currency is not easily available outside of Israel, but fret not, you can go to any money changer in Israel to do the exchange. There are counters available at the airport too, but the service fee or “commission” they charged are quite steep (about S$10+ depending on how much you change). The fee varies from one money changer to another, hence get a few quotes before settling on one to change. The fee charged is a flat fee, hence try to change as much currency as you need just once. 2. Singaporean Passport If you are holding a Malaysian passport, sorry, you cannot enter Israel. For Singapore passport holders, we do not require a visa. However, request for the Israeli custom officers to stamp on a special piece of immigration paper available at Israel airport instead of stamping directly on your passport. This is because an Israel passport chop may cause difficulties getting into and/or be refused visas to Islamic countries, such as Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan for your subsequent travels. 3. Clearing Israel Custom The security check is really tight when travelling to Israel. I find it fair enough as it is for our own safety too. You will be asked some profiling questions at the luggage check-in counter travelling to and from Israel. Some of the questions may get a little personal – eg. I was asked questions like why did I only took leave from work one week before my trip; asked to recount my day by day itinerary during my stay in Israel; went through some of my personal photos in my digital camera to check if what I said about my itinerary was true; reasons why I travelled to Malaysia since I been there twice this year and also whether I know anyone there. The questioning may take quite a while and will make some people uncomfortable. My advice is just to answer as honestly as possible if you have nothing to hide. Do not lie to speed up the questioning as they are very thorough and you may end up having to tell another lie to cover a previous harmless lie, increasing the chance of being exposed as a liar and getting detained. You will get to fly. Be patient. Do not take stuff like soil from Jerusalem and salt from the Dead Sea to pack home on your own. All baggage going out of Israel are screened and opened up for checking. Do not pull stunts like these. Do not take photographs of the security counter and officers either. The ultra-orthodox Jews are easily identifiable with their curly side burns, black suits and tassels. Tourists like to take pictures of them because of their interesting appearance which we are not familiar with. However, do bear in mind that they are not animals in the zoo and as much as you would get pissed off with strangers taking random pictures of you, they feel the same way too. Do accord them due respect and try not intrude in their personal space. 6. The Sabbath Be aware of the Sabbath: from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, train and bus services are not available in Israel (except in Haifa, Nazareth and Eilat, and limited sherut services – shared taxis). Unless you have a car, or are willing to pay for a taxi (not shared), if you’re day tripping on a Friday, you should start thinking about how to get back by noon at the latest, and you should plan on staying near your lodgings on Saturday. Attractions, shops and malls are also closed during the Sabbath. I made the mistake of staying for an additional day in Tel Aviv during the Sabbath and ended up wandering the streets alone with nothing to see or do. I also had to specially advance book a taxi to the airport. 7. Gay and Lesbian Travel Israel is one of the most “gay friendly” countries in the world. Seriously. All three major cities (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa) have an annual “Pride” parade, and the annual Love Parade in Tel Aviv gets cheering spectators too. Look out for many hotels, cafes and restaurants with rainbow flags hanging outside. These are all gay-friendly places. Israel is not a cheap country. I find it more expensive than Sydney and the United States in terms of food, lodging and shopping. On average, a meal cost around S$20 for a simple meal at a cafe. A bottle of 500ml water cost around S$5. Taxi from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv one way cost about S$100. Street food is safe and clean. Israeli cuisine is as diverse as the population which makes up this gastronomic country. Food in Israel is generally of a very high standard. I really enjoyed the food during my stay. Not tipping in sit-in restaurants that have waiters is frowned upon, but is accepted for signalling atrocious service. It is standard to give 10%-15% (or more for exceptional service). 20% tip is considered generous. Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages of Israel. Hebrew is most commonly spoken. 20% of the population are Israeli-Arabs who speak Arabic as well. English is the most popular foreign language. Israelis study English in school from an early age, and it is commonly understood in Israel. Nearly anyone you meet on the street will be able to communicate with you in English. All street and road signs (and many others) have English names, as well as the Hebrew and Arabic names. Ten easy tips! Have a safe and fun trip to Israel!

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Investigative conservation journalist Shawn Heinrichs seeks to combine powerful stories with captivating images to reach millions and mobilize them to action. Ships can be seen gliding on the water from an airplane window flying over the Strait of Malacca on January 21, 2013. (leogaggl/Flickr) Colorful knickknacks line the stall of a night market in Singapore on January 18, 2013. (kodomut/Flickr) Amidst face paint, fireworks and festivities, countries around Asia rejoice at the beginning of a new year. As the world bids 2012 adieu, Asia Blog reminisces over some of the year's most memorable people and events from Asia. Red and gold in Chinatown on October 20, 2012. (Damian Bere/Flickr) The Sri Mariamman shrine in Singapore's Chinatown festooned with colored balloons on September 10, 2012. (Andy*Enero/Flickr) "Gangnam Style" and Jeremy Lin sweep through Asia. We present the top searches in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. A stylish and modern parking lot in Singapore on August 7, 2012. (Eduardo Seastres) The mist gathers on the shores of Labrador Park Beach in Central Singapore, Singapore on June 21, 2012. (acdovier/Flickr) Favorite Tweets by @AsiaSociety ©2013 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | About AsiaSociety.org | Terms & Conditions | Contact Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government. All views expressed in its publications and on its website are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.

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This page contains a list of user images about Causeway which are relevant to the point and besides images, you can also use the tabs in the bottom to browse Causeway news, videos, wiki information, tweets, documents and weblinks. Music video by Rihanna performing Take A Bow. YouTube view counts pre-VEVO: 66288884. (C) 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group. WATCH BLOOPERS & MORE: http://bit.ly/ZELDAxtras DOWNLOAD THE SONG: http://smo.sh/13NrBp8 DOWNLOAD UNCENSORED SONG: http://smo.sh/WMYpsf GET LEGEND OF SMOSH T... BLOOPERS: http://bit.ly/FiretruckBloopers GET THE SONG: http://smo.sh/WMZv7l MILKSHAKE MUSIC VIDEO: http://bit.ly/MilkyMilkshake CHECK OUT THIS FIRETRUCK TEE... Jimmy Kimmel Live - Celebrities Read Mean Tweets #2 Jimmy Kimmel Live's YouTube channel features clips and recaps of every episode from the late night TV sho... Watch Season 1 of Mortal Kombat Legacy here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/SWVkIoQKmEa4I The Mortal Kombat Legacy continues in Season 2 as Liu Kang, Kung La... So i was pretty hesitant to make this video... but after all of your request, here is my Draw My Life video! Check out my 2nd Channel for more vlogs: http://... Watch the Behind The Scenes in this link below: http://youtu.be/36CLFOyaml0 Make sure to subscribe to this channel for new vids each week! http://youtube.com... Music video by Adele performing Rolling In The Deep. (C) 2010 XL Recordings Ltd. #VEVOCertified on July 25, 2011. http://www.vevo.com/certified http://www.yo... "Just One Last Time" feat. Taped Rai. Available to download on iTunes including remixes of : Tiësto, HARD ROCK SOFA & Deniz Koyu http://smarturl.it/DGJustOne... YOLO is available on iTunes now! http://smarturl.it/lonelyIslandYolo New album coming soon... Check out the awesome band the music in YOLO is sampled from Th... Don't be these people. Mapoti See Bloopers and Behind-The-Scenes Here!: http://youtu.be/dfpo7uXwJnM Huge thank you and shout out to Dtrix: http://www.youtube... ||This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (April 2013)| The Hindenburgdamm Rail Causeway across the Wadden Sea to the island of Sylt in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany |Ancestor||None. (See Ford (crossing))| |Related||None. (See step-stone bridge)| |Descendant||None. (See viaduct)| |Material||Concrete, masonry, Earth-fill| A causeway is a road or railway route across a broad body of water or wetland raised up on an embankment. Some causeways may only be usable at low tide and the distinction between causeways and viaducts can become blurred when flood-relief culverts are incorporated in the structure; a causeway is however primarily supported on earth or stone, whereas a bridge or viaduct is mainly supported by free-standing columns or arches. When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by two different routes. It derives ultimately, from the Latin for heel, calx, and most likely comes from the trampling technique to consolidate earthworks. In Ancient times, the construction was trodden down, one layer at a time, often by slaves or flocks of sheep. Today, this work is done by machines. The same technique would have been used for road embankments, raised river banks, sea banks and fortification earthworks. (The layers, though not the trampling action, can be seen in the Bayeux Tapestry: Building Hastings Castle.) The second derivation route is simply the hard, trodden surface of a path. The name by this route came to be applied to a firmly surfaced road. It is now little-used except in dialect and in the names of roads which were originally notable for their solidly made surface. The word is comparable in both meanings with the French chaussée, from a form of which it reached English by way of Norman French. The French adjective, chaussée, carries the meaning of having been given a hardened surface, and is used to mean either paved or shod. As a noun chaussée is used on the one hand for a metalled carriageway, and on the other for an embankment with or without a road. Other languages have a noun with similar dual meaning. In Welsh, it is sarn. The Welsh is relevant here, as it also has a verb, sarnu, meaning to trample. The trampling and ramming technique for consolidating earthworks was used in fortifications and there is a comparable, outmoded form of wall construction technique, used in such work and known as pisé, a word derived not from trampling but from ramming or tamping. The modern embankment may be constructed within a cofferdam: two parallel steel sheet pile or concrete retaining walls, anchored to each other with steel cables or rods. This construction may also serve as a dyke that keeps two bodies of water apart, such as bodies with a different water level on each side, or with salt water on one side and fresh water on the other. This may also be the primary purpose of a structure, the road providing a hardened crest for the dike, slowing erosion in the event of an overflow. It also provides access for maintenance as well perhaps, as a public service. Notable causeways include those that connect Singapore and Malaysia (the Johor–Singapore Causeway), Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (25-km long King Fahd Causeway) and Venice to the mainland, all of which carry roadways and railways. In the Netherlands there are a number of prominent dykes which also double as causeways, including the Afsluitdijk, Brouwersdam, and Markerwaarddijk. In Louisiana, two very long bridges, called the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, stretch across Lake Pontchartrain for almost 38 km, making them the world's longest bridges (if total length is considered instead of span length). They are also the oldest causeways on the Gulf Coast that have never been put out of commission for an extended period of time following a hurricane. In the Republic of Panama a causeway connects the islands of Perico, Flamenco, and Naos to Panama City on the mainland. It also serves as a breakwater for ships entering the Panama Canal. Its English name causeway is sometimes confused with "Coastway", name of a touristic zone in Panama city. The Aztec city-state of Tenochtitlan had causeways supporting roads and aqueducts. The oldest engineered road yet discovered is the Sweet Track in England, dating from the 3800s BC. Causeways are also common in Florida, where low bridges may connect several man-made islands, often with a much higher bridge (or part of a single bridge) in the middle so that taller boats may pass underneath safely. Causeways are most often used to connect the barrier islands with the mainland. The Churchill Barriers in Orkney are of the most notable sets of causeways in Europe. Constructed in waters up to 18 metres deep, the four barriers link five islands on the eastern side of the natural harbour at Scapa Flow. They were built during World War II as military defences for the harbour, on the orders of Winston Churchill. The Estrada do Istmo connecting the islands of Taipa and Coloane in Macau was initially built as a causeway. The sea on both sides of the causeway had become shallower as a result of silting, and mangroves had conquer the area. Later on land reclamation took place on both sides of the road and the area has subsequently be named Cotai and become home of several casino complexes. In Okinawa, Japan, connected by the Mid-Sea Road are the Katsuren Peninsula, Henza Island, Miyagi Island, Ikei Island and Hamahiga-Island. Specific causeways around the world |This section requires expansion. (April 2009)| Various causeways in the world: - Canso Causeway, Nova Scotia, Canada ( ) - Hindenburgdamm, Germany ( ) - Johor-Singapore Causeway ( ) - Lake Ponchartrain Causeway, Louisiana ( ) - King Fahd Causeway, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia ( ) - Venice ( ) - Mahim Causeway, Mumbai, India - Swarkestone causeway, Derby, England, United Kingdom - Causeway across Haraldssund, Faroe Islands - Causeway across Hvannasund, Faroe Islands - Rømødæmningen, Denmark, connecting Rømø (island) with the mainland across the wadden sea - MacArthur Causeway, Florida, United States Causeways affect currents and may therefore be involved in beach erosion or changed deposition patterns; this effect has been a problem at the Hindenburgdamm in northern Germany. During hurricane seasons, the winds and rains of approaching tropical storms--as well as waves generated by the storm in the surrounding bodies of water—make traversing causeways problematic at best and impossibly dangerous during the fiercest parts of the storms. For this reason (and related reasons, such as the need to minimize traffic jams on both the roads approaching the causeway and the causeway itself), emergency evacuation of island residents is a high priority for local, regional, and even national authorities. See also - The Causeway, Western Australia - Causey Arch, County Durham, England - Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Metairie, Louisiana, Southern; Mandeville, Louisiana, Northern. - Pulaski Skyway - Oxford English Dictionary. 1971. ISBN 0-19-861212-5. - Collins Robert French Dictionary, 5th edn. 1998. ISBN 0-00-470526-2. - Nouveau Petit Larousse Illustré, Paris. 1934. - Grape, W. The Bayeux Tapestry. Prestel, Munich and New York. 1994. ISBN 3-7913-1365-7. - Evans, H.M. and Thomas, W.O. The New Welsh Dictionary (Y Geiriadur Newydd). Llyfrau'r Dryw, Llandybie. 1953.

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Upcoming events related to online PR and social media are listed below. Our events often cover a range of digital marketing topics, including social media, so we've included those, along with any events specifically concerned with online PR and social media. |Future of Digital Marketing Malaysia||28 May 2013||Malaysia||Places available| |Future of Digital Marketing London||6 Jun 2013||London||Places available| |Integrated Marketing Week||10 Jun 2013||New York||Places available| |Digital Cream Hong Kong||27 Jun 2013||Hong Kong||Places available| |Digital Cream Shanghai||24 Oct 2013||Shanghai||Places available| |Digital Cream Singapore||28 Nov 2013||Singapore||Places available|

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A forum, themed “ Vietnam : opportunity for tourism, trade and investment”, took place in Malaysia ’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur on May 5 to further strengthen cooperation in these fields between Vietnam and Malaysia. Co-organised by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Airlines office in Malaysia , the forum drew over 100 delegates from Malaysia ’s leading businesses and tourism companies and Vietnam ’s travel agencies, including Pitaberry, Chin Huat, Polar Ice Cream, HG Travel and I-travel Indochina . Addressing the forum, Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Nguyen Hong Thao said that Vietnam-Malaysia cooperative relations in trade, tourism and investment continue to show positive growth, but did not yet correspond to the two countries’ potential and aspirations. The forum aims to boost tourism promotion, presenting opportunities and preferential investment policies to increase the number of tourists between the two countries, while strengthening two-way trade to raise bilateral turnover to 10 billion USD. The Ambassador expressed hopes that Malaysia ’s corporations and companies would continue strengthening their presence in Vietnam , believing that they will achieve more success. Acting Director General of Tourism Malaysia Haji Azizan Noordin highly valued Vietnam ’s potential in tourism, affirming that Vietnam is one of 15 leading tourism markets of Malaysia . He also expressed his hope that the two countries’ trade cooperation will develop more strongly. Also at the forum, Vietnamese commercial counsellor Vu Van Canh said that bilateral trade has increased annually by an average 20 percent in recent years. In 2011, two-way trade reached 6.66 billion USD, in which Vietnam ’s export turnover to Malaysia achieved 2.76 billion USD. In terms of investment, Malaysia ranks second in ASEAN countries and eighth among 90 nations and territories investing in Vietnam , with 404 projects and a total registered capital of 11.09 billion USD. After the forum, delegates had a chance to enjoy a special programme performed by Vietnamese artists and Vietnamese food and drinks like nem (Spring roll), pho (noodles) and Trung Nguyen coffee.-VNA

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A bullock cart or ox cart is a two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen (draught cattle). It is a means of transportation used since ancient times in many parts of the world. They are still used today where modern vehicles are too expensive or the infrastructure does not favor them. Used especially for carrying goods, the bullock cart is pulled by one or several oxen (bullocks). The cart (also known as a jinker) is attached to a bullock team by a special chain attached to yokes, but a rope may also be used for one or two animals. The driver and any other passengers sit on the front of the cart, while load is placed in the back. Traditionally the cargo was usually agrarian goods and lumber. Costa Rica In Costa Rica, ox carts (carretas in the Spanish language) were an important aspect of the daily life and commerce, especially between 1850 to 1935, developing a unique construction and decoration tradition that is still being developed. Costa Rican parades and traditional celebrations are not complete without a traditional ox cart parade. In 1988, the traditional ox cart was declared as National Symbol of Work by the Costa Rican government. In 2005, the "Oxherding and Oxcart Traditions in Costa Rica" were included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In Indonesia, Bullock Carts are commonly used in the rural parts of the country, where it is used for transporting goods and carriages and also people. But it is mostly common in Indonesia that there are Horse Car than Bullock Carts on the streets of Indonesia. Bullock carts were widely used in Malaysia before the introduction of automobiles, and many are still used today. These included passenger vehicles, now used especially for tourists. Passenger carts are usually equipped with awnings for protection against sun and rain, and are often gaily decorated. See also |Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ox-drawn carts|

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Topography of Flores |Location||South East Asia| |Archipelago||Lesser Sunda Islands| |Area||13,540 km2 (5,228 sq mi)| |Highest elevation||2,370 m (7,780 ft)| |Highest point||Poco Mandasawu| |Province||East Nusa Tenggara| |Largest city||Maumere (pop. 70,000)| |Population||1,831,000 (as of 2010)| |Density||135 /km2 (350 /sq mi)| Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1,831,000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers". Flores is located east of Sumbawa and Komodo and west of Lembata and the Alor Archipelago. To the southeast is Timor. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi. Homo floresiensis In September 2004, at Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid species, Homo floresiensis. These are informally named hobbits and appear to have stood about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall. The most complete individual (LB1) is dated as 18,000 years old. The Dominican order was extremely important in this island, as well as in the neighbouring islands of Timor and Solor. When in 1613 the Dutch attacked the Fortres of Solor, the population of this fort, led by the Dominicans, moved to the harbor town of Larantuka, on the eastern coast of Flores. This population was mixed, of Portuguese and local islanders descent and Larantuqueiros, Topasses (people that wear heats) or, as Dutch knew them, the 'Black Portuguese' (Swarte Portugueezen). The Larantuqueiros or Topasses became the dominant sandalwood trading people of the region for the next 200 years. This group used Portuguese as the language for worship, Malay as the language of trade and a mixed dialect as mother tongue. This was observed by William Dampier, a British Brigadier visiting the Island in 1699: - These [the Topasses] have no Forts, but depend on their Alliance with the Natives: And indeed they are already so mixt, that it is hard to distinguish whether they are Portugueze or Indians. Their Language is Portugueze; and the religion they have, is Romish. They seem in Words to acknowledge the King of Portugal for their Sovereign; yet they will not accept any Officers sent by him. They speak indifferently the Malayan and their own native Languages, as well as Portugueze. In 1846, Dutch and Portuguese initiated negotiations towards delimiting the territories but these negotiations led to nowhere. In 1851 the new governor of Timor, Solor and Flores, Lima Lopes, faced with an impoverished administration, agreed to sell eastern Flores and the nearby islands to Dutch in return for a payment of 200,000 Florins. Lima Lopes did so without the consent of Lisbon and was dismissed in disgrace, but his agreement was not rescinded and in 1854 Portugal ceded all its historical claims on Flores. After this, Flores became part of the territory of Dutch East Indies. Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island along with smaller minor islands are split into eight regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai Barat (West Manggarai), Manggarai Tengah (Central Manggarai), Manggarai Timur (East Manggarai), Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur (East Flores). It has 39.1% of the provincial population as of 2010, and the most Indonesians of all islands in the province. However, Timor including the nation of East Timor is more populated. It is the island with the 9th most Indonesians. Among all islands containing Indonesian territory, it is the 10th most populous after Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Bali, Madura, Lombok, and Timor. |Manggarai Regency||Ruteng||1958||UU 69/1958||1,545.97||292,037| |Sikka Regency||Maumere||1958||UU 69/1958||1,731.92||300,301| |Ngada Regency||Bajawa||1958||UU 69/1958||1,620.92||142,254| |Ende Regency||Ende||1958||UU 69/1958||2,046.62||260,428| |East Flores Regency||Larantuka||1958||UU 69/1958||1,812.85||232,312| |West Manggarai Regency||Labuan Bajo||2003||UU 8/2003||2,947.50||221,430| |Nagekeo Regency||Mbay||2007||UU 2/2007||1,416.96||129,956| |East Manggarai Regency||Borong||2007||UU 36/2007||2,502.24||252,754| Flora and fauna The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of Komodo itself, where the Komodo dragon can be found in the wild, and is part of Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kelimutu National Park is the second national park designated on Flores to protect endangered species. The Flores giant rat is also endemic to the island, and Verhoeven's giant tree rat was formerly present. These giant rodents are considered examples of island gigantism. Flores was also the habitat of several extinct dwarf forms of the proboscidean Stegodon, the most recent (Stegodon florensis insularis) disappearing approximately 12 000 years ago. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources and an absence of advanced predators made the few megafaunal species that reached the island subject to insular dwarfism. There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha. Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Maluku Islands and Sulawesi, the divide is less rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes. The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu, a volcano containing three colored lakes, located in the district of Ende close to the town of Moni. These crater lakes are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acidic water. The colored lakes change colors on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake from bright red through green and blue. There are snorkelling and diving locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed. Labuan Bajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists as a base to visit Komodo and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo. In addition to tourism, the main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are rice, maize, sweet potato and cassava, while the main cash crops are coffee, coconut, candle nut and cashew. Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes. An ancient Ngada megalith See also - Monk, K.A.; Fretes, Y., Reksodiharjo-Lilley, G. (1996). The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. Hong Kong: Periplus Editions Ltd. p. 7. ISBN 962-593-076-0. - "Out of the Ashes - Chapter 1". Epress.anu.edu.au. 1914-06-25. Retrieved 2012-07-25. - L, Klemen (1999-2000). "The Lesser Sunda Islands 1941-1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. - "Hasil Sensus Penduduk 2010". Ntt.bps.go.id. Retrieved 2012-07-25. - Van Den Bergh, G. D.; Rokhus Due Awe; Morwood, M. J.; Sutikna, T.; Jatmiko; Wahyu Saptomo, E. (May 2008). "The youngest Stegodon remains in Southeast Asia from the Late Pleistocene archaeological site Liang Bua, Flores, Indonesia". Quaternary International 182 (1): 16–48. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.02.001. Retrieved 27 November 2011. - "Hobbits" Were Pygmy Ancestors, Not New Species, Study Says, National Geographic, 21 August 2006. - Pasternack. Keli Mutu Volcanic Lakes, University of California Davis. - East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Retrieved 8 August 2008. - Arabica Producing Regions of Indonesia, Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia. Retrieved 8 August 2008. |Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Flores, Indonesia| - L, Klemen (1999-2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942".

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2013-05-18T05:08:25Z

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|Elevation||4,095 m (13,435 ft)| |Prominence||4,095 m (13,435 ft) |Listing||Country high point John Whitehead (highest peak) Mount Kinabalu (Malay: Gunung Kinabalu) is a prominent mountain on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah and is protected as Kinabalu National Park, a World Heritage Site. Kinabalu is the highest peak in Borneo's Crocker Range and is the highest mountain in the Malay Archipelago. Mount Kinabalu is also the 20th most prominent mountain in the world by topographic prominence. In 1997, a re-survey using satellite technology established its summit (known as Low's Peak) height at 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level, which is some 6 metres (20 ft) less than the previously thought and hitherto published figure of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft). Mount Kinabalu includes the Kinabalu montane alpine meadows ecoregion in the montane grasslands and shrublands biome. The mountain and its surroundings are among the most important biological sites in the world, with between 5000 and 6000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species identified. Among this rich collection of wildlife are famous species such as the gigantic Rafflesia plants and the orangutan. Mount Kinabalu has been accorded UNESCO World Heritage status. Low's Peak can be climbed quite easily by a person in good physical condition and there is no need for mountaineering equipment at any point on the main route. Other peaks along the massif, however, require rock climbing skills. Significantly, Mount Kinabalu along with other upland areas of the Crocker Range is well-known worldwide for its tremendous botanical and biological species biodiversity with plants of Himalayan, Australasian, and Indomalayan origin. A recent botanical survey of the mountain estimated a staggering 5,000 to 6,000 plant species (excluding mosses and liverworts but including ferns), which is more than all of Europe and North America (excluding tropical regions of Mexico) combined. It is therefore one of the world's most important biological sites. The flora covers the mountain in zones of different types of habitat as one climbs up, beginning with a lowland belt of fig trees and insectivorous pitcher plants. Then between 2,600 to 3,200 m (8,530 to 10,499 ft) is a layer of short trees such the conifer Dacrydium gibbsiae and dwarf shrubs, mosses, lichens, liverworts, and ferns. Finally many of the world's richest variety of orchids are found on the high rockier slopes. These plants have high levels of endemism (i.e. species which are found only within Kinabalu Park and are not found anywhere else in the world). The orchids are the best-known example with over 800 species including some of the highly-valued Paphiopedilum slipper orchids, but there are also over 600 species of ferns (more than the whole of Africa's 500 species) of which 50 are found nowhere else, and the richest collection in the world for the Nepenthes pitcher plants (five of the thirteen are found nowhere else on earth) which reach spectacular proportions (the largest-pitchered in the world being the endemic Nepenthes rajah). The parasitic Rafflesia plant, which has the largest single flower in the world, is also found in Kinabalu (particularly Rafflesia keithii whose flower grows to 94 centimetres (37 in) in diameter), though it should be noted that blooms of the flower are rare and difficult to find. Meanwhile another Rafflesia species, Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, can be found on the neighbouring Mount Trus Madi and the nearby Maliau Basin. Its incredible biodiversity in plant life is due to a combination of several unique factors: its setting in one of the richest plant regions of the world (the tropical biogeographical region known as western Malesia which comprises the island of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and the island of Borneo), the fact that the mountain covers a wide climatic range from near sea level to freezing ground conditions near the summit, the jagged terrain and diversity of rocks and soils, the high levels of rainfall (averaging about 2,700 millimetres (110 in) a year at park HQ), and the climatic instability caused by periods of glaciation and catastrophic droughts which result in evolution and speciation. This diversity is greatest in the lowland regions (consisting of lowland dipterocarp forests, so called because the tree family Dipterocarpaceae are dominant). However, most of Kinabalu's endemic species are found in the mountain forests, particularly on ultramafic soils (i.e. soils which are low in phosphates and high in iron and metals poisonous to many plants; this high toxic content gave rise to the development of distinctive plant species found nowhere else). The variety of plant life is also habitat for a great variety of birds and animals. There are some 326 species of birds in Kinabalu Park, including the spectacular Rhinoceros Hornbill, Mountain Serpent-eagle, Dulit Frogmouth, Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher, and Bare-headed Laughingthrush. Twenty-four birds are mainly found on the mountain and one, the Bornean Spiderhunter, is a pure endemic. The mountain is home to some 100 mammalian species mostly living high in the trees, including one of the four great apes, the orangutan (though sightings of these are uncommon; estimates of its numbers in the park range from 25 to 120). Other mammals include three kinds of deer, the Malayan Weasel (Mustela nudipes), Oriental Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinerea), and Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis). Endemic mammals include the Black Shrew (Suncus ater) and Bornean Ferret-badger (Melogale everetti). Threats and preservation The steep mountainsides with poor soil are not suitable for farming or for the timber industry so the habitats and animal life of Kinabalu remain largely intact, with about a third of the original habitat now degraded. Kinabalu Park was established in 1964 and the nearby mountains were protected as the Crocker Range National Park in 1984. However even national park status does not guarantee full protection, as logging permits were granted on Trus Madi in 1984. Mount Kinabalu is essentially a massive pluton formed from granodiorite which is intrusive into sedimentary and ultrabasic rocks, and forms the central part, or core, of the Kinabalu massif. The granodiorite is intrusive into strongly folded strata, probably of Eocene to Miocene age, and associated ultrabasic and basic igneous rocks. It was pushed up from the earth's crust as molten rock millions of years ago. In geological terms, it is a very young mountain as the granodiorite cooled and hardened only about 10 million years ago. The present landform is considered to be a mid-Pliocene peneplain, arched and deeply dissected, through which the Kinabalu granodiorite body has risen in isostatic adjustment. It is still pushing up at the rate of 5 mm per annum. During the Pleistocene Epoch of about 100,000 years ago, the massive mountain was covered by huge sheets of ice and glaciers which flowed down its slopes, scouring its surface in the process and creating the 1,800-metre (5,900 ft) deep Low's Gully (named after Hugh Low) on its north side. Its granite composition and the glacial formative processes are readily apparent when viewing its craggy rocky peaks. British colonial administrator Hugh Low made the first recorded ascent of Mount Kinabalu's summit plateau in March 1851. Low did not scale the mountain's highest peak, however, considering it "inaccessible to any but winged animals". In April and July 1858, Low was accompanied on two further ascents by Spenser St. John, the British Consul in Brunei. The highest point of Mount Kinabalu was finally reached in 1888 by zoologist John Whitehead. British botanist Lilian Gibbs became the first woman and the first botanist to summit Mount Kinabalu in February 1910. Botanist E. J. H. Corner led two important expeditions of the Royal Society of Great Britain to the mountain in 1961 and 1964. Kinabalu National Park was established in 1964. The park was designated a natural World Heritage Site in 2000. Climbing route Climbers must be accompanied by accredited guides at all times due to national park regulations. There are two main starting points for the climb: the Timpohon Gate (located 5.5 km from Kinabalu Park Headquarters, at an altitude of 1,866 metres (6,122 ft)), and the Mesilau Nature Resort. The latter starting point is slightly higher in elevation, but crosses a ridge, adding about two kilometres to the ascent and making the total elevation gain slightly higher. The two trails meet about two kilometres before Laban Rata. Accommodation is available inside the park or outside near the headquarters. Sabah Parks has privatised Mount Kinabalu activities to an organisation called Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (also known as Sutera Harbour). The mountain may be climbed on a single day trip, or hikers may (usually) stay one night at Laban Rata Resthouse at 3,270 metres (10,730 ft) to complete the climb in 2 days, finishing the ascent and descending on the second day. The majority of climbers begin the ascent on day one of a two-day hike from Timpohon gate at 1,866 metres (6,122 ft), reaching this location either by minibus or by walking, and then walk to Laban Rata. Most people accomplish this part of the climb in 3 to 6 hours. Since there are no roads, the supplies for the Laban Rata Resthouse are carried by porters, who bring up to 35 kilograms of supplies on their backs. Hot food and beverages are available at Laban Rata. Most rooms have no hot water in the bathrooms and whilst the dining area is heated, most rooms are not. The last 2 kilometres (6,600 ft), from the Laban Rata Resthouse at 3,270 metres (10,730 ft) to Low's Peak (summit) at 4,095.2 metres (13,436 ft), takes between 2 and 4 hours. The last part of the climb is on naked granite rock. Given the high altitude, some people may suffer from altitude sickness and should return immediately to the bottom of the mountain, as breathing and any further movement becomes increasingly difficult. Low's gully Low's Gully (named after Hugh Low) is a 1,800-metre (5,900 ft) deep gorge on the north side of Mount Kinabalu, one of the least explored and most inhospitable places on earth. In 1994 two British Army officers were severely criticised after having led a party of 10 adventurers that required extensive rescue efforts from both the RAF and the Malaysian army. Five members of the party were trapped for 16 days and did not eat for five days before being rescued. The breakaway party of five successfully completed the world's first descent of the gully in three days. There are two stories that led to the main beliefs in the origin of the mountain's name. The first derivation of the word Kinabalu is extracted from the short form for the Kadazan Dusun word 'Aki Nabalu', meaning "the revered place of the dead". The second source states that the name "Kinabalu" actually means "Cina Balu" (which would fully mean "A Chinese Widow"). Due to the lingual influence among the Kadazan Dusun of Sabah, the pronunciation for the word "cina" (chee-na) was changed to "Kina" (kee-na). It was told that a Chinese prince, was cast away to Borneo when his ship sank in the middle of the South China Sea. He was subsequently rescued by the natives from a nearby village. As he recovered, he was slowly accepted as one of the people of the village. Eventually, he fell in love with a local woman, and married her. Years went by, and he started to feel homesick. So he asked permission from his newly-found family to go back to China to visit his parents (the Emperor and Empress of China). To his wife, he promised that as soon as he was done with his family duties in China, he would come back to Borneo to take her and their children back to China. When he made his return to China, he was given a grand welcome by his family. However, to his dismay, his parents disagreed with him about taking his Bornean wife back to China. Worse, they told him that he was already betrothed to a princess of a neighbouring kingdom. Having no choice (due to high respect towards his parents), he obeyed with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, back in Borneo, his wife grew more and more anxious. Eventually, she decided that she will wait for her husband's ship. However, since the village was situated far away from the coast, she couldn't afford to come to the shore and wait for him daily. Instead she decided to climb to the top of the highest mountain near her village, so that she could have a better view of the ships sailing in the South China Sea. Thus, she was then seen climbing up the mountain at every sunrise, returning only at night to attend to her growing children. Eventually her efforts took their toll. She fell ill, and died at the top of the cold mountain while waiting for her husband. The spirit of the mountain, having observed her for years, was extremely touched by her loyalty towards her husband. Out of admiration for this woman, the spirit of the mountain turned her into a stone. Her face was made to face the South China Sea, so that she could wait forever for her dear husband's return. The people in her hometown who heard about this were also gravely touched by this. Thus, they decided to name the mountain "Kinabalu" in remembrance of her. To them, the mountain is a symbol of the everlasting love and loyalty that should be taken as a good example by women. See also - Given the definition of the Malay Archipelago excluding New Guinea, where about 22 mountains exceed 4100 m. - "World Top 50 Most Prominent Peaks" Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-21. - Phillipps, A. & F. Liew 2000. Globetrotter Visitor's Guide – Kinabalu Park. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. - Eight Southeast Asian Destinations You Shouldn't Miss - Mount Kinabalu National Park ... revered abode of the dead - Parris, B. S., R. S. Beaman, and J. H. Beaman. 1992. The Plants of Mount Kinabalu: 1. Ferns and Fern Allies. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. 165 pp + 5 pl. - Wood, J. J., J. H. Beaman, and R. S. Beaman. 1993. The Plants of Mount Kinabalu. 2. Orchids. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. xii + 411 pp + 84 pl. - Beaman, J. H., and R. S. Beaman. 1998. The Plants of Mount Kinabalu. 3. Gymnosperms and Non-Orchid Monocotyledons. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. xii + 220 pp + 25 pl. - Beaman, J. H., C. Anderson, and R. S. Beaman. 2001. The plants of Mount Kinabalu. 4: Dicotyledon families Acanthaceae to Lythraceae. xiv + 570 pp + 45 pl. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. - Beaman, J. H., and C. Anderson. 2004. The plants of Mount Kinabalu. 5: Dicotyledon families Magnoliaceae to Winteraceae. xiv + 609 pp + 40 pl. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. - Kurata, S. 1976. Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu. Sabah National Parks Publications No. 2, Sabah National Parks Trustees, Kota Kinabalu. - Adam, J.H. & C.C. Wilcock 1998 ['1996']. Pitcher plants of Mt. Kinabalu in Sabah. The Sarawak Museum Journal 50(71): 145–171. - Blakemore, R.J., C. Csuzdi, M.T. Ito, N. Kaneko, T. Kawaguchi & M. Schilthuizen 2007. PDF (16.4 KiB) Zootaxa 1613: 23–44. - "Kinabalu montane alpine meadows". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. - Hiung, C. S., R. Mandalam, and C. Chin. 2004. The Hugh Low Trail: The Quest for the Historical Trail to the Summit of Kinabalu. The Sabah Society, Kota Kinabalu. - Kinabalu Park. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. - Cymerman, A; Rock, PB. Medical Problems in High Mountain Environments. A Handbook for Medical Officers. USARIEM-TN94-2. US Army Research Inst. of Environmental Medicine Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division Technical Report. Retrieved 2009-03-05. - The Independent, 21 September 1994, Leaders of lost expedition criticised, by Mary Braid - McIlroy, N. 2011. Man versus mountain. The West Australian, 9 July 2011. |Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mount Kinabalu| - Mount Kinabalu travel guide from Wikivoyage - Sabah Parks website - Mount Kinabalu Information - Climbing Mount Kinabalu - Plants of Mount Kinabalu

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If you are up for some in depth reading, I suggest you check out this open letter to Barack Obama from Punk-Rock-Patriarch Jello Biafra. It's the sanest thing I've read in some time. IRAQ – TRY THIS! The closest thing to a solution I have heard was offered clear back in April 2004 by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (www.oic-ico.org). The OIC is comprised of 57 Islamic countries ranging from West Africa clear over to Southeast Asia. At their annual meeting they found six member nations (Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Yemen and Morocco) willing to pony up enough of their own troops (approx. 150,000) that our troops could have gone home! Who slammed the door on that one? Colin Powell, on the grounds that having the Islamic soldiers under UN command instead of Americans was out of the question. WHY??!? Wouldn't a neutral force of Muslim peacekeepers make a lot more headway than the disaster we've made? Wouldn't they at least command a lot more respect, resulting in a huge drop in violence? Surely the non-stop carnage and Iracketeering we have spawned is Exhibit A that we need to get over this colonialist illusion that other countries' problems can only be solved by Americans. The OIC's proposal for US withdrawal and peace in Iraq must be revisited immediately, and also considered for Afghanistan.

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Updates: Sage’s Valentines Day Menu is out! 5 courses meal at RM 288 nett per pax, breaching our criteria of not being massively expensive. Ops! Valentine’s Day, one of the most dreaded days of the year for men is just 14 days away! Well, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be another source of stress because we are here to help! Together with KampungBoy, we have selected 5 restaurants in KL based on the following criterias: 1) We have personally been there, tried the food and walked away happy. 2) Ambiance, ambiance, ambiance! 3) Not massively expensive (< RM 400 per couple) So yeah, in case you are wondering why Cilantro (too expensive), Lafite (never been there), Il Lido(never been there), Upper Deck (our favourite, but V-Day set at RM 600++ per couple), Garibaldi (love the food, but V-Day set RM 238 per person) or whoever never made it onto the list. Samplings On The Fourteenth Valentine’s Day Menu House Smoked Duck and Scallop Saffron Seafood Soup Pink Grapefruit Sorbet with Campari Grilled Beef Tenderloin Pan-fried Cod Fish Fillet RM 158.00++ per person, inclusive of a glass of sparkling wine each and a stalk of lovely rose for the lady. While savouring in the exquisite 5-course menu, embrace your loved ones with joy and hilarity this Valentine’s Day. A line up of top comedians are taking stage, set to leave the audience in stitches of laughter and glee. Featuring Australian comedian – Greg Sullivan; and local talents – Andrew Netto and Rizal Van Geyzel, you will find nothing more sultry than a full throated laugh and giggle of delights from your beloved to start off a fun filled Valentine’s night! The show is inclusive of a glass of complimentary Carlsberg beer as well. Samplings on the Fourteen 14th Floor, East Tower, 1, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603- 2117 8000 ext 8131 Fax: 603- 2117 8155 Nestled in a 100-year-old building in the heart of Chinatown, Ril’s Steakhouse opened its door last December with the aim of providing KL-ites with the best meat in the city. Stepping into Ril’s Steakhouse, one will be easily attracted by the soaring ceilings, cosy leather furniture, and raw industrial accents amidst the rustic decor. White tablecloths and the hanging chandelier create a classy feel. 500g Australian Angus Rib Eye Ril’s Steakhouse menu features simple yet refined steakhouse classics with a selection of mouth watering starters, mains, sides and desserts. Head Chef and Owner, Tunku Khairil Ibrahim knows meat and just how to cook it. The steak at Ril’s Steakhouse is either Malaysia-reared Gemas Gold or air-flown Australian Angus steaks – we love the fact we know where our meet is coming from. Ril’s Valentine’s Day Menu Hibiscus Fizz - Choice of alcholic or non-alchoholic Lobster Bisque - Drizzled with luxurious white truffle oil Tuna Tataki with Charred Artichokes - Served with sticky soy glazed panroasted new potato, candied apple puree, and smoked chili jam 500g Australian Angus Rib Eye - For two to share, with an assortment of sides (+ RM 20) Chicken Casserole - Served on a bed of wilted spinach, with a rich jus reduction 300g Australian Prime Rib Eye - Accompanied by an assortment of sides Rich Chili & Chocolate Mousse - A sinful combination of aphrodisiac ingredients Mango & Ginger Cheesecake - A sweet yet saucy combination of smooth and spicy flavours RM150++ per person – first 10 couples who booked gets complimentary wine! The Warehouse Gallery & Cafe, Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur. The ambiance is perfect – classy, lush but not intimidating, with the occasional melody of glass clinging, soft whispering and sizzling at the background. Feuillete of Anago with Foie Gras and Duxelles Sage Restaurant Valentine’s Day Menu Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar The Residences Level 6 The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Located at a quieter part of Bangsar, Opus Bistro is a homey, long-standing Italian restaurant that attracts a loyal group of regulars with its classic offerings. The restaurant has been there, in the same place, since forever ago. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary here, and now we are going into our 7th year. Time flies and it is also a true testament to Opus Bistro’s great food and attentive services. Our revisit has reaffirm the fact that Opus Bistro has got indisputable food quality, just like its reputable sister outlets at Jalan Bangkung. Though ‘glam’ dining as such is not light on the pocket (for us lar), but the food quality more than makes up for it. Opus Bistro Valentine’s Day Menu TBA (still waiting for reply) 67, Jalan Bangkung 59100 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03 20924288 The two storey high restaurant has adopted a simple but elegant bright white theme which creates an atmosphere that entices guests to relax. The exposed brick wall, even in its unfinished state, is rustic yet refined. It gives the room a more casual, Mediterranean mood, and that mood is enhanced by Croatia’s travel brochures scattered across the table and a screen playing clips featuring the lovely country. Stef’s Chocolate Cake Dubrovnik Restaurant offers an unforgettable Croatia experience in an easygoing and relaxed setting. Definitely not light on the pocket, but every dollar spent on the food and ambiance is worth while. Dubrovnik Restaurant Valentine’s Day Menu 3 course dinner at RM 118++ per pax, with complimentary champagne cocktails J-0G-14, Solaris Mont Kiara, No.2, Jalan Solaris, Mont Kiara Tel: 03 62036780118

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://kampungboycitygal.com/2012/02/5-restaurants-in-kl-to-celebrate-valentines-day/

2013-05-18T05:33:23Z

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en

Perodua Myvi is one of the famous car in malaysia. The owner of myvi have everything in their mind to modify their lovely cars extremely. This sets of pictures taken from one of the myvi forum in Malaysia. And surprisingly, this cute little car can transform to almost any car model by just modifying the front bumper with custom bodykit. Like above, is the myvi BMW M3 bumper. On the road, i saw some of the myvi fitted with BMW front grille with two hole as a standard design of BMW. PERODUA MYVI CUSTOM MODIFICATION DESIGN BUMPER : MYVI BE ANYTHING! Perodua Myvi modified bodykit to be a Mitsubishi evo x. Even the lamp is not really can be author to be the same like evo x, It is enough to modify only the front bumper. Actually this sets of myvi modification is done by one of the myvi forumer using photo graphic software. Nice job done there. Myvi nissan fairlady. This one quite nice and more suitable to myvi. Not too much, simple yet have sporty look. Guess what bumper is that? Inspired by Toyota Estima front bumper, this myvi looks bigger and fierce. MAJALAH KERETA MALAYSIA : Looking for a new car in Malaysia review? Latest 2013 car prices, specs, reviews & full specification! Ready to buy 2013 new car? Find 2013 car dealer in malaysia, the latest deals, discounts and promotion or vehicles for sale online. View our comments on Test drive, Fuel Consumption, owners or user review about car problem and solution on how to repair the car. Car accessories, performance and body kit discussion in forum section. KERETA DOT INFO KDI is a Majalah kereta Malaysia which shares Car Specification, Gambar, video, latest news / berita, Panduan, tips, regarding most of Malaysia cars like Proton Perodua Naza Nissan Honda and Toyota. Rental car, New car Price, Fuel, MPV spec, Bodykit, Modified cars, test drive review, iklan / ads also available here. Help yourself =)

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://kereta.info/perodua-myvi-custom-modification-design-bumper-myvi-be-anything/

2013-05-18T07:25:08Z

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en

A Delegation from University of Malaya (UM) Visits LUMS A five-member Malaysian delegation headed by Tan Sri Ghuth Jamson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia visited the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Monday, September 10, 2012 as part of their initiative to visit Higher Education Institutions across Pakistan from September 6-13, 2012, for future academic collaborations. The Malaysian visit to Pakistan is aimed at exploring opportunities of bilateral cooperation, better understanding and setting-up mutual ties between the two countries, with the special emphasis on areas such as Engineering, Medicine, Information Technology and Business. The delegation was received by Dr. Adil Najam, Vice Chancellor LUMS along with Syed Babar Ali, LUMS Pro-Chancellor; Dr. Arif Nazir Butt, Dean Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB); Dr. Sohail Qureshi, Dean Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE); Dr. Sohaib Khan, Chair Computer Science Department; Dr. Syed Noman-ul-Haq, faculty Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Shahid Masud, faculty Department of Electrical Engineering; Col Amer Khan, Director General Administrative Service Department; Mazhar M. Chinoy, Head of Office of Students Affairs; and Gulbano Asim, Head of Marketing. VC LUMS, Dr. Najam briefed the Malaysian delegation about the history and establishment of LUMS and the progress it has made over the years. He talked about how LUMS started off its journey as a Business School and now while being in its 27th year, LUMS has “blossomed into a University housing three Schools: Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB) – the Flagship School; Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS) – the Largest School; and Syed Baber Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) – the Newest School.” He added that LUMS is also hoping for a fourth one – The Law School. While talking about some of the major milestones of LUMS as an institution, in terms of its reach across Pakistan with around 57 % of students from outside Lahore, Dr. Najam said that LUMS aspires to expand into a full-fledged University in years to come. He further added that just over 40 % of the students at LUMS are availing some form of financial aid, where as PKR 360 million has been disbursed as financial aid to date, at LUMS. “The idea is to make good Education available to the best minds from across the country,” said Dr. Najam. The delegation was also briefed about the LUMS National Outreach Programme (NOP) and how it encourages and supports diversity by reaching out to students from far flung areas of Pakistan. This was followed by a video on the NOP initiative of LUMS. The faculty of University of Malaya (UM) also briefed the attendees about their various offerings at their University and shared that they have collaborations with around 300 universities worldwide with hopes of further adding on to the visiting number. The visit concluded with a tour of LUMS campus.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://lums.edu.pk/news-detail/delegation-from-university-of-malaya-um-visits-lums-919

2013-05-18T08:09:46Z

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en

Merchantrade remittance branches are located nationwide; operate 365 days, and offers speedy, secure and safe remittance services. Merchantrade is the most trusted brand for remittance services in Malaysia. Current outward remittance corridors are Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, India and Sri Lanka with other corridors in the pipeline. Merchantrade’s payout partners are highly reputable commercial banks and remittance house with payout modes to beneficiaries by direct bank-in, instant cash over the counter, cash pick-up and door to door to delivery. Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd Affiliate of Sumitomo Corporation

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://merchantrade.com.my/m_remittance.html

2013-05-18T08:01:55Z

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Grammy Award-winning rock act Switchfoot hosts 8th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am Presented By Hurley featuring a pre-event auction night, charity surf contest, the Rob Machado Bro Junior, and beach concert — all to benefit StandUp For Kids Switchfoot Bro-Am Kick-Off Auction Night Soiree When: Thursday, June 14, 2012 Where: The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe Tickets: $150 each, or $225 for VIP, available via www.switchfoot.com/bro-am 8th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am Presented By Hurley When: Saturday, June 16, 2012 Where: Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA Surf contest: 7am-3:30pm | Concert: 12pm-5pm *A free event featuring a surf contest, the Rob Machado Bro Junior, concert, vendors, and more! (Encinitas, CA) — The Switchfoot Bro-Am surf contest and concert returns to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas on Saturday, June 16, 2012. An annual event near and dear to Switchfoot’s heart, the Bro-Am was created to give back to the San Diego community while benefiting a local children’s charity through funds raised at a pre-event auction night soiree, as well as from vendors on the beach day-of, corporate surf team entries, and sponsorships. Since its inception in 2005, the Bro-Am has raised more than $515,000 for San Diego-based children’s charities. The 8th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am Presented By Hurley will once again benefit StandUp For Kids, a national nonprofit volunteer outreach organization founded in San Diego that is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk, homeless, and street kids (www.standupforkids.org). In addition to the surf contest, live music performances, and nerf surf jousting exposition between surf contest heats, this year’s event will welcome the newly-added Rob Machado Bro Junior. Rather than a financial donation, those ages 16 and under who collect the most donated clothing win a spot to compete. Bro-Am weekend kicks off on Thursday, June 14, at The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe. With a “taste of San Diego” format, guests will savor signature dishes from the area’s leading restaurants including 2Good2B, Bull Taco, Chuao Chocolatier, The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe, Crush Restaurant & Wine Lounge, Daphne’s, Del Mar Rendezvous, East Coast Pizza, Flavor Del Mar, Jake’s Del Mar, Luna Grill, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pacific Coast Grill, Pacifica Del Mar, Pizza Port Brewing, Rimel’s, Solace & The Moonlight Lounge, and Zenbu. The evening will also include an exclusive live performance, silent and live auctions, and opportunity drawings. Tickets are limited, and are $150 per person; VIP are $225 per person, and include a VIP reception and meet & greet with Switchfoot. The auction night is sponsored by The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe, Kaiser Permanente, Ashford University, Redfearn & Associates, and Ranch & Coast Magazine. “The Bro-Am has been my favorite day of the year ever since we started it back in ’05,” notes Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman. “To see our hometown come together to help out a deserving group of kids is an incredible experience — surfing, music, and the San Diego scene at its best. We feel truly honored to again partner with StandUp For Kids, an incredible organization serving at-risk youth here in San Diego and across the country. Last year was our biggest year ever, and we hope to top it again this year.” Four-person surf teams secure their participation via sponsorship donation to StandUp For Kids. This year’s surf contest will feature riders representing Hurley, Billabong, Channel Islands, Transworld Surf, Surf Ride, Dragon, Surfer Magazine, the Encinitas Firefighters Association, and more, as well as surf legends Tom Curren and Rob Machado, and members of Switchfoot. A free concert on the beach will feature performances by Brandon & Leah, Le Blorr, Dead Feather Moon, professional surfer Makua Rothman, and Jon Foreman and Friends. Past performers have included Jason Mraz, OK Go, Johnny Rzeznik, Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants Timmy Curran, Dynamite Walls, The Almost, Kate Voegele, members of Angels and Airwaves, Young the Giant, and many more. Expanding upon Bro-Am’s relationship with Hurley H2O, this year’s beach event will again be a “single-use plastic water bottle-free event.” Attendees are encouraged to bring a re-usable water bottle to fill up at the H2O station for free, and Hurley H2O will provide stainless steel bottles with funds raised supporting nonprofit partners like The Ecology Center, which will also be at the event with an interactive educational exhibit. Continuing its eco-friendly efforts, the Switchfoot Bro-Am will again work with San Diego-based Alternative Power Productions to offer cutting-edge solar-powered sound and staging. Alternative Power Productions utilizes the renewable energy sources of the sun to deliver 100% pollution-free concerts. By using solar power rather than a diesel generator or grid power, the Bro-Am will avoid emitting approximately 1,000 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere (the equivalent of not driving your car approximately 1,100 miles or the annual sequestration of 66 trees). In addition, this year’s event will also welcome The Rob Machado Foundation, which aims to provide funding and initiate educational programs focused on helping children understand their contribution towards a healthy earth (www.robmachadofoundation.org). Beach vendors confirmed to be present at the 8th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am include title sponsor Hurley, Ultimate Ears, official retail partner Surf Ride, Slurpee, Wahoo’s, Harney Sushi, Jedidiah, INT, Clif Bar, Honest Tea, Bull Taco, East Coast Pizza, Pizza Port, Daphne’s, Alaska Airlines, HOC, Inc., Natural High, Surfrider Foundation, Keep A Breast, To Write Love On Her Arms, and The Ecology Center, among others. To continue to help ease the traffic in the neighboring areas, the Switchfoot Bro-Am will offer parking and traffic solutions, which include a free shuttle from San Dieguito Academy as well as utilizing the parking lot at City Hall, located at the corner of Vulcan Avenue and E Street. Attendees are also encouraged to take the Coaster, or source rideshare options on Ridejoy.com. SWITCHFOOT – comprising Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar) – has sold over 4.4 million albums in its career. The band won its first GRAMMY award earlier this year for Hello Hurricane, which bowed at No. 13 on The Billboard 200 and contained the Modern Rock hits “The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues)” and “Mess of Me.” The follow-up to Hello Hurricane will be released later this year. SWITCHFOOT just wrapped up an international tour of Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines and will launch a 10-city, major market Canadian tour on May 16th. For more information, visit http://www.switchfoot.com. ABOUT STANDUP FOR KIDS The mission of StandUp For Kids is to end the cycle of youth homelessness. The organization’s volunteers go to the streets in order to find, stabilize and otherwise help homeless and street kids improve their lives by providing and connecting them with lifesaving services. StandUp For Kids has been recognized by both the George W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations and the U.S. Justice Department for the impact and scope of its programs. Charity Navigator recently recognized StandUp For Kids as one of the most efficient and effective nonprofits in the United States. To find out more, visit www.standupforkids.org. “Hurley is a company based on inclusion,” says chairman and founder Bob Hurley. This philosophy applied to Bob Hurley’s early years as a Huntington Beach shaper, working with friends alongside the world’s best athletes to make a better surfboard. It applied to the company’s launch in 1999, when Hurley decided to start a brand that was a true microphone for youth. In 2002, Hurley was acquired by Nike — the largest and most influential sporting brand in the world. Inclusion remains a guiding principle of the company today, where innovative products like Phantom Boardshorts and game-changing events like the US Open of Surfing continue to redefine what is possible in our world. Hurley headquarters are in Costa Mesa, CA with international offices in Sydney, Tokyo, Barcelona and Bali. For more information, visit www.hurley.com.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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2013-05-18T08:05:25Z

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en

The full bodied gravy sets the lam mee apart from others ciplak imitation. Bursting with flavour made out of chicken and prawn stock, the thick gravy coats every strands of noodle and garnished with some shreaded steamed chicken and shelled prawns. For added kick, throw in some of their hot and fiery chilli sauce. Their meatballs are also well known. Its not your usual run of the mill type, as its fully homemade unique to May King's family. Its a combination of pork, fish and cuttlefish. It really has a chewy texture bursting with the saltiness of the dried cuttlefish..its really a match made in heaven. For non Lum Mee lovers , their curry laksa is also worth trying. And dont forget the fried foochok and dumplings . Its located in Damansara Uptown. Same row as Izzi's restaurant. From LDP towards Kepong area slow down after you see the Damansara Police Station. Take a left turn just before the BHP Petrol station on your left. Turn left again to get to the row of shops behind . Drive straight and Living Food would be on your left. 67 , Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama , PJ Tel : 03-77274126 Other reviews : KY Speaks, Wai Sikkai , Jules Eating Guide to Malaysia

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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2013-05-18T08:07:44Z

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Sooo, what does it taste like? As good as the fresh durians back home in Malaysia? Kevin, our professional durian taster took the first bite. Please excuse the way he eats the durian (with a spoon :P). That's how we eat durians in my family, so he is just following our lead. Hey, eating durians with a spoon is a great idea, you don't have to put up with stinky fingers later on! The first thing we noticed about the durian is that it doesn't smell. It does give out a little bit of smell but it wasn't overpowering, like how fresh Malaysian durians are. That kinda sucks a little, but I guess that's what you can expect from frozen Thai durians. Even though the flesh was quite firm and sweet, it was a bit watery. I am guessing it's also because the durian was frozen during shipping. Overall, I would say that it wasn't really half as bad as I expected it to be. Nothing close to the fresh durians that you can get back home in Malaysia though. However, if you are miles away from home and miss this yummy 'king of fruits', trust me, this is as good as it gets! Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Thursday, June 24, 2010 * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of goviral. All opinions are 100% mine. There is nothing that I enjoy more than taking a bite off a rich and creamy chocolate bar. One bite and it instantly send me to heaven. After that first bite, I would want another and another and another. That's how much I love chocolates. Many people say that girls love chocolates more than guys, but I beg to differ. I know that Kevin loves chocolates as much as I do. In fact, I sometimes think that he loves chocolates even more than me! As much as we love all kinds of chocolates, I would have to say that Cadbury will always remain as my favorite chocolate. I have been eating Cadbury chocolates for as long as I can remember. It's rich, bubbly and creamy flavors makes it stand out from the rest. Recently, Cadbury launched a new product that is quite ingenious. It's called the Wispa Duo. Well, I wouldn't really call it a new product, because the Wispa has been around for a while. However, the Wispa Duo is a new twist to an old treat. The Wispa Duo is the perfect combination of a right and left bar, in one pack. That's right, you get a twin treat, both left and right, in one pack! Now, the big question remains? Which is left and which is right? Watch the new Wispa Duo advert from Cadbury and solve the problem of having a left bar, where you should have a right one. So, which bar do you prefer? The left or right bar? As for me, I prefer the right bar...because we all know that I am always right ;P Wednesday, June 23, 2010 Johnny Rockets - Jersey Garden Mall 651 Kapkowski Road Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Tel: (908)994 0110 Tuesday, June 22, 2010 I was a little bit excited to try Bret's Trop A Rocka because he is the Celebrity Apprentice winner and this is the winning Snapple flavor. I also kept in mind that this is diet Snapple, so it is going to be a little bit more diluted tasting and not as sweet. When I first opened the bottle, there was this really weird smell that I couldn't really place. I was thinking to myself, coconut? It was really weird. I then drank a big mouthful and all I could say was "OMG! This won???" Let me just say it straight up. It's horrible! When it first hits your mouth, you do get a little taste of the mango and pear blend (which I feel isn't really that great of a combination). However, that taste doesn't last long at all. The tropical fruit blend fades away and this horrible tasting, somewhat spicy tasting thing take over. It just hits you hard. That's the same horrible smell that hit me when I opened the bottle. I really couldn't place that taste but once Kevin tried it, he told me it was cinnamon! Yes! That's it! Cinnamon! Wayyy wayyy wayyyy too much cinnamon. It just made the whole drink taste awful! I thought that Curtis and Maria was just faking it when they said that it tasted horrible but I guess they were not. It is bad! Very bad. Now I understand why we couldn't find many of Bret's Snapple on sale. I guess Snapple also knew that it wouldn't sell well and only made limited amounts. * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine. Flowers. Who doesn't like flowers? There is just something about flowers that just brightens up your day. It might be the beautiful bright colors, the wonderful smell or maybe a mixture of both, but either ways, receiving flowers from someone that cares never fails to put a big smile on your face. Flowers really makes good gifts. You can send flowers to someone to celebrate their birthday, to your significant other on your anniversary, to cheer friends up when they are down, to show mom that you care on Mother's Day, to friends and relatives who are not feeling well and maybe even to that secret crush of yours, just to tell her that you are thinking about her. It's always easier to show someone that you care when you let the flowers do the talking. You know, sometimes you don't even need a reason to send flowers. Trust me, everybody loves it when they have that flower delivery, waiting for them at their door.The one person that we always love sending flowers to is my mother in law. She lives in Pittsburgh, so we do not get to see her often. Therefore, we always make it a point to send her flowers on her birthday, Mother's Day, Valentines Day and sometimes, even for no particular reason at all. We know that receiving flowers never fails to brighten her day and it also helps reminds her that even though we are miles away, we are still always thinking of her. So, the next time you are thinking of someone or when a special occasion is coming up and you would like to show that special someone that you care, buy them flowers. That's right. A bouquet from 1-800-Flowers is just the thing to do the trick! Just visit http://www.1800flowers.com/ and order flowers for that special someone today. You know you can never go wrong with flowers. Monday, June 21, 2010 * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of EZWINGAME.com. All opinions are 100% mine. For those of you who don't know, I am a huge sweepstakes fan. Whenever I hear of a good sweepstakes promotion online, I would always go check it out. However, there are so many so called 'sweepstakes' going on everyday online, it's hard to know which are the real ones and which are the fakes. Many of this 'sweepstakes' are actually scams, where you have to provide them with your credit card details, cell phone numbers (so that they can bill you) or some even go as far as trying to get your social security number! Therefore, I have always been very cautious when it comes to entering sweepstakes online. I came across a new sweepstakes site today called EZWinGame and it's totally awesome. Hence, I have decided to share it with you guys. EZWinGame offers free sweepstakes with cool prize giveaways like the Apple iPad, HP Netbook, Kodak Easyshare digital camera, Apple iPads, Apple iTouch, Ninetendo Wii and various gift cards. It's really easy to enter, no long forms to fill in and no surveys to answer. All you need to do is fill in your email address. Yup, that's it! Also, you will never be asked for a credit card or a cell phone number to bill. Everything is free. Sounds too easy? Worried that it's a scam? Well, it's not! You can check out testimonials from real winners from their website. Want to increase your chances of winning?Just invite friends and family with a referral code. Then, if your friend or family member wins the grand prize (Apple iPad), you win too! Not only that, you can also check out Ezopinion and share your opinion in at least 5 topics to increase your chances of winning. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to EZWINGAME.com before June 30th and try your luck at the sweepstakes today! Remember, June 30th is the day they will be giving out a smorgsboard of prizes, including the Apple iPad and Ninitendo Wii! Friday, June 18, 2010 We had a great time hanging out with Chai Yuet and Kheng Leng at The Frying Pan. So, the next time you are visiting Manhattan or if you are looking to get away from the crazy city life for a couple of hours, head over to The Frying Pan and get yourself a bucket of Corona. Hey, you might even see us there! :P The Frying Pan Bar & Grill Pier 66 Maritime, W.26th Street and Hudson River Park, New York, NY 10001 Tel: (212) 989-6363

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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2013-05-18T05:49:14Z

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India has offered to build a pipeline from its territory to the Wagah border for export of oil to meet all needs of Pakistan if Delhi is assured purchases in large quantities over the long run, a move that will deprive energy-rich Gulf countries of a lucrative market. Pakistan believes that it can get oil supplies from neighbouring India at 30% cheaper prices because of low transportation cost, say officials. A government official told The Express Tribune that Pakistan and India were likely to strike a deal with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the concluding day of two-day talks on Tuesday relating to import of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Delhi. “India has told us that it has a surplus capacity of 50 million tons of oil,” he said. During the first day of technical-level talks between the two countries in Islamabad, the Pakistani team expressed the desire that it could import all petroleum products including high-speed diesel, furnace oil, petrol and jet fuel from India to meet domestic requirements. In a unique proposal, Pakistan offered export of naphtha – a surplus product – to India, which Delhi would convert into petrol and then re-export it to Pakistan. “India also needs naphtha for its industries,” the official said. “The two sides will finalise the prices of petroleum products and transportation charges today (Tuesday),” a participant of the meeting said. Besides laying an oil pipeline to Wagah, “we can also ship oil through sea route to meet the demand of southern parts while tankers may also be used in this regard,” the official quoted the Indian side as saying. However, Pakistani officials looked not interested in oil supplies through tankers, believing it would prove expensive. However, import of oil through ships was considered cheaper, but the pipeline was described as the cheapest option. Pakistan consumes 6.9 million tons of diesel per year, of which domestic oil refineries produce 3.2 to 3.4 million tons and the rest is imported. Furnace oil demand stands at about nine million tons, of which domestic refineries produce about 2.5 million tons and the remaining is imported. The country is working on some new power plants, which will increase demand of furnace oil in coming years. Pakistani and Indian officials would also discuss import of 200 million cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per day from Delhi, which would be able to swiftly start deliveries. Pakistani authorities believe that import of LNG from Qatar and other countries like Malaysia would take three years, while India may start supply in six to eight months, the official said, adding the import plan would be finalised during the two-day talks. The Indian delegation was headed by P Kalyanasundaram, Director (International Cooperation and Corporate Affairs), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and comprised representatives of leading Indian companies. The Pakistani team was headed by Shabbir Ahmed, Joint Secretary (International and Joint Ventures), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, representatives of ministries of commerce, foreign affairs, finance and others. Earlier Petroleum Secretary Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry said this dialogue would provide an opportunity for Indian businessmen to explore potential areas of trade with Pakistan. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain said there was potential for trade in petroleum products between India and Pakistan. “Pakistan is interested in importing furnace oil and diesel,” he said while talking to the visiting Indian delegation. Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2012.

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Murdoch’s inside jobPUBLISHED: 31 Mar 2012 00:34:00 | UPDATED: 02 Apr 2012 13:39:13PUBLISHED: 31 Mar 2012 PRINT EDITION: 31 Mar 2012 Rupert Murdoch was so taken with NDS technology that in 2002 when General Motors was planning to launch a US satellite operation called DirecTV, he intervened to persuade them to use NDS to safeguard their broadcast. Source: Reuters - Download a sample of the 14,400 emails held by former NDS European chief for Operational Security Ray Adams - Explore a sample of the 14,400 emails on DocumentCloud - Full coverage | Pay TV piracy It was a game, and they played it across continents. From Latin America, the United States and Canada, across Europe and Asia down to Australia and New Zealand. In every country, in every market, it was game on. They were on a mission and they had no rules – or rather, no one to call them to account. They were undercover. They would use funny code names and false money trails, secret informants, “honey pots” and deep cover agents. They had scorn for everybody who stood in their way and they expressed that scorn freely in encrypted emails to each other, secure that no one from outside their tight group would ever read them There was no moral quality to doing this; it was a necessary part of the operation. It was part of the business. And what was that business? “It’s not terrorism, it’s not suicide bombing, it’s not weapons of mass destruction,” says Jan Saggiori, a Swiss-Italian hacker who became a target of the underground operatives. “It’s pay television.” And that raises the billion-dollar question in the global media storm that has engulfed Rupert Murdoch’s media empire after revelations on Wednesday that a secret unit called Operational Security had promoted piracy of News’s pay TV competitors across the world. News Corporation is one of the most dynamic, creative and powerful media groups in the world. It employs tens of thousands of gifted, committed professionals whose work is groundbreaking, and often inspiring. How did a global media giant become involved in a high-tech spying scandal? In 1999, the year James Cameron was winning Oscars for Titanic, which made so much money for News, how did the Murdoch empire come to be running a private security force with an annual budget between $5 million and $10 million? At the heart of the drama that is playing out is the modern world’s desperate need for security. Our bank accounts, our personal details, our communications – a great part of our life, is stored as data. To protect it, the data must be encrypted, often with microchips mounted on smartcards. Our secrets must be safe. That’s why the figure of the hacker is so threatening. Whether it is Julian Assange or online groups such as Anonymous of Lulzsec, the appearance of the hacker is the signal for deployment of investigators, of security firms, specialist police units and intelligence agencies. But what happens when it isn’t a government calling in the spooks? What happens when it is a company that goes into the intelligence business? The short answer is that hiring former spies and intelligence officers changes the culture of a corporation. And that’s what seemed to happen at News Corporation and its problem child, NDS. The chain of events is dramatically illustrated in an archive of emails that came from the computer hard drive of a senior NDS executive. The Financial Review has obtained 14,400 of the emails, many of which have been published through our website afr.com. The development within NDS parallels the way excessive use of private investigators changed the culture of the newspapers at News International that used them, the News of the World and The Sun. NDS was an accident of history. In February 1998 an Australian technology consultant, Bruce Hundertmark, badgered Murdoch into shelling out $3.6 million to found a start-up company in Israel called News Datacom Research, based on encryption technology developed by the Weizmann Institute, which took a 20 per cent stake. (The details of the early history are airbrushed out of many accounts). Seven months later, after blithely deciding to launch Sky Television in the UK, Murdoch realised that he needed to encrypt the broadcast stream. It’s called conditional access. You can access the programming and watch the moving pictures only on the condition you have paid for it. Otherwise pay TV companies would go broke. A handful of technology companies around the world provide conditional access services – including Nagra in Switzerland, Viaccess and Canal Plus Technologies in France (later sold to Nagra) and Irdeto in South Africa and the Netherlands. They all use smartcards with microchips on them that are inserted into the set-top box to decrypt the pay television signal – and they are the heart of any pay TV system. They provide the customer management base as well as the platform to offer interactive services. But the microchips on the smartcards can be hacked and the source codes to the chips exposed. In 1988 Murdoch turned to NDS to develop his own conditional access system for Sky. He was so taken with NDS technology that in 2002 when General Motors was planning to launch a US satellite operation called DirecTV, he intervened to persuade them to use NDS to safeguard their broadcast. And in 1997, when Murdoch agreed to merge his US satellite interests with the other big satellite broadcaster, EchoStar, run by Charlie Ergen, he walked away from the deal when Ergen refused to replace the Nagra smartcards Echostar used with NDS cards. Ergen said the NDS cards weren’t safe. In his office in Denver, Colorado, he pulled out some pirate cards for DirecTV and put them into his system to show Murdoch how comprehensively the NDS cards had been broken. That’s the problem with smartcards. The microchips on the card can be hacked, and the secret codes that operate the cards exposed. Once this happens, pirate cards can be made that mimic the real cards and switch on the programming without payment, draining the broadcasters’ revenue. It’s huge business. Some estimates put the number of pirate cards for DirecTV by 2000 at close to 1 million. If true, that was $500 million of revenue DirecTV wasn’t earning – and tens of millions of dollars that pirates were. But it wasn’t piracy that introduced Murdoch to the world of spies and intelligence. It was a fraud that a former chief executive of NDS, Michael Clinger, was still running on NDS years after he had been forced out. Amazingly, Clinger had run NDS from 1990 to late 1991 despite having a US arrest warrant outstanding against him for stock fraud. News Corp general counsel Arthur Siskind hired Reuven Hasak, a former deputy head of Israel’s domestic secret service, Shin Bet, to run the investigation in 1995. Hasak made short shrift of Clinger, and NDS chief executive Abe Peled then hired Hasak full time to set up a special unit called Operational Security to fight piracy of NDS smartcards used by BSkyB in Britain, DirecTV in the US and Foxtel in Australia. To head Op Sec in Europe, Hasak hired Ray Adams, a highly decorated but controversial former police commander who had run the Metropolitan Police’s S11 criminal intelligence unit. In the US, Hasak hired John Norris, who had been a US Army captain in intelligence during the Vietnam War and had close links with the US Secret Service. Adams and Norris worked with the FBI, the US Secret Service, US Customs and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as well as police forces and anti-piracy groups across Europe to target the hackers and dealers who produced the pirate cards. They instigated hundreds of raids on suspected pirates and forged an impressive reputation as a tough enforcement arm. But piracy persisted, particularly in North America. Hasak’s people were not just on good terms with law enforcement agencies. Adams’s UK Operational Security team even had a special line item for police. It was Code 880110 and appears in a string of NDS departmental budgets. On June 9, 2000, Adams’s deputy Len Withall, another former policeman, asked for a £2000 cheque to be made out to Surrey Police, drawn on Code 880110, which he explained was “an amount of money set aside for payment to police/informants for assistance given to us in our work”. Adams was more explicit on October 9, 2001, when he explained Code 880110 to NDS accountant Greg Gormley, who was looking for budget cuts: “This is a contingency sum for police informants. No claims so far. May be none this year.” That proved optimistic, as a month later, on November 13, 2001, Withall told an NDS accountant he needed £1000 cash. It should be charged against Code 880110, which he said was “used for payment to some informants not covered under our normal payment system”. Who was Withall going to pay, using the “contingency sum for police informants”, and why did it have to be in cash? These payments raise serious questions, beginning with how a major division in News Corp had a line item in its budgets which on Adams’s description at least, was to be paid to police informants? How is such a line item discussed at the annual budget planning sessions? At the least, whatever use the money was intended for – and it may well have been innocuous – including it as a line item embeds it in the corporate culture. Adams may have used his police contacts when he was able to obtain mobile telephone records for a person suspected of involvement in pay TV piracy in Canada. He also appears to have tried to obtain telephone records for an Australian hacker, David Cottle, known as Bond 007. The Operational Security chief in Asia, Avigail Gutman, was closely monitoring Cottle, supplying him with blank smartcards to aid his piracy of Austar and Foxtel while dissuading rival Irdeto security from moving against him. “The sources of accusations that NDS participated in piracy of competitor conditional-access systems have been repeatedly discredited,” a spokesman told the Financial Review. “The United States Department of Justice, a federal court jury, a federal trial court and a federal appellate court all rejected allegations that NDS is responsible for TV piracy.” Given the close ties Operational Security had to law enforcement, how did the piracy allegations arise? There was a second arm to the Operational Security strategy. In addition to chasing pirates, Hasak’s “Black Hat” team set out to recruit top hackers, turning them first into informants and then using their expertise to learn how to reverse engineer or deconstruct the smartcards of their rivals. German master hacker Oliver Kömmerling set up a laboratory in Haifa and trained NDS staff to use micro probes, optical microscopes, micro-laser cutters and a focused ion beam machine to peel away the microchips used by rival companies in their smartcards – the Seca card produced by Canal Plus in France, the Nagra card used by US satellite broadcaster Echostar, the South African-Dutch Irdeto card and the Viaccess card by France Telecom. The process on the Nagra card was completed in October 1998 – and within days, part of the same code was published on a piracy site called DR7.com run by a Canadian called Al Menard On March 26, 1999, the ROM source code for the Seca card by Canal Plus was also posted on DR7. Suspicion fell on Chris Tarnovsky, an American hacker employed by NDS who was a close friend of Menard. Kömmerling in Germany saw the DR7 ROM file and realised the Seca file had the same time and date stamp – 4pm on July 6, 1998 – as the ROM file that the NDS Black Hat team had created the previous summer. The odds against two different files being saved at the same minute in a year are 500,000 to one. It was the same file. NDS contests this, pointing out that it’s possible to change a time stamp on a computer file artificially. But if someone fabricated the time stamp to frame NDS, how did they know what the time stamp needed to be, unless they had seen the NDS file? It was a forensic fingerprint that tied the file posted on DR7 to NDS. But how did the NDS file get to DR7? Suspicion fell on Tarnovsky. Kömmerling says that Tarnovsky later told him he had been given the Seca ROM file and when he asked what to do with it, an NDS executive had indicated by a facial gesture that he should release it on the internet. Tarnovsky denies having posted the file. Two days after the Seca ROM file appeared on DR7, Saggiori, phoned Tarnovsky, who was a close friend, and asked if he could help supply a part of the Seca ROM that had not been included in the file on DR7. “[Chris] told me he was not able to have the Canal Plus ROM 2000 address because that part had been lost during extraction of the code,” Saggiori testified in a US court in 2008. But Tarnovsky had the ROM code for the Nagra card, which he offered to send to Saggiroi. Both cards were built on an ST Thomson microprocessor, and Tarnovsky incorrectly believed they shared the same system ROM codes. Tarnovsky sent the Nagra code to Saggiori as an attachment to an email with the PGP encryption system. This locked the file with a date and time. It could be unlocked only by Saggiori’s private key. This was forensic evidence that linked Tarnovsky and NDS to the release of part of the underlying code for the ST Thomson chip used by Nagra. At the 2008 trial, an NDS independent expert examined the encrypted file but made no submission to challenge its authenticity. Tarnovsky denied having sent the email to Saggiori, and said he would not have used the high level of encryption in the attachment because it was illegal in the US at the time. Six months later Saggiori wrote a report that ended up in the hands of Gilles Kaehlin, the head of security at Canal Plus. He opened an inquiry that led to Canal Plus suing NDS for $1 billion in damages, in March 2002. Oliver Kömmerling became a surprise witness for Canal Plus. Adams lost his job, and in the process the hard drive of his laptop, with thousands of revealing emails, was reported stolen. Only days before, OnDigital, the fledgling pay TV rival to BSkyB in Britain which used the widely pirated Seca card, had collapsed owing £1 billion. In 2000, DirecTV had sued NDS for piracy-related behaviour, but the case was settled. DirecTV insisted Tarnovsky had no further contact with its smartcards. It now sought to reopen the case in light of the Canal Plus allegations, citing actions by Kömmerling. A US Attorney in San Diego convened a grand jury to investigate NDS, and other satellite broadcasters – Echostar in the US, Sogecable in Spain and MEASAT in Malaysia – applied to join to the Canal Plus action. In June 2002, with the Vivendi/Canal Plus empire days away from collapse, Murdoch agreed to buy its Telepiu pay TV arm in Italy, which he merged with Stream to form Sky Italia. A condition of the deal was that Canal Plus buried the NDS lawsuit. It became a race for time to see whether Echostar, Sogecable and MEASAT could gain access to the Canal Plus documentation before the Telepiu deal closed in April 2003. The window closed. MEASAT walked away when the Canal Plus case closed. Sogecable and EchoStar had to launch new lawsuits. But the delay in trying to join Canal Plus meant most of the events that formed the basis of their cases were now beyond the statute of limitations. DirecTV dropped its NDS lawsuit after News acquired control of the broadcaster in 2003. The grand jury investigation was transferred to Los Angeles, where a new deputy US Attorney found NDS had no case to answer. EchoStar soldiered on, going to trial with a drastically restricted case in 2008. NDS applied to call the deputy US Attorney as a witness, but the judge ruled against NDS over questions of whether News had helped him get a job at the Motion Picture Association. The jury decided in EchoStar’s favour on three of the six counts, but awarded negligible damages. The trial judge awarded split costs with $5 million in EchoStar’s favour. This was overturned by the appeals court. “Just this week, EchoStar realised the cost of making these futile and damaging allegations against NDS when it paid approximately $19 million to NDS,” an NDS spokesman told the Financial Review during the week. NDS has been sued by five of the largest satellite broadcasters in the world, each of which was seeking damages of about $1 billion, after paying estimated legal costs of some $80 million. NDS has emerged unscathed and undaunted. It prefers to focus on its successful sale to Cisco, the spokesman said. How much are the NDS secrets worth? The two-part sale of NDS that began in 2008 has shown that encryption is a goldmine. The total payout was $5.7 billion. We're improving afr.com. Click here to complete our short survey to have your say. The Australian Financial Review WE'RE IMPROVING AFR.COM Complete our short survey to have your say.

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It was not the promising day for commodities, with confidence once again fading in China's economy after data showed the country's services sector expanding at its slowest pace in five months. Furthermore, Beijing tightened rules on mortgages in the latest effort to slow the Chinese housing market. "It is increasingly clear that Chinese growth will slow from the second quarter onwards, and this will limit potential for recovery in Asia," Crédit Agricole said in words which would appear to bode ill for commodities, in that the country is a huge importer of many of them. in China took a tumble, closing down 3.7%, while shedding 1.5% in Hong Kong Meanwhile, the dollar rose 0.3%, making dollar-denominated exports such as many commodities less appealing to buyers in other currencies. So it was hardly so surprising that there was a little bit of weaker tone to early deals on Monday, including in some commodities of which China is a large importer. New York cotton for May eased 0.1% to 85.30 cents a pound as of 09:20 UK time (04:20 New York time, 03:20 Chicago time), with the Chinese news overshadowing a somewhat bullish monthly report from the International Cotton Advisory Committee. The committee reduced its global cotton production forecast for 2012-13 by nearly 3% to 22.6m tonnes, while trimming its estimate for year-end inventories by 0.8% to 15.8m tonnes. 'Demand returning to Soybeans, of which China is the top importer, eased a little too, by 0.3% to $14.39 a bushel in Chicago for May delivery. Bulls gained some solace in a downgrade of 2.4m tonnes by Safras e Mercado to its estimate for the Brazilian soybean crop, citing excessive rain in Mato Grosso last month, and taking the crop figure to 82.24m tonnes. While still a record, the downgrade took some of the shine off a 500,000-tonne upgrade to 84.5m tonnes in Informa's estimate for the crop, while AgRural lifted its forecast by 900,000 tonnes to 82.1m tonnes. "Brazil is on track to produce a bumper soybean crop and global export demand is returning to Brazil again as exports in February jumped," Joyce Liu at Phillip Futures said. "At current high price levels, further weakness in soybean contracts can be expected [in Chicago]." Wheat was down too, by 0.7% to $7.15 ¾ a bushel for Chicago's May contract, on track for its first negative close in five sessions, after a bounce from eight-month lows reached early OK, Luke Mathews at Commonwealth Bank of Australia noted that "the market continues to talk about the improvement in demand for US supplies given the February price slide". Saudi Arabia announced a large wheat purchase over the weekend, of 465,000 tonnes of hard wheat and 110,000 tonnes of soft, although origin was not specified. Prices for the two soft wheat cargoes were $326.28 and $330 a tonne, with the hard wheat loads priced from $317.13 to $361.63 a tonne. However, on the negative side, the hopes for US exports come against a backdrop of ideas that Ukraine could return to shipments, with potentially 2m tonnes to sell. And the weekend brought more precipitation for dry US Plains areas where seedlings have been struggling with drought. "Weekend precipitation was near expectations," MDA said, adding that "considerable snow melt is helping to improve soil moisture". And looking ahead in the six-to-10-day timescale, the US-based weather service said that "an upturn in precipitation in the central Plains will further improve moisture for wheat. "The same is true for the Midwest wheat belt." 'Slow farm selling' It was left to corn to hold up bulls' hopes in Chicago, adding 0.3% to $7.10 ¼ a bushel for May delivery, helped by ideas of firm demand for limited US supplies "Slow farm selling and improving demand from ethanol plants and end-users are causing the strong cash market and we are seeing some commercial traders trying their luck for potential delivery in the futures markets," Ms Liu said. "But so far no delivery against the [expiring] March contract was reported by the Chicago Board of Trade." At Benson Quinn Commodities, Ben Bradbury said: "Domestic basis levels remain firm along with spreads as movement on the producer level continues to be slow. "I would anticipate further appreciation in board prices will attract better sales, but for now things are quiet." Mr Bradbury noted in particular a rise in prices of ethanol Rins – paper credits assigned by producers to ethanol batches, that users can be used by blenders as a substitute for the real biofuel. Prices of Rins have risen above $0.60 a gallon – well above their traditional price of some $0.02 a gallon, and improving the benefits to producers of making ethanol, and taking the covers off plants mothballed last year when corn prices hit record highs, severely squeezing margins. And Brazil's government has confirmed that its own mandated level of ethanol in gasoline will revert to 25%, from 20%, in May. Meanwhile, the extent of the sell-off in corn by speculators may have some investors thinking twice about putting on fresh short positions. Speculators' net long position in Chicago corn futures and options fell more than 13,000 lots in the latest week to an eight-month low of In New York, raw sugar also made early gains, underpinned by data showing that India's sugar mills produced 18.8m tonnes of the sweetener in the first half of 2012-13, ie from October to February, down 60,000 tonnes year on year. Output in Uttar Pradesh, India's second-ranked producing state, fell by 300,000 tonnes to 5.0m, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said in a statement, blamed cold weather. Raw sugar for May, now the spot contract, added 0.4% to 17.98 cents a pound. In Kuala Lumpur, palm oil gained too, adding 1.4% to 2,403 ringgit a tonne for May delivery, looking for its first gain in nine sessions. The recovery reflected in part soyoil's firm performance in Chicago on Friday, but also the prospect of a major palm oil conference in Malaysia, which will include price outlooks, encouraging some investors to err on the side of caution and take profits on short positions.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- The newly launched Skim Amanah Rakyat 1Malaysia (SARA 1Malaysia) will be managed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Malaysian Development Holdings Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Finance Ministry Incorporated. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched the 1Malaysia Amanah Rakyat Scheme today aimed at helping those with a monthly household income of RM3,000 and below. KOTA BAHARU, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The Kelantan people who are eligible for the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) are expected to receive the payment before the Chinese New Year celebration on Jan 23, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said. KUALA KUBU BAHARU, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The Information, Communications and Culture Ministry is targeting to get 55,000 volunteers through the 1Malaysia Community programme. RAWANG, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The 1Malaysia Community, a multiracial volunteer body, will be the prime mover for programmes under the Barisan Nasional (BN) patronage. RAWANG, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The first day of the 1Malaysia Community programme (K1M) has received overwhelming response when the multi-ethnic communities visited the programme site at Padang Jalan Kantan, Hulu Selangor, here Friday. RAWANG, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Friday a survey has cited the 1Malaysia brand as being very popular now.

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Already a Bloomberg.com user? Sign in with the same account. Mexico was invited to join nine- nation Pacific trade talks, a step that may boost Canada’s chances of taking part and give North America a bigger role in the regional negotiations, according to business groups. The governments negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership acted on Mexico’s expression of interest in the talks, U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced today at a G-20 summit in the Mexican resort city of Los Cabos. Mexico’s entry “will encourage the Canadians to come to the table in the near term as well,” Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the New York-based Council of the Americas, which promotes open markets in the Western Hemisphere, said in a phone interview. Expanding the discussions also may slow the process of concluding an agreement, he said. The regional partnership is a top priority of the Obama administration’s trade agenda. Japan and Canada also have expressed interest in joining the talks, though no agreement has been reached yet. In addition to the U.S., the countries in the discussions are Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Joining the trade talks is “a great piece of news for Mexicans,” Calderon said. The accord will create jobs and trade for the next two decades, he said. The regional discussions “are critical to establishing strong economic footing for the United States in the Pacific region and providing a counterbalance to China,” Republican Representative Dave Camp of Michigan, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, said in a statement. He said he supports including Mexico. By including Mexico, U.S. businesses, workers, farmers and ranchers will get to take advantage of economic benefits triggered when the agreement is completed, the National Foreign Trade Council, a Washington-based business group, said in a statement. The American Automotive Policy Council, a Washington-based industry group for Ford Motor Co. (F), General Motors Co. (GM) and Chrysler Group LLC, also supports including Mexico and Canada, as long as their addition doesn’t stall the negotiations. Japan should further open its auto market to international competitors before being allowed to participate in the Pacific agreement, according to the group’s website. The Obama administration plans to notify Congress soon that it intends to include Mexico in the agreement, starting a 90-day consultation period with lawmakers, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office said in a statement. The public will have a chance to comment, it said. The Pacific-region partners want to conclude the agreement “expeditiously,” according to the statement. The nations, which have held 12 rounds of negotiations, plan to resume discussions July 2-10 in San Diego. To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Wingfield in Washington at email@example.com To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at firstname.lastname@example.org

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As trade negotiators from around the Pacific Rim gathered in Chicago and southern California to hammer out the details of a massive new trade deal, CTC and our allies were there to demand a “Fair Deal or No Deal” on the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement. The Trans-Pacific FTA is currently under negotiation between the United States, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Peru — but is also intended as a “docking agreement” that is theoretically open to any country in the Pacific Rim. The outcome of a deal this large will influence the types of jobs available in our communities; the wages and benefits that many jobs pay; tax revenues and public services; greenhouse gas emissions and the environment; access to medicine; consumer protections; financial regulations; the health of family farms; and global migration patterns. Corporate lobbyists are pushing hard for their vision of the ideal trade agreement. The window of opportunity is short for labor, environmental, family farm, consumer, faith, immigrant rights, indigenous and other social justice activists to make our voices heard. In Chicago in September 2011, CTC worked with local, national and international partners to organize a Week of Action outside the Trans-Pacific FTA negotiations. Check out the photos online here. It’s also not too late to take action online here. Endorsing organizations (for either part or all of the week) included the Chicago Federation of Labor; Chicago Jobs with Justice; Chicago and Midwest Regional Board of Workers United; Chicago Teachers Union; Citizens Trade Campaign; Communications Workers of America (CWA); CWA National Women’s Committee; Friends of the Earth; HealthGAP; International Association of Machinists; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Public Citizen; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Sierra Club; Stand Up! Chicago; United Electrical Workers (UE); United Steelworkers; and many others.

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DAVOS -- United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called here on Sunday for more corporations to get serious about environmental protection, human rights and labor standards -- and lobbied them to come on board the UN's Global Compact for corporate responsibility. The UN chief also announced that he had enlisted the help of a top executive, Goran Lindahl, former President and CEO of the Swiss company ABB, Ltd., to recruit more businesses to join the compact. The Compact is set of nine principles on environmental protection, human rights and labor standards that was born out of a speech the Secretary General delivered at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in 1999. Annan asked business leaders on Sunday to not wait for governments to establish laws in these areas but to adopt their own code of conduct based on the Compact's principles. ''Global systems of rules to protect intellectual property are stronger than rules to protect human rights,'' Annan said. The UN has set the target of trying to get 1,000 corporations to endorse the Compact by 2002. So far it has been endorsed by about 300 companies. Annan also announced the convening of a meeting in March to work on how corporations can behave responsibly in zones of conflict. He said that UN agencies on the ground in areas of conflict would work with companies operating in those regions. Georg Kell, Annan's top adviser on the Compact, told the Forum News Daily in an interview at his office at UN Headquarters in New York that the 1999 speech was so well received by governments that they lobbied Annan to take the Compact beyond words even though it was only intended to give a boost to the elements of the UN system that watch over these areas: the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). If the Compact's principles appear to be vague or obscure, then Kell and his associates at the UN have accomplished their mission. According to Kell, the goal was to provide a ''broad tent'' which companies could work under as they shape their practices, taking into account their own The Compact is not a code of conduct, Kell said. Companies do not have to report on their compliance with it. The UN has neither the mandate nor the resources to hold the companies accountable, said Kell. Among the Compact's signatories are 40 top-flight companies (including BP Amoco, DuPont, Unilever and Nike), several business associations including the International Chamber of Commerce, and NGOs such as Amnesty International and the World Wildlife Fund. Many of the signatories say they have been busy trying to incorporate the principles into their business practices, and some are even acting as publicists for the Compact. Volvo Car Corp. has helped build a ''Scandinavian Network'' of companies in the region that have met to discuss best practices in following the Compact's principles, according to Kaarina Dubee, a Corporate Diversity Manager with Volvo. ''We wanted to create a forum for sharing of best practice and experiences,'' she said, ''because it is extremely complex for a company that is not used to thinking about human rights. When it comes to human rights and labor standards, companies tend to work at a very local level, following the laws. But things are changing so quickly.'' The network includes the Norwegian energy company Statoil, ABB and regional offices of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. According to Dubee, getting corporations, particularly high-tech companies, to think about human rights and labor standards is more difficult than getting them to think about environmental issues. A high tech company may have to look far down its supply chain to be sure that its suppliers are not violating human rights, labor or environmental standards, said Dubee. The Compact has also caught on with corporations in developing countries. Some 220 Brazilian companies and a local business association have expressed support for the Compact, said Kell. In the Asia-Pacific region, 19 employers' organizations have voiced their support of the Compact, as have business leaders in Malaysia and India. Some companies have tried to improve the conditions of the countries in which they operate. Statoil donated $115,000 to the Norwegian Refugee Council to support refugees and displaced persons in countries where it operates, including Angola, Azerbaijan and Georgia. WebMD, which operates Internet sites providing health care information, is in the process of launching 10,000 online ''tele-medicine'' sites in developing While many groups have supported the Compact, including some of the toughest critics of many of companies that have also endorsed its principles, it does have its critics. Among them is CorpWatch, which says these companies are getting a free ride by not being held accountable for how they follow the Compact's principles in their operations. It argues that if the UN does not have the ability to enforce its principles it should not work with these companies. The Compact's ''vague and voluntary character means that it will likely do more harm than good,'' writes Corporate Europe Observer, a corporate watchdog group. ''Annan has made it no secret that the Global Compact is a chance for corporations to improve their public image and counter the backlash against trade and investment liberalization,'' it wrote. ''It is certain that through the Global Compact the UN will contribute to the largely incorrect impression that corporations are on the way to becoming socially and environmentally responsible actors.'' Kell said this argument is weak. Many of the companies that are endorsing the Compact were not on the radar screens of NGOs and the media, he said, adding that when these companies publicly endorse the Compact they open themselves up to scrutiny. These companies can ''no longer just look at the financial bottom line,'' said Kell. ''You can make change only where there is a need for change.'' When the British mining giant Rio Tinto said it wanted to start mining uranium out of Australia's Kakadu National Park, environmental groups cited the company's endorsement of the Compact as a reason they should abandon the project, according to Kell. Another charge leveled by these groups is that the companies get to ''wrap themselves in the UN flag.'' Kell conceded that, in terms of public image of the Compact, he and his colleagues had been naive. Since this criticism was raised, Kell has made it clear that the UN flag or logo may not be used by any company without clearance from the UN Legal Critics of the Compact have also focused on the natural resources extracting companies that have endorsed the principles Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Statoil and Norsk Hydro. Such companies are among those most likely to be working in conflict zones, and in many cases the tax revenues they generate for local governments has exacerbated conflicts. Annan cited how the South African diamond cartel DeBeers was working to ensure it was not purchasing diamonds from areas where there is reason to believe the money would be used to fuel conflict and buy ''Because the oil companies are sometimes among the first foreign investors to arrive in a country,'' said Geir Westgaard, Statoil's Vice President for Country Analysis and Social Responsibility, ''we tend to lead the charge in terms of opening the country to integration into the Westgaard said that oil companies are increasingly being asked to take on responsibilities beyond the scope of their ability, such as ensuring that revenue generated by their operations is used by governments for the public good. ''While we don't want to be seen as shirking our corporate social responsibilities,'' said Westgaard, ''we are not at all comfortable with expectations that we should tell our host governments how to spend their revenues. I believe it's important to acknowledge and draw some clear distinctions between the roles and responsibilities that can and should be assumed by business, NGOs, governments and the UN system Kell and his colleagues at the UN say they agree with this position. Kell has said that governments must not divest themselves of responsibility to their citizens to protect the principles outlined in ''Already governments are divesting responsibilities, and there is a temptation to use the notion of corporate citizenship or social responsibility to justify this,'' said Kell. ''But governments continue to hold the key to unlocking economic opportunities; leaders failing their own people continue to constitute the single biggest source of human This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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In a press release Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that the subscribership for World of Warcraft has exceeded 11 million players worldwide. This milestone was reached as Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft's second expansion, nears its worldwide launch date of November 13. Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment commented on World of Warcraft reaching the milestone stating, "It's been very rewarding to see gamers around the world continue to show such strong support for World of Warcraft.” He also said, “We remain fully committed to responding to that enthusiasm with a high-quality, constantly evolving game experience.” World of Warcraft debuted in North America on November 23, 2004, and has become the most popular MMORPG around the world. According to the press release World of Warcraft was the bestselling PC game of 2005 and 2006 worldwide, and finished behind only World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, the first expansion pack for the game, in 2007. In addition to being the bestselling PC game of 2007 in both North America and Europe, The Burning Crusade holds the record for fastest-selling PC game of all time, with nearly 2.4 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and approximately 3.5 million in its first month. World of Warcraft was recently launched in Russia and Latin America, and is currently available in eight languages. In addition to North America and Europe, the game is played in mainland China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Chile, Argentina, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

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September 14, 2012, - 9:53 am There’s much buzz about topless photos that have emerged of British royal Kate Middleton. They were taken while the Duchess of Cambridge was dressing at a “remote” house” (um, rocket scientist tip: close the drapes/blinds . . . Einstein-level advice, I know). But far more offensive are the photos (such as those below) of Middleton wearing the Islamic headscarf and otherwise pandering to Muslims in Malaysia by removing her shoes along with her Prince husband, in deference to Islam. Remember, this is the country whose leader–to great cheers–called for more Islamic homicide bombings and mass murders of Jews and a “final victory” of the world’s Muslims against the Jews. And, per usual, the British royals are pandering to the Malaysians, despite that. For all the talk about Kate and William being fresh blood and faces, their Islamo-pandering behavior–kissing the asses of those who openly support Islamic terrorism–is the same old crap we saw from Queen Elizabeth (who refuses to ever visit Israel) and her inbred son, Prince Charles of “I Wish I Was Your Tampon” fame, who appointed himself “the ambassador for Islam.” They Heart Islam . . . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, are the same old thing, with better fashions and fewer wrinkles. Oh, and by the way, the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel site, London Muslim, is having orgasms over the photos. Princess Kate down with the jihadist struggle! Alhamdillullah [praise allah]. ABC’s “Good Morning America” reported that Kate was wearing a “fashionable hijab.” Newsflash: it’s just a plain white scarf. And what’s “fashionable” about wearing the garb of oppression–a head-covering mandated by Islam for women because the men cannot control their impulses and aren’t expected to because a strand of hair might turn them on to the point of raping the “open meat” of a woman with visible hair? Just asking. If that’s “fashionable,” it must be the year 700. Or, sadly, 2012 for British royals. More Photos . . . Tags: British royal family, British royals, British royals Islam, Duchess of Cambridge, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, hijab, Islam, Kate Middleton, Kate Middleton hijab, Kate Middleton Islam, Kate Middleton Islamic garb, Kate Middleton Malaysia, Kate Middleton mosque, Kate Middleton Muslim Garb, Kate MIddleton topless, Malaysia, Prince William, Princess Kate

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1. Linguistic Background The languages that are currently spoken in the Pacific region can be divided broadly into three groups: the Australian and New Guinean languages formed by people who participated in the region’s earliest migrations over a period of 20,000-30,000 years starting several tens of thousands of years ago, and the Austronesian languages spoken by Mongoloid people who migrated from the Asian continent around 3,000 B.C. The region has numerous languages, including 250 Aboriginal languages in Australia and 750 Papuan languages on the island of New Guinea (including the Indonesian territory of Irian Jaya) and neighboring areas. There are also 350 Austronesian languages in Melanesia, 20 in Polynesia, 12 in Micronesia and 100 in New Guinea (Comrie, Matthews, and Polinsky 1996). There is wide variation not only among language groups, but also among the families of languages. Few language families have been identified among the languages of Australia and New Guinea using the methods of comparative linguistics. Pacific languages are also characterized by the small size of speaker populations and by the absence of dominant languages. However, there are usually bilingual people who can speak or at least understand the languages of neighboring populations, and it is believed that this situation has existed for a long time. In terms of cultural factors, it appears that the diversification of languages in the Pacific region was accelerated by the emblematic function of language in the creation of a clear distinction between “ingroup” and “outgroup.” The languages of New Guinea and the region around it show diverse linkages and wide variations between languages. The Austronesian languages of the Pacific region are mostly classified as Oceanian languages, while the Chamorro and Palau languages of Micronesia are classified into the languages of Western Malaya and Polynesia (WMP, Indonesian family), and the indigenous languages of Maluku and Irian Jaya in Eastern Indonesia into the Central Malayo-Polynesian (CMP) or the South Halmahera-West New Guinea (SHWNG) subgroups. In particular, there are strong similarities between the linguistic characteristics of the CMP and SHWNG languages and those of the Melanesian branch of the Oceanian languages. These linguistic conditions and characteristics are attributable to ethnic migrations within the region over a long period of time, accompanied by contacts and linguistic merging with indigenous Papuan people. Papuan languages are still found in parts of Indonesia, including Northern Halmahera and the islands of Pantar and Alor and central and eastern Timor in the Province of Nusa Tenggara. In New Guinea, contact with Papuan languages has caused some Austronesian languages to exhibit a word order change from subject-verb-object to subject-object-verb (Austronesian Type 2) (Sakiyama 1994). 2. Linguistic Strata With the start of colonization by the European powers in the nineteenth century, a new set of linguistic circumstances developed in the region. First, pidgin languages based on European and Melanesian languages gradually emerged as common languages. The establishment of plantations in Samoa and in Queensland, Australia, which had concentrations of people who spoke Melanesian languages, was important in providing breeding grounds for pidgin languages. A pidgin language is formed from elements of the grammar of both contributing languages, though the pidgin languages tend to be looked down upon from the perspective of the more dominant of the two parent languages. The region’s newly formed common languages, including Tok Pisin, Bislama, and Solomon Pidgin, flourished after they were taken back to the homelands of the various speakers. This was possible because Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were all multilingual societies without dominant languages. The number of speakers of pidgin languages increased rapidly in this environment. At the same time, the continuing existence of ethnic minority languages came under threat. Examples of pidgins that were creolized (adopted as mother languages in their own right) include Solomon Pijin, which eventually had over 1,000 speakers aged five and over (1976) in the Solomon Islands. Bislama, a mixture of over 100 indigenous languages grafted upon a base of English and French, is now spoken by almost the entire population of Vanuatu (170,000 in 1996) and is partially creolized. Of particular interest is the fact that a group of more than 1,000 people who emigrated to New Caledonia have adopted Bislama as their primary language. The situation in Papua New Guinea, which has a population of 4,300,000 (1996), is even more dramatic. By 1982 the number of people using Tok Pisin as their primary language had reached 50,000, while another 2,000,000 used it as a second language (Grimes 1996). 3. Minority Languages and Common Languages in the Pacific Region The Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing published by UNESCO (Wurm 1996) provides merely a brief overview of the current situation in Papua New Guinea, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. There is no mention of Micronesia, New Caledonia, or Polynesia, presumably because of a lack of information resulting from the large number of languages in these areas. The following report covers areas and languages that I have researched and endangered languages covered by field studies carried out by Japanese researchers. 3.1 Belau (Palau), Micronesia According to Belau (Palau) government statistics (1990), the total population of 15,122 people includes 61 people living on outlying islands in Sonsorol State, and 33 in Hatohobei (Tochobei) State. Apart from the Sonsorol Islands, Sonsorol State also includes the islands of Fanah, Meril and Pulo An. In addition to the Hatohobei language, the language mix on these outlying islands also includes nuclear Micronesian (Chuukic) languages, which are the core Oceanian languages spoken in the Carolines. They differ from Palauan, which is an Indonesian language. To lump these languages together as the Sonsorol languages with a total of 600 speakers (Wurm and Hattori 1981-83) is as inaccurate as combining the Miyako dialects of Okinawa into a single classification. The number of Chuukic speakers has declined steadily since these figures were compiled. Starting in the German colonial period of the early twentieth century, people have been relocated from these outlying islands to Echang on Arakabesan Island in Belau. Today there are several hundred of these people. Many of those born in the new location only speak Palauan. A study by S. Oda (1975) estimated that there were 50 speakers of Pulo Annian. The language of Meril continued to decline and has now become extinct. From the early part of the twentieth century until the end of World War II, Micronesia was under Japanese rule, administered by the South Seas Mandate. Japanese was used as a common language, and its influence is still evident today. The linguistic data on Micronesia presented by Grimes (1996) is distorted by the fact that, while the number of English speakers is shown, no mention is made of Japanese. A study carried out in 1970 (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996) found that people aged 35 and over could speak basic Japanese. This group is equivalent to people aged 63 and over in 1998. An estimate based on Belau government statistics (1990) suggests that more than 1,000 of these people are still alive. In the State of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, where the percentage of females attending school is said to have been low, we can assume that the number of Japanese speakers has fallen below 500. It has been suggested that if Japan had continued to rule Micronesia, Japanese would certainly have become the sole language in the region, and indigenous languages would have disappeared (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996). This seems an overly harsh appraisal of Japan’s language policy. Except in the schools, as a matter of fact no significant steps were taken to promote the use of Japanese. Micronesia previously had no common language for communication between different islands. Even today, old people from different islands use Japanese as a common language (Sakiyama 1995; Toki 1998). However, the role of this Japanese pidgin appears to have ended within a single generation, and in this sense it too is an endangered language. Pidgin Japanese continues to be used as a lingua franca by Taiwanese in their fifties and older (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996), and the number of speakers is estimated to have been 10,000 in 1993 (Grimes 1996). 3.2 Yap, Micronesia Ngulu Atoll is situated between the Yap Islands and the Belau Islands. The Nguluwan language is a mixture of Yapese and Ulithian, which belongs to the Chuukic family. It has inherited the Ulithian phonetic system and a partial version of Yap grammar (Sakiyama 1982). Nguluwan appears to have evolved through bilingualism between Yapese and Ulithian, and to describe it as a dialect of Ulithian (Grimes 1996) is inappropriate. In 1980 there were 28 speakers. Even with the inclusion of people who had migrated to Guror on Yap Island, where the parent village is located, the number of speakers was fewer than 50. Speakers are being assimilated rapidly into the Yapese language and culture. 3.3 Maluku, Indonesia The book Atlas Bahasa Tanah Maluku (Taber et al. 1996) covers 117 ethnic languages (Austronesian, Papuan), including numbers of speakers for each language, areas of habitation and migration, access routes, simple cultural information, and basic numbers and expressions. This work is especially valuable since it corrects inaccuracies and errors in the 1977 Classification and Index of the World's Languages by C. Y. L. Voegelin and F. M. Voegelin. It also distinguishes languages and dialects according to their a priori mutual intelligibility. Fifteen languages are listed as having fewer than 1,000 speakers. They include the Nakaela language of Seram, which has only 5 speakers, the Amahai and Paulohi languages, also of Seram, which are spoken by 50 people each, and the South Nuaulu and Yalahatan languages, which have 1,000 speakers each on Seram Island. The data, however, are not complete. For example, the Bajau language is not included, presumably because of the difficulty of accessing the various solitary islands where the Bajau people live. The author researched the Yalahatan language in 1997 and in 1998, and the Bajau language (2,000 speakers) on Sangkuwang Island in 1997. 3.4 Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea Detailed information about the names, numbers of speakers, and research data for over 800 languages spoken in New Guinea and its coastal regions can be found in the works by the Barrs (1978), Voorhoeve (1975), and Wurm (1982). However, not only the minority languages but even the majority languages other than a few have yet to be surveyed and researched adequately. There are many languages for which vocabulary collection has yet to be undertaken. It appears that dictionaries or grammars have been published for less than one-tenth of the region’s languages. However, the gospel has been published in several dozen languages using orthographies established by SIL. Papuan languages range from those with substantial speaker populations, including Enga, Chimbu (Kuman), and Dani, which are spoken by well over 100,000 people, to endangered languages such as Abaga with 5 speakers (150 according to Wurm ), Makolkol with 7 (unknown according to Wurm), and Sene with under 10. There are very many languages for which the number of speakers is unknown and more up-to-date information is needed. Also, despite having substantially more than 1,000 speakers (Wurm 1982; Grimes 1996), Murik is in danger of extinction due to the creolization of Tok Pisin (Foley 1986). Moreover, it is questionable whether the present lists include all of the region’s languages. Information about Irian Jaya is even sparser. A study on popular languages carried out by the author in 1984-85 revealed that Kuot (New Ireland), Taulil (New Britain), and Sko (Irian Jaya) all had several hundred speakers and that, in the case of Taulil in particular, an increasing number of young people were able to understand what their elders were saying but could no longer speak the language themselves. There has been a rapid shift to Kuanua, an indigenous language used in trade with neighboring Rabaul, which is replacing Taulil. 3.5 Solomon Islands, Melanesia The total population of the Solomon Islands is 390,000 (1996). There are 63 Papuan, Melanesian, and Polynesian indigenous languages, of which only 37 are spoken by over 1,000 people (Grimes 1996). The Papuan Kazukuru languages (Guliguli, Doriri) of New Georgia, which were known to be endangered as early as 1931, have become extinct already, leaving behind just some scant linguistic information. The Melanesian Tanema and Vano languages of the Santa Cruz Islands and the Laghu language of the Santa Isabel Islands were extinct by 1990. This does not mean that the groups speaking them died out, but rather that the languages succumbed to the shift to Roviana, a trade language used in neighboring regions, or were replaced by Solomon Pijin (Sakiyama 1996). 3.6 Vanuatu, Melanesia The situation in Vanuatu is very similar to that in the Solomon Islands. The official view, written in Bislama, is as follows: I gat sam ples long 110 lanwis evriwan so i gat bigfala lanwis difrens long Vanuatu. Pipol blong wan velej ol i toktok long olgeta bakegen evridei nomo long lanwis be i no Bislama, Inglis o Franis. (Vanuatu currently has 110 indigenous languages, which are all very different linguistically. On an everyday basis people in villages speak only their local languages, not Bislama, English, or French). (Vanuatu, 1980, Institute of Pacific Studies) Among the Melanesian and Polynesian indigenous languages spoken by 170,000 people, or 93% of the total population (1996), there are many small minority tongues. These include Aore, which has only a single speaker (extinct according to Wurm and Hattori [1981-83]); Maragus and Ura (with 10 speakers each); Nasarian, and Sowa (with 20); and Dixon Reef, Lorediakarkar, Mafea, and Tambotalo (with 50). If languages with around 100 speakers are included, this category accounts for about one-half of the total number of languages (Grimes 1996). The spread of Bislama has had the effect of putting these languages in jeopardy. 3.7 New Caledonia, Melanesia New Caledonia has a total population of 145,000 people, of whom 62,000 are indigenous. As of 1981, there were 28 languages, all Melanesian except for the one Polynesian language Uvean. The only languages with over 2,000 speakers are Cemuhi, Paicî, Ajië, and Xârâcùù, along with Dehu and Nengone, which are spoken on the Loyalty Islands. Dumbea (Paita), which is spoken by several hundred people, has been described by T. Shintani and Y. Paita (1983). And M. Osumi (1995) has described Tinrin, which has an estimated 400 speakers. Speakers of Tinrin are bilingual in Xârâcùù or Ajië. Nerë has 20 speakers and Arhö 10, while Waamwang, which had 3 speakers in 1946, is now reported to be extinct (Grimes 1996). Descendants of Javanese, who began to migrate to New Caledonia in the early part of the twentieth century, now number several thousand. The Javanese language spoken by these people, which has developed in isolation from the Javanese homeland, has attracted attention as a new pidgin language. When Europeans first arrived in Australia in 1788, it is estimated that there were 700 different tribes in a population of 500,000-1,000,000 (Comrie, Matthews, and Polinsky 1996). By the 1830s Tasmanian had become extinct, and today the number of Aboriginal languages has fallen to less than one-half what it once was. However, T. Tsunoda left detailed records of the Warrungu language, the last speaker of which died in 1981, and the Djaru language, which has only 200 speakers (Tsunoda 1974, 1981). Yawuru, which belongs to the Nyulnyulan family, reportedly has fewer than 20 speakers, all aged in their sixties or older. The language is described by K. Hosokawa (1992). The Pacific has been heavily crisscrossed by human migration from ancient to modern times. All Pacific countries except the Kingdom of Tonga were colonized. This historical background is reflected in the existence of multilevel diglossia in all regions of the Pacific. Depending on the generation, the top level of language in Micronesia is either English (the official language) or pidgin Japanese (used as a lingua franca among islands). The next level is made up of the languages of major islands that exist as political units, such as Palauan, Yapese and Ponapean. On the lowest level are the various ethnic languages spoken mainly on solitary islands. In the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, local Malay languages such as Ambonese Malay, North Maluku Malay and Bacanese Malay, form a layer beneath the official language, Indonesian. Under them are the dominant local languages, such as Hitu, which is spoken by 15,000 people on Ambon Island, and Ternate and Tidore, which are spoken in the Halmahera region. These are important as urban languages. On the lowest level are the various vernaculars. In Papua New Guinea, standard English forms the top level, followed by Papua New Guinean English. Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu are used as common languages among the various ethnic groups. Beneath these layers are the regional or occupational common languages. For example, Hiri Motu is used as the law enforcement lingua franca in coastal areas around the Gulf of Papua, Yabem as a missionary language along the coast of the Huon Gulf, and Malay as a trade language in areas along the border with Indonesia. On the next level are the ethnic and tribal languages used on a day-to-day basis. An example of a similar pattern in Polynesia can be found in Hawaii, where English and Hawaiian English rank above Da Kine Talk or Pidgin To Da Max, which are mixtures of English and Oceanic languages and are used as common languages among the various Asian migrants who have settled in Hawaii. Beneath these are ethnic languages, including Hawaiian and the various immigrant languages, such as a common Japanese based on the Hiroshima dialect, as well as Cantonese, Korean, and Tagalog. All of the threatened languages are in danger because of their status as indigenous minority languages positioned at the lowest level of the linguistic hierarchy. Reports to date have included little discussion of the multilevel classification of linguistic strata from a formal linguistic perspective. It will be necessary in the future to examine these phenomena from the perspectives of sociolinguistics or linguistic anthropology. Barr, Donald F., and Sharon G. Barr. 1978. Index of Irian Jaya Languages. Prepublication draft. Abepura, Indonesia: Cenderawashih University and Summer Institute of Linguistics. Comrie, Bernard, Stephan Matthews, and Maria Polinsky. 1996. The Atlas of Languages. New York: Chackmark Books. Foley, William A. 1986. The Papuan Languages of New Guinea. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. Grimes, Barbara F., ed. 1996. Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Dallas: International Academic Bookstore. Hosokawa, Komei. 1992. The Yawuru language of West Kimberley: A meaning-based description. Ph.D. diss., Australian National University. Oda, Sachiko. 1977. The Syntax of Pulo Annian. Ph. D. diss., University of Hawaii. Osumi, Midori. 1995. Tinrin grammar. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication, No. 25. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Sakiyama, Osamu. 1982. The characteristics of Nguluwan from the viewpoint of language contact. In Islanders and Their Outside World.Aoyagi, Machiko, ed. Tokyo: Rikkyo University. ---. 1994. Hirimotu go no ruikei: jijun to gochishi (Affix order and postpositions in Hiri Motu: A cross-linguistic survey). Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology,vol. 19 no. 1: 1-17. ---. 1995. Mikuroneshia Berau no pijin ka nihongo (Pidginized Japanese in Belau, Micronesia). Shiso no kagaku, vol. 95 no. 3: 44-52. ---. 1996. Fukugouteki na gengo jokyo (Multilingual situation of the Solomon Islands). In Soromon shoto no seikatsu shi: bunka, rekishi, shakai (Life History in the Solomons: Culture, history and society). Akimichi, Tomoya et al, eds. Tokyo: Akashi shoten. Shintani, Takahiko and Yvonne Païta. 1990. Grammaire de la Langue de Païta. Nouméa, New Caledonia: Société d'études historiques de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Taber, Mark and et al. 1996. Atlas bahasa tanah Maluku (Maluku Languages Atlas). Ambon, Indonesia: Summer Institute of Linguistics and Pusat Pengkajian dan Pengembangan Maluku, Pattimura University. Toki, Satoshi, ed. 1998. The remnants of Japanese in Micronesia. Memoirs of the Faculty of Letters, Osaka University, Vol. 38. Tsunoda, Tasaku. 1974. A grammar of the Warrungu language, North Queensland. Master's thesis, Monash University. ---. 1981. The Djaru Language of Kimberley, Western Australia. Pacific Linguistics, ser. B, No. 78. Canberra: Australian National University. Voorhoeve, C. L. 1975. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist, Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. Canberra: Australian National University. Wurm, Stephen A. 1982. Papuan Languages of Oceania. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag. ---. and Shiro Hattori, eds. 1981-83. Language Atlas of the Pacific Area. Pacific Linguistics, ser. C, No. 66-67. Canberra: Australian National University. ---, Peter Mühlhäusler, and Darrel T. Tryon. 1996. Atlas of languages of intercultural communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas. 3 vols. Trends in Linguistics. Documentation 13. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. *Translation of the author’s essay “Taiheiyo chiiki no kiki gengo”, Gekkan Gengo, Taishukan Publishing Co., 28(2), 102-11, 1999, with the permission of the publisher. Any comments and suggestions to firstname.lastname@example.org

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Located above the surface of our planet is a complex mixture of gases and suspended liquid and solid particles known as the atmosphere. Operating within the atmosphere is a variety of processes we call weather. Some measurable variables associated with weather include air temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation. The atmosphere also contains organized phenomena that include things like tornadoes, thunderstorms, mid-latitude cyclones, hurricanes, and monsoons. Climate refers to the general pattern of weather for a region over specific period of time. Scientists have discovered that human activities can influence Earth’s climate and weather producing problems like global warming, ozone depletion, and acid precipitation. Widespread urban development alters weather patterns Research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters weather patterns in a way that ... Laptev SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 14:23 The Laptev Sea is a saline water body, lodged between the Kara Sea and East Siberian Sea. The chief land boundary of this marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean is the Siberian... More » East Siberian SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 14:09 The East Siberian Sea is a saline marine body, which is a southern marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. To the east is found the Chukchi Sea and to the west beyond the New... More » Baffin BayLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 12:11 Baffin Bay is a margibnal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean located between the Canada's Baffin, Devon and Ellesmere islands and Greenland. To the south the Davis Strait... More » Andaman SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 23:06 The Andaman Sea is a body of marine water in the northeastern corner of the Indian Ocean that lies to the west of the Malay Peninsula, the north of Sumatra, the east of the... More » Molucca SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 23:02 The Molucca Sea (also Molukka Sea) is a semi-enclosed sea, surrounded by a variety of islands belonging to Indonesia, most significantly the island of Sulawesi (Celebes)... More » Levantine SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 22:31 The Levantine Sea is most eastern unit of the Mediterranean Sea, and also the most saline portion of the Mediterranean Basin. The Levantine Sea, also known as the Levant... More »

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[54% Off] 2 Bars of Premium Organic Handmade Soap (100gm each) with Golden Organza Scrub Bag + Free Nationwide Delivery for RM29 instead of RM63.30 (Only RM14.50 per bar) - Get 2 x 100gm premium organic handmade soap. - Suitable for sensitive skin. - Select from saffron, pink rose or green tea soap. - Packaged in a golden organza bag. - Organza bag can exfoliate skin and prolong soap life. - Free nationwide delivery included. Redemption period: Sep 13, 2011 – Dec 13, 2011.; Reservation for pick-up must be made between Sep 5, 2011 – Dec 12, 2011. Min. 1 day prior reservation required for pick-up. Booking subject to availability. Pick-up valid Mon – Fri: 10am – 6pm / Sat: 10am – 2pm (including public holidays).; For redemption, refer to ‘How it works’ below write-up. May buy and use many. Valid at Puuuv Soap (03-9100 4010). Newton’s Law of Hygiene states that after falling on the floor, soaps can no longer be used to clean bodies, faces and pet tapirs. Today’s Groupon does not drop the soap: for RM29, you get two premium organic handmade bars of soap with golden organza scrub bags, inclusive of free nationwide delivery, from Puuuv Soap in Kuala Lumpur (RM63.60 value). Choose two from: - Made from saffron flowers - Improves blood circulation - Suitable for aging skin - Orange in colour with mild saffron scent - Made from rose flowers and powder - Relaxing effect - Pink in colour with strong rose scent - Made from green tea powder - Suitable for sensitive skin - Firms skin - Green in colour with very strong green tea scent Choosing two bars of premium handmade soap, customers should place it into the golden organza bags before using it to clean faces, bodies or pet cats. With a lifespan of up to two months when washing faces, cleansing blocks are long lasting as well as improves skin conditions. Golden organza bags may be used to exfoliate skin while prolonging soap lifespan, and can be hung in bathrooms, or double up as scented paperweights. Free nationwide delivery is included, allowing city dwellers, town folk and village people alike to obtain the handmade soaps without the help of smugglers. How it works - Purchase this Groupon. - For delivery, call 03-9100 4010 or email firstname.lastname@example.org and provide your name, contact number, choice of soaps, delivery address, Groupon serial number, and redemption / security code. - Your soap will be delivered within 5 working days. - For pick-up, call 03-9100 4010 one day in advance to reserve. - Pick-up your soap the following day at No. 10-1, Jalan 14/142, Taman Orkid Desa, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur at the agreed time. Further deals in this category Further deals in this city Further deals in Malaysia Further deals in other categories

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the demand for their on-demand service and the increasing penetration of broadband in Malaysia, Astro has chosen to upgrade their VOD service to enable advanced functionality, including the ability to purchase previously broadcast programmes, a whole series, or access subscription-based VOD services through a more advanced and user-friendly user interface.

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A Photography Trip to Ipoh!Taken by illegaltender with a Konica Hexar RF loaded with Kodak Ektar film (available in our Online Shop) in Ipoh,Perak, Malaysia. These tags describe this photo: malaysia, street, sg, sim, photo, holiday, trip, 2012, and ipoh. This photo can be found in the album Ipoh Trip 2012!. You are currently not logged in, do so now to add comments, like articles as well as photos, submit to competitions, translate articles and gain access to unlimited photo upload! If you are not registered yet, go here to find out more about Lomography and join now! If you just want a limited account for now you can use Twitter or Facebook. We would love to have you as a member here!

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About Lynas Corporation Business A forward-thinking enterprise on the cutting edge of safe production and environmental protection, Lynas Corporation Ltd. is poised to launch full-scale operations in the latter half of 2012. Based in Sydney, Lynas Corporation mines and processes Rare Earths, a somewhat abundant group of metallic elements listed on the periodic table as the Lanthanide series. With unique physical and chemical properties, Rare Earths are used to produce a wide variety of products essential for modern-day living. To this end, the Rare Earths, sourced by Lynas Corporation at its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia will be ultimately be applied in high-performance digital products, hybrid vehicle parts, compact fluorescent lighting, and other technologies enjoyed by the 21st century consumer. China presently supplies the world’s largest percentage of Rare Earths, an unsustainable model upon which Lynas Corporation aims to improve. To accomplish its goals, the company secured a well-established industrial site in Malaysia for the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), a near-complete chemical processing project built to stringent international standards that highlights the organization’s dedication to intelligent resource management and sustainable development. Making progress in pre-commissioning tests, Lynas Corporation celebrated a major milestone at the end of March 2012 when the LAMP construction project team posted 8,160,000 hours of Lost-Time-Injury (LTI)-free work. Lynas Corporation is carefully tracking to supply nearly one third of the world’s Rare Earth elements, and address the looming shortfall that has deeply concerned experts and industry watchers for the past decade.

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A collection of news and information related to Apache Corporation published by this site and its partners. Displaying items 1-12 of 27 » View mcall.com items only1 2 3 Next > ReutersMay 15 (Reuters) - Wall Street securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several U.S. companies, including Gap Inc and Blackberry, on Wednesday. HIGHLIGHTS * U.S. Energy Cos: Bernstein raises target price on Anadarko, others * Home... Tulsa WorldPGA Tour golfers and celebrities return to the area for this fourth-annual event. Each of the participating 38 tour players and celebrities are paired with an active or non-active military golfer and a Folds of Honor donor in three-player match play,... Odessa American, TexasTo submit a health brief, e-mail submissions to firstname.lastname@example.org. Entry deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday for consideration for the following Monday's edition. Diabetes nutrition education --MIDLAND Casa de Amigos has scheduled diabetes nutrition... Reports: Initial jobless claims for week ended May 4, 7:30 a.m.; Wholesale inventories for March, 9 a.m.; Mortgage rates for week ended May 9, 9 a.m.; Natural gas inventories for week ended May 4, 9:30 a.m. Local earnings: Allscripts Healthcare... ReutersMay 9 (Reuters) - Apache Corp's first-quarter profit fell 10 percent because of lower prices for crude oil and natural gas liquids, and the Oil and gas producer said it plans to divest $4 billion in assets by the year end. The company intends to use... ReutersMay 7 (Reuters) - Wall Street securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several U.S. companies, including AIG, Gap, TJX and Yahoo, on Tuesday. HIGHLIGHTS * Yahoo : Stifel raises price target to $31 from $27; rating * Retail:... Caribbean News Now, Grand Cayman, Cayman IslandsPARAMARIBO, Suriname -- Petronas, Malaysia's multinational state oil company, is the latest entry in Suriname oil exploration, after signing a $25 million investment deal on Friday with Suriname State Oil Company (Staatsolie) for a production-sharing... ReutersBy Ank Kuipers PARAMARIBO, April 26 (Reuters) - Suriname's state oil company Staatsolie and Malaysia's Petronas signed a production sharing contract on Friday for an offshore bloc about 130 kms (80 miles) off the coast of the South American nation.... ReutersBUENOS AIRES, April 19 (Reuters) - Argentina has created a fund of up to $2 billion to help develop the country's 7.4-million acre Vaca Muerta shale field, the government announced in its official gazette on Friday. The funding will come from central... ReutersApril 18 (Reuters) - Wall Street securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several U.S. companies, including Chevron and AIG, on Thursday. HIGHLIGHTS * Abbott Laboratories : Stifel raises target price to $44 from $40; rating buy *... ReutersHOUSTON (Reuters) - Oil and gas producers increasingly shut down production and evacuated workers in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as the first weather system of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season disrupted some operations in the prolific basin.... ABC26 NewsOfficials from the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program are hoping to parlay generosity sparked by the recent Gulf oil spill into expanding habitat for birds affected by the disaster and ongoing land loss. Shell Oil Co. is donating $25,000 to... May 15, 2013 |Story| Reuters May 14, 2013 |Story| McClatchy-Tribune May 13, 2013 |Story| McClatchy-Tribune May 9, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune May 9, 2013 |Story| Reuters May 7, 2013 |Story| Reuters Apr 27, 2013 |Story| McClatchy-Tribune Apr 26, 2013 |Story| Reuters Apr 19, 2013 |Story| Reuters Apr 18, 2013 |Story| Reuters Jun 23, 2012 |Story| Chicago Tribune Sep 20, 2010 |Story| WGNO-LTV Original site for Apache Corporation topic gallery.

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Sonal Chauhan invited to Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang Her recent release 3G with Neil Nitin Mukesh may have proved to be a dud but that has not put Sonal Chauhan in a glum mood The actress who flaunted her hot bod in the film is basking in the glory of her sexy new avatar. Sonal has now been invited to attend the F1 Malaysian Grand Prix which is being held from March 22-24. Says a source, “The organisers wanted a young and sexy actor to represent the new and young Bollywood. The team had met Sonal in December when she was invited to Malaysia for a high-profile event along with Shah Rukh Khan. When the thought of bringing in a female actress from Bollywood came up, they thought of her. Sonal who is an ardent F1 fan jumped at the offer and is all set to take off for Sepang where the race is held.” As reported ‘Sonal flies high’ (Hitlist, December 12), the actress had accompanied SRK on a private jet to attend birthday celebrations of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad in Malaysia. The source adds, “She had met a lot of bigwigs at the event including the organisers of the F1 race who have extended an invitation to her. Though she is exhausted with the travelling for the promotions of her film, there is no way she could miss the F1 races. After the event, she plans to take a short holiday there too with some pals.”

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RECORDS FALL: Cai Lin shatters five-year mark, Yi Ting dominates Rafael Nadal narrowly avoided a stunning upset loss as the Spaniard rallied to beat Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters. PARTNERSHIP: Bank Rakyat to sponsor federation MOBILE (Alabama): South Korea's Ji Eun-Hee fired a bogey-free seven-under 65 on Thursday to grab a share of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic first-round lead alongside American Lexi Thompson. IT looks like money is becoming a problem with more and more unions, with the ones having a bigger budget naturally attracting the best players from offshore. SAN Miguel Beermen extended their record winning run in the Asean Basketball League to 16 games with a 107-104 win in triple overtime against Westports Malaysia Dragons at the Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will be gunning to equal Tenaga Nasional's 12 titles when they face off in the TNB Cup final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow. THE national men's recurve archery team were ousted in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai World Cup yesterday after a 223-217 defeat by China. UNIVERSITI Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Lions boss Zamri Abdul Kahar has downplayed his side's chances of emerging runaway winners of rugby's Poly 10s at Politeknik Shah Alam this weekend. BACK-UP bowler Muhd Rafiq Ismail could win his first international 'Open' title outside Malaysia following sensational performance in Stage One of the Euro-Med Storm Masters Challenge in Manila yesterday.

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Conference Name: 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit Dates: 27 – 30 September 2011 Venue: Pan Pacific Hotel, SINGAPORE Contact Name: Eileen David Contact Email: Eileen.email@example.com Contact Tel: +65 – 6508 2458 / +65 – 6508 2400 Contact Fax: +65 – 6508 2408 Organiser Name: IBC Asia (S) Pte Ltd Organiser URL: www.ibc-asia.com Organiser Email: firstname.lastname@example.org Organiser Tel: +65 – 6508 2400 Organiser Fax: +65 – 6508 2407 As the first in Asia to provide a Smart Grids platform, the Smart Grids Asia Summit is back for its 3rd Annual run this 27 – 30 September 2011 in Singapore. With a central theme of “Investing in T&D Infrastructure & Renewable Energy for Continuous, Efficient, Reliable & Clean Electricity”, the 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit will give you the chance to hear, first hand, the opportunities to invest in Asia’s T&D infrastructure. With 2 dedicated streams showcasing 28+ sessions closely examining the Smart Grid value chain, including 17+ case study highlights, this year’s event brings together policy makers, regulators, utilities and ICT providers to discuss the modernization of Asia’s transmission and distribution infrastructure with the end goal of delivering continuous, efficient, reliable and clean electricity supply. This is your platform to identify Asia Pacific’s diverse electricity needs and new business opportunities, from major investments in T&D foundations and upgrades to renewable energy development and energy efficient initiatives for sustainable energy supply of the future. Meet with top level representatives from key government authorities and utilities from across the globe at this 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit and be at the forefront of Asia’s T&D infrastructure investment and developments! Uncover Asia’s Electricity Infrastructure Needs at this 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit - How competitive electricity markets in Asia opens up the T&D sector - Key drivers & opportunities for investments in Asia’s T&D and renewable energy sector - Stakeholder partnerships & collaboration for smart grid development - Telecommunications network development for a smarter, more efficient grid - Transmission network expansion projects & demand side planning - Grid capacity & reliability developments & investments - Grid and market requirements for realizing renewable energy resources - Microgrids & energy management in non-interconnected power systems - Enabling the integration of new initiatives like electric vehicles - Integration of new outage management systems to enhance control & management of power outages What’s New for 2011? - 17+ case studies uncovering T&D & renewable energy investment & development opportunities - 28+ sessions closely examining the Smart Grid value chain - Country representation from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, India, China, Vietnam, Australia, Canada, US & Japan - Key drivers & opportunities for investments in renewable energy & Smart Grid technology - 2 dedicated streams focusing on “T&D Capacity, Quality & Reliability of Electricity Supply” and “Renewable Energy Resources, Microgrids & Energy Efficiency” - Special focus workshops Hear What Our Past Attendees Have To Say: - “The most beneficial aspect of attending this conference is the excellent update from key Governments and Utilities in the region. It has been an excellent networking opportunity.” - Max Bryan, Principal Engineer, Alcatel – Lucent - “Smart Grids Asia was engaging with excellent quality presentations. What made this conference interesting and different was the international perspectives, not just from Asia, but case studies from the US, Canada, Netherlands, Greece & Sweden” - Mark de Laeter, General Manager, Western Power Australia - “The most beneficial aspect of attending this conference has been the global knowledge sharing of developments in Smart Grids. I was pleased with the level of detail involved in the different projects and case studies” - Christopher Selvin, Manager, Electrical Testing & Automation, Tata Power Visit the 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia website at http://www.smartgridssummit.com/ for more information on the full programme agenda and speaker line-up.

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2013-05-18T05:08:02Z

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Priestmangoode is the leading global travel and transport design consultancy. We believe that design is not just about style, but about making products and services better and more efficient. From initial strategy and concept design through to design detailing for production, our work delivers creative,effective and innovative design solutions that help transform businesses. Our unique ability to transfer design skills across sectors has enabled us to deliver industry-changing products, such as the most cost-effective budget hotel room in the world for Accor’s ETAP and Motel 6 brands as well as award-winning interiors for many of the world’s leading airlines and aircraft manufacturers including Airbus, Boeing, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways. In parallel with consultancy work, we like to generate our own concepts such as the Mercury High Speed train and Waterpebble. This work aims to address problems faced in everyday life and prompts public discourse about design.

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|Tritrim 2 , Tritrim, & Fat Burn Activator: 100% New Slimming Technological Revolution| Tritrim 2: Admired as an award winning diet pill, the Tritrim Pistol Shot Diet Pill is reputed in slimming industry as precise and fast. Each Tritrim 2 pill contains 400 pistol ball, which is through a revolutionized technology called Microencapulation that encompasses every components into Sorbitol in order to deliver 100% absorption through intestines, which is the true and main step for getting hit and cutting fat. Tritrim :Tritrim is the first in the dietary supplement industry to make use of Appellet Capsule, which is tested to achieve timed release of different components that are compressed into one single capsule. A complete and comprehensive slimming solution must incorporate all three methodologies: blocking, detoxification, fat burning to be effective and permanent. Tritrim works quickly. Fat Burn Activator: The Fat Burn Activator powerful action can give complete healthy and effortless results for weight reduction. Fat Burn Activator has been sold over 1,000,000 units across Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia etc. This is one of the most effective elements compared with other slimming methods.

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Posted on | March 10, 2011 | Comments Off A master’s degree is an academic degree granted to individuals who want to have a professional specific field of study or practices. Studying master degree, graduates are led to possess an advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics in terms of acquiring a higher order of skills in analysis, critical evaluation and ability to solve complex problems. There are mainly two kinds of masters, the first is designed particularly to equip students with required skill set and the second type is to train administrative heads in certain organization. Full time post-graduate master’s degree is designed for anyone who holds a bachelor’s degree. Executive master’s degree is a master’s degree designed specially for executive professionals. Usually for an executive master’s degree entry requirement may include some years of related working experience. Why study Master degree? Some acquire master’s degrees to advance in their fields of studies after obtaining a bachelor degree and some seek master’s degree to earn raises in salary. A master’s degree is very valuable in the job market as holders of the degree can command better pay and is expected to be promoted faster. In terms of career advancement, there are many opportunities for someone who has earned a master’s degree. There are some area which is needed to expertise are veterinary science, mental health counseling, physical therapy, family therapy, medical assistance, environmental science, and continuing education. Careers like these all require a master’s degree, which is well worth pursuing if you are interested in moving ahead with your career. Others seek master’s degrees to change career fields. For example an engineer may take up a MBA to gain knowledge about managing a company and change career upon completion of the course. Studying Master Degree in Malaysia Malaysia education level is very advance. There are many international students currently studying master courses at Malaysian institutions of higher learning. There are many different types of reputable and accreditated Masters Degree offered by colleges and universities in Malaysia. Some of these colleges are offering Masters programs from foreign universities such as those from Australia, UK or from European countries. List of Master degree available in Malaysia. Master in Nursing Master of Project Management Master of Business Administration Master of Management Master of Human Resource Master of Science (Business Administration) Master of English studies Master of Education Master of Environmental Science Management Other reasons for studying Masters Courses in Malaysia: - Low fees and cost of living means that international students save a lot of money - Malaysia is a multi-racial country and the experience you get when studying here is priceless - English is widely spoken here and is the main medium of instructions.

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PTPTN: We didn’t start the fire |Praba Ganesan is Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Social Media Strategist. He wants to engage with you, and learn from your viewpoints. You can contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @prabaganesan| APRIL 19 — When I jumped off the bus at noon to register at UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) not many noticed the scraggly looking teenager with a mega-large bag. It was so large; it had clothes, a chess set and even a typewriter. It was the early Nineties and Kurt Cobain was alive making music. Every student had about 20 family members coming to send them off. It was that big a deal, going to a public university. There were no private universities and the private “colleges” were only offering twinning programmes at best. The old ethos: few go to university and many after secondary education join the employment market. This changed with the great expansion before the millennium, around the time the PTPTN national loan system came around. Mahathir’s Malaysia was to be a developed nation in record time, and millions of graduates have to line up and march in unison as people in the capital cheered them on with confetti drowning the uninitiated. This vision required universities opening almost every month, in every state, in every way and many tuition centres around the Klang Valley turning into university colleges. Major government-linked companies were turning their training centres into universities, and Mahathir Mohamad was still riding horses. The PTPTN answered the money issue. And now on the table sits the proposal to abolish it. You don’t have to agree or disagree, but you have to realise that the issue is not straightforward. The overdrive the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is in to respond to is the indicator. Before reverting back to the loan agency, let’s look at the students, and those who have since graduated. Some have good jobs and can pay the loan back. This group is the hardest to be defended by policy proponents. They also usually coincide being the first-class graduates who get a waiver on the loan. On the face of it the basic argument that if you take a loan, then you pay back the loan remains. There are no grey areas, just greyness for being morally reprehensible not wanting to pay. A bit more on that later. There is a growing constituency of graduates who cannot find jobs commensurate to their education. The national stats show not high unemployment, but if the numbers were filtered to those having graduate-type jobs paying graduate-level pay, then the numbers will start to frighten. There are graduates today managing only to become clerks. My local supermarket newsstand is manned by a microbiologist looking for a way out. I know some becoming cashiers at supermarkets. After four years in campus they only let you do counter arithmetic and give you a pay no engineering maths is necessary to spend. There is frustration, and there is a sense of neglect. They are tempted to ask, “If the degree does not get me a job better paying than a security guard, why pay for the degree? It seems like I have wasted four years just so I can be more indebted.” As debtors that may be irresponsible of them, but when the state is the creditor then the dimensions shift somewhat. Who’s saving who? The PTPTN was the cash cow for many of these new universities. This was because the government had promised millions of parents that their faith in BN will be met with higher grades in public schools, and then those with those higher grades excelling in universities, before hitting career peaks. It was a necessary creature to feed the needs of a population told to imagine a future of grandeur for themselves and their families. Vocational training, for instance, was not part of the great dream. No more plumbers, just doctors and engineers from here on. However, university education is more expensive. The new universities were not short of students who met the minimum grade, but they were short of students with the minimum financing. PTPTN became the saviour. Perhaps Malaysians have to bear some of the blame here. Not many raised their eyebrows when mere tuition centres were made into universities. It was rush, rush and more rush. I am told there was a university certified to train doctors but there were insufficient cadavers. Abandoned malls, shophouses and even homes were turned into the campus. Buildings were constructed and university presidents were appointed. The whole exercise had to be paid for with university admission. PTPTN loans filled the lecture theatres. It is no surprise that these things were running parallel with the declining standards in local universities. Volume took over quality. There were that many teaching staff, that much know-how. All the universities zeroed in to getting students without any care about the students’ finances. They stopped worrying about the quality of the student and were anxious to get them signing their loan documents. Universities run on admissions. Questions then. Were the universities screened or measured? How many of the universities were taken off the preferred list after the quality of the education was suspect and their graduates struggling to find decent jobs? Did PTPTN properly vet candidates? Their initial mandate was underprivileged applicants and overachievers. When they extended it to almost anyone going to university did they factor the candidate’s ability to benefit sufficiently from the loan. PTPTN are not a purely commercial firm like a bank. They have a social agenda, so when students with borderline grades in an ever-slumping SPM (“O” levels equivalent) are taken in by less than scrupulous institutions just to maximise profits, have they taken the best interest of the student at heart or just appeasing their corporate friends? Mind you, the PTPTN monies are dispensed through the universities. There is a nursing university in the Klang Valley which fines students for breaking curfew, and just lops off the amount from the loan it holds in trust for the students. The PTPTN, Ministry of Higher Education and universities were working hand in hand to ensure the number of graduates went up, and the promise to an electorate kept. It really did not matter if the universities were rundown or were just not able to provide value. Money was taken, time was spent, exams were given and certificates were issued. Unemployable graduates with no skills in their own course of study and missing English skills were just collateral damage. Entitlement and getting while you can The literal critic as I mentioned earlier needs to be tackled finally. A loan is a loan on, hard to shake off that point. It is now joined by the other refrain, nothing free is appreciated. When something is free then people will get used to it and in time claim it is a natural entitlement rather than having a time cap. We are all citizens, and students on loan and those on it before are just as much citizens as the rest. I’ll unsheathe the obvious give-away line, if others who have benefited from the state and theirs are amounts exponentially higher than all these students put together, can the students then claim to the state to go after the bigger players first? This is one my old debate pal would say (and he has been saying so) that two wrongs don’t make a right. Fine. But can they remain wrong till those with bigger means, better lawyers and more nest eggs settle first their grossly unfair grabs? Grab is the right word. Some nations are lucky, others are luckier and then there is Malaysia. If there is wealth in the state, and that wealth is currently misspent, how unacceptable is it for citizens to also make a play for what they can get while they can? This reminds of the Umno Raya open house in the ‘80s. There food queues were just monstrous, and the monster in everyone emerged as everyone attacked whatever was brought in. Adults and young teenagers like me were just forcing our hands into the large trays of grilled satay. Every person for himself. It is undignified, but that probably spells the feeling across the country. People know, as much as they support or don’t BN, that much is being distributed to those of a certain class of people. Human nature kicks in. Students who have been shoddily trampled on through this conveyor-belt education might have a case. There is wealth in the country, and unless those in power exhibit a willingness to judiciously manage that wealth, then many things can come unhinged. So where then I’ll admit I have not destroyed the “a loan is a loan” line. But even my critics have to concede, not all is straight and narrow in the PTPTN debacle. The abysmal collection rate as of now underlines it. PTPTN is not just a company, it can even blacklist Malaysians from travelling, that’s not something your local bank can do to errant customers. Many students have been left in the lurch, the universities have been largely protected by PTPTN rather than regulated and pressed by the government agency to give more value to the students, and in a state where state funds are very arbitrarily and selectively disbursed, then can the rest be demanded to stick to arrangements. What about kepimpinan melalu teladan (Leadership through example)? PTPTN is a mess, but the kids did not start the fire. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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"Western Leaders Are War Criminals” Mick Meaney – RINF.com April 26, 2008 The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, has echoed calls for Western leaders to be charged with war crimes over the invasion of Iraq. Speaking at Imperial College in London Mahathir, who was in office from 1981 to 2003, singled out US President George Bush, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australia’s former prime minister John Howard as he wants to see them tried “in absence for war crimes committed in Iraq”. The event was organised by the Ramadhan Foundation which is a leading British Muslim youth organisation working for peaceful co-existence and dialogue between communities. Mohammed Shafiq, spokesman for the group said: “It was an opportunity for students to put a range of questions about war crimes and the international situation. He said that people have to stop killing each other and use arbitration, negotiation and discussion as an alternative to violence, war and killing.” Speaking about the Iraq war, Mahathir focused on “the thousands dying, the economic war, the power of oil and how we could utilise some of these tools to have a leverage against the people who commit countries to war”, Shafiq said. The event was incredibly well attended with over 450 people and 200 more had to be turned away. Among the mountain of war crimes Western leaders are guilty of include:- The illegal use of napalm and other chemical weapons Intentionally torturing and abusing detainees Blocking aid convoys Killing unarmed civilians, including shooting into family homes Western leaders are also guilty of many other violations of the Geneva Convention, the Charter of the United Nations, the Nuremberg Charter, International Law and the Constitution of the United States, including crimes against peace and crimes against humanity. International law professors have called the attack against Iraq “a fundamental breach of international law (that) would seriously threaten the integrity of the international legal order that has been in place since the end of the Second World War.” Mahathir Mohamad’s statement appears to be valid as the International Criminal Court defines the following as international crimes: Crimes against Peace: Namely, planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances, or participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the foregoing: (b) War Crimes: Namely, violations of the laws or customs of war. Such violations include, but not be limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation to slave labor or for any other purpose of civilian population of or in occupied territory, murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity: (c) Crimes against Humanity: Namely, murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during the war, or persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds in execution of or in connection with any crime within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, whether or not in violation of the domestic law of the country where perpetrated. Last updated 28/04/2008

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2013-05-18T06:29:14Z

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Following the World Summit on Children in 1990 and Malaysia’s formulation of the National Plan of Action for Children (NPA), the Social Welfare Department and UNICEF work, hand-in-hand, to promote child participation in civil rights which include rights to information, expression and decision making. Through this partnership, children and adolescents are trained to be facilitators and peer educators to promote the Convention on the Rights of the Child and create awareness for the prevention of violence and abuse against children. Young Malaysians are also given opportunities to contribute to the preparation of the NPA for 2001-2010; and to participate in various international and regional meetings. In recognition of the special place young people have in society, Malaysia’s launch of the Say Yes campaign, part of the Global Movement for Children in 2001, was officiated by the Prime Minister. Malaysia's children also attended the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002. In 2006, UNICEF continued its partnership with the Social Welfare Department to document Malaysia’s best practices on child participation. 9 October 2006: 2 February 2006: 25 November 2005: 14 December 2006:

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ST. LOUIS, May 24 (UPI) -- Malaysia's industry and business opportunities in the country were spotlighted earlier this month in a conference in the United States. Boeing, which co-hosted the conference in St. Louis with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, said 75 U.S. and Malaysian businesses participated in the event. "Strategic and cultural alliances are shifting back to markets in Asia," said former U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, who spoke at the conference. "Establishing partnerships with Malaysian industry is critical in capturing new opportunities. "Malaysia has transformed into a competitive, high-tech economy that is actively seeking areas of mutual collaboration in the medical, technology, and aerospace industries." Malaysia flies Boeing's FA/18D Hornets, and the company is offering its "F" model in the government's competition for new combat aircraft. Insitu Pacific, a joint venture between Boeing and Insitu, recently partnered with Malaysian company Composites Technology Research Malaysia for in-country support of ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems that are being acquired by the country. "Strategic international partnerships create combinations of capabilities and ideas that give the partners a greater competitive advantage for future business pursuits," said Mike Gibbons, Boeing vice president of F/A-18 and E/A-18 Programs. "Boeing continues to demonstrate its long-term commitment to building win-win opportunities with the Malaysian aerospace industry that are independent of any one platform sale and will continue beyond any potential sale." |Additional Security Industry Stories| TEL AVIV, Israel, May 17 (UPI) --Nobel Energy of Houston, which discovered Israel's big gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean, is pressing the government to decide soon on an energy export policy as the prospect of an undersea pipeline to Turkey gains credibility.

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2013-05-18T08:13:04Z

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Abstract: During part of the creation of a new method of phthalate monoester extraction in breast milk, Acrodisc filters were added and the phthalate monoesters disappeared. Phthalates can produce altered sertoli cell function, hypospadius, fetal death, and birth defects in rats as well as altered semen quality in humans. This investigation compares the phthalate monoester extraction in Acrodisc filters to the extraction in Nexus columns, and compares the extraction at three pH levels. A standard solution (100 ppm monobutyl phthalate (MBP) and 100 ppm ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP)) at three pH levels was pushed through a 10 ml syringe and an Acrodisc syringe tip filter at 2 ml intervals until 8 mls were filtered. Likewise, the solutions were pulled through a Nexus column after a wash of ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, and solution at a similar pH. All samples were then analyzed using HPLC MS/MS at Lund University in Sweden. There was not a significant difference (p > 0.05) in the percent recovery of phthalate monoesters in Acrodisc extraction in comparison to the original unfiltered solution. In contrast, the recovery of extracted phthalate monoesters was significantly different (p = 0.05) than the unfiltered solution in Nexus columns. As a result of this study, Acrodisc filters are not the problem with the missing monoesters, and these filters can be used as filters without extracting phthalate monoesters. The findings also complete the development of a new method of phthalate monoester extraction in breast milk, which may help identify sources of phthalate exposure in infants. September 16, 2002 A Study of the Bluebird Boxes at Warren Wilson College Mentor: Dr. Lou Weber Abstract: The eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) has been in a major population decline for the first 75 years of the twentieth century. Much of this loss has been due to human changes that reduce the amount of cavities available for bluebirds to breed in and competition from introduced species. In the late 1970’s humans started to help the bluebird in finding new cavities by erecting nest boxes along bluebird trails. The Biology and Environmental Studies departments at Warren Wilson College have been trying to help for several years. Unfortunately before this study we were unaware of where all of our nest boxes were located, if they were being used and by what species, and if any pattern exists in their use that could provide information to improve future efforts. My objective was to answer these unknowns and provide any additional information that may be useful to our aid of the eastern bluebird. I mapped and monitored each box to find what species if any was using them, measured any quantifiable aspect of placement, and compared the data to find a pattern if one existed. I found and mapped 18 bluebird boxes with a total of 11 bluebird nests, 5 of which had active bluebirds in them. Three of these boxes had other species in them. There was no pattern found in my quantifiable data. WWC is doing well in our aid to the eastern bluebird. Our population is growing as shown by 10 parents producing 15 chicks that fledged. Installation of predator guards is highly recommended along fencerows. There are currently plans to expand the amount of nest boxes that we have available and further help the bluebirds that come use the campus by installing predator guards. October 7, 2002 Impact of Warren Wilson Farm on Water Quality of Two Campus Streams before Restoration Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner Abstract: Grazing of animals in pastures close to watersheds and runoff from agricultural fields and feedlots are a major source of non-point water pollution. Warren Wilson College is committed to reducing these types of inputs and restoring local streams. This study compared water quality within two streams to obtain data prior to the restoration. Concentration of ammonia (NH3) and phosphate (PO4), total suspended solids (TSS) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) were measured as indicators of water quality. Three sub-samples were collected from each upstream and downstream site. Four samples were collected in the spring of 2002 and four in the summer of 2002. The results were analyzed using a paired t-test. A comparison of the amount of TSS upstream and downstream did not have a significant difference in either stream; the p-value for the Swim Pond Stream was 0.4374 while that for Berea Stream was 0.3421. The concentration of BOD showed no significant difference within the two streams; the p-value for the Swim Pond Stream was 0.4422, while that for Berea Stream was 0.2054. Comparison of NH3 upstream and downstream was significant in the Swim Pond Stream with a p-value of 0.0393; this was probably due to the animals that live in the pond and nitrification by bacteria. There was no significant difference in Berea Stream, with a p-value of 0.2443. The comparison of PO4 was extremely significant in Berea Stream with a p-value of 0.0007. This could be due to the rocks that form the riverbed, and due to runoff from the adjacent pasture. The Swim Pond Stream had a p-value of 0.4024, which was not significant. It should be noted that these samples were collected during a drought period and hence the data obtained does not provide an accurate idea as to what is happening within the streams. October 7, 2002 Analysis of the ingredients of Dong Quai, Angelica Sinensis. Mentor: Dr. Dean Kahl Abstract: Dong Quai is a popular oriental herb that is widely used to treat illnesses. It is also commonly used as food flavoring. Thirty-five components have been isolated from Dong Quai. Two of the major components are Z-ligustilide and gamma-terpinene. The purpose of this research was to determine the composition of Dong Quai root oil and also to compare Dong Quai root oil made from Chinese and Malaysian roots. The analysis involved a standard root pill, Dong Quai root from China, and Dong Quai root from Malaysia. The essential oils of Dong Quai roots were isolated by steam distillation. The distillate was collected, and the essential oil was extracted with diethyl ether. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The two major peaks in the total ion chromatogram (TIC) were due to Z-ligustilide and gamma-terpinene. The mass spectra were characteristic for each compound. The mass spectra for the root pill, root from China, and root from Malaysia were similar to the mass spectra obtained from research carried out in China by Y. Chen’s research group. The TIC showed that the ratios of gamma-terpinene to Z-ligustilide in the essential oils were reasonably close for the three samples. Since this research is a preliminary study, additional research is required because there were no internal standards, and there were no replicates. A search of the medical literature showed that gamma-terpinene is a skin irritant, whereas Z-ligustilide is a muscle relaxant. Z-ligustilide also has antiasthmatic effects as well as anticholinergic effects. However, there is no clear connection with the claimed medical effects. November 4, 2002 Changes in Social Behavior in the Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata) due to Infant Presence Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein Abstract: The mantled howler monkey is a New World primate that ranges from Central to South America. The conservation status of this species is currently listed as low risk for extinction, perhaps due to the large demographic area that is covered by howler monkeys. In 1997 a group of scientists working in collaboration with the Nicaraguan government established the Ometepe Biological Field Station. Ometepe Island is located in Lake Nicaragua, which lies in southern Nicaragua. The purpose of my study was to determine the influence of infants on female’s social relationships, in regards to the amount of time spent in proximity to other members of the social group. Previous studies show that both male and female howlers behave aggressively towards infants. A focal animal sample with three-minute time intervals was conducted. Data was collected on the distance that both mothers and non-mothers maintained with other adult members of the social group. The data show a significant difference (p<.0001) between mothers and non-mothers proximity to members of the social group. The data do not yield a significant difference (p=.5857) between mothers holding their infants and mothers not holding their infants. The results of this study suggest that mothers spend more time away from members of the social group than non-mothers. November 25, 2002 Fabric Dyes in the Asheville Sewage Treatment System Mentor: Dr. J. Brock Abstract: Fabric dyes are a means of applying color to fabric. One method of dyeing fabrics is to submerge the fabric in a dye solution allowing the dye to react with the fabric leaving the fabric colored. Using the process of a dye bath produces an excess of dye dissolved in gallons of water or dyeing medium. The waste of the dyeing process is an issues because in Asheville North Carolina, fabric dyes are legally dumped into the sewage treatment system which does not filter to remove chemicals before the effluent is dumped into the French Broad River. My objective was to develop a method using high pressure liquid chromatography to analyze for the presence of the dye. My second objective was to then develop a calibration curve for a specific dye and to analyze for the presence and concentrations of the dye, if present. A set of standards was created using dyes obtained from Lustar, a local dyeing company. The standards were used to generate a calibration curve that was later used to relate detector response to dye concentration. The limit of detection of the instrument was calculated by analyzing water blanks to correct for background noise. The limit of detection was determined to be 6.0 parts per billion (ppb). From the effluent samples collected at the sewage treatment plant, the concentration of Remazol blue fabric dye was below the 6.01 ppb calculated detection limit in all samples collected. There was however a red compound present in the effluent that could be isolated using solid phase extraction. The red compound produces a wavelength of 254 nm. December 2, 2002 Effects of Decreased Deworming on the Warren Wilson College Beef Cattle Herd Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes Abstract: Warren Wilson College beef cattle are raised on a rotational grazing system. This rotational grazing may limit the transmission of parasitic worms, if the worm load on the pastures is already low. This experiment was conducted to determine if worm loads are higher in cattle dewormed once a year rather than twice a year, and to determine if weight gains were higher in cattle dewormed twice a year rather than once a year. This decreased deworming may be beneficial in slowing the development of resistance in nematode populations, may reduce the impact on the environment (dung beetle larvae), and may reduce the cost of deworming to farmers. The yearling cattle showed no significant difference in weight gains (p-value 0.59), the adult cows produced no significant difference in weight change (p-value 0.86), and the calves showed no significant difference in weight gains (p-value 0.70). The comparison of egg concentration was also not statistically significant (p-value 0.65) between cattle dewormed once a year versus twice a year. These results do not necessarily suggest abandoning the use of synthetic dewormer on Warren Wilson College cattle, but they do suggest a decreased deworming program that includes increased health monitoring may be acceptable. Steven M. Ritt January 27, 2003 Glycoalkaloids in the Nightshade Family Mentor: Dr. Dean C. Kahl Abstract: Folklore has long considered the nightshade family (Solanaceae) of plants to be poisonous, and there are compounds present in these plants thought to aggravate the conditions of arthritis. This problem may be due to the presence of the neurotoxins a-solanine and a-chaconine in these plants. The purpose of this project was to develop a method to analyze glycoalkaloids in tomatoes. Analysis of these glycoalkaloids was first performed using the Spectra Physics High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC), but the instrument was not sensitive enough for the detection of glycoalkaloids. Analysis was then continued using a newer and more sensitive instrument, the Shimadzu HPLC. However, there were numerous technical difficulties with the Shimadzu HPLC, and the detection of a-solanine and a-chaconine was not possible using this instrument. Given the problems with the HPLC instruments, a simple and rapid means of analysis using thin layer chromatography (TLC) was developed. Preliminary results showed that the glycoalkaloids, a-solanine and a-chaconine, could be separated from the aglycone, solanidine, using reverse phase TLC plates and an acetonitrile- ammonium phosphate buffer (50+50). However, the glycoalkaloids, a-solanine and a-chaconine could not be separated. These results suggest that thin layer chromatography can be used to identify glycoalkaloids in plants of the nightshade family. February 17, 2003 Pyrolysis of Newspaper and Magazines Mentor: Dr. Dean Kahl Abstract: Extensive research has been done on the pyrolysis of wood. Newspaper and magazines contain the same materials as wood and may potentially yield the same products from pyrolysis. This method could be used as most of the products have a potential for fuel and chemicals. In addition, this technique could be used to decrease the amount of paper waste. The purpose of this project was to determine whether newspaper and magazines could be converted to charcoal and chemicals using pyrolysis. This experiment was done by heating newspaper and magazines in a distillation apparatus under nitrogen. The products from this experiment include charcoal, an aqueous phase, an organic layer, and gases. The charcoal was burned in a furnace to determine residual ash. There was no significant difference between the charcoal yield of newspaper 42% and magazine 49% giving a p-value of 0.0606 using the Mann-Whitney test. There was also no significant difference between the amounts of gas, water, and organic products between magazine and newspaper with p-values 0.6650, 0.0606, 0.0606 respectively. The residual ash shows a significant difference between the newspaper (0.08) and magazine (1.03) with a p-value of 0.0265. This fact means residual ash should not be a problem in charcoal production. The charcoal, gas, organics, and water from this experiment produced yields comparable to previous research but using a low-tech alternative. This method could be used in less developed countries to reduce deforestation while making use of paper waste. Feb 24, 2003 Classification of Clay and Archaeological Pottery byChemical Composition Abstract: How much can we learn about a potsherd through chemical characterization? Was this potsherd brought here from another village? Where did the Native Americans collect the clay they used to make their pottery? How much does the clay change chemically when it is fired? These questions can all be answered using chemical methods. This study measured the chemical composition of clays and pottery from eight different sites. |1||Big Bottom Field Clay| |2||Horse Pasture Clay| |3||Ballfield stream Clay| |4||Fired Ballfield Clay| |5||Early Macon County Site Potsherds| |6||Late Macon County Site Potsherds| |7||Warren Wilson Site Potsherds| |8||Burke County Site Potsherds| All samples were soaked in 1M HCl for one week. The concentrations of Ca, Ba, Sr, Mg, and Fe were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma ( ICP). Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed that the three clays (samples 1-3) could be distinguished from the pottery and each other. In addition pottery from different time periods at the Burke site (5, 6) did not differ (P value 0.09). However MANOVA did not clearly distinguish potsherds from different sites (5+6, 7, 8). Multivariate analysis can give us clues about chemical patterns in the potsherds. Principal Component analysis uses functions, which account for almost all the variability in the data set to look for patterns in the data. Here are the actual functions for the principal component analysis graph. PC1 = 0.004*lnFe-0.552*lnCa-0.815*lnBa-0.172*lnSr-0.023*lnMg PC2=0.542*lnFe+0.090*lnCa-.0193*lnBa+0.557*lnSr+0.592*lnMg These functions create a scatter plot which allows the data to be visually represented. Composition patterns emerge in this scatter plot, indicating that chemical composition can be used to suggest the source of clay for a pot. Therefore, Native American potters at the WWC site apparently did not use any of the clay sources sampled here. With enough samples this method could source a single potsherd to a single clay source. March 3, 2003 Metals in Urine of Smokers and Nonsmokers Mentor: Dr. John Brock Abstract: Smoking of tobacco and non-tobacco products produces exposure to numerous toxins. Many of these compounds promote tumor cell growth. Smoking-related toxins include carbon monoxide, tar, nicotine, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and cadmium. Cadmium, a heavy metal, has been shown to be toxic at low levels of exposure. Smoking is the primary source of cadmium exposure in the general human population. Individuals who smoke heavily on a regular basis have been shown to exhibit elevated levels of urinary cadmium compared to nonsmokers. The purpose of this experiment was to test if differences exist in urinary levels of metals between populations of nonsmokers, smokers of tobacco products, and smokers of non-tobacco products. Individuals participated anonymously in an experiment in which 24-hour urine samples were collected and analyzed using various analytical instruments. The samples were analyzed for metal concentrations and the data was analyzed using both parametric and nonparametric tests. The p-values from the analysis suggested no difference between the means for any of the analytes. The data implies that smoking does not tend to increase urinary levels of cadmium, mercury, or chromium. However, the results may be limited due to the small, highly variable human populations. March 3, 2003 Toxicity of dibutyl phthalate to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes Abstract: Phthalates are a class of chemicals manufactured on a global scale in large quantities. They are used in numerous products ranging from plastic goods to personal care products. Animal testing has demonstrated significant toxicity of phthalates, especially in the early stages of development. Zebrafish embryos develop quickly, outside the body, and have transparent embryos, which makes them suitable organisms to use as models for vertebrate development. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the lethal dose of phthalates for zebrafish embryos. To do this, dose-response curves were constructed for the percent mortality of zebrafish embryos to dibutyl phthalate and LD50 concentrations for 24 and 48 hours of exposure were calculated. The average LD50 concentration for 24 hours was 1.2 ppm and the average LD50 for 48 hours was 2.4 ppm. The concentrations of dibutyl phthalate found to be lethal to zebrafish in this experiment are comparable to the concentrations of phthalates to which humans are exposed. This result may have important human health implications, especially for developing March 10, 2003 Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Egg Yolks from Chickens at the Warren Wilson College Farm Mentor: Dr. Victoria Collins Abstract: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an isomer of the 18 carbon unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid. CLA is found in products from ruminant animals. CLA has been shown to be anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-diabetogenic, and can reduce adipose tissue. The first objective of this study was to produce eggs enriched in CLA by feeding a CLA supplement to hens. The second objective of this study was to compare the fatty acid composition of eggs from chickens living indoors and chickens with access to the outdoors. Laying hens were divided into four indoor pens and four outdoor pens. All eight pens were fed a control diet (standard layer diet + 1% soybean oil) for three weeks. Eggs were collected during the third week and egg yolks from each pen were pooled. All eight pens were then fed the experimental diet (1% CLA) for three weeks. Eggs were collected during the third week and yolks were pooled for each pen. Fatty acids were extracted from the yolks, trans-esterified, and analyzed by gas chromatography. Fatty acid composition was analyzed by two way ANOVA. The two factors, diet and housing, showed no significant interaction. The effect of diet on egg composition was significant (p<0.05) for all fatty acids measured. Saturated fatty acids increased and unsaturated fatty acids decreased when CLA was added to the diet. The relative amount of CLA increased from 0% of total fatty acids to ~1.5% of total fatty acids upon CLA supplementation. The effect of housing on fatty acid composition was only significant for stearic acid, which was lower in eggs from outdoor chickens (p<0.05). All other fatty acids showed no significant difference between the indoor and outdoor groups (p>0.5). Hens fed 1% CLA produced eggs containing approximately 30 mg of CLA per egg. For producers of “designer eggs”, supplementing with CLA may be profitable. The effect housing on fatty acid composition needs March 10, 2003 The effect of the stress of being handled on the growth of piglets on the Warren Wilson College farm Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein Abstract: Pork sales are a major profit on the Warren Wilson College farm. Barbeque hogs are sold for $0.75/lb of live weight at slaughter. Previous studies have found that various forms of stress on livestock can affect growth and development, and thus the profit of the farm. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of handling stress on the growth of piglets on the Warren Wilson College farm. The hypothesis was that handling stress would have an effect on weight gain. There were 4 sows in the research, and it was a repeated measure design study. Two litters from each sow, one in February and one in July, were used in this study. To control for variability among sows, one litter was in the control treatment, and the other the experimental treatment. The piglets in the control treatment were not handled at any time except for routine husbandry handling. The piglets in the experimental treatment were handled individual for two-minutes each, three times per week, for seven weeks. Their mouths were held gently closed. Three weights were collected for each piglet over the seven weeks. The first weight was collected at one day old, the second at five weeks old, and the third at seven weeks old. A paired t-test was run on the average weight gain per piglet for each sows control versus experimental litters. The p-value was 0.49, which suggests there was no significant difference. A paired t-test was run again, excluding one sow. She killed all piglets except two in her control litter. All other litters in the study had between 6-8 piglets. The p-value for the paired t-test excluding her data was 0.14 suggesting there was no significant difference between the handled piglets and control piglets. These results suggest no support for the hypothesis that handling stress would effect weight gain. March 31, 2003 A Comparison of Terrestrial and Aquatic Tardigrada Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels Abstract: Tardigrades were first discovered in 1773. They comprise their own phylum, Tardigrada, which is a sister group of the arthropods. They are one of the lesser-known phyla. While over 900 species have been identified, very little is known about their basic ecology. The objective of my research was to determine if there were any morphological differences between terrestrial and aquatic tardigrades. It is hoped that this study will suggest possible avenues for future research into adaptations for terrestrial and aquatic living. Two comparisons were done; one intraspecific, within the species Macrobiotus richtersi, and one interspecific, within the genus Isohypsibius. Tardigrades were isolated from their habitat and preserved in jars of alcohol. The jar contents were then placed on a gridded petri dish and organisms were removed with an Irwin loop. Specimens were mounted onto microscope slides using Hoyer’s Medium. Measurements were taken for body length and width, buccal tube length and width, and claw length. All measurements were done with an ocular micrometer on a phase-contrast microscope. Within the intraspecific comparison, significant differences were found in body length (p value = 0.030), body width (p value = 0.029), buccal length (p value = 0.005), and buccal width (p value < 0.0001). In this comparison, aquatic specimens were smaller than terrestrial specimens. Within the interspecific comparison, the only significant difference found was in the claw length measurements. The aquatic species had longer claws than the terrestrial species. The differences within the intraspecific comparison of Macrobiotus richtersi may exist for two reasons, one functional and one nonfunctional. The functional reason suggests that aquatic specimens may have been smaller because of adaptations to stream life. The nonfunctional explanation is that the aquatic specimens may have been collected at an earlier instar stage and were therefore less mature than the terrestrial specimens. The longer claw length found in the interspecific comparison of Isohypsibius may be an adaptation to help the organisms grip to surfaces in running water. March 31, 2003 Sex Ratios in Loggerhead Sea Turtles as a Function of Incubation Duration and Dune Temperature Mentor: Dr Louis Weber Abstract: Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). As a result the turtles are federally protected and conservation efforts have been devised to help increase the population. Sex in sea turtles is determined by temperature during the middle third of incubation. This phenomenon is known as temperature dependent sex determination (TSD). Eggs in nature experience a range of temperatures and it is not clear whether the average of a changing temperature produces the same effects as a constant temperature of the same value. This is known as the transitional range of temperature (TRT). Temperature has two important roles on sea turtle eggs and their development. Warmer temperatures result in greater percentages of females and shorter incubation durations. My objective was to first look at the TRT for individual nests laid in the summer of 2001 on South Island, South Carolina and determine if there is a correlation between incubation duration and sex ratios. I also compared temperatures taken from the flat and the top of a sand dune on South Island to determine whether nest relocation could effect sex determination. StowAway TidbiT Tempeature Loggers were buried 50 cm below the surface of the sand at six different dune sites on the island. There were three loggers at each site, one at the flat of the dune, one in the middle, and one at the top. Temperature readings were taken every 2.5 minutes during the nesting season from May 22 to September 11, 2001. The average temperature was taken for the second trimester of each nest and plotted in a graph against incubation duration. It was found that there was no detectable correlation between average second trimester temperature and incubation duration. I believe this result is an outcome of a short nesting season, a small sample size, and the chaos of the natural world as opposed to a controlled setting. A distinguishable difference was found in the average temperatures taken from the flat and top of a sand dune. It is clear that the relocation of nests may have an impact on the sex ratio of loggerhead hatchlings on South Island and should be taken into consideration when assessing conservation efforts for the species. April 7, 2004 Salinity Effects on Microbial Processes within and below the Wetland Rhizosphere Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner Abstract: Three microbial processes dominate carbon metabolism in anaerobic wetland sediments. These processes are iron(III) reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. Each of these processes uses carbon as an energy source, which results in competition for the supply of organic carbon. In the freshwater wetland they studied, Roden and Wetzel (1996) found that the presence of roots enhanced iron(III)-reduction and suppressed methanogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine if the findings of Roden and Wetzel (1996) are reproducible in a different wetland system, and also to determine whether their findings will be affected by the presence of sulfate in the system. This was done by monitoring rates of iron(III) reduction, sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in soil cores taken both below and within the rhizosphere, and from both a saltwater (Jack Bay) and a freshwater (Jug Bay) marsh. Fe(III) reduction rates were determined using a colorimetric procedure, sulfate reduction rates were determined using a radioisotope, and methanogenesis was measured using a gas chromatograph. The results were compared using a nonparametric paired t-test. While the general trends for microbial processes found in Jug Bay (fresh) were similar to the freshwater site that Roden and Wetzel studied, statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference in microbial processes below versus within the rhizosphere for Jug Bay (p-values > 0.31). There was also no significant effect of roots found in Jack Bay, the saline site (p-values > 0.53). These results suggest that there is a lot more research to be done in this area, examining different factors that affect the importance of the microbial processes in wetland soil. Savanna S. Cashion April 14, 2003 Kickboxing and Respiratory Physiology Mentor: Dr. Victoria Collins Abstract: Aerobic kickboxing has taken the competitive high-energy moves of competitive martial arts and incorporated them into a functional group workout to fit a variety of fitness goals and capacities. Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system to process and deliver oxygen quickly and efficiently to every part of the body. A goal of many athletes is to improve their ability to catabolize fat for fuel. By measuring the respiratory quotient (RQ), the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed, it can be determined when an individual shifts from burning carbohydrates to burning fat. The RQ of fat is 0.7. The RQ of a carbohydrate is 1.0. The amount of ATPs used in ratio to carbon dioxide produced for carbohydrates is 6.3. It is 8.1 for fat. If the same amount of ATP is used, a person should produced less carbon dioxide when burning fat than when burning carbohydrates. This study investigated the respiratory quotient of six women in a kickboxing class for four weeks to determine if the training program offered a successful pathway for bodily fat reduction. Respiratory gases were collected at the start, middle, and termination of each 1-hour exercise session. Samples were collected from some subjects 30 minutes after the workout to investigate the post-exercise oxygen consumption. Oxygen measurements were not reliable. Carbon dioxide measurements were reasonable and reproducible. The carbon dioxide output was not significantly different among individuals or sampling periods. However, average carbon dioxide output over the entire session differed significantly (p<0.05 by Kruskal-Wallis) over the four-week study period. Average carbon dioxide output decreased significantly during the study, which suggests an improvement in fat catabolism. April 14, 2003 The effect of dietary supplementation of red worms (Lumbricus rubellus) on a tilapia (Tilapia nilotica) and sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) based recirculating hydroponic/ aquaculture system. Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner Abstract: Human beings consume large amounts of aquatic organisms. This has placed a strain on our ocean’s ability to keep up with consumer demands. Aquaculture presents itself as a viable alternative to traditional fishing tactics, but the feed used in aquaculture production is comprised of ocean bio-mass, thus adding to the problem of over fishing. In search of a food alternative for the culture of fish and sweet basil in recirculating, aquatic/hydroponic systems, Tilapia nilotica were supplementally fed red worms as opposed to a purely traditional dry feed diet. There were six systems in all, three of whch were fed 4g of traditional dry feed and three that were fed 2g dry worms and 2g traditional dry feed. Basil was grown with effluent from the corresponding systems. After a one-month period of time there was no significant difference in weight gain of Tilapia nilotica fed the different diets with a P-value of 0.3898. Basil growth for a one-month period with effluent from the two different systems also showed no significant difference with a P-value of 0.4799. Six aquatic/hydroponic systems were successfully set up in the Warren Wilson College greenhouse. Because there was no significant difference between the two diets, red worms appear to be a more economically and environmentally viable diet for fish in small-scale aquaculture. April 28, 2003 Habituation times in the sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes Abstract: The sensitive plant is so named because of its dramatic thigmonastic response. When stimulated by heat, wind, rain, or touch it rapidly folds its leaves and collapses its petioles, returning them to their original position after several minutes. Despite extensive research, M. pudica's methods of stimulus transmission and perception remain unclear. If stimulated repeatedly, M. pudica will cease to respond to a specific stimulus and begin to re-open its leaves. This is known as habituation. It was my objective to determine whether M. pudica’s habituation time would change if the plants were habituated every day for seven days. I showered the plants each day until every one habituated, recording the time it took for each to do so. I removed one plant for a control, habituating it only on the first and last day, while the others were subjected to the same habituation protocol every day for seven days. I analyzed my data with a graphical regression test and obtained a p-value of less than 0.0001 and an r-squared value of 0.5435. There was a significant decrease in habituation time, suggesting that habituation times can be influenced by training or history. This may have implications for understanding the mechanism of habituation, which has previously been unclear. April 28, 2003 Midwifery in WNC: A Study of 100 Home Births Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein Abstract: Midwives have traditionally attended women at birth. There are an estimated 6,000 traditional midwives and 7,000 certified nurse midwives in the US. In North Carolina and 16 other states, the practice of traditional midwifery is illegal .The data was obtained through survey from four traditional midwives and one certified nurse midwife. The first objective of this study was to determine the frequency of specific complications and interventions for 100 low risk home births attended by five local midwives. The study found the following frequencies: 80% of the babies experienced no complications, 79% of the mothers had no complications in labor, 65% of the mothers had no third stage complications, and 74% of all births had no interventions used during labor. The total intervention frequencies were as follows: Amnitomy 12%, hospital transfer 9%, vacuum assisted 0%, use of Prostaglandins or Syntocin 9%. The total number of labor complications per 100 births were as follows: delayed rupture of the membranes 6%, prolonged labor-exhaustion 11%, prolapse of the umbilical cord 1%, fetal distress 3%, Meconium staining 14%. The total number of third stage complications per 100 births were as follows: postpartum hemorrhage 8%, retained placenta 5%, and shoulder distochia 8%. Total complications to the baby per 100 births were as follows: 9% jaundice, 5%transient tachypnea, Meconium aspiration 1%, infant resuscitation 5%, There were no babies that experienced fractures or neonatal infection in the study. The second objective of this study was to determine if the frequency of these complications and interventions was affected by a midwife’s years of experience. The study found a significantly lower use of interventions among midwives with more years of experience as compared to midwives with less years of experience. There was no association between the frequency of complications and the length of midwifery practice. Abstract: Phthalates are industrial chemicals used in many consumer products. Recent studies have shown that phthalates disrupt reproductive tract development in the male rat and widespread exposure has been found among adult humans. Phthalates have been found in every part of the environment and create an urgent need for human exposure assessment studies because of their possible teratogenic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic affects. The objectives of this study were, to determine and compare MBP and MEHP concentrations in Copenhagen waters and to compare the results of this study to other water studies. The monoesters were collected through convenience water sampling. Solid phase extraction was used to concentrate the samples. Liquid chromatography with coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the samples. Concentrations of both monoesters were found in all samples sites in Copenhagen. Untreated waters (i.e. canal, lake) had higher concentrations than treated waters (i.e. tap, bottled, control). Measuring the pooled monoester concentrations in the surrounding environment allow researchers to estimate the quantities of phthalates being metabolized by organisms. While little is known about phthalate health effects in humans, this type of research can eventually lead to a better understanding of phthalate exposure.

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The Philippine government pulled out its two vessels from Scarborough Shoal on June 15, and President Benigno Aquino III last week threatened to send them back unless China also withdrew. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said that he had received information that all boats had left the shoal's lagoon as of Saturday. He said earlier that China and the Philippines had reached a verbal agreement to pull out from the lagoon. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez later said an unspecified number of Chinese ships remained in the wider vicinity of the shoal. Both countries claim the territory. Tensions flared in April when the Philippines accused Chinese fishermen of poaching within its exclusive economic zone, which includes the shoal. China responded by sending paramilitary vessels to protect the fishermen. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular briefing in Beijing that the situation at the Huangyan Islands—the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal—"is overall toward peace." He did not comment on the Philippines' statement that Chinese vessels had withdrawn from the lagoon. He said that Chinese vessels "have been running the ... islands and the nearby The horseshoe-shaped shoal, a popular hunting ground for Filipino and Chinese fishermen, is one of the hundreds of tiny outcrops and islands dotting the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and an area believed to be rich in natural gas and oil. China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim the nearby Spratly Islands, where disputes have occasionally triggered naval clashes. A nonbinding 2002 accord discourages aggressive acts that could spark fighting. On Philippine-controlled Pag-asa Island, Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon announced Sunday the opening of a small kindergarten for a tiny community of Filipino settlers. In Beijing, Lei responded to the kindergarten by saying that his government opposed "any action that violates China's jurisdiction." "We hope relevant countries comply with the laws and do not engage in acts that will aggravate the South China Sea tension," he said. The United States, meanwhile, dispatched a nuclear-powered submarine to the former U.S. base at Subic in the northwestern Philippines facing the South China Sea. The American Embassy in Manila said the USS Louisville was making a routine port call to highlight historic and military relations with the Philippines. It was the second publicly announced visit of a U.S. submarine in recent months amid the tensions between China and the Philippines, as Manila turns to Washington for military aid.

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The long run of Rudi Dekkers, 56, the Dutch national who first passed out bunks to Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi when they arrived in the United States to enroll at Huffman Aviation in Venice, Florida, ended last week when he was arrested for drug trafficking in Houston. 'Truther' group that questions 9/11 attacks 'adopts' stretch of Missouri highway By James Eng, NBC News 'Truther' group that questions 9/11 attacks 'adopts' stretch of Missouri highway By James Eng, NBC News The Missouri Department of Transportation says it had no choice but to approve an application by a 9/11 “truther” group to “adopt” a stretch of state highway for litter pickup. The agency recently OK’d the application from the St. Louis 9/11 Questions Meetup Group under the Adopt-A-Highway program. The approval means the group will have two signs bearing their names erected next month on each end of a half-mile stretch of Olive Boulevard east of Lindbergh Road in the St. Louis area. In return, the group agrees to pick up litter along the stretch at least four times a year for the next three years. Some members of the St. Louis 9/11 Questions Meetup Group suggest that the U.S. government may have been involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Here's how the group describes itself on its website: “We are residents of the Greater St. Louis Area (and other areas) concerned about the many disturbing aspects of the 9/11 attacks and interested in finding out more about those events. We have many disagreements, but we agree that 9/11 is worth inquiring into.” Holly Dentner, a state Transportation Department spokeswoman, said the state can’t turn away a group’s Adopt-A-Highway application based on the group’s viewpoints. As long as the applicant fulfills the program’s obligations, which include collecting litter at least four times a year and submitting an activity report to the state, it can participate, she said. 9/11 Truth is gaining steam in North Carolina as "Experts Speak Out" airs on local television stations throughout the state. I (RL McGee) put this documentary on public access station GPAT-23 in Greenville / Pitt County last week. It will run for several weeks at various time spots. This was super-easy to do. There was no annual fee to become a producer and no orientation class to attend. I didn't even have to mail them a DVD since the station agreed to download the program from online! I just filled out 2 forms (Local Producer form and Program form) and mailed them in. Then I emailed the website for accessing the 1 hour version of ESO. It has also recently aired in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Durham thanks to Bette Smith. Starting in Chapel Hill in late October, The People's Channel has shown this breakthrough documentary by AE911Truth continuously in Chapel Hill / Orange County, and then its sister station aired the documentary in Carrboro in early November. Soon after Durham Community Media came on board and has been airing "Experts Speak Out" since mid-November in Durham County, NC. Recent air times: Nearly two years after Zadroga bill signed, Ground Zero workers and others sickened or injured in 9/11 attacks haven't been paid By Susan Edelman December 9, 2012 Ground Zero responders and lower Manhattan residents sickened or injured in the 9/11 attacks can forget about any financial help from Uncle Sam before the holidays. Nearly two years after President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act on Jan. 2, 2011, no one has gotten a dime. “We’re going into the third year of the law, and the fact that no one’s been compensated after eight years of hard work to get the bill passed is unacceptable,” fumed Ground Zero advocate John Feal. Congress appropriated $2.7 billion for a reopened Victim Compensation Fund to dole out $875 million in the first five years and the rest in 2016. So far, 15,000 firefighters, cops, hardhats and others who lived, worked or went to school downtown have registered as potential claimants. But only 1,500 have filed applications, officials told The Post. This is an explosion… There are no intact floors above the advancing collapse line. The concrete and debris are immediately pulverized and ejected sideways along with other parts of the structure including heavy beams that go on to destroy neighboring buildings. There is no ‘pile-driver’ effect as is evidenced by this photo and further confirmed by the arrested angular momentum of the upper floors in the south tower. The collapse proceeds through the strongest part of the building, the center structural core, at nearly free-fall acceleration. As you might suspect, this can only mean the center structural support was taken out prior to this collapse. I can’t think of any way this could happen without an internal detonation, perhaps carefully timed to be masked by the crash of the plane. There is no reason for what we see here and what we witnessed in the next 15 seconds. None is given. NIST gave up. Maybe you can fill us in :). How to Prosecute the 9/11 War Crimes - Panel Discussion at the 9/11 Revisited Conference in Malaysia How to Prosecute the 9/11 War Crimes - Panel Discussion at the 9/11 Revisited Conference in Malaysia Published on Dec 5, 2012 by corbettreport Prof. Gurdial Singh Nijar of the University of Malaya leads a panel discussion on how to prosecute the war crimes of 9/11 at the "9/11 Revisited: Seeking the Truth" conference in Kuala Lumpur on November 19, 2012. International Conference on "9/11 Revisited -- Seeking the Truth" (19.11.2012) It is with great excitement that I announce the release of the Final Report of the Toronto Hearings, which is titled The 9/11 Toronto Report. It is now available for purchase on Amazon.com, for a reduced introductory price of $12.76. I encourage you to review the content of the book using Amazon's "Look Inside" feature, and if you like the book, leave a positive five-star review. The book has already received a one-star review from someone who has not read the book, and we need to counteract these kinds of reviews. The 9/11 Toronto Report is a collection of essays submitted by the witnesses who presented at the International Hearings on the Events of September 11, 2001, which were held in Toronto, Canada over the 10th Anniversary of the attacks. I collected the essays, edited them, and arranged them into the chapters you find in the book. I believe it is the most succinct, comprehensive, and persuasive written treatment of the best evidence against the official story for 9/11 that has been produced to date. Those experts who contributed chapters include David Ray Griffin, Kevin Ryan, Peter Dale Scott, Graeme MacQueen, David Chandler, Barbara Honegger, Richard Gage and many others. The 9/11 Toronto Report also contains a written report and recommendation from each of the four distinguished panelists who heard the evidence presented over the four days of hearings and questioned the witnesses. The panelists include two eminent Canadian academics, an American civil engineer and academic, and the most famous and influential judge in Italy and honorary president of the Italian Supreme Court, Ferdinando Imposimato. As you will read in the final chapters of the Report, the opinions of these four individuals, each of which carries credibility and weight that cannot be disputed, make a clear and unmistakable case that the official account of 9/11 is false, and that the only way to realize truth and accountability is to tear down the wall of secrecy and lies that has been erected by the United States government around the events of 9/11. November 28, 2012 (Sacramento, CA) 9/11 Truth activist Mark Graham sent a letter to the 12 insurance companies for the airline defendants sued by Larry Silverstein informing them about evidence of controlled demolition of the Twin Towers and Building 7 and offering to put them in touch with building experts who could provide expert testimony. In 2004 Larry Silverstein, who owned Building 7 and had signed a 99 year lease on the Twin Towers just six weeks before 9/11, sued United and American Airlines 1 and companies providing security at the airports (the "airline defendants"). Silverstein claimed that the airline defendants 2 had been negligent in allowing the hijackers to board and hijack the planes and fly them into the Twin Towers. He claimed that the plane crashes and fires "proximately caused the total destruction" of the Twin Towers, Building 7 and the other buildings in the World Trade Center. (Complaint in Case 1:08-cv-03722-AKH Document 1 Filed 04/17/08, page 2) 3 No mention has been made of the fact that it would have been impossible for those plane crashes and fires to have destroyed the buildings or the abundant evidence of controlled demolition. The defense attorneys could make an affirmative defense of this argument and exculpatory evidence. Graham sent his letter via certified mail to the heads of 12 insurance companies who insured the airline defendants including Lloyd’s of America, Travelers Cos, Swiss Re, Zurich American, Global Aerospace and U.S. Aircraft Insurance Group and to their attorneys. At the Journal of 9/11 Studies, we have published a new article and a new letter. That makes 2012 as productive as our past three years at the journal combined. This month's article is from Dr. Andre Rousseau and is titled "Were Explosives the Source of the Seismic Signals Emitted from New York on September 11, 2001?" The conclusion states: "Near the times of the planes' impacts into the Twin Towers and during their collapses, as well as during the collapse of WTC7, seismic waves were generated. To the degree that (1) seismic waves are created only by brief impulses and (2) low frequencies are associated with energy of a magnitude that is comparable to a seismic event, the waves recorded at Palisades and analyzed by LDEO undeniably have an explosive origin. Even if the planes' impacts and the fall of the debris from the Towers onto the ground could have generated seismic waves, their magnitude would have been insufficient to be recorded 34 km away and should have been very similar in the two cases to one another. As we have shown, they were not." The letter is in response to an article that was previously published at the journal. It is from Tod Fletcher and Dr. Tim Eastman, and is called " The Pentagon Attack in Context: a Reply to John Wyndham." Here is an excerpt: "A broad-based analysis is needed to understand the Pentagon events – an analysis that is based on the full range of available evidence and therefore cannot be exclusively scientific in a narrow sense. This is especially important due to the fact that physical, quantifiable evidence is extremely limited, while there are multiple related events and information that can contribute helpfully to addressing (and providing context for) the problem. Thus, we have emphasized the superiority of a systematic contextual approach that builds effectively on such related information, and the need to treat the limited available evidence within its associated context. Further, we have emphasized the need to leverage the best established results, including attention to the likely means, opportunities, and motives of perpetrators." In December, we expect to have more to share. Kevin Ryan and Graeme MacQueen International Conference on "9/11 Revisited -- Seeking the Truth" (19.11.2012) Published on Nov 24, 2012 by WAHRHEITSBEWEGUNG911 By Kevin Ryan In the summer of 2001, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Robert Wright, a counterterrorism expert from the Chicago office, made some startling claims about the Bureau in a written statement outlining the difficulties he had doing his job. Three months before 9/11, he wrote: “The FBI has proven for the past decade it cannot identify and prevent acts of terrorism against the United States and its citizens at home and abroad. Even worse, there is virtually no effort on the part of the FBI’s International Terrorism Unit to neutralize known and suspected terrorists residing within the United States.” Revelations since 9/11 have confirmed Wright’s claims. FBI management did little or nothing to stop terrorism in the decade before 9/11 and, in some cases, appeared to have supported terrorists. This is more disturbing considering that the power of the FBI over terrorism investigations was supreme. In 1998, the FBI’s strategic plan stated that terrorist activities fell “almost exclusively within the jurisdiction of the FBI” and that “the FBI has no higher priority than to combat terrorism.” A number of people are suspect in these failures, including the leaders of the FBI’s counterterrorism programs. But at the time of Wright’s written complaint, which was not shared with the public until May 2002, the man most responsible was Louis Freeh, Director of the FBI from 1993 to 2001. By Associated Press, Published: NOVEMBER 21, 5:00 PM ET WASHINGTON — Internal emails among U.S. military officers indicate that no sailors watched Osama bin Laden’s burial at sea from the USS Carl Vinson and traditional Islamic procedures were followed during the ceremony. The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act, are heavily blacked out, but are the first public disclosure of government information about the al-Qaida leader’s death. The emails were released Wednesday by the Defense Department. Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011, by a Navy SEAL team that assaulted his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. One email stamped secret and sent on May 2 by a senior Navy officer briefly describes how bin Laden’s body was washed, wrapped in a white sheet, and then placed in a weighted bag. According to another message from the Vinson’s public affairs officer, only a small group of the ship’s leadership was informed of the burial. Ferdinando Imposimato Points to AE911truth Evidence [Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of a letter written by Italian Supreme Court President Ferdinando Imposimato for the Journal of 9/11 Studies. While AE911Truth does not speculate on who was involved in the destruction of the WTC skyscrapers, we applaud Imposimato for speaking out on this important issue, calling attention to the explosive 9/11 evidence, and, most importantly, pursuing justice.] Published on Nov 19, 2012 by Mark Dice The 9/11 truth film "September Morn" starring Martin Sheen, Woody Harrelson, Daniel Sunjata and others, has been derailed and sabotaged according to Sunjata. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on “9/11 REVISITED – SEEKING THE TRUTH” Date: 19 November 2012 (Monday) Time: 9am – 5pm Venue: Dewan Tun Dr. Ismail, Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur Keynote Address by YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia & President of Perdana Global Peace Foundation Session 1 – What Really Happened on 9/11? General Tan Sri Azumi Mohamed (Rtd.) Ms Cynthia Mckinney Former US Congresswoman / Commissioner in the Citizens’ Commission on 9/11 Mr James Corbett Journalist & Film Producer Mr. Richard Gage Founder of Architects & Engineer for 9/11 Truth Session 2 – Fear Factor Tan Sri Hasmy Agam Prof. Michel Chossudovksy Professor of Economic, University of Ottawa Prof. Graeme Macqueen Author & Organiser of the Toronto 9/11 Hearings Prof. Niloufer Bhagwat Dan Noel is an electromechanical engineer who is a member of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth as part of its presenter team. He has closely studied what he calls "the 9/11 censorship issue". In light of a recent video in which journalist Amy Goodman is confronted with 9/11 evidence and avoids discussion of it, Dan talks about 9/11 gatekeepers, the challenges that activist face in overcoming the censorship wall, and specific tools available that can help activists reach out to more people. Listen to Previous episodes at: www.911freefall.com Links mentioned on show: 9/11 Truth Confronts Amy Goodman & Democracy Now! ~ Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By LARRY MARGASAK Tuesday - 11/13/2012 WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Tuesday gave final congressional approval for a bill that would significantly expand protections for federal employees who expose fraud, waste and abuse and make it easier to punish supervisors who try to retaliate against the whistle-blowers. The whistle-blower protection measure, approved by voice vote and sent to the president, was the product of 13 years of work by organizations pushing for greater protections for the federal workforce. The legislation closes loopholes created by court rulings, which removed protections for whistle-blowers. One loophole specified that whistle-blowers were only protected when they were the first to report misconduct. The new legislation, however, would go beyond restoring protections, to expand whistle-blower rights and clarify protections that were not explicitly clear. For instance, the bill would clarify that whistle-blowers could challenge the consequences of government policy decisions. Specific protections would be given to certain employees, including government scientists who challenge censorship and workers at the Transportation Security Administration, who provide screening at airports. Operation Betrayus: From Benghazi to Brennan Published on Nov 13, 2012 by corbettreport SHOW NOTES AND MP3: http://www.corbettreport.com/?p=6147 Corbett Report Radio #256 The shockwaves of the Petraeus affair are still being felt in Washington. Predictably, the media focus is on the prurient nation of the scandal, but this is no ordinary sex scandal. Join us tonight on the program as we look at some of the implications of the affair from "access" journalism to blackmail to Benghazi and CIA secret prisons and the question of who will step in to fill his shoes. Follow Luke @ http://www.twitter.com/LukeWeAreChange Luke Rudkowski interviews Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick following the debut of their series, "The Untold History of the United States." Luke discusses with them about the lack of outrage shown towards the President Obama's continuation of Bush's policies. Luke also talks to them about what should be done in regards to a new investigation into 9/11. Support us by subscribing here http://bit.ly/P05Kqb Though all this is history now, with more than 10 years having passed by, some crucial questions remain unresolved. In the recent study "Anomalies of the air defense on 9/11", published in October 2012 in the "Journal of 9/11 Studies", some of these questions are covered in great detail. You can read it here: Now a video has been released, explaining these findings: Core of the argument: The flight routes of the fighter jets scrambled on 9/11 show a pattern of deliberate diversion. Declassifying 9/11: A Between the Lines and Behind the Scenes Look at the September 11 Attacks By reading between the lines, connecting dots hidden in plain view and seeking corroboration of the alleged version of September 11 events from regional and federal governments by way of Freedom of Information laws, September 11 researchers provide evidence of not only a seeming cover-up surrounding the events of September 11 but scientifically based and thoroughly researched explanations for the reported events that unfolded over the skies of America that day. Available at Amazon The Air Defense on 9/11: Anomalies and Questions Published on Nov 7, 2012 by GlobalResearchTV The systematic failure of every level of the US air defense on the morning of September 11th provides one of the clearest "smoking guns" in the full complicity of key elements of the US government and defense department in those attacks. In his new peer-reviewed article published at the Journal of 9/11 Studies, author and researcher Paul Schreyer outlines many of these key anomalies and the way they have been carefully covered up by the so-called 9/11 investigations. This is the GRTV Feature Interview with your host James Corbett and our special guest, Paul Schreyer. Published on Nov 7, 2012 by slo911video 9/11 Truth Confronts Amy Goodman & Democracy Now! ~ Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 20Oct12 - - - Mark Phillips, mechanical engineer, and member of Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth: (AE911TRUTH.ORG), had dinner with Amy Goodman twice since 9/11, and was largely responsible for getting Goodman on local public radio: KCBX FM 90.1, for the San Luis Obispo county. Phillips provided Goodman with evidence of the controlled demolition of all three World Trade Center skyscrapers on September 11, 2001 at a dinner, in New York, three years ago. At that dinner Phillips gave Goodman copies of the NIST report about the free-fall collapse of World Trade Center building 7, a copy of the newly released peer reviewed scientific paper published in the Open Chemical Physics Journal 2009: "Active Thermitic Material Discovered in Dust from the 9-11 World Trade Center Catastrophe". This evidence of controlled demolition of the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11, as well as an entire packet of information was provided to Goodman at the dinner three years ago. Goodman was in New York on 9/11, and was an eyewitness to the 47 story free-fall demolition/collapse of World Trade Center building 7, at 5:20pm. Phillips pleaded with Goodman this year, and in the past, to interview one of the authors of the Active Thermite paper on the radio. There has been an entire media black out on the subject, with the exception of George Noory on Coast to Coast AM and the Alex Jones Radio Show. No others, to date, have discussed the Active Thermite paper. Perhaps one day soon Amy Goodman will be brave enough to at least have this debate on the air and get this truth to millions of Americans unaware of this incredible evidence. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and loss of freedoms in the United States all resulted because of 9/11. There are many connections between the events of 9/11 and Oklahoma City. Some of these connections revolve around the alleged 9/11 hijackers, the “20th hijacker” Zacarias Moussaoui, and a couple of airports around Oklahoma City. Looking closer at the airport connections reveals startling coincidences with regard to the people who ran World Trade Center (WTC) security company Stratesec, as well as CIA Director George Tenet’s mentor, David Boren, who is currently the co-chairman of President Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Independent investigators have shown that there are striking links between the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (OKC) and the events of 9/11.[1, 2] Recently, many 9/11 investigators have become more interested in learning the truth about the OKC bombing after being exposed to the excellent film A Noble Lie. The OKC investigations have revealed eyewitnesses accounts of the sighting in Oklahoma of Mohamed Atta and five other 9/11 hijacker suspects. Last year, an article in the Oklahoma Gazette confirmed that records show Atta, Marwan Al-Shehhi, Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Zacarias Moussaoui all “either visited or lived in Oklahoma from July 2000 to August 2001.” Between February and August of 2001, Zacarias Moussaoui lived in Norman, Oklahoma and attended Airman Flight School at Max Westheimer Airport, which is owned and operated by the University of Oklahoma. Moussaoui even lived in a university dormitory. According to Moussaoui’s indictment, Atta and Al-Shehhi had visited the same flight school in July, 2000, but did not take classes there. On this episode of Breaking the Set, Abby Martin talks to NYU professor and author of 'Fooled Again', Mark Crispin Miller about voting fraud, 911 and how the term 'Conspiracy Theory' shuts down objective debates. Abby then speaks with Kurt Haskell, Congressional Candidate for Michigan's 7th District, about his experience on the flight with the Christmas day Underwear Bomber that completely contradicts the government's narrative. BTS wraps up the show with a look at the intertwined relationship between the Japanese Yakuza crime syndicate and the nuclear energy industry in Japan. LIKE Breaking the Set @ http://fb.me/BreakingTheSet FOLLOW Abby Martin @ http://twitter.com/AbbyMartin

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Contents - Previous - Next This is the old United Nations University website. Visit the new site at http://unu.edu Because the imminent demise or depletion of commercially usable natural forests can be so readily foreseen in many Pacific Island countries (Watt 1980, 297), governments and development agencies have in several places promoted either some form of restocking or enrichment of commercially logged areas or the establishment of forest plantations on degraded grassland sites. Not all these efforts can be classified as agroforestry, strictly speaking; but in the Pacific context, as in most of the tropical world, the traditional, if transient, shift of land use back and forth between forest and agriculture on any particular site makes it relevant to consider what at first glance appear to be purely forestry projects. Many of the timber species institutionally promoted have been exotics such as Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea), West Indian mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), cordia (Cordia alliodora), and Eucalytus spp., although some indigenous Pacific species such as Albizia falcataria, Agathis spp., Araucaria spp., and Endospermum spp. have been successfully established, often as exotics in areas beyond their natural range. Many other species - including West Indian cedar (Cedrela odorata), the silky oak (Grevillea robusta), teak (Tectona grandis), mahogany (Swietenia mahogoni), toon tree ( Toona australis), cadamba (Anthocephalus chinensis), and Albizia lebbeck along with several indigenous trees - have also been the subject of trials, and planted to various degrees throughout the islands. Firewood and multi-purpose species that have been successfully introduced include Leucaena leucocephala, Erythrina spp., Casuarina spp., and Gliricidia septum, and, to a lesser extent, Securinega samoana and Adenanthera pavonina. Other species, all of which have been planted experimentally and which seem to grow successfully, but which have not yet become so well established, include Cassia, Acacia, and Calliandra spp. Apart from timber and fuel wood, the major multi-purpose objectives of such plantings are site reclamation and amelioration, erosion control, wind protection, shade, multipurpose construction and handicrafts, nurse cropping, fodder, green manure, and food. The indigenous casuarinas, particularly Casuarina equisetifolia, have also shown considerable promise for reforestation programmes, and have been planted in Tonga in land reclamation projects, in the Cook Islands for the rehabilitation of degraded lands, and on atolls as sources of fuel wood and to protect coconut plantations from saltwater damage. C. oligodon and C. papuana are traditionally used for reforestation and to enrich fallow land in Papua New Guinea, and are now promoted in some areas for land rehabilitation and as shade plants for coffee. Pine planting in relation to agroforestry Of the total area of timber plantations in the Pacific, well over 50 per cent is accounted for by Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea). The largest area of pine planting is in Fiji, where that country's Pine Commission together with the Forestry Department has established over 50,000 ha of plantation since 1960, mostly on degraded anthropogenic grasslands (Drysdale 1988a, 110; Watt 1980, 301). Some pine timber is used locally, but the wood was intended mainly for export, and a wood-chipping mill is now in operation. In the mid1960s, under a programme now discontinued, woodlots of Pinus caribaea on smallholder sugar-cane farms were promoted by the colonial government. Sized from 0.4 to 2 ha, these woodlots were planted on steeper non-cane areas of farms to control erosion, provide on-farm supplies of timber and fuel wood, and for undergrazing by farm animals (Eaton 1988b, personal communication). Apart from this woodlot grazing and grazing of cattle in association with larger pine plantations (described below), there has been no institutional support for any form of intercropping or other agroforestry activities in pine plantations (Drysdale 1988b). Similarly, in the limited areas of pine planting in New Caledonia, Western Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, there has been little or no link to agroforestry in such programmes, with the main focus being on creating a timber resource, land improvement, erosion control, and employment creation in rural areas. In highland Papua New Guinea large areas of degraded grassland have been planted with pines (Pinus spp.) and Araucaria spp. Intercropping activities are few and consist of the intercropping of coffee and cardamon on a trial and demonstration basis (Howcroft 1983). In Vanuatu, P. caribaea var. hondurensis is the main species planted in forest plantations in seasonally dry and highly degraded sites on the southern islands of Aneityum and Erromango, where some 550 ha had been established up to April 1985. The commercial viability of such plantings is still uncertain, however, due to poor access to markets and high transport costs. On Erromango, high costs of clearing land of the indigenous pioneering species Acacia spirobis has stopped the development of pine plantations. Benefits in the form of erosion control and aiding the local economy through wages were the main motives behind these programmes (Neil 1986a). Non-pine forestry in relation to agroforestry To judge from programmes in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Western Samoa, there seems to be greater promise and greater institutionalized promotion of intercropping with other, primarily broadleaved evergreen, species than has been the case with pines. In Papua New Guinea, where extensive areas of Eucalyptus deglupta have been planted, cocoa and coffee have been successfully grown at 4 m x 4 m and 3 m x 3 m spacing, respectively, in conjunction with E. deglupta planted at 10 m x 10 m (Jacovelli and Neil 1984, 10). Also in Papua New Guinea, severe environmental degradation resulting from rapid urban expansion and associated subsistence gardening and "fuel-wood mining" prompted the cities of Lae and Port Moresby to institute fuel-wood-planting programmes. In Lae, in 1978, it was decided to plant 200 ha of sloping land (20°-30°) in Leucaena leucocephala for firewood and to intercrop fuel-wood species with annual food crops in zones designated for subsistence food gardening. The project, which was allocated K250,000 (US$275,000) over six years, had a management component coupled with a public education programme and a team of local government rangers to control gardening and to police the area (King 1987). Follow-on projects were planned but not carried out because of lack of funding. By 1988 the project had ceased to operate, and the original plantings of some 100 ha of L. Ieucocephala, Acacia auriculformis, and Eucalyptus spp. and 5 ha of "agroforestry plantings" of fuel-wood species with food crops had been cut down or removed completely (King 1987). In Vanuatu, Cordia alliodora, a hardwood native to Central America, has been the main commercial silvicultural species since the mid-1970s, with over 1,000 ha planted on 12 islands as of 1984 (Neil 1984). Cordia was first planted on various islands in 5-10-ha blocks called Local Supply Plantations (LSP). As the potential contribution of forestry to rural and national development became evident, larger, export-oriented Industrial Forest Plantations (IFP) were established on the islands of Pentecost, Erromango, and Aneityum (Jacovelli and Neil 1984). The rapid expansion of IFPs, sometimes with plantings of up to 200 ha per year on single sites, led to unprecedented demands for land and aroused fears among landowners, especially on Pentecost, that these silvicultural activities would make land unavailable for planting subsistence and commercial crops. This prompted the Vanuatu Forest Service to establish, on Pentecost in 1984, demonstration plots growing a wider range of subsistence and cash crops within forestry plantations of Cordia alliodora (Jacovelli and Neil 1984). Crops established between line plantings of Cordia alliodora included 8 sweet potato cultivars, 6 cassava cultivars, 13 aroid cultivars from Colocasia esculenta, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, and Alocasia macrorrhiza, 12 yam cultivars, kava (Piper methysticum), and trials with coffee (Arabica and Robusta), cocoa, and cardamon. In addition to these trials, subsistence gardens have also been established under Cordia alliodora by both local landowners and forest workers alike (Jacovelli and Neil 1984, 8). Because C. alliodora may be severely attacked by root rot (Phelli nus noxius) in some conditions, and does not perform well on some sites, other species currently being tried in Vanuatu include Terminalia brassii, T. calamansanai, Eucalyptus deglupta, Swietenia macrophylla, Toona australis, and Cedrela odorata. However, the barks of both T. brassii and E. deglupta are palatable to cattle (Jacovelli and Neil 1984, 10; MacFarlane 1980). The species showing greatest potential as an alternative species to C. alliodora may be S. macrophylla, and if grown with nurse species to reduce pest problems, intercropping should be possible during the early years of rotation (Neil 1986b). Several other systematic experiments on tree species, both exotic and indigenous, have been carried out in Vanuatu in a search for species especially suitable for fuel wood, timber, or pulpwood, but none of this research was connected with agroforestry. Research on agroforestry has focused almost exclusively on "cash crops which appear to have great potential, particularly coffee and cocoa, and possibly kava and cocoa" (Jacovelli and Neil 1984, 11). In Fiji, some 22,953 ha of tropical hardwood forests have been planted as of mid-1986. Of these, 14,987 ha are West Indian mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), 3,058 ha are Cordia alliodora, 2,963 ha are cadamba (Anthocephalus chinensis), 928 ha are Maesopsis eminii, 438 ha are Eucalyptus deglupta, and 202 ha are the indigenous species Endospermum macrophyllum (ADAB 1986). Despite such considerable silvicultural activity, in terms of both hardwood and pines, it is essentially monocultural, and, as the General Manager of the Fiji Pine Commission has stated: "Institutionalized agrosilviculture is non-existent in Fiji at present" (Drysdale 1988b, personal communication). Tonga's silvicultural activities are more diverse, some being significantly agrosilvicultural. More purely silvicultural activities include a major reforestation programme begun on the island of Eua in the mid-1960s. Over 40 ha of mixed exotic species including Toona australis, Cedrela odorata, Cordia alliodora, Grevillea robusta, Agathis robusta, Pinus caribaea, and Eucalyptus spp., as well as suitable indigenous species, such as Casuarina equisetifolia, Terminalia catappa, and Dysoxylum tongense, were planted on the Eua Forest Farm. Tests of seed stock from throughout the world were also carried out on the farm. Larger areas were subsequently planted, with 104 ha alone being planted in 1979 (Thaman 1984e, 3). The species most commonly planted in 1984 were Eucalyptus saligna, E. tereticornis, Toona australis, and Pinus caribaea. Seedling pro auction for these species and other timber species, such as Cupressus lusitanica, amounted to 77,491 seedlings (42,427 of which were planted) in 1979 (MAFF 1985, 100-102). Reforestation continues, as the small areas of remaining indigenous forest on Eua are exploited, with the local mill "approaching the end of its productive life as the local hardwood timber supply is cut out and cannot be replaced from the Forest Farm for at least another 10 years" (MAFF 1985, 99). The only truly agroforestry aspect of the Eua silvicultural activities, a taungya system of combined tree-planting and temporary gardens, was phased out because "it has greatly increased pressures for settlement of unsuitable land, and is thus clearly not in the national interest" (MAFF 1985, 100). A second and continuing agroforestry activity has been the Forestry Extension Programme, which began in the 1960s to produce seedlings for distribution to smallholder farmers for planting in small woodlots or as windbreaks around their agricultural allotments (see chapter 5 on Tongan agroforestry). The major species distributed included Casuarina equisetifolia, Grevillea robusta, Cedrela odorata, Eucalyptus spp., Agathis spp., and Gmelina arborea (Thaman 1984e, 3). With the establishment of the Extension Nursery at Mataliku on the main island of Tongatapu in 1978, the programme was expanded to include the propagation and distribution of a wide range of timber trees, "cultural" species, and species providing food, medicine, and ornamentation. The considerable interest shown by the people for planting on both rural and town allotments led to a "blossoming of forest extension work" to the point that, in 1978, the nursery could not cope with the demand, which exceeded 8,000 trees per month (MAFF 1979, 99). According to programme records, as of 1984, at least 155 species had been tested and/or propagated for distribution on Eua and Tongatapu. Of these, 66 were timber species, 45 ornamentals, 32 "cultural" plants of particular importance to the Tongan society, 11 food plants, 6 plants used for coastal protection or land reclamation, 4 for living fences or hedgerows, 3 medicinal plants, and 2 each for windbreaks and firewood. Among the most popular nontimber species were Casuarina equisetifolia (planted as an ornamental, living fence, or wind-break); culturally important sacred or fragrant plants, known locally as akau kakala, such as heilala (Garcinia sessilis), langakali (Aglaia saltatorum), sandalwood, or ahi (Santalum yasi), pua (Fagraea berteriana), pipi (Parinari glaberrima), huni (Phalaria disperma), perfume tree, or mohokoi (Cananga odorata), allspice (Pimenta doica), and Pandanus cultivars; fruit-trees, such as mango, Malay apple (Syzygium malaccense), and macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia); and ornamental or shade plants, such as flamboyant, or poinciana (Delonix regia), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Cordyline fruticosa, copperleaf, or beefsteak, plant (Acalypha amentacea), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), gardenia (Gardenia spp.), and the hedge panaxes (Polyscias spp.) (Thaman 1984e). The final major area of activity has been the testing and establishment of trees for land reclamation, such as the project to rehabilitate low-lying areas at Sopu to the west of the capital of Nuku'alofa on Tongatapu. Reclamation work at Sopu began in the 1960s, with the planting of Casuarina equisetifolia to stabilize the area, and has continued to the present with extensive plantings of Lumnitzera littorea, Rhizophora mangle, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Xylocarpus granatum, and other selected species. As recently as 1980, 6 acres of Lumnitzera littorea, 4 acres of Terminalia catappa, and 3 acres of Queensland kauri (Agathis robusta) were planted. The vegetation has reportedly been well-established, with the operation becoming more maintenance than reclamation. Grazing, usually of cattle, with commercial tree cropping and silviculture consists mainly of the widespread practice of grazing cattle under coconuts or commercial timber species, and the limited grazing of cattle under Leucaena leucocephala or other fuel-wood or multipurpose species. Livestock under coconuts The grazing of cattle (primarily beef, but also dairy cattle) under coconuts (in some cases with pasture improvement) is by far the most widespread practice. It has been encouraged throughout the Islands since colonial times, particularly on large coconut estates. In addition to providing meat and dairy products, cattle are seen as effective weed control and fertilization agents, thus facilitating plantation management and the collection of fallen nuts. Although primarily promoted on large, often foreign or state controlled estates or plantations, some governments, such as those in the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Niue, have encouraged smallholder grazing of cattle under coconuts and other trees. In the case of Tonga, smallholder agriculturalists have been encouraged to fence limited portions of their 3.3 ha bush allotments to graze cattle, and sometimes horses, under coconuts and other tree crops and protected trees, or, alternatively, to tether animals to trees and graze on a rotational basis. The practice has been particularly important in Vanuatu (both before and after independence in 1980) and New Caledonia, where beef cattle production is a major activity. Beef cattle production became so important in Vanuatu, prior to independence, that some plantations were turned into cattle properties. The importance of cattle grew in the 1950s, when steeply rising labour costs made planters increasingly dependent on cattle to keep their plantations clean. At one period in the 1950s, herds became larger than the plantations could support, especially during dry spells, and by the end of the decade, town butcheries had opened in both Port Vila and Luganville, the two main towns. By the end of the 1960s, copra production had become no more than a sideline on a number of plantations (Brookfield with Hart 1971, 164165). In Fiji, in 1973, 10.5 per cent of the local beef requirements were supplied by the 9.9 per cent of the cattle population grazed under coconuts (MAF 1973; Manner 1983). This is particularly significant given the large proportion of range-fed cattle raised on extensive large-scale developments in the dry zones of Fiji. Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia in Melanesia, and Western Samoa and French Polynesia have also actively encouraged cattle under coconuts with trials having been conducted on optimum stocking rates and pasture improvement. Much of the Western Samoa Trust Estates (WSTEC) Mulifanua Copra Plantation, reportedly one of the largest copra plantations in the world (Carter 1984), is undergrazed by cattle. The potential for the formal promotion of large-scale grazing of cattle under coconuts is greatest on the larger islands of Melanesia and Polynesia. On smaller islands, such as those in Tonga and the Cook Islands, where high population densities and land scarcity make more extensive agrosilvipastoral developments less relevant, small-scale rotational undergrazing of tethered animals is more appropriate. In Nine, where population density is low because of emigration to New Zealand, there have been problems of overgrazing and lack of fodder during times of drought- for example, during the severe drought of 1977-1978, when hay had to be imported from New Zealand. Richardson (1983, 59) cautions that grazing under coconuts can create problems of soil compaction and, especially in the case of free grazing, preclude intercropping, which should take precedence in areas with limited land resources. As shown by studies in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere, smallholder beef cattle production can have harmful impacts on subsistence cropping (Grossman 1981). Where cash cropping or subsistence production is feasible, Richardson (1983, 59) argues that intercropping should take precedence over grazing under coconuts. Cattle under timber species The grazing of cattle under commercial timber species has been actively promoted in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. In Papua New Guinea, reforestation projects in both the highlands and lowlands offer opportunities for beef production, and cattle have been actively promoted to control weeds and reduce fire danger by consuming the fuel. Pinus caribaea planting has also been encouraged in order to provide shade for cattle in open grasslands (Watt 1980, 308). The introduction of pasture legumes into timber plantations and surrounding areas has also been actively encouraged, and the development of pastures, followed by grazing, has been more or less standard practice in a number of forest plantations in Papua New Guinea, where klinki and hoop pine (Araucaria spp.), Pinus caribaea, and Eucalyptus spp. are grown. Government forest plantations are made available to local Braziers who establish adequate fencing and pastures and follow acceptable range management and stocking practices (Howcroft 1974; 1983). In the Solomon Islands, where there is a "Cattle Under Trees" (CUT) project, cattle have been grazed under Eucalyptus deglupta in forest plantations established by the government in logged forest (Macfarlane and Whiteman 1983; Schirmer 1983, 101; Watt 1980, 308) and in Vanuatu under both "Local Supply Plantations" and "Industrial Supply Plantations" of Cordia alliodora, as well as under Pinus caribaea on Aneityum, Erromango, Pentecost, and Santo (Jacovelli and Neil 1984, 8). Grazing under pines in Vanuatu is seen as a means of reducing the significant fire threat in plantations (Neil 1986a). It is in Fiji that the practice has probably been tried most exten sively, owing to research undertaken by the Fiji Pine Commission (FPC), a statutory body with the objective of facilitating and developing "an industry based on the growing, harvesting, preserving and marketing of pine and other species of trees grown in Fiji" (CPO 1980, 141). The FPC is responsible for managing over 45,000 ha of Pinus caribaea out of an envisioned gross estate of 80,000 ha on the highly degraded talasiga (sunburnt) soils of the drier leeward grasslands of the two largest islands of Fiji. The relatively infertile and eroded areas are vegetated with a grassland sub-climax of presumed anthropogenic origin, including species such as Pennisetum polystachyon, Pteridium esculentum, Gleichenia liners, Psidium guajava, Dodonaea viscose, and Casuarina equisetifolia. On moister slopes, Miscanthus floridulus forms almost impenetrable thickets. These grasslands are subject to frequent and unauthorized burning. The FPC undertook research into cattle grazing for two reasons: to examine the effects of cattle grazing on reducing fuel in high fire-risk zones; and to test the use of cattle as a site-preparation tool for clearing the land of Miscanthus floridulus, which proved difficult to eradicate by more conventional means such as slashing and burning (Drysdale 1982). Research has yielded variable results. Vincent (1971) concluded that grazing of cattle under 5- and 6-year-old pine plantations in poor soils had a detrimental effect on the incremental growth of pines, whereas grazing trials in the Nausori Highlands to determine the effect on fire hazard reduction resulted in a reduction in fuel from 2,500 kg per hectare to 800 kg per hectare, an average cattle weight gain of 0.24 kg per day, and no pasture deterioration despite heavy stocking rates (Gregor 1972). At Nawaicoba, Partridge (1977) reported weight gains twice this, when trees were planted at 2 m x 3 m spacing, with two rows in every five missing. In variable spacing trials, Bell (1981) found slight bark damage to trees less than one year old because of trampling, when the trees were spaced 3 m apart within rows and 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4 m apart between rows, the cattle being introduced into the plantation when the pines were 54 cm high. In 1982, the FPC reviewed various research projects on cattle under pines and concluded that given "the high overhead and general costs of FPC operations, commercial cattle grazing of unimproved pasture under pines, is an unlikely prospect" (Drysdale 1982, 4). Although fuel loadings were considerably reduced, the cost of using cattle for fuel reduction was "considered unacceptably high compared with alternatives such as burning" (Drysdale 1982, 3). In contrast, the use of cattle as a site-preparation tool where Miscanthus predominates was termed an "outstanding success" (Drysdale 1982, 8) because other methods of clearing the giant grass gave incomplete results, were impractical, or cost too much. Because of the high cost of fencing, the long-term and extensive grazing of cattle under pines has been found to be an uneconomic proposition for the Fiji Pine Commission, although some 480 cattle are allowed to graze under pines free of charge at Drasa and Tavaka-bo, and some cattle owners unofficially graze their cattle in Fiji Pine Commission forests. Native landowners are also allowed to graze cattle under their own pine plantings, subject to certain restrictions. But cattle owners also are unlikely to find fencing a profitable venture. Open-range grazing with night-time penning may be a possibility. In addition, the economics of cattle grazing on improved pastures under trees in Fiji still needs to be ascertained. Other silvipastoral activities Trees such as Leucaena leucocephala are used as fodder in Tonga and Papua New Guinea, where they are browsed by cattle as a dietary supplement (Watt 1980, 308). There is perhaps some scope for the grazing of other animals such as pigs, goats, and chickens on improved legume pastures or fallows under coconuts, commercial timber species, or other trees (Quartermain 1980; Richardson 1983). In the Pacific, as elsewhere, interest in agroforestry has recently grown rapidly among scientists, land-use experts, conservationists, and the development professionals of national governments and international agencies. As already noted, systems of commercial production that would now be classified as agroforestry were initiated early in the Pacific's colonial past, particularly in the form of multistorey arrangements of coconut palms with other crops or with cattle. With regard to agroforestry systems in the subsistence sphere, this book has sought to demonstrate their prevalence and antiquity in the Pacific Islands. As Yen (1980b, 91) comprehensively expressed it in his discussion of "Pacific Production Systems," there is nothing new about multi-storey cropping even though it has often been suggested to smallholders as an innovative technique they might adopt. In fact native systems have always involved such techniques in village gardens with descending storeys of palms, trees, productive vines, shrubs, herbaceous root crops, and vegetable plants and ornamentals. Similarly, in swiddens, mixed species and variety plantings are themselves multi-storey. In this case such plantings also take on a successional aspect, for following the root crops, some cultigens such as banana and longer-term plants such as breadfruit and other fruit and nut trees, industrial shrubs, and vines, prolong the production of these gardens. Geographers and anthropologists who have studied these sorts of indigenous systems find ironic some of the attempts made to introduce institutional agroforestry into the Pacific context. On the other hand, in a time of deforestation and agrodeforestation, it is apt to encourage both of the approaches to agroforestry described in chapter 1- the institutional approach, which generally seeks to introduce commodity-focused systems devised on the basis of modern forms of analysis, and the cultural-ecological approach, which is concerned more with long-standing indigenous systems, empirically devised and deeply embedded in the cultural landscape. Whether or not the two approaches can be usefully meshed remains open to question, although some forms of "progressing with the past" do seem possible (Clarke 1978). When attention is turned to the future of institutional agroforestry in the Pacific, it can be clearly forecast that if individual smallholders are to benefit over the long term from the introduction of an unfamiliar institutionalized agroforestry system, they will need to receive an ongoing package of inputs and information, which suggests the need for some sort of extension service. Unfortunately, it is acknowledged that extension work in many Pacific countries is generally poor, and extension services often have only secondary ranking within ministries or departments (Hau'ofa et al. 1980, 188-189). How to remedy this deficiency raises several complex but pervasive issues, which have been dealt with at length in a large literature and which can only be superficially treated here. With regard to the initial introduction of a new agroforestry system, it is easy - given the current popularity of agroforestry in the development world to find funding for workshops and projects, but these by their nature lack continuity, and they are often administered by staff unfamiliar with local agroforestry traditions. The Pacific is littered with projects advanced in support of all sorts of good causes their collapsed remnants remain, like the military paraphernalia rust ing on beaches after World War II. One way to incorporate continuity into projects and to move beyond reliance on inadequate extension services is to form a centralized management system for smallholders (sometimes referred to as a plantation mode of management). Such a system has been successful in several instances, notably the efficient smallholder production of sugar so important in Fiji's economy and also in tobacco production in that same country (Eaton 1988a). Some other attempts have been less successful. The pros and cons of the approach have been cogently summed up by Hardaker et al. (1984a; 1984b) and Ward (1984). Aside from problems common to any project-based introduction, a specific constraint to the full realization of the potential of agroforestry by institutional means relates to the disciplinary compart-mentalization that characterizes institutions concerned with land use, whereby - as the Director of ICRAF commented - "agriculture and forestry normally fall under different ministries or, if they are under the same ministry, under separate departments,' (Lundgren 1987, 44). Writing specifically of the forestry sector in the South Pacific, Watt (1980, 302-303) noted that "the separation of agricultural and forestry extension services encourages the impression that agriculture and forestry are mutually exclusive alternatives rather than complementary land uses." Following on from and related to this sectoral compartmentalization is each institution's imperative to maximize the individual component that is the focus of that institution. In contrast, as has often been observed: The subsistence land user's strategy and aims are to use his labour and land resources to optimize, with minimum risk, the production of various products and services required to satisfy all his basic needs. The fundamental inadequacy of conventional-discipline-oriented institutions lies in the failure to acknowledge and understand these basic facts, strategies and aims, and in the inability to adapt to them. The aims, infrastructure, rationale and philosophy of these institutions, as well as the training of their experts, are geared to the maximization of individual components, be they food crops, cash crops, animals or trees. There is little understanding that the land user needs to share out his resources for the production of other commodities or services (Lundgren 1987, 46). When maximization is aimed at commercial products, as it most frequently is in the Pacific, a set of sometimes contradictory processes comes into play. For example, attempts to produce cash crops while continuing to meet subsistence needs may bring agricultural involution if land is limited, or it may result in an extension of cropping onto marginal sloping lands as cash crops or cattle take over better lands. A specialization in commercial products may not be accompanied by any concomitant increase in labour availability or extension advice (often restricted to larger producers) on how to increase subsistence production (Ward 1986; Yen 1980b). Even the Fiji-German Forestry Project, which commenced in the mid1980s, appears mainly focused toward facilitating export cash cropping, although its terms of reference suggest a broader approach that includes "providing ecologically sound advisory assistance in the fields of forestry and agroforestry in line with the social, cultural and economic requirements of target groups" (Tuyll 1988, 3). Consultants to the Fiji-German Forestry Project have also made holistic and wide-ranging recommendations, but the Project's current activities, as described earlier in this chapter, are concentrated on improving the production of ginger as a cash crop by introducing exotic trees to prevent erosion and replace artificial fertilizer. This accomplishment is not to be decried, but the approach, distinguished by its introduction of and experimentation with exotic trees alley-cropped with a cash crop, does little to preserve existing agroforestry systems or to maintain a balance between commercial agroforestry activities and activities that could protect the existing subsistence base. One consultant recommended to the Project that "agroforestry and forestry extension should not attempt to remain with or return to pure forms of subsistence economy but focus on including profitable cash crops at low risks" (von Maydell 1987, 35). This recommendation does indicate an appreciation of the need to minimize risk, but both it and all the other consultants' recommendations to the Project fail to support strongly the maintenance of a viable subsistence base. Another consultant, who had been selected to identify suitable sites for demonstration plots for the Project, was asked to comment on the idea of putting greater emphasis on the subsistence aspects of agroforestry and of analysing existing local agroforestry systems as demonstration plots into which selected improvements could be introduced. He responded that it was quite unrealistic to expect either the Fiji Government or the German funding agency to support such an emphasis in place of an emphasis on using agroforestry as a way to improve monocultural cash cropping. In summary, export crops, timber trees, and grazing under coconuts have been the continuing focus of almost all official agroforestry activities for the past century. Regardless of whether it has been the colonial or post-colonial agricultural and forestry departments or, re cently, international aid agencies, the focus has been almost exclusively on monocultural, often large-scale production for export or, in the case of timber and fuel-wood production, for import substitution. Even the intercrops are usually cash crops for export or local sale. Consequently, most indigenous wild species and the wide range of traditional cultivars have received little official promotion and have been the focus of only limited research. Few technical experts or development entrepreneurs know enough about traditional mixed agricultural systems and their component plants to be willing or able to promote their expansion or maintenance. It is not only projects intended to develop commercial agriculture and forestry that may displace or degrade traditional agroforestry systems; modern institutional agroforestry projects may themselves play the same role. Agencies and educational institutions promoting agroforestry However, there are also movements in support of traditional systems. The growing popularization and recognition worldwide of the value of the "wisdom of the elders" (Knudtson and Suzuki 1992) may motivate increased institutional attention to indigenous polycultural systems of agroforestry in the Pacific. This section provides information on several examples of such attention and on the institutions involved; mention has been made earlier of some of these, but they will be referred to here briefly again to provide a coherent single account. All the major universities within the Pacific region (University of Guam, both of Papua New Guinea's universities, the University of the South Pacific in Fiji and its School of Agriculture in Western Samoa, University of Hawaii, and the developing francophone institutions in New Caledonia and Tahiti) support staff with interests in traditional matters, including agriculture, agroforestry, and the management of soil and vegetation. Rather than attempt a full listing of course offerings relevant to agroforestry to at least some degree, we note here only that, on the basis of current information at hand, the courses most directly focused on agroforestry are found within the Geography Department at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, and the Department of Agronomy and Soil Science at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. To the best of our knowledge, the University of Hawaii is distinguished by being the only university in the region to have a named Professor of Agroforestry, who is located in the Department of Agronomy and Soil Science. The Col lege of Micronesia in Pohnpei also has staff with active and direct interests in indigenous agroforestry. Agroforestry promotion by the Fiji-German Forestry Project, a bilateral agency, has been described in the previous section. A different approach is followed by the South Pacific Forestry Development Programme, which is a multilateral 5-year project funded by UNDP, executed by FAO, and now based in Suva, Fiji. The Programme is concerned with forests and trees in 15 countries, so far particularly with forests in the larger countries, but atoll countries are making enquiries about coconuts and other multi-purpose trees. The role of the Programme is to stimulate activities and provide technical advice, not to operate activities itself. For instance, it facilitated the import of seeds of superior rattan from Malaysia for planting in Pacific forests in order to increase their non-timber production capability. Aside from technical advice, the Programme acts as a focal point for information about forests and trees and publishes the quarterly South Pacific Forestry Newsletter. It is also trying to organize the documentation of local knowledge on indigenous agroforestry, with studies planned or under way in Pohnpei, Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga, and other island countries. The Programme has worked cooperatively with the international NGO The Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific (FSP) on a project intended to develop sustainable forestry in local areas while slowing down or stopping rapid conversion of forests by large-scale industrial logging. This objective is based in part on selling small mobile sawmills to rural entrepreneurs and community groups so that they may develop small-scale but profitable and locally utilitarian logging, carried out in ways that avoid major environmental damage and that maintain the essential structure of the forest for traditional uses and ecological services. A US Government project based in Hawaii is carrying out work related to several aspects of agroforestry in Hawaii, American Micronesia, and American Samoa. Called Agricultural Development in the American Pacific (ADAP), the project has provided agroforestry educational materials to all the public (land grant) colleges and universities in the American-affiliated Pacific. In association with the US Department of Agriculture and the US Forest Service, ADAP is also developing training programmes in agroforestry. The Environment and Policy Institute of the East-West Center in Hawaii maintained a strong programme of research, seminars, and publication on agroforestry for several years during the 1980s (e.g., Djogo 1992; Nair 1984). Although agroforestry is no longer a principal focus of its work, the Institute remains a repository of a large volume of published and unpublished material on the topic. Mentioned at the beginning of this chapter was the report (Clements 1988) of a technical meeting on agroforestry in tropical islands held at the Institute for Research, Extension and Training in Agriculture (IRETA), which is part of the University of the South Pacific's School of Agriculture in Western Samoa. IRETA is also involved in research projects to improve or strengthen atoll agroforestry in Kiribati. In the Melanesian countries, with their comparatively larger natural forests, forest-resource inventories are under way or planned, generally as a cooperative, aid-funded project between the local Forestry Department and overseas technical personnel. The inventories are intended to provide the information base necessary for effective land-use planning and management, but now, unlike some past forest assessments, the inventory process includes collection of data on watershed vulnerability and on the indigenous ethnobotanical value of forest plants, as in the forest-resource inventory now being completed by the Vanuatu Forestry Department with technical assistance from the Queensland (Australia) Forest Service and the Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures of the (Australian) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Finally, mention should be made of the work of ORSTOM, the French organization that promotes French scientific research in the third world, mainly in the tropics. With centres in the Pacific in Nouméa and Tahiti, ORSTOM has sponsored work not only related to many aspects of modern development but also to traditional cultural-ecological matters, for example, with specific relevance to agroforestry, the work on the cultivars of kava (Piper methysticum) in Vanuatu (Lebot and Cabalion 1986). Contents - Previous - Next

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|HomeAvian Influenza and EINetVirtual SymposiumHuman Avian Influenza CasesAbout APEC-EINetNewsbriefs> Browse• SearchAPEC EconomiesPeople DirectoryTeaching & LearningResearch ResourcesContact Us Vol. XIII No. 18 ~ EINet News Briefs ~ Sep 03, 2010 *****A free service of the APEC Emerging Infections Network***** APEC EINet News Briefs offers the latest news, journal articles, and notifications for emerging infections affecting the APEC member economies. It was created to foster transparency, communication, and collaboration in emerging infectious diseases among health professionals, international business and commerce leaders, and policy makers in the Asia-Pacific region. In this edition: 1. Influenza News - 2010 Cumulative number of human cases of avian influenza A/H5N1 - Global: WHO situation update on pandemic influenza H1N1 - Europe: Regulators probe narcolepsy reports with pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine - Australia: CSL recalls pediatric pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine - Chinese Taipei: H5N1 avian influenza vaccinations offered to public - New Zealand: More H1N1 pandemic influenza deaths logged as infection rises in Australia - Egypt: Confirmed case of fatal H5N1 avian influenza 2. Infectious Disease News - Australia (New South Wales): Measles outbreak - Japan: Foot and mouth epidemic declared over - Malaysia: Leptospirosis fatalities - Russia: Anthrax cases - Thailand: Meliodosis - Peru: PAHO rabies alert - USA: Ground beef recall due to E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA: Congress food watchdog sets egg-recall hearing - USA: FDA reports investigate Salmonella risk at egg farms - USA: 23 states affected by egg recall - USA: Salmonella outbreak linked to feed - USA: FDA reports show biosecurity gaps at two egg farms - USA (California): Program effective against Salmonella in eggs - USA (Illinois): TB outbreak being contained - USA: National pertussis report - USA: Federal contract supports more work on adjuvanted anthrax vaccine - USA: Production problems decrease smallpox vaccine delivery to US - INFLUENZA A/H1N1 - AVIAN INFLUENZA - VECTOR-BORNE DISEASE - CHOLERA, DIARRHEA, and DYSENTERY - Flutracking provides a measure of field influenza vaccine effectiveness, Australia, 2007–2009 - Universal Influenza Vaccination: An Optimal Goal—But How and When? - Influenza Vaccination of Household Contacts of Newborns: A Hospital‐Based Strategy to Increase Vaccination Rates - Results of a National Survey of Infectious Diseases Specialists regarding Influenza Vaccination Programs for Healthcare Workers - Knowledge and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination among nurses: A research review - Safety of MF59-adjuvanted versus non-adjuvanted influenza vaccines in children and adolescents: An integrated analysis - Revised SHEA Position Paper: Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Personnel - Hospital Discharge Data for Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Influenza A (H1N1) Vaccine Adverse Events - Facial Protective Equipment, Personnel, and Pandemics: Impact of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus on Personnel and Use of Facial Protective Equipment - Hospitalized adult patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in Beijing, China: risk factors for hospital mortality - Changes in knowledge, perceptions, preventive behaviors and psychological responses in the pre-community outbreak phase of the H1N1 epidemic - Design of a robust infrastructure to monitor the safety of the pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 vaccination program in Taiwan - Perceptions of Immunization Information Systems for Collecting Pandemic H1N1 Immunization Data within Canada's Public Health Community: A Qualitative Study - Predicting Need for Hospitalization of Patients with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Chicago, Illinois, USA - Persistence of Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Feathers Detached from Bodies of Infected Domestic Ducks - Do as I say, not as I do: Handwashing compliance of infectious diseases experts during influenza pandemic - Options for the Control of Influenza VII - Influenza 2010: Zoonotic Influenza and Human Health - 4th Vaccine and ISV Annual Global Congress - International TB Symposium (ITBS-2010): TB Diagnostics – Innovating to Make an Impact 1. Influenza News 2010 Cumulative number of human cases of avian influenza A/H5N1 Economy / Cases (Deaths) Cambodia / 1 (1) China / 1 (1) Egypt / 22 (9) Indonesia / 6 (5) Viet Nam 7 (2) Total / 37 (18) ***For data on human cases of avian influenza prior to 2010, go to: Total no. of confirmed human cases of avian influenza A/(H5N1), Dec 2003 to present: 505 (300) (WHO 08/31/10 http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2010_08_31/en/index.html Avian influenza age distribution data from WHO/WPRO (last updated 2/8/10): WHO's map showing world's areas affected by H5N1 avian influenza (status as of 2/12/10): WHO’s timeline of important H5N1-related events (last updated 1/4/10): http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/ai_timeline/en/index.html Global: WHO situation update on pandemic influenza H1N1 Worldwide, H1N1 2009 virus transmission remains most intense in parts of India and in parts of the temperate southern hemisphere, particularly New Zealand and more recently in Australia. In India, the current national influenza H1N1 2009 epidemic, which first began during late May and June 2010 in the southern state of Kerala (co-incident with start of the monsoon rains), continues to remain regionally intense in several western and southern states as well as the in the capital. The western state of Maharashtra, which to date, has detected the highest numbers of cases (including fatal cases), continues to record the most intense influenza H1N1 2009 activity, however, the rate of increase in the numbers of new cases reported per week appears to have slowed during mid-August 2010, suggesting that current epidemic activity may be peaking. Increasing H1N1 2009 activity has also been reported in Delhi since early August 2010, and in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh since late July 2010. A number of other states, primarily in western and northern India, reported small numbers of new cases during the third week of August 2010, suggesting that low level circulation of H1N1 2009 may be more geographically extensive. Since late July 2010, the vast majority of influenza virus detections have been H1N1 2009. In New Zealand, H1N1 2009 virus transmission remains active and locally intense, particularly in areas that were less affected during last winter's first pandemic wave. As of the third week of August 2010, the overall national weekly rate of consultations for ILI continued to increase above the seasonal baseline for the fourth consecutive week, however, the rate of increase in ILI consultations appears have slowed during the most recent reporting week, suggesting that peak epidemic activity may occur in the weeks ahead. Although the overall national rates of ILI consultations has not exceeded levels seen during the 2009 winter pandemic wave, several areas of New Zealand, most notably Hawke's Bay, Hutt Valley and Lakes, are all reporting local rates of ILI consultations that match or surpass rates seen at the national level at the peak of last winter's pandemic wave. The vast majority of influenza virus detections during the current epidemic period have been H1N1 2009. In Australia, during the first two weeks of August 2010, data from several surveillance systems indicate that influenza activity is increasing, including a one week increase in the national rate of ILI consultations, regional spread of ILI activity in three southern and eastern states, and a sharp two week rise in the proportion of sentinel respiratory samples testing positive for influenza virus (an increase from 5 to 15%). However, overall national rates of ILI consultations remain well below levels observed during the 2009 winter pandemic wave. The majority of recent influenza virus isolations have been characterized as H1N1 2009, however, seasonal H3N2 viruses have also been detected at low levels. Of note, an online influenza surveillance system that tracks the rate of ILI in the community found that recent increases in the rate of ILI have been among persons who were unvaccinated against H1N1 2009 virus. Although significantly fewer severe and total cases of H1N1 2009 virus infection have been detected this year compared to last winter, the median age of H1N1 2009 virus infected cases appears to similar although slightly older (21 vs. 26 years old). Europe: Regulators probe narcolepsy reports with pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine Europe's drug regulatory agency 27 September 2010 announced that it has launched a review of Pandemrix, the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, in the wake of a limited number of reports of narcolepsy through reporting systems in Finland and Sweden. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it's not clear if the vaccine caused the narcolepsy, which is typically triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including infections. The EMA said it will review all available data to determine of there may be a link between the vaccine and the condition and consider the background rate for narcolepsy. The group will decide at its meeting in September 2010 whether to take any action on the vaccine while it completes the evaluation. Australia: CSL recalls pediatric pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine Australia-based CSL is recalling its Panvax Junior pediatric 2009 pandemic H1N1 vaccine because of declining potency as it has reached its 12-month shelf life, the company said 24 August 2010. The company emphasized that the recall does not affect the company's trivalent influenza vaccine, which contains the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain. Other companies recalled their monovalent H1N1 vaccines late in 2009 and earlier in 2010 because of a similar loss in potency. Chinese Taipei: H5N1 avian influenza vaccinations offered to public The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control is offering H5N1 avian influenza vaccine to the public during September 2010, using 190,000 doses that are due to expire in November 2010. Chou Jih-Haw, the agency's deputy director, recommended vaccination for medical personnel involved in disease control, animal quarantine officers, security screeners at airports and seaports, coast guard officers, and people who visit countries battling avian flu. He said the vaccine will be free, but recipients will need to pay registration and medical examination fees at designated vaccination sites. New Zealand: More H1N1 pandemic influenza deaths logged as infection rises in Australia From 23 August to 26 August 2010, New Zealand has seen five new deaths, 82 hospitalizations, and 14 admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) linked to 2009 pandemic H1N1 flu, according to the country's Ministry of Health (MOH). This brings the 2010 totals to 583 hospitalizations, 91 ICU admissions, and 15 deaths, the MOH said, as it continues to urge vaccination. Meanwhile, neighboring Australia is reporting an increase in novel H1N1 cases, according to the country's Influenza Specialists Group (ISG). ISG Chairman Dr. Alan Hampson said that the increased cases plus New Zealand's flu experience means that outbreaks are imminent. Hampson said Australia's flu season typically lags a bit behind New Zealand's. Lab-confirmed influenza cases have jumped in Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland. Egypt: Confirmed case of fatal H5N1 avian influenza The World Health Organization (WHO) 31 August 2010 confirmed the illness and death of an Egyptian woman from the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The 33-year-old woman from Qalubia governorate got sick on 17 August 2010 and was hospitalized and treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) on 24 August 2010. She died 26 August 2010. An investigation into the source of her illness revealed that she had been exposed to sick and dead poultry. Egypt now has had 112 H5N1 cases with 36 deaths. The latest case raises the world's H5N1 count to 505 cases, including 300 deaths. 2. Infectious Disease News Australia (New South Wales): Measles outbreak People are being reminded to check their vaccination history before travelling overseas after an outbreak of measles on the New South Wales [NSW] north coast. The state's Health Department says five people have contracted the highly infectious illness after contact with a traveler who brought the disease into the area. Two other travelers have also contracted the disease during August 2010. The NSW Health director of communicable disease, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, says people can easily spread the disease if they do not check their vaccination history. Measles is a nasty disease, and it's highly preventable by vaccination, he said. Japan: Foot and mouth epidemic declared over With the deadly foot-and mouth [FMD] epidemic finally declared over four months after it started racing through the prefecture's livestock, local farmers have begun setting their sights on a comeback. However, there are many serious concerns about how the outbreak has affected other local industries, including commerce and travel. Farmers, meanwhile, say the recovery has barely begun. It's as if we've just gotten over the first mountain...I'm at a loss for words, Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru said 27 August 2010. He read aloud the proclamation declaring an end to the deadly epidemic. The epidemic has seriously affected our economy and recovery will be no easy feat, Higashikokubaru said, emphasizing the many problems still faced by the prefecture. Some local farmers who are hoping to begin raising animals again also have expressed their concern. The central government during August 2010 will finish issuing subsidies to farming households affected by the cull. While the government will provide assistance to help them get their businesses up and running again, it is not clear whether this "income" is subject to taxes. If so, income tax will take away a considerable amount. Rumors, too, continue to inflict damage. According to the Miyazaki Trucking Association, the 38 shipping companies operating in the prefecture have been turned away when trying to make deliveries in some places outside the prefecture. They've also been told to not make deliveries in trucks with Miyazaki plates. A recent Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry canvas of retailers nationwide discovered 16 instances of inappropriate signage declaring, "We do not carry Miyazaki beef or pork." The real fight is just beginning," says a Takanabecho pig farmer who lost 3,000 animals during the epidemic. In July 2010, he and another farmer formed the "new pork project" committee, which plans to take action to prevent future outbreaks in the area. We're hoping for a quick recovery, but at the same time we also plan to look 30 years down the road, he said. With the epidemic officially declared over, Tachikawa Takashimaya department store in Tachikawa, Tokyo, began a promotion of Miyazaki beef, with discounts of 20 percent to 30 percent. The store said that in June and July 2010, it received 212 messages of support for the affected farmers of Miyazaki Prefecture. Malaysia: Leptospirosis fatalities Malaysia has closed parks and alerted the public about the danger of swimming and throwing garbage into rivers to prevent a disease transmitted by rats that has apparently caused some 10 deaths. A new death from leptospirosis occurred on 21 August 2010. The victim was a 17-year-old from the northern state of Kedah who had swum in a river and attended a picnic with friends at a recreation park in July of 2010. Several parks in the country have been closed since the first deaths were reported July 2010. It is believed that some of the deaths were caused by another condition, and a Health Ministry official could not say immediately how many deaths were due to leptospirosis. The website of the Ministry of Health warns people not swim in public rivers when it rains and to avoid diving if they have wounds on the body because it would facilitate infection. The head of the agency, Liow Tiong Lai said the ministry would distribute flyers and posters to give out information about the disease. Leptospirosis is caused by exposure to water contaminated with urine of infected animals and is absorbed through the skin. Rats are the primary carriers, and the ministry campaign urges people not to throw debris near water because it could attract the animals, he said. The cases of the disease have increased in Malaysia. In 2004 there were 263 infected and 20 deaths, while in 2009 the figure rose to 1,400 infected and 62 deaths. Symptoms include severe muscle pain, fever, vomiting and headache. Leptospirosis is treatable if the person receives treatment in the first week. Russia: Anthrax cases A spokesman for the regional emergencies service told RIA Novosti that two residents of a remote farmstead in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan have been diagnosed with anthrax. The patients are two men, born in 1957 and 1967. They are now in satisfactory condition, the source said. The men contracted the disease after eating an anthrax-infected sheep. A total of four people also living at the farmstead have been vaccinated against the disease and received prevention treatment. Their health is now being monitored, and none developed symptoms so far. All sheep at the farm have been quarantined for a month. No other cases of the disease have been detected. [ProMED moderator note: I suspect that these two farm workers were in fact afflicted with cutaneous anthrax, not gastroenteric anthrax. Two men on a remote Caucasus farmstead would probably not survive long enough to reach the local medical clinic with the enteric form of this disease, much less respond well to treatment. On the other hand the skin form is easier to diagnose and its risks are less. Plus cutaneous anthrax is about 100 times commoner. I had a query as to whether we were getting more reports than usual of anthrax and thus maybe indicative of climate change. I doubt it. This disease is routinely under-diagnosed, much less missed being noted at all in deep rural areas. If this outbreak had not involved two human cases the ovine problem would have been probably ignored. Individual sheep deaths are virtually invisible.] An outbreak of the water-borne disease melioidosis has infected 1,307 people and caused six deaths in 2010 mainly among farmers in the Northeast. Public health minister Jurin Laksanawisit has warned farmers to avoid wading through water and walking over soil with bare feet because the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis, is common in soil and water. Please wear boots, Jurin said. If you have a fever, please go to see a doctor, he said. Victims were also recommended to tell their doctors about their occupation and location of their houses to allow an accurate diagnosis. Due to its flu-like symptoms and potentially long incubation period, melioidosis can be difficult to diagnose. Peru: PAHO rabies alert In epidemiological week (EW) 30 of 2010, Peru's Ministry of Health reported the death of a confirmed case of human rabies transmitted by a hematophagous bat. This case occurred in the native community of Urakusa, district of Nieva, province of Condorcanqui, department of Amazonas. (The native community of Urakusa is located on the right shore of the Maranon River and has a population of approximately 828 people, who belong to the Aguajun ethnicity.) On EW 33 a new death was reported, in the native community of Suhapangkis, located in the same province. The first case corresponds to an unvaccinated four-year-old boy, who was bitten in the head on 3 June 2010. The second case is an unvaccinated five-year-old boy who rejects vaccine for cultural beliefs. Currently, a team is working in the field, where an active search and vaccination of people exposed to bat bites is underway. This district has had rabies outbreaks records in the native communities of Cachiaco (2009), Kigkis (2009-2010), and Sumpa (2010). [PAHO Editorial Note: Most human cases of vampire bat-transmitted rabies have occurred in the Amazon region of Brazil and Peru and in some remote communities of Colombia. Vampire bats are found only in Latin America. Of the three known species -- Diphylla ecaudata, Diaemus youngi, and Desmodus rotundus (the common vampire) -- only the latter has been known to feed on mammals and thus has possibly transmitted rabies virus in the human outbreaks studied. In the Americas, human rabies transmitted by dogs has been almost eliminated, although the canine population is still at risk in various countries. Rabies persists mostly in wild animals. In recent years rabies in bats has resurfaced as a public health problem in the Americas. In 2004 for the first time more people died as a result of exposure to wild animals, especially bats, than to dogs in South America. The occurrence of human rabies outbreaks transmitted by hematophagous bats is cyclical, thus, it is important to maintain an active surveillance and act preemptively in areas of high risk.] USA: Ground beef recall due to E. coli VTEC non-O157 Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. has recalled about 8,500 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced 28 August 2010. The move came after three people, two in Maine and one in New York, were identified as becoming ill from a strain of E. coli, the government said. None of the three required hospitalization, said Cargill Inc. spokesman Mike Martin. The USDA says it believes certain BJ's Wholesale Club stores in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia received the products. The recalled ground beef was shipped on 11 June 2010 to distribution centers, where it was repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names. The USDA did not identify the brands. The recalled beef bears the USDA establishment number "EST. 9400," a product code of "W69032" and a "use/freeze by" date of 1 July 2010. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Services, which said it became aware of the problem on 5 August 2010, "determined that there is an association between the ground beef products subject to recall and the cluster of illnesses in the states of Maine and New York." Saturday's statement identified the strain as E. coli 026, which can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in severe cases, kidney failure. The government "strongly encourages consumers to check their freezers and immediately discard any product subject to this recall." The government lists the recall as Class 1, meaning "there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." USA: Congress food watchdog sets egg-recall hearing The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce 26 August 2010 announced that it will hold a hearing on 14 August 2010 to address the safety of the nation's food supply in the wake of a recent Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to two Iowa farms. The outbreak has led to the recall of about 550 million eggs, and federal health officials have received reports of 1,470 illnesses so far that they believe are likely related to the contaminated eggs. In other developments, an announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday that its investigators have found the outbreak strain in chicken feed, feed components (bone meal), and environmental samples at Wright County Egg has prompted a report from the company. Wright County Egg said that it got the bone meal product from a third-party supplier, Central Bi-Products, based in Minnesota. According to the Central Bi-Products Web site, the company has rendering facilities in Redwood Falls and Long Prairie, Minn., that process raw materials from different species, including poultry material, feathers, and blood. It says each process has its own protein-blending plant, providing product segregation. Meanwhile, Iowa officials are reviewing if the feed mill located on one of the Wright County Egg farms should have been licensed and inspected. The mill reportedly has a licensing exemption because it makes feed for its own farms, but the FDA said yesterday that Wright County Egg provided potentially contaminated feed to Hillandale Farms, the other Iowa company linked to the national outbreak and egg recall. An official with the Iowa Department of Agriculture said the state would investigate if Wright County Egg owns part of Hillandale Farms. The farms have said they are separate but share some suppliers. USA: FDA reports investigate Salmonella risk at egg farms Reports of mice, other pests, and manure piles in the US Food and Drug Administration 's (FDA's) initial egg farm investigation findings the week of 30 August 2010 are still reverberating among the public, the industry, and longtime observers of poultry and egg production. Though the FDA has had some authority to regulate egg farms, the launch of new egg safety rules in July 2010 for large producers imposed more stringent and specific Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) prevention targets. The national SE outbreak and recall of about 550 million eggs from two large Iowa producers prompted the FDA's first extensive egg farm inspection under the new rules, which led to long lists of findings contained in the agency's Form 483 inspection reports released on 30 August 2010. David A. Halvorson, DVM, an avian health expert who is retired from the University of Minnesota, has spent more than 40 years visiting poultry houses in most US states and Canadian provinces and in Mexico, South America, Europe, and Asia. He said he was still analyzing the 483 inspection reports and was not in a position to support or criticize the egg farmers or the FDA findings. However, he offered observations that relate to some of the SE risk factors found on the farm. In general, he suggested that some of the FDA's findings are not as surprising as they might seem at first glance. So far the FDA has announced some positive SE lab findings in environmental samples, feed produced at one of Wright County Egg's farms, and egg wash water from a Hillandale Farms facility, but it hasn't announced any positive or negative findings from tests on the eggs. FDA spokeswoman Pat El-Hinnawy said the FDA has collected hundreds of samples from Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, and lab results on most of them are still pending. Halvorson said mice play an important role in SE ecology, so mouse control is critical in an egg production operation. Feces from SE-infected mice can contaminate poultry feed, transmitting the disease to chickens. In the 483 reports, federal investigators said they found live mice in some of the poultry barns and evidence of unsealed rodent holes in some others. A farm that has a million hens consumes about 250,000 pounds of feed each day, he said. Even a very small amount of spilled feed attracts pests. So far, eradicating pests from a farm has not been possible, so a constant effort to control them is necessary,” he said. Observing 31 mice over a period of 18 days in perhaps 50 or 60 poultry houses might or might not be considered excessive, Halvorson said. Wild birds theoretically may play a role in SE transmission, he said. The inspection reports detailed evidence of wild birds in some of the poultry barns and around the feed mill. Halvorson said wild birds can enter poultry facilities when doors are opened to allow tractors to enter. So a wild bird in a poultry house, while not desired for many reasons, does happen, he said. Flies also may play some role in spreading SE, but a significant role has not been established, he said. In the 483 reports, FDA investigators found numerous live and dead flies in the poultry barns, including around the egg conveyors. Halvorson said a farm that has one million hens typically produces about 250,000 pounds of manure each day. Manure is an excellent substrate for fly reproduction, so flies, and also maggots, are a fact of life on a farm that produces animals, he said, adding that it would be unusual not to find flies on an animal farm, and the presence of flies means maggots are nearby. The 483 reports also described several other biosecurity lapses, such as gaps in walls and doors, holes in feed ingredient bins, and access doors that were pushed open from the weight of accumulating manure. Handling large volumes of manure usually requires either tractors to enter the barns through large doors or conveyors to penetrate barn walls to move manure out, Halvorson said. It's not unusual to see gaps around doors and conveyors, he said. Inspectors said they observed instances of employees not changing or wearing protective clothing when moving from laying house to laying house, according to the 483 reports. Halvorson said in his many years of visiting poultry houses, he doesn't recall seeing workers routinely change clothing when going from one house to the next, though he said changing clothes when going between adult chickens and chicks is a common practice. On the day the FDA released its findings, Halvorson said the egg safety inspections break new ground for the agency's inspectors and seem to herald a shift away from assuring that farms are free from SE and more toward making sure firms are complying with SE prevention plans. He said requirements such as changing clothes between barns connected by an egg conveyor and forbidding employees to own pet birds are inexplicable and indicate a lack of understanding of farm operations and SE biosecurity, respectively. He added that the FDA would help egg producers as well as consumers by focusing prevention efforts on known successful mitigation strategies: SE-negative chicks, rodent control, an SE-negative environment, and vaccination. Though Iowa, the nation's biggest egg producer, is among states that do not have their own egg quality assurance programs for farms, a spokeswoman for Wright County Egg has said the company was in compliance with the new federal rules as well as an industry-based food safety program that addresses cleaning and disinfection of poultry houses, pest control, proper egg washing, biosecurity, and refrigeration from packing through delivery. In the wake of the inspection reports, both Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms have issued statements saying they're fixing the problems reported by the FDA inspectors. FDA officials said that over the next 15 months (2010-2011) investigators will inspect about 600 of the nation's largest egg producers, starting in September 2010 with the facilities that are at highest risk. In other developments, FDA inspectors returned to the two farms 31 August 2010. An FDA spokeswoman and a federal attorney who covers Iowa confirmed that the agents were at the sites but did not reveal why they were there. At a 30 August 2010 media briefing about the 483 reports, FDA officials didn't say what their next steps would be in response to the egg safety violations they found. The options could include seizure, injunction, or even criminal prosecution. USA: 23 states affected by egg recall Agriculture officials in Michigan said 24 August 2010 that eggs connected to the national Salmonella-related recall have been distributed in the state, though it wasn't mentioned in recall notices by the two Iowa companies at the center of the investigation, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. The Michigan Department of Agriculture said in a statement that an ongoing traceback investigation has revealed that some of the companies' customers are distributors and wholesalers that sold the eggs to Michigan customers. Michigan's announcement raises the number of states affected by the recall to 23, according to a review of company recall notices. The two companies have recalled about 500 million eggs. Four smaller companies that repackaged and resold the eggs from the two companies have also issued recalls. State officials said they are working with federal investigators to determine where the Michigan eggs were sold and will conduct recall effectiveness checks to ensure that affected products are removed from store shelves. In other developments, millions of eggs still being produced each day at the two companies are being pasteurized and can be sold as liquid eggs or added to other products such as ice cream, the Canadian Press (CP) reported today. Julie DeYoung, a spokeswoman for Hillandale Farms, told the CP that its chickens are producing about two million eggs a day. The companies told the CP that they are waiting to hear from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before deciding what to do with the flocks. The FDA cannot order the companies to cull flocks that may be infected with Salmonella, but companies may decide to do so on their own. Meanwhile, new details emerged today about early clues that led California health officials to suspect an egg link to Salmonella Enteritidis case clusters. Michael Sicilia, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, told CNN that more than 30 people who attended a prom and graduation party in Santa Clara County got sick, and some of them were hospitalized. A case control study found that many had eaten custard-filled profiterole pastries that were served at both the prom and the party. The company that catered the event ran out of pasteurized filler and made the rest of the filling with shell eggs. Tests on the eggs revealed Salmonella, and investigators sent an electronic alert to a national health official network. Sicilia told CNN that clusters related to the outbreak and recall were also identified in San Diego County at a Korean restaurant and in Los Angeles County on a movie set. In new recall developments, Wright County Egg said that it is adding one more brand to its recall, Cardenas Markets, whose brand of eggs were distributed to Cardenas Market stores in California and Nevada. Though the brand wasn't named in Wright County Egg's original recall, the stores were notified at the time of the recall and the products were removed from store shelves and quarantined, returned, or destroyed. USA: Salmonella outbreak linked to feed From 1 May to 25 August 2010, a total of 2,403 Salmonella illnesses were reported. Consumers are urged to not eat recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. A searchable database of products affected by the recall is available to consumers. Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers. CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states, the FDA, and the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate a nationwide increase of Salmonella (enterica serotype) Enteritidis (SE) infections with an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern JEGX01.0004. This is the most common PFGE pattern for SE in the PulseNet database. Investigators are using DNA analysis of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. Because the outbreak PFGE pattern (outbreak strain) commonly occurs in the USA, some of the cases identified with this outbreak strain may not be related to this outbreak. In early July 2010, CDC identified a nationwide sustained increase in the number of S. Enteritidis isolates with PFGE pattern JEGX01.0004 uploaded to PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of food-borne infections. This increase began in May 2010, and is evident in the epidemic curve, or epi curve. From 1 May to 25 Aug 2010, a total of 2,403 illnesses were reported. However, some cases from this time period have not been reported yet, and some of these cases may not be related to this outbreak. Based on the previous five years of reports to PulseNet, we would expect approximately 933 total illnesses during this same period. Many states have reported increases of this pattern since May 2010. Because of the large number of expected cases during this period, standard methods of molecular subtyping alone are not sufficient to determine which reported cases might be outbreak-associated. CDC is currently conducting testing using advanced molecular methodologies to help distinguish between outbreak-related cases and sporadic (or background) cases. Illnesses that occurred after 23 July 2010 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to three weeks for Salmonella. Epidemiologic investigations conducted by public health officials in 10 states since April 2010 have identified 26 restaurants or event clusters where more than a single ill person with the outbreak strain has eaten. Data from these investigations suggest that shell eggs are a likely source of infections in many of these restaurants or event clusters. Preliminary information indicates that Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, was an egg supplier in 15 of these 26 restaurants or event clusters. To date, no new restaurant or event clusters have been reported to CDC. A formal traceback was conducted by state partners in California, Colorado, and Minnesota, in collaboration with FDA and CDC, to find a common source of shell eggs. Wright County Egg in Iowa was found as the common source of the shell eggs associated with three of the clusters. Through traceback and FDA investigational findings, Hillandale Farms of IA, Inc. was identified as another potential source of contaminated shell eggs contributing to this outbreak. FDA is currently conducting extensive investigations at both of these firms in Iowa. The investigations involve sampling, records review, and looking for potential sources of contamination, such as feed. Laboratory tests have confirmed that two Iowa egg companies are contaminated with the same strain of Salmonella blamed for a national outbreak of illness, which continues to claim victims and has sickened at least 1,500 people, federal officials said 26 Aug 2010. The confirmation backs up suspicions by the FDA that tainted eggs from the two Iowa producers have caused the biggest case of Salmonella Enteritidis disease that federal officials have seen since they began tracking the illness in the 1970s. The FDA, which has sent 20 investigators to the two farms -- Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, said 26 August 2010 that it had detected the particular strain of Salmonella in two barns at Wright County Egg and in feed that the company made and gave to its own chickens. The agency also found that strain in feed that Wright supplied to Hillandale. These are the very first results that we're beginning to get in, and there are many other results in the queue that may give us clues as to the extent of contamination," said Jeff Farrar, associate commissioner for food protection at the FDA. He said that the agency had taken 600 samples at the farms for laboratory analysis and that additional results were expected. Officials from Wright County Egg said in a statement that the presence of Salmonella on the property did not necessarily mean that the eggs were infected. But the company also pledged to work with the FDA. USA: FDA reports show biosecurity gaps at two egg farms Federal officials 31 August 2010 released their initial inspection reports of the two Iowa companies linked to the nation's biggest egg recall, which reveal multiple biosecurity breaches, such as rodent infestation, wild birds in poultry barns, and instances in which chicken manure could have contaminated egg-laying areas. The inspections—which represent the nation's first under the new shell egg safety rules—revealed that both companies failed to follow and implement their written Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) prevention programs. The national SE outbreak has sickened nearly 1,500 people so far and led to the recall of about 550 million eggs. Details of the inspections appear on US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 483 forms, which officials said don't cover all of the findings but focus on the ones that amount to violations of the FDA's new egg safety rules, which went into effect for the nation's largest producers in July 2010. At a news conference 31 August 2010, David Elder, director of the FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs, said the 483 forms show "significant objectionable conditions." Investigators were at Wright County Egg facilities from 12-30 August 2010 exploring conditions at five sites and at the company's feed mill operation. Elder said. Live mice were found inside laying houses at four sites, and numerous live and dead flies were observed in egg-laying houses at three locations. Evidence of wild birds, including pigeons, was found at two locations. Chicken manure accumulated four to eight feet high underneath the cages at two locations. The weight of the manure at the two locations pushed out access doors, allowing open access for wildlife and other farm animals. At one location, uncaged birds were using tall manure piles to access egg-laying areas. The federal inspectors also saw employees not changing or not wearing protective clothing when moving from laying house to laying house. At Wright County Egg's feed mill, evidence of wild birds was noted in the milling, mixing system, and storage areas. Raw-ingredient bins had holes open to the environment, with evidence of pigeons near the openings. Meanwhile, the inspection at three Hillandale Farms locations revealed unsealed rodent holes with evidence of live rodents at one of the facilities, with gaps in walls and doors at other sites. Standing water was observed near a manure pit at one of the locations, and liquid manure leaks were noted at two sites. As at Wright County Egg, uncaged chickens were observed tracking manure into the caged hen areas. Employees at one of the company's sites didn't document that 19-week-old pullets were raised under SE-monitored conditions. Dr Jeff Farrar, associate commissioner of food protection in the FDA's Office of Foods, told reporters that the FDA received one more positive SE lab result that matches the outbreak strain from spent egg wash water from a facility at Hillandale Farms. Federal officials didn't comment on what further action they may take, which could include seizure, injunction, or even criminal prosecution, based on the inspection findings. Dr Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, told reporters that though the FDA has no reason to believe the practices that investigators turned up are common at all egg-producing facilities, inspectors will be inspecting about 600 large egg producers, those that have 50,000 or more laying hens, over the next several months starting in September 2010 with what it believes may be the highest-risk facilities. As a component of the new egg rules, the egg inspections were planned before the outbreak and recall occurred. However, Taylor said the experiences gained at Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms will help guide FDA inspectors as they make their inspection rounds of other farms over the next 15 months. We think individual compliance will reduce the risk, but it's our job to see that it happens, he said. David A. Halvorson, DVM, an avian health authority at the University of Minnesota who is an expert on biosecurity and food safety, said he had read the FDA's inspection reports and didn't want to comment directly on the investigation, given the likelihood of future litigation related to the outbreak and recall. But he did say that egg-producer inspections represent new ground for FDA inspectors. They will likely expect egg farms to pass inspections suitable for food or drug establishments. Passing the inspection is apparently not based on freedom from SE, but compliance with an SE-prevention plan, he said. So far it is not clear if SE has been detected in the eggs, Halvorson said, adding that the FDA requires egg testing to be completed by 10 days after the detection of a positive environmental sample. So it's possible the egg testing is complete and the results were negative, he said. The food safety watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) 31 August 2010 called the FDA's 483 inspection report "stomach churning." Caroline Smith DeWaal, the CSPI's food safety director, said, that equally troubling is that the inspections occurred the month following the date that the new egg-safety regulation went into effect. Both companies involved had been on notice that they needed to meet requirements of the new egg-safety rule for over a year. The "decrepit" conditions in the hen houses suggests that the companies assumed that FDA inspections are so rare, despite the new egg safety rules, that they saw no urgency to fix their buildings to ensure compliance with the new requirements, DeWaal said. In other developments, Sparboe Farms, based in Lichfield, Minn., recalled eggs that it received from both Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. The eggs were distributed to grocery stores and foodservice companies in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota under the following five brand names: Albertson, Sparboe Farms, Liborio Market, Shamrock Foods, and Glenview Farms. Eggs subject to the recall include large 6-egg to 30-dozen bulk cases of eggs that were produced on 2, 3, and 7 August 2010. The recall also applies to extra-large eggs packed in 12-dozen cartons that were produced between 30 July and 6 August 2010. USA (California): Program effective against Salmonella in eggs Many large egg producers in California have essentially eliminated Salmonella on their farms by following a state-sanctioned quality assurance program that includes vaccinating hens and testing barns regularly. But only nine other states have adopted similar government-sponsored prevention programs, in part because they make eggs more expensive, putting producers at a competitive disadvantage. It adds that producers in states like Iowa—the site of farms that have recalled more than 500 million eggs because of a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak—have lower production costs than California producers participating in the safety program. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) egg safety rules that took effect for large farms in July 2010 do not require Salmonella vaccination for chickens, because FDA officials concluded there was too little evidence that Salmonella vaccines are effective. USA (Illinois): TB outbreak being contained Health authorities are reporting progress in containing a tuberculosis outbreak in Kane County, west of Chicago. No active cases have occurred since late June 2010 and none turned up in a mass screening in August 2010. Almost 200 people were tested then. So far, 17 active cases have been identified since the outbreak began earlier in 2010. Most involve residents of a homeless shelter in Aurora and close contacts. Another mass screening is planned in October. Kane County Health Department spokesman Tom Schlueter says authorities have been aggressively screening and educating homeless shelter residents about TB. (CBS2 Chicago 09/01/2010) USA: National pertussis report An additional 17 cases of whooping cough were reported the week of 9 August 2010 in Kern County, bringing the total to 227 for 2010, according to the Kern County Department of Public Health. The monthly rate of cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, in Kern County has been going up and up in 2010, though no deaths have been reported. The weekly rate has, since 23 May 2010, ranged from five between 30 May and 5 June 2010 to 33 between 27 June and 3 July 2010, according to Public Health. Of the 227 Kern cases, 182 were reported in Bakersfield. The reason for the uptick is unclear but it's happening across the state so health officials are just trying to get the word out about the need for vaccination, said Denise Smith, Public Health's assistant director of disease control. Officials have said the incidence of whooping cough is cyclical. In Kern there were six reported cases in all of 2009 and 8 in 2008, according to Public Health. According to a report from Dr Joshua Meyerson, the medical director of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, 25 cases of pertussis have been discovered in the four counties, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Otsego, served by Northwest. The outbreak is five times the typical number. There have been cases so far in Otsego County in 2010, a child and an adult. Meyerson states that 10-15 percent of children have not been vaccinated. In some ways these vaccinations are victims of the initial success of the vaccine, said Jane Sundmacher, public information officer of Northwest. Before the vaccine was introduced in the 1940s, pertussis was the major cause of serious illness and death in infants and young children. The alarm being sounded about the outbreak is particularly important in Michigan. California and Michigan lead the country in the percentage of children not vaccinated. California has suffered 10 deaths and Michigan one. Wendy Phillips, public information officer of Northeast Health Department, reports there have been no identified cases of pertussis in 2010 in Montmorency County. There are, however, two cases in both Alpena and Cheboygan, and the two in Otsego suggests it's only a matter of time before it spreads to Montmorency. Missouri has reported 82 confirmed cases of pertussis in the last month. One-quarter of those involved infants under a year old. A rise in reported cases of pertussis in causing concern in the greater Philadelphia area, health officials say. The suburban counties of southeastern Pennsylvania have witnessed increased occurrences of the infection, which can be fatal in infants. Delaware County saw the largest increase in cases, jumping from five cases to 44 within a three-month period. The second highest increase in whooping cough cases was in Montgomery County, where 39 new cases were tallied between April and June 2010, compared to eight new cases in the three months preceding. A Grant County baby has died from whooping cough and another is recovering from the highly contagious bacterial disease, Grant County health officials say. The infant died Tuesday night, 24 August 2010, at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, according to Theresa Fuller, public information officer for the Grant County Health District. The other child is recovering at home. There appears to be no connection between the cases, she said. Health officials are working with health-care providers of children and adults who may have been exposed to the sick children, Fuller said. In some cases, those people may need antibiotics. According to the CDC, 8,000 to 25,000 cases of pertussis, are reported each year in the USA. During the last decade, pertussis has re-emerged as one of the most pressing public health issues due to increasing numbers of cases and lower vaccination rates, Fuller said. Recently, multiple outbreaks of pertussis have been investigated in the USA, including cases in California and Idaho, said Jeff Ketchel, health district administrator. From 2005 to 2009, Washington state had 2636 cases of whooping cough. During this same time period, Grant County had 17 cases. About one in 20 infants with pertussis get pneumonia, said Dr Alexander Brzezny, Grant County health officer. About one in 100 infants will have convulsions. In rare cases, pertussis can be deadly, especially in infants under one year old. Nearly all infants with pertussis get the infection from an infected adult. USA: Federal contract supports more work on adjuvanted anthrax vaccine Emergent BioSolutions Inc. 1 September 2010 announced it has won a federal contract worth up to $28.7 million for further development of its "third generation" anthrax vaccine, consisting of the existing product, BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed), combined with a novel adjuvant called CPG 7909. BioThrax is the only US-licensed anthrax vaccine and is used by the US military. The company said the contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) includes a two-year base award valued at $9.1 million, plus milestone-based options that, if exercised, would increase the total value to $28.7 million. The base contract provides for manufacturing and stability studies of vaccine for phase two clinical trials, process characterization and assay validation, and clinical trial preparation. The milestone-based options cover further stability testing and a clinical study of the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity. The phase two study is expected to begin early in 2012, with preliminary data due later in the year. The new contract is a sequel to a $29.7 million deal that was awarded by NIAID and the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in September 2008. USA: Production problems decrease smallpox vaccine delivery to US Bavarian Nordic will deliver only about two million doses of its non-replicating smallpox vaccine, Imvamune, to the US government in 2010 instead of the four million to five million doses that were planned previously, the Danish biotechnology firm said. The company said "technical issues" have delayed the scaling up of Imvamune production, but the problems have been identified and corrective actions taken. The 18 million remaining doses under the firm's $500 million contract with the US government will be delivered from 2011 through 2013, officials said. The company began increasing production after it received delivery clearance from the Food and Drug Administration earlier in 2010. Imvamune is intended for use in people who have weakened immunity or other contraindications to conventional smallpox vaccine, which uses a replicating strain of vaccinia virus, a close relative of the smallpox virus. The US government previously stockpiled hundreds of millions of doses of the conventional vaccine for use in case of a smallpox attack by bioterrorists. Influenza A/H1N1: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html Influenza A/H1N1 frequently asked questions: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/en/index.html Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response - A WHO Guidance Document International Health Regulations (IHR) at http://www.who.int/ihr/en/index.html. - WHO regional offices Eastern Mediterranean: http://www.emro.who.int/csr/h1n1/ Western Pacific: http://www.wpro.who.int/health_topics/h1n1/ - North America US CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm US pandemic emergency plan: http://www.flu.gov MOH México: http://portal.salud.gob.mx/index_eng.html PHA of Canada: http://fightflu.ca - Other useful sources CIDRAP: Influenza A/H1N1 page: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/biofacts/swinefluoverview.html WHO H1N1 pandemic influenza update 115: CDC Teleconference results: Healthcare groups need to share emergency plans: American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement: Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2010-2011: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-2216v1 - UN: http://www.undp.org/mdtf/influenza/overview.shtml UNDP’s web site for information on fund management and administrative services. This site also includes a list of useful links. - WHO: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/ - UN FAO: http://www.fao.org/avianflu/en/index.html. View the latest avian influenza outbreak maps, upcoming events, and key documents on avian influenza H5N1. - OIE: http://www.oie.int/eng/info_ev/en_AI_avianinfluenza.htm. Link to the Communication Portal gives latest facts, updates, timeline, and more. - US CDC: Visit "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Tools for Professionals" at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic/preparednesstools.htm. This site contains resources to help health officials prepare for an influenza pandemic. - The US government’s website for pandemic/avian flu: http://www.flu.gov/. “Flu Essentials” are available in multiple languages. - CIDRAP: Avian Influenza page: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/. - PAHO: http://www.paho.org/English/AD/DPC/CD/influenza.htm. - Link to the Avian Influenza Portal at: http://influenza.bvsalud.org/php/index.php?lang=en. The Virtual Health Library’s Portal is a developing project for the operation of product networks and information services related to avian influenza. - US National Wildlife Health Center: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/index.jsp Read about the latest news on avian influenza H5N1 in wild birds and poultry. Health authorities say far north Queensland is heading for a record number of imported cases of dengue fever. There are two active outbreaks -- one in the Cairns CBD [central business district] and another at Mount Sheridan, just south of the city. Tropical Regional Services spokesman Brad McCulloch says he is concerned about the high number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes breeding in some Cairns suburbs. The mosquito is responsible for carrying dengue virus. We're tracking for a record number of imports in 2010-- we've had, I believe, 27 imports already this year, he said. He said that their annual record for a year is 28. They are seeing an increased number of imported cases of dengue as it becomes more and more prevalent across the tropical world. Obviously having a high base number of mosquitoes present in the community provides an opportunity then for those imported cases to go on and infect other people, McCulloch said. [ProMED note: This report is confusing. It indicates that there are two active outbreaks, yet the health official is quoted as being concerned about imported cases with out comment about ongoing local transmission. If there are locally acquired cases, it would be of interest to know when the outbreak began and how many cases have occurred.] The Taipei City Department of Health on Tuesday 24 August 2010 announced the first reported case of indigenous dengue fever in the city for two years. The department does not yet know how the patient, who has not recently traveled out of the country or even Taipei City, was infected with the mosquito-born virus, the officials added. So far in 2010, 31 cases of confirmed dengue fever infection were reported in Taipei City, 30 of which were determined to be imported cases, the department said. Citing data from the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) under the Department of Health, the officials said dengue fever cases in Taiwan occurred earlier than usual in 2010 due to global warming that led to a suitable climate for mosquito breeding. According to CDC statistics, the number of recorded indigenous dengue fever cases in the country has risen to 30 since March, mostly in Taiwan's southern areas of Kaohsiung and Tainan. CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Chih-hao warned that as 18 of the cases were reported the week of 16 Aug 2010, it appeared that the outbreak was accelerating. Recently, temperatures in Taiwan have hovered around 25-30 deg C [77-86 deg F]. With afternoon showers common in the summer, it is easy for the mosquitoes that can spread dengue fever to reproduce if people allow stagnant water to remain in containers, Chou said. Dengue cases increased alarmingly in the national capital as 59 more patients tested positive for the vector-borne virus, taking the total number of people being affected by it to 800. The national capital has recorded two confirmed and three suspected dengue deaths in 2010. The MCD [Municipal Corporation of Delhi] said it has deployed additional staff to tackle the situation in the worst-hit Central and South Delhi, from where 271 cases have been reported so far. It is also maintaining round-the-clock surveillance near all the Commonwealth Games venues, municipal commissioner KS Mehra said. [ProMED note: The 23 August 2010 edition of News-Views reported on Delhi's efforts to reduce Aedes aegypti breeding sites. The report stated that the MCD has issued 45,532 legal notices against owners of property where water stagnation was found. A total of 6,125 persons have been prosecuted. Mosquito breeding has been detected in 44,743 houses in various parts of the city. Other reports indicate that city officials are concerned about dengue virus transmission continuing into October 2010 when the Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi.] At least seven persons died and about 50 others were affected in an outbreak of dengue in Orissa's tribal-dominated Malkangiri district in the past three weeks, official sources said 27 August 2010. The deaths were reported from Padia, MV-67, and Materu villages under Padia block of the district during the period, chief district medical officer (CDMO) Rabindra Kumar Nath said adding five of the deaths took place in last week alone. Though most of the patients, showing symptoms of high fever, had undergone treatment at the local primary health centre (PHC) initially, several had to be shifted to Visakhapatnam in neighboring Andhra Pradesh later, he said. Blood tests of the patients at Visakhapatnam detected dengue, Nath said, adding about 50 persons suffering from the disease were currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals and health authorities took steps to deal with the situation. A team of experts and doctors visited the affected areas to ensure proper treatment of patients besides taking preventive steps against the disease through mosquito control, sources said. An awareness drive has also been launched to check spread of the disease. India (Uttar Pradesh) At least 215 people, mostly children, have died in an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in an impoverished region of northern Indian and the death toll is likely to soar, officials said Saturday 28 August 2010. Eastern parts of India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh are ravaged by encephalitis each year, but this is one of the worst outbreaks, officials said. In Gorakhpur, four more people have died of encephalitis, taking the number of victims claimed by the disease in Uttar Pradesh's eastern region in 2010 to 219, a health official said 31 August 2010. The dead included one each from Gorakhpur, Deoria and Kushinagar districts of UP and one from neighboring state Bihar, he said. Meanwhile, 45 new encephalitis patients have been admitted in different hospitals of the region. Out of a total of 219 deaths due to the disease this year, 208 occurred at BRD Medical College Hospital alone, he said. The deaths of four more children on 28 August 2010 pushed the toll to 215, with hundreds sick in hospitals in Gorakhpur, an area of 14 million people, regional health officer UK Srivastava said. A total of 1324 patients had been admitted in hospitals until Saturday in Gorakhpur, which is the epicenter of the outbreak, and more encephalitis patients are coming into our hospitals, Srivastava said. The outbreak began in early July 2010. We fear the total number of encephalitis cases will go up to at least 3500 and the death rate will be at a ratio of around 20 percent, he said. We have begun spraying insecticide to wipe out populations of the Culex mosquitoes which transmits the virus and we're handing out chlorine to villagers to disinfect drinking water supplies, Srivastava said. KP Kushwaha, chief pediatrician at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College, said doctors were overwhelmed, and that encephalitis usually surfaces by August but in the 2010 season patients began coming in from early July, and if it continues this is going to be an impossible task to handle, he added. VS Nigam, in charge of Uttar Pradesh's encephalitis prevention program, said a mammoth project to contain the disease had ended with 35 million children vaccinated in the state's 34 districts. But as soon children are vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis, they fall sick with acute encephalitis syndrome because when one virus is suppressed by vaccines, others become dominant, he said. It's a large challenge, he added. The regional chapter of the Voluntary Health Association, India's largest non-governmental organization, which works alongside the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), blamed the annual tragedy on the state's failure to effectively immunize children. A high alert is sounded only after an encephalitis epidemic flares, association executive director JP Sharma said. Preventive steps should be taken well ahead of the monsoon as vaccines need an incubation period to make human beings immune to the virus, Sharma said. (ProMED 8/28/2010, 8/31/2010) The director of Municipal Health, Alejandro Hernandez Suzawa, reported that in the Santiago Ixcuintla municipality, two people died from DHF and 76 residents of this area have the disease: 37 with classical dengue fever and 39 with DHF. He added that the constant rains in the region has been a factor that favored rapid reproduction of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. [ProMED note: This is an extraordinarily high ratio of DHF to dengue fever cases, which would be expected to be around 10 percent DHF cases or less.] The Piura Regional Health Directorate (DIRESA) Piura has reported a total of 8,166 medical visits for dengue up to epidemiological week 30 [25-31 July 2010]. The districts with greatest dengue risk are Salitral (260), Castilla (170), Morropon (143), Bellavista (129), and Piura (116) per 100,000 population. The number of dengue cases in the country continues to surge with the figure already nearing 55,000 based on the figures released by the Department of Health (DOH)-National Epidemiology Center (NEC) Tuesday, 24 August 2010. In its Disease Surveillance Report from the period of 1 January-14 August 2010, the NEC noted that there are now 54,659 cases reported in hospitals in the Philippines. This is 74.9 percent higher compared to the same time period in 2009, which was only at 31,248. The deaths due to dengue were also higher with 429 recorded compared to the 327 in 2009 during the same period. The DOH had repeatedly stressed that the most effective way to fight dengue is by practicing their 4-S strategy -- Search and destroy, Self-protective measures, Seek early treatment and Say, no to indiscriminate fogging. Philippines (Negros Occidental) Negros Occidental [Western Visayas] governor Alfredo Maranon Jr told the chief executives of eight towns and cities whose number of dengue cases is already within the outbreak level to take drastic measures to address the problem. Dr Ernell Tumimbang, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), identified the "dengue hotspot" barangays [barrio, the smallest administrative division in the Philippines]. Dengue cases in these areas have been steadily increasing for the past four weeks, Tumimbang noted. The latest records at the PHO showed that 20 Negrenses died of dengue while the number of cases went up to 2872 for the period of January to 7 August in 2010, compared to only 671 cases with 13 recorded fatalities during the same period in 2009. Officials have declared a dengue fever outbreak with the increase in number of people being afflicted by the mosquito-borne virus. August 2010 has not even ended yet but figures from the Zamboanga health office showed that 314 dengue fever cases have been registered since the start of the month. The city health office said 20 patients in this city have died of the disease since January 2010. Dr Rodelin Agbulos, city health officer, said from January-24 August 2010, a total of 1,584 dengue cases had been reported. He said half of the city's 20 villages were responsible for the surge in dengue cases. Mayor Celso Lobregat said the city government has decided to resort to fumigation to control the spread of the disease. Health workers have been conducting dialogues with residents on how to clean up their surroundings to prevent the breeding of dengue-causing mosquitoes. Other preventive measures have been undertaken by providing public schools, situated in so-called endemic areas, with anti-mosquito-treated curtains. Parents were also advised to ensure that their school children were protected by insect repellent lotion and enjoin them to wear long pants and long sleeved-shirts when possible. Russia (Volgograd, Rostov) The head public health physician of the Russian Federation has provided information about six fatal cases of West Nile virus in 2010. Five of these cases were in Volgograd oblast [region] and one in Rostov oblast. The doctor mentioned the abnormally hot weather as a cause of the high number of cases this year. The heat facilitated the growth of the mosquito population, which are the vectors of this virus. There have been 160 West Nile virus confirmed cases in 2010 over all Russia. The majority of infections happened in Volgograd oblast, 107 out of 160. He also mentioned that the cases tend to be individuals of older ages who get the infection during trips to their dachas [cottage houses] outside of the cities. Anti mosquito measures are being carried out. A total of seven people died from dengue fever the week of 16 August 2010, bringing the nationwide toll from the disease to 70 deaths out of some 60,000 dengue fever patients in 2010, Public health minister Jurin Laksanawisit said 23 August 2010. Two of the dengue fever deaths the week of 16 August 2010 were in Krabi, while Chiang Rai, Phetchabun, Lop Buri, Chachoengsao, and Nakhon Si Thammarat reported one death each. As the dengue fever outbreak is so severe in 2010, Jurin has instructed all provincial health chiefs to monitor and control the disease as well as urging people with suspicious symptoms of dengue fever to see doctors immediately. The situation so far in 2010 is 83 per cent higher than in 2009, with an average of 230 new cases detected per day. The Southern region had 14,361 cases, Northern region 8,843 cases, Central region 15,871 cases, and Northeastern region 15,517 cases. Of these, seven patients were less than 28 days old, and 409 cases were over 65 years. United States (Massachuesetts) The Department of Public Health (DPH) 27 August 2010 announced the first case of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Massachusetts residents. The case is a 43-year-old man from Plymouth County who has been diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). The patient developed symptoms on 21 August 2010, was hospitalized on 23 August 2010, and remains hospitalized. His exposure to a mosquito infected with EEE virus likely occurred in the southeastern section of Massachusetts, which has been identified as an area of elevated risk for mosquito-borne illness. Aerial spraying has been conducted in Plymouth County. There were no human cases of EEE during 2009; however there were 13 cases with six deaths from 2004 through 2006. EEE virus is usually spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito with symptoms beginning five to seven days later. EEE is a serious disease in all ages and can even cause death. Every year, we always hope that there won't be any cases of either of these mosquito-borne illnesses, said DPH State Epidemiologist Dr Alfred DeMaria. People have an important role to play in protecting themselves and their loved ones from illnesses caused by mosquitoes. This is the second human case of EEEV attributed to the area. The first person lives in RI but had travel history to the area. This is the usual season for transmission of EEE virus, which is likely to continue until the onset of killing frosts. A commercial vaccine is available for horses but not for humans, so prevention of mosquito bites is the only preventive measure that individuals can take. A third human case of the deadly Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) was confirmed 23 August 2010 by the Michigan Department of Community Health. EEE is a mosquito-borne virus disease spread like the West Nile virus. The week of 16 August 2010, two human cases were reported in The central highlands province of Kon Tum said last 26 August 2010 it had recorded over 600 patients infected with dengue, one of whom succumbed to the disease. The provincial Preventive Health Center announced that the fever had spread to nine districts so far. The Central Highlands Institute of Epidemic Prevention has supplied Gia Lai with 500 liters of chemicals to spray areas with mosquito larvae. In 2010, 1,456 people have contracted dengue fever in Da Nang Province, an increase of six times compared to the same period in 2009, and one person has died. In Phu Yen Province, dengue fever has been recorded in 27 out of 114 communes. Dr Nguyen Thanh Truc, deputy director of the Phu Yen Department Health said the province had recorded 2,380 cases of dengue fever as of 17 August 2010. Provincial authorities had announced three days earlier that the fever had spread across the province. CHOLERA, DIARRHEA, and DYSENTERY An outbreak of cholera, suspected to be caused by contaminated food, sickened 30 people in Mengcheng County of east China's Anhui Province over two weeks, local health officials reported 28 August 2010. 20 of the patients remain hospitalized as of 28 August 2010, with most exhibiting symptoms that include vomiting and diarrhea, said officials with the Anhui provincial health bureau. China (Hong Kong) The Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health 25 August 2010 is investigating another confirmed cases of cholera and reminds people to observe good personal, food, and environmental hygiene, whether in Hong Kong or traveling abroad. The case involved another 30-year-old woman who developed diarrhea and vomiting on 22 August 2010. The patient lives in Tsing Yi and did not have history of recent travel. Her home contact has no symptoms of cholera. The patient has been admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital and is in stable condition. Laboratory tests showed that stool specimens yielded positive result for Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa. This is the eighth case of cholera reported in 2010. There were seven cholera cases in 2008, three cholera cases in 2007, one in 2006, and five in 2005. More than 43 cases of typhoid have been reported in the week beginning 23 August 2010 at General Hospital, Sector Six, forcing them to gear up to handle the situation. These cases have been reported from urban as well as rural areas, and the figures are on similar lines as the previous week's, when about 45 cases of typhoid had surfaced. Diarrhea too is on the rise, as nearly 40 cases have been reported from 26 -29 August 2010 alone. Doctors blame it on rains and contamination of water. As a combat measure, the hospital has decided to crack down on colonies, which they claim are the breeding grounds for these diseases. Teams of health officials have been visiting various colonies every fortnight to assess the situation. The main colonies, including Rajiv, Indira and Azad Colony [slums in the city of Panchkula], are the ones that the hospital is keeping a close watch on. India (Jammu and Kashimir) With more than 2000 people affected by diarrhea epidemic in mountainous districts of Doda and Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir government have geared up with army help to tackle the situation as more than 1,700 people have so far been admitted in the hospitals. As many as 2047 diarrhea patients have been identified in several remote and mountainous areas of Doda and Ramban districts by the teams of doctors to date, state health department officials said 30 Aug 2010. Of these, 1,347 patients were identified in Doda and 700 in Ramban district, they said adding 1,747 have been admitted in Doda and Banihal hospitals and the rest were treated in their hamlets by the teams of doctors from the army and state health department. So far, three people have died due to the disease in past nine days in Doda, they said, adding 16 people have been shifted to the hospital in Jammu for specialized treatment. Flutracking provides a measure of field influenza vaccine effectiveness, Australia, 2007–2009 Carlson SJ, Durrheim DN, Dalton CB. Vaccine. 21 August 2010. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.051. Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD4-50V00XS-8&_user=10&_coverDate=08%2F21%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1157e71656076641047a7173e5ea604c&searchtype=a Abstract. We reviewed Flutracking's (an Australian weekly online survey of community members) performance in estimating influenza vaccine effectiveness using New South Wales data for participants aged 18–60 years of age from 2007, 2008 and 2009. Flutracking results were consistent with previous findings that the 2009 seasonal influenza vaccine was ineffective in preventing the dominant pH1N109 strain of influenza, and that 2007 and 2008 vaccine strains were considered well matched to the circulating virus in Australia. Flutracking may offer an opportunity to estimate real time vaccine effectiveness during an influenza season. Universal Influenza Vaccination: An Optimal Goal—But How and When? Henderson DA. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science. 25 August 2010 -Not available-, ahead of print. doi:10.1089/bsp.2010.0816. Available at http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/bsp.2010.0816 Introduction. On June 29, 2010, The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approved detailed recommendations for the future use of influenza vaccines for preventing and controlling influenza. A significant change was the recommendation for “annual influenza vaccination to included all people aged 6 months and older.” Past recommendations had focused on priority vaccination for an ever-increasing number of groups of people with “risk factors for influenza-related complication or having close contact with a person at high risk for influenza-related complications.” By 2009, the ever-growing list of risk groups accounted for 85% of the total population. The only group for whom routine vaccination was not then recommended were health, nonpregnant adults aged 18 to 49 years who did not have an occupational risk for infection and who were not close contacts of people at special risk of experiencing complications. Thus, to recommend vaccination for everyone was a logical simplification of long-standing recommendations. There is no question but that there is a benefit from vaccine protection against possible influenza infection, while the risks of adverse reactions to the vaccine are negligible. The conclusion is obvious-but how does this recommendation rank among the long list of public health problems demanding attention? No guidance has been provided Influenza Vaccination of Household Contacts of Newborns: A Hospital‐Based Strategy to Increase Vaccination Rates Walter EB, Allred NJ, Swamy GK, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 30 August 2010;31:1070-1073.doi: 10.1086/656563. Available at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/656563 Abstract. We implemented a hospital‐based influenza vaccination program for household contacts of newborns. Among mothers not vaccinated prenatally, 44.7% were vaccinated through the program, as were 25.7% of fathers. A hospital‐based program provided opportunities for vaccination of household contacts of newborns, thereby facilitating better adherence to national vaccination guidelines. Results of a National Survey of Infectious Diseases Specialists regarding Influenza Vaccination Programs for Healthcare Workers Polgree PM, Septimus E, Talbot TR, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 30 August 2010;31:1063-1065.doi: 10.1086/656382. Available at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/656382 Abstract. A minority of infectious diseases consultants currently work in healthcare institutions requiring influenza vaccination for healthcare workers, and in approximately half of these institutions, the healthcare workers who refuse vaccination do not face substantial consequences for their refusal. Although true mandatory policies are not common, a majority of infectious diseases consultants support such policies. Knowledge and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination among nurses: A research review Zhang J, While AE, Norman IJ. Vaccine. 30 August 2010.doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.065. Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD4-50WYGH2-1&_user=10&_coverDate=08%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=f515bbd786996a05b2704ba49bbdf4eb&searchtype=a Introduction. Influenza vaccination rates among nurses remain suboptimal despite health authority recommendations in many countries and several vaccination campaign programmes to encourage nurses to be vaccinated in many institutions. We reviewed published studies investigating nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination to establish what is known about the determinants of nurses’ influenza vaccination practices. Methods. Relevant articles published up to July 2010 were identified through multiple databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, BNI, HMIC, PsycINFO, CMAC, and CNJ) using predetermined search strategies. Review of the titles and abstracts revealed 182 of 254 references were not relevant. Of 45 full papers reviewed, 32 did not report nurse data separately and one was a duplicate report of a study. Results. We included 12 research studies which had investigated the relationship between knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination and nurses’ vaccination practices published between 2003 and 2010. All the studies were descriptive and relied upon self-report data. The findings of this review indicate a relationship between knowledge, attitudes and vaccination practices of nurses. There were three main findings: first, there was a strong association between nurses’ knowledge of influenza and vaccination and their vaccination status; second, the surveys showed a positive relationship between perceptions of influenza as a serious illness and vaccination as effective and safe and a positive vaccination status; and third, there was a relationship between nurses’ vaccination status and their reported promotion of vaccination to their patients. Conclusion. This review indicates that higher knowledge and positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination have a significantly positive association with vaccination coverage among nurses. Further studies are needed to identify influences on nurses’ attitudes and practices regarding influenza vaccination and the personal, organizational, and situational factors that influence the uptake of influenza vaccine by nurses. Safety of MF59-adjuvanted versus non-adjuvanted influenza vaccines in children and adolescents: An integrated analysis Black S, Della Cioppa G, Malfroot A, et al. Vaccine. 31 August 2010.doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.075. Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD4-50X8G9M-1&_user=10&_coverDate=08%2F31%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a4bcd8cb779ac97aa5bb97867d46adc4&searchtype=a Abstract. We reviewed the safety of MF59-adjuvanted versus non-adjuvanted influenza vaccines in children and adolescents (aged 6 months–18 years) in an integrated analysis of all pediatric trials evaluating MF59-containing influenza vaccines completed to date (5 trials). In the MF59-adjuvanted group (n = 1181) versus the non-adjuvanted group (n = 545) there was no increase in the incidence of unsolicited adverse events and serious adverse events. As expected, solicited local or systemic reactions occurred more frequently in MF59-adjuvanted subjects; however, a majority of reactions were mild and transient. These data support the safety of MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccines in the pediatric population. Revised SHEA Position Paper: Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Personnel Talbot TR, Babcock H, Caplan AL, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 31 August 2010. doi:10.1086/656558. Available at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/656558 Executive Summary. This document serves as an update and companion piece to the 2005 Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Position Paper entitled “Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers and Vaccine Allocation for Healthcare Workers During Vaccine Shortages.”1 In large part, the discussion about the rationale for influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel (HCP), the strategies designed to improve influenza vaccination rates in this population, and the recommendations made in the 2005 paper still stand. This position paper notes new evidence released since publication of the 2005 paper and strengthens SHEA’s position on the importance of influenza vaccination of HCP. This document does not discuss vaccine allocation during times of vaccine shortage, because the 2005 SHEA Position Paper1 still serves as the Society’s official statement on that issue. Hospital Discharge Data for Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Influenza A (H1N1) Vaccine Adverse Events Jones TF, McMillian M, Booth E, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. September 2010. doi: 10.3201/eid1609.091837. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/9/1500.htm#cit To the Editor. As part of the public health response to the current pandemic (H1N1) 2009, surveillance for adverse events following vaccination for influenza A (H1N1) is a high priority (1). Surveillance for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) has been of particular interest, because the syndrome was associated with the 1976–1977 swine influenza vaccine (1,2). To study this association, reliable ascertainment of recent incident cases of GBS is necessary. Facial Protective Equipment, Personnel, and Pandemics: Impact of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus on Personnel and Use of Facial Protective Equipment Murray M, Grant J, Bryce E, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 23 August 2010. doi: 10.1086/656564. Available at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/656564 Background. Before the emergence of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, estimates of the stockpiles of facial protective equipment (FPE) and the impact that information had on personnel during a pandemic varied. Objective. To describe the impact of H1N1 on FPE use and hospital employee absenteeism. Setting. One tertiary care hospital and 2 community hospitals in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region, Vancouver, Canada. Patients. All persons with influenza‐like illness admitted to the 3 VCH facilities during the period from June 28 through December 19, 2009. Methods. Data on patients and on FPE use were recorded prospectively. Data on salaried employee absenteeism were recorded during the period from August 1 through December 19, 2009. Results. During the study period, 865 patients with influenza‐like illness were admitted to the 3 VCH facilities. Of these patients, 149 (17.2%) had laboratory‐confirmed H1N1 influenza infection. The mean duration of hospital stay for these patients was 8.9 days, and the mean duration of intensive care unit stay was 9.2 days. A total of 134,281 masks and 173,145 N95 respirators (hereafter referred to as respirators) were used during the 24‐week epidemic, double the weekly use of both items, compared with the previous influenza season. A ratio of 3 masks to 4 respirators was observed. Use of disposable eyewear doubled. Absenteeism mirrored the community epidemiologic curve, with a 260% increase in sick calls at the epidemic peak, compared with the nadir. Conclusion. Overall, FPE use more than doubled, compared with the previous influenza season, with respirator use exceeding literature estimates. A significant proportion of FPE resources were used while managing suspected cases. Planners should prepare for at least a doubling in mask and respirator use, and a 3.6‐fold increase in staff sick calls. Hospitalized adult patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in Beijing, China: risk factors for hospital mortality Xiuming X, Yuan X, Li J, et al. BMC Infectious Diseases. 27 August 2010. 10:256. doi:10.1186/1471-2334-10-256. Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/10/256 Background. In April 2009, the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus emerged and spread globally. The objective of this study was to describe the independent risk factors for hospital mortality and the treatment effect of corticosteroids among patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1) infection. Methods. We retrospectively obtained clinical data of 155 adult patients with confirmed infection of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in 23 hospitals in Beijing, China from October 1 to December 23, 2009. Risk factors for hospital mortality were identified with multivariate logistic regression analysis. Result. Among the 155 patients, 90 (58.1%) were male, and mean age was 43.0+/-18.6 years, and comorbidities were present in 81 (52.3%) patients. The most common organ dysfunctions included acute respiratory failure, altered mental status, septic shock, and acute renal failure. Oseltamivir was initiated in 125 patients (80.6%), only 16 patients received antiviral therapy within 48 hours after symptom onset. Fifty-two patients (33.5%) were treated with systematic corticosteroids, with a median daily dose of 80 mg. Twenty-seven patients (17.4%) died during hospital stay. Diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 8.830, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.041 to 38.201, p = 0.004) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.000 to 1.004, p = 0.027) were independent risk factors of hospital death. Corticosteroids use was associated with a trend toward higher hospital mortality (OR 3.668, 95% CI 0.987 to 13.640, p = 0.052). Conclusions. Hospitalized patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza had relative poor outcome. The risk factors at hospitalization may help clinicians to identify the high-risk patients. In addition, corticosteroids use should not be regarded as routine pharmacologic therapy. Changes in knowledge, perceptions, preventive behaviors and psychological responses in the pre-community outbreak phase of the H1N1 epidemic Lau JTF, Griffiths S, Au DWH, et al. Epidemiol Infect. 27 August 2010. doi:10.1017/S0950268810001925. Available at http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7881493 Summary. To investigate the changes in community responsiveness during the pre-community-outbreak phase of the H1N1 epidemic in Hong Kong, a pooled sample of 999 adults was interviewed in three surveys (S1, S2, S3) from 7 May to 6 June 2009. Over time, fewer people felt confident in staying free from H1N1 infection in the following year (S1, 63·3%; S3, 46%; P<0·001). The level of distress due to H1N1 remained modest throughout the study period. People's confidence in the government's ability to control a large-scale H1N1 outbreak declined slightly at the third survey (S1, 80·5%; S3, 73·8%; P=0·025). Across the three surveys, respondents remained vigilant with frequent adoption of preventive measures (e.g. wearing face masks in public areas when suffering from influenza-like symptoms and frequent hand-washing). The public was generally supportive of the Hong Kong government although misconceptions regarding the disease were common. Provision of evidence-based public-health education is still warranted as the disease outbreak unfolds. Design of a robust infrastructure to monitor the safety of the pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 vaccination program in Taiwan Huang W-T, Chen W-W, Yang H-W, et al. Vaccine. 30 August 2010.doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.069. Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD4-50WYGH2-2&_user=10&_coverDate=08%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=84b0e2c9179cbeeb8aca2f7677b828ed&searchtype=a Abstract. On November 1, 2009, Taiwan began a nationwide pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 vaccine (“H1N1 vaccine”) program to control the influenza pandemic. Timely assessment of immunization safety during this mass vaccination campaign was a public health priority. Therefore, the government developed a national postlicensure safety surveillance strategy to identify and evaluate new, unexpected, or prioritized adverse events in recipients of H1N1 vaccine in near real-time. We describe the design and methodology of this new safety assessment infrastructure, address challenges encountered, and its potential future use for routine vaccine pharmacovigilance in Taiwan. Perceptions of Immunization Information Systems for Collecting Pandemic H1N1 Immunization Data within Canada's Public Health Community: A Qualitative Study Heidebrect CL, Foisy J, Pereira JA, et al. BMC Public Health. 31 August 2010.10:523.doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-523. Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/523 Background. Immunization information systems (IISs) are electronic registries used to monitor individual vaccination status and assess vaccine coverage. IISs are currently not widely used across Canada, where health jurisdictions employ a range of approaches to capture influenza immunization information. Conducted in advance of the 2009 H1N1 vaccination campaign, the objectives of this study were to understand the perceived value of individual-level data and IISs for influenza control, identify ideal system functions, and explore barriers to implementation. Methods. In July and August 2009, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants engaged in vaccine delivery and/or pandemic planning at regional, provincial/territorial and federal levels across Canada. Key informants were recruited using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling methodologies. Qualitative analysis was used to extract themes from interview content. Results. Patient management, assessment of vaccine coverage, and evaluation of safety and effectiveness were identified as public health priorities that would be achieved in a more timely manner, and with greater accuracy, through the use of an IIS. Features described as ideal included system flexibility, rapid data entry, and universality. Financial and human resource constraints as well as coordination between immunization providers were expressed as barriers to implementation. Conclusions. IISs were perceived as valuable by key informants for strengthening management capacity and improving evaluation of both seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccination campaigns. However, certain implementation restrictions may need to be overcome for these benefits to be achieved. Predicting Need for Hospitalization of Patients with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Chicago, Illinois, USA Vasoo S, Singh K, Trenholme GM. Emerg Infect Dis. October 2010 [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.3201/eid1610.091889. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/10/PDFs/09-1889.pdf Abstract. In the absence of established guidelines for hospitalization of patients with pandemic (H1N1) 2009, we studied emergency department patients to identify clinical parameters that predict need for hospitalization. Independent predictors of hospitalization include multiple high-risk medical conditions, dyspnea, and hypoxia. These findings are easily applicable, with a 79% positive predictive value for hospitalization. Persistence of Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Feathers Detached from Bodies of Infected Domestic Ducks Yamamoto Y, Nakamura K, Yamada M, et al. Appl Environ Micobiol. August 2010. 76(16):5496-5499. doi:10.1128/AEM.00563-10. Available at http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/16/5496 Abstract. Asian lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) continues to cause mortality in poultry and wild bird populations at a panzootic scale. However, little is known about its persistence in contaminated tissues derived from infected birds. We investigated avian influenza virus (H5N1) persistence in feathers detached from bodies of infected ducks to evaluate their potential risk for environmental contamination. Four-week-old domestic ducks were inoculated with different clades of avian influenza virus (H5N1). Feathers, drinking water, and feces were collected on day 3 postinoculation and stored at 4°C or 20°C. Viral persistence in samples was investigated for 360 days by virus isolation and reverse transcription-PCR. Infectious viruses persisted for the longest period in feathers, compared with drinking water and feces, at both 4°C and 20°C. Viral infectivity persisted in the feathers for 160 days at 4°C and for 15 days at 20°C. Viral titers of 104.3 50% egg infectious doses/ml or greater were detected for 120 days in feathers stored at 4°C. Viral RNA in feathers was more stable than the infectivity. These results indicate that feathers detached from domestic ducks infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) can be a source of environmental contamination and may function as fomites with high viral loads in the environment. Do as I say, not as I do: Handwashing compliance of infectious diseases experts during influenza pandemic Kantele A, Kanerva M, Seppanen M, et al. Am J Infect Control. September 2010. 38(7):579-580.doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2010.03.001. Available at http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/PIIS0196655310001458/fulltext Background. We are living in the middle of an influenza pandemic, and infectious diseases experts all over the world have made an enormous effort to provide guidelines for how to control the situation. The most important single recommendation is to wash hands with water and soap. Epidemiologic evidence indicates that handwashing with soap (HWWS) prevents approximately 30% to 47% of children's diarrheas1 and 23% of respiratory infections.2 As the risk of catching respiratory tract infections is increased in public places, one would expect HWWS to be favored at toilets, the only places where washbasins and soap are available. We carried out an observational study on HWWS compliance among infectious diseases experts after toilet use during the current pandemic. Options for the Control of Influenza VII Hong Kong 3-7 Sep 2010 Options for the Control of Influenza VII is the largest forum devoted to all aspects of the prevention, control, and treatment of influenza. As it has for over 20 years, Options VII will highlight the most recent advances in the science of influenza. The scientific program committee invites authors to submit original research in all areas related to influenza for abstract presentation. Accepted abstracts will be assigned for oral or poster presentation. Additional information is available at http://www.controlinfluenza.com. Influenza 2010: Zoonotic Influenza and Human Health Oxford, United Kingdom 22 Sep 2010 The Oxford influenza conference, Influenza 2010, will address most aspects of basic and applied research on zoonotic influenza viruses (including avian and swine) and their medical and socio-economic impact. Additional information available at http://www.libpubmedia.co.uk/Conferences/Influenza2010/Home.htm. 4th Vaccine and ISV Annual Global Congress Vienna, Austria 3-5 October 2010 Now in its fourth year, the annual Vaccine Congress has become the forum for the exchange of ideas to accelerate the rate at which vaccines can come to benefit the populations that need them. Organized by: Vaccine – the pre-eminent journal for those interested in vaccines and vaccination – in collaboration with the International Society for Vaccines Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 18 June 2010 Additional information available at http://www.vaccinecongress.com International TB Symposium (ITBS-2010): TB Diagnostics – Innovating to Make an Impact New Delhi, India 16-17 December 2010 The Symposium will take stock of current status of TB diagnostics and unravel future directions for translating research results into reliable and efficient point-of-care methods of TB diagnosis. Additional information available at http://www.icgeb.org/meetings-2010.html

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Kimi creeps up on rivals to snatch drivers' title Controversy, drama and on-track excitement aplenty meant that the down-to-the-wire 2007 season was one of the most exciting in recent memory, and all this without a certain seven-time world champion on the grid. Changes for the new season meant a return to a single tyre manufacturer after Michelin announced its withdrawal the previous season. It would also be the last season for every car to use traction control since 2001. On the driver side, Lewis Hamilton was generating considerable excitement prior to the start of the season after it was announced he would partner reigning world champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren. Few could have predicted the sparks that would fly between the team-mates. Kimi Raikkonen, who pushed Alonso close during the 2005 season, had left McLaren for Ferrari and the Finn began the season in style by taking a lights to flag victory on his team debut. Equally impressive was Hamilton's third place finish in his first grand prix, the Englishman finishing behind team-mate Alonso. Felipe Massa took his first pole of the season in Malaysia but Alonso won his first race with McLaren ahead of Hamilton, who continued his impressive rookie form to finish second. In Bahrain and Spain Massa made the most of his pole positions to record successive victories, with Hamilton finishing second in both races. In doing so, he become the first rookie to finish on the podium in his first four outings. McLaren would dominate Monaco with Alonso winning from Hamilton after the pair lapped everybody apart from Massa's Ferrari. The Canadian Grand Prix heralded Hamilton's first victory in F1 after a dramatic race. It started with the second all-McLaren front row after Hamilton took his first pole position. Alonso made a mistake in turn one, losing several places as Hamilton opened a gap between himself and Nick Heidfeld. On lap 22 the first safety car period began after Adrian Sutil hit the cement wall. The safety car pitted on lap 28, but before the lap could be completed Robert Kubica escaped relatively unharmed after a massive accident. His car, unstable with a damaged front wing, hit a bump on the grass that launched him into the air and into a massive impact with the retaining barrier at a peak G-Force of 75G. Testimony to the strength of modern day F1 cars, Kubica emerged concussed but unscathed. He would only miss one race. Lewis Hamilton fever hit Silverstone for round 9 of the season, and although the crowd favourite secured pole position, he could manage only third behind Raikkonen and team-mate Alonso. The European Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton's run of consecutive podiums come to an end as Alonso won again from Massa and Red Bull's Mark Webber. The first signs of team unrest at McLaren surfaced during a controversial qualifying incident in Hungary. Alonso held Hamilton up in the pit lane, denying him a chance to record a final lap time. Stewards later dropped Alonso five places down the grid to sixth place, with Hamilton starting in pole position. McLaren were also told they would lose any constructors' points they won and Hamilton duly took a lights to flag victory with Raikkonen coming second. On to round 11 in Turkey and Massa took a dominant lights to flag victory from Raikkonen and Alonso. Hamilton picked up consolation points for fifth after a tyre problem ruined his chances of a podium finish. Alonso dominated from pole in Italy ahead of Hamilton and Raikkonen and when the Finn won from Massa and Alonso in Spa, only 13 points separated the top three. Hamilton still held the championship lead by two points over Alonso and few seriously expected Raikkonen to overcome the McLaren duo. An earlier than usual Japanese Grand Prix at the Fuji Speedway was marked by treacherous weather and started under safety-car conditions. Hamilton survived a brush with Robert Kubica to win from Heikki Kovalainen and Raikkonen, making him overwhelming favourite to win the title against all odds in his first season. He now led the championship by seven points from Alonso with Raikkonen a further five points adrift. Having shown no signs of nerves all season, the enormity of what he was about to accomplish caught up with the young Brit at the penultimate race in China. The initial signs were good after Hamilton started the race on pole and led up to lap 28 when he was overtaken by Raikkonen on an increasingly wet circuit. Entering the pitlane to change to intermediates, he spun off and beached his car in the adjacent gravel trap. Raikkonen went on to record Ferrari's 200th grand prix victory with Alonso adding to Hamilton's woes with a second place finish. And so to a dramatic season finale in Brazil, which marked the first time since 1986 that three drivers had the chance of becoming world champion. Hamilton still remained favourite with 107 points followed by Alonso on 103 points and Raikkonen the outside bet on 100 points. Hamilton started from second but dropped back after being hampered by a gearbox problem. He recovered to 7th but Raikkonen drove a flawless race to win from Massa and Alonso. In winning his first drivers' title, Raikkonen became the first driver to take the championship from third in the standings entering the final race since Giuseppe Farina in 1950. Ferrari had already clinched the constructors' championship in Belgium after McLaren were excluded from the standings as a result of an espionage controversy dubbed 'Spygate'. McLaren had been found guilty of receiving technical documents of their rivals courtesy of former Ferrari employee Nigel Stepney. It was later fined US$100 million by the FIA.

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C-06 Plaza Kelana Jaya, SS7/13A A 2-in-1 F&B concept featuring the Alfresco@Sanook Bistro on the promenade fronting a lake, cooking up a storm of... Welcome to Feedmelah.com, your ultimate food resource when it comes to searching for food in Malaysia. Surf our pages of restaurant listings, blog posts, recipes and immerse yourself in the world of food. © 2010 Feedmelah.com All right reserved Web Design powered by Orangutan Solutions

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I've always found the "what to wear" threads silly but sometimes you just have to ask! I'm a very unimaginative dresser, usually shrouded in black. But I'm getting concerned about SE Asia in January (Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, Luang Prabang, Vietnam and Bangkok). Will I stick out? Should I lighten up? Wish dogster were around to advise me... Black in SE Asia - 1 Ipoh - 2 Hello, Vietnam - 3 Singapore Changi Recommends - 4 1 week in Himachalpradesh in begining of September. Where to go? - 5 PALACE ON WHEELS - INDIA - 6 Kashmir or Nepal - 7 Mumbai: Oberoi or Four Seasons - 8 Conference venues around Pune City? - 9 Treasure Junk Halong/Bai Tu Long bay crusie? - 10 4 days with Orangutans Balikpapan + Camp Leakey - 11 Sri Lanka - 12 Photography Trip to Vietnam - 13 LCCT to KL Sentral or 1Utama? - 14 Elephant Visit in Chiang Mai - 15 which hotel in Bangkok in July? - 16 Udaipur, India - 17 Honeymoon in Bali, July 2013 - 18 Shopping- Beijing or Hong Kong? - 19 Beijing To Tibet, Mt. Everest And Nepal All In 10 Days - 20 Saphan Taksin station in the news again? - 21 Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan tour suggestions - 22 Amazing Malaysia Trip! - 23 Rajasthan tour: Car and Driver services, advise needed - 24 Weather in Bangkok & Phuket in September - 25 Wildlife Tour of India

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Monday, November 30, 2009 Forthcoming Christmas Concert on 6th December with Yume Fujise as soloist Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra music director Yan Yin Wing will be conducting It's year end again, and as usual, it will be the highlight of the Bradell Heights Symphony Orchestra. On 6th December 2009, the Orchestra will be conducted by Mr. Yan Yin Wing with child prodigy, Yume Fujise, on the violin as soloist. The works will be lovely with Sibelius' "Finlandia", Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite", Bruch's "Violin Concerto No. 1 and Arthur Harris' "Christmas Medley". I have invited my friends, Elaine and Amu to come along to the concert. I am proud of my soft-spoken teacher, Mr. Yan Yin Wing who is not only a good conductor, but an excellent and patient music teacher as well. If my local readers have time, please do not miss the concert. I am sure you will greatly enjoy the concert. The tickets are subsidised ranging from $12 to $24 and passion card holders also enjoy 20% discount on the tickets. See you at the concert! Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:48 am My beloved friend, Soh Wah, with her goodie bag for me! Soh Wah won a lucky prize and she gave me the lovely prize of handmade boxes The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein While I was heaving brunch with my client, Amelia Ching, at our favourite food centre at Pek Kio Market, I received a call from Soh Wah, my best friend. She wanted to meet up with me at Dhoby Ghaut after her errand later in the day. I agreed to meet her. It was only later that I realised I should watch the Hindi program at 4p.m. Hence, I called Soh Wah to tell her that perhaps I should meet up with her at her office during lunch on week days. To my surprise, Soh Wah said that she did not want to lug the bag of things around and hence would take the train to Little India. Soh Wah usually drives her Mercedes, and hardly takes public transport. I was concerned she would lose her way and gave her directions. Punctually, she arrived, and I took her photos. "Aiya, you make me feel like a tourist!", exclaimed my bubbly friend. "Here you are! Two tickets for the concert at Victoria Concert Hall this coming Friday. I want to give you this lucky prize which I won and this is the book I know you'll enjoy. The "Art of Racing in the Rain" is written from a dog's point of view. Great book. Please read and return to me. Bought you some snacks from Chiengmai". Soh Wah explained that her family would buy books from a store and after reading, these books could be returned at a discount. Hence their collection of books would be minimised. Soh Wah is not your typical Singaporean. She never has a television in her home all these years. Her two sons, including her husband, Yew Tien, love to read. There are two grand pianos, an upright piano, twenty over violins and some other Chinese instruments and a huge collection of books in her home. Her two boys are also musically talented and play many instruments. I had asked Soh Wah not to check out of the station, so that she could continue her journey home. I noticed an MRT officer watching us with keen interest. The authorities do not really allow people to hand over things in this manner, but he reckoned it was a one time off, and hence he left us alone. I bade my friend, goodbye, with a spring in my steps and a song in my heart. I continued watching my Hindi movie. As I was in a somewhat lazy mood, I did not bother to cook, but enjoyed the snacks Soh Wah had given me for dinner. Happiness is when we have good friends who go the extra mile for us! And mind you, Soh Wah is a very, very busy lady as she is one of the top ladies in her bank, and her aged mother also lives with her. Apart from her busy work at the bank, she also helps her husband in his work eg. when he produces cds of his works and when he has important functions and concerts to attend. She finds time to drive her two boys to school and music classes. When Soh Wah works, she dresses very smartly. I always tell Soh Wah that she should give talks on time management for I am sure, many people will be inspired. Soh Wah tells me that she has daily plan, weekly plan, monthly plan and even yearly plan! She reminds me of what Pastor Derek Hong had once mentioned in his sermon, "Give a busy person a chore, and somehow he will find time to complete it." Indeed, Soh Wah is one lady whom I would like to emulate. Posted by The Oriental Express at 8:55 am Saturday, November 28, 2009 My friend, Arun, sent me this email at an appropriate time of thanksgiving throughout the world. In Canada, I was always invited to a Canadian home for a Thanksgiving dinner, where we would gather for a time of thanksgiving to God for everything. I am so grateful for the hospitality of my Canadian friends who always try to make us foreign students feel at home in their country. The article reads, "Saying "Thank You" is good for the health. "ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. - Bill Golden survived more than 20 years in the Army and another 30 in law enforcement. He fell sick with colon cancer, and at 86, he has an artificial hip and arthritis in his knees. Golden still gives thanks, though, and researchers say that appreciative attitude can be good for you, too. Academics have long theorized that expressions of thanks promote health and happiness and give optimism and energy to the downtrodden. Now, the study of gratitude has become a surprisingly burgeoning field, and research indicates being thankful might help people actually feel better. There’s a catch, however: You have to say thanks more than just once a year. “If you don’t do it regularly you’re not going to get the benefits,” said Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California , Riverside . “It’s kind of like if you went to the gym once a year. What would be the good of that?” In recent years, researchers have tried to measure the benefits of gratitude. In a National Science Foundation-funded study, Northeastern University psychologist David DeSteno had participants complete an arduous data entry task only to have it lost by computer malfunction. Then, a lab assistant, seemingly unconnected to the study and claiming to be in a hurry for their own experiment, restores the lost work. The participant is dismissed, and bumps into the lab assistant, who asks for help. DeSteno found those who had been helped by the assistant, and were grateful for it, were more likely to return the favor, and did so for longer than those in a group not helped. “Gratitude leads people to act in virtuous or more selfless ways,” said DeSteno, whose research was published earlier this year in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science. “And it builds social support, which we know is tied to both physical and psychological well being.” Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California , Davis , said those who offer gratitude are less envious and resentful. They sleep longer, exercise more and report a drop in blood pressure, said Emmons, who wrote “Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier.” Brenda Shoshanna, a New York psychologist, agreed. “You can’t be depressed and grateful at the same time,” said Shoshanna, the author of “365 Ways to Give Thanks: One for Every Day of the Year.” “It makes a person physically, mentally, in every way healthier.” As for Golden, he doesn’t pay much attention to the academics. He simply acknowledges he’s “one lucky dude,” grateful for his two children, two grandchildren, and his 89-year-old girlfriend. So on Thursday, he and his family will gather around the table, hold hands and say thank you. “It’s surprising what those two little words do for a person,” he said. “It’s easy to say and it does a lot of good.” Every morning, when I get up, I would greet PAPA and thank him for all the things that had taken place the day before, including troubles and problems, and thank him for all the food I am going to consume during the day, and for the people and animals I will meet along my way. It is true that thanksgiving puts me in the right perspective - the realisation that I am so small and insignificant in this huge universe, and that the line between life and death is so thin, and that we are all indeed living by grace, and grace alone. Consider the lady who suddenly lost her baby, her limbs and eventually her job as a nurse, all within a matter of a few weeks! Life is that fragile! Hence, let us not take things for granted, but to relish even the mundane things lest they be taken away from us. So that when trouble comes, we will be even stronger to stay thankful and cheerful, and continue to trust in the Creator. As someone has beautifully put it in a poem:- Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses; Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes; Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears; Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean; Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself. I remember my tenant, Chung Hsien once asked me, "Aunty Choo, every morning, I hear you singing and praising God. God won't get tired, meh?" I laughed, and asked him, "Next time when you have children, and your daughters keep saying, "Papa, you're our most wonderful daddy, you're so great and we love you so ooooooo much!" will you ever get tired? Chung Hsien shook his head. "The same with God! He loves to hear our praises and He dwells in a loving relationship with His children". I have learnt many years ago, that in my work as a real estate agent, "Unless the Lord builds, I build in vain; Unless the Lord watches the city, the watchman watches in vain." In everything, I can only do my best, and leave God to do the rest. Only then can I relax and not strive, stay cheerful and optimistic throughout the day. Posted by The Oriental Express at 8:41 am Thursday, November 26, 2009 Amazing Husky! His sentence, "I Love You" is quite clear. How wonderful if man's best friends could talk.! Though dogs can't talk, most of them are in tune with their owners. Somehow they know what is going on, and are extremely sensitive to their owners' moods. What is this world without dogs? It will be a square one for me! Posted by The Oriental Express at 6:31 pm I received an email featuring a sala dancing dog! What a wonderful and intelligent Golden Retriever! The dog looks happy even as it is dancing! Kudos to the dog's trainer! Maybe this dog is also specially endowed by the Creator with a special gift for dancing! Maybe just like people, some dogs are more musical and artistic than others! I am sure the video of the dancing dog will cheer everyone up.! Enjoy! Posted by The Oriental Express at 6:22 pm Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Popular Bollywood superstar, Amitabh Bachan Aishwarya Rai - she is as talented as she is beautiful. Dancing with Amitabh and Abishek Bachan - father and son Happiness is staying at home on a lazy Saturday afternoon watching my favourite Vasantham channel which always features a Hindi movie between 4.00 to 7.p.m. However, I am rarely at home because Saturday is usually a busy day which is filled with house viewing or toastmasters' meetings and contests. Hence I often try to arrange for viewings either on weekday evenings or Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon so that I could have the opportunity of watching my favourite Hindi programs. Once I realised that my favourite movie, "Tare Zameen Pare", a movie directed and acted by Amir Khan was going to be shown on television. It is a story about a little boy who, unknown to his parents, was suffering from dyslexia. Even his teachers and classmates were unaware of his problems. It took a new arts teacher to spot the boy's problems, and encouraged by the teacher, the boy soon learnt to read and write, and won the best prize for his painting which was chosen be the cover page of the school's magazine. I smsed to as many friends as I could, as I wanted to encourage them to watch the movie. One of them, Foon, later told me that she enjoyed the movie, and cried a bucketful of tears. She never realised that Hindi films could be so wonderful and it dawned upon her that the actors and actresses are really good looking and beautiful! My friend, Jeanelle Tan, enjoyed the movie so much that she started asking for more titles. When I realised that "Ghajini" was going to be shown, I again smsed to my friends. When Jeanelle realised she had to miss the program, she went to borrow a vcd from the National Library. I was extremely happy when some of my friends from toastmasters' clubs thanked me for recommending them the Hindi movies when I met them during one of the speech contests. I had been privileged to be introduced to Hindi and Tamil movies by my parents. Hence it is also my happiness to recommend the movies to my friends so that they too will start to appreciate and realise that Indian movies have improved tremendously. Gone are the dances around coconut tress. They are now portraying beautiful dancers with intricate steps and brilliantly-colored costumes. What I enjoy most about Indian movies are the plots that sometimes even confound me. I guess when we watch Indian movies, it is value for money. We get an extra hour or two with the same price for the tickets to other movies.! "What is Your Rashee?" showed for 3 hours and 45 minutes! Watching movies at home gives me the opportunity to exercise at the same time, while watching movies at the cinema is great for the eyes and ears, with the big screen and good sound effect. The movies are not only entertaining, but they always leave spectators with an important message to carry home. Posted by The Oriental Express at 8:45 am Monday, November 23, 2009 For the past 26 years that I had stayed in Singapore, I only started visiting the cinemas regularly the past one year when I reached the age of 55, a special number for it means entitlement to 50% discount on tickets sold on weekdays for daytime showing. You may describe me as stingy, frugal or even impractical, but frankly, watching movies and paying a hefty price for the tickets was never my priority. After all, I could watch interesting movies and serials on the television. While watching the programs I could also kill two birds with one stone by doing some aerobic exercises in the comfort of the home. Yes, once my best friend, Soh Wah did take me to the cinema during the 1st day of Chinese New Year. Like a greenhorn, I was flabbergasted with the price of the tickets of $8.00 when I thought it should be only $4.00` "When was the last time you visited the cinema?", asked my friend. I was pleasantly surprised when I found the seat so spacious. "This is a lovers' seat lah", explained Soh Wah. Halfway through the movie, I felt my eyes closing and decided to get up and do some exercise as the cinema only had a few patrons. Soh Wah laughed and said that I reminded her of Mr. Bean! My lively friend had a great time narrating the incident to her colleagues and family! Happiness now is when I visit the Jade or Rex cinema for Hindi or Tamil movies! Happiness is walking to the cinemas as they are within walking distance from my apartment. Happiness is when I have a whole row of seats to myself, but I will be happier if the cinemas are filled up because it means more profits for the movie producers and cinema operators. However, in the day, most people are working, so it is not easy to fill up the seats, unless it is during school vacations. Hence I am fortunate that as a property agent, my time is flexible and I can watch movies during the week days, as most viewings are on weekends or during the evenings. Recently I went to watch, "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", "The Amazing Story of Strange Love", a romantic comedy starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif as leading actor and actress. "Prem's (Ranbir Kapoor) mission in life is very simple - be happy...make others happy...keep the town happy... But these supposedly simple actions usually result in disastrous consequences for Prem, the members of his Happy Club, and the town! It may have been a case of mistaken identity that led Prem to kidnap Jenny (Katrina Kaif). And it was sheer greed that made Prem try to pull a fast one over her father. As for sweet and simple Jenny, brought up by indifferent and uncaring parents, all she longed was to love and be loved in return. And it was love and only love for Jenny that made Prem turn over a new leaf. From being a flippant vagabond he began working hard to make money... From a besotted Romeo, he becomes a mature and thoughtful Majnu who put Jenny's happiness above everything else...As for Jenny...she was so much in love with the idea of being in love that she was blinded by the reality that was staring in her face. That's when she realises that she had made a mistake with her love." (From Wilkepdia). Watch the movie to find out more.! I enjoy Indian movies because the plots are usually good and the dances and music are mesmerising. Some of my friends think that the dancers only dance around a coconut tree, but Indian movies have progressed very much where the dance steps have become more intricate and artistic, and the clothes colorful and elegant. My tenants Jasmin and Avinesh told me that dances and songs are crucial in Indian movies. Without them, the movies would fail to attract viewers. I noticed that in "Slumdog Millionaire", the directors added some singing and dancing at the end of the movie. My next movie will be "Kurbaan" (Sacrifice). The punchline of the film is, "Some love stories have blood written on them". Join me, anyone? Posted by The Oriental Express at 10:38 pm Sunday, November 22, 2009 If any of us has the habit of always being late for appointments, let us learn from dogs and their instinct of punctuality! Yes, you read me correctly. Dogs are not only able to feel the time but they are punctual to the very exact minute! I will share with you some real life examples to illustrate my point. Every morning at about 11a.m. from Tuesdays to Sundays, our dog, Bobby, would leave the house and head for the market at Jelutong, Penang. He knew how to cross the busy road and walk towards his favourite butcher stalls where he would rest and wait for some butcher to throw a piece of dog bone for him to take home! When he returned, he would take a rest under his favourite granite bench beneath the guava tree where he would rest for a while before enjoying his gift of bone or meat. The butchers have grown to love him and to accept his familiar sight at the market. Strangely Bobby would never go to the market on Mondays because the butchers rested on Mondays! Gosh! How could he tell the time and days of the week? Doggy instinct, I guess. My neighbour, Irin, shared with me that her two dogs, Bobby and Bibi, would eagerly wait by the door at 5p.m. onwards until kind Aunty Helen brings along her home cooked food. Helen has only started to cook food for the two dogs when Bibi was nursing her puppies. To share another example, is the story of the famous dog, Hachiko. Every evening, Hatchiko would turn up at Shubuya Station to wait for his owner, Professor Ueno to return from the University. The faithful Akita did that day after day for ten years. After Professor Ueno's death from a stroke, his family gave Hachiko away, but the faithful dog escaped to return to Professor Ueno's house, When he realised that the professor was no longer living in the house, he would turn up punctually just when the train arrived at the station. Hachiko became a national icon, a dog famous for his loyalty and seen as a quality that all Japanese should emulate. I am sure that other animals and insects too could instinctively feel the time, but I am not a zoologist. You can find the details in Google. Human beings too once had the same great instinct of time, but we gradually lose this instinct after we learn to look at clocks and watches! My beloved dog, Kamlette would eagerly await my return when the sun started setting. Sometimes, if I knew I was going to be very late, I would phone my tenant and he would bring the phone to Kamlette, and my tenant told me she would wag her tail when I spoke to her. "Be a good doggy and see you later in the night." My tenant told me that after the call, Kamlette would be less fretful and would put her head on the floor to rest.! Let us as homo sapiens, excel over the animals with our punctuality of time! Posted by The Oriental Express at 7:17 am Saturday, November 21, 2009 English a must for S'pore-bound pandas Thu, Nov 19, 2009 The New Paper IT is time for her furry charge to learn a new language: English. Attendant Xu Yalin has been caring for - and speaking in the Sichuan dialect - to the 2-year-old male giant panda cub she has named "Wujie". Together with a 1-year-old female cub, Wujie will be sent to Singapore for joint research in 2011. And Ms Xu is worried that Weijie will not understand his new attendants here if they speak to him in English. Now, when she calls out to him in Sichuan, "Wujie, Wujie, come out to eat!" he immediately responds and leisurely ambles out of his "house" within the Ya An panda reserve in Sichuan province. The moment he spies the "wo wo tou" snack Ms Xu has for him, his movements speed up and he runs to the centre of the outdoor yard, reported Lianhe Zaobao. A "wo wo tou" is a small, cone-shaped steamed bread made of corn. Wujie then grabs the snack with his paws, plops down onto the ground and starts munching. As the crumbs drop all over the cub, Ms Xu explains that giant pandas have poor sight and have to relyontheir hearing and smell. She says that she has always spoken to Wujie in the Sichuan dialect and wonders how he would adjust to English-speaking attendants in Singapore. "It is now time for the attendants to train them to understand English," she says, glancing over as Wujie starts licking the "wowotou" remains off the ground. Ms Xu and Wujie were both transferred to the Ya An panda research centre from the Wo Long centre after the massive earthquake destroyed the latter. Many pandas had run off during the earthquake. When things settled down, many of the pandas returned to the centre on their own. For their safety, the Chinese authorities decided to move all the pandas to Ya An. Ms Xu is in charge of caring for four pandas, including Wujie and his twin brother, Wujun. With a smile, she says: "Wujie is lively and more obedient. He likes doing these little actions, like licking his feet and kissing other pandas' faces." She says Wujie's father was born and bred in the wild so the young panda is of good stock. Of Wujie's imminent move to Singapore, she says: "I feel very emotional and can't bear to see him go. If I have a chance, I'll definitely visit him in Singapore." I smiled when I read the above article in the New Paper. What a relief! The male panda is called Wujie, and he is going to be bilingual in Chinese and English. Animals are clever and they learn fast! My first pet dog, Kamlette, a mixed Golden Retriever, which had since passed away was multi-lingual! She learnt the words, "Kai kai." Later, she associated "Jalan Jalan" (Malay meaning walk, walk). As I did not want to get her overly excited, as it would take me a while to get ready, I decided to use different words when communicating with my siblings, so that Kamlette would not understand. However, Kamlette was a clever dog and soon picked up all the words in different languages associated with going out! Once, I was going to send my ex-student, Carrie, back as it was quite late. However, I could not find her leash as it was not in the usual place. If I could not find her leash, it meant, I would not be able to take Kamlette for her favourite car-ride as well. I always took Kamlette along when I sent friends home or off at the airport. Kamlette loved to feel the wind on her face. Seeing that I was desperate, Carrie suggested, "Ask Kamlette where her leash is", and she started to giggle, laughing at her own ludicrous idea. Half in jest, I asked, "Kamlette, where is your leash?" To my surprise, I could see her bending her head down as she squinted her eyes and racked her brains, and soon she lifted her head up and ran to the kitchen and started barking at the window panes.! True enough, there was her leash, hanging from a handle on the window pane.! Carrie and I laughed with joy. It suddenly dawned upon me that dogs can think and recall! I later found out that my tenant had taken Kamlette for a walk earlier in the day, and he had hung the leash at the window pane, instead of putting it back in its usual place. Once I visited the Spastics Association in Ipoh, a centre established by Datuk Jeyaratnam. I visited one of the member's home. He was Raju, an Indian man who had fallen down while climbing a rambutan tree. His leg was badly injured and he had to be on wheelchair and crutches. Suddenly his pet dog, Shanti, was excited, and Raju said something to her in Tamil, and the dog got even more excited and ran towards the windows and started barking. Raju had told him that mother had come home. Shanti loved Raju's wife, and would always eagerly await her return from work. How I envy Xu Ya Lin for her wonderful job of looking after some giant pandas. She will definitely be sad to see the pandas leaving for Singapore. Pandas are such gentle giants, and they will certainly bring joy to visitors at the new River Safari. I am happy that we have so many things to look forward to in Singapore now - the new Integrated Resort, Entertainment Parks, new and additional MRT lines, and of course.....my favourite - the gaint Pandas! Posted by The Oriental Express at 2:09 am Thursday, November 19, 2009 Cute and winsome Ayana Ayana with her proud parents, Anu and Avinesh Since I live in Little India, I thought it would be nice to take in some tenants from India. I can learn some Hindi from my tenants and perhaps learn to cook some Indian cuisine. For about one and a half years, I have Ashok, Avinesh, Anu and Jasmin staying at my apartment, albeit at varying periods. When Anu was expecting her first child, she returned to India for a while so that her family could help to take care of her. Now both mother and child have joined Avinesh, who has since got a whole rental apartment for his family. When I first saw Ayana, I smiled. She is so cute and adorable. Dressed in colorful clothes with silver trinkets on her little wrists and legs, she reminds me of the actresses and dancers from Bollywood! She is so lively and is ever ready to smile! The Indians are blessed with very lovely features - big, sparkling eyes, sharp noses and lovely complexion and raven black hair. I am indeed grateful to my parents for having introduced Hindi movies to me ever since I was able to read in English for I could read the subtitles and enjoy the movies, and this memory of Bollywood movies has been etched in me all these years. Now, I am adding more movies to my repertoire, as Jade Cinema is within walking distance from my apartment. Best of all, I am blessed with the opportunity of meeting and living with the people from India in cosmopolitan Singapore! Indeed, I am looking forward to attending Jasmin's forthcoming wedding in India! Posted by The Oriental Express at 9:21 am Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Everyday, I receive forwarded mails from my friends. I always feel happy when I read the forwarded mails. In days of yore, I had seen some grandmothers putting spoonfuls of porridge into their mouths to cool the porridge before feeding them to their grandchildren. Of course, it was not the most hygienic thing to do, but people were less informed in those days. But the gesture was certainly one of love. I get the same feeling when I read forwarded mails by friends. It is as if they have already read and digested the articles, and felt that they were worthy to be passed on to be read. Hence, I know that the articles must be interesting and worthy of being read. There are so many reading materials to be read, and choice becomes easier when friends forward the articles. In turn, I would also forward to some friends and relatives. Some of my friends who are not so computer-savvy, have even requested me to forward my blog articles to them. Some of the articles that my friends forward to me are so wonderful that I save them in a separate file so that I can re-read them when I have time or when I want to look for some information. Hence, I am puzzled when a couple of friends have written to me, telling me not to forward them articles. Of course, I comply, but it often more than not, means an eventual non communication for a great length of time, and at the end, absolute non communication and the friendship gradually tapers off! It is my belief that everyone who is literate must always carry on the habit of reading. No matter how busy a person is, he somehow will always find the time to read, for reading is like eating....sometimes a perfunctory action, but is nevertheless, a crucial habit. For as Sir Francis Bacon had said, "Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man." It is ironical that people who have missed out on the opportunity of education, yearn to be able to distinguish the alphabets and Chinese characters. My two good friends, Amu and Rose who are illiterate wish they could read. Rose is taking up elementary Chinese and I try and help Amu to recognise simple words. Sometimes I would read out interesting articles to her, or show her interesting pictures on my computer. When I mention her in my blog, I would read out the article to her. Happiness is seeing the glow on Amu's face. Sometimes when I told Amu that I have appeared in my company's top thirty agents' advertisement, she would buy the Straits Times and cut out the advertisement and show it to her friends! By now, having read the 18th article on happiness, my readers must be convinced that happiness can be gleaned from simple things - simple action such as receiving forwarded emails from my friends and relatives - for it means they love me and remember me and want to share with me what they have enjoyed. So, my beloved relatives and friends, keep on forwarding articles to me. And remember to smile too, when you receive my forwarded mails..... Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:22 am Tuesday, November 17, 2009 When I woke up, I saw that I had three sms in my mobile. One of them read, "Division D Champion Ng Cher Khim won!" and another read, "Your blog on pandas was quoted in the Sunday Times". It was so sweet of Geok Cheng to inform me via sms. I phoned Amelia Ching to enquire about her sister-in-law, Geok Sim, as I was concerned about Geok Sim's health. Amelia told me she had just returned from Macau, and she told me that at the District 80 Convention Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests, all the three top prizes were won by Singapore! Hip! Hip! Hurray! I am so happy and though it was quite cloudy I thought the weather looked so bright! Psychological lah! When we are happy, everything looks extra brighter and more colorful! I am so oooo oooooo proud of our toastmasters! Kudos to the following for their wonderful effort:- Humorous Speech Contest 1. Ng Cher Khim 2. Eric Feng 3. Wong Kok Wah 1. Darren Tay 2. Wekie Tay 3. Pradeep Kumar Without a shadow of doubt, the level of English in Singapore is quite high. I hope that more people will be able to participate in toastmasters' activities, so that they will continue to improve and become more articulate. It is a crying shame that there is so little publicity about toastmasters' activities. Many of my clients and friends have not heard of the toastmasters' movement, and even some of those who do, have a vague impression that it has something to do with toasting bread with butter! If there had been more publicity about toastmasters' activities, I would have become a member decades ago, instead of only learning of the existence of toastmasters' clubs when my manager, Aveline Tan, invited me to join the Dennis Wee Group Toastmasters' Club. This is why I was so passionate and determined to complete all forty projects as soon as I possibly could, and am now on my journey to achieving the DTM award. Toastmasters' activities have also helped me to be stringent with my own time management and committment because once I make a promise that I would accept the role as language or project evaluator, I would fulfill my role. It is so wonderful to learn from others even as I contribute the little that I know. Many of us have been brought up by conservative parents who believe that children should be seen and not heard. Hence, some adults - even the brilliant and educated ones are often tongue-tied in the company of strangers or people they barely know. Toastmasters' activities will help people gain more confidence when they speak in public, be it on stage, or just mingling with the crowd. Thank God for the late Ralph C. Smedley, the founder of the toastmasters' movement in 1924. It is now 75 years and the movement is still going strong throughout the world. I would encourage my readers who have yet to join a toastmasters' club to start looking for one near your home or workplace. May you enjoy your journey of lifelong learning. Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:52 am Sunday, November 15, 2009 Gloria and Phoebe enjoy playing with the puppies Sophia is going to beg his parents to get them a dog soon! United we sleep, together we wake up! Puppies always have winsome looks! On one of those rare Saturdays when I do not have house viewing, I enjoy staying at home to watch my favourite Vasantham Channel which shows Hindi movies. Hence, I was surprised when my nieces turned up at my door.! They had wanted to go to Sentosa Island but lost their way. Hence they decided to visit me instead! The kids were actually eager to see Bibi's puppies. When they last saw Bibi, she was heavy with pups and was due to deliver soon. Now the pups are able to walk and even spar with one another! They have tiny teeth coming out and as Bibi is weaning the puppies, Irin also starts giving them soft food. They particularly love food made by Caesar. It gives me much joy just watching the puppies romping and playing with each other! Amazing! Just a few weeks ago, they were still sleeping most of the times, unable to open their eyes. Irin said that when she calls the pups by their names, they respond and would walk towards her! Helen, my neighbour is adopting two pups and everyday, she would cook food for Bibi. Around the 5th of December, the puppies would be given to the respective adopted "mummies". Till todate, neighbours who have heard of the puppies have been popping around to ask Irin for a puppy! Hence I am fortunate that I will still be able to see four of Bibi's puppies growing up as Irin is keeping two of them and Helen is adopting two puppies. The puppies all look alike to me but Irin and Helen can differentiate them. I dare not go over everday to see the puppies for fear that I would be tempted to adopt a puppy. What is this world without four-legged creatures? They make our lives more interesting and colorful! Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:08 am Friday, November 13, 2009 My friend, Rose, visited me yesterday. She would visit me at least once or twice a month when we would have fellowship and a meal together. Sometimes she would buy or prepare some food or I would cook lunch and we would chit chat or listen to music. Rose used to be a hairdresser, and though retired, she still retains her skill. Hence, she would trim my hair for me whenever necessary. An animal lover, Rose is also excited about the prospect of the gifts of two pandas by the President of China. I shared with her my worry about the panda having the same name as me. "Ya, hor. Possible leh. Moreover Choo Choo is such a cute name, and you also remind me of a panda....yuan yuan, round round!", teased my mischievous friend. I told Rose they already have a panda named Yuan Yuan. I really hope the name of Choo Choo will not materialise, or history will repeat itself! I will get teased all over again just like when I was in primary school. Friends would say, "Hey Choo, I thought I saw you at the zoo last week!" I shared with Rose about sister Lee Lee's smugness and confidence that her name will never be used for the pandas. "Am not so sure about that. Don't forget our Prime Minister's surname is Lee, and so is his papa!" "For diplomatic relations, the Chinese will never name their panda Lee Lee lah," I said, and hence eldest sister is quite right!" I told Rose about Irin's six puppies. She is keeping the eldest pup. Irin calls the first born, Brian. Her god sister, Carol is adopting a female pup and she is called Urn Urn, quite a nice name. I have urged Irin not to use Brian for the dog, but as his parents are called Bobby and Bibi, she wants to continue with a name starting with B. "Maybe you can call him Bong Bong, but not Bang Bang. If you happen to shout for Bang Bang, someone might think there is some shooting going on!" I also shared with Rose about our deceased beloved mongrel with the name of "Lai Im". Mum was adamant with the name she had chosen. One day, seeing that Lai Im had run off, mum shouted, "Lai Im, come back!" Suddenly a lady passing by kept turning her back, and she walked towards mum. "You call me?" "Oh no, am calling for my dog....her name is Lai Im". "Why must you all use names meant for human beings?" asked the lady, somewhat exasperated. I can never forget that day, and promise myself that should I ever have a pet, I would give it a real doggy name. Hence my three pets are called, Kamlette, Kambobo, and Kam Xiaobai." I hope the pandas will be given names like Puan Puan (for the female panda) and Gao Gao or Kuan Kuan (for the male panda). Gao means intelligent. Kuan means tall and majestic). What's in a name? Plenty! Posted by The Oriental Express at 3:14 pm Thursday, November 12, 2009 Hip! Hip! Hooray! I scream with joy when I read that Chinese President Hu Jintao is going to loan Singapore two pandas! The pandas will arrive in the second half of 2011. I wonder what their names will be? Hope none of it is Choo Choo, as the Chinese have the tendency to name their pandas with repetitive single syllable names eg. Tuan Tuan, Xing Xing, Yuan Yuan, etc. Sister Lee Lee said that she is quite safe, as the Chinese would never call any Panda with a name that is often associated with actresses and cabaret singers! Now that I think of it, Choo Choo is a possibility because Choo in Chinese means "pearl" and Singapore is sometimes thought of as the Pearl of the Orient! If the name materialises, it would probably be spelt in Hanyu pinyin as "Zhu Zhu". I have never seen a live panda before, and have been thinking of going to Chengdu to see the pandas. Now I don't have to travel that far. Pandas are so cute and huggable, especially the baby pandas. I have even been toying with the idea of being a volunteer at the Panda Reserves in Chengdu in the near future! Sister Ean Ean is sometimes somewhat exasperated with my love for animals. "Everything also want to hug. Want to hug me or not?", she would tease me. I detest poachers who kill pandas, tigers, leopards, etc. for their skin. If the Creator wants us to wear the fur of animals, I guess, He would have let all of us grow lovely fur on our bodies! Vegetarians also believe that man is made to consume fruits, beans, nuts and vegetables for we do not have teeth like wild animals which need to hunt for their prey. I do not blame the people of yore for hunting animals for their food and fur, but now, with modern technology, we can make lovely coats with synthetic materials. Hence, the poaching of animals should stop! Let us refrain from buying fur coats, because when the buying stops, the killing will also stop! I just can't wait to see the pandas! I am happy that the Chinese Government is doing a great job to preserve the pandas. I thank God for having given us such a cute and unique creation of an animal that looks like a gentleman with dark glasses and white shirt and black waistcoat! Posted by The Oriental Express at 12:38 pm Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Amelia Ching, one of the humorous and wonderful evaluators with her excellent stage presence Some of the participants at the Vietnam Toastmasters' Club Daniel, the creative Table Topics Master "Dear Lord, if you can't make me thin, at least make my friends fat!" This is my secret prayer too! One of my favourite clubs must be the Vietnam Toastmasters' Club, because each time I attend the club chapter meeting, I leave with renewed vigour and enthusiasm to continue with my toastmasters' journey. As the membership is quite big and many are keen to present their speeches, we have chapter meetings twice a month on Saturday morning. Quek Geok Cheng, the current Division D Governor, was very kind to invite me to be one of the mentors of the club which she founded. Geok Cheng wanted to help me in this respect so that I could finally achieve my Distinguished Toastmasters' Award. I had at first thought of leaving it at that - completion of my Advanced Toastmasters' Gold, having completed 40 projects. I am the easily contented type, and perhaps need someone like Geok Cheng, to push me along the river of life. Seeing how passionate she is about the toastmasters' journey, I have also become more motivated. Some visitors have shared that they thought it would be easy to evaluate since it is a club where the majority of the members would have Vietnamese Language as their mother tongue. However, many are impressed with the high level of English and presentation produced by the members. Most of the members are very diligent and passionate in what they do. You can see that they prepare their speeches with dexterity and are tenacious in their desire to present their speeches to the best of their ability. Most of them are young professionals working in Singapore. During the previous chapter meeting at the SMU campus, I was the Language Evaluator. I noticed that the members have improved tremendously from the first meeting when I was their Language Evaluator some six months' ago. I often enjoy preparing food together with Geok Cheng. If I had the time, I would cook. If the week had been a busy week, I would then order some food from my lovely neighbour, Helen. She makes excellent noodles and "lor mai fan" (glutinous rice) which the members like very much. I shared with the members about the poster of the little baby which I placed outside my bedroom door. The baby pinches his little extra "blubber of fat" and the wordings read as "Dear Lord, if you can't make me thin, at least make my friends fat". This is also my secret prayer.! Everyone laughed and it suddenly dawned upon them why I am like one of Macbeth's three witches who love to hang around the cooking pot! Happiness is seeing people enjoy the food I have prepared! I love attending toastmasters' meetings because there is always good food for the brain as well as for the stomach! Posted by The Oriental Express at 10:51 am Sunday, November 08, 2009 I read with interest the article in the Newpaper yesterday about Madam Cheng Toan Ngor. Madam Cheng scavanges for cardboard boxes and even sleeps on them for fear of losing them. Agence France Presse (AFP) produced a less than two minutes video clip on her plight, on how she has to continue working despite her arthritis, etc. I was extremely interested in the article, because I had met Madam Cheng before. The first time when I saw her, I was overcome with compassion and wanted to give her some money, but something held me back. There was that grim determination on her face, and she suddenly reminded me of a very old lady in a bus I met some 25 years ago in Edmonton. I had woken up at dawn to take the very first bus to do my part time work as a cleaner. Since I had the keys to the church, I thought it would be lovely to begin my day early, so that I could have more time for my research work in the university library. The old lady was seated at the seat nearest the entrance, and I noticed that her coat was not buttoned, revealing a blouse made of thin materials. It was snowing and the cold air was seeping into the bus each time the door was opened. I decided to help the old lady button her coat, and had a shock when she spanked my hands and boy, was it painful! So much strength coming from a frail, old lady! I was somewhat embarrassed, and fortunately there were only a few passengers in the bus. I continued the rest of my journey thinking about the old lady. Where did she come from and what was she doing, taking a bus so early on a cold winter day.? I reminded myself that I should never judge a person by his clothes! Likewise, when I first met Madam Cheng, I suppressed my good intention, and wondered about her. For all I know, her children could be doing well, and like some elderly people, she would prefer her freedom, despite her hard work. My guess was quite accurate for the report revealed that Madam Cheng even owns a private property and has children who are doing well. Her children who care for her but are helpless about her stubborn and independent streak. I once met another lady, who looked somewhat unkempt with her thick, grayish hair and untidy clothes. She came to view the apartment that I was marketing. There were eight people talking in loud, excited tones in Cantonese, and I thought they were from Hong Kong. I was polite even though I did not understand Cantonese, and tried to be as professional as possible, and when the young couple, who had just started selling insurance, wanted to put down a cheque for the unit, I advised them to hold on. I was worried that having just started on the new line with less than three years experience, they would have difficulties getting a bank loan. I promised them that I would check with the banker first and if they were able to get a loan, I would let them have the apartment. "Even if you have a higher offer?" the elderly lady asked. "Yes, I keep my promise. My word is my honour, because this is the price my client will definitely accept." The following day, I told the couple that the bank insisted on looking at three years' of income tax returns on their latest profession, and to my surprise, they said, "Don't worry. My mother will be our banker. She will lend us and pay in full cash for us. Please come now to collect the cheque." When I went to their home to do the paper work, I was pleasantly surprised by the huge bungalow sitting on 65,000 sq. ft. of land. The mother was very hospitable and served me coffee and cakes, and she told me she liked my transparency and straightforwardness, and taking care of her daughter's interest. She asked me to help her look for another unit for her in the same development. Hence, we must never judge a book by its cover. We must never judge a person by his clothes and appearance! Sadly, many people are inclined to jump to hasty conclusion! Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:04 am Friday, November 06, 2009 Toby - a good and quiet dog Nicely rounded, Toby is huggable! Toby with her expressive eyes Toby is so far the dog that I have taken care of for the longest period of time. I ended up looking after Toby longer than expected, for due to the delays in getting their new home ready in Dubai, Gayatri had postponed Toby's flight. Of course I was happy when that happened, because it meant Toby could stay longer in Singapore. Gurion Ang, the toastmaster who is studying Zoology was right when he said, "Many people do not keep pugs. But once you have pugs, they grow on you!" The first time I saw Toby, I wanted to laugh. For she reminded me of the three little pigs! Later I found her not only cute, but quite pretty too. In Mandarin, they say, "nai kan", meaning something looks more attractive the more you look at it. Looking after someone's beloved dog proves to be an even heavier responsibility for me. How would I account to the owner should anything untoward happen to Toby? Hence, every morning, I would pray for God to bless Toby. That Toby would not get sick. That Toby would not get diarrhoea, as she had the habit of picking up food she found on the ground whenever I took her for a walk. That Toby would be safe from danger and be not harmed. I was always vigilant and would stop Toby from picking up food whenever I took her out for a walk. Whenever I was out of the home, I would hurry back to stay with Toby. Toby disliked to be alone in the home. Thank God that by the time Toby was ready to fly to Dubai, she had always been healthy. She was never sick. Animals cannot talk, and I would be grieved if Toby ever fell sick. She would not be able to tell me where the pain was. I only had to worry about her diet, for Toby just loved food.....anything that is edible! Unlike my neighbour's dog, Bobby who is always suspicious of food, Toby would be just game to try anything that I ate. She must be thinking, "If it's good for humans, it must be good for me too". Nevertheless, she is an intelligent dog who seems to understand what I am saying. Once I said to her, "Toby, chocolate is tasty, but it is a no, no, for doggies, understand?" She looked at me with her expressive eyes, and walked forlornly away. I just love Toby! When I learnt that eggs are good for prevention of cataract, I decided to give Toby some eggs twice a week. I would cut the egg into smaller pieces and press them with a fork after which I would mix her dry food with the egg. Time seemed to fly! It was already three and a half months that I had looked after Toby! By then, the kids in my block had grown quite attached to Toby for they would come to my apartment to look for Toby. Each time I came back from an outing, Toby would dance round and round as if to welcome me home and to tell me how much she missed me. My ex-colleague, Mr. Ong, once told me that his dog would bark and jump with joy, eagerly awaiting his presence at the door, while his two teenage sons would just ignore him! "Better to have a dog, than children", he would lament. It took me a little while to adjust to life without Toby. I miss her so much, and her photo is a wallpaper on my computer screen, so that I can see her photo before I start typing. May God continue to bless and protect Toby in her new abode in Dubai. Though I decide not to dog-sit for a while, I know my heart would soften when someone requests me to help look after his dog again. Posted by The Oriental Express at 10:59 pm Thursday, November 05, 2009 A friend, Soh Yah, sent me this email, and it sent me pondering over the issue. My readers can read the email and start pondering too, and form their own opinions. However, I must confess that ever since I read of how doctors always recommend chemotherapy for cancer, when it could be a better alternative to let patients try to get healed with the soursop fruits, or tea made from soursop leaves, I have become quite suspicious of drugs and vaccines. Is this the reason why so many doctors from the West are now coming to the East to explore and learn about herbal remedies? This is really important message. Please read it and pass on to everyone you know, especially your loved ones and your friends. Do not fall into the trap of these pharmaceutical companies. They are only interested in their financial gains and not our health. They literally own our health from the day we were born and as such are controlling our health throughout our lives. They inject us with various types of vaccines from the day we were born and they try to feed us with all the various patented drugs throughout our lives. This is probably the main why there are so many types of sicknesses and diseases now as compared to 50 or 100 years ago. Please continue reading the message below and you will get the picture. Guys, I'm Emailing you because I'm bloody scared about something. I created my Facebook group for fun, and to use it to market my businesses to people. What I'm doing now totally kills my ability to do that, but I don't care. This is important. I'm a qualified pharmacist. I've been researching the swine flu vaccine that our government has bought for us (using our money, by the way) and its DANGEROUS AS. Its easy a hundred times more dangerous than the swine flu itself, Imo. Something that freaked me out is that several swine flu vaccine manufacturers have asked governments to give them an exemption from lawsuits, in case the vaccine caused harm in people. If you made a vaccine that you knew worked, then why would you need a legal exemption in case it hurt people? Massive warning sign. They don't believe its safe. The swine flu itself has killed about 2/3000 people total. The regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year - so why are we freaking out about swine flu, and not normal flu? Does that make sense? If the regular flu kills 40 000 plus per year, and the swine flu only killed 2/3 000 - then why are governments it in advance, giving it to us for free, and giving drug manufacturers immunity to legal cases against them? Does that make sense? No. The swine flu vaccine contains 2 horribly dangerous compounds - one is called thimerosol. It is made 50% of mercury. It binds to receptors in your brain, and basically causes brain damage. Is it smart to be injected with thimerosol, and get brain damage, dropping 10 IQ points and going dumb, in order to avoid getting a flu that kills 95% less people than regular flu? No. The other horrible ingredient is called squalene. Squalene accidentally tricks your immune system into killing your own cells, which creates autoimmune diseases like asthma, multiple scelerosis, diabetes, and a bunch of diseases that we don't have a name for yet (because squalene hasnt been used for that long, and we have little on its effects) - is is smart to inject yourself with that stuff, in order to avoid a relatively mild flu, like the swine flu? No. If you're a pregnant mother about to take Panvax, ask yourself this - why would you take Panvax, when it contains Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfate - both of which exhibit positive risk to unborn children - so as to avoid what? A mild flu, that kills 95% fewer people than the regular flu? Look, I'm a funny guy. Yeah, I make good Facebook groups. People join them by the thousands, and laugh. But I'm also a qualified pharmacist. I scored in the top 0.1% of my state in school. I'm expert at critical analysis of drugs and their effects on humans. And let me be blunt - if someone came up to me with a syringe full of swine flu vaccine, or came near my family with one - I would take the needle off them poke them with it myself - followed by several very hard punches. This stuff is poison. Don't take it. Don't let your friends take it. Don't let your family take it. If some idiot in a lab coat asks you if you want it, ask them about thimerosol, squalene, and why the company making it wants legal exemption from being sued, and watch their face go into "OMG! I'm being asked serious questions that I don't have the answer to" mode. Anyway. I hope you're all well. Chat to you on Facebook sometime :)" Bachelor of Pharmacy University of South Australia Frankly, the above should not bother me, for I too am a believer of natural healing. The Creator has given us so many herbs, fruits and vegetables that help us to fight diseases, etc. that I am wary of having intake of things that are chemical. For example, instead of taking panadols when I have a headache, I would prefer to massage my forehead with tiger balm oil or go for foot reflexology. Sister Ean Ean taught me a remedy for gout. I do not suffer from gout, but I will share with my readers the recipe which again proves that the Creator has provided us herbs, vegetables and fruits for our good health. CURE FOR GOUT Wash two medium sized potatoes Brush it to ensure all dirt is removed. Cut into small pieces with the skin intact. Pour seven coffee mugs of water into a pot. Bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for one hour. Drink the water. After three to four days of intake, the excruciating pain from gout will be eliminated! REMEDY FOR GASTRIC PAIN OR WEAK STOMACH Boil two sweet potatoes with the skin intact. Mesh the potatoes, and add some honey and serve. The sweet potatoes and honey sooth the stomach, and help to ease the discomfort from gastric pain. I often brew Chinese herbs instead of always heading for the pharmacy. I believe in the old fashioned way of maintaining good health and that is to have sufficient exercise, sleep and good and healthy food. I am reminded of the wordings, "Men spend their whole lives to get wealth; at the end they spend their wealth to get back their lives." Hence it is vital for us to learn to let go; to learn when enough is enough. Let others have the chance to create their own wealth; we do not have to earn all the wealth in the world because man is merely a mortal. Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:05 pm The Adenium plants standing firm and proud, with the flowers intact. Just after the Division S Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests at the Whampoa Community Club, the sky looked dark and formidable, with a storm in brew. My apartment is not too far, probably about 30 minutes walk. The weather was cool, and I decided to walk home. As I was walking, I kept praying that it would not start to rain. "Oh God! Please hold the rain until I reach Pek Kio Food Centre". When I reached the Food Centre, the rain came down and soon, it was raining cats and dogs! "Why are you so cheerful," asked the lady operating the fruits stall. "I got here in the nick of time from the pouring rain! God answered my prayers". I replied. As usual, I ordered my favourite dong dong juice, and spent my time reading the newspapers and classified advertisements. I knew it would be quite some time before the rain subsided. After about 90 minutes when the rain no longer came down in torrents, I decided to continue my journey home. I was wondering about my Adenium plants. Would they be broken? Would the flowers all drop off from the stems in the face of such strong winds? When I got out of the lift, I noticed that my neighbour's clothes and hangers had dropped onto the floor. I was quite nervous about the fate of my Adenium plants. Lo and behold! I was so happy to see the plants in just in the same condition before I left the apartment. Not a single flower had dropped! I felt as if I saw a rainbow after the storm! That evening, I learnt an important lesson. The plants are able to face the storm because of the deep roots embedded in the soil. It had taken four years for the flowers to bloom, and hence, the resilience of the flowers. Likewise when we are deeply rooted in our foundation, we too will be strong in the face of adversities and troubles. We will not give up so easily, but will continue to persevere and our tenacity will give rise to success and strength. Posted by The Oriental Express at 12:01 am Monday, November 02, 2009 I detest contests that are organised without taking into consideration the risks that contestants are subjecting themselves to. Worse, very often, these contestants are not screened for their health condition before participation. Contests that promote gluttony in the name of speed not only make a fool of the contestants, but also promote food wastage. The unnecessary amount of food consumed by the contestants should be used to feed the starving children in third world countries. Eldest Sister Lee Lee told me that she once watched a program where a very fat man was able to consume many hamburgers. It looked like he was going to be the champion, but suddenly his stomach burst, and out came the burgers together with his intestines. What a horrendous ending, all in the name of competition. Recently we read of a mother of three who participated in a drinking competition. She drank more than 7.5 litres of water, and worse, in order to win, the contestants must try not to go to the washroom. So much input! How can there be no out put? Brainless organisers with ridiculous rules and regulations.! The prize was a Nintendo Wii which she had hoped to win for her children. In the end the organisers were asked to pay millions of dollars in compensation for the death of Jennifer Strange, the mother who joined the senseless contest because she had hoped to win the Nintendo Wii for her children.! The latest contest in Singapore, The Impreza Challenge, should also be banned. Contestants must put their palm on the car and must not move. The winner would be the one who clocks the longest time with his palm on the car. Last year's winner was someone who clocked in about 81 hours! Though many of the contestants are young people, we never quite know who may have hidden illnesses. Otherwise, how do we explain young people collapsing and dying while out jogging? Over exhaustion can kill if one is not in good health, eg. the Japanese lady who died of exhaustion because of 80 hours of overtime. I hope all organisers will explore carefully, and come up with more creative ways for people to win prizes without endangering their lives. Must we wait for someone to join the heavenly choir before we finally realise the flippancy and futility of such contests? The other contest which I dislike very much is the one where contestants are dared to sleep with snakes and scorpions, eat live worms and the raw intestines of fishes, My eldest sister Lee Lee has aptly said, "Even if the prize were $1,000,000/-, I would never participate. I would prefer to live simply, contentedly and with dignity. Posted by The Oriental Express at 11:57 pm Sister Ean Ean posing at Bengawan Solo From the photo, you can tell that Sis is a natural comedienne. Recently, my Sister Ean Ean was in Singapore for a short vacation. We went out for lunch and later some shopping. Perhaps it is Sister Ean Ean who has fueled my burning desire to master the English Language. Being six years older than me, she was already in school, while I was still awaiting to be enrolled in Primary One. I often envied my sister and cousins for carrying big school bags and knowing how to read and write. One day, Sister Ean Ean said to me, "Choo, you dislike Ah Pong, right". I nodded my head, affirming my intense dislike of my cousin, Ah Pong, who at 12 years of age, was a real bully. If you beat him once, he would beat you back ten times, and he could run like a horse! "Ok. Sis will teach you a sentence in English and you memorise this sentence, and when Ah Pong comes back from school this evening, you will say the sentence loudly and forcefully. Ah Pong will not dare to beat you, but will run for his life. Then you will be victorious! " Hence, I spent the whole day memorising the sentence in English. As the sun was slowly setting, I eagerly looked out for my cousin's return. Just when I saw him entering the gate, I eagerly called out to him, "Ah Pong, come, come here!" "What? What?" Ah Pong replied in his typical sneering and sarcastic manner. "Ah Pong, today I want to tell you I love you very, very much!" I declared, hoping that my forceful voice would scare him off. And to my surprise, it did. Ah Pong ran for his life, just the way Sister Ean Ean had predicted. I flexed my right arm to show my muscles so as to demonstrate my victory! Alas! Pride before the fall! Just then, I heard laughter from Sister, my older siblings and some relatives. "Ee ee, shame on you, Choo. You'd been tricked!", Second Sister Ean Ean said, laughing like a hyena. When I realised the gravity of the situation, I was so embarrassed I ran to hide behind the chicken coop, since there was no hole big enough to swallow me in. When the mosquitoes came a-biting, only then did I come out and rush to my room, in tears, and with a promise that I would learn and master the English Language so that no one would trick me again. Sister Ean Ean is very musical, being able to play the violin, piano (self taught), drum, guitar, ukulele and accordion. She sings well and is also a natural actress and comedienne. It's a pity she does not live in Singapore or I would urge her to sign up with Media Corp. With her natural sense of humour and mimicry, she always sends me roaring with laughter. My older siblings are also comical, but Sister Ean Ean is the creme de la creme! By now, my readers must be convinced that I am bloated with air of laughter, not obese with intake of food! Sister is also an excellent cook, again a skill she picked up after her marriage for she certainly believes that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Hence it is not surprising that brother-in-law Keat Seng has a conspicuous tummy! Before her retirement, Sister taught in the kindergarten. She never had any formal training, but produced great results with the children she taught. Sister Ean Ean has given me a few wonderful recipes for healing of gout and gastric pain and related stomach ailment which I will share later on. As a pastor's wife, she is a wonderful partner in helping in the area of Music in the Evangelical Chinese Church in Melbourne. Like Sister Lee Lee, she is a natural speaker and again, should be able to be a champion in public speaking contests. Second Sister Ean Ean like Eldest Sister Lee Lee, resembles mama - hence she is beautiful and attractive too. Now, she is enjoying the fruits of her labour, and is travelling more often to visit Singapore, Malaysia and other parts of the world. I thank God for my siblings, and especially for bestowing Sister Ean Ean with a rare gift - that of bringing joy and laughter where ever she goes, just like our beloved papa. Her maxim is as you can guess it, "Laughter is good medicine for the body and makes a person healthy." Posted by The Oriental Express at 2:44 pm One little two, little three, little four steps! Bobby, the proud father, giving his little one a piggy back ride. Bobby, looking so proud and contented with Bibi and newborn puppies! I look great, because both my papa and mama are also good looking dogs! "Wow! The puppies have grown. Didn't see them for a few days and they are so big now. And can even walk!" exclaimed my lovely neighbour, Helen. Helen has been very kind in often cooking delicious food for Bobby and Bibi whenever she has time. Irin, the dogs' owner proudly told us that now, Bobby has accepted the puppies! Amazing animal instinct. The puppies look so cute and adorable. It is amazing that Bibi would lie down contentedly for the puppies to have their meal times. Sometimes, the puppies would pull at the nipples a little too hard, and it is wonderful that Bibi never snaps back but demonstrates her mother's love for her pups. When I look at the pups it reminds me of the stray dog in Clementi where I used to live. The dog, whom everyone affectionately calls Lucky, is very clever and obedient and dog lovers in the neighbourhood just dote on her. I had been extremely busy at one period and hence did not get to see Lucky for a while. When I saw Lucky again, I realised that she had enlarged breasts which meant that she must have given birth! I also found out that she has been adopted by a kind neighbour, Uncle Lim, a retiree, who lives in the next block. Lucky's new owner told me that she had given birth to 8 puppies in the void deck and the Authorities had taken the puppies away! How cruel! They should at least have waited for Lucky to breast feed her puppies so that her milk could be taken by the puppies who could have a better chance to fight for themselves. This was the reason why he decided to adopt Lucky. It is amazing how Lucky could go up and down on his own using the lift. He would wait till someone gets in. By then, all the neighbours know her new owner lives on the 12th floor and they would press the button for her. I am glad that Lucky can still roam around on her own, and still have a home and food to come back to. As my friend, Melinda, likes to say, "I'd rather have a dog for a friend than ten human beings as lousy friends." Indeed, over the years, as I become more interested in animals, especially dogs, I realise I have learnt so many things, especially on what it means to be faithful, forgiving, and loving unconditionally. Posted by The Oriental Express at 10:00 am Sunday, November 01, 2009 My client, Miss Ong, had sent me an sms, informing me to get in touch with the developer's contractor, because her tenants had complained of white ants attacking the parquet flooring in her brand new condominium! When I called the developer's contractor, to my surprise, he asked, "Are the ants small or big? If small, no need to worry lah. Some people, hor, also complain about small ants." "Oh no! You should get rid of the ants when they are small. If they get bigger, all the wood in the apartment would be gone. And if they get any fatter, why, the building, may even collapse! You don't play, play, hor," I replied somewhat exasperated and amused at the same time. Poor Miss Ong. As a high flyer, she jets around the Asia Pacific Region, and I do not want her to worry unnecessarily while she is still in the Philippines on business, handling tough clients and an unfriendly weather. I was relieved when I received my client's call, just before the commencement of the Division S Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contest that she had arrived in Singapore, despite an impending typhoon that threatens to hit Manila on the very day of her departure. Never underestimate the power and danger of white ants. Little insects like ants are even more cooperative than human beings. They are tiny yet tenacious and united, and an army of hardworking ants can destroy furniture and buildings, if not exterminated on time! Sometimes when I am lazy or feel like giving up, I think of ants and their unique characteristics and I pull up my socks again. I am God's highest form of creation, and I must never allow any of his lesser creation be more diligent, united and tenacious than me! Posted by The Oriental Express at 8:26 am

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Brawn's early season dominance was enough to give them both championships This is the fourth part of my 2009 F1 review, and looking forward to the 2010 season. Tis article is for the top two finishers, Red Bull Racing and Brawn GP. The 2009 technical regulation changes were a complete revolution in how the cars were to be designed. Massively different aerodynamic regulations, KERS, slick tyres, and engine rev limits, to name but a few. Because of all this change in such a short amount of time, only the greatest masterminds would come out on top. Enter Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn. Newey is an aerodynamic genius, and was cadamite to Red Bull’s radical car design. Ross Brawn is a tactical mastermind, and with Honda’s millions in funding, plus the extra months of development in 2009, meant he was always going to do well. Even in March testing, everyone was shocked by the pace of the Brawn cars, after only being confirmed 20 days before the start of the season. On the other hand, Red Bull’s testing performance was mid-field more than frontrunner. Their start, at Australia, went very badly. Sebastain Vettel was involved in a crash with 3 laps to go, and finished 13th. Mark Webber was caught up in a crash at the very start, and finished 12th. Malaysia wasn’t much better, Vettel getting caught up in the monsoon conditions, and ended up 15th. Webber was 6th, but only got half points. However, their performance suddenly changed in China, where a 1-2 finish gave Red Bull their first ever win. The next 4 races were not too bad for the team, with 2 podiums apiece for both drivers. However, Vettel should have won in Turkey, but a mistake on the first lap left him 3rd. At Silverstone, Red Bull brought their heavily revised “b-spec” car, featuring a comprehensive new aerodynamic package. A completely dominant 1-2 finish slammed them right back into contention for the championship. At the next race, it was another 1-2, this time with Mark Webber finally taking his first win of his career. However, from here on, things got more difficult for the team. Two mechanical retirements in a row gave Vettel a shortage of points, and barely enough engines to finish the season. He had to limit his runnings in Friday practice, to conserve his engines. Webber had a torrid run of form, going 5 races without even scoring a single point. In Japan, with his engine situation now at critical point, Vettel managed his latest win, while Webber did similarly well in his win at Brazil 2 weeks later. But it was too late. Their mid-season slump had cost them dearly, and a 1-2 victory at the final race, Abu Dhabi, was little consolation for them. Vettel's engine failure at Valencia was one of the things that scuppered his championship hopes For the next season, their line-up remains the same. Vettel is contracted to Red Bull until 2011, with an option to extend until 2012. Webber’s contract runs out at the end of 2010. He will need to match Vettel’s speed if he wants to keep his seat. Sebastian simply needs to control his speed to be in contention next year. His crash in Monaco, after excessively wearing down his rear tyres, shows he needs to mature a bit more before he can win a world championship. When Formula 1 came to Australia, the Brawns rocked the paddock by locking out the front row. Then, after a very eventful race to say the least, they became the first team in history to score a 1-2 finish on their debut. Jenson Button continued their dream start, winning the first 6 out of 7 races. Such was the dominance of his performances that people were already believing the title had been decided, even with 10 races to go. However, 2 things were soon to put a stop to Brawn’s dominnce: They shifted their focus to the 2010 car very early, and Red Bull had brought along a heavily revised car for Silverstone. Since Brawns wind tunnels were now working on next year’s car, their performance began to falter. This was shown as Silverstone, where Sebastian Vettel won in dominant fashion, while Button only finished 6th, in a race he was expected to win. Also, the Achilles heel of the Brawn car was revealed: it struggled to heat its tyres in cold conditions. Suddenly, Button and Brawn looked vulnerable. At Hungary, the Brawns slipped even further down the field, finishing 7th and 10th. Button came on the radio, complaining of chronic understeer, and said: “How can the car be this bad at the moment?” At Germany, warmer temperatures helped the team, finishing 5th and 6th. And, Rubens Barrichello, who had underperformed in the first half of the season, suddenly took his first win in 4 and a half years at Valencia. In the space of 3 races, it seemed to be falling apart for Button. Luckily, at this point, with 6 races to go, he had an 18 point lead to Barrichello. After this, both Brawns finished every race in the points, apart from Button in Belgium, where he was taken out in the first lap. At this point, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull all had the ability to get race wins, and that’s what saved Button. Since no one person could dominate like he did earlier, his points gap couldn’t be reduced quickly enough. Barrichello pushed as hard as he could, taking another win in Italy, but couldn’t catch him in time. In Brazil, Button finished 5th, becoming the wrold champion in his 10th year. Many people questioned Button’s victory, since it was mainly down to the Brawn car, and his 1st half dominance. However, it must be noted that he finished in the points in every race of the season (except Belgium, where Alguersuari ran into him). Barrichello, however, wasn’t too shabby either. Apart from Turkey, where a gearbox failure took him out, he finished all but one race in the points. At the end of the day, Red Bull could not fully catch up in time, so I feel the Brawn team deserve their titles. But what now for the double championship winners? As we now know, they have been bought out by Mercedes, and they have got Petronas as a title sponsor for next season.Button has moved to McLaren, while Barrichello was dropped, and elected to go to Williams. They have been replaced by Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. This is certainly a formidable line up, and they are one of my favourites for next years titles. Provided their car is up to scratch, of course.

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Recommended by Joseph Balan To whom it may concern, I have worked closely with Gina for almost one year during her stint with Ixtive Media Sdn. Bhd. As a member of the editorial team, Gina has shown an unwavering attitude towards her commitment to her work and to the tasks assigned to her. Her determination is reflected in her ability to work well under pressure, with tight deadlines and is able to work independently with not much supervision. Largely contributing to this factor is her knack for being efficient, organised and systematic in her approach with every task assigned. It also reflects her work attitude, which is very professional in approach. As a writer, Gina has shown much potential and would definitely be a suitable candidate to be trained and nurtured further as a writer. She is a creative individual and it reflects in her ideas for articles, even for new magazines. Besides her writing ability, Gina also possesses added knowledge in graphic design as well as in marketing. These additional training has come as a value to the company whenever new design ideas and marketing strategies for the magazines are discussed. Gina has never failed to show great attitude towards whatever she strives to do. Even if it is a simple task, she takes it on fervently. She is also a fast learner and reflects good analytical and critical thinking skills. Her professionalism at work is balanced by her easy-going demeanour, which makes Gina a well-liked individual in the office and even clients find her easy to work with. I am confident that Gina will go very far in her career of choice because not only does she possess skill sets that are valuable and practical, she has the positive attitude, the dedication and commitment, which would make her a valuable asset to any company. Ixtive Media Sdn. Bhd. ~~~~~ Joseph Balan’s Profile ~~~~~ Joseph Balan was the Chief Editor in Ixtive Media Sdn. Bhd. managing two publications – IF i-mag and Crave i-mag – both interactive magazines which I was actively involved in during my stint in the company. His great leadership skills in the editorial team was nurtured by his many years of experience in journalism. He has been a mentor to me since the day we met and worked together, and I’ve learnt a great deal from this gifted (previously) senior writer for Tatler Malaysia and (previously) Editor of FHM Malaysia.

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China paper calls PH a ‘trouble maker’By Fat Reyes MANILA, Philippines – Amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) disputes, a state-owned Chinese news agency has called the Philippines a “trouble maker in the region,” and warned the country against losing its “credibility” if “Manila insists on playing more tricks.” In an editorial entitled “Manila’s miscalculation” published on Wednesday, the China Daily hit Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for saying that the Philippines would support Japan dropping its pacifist constitution to become a fully-fledged military force and act as a balance against a rising China, saying that the statements bared “Manila’s attempt to enlist support for its disputes with China.” “As a smaller country, it has resorted to opportunism to balance the big powers. However, if it goes too far, it will have to shoulder the consequences,” the editorial read. “History shows us small countries tend to get the worse of it if they seek to hijack regional peace and stability as a bargaining chip. If Manila insists on playing more tricks in this regard, sooner or later it will have to pay a dear price and lose its own credibility in the region,” it added. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, when pressed for comments, questioned why the Philippines was being called the trouble-maker, saying that the recent actions of China in relation to its nine-dash sea claims have raised concerns for the international community. Hernandez said that such actions were inconsistent with international laws, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and impede the fundamental freedom of navigation and lawful commerce. In an interview with London’s Financial Times, Del Rosario said the Philippines would strongly support a rearmed Japan—its World War II enemy—as a counterweight to what it sees as Chinese provocation. China claims nearly the entire West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), believed to be rich in oil and gas resources, while the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, have overlapping claims to some or all of those same areas. Recent weeks have seen a rise in tensions in the sea disputes, with the Philippines asking China to clarify media reports saying Chinese authorities had authorized its forces to interdict ships entering what Beijing considers its territorial waters. DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, meanwhile, had earlier said that when asked what the Philippines wanted Japan’s role in the region to be, Del Rosario replied that the country wanted Japan to “support a peaceful process in solving issues here and to be one of the partners as far as security alliances and partnerships are concerned.” Hernandez said there were no talks going on between the Philippines and Japan. The editorial also said that Manila was “deceiving” itself if it believed it could count on support from countries like the United States and Japan, adding that it was also “apparently underestimating China’s resolve to defend its sovereignty and core interests.” It also decried Del Rosario’s move not to hesitate in helping Japan “revive the dying ember of militarism,” saying that “his remarks only played into the hands of Japanese right-wingers who have been clamoring to break the limits of the country’s pacifist constitution.” The editorial also made mention of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II, saying that “memories of Japan’s military past are still fresh.” “For Asian countries victimized by Japanese aggression in World War II, normal ties with Japan are possible only under the condition that the country sticks to a pacifist road. Del Rosario’s rhetoric has touched the bottom line of peace and order in Asia,” it said. The editorial also accused the Philippines of playing the “role of a trouble maker” in the region, citing its moves to unilaterally raise sea disputes with China since April. “While coveting territorial waters it is not entitled to, it has played one trick after another seeking confrontation with China. Its politicians have developed a penchant of talking tough on China, as if wild talk will make the country’s daydreaming come true,” it said. Manila has called for a multilateral approach to dealing with the sea disputes, as well as peaceful resolutions in accordance with international law, but China has insisted disputes should be dealt with using bilateral negotiations.

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| | Other topics News articles on green Mongabay.com news articles on green in blog format. Updated regularly. (02/02/2010) Incorporating 17,000 tropical islands, Indonesia is one of the world's richest areas of biodiversity. However, according to the Jakarta Post, over half of this biodiversity remains unrecorded with only 20 of the more than 400 regencies in the country recording species. Jumbo squid explosion (02/02/2010) Jumbo squid are back in the waters of Southern California and anglers are seeing an uptick in business, reports the Los Angeles Times. Why top predators matter: an in-depth look at new research (02/02/2010) Few species have faced such vitriolic hatred from humans as the world's top predators. Considered by many as pests—often as dangerous—they have been gunned down, poisoned, speared, 'finned', and decimated across their habitats. Even where large areas of habitat are protected, the one thing that is often missing are top predators. However, new research over the past few decades is showing just how vital these predators are to ecosystems. Biologists have long known that predators control populations of prey animals, but new studies show that they may do much more. From controlling smaller predators to protecting river banks from erosion to providing nutrient hotspots, it appears that top predators are indispensible to a working ecosystem. Top predators sit at the apex of an ecosystem's food chain. Wolves in Alaska, tigers in Siberia, lions in Kenya, white sharks in the Pacific are all examples of top predators. Stopping wildlife trafficking in Congo (02/01/2010) The bushmeat trade in the Congo basin has been widely publicized but poorly addressed. While fines and sentences exist for wildlife trafficking, they have traditionally been poorly enforced due to corruption, poor governance, and attentions focused on other priorities. Major traffickers, who tend to be rich and well-connected, trade with impunity, knowing that a well-placed bribe or a phone call can get them off with little more than a slap on a wrist. But the days of privilege may be drawing to a close in Republic of Congo thanks to the efforts of PALF [Projet d'Appui à l'Application de la Loi sur la Faune], a Brazzaville-based NGO which is working to build the capacity of Congolese authorities to enforce wildlife laws. In the process, PALF is helping root out corruption and raise awareness of the plight of the country's increasingly threatened wildlife, including forest elephants, big cats, chimps, and gorillas. The secret life of a Californian pest (02/01/2010) The acorn woodpecker is best known for its chortle, which may have inspired Woody the Woodpecker's iconic laugh. But many California residents say there's nothing funny about the hundreds of holes these birds leave outside of homes and businesses while storing acorns for the winter. In early 2009, two housing associations in the retirement community of Rossmoor found themselves at the heart of a national scandal after obtaining a depredation permit to shoot the winged vandals, according to the Los Angeles Times. But researchers on the Hastings Natural History Reserve in Carmel Valley don't see acorn woodpeckers as pests. For more than 40 years, biologists here have studied the ecological soap operas underlying acorn woodpecker social groups to learn why animals choose to cooperate in some situations and not in others. Photos: New tropical frog undergoes remarkable transformation (02/01/2010) Nature never runs out of surprises. Exploring Sudest Island off of Papua New Guinea, researchers discovered a new species of frog that drastically changes its appearance from juvenile to adulthood, a transformation that has never been seen in another frog.The new species, named Oreophryne ezra, is shiny black with bright yellow spots. Yet when it matures, the frog becomes rose-colored and even its eyes change from black to blue. China leaves US (and Europe) in the dust on renewable energy (02/01/2010) This year China has become the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels and wind turbines, doubling its wind capacity since 2005. The economically booming nation—and the world's most populous—has also invested heavily in nuclear power and the world's most efficient coal plants, according to the New York Times. Russian police raid environmental group working to protect Lake Baikal (02/01/2010) Russian police have raided the Baikal Environmental Wave organization reports the Moscow Times. Police seized several computers, citing the reason for the raid to uncover the use of unlicensed software. UK failing to meet biofuel sustainability standard (02/01/2010) Only 4 percent of biofuel imported for use in the UK meets the environmental sustainability standard set by the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RFTO), reports a new assessment from the Renewable Fuels Agency. UK to fund efforts to shift towards greener palm oil production (01/31/2010) Britain will contribute £50m ($80m) towards efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia, including a project that aims to encourage palm oil producers to establish plantations on degraded lands instead of in place of rainforests and carbon-dense peatlands, reports BBC News. Obama pledges to reduce government emissions 28% by 2020 (01/31/2010) The U.S. government aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 28 percent by 2020 under an order announced Friday by President Obama. Farmers drive deforestation in Rondonia, in the Brazilian Amazon (01/31/2010) Small-scale farmers who lease land from the Brazilian government are very much responsible for deforestation in the Brazilian state of Rondonia in the Amazon area. In most areas with agrarian projects, more than fifty percent of the land has been cleared of forests, while the Brazilian Forestry Code permits farming concerns in the Amazon to clear only twenty percent of the land. White roofs could cool cities (01/28/2010) Painting urban roofs white could effectively counteract some of the urban heat-island effect and even lower greenhouse gas emissions in cities, reports a new study in Geophysical Research Letters. Satellites being used to track illegal logging, rosewood trafficking in Madagascar (01/28/2010) Analysts in Europe and the United States are using high resolution satellite imagery to identify and track shipments of timber illegally logged from rainforest parks in Madagascar. The images could be used to help prosecute traders involved in trafficking and put pressure on companies using rosewood from Madagascar. Will it be possible to feed nine billion people sustainably? (01/28/2010) Sometime around 2050 researchers estimate that the global population will level-out at nine billion people, adding over two billion more people to the planet. Since, one billion of the world's population (more than one in seven) are currently going hungry—the largest number in all of history—scientists are struggling with how, not only to feed those who are hungry today, but also the additional two billion that will soon grace our planet. In a new paper in Science researchers make recommendations on how the world may one day feed nine billion people—sustainably. New possible sighting of Ivory-billed woodpecker raises hope, skepticism (01/27/2010) A press release came out recently that claimed a new sighting and photographs of the 'extinct' ivory-billed woodpecker. There hasn't been a confirmed sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker since the 1940s when the last known population lost its habitat to clearcutting. However, the news release has brought excitement, hope, but mostly skepticism among birding blogs. Scientists call for research on geoengineering scheme to block sunlight (01/27/2010) The idea goes something like this: nations would send megatons of light-scattering aerosol particles into the globe's upper atmosphere, significantly reducing sunlight reaching the earth and thereby immediately cooling the Earth. While the idea may sound like science-fiction—or desperate, depending on your opinion—researchers writing in Science say that it may be one of the best ways to lower the Earth's temperature. They argue that international research and field testing of the idea, known as solar-radiation management (SRM), should begin immediately. Iceland leads world on environmental issues, but China, US, and Canada plummet (01/27/2010) Evaluating 163 nations on their environmental performance, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) has named Iceland the most environmental nation. Released every two years, the EPI also found that the world's two largest super-powers—China and the US—have both fallen behind on confronting environmental challenges. Protest in China against sludge incinerator (01/27/2010) Approximately 400 hundred citizens protested the proposal to build a sludge incinerator in Southern China in Foshan, according to the Guangzhou Daily and Reuters. Coup leaders sell out Madagascar's forests, people (01/27/2010) Madagascar is renowned for its biological richness. Located off the eastern coast of southern Africa and slightly larger than California, the island has an eclectic collection of plants and animals, more than 80 percent of which are found nowhere else in the world. But Madagascar's biological bounty has been under siege for nearly a year in the aftermath of a political crisis which saw its president chased into exile at gunpoint; a collapse in its civil service, including its park management system; and evaporation of donor funds which provide half the government's annual budget. In the absence of governance, organized gangs ransacked the island's biological treasures, including precious hardwoods and endangered lemurs from protected rainforests, and frightened away tourists, who provide a critical economic incentive for conservation. Now, as the coup leaders take an increasingly active role in the plunder as a means to finance an upcoming election they hope will legitimize their power grab, the question becomes whether Madagascar’s once highly regarded conservation system can be restored and maintained. Target stops sales of farm-raised salmon, citing environmental concerns (01/27/2010) Citing environmental concerns, Target has stopped selling farmed salmon products nationwide. Real-life Avatar: court blocks destruction of indigenous community in Borneo (01/27/2010) A court in the Malaysian state of Sarawak has issued an injunction to block the continued destruction of the Iban village of Sungai Sekabai, reports the Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), an indigenous rights groups. Last week Sarawak state police demolished 39 Iban homes in a dramatic escalation of land dispute between the community and a state-backed palm oil developer. The warmest decade on record (01/27/2010) The 2000s were the warmest decade on record according to analysis by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Failure of Copenhagen may spur dodgy REDD deals, says report (01/26/2010) Lack of a clear framework and rules for a proposed climate change mitigation mechanism known as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) could jeopardize its effectiveness and put forest-dependent communities at risk of exploitation, cautions a new report released by an environmental rights policy group. In "THE END OF THE HINTERLAND: Forests, Conflict and Climate Change", the Washington-based Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) warns that without clear rules to address land tenure and forests rights issues, REDD could increase conflict by boosting the perceived value of forest land. Forest communities — which have much to gain under a well-designed and well-implemented mechanism — are particularly at risk. Photos: Gelatinous Blobfish in danger (01/26/2010) A species dubbed "the world's most miserable-looking fish" is at risk of extinction due to poor fishing practices, reports The Daily Telegraph. Giant guano outcroppings win protection as bird habitat in Peru (01/25/2010) The Peruvian government has moved to protect 33 guano sites—both islands and peninsulas—as well as surrounding waters in a bid to save declining bird populations. Forestry sector needs transparency to reduce risks of REDD (01/25/2010) A new project aims to increase transparency in the forestry sector, an area long plagued by corruption and mismanagement. New report: world must change model of economic growth to avert environmental disaster (01/25/2010) For decades industrialized nations have measured their success by the size of their annual GDP (Gross Domestic Product), i.e. economic growth. The current economic model calls for unending growth—as well as ever-rising consumerism—just to remain stable. However, a new report by the New Economics Foundation (nef) states that if countries continue down a path of unending growth, the world will be unable to tackle climate change and other environmental issues. NASA: 2009 second warmest year on record (01/24/2010) According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), last year was tied for the second warmest year on record after 2005, the warmest year on record. If just looking at the southern hemisphere, however, 2009 proved the warmest yet recorded since record-taking began in 1880. Overall 2009 tied a total of five other years—four from the 2000s—for the second warmest on record. But, researchers say what is most important was that the past decade, from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2009, proved the warmest on record. Dispelling myths about the US Lacey Act (01/21/2010) The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has released a document to dispel common myths related to the 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act, which makes it possible for the United States to support efforts to combat illegal logging both abroad and at home. Indonesia plans to sell endangered tigers as pets to the wealthy (01/21/2010) Indonesia has a new plan to save the Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger, reports the AFP: sell captive-born tigers as pets. The proposed price is 100,000 US dollars for a pair of Sumatran tigers with the money going to conservation efforts, though it was unclear who would manage these funds. New study: overhunting by humans killed off Australia's megafauna (01/21/2010) For over a century and a half researchers have debated whether humans or climate change killed off Australia's megafuana. A new paper in Science argues with new evidence that Australia's giant marsupials, monstrous reptiles, and large flightless birds were brought to extinction not by an unruly climate, but by the arrival of humans. Indigenous in Borneo win "landmark" court ruling over land rights (01/21/2010) A Malaysian court has ruled in favor of indigenous communities in a dispute over land rights just two days after authorities "arbitrarily" destroyed 25 Iban homes in the village of Sungai Sekabai in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo), reports the Bruno Manser Fund, a rights group. Loss in biodiversity may be killing bees (01/20/2010) A decline in diverse plants species on which to feed may be causing a similar decline in bee survival, according to a new paper in Biology Letters. Sixty corporations volunteer to measure full lifecycle emissions of products (01/20/2010) Well-known corporations like Airbus, Levi Strauss & Co., 3M, DuPont, and Kraft Foods are volunteering to 'road test' a new global framework to measure the full lifecycle greenhouse gas emission of consumer products from blue jeans to manufactured steel. Forest-bulldozing ranchers win 'Greenwashing Award' for claiming they are creating a 'nature reserve' (01/20/2010) Indigenous rights organization, Survival International, has awarded Brazilian cattle company, Yaguarete Porá S.A., its 'Greenwashing Award 2010' for destroying indigenous peoples' forest—including uncontacted natives—and calling it conservation. Natural rafts carried Madagascar's unique wildlife to its shores (01/20/2010) Imagine, forty million years ago a great tropical storm rises up on the eastern coast of Africa. Hundreds of trees are blown over and swept out to sea, but one harbors something special: inside a dry hollow rests a small lemur-like primate. Currents carry this tree and its passenger hundreds of miles until one gray morning it slides onto a faraway, unknown beach. The small mammal crawls out of its hollow and waddles, hungry and thirsty, onto the beach. Within hours, amid nearby tropical forests, it has found the sustenance it needs to survive: in a place that would one day be named Madagascar. Malaysian police destroy homes in Borneo indigenous community (01/20/2010) Malaysian authorities yesterday destroyed two dozen homes in an indigenous Iban community near the town of Bintulu in Sarawak, alleges a human rights group. Cheerios maker linked to rainforest destruction (01/19/2010) An activist group linked General Mills to destruction of rainforests in Southeast Asia in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, when it unfurled a giant banner, reading "Warning: General Mills Destroys Rainforests", outside the company's Minneapolis headquarters building. Conservation organization, Durrell Wildlife Trust, forced to cut staff due to economic downturn (01/19/2010) The Durrell Wildlife Trust—which turned fifty last year—has announced that it will be cutting back 10 percent of its workforce, approximately 12-14 positions, due to an ongoing deficit caused by the economic recession. Photos: park in Ecuador likely contains world’s highest biodiversity, but threatened by oil (01/19/2010) In the midst of a seesaw political battle to save Yasuni National Park from oil developers, scientists have announced that this park in Ecuador houses more species than anywhere else in South America—and maybe the world. "Yasuní is at the center of a small zone where South America's amphibians, birds, mammals, and vascular plants all reach maximum diversity," Dr. Clinton Jenkins of the University of Maryland said in a press release. "We dubbed this area the 'quadruple richness center.'" Indonesian government report recommends moratorium on peatlands conversion (01/19/2010) A study issued by Indonesian government recommends a moratorium on peatlands conversion in order to meet its greenhouse gas emissions target pledged for 2020, reports the Jakarta Post. The report, commissioned by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), says that conversion of peatlands accounts for 50 percent of Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions but only one percent of GDP. A ban on conversion would therefore be a cost-effective way for the country to achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions 26 percent from a projected baseline by 2020. But the recommendation is likely to face strong resistance from plantation developers eager to expand operations in peatland areas. Last year the Agricultural Ministry lifted a moratorium on the conversion of peatlands of less than 3 meters in depth for oil palm plantations. Environmentalists said the move would release billions of tons of carbon dioxide. The Caribbean's wonderfully weird (and threatened) mammals, an interview with Jose Nunez-Mino (01/18/2010) Not many people know the solenodon and the hutia, yet for the fortunate few that have encountered them, these strange little-studied mammals—just barely holding on in the Caribbean island of Hispaniola—deserve to be stars of the animal kingdom. "I could not quite believe it the first time I held a solenodon; I was in utter awe of this mesmerizing mammal. […] They have a long flexible snout which is all down to the fact that it is joined to the skull by a unique ball-and-socket joint. This makes it look as if the snout is almost independent to the rest of the animal. You can’t help but feel fascinated by the snout and inevitably it does make you smile," Dr. Jose Nunez-Mino, the Project Manager for a new initiative to study and conserve the island's last mammals, told mongabay.com in an interview. Do corporate sweetheart deals make French fries less healthy? (01/18/2010) Few would argue that French fries are a healthy food choice, but a new study shows that French fries from national restaurant chains in the United States are actually worse for you-and the environment-than many believed. The study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) found that due to corporate deals French fries in national restaurant chains are largely fried in one of the worse possible vegetable oils: corn oil. UK planning to reintroduce insects (01/17/2010) When one thinks of reintroducing wildlife, one usually thinks of big charismatic mammals, such as wolves or beaver, or desperate birds like the Californian condor. But the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Scotland is going one step further to save its unique ecology with plans to reintroduce four species of dwindling insects. Orangutans vs palm oil in Malaysia: setting the record straight (01/16/2010) The Malaysian palm oil industry has been broadly accused of contributing to the dramatic decline in orangutan populations in Sabah, a state in northern Borneo, over the past 30 years. The industry has staunchly denied these charges and responded with marketing campaigns claiming the opposite: that oil palm plantations can support and nourish the great red apes. The issue came to a head last October at the Orangutan Colloquium held in Kota Kinabalu. There, confronted by orangutan biologists, the palm oil industry pledged to support restoring forest corridors along rivers in order to help facilitate movement of orangutans between remaining forest reserves across seas of oil palm plantations. Attending NGOs agreed that they would need to work with industry to find a balance that would allow the ongoing survival of orangutans in the wild. Nevertheless the conference was still marked by much of the same rhetoric that has characterized most of these meetings — chief palm oil industry officials again made dubious claims about the environmental stewardship of the industry. However this time there was at least acknowledgment that palm oil needs to play an active role in conservation. Company seeks to log forest reserve for palm oil in Uganda (01/15/2010) A company in Uganda is pressuring the environment ministry to allow it to log a protected forest reserve to establish a palm oil plantation, reports The New Vision. Congo basin rainforest countries (01/15/2010) Payments for ecosystem services may be a key component in maintaining Central Africa's rainforests as healthy and productive ecosystems, finds a comprehensive assessment of the region's forests. Seeing the forest for the test-tube trees (01/15/2010) Paper manufacturers and environmentalists seem to be reliving Robert Frost's age-old dilemma caused by two roads diverging in the woods. Proponents of genetically engineered trees say the road they’ve chosen will lead to trees capable of weathering freezing temperatures and disease -- trees that can grow more efficiently on less land and possibly serve as a cheap source of biofuel. In addition, supporters say, genetic engineering holds the possibility of bringing some trees back from the brink of extinction. But critics in the environmental community say the path chosen by the paper industry won’t save a single forest from the chainsaw. They fear that test-tube trees may become invasive, destroying the forests they're meant to protect. Photos: expedition in Ecuador reveals numerous new species in threatened cloud forest (01/14/2010) An expedition into rainforests on Ecuador's coast by Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International (RAEI) have revealed a number of possible new species including a blunt-snouted, slug-eating snake; four stick insects; and up to 30 new 'rain' frogs. The blunt-snouted snake, which feeds on gastropods like slugs, is especially interesting, as its closest relative is in Peru, 350 miles away. In addition, a fifteen-year-old volunteer with the organization found a snake that specializes on snails. The researchers are unsure of this is a new species: the closest similar snake is 600 miles away in Panama. 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This is an excellent story by E. M. Swift about the upcoming IOC vote on the sports on the Olympic programme. May 31, 2005 May 30, 2005 Things worked out well for Adam Nelson, the U.S. shot putter who was auctioning himself off on eBay (my post). The final bid was $12000 for one month of Nelson's services. The winner, as reported on AuctionBytes.com, was MedivoxRx Technologies, which is a subsidiary of Wizzard Software. I'm not sure that it will will be as good a deal for them as it was for Nelson. Their main product, Rex – The Talking Pill Bottle, is a container that verbally identifies pill bottle contents and dispenses information that would otherwise appear on the prescription label. The target market, according to the news release announcing the deal, includes "the elderly, the visually impaired and cognitively impaired, or anyone who can't read or understand their medication label instructions." I'm not sure that the target market overlaps much with the viewing audience for the shot put at the USA Track and Field Championships, but what do I know? And of course the association with the pharmaceutical industry, no matter how benign, is bound to inspire some heckling. I'm expecting photos of Adam Nelson standing on top of the podium, with a dancing pill bottle on his shirt. I'm not angry at the USOC. The USOC gave me the opportunity back in 1993 to train, they provided me trips overseas. The last thing I want to do is to show I'm a disgruntled employee or anything like that. I have no animosity toward anyone at the USOC. Gardner is taking a very proactive attitude to the problem, hoping to work with the USOC to find a way to help Olympic athletes after retirement: I want them to be taken care of. I'd like to help them in the future. That's my goal — it's to help the Olympic movement and take care of athletes. May 28, 2005 The IOC and AIBA in principle have agreed to induct women boxing in the next Olympiad, though there are still many details to be worked out, which would be done in October or December this year, when we will summon the AIBA executive committee meeting and finalise all these crucial issues. Sounds like boxing is worried about those gender equity criteria, and perhaps its inclusion in the Olympic programme. But they're finding out that Jacques Rogge is serious about the limits on the number of participants: … the major hitch in introducing the women's categories was that the IOC chief wanted to compromise with the number of weight categories in men's event so that berths for the women's boxers could be accommodated. The IOC chief has proposed that they reduce few weight categories in men's while he would increase some quota of boxing to include female boxing as they (IOC) had fixed the limit of 10500 athletes in the next Olympic Games. That's how it's going for everybody; you can make yourself more TV-friendly, and you can improve your gender equity, but you can't add any athletes. You decide what you're going to cut out. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, since the "agreement in principle" doesn't seem to be accompanied by an agreement in practice; the article goes on to explain that the AIBA isn't too keen on cutting out any men's weight classes. It wouldn't surprise me if this whole effort turned out to be mostly for show on the AIBA's part. Their agreement in principle might swing them a few more votes in July; and once they are safely on the Olympic programme, they'll claim that they couldn't make a deal with the IOC, so women's boxing will have to wait. May 26, 2005 Rulon Gardner is famous for his larger-than-life personality and three memorable events: - His gold-medal win over Alexander Karelin in 2000 was one of the greatest Olympic upsets of all time - He had a toe amputated in 2002 after spending a February night stranded in the Wyoming mountains - At the end of his bronze-medal match in 2004, Garder sat down on the mat, removed his shoes, and left them there Peter Richmond did a piece in GQ about Gardner and his night in the wilderness, titled "Rulon Gardner Wants a Third Helping." It's also in Best American Sports Writing 2003. Olympic heavyweight wrestling champion Rulon Gardner is angry. Gardner retired in very public fashion by leaving his shoes on the mat an the end of his bronze medal match in 2004. He's angry because he won't be receiving his training allowance or his health insurance from the USOC. As a matter of policy, retired athletes are not eligible for these benefits, which are intended to support Olympic hopefuls. This little story has a lot of interesting facets. When you look beneath the surface, there's a whole bunch of wrong going on here. First of all, Gardner is wrong to feel entitled to his handout from the USOC: Ten years I gave to the sport. I won a bronze medal, walked away and then, in March, I lost my insurance and they pulled my $2,000 in annual grant money. My contract wasn't up until July. I had viewed that money like severance pay, something to help me move on. But for me, it was like a slap in the face. Well, that money isn't severance pay, Rulon. It's a training allowance for Olympic hopefuls. You aren't one any more. I know, it seems like a victimless crime — so what if a former Olympian steals a couple of thousand dollars as a "pension," and some health insurance? But the fact is, that's money that could be — should be — helping somebody else. Gardner's rationalization reminds me of Employment Insurance cheats who stay on the dole even while they're working, because they feel they "deserve" it. That's a little harsh, and I should apologize. Because Rulon Garder is not going to get his dole, and that's fundamentally a result of doing the right thing. And as is too often the case, he's being punished for it. What would have happened if he had not come clean about his retirement last summer? Let's go back to our story: At least one of Gardner's Olympic teammates, Cael Sanderson, has continued receiving his benefits. Although Sanderson, now an assistant coach at Iowa State, hasn't wrestled since Athens, he also hasn't said whether he will retire or try to make the team again for the 2008 Games in Beijing. Now, I don't know if Cael Sanderson is retired or not, and maybe he fully intends to continue his competitive career. But I think I can read between the lines here. It sure sounds like everybody knows that Sanderson is finished with wrestling, but because he hasn't said so, officials can look the other way while he continues to receive his benefits. When the term of his contract is over in July, he'll quietly slip into "officlal" retirement. If Gardner had been as deceitful, he would be enjoying his health insurance right now. Here's USA Wrestling director Mitch Hull saying the same thing, although not in so many words: I have to answer to my board. And they'll ask me, 'Well, did he retire? What does the policy say?' The policy says he's not eligible for the money. Hey, those were pretty expensive shoes he left on the mat. They cost him $2,000, unfortunately. In other words, if Hull could plausibly deny that Gardner had retired — if he just hadn't left those shoes on that mat — then it wouldn't have ended this way. So the leaders of USA Wrestling are doing a wrong here, too. Athletes who hide their intention to retire are stealing support from other athletes, and officials who knowingly allow it to happen are accomplices to the crime. As it stands, USA Wrestling is sending a clear message to their athletes, and the message is: If you're planning to retire, please don't tell us about it. But that's not fair to the rest of the national team, since a "secretly retired" athlete is taking one of a finite number of spots on that team, and all of the resources that go along with it. The USOC, as a funding agency, doesn't really have the ability or the knowledge to monitor all of the athletes in every sport, and they rely on the national governing bodies (NGBs) to enforce their policies. But that's not to say that the USOC is blameless here. A policy that encourages athletes to lie about their future plans is a bad policy. And a bad policy that you don't intend to follow is even worse. There's a lot that's bad in this little story, where there could be good. It isn't that hard to see the solution. Instead of punishing athletes who do are honest, and rewarding those who lie, let's switch it up. The USOC could offer extended funding, or some other support, to retired athletes, to help encourage them to tell the truth about their future plans. And for those cases where encouragement won't be enough, the USOC needs to make sure that the NGBs have enforcement guidelines in place. One way to accomplish this is to put offseason checkpoints (e.g. fitness requirements, medical checkups, training program monitoring) in place. The message should be: If you're planning to retire, tell us about it, so we can help; and if you don't tell us, we're going to find out anyway. Rulon Gardner as a spokesman for the Olympic movement would be good for the USOC, and for USA Wrestling. Some transitional support would be good for Rulon Gardner. Eliminating the "secretly retired" athlete would be good for younger athletes on the way up. The way things stand right now, we have none of these things. May 24, 2005 Adam Nelson, two-time Olympic silver medallist in the shotput, wants a new sponsor. For the right price, it could be you. As noted at SLAM! Sports on Saturday, Nelson is auctioning off one month of his time as a spokesman for the highest bidder. It goes without saying that he is using eBay to run the auction (here it is), which is an interesting idea and may prove financially fruitful. The bidding is (as of this writing) up to $5800, but doesn't close until Wednesday. Nelson is getting a fair bit of press, so the price may keep rising. It's unlikely that he will get this much interest every month, once the novelty wears off, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a good strategy. The major drawback, of course, is that he won't have much control over who he ends up "representing." He might just end up as a spokesman for Golden Palace, for example. A common frustration for amateur athletes, and amateur sports federations too, is that it's very hard to squeeze cash out of corporate sponsors. While it is fairly easy to arrange for an "in-kind" donation — free clothes, free shoes, free sunglasses — actual money is reserved for the very upper echelons of amateur sport. Here's a link to a nice article about corporate sponsorship for sports federations from Canada.com. May 20, 2005 This sounds like good news for Canadian athletes. Paul DeVillers was appointed Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister yesterday. M. DeVillers' assignment is to recommend ways to coordinate all of the different existing federal programs for sport, recreation, and fitness and health. The current situation is pretty screwed up, for sure. Sport Canada, which administers the federal programs for amateur sport, is a department of Canadian Heritage. That means that the core federal funding for the various national sport federations (NSFs), and the Athlete Assistance Program, is lumped in with Arts and Culture, Citizenship and Identity, and Multiculturalism. (Sport and Multiculturalism each have their own Minister of State under the Minister for Canadian Heritage.) Although sport clearly does have important cultural aspects, Canadian sport advocates have been trying for years to draw the connection between sport and public health. Frankly, in the current arrangement the Sport Canada budget looks to many like a luxury; easy to cut when times are tough. Sport officials would like to bring the government's active living and physical education programs under the same umbrella as the NSFs and all funding for high-performance athletes. Integrating these programs together would lead to a unified blueprint for physical activity "from cradle to grave," as they say. If it can make Canadians healthier and more athletic, then it's a winning arrangement for everybody. As an aside, if you live in Canada you have no doubt heard already, but the Liberal budget — which included increased funding for amateur sport — passed a parliamentary vote on Thursday. That's more good news for the NSFs, especially for summer sports, who now have some level of certainty about their 2005-06 funding. Well, they don't sound very alarmed. I guess they haven't read my prediction. But the International Badminton Federation is planning some changes, designed to increase the number of participating nations in the Olympics. New IBF president Datuk Punch Gunalan has noticed that the international participation in badminton is dismal: Last year's Athens Olympic had a 32-country representation. We hope to have about 50 countries involved in the next Games in Beijing As step one, they should hope that they are included in the programme! Badminton also won't be helped by the recent resignation of one of the Korean IOC members, vice president Kim Un-yong. May 19, 2005 … or is that podia? About a week ago the COC announced the leader of their new summer sport excellence program. The program, modelled after the winter sport "Own the Podum — 2010" initiative, is intended to help Canada's athletes achieve more podium successes at upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. Actually, I shouldn't have called it the COC's program, because it's really organized as a collaborative effort between the NSFs and the "funding partners." The chosen leader is Dr. Roger Jackson, an Olympic gold medallist in rowing (1964). Dr. Jackson is as well-connected as anybody in the sport community, having been a former director of Sport Canada, three-time president of the COC, and current chairman of the CCES. Pretty impressive credentials, to be sure. This is a man who has spent a lifetime at the highest levels of Canada's sport administration system. I don't know Dr. Jackson at all, but I am a bit surprised that the steering committee has chosen somebody with such a long history as an insider. Also, dare I mention that Dr. Jackson is 63 years old? For a group that is talking about making radical changes to the way sport is funded in Canada, it's a bit of an odd choice, isn't it? But, as I said, I don't know him. Maybe he is just the kind of mover and shaker that the summer sports need. The press release notes that he has "consulted extensively" on high performance sport in the UK, and the British have certainly experienced a significant performance improvement over the past 8 years. Great Britain won 15 medals (1 gold) in 1996, and improved to 30 medals (9 gold) in 2004. Of course, the improvement also coincided with a whopping increase in funding. I guess the first order of business is to choose a catchy name to describe the program, and to set some performance goals that generate public interest. Those are two things that the winter group has done well, even if I think that the goals are rather unrealistic. Here's another little gem I came across while surfing. The Ultimate Olympian is attempting to "have a go" at every summer Olympic sport between the closing of the 2004 games and the opening of the 2008 games. His most recent posts chronicle his attempts at a sport near to my own heart. May 18, 2005 I found an interesting new blog this week. Bioethics and Sport is a discussion about sport and performance enhancement, and it explores a lot of the grey areas in our current and future attempts to eliminate cheating. I've put a link in the sidebar, too. Speaking of cheating, and grey areas: about a month ago I noted a well-written article about nutritional supplements and doping. Here's another from the Salt Lake Tribune, with an emphasis on supplement use in NCAA sports. On a related note, US swimmer Kicker Vencill won his lawsuit against Ultimate Nutrition. Vencill sued the vitamin manufacturer for selling him a multivitamin contaminated with steroid precursors, which caused him to fail a drug test. The positive test resulted in a two-year suspension from swimming. The jury awarded Vencill more than $500,000 US in damages. As Greg over at Sports Law Blog notes, this result could have a positive side effect since it might give the supplement manufacturers some incentive to clean up their act. It will not likely have any impact on doping suspensions; in general, the anti-doping authorities don't care how banned substances are ingested, and athletes are hald accountable for everything that they put into their bodies. That still holds even if you didn't know what you were being exposed to. Speaking of being held accountable, British sprinter and gold medallist Mark Lewis-Francis tested positive for cannabis last week. He quickly invoked the "Ross Rebagliati" defense, claiming that he must have inhaled some second-hand smoke. Like Rebagliati, Lewis-Francis escaped suspension, but not because of the ridiculous story. UK Athletics noted that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug for a sprinter, and was satisfied with a public warning to the athlete. The Wade Exum case in the U.S., which I have not written about before, took a new turn last month as attorneys representing Dr. Exum subpoenaed additional doping records. Dr. Exum served as the USOC's director of drug control administration until 2000, and has since filed a lawsuit against his former employers. Among his numerous allegations, Exum asserts that the USOC systematically suppressed positive tests from its top athletes. And of course we couldn't have a doping news update without Dick Pound getting himself in the news again. Pound, the president of WADA, took a couple of shots at FIFA, saying that they had better comply with WADA anti-doping policies, or else. FIFA president Sepp Blatter — not known for hiding from the media, either — responded the way you would expect Sepp Blatter to respond. In a less confrontational moment, Pound announced that WADA would do more out-of-competition drug tests in 2005 than they did in 2004. You might notice, if you read the story, that the new, increased number of tests (3000+) is still a lot less than the 2003 total. WADA has generally taken a very strict law-and-order approach to anti-doping, so the decision to cut back so drastically on the number of tests is a little bit puzzling. By putting more money into research and less into testing, WADA might be acknowledging that the science of testing is lagging too far behind the science of cheating. It would be interesting to know the "efficiency" rates over the time that WADA has been performing out-of-competition tests. May 17, 2005 Two-time Olympic athletics medallist Bernard Lagat is now a U.S. citizen. On April 13, he announced that he had left Kenya and become a citizen of the country he now calls home. The Kenyan Sports Minister, annoyed by a series of recent defections, publicly called for all former Kenyans to be banned from training in the country. Enforcing that directive would probably prove difficult, but Kenya does have some ability to keep Lagat out of competition. Athletes who change nationality are required to wait three years before they can compete for their new country. If the Kenyan athletics federation agrees, however, the waiting period could be reduced to one year. Lagat acknowledged that he would have to miss the 2005 World Championships, at least. It was probably a tough decision, and surely not one to be taken on the spur of the moment. But exactly when did he become a U.S. citizen? Lagat ran the 1500 for Kenya at the 2004 Olympics. To do so, he must have been a Kenyan citizen. But U.S. media sources are reporting that although his passport was issued on March 29, 2005, his citizenship was granted on May 7, 2004. Kenyan law does not allow citizens over the age of 21 to hold dual nationality; therefore, if the reports are correct, Lagat was not eligible to run for Kenya in Athens. Furthermore, due to the waiting period restrictions described above, he wasn't eligible to run for the U.S. either. So Lagat might be stripped of his silver medal from Athens. Kenya would replace Lagat's silver with a bronze for fourth-place finisher Timothy Kiptanui. I haven't seen anything new about this story in the last few weeks. The decision is in the hands of the IOC, and it may not be resolved any time soon. May 11, 2005 During the last week several analysts have come out with new rankings comparing the 2012 bid cities. If you're interested, everybody agrees that Paris is winning, with London close behind, and New York trailing. Ho hum, pretty much what everybody has been saying for months. Here at Now THAT's Amateur, we know what's really important. If you follow this blog you will already be aware of the impending vote on the composition of the summer Olympic programme. Many of the international federations (IFs) for the current Olympic sports are concerned about the voting process, but so far there has been no sign that their displeasure is going to cause the IOC to change their plan. Today I want to present my analysis of which sports have the most to fear in the upcoming vote. The IOC went to a lot of trouble to set out specific criteria to be used in evaluating Olympic sports, and the Programme Commission then spent a lot of time collecting data and evaluating each of the IFs against these criteria. I am not even going to attempt to repeat this evaluation, because (a) the IOC has already done it, and (b) in my opinion it won't influence the vote anyway. When the time comes to vote by secret ballot, I think that the outcome will be determined by politics, not technical merit. Therefore, this is not an analysis of which sports should be voted out of the Olympics, but an attempt to guess which sports will be voted out. As usual, I'll spell out my (very heroic) assumptions before we start. I am not going to do anything very sophisticated here, since you could probably spend several months studying the complex interactions between the delegates and the IFs. My goal is to get a quick idea of which sports are safe and which sports might be in trouble, and see if there are any surprises in the results. I have three primary assumptions: - Each IOC voter is independent of all others. This is certainly not true, but the vote will be by secret ballot, which should serve to make the voters more independent than they otherwise would be. - Each IOC voter will vote according to his or her national interest. I will use a couple of different (simple) ways to measure national interest. - All IOC voters have an interest in adding at least one new sport to the summer Olympic programme. I am not sure if this is true, but if true it means that each IOC member will vote for as few sports as possible, in the hopes that at least one of their non-preferred sports fails to gain a majority. I am also assuming that the delegates will be voting on each of the 28 sports, and not disciplines within those sports. This agrees with all published reports that I have seen. The distinction is not necessarily obvious to everybody, but it is critical to the outcome. It means, for example, that the delegates will be voting on the sport of Aquatics, and not on the component disciplines of Swimming, Diving, Synchro, and Water Polo. Obviously, this is good news for Synchro! There are several similar cases where a potentially vulnerable discipline (e.g. Trampoline) will benefit from an untouchable protector (e.g. Artistic Gymnastics). Before we go any further, it is worth pointing out that the 117 IOC members, who represent 79 different countries, are not evenly distributed according to region. Table 1 shows the number of active IOC members for each of the continental Olympic Associations. |Continent||Active IOC Members| Remember: a sport will need a simple majority of 59 out of 117 votes to remain on the programme. This means that a European-dominated sport like modern pentathlon starts out with a huge advantage over an Asian-dominated sport like badminton, even though badminton might be an order of magnitude more popular worldwide. I've attempted to come up with some simple measures of a nation's interest in a sport. When I say "simple" I mean that the data are easy to obtain on the web, and also that they are not very sophisticated. Nevertheless I think that they might provide some interesting insight into the voting tendencies of the committee. Let's assume that a delegate will vote in favour of a sport if his or her country has won at least one Olympic medal in that sport. This criterion gives the same weight to a bronze medal in 1904 as it does to six medals in 2004, but using a long time baseline does allow some of the ups and downs of national performance to be smoothed out. The historical medal data by sport and nation are available from the NOC database of the Athens 2004 web site. I call this the "historical medals" criterion. Let's also assume that a delegate will vote in favour of a sport if at least one athlete from his or her country participated in that sport in the 2004 summer games. This one is problematic for sports with tough qualifying standards, especially team sports. On the other hand, it should be a more current and more generous measure of a nation's interest in a sport than my "historical medals" definition. The participant numbers by nation and sport discipline are available from the participant database of the Athens 2004 web site. I call this the "2004 participation" criterion. Table 2 summarizes the results of the hypothetical vote, using these two methods of estimating national interest. I present the projected votes using only the "historical medals" definition, using only the "2004 participation" definition, and then the combined score under "either or both." The 28 sports have been divided into non-team sports and team sports, and then ranked according to the total votes in the "either or both" column. |Historical Medals||2004 Participants||Either or Both| Given the heroic assumptions, it would be unwise to make any wagers based on the results, especially since most of the non-team sports end up above or very close to the required 59 votes. This is an interesting result in itself, however, and suggests to me that we are not going to see a massive programme amputation at the July session. In fact, overall my analysis probably underestimates the number of votes for each sport, so it seems possible that all of the non-team sports will be brought back for 2012. As for the ranking order, common wisdom has it that modern pentathlon is the non-team sport most at risk, and sure enough my analysis shows it to be near the bottom of the pile. I have heard some speculation about shooting and weightlifting, but I don't see any worries there. Equestrian, fencing, taekwondo, and canoe/kayak have been having a few sleepless nights too, but they appear to have enough delegate support to survive. Archery is another sport worried about its status, and I do show them on the bubble. On the other hand, I haven't heard anybody worrying about badminton, which comes in last in my ranking. The shockingly small number of "medal" votes (9) is partly due to the fact that badminton only became a medal sport in 1992, but it still indicates a lack of competitive balance that might hurt it. There have been 61 medals awarded in badminton in Olympic history, and 50 of them have been won by China, Indonesia, and Korea (Malaysia, Denmark, Great Britain, and the Netherlands have won the rest). The number of "participation" votes is also the smallest of the non-team sports. This is one sport that could be hurt by Asia's underrepresentation on the IOC. Remember, if badminton is voted out, you heard it here first! Although it is outside the scope of my assumptions, there's an interesting political possibility here as well. It turns out that the delegate overlap for badminton and modern pentathlon is quite low. Of the 55 votes I am predicting for Badminton, only 35 of them also have an interest in Modern Pentathlon. That means that there are about 20 votes out there with an interest in Badminton and no interest in Modern Pentathlon, and vice versa. This in turn opens up the possibility of vote bargaining between delegates. For the team sports, it isn't really fair to use the projections as an estimate of the total votes, because of the hard limit on the participation numbers. This means that the projected vote totals for the team sports are certainly underestimates. However, it is still interesting to compare the team sport numbers to each other. Baseball and softball are way down the list, which is again in agreement with the conventional wisdom. The "medal" comparison is slightly unfair because both have only been on the programme for a few Olympics. Both sports are also hurt by the fact that they are single-discipline, single-event sports. Each of the other team sports has a men's and a women's event, which boosts both the "medal" votes and the "participation" votes. In reality, I think that this oddity will hurt baseball and softball. The more events a sport has, the more difficult it will be to vote it off of the programme. To try to put baseball and softball on the same scale as the non-team sports, I expanded the "participation" votes to include all of the countries that competed in the Olympic qualifying events. In this case, baseball ends up with 59 votes, which puts it just barely over the acceptance threshold. For softball, even the expanded picture still looks pretty bleak: including all of the countries that participated in the 2002 World Championships and the three 2003 regional qualifying tournaments increases the total to only 45. To survive, softball is going to have to get significant delegate support from countries that don't compete at a high international level. Add to this the fact that softball is on president Rogge's hit list, and things don't look good. If I was going to place bets on the outcome of the vote, I would guess that softball is going down, and baseball will probably be dragged out with it by the most backwards kind of "gender-equity" reasoning. I predict that all of the non-team sports will survive, but it will be a close call for modern pentathlon and badminton. May 10, 2005 There have been a lot of changes within the US Olympic Committee in the last couple of years. They've already reduced their executive board from more than 120 (!) to 11. Now they've announced two significant changes to the way they distribute funding. First, they've taken some of the savings from recent layoffs and other measures, and doubled the training allowance they give directly to Olympic and Paralympic athletes (analogous to the COC's Excellence Fund). Curiously, they don't disclose how much they currently pay. Second, they've changed the funding criteria for the sport national governing bodies (NGBs). Currently, each NGB gets an automatic annual grant of $250,000; the USOC has decided that in the future all funding will be awarded based on progress toward Olympic performance goals. In making these changes, the USOC actually seems to be trailing their Canadian counterpart, among others, which is surprising. If the USOC is so messed up, then how have the Americans been so dominant at the Olympics? There are a couple of reasons for that, I think. First of all, the USOC, despite its organizational shortcomings, is still the wealthiest National Olympic Committee in the world. When you have a lot of money, you can absorb a lot of waste and still come out on top (see also: U.S. Department of Defense). And second, I have to wonder just how important the USOC is in the big picture. Of course the NGBs, some of which receive 75% of their funding from the USOC, play a critical role in grassroots sport development. But most elite US athletes (and many non-US ones) get much more support from an independent source. I'm talking about the NCAA, which administers a budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars for intercollegiate sports. I would bet that, in general, a sport's success at the Olympics is much more closely linked to NCAA support than it is to USOC support. May 07, 2005 Here in Canada there has been a lot of discussion about Olympic legacies in the last few years. This has been spurred by the succesful winter Olympic bid by Vancouver, and the two failed summer Olympic bids by Toronto. When Vancouver made their attempt to host the 2010 winter Olympics, some in the summer sports community were rooting against them. I received an e-mail from a 1996 Olympian that expressed the sentiment well: One thing to consider: if Vancouver wins the bid, Toronto won't have a chance at all for 2012 (no matter how slim it might appear already!). Canada already has Olympic quality Winter training facilities, which are in the West. Wouldn't Summer Olympic training facilities, in the center of our big empty country […] be a much better balance? Of course, Vancouver did win the bid, and Toronto (wisely) did not bid for 2012. So is this a loss for summer sports, at the expense of the winter ones? In one sense, yes. As the writer noted, the sports facilities that are constructed in the host region are an important legacy of an Olympic games. Canadians know very well that the Calgary facilities — particularly the speed skating oval and the bobsleigh track — have had a major impact on the development of Canadian athletes. On the other hand, the facilities are only part of the story. The Calgary Olympics also generated a large financial windfall for the Canadian Olympic Committee. The COC has grown this endowment in the intervening 17 years, and at the same time plowed much of the income into high performance sport. This is now a significant source of support for winter and summer athletes alike. This story from The Weekend Australian describes how the Australian Olympic Committee extracted $90M from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and how astute investing has turned that into $112M (an Australian dollar is roughly equal to a Canadian dollar). The AOC is now the second-wealthiest national Olympic committee in the world, and they are projecting an outlay of $24.5M for athlete preparation in the run-up to Beijing. The point is, hosting an Olympic games can generate a financial legacy that goes well beyond the facilities. The financial gains from Vancouver 2010 — while not guaranteed — could be a huge boon to all Canadian athletes. May 06, 2005 I cringed when I read this story last week, detailing how the Canadian government "wasted big sums" sending government big-wigs to the 2004 summer Olympics. Thankfully, the story seems to have died a quick death, as I have not seen it picked up anywhere else. The "big sums" in question are in fact incredibly small: … the federal government spent thousands on hospitality and travel for its government officials, more than $270,000 in hotels and security, more than $70,000 on Olympic tickets, nearly $20,000 handing out Canada pins. Geez, $360K "wasted." This compared to a Sport Canada budget of about $120M for 2004-05, of which about $15M went directly into athletes' pockets through the Athlete Assistance Program, and another $30M went to the NSFs for Olympic sports. Even CTV had a hard time finding anybody who was willing to be outraged about this, at one point quoting one of their own reporters for her reaction. Top-notch journalism, there. Looked at another way, the $360K, divided up equally among the 265 athletes on the Olympic team, would have meant another $1360 per athlete for 2004, or roughly one extra month of Athlete Assistance Program funding. Not peanuts to those athletes, for sure, but also not the difference between mediocrity and excellence. I don't mean to make light of government waste of taxpayer dollars. But I think of this as a kind of "marketing cost" for high-performance athletes. The only reason politicians want a paid trip to the Olympics is because, well, they think that the Olympics are cool. And politicians who think that the Olympics are cool are the ones who want Canada to do better. Therein lies the path to increased funding! In this light, $360K looks like a real bargain. The politicians who see this as a waste of taxpayer dollars probably think that any funding of high-performance sport is a waste of taxpayer dollars. And those are not the kind of politicians that Canada's elite athletes want on their side. May 05, 2005 Read this story about double amputee Oscar Pistorius of South Africa. Pistorius, who runs the sprints with two carbon-fibre "blades" where you and I have legs, will run in an IAAF Grand Prix event in Helsinki in July, and hopes to race in the Olympics in 2008. Pistorius' world record 400 m time of 47.34 seconds would have placed him 47th in Athens, faster than 14 of the competitors but about 1.5 seconds too slow to qualify for the semi-finals. (About 30 seconds faster than I can run it, mind you …) The only South African in the event ran 45.95, also not quite fast enough to make the semis. Considering that Pistorius is only 18 years old, a 1.5 second improvement in four years does not seem out of the question. But what will happen when he qualifies to compete at the Olympics? As is alluded to in the article, the IAAF is eventually going to have to deal with the extremely uncomfortable question of whether Pistorius' sophisticated prostheses offer him an advantage over a runner who is fortunate enough to have two legs. Not to compare Pistorius to athletes who voluntarily have their bodies modified to gain a competitive advantage, but this reminded me that Greg at Sports Law Blog has written a couple of recent posts on the subject of performance-enhancing surgery of various types (start here and work back). May 02, 2005 One of the most interesting stories from the 2004 summer Olympics, in my opinion, was the men's basketball tournament. I wouldn't have predicted that, since they've been almost unwatchable since 1992. That's the year that USA Basketball selected their original "Dream Team" of NBA stars to represent them. I don't object to the presence of the NBA professionals, but I never have much interest in watching a sporting event where the outcome is not in doubt. I remember at the time having a debate with one of my roommates about just what this meant for the future of men's basketball at the Olympics. It seemed obvious that the USA would be unbeatable in 1992; my roommate (who was somewhat prone to hyperbole) asserted that they would never lose another game. Although I was fairly certain that they would lose a game someday, I never expected them to lose the gold medal just 12 years later. Obviously, the losses and the associated controversy in Athens have initiated some soul-searching at USA Basketball. Last week they announced that Phoenix Suns CEO Jerry Colangelo will take over as the men's senior national team Program Managing Director (thanks to Ralph Hickok for putting me onto the story). The selection was backed up with the following quote from president Val Ackerman: We can think of no one more qualified than Jerry Colangelo to lead the effort and to restore the U.S. senior men's national team program to a position of global pre-eminence. Of course the hand-wringing is a bit of a joke. Since the introduction of the Dream Team the men's national team has gone 74-6 in international competition, and won the gold medal in 8 of 10 tournaments. Granted, the 2004 bronze medal matches their worst Olympic performance ever, but only an American could look at that situation and see a "trend toward international insignificance." Colangelo will have final authority over player selections, replacing a committee of 10 that selected the 2004 roster. He also has some ambitious plans, which include keeping the national team assembled in some form between major competitions. That's a really good idea, but it will be interesting to see what kind of cooperation he gets from the NBA players. It seems to me that the NBA's elite have completely lost interest in the Olympics in recent years. Perhaps that will change now that some of the games are actual contests, or perhaps not. Colangelo is going to have to find a way to spur their patriotic pride. Since 1936, when basketball first appeared on the Olympic programme, the US has made dramatic changes in the way that they approach the competition. (In many ways this is analogous to ice hockey in Canada). From 1936 through 1956, the team trials consisted of an invitational tournament including the best amateur and college teams. The national team was then selected from the best teams in the tournament; as a rule this meant that the players were drawn from two of the best amateur teams in the country, with perhaps a couple of other outstanding individuals thrown in. The winning club or college team by itself would have won the gold medal anyway; I am sure that the decision to use players from more than one team arose from a desire to give more young players an Olympic experience. The 1960 team was the first to use a true "all-star" format, with athletes from eleven different schools. The USA continued with this format through 1988, all the while watching their dominance be eroded. As the "amateur" period came to a close, they actually lost a few games, including the infamous gold medal matchup with the USSR in 1972. The professional era opened with the first Dream Team in 1992, after a bronze medal performance in 1988, and for a while the US men's team was again untouchable. But that didn't last for long. It is possible that improved management can push the USA back to a dominant position, for a while, but any change Jerry Colangelo can make will be tiny compared to the changes that have come before. In the first seven summer Olympics where basketball was played, the US team went 54-0, took home all seven gold medals, and won their games by an average of 32 points. Those days are never going to return, and those of us who live in the rest of the world can be thankful for that.

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Football: Focused Oman ready for Australia test By staff - Thu Oct 06, 10:01 am SYDNEY – Australia captain Lucas Neill on Monday vowed his side would not be guilty of complacency in their home tie with Oman, as they eye the next round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Australia go into Tuesday’s qualifying match against Oman in Sydney with wins against Group D opponents Thailand and Saudi Arabia to their name, but Neill warned there was still a long way to go to secure a World Cup berth. “We’re not through to the next round until it’s mathematically done,” captain Lucas Neill said Monday. “We all know that a win would be an important win, but we all respect and follow the theory that no games are easy and we shouldn’t think we’ve won before we’ve won.” Coach Holger Osieck said all teams in Australia’s group still had the chance to go through to the next round of qualifiers. “First we have to win and it’s going to be a very, very tough one and we have to really put a lot of effort into it to make it happen,” he said. “Therefore let’s put all our concentration into that and after we see and go from there.” Australia warmed up for Oman with a 5-0 friendly win against Malaysia on Friday. German-born Osieck, who is expected to maintain most of the starting line-up from the Malaysia game, said two goals from Shimzu S-Pulse striker Alex Brosque scored in that match had widened his options. “He definitely has become a serious option for our team,” Osieck said.

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Right Ventricular Normal Measurements: Time to Index? Willis, J., Augustine, D., Shah, R., Stevens, C. and Easaw, J., 2012. Forthcoming. Right Ventricular Normal Measurements: Time to Index? Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography Related documents:This repository does not currently have the full-text of this item. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided below. (Contact Author) Background: Despite the common practice of indexing left ventricular dimensions to body surface area, there remains a lack of indexed normal right ventricular (RV) two-dimensional caliper measurements. Variations in ranges for normal RV dimensions have been shown to exist, and indexing RV dimensions according to body surface area may help reduce this and provide a standardization useful for clinical practice. The aim of this study was to prospectively establish both absolute and indexed normal dimensions for the right ventricle using standardized positions in a multiethnic population. Furthermore, the effects of both gender and ethnicity on both the absolute and indexed results were also evaluated. Methods: Two hundred five healthy volunteers from four ethnic backgrounds (Indian, Chinese, Malay, and European) were prospectively enrolled and underwent two-dimensional echocardiography according to a set protocol. Ten measurements were made in conjunction with previous research. Intraobserver and interobserver and test-retest variability was assessed using coefficients of variation and intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: Male absolute results exceeded female absolute results in 90% of measurements (P = .003). European absolute results (male and female) were significantly larger in up to eight of 10 measurements (P = .01). When indexed, female results became significantly larger (P <.001) than male results. Indexing was able to reduce the number of statistical differences between male ethnic groups. Measurements showed good levels of intraobserver and interobserver variability for apical and short-axis measurements. Conclusions: Gender and body surface area play an important part in the determination of normal RV reference ranges, whereas ethnicity has little influence. Results using the suggested RV markers for these measurements showed good repeatability. |Creators||Willis, J., Augustine, D., Shah, R., Stevens, C. and Easaw, J.| |Departments||Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > Health| Actions (login required)

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Tue, 21 May 2013 05:06:41 -0500 Archives of 18 Aug 2011 Published: 2011-08-18 ★ Trust Deed Scotland, as seen on STV can reveal that new Best Practice legislation is to be introduced in early 2012. Published: 2011-08-18 The number of smart meters installed grew by 81% in the U.S. as identified in Zpryme’s new report, Smart Meter Uprising: An Industry Brief Spotlighting the Burgeoning U.S. Smart Meter Market from 2009 (Part 1 of 3 Part Series). Published: 2011-08-18 Sports Car Market and Chubb Collector Car Insurance bring you the definitive guide to the Monterey Auctions. Published: 2011-08-18 CA’s small business failure rate is the worst of all the states. EzPaycheck Payroll software from halfpricesoft.com increase small businesses productivity by automating payroll processing and eliminating errors in tax calculations. Published: 2011-08-18 Auto Windscreens is the first national automotive glazing supplier to receive accreditation from SAFEcontractor, an SSIP scheme (Safe Systems in Procurement) that recognises very high standards of health and safety practise amongst UK businesses. Published: 2011-08-18 The ever-changing world of children’s birthday parties has a new craze – camping sleepovers. Published: 2011-08-18 The spike in internet shopping means it is more important than ever to ensure goods purchased online are delivered by a reliable parcel delivery firm, says Parcel2Go. Published: 2011-08-18 Entrepreneurs and small business should no longer fear accessing the professional skills required in getting a new venture off the ground. Published: 2011-08-18 The world’s first scientific religion has been created by University of Hawaii’s neuroscientist-philosopher, Bruce E. Morton. Published: 2011-08-18 Internet Phone Provider ITP VoIP is reaching out to satellite users to inform them that satellite internet — like DSL and cable — can support a money-saving VoIP hosted PBX system. Before Regulators Listen to Omega's Leon Cooperman, Reserve your Seat for High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum 2011 Published: 2011-08-18 High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum 2011, "How Speed Traders Leverage Cutting-Edge Strategies in the Post-Flash Crash World" (http://www.HFTLeadersForum.com), Hosted by Golden Networking, now in Hong Kong, Chicago, Sao Paulo and Singapore Published: 2011-08-18 The Malaysia International Gourmet Festival will see restaurants in the country serving up fine cuisine over the course of October 2011. Published: 2011-08-18 Heart Strings - An Art Showcase, a charity exhibition event, will be taking place in Bali in September. Published: 2011-08-18 Some of the world's top tennis players will be competing at the PTT Thailand Open 2011 in Bangkok next month. Published: 2011-08-18 Following its three-month fundraising initiative for victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, entitled “HOPE FOR JAPAN”, The Peninsula Hong Kong has raised a total of HK$ 980,000 (US$ 126,000) which has been donated directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society. Published: 2011-08-18 iMedia Brand Summit, Goa an invite- only platform that brings together Senior Brand Marketers in India with significant online budgets to collaborate with their peers and cutting edge digital solution providers and is scheduled from 21-23 September, at Grand Hyatt, Goa. Published: 2011-08-18 Suppliers of gazetteer management solutions, Aligned Assets, now supply 60% of all local authorities in Wales after they come top of the list for Powys County Council Published: 2011-08-18 Fresh Food Traceability Now Available in the Grocery Aisle for Android and iPhone. Published: 2011-08-18 Deals To Bring Award-Winning Sandwiches to 47 Locations Including Boston & Orange County for First Time Published: 2011-08-18 On Saturday, September 17, The Foundation of Hope and Innovation is proud to present a community carnival to raise money for cancer research. Disclaimer: We accept no responsibility for accuracy and completeness for any information of press releases published on this site as they are submitted directly by different companies/individuals/third parties. We recommend to directly contact the poster through the contact information published on the news release.

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Kuruvi- Fails to take wing Red giant movies proffers us this big little bird created by Director Dharani. This is nothing different from the recent commercial cocktails of Vijay. Front bench movie goers are the victims of this movie but they are happy about it and they seem to enjoy it. Three years ago Dharani was the trendsetter of commercial celluloid and other minor directors mimicked him atrociously. But they have mimicked him ‘so well’ that Dharani inturn is forced to create a movie out of the movies which are nothing but distorted models of his own creation. Vijay can’t afford to continue acting in movies which are nothing but gobbledegook. He is a potent actor bestowed with some great talents but squanders them over rotten movies,blinded by success. Despite these factors there are some satisfactory aspects which are worth discussing. The grand sets and dance choreography play a vital role in the course of the movie. It should not be taken on board that commercial cinema is everytime something sick and senseless but commercial movies with a top-notch storyline and clean screenplay are always welcomed. The movie begins with the portrayal of three ruthless villains in Cuddapah who torture construction director Singamthu(Manivannan) and his crew, who work as gofers in a quarry. Singamuthu roars that his son will come someday to ignite a revolution. Vetrivel(Vijay) is a kaput boy who lives near Koovam river with the families(three wives of his dad and a large number of kids) abandoned by his father whom they think ditched them and ran away for his debts. He goes racing encouraged by Aaps(Vivek) and emerges out successfully with his good for nothing car and then he goes dancing with Malavika. Straight off one day a group of hooligans visit his house and start clearing it. When enquired, their boss tell him that his father is indebted to him and the cheque which he gave had bounced. After getting a week’s time from him Vetri and Aaps go to Malaysia as kuruvis to meet Gotcha(Suman) who originally gave the cheque to his father. kuruvi is a person who takes goods from India to foreign countries and vice-versa. But Vetri realises the fact that Gotcha is a big shot and not likely to give his money back. Gotcha proclaims that he is digging out blood diamonds from Cuddapah in India without the knowledge of the government.So after a big pandemonium Vetri steals one of such blood diamonds and blackmails Gotcha. While stealing the diamond he also steals the heart of Devi(Trisha) the sister of Gotcha,who is engaged to Bhavan. When Vetri comes down to India with the diamond, Devi comes with him in the same flight unknowingly that Vetri is the Kuruvi who stole her heart to look for kuruvi in Chennai. After this Gotcha traces Vetrivel to his hideout and takes him in custody. He makes him aware of the fact that his father hasn’t gone far and staying with him as a slave in Cuddapah. Before thrashing him to death, he challenges Vetri to come to cuddapah. As usual Vetri succeeds death and goes to Cuddapah. The rest of the story is a open secret, want to know it still? watch Kuruvi. The first half of the movie is well made, straight from Dharani’s kitchen and becomes the biggest forte of the movie. Vivek’s comedy track which is blended within the main plot is exceptionally well done. Lollu sabha Jeeva, who occupies very little screen time makes a good impression. Though the songs are not to the mark, their visualisation shoulder them to climb on to the ‘hit’ platform. Vijay’s grace and speed along with his amazing get down talents provide a great feast to his fans. The dance choreography is perfectly made and neatly worn by Vijay. Trisha is cute and luscious than ever and the audience are glued to the screen when she comes on screen though she has nothing serious to do. The movie makers’ attempt to develop this film as a grand and visually graceful one proves to be successful. The movie is well begun. Seeds for an unrivalled commercial movie are sown, but they fail to grow fulfilling the conjectures. A group of villains- a badmash, a money hungry politician and a cut-throat smuggler but a single hero-a middle class boy and a big fight. This is what we get if we look at this movie’s plot critically, for most of the time, Vijay kicks, punches, rolls and rolls throughout the movie, consequently when the movie is near it’s close, it gives us the feel of watching a Vijayakant movie. Except for the scene sequence and dance, the whole movie is in a big mess. The first half of the movie propelled by Vivek and fancy songs is the lifeboat which saves the breath of Kuruvi. Trisha, Saranya, T.K.Kala, Suman, Ashish Vidyarthi, Bhavan and Manivannan play nothing but brainless dolls, trying to do something around one superman, Vijay. In the next place this movie indirectly, is propaganda stuff. Dialogues like ‘who is the man?’, ‘My son will come for sure’ and scenes portraying the emergence of a revolution and the freedom of people makes this hype even worser. Adding to this, dialogues which add fuel to the fire that exists between Vijay and Ajith are found scattered throughout the movie.It is extremely painful to sit through the latter half of the movie. In this movie Dharani is seen only in flashes forcing us to say that this is more of a Red Giant and Vijay product rather than Dharani’s. Dharani, who has given us steady and stylish commercials like Dhil, Dhool and Ghilli has slipped, stepping on Kuruvi. For instance the title is very feebly related to the plot. Definitely Kuruvi spoils the expectations of the film connoisseurs despite it’s distribution record. Raaki Rajesh‘s stunt sequences are exceptionally well done making him the real hero of the movie. If not for his stunts Kuruvi is not worth watching. Vidyasaagar‘s Background score tries to breath life even into lifeless scenes. With a variety of instruments and exotic sound effects Vidyasaagar adds spice to this commercial movie. Editing, particularly in the second half is loathsome. Right from the title to credits, something is wrong with Kuruvi. So Dharani at his worst. Kuruvi says, “I’ll shout and fight my way out”.

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Published: Wednesday October 5, 2011 MYT 11:35:00 AM New minimum wages for Indian labourers in Malaysia next month PETALING JAYA: The Indian High Commission has formulated a new minimum wage for its citizens working here. Effective Nov 1, the minimum monthly wage for Indian maid is RM1,400 and RM850 for plantation workers. It also set the minimum wage of RM800 for restaurant, construction and general workers. In a statement, the High Commission stated that it is mandatory for all Malaysian employers to fill up the Employment Contract according to the revised guideline. "Contracts which are below the minimum wage will not be endorsed by the High Commission," it said. “It will also be mandatory for Malaysian employers to have each employment contract attested by the Indian High Commission prior to the submission of the contract and other documents to the Protector General of Emigrants in India."

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You may not have heard of Lazada, but the so-called “Amazon of Asia” is raising quite a bit of money for itself. The latest bit of funding comes from Germany’s Summit Parters, which has gifted Lazada with a fresh $26 million. With the cash, Lazada says it plans to continue its growth and increase its product portfolio, which is focused on items like household goods, consumer electronics, and toys. Lazada has been particularly active in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. And while it’s been successful so far, it’s also been criticized for too closely living up to its “Amazon for Asia” moniker. Lazada is owned by Rocket Internet, a Germany company whose other e-commerce companies include Zalora, Foodpanda, Pricepanda and OfficeFab.

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Results 69 to 85 of 259 05-08-2011, 06:15 AM #69 Today is also the first time they beat a non-INA pair in the Final and also the first tourney in which they didn't have to meet any INA team-mates. Previously, all the pairs they faced in the Final were INA pairs and their victories in the INA GPG and India SS last week featured mostly INA pairs. 05-08-2011, 06:18 AM #70 05-08-2011, 06:22 AM #71 nice progress by the pair.........i can certainly hope they can win OG 05-08-2011, 06:28 AM #72 Tantowi gained more confidence after their first SS title I think. Lilyana still not as good as last time. Anyway, I believe that they are clear-cut better than the 'decent' pairs like Sudket/Saralee, Songphon/Kunchala, Fran/Pia, Lee/Chien, CPS/GLY. However, still some work to go before attaining the next level of ZN/ZYL, etc. Need to be more consistent to beat those pairs, they are already there but they need to keep focus, they tend to throw away big leads. 05-08-2011, 07:07 AM #73 2 weeks 2 titles.. 05-08-2011, 07:18 AM #74 Yup, 2 titles in a row, congrats to Tantowi/Liliyana! Good motivation toward Sudirman Cup 05-09-2011, 03:39 AM #75 Waw... Winning again, congratulation Tonly Keep practicing in Sudirman Cup, OK 06-02-2011, 10:03 AM #76 "Actually Liliyana also still in recovery phase. Players who are familiar with Butet suffer an elbow injury which kept her out at the Sudirman Cup. However, Oka said, Butet will begin to return to the field at the Singapore Super Series in the next 14 to June 19" 06-06-2011, 08:51 PM #77 Not fully revover yet, Butet will play JAKARTA, Kompas.com - Doubles specialists Liliyana Natsir is ready to perform in Singapore Super Series next week despite the injury "tennis elbow" on her right elbow has not fully recovered. "It's passable but not a hundred percent healed, probably about 70-80 percent. For shock movements still felt pain in her muscles," said Liliyana when met here on Monday. Mixed doubles players, Tontowi Ahmad's partner began to feel the injury while playing in India and Malaysia Super Series Grand Prix in late April to early May, which led to two titles for this pair. Injuries that make Liliyana can not strengthen the Indonesian Sudirman Cup team that competed in Qingdao, China, in late May, which ended in the semifinals. At the Singapore Open which took place June 14 to 19, Tontowi / Liliyana be seeded fourth and will initiate action against qualifying pair. If successfully reached the quarter-finals, the pair who won the first Super Series title in India was likely to meet top-seeded Zhang Nan / Zhao Yunlei from China. "For Singapore, in my opinion is still less preparation because they have to break due to injury, but as a senior player who was supposed to I was able to overcome these problems, "said Liliyana that hope, she and her partner can demonstrate self-confidence that has been obtained in the tournament India and Malaysia. Two-time world champion when she was paired with Nova Widianto was also expected, Tontowi not easily satisfied and willing to train hard because there are many opponents who have never faced. "In Singapore, his opponent is more complete, there is a meeting in India and Malaysia, but some have not been met such as Joachim Fischer Nielsen / Christinna Pedersen (Denmark) and several Chinese pairs," he said. For the Indonesia Open, which was held at Istora Bung Karno, June 21 to 26, Liliyana hoping mixed doubles sector can contribute a title. Tontowi / Liliyana are paired before the Asian Games last year, has collected four titles - one Super Series and three Grand Prix Gold - and is now ranked fifth of the world. 06-06-2011, 09:51 PM #78 Hopefully after playing do not make her injury more worse... 06-07-2011, 06:58 AM #79 I also now have a tennis elbow problem for the last 3 months or so, its so bloody annoying. It affect so much on stregth and just like Butet said its also feel painful when executing snapping stroke. 06-16-2011, 02:25 AM #80 Towi/Butet slaughtered AE 2011 Champion Chen Xu/Ma Jin in 21-14 21-10. Well done 06-16-2011, 03:11 AM #81 Next match, against opa Yong Dae. 06-16-2011, 03:44 AM #82 Still a mountain to climb for them as they have yet to beat any top European XD pair or the top-rated CHN pair Zhang/Zhao. I will certainly think that European pairs are harder to beat. Look at how they lost to Robertson/Wallwork and Fuchs/Michel earlier this year. Path to another SS title will not be easy: QF - Lee Yong Dae/Ha Jung Eun SF - possibly against Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei F - possibly against Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork 06-16-2011, 09:31 AM #83 Impressive play against XC/MJ. Tantowi really showed his capabilities in today's match. Both him and LN are simply stellar. In fact, tomorrow is SO's real SF for XD with the strongest teams on the same half featuring ZN/ZYL, HHB/YY, LYD/HJE. Glad to see LN back in form!! 06-17-2011, 02:47 AM #84 Towi/Butet beat Lee Yong Dae/Ha Jung Eun 21-14 21-16. and goes to semifinal. well done 06-17-2011, 08:31 AM #85 I hope they can go all the way and silent the doubts about them being not tested againts the big guns yet By fathonezic in forum Indonesia Professional PlayersReplies: 11: 05-27-2010, 09:05 PM By lxsw1986 in forum Professional PlayersReplies: 4: 07-29-2008, 12:01 PM By xlasher in forum Professional PlayersReplies: 5: 07-13-2008, 12:46 AM By Pemuda in forum Professional PlayersReplies: 5: 05-13-2007, 10:39 AM By nanapantauw in forum Professional PlayersReplies: 0: 01-30-2006, 03:13 AM

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Yala Product and Cultural Revival Festival is held annually on the first weekend of August, on the grounds of the Yala Municipality Office. Folk cultures from the various groups in the border provinces of the south, mainly Chinese-Thai Buddhists and Thai Muslim, are performed. There are also contests for chi la dance, best dressed banong, si bu-nga siri , rong-ngeng dance, annacit singing contest in Malay and Thai languages, plus folk performances from various schools in the area. - Open days Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Sukka Yang Rd., Sateng, Muang Yala, Yala 95000 Thailand - Phone number +66 (0) 2250 5500

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Information for all New International Undergraduates, Including '16s, Transfers, and Exchange Students Would you like to: Then participate in the International Student Mentor Program! The International Student Mentor Program provides immediate support and assistance to Dartmouth's newest international undergraduates through correspondence that begins before new students arrive on campus. This program of support and friendship continues formally throughout orientation and is ongoing during the first two semesters of a student's life at Dartmouth. Ten international and U.S. upperclass Dartmouth students were selected to be International Student Mentors (ISMs) in a highly competitive selection process. Each mentor is assigned a group of approximately eight to twelve new international undergraduates. ISMs assist and befriend Dartmouth's newest international undergraduates through pre-arrival correspondence, meeting new international students at Logan International Airport on August 22 and 23, and at the bus stop in Hanover, and by helping new internationals get settled when they first arrive on campus. ISMs continue to help new students get off to a good start at Dartmouth during Orientation. The formal work of advising new international undergraduates continues throughout the fall and winter terms as needed (and friendship continues well beyond that). "Culture shock" is a real phenomenon experienced by many international students as they adjust to a new environment, climate, diet, culture, country, and institutional rules and regulations. The International Student Mentor program cannot claim that new internationals will never suffer a bout of culture shock if they participate in the ISM program. However, International Student Mentors help to make the academic, personal, and social adjustment of many of our new students easier with the care and attention they bestow upon them. The experience that mentors have to offer as upperclass students is invaluable. "Right off the Dartmouth Coach I felt welcomed as a member of the Dartmouth community because of the warm welcome I received from the International Mentors They made the international orientation enlightening and exciting. This program definitely enriched my freshman experience." - Akwugo Nnama, Class of 2012, from Nigeria "I stepped off the bus and was heartily welcomed to Dartmouth by an exuberant group of students. I was home. The International Student Mentor Program helped ease my transition to college by introducing me to the international community, and by providing me with able mentors at a most disorienting time." - Javed Jaghai, Class of 2012, from Jamaica "Having a mentor who has been through the whole process of adaptation to Dartmouth life was very helpful for me as a freshman. My anticipated doubts and questions were answered almost instantly the minute I got on campus! The mentors, who are well trained and prepared, made Dartmouth even more welcoming to us!" - Si Jie Loo, Class of 2012, from Malaysia "It (the Mentor Program) gave me a sense of membership and belonging to the Dartmouth community when I was barely starting to think about my transition to Dartmouth. And when I arrived to the campus, I already knew my mentor and other fellow students in our group. This pre-established acquaintance and friendship made it easier for me to settle down." - Waheed Zarif, Class of 2011, from Afghanistan "The International Student Mentor Program helped me become familiar with Dartmouth since the first day I got there. Through the program I managed to immediately get the right feeling with the place, feel comfortable with completely new people around me, and start new friendships that I could eventually develop throughout my first year at Dartmouth." - Carlo Pizzinelli, Class of 2012, from Italy Getting involved in the International Student Mentor Program is as easy as completing the International Student Mentor Request Form. Click on the link below to complete the form. You will then be on your way to being paired with a mentor and reaping the benefits of this enjoyable and helpful program. If you are unable to access or complete and return the International Student Mentor Request Form through this website, please contact Pavel Bacovsk '13, this year's International Student Mentor Program Coordinator, at Pavel.Bacovsky@dartmouth.edu. You may also contact either Pavel or Steve Silver, the Director of International Student Programs - OPAL, through the International Student Mentor e-mail (blitz) account at International.Student.Mentor@dartmouth.edu. Last Updated: 5/24/12

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Bjorn holds the clubhouse lead with his first round 66 before thunderstorms forced the opening round to be suspended. A total of 78 players will resume their round on Friday at 7.30am local time. Chinnarat is bunched in equal second together with England's Simon Khan and Spain's Pablo Martin while Asian Tour honorary member Y.E. Yang of Korea provided his small legion of Korean fans with something to cheer about when he signed for a 68 to take a share of fifth place with England's Paul Casey and Thailand's Kwanchai Tannin. While Bjorn has won 13 times in Europe, the 41-year-old Dane is still searching for his first win in Asia. His opening round performance at the Sentosa Golf Club has now kept up his hopes of meeting that target. "I came here and saw the golf course, and knew that everything was about driving the golf ball well. It's not the longest golf course in the world so if you can keep it in the fairway, you can produce a score, and I did that very well today. That's only round one, so we'll work from here," said Bjorn who marked his card with six birdies against one bogey. "I always enjoy coming to Singapore and Malaysia. You have got to pace yourself a little bit and not use too much energy through the week. It is about playing golf this week, and quite nice for the body to be feeling warm and nice out there. No cold for the old joints to get you into trouble!" added the Dane Chinnarat, who became the youngest winner on the Asian Tour when he won his first title on home soil at the age of 17 years and five days, believes he can do well at the Barclays Singapore Open which features the world's best player, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and eight Major champions. "I feel very good. I feel very confident today on my front-nine. I hit a lot of good tee shots on the front nine. I putted well too," said the 24-year-old who mixed five birdies against one bogey on the par-four sixth. "On this course, you've to hit the ball onto the fairways and that's what I managed to do throughout my round today," added Chinnarat. Yang, Asia's first Major winner, was delighted to have the small Korean community following him throughout his round on the Serapong course. The Korean did not disappoint as he signed for a 68 to stay two back of Bjorn. "It's definitely good to see fans of your home country following you around in such a big tournament like this and under such hot and humid weather conditions. It gives me a lot of motivation," said the Korean. Yang, however conceded that he will have to do better on the treacherous 587-yard par-five seventh as he progresses through the week. "I drew an eight-iron on the second shot, hit it about 20-30 feet away to the right and it went towards the hazard and I ended up with a bogey. It's probably one of the worst shot I've hit this year," said Yang of his only dropped shot for the day. Four-time Major winner Phil Mickelson of the United States had a round to forget after he signed for a 73 while three-time Barclays Singapore Open winner, Adam Scott of Australia returned with a 71. "It was not the start I was hoping for. I had been playing really well heading into this tournament. I hit some poor shots but fought very hard to stay a couple over," said Mickelson. This year marks the 49th staging of the Singapore Open which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

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Travel to Italy: Classical Rome 2: the Palatine: Photo 5 The Domus Augustana and stadium from the south foot of the Palatine. In the foreground, the site of the Circus Maximus. The arches at the far right were part of the baths of Septimius Severus. Short link for this page: http://www.greatmirror.com?justpic=2664 * Australia's Northern Territory * Austria * Bangladesh * Belgium * Brazil (Manaus) * Burma / Myanmar * Cambodia (Angkor) * Canada (B.C.) * China * Czech Republic * Egypt * France * Germany * Greece * Hungary * India: Themes * Northern India * Peninsular India * Indonesia * Israel * Italy * Japan * Jerusalem * Jordan * Kenya * Laos * Kosovo * Malaysia * Mexico * Morocco * Mozambique * Namibia * Netherlands * Norway * Oman * Pakistan * Philippines * Poland * Portugal * Singapore * South Africa * Spain * Sri Lanka * Sudan * Syria * Tanzania * Thailand * Trinidad * Turkey * United Arab Emirates * United Kingdom * U.S.: East * U.S.: West * U.S.: Oklahoma * Uzbekistan * Vietnam * West Bank * Yemen * Zimbabwe *

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A MILLION THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR Latest Awstat™ Traffic Report: for Year Ending 2011 Total Advertisement Pages: 75,548 Total Hits: 13,257,412 IklanMalaysia.net has again continued to be one of the MOST VISITED websites in the country based on its HIGHEST WEB TRAFFIC records. Results obviously speaks for itself. You are seeing the most current and fresh records (statistics) on latest website traffic report. This data has been put up to benefit users including our advertisers. That's right. Based on our track record and achievements, advertisers truly enjoy better and bigger media publicity for their products and services with us. IklanMalaysia.net is GROWING from strength to strength. This free online local classifieds has definitely a proven track record of being one of the most visited classifieds in Malaysia. We are not suggesting you only advertise here. The point is there are countless online classifieds to place your ads, so you have to be very selective and post your ads in classifieds that have truly high traffic. Having said that, there are ways to diversify your ads. Start with (if you have the budget for) advertising in the newspapers, magazines and of course the online classifieds. So, diversify your ads but you should start with those that have high traffic (hits). IklanMalaysia.net should be included in your top priority list since this site has very high traffic. For your information, this website is monitored regularly. We would try our best to update you about the current traffic report from-time-to-time. You are also most welcome to send us any constructive suggestions or comments to IklanMalaysia@yahoo.com BEST WISHES from OUR BELOVED MALAYSIANS "IklanMalaysia.net is a VERY impressive site. Not just the features and fast loading web pages. My ads here was picked up on the same day I posted and was indexed by Google.com in the TOP 10. I would not mind paying for such a service. Thank you very much for giving us an avenue to post free ads." ~ George Lee "I followed your notes at the Submit Ads age. You know what? My advertisement in IklanMalaysia.net came out NO.1 in Google.com in a record time of 22 minutes. Thanks a million." ~ Darshan S. "IklanMalaysia.net is a 24-hour online portal of the people, by the people and for the people. I love it. Syabas!" ~ Mior "Congrats! Your iklan is a model that can teach and encourage more Malaysia entrepreneurs to participate in the global e-commerce. I commend your effort to help in stimulating the nation's economy." ~ Michelle "This is definitely the 1st place I think of when it comes to submit Iklan Malaysia." ~ Fiona "Speaking from a media buyer's viewpoint, I give an A+ (distinction) to the best features here to post free ads in Malaysia." ~ Khairy "This site is easy to remember, neat and free. I have a love-at-first-sight with IklanMalaysia.net " ~ Susan K "There is no question about it. I love to search and post classifieds to IklanMalaysia.net because it is simple, fast, effective and genuinely free." ~ John Lim "Classifieds with a big difference! I won't be surprised to see IklanMalaysia.net to be a household name in the local internet industry." ~ Jagjeet "I have enjoyed browsing IklanMalaysia.net classifieds for latest products and services, as well as posting my product ads here too. Two thumbs up! And a big Thank You." ~ Rajeswari "I would also like to add to these best wishes that I, my family and colleagues have enjoyed surfing and shopping here. We are pleased to hear this site is strategically linked to other online media. Please keep up your good work and may all our community benefit from your services. Take care, drive carefully on the road and God Bless." ~ Brandon Lee MALAYSIA WELCOMES NEW HIGH SPEED BROAD BAND: Recently, on the 24th March 2010, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) launched its “UniFi” next-generation High Speed Broadband (HSBB). It is reported that UniFi promises a world of faster, richer and more reliable online experience. TM’s UniFi high speed broadband packages comprise triple-play services of high speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, at speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps. HSBB is a flagship project of the National Broadband Initiative that aims to boost the country’s competitiveness. The RM11.3bil national HSBB project is a joint effort between TM and the Government to develop next generation high speed broadband infrastructure and services for the nation. All in all, this development will not only boost the country’s competitiveness (in B2B or B2C) but also encourage more Malaysians to participate in the local and global e-business. All good and well written advertisement revolves around four important key points. Experienced copywriters have summed up that four key points into four letters – A-I-D-A or the AIDA formula. A for Attention Firstly, a good advertisement has to create that attention. There are different techniques of attention grabbing. Billboards that have out-of-the-ordinary pictures attract attention, mostly to the skin than to the message of the advertisement. For classified ads, we use one bold headline or title to attract the attention of classified ad readers. Readers of classified ads are interested in your product. Otherwise they will not be looking at your ad. Thus, you can quickly capture the attention by telling them loudly that you have what they are searching for. Your product can be a poodle, a Ferrari, a grandfather clock or a massage service. Tell in the title exactly what you have to offer, without any bells or whistles. Thus you attract reader attention with an attention grabbing headline, which also describes your product in four or five words. I for Interest The next step is to make your reader interested in YOUR product. The first thing to tell is the price you expect. If you are giving away your pet for free, say it so. Good condition 2008 (Car Brand) (Model & CC) Metallic Silver for $ 13,400. You can also tell the location of the product and other information about the product. Don't make false claims as the responder will be disappointed when he or she sees a product below par their expectations. D for Desire This is the stage where the reader is motivated enough to take action to buy the production. Desire can be created in the minds of your readers and they feel like ringing you up, if you do the Interest part correctly. Without making big claims you just create interest in the mind of prospective customer and he or she will be motivated enough to buy from you. In this new age of internet, provide them a picture. A for Action First A was for Attention. Between the attention grabbing and action stage, there were two stages interest and desire. This last A part is most important to you. This is stage your customer takes the first step in buying from you. In a well designed copy, the copywriter suggests, tells or commands to take an action. You end your copy with: SMS/Call me at ###-012 and ask for Jim so that you can find more exciting things about my sedan. Or visit my website at www.IklanMalaysia.net to see more cute pictures of my bungalow. The key here is that don’t make people think about an action, instead they are directed to do something. People usually take the action that is suggested to them. They think twice if they sense pleading or commanding. Instead you are subtly telling them to take an action. This is the basic principle of advertising of all times and will continue to be the same. MALAYSIA CLASSIFIEDS MOST POPULAR FREE LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING COMPANY REGISTRATION LISTING MANUFACTURER WHOLESALE SERVICES SUPPLY CONTRACTOR DIRECTORY WELL KNOWN FAMOUS RATING COMPANY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES LAUNCHING NEWS ONLINE NEW LATEST BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT PORTAL MOST POPULAR AVENUE INTERNET E-COMMERCE TRADING GATEWAY SALES OFFER CAMPAIGN BRANDING LARGEST MEDIA COVERAGE. SENARAI NAMA SYARIKAT PENGELUAR PEMBORONG PERKHIDMATAN KONTRAKTOR BERITA PELANCARAN PRODUK ATAU PERKHIDMATAN SYARIKAT ONLINE TERBARU TERKINI TERBESAR BERITA BAIK PRA-PELANCARAN TERBARU TERKINI TERBESAR GERBANG PERDAGANGAN E-COMMERCE INTERNET PENGUMUMAN KEMPEN TAWARAN ISTIMEWA BARU IKLAN INTERNET PERCUMA TERBARU TERKINI TERBESAR LAMAN WEB TERUNGGUL BEST OF MALAYSIA'S BEST CLASSIFIEDS WEBSITE 24JAM365HARI 24HOURS365DAYS CORPORATE BUSINESS COMPANY REGISTRATION DIRECTORIES LISTING MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURER WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR DEALER CENTER SERVICES SUPPLY CONTRACTOR YELLOW PAGES RECORDS MOST POPULAR SITE FOR COMPANY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES LATEST LAUNCHING NEWS ONLINE NEW LATEST BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT PORTAL MOST POPULAR BLOG FORUM AVENUE ONLINE LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISMENT POST ADS SUBMIT FREE ADS INTERNET E-COMMERCE ONLINE TRADING GATEWAY SALES OFFER CAMPAIGN BRANDING WIDEST MEDIA COVERAGE YELLOWPAGES INTERNET DIRECTORY NATIONAL PORTAL INFORMATION BEST MEDIA IN THE COUNTRY 24HOURS365DAYS TOOL TO PUBLICISE ANNOUNCE CORPORATE BUSINESS COMPANY REGISTRATION DIRECTORY LISTING MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURER WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR DEALER CENTER SERVICES SUPPLY CONTRACTOR MOST VISITED SITE HIGHEST TRAFFIC VOLUME IN MALAYSIA CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENTS FOR COMPANY DIRECTORIES PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENT LATEST LAUNCHING NEWS ONLINE NEW LATEST BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT PORTAL MOST POPULAR AVENUE INTERNET E-COMMERCE ONLINE TRADING GATEWAY SALES OFFER CAMPAIGN BRANDING LARGEST WIDEST MEDIA COVERAGE YELLOWPAGES INTERNET DIRECTORIES NATIONAL PORTAL INFORMATION BEST MEDIA IN THE COUNTRY MALAYSIA CLASSIFIEDS FREE CLASSIFIED ADS EFECTIVE INTERNET PUBLICITY ONLINE INSTANT QUICK FASTEST QUICKEST WAY TO PUBLICIZE WEBSITE GET LOTS OF WEB TRAFFIC PUBLICITY. Search engine Ranking ways to advertising online advertisement how to best advertise on the internet best free services website submitter website submission search engine submission classifieds submitter united states of america europe asia

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< previous issue next issue > Sediment Facies of a Low-Energy, Meso-Tidal, Fringing Reef, Singapore Hilton, Michael J.; Loke Ming, Chou Some Polluting Effects of Small-Scale Industrial Production in theCentral Region of Ghana Kendie, S.B.; De-Graft Johnson, J.W.K. Environmental Resources, Population and Sustainability: Evidence From Zimbabwe Integration or Self-Sufficiency? Peninsular Malaysia and the Rice Trade in Southeast Asia Dating of Quaternary Sediments from Western Borneo, Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Teeuw, R.M.; Rhodes, E.J.; Perkins, N.K. The Web-based Recruitment of Female Foreign Domestic Workers in Asia Tyner, James A. Referees for SJTG 1999 Conference Announcement: Global Conference On Economic GeographySingapore, 6-8 December 2000 Call for Papers for Forthcoming Special Issue on Economic Globalisation and the Tropical World in the New Millennium Here are a few pages on the site that we think you may find useful:

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Intel’s sale of chips and related products to data centres is growing by over 20 percent year-on-year in Asia-Pacific, on the back of increased data centre capacity creation in China, South Korea, and Australia, a company executive said. The growth will continue, and may be even faster, for at least the next couple of years, said Jason Fedder, general manager of Intel’s Data Centre Group for Asia Pacific and China. Fedder cited rollouts of new services and applications by telecommunications providers, and the large number of Internet-enabled mobile devices in use in the region, as key drivers of data centre demand. Expansion by regional Internet companies, particularly in China, and investments in high performance computing for applications such as weather simulation are also fueling demand for data centre equipment, Fedder said. The move by enterprises to cloud computing will come in the second half of next year, a little later than in North America, Fedder said. “So we are at the beginning of a cycle of infrastructure refresh,” he added. Intel reported in the first quarter that its worldwide data centre revenue had grown by 32 per cent year-on-year to US$2.5 billion. The company’s data centre business is not growing as fast in Asia-Pacific because the surge in demand is largely confined to a few countries, with other markets appearing to be late adopters, Fedder said. A number of new data centres are coming up in the region as multinational Internet and hosting companies set up data centres to serve local customers, and also to meet governments regulations in some countries that require data to be handled locally, said Jun Fwu Chin, research manager for virtualization and data center at IDC Malaysia. Amazon Web Services, the cloud-computing arm of Amazon.com, opened its first Asian data centre in Singapore last year. Some telecommunications companies in the region are also setting up data centres to offer cloud computing services to small and medium-size enterprises, Chin said. Mergers and acquisitions, and the consequent integration of IT infrastructure by enterprises, have also resulted in the closure of smaller, less-efficient, data centers in favour of larger data centres, he added. Intel is positioning itself as a chip supplier not only for computing servers but also for storage and networking in data centres. The company has a dominant position in computing in data centers, with close to 100 per cent share of the chips used in servers in data centres, Chin said. Intel's Fedder said the company is now trying to take advantage of the ubiquity of the x86 instruction set to make the Xeon the common node in the data center, across computing, storage, and networking. Data center operators will then be able to use the features of Intel Intelligent Power Node Manager to do power capping not only on the computing side, but also in storage and networking, he added. Intel’s products currently account for less than 3 per cent of overall data centre spend, Fedder said. Intel plans to introduce more capabilities for data centres in the areas of power management and efficiency, and security, Fedder said. He did not provide details. Intel completed the acquisition of security technology vendor McAfee earlier this year. The current market in Asian data centres is predominantly for computing capacity, Chin said. However as new video sharing sites and other storage-intensive applications proliferate, the demand for storage in data centers will increase, though computing will still be the larger market, he added. For Intel too, revenue from computing is still expected to be the larger part of the business, Fedder said.

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Meet The Team Irshad's typical day starts with an early morning stroll near The Datai Resort where he regards guests with intriguing facts and anecdotes. On most days, he gets to spot Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Oriental-pied Hornbills and Dusky Leaf Langurs. Founder of Natural History Tours and in his 20-year career, Irshad has helped with and appeared in many documentaries like Mysteries of the Malaysian Rainforest on National Geographic Channel and The Wedding Ceremony of the White Bellied Sea Eagle on Discovery Channel. With the NGC filming crew, he saw the (also the first ever-recorded) courtship of the Great Hornbills where three young males clashed beaks to court one female. He host Ian Wright from Globe Trekker and it was shown in Travel and Living channel. His most recent TV appearance is with Toby Amies of The Rough Guide - "Trips of a lifetime" . His docu-ad for Tourism Malaysia is also currently shown on Star TV channels. A self-taught naturalist and outdoor buff, Irshad also educates school kids and trains outdoor instructors on nature and conservation. As part of his job and passion, he trailblazers forest paths and takes part in scientific expeditions. His interest in nature was instilled in him at a very young age. His father always encouraged his family to be involved in sports and outdoor activities. When he was nine, Irshad's father asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. "I said: ‘Dad, I want to be a game warden'," says Irshad. Growing up, he would lap up nature documentaries by David Bellamy and Sir David Attenborough. But as years went by, he lost touch with his dream. He worked in a bank in Kuala Lumpur. Five years later a holiday to Pulau Tioman changed his life forever. "It was my first time snorkeling," recalls Irshad. "I still remember how vivid the colors were. I spent five hours in the water, and only came up when I was hungry. "I knew then that I never wanted to be far from nature again," says Irshad, who came back to the city and to the chagrin of his parents, quit his job. Since then "I've been able to meet so many people, take people out to enjoy nature, done things I never expected to do in life," says Irshad. "I've met my heroes," adds Irshad who met his childhood hero, botanist and writer David Bellamy. On a stint at the British Museum of Natural History, Irshad became an understudy to the world authority in butterflies, Professor Bernard D'Abrera . "To think that I walked in the same place as people like Charles Darwin and stood at the back of the house of (anthropologist/ naturalist) Alfred Russell Wallace..." "What I hope to achieve on my tours is to show to the people that forest is a living community of interactive and interdependent relationships. Not unlike our own relationships in our cities in our homes and among our families and friends. If we can instill in the hearts of people the wonders of the natural world first hand then we have friends of nature for life. And when they leave for home I hope to have inspired them to make positive adjustments to help mother nature in any way they can. Not surprisingly Irshad Mobarak was announced as one of the DiGi Amazing Malaysians Awards 2007 for his work in preserving Langkawi Nature. "I have nothing against developments; there are still lots of development projects in Langkawi even now. But we just have to develop with nature and wildlife in mind and preserve some area." With this in mind, this year Irshad and his friends is forming RAINFOREST AID foundation with goal to KEEPING LANGKAWI WILD!.

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Cameras are one of the most popular consumer electronic items these days. Used to capture and store images, cameras have come a long way since the days of traditional cameras and photography films. Nowadays, even smartphones are equipped with cameras. More people are also getting their hands on compact cameras as well as DSLR cameras to get better image quality and faster shutter speed. Today, cameras are devices that many people from different age groups can afford. Most of the time, cameras are bought for upcoming important events or trips. Be prepared to be spoilt of choices if you have decided to purchase a camera for yourself. Popular brands in the world of cameras and photography are Canon, Nikon, Olympus and many more. Your Comprehensive Guide To Purchase Your Perfect Camera Camera is a small and compact device. However, buying a suitable one can be a daunting task due to the wide range of choices that come with assorted options, specifications and features. Even if you want to decide based on the popularity of a brand, you will be torn between Canon cameras and Olympus cameras as they are both equally popular among Malaysians. Before purchasing a camera, you have to know which type of camera should be considered. Generally, cameras are divided into compact digital cameras and DSLR cameras. Compact digital cameras tend to be cheaper, smaller in size and they are suitable for average consumers' everyday use. On the other hand, DSLRs are more expensive but they are capable of producing shots of better quality and precision. The details these devices are able to capture is unbelievable. DSLRs are commonly used by professional photographers and those who have a deep passion in photography. Once you know which type of camera you should get, identify which features or functionalities that will be extremely crucial for you. This highly depends on your photography style and events that you are going to shoot at. For example, models such as the Canon PowerShot S95 and Olympus XZ-1 are highly capable of shooting great photos under low light conditions. If you plan to take a lot of scenery photos, then you should consider getting the Canon EOS Rebel T1i or Nikon D5000 as they come with high megapixel resolution and advanced autofocusing systems. Of course, another consideration that should be high on your list is the budget you have for a new camera. You need to get as much value as you can out of the money you paid. Are the features that you are buying worth that much cash? Are they really that important to you? If you have decided to go for a DSLR camera, you should also take accessories such as lenses, flash and camera bags into your budget. Cameras on Lazada Malaysia On Lazada Malaysia, we want to give our customers the widest selection of cameras and at the same time, help them out with their camera selection. If you choose to purchase your camera and other compatible accessories from Lazada.com.my, we will ship all of them to your doorsteps for free. Browse and shop for your next camera with us. We are ready to offer you the best online shopping experience ever!

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World class Indian hospitals: Backbone of Indian Medical Tourism Industry India offers world-class healthcare that costs substantially less than those in developed countries, using the same technology delivered by competent Specialists attaining similar success rates. There are few hospitals in the country who have successfully built capabilities and are handling a steadily increasing flow of foreign patients from across the world. A small list of such hospitals is given below: B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre Christian Medical College Tata Memorial Hospital Indraprastha Medical Corporation Institute Cardiovascular Diseases Dr L.V. Prasad Eye Hospitals These hospital have build up a strong image in other parts of the world and have become the backbone of the Indian medical tourism industry. These Indian hospitals are on par, if not better than the best hospitals in Thailand, Singapore, etc but there is still scope for improvement In addition to the increasingly top class medical care, a big draw for foreign patients is also the very minimal or hardly any waitlist as is common in European or American hospitals. In fact, priority treatment is provided today in Indian hospitals. India has much more expertise than say Thailand or Malaysia. The infrastructure in some of India's hospitals is also very good. What is more significant is that the costs are much less, almost one-third of those in other Asian countries. Source : http://www.medical-tourism-india.com/hospitals_india.htm

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Posts Tagged ‘Island Destinations’ It’s been genuinely stated which in order to encounter the accurate substance associated with Asia, after that arrived at Malaysia, the country associated with vibrancy, colour, and lifestyle. It’s some of those exceptional holiday destinations that provide it’s site visitors along with the greatest associated with the each aged and brand new world. Vacationing couples and households maintain flocking for this beautiful a part of the world all through the 12 months. Dealing with the country is extremely simple since it is actually associated with it’s International airports; and making your way around is simple as well since it offers sophisticated and well toned way of transport. Environment and climate conditions: The country can be found near to equator; as a result this encounters the the sunshine. However much like the majority of Southeast Asia nations, this particular region’s sun-shining times tend to be irregular through the Monsoon period that runs through November until February, each year. Locations to determine: Malaysia is really a wealthy property full of seashores, island, unique towns and contemporary metropolitan areas. The seashores provide the site visitors along with a multitude of fascinating actions for example diving; angling; floating around; scuba diving; and a lot more. A number of the well-liked island destinations associated with the area tend to be Pangkor, Penang (Pulau Pinang), Perhentian Island destinations, Redang Isle, Sipadan Isle, and Tioman Isle. The country can also be filled along with spectacular national parks for example Bako National Park, Batang Ai National Park, Endau Rompin National Park, Gunung Gading National Park, Kubah National Park, and Taman Negara National Park. These types of national parks alllow for the ideal sightseeing places exactly where site visitors may create and unwind. Locations in order to search for eating: The country is actually well-known because of its delicious conventional special treats. A number of the most well-known Malay cuisines obtainable in this particular area consist of Nasi lemak, Rendang, Sambal, Satay, and Mee rebus. Malay sweets will also be lip smacking pleasures. Site visitors will even discover Chinese and Indian native cuisines from the dining places.

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Syndicated News from Japan Tue, 21 May 2013 00:01:41 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 22:25:05 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 23:46:53 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 04:01:33 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 00:49:38 GMT Japan's Brokerages Look Abroad Despite Boom at HomeWall Street JournalTOKYO?Booming stock markets at home have helped drive earnings at Japan's two biggest brokerages to multi-year highs. But the companies still see the rest of Asia as key to profits in the long term, even as they lose money and cut staff in those markets.and more » Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:54 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 03:17:43 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 02:49:56 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 00:39:45 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 06:01:44 GMT : mysql_result() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /var/www/vhosts/rcnetwork.net/httpdocs/Country.php on line 19 Results 1 - 10 of Headlines for Japan Wednesday, January 28th, 2004 : RCN Administrator The Japanese have paid tribal leaders near the southern Iraqi city of As Samawa a lump sum of 10 billion yen ($95 million) to provide security for Japanese forces that will soon be stationed there. -- Tokyo sees the "investment" as more than a simple bribe to ensure that Japanese soldiers are not shot, but rather as the first step toward resurrecting Japanese claims to Iraqi oil. News broke Jan. 26 that Japan is paying local tribes in and around the southern Iraqi city of As Samawa 10 billion yen ($95 million) in a lump sum to purchase security for its incoming 1,000-strong security force. While a portion of the cash undoubtedly will go toward security, the primary reason for cutting the check -- and deploying to Iraq in the first place -- is to revive Japanese economic interests in The media are having fun with the report; most articles about the issue are rather tongue-in-cheek commentaries about how Japan is paying the Iraqis not to attack them. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's office did little to dispel this impression with a Jan. 26 release stating, "It is rather cheap if we can buy security for our soldiers with that amount of money." The news reports are missing the point. Certainly Tokyo is casualty-averse. The ongoing Japanese deployment -- an advance contingent already is in As Samawa, and the rest are expected to arrive by early February at the latest - - will be the first Japanese troops in a "combat zone" since World War II. The bulk of the Japanese population is opposed to the deployment and opposition leaders have called for Koizumi to step down for violating the constitution, which expressly forbids offensive military actions. But, as yet, not a single attack on coalition forces in As Samawa has injured -- much less killed -- one foreign soldier. There is far more to this than Tokyo simply trying to purchase the good publicity that comes from a lack of body bags. The United States has enunciated clearly that states with minimal-to-no presence in Iraq will have minimal-to-no involvement in the country's reconstruction and gain minimal-to- no benefit from the country's oil. Washington has, in effect, bluntly informed everyone that if countries want to protect -- or even have -- commercial interests in Iraq, they will need to station forces there because the United States will not protect their interests for them. This, of course, encourages other countries to sign on to the U.S. vision of a new Iraq, and with every country that decides it wants a piece of the pie, the United States gets a new foreign force to assist with the Japan is sending 1,000 troops into a city with no serious security concerns and spending $95 million to buy protection for This begs the question: What is Japan buying? A closer reading of Koizumi's statement gives an idea of what Japan's real interest might be. It states, "It is more important for the Japanese government to make one-time payments to the leaders than to pay them a salary. That will help their local economy and benefit Japan's foreign policy toward the new Iraq." First of all, one-time payments do not purchase continual protection; they acquire something more concrete. Second, Japan's plans include involvement in the local economy and hold ramifications for overall Japanese policy toward Iraq. That brings us to the crux of the issue: oil. For Japan, garnering oil is a critical consideration. Energy-poor Japan imports more than 99 percent of the 5.2 million barrels per day of the crude it uses. A Japanese consortium representing such big names as Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Marabena, Itochu, Tomen, Chiyoda, JGC and Toyo already is negotiating with the Iraqi provisional government over staking claims to Iraqi oil fields. And indications are that Tokyo has placed its "security fee" in just the right hands. In 2003, local Iraqi tribal sheikh Abdul Ameer al-Rikaabi, whose al-Rikaab tribe remains the pre-eminent powerbroker in the area around As Samawa and An Nasiriyah, visited Tokyo as Japan was deciding where its troops should be stationed. According to an Iraqi Stratfor source in the United States, al-Rikaabi once counted himself among former leader Saddam Hussein's most powerful allies, but after a falling out became a staunch anti-Baathist. For Japan, the foray to As Samawa will be a return to Iraq, not a completely fresh start. In the 1980s Iraq was a leading source for Japan's all-important crude imports and -- just before the 1990-1991 Gulf crisis shut off the flow -- Japan was in the final stages of negotiating access to Iraq's billion-barrel Al Ghavraf field. Initial expectations -- with the technology available in the 1980s -- were that the field would produce 130,000 barrels Less than 40 miles due east of As Samawa. Monday, February 3rd, 2003 : RCN Administrator "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. 2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized." -- The Constitution of Japan (1946), Chapter II: Renunciation of War, Article 9. Although this belief has dominated Japanese military thinking since the constitution’s inception, debate has increased within the government and general populace over the last few years about whether the country’s Self-Defense Forces should take a more active role. Most recently, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi has suggested in an article to be published Feb. 5 in Japanese monthly Ronza that SDF participation in international peacemaking operations does not necessarily contradict the constitution. "Depending on the duties, I do not think our constitution bans participation of the SDF or cooperation toward multinational forces that are established in line with decisions the United Nations makes," Kawaguchi said. While Japan already participates in peacekeeping operations, the rules governing the SDF only allow Tokyo to dispatch forces to areas where peace accords have been signed already and the host nation has invited the peacekeepers. Her comments are another trial balloon floated by the Koizumi government in its efforts to reinterpret the role of Japanese forces. While Tokyo has not yet abandoned its constitution, it continues to push the boundaries of acceptable actions. When Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi came to office in 2001, he promised radical economic reforms and hinted at a redefinition of the scope and role of Japan’s defense forces. Although his first promise proved little more than political rhetoric, or at best wishful thinking, his latter program continues to move forward. Koizumi has pressed through expanded roles for the defense forces, both in domestic security and in their participation in the U.S.-led war against terrorism. And it is that anti-terrorism push -- even more than North Korea’s 1998 missile launch -- that has offered the Japanese military the opportunity to move faster in the last year than in all of the previous decade. Kawaguchi’s comments, then, fit within the general trend of bringing the future of Japan’s security into public discourse. Issues that once were taboo -- coordination of Japan’s national defense and domestic security forces, the idea of pre-emptive strikes as an act of self-defense, the nuclearization of Japan’s forces -- are becoming acceptable topics of conversation. And this, in turn, has created an atmosphere where real adjustments to Japan’s restraints on its defense forces are possible. Kawaguchi is not the only one expressing such opinions. As the world focuses on Afghanistan and now Iraq, Japan is steadily moving to join the ranks of "normal" nations, reassessing its restrictions on its own defense forces and paving the way for the admission that Japan not only needs, but in reality already has, a true military. Wednesday, January 29th, 2003 : RCN Administrator Japan Teeters on Edge of Deflationary Abyss? A bank operating in Japan has issued the country’s first negative-interest loan, indicating that Japan’s deflationary spiral likely will continue. ABN Amro issued Japan’s first negative-interest loan on Jan. 24 to Societe Generale and BNP. At less than 0.01-percent interest, the borrowers are required to pay back less than the 15 billion yen ($125 million) they actually borrowed. Stratfor asserted previously that the Sept. 11 attacks had damaged Japan’s long-term economic picture so badly that the country would find it impossible to recover without a massive social upheaval that could destroy Japan’s current social contract. Should Japanese corporations accept negative interest in their own operations, the country’s deflation will worsen. With the Japanese government already occasionally issuing bonds that earn zero-percent interest, negative-interest loans very well could be a step toward economic oblivion. Deflation can take many forms, but it usually results from excess supply coupled with inadequate demand. In some cases, deflation can be healthy for an economy. For example, the United States has experienced some deflationary effects over the past decade as trade liberalization allowed more and cheaper Asian goods to compete on the U.S. market. The stiff competition ensured that Asian suppliers continued to innovate in a virtuous circle of new technological development and implementation. This enhanced U.S. economic health while keeping demand high and contributing to high U.S. productivity levels. Japan, on the other hand, has experienced a different type of deflation. Japanese corporate expansion is based largely on market share, not profitability. This encouraged the development of massive over-capacity, driving prices down in a manner similar to the United States’ own deflationary pressures. But Japan lacked the consumer optimism that fueled the 1990s boom in the United States. Instead, Japan’s economy sank into repeated recessions, but maintained high inventories, ensuring that companies couldn’t claw their way into profitability. A social stigma against layoffs kept many production lines open despite stubbornly sluggish demand, compounding the oversupply problem. This built a public perception that prices would gradually decline with time. Consumers began deferring purchases on the correct expectation that prices would continue to decline. That in turn starved Japanese firms of the income they needed to invest in new products or expand their businesses, resulting in yet more of the same product and compounding the oversupply --and deflation -- problems. There are a number of ways to get out of the deflation rut, but nearly all would necessitate a surge in consumer demand to drive prices up. The Japanese government has been less than helpful in this manner. Its deficit spending has never been aggressive enough -- or focused in the right direction -- to create sustained growth. One option that might have worked before would have been driving the yen down with a dramatic currency printing. Such an action would force competitive devaluations across Asia that could trigger a repeat of the 1998 financial crisis. It also would -- at least in theory -- force consumers to spend because they fear a cheaper yen will eat away at the value of their savings. That is no longer a realistic option. The beginning of negative-interest loans indicates that Japan’s corporations have succumbed to the same mindset as Japanese consumers. If credit becomes cheap enough for negative interest, then it makes more sense for companies either to add to their already sky-high debt to fund operations instead of seeking profitability and financial solvency. Congruently, companies also will put off expansion plans in the hopes of even better credit terms in the future. The three pillars of the Japanese economy -- consumers, business and the government -- are stagnant. Consumer confidence, beset by rising unemployment and shrinking incomes, cannot recover. Companies are mired in debt and plagued by a financial system that cannot be reformed without causing its collapse. Meanwhile, the government has engaged in so much deficit spending since the end of the Cold War -- about 119 trillion yen ($1 trillion) -- that more spending is needed simply to keep the economy afloat. Overcoming the downfall of any these three economic pillars would be possible, but overcoming all three against the backdrop of activity-sapping deflation -- now in its 40th month -- is unlikely. Sunday, November 17th, 2002 : RCN Administrator Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) units held joint exercises with police units in Hokkaido on Nov. 18, Japan’s Kyodo News reported. The exercise in defending Japan from armed infiltrators was the first of its kind in the country. Although this primarily was a command post exercise, the next phase will include field exercises. The drill marks another step in the evolution of the GSDF and in Japan’s defense forces as a whole. Since the end of the Cold War, Japan’s military has struggled to redefine its role, which formerly was to guard Japan against a Soviet attack. Several events over the past decade have influenced the domestic debate over the SDF’s role and have contributed to changes in the SDF mission and organization. But as Japan’s defense force takes concrete steps toward preparing for new contingencies, it is outpacing the political consensus. Of the many defining moments of the past 10 years, the first was the Gulf War. Tokyo was faced with two issues: whether to supply SDF assets to support the coalition effort and what to do about the 500 Japanese citizens detained in Iraq as shields against the attack. Although Tokyo sent minesweepers as part of the international coalition, the government was slow to lend physical support and thus incurred criticism for not pulling its weight. The thinking about the structure of the SDF further evolved with the 1996 takeover of the Japanese Embassy in Lima, Peru. That incident convinced Tokyo that the SDF should find ways to prepare for hostage situations even far from Japan’s shores. The 1999 kidnapping of several Japanese geologists in Kyrgyzstan only strengthened this view. Two issues in Southeast Asia molded the debate in a slightly different way. First, there was a rise in piracy in the waters around Indonesia, a strategic shipping lane for most of Japan’s oil supplies. Second, instability in Indonesia required Japan to take precautions for the evacuation of its citizens. Both of these incidents led to greater SDF involvement in the region -- from joint patrols of the Strait of Malacca to agreements with Singapore for the use of air and naval facilities during emergency operations. Concerns over North Korea -- ranging from its missile program to infiltrations into South Korea to frequent intrusions of suspected North Korean spy ships into Japanese waters -- further shifted the internal dialogue. Tokyo embraced the idea of cooperating with the United States on missile defense, despite initial hesitation. The SDF also began tightening its relationship with the Japanese coast guard and police, opening better lines of communication and creating protocols for closer cooperation. But it was the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and the subsequent warnings of a global terrorist network that added the final impetus to changes in Japan’s military. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi rapidly seized upon the fear of terrorism to press through a series of changes in the role and scope of the SDF -- though as the furor died down in Japan, his subsequent efforts have been rebuffed or at least slowed by internal debate. But while the political protocols and agreements still are being argued, the SDF has taken concrete steps to redefine its own role -- and to be prepared when the political determination comes around. The joint GSDF-police exercises are only the first in a series of similar regional exercises, and future joint training likely will be more involved. In addition, in late September and early October, Japanese forces traveled to Hawaii to train with U.S. forces in urban combat, and the GSDF intends to establish more of its own similar training schools. The GSDF also plans to create an anti-terrorism force of 300 soldiers, to be stationed in Chiba Prefecture. The Maritime Self Defense Force and Air Self Defense Force also are altering their training and weapons acquisitions. The MSDF is looking to deploy additional P-3C surveillance aircraft along the west coast and has updated protocols covering coordination with the coast guard and permissions to fire upon infiltrating ships. For its part, the ASDF is seeking an additional aerial refueling aircraft in its next budget and again is trying to gain permission to participate in joint exercises with U.S. forces in Alaska -- exercises that involve in-air refueling, something from which Japan formerly shied away because it could be considered an offensive rather than defensive capability. In all, the Japanese armed services already have begun transforming themselves to be better prepared for non-traditional contingencies, including infiltrations, urban combat and piracy. The current GSDF training might lead to the possibility of Japanese forces participating in seek-and-destroy missions against guerrillas and militants -- not only in Japan, but also overseas -- should the need and political will arise. And political will, rather than physical capability, remains the limiting factor. While Japanese defense forces train and arm for the future, they remain tethered to a complicated political process that must take place before they are dispatched. But that, too, could fade as the internal mood favoring constitutional change grows. Friday, November 1st, 2002 : RCN Administrator Japanese officials reportedly plan to propose the establishment of a joint counterterrorism task force at the upcoming ASEAN summit. The proposal would increase Japan’s security cooperation with ASEAN, which already covers anti-piracy measures. These could be the early steps toward a more multilateral security organization -- which would be a major step for both Tokyo and ASEAN. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will propose a joint ASEAN-Japan task force for fighting terrorism at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Phnom Penh on Nov. 5, according to diplomatic sources cited by Kyodo News agency. The task force also would cover other non-traditional security threats, including environmental degradation and contagious diseases like AIDS. Koizumi’s proposal is an expansion of the already successful anti-piracy efforts carried out by Japan and ASEAN nations in the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. But as Tokyo and ASEAN move closer together on security issues, they could be laying the groundwork for a multilateral law enforcement or defense organization. This would mark a major step for all involved and would raise new questions about the balance of power in East Asia. Japan issued its latest Defense White Paper in August, calling for greater regional cooperation in fighting terrorism. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, Japan experienced a period of rapid movement in redefining the role and status of its Self-Defense Forces (SDF), particularly in regard to terrorism and other non-traditional threats. Tokyo expanded the boundaries of SDF cooperation with U.S. and other international forces in the fight against terrorism, and also stepped up its coordination with ASEAN on anti-piracy measures. Tokyo now seeks to take this cooperation a step further -- codifying the coordination through the formation of a regional task force. While the details will not be worked out until the ASEAN summit, it appears this early task force will be more of a committee for intelligence- and information sharing than a joint investigative or enforcement body. But this might be the first step toward broader cooperation; regional anti-piracy efforts evolved from information sharing to joint maritime patrols. For Japan and ASEAN, such moves represent substantial shifts from previous policies and actions. ASEAN has struggled to move beyond its economic focus by establishing the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a security dialogue body that includes several other regional representatives including Japan, China and the United States. Since the 1997 regional economic crisis, and particularly since the Sept. 11 attacks, some ASEAN states have pushed for an expanded role for the ARF. They want to make it less of a talk shop and more of an action center, but internal bickering and historical distrust have held up any movement in this direction. Thus, the recent announcement by Kuala Lumpur and Washington that Malaysia would host a regional counterterrorism center in cooperation with the United States came as a blow to ASEAN and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, who have been unable to act on their own without U.S. intervention. Japan’s plans to create a joint anti-terrorism task force with ASEAN, then, brings the focus and involvement back into Asia, allowing the Asian nations to take care of themselves. For the plan to work, however, the countries will find it imperative to move beyond their ingrained policies of non-interference and toward a proactive policy -- one that might lead to a few countries stepping on others’ toes. This would be a major step for ASEAN, but one that several members -- including Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines -- appear to be heading toward anyway. And for Tokyo, this would mark another step in the nation’s steady attempts to redefine its security role in the region. Perhaps more important, Tokyo’s proposal could advance the case for Japan to step out from under the U.S. wing and begin taking responsibility for its own security concerns. Wednesday, September 18th, 2002 : RCN Administrator Bank of Japan Governor Masaru Hayami said Sept. 18 that he will order his institution to begin purchasing stock holdings from banks. The Nikkei, Japan’s most popular stock index, registered a 2.1 percent gain on the news. The move will undermine the effectiveness of the BOJ, the Japanese equivalent of the U.S. Federal Reserve. But more important, it signals that Hayami -- Tokyo’s most important advocate for economic reform -- no longer has faith that the Japanese banking sector will recover. Without a functional banking sector, the entire Japanese economy would not be far from collapse. Japan’s post-war economic development was heavily directed by Tokyo. Government planners urged banks to lend to strategic sectors, without regard for profits. That chopped into the banks’ revenues and forced them to invest heavily in shares to help bolster their profits. The process was sustainable as long as the supported industries remained semi-viable and stock prices continued growing. Both trends ended when the Japanese bubble burst in the early 1990s. The impact destroyed banks’ profit margins and their willingness to risk capital on new loans. The institutions were placed in the awkward position of needing to continue loans to -- and buying shares from -- defunct enterprises to keep their loan portfolios from becoming entirely non-performing. Since political leaders were unwilling to inflict the necessary pain and clean out the system, the entire banking sector rotted to the core. By some measures, Japanese banks now hold as much as $2 trillion in bad loans, and their stock holdings are worth $330 billion -- less than a quarter of their value before the bubble popped. Hayami’s solution is to have the BOJ purchase these devalued shares to boost the banks’ capital holdings and reduce their concerns about the underperforming Nikkei. "The bank will buy directly from financial institutions," he said. "We want to help them reduce the impact of falling stocks." The criticism from analysts the world over has been scathing, and rightly so. A straightforward stock purchase will do absolutely nothing to encourage better behavior, and it is highly likely that many banks will simply reinvest the new cash in the same companies they are keeping alive with drip-feed loans. And the move will weaken the BOJ’s balance sheet drastically -- never a good thing for a country’s financial guarantor. Critics also charge that having a country’s central bank reduce itself to base stock market manipulation is not only unwise but also a disturbing sign that Japan’s central bank has lost its independence. A central bank without freedom reflects dominant political trends and loses the ability to shepherd an economy to health. The critics are right on the first point, but wrong on the second. Most government policy makers want an outright stock bailout. Hayami doesn’t: His actions achieve a bailout, but as a side-effect of efforts to assist the banks -- and that’s an important distinction. However, a look at Hayami’s motivations signal that something much worse than merely caving to administration pressure is occurring. The Japanese fiscal half-year ends Sept. 30. On that day, Japanese banks will close their books and check their valuations. With the Nikkei edging 20-year lows, many banks are in danger of dipping below capital adequacy minimums. If that happens, most would be unable to engage in domestic lending -- many already are barred from foreign lending because international banking laws are stronger than those in Japan. Hayami’s move has little to do with Tokyo’s efforts to produce a veneer of progress; it is designed to avoid a banking collapse. When viewed in this light, it becomes apparent that Hayami has lost faith in the Japanese system’s ability to salvage itself. He fully understands the implications of his actions and the damage they will cause the BOJ, but he has come to realize that the rot in Japan’s financial sector is now irreparable. All the BOJ governor can do now is to try and slow the steepening decline. Sunday, September 15th, 2002 : RCN Administrator THE Japanese Prime Minister will be risking his political career when he flies to Pyongyang tomorrow for a meeting with Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader. For Junichiro Koizumo, already an unconventional leader, the meeting is the most daring of political initiatives. If he makes a breakthrough with a regime that has defied all attempts to lure it out of isolation, he will earn an important place in his country’s history; but the price of failure with a state that President Bush says is part of an “axis of evil” will be equally high. Mr Koizumi’s Japan has no diplomatic relations with Pyongyang but a host of long-standing points of friction. These range from the kidnapping of Japanese nationals to a hostility that dates from Japan’s colonial occupation of the north until the end of the Second World War. He is driven by the need to try to overcome North Korean hostility to Japan and South Korea as a precursor to any kind of reunification, to ensure access to the country’s wealth of natural resources and to try to stay ahead of the US in the diplomatic race. Mr Kim will aim his main message — “We’re no Iraq” — at Washington when he meets Mr Koizumi. Masao Okonogi, of Keio University, said: “Pyongyang does not want to become a second Iraq and they want to resume talks with the United States. That’s their main goal. If Koizumi comes home with nothing . . . Japan will harden its stance and the United States will decide there is no point in talking to North Korea.” In a rare interview published on Saturday, Mr Kim told the Kyodo news agency that the talks would be an “epoch-making chance” to normalise ties with Japan. For Mr Kim, who appears to have embarked on a tentative programme of economic reform and diplomatic outreach, a successful summit could bring big rewards. Among the potential benefits is much-needed economic aid from Tokyo. Monday, August 19th, 2002 : RCN Administrator Standard and Poor’s warned Aug. 19 that Japan risked another credit rating cut due to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s inability to follow through with promised economic reforms. A look at which reforms were dumped shows that Koizumi is well on his way to repeating the mistakes of his predecessors. Credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s warned Japanese leaders Aug. 19 that their country risked yet another credit rating cut due to the government’s recent backtracking on economic reform pledges. The S&P’s last cut in April 2002 reduced Japan’s long-term credit rating to AA-. A new cut would drop Japan to A+, putting it at the same level as Botswana and Kuwait. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s abandonment of reforms -- such as the removal in August of a 30 trillion yen ($250 billion) cap on government bond issuance for the 2003 fiscal year budget -- is not exactly shocking. He is from the same wing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party as his incompetent predecessor, Yoshiro Mori, and his Cabinet contains several LDP dinosaurs that have expertly mismanaged the Japanese economy for years. Even if Koizumi’s stated desires to reform the economy were genuine, Japan’s political system has institutionalized so many power groups that meaningful progress is impossible. At the end of the day -- or the end of Koizumi’s tenure -- his most meaningful contribution to the Japanese economy may well be the many posters and T-shirts bearing his likeness that were sold at the height of his popularity. Since coming to power in April 2001, Koizumi has not lived up to his reputation as a "maverick" or as a reformer. A quick overview shows where his pledges have fallen short and what that means for the world’s second-largest economy. One of Koizumi’s biggest promises was to get government deficit spending under control. Japan’s primary method of countering its decade-long economic slump has been to spend mountains of cash on infrastructure projects, which is unfortunately similar to Japanese development strategies of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. But the country really didn’t need any more infrastructure, so the 1990s deficit spending boom has mainly resulted in multi-lane highways and dams being built in areas with no people or needs for hydropower or flood control. The fact that Koizumi’s anti-debt promise never got off the ground was due in part to opposition from the country’s bloated construction industry, which constitutes about 10 percent of the non-agricultural workforce. In the end the prime minister never pledged to eliminate wasteful spending, only to limit it to 30 trillion yen ($250 billion), about 6.3 percent of GDP. Next year’s budget already calls for new deficit spending of 35 trillion yen ($295 billion), in addition to new bonds to cover those reaching maturity, which will total about another 37 trillion yen ($310 billion). Postal Savings Competition The Japanese postal system runs the nation’s largest personal savings operations, in addition to handling the mail. Centralizing capital was essential in the days when Japan needed directed investment to recover from World War II. However, leaving postal savings in government hands has allowed Tokyo to dip into the money whenever it needs to fund other government measures, including pork-barrel projects in rural constituencies. Ending the government monopoly over postal savings, as Koizumi had promised, would have freed up as much as 255 trillion yen ($2.15 trillion) for private development. Instead, to keep out foreign competition, the government has piled on investment restrictions so severe that few if any Japanese firms will participate in what could have been a lucrative market. Under Tokyo’s direction, postal savings will continue to be placed in government bonds that, while guaranteed by the "faith and good credit" of the Japanese government, have yields that are now, in essence, zero percent. The only portion of the Japanese economy doing even marginally well is the export-oriented sector. Therefore, pushing the yen down has been a central plank of government policy for years. With the U.S. recovery losing speed, Japanese policymakers fear, quite correctly, that Japan is about to have another recession -- its fifth since 1990. Zembei Mizoguchi, director-general of the Finance Ministry’s International Bureau, said Aug. 20 that the yen is too strong, an unsubtle hint that yet another series of currency interventions is about to begin. Such interventions may help the bottom line of a narrow sector of the Japanese economy responsible for about 10 percent of GDP, but will do nothing to boost the strength, flexibility or resiliency of the overall economy. As of the end of the Japanese fiscal year on March 31, 2003, all deposits of more than 10 million yen ($84,000) -- totaling some 300 trillion yen ($2.5 trillion) -- were set to lose their federal deposit insurance. Considering the atrocious state of Japan’s banks -- beset by numerous bad loans and an inability to make new ones -- this reform would have led to a mass capital flight either overseas or under mattresses. So Koizumi either exempted banks from the change altogether or watered down the conditions to keep the status quo. Disposal of Bad Loans The willingness to give way on the deposit insurance issue also paves the way for a policy cave on Koizumi’s final major reform promise: forcing banks to dispose of their bad loans by 2004. The problem is that the banks are already technically insolvent. Since the government directed past (and some would argue present) infrastructure development, banks granted loans with little concern for projects’ profitability. Yet Japan’s unwillingness to force defunct firms into bankruptcy has only encouraged banks -- with an unofficial wink from regulators -- to grant dead firms fresh credit. The result is an ever-growing mountain of bad loans. Now banks are terrified of granting new loans to new clients lest they compound the problem, but they have to keep failing clients on life support or suffer a complete collapse of their loan portfolios. Consequently, overall lending has not risen in 81 months. Japan’s Financial Services Agency estimates that those dud loans now total 52.4 trillion yen ($441 billion), up 22 percent from a year earlier. Clearer-eyed independent estimates put the real number closer to 240 trillion yen ($2 trillion). Koizumi has a choice: either force banks to dispose of the bad loans and trigger a banking collapse, or wriggle out of yet another promise. Judging by his past performance, Koizumi looks set to follow the path of his predecessors and simply continue managing Japan’s slow-motion economic implosion. Wednesday, August 14th, 2002 : RCN Administrator .The Japanese Defense Agency Aug. 14 announced the eighth case in five months of apparent sabotage to a Self Defense Forces aircraft. According to a Kyodo News report, a connector pin for electrical wiring on the engine of an F-15DJ fighter jet was bent intentionally sometime after Aug. 8 while the engine was undergoing maintenance at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Komaki Minami plant in Nagoya. Between April and July, six F-4EJ fighters and one RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft were damaged at the same facility. In addition, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Nagoya facilities -- which also are used to work on Japan’s H-2 rockets -- were the sight of a November 2001 theft of several computers, one of which contained data about Japan’s next-generation fighter aircraft. In both cases of aircraft tampering and computer theft, there were no reported signs of forced entry, which suggests an inside job. While little progress has been made on the cases, the incidents may represent a backlash against Japan’s economic problems or military policies. Mitsubishi is the key contractor for several Japanese defense force aircraft, from fighters and reconnaissance planes to anti-submarine warfare helicopters, and MHI is the main contractor for Japan’s Patriot missiles and several other missile systems. Its Nagoya facilities are at the heart of Japan’s defense aerospace industry, and the Komaki Minami plant is the primary maintenance facility for Japan’s 45 F-15DJ fighters, 104 F-4 fighters and 27 RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft. Japan’s Asahi newspaper reported that around 40 F-4s rotate through the plant every year. In addition, other MHI facilities in Nagoya are responsible for Japan’s H-2 rockets, the core of Japan’s civilian space program. On Aug. 8 the Japanese Defense Agency revealed that seven aircraft in the No. 1 hangar at the Komaki Minami facility had been damaged intentionally between April and July. This is the same hangar in which the latest incident occurred. Although the theft of the computers from Nagoya in November 2001 could have been a case of someone trying to fence electronics for money, the damage to the eight aircraft likely was the result of a different motive. It is possible that it was the work of a disgruntled employee. But a more troubling scenario for Japan’s defense industry is that this was the work of someone opposed to Tokyo’s changing defense policies. Since Sept. 11 the Japanese government has accelerated an ongoing evolution of its defense doctrine, leading Japan down a path to finally break free from its post-World War II pacifism. Rather than continue to struggle with what the Japanese defense forces cannot do, the government is seeking to redefine the issue and focus on what they can do -- and whether to move beyond the concept of "defense forces" and admit that Japan has a military, allowing future development from that standpoint. In either case, Japan’s defense industry -- or at least Mitsubishi’s part of it -- appears to have a security problem. And if the motivation is truly to sabotage the entire Japanese defense program, rather than a single company or unit, it may only get worse. Thursday, August 8th, 2002 : RCN Administrator Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi altered his banking "reform" plans Aug. 1 in a way that in essence waters down their impacts and imposes negative interest rates on savings accounts. He followed the move with a retraction of his previous pledge to limit Japan’s profligate deficit spending . Under the original banking reform package, the government planned to end insurance guarantees on all deposits of more than 10 million yen ($83,000) starting on April 1, 2002. The plan as originally intended likely would have triggered an unravelling of the Japanese economy, but a recent loophole Koizumi inserted ensures a slower, less painful death. At stake is 300 trillion yen ($2.5 trillion) in deposits. With the Japanese economy locked into a deflationary spiral, the end of deposit insurance would almost certainly collapse many of Japan’s already wobbly banks, particularly the smaller ones that would see many of their customers flee with their savings to larger, supposedly more stable banks. The international fallout also could be catastrophic, as a formal collapse of Japan’s banks -- along with the world’s second-largest economy -- could cause a panic that would make the 1997 Asian financial crisis look like small potatoes. The financial system got a taste of what was coming when the reform was adopted April 1 for timed deposits. The day before the switchover, the total amount held in timed deposits, installment savings and loan trusts dropped 27 percent from a year ago, while deposits in ordinary savings accounts shot up 51 percent, according to the Bank of Japan. The key is that the first category of savings is rather illiquid, and most depositors were willing to take a financial hit when they switched over their accounts in order to keep government guarantees. Completely ending deposit insurance for demand deposits -- standard savings accounts -- would provoke a much sharper and more damaging response. Officially, Koizumi says the full reform will still be implemented as planned, but in traditional Japanese fashion he has inserted a loophole that renders it meaningless. Federal deposit guarantees will still apply to non-interest-bearing accounts. However, since interest rates have been at zero for the better part of the past three years -- pushing the payback on savings accounts down to a pathetic 0.001 percent per year -- switching over to a non-interest-bearing account is a no-brainer, even if the account charges fees. With such a policy, the banks and government in essence would levy a negative interest rate on savings accounts. In exchange for insurance, depositors sacrifice a portion of their holdings. Unlike many aborted Japanese reforms, the revised proposal if adopted will not worsen Japan’s economy. In fact, it will have a number of broad-ranging effects that will help manage the economy’s decline. It should indeed calm the frayed nerves of many Japanese citizens afraid of losing their savings. Money will still steadily leak out of the banks, but not in a panicked torrent that results in a sharp banking collapse. The money that does leave will go into two places: new investments and cold storage. In Japan, choices are very limited. Investment funds are heavily exposed to the government bond market, which has been paying zero and near-zero returns for the past several years. That leaves stock (and especially property) a standard refuge for scared capital. Any losses the banks suffer from deposit withdrawals should be made up by higher stock and property prices; after all, it was the collapse of stock and property prices -- which make up a massive proportion of bank holdings -- that helped weaken Japan’s banks to the state they are currently in. More Japanese, however, are likely to simply stash it away under their futons, an increasingly popular trend in the country. The amount of currency in circulation continues to climb -- 10.6 percent in July from a year earlier -- and the new policies will hardly staunch the flow. Any money stored away will not only be unavailable for the new investments that the moribund Japanese economy so desperately needs, but is also likely to help foster a rise in petty crime simply from the extra currency sloshing around in people’s pockets and homes. So long as the hemorrhaging from the financial system is slow and steady, this new policy might actually achieve some good. Japan’s economy, particularly now that Koizumi has abandoned any real pretense to reform it, is in terminal decline. Policies such as this one do nothing to slow, much less reverse, that decline. What they do accomplish, however, is removing factors that would cause systemic immediate collapse. In this case, the policy serves to prick the banking system, allowing funds to slowly bleed away. In time total deposits will be much smaller -- whether from capital flight or subzero interest rates -- and the banking sector’s stability will no longer command global attention.

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In a response to a tweet from another user in which Cole was described as Terry’s “choc ice” and a “sellout” Ferdinand responded with “I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahahahha!” The term choc-ice — dark on the outside but white inside – is a derogatory one often aimed at black people who are seen to be too keen to please white people – a contemporary version of the Uncle Tom insult. Terry was found not guilty of racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, Anton, in a case which saw Cole called as a witness for the defence. Terry’s defence centred on his claim he had only said the words 'f------ black c---’ to deny using them after Ferdinand had accused him of saying it to him during a heated exchange between the pair. Neither Anton or Rio have given an interview since Terry was cleared by District Judge Howard Riddle, the former responding to questions from reporters on QPR’s pre-season tour of Malaysia with a firm “no comment”. Rio’s tweet was subsequently deleted from his page and the Manchester United defender — who Cole described as a “friend” in court – later tweeted: “And if I want to laugh at something someone tweets....I will! Hahahahaha! Now stop getting ya knickers in a twist!” Another tweet read “Its Sarcasm!” – a clear reference to Terry who, in his defence during the case, had said he was being sarcastic rather than racist. Worryingly for the FA and for Mark Hughes, Roberto Di Matteo and Sir Alex Ferguson (the managers of QPR, Chelsea and Manchester United) the ill-feeling could boil over when the teams meet again next season. Ferdinand was controversially left out of the England squad by manager Roy Hodgson for the European Championship, while Terry played in every game in Poland and Ukraine. Although Hodgson insisted his decision was solely down to “football reasons”, it is widely thought the animosity between the two former centre-back partners meant they could no longer play in the same team together. During Terry’s trial Ferdinand provocatively tweeted his film of the day, was Liar, Liar. The following day he went on to the social network site to say it was Steve Coogan’s Cock and Bull story. Several black players have privately admitted they will find it difficult to shake Terry’s hands after what has happened and it would seem unlikely either Anton or Rio Ferdinand is willing to do so when QPR and Manchester United play Chelsea next season. A spokesman for Cole said last night: “Ashley Cole… wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and has no intention of making any sort of complaint. Ashley appreciates that Tweeting is so quick it often results in offhand and stray comments.” Representatives for Rio Ferdinand refused to comment on the tweet on Saturday night. The FA also said it had “no comment to make” when told about Ferdinand’s tweets but may feel it needs to investigate further. Having confirmed it was reopening the inquiry into the Terry-Ferdinand row, the FA is expected to announce later this week whether it is going to take any further disciplinary action. Although the burden of proof for an FA charge is lower than in a criminal case it is based on the balance of probabilities rather than beyond reasonable doubt – Terry’s team will feel they have grounds to appeal if he is banned and fined on a racism charge because of the court ruling. However, the FA may yet decide to punish both players for using abusive and insulting words on the pitch after the ugly verbal exchanges between them were revealed. A source close to the FA said: “I think it will be very hard for the FA to charge John Terry with a racism offence because he has been cleared of that in a court of law. It is a classic FA dilemma. They are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, but they have to do something. “I don’t think you can deny they have brought the game into disrepute, but if you charge Terry with using obscene language, you will have to charge Anton Ferdinand as well which is going to lead to accusations he is being unfairly punished for making the allegations.”

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2013-05-21T10:00:06Z

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Malaysian Eats in 3 Asian Ports The Best of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang Three consecutive days of Malaysian discoveries put me in a tizzy: the good kind, of course. The food finds were plentiful, some for the palate and some just for the eyes (you'll see what I mean). First port: Singapore These delectable offerings were not for my tasting but rather, religious offerings in a Buddhist temple. Replete with egg omelets, spring rolls and sautéed greens, you know I had to restrain a nibble — teasing chopsticks and all. Try the pork bun in Singapore. Photo credit: Rebecca Kritzer / REBEats Food Row in Chinatown brought me strong coffee in ornate china, a doughy pork bun puff, and stacks of salty barbecue pork patties textured like a jazzin' jerky. Since I'm always jonesin' for coffee, the sweltering heat begged to make it iced. So I picked up a cold can of UCC Black Coffee from a market and it immediately made me smile, as it was the same kind I sipped all over Tokyo during my three-week stint there two years ago. But the tiny portion did not quench my thirst so a gentle stroll later…. ….I came upon a quaint, tented food court of about five establishments, one being Coffee Village. Another iced black coffee to go, please, and this one hit the spot. Brewed freshly pour-over style, the steaming liquid melted the rocky ice cubes until the temperatures evened out. Suffice it to say, it satiated my drooling pant for the rest of my walkabout journey in Singapore. Second Port: Kuala Lumpur This capital of Malaysia brought street food that agreed with me – for the most part. My favorite find were these savory and dense deep-fried sweet potato balls that I popped lolli-style all too quickly. A crisp and light exterior encapsulated a fluffy yet substantial mash. I was pleasantly sustained with a surge from this deep rich coffee from DOME cafe. Deep fried sweet potato balls are a must-try. Photo credit: Rebecca Kritzer / REBEats A walk through the backstreets of Chinatown opened my olfactory senses to fried fish, creamy curries, and puffy pastries, mostly served buffet-style for you to enjoy at plastic tables and chairs already populated by locals hunched over their own plates. Nearby, the Central Market is an indoor complex that houses bazaar shops and a food court on its own level. This is where I had my lunch at Mini Wok. Officially called Kuey Teow Goreng, it was an unimpressive tin wok filled with noodles, diced chicken and two prawns. The flavor was run of the mill Chinese I could have gotten in the States, though the salty crisps served alongside were a nicely textured crunch. Luckily, a gem of a treat lay just outside of the Market, on a parallel street named Katsuri Walk that has more vendors. The most refreshing thing on a balmy day was none other than the water from a fresh sea coconut. The vendor axed off the top, popped in two straws, and voila, a hand held bowl of slightly sweet translucent liquid was ready for sipping. This water is much lighter and mellow than that from the more familiar smaller brown coconut. Needless to say, this one was going, going, gone in mere minutes. Third Port: Penang My tongue got tastes from the enclosed Chowrasta food market in this coastal city's Georgetown neighborhood. Modest in size, the outdoor vendors sell dried and pickled goods, especially fruits. I tried pickled mango, chestnut, a plums – all to my vinegary liking. Also from exterior street carts were fried and steamed treats, including Japanese rice pyramids wrapped in newspaper with the milky sweet flavor of succulent coconut. Japanese treats are sold at Chowrasta Market. Photo credit: Rebecca Kritzer / REBEats Easily hidden on the interior is a wet market (literally floors flooded with water) with smelly raw fish and fowl. Butchers chop away heads of chickens and sea creatures alike, and put the parts on display for sale. It doesn't get much fresher than that. These uncooked eats may put most off, but not this girl. Had I a kitchen, I would have nabbed a variety of some fish on the bone and bloody slabs of steak and fired up my grill. I guess I will remain resigned to my imaginary meal from Chowrasta Market. But the little bites I did have were memory enough for me. By Rebecca Kritzer REBEats: All you need in life is good food and good company. Follow Rebecca Kritzer on the road of eats.

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Tunku Aziz never ‘suited’ to DAP, says Dr M PUTRAJAYA, May 16 — Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim’s exit from DAP is not surprising as he had never belonged there, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said today. “I thought from the start he [was] not suited to be in DAP; I don’t know why he joined,” the former prime minister told reporters when asked to comment on the ex-Bank Negara advisor’s exit from the opposition party on Monday. The former DAP vice-chairman announced his resignation from the party following his clashes with Pakatan Rakyat leaders over his criticism of the Bersih 3.0 sit in. The open criticism had moved DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng publicly censure Tunku Aziz for saying that Bersih should not go ahead with an illegal street protest despite the party making a clear stand to back the electoral reforms movement’s April 28 rally. In an interview with The Star published today, the founding president of Transparency International Malaysia said the rebuke gave the impression that what he had said was against the party as well as Bersih, and this was why he decided to “withdraw from the party.” “I am not against the party. I am just against the attitude taken by the party secretary-general, particularly when he falsely accused me of going against the party decision to support Bersih. I have always stood for free and fair elections,” he said. A distant relative of the Kedah royalty, he said he has always supported Bersih but only disagreed with proceeding with an illegal gathering after the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and police had refused to allow the movement to use the historic square for their rally. The 78-year-old also told The Star that he felt “a deep sense of relief at being freed from the tyranny of a demagogue.” DAP has tried to reach out to Malays, who make up 60 per cent of the 12-million strong electorate, by recruiting leaders such as Tunku Aziz. But he has conceded his failure to win over the community to the Chinese-dominated party that has been accused by Umno of being anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

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Why book with Vayama ? Search deals from 500+ airlines worldwide. Book with confidence, knowing you are always covered by Vayama's Best Price Guarantee. Get the support you need, thanks to Vayama's Customer Care Commitment. Roundtrip flight deals to Asia * The prices listed below are past searches done by real customers in the last 24 hours for specific travel dates. Fares are roundtrip,based on availability, and are subject to change. Vayama knows Asia Asia is the largest region on earth and home to over 60% of the word’s population. When you book flights to Asia, bear in mind that the region is huge; it encompasses many ancient kingdoms, cultures, languages, religions, and geographical variations. Vayama offers many flights to Asia, whether you want to visit one of its high tech cities or enjoy one of its tranquil tropical beaches. Always remember that Asia is as varied as its people. Travelers booking flights to Asia must consider that the continent is divided into several regions: The Middle East; this part of Asia includes all the countries on the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories. Central Asia, includes Afghanistan and all the former Soviet Republics of central Asia; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Two thirds of Russia is in Asia, and also all the former soviet republics of the Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. South Asia: Includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Southeast Asia includes Thailand, Burma, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Brunei and Indonesia. East Asia includes China, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan. Travelers booking flights to Asia will experience almost every climate on earth, from the desserts of Arabia and the tropical beaches of Thailand to Siberian arctic tundra. Business travelers book flights to Asia every day to participate in its fast growing economy, while tourists book flights to Asia to enjoy its paradisiacal beaches, its amazing food and to experience the myriad of cultures that share the continent. You can book flights to Asia all year around as there is always something to do or see, no matter the season. Book your flights to Asia on Vayama and discover your favorite corner of the largest and most varied region on earth.

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Volume 11, Number 3—March 2005 Rumor Surveillance and Avian Influenza H5N1 We describe the enhanced rumor surveillance during the avian influenza H5N1 outbreak in 2004. The World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office identified 40 rumors; 9 were verified to be true. Rumor surveillance informed immediate public health action and prevented unnecessary and costly responses. In January 2004, 14 persons in Vietnam were admitted to provincial hospitals with severe respiratory illness (1). Avian influenza H5N1 was detected in samples from 3 of these patients. Health officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) were concerned, as these were sporadic cases of an influenza strain that normally infects birds exclusively (2). Furthermore, little was known about the extent of the outbreak, its potential for international spread, and the possible evolution of a pandemic influenza strain. WHO issued an international public health alert on January 13, 2004, to inform the world about the outbreak (1). News of the outbreak led to international anxiety and the propagation of unofficial outbreak reports or disease rumors (3). These rumors could have led countries to impose trade and travel restrictions with negative social, economic, and health consequences (3,4). To protect both the international community and the affected countries, WHO introduced enhanced rumor surveillance for reports of avian influenza H5N1, a process of investigating unofficial reports of disease events to determine their veracity. Rumor surveillance aims to decrease the potential for misinformation and misunderstanding and to inform the public and health officials about disease outbreaks, facilitate a rapid response, and promote public health preparedness (3). Rumor surveillance is a passive process, where rumors are identified from media reports, professional groups, the public, and persons in the WHO network, which is made up of WHO headquarters, country offices, and WHO Collaborating Centers. In an enhanced system, rumor surveillance is intensified by actively seeking out rumors and undertaking more rigorous follow up. This surveillance includes analyzing more media sources and regularly requesting information from the WHO network about outbreak events. Previous studies have examined the role of enhanced rumor surveillance during public health emergencies, such as the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and the outbreak of Ebola in Uganda in 2000 (5,6). However, research has not examined the role of rumor surveillance in multicountry or regional outbreaks. The importance of rumor surveillance is likely to increase as the international community considers the revised draft of the International Health Regulations (IHR). Article 8 of the IHR Working Paper (7) states, “WHO, in consultation with the health administration of the State concerned, shall verify rumors of public health risks which may involve or result in international spread of disease.” During the avian influenza outbreak, WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) was the focal point for identifying rumors and coordinating their investigations in the region (8). WPRO covers 37 nations and stretches from China in the north and west, to New Zealand in the south, and to French Polynesia in the east (9). This study examines whether the enhanced rumor surveillance undertaken by WPRO during the first 40 days of the outbreak achieved its aims of 1) offering timely assistance to potentially affected nations, 2) prompting countries to undertake preparedness measures appropriate to their level of risk of being affected, and 3) informing the public and the international community about relevant events. WPRO designated a rumor surveillance officer to develop and implement the rumor surveillance system for avian influenza in animals and humans. This officer actively assessed media sources and email-based public health discussion and regularly contacted the WHO network to identify rumors. Media sources included journalists visiting WPRO and Web sites for television networks and newspapers. Most were English-based media sources; however, some were also in Japanese and Arabic. To increase the scope of the active media search, this officer also accessed the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (10), an electronic surveillance system that continuously monitors >600 media sources and biomedical journals in a number of languages, including Chinese, Spanish, English, and French. Each rumor was followed up by an email or a telephone request to the relevant WHO country office to investigate its veracity. The WHO country office in turn sought verification from the country’s health authorities. Overall, the onus of the verification process was in the hands of the affected countries’ health authorities. The authorities had to demonstrate to WHO that appropriate investigations were conducted to deem rumors correct or incorrect. To ensure this process, WHO sometimes supported rumor verification by assisting in laboratory testing or shipment of isolates. Once available, the outcome of the investigation was disseminated to WHO stakeholders, including the outbreak response team. For events reported in the media, WPRO’s media officers made information publicly available through press releases and media interviews, as well as providing up-to-date information on the WHO Web site (http://www.who.int). From January 20 to February 26, 2004, a total of 40 rumors were identified, most within 4 weeks of the outbreak alert (Figure). The rumors concerned 12 countries and 1 special administrative region. Of the total rumors received, 19 (48%) were received from the media, 18 (45%) from the WHO network, 2 (5%) from embassy staff living in affected countries, and 1 (2%) from ProMED Digest with a media source as the origin. Nine (23%) rumors were confirmed to be true events: 5 in China and 1 each in Cambodia, Japan, Laos, and South Korea. Of the incorrect rumors, 6 were in China, 6 in Laos, 4 in Vietnam, 4 and in Hong Kong, 3 in Cambodia, 2 in Germany, and 1 each in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. The average period for verification of true events was 2.7 days (range 1–5 days). The average period to verify that a rumor was incorrect was 9.3 days (range 1–26 days). Sixty percent of the rumors related to human outbreaks, of which 1 was true, and 40% to animal outbreaks, of which 8 were true. The Table provides examples of rumors received during the 40-day study, the outcomes of the investigation, and the public health action taken. The remaining 32 rumors are not shown for reasons of brevity and privacy; however, not all rumors resulted in public health action after the verification process. This finding was expected because the high sensitivity of the system decreased the predictive value positive. WPRO’s enhanced rumor surveillance system identified many rumors. Most were identified in the first few weeks after the public health alert. A similar pattern was also observed during the 2003 SARS outbreak, when most rumors were received within the first 7 weeks of the public health alert (11). The decreased rate of rumor detection later in the outbreak is consistent with Allport and Postman’s basic law of rumor (12). According to this law, the amount of rumors in circulation is roughly equal to the importance of the rumor multiplied by the uncertainty surrounding the rumor. We found that, as more information became available about the outbreaks and about the H5N1 virus, fewer rumors circulated. This decrease was despite the fact that the importance of the disease remained high because of the ongoing risk for evolution of a pandemic influenza strain. Through rumor surveillance, WHO assisted affected countries by issuing guidelines, providing technical expertise, and mobilizing supplies. Unaffected countries also took action by banning the importation of poultry from affected countries. This action was crucial in preventing the further spread of avian influenza. An important part of rumor surveillance is the timely dissemination of accurate information to reduce misunderstanding and unwarranted concern, especially for rumors reported in the media. One example was the need to address the international concern that arose about the rumor that pigs were infected with avian influenza (13). If the rumor had not been reported to be incorrect publicly after the verification process, health authorities may have heightened avian influenza surveillance to include the investigation of persons with symptoms of influenza and a history of contact with pigs. The literature lacks guidance on how to establish and operate enhanced rumor surveillance during large outbreaks. Based on our experience and drawing on the recommendations in standard texts on public health surveillance (14,15), we suggest the following criteria for developing rumor surveillance: 1) Define the goals of surveillance as part of an early warning system in which each rumor deserves investigation to determine its veracity; 2) Apply a case definition that will have a high level of sensitivity (and therefore a relatively lower specificity) to identify the event of interest early in the outbreak; 3) Articulate clearly the steps to be undertaken to assess the veracity of the rumor, the criteria for deeming the verification process complete, and the ethics and confidentiality in conducting investigations; 4) Clarify the actions to be taken if the rumored events are true, or incorrect, or if the response of the verifying authority lacks credibility; 5) Delegate responsibility for data collection, management of the rumor database, and verification to a person trained in surveillance. This person must have access to relevant national and international networks and appropriate negotiation skills to investigate the veracity of the rumors. In selected instances, multilingual staff may be essential; 6) Include among the data sources print and electronic media, the Global Public Health Intelligence Network, national health authorities, and professional bodies and networks. Consider mechanisms for the public to report rumors through a hotline or an email address; 7) Develop mechanisms to provide regular updates on current verification activities, the number of rumors investigated, and their outcomes to the outbreak response team; 8) Provide regular feedback on the outcomes of investigations to those who provided data, and where appropriate, to the international community; and 9) Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the investigations and upgrade the rumor surveillance system through a process of continuous quality improvement. Ms. Samaan is completing a field epidemiology training program at the Australian National University and is currently working at the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. Her research interests include emergency disease outbreak response and mental health epidemiology. We thank Roseanne Muller and Janet Li for their comments. This research was supported by the Masters of Applied Epidemiology Program at Australian National University. The Masters of Applied Epidemiology Program is funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. - World Health Organization. Avian influenza A (H5N1) in humans and poultry in Viet Nam. [cited 2003 May 14]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/don/2004_01_13/en/ - Yuen KY, Chan PK, Peiris M, Tsang DN, Que TL, Shortridge KF, Clinical features and rapid viral diagnosis of human disease associated with avian influenza H5N1 virus. Lancet. 1998;351:467–71. - Grein TW, Kamara KO, Rodier G, Plant AJ, Bovier P, Ryan MJ, Rumors of disease in the global village: outbreak verification. Emerg Infect Dis. 2000;6:97–102. - Health Canada. Learning from SARS: renewal of public health in Canada, October 2003. [cited 2003 May 14]. Available from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/protection/warnings/sars/learning.html - Rahu M. Health effects of the Chernobyl accident: fears, rumors and the truth. Eur J Cancer. 2003;39:295–9. - Okware SI, Omaswa FG, Zaramba S, Opio A, Lutwama JJ, Kamugisha J, An outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. Trop Med Int Health. 2002;7:1068–75. - World Health Organization. International health regulations: working paper for regional consultations. [cited 2004 Jun 21]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/csrpublications/en/index8.htm - World Organization for Animal Health. Update on avian influenza in animals in Asia. [cited 2004 May 15]. Available from http://www.oie.int/downld/AVIAN%20INFLUENZA/A_AI-Asia.htm - World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office. In brief. [cited 2004 Oct 6]. Available from http://www.wpro.who.int/in_brief.asp - World Health Organization. Epidemic intelligence—systematic event detection. [cited 2004 Oct 6]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/alertresponse/epidemicintelligence/en/ - Muller R. Chasing rumors: a field placement with the WHO SARS team in Manila April–June 2003. The Northern Territory Disease Control Bulletin 2003;10:1–4. Available from: http://www.nt.gov.au/health/cdc/bulletin/June_2003.pdf - Allport GW, Postman L. The psychology of rumor. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston; 1947. - Health e-line. Bird flu death toll hits 18, pigs in focus. Reuters Health Online. 2004 Feb 6. Available from http://www.nt.gov.au/health/cdc/bulletin - Teutsch SM, Churchill RE, eds. Principles and practice of public health surveillance. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2000. - Thacker SB, Birkhead GS. Surveillance. In: Gregg MB, editor. Field epidemiology. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2002. p. 26–50. Suggested citation for this article: Samaan G, Patel M, Olowokure B, Roces MC, Oshitani H, and the World Health Organization Outbreak Response Team. Rumor surveillance and avian influenza. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet] 2005 Mar [date cited]. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1103.040657 1WHO Western Pacific Region Team: Richard Brown, Maria Roces, Elizabeth Miranda, Peter Cordingley, Karen Shaw, Masahiro Ueno, Kumi Ueno, Lance Jennings, Akira Suzuki, Reiko Sato, Kevin Carroll, and Clara Witt. Comments to the Authors Lessons from the History of Quarantine, from Plague to Influenza A

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Datuk Lee Chong Wei vs Lin Dan in All-England 2011 Final Finally Datuk Lee Chong Wei 李宗伟 beat the Super Dan (Lin Dan 林丹)! It was awesome to see how Lee Chong Wei play in the games. Datuk Lee once again showed that he’s world no.1! Congrats! Datuk Lee won in 2 straight games 21-17, 21-17. Datuk Lee has finally overcome his fear and manage to control Lin Dan! Some even mention that why there’s no Public Holiday? But according to our PM’s @NajibRazak Twitter there’s no Public Holiday. Lolz. NajibRazak Mohd Najib Tun Razak Sorry tmrw not a public holiday. We have to rejoice in Chong Wei’s victory n at the same time work hard so that we have more victories. Source : @NajibRazak Twitter Check out the video footage on how Lee Chong Wei cleared the final shot to win the All England title against Lin Dan! This time Lin Dan cannot take off his shirt and do naked hip-hop dance but it’s our Malaysia Hero Datuk Lee that dance with his jersey and kissing on Malaysia flag! I just love his attitude! Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, please learn from your senior! PETALING JAYA: For the first time, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei truly felt on top of the world. Great win: A smiling Chong Wei holds aloft the coveted All-England men’s singles trophy. — AP Yesterday, Chong Wei showed who was the real boss on the court when he defeated his nemesis, Lin Dan of China, 21-17, 21-17 in a highly-charged 52-minute final to retain the All-England title. It was a priceless win and an ecstatic Chong Wei slumped to his knees in sheer delight before rising to the thunderous applause of the fans at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. It was the first time that Chong Wei had beaten Lin Dan to win a major title and the record between the two archrivals now stands at 7-18. With the win, too, Chong Wei reaffirmed his status as the world No. 1 and also hung on to the number one standing in the Super Series rankings. And Chong Wei also became the first Malaysian to retain the All-England title since Eddy Choong pulled off the feat in 1956 and 1957. But more importantly, the win yesterday showed that Chong Wei has the ability to come out of Lin Dan’s shadow and be a real challenger for the Olympic gold in London next year. Lin Dan, gunning for a second consecutive Premier Super Series title after nailing the first in South Korea, got off to a smashing start but it was not too long before Chong Wei got into the groove. Looking more confident and focused in his approach, Chong Wei piled up the pressure on the three-time world champion, often catching Lin Dan with his clever moves at the net and showing incredible defence to frustrate the Chinese. They were tied at 8-8 and at one stage Lin Dan was affected by a bad line call and it allowed Chong Wei to pull away to 17-10. Smashing finale: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei goes down on his knees to celebrate his victory over China’s Lin Dan at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham yesterday. — AFP But Lin Dan, who was ironically more interested in playing rallies than using his lethal attacking shots, fought back to 17-18. But that was as far as he went as Chong Wei snapped out of the spell to take the first game. The second game was even tighter as both tried to outfox each other with their tight net shots and super fast counter attacks until they were tied at 17-17. Instead of buckling under pressure like he used to before, a cool and composed Chong Wei romped home to take four points in a row to land himself a third title of the year after victories at the Super Series Masters Finals in Taiwan and Malaysia Open in January. National coach Rashid Sidek hailed Chong Wei’s achievement as a big breakthrough. “He played a superb game and was able to overcome the psychological barrier against Lin Dan,” he said in a telephone interview. “He not only handle the challenge from Lin Dan well but he also executed excellent counter attacks to pressure Lin Dan. That to me is a big improvement. “Today, Lin Dan was making most of the mistakes and he was unable to kill some of Chong Wei’s shots. Chong Wei, on the other hand, maintained a consistent pace. “Chong Wei has always been criticised for winning the small tournaments. But this time, he defeated Lin Dan for a big one.” Source : TheStar

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Bright World Enterprise Ltd. is a Hong Kong based investment company founded in 1992. Bright World has operations in Hong Kong, Beijing and Kuwait. We focus on investments throughout Greater China, Asia Pacific and the Middle-east. Our portfolio companies encompass power generation & Engineering, energy commodity, and renewable resources. In Power Generation and Engineering, Brighten Power (a wholly-owned subsidiary) is in partnership with Sino Material (Sinoma), a China state-owned engineering company, on large-scale power and engineering projects around the World. In Energy Commodity, SBE International (a wholly-owned subsidiary) provides steam coal to China; sourcing from Sotheast Asia and Australia. We have a long-term coal supply partnership with Huaneng Power, one of the largest power producers and state-owned enterprises in China with 100,350 MW total installed capacity. In Renewable Resources, Bright World Innovative Resources (a subsidiary) is based in Hong Kong with branches in China, Kuwait and Malaysia. BIR specializes in handling municipal wastes and industrial surplus. We offer a wide range of services, from waste management services, equipment disintegration and sales of Recyclable products. Copyright 2013 Bright World Enterprise Ltd. All rights reserved.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://brightworldgroup.com/

2013-05-23T18:52:40Z

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en

02 October 2010, Saturday –After our overnight stay in Penang Island via a short but restful sleep at Tune Hotels in Burma Road, 2 of my friends and I checked out at around 10AM and walked toward New World Plaza which is a stone-throw away. It was a hands-down decision to try and eat breakfast at OLD TOWN... My wife knows how breakfast is so important to me. I cannot function fully when my stomach is empty. I need power breakfast or at least a warm cup of coffee. And so when my 2 housemate-colleague-friends and I headed to Old Town, I was silently jumping for joy like a kid for finally, I’ll get to try their goodies. I ordered ROTI KUKUS KAYA and MENTEGA or KAYA and BUTTER STEAMED BREAD, RM 4.20 (PhP 58.80) Other than dimsum and dumplings, I haven’t eaten other stuffs direct from a steaming basket, have you? This makes this bread fascinating; they’re one of the softest and a sure must-try when you’re in the region. The combination of kaya (that tastes like mildly sweet coco-jam) and butter is just perfect. As you may know now, I’m a coffee person, so I didn’t let the chance pass without sampling OLD TOWN WHITE COFFEE, RM 3.50 (PhP 49), hot also available for cold at RM 3.90 (PhP 54. 60). It’s neither that bitter nor too sweet; was fine for me. Other than coffee, I wanted something to further warm my tummy. So we asked the wait staff her recommendation; like the best seller from Old Town; she pointed in a blink the first page of the menu… HOR FUN (KWEOY TEOW HALUS) AYAM IPOH or OLD TOWN IPOH CHICKEN HOR FUN, RM 7.50 (PhP 105). Doc Ronnie and I ordered the Hor Fun and it was indeed comforting. I like the fresh flavor of prawns infused to the soup. We both like anything with prawns, actually. While Doc Alvin got himself CHICKEN BARBECUE RICE; however he was told that Ayam BBQ (ayam=chicken) is finished (yes, they use the verb “finished” frequently, like I hear it more than 3x daily) so he opted to have the white chicken toppings and preferred noodles instead of rice. His order came with a fried dumpling soup and he got himself a tall glass of cold chocolate drink. Solb! After our satiating breakfast at Old Town, we walked through Burma Road and reached an Indian-owned shop for clothes called Kamdar where we bought some pairs of pants and denims at cheap prices. In the afternoon, we went again to Queensbay Mall to shop for much needed-grocery supplies and finally headed home before dusk. Although I am seriously missing my usual choices for breakfast like tuyo, daing, itlog na pula, danggit, HOTDOGS and BACON STRIPS, LONGGANISA and TOCINO, with diversity of cultures and religions here in Malaysia, food variety is as wide as you can ever imagine.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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en

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |Centuries:||18th century – 19th century – 20th century| |Decades:||1840s 1850s 1860s – 1870s – 1880s 1890s 1900s| |Years:||1874 1875 1876 – 1877 – 1878 1879 1880| |1877 in topic:| |Archaeology – Architecture – Art – Literature – Music| |Australia – Canada – France – Germany – Mexico – Philippines – South Africa – US – UK| |Rail Transport – Science – Sports| |Lists of leaders| |Colonial Governors – State leaders| |Birth and death categories| |Births – Deaths| |Establishments and disestablishments categories| |Establishments – Disestablishments| |Ab urbe condita||2630| |British Regnal year||40 Vict. 1 – 41 Vict. 1| — to —丁丑年十一月廿七日 |- Vikram Samvat||1933–1934| |- Shaka Samvat||1799–1800| |- Kali Yuga||4978–4979| |- Ǹrí Ìgbò||877–878| |Japanese calendar||Meiji 10 |Juche calendar||N/A (before 1912)| |Julian calendar||Gregorian minus 12 days| |Minguo calendar||35 before ROC |Thai solar calendar||2420| |Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 1877| Year 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. - January 1 – Queen Victoria is proclaimed Empress of India by the Royal Titles Act 1876, introduced by Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom . - January 8 – American Indian Wars – Battle of Wolf Mountain: Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle with the United States Cavalry in Montana. - January 20 – The Conference of Constantinople ends with Ottoman Turkey rejecting proposals of internal reform and Balkan provisions. - January 29 – The Satsuma Rebellion, a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government. The Rebellion lasted until September of that year. - February 12 – Louis Renault, founder of Renault, is born in Paris, France. - March – The Nineteenth Century magazine is founded in London. - March 2 – In the Compromise of 1877, the U.S. presidential election, 1876 is resolved with the selection of Rutherford B. Hayes as the winner, even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876. - March 4 - March 15 – 1877 Australia v. England series: The first Test cricket match is held between England and Australia. - March 24 – For the only time in history, the Boat Race between the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford is declared a "dead heat" (i.e. a draw). - April 12 – The United Kingdom annexes the South African Republic, violating the Sand River Convention of 1852 causing a new Xhosa War. - April 24 – Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878: the Russian Empire declares war on the Ottoman Empire. - May 5 – American Indian Wars: Sitting Bull leads his band of Lakota into Canada to avoid harassment by the United States Army under Colonel Nelson Miles. - May 6 – Realizing that his people are weakened by cold and hunger, Chief Crazy Horse of the Oglala Sioux surrenders to United States troops in Nebraska. - May 8–11 – At Gilmore's Gardens in New York City, the first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is held. - May 16 – The May 16, 1877 political crisis occurs in France. - May 21 – (May 9 O.S.) – By a speech in the Parliament of Romania by Mihail Kogălniceanu, the country declares itself independent from the Ottoman Empire (recognized in 1878 after the end of the Romanian independence war). - June 15 – Henry Ossian Flipper becomes the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy. - June 17 – American Indian Wars – Battle of White Bird Canyon: The Nez Perce defeat the U.S. Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in the Idaho Territory. - June 21 – The Molly Maguires are hanged at Carbon County Prison in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. - June 26 – The eruption of Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador causes severe mudflows that wipe out surrounding cities and valleys, killing 1,000. - June 30 – The British Mediterranean fleet is sent to Besika Bay. - July 9 – The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club begins its first lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon. - July 16 – Great railroad strike of 1877: Riots by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad railroad workers in Baltimore, Maryland lead to a sympathy strike and rioting in Pittsburgh, and a full-scale worker's rebellion in St. Louis, briefly establishing a Communist government before U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes calls in the armed forces. - July 19 – Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878: The first battle in the Siege of Plevna is fought. - July 30 – The second battle in the Siege of Plevna is fought. - August 9 – American Indian Wars – Battle of Big Hole: Near Big Hole River in Montana, a small band of Nez Perce people who refuse government orders to move to a reservation, clash with the United States Army. The United States Army loses 29 soldiers and the indians lose 89 warriors in an Army victory. - August 11 – Asaph Hall discovers Deimos, the outer moon of Mars. - August 18 – Asaph Hall discovers Phobos, the inner moon of Mars. - September 1 – The Battle of Lovcha, third battle in the Siege of Plevna, is fought. Russian forces successfully reduce the Ottoman fortress at Lovcha. - September 5 – American Indian Wars: Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse is bayoneted by a United States soldier, after resisting confinement in a guardhouse at Fort Robinson in Nebraska. - September 22 – Treaty 7 is concluded between several mainly Blackfoot First Nations tribes and the Canadian Confederation at the Blackfoot Crossing of the Bow River, settling the Blackfoot on Indian reserves in what will become southern Alberta. - October 22 – The Blantyre mining disaster in Scotland kills 207 miners. - November 14 – Henrik Ibsen's first contemporary realist drama The Pillars of Society is premièred at the Odense Teater. - November 21 – Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record sound, considered Edison's first great invention. Edison demonstrates the device for the first time on November 29. - November 22 – The first college lacrosse game is played between New York University and Manhattan College. - December 9 – The fourth battle of the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878 is fought, concluding the Siege of Plevna. - December 14 – Serbia restates its previous declaration of war against Turkey. Date unknown - A professionally led army of draftees crushes a major rebellion by feudal elements protesting the loss of their privileges in Japan. - Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina is published complete in book form in Moscow. - January 2 – Slava Raskaj, Croatian painter (d. 1906) - February 4 – Eddie Cochems, Father of the Forward Pass in American football (d. 1953) - February 7 – G. H. Hardy, British mathematician (d. 1947) - February 14 – Edmund Landau, German mathematician (d. 1938) - February 17 – André Maginot, French politician (d. 1932) - February 19 – Gabriele Münter, German painter (d. 1962) - February 25 – Erich von Hornbostel, Austrian musicologist (d. 1935) - March 2 – Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough (d. 1964) - March 4 - March 16 – Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran (d. 1944) - March 18 – Edgar Cayce, American psychic (d. 1945) - March 21 – Maurice Farman, French pilot and aircraft designer (d. 1964) - March 25 – Walter Little, Canadian politician (d. 1961) - March 29 – Alois Kayser, German missionary (d. 1944) - April 30 – Alice B. Toklas, American writer (d. 1967) - May 3 – Karl Abraham, German psychoanalyst (d. 1925) - May 23 – Grace Ingalls, youngest sister of author Laura Ingalls Wilder (d. 1941) - May 24 – Samuel W. Bryant, American admiral (d. 1938) - May 27 – Isadora Duncan, American dancer (d. 1927) - June 4 – Heinrich Otto Wieland, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1957) - June 7 – Charles Glover Barkla, English physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1944) - June 11 – Renée Vivien, British poet who wrote in French (d. 1909) - June 12 – Thomas C. Hart, American admiral and politician (d. 1971) - June 14 – Jane Bathori, French opera singer (d. 1970) - July 2 – Hermann Hesse, German-born writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1962) - July 3 – Shafiqah Shasha (شفيقة شعشع), Lebanese-Australian matriarch (d. 1953) - July 6 – Arnaud Massy, French golfer (d. 1950) - July 13 – Erik Scavenius, Prime Minister of Denmark (d. 1962) - July 17 – Ernst von Dohnányi, Hungarian conductor (d. 1960) - July 19 – Arthur Fielder, English cricketer (d. 1949) - August 1 – Charlotte Hughes (née Milburn), the longest-lived person ever documented in the United Kingdom (d. 1993) - August 6 – Wallace H. White, Jr., U.S. Senator from Maine (d. 1952) - August 7 – Ulrich Salchow, Swedish figure skater (d. 1949) - August 15 – Stanley Vestal, American writer, poet, historian (d. 1957) - August 16 – Roque Ruaño, Spanish priest-civil engineer (d. 1935) - August 22 – Ananda Coomaraswamy, philosopher (d. 1947) - August 27 - August 29 – Dudley Pound, British admiral (d. 1943) - September 1 – Francis William Aston, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1945) - September 2 – Frederick Soddy, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1956) - September 6 – Buddy Bolden, American jazz musician (d. 1930) - September 26 – Alfred Cortot, Swiss pianist (d. 1962) - October 4 – Razor Smith, English cricketer (d. 1946) - October 15 – Helen Ware, American stage & film actress (d. 1939) - October 27 – George Thompson, English cricketer (d. 1943) - October 29 – Narcisa de Leon, Filipino film mogul (d. 1966) - November 2 – Claire McDowell, American silent film actress (d. 1966) - November 9 – Allama Iqbal, Indian philosopher, one of the profound founding fathers of the Muslims of India (d. 1938) - November 15 – William Hope Hodgson, English author (d. 1918) - November 17 – Frank Lahm, Brigadier General USAF, airship pilot, early military aviator trained by the Wright Brothers (d. 1963) - November 22 - November 24 - December 3 – Richard Pearse, New Zealand airplane pioneer (d. 1953) - December 24 – Sigrid Schauman, Finnish painter (d. 1979) - January 2 – Alexander Bain, Scottish inventor (b. 1811) - January 4 – Cornelius Vanderbilt, American entrepreneur (b. 1794) - January 20 – Dato Maharajalela Lela, Malay nationalist. - February 20 – Louis M. Goldsborough, United States Navy admiral (b. 1805) - March 1 – Antoni Patek, Polish watchmaker (b. 1811) - March 24 – Walter Bagehot, British businessman, essayist and journalist (b. 1826) - May 26 – Kido Takayoshi, Japanese statesman (b. 1833) - June 3 - June 22 – John R. Goldsborough, United States Navy commodore (b. 1809) - July 16 &ndash Samuel McLean, American congressman (b. 1826 - July 27 – John Frost, British Chartist leader (b. 1784) - August 8 – William Lovett, British Chartist leader (b. 1800) - August 29 – Brigham Young, American Mormon leader (b. 1801) - August 30 – Raphael Semmes, American and Confederate naval officer (b.1809) - September 2 – Constantine Kanaris, Greek politician (b. 1795) - September 3 – Adolphe Thiers, French historian and politician (b. 1797) - September 5 – Crazy Horse, Oglala Sioux chief (b. 1849) - September 17 – William Fox Talbot, English photographer (b. 1800) - September 24 – Saigō Takamori, samurai (b. 1827) - October 3 – James Roosevelt Bayley, first Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, and the eighth Archbishop of Baltimore (b. 1814) - October 16 – Théodore Barrière, French dramatist (b. 1823) - October 29 – Nathan Bedford Forrest, American Confederate Civil War General - November 2 – Friedrich Graf von Wrangel, Prussian field marshal (b. 1784) - December 12 – José de Alencar, Brazilian novelist (b. 1829) - December 31 – Gustave Courbet, French painter (b. 1819) - Everett, Jason M., ed. (2006). "1877". The People's Chronology. Thomson Gale. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-26. - Bruce, Robert V. (1959). 1877: Year of Violence. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. - Hanssen, Jens-Morten (2001-08-10). "Facts about Pillars of Society". Ibsen.net. Retrieved 2013-02-08.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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Modelling The Relationships Between US And Selected Asian Stock Markets. Ismail , Mohd Tahir and Abdul Rahman, Rosmanjawati Modelling The Relationships Between US And Selected Asian Stock Markets. Working Paper. Universiti Sains Malaysia. It is well known that many countries around the world depend on the US as their major trade partner. As a result, if something does happen to US economy it surely will affect the economy of all these countries. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the US and four Asian emerging stock markets namely Hong Kong, India, South Korea and Malaysia using monthly data between 1996 and 2008. We are going to use two approaches to model the relationship. Repository Staff Only: item control page

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://eprints.usm.my/11348/

2013-05-23T18:45:10Z

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en

Teoh, Chin Yew (2008) Two-dimensional barcodes for hardcopy document integrity verification. Masters thesis, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Computer Science and Information System. Restricted to Repository staff only PDF (Table Of Content) PDF (1st Chapter) Although we live in an electronic age, it cannot be denied that hardcopy documents are still needed in our life, such as land titles, application forms and contracts. However, document forgery is still happening. Forgery makes a document lose its integrity. Integrity means the assurance that the information is authentic and complete. This study proposes a simple, fast and efficient system that provides integrity protection to hardcopy documents. The Integrity Verification System uses two-dimensional barcodes to store integrity information of a document that improves integrity protection of the document. Two-dimensional barcodes have high data capacity and error correction capability. The integrity information stored in the barcode consists of the text content of the document, a timestamp and a tracking number. The timestamp is used to prove that a page is created at a certain period, whereas tracking number is used as an identification number of a document that is created by a user. However, before all these values are encoded into the barcode, they are hashed to enhance the security of the document. In addition, data compression is used in order to efficiently use the storage space of the barcode. The recipient of the document is able to verify the integrity of the document by first scanning the document. The scanned image is then converted to text using an optical character recognition (OCR) module. The text content is then compared with the integrity information encoded in the barcode. If there is any disparity, it means that the document has been tempered. Besides that, data compression techniques and two-dimensional barcodes are also analyzed. The system design is also explained to facilitate the understanding of the system operation. All the techniques in the system are organized into functional modules that build up as the system architecture. This modular structure is useful when there is any upgrading in the future. The particular module can be replaced to improve the system. The Integrity Verification System is an Add-In for Microsoft Office Word 2007 developed using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition and Microsoft .NET Framework Version 3.5. The system is tested on a permanent test bed to ensure consistent results. The verification testing tests whether the system is capable of verifying a document’s integrity, whereas the modification detection tests whether the system is capable of detecting forgery. The test results are then analyzed and discussed to clearly outline the system’s capability in providing integrity verification services. Results has shown that grayscale images cause less OCR recognition error compared to black/white images and the barcode is high resistant to damage. This study has shown that the integrity verification of a hardcopy document can be performed with the use of two-dimensional barcode. Further studies on better data compression techniques, error correction capabilities of the barcode and other barcode standards can be conducted. The system can also be enhanced with password protection through software or administrator control. |Item Type:||Thesis (Masters)| |Additional Information:||Supervisor : Assoc. Prof. Mazleena Salleh| |Uncontrolled Keywords:||hardcopy documents, forgery, integrity protection| |Subjects:||Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science| |Divisions:||Computer Science and Information System| |Deposited By:||Ms Zalinda Shuratman| |Deposited On:||24 Nov 2009 01:50| |Last Modified:||03 Sep 2012 05:11| Repository Staff Only: item control page

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://eprints.utm.my/9467/

2013-05-23T18:52:12Z

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en

The characteristic features of the climate of Malaysia are uniform temperature, high humidity and copious rainfall and they arise from the maritime exposure of the country. Winds are generally light. Situated at the equatorial doldrum area, it is extremely rare to have a full day with completely clear sky even in periods of severe drought. On the other hand, it is also rare to have a stretch of a few days with completely no sunshine except during the northeast monsoon seasons. Wind flow in Malaysia Though the wind over the country is generally light and variable, there are, however, some uniform periodic changes in the wind flow patterns. Based on these changes, four seasons can be distinguished, namely, the southwest monsoon, northeast monsoon and two shorter inter monsoon seasons. The southwest monsoon is usually established in the later half of May or early June and ends in September. The prevailing wind flow is generally south westerly and light, below 15 knots. The northeast monsoon usually commences in early November and ends in March. During this season, steady easterly or north-easterly winds of 10 to 20 knots prevail. The more severely affected areas are the east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia where the wind may reach 30 knots or more during periods of intense surges of cold air from the north (cold surges). The winds during the two inter monsoon seasons are generally light and variable. During these seasons, the equatorial trough lies over It is worth mentioning that during the months of April to November, when typhoons frequently develop over the west Pacific and move westwards across the Philippines, south-westerly winds over the northwest coast of Sabah and Sarawak region may strengthen reaching 20 knots or more. As Malaysia is mainly a maritime country, the effect of land and sea breezes on the general wind flow pattern is very marked especially over days with clear skies. On bright sunny afternoons, sea breezes of 10 to 15 knots very often develop and reach up to several tens of kilometre inland. On clear nights, the reverse process takes place and land breezes of weaker strength can also develop over the The seasonal wind flow patterns coupled with the local topographic features determine the rainfall distribution patterns over the country. During the northeast monsoon season, the exposed areas like the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Western Sarawak and the northeast coast of Sabah experiences heavy rain spells. On the other hand, inland areas or areas which are sheltered by mountain ranges are relatively free from its influence. It is best to describe the rainfall distribution of the country according to seasons. Seasonal Rainfall Variation in Peninsular Malaysia The seasonal variation of rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia is of three main types: (a) Over the east coast districts, November, December and January are the months with maximum rainfall, while June and July are the driest months in most districts. (b) Over the rest of the Peninsula with the exception of the southwest coastal area, the monthly rainfall pattern shows two periods of maximum rainfall separated by two periods of minimum rainfall. The primary maximum generally occurs in October - November while the secondary maximum generally occurs in April - May. Over the north-western region, the primary minimum occurs in January - February with the secondary minimum in June - July while elsewhere the primary minimum occurs in June - July with the secondary minimum (c) The rainfall pattern over the southwest coastal area is much affected by early morning "Sumatras" from May to August with the result that the double maxima and minima pattern is no longer discernible. October and November are the months with maximum rainfall and February the month with minimum rainfall. The March - April - May maximum and the June -July minimum are absent or Seasonal Rainfall Variation in Sabah and Sarawak The seasonal variation of rainfall in Sabah and Sarawak can be five main types: (a) The coastal areas of Sarawak and northeast Sabah experience a rainfall regime of one maximum and one minimum. While the maximum occurs during January in both areas, the occurrence of the minimum differs. In the coastal areas of Sarawak, the minimum occurs in June or July while in the northeast coastal areas of Sabah, it occurs in April. Under this regime, much of the rainfall is received during the northeast monsoon months of December to March. In fact, it accounts for more than half of the annual rainfall received on the western part of Sarawak. (b) Inland areas of Sarawak generally experience quite evenly distributed annual rainfall. Nevertheless, slightly less rainfall is received during the period June to August which corresponds to the occurrence of prevailing south-westerly winds. It must be pointed out that the highest annual rainfall area in Malaysia may well be found in the hill slopes of inland Sarawak areas. Long Akah, by virtue of its location, receives a mean annual rainfall of more than 5000 mm. (c) The northwest coast of Sabah experiences a rainfall regime of which two maxima and two minima can be distinctly identified. The primary maximum occurs in October and the secondary one in June. The primary minimum occurs in February and the secondary one in August. While the difference in the rainfall amounts received during the two months corresponding to the two maxima is small, the amount received during the month of the primary minimum is substantially less than that received during the month of the secondary minimum. In some areas, the difference is as much as four times. (d) In the central parts of Sabah where the land is hilly and sheltered by mountain ranges, the rainfall received is relatively lower than other regions and is evenly distributed. However, two maxima and two minima can be noticed, though somewhat less distinct. In general, the two minima occur in February and August while the two maxima occur in May and October. (e) Southern Sabah has evenly distributed rainfall. The annual rainfall total received is comparable to the central part of Sabah. The period February to April is, however slightly drier than the rest of the year. Being an equatorial country, Malaysia has uniform temperature throughout the year. The annual variation is less than 2°C except for the east coast areas of Peninsular Malaysia which are often affected by cold surges originating from Siberia during the northeast monsoon. Even there, the annual variation is below 3°C. The daily range of temperature is large, being from 5°C to 10°C at the coastal stations and from 8°C to 12°C at the inland stations but the excessive day temperatures which are found in continental tropical areas are never experienced. It may be noted that air temperature of 38°C has very rarely been recorded in Malaysia. Although the days are frequently hot, the nights are reasonably cool Although the seasonal and spatial temperature variations are relatively small, they are nevertheless fairly definite in some respects and are worthy of mention. Over the whole Peninsula, there is a definite variation of temperature with the monsoons and this is accentuated in the east coast districts. April and May are the months with the highest average monthly temperature in most places and December and January are the months with the lowest average monthly temperature. The average daily temperature in most districts to the east of the Main Range is lower than that of the corresponding districts west of the Main Range. The differences in the average values in the east and the west are due almost entirely to the low day temperatures experienced in the eastern districts during the northeast monsoon as a result of rain and greater cloud cover. At Kuala Terengganu, for example, the day temperature rarely reaches 32°C during the northeast monsoon and often fails to reach 27°C. A number of occasions have been recorded on which the temperature did not rise above 24°C which is quite frequently the lowest temperature reached during the night in most districts. Night temperatures do not vary to the same extent, the average usually being between21°C to 24°C. Individual values can fall much below this at nearly all stations, the coolest nights commonly follow some of the hottest days. As mentioned earlier, Malaysia has high humidity. The mean monthly relative humidity falls within 70to 90%, varying from place to place and from month to month. For any specific area, the range of the mean monthly relative humidity varies from a minimum of 3% to a maximum of about 15%. In Peninsular Malaysia, the minimum range of mean relative humidity varies from a low 84% in February to a high of only 88% in November. The maximum range is found in the northwest area of the Peninsula (Alor Setar) where the mean relative humidity varies from a low of 72% in February to a high of 87%. It is observed that in Peninsular Malaysia, the minimum relative humidity is normally found in the months of January and February except for the east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu which have the minimum in March. The maximum is however generally found in the month of November. As in the case of temperature, the diurnal variation of relative humidity is much greater as compared to the annual variation. The mean daily minimum can be as low as 42% during the dry months and reaches as high as 70% during the wet months. The mean daily maximum, however, does not vary much from place to place and is at no place falls below 94%. It may reach as high as nearly 100%. Again, the northwest states of Kedah and Perlis have the largest diurnal variation of relative humidity. Sunshine and Solar Radiation Being a maritime country close to the equator, Malaysia naturally has abundant sunshine and thus solar radiation. However, it is extremely rare to have a full day with completely clear sky even in periods of severe drought. The cloud cover cuts off a substantial amount of sunshine and thus solar radiation. On the average, Malaysia receives about 6 hours of sunshine per day. There are, however, seasonal and spatial variations in the amount of sunshine received. Alor Setar and Kota Bharu receive about 7 hours per day of sunshine while Kuching receives only 5 hours on the average. On the extreme, Kuching receives only an average of 3.7 hours per day in the month of January. On the other end of the scale, Alor Setar receives a maximum of 8.7 hours per day on the average in the same Solar radiation is closely related to the sunshine duration. Its seasonal and spatial variations are thus very much the same as in the case of sunshine. Source - Malaysia Meteorological Service information - details -

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://go2travelmalaysia.com/tour_malaysia/weather.htm

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There is a place where the distance from home seems shorter and the differences seem smaller. Where stylish apartment living and premier hotel services blend seamlessly. Book Now Unlike other Kuala Lumpur serviced apartment booking sites that stand between you and the serviced apartments collecting a commission and delaying your enquiry as long as 48 hours, AsiaXPAT immediately sends your enquiry to the serviced apartments management so you can obtain the best possible rental rates quickly. Many Kuala Lumpur serviced apartments have special offers that are only available by contacting them directly by telephone or email. AsiaXPAT's Request Serviced Apartments Special Offers allows you to quickly contact all serviced apartments in Kuala Lumpur within your budget to request their best deals! Please complete this form to request special offers direct from Kuala Lumpur serviced apartments. Please click the serviced apartment name to visit these Kuala Lumpur Serviced Apartments web sites: No. 1, Jalan Nagasari, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 51 Jalan Tiong Nam, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Central Business District, Singapore KH Tower, Jalan Punchak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia No 8 Lorong Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia No 9 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Menara Maplelee, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 222 Jalan Ampan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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An overview of a strike by the syndicalist union Workers Initiative, at a contract manufacturing plant in Poland that produces components for the Korean electronics multinational, LG. An electronics factory in a special economic zone, low wages, long working hours, hire-and-fire labor contracts – what we primarily hear from China, Malaysia, or Mexico, happens about 350 kilometers from Berlin, Germany, too. On Saturday a group of Polish activists were arrested in Frankfurt (Oder) just because they were Polish antifascists. That day, German Nazis wanted to organize demonstration against Polish immigrants. The counter demonstration is supported both by workers, leftists and religious groups. Even the mayor of the town gave “support” to the demonstration. But the true about this “support” is a bit different. “Mothers’ Strike” is a documentary that portrays the living conditions of the striking women in Walbrzych, Poland in 2010, their struggle against local authorities, conflicts with welfare institutions and their attempts at self-organizing. The following text was written in summer 2011 by some of those behind the documentary: Short news about protest which changed into Fascist event. 26th of August in front of the Syrian embassy two demonstrations took place. The first one was organized by Syrian embassy and its goal was to record it and show in pro-Syrian government that whole world supports Al-Assad. That is why Syrians who live in Warsaw prepared second demonstration to drown the first one. Polish police victimize activists who protests against housing politics and neonazi violence. At the same moment gangsters associated with Palikot's Movement terrorize tenants. Woman was evicted from her house, one of Evict Activists arrested and beaten in a police car. Early in the morning, police vans parked all around the building where Mrs. E. lives. She has been struggling with her living place, where they did not recognize her right to tenancy because she divorced from the person who originally was living there. Despite the fact that she continued to live there alone for 22 years, paying rent, they notified her that they wanted to evict her. E. A look at the military camps in southern Poland organised by the far right, which were recently responsible for the murder of two students. The most dramatic result of the existence of such camps, is the death of two students from Wrocław: Anna Kembrowska and Robert Odżga. These two people went for a trip to Góry Stołowe. They left their home town on the 15th of August 1997 and were going to with other students who had organized their camp. After two days, contact with them was lost. In the past few months, a struggle of dozens of workers has taken place at the Chinese Chung Hong Electronics factory, a supplier of LG in a Polish Special Economic Zone in Kobierzyce near Wroclaw. Workers entered the collective labor dispute with a series of demands: a wage increase, the restoration of the social fund, the reduction of the annual overtime limit, the restoration of free transport for workers etc. As no agreement was reached between the employer and employees, workers carried out a strike referendum, and the strike was supported by a majority of workers. The employer refused all demands, and industrial action was organized according to the Polish labor law – despite of its weaknesses like a long procedure that in reality stifles workers' unrest. Brogans Irish Pub is one of the two pubs which belong to Maciej Witzberg, Polish neofascist who attacked squat Rozbrat last time. Everything happened in May. After march of Witold Pilecki, Polish soldier who tried to organize resistance in Auschwitz a group of 20 neofascists attacked squat Rozbrat where public cultural event for children was taking place.

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"Kissine offers a new theory of speech acts which is philosophically sophisticated and builds on work in cognitive science, formal semantics, and linguistic typology. This highly readable, brilliant essay is a major contribution to the field." Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 12:02:10 +0100 From: Cornelia Tschichold <Cornelia.Tschichold@unine.ch> Subject: World Englishes AUTHORS: Melchers, Gunnel; Shaw, Philip TITLE: World Englishes SERIES: The English Language Series PUBLISHER: Arnold YEAR: 2003 Cornelia Tschichold, Institute of English, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland INTRODUCTION This book is a recent addition to the growing number of textbooks on varieties of English around the world. In the preface, the two authors, both from Stockholm University, describe the intended audience of the book as readers familiar with the basics of linguistics and phonetics, thus typically undergraduate students after their first year at a department of English, with English either as their native or a second or foreign language. The book has an accompanying CD, which is sold separately and therefore does not figure in this review. SYNOPSIS Chapter 1 is a very short chapter on the history of English from 450 to the beginnings of Modern English. The development of the language is illustrated mainly through the most accessible aspect, its loanwords. Chapter 2 covers the more recent history of English, when the language spread around the globe, first to the so- called 'inner circle' countries, later to the 'outer circle' and finally to the 'expanding circle'. This three- circle model by Kachru is adopted as the organizing principle for the book. The chapter also introduces the distinction often made between English as a second and English as a foreign language, while drawing attention to the problems of terminology and those of differing political viewpoints involved. Chapter 3 discusses basic terms in language variation and provides the framework for the classification and description of the many varieties discussed in chapters 4 to 6. The authors divide variation into the areas of spelling, phonology, grammar and lexicon, and give a brief overview of the main types of variation in each area. For the description of phonology, Wells' standard lexical sets are introduced. The section on rhythm and intonation explains the concept of stress-times vs. syllable-timed rhythm and mentions high-rising terminals as the most striking phenomena in the area of intonation. The sections on lexis and on the historical origin of varieties introduce a large number of technical terms such as 'heteronymy' or 'substratum'. Other dimensions of classification mentioned include the political stance of some of the more prominent authors in the field, the degree of standardization for varieties and for texts, and the position of a country in the three-circle model. Chapter 4 portrays the inner circle varieties of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Liberia and the Caribbean. With some exceptions, each of these sections follows the pattern of first giving a brief overview of geography and population, then an account of the general linguistic situation, before the variety itself is described in terms of spelling, phonology, grammar and lexicon. Where appropriate, important internal varieties are briefly touched on as well, such as the main differences between Southern and Northern dialects in England, the two ethnic varieties African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and Chicano English in the USA, and Aboriginal English in Australia. Chapter 5 opens with a discussion of the political questions of language prestige and then tries to identify some common linguistic features of the varieties spoken in these countries. Among the features mentioned are consonant cluster and vowel system simplifications, a trend away from clearly stress-timed rhythm, and more syntactic variety. The countries in this chapter are then discussed in geographical groups, following a similar pattern to that in chapter 4, but giving rather more historical background and extra sections on style and pragmatics. The first variety is South Asian English, with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as its main countries. The second major variety is African English, with South Africa making a second appearance due to its higher number of speakers who have English as a second language. Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore are dealt with in the group of countries where South East Asian English is spoken. The last section in this chapter very briefly deals with a number of countries with a colonial past: Gibraltar, Malta, and Cyprus in the Mediterranean, Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, the Seychelles and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Guam in the Pacific, without however giving linguistic descriptions of the English spoken there. Chapter 6 abandons the geographical perspective in favour of the functions English can be seen to have taken over in the expanding circle from the 18th century onwards. Among the domains where English is making inroads the authors mention global politics and economy, tourism, the education system, the mass media and popular culture, advertising and subcultures. On the more strictly linguistic level, the authors see no trend toward standardization, and argue instead that speakers of lingua franca English need a high communicative competence for dealing with the mixture of non-standard features and the large amount of pragmatic variation found in much intercultural communication. The authors then briefly consider the influence of English on the local languages and the choices involved in choosing a variety of English for education. In Chapter 7, Melchers and Shaw take a look at the likely developments in the near future and identify US power, globalization and information technology as the most important factors favouring the further spread of English across the globe. They posit that the high visibility of unedited English found in computer-mediated communication could have a destandardizing effect on international English, but that the still considerable influence of the school systems might counterbalance this trend. Finally, Appendix 1 gives a list of the speakers on the accompanying CD, and Appendix 2 contains a number of pre- and post-reading questions for each chapter. CRITICAL EVALUATION Everyone teaching a course on the varieties of English around the world probably has their own idea of what the ideal textbook for such a course should cover. One of the authors has taught just such a course for many years, and the book under review is proof of this. Many sections read more like lightly edited lecture notes than a textbook meant to be studied by undergraduate students. The authors include a number of anecdotes in the text, a feature that often works well in class, but much less well in a textbook, and they have the rather irritating habit of writing one-sentence paragraphs, something which many university teachers try to eradicate from their students' essays. It is clear that balancing the content of such a short book is a difficult task, and the authors should be praised for trying to combine most of the relevant sociolinguistic aspects with a large number of linguistic descriptions of individual varieties in a relatively small book. Apart from the style, most of my criticism therefore relates to details of content. A number of sections in the book seem to be the result of compromises of various kinds: One might argue, for example, about the usefulness of a very short chapter on the roots of English, or whether such a a book is the best place for contemplating the influence of English on other languages via borrowing. Possibly these pages might have been put to better use. One of my quibbles concerns the notoriously difficult problem of the translations or glosses, which have not received the necessary attention to detail. Dialectal variation is illustrated with a Geordie poem ("A hev gorra bairn / an a hev gorra wife / an a cannit see me bairn or wife / workin in the night"), where the word 'gorra' is claimed to stand for the local pronunciation of 'got to' (p.13). Generally, the maps in the book are often not very useful as they do not show all areas mentioned in the text and do not distinguish between cities and provinces. To give just one example, among the dialects of England discussed in the text are those of Leeds, Derby, West Wirral and Norwich, but only Leeds can be found on one of the maps. One might also wonder about the necessity of listing statistics on area, population and capital for the countries discussed, given that such data can easily be found elsewhere and is of questionable relevance in this context. Within the descriptions of the individual varieties, spelling, a very accessible aspect, is not systematically commented on, e.g. South Asian English is said to be "spelt in the British style", but British English does not have a section on spelling. In the more extensive section on phonology most of the comparisons of the lexical sets are clearly useful and could have been extended, e.g. it would have been interesting to see the Australian vowels compared not just to RP, but also to American English vowels. In addition to the concept of lexical sets, much of the data used by the authors comes from Wells as well, which often seems a needless repetition, especially where even the examples are taken straight from Wells (1982), a study in three volumes based on data which is now more than a generation old. On the other hand, a number of sections (Liberian English and AAVE, Caribbean English) are so short, they seem more like appetizers than any kind of solid information. In the sections on the lexicon, the authors' use of the word 'tautonym' to refer to words having different meanings in different varieties seems somewhat idiosyncratic. The references given in the book are not consistently placed in the further-reading sections, but appear either there (sometimes with comment, sometimes without; sometimes with full bibliographic details, sometimes as author plus year only) or embedded in the text. Sharp (2001) is referred to, but missing in the references. Appendix 2 contains a number of pre- and post-reading questions, which - according to the preface - are meant to remind readers of what they know and to check their new knowledge. This generally is a good idea, but one would expect the pre- reading questions to be clearly easier than the post- reading questions. Some questions sound more like activation questions for a seminar group than questions meant to check on the reader's knowledge. Comparing the book under review to other books on the market that might be considered as textbooks for courses on world Englishes, one could mention Trudgill and Hannah (1994), a book that gives considerably more linguistic detail on the varieties discussed, but devotes only very little room to varieties in the expanding circle (an aspect which is of much interest to students in potentially expanding-circle countries in Europe) and does not cover the sociolinguistic and political perspectives. The latter aspect can be found in Crystal (1997) to a certain extent, or more thoroughly in Brutt-Griffler (2002). Crystal (1995) provides an widely available source for maps, statistics and historical background. Bauer (2002) is mostly limited to varieties of the inner circle. Jenkins (2003) is very useful as an overview for the debate on the sociolinguistic and political aspects, but does not give linguistic descriptions. Cheshire (1991) and Allerton et al (2002) finally are edited collections of papers that provide accessible further reading on a range of subtopics on world Englishes. Writing a relatively short textbook of such a scope is a very big bite to chew, and while I would like to congratulate the authors on their choice of content, I wish they had chosen a different style for the book and spent more time on revision and ensuring internal consistency. REFERENCES Allerton, D.J., Skandera, P. and Tschichold, C., eds. (2002). Perspectives on English as a World Language. Basel: Schwabe. Bauer, L. (2002). An Introduction to International Varieties of English. Edinburgh University Press. Brutt-Griffler, J. (2002). World English: A Study of its Development. Multilingual Matters. Cheshire, J., ed. (1991). English around the world: Sociolinguistic perspectives. Cambridge UP. Crystal, D. (1995). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge UP. Crystal, D. (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge University Press. Jenkins, J. (2003). World Englishes: A resource book for students. Routledge. Trudgill, P. & J. Hannah (1994, 3rd ed.). International English: A guide to the varieties of standard English. Arnold. Wells, J.C. (1982). Accents of English, vols I - III. Cambridge University Press. ABOUT THE REVIEWER: ABOUT THE REVIEWER Cornelia Tschichold teaches English linguistics at Neuchâtel University. While her research interests focus on English phraseology, computational lexicography and computer-assisted language learning, she teaches a wide range of courses in English linguistics, including courses on sociolinguistics, the history of English, and varieties of English around the world.

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To me, Nature is God. Without it, we simply would not exist. Conserving the world’s natural spaces and the creatures that live there is paramount to the survival of humans as a species, and I have therefore dedicated my life to studying environmentalism in order to help people co-exist more successfully and sustainably with the natural world. All natural materials I use in my creations are either sourced from roadkill, Fish and Game, secondhand sources such as fellow artists and estate sales, or are antique. In this way, I'm ensuring that no animals were needlessly killed for the sake of the artwork I produce. I fully believe that no part of any creature should go to waste if a purpose can be found for it, but I do NOT support trophy hunters or overseas fur farms by buying 'byproducts' like bones, skulls, or claws directly from them. The only exception I make for this rule is for parts from animals legally culled for population control programs approved by Fish and Wildlife. As a photographer and wildlife enthusiast, I've been involved with many fantastic organizations such as Images4Life and Wild Tiger, as well as the Sierra Club and many smaller, local groups. I've been published, interviewed, and even featured on Rainn Wilson (Dwight from “The Office”)'s personal networking website, SoulPancake.com. I’ve also been blessed with the opportunity to visit many of the world’s most amazing wild places, like Komodo Island, Bali, Lombok, Malaysia, and the Cayman Islands, and have even documented entirely new species previously unknown to science. Other interests include: Wilderness survival, primitive skills, backpacking, fishing, kayaking, boffing, airsoft, snowboarding, meandering around town, and caving.

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Post-Holiday Depression | Teen Mom | Page 1 of 2 That's way more clever than I was epxceting. Thanks! Posted at 1:37AM on May 8th 2013 by Chelsia It's good to get a fresh way of looikng at it. Posted at 11:12AM on May 6th 2013 by Jayden Good post! Found a lot of new and interesting! Will share the link with others:D Posted at 7:32AM on November 1st 2011 by du viagra HQU7Sk I must admit, the webmaster is a cool guy..! Posted at 4:35AM on November 1st 2011 by que coûte le kamagra Comrade kill yourself. Posted at 6:33AM on October 17th 2011 by oem windows 7 I read and feel at home. Thanks the creators for a good resource..! Posted at 1:59AM on October 17th 2011 by downloadable software online store bfweOa Excellent! Got a real pleasure..! Posted at 5:16PM on September 27th 2011 by OEM software online Yeah, it is clear now !... From the very beginning I did not understand where was the connection with the title !!... Posted at 9:26AM on September 27th 2011 by how to buy adderall Posted at 3:25AM on September 27th 2011 by buy adderall xr online Thanks for all the answers:) In fact, learned a lot of new information. Dut I just didn`t figure out what is what till the end... Posted at 2:14AM on September 16th 2011 by high bet online roulette I must admit, the webmaster has written cool!!! Posted at 1:12PM on September 15th 2011 by buy prescriptions ativan I do`t regret that spent a few of minutes for reading. Write more often, surely'll come to read something new... Posted at 3:58AM on September 13th 2011 by vpn price Yeah, in my opinion, it is written on every fence... Posted at 2:08PM on September 7th 2011 by Levitra prix This article is for professionals!!! Posted at 12:41PM on September 7th 2011 by vpn xp setup The Author is crazy!!! Posted at 12:09PM on September 7th 2011 by malaysia vpn * All fields are required

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SILVERGIRLS GENERAL STORE |I own an old fashion general store and carry a wide variety of merchandise. I also make hand crafts of all kinds. I love to make jewelry. I will also be listing good used clothes, books, paintings, household items, vintage items, craft and jewelry supplies and lots more.| |I am based in Canada and we have a Canada wide 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST) basically on all non grocery items I am required to collect and submit. Please include this with your payment or ask for a corrected invoice before paying.| We also have a provincial sales tax of 5% within Saskatchewan which I will absorb for the time being in the cost of the item. New tracking parcel (air) is available to the USA and 10 Countries, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland United Kingdom. If you wish to have this service you HAVE to contact me for a quote and to adjust the invoice it tends to run about 10 to 40 dollars more depending on location.

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Asia Super Showcase in Malaysia with Super Junior M [FanAcc] – From 121211December 12, 2012 at 11:43 am | Posted in Events/Concerts/Perfs., Fan Accounts, Super Junior-M, Wonderboys | 10 Comments Okay as requested by my friends hahahaha! Here’s my fanaccount of SJM Showcase in Malaysia 2012: Me and my friends had actually queued from the night before at two different places, one right in front of the official queue and the other outside the uzone area. My friend (@hongkifany) and I arrived at the venue at around 8 or so, and we went to join our friends at the official queue. But everything turned chaotic afterwards so we just left the queue and joined the uzone queue. Just for those who are not sure of how this works, we are supposed to buy a SIM card sort of thing, and top up/upgrade it by adding 50RM to be able to enjoy the privilege of entering the venue first. Of course we did pay in the end lol. So we went in and managed to get the first row of the Super Zone pit. It was really lucky tho. Anyway let me just skip the part where we were all waiting for the concert to start bc it was practically hell. Then the concert started at around 8:15, and BTOB was the first to come onto stage. I have to admit that I don’t know them at all before this showcase. But I’ve heard of their band name. Not being biased or anything, but they were really hot and they were so close to us! They give quite good fanservices and we were all so high hehehe. Around the 3rd song, they started walking around the stage and Changseob (? I just know that he’s the maknae) was walking along the left extended stage. (just FYI, I was like at the left side of the first row). I was waving my lightstick like some mad woman and he was just ignoring all of us OTL and just when I thought he was going to go bak onto the main stage, he suddenly turned and shook my hand T^T it was a real shaking of hands and not just a touch! I died at his cute face lol. ….. And last but definitely not the least, SJM finally came out. At the start Hyukjae didn’t look happy and he had a really solemn expression on his face. I was really worried but continued holding up my board not knowing if he saw it or not….then everything went normal like their other performances until the Q&A session. Before the session they were performing and I was holding up my Hyukjae fanboard and I’m quite sure Donghae saw it cause I caught him glancing at the board’s direction a few times lol. But even thought he knew that I was a Hyukjae fan, he still responded to my wave during the intros and stared at me. When I was waving I actually didn’t expect him to respond but he did. I was so shocked and taken aback I was sudden shy for a moment (lol wtf) so I covered my mouth with my hand and looked down for abit before looking up again. When I looked up I found him still staring at me T^T I was paralysed and then he smiled that stupid smile before turning away. fuck my life is perfect. During the Q&A session, Sungmin had picked the question “Who will you date if you’re a girl?” So the selection started until Kyuhyun picked Donghae. (I DIED) Hyukjae was so damnit obvious ohmygad he was like “Why? why?” lmao. So it was Donghae’s run to pick and we were all chanting “Lee Hyukjae”. Donghae looked damn shy omg fainted at that moment. So the members pushed him towards Hyukjae and Hyukjae began to act all sexy and stuff by removing half of his jacket. (lol that bitch I almost had a nosebleed) But Hyukjae picked Zhoumi and claimed that he liked taller guys. Wtf I flipped and laughed so bad. He did this gay pose by lifting up his right leg and placing his both hands onto Zhoumi’s shoulder. Omg screams gay at him!!!! And then the next song came up and the boys began walking around. Donghae was at the main stage and he actually posed for the girl who was standing beside me and taking a Polaroid of him. He’s just so damn nice ohfuck. So I tried my luck and waved out Polaroid at him. He saw but he stood up and pointed at us before nodding as walking off the other direction. Lol I had no idea what he was trying to do. But after that, he came onto the left extended stage and I tried my luck again. I was super close to the stage and I could touch the stage easily so I reached out and passed him the Polaroid cam. He look at me again and then smiled before grabbing the Polaroid. Omg that moment was damn fucking shocking. His fingers brushed against my hands and I felt chills running up and down my spine PMSL!!!! Then there was this fan from behind who threw a towel at him and it hit his chest then thighs and then the ground. lmao he looked normal as if nothing happened tho. then i reached out and grabbed the towel xD http://twitpic.com/bl41b3 Then he posed and took a picture of himself with us. Then he passed it back to me. Then I shook his hands again hahaha omg died. Okay his camera skills really suck so bad I want to squish him lmao. Well you can judge it for yourselves. http://twitpic.com/bl41vc At the end when the boys were taking their leave, Hyukjae and Donghae were the last to go over to the left extended stage to say their goodbyes, and I was once again holding onto my fanboard and waving it. At the last moment when he walked past me, he suddenly turned and looked at the fanboard before looking at me and grinning. Omg his eyes were the signature one-eye-big-one-eye-small eyes. It was so fucking cute omg I wanted to just kill myself on the spot because my life is perfect oh dear goddddd. So the concert ended and my friend and I left the venue and just sat on a random edge outside the mall waiting for her parents to arrive. Then suddenly this two white can with tinted windows drove out and tadaaaa it’s sj lol! we were so tired so we didn’t chase but fans were crazy. They ran to the vans and started hitting on the window. Fucking rude please. But anyway, this is my experience at SJM Showcase and I felt it was worth it. oh wells. thanks for reading through my spazzings and craps lol. Shared at sup3rjunior.com by: Destinyhae TAKE OUT WITH FULL AND PROPER CREDITS

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Friday, July 31, 2009 Thursday, July 30, 2009 If you're on a budget or the mainstream restos are too pricey for you (and if you have no sosyal hang-ups you rich dweeb) then you might want to try out the street fare. I chose this area specifically for its all night fare and simple attractions. Plus the Albert Market Centre is nearby. It might be simply a sign, but you can see the respect the Singapore public works have for the ordinary citizen. Back home, with election time coming up, we see streets torn up for no rhyme or reason. Our government sucks. Please... no more pikon tirades during SONAs. Wednesday, July 29, 2009 Clarke Quay, was chosen as the site of Singapore Food Festival 2009, because of its strategic and scenic location --- right in one of the island’s hottest and trendy tourist spots. Read (pronounced as “reed”) Bridge was transformed into Food Street with more than 30 stalls selling Peranakan, Chinese, Malay and Indian food. Yum! They were serving Chang beer. Sorry but that’s Everton. Carlsberg it is for us Liverpool fans. The riverside was also home to stalls by indie designers where I got somebody something really cool. Tuesday, July 28, 2009 On weekends, the side streets of Rochor Canal Road are turned into a street fair where you can find bargain buys, food, live bands, and free movie viewing. You just have to be careful when you move around. And yes, you can haggle. Regarding pirated DVDs, you'll find some here. Not the best ones though. Click on the photo below. Look around first before buying. Even using internet shops you gotta choose. There are some that charge $3 (Singapore) for an hour while there are those that charge $2. What I love about Singapore as opposed to Indonesia, Thailand, or Hong Kong is that people speak very good English here so it makes for getting around pretty easy. A good six-minute walk from here is Bugis junction where you'll find the mall and other street fairs. There's also the Muslim quarter where you'll also find some cool stores for clothes, cloth, coffee, and other curios. The picture below with the old-style gramophone is for real. It plays vinyl stuff. They guy was selling it at $200. Of course you can ask for a lower price. Now how long that will keep chugging I have no idea. I love those old vinyl LPs but CDs are just for me. Monday, July 27, 2009 Friday, July 24, 2009 Off to Singapore to watch Liverpool play an exhibition match. What to pack? Want to bring my laptop. Kinda feel naked without it. But its heavy so it stays. Boo! Hahahaha. So aside from some clothes, here's what I'm bringing with me: 3 Liverpool jerseys - two red (from the last two seasons) and the black away kit Swiss Army Knife Notebook & pen And so you know my brands in my kikay kit (bwahahaha) Close Up Crystal Frost (Incredibly, in the US I only used Colgate. Go figure.) Irish Spring soap Gillette Cool Wave deodorant Head and Shoulders shampoo Johnson's Alcohol & Cleene cotton Underwear by Giordano (hahaha) 1 pair of jeans (Calvin Klein) and three shorts (adidas) 2 extra shirts Thursday, July 23, 2009 Monday, July 13, 2009 This photo was taken by an Associated Press photographer last July 4 at the city of Liuzhou in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. If you ask me this is pretty frightening because what affects them there will befall us too.

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for the Tigers. Seeing Brownlow Medal favourite Gary Ablett go head-to-head in midfield against Hawthorn’s own medal contender Sam Mitchell will be a highlight of this clash between the premiership favourites and the 12th-placed Gold Coast. While Ablett’s why Jobe Watson is the bargain of the year in SuperCoach plus new additions to the “never again” list Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell gets a handball away at Launceston. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun THE best SuperCoach tips including whos Toronto Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell told a story once about how, during a losing streak, he was making his way down to the Air Canada Centre and was accosted by a squeegee guy. As the story goes, the guy was absolutely thrilled to inform Mitchell that Ford, Maceo Baston and Rasho Nesterovic in exchange for O’Neal and the draft rights to Nathan Jawai. Bonus: The team fires Sam Mitchell during a West Coast road trip in early December and names Jay Triano as head coach and the all-offence movement begins. goals and an assist for Georgetown. Nick DePasquale tallied two goals and an assist. Neil Murphy had a goal and two assists. Sam Mitchell scored two goals. Scott Perry had an assist. Joe Mangano made 12 saves. The Clippers improved to 12-5 Monday night. Casey Valvoline Cummins Limited opens new India manufacturing and packaging facility for automotive lubricants near Mumbai. EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook was kidnapped at gunpoint and raped by a gang of drug dealers after failing to pay a 5,000-pound cocaine debt, according to reports. Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character. Tomas Berdych has pulled out of Davis Cup after injuring a shoulder in a quarter-final loss to Richard Gasquet in Miami last week. fides, eh? Absent was any mention of the franchise-crushing decision to name Canada’s own Jay Triano as head coach in place of Sam Mitchell; or the fact that Colangelo came out of last summer’s dalliance with Steve Nash absent the greatest Canadian basketballer – and in eight years here he knows where all the bodies have buried and has walked many a minefield. He massaged the Rob Babcock-Sam Mitchell relationship, he’s been a sage to everyone who works at the joint for the past half decade and when this thing was MITCHELL Hips 28 May - 22 June 2013 You are warmly invited to attend the opening preview and meet the artist Tuesday 28 May, 5.30 – 7.30pm Bartley + Company Art is pleased to present a new exhibition by Auckland artist Sam Mitchell – her first in our gallery The Australian cricket selectors have given maverick Mitchell Marsh a big chance to put his career back on track by ignoring his current form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to pick him in the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy June 6-23. Britain secretary of state for international development Andrew Mitchell met chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the latter's residence here on Thursday and discussed about various projects being undertaken in the state with DFID assistance. Mitchell told the CM that DFID aid for clean drinking water, education besides poverty eradication would continue, a press release said. Advisor to prime minister Sam Pitroda to attend an event in the city on Friday. Communications agency Rediffusion has appointed Sam Ahmed its Vice Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, based in Mumbai. Tech Czar Sam Pitroda will open a 2-day global seminar on technology innovation aimed at developing a better innovation ecosystem on September 20, 2012 at India International Center, Lodi Road, New Delhi. I was asked to say about curruption, and i only told them that i am not a currupt. That''s it. Inventor, entrepreneur and policymaker Sam Pitroda will lead nearly 100 Young Social Innovators to discuss how technology can help social enterprises in the first annual forum of Action for India (AFI) at IIT Delhi campus on Saturday 21 Jan 2012. Department for International Development (DFID), UK, Co untry Head, Sam Sharpe, called on Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. He expressed his satisfaction over implementation of schemes taken up with DFID fund. Sharpe had visited two districts - Purnia and Katihar. Telecom wizard Sam Pitroda on Friday met Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on introducing e-governance in the state courts. He will also meet the chief justice of Calcutta High Court, Justice J N Patel on Saturday. He will also hold meeting with Bengal's law minister Malay Ghatak and chief secretary Samar Ghosh. To be awarded itu worldtelecommunicationand information society award for using information technology to better humanlife National Innovation Council chairman Sam Pitroda on Saturday discussed the roadmap to develop Bhubaneswar as a knowledge city with chief minister Naveen Patnaik. At a time when shortage of teachers is perceived to be a big impediment to education in the country, National Innovation Council chairman Sam Pitroda said in Bhubaneswar on Friday that need of too many teachers is becoming irrelevant. Sam is doing workshop under Atanu Bose. But Birch [Grant Birchall] has been really good, having Hodgey [Luke Hodge] back is a new dimension compared to last year, Mitch [Sam Mitchell] has rolled through there ... I think we have a really good balance of having those high, attacking half-backs and having deeper guys that can play on one versus one.

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