SIMCATFISH

Pu'er Cha asset

2011-08-31T21:04:00.000+08:00

When one think of alternative investments, there is a host of conventional assets that come to mind: art, watches, jewellery and even cameras. But did you know that Pu'er Cha (an antique that can brew and drink) too are a valid investment alternative? When it comes to Pu'er Cha buyers, there are three catergories: those who buy for their own personal collection and those buying for investment purposes. Those who view Pu'er Cha as an investment tool do so for various reasons and it is reportedly gaining traction.

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL

Investment in fine antique Pu'er teas is a thriving business that rakes in an estimated billion anually on a global scale. Those that venture into this investment alternative do so because profits are easily realised and above all else, tax-free. This investment is generally viewed as a stable option as demand is proven to be generally consistent and recession-resillent. But this market, traditionally the preserve of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong is set to grow, boosted by strong interest from investors around the globe.

INVESTMENT PROCESS

The history of Pu"er tea trading started long before Pu'er tea investment came into being. In fact,established name of Pu'er from Yunnan of China have been trading for over 300 years. Demand for fine Pu'er has been growing steadily around the world, as savvy investors have begun to see the opportunities brought about by the growing demand and limited supply.

So how does an investor gain access to this fine world of vintage Pu'er tea investment?

One would need to source for a fine Pu'er tea investment specialist in the market, many of whom are based in Hong Kong. These firms recommend fine Pu'er tea with the best potential returns, based on their knowledge of taxation and market conditions. plus they manage the storage of the investments ( a crucial dimension to this investment) and customise the investors' investment portfolios to suit their personal taste.

These specialists also offers structured investments to Pu'er tea connoisseurs but for those with little or no knowledge of Pu'er tea, fret not as many of these specialist firms also provides consultation and advice on this alternative investment model.

PATIENCE PLEASE

Before committing oneself to an investment in fine Pu'er tea, a potential client must first decide on the time horizon for their investments.

"Pu'er tea investing is not for someone with a day trader mentally". On average, investment-grade Pu'er tea needs to be held for a minimum of ten years before being sold. The rationale is based on the simple demand-and-supply equation. the longer Pu'er tea is held, the more its value increases as supply dwindles with consumption over time, so those left holding the remaining fewer pieces over time will naturally command a premium. Patience therefore holds the key. " This is for someone who wants to preserve wealth and see their wealth increase in the long run,"

POTENTIAL GAINS

Of course, the big question on an investors's mind is the potential returns one can expect from investing in vintage Pu'er tea. Like all investments, however, it is almost impossible to promise a guranteed rate of return. But investing in Pu'er tea, like any other investment vehicle also involves risks and should only be seen as one of a number of strands in an investment portfolio. Like any other investment vehicles, investment in fine Pu'er is tied to the wider economy and thus to the vagaries of market forces and in this case in particular, to the rate of economic growth in emerging markets like China, Singapore, Indonesia , Malaysia , where demand for fine Pu'er tea has elevated its value.

YUNNAN FIRST

For the uninitiated, it is an accepted fact that the best Pu'er tea for investment purposes almost always originate from the Yunnan region of Southern China.

Reportedly the rate of return, especially for investment Pu'er tea from Yunnan region, can typically attain heights of between 12 to 20 percent per annum over the last 2 years.

Why are Yunnan Vintage Pu'er tea so valued? Its climate and geography makes it ideal for Pu'er tea's tree growing. Additionally, its annual Pu'er tea production is tightly regulated to ensure that, while the region's finest Pu'er tea are easily available, the same rules effectively impose a cap on supply. This thus ensures that quality and demand will always remain stable.

Catch More Fish ( 2 )

2011-05-13T00:37:00.000+08:00

ORGANIZE YOUR FISHING DAY INTO SEPARATES PERIODS
Organize your fishing day into separate periods where you try significantly different types of spots. Don't spend four hours doing the same thing and then announce that "the fish aren't biting." Start shallow and work deep, or vice versa, but make sure you experiment with different depth zones, and work from thick cover to the open basin, as you search for a productive pattern.

DIRECTIONAL CHANCES CAN TRIGGER STRIKES
There's two ways to think about this, first, if you can see your lure is about to pass by a likely ambush spot, try making it dart to the side just before it gets there, like it's panicked and trying to get away. You may have to bring the lure very close to the cover in order to get a strike, but that jump to the side can be important. And second, if you can see a fish following your lure, try jerking it to the side, to see if that brings a strike.

RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO SET THE HOOK
When you troll or drift-fish with a rod holder, resist the temptation to grab for the rod and set the hook at the first indication of a bite. The most successful pros anglers of today have learned to wait while the rod virtually doubles over before freeing it from the holder. And even then, do not set the hook - simply maintain tension and smoothly fight the fish toward the boat.

SHALLOW TO DEEP
Most top anglers begin their search for fish in relatively shallow water. If you can find and catch fish in the shallows, it makes everything easier: it's easier to present a lure, you can often see the strikes, you get to watch the fight, and fish are easier to release alive. But if you don't get any bites in the shallow water, systematically work your way deeper.

PREPARE YOUR TACKLE AT HOME
Fishing time is precious, and especially if you fish from a boat, controlling the boat takes at least one hand and your attention. It's much easier to tie knots and rig rods and organisze tackle and tools in your house or driveway than on the water. Too many anglers don't do any preparation until they are bobbing in two-foot waves.

Catch More Fish ( 1 )

2011-05-12T00:43:00.002+08:00

CASTING OR TROLLING CRANKBAITS ON SHALLOW FLAT OR MID-DEPTH FLATS
When you're casting or trolling crankbaits on shallow or mid-depth flats, don't concentrate solely on the distinct dropoffs. Fish scatter across flats many times, either roaming for food or positioned at an ambush point. You have to cover a lot of ground to locate fish, but sometimes, that's exactly what you have to do.

DON'T JUST FIRE AWAY WHEN YOU'RE OUT CASTING CRANKBAITS
Make mental notes at all times of where your lure hit the water, so that you systematically cover new ground with each cast. If you bump cover, consider it a clue that you've found a potential hot spot, and put your lure "down that same path" at least twice. Through anglers catch more fish.

HIGH SPEED RETRIEVES?
High speed retrieves may trigger strikes at times, especially from salt water fish. But the pros tend to agree that more fish caught by changes in speed and direction than they are by sheer speed alone. Many Pro Anglers rarely if ever "burn" a crankbait fast. They prefer relatively slow-speed reels (about a 4.3 : 1 gear ratio), and usually maintain what they call a "medium pace," building in the strike-provoking action by pauses and jerks and changes in speed.

IMPORTANCE OF LURE COLOUR
Finding fish will always be the most important factor in your success. But don't downplay the important factor in your success. But don't downplay the importance of lure colour, In big-time bass tournaments, as an example, crankbait colour is almost always a significant factor by the the time the event is over. One colour usually produces better than others. Find the fish, but then make sure you give them what they want!

CATCH AND RELEASE
Catch and release works in most instances, and it's having a major impact on preserving the quality of fishing - especially for top-of-the-line predators like sebarau and toman. But don't ever feel guilty about keeping a few fish to eat. Catch and release was never meant to be an issue that divides the fishing community, and unless something drastic happens in the future, a meal of fresh-caught fish will always be one of the finer parts of any outing.

Catch More Fish

2011-05-04T00:16:00.000+08:00

CHANGE YOUR APPROACH
One of the 'secrets' top anglers use to consistently catch fish is to change their approach often. Average anglers who struggle to catch fish are often in a rut. They spend too much time in the same types of spots, or fishing the same type of presentation. The best anglers, by contrast, treat their fishing day as a huge experiment, always, in effect, 'asking the fish what they want' by offering them different things until they bite on something.

BACKUP PRESENTATIONS
You have to have 'backup presentations' in your arsenal to consistently catch fish. Let's say you catch fish 2 days in a row on a certain colour and size lure, presenting it a certain way. The third day, your 'pattern' doesn't hold up, you don't catch anything after a few hour of trying, in the same spots that had been producing. Before abandoning the spots, thinking the fish have moved, try different presentations on them. Give the new presentation an honest chance to work, and if you still haven't caught much, then switch to new spots.

MIND AND CREATIVITY
For all the modern tools available to help you catch fish, your mind and creativity are the most powerful. You've got to constantly use all the resources you have, and your mind is the greatest resource of all. You have to think about what you've try so far, from the type of spots to the type, size, and colour of lures, to how you're presenting those lures. Constantly experiment, and compare the day you're having with others you've seen. Every unproductive hour should put you closer to finding a productive fish-catching pattern. You can't do this with your motor, or your rod and reel. It only comes from thinking about what you're doing.

UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL OF THE WATER YOU'RE FISHING
Before getting disappointed about hoe many fish you catch, or how big they are, make sure you understand the potential of the water you're fishing. Some lakes, rivers, ponds, or reservoirs simply don't have that many fish of a given species, or perhaps they've had bad hatches in recent years and the number of fish is down from what the water has historically produced. It's important to begin your fishing day with realistic expectations, that will put your catches in focus.

Peacock Bass

2011-04-30T00:28:00.000+08:00

Consider as alien to our local waters, peacock bass mostly populating the mining pond of the Ipoh area has been a permanent resident as well accepted as a fresh water sport fish by our local anglers, it's really fun when this spicy around 300 gram to a kilo plus was hooked up by using light tackles.

This is the table size peacock bass which is best to eat by steaming

It's a whole new fishing experience to hooked up peacock bass by using baitcasting reel with lures that weight around 10 gram to 14 gram and line that is 6 to 8 lb.All that is needed is a little knowledge, patience, and soon will be enjoying catching more peacock bass.

Radiation and Life

2011-03-18T21:37:00.000+08:00

Radiation and Life

Radiation is energy travelling through space.

Sunshine is one of the most familiar forms of radiation. It delivers light, heat and suntans. We limit its effect on us with sunglasses, shade, hats, clothes and sunscreen.

There would be no life on Earth without lots of sunlight, but we have increasingly recognised that too much of it on our persons is not a good thing. In fact it may be dangerous, so we control our exposure to it.

Sunshine consists of radiation in a range of wavelengths from long-wave infra-red to short-wavelength ultraviolet, which creates the hazard.

Beyond ultraviolet are higher energy kinds of radiation which are used in medicine and which we all get in low doses from space, from the air, and from the earth and rocks. Collectively we can refer to these kinds of radiation as ionising radiation. It can cause damage to matter, particularly living tissue. At high levels it is therefore dangerous, so it is necessary to control our exposure.

Living things have evolved in an environment which has significant levels of ionising radiation. Furthermore, many of us owe our lives and health to such radiation produced artificially. Medical and dental X-rays discern hidden problems. Other kinds of ionising radiation are used to diagnose ailments, and some people are treated with radiation to cure disease. We all benefit from a multitude of products and services made possible by the careful use of such radiation.

Background radiation is that which is naturally and inevitably present in our environment. Levels of this can vary greatly. People living in granite areas or on mineralised sands receive more terrestrial radiation than others, while people living or working at high altitudes receive more cosmic radiation. A lot of our natural exposure is due to radon, a gas which seeps from the Earth's crust and is present in the air we breathe.

Unstable Atoms

Ionising radiation comes from atoms, the basic building blocks of matter.

Each element exists in the form of atoms with several different sized nuclei, called isotopes.

Most atoms are stable; a carbon-12 atom for example remains a carbon-12 atom forever, and an oxygen-16 atom remains an oxygen-16 atom forever. But certain atoms change or disintegrate into totally new atoms. These kinds of atoms are said to be 'unstable' or 'radioactive'. An unstable atom has excess internal energy, with the result that the nucleus can undergo a spontaneous change towards a more stable form. This is called 'radioactive decay'.

Unstable isotopes (which are thus radioactive) are called radioisotopes. Some elements, eg uranium, have no stable isotopes.

Atomic Decay

When an atom of a radioisotope decays, it gives off some of its excess energy as radiation in the form of gamma rays or fast-moving sub-atomic particles. If it decays with emission of an alpha or beta particle, it becomes a new element. One can describe the emissions as gamma, beta and alpha radiation. All the time, the atom is progressing in one or more steps towards a stable state where it is no longer radioactive.

Another source of nuclear radioactivity is when one form of a radioisotope changes into another form, or isomer, releasing a gamma ray in the process. The excited form is signified with an "m" (meta) beside its atomic number, eg technetium-99m (Tc-99m) decays to Tc-99. Gamma rays are often emitted with alpha or beta radiation also, as the nucleus decays to a less excited state.

Apart from the normal measures of mass and volume, the amount of radioactive material is given in becquerel (Bq), a measure which enables us to compare the typical radioactivity of some natural and other materials. A becquerel is one atomic decay per second. (A former unit of (radio)activity is the Curie - 1 Bq is 27 x 10^-12 curies.)

Radioactivity of some natural and other materials

1 adult human (100 Bq/kg)	7000 Bq
1 kg of coffee	1000 Bq
1 kg superphosphate fertiliser	5000 Bq
The air in a 100 sq metre Australian home (radon)	3000 Bq
The air in many 100 sq metre European homes (radon)	up to 30 000 Bq
1 household smoke detector (with americium)	30 000 Bq
Radioisotope for medical diagnosis	70 million Bq
Radioisotope source for medical therapy	100 000 000 million Bq (100 TBq)
1 kg 50-year old vitrified high-level nuclear waste	10 000 000 million Bq (10 TBq)
1 luminous Exit sign (1970s)	1 000 000 million Bq (1 TBq)
1 kg uranium	25 million Bq
1 kg uranium ore (Canadian, 15%)	25 million Bq
1 kg uranium ore (Australian, 0.3%	500 000 Bq
1 kg low level radioactive waste	1 million Bq
1 kg of coal ash	2000 Bq
1 kg of granite	1000 Bq

N.B. Though the intrinsic radioactivity is the same, the radiation dose received by someone handling a kilogram of high-grade uranium ore will be much greater than for the same exposure to a kilogram of separated uranium, since the ore contains a number of short-lived decay products (see section on Radioactive Decay), while the uranium haas a very long half-life.

Half-life

Atoms in a radioactive substance decay in a random fashion but at a characteristic rate. The length of time this takes, the number of steps required and the kinds of radiation released at each step are well known.

The half-life is the time taken for half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay. Half-lives can range from less than a millionth of a second to millions of years depending on the element concerned. After one half-life the level of radioactivity of a substance is halved, after two half-lives it is reduced to one quarter, after three half-lives to one-eighth, and so on.

All uranium atoms are mildly radioactive and decay through a number of steps on the way to becoming stable lead. Each step has a different half life, and a characteristic type of radiation. The shorter-lived each kind of radioisotope in the decay series, the more radiation it emits per unit mass. Much of the natural radioactivity in rocks and soil comes from the uranium-238 (U-238) decay chain (but not from the uranium itself).

Types of Ionising Radiation

Here we are concerned mainly with ionising radiation from the atomic nucleus. It occurs in two forms, rays and particles, at the high frequency end of the energy spectrum.

Ionising radiation produces electrically-charged particles called ions in the materials it strikes. This process is called ionisation. In the large chemical molecules of which all living things are made, the changes caused may be biologically important.

There are several types of ionising radiation:

X-rays and gamma rays, like light, represent energy transmitted in a wave without the movement of material, just as heat and light from a fire or the sun travels through space. X-rays and gamma rays are virtually identical except that X-rays are generally produced artificially rather than coming from the atomic nucleus. But unlike light, X-rays and gamma rays have great penetrating power and can pass through the human body. Mass in the form of concrete, lead or water are used to shield us from them.

Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons, in the form of atomic nuclei. They thus have a positive electrical charge and are emitted from naturally-occurring heavy elements such as uranium and radium, as well as from some man-made elements. Because of their relatively large size, alpha particles collide readily with matter and lose their energy quickly. They therefore have little penetrating power and can be stopped by the first layer of skin or a sheet of paper.

However, if alpha sources are taken into the body, for example by breathing or swallowing radioactive dust, alpha particles can affect the body's cells. Inside the body, because they give up their energy over a relatively short distance, alpha particles can inflict more severe biological damage than other types of radiation.

Beta particles are fast-moving electrons ejected from the nuclei of many kinds of radioactive atoms. These particles are much smaller than alpha particles and can penetrate up to 1 to 2 centimetres of water or human flesh. They can be stopped by a sheet of aluminium a few millimetres thick.

Cosmic radiation consists of very energetic particles, mostly protons, which bombard the Earth from outer space. It is more intense at higher altitudes than at sea level where the Earth's atmosphere is most dense and gives the greatest protection.

Neutrons are particles which are also very penetrating. On Earth they mostly come from the splitting, or fissioning, of certain atoms inside a nuclear reactor. Water and concrete are the most commonly used shields against neutron radiation from the core of the nuclear reactor.

It is important to understand that alpha, beta, gamma and X-radiation does not cause the body to become radioactive. However, most materials in their natural state (including body tissue) contain measurable amounts of radioactivity.

Measuring Ionising Radiation

Grays and Sieverts

The human senses cannot detect radiation or discern whether a material is radioactive. However, a variety of instruments can detect and measure radiation reliably and accurately.

The amount of ionising radiation, or 'dose', received by a person is measured in terms of the energy absorbed in the body tissue, and is expressed in gray. One gray (Gy) is one joule deposited per kilogram of mass.

Equal exposure to different types of radiation expressed as gray do not however necessarily produce equal biological effects. One gray of alpha radiation, for example, will have a greater effect than one gray of beta radiation. When we talk about radiation effects, we therefore express the radiation as effective dose, in a unit called the sievert (Sv).

Regardless of the type of radiation, one sievert (Sv) of radiation produces the same biological effect.

Smaller quantities are expressed in 'millisievert' (one thousandth) or 'microsievert' (one millionth) of a sievert. We will use the most common unit, millisievert (mSv), here.

What are the health risks from ionising radiation?

It has been known for many years that large doses of ionising radiation, very much larger than background levels, can cause a measurable increase in cancers and leukemias ('cancer of the blood') after some years delay. It must also be assumed, because of experiments on plants and animals, that ionising radiation can also cause genetic mutations that affect future generations, although there has been no evidence of radiation-induced mutation in humans. At very high levels, radiation can cause sickness and death within weeks of exposure - see Table.

The degree of damage caused by radiation depends on many factors - dose, dose rate, type of radiation, the part of the body exposed, age and health, for example. Embryos including the human fetus are particularly sensitive to radiation damage.

But what are the chances of developing cancer from low doses of radiation? The prevailing assumption is that any dose of radiation, no matter how small, involves a possibility of risk to human health. However there is no scientific evidence of risk at doses below about 50 millisievert in a short time or about 100 millisievert per year. At lower doses and dose rates, up to at least 10 millisieverts per year, the evidence suggests that beneficial effects are as likely as adverse ones.

Higher accumulated doses of radiation might produce a cancer which would only be observed several - up to twenty - years after the radiation exposure. This delay makes it impossible to say with any certainty which of many possible agents were the cause of a particular cancer. In western countries, about a quarter of people die from cancers, with smoking, dietary factors, genetic factors and strong sunlight being among the main causes. Radiation is a weak carcinogen, but undue exposure could certainly increase health risks.

The body has defence mechanisms against damage induced by radiation as well as by chemical and other carcinogens. These can be stimulated by low levels of exposure, or overwhelmed by very high levels.

On the other hand, large doses of radiation directed specifically at a tumour are used in radiation therapy to kill cancerous cells, and thereby often save lives (usually in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery). Much larger doses are used to kill harmful bacteria in food, and to sterilise bandages and other medical equipment. Radiation has become a valuable tool in our modern world. See also The Peaceful Atom in this series.

Tens of thousands of people in each technically advanced country work in medical and industrial environments where they may be exposed to radiation above background levels. Accordingly they wear monitoring 'badges' while at work, and their exposure is carefully monitored. The health records of these occupationally exposed groups often show that they have lower rates of mortality from cancer and other causes than the general public and, in some cases, significantly lower rates than other workers who do similar work without being exposed to radiation.

Radiation levels and their effects

The following table gives an indication of the likely effects of a range of whole body radiation doses and dose rates to individuals:

10,000 mSv (10 sieverts) as a short-term and whole-body dose would cause immediate illness, such as nausea and decreased white blood cell count, and subsequent death within a few weeks.
Between 2 and 10 sieverts in a short-term dose would cause severe radiation sickness with increasing likelihood that this would be fatal.

1,000 mSv (1 sievert) in a short-term dose is about the threshold for causing immediate radiation sickness in a person of average physical attributes, but would be unlikely to cause death. Above 1000 mSv, severity of illness increases with dose.
If doses greater than 1000 mSv occur over a long period they are less likely to have early health effects, but they create a definite risk that cancer will develop many years later.

Above about 100 mSv, the probability of cancer (rather than the severity of illness) increases with dose. The estimated risk of fatal cancer is 5 of every 100 persons exposed to a dose of 1000 mSv (ie. if the normal incidence of fatal cancer were 25%, this dose would increase it to 30%).

50 mSv is, conservatively, the lowest dose at which there is any evidence of cancer being caused in adults. It is also the highest dose which is allowed by regulation in any one year of occupational exposure. Dose rates greater than 50 mSv/yr arise from natural background levels in several parts of the world but do not cause any discernible harm to local populations.

20 mSv/yr averaged over 5 years is the limit for radiological personnel such as employees in the nuclear industry, uranium or mineral sands miners and hospital workers (who are all closely monitored).

10 mSv/yr is the maximum actual dose rate received by any Australian uranium miner.

3-5 mSv/yr is the typical dose rate (above background) received by uranium miners in Australia and Canada.

3 mSv/yr (approx) is the typical background radiation from natural sources in North America, including an average of almost 2 mSv/yr from radon in air.

2 mSv/yr (approx) is the typical background radiation from natural sources, including an average of 0.7 mSv/yr from radon in air. This is close to the minimum dose received by all humans anywhere on Earth.

0.3-0.6 mSv/yr is a typical range of dose rates from artificial sources of radiation, mostly medical.

0.05 mSv/yr, a very small fraction of natural background radiation, is the design target for maximum radiation at the perimeter fence of a nuclear electricity generating station. In practice the actual dose is less.

Background Radiation

Naturally-occurring background radiation is the main source of exposure for most people. Levels typically range from about 1.5 to 3.5 millisievert per year but can be more than 50 mSv/yr. The highest known level of background radiation affecting a substantial population is in Kerala and Madras States in India where some 140,000 people receive doses which average over 15 millisievert per year from gamma radiation, in addition to a similar dose from radon. Comparable levels occur in Brazil and Sudan, with average exposures up to about 40 mSv/yr to many people.

Several places are known in Iran, India and Europe where natural background radiation gives an annual dose of more than 50 mSv and up to 260 mSv (at Ramsar in Iran). Lifetime doses from natural radiation range up to several thousand millisievert. However, there is no evidence of increased cancers or other health problems arising from these high natural levels.

Man-made Radiation

Ionising radiation is also generated in a range of medical, commercial and industrial activities. The most familiar and, in national terms, the largest of these sources of exposure is medical X-rays. A typical breakdown between natural background and artificial sources of radiation is shown in the pie chart.

Natural radiation contributes about 88% of the annual dose to the population, and medical procedures most of the remaining 12%. Natural and artificial radiations are not different in kind or effect.

Protection from Radiation

Because exposure to high levels of ionising radiation carries a risk, should we attempt to avoid it entirely? Even if we wanted to, this would be impossible. Radiation has always been present in the environment and in our bodies. However, we can and should minimise unnecessary exposure to significant levels of man-made radiation.

Radiation is very easily detected. There is a range of simple, sensitive instruments capable of detecting minute amounts of radiation from natural and anthropogenic sources.

There are four ways in which people are protected from identified radiation sources:

Limiting Time: For people who are exposed to radiation in addition to natural background radiation through their work, the dose is reduced and the risk of illness essentially eliminated by limiting exposure time.

Distance: In the same way that heat from a fire is less the further away you are, the intensity of radiation decreases with distance from its source.

Shielding: Barriers of lead, concrete or water give good protection from penetrating radiation such as gamma rays. Radioactive materials are therefore often stored or handled under water, or by remote control in rooms constructed of thick concrete or even lined with lead.

Containment: Radioactive materials are confined and kept out of the environment. Radioactive isotopes for medical use, for example, are dispensed in closed handling facilities, while nuclear reactors operate within closed systems with multiple barriers which keep the radioactive materials contained. Rooms have a reduced air pressure so that any leaks occur into the room and not out from the room.

Standards and Regulations

Radiation protection standards are based on the conservative assumption that the risk is directly proportional to the dose, even at the lowest levels, though there is no evidence of risk at low levels. This assumption, called the 'linear no-threshold (LNT) hypothesis', is recommended for radiation protection purposes only such as setting allowable levels of radiation exposure of individuals. It cannot properly be used for predicting the consequences of an actual exposure to low levels of radiation. For example, it suggests that, if the dose is halved from a high level where effects have been observed, there will be half the effect, and so on. This could be very misleading if applied to a large group of people exposed to trivial levels of radiation and could lead to inappropriate actions to avert the doses.

Much of the evidence which has led to today's standards derives from the atomic bomb survivors in 1945, who were exposed to high doses incurred in a very short time. In setting occupational risk estimates, some allowance has been made for the body's ability to repair damage from small exposures, but for low-level radiation exposure the degree of protection may be unduly conservative.

In any country, radiation protection standards are set by government authorities, generally in line with recommendations by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and coupled with the requirement to keep exposure as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) - taking into account social and economic factors. The authority of the ICRP comes from the scientific standing of its members and the merit of its recommendations.

The three key points of the ICRP's recommendations are:

Justification. No practice should be adopted unless its introduction produces a positive net benefit.
Optimisation. All exposures should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account.
Limitation. The exposure of individuals should not exceed the limits recommended for the appropriate circumstances.

National radiation protection standards are based on ICRP recommendations for both Occupational and Public exposure categories.

The ICRP recommends that the maximum permissible dose for occupational exposure should be 20 millisievert per year averaged over five years (ie 100 millisievert in 5 years) with a maximum of 50 millisievert in any one year. For public exposure, 1 millisievert per year averaged over five years is the limit. In both categories, the figures are over and above background levels, and exclude medical exposure.

Further information on the subject, together with links to overseas sources, can be found in the briefing/information paper onNuclear Radiation and Health Effects.

The ARPANSA web site section on Radiation and Health is also valuable.

Eco Tourism

2011-03-15T19:42:00.000+08:00

   "Eco-tourism","low-impact travel", call it what you will. This form of "experiential" holiday-making with an environmental theme has finally come in from the vegan, tree-hugging fringes to become THE alternative holiday choice for growing numbers of discerning travellers-both Asian and Western. Malaysia. it would seem, is the natural arena for eco-tourism, and yet not much has been done to develop it-considering its potential.

   Besides our national parks-none of which are easy to get to for a weekend getaway-there are just a handful of recognised local eco-destinations. And most of these still don't offer much variety in terms of activities. Until a few years ago, you either committed to a 4 plus day rugged adventure into the Malaysian Outback, or you swarmed in large numbers to the littered beaches or razed highlands like everyone else.

   Suspicion for this oversight of potential tourism has always fallen on the paper-shufflers at Tourism Malaysia. A nice word often used to describe Tourism Malaysia's vision for eco-tourism development in Malaysia is "uninspired". But then last year, something interesting happened in Langkawi, Jurgen Zimmerer, a Langkawi based German zoologist, who has become an expert on the archipelago's flora and fauna, saw the potential for eco-tourism here and decided to do something about it.

   Within months, he had drawn up a plan to open up Langkawi to eco-tourism and to deliver on the promise of adventure. The obvious advantages were easy and cheap access from KL, generally good weather, a compact rural arena that offered all sorts of suitable activities, and of course good food and accommodation for the less Indiana Jonesy.





   What was less obvious at first glance was that Langkawi-like nowhere else in Malaysia-is crowned by limestone mountains drench in waterfalls. And then there are the mangrove swamps and the scores of outlying islands, hemmed in by sheer cliffs. Cliffs that are pockmarked by some fairly amazing caves. These striking cliffs and caves with their amazing, hidden biospheres remain mostly unexplored and unclimbed.

Langkawi has a few waterfalls that offer a scenic and peaceful view

Jurgen has been taking small groups of nature enthusiasts on 3-hour trips into the spectacular mangroves for years. But more recently, he's concentrated on day- and night-jungle trekking.

The mangroves around Langkawi are some of the best preserved anywhere. The symbiosis between all the resident flora and fauna is really quite exciting. Try to translate what's happening into simple terms so that anyone can learn something new.

But recently. The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) decided to blaze a trail through these delicate mangroves in order to bring in bigger boats, more people. They view tourism only in terms of volume business. Quantity supersedes quality, even if the money may be the same in the long term, development is good but there's a right way and a wrong way.

There is still plenty of healthy mangrove left, to be sure. One of the chief attractions for eco-tourists out here is feeding the huge wild sea eagles. In the middle of a large estuary. When scraps of fish was throws overboard, there are 20-30 reddish-brown sea eagles and huge white Brahminy Kites with wing spans of more than a metre circling overhead, taking turns to swoop in for meal.

For those nature lovers intent on getting close to Langkawi's eye-popping variety of flora and fauna, the Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa has begun providing an easy alternative in communing with nature. It has re branded itself as one of the most environmentally friendly resorts in the islands, their commitment to highlighting awareness of local nature can be seen in their specially trained staff members who double as nature guides. The guides takes guests to easily accessible parts of the island to enjoy nature walks that are on good trails and last no more than an hour.

On the walk, one can saw the handsome spectacled langur monkey, lizards, a praying mantis, wild papaya, civet cat tracks, two kinds of crabs, and three different kind of hornbills! Did you know that the reason tropical tree's leaves tend to be glossy and pointed is so that rain-water will run off, preventing mold and rot from setting in?

Eco-tourism in Langkawi is making its mark, found its following, and is here to stay. But will eco-tourism, which depends on the fragile pristineness of nature for its survival, manage to keep the corporate predators at bay? That's the key question.

China's New Brew

2011-03-14T21:46:00.000+08:00

BEIJING - Since its introduction in the late 19th century, all the coffee in China hasn't amounted to a hill of beans. The Middle Kingdom has long been a land of tea, and love of the leaf runs deep. Now, however, with white collar Chinese looking for a taste of Western life, change is brewing. From the arabica plantations of Yunnan to the proliferating coffee shops of the big cities, China's cappuccino craze has an ever-growing number of companies frothing at the mouth.

Beijing-based coffee roaster Stuart Eunson recalls a time when coffee was an unknown quantity for many of the Chinese capital's residents. "Back in 1994 I was traveling in a taxi here and told the driver I was involved in the coffee business," he says with a smile. "The guy didn't have the faintest idea what I was talking about. He thought coffee was a kind of vegetable."

Fifteen years later and Eunson's business is booming, with China's demand for coffee growing at an estimated 15 to 20% a year (the world average is around 2%), driving up sales of beans to hotels, cafes and shops. China's coffee consumption was estimated to be approximately 45,000 tonnes in 2006, but some analysts predict this number could jump five-fold or even six-fold to reach 300,000 tonnes annually by 2020. Coffee sales currently account for a little over 20% of the hot drinks market in China, compared to around 70% for tea.

"The potential for growth in the Chinese coffee market is enormous," explains Adrian Ho, Head of Coffee and Beverages for Nestle in the Greater China region. "Per capita coffee consumption currently stands at a mere 5 cups per year. In Hong Kong the figure rises to 60 cups, and in Japan 300 cups per year."
Analysts cite the 20 years of promotional activities that coffee companies undertook in Japan before demand reached present levels. They believe China could soon leapfrog Japan and Germany to become the world's second largest coffee consumer after the US, where average consumption is now over 3 cups per day.

"Japan was at the current Chinese consumption level in the mid 1960s but now consumes over 7 million bags," says Nestor Osorio, executive director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO). "It's likely that China will follow a similar growth path."

Like wine, coffee is a Western concept to most Chinese consumers, and coffee drinking is perceived as a sign of cosmopolitan sophistication. "For many Chinese, especially in big cities, coffee is part of a lifestyle aspiration," explains Adrian Ho. "More and more young professionals are choosing to start the day with a cup or two at home."

China's coffee market can essentially be divided into instant coffee, which is drunk at home, and roast and ground coffee, which is consumed outside in coffee shops such as Starbucks, Blenz and Costa Coffee. Very few Chinese make "real coffee" from beans or ground coffee at home. Instant coffee, the market for which is overwhelmingly dominated by Nestle, still accounts for the lion's share of China's consumption figures - the Swiss company opened a large, state-of-the-art instant coffee factory in Dongguan in southern China in 1992 to meet demand.

China's predilection for instant coffee can be attributed to both convenience and price; US$5 for a Starbucks cappuccino is a lot to pay when you consider a native Beijinger's average annual income is still less than US$6,000. A box of 10 Nestle instant coffee sachets can sell for as little as US$1.50.

"The growth in China's instant coffee market owes a great deal to Nestle's extensive marketing and a promotional campaign by the ICO in the late 1990s," explains Nestor Osorio. Promotional displays of Nestle instant coffee are a common sight in Chinese supermarkets, as are attractive "Nestle girls" handing out free tasters and advising consumers on purchasing options. "We are currently running the world's biggest coffee sampling project in China," says Adrian Ho proudly.

As well as ordinary instant coffee in sachets and jars, Nestle offers Chinese consumers sachets and cans of "1 + 2" coffee and ice coffee with creamer and sugar, and attractive gift boxes. At less than US$1 Nestle cans are far easier on the wallet than the US$3 bottles of Starbucks frappuccino with which they share supermarket shelves.

Nestle is hoping to piggyback on its popularity in China's instant market with the more upmarket Nespresso brand, a range of specialized home use machines which brew a variety of espresso-based drinks from ground coffee "capsules". The company opened a boutique in Beijing's exclusive Shin Kong Place in 2007 where Chinese can buy both machines (starting at US$570) and boxes of 10 capsules (US$8).

At the moment, the market for Nespresso in China is small, but the company is optimistic about sales. "At the moment our target group is discerning, coffee-loving Chinese PMEBs [professionals managers, executives and business people] over the age of 30," says Ernest Yong, Marketing Manager for Nespresso Asia. "Trends are very favorable. Roast and ground coffee is getting more popular every day, and we view Nespresso as a mass luxury product which a growing number of Chinese will learn, want and be able to enjoy."

While coffee shops are clearly a pricey option for those Chinese jonesing for java, they are figuring more and more in the routines of young and affluent urbanites. With traditional espresso considered too bitter, lattes, cappuccinos and frappuccinos are generally the order of the day, along with non-coffee options such as smoothies and hot chocolate.

"I usually visit Starbucks or Costa Coffee three or four times a week," says 30-something Beijing lawyer Chen Xi. "Apart from the good coffee it's a relaxing place to meet friends, and with free wireless Internet it's also convenient for working. For me life without coffee would be like life without tea or rice."

Sentiments like these are the stuff of coffee promoters' dreams, and highlight the underlying reason why coffee shops are becoming so popular in China. Over and above the simple consumption of a beverage, drinking coffee outside the home is an emotional and cultural experience for most Chinese, who value the coffee-drinking space as much as what's in the cup.

In addition to a good quality product, coffee shops that want to do well in China need to offer patrons a stylish and comfortable environment," says Paul Smith, Asia-Pacific president for Costa Coffee. "At Costa we focus on the whole bean-to-cup experience and try to localize shops as much as possible. Starbucks has a more rigid format whereas we try to be a little more creative in our decoration and products."

After a late start in China, Costa is rapidly making up lost ground on rivals such as Starbucks, which now has around 200 outlets dotted around the country. The UK chain opened its first stores in Beijing ahead of last year's Olympics, and now has seven in the Chinese capital and a further 30 in Shanghai.

"We have very progressive growth plans for China," explains Paul Smith. "By the end of this year Costa will have a total of around 60 shops in Beijing and Shanghai, and we're also planning to open stores in southern China soon."

Costa is just one of a wide array of companies competing for a slice of China's coffee pie. These include large-scale international outfits such as Starbucks and Canadian chain Blenz, local offerings UBC Coffee and SPR Coffee, and a host of smaller chains and individual shops. Even McDonald's is getting in on the action, rolling out its cheap arabica-based McCafe range of coffees in Beijing and six other Chinese cities in June to the accompaniment of some aggressive advertising.

The fact that so many companies are falling over themselves to open coffee shops in China means that retail space is often at a premium. "If there were enough suitable locations to rent at a reasonable price I could easily run 10 shops in Beijing," says Frank Siegel, owner of the city's popular Sequoia cafe. "Because chains like Costa are coming into the market it means finding good spots is really tough right now."

China is not only developing into a major coffee consumer, but also a producer. Coffee cultivation in China dates back a little over 100 years to when a French priest successfully raised the plants in a valley in Yunnan, a Japan-sized mountainous province bordering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. Serious production didn't begin, however, until 1988, when a joint effort by the Chinese government, the United Nations and World Bank saw coverage reach 4,000 hectares.

Yunnan arabica now accounts for 95% of China's coffee production, and plantation coverage has more than quintupled to around 23,000 hectares," explains Stuart Eunson, whose Beijing and Shanghai-based company, Arabica Coffee Roasters, now sources 20% of its beans from Yunnan. With a further 20,000 hectares of land considered suitable for coffee cultivation, there's certainly room for further growth.

"Yunnan's climate, elevation and general geography make growing conditions comparable to those in Colombia and Indonesia, currently the world's third- and fifth-largest coffee producers," Eunson continues. "There's no reason why China cannot produce some very fine, high quality coffee."

Despite recent growth, China's coffee production remains small in global terms - according to official figures production will be 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes this year. This is a mere bean in the bag compared to neighboring Vietnam, the world's second largest coffee growing nation behind Brazil, where production is now over 1 million tonnes and almost all beans are exported.

Although dwarfed by its competitors, Yunnan's coffee industry is still a major foreign currency generator - an estimated 60% of Yunnan's coffee production is exported overseas, mainly to Japan and Germany. "Coffee now brings in more foreign currency for Yunnan than tea," says Li Gui Ping of the Baoshan Agriculture Center. "Last year it generated around US$47 million, compared to only US$18 million in 2004."

Multinationals such as Starbucks and Nestle have directly and indirectly helped boost the Yunnan coffee industry. Much of the coffee processed at Nestle's instant coffee factory in Dongguan comes from Yunnan, and the company has been instrumental in training coffee farmers in best practice techniques, opening an experimental and demonstration farm in 1997.

Starbucks, which launched Yunnan bean-based coffee drinks in its Chinese shops during the 2009 Chinese New Year, has been operating in Yunnan for more than three years. "We decided to use Yunnan beans simply because they are now good enough," says Caren Li, Starbucks' Communications Manager for Greater China. "We are committed to building and strengthening relationships with Yunnan farmers and suppiers that will help them stabilize, build and sustain their businesses, and also promote the sustainable production of high quality coffee."

Yunnan's arabica has yet to attain the refinement of Indonesia's Mandheling coffee, regarded by many as Asia's finest, but with continued investment and growing domestic and overseas demand the future looks promising. As the country's craving for caffeine deepens, so China will become an ever greater net importer of coffee and coffee shops will continue to increase in number. Coffee may never usurp tea as China's national beverage, but its days as a vegetable are surely long gone.

Asimo (Honda's humanoid robot)

2011-03-06T20:24:00.000+08:00

   Japan having been bred on a steady diet of fictional robots of all shapes and sizes, are indisputably at the forefront in the development of humanoid robots. A central idea of science fiction for the better part of this century. it seems technology is once again catching up with fantasy.

   Honda, in following the steps of its origin in motorcycles, cars and power products, continues its endeavour in mobility-culminating in the development of a two-legged humanoid robot, named ASIMO, Though ASIMO is still far from being able to perform tasks with any significant level of autonomy, it's latest iteration shows sign that, it's getting there. The goal for Honda? To one day sell thousands of ASIMOs to people with disabilities who need help around the house.

   ASIMO is no stranger to the public, having been used as a branding and marketing tool for Honda over the last decade. It's recent local appearance at Petrosains KLCC was just another in a string of worldwide media appearances.




   Early versions of ASIMO hardly resembled a human form, appearing little more than a pair of mechanical legs with an unwieldy box situated where the torso should be. In development since 1986, ASIMO today looks like a cute suited astronaut out of an Astro Boy cartoon-a round bubble-head shape, soft curves that form its appendages and body, and a backpack (its batteries)

   ASIMO stands at only 4ft and weighs 52.2kg, a concious design decision to make it appear diminutive to avoid appearing threatening. So what can ASIMO do? It can climb and descend stairs, shake hands, run, dance, recognise faces, perform programmed routines and even predict people's movements as to avoid obstruction.



   The latest generation ASIMO can now even work in pairs. At a recent demonstration at its Tokyo headquarters, Honda showed off two ASIMOs serving tea and performing other tasks in perfect coordination with one another. While a multi-million dollar humanoid replacing the duties of a pantry maids seems like a huge case of overkill, the ramification. The science fiction ideal of having robots one day perform various daily menial tasks in homes, factories, and society at large seem assured and imminent.

   ASIMO is now also smarter, which allows it to perform more tasks without human intervention. According to Honda, ASIMO can for example,recognise drink choices and carry a tray with the requested drink to the person who placed the order. It can also navigate itself fairly autonomously, and can avoid people or sudden obstacles in its path. To cap it off, it is also capable of automatically heading off to the nearest charging station when its batteries run low.



   There are about 20 ASIMOs at last count, and some have already been leased out to big companies in Japan, IBM for example, has leased one for use in a building in Japan. IBM uses it to greet visitors and lead them to meeting rooms. Leasing costs are reputedly at about USD150,000 a month (in 2002)

   The upside to this is that ASIMOs aren't exorbitantly expensive to build. It has been reported that building costs are less than USD 1 million, with mass production promising to cut that cost down considerably. One day perhaps, we might even able to walk in to Harvey Norman to pick up a humanoid robot at a cost not much different than a high-end flat screen TV.

Save Coral Reef

2011-03-06T17:14:00.000+08:00

As anyone who has spent time around the ocean knows—whether diving, conducting research, or fishing—coral reefs are among the world’s greatest sources of beauty and wonder. Home to over 4,000 species of fish and 800 types of coral, reefs offer an amazing panorama of underwater life.

Coral reefs supply a wide range of important benefits to communities around the world. From the fisherman in Indonesia or Tanzania who relies on local fish to feed his family, to the scientist in Panama who investigates the medicinal potential of reef related compounds, reefs provide jobs, livelihoods, food, shelter, and protection for coastal communities and the shorelines along which they live.

Unfortunately, reefs today are facing multiple threats from many directions. 2010 was one of the warmest years on record, causing widespread damage to coral reefs. Warmer oceans lead to coral bleaching, which is becoming increasingly frequent around the globe—leaving reefs, fish, and the communities who depend on these resources at great risk. No one yet knows what the long-term impacts of this bleaching will be. But, if the ocean’s waters keep warming, the outlook is grim.

Stopping the waste of discarded fish

2011-03-01T23:16:00.000+08:00

Discards are disgusting. No-one with any sense can support the catching, killing, and throwing away of fish. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight – which Greenpeace has supported from the outset - has at long last made the waste of perfectly good fish a national outrage here in the UK. It is a pointless waste of life, and potential resources. It’s abhorrent whether you eat fish or don’t.
So why the hell is it happening? And how on earth do you stop it?
Discards are what we call ‘bycatch’ when it is fish. Even more specifically it is usually used to describe fish that could be, or are, marketable and edible – but not what is being specifically targeted or demanded.
Obviously there are different sorts of fishing. Put simply discards are a problem in the methods that catch a ‘mixed bag’ of fish rather than selectively targeting a specific species. So, in the North Sea for example, if a trawler wants to catch haddock, then it’s also quite likely they will pull up a net with other species in it too – like cod, monkfish, whiting, small sharks, prawns and pollack.
At present that haul would be brought onboard, and sorted. The fish that were either not wanted or not allowed to be kept are then normally cast back over the side. Because the focus is on the fish that the fishermen do want to keep and get a good market price for, bycatch is left to be dealt with last, then chucked back in. So for the most part, we can assume the trauma of being caught in a net, dragged up from the depths, and left floundering out of water means that it is dead.
There are essentially three main reasons for a fish becoming a discard statistic:

the fisherman has no quota for it
there is little or no market or value for the fish
the fish is too small, or otherwise illegal to land

There are ways to stop discards, none of which can work in isolation. How we do that is a combination of legislation, and the practical implementation of better ways of fishing, coupled with building in some ‘insurance’ into the system, and being a bit more realistic and flexible as consumers.
Change the rules
There is an assumption that ‘quotas cause discards’. But in reality quotas are agreed at European level (and our elected representatives are part of that) then it is up to individual member states, like the UK as to how they distribute and enforce their share of quotas appropriately. The upshot of that is that fishermen are told they cannot land over-quota fish, when actually the point of the quotas is that they are not supposed to be caught and killed (over-quota) in the first place. Changing the rules to be more specific and actually generate the desired outcome is something we need from EU fishing regulation reform.
By the way, it’s also worth noting that any EU agreement to ‘ban discards’ will similarly be delegated back to each of us member states to implement.
Fish better
Fishing in a mixed fishery catches a mix of fish. More selective gear is needed to be able to avoid catching non-targeted catch so that discards are not an issue. There are many projects out there to trial ‘smarter’ fishing gear, and of course one of the key ways that happens is by using things like larger net mesh to catch less undersized, juvenile fish.
But we need more ways of making our fishing selective, and minimising its overall impact. If a fishing method is simply not able to catch its target species without decimating other species (including some with very low quotas because they need chance to recover) then why is it still happening? We need to incentivise good fishing, and disincentivise bad fishing, both politically and as consumers.
Better enforcement
Technology for monitoring fishing is coming on in leaps and bounds, but largely it is still difficult to know just what is happening at sea. The current interpretation of the quota system means it is ‘illegal’ to land the discarded fish, which means in truth we only have estimates of what is being caught. We need to change that.
Perhaps that means everything should be landed, so that we know what is being caught, and can take the necessary steps to eliminate discards. Perhaps it means more at-sea, and on-land enforcement (which is the model our Norwegian neighbours use, along with a ban on discarding marketable fish at sea – in Norway it must be landed). This is also essential to stop the heinous practice of ‘high-grading', explained here in the Economist.
A more diverse market
Of course the one sure way to make certain that fish are not discarded is that every fish caught is marketable and sold. That means fishermen getting a fair price for fish, and consumers being more ready to accept different species, and varying seasonal ability. Our dependence on just a few species is a huge part of the problem – but a difficult one to fix.
Celebrity chefs endorsing a new fashionable species, like, say, seabass, can cause a surge of demand and problems all of its own. So when you go to the fish counter you should be choosing what’s local, and what’s in season.
So there are ways to reduce and stop discards, but that is just one part of the story. And even that small part involves genuine concerted change from politicians, industry and consumers.
It’s worth acknowledging here that stopping discards is not the solution to all the problems associated with fishing. Discards are just one symptom of a broken system, and addressing them doesn’t instantly stop overfishing, or destructive fishing. (More on how these issues are inter-related in future posts.)
Most importantly, we also need to make sure we are building in some insurance now for our oceans to allow them to recover, for fish and other species to thrive now and in the future. A sustainable fishing industry can only exist as part of a healthy ocean, and too often we take the endless bounty of our seas for granted.

Red Wine Protects Heart From Aging

2011-03-01T04:37:00.000+08:00

   A natural compound found in red wine may protect the heart against the effects of the aging process. In a study, mice were given a diet supplemented with the compound known as resveratrol starting at their equivalent of middle age until old age.

   This mice experienced changes in their gene activity related to aging in a way very similar to mice that were placed on a so-called restriction diet that slows the aging process by greatly cutting dietary energy intake.

   Most striking was how the resverastrol, like calorie restriction, blocked the decline in heart function typically associated with aging, according to Tomas Prolla, a university of Wisconsin professor of genetics who helped lead the study.

   Much as Spaniard Juan Ponce de Leon once searched for the mythical fountain of youth, researchers now are seeking ways to extend the quality and length of human life. In some studies, animals given a diet with greatly reduced caloric intake have lived longer than animals with normal diets. But perpetual hunger is a steep price to pay for greater longevity, some researchers say.

   Resveratrol, found in abundance in grapes and in red wine, has drawn a lot of interest from scientists and some companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, which in April 2008 said it would pay $720 million to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc, a company that is developing drugs that mimic the effects of resveratrol.

   Some studies has shown that in high doses, resveratrol extended the life span of fruit flies and worms and prevented early death in mice fed a high-fat diet. In this study, mice were given relatively low doses compared to the earlier research, and still experienced important aging-related benefits.

   The researches began giving the resveratrol diet to the mice when they were 14 months old-their middle age-and followed the animals until they were about 30 months old. The researchers then conducted tests on cardiac function and on gene activity related to aging.

   "Resveratrol at low doses can retard some aspects of the aging process, including heart aging, and it may do so by mimicking some of the effects of caloric restriction, which is known to retard aging in several tissues and extend life span," added Prolla, whose study was published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.

   Using a method that permits simultaneous analysis of thousands of genes at the same time, the researchers found a huge overlap in the genes whose activity were changed by resveratrol and carolic restriction. They looked at the heart, brain and muscles, and said that the effect of resveratrol was strongest in the heart but did prevent some aging-related changes in the other issues.

   Just because mice had these benefits does not mean people also would, although Prolla said, "I think there's a high likelihood that our findings are applicable to humans" He said he expected to see a lot of studies in the coming years on the effects of resveratrol supplementation in people.

Sustainability and Conservation

2011-03-01T01:49:00.000+08:00

   Coral reefs and tropical rainforest are very much threatened. It is estimated that somewhere in the region of 30-40% of the world's coral reefs have been destroyed or are beyond recovery and if we do not take immediate action, coral reef as we know them may well disappear forever. Coral reef are so important, not only for the well being of communities that depend on them for food and livelihood but also globally because they are the key systems that help to control greenhouse gas etc. They are also economically of huge importance tourists want to go visit coral reefs or lie on coral sand beaches.



   In terms of tropical forests, their decline has been exponential in the last 20 to 30 years and it is one of the most threatened habitats in the world. So it is important to do a number of things. First off, to protect these systems but also to make the general public aware of the importance of tropical forests and coral reefs. They are very important to the well being of our planet. They must be protected and to a degree,where possible,restored.



   Rain forest support over half of the earth's estimated 10 million species; coral reefs are home to a third of all known fish species as well provide the main source of protein for one billion people in Asia alone, and rain forests are a crucial source of food for indigenous communities-and beyond

   In health rain forest provide ingredients for over 120 prescriptions drugs, while coral reefs are source of cancer treatment compounds,shelter over 100,000km of coastline from storm and floods; rain forests protect watersheds and nourish agriculture.If well managed, rain forests are a renewable source of valuable products, while coral reefs boost revenue in some of the world's poorest nations, through tourism etc.

   Climate wise,coral reefs absorb and 'fix' carbon dioxide, while rain forests are the lungs of the planet converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.

   Effective conservation stems from scientific research and understanding. One of the Trust's objectives is to support the work of the CCC Expeditions in collecting data that can be used to create protected areas and sustainably manage threatened coral reefs and tropical forests.

     The future of coral reefs and tropical forests relies to a large extent on maintaining awareness of what's at stake, both at a global and local level.

   By helping local communities to use their natural resources in a sustainable way, highly productive ecosystems like coral reefs and rainforests can provide long-term ecological and economic benefits. The CCC Trust has supported several alternative livelihood schemes. In the Philippines, for example, communities now make a living from nature-based tourism.

Earth Out of Sync

2011-02-23T00:40:00.000+08:00

   A newly hatched chick wait with hungry mouth agape for a parent to deliver its first meal. A crocus peaks up through the snow. River flow swiftly as ice breaks up and snow melts. Sleepy mammals emerge from hibernation, and early frog songs penetrate the night.

   Spring awakening has long provided fodder for poets, artists, and almanac writers. Even for a notoriously fickle time of sunshine, rain, and temperature swings, some old-fashioned seasonal wisdom was consistent enough to be passed down through generations. The first blooming of a specific flower, for example, could traditionally signal when to find certain fish running the rivers, when to hunt for mushrooms, or when to plant crops, The timing of such seasonal events is coordinated, perhaps, until something jolts it out of step.

   With global average temperatures up 0.5C since the 1970s, springtime warming is coming earlier across the earth's temperate regions. A number of organisms have responded to the warming temperatures by altering the timing of key life-cycle events. The problem, however, is that not all species are adjusting at the same rate or in the same direction, thus disrupting the dance that connects predator and prey, butterfly and blossom, fish and phytoplankton, and the entire web of life.





   The timing of seasonal biological events, otherwise known as phenology, has been tracked in some places for centuries. Japan's much-feted cherry tree blossoming has been carefully recorded since before 1400. The trees showed no clear trend in timing until the early 20th century, when they began to bloom earlier, with a marked advancement since around 1950.

   The meticulous records of Henry David Thoreau help us gauge how spring has changed in Concord, Massachusetts, since the mid-1800s. Comparing his notes on over 500 species and subspecies of plants with modern surveys and records in between, researchers found that springtime blooming advanced by an average of one week over the past 150 years as local springtime temperature rose.

   The plant varieties that advanced their timing appear to have thrived over the years, while others declined in numbers. The varieties left behind include asters, mints, orchids, lilies, and violets. Some native plants advanced their blossoming dramatically; the high bush blueberry by three weeks and the yellow wood sorrel herb by a month. Yet these native plant mat be the exception rather than the rule; on average, non-native invasive plants advanced their bloom by 11v days more than natives. With exotic invasive appearing to adapt more quickly to warming temperatures, the concern is that they could out-compete some native plants, leading to their disappearance.

   Earlier springs and later autumns mean longer growing seasons-as long as plants do not succumb to a surprise late cold snap or will in the peak summer heat. In Germany, apricot and peach trees now bloom more than half a month earlier than 1961. Apple trees in the northeastern United States moved up flowering by eight days between 1965 and 2001; apple trees require chilling time before they flower, and warmer winters have been tied to smaller harvests. Earlier spring blooming has lengthened pollen seasons in some places by weeks. Allergy sufferers beware; this trend is likely to get worse as the planet gets warmer.

   A long growing season could benefit some crops like the sugar beet. For other foods, however, including important cereals like rye, the increased early season temperatures could hurt yields by pushing plants to devote more energy to vegetative growth than to the seed that we eat. The premature warming also elevates the risk of damage from late frosts. In 2007 in the US, a warm March in prime agricultural regions pushed spring into gear early, only to be followed by unusual cold in April. The damage to the nascent crops exceeded US$2 billion.

   Exactly how these changing plant communities will interact with pollinators and foragers that may or may not be changing at the same pace remains unanswered. Members of the animal kingdom are responding to warming in different ways. A quintessential early bird, the American Robin, now sometimes makes an even earlier springtime debut. In the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where robin migration is not just south-to-north but also up to higher elevations, the birds have responded to warming in their high-altitude summer breeding grounds two weeks earlier in 2009 compared to the early 1980s. In some years the robins arrive long before the snow has melted-- making it far more difficult for this early bird to catch the worm.

   For pied flycatchers that breed in the Netherlands, migration timing from their West African wintering grounds has not changed, but earlier spring warming has caused the birds to breed about as soon after their arrival as possible. Unfortunately, their caterpillar food has been able to respond even more strongly, advancing hatching in one woodland by an average of 15 days over two decades, while the birds only advanced by 10 days. At sites where the caterpillar populations still peak somewhat late, flycatcher populations have drop 10 percent, but where the caterpillars have advanced hatching the most, flycatcher populations have plummeted about 90 per cent.

   Across Europe as a whole, populations of birds that did not advance their migration time along with earlier spring warming have shrunk since 1990. Short-distance migrants seem to be faring better than those traveling long ways. Milder winters have even prompted growing numbers of some birds, like the Pacific Brant and Canada goose, to skip the birds migration altogether. Like the early crops, however, the birds that stay are in danger of being wiped out by a sudden cold spell.



   As evidenced by the caterpillars in the Netherlands, short-lived insects have some of the fastest life-cycle responses to global warming. In Central Europe, where almost every summer since 1980 has been hotter than the long-term average, warming has allowed some species of butterflies and moths to become active earlier and actually add an extra generation in the year- something not seen among those species in records dating back to the 1850s. If predation does not increase, a population explosion could overstress the plants that the butterfly and moth caterpillars eat.



   High-altitude mountain pine beetles in western North America present a similar case. In warmer weather they can complete their life cycles in one year instead of two. Insects that once were active for just two weeks a year now can be found flying for up to six months, leaving devastated forests in their wake. Earlier springs and milder winters are also linked to an increased incidence of tick-borne encephalitis and other diseases spread by insects that do well in the warmer conditions.

   In addition to or instead of adjusting life-cycle timing, some organisms have responded to warming temperatures by shifting their geographical ranges, often poleward or upward. Bird and butterfly range shifts averaging six kilometers per decade have already been observed, with some species moving faster. There are, of course, limitations to all these adaptations. Even more-mobiles species can gain only so far before becoming blocked by pervasive human development.

   Some wildlife take their timing cues from environmental factors other than temperature. The snowshoe hare,for instance, appears to rely on changes in day length to signal when to transform its coat color from winter white to summer brown. While day-length patterns are the same from year to year, snow in the hare's Montana wilderness habitat now melts up to a month early. If hares are not able to speed up their coat change, they will be in trouble; a stark white hare on bare ground is a remarkably easy target. And as go the hares, so go the lynxes that feed almost exclusively on them.

   Tinkering with an incredibly complex and interconnected system is fraught with risk. These mismatches are just some examples of how a hotter world is a world unlike any we have known. It is still too early in this global experiment to tell which creatures will be the climate winners and losers, but the signs indicate that the losers will be the majority. Turning down the global thermostat by cutting greenhouse gas emissions is the only way to avoid the risk of throwing nature further out of sync.

Troubled Waters

2011-02-22T18:45:00.000+08:00

   When you got your monthly household bills, which is the most inexpensive, insignificant one of the lot? If you hail from a typical Malaysian household, it would have to be your water bill. So would you believe that Asia- and that include Malaysia is in the grip of a water crisis? Most likely you are going,"What crisis?"

   BUSINESS AS USUAL
   When we have an oil crisis, prices at the petrol pump immediately go up and instantaneously impact our pockets. Then there follows the knock on effects of all the goods shipped using fuel, whose prices immediately head north in tandem with the petrol increase. And wham, our pockets keep taking one hit after another. But with our water crisis, it's business as usual. Yet at a recent water and urban planning conference, Arjun Thapan, special adviser to the Asian Development Bank pointed out that at the rate Asia is going, it would have a 40% gap between water demand and supply by 2030. Given that 80% of Asia's water is used to irrigate agricultural lands, the shortage could have serious implications for future food supplies. Already water shortages are constraining food production growth. Rice cultivation is being phased out around Beijing because it is such a thirsty crop and places like Egypt are restricting rice production in favour of wheat-and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

   CHILLING LINKS
   And these facts tally with a recent book, "Plan B 4.0; Mobilizing to Save Civilization," penned by Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute that documents the chilling global links between water management, population growth and food security, chilling because we are in fact, according to these two eminent gentlemen above-and a great body of anecdotal research supports their views-reaching tipping point in addressing these issues. A World Bank study of India's water balance notes that 15% of its grain harvest is produced by over pumping, in human terms, that's 175 million Indian being fed with grain produced from wells that will be going dry. The comparable number for China is 130 million. Among other countries facing harvest reductions from groundwater depletion are Pakistan, Iran and Yemen


     "The tripling of world wheat, rice and corn prices between mid-2006 and mid-2008 signalled our growing vulnerability to food shortages'" says Brown, "It took the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression to lower grain prices. Past decades have witnessed world grain price surges, but they were event-driven-a drought in the former Soviet Union, a monsoon failure in India or a crop withering heat wave in the US Corn Belt. This most recent price surge was trend-driven, the result of our failure to reverse environmental trends that are undermining world food production." And a major factor precipitating this crisis is the falling water tables across the globe.

   CHANGING OUR MINDSET
   But we continue to consume water ineffectively. This is often the result of low water prices. In many countries, subsidies lead to irrationally low water prices, creating the impression that water is abundant when in fact it is scarce. As water becomes scarce, it needs to be priced accordingly.

   Thapan categorically states, "Water cannot any longer be seen as a free and never ending natural resource," He pushes for a more realistic pricing of water as one key driver in conserving and using it wisely. Singapore and Israel have been held up as role models in doing just that. In the case of Malaysia, the volume of used water that remain untreated-leading to massive pollution of our river-is a major worry.

   We are in race against time and Brown avers,"It is decision time. We have to make a choice. We can stay with business as usual and watch our economy decline and our civilization unravel, or we can adopt Plan B."

   But is anyone out there

The Future Is Green

2011-02-21T16:49:00.000+08:00

   IT's been exactly 39 years since the hippies began their chant for change, demanding that we respect the Earth and its resources; begging that we alter our materialistic viewpoint to prevent the worst from happening. But we felt it easier to label the long-haired free spirits 'nutters' and carry on with our quest to milk the world for what it was worth.

   Then came the natural disasters, hot on the heels of each other, ravaging countries with tsunamis,floods and droughts, to which we offered sympathetic nods before carrying on with what we knew best - making money at all costs.

   But now that the world economy has taken such a beating that even the prices of our most prized natural resources have taken a tumble, governments of the world have finally begun reevaluating their stance, Might this then be a good time to learn something from the hippies and take a few steps to protect our planet? And while we're at it, make some cash on the side?

   Despite physical evidence to the contrary, money still makes the world go around. And it's because of the falling economy that we finally feel it necessary to take a step towards preserving our future.

   It's a sad truth but at least it has forcibly pushed us onto the right path. In October 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and leading economists launched the Green Economy Initiative (GEI), right on the cusp of the then impending economic crisis, announcing that only way forward is by protecting the very thing we've taken for granted all along.

   Since money make the world spin ,everyone sat up to listen when the UNEP announced that our survival (one has to wonder if 'survival' here means financial) depends on "re-focusing the global economy towards investments in clean technologies and natural infrastructures such as forests and soils, adding that "this is the best bet for real growth, combating climate change and triggering an employment boom".

   It is an insult to the human race that our motivation to save the planet stems from financial gains. But it is motivation nonetheless.

   GREEN JOB
   The first step in restructuring our economy is by re-employing the masses that have lost their jobs in the last few months. In a bid to rescue Americans who are struggling to cope with the downturn, President Barrack Obama jumped on the UNEPs landmark study entitled Green Jobs; Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low- Carbon World, which revealed that millions of new "green jobs" could be created in the next few decades as a result of the emerging global "green economy"

   "We'll invest US$15 billion (RM55 billion) a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new green jobs that pay well, can't be outsourced and help end our dependence on foreign oil," he had said during his campaign, 10 days after the announcement of UNEPs findings.

   He appears to have kept his promise. At the end of February, Obama signed the US$787 billion economic stimulus bill, which includes provisions to create jobs such as installing solar panels and building wind turbines, which is likely to aid middle-America regain its footing.

   The most promising provision is the US$6 billion set aside as a loan guarantee programme to encourage banks to finance green investments and US$500 billion for a "green job" training programme to be run by the Department of Labor.

   Risky business? Perhaps. But given the state of the earth and its resources, even Obama realises that we're caught between a melting iceberg and an impending tidal wave.

   But even before Obama pledged allegiance to making this world a better place, green jobs had already begin making an impression in employment and investment trends. According to the UNEP report, renewable energy generates more jobs than employment in fossil fuels. Based on this trend, the report projects that investments of US$630 billion by 2030 would mean that at least 20 million additional jobs would be created in the renewable energy sector.

   According to the report, green jobs reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable. However, the report also finds that the process of climate change, already underway, will continue to have negative effects on workers and their families, especially those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and tourism.

   Is it then possible after years of abuse and neglect that our sudden concern for the earth might actually make a difference and turn things around? Or is this just a passing phase given the state of the economy?

   The UNEP remains optimistic, Its Global Green New Deal, inspired by President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal in the aftermath of the Great Depression, is to inspire and enable governments to begin the shift towards a global economy driven by massive job creation from the growth of resource and energy-efficient building and construction; widespread use of modern public transport in mega cities; the scaling up of solar, wind, wave, thermal, and bio energy mix; sustainable chemicals and waste management as a highly lucrative sector; and sustainable agriculture that reflects the latest thinking in ecosystem management and biodiversity and water conservation.

   "The road onto the green economy may be long, but we are taking the first steps now and looking forward to walking this greatest journey of the 21st century with like-minded partners," the UNEP says.

   INDUSTRY STANDARDS
   Any capitalist will by now have realised that there still is massive amounts of money to be made in this economy, as long as they go green. Back a green industry, a new green invention or any of the initiatives that the governments of the world are prepared to invest in, and you're sure to cash in on the green movement.

   At last two years, one of the hardest hit industries of the downturn, the auto industry, declared that it is serious about producing greener vehicles. After years of dragging their feet, they obviously mean business now as the statement was issued at the Geneva Auto Show.

   A lot will depend on whether the consumer will be punished for buying fuel efficiency by having to pay more for it. Volkswagen chairman Martun Winterkorn appears to be slightly more optimistic about the change, saying that going green could save the auto industry from sinking during this critical period.

   Most of the cars launched at the show offered fuel-saving or lower emissions, but there is nagging doubt if consumers will actually have the incentive to make that change. Once again, it boils down to money. A start-up in the US, Sapphire Energy, cashed in with a promising innovation. The company unveiled what it calls "green crude", a liquid fuel chemically identical to gasoline but isn't dependent on either a food source or agricultural land. Even in these difficult times, Sapphire has managed to attract US$50 million from respected venture capital companies in the US, Genomatica, to create thousands of tons of a foundational chemical in plastics using sugar instead of a petrol-based ingredient. It too has gained the attention and commitment of ventures capitalists, proving that going green will naturally beef up your bank balance.

   SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
   All this talk about creating green jobs and cleaning up after ourselves, as it turns out, is clearly a race to discover as many renewable energy sources as possible. This is where the money is.

   One of the most ambitious sustainable-energy projects to date is the Master Initiative in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Part of this project includes transforming about four square miles of empty dessert into the world's only zero-emissions, waste free city, named Masdar City. This massive project has received billions of dollars in backing, which includes an investment fund and a science and engineering institute devoted to the study of clean energy and sustainable technologies, and continues to draw investors from around the world including Finland's WinWinD, which supplies wind turbines.

   Closer to home, the North Sumataran Island of Indonesia has found new use of its score of volcanoes, Geothermal Power built by Omat technologies of Japan is in the midst of tapping into the built-up power of these volcanoes, and has found backing of about US$600 million. Construction of this massive geothermal site is slated to end around 2011. At a cost of US$2 billion, the Mojave Desert in California is being transformed into the state's power generator. Working with Solel Solar Systems, an Israeli solar thermal company, the solar thermal energy output at this plant is estimated to reach its state-mandated renewable energy requirement by 2010. Solel plans to string 1.2 million mirrors over nine square miles of the dessert, converting the sun's heat into steam that powers turbines.

   At this rates, the future is looking infinitely green. But why has it taken a beating of the economy and a sad state of our climate to push governments to take these necessary steps? Take President Obama's plans to sell permits giving businesses the right to emit pollution from 2012. The number of available permits would gradually decline, forcing businesses to buy the increasingly scarce, and costly, rights to pollute on an open market. Obama hopes that the rising cost of permits will encourage businesses to invest in clean technologies as a cheaper alternative to meeting pollution mandates, helping to cut greenhouse gas production to 14 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

   Had such a step been taken even two decades ago, would climate change have taken millions of lives and left millions more homeless? Would our agricultural industries been as bad hit? It begs the biggest question of all : If we had put all our energy into saving the planet in the first place, would this economic crunch have even happen? All this begs the question as to what Malaysia is doing to put right our transgressions against the planet. Have we as a country stepped up to reduce our carbon footprint? In March 2007, former Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi launched the Malaysia Green Building Mission aimed at promoting sustainable construction in the country, much like the Pusat Tenaga Malaysia Zero Energy Building in Bangi, Selangor, which runs on energy efficiency and renewable energy.

   In order to encourage more such buildings, the Malaysian institute of Architects (PAM) and the Association for Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) announced that as of April, they would initiate a voluntary Green Building Index to encourage the building of eco-friendly properties.

   The index is meant to guide architects, designers, engineers, and property developers on energy and water efficiency, sustainable site management and indoor environment quality, all of which will generate a green rating for the building.

   The question is, who's going to bear the cost of training our workforce to install solar panels as opposed to water heater?

   PAM's chairman, Tan Loke Mun says that the body will liaise with the government to identify possible incentives to support this urgent initiative. For now it remains to be seen what will become of this move. Untill then, the looming question remains centred on our oil palm practices. America's largest organic grocer announced that its products will no longer use palm oil sourced from unsustainable producers.

   " Whole Foods Market is concerned with the social and environmental impacts of palm oil production in tropical rainforest ecosystems around the world," Whole Foods said in a statement, Whole
foods is committed to protecting rainforests, communities and our global climate, and therefore Whole Foods has partnered with the Institute for Markettecology (IMO), a highly regarded international certification agency whose social responsibility and fair trade certification programme requires successful implemaentation of environmental, social responsibility, and sustainability practices on the land within the company's organisation,"

   Unilever, the largest corporate buyer of palm oil has agreed with Whole Foods. This put us in a bind as studies have shown that palm oil production in South East Asia is destroying the rainforest and putting endangered species like the oranghutan at further risk. Conversion of natural ecosystems for oil palm plantations has also been associated with the emissions of hundreds of millions of tons of greenhouse gases.

   Perhaps this boycott is the only way to halt the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations locally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), figures show that Malaysia's annual deforestation rate jumped almost 86 per cent between the 1900-2000 period and 2000-2005.

   Clearly, something has to be done right now if we want to continue living on a lush, green planet, signs of which are fading fast.

The Green Philosophy

2011-02-19T19:03:00.000+08:00

   With the increasing awareness that food sources are drying up and that current food systems have to give way to a more sustainable and eco-friendly path in order to be able to replenish themselves, gourmands around the world are morphing into environmental ambassadors with every conscious decision that they make. A keenness to have a closer and healthier relationship to food has translated to the slew of green options that have branded many products as organic, bio dynamic, humanely - raised, fair trade, Amidst all the intimidating jargon, understanding these terms will give you an appreciation of their broader significance and the impact you can make by contributing to the green philosophy.

   Despite having no official definition, there are several underlying approaches to the sustainable food movement. Seeking to affect minimal negative impact on the environment, improving food security and providing a sustainable livelihood for farmers are some of the salient points of this ethical campaign. The saying "knowledge is power" rings ever so true - a greater awareness of how we want to live and the choices we have at our disposal is the starting point of sustainable dining.

   A GREEN - ER REVOLUTION?
   The green revolution of the 1960s promised us an increased amount of agricultural production as a feasible solution to providing food security. This industrial approach to farming was seen as the epitome of progress at that time, but has unfortunately received much flak over time regards to its impact on the environment.

   Extensive use of pesticides leading to pollution and dangerous residues, a drop in agricultural biodiversity as well as recent genetically modified organisms (GMO) health scares have turned the spotlight on the need for greater accountability towards Mother Earth. Instead of pursuing practices that might wound the ecosystem, the organic movement put into place the aim of protecting and rebuilding the soil through strict avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics.

   Bio dynamic agriculture is an extension of the organic movement, with an adherence to unique philosophical principles. Not only are adherents working towards farming practices that are sustainable, being bio dynamic also takes into account a keen observation of nature itself like the rhythmic influence of the moon, the seasons and weather patterns as well as using special plant, animal and mineral elements to reduce pests and diseases.

   THE MEAT INDUSTRY
   The advent of mad cow disease was a wake - up call for many on the controversial customs of the meat industry. With contaminated feed being the most common causes of diseases, there are also concerns that these residues might escape into the waste stream, impacting the environment negatively, Not only are human lives and the environment at stake, over exploiting food resources have also led to inhumane practices.

   McDonald's made headlines in 2000 when it became the first major corporation in the US to improve farmed animal welfare, Under pressure from the largest animal rights group, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), it agreed to buy meat only from suppliers that could ensure minimum humane treatment of livestock. These 'free farm' animals are allowed a healthy access to water, space and food. Another category of sustainably produced meat is known as 'free range' where animals are allowed outside and not confined to the feedlot, but it makes no specification as to what the animals eat. And then there is the term 'grass fed' or 'pasture-raised'. This term takes the meaning of 'free range' further by allowing them to forage on grass openly, allowing animals to observe a natural feeding schedule that allows them to mature at a normal rate of growth with less stress and injury.

   'Hormone-free' and 'antibiotic-free' meats and dairy products prohibit antibiotic and hormone use in animals. These artificial substances eventually pass through the animal's body as they are not fully digested or broken down and enter the environment through waste water and runoffs. The use of organic livestock feed is also one of the many ways to contribute to the humanely-raised meat movement.

   HARVEST OF THE SEA
   The ocean, one of our main culinary lifelines, is also progressively being depleted - no thanks to over-fishing, with most of the endangered species facing the highest consumer demand. Species such as the Atlantic cod, Chilean sea bass, blue fin tuna, swordfish, monk fish and shark (for their fin) are critically threatened. Much has been done on an international level to stern the negative effects on marine life such as making sure that seafood products are being caught in an environmentally sustainable manner, but it is the consumer who needs a bit more pushing to create that higher level of awareness. The introduction of aquaculture-the rearing and farming of marine and fresh water organisms under controlled conditions-as well as marine conservations regions are some methods to combat this decrease. Responsible fishing methods such as longlining, harpooning, and handlining also lessen negative impact on the environment.

   Eating fish in a sustainable manner require one to be updated on the 'What's Hot' and 'What's Not' list of critically endangered species, especially since there seems to be inadequate or even absent labelling of information on seafood in supermarkets and fish counters. Being aware of this list also means that that the discerning diner is able to pick out sustainable fish species from the critically endangered ones like the red mullet, snapper, certain types of tuna and Alaskan salmon.

   COFFEE, TEA OR ME?
   Even coffee, tea and chocolate products have joined the bandwagon.Products that have been certified under the eco-label Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance have brought forth ethical considerations for the consumer to support, Being Fair Trade-certified adds to the cause of environmental protection through the sustainable production of coffee and tea. It also benefits farmers by ensuring a fair price for their products and technological support, as well as keeping a strict lookout on child labour standards. The Rainforest Alliance certification champions environmentally-sound methods in specifically tropical rainforest areas. Organic coffee prohibits chemical fertilisers and pesticides and encourages soil preservation.

   A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE?
   Granted that Malaysia is only just being introduced to green ways and means,is it then an uphill task to convince consumers to make ecologically-sound choices? Knowing that our food choices affect the environment, even a small step like paying attention to what you eat matters. By being aware of the consequences of your choices, you can now look forward to reconnecting with your food on a deeper, more meaningful level-a fitting philosophy for the discerning gourmand.

Environmental Leadership

2011-02-13T23:16:00.000+08:00

In the changing face of business with mixed cultures, mass communication and social networks, will your current leadership skills be enough to still be effective? Or, do we need to evolve, transform our perceptions of leadership to regain the value and effectiveness of our people?

The quest starts with new psychology-based leadership strategies and the rise of a new approach to influencing people and organisational culture.

Environmental Leadership is not about changing the mindset of the group or individual, but in the cultivation of an environment that brings out the best and inspires the individuals in that group, a seven key psychological influences - two personal awareness and five pillars of transformation - to cultivate a group and culture that effectively supports the greater abilities and fulfillment of the members of that workforce or team.

TWO KEYS OF PERSONAL AWARENESS

   The first step is to realise that as a leader, every action you take, every decision you make, no matter how small, will affect the group, regardless positively or negatively. Equally, when any individual in a group reacts, it will affect you and each member of that group.
   The first personal awareness is to concentrate on growth and results, do not blame others. We will consciously or subconsciously cause other to make mistake to support our ego, which leads to blame and directs the group away from growth.
   The second key is to create opportunities to make others successful and positively acknowledge their specific actions that lead to that success.

   BUILDING THE FIVE PILLARS OF TRANSFORMATION
   The five pillars are the cornerstones of a leader's ability to modify group dynamics, to nurture an environment that inspires and brings out the best in others. And, it is the process of constructing the five pillars themselves that facilitates the leader, and his team, the ability to embrace the two keys of personal awareness.

   PILLAR #1; YOU MUST HAVE A GREATER PURPOSE
   The learn must have a purpose that is greater or more noble than the personal goals of each individual.Yet realisation of this greater purpose would be equally fulfilling ti the individual.
   Consider the human condition, what is it that we all want and yet struggle with multiple people and systems, and additional internal and external influences, to complete a task with satisfaction is seldom achieved. Thus, we get frustrated with our environment, intermittent failures and setbacks from our success.
   We know that change must happen, frequently we point to others and say they must change. The role of an Environment Leader is to inspire the group to willingly make the change and take action to achieve the promise of a greater working environment and a greater self.

   PILLAR #2; YOU MUST HAVE A METHODOLOGY YOU BELIEVE IN THAT CAN
   MAKE A CHANGE
   The team must believe that they as a group can make it happen. They must believe that there is a way, through a common wisdom in the group, that they can be powerful enough to change organisational culture to a more fulfilling environment for the betterment of their own lives. But to believe this, the people must have a psychological methodology that can effectively make change happen. If change for the
better seems like an impossible dream, few will take the effort.
   There are many methodologies such as Peter Seng's Learning Organisation or Stephen Covey's 7 Habits that help to build a better leadership and growth environment. Environmental Leadership is a methodology that can make change happen, affects the environment to give everyone a greater sense of fulfillment and growth in their work known as Directive Communication.
   Directive Communication a personal and organisational awareness programme that provides the methodology to unite individuals with a greater understanding of how and why their work environment is the way that is while opening the door to the real possibility of change.
   Each person is genetically different in how they perceive the world, and therefore, would take approaches and decisions differently. By identifying the fundamental patterns in the way our brain genetically processes the world around us, we overcome misunderstanding, conflict, and wastage of individual and group potential. Awareness of these "Brain Communication" processes gives us more means to maximise our capacity to act intelligently, to turbo charge our natural gifts for greater competence across many disciplines. We are then able to understand others at a deeper level and unleash greater potential for relationships at work and at home, and for greater harmony and cooperation with our environment and our teams.Through the process, change begins to .become apparent and perpetuates the cultivation of the desired environment.

   PILLAR #3 YOU MUST SPEAK A COMMON LANGUAGE
   The methodology carries with it a specific language. The language reinforces the learning and the higher purpose. It enables greater communication with fewer words. It allows emotions to be expressed without being expressive. It sets a foundation to understand and explain awareness, change, and a higher level of living in a concise and effective way.
   The Leader reinforces the use of the language in the group and sets the example of applying communication that supports the greater cause.

   PILLAR #4 YOU MUST HAVE A UNIFIED IDENTITY
   There is already a greater purpose that the group wants, a methodology everyone is applying (or at least is aware of ) to achieve that greater purpose, and a common language that the team is speaking to reinforce that methodology, so a common identity already exists.
   The role of the Environment Leader is to solidity that identity, to facilitate the group or team to associate themselves with that identity and everything it represents - to distinguish those who are a part of the greater purpose and give them a group vision.

   PILLAR# 5; YOU MUST MAINTAIN AN INTERNAL SUPPORTIVE
   ENVIRONMENT
   As a team with its unique identity that shares and applies a methodology for the development and benefit of each other, a supportive environment will emerge as a by - product of the process. And when it is led by an Environment Leader who focuses on the continuous progress and perpetuation of that environment, the ultimate success culture emerges.
   The role of the Environment Leader becomes to nurture and develop environmental leaders within the teams and the organisation. At this stage, the environment created will fulfill much of the constantly expanding emotional gratifications of security, diversity, belonging, personal growth, significance and achievement. This environment will compete and surpass the allure of the modern world. Yet it cannot be developed without the right leadership, And, an environmental leader must no longer be as essential as when he started.

Recycle and Save water for your survival.

2011-02-11T13:54:00.000+08:00

   Clean water is something most of us take for granted but not so for 1.1 billion people in the world. The lack of proper drinking water could soon be a dire dilemma faced all over the world. not just in developing nations. One such facing this has been exemplary prevention measures that should be adopted the world over.

   Singapore relies heavily on water supply from Malaysia but disputes and increased prices will see the nation not renewing its water agreement with Malaysia that expires in 2011.

   Singaporean households' consumption take up more than half of the nation's water with the flushing of toilets as the major offender. The rest is used up by the commerce and industrial sector.

   To meet the needs of its people and yet still provide good quality water, Singapore has adopted the Four Taps Strategy, relying in part on water supply from its own reservoirs, recycled used water (NEWater) and desalination apart from water bought from Malaysia.

   Massive reservoirs are being constructed to store even more rainwater and these dams will soon take up two thirds of the island even though land is scarce. There are also desalination plants to turn salt water to provide for ten percent of the country's needs.

   But Singapore's main breakthrough is their NEWater. Often laughed at by Malaysians, NEWater is treated used water or simply put, sewage water. But will Singapore have the last laugh?

   Thanks to the clever use of modern technology, NEWater has won Singapore the Environment Contribution of the Year prize at the Global Water Awards 2008.

   Treating used water isn't new, and some parts of the US have been doing it for the past 20 years. How does it work? Though the simple science of purification and treatment process using advanced dual-membrane (micro filtration and reverse osmosis) and ultraviolet technologies.

   Last year, its fifth and largest NEWater plant in Changi is to completed and with this addition, NEWater will meet 30 percent of the country's current water needs.

   The cost of treating used water may be staggering but if we don't invest now, when? We dig deep within the earth for groundwater sources. We drain lakes and rivers, but what happens to dry nations where rainfall is rare ?

   Malaysia is blessed, in some ways, as the country is never short of rain but with the unpredictable climate change of late, dry seasons here have also caused water to drop at our reservoirs

   Although our planet may be covered by water, 98 percent of it is in the ocean, This means we only have two percent of fresh water suitable for for consumption. From this, 1.6 percent is locked up in polar ice caps and glaciers, 0.36 percent is found underground while a more 0.036 percent is found in our lakes and rivers.

   HIGH AND DRY

According to reports from the Earth Policy Institute, the world's demand for freshwater has tripled in the second half of the 20th century as our population doubled while new technology allow farmers and water users to pump groundwater from greater depths and channel river water with more and larger dams.

Nearly 70 percent of global water withdrawals from rivers, lakes and aquifers are used for irrigation while 20 percent for industrial use and 10 percent for households.

Earth supply of water is depleting and it doesn't help to know that we are not doing more to conserve this precious resource. Could it be that water is so cheap we take it for granted? So as we leave the tap running, has it actually dawned on us that our taps will soon run dry? Despite the obvious numbers, it is frustrating to note that we will only look into the cure when the planet has reached its critical stage and not take preventive measures prior to that.

Reading up on Plan B 4.0 : Mobilizing to Save Civilization by Lester R. Brown reveals stark facts that the world is choosing to ignore.

Brown is the president and founder of the Earth Policy Institute and he may have started off his career as a tomato farmer but after earning a degree in agricultural science and spending time in rural India, he became aware of the food versus population issue.

   He has won numerous awards including the 1987 United Nations Environment Prize and the 1994 Blue Planet Prize, for his work in providing a vision and road map to help achieve an environmentally sustainable economy.

   Here is an adaption from his book on the water crisis the world is facing.

   WATER TABLES FALLING AND RIVERS RUNNING DRY

"As the world's demand for water has tripled over the last half-century and as the demand for hydroelectric power has grown even faster ; dams and diversions of river water have drained many river dry, reducing river flow.

   Scores of countries are over pumping aquifers as they struggle to satisfy their growing water needs, including each of the big three grain producers - China, India, and the United States. More than half the world's population live in countries where water tables are falling.

   There are two types of aquifers; Most of the aquifers in India and the shallow aquifer under the North China Plain are replenish ables, When these are depleted, the maximum rate of pumping is automatically reduced to the rate of recharge.

   For fossil aquifers, such as the vast US Ogallala aquifer, the deep aquifer under the North China Plain, or the Saudi aquifer, depletion brings pumping to an end. Farmers who lose their irrigation water have the option of returning to lower-yield dry land farming, if rainfall permits. In more arid regions, however, such as in the southwestern United States or the Middle East, the loss of irrigation water means the end of agriculture.

   Since the over pumping of aquifers is occurring in many countries more or less simultaneously, the depletion of aquifers and the resulting harvest cutbacks could come at roughly the same time. And the accelerating depletion of aquifers means this day may come soon, creating potentially unmanageable food scarcity.

   While falling water tables are largely hidden, rivers that are drained dry before they reach the sea are highly visible. Two rivers where this phenomenon can be seen are the Colorado, and the largest river in northern China.

   Other large rivers that either run dry or are reduced to a mere trickle during the dry season are the Niles, the lifeline of Egypt; the Indus, which, which supplies most of the Pakistan's irrigation water; and the Ganges in India's densely populated Gangetic basin. Many smaller rivers have disappeared entirely.

   Since 1950, the number of large dams, those over 15 meters high, has increased from 5,000 to 45,000. Each dam deprives a river of some of its flow. Engineers like to say that dams are built to generate electricity, but this is not entirely true since reservoirs increase evaporation. The annual loss of water from a reservoir in arid or semi-arid regions, where evaporation rates are high, is typically equal to 10 percent of its storage capacity.

   The Colorado River now rarely makes it to the sea. With the states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and most important, California depending heavily on the Colorado's water. the river is simply drained dry before it reaches the Gulf of California. This excessive demand for water is destroying the river's ecosystem, including it's fisheries.

   A similar situation exists in Central Asia. The Amu Darya -which, along with the Syr Darya, feeds the Aral Sea -is diverted to irrigate the cotton fields of Central Asia. In the late 1980s, water levels dropped so low that the sea split in two. While recent efforts to revitalize the North Aral Sea have raised the water level somewhat, the South Aral Sea will likely never recover.

   China's Yellow River, which flows some 4,000 kilometers through five provinces before it reaches the Yellow Sea, has been under mounting pressure for several decades. The Nile, sites of another ancient civilization, now barely makes it to the sea.

   Pakistan, like Egypt, is essentially a river-based civilization, heavily dependent on the Indus. This river, originating in the Himalayas and flowing westward to the Indian Ocean, not only provides surfaces water, it also recharges aquifers that supply the irrigation wells doting the Pakistani countryside. In the face of growing water demand, it too is starting to run dry in its lower reaches. Pakistan, with a population projected to reach 305 million by 2050, is in trouble.

   In Southeast Asia, the dams being built on its upper reaches by the Chinese are reducing the flow of the Mekong. The downstream countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam - countries 168 million people - complain about the reduced flow of the Mekong, but this has done little to curb China's efforts to exploit the power and the water in the river.


   The same problem exists with the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which originate in Turkey and flow through Syria and Iraq en route ti the Persian Gulf, This river system, the site of Sumer and other early civilizations, is being overused. Large dams erected in Turkey and Iraq have reduced water flow to the once "fertile crescent", helping to destroy more than 90 percent of the formerly vast wetlands that enriched the delta region.

   In the river systems just mentioned, virtually all the water in the basin is being used. Inevitably, If people upstream use more water, those downstream will get less. As demand and supply is imperative. Failure to do so means that water tables will continue to fall, more rivers will run dry, and more lakes and wetlands will disappear"

   To get an extensive insight on what mankind is doing to the environment, you can buy Plan B 4.0; Mobilizing to save civilization or download the book on line at http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/books/pb4. IT is definitely a riveting and eye opening read.

   EVERYONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

   Green or perhaps blue is the colour of 1 Utama Shopping Centre. The mall has implemented its own water harvesting system since 2004 at its new wing. As a large shopping centre, the consumption of water for daily use is enormous.

   As such, through the collecting, recycling and filtering of rainwater used for landscaping and the flushing of toilets, treated pipe water usage has been reduced to 30 percent. The system here has a huge water storage capacity of 2.35 million gallons of water that can lasts up to seven days.

   Even in your own homes, look into your bathrooms and you'll notice that modern toilets now come equipped with dual-flush technology allowing the choice of using less water, Before, flush toilets used 13 litres of water or more for each flush. Today, the amount of precious water flushed is half of that.

   Find out about newer showerhead designs with a low flow for more efficient use of water. Also take shorter showers and bath consume more water than a shower does. Turn off the tap when you're shaving, washing your face or brushing your teeth.

   Use your dishwaters or washing machines when they are fully loaded or set to the correct water level according to the load size. Repair leaks and dripping faucets.

   When it start pouring, line up your pails and buckets. You can use it to water plants and wash your car, plus a sponge and a bucket of water saves more than hosing down your car.This March 22 is World Water DAY. So let's celebrates it with a new resolution.

Teluk Bahang

2011-01-27T21:08:00.006+08:00

It lies about 5 kilometers after Batu Feringghi, the prominent tourist’s belt of Penang. To some Teluk Bahang means the “Bay of The Glowing Amber“ probably refers to the warm climate due to the sea breeze coming in shore,Teluk Bahang needs little introduction to many visitors from Malaysia,it is dotted with outstanding beaches and exotic sights that have it one of the popular tourist destinations in Penang.

A traditional Malay house at one of the kampung just 1km from Teluk Bahang town

This Malay house still have the originality because the studs still stand at it's own without bricks and cement.

A stall at the middle of the town selling local fruits

A jetty which offer you the scenic view of the beach when you walk out to the furthest 1km+

Fishing boat that operate at strait of Malaca

River mouth (Kuala) of Sg.Teluk Bahang

This is for all the peoples who have swim at the beach then to have a fresh water bath,it just at the road side on the way from Batu Feringgi.

This small island's name is call "Lover's Isle"

Camping site at the beginning of Teluk Bahang

This little boy is having fun throwing the jala at the beach

Teluk Bahang Dam 2km+ from centre of town a place for the dragon boat race.

Global Warming

2010-12-14T04:21:00.000+08:00

   Change in the climate are partially due to natural forces and partially due to human activities. Scientists now believe that most of the planet's warming in the last few decades has been due to our emissions of greenhouse gases.

   Perennially atop the list of global green house gas emitters, the United States was surpassed in 2006-07 by China, whose roaring industrial sector has pushed the country's carbon emissions to double-digit annual increases.

   The World Health Organisation blames 150,000 global deaths per year on the effects of global warming, including extreme weather, drought, heat waves, decreased food production, and the increased spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria.

   Rising temperatures allow mosquito to survive at higher altitudes, potentially bringing them to regions that lack population immunity. In addition the transmission period for vector-borne diseases is increased with expanded warm seasons.


   Ice covered surfaces reflect more solar energy than ice-free surfaces and therefore have a global cooling effect. As ice-covered surface are reduced, global warming will accelerates because more heat will be absorbed. The rapid rise in greenhouse gas is a problem because it is changing the climate faster than some living things may be able to adapt. Also, a new and more unpredictable climate poses unique changes to all life.

   Historically, Earth's climate has regularly shifted back and forth between temperature like those we see today and temperatures cold enough that large sheet of ice covered much of North America and Europe.The difference between average global temperature today and during those ice age is only about 5 degrees Celsius (9 degree Fahrenheit), and these swings happen slowly,over hundreds of thousands of year.

   Now, with concentrations of green house gases rising, Earth's remaining ice sheet (such as Greenland and Antarctica) are starting to melt too. The extra water could potentially raise sea levels significantly.

   As mercury rises, the climate can change in unexpected ways, In addition to sea levels rising, weather can become more extreme. This means more intense major storms, more rain followed by longer and drier droughts (a challenge for growing crops) changes in the ranges in which plants and animals can live, and lost of water supplies that have historically come from glaciers

   Scientists are already seeing some of these changes occurring more quickly than they expected. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change, eleven of the twelve hottest years since the thermometer readings became available occurred between 1995 and 2006.

Kekutu (Oxyleotris marmorata) #Soon Hock#

2010-11-03T02:27:00.002+08:00

This spicy is a large, slow moving fish which rests undisturbed on the bottom on the bottom of quiet streams, canals and lakes. It rarely moves, even when disturbed. It preys on other fish which are oblivious to its presence.
Know to millions of Southeast Asian as 'Soon Hock' it is considered good eating and is to be found in the live tanks of Chinese restaurants

A table size Kekutu

A 1kg hooked up at a river of Oya (S'wak)

   Highly popular among the Chinese community due to it's fine texture, tasty white flesh and is believed to have healing properties.Some says it can prolonged life. In Malaysia commercialization of this spicy is not widely established. Demands are largely dependent on wild populations thus fetching high prices in the market.
   Tactic to hooked up this spicy is by using small fish of an inch or so, as bait. Rig the small fish using a fine wire hook tied to a 14lb braid leader.The hook is to penetrate the upper back, avoiding vital organs. This setup will keep the small fish alive for a decent time,combine this with a size 3 or 4 sliding sinker, then cast the bait out and wait for the Kekutu to take the bait.

   -moving fish which rests undisturbed on the bottom of quiet streams, canals and lakes. It rarely moves, even when disturbed. It preys on other fish, which are oblivious to its presence.

Catch N Release

2010-11-02T06:09:00.000+08:00

   Catch & Release, a concept which was almost unheard of among local fishermen twenty years ago, is gaininng popularity nowadays, thanks to the idea of sportfishing and conservation. The fast depletetion of natural resources, including the fish species we anglers love to pursue, has underscored the urgency of this message.
   But Catch & Release,being a subjective notion, carries different interpretations as far each individual is concerned. While fishing at a lake not long ago, I had the pleasure of witnessing in close range an exciting battle between fish and man on another boat. It was a stubborn toman which fought tooth and nail and got itself tangled a number of times before being netted and brought into the boat. It took them longer than usual to unhook the fish as the trebles of the lure were seriously tangled with the net. When the fish and lure were freed, both of them took a good minute or so to take photos with their trophy catch.
   'Okay, let's release the fish, the guys said happily,
   Off the fish went, but from the way it sank, I knew it would be difficult for the exhausted fish to survive. The toman was practically nose-diving into the bottom of the lake and I was not sure it had enough strenght to come up to the surface for air. Like many anglers, the two guys were ignorant of the fact that all snakeheads are partial air-breathers and they could actually drown(yes drown!) to death! if they are unable to surface for air.

   When a fish is hooked,it will try to fight back with all its might to the extent of total exhaustion and hence almost out of breath. Without resuscitation, the release of a completely exhausted toman is as good as killing it. The same goes for toman bunga,whjch is even more fragile.
   In this case, one of the best ways is to place the extremely tired (possibly seriously injured too) snakehead upright in shallow water after proper resuscitation, so that it is easier for the fish to rise to the surface for air. If the fish is too weak, it may be necessary to place it in thick shallow aquatic weeds to support its body, with its head almost touching the surface. Their chances of survival will be greatly enhanced by doing so.
   As sportfishermen, such effort is the least we could do for our respectable adversary.

Smart fish VS Anglers

2010-10-30T22:38:00.000+08:00

   A disappointed angler happened to ask me this question:Where are all the tomans nowsadays?When I went for a fishing trip at Tasek Temengor
   It would be easy for me to tell him that the toman population has dropped significantly since the old days,and possibly to the level of non existence in certain area. Anyway, this is what I used to hear from other anglers, including the old timers, and I'm sure this explanation can also accepted many people.
   But in deeper thoughts, how true is this statement? Since the birth of the first living things on earth millions of years ago, every living thing is part and parcel of a game known as 'Survival of the Fittest', which is yet again only part of the battles between living things and non-living things in the whole Universe.
   In terms of evolutionary history, many of the fishes could be as old if not older than mankind.In time of mega natural holocausts, mankind could be the first to be wiped out from the face of the earth,and the only survivors could be the micro organisms like bacteria and viruses, which have no brain !
   Back to the issue of toman in Temengor, there have been too many instances to suggest that their 'IQ' or 'EQ' have improved a lot since Temengor Lake was formed in the late 60s
   Decades of predation or harassment by mankind (fisherman and anglers) definitely has a significant impact on them. The result is that a better breed of toman has evolved, which are 'smarter' in term of physiology and adaptability.
   For one, I believe those toman which need to rise more often for air are the first group to be 'decimated', while those with possibly bigger lungs are the less likely targets of mankind.Hence, the surface activity of the toman can no longer be a true indicator of their existence. They are also smarter too, which can be testified by many anglers.

   Personally on several occasions, I had seen my popper being 'headed' or 'kicked' back by the toman, I were most amused by a naughty toman which decided to play a game of 'catch me if you can' with my stickbait which was on the retrieve.I had the feeling that the fish was having the fun on us!
   Catch & Release practice has also played a part in contributing towards a smarter breed of toman with higher 'EQ' which should be more challenging too.

Tualang - Koompassia excelsia

2010-10-23T00:50:00.000+08:00

The tualang tree is a majestic emergent tree of the Southeast Asia rainforests best know for the disk shaped honeycombs which hang from its horizontal branches. Towering above the canopy the tualang can reach 250 feet, or the 30 stories in height. These trees can be found growing in the lowland forests of southern Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, northeastern Sumatra, Borneo, and Palawan. Their habitat is the primary tropical rainforest. They prefer damp locations along rivers, in valleys, and the lower slopes of hills.

Tualangs are a member of the legume family, and are related to peas. Their leaves are pinnate with 4-5 leaflets

growing alternately along a central rib. They create a bright green, feathery crown. Their seeds are contained within large pods. The trunks have a smooth, silvery bark. The slippery surface discourages sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) from climbing up into the tree to reach the honey combs of the Asian rock bees (Apis dorsata). The bees prefer the tualang because it doesn't branch until almost 100 feet up. Huge buttresses support the tree at its base and keep the giants from toppling over. The sap is irritating to the skin and produces a rash.

The tualang tree is common locally but is not an abundant tree. There are no great forests of tualangs to be found. Instead solitary trees are often found standing alone in open areas because the wood is hard to cut and local people value the tualang for its honey. A standing tualang is more valuable for its honey than felled for its timber. The wood is brittle and often splinters when it is cut down. The wood is also incredibly hard and

contains silica, making cutting it down a difficult process. With the decline of more accessible hard woods however, tualangs are being cut down for timber, and are being sold under the name of Mangaris wood. The tualang is protected under Sarawak's Wildlife Protection Bill of 1990.

Prawning of Udang Galah

2010-10-21T18:37:00.000+08:00

An icon of udang galah at Mukah town

My short stinct in Mukah (S'wak) for a wastewater treatment project provide me the chances to hooked udang galah around the rivers of Oya and Igan,it's really a new experience in my fishing career.The fishing techniques,water observations,timing of the tide have significantly refined my knowledge of prawning.

The 1st udang galah at river of Oya opposite tis small town under the
dock during te tide is going down.

The second destination was at another dock at Batang(Sg.)Igan which resgistered high tide on our arrival,the hooked up rate is fantastics although the water was murky like teh tarik ,between the 1st 45 minutes before the water level touch the maximun.We already hooked up 10 average size shrimp (Udang Galah) After that the the actions just slow down.According to the local angler this is the best time for prawning in this river as the mixed of sea water with the river's fresh water is balance which made the udang galah actives.The best peroids is during the 2 hours, tides is coming up and going down.

The hooked up at Batang Igan just under the dock.

Heavy rainfalls due to La Nina

2010-07-28T17:18:00.001+08:00

   The exceptionally heavy rainfall is expects at the coming months, a phenomenon which usually causes stronger monsoons across Asia and eastern Australia,said the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
   The weather condition also promotes the development of storms including hurricanes in the tropical Atlantic, El Nino, the opposite phenomenon which warms the sea, rapidly dissipated in early May after prevailing since late 2009. This has led to the current situation, bordering on a weak La Nina event in the tropical Pacific
   These borderline conditions are more likely than not to strengthen to become a basin-wide La Nina episode during the second half of 2010.While it is likely that the La Nina conditions will further develop over the next several months, the timing and magnitude of such an event in 2010 are still uncertain,

Most forecasting models do not indicate a particularly strong La Nina event in terms of sea-surface temperatures.Typical La Nina events are usually associated with stronger monsoons in most parts of Asia and also Australia. A La Nina event is also associated with an active hurricane season in the tropical Atlantic.So these are some of the risk factors that should be kept in mind.

What is acid deposition?

2010-07-28T16:00:00.001+08:00

The history of acidification began several hundred million years ago. At that time there lived and died plants and animals that over time, were transformed into the material that we now refer to as fossil fuels such as â€“ coal, oil and natural gas. Over the past couple of hundred years we have been rapidly burning up these stores of organic material. When we burn oil and coal from boilers in factories and power plants or burn fuel in our automobiles, we release into the atmosphere millions of tons of sulphur and nitrogen in the form of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These pollutants can be transported over long distances by the wind, undergoing chemical transformation to form sulphuric and nitric acids which return to the ground as acid deposition.

Acid deposition describes a process that is a combination of wet and dry deposition. Most of us are familiar with wet acidic deposition that is commonly referred to as acid rain. However, acid rain is only one component of acid deposition. In the tropics, acid rain accounts for only half of the total amount of acid that return to the earth; the other half is deposited in dry form.

In the wet deposition process, sulphuric and nitric acids are incorporated into cloud droplets during cloud formation. These raindrops will eventually fall onto the ground in the form of rain and snow. When high concentrations of acid are present, the rain shows strong acidity.

Gaseous sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and nitric acid, as well as acid aerosols are also deposited directly when they contact and adhere to the surface of vegetation, soil and other materials during fine weather. This process is known as dry deposition.

Nature awareness at young age

2010-07-26T16:25:00.000+08:00

Children are encourage to expose to the mother nature and play a critical role in conserving it,instill a sense of responsibility and passion in children to conserve vital resources.Practicing 4Rs (re-think, reduce, re-use, and recycle),children also went on a field trip to visit forest reserved where they experience mother nature first hand.

River pollution and cleaning up efforts

2010-07-25T22:35:00.000+08:00

  N0 doubt cleaning helps but this is not holistic and comprehensive.What is the point of clearing five tonnes of garbage from the river today when tomorrow another 10 tonnes are dump into it?
  This is where enforcement is seriously lacking.For enforcement to be effective,it must be continuous,immediate and sufficiently punitive.
  Pollution is a very protracted problem in the sense that those who pollute the river are actually "externalising" their cost of their actions,which often result in stinking clogged rivers,floods and filthy water.

Hence,while cleaning,educating and creating awareness may help,it is strict enforcement that will eventually change te habit of the people.Periodic campaigns or volunteering cleaning will work for a little while but they can never be sustainable without strict enforcement.

Sg.Singgor Upstream fishing

2010-07-24T13:50:00.002+08:00

A nice spot that is near to te river

tis sebarau hooked up using spoon

Fishing and Weather

2008-10-22T23:55:00.004+08:00

Much of the country is going through a number of these weird weather patterns and this may be causing the anglers a little grief.

With wetather condition swings from normal to lots of rain,this will and does affect the anglers consistently.Does this affect the fish that we seek as well?Chances are that it does and an angler will need to adjust their game plan when hitting the water in this changing condition.

By observation,searching and analyse,the angler will definitely start built up the confidence of seeing the pattern that the fish will bite under certain conditions.For lures and bait wise,keep changing untill it start become productive.

Playing around with water depths,bait and lures choices,times of the day,fishing will still be productive in this ever changing conditions.

Fishing and Camping a Timeless Activity

2008-10-19T03:52:00.007+08:00

My love for fishing and outdoors camping have bring me so close to mother nature with a feels that, this is the activity keep on going with so much fun at it.

There is nothing better than pack my camping and fishing gears into the backpack and heading towards a spot at the jungle or a scenic beach which are not easily access by human.

The air is pure fresh,sitting under a big tree and listening to the sounds of the birds around me,in my opinion is unmatched almost anywhere.

I really don't care if I catch anything,it's so comfortable and true breakaway from the hustle bustle city life,not everyone has experience this,for those have not gone fishing for sometime,this activity is highly recommended!

Camping is a wonderful way of friends togetherness as every members involved is unplug most of life's distractions and focus on creating shelter and foods,then enjoying the outdoor together.A few easy dinner recipes and you'll soon be gathered around a roaring fire enjoying each other's company,playing cards,drink beer or whisky and grill the fish that open their big mouth and get hooked.

To me this is the real value about simplicity and pleasure of life.

Open Mind on Fishing

2008-10-08T19:55:00.001+08:00

I am fortunate to have a really open mind on a lot of things.Fishing is no exception,this is one of the things that I really love doing,not for the catch mind you, but for the

act itself,catching something is nice,but for me,just the mere fact of fishing and doing something fishing related is therapy.People close to me know that ''I think to much'' analyzing and trying to see the logic in everything at all time except for when when I'm fishing.I don't think,I don't try to rationalize everything.I think it has something to do with spending a lot of time fishing,that it just works like clockwork.........that's my second nature.

I work hard to learn new tricks on my own,never stop invent system that work for my style of fishing.Show me a place with water;I will find fish and catch it.Anyone is welcome to challenge me on this statement....but for sure the last thing,it's going to be boring.

Let's try this;anyone,anytime,anywhere........no boatman involved,we drive the boat,we look for the fish...in an area that we are not familiar.Some have seen this happen,some embrace it,some don't,I don't really mind,I'm not fishing for anything,I'm not out to impress the world.I just love fishing.

For me,I'm confident that I did the right things.Onshore,offshore,at lakes,ponds,upstreams,saltwater,freshwater,no one to show me where the fish,what lure to use,how fast to reels in,loves the process from start to the end of each trip,that I did it at my own,if I catch something,then I happy to myself that it's my own efforts.

Now I don't seem to challenge myself anymore.Before I use to said to myself,"today I will catch a Sebarau" or "today I will catch a snapper".But in doing that let myself have the pressure and end up getting skunked.Now I go fishing I go out enjoy the day,enjoy the enviroment,the wonders of mother nature,the company and the whole process of fishing,at the end of the day or trip of fishing I feel better knowing that I spent a wonderful time in a nice place with good company.

Whether I have fish in my cooler or not,I'll be a hypocrite if

i say that I won't feel great if I go home with fish in the cooler.Yeah,I'll be definitely feel a lot better,but at the end,it doesn't seem to matter anymore.

Freshwater Fishing

2008-08-10T19:01:00.001+08:00

Freshwater fishing is gaining the popularity towarrds we Malaysian is due in large part to the commercialization of the sport,this sport can achieves much higher level by organise of fishinng touraments of national level and televised it,this will help the sport gain a lot of attention as well bring in a lot of newcomers.

You can take part in freshwater fishing anywher there is freshwater,regardless of where you live,you should never have a problem finding somewhere to go freshwater fishing.They include a small stream,a pond,a lake or a river.Each one of these offers theirs enjoyment to any anglers.It can be a lot of fun because there are so many species will get hook,most popular are,snake heads and sebarau,but there are many more that you can fish for if interested,The species of fish that you are going after is nothing more than personal preference.

Freshwater fishing is a relaxing activty that anybody can take up,you do not have to be athletic to take part in freshwater fishing and it is easy to get started in this sport,do not need a lot of money,anybody can get started on a very small budget.

Overall freshwater fishing is here to stay.This sport is popular all over the world,and it is going to continue growing.

Begining Of My Lifetime Hobby (Fishing)

2008-08-08T13:53:00.001+08:00

As a small boy at the age of five,myself already playing along a beautiful river near my house(Sg.Sedim of Kulim),one of the main activity is fishig,at that time the simplest method were applied, that is a piece of bamboo tip is tie with monofilament line and with earthworm as bait,this give me the thrill at that time and is a valueable experience.

When I am at the secodary school only have the ability to own a set of proper fishing gear,a small spinning reel come with a 8ft. fiberglass rod,this means a lot to me at that time,also much bigger fish are caught.At that particular time the population of fish are many time more than today, due to the natural habitat is not yet been destoyed by human.

Fishos' Dilemma

2008-07-14T15:40:00.002+08:00

Fishing with rod and line for freshwater fish is facing many obstacles at the present times as well for the future,the chances to hook a fish is so slim that not even get one for a whole day trip by any tactics,baits or lures.

The main cause of this critical situation is over fish,do not practice catch and releasse by most of the anglers,if all anglers can have the right attitude and ethics in fishing,the scenarios will turn to be more promising. Change of habitats cause by human factor to the fish species is a main cause to the drop of fish population.

Really frust, when you spend Rm150 per person for a day trip to Temmengor dam without any strikes although the place look promising, this does not include all the high end gears and lures that had investest,it is not to late for the situation to turn around if everybody can volunteer to contribute the positive approach then the future of stikes will be much better.