Article Review 3 - Sumatra Quake

Article: At least 70 die in Sumatra quake
Publisher: Baltimore Sun.com
Date: March 7, 2007

Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.quake07mar07,0,6653865.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

Singapore has always been known as a safe island that is almost a fortress against natural disasters, since we are surrounded by a ring of islands. I have constantly held this perspective and belief that we have nothing to fear from these formidable nemeses.

However, I had an awakening when I discovered that many other countries were not as well protected as we were. Of course, this was not new to me; but I had never considered empathizing or even trying to understand their plight before, until the Sumatra quake caused Singapore to experience slight tremors a day ago.

Then, I began to source for information about this disaster that had struck our neighbour country Indonesia, and began to understand the magnitude of the situation that they faced. They not only had to contend with their jobs and occupations, they even had to worry constantly about the safety of their homes, and live in fear about dreaded natural disasters occurring.

Suddenly, the geographical part of earthquakes and the like did not seem that important anymore. What was being discussed here were: lives. Human lives were being picked off by the hundreds and thousands were forced out of their homes and to become nomads for an indefinite period of time, and yet, here I was, relaxing in my abode and neither caring nor knowing about their plights. In fact, I tried to escape from donating to earthquake survivors or victims and if compelled to do so, only gave a measly dollar. How could one be so indifferent?

The terrible incidents that have befallen our own race were really shocking. Worse still, many have lost their homes, the only place where they could possibly find comfort. Their former lives were disrupted and they would probably take a long time to settle from this incident, by then which another might strike.

Through this, I also realized the absolute comfort in Singapore which we all reside in. More often than not, I have taken safety for granted and only now do I realize how difficult it is for people to have to constantly live in trepidation? When is the next quake going to strike? Will I become the next victim of such an event? These uncertainties, so real in our present world, however, are not found in Singapore. Thus the need for one to cherish his current safety that he enjoys here.

From this incident, I have decided to do more for others, and to be more open. One never knows how close he can be to become one of those unfeeling people that we sometimes see in TV and condemn. It is important that one learns how to care for his fellow men, and also, never to just forget and dismiss other’s misery in one’s happiness. More importantly, I also pledge never to donate just a dollar in the future for such worthy events…

Article Review 2 - Fighting for Animals

New TCM label scheme to fight illegal trade

ACRES and the Singapore TCM Organisations Committee (Stoc) yesterday launched the Endangered Species-Friendly TCM Labelling scheme. It aims to discourage the selling of TCM products made from endangered species, in particular bear, rhinoceros and tiger.

The use of bear parts in Chinese medicine dates back over 3,000 years. Since the 1980s, bile has been extracted from live bears.

The Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), which is funding the scheme, says bears are crammed into cages for up to 22 years. Bile is collected daily through rusting metal catheters stuck into their gallbladders or via permanently open infected holes in their abdomens.

HERBAL ALTERNATIVES

Ursodeoxycholic acid, the active ingredient in bear bile, can successfully treat some liver problems. But there are more than 50 different herbal alternatives, said Acres director of investigations Charlene Tan.

She pointed out how one shopkeeper recommended herbal alternatives instead of bear products during the Acres undercover operation.

"It was very encouraging to hear that. We look forward to working with Stoc to promote the herbal alternatives," said Ms Tan.

Most of the 800-plus retail medicinal halls in Singapore are members of Stoc.

Stoc chairman Lee Tiong Sa said: "The labelling scheme will create more awareness among the traders as well as the general customers of the need to protect endangered species."

AAF founder Jill Robinson said the aim is to "educate consumers that by buying bear bile and other endangered animal products, they are directly contributing to the suffering and demise of a range of species."

Acres executive director Louis Ng said he plans to get 500 TCM shops to have the label within six months. The nine companies that have joined the scheme are listed on www.acres.org.sg

Mr. Ng said : "We urge the public to only go to TCM shops with the label. The strongest body is not Acres, Stoc or AVA- it's the consumers.

"Once demand stops, supply will stop as well."

PENALTIES

Anyone found possessing, selling, offering, advertising or displaying for sale any endangered species (whether authentic or claimed to be authentic), which had been imported without a permit, faces a compound fine of up to $5,000.

If convicted in court, the fine is up to $50,000, and the maximum jail term is two years. AVA will also confiscate all illegally acquired or imported products that contain or purport to contain endangered species.

Ms Lye Fong Keng, head of AVA's wildlife regulatory branch, said it will continue to monitor the sale of bear bile and other protected-species products in TCM shops and "take the necessary enforcement action". Anyone with information on the sale of such products can call AVA at 6227 0607.

Today
2 March 2007

What's that red label in the TCM shop?

Scheme aims to stamp out sale of endangered species products

by Gracia Chiang



BY THE end of this month, the public will be able to tell if a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shop is selling endangered species products.


Under a new voluntary labelling scheme launched yesterday, shops committed to not selling such products will place the red-coloured label (picture) at their entrance.


Organised by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) and the Singapore TCM Organisations Committee (STOC), the "Acres and STOC Endangered Species-Friendly TCM Label" will cover three endangered species, namely bears, rhinoceroses and tigers.

These three species are currently given highest protection under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement of which Singapore is a signatory.

Mr Lee Tiong Sa, chairman of STOC said: "Even though this scheme does not guarantee 100 per cent that TCM shops will not sell such products anymore, it's a form of psychological pressure because, by putting up the label, you have to set a good example."

Nine TCM companies representing more than 10 retail outlets have signed on so far. Mr Ng said that Acres and STOC would be holding joint seminars at the TCM College of Singapore and issuing circulars to STOC members in order to increase that number to 500 within half a year.

There are currently more than 800 TCM retail outlets in Singapore.

This new scheme comes on the back of a recent Acres undercover investigation into the illegal trade in bear products for TCM in Singapore which was conducted from May to October last year.

Five pairs of undercover investigators visited 115 TCM shops to inquire if they sold bear products ranging from bile pills to gall bladders. Some 20 per cent of shops were caught on tape, down from 73.5 per cent from a similar 2001 investigation. Although the significant drop is encouraging, director of investigations Ms Charlene Tan said the aim is to "completely wipe out the trade in endangered species".

Based on this tip-off, government regulatory body, Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) made their own rounds at 100 TCM shops this year and found 14 shops offering illegal bear products for sale. Out of these, two samples were tested to be genuine bear bile products and these shops were fined $3,000 and $5,000. The remaining 12 shops that offered bear products, which turned out to be fakes, were fined between $500 and $1,000.


AVA's head of wildlife regulatory, Ms Lye Fong Keng, welcomed the use of the labels. She said: "This scheme supplements AVA's outreach programmes and continual efforts in stamping out illegal wildlife trade."

The Straits Times

2 March 2007

Fewer TCM shops selling illegal bear products

By Tania Fong

Fewer shops dealing in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are selling bear bile products, which are illegal, and even those who did, sold fakes.

Apart from penalties, public education on the cruelty to bears, an endangered species, has helped turn the tide.

Local animal welfare charity, the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) even went "undercover" to monitor and review the situation.

Yesterday, Acres announced its findings. Between May and October last year, it found that only 23 shops, or 20 per cent, of the 115 TCM shops sold bear bile products.

It carried out a similar stake-out in 2001. Then, it had found that 50- or 73.5 per cent- of the 68 shops monitored sold the products.

Acres executive director Louis Ng said the latest figures showed a "significant and positive achievement".

Bear bile products and bear gall bladders, also illegal, have been used in TCM to treat such ailments as fever, haemorrhoids, conjunctivitis and liver problems. But public education has drawn attention to the cruel facts: bear abdomens are punctured so that bile can be drawn into metal pails. The bears spend their lives in bile farms in China and Vietnam.

Of the 23 errant shops in last year's stake-out by Acres, nine offered bear gall bladders. They can cost up to $4,000 each, while bear bile pills cost between $1 and $10 each.

Acres later alerted the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which carried out checks on the shops.

The AVA seized the bear products from the 23 shops. Six shops were fined, while the 17 others were issued warning letters.

Mr lee Tiong Sa, president of the Singapore Chinese Medicines and Health Products Merchant Association, said: "There is no need to consume bear gall bladders, as there are more than 50 herbal alternatives to bear bile."

Acres and the Singapore Traditional Chinese Medicine Organisations Committee have launched labels to identify TCM retail merchants who do not sell products of endangered species.

There are about 800 TCM retail shops here.

The import and export of protected wildlife, their derivatives and parts are regulated here because Singapore has signed the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which controls these items.

Anyone who possesses, sells, advertises for sale, or displays endangered species on the Cites list can be fined up to $50, 000, or jailed up to two years, or both.

_________________________________________________________


With the impelementation of this scheme, with help from Acres, the wonderful organisation which helps animals, the animals are now given more protection over other evil causes, since the high fines will surely serve as a greater deterrence to those who have the slightest notion of even committing such a heinous deed.

But this article made me wonder about the peculiarities of human nature: Why are these required so that people will not do such things to their fellow friends? Is it not a daunting thought if one ever considered that humans did not become the dominant race on Earth and instead others were. For example in the novel Planets of the Apes, then how would we want to be treated.

It is sad that animals can be mistreated just because they have no voice and cannot express their feelings and thoughts, although these are emotions that they surely must have. Every living thing requires love and warmth, and our fellow friends from nature are no exceptions. Of course, Acres is doing a great job in helping animals, but I believe it would be much better if there was no need for such an organization to be founded.

Article Review 1: First EL NINO, Now LA NINA

Article: First El Nino, Now La Nina (The Straits Times: World)
Publisher: Singapore Press Holdings
Date: March 3, 2007




This article sounds an alarm about the continually deteriorating environment, which has led Mother Nature to start to unleash her unbound fury onto Earth and its habitants. Natural disasters are starting to occur extremely frequently, due to humans’ unforgivable disregard of her health and allowing too much destruction, which has brought about massive dire consequences.

It was reported that currently, the El Nino, a term coined to describe the presence of abnormally warm sea temperatures, had left earlier on Tuesday. El Nino causes droughts and floods to become more serious than normal, and with its departure, it should actually spell good news for many. El Nino coupled with global warming, had caused an unprecedented amount of droughts in Australia and fearsome floods in SE Asia, and furthermore the US disasters Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005(to date of which a record number of 28 hurricanes arose that year), which claimed many innocent lives of the civilians.

Unfortunately, El Nino’s departure is followed by a similarly terrible occurrence. La Nina. It is extremely incredible that the environment is currently so wasted that two major disasters can happen one after another. The apparent and unmistakable shift was detected by space satellites and ocean measurements, reported by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) head, Mr. Conrad Laurentenbacher.
He predicted that those that resided near the coast would be hit badly, and the news would definitely not be well received.

La Nina, dubbed as “the evil twin of El Nina” and much less known to the general public, is also a term to explain the sudden and unusual drop of sea temperature below normal, affecting worldwide airflow and weather. 6 yrs ago, a brief La Nina spell caused torrential rainfall to hit Singapore and SE Asia nations. It was also the culprit behind the Philippines, Vietnam, Thai and Korean floods in. In 1998, the monsoon rains, which were also caused by La Nina, compelled 10,000 Malaysians to abandon their homes and seek a safe haven from the flash floods occurring throughout the two cities, Penang and Kedah.

The last long period of La Nina spanning from 1998 to 2001, greatly impacted Western countries, recalled drought specialist Douglas Lecomte. It is yet unknown how strong the US will be affected this year, but it was confirmed that there would be more hurricanes in the Atlantic, fewer in the Pacific, but generally a warmer and more humid weather throughout 2007.

This alarming piece of news has become a central point of debate in political circles, with the newly elected UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon warning everyone not to underestimate its powers of destruction that it could inflict. He also hoped that “the US would take the lead in the climate change fight after the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012.”Although I believe Singapore is not likely to be hit, it still is an shocking reminder of how the Earth has begun its long decay since Man first appeared.

Reading this article made me wonder how the main destroyer of Earth, US, could be so unfeeling towards its own home. By refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, which is an agreement by nations to limit their carbon emissions to a certain international amount, just because it would affect its economy, is really unbelievable. By emitting so much greenhouse gases, it would obviously be detrimental in the long run. With the rise of global warming, this would bring about more floods, more droughts and much more unhappiness for everyone. By disagreeing to participate in this beneficial and noble cause, US has shown itself for who she is and how she is willing to stand by and watch others suffer as a consequence of his actions. Although they have repeatedly reiterated its intentions to help conserve Earth, their actions simply do not convey their sincerity.

With the rise of global disasters like the aforementioned El Nino and La Nina, it causes many to think when this madness will all conclude one day. What should be done to make everyone be convinced and realize the harsh reality of Earths’ vulnerability? I previously read an article describing a group of scientists trying to predict how to defend Earth from asteroids in the future. It is ironic that they are trying to solve the problem of how to protect themselves from outer invasions when Earth’s defence is so poor. Shouldn't the emphasis be placed on how the Earth should be conserved, not least for us but also for the following generations? Do we want to leave behind a legacy that will bring destruction to mankind?

The Slow but Steady Destruction Of Our Own Earth

Creation of the Blog Address

Preface

I have created this blog address with the intention of constantly reviewing the world's events and more towards the environmentalist view, perhaps? However, from time to time, I will try to explore the enigmatic nature of friendship.

KH