Odysseys of George

Just thought of sharing these pictures. Tell me what you think!

Enjoy.

He has this fetish with tissues and will put a high pitch scream – cry if he does not get to hold one.
Well, there was this meeting at which my nephew was in the hall with us. I guess he got a bit bored. Watch the photos then perhaps you will understand better.

His mischevious look. He has done something.

Quietly he became a shredder

Looking at his handwork at a more ground level

Gets a warning from the mum

Decides picking is too much work — sweeps them under our feet and chairs

His name : Sherman the Tissue Shredder

The political scene made me sick today — ASLI & the resignation of Dr Lim Teck Ghee — I’ll write about it later. At a lighter note:

A friend send this to me! Thanks Asmah,

Things that you can see only in India

And this only in the land of Down Under

Enjoy

The MNS Belum-Temengor Campaign 2006

The campaign aims to achieve the following:

* Gazettement of the Royal Belum State Park
* Extension of the Royal Belum State Park to include the Temengor Forest Reserve
* Protection of a stretch of natural forest flanking the East-West highway from conversion to plantation

The Devastation:

Why Belum-Temenggur?

There are 12 countries around the world that hold more than 75% of all of Earth’s species. Malaysia is one of these 12 countries. Our rainforests hold such treasures that every time a scientific expedition is held at least 1 new species is found or rediscovered.

Malaysia is listed as having the highest number of plant extinctions by the IUCN.

1. The total area of Belum-Temengor is approximately 300,000 hectares, 4 times the size of Singapore. This vast area allows large mammals such as tigers, elephants and rhinoceros to roam and breed and continue to survive.

2. Belum-Temengor is identified in the Malaysian National Physical Plan as an Environmentally Sensitive Area Rank 1. It means that Belum-Temengor is nationally important for flora, fauna and for a healthy environment to the citizens of Malaysia. It is noted in this plan that this forest must be protected and left untouched.

3. It is internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. It is only in Belum-Temengor that you can find all 10 species of the Malaysian hornbills (Yes! Sarawak only has 8!). This includes the Globally Threatened Plain Pouched Hornbills, which can be seen flying in flocks of more than 2000 individuals. In all, 274 bird species arefound here.

4. The forest has more than 3,000 species of flowering plants, which includes 3 species of the Rafflesia (world’s largest flowers), while Cycads, palm-like plants existing since the dinosaur era grow lush among 64 species of ferns and 62 species of mosses

5. It is home to at least 14 globally threatened mammals. These include the Malaysian Tiger (recently recorded as a sub-species on its own apart from the Indo-China Tiger), the Sumatran Rhinoceros, the Asiatic Elephant, the Malayan Tapir, White-handed gibbons, etc.

6. The lake in the middle of the Forest Complex is rich with fish life. It has 23 species of freshwater fish and 7 species of turtles.

7. The lake also is an important water catchment area. The dam provides electricity to many major cities in Peninsular Malaysia. Continued logging will cause siltation in the dam hence reducing the long-term viability of Temengor Dam as a water source and facility for generating electricity.

8. The Belum-Temengor Forest Complex is home to many Orang Asli (indigenous) community. Logging strips them of their home, food, livelihood and heritage.

9. Belum-Temengor is one of Malaysia’s wildest places; untouched forest, great wildlife watching opportunities and fantastic landscape views. These provide a greater opportunity for the State Government to earn revenue, an alternative to logging. Responsible ecotourism will bring in many profitable opportunities for the state if the forest is conserved.

10. Belum-Temengor is a national treasure. This vast landscape MUST be preserved for the Malaysian children and for the world. It is a treasure we should not have to lose for the sake of making a fast buck or for short term profiting.

Hi
I have just joined this as an ordinary member in my quest for enviromental conservation. I am so excited. I received their newsletter today.
Let us see, anything I can share:

Belum-Temengor – a rolling landscape of tropical rainforest surrounding a massive lake. Situated at the border of Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand, this 300,000 hectares of virgin tropical rainforest is a biodiversity hotspot and a national if not an international heritage. It has been around for more than 130 million years, which makes it older than the Amazon and the Congo. It is home to thousands of species, some found nowhere else in the world. But this magnificent gift from mother earth is facing one of her greatest threats Logging.

The Royal Belum forest is located in the Gerik, Perak, area (Hulu Perak). The forest is divided into two sections: the upper Belum area, which stretches to the Thai-Malaysian border covering 117,500 hectares of impenetrable jungle and the lower Belum mostly covered by Temenggor Lake. The entire forest of Belum and Temenggor was considered a ‘black area’ and was placed under a State of Emergency from 1948 until 1989. Peace has since reigned over the area after the signing of the Haadyai Accord in 1989.

The lower part of Belum forest presents to you a variety of rainforest hardwoods. These hardwoods such as Meranti, Cengal, Keruing and Merbau species are becoming increasingly rare. Many of these large hardwoods have survived 150 to 600 years with poor condition soil, lack of nutrients and weather changes. It is a miracle that anything can grow at all.

The forest also showcases the flora of the northern region, which has distinct Myanmar-Thai influences. Species like rafflesia, wild ginger, orchids, wild flowers and Tongkat Ali can be found here.

There are an estimated 60-70 tigers roaming around in Belum, over 100 Seladangs survive here in groups of single males and their harems, the Sumatran Rhinos are estimated at 160 individuals and there are over 100 Tapirs. Elephants live in large tight knit families, Binturongs come out at night, Malayan Sun Bears scale trees for huge honey combs and the Serow hide away in the limestone hills. The wild fishing cats sit patiently for its food to swim down the streams as the wildcats crouch in thick undergrowth. Here, so many species share space in Belum such as Leopard Cats, Clouded Leopards, Black Panthers, Vipers, Flying Foxes, Otters, Porcupines, Armadillos, Reptiles, Dholes and 200 species of colourful birds.

The Belum Forest is also home to some 25 rare species of flies, and a few endemic prawns that have live here for centuries that cannot be found in any other part of the country.

Source : MNS

During one of my clinic sessions, I came across this bubbly elderly lady who throughout the session was able to put on a cheerful smile. Yet deep inside, I know she was sad about the latest news that was broken to her. I could see her tears welling beneath her eyes but she maintained her smile and she maintained he poise. Just before her was another lady in her mid 30′s, who upon knowing her diagnosis broke down into tears and anger and was in denial. I asked this elderly lady, after having given my 2cents advice to somebody way beyond my age, how could she be so cheerful inside; despite her knowing her life expectancy has been shorten with her present diagnosis.
She asked me whether I knew Khalil Gibran and adviced me to read a portion of it!

This is what he wrote

” Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

……..

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

………

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

…………., they are inseparable

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.”

I have a story but I have yet to tell.