I first heard about the bad news in Asia when I was, ironically lining up for a ride called the Earthquake at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. My friend recieved a call from Malaysia. Once we heard that a quake struck Penang, I wasn't too impressed since Penang had, once in awhile experience tremor but when we knew it was 8.9 on Richter scale, things changed. News on CNN about the tsunami made us worried more. Later on the same day, the US NOAA upgraded the earthquake to 9.0 but I'm sure everybody knows that by now.

The least I have to say is that I am glad Malaysia wasn't hit too badly. The damage as I understand is minimal though the death toll is expected to rise. Yet, it will not be as close as the terrible figure both Indonesia and India are suffering.

I checked my mail just now and the Environmental Justice seems to be trying to do something for the tsunami victims. (Wrong info)

Aight, going to see the Caribbean tomorrow. There is nothing more I can say. Even if I want too, I need to be back in Michigan.

What actually happened at the Yalta Conference in 1945.


Roosevelt: Oh God, you smell!
Churchill: Do you like it?
Stalin: Yes.

In science, uncertainty is part of the game. This uncertainty is described as error and in statistics, this error is not a synonym for the word mistake but rather, it is a term explaining the precision or accuracy of some measurement.

In matters concerning climate change or global warming, there exists error. In fact, every empirical measure contains error and this is true in proofs that support climate change. The US administration and needless to say, the oil industry however have consistently accused that the science behind climate change as flawed due to the existence of this error. If such reasoning, which claim measurement related to science of climate change is flawed because it has error, is to be accepted, then all sciences should be thrown out of the windows. After all, science contains this kind of statistical error since part of the root of science is empirical measurement.

With such reasoning, even well-known economic theory of purchasing power parity should entirely be discarded into the dustbin.

Regardless of that, it has been more than two weeks since the 10th annual UN conference on climate change in Buenos Aires started. The conference is mostly about how the world should go around after the initial Kyoto round lapses in 2012. So far, the talk has been disastrous and the conference is supposed to end today.

One of the talk’s objectives is to schedule future seminars that discuss possible ways to act after 2012. The US, who signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 but later defaulted on its promise to ratify the international environmental treaty, seems to have successfully prevent any further development that leads to the next stage in fighting climate change. Their reason - it’s premature to talk something that is too far into the future.

I cannot understand the current US administration. Perhaps, its change of heart on the Protocol is comprehensible from economic point of view but its refusal to even discuss on the means that may improve Kyoto is beyond the grasp of the sane mind. It seems that instead of simply disagreeing with the greens, the US current administration is trying to derail the whole concerted effort against climate change.

Amid the talk, it is heartening to hear the states of New England are committing voluntary emission cap in spite of the Bush administration's policy. From what I read, the state of Washington and Oregon and possibly, the politically green California may join in the voluntary effort to cap carbon emission.

As in right now, the European Union, the main proponent of Kyoto, is trying its best to force an agreement with the US in order to not let this 2-week-long talk passes worthlessly. Apart from the frustrating US stance, Italy has mentioned that it will pull out of the mandatory cap imposed by the Kyoto Protocol after 2012 is done.

China on the other hand has been advised by the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase its energy usage efficiency.

Another nation that came under the spotlight is Saudi Arabia. A Saudi representative uttered the most pathetic comment at the conference – Saudi Arabia wants to be compensated from future drop of crude oil sale that is due to the implementation of Kyoto Protocol. What the Saudi Arabia needs to realize is that every Annex I countries that has ratified Kyoto is sacrificing their economy for humankind’s future. In fact, under the current system, Saudi Arabia doesn't even have to cut its economic growth. The Saudis are simply being selfish and ridiculous.

And I hope crude oil runs out fast so that Saudi Arabia can be taught a lesson that is as ancient as time - don't keep all your eggs in one basket; diversify for goodness' sake.

p/s - this conflicting signal is giving me an headache. Now I want to keep USD in hand for the time being.

"The upgrades reflected the continued strengthening of Malaysia's external financial position and the resultant, lessened vulnerability to shocks," Moody's said in a statement. Malaysia's "large surplus, together with a higher level of foreign direct and portfolio investment, is bringing about a strong rise in the country's international reserves."

There is no need to change Malaysia's ringgit peg in the next few months, Moody's analyst Hess said.

"I don't think there is near term pressure," Hess said. "Eventually Malaysia will change the peg, but I don't think it's going to happen very soon" because "inflation remains low and the downward movement of the dollar means that on the external front the ringgit peg is not a problem."

pp/s - Ajax will be up against Auxerre! The next stage of the UEFA Cup will be held on February the 26th.

ppp/s - this one Republican doesn't even know his country's history. All he knows is that, all Frenchmen are smelly. Make you sure read everything, including the comments.

p^4/s - two hours after this entry was published, a deal between the EU and the US was struck.

The compromise struck Friday calls for a single meeting, in May 2005, as the United States had wanted.
But, in keeping with European wishes, the meeting will last several days, and the future of climate change negotiations will be up for discussion.

Ah well. At least something.

p^5/s - added RealClimate under Frequent. Found it through WorldChanging. It's rather enlightening. Removed explodingdog.

I can't wait to wade through 3 exams and then drive all the way from Michigan to Florida and see the sun all over again. But I must admit, in spite of the cold, with the blue sky and the white snow, it's beautiful here. At least, I think it's beautiful.

And I see a lot of people like the snow, despite the fact that they whine about how bad the winter in Michigan is.


The photo was taken in front of the Michigan's School of Natural Resources and the Environment. On second thought, I don't know why I took a photo related to the sewer.

p/s - a cool flash presentation. I am not sure whether it is a good or a scary future. Then again, the future is always scary, utopia and dystopia alike. Via Screenshots.

pp/s - Ira furor brevis est. People need to learn how to cool their heads off.

This is so cool. Talk about playing UT live!

This is the goal, a beautiful goal by Feyenoord's Salomon Kalou that put to an end to PSV's 1159 minutes of cleansheet. The match ended 3 - 3, much to Ajax's gain.

Ajax won 1 - 0 against Vitesse Arnhem thanks to youngster Ryan Babel and with that win in Amsterdam, the gap between pacesetter PSV and Ajax is being cut from 9 to 8 while the gap between third placed Ajax and fourth placed Feyenoord widens from 2 to 3. AZ Alkmaar, stays at second but with Ajax rejevunating from a disappointing Champions' League run, with all three teams refusing to let PSV to run away, the race to the top will not be quiet. At the same time, all four teams are still in the European and the UEFA Cup tournaments.

The Eredivisie now rests for the winter break. I on the other hand am scrambling for my finals.

I had an economic class yesterday and we discussed about the economic of global warming. In the middle of lecture, the fire alarm went off and all of us had to go out, standing in the cold.

I hate to be literally left in the cold. Meanwhile the sun was shining brilliantly. Thus, it was only logical for me to be where the heat was.


It's already December and seeing the sun is a privilege at this time of the year.

One weird thing about this photo is the way the red spots are being aligned matrix-like. It's been awhile since I troubled myself with electromagnetic wave so I don't really know why the photo is the way it is. Might be diffraction since the Sun got through an opening between two buildings. But again, I don't see how that produces spots instead of lines.

And yeah, Ajax manages to scrap through the ravages of Champions' League. Instead of being kicked out, Ajax is now in the UEFA Cup competition.

p/s - I'm a Rosalesist. Rosales is certainly Ajax's best purchase this season, yet.

pp/s - In Utopian server of World of Legend, currently, things are getting very interesting. A relatively small problem between two smaller groups of players has swollen to a major war between a coalition of alliances against a group of coalition of players.

The conflict started when a few people were left unsatisfied being bottom-fed by a group of players of whom have mutual assistance pact declared on each other. These groups of people called themselves LiVE. The disgruntled players then announced their intention of stopping bottom-feeding and they started to recruit people and kingdoms into their cause. The recruitment was a success and they formed a group known as DiE. It is no brainer that the name DiE was made in jest to LiVE.

Eh. Kids.

Everything was relatively okay because at first, with all the exchanges of words and actions were only done in between them. Then, DiE targeted a kingdom named Ss enTA LiVE which is a part of LiVE and a member of Taure én Arvandor (TA). Ss enTA LiVE has received more than 100 attacks per day, something I have never heard of before in Utopia. TA then stepped in to help their member. Furthermore, Ss enTA LiVE is TA’s flagship.

The first thing TA did was to send a few diplomats to resolve the problem. Unfortunately, the diplomats were threatened and in some cases, were assaulted. From here, everything went astray. Alliances normally perceive an attack on a diplomat as the most dishonorable action one can commit in a conflict.

While all of these happened, TA has mutual assistance pact (MAP) with The Black Horde (TBH) , Nation of Hope (NH) , UC, DT (Divine Titan) and the United Angels (UA). TA has invoked its mutual assistance pact with all of its allies. I am a member of UA.

TBN, NH and UA are alliances sitting on the upper echelon of Utopia. As in right now, NH and UA have declared to commit themselves to their MAP with TA. And thus, the biggest coalition ever gathered is formed against DiE.

I am only thankful that I am with the larger side. It would suck to be with DiE.

More on the issue is in a Utopia Temple's forum thread of "DiE vs. LiVE, and all the friends inbetween".

p/s - I'll miss this place. I wish I don't have to graduate.

I'm quite busy at the moment but surely nobody cares. So, I'll do what I had promised to myself to do weeks ago - post a photo once in two days!


A typical student housing around the heart of the town of Annarbour. I stayed in one of those during the year's summer. And goddamn, I should have forget about the environment and start thinking about myself - my room was as hot as hell back in the summer.

But nevertheless, I love it. I had a small balcony outside and frequently entertained a couple of opossums with bread. They are cute. Or were. Probably are.

p/s - Nicholas Kristof (reg. req.) is hilarious.

pp/s - I've just realized that just over a week ago, it has been three years since I started this project. Three years baby!

A tribute to the Baroque composer Georg Friedrich Händel and his Water Music suite.

Alrighty. Back to trying not to mess up this semester.

p/s - arson. The same thing happened near Ann Arbor not so long ago. I bet it's ELF.

pp/s - omg. Her Reverie is a good Malaysian band. I love their song called Beautiful.

One of the world's worst environmental disasters happened 20 years ago in Bhopal, India. A large quantity of toxic was accidentally released, killing more than 50 000 people with many more facing health problems. At the same time, Greenpeace was one of the few organizations that actively brought this case forward to the public.

Every time around this part of the semester, this issue is brought forward to the University's masses. I first learnt about Bhopal when I was a freshman here at Michigan. That was four years ago.

Union Carbide which was the owner of the leaked plant had never admitted its mistake. Instead of accepting the responsibility of the accident, it claimed that the leak in Bhopal was caused by industrial sabotage. Various litigations were made against the company in both the US and in India but progressed still lagged after 2 decades has passed. A website by Union Carbide explains why the company refused to be held accountable.

Union Carbine is now owned by Dow Chemical Company, a firm based in Michigan. Dow too refused to accept the responsibility of the accident. It asserts that Union Carbide had fulfilled their responsibility. Groups from the other side of the fence however insist that when Dow brought Carbide Union, Dow should also inherit the liability. I too believe Dow should accept the responsibility.