After years of contemplating, plus Blogger's unsatisfactory service, I decided to move to WordPress. Plus, this migration forces me to learn php. I've always wanted to learn php and this is my chance.

I'm still migrating. I spent the whole weekends tweaking my open source template. I expect the migration to be completed by next Friday. So, forgive me for any pothole.

Oh, the new location of the blog is at http://www.maddruid.com/wp/.

To encourage move, comment facilities at Blogger-based The __earthinc have been closed while people are free to comment to my WordPress-based blog, subject to rules and regulations provided at "About" section.

Last year, I blogged about how Indonesia hasn't ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. I really believe Malaysia and others countries that are affected by this current major environmental disaster should press on Indonesia to ratify the agreement immediately. However, our government is too busy regulating language and moral while stiffling freedom instead of ensuring our well-being.

Given the inability of our government to prioritize its priorities — given the current administration's failure to protect our interest, our health, our environment — I call on all environmental conscious Malaysians to not to vote for Barisan Nasional in the next election. The next time you're at the ballot box, remember this haze. Remember how ineffective this administration is in solving this problem.

I've already said the haze will return this year despite all the Badawi administration said. This environmental degradation will happen every year unless we stand up against Indonesia and say no more. We need to arrest this issue at its root cause. All the cloud seeding does not permanently solve our problem. We need to insist Indonesia to ratify the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. From there on, more meaningful cooperation between Malaysia, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries could be forged.

While our government is failing us, I'm happy to spread the word that Greenpeace is fighting for us:

Greenpeace activists literally smoked out the forestry ministry in Jakarta on Thursday to protest the government's failure to stop forest fires. The blazes have spread choking smog over much of Southeast Asia, threatening the health of millions.

Over the past week, thick smoke from fires in Sumatra and Central Kalimantan has affected Singapore and Malaysia.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia has more pictures at their website.

Some may point out that it's the Malaysian plantation firms operating in Indonesia that are causing this. The counter-punch hasn't changed; Malaysia doesn't have the authority to exercise its environmental laws on Indonesian soil.

Regardless, I strongly believe the Malaysian government should a law that could somehow punish this Malaysian firms for causing this environmental degradation. The law must internalize this negative externalities.

Hey DAP, are you organizing another protest in front of the Indonesian embassy? I'll join you guys again if it's going to be held on weekends.

I just finally got off the LRT. There was (and probably still is) a major technical problem along the Kelana Jaya Line. Two trains got stuck in the middle of Dato' Keramat and Damai stations. At the same time, the management did a very poor job to inform commuters of the problem.

I see this notice only after I got off the train; after wasting close to two hours. Not before:



Hence, I was late for work. Thank heavens my CEO is an understanding person...

It was a horrendous experience. I advise you all to not get on the Kelana Jaya Line for this morning, unless are you're game for a very inconvenient journey.

I first noticed David Cameron when he took over the UK Tories' leadership last year from Michael Howard. First of all, I've always like Blair; charming, young and best of all, green. That doesn't necessarily translate into support for the Labor Party though. (Okay, okay, Labour. Happy now?) I don't know enough of British politics to choose side but Blair's personality and his green tendency is strong enough for me tip my hat to the Labour Party. However, Blair's possible successor, Gordon Brown isn't as fun as Blair himself. And Brown seems a little bit closer to the red side as far as I'm concerned. Cameron on the other hand, while coming from a conservative, is green. With a green leadership, the Tories are starting to suit me. It's a sort of a green-blue party. I consider myself as a libertarian green and hence, it's only natural for me to be attracted to the new Tories.

Nevertheless, there are accusations that David Cameron is doing a Kerry - trying to impress too many people at once. New stuff is also coming out about him; despite earlier the media hailing him for cycling to the Houses, that cycling activity is apparently a gimmick. I really hope hypocrisy isn't the case. Reason is, if Cameron's really sincere, this is something good for the green. Why? Simple. When was the last time two major parties in a country with great global influence last tried to be greener than the other?

From the top of my head and from my limited knowledge, I can't think of any.

And certainly, Malaysia comes nowhere near such scenario despite the Badawi administration's initial green slogans. Like so many of the administration efforts, his green effort is starting to look like greenwashing.

Coming back to the main issue, usually, it's the race to the center. But perhaps, this race towards the green is really a race to the center. Maybe — for those in the UK, correct me if I'm wrong — environmental issue is a centrist's issue in the UK. If that is so, what a wonderful place the UK is right now.

Of course, the unfortunate part is that both the Labour and the Tories support the invasion of Iraq. Another thing is that, the Tories are Euroskeptics. I'm pro-EU simply because I'm for a more integrated ASEAN. I see a successful EU as a brownie point for those that are for a stronger ASEAN.

Still, whichever side wins next year, I'm happy to speculate that the UK would be green.

After shockingly dropping out of the UEFA Champions League earlier this year, Ajax bullied IK Start 9-2 to qualify to the next stage of the UEFA Cup (tag). Ajax now sits in Group F along with Sparta Prague, Espanyol, Austria Wien and Zulte Waregem.

Easy, especially when top three team from the group will qualify to the next stage. Apart from Ajax which currently sits first in the Eredivisie, the teams of Group F are having pretty bad season so far:

It is remarkable that Ajax are the only side in group F to do well in their domestic league: the Amsterdammers are at the top of the Eredivisie table since last Sunday's triumph in Utrecht. All four of Ajax's opponents, however, have had a disappointing start of the season. Sparta Prague are currently third in the Czech league. Not terrible (at least they're close to the top), but the 'Ajax of the Czech Republic' can never be satisfied with it. Sparta won only four out of their first eight league games. Espanyol are five games underway in La Liga, but the full three points were grabbed only once. The team scored only two goals in five games and are currently Spain's modest number 15 (in a league of 20). Zulte Waregem are also 15th, but in a league of 18. Only two out of the first eight games were won. Austria Vienna, finally, perform way under par as well: there are only ten teams in the Austrian Bundesliga, and FK Austria are currently 8th. The first eleven league games brought them only two wins, an unacceptable score for what is traditionally one of Austria's greatest clubs.

The bad news is that Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is out for a month. But I'm convinced that won't stop Ajax from doing extremely well in the group.

Or whatever they call you nowadays,

I wish to direct your attention to your recent temporary ban lift on paraquat (tag).

In an article by M. Krishnamoorthy in The Star on Tuesday, October 3 2006, you state the reason the ban is being lifted is to conduct a cost and benefit analysis on the usage of paraquat:

KUALA LUMPUR: The ban on the herbicide paraquat will be temporarily lifted from Nov 1, to allow a comprehensive study on its many uses.

The Pesticide Control Division under the then Agriculture Ministry banned the weedkiller for its hazardous effect on health in August 2002.

The decision to temporarily lift the ban by the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry now was made following appeals from farmers and manufacturers to look at the greater uses of the herbicide.

"We want to do an extensive study on paraquat, its harmful effects and positive aspects, before the set date for its total ban in November next year," Pesticide Control Division director Nursiah Tajul Arus told The Star.

After reading the article, I'm a little dumbfounded. I'm neither a farmer nor a scientist that specializes in herbicide. Neither am I too sure if I've actually seen a bottle of paraquat. So pardon the state of mind I'm currently in. Nevertheless, I do know through my readings that paraquat is a very strong poison. It's potentially dangerous if safety guidelines aren't followed to the letter. Despite that, I'm not totally against the usage of paraquat. In fact, I'm not even sure if I'm actually objecting to the use of that herbicide. What disturbs me is the reasoning you offer. It doesn't make sense. Moreover, if that's your policy on how to conduct experiment, it's a bad practice.

If you want to commission a comprehensive study on the effects of paraquat usage, couldn't you just study it a laboratory instead of lifting the ban nationwide? With the lift of the ban for the sake of conducting a study, you're turning the country into a guinea pig. Worse, that descision potentially expose many plantation workers in harm's way. If you really need to test paraquat out in the open air, you could just find a farm or two and conduct experiments there. The country isn't a one big laboratory owned exclusively by you.

Perhaps, you have never heard a concept called "precautionary principle". I'm a green and so, I'm familiar with it. I embrace it though from time to time, I do take too much risk that I'm supposed too. But I'm digressing. The point I'm trying to convey here is that you should be familiar with the concept, given that you get to play with many dangerous species of chemicals that could potentially affect million if used widely unwisely.

I don't mind if you like to play around with chemicals. Hey, when I was a student at a high school (even as an undergraduate at Michigan), I love chemicals! At Michigan, there are a number of small chambers where I as a freshman handled hazardous fume; I didn't handle hazardous chemical outside of the chamber. It wouldn't be safe to me or anybody that might be around during that experiment.

Do you have the same chamber in your laboratory? I hope you do. If you don't, perhaps you could ask some cash from the Malaysian astronaut program and build that chamber for your use. In fact, you could do your experiment in that chamber!

With the chamber, if something bad accidentally happened, at least it would be limited in that chamber. The country isn't a guinea pig; please be responsible. Please limit your little science project to your laboratories.

With all this in mind, I suspect your intention to temporarily lift that ban has nothing to do with cost and benefit analysis. I suspect the lift is a little less than sincere. The basis of the suspicion is simple; with the temporary nationwide lift of the ban for the sake of conducting a cost and benefit analysis, entities that are calling for the legalization of paraquat usage get to use the chemical freely. On one hand, the study could be conducted at some confined place. That strikes as a bit odd, don't you think so, especially the analysis could easily be done in a lab, thus migitating lots of risk?

Sorry if I sound redundant but I'm not supporting the ban at the moment. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty much a free market kind of guy and most often than not, I'd support the use of paraquat and disagree with bans. Accounting full cost accounting practice, I might be okay with heavily regulated use, even. So, you could say, all I'm questioning is your sincerity of the lifting of the ban.


Regards.

Approximately a month ago in Sarawak, Malaysia, a crocodile snatched a boy as he swam in a river. The boy's remain has yet to be found. The locals are trying hard to recover the body but only heaven knows how many crocodiles there are in the river.

The boy is dead. However disheartening the episode is, the locals are being overzealous in their search for the boy. So far according to reports, two crocodiles have been killed. Both crocodiles' stomach were cut open. For the loss of a human life, two crocodiles have been killed heartlessly. It's time to stop and accept the fact that the boy is dead.

Though I understand the strong urge to find the body, two wrongs don't make a right. Though perhaps I might not comprehend the parents' grief, two wrongs still don't make a right. This is beyond justice. This is simply revenge. I'd like to think we humans are better than this:

The crocodile, with its four legs tied, was taken to the Bako National Park boat terminal after news of its capture spread like wild fire, prompting villagers from Kampung Bako and surrounding areas to gather at the terminal since early morning eager to see the animal.

Before that, water was pumped into the live crocodile's mouth, causing it to vomit out bones believe to be that of a dog and monkey.

Mohd Azuan's father, Hatta Abidin, 36, and mother, Maria Kepli, 34, who were among the crowd at the terminal, were not satisfied and a decision was made to dissect the crocodile's stomach to determine if it was the same crocodile that took away their son's life.

I'm disgusted by the way the the locals treated the reptile. Dare do I ask, do they plan to cut all the reptilians' stomach open until — if ever — they found the body?

The boy is dead. It's time to accept it. It's far better for us as a society to devise ways to live harmoniously with other beings rather than engage in our thirst for blood.

Please spare the rest. Stop the senseless killing.

p/s - according to Utusan Malaysia, three crocodiles have been killed (via):

KUCHING 2 Okt. - Empat ekor buaya telah ditangkap dan tiga daripadanya dibunuh serta dibelah perut, namun penduduk Kampung Bako, dekat sini masih kebingungan kerana tidak ada tanda-tanda bahawa reptilia tersebut membaham kanak-kanak berusia 12 tahun, sebulan lalu.

Sorry, too busy to actually translate the paragraph into English. Regardless, if you think that fact makes this whole event more inhumane and angering, wait to you read this in the Utusan's article:

Dalam pada itu, para wartawan yang membuat liputan mengenai tangkapan buaya besar itu dihalang oleh para petugas Sarawak Forestry.

Mereka dihalang merakamkan gambar ketika buaya itu dibelah perut.

Difahamkan, Sarawak Forestry bimbang jika gambar buaya yang dibelah disiarkan dalam akhbar seperti dua ekor buaya sebelum ini, ia akan dipertikaikan oleh masyarakat.

Whereas wildlife authority is supposed to protect wildlife, they're going on a killing spree instead. And they fear the possibility the public would question their consent for the killing...

Just when we all thought the worst has past for this year, the haze returns to Kuala Lumpur (tag). But then, the meteorological department did warn us all that the haze would return after the raining season ended.

Last Friday's night, I had the luxury of dining at the top of PNB Darby Park. The view would have been magnificent, if it wasn't for the haze:



The haze gives the Petronas Twin Towers some interesting "natural" effect:



With El Niño's here, I have a feeling that this part of the year is going to be the toughest for us all. In term of climate, that is.

  

p/s - The Little Brown Jug has safely returned to Ann Arbor. With Michigan's 28-14 win against Minnesota, we and some school called Ohio State are 5-0 — the only undefeated teams so far in the Big Ten. Because of the win, I expect Michigan to move from #6 to #5.

Other undefeated teams nationwide (I mean the US) are Boise State, Florida, Auburn, Georgia, USC, Oregon, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Rutgers, West Virginia and Louisville. All together, there are 14 undefeated teams so far. Out of 14 teams, I think 11 would stay undefeated after next week's matches, including Michigan and (unfortunately) OSU.

Next's Michigan State. Bush would say "Bring 'em on".

  

pp/s - oh yeah, new banner. The image was manipulated by me; original picture is produced by the USDA. Taken from Wikipedia.