Earth's Children

Playing God

2008-11-20T01:33:00.001-08:00

XDR-TB

2008-10-14T06:01:00.001-07:00

From Father to Son, Last Words to Live By

2008-05-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the article

Europe Turns Back to Coal, Raising Climate Fears

2008-04-27T21:17:00.001-07:00

Today must be "Thanks to Coal" Day.

I read this article and it lead me to a whole list of reports in the past year by New York Times about the coal and energy crisis in various parts of the world.

A whole afternoon didn't allow me to finish digesting (or rather indigesting) the harrowing accounts of people who live practically next to coal-powered plants or mines.

The prospect of even more coal-induced carbon emissions into the fragile atmosphere by more new coal-powered plants in various parts of Europe and Asia left a charcoal taste in my mouth.

What are these nations thinking? To turn back to coal in the face of rising oil prices just to keep up with the high consumption of electricity is a short-sighted "solution" put mildly. Its in fact more like burning off the bridge that was precariously linking us back to environmental balance. Whatever happened to reviewing our consumption levels? Population control? Renewable sources of power such as wind, water and sunlight??

Apparently, the majority vote against the erection of a new coal-fired plant by the residents in context fell on deaf ears. Like what the StoryofStuff was saying, the government has become the feet-kisser of corporations with greater economic say than themselves.

What a great example to the Asian siblings.

The Earth is like the Human Body, and Water, like the Blood in its Veins

2008-04-27T20:58:00.001-07:00

A man at the site of what used to be a fertile farmland. The rift was one of the many created by over-mining of coal in Shanxi, China.

The earth there is sinking with underground coal mining from all sides; the once pristine river had run dry, and the wells rendered useless.

The villagers found themselves at high risk of being buried alive by the mounting coal waste (reportedly 50 stories high) if they did not abandon their homes soon.

This report was made in Jun 2006. I wonder what their fate had become...

Story of Stuff.com

2008-04-20T04:45:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered about where all stuff comes from and goes to, this is as simple and straightforward answer as you can get. A no-brainer even for kids.

So what if it's an american setting set for an american audience, i'm sure it's not too difficult to extrapolate the idea to other places in the world. Many are guilty in varying degrees, but how many actually raise up their hands like that?

It's common to have polar voices between government and its people. But trust American citizens to rally support among themselves in classical American fashion: humorous, simplistic, and most of all, positivity.

I'm usually critical of complex issues that get watered-down and twisted for various propaganda - environmental concerns being the most recent exploitation - 'educating' the public just enough for their purposes, and the passive public in turn taking them at face value.

But the endeavor this time is truly refreshing; a complete picture simplified without frills. In such a complex and obscured world today, perhaps starting off with this formula lets people have something to hang on to.

USA has been accused of many things: giant consumer, polluter, a super power that takes more from the earth and its counterparts than it gives. But these are the works of the bad spirits. There are shining good ones out there using their resources to save the world, and advocate hope and wisdom where others are hesitant to make.

Now, back to the real question:
where's all this leading to? We're all going to die anyway, and the earth is going to explode eventually, so what's the point? might as well enjoy while we can?

Human race is just another footprint on the face of the earth whilst it lives out its "infinity". Unlike any other species, we evolved with enough intelligence to understand most of the clockworks. To ignore our mis-manipulations of it is to demean ourselves to the levels of ostriches with buried heads.

If life is about journey, i wish likewise our existence be a meaningful one.
A show of an everlasting human spirit, not a deteriorating one.

Anyway, watch the video.
A must-see.

"The Sustainable Man" DIY

2008-03-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Little things that make my day

2008-03-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

Captain Planet's bag of tricks

2008-03-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

"I guess we can call this nonviolent chemical warfare," - Capt. Paul Watson

This article reminded me of the "Captain Planet" cartoon series i used to watch as a child, where a blue-skinned n "green" version of superman would use his super powers to save the day, and of course, the planet from polluting baddies.

It's not just amusing but refreshing to read about the tactics these anti-whale hunt activists resorted to in trying to stop the whale-hunting ships. (They threw rotten butter to stink up the ship and soap-like chemicals to make people slip on the deck. U may laugh, but it worked.)

When it comes to good heros, they are forced to invent offensive strategies that are harmful to the enemies YET gentle to the planet. That's definitely more brain-work than baddies have to do.

Hmm. So i guess this concludes one thing: The bad guys in the cartoons are really as stupid as they looked.

Faces of Spain

2008-02-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

I did an architectural travel course to Spain last winter. Same golden opportunity offered by the school to trot around a country steeped in its own unique blend of history and culture as did my previous journey to India.

Armed with my own camera this time, I zealously took 3000 photos in 3 weeks, covering mostly architectural settings and the lively members of this expedition.

Upon returning, I faithfully filtered out 1000 of those that documented our journey to share among my tour mates, and condensed them further to just under 180 for the general public for an overall impression of Spain.

One friend responded in return:

"it seems most all your pictures are for coffee table book or some architecture magazine. they are cold. what i mean by raw reality is nature in pure form, not contrived, not planned. people are from nature. for example, are there any beggars or prostitutes in your pictures. is there anyone sleeping under bridge or on cardboard. the children seem mostly from distance so can't really "see" what they are thinking or who they are, and it seem again more about color and cold things like capturing contrast. touristy pictures are boring. what is thrilling (to me) is what's really going on in life, what's happening below the facade. if i remember correctly, kinda like the picture(s) you took of/with the children that came running up to you in the street, that was scratching the surface or raw, spontaneous, pure. that is moving in the direction. to have these chance to see life like this, and capture these moments, requires change in your thinking. need to delve into places that maybe you are afraid to go, then can start to see, and have chance to capture. sometimes many times it's so amazing and you become so lost in moment that you don't even think to take picture. that to me is beauty."

Thanks to him, i went back and looked through my 3000 pics again, recalling my endeavors to capture not picturesque Spanish settings but the 'raw' response of the people in it - stripped-down, spontaneous, in-the-face moments of real people in real but indiscriminate situations, almost as if the images were taken inadvertently by a passing bee...

I've compiled these 45 photos to re-introduce my own version of Spain, liking them for their instinctive Iberian identity and their power to narrate hidden stories amidst their ordinariness.

My quest was more limited than in India though. Cos in Europe, it's wise to be discreet.

Gorilla Massacre

2007-11-17T01:40:00.000-08:00

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1287043068/bctid1312371912

Sea Ice in Retreat

2007-10-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Click on this link for an interactive view at a glance of the sea ice changes in the North Pole in the last few years.

Articles to Disseminate

2007-10-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

China's Crisis #1: Lake Tai 〈太湖〉

China's Crisis #2: As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes

China's Crisis #3: Beneath Booming Cities, China's Future is Drying Up

After a 3-month hiatus... (Part I)

2007-08-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, i'm back in the US again.
Back from a long summer break in Taiwan, surrounded by people, activities and lively chaos.
This aspect of Asia is most nostalgic to me, and i had indulgently basked myself in it for the past few months.

No sooner was i there that i also realized it is this very freneticism that impedes many people in Asia to think much beyond their everyday lives. The government and its people share a very different relationship from that in Europe and America: while its mostly up to the common folks to work extremely hard to fend for themselves, everything on a national or global basis is left to the business of their government. So if its environmental issues we're talking about, "well, the government will handle it. "

For this reason, environmental awareness was hardly detectable amongst the public of Asian countries, and any news of it or measures to be taken were entirely up to the governing body's discretion. One positive aspect of this however, if executed, is its extent of influence : the Taiwanese government introduced the sale of plastic bags in all grocery and convenience stores several years ago in a bid to cut down on plastics, and recently even banned the use of paper or styrofoam cups in all government related functions.

Without a clear long-term agenda and awareness campaign however, citizens will not fully comprehend its importance (many Taiwanese only saw the conservation efforts as an inconvenient legislative law), and continue to undermine such efforts by other irresponsible actions against the environment. This brings to point that while i could easily access environmental reports in English on the WorldWideWeb, there are far too few translated reports in Chinese or other minor languages for non-English speaking (or other european languages) Asians to read up on as easily. (I'm chagrined to say that i am also ill-equipped to write my blog in Chinese for my Taiwanese counterparts!)

Censorship breeds ignorance, and ignorance breeds complacency.
But this is just one part of the story. In an economy-driven world, it is considered "frivolous" if conservation efforts were to supercede economic strategies, and many developing countries couldn't afford - nor are willing to abide to - the high price...not after their time of progress has finally come. Down to human-scale, what do you do when you tell a tree-cutter to "stop cutting down trees for sale or there won't be trees left tomorrow", and he'd reply that he and his family can only afford to live by the day?

Faced with all these disputes and complexities within and between countries, one has to concede that environmentalism has become just another poker deal for world leaders - all about money and gambling our chances with our only habitat.

However, as individuals, we don't have to judge upon the fairness of the game, nor wait for the outcome. So long as you're in a position to conserve and promote for the environment, do it.
Nothing's fair since the day we were born, why start debating about that now?

Think about it...you're lucky to afford to do so where others can't.

How's the Weather Over There?

2007-08-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

I was in the queue waiting to board the bus back to Providence this morning, and I overheard yet again the most popular topic we earthlings pick as a conversation starter:
“So did u have fun in the city while u were here?” a friendly man in the same line started asking another stranger behind him.
“What’s that? Oh, sure… the weather was surprisingly autumn though…I’ve never experienced such cold weather at a time like this in New York…”
“Oh yeah, usually summer temperature can be felt way into October even, easily 80-90 deg Fahrenheit, but this year…” the friendly man concurred, “Where you from by the way, I’m from Newport. You ever been there? It's up north, a beautiful place, with beaches…”
And the conversation gets an extended life.

It’s no wonder why the environment or weather always find its way back into everyday conversations… you may smirk, but this ubiquitous ice-breaker is probably the only common link man share that’s "diplomatic", harmless, yet significant enough to talk about.

But of course, a few countries do fall through the net in terms of significance.
From where i came (mono-season Singapore is blessed without a single natural calamity), chatting about the weather with my fellowmen can be a pretty mundane subject.
In contrast, when I hit upon the typhoon season in Taiwan this summer, the ignorant well-frog in me couldn't help being intrigued by all the hype and fuss an encroaching typhoon would stir up...

With its entitled name, XX Typhoon was just like a new starlet who literally took the town by storm (i couldnt help with the pun, sorry). Locals glued their eyes and ears to the media; some cursed n whined over jeopardized outings, some scrambled to prep their homes against flooding, yet others cheered at the prospect of a "national holiday" declared by the government...

And when she finally arrived, the God-fearing ones would meekly seek shelter n watch her perform her antics, throw her tantrums...ample time to worry about how to pick up the pieces left in her tracks later on.

All this is of course from the incorrigible frog's exhilarated perspective...only a native can truly relate to the havoc and trauma such natural disasters would cause - year after year.

For all the sophisticated scientific gadgets human intelligence could devise, mankind is always a few steps behind predicting forces of nature, much less seeking prevention. To this day, human errors and negligence combined with uncountable unaccountable factors have time and again resulted in cataclysmic tragedies:
The oversight of Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 due to the lack of tsunami warning systems in the Indian Ocean, and the extensive failures of levee systems during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 are painfully raw reminders that still burn.

Indeed, when Mother Nature decides to unleash her wrath, who can really block her way?

List of Ten Deadliest Natural Disasters

	Event	Location	Date	Death Toll (Estimate)
1.	1931 Yellow River flood	Yellow River, China	1931 summer	1,000,000-4,000,000
2.	1887 Yellow River flood	Yellow River, China	1887, September-October	900,000-2,000,000
3.	1970 Bhola cyclone	Ganges Delta, East Pakistan Bangladesh) (Now	1970 November 13	500,000-1,000,000
4.	1938 Yellow River flood	Yellow River, China	1938	500,000-900,000
5.	1556 Shaanxi earthquake	Shaanxi Province, China	1556 January 23	830,000
6.	1839 India Cyclone	Coringa, India	1839 November 25	300,000+
7.	1642 Kaifeng Flood	Kaifeng, Henan Province, China	1642	300,000
8.	1976 Tangshan earthquake	Tangshan, China	1976 July 28	242,000*
9.	2004 Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami	Indian Ocean	2004 December 26	230,000
10.	1138 Aleppo earthquake	Syria	1138	230,000

Its not hard to imagine how such catastrophes must have seemed like "Judgment Day" for their victims. Fact is however, such are the natural cycles of the universe, and if our actions show more fear and respect for this planet, to some extent tragedies can be averted. (Points to note: Hurricane Katrina - A man-made disaster? In the Tsunami of 2004, human destruction of coral reefs played a significant role in aggravating the tragedy.)

Personally, i'd worry more about man-induced disasters that could hasten up this day. I found this on the internet:

List of "Causes of hypothetical future disasters",

Natural:

Man-made:

Global warming tops the risk chart at the moment as its consequence is most likely to trigger any of the man-made or natural calamities (not inclusive..there's still the more common contenders - flooding, drought, heat wave, epidemics etc) listed above.

Every catastrophe - man-made or natural - that befell mankind had seemed like "Judgment Day" for the victims, served as a solemn warning for their neighbors, and gone unnoticed or unconcerned for the rest outside its locus of influence. Factor in human resilience, hubris and poor memory, and we'd find ourselves experiencing "dejavu" time and again throughout human history.

Mankind may have set foot on the four corners of the earth, but changes in seasons and weather are the best reminders that human species are extremely vulnerable; we don't dictate this planet...Nature rules, and the rules of survival are simple:

Want Mother Nature to grant us an extension?
Listen and learn from mistakes made.

Condolences to the Goddess of Yangtze River

2007-05-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

 www.baiji.org

On Dec 13 2006, Baji, a rare freshwater dolphin species which thrived in the Yangtze River as early as 20 million years ago, was declared functionally extinct.

There are only 6 species of freshwater dolphins and porpoise in the world - 3 in Asia, 2 of which are found exclusive in the Yangtze River in China. Baiji has since disappeared, leaving another one on the brink of extinction.

It was a painful awakening to witness the demise of yet another species from the face of the earth. I had naively thought no news probably meant good news, until today. (fact is the media is just more interested in digging up for news on little bear cubs like Knut.) Really, scrolling down the list of recently extinct animals online just now was like reading through "Planet Earth's Obituaries" column...

Since the classic case of the Dodo bird, we hadn't been able to stop the onset of animals from slipping through our fingers day after day (in fact, according to 365 Ways by Philippe Bourseiller, more than 2 species are disappearing every hour) despite numerous laudable efforts.

Argument that evolution is part of a natural process is redundant here, cos to have large mammals near the end of the food chain disappearing when climate conditions havent yet changed drastically enough is anything BUT normal. It could only be due to human activity.

I shudder to even think about what the combined powers of climate change n man can do.

"Man would die of great loneliness if all the beasts are gone. For what happens to beasts will also happen to man." - anonymous

A 16 yr old's Tribute to the Days...

2007-05-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

A Tribute to the Days

Please remember,
When land was rich and trees stood tall.
The plot of arid desert was very small,
Until farmers came and set the place burning;
Then left the forest creatures yearning.

Please remember,
When we could enjoy a clean, fresh breeze
Not mingling with soot or soaked with grease.
In those days there was no need to go high places,
Just to find somewhere devoid of hazes.

Please remember,
When the color of water reflected the sky,
Never too murky or loaded with dye.
We needn’t worry about the fury of fish
Stained with mercury on our dish.

Please remember,
When we hadn’t possessed any greed,
And never took what we didn’t need.
We hadn’t yet created the hunting gun,
Just so we could have a little fun.

Please remember,
What we have sold
To Hell’s creator:
The Days of old.

"...I underestimated the damage a coward with power can do..."

2007-05-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

Words to incumbent US President from a fired newspaper columnist, Dan Guthrie - unminced, unsalted - words of fire. Highly fueling.

Click on it!

A tribute to Earth Day?

2007-04-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Doesn't matter if Earth Day was yesterday - sounds kinda paradoxical to me...aren't we living on Earth everyday??

But if making certain days special spurs sentimentality, and people prefer to label down just one day for the Earth to officially encourage one another to change their habits / schedules as a tribute to our Mother, well...at least that's a start. In Dr. Jane Goodall's words: "Knowledge fosters Compassion, and Compassion leads to Action".

So here's my "special tribute":

A speech by Dr. Jane Goodall that resonates exactly my sentiments towards Mother Nature, Humanity and our Future...

Here's one more: take a few minutes each day to read about one man's tribute to the Earth - all 365 days* of it...

Click on it!

*cnmmnc strives to keep it posted up-to-date, so please be patient if it lags once in a while...

TED

2007-04-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

Recently, a good friend of mine from singapore introduced TED to me in response to one of my posts.

Just this morning, i came across a message by RISD's acting president (Roger Mandle), who wrote about sustainability, and his participation in TED conference early this year, providing a link to TED's website.

Somehow, good things find their way around to be shared. Now it's my turn to pass it on.
http://www.ted.com/

In Roger Mandle's words,

" I know that when artists and designers join engineers, educators, politicians, public policy-makers and environmental activists then new ground will be broken. Together we will create innovative solutions that will help lead the way for future generations. I encourage everyone to join this critical effort to sustain our environment and planet. In doing so, we honor the profound importance of natural resources to our earth, including its beauty, its people and the creatures who inhabit it"

The TED video below is dedicated to all those mentioned above.

P.S. Are you from the coastal lands?

2007-04-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

After watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, i went into digging for my stack of newspaper cuttings i made when i was in India early this year.
What had seemed so far-fetched and incredulously imminent to me from that article suddenly became alot more real to me now...so the source could be from as far away as Greenland?!

All i know is, when this happens, my tiny island of a home situated 1 deg north of the Equator won't stand a chance.

I said this to my european brother-in-law who's thinking of settling down his family in Singapore recently: "Ya, its certainly a great place to live - nice tropics, good food, conducive environment....but hey, there may be a mass migration happening in the near future for us...you might want to take that into account..."

Now...is it just me, or does that conversation sound kinda a crazy to you??

A Convenient Source to An Inconvenient Truth

2007-04-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

I'm glad i made much better time for this film.
This time i get to urge others to go for it in the midst of its furore as compared to Fahrenheit 911 (2004), of which i was miserably 2 years late... urging people to watch that now is like trying to blow fire back into the ashes, but getting soot in your face instead..

Anyways, i'm not sure if An Inconvenient Truth is still on the big screens around the world, but to all its skeptics n those who have no interest in the environment, who shy away from the ''sciences'' of it or dread becoming depressed by it, I only have this to say:

You owe it to your past, present and future self to watch this masterpiece of work...no questions asked.
Dont think i can make myself any clearer either.

All it took was for one man with the right formula,
to do what all the scientists, environmentalists, politicians, educators and entertainers in the world couldn't - bring all their powers together.

That's what we really needed dont we?
Someone who cares enough to ask questions, smart enough to decipher the facts, perceptive enough to filter out the truth, powerful enough to be heard, and charismatic enough to keep us engaged.

Then, what do we do?
For a man who's spent the last 7 years researching and compiling the massive sources of information and facts that boil down to one message, the least we can do is to offer our ears.

In his words, "sometimes, u just have to wait for the dots in you to connect."
At least start making these dots available now, shall we?

Y Vegetarian?

2007-04-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, i walked into a cafe and asked if they'd do a veggie wrap for me even though it's not on their menu. The sprightful young waitress at the counter was halfway through her lunch salad, but cheerfully confirmed my order.

Just before paying for my meal, she asked me out of the blue: "Are you a vegetarian for moral or health issues?"

My mind went blank for a min.. whatever happened to religious? That's usually the no. 1 reason in Asia. but i managed to reply. "Moral...?"

She happily gave me a hi-five. "Great, i like you already! Same here. I love meat, but realised i love animals more. So no more meat for me in the last 3 years" she declared with a resolute, determined expression on her face.

Though i shared similar reasons with her, I was amused by the unexpected dialogue...reminded me of my own encounters that eventually propelled me in the vegetarianhood direction - A documentary on Leonardo Davinci (he was said to be a vegetarian for his love of animals...how enlightening was that in his era?), a gruesome "Anti-killing" advertisement in Copenhagen that showed frozen-packed human body parts in a grocery store (that was absolutely horrific!), the selections of HUGE chunky frozen meat (enough to feed an entire family for a week) being sold in Western stores, the environmental pollution that poultry over-farming causes...
Never really a meat fan in the past, i just decided not to eat it if i can help it (eg. precious food going to waste...that's like slaughtering the chickens n throwing them away).

Still, i'm letting nature take its course. I dont call myself a true vegetarian cos I still eat fish once in a long while, but otherwise, my meat inclination index is fast dwindling. A month of delectable vegetable dishes in India also convinced me i can live just as happily.

There, a summary of events for those who had wished to know. Wanna join me? haha..

An Ocean starts from a single drop...

2007-04-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

I made 2 discoveries today...

The water from our school taps runs a total duration of 21* seconds.
Always, i'd wash my hands for 3 secs and spend the rest of the time watching clean, heated water start washing the sink instead. So this time i literally counted, from a few taps in a few locations.
N if u think 18 sec is no big deal, i suggest u try counting in front of the mirror...

A dripping faucet or showerhead wastes pretty well 140 gallons of water PER day. Apparently someone even more meticulous than i did a much more conclusive experiment n posted it on the newspapers.

My next discovery?
That 1 gallon is close to 4 litres.
My mind is whirling, I cant yet bear to do the calculation on our over-zealous taps...

But I'll be back...(once i devise a plan...)

* last updated

Incredible India - Reflections II

2007-04-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

India's Bapu: Water

Reading PJ's comments on his Mongolia experience (previous post) reminded of the situation in India.
In one of the tours we made in Ahmedabad, we visited an ancient step-well that's 6 storeys below ground level. It was a magnificent, awe-inspiring well design...i could sense how sacred water means to the Indians of that time, and perhaps even more so now...for while rainwater used to be stored up to the brim, especially in monsoon seasons, i was told that it hardly even reaches to the 3rd level from below in our era. Hell, when we visited, the water was at the "B6" level...which rendered it unusable. The fact that India did not have a proper monsoon (rainfalls were scarce) in the last 4 years compounded the water shortage crisis.

Elevation & Plan sketch of Stepwell

Bottom of the 6-storey well

Reading a newspaper article a few days later that Ahmedabad is to build another 5-10 nos. of high class hotels (on top of existing 4) in anticipation of its growing tourist value distressed me further. Already, local ground water is being overpumped for hotel use across cities in india, so much so that the locals are granted access to water supply only TWICE a day - once each morning n evening - while tourists like us would have "endless" supply, to support our foreign daily routine: bathing twice a day, getting complimentary drinking water in our rooms, going for laundry service every other day...I was extremely disturbed...how would I feel if i don't have free access to resources in my own land, which foreigners get to enjoy unconditionally? Anger n resentment definitely; Instead, the locals always greeted us with warmth n welcome.

Respect for water runs deep in India's culture

The pristine backwaters of Allepey - people's water

I'm not blaming the tourists per se; part of India IS hot n dirty...expecting foreigners to adapt immediately to the local way of life is like training your horse to be a camel. Moreover, tourism does create revenue for many cities, n tourists are there to relax, not "suffer"...

Sigh, I don't even know who to point fingers to actually...the government? the tourist industry? the natural humanistic behaviour?? The only possible way out of this dilemma is to create awareness amongst the tourists of the value of water in India, and show respect for it.
Still, shouldnt the scenes that lay out before them the minute they step out of the hotel already do that? Yet, i find it quite incredulous how many people's minds can just "switch on or off", looking without seeing, making no effort to reflect upon their consumption behaviour...

Sinful Paradise

Banquet Tonight?

Curious children ran out to greet me at dawn, shivering with cold

In the oasis-like desert camp we stayed in Manvar, we even had modern bathroom facilities in EVERY tent, heated showers in the day. I had asked a staff where the water came from, in which he had assured me it came from a local well that villagers have free access to. When we visited the villagers the next day however, it's apparent they hadn't bathed for days...a child's finger wound was even caked in mud..

Back in the desert hotel, i could only gawk at the pristine swimming pool that's hardly used:

Swimming pool in Manvar Desert Hotel

To be continued...

The Insidious Water War

2007-04-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm confused...there seems to be an emerging water crisis THROUGHOUT the globe...yet, where's the official alarm?
I didn't hear any so far...if not for a couple of newspaper articles i came across when i was in New Zealand (that was more than a year ago), India (during my recent trip) and now here in Rhode Island (just read it today), i wouldn't have a clue that many countries are facing an escalating water shortage problem.

And i don't think i'm alone...so long as u're a city mouse, such news become widespread only when it's probly at its terminal stage (global warming being our last diagnosis)...
But a sad thought crosses my mind at this point...so what if one DOES know it early enough? like now? (assuming it is) Will we people from the previleged cities where fresh water comes to us from a turn of the tap anytime anyday become spurred into action already?
Or does it always take the usual route of waiting for our government to signal "CODE RED"; legislations to introduce new measures; communities to campaign before we're convinced of the need to change our lifestyles?
This bespoke of the blessing n tragedy of city living...'blessing' because our daily lives are hardly compromised by climate change (our ready abundance of well-stocked resources offsets that risk), but 'tragic' because we've lost our sensitivity to the Earth's warning signs...

Ignorance is bliss..?

Still, people in other parts of the less developed world are suffering from depleting water resources, whether man-made or natural. They are, as in most cases, the infantry units that got hit first; if we still choose not to confront the enemies within us, we'll be turning onto each other next.

If nothing else, the next time you let clean water run off freely out of convenience, think of the million others who may have never even used a tap in their life...

Wall Street Journal, USA - 6 April 2007

The Warriors:

The Sunday Express, India - 28 Jan 2007

The Times of India - 19 Jan 2007

New Zealand Newspaper - 2005

NB: sorry about the last article...have already rotated it, but it always ends this side up!

Please post your comments!

2007-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

thanks for all your emails after i published my blog...your comments were both an encouragement n comfort to me...i've gained back many contacts i thought i lost along the way =)

Although i understand you had meant it to be a personal exchange only, much of what you shared will be an inspiration to others as well, and i hope you'll choose to share them on my blog in future...that's mostly the reason i set up the blog in the first place!

Tata,
ming

Alright guys...

2007-04-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

this is obviously NOT going to work.
Trying to finish writing my many "short" stories about India before publishing my blog is taking forever, n i've finally decided to wake up from my stubborn ambitions n go ahead with or without them...for the time being anyway.

India was the major inspiration behind my decision to start a blog, but after more than a month of "working on it" i have to admit that it's gonna make more sense to let it be "in-progress" rather than take the sense out of creating a blog in the first place by not even publishing it..!
It's already april n just after spring break, but from the looks of my turtle-paced progress, my blog will become obsolete before i even get to share it...i admit defeat...

So, here it is...my public diary. The ming, 念明, nienming, ming-er, ミンミン etc that you probly didn't know. But this isn't about me actually...this is about my letters to anyone who's interested in my topics of interest...

n I'll continue to keep you posted...

ps. hope you don't mind the typical template..cos i kinda like it actually =)

Polar Bear SOS Campaign

2007-03-23T04:17:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Natural Resources Defence Council today. Here's what the power of the people can do:

Dear nienming,

As a new NRDC activist, we thought you'd like to see the power of NRDC and its 1.2 million Members and activists in action -- by watching our new TV ad that is broadcasting the polar bear's desperate S.O.S. across America.

In just ten days, thousands of people donated the $300,000 needed to run our ad -- which has been running during prime viewing hours this week and was seen by millions of Americans.

Click here to view the ad

We're on the air at a crucial moment -- because April 9 is the last day that the Bush Administration is taking public comments on a plan for polar bear protection.

We've got to make sure the Administration feels overwhelming pressure to safeguard the polar bear and its habitat -- and that's exactly the kind of pressure our ad will generate.

Thank you for joining our NRDC activist network -- and "stay tuned" for more updates on our Polar Bear S.O.S. campaign in the critical weeks ahead.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

RE-discovering my Roots..

2007-03-10T01:16:00.000-08:00

Funny how things go one big round sometimes...

For my "Investigating Interiority" class, we were told to write a paper on REmodeled/ REstored/ REnovated (however u like to call it) buildings by architects, and analyze if they followed a time-based design concept on the buildings such that a "new life" is breathed into them again, and will continue to evolve and withstand the test of time and change.
Sounds abstract? i suppose, but it actually makes a lot of sense, and its concept is actually alot more important in this day and age where we are ever more likely to slip away from our past.

In my case, no other buildings in the world would interest me in as emotionally-attached a way as the characteristic traditional shophouses scattered across my homeland Singapore. The great challenge and irony though, was to find articles and resources to support my study on them when i'm thousands of miles away from what used to be at my doorstep, and after tedious search over the internet and libraries, my research has finally taken some root...hell, i had just spent over 6 hrs straight going through websites again and thousands of old photographs from the Singapore Archives....but!! the discovery was amazing...it was like seeing the pages of history unfold, and places i never thought twice before suddenly have whole interesting stories behind them..

Hill Street Police Station along River Valley Rd_1930s

Raffles Place_1920

Preservation of shophouse along Chinatown_1989

Wayang Show at Syed Alwi Road_1980s

Photo sources: The National Archives of Singapore
Other websites of interest: yesterday.sg; Historic Chinese Architecture in Singapore

After that unexpected overtime, i continued into the night preparing my internship resume until i stumbled into my own "archive" of poems i had written during certain spur of the moments in the past..Thus the creation of a new blog! Ha..don't need to faint, it's just meant to be a virtual archive for anyone who wishes to include theirs in as well, all in the good (and usual) name of inspiration...that's what gives life it's meaning, no? So check it out...and contribute, pretty please!

Earth's Children_sPur Of thE moMentS

[Poem below is dedicated to the courage of those who dare to alter the fate of others, even if it means throwing theirs to the wind... ]

CHOICE

A swirl of sand danced, with the rising wind,
In the blazing dusk, a brutal chill sets in.
Two bony, scorched feet paused in mid-walk,
Same lifeless eyes, to the ground they were locked.
A baby’s whimper erupted from below,
Gnawing Her dead skin and Her even blacker soul.
Time stood still, but finally She bends…

In Her arms She now carries a new weight,
Away from survival, and into the arms of Fate.

All in a Day's Lessons..

2007-03-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Nothing out of the ordinary happened today - i joined a "Shelter & Settlement" workshop by a professor in the morning, attended my weekly class of "Building Systems for Interior Designers" in the afternoon, read articles in the evening for my "Investigating Interiority" class this friday and just finished watching a movie called Fahrenheit 9/11 an hour ago.
Except that the lessons which spun out from them are so reveling to me that i need this moment to digest and regurgitate...even if it means burning another midnight oil..

Lesson #1:

The lecturer who conducted the "Shelter & Settlement" workshop this morning is an architect actively involved in such works for poor and disaster-struck communities found mostly in developing or third world countries. I had really wanted to take up his studio for this semester, but got balloted into my second choice instead - Ambulatory Healthcare Design, which i'll fill you in next time. But for now, i'm just grateful that i get to be immersed in an environment where there are people who critically examine the roles and integrity of designers towards a greater community in the past, present n beyond - an environment that's still much lacking back home.

Something that had always troubled my conscience way back when i was still grappling with the wisdom of entering a sector as "vain & frivolous" as design - to which the recent India trip just sparked another jab of resolution and resolve - had finally been cast in clearer light after today's workshop. Deciding to pursue my interest with the resolve of using this expertise to contribute meaningfully back to the society at large and not just the elite is one thing; knowing the realistic path to achieve that is a whole another.
Today, i had the guidance and inspiration from a predecessor, and though the path is far from easy, it's at least a clearer and more tangible path i know i can take. In one of the lecturer's words: From RIGOUR to RELEVANCE - do you want to be architects or designers who exhibit their skills in the elite, cushioned sector to make "designer names" for themselves, or do your want to be one who contributes with a team of concerned others for the greater good of nature and society? In the past, designers mostly reached out to the greater public through the government channel, which dictated much of the strategy and vision. Our time now doesnt allow the designers to wait for good governance to come before they can help the society. They have to start empowering themselves and step forward, as private bodies if not as individuals, and apply pressure for change from these governments through dedicated providence of their vision, expertise and commitment. I'm proud to say that even in a country as small and young as Singapore, we have a few such visionary architects to count on.

Below is an article i was appalled and saddened by. Instead of learning from past mistakes made by other developed societies, such developing countries have chosen the same mistaken routes in a blind pursuit of overnight success and status, driven by chronic deprivation and poverty. We all know it's "human nature", but who suffers most in the end? The massive majority of its population - the deprived and the poor...now how senseless is that?

Lesson #2:
The classes and articles i read today gave me, again, one of those moments of revelation since my studies here began...how intricately art & design are weaved into the web of social, economic, ecological and consequently political structures. They add to the growing list of factors which convince me that design is NEVER meant to be "vain & frivolous". Art is open to many interpretations, but i think the quintessential elements that matter most to me are Freedom, Honesty & Living.

In a world where quantifiable mechanisms such as engineering & construction work are still quick targets of criticism when buildings or infrastructure flaws appear, the fact that preventive and sustainable measures could have made a difference alludes to the importance of design.

I am growing in belief that as societies evolve alongside a growing ecological crisis, design leads the pack amongst technology and innovation, propelling and being propelled by the forces of nature and man in a never-ending cycle. Below is my most recent (which u can guess that's today) interpretation of design evolution at work:

Lesson #3:
I heard much about the movie before finally having the chance to watch it today...and naturally, i had my reservations about how effective or objective the movie was, and how convincing it's storyline was going to be. I was not prepared though, for the tears of helplessness and vexation that followed the scenes of war and disaster...i'm sure one never can be. To me, the achievement of this film lies in its humanistic yet strivingly neutral portrayal of the war. For the first time, faces of war and its tragedy were captured through personal witnessing and experiences BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the advent of war, as compared to impersonal documentaries of war in the historical context in the past.
If you have the time, do read this national geographic article for an insightful look at the war:
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0612/feature3/index.html

Another thing which struck me is the extreme farce of freedom and democracy America, n many other democratic nations for that matter, so proudly represented itself. A powerful nation's creed inevitably still falls vulnerable in the hands of its own people. Michael Moore's initial lone fight (in a collective sense with his crew) for its revival is the only proof of its potential strength; for without persistent investigations into the system, committed search for the truth, and calculated strategic steps to expose them, what's the good use of undying patriotism and courage the entire american population speaks so readily but blindly about? Of course, not all fault lies in this ignorance...in fact, hardly at all, when one cannot even begin to imagine the audacity their president (& his "partners in crime " including the "freedom press") has to betray so cruelly his very own people, let alone the rest of humankind. ALL wars end up meaningless and tragic, however noble or critical it started out to be. How this war "stood out" above the rest was the full-blown deceit to the nation's own people. This is by far the most publically-exposed example of how an ambitious government manipulates the hearts and minds of the community to fortify its power, feed its greed and rid itself of enemies in a "legal" manner.

Interestingly, it occurred to me where the root of all such corrupted, heartless political (and non-political) bodies IN POWER possibly lies...what in God's name made them to become wolves in sheep's skins and turn their back on the very people who supported and brought them to power? The answer is ironically the same as that which dates back to the times of kingdoms and emporerships, isnt it? Much to the chagrin of all that noble talk about modern civilization and people-elected governments, the fact is these people no longer needs to bow down to anyone above. They become their own gods. With power and money, they can protect themselves under packs of lies; they can buy popularity and support; they can buy or crush the weak hearts of many who wish to take their place. But this is where the greatest irony lies: That these few inhumane humans can continue to play their games up there only because the majority of their people are quietly (albeit ignorantly) accepting their fates in life, and fueling their sources. When one is down and out, one naturally learns about humility and faith. People do not accept poverty and hardships because they can live with it; they accept them because they believe that their leaders, if not their gods would see them through. Only if even such hope is being deprived will they start fighting back. So basically, the better the culprits can "puppeteerise" its people, the longer they get to live their high lives.

For all its "entertainment" values, I hope people who've watched Fahrenheit 9/11 will not let the furore die down with time like most blockbusters do...I speak for myself too. Cos we're humans after all..it takes effort and reminders to kick that habit. And if u find my tone over harsh n unfounded here, perhaps it is..cos who can really judge what's right n wrong anyway? But if even just 10% of this movie reflects the truth, then reality is way harsher. When the entire nation is against the war, how democratic can a government be by plunging ahead?

Ironically, i'm writing this in the long aftermath of the movie's 2004 furore.
I may be one of the last few to take this long to watch Fahrenheit 9/11...unless you are too?

Thank You Speech

2007-03-01T23:34:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it's the Oscar fever, or my excitement over the opportunities of blogs (very "swagu" i know)..but most likely it's due to the long-bottled up feelings of gratitude and blessedness i've accumulated since my life began; i have again, suddenly the overwhelming urge to finally materialize this imaginary list of people in my life whom i have alot to thank for(cos who knows if i'll still be around tomorrow??), so here it is, in rough chronological order:

To my Dad:
You've been a pillar of support & guidance all my life. Thank you for respecting my choices in life, for providing the wisdom & resources that allowed me to develop into who i am and who i can be, and for being able to take care of the whole family so well that it grants me the freedom to pursue my own dreams.

To my Mom:
You're the best mother, kindest person, most generous-hearted woman and most dependable friend a girl can ask for...I'm truly proud when people liken me to you...please believe me!!

To my Siblings:
I cannot imagine anyone else more fun, inspiring, and humbling to grow up with. So sorry if i was ever a bad example..

Special note to my Twin:
Twinny, you're MORE than my arms and legs combined....need i say more? Let's continue to walk the rest of the journey together, and into our next lives, haha.

To my Grandma:
親愛的奶奶，十分珍惜與您共渡的時光。妥您的福，我才能深刻地體會到許多人生經驗與道理；最重要的是，您的存在讓我在成人的階段裡享盡了另一份做孫女陪伴祖母的喜悅！請您繼續加油！！

To my 二叔：
Thank you for taking such good care of me and grandma everytime i'm in Taiwan...i feel much much indebted.

To my Singapore & Taiwan Family:
Thank you for being part of my family's lives and dramas and showering much concern and support all this while!

To my Singapore & Taiwan Friends:
Thank you for letting me into your lives at one point or another - adding so much colour and richness into my otherwise too-simple life...these memories alone will be enough to fuel our friendships for a long long time to come...

To my Friends & Family in Japan:
いつもお世話になりましてありがとう。皆さんと出会えたことなんてとてもうれしいものだと思います。これからも宜しくお願いしますので、皆さんお頑張りましょう！

To my closest Pals:
You know who you are...thank you for growing up with me, for being the bright (& wacky) sparks in my life, and for offering your sisterhoods so unconditionally. You can be sure I reciprocate that!

To Dr Vincent Tan of the NUS Mech. Engineering Dept. & Connie Puar of HBA:
Thank you for the encouragement and belief in me, helping me out when i was at crossroads not too long ago. Will definitely drop by to say hi in the near future...Best wishes!

To the driving forces behind id illustrated:
Thank you for introducing me into the world of design and showing me the ropes so patiently. I am honoured to be trained by and to work alongside all of you during those green years. All the best.

To RISD & DIS:
Thank you for the chance to earn my dream degree, and for opening my eyes to the values and inspirations behind architecture & design. Special thanks to Morten Lund - for showing me how one celebrates life and living in itself.

To all the Friends & Family i've made in USA & other parts of the World (Scandinavia, Europe & India):
It has been great fun and comfort knowing you all...you're my closest and most frequent connections now! Thank you to the families who always welcomed me with open arms into their homes...especially those who had never even met me before! Sorry for the trouble time and again.

Finally, To the Inexplicable Forces that made everything possible:
Thank you very much.

No regrets now =)
ming

Incredible India - Reflections

2007-03-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

The experience of India was intense...everyday unfolds one story after another.
In every story, there's always a moral. Hopefully among those that i'm about to share, you'll find at least one that touches your heart...enough to set you thinking, and then doing.
Anything.

The Man-Powered India:

We went to the St. Francis Church (1st European church in India by the Portuguese), and found out what these panelled drapes were for - it swings like a fan when pulled from the outside through the church windows via attached strings, to create man-made breezes for the church-goers...the invention is both highly original & incredulous...the thought of a few indian man standing outside under the hottest summer sun to swing these huge fans for some gentle breeze inside is just too crazy! Thank goodness electric fans were later installed...

Still, with a population of 1.1 billion, it'll be quite senseless not to find most tasks dominated by manual labor...tasks that city people have taken for granted since machines were introduced into our lives:

Carpool

Traditional fishing nets

Goods transportation

Using One's Head

Somehow, in india, this man-powered society appear to work out fine even in the urban, sub-urban context...in fact, they seem to be the "invisible network" that weaves through the entire city fabric - providing cheap yet efficient labor, ensuring the survival of both the demanding economy and their own livelihoods.

To be continued...

Incredible India - Visual Journey

2007-03-01T21:53:00.001-08:00

04-29 Jan 2007:
We visited in chronological order the following main cities of India: Cochin, Goa, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra & Delhi, where we discovered what India is made of - the city & countryside, the young & old, the rich & poor, the blessed & cursed, the beautiful & ugly, the clean & dirty, the charms & chaos...
- In a nutshell, India is a whirlwind of "Contrast & Contradictions" !!

Incredible India Experience Album

Incredible India - Insight

2007-02-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

"So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked." --Mark Twain

In the next few posts, i'll be going back in time to my 25 days in India.
The architectural journey my school embarked on began in the the south, travelling by rail and bus up north, stopping in nine cities out of seven states.
India is made up of 26 states in total, home to 1.1 billion people, divided by 14 official national languages (on top of multiple dialects), 7 major religions, and 6 main ethnic groups.
Its Caste system can be categorized into 5 main groups - the Priests, the Warriors, the Merchants, and the "Untouchables" (now called "Gods Children" thanks to Mahatma Gandhi).
With 5000 years of history and such diversity in a country, it is difficult to showcase with my limited pics & talent the spirit and reality of India. But spirit and reality India certainly has, an overwhelming, mind-blowing, conscience-stinging sense of it.
Concurring with those who've travelled to India before, one can never be physically-mentally-emotionally prepared enough for India: it is a world of contradictions....where logic takes a whole new dimension, and truth stares back at you much more vividly than you'd ever bargain for.
I've been physically-mentally-emotionally challenged by India...it has taken me on a roller-coaster ride where I was moved, exhilarated, puzzled, saddened, frustrated, amused, awed and provoked (in thought only). We were all spent, and ready to head home.
For now.
There's no doubt in my mind that i will head back there someday...not just to rediscover India, but through it to rediscover me.

Disclaimer

2007-02-23T00:14:00.000-08:00

The contents of this blog are not meant to represent the blogger in her entirety; the blogger reserves the right to inform fully about herself in view that it may be of no relevance but a distraction. This blog is created for the sole purpose of allowing the blogger to express and share her personal views towards life in a macroscopic scale, and may touch on issues in relation to Mother Earth, Nature, Science, Humanities, Sociology, Philosophy, Art & Architecture, History, Politics, Religion and anything in between.
The use of, or inference from, newspaper or magazine articles, books, photographs, inspirational quotes, stories told, and observations made is done through personal interpretations and hence not liable for any copyright infringement.
The format of the blog is in the likes of a private journal or diary; it strives to be narrative, analytical, perceptive and objective, with no intentional interest in participation of existing political or religious games.
The blogger's ultimate goal is to play a tiny part of mankind's potential roles in the world, by bringing some light into issues close to the heart and providing a forum for those who care and wish to "pass it on".

Dear Visitors:

2007-02-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

i've finally done it...my virgin blog.
Aint too impressed by the format n all, but who am i to say...will try to figure out how to tweak it. In time.

What finally made me set one up despite my distrust with the virtual world?
Sigh.
Cos i need a voice! I have so much to say, so much to share; with people i know, and people i dont. But i have a problem: my potential audience may not be ready at times...most of the time.
Still, my heart is bursting with stories to tell, messages to share, questions to ask, pleas to urge, issues to discuss...

So if u please, listen; if u can, think...and if u will, join in...

Letter to the Tenants

2007-02-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

Dear sirs and madams,

we may all harbour different viewpoints and credibility towards what's happening in the world today. But one thing remains the same: we're all living on the same planet, n this is the only home we have. Pointing fingers, deciding who's superior n who's not, n thinking how irrelevant our existence is towards climate change is not going to change the fact that our home is being threatened. Pretty soon, we may start a civil war on mother earth.

We may not be scientists, environmentalists or political leaders, but we are the earth's tenants, each n everyone of us. So minuscule or insignificant our efforts of living more responsibly each day may seem, but it's the spirit that's important. The spirit of repaying the land we stand on, the spirit of passing down the same spirit onto the next generation, so that appreciation for what we have is strengthened, not eroded.

I will do what i can, so long as i'm living on this planet. I'm sure all of us will too. But lets do it sooner rather than later.

Sincerely,
ming