Article: window dressing gone wild

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W38, 5 October 2009

Article: truck busting pumpkin

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W39, 5 October 2009

Article: baby mammoth heads to chicago

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W35, 5 October 2009

Article: t-rex still looking for home after auction

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W35, 5 October 2009

Article: Tiger rescued from poacher’s trap

Monday October 5, 2009

By SYLVIA LOOI

IPOH: A 120kg male tiger, which had its forelimb ensnared by traps set by poachers, has been rescued by the Perak National Parks and Wildlife Department.

Department director Shabrina Shariff said it received information on Saturday afternoon that an animal had been found trapped in the Royal Belum Forest Reserve.

"Rescue operations got under way at 7am today (Sunday) but the cloudy weather hampered efforts by the officers to immobilise the animal," she said, adding that her officers only managed to put the tiger to sleep 45 minutes later.

On the injuries suffered by the tiger, Shabrina said it was quite serious as its bone had been penetrated.

Protected animal: The male tiger with its right forelimb ensnared by a trap. The rescued animal is receiving treatment and will be cared for at the Malacca Zoo.

"Before being moved to the Malacca Zoo for further treatment, the tiger was given first aid treatment,'' she added.

Reminding poachers that tigers are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, she said those found keeping it would be fined RM15,000 or sentenced to jail for not more than five years.

"It is also an offence to have traps," she added.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia called on a stronger enforcement presence in the Belum-Temengor area following the rescue.

"If this isn't enough of a clarion call for the Government to have more resources to form an anti-poaching task force, I don't know what is," its chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma said in a statement yesterday.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 5 October 2009

Article: Siblings stung to death in hornet attack

Monday October 5, 2009

By JACK WONG

KUCHING: Two children died and three others were hospitalised after they were attacked by a swarm of hornets near here.

The dead were identified as Chen Sze Ying, six, and her three-year-old brother Chun Jie. They died several hours after they were rushed to the Sarawak General Hospital here at about 5.40pm.

Their mother Tan Wan Chew, 29, elder sister Sze Ting, eight, and their uncle Tan Lan Chia, 11, survived the attack. Their condition is said to be stable. Wan Chew, her three children and her younger brother were going for a late afternoon stroll on a hill at Sungai Moyan in Batu Kawa near their home when they were suddenly swarmed and stung by the hornets.

According to a relative, Wan Chew quickly grabbed Sze Ying, who was crying, and ran for safety with her other children and brother. After reaching home, they sought help from their neighbours who rushed them to the hospital.

It is not known if the hornets' nest found behind a pile of rocks on the hill, had been disturbed.

The tragedy shocked the peaceful neighbourhood. Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen, who visited Chen's family and the scene of the incident yesterday, informed the Fire and Rescue Department of the location of the hornets' nest.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 5 October 2009

Article: Malaysia will protect her bio-diversity: DPM

Published: Monday October 5, 2009 MYT 10:08:00 AM

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

mazwin@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: The Government will continue to implement programmes to protect the country's rich bio-diversity and conserve the environment, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government was also committed to addressing environment-related problems, particularly garbage and solid waste disposal.

"We want to manage these issues well ... . It is still not too late for us to conserve the environment.

"We need to preserve God's gift to mankind and ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate nature," he said when addressing staff of the Prime Minister's Department at its monthly gathering Monday.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that greed was also a "great destroyer" of the environment as hills were cut while rivers and lakes were polluted, all in the name of wealth.

He said as one of the top 10 countries in the world rich with bio-diversity, Malaysia was aware of the crucial need to protect its natural heritage.

Muhyiddin also said Putrajaya could be an example to local authorities on how a city can be developed with minimal damage to its surroundings, adding that the federal administrative capital was also a fine example on how to keep the place "clean and green."

The Deputy Prime Minister said civil servants could also play their part in saving the environment by conserving energy.

"Energy conservation is important not only because of the environment but also to reduce government expenditure.

"The Government is trying to reduce its deficit and we would appreciate it if everyone takes steps to make this happen. Even conserving energy would help," he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 5 October 2009

Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better: Updates - Please forward

Please visit: www.malaysiandogsdeservebetter.blogspot.com

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Transit Home

MALAYSIAN DOGS DESERVE BETTER TRANSIT HOME

Dear all,

we have finally decided that it is time we get ourselves a transit home due to the huge number of puppies we rescue almost daily.

We now have a place to keep our puppies pending adoption and this arrangement is much cheaper than having to board them at veterinary clinics.

However, we now have to ensure that we have sufficient money to pay the rental as well as the person who is taking care of the puppies and the utilities as we use a lot of water to clean-up daily.

Our monthly expenses are:

Rental RM 600

Helper's allowance RM500

Utilities (water and electricity) RM100

Therefore we have to have a steady contribution of RM1,200 in addition to having to pay the vets for vaccinations and other health complications that may arise.

Sometimes the puppies we rescue come in with severe skin disorders and this requires extra treatment.

Therefore we are appealing for a regular monthly contribution from all those who can help us. Even RM50 monthly will go a long way.

Please help us help the puppies and dogs.

Details:

Cheques to:

1) Community Development and Integration Initiative Bhd (654290-T)

and mail it to:

c/o No 48, Jalan Jeriji U8/75C, Bukit Jelutong, 40150, Shah Alam, Selangor.

 

or

 

2) Thomas Animal Clinic & Pet Corner

and mail to:

c/o No 22, Lorong Menpelam, Jalan Telok Gadong, 41000, Klang, Selangor.

Or bank into:

Community Development and Integration Initiative Bhd (654290-T)

 

Public Bank Account Number: 3151793708.

 

For further details please call 019-3576477.

Article: chirac's dog struggles with apartment life after elysee

 This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W41, 4 October 2009

Article: ancient human ancestor found

 This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W44, 3 October 2009

Article: Puppy rescue

Sunday October 4, 2009

A group of concerned dog lovers has set up a half-way home for abandoned puppies.

IN conjunction with World Animal Day today, canine welfare project Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) is launching its shelter for destitute and abandoned puppies. The MDDB project was initiated by non-governmental organisation Commu­nity Development and Inte­gration Initiative (CDII) last year.

CDII director Firoza Buranudeen said a shelter in Klang was urgently needed due to the large number of puppies rescued almost daily.

"We had nowhere to put them and we felt that veterinary clinics were not safe enough for unvaccinated puppies," she said.

Since the project depends solely on donations, Firoza is appealing to the public to help out so that the shelter can continue to operate.

"Our expenses are high as we have to pay RM35 for the first vaccination for each puppy as well as veterinary care. Some of the puppies have many health problems," she explained.

MDDB, said Firoza, also has to raise money to pay monthly rental of RM600 for the house as well as an additional RM500 monthly for the caretaker who cleans up after the pups, bathes and feeds them.

"We are currently running on our reserves which will be depleted in a week or so and we are hoping that members of the public will come to our aid," she said.

Firoza also hopes there will be offers of sponsorship for their overhead costs. MDDB welcomes donations in kind such as rice, dog shampoo, old towels, puppy food and chew toys. She said the puppies are fed dry food in the morning and rice cooked with chicken and vegetables in the evening.

"We also need to supplement their food with vitamins – being born to stray mothers, the puppy's immune systems are usually very weak," said Firoza.

For details, visit www.malaysiandogsdeservebetter.blogspot.comor e-mail: malaysiandogsdeservebetter@gmail.com or call 019-3576477or 012-3739007.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Sunday Metro 4 October 2009

View: Don’t bring in Mekong giant catfish

Sunday October 4, 2009

SAHABAT Alam Malaysia (SAM) is outraged by the proposal of the Terengganu Mentri Besar to bring the Mekong giant catfish to Tasik Kenyir.

There is one thing that is of greater value than our own recreation and that is maintaining the integrity of the lake's ecosystem and the balance of the native species which cannot be duplicated or replaced. To alter these systems for our pleasure is not only thoughtless and selfish, it will also be disastrous.

In the promotion of sport fishing, the Terengganu state government has opted to stock Tasik Kenyir with fish species that are both attractive and exciting to fishers. The species that has got environmentalists and several quarters worried is none other than the Mekong giant catfish.

But the Mentri Besar has remained nonchalant to the voices of the NGOs. Refuting the argument of environmentalists that waterways should contain only native species, he pointed out that the government had done its homework to bring the giant catfish as an attraction for fishing competitions. He further added that it is not an invasive species.

Recreational impacts and economic costs associated with invasive species can be substantial if they do become a problem. Control measures are often very expensive and difficult to implement.

While other countries are spending millions of dollars to get rid of invasive species, the state has instead introduced alien species into our environment.

A non-native animal may survive better than a native, not only because it has no natural enemies in the new environment but also because it grows more quickly or in less favourable conditions than natives.

Furthermore, as the giant catfish is listed as a critically endangered species, the World Conservation Union has called for its protection in its natural habitats and for it not to be brought in for the pleasure of fishing enthusiasts.

S. M. MOHD IDRIS,

President, Sahabat Alam, Malaysia,

Penang.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Opinion 4 October 2009

Image: Cat Power

Date : Saturday, 3-October-2009 

by Lee Beng Swee

Once again, Spotty uses his special power to escape from the cage.

This image was taken from: The Star Online: Thumbnails, 3 October 2009

Article: Anti-plastic campaign targets young

Saturday October 3, 2009

THE Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) is going from school to school to generate awareness on its anti-polystyrene campaign and to discourage the use of such items among the young.

MPPP secretary Patahiyah Ismail said they hoped to educate the students in a bid to reduce the amount of rubbish produced by Penangites.

"We produced 550 tonnes of rubbish per day in 2000 but now we are producing 700 tonnes per day.

"Each Penangite is producing an average of 1kg of rubbish daily," she said during a green awareness campaign at SK Convent Pulau Tikus yesterday.

Organised by the MPPP and the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA), the campaign is known as 'Local Agenda 21' and aims to nurture in the young a connection to the environment.

Patahiyah, who was representing MPPP president Tan Cheng Chui, said the school pledged to ban the use of polystyrene effective yesterday.

"A few special bins have also been prepared for the pupils. They can throw their used plastic bags into these binds for recycling.

"We will also set up a recycling bank. A committee made up by students will collect recycling materials and sell them to a recycling agent.

'The money earned, will then be distributed among the students," she said.

When asked about imposing higher license fees among hawkers to discourage the use of polystyrene, Patahiyah said the council would consider it.

"Why not? We can look into the possibility," she said.

It was earlier reported that the state government was mulling over the 'polluters-must-pay' policy in its bid to discourage the use of polystyrene items which had been found to be major aedes mosquito breeding grounds.

Those caught littering with polystyrene items will be slapped with heavier fines proposed by the authorities.

MPMA (northern branch) executive secretary K A Tan said the association hoped to encourage students to put plastic bags to good use.

"We want to encourage them to reuse and recycle plastic bags," he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North, 3 October 2009

Article: how to stop them begging

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: Weekender WE23, 3 October 2009

Article: the little beggar

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: Weekender WE23, 3 October 2009

Article: geologist funds dinosaur eggs

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W40, 3 October 2009

Happenings:

Saturday October 3, 2009

Learn about organic gardening

Cetdem

Jalan 19/22 (field), Petaling Jaya

www. cetdem.org.my

E-mail: of@cetdem.org.my

Tel: (03) 7875 7767/016-641 4883

Organic Day 2009

Today: Learn the nuts and bolts of organic gardening and composting at this fun-filled day to celebrate all things organic. Stock up on seedlings, compost, natural skin care products or whole foods, and sample scrumptious baked goods, delicacies and juices. Catch the various health and skin care programmes lined up. Kids can take part in educational games and treasure hunt. Bring your own shopping bags and reusable food containers. From 8.30am-2pm. Free admission.

The Curve

Mutiara Damansara

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: (03) 7710 6868

www.orangutan.com.my

Tea for Trees '09

Today & tomorrow: Join an annual public awareness campaign by Boh Plantations to spread the message on orang-utan conservation and to encourage public participation in their survival. Through tree adoption, the public can help restore degraded land that will eventually rebuild the orang utan home. From 10am-10pm.

Bukit Damansara Community Centre

Jalan Setiabudi

Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (03) 7880 1306

www.bukitdamansara.org.my

Grand Carnival

Tomorrow: A carnival to foster the 1Malaysia spirit. Visitors can enjoy a fashion show, art auction, cheerleading performance, mini golf tournament and health talks.

Resident associations from neighbouring areas are invited to participate in the inter-residents' association human foosball challenge.

There will be about 100 booths set up for car displays, games, food and shopping. Another highlight is the "White Elephant" booth, featuring branded items donated by residents of Bukit Damansara that will go on sale.

Proceeds from the carnival will be donated to four charity causes: Pet Positive, National Kidney Foundation's dialysis centre, Mercy Malaysia and National Autism Society of Malaysia. From 10am to 6pm.

SPCA Selangor Animal Shelter

Jalan Kerja Ayer Lama

Ampang Jaya, Selangor

Tel: (03) 4256 5312

www.spca.org.my

World Animal Day

Tomorrow: Celebrate World Animal Day with volunteers, fosterers, sponsors, staff and friends at the SPCA Selangor Animal Shelter.

This year's focus is on renewing your personal pledges towards animals, giving them hope for a better tomorrow.

There will be a candle-lighting ceremony to remember the plight of animals worldwide.

As part of SPCA's Spay & Neuter Your Pets campaign, the shelter is giving out 50 free Klinik Kembiri Spay/Neuter vouchers for the first 50 pet owners (mixed-breed pets only) who register at the Klinik Kembiri booth. From 3pm to 6pm

Starbucks Coffee

Tropical City Mall (Ground Mall)

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: (03) 7727 9264 (Starbucks)

http://www.tropicanacitymall.com/

SCRABBLE® Challenge

Tomorrow: Calling all wordsmiths out there, take up the Starbucks Scrabble Challenge, open to the public. Based on a first-come-first-served basis, the Challenge is limited to 40 players only. Beginners are welcome to join a short Scrabble workshop before the challenge begins. From 4pm to 6.30pm.

Sunway Lagoon Club

3, Jalan Lagoon Timur

Bandar Sunway

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: (03) 5639 8601

Sunday Flea Market

Tomorrow: Shop smart at this monthly flea market with its array of knick-knacks ranging from handmade accessories, baby products to imported apparel.

A free shuttle bus service, running from 7am to 9.30pm, is available from Sunway University College and Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall. The Market is open from 10am-7pm.

The Annexe Gallery

Central Market Annexe

Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (03) 2070 1137

www.annexegallery.com

Right to Read Festival

Oct 10 & 11: Sisters In Islam will be holding a two-day event at Annexe Central Market celebrating free expression and the right to information. Featuring an interactive art exhibition, children's art workshop, theatre performance and other activities. Presented by Sisters In Islam and the Centre for Independent Journalism. Free admission.

Alexis Ampang Bistro and Bar

10, Ground floor

Great Eastern Mall

303, Jalan Ampang

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (03) 4260 2288

www.alexis.com.my

Tim Garland featuring The Lighthouse Trio

Tonight: Having performed at London's prestigious Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, UK saxophonist and composer Tim Garland has been hailed as a world-class virtuoso by BBC Music Magazine. Join him and the boys as they bring you a host of jazz from the West. Cover charge of RM35 applies. Show begins at 10.30pm.

Art Village Bangsar South

G2, Bangsar South

2, Jalan 1/112H

Off Jalan Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (03) 2282 6992/019-2114697 (Kenny Teng)

www.artvillage.com.my

Nature By Inspiration

Till Oct 18: Catch the works of three emerging Malaysian artists - J.Cent Mu, Faizal Suhif and Azli Wahid.

J.Cent is known for his unique creation of contemporary koi, geometry and the wau series.

Faizal's creative wood block prints finished with carefree images of lotus while Azli has his own Malaysian flavoured close-up of Rafflesia series. Exhibition hours: 11am-7pm, daily. Free admission. — Compiled by LEONG SIOK HUI

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 3 October 2009

Article: Is it practical?

Saturday October 3, 2009

Is mud practical as a building material in Malaysia?

"Mud is one of the least sustainable methods of construction in the monsoon tropics," says Kevin Low of Small Projects, who spent some time in Sana'a Yemen, studying the ancient city's building technology.

He also did a workshop on rammed earth with an Arizona architect in the US and drew the plans for the mud houses at Sekeping Serendah in Selangor.

Low feels our culture's indigenous architecture is one of the surest ways to gauge the kind of buildings that best fit the local context.

"In the case of Malaysia, this comes in the form of the traditional Malay house and the habitations of the Orang Asli — you don't see much mud in these dwellings," explains Low, who completed his graduate studies in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Here, anything that sits on the ground is susceptible to flooding and ground moisture penetration, Low observes. Ground moisture is food for infestation and humidity. Humidity is what creates heat, since air laden with moisture has a considerably higher specific heat capacity than dry air. Wet air in turn leads to sweating and discomfort.

The country's traditional building methods lift the house off the ground to keep ground water away from the floor as well as allow the cross ventilation of the house from beneath for better cooling and drying during the monsoon months.

"The only reason most mud walls around the world have lasted as long as they have is the relatively arid regions in which they've been found," says Low, via e-mail.

In addition, most contemporary mud walls, like those of the Sekeping mud houses, are constructed with cement added to the clay mixture to increase their strength and preserve their structural integrity. If the walls of the Earth House were built without cement, then they will require refurbishment every two years or so, he notes.

"Adobe construction best benefits dry and cool tropics, the most rare form of all tropical climates. It's for this reason that adobe construction in the tropics doesn't make sense," he says.

From a practical, functional and climatic point of view, mud walls are not a good solution to building in Malaysia, Low concludes.

Loo Jia-Ling, the lady behind Earth House, agrees that earthen houses are unsuitable for Malaysia's climate.

"But if you're looking to build a simple shelter, are willing to get dirty and re-plaster your house on a regular basis, I believe earthen building, especially wattle-and-daub, is a viable, low cost alternative," says Loo. "I guess my position and that of Low's is more a difference in attitude towards what shelter means and being self reliant."

Related Stories:
Down to earth

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 3 October 2009

Article: Down to earth

Saturday October 3, 2009

By LEONG SIOK HUI

Building a mud house is creative, fun and eco-friendly.

Outdoor operator Nomad Adventure recently embarked on a project to build a mud house on their premises as an experiment in alternative construction approaches and as a team-building exercise.

The mud house sits in Nomad's Earth Camp in Kampung Chulek, Gopeng, Perak, an outdoor learning centre that runs adventure and experiential learning camps with green themes. Dubbed the Earth House, it was built using adobe bricks as well as mud and rice straw plastered over bamboo frames.

Earth Camp is also a showcase of how materials can be recycled and repurposed. They have picnic tables made from climbing walls (from the now-defunct Summit Gym) and shipping containers that serve as offices.

Loo Jia-Ling in her completed mud house in Perak;

Greenhouses have been refashioned into dorms (with creeper plants for roof) and washing machine drums have been turned into recycling bins.

They harvest rainwater and store it in huge tanks for gardening and showering, replant trees and make garbage enzymes from leftover fruits and veggies.

To build their resource centre, Nomad's director Chan Yuen-Li came up with the idea of a prototype eco-friendly shelter — on a budget.

The building materials had to be sourced locally and cheaply, and the impact on the environment had to be minimised.

After doing her research, Chan settled on mud as her building material. Mud buildings date back 6,000 years to Mesopotamia.

Clay, sand and rice husks made up the walls of the Earth House

Ancient mud cities, like the 2,500-year-old Sana'a in Yemen and Yazd in Iran, are today living laboratories for architects seeking know-how in this construction material.

About half of the world's population — three billion in six continents — still live or work in mud buildings (www.eartharchitecture.org) because the raw material — earth — is widely available — often on-site and needing little processing, meaning less environmental impact. It also has great ability in absorbing, storing and releasing heat when needed.

Increasingly, contemporary buildings in Europe, the United States and Australia are incorporating this ancient construction method.

Getting started

Chan roped in Ipoh-born Loo Jia-Ling to head the mud house project. An anthropology undergraduate from the US, Loo was then interning at Pun Pun (www.punpunthailand.org), a sustainable community committed to organic farming, seed saving and earthen building in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Holes for ventilation and aesthetics; windows and doors from old houses were reused in the house

Loo has been involved in several earth building projects in Thailand, including a dormitory in an orphanage near the Thai-Burmese border.

Loo's enthusiasm is infectious as she shows me around the Earth House.

"It's very intuitive, really," says Loo, 25. "Most people would say earthen buildings are not suitable for the tropics. But when I was in Thailand, I learned that it's do-able if you deal with the elements, like overhangs to protect from the rain."

Loo started by sketching the house plan and calculating the number of bricks needed. The ingredients for the walls included a gooey mixture of clay, sand and rice straw.

In wet and humid climate, it's crucial to construct eaves and footings to protect the mud walls from the pounding rain, rising moisture and flooding.

A gift shop in a container.

Hence, timber posts, beams and rafters formed the skeleton of her Earth House and held up the thatch roof before the walls went up.

"Technically you can rest your roof on the adobe. But here we don't have long dry periods, so you always have to think about protecting your walls," explains Loo.

She used cement for the foundation and flooring.

"In really arid areas, you can get away without it. But here, termites and bugs will bore through the ground and start eating away at the building," she points out.

(From left) Ong Su-Ming, Chan Yuen-Li and Loo

There are many different forms of earthen buildings — adobe, rammed earth and cob.

Loo used adobe and the wattle-and-daub techniques since she was concerned about how quickly the mud walls would take to dry. To make adobe bricks, a mixture of clay, sand and rice husks were poured into a mould and left to dry out in the open.

The 4"x 8"x16" bricks took two to three weeks to dry, compared to a week in Chiang Mai during the dry season.

The wattle-and-daub technique involved weaving a frame out of bamboo strips and slapping globs of mud (clay-rich with rice straw) onto the frame. The frame held the structure up while the clay dried.

The clay, sand and bamboo were sourced on-site while the nipah thatch was supplied by a local in Kg Chulek.

Loo collected rice husks from the padi fields in Sekinchan, Selangor. Bamboo steamer baskets and vintage windows, recycled from old houses, were fitted into the walls to allow for ventilation.

Loo also added aesthetic touches like niches and random holes on one of the walls, which again helped with ventilation.

"One of my favourite parts of the process was plastering. I got to experiment with different swatches and getting the colours right," Loo confesses.

Plastering or rendering helped protect the walls, reduced dusting from the dried clay and made the walls more durable.

Loo used sifted clay, fine sand and tapioca paste (as a binder), and stirred in some iron oxide (rust pigment) to give the maroon-brown coloured walls a rustic look.

For the outside walls, she added limestone to the plaster mix to make it water-resistant. Hairline cracks are common in dried clay walls so one needs to do minor touch-ups occasionally, Loo adds.

The beauty of the mud house is that its big, thick walls retain the cool temperature of the previous night and release it slowly the next day, keeping the interior cool.

"If you leave the windows and doors closed during the day, the cool air will remain for much longer. But if you open the windows, the cool air will dissipate into the atmosphere," Loo explains.

Of course, the heat absorbed during the day will also be stored in the walls and released slowly.

Hence, Earth House had to be designed to facilitate air circulation and incorporated a thatch roof which helps to keep it cooler than a concrete or zinc roof, Loo says.

It takes a village

Just as it took more than 2,000 years and almost a million people to build the Great Wall of China (huge chunks of which were made from compressed earth), earth-building is extremely labour intensive.

In societies with mud dwellings, annual repairs and constructions are often turned into community events that bring people together and renew their connection to the land.

Not surprisingly, it took about three months and many eager hands to build the 16.5sq m Earth House.

Volunteers from the Boys Brigade, Help Institute and Kami (Kinta Action on Mental Health Issues), a family support group for mental health patients, chipped in to help as part of their team-building exercises with Nomad Adventure.

There's something about sticking your hands or feet into gooey mud that brings out the child in you. The students had a blast, and Kami members found the process therapeutic.

"It's remarkable seeing people really getting into it," says Ong Su-Ming, chairperson of Kami.

"People don't do this enough — using their hands to create or do something."

Personally, Loo finds that more than just learning the techniques, the project helped her to learn more about herself.

"I learnt to be patient! I guess my message to others is that anyone can build, using eco-friendly, local materials," says Loo, who is now back in Thailand. "Get creative, it's fun!"

It remains to be seen if the Earth House will withstand our tropical elements. But ultimately the whole exercise was about getting people into the process of building something, Chan says.

"It's about learning through experience. It's not the end product but rather the process," she sums up.

Related Stories:
Is it practical?

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 3 October 2009

Image: highly endangered

This image was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W48, 2 October 2009

View: Muslims too must treat dogs kindly

Friday October 2, 2009

I WOULD like to add to the comments by Chong Wooi Teang "Treat animals humanely" (The Star, Oct 1). I am a Muslim but it saddens me how stray animals, especially dogs, are handled by the authorities.

Dogs are also God's creatures, and as such, do not deserve such cruel treatment. I notice that not much has been said about how our beloved Prophet treated animals with kindness. Perhaps this should be highlighted more.

SHAMSIAH,

Skudai.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Opinion 2 October 2009

Article: Tender out for ‘green’ theme park in Teluk Bahang

Thursday October 1, 2009

By MANJIT KAUR

GEORGE TOWN: The tender is out for a first-of-its-kind world-class, environment-friendly theme park in Teluk Bahang.

Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd, which owns the 12.14ha land located downstream from the Teluk Bahang Dam, advertised the tender for the multi-million-ringgit project in several newspapers recently.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was reported as saying that a Penang-based company involved in the design and construction of the landmark Universal Studios Theme Park in Singapore had submitted a proposal to the state government for an eco-friendly Ecofun Theme Park Resort here.

Lim said like any other project, an open tender would be called before the state could decide which company was most suitable to construct the theme park.

Penang Water Supply Corporation corporate services manager K. Jeyabalan said the tender was called on Sept 28 and the closing date for submission was Oct 19.

"Some parties have started to take the documents and normally, they would only hand in their proposals on the closing date,'' he said yesterday.

Sim Leisure's managing director Sim Choo Kheng, the individual who first proposed the theme park, also confirmed that several parties had shown interest in building the park.

He said at a briefing by the corporation on Sept 25, he met several competitors, adding that he would be submitting his proposal soon.

"Although I am passionate about the project, I do not have any hidden agenda. It is not a problem if my company does not get the tender.

"I will be happy if any of the other parties get the offer. I am also happy for Penang as this project can bring another range of value-added products to promote the state," he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 1 October 2009

Article: Tiger park plan goes cold

Thursday October 1, 2009

By MANJIT KAUR

THERE are no plans to create a tiger park as concrete proposals have not been submitted to the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) since the issue was first raised in March this year.

MPPP president Tan Cheng Chui, when contacted, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had yet to get back to him on the matter.

Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and animal conservationists were opposed to the park.

Tan said the idea mooted by Lim was only a suggestion, adding "we are open to proposals but they must be strong and solid.''

Tan was asked to comment on the latest development in the tiger park proposal which was initially suggested to be sited on a 40ha plot in Relau known as Pondok Durian Cap Kaki.

MPPP owns the plot of land.

Tan said an NGO had come up with a proposal to have a shelter for stray dogs and cats instead.

Asked if the shelter would be located near the proposed tiger park, Tan said that it was not necessary.

"We are still in negotiation and are looking for a suitable location,'' he added.

Councillor Lim Siew Khim had said during a recent MPPP meeting that an NGO had suggested that a shelter be built to reduce the number of animals being put down in the state.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 1 October 2009

View: Treat animals humanely

Thursday October 1, 2009

MY pleasant Sunday morning was spoilt when I saw how the Majlis Bandaran Ipoh (MBI) team handled the unwanted animals at my housing estate.

I heard gunshots and the screams of dogs everywhere. I tried to stop such cruel handling towards the unwanted animals but was told by the MBI gunmen to mind my own business.

I cannot accept the way the MBI handled the unwanted animals. I would like to appeal to the relevant authorities to find a softer handling approach towards the unwanted animals. Unwanted animals have feelings, too.

CHONG WOOI TEANG,

Singapore.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: News: Opinion 1 October 2009

Image: Cow in the city

Date : Thursday, 1-October-2009

by Mohd Afrudi Ponijan

With our ever depleting greeneries, this cow has to resort to grazing by the roadside

This image was taken from: The Star Online: Thumbnails 1 October 2009

Image: Oink invasion

Date : Wednesday, 30-September-2009

by Abdul Razak Ismail

A close encounter with a wildboar at Pulau Sapi aka Cow Island, off Kota Kinabalu.

This image was taken from: The Star Online: Thumbnails, 30 September 2009

Article: tourists' faeces kill off rare shrimp

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W29, 30 September 2009