Unknown powder-like substance delays Emirates flight

SINGAPORE: An Emirates flight on transit to Dubai was delayed for 76 minutes on Thursday after cabin crew found an unidentified powder-like substance in a toilet on board the plane.

As a precaution, the airline alerted airport authorities after it landed at Changi Airport from Brisbane at about 8.20am.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) hazardous materials (hazmat) team, wearing decontamination suits, then boarded the plane. No passengers were on board the plane at that time.

SCDF said the substance was found to be a disinfectant.

And the aircraft was cleared for boarding.

The flight, EK433, departed Singapore for Dubai at about 10.56am.

Emirates said it "regrets the inconvenience caused but the safety and well-being of passengers and crew is paramount".

-CNA/ac/ir

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1103060/1/.html

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Dickson Tang:
This article proves that our civil services are indeed working hard to maintain law and order within our country. Also, Emirates has shown itself as a trustworthy airline by reporting such an incident even though it might potentially damage their image to the passengers in the flight and its such a minor incident. It also shows that Emirates Airlines has placed its passengers first and that is extremely commendable. After all, lives are more important than everything else.

Jonathan Ho:
In my personal opinion, I think the cabin crew was right to report the unidentified power-like substance to the airport authorities. Who knows it could have led to a serious consequence if it was a bio-terrorism. The SCDF was also swift and professional in assisting in the situation and cleared the air quickly. Fortunately, the substance happened to be just a disinfectant.

Joycelyn Yong:
After reading this article, I feel even safer to be living in Singapore now. It is apparent that security in Singapore is rather tight the fact that they went all out from getting the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) hazardous materials (hazmat) team down to the plane specially for an unidentified powder-like substance found in its toilet to only allowing passengers' boarding after making sure the substance is a disinfectant. Although the Emirates flight on transit to Dubai was delayed for 76 minutes, I believe the precautions were absolutely right and for the passengers' good. Nobody should complain at all. Everyone should be glad to board a plane checked and cleared. We should be thankful and appreciate the effort of both Emirates and the SCDF team.

Oh Yi Hong:
What could be more important than your life? In the article, the cabin crew found a powder-like substance and suspects that it could be a danger to humans and hence alerted our local airport authorities. Because of this, the flight was delayed by about 76 minutes while the Civil Defence Force took the substance and examines what it is.
Life, something that is fragile yet wonderful. With your life, you can do many things you want to do, like working, get married, exploring new places and many more. But, if you are dead, you will not be able to do anything, you will not be able to even walk or talk or breathe or look!
If the 76 minutes can saves more than a hundred people, I will be willing to wait patiently for the experts to examine if that substance could be a danger to us. If I am in-charge of Emirates, I will also do the same thing, as the 76 minutes can help to save hundreds of passengers and also to protect my own employees.

Yin Shuwen:
I feel that such precaution measure by the airline is imperative even though the matter is seemingly of a small magnitude. This is because the powder-like substance might be a hazardous material and endanger the passengers' safety if not attended to when the passengers board the plane. Hence, due to the safety concerns, it is of utmost importance that the SCDF is alerted to attend to the problem instead of trying to solve it themselves. Even though the matter incurs a 76min delay, the safety of the passengers are accounted for. As such, I feel that this is a reasonable tradeoff and that the decision to call in the SCDF was a wise one.

SP students invent recycling bins for homes

By Esther Ng | Posted: 03 January 2011 2031 hrs

SINGAPORE: A group of Singapore Polytechnic students has come up with an award-winning recycling bin which makes it more convenient for households to recycle.

The students conducted a poll with 100 HDB households, and found the majority would recycle if there was a convenient and space-saving bin that could fit into their kitchen.

The six students then went on to design a 106-litre bin -- significantly smaller than typical recycling bins seen in pubic -- which can fit into the kitchens of most households.

The three recycling compartments of the bin are flexible, and can be enlarged to hold more waste when necessary.

The bin also features a built-in compactor which serves to maximise space for waste.

There is also a "foot pedal" attached to the base of the bin, designed to flatten plastic bottles or cans.

For their innovative design, the students won the Special Merit Award of S$2,000 from the Green Wave Environmental Care Competition, organised by Sembawang Shipyard.

The students, who are currently looking for a manufacturer, said the bin would likely not cost more than S$20.

-CNA/wk

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1102491/1/.html

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Dickson Tang:
In order for people to recycle, recycle bins are essential. This group of Singapore Polytechnic students did it! Not only are the recycle bins small and kitchen-fitting, there are three flexible compartments and a foot pedal specially for flattening plastic bottles or cans. These recycle bins would allow us to recycle easily. Since they can be placed at home in our kitchens, being more accessible they will encourage us to recycle more. With these bins, recycling is promoted! With a clean and green environment, mankind will thrive as well!

Jonathan Ho:
Coming up with a recycle bin that is more convenient for households to recycle is an ingenius idea. Having scarce resources in Singapore, recycling is the optimal solution. On the surface, the introduction of this recycle bin promotes recycling. However, there is more to it. People would actually realize the importance of recycling the fact that students are aware of the need to recycle and even initiated recycle bins for home. Therefore, everyone should purchase at least one such recycle bin per household and place it in the kitchen. This idea is good.

Joycelyn Yong:
Winning an award is honorable enough, what's more for coming up with a user-friendly recycle bin, we should be proud of this group of Singapore Polytechnic students. It's consoling to hear that there are still people and in fact, teenagers, who care about our environment these days. Not only is the creation towards recycling, these students considered the convenience of the bin maximizing space for all. We can tell from the Special Merit Award from an Environmental Care Competition by Sembawang Shipyard that the world's very concerned about our environment, thus such event organised and the invention of this awesome recycle bin, with a foot pedal. Indeed, I would encourage every household to get this bin upon manufactured.

Oh Yi Hong:
It is wonder to hear that Singapore teenagers are putting in effort into protecting our Earth. Until today, our mother Earth is still getting hurt and if we do not do anything about it, mother Earth will soon be destroyed by us, humans. We have to recycle, reuse and reduce in order to minimize the damage done to our mother Earth.
To me, when I am at home, I will also not make an extra effort into separating the rubbish into paper, plastics and others as it would take up a lot of time. But with this invention, people can now recycle with little effort!
Furthermore, the space required is very little, and the production cost of this invention will not cost more than $20. It will definitely be a must in every household in my opinion, as protecting our Mother Earth is everyone's responsibility!

Yin Shuwen:
This article caught my attention as the topic was of my interest. Recycling is something thought of many of us since we were little. Not many do so, as shown by the statistics, due to the lack of accessibility to recycle bins. I personally feel the same. With this marvelous invention, I believe households would be more than willing to purchase the inexpensive recycle bin. This convenient bin will not only increase the accessibility for us to recycle (easier for us to separate thrash into different categories); it will also help save the earth by reducing the impact of manmade damages. In addition to these, the foot pedal adds on the usefulness of this bin as it helps reduce the space taken by the trash. I look forward to the day this invention is published and made available to the public to purchase.

Tall, Thin Ann Ward Wins 'America's Next Top Model'

She may have been taunted for her tall and skinny stature, but Ann Ward's figure proved to be a boon in the modeling world. Wednesday night, Tyra Banks named her the 15th winner of "America's Next Top Model."
"Oh my god!" Ward said in the season finale that aired Wednesday on the CW network. She burst into tears after Banks, the creator and host of "ANTM," revealed her winning photo displayed at the final judging.

"I'm so honored right now," Ward,18, said, "[after hearing] all those comments about being too tall or just being not normal."

Ward defeated 22-year-old Chelsea Hersley to become the new "Top Model." Hersley said she felt "cheated" by Ward's victory, arguing "I feel like I have the whole package, what it takes to be America's Next Top Model and I don't think Ann does."

But Ward was too overwhelmed by her win to worry about her detractors.

"I'm so happy that I can make my parents proud," she said. "I won! I can't believe any of this right now."

Ward was the subject of scrutiny even before the start of the latest "ANTM" installment because of her 6-foot, 2-inch frame and tiny waist. An adult's hands can easily fit all the way around her waist, as judge Miss J. Alexander demonstrated in a trailer released before the beginning of the season.

Upon seeing Ward for the first time, Banks exclaimed, "You have the smallest waist in the world. Look at that waist!"

Following speculation about whether Ward's thinness might negatively influence young "ANTM" viewers, Banks released a statement clarifying that she doesn't condone overly skinny models.

"As a leader in celebrating and promoting healthy body image, I must admit that I regrettably didn't see this clip before it was released to the public," she said. "But on behalf of the Top Model team, these were not the intentions, and we truly apologise for any confusion, anger or disappointment it may have caused."

"I am committed to expanding the definition of beauty which includes ALL shapes, sizes and proportions, from skinny to curvy and everything in between," Banks continued. "During this season of 'Top Model,' you will see that Ann provided another opportunity for me to support a young woman struggling with her own body image issues (she's 6'2?; and is the receiver of countless stares and ridicule). Helping young ladies, like Ann and countless others that have confided in me, furthers and supports my core mission."

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tall-thin-ann-ward-wins-americas-top-model/story?id=12294543&page=1

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The first thing that caught my attention in this article was the jaw-dropping picture. Ann Ward, being astonishingly scraggy because the talk of the town. Even though it was an unintentional video release of Banks exclaiming over her tiny waist, I guess it was one of the "plus" factors resulting in her top in ANTM. This is sure to disappoint many viewers like myself, as this shows that their constant emphasize on healthy body image was sort of a "cover-up", so as to be socially/morally accepted by the public. Ward's body image issues was the "ideal" model type (tall and thin). Hence by accepting Ward, ANTM actually does not display their intension of "expanding the definition of beauty which ALL shapes, sizes and proportions". This whole issue may decrease the number of supporters of ANTM.

UN urges global switch to low-energy lightbulbs

CANCUN - The United Nations on Wednesday urged a global phase-out of old-style lightbulbs and a switch to low-energy lighting that it said would save billions of dollars and combat climate change.

About 40 countries already have programs to switch from incandescent lightbulbs, the U.N. Environment Program, or UNEP, said in a report issued on the sidelines of U.N. climate talks in Cancun.

Generation of electricity for lighting, often from burning fossil fuels, accounts for about 8 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions, it said. A shift to more efficient bulbs would cut electricity demand for lighting by 2 percent.


A review of 100 nations showed huge potential for savings and carbon cuts from a shift to low-energy bulbs, according to a study backed by UNEP and lighting groups Osram and Philips.

Indonesia, for instance, could save US$1 billion (S$1.31 billion) a year and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 8 million tonnes a year, the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road, it said.

It said Brazil could save US$2 billion a year, Mexico US$900 million, Ukraine US$210 million and South Africa US$280 million. All would also make big cuts in emissions.

"The actual economic benefits could be even higher," said Achim Steiner, head of UNEP, who added a switch to efficient lighting in Indonesia would avoid the need to build several coal-fired power stations costing US$2.5 billion."

"Similar findings come from other country assessments," he added.

He also said the cost calculations did not include health benefits from switching from the use of fossil fuels, including use of kerosene lamps. About 1.8 million deaths a year are linked with indoor air pollution.

"We need to cut the use of kerosene for lighting," Osram's Wolfgang Gregor told a news conference. Low-energy bulbs are more expensive but last far longer than conventional incandescent bulbs.

UNEP cautioned there were drawbacks since the most common low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFL, contain toxic mercury.

It said that countries needed to ensure safe collection and disposal of the lightbulbs. "This is a central challenge, especially in developing countries," it said.

It said that countries including European Union members, the United States, Canada, Australia, Cuba and the Philippines were working on phase-outs of old-style bulbs.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20101202-250355.html

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All of us have a part to play in protecting our mother Earth. Every day we experience weather changes and world catastrophes caused by global warming, erosion, and other ecological changes the Earth has experienced over the past century. Complete rain forests have been destroyed, never to grow back. The planet is dying – poisoned by all the toxic waste and pollution we have released upon it.
It is time for all of us to do something to save what little is left of the planet’s resources, to try and give back to the Earth all that it has given to us. For our children and their children, we must change our ways so that future generations have a cleaner world where they can breathe unpolluted air and drink clean water. This attitude is called “going green” and it is sweeping the planet like wildfire.
So if we are able to combat climate change and even saving billions of dollars just by phasing-out those old-style lightbulbs and switching to low-energy lighting then why not?

Japan, US begin biggest ever joint military exercises

TOKYO- Japan and the United States launched their biggest ever joint military exercises Friday amid tensions on the Korean peninsula, the Japanese defence ministry said.
The "Keen Sword" drills, which mark the 50th anniversary of the Japanese-US alliance, will continue until December 10, officials said.
The drill was planned before North Korea's artillery barrage of a South Korean island last week but comes just days after a US and South Korean show of military force aimed to deter Pyongyang.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20101203-250553.html

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This military drill will certainly deter North Korea from doing undesirable actions such as the incident a few days back where the South Korean island was bombed. I believe the US, South Korea and Japan should continue to demonstrate their show of power to deter any unwanted aggression from the state through actions such as military drills like this. This will certainly make North Korea think twice if they do intend to invade South Korea. However, the military drills might be over provocative as well which might give North Korea an excuse to cause trouble for its neighbors therefore, the size of the drills should be kept to a limit.
However, with tensing relations between countries in the regions, it is important for them to work together now in order to prevent a possible World War scenario from occurring and besides, with nuclear weapons at work, the ending results will be definitely tens if not hundreds more times devastating. Besides, South Korea, Japan and China are neighbours and they three form a majority of the economic power in Asia. However, China is in the way as it is “baby feeding” North Korea as they believe North Korea to be an important land buffer zone as history have told us, many invasions into China were through the Korean Peninsula.
However, China should give South Korea a chance to prove that it is indeed a worthy and trustable neighbor.

To improve learning, German school allows chewing gum

BERLIN: Few things annoy a teacher more than a pupil chewing gum in class, but a primary school in southern Germany is now actively encouraging them to do so - in order to improve their grades.

"Chewing gum is good for the children's health and improves their cognitive performance," said Wolfgang Ellegast from the education ministry in Bavaria, home to the Volkenschwand school where the pilot project is being run.

"No one is being forced to chew gum," headmaster Hans Dasch told AFP. "But it helps the children concentrate and deal with stress, particularly during written tests."

He added: "The prerequisite for learning with fun is that kids come to school without fear and that they feel happy... Therefore we are encouraging them to chew gum in break and in lessons."

Chewing gum is also good for dental health, particularly after meals when it is not possible for the 70 children aged between six and 10 at the school to brush their teeth, organisers said.

But it is not anarchy. According to a "firm agreement" with teachers, the children must keep their mouths closed while chewing - except for when speaking, of course - and properly dispose of the gum.

To this end, each desk equipped with a special container decorated by the children themselves with bees, ladybirds, snails and the like in partnership with a local artist.

"All the children respect the rules. None of them makes bubbles ... None of them stick their gum on the seats," said the headmaster, who admits he chews gum too, along with several teachers.

"The pupils chew in a very disciplined manner."

-AFP/jl

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/lifestylenews/view/1096785/1/.html

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Eating during classes openly with teachers' permissions is impossible to find in Singapore. But this is not the case in Germany. It is amazing how bubblegum is beneficial not only health wise but also in aid to one's performances. It is even allowed and in fact encouraged in a primary school. By chewing bubblegums during classes, students can stay alert and probably less sleepy when lessons get draggy. Then again, it may seem a distraction to see a class of students chewing away while the teacher teaches. The students are cooperative enough to follow the rules laid and stay disciplined, therefore this is a positive win-win situation. Perhaps Singapore should consider integrating this!

Young South Koreans face midnight ban for online games

SEOUL: South Korea's government is close to adopting a "Cinderella" law to ban youngsters from playing online games past midnight amid growing concerns about Internet addiction, officials said Thursday.

A bill to be submitted to parliament as early as this month will require South Korean online game companies to cut off services at midnight for users registered as younger than 16, the culture and family ministries said.

"The thing about online games is, once you are in it, it is extremely hard to get out of it, especially if you are a young kid," Jo Rin, a ministry official in charge of the law, told AFP.

"A lot of kids play games all night long and have trouble studying at school and going about their normal lives during daytime. We believe the law is necessary to ensure their health and a right to sleep."

The online services would resume at six the following morning, he said, adding there would be a year-long waiting period until the law takes effect so that companies can prepare for it.

The government is also considering requiring companies to limit young users' access to online games to a maximum number of hours a week or a day if parents request this, said Jo.

South Korea is one of the world's most wired societies, but there have been sporadic reports of deaths related to Internet game addiction.

Last month a 15-year-old South Korean boy committed suicide after killing his mother for scolding him over playing computer games too much.

In February a 32-year-old man died after reportedly playing for five days with few breaks.

A month later police arrested a couple accused of leaving their baby daughter to starve to death while they raised a "virtual" child on the Internet. The baby had long been malnourished, an autopsy showed.

The government, which estimates that South Korea has about two million web addicts, is already launching one campaign to combat the affliction.

From next year, it will offer free software to people at risk, to limit the time they spend on the web.

-AFP/ac

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/lifestylenews/view/1096818/1/.html

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Upon seeing this article, I was shocked!
A 15 year-old killed his mother just because his mother scolded him for over playing computer games too much? A 32 years-old man died because he played for 5 days with too little beaks? And couple leaving their daughter to starve to death while they raise a “virtual” child in the internet?
I admit sometimes I did played computer games till about 2-3am in the morning and I was addicted to computers games too. I feel that one day without computer games make my day incomplete. Computer games are like food, oxygen and I cannot live without them.
As we now live in the 21st century, where technology advance beyond imagination, computer games’ graphics now are more vivid and they have very interesting story lines for the gamers. Quoted in the article, "The thing about online games is, once you are in it, it is extremely hard to get out of it, especially if you are a young kid." I find this very true as I experienced it before, when I do not play computer games, I feel sick and uneasy. In the past, once I reached home from school, I will immediately switch on my computer and start playing for at least 2 hours. After having my dinner I will continue playing till midnight, until my mum demand me to go to sleep, then I will go to sleep reluctantly, with my mind still wondering in the virtual world.
Computer games are like drugs, once you started it; it is hard for you to get out of it, and you will go crazy over it. But this does not mean that you cannot say NO to the “drug”, have these two simple things and you are on your way to overcoming the addiction:
Firstly, you need self-control. With self-control, you can limit yourself to a certain number of hours of computer games each day, and will not keep extending your hours of playing computer games.
Secondly, you can have a timetable. Arrange your timetable with doing the top priorities first and put and the least important matter to the last. For example doing homework first and playing computer games before you go to sleep. Limit your timeslots for playing games, and have ample time for sleep.
Using law to limit youngsters from playing computer games after midnight is not the solution for the problem. Children below 16 can register themselves as a 20+ year-old adult and they still can continue playing computer games.
One possible solution is that parents need to educate their children from young that they can only have certain hours of computer games, and too much will only harm the player. Schools can also educate the children about the pros and cons about computer games to make the children realize that computer games can be a distress tool, but over using it can be a drug that will eventually lead to a “slow death”.