Sunday, June 30, 2013

Animals give better indicator of PSI than NEA

When I want to know how bad is the haze outside, besides using my visual judgement, I take a look at where my cat is resting.  If it is lying low - it means the PSI level is bad.

NEA past 3 hours averaging is of no use at all to us.

I notice that even the birds are chipping less.  There is a flock of parakeets that fly by early morning and evening.  When the weather is good, they are happily 'chatting' away. Now it is all quiet. Not sure if they are still flying by.

We are all going back to basic. No point depending on advance technology since NEA refuses outright to give us reliable current reading.

How much is our govt collecting ?

In an article by Mr Gilbert Goh from transitioning organisation which helps locals who lost their jobs - the top 5 money spinners for our govt are :

1) Land Sale -$10 billion

2) GST - $8.75 billion

3) Foreign Workers' Levy - $4 billion

4) Casino/Betting - 2.4 Billion

5) COE - $2 Billion

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

CNA, Talking Point : Haze

The NEA representative on Talking Point also asked the public to look out the window to decide how severe the haze is and whether to close the window or not. Sigh ! He is actually admitting all these PSI reporting based on historical 3 and 24 hours averaging is useless.  We the public has been telling NEA and the govt the obvious and yet they turn a deaf ear.

But the chap from NEA still insisted that there is no need to change to hourly reporting. Basically, he is trying hard to defend NEA illogical reporting method.  It goes against common sense and is an unsafe practice.

Looks like he cannot even recall the range for PM2.5 for healthy, moderate and hazardous level. He kept asking the public to refer to NEA website during the program.  If NEA representative has problem, imagine how confuse the public is with all these different range, averaging and health advisory.

Why make things so complicated. Just do hourly reporting base on PM2.5. The health advisory guideline should be based on this range too.

The doctor they invited to the program is very professional and give sensible advise. In fact, he is so good that the incompetent NEA chap tries to play taiji and ask the public to consult their doctor when they are in doubt if they should use respiratory protection. NEA is hopeless !




Monday, June 24, 2013

NEA should adopt best safety practices

Previously, NEA provides 3 hours average for both PM10 and PM2.5 reading on their website. But for public data announcement, they used PM10 (eg over the media)

But the PM2.5 is always much higher than PM10. So now they use 24 hours average on PM2.5 to bring the figure lower and closer to that of PM10 (which is still base on 3 hours averaging).

Data for public safety should be simple, clear and easy to understand. Why confuse the public with different reference of PM particle size and also different hours of averaging ? Besides, the health advisory reference level for PM10 and PM2.5 is also different. (PM10 above 100 PSI is unhealthy, while PM2.5 above 40 is unhealthy).

NEA should adopt best safety practice and use PM2.5 reading given on the spot. What is the point of giving us historical reading as we cannot make decision and take precaution base on what is already over. Their current messy method of PSI reading reporting is a disservice to the public.

PM2.5 are respiratory hazard and some of those PM 2.5 could be carcinogenic. We would want to avoid if not minimise exposure to these 2.5 micron particles.  We should never carry on as usual and get used to the haze ! Complacency is an enemy to our health.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

PSI reporting goes agaist Safety/Health Principle

The present method of PSI reporting base on the past 3 hours and 24 hours average data is NOT useful to the public.

What we need is current hourly reading which will be helpful for us to make decision whether to proceed our activity and what safety precaution we should take to protect our health.

Providing us with the past 3 hours or 24 hours average reading does not reflect the current situation and may also give a false sense of safety as the spot reading could be very much higher.

Most of us have learn not to rely on the reported PSI reading to make daily 'haze' precaution decision. We use our visual judgement.

What is the point of having all these high tech monitoring system when the public have to relay on their own personal judgement.

Besides, it time NEA change our reference public reporting base on 2.5 micro particle size used in API standard instead of the current 10 micro, since the formal is more hazardous to health.

The current method of PSI reporting goes against safety and health principle. For public well- being, NEA needs to be more transparent and not give the public a false sense of safety.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

We are smoked left and right



None of my family members smoke. But our health is compromised yearly due to the haze from Indonesian. Businesses spend million to ensure their factories discharge does not cause air pollution. Drivers pay a premium for petrol locally as it contains less lead content to minimize air pollution.

The list can go on.... but what is the point when our air is polluted yearly and our govt kept saying there is not much they can do as it is Indonesian domestic affair ?  How can it be their domestic affair if the air pollution is spreading to so many neighbouring countries and affecting millions of people ?

Only short sighted irresponsible politicians can push away responsibility for not doing enough to protect their citizens by uttering such lame excuses.

There are long term consequences and our future generation will suffer from global warming and weather changes.

But year after year, all we see is both Indonesian and our local officials giving excuses regarding the serious problem. The haze has been around for nearly 2 decades !  No excuse is acceptable anymore.

We have enough of smoked inhalation and our own govt also wants to smoke us with suspicious PSI reading. How to trust a govt when the 'right thing' they want us to read may not be the true thing ?

Why are our cleaners not issue with face mask ?

I am disappointed to note that none of the cleaners around my area is using face mask to protect against the smoky haze.

The PSI has already hit unhealthy level on 17/6/13. The PSI was 321 on 19/6/13.  How high must the PSI level be before Town Council issues face mask to their cleaners ?  They have ample time to act or is it they do not even have any safety procedure inspite the haze being with us for around 2 decades ? 

It is an irony as they put up posters at all lift lobbies recently to remind us on International Cleaners' Day in appreciation to our hard working folks. Is this how they show appreciation by not taking care of their cleaners health ?

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Save My World ??

It is an irony that we have this environmental song clip 'Save My World' blasting away every day and the air pollution in S'pore has reached the highest unhealthy level in 16 years on 17/6/13, reaching an unhealthy range of 155 psi.

What is the point of having all these legislation on air population locally to keep our air clean when every year without fail we are hit by haze attack from Indonesia. This has been happening for around 2 decades!

All these high level talks between countries year after year  have not shown any concrete result in solving the problem. Funds have been wasted for years trying to help Indonesia control the haze. It is just money down the drain. We have in the past also send equipment and personnel over to help fight their fire.

Our govt loves to sue, but look like they are only quick to take action against their own citizens. But when it comes to protecting well being of the citizens, they are helpless.  Walk the talk if they are serious in environmental protection and take legal action against Indonesia on pollution Asia. Show some leadership and get Asean countries suffering the same fate to act against Indonesia. The problem is there is a lack of political will amongst Asean leaders to resolve the issue.

Talk is cheap. Campaign which our govt is very good at is easy to execute. Just pour money and get advertising agency and civil service to carry it out.  But effective action  is what counts. The haze problem has a long term impact and contribute to global warming. It is a bigger issue than just yearly health problem suffer by unlucky neighbours of Indonesia.  So if S'pore govt is serious about contributing to 'Saving' the world - ACT (action and not wayang) and stop talking.  Two decades of verbal exchange has gotten us no where !

Our govt should not spent so much money on the air time for 'Save My World'.  Might as well use it to buy face mask for distribution to all the citizens. In all likelihood, they will wayang their way about the haze issue again this year.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Paper Jackpot Machine

I saw a paper jackpot machine meant for the dead at the funeral wake held at HDB void deck.  We know there a all sort of paper stuff burn for the dead, but this is the first time I see a jackpot machine.

What does it says about S'pore society? Looks like gambling has became a socially acceptable form of entertainment for both the living and the dead.

Friday, June 7, 2013

The PAP Way

PAP will never change the way it governs.  After shoving 6.9 million population down our throat, now they are forcing us to swallow another poison pill - MDA regulation of news sites which basically covers everything under the sun.

Recently they have learnt to wayang more by bull shitting talking more (though not necessary listening) via the National CONjob CONversation which is mainly a brain washing tool they hope to get citizens to accept their ill conceived policies full of pot holes.

Now we have ministers appearing on TV program ever so often talking cock  in circles. Just this week, we have Minister Tan from Ministry of Manpower taking center stage to justify the necessity of MDA new regulations on behalf of MDA. It is such a piece of shitty regulation that they rather put a smooth talker on the program than those folks from MDA.  The outcome is pathetic as all the minister did was beat around the bush and kept repeating himself throughout the program.

A piece of shit is a piece of shit. Even a smooth talker cannot turn it around. Citizens can smell the stink miles away and no amount of perfume can cover it. The only clear statement we get out of the program is that PAP is telling us - like it or not, the regulation will remain as it is and we have to just accept it. Not surprising as that is the PAP despicable way.

When there is adverse reaction to their policy, they will say on hindsight they should have done a better job communicating it. It is so with the population toilet white paper, and it happened again with the recently MDA news sites regulation. Will they ever learn ? Apparently no, as they are so high handed and arrogant that doing the wayang is good enough for them.  They see no real need for citizens consultation. They will never admit it is the policy and not the communication which is the crux of the problem.

The day will come when we will have our way and get PAP out of our way. Do not let them walk all over us time and again. More than 4 decades of suffering from democracy malnutrition is more than we can stomach.

Be at Hong Lim Park this Sat, 8 Jun at 4 pm to support FreeMyInternet.