NAMES OF STORMS: Why are most big storms given female names?

THE destruction that Haiyan brought to the Philippines is awesome. The power unleashed as the typhoon roared and swept away everything in its path -- people, homes, trees, cars -- is incredible.

What is amazing is that many of the natural phenomena of such magnitude, be it a typhoon, cyclone, hurricane or tornado, are generally assigned a male's or female's name. Many, unfortunately, are given female names.

Historically, the feminine names became popular in the mid-1900s when the mast of a lone schooner named Antje was ripped off by a storm and it became known as Antje's hurricane.

Haiyan, for example, is a Chinese name for petrel, a seabird.

But it is now commonly known in the Philippines as Yolanda, a Spanish word for Violet -- a popular woman's name depicting a flower of quiet beauty, mostly purple in colour and a sign of royalty, class and sophistication.

The list could go on but suffice to say, that most were given female names. Why?

Interestingly, a source on the Internet suggested that it is compared to a woman because "they can be mysterious, hard to figure out, very intelligent but with a wicked sense of humour and full of intrigue".

Lest this might offend some, it should be pointed out that today, both these quotes are mentioned in good humour.

Perhaps the Meteorological Department would be able to shed some light on the reasons for the selection of such interesting names.

Read more: NAMES OF STORMS: Why are most big storms given female names? - Letters to the Editor - New Straits Times 


Cuba guna  nama lelaki lak sekali sekala ..Baru menarik sikit...

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

PULAU PAYAR: PULAU Payar will be closed for at least three weeks next year to rehabilitate the island and ensure that coral bleaching, which affected the island in 2010, will not recur.

Malaysia Marine Parks Department director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman disclosed this during an island clean-up recently.

Sukarno said tourist arrivals on the island have returned to normal, at 200,000 since 2010, but he is concerned about the number of visitors, which is too big for the island to handle.

In the long run, he said, there will be environment degradation.

Sukarno said that Pulau Sipadan, one of the world's top diving site, allows only 120 visitors a day.

"It is fortunate that Langkawi Department Authority (Lada) has put aside RM94,000 this year and RM144,000 for next year to keep the island clean and free from pollution."

During the clean-up which involved Pantai Damai, Pantai Wangi, and the beach in front of the Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar, over 10 huge bags of rubbish were collected, and even an old television set.

More than 120 fishermen from Kedah and Labuan took part in the clean-up. They were joined by visitors to the island.

Sukarno said during the clean-up, the fishermen were also taught how to look after fish fry before they were released into the ocean. Similar programmes have also been organised for other marine parks. There were also programmes to clean up the seabed.

Sukarno said he would be discussing with the state government, local tourism businessmen, and agencies related to conservation to make sure Pulau Payar remains a pristine destination for tourists.

Fishermen and Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar staff participating in a programme to clean up the island. Pic by Rahmat Othman

Read more: Rehabilitating Pulau Payar - Northern - New Straits 

Save Cameron

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: NATURAL Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel plans to hold discussions with Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to seek the best solution to the problems here.

He will also have talks with the Pahang Public Works Department, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and state government agencies.

Besides the problem of illegal land clearing for agriculture, the proliferation of illegal settlements and business areas in the highlands has become a major problem.

Speaking after visiting the site of Sunday's landslide in Brinchang yesterday, Palanivel said such problems had got out of hand, and uncooperative residents and business operators had made it even more difficult for the government to tackle the issues.

"We may have to find new sites before we can relocate homes and business premises operating illegally near rivers and hillslopes.

He said the government had to take a cautious approach to addressing illegal land clearings for agriculture as it contributed RM2 billion worth of exports annually.

The landslide on Sunday left two people injured and damaged a car workshop, two houses and about 10 vehicles.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel visiting the site of Sunday’s landslide in Brinchang yesterday. Pic by L. Manimaran

Sumber:New Straits Times 


Cameron tempat yang cantik dan perlu dilindungi dan di baik pulih balik.

'Save keruing paya trees'

BIDOR: THE keruing paya tree (Dipterocarpus coriaceus), an endangered species which only can be found in the peninsula at the Bikam permanent forest reserve near here, is facing the threat of extinction.

This was after the remaining 401.4ha of the forest reserve where it grows had been degazetted to make way for an oil palm plantation.

Besides the Bikam permanent forest reserve, the keruing paya species is found only in Sarawak.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said 175ha of the forest had been cleared by a timber contractor for an oil palm plantation, while another 175ha was being cleared by a different timber contractor for the same purpose.

He said the remaining 51.4ha of the forest was expected to be cleared by another timber contractor after October.

"Other than the keruing paya, there are two other endangered species -- the merawan kelabu (Hopea glaucescens) and mata kucing beludu tree (Hopea myrtifolia) -- which are also affected by the activities.

"We hope the state authorities will put a stop to the forest clearing activities and spare the remaining area," he said during a visit to area yesterday.

Meor Razak added the forest clearingactivities had also affected the wildlife there, such as monkeys, panthers and gibbons.

He said SAM hoped and appealed to the state authority to regazette the Bikam forest reserve as a permanent forest and to classify it as either an education forest or a research forest for academics, researchers and the public.

He said SAM was prepared to conduct replanting of trees at the Bikam forest reserve for free if the state government would agree to regazette the entire area, including the harvested area.

"The decision to convert the Bikam forest reserve to oil palm plantation is also against the 2008 ruling by the Federal Government which stated that forest reserves are not to be converted for oil palm plantations," he added.

(From left) SAM field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman, Malaysian Nature Society Conservation Committee chairman Tan Chin Tong and Sahabat Alam Perak treasurer Loh Eng Soon discussing the forest clearing in the Bikam forest reserve which had affected endangered trees and wildlife. Pic by L. Manimaran

please save our forest for our generation..