United Nations Climate Change Conference COP15

Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009

Important links

http://en.cop15.dk/

http://unfccc.int/2860.php

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

Photos from US spy satellites declassified by the Obama White House provide the first graphic images of how the polar ice sheets are retreating in the summer. The effects on the world’s weather, environments and wildlife could be devastating……

Click http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/26/climate-change-obama-administration/print

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

Mission

The mission of Coal River Mountain Watch is to stop the destruction of our communities and environment by mountaintop removal mining, to improve the quality of life in our area and to help rebuild sustainable communities.

History

Coal River Mountain Watch (CRMW) is a grassroots organization begun in 1998 in response to the fear and frustration of people living near or downstream from huge mountaintop removal sites. We began as a small group of volunteers working to organize the residents of southern West Virginia to fight for social, economic, and environmental justice. From our humble beginnings, we have become a major force in opposition to mountaintop removal. Our outreach coordinator, Julia Bonds, was the 2003 Goldman Prize winner for North America. CRMW’s efforts figure prominently in Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s book Crimes against Nature. We have been active in federal court to challenge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits for valley fills and made regional news with demonstrations against a sludge dam and preparation plant near Marsh Fork Elementary School

Visit http://www.crmw.net/index.php

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

Characterized by forgetfulness, agitation and dementia, Alzheimer’s is caused by a massive loss of cells in several regions of the brain. The disease occurs most frequently in old age.

Continue reading http://www.expatica.com/be/news/local_news/Glass-of-wine-a-day-can-stave-off-Alzheimer_s_-study-finds_54756.html

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

July 27, 2009

In his first major speech on higher education since taking responsibility for it under the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Lord Mandelson today outlined his views on the essential issues facing universities ahead of an HE Framework on the future shape of the sector that he will publish later this year.

To an audience of university vice chancellors and representatives from across the HE sector, he emphasised the crucial role universities play in building a stronger UK economy and responded to some of the key challenges of social mobility raised in Alan Milburn’s report ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ on access to the professions published last week.

Continue reading http://www.bis.gov.uk/mandelson-universities-are-central-to-the-economy-and-social-mobility

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

July 27 (Bloomberg) — Rob Valentine, the mayor of Hobart in Australia’s island state of Tasmania, says New Zealanders should be thankful their biggest earthquake in 78 years pushed the neighbors 30 centimeters (12 inches) closer.

“They’re just that little bit closer to paradise,” Valentine said. “As neighbors, we’re really close, we can work together to take on the rest of the world.”

The magnitude 7.8 quake on July 15, the strongest in the world this year, struck off New Zealand’s South Island, according to seismological monitor GeoNet. Hobart is the Australian city nearest to New Zealand, separated by 1,530 kilometers (951 miles) of water across the Tasman Sea.

Continue reading http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=aBPwQMzDUTHM

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

The Make Cars Green is an international environmental campaign, initiated by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) aimed at reducing the impact of motoring on our planet. This campaign was launched on World Environment Day…….

Continue reading http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com/environmentalwellness/makecarsgreen.php

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

On 7th July, 2007, George Town’s rich living heritage, culture and history was officially recognised when the World Heritage Committee in Quebec City, Canada, officially inscribed the city as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jointly listed with Melaka, George Town was acknowledged as having developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca.

The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the town with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century.

The people of George Town and Penang are celebrating the 1st anniversary of World Heritage Listing throughout the month of July. The highlights are held on Saturday & Sunday 25-26 July.

Community groups are staging performances, arts and crafts this year. The streets and historic monuments are our theatre sets. The idea is to walk about the city from one alfresco performance to another.
Free admission to almost all the performances and venues.

25-7-2009 • Sabtu / Saturday

9.00am – 2.00pm Free Boat Ride - Lim Jetty, Weld Quay

9.00am – 11.30am “Street of Harmony” Heritage Walk “Street of Harmony” - Meet at Town Hall, Jalan Padang Kota Lama

9.00am – 5.00pm Penang Heritage Exhibition - INTI International College Penang, 1Z Jalan Bukit Jambul

10.00am – 5.00pm Food, Craft, Art & Music Festival - Dewan Sri Pinang, Lebuh Light

10.00am – 10.00pm Art International Festival (Art workshop, art forums & drama performance) - Town Hall & Wawasan Open University

11.00am – 7.00pm Exhibition on the Acheen Street Mosque History and Islamic Traditional Culture - Acheen Street Mosque, Lebuh Acheh

3.00pm – 5.00pm Gostan Forward a solo performance lecture by Marion D’Cruz - Penang Heritage Trust, 26 Lebuh Gereja

5.00pm – 10.00pm Food Stalls and Craft Demonstration - Islamic Museum Park, Lebuh Acheh

5.00pm – 7.00pm “Street of Harmony-Heritage Zone”

5.00pm – 9.00pm Hokkien Puppet Theatre - Cheah Kongsi, 8 Lebuh Armenian (Open House, 9.00am)

5.30pm – 9.30pm Teochew Opera - In front of Goddess of Mercy Temple, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling

5.00pm – 10.00pm Islamic Musical Performance - Acheen Street Mosque & 35 Lebuh Queen

5.00pm – 10.00pm Little Penang Street Market Craft and Food Corner of Little Penang Street Market - Lebuh Armenian

6.00pm – 10.00pm Open House - Meng Eng Soo Temple, Jalan Pintal Tali

6.30pm – 10.30pm Showcase of Teochew & Chinese Culture (Dragon Dance, 24 Seasonal Drum, Teochew Opera,Traditional Games, Chinese Dance & Teochew Delicacies) - Inside & in front of Teochew Association, 127 Lebuh Chulia

7.00pm – 10.00pm Indian Dance and Classical Music - Next to Kuil Arulmigu Mahamariamman, Lebuh Queen

8.00pm – 10.00pm Multi ethnic street performance - “Street of Harmony – Heritage Zone”

8.00pm – 10.30pm “Road to Dawn” Film Screening “Road to Dawn” - Penang Chinese Town Hall, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling

9.00pm – 10.30pm George Town Sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia UNESCO Closing Ceremony of The 1st Anniversary George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site Celebration - Khoo Kongsi, Lebuh Cannon

26-7-2009 • Sunday

8.30am – 11.00am Chingay Competition - Jalan Padang Kota Lama

10.00am – 5.00pm Food, Craft, Art & Music Festival - Dewan Sri Pinang, Lebuh Light

10.00am – 10.00pm Art International Festival (Art workshop, art forums & art auction dinner) - Town Hall & E & O Hotel

10:00 am – 5:00pm Little Penang Street Market - Upper Penang Road
www.littlepenang.com.my

This will be our third anniversary and also part of Penang’s celebrations of the first anniversary of the World Heritage Site listing for Georgetown. So lots will be happening, including the usual fabulous range of more than 60 stalls showcasing all sorts of wonderful things, plus live performances and gallery presentations. There will be an emphasis on “Our Heritage, Our Future”, so part of our programme will see various children’s groups performing traditional and contemporary pieces.

10.30am Malay and Indian traditional dancing
11.30am A medley of Chin Woo and other dances
12.00pm Children from Sungai Pinang perform drama, dance and music
12.20pm Children from Kumpulan Warisan Jemari present a medley of Malay performances
12.30pm Children from YWCA presenting a medley of heritage dances
1.00pm Rozz and the Frequency
2.30pm Wayang Kulit at 2.30pm presented by the Bayu group
3.00pm Gostan Forward a solo performance lecture by Marion D’Cruz - Panggung Sasaran, USM

All events are supported by the Penang people, especially the local government MPPP and community organisations.
The photos here were taken by Khoo Salma at the previous year’s community celebrations.
The blog is put up by Namora Hadi Lubis.

YouTube links to see last year’s celebrations
UNESCO Walk of Unity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=200a-Hfzvus

WH Celebrations at the Hindu Temple
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig5I6vgvHh8&feature=channel

Lion Dance Performance outside Yeap Temple
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-pL4cx1ftQ&NR=1

For bilingual program of the World Heritage Celebrations and pdf file go to
http://georgetowncelebration.wordpress.com/

For more articles about George Town World Heritage Site, go to
http://igeorgetownpenang.com/

For more Penang Cultural Links go to
www.lestariheritage.net/penang/index.html

For books on George Town and Penang
www.arecabooks.com

George Town and Melaka, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1223

“… A unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.” - UNESCO

Citing “outstanding universal values” as the reasons for the inscription, UNESCO acknowledged the city as:

•     A remarkable example of historic colonial towns on the Straits of Malacca that demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from their former function as trading ports linking East and West
•     The most complete surviving historic city centre on the Straits of Malacca with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China
•     An exceptional example of multi-cultural trading towns in East and Southeast Asia, forged from the mercantile and exchanges of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures and three successive European colonial powers for almost 500 years, each with its imprints on the architecture and urban form, technology and monumental art
•     A living testimony to the multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, and European colonial influences
•     A reflection of a mixture of influences which have created a unique architechture, culture and townscape

Happy weekends

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

The potential for a huge Pacific Ocean tsunami on the West Coast of America may be greater than previously thought, according to a new study of geological evidence along the Gulf of Alaska coast.

The new research suggests that future tsunamis could reach a scale far beyond that suffered in the tsunami generated by the great 1964 Alaskan…………

Continue reading

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Pacific_Tsunami_Threat_Greater_Than_Expected_999.html

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com

Prof Higa, who developed EM, throwing EM bokashi balls in St George’s Dock, East London.

EM Bokashi Mud Balls are a mixture of clay, bokashi and EM which is mixed together and then
allowed to ferment before being dried. As a result, the mud balls are enriched with EM and
when applied to ponds or lakes they will slowly break down, allowing the EM to escape into the
water.

EM Mud Balls will both inhibit the growth of algae and break down any sludge and silt in the
pond - giving you beautiful clear and healthy water.

If you have fish in the pond, the EM Mud Balls will prove beneficial to them also, as the EM
will control ammonia levels and suppress any pathogens present.

Continue reading http://www.recycleworks.co.uk/em-bokashi-mud-ball-pr-16301.html

Samantha

http://www.wellnessnrecreation.com