It was really a tragedy. 33 lives lost in the massacre, including the gunman, in two shootings. The first shooting took place at 7:15am last Monday at West Ambler Johnston Hall where two residents were killed. Police officers were called in and a "suspect" was held. While questioning the "suspect", second shooting was reported. It was later determined that the police officers have caught the wrong person. University authorities have been blamed for its response to the first shooting, which they should have closed down the Universities buildings.
An independent panel has been appointed to investigate the incident.
Virginia's governor, Tim Kaine, said that the investigation was not dedicated to lay blame, but to prevent any such incidents to take place in the future. The six-member panel, leads by the former Virginia police chief Gerald Massengill, consists of security and education officials, as well as psychiatrist. The panel will focus on the mental treatment Cho's has been taken and examined if more could have been done to avert the massacre.
"What were the warning signs? Who was warned? What was done?" Mr. Kaine said these would be the questions to be investigated as reported by BBC News.
In fact, signs and warning have been given out. His English teachers raised concerns over his disturbing writing and behavior to the university authorities and police. However, these have been ignored.
The gunman, Cho, posted a package consisted of photographs and video footage of himself to NBC News in between the shooting. "You had a hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today..." quoted him as saying from one of the video footage as reported by BBC News. His messages also expressed his hatred of wealthy.
Cho and his family moved to USA when he was 8. He was reported to be a "loner". In late 2005, he was declared mentally sick and was ordered to seek outpatient treatment.
Robin Kowalski, a psychologist at Clemson University in South Carolina, claimed that five common factors were identified in the shootings. "The first is an acute rejection episode - such as a break up with a girlfriend - which usually takes place shortly before the killer acts." BBC News online quoted her as saying (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6567143.stm, accessed 21st April 2007). Although it was not certain Cho had experienced actue rejection, in Cho's video, he hinted he believed that there was an on-going of rejection which could be another factor that triggered the shootings, Kowalski analysed as reported by BBC News.
I feel so sorry for the victims and their family. Should there be more love, this incident could have been avoided.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Irrigation Ban in Australia
Since 2006, drought was reported to be one of the biggest problem that Australia is facing. Australia is suffering the worst drought in the history and as a consequences the production of irrigated crops in the Murray-Darling river basin has been affected. On Thursday, the Australian Federal government warned that Irrigation in most places in the country will be banned from mid-May, unless a substantial rainfall in the coming weeks. (BBC News online, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6570589.stm, accessed 20th April 2007)
Drought has not only affected crops plantations in Australia, but also water drinking in major cities. In late January, the premier of the state of Queensland warned that the people of the state "will soon have to start drinking water containing recycled sewage" (BBC News Online, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6308715.stm). Water recycling has been carried out in Singapore and UK to solve the water shortage issue. Nevertheless, water recycling is costly.
Murray-Darling basin, located in the southeastern of Australia, is the country's major food basket. The river provides water supplies for most of the country's irrigated farm. However, due to the recent drought, the river is running on empty.
The Straits Times on 21st April 2007 reported that the irrigation ban in Australia is likely to lead to an increase in the food prices by five-fold within weeks after the water shut off. The water shut-down will affect the crops production in Australia, including fruit, almond, olive, cotton and dairy farmers and lead to a significant impact to its economic. The Prime Minister John Howard said that the drought might cause Australia to import food although that isn't what he wants to see. "We always like to see ourselves as being capable of meeting our own food needs and, in fact, providing the food needs of others..." the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying.
Having say that, is the drought problem mainly caused by the climate change? Although scientists are linking drought problem with the climate change, there isn't any convincing proof. Quoted from Channel News Asia, Wendy Craik, the government's Murray-Darling Basin Commission chief commented that "we'll never prove it's climate change until after the event…".
"You can't say that definitively…" Professor Wayne Meyer from Adelaide University Natural Resources Science told AFP as reported by Channel News Asia.
Similar issue was raised in October last year when Sir Nicholas Stern, the former chief economist in the World Bank warned that global warming could affect global economy, unless drastic action was taken.
The drought in Australia could be possibly caused by climate change. The weather patterns have changed over the years in many places over the world. Professor Meyer said that the South Australia "rainfall patterns appear to have shifted". Australia might be "the first countries in the world to be hit by the hardship of global warming", he told AFP as quoted by Channel News Asia.
Australia exports a wide range of food products overseas. The Straits Times reported that Singapore imports a large amount of meal, seafood, fruits, vegetable, cereal and sauces from Australia. The same products can also be imported from China and South Africa. Nevertheless if human do not take immediate action to prevent further climate changes, drought or any other natural disaster caused by climate changes will become one of the common problems in more places, and as a consequences, the food products will be severely affected. At that time, starvation will be worsened as a consequences of the decreasing in crops products.
While surfing on Channel News Asia website few days ago, I saw a posters "Say No to plastic bag". Plastic bag plays a role in leading to the global warming, but it is not the sole factor. Human activities such as transportation, land reclamation, excessive cities development and many other activities have led to the production of green house gases. While spending millions of dollars in developing its cities, Governments should also pay attention to its countries' public transport system and encourage the use of public transport to decrease the production of carbon dioxide. Humans are always greedy (well, I couldn't deny I am greedy too), with the current space they have, they will never satisfy but try to bring some impact to its environment to seek for more comfortable life that they are already having...
Drought has not only affected crops plantations in Australia, but also water drinking in major cities. In late January, the premier of the state of Queensland warned that the people of the state "will soon have to start drinking water containing recycled sewage" (BBC News Online, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6308715.stm). Water recycling has been carried out in Singapore and UK to solve the water shortage issue. Nevertheless, water recycling is costly.
Murray-Darling basin, located in the southeastern of Australia, is the country's major food basket. The river provides water supplies for most of the country's irrigated farm. However, due to the recent drought, the river is running on empty.
The Straits Times on 21st April 2007 reported that the irrigation ban in Australia is likely to lead to an increase in the food prices by five-fold within weeks after the water shut off. The water shut-down will affect the crops production in Australia, including fruit, almond, olive, cotton and dairy farmers and lead to a significant impact to its economic. The Prime Minister John Howard said that the drought might cause Australia to import food although that isn't what he wants to see. "We always like to see ourselves as being capable of meeting our own food needs and, in fact, providing the food needs of others..." the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying.
Having say that, is the drought problem mainly caused by the climate change? Although scientists are linking drought problem with the climate change, there isn't any convincing proof. Quoted from Channel News Asia, Wendy Craik, the government's Murray-Darling Basin Commission chief commented that "we'll never prove it's climate change until after the event…".
"You can't say that definitively…" Professor Wayne Meyer from Adelaide University Natural Resources Science told AFP as reported by Channel News Asia.
Similar issue was raised in October last year when Sir Nicholas Stern, the former chief economist in the World Bank warned that global warming could affect global economy, unless drastic action was taken.
The drought in Australia could be possibly caused by climate change. The weather patterns have changed over the years in many places over the world. Professor Meyer said that the South Australia "rainfall patterns appear to have shifted". Australia might be "the first countries in the world to be hit by the hardship of global warming", he told AFP as quoted by Channel News Asia.
Australia exports a wide range of food products overseas. The Straits Times reported that Singapore imports a large amount of meal, seafood, fruits, vegetable, cereal and sauces from Australia. The same products can also be imported from China and South Africa. Nevertheless if human do not take immediate action to prevent further climate changes, drought or any other natural disaster caused by climate changes will become one of the common problems in more places, and as a consequences, the food products will be severely affected. At that time, starvation will be worsened as a consequences of the decreasing in crops products.
While surfing on Channel News Asia website few days ago, I saw a posters "Say No to plastic bag". Plastic bag plays a role in leading to the global warming, but it is not the sole factor. Human activities such as transportation, land reclamation, excessive cities development and many other activities have led to the production of green house gases. While spending millions of dollars in developing its cities, Governments should also pay attention to its countries' public transport system and encourage the use of public transport to decrease the production of carbon dioxide. Humans are always greedy (well, I couldn't deny I am greedy too), with the current space they have, they will never satisfy but try to bring some impact to its environment to seek for more comfortable life that they are already having...
Monday, April 16, 2007
Streamyx Services
Have you ever tried connecting to the internet, but it failed and took you a while to log in? It is very frustrated isn't it?
Well, I keep having this problem with Streamyx lately and I always try to calm down by playing my favorite game 1602 (well, quite an old game I believe) or having a nap. Today, somebody was waiting for me to send in some important documents and I have been trying for an hour to connect, then try on my cousin's account, but it failed. Systematically, (well, I should admit that this is my habit, good or not? I am not sure), I found the Yellow Page in the living room, and made a call to the customer service centre. I was not sure if the problem was from the internet provider or it was because of anything from the user. I better checked carefully with them and adressed this problem which I have faced for long.
I have been wanting to address this problem to find out the cause (to confirm what caused this? is it improper usage or the service breakdown), but never did it. As in the account was not registered under my name. On the other hand, I was not quite confident that this problem will be solved and it might make no different for me to wait than call. After having some previous experiences on calling numbers that was not reachable, I was worrying this might make me more frustrated. Nevertheless, I was going to give it a try.
I should say that the efficiency and the professional attitude of the staff impressed me alot!
After indentifying myself and addressing the issue, the problem was immediately identified and was solved on the spot (the problem was caused by improper log off from the user, that means was me.. erhem..), the whole problem was solved in less than 5 minutes! Thumbs up.
Well, after all, I should admit that the customer services here is not that bad. Oh, ya, I never mentioned that my call was answered once connected. =)
Well, I keep having this problem with Streamyx lately and I always try to calm down by playing my favorite game 1602 (well, quite an old game I believe) or having a nap. Today, somebody was waiting for me to send in some important documents and I have been trying for an hour to connect, then try on my cousin's account, but it failed. Systematically, (well, I should admit that this is my habit, good or not? I am not sure), I found the Yellow Page in the living room, and made a call to the customer service centre. I was not sure if the problem was from the internet provider or it was because of anything from the user. I better checked carefully with them and adressed this problem which I have faced for long.
I have been wanting to address this problem to find out the cause (to confirm what caused this? is it improper usage or the service breakdown), but never did it. As in the account was not registered under my name. On the other hand, I was not quite confident that this problem will be solved and it might make no different for me to wait than call. After having some previous experiences on calling numbers that was not reachable, I was worrying this might make me more frustrated. Nevertheless, I was going to give it a try.
I should say that the efficiency and the professional attitude of the staff impressed me alot!
After indentifying myself and addressing the issue, the problem was immediately identified and was solved on the spot (the problem was caused by improper log off from the user, that means was me.. erhem..), the whole problem was solved in less than 5 minutes! Thumbs up.
Well, after all, I should admit that the customer services here is not that bad. Oh, ya, I never mentioned that my call was answered once connected. =)
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