Flights from Syamsudin Noor normal after smog

Flights from Syamsudin Noor normal after smog
Jln Penapar-Ukong link bridge closed, public advised to use alternative route
Two Australian tourists dead in Kenya bus crash
Floating sensation as spirit of City Day prevails
Cats, dogs have feelings too, says show coordinator
Tired and often falling asleep on the job

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 06:10 PM PDT

BANJARBARU, South Kalimantan: Flights in Syamsudin Noor Airport Banjarmasin on Saturday, returning to normal, after the previous day some had been delayed due to smog that blanketed the airport, Antaranews reported.

"All flights normal this morning. No delays like we have been experiencing in Friday," said Syamsudin Noor Airport Service Section Head, Heru Widiatmo, in Banjarbaru on Saturday.

Syamsudin Noor Airport which is located in the Village of Syamsudin Noor, Subdistrict Landasan Ulin, Banjarbaru City, about 25 kilometers from Banjarmasin, since last week shrouded in smog from bushfire.

He said that every morning there are six aircraft departing from 06.00 am to Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan and Sampit.

Four of the six flights on Friday morning delayed schedule for 30-60 minutes, because the pilot did not dare to fly the aircraft due to limited visibility.

Visibility along the runway path which filled with smog only 600-750 meters. While a normal viewing distance of 1,500 meters.

Jln Penapar-Ukong link bridge closed, public advised to use alternative route

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 06:03 PM PDT

TUTONG: Due to its unsafe condition, the link bridge between Jalan Penapar-Ukong at Mukim Tanjong Maya is currently being closed, Brudirect reported.

According to the Tutong District Officer, Awg Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, the link bridge collapsed after a tree fell onto it in last Saturday afternoon. This causes the road access leading to Kampung Bukit Udal and Ukong to be blocked.

Awg Wardi said following the incident, government agencies concerned such as Tutong District Office, Public Works Department (PWD), the Fire and Rescue Department in the Tutong District and the Electrical Service Department (DES) promptly carried out clean-up work. He added that work to repair the bridge would take about a month or so. In the meantime, he advised the public to use an alternative route through Jalan Banggugos-Bukit Udal and through Jalan Rambai.

The power supplies disrupted since the incident have been restored to the affected residents.

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Two Australian tourists dead in Kenya bus crash

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 06:02 PM PDT

SYDNEY: A bus plunged into a river killing two Australians and injuring several other tourists in Kenya, officials and reports said on Monday (Sep 8). Australian foreign affairs officials said consular assistance was being provided to the families of those who died and were hurt.

Reports said a tyre burst as the bus was taking a group to the popular Masai Mara game reserve, and it rolled down a steep embankment outside Nairobi on Sunday night. The tourists were reportedly from Australia, Britain and the United States, with the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation saying three of the injured were in critical condition.

"It's awful beyond belief for the families of all of those involved," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Monday. - AFP

Floating sensation as spirit of City Day prevails

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 05:50 PM PDT

by Georgette Tan, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on September 8, 2014, Monday

KUCHING: It rained hard at the Kuching City Day Parade on Saturday night, sparing nobody, not even the Chief Minister and Head of State.

People began assembling up to two hours earlier to watch the annual procession of floats and merrily-dressed participants. Those taking part in the parade arrived even earlier.

But when the clouds made known its intentions for the evening, most of the would-be revellers dispersed comically for the nearest shelter.

As the saying goes, 'The show must go on'. Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem and his wife Puan Sri Dato Jamilah Anu were welcomed upon arrival and escorted out of the rain.

Upon their arrival, Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Toh Puan Ragad Kurdi Taib were hurried to the grand stand under a patchwork of dripping umbrellas.

As if in retaliation for the downpour, the ground responded by sending a show-stopping display of fireworks into the sky, accompanied by a track from one of Kuching's emerging musical talents – violinist Nisa Addina.

Who won? The ground, for about 15 minutes. Nonetheless, its denizens celebrated by surging back into the streets from where they were hiding, ready for the first of the contingents to roll by.

There were 59 groups taking part, ranging from government and non-governmental agencies to cultural ensembles to interest and hobby groups.

The first to coast by were the classic cars, big bikes and Vespas that launched a thousand selfies further up the road, stirring excitement despite the rain coming down anew.

Being Kuching, there was no running away from how a large chunk of the participants would be dressed up as cats. A great number of damp felines were spread out in the parade, some with their make-up melted and cleaned off but for a ring of colour clinging around their faces.

Sarawak Kennel Association (SKA) members made a showing with their four-legged companions, ranging from bouncy terriers to regal German Shepherds.

The costumed parade participants riding a sheltered segment of land floats got to stay mostly dry, but everyone else had to take the grin-and-bear it approach. It was fortunate that most of the costumes and floats held up throughout the rain.

Among the organisations sending floats were Kuching Water Board, Sarawak Energy, Kuching City North Commission (DBKU), Kuching City South Council (MBKS) and AirAsia.

A few marching bands were also in the parade, taking the wind and rain in their stride while belting out a tune on their instruments for the spectators in the grand stand and those wrapped in raincoats.

There should be no doubt that everyone rushed home to a hot bath.

Cats, dogs have feelings too, says show coordinator

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 05:43 PM PDT

SIBU: Those who treat cats or dogs in a cruel manner should not take them home in the first place.

Coordinator of the first-ever cat show in town, Doreen Ting of the Love Our Animals Organisation, said this is because cats and dogs do have feelings like us (human beings).

"They should never mistreat their cats by simply throwing the young little kittens by the roadside or any other places.

"If they do not want to keep the kittens, they should never have taken the cats into their homes in the first place," she pointed out.

Doreen proposed that they spay the female cats or neuter the male cats.

"By doing so, their cats will not produce anymore kittens.

"For us, it is very pitiful and sad to see the little kittens being simply thrown onto the roadside or any other public places, which is a very cruel act to these young animals," she added when met during the first-ever cat show in town held yesterday at SMK Methodist school hall.

The event was hosted by the newly-formed Love Our Animals Organisation which aimed to promote care and love for family pets.

Her view was strongly supported by Linda Wong who said cats and dogs are God's creations, so they too deserve the best treatment because they have feelings.

"I have seven stray cats at home.

"Even though I'm not purposely searching for stray cats, but if I stumble upon one, I will take it home and make it comfortable," she added.

Linda said once she takes the stray cats home, she will give them a shower, cat foods and vaccinate them so that they stay healthy.

"I get strong support from both my beloved hubby and children in taking good care of these stray cats," she added.

Another cat enthusiast who is also a big biker, Billy Ting said he found his 8kg cat named 'Lion' some three and a half years ago.

"I take good care of my 'lion', so from the poor skinny looking cat, today Lion looks not only clean but is a beautiful fat cat.

"So we must learn to appreciate family pets such as cats by giving them proper treatment and not by giving them cruel treatment such as throwing them to the roadside and any other public areas," he said.

Meanwhile, another coordinator of the cat show, Tony Wong, said the show was not only about displaying fluffy Persian cats or other royal breeds, but a show of love for local cats to drive home the message of never to abuse, neglect and abandon pets.

He added their organisation was formed by animal lovers in Sibu in August last year, and the 30-plus of them had been promoting pet care through various means, adding they had been successful in promoting the neuter programme to control the pets' population.

Exciting games like 'Guess-the-weight of a displayed cat', lucky draws, a cat show in which a 'Cat King' will be chosen, cat photograph exhibition and competition, sale of 'Love Our Animals' T-shirts, sale of cat and dog feeds and quiz competitions were also held.

Tired and often falling asleep on the job

Posted: 07 Sep 2014 05:26 PM PDT

NODDING off at work even after a full night's sleep can be a sign of narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder. There is no cure, but the condition can be brought under control and sufferers can go on to lead normal lives.

Mdm Christine Leong (not real name) often fell asleep at work. She did not stay up late, often went to bed early, and usually had a good night's sleep. Yet, she was always feeling tired and sleepy during the day, often nodding off at her desk no matter how hard she tried not to. She decided to see a doctor, who ran some tests and found her to be suffering from narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterised by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep which can seriously disrupt a sufferer's work routine. Left untreated, it may even endanger the lives of the patient and those around him. Imagine a driver falling asleep while driving.

There is no cure for narcolepsy, but with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, the condition can be kept in check, helping sufferers lead normal lives.

Narcolepsy is estimated to affect 25 to 50 people in every 100,000, but this may be understated. A lack of awareness or understanding about this ailment may lead many to think that they are merely sleepy, said Dr WS Shahul Hameed, Consultant, Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute (SGH Campus). The condition is equally common among men and women, and typically shows up in the teens and early 20s. The exact cause of narcolepsy is not yet known, but doctors believe it might be linked to genes, virus attacks and head traumas.

Besides excessive daytime sleepiness, sufferers may experience other symptoms including cataplexy (where intense emotion like laughter or anger or strenuous exercise triggers a loss of muscle control), sleep paralysis (where the person is unable to talk or move for brief periods when falling asleep or wakening), as well as hypnagogic hallucinations (where the person experiences vivid dreams and sounds as he is about to fall asleep).

Sufferers tend to be depressed, with obesity commonly seen in child sufferers.

To diagnose narcolepsy, the patient must first undergo a detailed medical history and physical examination, and keep a sleep diary to rule out bad sleeping habits such as frequent late nights and insufficient sleep as the cause of his symptoms.

This is followed by an overnight polysomnogram: the patient's sleep is monitored in a hospital, and various bodily functions and indicators like breathing, blood oxygen levels, snoring and heart rate are taken through the night. A multiple sleep latency test is also performed to assess how easily the patient falls asleep in the day, and the type of sleep patterns produced during these bouts of sleep.

As part of the treatment, a specialist may prescribe medication and lifestyle modifications to boost alertness and control symptoms. For example, a post-lunch power nap can be a simple and effective way to keep daytime sleepiness in check.

Dr Hameed said: "Health awareness is high in Singapore and bosses are generally understanding when their employees approach them (about their diagnoses). They often don't have a problem with their employees taking a catnap during the day if that helps to manage the sleepiness caused by narcolepsy."

Undiagnosed narcoleptic sufferers can face problems at work, with their sudden bouts of sleepiness often mistaken for laziness, said Dr Hameed.

However, once they have been diagnosed and receive treatment, the situation can change "dramatically" for the better, he added. For example, patients can take 20 to 30 minutes of their hour-long lunch break for a nap in a quiet spot in the office, before getting back to their daily responsibilities. Besides power naps, medication can be prescribed to help patients stay alert during long meetings.

Dr Hameed recalled the case of a teenage patient whose cataplexic episodes caused problems at school. He prescribed medication to help keep her attacks under control.

Patients can also cultivate lifestyle habits like keeping to a healthy regimen of sleeping seven to eight hours a night, not drinking excessively, and avoiding medication that causes drowsiness.

• This story was first published in Singapore Health, Jul-Aug 2014 issue.

* pseudonym