text:
A visit to a charcoal factory
The business of charcoal making, which in the region makes use of wood from the abundant mangrove forests, has long ceased in Singapore. The last factory, on the evidence of a 1972 Straits Times article, was possibly on Pulau Tekong and it only is in some of our neighbouring countries that the production of what some may consider to be black gold can be found.
The charcoal factory at Kuala Sepetang.
One production centre that I had the opportunity to visit is the factory at Kuala Sepetang, located along the northern Perak coastline, just 15 kilometres from the charming old mining town of Taiping. The factory, operated by a Mr. Chuah Chow Aun, has a reputation for the best charcoal in Asia and does a thriving trade in meeting the demand from the large Japanese market.
Charcoal kilns, the contruction knowhow of which interestingly, was brought in by the Japanese during the war. The logs with barks stripped from them, are ready for the kilns.
The factory is well worth a visit just for the setting it finds itself in. Its long zinc roofed wooden sheds against which stacks of bakau wood logs are arranged, against the backdrop of the beautiful Matang mangrove forest on the banks of the Sungai Kapal Changkol, makes the scene it presents one that somehow looks like one that could well belong in a good old Western movie.
Another view of the factory. Logs are stripped of their barks in the area where they are unloaded from boats that bring them in from the nearby mangrove forest.
The sheds are where the main process of turning the wood is carried out. In them one finds rows of smoking kilns, in which the wood is heated and not, as is popularly believed, burnt, with the aim of removing water – which makes up the bulk of its weight when harvested, from the logs. It is a long, tedious and rather labour intensive process that is employed, which starts with the unloading of logs harvested primarily from 30 year old bakau minyak (Rhizophora apiculata) trees for which a sapling is planted for every tree that is harvested. The logs, which measure up to 5 inches in diameter, are prepared for the kilns by stripping their barks before they are stacked against the kilns before being moved in.
Logs of various diameters.
I was rather surprised to hear that it was in fact the Japanese that brought in the charcoal making techniques that are employed at Kuala Sepetang during the occupation. This process, involves the heating of the kilns – in which logs are positioned vertically on blocks of clay to keep them off the ground before the opening is reduced sufficiently in size to serve as a firing box, for a period of about 10 days. At this stage the temperature within the kilns is raised about 85° C. After this comes a second stage of heating for which the opening is reduced further, for another 12 days during which temperatures are raised to about 220° C. The kiln is left to cool for another week or so before the cured wood can be taken out.
A kiln opening, through which logs are moved into the kiln.
An example of how logs are vertically arranged and the clay blocks on which they are made to stand on.
The first stage during with a larger opening is maintained at the firing box.
Experience plays an important part in the process and is monitored only through observation of the vapour that billows out of an opening in the kiln. From 1500 logs or about 40 to 50 tonnes of wood that is placed in the kilns before the start of firing, only 10 tonnes of is left as charcoal – the rest of the weight having been expelled as vapour. The vapour however does not go to waste and is in its condensed form, sold as mangrove wood vinegar, which is said to repel mosquitoes and cure common skin problems.
The opening is reduced during the second stage.
A kiln in use.
The factory, Khay Hor Holdings Sdn. Bhd. or more commonly referred to as the Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory, is open for visits. Arrangements can be made for guided tours by contacting Mr. Chuah at +60 12 5739563. More information is available at the Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory Facebook Page and at this link: The Charcoal Factory.
Vapour coming out of a kiln – the vapour, which is used to monitor the process , is collected and sold in its condense form as mangrove wood vinegar.
The entrance to the factory.
Tags: Bakau, Bakau Minyak, Bakau Wood, Charcoal, Charcoal Kilns, Charcoal Making, Charcoal Production, Chuah Chow Aun, Khay Hor Holdings Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Sepetang, Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory, Malaysia, Malaysia Travel, Mangroves, Matang Mangrove Forest, Perak, Photography, Places, Port Weld, Rhizophora apiculata, Taiping, Travel
Categories : Malaysia, Off the beaten track, Perak, Travel
Launch of the Ubin Living Lab at the former Celestial Resort
The first phase of the transformation of the former Celestial Resort into the Ubin Living Lab (ULL), an initiative announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as part of The Ubin Project on November 2014, has been completed with the launch of the ULL (Phase 1) on Saturday by Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee.
A Singapore conversation taking place by the mangrove tree lined Sungei Puaka?
Set in the midst of the mangroves of Sungei Puaka – one of the largest patches of mangroves left in Singapore, the ULL, intended as an integrated facility for field studies, education and research, and community outreach, will also see a mangrove arboretum set up. The arboretum will see eight critically-endangered local mangrove tree species re-introduced as part of NParks' ongoing reforestation and habitat enhancement efforts on Ubin.
SMS Desmond Lee at the launch – with ITE College East staff and students working on setting up nesting boxes around the island for the Blue-throated Bee-eater.
The first phase sees the restoration of two buildings on the site to accommodate a field study laboratory, seminar rooms for up to 100 people and basic accommodation facilities. An outdoor campsite is also being set up to take up to 100. The first users of the ULL will be students from the Republic Polytechnic and ITE College East who are looking at setting up roosting boxes in Ubin for insect eating bat species and nesting boxes for the Blue-throated Bee-eater as part of a biodiversity enhancement and species recovery programme.
The setting for the ULL – the former Celestial Resort.
The Ubin Project is an engagement initiative launched by the Singapore Government aimed at enhancing the natural environment of the island, protecting its heritage and also its rustic charm, involving a Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) that has been set up. More information on the project's initiatives can be found at the Nparks website. Members of the public can look forward to a series of activities organised by NParks and the National Heritage Board – who have recently concluded an anthropology study on the island, aimed at bring the rich natural and cultural heritage to a wider audience. Information on the activities NParks already has planned can be found at a NParks news release Celebrating Ubin.
Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, launching Phase 1 of the ULL.
SMS Lee putting the finishing touches on a nesting box.
Tags: Bats, Biodiversity, Blue Throated Bee Eater, Former Celestial Resort, Friends of Ubin Network, Habitat Enhancement, Mangroves, National Heritage Board, Natural Heritage, Nature, NHB, NParks, Photography, Pulau Ubin, Reforestation, Singapore, Species Recovery, The Ubin Project, Ubin, Ubin Activities, Ubin Living Lab, ULL, Wild Singapore
Categories : Conservation, Forgotten Places, Heritage Sites, Mangroves, Natural Heritage, Nature, Photography, Pulau Ubin, Reminders of Yesterday, Singapore
The mention of Tuas, a far flung location in the west of Singapore, conjures up an image of its bleak and rather uninspiring industrial landscape, a patchwork of dull and faceless buildings within which much of Singapore manufacturing output is produced. It would have been a very different Tuas that would have come to mind a little more that a generation ago, a Tuas that for those who express little sentiment for its then untamed shores, would have seemed wild, inaccessible and unproductive; a tangle of mangrove lined tidal inlets and muddy seashores.
The shores of the wild west today.
The sea at the far west (National Archives of Singapore).
Wild as it was, it was not without human habitation. Access to the far west certainly was possible, requiring a drive along the long Jurong Road that wound through a rather lonely part of Singapore. The drive would end at the mouth of the Sungei Tuas estuary, the furthest west one could possible head to for a while on a public metalled road. It lay just beyond the road's 18th milestone and brought with it the promise of seafood at what was the fishing village of Tuas to all who dared to venture.
Tuas Village, 1970.
[This digital copy (c) National Library Board Singapore 2008. The original work (c) Tan Marilyn].
That reward, would of course only be made possible to those who not only had to endure what seemed an endless journey, but also brave enough; there were parts of the drive that especially on the after dinner journey in the dark, would not have been ones appreciated by the fainthearted. One particular stretch was at the road's 13th milestone, just before one came to Hong Kah Village on the return journey, had been the source of many a tale of horror. That was where the gravestones of the Bulim cemetery close to the edge of the road, in the glare of the vehicle's headlamps, would seem to reach out to anyone passing.
The reward just beyond the 18th milestone of the long and winding Jurong Road – the restaurant is still in existence in a location close to where it originall was (National Archives of Singapore).
It is a different set of horrors that await the visitor on the journey to the Tuas of today; the roads now far from lonely. Much of what we refer to Tuas today lies west of where the village had been, on land that has come out of the sea. This includes the "hockey stick" – a huge southward projection of land to the south part of which will host the future Tuas mega-port. Tuas, at its north-western corner, is also where the Second Link is located, carrying vehicles over to Malaysia, from what had been Tanjong Karang.
A lone mangrove tree within sight of the Second Link.
It is just south of Tanjong Karang where a small reminder of the previously wild west can be found (discounting the vast coastline of the Live Firing Area to its north from which our eyes have been shielded), although it lies out of sight to most of us beyond one of the ugly security fences that kills and deprives of any joys we can still derive from the seashore.
Life where one may not expect it.
The intertidal region that exists, reaches out to the Merwang Beacon. It includes a naturally occurring extension of a much altered shoreline plus perhaps, a small remnant of what could be the original foreshore. It was at this point that the western tip of the island of Singapore in its unaltered state had been at Tanjong Merawang. Around the beacon, and also in the area just north of it where a small cluster of mangroves can be found, we are able to discover that there is still a small celebration of what might have been (see Ria Tan's post on the visit made on 23 Dec 2014: Return to Tuas Merawang Beacon).
The intertidal zone at Tanjong Merawang looking out towards Merawang Beacon and Pulau Merambong.
A celebration above the sea that the shore also offers, is a perspective of the western end of the Singapore Strait. On a clear day, parts of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia can be seen, with the view southwest extending to the Indonesian Karimun Islands. That lies far beyond the Malaysian island of Pulau Merambong in the foreground. It would be interesting to note that the waters around Merambong is home to Malaysia's largest intertidal seagrass meadow. And, in it, the country's largest concentration of seahorses is said to be found.
The coastline of the far west of Singapore as seen in a 1927 map.
This is unfortunately, under threat (see: Seagrass meadow in danger, The Star, 24 Mar 2014). Concerns raised on the impact that an ill-conceived and highly controversial luxury development project, Forest City, which will see four huge islands rise out of the waters close to Pulau Merambong, will have, include the threat it may pose to the rich marine life in the waters that surrounds the island. What that will do to what is left of the wild west of Singapore, already decimated by the developments closer to it, time will only tell.
Tags: Coastal Areas, Coastal Village, Coastal Villages, Forest City, Jurong Road, Mangroves, Merawang Beacon, Old Singapore, Points of Departure, Pulau Merambong, Road Journeys, Seascape, Seashore, Second Link, Singapore, Singapore Strait, Straits of Johor, Sungei Tuas, Tanjong Karang, Tanjong Merawang, Tuas, Western Singapore, Western Strait, Wild West of Singapore
Categories : Changing Landscapes, Coastal Areas, Forgotten Places, Malaysia, Photography Series, Reminders of Yesterday, Road Journeys, Singapore, Singapore Landscapes, Tuas
Remnants of a lost forest
The first Sunday in October had me paddling a kayak through what turned out to be a surprisingly area of mangroves in a part of Singapore where nature has long abandoned. Described by the Nature Society (Singapore) as "the most extensive mangrove forest in the southern coastline of mainland Singapore", the mangroves line the banks of a stretch of Sungei Pandan where the industrial march that has all but conquered Singapore's once wild southwest is quite clearly evident.
Kayaking through the Sungei Pandan mangroves.
The Sungei Pandan mangroves, found along the stretch of river that lies between the Pandan Tidal Gates and the Sungei Pandan Bridge, is perhaps the last remnants of the lush mangrove forest that had once lined much of the banks of the Pandan and Jurong Rivers that had been offered protection as the Pandan Forest Reserve. The reserve covered an area of 542 acres or 219 ha. in 1966 and may have covered an even larger area before that – a newspaper article from 1928 had put the area of the reserve at 639 acres or 259 ha. and had been one of 15 forest areas that was protected under the Forest Ordinance enacted in 1908, and later, the 1951 Nature Reserves Ordinance.
The Pandan Tidal Gates.
A 1945 Map showing the extent of the Pandan Forest Reserve.
The death knell for the mangrove reserve was sounded in the 1960s when land was needed for the expansion of Jurong Industrial Estate. An amendment to the Nature Reserves Ordinance in 1966 saw it lose the 186 acres (75 ha.) on the west bank of Jurong River and that was filled up to create much needed land for the fast expanding industrial zone. The reserve was to lose its status altogether in 1968 when a further amendment to the Ordinance removed the reserve from its schedule of protected forest areas to allow what was described as the "rapid growth of Jurong Industrial Estate".
The mangrove forest, besides being home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, also hosted human inhabitants, many of whom were fishermen who depended on cast net prawn farming in the vicinity of the river mouths and the islands for a livelihood. One of the isolated villages that was found at the edge of the watery forest, was Kampong Teban, described in an article from The Singapore Free Press dated 13 January 1958 as "a village of 135 people living in 27 cottages, some built on stilts over the ooze and slime on the river bank". The villagers were to see their lives altered by developments n the early 1960s, when part of the area was given to prawn farming.
Kampong Teban, 1958 (source: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline).
The original mouth of Sungei Pandan, was where the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club (RSYC), then the Royal Singapore Yacht Club, moved its premises to, on land reclaimed from the mangroves, in 1965. The club, which traces its origins to 1826, moved in 1999 sometime after it lost its seafront to land reclamation. Its former clubhouse is now occupied by the Singapore Rowing Association – close to where the kayaking trip started.
The entrance to the grounds of the Singapore Rowing Association, formerly the site of the RSYC.
The start point for the kayak trip.
Paddling through the greenery offered by the mangroves, nipah palms and mangrove ferns, the sounds of tree lizards and birds were most evident. Beyond the distinct calls belonging to the ashy tailorbird and the pied fantail – birds that often are heard before they are seen, the likes of grey and striated herons, and white-bellied sea eagles gave their presence away flying overhead. A special treat came in the form of an Asian paradise flycather – a particularly beautiful avian resident of the watery forest, dancing across the mangrove branches. Besides the lizards and the birds, the forest is also plays host to fauna such as mud lobsters, mudskippers, horseshoe crabs, mangrove snails and the dog-faced water snake.
The dance of the Asian paradise flycatcher…
A grey heron in flight.
Another grey heron in flight.
A striated heron perched on a fallen trunk.
The Sungei Pandan mangroves is all that remains of a once rich mangrove forest. What the crystal ball that is the URA Master Plan tells us is that the area in which it is situated has been designated as a park space. It would be nice to see that the mangroves remain untouched, not just to remind us of the lost forest, but more importantly to protect an area that despite its location and size, is a joyously green space teeming with life.
One of the kayakers was Minister of State Desmond Lee, who is an avid bird watcher.
Tags: Birds, Birds of Singapore, Forgotten Places, Former Pandan Forest Reserve, Green Singapore, Green Spaces under Threat, Jurong, Mangrove, Mangrove Forest, Mangrove Swamp, Mangroves, Natural Heritage, Nature, Nature Areas, Nature Society (Singapore), Pandan River, Pandan Tidal Gates, Photography, Points of Departure, Singapore, Sungei Pandan, Sungei Pandan Bridge
Categories : Changing Landscapes, Forgotten Places, Jurong Area, Mangroves, Natural Heritage, Nature, Photography, Photography Series, Quiet Moments, Reminders of Yesterday, Singapore, Singapore Landscapes
A paddle through the magical watery woods
The process of acquainting myself with the shores of Singapore for a project I am working on, Points of Departure, has provided me with some incredible experiences. One that I was especially grateful to have had was the experience of paddling through a green watery space that is almost magical in its beauty. Set in the relatively unspoilt lower reaches of Sungei Khatib Bongsu, one of Singapore's last un-dammed rivers, the space is one that seems far out of place in the Singapore of today and holds in and around its many estuarine channels, one of the largest concentration of mangroves east of the Causeway along the island's northern coast.
Paddling through the watery forest at Sungei Khatib Bongsu.
The much misunderstood mangrove forest, is very much a part of Singapore's natural heritage. The watery forests, had for long, dominated much of Singapore's coastal and estuarine areas, accounting for as much as an estimated 13% of Singapore's land area at the time of the arrival of the British. Much has since been lost through development and reclamation and today, the area mangrove forests occupy amount to less that 1% of Singapore's expanded land area. It is in such forests that we find a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Mangroves, importantly, also serve as nurseries for aquatic life as well as act as natural barriers that help protect our shorelines from erosion.
Khatib Bongsu is a watery but very green world.
The island's northern coast was especially rich in mangrove forests. Much has however, been cleared through the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, with large tracts being lost during the construction of the airbase at Seletar and the naval base at Sembawang in the early 1900s. The mangroves of the north, spread along the coast as well as inland through its many estuaries, along with those found across the strait in Johor, were once the domain of the Orang Seletar. A nomadic group of boat dwellers, the Orang Seletar had for long, featured in the Johor or Tebrau Strait, living off the sea and the mangroves; finding safe harbour in bad weather within the relatively sheltered mangrove lined estuaries.
Mangrove forests had once dominated much of coastal Singapore.
Boat dwelling Orang Seletar families could apparently be found along Singapore's northern coast until as recently as the 1970s. While the Orang Seletar in Singapore have, over the course of time, largely been assimilated into the wider Malay community, the are still communities of Orang Seletar across the strait in Johor. Clinging on to their Orang Seletar identity, the nine communities there live no longer on the water, but on the land in houses close to the water.
Safe harbour in the watery woods.
It is the labyrinth of tree shaded channels and the remnants of its more recent prawn farming past that makes the side of the right bank of Sungei Khatib Bongsu's lower reaches an especially interesting area to kayak through. Much has since been reclaimed by the mangrove forest and although there still is evidence of human activity in the area, it is a wonderfully green and peaceful space that brings much joy to to the rower.
The canalised upper part of Sungei Khatib Bongsu.
The area around Sungei Khatib Bongsu today, as seen on Google Maps.
Paddling through the network of channels and bund encircled former prawn ponds – accessible through the concrete channels that once were their sluice gates, the sounds that are heard are mostly of the mangrove's many avian residents. It was however the shrill call of one of the mangrove's more diminutive winged creatures, the Ashy Tailorbird, that seemed to dominate, a call that could in the not too distant future, be drowned out by the noise of the fast advancing human world. It is just north of Yishun Avenue 6, where the frontier seems now to be, that we see a wide barren patch. The patch is one cleared of its greenery so that a major road – an extension of Admiralty Road East, can be built; a sign that time may soon be called on an oasis that for long has been a sanctuary for a rich and diverse avian population.
The walk into the mangroves.
The beginnings of a new road.
The Sungei Khatib Bongsu mangroves, lies in an area between Sungei Khatib Bongsu and the left bank of Sungei Seletar at its mouth that lies beyond the Lower Seletar Dam that has been designated as South Simpang; at the southern area of a large plot of land reserved for public housing that will become the future Simpang New Town. The area is one that is especially rich in bird life, attracting a mix of resident and migratory species and was a major breeding site for Black-crowned Night Herons, a herony that has fallen victim to mosquito fogging. While there is little to suggest that the herons will return to breed, the area is still one where many rare and endangered species of birds continue to be sighted and while kayaking through, what possibly was a critically endangered Great-billed Heron made a graceful appearance.
Evidence of the former prawn ponds.
Kayaking into the former ponds.
It is for the area's rich biodiversity that the Nature Society (Singapore) or NSS has long campaigned for its preservation and a proposal for its conservation was submitted by the NSS as far back as in 1993. This did seem to have some initial success and the area, now used as a military training area into which access is largely restricted, was identified as a nature area for conservation, as was reflected in the first issue of the Singapore Green Plan. Its protection as a nature area seemed once again confirmed by the then Acting Minister for National Development, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, during the budget debate on 18 March 1994 (see: Singapore Parliament Reports), with the Minister saying: "We have acceded to their (NSS) request in priorities and we have conserved Sungei Buloh Bird Sanctuary and Khatib Bongsu".
Unfortunately, the area has failed to make a reappearance in subsequently releases of the list of nature area for conservation, an omission that was also seen in subsequent editions of the Singapore Green Plan. What we now see consistently reflected in the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Master Plans (see: Master Plan), is that as part of a larger reserve area for the future Simpang, the area's shoreline stands to be altered by the reclamation of land. Along with land reclamation, plans the Public Utilities Board (PUB) appears to have for Sungei Khatib Bongsu's conversion into a reservoir that will also include the neighbouring Sungei Simpang under Phase 2 of the Seletar-Serangoon Scheme (SRSS), does mean that the future of the mangroves is rather uncertain.
A resident that faces an uncertain future.
Phase 2 of the SRSS involves the impounding of Sungei Khatib Bongsu, Sungei Simpang and Sungei Seletar to create the Coastal Seletar Reservoir. Based on the 2008 State of the Environment Report, this was to be carried out in tandem with land reclamation along the Simpang and Sembawang coast. The reclamation could commence as early as next year, 2015 (see State of the Environment 2008 Report Chapter 3: Water).
In the meantime, the NSS does continue with its efforts to bring to the attention of the various agencies involved in urban planning of the importance of the survival of the mangroves at Khatib Bongsu. Providing feedback to the URA on its Draft Master Plan in 2013 (see Feedback on the Updated URA Master Plan, November 2013), the NSS highlights the following:
Present here is the endangered mangrove tree species, Lumnitzera racemosa, listed in the Singapore Red Data Book (RDB). Growing plentifully by the edge and on the mangrove is the Hoya diversifolia. On the whole the mangrove here is extensive and healthy, with thicker stretches along Sg Khatib Bongsu and the estuary of Sg Seletar.
A total of 185 species of birds, resident and migratory, have been recorded at the Khatib Bongsu area. This comes to 49 % of the total number of bird species in Singapore (376, Pocket Checklist 2011, unpublished ) – almost comparable to that at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. 13 bird species found here are listed in the RDB and among these are: Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Straw-headed Bulbul, Ruddy Kingfisher, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle, White-chested Babbler, etc. The Grey-headed Fish Eagle and the Changeable Hawk eagle are nesting in the Albizia woodlands in this area.
The mangrove dependent species present are : Crab-eating Frog, Dog-faced Water Snake & Malaysian Wood Rat. The Malaysian Wood Rat is regarded is locally uncommon. In 2000, Banded Krait (RDB species) was found here near the edge mangrove. Otters, probably the Smooth Otter, have been sighted by fishermen and birdwatchers in the abandoned fish ponds and the Khatib Bongsu river.
URA Master Plan 2014, showing the reserve area at Simpang.
It will certainly be a great loss to Singapore should the PUB and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) proceed with their plans for the area. What we stand to lose is not just another regenerated green patch, but a part of our natural heritage that as a habitat for the diverse array of plant and animals many of which are at risk of disappearing altogether from our shores, is one that can never be replaced.
The present shoreline at Simpang, threatened by possible future land reclamation.
The white sands at Tanjong Irau, another shoreline under threat of the possible future Simpang-Sembawang land reclamation.
Tags: Biodiversity, Birds of Singapore, Conservation, Green Singapore, Green Spaces, Green Spaces under Threat, Johor Strait, Kayaking, Mangrove Forest, Mangroves, Natural Heritage, Nature, Nature Areas, Nature Society (Singapore), Northern Singapore, Orang Seletar, Photography, Points of Departure, Sembawang, Simpang, Singapore, Straits of Johor, Sungei Khatib Bongsu, Sungei Seletar, Sungei Simpang, Tanjong Irau, Tebrau Strait, Unseen Singapore, Yishun
Categories : Changing Landscapes, Mangroves, Photography Series, Reminders of Yesterday, Seascapes, Seletar, Sembawang, Simpang, Singapore, Singapore Landscapes
Surviving the tidal wave of development
Among the many highlights at the URA's Draft Master Plan 2013 exhibition at the URA Centre (which has been extended to 17 January 2014), is one which relates to the house over a beautiful house over sea in the beautiful and undisturbed world at Lim Chu Kang. Referred to as Cashin House and also known as "The Pier", I had a chance to see the place, a former home of the late Howard Cashin, back in 2011. It is a house that is said to have played host to teatime visits from the Sultan of Johor and a place in which one is taken back to days of leisure by the sea in times we have well forgotten. It is nice to see that the life of the house, and its rustic surroundings, are being extended and not built around – as too many conserved buildings have unfortunately been. It will be a western gateway to what will be an expanded Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve that will link pockets, such as the Lim Chu Kang East mangroves adjacent to the Cashin House, up, along what is a mangrove dominated northwest coast with the first phase of the reserve east of the Cashin House.
More on the Cashin House can be found in a previous post: A lost world in Lim Chu Kang.
A Lost World in Lim Chu Kang.
Tags: Cashin House, Conservation, Draft Master Plan 2013, Forgotten Places, Howard Cashin, Lim Chu Kang, Lim Chu Kang East Mangroves, Lim Chu Kang Lane 9, Lim Chu Kang Mangroves, Lost Places, Mangrove Swamp, Mangroves, Secret Singapore, Singapore, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, The Pier
Categories : Conservation, Kranji, Lim Chu Kang, North-Western Coastline, Singapore
Monoscapes: Dawn on the strait
7.20 am on the last day of March 2013, a man is seen casting a net, dwarfed by the silhouettes of towering structures of the approaching new world. The casting of the net, was an economic activity on the strait which was common in times past. Economic activities of the modern world have in the last four decades or so, made their appearance on the strait, and have made the activities of the old world less relevant.
The Straits of Johor where this photograph was taken, also known as the Tebrau Strait or Selat Tebrau, was once the domain of a group of sea dwellers, a nomadic people referred to as the Orang Laut (which translates to "Sea People") or Sea Gypsies. The sub-group of the Orang Laut, referred to as the Orang Seletar or in their own language, Kon Seletar, moved around on boats which also served as homes through mangroves which once dominated both sides of the strait, living off the waters. The boats they lived on were about 20 feet long with a stove at one end and their dwellings at the other end under an awning of sorts.
The suggestions are that the group, who had already established themselves in the area well before Raffles landed in 1819 – it was reported that there were an estimated 200 Orang Seletar living on some 30 boats in Singapore when Raffles landed, took its name from the Sungei Seletar or Seletar River – which once spilled into the strait (it has since been dammed at its mouth).
Another suggestion is that the group had in fact given their name to the river. Seletar is also a name that the northern coastal area of Singapore which included what is Sembawang today (Sembawang Road was originally called Seletar Road) became known as. Seletar Island which is close to the mouth of Sungei Simpang, had in fact hosted a community of Orang Seletar up to 1967 or so.
One of the last to settle on land, the Orang Seletar have today largely assimilated into the larger Malay society and a greater number of them now live on the Johor side of the strait. In Singapore, there were several individuals from the community who intermarried and settled in Kampong Tanjong Irau. The kampong was also known to be the home of some Orang Kallang, another Orang Laut group who were originally from the mouth of the Kallang River who had initially been displaced from places such as Kampong Kallang Rokok on the Kallang River, moving first to the Seletar area. The construction of the airbase at Seletar meant they had to move again and some chose to move westwards to Tanjong Irau.
Tags: Casting Net, Fishing, History, Johor, Kon Seletar, Mangroves, Monoscapes, North Coast of Singapore, Northern Coast, Orang Kallang, Orang Laut, Orang Seletar, Pasir Gudang, Photography, Sea Gypsies, Seletar Island, Seletar RIver, Sembawang, Singapore, Straits of Johor, Sungei Seletar, Sungei Simpang, Tanjong Irau, Tebrau Strait
Categories : Forgotten Places, History, Johor, Malaysia, Mangroves, Nature, Quiet Moments, Reminders of Yesterday, Sembawang, Singapore
Paradise found in a paradise lost
Very early on a Saturday morning, I found myself boarding a boat headed for Singapore's offshore landfill at Pulau Semakau. Established in the sea space that once separated two of Singapore's once inhabited southern islands, Pulau Sakeng (or Seking as it was also known as) and (the original) Pulau Semakau, and contained by a 7 kilometre bund, the landfill has seen the creation of an enlarged single island which has kept the name of the larger of the two islands, Pulau Semakau.
The enlarged Pulau Semakau has been created from a landfill between two existing islands the original Pulau Semakau (to the west) and the smaller Pulau Sakeng (to the east) that is contained by a 7 km perimeter bund.
(Memories of Pulau Seking (Sakeng) posted on youtube by a former resident)
The original Southern Islands of Singapore – Pulau Seking (Sakeng) can be seen south of Pulau Bukom. The larger island to the west of Pulau Seking was the original Pulau Semakau to which it is now attached .
What had motivated me to catch a taxi at 4.15 in the morning just to get on the boat wasn't so much a fascination for what Singapore does with its waste, but a intertidal walk on, what may surprise some, an expansive tidal flat on what is left of a natural shoreline that has long been known to be rich in marine biodiversity – that despite the extensive disturbance of the natural environment caused by what has gone on around the island. The large tidal flat is one of the few that's also left in a Singapore that has been robbed of much of its natural shorelines by the extensive land reclamation work that has been carried out both on its mainland and offshore and offers an experience that is well worth waking up at 3.45 am for.
Part of the natural shoreline of the original Pulau Semakau which has an expansive tidal flat still exists in the north-western corner of the enlarged island, home to an offshore landfill.
The journey to Pulau Semakau began with a boat ride at 5.15 am.
A very comfortable hour's boat ride from Marina South Pier was all it took to get to the island. The ride in the darkness before daybreak offered none of the excitement that had accompanied my first journeys to the southern islands, but the ride was certainly by a very similar sense of anticipation. The point of landing on Pulau Semakau was the area which once had been Pulau Sakeng, the last to be vacated of the two islands in the early 1990s and cleared of its stilted wooden dwellings that extended out from its shoreline, bears no resemblance at all to an island that for its inhabitants would have seemed like a little piece of paradise compared to the all too crowded mainland they now find themselves in.
… which arrived at about 6.20 am at what once was Pulau Sakeng (now part of the enlarged Pulau Semakau).
What was meant to have been a half an hour's walk to the north-west corner of the enlarged island and where what is left of the tidal flats which had once surrounded the original Pulau Semakau is still left relatively untouched, turned into one that took a little more than an hour with the distraction caused by the colours of the fast lightening sky behind us. From the wide roadway built on top of the northern bund we had walked along, we trudged through a small mosquito infested forested area to get to the tidal flats, which by the time we got there, lay exposed by the tide which had already ebbed, with a few bakau mangrove trees to greet us and perhaps remind us of the coastal vegetation which would have once encircled the island, and is thought to give the island its name.
The walk into the darkness towards the western end of Pulau Semakau.
The colours of the sunrise served to lengthen what would have been a half an hour's walk along the bund.
The view towards Pulau Jong.
Tidal flats have for me always served as wonderful places for discovery and walks I am now able to take on such flats always bring to mind the wonderful excursions of the sea grass fields off Changi Beach of my childhood, during a time when the sandy seabed there was littered with an abundance of knobbly sea stars, sea cucumbers, and crabs darting across and burrowing into the sand. Those were times when armed with a butterfly net, we would fill a small plastic pail with harvest of edible marine snails (gong-gong), shrimps and flower crabs which we could put on a grill.
A forested area separates the natural shoreline at the western end from the paved road constructed on the bund.
The sun rises over the flat.
Evidence of a concrete jetty that was once used by the island's inhabitants seen in the mangroves.
A lone mangrove on the tidal flat.
Mangrove regeneration … besides the naturally occurring regeneration of mangroves, mangroves have been replanted along the areas of the coastline disturbed by the work that has gone on.
A group of photographers walking across the tidal flat.
Another view of the tidal flat looking towards Pulau Bukom.
A field of sea grass.
The tide starting to flow in – a view towards the edge of the tidal flat.
A sense of the space on the flat.
Right at the beginning of the walk on the tidal flat, our guide, Ron, made a very interesting discovery – a red nudibranch (sea-slug) that he had not previously spotted on the flats in the many other occasions he has visited it. There was a lot more that the flat was to reveal over the very interesting two-hour walk including three varieties of sea cucumber, two other very pretty looking nudibranchs, moon snails, anemones, flat worms, a giant clam, knobbly sea stars and even a very shy octopus that dove for cover as soon as it was spotted – best seen through the photographs that follow …
A red nudibranch not seen on the flats before.
A very pretty nudibranch – the Gymnodoris rubropapulosa.
A third nudibranch – Jorunna funebris (Funeral Nudibranch).
A flat worm.
And one in its natural environment.
Close-up of a maze coral.
Knobbly sea stars.
A tube anemone.
Another anemone.
Sea cucumber.
Zoanthids.
Moon snail.
The intertidal walk that I participated in is one of several ways in which Pulau Semakau can be visited, and was one that was run by licensed tour guide Robert Heigermoser. Other ways in which the island can be visited are on activities organised by interest groups such as the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, the Nature Society Singapore, The Astronomical Society of Singapore (TASOS), and the Sports Fishing Association (Singapore) that needs the blessing of the National Environment Agency (NEA). Guided tours and walks would often include a landfill tour. The tour which is interesting in that it introduces various aspects of the landfill including its history, as well as a bus tour around the landfill and the receiving station where waste incinerated at one of the three incinerators on the mainland is transferred from barges to tipper trucks which carry the waste to the landfill site. More information on Pulau Semakau, activities on Pulau Semakau and the landfill at the NEA website can be found at this link (Landfill Brochure) and also on this link link (Semakau Landfill).
One of the cells of the landfill that has been filled up.
The southernmost point of Singapore that the public has access to is at the end of a bund that contains a lagoon that will be used for phase 2 of the landfill when all the cells in phase 1 have been used.
The view from the bund southwest towards Pulau Pawai and Pulau Senang which is a live-firing area.
Part of the visit also included a drive through of the receiving station where incinerated waste from the mainland's rubbish incinerators are transferred from barges onto tipper trucks.
The boat back and with the receiving station in the background.
Tags: Anemone, Bakau, Coastal Areas, Flat Worm, Funeral Nudibranch, Giant Clam, Gymnodoris Rubropapulosa, Intertidal Walk, Jorunna Funebris, Knobbly Sea Star, Landfill, Mangroves, Marina South Pier, Marine Biodiversity, Maze Coral, Moon Snail, Natural Shoreline, Nature, Nudibranch, Photography, Photos, Pulau Sakeng, Pulau Seking, Pulau Semakau, Robert Heigermoser, Ron Yeo, Sea Cucumber, Sea Grass, Sea Slug, Semakau Landfill, Singapore, Southern Islands, Southern Islands of Singapore, Tidal Flat, Travel, Tube Anemone, Ulu Singapore, Wild Places, Wild Singapore, Zoanthids
Categories : Coastal Areas, Forgotten Places, Islands, Mangroves, Nature, Quiet Moments, Reminders of Yesterday, Singapore
A lost world in Lim Chu Kang
Deep within a world that is now missing from much of Singapore, lies a reminder how life might once have been; one of carefree days spent by the sea, and of quiet nights gazing at the stars. It is a world that doesn't exist anymore and one that many would find hard to go back to.
A reminder of carefree days in the sun, accompanied by the sand and the sea … a world that doesn't exist in Singapore anymore?
This reminder, takes the form of the former residence of the late Howard Edmund Cashin, a prominent lawyer and sportsman in his time. Perched on a pier like structure that stretches over mud flats from an area of the mangrove dominated the north-western shores of Singapore, The Pier, as Mr. Cashin referred to the residence, was one that also boasted of an expansive garden from which one can be serenaded by the songs of the sea. Left vacant following Mr. Cashin's passing in 2009, "The Pier" reminds me of gentler days, of times when the escapes to or taking up residence in seemingly far-flung and idyllic coastal locations across our island seemed the fashion. And, with most of these places since been lost to land reclamation, these are moments and places that we can never again see.
A lost world that reminds us of a Singapore that doesn't exist anymore can be found in Lim Chu Kang.
The lost road to the lost world …
"The Pier" had served Mr Cashin's for close to 50 years. Based on newspaper articles and oral history interviews, I understand that the Cashins, Howard and his wife Gillian, moved in to "The Pier" in the 1960s. It was however well before that that the pier had been constructed, the pier itself having been put up in 1906 by Mr Cashin's father as a means to move rubber from his vast Cashin estate in Lim Chu Kang to Kranji from where it could be transported by road. The house we see on it, was largely added in the 1920s.
The Pier was the home of Mr and Mrs Howard Cashin and was built over a pier which fell to the invading 5th Division of the Japanese Imperial Army in the dark days of February 1942.
The Pier in the 1920s (a scan from The Singapore House, 1819-1942).
"The Pier" is significant from a historical perspective, having been on of the sites where the Japanese Imperial Army's 5th Division first landed on the north-western coastline in the dark days of early February 1942 that was to lead to the eventual fall of Singapore. The site was where the Japanese invaders out-fought the Australian 22nd Brigade. This despite the Australians defending valiantly and having inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese. The battle, fought over the night of the 8th of February, was to see some 360 Australian troops losing their lives in the relatively small area of land around "The Pier". The Japanese were to erect a war shrine at the site. This was something that Mr. Cashin had difficulty removing after the war as it was not easy to find workmen willing to demolish the shrine. Mr. Cashin, in an interview, said that the stone from the pedestal the shrine had stood on was used to construct the road to the house that Mr. Cashin was to add before he moved in in the 1960s.
A view of The Pier from the expansive gardens.
A view of the gardens.
One of the things I was to learn from N. Sivasothi or Siva, who had been kind enough to ask me along for a recce he was conducting of the mangroves close to "The Pier" (see my previous post), was that the then Sultan of Johor (the late father of the current Sultan) was a frequent visitor. His Highness would drop in on the Cashins for tea, coming over by boat across the Straits of Johor; the first of his visits was at low tide and this required the assistance of a huge man in the Sultan's entourage to carry His Highness on his shoulders over the mud of the tidal flats. This, a reminder of times when borders did not exist, both in the physical sense of the word as well as in the minds of many who lived on either side of the Causeway.
The Pier.
A look through the gates ….
With that gentle world now lost, "The Pier" stands as one of the few reminders left of that world. Now vacant, the ownership of "The Pier" has been passed on to the Singapore Land Authority and thankfully, it is not one we would soon be saying goodbye to as often is the case with many abandoned homes that eventually, would fall into decay, the initial word was that it could see use as a field station. I know at least that it will be there to return to. And, while it may not be a return to a place that I once knew, it will be to a place from which I can be transported back to places and times forgotten that would otherwise exist only in the dreams I have of yesterday.
A peek through the grilles at the entrance to the house …
Signs of abandonment.
A peek inside … what would have been the kitchen and dining room.
The living room.
The balcony.
View of the mangrove dominated coastline.
A stariway to the sea … probably one that the Sultan of Johor would have used to ascend from his boat on his visits to the Cashins.
Update on status of the house (source: URA Draft Master Plan 2013 exhibition in Nov/Dec 2013):
Tags: Howard Cashin, Lim Chu Kang, Lim Chu Kang East Mangroves, Lim Chu Kang Lane 9, Local History, Mangrove Swamp, Mangroves, Second World War, Singapore, Singapore History, The Pier, World War II
Categories : Forgotten Buildings, Forgotten Places, Lim Chu Kang, Mangroves, Reminders of Yesterday, Rural Roads, Singapore
The forgotten shores
Lying in the (somewhat) remote and relatively undeveloped north-western corner of Singapore is a world that we seem to have forgotten. It is a world that I had in my younger days, visited on occasion, distracted in my forays into what had seemed like the ends of the earth by the purpose with which I had visited it, first as a boy scout and later as a National Serviceman. It probably has been close to two decades since I last visited the area, and when an opportunity arose to revisit the area over the weekend – the man instrumental in the efforts to cleanup some of the neglected coastal areas in Singapore, N. Sivasothi of the National University of Singapore (NUS), was doing a recce of mangroves in the area which will be the focus of his efforts come August and September of this year and extended an invitation to me to join him, I decided to have a look. I was glad I did, finding that the area was as I had imagined it to be – a lost world that seems far from the Singapore that I have grown accustomed to.
A forgotten world lies along the north-western shores of Singapore.
The forgotten north-western shores of Singapore.
Much of the coastal region around the northwest of Singapore are still dominated by the mangroves that had extended around much of the island's original coastline, a coastline that lies forgotten and somewhat neglected over the years. Access to the mangroves of the area are through roads that lead to the north-west of which the main thoroughfare is Lim Chu Kand Road which ends at an area that seems as remote as one can get to in Singapore, one that is now dominated by a large Police Coast Guard base and a pontoon jetty that is used by fishermen. One of the mangroves that was surveyed was the one that is adjacent to this jetty, accessible over the mud flats that reach out to sea just by the jetty, which is well known for it's giant mud mounds built by the mud lobster. This will be the focus of clean-up efforts on the 6th of August this year, something that Siva does for Singapore around every National Day. The extent of the litter that has washed up and become entrapped within the mangroves was clear just from having a look around and it is wonderful to know that there are efforts to clear the area of all that.
A mangrove forest at the Lim Chu Kang area. Much of Singapore's north-western coastline is still dominated by mangroves that had lined most of Singapore's original coastline.
Mud flats adjacent to the pontoon jetty at Lim Chu Kang end.
Saturday's recce through the Lim Chu Kang mangrove.
Litter washed ashore and entrapped by the mangroves was evident all around. The area will be the focus of clean-up efforts on 6th August 2011.
Another area that was surveyed was a little further to the east, accessible through Lim Chu Kang Lane 9, close to where the late Howard Cashin had his incredible retreat by the mangroves, a building that is built on stilts over the sea and is still there. This I would devote another post to. Adjacent to the plot of land where Cashin built the retreat, runs a stream through the mangroves that would be the focus of attention on International Coastal Cleanup Day on 17th September 2011. Here, the extent of the fouling by debris is again evident, with much of it washed up the stream together with renovation debris that has apparently been dumped there. Although much of the efforts involve volunteers amongst the staff and students at NUS, others are also welcomed to join in. For the effort on 6th August, sign-ups for volunteers can be made at this link.
A view of the mangroves off Lim Chu Kang Lane 9.
Siva in his element ... the mangroves that are very close to his heart.
Siva and Jessica Ker surveying the stream off Lim Chu Kang Lane 9.
Being in what is an area that is abundant with greenery, I was able to also spend a little time to have a look around me and take in some of the joys that the greenery brings. The area is rich in butterflies and my brief visit allowed me to watch a few dance around the abundant flora of the area. I certainly am thankful to Siva for opening a door for me to an area that I have forgotten about and one that I would now certainly have more encounters with.
A male Painted Jezebel.
A female Leopard Lacewing.
A Plain Palm Dart.
A weaver bird's nest.
Tags: Butterflies, Coastal Cleanup, Howard Cashin, International Coastal Cleanup Day, International Coastal Cleanup Singapore 2011, Leopard Lacewing, Lim Chu Kang, Lim Chu Kang East Mangroves, Lim Chu Kang End, Lim Chu Kang Lane 9, Lim Chu Kang Mangroves, Mangrove Swamp, Mangroves, N. Sivasothi, Painted Jezebel, Plain Palm Dart, Singapore Flora and Fauna, Weaver Bird Nest
Categories : Forgotten Places, Lim Chu Kang, Mangroves, North-Western Coastline, Quiet Moments, Reminders of Yesterday, Rural Roads, Singapore


text:
Business & Money | Sunday 27 June, 2021 2:49 am |
Intigral Wins the Global Economics Awards for 2021
With its expansion efforts and advanced capabilities paying off, Intigral, a leading provider of digital entertainment and sports in MENA, has been awarded the prestigious Global Economics Awards for the "Fastest Growing VOD Platform" in 2021 by the UK-based Global Economics Limited, a business publication renowned internationally for its detailed analysis of various industries around the world. The well-earned tier-1 award positions Intigral as one of the region's top-class companies who have been celebrated by the Global Economics magazine as leaders in their respective fields.
Decided by a highly qualified team of researchers and industry experts, the Global Economics awards is a testament to Intigral's fruitful endeavours and smart investments powering up its premier Jawwy TV platform that is recognized for its world-class performance. With the growing demand for digital entertainment being readily available at the touch of the user's fingertips, Intigral has been enhancing its cloud-based products and digital services, in addition to scaling up Jawwy TV's extensive library of popular Arabic and Western shows and programs with even more exclusives and originals. Bringing excellent content through its state-of-the-art digital platform, the company has been steadily penetrating new markets as part of its expansion strategy across the MENA region.
In line with the Saudi Vision 2030, Intigral consistently strives to enhance the digital entertainment industry and improve the quality of life across the Kingdom. For that purpose, it relies on its unique talent driving its exceptional performance and developing advanced strategies that give it a competitive edge. The Global Economics Awards highlights the effectiveness of Intigral's approach to its mission, delivering authentic entertainment content to more audiences and achieving global recognition in the process.
In pursuit of the company's goals to elevate the digital entertainment sector in the Kingdom and the region, its highly-accomplished leadership and strategists devise optimal solutions to ensure viewers receive top-quality content, all while attracting new subscribers and boosting its market penetration across MENA. Marking its journey with yet another world-class achievement, Intigral solidifies its position as the region's digital entertainment powerhouse, keeping pace with the latest technology trends and exceeding customers' expectations.
Intigral's top executives share industry insights at the BroadcastPro Summit and awards 2021
Tuesday 30 November, 2021 12:01
stc Group wins MENA Effie 2021 Gold Awards
Sunday 28 November, 2021 8:40
Following a successful H1, Intigral focussed on further enhancing its value propositions for H2 2021.
Monday 2 August, 2021 1:17
Bahri consolidates industry leadership with three wins at The Maritime Standard Awards 2021 in Dubai
Wednesday 24 November, 2021 10:02
Saudia wins World's Most Improved Airline award for 2021
Wednesday 29 September, 2021 1:08

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Tuxophorus är ett släkte av kräftdjur. Tuxophorus ingår i familjen Euryphoridae.

Kladogram enligt Catalogue of Life:

Källor

Hoppkräftor
Tuxophorus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Is Windows 10 The Final Piece Of Microsoft's Strategy?
Windows 10 – Microsoft's Cloud Strategy
By all reports, Windows 10 is a resounding success. Microsoft reported that 14 million users downloaded the latest version of its operating system in its first 24 hours of availability. That number is ten times higher than launch-day downloads of Windows 8. Independent sources confirm that Windows 10 now has a 3.5% market share in the desktop computer market, just 2 weeks after launch. While many of these downloads are users taking advantage of the free upgrade option from earlier versions of Windows, this is part of Microsoft's larger "mobile-first, cloud-first" strategy and in the long term will drive increased revenue for the company.
A key goal for Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella is driving growth of Office 365. Now it's clear why: it's reported office 365 customers pay up to 80% more than those using on-premise versions of applications like Exchange, SharePoint, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The reason customers pay more is that Office 365 has a subscription licensing model (rent software) versus an upfront perpetual license (buy software) model. With cloud versions of Microsoft's signature productivity suite, companies can also provide access to improved collaboration features and give employees access to these tools from any Internet-connected mobile device.
These and other benefits of Office 365 are driving increased adoption by companies. Skyhigh Networks analyzed cloud usage for 21 million corporate users and found that 87.3% of Fortune 500 companies have at least 100 Office 365 users. However, Microsoft still needs to expand their user base within these accounts. At these companies only 6.8% of users have been migrated from legacy on-premise applications to Office 365. After using Windows 10, it's clear that the new operating system is going to play a significant role in increasing adoption for Microsoft's cloud products. More than any other OS on the market, Microsoft has embedded capabilities that tightly integrate with the cloud.
The most significant aspect of Windows 10 is that it's a unified operating system for mobile devices, tablets, and PCs. Applications for Windows 10, dubbed "Universal Apps," adjust to different screen sizes, not unlike how a responsive website adjusts for different browser sizes. That opens the door to using phones and other devices as full-fledged PCs. Let me explain. Think about how many employees arrive at work with their laptop and plug into a docking station with a screen, keyboard, and mouse attached. Next, consider that many mobile devices today are as powerful as a laptop computer. Windows 10 supports a new feature called Continuum that allows you to plug in a desktop monitor (or stream wirelessly) from your phone. On the larger screen, the apps and desktop from you phone project in desktop mode.
If you're viewing a Microsoft Excel file on your Windows 10 phone and plug in to a large monitor, the screen and controls adjust to those that work with a keyword and mouse. That lets you continue where you left off and take advantage of the larger screen size. If there's one killer feature in Windows 10, it's this. Companies that provide employees with a laptop and a phone will now be able to consolidate and provide employees with one single device that performs both functions. That will drive their costs down, and improve their employees' productivity. In order for workers to take advantage of this feature using Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, they need the Office Universal App, which requires an Office 365 subscription.
Another capability expected to drive Office 365 adoption is that Microsoft has built deeper integration with the cloud directly into the operating system. Cortana, Microsoft's answer to Siri, is a now full-fledged personal assistant on the desktop. Users can talk to Cortana out loud, and Cortana also plans their day by integrating with their calendar in Office 365. For example, Cortana proactively reminds users to leave for an upcoming meeting based on how long it will take to get there in current traffic conditions. Microsoft has also embedded deeper integration with OneDrive into the operating system, and customers with Office 365 will be able to backup their employees' devices directly to OneDrive.
Companies already store business-critical data in OneDrive including business plans, financial documents, employee records, health records, and other confidential data. While this is a positive signal that companies are relying on the cloud to run their businesses, it also signals that security could derail cloud projects. A recent study by the Cloud Security Alliance found that concerns about security hold back cloud projects for 73% of companies. While many cloud providers including Microsoft are very secure, some IT leaders are concerned because while the risk is low, the consequences can be severe. A study by the Ponemon Institute found that the average cost of a data breach increased 23% in the last 2 years to $3.8 million.
To counteract concerns about security, Microsoft has included an array of sophisticated new security capabilities into Windows 10. Probably the most exciting is a new biometric identification system that provides access to your device and even third party websites and apps via your unique fingerprint or face. Windows 10 devices will be shipping with fingerprint readers and new 3D front-facing cameras that perform facial recognition. Microsoft Passport will allow Windows users to login to thousands of apps using their face or fingerprint, replacing passwords that are easily stole by hackers. With Windows 10, it's clear Microsoft is making a major push into the cloud market and working to resolve security concerns holding back cloud adoption.
By Harold Byun
Harold Byun
Harold is currently VP of Product Management at Skyhigh Networks. Prior to Skyhigh, he worked at MobileIron where he focused on mobile application delivery and security. Prior to MobileIron, he led the product management group at Zenprise (acquired by Citrix), where he launched their mobile DLP product and cloud offering to market. He also worked with the Vontu/Symantec DLP group and is the co-inventor on a patent filed for security risk visualization and scoring.
skyhighnetworks.com
The Problem with Cyberhygiene
Cyberhygiene Dangers It is a quirk of human nature that we have a hard time contemplating abstract notions of danger, especially when it is introduced to us by others. In the simplest of examples, imagine ...
Lessons Learned When Moving to the Cloud
Moving to the Cloud Lessons At Leostream, we work with organizations around the globe that are moving workloads to the cloud. These organizations span a wide range of industries, vary in company size, and typically ...
A Winning Data Strategy Series Part 3: From Data-driven To An Insight-driven Organization
Insight-driven Organization This is the third piece of a 5-part series on plugging the obvious but overlooked gaps in achieving digital success through a refined data strategy. Data is essential, yes. But the whole idea ...
Episode 1: Why Small and Medium Sized Businesses Need an MSP
Small and Medium Sized Businesses Need an MSP Small and medium-sized businesses don't enjoy the benefits of a large IT department. What should they consider when it comes to handing over their data to a ...
Four Ways to Improve Cybersecurity and Ensure Business Continuity
Four Ways to Improve Cybersecurity Cyber-attacks on businesses have become common place. In fact, it's estimated that a cyber-attack occurs every 39 seconds. Who are the targets of these attacks? You might think that it's ...
The California Consumer Privacy Act: What You Should Know
The California Consumer Privacy Act GDPR or the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation effectively altered the way that businesses interact with European citizens. It doesn't matter whether a company is located within the boundaries ...


text:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<InterchangeStudentGrade xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns="http://ed-fi.org/0100"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://ed-fi.org/0100 ../../../../../../../sli/edfi-schema/src/main/resources/edfiXsd-SLI/SLI-Interchange-StudentGrade.xsd">

    <Action ActionType="DELETE" Cascade="false" Force="true" LogViolations="true">

        <CompetencyLevelDescriptor>
            <CodeValue>Incompetent</CodeValue>
            <Description>Student does not understand anything</Description>
            <PerformanceBaseConversion>Well Below Basic</PerformanceBaseConversion>
        </CompetencyLevelDescriptor>
    </Action>

    </InterchangeStudentGrade>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


if you have been scammed there maybe still time to recover your money. Recover from binary best binary options brokers options scams.how Will I be best binary options brokers Alerted to New Signals? No installation is required. Once a new signal appears, tablet device or mobile phone. You can access the software on any computer, unlike other software, you just need to place the trade in your broker account.
AnyOption: Anyoption com trade binary options usa " " 200.,.,,.,.
The IQ Option tournaments have been discontinued on November 1, 2017, due to regulatory rules imposed by CySEC. Tournaments are subject to Terms Conditions. Classic (Vanilla) Options In addition to binary options, IQ Option offers classic options American style Calls and Puts on 500 assets.
USA: Best binary options brokers!
What are Binary Options? Binary Options For Dummies: A Binary Option is an option whose payoff is either a fixed amount or zero. For example, there could be a binary option that pays 200 if a hurricane hits Miami before a specified date and zero.
,,.they were generally considered "exotic" instruments and there was no liquid market for trading these instruments between their issuance and expiration. Non Exchange Traded Binary Options Binary options contracts have long been available over-the-counter (OTC nadex binary options for beginners i.e.) sold best binary options brokers directly by the issuer to the buyer.
Can you make money binary options!
binary brokers often do not best binary options brokers want you to do that. Find a way to trade automated. Consequently most do not offer a platform or API for automated trading. But they all have a web interface.if you wanted a binary outcome, hes best binary options brokers competing with other brokers. When you also can trade serious instruments instead? But why would you want to trade binary options anyway, a broker has not the freedom of arbitrarily reducing the payout.
check the best binary options brokers brokers opportunity to manipulate the price curve : the more customers they have and the more bets they handle, keep the account balance small. Make test withdrawals before you deposit large amounts.
60 5. 50 best binary options brokers 10. ().


text:
U.S. Seventh Circuit
US v. Dooley, No. 08-4131
By FindLaw Staff on August 21, 2009 3:17 PM
Conviction of defendant-police officer for stealing from evidence locker of the police department is affirmed in part and reversed in part where: 1) the government failed to prove an element of a wire fraud charge, specifically, that the defendant transmitted or caused to be transmitted a wire communication; 2) district court did not err in finding sufficiency of the indictment under FRCP 7(c)(1); 3) the court did not abuse its discretion in the exclusion of evidence about possible previous robberies as irrelevant; 4) district court did not err in refusing to give a proposed jury instruction as defendant was not entitled to a theory-of-defense jury instruction where the proposed instruction was not an accurate statement of the law and defendant's recantation defense is unsupported by evidence in the case. Defendant's sentence is vacated and remanded for resentencing.
Read US v. Dooley, No. 08-4131
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
Argued May 27, 2009
Decided August 20, 2009
Before Cudhay, Ripple, and Wood, Circuit Judges
Opinion by Ripple, Circuit Judge.


Here's a new video explaining how to do distance healing The video is also available in French I may produce a Spanish version in the future. You can request distance healing here Get our best-selling e-book Sexual Magnetism Blueprint, previously sold $147, now for FREE!
Are you worthy without a relationship?


text:
Q: How do I send an email to my gmail using python? I am using this following code however I keep getting an error.. what am I doing wrong.,
import os
import smtplib

sender_email = "myemail@gmail.com"
rec_email = "myemail@gmail.com"
username = "myemail@gmail.com"
password = input(str("EnterPassword"))
message = "Hey, this was sent using python"
server = smtplib.SMTP('smtp.gmail.com', 587)
server.starttls()
print("connected")
server.login(username,password)
print("Login success")
server.sendmail(sender_email,rec_email,message)
print("Email has been sent")

Error:
connected
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/<user>/PycharmProjects/Report/main.py", line 12, in <module>
    server.login(username,password)
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Python37_64\lib\smtplib.py", line 730, in login
    raise last_exception
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Python37_64\lib\smtplib.py", line 721, in login
    initial_response_ok=initial_response_ok)
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Python37_64\lib\smtplib.py", line 642, in auth
    raise SMTPAuthenticationError(code, resp)
smtplib.SMTPAuthenticationError: (535, b'5.7.8 Username and Password not accepted. Learn more at\n5.7.8  https://support.google.com/mail/?p=BadCredentials q15sm575467pje.29 - gsmtp')

Process finished with exit code 1

A: First of all, make sure your gmail email and password is correct. Verify by login through a browser.
Then try adding an Extended HELO (ehlo) message after you set up your server.
server = smtplib.SMTP('smtp.gmail.com', 587)
server.ehlo()
server.starttls()

Besides, gmail requires you to:

*

*Allow less secure apps. Link Here

*Display Unlock captcha. Link Here

Only after these steps, gmail allows third party libraries to allow SMTP login.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Ashley Laminates was founded by Keith Waddington and Peter Pellandine in 1955.
Peter Pellandine's house "Ashleigh" in Woodford Green.
Their first premises were a small garage adjacent to the Robin Hood Public House, Epping New Road, Loughton. Despite the Loughton address, the premises were actually located about a mile from the town within Epping Forest.


text:
The Christian ethos of the school is deeply embedded and impacts significantly upon pupils' lives and their
achievements.
Collective worship is at the heart of the school and this continually serves to strengthen its Christian
Pupils develop a strong sense of spirituality through opportunities for both reflection and prayer as they
progress through the school.
The school's Christian care and support for each individual ensures pupils are keen to learn and behave very
well. It also impacts positively on the strong quality of the relationships evident at every level across the
school community.
Religious education (RE) and collective worship make valuable and sustained contributions to the Christian
ethos of the school and to the good spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils.
Worship is a cherished and inspiring part of school life and has a significant impact upon pupils' spiritual and moral
growth and how they develop as individuals.
These statements have been taken from our last 'Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools' (SIAMS) report from 2018 which can be found here: SIAMS Report 2018
Our daily life incorporates the following Christian values:
St Aidan's is a Church of England Aided School. This means it is owned by the Church but has financial 'aid' from the state. As a Church of England School there is a special relationship between church and school. At St Aidan's there is mutual support between the diocese of Newcastle and Durham, the Parish of Bensham, with its parish Church, St Chad's, Bensham, St Aidan's Church in the Teams and the school. The clergy from the area play an active part in school life on a daily basis e.g. conducting services, governing body, running school clubs etc.
A Church School has a distinctive ethos because we aim to emphasise Christian values. We want the school always to reflect God's love for each individual through its atmosphere of welcome, care, reassurance and service. We hope by doing so to show the relevance of Christianity to the children's lives.
Newsletter 28th September 2017
by Mrs Lee | Sep 28, 2017
To view the latest newsletter please click on the following link: Newsletter 28th September 2017
Newsletter 21st September 2017
To view our latest newsletter, click on the following link: Newsletter 21st September 2017
Year 6 Eucharist Service
by Mr Thorogood | Sep 12, 2017
We listened to the story of Moses when he was looking after his father in law's sheep. He travelled further than normal and discovered a burning bush which was still whole and not disintegrating. A voice came out of the bush and said, "Moses take your shoes off, this...
Year 6 Leaver's Eucharist
by Mr Thorogood | Jul 18, 2017
A beautiful summer's day welcomed our end of the year Eucharist, with a special theme of wishing our Year 6 children the best in the future. Reverend Meg led our service discussing what the children could hope for as they moved from one class to the next, and how we...
Y3 Synagogue visit
by Mrs Lee | Jun 22, 2017
As part of our RE topic 'Judaism', we visited Newcastle Reform Synagogue this morning. We found out all about the Jewish faith, including its origins, traditions, festivals, prayers, food rules and dress codes. We were shown the Torah scrolls in the Ark and even...
Year 3's First Holy Communion
by Mrs Lee | Apr 5, 2017
by Mrs Lee | Mar 7, 2017
In preparation for taking their first Holy Communion in a few weeks time, eleven Year 3 children were today baptized at St Aidan's. Reverend Meg performed the service and the children were supported by their parents, godparents, family and school friends. It was a...
Reverend Cameron's Visit to St. Aidan's!
by Mr Moore | Mar 3, 2017
Entry to Communion
by Mrs Lee | Jan 24, 2017
Traditionally children at St Aidan's have been given the opportunity to take their first communion in Year 3 and this year is no different. The service will take place in April and Entry to Communion preparation classes have already begun, led by Mrs...


Venus is a grotesque that dates all the way back to 1907, making it one of the oldest sans-serif typefaces I've featured on Typewolf. Early sans-serifs like this tend to look like serif typefaces with the serifs hacked off. Notice how the terminals on the a and s are sheared off at a sharp angle. Venus is also considered a high-waisted design due to the high crossbar noticeable on the uppercase letters such as the H and B. If you are sick of Helvetica, then Venus is about as far from Helvetica as you can get for the grotesque genre.


As you can see in the above shot, I've got the MGM DVD set, two of the three Scream Factory Collections and a trio of Kino-Lorber offerings in The Oblong Box, Madhouse and House Of The Long Shadows. I watched those latter two somewhat recently, so they were out. From there, I focused on the most important aspect of a film: run time!
I kid, of course, but after wasting so much time trying to figure out what to watch, I figured I didn't have much time before falling asleep on the couch only to wake up confused and drooling. Laziness wound up working for me though, as it lead directly to the second Scream Factory Collection's first film: The Raven!
I'd avoided this one over Last Man On Earth, Dr. Phibes Rises Again!, Return Of The Fly, House On Haunted Hill (an all-time fave) and even The Tomb Of Ligeia because I thought it was a straight-ahead Poe adaptation. I was delighted to find out that it's not only a Roger Corman-directed flick, but also a comedy! If you're not sold yet, the film also stars Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and a young Jack Nicholson! The plot revolves around a pair of magicians (Price and Lorre) and their kids paying a visit to Karloff's more out-there magician.
We begin with Price thinking about his beloved Lenore and a mysterious black bird appearing. However, this one's a wise-acre who's actually Lorre's cranky, shady magician. After getting him back to his human form, Price agrees to see the man responsible, Karloff, accompanied by his own daughter and Lorre's son (Nicholson). Once there, the magic really starts to flow once they get there, backs get stabbed and Price — who's played most of the film as the straight man — coming into his own as a more responsible and powerful wizard culminating in a mostly dialog-free supernatural battle between Karloff and Price at the end.
Don't expect the kinds of special effects we're used to these days, of course, but I really enjoyed how much Corman did with what was surely a limited budget, but a nice bag of classic filmmaking tricks that produced a movie that I'm now excited to own!
If you're wondering whether I fell asleep or not during Raven, I definitely did. Luckily, the children distracted themselves enough on Sunday to allow me to finish and also watch Tower Of London altogether! This one, from the third Scream Factory collection, also comes from director Roger Corman. I watched an interview with him before checking out the picture itself and it was interesting to hear him talk about how they wanted to take their approach to Poe, but mix it up by using Shakespeare's Richard III as a jumping-off point.
Fun fact, I've never read that play, so this one was all surprises (except for the fact that I started this one sometime in the last few years, but turned it off…or fell asleep). Anyway, Price plays Richard, whose brother, the king, is about to die. King Bro announces that he'd like their other brother to serve as the realm's protector until the oldest prince comes of age. Not a fan of this move, Richard offs his younger brother and then anyone else who gets in his way!
Though he gets what he wanted, Richard finds himself haunted by his victims and potential ones. I'm a big fan of the double exposure ghosts, especially when used in black and white that looks super crisp (even if Corman would have preferred to work in color). There's a great scene towards the end with grown-ups trying to get the prince and his family out of the castle that was tense and ultimately less than fully successful. The film then ends with the mad king declaring war and waging into the battlefield himself. I won't spoil it, but I really appreciated how Corman ended this film — bolstered with footage from the Universal film of the same name. Of course, it helps when you've got an actor like Price who can murder every scene possible!


The below games were annotated by our very own Cyrus Lakdawala, for one of his many chess books, which you can buy from the club. These games were provided as book samples by Everyman Chess. The pgn files used are attached to this post to provide examples of annotated pgns.
This first game is from A Ferocious Opening Repertoire, a repertoire book based on the Veresov Opening.
This second game is from Cyrus's recent book Kramnik: Move by Move, a book which studies some of Vladimir Kramnik's great games.