Plaza Ampang Rooftop Blown Off

Strong wind has blown off the rooftop of Plaza Ampang, located next to Empire Tower ... hehe
Actualy, Plaza Ampang (previously known as Yow Chuan Plaza) is undergoing full re-furbishment right from the top down to the bottom. I saw four heavy machineries on the rooftop and were knocking down the walls.

In the first place, how did the four vehicles got up to the rooftop? Hooked up by a much bigger heavyweight crane?
Tags: Plaza Ampang, Yow Chuan Plaza, Kuala Lumpur, Empire Tower, Shopping Centre, Rooftop

Melamine Poisoning in Children

Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a hard, plastic made from melamine and formaldehyde by polymerization. This plastic is often used in kitchen utensils and plates, often called melamine wares. It may also used as table lining such as formica. Being fire resistant, it has been made into fibres of fire resistant clothes that firemen use.

Aside from common commercial uses, melamine became a topic of much discussion in early 2007, when veterinary scientists determined it to be the cause of hundreds of pet deaths, because of pet food contamination. Prior to these reports, melamine had been regarded as non-toxic or minimally toxic. However, because of the unexplained presence of melamine in wheat gluten added to mass-produced dog and cat foods, it is the most likely cause. Pet owners report symptoms that are commonly associated with renal failure, which could be explained by the ammonia that may result from the digestion of the melamine.

Time magazine 17 September 2008 mentions “the material — in powdered form — has also come into use by certain unscrupulous food companies as a cheap and abundant filler substance for products ranging from livestock feed to pet food — and now, apparently, to baby formula. In some tests used to determine the nutritional value of a foodstuff, melamine shows up as a protein — so manufacturers can use the compound to make their products appear more nutritious. Melamine is not toxic, but inside the body it can cause kidney stones and renal failure.” The FDA database concurs.

Another Time report 16 September 2008 states that “On September 17, Chinese Health Ministry authorities announced that over 6200 babies had fallen ill, many developing kidney stones, from drinking milk made from toxic powder. At least three have died, and more than 50 remain in serious condition. Officials have said the number of victims could climb, the China Daily reported. Chinese authorities say the milk powder, produced by Chinese dairy giant Sanlu Group, was contaminated with melamine, a chemical used in making plastics. Melamine has been illegally added to food products in China to boost their apparent protein content.” The company started recalling its product on 11 September 2008, a too little, too late to save those who have died and countless others who will suffer kidney problems now or in the future. It was suspected that the company has received complaints about their milk in December 2007.

Sanlu Group has issued an apology statement (English version-google translation) and shut down their website till further notice.

The World Health Organisation has this to say:-
What are the health effects of melamine consumptions in humans?

While there are no direct human studies on the effect of melamine data from animal studies can be used to predict adverse health effects. Melamine alone causes bladder stones in animal tests. When combined with cyanuric acid, which may also be present in melamine powder, melamine can form crystals that can give rise to kidney stones.

These small crystals can also block the small tubes in the kidney potentially stoppingthe production of urine, causing kidney failure and, in some cases, death. Melamine has also been shown to have carcinogenic effects in animals in certain circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on carcinogenic risk in humans.

What are the symptoms and signs of melamine poisoning?

Irritability, blood in urine, little or no urine, signs of kidney infection, high blood pressure.

What is the treatment for kidney stones and kidney failure?

Patients may receive various types of treatment, depending on the severity of the kidney effects. Treatment may include infusion of fluids and urine alkalinisation, correction of electrolyte and acid-base disturbance, haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, or surgical removal of kidney stones.

Dr Alex Tang has seen a few children brought in by parents who are afraid their children has melamine poisoning (he practises paediatrics in Malaysia).

His advice is:-
(1) There is no need to panic. Most infant formula in Malaysia are sourced from Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Check with the local papers to see if your children have been drinking milk that are on the banned item list.

(2) Eating from melamine plates and bowls do not cause melamine poisoning.

(3) Bring your child to see a doctor only if your child has been drinking milk on these banned list in the last twelve months. It is not necessary for you to bring your child if your child has drunk a glass of the ‘banned’ milk or eaten a White Rabbit candy ten years ago! (Johnny Ong has eaten this candy many times before too ............ aaaaarrrrggghhh!!)

(4) Your doctor may suggest a urine test if he or she suspects anything. The urine test is a good screening for injury to the kidneys.

Keep up with the latest with google news.

Related posts -
* Malaysia Slow in Responding to Tainted Milk Products
* Food Linked to China's Milk Scandal
Tags: Melamine Poisoning, Melamine Resin, Melamine Formaldehyde, China, FDA, World Health Organisation, Baby Formula, Infant Formula, Protein, Sanlu Group, Kidney Failure, White Rabbit Candy

Rapid Train Crashed in Kuala Lumpur

This accident has now been recorded in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the first Light Rail Transit ("LRT") accident in Malaysia (LRT is only found in Kuala Lumpur).

A manned LRT can crash into another LRT which has stopped further in front at another LRT station. Time of accident - 6.30pm, which was still very bright. This is incredible!

Six poor souls were injured in the mishap. That operator in that train, if found to be reckless, should be penalised as if he was driving a car / bus. Otherwise there is no law against them besides being reprimanded by his employer, RapidKL. Will they tell us the truth?

Although RapidKL did provide buses from the Bandar Tasik Selatan station to the last three stations, affected passengers who would have alighted at the three remaining stations still have to pay for the bus services even though they were holding the monthly travel pass. No refund? And the bus was packed like sardines as experienced by a victim, Vialentino.

Our Malaysian Transport Minister said that immediate attention and treatment was provided as the injured passengers were brought to hospital. Somehow he was caught by his words again. Politicians!

Noticed that the picture is already showing us a night scene which was definitely way past 7.30pm. Mr. Minister, I think it's better that you wait for the investigation report before you say anything else.

Reading: Six injured in LRT accident - Star (source of pics too)
Tags: LRT, Light Rail Transit, Kuala Lumpur, LRT Accident, RapidKL, Bandar Tasik Selatan, Sungai Besi, Bukit Jalil, Sri Petaling, LRT Station

Your Dung Could Be Commercialised

Do you know that your dung / shit / human waste/ biosolids (look at that number of names) could be commercialised? Yeah, the shit that you poo-poo for the umpteenth years could make you rich.

The city of San Antonio in USA has found out that their residents could produce 140,000 tonnes of dung / shit / human waste/ biosolids a year.

After some research, the city's water system’s board of trustees found out that such useless thingy could actually generate income more than what you could have thought of. Such useless thingy could actually produce a by-product called methane gas.

From that 140,000 tonnes a year, it could generate 1.5 million cubic feet of methane gas per day. It doesn't stop there, this gas could be used to fuel furnaces, power plants and other combustion-based generators. My ... my .. what a discovery.

So, the city appointed Ameresco Inc to design, engineer, permit, construct, own, operate, manage and maintain the gas conditioning and distribution facility and the pipelines necessary to transfer and sell the gas to commercial natural gas pipelines. This is what I call innovation and creativity. Create something out of nothing that would have been flushed away down the sewerage system way out to the sea ............................. oops!

Now I have to start collecting my stuff ............ daily. Want to contribute? Joint-venture at the very least? It's a good venture as the price could be as high as US$9.00 per cubic feet.

After collecting it, need to find a safe place to keep it as smelling too much of your dung / shit / human waste/ biosolids could actually kill you besides making you rich - reading: Two kids among five killed by methane gas - MSNBC.

Reading: Ameresco Executes Historic Renewable Energy Contract
Tags: Dung, Shit, Human Waste, Biosolids, San Antonio, USA, Ameresco Inc, Methane Gas, Renewable Energy, Environment, Natural Gas, Biogas, Cubic Feet

Guess the Sports' Name

I think not many people can tell me the names of the two sports as shown below:-Tags: Sports

Handicap Driver Being Taken Advantage

Looks like Malaysia has many 'handicap' drivers (pun intended). The way they parked their cars render them to be mentioned as such. Taking advantage of the services provided for the real handicap people is really too much.
Related post - Handicap Driver
Tags: Handicap Driver, Car Park

Malaysia Slow in Responding to Tainted Milk Products

Malaysia's two main dairy products companies have issued statements with regards to the tainted milk / dairy products in China.

Nestle Malaysia Berhad - assures consumers and customers that all its products are safe for consumption. Mentioned that its powder based dairy products in Malaysia are sourced from Europe, Australia and New Zealand and USA.

Nestle headquarters in Switzerland - expresses confidence that none of its products in China is made from milk adulterated with melamine.

But it did qualify its statement with this paragraph -
In general terms, melamine is found throughout the food chain across the world in minute traces which do not represent any health risk for consumers. There is a generally accepted tolerable daily intake of melamine in food in the EU (0.5mg/kg of body weight/day) and in the US (0.63mg/kg of body weight/day). The lowest level of melamine traces which can be measured by commonly-used testing equipment (2 ppm) is 20 times below these internationally-recognised safety limits. In other words, based on this 2 ppm value, a three year-old child would have to consume over 40 litres of milk every day to exceed these safety limits.

Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad - gave assurance that products ranging from powders and liquid are safe for consumption and free from melamine contamination.

Both Tesco and Carrefour in Malaysia are still awaiting for directives from the Ministry of Health. As blogged earlier, there was nothing mentioned in the said ministry's website.

Latest product that could be affected is Mengniu's brand, Monmilk.

Reading: Supermarts to start clearing shelves - Star
Related post - Food Linked to China's Milk Scandal
Tags: Malaysia, Milk Product, Dairy Product, Mengniu, Monmilk, Nestle Malaysia Berhad, Nestle, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad, Melamine Contamination, Tesco, Carrefour