InVinoVeritas

Some good news:-

Malaysia to help waterbomb Sumatra fires (Video) | New Straits Times | Malaysia General Business Sports and Lifestyle News

meinkl

I was out a sea today off Klang and visability was less than 1 km so i think they will need a lot of water!

Pollyana

Indonesia has now asked for international assistance - Australia is sending water-bombing aircraft and crews, and apparently other countries are getting involved as well.

Rodi

Way too late for help. Haze is permanent or at least a 6 out of 12 month occurrence as readings remain from 300 to 800 in the Indoensian hot spot areas. Seems imminent that Penang will enter the "dry season" with gray dead sky, tinges of hazy sunshine and limited visibility that will probably never return to normal since they will start next year's spring burning by the time nature extinguishes this year's mess. Really makes for a great tourist draw.

Hilarious article yesterday:

PM is in Indonesia to discuss "bilateral cooperation with Indonesia for the purposes of the palm oil industry." Their PM admits he's "a bit embarrassed" about this year's environmental disaster that continues to pound Malaysia's economy not to mention the health of everyone. As of today there are zero green readings anywhere in all of peninsular Malayisa.

Response to potentially preventing this from happening for 18 more years is comical: "it would cost 40 times more to clear the land without slash and burn".

Even funnier: Malaysia offers help to teach them the right way to do it since legal methods of clearing that don't ruin the nation's air quality are already being practiced in Malaysia's (much smaller) regions that are cleared for Palm production.

Their response: see the quote above and read between the lines.

Pollyana

Ofher countries cannot send assistance until they are asked for it.

I know we have plenty of fires over here which would take tge aircraft back if you don't want them.

Rodi

Not sure who this response is aimed at. It's not my country so I don't have any personal stake one way or the other.

Pollyana

You said it was too late for help, I was merely pointing out why the 'help' didn't arrive sooner.

For someone with no personal stake in the place you sure are getting touchy about it!

Rodi

Yes I agree. But there's no sense in rehashing what we know. They don't want help because they don't really care. Slash and burn generates billions for the elite few that run their economy and 80 million people are just collateral damage. It's the same as how the USA just murdered (oh sorry, accidentally killed) more than a dozen doctors from Doctors Without Borders when they "accidentally" missed their target in Afghanistan, only on a much larger scale

InVinoVeritas

For Rodi:-

Consumers can play a role to prevent haze from recurring - Views | The Star Online

Davita

One of the problems with the remedy advised by the 'Star' reporter is that no-one seems to know which companies are applying good practice and which are not.
If consumers embargo products from the responsible companies they may be 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'.
This Indonesian Gov't has only been in office about a year and are seriously attempting to find a solution. It just cannot be solved instantly...unless it rains.

BEVS

That is a very fair point Davita.

I do actually try my best to be mindful of what I buy with regards to palm oil products but I can quite see that by doing that I may also be putting responsible companies under stress, thereby allowing irresponsible companies more room in the consumer marketplace.

Davita

It isn't only palm oil companies that slash and burn but also pulp and paper companies. You might be wiping your bum with a paper product from a slash/burn company...or a responsible company like SinerMas.
I can tell the difference...the former causes a burning sensation... or could that be the curry I'd eat the previous night.

The oversimplified report reminds me when Russia's Putin decided to deny gay parades during the winter Olympics. Gays in San Francisco embargo'd all Stolichnaya vodka...and they previously drank a lot..not knowing that USA imported Stolichnaya is made in Latvia...a reasonably friendly gay country....
from Wiki....'In 1992, soon after Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union, homosexuality was decriminalised. The age of consent is 16 regardless of gender and/or sexuality.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolichnaya

InVinoVeritas

Great post Davita, but I never know whether you're just making stuff up

Davita

Glad my post found some enjoyment, glad you even read it.... but I confess...I'm not smart enough to make this stuff up..... not by half

Gay Bar Lifts Ban On Stoli Vodka, Boycott Ends / Queerty

If I were that clever I'd probably land a job as Donald Trump's speech writer...hmmm...there's a novel idea.

InVinoVeritas

Actually the more unbelievable something is, then the more likely it is to be true. On the other hand your sense of humour is....I can't find quite the right word.