Friday Frolics - How's Your Attention Span?

Just when I thought it's going to be a sunny day today, alas, it's not to be. Yes, it's still hazy out there here in Kuala Lumpur despite the readings.

We haven't had real sunshine since the haze started a month ago. I miss the sparrows chirping outside too and the pigeons in flight in groups. This morning was the sunniest these past weeks.

I have a shot taken this morning to show for it.

Talk about attention span, the weather I mean, this week's personality quiz is just about that - attention span - but you already know how you fare. Take the quiz anyway to see if it matches your real attention span.

Happy Friday!

Your Attention Span is Long

Your attention span is amazingly long. You can concentrate well, and your mind doesn't stray easily. Even if you have a mundane task to complete, you can get it done easily. Because you don't get distracted, you accomplish more than most people. Your self discipline is your greatest strength. You can will yourself to do almost anything. All you have to do is put your mind to it.

How's Your Attention Span?

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Last Week's Quiz: The Quilt Test

Malaysia Haze Index Today

From where I am, Kuala Lumpur, the haze is still bad. I know because I still need shades when I go out even though the sun is just a dull orange ball in the sky.

But surprisingly the API reading on DOE's website shows otherwise. In fact, it looks very good on the chart. Take a look..

Except for Port Dickson with a reading of 103, it's either green or blue everywhere else.

Source: DOE

Yesterday, the haze was so bad in Langkawi that flights were not allowed to take off with visibility at just 500km.

I also read the other day the haze is also affecting migratory birds making their annual journey here to escape the winter of east Asia - China, South Korea and Japan. Malaysia is one of the places these birds escape to. As migratory birds use the stars to guide them in their long distance flight south, the haze could make their flight difficult.

Today, there is a news report that the people of Songkhla had sent a letter of complaint to Indonesia. People over there are affected by the choking haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia. The letter, among others, stated that the haze had started to take its toll on public health.

The Air Pollutant Index readings in seven southern districts of Thailand on Tuesday were 210 in Satun (dangerous to health), Songkhla 163 (dangerous to health), Phuket 136 (dangerous to health), Pattani 102 (moderate), Yala 97 (moderate), Narathiwat 72 (moderate) and Surat Thani 59 (moderate). - Bernama


Source: The Star

Gretsch Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar

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For you, who are familiar with guitars, here's some guitar lingo you would understand:

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Better yet, have a listen to the beautiful sound of a Gretsch. Enjoy!

Friday Frolics - The Quilt Test and KL Psi - The Haze

This week's personality quiz is The Quilt Test or rather on patterns and colors and what your choice of them say about your personality. Pick the quilt that you like best to find out.

At this time of the year in this part of the world the Haze is one thing that's a part of life whether we like it or not. It affects everyone. We had some rain yesterday but still not good enough to rid the smog here in the capital city and the Klang Valley though other parts of the country are seeing better air quality today. And no sunshine today.

Image source: DOE


Here's The Quilt Test. Happy Friday, everyone!

You Are Connected

You are a mild-mannered, friendly, and social person. You value others and enjoy having lots of friends. You are simply happy to be in the company of those you know. You try to be as easy to get along with as possible. You comfort others with your sweet and gentle way of being. You do your best to never be harsh or cross. If you have to be honest with someone, you are never brutal. You communicate kindly and effectively. You find warmth in human relationships, especially if there is a high degree of reciprocity. Your friends tend to be as compassionate as you are. You enjoy the process of connecting with another person, and you believe that we are all interesting in our own ways.

Now your turn, take

The Quilt Test

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Last Week's Quiz: What Flavor Cupcake Are You?

Haze Update Kuala Lumpur and around Malaysia today

Yesterday's psi was bad, today's psi is worse. I found a new use for my sunglasses when outdoors in this haze - never mind the stares. Birds around the neighbourhood are conspicuously missing. It's unusually quiet today. I wonder where do they escape to in this weather.

Schools in several states will be closed again tomorrow due to the worsening haze. Schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and several parts of Sarawak will be closed.

Schools affected in Sarawak are located in Kuching, Sri Aman and Kota Semarahan.

More: API readings worsen throughout Malaysia

PSI Update - evening of 26 Sep 2015

If you are still visiting this space for updates, this is the latest, current haze situation in Kuala Lumpur, and Peninsula Malaysia for that matter. It's getting hazier. Needless to say visibility is very much affected.

I'm not showing East Malaysia, Borneo, because it's almost green (Average), a few blues (Good). Kuching is the only yellow dot with a PSI reading of 101.

As you can see, there are more yellow dots here now on the Peninsula than what was shown this morning.






In this haze situation, everyone loses.. more so those closer to 'ground zero'.

Boats carrying goods and passengers are seen on the Batang Hari River covered in a thick haze in Jambi on the Indonesian island of Sumatra September 25, 2015. - REUTERS

Just read that Singapore is moving against Indonesian firms over the haze and has launched legal action that could lead to massive fines against Indonesian companies blamed for farm and plantation fires spewing unhealthy levels of air pollution over the city-state.

PSI in Kuala Lumpur today - 26 Sep 2015

Stepping out of the house to go out for a roti canai and teh tarik breakfast this morning, I stopped in my tracks for a reality check. The smell of barbecue in the air sure didn't match the time of day.

Hey, it's morning and no bbq happens that early in the day - at least as far as I know or accustomed to.

You've guessed it. The air is bad today and visibility is rather poor too here in KL. The PETRONAS Twin Towers are actually my guide. I don't see them today. Yep, our PSI must be more than 100 today, I'm guessing. According to DOE the wind is blowing the smog over from Southern Sumatra towards the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia. KL, Malacca and others on this side of the Peninsula are receiving the brunt of it.

Let's have a peek at what the chart says.

Below is the PSI reading good until 12:00noon. There's no rain so far so it's still hazy out there and that bbq-esque 'fragrance' is still wafting through the air - kinda reminds me of Kenny Rogers and Nando's. LOL

Malacca is the yellow spot you see there with a reading of 120 psi..

Friday Frolics - What Flavor Cupcake Are You? PSI in KL today

Ah, it's Friday again. Yes!

Though it's hazy out there today here in Kuala Lumpur, we are still ok in the API/PSI department - in the 70s. Thanks to the wind direction and the much reduced number of hotspots. Well, there are worse things here in the country than the haze right now, but.. I won't go into that.

If you are in Singapore, I feel for you. With a PSI of more than 317 (as reported yesterday), schools are shut today, a precedent. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reminded people to take care of their health.

In a Facebook post Thursday, the PM of Singapore wrote; "Please drink plenty of water, and avoid going outdoors if you can. Look out for neighbours and friends, and stay safe." - The Straits Times/Asia News Network

A man wearing a mask watches from a bumboat as he passes the haze-shrouded central business district in Singapore Sept 24, 2015. The three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached a hazardous level of 317 at 8pm Thursday. - Reuters
Source: The Star: Singapore schools close for first time as haze hits hazardous levels

Here's a PSI chart for today, 25 Sep courtesy of DOE Malaysia.

And this one shows the hotspots, wind direction and who and why we are getting the haze..

No, wait, MSN has a better picture of the hotspots..

An officer points to fires or hot spots in Kalimantan, Indonesian part of Borneo, on a screen at the Fire Command Post at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Jakarta September 22, 2015.

And now the quiz.. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. Make it great!

You Are a Carrot Cake Cupcake

You are a complex person. You have many interesting layers to your personality, though others might not know it. You are drawn to a cross section of people. You friends play different roles in your life. You are like a cupcake because you are are deceptively simple. There's actually a lot to you! There are many ingredients in your life, and you only want them in proper amounts. Being you is a delicate art.

What Flavor Cupcake Are You?

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