Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world
Posted: 20 February 2011 1614 hrs
WASHINGTON - A geomagnetic space storm sparked by a solar eruption like the one that flared toward Earth Tuesday is bound to strike again and could wreak havoc across the gadget-happy modern world, experts say.
Contemporary society is increasingly vulnerable to space weather because of our dependence on satellite systems for synchronizing computers, navigational systems, telecommunications networks and other electronic devices.
A potent solar storm could disrupt these technologies, scorch satellites, crash stock markets and cause power outages that last weeks or months, experts said Saturday at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting.
The situation will only get more dire because the solar cycle is heading into a period of more intense activity in the coming 11 years.
"This is not a matter of if, it is simply a matter of when and how big," said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administrator Jane Lubchenco.
"The last time we had a maximum in the solar cycle, about 10 years ago, the world was a very different place. Cell phones are now ubiquitous; they were certainly around (before) but we didn't rely on them for so many different things," she said.
"Many things that we take for granted today are so much more prone to the process of space weather than was the case in the last solar maximum."
The experts admitted that currently little can be done to predict such a storm, much less shield the world's electrical grid by doing anything other shutting off power to some of the vulnerable areas until the danger passes.
"Please don't panic," said Stephan Lechner, director of the European Commission Joint Research Center, drawing laughter from the scientists and journalists in the audience. "Overreaction will make the situation worse."
The root of the world's vulnerability in the modern age is global positioning systems, or GPS devices, that provide navigational help but also serve as time synchronizers for computer networks and electronic equipment, he said.
"GPS helped and created a new dependency," said Lechner, noting that the technology's influence extends to aerospace and defence, digital broadcast, financial services and government agencies.
In Europe alone, there are 200 separate telecommunication operators, and "nothing is standardized," he said.
"We are far from understanding all the implications here," he said.
World governments are hurrying to work on strategies for cooperation and information sharing ahead of the next anticipated storm, though forecasters admit they are not sure when that may occur.
"Actually we cannot tell if there is going to be a big storm six months from now but we can tell when conditions are ripe for a storm to take place," said the European Space Agency's Juha-Pekka Luntama.
On Tuesday at 0156 GMT, a huge solar eruption, the strongest in about five years, sent a torrent of charged plasma particles hurtling toward the Earth at a speed of 560 miles (900 kilometres) per second.
The force of the Class X flash, the most powerful of all solar events, lit up auroras and disrupted some radio communications, but the effects were largely confined to the northern latitudes.
"Actually it turned out that we were well protected this time. The magnetic fields were aligned parallel so not much happened," said Luntama.
"In another case things might have been different."
Space storms are not new. The first recorded major solar flare was recorded by British astronomer Richard Carrington in 1859.
Other solar geomagnetic storms have been observed in recent decades. One huge solar flare in 1972 cut off long-distance telephone communication in the midwestern state of Illinois, NASA said.
Another similar flare in 1989 "provoked geomagnetic storms that disrupted electric power transmission" and caused blackouts across the Canadian province of Quebec, the US space agency said.
A panel of NASA-assembled scientists issued a report in 2009 that said a powerful solar flare could overwhelm high-voltage transformers with electrical currents and short-circuit energy grids.
Such a catastrophic event could cost the United States alone up to two trillion dollars in repairs in the first year -- and it could take up to 10 years to fully recover, the report said.
- AFP/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Rising food prices nearing danger point: World Bank
Rising food prices nearing danger point: World Bank
Posted: 20 February 2011 0157 hrs
PARIS : World Bank president Robert Zoellick warned leaders of the top global economies Saturday that the world is reaching a danger point where soaring food prices threaten further political instability.
"I mentioned that we are reaching a danger point," Zoellick said, adding that he had urged G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs meeting here to "put food first in 2011."
Zoellick said rising prices would eventually result in increased food supplies but in the intervening couple of years, "there could be an awful lot of turmoil and governments could fall and societies could go into turmoil."
Soaring food, fuel and other basic costs have been one of the key factors driving political unrest across the Middle East and North Africa which has forced the ouster of long-standing autocratic rulers in Egypt and Tunisia.
"We need to be sensitive and have a fingertip feel on what is happening in terms of food prices and its potential effect on social instability," Zoellick told a conference call.
He said the international community needs to be ready to act quickly to help countries such as Tunisia to cope with economic shocks as they try to manage political transition.
The World Bank warned ahead of the two-day G20 meeting that food prices rose by 15 percent between October 2010 and January 2011, pushing another 44 million people into poverty.
France, which holds the presidency of the Group of 20 top developing and developed countries, has made reducing price volatility in basic commodities including food one of its key goals.
Zoellick said G20 ministers were receptive to some of the ideas the World Bank has proposed and that the meeting would provide further momentum for action.
"In sum, I'd say there is a list of items here that is very do-able and the best antidote to complaints that the G20 is a talk shop is to take real action. And action for the most vulnerable people is the best form of that."
Zoellick said the situation is more concerning today than several years ago as there is increased demand from emerging markets and severe weather has reduced the ability of farmers to respond.
There have been proposals to slap limits on commodity trading to discourage speculative trading and reduce price volatility but the World Bank chief said "you counter volatility with better information" about the markets.
He said he also favoured a "code of conduct" for food export bans so as to ensure humanitarian food aid programmes are not affected.
- AFP /ls
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 20 February 2011 0157 hrs
PARIS : World Bank president Robert Zoellick warned leaders of the top global economies Saturday that the world is reaching a danger point where soaring food prices threaten further political instability.
"I mentioned that we are reaching a danger point," Zoellick said, adding that he had urged G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs meeting here to "put food first in 2011."
Zoellick said rising prices would eventually result in increased food supplies but in the intervening couple of years, "there could be an awful lot of turmoil and governments could fall and societies could go into turmoil."
Soaring food, fuel and other basic costs have been one of the key factors driving political unrest across the Middle East and North Africa which has forced the ouster of long-standing autocratic rulers in Egypt and Tunisia.
"We need to be sensitive and have a fingertip feel on what is happening in terms of food prices and its potential effect on social instability," Zoellick told a conference call.
He said the international community needs to be ready to act quickly to help countries such as Tunisia to cope with economic shocks as they try to manage political transition.
The World Bank warned ahead of the two-day G20 meeting that food prices rose by 15 percent between October 2010 and January 2011, pushing another 44 million people into poverty.
France, which holds the presidency of the Group of 20 top developing and developed countries, has made reducing price volatility in basic commodities including food one of its key goals.
Zoellick said G20 ministers were receptive to some of the ideas the World Bank has proposed and that the meeting would provide further momentum for action.
"In sum, I'd say there is a list of items here that is very do-able and the best antidote to complaints that the G20 is a talk shop is to take real action. And action for the most vulnerable people is the best form of that."
Zoellick said the situation is more concerning today than several years ago as there is increased demand from emerging markets and severe weather has reduced the ability of farmers to respond.
There have been proposals to slap limits on commodity trading to discourage speculative trading and reduce price volatility but the World Bank chief said "you counter volatility with better information" about the markets.
He said he also favoured a "code of conduct" for food export bans so as to ensure humanitarian food aid programmes are not affected.
- AFP /ls
- wong chee tat :)
Luxury cars a hit despite increase in COE premiums
Luxury cars a hit despite increase in COE premiums
By Stella Lee | Posted: 21 February 2011 2105 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore car registrations dipped almost 40 per cent in 2010, as sky-rocketing Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums put off prospective buyers.
COE premiums saw a record jump last year, with a 163 per cent increase for vehicles with engine capacity of more than 1600cc. Premiums rose 96 per cent for vehicles below 1600cc and more than 200 per cent for the open category in the same period.
However, registrations for luxury cars moved in the opposite direction last year and January data shows more high-earners here are keeping up with a speeding economy.
Luxury car dealerships are seeing more buyers, bucking sluggish demand in the broader auto market.
BMW registrations in Singapore grew 21.4 per cent last year; Mercedes Benz saw a 17.7 per cent jump.
Registrations for luxury sport autos have seen an even bigger increase.
Car registrations for Porsche rose 48 per cent last year, while those for Ferrari went up a whopping 116 per cent. This compares with a 39 per cent drop in registrations in the overall auto market in Singapore.
Karsono Kwee, Executive Chairman of Stuttgart Auto (Porsche), said: "I've been in the Porsche business for the last 25 years. Last year was a record year for us."
According to luxury sports auto dealerships, the bulk of demand came from high-earners, such as lawyers and bankers.
And these individuals may have spent their year-end bonuses chasing speed. Last month saw 97 registrations for Porsche, almost six times the December figure of 17. James Bond's favourite Aston Martin saw five registrations in January, compared with just two in December.
Analysts said that with the economy growing strongly, pay packages for top executives will rise further, giving them more spending power.
Pan Zai Xian, Director of Financial Services and Legal at Robert Walters, said: "A lot of compensation has been raised in the last year. I think last year has been a great year when people spend...like upgrading their vehicles before the COE prices come up. I think that's quite typical, in luxury brands we see that as well."
And with pay packages expected to rise again this year, especially for those in the higher-income bracket, demand for luxury cars like these may just continue to go up.
-CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
By Stella Lee | Posted: 21 February 2011 2105 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore car registrations dipped almost 40 per cent in 2010, as sky-rocketing Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums put off prospective buyers.
COE premiums saw a record jump last year, with a 163 per cent increase for vehicles with engine capacity of more than 1600cc. Premiums rose 96 per cent for vehicles below 1600cc and more than 200 per cent for the open category in the same period.
However, registrations for luxury cars moved in the opposite direction last year and January data shows more high-earners here are keeping up with a speeding economy.
Luxury car dealerships are seeing more buyers, bucking sluggish demand in the broader auto market.
BMW registrations in Singapore grew 21.4 per cent last year; Mercedes Benz saw a 17.7 per cent jump.
Registrations for luxury sport autos have seen an even bigger increase.
Car registrations for Porsche rose 48 per cent last year, while those for Ferrari went up a whopping 116 per cent. This compares with a 39 per cent drop in registrations in the overall auto market in Singapore.
Karsono Kwee, Executive Chairman of Stuttgart Auto (Porsche), said: "I've been in the Porsche business for the last 25 years. Last year was a record year for us."
According to luxury sports auto dealerships, the bulk of demand came from high-earners, such as lawyers and bankers.
And these individuals may have spent their year-end bonuses chasing speed. Last month saw 97 registrations for Porsche, almost six times the December figure of 17. James Bond's favourite Aston Martin saw five registrations in January, compared with just two in December.
Analysts said that with the economy growing strongly, pay packages for top executives will rise further, giving them more spending power.
Pan Zai Xian, Director of Financial Services and Legal at Robert Walters, said: "A lot of compensation has been raised in the last year. I think last year has been a great year when people spend...like upgrading their vehicles before the COE prices come up. I think that's quite typical, in luxury brands we see that as well."
And with pay packages expected to rise again this year, especially for those in the higher-income bracket, demand for luxury cars like these may just continue to go up.
-CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
HDB launches sale of Bendemeer and Tampines condo sites
HDB launches sale of Bendemeer and Tampines condo sites
Posted: 22 February 2011 1756 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Housing & Development Board (HDB) will on Wednesday launch two sites at Bendemeer Road/Whampoa East and Tampines Central 7 for sale.
The sites are under the confirmed list of the first half 2011 Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme.
The condominium site at Bendemeer Road/ Whampoa East has a 99-year lease and can accommodate 780 units.
It is within walking distance of the Boon Keng MRT station along the North East Line.
Residents will have various dining, shopping and entertainment options at City Square, Serangoon Plaza and Mustafa Centre, which are near the MRT station.
Schools such as Bendemeer Primary, St Andrew's Junior and Secondary Schools and St Andrew's Junior College are also nearby.
The executive condo (EC) site at Tampines Central 7 is in Tampines Town which contains the Tampines Regional Centre, schools, cinemas, sports facilities and the Tampines MRT station.
The site has a 99-year lease and 660 units can be built there.
Another three new sites at Buangkok Drive/ Sengkang East Drive, Sembawang Road/ Jalan Sendudok and Jalan Loyang Besar/ Pasir Ris Drive 4 will be launched by HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, next month.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 22 February 2011 1756 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Housing & Development Board (HDB) will on Wednesday launch two sites at Bendemeer Road/Whampoa East and Tampines Central 7 for sale.
The sites are under the confirmed list of the first half 2011 Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme.
The condominium site at Bendemeer Road/ Whampoa East has a 99-year lease and can accommodate 780 units.
It is within walking distance of the Boon Keng MRT station along the North East Line.
Residents will have various dining, shopping and entertainment options at City Square, Serangoon Plaza and Mustafa Centre, which are near the MRT station.
Schools such as Bendemeer Primary, St Andrew's Junior and Secondary Schools and St Andrew's Junior College are also nearby.
The executive condo (EC) site at Tampines Central 7 is in Tampines Town which contains the Tampines Regional Centre, schools, cinemas, sports facilities and the Tampines MRT station.
The site has a 99-year lease and 660 units can be built there.
Another three new sites at Buangkok Drive/ Sengkang East Drive, Sembawang Road/ Jalan Sendudok and Jalan Loyang Besar/ Pasir Ris Drive 4 will be launched by HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, next month.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
NTU launches virtual job fair
NTU launches virtual job fair
By Evelyn Choo | Posted: 22 February 2011 1846 hrs
SINGAPORE: The National Technological University (NTU) has launched a virtual career fair, believed to be the region's first, for its students and potential employees.
NTU said there are a record 175 companies taking part in the career fair this year, 60 per cent more recruiters compared to those in 2010.
The number of jobs offered at the fair this year doubled to a whopping 4,500, with about 80 per cent of recruiters from the private sector.
One of the features of the NTU iFair is the virtual career portal developed by NTU, which enables students to meet potential employers, online.
NTU's Career & Attachment Office director Loh Pui Wah said career fairs in the past tend to be brick-and-mortar.
"But with the evolvement of web technology, we want to bring the career fair (to the virtual world), so that companies... can make use of the web to (interact) with the students," Mr Loh said.
About 50 companies have signed up for a piece of the virtual real estate.
And as hiring sentiments make a positive comeback from last year, recruiters look set to step up on their branding for a tech-savvy generation.
DSO National Laboratories human resources assistant director Serene Tan said NTU's iFair is helpful because it is virtual, and cuts down on logistic effort to set up physical career booths.
"They have been quick to set the virtual booth up with some customisation and we will be putting up positions available on our DSO corporate website, which is directly linked to the iFair," she said.
Ms Tan added iFair will also help them get in touch with students on overseas attachments who are unable to attend the physical career fair.
The iFair is set to run from March 14 this year, and will continue to be accessible till June 30, 2011.
Meanwhile, the physical career fair runs on February 22 and 25 at NTU's Nanyang Auditorium.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
By Evelyn Choo | Posted: 22 February 2011 1846 hrs
SINGAPORE: The National Technological University (NTU) has launched a virtual career fair, believed to be the region's first, for its students and potential employees.
NTU said there are a record 175 companies taking part in the career fair this year, 60 per cent more recruiters compared to those in 2010.
The number of jobs offered at the fair this year doubled to a whopping 4,500, with about 80 per cent of recruiters from the private sector.
One of the features of the NTU iFair is the virtual career portal developed by NTU, which enables students to meet potential employers, online.
NTU's Career & Attachment Office director Loh Pui Wah said career fairs in the past tend to be brick-and-mortar.
"But with the evolvement of web technology, we want to bring the career fair (to the virtual world), so that companies... can make use of the web to (interact) with the students," Mr Loh said.
About 50 companies have signed up for a piece of the virtual real estate.
And as hiring sentiments make a positive comeback from last year, recruiters look set to step up on their branding for a tech-savvy generation.
DSO National Laboratories human resources assistant director Serene Tan said NTU's iFair is helpful because it is virtual, and cuts down on logistic effort to set up physical career booths.
"They have been quick to set the virtual booth up with some customisation and we will be putting up positions available on our DSO corporate website, which is directly linked to the iFair," she said.
Ms Tan added iFair will also help them get in touch with students on overseas attachments who are unable to attend the physical career fair.
The iFair is set to run from March 14 this year, and will continue to be accessible till June 30, 2011.
Meanwhile, the physical career fair runs on February 22 and 25 at NTU's Nanyang Auditorium.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)