Friday 19 September 2014

MH370: Motorola cargo comprised walkie-talkies, besides batteries and chargers

This was originally posted on  http://www.fz.com/content/mh370-motorola-cargo-comprised-walkie-talkies-besides-batteries-and-chargers, credit should go them as this is a important article.


A two-tonne consignment aboard the ill-fated  MH370 flight is believed to comprise walkie-talkies, lithium ion batteries and their chargers.


The cargo manifest released in the preliminary report of the incident shows that the plane was carrying 200kg of the batteries while the balance is said to be “radio accessories and chargers”.


The revelation by Malaysia Airlines confirms a report by fz.com on March 25 that revealed that the shipper of the lithium ion batteries, walkie-talkies and chargers was Motorola.


Quoting a source at that time, fz.com reported that the goods were shipped from the factory’s facility in Penang.


The goods were sent by lorries to the KL International Airport, and based on the master air waybill, the items were sent from Penang on March 6.


Of the 2.4 tonnes that was shipped from the plant in Penang, only about 200kg comprised the batteries.


Though the cargo manifest and master air waybill indicated lithium ion batteries, it did not reveal that walkie-talkies made up the rest of the consignment.


MAS later said in a statement that they were “radio accessories and chargers”.


The air waybill prepared by NNR Global Logistics Sdn Bhd on behalf of its client, Motorola, showed that two loads were packed, one being 1,990kg for 133 pieces and another being 463kg for 67 pieces.


The batteries and accompanying goods were later shipped by NNR Global Logistics, while the balance divided into “13 packages”, were forwarded by Kerry Logistics (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.


The cargo manifest showed the plane carried 9,947kg in three large shipments.


While mangosteens from Muar, Johor weighed the heaviest at 4,566kg and the 2,453kg worth of lithium ion batteries and accompanying goods (written up only as “consolidated”) are more or less accounted for, the other 2,250kg of “consolidated” items have sparked interest.


A source familiar with aviation forwarding industry practices said the mystery surrounding the cargo manifest and the exact loads that went onto the ill-fated MH370 can only be resolved if MAS revealed the house air waybills.


The source added that without the house air waybill and the packing list, the cargo manifest and the master air waybill were redundant because only those two documents would properly state the goods and the shipper.


“It is understandable that MAS cannot reveal the other two documents simply because they may not have it.


 “As for the house air waybill and packing list, the Customs Department, the freight forwarder and the shipper should come forward and reveal them,” he said.


Days after the Beijing-bound flight went missing along with 239 passengers and the crew on March 8, Malaysia Airlines chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said the plane was carrying 200kg of “small” lithium ion batteries.


He said the load was not considered hazardous as it was packaged in accordance to safety regulations.


In response, the aviation source said though the shipment contained batteries and declared as dangerous goods, they are within specified permissible levels.


“The dangerous threshold for lithium ion batteries is not measured by its weight but its watt per hour measurement. For instance, a handphone probably would measure 100 grams watt per hour which is not lethal.


“The watt per hour measurement indicates the battery activity by the hour,” he had said while cautioning that forwarding companies and shippers often failed to declare “hidden dangerous goods” in the shipment.


These include flammable liquids, lubricants, corrosive and oxidising materials that could and have resulted in fires onboard flights, he said.


Read more: http://www.fz.com/content/mh370-motorola-cargo-comprised-walkie-talkies-besides-batteries-and-chargers#ixzz31gub3d3V

Monday 15 September 2014

What 2 Way Radio Is Best For A Cruise?

Yes, two-way radios DO work on cruise ships. However, because the same channels tend to be a bit overused, passengers can expect a fair amount of chatter and signal interference when using their radios.


Here’s some advice from a Woot.com user,


“I suppose the two way radios/walkie talkies would be the best option. But, how important is being in constant communication with the rest of your family anyway? A ship, while large, isn’t huge. If you know the general area where people will be, you could walk over and find them. Preset arranged meeting times and places would work as well. People were able to get along fairly well without being able to directly communicate with each other at every moment of the day”.


So, aside from the option of setting pre-arranged meeting times, a radio isn’t a terrible idea, especially if you have kids. Many people reading this might simply ask why they can’t use their mobile phones. That is a very good question, after all…


If you’re going on a cruise this summer (or anytime, really), you need to be aware that your mobile phone is going to cause some problems.



Many cruise passengers are unaware and/or totally ill prepared for this fact and the cruise companies themselves are at least partly to blame for the lack of information in this area.


So, will your mobile phone work at sea? To answer this, let’s take a look at the following excerpt from the website ‘Cellular Abroad.com…


“The answer is most often always “You can subscribe to our cruise line cell phone network.” What they won’t tell you is the rates you will be paying. You certainly won’t be able to find them online, and to get a proper answer, you’ll have to call the cruise line to get a full break down of what they charge for access to their cell networks. As a company that sets their own international calling rates for the Talk Abroad SIM Card, we can see the cruise ship networks in our list, and it does not look good. If you subscribe to their network, you’ll be paying anything from $4 ~ $8 per minute, depending on your location and who you are calling. Don’t forget also that they’ll be charging you for receiving inbound calls”.


As we’ll soon see, taking a mobile phone on a cruise can represent a logistical nightmare. At the same time, however, many of us feel naked without a phone?


More problems are presented in the form of scheduled stops (although these can also represent opportunities for a higher – and cheaper – level of connectivity). To return to Cellular Abroad,


“If the ship is close to the coastline, and has multiple port of call stops, you’ll typically be able to get a terrestrial signal from the nearest land cell phone tower – up to a mile from the coast. It’s highly unlikely that you will be connected with 3G speed signals, as evidenced in my previous blog, you will need to have a low-wave 3G frequency like 800 or 900 Mhz – frequencies not typically associated with phones manufactured for North American consumers. So what can be done? You can rent an international cell phone that works in port, and a short way out to sea. If you really must stay connected on your boat, get in touch with your cruise travel agency and request information about the on-board cell phone rates and subscription fees”.  


So, using mobile phones on a cruise is both difficult and supremely costly, but arranging a meeting time is also likely to cause more than a few headaches. Two way radios have their problems, but may in fact be the best way to keep in contact, depending, of course, on how important a factor this is for you.


SOURCES:


http://www.cellularabroad.com/blog/do-cell-phones-work-on-cruise-ships-2


http://www.cruisereviews.com/forum/royal-caribbean-cruise-line/12108-we-lose-our-children-regularly-do-two-way-radios-work-onboard.html#b


http://deals.woot.com/questions/details/83b01dc9-9318-4de4-9a2b-f16c18761de7/whats-the-best-way-to-communicate-with-others-on-a-cruise-ship

Friday 5 September 2014

“Genie, You’re Free” Actor & Comedian Robin Williams Passes Away, Aged 63

As you will by now have heard, American actor and comedian Robin Williams has passed away of an apparent suicide.


The beloved entertainer, best known for roles such as Peter Pan in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Hook’, The Genie in Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ and as Radio DJ Adrian Cronauer in ‘Good Morning Vietnam’, was found dead in his Paradise Cay, California home on August 12th.


As the news spread via television, print and social media, shocked and heartfelt tributes flooded in from the star’s friends, colleagues and even US President Barack Obama.


Robin Williams began his career as a stand-up comedian whilst attending New York’s famous Juilliard School and, from there was cast as an alien named Mork in the popular US sitcom ‘Happy Days’. In 1978, Williams became a series lead in the spin-off series ‘Mork & Mindy’; the show proved popular and made a star of its lead.


Following the series’ end, Williams focussed largely on film work. He was known for bringing his cartoonish and charismatic presence to his numerous comedy roles, but also for portraying sensitive, troubled and emotionally brittle characters in more dramatic films.


His boyish smile and considerable acting range led to a string of critical and commercial successes including ‘The World According to Garp’ (1982), ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ (1989) and ‘Good Will Hunting’ (1997) – for which he won an Academy Award.


He was also very in-demand as a voice actor, appearing as the computerized Dr. Know in Steven Spielberg’s ‘A.I: Artificial Intelligence’ (2001) as well as lending his considerable vocal talents to animated features such as ‘Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest’ (1992), ‘Robots’ (2005) and ‘Happy Feet’ (2006).


Williams’ other notable live action roles include the cross-dressing father Daniel Hillard in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993), as well as Alan Parrish, one of the central protagonists in the 1995 adventure film ‘Jumanji’ He also portrayed the writer-turned-killer Peter Finch in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Insomnia’ (2002) and the emotionally disturbed Sy Parrish (no relation to Alan) in 2002’s ‘One Hour Photo’.


Williams struggled with depression throughout his life and battled with both cocaine addiction and alcoholism. Shortly before his death, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.


According to a recent study, newly diagnosed Parkinson’s sufferers are twice as likely to suffer from symptoms of anxiety or depression. This is due to the impact the disease can have on the brain.


In Michael J. Fox’s autobiography ‘Lucky Man’, the star describes his own encounters with depression during the early onset of the disease. It is something that often goes completely untreated.


Depression is also a known side effect of some Parkinson’s medication.


Mental depression is a very misunderstood illness even today and will affect 1 in 10 people at some point in their lives. It is caused by a chemical imbalance that can be extremely difficult to combat.


Robin Williams’ life and body of work have touched more people than it would be possible to mention here. He will be sorely missed.


Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider, asked that the family be allowed to mourn privately, but said in a heartfelt statement, “As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

Tuesday 2 September 2014

Germany Lifts World Cup (For A 4th Time)

On Sunday 13th July, the German national football team defeated Argentina 1-0 in a close, intensely competitive game in order to be crowned the 2014 World Cup winners.


The match was very tightly contested, with Argentina’s defence regularly closing down Germany’s incisive passing game that had worked so well for them over the course of the tournament.


Both teams played so exceptionally well that the winning goal was only scored during the 30 minutes’ of extra time that was added on in order to yield a winner.


Substitute Mario Götze scored the winning goal at the 113th minute. The goal, which took full advantage of a great setup from Andre Schürrle, was an exceptional display of precision, marksmanship and team playing.


Götze is the first substitute in the history of football to score a World Cup winning goal, as well as the youngest player to score in a World Cup Final since fellow German Wolfgang Weber, who scored against England in 1966 (both were 22). 


Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain had a goal ruled offside (and thus disallowed) in the first half and Argentina created more than a few chances to score in the game. However, German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was exceptionally proactive and was playing incredibly well throughout.


In fact, Neuer was given the 2014 World Cup’s Golden Glove award for being the best keeper of the tournament at the end of the match.


Argentine Captain Lionel Messi looked thoroughly dejected after the final whistle blew and, in this writer’s opinion, failed to set a good example for his exhausted and deflated teammates, who seemed to be in dire need of one. He grudgingly shook hands with officials and appeared to hold his ‘Golden Ball’ trophy with utter disdain. He also visibly removed his Runner Up medal almost immediately after receiving it.


Worst of all, Messi made no attempt to appeal to his countrymen (and women) in the stands, the vast majority of whom were proudly cheering their side in spite of the loss.


In truth, Argentina had nothing at all to be ashamed of. They had played extremely well and they had performed with heart and passion. Messi’s crybaby antics, if understandable to some extent, were an insult to both his team and the valiant effort they had put in on the night.


Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli stamped his authority on the game early on and made it very clear that he was firmly in control. He officiated extremely well throughout, ensuring that a fair game was played out.


This victory marks Germany’s 4th World Cup win overall, making them the second most decorated country in World Cup history, a position that they share with the Italian national team. Brazil has the most wins overall, with 5.


The German victory also marks the first time that a European side has triumphed in South America. As well as the third time that Germany has met Argentina in a World Cup Final, which is a tournament record.


Overall, it was a well-deserved win for Germany, who consistently fielded the best side of the tournament.


However, kudos ought to go to Argentina as well, for many felt that, after Germany hammered Brazil 7-1 in the Quarter Finals, a German victory would be a foregone conclusion. Instead, fans and spectators were treated to a tense game of close calls, heated moments and plenty of near misses.  This made for a very high quality match.


One would imagine that the parties across Germany went on long into the night!