Reference: Fresh form of H1N1 is much more severe, Bangkok Post, August 30, 2009

The warning from the WHO that the H1N1 virus could mutate into fatal pulmonary distress (Fresh form of H1N1 is much more severe, Bangkok Post, August 30, 2009) is curious for several reasons. First, this characteristic of the virus is not new but something that has been known since day one. Why is it being presented as new information? Second, the 1918 Spanish flu also got started in early northern summer and was also relatively mild through the summer but got virulent at the end of August. So is history the scientific basis for the sudden warning of virulence? Third, if the WHO is right why are we rushing to make vaccines against the known mild strain when it is the virulent strain from which we need protection? Finally, a high fatality rate is a tragedy in the short run but a blessing in the long run. Pandemics need their hosts to be alive long enough to walk around and spread the disease. If the hosts die too soon so does the pandemic.

Cha-am Jamal

Thailand

Reference: Rising tides threaten Pacific Islands, Bangkok Post, August 30, 2009

Atolls in the South Pacific form when a volcanic island begins to sink by subduction and they remain above water as long as the rate of sinking is less than the rate of coral growth and become indundated otherwise. This process cannot in any way be related to carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and cannot in any way be mitigated by by the various proposals to be put forth in the upcoming Copenhagen meeting on climate change (Rising tides threaten Pacific Islands, Bangkok Post, August 30, 2009). The observed inundation of some of the atolls could not have been caused by sea level rise for that would have affected all atolls equally.

Also, the claim that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels has caused an increase in the severity and frequency of natural disasters - an idea that got started with hurricane Katrina - is contrary to the data for they show no such increase. The 2007 tsunami in the Soloman islands cited in the article as evidence was a volcanic event and therefore unrelated to the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere.

Cha-am Jamal

Thailand

Reference: Water crisis in parched northern China, Bangkok Post, August 26, 2009

The Chinese kept meticulous weather records for thousands of years and these records show a recurring pattern of extreme droughts and floods. The most severe drought in recent history was the drought and famine of 1877 - a time when atmosphereric carbon dioxide was under 300 ppm. The aridity of northern China can also be understood in terms of the expanding Gobi desert now encroaching on Beijing. Droughts in China are natural events. They are not caused by carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.

Cha-am Jamal

Thailand

Reference: Mississippi down under crippled, Bangkok Post, August 26, 2009

Southeast Australia is not at all like the lush green state of Mississippi (Mississippi down under crippled, Bangkok Post, August 26, 2009) for it is a semi arid drought prone area with a history of severe droughts during many of which its primary river system had gone bone dry. The current drought down there is part of this weather pattern, not man made, and not caused by carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels.

Cha-am Jamal

Thailand

Reference: Tilapia exports to be promoted, Bangkok Post, August 25, 2009

The claim that the white meat of tilapia is more healthy than red fish meat (Tilapia exports to be promoted, Bangkok Post, August 25, 2009) is inconsistent with the facts. All fish are not good sources of omega-3 fatty acids but the color of fish meat may not be used to make this distinction. In fact, farm produced tilapia and catfish contain a harmful combination of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that makes their meat even more risky than pork bacon or hamburger (Popular fish contains potentially dangersous fatty acid combination, Science Daily, July 10, 2008). Sustained consumption of these fish may actually cause rather than prevent heart disease.

Cha-am Jamal

Thailand