For years, China’s meteorologists have been telling the country’s urban residents that what looks and smells suspiciously like that latter is, in fact, just the former. With no way to disprove the claim, most Chinese urbanites have appeared content to accept it as true and go about their business minus the facemasks and indoor air-filters they might otherwise bring to bear.
Lately, however, there seems to have been a fundamental shift in the willingness of Chinese city-dwellers to accept the government’s definition of fog at face value.
Case in point: A thick grey cloud currently enveloping northern China that has closed highways across multiple provinces and caused more than 300 flights into Beijing to be delayed or cancelled.
While state media have described the cloud as a “heavy fog,” millions of posts on popular Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo and other Internet sites are treating it as something else. “How many thousands died because of London’s fog back in the day?” Weibo user Zheng Wuxie wrote on Monday. “Beijing is dangerous.”
“Friends in Beijing, are you OK?” wrote another Weibo user, CAPF Green, attaching a screenshot of a mobile app powered by the U.S. Embassy’s @BeijingAir Twitter feed showing dangerous pollution levels.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing, which broadcasts readings from its own pollution monitoring equipment on an hourly basis through Twitter and an iPhone app, has been instrumental in piercing the veil around air quality in China’s capital — particularly in the month or so since celebrity real estate mogul Pan Shiyi cited its readings in calling for tougher air monitoring standards.
Authorities in Beijing and most other Chinese cities measure air pollution by counting only particles between 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter. The embassy counts particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), which experts say make up the most of the city’s air pollution and cause more damage to the lungs.
The most recent online outpouring seems to have been set off on Sunday night, when the embassy published a PM2.5 air quality index reading above 500 – a level expats refer to as “Crazy Bad” – that contrasted sharply with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection’s description of air pollution over the weekend as “light.”
While many Internet users have marveled at the discrepancy, others have been busy trading advice on the best types of facemasks to wear and what brands of air purifiers offered the best cost-benefit ratios.
“I searched for half the day and asked some experts,” Caijing magazine editor He Gang wrote in a Weibo post on the topic of facemasks that had been forwarded more than 4600 times by Monday evening. “Everyone recommends 3M masks. There’s all kinds – I hear the ones most suited to Beijing are No. 8264 and No. 8210, 3-5 yuan a piece. I’m going out to buy a few tomorrow.”
All this may be a boon to producers of purification paraphernalia, but it bodes poorly for the credibility of the government.
An article in the state-run Global Times tabloid on Monday quoted Yu Jianhua, director of the air pollution division of the Beijing environmental protection bureau, insisting that pollution in Beijing has not gotten worse since the 2008 Olympics. “If you compare the air quality on an annual basis, it is actually improving,” he said, according to the paper. Yet the government’s pointed refusal last week to release PM2.5 readings – data that’s officially reserved for researchers and won’t be made public on a national level until 2016, according to current plans – has lately made that claim a hard sell.
The same holds for the government’s claim that what has kept planes from landing at the Beijing airport and blocked the city’s residents from seeing more than a couple blocks in any direction over the past few days is primarily fog. It’s a claim that might very well be true, but the online reaction suggests few are buying it.
2011年11月29日星期二
Wildfire Survivors Have Choices With Recovery Grants
"How can I spend the money?" That question is being asked by many Texas wildfire survivors who have received recovery grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
More than 80 percent of the nearly $12.6 million in grants FEMA has provided since the wildfires have been aimed at getting survivors into permanent safe, sanitary and functional housing — in the best way they see fit. Instead of using a grant to repair or rebuild a damaged home, for example, recipients may apply the funds toward the purchase of alternate housing.
“In the information packet we send to eligible survivors, FEMA provides guidelines on how to use the money,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes. “However, we want to empower Texans to take charge of their recovery by providing options.”
FEMA’s Individual and Household Program includes grants for temporary housing, home repair or replacement, and other disaster-related needs.
Temporary housing grants allow homeowners and renters to lease a dwelling for a limited period of time when the disaster has made their home uninhabitable. Survivors can choose to rent an apartment or a home. In Bastrop and other wildfire-damaged Texas counties with a shortage of rental properties, FEMA has provided temporary housing units while survivors work on a permanent housing solution.
Survivors receiving temporary housing grants will successfully manage the money when they: Use it for rent and not for home repairs, personal property or other items. Save receipts, as these will be required if a survivor wishes to request additional rental assistance.
Housing repair or replacement grants help eligible homeowners get back into a safe, sanitary and functional home. The funds are not intended to bring a home to its predisaster condition. A grant can be used to help purchase a new home, to purchase materials or to hire contractors or skilled trades workers to complete essential repairs in such areas as: The foundation, outside walls or roof Windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings and cabinetry Septic or sewage system Well or other water system Heating, ventilating and air conditioning system Utilities — electrical, plumbing, and gas systems Blocking, leveling, and anchoring a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical, fuel lines and tanks
Other Needs Assistance grants are given to eligible homeowners and renters for a wide variety of losses, including self-employed workers’ lost tools or protective gear, students’ damaged educational materials, household items, furniture, appliances, fuel to heat a home, vehicle damage, clean-up tools such as a wet/dry vacuum or air purifiers, moving and storage expenses or medical and dental expenses caused by the disaster, including lost medications or medical equipment.
Survivors can preserve peace of mind by spending the money on disaster recovery, keeping good records of their spending and saving receipts for three years. If specific receipts are missing, a credit card statement or other evidence can show the grant money was spent on wildfire recovery. As with many other federal programs, the government audits a percentage of grants to assure the money was spent as intended.
More than 80 percent of the nearly $12.6 million in grants FEMA has provided since the wildfires have been aimed at getting survivors into permanent safe, sanitary and functional housing — in the best way they see fit. Instead of using a grant to repair or rebuild a damaged home, for example, recipients may apply the funds toward the purchase of alternate housing.
“In the information packet we send to eligible survivors, FEMA provides guidelines on how to use the money,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes. “However, we want to empower Texans to take charge of their recovery by providing options.”
FEMA’s Individual and Household Program includes grants for temporary housing, home repair or replacement, and other disaster-related needs.
Temporary housing grants allow homeowners and renters to lease a dwelling for a limited period of time when the disaster has made their home uninhabitable. Survivors can choose to rent an apartment or a home. In Bastrop and other wildfire-damaged Texas counties with a shortage of rental properties, FEMA has provided temporary housing units while survivors work on a permanent housing solution.
Survivors receiving temporary housing grants will successfully manage the money when they: Use it for rent and not for home repairs, personal property or other items. Save receipts, as these will be required if a survivor wishes to request additional rental assistance.
Housing repair or replacement grants help eligible homeowners get back into a safe, sanitary and functional home. The funds are not intended to bring a home to its predisaster condition. A grant can be used to help purchase a new home, to purchase materials or to hire contractors or skilled trades workers to complete essential repairs in such areas as: The foundation, outside walls or roof Windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings and cabinetry Septic or sewage system Well or other water system Heating, ventilating and air conditioning system Utilities — electrical, plumbing, and gas systems Blocking, leveling, and anchoring a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical, fuel lines and tanks
Other Needs Assistance grants are given to eligible homeowners and renters for a wide variety of losses, including self-employed workers’ lost tools or protective gear, students’ damaged educational materials, household items, furniture, appliances, fuel to heat a home, vehicle damage, clean-up tools such as a wet/dry vacuum or air purifiers, moving and storage expenses or medical and dental expenses caused by the disaster, including lost medications or medical equipment.
Survivors can preserve peace of mind by spending the money on disaster recovery, keeping good records of their spending and saving receipts for three years. If specific receipts are missing, a credit card statement or other evidence can show the grant money was spent on wildfire recovery. As with many other federal programs, the government audits a percentage of grants to assure the money was spent as intended.
2011年6月12日星期日
Best Things to Do for Your Body NOW
You probably already know that going for a swim within 30 minutes of chowing down on a sandwich isn’t going to cause you to cramp up and sink helplessly to the bottom of the pool. But there’s plenty more lame summertime advice that you might still believe. We set the record straight.
MYTH: Peeing on a jellyfish sting will ease the pain.
Though it may sound convenient–if also totally gross!–urine hasn’t been proven to curb the hurt. What has: vinegar. “Its acidity is believed to inactivate the stingers and diminish the pain,” says Stanford University School of Medicine emergency-medicine doctor Paul Auerbach, M.D., author of Medicine for the Outdoors. Soak a paper towel in household white vinegar and hold it on the wound for about 30 minutes. Afterward, use an OTC hydrocortisone cream to quell any itching. (If, however, you start to feel dizzy or nauseated or develop any kind of rash, you may be having an allergic reaction and should get yourself to a doctor right away, says Auerbach.)
3 Pain Management Tricks
MYTH: Going in and out of air-conditioned buildings can make you sick.
If you feel congested or start sniffling, it’s likely due to summer allergies, says pulmonologist Neil Schachter, M.D., author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu.
“People who have allergies–even small sensitivities–may be affected when moving from a clean-air environment into one that’s full of Mother Nature’s irritants,” he says. If your symptoms are on overdrive, try staying inside on very hot, humid days, when outdoor allergens are at their most potent. And keep your home dust- and mold-free by cleaning your AC filter every month or by investing in a HEPA air purifier that nixes 99 percent of airborne contaminants.
MYTH: The safest place to be during a lightning storm is in a car because it has rubber tires.
You’ll be safe in a car, but not because of the rubber tires, says John Jensenius, a lightning-safety specialist for the National Weather Service. The car’s frame is like a metal cage–if struck, lightning will flow around its outside.
(Metal is a good conductor of electricity; rubber is not.) If you’re driving in a storm, don’t touch metal door handles or the radio, which is wired to the outside antenna.
MYTH: Flip-flops are kind to your feet.
“Most flip-flops don’t have adequate arch support, cushioning, or shock absorption,” says Manhattan-based foot doctor Jacqueline Sutera, D.P.M. Wearing them all summer, every summer could lead to pinched foot nerves, heel pain, tendinitis, and strained arches. If you can’t quit flops entirely, buy ones that have at least a three-quarter-inch semi-cushioned sole and built-in arch support. Even better, go for a strappy sandal; simple thongs force your toes into an unhealthy clenched position when you walk, encouraging hammertoe growth. Or try cute, beachy wedges (three inches high or less), which offer more support in just about every foot area and help distribute your body weight more evenly.
MYTH: A dip in the pool can do double duty as a shower.
Consider this: Most people don’t rinse off before they go swimming. “Chemicals in personal-care products, sweat, and makeup can interfere with chlorine, making it much less effective,” says Michele Hlavsa, R.N., M.P.H., of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program. The result? Public pools in particular are often swimming with nasties such as cryptosporidium, which can bring on diarrhea, ear infections, and skin rashes. Showering after a dip can wash bacteria off your skin and cut your risk of getting sick. Use soap–a quick hose-off may not be enough.
MYTH: Peeing on a jellyfish sting will ease the pain.
Though it may sound convenient–if also totally gross!–urine hasn’t been proven to curb the hurt. What has: vinegar. “Its acidity is believed to inactivate the stingers and diminish the pain,” says Stanford University School of Medicine emergency-medicine doctor Paul Auerbach, M.D., author of Medicine for the Outdoors. Soak a paper towel in household white vinegar and hold it on the wound for about 30 minutes. Afterward, use an OTC hydrocortisone cream to quell any itching. (If, however, you start to feel dizzy or nauseated or develop any kind of rash, you may be having an allergic reaction and should get yourself to a doctor right away, says Auerbach.)
3 Pain Management Tricks
MYTH: Going in and out of air-conditioned buildings can make you sick.
If you feel congested or start sniffling, it’s likely due to summer allergies, says pulmonologist Neil Schachter, M.D., author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu.
“People who have allergies–even small sensitivities–may be affected when moving from a clean-air environment into one that’s full of Mother Nature’s irritants,” he says. If your symptoms are on overdrive, try staying inside on very hot, humid days, when outdoor allergens are at their most potent. And keep your home dust- and mold-free by cleaning your AC filter every month or by investing in a HEPA air purifier that nixes 99 percent of airborne contaminants.
MYTH: The safest place to be during a lightning storm is in a car because it has rubber tires.
You’ll be safe in a car, but not because of the rubber tires, says John Jensenius, a lightning-safety specialist for the National Weather Service. The car’s frame is like a metal cage–if struck, lightning will flow around its outside.
(Metal is a good conductor of electricity; rubber is not.) If you’re driving in a storm, don’t touch metal door handles or the radio, which is wired to the outside antenna.
MYTH: Flip-flops are kind to your feet.
“Most flip-flops don’t have adequate arch support, cushioning, or shock absorption,” says Manhattan-based foot doctor Jacqueline Sutera, D.P.M. Wearing them all summer, every summer could lead to pinched foot nerves, heel pain, tendinitis, and strained arches. If you can’t quit flops entirely, buy ones that have at least a three-quarter-inch semi-cushioned sole and built-in arch support. Even better, go for a strappy sandal; simple thongs force your toes into an unhealthy clenched position when you walk, encouraging hammertoe growth. Or try cute, beachy wedges (three inches high or less), which offer more support in just about every foot area and help distribute your body weight more evenly.
MYTH: A dip in the pool can do double duty as a shower.
Consider this: Most people don’t rinse off before they go swimming. “Chemicals in personal-care products, sweat, and makeup can interfere with chlorine, making it much less effective,” says Michele Hlavsa, R.N., M.P.H., of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program. The result? Public pools in particular are often swimming with nasties such as cryptosporidium, which can bring on diarrhea, ear infections, and skin rashes. Showering after a dip can wash bacteria off your skin and cut your risk of getting sick. Use soap–a quick hose-off may not be enough.
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