Street Art Malaysia

by Terry Randolph | Jan 29, 2022 | Out And About

Street Art

Penang Island, Malaysia, and its Environs

Street Art

When I started my project, titled ‘Street Art In Penang, I had no idea of the work done by Maria Wulff Hauglann to document the street art of George Town, Penang. So, I changed my approach to include street art discovered during my travels in Malaysia.

Others have also undertaken this effort, but Maria’s approach evolved as a travel advisory. The viewer might find that my work will include an image or two of what was previously done, but I have expanded outward to include areas outside of the section of George Town that on the 7th of July 2008 was awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO.

Unfortunately, some original images in George Town have failed the test of time and weather conditions, are now worn and faded. While others were painted over and, in some instances, replaced by new images. In addition, images of an enormous size are seen on new multi-storied apartment buildings at various locations on the island, and on the mainland, in Butterworth. I have also included images of street art in Kuala Lumpur and other locations in Malaysia when encountered during my travels. Images are noted by place/date/time as displayed to the right.Thanks for viewing!

Terry Randolph, Photographer

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The Ultimate Guide To The Street Art Of George Town, Penang
By Maria Wulff Hauglann. Last updated, 28 Jan 2020. Provides street art images with a historical narrative. Learn more about what Penang Island has to offer. Enter here >

11000 Mukim J (Dataran Ginting), Penang, Malaysia, 4 Nov 2021, 08:19 AM

Engrained

by Terry Randolph | Sep 23, 2021 | Portfolio, Reflective

Engrained

View From The Street

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About Me

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Mystics And Seers

by Terry Randolph | Sep 20, 2021 | Mystic Nightingale

Mystics & Seers

Priceless treasures cast forth to guide the true seeker.

Wisdom, especially spiritual wisdom, is more than just knowledge; it is sound judgment and discernment. It is knowing what to pursue and what to let go, what to long for and what to flee.

Sundown. Sea Point Promenade, Sea Point, South Africa, 2011

Wisdom, Knowledge & Spiritual Values

The Call of the Divine Beloved
Selected Mystical Works of Bahá’u’lláh

Although most of the Tablets in this collection were revealed during Bahá’u’lláh’s sojourn in ‘Iráq (1853–1863), the first, the poem known as “Rashḥ-i-‘Amá”, was written in 1852 in the Síyáh-Chál and is among the few He revealed while in His native land of Persia, and in verse.

Bahá’u’lláh recounts: “During the days I lay in the prison of Ṭihrán, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain.”

The Nightingale of Knowledge—

“I have hearkened to the song of the nightingale of knowledge upon the twigs of the tree of thine inmost being, and to the cooing of the dove of certitude upon the branches of the bower of thine heart. Methinks I inhaled the fragrance of purity from the raiment of thy love and, in perusing thy letter, attained thy very presence. I noted, moreover, thine allusions to thy death in God and thy life through Him, and the love thou dost cherish for the beloved of the Lord and for the Manifestations of His names and the Exponents of His attributes. I have purposed, therefore, to acquaint thee with holy and resplendent tokens from the realms of might and glory, that haply they may draw thee nigh unto the court of holiness, nearness, and beauty, and draw thee to a station wherein thou shalt see naught in all existence but the hallowed Countenance of thy Beloved, and wilt behold all of creation as a day wherein none was deemed worthy of mention.”

—Bahá’u’lláh

The Nightingale of Oneness—

“Of this did the nightingale of oneness sing in the garden of his mystical treatise,14 saying, “And there shall appear upon the tablet of thine heart an inscription of the subtle mysteries of the verse ‘Fear ye God; God will teach you’, and the bird of thy spirit shall recall the sanctuaries of ancient splendour, and soar upon the wings of longing into the heaven of the command ‘Walk the beaten paths of thy Lord’, and partake of the choice fruits of communion in the gardens of the utterance ‘Feed, moreover, on every kind of fruit.

—Bahá’u’lláh

Reference: Selected Mystical Works of Bahá’u’lláh. Download PDF.

Selected Mystical Works of Hafez

“The first poem by Hafez to appear in English was the work of Sir William Jones (q.v.; 1746-94). His translation of the “Tork-e šīrāzī” ghazal(q.v.), both in prose and verse, as a “Persian Song” (Jones 1771, pp. 135-40), set a precedent for later translators. The rest of the 18th century produced very little, though the translation by John Nott (1751-1825) is worthy of note. Since the beginning of the 19th century, however, Hafez has become the most translated of the Persian poets.”

O Gentle Weariness—

O gentle weariness
Thine is the power that can all spirits free
From bonding-trouble, thou art a goddess
To all the suffering slaves of misery.

Thy sanctuary
No suppliant vainly seeketh; wheresoe’er
Desperate grief is, then unfailingly
Is thine all-hallowing rest & refuge there.

Our sorrow hath outgrown
Solace, yet still in thine all-mothering hand
Is balm of soft oblivion, who alone
Our never-ending needs dost understand.

—Hafez

Attainment—

When the strong climber his last mountain-crest
Attaineth, & the point for which he strove
Is reached, & his desire made manifest,

& seating him the topmost heights above
He gazeth on each aspect leisurely,
Considering the path by which he clomb

& which so many attempted, & how he
The first of all his race had strength to come
Unto that eminence, & how this throne

Shall men hereafter to his name recall;
Then more than ever is he strangely lone,
Seeing earth’s dwellings spread out far & small;

& more unfathom’d seemeth & more high,
Eternal heaven’s unchanged immensity.

—Hafez

“Translations of Hafiz into English”: Encyclopedia Iranica.

Reference: Project Gutenberg’s Sonnets from Hafez & Other
Verses, by Elizabeth Bridges. Download PDF.

Red Fire Ant

by Terry Randolph | Sep 17, 2021 | Nature

Red Fire Ant

Common name: Red imported fire ant.
Scientific name: Solenopsis invicta Buren
(Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Worker Red Fire Ant | Mtazamo.Photography (Penang, Malaysia, Sep 2021)
An extreme pest in my home garden. I’ve been sting many times.
The pain, swelling and bruising, an experience I wish on no one.

Worker Red Fire Ant

The worker red fire ant has been a continuing problem for me as a home Gardner in Penang, Malaysia. I’ve been bit/stung several times by this aggressive predator. The affected area requires immediate attention with the application of a particular balm to lessen pain and reduce swelling.

Introduction

The red imported fire ant is native to central South America. It is also established in the U.S. and Australia (Queensland, near Brisbane – as of 2001) (Shattuck and Barnett 2005).

It has been reported in Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands (ISSG 2006).

Populations in New Zealand and mainland China are either currently eradicated (N.Z.) or undergoing eradication (China) (ISSG 2006).

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Head of Worker Ant

Head of a worker of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Photograph by David Almquist, University of Florida.

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Sting

The sting of the red imported fire ant possesses venom of an alkaloid nature, which exhibits potent necrotoxic activity. Approximately 95% of the venom is composed of these alkaloids, which are responsible for both the pain and white pustule that appears approximately one day after the sting occurs. The remainder of the venom contains an aqueous solution of proteins, peptides, and other small molecules that produce the allergic reaction in hypersensitive individuals. Worker fire ants will attach to the skin using their mandibles and will subsequently lower the tip of the gaster to inject the stinger into the victim. Thus, fire ants both bite and sting, but only the sting is responsible for the pain and pustule (Goddard 1996).

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Human Toll

The human toll from red imported fire ant stings is an important public health concern. Stings may produce a large range of reactions from localized pain and swelling to anaphylactic shock, making it hard to estimate the cost to public health.

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Diet

The diet of foraging workers consists of dead animals, including insects, earthworms, and vertebrates. Workers also collect honeydew and will forage for sweets, proteins, and fats in homes. They are sometimes attracted to piles of dirty laundry. Larvae are fed only a liquid diet until they reach the third instar. When the larvae reach the fourth instar, they are able to digest solid foods. Worker ants will bring solid food rich in protein and deposit it in a depression in front of the mouth of the larvae. The larvae will secrete digestive enzymes that break down the solid food and regurgitate it back to worker ants. The queen is fed some of the digested protein to support egg production. As long as food is plentiful, egg production is at its maximum (Vinson and Sorenson 1986).

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Urban Settings

In urban settings, the red imported fire ant may nest under patio slabs, in lawns, under edges of sidewalks, foundations, concrete driveways, and electrical boxes. After a heavy rain, the colony may move to higher ground or inside homes to take refuge from saturated soil. If nesting under patio slabs or concrete walkways, the nest cavity may cause the concrete slab to fall and cause damage to the sidewalk (Vinson and Sorenson 1986).

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Ground-nesting Populations

Red imported fire ants have been reported to reduce ground-nesting populations of rodents and birds. In certain instances, the red imported fire ant may completely eliminate ground-nesting species from a given area (Vinson and Sorenson 1986). Because there is a 10 to 20 year lapse before reductions in bird populations are observed, it has been suggested that actual effects of the red imported fire ant on animal populations may be underestimated (Mount 1981).

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Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla

Pest Management

Fire ants frequently invade home lawns, school yards, athletic fields, golf courses, parks and other recreational areas. Additionally, electrical equipment and utility housing, home gardens, compost piles, mulched flowerbeds, pavement cracks, and the perimeter of bodies of water must all be considered when choosing a method of control.

Two approaches can be taken to effectively manage imported fire ants. Single mound treatments or area-wide broadcast applications usually manage red imported fire ant populations.

(Note: Text adapted from several sources.)

Taxonomy

Originally, Solenopsis invicta was believed to be a red form of the black species Solenopsis saevissima richteri Forel. In 1972, Buren described the black imported fire ant to be a separate and distinct species, Solenopsis richteri Forel, and the RIFA was identified as Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hedges 1997). Literature dated earlier than 1972 referring to the biology and control of “Solenopsis saevissima richteri” almost exclusively refers to Solenopsis invicta (Ebeling 1975). Some literature found may contain the name Solenopsis wagneri, which refers to Solenopsis invicta (Shattuck et al. 1999).

My home garden in Penang, Malaysia, Sep 2021

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Individual Mound Treatments

There are many methods of treating individual mounds. The main advantage to this process is that there are so many choices available to homeowners and pest control operators, though few may actually eliminate the colony. However, the largest disadvantage is that individual mounds must each be located in order to be treated. Individual mound treatments are most beneficial when there are native ants in the same area as imported fire ants. Reinfestation of any treated area, whether by broadcast treatment or individual mound treatment may occur. Six methods of individual mound treatment are available (Vinson and Sorenson 1986).

Mound Drenches. Large volumes of liquid toxic to ants are poured over a mound. Liquids can range from using several gallons of hot water to insecticides mixed with several gallons of water. This method may not reach the queen, which may be deep in the nest, thus preventing colony elimination.

Surface Dusts. This method is very similar to mound drenches. A dust or granular insecticide is applied over the top of the mound and then watered into the soil.

Mound Injections. The use of insecticides that may be pressurized and injected into a mound. Often this method is more expensive, but more effective, than mound drenches; however, more time may be required for this method and leakage of the insecticide by the equipment may be hazardous to the handler. Again, the queen may not be affected and thus reinfestation may occur.

Baits. Baits can be used for both individual mound and broadcast applications. A small amount of the bait is sprinkled around the mound and the ants then forage and bring the bait back to the colony to feed on. This method is slower acting, but more effective then drenching, dusting, or fumigating a mound because the workers will feed the bait to the queen and brood, thus gaining effective control of the colony.

Mechanical Control. Certain mechanical and electrical devices are on the market for controlling fire ants, but the efficacy has not been documented (Vinson and Sorenson 1986).

Home Remedies. Many homeowners will choose to pour boiling water or ignite flammable liquids over a mound. While these methods may bring about control, they are not recommended because they are both very dangerous, not only to humans, but also to the environment.

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Broadcast Treatments

Currently, there are only a few products available for broadcast treatment of large areas. These products are either granular insecticides or baits composed of soybean oil and toxicant on a corn grit carrier. These granules are broadcast over a large area and, upon discovery by the ants, are carried to the colony and fed to nestmates and the queen. This is a very effective treatment but does present problems because (1) some of the bait may be dropped where the ants may not find it, (2) some colonies are well fed so do not feed upon the bait, (3) some baits are light sensitive (as with hydramethylnon) and may inactivate before discovery by the ants, and (4) the baits are not specific to the imported fire ant (Vinson and Sorenson 1986).

Worker Red Ant Video |Sep 2021

Note: All images/videos taken with iPhone 12 Pro Max
using Sandmarc Macro len’s, except others as noted.

Biological Control

Current research is leading the way for introduction of natural enemies of the red imported fire ant. Two hopeful pathogens are the microsporidian protozoan Thelohania solenopsae and the fungus Beauveria bassiana. Two parasitoid flies from South America, Pseudacteon tricuspis and Pseudacteon curvatus have been introduced into the southern states. These flies decapitate worker ants in the final stages of larval development. In addition, a parasitic ant, Solenopsis daguerri (Santschi) which invades fire ant colonies and replaces the queen to take control of the colony, is being investigated for another possible biological control agent of the red imported fire ant.

Worker red ant seen repeating a peculiar pattern of behaviour.

Spotlights

Natural Enemies Close In on Fire Ants (Sep 9, 2019) (external link)
USDA. ARS. Tellus.

Hunting for natural enemies of the red imported fire ant is paying off for Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists. Their latest discovery — a new virus found in fire ants from Argentina — has the potential of becoming a biological control agent against the red imported fire ants infesting the U.S.

What Happens to Fire Ants During a Flood? (external link).

If a fire ant colony is flooded during a rainstorm or other high-water situation, the ants cling together and form a living raft that floats on the flood waters. Once the raft hits dry ground or a tree, rock, or other dry object, the ants can leave the water.

Footage Shows Massive Colonies of Fire Ants Floating in Hurricane Florence Floodwater (Sep 18, 2018). (external link)

AOL News.
Floodwaters will not drown fire ants. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, victims in the storm’s path are being warned to avoid wading through dangerous floodwaters (in addition to other reasons and threats).

Genadendal Historical Town

by Terry Randolph | Sep 6, 2021 | Museum

Genadendal

All photographs displayed here of The Genadendal Mission Museum, some of its internal displays, Genadendal buildings, and the surrounding area were taken by me, the author/photographer, during my visit on 30 Dec 2013. Genadendal is included as a part of my continuing project to both record and make available images of little-known museums I’ve had the opportunity to visit. Additional information was gleamed from several websites linked below.

Genadendal History

The Genadendal Mission Museum

Be transported back in time and get a glimpse of what life was like hundreds of years ago. The museum is located on the site of the original mission station and consists of various buildings that were used since the mission was established. The buildings were declared a National Monument in 1980 and contain exhibits telling the story of Genadendal.

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The Khoikhoi

The word “Khoisan” is the collective name given to describe two separate indigenous groups of the South Western regions of Africa, namely the Khoi (aka Khoe) who were herders and the San who were hunter-gatherers. The Khoikhoi (aka Khoekhoe) were scattered throughout the region into various tribes, each led by a traditional chief.

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The Genadendal Mission Station

The Genadendal Mission Station was initially established on 23 April 1738 when Georg Schmidt, a Moravian Church missionary, together with a small group of Khoikhoi, set up the first mission station at what was then called Baviaanskloof (Valley of Baboons).

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