Superman by* Five for Fighting
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird...
I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd...
but don't be naive
Even Heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...
but won't you concede
Even Heroes have the right to dream
It's not easy to be me
Up, up and away...away from me
It's all right...
You can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy...or anything...
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
It's not easy to be me.
every1's trying 2 find tt special thing inside.....trying very hard 2 live up 2 expectations......but smetimes we really need 2 take a step back, take a breather.....even superheroes need a break....
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Dun get offended when i call u a birdbrain...it's a compliment!!!!
ST Feb 2, 2005
You call me a birdbrain? Thank you!
WASHINGTON - BIRDS are not stupid and their brains are not primitive, so it is about time the scientific world gave them full credit, experts said.
An international group of experts yesterday published a call for scientists around the world to switch to a new set of words to describe the various parts of the avian brain. It would be a wholesale revision of terms that is rarely seen in science and the first total makeover of bird-brain anatomy in more than a century.
The current system suggests a bird's brain is mostly basal ganglia and that this area controls primitive brain function and instinctive behaviour.
In fact, neither is true. The bird brain more closely resembles the human brain and the basal ganglia is not a primitive region, said Duke University's Mr Erich Jarvis, who led the study.
'Stop calling people birdbrains meaning stupid. Take it as a compliment,' he said.
The neurobiologist, who studies how birds learn vocalisations such as songbird songs and imitated speech in parrots, said their behaviour can be surprisingly complex.
They can use tools and songs, imitate human language to communicate and count.
'They can lie. You can teach a pigeon to do something that will have another pigeon get food for a reward. You can find a female pigeon that will pretend a reward for food is coming and then she eats it instead of her mate,' he said.
He said some birds had evolved cognitive abilities that are far more complex than in many mammals.
'We should be able to get more insight into how the human brain works, too,' he said.
For instance, 'primitive' regions of avian brains are sophisticated processing regions similar to those in mammals, the researchers said.
'There is strong interest across neuroscience in using birds as models for learning and development, and migratory and social behaviour.'
The researchers published their argument in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience. \-- REUTERS
ST Feb 2, 2005
You call me a birdbrain? Thank you!
WASHINGTON - BIRDS are not stupid and their brains are not primitive, so it is about time the scientific world gave them full credit, experts said.
An international group of experts yesterday published a call for scientists around the world to switch to a new set of words to describe the various parts of the avian brain. It would be a wholesale revision of terms that is rarely seen in science and the first total makeover of bird-brain anatomy in more than a century.
The current system suggests a bird's brain is mostly basal ganglia and that this area controls primitive brain function and instinctive behaviour.
In fact, neither is true. The bird brain more closely resembles the human brain and the basal ganglia is not a primitive region, said Duke University's Mr Erich Jarvis, who led the study.
'Stop calling people birdbrains meaning stupid. Take it as a compliment,' he said.
The neurobiologist, who studies how birds learn vocalisations such as songbird songs and imitated speech in parrots, said their behaviour can be surprisingly complex.
They can use tools and songs, imitate human language to communicate and count.
'They can lie. You can teach a pigeon to do something that will have another pigeon get food for a reward. You can find a female pigeon that will pretend a reward for food is coming and then she eats it instead of her mate,' he said.
He said some birds had evolved cognitive abilities that are far more complex than in many mammals.
'We should be able to get more insight into how the human brain works, too,' he said.
For instance, 'primitive' regions of avian brains are sophisticated processing regions similar to those in mammals, the researchers said.
'There is strong interest across neuroscience in using birds as models for learning and development, and migratory and social behaviour.'
The researchers published their argument in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience. \-- REUTERS
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
When Mr Right comes at the wrong time part 2....
fr ytd's blog on e article on "When Mr Right comes at the wrong time".....
there's a 3rd category o pple...those who wait & wait & wait......i belong 2 tis 3rd grp at least up til tis moment....i'm not sure 5 yrs down e road wld i settle 4 Mr No. 2.....mayb i wld.....it's tiring 2 wait....it's tiring 2 pursue.....
as atomic princess wld put it, u never know he's e 1 unless u die.....morbid.....but seriously e qn comes again 2 when do u know if he/she is e 1????
it's always a gamble i tink......it's really how much risk u r willing 2 take.....fr an economist's pov, r u risk adverse, risk loving or risk nuetral when it comes 2 love?????
difficult 2 quantify & qualify.....mayb i cld come up wif a study on this??? mayb it'll b my masters thesis....quantifying & qualifying pple's risk adversity in love....wonder if any1 has done it b4......shld do a lit search on it.....
my other personal research on hemispherity o facial features & personality....i haven done anything more on it since i started work at scs.....it's tis study which landed me my current job....i shld prob start dooing smething abt it....
i've so many ideas....cross my fingers & let my csew go smoothly & finish by tis yr!!! then i can start on e rest.....
there's a 3rd category o pple...those who wait & wait & wait......i belong 2 tis 3rd grp at least up til tis moment....i'm not sure 5 yrs down e road wld i settle 4 Mr No. 2.....mayb i wld.....it's tiring 2 wait....it's tiring 2 pursue.....
as atomic princess wld put it, u never know he's e 1 unless u die.....morbid.....but seriously e qn comes again 2 when do u know if he/she is e 1????
it's always a gamble i tink......it's really how much risk u r willing 2 take.....fr an economist's pov, r u risk adverse, risk loving or risk nuetral when it comes 2 love?????
difficult 2 quantify & qualify.....mayb i cld come up wif a study on this??? mayb it'll b my masters thesis....quantifying & qualifying pple's risk adversity in love....wonder if any1 has done it b4......shld do a lit search on it.....
my other personal research on hemispherity o facial features & personality....i haven done anything more on it since i started work at scs.....it's tis study which landed me my current job....i shld prob start dooing smething abt it....
i've so many ideas....cross my fingers & let my csew go smoothly & finish by tis yr!!! then i can start on e rest.....
CSEW
had been so stressed over CSEW 4 e longest time.....however, when i looked at e development of CSEW fr sept 04 to jan 05, i can c e tt i've not totally done nothing....i can c e progress....i'm not as depressed as i was last wk abt e study......
was so upset last wk tt many things were done so half-heartenly.....finally i can c e light in front....hopefully everything will work out well tmr.....i seriously 1 everything 2 work out......
i 4got 2 ask if he blogs....i hope so.....it'll b interesting.....
i busted my budget again....2 tops, 1 skirt......altogether 2 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 pair o shoes......more shopping 2nite......haizzzzzzz.......i know i shld stop, but it's great therapy 4 e heart.....
when shld i go down 2 nie.....
was so upset last wk tt many things were done so half-heartenly.....finally i can c e light in front....hopefully everything will work out well tmr.....i seriously 1 everything 2 work out......
i 4got 2 ask if he blogs....i hope so.....it'll b interesting.....
i busted my budget again....2 tops, 1 skirt......altogether 2 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 pair o shoes......more shopping 2nite......haizzzzzzz.......i know i shld stop, but it's great therapy 4 e heart.....
when shld i go down 2 nie.....
another new staff.....
e turn over at scs is really high.....i've oredi lost count o e no. o new staff oredi.....in my centre alone, almost 90% have worked here 4 less than 1 yr.....
make me tink abt e entry posted by KJ on e new waves o pple.....i really hope tt e current grp tt i'm working wif dun move off 2 fast....at least stay until e nov conference is over......
make me tink abt e entry posted by KJ on e new waves o pple.....i really hope tt e current grp tt i'm working wif dun move off 2 fast....at least stay until e nov conference is over......
fear & zhi zhu...
ytd a tot came into my mind.....
only when we learn 2 b afraid then we can b zhi zhu.....cos unless we r afraid 2 lose smething then we'll appreciate them.....but it's only when we lose them do we appreciate them.....but then we wld have lost them......
only when we learn 2 b afraid then we can b zhi zhu.....cos unless we r afraid 2 lose smething then we'll appreciate them.....but it's only when we lose them do we appreciate them.....but then we wld have lost them......
Monday, January 31, 2005
i'll stand by you.....
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don’t be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
’cause I’ve seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don’t know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
So if you’re mad, get mad
Don’t hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I’m a lot like you
When you’re standing at the crossroads
And don’t know which path to choose
Let me come along
’cause even if you’re wrong
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
You’re feeling all alone
You won’t be on your own
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
tis song's by e pretenders originally but i tink girls r loud r doing tis song also...heard tis song quite a lot on radio recently....& i tink it speaks o how i feel towards 3 o my closest friends......even though i may speak w/o tinking & hurt ur feelings u know i dun mean it....i may not b able 2 solve ur problems but i can listen if tt is any consolation....i may not know a lot o things but i can stand by u......
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don’t be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
’cause I’ve seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don’t know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
So if you’re mad, get mad
Don’t hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I’m a lot like you
When you’re standing at the crossroads
And don’t know which path to choose
Let me come along
’cause even if you’re wrong
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
You’re feeling all alone
You won’t be on your own
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
tis song's by e pretenders originally but i tink girls r loud r doing tis song also...heard tis song quite a lot on radio recently....& i tink it speaks o how i feel towards 3 o my closest friends......even though i may speak w/o tinking & hurt ur feelings u know i dun mean it....i may not b able 2 solve ur problems but i can listen if tt is any consolation....i may not know a lot o things but i can stand by u......
ST Jan 31, 2005
When Mr Right comes at the wrong time
Timing is everything, even in love. And when you are not ready to commit, you could end up regretting it
By Janice Wong
SOMETIMES, timing rather than love decides who we end up being with - or without.
Only some lucky people marry the loves of their lives. The rest marry the most suitable person who comes along when they are ready to settle down.
A friend in his 20s came to this conclusion after confiding in me that he had recently met a woman who is more attractive than his wife, and so occupies his thoughts more often than his wife does.
'If only I had met her before I got married,' he said wistfully.
But I think even if the love of one's life appears when one is single, one may not be in the right frame of mind to recognise him or her as such.
And then love passes by.
Life is littered with near misses and lost opportunities.
I attended my ex-boyfriend's wedding last month, which triggered many memories.
We met five years ago when I was 23 and he 31. It was love at first sight.
He had an established career, was down-to-earth and steadfastly religious.
I was then working as an air stewardess and my head was - literally and metaphorically - in the clouds.
I was also - well, let's put it this way - not religious.
Despite our differences, we were soulmates. We had the same quirky sense of humour and shared long, intense overnight conversations.
But human nature is perverse. When someone is excessively nice to us, we start taking things for granted, instead of appreciating them even more.
My ex sent me to the airport, fixed my PC, reminded me to take health supplements - and go to church.
He had everything I could want in a husband - except that I was not looking for one. A boyfriend was all I could cope with then.
I loved fast cars, danced wildly at Zouk and took off on shopping holidays at a whim. My life revolved around I, me and myself.
In the six months that we were together, he popped the question several times and talked ad nauseam about having children. He wanted us to enrol for a Christian marriage preparation course.
Yes, I did often fantasise about a Vera Wang wedding gown, but I was at that stage of my life when I was more interested in Guess than Baby Guess.
And where - dare I admit it? - I still wanted to meet other men.
So I was a 23-year-old with the emotional maturity of a 13-year-old. Responsibility? Wasn't that for adults?
In short, I met Mr Right at the wrong time.
The more he talked about marriage and religion, the more I felt pressured and the more pressured I felt, the more irritable I became.
I was too impatient to compromise. Every trivial matter blew up as a big deal. My mood obliterated the good in our relationship and reached a point where I just wanted out.
He was heartbroken; I was sad but relieved. He still called me regularly, beseeching me to change my mind.
The calls stopped finally after a year. Now and then, we say 'Hi' via e-mail.
I had a few painful relationships after that. Served me right, as those rude wake-up calls were necessary for me to realise the meaninglessness of my hedonistic high life.
I missed the tenderness of my ex and began having second thoughts.
Perhaps I also felt more urgency to find someone marriageable before my biological clock reached zero hour. It dawned on me that I am not a pixie like Peter Pan who can flit around forever. One day, I'd wake up sick and alone when my fair weather friends flit away.
But I was too proud and too unsure of my ex's reaction to call him until last year.
The first thing he told me excitedly was that he had found The One. My heart tumbled to my feet. So, that's Fate.
If only I could turn back time. If only I had met him later. If only... what feeble words.
These days, I am more circumspect. I have come to terms with my loss. There is nothing I can do about timing, but I can do everything about my choices.
Sometimes, when the nights get lonely, I toy with the idea of marrying a platonic friend of mine, who often assures me earnestly that, if the worst comes to the worst, he'd be willing to marry me.
But I always dismiss that. I have already made one mistake. I should not make another by settling for second best merely for the sake of getting hitched - only to regret it soon after, as the guy who confided in me did.
Hopefully, the best is not over but yet to be.
When Mr Right comes at the wrong time
Timing is everything, even in love. And when you are not ready to commit, you could end up regretting it
By Janice Wong
SOMETIMES, timing rather than love decides who we end up being with - or without.
Only some lucky people marry the loves of their lives. The rest marry the most suitable person who comes along when they are ready to settle down.
A friend in his 20s came to this conclusion after confiding in me that he had recently met a woman who is more attractive than his wife, and so occupies his thoughts more often than his wife does.
'If only I had met her before I got married,' he said wistfully.
But I think even if the love of one's life appears when one is single, one may not be in the right frame of mind to recognise him or her as such.
And then love passes by.
Life is littered with near misses and lost opportunities.
I attended my ex-boyfriend's wedding last month, which triggered many memories.
We met five years ago when I was 23 and he 31. It was love at first sight.
He had an established career, was down-to-earth and steadfastly religious.
I was then working as an air stewardess and my head was - literally and metaphorically - in the clouds.
I was also - well, let's put it this way - not religious.
Despite our differences, we were soulmates. We had the same quirky sense of humour and shared long, intense overnight conversations.
But human nature is perverse. When someone is excessively nice to us, we start taking things for granted, instead of appreciating them even more.
My ex sent me to the airport, fixed my PC, reminded me to take health supplements - and go to church.
He had everything I could want in a husband - except that I was not looking for one. A boyfriend was all I could cope with then.
I loved fast cars, danced wildly at Zouk and took off on shopping holidays at a whim. My life revolved around I, me and myself.
In the six months that we were together, he popped the question several times and talked ad nauseam about having children. He wanted us to enrol for a Christian marriage preparation course.
Yes, I did often fantasise about a Vera Wang wedding gown, but I was at that stage of my life when I was more interested in Guess than Baby Guess.
And where - dare I admit it? - I still wanted to meet other men.
So I was a 23-year-old with the emotional maturity of a 13-year-old. Responsibility? Wasn't that for adults?
In short, I met Mr Right at the wrong time.
The more he talked about marriage and religion, the more I felt pressured and the more pressured I felt, the more irritable I became.
I was too impatient to compromise. Every trivial matter blew up as a big deal. My mood obliterated the good in our relationship and reached a point where I just wanted out.
He was heartbroken; I was sad but relieved. He still called me regularly, beseeching me to change my mind.
The calls stopped finally after a year. Now and then, we say 'Hi' via e-mail.
I had a few painful relationships after that. Served me right, as those rude wake-up calls were necessary for me to realise the meaninglessness of my hedonistic high life.
I missed the tenderness of my ex and began having second thoughts.
Perhaps I also felt more urgency to find someone marriageable before my biological clock reached zero hour. It dawned on me that I am not a pixie like Peter Pan who can flit around forever. One day, I'd wake up sick and alone when my fair weather friends flit away.
But I was too proud and too unsure of my ex's reaction to call him until last year.
The first thing he told me excitedly was that he had found The One. My heart tumbled to my feet. So, that's Fate.
If only I could turn back time. If only I had met him later. If only... what feeble words.
These days, I am more circumspect. I have come to terms with my loss. There is nothing I can do about timing, but I can do everything about my choices.
Sometimes, when the nights get lonely, I toy with the idea of marrying a platonic friend of mine, who often assures me earnestly that, if the worst comes to the worst, he'd be willing to marry me.
But I always dismiss that. I have already made one mistake. I should not make another by settling for second best merely for the sake of getting hitched - only to regret it soon after, as the guy who confided in me did.
Hopefully, the best is not over but yet to be.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
double double double double....
i'm gg 2 overdose on happinesss.......
ytd was a great day!!!! everything juz sort o fall into place w/o me planning anything.....a great end 2 ytd was 4 doubles 4 tkd!!!!! all e junior belts got double & all e senior belts passed!!!!!
yay.........
i'm so overdosing on happinesss.....stop being so smug!!!!!!!!!!!!
ytd was a great day!!!! everything juz sort o fall into place w/o me planning anything.....a great end 2 ytd was 4 doubles 4 tkd!!!!! all e junior belts got double & all e senior belts passed!!!!!
yay.........
i'm so overdosing on happinesss.....stop being so smug!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
he's cute btw....heehehheee...
shld have asked more qns but i didn't....there'll b a next time!
i 1 2 finish my article by 2day...but i doubt my own efficiency.... it's juz 2 cold down here 4 me 2 really concentrate on wat i shld b writing.....shld i go grab another coffee???? i shldn't b drinking so much coffee.....bad 4 my throat & i've running nose......
1 2 hear sam's voice!!!! i missed it tt day!!!!! hahhaaaa.......ultra r u still in cloud 9?????
i was down in e pits e last few days but 2 day i put all o CSEW behind.....i'm gg 2 concentrate on reliability........
shld have asked more qns but i didn't....there'll b a next time!
i 1 2 finish my article by 2day...but i doubt my own efficiency.... it's juz 2 cold down here 4 me 2 really concentrate on wat i shld b writing.....shld i go grab another coffee???? i shldn't b drinking so much coffee.....bad 4 my throat & i've running nose......
1 2 hear sam's voice!!!! i missed it tt day!!!!! hahhaaaa.......ultra r u still in cloud 9?????
i was down in e pits e last few days but 2 day i put all o CSEW behind.....i'm gg 2 concentrate on reliability........
Monday, January 24, 2005
smetimes i dun understd myself.....y i did things i've done.....y i feel e way i m......i'm so tired 2day....i tink i feel a fever coming up......i shldn't have binge on e Mcdonalds......i shldn't have stuff myself wif food 2 feel beta.....i dun feel any beta after all e food.....tmr's gid.....if i'm a bitch or if i'm not responsive pls 4give me......i'm really not in e mood....
i'm supposed 2 not take it personally but i did.....y can't he c my pt???? y r e others not replying???? i feel so shit.....made me doubt myself.......i tink i juz got off e wrong side o my bed.....i'm juz dwelling 2 much.......haizzzz.....sore throat....shoot......i hate it man......
how shld i make my next move?????is there smething wrong wif my research style????
i'm supposed 2 not take it personally but i did.....y can't he c my pt???? y r e others not replying???? i feel so shit.....made me doubt myself.......i tink i juz got off e wrong side o my bed.....i'm juz dwelling 2 much.......haizzzz.....sore throat....shoot......i hate it man......
how shld i make my next move?????is there smething wrong wif my research style????
Jan 24, 2005, P 8
Grief for brain-dead girl unites Taiwanese
Four-year-old dies two weeks after being beaten by father and rejected by hospitals
By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan Correspondent
TAIPEI - MOST Taiwanese forgot their political differences yesterday to grieve for a four-year-old girl finally declared brain dead after two weeks of fruitless treatment.
A group of doctors and prosecutors determined the girl - denied treatment by several hospitals in Taipei after being severely beaten by her drunken father - was brain dead and said her heart, livers and kidneys would be donated to others 'with the agreement of her parents'.
Soon after the announcement by Mr Tung Jui-nien, head of the Tungs' Metro Harbor Hospital in Taichung, operations began to save the girl's vital organs for designated recipients.
Her tearful mother had taken about 24 hours to agree to signing the organ-donation letter.
'Before she signed, she touched the girl's little hands, her feet and body again and again,' said a second hospital spokesman.
The media reported that her father, awaiting trial in jail over the case, had tremblingly said he regretted what he had done to the girl, surnamed Chiu, when told of her possible brain death on Saturday. He will now face a manslaughter charge.
Dozens of concerned parents - total strangers to the girl - who had gathered outside her hospital room cried upon hearing she could not live.
Cards, flowers and toys from well-wishers had packed the girl's room since Jan 10 when news of her plight broke over local television.
It detailed how the father had smashed her against a wall until she fell into a coma and how she had subsequently been rejected by Taipei hospitals.
Six hours were wasted before the girl was finally admitted to the Metro Harbor Hospital. Later it was discovered there had been rooms available in Taipei's other hospitals.
Two doctors from Jen-Ai Hospital, where the girl was sent immediately after the violence, could be facing a jail term. They were on duty on Jan 10 but decided not to admit the girl.
The reports sparked a public uproar, forcing Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou to replace the city's health director and cancel his own trip to Australia, his popularity dented.
A sullen Mr Ma said yesterday: 'This unfortunate case has triggered public concern over the severity of the child-abuse problem...and the need to reform Taiwan's medical system.'
But he said Chiu's brief life had not been a waste if every Taiwanese could learn a lesson from her tragedy.
Mr Ma's city government has ordered that no hospital in Taipei is to arbitrarily transfer seriously ill or injured patients.
A welfare system has also been set up to help abused children and ensure good hospital treatment.
On Saturday, President Chen Shui-bian, a political rival of Mr Ma, urged government agencies to apply to the hilt laws and regulations on children's welfare and provide youngsters with better health care and treatment.
i hate it when pple say e words highlighted in pink.....we learn a lesson fr a tragedy....do things have 2 turn bad b4 we can learn smething? i hate tis rationale.....
Grief for brain-dead girl unites Taiwanese
Four-year-old dies two weeks after being beaten by father and rejected by hospitals
By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan Correspondent
TAIPEI - MOST Taiwanese forgot their political differences yesterday to grieve for a four-year-old girl finally declared brain dead after two weeks of fruitless treatment.
A group of doctors and prosecutors determined the girl - denied treatment by several hospitals in Taipei after being severely beaten by her drunken father - was brain dead and said her heart, livers and kidneys would be donated to others 'with the agreement of her parents'.
Soon after the announcement by Mr Tung Jui-nien, head of the Tungs' Metro Harbor Hospital in Taichung, operations began to save the girl's vital organs for designated recipients.
Her tearful mother had taken about 24 hours to agree to signing the organ-donation letter.
'Before she signed, she touched the girl's little hands, her feet and body again and again,' said a second hospital spokesman.
The media reported that her father, awaiting trial in jail over the case, had tremblingly said he regretted what he had done to the girl, surnamed Chiu, when told of her possible brain death on Saturday. He will now face a manslaughter charge.
Dozens of concerned parents - total strangers to the girl - who had gathered outside her hospital room cried upon hearing she could not live.
Cards, flowers and toys from well-wishers had packed the girl's room since Jan 10 when news of her plight broke over local television.
It detailed how the father had smashed her against a wall until she fell into a coma and how she had subsequently been rejected by Taipei hospitals.
Six hours were wasted before the girl was finally admitted to the Metro Harbor Hospital. Later it was discovered there had been rooms available in Taipei's other hospitals.
Two doctors from Jen-Ai Hospital, where the girl was sent immediately after the violence, could be facing a jail term. They were on duty on Jan 10 but decided not to admit the girl.
The reports sparked a public uproar, forcing Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou to replace the city's health director and cancel his own trip to Australia, his popularity dented.
A sullen Mr Ma said yesterday: 'This unfortunate case has triggered public concern over the severity of the child-abuse problem...and the need to reform Taiwan's medical system.'
But he said Chiu's brief life had not been a waste if every Taiwanese could learn a lesson from her tragedy.
Mr Ma's city government has ordered that no hospital in Taipei is to arbitrarily transfer seriously ill or injured patients.
A welfare system has also been set up to help abused children and ensure good hospital treatment.
On Saturday, President Chen Shui-bian, a political rival of Mr Ma, urged government agencies to apply to the hilt laws and regulations on children's welfare and provide youngsters with better health care and treatment.
i hate it when pple say e words highlighted in pink.....we learn a lesson fr a tragedy....do things have 2 turn bad b4 we can learn smething? i hate tis rationale.....
i was supposed 2 b so happy tis morning.....had a wonderful weekend.....
but.......
e 1st email i read tis morning.....made me feel so sad.....so angry....so disappointed......i worked so hard.....i admit i shld have cleared my doubts rite fr e beginning but how was i supposed 2 know wat i was supposed 2 know???? i wldn't know wat 2 ask until i've read/researched......
so upset......
his email sounded like i shld have done my research properly......tt i didn't put in effort 2 do my work properly.....he asked if i received his latest email.....regarding mtg on sats....he make me sound so stupid.....so unorganised abt e schedules....i didn't 1 2 b impolite so i wrote in my email tt 1 o e RAs didn't 1 2 have it on weekends...can't he read between e lines??? i'm trying my hardest 2 b polite......
y m i so upset????
haizzzzz.....
tis is e shittest day ever since i started work at scs.....
feel so sad........juz 1 email & i feel so bad......mayb it's juz tt i'm tired....didn't sleep 2 well last nite.....mayb juz tt i'm not feeling 2 well....been staying up late, staying in e sun 2 much & not eating properly......
but.......
e 1st email i read tis morning.....made me feel so sad.....so angry....so disappointed......i worked so hard.....i admit i shld have cleared my doubts rite fr e beginning but how was i supposed 2 know wat i was supposed 2 know???? i wldn't know wat 2 ask until i've read/researched......
so upset......
his email sounded like i shld have done my research properly......tt i didn't put in effort 2 do my work properly.....he asked if i received his latest email.....regarding mtg on sats....he make me sound so stupid.....so unorganised abt e schedules....i didn't 1 2 b impolite so i wrote in my email tt 1 o e RAs didn't 1 2 have it on weekends...can't he read between e lines??? i'm trying my hardest 2 b polite......
y m i so upset????
haizzzzz.....
tis is e shittest day ever since i started work at scs.....
feel so sad........juz 1 email & i feel so bad......mayb it's juz tt i'm tired....didn't sleep 2 well last nite.....mayb juz tt i'm not feeling 2 well....been staying up late, staying in e sun 2 much & not eating properly......
Thursday, January 20, 2005
excerpt fr conversation at swensons....
"u take e banana & i'll take e balls...."
sounds sinister???? hahahhaaa.....
they were talking abt e banana crumble & e chocolate malt ice cream....hehheee but taken out o context...really hmmmmm....
hehheeee...
sounds sinister???? hahahhaaa.....
they were talking abt e banana crumble & e chocolate malt ice cream....hehheee but taken out o context...really hmmmmm....
hehheeee...
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
mutton, lamb, sheep, goat.....
fr dictionary.com
sheep:
Any of various usually horned ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis in the family Bovidae, especially the domesticated species O. aries, raised in many breeds for wool, edible flesh, or skin.
goat:
Any of various hollow-horned, bearded ruminant mammals of the genus Capra, originally of mountainous areas of the Old World, especially any of the domesticated forms of C. hircus, raised for wool, milk, and meat.
lamb:
a. A young sheep, especially one that is not yet weaned.
b. The flesh of a young sheep used as meat.
c. Lambskin.
mutton:
The flesh of fully grown sheep.
so wat do u call e meat fr a goat???? mutton????
so when we have e mutton curry, which animal is it from???
sheep:
Any of various usually horned ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis in the family Bovidae, especially the domesticated species O. aries, raised in many breeds for wool, edible flesh, or skin.
goat:
Any of various hollow-horned, bearded ruminant mammals of the genus Capra, originally of mountainous areas of the Old World, especially any of the domesticated forms of C. hircus, raised for wool, milk, and meat.
lamb:
a. A young sheep, especially one that is not yet weaned.
b. The flesh of a young sheep used as meat.
c. Lambskin.
mutton:
The flesh of fully grown sheep.
so wat do u call e meat fr a goat???? mutton????
so when we have e mutton curry, which animal is it from???
Monday, January 17, 2005
if u dun 1 2 go pls say it out straight....dun have 2 go 1 big round....
waste o my time.....
so tt's y i'm offline....
seriously i dun really 1 2 care abt how u feel loh.....
i dunno if u know i'm so pissed.....
i dunno y i must b so pissed.....
dun even bother talking 2 me......dun waste my time.....i tink i can do much more things.....
i sound so angry.....i dunno y but really dun 1 2 bother....dunno if u know who i'm referring 2 but i juz 1 2 voice it out.....
waste o my time.....
so tt's y i'm offline....
seriously i dun really 1 2 care abt how u feel loh.....
i dunno if u know i'm so pissed.....
i dunno y i must b so pissed.....
dun even bother talking 2 me......dun waste my time.....i tink i can do much more things.....
i sound so angry.....i dunno y but really dun 1 2 bother....dunno if u know who i'm referring 2 but i juz 1 2 voice it out.....
ST Jan 15, 2005, P 10
Trauma shows up in drawings and hallucination
GALLE (SRI LANKA) - PALESTINIAN children drew pictures of Israeli helicopters spitting gunfire when the intifada began; under the Taleban, Afghan children drew pictures of Islamic militants gunning down civilians.
In Sri Lanka these days, they are drawing dead bodies floating in giant waves.
'It's normal, children draw what they're experiencing,' said Dr Ajith Durusinghe, medical officer in charge of the Unawatuna psychiatric hospital in the tsunami-battered southern town of Galle.
'Children can't verbalise their feelings, so they use crayons and paper instead. It's an emotional release.'
Nursery school principal Chandra Koralage said the four-year-olds in her school, attached to the Kovillagodalla Buddhist temple here, had been 'unusually quiet'.
'They don't say much at all. They quietly play with handicrafts - and they draw a lot.'
Psychiatrist Manoj Kumara of Galle's Karapitiya Hospital said no one was sure of the Dec 26 tsunamis' long-term impact on the children of Sri Lanka, where more than 30,800 have been killed and nearly a million left homeless.
With relatives missing, homes swept away and familiar neighbourhoods turned into wastelands, it is clear that there has been great trauma.
Many people will develop what is called post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms include nervousness, insomnia and excessive worrying.
With children making up the biggest number of casualties, parents are expected to be wracked with guilt.
'If it's a case of a mother having been forced to give up one child to save another, the stress will be tremendous,' said Ms Linda Lam, a professor of psychiatry at Hong Kong's Chinese University.
In Thailand, tales of ghost sightings in the six worst-hit southern provinces have become endemic.
Spooked volunteers searching for bodies in the resort areas of Phi Phi Island and Khao Lak are reported to have looked for tourists heard laughing and singing on the beach, only to find darkness and empty sand.
Experts warn that it could be a result of mass trauma after living through the deadly waves and witnessing horrific scenes in their aftermath.
'This is a type of mass hallucination that is a cue to the trauma being suffered by people who are missing so many dead people, and seeing so many dead people, and only talking about dead people,' said Thai psychologist and media commentator Wallop Piyamanotham. \-- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
ytd, my parents were talking abt e ghost-sightings at e disaster-hit places....i was rather sceptical abt it.....as it is, being psychology-trained, i didn't really tink there was such a thing as ghost...rather, i believe in dimensions.....when u die, u die....however there may b another u in another dimension & u r still very much alive there....smetimes we can accidentally step into e other dimensions & tt's when pple tink they r seeing smething supernatural.....i believe tt when u r emotionally & psychologically overloaded, u start 2 imagine a lot o things.....e neurons in ur brain r firing ever so fast & rapid tt e receptors may get all screwed up....all e hormones may also b cocked up....so tt's when u sense so many things which may juz b some hallucinations/illusions.....& i tink pple's minds r very active, they can conjure up anything......e sightings....i believe it's more o a psychological thing rather than supernatural.....
Trauma shows up in drawings and hallucination
GALLE (SRI LANKA) - PALESTINIAN children drew pictures of Israeli helicopters spitting gunfire when the intifada began; under the Taleban, Afghan children drew pictures of Islamic militants gunning down civilians.
In Sri Lanka these days, they are drawing dead bodies floating in giant waves.
'It's normal, children draw what they're experiencing,' said Dr Ajith Durusinghe, medical officer in charge of the Unawatuna psychiatric hospital in the tsunami-battered southern town of Galle.
'Children can't verbalise their feelings, so they use crayons and paper instead. It's an emotional release.'
Nursery school principal Chandra Koralage said the four-year-olds in her school, attached to the Kovillagodalla Buddhist temple here, had been 'unusually quiet'.
'They don't say much at all. They quietly play with handicrafts - and they draw a lot.'
Psychiatrist Manoj Kumara of Galle's Karapitiya Hospital said no one was sure of the Dec 26 tsunamis' long-term impact on the children of Sri Lanka, where more than 30,800 have been killed and nearly a million left homeless.
With relatives missing, homes swept away and familiar neighbourhoods turned into wastelands, it is clear that there has been great trauma.
Many people will develop what is called post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms include nervousness, insomnia and excessive worrying.
With children making up the biggest number of casualties, parents are expected to be wracked with guilt.
'If it's a case of a mother having been forced to give up one child to save another, the stress will be tremendous,' said Ms Linda Lam, a professor of psychiatry at Hong Kong's Chinese University.
In Thailand, tales of ghost sightings in the six worst-hit southern provinces have become endemic.
Spooked volunteers searching for bodies in the resort areas of Phi Phi Island and Khao Lak are reported to have looked for tourists heard laughing and singing on the beach, only to find darkness and empty sand.
Experts warn that it could be a result of mass trauma after living through the deadly waves and witnessing horrific scenes in their aftermath.
'This is a type of mass hallucination that is a cue to the trauma being suffered by people who are missing so many dead people, and seeing so many dead people, and only talking about dead people,' said Thai psychologist and media commentator Wallop Piyamanotham. \-- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
ytd, my parents were talking abt e ghost-sightings at e disaster-hit places....i was rather sceptical abt it.....as it is, being psychology-trained, i didn't really tink there was such a thing as ghost...rather, i believe in dimensions.....when u die, u die....however there may b another u in another dimension & u r still very much alive there....smetimes we can accidentally step into e other dimensions & tt's when pple tink they r seeing smething supernatural.....i believe tt when u r emotionally & psychologically overloaded, u start 2 imagine a lot o things.....e neurons in ur brain r firing ever so fast & rapid tt e receptors may get all screwed up....all e hormones may also b cocked up....so tt's when u sense so many things which may juz b some hallucinations/illusions.....& i tink pple's minds r very active, they can conjure up anything......e sightings....i believe it's more o a psychological thing rather than supernatural.....
Thursday, January 13, 2005
wonderful colleague :)
tt's how she describe herself lah.....i dunno wat i shld describe her la....i'm teaching her abt blogs & she 1s 2 know how 2 post smething on e blog....ok she is looking at me type all these things....ok we'll try posting now.....
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
hoping for gd news 2nite....
everything sucks 2day!!!! i was pretty happy & ready 2 go 2day when i came into office....but things juz didn't turn out as gd as e day went by......1st i knocked myself on e desk....a big balugu i got.....ouch.....still painful.....juz as things were looking up, my boss say probably send me or another colleague 2 USA 2 attend a conference....i hope it'll b me but tt will mean a lot o extra work.....i've oredi have a huge load on me.....wat wif my pri study gg a slightly different direction, an article waiting 2 b edited b4 being published, & o cos e conference at e end o e yr......& e tsunami relief work by e dragonboat community....i shldn't b doing so much things......y does things always come at e same time???? i'm so stressed.....& tis stupid article doesn't have e scale 1 1ed!!!! wat a waste o all e effort i put into finding it!!!!! 2 mtgs tmr....i hope everything ends well.....another mtg on fri......stressed......& e result 4 y tis day sucks!!!!! cos e stupid email doesn't work!!!! & my emails which i was rushing cldn't get 2 my boss!!!! then tt stupid cybersite pple & e lanworks pple went on their taichi moves!!!!! i was so angry!!!! i shldn't have got myself involved cos i'm not e IT person in my dept......wasted half o my afternoon away......now i've 2 4go a free ride 2 my tkd 2 do my things which i was supposed 2 do if i wasn't caught up wif e IT!!!!!! shoot.......& i'm 2 stoned 2 do work now......& i'm wasting my time blogging.......shoot........
i hope tt there'll b gd news at tkd 2nite.....i hope there're sme doubles after e grading......i hope.....
i hope tt there'll b gd news at tkd 2nite.....i hope there're sme doubles after e grading......i hope.....
Sunday, January 09, 2005
wat m i doing....
at my sis' place.....my nephew's bday......had tkd grading 2day....finally over....seniors said out o e 4 o us bound 2 've at least sme1 getting a double......i hope it's me but i dun tink i did very well.....
anyway, there's a whole load o pple inside tis room playing rummy-o while i'm blogging away down here....1 o my bro-in-law's niece is watching me as i type tis blog......
anyway, i'm rather sleepy cos i woke up early....was rather stressed last nite cos o e grading.....waited 4 quite sme time 4 my grading, e grp in front o us was unusually slow....e examiner kept asking them 2 re-do....wah liao.....brown belt leh.....they kick like shit....but they r kids la.....so ok loh.....
anywayz.....pple wayching me blog a bit stress....beta log off.....
anyway, there's a whole load o pple inside tis room playing rummy-o while i'm blogging away down here....1 o my bro-in-law's niece is watching me as i type tis blog......
anyway, i'm rather sleepy cos i woke up early....was rather stressed last nite cos o e grading.....waited 4 quite sme time 4 my grading, e grp in front o us was unusually slow....e examiner kept asking them 2 re-do....wah liao.....brown belt leh.....they kick like shit....but they r kids la.....so ok loh.....
anywayz.....pple wayching me blog a bit stress....beta log off.....
Friday, January 07, 2005
wat do u do....
wat do u do when e man u r gg 2 marry cheats on u????
it's been in a span o last than 6 mths, & i came across 2 friends who found out tt their man cheated on them.......
it's been in a span o last than 6 mths, & i came across 2 friends who found out tt their man cheated on them.......
fr my boss--3
probably wld b useful 2 any1 working wif children......since e disaster affects not juz those directly hit by e tsunamis.....
There are many websites dedicated to dealing with trauma/disasters, including this one. http://www.trauma-pages.com/pg5.htm
Also, Ricky Greenwald's - he specialises in treating children. http://www.childtrauma.com/index.html
The way in which people process such traumatic events normally is to go over and over them in their minds, tell the story over and over until the feelings are all worked through. Some people go through this process without developing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or needing therapy. With the enormity of this disaster and with the losses and subsequent stresses, such a process may take many months or some years to fully work through. The children who are suffering from acute stress mayor may not develop PTSD.
In my experience when I work with children, I find that they often know best how to work through their memories, emotions, grief and fears given adequate support. Some approaches I use include the following, depending on the child (and these could be used with groups)
1. Cognitive Behavioural approach to trauma (older children). An adult outlines the basic facts of the story of what happened (basic info about the fact that there was an earthquake, an earthquake of the magnitude that rarely occurs, and that it caused the huge Tsunami, so that the missing knowledge is supplied and the children understand better. It is important that the information is factual and does not minimise their experience, grief, suffering or fear, but also normalises their reactions. Address the exact questions asked, briefly and clearly to prevent confusions and misunderstandings. These questions are likely to move into the details of the affects of the Tsunami. Keeping this at a cognitive level as much as possible at first, helps prevent further trauma. Then each of the children can begin to tell the story from their personal perspectives, gradually putting it all together and making some sort of sense of it.
During this stage for healing to occur it is essential that each child feel sufficient emotion for processing, but NOT be overwhelmed by emotion/pain etc. or secondary traumatisation may occur. Every child will move at his or her own pace of course.
2. Drawing or other play approaches for younger children. Again, each child needs to know the basic facts. Each child drawing the event from his or her own perspective and doing whatever he or she wants to the drawing ensures that individuals deal with their feelings at their own pace. They may need to draw many pictures over a period of time. Some may want to "re-enact" the event with water etc. in a sand pit. Again the level of arousa lneeds to be monitored and enough individual support provided (by a significant adult if at all possible). Some children may choose to use symbolic things to deal with their traumatic experiences (for there would be many related to the Tsunami).
3. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be most effective if there are counsellors trained to use it.
4. Narrative Therapy is another approach.
probably wld b useful 2 any1 working wif children......since e disaster affects not juz those directly hit by e tsunamis.....
There are many websites dedicated to dealing with trauma/disasters, including this one. http://www.trauma-pages.com/pg5.htm
Also, Ricky Greenwald's - he specialises in treating children. http://www.childtrauma.com/index.html
The way in which people process such traumatic events normally is to go over and over them in their minds, tell the story over and over until the feelings are all worked through. Some people go through this process without developing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or needing therapy. With the enormity of this disaster and with the losses and subsequent stresses, such a process may take many months or some years to fully work through. The children who are suffering from acute stress mayor may not develop PTSD.
In my experience when I work with children, I find that they often know best how to work through their memories, emotions, grief and fears given adequate support. Some approaches I use include the following, depending on the child (and these could be used with groups)
1. Cognitive Behavioural approach to trauma (older children). An adult outlines the basic facts of the story of what happened (basic info about the fact that there was an earthquake, an earthquake of the magnitude that rarely occurs, and that it caused the huge Tsunami, so that the missing knowledge is supplied and the children understand better. It is important that the information is factual and does not minimise their experience, grief, suffering or fear, but also normalises their reactions. Address the exact questions asked, briefly and clearly to prevent confusions and misunderstandings. These questions are likely to move into the details of the affects of the Tsunami. Keeping this at a cognitive level as much as possible at first, helps prevent further trauma. Then each of the children can begin to tell the story from their personal perspectives, gradually putting it all together and making some sort of sense of it.
During this stage for healing to occur it is essential that each child feel sufficient emotion for processing, but NOT be overwhelmed by emotion/pain etc. or secondary traumatisation may occur. Every child will move at his or her own pace of course.
2. Drawing or other play approaches for younger children. Again, each child needs to know the basic facts. Each child drawing the event from his or her own perspective and doing whatever he or she wants to the drawing ensures that individuals deal with their feelings at their own pace. They may need to draw many pictures over a period of time. Some may want to "re-enact" the event with water etc. in a sand pit. Again the level of arousa lneeds to be monitored and enough individual support provided (by a significant adult if at all possible). Some children may choose to use symbolic things to deal with their traumatic experiences (for there would be many related to the Tsunami).
3. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be most effective if there are counsellors trained to use it.
4. Narrative Therapy is another approach.
guidelines for wellbeing of children--tsunami disaster....
fr boss---2
Psychosocial aspects of the Tsunami Disaster
What you can do to support children in disaster areas
§ For children, being able to trust at least one adult who can take care of them can pull them through stressful times. Therefore, helping children to maintain relationships with a family member or known person is very important.
§ It is not always the event that can have a psychological and emotional impact on the child, but the lack of emotional support, separation from parents or family, taken out of familiar context and community, and grief and distress of parents and adults in the aftermath of the disaster event.
§ Do not remove or separate children from family members. Do not separate siblings. If family members are missing try to keep the child with someone he/she knows and trusts and support that caregiver and child.
§ Identify informal care systems that exist in the community (relatives or neighbours taking care of children), and find out if traditional care systems have been affected by crises/disaster.
§ Moving a child from such informal care arrangements provided by the community or other family members could bring additional distress. A child should be moved only if the assessment shows that the child is suffering from emotional or physical abuse, exploitative labour, neglect, poor care or abandonment from these new care givers.
§ Provide economic, social and emotional support to these informal arrangements so that the child can remain in familiar surroundings and within relationships that they trust.
§ Children should be informed of care arrangements and be consulted in decision-making processes about their care.
§ Be honest and open about the disaster. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know” and keep discussions about the their experiences open and honest.
§ In cases of children being separated from family members or siblings collect as much information as possible from the child, from the people the child was found with, and relatives/friends/school teachers. Give this information to groups documenting and working on missing people. If possible take a photograph of the child and attach to the file.
§ It is important to document all possible information as soon as the child is found. Please register separated children with relevant government authorities such as child probation offers, local police stations, divisional secretariats, etc. Record the following information: Name and pet name(whatever the child remembers), Age, Sex, Address or Village name, Names of family members, relatives (in the area and outside the area), friends and neighbours, Name of school, occupation of parents, where the child is located currently and where he/she may be moved.
§ Show the child to adults and children from the area that may recognise him/her before moving the child anywhere.
§ Establish a location where adults can also provide information about missing children and maintain detailed database on this.
§ If children are being moved for some unavoidable reason provide children with identity tags (with the above information), provide drivers of vehicles transporting children with rosters of names and other details of children, register children in location they are being moved from and give clear information about where they are being moved to. At all times, attempt to keep children close to their homes or at least within the town or district.
§ Try to involve older children and adolescents in activities carried out in the camp/displaced community – such as distributing goods, documenting information, caring for younger children etc.
§ All notices and information provided should be in simple language so that a child of 12 years can understand and follow it.
§ Be sensitive to special needs or adolescent girl children, such as menstruation, special clothing and undergarments, toilet facilities and safety.
§ Try to maintain a daily routine (however basic such as regular eating and sleeping times) for the child as much as possible.
§ If someone comes to claim a child, make sure that the child is able to identify the person. In all cases, take down information (ID number, address, contact details) of the person claiming the child prior to handing the child over. Remember that some people may be trying to take advantage of the situation to exploit such vulnerable children.
§ Anxiety, crying, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, restlessness, withdrawal, being very active, grief, shock, emotional numbness or expression is part of any normal human response to extremely stressful or dangerous situations.
§ Important: These are normal and expected reactions from children and should not be treated as a major psychological trauma or pathological reactions needing professional help.
§ Respect children’s responses and allow them time and opportunities to express them in a way that they are comfortable with.
§ Attend to immediate needs of the children and be supportive.
§ Be sensitive to children with special needs, such as children with disabilities.
§ Be kind, calm, and attempt to explain everything that is being done, even if you are not sure that they understand you.
Reference: Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies A Field Guide. Save the Children Federation 2004
This document has been drafted by the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust. Please send in your comments and feedback to pspcp@eol.lk. If you have any concerns or clarifications, please call 011 4516408 or 0777423445.
31st December 2004
Psychosocial aspects of the Tsunami Disaster
What you can do to support children in disaster areas
§ For children, being able to trust at least one adult who can take care of them can pull them through stressful times. Therefore, helping children to maintain relationships with a family member or known person is very important.
§ It is not always the event that can have a psychological and emotional impact on the child, but the lack of emotional support, separation from parents or family, taken out of familiar context and community, and grief and distress of parents and adults in the aftermath of the disaster event.
§ Do not remove or separate children from family members. Do not separate siblings. If family members are missing try to keep the child with someone he/she knows and trusts and support that caregiver and child.
§ Identify informal care systems that exist in the community (relatives or neighbours taking care of children), and find out if traditional care systems have been affected by crises/disaster.
§ Moving a child from such informal care arrangements provided by the community or other family members could bring additional distress. A child should be moved only if the assessment shows that the child is suffering from emotional or physical abuse, exploitative labour, neglect, poor care or abandonment from these new care givers.
§ Provide economic, social and emotional support to these informal arrangements so that the child can remain in familiar surroundings and within relationships that they trust.
§ Children should be informed of care arrangements and be consulted in decision-making processes about their care.
§ Be honest and open about the disaster. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know” and keep discussions about the their experiences open and honest.
§ In cases of children being separated from family members or siblings collect as much information as possible from the child, from the people the child was found with, and relatives/friends/school teachers. Give this information to groups documenting and working on missing people. If possible take a photograph of the child and attach to the file.
§ It is important to document all possible information as soon as the child is found. Please register separated children with relevant government authorities such as child probation offers, local police stations, divisional secretariats, etc. Record the following information: Name and pet name(whatever the child remembers), Age, Sex, Address or Village name, Names of family members, relatives (in the area and outside the area), friends and neighbours, Name of school, occupation of parents, where the child is located currently and where he/she may be moved.
§ Show the child to adults and children from the area that may recognise him/her before moving the child anywhere.
§ Establish a location where adults can also provide information about missing children and maintain detailed database on this.
§ If children are being moved for some unavoidable reason provide children with identity tags (with the above information), provide drivers of vehicles transporting children with rosters of names and other details of children, register children in location they are being moved from and give clear information about where they are being moved to. At all times, attempt to keep children close to their homes or at least within the town or district.
§ Try to involve older children and adolescents in activities carried out in the camp/displaced community – such as distributing goods, documenting information, caring for younger children etc.
§ All notices and information provided should be in simple language so that a child of 12 years can understand and follow it.
§ Be sensitive to special needs or adolescent girl children, such as menstruation, special clothing and undergarments, toilet facilities and safety.
§ Try to maintain a daily routine (however basic such as regular eating and sleeping times) for the child as much as possible.
§ If someone comes to claim a child, make sure that the child is able to identify the person. In all cases, take down information (ID number, address, contact details) of the person claiming the child prior to handing the child over. Remember that some people may be trying to take advantage of the situation to exploit such vulnerable children.
§ Anxiety, crying, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, restlessness, withdrawal, being very active, grief, shock, emotional numbness or expression is part of any normal human response to extremely stressful or dangerous situations.
§ Important: These are normal and expected reactions from children and should not be treated as a major psychological trauma or pathological reactions needing professional help.
§ Respect children’s responses and allow them time and opportunities to express them in a way that they are comfortable with.
§ Attend to immediate needs of the children and be supportive.
§ Be sensitive to children with special needs, such as children with disabilities.
§ Be kind, calm, and attempt to explain everything that is being done, even if you are not sure that they understand you.
Reference: Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies A Field Guide. Save the Children Federation 2004
This document has been drafted by the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust. Please send in your comments and feedback to pspcp@eol.lk. If you have any concerns or clarifications, please call 011 4516408 or 0777423445.
31st December 2004
Psychosocial Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster
Got e following fr my boss....
Psychosocial Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster
What You Can Do Right Now to Support Wellbeing
People in these areas may be experiencing many different emotional and physical responses at this time. Some of these responses include confusion, fear, hopeless, sleeplessness, crying, difficulty in eating, headaches, body aches, anxiety, and anger. They may be feeling helpless; some may be in a state of shock; others may be aggressive, mistrustful, feeling betrayed, despairing, feeling relieved or guilty that they are alive, sad that many others have died, and ashamed of how they might have reacted or behaved during the critical incidents. There may be some experiencing a sense of outrage, shaken religious faith, loss of confidence in themselves or others, or sense of having betrayed or been betrayed by others they trusted.
These are all normal reactions to extremely dangerous or stressful situations. They do not mean that these people are traumatised, mentally disturbed or mentally ill.
You may be able to support people get through these normal reactions while meeting their basic and other practical needs by following the suggestions below.
DOs
§ Do listen to people who share their stories, if necessary again and again.
§ Do be friendly, compassionate and caring, even if people are angry or demanding.
§ Do give practical help or assistance to people as and when required.
§ Do help people to contact others either through post or making telephone calls on their behalf.
§ Do engage people in meeting their own needs.
§ Do find out where the government and non-government services are located and direct people to the appropriate services available in the area.
§ Do understand the emotions of people who have suffered losses, and take them seriously. There is no right or wrong way for people to feel, given the horrific situation.
§ Do give reliable information about what tsunamis are and how they occur. This will help people understand the situation.
§ Do protect people from further harm, as they may be vulnerable to assault and abuse by those who are taking advantage of the chaotic situation.
DON’Ts
§ Don’t force people to share their stories with you, especially very personal details. If they don’t want to talk much, do not disturb them.
§ Don’t tell people what you think they should be feeling, thinking or doing.
§ Don’t make promises about what you will do for them, if you are not sure about this.
§ Don’t give simple reassurances to people, saying ‘everything will be ok’, or ‘at least you have survived’ or ‘others have suffered more than you’.
§ Don’t tell people why you think they have suffered, especially giving reasons about their personal behaviours or beliefs.
§ Don’t tell people what you think they should have or could have done, whilst in the critical situation, especially to save loved ones.
§ Don’t criticise existing services and activities being carried out in these areas, especially in front of people who are in need of these services. Support the service providers to make the services better.
§ Don’t separate surviving family members and relatives from one another, if possible, especially children.
§ Don’t label people as traumatised.
This document has been drafted by the College of Psychiatry, Colombo and the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust. Please send in your comments and feedback to pspcp@eol.lk. If you have any concerns or clarifications, please call 011 4516408 or 0777423445.
Psychosocial Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster
What You Can Do Right Now to Support Wellbeing
People in these areas may be experiencing many different emotional and physical responses at this time. Some of these responses include confusion, fear, hopeless, sleeplessness, crying, difficulty in eating, headaches, body aches, anxiety, and anger. They may be feeling helpless; some may be in a state of shock; others may be aggressive, mistrustful, feeling betrayed, despairing, feeling relieved or guilty that they are alive, sad that many others have died, and ashamed of how they might have reacted or behaved during the critical incidents. There may be some experiencing a sense of outrage, shaken religious faith, loss of confidence in themselves or others, or sense of having betrayed or been betrayed by others they trusted.
These are all normal reactions to extremely dangerous or stressful situations. They do not mean that these people are traumatised, mentally disturbed or mentally ill.
You may be able to support people get through these normal reactions while meeting their basic and other practical needs by following the suggestions below.
DOs
§ Do listen to people who share their stories, if necessary again and again.
§ Do be friendly, compassionate and caring, even if people are angry or demanding.
§ Do give practical help or assistance to people as and when required.
§ Do help people to contact others either through post or making telephone calls on their behalf.
§ Do engage people in meeting their own needs.
§ Do find out where the government and non-government services are located and direct people to the appropriate services available in the area.
§ Do understand the emotions of people who have suffered losses, and take them seriously. There is no right or wrong way for people to feel, given the horrific situation.
§ Do give reliable information about what tsunamis are and how they occur. This will help people understand the situation.
§ Do protect people from further harm, as they may be vulnerable to assault and abuse by those who are taking advantage of the chaotic situation.
DON’Ts
§ Don’t force people to share their stories with you, especially very personal details. If they don’t want to talk much, do not disturb them.
§ Don’t tell people what you think they should be feeling, thinking or doing.
§ Don’t make promises about what you will do for them, if you are not sure about this.
§ Don’t give simple reassurances to people, saying ‘everything will be ok’, or ‘at least you have survived’ or ‘others have suffered more than you’.
§ Don’t tell people why you think they have suffered, especially giving reasons about their personal behaviours or beliefs.
§ Don’t tell people what you think they should have or could have done, whilst in the critical situation, especially to save loved ones.
§ Don’t criticise existing services and activities being carried out in these areas, especially in front of people who are in need of these services. Support the service providers to make the services better.
§ Don’t separate surviving family members and relatives from one another, if possible, especially children.
§ Don’t label people as traumatised.
This document has been drafted by the College of Psychiatry, Colombo and the Psychosocial Support Programme of the IWTHI Trust. Please send in your comments and feedback to pspcp@eol.lk. If you have any concerns or clarifications, please call 011 4516408 or 0777423445.
singlish.....so damned funny....
fr http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.php?op=LexView&lexicon=lexicon
CORRIGHT
The proper and correct Singlish pronunciation of 'correct'; illustrates how Singlish can combine two related words, creating a new word with improved potency. Often used as a response when the truth is glaringly obvious.
OR-BI-GOOD (Contributed by Roger Ng)
Not the name of a Singaporean Jedi Knight, this is a Singlish term which is used to express that someone deserves his current predicament. Often said while making an action like a chicken flapping its wing, with arm curled, and the elbow hitting one's side. Of unknown derivation.
"Ah Seng is such a ya-ya papaya. Now he fail his 'N' Level, or-bi-good!"
BIN CHOW CHOW
Hokkien phrase literally meaning, "smelly face". Used to describe someone with a grumpy look and sour disposition.
"I do'wan to talk to him, lah. He always so bin chow chow one."
CORRIGHT
The proper and correct Singlish pronunciation of 'correct'; illustrates how Singlish can combine two related words, creating a new word with improved potency. Often used as a response when the truth is glaringly obvious.
OR-BI-GOOD (Contributed by Roger Ng)
Not the name of a Singaporean Jedi Knight, this is a Singlish term which is used to express that someone deserves his current predicament. Often said while making an action like a chicken flapping its wing, with arm curled, and the elbow hitting one's side. Of unknown derivation.
"Ah Seng is such a ya-ya papaya. Now he fail his 'N' Level, or-bi-good!"
BIN CHOW CHOW
Hokkien phrase literally meaning, "smelly face". Used to describe someone with a grumpy look and sour disposition.
"I do'wan to talk to him, lah. He always so bin chow chow one."
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
happy....
i'm quite happy wif my job at SCS......(i hope i dun jinx it....) i'm busy wif lit search & also e numerous journal articles tt i've 2 read......but i'm happy wif it actually......i'm weird!!!!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
050101
didn't get 2 c e stars.....didn't get 2 c e sunrise.....but i was happy, contented, & a really serene peace enveloped my heart when we left 2 have lunch......smehow i tink i started 2005 wif smething really gd!!!! i started 2005 wif peace in my heart.....even though i shed my 1st tears, i felt really gd.....my eyes stung when i cried.....i didn't know y i cried in e 1st place.....then i cried cos e others were crying......
i dunno y we have such camaraderie.....e 4 o us....smehow we seem 2 have endless 2 talk abt.....smehow i can speak fr my heart wif u......e 4 o us......so different......i dunno how 2 describe e 4 o us......we can b so lame at times yet speak wif so much truth & enlightenment.....i tink we have mo qi......take e WLD game.......no matter how ugly e drawings r, we seem 2 know wat 1 another is drawing.......
i'm glad tt i've such a friendship......i doubt any1 in e world cld b as fortunate as me......
i've grown up a lot......talking 2 u......i tink i grew up.......
i seriously hope tt we can have another overnite chat.......everytime we talk i grow up......i become more aware o myself......
torchic---e 3 pple i mention in ur letter, i tink e 1 i took advantage o, i tink i may not 1 2 treat as a friend only.....i was a little sad & worried 4 him when i know where he went.....he's a gd person....is it compassion or smething more? i dunno.......
ultra---who did u get 2 know more???? us???? or sme1 significant?????
owl---i'm glad tt u took e step......i dunno if i'm in any position 2 tell u abt love......but u can count on me 2 lend u my shoulders......
P.S. shld we pop down 2 bintan 1 o these days???? i 1 2 c e stars........e shooting stars......
i dunno y we have such camaraderie.....e 4 o us....smehow we seem 2 have endless 2 talk abt.....smehow i can speak fr my heart wif u......e 4 o us......so different......i dunno how 2 describe e 4 o us......we can b so lame at times yet speak wif so much truth & enlightenment.....i tink we have mo qi......take e WLD game.......no matter how ugly e drawings r, we seem 2 know wat 1 another is drawing.......
i'm glad tt i've such a friendship......i doubt any1 in e world cld b as fortunate as me......
i've grown up a lot......talking 2 u......i tink i grew up.......
i seriously hope tt we can have another overnite chat.......everytime we talk i grow up......i become more aware o myself......
torchic---e 3 pple i mention in ur letter, i tink e 1 i took advantage o, i tink i may not 1 2 treat as a friend only.....i was a little sad & worried 4 him when i know where he went.....he's a gd person....is it compassion or smething more? i dunno.......
ultra---who did u get 2 know more???? us???? or sme1 significant?????
owl---i'm glad tt u took e step......i dunno if i'm in any position 2 tell u abt love......but u can count on me 2 lend u my shoulders......
P.S. shld we pop down 2 bintan 1 o these days???? i 1 2 c e stars........e shooting stars......
Friday, December 31, 2004
041231......
last day o 2004......raining all day.....i hope e skies will clear 2nite.....i 1 2 go star gazing......i 1 2 c e 1st sunrise o 2005.....i 1 2 c e last sunset o 2004 also but i tink i wld b sleeping after i get home so tt i can tahan e stay 2nite......everytime i look at sunset or sunrise, or e blue sky, or e stars, i feel so minute.....i feel great actually......cos it makes all my problems seem smaller......4 tt few secs tt i marvel at nature, i'm relaxed & happy.....
taking abt death......ultra say she's not ready 2 die yet.......neither m i.....but if god really ask me 2 take e place 4 sme1 else, i tink i'll agree......cos i feel tt god must have a reason y he asked me 2 take tt place......
anyway, he sent me sme1 2day but i didn't take e opportunity again.....he's testing me mayb? been reflecting alot more these few days as i wrote letters 2 my very close friends....as i write i tink.....i hope i've been gd tis yr......although i know i haven been.......
taking abt death......ultra say she's not ready 2 die yet.......neither m i.....but if god really ask me 2 take e place 4 sme1 else, i tink i'll agree......cos i feel tt god must have a reason y he asked me 2 take tt place......
anyway, he sent me sme1 2day but i didn't take e opportunity again.....he's testing me mayb? been reflecting alot more these few days as i wrote letters 2 my very close friends....as i write i tink.....i hope i've been gd tis yr......although i know i haven been.......
Thursday, December 30, 2004
DreamzFM.....should i stay.......
long long time never hear tis song oredi......wonder any1 has tis song? can burn 4 me???
:. Should I Stay .:
Had a drive, driven by your love
But when you messed around, I lost the drive I found
Thought you needed, needed someone true
But you changed your mind, or had I failed you?
Wish you’d been careful with my heart
But you tore it apart and broke an angel’s heart
The kiss was true, has to end somehow
But I am livin’ proof of what love is about
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
You played me on, played me like a clown
But I feel for you, even though I’m down
My heart is heavy, heavy like a rock
But I am so amused, you’re still in my thoughts
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
Oooohh…should I stay? Should I go?
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I wanna know
Should I stay or should I go?
This time its done, it’ll never feel the same
But we had some good times, guess it’s sad just the same
I guess the truth, doesn’t matter somehow
But you were livin’ proof of what love is about…
:. Should I Stay .:
Had a drive, driven by your love
But when you messed around, I lost the drive I found
Thought you needed, needed someone true
But you changed your mind, or had I failed you?
Wish you’d been careful with my heart
But you tore it apart and broke an angel’s heart
The kiss was true, has to end somehow
But I am livin’ proof of what love is about
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
You played me on, played me like a clown
But I feel for you, even though I’m down
My heart is heavy, heavy like a rock
But I am so amused, you’re still in my thoughts
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
Oooohh…should I stay? Should I go?
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I wanna know
Should I stay or should I go?
This time its done, it’ll never feel the same
But we had some good times, guess it’s sad just the same
I guess the truth, doesn’t matter somehow
But you were livin’ proof of what love is about…
cranberries.....dreams....
i love tis song.....
"Dreams"
Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quiet as it seems,
Never quiet as it seems.
I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.
Ah, la da ah...
La...
I want more imposible to ignore,
Imposible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.
And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.
Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams,
It's never quiet as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.
Ah, da, da da da, da, la...
"Dreams"
Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quiet as it seems,
Never quiet as it seems.
I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.
Ah, la da ah...
La...
I want more imposible to ignore,
Imposible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.
And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.
Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams,
It's never quiet as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.
Ah, da, da da da, da, la...
pls do attend.....
Tidal Waves Asia
We are organizing a candlelight vigil this weekend for the victims of the tragedy last Sunday. At the same time, we are collecting donations to contribute towards SRCS’s humanitarian efforts. Details of the vigil are as follow: -
Date : 2 Jan 2005 (Sunday)
Time : 6pm to 8pm
Venue : Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Candles will be sold at $10 each.
All proceeds will go towards SRCS’s disaster relief fund.
You can also make your donation by writing a cheque to payee “Singapore Red Cross Society” and on the back of the cheque, please write. Then, please mail your cheque to:
Singapore Red Cross Society
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486
Yours sincerely,
The Sentosa Volunteers
29 December 2004
We are organizing a candlelight vigil this weekend for the victims of the tragedy last Sunday. At the same time, we are collecting donations to contribute towards SRCS’s humanitarian efforts. Details of the vigil are as follow: -
Date : 2 Jan 2005 (Sunday)
Time : 6pm to 8pm
Venue : Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Candles will be sold at $10 each.
All proceeds will go towards SRCS’s disaster relief fund.
You can also make your donation by writing a cheque to payee “Singapore Red Cross Society” and on the back of the cheque, please write
Singapore Red Cross Society
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486
Yours sincerely,
The Sentosa Volunteers
29 December 2004
death.....
can i seek every1's opinion on death?????
wat does death mean 2 u......
wat do u tink dying is????
wat does death mean 2 u......
wat do u tink dying is????
stars, planets, satellites........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wat's e difference between stars & planets?
kj: just me says:
ok... stars are either those that have ignited and give off their own light, or those that have collapsed into white dwarves or neutron stars, which don't give off light, only EM radiation. GEnerally stars are made of gas and are very massive
kj: just me says:
so even though a white dwarf or neutron star could be the same size as a planet, they are much more massive and dense
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so stars r alive while planets r not?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
stars generally give off light while planets do not?
kj: just me says:
planets on the other hand are generally rock, though gaseous planets do exist. Jupiter is an example of a planet that didn't make it to star status. If it had amassed much more gas and mass, chances are it would have ignited and there would be two stars in our galazy
kj: just me says:
Wat's your definition og alive?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
alive, i.e. have activities in itself
kj: just me says:
Stars may or may not give off light, but for sure at some point in their lifetime they would have given off light. Planets will never give off light unless something starnge happens
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so planest juz reflect light?
kj: just me says:
er... but Earth has activity what... The inner structure is still molten and moving
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oh yeah....
kj: just me says:
yes, most, if not all, planets jsut reflect light.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
then how do u tell e diffeence between statellites & stars?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
planets dun twinkle but stars do rite?
kj: just me says:
satellites? They normally orbit around a massive object, and are themselves significantly smaller. So the Moon is a satellite of the Earth.
kj: just me says:
Not all stars twinkle. The sun doesn't twinkle
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but i read smewhere tt tt's how u tell e difference between planets & stars....
kj: just me says:
The twinkling is caused by gaseous interferences as the light comes to us. So it really depends on how far the light source is
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so how do u tell which r stars & which r planets
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
if u dun have a star map?
kj: just me says:
that works only if you are trying to tell apart planets from our solar system, and stars from other systems. This is because planets in our solar system are very close, specifically Mercury, Venus and Mars. SO when the light is reflected off them to us, the light will not twinkle. however, light from far away stars will twinkle.
kj: just me says:
from earth? You can use the twinkling as a rough guide. It works almost all the time on earth.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oic
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how abt man-made satellites?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how do u tell them apart fr stars?
kj: just me says:
haha
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha wat????
kj: just me says:
that's a good one. honestly, I'm not too sure, but satellites have a tendency to stay in on spot in the sky, so it's perhaps a non-twinkling object that doesn't move faster than the earth
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
ok....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
1 last qn
kj: just me says:
but that's a good question, I've never checked up on it.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
which star map shld u use?
kj: just me says:
it's difficult to spot saellites thoguh cause of their small size.
kj: just me says:
not sure.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
4 northern hemisphere or southeren?
kj: just me says:
er... that's somethign you'll have to pick up from the library or book store
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
there're sme online
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but they have only e southern & northern hemisphere 1.....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so i'm tinking which i shld use.....
kj: just me says:
we should mostlikely be using both
kj: just me says:
but I believe most of us rely on the north star for bearing
kj: just me says:
so you can try using the Northen one.
kj: just me says:
still I'd say standvby the So one
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but u dun get 2 c e north star now wat...
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
e only constellation i can always identify is orion....
kj: just me says:
oh you mean you're going soon is it? Then standby both maps lor.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i hope e skies wld b clear on new yr
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
new yr's eve i mena....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 go star gazing.....
kj: just me says:
should b fun
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
yeah
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
tt time at nipah i also bought both north & south star maps....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but dunno if we identify e correct constellations....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
2 tired then....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but e stars there were great!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shld have stayed up then.......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
in s'pore can hardly c much......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i 1 2 go bk 2 bintan 2 c e stars......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
it's a real haven........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i saw my 1st shooting star in bintan!!!!
kj: just me says:
good for u
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
all my 23 yrs, tt's e 1st time i saw shooting star!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha so mountain turtle then!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shout so loud!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahahaaaa...
kj: just me says:
my turn to go _ _
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hope i get 2 c shooting stars gain!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wei...........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
do u mind if i post ur answers 2 my qn on my blog????
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 remind myself......
kj: just me says:
not at all, but be forewarned that I'm not a real astronomer, so my answers, though I believe to be correct, may not be v accurate.
wat's e difference between stars & planets?
kj: just me says:
ok... stars are either those that have ignited and give off their own light, or those that have collapsed into white dwarves or neutron stars, which don't give off light, only EM radiation. GEnerally stars are made of gas and are very massive
kj: just me says:
so even though a white dwarf or neutron star could be the same size as a planet, they are much more massive and dense
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so stars r alive while planets r not?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
stars generally give off light while planets do not?
kj: just me says:
planets on the other hand are generally rock, though gaseous planets do exist. Jupiter is an example of a planet that didn't make it to star status. If it had amassed much more gas and mass, chances are it would have ignited and there would be two stars in our galazy
kj: just me says:
Wat's your definition og alive?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
alive, i.e. have activities in itself
kj: just me says:
Stars may or may not give off light, but for sure at some point in their lifetime they would have given off light. Planets will never give off light unless something starnge happens
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so planest juz reflect light?
kj: just me says:
er... but Earth has activity what... The inner structure is still molten and moving
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oh yeah....
kj: just me says:
yes, most, if not all, planets jsut reflect light.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
then how do u tell e diffeence between statellites & stars?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
planets dun twinkle but stars do rite?
kj: just me says:
satellites? They normally orbit around a massive object, and are themselves significantly smaller. So the Moon is a satellite of the Earth.
kj: just me says:
Not all stars twinkle. The sun doesn't twinkle
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but i read smewhere tt tt's how u tell e difference between planets & stars....
kj: just me says:
The twinkling is caused by gaseous interferences as the light comes to us. So it really depends on how far the light source is
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so how do u tell which r stars & which r planets
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
if u dun have a star map?
kj: just me says:
that works only if you are trying to tell apart planets from our solar system, and stars from other systems. This is because planets in our solar system are very close, specifically Mercury, Venus and Mars. SO when the light is reflected off them to us, the light will not twinkle. however, light from far away stars will twinkle.
kj: just me says:
from earth? You can use the twinkling as a rough guide. It works almost all the time on earth.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oic
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how abt man-made satellites?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how do u tell them apart fr stars?
kj: just me says:
haha
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha wat????
kj: just me says:
that's a good one. honestly, I'm not too sure, but satellites have a tendency to stay in on spot in the sky, so it's perhaps a non-twinkling object that doesn't move faster than the earth
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
ok....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
1 last qn
kj: just me says:
but that's a good question, I've never checked up on it.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
which star map shld u use?
kj: just me says:
it's difficult to spot saellites thoguh cause of their small size.
kj: just me says:
not sure.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
4 northern hemisphere or southeren?
kj: just me says:
er... that's somethign you'll have to pick up from the library or book store
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
there're sme online
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but they have only e southern & northern hemisphere 1.....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so i'm tinking which i shld use.....
kj: just me says:
we should mostlikely be using both
kj: just me says:
but I believe most of us rely on the north star for bearing
kj: just me says:
so you can try using the Northen one.
kj: just me says:
still I'd say standvby the So one
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but u dun get 2 c e north star now wat...
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
e only constellation i can always identify is orion....
kj: just me says:
oh you mean you're going soon is it? Then standby both maps lor.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i hope e skies wld b clear on new yr
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
new yr's eve i mena....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 go star gazing.....
kj: just me says:
should b fun
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
yeah
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
tt time at nipah i also bought both north & south star maps....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but dunno if we identify e correct constellations....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
2 tired then....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but e stars there were great!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shld have stayed up then.......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
in s'pore can hardly c much......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i 1 2 go bk 2 bintan 2 c e stars......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
it's a real haven........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i saw my 1st shooting star in bintan!!!!
kj: just me says:
good for u
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
all my 23 yrs, tt's e 1st time i saw shooting star!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha so mountain turtle then!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shout so loud!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahahaaaa...
kj: just me says:
my turn to go _ _
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hope i get 2 c shooting stars gain!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wei...........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
do u mind if i post ur answers 2 my qn on my blog????
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 remind myself......
kj: just me says:
not at all, but be forewarned that I'm not a real astronomer, so my answers, though I believe to be correct, may not be v accurate.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
WR.....
i saw him.....torchic, u probably wld 've bumped into him at e mrt station on ur way 2 work every morning......
he's a sweet-talker.......he has tonnes o galfriends......he can make e bird fly down fr e tree......
i dunno him tt well actually......i dun even know when his bday is......i dun remember at all.....no idea at all.......
he's a sweet-talker.......he has tonnes o galfriends......he can make e bird fly down fr e tree......
i dunno him tt well actually......i dun even know when his bday is......i dun remember at all.....no idea at all.......
Monday, December 27, 2004
still no news.....
there's still no news......i hope she's fine......i dun usually pray.....but now i'm praying wif all my heart tt she's ok......goosebumps all over when i read e news......i console her tt she said she's coming bk b4 e new yr.....she was relieve but i'm watching e news 4 any developments....i hope she's in s'pore....but she wrote her last email in thailand on e 25th.....i hope she's ok......
15 mins officially....
i've 15 mins officially b4 i shld start working......
i know i promise myself tt i'll do sme reflection but i didn't do tt...much as least...i was busy sleeping & making x'mas cards...yes i made e cards during x'mas day so much 4 early greetings...i made a record over 30 cards 4 tis x'mas......every1 had a similar card.....adapted fr last yr's cards.....
every1 says tt it's e tot tt counts....i hope so 2.....
ok i've reflected on a few things e last couple o days.....1st, i wonder if my family wld b closer if i die.....i was really hoping 4 a family gathering 2 celebrate my mom's bday.....but in e end, only half e family strength turned up.....i was tinking o making an effort 2 get every1 2 go, but i didn't even try.....i was juz 2 lazy......my family is not 1 2 display affect openly.....everytime i took time 2 make a card or smething 4 sme1, my dad wld ask me y i'm making it? "u 2 free is it??" i dunno, i feel great tt at least e friends whom i give e cards 2 smehow appreciate it more.......mayb tt's y i always make it a pt 2 make them....at e very least they say thk u......i dunno if it's juz my family....we dun really talk.....i'm closer 2 my friends then i m 2 my family....i can talk 2 my friends more than i can talk 2 my family....mayb i didn't try 2 talk 2 them.....i wonder if my family feels e same.....i felt really jealous smehow when i was at swing's place e other time, watching her family have dinner 2gather.....even though she complains abt how her mum can get really irritating at times (i can vouch 4 tt!!!).....at e veyr least i can really c a family there......i dunno if it's cos my family is so big tt's y it's hard......smetimes i tink tt i'm e 1 gelling e family 2gather.....i always make an effort 2 include every1.....but now i dun even try.....i'm juz so tired.....i hate having 2 make an effort when no1 else care.....i hate it.....i hate myself for not trying anymore......i hate it.......
i'm supposed 2 b working but i'm still blogging away.....
2nd, friends.....i didn't know i actually inspired u Jancy!!! it's great 2 know tt at least once in ur life smething u did actually matter......i've never had 2 great a dreams......yes i did dream o becoming a psychologist.....i'm still dreaming o it.....i really hope tt smeday i can fulfill tt dream....if only i try harder!!!! i try 2 stay in touch wif those whom i know i haven contacted.....but i wonder if they appreciate my doing so......mayb they tink i'm such a bother......i'm writing n essay 4 each 1 o my close buddies.....i hope they appreciate it.....i may not b able 2 write congruently or even comprehend my tots/feelings corrently, but i'm trying.....i may write things which doesn't make sense or simply juz rubbish, but i tried.......so dun take offense at wat i wrote.....i'm juz writing......if u dun like wat i wrote juz 4get abt it......& yes, i'm gg 2 telling u gals who i'm pursuing......i've tot abt it, & i tink it's no big deal......it's funny how u gals r so kp abt it!!!! heheehe.....if i tell u dun faint or laugh 2 much!!!!
ok, i tink i beta go bk 2 work, 10mins overdue oredi......
i know i promise myself tt i'll do sme reflection but i didn't do tt...much as least...i was busy sleeping & making x'mas cards...yes i made e cards during x'mas day so much 4 early greetings...i made a record over 30 cards 4 tis x'mas......every1 had a similar card.....adapted fr last yr's cards.....
every1 says tt it's e tot tt counts....i hope so 2.....
ok i've reflected on a few things e last couple o days.....1st, i wonder if my family wld b closer if i die.....i was really hoping 4 a family gathering 2 celebrate my mom's bday.....but in e end, only half e family strength turned up.....i was tinking o making an effort 2 get every1 2 go, but i didn't even try.....i was juz 2 lazy......my family is not 1 2 display affect openly.....everytime i took time 2 make a card or smething 4 sme1, my dad wld ask me y i'm making it? "u 2 free is it??" i dunno, i feel great tt at least e friends whom i give e cards 2 smehow appreciate it more.......mayb tt's y i always make it a pt 2 make them....at e very least they say thk u......i dunno if it's juz my family....we dun really talk.....i'm closer 2 my friends then i m 2 my family....i can talk 2 my friends more than i can talk 2 my family....mayb i didn't try 2 talk 2 them.....i wonder if my family feels e same.....i felt really jealous smehow when i was at swing's place e other time, watching her family have dinner 2gather.....even though she complains abt how her mum can get really irritating at times (i can vouch 4 tt!!!).....at e veyr least i can really c a family there......i dunno if it's cos my family is so big tt's y it's hard......smetimes i tink tt i'm e 1 gelling e family 2gather.....i always make an effort 2 include every1.....but now i dun even try.....i'm juz so tired.....i hate having 2 make an effort when no1 else care.....i hate it.....i hate myself for not trying anymore......i hate it.......
i'm supposed 2 b working but i'm still blogging away.....
2nd, friends.....i didn't know i actually inspired u Jancy!!! it's great 2 know tt at least once in ur life smething u did actually matter......i've never had 2 great a dreams......yes i did dream o becoming a psychologist.....i'm still dreaming o it.....i really hope tt smeday i can fulfill tt dream....if only i try harder!!!! i try 2 stay in touch wif those whom i know i haven contacted.....but i wonder if they appreciate my doing so......mayb they tink i'm such a bother......i'm writing n essay 4 each 1 o my close buddies.....i hope they appreciate it.....i may not b able 2 write congruently or even comprehend my tots/feelings corrently, but i'm trying.....i may write things which doesn't make sense or simply juz rubbish, but i tried.......so dun take offense at wat i wrote.....i'm juz writing......if u dun like wat i wrote juz 4get abt it......& yes, i'm gg 2 telling u gals who i'm pursuing......i've tot abt it, & i tink it's no big deal......it's funny how u gals r so kp abt it!!!! heheehe.....if i tell u dun faint or laugh 2 much!!!!
ok, i tink i beta go bk 2 work, 10mins overdue oredi......
Friday, December 24, 2004
changes....
i dunno if i've changed.....i tink i did.....i tink i let more pple into my life then i used 2 b.....i was guarded in e past cos i felt stupid 2 've been hurt badly by a friend....a friend i tot wld never hurt me.....but as e yrs go by, i felt tt guarding myself is so tiring.....i feel tt i'm not being me anymore....i felt comfortable talking 2 u.....more & more comfortable.....but there was a period when i actually felt tt we drifted apart......but now, i felt more at ease cos i know even if u judge me, it's 4 my own gd......i dunno if i shld b so trusting.....i was so stupid 2 b so trusting b4, wld i get hurt again? i hope not......but i'm still guarded smetimes cos i dunno how 2 react & i didn't 1 2 get hurt......it's painful......but i really 1 2 b able 2 really talk & not b all alone.....i may b blunt a lot o e times but i never meant 2 hurt any1, & i know u know......smetimes i dun tell u everything cos i'm embarrassed o telling it......i dunno how 2 say it.......mayb u know but never told me.....i tink i still trying 2 explore myself everyday.....trying 2 feel as best as i can.....trying 2 grow up.....i appear 2 b practical & logical most o e time but i 1 2 b more emotional 2......i'm trying 2 b.....i dunno......i feel stupid smetimes......i try 2 laugh at every little thing 2 lift my spirit.....i try 2 remain calm....i try 2 widen my horizon more.....i try 2 read more....i try 2 b more responsible.....i try 2 b politically correct.....i try 2 understd.....i try not 2 tink so much.....i try not 2 procrastinate but end up being rash.....i'm trying 2 hard smetimes......or mayb i'm not.....but as long as u try it's gd enough isn't it????sprouting random tots again......so far i've written 1 letter 2 a friend, buti tink tt letter is gg 2 bring me trouble cos i meant 2 explain but i tink my letter didn't comprehend tt.....i tink i still have at least 10 letters tt i 1 2 write......i'm gg 2 go home sleep then start writing at nite...tt's when i get all emotional & i can cry all i 1 w/o any1 knowing......i tink i know y u tink i've change.....i never used 2 cry in front o pple.....now i really dun bother.....i dun like 2 cry in front o pple cos 1stly i look ugly, 2ndly cos i feel vulnerable.....till now i still can't get over being hurt......
ST Dec 24, 2004
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT: THAILAND
Let's hear it for the children
By Nirmal Ghosh
THAILAND CORRESPONDENT
POI PET (CAMBODIA) - WHEN it rains, Krousar Thmey's shelter for children in Poi Pet, across the Thai border in Cambodia, starts flooding. Below the walls of a giant casino where millions are gambled every day, the children of Krousar Thmey pick up toddlers and wade through shin-deep water to do their chores. A pedestal fan churns hot, humid air inside a hut on stilts which serves as the office of the Phnom Penh based non-government organisation (NGO).
Krousar Thmey means 'new family'. Here the children are free of the circumstances they have been rescued from - the bondage of illegal traffickers and exploiters. Some have been repatriated from Thailand, where they were sent to beg on the streets of Bangkok or work in airless sweatshops or sordid brothels. Some were taken off the streets of Poi Pet itself, where they would sniff glue and split methamphetamine pills to help pass the night.
Poi Pet is a funnel for traders in everything from clothes to people. Around 60 per cent of the town comprises a floating transient population out to make a quick buck - or just to survive.
When I walked into Poi Pet, from Aranyaprathet on the Thai side, several hustlers approached me to offer visa services, transport to Siem Reap, and women - in that order.
Krousar Thmey attempts to find the children's homes and families, assess their circumstances and reunite the children with them. It has a 70 per cent success rate, mainly because of follow-up and insistence that the children should go to school - for which Krousar Thmey provides support. In some cases, children come back to the shelter, and some stay on or are successfully re-housed with other families.
Like the water that swirls through the low-lying Krousar Thmey village, many NGOs in Poi Pet fill the holes left by a government that has inherited a country gutted by war, and struggles to implement a semblance of policy through a machinery that is often distorted by corruption.
Illegal migration - often abetted by people smugglers, which is another term for human traffickers - is an everyday phenomenon on Thailand's borders. In recent months, it has been the focus of new attention as governments in the region realise the phenomenon is almost out of control; the Thai government estimates that there are at least one million foreigners - mostly from Myanmar, followed by Cambodia - working inside Thailand. And that does not count the family members who are with them.
An unprecedented agreement was signed last month in Yangon between six countries of the greater Mekong sub-region, one of the world's hot spots for human trafficking: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Preventive measures
MINISTERS pledged to 'address trafficking from a comprehensive perspective, encompassing areas of policy and cooperation at the national and international levels; legal frameworks, law enforcement and criminal justice; protection, recovery and reintegration of victims; as well as preventive measures'.
After the legalese it will be implementation that counts. This was stressed repeatedly at another forum in Bangkok recently, to which youth representatives from Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines were invited to give their views. Organised jointly by Ecpat (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and two United Nations organisations, the workshop was part of a review of commitments and action plans against the sexual exploitation of children.
The MOU signed in Yangon did not refer to the need to consult the most vulnerable group under discussion - children themselves.
Such non-consultation, say NGOs which have worked closely with children, means agreements and action plans are usually weighted towards law rather than in-country and cross-border security and protection of human rights - which is what the children need.
An interesting comment was made on the issue of children being heard, after the Ecpat-UN review in Bangkok. A youth delegate from the Philippines sat together with representatives from Thailand and Cambodia. The rest of the panel comprised adults working for UN agencies and Ecpat. Together, they faced a modest gathering of local and international press.
After several questions were directed to the adults and answered by them, the youth delegates were given a chance to speak. The Filipina mentioned that she had been disappointed that 'hardly anyone' had turned up for their own workshop. The Thai delegate said: 'Many actions that are well intentioned, do not however address the needs of children.'
She singled out the media as failing in its responsibility to deliver content both truthfully and sensitively, with a clear distinction between good and bad. And she gave some insight into issues that bother children.
'From our perspective, often the exploiters are not strangers but family members or other people we are close to and respect and trust. From the children's perspective, it is a beautiful world without deceit; when bad things happen, who do we turn to?'
And to underscore the importance of the issue, the Filipina delegate declared abruptly: 'I'm sorry, this conference is not child friendly at all,' before pushing her chair back and walking out.
i hope tt e conference tt children's society is hosting next yr wld create greater awareness not juz in s'pore but also ard e region.....hopefully everything will turn out gd! cross my fingers
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT: THAILAND
Let's hear it for the children
By Nirmal Ghosh
THAILAND CORRESPONDENT
POI PET (CAMBODIA) - WHEN it rains, Krousar Thmey's shelter for children in Poi Pet, across the Thai border in Cambodia, starts flooding. Below the walls of a giant casino where millions are gambled every day, the children of Krousar Thmey pick up toddlers and wade through shin-deep water to do their chores. A pedestal fan churns hot, humid air inside a hut on stilts which serves as the office of the Phnom Penh based non-government organisation (NGO).
Krousar Thmey means 'new family'. Here the children are free of the circumstances they have been rescued from - the bondage of illegal traffickers and exploiters. Some have been repatriated from Thailand, where they were sent to beg on the streets of Bangkok or work in airless sweatshops or sordid brothels. Some were taken off the streets of Poi Pet itself, where they would sniff glue and split methamphetamine pills to help pass the night.
Poi Pet is a funnel for traders in everything from clothes to people. Around 60 per cent of the town comprises a floating transient population out to make a quick buck - or just to survive.
When I walked into Poi Pet, from Aranyaprathet on the Thai side, several hustlers approached me to offer visa services, transport to Siem Reap, and women - in that order.
Krousar Thmey attempts to find the children's homes and families, assess their circumstances and reunite the children with them. It has a 70 per cent success rate, mainly because of follow-up and insistence that the children should go to school - for which Krousar Thmey provides support. In some cases, children come back to the shelter, and some stay on or are successfully re-housed with other families.
Like the water that swirls through the low-lying Krousar Thmey village, many NGOs in Poi Pet fill the holes left by a government that has inherited a country gutted by war, and struggles to implement a semblance of policy through a machinery that is often distorted by corruption.
Illegal migration - often abetted by people smugglers, which is another term for human traffickers - is an everyday phenomenon on Thailand's borders. In recent months, it has been the focus of new attention as governments in the region realise the phenomenon is almost out of control; the Thai government estimates that there are at least one million foreigners - mostly from Myanmar, followed by Cambodia - working inside Thailand. And that does not count the family members who are with them.
An unprecedented agreement was signed last month in Yangon between six countries of the greater Mekong sub-region, one of the world's hot spots for human trafficking: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Preventive measures
MINISTERS pledged to 'address trafficking from a comprehensive perspective, encompassing areas of policy and cooperation at the national and international levels; legal frameworks, law enforcement and criminal justice; protection, recovery and reintegration of victims; as well as preventive measures'.
After the legalese it will be implementation that counts. This was stressed repeatedly at another forum in Bangkok recently, to which youth representatives from Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines were invited to give their views. Organised jointly by Ecpat (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and two United Nations organisations, the workshop was part of a review of commitments and action plans against the sexual exploitation of children.
The MOU signed in Yangon did not refer to the need to consult the most vulnerable group under discussion - children themselves.
Such non-consultation, say NGOs which have worked closely with children, means agreements and action plans are usually weighted towards law rather than in-country and cross-border security and protection of human rights - which is what the children need.
An interesting comment was made on the issue of children being heard, after the Ecpat-UN review in Bangkok. A youth delegate from the Philippines sat together with representatives from Thailand and Cambodia. The rest of the panel comprised adults working for UN agencies and Ecpat. Together, they faced a modest gathering of local and international press.
After several questions were directed to the adults and answered by them, the youth delegates were given a chance to speak. The Filipina mentioned that she had been disappointed that 'hardly anyone' had turned up for their own workshop. The Thai delegate said: 'Many actions that are well intentioned, do not however address the needs of children.'
She singled out the media as failing in its responsibility to deliver content both truthfully and sensitively, with a clear distinction between good and bad. And she gave some insight into issues that bother children.
'From our perspective, often the exploiters are not strangers but family members or other people we are close to and respect and trust. From the children's perspective, it is a beautiful world without deceit; when bad things happen, who do we turn to?'
And to underscore the importance of the issue, the Filipina delegate declared abruptly: 'I'm sorry, this conference is not child friendly at all,' before pushing her chair back and walking out.
i hope tt e conference tt children's society is hosting next yr wld create greater awareness not juz in s'pore but also ard e region.....hopefully everything will turn out gd! cross my fingers
all alone.....
all alone in my office.....i guess every1 else decided 2 eat snake since it's x'mas eve & boss is not in.....she juz walked in.....e colleague tt i was comtemplating on blogging......she really a weird person.....i have difficulties communicating wif her a lot o e times......aiya, i've got 2 do my article reading b4 i can blog.....prob blog after x'mas.......i'll write a special's of her 1 day.......
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
But I miss you finally
But I miss you finally
Try to remember all these years
We shared the love we shared the tears
Thought that forever it would be
I realize you lie to me
I still hold on
Still dream of days when we were one
[CHORUS]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
But I miss you finally
Right from the start
My love made me blind
But I miss you finally
All of these promises you made
This 4 letter word it seems to...
Baby it's hard to understand
Now that you're gone
We reached the end
I still believe
Still dream of days when we were one
[Chorus 3X]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
Right from the start
My love made me blind
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
But I miss you finally
Try to remember all these years
We shared the love we shared the tears
Thought that forever it would be
I realize you lie to me
I still hold on
Still dream of days when we were one
[CHORUS]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
But I miss you finally
Right from the start
My love made me blind
But I miss you finally
All of these promises you made
This 4 letter word it seems to...
Baby it's hard to understand
Now that you're gone
We reached the end
I still believe
Still dream of days when we were one
[Chorus 3X]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
Right from the start
My love made me blind
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Today December 22, 2004
FLIP SIDE OF ABUSE
Mei Tan
AS I write this letter, feelings of guilt, anger and pain start to flow in my heart. My story began just after Christmas last year. We employed a domestic helper to help around the house and take care for my two sons, aged three and a newborn. I would rate her as a capable worker and fast learner. I trusted her a lot.
But I ended up spending New Year in hospital with my then two-month-old boy who suffered from two skull fractures. After an hour of persistent questioning, my helper admitted she had dropped my baby, who hit his head against the side of the rocker.
The police started their investigations when the doctors found that the injuries were not consistent with what the helper had said and the Ministry of Community Development,Youth and Sports stepped in as this could be a case of child abuse.
We sent the helper back to the agency and cancelled her contract. We were told by the police to write to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to place her on a special pass while the investigations were carried out; she would be placed in remand under the agency's care.
We were also told by the maid agency that we had to bear the levy for as long as the helper was in Singapore. I found out later (in March) that I could write to MOM to explain the circumstances and ask to be exempted from paying the levy. We then had no further contact with the maid agency — until October, when I received a call from the agency demanding that I pay the $5,000 bond as the helper had gone missing since July and her special pass would expire on Nov 2. The agency also said the police had decided to prosecute her and would also charge her for being an illegal immigrant, as this was her second escape from the boarding house. The first time, she was found eating at a hawker centre.
Where did she get the money to pay for the food? Had she perhaps been allowed by the agency to work part-time illegally?
I was disgusted that the agency had not done its job in keeping an eye on her and that it had not bothered to check that I had earlier bought insurance for the bond.
I also have not heard from the police since June. Every attempt made to contact the officer in charge of the case was in vain. Other official bodies also could not shed light on the matter.
The authorities should have the courtesy to let me know the status of the case, so that I can close this traumatic chapter.
I thank God today, my boy is a happy and healthy 13-month-old. We always read about helpers being abused and how they get little help. What happens if the tables are turned? How often, if and when, do we hear of abuse to children, be it physical or sexual, by these helpers? Are there any statistics or surveys about such abuses?
I am all for organisations such as Aware and TWC2 which foreign domestic helpers can turn to for help.
But what about employers like me? Who do we turn to for help? I believe that when faced with such crises, many employers simply terminate the contracts and send the helpers home, for fear of the financial burden or long time needed to sort out the problem.
I am a good example. It has been a year and the case is still pending.
What happens, when it is through no fault of the employer (as in my case) that the helper goes missing? Is it fair for the employer to be responsible for the bond?
I also feel maid agencies have too much autonomy. As such, some conduct their businesses in an improper manner. Finally, I hope a group can be set up to act as a mediator for the employers/employees. And for parents with similar experiences, I wish you well and ask that you speak up. It helps.
Mei Tan is a 35-year-old homemaker who wrote this letter to Today. Have you a view? Tell us at news@newstoday.com.sg
My sis had a lot o trouble wif her maid as well.....she has since changed countless maids & wif e recent events o maids dumping babies off high-rise flats, i tink she's having 2nd tots o employing 1 but no choice cos she has 3 little 1s 2 take care o.......
i dun deny tt e maid has 2 work doubly hard in our h/h cos there r really tonnes o clothes 2 wash cos o my very big family......& i dun deny tt my bro-in-law is a "gd employer".......he demands 2 much fr e maid.......however e hassle & e financial burden levied on 1 is really a lot when u encounter problems wif maids.......tt's y a lot o pple juz choose 2 send e maid bk instead o pursuing matters further.......these maids i presume will come bk 2 s'pore 2 work again......& e next family has 2 go thro' all e nightmare again......
i really hope tt more can b done abt maid problems.....but now i'm not in e rite frame o mind 2 tink o a possible solution......i'll try 2 tink abt it during my scheduled vacation wif myself.....i'll reserve a slot 2 review all social issues then i can blog abt it........
FLIP SIDE OF ABUSE
Mei Tan
AS I write this letter, feelings of guilt, anger and pain start to flow in my heart. My story began just after Christmas last year. We employed a domestic helper to help around the house and take care for my two sons, aged three and a newborn. I would rate her as a capable worker and fast learner. I trusted her a lot.
But I ended up spending New Year in hospital with my then two-month-old boy who suffered from two skull fractures. After an hour of persistent questioning, my helper admitted she had dropped my baby, who hit his head against the side of the rocker.
The police started their investigations when the doctors found that the injuries were not consistent with what the helper had said and the Ministry of Community Development,Youth and Sports stepped in as this could be a case of child abuse.
We sent the helper back to the agency and cancelled her contract. We were told by the police to write to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to place her on a special pass while the investigations were carried out; she would be placed in remand under the agency's care.
We were also told by the maid agency that we had to bear the levy for as long as the helper was in Singapore. I found out later (in March) that I could write to MOM to explain the circumstances and ask to be exempted from paying the levy. We then had no further contact with the maid agency — until October, when I received a call from the agency demanding that I pay the $5,000 bond as the helper had gone missing since July and her special pass would expire on Nov 2. The agency also said the police had decided to prosecute her and would also charge her for being an illegal immigrant, as this was her second escape from the boarding house. The first time, she was found eating at a hawker centre.
Where did she get the money to pay for the food? Had she perhaps been allowed by the agency to work part-time illegally?
I was disgusted that the agency had not done its job in keeping an eye on her and that it had not bothered to check that I had earlier bought insurance for the bond.
I also have not heard from the police since June. Every attempt made to contact the officer in charge of the case was in vain. Other official bodies also could not shed light on the matter.
The authorities should have the courtesy to let me know the status of the case, so that I can close this traumatic chapter.
I thank God today, my boy is a happy and healthy 13-month-old. We always read about helpers being abused and how they get little help. What happens if the tables are turned? How often, if and when, do we hear of abuse to children, be it physical or sexual, by these helpers? Are there any statistics or surveys about such abuses?
I am all for organisations such as Aware and TWC2 which foreign domestic helpers can turn to for help.
But what about employers like me? Who do we turn to for help? I believe that when faced with such crises, many employers simply terminate the contracts and send the helpers home, for fear of the financial burden or long time needed to sort out the problem.
I am a good example. It has been a year and the case is still pending.
What happens, when it is through no fault of the employer (as in my case) that the helper goes missing? Is it fair for the employer to be responsible for the bond?
I also feel maid agencies have too much autonomy. As such, some conduct their businesses in an improper manner. Finally, I hope a group can be set up to act as a mediator for the employers/employees. And for parents with similar experiences, I wish you well and ask that you speak up. It helps.
Mei Tan is a 35-year-old homemaker who wrote this letter to Today. Have you a view? Tell us at news@newstoday.com.sg
My sis had a lot o trouble wif her maid as well.....she has since changed countless maids & wif e recent events o maids dumping babies off high-rise flats, i tink she's having 2nd tots o employing 1 but no choice cos she has 3 little 1s 2 take care o.......
i dun deny tt e maid has 2 work doubly hard in our h/h cos there r really tonnes o clothes 2 wash cos o my very big family......& i dun deny tt my bro-in-law is a "gd employer".......he demands 2 much fr e maid.......however e hassle & e financial burden levied on 1 is really a lot when u encounter problems wif maids.......tt's y a lot o pple juz choose 2 send e maid bk instead o pursuing matters further.......these maids i presume will come bk 2 s'pore 2 work again......& e next family has 2 go thro' all e nightmare again......
i really hope tt more can b done abt maid problems.....but now i'm not in e rite frame o mind 2 tink o a possible solution......i'll try 2 tink abt it during my scheduled vacation wif myself.....i'll reserve a slot 2 review all social issues then i can blog abt it........
Today December 21, 2004
'Slamming' 'tude
She's a maverick who shocks, inspires and cares deeply
Surekha A Yadavsurekha@newstoday.com.sg
SHORTLY after the earth-shaking events of 911, Singaporean Greta Georges and her mother sent out more than 200 letters to prominent groups and individuals all over world – from rock band U2 to United States President George W Bush.
This led up to the planet's first World Harmony Day, which mother and daughter organised on Feb 2, 2002 at 20.02 pm, at Suntec City.
The event included a two-minute vigil in honour of all who have lost their lives in war.
"We didn't have, and still don't have, a message. For us, it is just about making it known that we are for peace," says Greta.
Pulling the whole thing together single-handedly was "very tough" and "quite the emotional ride." But the effort paid off. Support flooded in, and today, World Harmony Day is an annual event supported by international organisations including the United Nations.
As a maverick poet-film-maker-activist, Greta tends to both shock Singaporeans and inspire the world in turn.
She spouts poetry off the cuff and sings, shouts and dances — doing what is called "slamming", a poetic form of rap battling. Only, this performance isn't limited to salon recitals. "One morning, I had to give up my seat to a pregnant lady on the train. So that afternoon, I decided to get a seat for myself by dressing up as pregnant lady — but I still could not get a seat, so I "slammed" to show my displeasure," says Greta, adding that apart from looking startled, the passengers showed no reaction. It is this kind of apathy here that Greta doesn't understand.
"I was brought up to think, pay attention to my world, have an opinion and share it. That is what I'm going to do," she says.
She has always beaten her own path. By 16, Greta had travelled across America alone. By the time she was 20, she had been across the globe.
Emblazoned on her tattered, once-white backpack are the words, "Universal Peace Forum, Barcelona".
"I was there for a month for the Condition of Peace dialogue and I shot my second movie there," she says. At 23, she looks more like a bouncy teenager than world-weary traveller and cynical, Michael Moore-type documentary-maker.
The movie she refers to, Weapons Of Mass Deception, is "a parody of everything (US President) Bush said", says Greta. With one cameraman and a microphone, she ran around at the forum trying to pull together the movie without a script.
"Everything was impromptu. I would attend a forum and accost the speakers afterwards for sound-bites. I was a madwoman," she said with a laugh. What intrigues her is how views differed from nationality to nationality on the issue of weapons of mass destruction.
"It is very interesting, this difference. A professor could tell me with great confidence which countries carried the weapons, while a man from the Congo told me the "weapons" were the repressed people in his village."
She intends to submit the movie in local film-making competitions.
Her upbringing is as unusual as her choice of path in life. At 2, she left her birth town in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, when her mum ran away from an unpleasant marriage. "So drama right? But I think it's because of who my mother is, that I am what I am," she said. Her standard joke about her father, whom she has not seen in years, is: "He is not a terrorist."
But her mum, an events planner, has become her partner in her battles for the things she believes in — such as peace. Right now, Greta is hard at work on her next film project. "I don't want to say what it is just yet, except I'm going to film in the Middle East," she says with an elusive smile.
i know her fr dragonboat......she's flamboyant i wld describe......i never knew she was doing so much.....i admire her....i'm jealous o her even.......
'Slamming' 'tude
She's a maverick who shocks, inspires and cares deeply
Surekha A Yadavsurekha@newstoday.com.sg
SHORTLY after the earth-shaking events of 911, Singaporean Greta Georges and her mother sent out more than 200 letters to prominent groups and individuals all over world – from rock band U2 to United States President George W Bush.
This led up to the planet's first World Harmony Day, which mother and daughter organised on Feb 2, 2002 at 20.02 pm, at Suntec City.
The event included a two-minute vigil in honour of all who have lost their lives in war.
"We didn't have, and still don't have, a message. For us, it is just about making it known that we are for peace," says Greta.
Pulling the whole thing together single-handedly was "very tough" and "quite the emotional ride." But the effort paid off. Support flooded in, and today, World Harmony Day is an annual event supported by international organisations including the United Nations.
As a maverick poet-film-maker-activist, Greta tends to both shock Singaporeans and inspire the world in turn.
She spouts poetry off the cuff and sings, shouts and dances — doing what is called "slamming", a poetic form of rap battling. Only, this performance isn't limited to salon recitals. "One morning, I had to give up my seat to a pregnant lady on the train. So that afternoon, I decided to get a seat for myself by dressing up as pregnant lady — but I still could not get a seat, so I "slammed" to show my displeasure," says Greta, adding that apart from looking startled, the passengers showed no reaction. It is this kind of apathy here that Greta doesn't understand.
"I was brought up to think, pay attention to my world, have an opinion and share it. That is what I'm going to do," she says.
She has always beaten her own path. By 16, Greta had travelled across America alone. By the time she was 20, she had been across the globe.
Emblazoned on her tattered, once-white backpack are the words, "Universal Peace Forum, Barcelona".
"I was there for a month for the Condition of Peace dialogue and I shot my second movie there," she says. At 23, she looks more like a bouncy teenager than world-weary traveller and cynical, Michael Moore-type documentary-maker.
The movie she refers to, Weapons Of Mass Deception, is "a parody of everything (US President) Bush said", says Greta. With one cameraman and a microphone, she ran around at the forum trying to pull together the movie without a script.
"Everything was impromptu. I would attend a forum and accost the speakers afterwards for sound-bites. I was a madwoman," she said with a laugh. What intrigues her is how views differed from nationality to nationality on the issue of weapons of mass destruction.
"It is very interesting, this difference. A professor could tell me with great confidence which countries carried the weapons, while a man from the Congo told me the "weapons" were the repressed people in his village."
She intends to submit the movie in local film-making competitions.
Her upbringing is as unusual as her choice of path in life. At 2, she left her birth town in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, when her mum ran away from an unpleasant marriage. "So drama right? But I think it's because of who my mother is, that I am what I am," she said. Her standard joke about her father, whom she has not seen in years, is: "He is not a terrorist."
But her mum, an events planner, has become her partner in her battles for the things she believes in — such as peace. Right now, Greta is hard at work on her next film project. "I don't want to say what it is just yet, except I'm going to film in the Middle East," she says with an elusive smile.
i know her fr dragonboat......she's flamboyant i wld describe......i never knew she was doing so much.....i admire her....i'm jealous o her even.......
Monday, December 20, 2004
when do u know.............
when do u know.................how do u know............can u tell me...............so different..................yet so much fun.............................flirting..................m i????????????????stupid................insensitive.......................another bruise..................do i flirt??????????i tink so.......................didn't hurt any1 rite?????????????i hope...............beautiful song....................u & i .................yi xiang qing yuan.....................stupid...................................
stupid....
stupid files....where did i save them under????????? shoot..........
stupid computer.........playing me out...............shoot..............
i 1 2 go toilet but i can only go 2 e gents........but i know there r others still ard......i dun 1 2 b stuck in e gents wif any o e lecturers inside.............shoot..............
i'm bored 2 death!!!!!!!!!!! no1 online...........& tis stupid computer is taking 4ever 2 copy e files.....................
i'm cold & hungry & urgent................all thks 2 my stupid procrastinations................shoot................................................
stupid computer.........playing me out...............shoot..............
i 1 2 go toilet but i can only go 2 e gents........but i know there r others still ard......i dun 1 2 b stuck in e gents wif any o e lecturers inside.............shoot..............
i'm bored 2 death!!!!!!!!!!! no1 online...........& tis stupid computer is taking 4ever 2 copy e files.....................
i'm cold & hungry & urgent................all thks 2 my stupid procrastinations................shoot................................................
bruises.....
ok.....after 1 week o activities i've officially accumulated 11 bruises.....
e wk beginning 13/12 to 19/12 activities done:
mon - slack
tue - rockclimbing
wed - tkd
thu - pilates cum mini bicycle accident
fri - slack
sat - cycling
sun - pestered by insurance agent
bruises:
2 on left hand
1 on rite hand
4 on left leg
3 on rite leg
1 on left hip
i shld take more vitamin C according 2 KJ....help 2 strengthen capillary or smething like tt.....i tink i shld open my eyes bigger instead.....& b less clumsy.....
great cycling trip on sat 2 pengarang btw...although my bum still hurts now....sitting on cushions now.....dun understd...i've such a huge fleshy bum.....shld 've enough cushioning.....but still hurts bad man.......
ok i'll quit complaining & start doing my stupid data entry...i've been cracking my brain 4 e past 1 hr trying my extreme hardest 2 do e accounting.......shoot....i really suckk at accounts.........
e wk beginning 13/12 to 19/12 activities done:
mon - slack
tue - rockclimbing
wed - tkd
thu - pilates cum mini bicycle accident
fri - slack
sat - cycling
sun - pestered by insurance agent
bruises:
2 on left hand
1 on rite hand
4 on left leg
3 on rite leg
1 on left hip
i shld take more vitamin C according 2 KJ....help 2 strengthen capillary or smething like tt.....i tink i shld open my eyes bigger instead.....& b less clumsy.....
great cycling trip on sat 2 pengarang btw...although my bum still hurts now....sitting on cushions now.....dun understd...i've such a huge fleshy bum.....shld 've enough cushioning.....but still hurts bad man.......
ok i'll quit complaining & start doing my stupid data entry...i've been cracking my brain 4 e past 1 hr trying my extreme hardest 2 do e accounting.......shoot....i really suckk at accounts.........
Friday, December 17, 2004
ST Dec 16, 2004
Dutch doctors support infant euthanasia
THE HAGUE - DOCTORS in the Netherlands are calling for laws allowing them to end the lives of newborns with intolerable and incurable illnesses.
Doctors from the country's eight university hospitals have asked that a committee of experts be set up to consider the issue, a BBC report said yesterday.
The Dutch government will give its opinion over the next few months.
The proposed committee of experts would define the criteria that would apply to infant euthanasia in children born with extreme malformations, for instance they may have no brain.
It would relate to only about 600 infants in the world and between 10 and 15 in The Netherlands, the BBC report said.
The move has revived the debate on the controversial issue of euthanasia.
Doctors here say paediatricians worldwide are in favour of ending the lives of newborns in
certain circumstances.
When is it ever rite 2 end sme1's life.........
Dutch doctors support infant euthanasia
THE HAGUE - DOCTORS in the Netherlands are calling for laws allowing them to end the lives of newborns with intolerable and incurable illnesses.
Doctors from the country's eight university hospitals have asked that a committee of experts be set up to consider the issue, a BBC report said yesterday.
The Dutch government will give its opinion over the next few months.
The proposed committee of experts would define the criteria that would apply to infant euthanasia in children born with extreme malformations, for instance they may have no brain.
It would relate to only about 600 infants in the world and between 10 and 15 in The Netherlands, the BBC report said.
The move has revived the debate on the controversial issue of euthanasia.
Doctors here say paediatricians worldwide are in favour of ending the lives of newborns in
certain circumstances.
When is it ever rite 2 end sme1's life.........
ST Dec 17, 2004
Marriage offers health benefits
WASHINGTON - MARRIED people are healthier than other adults, though husbands have a tendency to pack on extra kilograms, says the US National Centre for Health Statistics.
The centre's report on Wednesday, based on a survey of more than 125,000 people, did not specify reasons, but health statistician Charlotte Schoenborn said there are two major theories.
One is that marriage may be protective of health. For example, married couples may have advantages in terms of economic resources, social and psychological support and encouragement of healthful lifestyles.
A second theory is marital selection - the theory that healthy people get married and stay married, whereas less healthy people either do not marry or are more likely to become separated, divorced or widowed.
'Overall, this association between marital status and health persists regardless of socio-economic status, education and poverty, where people were born or their ethnicity,' she said.
The centre reported that among adults 18 years and over, 11.9 per cent said they were in only fair or poor health. Some 10.5 per cent of married people reported being in poor or fair health, while all other groups were higher. At 19.6 per cent, the widowed were the most likely to be in these categories.
'In general, married adults were the least likely to experience health problems and the least likely to engage in risky health behaviour, with the notable exception of being overweight,' Ms Schoenborn wrote.
The report was based on a survey of 127,545 people in 1999-2002 conducted by the centre. In addition to reporting better health overall, the study found that married people said they had less low back pain, fewer headaches and less psychological stress. They also were less likely to drink and smoke and were more physically active than people in general.
But they were not immune to weight problems. Currently, more than half of all adults - 56.7 per cent - are overweight or obese, the centre said.
Some 70.6 per cent of husbands were overweight or obese compared with 65.1 per cent of all men. Some 48.6 per cent of married women were overweight or obese, about the same as the 48.5 per cent of women in general. The largest share of overweight women was among the widowed at 53.2 per cent. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
1 gd reason(better health) y we shld get married.....but also 1 gd reason(not get over-weight/obese) 4 not getting married!!!
Marriage offers health benefits
WASHINGTON - MARRIED people are healthier than other adults, though husbands have a tendency to pack on extra kilograms, says the US National Centre for Health Statistics.
The centre's report on Wednesday, based on a survey of more than 125,000 people, did not specify reasons, but health statistician Charlotte Schoenborn said there are two major theories.
One is that marriage may be protective of health. For example, married couples may have advantages in terms of economic resources, social and psychological support and encouragement of healthful lifestyles.
A second theory is marital selection - the theory that healthy people get married and stay married, whereas less healthy people either do not marry or are more likely to become separated, divorced or widowed.
'Overall, this association between marital status and health persists regardless of socio-economic status, education and poverty, where people were born or their ethnicity,' she said.
The centre reported that among adults 18 years and over, 11.9 per cent said they were in only fair or poor health. Some 10.5 per cent of married people reported being in poor or fair health, while all other groups were higher. At 19.6 per cent, the widowed were the most likely to be in these categories.
'In general, married adults were the least likely to experience health problems and the least likely to engage in risky health behaviour, with the notable exception of being overweight,' Ms Schoenborn wrote.
The report was based on a survey of 127,545 people in 1999-2002 conducted by the centre. In addition to reporting better health overall, the study found that married people said they had less low back pain, fewer headaches and less psychological stress. They also were less likely to drink and smoke and were more physically active than people in general.
But they were not immune to weight problems. Currently, more than half of all adults - 56.7 per cent - are overweight or obese, the centre said.
Some 70.6 per cent of husbands were overweight or obese compared with 65.1 per cent of all men. Some 48.6 per cent of married women were overweight or obese, about the same as the 48.5 per cent of women in general. The largest share of overweight women was among the widowed at 53.2 per cent. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
1 gd reason(better health) y we shld get married.....but also 1 gd reason(not get over-weight/obese) 4 not getting married!!!
Thursday, December 16, 2004
trememdous sadness....
dunno y i feel so sad now......tears r circling in my eyes.....i dunno y tis sudden sadness came over me....it's really suffocating me......i dun miss tis place.....but a lot o things (or shld i say nothing) happened....i had 2 much free time 2 tink when i was working in ntu.....mayb 1 was really lonely when i was here 4 e past 1 yr......mayb i'm re-living tt loneliness again.....mayb tt's y i feel so sad now.....mayb tt's y i feel like crying.....vacation 4 my heart, soul & body scheduled.....taking leave 2 live again......
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
date wif myself......
ok i've been procrastinating 4 so long i tink i shld pull up my socks.......
it's been a long long time since i've sat down & tot abt things by myself.......i've been pushing things 2 e bk o my head 4 way 2 long......i need 2 rearrange all my tots & feelings once & 4 all......i need 2 do a spring clearing o my heart & soul.......i've decided 2 make a date wif myself......take a day off & really tink.....i've stopped tinking & feeling 4 way 2 long......time 2 get my machine working again......
pls wake up..........................
it's been a long long time since i've sat down & tot abt things by myself.......i've been pushing things 2 e bk o my head 4 way 2 long......i need 2 rearrange all my tots & feelings once & 4 all......i need 2 do a spring clearing o my heart & soul.......i've decided 2 make a date wif myself......take a day off & really tink.....i've stopped tinking & feeling 4 way 2 long......time 2 get my machine working again......
pls wake up..........................
in order not 2 feel creepy....
ok my colleague told me abt e ghost stories o my office...now i'm all alone waiting 4 time 2 pass b4 i go 4 my tkd class.....2 elevate e creepiness....i've decided 2 blog.....my colleagues left not without reminding me o e hantu.....
anyways....long time never really sit down & blog like tis.......read lover boy's blog & so coincidentally was talking wif my colleagues during lunch 2day abt how teachers nowadays r getting fr bad 2 worse.....
i've a friend who's a teacher but whose passion doesn't lie there( i tink she soesn't even know wat she 1s...).....she keeps telling me how she's suffering in sch & all tt....i try 2 b sympathetic but she chose tt path, she shld bear e consequences......she went into teaching cos she cldn't find any other job, & also cos a teaching job really pays well.......i sort o look down on her 4 going into teaching cos o these reasons.....i feel tt she's harming e students she teaching rite now......but i've never really told her tt......i dunno how 2 break it 2 her.......i 1ed many times 2 write her a letter but i always push it off cos i felt tt i cldn't really judge her (i shldn't judge any1 anywayz).....i guess i'll make a date wif her 1 o these days........
but e teaching world is not so gloomy actually......take lover boy 4 eg, he's really into teaching & i'm glad! i've a few other friends who r also pursuing a teaching degree & i'm glad they r pursuing it 4 passion! i know o a friend who has tried a dozen times but cldn't get into nie.....i felt sad 4 her.....
there r also e special sch teachers, like atomic princess & e draggos, who r really dedicated 2 their work!!!
i'm glad tt i know o so many dedicated teachers!!! at least i'm not so disillusioned abt e education world......
3 cheers 4 all these teachers!!! hip hip hurray, hip hip hurray, hip hip HURRAY!!!!!!
have passion in watever u do else y waste ur life away doing smething u hate????
anyways....long time never really sit down & blog like tis.......read lover boy's blog & so coincidentally was talking wif my colleagues during lunch 2day abt how teachers nowadays r getting fr bad 2 worse.....
i've a friend who's a teacher but whose passion doesn't lie there( i tink she soesn't even know wat she 1s...).....she keeps telling me how she's suffering in sch & all tt....i try 2 b sympathetic but she chose tt path, she shld bear e consequences......she went into teaching cos she cldn't find any other job, & also cos a teaching job really pays well.......i sort o look down on her 4 going into teaching cos o these reasons.....i feel tt she's harming e students she teaching rite now......but i've never really told her tt......i dunno how 2 break it 2 her.......i 1ed many times 2 write her a letter but i always push it off cos i felt tt i cldn't really judge her (i shldn't judge any1 anywayz).....i guess i'll make a date wif her 1 o these days........
but e teaching world is not so gloomy actually......take lover boy 4 eg, he's really into teaching & i'm glad! i've a few other friends who r also pursuing a teaching degree & i'm glad they r pursuing it 4 passion! i know o a friend who has tried a dozen times but cldn't get into nie.....i felt sad 4 her.....
there r also e special sch teachers, like atomic princess & e draggos, who r really dedicated 2 their work!!!
i'm glad tt i know o so many dedicated teachers!!! at least i'm not so disillusioned abt e education world......
3 cheers 4 all these teachers!!! hip hip hurray, hip hip hurray, hip hip HURRAY!!!!!!
have passion in watever u do else y waste ur life away doing smething u hate????
Wise up man!!!! & women 2!!!!! get ur men 2 work!!!!
ST Dec 11, 2004
Men, get that broom out if you want to stay married
Couples more likely to be happier and stay together if they share chores: Study
By Vivi Zainol
A LOCAL study has found that more Singapore fathers are pitching in when it comes to looking after the children, even though they believe it is really the mother's job.
Said Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, from the National University of Singapore's sociology department, who began the study in March this year: 'This is perhaps the first empirical evidence we have that Singapore fathers have grown from the traditional breadwinner model to one which sees them as involved fathers.'
But because of their mindset about women's role, fathers rarely go beyond disciplining their children.
The study, commissioned by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, also found that couples are more likely to be happier and stay together if they also share household chores besides the children's upbringing. In fact, relationships go from strength to strength with each added task a husband does.
The chances of a marriage continuing increases by 1.8 times for every added chore husbands take on, said Prof Straughan, as women are happier when their husbands do more at home, and the more their husbands do, the happier marriages are.
In the study of 1,026 married people and 827 divorcees in their mid-20s, partners in ongoing unions share about five chores, while those in relationships which have ended did about three.
The study also found that though men may help out, they do not want to be responsible for housework.
One example is civil servant Ethan Teo, 35, who admitted that his wife is 'not very happy' with the division of labour in their home.
'It's the wife's job to do the more 'feminine' chores like cooking, washing and putting the kids to sleep,' he claimed. 'I'll change the light bulb and do things that are more strenuous, like mopping the floor.
'Because of this sort of thinking, women take the lead in all but three of the 19 tasks involving either home care and supervision, child care or looking after an elderly person. The three are carrying out household repairs, washing the car and paying bills.
Women are also held responsible for an average of 8.8 domestic tasks compared with men's 2.7.
Prof Straughan said parents, families, friends, schools, the mass media and forms of popular culture are responsible for the gender-based attitudes to chores.
State policies also contribute, she added. For example, until recently, only mothers could take leave to tend to a sick child.
Deducting the foreign maid levy only from the wife's income also sends a strong message that the maid is taking over her responsibilities.
'Singapore women are really in a bind,' she said. 'They're expected to embrace multiple roles and responsibilities: to be a good wife, a loving mother who is expected to be on call 24/7, domestic manager, and to top it all... a committed employee. Meanwhile, their husbands continue to hold on to very traditional expectations.
'Many women seem yet to realise this. Said Madam Koh Lay Hong, 39, who has a three-month-old child and helps in her husband's business: 'I do what I can, and when I need help, I ask for it and my husband obliges. That makes me very happy.'
ST Dec 11, 2004
Men, get that broom out if you want to stay married
Couples more likely to be happier and stay together if they share chores: Study
By Vivi Zainol
A LOCAL study has found that more Singapore fathers are pitching in when it comes to looking after the children, even though they believe it is really the mother's job.
Said Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, from the National University of Singapore's sociology department, who began the study in March this year: 'This is perhaps the first empirical evidence we have that Singapore fathers have grown from the traditional breadwinner model to one which sees them as involved fathers.'
But because of their mindset about women's role, fathers rarely go beyond disciplining their children.
The study, commissioned by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, also found that couples are more likely to be happier and stay together if they also share household chores besides the children's upbringing. In fact, relationships go from strength to strength with each added task a husband does.
The chances of a marriage continuing increases by 1.8 times for every added chore husbands take on, said Prof Straughan, as women are happier when their husbands do more at home, and the more their husbands do, the happier marriages are.
In the study of 1,026 married people and 827 divorcees in their mid-20s, partners in ongoing unions share about five chores, while those in relationships which have ended did about three.
The study also found that though men may help out, they do not want to be responsible for housework.
One example is civil servant Ethan Teo, 35, who admitted that his wife is 'not very happy' with the division of labour in their home.
'It's the wife's job to do the more 'feminine' chores like cooking, washing and putting the kids to sleep,' he claimed. 'I'll change the light bulb and do things that are more strenuous, like mopping the floor.
'Because of this sort of thinking, women take the lead in all but three of the 19 tasks involving either home care and supervision, child care or looking after an elderly person. The three are carrying out household repairs, washing the car and paying bills.
Women are also held responsible for an average of 8.8 domestic tasks compared with men's 2.7.
Prof Straughan said parents, families, friends, schools, the mass media and forms of popular culture are responsible for the gender-based attitudes to chores.
State policies also contribute, she added. For example, until recently, only mothers could take leave to tend to a sick child.
Deducting the foreign maid levy only from the wife's income also sends a strong message that the maid is taking over her responsibilities.
'Singapore women are really in a bind,' she said. 'They're expected to embrace multiple roles and responsibilities: to be a good wife, a loving mother who is expected to be on call 24/7, domestic manager, and to top it all... a committed employee. Meanwhile, their husbands continue to hold on to very traditional expectations.
'Many women seem yet to realise this. Said Madam Koh Lay Hong, 39, who has a three-month-old child and helps in her husband's business: 'I do what I can, and when I need help, I ask for it and my husband obliges. That makes me very happy.'
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