Hri Kumar said:

We then come to the group which poses the real difficulty: children who are willing to support their parents, but say that they cannot afford to. There are of course such genuine cases. But there are unfortunately also some who say they cannot afford it, but what they really mean is that maintaining their parents is not high on their list of priorities. So, we have recently read in the newspapers of people who say they cannot pay the nursing home charges for their parents, but can nonetheless afford cars. Should Singaporeans be subsidising this group?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "The age-old conflict about old age: can we legislate for filial piety? Should society care for those old folks whose old children cannot be bothered?"

Link

MUSINGS said ...

For those who have given unqualified support to the CSE Programme on the basis that it encourages "critical thinking", was denial or delusion what you had in mind ?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "The sex we had last night was not sex and I'm still a virgin ? Maybe we should print t-shirts with this graphic and distribute it to the girls at the next run of the CSE program"

Link

The Christian Post said:

It is not a conflict between homosexuals and Christian fundamentalists

Rather, it is a conflict between a liberal and conservative worldview and those who hold the mutually opposing views. One group believes that there are no absolute morals and that every view is and has been socially-constructed and socially-determined. The other side maintains that moral absolutes exist; that there is such a thing as right and wrong, virtue and vice, decency and decadence. ...

The timeless clash between the liberal or anti-moral and conservative camps cannot be resolved unless one viewpoint is utterly conquered.

Recommended by at82: "Apparently one of the side believe that the conflict will NEVER end until the other side is "UTTERLY CONQUERED"..."

Link

Taikiew said:

One of the core issues that was brought up during the issue of AWARE was sexuality education. This is a very sensitive issue and this was not the first time that such an issue was brought into light.

Would sexuality talks conducted with the narrow, conversative, and religious views be good for the people of tomorrow?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Some religious groups actively conduct "

Link

Youth.sg said:

What drove the final stake into the new exco was its talk-down behaviour and patronising tone that masterfully exemplified to the very audience it sought to serve, just how thoroughly incapable it was of showing respect to the women of Singapore.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "r.i.p. josie lau exco. interesting take on their lack of emo appeal and stale replies."

Link

Wayang Party reports live from Suntec City where the AWARE extraordinary general meeting was held.

9.16pm: Constance Singam asked the audience to give the outgoing exco a round of applause which they gamely obliged.

9.15pm: New exco appeared. Josie Lau: “The exco has graciously decided to step down and we wish Aware all the best in its future endeavors.”

9.01pm: Nomination for President: Dana Lam nominted by Constance Singam and seconded by Lena Lim as President. No other nominations. Dana Lam elected as new Aware President. Vice-President is Chew I Jin. Hononary Secretary is Yap Chin Hwee, assistant secretary is Corrina Lim, honorary treasurer is Tan Joo Hym, assistant treasurer is Lim Seow Yuin, committee members - Joanne D’ Cruz, Hafizah Osman, Margaret Lee, Margaret Thomas, Nancy Griffths, Nicole Tan.

Link

Link (TOC)

Taikiew said:

People were asked to join AWARE to “to be an agent of change for lord”. How secular is the new exco is anyone’s guess, after reading this emails

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Alarming that this had happened although the new ex-co's president actively denies having hidden agendas."

Link

TOC said:

Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam, the scion of the late politician J.B. Jeyaretnam, has joined and been co-opted into the CEC of the Reform Party. In an interview with The Online Citizen (TOC), the younger Mr Jeyaretnam, an economist by training, expressed his wish that the Reform Party would field him as a candidate in the next general elections.

Recommended by at82: "Who says there is no credible people joining the opposition?"

Link

Alvinology said:

Singapore has lost a true opposition leader, devoted to fight till the very end for what he believes in. My deepest condolence to Mr. JB Jeyaretnam. May he rest in peace.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Singapore has lost a true hero."

Link

Lynn said:

...this old lady who hoards about 40 cats and 2 dogs in her 3 room HDB. The living condition is so terribly filthy and smelly that it's really not a place for animals to live, let alone human. ... The sight was just ghastly and the stench was unbearable. I was gagging even though I was wearing a mask. ... Inside, the place was like the House of Horror - dim and dark, blackened walls, filth and stench filled the place and encompasses you like a cocoon.

There were sick cats and kittens everywhere and they were all scared and hiding. The cats were all fed a diet of raw chicken heads ... left out for days, to the extend that chicken heads are blackened with decomposition.

When people try to remove her cats, she threatened to burn the place down, killing both herself and cats. So, we figure that brute force will not work. Just have to slowly try to clean up the place and do whatever we can for the sake of these poor animals.

The National Day mission : Jaime, her sis and Natasha bravely went in with gloves, masks and shower cap to clean up the place.

Recommended by Otterman: "These gals spent National Day in the house of horrors, cleaning the place and smuggled some cats out for a visit to the vet, and they're funding the operation themselves. Love their "can do" spirit; hats off to them!"

Link

Alvinology said:

82 -years-old J.B. Jeyaretnam filed an application this morning to register his new political party, The Reform Party. The old warhorse is back in action again!

Mr Jeyaretnam has been barred from contesting general elections here since 2001, when he was made a bankrupt for failing to pay damages from defamation suits.

He cleared up his debts on May 10, last year and was discharged as a bankrupt, thus freeing him to contest in the next polls due in 2011.

By then, he will be 85-years-old.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "JBJ is back in action again! "

Link

Revival of a Singapore Teacher's Life said:

I have this card system which I have used for the many years of teaching. It works like magic for many reasons. I just shared this idea with my class MT teacher who found it useful too. How does it work? 1. Each child has his/her own card. 2. The card is kept with the teacher. 3. The card is sent home when the child does something wrong or doesn't complete his/her work. 4. Parent will sign and return it through the child.

Recommended by Miss Loi: "An interesting non-intrusive way of informing parents of their child's misdemeanors in school."

Link

my secret garden said:

Supposed to pick Jeff up @ AMK this morning to attend the morning con-call with client. I got on the cab by 8.01 am. But ALAS! Look at the time we reach the office, and the receipt. A freakin' $40.60!!!!

With meters ticking at this rate.. I think I will cycle to work instead. Also will take me about an hour, what's the diff anyway?

Recommended by at82: "Faintz!"

Link

Singapore Life and Times said:

I was surprised when I read a report in today's Today (26 Dec 07, page 4) on the PTC disapproving SMRT's proposal to provide public transport to a cluster of private houses in the Yio Chu Kang area because, and this really takes the cake, it reckons that SMRT is NOT charging a premium rate for what it (i.e. PTC) considers a premium service. SMRT had planned to charge S$1.30 but the PTC considers that fare too low, that it should be between $2 and $3! It reckons that the public, whom it is supposed to serve, should pay more rather than less! I never...

Recommended by at82: "It says alot when PTC actually thinks that you are paying too little for for your public transport. "

Link

growingup said:

I have heard many times from mums with domestic maid’s help that their children are closer to the maid than to them and they don’t feel good about it. Which is also why the children will feel lost or upset when you change maid? How then can we create and improve our bond with our children when the maid is spending more time with our children than us, working parents?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "The article (and the rest of the blog) discusses actual, daily parenting ideas that are useful to the average Singapore parents or soon-to-be parents. Ideas are validated with daily examples making the content instructive. More importantly, the author's concise yet engaging manner of writing makes it both an easy and enjoyable read."

Link

Siew Kum Hong said:

Another major regret was not spending more time with him. In a way, that continues today, because I still don't spend enough time with my mum.

But I know I could certainly be a better son to her and from time to time I resolve to do better.

Some of that is attributable to the demands of today's working world. I was in private practice back then and I frequently treated home like a hotel, leaving for work in the morning and returning late at night. I could go days without seeing another family member.

I don't think that's uncommon for young people. But I wonder about my peers, who are getting to the age when parents are beginning to fall sick and die.

Are they aware that they have only so much time with their parents? Do they understand the compromises represented by long hours in the office?

And do they understand that by the time they do, it might be too late — as it was with me?

Recommended by at82: "Are you spending enough time with your parents? Don't wait till it is too late."

Link

absolute-ly missy said:

looking at our present health-care system, i’m worried - very very worried.

does it not resemble the situation that is being portrayed in the movie?

i don’t want to become old…and have to worry about whether i’ll have enough money for my medical bills when i fall sick or whether i’ll be kicked out of the hospital anytime.

that’s just too sad. what quality of life are we looking at?

i’ll strongly recommend this movie to everyone…. maybe it’ll help us gain some perspective. personally, i really feel that this movie is like us looking into a crystal ball - like a preview of how our future system will be like.

i ish saded.

Recommended by at82: "This might hurt a little."

Link

at82 said:

Now, who wouldn't want to stay in better wards when they are suffering for serious illnesses like cancer if he or she can afford it?

The only reason why more and more Singaporeans are choosing to stay in class C wards for serious illness is because they are increasing unable to afford stay in better class of wards!

And now instead of thinking of ways to reduce the medical burdens of Singaporeans, our dear govt wanted to means test Singaporeans?

Recommended by at82: "Die la, never means test hospital fees already increase 30%. If means test sick singaporeans can go eat grass liao loh!"

Link

Lee Lilian said:

We were doing our weekly hammer sales outreach at Blk 105, Hougang Avenue 1 yesterday around 10.30am. Knowing that we were stepping into the 'black area' marked by NEA for Dengue cases, I took a peep at several drains along the market area.

This was what we found, drains right in front of the market entrance were choked with rubbish like, cigarette butts, vegetables, dirt, etc...

By the way, for people who had been reading the papers...you may have noticed that it is always stated as areas in Hougang are marked 'black areas'. Please be alerted that not all Hougang areas are under Hougang Constituency. Remember it is a single ward, how can it cover such a big area. And this particular place that we went to yesterday was under Aljunied Town Council and thus Aljunied GRC.

Recommended by at82: "Those staying in the above mentioned area please be careful
"

Link

Mr otaku said:

My parents are very traditional people and they are critical over the slightest things. They believe in "spare the rod and spoil the child" and that "Parents deserve respect from their children "first" because they wouldn't have existed without parents giving birth to them.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Parent's condemnation may lead the children to aggressive self-destructive behavior.
"

Link