Upcoming workshops

Am helping a friend of mine spread the word about these really interesting upcoming events!

http://www.eroscoaching.com/2012/01/yin-and-yang-conference-making-love-for-a-lifetime/ 

 

Some of these workshops have never been run before!
http://www.eroscoaching.com/2012/01/febulove-workshops/ 
http://www.eroscoaching.com/2011/07/condom-factory/

Formation of the Singapore Interfaith Network on Aids

“The Singapore Interfaith Network on Aids (SINA) was formed recently by an inter-religious group concerned with the issue of HIV/Aids. It has established links with of a cluster of similar networks and together form the Asian Network on Aids (AINA) with Dr Erlinda Senturias as Consultant. It works in collaboration with  the regional office of United Nations programme on Aids (UNAIDS) in Bangkok. These initiatives were made by the Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao, former Bishop of The Methodist Church in Malaysia and Singapore and General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia who attended the recent International Congress on Aids in Asia and Pacific (ICAAP) in Busan, Korea.
.
.

SINA seeks to bring together those who are involved in providing faith-based services to people living with Aids in order to develop a more wholistic approach. Effective anti-retroviral medication are being supplied to needy Aids patients, counseling and support are given to them and their families and a shelter is provided for the homeless stricken with Aids. We can do more and we must do more. Appeals will be made especially to more religious people and institutions to address this public health issue which is a threat to all – regardless of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic status. It has become a pandemic in our world and we are reminded of it on World Aids Day in December 1.SINA recognizes the urgent need of prevention of further spread of HIV through wider education including safe sex education in raising the consciousness of people. This HIV awareness will lead to caring for those who are afflicted, removing the stigma of the disease and eradicating discrimination of those with HIV/Aids.
.
.

The Ministry of Health has given the following report:
“In 2012, another 441 Singapore residents were newly reported with HIV infection. About 91% of the new cases were males and 9% were females. This brings the total number of Singaporeans living with HIV to 4,485 as of end 2010. As at 31 Dec 2010, 2,319 are asymptomatic carriers, 1,137 have or have had Aids related illness and 1,389 have died…

.
.

Of the 441 cases reported in 2010, 432 cases acquired the infection through the sexual route, with heterosexual transmission accounting for 52% of infections, homosexual transmission 37% and bisexual transmission 9%, intravenous drug use(4 cases) accounted for 1% of infections…
.
.

Over half (55% of all new cases reported in 2010 were aged between 30 to 49. years of age. Approximately 62% were single, 29% were married and 7% were divorced or separated.”
.
.

Our society has identified more than 4,485 people living with Aids now. They have been  tested positive and 54% are already at a late stage of infection when tested. Thousands more live in denial and even afraid to go for testing for fear of losing their jobs and home and separation from their families and friends.
.
.

One such victim known only by the name of John lamented:”But my life changed when I was diagnosed as being HIV positive. I lost my job. With no income, I had to sell my flat to my siblings so that I could get some cash in hand to obtain treatment and HIV medication. My relationship with my family became strained when they found out about by HIV status. They chased me out of the house, the very same house in which we had all lived happily before. I had nowhere to go. I wandered around aimlessly and lived on the streets and beaches.” – John
.
.

Jacinta Rajoo in drawing our attention to John in her article in The Catholic News questioned us:
“So why are HIV/AIDS sufferers treated with such disdain? Why are they dealt the double or triple blow of not only being afflicted by this disease but also the pain of losing both material and financial freedom, or worst of all, their emotional and social support? “

.
.
It is generally known that Aids though contagious and incurable at the moment is just as death-threatening as other major diseases like cancer. With early detection and treatment people with Aids can live long and useful lives like the rest of us. We have the obligation to support and help one another.

.
.
Hillary Clinton early this month reported that:
“AIDS has killed 30 million people around the world, and 34 million are living with HIV today. In Sub-Saharan Africa—where 60 percent of the people with HIV are women and girls—it left a generation of children to grow up without mothers and fathers or teachers. In some communities, the only growth industry was the funeral business.”

.
.
She issued an appeal to Americans to usher in an Aids-free generation. This is a distinct possibility for all countries with the advance of medical science and social responsibility.

.
.
The worldwide call of UNAids is to “Get Together to Zero” – Zero tolerance of new Infections, Zero tolerance of Aids-related Deaths, Zero tolerance of Stigmatization and Discrimination.

It is achievable. It can be done. Together we can do it.”

.
.

– I received the above press release from Rev Yap today.

In Oct this year, I , as a volunteer with the group Explorations Into Faith, helped organise an Interfaith dialogue on Faith & the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Hosted by Rev Gabriel Liew and the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church, the formation of this network, some initiatives it could take up, were some items discussed. Oct’s dialogue also brought together many people interested in the area of Faith & HIV, whom I believe have become key contributors to the SINA. Am really happy that Rev Yap & the SINA members have taken the initiative to tap on the resources & large following of different religious groups to help people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Singapore.  While the much-needed material support like drugs, shelters, counselors, support groups can definitely be provided by NGOs, religious organizations quite “easily” once they put their minds to it, I hope that the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS can also be addressed. Hopefully, by engaging & educating religious leaders, their followers can also be influenced, since religious leaders are highly respected and believed here in Singapore.

If anyone has any interest in being part of the group, or if you know of anyone , or would like to recommend any of your religious leaders/staff (or even staff of religious schools), please feel free to contact me. If you know of anyone who can be helped by the Interfaith Network (not just for material support, by say, to speak with family members etc) , do contact me as well. There are people of all the major religious groups in Singapore within the SINA who would be most willing to help.

HIV/AIDS situation in Singapore – Sep2011

Inst of Policy Studies Sept2011 publication on the HIV/AIDS situation in Singapore.

“Concern for HIV as a personal risk and a threat to public health have declined over the years despite a worsening trend of HIV infection…. Former US Surgeon General, Dr Everett Koop said that HIV was ‘no longer on the public’s radar screen and the result is deadly serious’. His comments could apply to Singapore”

http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/docs/enewsletter/Sep2011/ChunSer_Public%20Education%20and%20Outreach%2

Recommended film : Living With The Tiger

Would like to recommend an upcoming film in the Singapore International Film Festival

Living with the Tiger (www.livingwiththetiger.com )
is a real-life feature film about a group of innocent children that are paying a desperate price for the mistakes of others. They have all lost their parents; been born with a life-threatening disease, and most were cast aside to die by extended family. Yet, despite their predicament, they show a resilience and determination that has been inspiring audiences and changing attitudes.

The film-makers aim to raise awareness of the stigma surrounding HIV and the devastating effect it has on peoples lives.

The Nation newspaper said “it has such powerful important messages, it should be mandatory viewing”,  while Greg Lowe from CNNgo described it as “hugely empowering and uplifting”

If you have to miss this screening because you can’t make it, but would really really like to catch it, there’s another chance to do so, as there will be a screening on Monday 26th at NUS. Contact the film-maker Mike Thomas <mikethomas1@gmail.com> for more details

Separating the dancers from the dance

Am helping a personal friend raise funds for this film

Interested parties, please contact me, thank you!

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/malaccapictures/separating-the-dancers-from-the-dance

Cherry picking not an issue

Apart from Nicole Seah, there’s something else I like about NSP too, and that’s their transport proposal I like it so much, I’ve come up with a few suggestions of my own to rebut some of  these (http://www.todayonline.com/Print/Singapore/EDC110729-0000019/Multiple-transport-operators-could-see-commuters-paying-more,-says-Lui ) points about “cherry-picking”

 

A major excuse argument Lui put forth to counter NSP’s proposal of opening up transport routes to multiple private providers is that there will be ‘the “cherry-picking” of lucrative routes by multiple operators (that)  could end up with commuters paying more.’

This doesn’t make sense to me on several counts

 
Housing, education, healthcare etc already use the proposed private/public model.

Firstly, we see the private/public model already applied successfully with housing, education, healthcare and the like. Yes, private developers do not cater to low-cost housing for low income groups — that’s where the government (should) step in with low cost housing. There are educational courses and healthcare specialties which are necessary, but again not lucrative — there’s where public schools and hospitals come in. Similarly, NSP’s proposal calls for the government to come in where routes are not lucrative.

 

 

Other transportation like airlines & school buses, fare very well with multiple players

One can argue that comparing the transport sector to other sectors is comparing apples and oranges. Well, I would suggest we look to the airline industry or the school bus industry which is almost entirely privatized with multiple players. In many countries, private airlines of course ply the lucrative routes. However, many national carriers also ply domestic routes that are less lucrative, because ensuring accessibility and connectivity is in the interest of the government.  School buses in Singapore are almost all privately run by a multitude of players. It’s a wonderful model where school children from the most ulu parts of Singapore can still afford to get to school.

 

 

Many ways exist to level the profitability across routes

As Lui points out, the license to ply lucrative routes could be packaged with non-profitable routes. That’s just one way. Other ways I can think of (just by sitting in my armchair for 10min)

-  License fees can vary according to the profitability of the route to level profitability across different routes. Setting the different license fees is a complicated matter? We can always apply our COE model to transport routes where private transport providers bid for the right to service routes for 5 or 10 yr blocks. We can even have the “expressway category” “ulu road category” “open category” etc. It’s similar to renting out shop space. That some locations have higher customer traffic than others has not seen customers paying much more at convenience stores beneath HDB blocks compared with Orchard Rd malls. Neither have we seen a lack of convenience stores beneath HDB blocks. Why? Difference in rental price.

- For routes that are so unpopular because they actually incur significant losses , a subsidy or grant model can be applied, where the government awards grants/subsidies to the best provider.

 

 

Multiple private providers as a way to relief current transport issues?

It’s a very tough choice these days, picking a mode of transportation during peak hours (and it’s not like you can choose what time you get to start work).

MRTs are sardine packed, buses are packed and they do the neighborhood bus-stop tour that doubles your journey time, cars and cabs are exorbitantly priced. I’m fairly lucky that a premium bus service serves my neighborhood (and only my neighborhood). This bus takes me to work in the same duration that a cab would, but cost just a fraction of the price — double of my feeder bus + MRT fare. I’m willing to pay this for my guaranteed, comfortable bus seat. It helps reduce road traffic because I suspect a lot of professionals that use this bus service would be driving, if not for the comfort and convenience of the bus service. I’m just surprised why there aren’t more of such services around. And irked that it’s one of the major transport providers that is providing the service when multiple smaller transport providers can give them some decent competition. With multiple players, some opting to take a slight detour to avoid jammed up roads, I think the traffic situation may be relieved.

 

 

 

Having multiple private transport providers is such a win-win situation for everybody, I can’t imagine why we shouldn’t implement it. The only people who will be negatively impacted by such a move are perhaps the shareholders of the existing major transport companies. One would naturally wonder if the decision-makers are allowed to hold shares in these transport companies (I’d think/hope not!) , or whether the decision-makers are good friends with any major shareholders. I’m not too sure how much transparency there is, and I’m a bit lazy to do any digging, so I’m hoping the NSP or some journalist would go do the investigation & publish the news on TOC or something. Not sure if it’s too much to hope for our Opp MPs to ask ?

 

 

Public transport costs

Saw Gerald Giam’s facebook post this morning that “WP has called for MRT and major bus trunk routes to be nationalised”

I somehow can’t quite agree tho’; just don’t like so many things to be under the control of the government (that directly!). With control comes power, and I’ll like more players in the industry so that power is balanced.

 

What I would like though, are fairer regulations. Regulations that protect public interests, not commercial bottom lines. Not just where transport services are concerned, but with everything else as well – private educators, health care providers etc.

 

I can’t accept the reasoning that passing on the cost (of energy price increases, etc etc) to the public is the solution. It is the easy solution of course — the public has no choice, but to pay because we have to continue taking public transport , right? A solution that increases the cost to people who have no choice simply exploits this lack of choice.

 

I’m sure if regulators hold firm against any price increase, companies will start finding more creative and fairer ways to address their rising costs. Commercial entities always have — or else they don’t deserve to be in the game.  For eg, public transport companies could think of more creative ways to offer advertising space , so that they can charge more and earn more revenue from advertisers? Medical care providers can negotiate for better drug prices, improve their processes to raise productivity etc.

 

Given the last election’s sentiments, and given the suspicion people are having that transport companies were just waiting for the election to be over to raise prices, I’ll say that any astute government would do the smart thing and hold current prices or even reduce it.

Maids must have one day off a week — For the Bible tells us so.

I found a way to convince my grandmothers that Domestic Workers should get a day off.

So this evening, in the car, the mother , grandmother & other grandmother  were group-ranting AGAINST the One Day Off  campaign that’s going on (really great campaign effort, by the way — that even the GRANDMOTHERS know about it).

They were spouting the usual “the maid will get pregnant” “there’ll be more crime and murder” “when you have a maid you’ll understand” etc etc

I tried convincing them maids where human . I compared what they were saying to the arab world’s justification to lock up all females & allow them out only if accompanied (my mom replied that we’re talking about maids, not muslims!!!!!)  The usual liberal, human rights rhetoric, in another words.

(My opening line, when I decided I had to plunge into the conversation, was to out myself as one of those people asking the govt to legislate a one day off for maids. My grandma said I mustn’t say this in public and shouldn’t say this out loud. I told her the campaign’s all over the newspapers)

Finally, I said, the Bible said that everyone must rest for one day a week*.

And suddenly they were all Hmmmmpphhh. Pause. Change topic.

Amazing.

A line that works. Leaves them speechless. They HAD to AGREE!!

I think we should have a God Says Everyone Must Rest For One Day Campaign to convince the Christian Right to lobby(like how they lobby to keep 377a)  for One Day Off for Domestic Workers ……

———————-

*

Exodus 34:21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.

Exodus 20:10 “On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns”

Exodus 31:15 “For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death”  ( —- Thanks , S! ; )  )

 

 

 

 

If we were to re-create the institution of marriage from scratch again today, what elements would you put into it?

 

to start the ball rolling -
1. exclusiveness?
2. “till death do we part” as the goal?
3. only 2 person (>3 persons can?)
4. same/different genders
…5. balanced power (how to determine?)
6. a shared stake in something important to both?? (eg kids, or something(???) else?)
7. provision for the other, in the event of death??? (Eg beneficiary of insurance policies?)
8. giving each other powers of attorney? visitation rights?
9. right to expect sex??

10. who should be the one to endorse/regulate/protect etc the institution? the govt? religious leaders? the father of the bride? society as a collective whole, and thru what means? friends? the couple themselves?

disclaimer — above is a list to ponder, not a list i’m advocating for

Discriminatory Insurance T&Cs

Was applying for travel insurance when the T&Cs pissed me off. Homophobic + discriminates against single-parent families (last I read on Straits Times, 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce) + discriminates against mixed-nationality marriages (last I read, 50% of marriages in the last yr were Singaporean + non-Singaporean).

 

HOMOPHOBIC:

For “Couple” Plan: Both Insureds must be legally married and Singapore Residents of age between 18 and 75 years of age on the commencement date of the insurance.

Many multi-national corps set international standards for their local branches to follow, that are way above the local standards (especially if they operate out of 3rd world countries). Am irked it does not apply to insurance companies

 

DISCRIMINATES AGAINST SINGLE-PARENT ( incl divorced parents) FAMILIES

For “Family” Plan: For two adults who are legally married and their legally dependent child(ren). Trips made by any of the child(ren) must be accompanied by either of the Insured adults. The Insured must be a Singapore Resident between 18 years and 75 years of age on the commencement date of the insurance.

 

DISCRIMINATES MIXED NATIONALITY COUPLES

For “Couple” Plan: Both Insureds must be legally married and Singapore Residents of age between 18 and 75 years of age on the commencement date of the insurance.

 

 

SOURCE: http://www.gotitcoveredtravelplan.com.sg/frequently-asked-questions.aspx