Mi Choza De Nipa

From TODAY, Voices THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 By Dr Bill Maier Have your children learnt to take responsibility for their actions? Better yet, have you learnt it? It’s amazing how often we blame others for the things that happen to us. And it’s not just a problem with children – I know a lot of adults who can’t seem to accept guilt when things go wrong. But part of growing is learning these five key principles of responsibility. We’ll call them the five As of accepting blame. First, admit when you do something wrong. Everyone makes bad choices and the first step in overcoming them is being honest about it. Second, apologise for how your transgression affected others. Make it right if you can. Third, accept the consequences of your actions. And don’t expect others to pay for your mistake. Fourth, ask for forgiveness. Just because you’ve apologised, don’t assume that others have forgotten how you hurt them. And finally, alter your choices in the future. Decide now how you plan to do thi...

From TODAY, Voices THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 CHILDCARE CENTRES Letter from Alan Tan MY WIFE and I send our two toddlers to a childcare centre as my wife has returned to work after two years. We are glad that the Government is placing great emphasis on the quality, affordability and accessibility of centre-based childcare and has taken steps to provide recurrent funding and scholarships and bursaries to eligible centres. However, we are disappointed to be informed by our children’s care centre that it is increasing the fees by $50 per child per month. The centre said the increase was necessary to attract and retain qualified and committed teachers and to cover rising operational costs. It had increased fees in the first quarter of this year for the same reasons. Based on the fact that the additional childcare subsidy granted to parents is $150, the increase of $50 is equivalent to a 33-percent “cut” from what parents have been given to help defray costs of raising a child. However, th...

From TODAY, World THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 HISTORIC DAY In time, the collider will replicate ‘Big Bang’ conditions PICTURE: The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is designed to accelerate sub-atomic particles to nearly the speed of light and then smash them together. AFP GENEVA — Particle physicists were jubilant yesterday after the long-awaited startup of a megamachine designed to expose secrets of the cosmos passed its first test with flying colours. Cheers, applause and the pop of a champagne cork — rather than the cataclysmic suck of a black hole, as doomsayers had feared — marked the breakthrough at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (Cern). Mr Robert Aymar, the organisation’s director general, hailed it as a “historic day” for Cern and mankind’s thirst for knowledge. Built in a tunnel 100m below ground in a complex straddling the French-Swiss border, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is designed to accelerate sub-atomic particles to nearly the speed of light and then smash...

Well, this is the firestarter, the article that threw it out in the open... From TODAY, News Monday September 8, 2008 NEWS COMMENT Why keep such an archaic statute when there’s no intention to prosecute? HO KWON PING news@newstoday.com.sg SINGAPORE is known to be economically liberal, but socially conservative. It is a rules-governed society with clear parameters for behaviour, whether political, economic, or social. And within the “OB markers” (out-of-bounds markers) of these dos and don’ts, it is a transparent and fair social order, with no favouritism for anyone operating outside the parameters. This state of affairs governed the issue of homosexuality in Singapore for many years. Not only was gay sex illegal, but every manifestation was openly discouraged — some would say suppressed — and discrimination against gays in the public domain (the civil service, the military, the police, schools, and so on) was commonly accepted. Indeed, because it was public policy to promote heterosexu...

From TODAY, Voices Wednesday September 10, 2008 By Dr Bill Maier It is not something parents want to deal with, but many children around the world face drug and alcohol temptations on a daily basis in school. Parents are seldom aware that their children are involved until it is too late. Here are some tell-tale signs to watch for: • Has your child changed friends or developed friendships with older teenagers? • Have they become careless about the way they dress? • Are they pulling away from the family or avoiding family events? • Have their eating or sleeping habits changed? • Have they become moody and irritable? • Are their grades slipping at school? • Do they make secretive phone calls to their friends? • Have you caught them lying – even about things that seem insignificant? The key is to watch for any drastic changes in your child’s behaviour.

Have your say. news@newstoday.com.sg

From TODAY, Voices Wednesday September 10, 2008 THE GAY DEBATE Just because the rest of the world allows it, doesn’t mean Singapore should Letter from Koo Xun Zhao I REFER to “Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let’s accept gays” (Sept 8) and would like to point out several fallacies in Mr Ho Kwon Ping’s reasoning. First, contrary to what he says, the Government has not said it would not prosecute those who breach the law — just that it would not pursue those who breach it. This is a fundamental difference which does not result in what he calls “a mockery of the Rule of Law”. It can be just as easily argued that we can avoid what Mr Ho calls our current “schizophrenic” situation by actually enforcing the law on gay sex. After all, it was the Rule of Law before the Government decided to be more open to gays. ----- I urge Mr Ho to speak to non-gays who are also knowledgeable, if not experts, in the law and who are for criminalizing gay sex to get their perspectives on the issue. -----...

From TODAY, Voices Wednesday September 10, 2008 THE GAY DEBATE Letter from Tan Yen Ling LAST year, there was campaigning by both the pro-repeal gay community and the anti-repeal Christian camp. As a result of this, Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, said that Singapore will keep the ban although the authorities would continue to not actively enforce the provision banning gay sex between consensual adults. Such an arrangement would be akin to the authorities allowing “consensual” organ trading while the Human Organ Transplant Act explicitly forbids it. Surely, such an arrangement would make a mockery of the Rule of Law. And as it now stands, men who have same-sex sexual relations are committing a crime but are “above the law” as they will not be prosecuted — as assured by the authorities.

From TODAY, Voices Wednesday September 10, 2008 THE GAY DEBATE Homosexuality is anti-social Letter from Heikel Bafana I REFER to “Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let’s accept gays” (Sept 8). I must disagree with the assertions of Mr Ho Kwon Ping. Mr Ho calls for homosexual behaviour to be decriminalised. Whatever perception he has gleaned from the official attitude, the views of large segments of our society against the homosexual lifestyle are neither ambiguous, ambivalent nor schizophrenic. Whether due to religious belief or personal family values, homosexuality is widely seen in Singapore society as aberrant behaviour. I concede, of course, that this view is not shared by members of the gay community. Mr Ho’s assertion that only “the most fervently fundamentalist Christians or Muslims” in Singapore care about making gay sex a criminal act is baseless, and indeed, false. The Penal Code provision represents the manner in which the law expresses our society’s commonality of under...

From TODAY, Voices Wednesday September 10, 2008 Letter from Tang Li I REFER to Mr Ho Kwon Ping’s “Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let’s accept gays” (Sept 8), and I would like to applaud him. Like Mr Ho, I have to ask myself if there is any justification for keeping a private act between consenting adults, criminal. During last year’s debate on the repealing of Section 377A, Nominated Member of Parliament Thio Li-Ann argued passionately that repealing the act was bad for public morality. In her address, she noted that “Diversity is not license for perversity”. The majority of Parliament agreed with this and the result was the retention of 377A, but with a promise from the Government that the law would not be enforced. Mr Ho rightly pointed out that the idea of having a law that the Government has no intention of enforcing makes a mockery of the Rule of Law, something which is central to the heart of Singapore’s rules-based society. The proponents of the ban on homosexual intercou...

From TODAY, World Wednesday September 10, 2008 SPECTACULAR Parade, but N Norea’s Kim Jong-Il absent North Korea marked its 60th anniversary yesterday with a massive parade (picture) of its reserve military forces, but leader Kim Jong-Il did not make a public appearance, a report from Pyongyang said. Kim’s absence heightened speculation about his health following an earlier South Korean media report that he collapsed last month. The parade in Kim Il-Sung Square brought together the military reserves and Pyongyang residents, who filled the large area that can hold about 100,000 people. Military equipment such as antiaircraft and anti-tank artillery were on display, but not tanks and missiles. The regular army, navy and air force did not take part. AFP

From TODAY, Health Tuesday September 9, 2008 PALLIATIVE CARE Some hospices turn to music therapy to soothe patients who are terminally ill Eveline Gan eveline@mediacorp.com.sg PROPPED up against a pillow in bed, Kamaludin Ed is dying of lung cancer. End-stage cancer has ravaged the 34-year-old physically. His face is thin and taut. Every breath he takes tires him. At his bedside, a woman strums a guitar. Singing along to the melody requires tremendous effort on Ed’s part but for a moment, his eyes light up as he goes through the lyrics of a song, titled Papa’s Wish , he has composed for his three young children. Ed has also written a song to thank his wife of 15 years for the “hardships and sacrifices” she has made, but said that the lyrics are too personal to be sung in front of strangers. “It’s very tiring for me (to compose the songs) but I just went for it. The songs tell them how much I love them,” he said. Music and song-writing seem to give Ed, who is in Dover Park Hospice, temp...

From TODAY, Health Tuesday September 9, 2008 Nutritionist Diana David gives couples tips on how to avoid the post-wedding weight gain. • Plan a regular exercise routine before or after work with your spouse, instead of slouching on the sofa to watch TV. • Make it a priority to wake up early to enjoy a substantial breakfast to avoid snacking in between meals. • For a few days each week, plan and cook wholesome meals together. • Don’t stock up on high-calorie snacks at home. • Wash dishes together, or go for a walk after meals. Doing activities together can also help strengthen your relationship.

From TODAY, Health Tuesday September 9, 2008 MARITAL MISS Couples tend to put on weight after they get married EVELINE GAN eveline@mediacorp.com.sg ON YOUR wedding day, you promised to love your spouse “for richer for poorer” and “in sickness and in health”. Now, you may want to add “extra kilos” to that list of wedding vows too. Researchers have found that married couples tend to put on weight after their wedding. According to a study by the US Obesity Society released late last year, many married and singles in their late teens and early 20s gain a significant amount of weight — an average of 6.8kg to 13.6kg — over five years. But newly married men and women in that age group pack on 2.7 to 4kg more than their peers who are single and dating, with women gaining as much as 11kg and men gaining 13.6kg in a five-year-period. There is currently no local data on post-wedding weight gain, but weight management and nutrition experts Today spoke to said this tends to be a common phenomenon a...

From TODAY, Business Tuesday September 9, 2008 HIRING SLOWDOWN But jobs in service, construction still aplenty: Survey ESTHER FUNG esther@mediacorp.com.sg Singapore employers are still hiring, though not as strongly as in the past. And they expect to slow down over the next three months. The sectors that will be least affected by the slowdown are expected to be teaching posts and jobs for public administrators, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. There will still be some hiring in the fourth quarter, with the overall net employment outlook standing at 25 per cent, according to research company Manpower Staffing Services. Net employment outlook measures the percentage of employers expecting to increase the number of people working for them, less the percentage expecting to employ fewer people. The outlook has “weakened considerably” — 33 percentage points down on the comparable period last year — showing that the economic downturn is affecting employers’ hiring c...

From TODAY, Voices Tuesday September 9, 2008 By Dr Bill Maier We all know that there would be no divorce in a perfect world. But we don’t live in a perfect world – I’m afraid. Today, a lot of children are living in broken homes. There’s no easy way to help these kids overcome the pain of divorce, or help them navigate the problems involved in being shuttled between two households. But parents can do a lot to help ease the stress they feel. The first step is to avoid putting down your former spouse in front of the kids. Using your child as a sounding board for your frustration is the worst kind of emotional abuse. It’s also important that your children not feel responsible for the break-up. Make sure they know that they are loved deeply by both of parents, and that the divorce had nothing to do with them. Finally, talk to them often to make sure they are coping well. And never take their feelings for granted.

Don’t send mixed signals <<GayLaw.JPG>> From TODAY, Voices Tuesday September 9, 2008 Letter from Felicia Tan Ying Yi I REFER to the commentary “Stop making a mockery of rule of law: Let’s accept gays” (Sept 8). I fully agree with Mr Ho Kwon Ping. The Government’s stand on homosexuality in Singapore seems to pander to religious fundamentalists who are vocal. Such an attempt to pacify those who believe that it is their place to impose their value system on others should not happen in a country that prides itself on openness, secularism and pluralism. It is all too convenient for the Government to “appease” the gay community by not taking action against them, while at the same time continue to pacify the conservatives by keeping the law in name. However, this merely cheapens what the rule of law means. Laws should not be made or retained to reflect the views of a vocal minority;...

What’s next? Same sex marriages? From TODAY, Voices Tuesday September 9, 2008 Repealing S ection 377 A Letter from Anton Chan MR HO Kwon Ping is wrong to propose the acceptance of gays into Singapore society because accepting a gay lifestyle would have a tremendous impact on society as a whole in terms of religious beliefs, social well-being and families. As a Christian, I oppose legalising a gay lifestyle in Singapore because it’s against my beliefs. As a father of three teenagers, I care because I don’t want my children to be affected by such a lifestyle. Imagine if we allow the acceptance of such a lifestyle in Singapore. What next? Legalise same sex marriages? Legalise adoption of children for gays? Where are we as a socially-conservative society heading towards? Soon gays will claim the right for social acceptance in all areas including education, welfare et cetera . What effect will this have on the next ge...

The Pastor And His Son The Pastor and His Son A good reminder of God’s love. Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, ‘OK, dad, I’m ready.’ His Pastor dad asked, ‘Ready for what?’ ‘Dad, it’s time we gather our tracts together and go out.’ Dad responds, ‘Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s pouring down rain.’ The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, ‘But Dad, aren’t people still going to Hell, even though it’s raining?’ Dad answers, ‘Son, I am not going out in this weather.’ Despondently, th...

From TODAY, Voices Monday September 8, 2008 By Dr Bill Maier “Eat your vegetables!” That’s what my mum used to say, and yours probably did, too. But today, we know that fruits are just as important. A new study shows that children who eat a diet rich in fruit are less likely to develop some common types of cancer as adults. Researchers found that adults who ate a lot of fruit when they were children were about 40 per cent less likely to develop cancer in their 60s and 70s. The risk of cancer appears to be directly linked to the amount of fruit they ate as children. Those who ate fruit just a few times a week as children decreased their risk, but not as much as those who ate fruit every day. There are a lot of reasons for this dynamic. Fruits are not only high in fibre, but they also contain a high level of antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene – which are all cancer-fighting nutrients. So, make sure your kids eat their vegetables, but also see that they get a lot of fr...