#272 transparency at the new creation church

News received that the New Creation Church pastor Derek Prince has volunteered his services. This indeed is noble on the pastor’s part. According to its church goers, New Creation pioneer leader and deacon Jack Ho said it was a “good time to let members understand more about these businesses”. This would help them “answer with more [...]

#271 begging

Of late I met some strange ways of begging. Yesterday at a bus stop, a Malay elderly lady didn’t flag the bus when the only bus that ply along the road arrived. I was waiting for a friend. When the bus passed by, this elderly lady carrying a ten dollar note on her left hand and fifty [...]

#263 cosmetic appearances

I gather the new young generation is going for cosmetic surgery to look better – beautiful or handsome — in order to clinch a job OR get (clinch??) a spouse! If this is true, they’re bucking the trend of the Koreans or the Japanese or the China Chinese! What a sad state! But then someone has to [...]

#250 where is customer service at ntuc finesse supermarket?

Today while shopping at the Bukit Timah NTUC Finesse supermarket, I find workers at the fresh vegetable and fruit produce rather irksome. My friend and I were trying to decide on some freshly packed salads when a worker came around to shove my friend aside. When I questioned him why was he so rude, his answer was: [...]

#249 law to cane for drinking beer

Can the civil law pass judgment to cane one for drinking beer? Has Malaysia become a theocracy where there is law to cane a muslim for drinking beer? Should a verdict be passed in the law of courts? Is this not a religious issue? Is Malaysia mixing religious law with civil law? It is an offence for a [...]

#245 hiv positive: suffering silently

I’m grateful to Shane, a New Zealander, for sharing his journey that he was HIV+ on this   ‘Death Diminishes Me’   [produced in NZ] on BBC World radio on 17 July 2009: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/07/000000_global_perspective_death_diminishes.shtml Trust that this will speak to those who champion and are proponents of the homosexuality and gay community rights which is a controversial issue and a taboo subject for the [...]

#240 thai red-tees

Sad indeed to see and hear that the red-tees protestors (of ousted and exiled Thaksin) stormed into the venue where the Asian Summit leaders were to meet over the weekend. The leaders were evacuated and the meeting cancelled. These protestors appear to become bolder and bolder as the day passes… “The government can’t do anything,” said Lada [...]

#238 offering directions when asked

I had an interesting encounter this morning during my morning walks. A Chinese China gentleman asked in Chinese language, “Do you know where the school for safety first is?” My first thought was the driving school nearby…I asked, “Safety first…what do you mean? I don’t know of such school.” He continued to ask, “A school?” [...]

#220 graciousness on mrt

I was somewhat embarrassed when a girl in her late teen gave up her seat for me when I got on at the Jurong East station on one MRT ride towards town yesterday afternoon. At first I thought she was getting off at the next stop but to my dismay when I lifted my eyes from [...]

#213 european rights prize

Hu Jia, a prominent activist and currently serving jail sentence from China apparently won the European rights prize. What does this prize stand for? Will this prize given to Hu Jia encourage more dissent in China? When people are given the housing and food, will they rise up against the leadership of a country? Will any nation in [...]