HOAX: BBC Flashnews of Radiation leak in Singapore

People.. If you've received the sms/email/tweet/fb status that talks about the radiation leak confirmed by BBC Flashnews:

Hoax SMS

Do NOT believe it nor forward it! It's totally a hoax that will only spread unnecessary panic in the country.

For credible reports on latest updates as well as why the sms contents are false, visit Channelnewsasia's report and also the Department of Science and Technology in Philippines.


Meanwhile, I received a link to help Japan by sending Socks For Japan. It's coordinated by Jason Kelly, an American author of 8 books, including The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing, a BusinessWeek best seller now in its 2010 edition, and who has lived in Japan since 2002.

Some guidelines:

1. Send only new socks.
2. Group similar socks in one package. (Male / Female / Sizes)
3. List package contents on the package.
4. Enclose a short care letter. Victims of the 1995 Hanshin quake in Kobe said that care letters were among the most uplifting items they received. If you enclose a care letter, provide a copy of it for each pair of socks you send.
5. Write your email address on the package. Jason will send you a note once they receive your package.

Ship to: Jason Kelly, Plaza Kei 101, Wakamatsu-cho 615-6, Sano, Tochigi 327-0846 Japan. Or bing it down to our office by Mar 20 and I'll have yours shipped too.

WHY SOCKS? 
Several reasons. Many of the victims ended up barefoot after fleeing in a hurry. In the disaster zone, feet get wet and then extra cold at night. People often forget about socks in favor of more obvious items like blankets and jackets. Receiving a new, fresh pair of socks provides a moment of comfort. If those socks arrive with a caring note as well, it’s very heartening for victims. If you’ve ever been stuck in a pair of wet, cold socks or no socks at all, perhaps you remember how soothing it felt to pull on a warm, dry pair.

Socks For Japan

Another way for you to do your part!

Before and After Pictures of Japan's Quake/Tsunami

I only had time today to read up on the news about Japan's earthquake which happened on friday, 11.03.11. So while googling, I found these clear before and after pictures of Japan's quake/tsunami, from Australia's ABC news. You can also check their comprehensive coverage if you would like to keep track of Japan's quake and tsunami. Of course, there are the youtube videos and other national papers reporting on the quake as well.

It's really devastating to see casualties, be it due to natural disaster or man-made calamities. Within 3 months of 2011 alone, there are already 2 major quakes - Christchurch and Japan.

What we can do now, as fellow human beings safe in our own comfort zones, are really not that limited.

If you have the skills and expertise, you can give direct assistance by joining in the relief effort teams at the front-lines.

Otherwise, you can support by donating to established organisations (you never know, there are people who 趁火打劫 and try to make a fortune by faking donation appeals). Here is one avenue which I donated to: Groupon - all proceeds will be given to Singapore Red Cross Society.

If your finances are really limited and you are unable to donate, you can volunteer your time to pack some relief bags (don't think there are any organisations coordinating such events as of now, but I believe there will be when the aftermath settles and the survivors start to rebuild their lives), physically join in some fund-raising event to show your support, or even just say a word of prayer.

Every little thing counts.

Most of all, I've always believed in this: treasure your loved ones around you and show them how much you care. For all you know, they or you might be gone in the next minute.

Do not live with regrets, for the things you wished you had not done, and for the things you wished you had done.

God be with Japan.

From a Chinese Sendai Tsunami Survivor

I saw this post from facebook, forwarded by friends.

I think the original post is from Dreamsinapie.tumble.com

 

***

 

Translated message from a Chinese Sendai tsunami survivor

(I’m translating a Chinese message from this link: http://ww1.sinaimg.cn/large/6c8010d1jw6df5rjhq5v1j.jpg
Please excuse my translation skills. I know I’m not 100% accurate so feel free to correct me if necessary. But the point gets across pretty clearly.)

This is a mail from my friend
She asked me to post for her
She is in Sendai, Japan
Rescued early morning today
After being trapped for 8 hours
I hope you can finish reading
Hope you are a good person
Respect others
Even if you want to insult
Please don’t leave traces here

——————————

Aren’t we all comrades?
Just because you are in China
Just because you don’t have family or friends in Japan
You can say words like let Japan sink?
The Chinese people in Japan aren’t people?

What is hate
Who can tell me what hate is
When you’re standing on a roof surrounded by sea water
When in that water, is your home
When in that water, are your friends and family
Do you still know what hate is?

He kills you, so you must kill him
Then I think patriots with this kind of ideals
Can go to Japan for school or work
Then choose a rush hour
Take a knife, and kill whoever you see
I promise you can kill 100 people
I promise you can kill all types of people
I promise you can become the headline news
I promise you can fulfill your heroic dream

But you have to know
That in those 100 people

Maybe 10 were innocent children
Maybe 10 were house wives on their way home with groceries
Maybe 10 were workers working hard to provide for their families
Maybe 10 were elders
Maybe 10 were youngsters hanging out
Maybe 10 were part-timers delivering take-out
Maybe 10 were people waiting for a bus
Maybe 10 were passerbys
Maybe 10 were those who don’t know why you killed them
Maybe 10 were Chinese

Even if there really is someone you want to kill
I advice you
Choose carefully before you act

I don’t know how the Nan Jin massacre looked like
I hate those Japanese soldiers
I hate that they killed our people
But today
I felt like I saw a massacre
Standing on the roof
If you want to see
Look carefully
Sendai is you patriots’ heaven
Corpses are right there
There are some torn limbs
There are whole bodies
If you have good eyes
You can see the small hands of young children
If you focus
You can even see some corpses hugging together

Do you have any sympathy
Do you know that before Mother Nature
We humans are one family

My boyfriend works at a company by the coast
Till now we haven’t been able to contact each other
I know, we can’t see each other ever again
Who told you that only the Japanese died in this tragedy
Who told you that this tragedy is karma
Yes
It’s karma
The man kind’s karma is here

Right now I want to live
I want to live well
Right here in Japan
I want to live well
I’m afraid that if I died
Many people will blame Japan

There were over 80 people stuck in the building
In those eight hours
It’s true that they treated me like a Chinese
I have anemia so I felt like I couldn’t go on
A house wife with a baby beside me
Gave me some milk powder
The 20 year old girl sitting beside me helped me find water
Just like this
I’m still here
Perhaps it wasn’t the milk powder that saved
But their spirits saved me

Among the 80 people there were only two cellphones that worked
Everyone let the Chinese call home first
I was the second who got to call
Everyone lined up to call home
Till the end, some Japanese friends didn’t get through to their families
They understood there was no need
They gave up

After around 4 hours
Some girls were hugging and sobbing
Some were crying to themselves
Some were lying on the ground looking up at the sky
Some were still trying to call for help

I sat by the wall
Looked at the Japanese house wife beside me
She kept talking to her baby
Soothing the child to sleep and breast feeding
I miss mom
I want to go home

There were too many things I can’t forgot in those 8 hours
I’ve never been through so much pain in my life
Thanks to God
I was saved

What else do I want to say
I know I have so much more to tell everyone
But I’m so tired
Tired from crying
After the corpses are found
I might have to go identify them

Mom
Can I not go?
I don’t want to go
I’m so scared
I’ll see so many dead bodies
I don’t want to go anywhere

I hope this mail will get sent
Please help me publish
Maybe a lot of people will scold us
But
I hope you will know a bit more

I’m tired
Too scared to sleep
There are still small quakes
I have nowhere to hide
Mom
Are you watching?
I’m alive
Please don’t worry
Sleep for a while

——————————

Before Mother Nature
Do we still have racial differences?