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?

Temasek Poly Short Film - Reunion

In Nov 2010, James, a TP student invited me to act for their final year project (FYP) short film. I had acted for one of his classmate, Kang Ling's, short film in May, and he was one of the team member. I'm really glad they liked what I did and thus decided to cast me for their FYP. Thanks guys! =)

The Crew and Some Cast

Unfortunately, there were a few other groups from the same course who emailed me too and wanted me to act for them, however their lecturer had made known that repeat of actors/actresses was highly discouraged. So I could only hone my acting skills in 1 film for the school.

The protagonist is a materialistic woman who despised her husband and had an open affair. Very different from me I would say, but still a manageable role, cause I always have this secret wish to be evil. Haha.. Maybe that's why sometimes people get the impression that I'm bitchy, hard to get along with and stuff like that, especially when I stare with my big eyes or give the aloof expression.

Anyway, I had agreed to act for James and gang before I received the script. When I got the script, to my horror, there was a bed scene. I had never acted in any intimate scene nor anything close to it, and now even in my personal life, when my ex and I go to each other's houses, we wouldn't be lying on the same bed together. So that was a really huge challenge for me to deal with.

Thankfully, James the director was nice and said he will try to make it more conservative. So my co-actor and myself didn't have to be super duper intimate, just need to portray our relationship as lovers, and having a conversation in bed.

My "lover" whom I had the "bed scene" with.

That also led me into re-thinking what my limits are when it comes to my involvement in this industry? My clear cut NO-NO right from the start are no frontal nudity, no bikini and lingerie shoots. When I was in my late teens, early twenties, and particularly when I returned from USA in 2004, I was relatively liberal in my dressing. I really didn't think it was any big deal baring skin. I mean, Singapore's weather is so hot, and its quite common here, and even more revealing in the states that I'm considered mild. Plus I'm conservative in my values, what matters most is our heart on the inside right?

Well, Ezekiel 36:26-27 says

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." 

After I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour, and after I made a decision to commit myself to Him (in late 2004), I started to learn of God's Word, His character, and to have a relationship with Him. I was slowly changed from the inside out, I also realised that it's not just about what I think/feel/do, but how my actions/words impacted others. In the case of dressing and skin, it has a very practical effect - men are wired to be visual creatures, and very often they get aroused by what they see, or sometimes.. what they do Not get to see.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - " Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God"

Therefore, over the years, I have to deliberately cover up more, higher necklines, no bare mid-riff. I don't want to stumble others, especially my brothers in Christ.

However, it's such a tall order! It's not just about dressing, it's really to do with our behaviour, words, thoughts, beliefs and values. I have to admit that I do fail from time to time, and sometimes without realising it. 

A recent case would be my previous photoshoot which were a little controversial amongst my friends. Basically the views are either "oooh, nice" or "wahh, very ahem", and a friend said he had his hands over his eyes while looking at the photos and were peering in between his fingers (I'm sure that's not what actually happened, but the idea is there).

All of those brought up the limit issue again. A presenting question to myself will be "what image do I want to portray to others?". A question that goes deeper is "how rooted are my values in Christ?"

My Sister told me before that she found me to be a very principled person, but in this case, my flesh and Spirit are in so much conflict that I want to choose to not think about it. But I guess I have to eventually lah, because it will pop up again sooner or later.

Anyways, back to the short film, I had uploaded the photos I took onto my facebook, but here they are again for those who are not on my FB.

My "husband" on the left and "lover" on the right

The entire cast

My "daughter" - so cute right??
Aiyoh, this angle emphasizes my eye bags/dark circles. Yes, I don't photoshop my photos, not yet anyway.. That's why you see my scars even in my profile photos, don't want clients to get a shock when they see me in person you know..

She's really super adorable, totally totally love her!

My "family"

Happy family with silly faces 1  =)

Happy family with silly faces 2  =)

A Peek into My Room

Gosh, I'm shifting house, or more accurately, I'm shifting room, in close to 3 weeks time!

It's quite a nightmare just thinking how to pack all my stuff in ONE room, that I marvel how people pack and move the entire house.

I shifted out of my parents' house in April 2010, and am staying with 2 other friends in a rented flat. Whenever someone asks me why I moved out, my reply would always be the same, "家家有本难念的经啊". I guess I've always been very independent too, staying in hall during university days, working in USA as a summer camp counselor for 3 months, traveling alone most times for another month after. Thus staying on my own now isn't a difficult thing.

Well, this time, I'm moving to stay with my grandparents and aunt. They very kindly offered to house me when my current lease is up, until I get married. Not sure how long that will be, but I relish at the thought of having home cooked food. All these years of eating oily and MSG-filled food, or having to content with my mediocre cooking skills, do make me fully appreciate hot meals cooked with love. And of course, nothing beats being together with family.

Perhaps because I have been so independent and took care of myself for so long, I yearn to be taken care of. But I absolutely refuse to simply find a man, get married and set up a family, just to achieve that. We  must have similar values and vision in God, we must be able to communicate, he must have the fear of God and integrity, I must be able to submit to him, and probably a never-ending list of "criteria" =X

Anyway, I digress.. I'm looking forward to moving! Although it's a headache planning where to place which furniture..

Here's some pics of my current room, as promised long ago.. =)

Looks really neat right? Didn't last long lah.. Haha..