Is number of disabled people moving around related to developed-ness

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

So far, I have yet to see a wheelchair on Wheelchair Accessible Buses (WAB) in Singapore, while I saw them during my short trips to Manchester (only took a bus twice), UK and Honolulu. May be, many of them drive, while most of them at home.

I work within a hospital, and frequently passes by a shop that sells equipments for patients, or people with mobility problems. As in many other cases, efforts to improve quality in USA by organisation such as NMEDA will eventually benefit the people here.

NMEDA stands for National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association, but also includes driver rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals dedicated to broadening the opportunities for people with disabilities to drive or be transported in vehicles modified with mobility equipment. Thus, it doesn't sell things, but only their dealers do the selling.

NMEDA dealers help you in additional training or product refinements, if you still need to, after a personalized “in-person” evaluation to ensure you are getting the right driving solution customized to your specific lifestyle and needs.

It is the only association promoting safe driving and equipment for disabled people. Their members adheres to safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Furthermore, to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality. So, there are the Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers, where QAP is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry.

I tried to find out any of their dealers nearby on their website (hit the dealers locator and type in your ZIP code), but too bad, I am in Singapore.

Nice quotes from spam comments

This blog has become a receiver of spam comments. Instead of just wasting my time rejecting each as they appear, not wanting to waste the good part of the comments, so I am posting here the nice quotes in these spam comments:

• 不論做什麼事，相信自己，別讓別人的一句話，把你擊倒。
• 心中醒，口中說，紙上作，不從身上習過，皆無用也。
• 雖天地之大，萬物之多，而惟吾蜩翼之知。
• 河水永遠是相同的，可是每一剎那又都是新的。
• 一個人的價值，應該看他貢獻了什麼，而不是他取得了什麼。
• 一棵樹除非在春天開了花，否則難望在秋天結果。
• 死亡是悲哀的，但活得不快樂更悲哀。

Did I?

Did I join a church? No, I don't recall doing so.

Did Jesus came to establish the religion Christianity? Did Buddha envision to the establishment of the religion Buddhism?

I thought I joined a movement. Nevermind if other see it as a religion or even a church, but if the movement I joined starts calling itself a church...

Sent from my Samsung Omnia II GT-I8000

A simple idea for forgetful people like me

What's this?

Toilet roll lamp?

Wholesome solution is lacking

A recent experience on the imbalance of modern medical therapy approach. Son is coughing and some kind of smoke treatment is given, but son doesn't like it. However, as the nurse stressed we have to insist, and anyway, the medicine has already been dispensed, i.e. paid for. Thus, we forcefully held son throughout the process.

Later, we were asked to buy a very simplify and easy to use equipment, which is also used for asthma, for the similar purpose. Too bad, we didn't manage to use it because the earlier incident has left a terrible impression and son is unwilling to sniff it. We are also very unwilling to hurt our bond with him.

Between spiritual/social and physical, I value the former much more.

Be in command

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have not paid any television licensing fees. I do so legally in Singapore by not having a television at home. It isn't because the money, which is not much, but my time and selection of contents. I find it difficult to be in command when there is a television set at home.

In a broadcast setting, I can't decide when to watch, what show to watch, watch again fully or partially, pause for a moment, etc. How about you? Do you want to be in command of when, how and what show to watch? Personally, I like the concept of on demand so that I can be

My cycling in Singapore experiences - defensive cycling

Trying to restart my blogging on cycling. Recently Jeanette at The Straits Times Blogs mentioned in her article Two wheels for a change that she started riding bicycle to reduce her use of cars. Among the comments, someone displayed unhappiness worrying that her promoting of cycling on road is irresponsible. However, ironically, studies show that the more cyclists, the safer each will be (see More cyclists means fewer accidents, says report, A Virtuous Cycle: Safety In Numbers For Bicycle Riders and my earlier post).

That will take times. Meanwhile, cyclists should put their own safety at very high priority. Here, let me share about some of my thoughts on defensive cycling.

Firstly, my definition of defensive cycling is a way of cycling to achieve

How can it be that easy, to abandon babies?

Just learnt about a the shelter for babies in Singapore, Sanctuary House, which was set up since 2005 in this news. Their "business" has grown, sadly.

Not that I don't pity these abandoned babies, but adopting them is not the way.

Ideally, the parents must ... still be fully, or as much as they could to be responsible for them. Yes, the abandoned ones should be taken care of, but I think it is very unwise to directly or indirectly excuse their parents of their responsibilities.

Shouldn't it be considered a crime for one to not want to raise his/her children? Thus, they should be tracked down, and made to be responsible as much as possible. Similar to bankruptcy, but more than it, at the very minimal, a portion of their income/assets must be given to the child indefinitely.

In addition, since a child is related by lineage to his family members and relatives, as long as can track down any of them, they also be somehow made to bare the financial burden. The objective here is not so much as to reduce number of abandoned, but to make everyone aware of the consequence of irresponsible (aka extra-marrital) sex.

The above is really at the bare minimum because financial is just one of the many aspects in raising up children.

Thus, think about it, at present the society/nation/community is baring the burden, i.e. all of us are bearing such increasing burden. If people are concern enough to tell people off because they let kids step on MRT seats, then shouldn't we be more concern to scold [young] people who gets too intimate, regardless in public or in private.

Saving Cyclists' Life Worldwide

The Road Guardian purpose:

to save lives by helping cyclists avoid risky roadways. There are a lot of wonderful roads to ride around the world and there are some roads that cyclists should avoid because they have problems, danger points, and troublesome histories as experienced by cyclists. This site offers cyclists a process for reporting, marking and sharing those danger points. This information will help cyclists plan their routes for safe experiences. And what's equally exciting is that by making cycling safer for existing cyclists we make cycling more attractive to non-cyclists. When non-cyclists become cyclists they increase the numbers of cyclists on the road and this makes it even safer for all cyclists… just think about what that means.

Ego & rain coat

I attended the talk on 22 Feb, "HINDUISM REDISCOVERED: A Religion in Vogue" by Vivekacharya Pavan Choudary, CEO, Vygon India.

It was interesting during the Q&A session, where he shared his wisdom in answering the questions. I would like to share some of them here.

Wisdoms from a talk by Vivekacharya Pavan Choudary -- Part 3

Someone was telling [or showing off] how he has learned so much from many gurus. He finds them mainly teaching ways to get rid of ego. He was talking for quite long time.

When the speaker finally has the turn to speak, the first statement was roughly saying that all his teachers don't qualified to be gurus. Ego is something that you cannot get rid of. Ego is ... like rain coat, keep it at home, use it only when necessary.

I think this applies to many other things such as anger, unhappiness, desires, etc. How to manage them is the way, while getting rid of them is an illusion.

Similarly, relating to health, we need to learn and be trained to live with and overcome sickness, bacteria, virus, fever, pain, etc. instead of finding ways to live without them. In recent episodes of the drama series Heroes, the cheer leader (what's her name?) with never die capability was complaining that she doesn't feel pain after Syler opened her brain. Then, later, during an eclipse when all lost their special capabilities, she was wounded and later died, not directly from the wound, but from infections. Why? The nurse/doctors asked why she doesn't seem to have any immunity? Don't tell me she hasn't been sicked for her whole life?

Part 2

Some kind of colonies?

What's this?

False sense of security

Hey, I am not alone to think that bike lanes are dangerous. The false sense of security exists in many different contexts. Some that I am more aware of are ... :

a) Bicycle helmet and other protective gears. These provide some protection IF one falls, AND in a way that these gears can protect. Furthermore, some protection probably only lessen the injury, but injury is still likely or even worse than just injured. The idea of ZERO fall is under emphasized. Regardless of any protective gears worn, the minimal goal is to have ZERO fall. I recommend those who still can fall on bicycle path DON'T cycle on the road.

b) Pedestrian crossings. Most pedestrians I noticed over rely on traffic signals. Once the green man appear, they started crossing. They are putting their lives on the trust that all approaching vehicles are driven by alert and qualified drivers. It does matter IF an accident occured AND the pedestrian is alive to sue the driver. The idea of ZERO accident and safety is under emphasized, compared to the legal rights. Regardless of whether one has the right of way or not, the minimal goal is ZERO accident. I always check the green light, instead of the green man, as the on coming traffic will be blocked by traffic from the other direction. I don't just watch out for cars when crossing roads, but I would also observe if the the driver notices me and has intention to slow down.

c) Condoms. I have mentioned this in many other posts on abstinence. Safer sex practices are giving many the wrong impression that extra-marital sex is OK. The idea of abstinence and ZERO extra-marital sex are under emphasized. Extra-marital sex is a very irresponsible attempt to potentially create a new life without a family, i.e. creating ophans. Thus, going for abortion in these cases is worse as it kills the ophan, while the culprits escape. Sounds like hit and run to me.

Cycling again

My recent interest into cycling related blogs re-ignite my itch to cycle more. I didn't stop cycling, but has greatly reduced my mileage since the ride to my work place is short as it is just a MRT station away. However, I've made two trips to town in recent weeks. Some encounters and observations ... :

1) I was almost doored (just learned about such a word) for the very first time in my cycling history when the passenger open the door and intend to alight a lorry stopped before a traffic light along Jalan Besar before Allenby Road. Luckily I was alert, my brakes worked enough to prevent any strong impact, and that passenger hear my yell and noticed me. Although I scolded the passenger fiercely and he was apologetic, it seems that I have scolded the wrong person. Is the driver responsible for such illegal acts of allowing passenger to alight dangerously? Furthermore, later the driver didn't signal left while turning into Allenby Road in a manner that expected me to give way to him while I needed to travel straight.

2) A car stopped and I was asked how to go to the Singapore Flyer along Middle Road. If I have been riding around recently I would have know how to, but sorry I couldn't help them much. Just told them to go straight all the way and turn right.

3) I notice there are more people riding on the road nowadays.

4) I saw many people employed by the telcos promoting to the Indians along Race Course Road on Sunday afternoon. They were wearing signboards and giving brocheurs, with Tamil words, but most of them are not Indians.

5) After passing through the underpass below CTE from St. Michael Road, I saw a group of people playing Cricket, presumably from morning till evening, on the open grass patch on my right.

Cruelty or Teamwork

Many times we see beauties in nature. Some times we see disturbing happenings in nature. For example, the parasite practice described in the article Parasite turns host into bodyguard.

At the end of the article, it highlighted there were some sacrifices by some par­a­sitoid larvae for their brothers and sisters. How are these few being chosen? Whatever the way is, is it fair? ... Nevertheless, because they benefit those who we perceive as their "brothers and sisters", so we use the word "sacrifice".

In the case of the caterpillar, as the par­a­sitoid larvae were not perceived as their "brothers and sisters", its death is a sad and cruel one. What if we see them as a team, can we then sense some beauty in how the caterpillar had "lived for the sake of others".

From a smaller unit, we see unfairness. From a bigger unit, we may see teamwork. E.g. in a family, the husband or the wife can see unfaireness as they are tied down in different ways, one to work and one to house and kids. Alternatively, from the family perspective, there can be beauty of a harmonious family.

Is penalty for theft a discrimination?

Alert! Alert!

[British] Foreign Office instructs embassies to push LGBT rights - The British government has adopted an official programme to support the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people in other countries.

Do [habitual] thieves have human rights? Yes, they do. Does that mean there shouldn't be penalty for stealing? No. Then, aren't they being discriminated? ... No.

I agree with an argument that I have read. We talk about discriminant against certain race because people don't choose to be of their race. We may talk about discrimination against people of certain religions, because usually, in these religions, the believers didn't or can't choose their religions, e.g. they are borned into it.

However, nobody is borned a thief, and even if it was so in some very rare cases, the person can still choose not to be a thief. Similarly, nobody is born a LGBT, and similarly, the person can still choose what type of life they prefer. Thus, it isn't valid to talk about discrimination against thieves and LGBT.

Criminalizing the act of stealing does not go against the rights of a person who steals, or likes to steal. It discourages such acts which is bad for the larger community. Those who find it difficult conforming to any society's expectations are naturally find it difficult living in that society. However, this itself is not discrimination against them.

What if the lack of parent is somebody's intentional fault?

"...having a baby is definitely not something I regret too - I think it's heaven's blessing."

I am quite agree with the above statement.

However, I don't agree when ... it is coming from a single mom.

Furthermore, I am even against it as it is coming from a celebrity.

Furthermore still, I consider it a second offense as she is already a single mom of her first child, from a different dad.

If orphans who lost their parents due to unforeseeable circumstances are sympathized by us, shouldn't those who intentionally, or recklessly "create" [half-]orphans be considered criminals?

Nature has its reasons

A research found that preterm birth tied to lifelong problems. The researcher said the re­search raises an im­por­tant ques­tion con­cern­ing the long-term ef­fects of ad­vanc­es in pre­na­tal and ne­o­na­tal care. “Preterm sur­viv­al is im­prov­ing now be­cause of in­ter­ven­tions we have in preg­nan­cy and ne­o­na­tal care. How­ev­er ... something looks good may not be good.
, it may be that we’re im­prov­ing sur­viv­al while ad­versely af­fect­ing the over­all health and qual­ity of life in the long run.”

In many things, Nature has its reasons, which many of them we are not aware and even dislike them. Recently, I think more people start to realize that fever is not a bad thing as it is the way our body handle illness. Getting rid of fever might be an act welcome by the causing agents of the illness.

Thus, for people who want to act smart by giving birth earlier for conveniency, think thrice to the power of many thrices! If ending our life prematurely is wrong, terminating a life in the womb prematurely should be equally wrong!

Family Rights

Read an article about TNT babies, which are babies born from Filipino moms who are not allowed to get pregnant. I always do not like the arrangement of foreign maid. What happen to their families, or even their life?

When we are tired of sweeping the floor, we can get a vacuum machine to ease the job. When we are tired of hand washing clothes, we can get a washing machine to ease the job. When we are tired of washing dishes, we can get a dish washer machine to ease the job. But, ... maids are not machines.

When we need help in caring for kids, we get nanny to helpout. However, it is OK if the nanny is part time. May be the kids go to the family of the nanny, which is OK for the nanny, though not so OK for the kids. May be, the nanny comes over but go home daily. But, foreign maids can't go home daily, some not even able to afford to do so yearly.

When will the world, and societies realize clearly the importance of Family Rights? We have Human Rights for many decades. Some "Human Rights", or I call them individual rights, are destroying Family Rights. Put it technically, when will more decisions be make in alignment to system thinking.

Everyone should have come from a family, and shall have the goal of setting up his own family. Having a foreign maid to sacrifice her family life for years so that my family life can be easier is quite terrible, I think. Some may think this is a win-win arrangment, but I say this is like only looking at revenues, but not all expenses. Or, I think such is a terrible "win-win" arrangment, while better ways must exist for a better win-win.

Another not so lucky day

Early morning I found my bicycle kick stand was vandalized. On closer examination, it seems like an attempt to steal it had failed and the thief angrily tried to damage it. Luckily, quite easily I bent it back to a usable state.

Needed to buy two items this morning, vegetable and bread. Went over to the cheaper market ... (the Lorong 4 Toa Payoh market), but couldn't recall or find any shop that sells bread. Thus, I went to another market (the Lorong 7 market), passing by my place to get the bread.

It is a groceries shop, and time was already after 8.30 a.m., for an $1.40 item that I was paying using a $2 note, the person lazily not willing to thoroughly search for coins before telling me he didn't have no change. Luckily, within seconds he miraculously found 3 x 20-cents coins for the change. I wonder was it because I looked fierce at that instance as I felt like he was showing the attitude that I was giving him trouble by not having 40 cents coins.

On my way back from outside in the afternoon, as usual, people standing just outside the MRT door and started trying to squeeze in before passengers inside have come out. Normally I will just walk straight out knocking on whoever in my way out of the door. Today, I thought may be it would be nice to say a word of warning. I said "siam!", which means give way in Hokkien. Sadly, the two men who was blocking my way seems to be mainland Chinese, who probably don't know Hokkien well. Thus, there was a light shoulder knock after I gave the warning.

However, the second time I needed to come out of the train, the person blocking me is handicapped. Luckily, I realized it soon enough and gave way to him. Shockingly, the man behind him shouted and scolded me. I was too slow to explain or argue back before the door closes. I felt I was being wrongly accused. Firstly, I couldn't have known the person is handicapped from inside the train. Secondly, I gave way. Thirdly, even for handicapped person, I think they still should give way to alighting passengers.

Anyway, I thought I heard he used the phrase "geenna" (kids in Hokkien). I wonder may be it wasn't directed at me. Otherwise, I'll take it as a compliment that I look young :)

Later in the evening, when taking the lift down from level 10 with my baby and wife, the lift stopped at level 5 then 4. At level 5 a couple entered, and at level 4, two men entered. Noticing one of the men holding a lighted cigarette, and with some anger in me from my not so lucky day, I spoke the words "hello, no smoking hor." The poor guy just inhaled a breath of smoke when I said those words, and obediently hold it without puffing it out till level 1. Then my wife asked me, "didn't you notice their tattoo?" Luckily I wasn't beaten up, and I guess they are reasonable people with tattoos :)

Update: This morning (11 Feb) I found the rear passenger seat of my bicycle missing! It probably had been stolen yesterday. Actually, leaving my bicycle outside, I'm all ready for parts to go missing. However, I'm angry that the thief/thieves don't understand bicycle well. After removing the rear seat, they do not need to take away all my nuts for securing the saddle and the rear wheel! Whatever bicycle they would want to attach the stollen seat to will have those stuffs! Luckily, I noticed that before riding on it, and probably would end up injuring myself.

You can't hear it, but ultrasound is calling for you.

This site, Medical Career Training reminds of the drama series Heroes, where the lead character, Peter Petrelli is a nurse. It is getting more common to find male nurse. Indeed, it is not only in the nursing profession, but the in the field of medical careers, which is one of the fastest growing areas of employment today.

Medical career is not restricted only to physicians and nurses, but also consists of many other roles since a number of sophisticated medical instruments, such as Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), require a team of qualified people to operate them. Of these, one interesting career is to be a Sonographer, by getting trained in an ultrasound technician school.

Sonographers use special equipment to direct sound waves into areas of a patient's body. Ultrasonographers properly operate the ultrasound equipment, which forms an image that may be videotaped, transmitted, or photographed for diagnosis and/or interpretation by a physician. Sonography is becoming increasingly attractive as patients seek safer treatment options, and sonography provides an alternative to radiology procedures.

I am also in the medical industry, as a technical researcher, mainly dealing with CT and MRI images. Ultrasound is a much easier, safer and faster way of medical imaging than CT and MRI.

You can check out where are these ultrasound tech schools from the site and other details. They categorize them according to which state there are in, and also a list of online schools.