I came across an article today, "Human-rights abuses undermine fight against AIDS, World Health Body says", a title that effectively summarizes what is reported.
More in depth, women, intravenous drug users and homosexuals are hindered from receiving treatment, because of possible persecution in their countries.
In Eastern Europe, where AIDS is prevalently spread through intravenous drugs, most who are unaffected are left untreated (1 in 4 with AIDS are imprisoned).
Social stigma also plays a role in discouraging women and girls from seeking antiretrovirals for fear they will be cast out of families and communities.
The article managed to brew an even larger outrage within me, an anger that existed for many years: Gender inequality. Skipping the glass ceiling, because I think I've dealt with it enough (and have witnessed companies taking it too far), I wish to address the gender dichotomy in 3rd world countries. Women comprise most of the impoverished, stuck in a cycle largely caused by discrimination. Women are pushed aside when education, food, and other necessities are distributed among members in poor families. Lack of awareness and education trap females within poverty's grasp and hence the poverty cycle continues rolling.
Countries around the world consider women property. Heinous acts upon them are considered socially acceptable, such as in India bride burning (bride's family refuses to pay additional dowry, so the husband's family burns the bride). In parts of Asia, rape victims,usually women, are looked upon as distasteful and ostracized. In China, the majority of babies up for adoption are girls. In Indonesia, if couples cannot bear children, women are blamed for being impotent. I haven't even considered sex slavery which is a multi-million dollar global market. In multiple other countries, we hear more of these outrageous--but not so outrageous in these countries--stories.
Now, I'm starting to realize the full impact of what it means to grant women their ability to work. It means financial freedom and independence, especially an out from the property perspective. No longer can their men decide and announce that everything women have is soley based on the men's work. I've seen the effects of relying on the husband for sustenance: My grandpa (not the one who passed away) provided most of the family's resources and now that my grandparents are in retirement, my grandma is restricted from spending money as it is grandpa who worked for it.
What to do about this injustice?
There's a TED video about a women in India who has survived an 8-people gang rape and how she was fueled by anger to co-found an organization that saved over thousands of women and children from sex slavery.
This has taken me much longer than usual to compile my thoughts, what was previously a jumble of anger buzzing around in my head.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Muse of July 20, 2010
Countless choices and countless forces constantly wage wars to beseech us.
Discussing with my friends about my grandpa having passed away yesterday certainly stressed an aspect I've been overlooking these days. Ever since his death transpired, I've been asking people how to complete this phrase, "Life is short..." One answer that peeled back my eyes and that struck me like a pan on my head was: "Life is short, don't waste time worrying about what people think of you. Hold on to the ones that care, in the end they will be the only ones there."
It's true that reputation is important and it's true that career is important, though this quotation ripped away the superficial. It coerced me to look at the significant, to consider what is it that makes me absolutely happy, instead of being caught up in the so-called "rat race". Come to think of it, all those networks we create and the auxiliary people we befriend pretentiously most likely won't be at our side during our crises. They won't be there at the hour we breath our last breaths, wishing us a peaceful passage from the living and reassuring us to not be afraid for what is to come.
The experience left me with the sense that I probably have my priorities wrong and should follow the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of my time on the top 20% things that are most important to me (helping others is important to me) and 20% of time on the other 80% that is next in line. Seriously, I need to focus on what is meaningful to me instead of what is thrown my way. Life is too short to meddle shoulder high in things we can drop at a moment's instance for our passions. Life is too short to be swayed whimsically by people's thoughts of us.
Here's a tidbit from my mind from yesterday. People usually have only a few major thoughts that circulate in their heads everyday. The 80/20 rule is also applicable here. If I am able to pinpoint what I am thinking most of the time and harness what I really want to progress towards, think of the immensity of this tactic!
On another note, here's an excellent article that prescribes actions to save time and revamp productivity: "Top Ten Time Sucks" http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-slow/201007/top-ten-time-sucks-and-what-do-about-them
Particularly I like their talk about how we are becoming more reactive but not more proactive, which definitely ties into my reflection.
I've forgotten to write in my previous post about Y, about the counter-intuitive fortune of having a friend who challenges me, and allows me to re-evaluate myself. Maybe this is the effect of having sleep-overs with people. =D
Discussing with my friends about my grandpa having passed away yesterday certainly stressed an aspect I've been overlooking these days. Ever since his death transpired, I've been asking people how to complete this phrase, "Life is short..." One answer that peeled back my eyes and that struck me like a pan on my head was: "Life is short, don't waste time worrying about what people think of you. Hold on to the ones that care, in the end they will be the only ones there."
It's true that reputation is important and it's true that career is important, though this quotation ripped away the superficial. It coerced me to look at the significant, to consider what is it that makes me absolutely happy, instead of being caught up in the so-called "rat race". Come to think of it, all those networks we create and the auxiliary people we befriend pretentiously most likely won't be at our side during our crises. They won't be there at the hour we breath our last breaths, wishing us a peaceful passage from the living and reassuring us to not be afraid for what is to come.
The experience left me with the sense that I probably have my priorities wrong and should follow the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of my time on the top 20% things that are most important to me (helping others is important to me) and 20% of time on the other 80% that is next in line. Seriously, I need to focus on what is meaningful to me instead of what is thrown my way. Life is too short to meddle shoulder high in things we can drop at a moment's instance for our passions. Life is too short to be swayed whimsically by people's thoughts of us.
Here's a tidbit from my mind from yesterday. People usually have only a few major thoughts that circulate in their heads everyday. The 80/20 rule is also applicable here. If I am able to pinpoint what I am thinking most of the time and harness what I really want to progress towards, think of the immensity of this tactic!
On another note, here's an excellent article that prescribes actions to save time and revamp productivity: "Top Ten Time Sucks" http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-slow/201007/top-ten-time-sucks-and-what-do-about-them
Particularly I like their talk about how we are becoming more reactive but not more proactive, which definitely ties into my reflection.
I've forgotten to write in my previous post about Y, about the counter-intuitive fortune of having a friend who challenges me, and allows me to re-evaluate myself. Maybe this is the effect of having sleep-overs with people. =D
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Integrity
As many people in my accounting program are striving for their CA designations, this is probably of interest to them. CA's, being Chartered Accountant's, particularly require utmost integrity because of the nature of the job. Though that does not mean that every other job--maybe except for lawyers' haha--can bypass morality. Sadly, I see many instances in which integrity is not practiced and even overlooked in my program. How will that translate to their work in the real world? In this era, too many err and tread on integrity. The scare supply of thoroughly righteous people leads to integrity being heavily valued and sought upon by employers.
At the same time, maybe it is ignorance towards the true meaning behind integrity that prevents people from embracing and practicing it. My curiosity spiked in grade 12 when I started musing about this subject--what exactly is the difference between integrity and honesty? Most people would overlook the contrasts and simply lump the two together as representing the same thing. Hence, I commenced on an expedition to find an answer. Last night a friend and I discussed the same topic, which revived a spark for me to record the insights down.
Integrity is about being wholesome and consistent through your actions, thoughts and words.
Integrity is about being unconditionally moral, despite thinking no one is witnessing what you do.
Integrity is more than honesty and means doing the right thing, in which wisdom plays an integral role.
At the same time, maybe it is ignorance towards the true meaning behind integrity that prevents people from embracing and practicing it. My curiosity spiked in grade 12 when I started musing about this subject--what exactly is the difference between integrity and honesty? Most people would overlook the contrasts and simply lump the two together as representing the same thing. Hence, I commenced on an expedition to find an answer. Last night a friend and I discussed the same topic, which revived a spark for me to record the insights down.
Integrity is about being wholesome and consistent through your actions, thoughts and words.
Integrity is about being unconditionally moral, despite thinking no one is witnessing what you do.
Integrity is more than honesty and means doing the right thing, in which wisdom plays an integral role.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Excerpt from a favourite book of mine
Everyday Greatness:
"Sometimes people mistakenly think that finding meaning in life requires making a huge contribution that impacts millions. But often the most meaningful and lasting contributions or acts of charity are those that occur in small, one-on-one ways when attention is given to a solitary individual.
In fact, when I ask audiences to identify a person who has been greatly influential in their life, typically they do not respond with a person who performed some great act of courage or excelled in a particular talent. Rather, they describe people who took time out of their busy schedules to focus their attention on them as individuals--to make them feel important by including them in their life, if only for a moment."
I wholeheartedly agree with this message because I've been affected by individuals who have selflessly lent their time to share their insights and energy with me. Thank you to all those who have touched me.
"Sometimes people mistakenly think that finding meaning in life requires making a huge contribution that impacts millions. But often the most meaningful and lasting contributions or acts of charity are those that occur in small, one-on-one ways when attention is given to a solitary individual.
In fact, when I ask audiences to identify a person who has been greatly influential in their life, typically they do not respond with a person who performed some great act of courage or excelled in a particular talent. Rather, they describe people who took time out of their busy schedules to focus their attention on them as individuals--to make them feel important by including them in their life, if only for a moment."
I wholeheartedly agree with this message because I've been affected by individuals who have selflessly lent their time to share their insights and energy with me. Thank you to all those who have touched me.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Stolen from Ricky on FB
How to Install LOVE
Tech Support: Hello … how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install
Love. Can you guide me through the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you
located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now.
Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running ?
Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge
and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt
from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent
memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will
eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High
Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and
Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed.
Can you turn those off ?
Customer: I don’t know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke
Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and
Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that
normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base
program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get
the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, “Error
- Program not run on external components.” What should I do?
Tech Support: Don’t worry. It means that the Love program is set
up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before
you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the
following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your
Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the “My Heart” directory. The
system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty
programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all
directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely
gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files.
Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying
themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but
eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed
and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure
to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in
turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
Tech Support: Hello … how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install
Love. Can you guide me through the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you
located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now.
Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running ?
Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge
and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt
from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent
memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will
eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High
Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and
Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed.
Can you turn those off ?
Customer: I don’t know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke
Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and
Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that
normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base
program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get
the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, “Error
- Program not run on external components.” What should I do?
Tech Support: Don’t worry. It means that the Love program is set
up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before
you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the
following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your
Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the “My Heart” directory. The
system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty
programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all
directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely
gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files.
Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying
themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but
eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed
and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure
to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in
turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
HST
The past week has been quite eventful, exhausting and eventful, so there were no posts!
As the HST is rounding the corner, we are quite concerned about how this tax will affect our finance. Here is what I've found:
What will be now taxed more heavily because of the HST: personal and professional services: legal fees, hairstyling, dry cleaning, energy costs (gasoline!!!), adult clothing, cars, cable (internet...glumness), tobacco (the government can't ever seem to snatch enough revenue from that--haha) and phone services.
According to the revenue ministry of Ontario, only 17% of our goods will be charged extra taxes after July 1st.
Point-of-sale rebate refers to the provincial segment of the HST that is not added to goods and services. Food and beverages sold under $4.00, print newspapers, books, children's clothing and footwear, feminine hygiene products and diapers are part of the mix.
No HST on these: prescription drugs, municipal transit, basic groceries and etc.
Here's a website that recommends a few strategies to cope with the new tax: http://www.ledgersonline.com/blog/tips-avoiding-harmonized-sales-taxman
As the HST is rounding the corner, we are quite concerned about how this tax will affect our finance. Here is what I've found:
What will be now taxed more heavily because of the HST: personal and professional services: legal fees, hairstyling, dry cleaning, energy costs (gasoline!!!), adult clothing, cars, cable (internet...glumness), tobacco (the government can't ever seem to snatch enough revenue from that--haha) and phone services.
According to the revenue ministry of Ontario, only 17% of our goods will be charged extra taxes after July 1st.
Point-of-sale rebate refers to the provincial segment of the HST that is not added to goods and services. Food and beverages sold under $4.00, print newspapers, books, children's clothing and footwear, feminine hygiene products and diapers are part of the mix.
No HST on these: prescription drugs, municipal transit, basic groceries and etc.
Here's a website that recommends a few strategies to cope with the new tax: http://www.ledgersonline.com/blog/tips-avoiding-harmonized-sales-taxman
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A New Country will be Born: South Sudan
Fulfilling Washington's agenda, one of the most impoverished areas will become a new nation. However, the birth of South Sudan will not solve the deeply entrenched problems of the country: one of the highest rates of poverty, and maternal death--and tribal wars unearthing the stability of the community.
South Sudan's birth is testimony of the Western powers dividing Africa with little consideration devoted to the concerns of the tribes. As a result, the country is racked with conflict between 190 ethnic and cultural groups that had formed eons ago. The new country will depend on foreign aid.
What is the cost of Western's greed to carve up Africa between European nations? Tribal unrest in Africa that further hinders the development of African nations.
South Sudan's birth is testimony of the Western powers dividing Africa with little consideration devoted to the concerns of the tribes. As a result, the country is racked with conflict between 190 ethnic and cultural groups that had formed eons ago. The new country will depend on foreign aid.
What is the cost of Western's greed to carve up Africa between European nations? Tribal unrest in Africa that further hinders the development of African nations.
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