Romanian Orphanage

When the 'child' is mentioned, what comes to your mind? 

To many, an image of a child comes to mind; A healthy, happy child, either playing by the playground or with friends; one who explores and loves being close nature; A child who has the privilege of having all their needs met (air, water, food, shelter, and even love); A child who has never-ending fun. 

Many assume that all the children on Earth are given that privilege. I beg to differ. Not every child is that lucky. Not too long, a lecturer of mine showed my cohort a video of an orphanage. Now, to the normal naive mind, many would think that an orphanage is a haven to children without any parents. The video below would change your mind about your assumptions. 

It pained my heart to see the children placed in such a living condition. All of them seemed so identical to each other, even though they were all not related. Was it because of the environment? The upbringing? The physical and psychological treatments? No child deserves to be given such a treatment. Every child has the right to live a proper life, with their needs met. 

Thankfully, John "Johnny" Upton came to their rescue.

Sometimes, the reason why I hate volunteering or doing humanitarian stuff is because I am not able to reach out to everyone. Just like in the video, John Upton had to leave behind so many children because of the incomplete paperwork from their parents, or the director of the orphanage. The worst part is that, the child does not understand why he or she is being left behind, and that moment, they lose belief in themselves, the people around them, and in life. Even though coming up with an intervention is a good thing because one is making a difference, the guilt in not being able to help everyone outweighs the positivity in the interventions.

Despite all that, I hope that this video can put an end to all the hate and torture children go through. They are just too young, innocent and naive to know what is going on, or to do anything to stop it. They do not deserve such treatment, and I hope that whoever who is responsible who get punished eventually. 

My plea for now is to hope that we all do our part to help or ensure that the young and the innocent get a chance to live a proper life. 

I am young, so.. I will say NO to teenage dating violence

Click on the picture!


Visit this site to know more about the competition! (yzone.omy.sg/ybloggist)




In a modern world like ours, technology allows us to follow the lives of our idols.

Fashion becomes a religion, and celebrities become the "Gods".

Celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Paris Hilton, Kanye West set the trends and we follow. Come on, who have not heard of Kanye's specs? And who have not wanted Paris Hilton bod?

Girls go anorexic, and many splurge tonnes of money just to look as good as the "Gods". (Click Here to read about my post on Vanity and perfection.)

We feel unsatisfied with what we have, and we feel insecure looking how we are, because the "Gods" are always a level or two ahead of us.


Now not only do we follow the trends of the "Gods", but we follow the things that they introduce into our world. From diet pills or any other aesthetic products, to the 'light-heartedness'of marriage. No, I'm not saying that all celebrities who get divorce are wicked, nor do they not have the right to get a divorce.

What I'm saying is that people, majority of us,despite teaching kids to never learn "Monkey see, Monkey do", we often fall into this puddle of misinterpretation that 'the "Gods" did it, so can I'.


Through the media and paparazzi, we learn about celebs drunk driving, fighting, going to jail. And which, I might add, they make it sound so simple and easy. Kids, adolescence think that by imitating how their celebs behave or dress in public, they would instantaneously be cool.


Again, I am not saying that media and celebrities are to blame for all the happenings around the world. I'm just speaking of the Influence it has caused.


Speaking Influence, I believe that the whole "Chris Brown 'Beat Her Down' with Rihanna" would not be at peace. For one, Rihanna's face was bruised all over. Secondly, she decided to get back together with him, despite family, friends and fans, encouraging her to leave Chris Brown. And lastly, they're actually married now.(Click Here to read about my post on Chris Brown and Rihanna.)


Now this whole issue with Chris Brown allegedly hitting Rihanna has definitely brought Teenage Dating Violence under the limelight.


"Chris Brown did it and Rihanna still married him, so can I".
"Rihanna loves Chris Brown despite him beating her. I love my Bf too, so I'll stay with him, despite him beating me".

These are the misconceptions that kids in relationships would have.

I do believe that more and more cases of abusive relationships would come to surface in a matter of time.



Did you know that 1 out of 5 teens have reportedly been physically and sexually abused by their partners? And girls ageing from 16 to 24 are the majority of the victims in these abusive relationships. As said by Katie Couric.








This is no laughing matter.


Abusive relationship is indeed a crime. Love should not hurt, and if it does, ask for help or tell it to someone else.


If he hits you once, he'll hit you again. As said by Oprah Winfrey.





Even Tyra Banks has stepped in on the action.
Click Here to Watch The Video On The Tyra Banks Show



So girls, don't be a fool to go on with the relationship just because you love him. If he hit you, he doesn't love you. Leave him because he just isn't worth your love.

Come on, say it with me now...


I am so young, so... I will say NO to Teenage Dating Violence!


One more time now!


I am so young, so... I will say NO to Teenage Dating Violence!



Take your stand. Do the right thing. Love yourself for who you are, and never let yourself or your body be a victim to any abuse. If you need help, there are many websites that you can go to, to seek help. You can even sign yourself through counselling, or even tell your closest kin about it. Anyone can help, if you are willing to open up.


Here are some sites to visit:

http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/
http://www.thatsnotcool.com/


Credits: Perezhilton.com (Don't we all love him?)


PS: I do not stereotype people and I never said that all guys are abusive.
And I would have this post up even if I did not take part in this competition. I saw this opportunity, and so I thought, why not merge the two ideas. And hey, this post came about.



Do support me! If you want to, that is.


Loves.


Visit this site to know more about the competition! (yzone.omy.sg/ybloggist)



Click on the Picture!

Puppies

I have a packed schedule from now till the New Year, and so I wouldn't be able to update that often. But fret not because last night, I actually stayed up all night to do up a few posts which ideas have been etched in my head for a long time. Of course, the posts won't be released all at once. Instead, I have scheduled them to be released at different times of different days. This way, my blog wouldn't be that dead, would it? Hahah.




Pardon me for being monotonous in my posts. It's just that sometimes, I just loose the power to blog. You know, it's frustrating when you have these ideas and topics to blog about. But when you sit infront of the computer, everything on your mind just disappears. You lose the ideas, or sometimes just have little jigsaw puzzles of them. The words, that completes the puzzle just doesn't fit right. And so, you feel down and angry that an idea you had seconds ago, just disappears. My mum thinks I need to find some inner peace or something like that. An somehow, I do agree. It's been awhile since I visited the SPCA, the library, or simply just heading to East Coast for some breeze. Maybe then, the inspiration to do things would come back again. Just maybe....





Anyway, moving on to today's topic. Well, as the title suggests, it is about puppies. Now most friends would know that I am an animal lover. And dogs especially are liek a part of me. The mere sight of seeing friends spank their dogs or keep them in cages would infuriate me. I feel that humans have no right to be placed as superior just because we are bigger than the dogs, and we have guns and tools to deal with them. Dogs should be respected as how we respect the other humans, because there isn't any rule that states that dogs or any other humans should be treated differently from humans.


My home used to be like a zoo itself. We had quails, lovebirds, tonnes of rabbits and hamsters(because they kept breeding), and dogs. And everytime my parents saw an injured animal on the road, they would bring it home, and we would nurse it back to health before releasing it back. Most of the time, they were baby birds, and we had to feed them with straws just like how their mothers inserted their beaks into theirs so as to vomit the food into their mouths. But of course we didn't vomit food into their mouths.

Well, as time went by, there were so many animals that we had to give them away. All of them were given away for free, and we only kept the dogs. I loved my dogs. The one that was closest to me was Shandy.









A companion for 11 years. A beautiful animal who was a tad bit overweight. She was so lazy that a mere walk to the rubbish bin near my lift and back home, required the owner to carry her instead of she walking on her own. Like her owner, she was very stubborn. She wanted things her way, and would growl at any other pet or human who wanted to take her food or pillow away from her.

She was huge for a silky terrier mix breed. And neighbours called her a "Hairy Pig". Well, if you saw her, you would agree with them.


Her favourite room was her owner's. There were pillows for her, and her owner carried her wherever she went, just like a baby.

She loved eating rice, and am by far the messiest dog her owner has ever seen. Whenever she ate, she would have rice all over her face, nose and hair. She hated whenever her owner tied her fringe up because she loved how she looked with her fringe covering her face. But her owner couldn't stand the messy look on her dog.

Shandy had huge doe-like eyes. She had golden brown fur on her legs, black fur on her back, and grey as her crown. She was gorgeous, lovable and cuddly. But she had an attitude with it. She would ignore her owner if she was too busy for her, with her head turning away whenever her owner came towards her.

But after a few days, the love between them was so strong that they would always forgive each other, and soon enough, you would see them cuddling up, with her owner hugging her and carrying her around the house.

Shandy couldn't talk to her owner. But she made a great listener. She was always there to hear her owner's problems. And always knew when to go up to her owner to cuddle up to her, telling her that deep inside, she cared and would always be there for her.


Friends like Shandy would never be forgotten, because she taught me so many things that people couldn't teach. Well, as much as we loved to, we can't control death. And Shandy had to leave me this year. It was pretty hard for me, being that this year was the most sickening one I've ever had. It was too overwhelming to see her suffer, but I had to stay strong, because I knew she wanted me to. And so we bid farewell.


No dog can ever replace her, but I do hope that I will meet more dogs like her.


Well, after knowing the love one can share with animals, I am sure you would find it quite sickening to know of places that keeps dogs as though they are livestocks. Well, there are, and in America, they are called Puppy Mills.


Click Here to read more about Puppy Mills.


Well, in short, puppy mills are places where dogs are kept for mere breeding purposes. They are placed in cages so small that they have to crawl in order to move about. They do not have enough food, water and are not bathed. I caught an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show and she showed the Life of the dogs in the puppy mills.


I don't have the complete episodes, so here is Episode One and Three.









Not all dogs there are stray dogs. There are pure breed Labradors, Cocker Spanials and so on. I am glad that there are ongoing rescues at the Puppy Mills and I am glad that Singapore doesn't have puppy mills. Dogs do not deserve to be kept in cages. Did you see how hard it was for the dogs to walk normally when they were released from the cages?

And the dogs that were covered in their own urine. And the dogs who were suffering from open wounds and so on.


Well, my aim in this post isn't to bad mouth the Puppy Mills. Because just like Chickens, Pigs, Cows and Sheeps, Dogs are animals, and have every right to used as livestock. They do have a point.

I, of course do not support them. But what I am trying to say is to support the SPCA. You see, every rescued dog would go to the SPCA. But with the increase in dogs being rescued, there wouldn't be enough space for the dogs, and so, those that aren't adopted, would be put to sleep.

If you are a dog lover and want to buy a dog, I suggest going to the SPCA to help these animals and prevent them from being put to sleep. These dogs deserve a chance to be loved and of course, they would grateful, as you gave them a chance to live.


If more people get their pets from SPCAs, then the puppy mills would stop breeding these animals for sale in pet shops.


And for those who still plan on buying a pet, I suggest you think twice. The fate of these animals is determined by you, their owner. Would you have time for them? Shower them with love? Care for them when they have illnesses?


Please don't abandom them.





Loves.

The actual truth about where fur is from

NOT FOR THE WEAK HEARTED




When undercover investigators made their way onto Chinese fur farms recently, they found that many animals are still alive and struggling desperately when workers flip them onto their backs or hang them up by their legs or tails to skin them. When workers on these farms begin to cut the skin and fur from an animal's leg, the free limbs kick and writhe. Workers stomp on the necks and heads of animals who struggle too hard to allow a clean cut. When the fur is finally peeled off over the animals' heads, their naked, bloody bodies are thrown onto a pile of those who have gone before them. Some are still alive, breathing in ragged gasps and blinking slowly. Some of the animals' hearts are still beating five to 10 minutes after they are skinned. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on the heap of carcasses who had enough strength to lift his bloodied head and stare into the camera.


Before they are skinned alive, animals are pulled from their cages and thrown to the ground; workers bludgeon them with metal rods or slam them on hard surfaces, causing broken bones and convulsions but not always immediate death. Animals watch helplessly as workers make their way down the row.


Undercover investigators from Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International recently toured fur farms in China's Hebei Province, and it quickly became clear why outsiders are banned from visiting. There are no regulations governing fur farms in China—farmers can house and slaughter animals however they see fit—meaning miserable lives and excruciating deaths. The investigators found horrors beyond their worst imaginings and concluded, "Conditions on Chinese fur farms make a mockery of the most elementary animal welfare standards. In their lives and their unspeakable deaths, these animals have been denied even the simplest acts of kindness."


On these farms, foxes, minks, rabbits, and other animals pace and shiver in outdoor wire cages, exposed to driving rain, freezing nights, and, at other times, scorching sun. Mother animals, who are driven crazy from rough handling and intense confinement and have nowhere to hide while giving birth, often kill their babies after delivering litters. Disease and injuries are widespread, and animals suffering from anxiety-induced psychosis chew on their own limbs and throw themselves repeatedly against the cage bars.


The globalization of the fur trade has made it impossible to know where fur products come from. Skins move through international auction houses and are purchased and distributed to manufacturers around the world, and finished goods are often exported. China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. Even if a fur garment's label says it was made in a European country, the animals were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere—possibly on an unregulated Chinese fur farm.

Because a fur's origin can't be traced, anyone who wears any fur at all shares the blame for the horrific conditions on Chinese fur farms. The only way to prevent such unimaginable cruelty is never to wear any fur.



Pledge to go fur-free at PETA.org






I was horrified upon seeing what had happened. My heart sank as tears trickled down my cheeks. Why is there no action done to ban all this?? I plead to EVERYONE, to stop wearing FUR.


The human race has exceeded far beyond humanity. Why do such things to animals? These idiotic people must be out of their minds to do so. Even if they had to take fur, why do it in such a cruel way?




credits to: http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.peta.org/other.asp