Wednesday, November 26, 2008

HIV bunkmate

The TV drama 不凡的爱 ended its run on channel 8 a few days ago. The show is about an AIDS patient, how society treats him after having knowledge of his illness and how he was cared for by his family. While i watched the show, i dismissed it as surreal, and that i would not encounter an AIDS patient ever. I always thought that they would be locked up somewhere, and would not be in contact with the society. How wrong i was.

It was only a few days ago when i knew that one of my bunkmate has HIV, and that he was going to ORD soon. He just came back from an operation on his knee, and it was during the operation, when the doctors found out about his illness. My first reaction was typical of a rational human, to steer clear of him so as to minimise any chance(if there was any) of contracting the virus from him. Immediately i stereotyped him with the conventional wisdom i had of an AIDS patient. I wanted to tell CSM, so that he could let me stay out and hence as far away from him as possible. It was self-serving selfish human behaviour in action.

It was fortunate that i was not able to do that on impulse, as it was already night time, and CSM was already at home, and me, getting ready to sleep in the bunk with my HIV bunkmate. I calmed myself down and reasoned out the possibilty of getting HIV from the bunkmate. Close to nil, unless he decides to spill his blood on any open wound which i have, or rapes me, both cases unfathomable. I decided not to blow the whistle and trumpet his illness. My medic bunkmate only told a few people about this HIV bunkmate.

He is on MC til next month, when he would ORD. Come to think of it, it might have been the right thing not to tell CSM about this issue. My medic bunkmate was wise enough. CSM would have warned everyone, and people would shun my HIV bunkmate. Soldiers would have acted like aunties in the TV drama, and that would certainly not be pretty.

I found the MO's decision to continue letting him stay with other soldiers even though he has HIV puzzling. They allowed him to stay for about 3 days before giving him MC to stay out. Perharps the MO had to get permission from somebody superior? I don't know. But i pity this guy who has HIV. He is only 21. Many doors are now shut for him.

iduntellu at 9:44 PM

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Recently, the United States elected a new president. People were saying how historic it is in electing a black person to the most powerful job in the world. The leader of the world's largest economy and most powerful military certainly does yield alot of power. Being colour blind, i believe his win signifies something more than increasing racial equality. Over there, people could really tell their kids they could be anybody you want to be. Their president to be would certainly be the best role model for their kids. That is the good thing about their country. Anybody could be whatever they want to be, as long as they work hard.

Singapore certainly has a long way to go before we can be as meritocratic as the US. Not that the best and most able is not duly rewarded in our country, but people with better family background do have a higher chance of getting into powerful jobs more often. And the mathematics hold. Imagine our CEO or figurehead is someone who has a stepfather, half sister, African father, mother who had him/her when she was still in college.. Somebody once said that graduates should marry graduates..

There was something i found puzzling initially about McDonald's and Burger King. They now have the extra large burger. Mac got the 4 patties big mac and 2 chicken thighs Mcspicy, while burger king countered with the 2/3/4 patties burger. In bad times, why would people be willing to spend more for a bigger meal? Won't they want to tighten their pockets and prefer a smaller meal? After much thinking, i came to a conclusion that by offering this new meal, these restaurant outlets could trick people that they could have a much fuller and more value for money meal, while the more price conscious could still have their cheaper normal size meal. Its price discrimination at work, discriminating out people who would be willing to pay more for a bigger meal and those who would want to save money. After all, they did not get rid of the cheaper option.

Why do i hate serving the nation so much?? I don't hate serving the nation in the past. In fact, i was looking forward to it. To training up physically, firing guns, trek in the jungle, drive tanks, it was what i thought in the past, quite fun. But i never go a chance to do these stuff. Slapped with an unfit for combat tag, i am posted to do no-brainer admin work. Yes, i have learnt much in my time here.. I learnt how to chao keng, how to siam arrows and how to tuang. Its not that bad after all. I am so damn sure these skills would be valuable to me in the future. Honestly, i would not want to bring those set of skills with me into civilian life.. Those are skills which would allow you to survive in such a mundane organisation, but not to the competitive outside world. I would always lament to my CSM(hes a nice guy who would talk cock with you), but he would always say the same stuff. My PES status do not allow me to chiong sua, alot of people would want to be in my position. What the heck, i want to be in their position.

iduntellu at 9:23 PM