Tuesday Mornings for the Aminals!

Dear Humans,

I'm super psyched. Doesn't happen very often, but I am. Yay.

Here's why: My boss has declared (or trying out) a new workplace concept where we get every Tuesday mornings to do whatever it is we want. That's right. Whatever we want.

Such a blessing because as you know, I've been wanting to volunteer at the SPCA by creating videos for them. Problem I have is that they have a schedule to stick by, and so do I. Early mornings are when it's best to drop by the SPCA as that's when the animals and their facilities are cleaned up, and when the bigger animals are brought out on their walks, etc..  But I work mornings!

So now, with Tuesday mornings free and easy to do whatever I want, I'm going to the SPCA! Sorry I know, I know. Doesn't take much to excite me, does it? Boy do I need to get out more or what.

Let's hope this works out well for the company. Would hate to see it being ditched down the road. Fingers, toes and eyes crossed!


Love,
The Aminals

Okay, finally ready to say it to everyone!

Dear Humans,

Sorry about the hiatus. Been doing a lot of thinking (soul searching, if you may). Figured I'd better do all that in my mind before expelling verbal diarrhea on this blog. It has become increasingly difficult not expressing emotion or making everything out to be about sadness due to cruelty.
 

Those closest to me have probably seen a change in me. It feels significant to me, but I don't know if others take me seriously. Just as well I guess. We all need a reality check every now and again.
 

Not like it's any surprise, but I've been (seriously) considering a move away from my current job. It's not based on impulse as these feelings have been building up over the past 3 months. This is the time when I wish I was born rich (hahaha, don't we all?). I think it is safe to say that 90% of the reason I don't just take the leap would have to do with monetary factors.

 

 

Okay so let me figure that nonsense out in my head before I go all psychobabble on you lot.
 

Bigger and better things! Here we go.
 

 

Sure many of you know of the dolphin situation here in Singapore. I've been on my tippy toes around this subject and haven't reported much on it. Sorry, I just needed to get my head around the whole situation and understand all sides of the issue before I made any sort of sane decision on how I feel about it. Wow, that was a long sentence.
 

Anyhoos. I think I'm finally ready to be more vocal about it. Hello, Singapore government and RWS! That's right, I'm talking about the dolphins! Oh me oh my! Best to keep track of this blog and my Facebook page from now on, ey? Goodness knows what I might write about this issue that would cause you to be on HIGH ALERT! That's right. Perk your ears. Widen your eyes. Keep refreshing my page. Attention is what I want and attention shall be what I get.

 

 

Haha verbal diarrhea again. I'm a bit high-strung this bright sunny day -- can you tell?
 

Jokes aside though, I've done my homework about the topic and well. Safe to say that I know why all parties involved are where they stand right now. That's right, I'm bring all Asian and all about understanding about everything. Psshht I've totally missed my calling. Should have studied to become a damn psychologist! Too late.
 

Wait what did I want to say....
 

Oh right. Dolphins. In Singapore. Brought in for tourism and entertainment, guised under the name of conservation and education. A dolphin spa? So people can interact with the dolphins? Sorry, have to call bullshit on that.
 

Conservation 1 - 0 RWS
 

Dolphins were caught from the wild. Trained. 3 died between the time they were caught and brought to Singapore, give or take a few years. So uncool. And for that, I bump Conservation up THREE notches. One for each dolphin life lost. What, what what... I am the game master! I make the rules! Ha!
 

Conservation 4 - 0 RWS
 

So much discontent has been voiced from the time RWS came up with the proposal to house a whale shark and dolphins in its compouds. As you can tell, I haven't seen anything the size of a whale shark enter Singapore (cos Singapore just is that small. I'd be able to see the transport of a damn whale shark from.... wherever on the island!). Why has RWS stopped contact with wildlife and conservation organizations? Wasn't it all going good with the whole 'Let's talk about it' thing? Why oh why are the phonecalls now not answered? The emails left unreplied? The invitations to open discussions (ACRES) that have yet to be addressed by RWS? The situation is NOT going to go away. The eyes of the damn world are on this. It's not going to evaporate into oblivion. What sort of plan are you guys devicing? I want in on it! So yes, point goes to conservation!
 

Conservation 5 - 0 RWS
 

Okay. Let it all out. Now, to balance this argument out a little. This is something not many of you know -- dolphins around the Solomon Islands have been hunted before. By the villagers and locals. Meaning to say dolphin killing isn't an entirely new thing out in the area. That's something nobody has bothered to mention to me in the numerous meetings I've had regarding this topic. So, essentially, RWS is doing the dolphins a FAVOUR by taking them in. Because well, as painful to say this, it's the truth -- there would have been a very high likelihood that these dolphins would have been killed by the villagers. Can that be called conservation? Sure! Pity RWS has never approached the matter this way. Who are their PR people?
 

Conservation 5 - 1 RWS
 

The exact place where these dolphins have been taken has recently been hit by tragedy. For the dolphin population, at least. Long story short, a memorandum of understanding between the village(s) and EII (Earth Island Institute) expired a while ago. The locals were bound by this understanding that they would NOT hunt dolphins in the islands in exchange for a certain amount of money from EII. Now that it's expired (and the locals claim they never received the full amount of money EII promised them), they've gone on a dolphin rampage. Last count -- 700 slaughtered in a day by the villagers. Odds are pretty good that these dolphins we have now in Singapore could have ended up being killed by the locals had they still been out in open water.
 

Conservation 5 - 2 RWS
 

So here's the point I feel many people disregard and look past. Everyone's all up in RWS' junk about them mistreating the dolphins. Here's what I think -- now they're in Singapore, I don't think they're being abused by their caretakers and keepers. I've seen their tanks from up above. They're small, sure. But there's no way we can recreate the space they would originally have out in open water. Okay, okay, so we shouldn't even have them if we can't provide for them. That aside though, can you say that the humans taking care of them now are actually abusing them? I think the caretakers love them! So.
 

Conservation 5 - 3 RWS

 

 

That said. I think these people are just Chris Porter and Ric O Barry personalities in the making. I love Ric for what he does, but because he's made it so big with how he's turned the tables on the very industry he helped bring up -- I think people think it's now really cool to have a 'Ric' story. Sorry, I call BULLSHIT on this too. Love Ric, but Ric wannabes? No thank you goodbye!
 

Conservation 6 - 3 RWS
 

So there's the final tally. I've given you the information you need to make an informed decision on whose side you should be on. I'm not here to get you to be on my side. I'm just here to show you all sides of the argument and be aware. And hopefully, if you're a good person who walks the talk, you'll be able to help this cause that's made the headlines all over the world.
 

The World's Saddest Dolphins. Is that an exaggeration? Sure. It's not the dolphins in Singapore which are suffering. But let me leave you with a final thought.
 

Singapore is the country that the rest of Asia looks at as an example of what they'd like to be. Singapore is the place where the laws are upheld. This is the country where drug dealers are immediately given the death sentence. Where capital punishment still exists. If this is allowed to happen in Singapore, the import of dolphins which really is only allowed because there is no law that says it's disallowed... If this happens in Singapore.. The rest of Asia will follow.
 

Singapore -- you have to do this for yourselves, for your reputation and for the rest of Asia that looks upon you as an example. If you allow this to happen here, you're giving the rest of Asia permission to carry on with the cruelty they've gone around performing and getting away with for such a long time.
 

Finalest of the final tally: Conservation 7 - 3 RWS
 

Think. Decide. Act.
 

Love,

The Aminals

Did You Know?

Dear Humans,

Apologies that I haven't been actively updating the blog and FB page. All this is very green to me, and I'm still learning how to best approach this cause.

There are days when I just have so much to say.. And right after, I have days on end where other types of news just gets me down and I don't feel like I have anything to say anymore.

I still do keep myself update on the cruelty cases, especially those in the areas where I feel I can help. For example, the case of the kitten mutilation. And cases where aminals are abandoned. All of which gets me down for a good while. Though one part of me wants to go on a massive rant on how evil humans are, the other part just says to shut up for a bit.

Anyways, I think we should all learn something new everyday. Something new about aminals. So, I will be starting a daily update of 'Did You Know' updates about aminals. Allows you to learn alongside yours truly. Part and parcel of you going along on this journey with me.:)


Love,
The Aminals

I Am Not Charity

Dear Humans,

Hope you guys had a great Christmas! And to all of you who have taken the time to think about the aminals in the midst of it all -- thank you! There IS still humanity left in the world.

Just wanted to take some time to talk about aminal activists. I wouldn't term myself an activist just yet, because I don't think I've done anything quite so radical that I'd put myself on a pedestal and term myself such. I'm  getting there, but not quite there yet.

That said, as I was giving out my little tokens asking people to spare a thought for the aminals in the world during this time of joyful giving, I realized that perceptions of me have changed. Those who have received these tokens from me are people I come across on a daily basis en route to my workplace.

Activists are seen as people of a completely different class. A different class of human beings. Of course, in my eyes, they're as high up the ranks as they get. Unfortunately for most people, activists are seen as a much lower than the average person.

As such, I do get looks from the people I normally come across. Not the sort of look I was hoping to get. They're now looking at me as if I want something from them. Like a salesman who won't budge because my Christmas bonus relies on them giving me something.

Don't you people get it? I don't want ANYTHING from you. And here's why: I Do Not Believe In Charity.

I never have and I never will. Not for my cause. My cause is NOT a charity.

Let's make it completely clear once and for all. Anything I do for this cause will come out of my own pocket. I do not make money from this (how can i??). Which leads to the question of how I will get funding for anything I do.

Simple. I maintain a full-time job.

Why don't I take a full-time job in an organization and a foundation that cares for the aminals and fights for the same things I fight for? Because working there would mean that money I earn would be from donations. If the point of donations is to ensure that the aminals are put out of suffering, why use that money then to pay people?

So. I earn my money from the outside world. Well, outside from anything aminal related at least. From that money, I set aside a certain amount and turn it in for my cause. That way, nobody can judge me when I decide to buy a new pair of shoes or buy drinks at a local bar. I report and answer to nobody.

All this sounds very cocky, I know - and indeed it is. It has to be. I have to be.

What's that you say? I need some balance in my life? Yes. I couldn't agree more. Which is precisely why I don't work permanently as an aminal advocate. Having some breathing space keeps me sane. I think that doing it full-time will make anyone go insane, even those people with the purest of intentions. It's easy to get caught up in all of this, as many of my friends would attest to. They've had to pull me back and hold me down because immersing myself in this will make me go, well, insane.

Let's see how long I can keep this up. Wait... what was this post meant to be about again....?

Love,
The Aminals
 

Samosir, Lake Toba

Dear Humans,

Got back from Samosir yesterday. Take a quick glace at the map and you'll see that Lake Toba and Samosir were formed during the eruption of a supervolcano. Pretty cool stuff. That's where we figured would give us front row tickets to the end of the world. Well. Didn't quite happen. But still. Front row tickets!

Don't know if I speak for all of you, but I'm a real city girl. I don't get out of the country much because of my commitments at work and back home. City girl, yes. But I hate cities. Bustle gives me a headache. Explains why getaways to quaint and secluded places tickle my fancy.

The journey to Samosir was quite amazing. Besides the fact that we almost died 50 times on our way there by road, Lake Toba by itself was surreal to me. I love large bodies of water. And that was a vision of endless freshwater.

What struck me the most about the lake itself was that it looks a lot like The Cove. You know, the one in Taiji, Japan? Yes. The one in which dolphins are carefully maneuvered to, trapped and then slaughtered by the thousands every single year. That's right. Dolphins.

If you haven't watched The Cove, I recommend that you only watch it if you are ready to do something about it. There is nothing that angers me more than people who have the knowledge of cruelty, yet do nothing about it and carry on with their daily lives. So only watch it if you are in the right frame of mind to be able to do something about it.

Such a beautiful place, Lake Toba. Just as beautiful as the cove in Taiji. Yet when I looked at every crevice which was bigger than the rest, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness. It looks just like the cove in Japan. Something that I'd seen on a television screen a few weeks ago was now right in front of me. Its beauty is astounding. But the emotion I link to its amazingness is far from beautiful.

The things that humans have done to tarnish the beauty in this world. Look at this.

Looks like nothing bad could ever happen in a place of such serenity, right? Well. It's just as beautiful in Japan. That is, when the waters of The Cove don't turn red with the cruel slaughter of dolphins.

My quest to put an end to cruelty really only started when the dolphin issue started in Singapore. That's right. When wild-caught dolphins were allowed to be transported to Singapore for recreational purposes.

You're probably thinking -- how does the issue in Singapore have anything to do with the dolphin slaughter in Taiji? You'll find out if you watch The Cove.

If not, that's another story for another post.

Till then.

Love,
The Aminals

Vietnam -- Stop The Eviction

Vietnam -- Stop The Eviction

With any luck, you'd have watched the short video I made for the bear situation in Vietnam. If you haven't, click on the link above.

Honestly, I was really taken aback by the number of people who don't already know about bear farming. Perhaps I keep my cable on the Discovery Channel, Nat Geo and Animal Planet much more than the average person does.

So hopefully you've gone and done a little of your own research regarding this matter. It's absolute torture that humans put these bears through to get their bile. Let's see you in a cage so small you can't turn around, with a contraption sticking out of your belly and fluid draining from your infected wound.

I have such anger in me when it comes to aminal cruelty. I get very defensive. I don't understand why I have to give an explanation for everything.

Why do I have to give a reason as to why aminals shouldn't be tortured?
Why do I have to prove to anyone that it is cruelty?
Why do I have to explain how these aminals are being tortured?

I don't understand. I really don't.

Why is this an argument? You're human. You're able to empathize. You have the intelligence to know wrong from right. You have emotions. You are the only species that can make a difference and put an end to all of this.

Yet you don't, and yet you won't.



 

All systems GO!

Dear Humans,

Officially launched Love, The Aminals' Facebook page today! Such excitement. And I'm super thrilled that not everyone phased me out as noise. Goodness knows that all too often, I disregard page invites sent to me.

But thank you, thank you, thank you for following the page and this blog. It gives such motivation knowing there are people besides myself who hear me. I talk to myself a lot, you see. So knowing that others hear me is... Comforting. That's the word. Okay I'm making myself to look like a psycho here. Moving along!

I think of a dozen things at the same time when it comes to this cause. It's difficult to sift through the chaos in my head. But when I do, I'll try to type it out. Stop me if I cease to make sense.

Recently, I realized the problem with joining organizations and foundations when it comes to causes. With so many people involved, your voice gets drowned out. You're taught what to say, how to act, how to react, etc.

It's much like starting a new job. You learn the ropes by trying to learn from others around you. Problem with learning from others around you in this case is that you'll learn how to be negative really quickly. You learn to put a 'No' to every question you ask yourself. So much so the question is created in your head -- but never leaves your lips because you know it's likely to get a 'No'.

Long story short, I hope I never lose my innocence in all of this. I'm ripe as can be. Full of ideas, motivation and all that yabber. I hope I won't get caught up in all the negativity of this. Oh wait, too late. Ha! But no, seriously. I hope I never stop dreaming. This is what it is. All my innocence right now, I wouldn't trade it for any amount of knowledge.

I'd LIKE to think that doing this by myself will be all that is necessary.
I'd LIKE to think that I don't need money or funding from anyone to make this work.
I'd LIKE to think that there people out there who would go as far as I would.
I'd LIKE to think that the furthest I can go is further than what anyone else will do.

See? Innocence. I swear, sometimes I feel I'm straight out of a Disney movie.

Now, to test if this innocence can make the world go round.

Love,
The Aminals