The faces of MH370

This picture is worth keeping. Like everyone else I hope the come back but I am also realistic that this is wishing on that less than 1% probability. If they find the wreckage of the B777, the 1% will go to 0% and we have closure. The sooner the better as this is killing people alive.

Even if the remains of the plane is never found it must be after we have deployed all our resources and is very sure it is not there. At that time each of us will have only our own faith and belief to go by. Somehow I don't think we would be so unlucky.

MAS 777 may have crashed

This just came in for me. A grave tragedy for Malaysia :-(

This morning I told wifey that an MHS plane had been lost. She asked who stole it. I said no, the plane wasn't stolen. It didn't arrive in Beijing early this morning as scheduled.

Then there were rumors that it had landed in Nanning. You know, that is a very Malaysian response. But as the clocks ticked past the hours, we all know the 777-200 would have ran out of fuel.

Now the oil slick. This is absolutely bad. Falling from 35,000 feet can you expect survivors? Now the grim task of finding the wreckage and black boxes.

We used to watch Air Crash Investigations on Natgeo. I have some idea what this is going to be but let's not speculate.

Update: March 9, 8:35am

I saw a few videos reporting this tragedy. The human stories of the loved ones left behind to mourn the loss is heart rending.

All pointers now seem to suggest terrorism as a possible cause. ABC News at that point of the report didn't know about two passengers using stolen passports to get on board.


We had traveled with Malaysia Airlines to Osaka late last year and told ourselves we wouldn't fly with them again if we could help it. Actually our unhappiness had less to do with the airline than KLIA operations. Besides losing our luggage and we weren't the only ones on that flight to suffer that inconvenience. We were appalled at their casualness and inconsistency airport staff went about their jobs. I thought with such sloppy work it was far easier to smuggle a bomb on board a plane than many other airports. In the back of my mind, I felt that this airport is a relatively easier terrorist target. Time will tell if my guess is right and shame on Malaysia aviation authorities if this turned out to be the reason for this crash.

Update: March 9, 10:10 pm

Not surprised that Najib has ordered this.

Pope Francis spoke the F Word

I caught this news on Wednesday but had not time to record it here.

So the best and most Christ-like Pope ever had been caught using the F-word. So what? I told the family if he was caught here, he must have been cursing more often in private.

NTU Open House

Helping the girl choose what to read in University is taking up all my spare time! Many blog posts are missing as a result.

We all went with our daughter to the NTU open house today. I have not been here for many years and was keen to see how things have changed.

There were lots of people but oddly my daughter didn't meet anyone from her JC. Where were they?

Overall we weren't impressed. It was like every school or department just do their own thing. There was no coordination.

Bumped into an old friend trying to interest me to get my daughter to consider applying for the A*Star scholarship. I told her that she used to be keen on scientific research but as she progressed up the educational ladder she discovered there were so many more talented than her in the sciences. On the other hand she is an all rounder and that's how you can get a perfect score. Some could be singularly world beating good in a subject and they often do not have perfect score. Will A*Star identify and support them?

There was overwhelming interest in Biz Ad and Accountancy. The Nanyang Auditorium was filled to capacity even before the talk began. We decided then to forget it and left. The girl is probably opting for NUS anyway. Just as well we were mostly touring than looking to make a commitment.

MFA COS: Bear in mind Shanmgam's words

Bear in mind Shanmugam's speech in the COS for Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I had been thinking the same thoughts ever since Putin muscled his way into the Crimea.

Speaking during the Committee of Supply debate for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Shanmugam pointed out that the crisis in Ukraine — where Russians troops are in control of some parts of the country — not only impacts Singapore at several levels, but also offers several lessons.

Noting Russia’s agreement in 1994 with the United States and the United Kingdom – to not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine – Mr Shanmugam said that “when it comes to the crunch, treaties are only meaningful if you have the ability to enforce them”.

Size matters in international relations, he added, and a country which cannot protect itself puts its sovereignty and its people at risk.

Mr Shanmugam also pointed out that the United Nations’ Security Council “cannot always act decisively to protect smaller countries”.

And when squeezed between two big powers or blocs, a smaller country like Ukraine can became a pawn, he said.

“The country caught in between can be sacrificed if the two contending powers or blocs decide to reach a wider accommodation with each other, trading off their various interests. Smaller countries must always be aware of this.”

The crisis in Ukraine, which is the second largest country in Europe, made him consider Singapore’s situation, Mr Shanmugam said: “If we do not constantly run hard to make sure that everything works, that we out compete the world, that we can defend ourselves, how long will it take for our situation to unravel?”

Update: March 6, 8:40pm

Big bullies small. Imagine Indonesia is Russia but we are not Ukraine since it is relatively big but we are a district of the Crimea. That's about right as a little red dot.

Pastor Cho Yonggi guilty of stealing $12m

Over the years I had wondered if Cho Yonggi would end up spending time in prison.

I had also wondered how many pastors get away with such offences.

Now why be a successful pastor at all? Because it is far easier to con a congregation to get  rich and wear the trappings of success than many other alternatives.

Successful churches do so at their own risk. At the same time they end up shutting out those Jesus longs for: the poor. One of them was my late father. He couldn't afford to put anything in the offering bag. After a while, too embarrassed to continue he quit going to church. But God cannot be stopped. The job to reach him fell to me decades later and I didn't even understand until he was almost gone. It wasn't one of those typical death bed conversion story, which experience has taught me to be skeptical.

Really, SG is most expensive city?

So much ado about us being the most expensive city in the world on cyberspace. My personal take is that this confirms our on the ground experience comparing Kyoto with Singapore in our recent holiday to Japan. Of course I thought in microeconomics terms then. When I see a chart like this, I immediately thought of Abenomics or else Tokyo would still be in the pole position.

This new disdained status was also discussed on radio this morning. An EIU economist explained that the ranking is not about the experience of the rest of us but how it directly impact expats living in these cities. Now for those of you who do not like to have too many foreigners here, shouldn't you take it as good news? And if the government want them here very badly then bring down the cost of living for them since they have so much power over costs.

We are one city but two economies: the rich and the poor. The middle class are painfully caught between the two because part of their living is in the rich space where they are regularly out bidden by the rich. I think that is why they are raising a hue and cry on social media and the blogosphere over our new most pricey city laurel.

Now trying not to own that one or two things the rich prized which you also use to show off helps. Wifey subordinates carry handbags that are may be ten times more expensive than hers.

Singapore as the most expensive city? Actually I don't really feel it but I also hate the accolade.