The Guardian
Your iPhone is more powerful than the evidence-collecting computers in the cockpit. Simple changes could mean faster answers for plane crashes
Why is a normally safe aircraft – the Boeing 777-200 – missing over the South China Sea, with all 239 passengers and crew on board Malaysia Airlines flight 370 presumed dead?
I'l tell you why: it was a fireball ignited by faulty lithium-ion batteries carried on board by cellphone-wielding passengers.
No, it wasn't. It was a bomb planted by terrorists – possibly the passengers who were reportedly carrying stolen passports.
Rubbish: it was structural failure triggered by internal damage sustained in an airport fender-bender involving the same aircraft two years ago.
These, of course, are not answers. It would be generous to call them theories. They are really a tiny sample in an online orgy of wild guesses that erupted on social media over the weekend, in the hours after the aircraft was reported missing off the coast of Malaysia.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Why Malaysia Airlines jet might have disappeared - MH370
March 9 2014
NEW YORK — The most dangerous parts of a flight are takeoff and landing. Rarely do incidents happen when a plane is cruising seven miles above the earth.
So the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 well into its flight yesterday (March 8) morning over the South China Sea has led aviation experts to assume that whatever happened was quick and left the pilots no time to place a distress call.
It could take investigators months, if not years, to determine what happened to the Boeing 777 flying from Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
NEW YORK — The most dangerous parts of a flight are takeoff and landing. Rarely do incidents happen when a plane is cruising seven miles above the earth.
So the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 well into its flight yesterday (March 8) morning over the South China Sea has led aviation experts to assume that whatever happened was quick and left the pilots no time to place a distress call.
It could take investigators months, if not years, to determine what happened to the Boeing 777 flying from Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
The Truth vs the fossil fuel lobby
By Jeffrey Sachs
03 February 2014
Have a look at what happened around the world this past month. Australia’s heat wave filled headlines when temperatures reaching 45° Celsius disrupted the Australian Open tennis tournament.
California’s extreme drought forced the governor to declare a state of emergency. Major floods in Indonesia killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands.
Beijing’s coal-induced smog forced people to stay in their homes, closed highways, and diverted flights. Such events are daily warnings to the world: Wake up before it is too late.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Diet News Bundle I: Sugar, Protein and the Diet Debacle
Dietary news. It changes every now and then.
But after reading many dietary advice and opinions, about the only thing I can believe is: Sugar has very little nutritional value, and may have very bad effects on our health.
You do not have to believe me of course. I am not an expert. And I haven't kept track of all the news and information that I have sieved through to arrive at this partial conclusion (Note: I wrote, "may have very bad effects".) You should read about sugar for yourself and make up your own minds.
The last article actually provides some sort of scientific explanation that makes a lot of sense (to me). BUT... you should decide for yourself.
But after reading many dietary advice and opinions, about the only thing I can believe is: Sugar has very little nutritional value, and may have very bad effects on our health.
You do not have to believe me of course. I am not an expert. And I haven't kept track of all the news and information that I have sieved through to arrive at this partial conclusion (Note: I wrote, "may have very bad effects".) You should read about sugar for yourself and make up your own minds.
The last article actually provides some sort of scientific explanation that makes a lot of sense (to me). BUT... you should decide for yourself.
Friday, March 7, 2014
COE category tweak achieved its goal: LTA
By Sumita d/o Sreedharan
March 6 2014
TODAY
Singapore — The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) recategorisation for cars has achieved its goal of retaining models for the mass market, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday, as it published statistics to show that the policy tweak that kicked in last month had led to “a significant decrease” in the median Open Market Value (OMV) for Category A cars.
Motor traders, however, were less than convinced as they pointed to recent COE premiums, which have continued to remain high.
Before the move, COE premiums for Category A were more than S$72,000.
March 6 2014
TODAY
Singapore — The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) recategorisation for cars has achieved its goal of retaining models for the mass market, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday, as it published statistics to show that the policy tweak that kicked in last month had led to “a significant decrease” in the median Open Market Value (OMV) for Category A cars.
Motor traders, however, were less than convinced as they pointed to recent COE premiums, which have continued to remain high.
Before the move, COE premiums for Category A were more than S$72,000.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
5 items in Singapore and how their prices compare to other countries
Mar 04, 2014
Singapore has just beaten 131 cities to become the world's most expensive city to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's report. We look at five big ticket items the report mentions which have contributed to Singapore's climb to pole position and compare it to similar items in other cities around the world.
1. Property rental
Singapore: A three-bedroom apartment, of between 1,200 - 1,500 sq ft, averages $8,000 a month.
New York: A three-bedroom apartment, of between 950 - 1,800 sq ft, ranges from US$1,750 (S$2,221) - US$2,500 in the outlying neighbourhoods to US$6,000 to US$15,000 in Manhattan.
2. Cars
Singapore: A Mercedes Benz E-class will cost upwards of $277,000 plus an Open category COE will set you back another $79,000 going by the last COE exercise.
Germany: A Mercedes Benz E-class will cost from 40,668 ($71,062) euros.
3. Clothing (luxury retail)
Singapore: A men's suit from Giorgio Armani starts from $3,000 and can go up to $4,000.
Italy: A men's suit from Giorgio Armani starts from 1,500 ($2,619) euros.
4. Food & wine
Singapore: The signature dish of steak tartare at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon costs $52. A bottle of Moet & Chandon in Singapore costs at least $83.
Paris: A degustation menu at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon costs 38 euros ($66). A bottle of Moet & Chandon in France can cost as little as 32.90 euros ($57).
5. Utilities
Singapore: Utilities bill for a four-person household in a HDB flat likely to average between $150 - $200.
Tokyo: Utilities bill for a four-person household in an apartment averages between 12,000 yen ($150) in summer to 30,000 yen ($375) in winter.
Singapore has just beaten 131 cities to become the world's most expensive city to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's report. We look at five big ticket items the report mentions which have contributed to Singapore's climb to pole position and compare it to similar items in other cities around the world.
1. Property rental
Singapore: A three-bedroom apartment, of between 1,200 - 1,500 sq ft, averages $8,000 a month.
New York: A three-bedroom apartment, of between 950 - 1,800 sq ft, ranges from US$1,750 (S$2,221) - US$2,500 in the outlying neighbourhoods to US$6,000 to US$15,000 in Manhattan.
2. Cars
Singapore: A Mercedes Benz E-class will cost upwards of $277,000 plus an Open category COE will set you back another $79,000 going by the last COE exercise.
Germany: A Mercedes Benz E-class will cost from 40,668 ($71,062) euros.
3. Clothing (luxury retail)
Singapore: A men's suit from Giorgio Armani starts from $3,000 and can go up to $4,000.
Italy: A men's suit from Giorgio Armani starts from 1,500 ($2,619) euros.
4. Food & wine
Singapore: The signature dish of steak tartare at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon costs $52. A bottle of Moet & Chandon in Singapore costs at least $83.
Paris: A degustation menu at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon costs 38 euros ($66). A bottle of Moet & Chandon in France can cost as little as 32.90 euros ($57).
5. Utilities
Singapore: Utilities bill for a four-person household in a HDB flat likely to average between $150 - $200.
Tokyo: Utilities bill for a four-person household in an apartment averages between 12,000 yen ($150) in summer to 30,000 yen ($375) in winter.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Is Singapore Western Intelligence’s 6th Eye?
MON, 09 DECEMBER 2013
Asia Sentinal: Singapore: Nest of Spies?
What are the regional foreign policy consequences?
Singapore is an anomaly in Southeast Asia. It has staunch connections with the US and Israel and a network of varied corporate interests all around the world. It is a small, primarily non-Muslim city-state surrounded by much larger, occasionally antipathetic Muslim countries. Sovereignty disputes on the South China Sea are continuing, and unpredictable events like Sulu militants invading Lahad Datu in Sabah continue to occur. Singapore's security is of prime domestic importance.
Asia Sentinal: Singapore: Nest of Spies?
What are the regional foreign policy consequences?
Singapore is an anomaly in Southeast Asia. It has staunch connections with the US and Israel and a network of varied corporate interests all around the world. It is a small, primarily non-Muslim city-state surrounded by much larger, occasionally antipathetic Muslim countries. Sovereignty disputes on the South China Sea are continuing, and unpredictable events like Sulu militants invading Lahad Datu in Sabah continue to occur. Singapore's security is of prime domestic importance.
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