Day 8424

Day 8411

<<歌>>

译:徐志磨
曲唱:罗大佑

当我死去的时候，亲爱的
你别为我唱悲伤的歌
我坟上不必安插蔷薇
也无须浓荫的柏树
让盖着我的青青的草
淋着雨也沾着露珠
假如你愿意，请记着我
要是你甘心，忘了我

在悠久的昏暮中迷惘
阳光不升起也不消翳
我也许，也许我还记得你
我也许把你忘记

我再见不到地面的青荫
觉不到雨露的甜蜜
我再听不见夜莺的歌喉
在黑夜里倾吐悲啼

在悠久的昏暮中迷惘
阳光不升起也不消翳
我也许，也许我还记得你
我也许把你忘记

Day 8399

Remembrance Sunday

Held at the Kranji War Memorial, where the graves of
4,464 men and women lie and the names of 23,943 others inscribed on the 12
columns. This event is of special significance as it commemorates the sacrifices
made by the men and women of the Commonwealth forces against the Japanese in
World War II.

The ceremony is held on Remembrance Sunday (the Sunday closest to Remembrance
Day, 11th November) at 0730hrs. Attended by grassroots and religious leaders,
uniformed groups, delegations from the SAF, Ex-Services Association of
Singapore, SAF Veterans League and Red Cross, the general public and most
importantly, the surviving veterans and loved ones, it is a solemn occasion
where prayers are held and tributes are paid to the brave men and women who had
given their lives in the defence of Singapore.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

Day 8385

Today marks the 4th anniversary of the crash of flight SQ 006, the Singapore Airlines jumbo jet that crashed in Taipei during a heavy rainstorm as it tried to take off on the wrong runway.

The jetliner was approved to take off from one runway, 5-Left, or 5L, but instead took off from the right-sided one, 5R. Construction material, including cement blocks, were on the runway which the jetliner crashed as a typhoon bore down on the Taiwanese capital, with high winds, heavy rains and low visibility, killing 81 of the 179 people aboard the ill-fated flight SQ006 from Taipei to Los Angeles.

Details of Flight SQ006

Passengers and crew on board: 179 Fatalities: 83 Serious Injuries: 39 Minor Injuries: 32 No Injury: 25 Delivery: The plane was delivered in January 1997, Line # 1099. Flying hours: It had about 17,000 hours in the air; more than 2100 takeoffs and landings. Inspection: It was last inspected on Sept. 16, 2000, and had no defects. Design: The plane has a special paint job in connection with a promotional deal with a hotel.

Before the crash... Boeing 747-412 9V-SPK

After the crash...

Recent serious incidents involving SIA flights
Jan 30 '00
An Airbus A310 carrying 154 people skidded off the runway on landing in bad weather at Kuala Lumpur. No one was injured.
Apr 1 '99
An Airbus 310-324 taking off from Singapore was forced to return because of a lightning strike
Mar 15 '99
A Boeing 747-412 was forced to return to Singapore when the left maingear failed to retract after takeoff.
Mar 7 '99
A Boeing 747-412 returned to Singapore when a loud bang was heard on takeoff.

We who are left how shall we look again
Happily on the sun or feel the rain
Without remembering how they who went
Ungrudgingly and spent
Their lives for us loved, too, the sun and rain?

- Wilfred Wilson Gibson

Day 8355

55 years ago this day, the People's Republic of China was founded. After thousands of years of ruling under feudal lords and various Emperors of different dynasties, followed by decades of civil war. Eventually, a People's Republic and communist rule in China was established which marks a new era in her history.

However, incidents such as the cultural revolution in the late sixties and early seventies, the Tiananmen Incident in 1976 and most recently, the Tiananmen Square Protests 15 years ago still happen where thousands of civilians are arrested and many killed simply because they were labeled as protestors by the government. But then frankly speaking, are they protestors or people with a vision? A dream that they are pursuing? A dream for a better country?

Sometimes it is dangerous to make a stand for freedom and in some places of the world, freedom of speech is not tolerated.

But people who dare to dream never seem to be bother by these uncertainties...

Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

Day 8335

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the terror attacks that shocked the world when four planes hijacked by terrorists crashed into the United States World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania killing nearly 3,000 people in a matter of hours. This came as a shock to the world and sparked off a new war against terrorists that continued till this day. The youngest person killed during the attacks was a 2 year old child who was on one of the fateful flight...

3 years later, this day, have the world changed? National-level, perhaps. But frankly speaking, I don't think it have an impact on the ordinary citizen, for it happened in the other half of the world, too far away for their concern. The average Singaporean is just too busy to really bother with the events of the world. Furthermore, since young, they have been taught to mind their own
business and leave the rest to the government. On the other hand, soldiers patrolling the various key installations in the country curse and swear at this extra duty of theirs all thanks to the man with the thick beard... 3 years down the road, the 6th anniversary. Will there be more attacks or more peaceful days in the world?

人生最美，不是黄昏雪后，不是夜半莲开，因为人间处处有好景，而惟独能和有缘人共享此美景时，方算得上是人生的良辰。

在人生的这一趟旅行中，最美的就是，能遇上一位知己，结伴同游，可以柴米油盐居家度日，也可以闲云野鹤相与出尖。

Day 8322

The 28th Olympics is over... A period where for the glory of sport and the honour of their teams, competing athletes from 202 National Delegations came together in the true spirit of sportsmanship to Athens for 17 days.

No doubt our State flag was not raised nor was the Majulah Singapura played during this period, Team Singapore did us proud and gave us a little something to dream about. I believe other than the Mt. Everest summit attempt and the completion of the 7 summits grand slam by Khoo Swee-Chiow, perhaps this Olympics is the time where our athletes had brought the sporting world's attention to this island country of ours in recent years. Or perhaps not...

It is also this Olympics that saw a great leap forward in the achievement of Asia's countries with China and Japan being in the top 5 rankings and winning a number of traditionally western-dominated events. I believe the 29th Olympics will see these countries dominating more of the events, especially China. Being the host country, I see no reason that they will not strive for more golds...

Kudos to Team Singapore for a job well done and for giving us something to dream about. You've shown the world that we dare to dream...

The important thing in life is not the triumph but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought well.

- Baron Pierre de Coubertin