Note of thanksgiving

I lost my car key yesterday. While I have a spare set, it bothered me terribly as I was down with my last set and it cost S$400 to replace the key which comes with an immobiliser. I searched for it in the lab where I was yesterday and went to the estate office hoping that someone may have found it, but it was not there.

I prayed that someone would find that small thing that could be just about anywhere. While on the way up to the staffroom, I had an impression where the key could be, all in vivid colours. It was as if I was seeing where the key was. It was kind of strange as I was not even thinking of finding the key at that time. I was quite resigned by then to making a replacement.

So I rushed to the exact location which I saw in my mind and after searching that area, I found the key just the way I saw it in my mind a couple of minutes ago. You may call that sheer coincidence but I choose to believe that it is divine intervention. So thank God who has been helpful even in small things like this.

Theme verse for CF 2007

Ezekiel 37:1-14

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet--a vast army.

My morning reflection today

Last sunday, the preacher quoted to us this particular verse that was attributed to Jim Elliot

He is no fool
Who gives what he cannot keep
To gain what he cannot lose.

Jim Elliot was martryed bringing the gospel to the Indian tribe. He was willing to sacrifice his life to bring the good news of the Gospel to the darkest reaches of the world.

In comparison, all that I have done and achieved are terribly insignificant. The poignant point I have learnt is that I must never lose sight of what is really important in my life. Life is terribly busy and many times I dont know whether what I do is important in this mosaic of life.

I do pray that the work that God has given me will be pleasing unto Him. To God be all the glory.

I am back

Just in case you think my blog is dead, well then I have just proven you wrong. I have done a lot of things since my last blog, so I can safely say i have a lot of things to say.

Let me tell you that I am becoming really good at this haircutting business. My prominent clients include potential prominent people from across South East Asia who happen to be living where I am right now. I am also proud to add a certain Mr Ding into my list of customers. So far nobody has complained so it must be good then.

Quite recently I was showing off my prospective final abode to a very captive audience. Too bad it was late at night and the columbarium wasnt well lit at that sort of hour. We should have come at more decent hours I guess. I am seriously thinking of having lunch there soon but so far nobody else has shown much interest about coming along.

While I am on the subject of death I am alarmed at how expensive it has become to dispose of one's remains after departure. I am inclined to think that cremation is the best option but decimating dead flesh in cheap plastic and plywood may not be environmentally friendly. But then again there is really not much place left for a decent burial so there isnt much of an option.

Given that GST hike is on the card, I would think that an early-bird special or some loyalty programme could help defray some of the cost associated with the business of dying. Just last month I called up a friend who has a nose for great deals to find out where I can get a great funeral package for myself. I reason that there could be some service akin to time sharing where one puts in some money in return for a complete here-after package.

She swore that I was mad but really I was drop-dead serious. Forgive the pun. Face it, dying is an impending reality which no one can escape from and it would be awefully impolite to saddle anyone else with the sole responsibility of cleaning up after you.

The best deal I have come across is from Casket Fairprice. I guess the Co-op came into this grim business to help stabilise the otherwise escalating price of funeral packages. As Singapore deals with an ageing population, there will be nafarious undertakers who while dishing out well-rehearsed sympathy, really seek to profit from the increasing demand through higher fees. After all, for many of the clients, it is really one-off thing and families are too distraught to haggle over prices. So it is a good thing that our neighbourhood Coop, apart from offering a wide range of groceries to cater to the needs of the living, also offer a value-for-money package that makes dying a very affordable affair.

I wonder whether we get linkpoints for that last purchase too.

Stomach problem

Stomachache is no fun at all. Especially so when you dont really know what's eating you.

I mean if you get a diorrhoea or something then at least you can put a finger to it and attributed it to food poisoning perhaps. But what i got was something really ominous. I got this intermittent sharp pain in my tummy that hits me now and then. It has been going on for the past 5 days and I am getting really worked-up to the point I am losing sleep over it.

I wish it will go away. Sometimes the pain does not come back for some time and it gives me the false hope that it's gone. Then it attacks. I hope that the doctor will tell me something useful tomorrow.

Dating at Burger King

I went out on a date last night. My date was a really nice lady. She was friendly and chatty, works in an institution of public character and has a real passion for her work. She was also a very patient person given that I arrived late to pick her up. My latecoming was partly due to the fact that my afternoon nap took longer than expected, and that I took a longer route to avoid the unneccesary evening jams.

As it turned out, we decided to try Swedish food at IKEA which predictably was jam-packed with like-minded people. We ended up at Burger King, which I can testify is a lousy place to have a first date in. Ordering a double whopper was another big mistake. It wasn't pretty to have bits of lettuce, tomato and mayo dripping on your lap and all over the table. That wasnt quite the first impression I wanted to project.

Anyway we had a nice evening. We rounded up the evening shopping at IKEA. All I wanted was a jug but just the same we ended up looking at sofa set, cushions, curtains, all manner of cutlery. These of course were rather redundant once I decided on my jug but oh well, it was fun anyway shopping for things I may not need anytime soon.

A november post

It is a shame to waste such a great blogskin. I would have you know that this blogskin was designed by Tim Lim for my birthday. I believe that this is a good opportunity to say thank you for the labour of love.

Eric just left us for the US last sunday. I was a little upset that I had little time to say goodbye. I caught a glimpse of him at the airport and managed a little hug before running off to attend a course. I hope he will keep in touch. He must have landed by now. Hope he will do well in his studies and keep himself from trouble. They carry guns there in the US.

I look forward to having Ding back. It's been some time and I would love to know how he is doing. Maybe he can share his exploits in the US. Should be very interesting indeed.

Bayes' Theorem

I cant draw the tree diagrams here, but it will help if you do so to visualise the problems here. Actually the questions are more on conditional probability than they are on Bayes' theorem.

Question:
In an urn, there are a total of 38 beads of which:
10 large red beads (LR)
8 large white beads(LW)
8 large green beads (LG)
5 small white beads (SW)
7 small red beads (SR)

One bead is drawn from the urn. The bead is placed back in the urn and a second bead is drawn. Calculate the probability
(a) the second bead drawn is small given that the first bead drawn is white
(b) the second bead drawn is white given that the first bead drawn is small
(c) the second bead drawn is white given that the first bead drawn is red
(d) the second bead drawn is large given that the first bead drawn is green

Solution:
(a)
p(S/W)=p(SnW)/p(W)
p(S) = (7+5)/38 = 12/38 = 6/19
So p(S/W) = p(S)p(W)/p(W)=p(S)= 6/19

(b)
p(W/S) = p(W n S)/p(S)
p(W n S) = p(W)p(S) since both events are independent
p(W)=(8+5)/38 = 13/38
So p(W/S)= p(W)p(S)/p(S) = p(W) = 13/38

(c)
p(W/R)=P(W n R)/p(R)
p(W n R) = p(W)p(R)
since getting white in the second take is independent of whether you get red in the first take since the bead was replaced.
So p(W/R) =p(W)p(R)/p(R)=p(W)= 13/38

(d)
p(L/G) = p(L n G)/p(G)
p(L n G) = p(L)p(G)
p(G) = 8/38
so p(L/G) = p(L)p(G)/p(G)= p(L) = 26/38 = 13/19

Question:
Seven tickets are numbered consecutively from 1 to 7. Two of them are selected in order without replacement.
A - The sum of the numbers on the two tickets is 9
B - Both tickets show prime numbers
C - The numbers on the two tickets differ by 1
Find (a) p(A/B) (b) p(B/C) (c) p(A/B)

Solution:
Sample space for event A
{ (2, 7), (3, 6), (4, 5), (5, 4), (6,3), (7, 2) }
p(A) = 6/42 = 1/7

Sample space for event B (Note that 1 is not a prime number)
{ (2,3), (2,5), (2,7), (3,2), (3,5),(3,7), (5,2), (5,3), (5,7), (7,2), (7,3), (7,5) }
p(B) = 12/42 = 2/7

Sample space for event C
{ (2,1), (2,3), (3,2), (3,4), (4,3), (4,5), (5,4), (5,6), (6,5), (6,7), (7,6) }
p(C) = 11/42

(a)
A n B = { (2,7), (7,2) }
p(A/B) = p(A n B) / p(B)
p(A n B) = 2/42 = 1/21
p(A/B) = (1/21) / (2/7) = 1/6

(b)
B n C = { (2,3), (3,2) }
p(B/C)= p(B n C) / p(C)
p(B n C)= 2/42 = 1/21
So p(B/C) = (1/21) / (11/42) = 2/11

(c)
p(B/A) = p(A/B)p(B)/p(A) (Bayes' Theorem)
= (1/6) x (2/7) / (1/7)
= 1/3

Question:
A taxicab was involved in a hit and run accident at night. Two cab companies, the Green and the Blue, operate in the city. You are given the following data:

85% of the cabs in the city are Green and 15% are Blue.
A witness identified the cab as Blue.

The court tested the reliability of the witness under the same conditions that existed the night of the accident. The court concluded that the witness correctly identifies each one of the two colours 80% of the time and fails 20% of the time.

What is the probability that the cab involved in the accident was Blue rather than Green, i.e. the witness correctly identified the cab colour?

Solution:

C- Event that the taxi colour is correctly identified
B - Blue taxi was identified

p(B) = p(green but accidentally identified as blue) + p(blue and identified correctly as blue)
=0.85 x 0.2 + 0.15 x 0.8 =0.29

p(C n B) = 0.15 x 0.8 = 0.12

p(C/B) = p(witness identifies correct colour given that it is blue)
=p(C n B)/p(B) = 0.12/0.29 = 0.41

Question:
Suppose as part of admission to graduate school a test is given. From past occurences, it is known that if a candidate is qualified to enter graduate school, he will succeed on the test 95% of the time, while an ineligible candidate will pass the test only 25% of the time.The school clarifies that in the past 80% of the people that applied were indeed qualified. The school has given the test to applicant Lewis, and he passed. What is the probability that he was qualified to attend graduate school?

Solution:
Q - Event that the candidate is qualified
S = Event that the candidate is successful (passed the test)

p(Q/S) = p(Q n S)/p(S)
p(S) = 0.8 x 0.95 + 0.2 x 0.25 = 0.81
p(Q n S) = 0.8 x 0.95 = 0.76
So P(Q/S) = 0.76/0.81 = 0.938

Question:
Management of a company find that 30% of secretaries hired are unsatisfactory. A test is devised to improve the situation. One hundred employees are chosen at random and are given newly constructed test. Out of these, 90% of the successful secretaries pass the test and 20% of the unsuccessful secretaries pass.

(a) Based on these results, if a person applies for a secretarial job, takes a test, and passes it, what is the probability that he or she is a good secretary?
(b) If the applicant fails the test, what is the probability that he or she is a good secretary?

Solution:

(a)
P- Event that the secretary passes the test
S- Event that the secretary is a good secretary

p(P) = 0.7 x 0.9 + 0.3 x 0.2 = 0.69
P(S n P) = 0.7 x 0.9 = 0.63
p(good secretary given that she passed)=p(S/P)=p(SnP)/p(P)=0.63/0.69 = 0.913

(b)
p(fails) = p(P') = 1 - p(P) =0.31
p(fails and good) = 0.7 x 0.1 = 0.07
p(good secretary given that she failed) = 0.07/0.31 = 0.226

Question:
A test attempts to recognise the presence of a certain disease. Records show that 22% of adults have some form of the disease, and the remaining adult population is free of the disease. The test is not completely reliable. A person with some form of the disease has a 5% chance of testing negative, thereby falsely indicating that he or she does not have the disease. A person who does not have the disease has an 11% chance of testing positive, thereby falsely indicating that the disease is present. Use the correct mathematical notation for your probabilities.

Let D be the event that an adult has some form of the disease.
Let P be the event that an adult tested positive for the disease.

(a) What is the probability that an adult has some form of the disease?
(b) What is the probability that a person who does not have the disease tests negative for the disease?
(c) If a person tests negative for the disease, what is the probability that he or she actually does not have a form of the disease?

Solution:
(a)
p(D) =0.22

(b)
p(P'/D')= p( P' n D ')/p(D')
p(P' n D') = 0.78 x 0.89 = 0.6942
p(D') = 0.78
So p(P'/D')= 0.6942/0.78 = 0.89

(c)
p(P') = 0.22 x 0.05 + 0.78 x 0.89 = 0.7052
p(D'/P')= p(P'/D')p(D') / p(P') (Bayes' Theorem)
= 0.89 x 0.78 / 0.7052
= 0.984


Bonus Question:
The Monty Hall Problem
Game show setting. There are 3 doors, behind one of which is a prize. Monty Hall, the host, asks you to pick a door, any door. You pick door A (say). Monty opens door B (say) and shows voila there is nothing behind door B. Gives you the choice of either sticking with your original choice of door A, or switching to door C.

Should you switch?

The Solution
Yes.

The a priori probability that the prize is behind door X, P(X) = 1/3

The probability that Monty Hall opens door B if the prize were behind A,
P(Monty opens B|A) = 1/2

The probability that Monty Hall opens door B if the prize were behind B,
P(Monty opens B|B) = 0

The probability that Monty Hall opens door B if the prize were behind C,
P(Monty opens B|C) = 1

The probability that Month Hall opens door B is then
p(Monty opens B) = p(A)*p(M.o. B|A) + p(B)*p(M.o. B|B) + p(C)*p(M.o. B|C)
= 1/6 + 0 + 1/3 = 1/2

Then, by Bayes' Theorem,

P(A|Monty opens B) = p(A)*p(Monty opens B|A)/p(Monty opens B)
= (1/6)/(1/2)
= 1/3
and
P(C|Monty opens B) = p(C)*p(Monty opens B|C)/p(Monty opens B)
= (1/3)/(1/2)
= 2/3

In other words, the probability that the prize is behind door C is higher when Monty opens door B, and you SHOULD switch!

Question and Solution taken from http://astro.uchicago.edu/rranch/vkashyap/Misc/mh.html

Birthday Well-wishers..

My Godsons' family was so nice to treat me to lunch today at Jack's place. The lunch ended with a nice mango cake and everyone sang a rousing birthday song, which was pretty embarassing. But it was really nice to be among family and friends. It feels good to have people do such a nice thing for you.

There are so many other well-wishers too and I am thankful to God for the dunkin donuts, for the chocolates and cards. I suppose it felt really pleasant to be remembered on occasion.

Well it's back to school from tomorrow onwards, with plenty to do before the term ends. I do ask the Lord to improve my motivation, with procrastination creeping in and numerous deadlines to meet. I don't feel at all able to meet all the demands that are coming up, so I really need God's strength and prayers!

Thank you for the new blog Tim.

Thanks to Tim's most thoughtful gift, my blog has taken on a new look. It's bluish tint is just the way I like it, and the mountains in the backdrop brings fond memories of the good old days when I was energetic enough to scale some beautiful mountains in Wales and Greece.

Those days are long gone. So were the friends that I used to hang around with when I was in university. There is a time for everything under the sun, and I have moved on from the happy-go-lucky life that was a constant feature of my former self.

It is not all bad. Not many people know what they really want to do in life. So I am happy to be counted among the few who are fortunate enough to discover their true calling. Mine is to teach. Teaching is something that I am really passionate about and is what I was meant to do.

I had been a scholar, engineer, research student, and now, teacher. One of my life's regret is that I was not brave enough to follow my heart earlier in life. I never considered teaching because I could do many things that I thought was greater.

While I still think that life in general is without meaning, I guess a real consolation for me is that at the very least I know that the work I put in may count for something to those I serve.

I turn 35 today

I turn 35 today.

Reflecting on the life that has passed me by, it worries me a little that I may yet have another 35 years more to go. I have, on many occasions, prayed that I may live a short life, and secondly, that the life I lived had been purposeful and meant something. I am not at all certain that either prayer will be granted.

When I think about it, there is really nothing much left to do here on Earth. The ageing body stands incongruant with the unchanging spirit within, and days pass into years, that separation becomes more pronounced. How I wish it would soon be severed.

I possess very little, low in stature, no wealth to speak of, and no family of my own. In my deepest anguish, I feel that existence has been forced upon me and I am doomed to live my life accomplishing hidden purposes that I know not.


I sum up that life is similar to the parable of the Energizer Rabbit. We wont stop going until our battery runs out. Where we go is not the point.

Sam: A mother's journey of faith

I just read Sam: A mother's journey of faith and it encouraged me so much in my own personal walk with God. It made me want to cry several times, so I only managed a chapter at a time. What I felt was immensely powerful about the book is that I could see how God has been there all along and that He is fully in control.

Mrs Chan's trust in the Lord strengthens my own faith, which I must confess fluctuates with the ravages of life. There were times in my own life when I dont really know if He's there or that He even cares. I could count those times as one of the loneliest days of my life.

It is timely to be reminded of God's faithfulness in life's journey. Like an untrusting child, I have the tendency to bail out when the going get's rough, to take matters into my own hands. It is my prayer that the Lord will strengthen me with resolve and obedience to Him alone. I want to hear less of my own voice and listen more to Him that has my interest at heart.

I just want to express my heartfelt thanks to Mrs Chan, Sam and Russel who through their faith and obedience to God, have encouraged so many in their faith journey; and to God who, through His sovereign plan, has enabled this book to be written so that countless others can share the blessing.

Downside of teaching

Once in a while things happen that make us re-examine the reasons why we do what we do. Yesterday was just one of those days.

It is really hard to teach those who feel that it was more important to be elsewhere. Of course what they had to do was important, but that was done at the expense of curriculum time that was rightfully mine. It was not like I had nothing new to teach, in fact I had prepared some materials for a new lesson that would have helped build the foundation for subsequent lessons. But now I have to re-teach it, thanks to the thoughtless actions of students who only think of themselves.

It is very trying when we have to deal with inconsiderate students. Sigh.

Scout Hymn chords

I have been searching for the chords for the Scout Hymn but cannot find it online. Anyone knows where I can get it?

On a separate note, I just came back from Tampines JC Band and guitar concert. It was pretty good. Too bad the audience was happily chatting away or making catcalls. Better concert etiquette would have made the experience more enjoyable for everyone.

The Scout Hymn

Here's the Scout Hymn, which embodies the essence of the Scout Promise and Law. The Year 1 scouts had great fun learning the first verse last Friday. I will get them to learn the entire hymn....

Scout Hymn


Now as I start upon my chosen way,
In all I do, my thoughts, my work, my play,
Grant as I promise, courage new for me
To be the best, the best that I can be.

***

Help me to keep my honour shining bright,
May I be loyal, in the hardest fight,
Let me be able, for my task and then
To earn a place, among my fellow men.

***


Open my eyes to see things as I should,
That I may do my daily turn of good,
Let me be ready, waiting for each need
To keep me clean in thought and word and deed.

***

So as I journey on my chosen way,
In all I do, my thoughts, my work, my play,
Grant as I promise, courage new for me,
To be the best, the best that I can be.

Give thanks

There's really a good reason to celebrate right now. We just had our first midweek praise and worship session in hall 7 music room. I had been praying that we could start this for a long time, and at last God has made it happen.

I am thankful for the 8 boarders that turned up today. Despite the lack of any songsheets, we managed to praise God just the same with our hearts and voices. It was great when we went around giving thanks to God for His mercy and goodness. I felt that as we left the music room at the end of the session, we were all rejuvenated and glad that we came.

So I want to take this opportunity to thank our Lord for being in our midst, for it was His presence that we felt. It makes me realise that the only one we need is Christ and things like good music or activities were not important compared to being with Him.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
The Labourers labour in vain.

I want to dedicate this little midweek group to God, and may He use it for His Glory!

Amen!

Ode to Ding

As we said our final farewell to Siyan as he walked through to the immigration area, I could sense that many of his well-wishers found it difficult to let him go. Frantic hand-waving and bright cheery smiles across the glass barrier did little to hide the sorrow of imminent parting. I guess it is true that you never really know how much a person means to you until you lose him. The tears swelling in many eyes tonight said it all.

I wish parting is really sweet sorrow. Nevertheless, we can take comfort that SiYan will be back with us a few months down the road. We will have to do without him. Perhaps things will be a little awkward for a while. That empty desk in the classroom would serve as a silent reminder of his absence.

Soccer or BB may be less inviting. For many, his leaving would mean one less person who could emphatize, or patient and quiet enough to listen. With few words, SiYan has worked his charms in each of our lives. Life without our beloved Ding would't be quite the same.



May t

In Loving Memory

I write this post to pay tribute to my Godmother Mona Ventura who passed away on the 20th of May 2006. She may have succumbed to disease but her spirit lives on in heaven and her memory will always be cherished by those who love her.

I could not wish for a better Godmother. She loved me like her own son, and treated me like she would her family. Her family and her rekindled the love that I thought was lost through the years I have lived alone.

A few weeks before she passed away, I visited her at the hospital. She whispered to me that she loved me and gave me a kiss on my cheek. I never really know why she loved me so, but the fact is she did and that meant a lot.

Knowing you are loved makes all the difference.

I love her too and wish that I have more time with her. But she is gone and the world is a terribly lonely place.

I will remember her as that feisty, quick-witted woman who gives of herself to others. Her remains at the funeral were a pale shadow of her true legacy. My Godmother is now safe with God and I am confident that I will see her once more when it is time for me to make the same journey home.

Being Single

You know you have to worry about being single at 35 when one of your year 3 students seemed to be more alarmed than you that you are single at age 35. It does not help matters when a host of good-intentioned colleagues, one in particular who shall remain nameless, keep pestering you about the same issue, conjuring up permutations of possible matches with presumably available female teachers.

It gets kind of embarassing considering that little is known about the factual availability of those potential suitors, or for that matter, why in the world they would consider me a desirable candidate for their husband. I myself find it hard to recall any compelling trait that would justify anyone marrying me. Should that happen anytime before I die, it would be by the Grace of God indeed.

So I am fairly resigned to be single for the rest of my hopefully short life. Don't get me wrong, I am not actively seeking death. I would like to live my life purposely and meaningfully and depart as soon as the work set out for me here is done. Hopefully that wont entail me hanging around too long. Eternal rest sounds like a good thing.

Now I am becoming morbid. I guess that comes with ageing and waking up realising that there is very little one can do about it. No amount of lyposuction or botok injection can reverse what is inevitable. I guess what's important now is to live the remaining portion of my life with a little dignity and being satisfied with it.

Everything else is vanity.

Ill conceived date

I received a free ticket to the ACJC Band concert at the Esplanade concert hall. It was on a wednesday evening on a school week and I was reluctant to go. But I was assured that my benefactor has given the ticket to an adjacent seat to someone who he allegedly think I have a romantic interest in. He assured me that everything was going to go smoothly so I was game enough to give this "arranged date" a try. No harm right?

Dressed in my Sunday best, I drove with much anticipation to the concert hall, wondering whether that someone would turn up at all. Well, to cut a long story short, she did not. The seats were not adjacent either, but one in front of the other. So I spent the next two and a half hours staring at an empty seat in front of me, listening to band music that, after some time, sounded much the same.

It was however a treat to watch some of my students masterfully displaying their art, when the ACSI band came out to play. It was really nice to see them in a different setting.

You know what the moral of the story is? Next time you want to ask a girl out, well, do it yourself and make sure you know the seating plan before you get the tickets.
There is really much to learn.