This unexpectedly joyful event is detailed at the end of this posting today.  I begin with yesterday leaving Singapore on Thai Air to Bangkok. The Thai meal was fine.  The garlic-buttered bread was outstanding.  With Singha Beer and Glenlivet Scotch. Watched  Golda  about her leadership during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.   Rotten Tomatoes  reviewers gave it a 52 score, but audiences bestowed 91.  I agree with the latter.  Helen Mirren was incredible as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.  She looked more like Golda than Golda herself.  Liev Schreiber had the role of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and there was no resemblance. She was 70 years old when the Yom Kippur War started.  She was a chain-smoker who was undergoing secret treatments for lymphoma.  So was not only challenged by the near defeat of Israel, but was herself suffering.  She eventually resigned in 1974 and passed away at the age of 80. Mo...

 Our M Club dinner with drinks last night. Went to bed early.  Note that we essentially did nothing in Singapore. We catch Thai Air from Singapore to Subarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.  Started in some strange sounding and dingy looking lounge.  No tomato juice for a Bloody Mary.  Had Asahi Beer and a glass of Chardonnay with curry rice, which was lukewarm, but okay.  Huge chunks of good-tasting beef. Thailand is, geographically, 700 times larger than Singapore, with 13 times more people.   However, the annual GDP are very similar, $495 million for Thailand and $467 million for Singapore. Thus, the GDP per capita of Singapore is $82,808 and $7,082 for Thailand. Singapore is #1 in world competitiveness, Thailand #40. Global Peace Ranking:  Singapore #6, Thailand #92. Almost everyone in Singapore was fully vaccinated against Covid-19  by September of 2022.  Thailand is now up to 77%. Thai people are friendly.  While not unfriendly,...

 There are  differences  worthy of mention between Japan and Singapore:  1.39 S$ to the U.S. $1. Virtually everyone in Singapore speaks English.  Not so in Japan. The shock of cold in Singapore reminds you that you are not using a warm Japanese washlet toilet.   Most of the 50 or so TV channels in Singapore are in English.  In Japan, perhaps half dozen. The one huge negative factor is World War II.  Travel throughout the Pacific Islands, Oceania, China and Southeast Asia, and you get the same understated, but emotionally wrought response about  Japanese occupation of their territory .  It has been more than 80 years, but feelings remain.  One reason: The   Kempeitai   (the Japanese   military police ), which was the dominant occupation unit in Singapore, committed numerous atrocities towards the common people. They introduced the system of " Sook Ching ", meaning "purging through purification" in   Chinese ,...