Author: Johnny Pow

Is the lives of 239 on board the ill-fated mh370 matter much more then lives of 11,420 children killed in Syrian’s civil war? Coverage of the missing plane dominate international media and get lots of political leader’s attention. Not only had the government of those countries, its commercial entities also put in lots of effort and money tracing its flight destination. This will cost countless millions of dollar. However, very little of Syria story was publish by media and on the political leaders. Why?

One may say flight safety and securities is most important because people all over the world travel by planes compare with issues only involves the lives of one specific country. The civil war had been fought for the last three year and people already got tired wanting to know. All this seems logical.

According to a former head of Al-Jazeera and CBC News who teach journalism in a university – “Syria is complicated to cover and very costly” The mh370 “is the stuff for fiction … theories of black holes, kidnappings etc is very easy to do”. Is he agreeing with the writings by an American media and cultural critic in 1985 who wrote that “TV news was treating serious issues as entertainment and demeaning political discourse by transforming it into show business”

Hmmm, will think about that when next alone drinking coffee and eating bao at a food court.

Less than three months after retiring as chairman of a publicly traded investment company Harris was diagnosed with colon cancer. He was actually a very private person, however he decided to set up a blog as a means of staying in touch with his many friends.

Spending 15 months chronicling his life after diagnosis he wrote nearly 250 blog entries. Writing helps him to fight the isolationism and depression that can strike at many people with a terminal disease.

In his blog, Charlie wrote not only about his cancer, he shares his joy in association with owning and racing horses; his financial expertise; his travel experiences and observations, and about friends and family who have had an impact on his life.

One of his friend said “He did his best to maintain a normal and vibrant life, traveling during the early stages of his diagnosis, reading, watching movies and sports, listening to music, and constantly communicating with friends. It wasn’t unusual to get an e-mail from Charlie at midnight, or at 5 a.m. for that matter.”

His online diary was brought to the attention of editors of the publishing arm of a cancer research center in New York. Charlie signed a deal with the company to publish his writings. 100% of any profits from the book will go to cancer research, something he and his wife already are supporting in hopes that future patients will have a greater chance of survival.

Each chapter of the book starts with a quotation but three I shall share:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way” – Viktor E. Frankl

“He who pretends to look on death without fear lies. All men are afraid of dying, this is the great law of sentient beings, without which the entire human species would soon be destroyed.”, Jean-Jacques Rousseau

“The meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Reading his diary I learn not only the detail of treatment a cancer patient have to go through but how one can choose to live to the end of one life.

Chuang Tzu, one of my favourite philosopher said; “To have attained the human form is a source of joy. But in the process of evolution, there is an infinite number of other forms that are equally good. What incomparable blessing it is to undergo these countless transformations!”

Be brave, live and let go when time comes.