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NO Control

Now it seems that my last post was a bit presumptuous. Not the being awed with God's wonders part. But the leaving soon part. But you know, I wouldn't have put it on the internet unless I really had believed that is what we were doing!!

But since I don't know much in the practical detail realm, I'll go back to the nature theme. The skies are not so blue today. Singapore is usually one of the cleanest cities in the world with super tight emission standards and next to zero factory pollution. Did you know that you can only drive a car here for 10 years before its shipped off to Malaysia? Did you know that if a local outdoor eatery (called hawker centers here) is caught by a policeman with a roach on the floor, they are closed down for 2 weeks pending health inspection? Did you know that if you are caught with drugs you are sentenced to death with no grace, even on the first offense? I guess I'm getting carried away from the nature them but those kinds of rules make for a pretty clean society!

Anyhow, back to the not-blue skies. The problem is not Singapore. It's Indonesia, our close neighbor, a mere 30 minute ferry ride away. They are completing their yearly burning of the fields, and the smoke and ash drifts right over our way. It's been on and off like this for the last couple of weeks. Surely the fields should almost be gone now?? Its like a grey soup outside and you can literally feel the heaviness in the air. It reminds me of China.

I love China. We are going there this weekend on a trip. Which brings me back to my presumptuous previous entry. I thought that during this visit, we might be bringing our first shipment of boxes with us! If I had any semblance of control over my own life, I have been well-reminded, I have none.