Nation of smokers

You think the day would never come. But Singapore is now a nation of smokers. How can anyone avoid it when the PSI, as of 20 June 2013, 3pm, is reading 355. This is rated as Hazardous to people on the island. To put it starkly, the air has become poisonous. Even our army boys are not allowed to go out in the open for exercises.

I wonder too if the environment is hazardous to yesterday's bug bear - the dengue-bearing mosquitos. If it is, then there is possibly a silver lining in the current hazy situation in Singapore. In one fell-swop, our dengue problem may likely have been resolved, but at great cost. It has put people's lives in danger and would virtually halt all outdoor activities, much like in the days of SARS, when, I remember, the streets were void of human existence.

And I wouldn't bet on this going away soon despite the best effort of the Singapore government. Do you even think that the central government in Jakarta hold sway over the farmers in Sumatra who have been doing this for years? They didn't listen last year, nor the year before, nor any time within our collective memory.

I hear that face masks are flying off the shelves. I probably should get some here in case the masks are out of stock when I return. Return...now that is something I am not looking forward to.