Living in 雾锁南洋

The haze is horrific these few days, with PSI hovering over 100 at unhealthy levels, as classified by our National Environment Agency (NEA).

Some joked that our neighbour, Indonesia, had sent smoke our way to help us fog out mosquitoes, having heard of the trouble NEA is having containing dengue.

In any case, Vivian Balakrishnan, our Minister for Environment and Water Resources must be a busy man lately. He has to combat mosquitoes, fan off haze and also deal with petty cleaning issues at hawker centres with the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (the name is such a mouthful, might as well just rename as Blue Town Council or Not White Town Council). Each of the three are just as important.

Here is a nice song dedicated to all frustrated Singaporeans to remind us that our forefathers did not have it easy either. When they first arrived in Nanyang, it was foggy too:

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人世间曾有多少离合悲欢
生命中曾有几许无奈沧桑
雾起在南方 雾落在南方
朝阳可曾藏心坎
过去的记忆你是否已经遗忘
雾起在南方 雾落在南方
祖先的流离可曾使你惆怅
重重迷雾锁南洋
望远方天水茫茫
浓雾中何处是家乡
向远方冲过险滩
浓雾散见我新家乡
过去的记忆世代不可遗忘
祖先的流离使我生命更坚强
雾起在南方 雾落在南方
重重迷雾锁南洋
带希望努力垦荒
带理想开拓新家乡
用希望换取希望
用理想创造新理想
充满信心向前望
不必迷惘 黑暗到了尽头
雾起在南方 雾落在南方
就会出现曙光
朝阳一出迷雾消

Meanwhile,