Do you know about the HAZE?

Forest fires and brush fires started as efforts to clear land is an illegal but widespread action in Indonesia and it is affecting neighboring countries. Air quality is now dangerous in both Malaysia and Singapore, not to mention parts of this country. I can't say that we notice it here, and it must be noted that air quality is always poor in Medan. When I flew into Jakarta last July I took a picture of the smog from my window seat and it was amazingly disturbing. Apparently, things are now even worse. ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is attempting to pressure Indonesia to clean this up, but that will be no small feat. It's difficult to see how they will be able to do anything about it. The reason for this is also difficult to determine, all one can say for certain is that this is not a particularly efficient country and law enforcement is not a specialty. There are articles in the paper everyday about this, graft is the norm.

A clothes hanger fell from my closet and shattered. I've bought two belts here that lasted a week each. Things are not made well, it's a wonder as to how things could be built so poorly. It's possible that people who are paid so little, with no recourse against hostile or unfair employers, and no welfare state just see no reason to care about doing quality work. It's possible.