That it's much warmer than the Great Lakes region of the U.S. (or Canada, for that matter, Hillaire!;) ) Three inches of snow tonight where I am, Brrrr!!!!

All I know of SE Asia is what I read in papers (and the Economist), and BBC World News half-hours caplets broadcast by BBC in America and the Public Broadcasting Corporation. Vietnam is ground zero for bird flu (and tons of dioxane and probably lots human bone meal in the ground in places, to quote Vonnegut). Cambodia, lots of Buddhist shrines and much, much, much more human bone meal in the ground). Lots of tropical habitat if given the chance. Myanmar, big nasty gov. there and we know so little about it--they sure keep the doors shut (steadfastly anti-communist, they were considered an ally in the U.S. great crusade against communism and for freedom in SE Area, of which of course resulted in the War in Indochina, which precipitated unspeakable hell for many nations, and in the United States defined a generation (and is still defining American politics). Laos (and Thailand and Cambodia and Vietnam--fantastic recipes); Malaysia, current home of the tallest buildings in the world; Indonesia, disappearing rain forests, orangutans, ecosystems; Muslim in the West; not so much in Java--the great archipelago, my ex-brother-in-laws brother worked for World Bank there, his Costa Rican/American wife worked for State Department; Phillippines, former U.S. territory, interesting that they have a House of Reps. and Senate like we do here in the United States; East Timor, site of many troubles; New Guinea, home of some of the most primitive "native"/aboriginal peoples of the earth, and woefully vulnerable to many unethical forces humankind could perpetuate upon them. Thailand (and elsewhere), a thriving sex industry, not a good place to be a young woman, especially in the rural areas where you run a significant risk of being sold out by your own family.

Singapore; home HQ of a dominant world carrier; very, very, clean. It's criminal justice system's rep. preceeds itself, but Phoenyx you sure as heck don't need to be reminded of it. Have an ex-bro. in law recently assigned there to work for an investment bank there. It's Vanity Fair, one hears these things.

I've never been off the continent, don't even have a passport. I'm unusual for someone in my community in this aspect, so I won't pretend to begin to know Jack about SE Asia, and all the above is just stuff I've read or heard about, so I never make assumptions.

Caveman's off to bed. Interesting exercise.



I'm in love with the little red-headed girl!