The formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 led to a short-lived merger between Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federation of Malaya.

What followed was nearly two years of political strife between Singapore and the federal government.

On 9 August 1965, Singapore separated from the rest of Malaysia and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation, led by the leader of the ruling People’s Action Party and Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.

Altho' a month has passed since Independence Day, one can still see countless numbers of these flags hanging from the windows and balconies of the HDB high-rises that makes up 40% of Singaporean housing.

MB, our new housekeeper, moved in on Sunday night and has been working out very well. Today, because she was taking care of the girl, I went shopping at Spotlight, a fabric store like JoAnn fabrics, and Daiso, an amazing Japanese two dollar store.

It is still mighty hot but we have a public pool (Bedok swimming complex)close by that opens at 8am. It costs one dollar for adults and fifty cents for children. You walk up to the ticket machine and put your money in. You get a ticket that lets you in the complex which is comprised of two wading pools, a lap/freeform pool and a competition pool. The lockers are poolside and cost two twenty cent coins.

I just realized also that we have a really decent wet market behind our house that sells fruits, veggies, eggs, fresh tofu and meat.

I have been getting movies regularly from HomePal, Singapore's Netflix. Last night I watched A Gentleman's Agreement with Gregory Peck.

Sunbooty is getting more and more bossy every day. She also has lost her ability to hear when being asked to do something she doesn't want to do. Happily, she likes MB. Her sense of humor is also developing quite nicely and she has been regaling us with imitations of US.

Last week we were startled by the Hungry Ghost Festival, an inauspicious time due to the unfulfilled dead. People burn stuff by the side of the road, hold loud auctions in the middle of the street at night, and perform skits. This is all the satisfy the ghosts. It is sort of a Day of the Dead for the Chinese.

H is in Korea this week.

Over the week-end I finally finished the hugely engrossing book "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts. And found out that Hollywood wants to make a movie of this semi-autobiographical story about an escaped Australian criminal who sets up a free clinic in a slum in Bombay and then ends up working for the mafia. It sounds, however, like the movie has been shelved perhaps permanently. Johnny Depp and some other producers (Brad Pitt???) bought the rights to the screenplay. Mira Nair was supposed to direct. Amitabh Bachchan was to play opposite Johnny Depp as the mafia don. But don't get your hopes up. There has been no news lately about filming. There has been an uproar about Johnny Depp casting himself as the character Lin, who is a large, homely, prison-breaking thug with a big heart. I imagine Sanjay Dutt actually. Or Russell Crowe, who also bid for the screenplay.