we walked through a thermal scan at changi airport when we arrived. i was delighted with the liquid colours dancing on the transparent screen, but cindy said i was being suaku (it is true. i'm a sucker for flamboyantly visible technology.) and that as a scientist she refuses to be impressed by low-level technology. so i seized on her words when she said, in the theatre foyer last night, "this thermal screening is quite cool." it is pretty cool! and an unobtrusive way of doing it. i'm quite impressed at the sars security measures around the country though. i suppose it's a slight hassle, although it's really just a matter of having your ic scanned. last night we had to queue up in the foyer to leave our contact numbers, and have our i/c scanned. then we got our little orange "ok" stickers to put on the front of our dresses, and walked through the themal scan. all clear. and at the libraries, you have to have you i/c scanned before leaving, if you hadn't borrowed a book. taxidrivers issue receipts with full contact information, which my parents put away in a box on top of the piano. i guess i can be impressed and flippant - beause i wasn't here at the height of the sars scare. (i came downstairs sniffling yesterday, and immediately my dad said, go blow your nose, what's wrong with you, are you coming down with anything, don't do this outside, you'll get funny looks on the train, everyone will be worried. i got back at him yesterday when he took a gulp of tea too quickly and started coughing. "so pa, are you choking, or is that sars?") i feel both ludicrous but also admiring of the quietly efficient paranoia.