theshadow

From Part 1 . Bryant Simon 's thesis is that the developed world is more susceptible to the seduction of buying because the pullback of community, the state, and other binding agents allowed brands like Starbucks to sell more goods by claiming the vacuum left by the government. Certainly something we in Singapore may see more clearly in the years after the 2011 General Elections. Like politicians and political parties, Starbucks and other corporates make huge promises about many things... Read Full Story

While planning to take some wow-Singapore-is-Monocle's-15th-most-liveable-city out-of-towners around Singapore during the Great Singapore Sale (see Foreign Policy Design Group -curated Great Singapore Stores ), was amused to notice how closely Singaporean society resembled the American counterpart studied (albeit rather anecdotally, but that is the way of sociologists) by Bryant Simon in Everything But The Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks . Which may be why we even make it onto... Read Full Story

Some days you think the sky is falling...and it's raining Angry Birds tchotchke. At least one stall in every pasar malam and mall a gaudy display of soft toys, electric fans, bags, files, pens bearing the images of the rotund birds in primary colours. We rode the wave with an Angry Birds-themed Revision Party just as the craze was cresting. In the playing-with-your-food department, a lazy google already turned up: playable Angry Birds cakes - commercially from Bake-A-Log and A Cake Life LLC... Read Full Story

"Our Mate" The morning after being grilled along with some mystery meat at a Korean BBQ, was still considerably in awe of God. "If God knows everything that will happen, why didn't he just make everyone obey him?" That's exactly what we would do if we were the too-flawed-to-wield-so-much-power Bruce Almighty . But, as if as additional proof that God wasn't made up by any human being, that's precisely what God does not do: he made the whole world, including human beings who were allowed to... Read Full Story

A happy afternoon perusing wares at Saturday In Design Singapore , the first of what's slated to be an annual trade event for the design community. Quite a bit of the exhibits were not new, but it was fun to see them all at one shot, observe tropes and discuss the concept of cross-fertilisation of ideas in a "globalised world". Grateful that God has given us the ability to find beauty in inanimate manmade objects - the Mattiazzi Branca , especially (a Vimeo on its manufacture). Explained the... Read Full Story

Fun times at The Steeping Room , a pop-up shop with a lifespan of only 3 months, from the same folk who brought us Papa Palheta and Loysel's Toy . Reminiscent of Square Mile Coffee Roasters ' Penny University . Fantastic initiative and, to use politico-speak, where the ground is heading. (Or is the ground being led there?) Like much art and theory, the methodology isn't new - the nonchalant Kenyan AA in a syphon at The Coffee Connoiseur has hung around for some time and the Hario Buono Kettle... Read Full Story

The destination for this year's May Day pilgrimage was Pulau Besar in Johor, another boat ride from Mersing jetty. We made full use of the 2-3 hour long queues at Malaysian immigration (they were testing out their new biometric thumbprint scanning systems) to hone our wheeling and dealing skills. Malaysian security spotted us and walkie-talkie-d for back-up, but their SOP didn't provide for action to be taken when faced with Monopoly Deal . A roller coaster ride along windy roads to Mersing... Read Full Story

How lovely if the crowd that had filled the Serangoon Stadium to capacity had streamed out, not from a Workers' Party rally, but from one of Billy Graham 's; if the clusters of people in fiery debates under trees and in the void decks of HDB flats were arguing about things of eternal value. With everyone talking about the upcoming Singapore general elections on 7 May 2011 - the most hotly contested elections in recent memory with 82 out of 87 parliamentary seats up for grabs, have been... Read Full Story

One of the best things I learnt from the very well thought-out OMF missionaries in Phnom Penh, Cambodia , is to consider the practical human aspect of evangelism: that is to say, when one does evangelism, one is also modelling to others how evangelism should take place. (That the gospel should be preached faithfully (with adequate helpings of judgement and hell) is a given.) Teaching English and conducting medical missions have been traditional ways of making inroads into certain societies... Read Full Story

Assembled a chocolate, banana, toffee pie for the first time last Saturday. Unfortunately, it was for a newcomers' dinner at which several people, for whom banoffee pies were sacred, would be present. Hadn't been too fond of the same confections they'd said they'd enjoyed on account of stupid taste buds that only understand things in layers - that is, layers of taste and texture. So didn't think they’d like the stuff and wasn't sure anyone would take well to bananas in their dessert. But it... Read Full Story