Kate launches "Flog"



Food of all kinds is everywhere in this country. Singapore's culinary artifacts are many and manifold, thanks to the four cultures that have meshed here over the last few hundred years.

In her food blog (or "Flog"), Kate is documenting her dining experiences like a true mushroom taster: there are many young adventurous ones, and many old cautious ones - but hardly any old adventurous ones. Let's see how long she lasts before we have to rush her to the ER.

In suspense

This is the cool thing about high-rises in Singapore: window cleaners. They provide welcome distraction at work....Malaysian migrants polishing up the glass and giving you a sideways stare. I put this one on the spot.

A bit of photography

Kate has posted some of her albums on "A bit of everything." A good range of people, places, and things. She'll be keeping this updated regularly, with lots of stills from Southeast Asia. Looks like Malaysia will be next.

The art of piñata...smashing

Pupils at an elementary school in Orange Walk demo their piñata-bludgeoning skills just before Christmas break. Belizeans have their own art to the tradition. Here a run-down of the techniques.

Oh, what you can get in a can

These were all firsts for me: Green tea in a can, a barley drink in a "can," and...



...Colt 45 in a can. Had to travel half the globe to find that one. I'm not sure which is worse, that they actually offer it, or that it costs 2.50 a can.

Betty: the second coming

Not two months ago did I drop my faithful Betty off to the caprices of her next owner. It is therefore with solemn anticipation that I look to her successor...who officially arrived on the market this week. Sorry Betty I, for my fickle loyalty. Betty II, see you in a year or so, I hope.

If this doesn't make you want to enroll your kids in Chinese classes...

...I'm not sure what will. This is a campaign that has been launched by the Promote Mandarin Council. Those who value linguistic diversity may not agree with the goal of the campaign; those who enjoy cute commercials won't care. These kids are impressive, and make me wish my brain cells hadn't hardened around red-neck English and a bit of High German.

Everybody loves teacher Badhra

Badhra, Kate's good friend and one-time host mother from Belize, is a popular teacher - even when she isn't teaching. Kate and I got to experience the admiration her former students still have for her. Pretty amazing, really - at least I don't remember wanting to hug my second or third-grade teacher so much.