Thoughts (technology, newspapers, supermarkets, and movies)

It's nice to look at skyscrapers that aren't all concrete rectangles. Also, I was thinking how boring the domestic baggage collection area is in Toronto. It really is bland. Yes it's just for bags but a little extra effort in architecture can go a long way to making a good first impression on a new arrival. MAybe the international area is pimped out, but I don't remember it being particulalry nice.

Back to Singapore

Well Singapore does have some hitech stuff, but a lot of it is just cleaner and newer than what we have at home. The subway and buses can be paid for with a card that you put money on. I only mention this because I got a kick out of being able to swipe it without removing it from my wallet, and watching some of teh smaller ladies hoist their big bags to the sensors was also mildly amusing.
The car park at one mall had a constantly updates sign at the entrance that showed how many spots were available on each level and which ones were full. Of course I didn't have a car and don't know if it was digital sensors or man/lady keeping track of things but I watched it for a while and I think it must have been digital Very cool. And yes, I am a doofus standing there watching a car park readout change.
In the mall there were things called travellators. An escalator, but it's a ramp!!! I had never seen this before and it's actually not terribly good for the dpwn direction. Pressure oin the joints and the thing moves so slowly it feels like you might fall over your feet before you reach the bottom if you arenb't careful. Stiull, fun, and the shopping cart jockeys can wheel their carts down here rather than...who knows what.

Going to a supermarket, like one at home, not one of the crowded odd ones I've been to in Phnom Pehn orBangkok is a bad idea when you're on a budget. Unless you find the free samples. I can't believe I never noticed THAT before. Of course after scarfing as much bread and chicken on toothpicks as possible I actually bought a loaf instead of the planned box of cookies, so I guess their scam worked! It was good though, and filling.

The Straits Times, Singapore's main Englkish paper is solid. It seemed to have balanced coverage on the country region and the world as a whole. It even had mention of the Mountie shootings at home. If only all papers could be so well maintained....

I went to see a movie in Singapore. I figured it's an urban place and urban people see movies. And It was AC and I wqanted to see a movie. Constantine...it was pretty good. But the really weird thing for me was the assigned seats. I bought my ticket and the girl told me she'd put me in seat F5. Oh! She assured me it was a good seat and she was right. It even had an overweight fellow sitting beside me scarfing nachos, and finishing the whole plate before the movie had even begun. Just like home.

Definitiley more people able to eat more food in Singapore.