Thursday, March 17, 2011

IS THIS PART OF THE METRIC SYSTEM? I've mentioned how much I like the eggs in Singapore. I still do. But here's the thing. A dozen eggs here is really TEN EGGS. By that I mean they come in packages of 10, not 12. (For proof, I offer the above photo as Exhibit A. You can count them, yourself. No, Virginia, there aren't eleven; that's an orange in the background.) I know it's not a big problem--for most people. I've already been told I'm likely to strike out if I use the phrase "in the ballpark." It means nothing to most people here. Now, I probably can't refer to "a baker's dozen." My brain is getting scrambled. (Pssssst, they do NOT refrigerate the eggs in the grocery stores.)

WE DIDN'T GO THERE: We probably should have, but Stephen and I did NOT go to O'Gambino's restaurant near Raffles City/Place/Something-or-Other in honor of St. Patrick's Day. I bet they had fun there today. Other activities precluded it. Can't get into that now. But I like the name of this place. I thought you would, too. For lunch, we dropped in at a branch of O'Soup Spoon.

CRANES TAKE A BIT OF A DIP, BY GOING UP: Today's report indicates a sharp downturn in the early-morning crane activity at the Tanjong Pagar container terminal. It's apparent in today's Singapore Crane Index Limited Economic Indicator. Hard to explain. Are all the crew and stevedores watching the live-streaming of the first games of the NCAA men's basketball tournament? Probably not. Crane-watchers need not despair. The noontime situation was much better. Product is still moving.

Date: March 17
Time: 9:00 a.m. (Singapore time)
Cranes Up (bad): 14
Cranes Down (good): 13
CRANES MISSING (neutral): 1