The Year of the Smartphone

It was Lunar New Year festivities, once again. For Kate and her brother, Charles, it was a festive occasion once again. Kate could return to her grandmother’s home to show her her latest single. Charles wanted to gorge on as much food as possible, and collect as many angpows as he could. The family soon…

What Might the Future Hinterland Be?

On Wednesday, I attended a lecture on Singapore’s development as a port city. It coincided with our bicentennial since the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles on Singapore’s shores in 1819. Throughout history, Singapore as a small territory was in search of a hinterland. Most successful cities operate on the premise of having hinterlands that support…