Fitness, Health, Singapore, Singapore's people

A fine balance of space, air, light and water

Simply put, this is vertical farming. Where all environmental factors (air temperature, humidity, water, nutrients and light) are controlled through computer automation and optimally customised to suit particular plant varieties. Also known as CEA or Controlled Environment Agriculture. Remember Ridley Scott’s 2015 film The Martian ? You recall the plot line. To survive, botanist Mark Watney, stranded on Mars, has to grow his own … Continue reading A fine balance of space, air, light and water

a a thomasJune 22, 2016March 21, 2018Leave a comment

Being a Parent, Education, Fitness, Health, Nature & Singapore, Pets, R & R, Singapore, Singapore's people, Sport, The Singaporeans, Travel

A beautiful Friday morning …

It was a rare convergence : a beautiful morning, clear skies, sunshine chased by a rippling wind into ‘shadow and seek’, the beginning of a weekend and an hour to spare. Carpe diem is my resolution for 2014. And so, when I find myself traveling alongside a lengthy, glinting stretch of silver fringed by green and framed by rain trees – an unexpected vista between … Continue reading A beautiful Friday morning …

a a thomasApril 8, 2014April 11, 2014Leave a comment

Art & Culture, Food & Drink, Health, R & R, Travel

Five Star dining with your Fingers

A ‘mega’ hotel that recently opened in Chennai, India, the ITC Grand Chola (the third largest hotel in India), is an architectural paean to the Chola Dynasty, one of the longest ruling empires of southern India. The hotel is contemporary Dravidian temple design a la Chola : four entrances (as found in temples in south India), soaring spaces, tall pillars (462), grand columns, sweeping staircases, … Continue reading Five Star dining with your Fingers

a a thomasMarch 5, 2014March 5, 2014Leave a comment

Art & Culture, Education, Singapore, Travel

Luminecse : Art in Glass and Light

The main allure of a Fringe Festival is the opportunity it affords to broaden one’s thinking : the chance to engage with new art forms, stumble upon new ideas, marvel at new uses and depart with a new appreciation for passion, technique and creativity. So it was at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Exhibition, which concludes this 31st of August. In the category of visual art, … Continue reading Luminecse : Art in Glass and Light

a a thomasAugust 28, 2013August 30, 2013Leave a comment

Being a Parent, Education, Singapore, Singapore's people

IQ & EQ

Education : the facts and the challenges, the new realities, contemporary parenting and non-traditional pedagogies. Singapore’s educational system has generated a lot of press lately, sparked by the Education Minister’s advocacy for a a student-centric, values-driven education. An article in the 26 September 2011 issue of the Straits Times commented that the country’s education system has always tended to emphasise quantifiables over qualitative factors. Grades, ranking … Continue reading IQ & EQ

a a thomasJune 2, 2012June 2, 2012Leave a comment

Singapore

Head, Hands, Heart

Anita Thomas writes about the Waldorf Education, which focuses on developing creative, independent thinkers committed to social change, offering an alternative to current pedagogy. I encountered the term anthroposophy (or ‘wisdom of the human being’) a few weeks ago, when I attended a talk at a local pre-school. In contrast to the current methods of teaching largely followed by educational institutions in Singapore, the fact … Continue reading Head, Hands, Heart

a a thomasApril 16, 2012April 16, 2012Leave a comment