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In this episode, Danny looks into the latest food trend, suan la fen, and finds something really weird about the whole thing.

Youtube videos included

trying internet famous noodles 酸辣粉!!! | HONEST REVIEW 🔥

Hai Chi Jia Suan La Fen 嗨吃家酸辣粉REVIEW | worth the hype?

嗨吃家 SUAN LA FEN 酸辣粉 NEW FLAVOURS!!! Honest Review! Spicy 麻辣Oden/Clam/Lala/Fishball

Hot and sour instant noodle battle | The Straits Times

Episodes mentioned

Why Family Businesses Fail

The Monster that Mr. Singapore Built

MCDONALD’S BROKE MY HEART

Sources

The 8 Great Cuisines of China

Makansutra

Plus, if you’re keen on learning more about Chinese food culture, I suggest watching this amazing documentary series:

A Bite of China - The Taste of Time

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With the help of journalist and self-declared news junkie Bill Poorman, we try to understand the relentlessly depressing nature of negative news. Misinformation, corruption, natural disasters, global warming, and viral pandemics, when will it ever end? Why does everything seem to be so negative? And what if anything, can we do about it? Tune in to find out more.

Check out Bill’s podcast Foreign Influence here. No more depressing than negative news, I promise.

Sources

Ted Turner

CNN’s first broadcast: June 1, 1980

CNN’s doomsday video leaks to the Internet

This Is The Video CNN Will Play When The World Ends

Reese’s Pieces: Mr. Schonfeld, Forgotten Founder of CNN

American Television News: The Media Marketplace and the Public Interest: The Media Marketplace and the Public Interest

Titanic: The Band That Played on

The Local News Business Model

What’s the Best Business Model for Newspapers?

Captain Planet Theme Song

Music

Music was sourced from the artist Podington Bear under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License. Tracks used are listed below, and you can find out more about Podington Bear through www.soundofpicture.com.

Social Medias:

Economical Rice Podcast

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Fabl Productions

Facebook: facebook.com/fablproductions

Instagram: instagram.com/fablproductions

Twitter: twitter.com/podcastrice

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danny-chrisnanto-koordi

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Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Economical Rice Podcast. Today's show continues from the previous one. Where I had pledged to put in more effort on Social Media, there was always one obstacle that I could never really get around, LinkedIn.

The thing was, I could never understand those people with the incredibly polished profiles, headers, summaries, and endless lists of articles. It didn't seem real, how could anyone write themselves up in that way that made them seem like a complete narcissist? How does the website get by as a thinly-veiled excuse for an ego-trip?

And so, curious as ever, I dug a little deeper into the LinkedIn story, and discovered that the 'monster' that had created this entire website, wasn't really much of a monster at all.

For links to the sources and music used in this episode, please head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com

Social Medias:

Economical Rice Podcast

Facebook: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

Fabl Productions

Facebook: facebook.com/fablproductions Instagram: instagram.com/fablproductions Twitter: twitter.com/podcastrice LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danny-chrisnanto-koordi

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Welcome back to the podcast! In the previous episode we talked about a shift in the direction that this podcast is taking, and this episode is the first step towards that. Since we are still fresh into 2020 and we are still clinging desperately to our New Year's Resolutions, I figured that I would share mine, which is simply "Go and Get Better at Social Media Dude."

I have long realized that I suck at social media, but since I have resolved myself into the podcasting world, this cannot persist, and through this episode I will be documenting my attempts at driving more likes / engagements / leads / shares / whatever.

Also, because I am so bad at this, I sought some advice from the awesome Lauren Ong (who has her own podcast called #TRYEVERYTHING that I help to produce), who reviewed my social media, gave me some tips, and called my show the cai png podcast.

Anyway, hope you enjoy! I will be sharing my progress and the things I do through this podcast and on my social media pages as well, so do follow if you're interested, links are below.

P.S. If this episode has somehow inspired you to get better at social media, then tag me, and and we can all try harder together =)

Social Medias:

Danny Economical Rice Podcast

Facebook: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast

Instagram: instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

Fabl Productions

Facebook: facebook.com/fablproductions

Instagram: instagram.com/fablproductions

Twitter: twitter.com/podcastrice

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danny-chrisnanto-koordi

Lauren Ong

Facebook: facebook.com/ONGHUIYI

Instagram: instagram.com/ongbiwankenobi/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ohylauren/

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Hello, hello, hello! It's good to be back. For this short episode, I do a mini recap of 2019, as well as talk about the direction for this show going into the new decade.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening! You can view the list of episodes and media referenced on our show notes at www.economicalricepodcast.com

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Well guess who did...

Music: Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://www.twinmusicom.org/song/289/hat-the-jazz Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org Old Bossa by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/ Front Porch Sitter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ Sweet Tides by LATASHÁ OB1 by RalphReal Float by Emily A. Sprague Fjell by Blue Dot Sessions

Also, I am now part of the WhatPods community, if you are a host, drop by and say hi!

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I left my corporate job, and this is my story by Economical Rice Podcast

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Link to trailer: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4H6pbaBfdovMjOdFiPSjFG

Link to launch event: https://sum8.peatix.com/

I know that these announcement episodes are a little bit annoying but please bear with me, I just want to help this new project get off the ground running, after this announcement I probably wont be sharing stuff about the Screwed Up Moments podcast on this feed anymore, so if you want to keep updated on that you can either subscribe to the channels or follow me or Happiness Initiative on Social Media. And yeah, that’s about it, this has been your host Danny, signing out.

You can check out Happiness Initiative at www.happinessinitiative.com or @happinessinitiative.sg on instagram.

You can listen to the Screwed Up Moments podcast through these links:

Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6P1zEbQap9qVIojDY24SA5 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/scre…ts/id1478594702 Castbox: castbox.fm/ch/2322216 Google Podcasts: www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR…0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/happines…ments?refid=stpr

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In case you missed the announcement on social media, we have teamed up with the local social enterprise enterprise Happiness Initiative to produce a brand new podcast, Screwed Up Moments!

In this brief episode I go through how this all came about, what to expect, and also give a little sneak preview of the pilot episode. More updates coming soon.

You can check out Happiness Initiative at www.happinessinitiative.com or @happinessinitiative.sg on instagram.

You can listen to the Screwed Up Moments podcast through these links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P1zEbQap9qVIojDY24SA5 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/screwed-up-moments/id1478594702 Castbox: https://castbox.fm/ch/2322216 Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kZTc4MTM0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/happiness-initiative/screwed-up-moments?refid=stpr

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Welcome to the 16th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this special episode, Effy Yu (wife of the host) interviews Danny Koordi (usual host) about his podcasting journey and what goes on behind the scenes of the Economical Rice Podcast.

If you don't know much about the Economical Rice Podcast and the type of content that we produce, then this episode wouldn't probably be the best place to start. However, for long time listeners curious about what goes on behind the scenes of producing the episodes, then this episode would be the best place to get insight.

I've been on several other podcasts to talk about the podcast, and over the course of my podcasting journey I've been asked on numerous occasions about how I got started and how I produce my show, but oddly enough this interview with Effy interviewing me is likely the most comprehensive set of answers that I've ever given. For casual listeners this won't really make much sense other than to get a deeper perspective from the producer's side of the podcast, but if you are a budding podcaster there might be some bits of insight that could help you along your own journey. For what it's worth, if you ever do produce a show, please, please, please, send me a link, I'd love to check it out. =)

Some of the episodes we talked about include:

The Economics of: Freezing Office Air Conditioning PS#6 Ling Ling talks about The Human Voice and Duolingo

P.S. ALSO, I do drop a few updates regarding the podcast, what's been happening, what's going to happen, etc, at the end, so if you are listening I hope you will look out for that.

99% Invisible

In this podcast spotlight, I recommended 99% Invisible, a prominent showpiece of the stellar Radiotopia network. The premise of this show is simple. In each episode, enigmatic and super nerdy host Roman Mars (pictured above) looks into how elements of design are integrated into our daily lives. On the surface they are deep dives into why buildings or roads are structured a certain way, the practicality and functionality of household items like clothing and furniture, and so on. But at its core, much like the vaunted Freakonomics, 99% Invisible is more than just about the esoteric or hidden nature of its subject matter. In fact, I would argue that the real strength of the show is in it's storytelling ability. How it finds relatable threads through every episode, how it weaves rich narratives, and how it is able to hook in any listener from the seemingly niche topic of design.

Besides this, the execution is what I would consider as the Podcasting Gold Standard in narrative storytelling. Each episode is interspersed with all these moving parts of sound beds, sound effects, music, interviews, producer discussions that I'm somewhat baffled about how it all comes together in such a clean and polished way. This is one of the podcasts that fed my early craze with the medium, and truthfully speaking I really couldn't have stumbled across a better option out there.

In fact, the episode that I recommend here is one of my all time favorite podcast episodes, and it is exemplary of all the things that I've mentioned above. I'm surprised that it took 16 editions of the podcast spotlight before we finally go to 99% Invisible, but I'm glad to be the one to introduce it nonetheless.

Music by:

Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride Broke for Free: Beyond Dazed

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In this special episode of the Economical Rice Podcast, we leap back to the realm of Audio Dramas... somewhat.

So what happened was I came across this article on Medium titled How Do You Take The Leap From Your 9–5? Follow These 7 Steps written by Nicolas Cole, thought it was fantastic, and figured maybe an audio adaption would really accentuate the message. If you are currently thinking about leaving your 9-5 to pursue a different career path, then you should definitely give this article a read. Otherwise, you can click on the audio player, put your phone in your pocket, and go about the rest of your day.

Article: https://medium.com/@nicolascole77/how-do-you-take-the-leap-from-your-9-5-follow-these-7-steps-3eba42baa9d7

Music: Music used in this episode was provided by Blue Dot sessions. Below are the specific tracks listed chronologically:

Scraper Greylock The Yards Pxl Cray Downhill Racer Stakes and Things

Cover image credit: Vlad Bagacian

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Welcome to the 15th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Gary Tan, local comedian and host of the podcast Not Again Podcast.

DISCLAIMER: This is not your typical Podcast Spotlight interview.

Not Again Podcast

Gary is... quite a character. Not in the sense of someone who is overtly eccentric or bizarre, but more so that he comes off as vulnerable. Too vulnerable. Almost uncomfortably so.

It is a trait that he has adopted as part of his comedy routine, baring himself on stage - failures and disappointments in abundance - all in a bid to make it in the industry. And unsurprisingly, his podcast is also presented in much the same vein.

Primarily, it is a conversational podcast. One where Gary brings on a guest for each episode, from musicians, comedians, to authors, and gets them to open up about their lives. In this sense, this is not your typical interview show. More than just light-hearted filler and self-promotion, the topics often delve to hard hitting areas like dealing with failure, struggling for success, and basically just trying to survive in a world that is often harsh and difficult.

Often times listeners will find this style uncomfortable, if only because it forces self-reflection and honest admission. But rarely will you find Gary putting on a f ront or diverging from this convention. And in his own way he stands out by being vulnerable and being himself, as himself as he possibly muster.

Personally speaking, I cannot stand for this sort of style, being a strong advocate for how the story is being conveyed as much as the what. Listening to Gary however, I will admit that I have had second thoughts about this. All things considered in the big ocean of podcasting, this may be a bold strategy, but I doubt that Gary would have it any other way.

The Breakdown

In this podcast spotlight, Gary introduces us to The Breakdown, an interview podcast hosted by British comedian Jamali Maddix. Truthfully speaking, there is nothing inspiring about the podcast. In terms of style and structure it is similar to any number of interview/conversational style podcasts from other comedians such as BertCast with Bert Kreischer, Unqualified by Anna Farris, or WTF by Marc Maron. The one saving feature about this particular podcast perhaps, is that it specializes within the UK comedy scene. Therefore, if you are interested in learning more about the lives and careers of British comedians such as Mo Gilligan, Tom Davis, or Stewart Lee, which we discussed for this episode, then this could be the show for you.

Perhaps because of the ubiquity of shows like The Breakdown, the conversation with Gary rarely stayed on the actual podcast itself. Rather, as Gary himself is privy to from his own show, we dove into the deeper tangents: the struggles of the working world, dealing with competition and jealousy within the industry, and so on. As I've warned at the top of the page, this is not your typical podcast spotlight interview. You have been warned.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Special thanks to Gary Tan for taking the time to do this interview. It was quite an experience trying out the conversational style for a change and opening up more during the interview. Also, fun fact, this interview was recorded back in March, and some of the topics discussed around work foreshadows more recent episodes of the Economical Rice Podcast such as In the Pursuit of Happiness and Meaning, Purpose, and the Singapore Dream. Yeah... Just some context in case you were wondering where those episodes came from.

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As Singapore celebrates the Bicentennial with a flurry of cultural exhibitions and events, a controversy brews over a piece of commemorative currency. Within the first day of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's issuance of the commemorative $20 note, news reports flood in with stories of snaking queues, diminishing supplies, and online re-sellers - the most infamous one being a single $20 note listed for sale at $988.

But is there more to the story than just a case of crazy delusional buyers and crazy delusional sellers? In this episode, we dig into the situation to try and make sense of the matter. Can you sell a $20 note for $988? How do you even begin to sell a $20 note for $988? And who's buying these $988 $20 notes anyway? Tune in to find out.

This episode was made possible with the help of: Episode guests Mae Xee, Li Anne, and Devin, and Episode sponsor Sudio Tolv

Links to the music and research used in this episode can be found at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Image credit: tanwj.com

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Welcome to the 14th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Chris McMorran, associate professor at NUS, and producer/host of the local podcast Home on the Dot.

This was probably one of the interviews that I really looked forward to. Not only is Chris an amazing guest who is incredibly insightful about his work, his podcast, Home on the Dot, is easily one of my local favorites. Being a cultural geographer by trade, Chris is always curious about the quirks and habits that permeate places. And in Singapore, he found himself a goldmine, so much so that it led to the creation of his podcast, which explores the many facets of what makes Singapore home. These include episodes about our institutions like the army or HDB, as well as cultural behaviors such as burning paper houses for the dead or telling ghost stories. The episodes are well produced and told in a narrative storytelling style, and features plenty of interesting conversations and meaningful insights. If you are ever curious about the country you live in and the quirks that make it home, then this is the show for you.

The episode we discussed in detail during the interview was a highlight of the season for me. Titled HomeWork Machine, it tells the story of a girl's association with her grandmother's sewing machine and how it defined home for her. The episode itself delves into the backstory of the sewing machine and how it helped raise a family through the years.

In this podcast spotlight, Chris introduces us to Revisionist History, a podcast hosted by renown author Malcolm Gladwell and Pushkin Industries. In each episode, Gladwell takes a look back at some point in history to tell a different side to the story that is commonly told. These include deep dives into the US collegiate system, Jeff Buckley's hit song Hallelujah, and even Mcdonald's french fries. Each episode is masterfully produced with amazing music, guests, and audio quality, which allows the full range of Gladwell's passion and excitement to shine through. Gladwell is a fantastic author in his own right, but with a microphone, you get to hear an entirely different side of storytelling. This is about as close as you can get to a gold standard in the podcasting industry, so you should definitely check it out.

The episode we discussed was the first in the Revisionist History series, titled The Lady Vanishes. It tells the story of a famous painting (Roll Call), the lady who painted it, and the peculiar phenomenon of moral licensing.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Special thanks to Chris McMorran for taking the time to do this interview. It was a pleasure learning more about how his show works and his passion for education, teaching, and learning. Shows like Home on the Dot and Revisionist History are some of the driving reasons behind starting the Economical Rice podcast. They take a facet of the world around you and present it through an entirely new lens. It is fuel for the curious and an absolute joy to listen to. Here's hoping for more stories to come in the future.

If you liked this episode, please do a big favor by sharing it amongst your friends or by subscribing to the Economical Rice Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, or Spotify. All the links and details to the shows discussed in this episode will be available in the show notes on the website www.economicalricepodcast.com

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Finding meaning and purpose in your life can be difficult. What else can get you through those long hours at school or work, and what else can keep you going day after day. In Singapore however, we have cultural and institutional devices that aid in this regard, a hodgepodge of ideas that is perhaps best represented by the colloquial notion of the Singapore Dream. Get good grades, become a doctor or lawyer, buy a HDB, raise a family, obtain the 5Cs, and so on.

But pursuing the Singapore Dream is not without its own trade-offs. And after spending most of your life chasing after someone else's dream, there comes a point where doubt creeps in, and you start to ask yourself Is it really worth it?

In this episode of the Economical Rice Podcast, we take a break from the conventional narrative interview format, and reflect on our paths in pursuit of the Singapore Dream.

This episode of the Economical Rice Podcast is proudly sponsored by the Sudio Tolv, the latest in line of cutting edge earphones by Swedish lifestyle brand Sudio. For their summer promotion, Sudio is offering free shipping on every purchase of the Tolv, and a free tote bag on every sale from 1 May to 31 July.

You can get a pair for yourself at https://www.sudio.com/sg/earphones

Use discount code economicalricepodcast at checkout for 15% off.

Music and research links are provided at www.economicalricepodcast.com

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Welcome to the 13th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Tim Gibson, a lawyer, former broadcast journalist, and host of the U.S. based podcast The Cabinet.

It was really quite insightful talking to Tim. And perhaps from his background doing broadcast journalism, you could easily sense the passion that he puts into his work on The Cabinet podcast. In his view, he wasn't interested in just making informational content or reading off of scripts as he used to do but instead wanted to build pictures, immerse the audience, and tell stories in a way akin to television for the mind. And this much is obvious from episodes such as Wolf of the Wasteland, which takes an internet rumor and paints a brilliant soundscape, rich with voice acting, sound effects, and a wholly immersive environment; while standout Wii Wee talks of a cautionary tale about the pursuit of material items for our loved ones amidst radio clips and unsettling music beds. These are episodes created with much detail, attention, and passion - and it is definitely worth a listen. Do check it out.

Lore

In this episode, Tim introduces us to Lore, an "award-winning, critically-acclaimed podcast about true life scary stories". According to their website, Lore examines the "darker side of history", but unlike similar narrative shows within the genre, host Aaron Manhke often abstracts from the story, poking at the underlying meaning of these tales, and what they say about society as a whole. These are prominent in episodes such as Disappointment or Carried Away, as well as on The Collection, which we talked about during the episode. If you're a fan of urban legends, creepy tales, ghost stories, and the supernatural, then you should definitely add this show to your listening list.

Episode: Episode 106 The Collection Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Special thanks to Tim Gibson for taking the time to come on this episode. I had a blast talking to Tim about his background and how he crafts his show, and frankly speaking I was kind of surprised. Instead of the serious, brooding, and grim persona that narrates The Cabinet, who I ended up talking to was a warm, gregarious, and earnest individual. Over the course of my time as a podcaster, I have time and time again come across people that I would have never expected to talk to, and from the point of view of a Singapore native interested in economics and a West Virginia native interested in spooky internet stories, this was undoubtedly one of those moments.

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Life as a working adult can sometimes feel like you're drowning. In this episode, we talk to 2 guys who got up, quit their jobs, and did something about it.

This episode was made possible with the help of our special guests, Simon Leow and Sherman Ho from the Happiness Initiative, and Choy Mae Xee for her cameo in the introduction.

For links to the music used, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 12th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Anngee Neo, digital marketer, content creator, and host of the Singapore based podcast Ae' Dossier.

Shida Osman

Talking with Shida was a bunch of fun. And she is every bit as colorful and lively as her main show Ae' Dossier, an educational monologue on niche topics like philosophy, language, or calendars. We discussed some of the reasons for starting her podcast, and some of the strategy behind her related content on Twitter and Instagram. Do check them out.

Other People's Lives

In this episode, Shida introduces us to Other People's Lives, a show hosted by Youtubers Joe Santagato and Greg Dybec with an incredibly simple premise. In each episode, a guest calls in to share something about their own lives, hence the name the show. Simple right?

Except, that each of these guests are...special in their own right. There was the guest who was a phone sex operator, another one was a professional ghost hunter, and in the episode that Shida and I discussed, the guest has a micropenis. Yup. Enjoy.

Episode: I Have A Micropenis Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Special thanks to Shida Osman for taking the time to come on this episode. It was really fun talking to Shida and learning more about her show given that it is a monologue and similar to what I do for the Economical Rice Podcast. The various sound effects and clips that she adds throughout, as well as the quick cuts and self-aware commentary does bring her show to life, and I look forward to what she will come up with next.

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Bubble tea has had many twists and turns in its storied history within Singapore. In this episode, we leave the studio, drag 2 people along, and in the name of culinary cultural education, consume a month's worth of sugar in one afternoon.

This episode was made possible with the help of

Devin Karan,
Effy Yu

Bonanza hit list (in chronological order)

Tea valley -mango pearl
Sweettalk - strawberry milk tea
KOI Cafe - Pearl milk tea
Playmade - Tieguanyin Milk Tea with Chrysanthemum Bubbles
Woobee - Herbalmint Milk Tea (Pei Pa Koa)
Bobbi Frutti - Mermaid's Tears

For links to the music used, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 11th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Anngee Neo, freelance artist, design teacher, and co-host of the Singapore based podcast Longkang Kitties.

After 10 episodes of the series, we are moving ahead with a different format: Hour long episodes, 1st half guest background (and discussion about their podcast), 2nd half podcast recommendation.

Anngee Neo

Anngee is quite the character, and it was fun picking her brain as we jumped from topic to topic during the 1st half of this episode. We talked about her experience as being the only female on a podcast with 3 other males, shared stories about education in Singapore, and touched on her curious fascination with fish. It was a really enjoyable conversation, and I am grateful to Anngee for opening up and sharing her story.

Critical Role

In this episode, Anngee introduces us to the weird and wonderful world of Dungeons & Dragons podcasts with Critical Role. This is one of the better known series in the genre, led by the brilliant Matt Mercer, and features voice actors in its cast of players.

It is sprawling, expansive, and immersive. Full of ups and downs, lefts and rights, tangents and through-lines; it really makes for quite the unique listening experience. A testament perhaps, to the simple power of words and our imagination. Just make sure you have 5 hours to spare to listen through each episode.

Episode: Vox Machina EP. 26 - Consequences And Cows Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Anngee Neo for taking the time to come on this episode. With this episode, the Economical Rice Podcast has now collaborated with each of the 4 hosts of the Longkang Kitties podcast. Fitting perhaps, considering how they were the first friends of the show in this tiny growing niche of ours. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience engaging and getting to know them, as well as the many friends through our community at Podcast SG. I very much look forward to many more collaborations ahead as we carve our own little space into the ears and minds of Singapore's airwaves.

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Family businesses are important to any economy, but they rarely last beyond the 2nd or 3rd generation. In this episode, we talk to a family business expert and failure to understand why.

This episode was made possible with the help of

Rochelle Clarke, founder and CEO of Succession Strength
Jerry Teo, freelance illustrator and creator of the Rex Regrets comics

For more details on the guests and links to the music used, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 10th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Rindo Ramankutty, host of the Singapore based podcast Livin' it up in Lion City as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: Desi Outsiders

Desi Outsiders is the brainchild of two young Indian women who want to be the voice of reason that fails to be heard in certain Indian households. The podcast is designed to bring meaningful conversations on relationships, dating, education, and feminism into Indian homes. Meenal was raised in Europe in a very traditional Indian household whereas Ankita was raised in India in a more liberal household. So when these two girls get together, the conversation gets rolling.

Podcast 2: The Sporkful

The Sporkful isn't for foodies, it's for eaters. Each week the podcast obsesses about food to learn more about people. They're known for thoughtful discussions about race, culture, and body image, as well as for their funny and absurd conversations with comics about how they like to eat certain dishes. In addition, The Sporkful has won Best Food Podcast at the James Beard Awards, the Webby Awards, and the Saveur Awards.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Rindo Ramakutty for taking the time to come on this episode. Over the 10 or so interviews that I've done for this series, I've been amazed at the extent to which people can connect and hold meaningful conversations. Before this episode, I had barely talked to Rindo, and wasn't that familiar with Desi culture or food cultural appropriation. Yet, we still managed to talk for almost 2 hours over Skype, and frankly its a pity that a lot of that had to be cut down to fit into a 1 hour show. We talked about his upbringing and his different expat experiences, and that lent very well into the 2 shows that he recommended. And if you're keen on learning more about his unique perspective, then you should definitely check out his podcast, Livin' it up in Lion City.

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Parents seem to think that having dragon babies will bring them luck and fortune. In this episode, we flip through our lunar calendars to tell you why that isn't as crazy as it sounds.

This episode was made possible with the help of

Dennis Chen - consultant, 1988 dragon baby; and
u/oxysempra - student, 2000 dragon baby.

For more details and links to music and sources, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 9th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Chris Tatem, host of the fantastic U.S. based podcast Cross Examined Life as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: A Year of Listening

A year of listening is an independent podcast hosted by Colleen K Powell, who describes herself as a day-dreamer, kitchen-dancer, wannabe-writer, and dinner party lover. She has a personal blog where she writes about various things in her life, but for the podcast, it is centered around the tagline of tackling all the topics your mother warned you never to discuss at cocktail parties. The podcast is presented in a simple conversational interview style, and tries to dive into sensitive topics in a sensitive manner.

Podcast 2: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates

Intelligence Squared U.S. is a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American discourse. They provide a forum for balanced and intelligent debate that is widely distributed in various forms: radio programs, podcasts, online broadcasts, televisions, and digital video series.

To date, the organization has conducted 160 debates on far ranging issues with 500 debaters. The debating style is also unique in that it adopts the traditional Oxford-style debate format, where one side proposes and the other side opposes a sharply-framed motion.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Chris Tatem for taking the time to come on this episode. There was so much to learn just by poking a little deeper into his production process and why he sets up the show the way he does. There is a method behind the magic, and I'm very grateful to Chris for sharing some of it. In fact, he was recently invited to PodCon2 as a speaker, where he presented on the topic of the critical first 60 seconds of your podcast. I'm just lucky to have had a breakdown of that for our show. For that, do check out his fantastic podcast, the Cross Examined Life.

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The enormous potential of big data has potentially enormous consequences.

In this episode, we mine the data to find out why.

This episode was made possible with the help of

Jon Wang - Entrepreneur / Co-host at the Longkangkitties Podcast
Kenneth Cukier - Journalist and Senior Editor at the Economist. You can find his TED Talk at:

https://www.ted.com/talks/kenneth_cukier_big_data_is_better_data

For more details and links to music and sources, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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The podcast will be back on 21st Jan 2019. In the meantime, enjoy this short opening trailer, an accompanying video trailer is available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast/

Music: Lee Rosevere - Let's Start at the Beginning

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A roundup and review of the highlights of the year. 2018 has been a big year of change and experimentation for the podcast, and towards the end it really feels like it's finally coming together. Thank you all for listening and for supporting, I'll see you guys in 2019.

For the full transcript and links to clips, head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com

Music:

Brke - strollin through a valley

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Welcome to the 8th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Bill Poorman and Nikolaj Groeneweg, co-hosts of the Singapore-based podcast We don't mean to dwell but...as they introduce the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: The Sinica Podcast The Sinica Podcast is part of the SupChina network, a platform for on-the-ground perspectives on politics, economics, technology, and culture. It is hosted by the enigmatic Kaiser Kuo, a freelance writer and musician, formerly of various rock outfits such as Tang Dynasty and Spring and Autumn.

Generally, episodes are presented in a discussion format, and feature guests from media and academia to talk on all sorts of topics including US-China relations, Chinese foreign policy, Hacking, and much more. In the first episode of the wonderfully-titled Nu Voices podcast, hosts Joanna Chiu and Alice Xin Lui lament on how the narrative on China is always presented with a western tinge. The Sinica Podcast, in this vein, can be seen as a defiant response. Stories and perspectives told by native Chinese, or by individuals who have studied and lived in China. In this sense, if your media diet is dominated by western outlets - your New York Times, your Wall Street Journals - then this podcast might a little jarring. But, if you are the kind of person who appreciates authenticity and is genuinely curious about China, then this is definitely a podcast for you.

Podcast 2: Mindscape by Sean Carroll By day, Sean Carroll is a Research Professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. By night, he is host of Mindscape, a straightforward conversation-style podcast with intellectuals in fields spanning science, society, philosophy, culture, and so on. Aside from this, Carroll is also the author of various titles such as The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself, The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World, From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, and Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity.

Fair warning here, albeit the informal style of the show, the topics discussed are not for the casual listener. Unless you were steeped in these topics as well, you might be better off finding other podcasts to fill your gym workout or your commute to work. However, if you take these topics seriously, and are patient enough to invest your attention well, then this podcast can be richly rewarding. Where traditional conversational podcasts engage listeners in personal stories and relatable anecdotes, Carroll's Mindscape tries to break down incredibly technical subjects in an almost nonchalant manner. It's still not an easy listen, but there is incredible insight and perspective that can be learned through each episode.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Bill Poorman and Nikolaj Groeneweg for being such amazing guests on this episode. Special thanks to Bill for graciously inviting me to his home and allowing me to record with his equipment, it truly was an absolute pleasure, and I am incredibly grateful for the gesture. Also, on a personal note, I would never have thought that out of all places, podcasting would be where I could meet people who share my concerns on moving and living abroad. Just goes to show you how powerful the medium really is.

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In sweltering Singapore, most offices have freezing air conditioning.

In this episode, we put on our jackets to find out why.

This episode could not have been possible without the help of: - Tan Li Anne - Mon - Ling Ling Tai - Mayuree - and Effy Yu

For more details and links to music and sources, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at: facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 7th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with up and coming local podcaster, Farriqin Anuar, as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: Talk is Jericho Recorded from all over the globe, former multiple time world champion pro wrestler, lead singer of Fozzy and New York Times best-selling author Chris Jericho rocks the podcast world with "Talk Is Jericho," his unique, weekly take on all things pop culture and life in general.

As with most interview shows, the main draw comes from both the guest and the host. Talk is Jericho definitely has both in spades. As a host, Jericho is charismatic and naturally talkative, and makes the conversation just flow by. And though a bunch of his guests come from the same wrestling background where he built his career, there are plenty of others from musicians to TV producers to filmmakers, to fill out the show. Listen to this if you are a fan of wrestling, or love the conversational style of interview podcasts.

Podcast 2: Inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum Michael Rosenbaum has spent the better part of the last two decades in and out of film and television – mostly known for playing Lex Luther on the show Smallville. As he relates "I’m the guy that you probably don’t know by name, but when you see my face you might say “oh, that guy from that thing.”" Throughout his career he has connected with many in the industry, but noticed that he doesn't really know any of them on a personal level. This is the show where he attempts to correct that.

In terms of interview style, it must be said that it bears a great resemblance to WTF with Marc Maron. There's plenty of back and forth conversation, a ton of soul searching, and the occasional deep dive into Rosenbaum's and his guest's deepest fears and insecurities. The stories can be painful to listen to at times, but it is also what makes it authentic and relatable. Who knew that celebrities shared the same fears and anxieties that we do? Listen this if you are a fan of Marc Maron's style of hyper-personal conversationalism, and if you want to learn more about the guests on his program.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Farriqin Anuar for agreeing to come on the show. On a personal note, this was probably the most raw interview I've ever done. Just in terms of sharing experiences with podcasting, the struggle and hustle, and the dream that makes it all worth pursuing. As a foray into the lives of the podcasters trying to make it work in Singapore, Farriqin is probably as close and as authentic as you are going to get.

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In Singapore, fish soup stalls have ridiculously long lines.

In this episode, we go on a mini-food adventure to find out why.

This episode was made possible with the help of

Kwek Li Ying (@linggggyyy)
Bryan Wong (@bryanwyj)
Nicole-Marie Ng - Editor at TimeOut Singapore
Ramesh Krish Kumar - Food Scientist and Co-Founder of Asmara

For more details and links to music and sources, head over to the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

Otherwise, you can reach me at:

facebook.com/economicalricepodcast twitter.com/PodcastRice instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the 6th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with industry leading podcaster, Ling Ling Tai, as she introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: The Infinite Monkey Cage The Infinite Monkey Cage is a BBC Radio 4 comedy and popular science series. Hosted by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince, The Independent described it as a "witty and irreverent look at the world according to science". Each show has a particular topic up for discussion, with previous topics including the apocalypse and space travel. There are normally three guests; two of these are scientists with an interest in the topic of discussion, offering an expert opinion on the subject. The other guest is usually a comedian, who takes a less serious view of the subject, and often makes the show more accessible by asking the 'stupid' questions that the other guests may have overlooked.

In terms of the overall vibe of the show, it very much feels like a panel variety show in the vein of QI or Have I got news for you. There's plenty of back and forth debate, much banter, and even a live audience to boot. At its core, this approach very much enhances the blend of science and comedy that the show aims to deliver, and replicates that television experience for a podcasting format. If you are generally curious about the world and love a bit of British-style banter, then this is definitely a show for you.

Podcast 2: Duolingo Spanish Podcast The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is a show produced by the language learning company, Duolingo. They are a freemium learning platform that includes a language-learning website and app, as well as a digital language proficiency assessment exam. As of October 2018, the language-learning website and app offer 81 different language courses across 37 languages. The app has about 300 million registered users across the world.

After listening to this podcast, it must be said that this is not your typical language podcast. The show delivers fascinating real-life stories in a duo-lingo Spanish/English format, and as the makers themselves describe "These are not language lessons; they're life lessons through language". It is a fascinating examination of how language permeates our lives, cultures, and stories, and it is definitely a pleasant listen. Listen to this if you are an English speaker learning Spanish and interested in learning more about the Latin American culture.

Music by Pandrezz: Takin' you for a ride

Once again special thanks to Ling Ling Tai for agreeing to come on the show. She was an amazing guest and an all round incredible human being.

If you liked this episode, please do a big favor by sharing it amongst your friends or by subscribing to the Economical Rice Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, or Stitcher. All the links and details to the shows discussed in this episode will be available in the show notes on the website www.economicalricepodcast.com

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Choices are a part of everyday life. They permeate our meals, our travels, and even our work. But what’s unavoidable is that some choices will be harder to make than others, and when it comes to the pursuit of your passions, it is perhaps one of most difficult choices of all.

In this special episode of the Economical Rice Podcast, we will be exploring this idea of choice in a previously untried storytelling format - Audio Drama. Listen through the link below:

Credits:

Screenplay is adapted from “The Insurance Lady”, a story written by Zander Widjaja and published on the medium page Speak.Local.

Mr.Tan / interviewer is played by local artist Dan Wong, who runs A Good Citizen, and is part of the podcast The Longkang Kitties.

Ms.Julia Ang / interviewee is played by freelance writer Davelle Lee, who hosts the podcast, Some Scuffs, and who will be manning the social anxiety blanket fort installation at the coming Conscious Festival on Nov 3-4.

Visit the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com for full links to all these contributors.

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Welcome to the 5th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with veteran podcaster, Raven Lim, as she introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: The Bright Sessions

The Bright Sessions is a science fiction podcast created by Lauren Shippen and starring Julia Morizawa as the titular Dr. Bright. The podcast takes place in a fictional universe where super-powered individuals, called "atypicals", exist. Dr. Bright is a therapist and the podcast originally focuses on her sessions with various patients.

Generally speaking, this is a wonderfully written and produced audio drama with a heavy YA tinge to it. There's a lot of underlying themes about mental health and personal issues, which lends a very real touch to this otherwise abnormal story. The sparse production and dialogue heavy format also does nicely to add gravity to the matters discussed. This will be perfect for you if you love shows such as X-Men or Heroes.

Podcast 2: Wolf 359

Wolf 359 is a Sci-Fi Sitcom Radio Drama, with strong Horror and Thriller elements mixed in. It chronicles the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Hephaestus, a (fictional) space station orbiting around Wolf 359, a (real) star located 8 light years away from Earth. The stalwart team of misfits has been tasked with a series of experimental tasks and obscure mission objectives, among them searching for signs of alien life.

In contrast to the Bright Sessions, Wolf 359 has full production with sound effects, ambient noise, music, and so on. And in terms of the story, while it does take a while for the arc to kick in, the show does well to cover themes such as existentialism, humanism, mental health, capitalism, extra-terrestrial life, and others. It is in a sense, a story that is portrayed on a much grander scale in comparison with the Bright Sessions, though it really is not appropriate to be comparing these 2 very different shows. Tune into this if you are a fan of sci-fi related dramas.

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Just a brief update on content coming in October, plus the announcement of the Podcast Podluck!

DETAILS OF PODCAST PODLUCK 10th November, 6.30pm at 34 Cassia Crescent, Singapore 390034 Peatix link here: https://podluck2018.peatix.com/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=web&utm_source=results&utm_content=podcast%3A%2C%3A%3A0%3A438536

Head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com for the full transcript and other content.

[Music] Matt Quentin - Sky Blue

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Welcome to the 4th podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with freelance writer and local podcaster, Davelle Lee, as she introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: Reply All Reply All is a tech-themed podcast from Gimlet Media. It is presented by co-hosts Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt, and presents a journalistic look into the wacky and weird world of internet culture. Episodes include an in-house phising experiment, tracing phantom phone calls, and an ad for the worst day of your life.

Generally speaking, the shows are very well-produced, well-researched, and all around entertaining. And with the co-host format, the topics are presented in a relatively candid manner. Listen to this if you love casual shows and internet culture.

Podcast 2: On the Media On the Media (OTM) is an hour-long weekly radio program, hosted by Bob Garfield and Brooke Gladstone, covering journalism, technology, and First Amendment issues. It is produced by WNYC in New York City.

As defined by co-host Garfield, On the Media covers "...anything that reaches a large audience—either electronically or otherwise.... Plus, throw into that anything that covers First Amendment issues; anything that has to do with freedom of speech, privacy, is also in our portfolio."[3] The show explores how the media are changing, and their effects on America and the world. Many stories are centered on events of the previous week and how they were covered in the news. These often consist of interviews with reporters about the dilemmas they face in covering controversial issues.

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In part 2 of this special feature on Olivia Lum and Hyflux, we cover the incredible fall of one of Singapore’s most cherished entrepreneurs. While most of the attention is focused on the poorly performing Tuaspring plant, there is actually a deeper issue. One that concerns the fabled founder Olivia Lum, and her incessant need to save the world through water. This is a story about a water treatment company for sure, but its main theme is about ambition. A timeless tale for a modern setting, and one that whose fallout is only just beginning.

Head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com for all the links to resource materials and music used for this episode.

For more content, you can follow the Economical Rice Podcast at the following links below:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the third podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with budding filmmaker and local podcaster, Josiah Singh, as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: WTF with Marc Maron [Paul Thomas Anderson]

WTF with Marc Maron is a straightforward interview show where comedian Marc Maron invites a guest on each week. Being well-connected within the hollywood/L.A. scene, Maron is able to bring star names to his show, including the likes of Jay Leno, Jennifer Lawrence, and even former U.S. president Barack Obama.

Notably, the shows are pretty lengthy, with most clocking in at over an hour, but Maron does delve into the deeper parts of his guests' history or career. In this episode with film-maker Paul Thomas Anderson for instance, much discussion revolves around Anderson's upbringing and his influences, and also the creative process behind his movies.

Lastly, this show is very much casual and unscripted, so listeners can expect personal, intimate conversations unlike those aired on major talk shows. Listen to this if you love the casual interview format, or learning more about your favorite celebrities.

Podcast 2: Sword and Scale [Ep50 - The Jonestown massacre]

Sword and Scale is a narrative-driven true-crime podcast presented by host Mike Boudet. It is a show that purports to reveal "that the worst monsters are real", and cases are often discussed and dissected in gruesome, raw detail.

One notable feature of this podcast is that Mike Boudet's experience with audio engineering really shines through. And his stories are often interlaced with numerous real-life interviews, court trials, or police interrogations, couched in incredible mixing using ambient sounds, music, and foley effects to bring these cases to life. It is in every regard, a very immersive experience, and in most instances an uncomfortable one. Listen to this at your own risk.

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While Olivia Lum and Hyflux have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, how much do you know about the entrepreneurial journey that started it all? In part one of this special 2 part feature, we will be covering the incredible rise of one of Singapore’s most famous success stories. From rags-to-riches to dodgy decisions, from entrepreneuring to empire-building, this is one story you wouldn’t want to miss.

P.S. Thanks to Steffi Tan for making a cameo appearance in this episode. P.P.S. The Economical Rice Podcast has hit 30 episodes! There's been many changes since the beginning, and I would love your thoughts and suggestions on the show's current direction.

Head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com for all the links to resource materials and music used for this episode.

For more content, you can follow the Economical Rice Podcast at the following links below:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

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Welcome to the second podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with graphic designer and longtime army friend of mine, Assyaraf Johari, as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: Freakonomics [In praise of maintenance]

The Freakonomics podcast is a show which discusses socioeconomic issues for a general audience. The show is spun-off from the wildly popular book of the same name released in 2005. Journalist Stephen Dubner, one of the co-authors of that book, hosts the show, while the other co-author, economist Steven Levitt, is a a regular guest.

The show is mostly narrative-driven, with host Dubner introducing a question before exploring different ways to answer that question. It is not so much about graphs and theorems, but rather about how investigating how economics play out in real life. Listen to this if you love high production infotainment podcasts. This is one of the best around.

Podcast 2: Tides of History [5 | The Military Revolution, 1350 - 1650]

Tides of History is a narrative-driven history podcast presented by academic and former journalist, PhD Patrick Wyman. The show is in partnership with Wondery, a podcast stable from the United States.

Notably, the podcast looks at two periods in depth, the end of the Roman Empire between 300 and 600 and the rise of the modern world between 1350 and 1650. It explores various facets of life such as society, the state, trade, and how they came to be. Listen to this if you are a history buff or if you are generally curious about the foundations of society.

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A few months ago, Suntory announced that they were discontinuing their extremely popular Hibiki 17 yr whiskey line. Considering that their aged Hibiki whiskeys are in high demand and have won a string of accolades including Gold Awards at the International Spirits Challenge or the title of World’s Best Blended Whiskey at the World Whiskies Award, this move seems incredibly odd. In today’s episode, we look into the reasons behind this decision, as well as how a certain financial product, known as futures contracts, could have helped to mitigate it.

This episode will cover the following topics:

The constraints that whiskey producers face
What circumstances led to Suntory’s decision
Why Suntory faces a whiskey shortage today
The brief mechanics of a futures contract
How futures contracts can benefit whiskey producers
The main hurdle preventing a Hibiki futures market
How Suntory eventually faced their time-related problems

Head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com for all the links to resource materials and music used for this episode.

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Welcome to the inaugural podcast episode of this side series, the Podcast Spotlight. In this episode, we talk with Jon Wang of the LongKangKitties Podcast as he introduces the following 2 podcasts:

Podcast 1: The Dick Show [Ep103 - Dick on Maddox Lost] The Dick Show is a talk show featuring the main host Dick Masterson and his many varied guests. The topics vary and the community is heavily involved in the show, especially through segments such as 'things that make you rage', or through fan-made music. Listen to this if you love the unscripted talk show format or if you're not looking for anything too serious.

DO NOTE HOWEVER, that the topics and language are unfiltered and that this may not be suitable for listening at work, except perhaps at a very low volume. You have been warned.

Podcast 2: Some Scuffs [Nobody cares about shark repellent and underwater guns] Some Scuffs is a narrative-driven podcast produced by Singapore's Davelle Lee that aims to deal with her own experiences with anxiety. The show regularly includes lessons on psychology, and touches on topics from texting to 'yogaphobia' to issues of personality. Listen to this if you're interested in a well-produced, narrative-style podcast, or if you're interested in how psychological theory plays out in real life.

On top of this, she also has a series called 'nobody cares', in which she discusses obscure topics with her brother Ethan Lee, while her other brother, Lee Zhe Ren, is the show's sound guy. It really is a family affair.

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This is a short unedited take on the current state of affairs at the Economical Rice podcast, the plans for new content coming up, as well as the directions that it will be taking going forward. If you're interested, head over to www.economicalricepodcast.com for the full transcript as well as all the links to the shows mentioned.

Thanks to the listeners who've stuck around so far, there will be much to look forward to in the future.

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As excitement from the 2018 World Cup died down, the Ben Davis footballing saga breathed to life. The 17 year old had just signed a 2 year professional contract with Fulham Football Club, but the Ministry of Defense were not willing to grant him the national service deferment needed to fulfill it. This puts Davis in a proverbial catch-22 situation. And either path he takes will bear costly consequences.

Davis' story has shone a light onto Mindef's strict deferment criteria. Edwin Yeo of the Singapore Kindness Movement wrote a viral article that criticized this and the "transactional mentality" that it served. Hopefully however, given the difficulty of Davis' situation, more can see the larger impact that Singapore's NS obligations has on young individuals.

Davis' story is only surfacing due to the prominence of the English Premier League and the popularity of football, but what about the countless other ambitious young individuals? Might we have more entrepreneurs, coding wizards, or sporting stars if we didn't have national service? Might we have greater innovation, ambition, or ingenuity?

While the pragmatic will always say that military defense is a necessity for a country as small as Singapore, it is nevertheless still worthwhile to discuss.

What do you think about the Ben Davis saga and NS in general? Your thoughts and comments will be very much appreciated.

For the full list of sources, please visit the website at www.economicalricepodcast.com

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In the latest episode of the Economical Rice Podcast, Danny puts on his cowboy hat to look at the recent o’Bike deposits scandal. From bad PR to poor leadership to a lack of accountability, this episode will examine how everyone - o’Bike, the LTA, the public - is responsible for this mess.

For more content, you can follow the Economical Rice Podcast at the following links below:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast

Music:

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly theme - Enio Morricone The Lonely Shepherd (Kill Bill Soundtrack) Gheorghe Zamfir Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Nancy Sinatra Ennio Morricone - The Ecstasy of Gold (L'estasi dell'oro) from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Image Credits: The Business Times

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In this episode of the Economical Rice Podcast, I interviewed social entrepreneur Mint Lim to find out more about her history, her motivations, and her ambitions. Throughout the episode, you will learn about how Mint first got into teaching, why her previous business was not sustainable, and how her current venture aims to help provide equal opportunities for underprivileged children.

There's a bunch of great stuff in this episode regarding how values, responsibility, and empathy affect a business, so happy listening!

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In today’s episode we are glad to have the wonderful Vivian Chan as a guest to talk about her journey with entrepreneurship. Like many people out there, Vivian used to be toiling away at a job and barely making ends meet for several years, before deciding to jump in and start a business out of her own home. Without any capital or prior business experience, Vivian now proudly runs 3 businesses and has never looked back.

Listen to learn more about the challenges she has overcome and the actions she took to get to where she is today. Who knows, you might one day break the vicious cycle and start taking control of your own life.

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In today’s episode we go through the storied career of billionaire Li Ka-Shing, and pluck out some key insights that has contributed to his wealth and success. From working 100hr weeks as a teenager to leading a gargantuan conglomerate that employs over 300,000 people, Li’s story and the lessons it bears will be sure to inspire you.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn about:

Segment 1 - Childhood and individuality - How Li lived in poverty growing up - The event that set his motivation for his future - How Li shows that even the most difficult situations can be bettered by individual will and effort

Segment 2 - Early career and attitude - Why Li had to work 16 hour days for 7 days a week - The attitude and effort that provided the foundation for his success - How success requires action and initiative

Segment 3 - Cheung Kong and managing failure - The major setback to Li’s business early on and how he responded to it - How his response contributed to a future success - Why his actions are embedded in the company’s name of Cheung Kong

Segment 4 - Further expansion and management style - How Li shifted towards property development, and the massive ambitions he had - Why challenging the giant british conglomerates was almost impossible - The management secret that has contributed to the success of his massive company.

For more content, you can follow the Economical Rice Podcast at the following links below:

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Music:

Cap Kendricks - The One Juan RIOS - Azahar Joe Corfield - Wildflower

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Bike sharing was supposed to be the groundbreaking innovation to introduce a much needed new alternative for transportation in Singapore. Yet, the most obvious effect has been hundreds of multi-colored bikes littered on grass patches, ditched in drains, and blocking pathways.

So how did all go wrong? And who’s to blame in in this situation? In today’s episode, we dig into the history and economics of bike sharing to hopefully find the root of the problem. In the end, we’ll take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and find why the parking problem isn’t the only issue with bike sharing.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

The history of bike sharing dating back to the 1960s How ofo and Mobike came to be, and how much funding they’ve received The mechanics of bike sharing, and the key role that technology plays How ofo and mobike differ in their strategies Who the 3 main stakeholders are in relation to bike sharing What the incentives of these stakeholders are, and how they have responded to them How the incentives come into conflict and create the parking problem Whether the new parking places bill will prove effective And finally, the real problem behind bike sharing

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How did Singapore’s economy do in 2017? What kind of new policies are we expecting in the future? And how will the GST hike affect our lives? In today’s episode, I invite special guest Wesley Goh of the Innovation Campaign to dissect last week’s Budget 2018 and bring you the answers! From the carbon tax to the new GST increases, tune in if you want to find out what it could mean for you.

In today’s episode, you will learn about

Who Wesley is and what his project, the Innovation Campaign, is all about Why Wesley is an ardent supporter of “permissionless innovation” How Singapore fared fiscally in FY17 against expectations The direction of Singapore’s fiscal spending What the carbon tax is, and how it affects everyone The mechanism in which taxes on industry gets passed on to consumers Why top-down approaches may not always be ideal The upcoming GST hikes and the multitudes of spending projects behind it How our government spending keeps growing bigger and bigger Why Singapore’s unique model of 50-50 welfare What the new GST on imported services tax is, and who it impacts How this new tax hurts SMEs and small business, whilst penalizing consumers How such a policy might be detrimental to Singapore’s drive for innovation

For more content, you can follow the Economical Rice Podcast at the following links below:

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While it is undoubtedly the case that technological progress has benefitted millions around the world, it is also true that disruption can have negative costs on society. Notably, it is common to hear of how we might soon be living in a world where our work has been displaced by AI and automation, and how we are ultimately powerless against it.

Fortunately, where society sees a problem, entrepreneurs see opportunity, and in today’s episode I talk to Daniel Shen and Praz of the startup Soqqle and how they are aiming to help you fight AI. If you’re keen on learning how Soqqle plans to use blockchain and tokenization to create a “Smart” social network, then this is an episode you will not want to miss!

In today’s episode, you’ll learn about:

Why technological advancement can be problematic
How it is crucial to use technology for good
The early stages of Soqqle and the barrier of irrationality
Why digital tokens can help overcome that barrier
How decentralized systems fare against centralized ones
What a fully decentralized system will mean for individuals
How Soqqle’s gamification will make self-improvement fun

Sources:

AI may replace a third of graduate jobs: Study
What jobs will still be around in 20 years? Read this to prepare your future

Segment music:

Francisco Tárrega - Capricho árabe

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Have you ever wanted to play tennis or badminton or squash, only to face the difficulty of not being able to find anyone to play with, or that even if you've found someone, that they did not match your level? Fret not. Thanks to entrepreneurs such as Ritesh and his Rovo app, such inconveniences (otherwise known in economics as market frictions) may soon a thing of the past.

In today's episode, we will be diving into Ritesh's background, and how it led to creating Rovo, as well as his entrepreneurial experience and the key lessons he has learned. This will be extremely valuable if you are interested in learning more about Ritesh's story with Rovo, as well as if you're a budding entrepreneur looking to pick up some key insights.

Happy listening! We are officially underway for 2018!

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Seasons greetings! While most of us tend to get pretty caught up in the Christmas rush of finding and buying presents, how many actually take a step back and reflect on the economic impact of all this Christmas commercialism?

In today’s episode we’re planning to do just that. So, if you’ve ever been curious about how Christmas commercialism came to be, what the typical household buys, or how the retail industry affects our economy, then be sure to tune in!

In this episode, you will learn about:

The history and meaning behind Christmas gift-giving
How Christmas was celebrated differently in the past
How Christmas transitioned to its modern day form in the 19th century
The Christmas spending habits of UK vs European consumers
Why it matters and why it is not useful for determining Singaporean consumer behaviour
Singaporean’s surprising Christmas spending habits
How the spending habits of individuals reflect macroeconomic sentiments
The actual and estimated state of Singapore’s economy in anticipation of Christmas commercialism
How much the retail industry contributes to the Singapore economy
How much Christmas commercialism contributes to Singapore’s economy, and how many people it actually affects

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In the midst of the train delays and breakdowns, as well as the numerous reasons for the ongoing failures, one thing has always bugged me about SMRT. Is it actually a private or public company? On the one hand, it was set up by the government to serve the public transportation needs of the nation, and through the rail financing framework, the LTA is responsible for the rail assets of the firm. However, it is clear that SMRT operates on a market model that competes with other transportation providers for profits, something that is unusual for other public institutions such as IRAS or SAF.

So, which is it? In today’s episode, I delve into the history of how the company was set up, the various transformations in its corporate existence, and finally how some tricky terminology muddles the distinction.

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Have you ever wondered why healthy foods such as salads or organic food are so costly? I mean they’re just vegetables and sauce, how expensive could they be? So are these foods actually overpriced or is there some underlying justification for it?

In today’s episode, special guest Ramesh Kumar - from the Food Myths and FSTAN facebook pages - and I discuss the underlying economics of healthy foods. From discerning what actually counts as healthy foods to uncovering food trends and the marketing and misinformation that exists in the digital age, this is one topic you wouldn’t want to miss.

In today’s episode, we discuss the following issues:

A brief look into Ramesh’s background and career choice
How being a food researcher affects his consumption
Why Ramesh runs the Food Myth and FSTAN Facebook pages
What makes healthy food healthy
How much of the claims health food trends such as organic foods, detox water, or cleansing juices are due to marketing, and how much are actually justified
The ease in which the digital age spreads misinformation, and why nutritional science matters
The various factors that goes into the price of healthy food, such as research, certification, consumer education, and marketing.
Why a salad prepared at home and one sold at a salad bar are 2 entirely different products.

Much thanks again to Ramesh for being a wonderful guest on the show. If you would like to learn more about what he does or to ask him some questions about food, you can go to the Food Myths Facebook page to reach out.

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In today’s episode I’m honoured to welcome back Bryan Cheang of Students for Liberty to discuss the fascinating topic of market failure. We discuss the textbook definition of the phrase, how it deviates from the mainstream use of the term, and whether state intervention is the best means to solve market failures. This is an episode jam packed with much to learn and many cases to learn from, including market failures regarding pollution, healthcare, education, and much more.

In this episode, we discuss:

The textbook definition of market failure with its feature of competitive equilibrium and Pareto efficiency
2 examples of market failure arguments, positive and negative externalities, and how they play out in the real world
Where the mainstream use of the term deviates from the textbook definition
Why it is wrong to use equity as a standard to judge capitalism
The “nirvana fallacy” and why it can be dangerous to regard the State as infallible
Public Choice Theory, special interest groups, and the insidious consequence of concentrated benefits with dispersed costs
The inefficiencies of the NHS in the UK, and alternative solutions to state intervention
How PIC grants in Singapore can have negative societal effects

Much thanks again to my guest Bryan for being such a wonderful guest on the show, if you would like to learn more about him, you can check out his organization and what they do, you can go to www.facebook.com/SingaporeSFL.

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In this week’s episode, we take a deeper look at the economics behind the recent bankruptcy filing of Toys ‘R’ Us, and discover why, in the short term at least, fans have nothing to worry about.

The majority of the episode will focus on Toys ‘R’ Us’ history, its partnerships, and its success strategies. Next, we will take a look at the circumstances surrounding its bankruptcy filing, and learn about the chapters and mechanisms that a company can take. Finally, we will be looking back at Toys ‘R’ Us in Singapore, to find out why our local chains are isolated from the bankruptcy filing, a big relief indeed for long time fans of the brand.

In this episode, you will learn about:

How founder Charles Lazarus built Toys 'R' Us
The cost strategies that built the Toys 'R' Us empire
How new competitors killed Toys 'R' Us' price advantage
Why the restructuring under ex-CEO John Eyler was so costly
The $6.6b USD leverage buyout that saddled Toys 'R' Us with debt
The bizarre circumstances leading to the bankruptcy filing
How Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 differs, and what it means for Toys 'R' Us
Why Toys 'R' Us Singapore is protected from the bankruptcy filing

Sources:

http://www.company-histories.com/Toys-R-Us-Inc-Company-History.html

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-20/toys-r-us-lives-on-because-mattel-and-hasbro-can-t-let-it-die

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-19/toys-r-us-caught-in-game-of-chicken-that-turned-into-dominoes

http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/toy-companies-shares-tumble-on-concerns-of-toys-r-us-bankruptcy

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-11-bankruptcy-basics

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Why do some people charge ridiculous prices for water during Hurricane Harvey? Why do others re-sell concert tickets at ludicrous prices? Are they just awful individuals looking to make a quick buck at the expense of others?

In today’s episode, we look beyond surface morality to analyse price gouging as it happens in Hurricane Harvey and the fundamental economic function that it serves. Further, we look into the localized case of Singapore’s Michelin Star Hawker Stalls to witness the effects absent any price gouging. Lastly, we discuss price gouging with regard to concert tickets, and why it is uniquely problematic when finding a solution.

Throughout the episode, you will learn:

How supply and demand determine price, the price adjustment mechanism, and how price relays information back to consumers and producers
Why water prices rose during Hurricane Harvey, and how price gougers were essential in bringing key supplies to market
The effect of state intervention on normal market operations through a price freeze or mandated charity
The concept of deadweight loss, and how it affects both consumers and producers
How concepts of price adjustment and deadweight loss apply to Singapore’s Michelin Star Hawker Stalls
Why ticket gougers exist, and how the concert ticket market provides unique challenges to stop price gouging

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

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What would you say to the idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI) where you receive a monthly cash handout from the government at the beginning of each month unconditionally? Might it help a majority of individuals attain a reasonable standard of living or is it too farfetched of an idea? In today’s episode, I talk with Otto Lehto from Finland, a Phd candidate in political economy at King’s College London, and former chairman of the Finnish branch of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) about this radical idea. Among many things, we discuss Finland’s efforts in introducing UBI into mainstream political discussion, its philosophical underpinnings, and whether or not UBI will turn everyone into couch potatoes.

While at the start of my conversation I had my doubts about the merits of UBI by itself, Otto has managed to sway my perspectives. Where many hard line libertarians might see UBI as an overreach of the state, Otto reminds us that it should not been in isolation but rather as competing with the current system of means-tested welfare. Viewing the issue from this lens, UBI can be a means of breaking down the monopoly of welfare services that the state currently has, adding choice and the ability for individuals to participate in the free market.

Throughout this episode, I discuss the following issues:

Why UBI is a practical necessity in today’s economy
How UBI has placed itself within mainstream politics in Finland
What the organization Basic Income Earth Network, or BIEN does
Otto’s philosophical arguments for a limited welfare state
How UBI is especially suited for playing the role of welfare in a limited state
What empirical data has to say about work disincentives of UBI
Comparing the optimistic vs. pessimistic views on the social effects of UBI **
Which system of UBI (complete replacement or complementary) is politically feasible
The reasoning behind Otto’s wide ranging interests, and the link between philosophy, the humanities, and liberty.

Again, much thanks to Otto for being such a wonderful guest on the show. If you wish to find out more about Otto Lehto, you can do so at his website www.ottolehto.com If you wish to learn more about UBI, you can do so at www.basicincome.org

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As of the 29th of June 2017, the world quietly passed a 10 year landmark in modern history, the launch of the original iPhone. And while each year consumers look forward to new and exciting features in the latest smartphone launches, it is worth pointing out the dramatic shift that has occurred during the iPhone decade. From examining how Apple’s business has shifted since the first iPhone, to how the dawn of the smartphone age moved markets, today’s episode will be a look at the economic impact of the iPhone, telling the story of how a revolutionary consumer product changed industries and changed lives.

The following points will be discussed within the episode:

How the iPhone changed Apple:

Sales distribution, how the iPhone came to control ⅔ of Apple’s sales
Financial Results, why Apple is currently the world’s most valuable publicly traded company
Industry position, from underdog to innovative leader

How the iPhone affected periphery industries:

Music, shaking up music players and record labels
Camera, why photos are more relevant than ever even if the digital camera is not
Advertising, how “influencers” were born, and the fundamental shift from print to digital
Apps, the birth of a new billion dollar ecosystem

How the iPhone changed the life of the assembly line worker:

The reason why Apple manufactures in China and not elsewhere
How assembly line work provided a path to escape poverty
How Foxconn built iPhone city and the economy that sprung up around it
Why location economies and political leaders play key roles to attract factory jobs
Addressing the criticism of exploitation

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content! Website: www.economicalricepodcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast

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What does philosophy have to do with economics? Or with any practical issue for that matter? Is it necessary to understand the nature of reality? What about the nature of our knowledge and what it means to be certain?

Today with my guest Davin Chee, we dig a little bit into the realm of philosophy and explore the system of objectivism, the book in which it is displayed prominently, Atlas Shrugged, and its controversial author Ayn Rand. We talk about the 4 pillars of objectivism: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics, and discuss how it relates to our daily lives and where Ayn Rand was misunderstood.

If you have never heard of Atlas Shrugged before, here is a quick summary: Atlas Shrugged depicts a dystopian United States, wherein many of society's most prominent and successful industrialists abandon their fortunes and even the nation, in response to aggressive new regulations, whereupon most vital industries collapse. The theme of Atlas Shrugged, as Rand described it, is “the role of man’s mind in existence”. The book explores a number of philosophical themes from which Rand would subsequently develop Objectivism. In doing so, it expresses the advocacy of reason, individualism, and capitalism, and depicts what Rand saw to be the failures of governmental coercion.

Throughout the episode, we discuss the following topics:

How Davin was first introduced to philosophy
Why he decided to enrol in the Objectivist Academic Center
Why he thinks philosophy matters even to pragmatic Singapore
Various themes of the book such as:
Producers vs. Pull
The strong protagonist vs. the weak villains
The metaphor of Atlas and the “sanction of the victim”
The 4 pillars of Objectivism:
Metaphysics (Objective Reality, “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed”
What it means
How it contrasts with other metaphysical concepts such as idealism
Where it plays out within Atlas Shrugged
Epistemology (Reason, “You can’t eat your cake and have it too”)
What it means
How it relates to human nature and individual choice
How it features in Atlas Shrugged
Ethics (Self-Interest, “Man is an end in himself”)
What it means
Why the notion of self-interest is misunderstood
Where it plays out within Atlas Shrugged
Politics (Capitalism, “Give me liberty or give me death”)
Why Rand advocated for a system of capitalism rather than socialism
How the regulations in the book resemble regulations in real life
Where it plays out within Atlas Shrugged

Again, thanks to Davin for being a guest on this show. If you want to reach out to Davin Chee or read some of his works, you can find him at www.libertarianism.sg.

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10 years ago, the concept of video games was a mostly private affair. Players would spend hours clicking away to completing quests or slay monsters, while at the same time earning the stigma of being anti-social or “basement-dwellers”. However, like many parts of the economy, technology has fundamentally affected the video gaming world. Where most games were offline in the past, now many have online aspects where players can interact or compete with others.

One of the most fascinating results of the growth of technology and video games is the birth of new periphery industries in contrast to just developing and selling games. Streaming, for instance, is now a legitimate career for many individuals, and competitive gaming, or E-Sports, is now a multi-million dollar market and rapidly growing.

However, underneath the growth and change there are still many problems that persist. While streaming allows easier interaction between a streamer and their audience, it also makes it easier for people to post racist or sexist comments. Also, while there is money to be made, there are also questionable practices or legal grey areas that have yet to be settled.

In today’s episode therefore, I talk to my dear friend Zansher Husref, whose background in law and various stints within E-Sports and the gaming community can provide valuable insight. Aside from learning about the technical aspects of streaming or E-Sports, I got to know a perspective from the inside. A perspective that is constantly fighting to prove itself amidst the modern economy. And a perspective that is borne out of battling the laboured stigmas surrounding video games.

Through this episode, we talk about the following topics:

Background

How Zansher got more involved within E-Sports
How his involvement has shaped his perception as a consumer

Streaming

His views of the controversial Jimmy Kimmel clip and why it should be taken with a grain of salt
How streamers make a living, or in other words, the value that they provide to their audience or their sponsors.
Zansher’s own experience with being a streamer, and what it is like compared to being a viewer.

E-Sports

The contrast between E-Sports and traditional sports as a viewing experience.
That a mismatch between the development of the E-Sports industry and its legal environment causes many problems
But why change in the legal aspects of the industry might be difficult to achieve

The community

The role of gaming communities within E-Sports and how they affect the game
The dark side of the community and how it threatens the legitimacy of the industry
Whether or not developers should tend to every issue that the community brings up

Again, thanks to Zansher Husref for being an amazing guest on the show. If you wish to learn more about him you can check out his writings at www.zansher.wordpress.com.

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Since founding in 2009, Uber has upended the taxi industry, bringing new competition and providing immense value to passengers and drivers alike. However, their path has not been very straightforward at all. In fact, the company faces many issues on the legal front, on their corporate image, and from their own internal politics. So problematic has been their journey that founder Travis Kalinick himself was recently ousted, following many other high profile executives who had gone before him.

Reflecting all this perhaps, is the stark fact that Uber has not recorded a single profitable year since 2009, with losses of $2b in 2015 and $2.8b in 2016 being blemishes on the company’s history. So how is Uber still running? What actually goes on in the business? Can they eventually become profitable?

In this episode, you will learn about:

The 4 key cost components of a taxi business
How Uber’s model is different from the traditional model
The inherent productivity limitations in the taxi industry
How Uber’s strategy plays into their massive losses
Whether there is any hope for the future of the business

Much thanks goes to the transportation analyst Hobert Huran and his article on NakedCapitalism. Even though I don't agree with all of it, it is a fascinating analysis and I encourage you to read it as well.

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

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Have you ever felt that disillusioned at work? Did you find that being a lawyer or a banker is not what you expected? Do you just put up with it because of “the money”?

Well, you’re not alone.

Turns out, many Singaporeans go through this experience with their career choice, and that it stems from something deeper in our culture and our education system. Today, I am happy to be able to discuss these issues with Louis Puah of Praxium. Louis’ company is one that is trying to revamp the way Singapore approaches the idea of education and career choice. By designing education based on the individual and not society-defined idea of “success”, he believes that individuals will get greater exposure on the topics of their interests. In the long run, this will aid individuals in having a career that aligns with their purpose.

In this episode, you will learn about:

How pragmatism influences our approach to education in Singapore Why it is so difficult to change our views regarding education How career choice affects individuals in the short, medium, and long term The difference between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of jobs What UX design is and how it can be applied to career search How individuals can leverage the gig economy to be more than just Uber drivers How the “checklist” mentality is detrimental to individual agency Why the “checklist” mentality should be viewed as a guideline Why individual purpose should be outward focused***

Thanks again to Louis for sharing his experiences and being a wonderful guest. If you are interested in Praxium and their services, please visit www.praxium.co

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

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Do you ever feel like you lack a sense of purpose at your typical office job? Are you enraged by the social problems around you but feel helpless about it? Guess what, social entrepreneurship might be just the thing for you.

In today’s episode we have the 2nd ever guest on the show, Debra Lam. Debra is co-founder of the social enterprise Society Staples, a company that targets social inclusion of people with disabilities (PwDs) through her business services firm that runs workshops and team-building events for schools and companies alike.

Throughout the episode, we discuss a range of topics such as:

Background / Social Causes

Debra’s own experience with PwDs
The difficulties that PwDs face in society today and the inherent empathy gaps that exist
What makes social impact measurement challenging for Society Staples

Business / Value Prospect

How PwDs play a crucial role in their events through the idea of role-reversal
How role-reversal serves to benefit both clients and PwD facilitators
The effect that their work has had on event participants

Founding the Business

Why Debra and her co-founder, Ryan Ng pursued a social enterprise instead of a non-profit or charity
How Society Staples got involved with DBS, and how their partnership has helped the business develop
How Ryan and Debra complement each other within the business, and how that dynamic has changed over time
Why the goal of Society Staples is to eventually close down

Social Enterprise / Entrepreneurship

The central tension of a social enterprise and the balance between profit and social causes***
The challenges that Debra faced as an entrepreneur at her age
What aspiring entrepreneurs should know about being uncomfortable and facing uncertainty

Thanks again to Debra for sharing her stories and being an amazing guest, if you are interested in Society Staples and their services, visit www.societystaples.com

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

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The Venezuelan crisis today is the epitome of a socialist nightmare, with protests, riots, looting, more than 60 dead, 1000 injured, and over 2,700 arrested. But how did a country rich with natural resources, including having the world’s largest oil reserves, get to how it is today, where people have to queue for hours to shop for food and where disease is rampant due to a shortage of medicine? Why do its citizens want President Maduro to step down given his socialist platform claims to have the people’s interests in mind?

Through this episode, we will be exploring how the socialist system, rather than just president Maduro, was responsible for the problems of today. Along the way, we will be discussing the underlying relationship between individuals and the state in a socialist country, and how it becomes a breeding ground for corruption, political abuse, and economic mismanagement.

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Do you roll your eyes whenever you hear a startup mention the word “disruption”? Do you cringe when you see a new product touted as the next best invention, only to be forgotten months later? Well, today’s episode will be looking at how disruptive innovations actually looked like in the 20th century, through the lens of 2 case examples, the washing machine and the electronic spreadsheet. Through this episode, we will be exploring how the modern day washing machine was an “engine of liberation” for women, and how the electronic spreadsheet changed the way entrepreneurs assessed risk.

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Episode material:

Washing Machine: https://capx.co/how-capitalism-is-setting-washerwomen-free/ Spreadsheets: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/25/389027988/episode-606-spreadsheets

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

Website: www.economicalricepodcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast

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What does being a capitalist mean in today’s society? Are they all evil selfish bankers who are only out to hurt the little guy? Where does capitalism fit in on the spectrum of economic possibilities?

Today, with the show’s very first guest and founder of the Singapore Chapter of Students for Liberty, Bryan Cheang, we attempt to establish what the grounds for capitalism are and how it fits in Singapore today. Also, we will be looking into Bryan’s past as well as what his aspirations are for his educational organization, Students for Liberty.

You can find Students for Liberty at:

Website: www.sflsg.wordpress.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SingaporeSFL

The event page for the talk “LGBT Rights & Market Capitalism” can be found at:

www.facebook.com/events/169909483540140

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

Website: www.economicalricepodcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/economicalricepodcast/message

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In Ep3 One Belt One Road: The project of the century,

We will be going through what this project entails, and some of its key features. After which, we will go through some of the possible benefits and risks that are associated with this project, and discuss what implications this might have for Singaporeans in the near future.

The points covered in this episode include:

What the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project consists of

Link to OBOR map: https://www.merics.org/en/merics-analysis/china-mapping/china-mapping/

What are some of the planned projects at the moment
How the OBOR can be an economic boon
How the OBOR can help China politically
How the OBOR might find difficulty funding its projects
How the OBOR might be seen as a political threat
And lastly, what implications the OBOR has for Singapore in the near future.

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

**P.S. at one point in the episode I said that the U.S had 0% GDP growth for 2017 Q1, this should be 0.7%.

Website: www.economicalricepodcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast

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In Ep2 Economic Growth: How we “sellout” for prosperity,

We will be discussing the different costs that we make in trying to achieve economic growth. These costs will be explored through 3 different cases, a BBC radio 4 podcast about losing one’s accent, the British parliament choosing to forgo the tradition of using parchment (or vellum a kind of calfskin) for record documentation, and lastly, from 2 youtube videos touching on the topic of environmental damage in China and India.

The economic lessons covered in this episode include: - How not every economic cost is tangible - How economic costs are not always immediately apparent - How the loss of a custom is through the aggregate of individual decisions - How there is a cost to maintaining traditions - How we need to be careful in picking our battles in economic growth - How we should never underestimate incentives - And lastly, how environmental damage is a necessary evil

Follow these pages to keep up with the latest episodes and for supplemental content!

Website: www.economicalricepodcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/economicalricepodcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/economicalricepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/econricepodcast

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/economicalricepodcast/message

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In Ep1 Financial Literacy: Why it matters,

We will be discussing the reasons as to why financial literacy is so important in today's society, whether formal financial education programs should be implemented, and a brief overview of the state of financial literacy in Singapore today.

These include: - Making the right choices in key economic decisions such as purchasing a car or house - Understanding the upside benefits of being risk averse - Exploring research on the effectiveness of financial literacy programs - Considering the potential costs of implementing a broad-based financial literacy program - Understanding the state of financial literacy in Singapore and the government's role in promoting financial education

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In Ep0 Pilot: Goals & Values,

We will be discussing the the 2 broad drivers behind the reason for starting this podcast as well as the values that will guide these drivers along the way.

These 2 drivers are:

Exploring the economic realities of our capitalistic society and delivering the findings in the form of an infotainment product.
Developing the nascent podcast scene in Singapore

Thanks for listening!

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Economical Rice Podcast: Recent Episodes

Danny C Koordi

In this episode, we put on our jackets to find out why.

In this episode, we go on a mini-food adventure to find out why.