create blog-posts

_posts/2021-09-19-overcast.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+title: "reading up on microfinance (including kiva.org)"
+layout: post
+---
+
+A few resources: 
+
+- Eugenia Macchiavello's book: "Microfinance and financial inclusion: 
+the challenge of regulating alternative forms of finance". 
+- Hugh 
+Sinclair's book: "Confessions of a microfinance heretic: how 
+microlending lost ita way and betrayed the poor". 
+- 
+http://www.microfinancetransparency.com/ 
+- Stephanie Strom's 2009 
+article: "confusion on where money lent via Kiva goes". 
+https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/global/09kiva.html
+- Neil MacFarquhar's 2010 article: "banks making big profits from tiny loans".

_posts/2021-10-19-indoors.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "where to buy postcards in Singapore"
+---
+
+I joined Postcrossing last month, and I've since been keeping a look-out 
+for places that sell postcards, on this tiny island in South-east Asia. 
+
+I list a few below. Do you know of others? I hope you and I can add to 
+each other's knowledge! :slight_smile:
+
+### the usual suspects: souvenir shops
+
+- somewhere in Kampong Glam (near Sultan Mosque) 
+- somewhere in 
+Chinatown 
+- Raffles Hotel 
+- National Museum of Singapore 
+- the shop 
+called Arch, in the shopping mall called Capitol, near City Hall MRT 
+Station
+
+### on the art-sy side
+- National Gallery of Singapore 
+- a pop-up bazaar called Invade, in 
+Esplanade Theatres 
+- Objectifs Centre for Film and Photography 
+- this 
+photographer, [Christine 
+Nagel](https://www.christinesartventures.com/and-more), has been 
+shooting various sights in Singapore, and sells her own photos as 
+postcards.
+
+### unexpected postcards
+- the (alcoholic beverages) bar called No. 5 Emerald Hill provides postcards, and mails them out to international addresses, free of charge. You can buy a drink if you feel paiseh. (Information accurate as of late 2019).
+
+_this post first appeared at 
+[the forum of Postcrossing](https://community.postcrossing.com/t/where-to-find-postcards-in-singapore/222304)_