Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com September 1-15, 2012 Vol 9. No 16
17th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Atlanta
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe, Rendy Tendean Tel: 770.335.4593 Advertising: gat@gasiantimes.com Editorial: info@gasiantimes.com URL: www.gasiantimes.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 922348 Norcross, GA 30010-2348
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GAT Calendar of Events (For latest & updated events, visit www.gasiantimes.com)
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Hong Kong Dragon Boat - Atlanta Date: Saturday Sept 8, 2012 Time: 7:00 am Venue: Clarks Bridge Olympic Rowing Facility Lake Lanier For more info: dragonboatatlanta.com JapanFest Date: Sept 15-16, 2012 Time: 10 am -6 pm; 10 am - 5 pm Venue: Gwinnett Center For more info: www.japanfest.org “Iwami Kagura� - Dynamic and theatrical ancient Japanese dance performance Presented by Consulate General of Japan Atlanta Date: Saturday Sept 15 & Sunday Sept 16 Time: 7:00 pm Sat ; 2:00 pm Sun Venue: 14th Street Playhouse (Saturday) & Center for Puppetry Arts (Sunday) RSVP required. For more info: 404-926-3020
Indonesian Fall Festival Date: Sunday, Sept 30 Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Venue: OLA Church Brookhaven Vietnamese American Community of Georgia - Mid Autumn Festival Date: Saturday Sept 29, 2012 Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Venue: Hong Kong Supermarket For more info: Trish Nguyen, 678.820.8822 8th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 5-20, 2012 Venues: Emory University, GPC-Dunwoody, GSU-Cinefest For more info: www.atlaff.org
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
17th Dragon Boat Festival To Make A Splash at Lake Lanier Atlanta, Sept 1, 2012 -- 72 teams are expected to participate in the 17th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Atlanta at Lake Lanier on Saturday, September 8, 2012. “This year has marked the fourth year in a row where we reached the maximum allowable teams to participate. They are several more teams on the wait list to participate,” said Gene Hanratty, Director of the dragon boat festival. Participating teams are divided into several race categories including: open, breast cancer survivors, collegiate, high school, international, recreational, southeast asia division, financial, manufacturing, and law firms.
The festival is scheduled to start at 6:30 am at Lake Lanier’s Olympic Venue in Gainesville. A multicultural opening ceremony along with a dotting of the dragon eye ceremony will take place at noon. The festival site also feature food and snack vendors where visitors can sample ethnic Asian food. Admission to the festival is free. Parking spaces are limited and visitors are encourage to car pool and arrive early. For more information on the festival, visit www.dragonboatatlanta.com
Atlanta Developer Interested in Doraville’s Former GM Plant Site Atlanta-based developer Egbert Perry and his team are confirmed as the front runner in buying the 167-acre site, according to The Atlanta Business Chronicle. Perry is known for his $153 million mix-use development known as Centennial Place and Centennial Park North, a townhouse community at for-
8th Atlanta Asian Film Festival To Kick Off in October This year marked the eight year of the largest Asian film festival of its kind in the Southeast region of the country. AAFF is scheduled to kick off with a Premiere Night Gala on October 5 at Spring Hall on Buford Highway.
“The Recipe”, Philippines “Busong” are among the prominent films to debut at the festival Online ticket will be available for sale at the festival website starting September 15.
A series of featured films, documentaries, and shorts will screen at Emory University and Cinefest-Georgia State University. Amongst the feature is a documentary on former Congressman Joseph Cao of New Orleans. Congressman Cao and Director/Producer of the film are expected to attend the Premiere and the screening.
Turner Broadcasting is a major sponsor of the annual festival.
Taiwan’s “Seddiq Bale”, Japan’s “Norwegian Wood”, South Korea
For more information of the 8th AAFF, visit www. atlaff.org
mer Techwood Homes site. The project is recognized a model for revitalizing public housing projects. There is no confirmed statement on the type of redevelopment would take place at the former GM site.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
China leads gloom for Asia manufacturing Shanghai, Sept 3, 2012 (AFP) - Manufacturing in Asia further weakened last month, data showed Monday, with activity in China hitting a more than three year low, as leaders faced calls for action to avoid a sharper slowdown.
Samsung vows ‘all measures’ to keep products in US Seoul, Aug 28, 2012 (AFP) – South Korea’s Samsung Electronics vowed on Tuesday to take “all necessary measures” to keep its products on US store shelves, in response to Apple’s request for a ban on sales of some smart phones. After winning a $1.05 billion US court judgement in a patent suit last week, Apple on Monday filed a court request to ban eight Samsung mobile devices including versions of its Galaxy and Droid smart phones. Samsung, the world’s biggest technology firm, countered in a statement: “We will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of our products in the US market.” Rival Apple says that it reserves the right to seek permanent injunctions banning the sale of all 28 Samsung devices which a jury on Friday found infringed its patents. But it presented a shorter list of Samsung products “to address a portion of the immediate, ongoing irreparable harm that Apple is suffering”. The phones that Apple included on its list for a sales ban are old models but still available through wireless carriers and online retailers. Samsung’s newest flagship products — Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note — were not included. The jury in San Jose, California decided Friday that Samsung “wilfuly” infringed six Apple patents for smart phones or tablet PCs. Samsung has vowed to contest the verdict, saying courts in other countries had previously ruled it had not copied Apple’s designs.
The company did not elaborate on its strategy but it is considering removing or modifying features found to have infringed Apple’s patents to keep its products on the market if the sales ban is granted. “As a last resort, we can think about workarounds,” a Samsung official told AFP on condition of anonymity, referring to possible modifications. Judge Lucy Koh has set a hearing for September 20 to consider enforcement of injunctions against Samsung devices. She will also hear Samsung motions to reduce or dismiss charges and Apple’s request for “punitive” damages, which could triple the award. Friday’s ruling — part of a legal battle in nine countries between the two technology titans — was seen as a major defeat for smartphone makers that use Google’s Android operating system. More than 90 percent of the latest smart phones from HTC, Lenovo Group, ZTE Corp., Huawei Technologies and LG Electronics use the Android operating platform. Samsung officials say their company could develop new products or software to avoid being a future target of patent litigation. Samsung and other smartphone makers are working with Microsoft to launch Windows-based devices later this year. Samsung also has been working with Intel on a free and open mobile platform. Samsung shares ended 1.27 percent higher at 1,195,000 won Tuesday, a day after plunging 7.5 percent — the biggest single-day percentage drop the electronics giant has seen in nearly four years.
The latest gloomy readings come as export-dependent nations feel the pinch from collapsing demand caused by the long-running debt crisis gripping Europe and the stuttering recovery in the United States. In China, the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) compiled by British bank HSBC slid to 47.6 last month, the lowest since March 2009, from 49.3 in July. A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below 50 points to contraction. The figures came just two days after Beijing said its official PMI reading was 49.2 in August, down from 50.1 in July, and the first contraction in nine months. “China’s economic growth is still declining, putting the government under more pressure to loosen its monetary policy,” said Zhang Zhiwei, chief China economist at Nomura Securities in Hong Kong. “China’s economic slowdown has a great influence on its trading partners as declining demand from China certainly has an impact on exports of other countries,” he told AFP. China’s economy has seen a marked easing over the past year, expanding 7.6 percent in the second quarter of 2012, the worst performance in three years and the sixth straight quarter of easing. A slowdown in China, a key driver of Asian growth, has had a knock-on effect around the region, with Australia -- a major supplier of the country’s energy commodities -- heavily impacted. The Australian Industry Group-PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index in August reaching 45.3, up 5.0 points but still well within the zone of contraction. “Manufacturing conditions continue to be very challenging across the sector with the high (Australian) dollar and weakness in demand in the domestic and export
markets weighing on growth,” Innes Willox, chief executive of Australian Industry Group, told Dow Jones Newswires. In South Korea, HSBC’s PMI measure rose slightly to 47.5 from 47.2 in July but well below 50 for a third straight month, while in Taiwan the HSBC PMI fell to 46.1 from 47.5. South Korea’s inflation rate was the lowest for more than 12 years in August, rising just 1.2 percent year-on-year official figures showed Monday, increasing prospects of an imminent interest rate cut. Manufacturing in India, another Asian giant suffering with an economic slowdown, fell to a nine-month low low hit by global weakness and output disruptions. HSBC’s India PMI slipped to 52.8 in August from 52.9 in July, in part due to disruptions from power outages. One investment bank responded to the latest manufacturing data Monday by slashing its forecast for Chinese growth this year and warning there was a possibility of a hard landing unless Beijing acts. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said it now expects annual growth of 7.8 percent, down from a previous estimate of 8.2 percent but well down from actual growth of 9.2 percent last year. Beijing has set a target of 7.5 percent. HSBC also highlighted worrisome signs including a rapid contraction in export orders, a record high in stocks of finished goods and the fastest job shedding in more than three years. “Beijing must step up policy easing to stabilize growth and foster job market conditions,” HSBC economist Qu Hongbin said. China has already cut interest rates twice this year in June and July and trimmed the amount of funds banks must place in reserve three times since last December, but analysts are calling for more. However, in an editorial Monday in the People’s Daily -- mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist party -- indicated Beijing was eager to avoid knee-jerk reactions to the current slowdown.
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September 1-15, 2012
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BUSINESS
‘Anticipation Effect’ to stall economic growth into 2013 Atlanta, August 22, 2012 – The looming fiscal cliff and attendant political discord are souring consumer and corporate confidence and will slow down U.S. economic growth into early 2013, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. In his quarterly “Forecast of the Nation,” released today, Dhawan says that due to these factors, as well as the ongoing recession in Europe and downturn in China, real GDP growth will continue the slide that began in the second quarter of 2012 into early 2013, then pick up a bit before declining for the year, finally rebounding in 2014 when a proper solution to the fiscal cliff has been achieved and business investments, personal consumption and international trade improve. The economic situation would be worse, says Dhawan, if not for the continuing solvency crisis throughout Europe. “The longer the European debt problem festers, the longer the Chinese, Brazilians, Russians, sheikdoms, money market and pension funds, and others will keep buying U.S. debt. Their fear-driven behavior will keep our interest rates low and delay our day of reckoning.” Europe’s woes are part of a growing global slowdown that includes China. “Almost 60 percent of the world economy is in recession or decelerating sharply,” says Dhawan. “Businesses are feeling the first-round effects of the slowdown, which is contributing to a dour business mood, especially at the CEO level.” But the negative trajectory of business sentiment is due more to homegrown matters than global decline and will trend further downward through Election Day, if not longer. “As the political cacophony increases, a reality is setting in that nothing will be done about the fiscal cliff until Congress returns in 2013, well after the deadline.” Fiscal cliff concerns are not only prompting businesses to put off risk-taking activities for the rest of the year, but also causing consumers to abstain from buying unnecessary big ticket items, especially autos and homes. “Net-net,” says Dhawan, “the anticipation effect will ruin the second half of 2012.” As for what’s ahead, Dhawan says, “The economic game in 2013 will focus on what
actions Congress will take to tackle the issues it created in birthing the fiscal cliff.” Highlights from the Economic Forecasting Center’s National Report • After growing 2 percent and 1.5 percent in the first and second quarters of 2012, real GDP will grow 1.3 percent in the third and 1 percent in the fourth quarters, and 2.1 percent for the year. It will decelerate to 1.6 percent in 2013, then grow at a stronger rate of 2.6 percent in 2014 as business investments, personal consumption and international trade improve. Personal consumption growth will average 1.8 percent for 2012, 1.7 percent in 2013 and 2.2 percent in 2013. • The U.S. economy created upwards of 500,000 jobs in the first two months of 2012 and 500,000 more jobs the next five. This will moderate to 80,000 per month through year end. In 2013, expect 120,000 new jobs per month and 150,000 new jobs per month in 2014. Unemployment will be over 8 percent until mid-2014. • The Consumer Price Index inflation rate will be 2 percent for 2012 and will average 2.3 percent in 2013 and 2 percent in 2014. Crude oil prices will hover around $100 per barrel for the next few years at $94.9 per barrel in 2012, $101.1 in 2013 and $104.7 in 2014. • Housing starts will average 0.684 million units in 2012, dip to 0.675 million units in 2013 and increase to 0.803 million units in 2014. Auto sales will average 13.9 million units in 2012 and 2013, but then will improve substantially in 2014 to an average of 14.6 million units.
Georgia Economy Pauses Due to Uncertainty The impending fiscal cliff, political dithering, plunging corporate confidence and an iffy consumer mood are among the factors causing Georgia’s economic growth to pause, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Also contributing to the standstill are falling demand for exports and the rising price of oil. In his quarterly “Forecast of Georgia and Atlanta,” Dhawan reports that after close to 20 percent annual growth for the last two years, Georgia exports to Europe slowed
sharply in the first five months of 2012. “Europe accounted for almost 22 percent of Georgia’s exports of commodities, such as aircraft and parts (Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream), vehicles (Kia), paper products (Georgia-Pacific) and industrial machinery and surgical equipment,” he said. “The drop in demand from Europe and U.S. political uncertainty are muting companies’ desire to expand.” Dhawan points out that Peach State manufacturers are not bearing the brunt alone. “The impact of the slowing global economy already is being felt in Savannah, where growth has decelerated sharply in the past six months and where port traffic and future expansion will take a hit in coming months.” After adding 25,000 jobs in the last 12 months, the forecaster says the pace of corporate job growth in Georgia will moderate due to national political dysfunction. “This sector may only add 10,000 jobs in the next 12 months.” “Look for spillover to the hospitality industry,” says Dhawan. “Although it grew very well after the end of the Great Recession, it has since stalled due to high gas prices and corporate reluctance to hold big gatherings.” Also a factor is Delta’s plan to cut routes and capacity as it battles high oil prices and global headwinds. “I do not expect this sector to add any jobs in the next six months, until America’s fiscal and political difficulties are resolved.” Healthcare will grow as it always does, even during a recession. With healthcare reform legality resolved, hospitals can move ahead with growth plans, including digitizing records, which will create numerous jobs for software consultants. “The sector will grow, but it won’t accelerate,” says Dhawan. “Why? Consumers will cut back on health services as their paychecks are affected by a slowing economy.” Highlights from the Economic Forecasting Center’s Report for Georgia and Atlanta
• Georgia’s employment base will grow by 41,300 jobs in calendar year 2012, including 8,800 premium jobs, for an annual job growth rate of 1.1 percent. The recovery will be similar in 2013 when the state adds 42,600 jobs (0.8 percent annual job growth rate) with 9,300 premium jobs among that number. In 2014, new job numbers will rise to 69,600 (1.6 percent annual job growth rate) including 13,200 premium jobs. • Georgia’s unemployment rate for 2012 will be 9.1 percent. With tepid job growth in 2013, unemployment will rise to 9.2 percent. When growth picks up in 2014, unemployment will decline to 8.5 percent. • Statewide nominal personal income will rise a moderate 3.4 percent in 2012, increasing to 3.6 percent in 2013, with an anticipated strong increase of 4.8 percent in 2014. • Atlanta’s employment base will grow by 29,800 jobs, including 6,500 premium jobs, for a growth rate of 1.5 percent. Job growth will show similar strength in 2013, when Atlanta adds 32,900 jobs, of which 7,900 are premium jobs (1.1 percent growth). In 2014 metro area employment growth will pick up with 54,200 jobs (2.1 percent growth) with 12,300 premium jobs. • Atlanta housing permits will increase by 37 percent in 2012 to 11,557 units, due
to an 82.6 percent rise in multifamily housing permits. Permit activity will increase by a paltry 0.8 percent in 2013, but will grow strongly in 2014, posting an overall increase of 26.6 percent. The Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the few university-based centers providing an analysis of the economy, various industries and international trade, as well as prices and interest rates. For more information, please visit robinson.gsu.edu/efc.
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
SCIENCE In climate landmark, Arctic ice melts to record low
WASHINGTON, Aug 27, 2012 (AFP) - The sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has melted to its smallest point ever in a milestone that may show that worst-case forecasts on climate change are coming true, US scientists said Monday. The extent of ice observed on Sunday broke a record set in 2007 and will likely melt further with several weeks of summer still to come, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center and the NASA space agency. The government-backed ice center, based at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said in a statement that the decline in summer Arctic sea ice “is considered a strong signal of longterm climate warming.” The sea ice fell to 4.10 million square kilometers (1.58 million square miles), some 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) less than the earlier record charted on September 18, 2007, the center said. Scientists said the record was all the more striking as 2007 had near perfect climate patterns for melting ice, but that the weather this year was unremarkable other than a storm in early August. Michael E. Mann, a lead author of a major UN report in 2001 on climate change, said the latest data reflected that scientists who were criticized as alarmists may have shown “perhaps too great a degree of reticence.” “I think, unfortunately, this is an
example that points more to the worst-case scenario side of things,” said Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University. “There are a number of areas where in fact climate change seems to be proceeding faster and with a greater magnitude than what the models predicted,” said Mann. “The sea ice decline is perhaps the most profound of those cautionary tales because the models have basically predicted that we shouldn’t see what we’re seeing now for several decades,” he added.
record temperatures in recent years, with 13 of the warmest years ever taking place in the past decade and a half, along with extreme weather ranging from severe wildfires in North America to major flooding in Asia. Researchers have also reported a dramatic melt this summer on the ice sheet in Greenland, which could have major consequences for the planet by raising sea levels.
Arctic ice is considered vital for the planet as it reflects heat from the sun back into space, helping keep down the planet’s temperatures.
Scientists believe that climate change is caused by human emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.
The Arctic region is now losing about 155,000 square kilometers (60,000 square miles) of ice annually, the equivalent of a US state every two years, said Walt Meier, a scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
But efforts to regulate emissions have faced strong political resistance in several nations including the United States, where industry groups have said that regulations would be too costly for the economy.
“It used to be the Arctic ice cover was a kind of big block of ice. It would melt a little bit from the edges but it was pretty solid,” Meier told reporters on a conference call. “Now it’s like crushed ice,” he said. “At least parts of the Arctic have become like a giant slushie, and that’s a lot easier to melt and melt more quickly.” The planet has charted a slew of
Kumi Naidoo, the executive director of Greenpeace who on Monday intercepted a Russian ship in the Arctic, said the ice melt showed that the planet was “warming up at a rate that puts billions of people’s future in jeopardy.” “These figures are not the result of some freak of nature but the effects of man-made global warming caused by our reliance on dirty fossil fuels,” he said in a statement.
Shaye Wolf of the Center for Biological Diversity pressure group called the record ice melt “a profound -- and profoundly depressing -- moment in the history of our planet.” The melt has rapidly changed the politics and economics of the Arctic region, with shipping companies increasingly eager to save time by sailing through the once-forbidding waters. Data released Monday by the Washington-based Center for Global Development found that nations including China, India and the United States were reducing the intensity of their carbon emissions but that the effort was overwhelmed by the surge in power consumption in developing nations.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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FEATURE
A 63-year-old engineer and Japan’s ‘Last Ninja’ IGA, Japan, Aug 19, 2012 (AFP) - A 63-year-old former engineer may not fit the typical image of a dark-clad assassin with deadly weapons who can disappear into a cloud of smoke. But Jinichi Kawakami is reputedly Japan’s last ninja. As the 21st head of the Ban clan, a line of ninjas that can trace its history back some 500 years, Kawakami is considered by some to be the last living guardian of Japan’s secret spies. “I think I’m called (the last ninja) as there is probably no other person who learned all the skills that were directly” handed down from ninja masters over the last five centuries, he said. “Ninjas proper no longer exist,” he said as he demonstrated the tools and techniques used in espionage and sabotage by men fighting for their samurai lords in the feudal Japan of yesteryear. Nowadays they are confined to fiction or used to promote Iga, some 350 kilometers (220 miles) southwest of Tokyo, a mountain-shrouded city near the ancient imperial capital of Kyoto that was once home to many ninjas. Kawakami, a former engineer who began teaching ninjutsu -- the art of the ninja -- ten years ago, said the true history of ninjas was a mystery. “There are some drawings of their tools but we don’t always find all the details,” which may have been left deliberately vague, Kawakami said. “Many of their traditions were passed on by word of mouth, so we don’t know what was altered in the process.” And those skills that have arrived in
the 21st century in their entirety are sometimes difficult to verify. “We can’t try out murder or poisons. Even if we can follow the instructions to make a poison, we can’t try it out,” he said.
Survival techniques Kawakami first encountered the secretive world of ninjas at the age of just six, but has only vague memories of first meeting his master, Masazo Ishida, a man who dressed as a Buddhist monk. “I kept practicing without knowing what I was actually doing. It was much later that I realized I was practicing ninjutsu.” Kawakami said training ranged from physical and mental skills to studies of chemicals, weather and psychology. “I call ninjutsu comprehensive survival techniques,” though it originated in war skills such as espionage and guerrilla attacks, he said. “For concentration, I looked at the wick of a candle until I got the feeling that I was actually inside it. I also practiced hearing the sound of a needle dropping on the floor,” he said. He climbed walls, jumped from heights and learned how to mix chemicals to cause explosions and smoke. “I was also required to endure heat and cold as well as pain and hunger. The training was all tough and painful. It wasn’t fun but I didn’t think much why I was doing it. Training was made to be part of my life.”
Kawakami said he was “a strange boy” growing up but his practice drew little attention at a time when many in Japan were struggling to make ends meet in the hard post-war years. Just before he turned 19, he inherited the master’s title, along with secret scrolls and special tools. Kawakami is careful not to claim the title of the “last ninja” for himself and in the sometimes sectarian world of ninjutsu there are doubters and rival claimants, with the disputes centering on the authenticity of various teachings.
It is possible to hide -- in a manner of speaking -- behind the smallest of things, Kawakami said. “If you throw a toothpick, people will look that way, giving you the chance to flee. “We also have a saying that it is possible to escape death by perching on your enemy’s eyelashes; it means you are so close that he cannot see you.” Kawakami recently began a research job at the state-run Mie University, where he is studying the history of ninjas.
Kawakami says much of the ninja’s art lies in catching people unawares, rather than in brute force.
But, he said as he showed around the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum and its trick house with hidden ladders, fake doors and an underfloor sword box, he is resigned to the fact that he is the last of his kind.
“Humans can’t be on the alert all the time. There is always a moment when they are off guard and you catch it,” he said.
There will be no 22nd head of the Ban clan because Kawakami has decided not to take on any more apprentices.
It is all about exploiting weaknesses that allows the ninja to outfox much bigger or more numerous opponents; distracting attention to allow a quick getaway.
“Ninjas just don’t fit in the modern day,” he said.
”Perching on your enemy’s eyelashes”
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
Parents reject China’s classrooms for home schooling BEIJING, Aug 28, 2012 (AFP) - Giving up his successful career as the head of a medical research firm to spend his days at home reading from children’s story books was a tough choice for Chinese father Zhang Qiaofeng. But Zhang, one of a small but growing number of Chinese parents who are turning their backs on the country’s rigidly exam-oriented state-run school system, felt he had no choice. “China’s education system has special problems,” said Zhang, a wirylooking graduate of one of the country’s top universities. “I want my son to receive a style of education which is much more participative, not just the teacher talking while students listen. Most of my son’s time is set aside for following his interests, or playing.” From a small apartment on the outskirts of Beijing, Zhang teaches his son Hongwu for four hours a day, in contrast to the six hours of compulsory classes the seven-year-old used to sit through at primary school. In the living room where he holds most of his classes, Zhang rattles through a long list of gripes with China’s education system, from what he calls its “obsession” with exam results to an overly authoritarian teaching style. China has made impressive progress in rolling out universal education across the country, with urban areas such as Shanghai claiming a perfect school enrolment rate. The United Nations says
China has a youth literacy rate of 99 percent. But many parents complain about the focus on rote learning and passing exams, which means that children spend long hours in class. Chinese children spend an average of 8.6 hours a day in school, with some spending 12 hours in the classroom, according to a 2007 survey conducted by China’s Youth and Children Research Center. Lao Kaisheng, an education policy researcher at Beijing Normal University, said growing numbers of Chinese parents were demanding more of a say in how their children were educated. “There’s been a rapid rise in home schooling, especially in the past few years,” he said. “Parents who home school tend to have more strict requirements for their children’s education, and feel that schools won’t meet their children’s individual needs.” No official figures are available for the proportion of Chinese parents educating their children at home, but Lao estimates it at less than one percent.
One of the most prominent is Xu Xuejin, who moved from the booming eastern Chinese manufacturing hub of Zhejiang to the picturesque but sleepy southwestern town of Dali to provide a better environment for his two children. “Chinese children are taught to compete from a young age,” Xu said by phone. “Students who can’t compete are eliminated... there’s too much pressure on them.” Xu, a Christian, said he wanted to give his children a more “Bible-centred” education than they could get in school, a key motivating factor in countries such as the United States where home schooling is becoming more popular. An Internet discussion forum he started in 2010 for Chinese home schoolers to swap classroom materials and discuss educational theory now has more than 4,000 registered members. Worries about the legality of home schooling feature heavily on the forum -- Chinese law states that children
must be enrolled in school aged seven and receive compulsory education for nine years. “Chinese educational officials are split on the subject,” said Lao. “Some want to force children back into schools while some would prefer to legalize home schooling, which is why there haven’t been any new regulations.” But questions over the legality of home schooling have not deterred Zhang, who says he hopes his son will never return to a Chinese school. “My son’s Chinese and English skills are much higher than other children his age,” said Zhang, gesturing at a bookshelf filled with titles his young son has read. “I plan to teach my son at home until he’s ready to attend university. I hope he can attend a great university like Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge, I’m 95 percent certain he can achieve that.”
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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FOCUS
Online universities blossom in Asia KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1, 2012 (AFP) – Thousands of kilometers from Kuala Lumpur in Cameroon, doctoral student Michael Nkwenti Ndongfack attends his Open University Malaysia classes online and hopes to defend his final thesis by Skype.
The Malaysian government said about 85,000 people took online courses in the country last year, both at web-based institutions and traditional universities offering Internet teaching.
A government worker, Ndongfack could not find the instructional design and technology course he wanted in his own country, so is paying a foreign institution about $10,000 for the degree instead.
In high-tech South Korea more than 112,000 students at 19 institutions are taking webbased classes, all of which have begun since 2002.
Online university education is expanding quickly in Asia, where growth in technology and Internet use is matched by a deep reverence for education. “I chose e-learning because it is so flexible,” Ndongfack, 42, said via Skype from his home in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde. Web-based courses dramatically boost opportunities for students and are often cheaper than those offered by traditional bricks-and-mortar institutions. But online learning has also caught the eye of some of the world’s most prestigious universities, with Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently teaming up to offer free courses over the Internet. “With the improvement in technology, the number of institutions offering online education has increased, both in terms of numbers and the kind of classes offered,” said Lee Hock Guan, senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
China embraced the concept of online learning in the late 1990s to expand access to education, particularly in its vast rural regions, and there are now scores of providers, with 1.64 million people enrolled in 2010.
A new type of learning Online courses are changing the way students learn, educators say, placing less emphasis on the rote learning that has long characterized education in parts of Asia, and harnessing modern consumer technologies. And “open” universities, which typically offer courses primarily through the Internet, allow anyone to enroll for online programs regardless of prior qualification or degrees. At Kuala Lumpur-based Asia e University, students download course materials from an online forum and virtual library. They are in contact with teachers and fellow students mostly through email, online chats, phone and text messages. Assignments typically include illustrating what they have learned with videos and other presentations made
with smart phones, iPads or other devices and uploading them to YouTube. Academics say such interactive learning helps students engage with the material more than they would sitting passively in a lecture hall, and opens a window to learning through a medium they know and love — the latest gadgets. “Everyone is a front-row student,” said Ishan Abeywardena, who teaches information technology at Wawasan Open University, based in northern Malaysia. Students who might be too shy to ask questions or otherwise engage with their class in a traditional setting are much bolder online, Ishan said. “Can you imagine the iPad, iPod and iPhone generation today, who are going to enter the university say, in 15 years’ time, going for a chalk-and-talk kind of model of learning? You learn by doing,” said Ansary Ahmed, Asia e University’s president. But even those in favor of online learning admit face-to-face interaction — which can also help keep students motivated and personally engaged — is lost.
Ndongfack, whose web-only institution opened in 2000, said online studies were not easy, leaving him feeling isolated. “There is no one there to give you instant support,” he said. The growth of online degree programs is also constrained by poor Internet accessibility in parts of Asia and beyond. More than 80 percent of South Koreans and 60 percent of Malaysians have online access, but in China the rate slips to about 40 percent and it slumps to around 10 percent in India. Other criticisms include inadequate regulation, allegations of poor-quality teaching, student cheating, and the fact that online degrees are still not as widely recognized as traditional ones in the marketplace, say industry experts. But Asia e University’s Ansary says such teething problems will be addressed over time, and in a few decades students will no longer attend just one university but several, picking and choosing from online offerings. “These are early days,” he said. “The window is just opening.”
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
Coffee giant Starbucks taps into tea-loving India
MUMBAI, Sept 2, 2012 (AFP) – Starbucks is betting on big returns as it seeks to lure an expanding legion of coffee lovers in India — primarily a tea-drinking nation where lifestyle changes have spawned a booming market for cafes. After eyeing the Indian market for years, the world’s largest coffee chain is planning its foray into the country later this year, with an initial $78 million investment to tap the country’s fast-growing appetite for the drink. “Coffee has changed from being a traditional beverage, consumed mainly in south India, to a mainstream beverage with a national presence,” said Starbucks’ China and Asia-Pacific president John Culver. “Given the size of the Indian economy, the growth of cafe culture and the rising spending power, India will be a very large market over the long term,” he said in an emailed interview.
In a traditionally tea-drinking nation, India’s annual per capita coffee consumption of 82 grams (three ounces) is far below that of 6.79 kilograms (15 pounds) in Germany and 5.87 kg in Brazil, according to data from the International Coffee Organization. But appetite for the bitter brew is growing amid an explosion of hip Western-style cafes catering to the country’s young consuming class who offer significant opportunities for investment with their rising disposable incomes. In addition to the Indian-owned Cafe Coffee Day chain which dominates the market, foreign chains such as Britain’s Costa Coffee and American brand Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf are well-established in major Indian cities. Along with its distinctive green-siren logo cups, Starbucks has vowed to tackle competition with “locally rel-
evant” flavors as it adapts its menu to suit local taste buds, following similar moves by other large chains in India. US outlets such as Pizza Hut and McDonald’s have “Indianized” their offerings, selling Indian cottage cheese pizzas and spicy potato burgers to woo subcontinental consumers.
inflation-prone economy. With the India’s GDP growth having fallen to 6.5 percent in the year to March, after near double-digit expansion for much of the past decade, the growth in demand for premium coffee may be slower than hoped.
But analysts offer mixed forecasts for the Seattle-based brand which is teaming up with local player Tata Global Beverages to enter the Indian market.
The key issue will therefore be of “penetration and network chains rather than of Indians drinking more coffee”, said Vijay Chugh, consumer and auto analyst with BNP Paribas Securities.
“The Tatas have tea and coffee plantations, but little experience in operating coffee chains,” said P. Phani Sekhar, fund manager at Angel Broking, adding the alliance would have to “be street smart and nimble in decision-making”.
Starbucks had promised a simultaneous launch of stores in New Delhi and Mumbai by August-September, but Culver declined in the interview to give a specific date, saying only it would be “during the calendar year 2012″.
Sekhar said spiraling real-estate costs could also be problematic, with Indian cities such as Mumbai recording a sharp rise in property prices in recent years.
“I never really enjoyed their coffee,” said Arjun Rajagopal, a well-travelled executive with a global consultancy firm.
“The prohibitive costs… could affect store profitability and make (achieving) break even more challenging,” he said, adding that this could complicate Starbucks’ expansion plans into smaller Indian cities and towns. It also remains to be seen whether Starbucks can bank on its brand appeal to charge higher prices in India’s
“It’s the cozy, informal ambience which is important, while meeting friends or for low-key business meetings to get work done,” he said.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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SPORTS
China’s Lin eyes Olympic hat-trick BEIJING, Aug 24, 2012 (AFP) - Chinese badminton star Lin Dan has denied any plans to quit the game -- and even said he would consider going for a third straight Olympic title in 2016. “Super Dan”, 28, was thought to be eyeing retirement after he became the first man to clinch back-to-back Olympic gold medals this month in London. But Lin, often described as the sport’s greatest ever player, said he merely needed a rest after the Olympics. He will be back in domestic action as early as Saturday in the China badminton league. “I never said I would retire. All I said is I want to take a rest for a while,” the world number one was
quoted as saying by the China Daily. “I hope to set a new target during my rest, and adjust my physical condition.” Lin beat his great rival, Lee Chong Wei, for the second Olympic final running in London. The 29-year-old Malaysian has also not ruled out competing at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. “If my foes are able to make it to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, I will also go for it,” said Lin. Lin’s successful title defence helped dominant China sweep all five badminton categories in London, despite having their women’s doubles top seeds disqualified in a match-throwing scandal.
Armstrong defiant in face of doping allegations MONTREAL, Aug 29, 2012 (AFP) - A defiant Lance Armstrong on Wednesday rebutted the US Anti-Doping Agency’s claims that he is a drug cheat, telling throngs of supporters at a Montreal cancer conference: “I won the Tour de France seven times.” The US cycling icon and cancer survivor is set to be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after he waived the right to fight serious doping claims by the US agency at an independent hearing. Armstrong briefly addressed the allegations at the World Cancer Congress in Montreal, saying to applause: “My name is Lance Armstrong, I’m a cancer survivor... and yes, I won the Tour de France seven times.
“And for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, I love you,” he added cheerily. Armstrong’s Livestrong campaign has collected nearly $500 million for cancer research and helping people cope with the disease. He told conference delegates that there is still “too much to be done” in the fight against cancer that “we can’t be distracted,” alluding to the doping scandal. “I wont be distracted.” Later Armstrong was to go for a seven and a half kilometer (4.6 mile) run in the city, and invited Montrealers to join him.
Bolt mulls swapping sprinting LONDON, Aug 23, 2012 (AFP) - Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has said he is considering switching sprinting for long jump before the 2016 Rio Olympics. The world’s fastest man, who claimed three gold medals at the London Olympics, dismissed rumors that he may retire before Rio but said he may compete in different events in four years’ time. “It’s just about making different goals, there’s a lot of things I can do in
the sport,” Bolt told Britain’s Sky News television channel. “My coach wants me to do 400 meters, I want to try long jump,” said Bolt, who successfully defended his 2008 Beijing 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles in London this month. “I could always try to aim for the records again, so there’s different things -- but after the season we’ll decide what we want to do and work on that next season.”
Bolt’s flirtation with long jump comes a week after he claimed he was considering playing cricket in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League.
would be following in the footsteps of US sprinter Carl Lewis, who won the Olympic long jump title four times from 1984 to 1988 as well as four sprint golds.
He played junior cricket before turning to the track and has long voiced a love for the game.
Bolt also brushed off speculation that he was planning to quit ahead of the Rio Games.
The sprinter has also said he would happily play football for Manchester United, “if the money’s right”.
“Yes, definitely I will be there (in Rio), as long as I’m fit and I’m ready,” said the 26-year-old. “It’ll be a little bit harder but I’m looking forward to it.”
If Bolt does switch to long jump, he
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS Bayern sign Spain’s ‘star of the future’ Martinez
Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar signs for QPR LONDON, Aug 29, 2012 (AFP) - Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar has agreed a four-year deal with Queens Park Rangers, subject to the player receiving international clearance and being granted a visa, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. The 32 year-old, capped 64 times by his country, has agreed a contract after leaving Italian giants Inter Milan. During his seven years at San Siro, Julio Cesar won the Champions League and five Italian titles. “I’m so happy and excited to be here,” he told QPR’s website. “The ambition of this club was presented to me by the chairman and the coach and I couldn’t have been more impressed. “The desire to achieve things at this club is clear for everyone to see and I
wanted to be part of that. I have come here to compete for the shirt and give my all.” He added: “The English Premier League is the best division in the world. Everyone wants to play here and I am no different. Now I just want to give my all to the club and show the fans what I am capable of. “This is a really exciting move for me and I can’t wait to get going.” Delighted QPR manager Mark Hughes said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to attract a keeper of such outstanding ability to the club. “He’s an outstanding individual, as well as being an outstanding player. “Not only will we benefit from his ability, but we’ll also benefit from his experience and winning mentality.”
BERLIN, Aug 29, 2012 (AFP) - Midfielder Javier Martinez joined Bayern Munich on Wednesday with an impressive CV as a World Cup and Euro 2012 winner, but the 23-year-old rising star has made only a handful of appearances for Spain. A late substitute in Spain’s 2-1 group-stage win over Chile at the 2010 World Cup, Martinez also came off the bench at Euro 2012 in the 4-0 group win over Ireland. It represents a fairly modest return at international level for a player reported to have cost Bayern 40 million euros ($50.2 million). Martinez, who will be unveiled at a press conference in Munich on Thursday, may not yet be of the same class as more experienced compatriots such as Xavi or Andres Iniesta, but he “is part of our future” according to Spain coach Vicente del Bosque. “In footballing terms, you can compare him with the former international star Patrick Vieira,” enthused del Bosque. “He’s a born leader. A complete player.” The Spain coach also believes moving to Bayern will help to “shape and bring on” Martinez, but the Munich club set high standards and the Bavarian capital has not always been a happy hunting ground for bright, young talent. Germany star Lukas Podolski spent three unhappy seasons there before returning to hometown club Cologne, from where Arsenal snapped him up at the end of last season. Promising defender Marcell Jansen, now at Hamburg, and striker Jan Schlaudraff, now at Hannover 96, each eventually lost their places in the Germany squad on the back of unhappy seasons in Munich.
Bayern Munich’s new signing Javier Martinez
Despite proving in his last season with Athletic that he can also play in the heart of the defence, Martinez is set to play alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger in central midfield for Bayern. Expectations will be high after a transfer deal that has reportedly broken the Bundesliga record, with Bayern seeing off interest in the player from Manchester City and Barcelona. “If you are looking at a certain position and again and again come up with the same two or three players, you have to make a decision eventually,” said Bayern president Uli Hoeness about the player, who turns 24 on September 2. Robust and strong in the air, but also blessed with excellent technique, Martinez is seen as the final piece in the Bayern jigsaw by the club. After being poached from Osasuna as a 17-year-old by Athletic in 2006, he played 35 games in his debut season. He became a key player at San Mames, helping Athletic reach the finals of the Copa del Rey and the Europa League last season. Now, however, he will be competing in the Champions League for the first time. In 2010, he was awarded the Premio Don Balon for the best young player in Spain, joining previous winners such as Xavi (1999) and Raul (1995). He made his debut for Spain just before the 2010 World Cup, but was instrumental in the Spanish side that won the European Under-21 Championship title in 2011.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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HEALTH US finds lead poisoning from Ayurvedic medicines WASHINGTON, Aug 23, 2012 (AFP) – US health researchers said Thursday that they have documented lead poisoning risks among pregnant women who took Ayurvedic medicine and issued a new warning on the safety of traditional pills. New York City health authorities probed six cases since last year of women — all but one born in India — found to be at high risk of lead poisoning due to Ayurvedic medicine, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Ayurveda, or long-life science, is a system of traditional medicine developed over thousands of years in India. The pills — none made in the United States — are occasionally contaminated during manufacturing but some are “rasa shastra,” the Indian practice of intentionally adding metals, minerals or gems to medicine. The medicines are advertised as helping with pregnancy and at least one boasted that it would boost the chances of having a boy instead of a girl, said the report by the US government health organization. While the six women have not shown symptoms, authorities found them to be at high risk of lead poisoning, which can damage the brain, kidneys and nervous and reproductive systems. “Pregnant women present a unique concern, because lead exposure can adversely affect the health of both mother and child. Fetal lead exposure increases the risks for low birth weight, developmental delay, reduced intelligence and behavioral problems,” it said. The products contained up to 2.4 percent lead and some also contained mercury and arsenic, which are also considered dangerous for consumption. The US Food and Drug Administration warned in 2008 to use caution when taking Ayurvedic medicines — especially those sold over the Internet — as they are generally not approved by regulators. The researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that health care providers should ask patients about their use of foreign-made medicine and consider administering tests for metal exposure.
Chronic pot use by teens may leave permanent damage WASHINGTON, Aug 27, 2012 (AFP) - A new pill to treat HIV infection -- combining two previously approved drugs plus two new ones -- has been approved for adults living with the virus that causes AIDS, US regulators said Monday. The single daily dose of Stribild provides a complete treatment regimen for HIV infection, the US Food and Drug Administration said in a statement, and is meant for people who have not already received treatment with other HIV drugs. “Through continued research and drug development, treatment for those infected with HIV has evolved from multi-pill regimens to single-pill regimens,” said Edward Cox, director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“Therapies that address the individual needs of patients are critical to enhancing adherence and increasing the potential for treatment success,” Gilead chief John Martin said in the statement. This is Gilead’s third single-tablet antiHIV combination therapy, the company noted, adding it is still seeking approval for the newest offering in Australia, Canada and the European Union. To get the drug to HIV patients in the developing world, where millions lack access to effective treatment options, generic versions are being developed -- with permission and help from Gilead -- by a number of Indian manufacturers and the Medicines Patent Pool, a non-profit that helps facilitate generic drug-making.
The new pill, made by Gilead Sciences in California, was tested in more than 1,400 patients, in two double-blind clinical trials.
The drug combines Truvada -- another Gilead offering approved in 2004, that combines emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate to fight an enzyme that HIV needs to replicate -- with elvitegravir, another enzyme-fighting drug, and cobicistat, which enhances the effects of elvitegravir.
Results showed that Stribild performed as well or better than two other treatment combinations, and brought virus readings down to undetectable levels in around nine of 10 patients after 48 weeks.
The FDA said further study is required to determine the quad-drug’s safety for women and children, how resistance may develop, and whether the drug interacts with other drugs.
“New combination HIV drugs like Stribild help simplify treatment regimens.”
Stribild will also be required to carry a label warning patients and health care providers the drug can cause fatal side effects, including severe liver problems, and a build-up of lactic acid in the blood. The FDA said the label is also required for many other HIV-fighting drugs. But Gilead said that during the studies, “most adverse effects were mild to moderate.” The FDA said patients commonly experienced nausea and diarrhea. The drug also weakened bones and caused or worsened kidney problems -both of which will be mentioned in a warning on the drug’s label. Truvada was previously approved as a treatment for people infected with HIV to be used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs. In July, it was also approved for use by healthy at-risk adults to prevent HIV, the first-ever daily pill approved for that purpose. This year, the FDA also approved the first rapid HIV test that can be bought without a prescription and taken at home.
US finds lead poisoning from Ayurvedic medicines WASHINGTON, Aug 23, 2012 (AFP) – US health researchers said Thursday that they have documented lead poisoning risks among pregnant women who took Ayurvedic medicine and issued a new warning on the safety of traditional pills. New York City health authorities probed six cases since last year of women — all but one born in India — found to be at high risk of lead poisoning due to Ayurvedic medicine, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Ayurveda, or long-life science, is a system of traditional medicine developed over thousands of years in India. The pills — none made in the United States — are occasionally contaminated during manufacturing but some are “rasa shastra,” the Indian practice of intentionally adding metals, minerals or gems to medicine.
The medicines are advertised as helping with pregnancy and at least one boasted that it would boost the chances of having a boy instead of a girl, said the report by the US government health organization.
The US Food and Drug Administration warned in 2008 to use caution when taking Ayurvedic medicines — especially those sold over the Internet — as they are generally not approved by regulators.
While the six women have not shown symptoms, authorities found them to be at high risk of lead poisoning, which can damage the brain, kidneys and nervous and reproductive systems.
The researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that health care providers should ask patients about their use of foreign-made medicine and consider administering tests for metal exposure.
“Pregnant women present a unique concern, because lead exposure can adversely affect the health of both mother and child. Fetal lead exposure increases the risks for low birth weight, developmental delay, reduced intelligence and behavioral problems,” it said. The products contained up to 2.4 percent lead and some also contained mercury and arsenic, which are also considered dangerous for consumption.
“The cases of lead poisoning among the six pregnant women underscore the importance of risk assessment for lead exposure and blood lead testing in at-risk populations,” the report said.
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia Man in Malaysia bitten by crocodile during toilet break KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25, 2012 (AFP) – A construction worker was bitten by a crocodile during a toilet break in a river in Malaysian Borneo, but fought off the huge reptile and escaped with his life. Pai punched the two-meter (6.5-foot) crocodile in the eye after it bit him just above his right buttock, and despite being in incredible pain and soaked in blood managed to summon help, reports said Saturday. The attack happened early Friday, when the 32-year-old decided to take his chances in the river in Sarawak state despite knowing it was infested with crocodiles. The laborer, an Indonesian who works at a nearby construction site, had just finished relieving himself under a bridge when the animal bit him from behind. “Fortune favored me when the crocodile let go after I punched it in the eye,” he was quoted by Malay tabloid Harian Metro as saying.
Nepalese man bites snake in revenge attack
“After being freed from the jaws of the crocodile, I found extraordinary strength to run and call for help even though my waist was extremely painful.”
KATHMANDU, Aug 23, 2012 (AFP) – A Nepalese farmer who was bitten by a venomous snake took revenge by sinking his teeth into the reptile and killing it, police said on Thursday.
Several newspapers ran pictures of Pai, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, lying on his stomach at the Sarawak General Hospital with bandages on his waist and hip area.
Mohamed Salmo Miya was farming near his village 200 kilometers (125 miles) southeast of Kathmandu when he encountered the deadly common cobra, said district police chief Uma Prasad Chatrubedi.
According to The Star newspaper, he also suffered puncture wounds on the left side of his ribs. Crocodile attacks have been a constant problem in Malaysia, with several deaths reported in the past few years. The Star reported that a 14-year-old boy was still recovering at the same hospital after a crocodile attack on Wednesday. Two years ago, a Malaysian businessman settled out of court for 43,000 ringgit ($14,000) after he was bitten by a crocodile while playing golf at a resort near the historic port town of Malacca just south of Kuala Lumpur.
“A farmer in Bardanga village has killed a white cobra with his teeth out of anger,” he said. “The snake bit him while he was working in his paddy field on Tuesday evening and the man chased it and killed it.” Miya was treated at a local clinic and is recovering at home. “I was very angry after the snake bit into me. Then I followed the snake, grabbed it and bit it to death,” the 55-year-old told the Nepali-language Annapurna Post.
“I could have killed it with a stick but I was mad with anger and wanted to take revenge. I killed it with my teeth.” Nepal has a wide variety of poisonous and non-venomous snakes, which are particularly active during the summer monsoon, including the Indian rock python, which can grow up to 10 meters (33 feet) long, and the deadly king cobra. Conservative estimates suggest that there are 20,000 cases of snake bites in Nepal a year, almost all in the Terai southern plains, causing around 1,000 deaths. The two-metre common cobra, which accounts for the majority of bites, is worshipped by Hindus in some parts of Nepal.
Coca-Cola available but expensive in N. Korea: defectors Seoul, Sept 1, 2012 (AFP) - Coca-Cola has been available at private markets in North Korea for more than a decade even if the US soft drink maker has not opened business in the communist state, defectors from the North said Saturday. A clip featuring Coke being served in what is said to be a pizza restaurant in Pyongyang recently attracted attention on video sharing site YouTube. Customers were told what they were drinking was “Italian” Coke despite the unmistakable red and white brand, according to the video posted to YouTube last October. Lee Suk-Yong, who defected to the South in 2006, said distributors in
China began shipping Coke across the North Korean border in 2002 when the North dallied with partial capitaliststyle market reform.
“Foreign cigarettes such as Marlboro and Dunhill were also available at such shops,” he said.
“You can buy Coke at every private market in large cities whenever you’re ready to pay up, although it is highly expensive, compared to other countries,” he said.
The carbonated soft drink at that time appeared only at special shops in Pyongyang where foreign goods are available to those who have access to foreign exchanges -- ruling elites and foreigners.
Coca-Cola however first arrived in North Korea “in 1989 when the country hosted the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in Pyongyang,” said Kim Sung-Min, a renowned defector from the North.
It was simply too expensive for ordinary people to taste it, he said. A Coca-Cola spokesman told The Telegraph that it “does not currently do business in North Korea”.
“Any products sold in the market have been purchased by unauthorized third parties and imported into the country from other markets where they were sold”, he said. “No representative of The Coca-Cola Company has been in discussions or explored opening up business in North Korea. Coca-Cola could only consider entering the market in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations governing US relations with North Korea,” he added. “We cannot enter the market at this time”.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
Misc Asia
Words of Wisdom
Thailand sets world record for mass massage Bangkok, Aug 30, 2012 (AFP) - Hundreds of people pushed, prodded and stretched their way to a new world record for the biggest simultaneous group massage, in the Thai capital Bangkok on Thursday, organizers said. A total of 1,282 entrants took part in the event at a convention centre, smashing the previous Guinness World Record of 526 people set in Daylesford, Australia, in March 2010. “I feel excited and thrilled. I want Thai massage to be famous all around the world,” said 50-year-old masseuse Pinprapar Meedej. The event was staged by the Thai government in an effort to lure foreigners to a country whose tourist-friendly image has been tested in recent years by deadly floods, political violence and concerns about crime and safety. “We had expected about 800 pairs but on the day of the rehearsal only this number showed up,” said event spokeswoman Supaporn Rungcharoenkiat. “But we’re sure that we broke the record.”
The way the arrow hits the target is more essential than the way it is shot; the way you listen is more essential than the way you talk. Bhutan Proverb The excessively kind-hearted person becomes a slave. Burmese Proverb
The kingdom wants to shed its reputation for sex tourism -- including brothels disguised as massage parlors -- and promote itself as a growing hub for medical tourism. Supporters of traditional Thai massage say people in pain need look no further than their local spa. “Thailand is the number one medical hub. You can be cured with Thai massage. There’s no need to use medicine and it’s 100 percent safe,” said 39-yearold massage instructor Duangvarat Insee. Most of the people who took part were qualified massage therapists, but others were just happy to enjoy a free session of “the lazy man’s yoga”. “That was great. My legs feel good and I can walk better,” said 72-year-old pensioner Mora Saelim.
Scholars say NBA not OK for Chinese dictionary BEIJING, Aug 29, 2012 (AFP) - A group of Chinese academics has said English-language abbreviations which have become part of everyday life in China should be struck from the country’s top dictionary. A letter signed by more than 100 scholars condemned the inclusion of terms including NBA (National Basketball Association) and WTO (World Trade Organization) in the latest edition of China’s most authoritative dictionary, the Global Times daily reported Wednesday.
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Acronyms and other abbreviations derived from English are widely used in China, where millions of basketball fans refer to their favorite league as the NBA, rather than Mei Zhi Lan, the official Chinese translation. English abbreviations for international bodies such as the WTO are also widely used, while PM2.5, a measure of air pollution, has become a familiar term among urban residents, who are increasingly concerned about air quality.
Excessive talk is sure to include errors. Burmese Proverb The best memory is not so firm as faded ink. Chinese Proverb Ruthlessness is a key to a man’s solid accomplishment. Chinese Proverb In every forest , there is a snake. Filipino Proverb Speech is silver but silence is gold. Filipino Proverb True happiness lies in giving it to others. Indian Proverb The way to overcome the angry man is with gentleness, the evil man with goodness, the miser with generosity and the liar with truth. Indian Proverb Life is for one generation; a good name is forever. Japanese Proverb
The latest edition of the Contemporary Chinese Dictionary, the country’s most authoritative linguistic reference book, included more than 239 terms containing latin letters, up from 39 in 1996, the Global Times reported. The academics say in their letter that the introduction of English abbreviations threatens the Chinese language, and their presence in the dictionary violates Chinese laws governing language usage. “Replacing Chinese characters with letters in such a dictionary... deals the most severe damage to the Chinese language in a century,” Li Mingsheng,
One who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger. Japanese Proverb The person who knows himself and his opponent will be invincible. Korean Proverb Through old things, we learn new things. Korean Proverb Lose when you buy, win when you wear Malay Proverb If it is heavy, we carry it together on our shoulders; if it is light, we carry it together in our hands. Malay Proverb Rich is he who has no debts, fortunate he who lives without handicap. Mongolian Proverb The distance between heaven and earth is no greater than one thought. Mongolian Proverb The sweetness of food doesn’t last long, but the sweetness of good words do. Thai Proverb If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant. Thai Proverb The fat buffalo will attract the lean buffalo. Vietnamese Proverb Old foxes want no tutor. Vietnamese Proverb
a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the paper. “If we don’t make standards, more and more English expressions will become part of Chinese,” Fu Zhenguo, one of the scholars behind the protest letter, told The Beijing News. China’s state broadcaster CCTV triggered a public outcry when it banned English language abbreviations in 2010.
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
TECH ‘Super Wi-Fi’ poised for growth in US, elsewhere WASHINGTON, Sept 1, 2012 (AFP) - Move over Wi-Fi, there’s a new wireless technology coming.
early Super Wi-Fi deployments are being back converted to regular Wi-Fi signals. At some point soon, he said, people may start using air cards or dongles to capture Super Wi-Fi.
So-called “Super Wi-Fi,” which offers a bigger range than existing hotspots, is being deployed in the United States and generating interest in a number of countries, including Britain and Brazil.
Gerry Purdy, an analyst and consultant with MobileTrax LLC, was more cautious about prospects for Super Wi-Fi, saying it may take several years to gain traction.
Super Wi-Fi is not really Wi-Fi because it uses a different frequency and requires specially designed equipment, but it offers some of Wi-Fi’s advantages, and more. The name was coined by the US Federal Communications Commission in 2010, when it approved the deployment of unused broadcast television spectrum, or so-called “white spaces,” for wireless broadband. The long range and use of the broadcast spectrum could allow wireless signals to travel farther than Wi-Fi -- in theory as far as 100 miles (160 kilometers) -- although for practical reasons the range will probably be only a few miles. Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project at the New America Foundation, said that is an advantage of using the broadcast spectrum. “Wi-Fi has been booming, but it has been limited by the frequencies it operates on, which go only a few hundred meters,” said Calabrese, who has been pressing for the use of “white spaces” since 2002. In contrast, “television frequencies travel long distances at low power and penetrate through buildings, trees and bad weather,” Calabrese said. This could provide high-speed
“It’s a good utilization of spectrum, but I’m more conservative than some people,” he said.
Internet to sparsely populated rural areas which lack broadband. It could also allow consumers to create their own hotspots, which could be used on devices while away from their homes. The first deployment of Super Wi-Fi came last year by Rice University in Houston, Texas, followed by another earlier this year in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coalition of organizations has announced plans to deploy Super Wi-Fi to college campuses in rural areas starting early next year in a project called AIR.U, backed by Google and Microsoft. Super Wi-Fi would be on “unlicensed” spectrum, like Wi-Fi, so companies would not bid on exclusive spectrum rights. This can lower costs. And there is often excess capacity, especially in rural areas, where fewer TV stations operate. Mobile phone companies could use Super Wi-Fi, as they do now with WiFi, to relieve some of the “spectrum crunch” from the explosion of mobile
devices like smartphones and tablets. But in order for Super Wi-Fi to gain traction, manufacturers of PCs and other devices would have to make chipsets that could operate on both systems. Dan Lubar of the WhiteSpace Alliance, an association dedicated to new wireless technology, said he sees Super Wi-Fi gaining momentum in the US and other countries with unused broadcast spectrum. “Everybody understands the value of this spectrum,” he said. “It is the biggest swath of spectrum and has the most favorable characteristics.” Chipmaker Texas Instruments recently joined the alliance, suggesting that equipment makers are ready to start making Super Wi-Fi equipment. “It’s definitely going to be here in visible ways by the middle of next year,” Lubar said. Calabrese said that because of a lack of compatible equipment, most of the
“Building chipsets takes times, software standards take time; I don’t think people should have false expectations.” The most vocal criticism comes from the Wi-Fi Alliance, which has a trademark on the name Wi-Fi and fears consumers will be confused by incompatible technical norms. The group said it supports the use of unlicensed spectrum for broadband but that Super Wi-Fi “does not inter-operate with the billions of Wi-Fi devices in use today” and does not “deliver the same user experience as is available in Wi-Fi hotspots and home networks.” Although the name is the most controversial part of Super Wi-Fi, that did not come from the backers of the technology, but from the FCC and chairman Julius Genachowski. “I wish we had thought of that. We had been calling it Wi-Fi on steroids,” said Calabrese.
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September 1-15, 2012 Georgia Asian Times
September Horoscope Dragon (2012 2000 1988 1976 1964 1952 1940 1928 1916 1904) Waste no time hoping that one tricky individual will somehow realize the anxieties they are causing those around them. Difficult as it is observing others struggle with this, it is their problem to deal with in the first instance. However, when it applies to you, the sooner you get tough, the better. Otherwise you could be sucked into a vortex, which will be complicated, and create an unhappy ending for all parties concerned.
Dog (2006 1994 1982 1970 1958 1946 1934 1922 1910) Over times, you have explored all sorts of options and discussed others’ views about the best approach to crucial decisions involving the structure of your life, at home or out in the world. Soon, you will need to make a choice; fortunately, not during this month. What you learn in this period about your situation and what others are facing could substantially alter your thinking and view.
Snake (2001 1989 1977 1965 1953 1941 1929 1917 1905) You are inquisitive, so need little encouragement to broaden your horizons, individually, romantically, professionally, intellectually or even spiritually. Yet there are certain ideas about which you have formed surprisingly rigid views. Intriguing events charm you into exploring then sudden developments shout the need for change. Gauging by the characteristic of the Snake behavior, it is more likely that you should follow your hearts and desire.
Pig (2007 1995 1983 1971 1959 1947 1935 1923 1911) When things go too well, you sometimes worry unnecessarily that you have missed details that could complicate life at a later stage. While sometimes that may be true, presently not only are things just as good as they seem, the progressive improvements are exactly what is needed by the situation in question. Try to exercise some patience and appreciate those that have been helpful or concerned for your well-being.
Horse (2002 1990 1978 1966 1954 1942 1930 1918 1906) Few things frustrate you more than situations in which you line things up perfectly, and then arrangements fall apart. While other doings could be blamed, you will soon be relieved they were problems of their own. Not only are you short of facts, you are less clear about your priorities than you should be by middle of the month. Until then, try avoiding far reaching commitment.
Rat (2008 1996 1984 1972 1960 1948 1936 1924 1912) You have undoubtedly realized that both the existing arrangements you were forced to give up and equally, any future plans that went, were in your best interests. But this creates some confusion for you and unclear what steps to take next. This month’s events begin an extensive review (encompassing - career development, business, education, commitments or even travel plans), but from a more practical angle than would ordinarily be your approach. What you learn or discover, evolves about choices and your options.
Goat (2003 1991 1979 1967 1955 1943 1931 1919 1907) In this month’s environmental high jinks result in others being upset and you somehow feeling either it is your fault or you are responsible for making things better, it is not a first. Yet now you are recognizing this pattern and better still, reversing the trend. First, you analyze events then having determined the facts, you will next need to decide whether others’ problems have anything at all to do with you.
Monkey (2004 1992 1980 1968 1956 1944 1932 1920 1908) Even if they are not strictly yours to deal with, you often shoulder the financial responsibility for even complex issues involving others. Now with only a few more facts, you could tactfully defuse those tricky situations. However, be cautious, as somebody both wants to retain financial control and keep certain crucial information under wraps. Probe subtly and you may unearth what they are hiding and discern what you actually can accomplish.
Rooster (2005 1993 1981 1969 1957 1945 1933 1921 1909) This may not be the ideal moment to have somebody back out of plans, joinventure or business proposal that are well to being finalized. But it better they withdraw now while you can still reconsider arrangements. No doubt it will create a nuisance. Perhaps this gives you an opportunity to conduct a review and just when it is timely.
Ox (2009 1997 1985 1973 1961 1949 1937 1925 1913) Because you tend to think financial plans through carefully, you will sometimes misinterpret changes by others or because of shifts in circumstance, as an indication you have done something wrong. On the contrary, with so much in transition, nobody could have anticipated the current twists and turns. While you might be anxious about those changes now, soon you will actually be welcoming them when you see the whole picture.
Tiger (2010 1998 1986 1974 1962 1950 1938 1926 1914) You are discovering the line between standing up for who or what you believe in, despite opposition and the wisdom to recognize that such matters have moved on and so, too must you. First ask whether your instincts to fight for those cherished arrangements are anchored in the past. Then explore changes as sudden as they are unsettling. The latter are likely to be your best bet.
Rabbit (2011 1999 1987 1975 1963 1951 1939 1927 1915 1903) In several situations, absurdly good things are coming your way. While some of this is well earned, it is so excessive causing you to worry unnecessarily. You should not be. In this period, stunning alliance of the management or organizations could bring payoffs from previous joint-ventures and on several fronts. Bizarrely, your challenge is to stop worrying about these remarkable developments and enjoy them without wondering what strings are attached.
Georgia Asian Times September 1-15, 2012
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