Ogilvy & Mather's Cultural Insights Trends Report - November 2011. A brilliantly insightful report on what's hot, new and exciting across Asia.

1. Wassup
Issue 6 November 2011

2. Wassup
The cultural trends magazine from
Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific
Edited & designed by Kunal Sinha
Editorial assistant: Madhumita Bhattacharyya
Correspondents:
Elaine Dai (Beijing)
Neha Punjabi (Mumbai)
Donnah Alcoseba (Makati City)
Wine Chua-Leonardo (Makati City)
Tania Chan (Singapore)
Shun Man Lee (Singapore)
Naoko Ito (Tokyo)
Azusa Fukai (Tokyo)
Siddharth Roy (Colombo)
Mei Wu (Taipei)
Caryl Heah (Kuala Lumpur)
Beatrice Yong (Kuala Lumpur)
Josephine Phang (Kuala Lumpur)
Zubair Siddiqui (Karachi)
Serena Park (Seoul)
Timothy Sarker (Dhaka)
Naima Hamid (Dhaka)
Tari Rusbianti (Jakarta)
Astrid Savitri (Jakarta)
© Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, 2011

3. As Steve Jobs gets going with his Great Gig in the sky, we set about asking
technology creators in Asia what they saw as the big changes that we should
anticipate. It all seems to be headed in one direction: faster, thinner, more.
Which for us, in the world of brands and marketing communications,
represents an opportunity. An opportunity to disrupt things, with content
and creativity.
Just to make things interesting, almost to remind ourselves that there is
indeed a world out there that’s not so twenty-something, gadgetry-
obsessed, we spoke to senior citizens. They provide a fascinating perspective
on the changes that are gripping Asian societies. These are stories of
adaptation and fortitude.
In this last issue of 2011, we thought it would only be appropriate to ask
each country what their top brands were, and what are the big things they
anticipate in 2012. Once again, the Asian diversity is revelatory.
Over these six issues of Wassup, we hope we’ve been able to stimulate you,
and would like to continue to hear from you …

4. 14 countries.
20 correspondents deeply immersed in
popular and leading edge culture bring you
Cultural Insights that will make a world
of difference to your business
SOUTH KOREA
BANGLADESH
PHILIPPINES
SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
SRI LANKA
THAILAND
MALAYSIA
PAKISTAN
VIETNAM
TAIWAN
JAPAN
CHINA
INDIA

5. contents
Look who‟s talking:
Technology creators in Asia
Knowing me, Knowing you:
Senior citizens
Playing on my iPod
Rage against
Waiting list
Tense about
Top brands of 2011
Most anticipated in 2012

6. Look who’s talking
Technology creators in Asia

7. Look who’s talking …
Chamara Peiris, CEO, International Operations at Xiteb
We had a chat with Chamara Peris, the user-interface lead,
information architect and designer who is particularly interested in
web standards, accessibility, usability and search engine
optimization. Here’s what he had to say about Sri Lanka’s tech
future…
What are the biggest challenges currently facing Sri Lanka
with respect to technology?
We are facing issues with broadband. Affordable broadband is not
stable and stable broadband is very expensive. Then there are
language issues. There are lot of people who are talented and
committed but they have language barrier which prevents them
from learning new things.
Most local customers are afraid to implement new technology as
they think it will cost a lot. There aren't proper places to educate
customers.
In addition, freelancers are ruining the market. People who are
working in the industry are over-positioned due to social media.
Accessibility and usability of technologies are still ignored. For Any other ideas on where
example, as a tax payer, how many government websites are technology is headed?
accessible to the people? Specially to people with different
abilities? The web will boom in Sri Lanka
very rapidly. Social media
What technological changes or innovations and new services usage is increasing and Sri
are you anticipating in the coming year? Lankan companies will adopt it
soon. But we still need proper
Augmented reality is the next big thing. From mobile to real-time. education and industrial
From web to big screen. training for employees. At the
HTML5 will change the way world is using the web. moment, there isn‟t a single
Facebook will be the best tool for businesses in the coming years, reputed institute teaching web
with lots of features and benefits. design.
Mobile money. Very soon the world will say goodbye to plastic
cards. The government has taken
positive steps to layer fiber
How do you feel about a post-Steve Jobs era in technology? optics around the island and
I think the world will still love Apple products as the company has replace the old copper cable.
touched the market. It has always addressed simple but critical So hopefully, in a few years, we
things when it comes to laptops, mobile phone and portable music. will get all our voice,
It has addressed usability and accessibility issues very broadband and TV through
intelligently, which will keep them safe for the next 10 years. Even this.
now they have SIRI to stay competitive. I think you will get SIRI on
iPods and MacBooks as well, which will change how the world is Finally, we need proper
using these devices. We might miss the awesome way in which language training. Speaking
Steve Jobs presented products, but with the structure Apple has, it English in our way isn't
can still come up with creative ways to do things as its employees working. We have to learn it
think differently. I have a faith in Apple, maybe because I am an perfectly to compete with
Apple user myself and I admire Steve Jobs a lot. India.

8. Look who’s talking …
BANGLADESH The Steve Jobs fan believes there are many
people who think like Steve Jobs but to be
We interviewed our very own techie Yousuf Kamal, creative like him is nearly impossible. He was
the senior IT executive at Ogilvy Dhaka. a visionary. Yousuf still hopes that the flow of
Apple products will be unaffected. The
Yousuf feels Samsung‟s new phone, Skin, will be the biggest change in the coming year will be
next big hit. It is supposed to bend like the human cloud computing. There will be a web-based
skin. OS, and all the work that one does will be in a
cloud where it will be secure and the need for
a hard drive will vanish. He also thinks 3D
technology will evolve to a new level where
no glasses will be required. It will feel as
though the viewer is a part of the image.
MALAYSIA
Calvin Tee, Web
Meet Wu Han, chief designer, and Calvin, web Applications Manager
applications developer, with Mindvalley. With
presence in 22 countries, Mindvalley is an
Wu Han, Artist-in-
Internet marketing and publishing company
Chief
that specializes in self-development programs.
Wu Han is also the founder of Webcamp, a
community of individuals with a keen interest
in the online economy, meeting on a monthly Both feel that most Malaysian consumers are
basis to share information and ideas. highly digital and tech-savvy. But the country
has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to
Calvin feels that the strength of Steve Jobs was infrastructure and companies. “E-commerce
in how he made Apple products mainstream hasn‟t picked up yet in Malaysia, largely
by adding a “human touch” to technology. because of lack of secure payment gateways,”
“You know you‟ve made it when you go to a says Calvin.
hotel lobby and see two old ladies playing
games on their iPad,” said Calvin. But Wu Han The duo predicts that phones and tablets will
believes that in Steve Jobs‟s absence, the continue to dominate the future, and they are
floodgate of innovation will be opened in the looking forward to the iPhone 4S because of its
technology space. “So far, the attitude was, new features (i.e. voice recognition), which
„Let‟s see what Jobs will do‟. Now it‟ll be more, present opportunities to change the landscape
„Let‟s see what I can do.‟” of marketing and information gathering.
.

9. Look who’s talking …
SHANGHAI
Kevin Zhang is a graphic user interface designer There is a lot of change happening among
in a software development company in Shanghai. Chinese consumers today. Kevin thinks they are
He has been working in the field for more than becoming more sophisticated and demanding in
four years and never stops loving what he is doing. terms of user experience now that they have been
“Good UI design includes interaction design, introduced to products such as the iPhone and the
information architecture and information design, iPad. “As the market develops and consumers
so a good UI designer needs to study various become more sophisticated, we‟ll be seeing more
things including marketing, engineering, project and more touch screens, at which point your
management and psychology. Right now I am computer just becomes a giant cell phone. But we
pretty good at the graphic design part but not should really look into strong UI design influence
very good at user interaction. However, I am from our neighbors, such as Japan and Korea.
studying so hopefully I will be able to deliver Most Chinese users grew up with Korean and
better work in the future,” Kevin said. He thinks Japanese cultures, so some of them are
that compared to western countries, China still particularly attracted to cute things, because it‟s
has a long way to go in terms of UI design since familiar.”
most local designers are not well-trained, don‟t
have the deep knowledge that good design
requires.
Kevin is a big fan of Steve Jobs and Apple
products. “I will always remember the day I got
my first Apple computer. I was still in college; it
was such an fascinating experience when I first
used it,” Kevin recalls. He thinks Steve Jobs had a
profound impact on the way consumers use and
perceive technology today. All user
interface/experience designers around the world
know how Apple products changed their
profession. “But I believe there are many people
inspired by him who will follow the way he
worked and the spirit that he created.”

10. Look who’s talking …
TAIWAN
Vincent Chen has been working as an engineer in a
mobile phone manufacturing company for the past
five years.“Unless we have a wiz such as Steve Jobs
to create a new market, in the next three to five
years all we can look forward to are combinations or
improvements on existing elements to be applied to
the existing digital devices,” feels Chen.
He thinks that being thin will remain the trend for
cell phone design over the next three years.
However, what is defined as thin in the future might
not be exactly the same as now.
Redefine “thin”
Thin mostly meant "carry-on" in the past, but for the
new generation, thin is being “too thin to feel". Take
Samsung for example, with its plans to introduce a
mobile phone with a screen as thin as a sheet of
paper within two years.
Indeed, the screen known as Creaseless AMOLED is
not only lightweight, but can be curved. That will
give product designers more room to play, and
allow users to use cell phones in their own
comfortable way.
If technology continues to evolve, perhaps laptops
will be replaced by dual touch panels in the future.
“Like the product in the film Real Steel, combining
the advantages of a traditional laptop and tablet PC,
the keyboard appears merely when needed, just
like in the iPhone.”
http://it.oc.com.tw/ocitview.asp?gitid=1754650

11. Look who’s talking …
Chirag Rathod is a techie's techie. He works at Oracle in
Bangalore, India, and is currently creating a software product
called Jdeveloper. One of his recent acquisitions is the Kindle 3.
He also owns a Panasonic Lumix LX5 camera, a Nikon D40 SLR,
an iPod Shuffle to give him company on his runs, a Dell Latitude
laptop, a Garmin forerunner 305 (a GPS sports watch), a 21-
geared Track 7.1 IFX commuter bike and an iPad 2.
He is now looking forward to buying an iPhone 4S or Galaxy S2.
Chirag does not change his phone to get the new software,
which he downloads himself; it‟s the new hardware he is after.
Currently he is excited about the NFC (near-field
communication) chip, which is like a swipe card payment
gateway. He believes it has the potential to replace his wallet.
The iPhone 4 is a disappointment to some, he adds, as it does
not have NFC.
In the post-Jobs era, Chirag thinks that for at least two years,
Apple will be delivering products that Steve‟s mind has
touched. The way release cycles go, Steve must have left
something in the two-year developmental cycle, he feels. What
happens after that is anyone‟s guess. But Chirag thinks that after
a point, the leader being the be all and end all of a company is
a facade. There are many smart people working under him; he
just takes a call on what gets thrown out and what appears
before the public. People like Jonathan Ive, who Steve always
supported, has been with Apple for almost 20 years and is still
on board.
The only thing he feels might change about Apple is the
'secretive' approach towards new launches. He hopes Apple
also decides to launch products in India at the same time as in
the US.
The most anticipated new product might be the Apple TV, but
what Chirag thinks would be really cool is an actual television
from Apple, which would have everything, including the
Internet and connectivity with your hard drive – all without the
wires. Knowing the way Apple designs are, it will look like a
painting on the wall, says Chirag. Just like its uni-body
aluminum Macbook Pro.
This doesn‟t mean Chirag is only positive about Apple. Read his
post to know why: http://hapuchu.com/post/3084819907/why-i-
will-not-buy-the-ipad-in-india

12. Look who’s talking …
SEOUL
Kyungjune Lee (right) is CEO of Nomad
Connection, a media solution provider,
currently servicing the #7 Android media
player Zimly (www.zim.ly), which was
designed and crafted for Android devices.
Lee sees the long-term trend in IT as being
dominated by a rapid growth of the
Facebook ecosystem. Currently, Facebook
works mainly by connecting people,
performing a socializing function only. But
the movement is towards expanding the
range of products and services provided
through Facebook. For instance, more
people will listen to music and consume
other content directly through the
Facebook platform. Related functions and
the companies providing them may be
eventually absorbed into Facebook. This
will allow users to easily identify what
their friends are listening to, viewing or
reading.
In terms of devices, more content will be
distributed more easily through tablet
computers, which will accelerate the
growth of this market. Distribution and JAPAN
sale will be much easier via tablet devices
than on mobile phones, which will fuel a Tomotaka Takahashi, 36, is a roboticist and
dramatic growth of the market of tablet founder of Kyoto University's ROBO-GARAGE,
devices such as the iPad. which started in 1999.
Inspired by his childhood obsession with
Astroboy and other fictional characters,
Takahashi decided to study robotics after
completing a sociology degree. Takahashi
prefers to work on smaller robots, as they are
easier to handle and people have more realistic
expectations of them. Unlike machines, which
are cold and uninviting, humans can relate to
robots because they have bodies like humans
or animals, which opens up new possibilities
for communication, which Takahashi believes is
their greatest strength.
Creating a number of humanoid robots entirely
by himself, from concept through to production,
Takahashi's designs have been featured in art
exhibitions celebrating Astroboy, and was
selected amongst Time Magazine's Coolest
Inventions of 2004. His work has also been used
in promotions for Bandai, Panasonic and Pepsi.

13. Look who’s talking …
PAKISTAN
Sheikh Danish Ejaz is a graduate from the
University of Staffordshire in computing and
IT and has been working in the advertising
and digital industry since 2004.
What are the biggest changes this year in
technology?
This has been an interesting year, with
growing penetration of iPods and Galaxy
Tabs, and BlackBerry also coming up with
new products. Companies are focusing on
providing more personalized and portable
devices, with a focus on small size and
durability. This gives people the opportunity
to communicate with each other through
more than one channel. It leads us to create
social media, now an integral part of our
lives. Earlier, companies were fighting over
the best phone but now the war is for the best
smart phone. The biggest war is now the OS
war, and surprisingly with growth of 16 per
cent market share (Jul 10 – Jul 11), Android
seems to be booming. But after the iPhone 4S What are the most anticipated new products of
launch, the numbers need to be reviewed. 2012?
What is the best selling brand in Pakistan People are anxiously waiting to see Google‟s new
in 2011? OS along with Windows 8. A lot of Apple fans are
already waiting for iPhone 5.
Talking about just one product will not be fair
to other brands. In the technical world, I see What should be expected in the post-Steve Jobs
people moving towards Macbooks and era?
iPhones with another segment becoming
Android savvy, but, overall, Samsung is now Steve jobs did an amazing job in setting the
one of the best-selling brands at both the direction for the company towards innovation. It
high-end and low-end. will be tough for the company and the fans
initially to get back on track but I believe
What's your personal favorite? eventually Apple will live up to expectations. As
for other companies, they are catching up and
In computers I am looking forward to getting trying to take advantage of this tragedy to rise to
myself a durable and reliable Lenovo laptop. the top. Samsung was close and ended up with a
I love my new HTC phone. lawsuit. Let‟s see what others come up with.

14. Look who’s talking …
SINGAPORE
Chi Tran loves everything about technology -- innovation,
social networking, mobiles and solutions. He closely watches
everything to do with the subject. In 2012, Chi will be waiting
for the arrival of Google Wallet in Asia, which will allow him to
shop without carrying his wallet. “This integration of consumer
experience is set to be of high priority among brands that are
fighting for consumer attention and purchase,” Chi says.
Chi feels that there is a big void to fill after the death of Steve
Jobs. However, he believes that the Apple founder‟s legacy will
live on; user experience will continue to play the lead role in
molding the technological landscape. Other brands will be
catching up to fill that void. “We already see brands like
Samsung and Nokia digesting that shift in paradigm and
churning out great products.”
One example is in the home technology space. With Internet
TV, smart phones, smart fridges, and so on, it won‟t be long
before consumers can stream TV programs onto their smart
phones even if they are away from their TV sets. They‟ll be
accessing their smart fridge from their smart phone to send
them a shopping list. “Digital is pervasive, and it‟ll be cool to
see more of us adopting new conventions and behavior with
new technologies.”
YouTube Link for Multi-touch Interactive Screen Demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz17lbjOFn8

15. Senior citizens in Asia

16. Knowing me, knowing you
SINGAPORE
“Live long, learn longer” is Yee Kit Hong‟s mantra. He is
61, and is known among family and friends as Kit. He
leads a very active lifestyle; exercising, traveling, hiking,
runs his own accounting firm and consults with non-profit
organizations. He lives with his wife and four children.
Kit is a true nature lover. He enjoys long walks in parks or
reservoirs to relax and wind down. He also takes
occasional trips with friends to Malaysia to visit the farms
and has even scaled Mount Kota Kinabalu last year. He
likes traveling and seeing the world.
Kit finds young people these days less appreciative of things around them. “They are so distracted by
mass media and consumer goods that they fail to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life. They also tend to
view things with a short-term perspective and wants everything their way,” says Kit.
To keep abreast of the rapidly changing world, Kit reads widely and also chats with his children about
the latest happenings so that they are in the know when they speak to their peers or business partners.
Kit is not one to be stuck in the past, and technology is something he embraces. He has an HP laptop and
iPhone with plenty of cool apps. Kit has been familiar with computers ever since the 1980s and has
upgraded with the times. But current technology, Kit feels, can drive people apart even as it brings them
closer. “People are more connected on virtual platforms while they lose the personal touch in face-to-
face communications. It‟s just sad.”

17. Knowing me, knowing you
PHILLIPPINES
Sonia Enage, 61, is a mother of two and the
curator of the National Museum. In her spare
time, she hosts cultural tours for visiting Italians
and teaches art to university students. Here, she
speaks about what it means to be a “senior
citizen” today.
Everyday joys
“What makes me happy is the everyday chats I
have with my two daughters. I think ours are
relationships that have grown so much through
the years. Before, it was about me as their mom,
telling them what to do. Now, there is a mutual
respect and understanding. We can talk as Redefinition of quality time
adults.” Sonia believes that the joys in her life
right now have little to do with acquiring things, Sonia doesn‟t feel that quality time with family
as it used to be 10 years ago. Now, it‟s all about and friends has been taken away by technology.
how well she is able to nurture relationships. Rather, it‟s been redefined. “Before, quality time
meant sitting down for all three meals with my
The impatient digital world husband and daughters. Today, I feel that
technology like cell phones allows us to develop
A few months ago, she was turned down for a stronger personal relationships because I have
freelance writing job because she had no access to them every minute of the day.”
working knowledge of the Internet, and didn‟t
use social networking sites. Despite stating her Favorite young person
intention to take a certificate course on using
online platforms, the company decided to hire a “Of course, it would be my daughter. I am so
teenager with little writing experience but who proud of her. I look at her and I am reminded
was digitally-savvy. Sonia marvels at how analog that I never had it so good.” For Sonia, her
skills are rapidly becoming irrelevant, and how daughters are many things she wanted to be and
much one can get left behind because of hopes she can still be – brave, full of life,
technology. generous and thoughtful.
Through her course, she is learning the basics of They are her biggest supporters in learning new
the Internet – writing an e-mail, searching for technology – painstakingly going through
information on Google, finding her friend‟s Facebook albums with her so she can see their
albums on social networking sites. “It still feels family photos from a recent vacation. By next
awkward for me, like I‟m too lazy to get out of my year, Sonia‟s goal is to open a Facebook account
house and actually meet a friend and talk to her. and master the technique of uploading albums
But I see the convenience of it.” herself.

18. Knowing me, knowing you
MALAYSIA
For Mr and Mrs Azmeer, health is of utmost
importance. Both work to ensure they are as
healthy as possible; bad health can be costly: not
just financially, it would also rob them of their
independence.
They both agree that Malaysia has changed a lot
since they were young. Back when they were in
school, there was a lot less racial polarization – One negative social value they have seen
the three main races were treated equally and emerging is the shift from a „we‟ culture to a „me‟
opportunities were merit based, unlike the racial culture. These days, people are a lot more
quotas in place today. Peer groups were a mix of selfish, they feel. Also, people are a lot more
races, visiting each others‟ homes freely, and “shameless” and openly do things that they
even celebrating holidays together. would have been embarrassed to do, like
getting divorced.
Family dynamics have changed a lot. When the
Azmeers were young, their parents were much Mr Azmeer is quite tech-savvy and uses the
more hands off – children were essentially left to computer daily, typically for his duties as a
themselves. However, when they became board member or for events that he organizes.
parents themselves, they played a more active He is self-taught, but consults his daughter if he
role in their children‟s lives. Another change has any questions. Mrs Azmeer does not use the
they have noticed is that children these days are computer at all. This, she says, is not out of fear,
a lot ruder; growing up, they would never have but rather out of lack of interest. She relies on
dared to talk back to their parents. However, one her daughter for any tasks that she needs done
positive family value of today is the shift from a on the computer, like banking or booking trips.
stricter parent-child relationship to a closer, One of the good things about technology, she
friendly relationship. admits, is that it helps people keep in touch.

19. Knowing me, knowing you
BEIJING “The work helped me gain an understanding of
different cultures since we served people from so
Mr Liu is very content. This may be why he looks far many different countries. I am also glad that I was
younger than his 62 years. He taught Chinese at able to contribute and participated as a Beijinger,”
Beijing No.55 High School for 35 years. “When I he said.
retired five years ago, I felt very upset that I had so
much free time. I loved teaching, and had almost no Mr Liu doesn't want to left behind by technology. He
time to develop my own interests while I was learned how to shop online last year when his
working. After I retired, I have taught myself new daughter taught him how to buy food and snacks for
things. I like being busy and I love talking to people,” Chinese New Year. He has since started purchasing
said Mr Liu. food and small home appliances on Taobao.com.
Every morning My Liu goes for a walk in a park, and Mr Liu has one son and one daughter. His son is a
he carries his pet bird in a cage and talks with hissales manager at a foreign company and his
friends who also keep birds. “There is a Chinese daughter works for a non-profit organization. Liu
saying about birds singing and flowers giving their thinks his children have grown up in a very different
fragrance to describe beautiful days of spring. Thatenvironment and have different values compared to
people of his generation. “When I started working,
is how I feel every morning. It is fun to communicate
with other bird keepers about their problems and others were jealous of me because having a
points of pride.” After lunch, he goes to the Seniorteaching job meant being able to provide stability to
Citizen Activity Center to play chess. Sometimes he my family. When my son was looking for job, I was
reads books on photography and practices on the able to get him one at my school but he rejected my
new camera his daughter bought for him as a New offer, as he thinks teaching is not as interesting and
Year gift. “My birds are my models. It is a way of challenging as what he does now. Young people
documenting their growth. But I also love taking nowadays are less conservative, take more risk and
pictures when I am traveling with my wife.” are more optimistic compared to my generation,” he
said. He also thinks family values have become less
Liu, who is able to speak standard Mandarin, some important. “I lived with my parents so I could take
English and has a deep understanding of Chinese care of them. Today my children have their own
culture, was selected as a senior volunteer for the homes and only visit once a month as they have
2008 Beijing Olympic Games. children to look after and travel so much for work.”

20. Knowing me, knowing you
JAKARTA
Toegiyono is a 68-year-old father of three daughters and
grandfather of three. By staying in touch with young people,
he is in touch with the dynamics of today which he feels is
completely different from what he experienced in his youth.
Teaching has helped him keep on learning. After retiring
from a public company, he became professor of
international management, business and politics, global
trade and tourism at university. In his spare times he is
involved in his church, and regularly takes part in walks and
events for the environment.
Consumerism is what bothers Toegiyono most about today‟s
world; with people only bothered about how to spend and
earn more. This leaves them open to corruption, bribery,
and cheating, and measuring relationships in money terms.
Working parents come home late at night every day and
leave early in the morning. They have been substituting by
baby sitters, who are often not as educated and lack
parenting skills. Electronic media, computer and games are
a child‟s companion even when parents are home.
The variety of Indonesian culture and customs is vanishing
due to globalization. Bahasa Indonesia is used less and less,
and traditional clothes are only worn for special events.
Traditional puppets and musical instruments are being
neglected as well.
Toegiyono feels that the best young role models of today
are Lionel Messi and the characters from the film Laskar
Pelangi, as they are an inspiration for everybody who wants
to achieve their goals.

21. Knowing me, knowing you
TAIPEI
Xiu-Gin Hsu, 64, works in a hotel. She is past retirement age, and is
not the main breadwinner of the family. But like most baby
boomers in Taiwan, she believes wealth is accumulated through
hard work and people should work till they are unable to do so
anymore, so she plans to retire at age 65.
Mrs Hsu cooks every weekend for her family, and often visits her
husband's relatives. She spends a lot of time on her family and feels
that family is the most important thing in life. Family cohesion has
deteriorated in Taiwan, she thinks, and she is worried about her
many friends who live alone and meet their family members once
in a blue moon.
She is also very concerned about environmental issues. She thinks
Taiwan‟s economic development has created too much waste, so
she sorts her garbage carefully and uses recyclable shopping bags
and tableware, and has asked her children and grandchildren to do
the same.
Many Taiwanese women have jobs, and do not depend on their
husbands financially, which Mrs Hsu believes is a great thing.
With the exception of mobile phones, she does not like using tech
products because they are too complicated and aren‟t of much use
to her.
When it comes to young Taiwanese people, Mrs Hsu likes artist
Han-dian Chen and golfer Yani Tseng, both of whom have achieved
success through hard work and are still very humble.
Yani Tseng Han-dian Chen

22. Knowing me, knowing you
COLOMBO
Shirani Athukorala is a 70-year-old housewife who
lives with her husband. She has two daughters and
one son. All three children are married and have
given her five grandchildren. Shirani owns a Maruti
Car which she drives herself. Being around the
grandchildren is what keeps her happy.
Shirani loves to help people. But sadly, she
sometimes gets cheated, which really hurts her.
She is very optimistic and believes that if we can‟t
change the world, the best thing to do is to go with
the flow.
When she was young, she used to listen to the radio
and the whole family enjoyed dinner together. She Shirani says she is not afraid of using technology if
had a lot of siblings which resulted in many close she is told clearly how to use it. She uses a cell
family moments, which is something she misses phone, though only to make calls. She uses email to
today. She sees the difference of today‟s write to her daughter who lives abroad. Shirani
generation, especially through her grandchildren. remembers how when she was young, in the
She feels that everyone today is so busy with “courting stage”, she and her husband had no
various activities that they don‟t have time to spend mode of communication except for love letters,
with their families. She sometimes wishes she could which she still finds more romantic than the
go back to the old days but she is now used to the modern ways. SMS might be convenient and fast,
hectic lifestyle. She sympathizes with her but the creativity and romance is lacking.
grandchildren and wishes they had more time with
their parents. The family moments which Shirani values so much
are lost to the new generation. She agrees that
Shirani is still a busy housewife as her husband is children now are much more advanced than those
still employed so that they don‟t have to depend on of her generation as they are exposed to a lot of
their children and burden them for their daily movies, television and technology, but they have
needs. Shirani makes sure her husband is properly lost the appetite for reading.
fed and looked after and the daily chores are taken
care of. She manages to find time to watch some TV She likes the convenience and ease of modern life,
and to do a little bit of sewing. Visiting friends, but believes it should be monitored. Shirani likes to
driving around and traveling are what she does keep with the times and admires Indian actress
when she is bored. She and her husband also visit Sonam Kapoor as her favorite young person and
their grandchildren. role model for her daughter or granddaughter.

23. Knowing me, knowing you
KARACHI
Tell us about yourself…
My name is Mehboob Khan. I am 63 years old. I
have a beautiful wife and six children – three
daughters and three sons. Two of my daughters
are married. One lives in Dubai and one in
America. One son is married and lives in
Canada now.
I studied business and joined my father’s
business at the age of 19 and have been
working since then.
What keeps you busy now?
My prayers keep me busy. My daily routine
involves waking up early and reading the
paper with my breakfast. Then I follow up on
the business front over the phone. Then I watch
How do you feel about the changes in social
TV; news channels mostly. After that, I get on
or family values?
the Internet and follow up on the US
immigration process, as I have applied for visas Today due to globalization, Pakistani culture is
for the family. In the evening I have a cup of tea largely influenced by western society. This is
with my wife and children in the garden. After due to the fact that many Pakistani are living
that, I watch some more TV. I check Facebook abroad and they come back with this change.
to stay in touch with friends who are scattered Many restaurants from other countries have
around the globe and Skype with my daughters opened and are doing a lot business here,
and son in Canada. I go for a walk at 7pm to the which opens new horizons for our people.
park, then have dinner. I go to bed at 9pm after Media has played a wide role in bringing this
having a cup of green tea as it helps with change. There are many international channels
digestion. My future plan is to help settle the we can watch these days. The positive aspect is
three children I have living with me and then that the new generation gains knowledge,
move to America permanently with my family. while the negative is that they are attracted to it
and want to live in that way.
What makes you happy?
What values do you see getting lost?
My children's success makes me very happy.
There are certain families that do not keep up
What bothers you?
with the values of living together and taking
When I see my family in any sort of trouble. The care of old parents or younger siblings. They
country's current state also makes me sad. think it is not cool to live with their parents.
With time I believe they will realize the
Are you happy with the way things have
importance of this value and by then I hope it’s
progressed with time?
not too late to make amends.
In my times there were no cell phones. Now,
Who is your favorite 20-25 year old?
even an eight-year-old has a cell phone and is
up to date with technology. I try my utmost to My son Bilawal. He is 22. He is studying and
stay in touch with new developments on the helping me out with my business. I am very
technology front. My children are the best close to him. He reminds me of my relationship
teachers when I need help. with my father.

24. Knowing me, knowing you
Japan‟s Genjiro Tagawa and his wife have been married
for 41 years. Mr Tagawa retired two years ago and now has
more time to spend with his wife. “I feel like we are
starting all over again. I have realized how little time I
have spent with my own wife.”
His daily routine has changed since his working days when
he would have a quick breakfast and rush to the station.
Now he walks to the park for an hour‟s jog before
breakfast – with his wife, of course. “I did not know what to
do every day for the first couple of months after
retirement. I just sat in front of TV for hours and got bored.
My wife suggested jogging, which she has been doing for
the past 10 years. I hesitated first, but I started to enjoy it. It
is good for health and I have lost two kilos.”
He also started cooking for the first time, and is now taking
cooking class. “I never knew how hard and time
consuming household chores were till I started seeing my
wife doing them and I felt useless just watching. I also
started worrying that if anything happened to her, I should
Aklima Khatun, who lives in Bangladesh,
at least know how to take care of myself.”
takes great joy in the Hindi shows she
watches, which keep her happy through the
His wife Michiko Tagawa says, “I was very afraid of the
week.
idea of my husband‟s retirement. I was worried about how
I would deal with him all day long. But it turned out that he
She is grandmother to Nazia Islam, and she
is not so bad after all!”
is concerned about her granddaughter‟s
well-being. To keep the home clean,
In the aging society of Japan, seniors are one of the major
Aklima hired a maid. She saves time by
economic drivers and they are very active. They
paying bills online. She keeps herself busy
participate in sports, travel and learning new things. There
by watching TV, helping out around the
is also a rising trend of senior divorce, caused by difficulty
house and gossiping with her friends over
adjusting to each other after retirement.
the phone or whenever they meet.
She does not have a fear technology. “I was
born in a world where there was no
technology available to me, so in a sense
technology is younger than me. And if new
technology comes and threatens my way of
living, bring it on!” she says.
The values of old that have been lost
include a declining respect for elders,
loyalty and commitment in terms of family.
The new and emergent value that she loves
is openness to new ideas.
Her favorite young person is her
granddaughter, Nazia.

25. Knowing me, knowing you
INDIA
Sharad Malthankar, 65, is a father of three
daughters and a son. He took early
retirement and is still leading an active life.
He is an early riser and takes his morning
exercise routine very seriously. The
motivation is not only good health, it‟s also
meeting his friends!
His two-hour morning ritual of reading the
paper (The Times of India) and one-and-a-
half hours of morning puja (prayers) are
sacrosanct. He recently became the
chairman of his housing society and is
enjoying new responsibilities. He also likes
gardening and watching TV, especially the
news, discussion panels, regional TV series
and travel shows. Some of his favorite topics
are politics, current affairs and stock
markets.
.
Finding old friends and exchanging ideas are what make Sharad happy. He also enjoys traveling
and going on pilgrimage very much.
His prime concern at the moment is his second daughter's single status. She is 34, lives in London
and has set a tough criteria for finding a match.
Sharad believes technology – Internet, computers, mobiles – has changed the world we live in,
transforming it into a village. He feels the change is all positive. He never felt intimidated by
technology. He still fondly remembers the training programs he went through in the last few
years of his work life. Now he checks e-mails, Googles to get information and browses
matrimony websites for his daughter and Skypes with his cousin in the US. He even knows about
GPRS maps on the mobile.
The social and family values he sees changing fastest is the move toward nuclear families.
Everyone leads hectic lives and has less time for affection, sharing and love.
His favorite 20-25 year old is his son, Pranav. He is proud of his education and feels he is a caring,
simple and thinking guy! Outside of his family, Abhinav Bindra‟s gold medal for India in the
Olympics has done him proud.

26. * or at my favorite KTV parlor

27. Playing on my iPod*
INDONESIA
MALAYSIA
Foster The People
Pumped Up Kicks
http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4v
TQ Ayu Ting Ting
Alamat Palsu
http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=pFlJ9kCX_oc
Zivilia
Aishiteru BANGLADESH
http://www.youtube.co "Jordan"
m/watch?v=D3- by Buckethead.
dvCXE-6E http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=OTcg
9JybEp8
SRI LANKA
Remake of "Ra Sihinen" by
INDIA
Shihan Mihiranga
(Originally sung by Namal
Song: Chammak
Udugama).
Challo
Movie: Ra.One
http://www.youtube.com/w Singers: Akon,
atch?v=lTOyahw-lJE Hamsika Iyer
Link:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=6FteXh
p7MZY
Song: Sadda Haq
Movie: Rockstar
Singer: Mohit
Chauhan
Digu Dasa by Romesh. Link :
- http://www.youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch? com/watch?v=n6mra
v=eGDmM_kw8qQ YuSELU

28. Playing on my iPod*
TAIWAN
CHINA
Hebe
Zhang Jing
“My love”
“Looking For”
http://www.youtube.c
http://v.youku.com/v_ om/watch?v=t3r7a_7L
show/id_XMjk5NDAw qRA
NTQ4.html
SodaGreen
Laure Shang
Where Is My Soul “Love lonely”
http://v.youku.co http://www.youtube.co
m/v_show/id_XM m/watch?v=AUv4_lsYb
jkzNzkwMDg0.ht 6U
ml
JAPAN
PAKISTAN
Bilal Khan feat. Zoe Skima Switch
Viccaji
“Hare Tokidoki Kumori”
"Anjaane“
http://www.office-
http://www.youtube.co augusta.com/sukimaswi
m/watch?v=NLwEUsJeJ tch/
HY
PHILLIPPINES SINGAPORE
Zia Quizon Above & Beyond ft Richard Bedford
“Ako Na Lang “Sun & Moon”
http://www.yout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll
ube.com/watch? 5ykbAumD4
v=3kX1JeNhpqA
Avicii
SuperHeavy
“Levels”
“Miracle Worker”
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/w /watch?v=TnOjBX4veNI
atch?v=MTF7T1Nw5OU&ob
=av2e

29. What‟s making people really angry,
and why?

30. Rage against
This picture posted on a blog points to
Rosmah Mansor (extreme right) and her
jewellery
MALAYSIA
An Australian daily's report of Malaysian
Prime Minister Najib family‟s shopping spree
during his trip there for the Commonwealth
Summit has been making waves in Malaysia.
The report claimed that the Prime Minister‟s http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/
wife spent RM488,000 on pearls and their event.php?eid=220109671386805
daughter spent RM195,000 at a department
store. This report comes on the heels of other
TAIWAN
spending-related scandals related to the
Prime Minister and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Three local dairy producers in Taiwan that control
These include a RM74 million diamond ring,
80 per cent of the domestic fresh milk market have
the scheduling of an official trip to coincide
all raised their prices on October 1, pushing the
with a personal engagement, and exorbitantly
cost of raw milk up by 7.99 per cent. The highest
priced renovations to the Prime Minister‟s
price rise was 27 per cent by one of the companies.
residence.
Stores in turn have raised coffee prices by 10 per
cent, and the coffee chain Starbucks has even
This report has sparked another round of
raised prices for black coffee and fruit juice.
intense chatter on social networking sites.
Many are shocked at the family‟s lavish
One office-goer said, “I understand that they‟re
lifestyle and speculate that the family has
raising prices because the price of milk has risen.
been misusing the public‟s hard-earned cash.
But I don‟t get why that should affect non-milk
Outraged netizens have demanded to know
items.” Some people are also questioning why
where the money is coming from and have
coffee vendors have to increase prices so much.
started a petition online calling for the
Incensed by the hike, a “do not buy convenience
declaration of assets of all government
store coffee on October 20” event was being
officials.
promoted on Facebook, which has attracted over
9,000 supporters.
“Najib and his wife should not fleece the
people. Officials are always trying to overstep
Fair trade authorities have fined the three largest
their boundaries, this is a clear abuse of
dairy producers for price fixing. The fines of up to
power and as a government staff, I am
NT$12 million were announced on October 20
disgusted with all the profligacy,” a
following an investigation into the recent price hike
government employee said.
for milk.

31. Rage against
Mumbai and India have been enraged by the
deaths of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandes,
who paid with their lives for standing up to street
harassment by eve teasers.
On the night of October 20, at about 11pm,
Keenan and Reuben were standing in front of a
paan shop along with five friends, including two
girls. They had just finished dinner at a
restaurant in Andheri, Mumbai. A drunken man
named Jeetendra Rana purposely fell on one of
the girls (Keenan's girlfriend) and passed an
obscene comment. Keenan and Reuben
confronted the man. After a while, he came back
with around 15 men, armed with bamboo sticks, "We are supporting this movement. Hope it will
sickles and knives. Seeing the mob coming, the bring about some change," said Sheldon Santos,
boys sent the girls inside the restaurant. The Keenan's brother. "We wanted to take it beyond
boys took on the men unarmed. Keenan and venting. The campaign will be used to bring in
Reuben were stabbed, while the others were reforms so that such cases don't occur again,"
beaten up. Keenan was pronounced dead after says Sagar Bekal, a group member.
being taken to the hospital while Reuben later
succumbed to his injuries. The team spent time outside spots where young
people hang out together, collecting signatures
As it emerged, a number of people were silent for a petition addressed to home minister R.R.
spectators of the senseless violence. "People Patil seeking sections 354 and 509 of the Indian
stood there watching...did nothing," said Penal Code be made non-bailable.
Priyanka Fernandes, Keenan‟s girlfriend.
Parents of the victims are asking what the The online campaign has seen netizens talk
authorities will do so that the sacrifice of their about eve-teasing and sexual harassment with
children is not in vain. The police arrested 21 renewed interest. In the past, several
people in connection with the murder. Minutes movements, have addressed these issues. Some
after the murders, the perpetrators had of these online groups have been revived
apparently been shouting that they would get out following the Amboli incident. Bloggers have
of jail in no time. been posting tips, martial arts moves and other
means to fight sexual harassment is public
The outrage on the Internet has continued, with places.
multiple discussion threads with users from
across the country discussing everything from Netizens have now directed their ire at the police
police protection and sexual harassment to and politicians after joint commissioner (crime)
safety in Mumbai and self-defence tricks for Himanshu Roy, in an interview to a radio
women. "Everyone has reached a point where channel, said, "We have 30 operators currently
they are saying enough is enough. We're now and receive around 20,000 calls daily. We
brainstorming on how we can spread more understand that there is an urgent need to
awareness," said Benjamin, Reuben's brother. increase lines as well as operators and are in the
process of doing so." In a country where
A networking community dedicated to Keenan politicians have hundreds of security personnel,
Santos grew from 18,000 to 56,000 members in why are there are a paltry 300 staff to address
two days. The 'Zero Tolerance Campaign' was the emergencies of all Mumbai, asked angry
launched to take concrete steps about this public listeners.
outcry.

32. Rage against
CHINA
On the afternoon of October 13 at a hardware market in
Huangqi, Foshan city, Guangdong province, a car hit a two-
year-old girl and didn‟t bother to stop. No passersby reached
out to help, either, and as a result, another car ran over her. In
seven minutes, a total of 17 people passing by failed to extend
a hand or call the police, till the 19th person, a garbage
scavenger, discovered her. But by that time, the little girl was
already badly injured. The woman called for help, and the
young girl‟s mother, who was in the area, immediately rushed
over and took her to the hospital.
The accident has been one of most hotly discussed topics in
China of late, with people angered by the coldness of
witnesses. The news video has received over 700,000 views on
Chinese video-sharing website Youku.com and has attracted
over 6,200 comments. This news is also spreading on China‟s
popular micro blogging service Sina Weibo in addition to
receiving a lot of attention on major internet news portals and
communities. One netizen commented on Sina Weibo: “Those
people who walked by without offering help are animals. No,
even some animals have compassion and would at the least
stop to take a look. Those 18 pigs who walked by should also
be arrested and taught a lesson with 15 days in jail. Instead it
was the waste scavenger woman from another part of the
country who had a conscience.”
On October 21, the little girl died in hospital. Thousands of
netizens, including Chinese celebrities, have been expressing
their thoughts on this issue on Sina Weibo, urging people to be
more helpful in future: “Don‟t be so cold, we should never let
this happen again!”
SRI LANKA
Last month, the custodial death of an alleged convict saw
wide-spread violence engulfing the locality of Dompe.
Hearing of his son‟s death, the father of the man also
suffered a heart attack. Public anger was further fuelled
when police issued a statement that the “convict died after
jumping out of a vehicle in an attempt to escape”. Local
residents set fire to the police station and destroyed
several vehicles. Special Task Force & Army
reinforcements were called in to restore peace.
Police atrocities have been on the rise of late. This comes
close on the heels of a peaceful demonstration by workers
of a free trade zone turning violent due to indiscriminate
firing by police. Such acts of police brutality have Sri
Lankans increasingly worried and angry.

33. Phone Fraud
Rage against
Source : us.foto.detik.com Stop phone fraud pretense selling mobile
content.
INDONESIA
Feri Kuntoro, 36, lives in Jakarta, and is the first consumer to have complained to the police about his
cell phone service provider‟s alleged fraud. Feri subscribed to specific number, as advertised on TV,
following instructions to get a chance at winning a BlackBerry. Since then, he was being billed US$ 20-
22 every month. When he complained to the provider, he was instructed to deregister. When that didn‟t
work and he continued to be billed, he finally went to the police.
Since then, many people have come forward to report similar cases. They have turned to Facebook and
the media to talk about the issue. People are even more angry at the response from the communication
minister and the service provider. The ministry merely went on the defensive, and the company hid
behind claims that its services had government regulator approval.
Consumers who reported fraud to the police were allegedly threatened. A movement was launched to
boycott Indonesian phone cell providers. On October 15, Indonesian activists encouraged people to
shut down their mobile phones for two hours.
SINGAPORE
On August 8 2011, TODAY newspaper reported that a Chinese migrant family had complained about
the smell of curry being cooked by their ethnic-Indian Singaporean neighbors. After some mediation,
the local family agreed not to cook curry when the Chinese family was home. This was the source of
much anger amongst the many Singaporeans who love their curries.
Soon, Flor Leow, a Singaporean in her 40s, started the “Cook and Share a Pot of Curry” page. “Let‟s not
argue, let‟s not quarrel, let‟s learn to tolerate” is her message. Her page went viral, with more than
57,000 people pledging support and agreeing to cook curry on August 21. People clearly felt strongly
about the issue as even the Facebook pages of the four presidential candidates attracted only a third of
the endorsements garnered by the curry campaign!
On August 21, Singaporeans and foreigners alike gathered to cook and share their curries.
Singaporeans have embraced curry as the new national symbol, and Singaporeans have shown that
they will stand up for what they stand for.

34. Rage against
PAKISTAN
Pakistan Railway‟s failure to pay its pensioners took a deadly turn recently, causing outrage across
the nation. Retired employees of the public company were forced to line up for their pension near
the Railway Workshop, Mughalpura, for days in the scorching sun, with no arrangements for drinking
water or shade. Despite the conditions, they could not leave because they had not been paid their
pension for over three months and were desperate for money.
Weakened by heat, Mahmood Khan suffered a heart attack while standing in line. Some of the other
pensioners rushed him to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. The intolerable
heat caused two other pensioners to faint, and their families had to rush over to take them home.
The tragedy didn‟t speed up the payment process, however, and pensioners continued to suffer in
the heat for a few more days. The government announced it would pay compensation of PKR 500,000
to Khan‟s family, which is can hardly make up for the loss they have suffered.
BANGLADESH
A number of investors in the Dhaka stock market are very angry at
the huge losses they have suffered of late. Among them are those
who have invested everything they had in the market, and now
stand to lose it all. They are raising questions about the regulatory
bodies entrusted with the smooth functioning of the bourse, and are
wondering that when the market rises again, who will look after
investor interests?

35. Rage against
PHILLIPPINES
On October 18, 19 government soldiers
died in an encounter with the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front in Basilan, Mindanao. The
fallout of a feud dating back to the 1970s,
there have been numerous rounds of
peace talks about MILF‟s demands for an
autonomous Muslim-Filipino nation, none
of which have yet borne fruit.
Results of the investigation into the
encounter have not been revealed to the
public, but the government has called for
continued talks and a hunt to find those
involved in the attack. One section of
lawmakers believes, however, that the
government stand reflects weak
governance, and uncalled for concessions
to what are probably delay tactics of the
rebels. Rumors that the government has
granted 5 million peso aid to MILF for a
leadership training institute as part of the
peace talks have not gone down well
either.
Lawmakers opposed to the current talks
suggest reintegration of rebel leaders via
training in the national military academy
and jobs or alternative livelihoods for
rebel families instead of straight out
grants, as has been recommended in past
negotiations.
In a TV news poll on Tuesday November 1,
86 per cent of Filipino viewers were
against the shape of the current peace
package.

37. Waiting list
Taiwan‟s first LPGA tournament
The whole nation watched as Taiwan hosted its first ever
LPGA tournament in October. Eight of the world‟s top 10
players will compete, including world number one,
Taiwan‟s own Yani Tseng.
Records were broken as Tseng returned for the
tournament. Over the four days of play, 66,000 people
were at the Sunrise Golf Club to watch, including 28,000 on
the final day. These figures surpass previous highs for
attendance at a professional sporting event in Taiwan.
Taiwan readers line up to buy Steve Jobs‟s Chinese-
language biography
The Chinese-language version of Steve Jobs‟s biography
went on sale in Taiwan on October 24. People lined up
outside a major bookstore in Taipei at least an hour ahead
of time to get their hands on a copy.
Eslite, one of Taiwan's leading bookstore chains, offered
free gifts at 12 of its outlets on the first day of sales to the
first 100 people who showed up dressed in black
turtlenecks, just like Jobs used to wear.
The exclusive Taiwanese publisher of the biography said it
had planned to do a first print run of 100,000 copies, but
decided to go with 220,000 copies instead based on the
warm reception.
Tokyo Sky Tree is an upcoming broadcasting tower in
Sumida, Tokyo, with a restaurant and observation deck. It is
set to be the tallest man-made structure in Japan, standing
634 m (2,080 ft) high. The project is being led by Tobu
Railway and a group of six terrestrial broadcasters (headed
by public broadcaster NHK).
Construction of the tower is scheduled to be completed by
February 2012, and will open to the public on May 22, 2012.

38. Waiting list
After many months of hoping and wishing for YouTube
sensation Jayesslee (http://www.youtube.com/jayesslee)
to grace us with a concert in Malaysia, the dynamic duo
finally came to town in October. The Korean-Australian
twins Janice and Sonia Lee, commonly known as Jayesslee,
have been rated as one of YouTube‟s top musicians since
their debut in 2008. The twins shot to stardom with their
tight vocal harmony and acoustic covers posted online.
Jayesslee gained exposure in Malaysia late last year,
going viral on social networking sites, and charming the
hearts of Malaysians with their vocals, looks, and bubbly
personalities.
Jayesslee‟s Malaysian fans attempted to create a
movement earlier this year to persuade the twins to travel
to Malaysia for a concert. Using Facebook as a platform,
the petition was titled „10000 Malaysians would love
Jayesslee to come to Malaysia‟. Other fans took to
personally writing letters and e-mails to the twins. The
movement failed at the time, but fans‟ wishes were finally
fulfilled with a cozy Jayesslee concert live in Kuala Lumpur.
The fourth ICC World Twenty20 will be held in Sri
Lanka between September 18 and October 7, 2012.
This will be the first World Twenty20 tournament
held in an Asian country, the last three being held in
South Africa, England and the West Indies. The
format will see four groups of three in a preliminary
round. Fixtures were announced on September 21,
when the ICC also unveiled the logo of the
tournament, Modern Spin.
The first World Twenty20, a biennial tournament,
was hosted by South Africa in 2007, where India beat
Pakistan in a thriller of a match. Pakistan defeated
Sri Lanka in 2009, while England became the third
World Twenty20 champions, beating Australia in the
West Indies.
Is it now Sri Lanka‟s turn?

39. Waiting list
Star Alliance is offering Round The World
fares which include 27 airlines flying to 1,160
airports in 181 countries. The discounted
economy class fare is a very reasonable RMB
20,000, which has young Chinese hatching
plans to realize their “world travel dreams”.
Gap year, or taking a year off to travel, is
becoming a trend among young people in
China. An increasing number of university
graduates and even young professionals are
putting their careers aside for long journeys to
foreign countries. A big part of the attraction
of a gap year is escaping the drudgery of
work for new and exciting experiences. Many
Chinese people grow up complying with their
parents‟ expectations, but with rising
uncertainty, the youth is now making its own
decisions. For students, the choice to take a
gap year is a rite of passage to becoming a
stronger individual; for young professionals it
is the opportunity to explore or refresh
themselves.
That is what is fuelling the craze for the Star
Alliance offer. In just three days, the message
of the promotional fare has been reposted
almost 40,000 times on micro-blogging site
Sina Weibo, and has received almost 3,000 India was eagerly awaiting the biggest birth to
comments. A lot of netizens have shown strong hit Bollywood, with Abhishek Bachchan and
interests in purchasing the ticket. “We all Aishwarya Rai Bachchan‟s first baby on the way.
should do this before the end of world comes Huge media coverage has ensured that the
in 2012!” said one potential world traveler. baby will arrive under the glare of a million
spotlights. Indians across the globe are
speculating and latching on to any news related
to the Big P (pregnancy).
The baby finally arrived on November 15,
trigerring a fresh round of media frenzy.

40. Waiting list
http://www.seag2011.com/
Indonesia has been looking forward to the
South Asia Sport Festival, the 26th Sea Games,
from November 11 to 22. Palembang, a city
on Sumatra Island, and Jakarta are to be the
centers of the event.
There has been much trouble in the run up to
the games, chief among which was the
bribery involved with the construction of the
athletes‟ villages. Though some noted
politicians were involved, the sport minister The wait is finally over -- Singaporeans no longer
has washed his hands of the matter. The have to spend all of their time in H&M every time
venues, not yet ready, have been in the they travel abroad, as the Swedish brand finally
media spotlight, leading to fears of a threw its doors open in Singapore on September 3.
possible delay in the schedule.
Singaporeans have repeatedly demonstrated that
Despite all the chaos, the government and they don‟t mind a queue, and the result was more
committee in charge of the event appear than 1500 people in line for the official opening,
positive that the festival will be a success. with some die-hard fans camping from noon the
day before. Some of those in line were genuine
fans of H&M, but others were only there for the
freebies - the first five to enter the store that day
were to receive $250 gift cards, with $20 cards for
the next 300. An obvious strategy to adopt, given
that freebies will have Singaporeans happily
queuing till no end!
The massive crowds at the prominent location
along Orchard Road simply meant more publicity
for the store, which has three levels with a
complete range of apparel and accessories for
women, men and kids.

41. Waiting list
Gaming consoles such as Wii,
Playstation 2 and 3 and the Xbox
360 have taken the world by storm,
and Pakistan is no exception.
Pakistani men, young and old,
have been spending hours on
gaming consoles playing their
favorite games. With the advent of
online gaming with consoles such
as the Xbox 360, a virtual
community has grown around it.
The latest fad is Call of Duty:
Modern Warfare. The latest edition,
Modern Warfare 3, is already on
top of every gamer‟s most wanted
list.
And with competition in the form of
Battlefield 3 having released on
October 25, Activision has been
.
preparing for war, advertising
MW3 across the world ahead of its
arrival on November 8.
Bangladesh has been waiting for the release of Tritio Jaatra, the second studio album from
rock band Nemesis. The event took place on Eid-Ul-Azha. The band delayed the launch,
which was previously scheduled for Eid-Ul-Fitr, allegedly due to issues with its record
label. Millions of Nemesis fans have been eagerly waited for their album. “Wait; if you wait
you will have something GOOD to listen to,” said Nemesis to its impatient fans.

42. Waiting list
News that the iPhone 4S is already being
pre-sold in Singapore has roused
speculation that pre-sales will begin in
another three to four weeks in the
Philippines. But that isn‟t soon enough for
some: many iPhone fans have put
themselves on the waiting list through
friends and family in various countries in
the hopes of getting their phone sooner
than that.
The Philippines is still reeling from the
effects of Typhoon Pepeng, and scores
of people are waiting for their share of
relief items being distributed
throughout the country. As usual, it is
the far-flung affected areas directly hit
by the typhoon that are the last ones to
be reached by aid workers.
Children peek through the gate of Angono High School
in Binangonan, Rizal, as they wait for relief goods from
the Philippine Air Force. Photo by Mark Balmores

43. Tense about …

44. Tense about
For thousands of home owners in India, who had
taken home loans and were worrying about higher
equated monthly instalment (EMI) outgo due to
increasing interest rates, the National Housing Board
(NHB) order for the waiver of prepayment penalty
came as a brief respite. But the joy might prove to be
short-lived as most housing finance companies
(HFCs) plan to compensate for the revenue loss by
levying higher interest rates or additional charges.
HFCs have to maintain a net interest margin (NIM) of
230-250 basis points (2.30-2.50 per cent). Scrapping
There are few conversations amongst Malaysians the prepayment penalty would mean a 25-basis-
these days that don‟t include the subject of the point hit for the companies that are already reeling
rising cost of living. Prices in urban areas have under tightening margins due to rising interest rates,
sky-rocketed and wage-earners are feeling the say officials in the housing finance business.
pinch. The Economist Intelligence Unit has
reported that the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur Industry members feel that the waiver of the penalty
has risen by nearly 25 per cent in the past two will only encourage borrowers to swap loans to
years and recent inflation statistics show that different banks and HFCs. Loan swaps usually
food and non-alcoholic beverage prices have happen when there are other players in the market
increased to twice the global average. Urban offering lower interest rates. Since customer
property prices have increased 40 per cent in acquisition and retention charges are also high, most
the past year with the average price of a banks feel that it is only fair that they be
residential property costing nine times the compensated for the additional work through other
average urban household income. sources.
However, even though prices have increased “A lot of work, time and effort goes into acquiring a
drastically, wages have not increased to match it customer. There has to be some deterrent to prevent
– from 2001 to 2010, wages have only increased accounts from being frequently switched from one
2.6 per cent. One point of contention currently is company to another,” said Srinivas Acharya,
the fact that with current salary levels, property managing director, Sundaram BNP Paribas Home
prices are well beyond the reach of today‟s Finance.
youth.
The battle for new customers has seen banks get
The government has been trying to tackle this creative. ICICI Bank and LIC Housing Finance
issue by announcing specific measures in the launched teaser rates or hybrid rates where the
2012 budget to lessen the impact of inflation. interest is lower than the industry average for the
Some of the measures include one-off cash first two to five years, after which prevailing floating
handouts to low-income households and rates apply. Though State Bank of India scrapped its
financial aid to civil servants. However, public teaser scheme a few months ago, HDFC launched a
sentiment remains doubtful that the measures loan that offered interest rates as low as 10.75 per
would solve the real problems. Furthermore, it is cent for the first three years.
evident that the government‟s ability to improve
the situation will be a big factor in determining Many borrowers do not want an extension in their
whether the party remains in power following loan repayment tenure and prefer to move to new
the upcoming general election. lenders offering lower rates.

45. Tense about
During the financial crisis in 2008, high-tech
companies in Taiwan asked employees to take
unpaid leave instead of laying them off.
In October 2011, this practice has started again.
Some companies have been cutting back staff as
well. Eight firms in the industrial zone of the
Hsinchu Science Park have been encouraging
employees to take annual leave in a bid to lower
production amid slowing global demand. A
leading LED testing and packaging service
supplier said that it will start an unpaid leave
plan from November to counter slowing global
demand.
Laborers in Taiwan have begun to feel uncertain
about their economic future once again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwA
yj8IYEn8
The prolonged dry spell in areas of Sri Lanka
including Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Matale,
Batticaloa, Ampara and Moneragala districts has
made it difficult for people to get drinking water. In
Aralaganvila and Dimbulagala, there are villages
where people flock to the well in the early hours to
draw water. In other areas with only a few wells, the
water level has dropped drastically, forcing
villagers to walk for kilometers in search of water.
Even in major water supply systems, flow has been
restricted to a few hours a day. The water level has
dropped to critical lows in the major tanks in
districts such as Minneriya and Giritale. The delay of
the monsoon rains is likely to have an adverse
impact on yields in the 2011/2012 Maha season. In
addition to the food costs going through the roof,
north Sri Lanka is reeling and waiting for some relief
– either from the government or the weather gods.

46. Tense about
On the morning of October 6, 2011, co-founder of
Apple Steve Jobs passed away, losing his fight
against cancer. After the announcement of his
death, more than 35 million Chinese paid online
tributes to the creator of the popular iPhone and
iPad digital devices. By 6pm, over 36 million
microblog posts about Steve Jobs had been
posted on Sina Weibo. Sina even created a new
emoticon of Steve Jobs‟s face. Hundreds of Apple
fans gathered in front of retail stores in Beijing,
Shanghai and Chengdu, where they set up
Dengue fever is a growing
memorials filled with photos, flowers, and sticky
epidemic in Pakistan. Due to high cost of
notes on which fans had scrawled messages.
treatment, the disease is spreading
rapidly. Already affected by floods and
Apple products have soared in popularity among
suicide bombings, Pakistan now faces an
increasingly affluent Chinese consumers. Demand
unprecedented outbreak of this deadly
for white iPhones sparked a scuffle outside the
tropical disease. In less than a month, 126
Beijing Apple Store in Sanlitun earlier this year. In
people have died and more than 12,000 have
the quarter ended June 25, Apple said it sold $3.8
been diagnosed with the virus, which has
billion worth of products in greater China
spread rapidly through Pakistan‟s cultural
(including Hong Kong); more than a six-fold
capital, Lahore. Dengue sometimes results in
increase over the previous year. Apple also
fever, muscle and joint ache, but it can also be
opened new stores in Hong Kong and Shanghai
fatal when it develops into hemorrhagic fever
last month.
and shock syndrome, which is characterized
by bleeding and loss of blood pressure. There
Some Apple fans are worried that Apple has lost
is no vaccine, which is why prevention is
its soul and are rushing to purchase the last Apple
critical.
products that Jobs has worked on. “I have to get
the iPhone 5 as it is the final amazing art work of
Authorities in Lahore have blamed the crisis
Steve Jobs!” said one loyalist on Weibo.
on prolonged monsoon rains and unusually
high seasonal temperatures. But the locals
blame it on inefficient government and long
power cuts. Lahore has the most number of
reported cases, and banners with giant
mosquitoes and public warnings have been
hung across avenues and crossings in the city.
The government is trying to reduce the spread
of the epidemic. The government of Punjab
has opened a hotline. Spraying teams have
been organized to fumigate, spray and fog
areas where the Aedes mosquitoes is thriving.
Mobile teams operate around the clock to
treat the affected in rural areas. In early
September, the government of Punjab
ordered schools, colleges and universities
in Pakistan to close down for 10 days for
intensive spraying. Private hospitals have
agreed to provide free treatment to dengue
patients.

47. Tense about
They say that during every Manny Pacquiao match,
there is a dramatic decline in crime, traffic and
footfall in public places across the Philippines. No
surprise, since everybody is at home glued to their
TV screens.
The November 12 match of our national boxing hero
against Juan Manuel Marquez had Filipinos holding
their breath in anticipation. Who cares if the final
verdict was controversial? Pacquiao won, didn‟t he!
This is merely the latest round in an ongoing sports
saga. Seven years ago, Pacquiao managed to knock
down Marquez three times in the first round but was
unable to knock him out, ending the bout in a draw. In
their second meeting in 2008, the two fought a close
bout with Pacquiao winning the fight by one round in
a judge‟s scorecard.
At the Philippine kick-off, Marquez and his team
members said Marquez should have won the previous
two fights against Pacquiao. They left no room for
doubt about how they felt, wearing “We Got Robbed”
shirts, referring to Marquez‟s close loss against the
Filipino four years ago.
This irked many Filipinos, further fueling a collective
demand for national victory. And they got exactly
what they wanted!

48. Tense about
People have been tense about the Eid holiday and how to spend it. Eid Ul Azha is the festival of
sacrifice, and is one of the biggest religious celebrations in Bangladesh. People give cows, goats and
even camels for sacrifice in the name of Allah. With spiraling prices, people are worried that they
won‟t be able to buy a decent animal to sacrifice at a decent price.
Then there is also the worry that they won‟t be able to get tickets to travel during the holidays due to
the rush.
Both marriage and divorce cases
have increased in the aftermath of the
March earthquake in Japan.
43 per cent of women in their 20s say
they want to get married even more
after the earthquake. Unfortunately,
this does not mean finding the perfect
partner is any easier than before.
OR On the other hand, divorce cases are
also increasing. Although every
relationship breaks up for unique
reasons, many have reported that
they began to reassess their lives and
their values after the disaster, and
began to question what and who is
truly important to them.

49. Tense about
Fraudulent text messages to extort money have been doing the rounds in Indonesia. Sent by cyber
criminal syndicates, many people have been cheated by these frightening texts. The messages,
claiming that the recipient‟s child has met with an accident or has been kidnapped, were used to
get parents to wire transfer large sums of money to unknown bank accounts.
Even though the syndicate was finally caught by police, the SMS attack still appears now and again.
It is a source of stress because the messages come from an unknown sender, and no one really
knows how the criminals get hold of the phone numbers or personal information.
“Mom, Dad, I am at police station now. I have to
pay medical cost for the car accident injured party,
4 million, text to this number 085613734734, ask
him the bank account number and please send the
money now. Urgent. I‟ll call you back”
“Send to Bank Rakyat Indonesia
account name Johan Veronika
No.011601051664507, tell me after
you transfer the money, text me…”
“Send the money through BRI account
name Solvi Safitri Account number :
089501006526502. Call or text me after the
transaction, my phone cell run out of
battery.”

50. Tense about
Orientation in local universities for freshmen has been taking an extreme turn in Singapore.
Girls lying on the ground with guys perched suggestively over them, eating biscuits out of each
other‟s mouths, hugging for an extended period of time as a trial of endurance are just some
examples of what students are being forced to do. For some girls, these activities have proved to
be so embarrassing that they burst into tears. These activities have also raised concerns among
parents.
Another strange trend has been seen among secondary school students, who have been choking
each other, claiming that it gives them a high. They even show off their deeds by taking videos
and sharing them online. To them, it is fun and they are replicating what they have seen on
YouTube. For the parents of Singapore, it is traumatic to hear of their kids resorting to such
potentially fatal activities for “fun” and it is even more upsetting to know that these behaviors
might easily go unnoticed.

51. Top brands of 2011
What people filled up their physical and
online shopping carts with …