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xinning ji

Beijing bites back over Kadeer visa and iron ore prices | The Australian - 0 views

  • We regret that the Chinese government has felt obliged to take these steps, since the government's position on the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region is clear
    • xinning ji
       
      I think what Chinese government insists is that XInjiang is part of CHina. Like Melbourne, it is part of Australia. if someone or a small group said independence of Melbourne, how would AUstralian government think? it is about a national sovereignty that cannot be changed.
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    Can China achieve its aims by acting in this way? Is closing dialogue with Australia as 'punishment' going to solve anything? And does China except us to take their political pressure to restrict constitutional rights such as freedom of speech (such as in the Kadeer case)? Just some thoughts.
xinning ji

Eyeing off cultural difference | The Daily Telegraph - 0 views

  • the oriental "neglect'' of the mouth can lead to more mistakes in interpreting a person's emotion, said the study, describing how feelings can be ``lost in translation.''
    • xinning ji
       
      different culture makes people who have different behavious. it is obvious between West and East. people in Asia do nto have many facial expression and body language; they looks shy and strict. in contrast, Western people's facial expression always change when they talk to each other. In Asia, people would not like to express themselves to each other. in other words, they sometimes seems try to hide something, or sometime they do not like others, such as family members to worry about them. So, we usually tell each other good news and hide bad things. it is quite interesting to know different cultural values around the world, and also it is useful to understand various ways to communicate with people from all over the world.
  • Asian participants had difficulty recognising facial expressions of fear and disgust, mistakenly interpreting them as surprise and anger instead
    • xinning ji
       
      I do not think it is a mistake Asian participants made because different explanation or understanding is based on different cultral backgrounds from West and Aisa. so it is not wrong or right but cultural conflicts and differences.
xinning ji

Japanese pop culture isn't lost in translation - 0 views

  • If you have had any exposure to adolescent or teenage girls over the past decade, then you are all too familiar with the phenomenon known as Hello Kitty, the mouthless cartoon cat that decorates the paraphernalia (usually done in garish pink) that has made Tokyo-based parent Sanrio Co. Ltd. an 83-billion-yen-a-year company (about $795 million).
  • Why would Japanese cartoon characters appeal to American youth? Why stuff that is, to put it mildly and to use an American expression, cheesy?
  • What allows some products or concepts to travel around the world, while others can't get out of the house?
    • xinning ji
       
      the success of Japanese products is because they know what people like, what is the common ground of people around the world, and these products are really entertained, such as Hello Kitty, Ben 10, etc. Rather, these characters are well connected between Western and Asian social and cultural values. SO, they are global symbols.
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  • "In its imagery and style, derived from video games and comic art, Japanese culture seemed to ride the wave of postmodernism ahead of its American counterparts, It seemed 'foreign' and strange, which was part of its appeal."
  • The logical conclusion is that there is little logic to it, so marketers will have to keep trying the hit-or-miss approach, even for the most outlandish ideas.
Christoph Zed

Statistics Show Social Media Is Bigger Than You Think « Socialnomics - Socia... - 0 views

  • out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media
  • 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media
  • Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé…In 2009 Boston College stopped distributing e-mail addresses to incoming freshme
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  • People care more about how their social graph ranks products and services  than how Google ranks them
  • In the near future we will no longer search for  products and services they will find us via social media
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    how social media is changing our culture and idenity. some simple stats on social media
fiona hou

Obama wishes he was as popular as Bush - Telegraph Blogs - 0 views

  • The latest Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll is a significant blow to President Obama’s flailing presidency, just 7 months since taking office. According to Rasmussen, a highly influential pollster, Obama’s approval rating now stands at just 47 per cent, with 52 per cent disapproval, and 37 per cent strongly disapproving.
  • At the same time in his first presidency in August 2001, George W. Bush’s approval ratings stood at around 55-59 per cent in most major polls, with roughly 35-38 per cent disapproval. It was not until Spring 2004 that Bush’s ratings were as low as Obama’s figures in today’s Rasmussen poll – more than three years into his first term of office. The White House will point to other surveys that show stronger approval for Obama, but all leading polls demonstrate that support for the president is eroding. The Obama presidency is sinking faster than almost any other in recent US history, largely because he is trying to force a radical left-wing agenda on a nation that is still far more conservative than liberal, that overwhelmingly believes in limited federal government, free enterprise and decentralization of power.
  • It is hardly surprising that Obama’s standing in the polls is declining. He has launched a highly ambitious, ideologically driven agenda to transform the United States by expanding the role of the state at the expense of the individual, while at the same time weakening America’s defences and undercutting its standing on the world stage. It is a recipe for failure, and a left-wing vision for the future which fortunately is being rejected by the American people.
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    The latest Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll is a significant blow to President Obama's flailing presidency, just 7 months since taking office.
fiona hou

QQ: Master of the Micropayment. - 0 views

  • QQ is China’s largest instant messenger service; in 2008 it owned 86% of the market, with MSN owning 5%, and a bunch of others owning less. QQ dominates the market – but the money made seems not to be from its instant messenger; rather its leveraging and channeling that huge audience through a gauntlet of micro-payments.
  • How is this achieved? It’s very smart – QQ doesn’t aim for the brain, it aims for the heart using QQshow – which is very similar to Yahoo Avatars, but with a  “billion’s of RMB from China youth market” twist.
  • QQ is head and shoulder’s above its competition, of this there is no doubt. Why? QQ is more than an instant messenger service, it’s a portal to a vast array of entertainment services in China; ie: while MSN, skype, etc, focus solely on instant messages, QQ IM is just the first step in a long sale.
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  • There are many reasons why QQ remains top dog in China IM; it led the pack during the Internet boom in China, it’s parent Company Tencent, controls many of China’s top sites, and its a domestic Chinese product fueled in part by nationalism, and in part by insight into what Chinese really want, and what they are willing to pay.
  • So what are they willing to pay? We’re talking pretty small amounts, like RMB 10/year (about USD 1.50)for “Red Diamond” membership. Sounds like nothing right? We’ll when you multiply that number by 100 million, then you can begin to see the power of China’s massive population coupled with payments that are way under their daily budget.
  • QQ is more than an instant messenger – way more; the messenger is simply a portal to a thriving online community fueled by an endless series of micro-payments. The avatars of these communities engage users on a “heart” level – they are invested, they have spent time, they have spent emotion. By connecting on a low-barrier, simple value-add proposition, QQ has leveraged it’s community in a way no other site in China has.
  • Taking this further, Brands that sell to the China youth market can quickly tap into a giant market of very engaged individuals. This is a perfect medium for fashion, beauty, and fun accessories. With the right content, it’s an excellent way to drive trials and sales, build brands, and create memorable experiences.
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    QQ is China's largest instant messenger service; in 2008 it owned 86% of the market, with MSN owning 5%, and a bunch of others owning less. QQ dominates the market - but the money made seems not to be from its instant messenger; rather its leveraging and channeling that huge audience through a gauntlet of micro-payments.
xinning ji

Chinese elements promote cultural industry "going global"_English_Xinhua - 0 views

  • over 30 types of China's online games worth 71.78 million USD were exported to overseas markets. Revenue from overseas markets has become a new profit growth point for China's online game enterprises
    • xinning ji
       
      the emergence of mass media, esp Internet brings about lots of opportunities to present and promote culture for each nation, and also at same time let us know, understand and 'travel' a round the world. it is the contribution of technology and information.
  • If China's cultural industry seeks to "go global," Chinese enterprises must improve their "skills" to establish their own brands
  • the introduction of traditional theatrical repertoire and performances, toy manufacturing and other sectors to overseas markets have also had a rich "Chinese flavor."
xinning ji

Nova to screen Uighur film - Film - Entertainment - theage.com.au - 0 views

  • It would have been easy for us to err on the side of caution, but we felt it wouldn’t be fair to the filmmakers to rescind our offer
    • xinning ji
       
      based on my understanding, what Nova general manager trying to say is to give free speech and equality to every filmmaker, rather than take any political action against Chinese government. But it is hard to make sense because when the film is going to release to the public, it will influence on audiences, and change their behaviour and attitude. more seriously, it will lead to misunderstaning and grudge to people who do not really know or know little about China. It is hard to judge who is right or wrong, but hopefully, one day we can get mutual respect and understand among different cultures and religions.
fiona hou

Fury over attacks to greet Brumby - 0 views

  • A TRIP to India next week to promote Melbourne as a safe city has turned into a monumental challenge for John Brumby after another racist attack that has attracted fresh headlines and anti-Australian fury across India.
  • Two Indian men and another two of Indian origin say they were racially taunted and told to ''go back to your country'' before being kicked and punched by attackers who were part of a large birthday celebration at Legends Entertainment Centre. The Indian Government increased pressure on Australia last night over the ''recurring attacks'' on its citizens. It called on authorities to ''take all necessary steps towards the safety and security of Indians''. Indian consular officials in Melbourne were also ordered to investigate.
  • One of the victims, Sukhdip Singh, 26, had been in Australia just one month. A relative said he had suffered head and facial injuries and wanted to return to India immediately. His uncle, Mukhtiar Singh, 45, also a victim, said Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard's recent assurance to India's Foreign Minister that Australia was safe for Indian students rang hollow. ''I used to say the same thing … now I would say Melbourne is worse than a Third-World country, violence-wise,'' Mr Singh told The Age. Recalling Saturday's incident, he said his nephew was taunted with verbal abuse and racial slurs in the bar before they were later set upon in the car park by about 20 people. ''I have lived here for 22 years,'' Mr Singh said. ''I've got my own business here, my own house, my kids have grown up here. Why should I go back? We all come from somewhere.''
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  • headline on the front page of the Asian Age said: ''Oz mob of 70 attacks 3 Indians'', while The Times of India ran a timeline of attacks under the heading ''No end to hate?''. Mr Brumby said such incidents would make his mission to India all the more difficult. ''Some of the events of the last few months have damaged our brand and the Australian brand in India,'' he said. He said the Government was committed to fixing the problem, and raised the possibility of giving police more resources to deal with it.
  • Education for foreign students is Australia's third-biggest export earner, bringing in more than $16 billion a year.
xinning ji

Facebook blocked 'to increase productivity' | Herald Sun - 0 views

  • The Surabaya administration has blocked access to Facebook
  • He said the ban was introduced because many civil servants wasted too much time on the services during office hours.
  • We're still evaluating the idea that we should block Facebook permanently in all levels of government," Buchari said.
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  • In May, a meeting of hundreds of Islamic scholars from Java and Bali islands warned that using social networking sites such as Facebook could lead to pornography and "obscenity".
Lucy Rechnitzer

BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Senegal's youths dream of Europe - 0 views

  • We sat on the ground and the message from all these fishermen was along the lines of: "They may be talking about an economic crisis in Europe but if you want a real crisis it's right here in Senegal."
  • A very animated and infuriated Abdoulaye told me that his son left for Spain in a fishing boat five years ago, and was now living a far better life than he was. "I am 45-years-old and I don't have half of what he has now, like a nice house and a car," he said, adding that he would do all he could to send more of his relatives to Europe. None of these young men referred at any stage to the risks of getting to Europe even though hundreds - probably thousands - have died at sea in recent years. Senegal looks to Europe more than most countries I have visited. Not so much to Spain, but to the old colonial power, France, which has maintained strong links.
  • If it were not for the West African street traders, the whole of Europe would be squinting and struggling to keep their trousers up, judging by the number of people I have met who said they made their living selling these goods on the streets.
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  • I used to be able to work in Italy for just one month and earn enough money to spend the rest of the year living it up in Senegal," Vieux told me. He said 10 years ago in Italy people would come knocking on the door offering work but not any more
  • But much of the development is through money sent home from abroad, and economic crisis or not, Europe will still be the target for many young Senegalese looking to swap the horse and cart life for a Renault in the fast lane.
Christoph Zed

McCurry wins row with McDonald's - 0 views

  • The American fast-food giant McDonald's has lost an eight-year legal battle to prevent a Malaysian restaurant calling itself McCurry.
  • McDonald's argued that the use of the "Mc" prefix infringed its trademark. But the Federal Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that there was no evidence to show McCurry was trying to pass itself off as part of the McDonald's empire.
  • The owner of McCurry insists its "Mc" prefix is an abbreviation for Malaysian Chicken Curry.
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    interesting outcome of this 8 year-long legal battle
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    This news is of particular interest to me because I am from Malaysia and when the news broke out in Malaysia, I thought it was hilarious (at the expense of the owner of McCurry and McDonalds). The funny thing thing is there are numerous of eateries or restaurants that sound similar to the American imports, and this not only happens in Malaysia but in other countries as well. For example, there was a fast food fried chicken joint similar to KFC, that is called McDota (I can't remember the exact spelling) in Malaysia quite some time ago. Anyways, I just thought this piece of news is interesting and funny!
Rika Ninomiya

China eyes Asian and Western media funds | The Australian - 1 views

  • CHINA Investment Corporation, the $US200billion ($243bn) state-run sovereign wealth fund, is planning to invest in several Western and Asian media funds.
  • The investments could give the Chinese government a direct stake in a rich variety of media content -- from South Korean television dramas and Japanese game shows to Hollywood blockbusters and globally franchised animation series.
Christoph Zed

BBC NEWS | Europe | Bhajis and cricket balls in Brescia - 0 views

  • This is the San Polo municipal football ground on the outskirts of Brescia - a big industrial city in the north of Italy home to one of the biggest south Asian communities in the country.
  • The attraction is cricket - the final rounds of a limited overs competition.
  • "It's not a good place to live", he says. "Most Italians only speak their own language and so - unlike Indians and Pakistanis - they don't mix well with people from other cultures."
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  • the place could benefit from a "multicultural mix-up"
  • The League is almost invariably described as xenophobic
  • there have been complaints about cricket in the parks; and, yes, it has been banned, with local police ordered to halt games
  • "I want to see more Italian kids take it up," he adds. "Cricket can help build links between the Italian and immigrant communities - and help us avoid some of the problems we've seen in the past."
  • He is a politician - a pragmatist who simply can no longer afford to ignore the demands of his hometown's large south Asian community. And in this case pragmatism - it would seem - might just be the best way to start building a better life for everyone.
sayaka uchida

Can a Mother Lose Her Child Because She Doesn't Speak English? - 0 views

  • Can the U.S. government take a woman's baby from her because she doesn't speak English? That's the latest question to arise in the hothouse debate over illegal immigration
  • Can the U.S. government take a woman's baby from her because she doesn't speak English? That's the latest question to arise in the hothouse debate over illegal immigration,
  • Department of Human Services (DHS), which ruled that Baltazar Cruz was an unfit mother in part because her lack of English "placed her unborn child in danger and will place the baby in danger in the future."
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  • The social-services translator also reported that Baltazar Cruz had put Rubí in danger because she "had not brought a cradle, clothes or baby formula." But indigenous Oaxacan mothers traditionally breast feed their babies for a year and rarely use bassinets, carrying their infants instead in a rebozo, a type of sling.
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    Can the U.S. government take a woman's baby from her because she doesn't speak English? That's the latest question to arise in the hothouse debate over illegal immigration,
jung moon

Korean families reunite for a few days - 3 views

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    Even though South and North Koreans are 'Koreans', we cannot communicate each other because of many reasons.
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    It is amazing isn't it.. so similar yet very different in many ways. Cultural differences due to the distance?
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    When I was in Liaoning University of China (it is located in the capital city named Shenyang in Liaoning Province, which adjoins North Koreans), I had a very good friend as my roommate who came from Pyongyang. She was quiet and polite all the time. Meanwhile she even did not like to see those called Roman porn films made by South Korean. She was really different from those many South Korean oversea students in China. Once a time, I asked her to tell me about the confliction between north and south in nowadays. She would say nothing but insisted that "finally, they(the south) will come to us(the north)". Unfortunitlly, she got disappeared at the beginning of the second half semester. Is she a spy?
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    From Seoul to Pyongyang (capital city in North Korea) takes only 30 mins I heard. But these families (in the article) couldn't see each other over 50 years....
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    I knew that South Koreans and North Koreans can't cross the border to visit each other, but i really don't know that they can't even send e-mails. It's such a pity that they don't know when they will see their relatives next time.
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    It is reminiscent of families being split in East and West Germany. People would plan trips to Lake Balaton in Hungary to catch up. But that said they could send (censored) letters and make phone calls. If the North Korean Government are so kean to keep these families split up why are they allowing these meetings to take place? The cruelty of it all is hard to comprehend, seeing a loved one never to know if you will see them again.
shi chen

A lot of Melburnians have been to Dali, too - 0 views

  • One in 10 people in Melbourne managed to see the blockbuster exhibition Salvador Dali: Liquid Desire at the National Gallery of Victoria
  • Because of media exposure, the whole state was at some stage talking about Dali.
  • The NGV seems to know how to do it, judiciously using the trams and the media.
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  • Though not without its critics, the blockbuster concept has huge social and ecological benefits. Exposure to international art such as that in the Dali exhibition would come at enormous cost for Australians. Air tickets for hundreds of thousands of people to go to Spain and America would be costly. And don't even think of the damage to the environment.
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    interesting analysis about Dali
Maria D'Amato

Sony Walkman overtakes iPod in Japan - 0 views

  • Sony's Walkman digital music player outsold Apple's iPod in Japan last week for the first time in more than four years, according to electronics research firm BCN.
  • Sony, whose Walkman cassette players pioneered the portable-music industry in the late 1970s, gained market share after introducing models including the W series of cordless players that sell for under $US108.
  • Sony has gained customers seeking less expensive products and those seeking high quality by broadening its lineup,” Kazuharu Miura, an analyst with Daiwa Institute of Research, said by telephone. “But you can't really say Sony regained its competitiveness against Apple unless it improves its market share in the U.S. and Europe.”
    • Nora Ibrahim
       
      Correct me if I am wrong, but I have always found Japanese citizens very nationalistic and Sony is a Japanese company. Could that have an impact on the consumer's choice?
anonymous

Swine Flu Vaccinations Start as Officials Attack Myths - 0 views

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    As children received swine flu vaccine for the first time on Tuesday, federal health officials attacked popular myths about the pandemic and the vaccine designed to stop it.
xuejiao lin

Who is Ai Weiwei - 0 views

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    . In the disaster of earthquake (Sichuan Province, China ), Ai Weiwei, one of Bulogger.cn authors, charged that the high number of school fatalities was due to local officials siphoning money from school building costs. Grieving families said the structures were badly built and collapsed easily during the quake. But officials refused to list the names of the dead students, which could be used to unveil a possible cover-up, so Ai formed the "Sichuan Earthquake Names Project" with researchers and volunteers who discovered the names of 5,190 students.
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