Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia

www.gasiantimes.com April 15-30, 2012 Vol 9. No 7

Laotian American Society 7th Charity Ball

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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GAT Calendar of Events (For latest & updated events, visit www.gasiantimes.com)

Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe, Minh Doan Tel: 770.335.4593 Advertising: gat@gasiantimes.com Editorial: info@gasiantimes.com URL: www.gasiantimes.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 922348 Norcross, GA 30010-2348

duce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers.

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Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com.

GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting. “The Future of Chinese Politics: Through the Lens of the Chinese Elite�

Daniel Lynch, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California Date: Friday, April 20, 2012 Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm Venue: Troy Moore Library, 9th Floor, GSU General Classroom Building 2012 USPAACC-SE Annual Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 Time: 9:30 am - 12:00 noon Venue: GE HQ, Wildwood Pkwy Atlanta For more info: www.uspaacc-se.com

Copyright Georgia Asian Times 2004-2012 All Rights Reserved: including those to repro-

Savannah Asian Festival Date: Saturday, June 23, 2012 Time: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue: Civic Center For more info: email Erin Seals at eseals@ savannahga.gov or call 912-651-6417 19th Asian Cultural Experience (ACE) Date: Sat-Sun; July 28-29 Time: 10:00 am-8:00 pm, 11:00 am-7:00 pm Venue: Gwinnett Center Admission: $10 (adult) $6 (students) Free (child under 5 years) For more info: www.asianculturalexpericneinga.com

Hong Kong Dragon Boat - Atlanta Date: Saturday Sept 8 Time: 7:00 am Venue: Clarks Bridge Olympic Rowing Facility Lake Lanier For more info: dragonboatatlanta.com Vietnamese American Community of Georgia - Mid Autumn Festival Date: Saturday Sept 29 Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Venue: Hong Kong Supermarket For more info: Trish Nguyen, 678.820.8822 8th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 5-20, 2012 Venues: Emory University, GPC-Dunwoody, GSU-Cinefest For more info: www.atlaff.org

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS Developer pledges land donation for future Gwinnett transit expansion Norcross, April 13, 2012 – Developer Dan O’Leary pledged to donate nine acres of property to Gwinnett County for a possible transit station and connection in Norcross.

The property is located on the site of the proposed mixed-use entertainment and Video Lottery Terminal complex at Interstate 85 and Jimmy Carter Boulevard. The donation is contingent on the Georgia Lottery Board approving an expansion of the lottery to include VLTs. O’Leary has an option to buy 122 acres of property from fiber optics manufacturer OFS. More than half a mile of property is anticipated to be used for a new transit station and connection. The donated property is valued at more than $4 million.

“This is a huge investment for the I-85 corridor and helps us to attract high quality economic development like the proposed mixed-use entertainment complex,” said Chuck Warbington, executive director of the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District. “This is the first step for a commitment of private funding – one that could be matched with public dollars – to help provide Gwinnett with options for regional connectivity.”

The donation pledge comes as Gwinnett is in the middle of studying new forms of transit in the I-85 corridor between Gwinnett Center on Sugarloaf Parkway and the Doraville MARTA station.

The Federal Transit Administra-

tion awarded Gwinnett a $1.2 million grant last year to study alternative transit modes along the I-85 corridor, including light rail, commuter rail and premium bus rapid transit. The study is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year.

O’Leary has proposed building a $1 billion mixed-use entertainment complex in the Gwinnett Village CID. The development includes a 5,000-space parking garage and transit station, in addition to a VLT gaming floor, luxury hotel, spa, performance venue, shops and restaurants.

want to be good partners to the community. One of the best ways we can do this is by giving back and helping improve accessibility in the region, which will also support convention business.”

O’Leary’s project, which would be in partnership with the Georgia Lottery, is estimated to generate $350 million annually for the HOPE scholarship. It also will create 2,500 permanent jobs and 1,000 construction jobs.

“In addition to our world-class facility, we will have a park and ride option for travelers to get between downtown Atlanta and Gwinnett County quickly,” O’Leary said. “We

Laotian American Society Hosts 7th Annual Ball Norcross, April 15, 2012 — Members of Georgia’s Laotian community celebrated its seventh annual fundraising ball with colorful dances and traditional cuisines. The celebration was held in conjunction with the Laotian New Year by members of The Laotian American Society of Georgia (LAS).

Ms. Noy Lounnarath Bozarth, President of LAS introduces new members of LAS Board for 2012 upon the commencement of the event.

Principal Rattana Inthirathvongsy and Mr. Fabian De Rozario presented keynote speeches for the evening.

Guests were treated to traditional Laotian cuisines along with colorful dances performed by performers from Natasinh dance group.

Spotlight Boutique presented the highlight event of the ball by showcasing an upbeat and colorful fashion show. It was followed by a traditional Lao Regions fashion presentation showcasing different ethnic fashion.

Funds raised at the annual ball will support college scholarships, K-12 awards, Lao 101 language class, Natasinh dance class, senior outreach program, youth summer program and community projects, according to Board members of the group.

For more information of LAS, visit www.lasga.org

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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METRO ASIAN NEWS

NAAAP Atlanta Announces 2011 Chopstix for Charity Grant Recipients ATLANTA, April 13, 2012 — The Atlanta chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) held its third annual event, IMPACT: Leadership for Success, on Thursday, April 12 at Cinebistro at Town Brookhaven to announce the 2011 Chopstix for Charity Grant Recipients.

NAAAP Atlanta hosts IMPACT to recognize and thank its generous sponsors and supporters for their contributions to Chopstix for Charity (CFC), NAAAP Atlanta’s signature fundraising event held in the fall.

The funds are awarded as grants to non-profit organizations that provide a service, program or cultural awareness that ultimately makes a positive impact on the Asian-American community.

The evening began with a cocktail reception, where more than 85 attendees had the opportunity to connect with other Atlanta professionals. NAAAP Atlanta President Tamara Strickley started the event with welcoming remarks and introduced Sabrina Nooruddin, this year’s IMPACT emcee.

As the first guest speaker, Alicia Philipp, president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, spoke of the importance of individuals en-

gaging and making a difference within the local community. She encouraged the audience to take on the responsibility of becoming a community leader.

The program continued with the introduction of the 2012 NAAAP Atlanta Executive Board, followed by recognition and thanks to the many corporate sponsors. Without the dedicated support of these company leaders in workplace diversity, NAAAP’s commitment to the community would not be possible.

Entertainment for the evening was

by Filipina singer Joy Tolentino and her music partner Oscar Mendez, both representing Kollaboration Atlanta. The duo performed two songs, “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele and an original piece.

Keynote speaker Bill Imada, chairman and CEO of the IW Group, spoke on how everyone must take risks and think differently to improve the community. As a strong promoter for community engagement and professional development of Asian Americans, Imada advised individuals to focus on things that will positively impact the community.

The evening’s highlight was the announcement of the 2011 Chopstix for

Charity Grant Recipients. This year, NAAAP Atlanta awarded a total of $45,000 to 22 organizations carrying out valuable work in the community.

The grant recipients for 2011 are: Asian American Legal Advocacy Center, Inc. Asian American Resource Center Asian American Senior Citizens Association Asian Christian Counseling & Educational Seminar Services Atlanta Chinese Dance Company Boat People SOS, Inc. Center for Pan Asian Community Services Clarkson Community Center CultureConnect Friends of Refugees Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network Good Shepherd Services, Inc.

Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association JapanFest, Inc. Kollaboration Atlanta Laotian American Society OCA-Georgia Raksha, Inc. Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta SoPo Bicycle Cooperative Vietnamese Community of Georgia Vietnamese-American Community of Georgia To honor all guest speakers and corporate sponsors, NAAAP planted trees in their names through Trees Atlanta, a prime force in protecting and improving Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating.

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

BUSINESS

India sours for foreign investors Rising fuel costs cloud US economic outlook: Fed

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2012 (AFP) – Higher gasoline prices are muddying what is an otherwise improving outlook for the US economy, the Federal Reserve said in a keenly watched report, published Wednesday.

In its Beige Book survey — which frames its policy meeting later this month — the Fed held its cautious optimism about the economy but worried about the impact of fuel prices on consumer spending.

“The economy continued to expand at a modest to moderate pace from mid-February through late March,” members of Fed regional branches reported.

“The near-term outlook for household spending was encouraging,” they said, adding that several regions expressed concerns “that rising gas prices could limit discretionary spending in the months to come.”

US gasoline prices have dropped in recent weeks, but are still three percent higher than this time last year and close to the politically sensitive four dollars a gallon mark.

According to the American Automobile Association, nationwide the average cost of a gallon (3.8 liters) on Wednesday was about $3.92.

Manufacturing firms generally had the same overall view as the Fed: “Manufacturers in many districts expressed optimism about near-term growth prospects, but they are somewhat concerned about rising petroleum prices.”

The Fed reported that hiring was “steady or showed a modest increase” across the country, while retail spending was up, thanks in part to unseasonably warm weather in many regions.

The residential housing market, long a drag on the recovery, also “showed some improvement.”

But on the hard-hit west coast and in parts of the midwest “activity remained lackluster.”

The Federal Reserve’s top policymaking body will next meet April 2425 in Washington, where they will face questions about whether the economy needs more help from the central bank.

Although the outlook has continued to improve, the pace of growth has been too slow and the recovery too weak for those advocating a fresh splash of Fed stimulus.

With interest rates already near the lowest level possible, the Fed has been pressed to increase its bond purchases to lower effective interest rates and nudge investors towards stocks, property, or other company spending.

“Cautious optimism seemed to be the theme throughout,” said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist with BMO Capital Markets.

“But high gasoline prices continued to worry the Fed’s business contacts.

Of course, if gas prices continue to hold below last year’s peaks, that should help ease such fears.”

NEW DELHI, April 15, 2012 (AFP) - Business consultant Adrian Mutton says it takes courage for a foreign corporation to make a big-ticket investment in India given the uncertainties thrown up by capricious twists in government policy.

Companies have long griped about India’s byzantine rules and suffocating bureaucracy but recent policy flipflops have further soured the investor mood.

“You have got to be a pretty brave CEO to gamble on a major investment decision in India especially if you think that decision may be overturned,” says Mutton, who heads India-based Sannam S4, a consultancy which helps firms enter India.

The latest, and for many investors most egregious government measure, was announced in last month’s budget which included provisions allowing India to tax foreign takeovers retroactively to 1962.

The plan seeks to override an Indian Supreme Court judgement in January that rejected a $2.2-billion tax bill slapped on British phone giant Vodafone over its 2007 purchase of a local operator.

“The Indian government is perhaps hoping the country’s economic growth potential will retain companies like Vodafone,” Deepak Lalwani, chief of India-focused investment consultancy Lalcap, said.

“But fresh capital will be fearful of the business and investment climate and will be hesitant to come,” said Lalwani, cautioning that poor investor sentiment “may dramatically slow future foreign capital”.

Already, gross foreign direct investment in India has fallen by a quarter to $20.3 billion in the fiscal year ended March, down from $27.1 billion in the previous year, according to official figures.

In a letter to Premier Manmohan Singh earlier this month, seven global business groups, including the Confederation of British Industry and the US Business Roundtable, warned of a “widespread reconsideration of the costs and benefits of investing in India.”

The investment slowdown comes as India urgently needs foreign funds to upgrade its dilapidated airports, roads, ports and other infrastructure in order to ease bottlenecks and spur growth.

Economic expansion for the last fiscal year is estimated at just 6.9 percent, the second slowest rate in a decade.

The retroactive change to India’s tax code was only the latest piece of news to dismay foreign investors, already preoccupied by policy paralysis on reforms to liberalize the economy and corruption.

The investment plans of Norwegian telecom giant Telenor and other foreign firms who had jumped into the world’s second-largest mobile market were left in tatters earlier this year when the Supreme Court cancelled their licenses.

The court’s move stemmed from a scandal in which the government had issued mobile licences in 2008 at throw-away prices, costing the public treasury up to $39 billion, in what is believed to be India’s biggest graft case.

The licence cancellation “was a shock for the foreign operators, especially as this was a ruling on a government policy decision,” Kamlesh Bhatia, India research director at global consultancy Gartner, said.

And last December, in a major Uturn, the government reversed a decision to allow foreign supermarkets into India after a key ruling coalition ally said the move could hurt millions of small shopkeepers in the country.

Georgia Asian Times

April 15-30, 2012

“The reform process has really just fallen apart,” said Manjeet Kripalani, head of Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations Further discouragement has come from a slew of stalled projects, including South Korean steelmaker POSCO’s plans to build a $12-billion steel mill -- first announced in 2005 and trumpeted as India’s biggest foreign investment deal.

Late last month, an Indian tribunal suspended environmental clearance for the plant, keeping the project in limbo.

Still, says Mutton of Sannam S4, many global companies have little

choice but to enter the increasingly affluent country of 1.2 billion people if they want to boost revenues in light of the slowdown in developed economies.

The Bank’s directors chose Kim, a 52 year old US health expert and educator, over Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had argued that the huge lender needs reorientation under someone from the developing world.

Kim, 52 and currently president of the Ivy League University Dartmouth, will replace outgoing President Robert Zoellick, the former US diplomat who is departing in June at the end of his five-year term.

The Bank’s directors expressed “deep appreciation” to Kim, OkonjoIweala and a third candidate, Colombian economist Jose Antonio Ocampo, who pulled out of the race Friday.

Resilient Asia to weather global storms, says IMF

“You can’t afford not to be in India as a marketplace when you look at the huge population,” says Mutton, whose India advisory business has tripled in size in the past few years.

HONG KONG, April 17, 2012 (AFP) - Asia’s growth prospects have dimmed but the region will avoid a hard landing in 2012 thanks to strong domestic demand and monetary flexibility, the IMF said in a report.

“In boardrooms around the world, people are saying if we are going to deliver growth, where do we go? India inevitably comes up. They may know it will be a pain in the backside -- but they have to make the best of the situation.”

The International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook report for 2012 said recessions in Europe and turmoil in the Middle East had hit Asia’s export markets, forcing downward revisions to regional growth forecasts.

But it said resilient domestic demand in China, the world’s second biggest economy, and the capacity of Asian banks to fill the liquidity gap left by constrained European lending would help growth recover in 2013.

KoreanAmerican Kim chosen to lead World Bank WASHINGTON, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - The World Bank chose Korean-American physician Jim Yong Kim as its next chief Monday in a decision that surprised few despite the first-ever challenge to the US lock on the Bank’s presidency.

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“Their candidacies enriched the discussion of the role of the president and of the World Bank Group’s future direction,” the Bank said in a statement.

“The final nominees received support from different member countries, which reflected the high caliber of the candidates.”

Nevertheless, there had been little doubt about the choice of Kim, even as he breaks the pattern of American bankers and diplomats being named to lead the huge development bank.

By a longstanding pact Washington has chosen the head of the World Bank while Europe has held control of who leads its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund.

first quarter from 9.7 percent a year earlier, as domestic demand drops and Europe’s debt woes curb business activity.

The IMF upgraded its growth forecast for Japan’s economy from 1.7 percent to 2.0 percent growth this year, reversing a 0.7 percent decline in 2011, saying the country would receive a “timely boost” from spending on reconstruction following last year’s catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

But it said Japanese growth would fall to 1.75 percent in 2013.

“The crisis in Europe and problems regarding energy supply are likely to dampen Japanese economic activity and exports,” the report said.

“Although the external environment is challenging, a soft landing is projected under the baseline forecast given robust domestic demand, favorable financial conditions and room for policy easing,” the report said.

The report had some tough words for emerging giant India, saying its slowdown from 7.2 percent growth in 2011 to a projected 6.9 percent this year had as much to do with “domestic factors” as external headwinds.

Regional growth would flatten out at six percent this year, from 5.9 percent in 2011, before reviving to 6.5 percent in 2013, it said.

It cited “policy uncertainty and supply bottlenecks” for deteriorating business sentiment in the South Asian power, along with higher interest rates and wobbly export markets.

Emerging Asia -- excluding the advanced economies of Australia, Japan and New Zealand -- would see growth fall 0.5 percent this year to 6.8 percent, before rising to 7.4 percent next year.

Despite the blow to its export industries due to “spillovers from Europe”, China’s economy would post growth of more than eight percent in 2012 and 2013 thanks to “robust” domestic consumption and investment.

The Fund said the Chinese economy was expected to grow by 8.2 percent this year -- above the Chinese government’s target of 7.5 percent -- and by 8.8 percent in 2013.

Growth in China has slowed recently, falling to 8.1 percent in the

Thailand’s devastating floods were another domestic source of weakness for the region last year, cutting two percent off the country’s annual growth.

The IMF warned of “significant downside risks” to the regional outlook this year, including a possible escalation in the eurozone debt crisis.

A worst-case scenario in Europe had the potential to slash 1.75 percent off Japanese output, it said.

Australia and New Zealand, with the greatest reliance on wholesale funding from Europe, also remained vulnerable to moves by foreign banks to cut back lending.

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS Japan Study Program Opens For Japanese American Students The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is sponsoring a 2-weeks study program for Japanese American high school students from June 29 to July 10, 2012. The program provide Japanese American students an opportunity to learn various aspects of Japanese politics, economy, society, history, culture, language, etc.

Five students will be selected based on submitted applications. Expenses to be covered would include roundtrip air ticket between US-Japan (including airport and misc tax), trans-

portation fee, hotel, meals, insurance and excursion fees.

Interested student may apply online: http://www.atlanta.us.embjapan.go.jp/nikkeihome.html.

If you have any questions, contact Consulate General of Japan-Atlanta (404) 365-9240, or send an email to info@aa.mofa.go.jp. The application deadline is April 24, 2012.

“I Love Korea, Because …”

Video Contest Opens To Public The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is sponsoring a video competition entitled “I Love Korea, because …” The 3-minute video competition will allow applicants to showcase their passion on Korean traditional culture, K-Pop, landscape, economic development, and their personal experience with Korea.

Submission period is from May 1-20, 2012. Competition is open to all non Korean citizens and submission in Korean or English language.

Grand prize winner includes a Korean made automobile, roundtrip to Korea, and tickets to a K-Pop live show. Other prizes included Korean brand laptops, cameras, tablet PCs.

Georgia Board of Regents vote to increase tuition Americus, April 17, 2012 (AP) — Georgia students will have to pay more out of pocket for college this fall after the state Board of Regents raised tuition Tuesday.

The board voted on tuition hikes between $31 and $218 more per semester.

Students at 32 of 35 university system campuses will see the lowest increase in nearly a decade — about 2.5 percent, or anywhere from $31 to $91 per semester. Those attending Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia and Georgia State University will see the biggest bumps, between $127 and $218 per semester.

The three schools have historically charged the same tuition rates, but system officials say the change puts the institutions more on par with peer schools in other states.

Application must be submitted via YouTube or legal video sharing site and emailed to culturmofat@mofat. go.kr. Submission deadline is June 11, 2012.

Locally, students at Georgia Gwinnett College will see an increase of $41 per semester—from $1,648 to 1,689 per semester.

Payouts for most HOPE scholarships recipients remained flat this year, which means the vast majority of students will have to pay more of their tuition bills in the fall. Last year, state lawmakers cut the lottery-funded scholarships for all but the state’s highest performing students.

In addition to tuition, students also pay hundreds each semester in mandatory fees, including a special fee created to help offset state funding cuts to higher education. That fee ranges from $160 to $544 per semester, depending on the college.

University system employees had talked about doing away with the fee but officials told the board that the system can’t afford to lose the more than $200 million generated by fees.

“The board and I are very sensitive to the present economic realities facing our students and parents,” said Chancellor Hank Huckaby said in a prepared statement. “We are thankful for the actions of the governor and the General Assembly of fully funding the formula. It allows us to take a very conservative approach to current tuition.”

For more information, contact Korean Consulate Atlanta, Patricia West at 404-522-1611 ext 128

“This approach ensures each of the research institutions can fulfill their respective academic missions while being competitively priced with their peer institutions,” said John Brown, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs.

The regents also approved the system’s $1.8 billion budget, which includes more than $70 million in state dollars to help deal with skyrocketing enrollment. It also includes $300 million in construction and renovation projects at campuses across the state.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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FEATURE

Tourists flock to South Korea surgeons seeking celebrity looks SEOUL, April 15, 2012 (AFP) - It was in the mid-2000s when South Korean plastic surgeon Joo Kwon noticed a trickle of Chinese women walking into his clinic, even though he hadn’t advertised overseas.

“They somehow found a way to the clinic... and nearly all of them said they want the face of Lee Young-Ae,” Joo said, referring to a top South Korean actress who starred in the pan-Asian hit drama “Jewel in the Palace”.

The trickle has now turned into a flood of Chinese packing Joo’s JK Plastic Surgery Centre -- one of the country’s largest -- and many other clinics, lured by the looks of South Korean entertainers who have taken Asia by storm.

A Hallyu (Korean wave) of pop culture over the past decade has won a devoted fan base in China, Southeast Asia and Japan. The South’s TV dramas dominate prime-time airwaves and K-pop bands sell out concerts and top the charts.

Legendary TV hits like “Winter Sonata” and “Autumn Fairy Tale” help draw tens of thousands of foreign fans to filming locations in South Korea every year, boosting the tourism industry.

Now skilled plastic surgeons in the

looks-obsessed South -- who often helped beautify Korean stars in the first place -are enjoying an unexpected boom as they do the same for their foreign fans.

According to government data, overall medical spending by foreign visitors hit a record $116 million last year. Fourteen percent sought plastic surgery or skin treatments such as botox.

Almost a half of all foreigners seeking a nose job, a facelift, a jawbone reduction or a tummy tuck were from China. Their number nearly tripled from 1,657 in 2009 to 4,400 in 2010.

“The Hallyu boom has definitely played a key role in drawing new patients from abroad,” said Hong Jeong-Geun, spokesman for the Korea Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

Hong said many star-struck foreigners visit clinics with photos of celebrities like Kim Hee-Sun, a popular actress in Asia, and ask surgeons to emulate her nose angle or eyes.

“They understand that some stars, rather than born beautiful, were made beautiful with a little bit of help from plastic surgeons,” said Hong.

Cut-throat competition among the country’s growing number of plastic surgeons -- who now number some 1,700 -- made them even more aggressive in trying to lure new clients, he said.

Joo’s clinic in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district -- home to more than 400 plastic surgery and skin-treatment clinics -- is at the forefront of such efforts.

About a half of its customers are nonKoreans, from China, Japan, the Middle East and even Africa. Patients picked up at the airport by limousines are greeted by staffers who speak English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese or Mongolian.

Joo declined to give the total number of patients at his clinic but said 10 doctors perform dozens of surgeries every day.

The clinic recently opened its own hotel to better serve deep-pocketed foreigners who spend an average of about 20 million won ($17,675) to get multiple surgery during a single visit.

“I think there’s a good chance that plastic surgery can become South Korea’s new major export industry,” said Joo. Customers like Anny Guo are highly sought after.

The daughter of a construction firm CEO in the northeastern Chinese city of Jilin, she flew to Seoul to get a nose job and make her high cheekbones less prominent.

Her parents gave her 100,000 yuan ($15,860) after she begged them for months.

“I want to have a face and skin like Song Hye-Gyo...or nose like Han Ga-In,” said the 24-year-old college student, referring to popular South Korean actresses.

Many South Korean TV shows are aired with subtitles on Chinese websites only a day after being screened in Seoul.

“Most of my friends who watch South Korean dramas want to come here to get surgery. They think plastic surgeons here are the best in Asia,” said Guo. Policymakers have eased regulations, allocated a greater budget, staged presentations overseas and given awards to successful clinics to promote all kinds of medical tourism.

“Medical tourism, plastic surgery included, will be a new growth driver for our economy....and the popularity of our stars is helping us a lot,” said Jung Eun-Young, deputy director of the health ministry’s policy department.

Even cosmetic surgeons, however, have some reservations.

Joo Kwon said it was undesirable that more and more Koreans are seeking such operations.

“I think South Korea has a very rigorous and narrow definition of beauty because we’re an ethnically homogenous society and everyone looks pretty much the same.

It is also related to low self-esteem,” he said “I think the situation will somewhat moderate in future as society becomes more diverse. But it will take quite a bit of time until we get there.”

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EVENTS

April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

Laotian America Society 7th Annual Ball April 14, 2012

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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EVENTS

NAAAP Atlanta IMPACT Leadership Awards April 12, 2012 Photos: Ben Hioe

2012 NAAAP Atlanta Board members Tamara Strickley, President of NAAAP Atlanta delivering her remarks.

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

LIFESTYLE Penang’s famed food hawkers see tradition lose steam Georgetown, Malaysia, April 4, 2012 (AFP) – Soon Chuan Choo has spent 45 years sweating next to a sizzling curbside wok in Malaysia’s heat, frying up flat noodles mixed with chilli sauce, prawns, tofu, cockles, egg and sprouts.

It may not sound like much of a life unless you grasp the priorities of her home state Penang, where cheap, spicy street food and the hawkers who provide it are venerated as local treasures.

“I grew up eating her char kway teow and still it’s so perfect and she is such a character,” said office worker Janthi Victor, referring to Soon’s trademark protective goggles, floppy red chef’s hat and sour demeanor.

For well over a century, Penang’s food hawkers have been conspicuous by the clouds of steam, pungent aromas and devoted crowds surrounding them.

But some fear it is a dying art as a new generation shuns taking over their parent’s modest curbside stands, threatening beloved recipes and a slice of the island’s multi-cultural character.

“My daughter won’t do it so I don’t know what will happen,” Soon said in the Hokkien dialect spoken by many Malaysian Chinese as she brusquely plunked a steaming plate onto a wobbly plastic table of tourists from Indonesia.

Penang food blogger C.K. Lam says many young people today are not keen on a life of “sweating under the hot sun.”

“Some lucky hawkers are able to pass it on but many just hope to earn

enough to retire and there is nobody to follow up,” she said.

Once one of Britain’s oldest Asian settlements, Penang is widely recognized as Asia’s street food capital, its mix of immigrant Chinese, Indian, and local Malay flavors creating a unique culinary heritage.

Street hawkers first sprang up to meet the needs of the immigrant underclass and today operate from portable metallic stands on lanes in and around Georgetown, Penang’s capital.

Street food is prevalent across Malaysia but most dominant in Penang, whose name is evoked by hawker stalls across the country as a mark of tastiness.

Penang’s hawkers serve up a diverse array of dishes unique to Malaysia, typically based on noodles and packing a spicy punch.

Char kway teow is considered a signature dish, typically kept moist, but not oily, by discreetly-added lard.

The rice noodles of curry mee swim in a broth of curry, coconut milk and pig’s blood, while various other rice and noodle dishes are packed with intestines and other organs proudly advertised on hawker signs as “offal”.

Locals develop strong allegiances to certain hawkers — an iPhone app helps them keep track of who is cooking what and where — and often closely watch cooks in hopes of divining their fiercely guarded secrets.

“We all get along well except when it comes to (Penang hawker) food,” said Chua See Poh, a government worker from the nearby city of Ipoh,

while slurping down curry mee with friends.

“It’s the only thing we might argue about.”

Soon became a target of such passions in 2010 when a Facebook boycott was launched after a customer reported being verbally abused by her while waiting for a 7 ringgit ($2.30) plate of her char kway teow.

The boycott campaign fizzled, however, and the demanding crowds keep her as grumpy as ever.

When celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain visited recently for a piece on Penang, he asked Soon if she spoke English, said Penang Global Tourism Director Ooi Geok Ling.

Soon snapped in Hokkien, “If I could speak English, I wouldn’t be doing this, would I?” Her polar opposite is Mahboob Zakaria, a garrulous ethnic Indian Muslim whose family has for more than 80 years sold its delicious mee goreng — thin noodles fried with a smoky tomato-chilli sauce, squid, potato, and other ingredients.

A showman, the 57-year-old Mahboob spins his sizzling wok with a flourish while tossing in the ingredients as he banters happily with customers in English, Tamil, Malay and Hokkien.

His son Sabik Ahamed will take over the operation someday, calling it predestined.

“This came from God,” he said.

But increasingly, sons and daughters demur, and the food suffers as secret homemade recipes are replaced by store-bought ingredients used by new hawkers, said Lam. Hope for keeping traditions alive may lie in people like John Martin, who bought the hawker set-up and secret recipe of Ewe Chooi Guan in 2005.

For decades, Ewe’s family had served Penang laksa — a spicy-sour noodle soup unique to Penang and made from homemade fish stock, prawn paste, and pineapple — but had no willing heirs.

“We wanted to keep up the tradition. It is such good food, it would have been a waste to just start from scratch,” said Martin, who is of Portuguese-Chinese descent.

Martin made plastic moulds in a previous job that earned about 3,000 ringgit per month. He makes more now, he says, while declining to say how much.

“There is a risk of losing these great foods. A lot of work goes into preparing them, you work from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Most people wouldn’t do that.”

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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SPORTS

Mercedes’ Rosberg storms to first GP Shanghai, China, April 15, 2012 (AFP) - Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg claimed an “amazing” first Formula One race victory in 111 attempts as he led from pole position to take the Chinese Grand Prix in style on Sunday.

The German’s faultless drive in Shanghai saw him home more than 20 seconds ahead of the McLarens of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, for what was also Mercedes’ first victory since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Mark Webber was fourth and reigning two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel fifth after some frantic jostling for the other podium places.

Button, the 2009 world champion, was delighted to secure second after that place changed hands repeatedly up until nearly the very end of a compelling race.

“There were some really good battles out there,” said the Briton.

Hamilton was dealt a blow by a chaotic last stop in the pits, although he admitted he might never have caught the speedy Mercedes.

“I stopped on the markers and had a problem on the rear,” he revealed.

But with a quarter of the race gone that strategy -- intentional or not -- came undone in amateurish fashion when Schumacher was given the allclear from a pit stop before one of the wheels was properly fastened.

A Mercedes mechanic frantically waved his arms but the 43-year-old was gone, only to slow up and stop shortly afterwards as he was forced to meekly bow out, his chance of a first race win since coming out of retirement over.

“The front wheel got loose. We need to check why and exactly what happened,” he said, looking downbeat rather than angry.

There was no such trouble for the 26-year-old Rosberg.

“I got stuck for maybe 10 seconds,” he added, allowing Rosberg to streak into a clear lead that he never looked likely to surrender.

“Unbelievable. It’s been a long time coming for the team also,” he said.

“The first two (stops) were very good. These things happen.”

“I feel a bit sad for one of our boys, but I will hug him later on and calm him down.”

Rosberg showed no early nerves from pole position and made the perfect start to stay ahead of team-mate Michael Schumacher going into the crucial first corner at an overcast but dry Shanghai International Circuit.

At about the same time, Rosberg was in the pit lane so he could switch to intermediate tyres, allowing Sergio Perez to briefly head the field, before he too pitted, allowing Ferrari’s Felipe Massa to briefly take the lead.

The big loser at the start was Vettel, whose nightmare weekend got slightly worse when he slipped from 11th on the grid to 15th.

But the flying Rosberg was back in front once more when he easily passed Massa’s cumbersome Ferrari, with Button and Hamilton now hot on Rosberg’s heels. They were soon joined by Romain Grosjean, who was to finish sixth.

“It’s finally there. It’s amazing.

“I didn’t expect to be this fast today.

I was very happy with the entire race.”

After finishing 12th and 13th in the first two grands prix of the season, in Australia and Malaysia, Rosberg said he was delighted his team had managed to turn practice and qualifying speed into genuine race pace.

“We’ve been working very hard. We struggled in the first two races but progressed so quickly.”

Summing up his weekend he said: “It all came together.”

With the seven-time champion Schumacher using all his experience to act as a buffer from the chasing pack, Rosberg was able to stretch his lead with 10 of the 56 laps under his belt in relative comfort.

Rosberg surrendered his lead to Button when he pitted on lap 35, then Webber had a hairy moment when

he ran wide on the kerb, launching the front of his Red Bull into the air, drawing gasps from a packed crowd.

Rosberg was out in front again when Button stopped for a final time and lingered in the pits, allowing the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen to jump into second.

As the action reached its climax, all eyes were on what was happening behind the German. Raikkonen plummeted down the field, while Vettel, Button and Hamilton duelled over second and third.

The Finn Raikkonen finished 14th, while the Ferraris had another difficult afternoon, with Fernando Alonso in ninth and Massa 13th.

Hamilton, who has now finished third in all three races this season, leads the drivers’ standings with 45 points, followed by McLaren teammate Button (43), Alonso (37), Webber (36) and Vettel (28).

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

SPORTS Cambodian tennis rises from the ashes at Davis Cup PHNOM PENH, April 14, 2012 (AFP) - What’s most remarkable about Cambodia’s imminent Davis Cup debut is not that the small nation has finally made it to a top world tennis event. It’s that the sport exists in Cambodia at all.

When the country’s number one player and budding heart-throb Bun Kenny steps onto the court in Qatar in the coming week, it will mark the crowning moment of years of effort to revive a sport that was all but wiped out by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970s for being too upper-class.

“Tennis almost completely disappeared,” said Kenny as he took a break from practicing his ground strokes with his three Davis Cup teammates on a recent sweltering afternoon in the Cambodian capital.

“Today, for the players and for the trainers, I think it’s our job to revive tennis and get more people interested in the game,” the 21-year-old said, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“We are looking forward to the Davis Cup. It’s only the beginning.”

Led by “Brother Number One” Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge dismantled modern society and launched a radical revolution that led to the deaths of up to two million people from overwork, starvation or execution between 1975 and 1979.

“Like many sports, tennis was considered an elitist sport and there were no exceptions when the Khmer Rouge came. They wanted to wipe out anything that was part of the old era,” said Tep Rithivit, the non-playing Davis Cup team captain and the secretary general of the Tennis Federation of Cambodia.

“Pol Pot wanted to start Year Zero

in Cambodia. As far as tennis was concerned, he succeeded. We had to rebuild everything from scratch.”

Only three of an estimated 40 players who were in the national team before the regime’s “Killing Fields” era are known to have survived.

One of them is Yi Sarun, an energetic 67-year-old who still hits the courts almost every day and who is widely credited for leading efforts to keep the game alive in Cambodia.

“I survived because I was smart enough to lie,” he told AFP after an effortless coaching lesson with a young Sri Lankan student at a sports club in Phnom Penh.

“I told them I was just a cyclo driver and that in my free time I enjoyed playing football,” he added, his soaked red t-shirt emblazoned with the words “From Killing Fields to Tennis Courts” -- the federation’s unofficial slogan.

Fellow players who didn’t hide their identity from the Khmer Rouge “were considered rich people or high-ranking officials. They were killed.”

Sarun himself didn’t come from a wealthy background but his talent for the game was discovered as a teenager when he was spotted copying the moves from the local officials he saw playing tennis in his home province.

In 1975, he buried his trophies and medals, evidence of a glittering tennis career in the 1960s, and spent much of the next four years toiling in the fields, like most of his countrymen.

But the endless labour did not break his spirit nor did it extinguish his love for tennis, and after the regime was ousted from power he was at the forefront of a push to wake the game from its slumber in the early 1980s.

“I wanted to restart tennis because it’s my skill, it’s what I know... I love this sport.

“We had only three players, there were no other people who knew how to play so the game was paralyzed,” Sarun said, recalling how they had nothing better than a fishing net to string across the court and were reliant on foreigners to bring in new equipment.

Inspired by these efforts, Rithivit, whose family had left Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge era, returned to his home country in the early 1990s to help set up the Tennis Federation of Cambodia and nurture the next crop of players through free tennis lessons for school children and orphans.

“I tell them never to forget what has happened in the past and try to give a better hope for the new generation,” he said, standing on the sidelines of the court, not taking his eyes off the practice doubles match now going on between his four Davis Cup team members.

Today, Cambodia boasts two ranked players and was allowed to join the Davis Cup competition after it hosted an ATP event last year and its membership to the International Tennis Federation was upgraded, Rithivit explained.

“For us, it’s the greatest tennis revival, you know. It’s beating all the odds and beating all the challenges that we were confronted with... It’s one of the greatest moments of tennis in Cambodia.”

Rithivit and the players say they hope their Davis Cup debut will lift the profile of the game in impoverished Cambodia, where it continues to be viewed as a rather expensive pastime and doesn’t come close to rivaling the popularity of football or boxing.

The team will start their Davis Cup campaign in Doha in the Asia-Oceania Group IV, in which 10 nations -- including Myanmar, Iraq and Singapore -- will compete from April 16-21 for two places in the next stage.

“We have a good chance to be in Group III next year,” said Kenny, who moved to Cambodia from France nearly two years ago to give himself the best shot at a professional tennis career. He is ranked 1192th in the world by the ATP. Team captain Rithivit believes his boys feel the weight of history on their shoulders.

“These guys are hungry and they are proud to play for their country. They have worked hard to be here,” he said.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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HEALTH Sushi ‘tuna scrape’ blamed for US salmonella outbreak

DNA tests uncover hazards in Chinese therapies WASHINGTON, April 12, 2012 (AFP) - A host of potential toxins, allergens and traces of endangered animals showed up in DNA sequencing tests on 15 Chinese traditional medicines, researchers said.

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - A ground fish product known as “tuna scrape,” imported to the United States from India, was blamed Monday for a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 116 people, US health authorities said.

Such therapies have been used in China for more than 3,000 years, but have risen in popularity outside Asia in recent decades and now amount to a global industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to the study in PLoS Genetics.

The illnesses are being linked to Nakaochi Scrape, or tuna backmeat, “which is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product,” said the US Food and Drug Administration.

Despite their popularity, little scientific evidence exists to prove the benefits of Chinese traditional medicines (TCMs), and a growing body of research has begun to point to their potential dangers.

Many of the people who became ill reported eating raw tuna in sushi as “spicy tuna,” the FDA said, adding that illnesses had been tracked to 20 states and had caused 12 hospitalizations but no deaths.

The samples analyzed for this study included herbal teas, capsules, powders and flakes that were seized by Australian border officials and were subsequently tested by scientists at Australia’s Murdoch University.

A Californa-based company, Moon Marine USA Corporation, issued a recall of 58,828 pounds (26,683 kilograms) of the frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, which it imported from India, an FDA spokesman told AFP. Tuna scrape is often used for making sushi sold in restaurants and grocery stores, but is not typically sold to individuals, health authorities said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that collaborative probes by state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that Nakaochi Scrape “is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections.”

“Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. The product looks like raw ground tuna.”

The CDC added that the ingredient was used to make up between 43 and 71 percent of sushi orders fingered in the outbreak and 29 to 53 percent of “spicy tuna” orders.

Earlier this month, a leading US ground-beef processor, AFA Foods, filed for bankruptcy protection after it came under intense criticism for its use of a meat by-product nicknamed “pink slime,” formally known as Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings (BLBT).

Plant agents suspected of causing urinary tract and kidney cancer such as Aristolochic acid, as well as the potentially poisonous

herb ephedra were among the dangerous elements found.

“TCMs have a long cultural history, but today consumers need to be aware of the legal and health safety issues before adopting them as a treatment option,” said lead researcher Michael Bunce, a Murdoch University Australian Research Council Future Fellow.

Some of the 68 different plant families that were detected in the 15 samples can be toxic if taken in the wrong doses, but the packaging did not list the concentrations of the elements inside, he said.

“We also found traces from trade restricted animals that are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, including the Asiatic black bear and Saiga antelope” he said, adding that some contained ingredients that were not included on the label.

“A product labeled as 100 percent Saiga antelope contained considerable quantities of goat and sheep DNA,” he said.

Canada study calls for regulating salt in fast foods

OTTAWA, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - The amount of salt on the menus of the six biggest fast food companies varies greatly from nation to nation, according to a study Monday that calls for regulations to curb sodium intake.

“We saw marked variability in the reported salt content of products provided by major transnational fast food companies,” said Norman Campbell, lead author of the study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Researchers in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, New Zealand and the United States looked at the salt content of 2,124 food items sold by Burger King (known as Hungry Jack’s in Australia), Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway.

These included popular items such burgers, chicken nuggets, pizza, salad, sandwiches and fries.

Fast food in Canada and the United States contained much higher levels of sodium than in Britain and France, they found.

In Canada, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, for example, contained two and a half times the amount of sodium per serving than in Britain.

Too much dietary salt has been linked to higher blood pressure and other adverse health effects. Other studies have shown cuts in salt intake can result in a significant reduction in deaths.

Several countries have started to curb salt intake, with the latest successes coming from voluntary salt reduction targets and labeling of foods.

However, food companies often cite technical food processing issues as barriers to further reducing salt content, stating that new technology and

“Another product, Mongnan Tianbao pills, contained deer and cow DNA, the latter of which may violate some religious or cultural strictures.”

Performing any in-depth analysis of the biological elements contained in traditional therapies has been difficult in the past because the act of processing ingredients into powders and pills mingled the components too much.

But the approach used by researchers for this study, described as second-generation, high throughput sequencing, was both efficient and cost-effective, said researcher Megan Coghlan.

“The approach has the ability to unravel complex mixtures of plant and animal products,” she said.

“We found multiple samples that contained DNA from animals listed as traderestricted according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species Legislation. Put simply, these TCMs are not legal.”

processes are needed to make lower-salt products.

The study shows this to be false and that decreasing salt in fast foods is in fact technically feasible, said Campbell.

The University of Calgary professor went on to say that “voluntary efforts aren’t working.” “These high levels indicate failure of the current government approach that leaves salt reduction solely in the hands of industry.”

“Salt reduction programs need to guide industry and oversee it with targets and timelines for foods, monitoring and evaluation, and stronger regulatory measures if the structured voluntary efforts are not effective,” he concluded.

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April 15-30, 2012 Georgia Asian Times

Misc Asia Shy Hong Kongers urged to have more sex HONG KONG, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - Sex experts are urging Hong Kongers to strip off their reputation as some the least active lovers in Asia to get more out of their sex lives and overcome challenges of privacy in a cramped city.

Clashes at beef-eating festival in south India HYDERABAD, India, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - A beef-eating festival at a university in southern India triggered clashes between rival students as Hindu activists fought with low-caste Dalit groups who had organized the event.

Police fired teargas on Sunday evening to break up the fighting, in which at least five people were injured and two vehicles were set ablaze at the Osmania University in the city of Hyderabad.

Hindus, the religious majority in India, regard cows as sacred and the animals are often used in temple ceremonies as well as allowed to wander at will through the country’s busy towns and markets.

“There was some stone-pelting forcing us to throw teargas shells to bring the situation under control.”

The event, the first of its kind at the university, was to campaign for beef to be included on menus at student hostel accommodation.

“It is unfortunate that people who consume beef are looked down upon by the upper castes, but for centuries beef has been part of our diet,” said B. Sudarshan, a Dalit research scholar and festival organizer.

“What is wrong in consuming beef?

Those opposed to it can advise people not to have beef but they can’t force their diktat on us.”

In the traditional Hindu caste system, Dalits (formerly known as ‘untouchables’) are considered the lowest of low castes, and some Dalit groups reject Hindu religious practices such as the ban on eating beef.

Hyderabad student politics have a history of violent confrontation, with previous clashes over the proposed creation of Telangana state, which would be carved out of the present state of Andhra Pradesh.

Beef biryani and other beef dishes were served to 200 people at the festival before about 50 students belonging to a right-wing Hindu group tried to enter the venue, police said.

The city has attracted major investment from global firms such as Microsoft and Google and is a symbol of India’s emerging economy, but also suffers from deep inter-religious tension.

“The organizers told us that they were not going to cook beef on the campus but were only bringing in cooked food from outside,” said senior officer Y. Gangadhar.

Many Indian states have introduced various jail terms for cow slaughter in recent years in a trend seen as reflecting radical Hindu views and anti-Muslim sentiment.

“People say Hong Kongers have the least amount of sexual knowledge in the world. One of the reasons is they have no place to have sex,” said professor Emil Ng, associate director at the Family Institute of the University of Hong Kong.

Financial pressure, career-driven mentalities and limited space are seen as key drivers of a fertility rate that is one of the lowest in the world by some measures, with an average 1.04 births per woman according to the World Bank.

Ng, who believes monogamy in general is “behind the times”, thinks another factor driving Hong Kong’s sexual timidity is sky-high property prices.

Younger Hong Kong residents typically live at home deep into their 20s or 30s because they can’t afford to marry and move out earlier, meaning that many sleep in close proximity to their parents in cramped apartments.

“Hong Kong is too crowded and lacks the privacy people need to have sex,” said Ng, who organised the fifth Hong Kong Sex Cultural Festival which took place last month.

The festival, held jointly by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Sex Education Association, aimed to promote more liberal views on sex in the socially conservative southern Chinese city.

And in a sign that traditional Chinese attitudes towards sex may be changing, a record number of visitors showed up at the recent 2012 China Adult-Care Expo of adult wares in China’s biggest city of Shanghai.

This year’s expo -- Asia’s largest trade fair for the adult industry -- was the biggest in the event’s nine-year history, attracting thousands of visitors, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported.

Under the covers When it comes to going under the

covers, Hong Kong couples are content with having sex less than twice a week, according to a 2011 survey published by City University’s Community College.

More than half of the women questioned in the Hong Kong survey admitted feigning illness or tiredness to avoid sex when they were not in the mood.

The study of nearly 1,000 adults aged 36 to 80 showed that men were satisfied with having sex an average of 1.9 times a week, while women were content with 1.6 times.

This compares with the top rate of more than three times per week in Greece, more than twice in India and less than once per week in Japan, according to British condom manufacturer Durex, whose 2008 survey found Hong Kongers ranked third lowest in the world in sexual confidence.

“Hong Kong is always near the bottom of the list in terms of sexual frequency in those Durex annual surveys. It may not be a very scientific research, but it still says a lot about Hong Kong,” said Ng. A similar Durex survey released last year also showed a decline in sexual activity in China. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they were sexually inactive, a 15-percentage point increase from 2006.

The problem is worse for heterosexual women than for men in Hong Kong due to cultural issues tied to status and wealth, and social expectations about the role of women, said Dr Petula Ho, a sexologist

from the University of Hong Kong.

Making matters worse for women, they vastly outnumber men in Hong Kong. There is less than one man for every 1.2 women between the ages of 20 and 39, according to official figures from last year.

“Straight women in Hong Kong are in poverty in terms of sex. They have few sexual possibilities and options. Even if you’re a male truck driver, you can find a woman in rural China,” Ho said.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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Misc Asia Tokyo Sky Tree safe from quakes: operator

KATHMANDU, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - A 73-year-old Japanese mountaineer who became the oldest woman to conquer Mount Everest a decade ago is attempting to smash her own record, organizers said on Monday.

TOKYO, April 17, 2012 (AFP) - The operator of Tokyo Sky Tree on Tuesday explained how the world’s second-highest building will survive the strong earthquakes that regularly shake Japan when it opens to the public next month.

Tamae Watanabe made history when she reached the world’s highest peak on May 16, 2002, taking the title of world’s oldest female Everest summiteer from Poland’s Anna Czerwinska.

“The Tokyo Sky Tree was constructed with state-ofthe-art Japanese technology.

It will not fall,” said Yoshihito Imamura, deputy manager of Tokyo Sky Tree Town.

On Tuesday, the 634-meter (2080-foot) tower, topped by a communications mast, was opened for the first time to media, attracting around 1,000 domestic and foreign journalists.

Since the monster quake of March last year, the Tokyo area has been rocked by an average of around 1.5 quakes every day, and many in the densely populated capital fear it is long overdue for a devastating tremor.

When the tower opens to the general public on May 22, the main attraction will be the two observation decks at 350 meters and 450 meters above ground.

The University of Tokyo’s Earthquake Research Institute earlier this year said the city, built at the intersection of four tectonic plates, has a 50 percent chance of suffering a major quake -- anything above a magnitude 7.0 -- in the next four years.

“Once you go up here, you will see the entire Tokyo region,” Imamura said. “You will see the curvature of the earth.”

Journalists were taken inside the central pillar, where more than 2,500 steps connect the top of the tower to the ground.

Japanese woman, 73, in record Everest attempt

Tourist bosses in the country hope the Tokyo Sky Tree will prove a draw for foreign visitors, whose numbers plummeted in the aftermath of the quake and tsunami disaster last year and the nuclear crisis it sparked.

“When an earthquake hits, the central concrete pillar and the outer structure of steel pipes sway in opposite directions because of the difference in weights,” said spokesman Sho Toyoshima.

The Tokyo Sky Tree tops the 600-meter Canton Tower in China’s Guangzhou and the 553-meter CN Tower in downtown Toronto.

“That means they can offset up to 50 percent of the energy that will hit the tower.”

It is the world’s second-tallest manmade structure, beaten only by the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The Tokyo Sky Tree overshadows landmarks in the capital’s upscale western parts, including the 333-meter Tokyo Tower, which was built in 1958 and became a byword in Japan for the country’s rapid post-war growth.

“She is an active mountaineer who is physically and mentally fit enough to climb Everest,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, of the Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking mountaineering agency.

“She will launch her ascent from the Tibetan side of the mountain.”

Watanabe, who set off from Kathmandu last week accompanied by Japanese mountaineer and photographer Noriyuki Muraguchi, plans

to reach the top of the 8,848-meter (29,029-foot) peak between May 10 and 12, said Sherpa.

Min Bahadur Sherchan, from Nepal, holds the record for being the oldest man to conquer the mountain. He reached the summit in 2008 at the age of 76 years and 340 days.

Around 3,000 people have climbed Everest, which straddles Nepal and China, since it was first conquered by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and every year hundreds more set out in April to attempt the climb.

Politician aims to give Pakistan a softer stamp KARACHI, April 16, 2012 (AFP) - A provincial minister in troubled Pakistan said Monday he wants to promote a softer image of his violence-wracked country -- through his stamp collection.

Mohammad Ali Shah, the sports minister of Sindh province, has amassed more than 10,000 stamps from all over the globe and says he wants to put Pakistan on the philatelic map.

“Wherever in the world I land, I first go to the post office and buy old and new tickets and my collection is growing with every day and I hope to create a world record in stamp collection one day,” said Shah, also a renowned orthopedic surgeon.

An exhibition of his collection, including a “Penny Black”, the first adhesive postage stamp issued by Britain in 1840, has

opened in Karachi.

Asked about the value of his stamps, Shah said: “I never sell my stamps, nor will I do that, so I have not valued them.

My aim is to create a world record in stamp collection to give a soft image to Pakistan.”

The 65-year-old, who began his collection as a schoolboy, lamented the decline of the stamp in the face of modern electronic communication.

“It is said that stamp collection is the king of all hobbies and the hobby of kings.

Queen Elizabeth of England is known to be a big collector of stamps,” he said.

“But due to email and the decrease in sending mail by post, so the usage is also decreasing.”

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2012

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