AIBD at Broadcast Asia 2011

AIBD took part in Broadcast Asia
2011 from 21 to 24 June in Singapore.
 The conference is in its 16th edition
 and gathers the industry’s leading
broadcast players. For the first time,
 AIBD has been offered a booth
at the exhibition.

During Broadcast Asia 2011,
AIBD Director Yang Binyuan
 attended conference sessions
 and met participants and exhibitors at AIBD booth. It’s the first time that AIBD has had
 a booth at the exhibition and the organizer of Broadcast Asia 2011 offered it free of
charge as the conference is supported by AIBD.

Although not as fancy and sophisticated as others, thanks to Mr. Geoff Walburn,
 the AIBD consultant, who manned the AIBD booth during the exhibition, it has garnered
 quite some interest from exhibitors and participants.

During the exhibition, AIBD Director Yang Binyuan met with a number of AIBD
 members and consultants including those from SLRC in Sri Lanka, Thai PBS and India.
Also, a few broadcasters and universities from the Asia-Pacific region approached him
 and showed interest in becoming AIBD affiliate members.

Also during the conference, Director Yang Binyuan met with representatives from
Singapore Exhibition Services (SES), organizer of Broadcast Asia and agreed
to continue the partnership on the event.

Google targets Facebook with new social service

Google Inc is making its boldest move to take on Facebook in the fast-growing social networking market and to maintain its dominance on the Web. Google, which has been frustrated by a string of failed attempts to crack the social networking market, introduced a full-fledged social network on Tuesday dubbed Google+. It is the company’s biggest foray into social networking since co-founder Larry Page took over as chief executive in April.

Mr Page has made social networking a top priority at the world’s No 1 Internet search engine, whose position as the main gateway to online information could be at risk as people spend more time on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

“They had the luxury of making mistakes in the past with their social initiatives. They don’t really have that luxury now,” said Ray Valdes, an analyst at research firm Gartner, referring to Google. “Companies that are successful with the social web will get the page views, they’ll get the engagement and they’ll eventually get the advertising dollars that are so important to Google,” he said.

Google+, now available for testing, is structured in remarkably similar fashion to Facebook, with profile pictures and newsfeeds forming a central core. However, a user’s friends or contacts are grouped into very specific circles of their choosing, versus the common pool of friends typical on Facebook.

Enticing consumers to join another social networking service will not be easy, said Rory Maher, an analyst with Hudson Square Research. “They’re going to have an uphill battle due to Facebook’s network effects,” said Mr Maher, citing the 700 million users that some research firms say are currently on Facebook’s service. “The more users they (Facebook) get, the harder it gets for Google to steal those,” he said. But he added that Google’s popularity in Web search and email could help it gain a following.

To set its service apart from Facebook, Google is betting on what it says is a better approach to privacy - a hot-button issue that has burned Facebook, as well as Google, in the past. Central to Google+ are the “circles” of friends and acquaintances. Users can organize contacts into different customized circles - family members, coworkers, college friends - and share photos, videos or other information only within those groups.

“In the online world there’s this ’share box’ and you type into it and you have no idea who is going to get that, or where it’s going to land, or how it’s going to embarrass you six months from now,” said Google Vice President of Product Management Bradley Horowitz. “For us, privacy isn’t buried six panels deep,” he added.

Facebook, which has been criticized for its confusing privacy controls, introduced a feature last year that lets users create smaller groups of friends. Google, without mentioning Facebook by name, said other social networking services’ attempts to create groups have been “bolt-on” efforts that do not work as well. Facebook, in an emailed statement, said “we’re in the early days of making the Web more social, and there are opportunities for innovation everywhere.”

Google+ started rolling out to a limited number of users on Tuesday in what the company is calling a field trial. Only those invited to join will initially be able to use the service. Google did not say when it would be more widely available. Google, which generated roughly $29 billion in revenue in 2010, said the new service does not currently feature advertising.

Google drew more than 1 billion visitors worldwide to its websites in May, more than any other company, according to Web analytics firm comScore. But people are spending more time on Facebook: The average US visitor spent 375 minutes per month on Facebook in May, compared with 231 minutes for Google.

Google+ seems designed to make its online properties a pervasive part of the daily online experience, rather than being spots where Web surfers occasionally check in to search for a website or check email. As with Facebook’s service, Google Plus has a central Web page that displays an ever-updating stream of the comments, photos and links being shared by friends and contacts.

A toolbar across the top of most of Google’s sites - such as its main search page, its Gmail site and its Maps site - allows users to access their personalized data feed. They can then contribute their own information to the stream. The company has combined the Facebook and Twitter models of social networking in Google+: A person can have friends in their network with whom they share information and they can also follow certain people, say a movie critic, as occurs on Twitter.

Google+ will also offer a special video chat feature, in which up to 10 people can jump on a conference call. And Google will automatically store photos taken on cell phones on its Internet servers, allowing a Google+ user to access the photos from any computer and share them.

When asked whether he expected people to switch from Facebook to Google+, Google Senior Vice President of Engineering Vic Gundotra said people may decide to use both. “People today use multiple tools. I think what we’re offering here offers some very distinct advantages around some basic needs,” he said.

Secrets Of The Peking Opera

                                         

 Peking Opera through the itinerary of tourists in Beijing, but the details of the technique and the meaning remains a mystery to many locals and visitors.

Fortunately, the Chinese language and culture organizations throughout the city are running workshops and classes to help dismantle the Chinese culture to interested parties. Many of these courses are paid, but few companies run free events. My Chinese study, which is based on Sanlitun workshop took place the last weekend of mixed public Chinese Foreign introduce some of the fundamental principles of the Beijing Opera.

Two veterans of the Peking Opera Theatre have led the workshop, assisted by a native Chinese student affairs MY office. Zhang Zhang, a 62-year-old, began to engage in Beijing Opera at age 11, when Chen Xiaoyan was much younger, but noted that he practiced since childhood.

With all the attention of about 20 guests, Zhang said in the history of art. Performance troupes from Anhui and Hubei came to Beijing in the late 1700s and early 1800s to perform for the emperor, and their style became popular among artists. In 1845, Peking opera was fully formed as a single approach to opera inspired by the troops of travel.

Peking opera based on a strong team of actors and a distribution set the type of character. The sheng is the male lead actor, which may be a wise old man, a young man with the shouts of adolescence in her voice, or a master of martial arts. Other features include Dan, or a woman, jing, or men with painted faces, and cabbage, which is a male clown.

Stage scenes are simplistic in Peking operas, with significance noted in accuracy. Many members of the public could not understand why an actor with a stick with acorns dance as if it is out of balance, Zhang said, according to the Beijing Opera tradition, is the stick horse and the male role may be having trouble controlling the horse.

Chen, a unique artist who plays a woman traditionally male roles, was a show by the public at the end of the beginning of the end to create the appearance of Beijing Opera. First, it applied the trick described in the Song dynasty government official, then donned his costume: a long dress decorated with metallic dragons. "Dragons were reserved for members of the royal family," he said.

Platform boots, a long tunic, hat of the official and his face was painted, and a little beard that hung on the hanging ears, appeared in a short paragraph, complete the transition to a normal girl Peking Opera actor.

"We hope to create a platform for foreign friends who want to learn more about Chinese culture," said Wang Wanling, marketing specialist for my Chinese study says. "If you want to learn Chinese, it also helps to understand Chinese culture, it will make learning easier in Mandarin.

My study in China has been in business for one year, which offers group and one-on-one Chinese language courses. In addition to language courses, which regularly hold free cultural events on topics including the names of Chinese painting luck, and Chinese calligraphy and kite kungfu. His next event, August 20, teaches the participants to get the best deal on online shopping sites in China. "Every event has a different cost, but so far we decided to offer free," said Wang "Helping people to better understand China is essential to encourage people to learn Chinese.

Thus, while the free events are clearly a marketing campaign for my study in China, there is no pressure to join a class after the event, many participants expressed their satisfaction and just left the building. "After talking with foreigners in Beijing, found that, especially when they want to find a place to meet people and learn a little about China," Wang said

Learn all facets of Chinese culture can take a lifetime, but a growing number of opportunities for newcomers and veterans to acquire a basic understanding of popular topics. My study focuses on web sites targeting overseas Chinese and foreign companies and embassies, like many other companies, such as the Cultural Center of China and the hutong. With so many opportunities in Beijing, there are few excuses to get out of the mysteries of Chinese culture in the dark.

The Silk Road On Life In Kashgar

The city of Kashgar in western China is the living remnant of the Silk Road culture.

                 

        
        

The Silk Road On Life In Kashgar

From there, many of Tashkorgan head, which is the last town before the border in Pakistan, but also a trip to Karakul Lake, the landscape deserves.

Despite the characteristic atmosphere and bustling Kashgar, the city has not yet been invaded by hordes of tourists. Husan, who worked as a tour guide since 2002, said the tourists were only visible after 1995, and the city is currently in the process of building 5-star hotels. About 98 percent of its customers are foreigners. "Many clients working in Shanghai or Beijing, where all seats have thousands of tourists. They want to avoid it, then they need to be taken "off the beaten path," he said of visitors who book their services. "Kashgar still have that advantage."
     
               
     

The Silk Road On Life In Kashgar

For a true cultural experience, head to the east of the city's livestock market. The road to a walking pace to slow down your market-pulled carts and old trucks carrying small families, sheep and cattle. Sunday morning, cattle dealers argue space to tie their sheep for sale, while others debate the animal fat or muscle structure. Much is in the works, when two men blocked a handshake, does not let go until the contract under investigation. This is a cash only market, and the business is based on trust and the appearance of the animal.

The city is not without its places of tourist interest. The most common stop Apak Hoja Tomb, located in a giant mausoleum designed for the style of Muslim Uighurs and covered with green and blue tiles designs. Apak Hoja was an influential Islamic leader region at the end of 1600. Built around 1640, houses the mausoleum of 72 members of five generations of Apak Hoja from his father. Grave is also famous as the resting place of famous "Fragrant Concubine," a beautiful native who served at the court of Emperor Qianlong. Next to the structure of a large Uighur characteristic shape cradles the graves cemetery. "We put the cribs of children, so that when people die, we put them under the cot," Husan said Uyghur tradition.

Kashgar is also a good starting point for excursions throughout the region, especially in the Karakorum Highway, which connects western China to Pakistan, and passes Karakul lake 410 km away. Highway winds through spectacular rocky habitats and steep cliffs of red and blue tones. The settlements quickly turn Uighur ethnic group in Kyrgyzstan, and the warm desert air is replaced by the icy wind off the snow-capped mountains.

Karakul Lake is a destination in its blue waters set against the stunning mountain scenery. Most visitors stay only briefly, but there are yurts available for overnight and the Kyrgyz people living near lead horse rides around the lake.
           
             

The Silk Road On Life In Kashgar

During the day, pastries and bagels in large numbers, constantly uprooted large barrel as tandoori ovens in the street and show buyers at large tables with red tablecloths. A sesame bagel hot from the oven cost as little as one yuan.

Lam is the heart of the kitchen, crisp pastry filled with lamb (lamb samosas) to a steady supply of juicy grilled lamb kebabs are on the street, and the pieces spicy accents that ordinary with vegetables, tomato sauce and pasta or rice.

The height of each visit to Kashgar is a trip to the market. Sunday Bazaar, also is open Monday through Friday, is confusing and full of great with the pleasant smell of saffron. The network of large positions are filled with all the souvenir sellers in carpets, scarves, textiles, kitchen utensils, and even everyday objects like clocks and stickers. Just as the main band has won first store, buyers are surprised to fall into another area of ​​great dealers, this time carrying full-size refrigerators that seem to appear magically in the center of the dense network of bridges, TV and other large household items. While the Sunday Bazaar is now a modern warehouse is located, the surrounding villages host ever smaller bazaars red awnings and the romances of the Middle Eastern markets.

               

The Silk Road To Kashgar To Live

The old town is entirely populated by a group of Uighurs, and the houses are the cultural characteristics. "Almost every house has a small Uighur court, even the houses of the ancient city of Kashgar," said Imam Husan, a Uighur man who runs the tourism business, guide Kashgar. "They have a term of grapes and keep the figs, pomegranates and flowers in pots to help cool the house and flies away."

The Chinese government invests a different aspect of the old town of Kashgar. Many of its buildings are aging and need repairs. The government is slowly re-building of historic districts, instead of each building a new stronger structure, but at the same time, the traditional beauty. "My dream is to have a house like that, just the old" Husan said, pointing to a new two-story house with wooden arched doors and windows.

Kashgar Uyghur culture is a fascinating bridge between the civilization of the Islamic Middle East and the stability and development in China, travelers can wander the streets, feel free to engage with local authorities and enjoy the Uighur hospitality.

The film version of the bestseller The Kite Runner American in Kabul, Afghanistan, was shot in Kashgar, which shows that the city is safe to enter the Middle East, and sometimes I could really confuse visitors to the appearance of two places.

But perhaps the best food in the streets of Kashgar. The smell of lamb and fresh bread through the air.

In the evening the men gather in large groups of carpets to pull up the sidewalk tea and conversation.

                  

The Silk Road On Life In Kashgar

The city of Kashgar in western China is the remnant of the living culture of the Silk Road, visitors can see and feel the echoes of the camel caravans of spices, teas and other curiosities from distant countries for which the dusty bazaars Merchants hawk their wares in red canopies.

Kashgar is the middle of the Silk Road 2,000 years. Home to the largest bazaar in the world Sunday, the culture of the city Mercantile are not diminished with time.

Located between the mountains of Pakistan and traitors the vast Taklamakan Desert, traders on the ancient trade route to Kashgar, which seemed that the decision of major outfitting their long journey and an opportunity to unload some goods for profit. The flow of products and merchants from Turkey, Russia, Persia, China Eastern, Central and other Asian territories created a colorful, unique atmosphere of negotiation and perhaps the first city in the world races. This melting pot of cultures, most unique feature and the definition of Kashgar.

The city itself is a contradiction, a mixture of new China and the traditional culture of indigenous Uighur people. On the fringes appear around size Chinese city, following the signs printed in both Mandarin Chinese and Uighur save; cars share the road with bicycles and motorcycles that zip past serene, well-maintained parks, shops and apartment buildings newly constructed in height. The East Lake is surrounded by walking paths that resemble the gardens of the Chinese Eastern, but this view ignores the old part and the most distinctive of the old town of Kashgar.

The heart of the city, however, is interest in appearance and Uighur culture. Winding streets lined with wood and mud-brick houses all lead to Idkah mosque in the center of the city. The surrounding streets are filled with shops selling clothes, ceramics, hardware and services, even dental. Women in bright scarves go into stores, motorcycles get around pedestrians, and the Islamic call to prayer rings in the language of the street. Building facades carved with intricate designs in wood yellow, orange and pale blue bring the dawn in the streets of the old town.
                                         

Musharraf: US Suspension of Aid to Pakistan 'Disastrous

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf says he regrets the U.S. decision to stop $800 million in military aid to Pakistan.

Musharraf called the move "disastrous" on Monday, telling an audience at Rice University in Houston, Texas that the aid cut-off is not in the best interest of the United States because it will weaken Pakistan's ability to fight terrorism.

Earlier Monday, Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told VOA that reduced U.S. aid will not hamper operations against al-Qaida and Taliban militants. General Abbas said that defeating terrorism is in the interest of both countries, but he also warned that aid with conditions is unacceptable.

In Washington Monday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters "the suspension of some aid to Pakistan does not signal a shift in policy but underscores the fact that the partnership with Pakistan depends on cooperation."

Pentagon spokesman Colonel David Lapan said the "hold" on funds was directly tied to those decisions by the Pakistani military to expel American military trainers and put limits on visas for U.S. personnel.

Musharraf said on Monday that he is saddened by what he sees as the recent "environment of confrontation between Pakistan and the United States." Musharraf says that relations can be improved if the U.S. further takes into concern Pakistani sensitivities and sovereignty.

Ties between the two countries have been deteriorating since the raid by U.S. special forces that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in northern Pakistan May 2.  Musharraf again denied that Pakistani intelligence had any knowledge of bin Laden's whereabouts during his presidency, which ended in 2008 after months of protests.

Musharraf, who took power in Pakistan in a 1999 coup, says he is considering a run for Pakistan's presidency in 2013.

Canadians celebrate country's 144th birthday

The Link's correspondents at either end of the country, Lorn Curry on the West Coast and Robert Jaros in Atlantic Canada, tell us how their region is marking Canada Day. And, our correspondents in Toronto and Calgary have spoken to people in their cities about how they will be spending the long Canada Day holiday weekend. ( Photo:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand )