The greatest bookworms of them all

According to NOP World (a leading provider of syndicated and custom market research) individuals globally spent (each week) 16.6 hours watching television, 8 hours listening to the radio, 6.5 hours reading and 8.9 hours on computers/the internet (for non-work related reasons). (Source: PRNewswire)

I can hear it already: some of you are saying, "Is that all?", while some are going, "Oh my God."

Interestingly (Anglophiles take note) the US and UK are below average (5.7 and 5.3 hours per week) in reading, but above the average on TV viewing (19 hours per week in the US and 18 in the UK), listening to the radio (10.2 hours per week in the US and 10.5 in the UK), and just slightly below the global average for computer/Internet usage (8.8 hours per week in both the US and UK).

Thailand spend the most time in front of the television at 22.4 hours per week, followed closely by the Philippines at  21.0, Egypt at 20.9 and Turkey at 20.2 hours.  Mexicans watch the least amount of television at 11.6 hours per week, followed by Venezuelans at 11.9 and Swedes at 12.3.

Argentineans love the radio (20.8 hours), followed by Brazilians (17.2 hours) and South Africans (15.0 hours). The Chinese spend the least amount of time on the radio at  (2.1 hours) a week ahead of Koreans and Saudis (3 and 3.9 hours).

When it comes to the internet, the Taiwanese are tops (12.6 hours a week for non-work related purposes), followed by Thais  (11.7 hours) and Spainiards (11.5) hours. Mexicans (6.3 hours), Italians (6.3 hours) and Germans (6.4 hours) are not so hot online.

And most interesting of all to us: who are the greatest bookworms in the world? Indians spend an average of 10.7 hours per week reading, followed by Thais and Chinese (at 9.4 hours and 8 hours).  Koreans, Japanese and Taiwanese (at 3.1, 4.1 and 5 hours) scrap the bottom of the barrel. (US and the UK are at 24th and 27th place in the list of 31.) Fortunately, Malaysia was not in the list of countries studied. Another table-propping position would have been too much for our fragile ego to take!

Top 5 reading countries:
1. India              10.7        
2. Thailand          9.4   
3. China               8.0      
4. Philippines       7.6     
5. Egypt               7.5

Bottom 5 reading countries:
27. U.K.                5.3        
28. Brazil              5.2     
29. Taiwan            5.0   
30. Japan               4.1   
31. Korea              3.1

Short-stay scholarships from Mexico

   
(Received this from the embassy and is reproduced -- almost -- verbatim)

The Embassy of Mexico has the pleasure to announce that the 2014 Special Program of Scholarships for Foreigners is open for applications in the following categories:
•           Visiting professors
•           High level conferences
•           Mexican Studies
•           Artistic Residencies
•           Media Residencies
•           Studies to improve the Quality of Mexican Medium and Higher Education Institutions

Convinced that this Program is a valuable opportunity for strengthening the Cultural, Academic and Intellectual exchange between Mexico and Malaysia, the Embassy of Mexico respectfully recommends this information to be widely disseminated in your institution, or advertised through the channels available to you.

The general terms and conditions are available at the following link, together with the application form:
http://amexcid.gob.mx/index.php/es/oferta-de-becas-para-extranjeros/1737

The scholarships for Artistic Residencies might be particularly interesting for you.

Deadline: The original applications with all the supporting documentation should reach the Embassy of Mexico before 22 August 2014, since they have to be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico before August 29 2014.

Applications will be received at:
Menara Tan & Tan, 22nd Floor
207 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400
Kuala Lumpur, Malasia
For further information please contact Ms Paula Gallegos at: pgallegos@mexico.org.my
Tel: (+60-3) 2164-6362 extension 23
Fax: (+60-3) 2164-0964

We at the Embassy of Mexico, hope that some Malaysian candidates will apply for one of these scholarships.