1. 27th Apr 2012
CROSSROADS
Rotary Club of Singapore Vol. 48 / 39
“The Digital Shift”
SPEAKER: Mr. Simon Kahn
Lunch meeting of the 25th April 2012
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“Please, bartender, put 2 cherries in my Manhattan.My doctor told me to eat
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http://www.rotary.org.sg/bookofhumour.html
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2. Introductory remarks PHF
President Tapan was pleased to inform
President Tapan Rao welcomed members and the members, that Rtns. T.K. Chew and Alan
Guest Speaker, Mr. Simon Kahn, Chief Marketing Tan, became Paul Harris Fellows, and that their
Officer of Marketing, Asia Pacific of Google. gifts to The Rotary Foundation’s educational and
humanitarian programmes was a commitment to
Toast peace and to a better life for people across the
world whom they might never meet. He
presented to both, Rtns. T.K. and Alan with their
Rtn. Michael King called on visiting Rtn. Creed
emblems of appreciation given to Paul Harris
Wood to address the Club. Rtn. Creed advised that
Fellows.
his club meets at the Flamingo Hotel in Santa
Rosa, which was located about 45 miles north of
San Francisco. He added that Santa Rosa was also
the home of Charles Schulz, the creator of the
Peanuts cartoon. He further advised his club’s
projects such as the distribution of dictionaries to
the town’s 3rd graders as well as scholarship funds
for college students.
Toastmaster, Rtn. Michael invited members to join
him in a toast to the Santa Rosa club, coupled with 2
the toast to Rotary International.

3. Welcome of visiting Speaker of the week Mr. Kahn noted that more and
more internet users were using
Rotarians and guests their mobiles to obtain digital
information in
Rtn. P K Chatterjee welcomed our President Tapan called upon Rtn. videos, photos, music and text.
guests and visiting Rotarians Suresh Keerthi who introduced He noted that current users were
the Speaker, Mr. Simon Kahn. moving from one screen to multi-
- Guests : Mr. Kahn joined Google as CMO screens, as mobiles allowed for
President’s daughter, Ms. Tanvi of Marketing, Asia Pacific in constant connectivity with an
Rao 2011. Previously, he worked at explosion of information sources.
Mr. Sushil Bhatia American Express for thirteen He added that with easy access
Mr. Gap Kim (Goggle) years including serving as and break through to a larger
Ms. Vipanchi Country Manager for Singapore audience the web was becoming
Ms. Corrine Tan from 2008. Prior to joining more personal which gave rise to
Mr. Daniel Suen American Express, Mr. Kahn was more power to consumers. Mr.
Mr. Aseem Thakur Executive Director of Youth Kahn talk highlighted the key
Venture, a non-profit digital shifts from few to many
Visiting Rotarians : organization based in users; from www to yww;
Washington, D.C. that works engagement to involvement.
Creed Wood – Santa Rosa, USA with young people to develop
and run their own businesses President Tapan invited Rtn. Dr.
and organizations. He worked in Mark Eger to extend the Club’s
national politics and vote of thanks to Mr. Kahn. Rtn.
government for four years Mark warmly thanked Mr. Kahn
before joining Youth Venture for a very enlightening talk, being
including working in the White only an end user, he added that
House Liaison office in the he learnt more of the marketing
Department of State. He holds a side of this technology.
BA in Asian Studies from
Swarthmore College and a
Masters in Chinese Studies and
MBA from the University of
Michigan.
In his talk entitled “The Digital
Shift”, Mr. Kahn spoke of the
speed of evolution and the
digital revolution. His talk
focused on the changing nature
of media consumption and the
implications for consumers and
companies marketing to them.
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4. Heritage Kampung – And so it was that Sunday, 22 April (eg. The “blue sugar flies” or BSF)
Vocational visit 2012 – “Earth Day”. Our Club made to help plants thrive, and other
it a point to give members the aspects of village life, including an
opportunity to be with nature ingenious bamboo amplifier! Many
“BALIK KAMPUNG” – Back To the
more than they would normally do of us felt it was a morning well-
Village
in their daily get-abouts. We visited spent – invigorating, a refreshing
By: PP Raymon Huang
the “Kampung Heritage” or experience, and pleasant change
Heritage Village at the Bottle Tree from the hustle and bustle of
Dateline: Sunday, 22 April
Park. It was not just to observe Singapore life today.
2012, wasn’t that a Sunday just like
“Earth Day”. It was to experience Heritage Kampung is a haven of
any other Sunday? What was so
first-hand that Kampung culture tranquillity. It is touted as the “last
special or significant about it?
that is today largely lost. It was to kampong in Singapore”.
These days, as we know too
be with Mother Nature, to help us A pity that so few of us from the
well, there are so many “Days”
to imbibe and to imbue ourselves Club participated in this worthwhile
commemorating or celebrating this
with that Kampung Spirit. It was observance of “Earth Day”.
or that – their creation no doubt
back to basics. It was “balik Several members went with their
largely commercial related – that we
kampung”. As it was families – Rtns. Dr. Ekkehard
are literally inundated with them.
observed, “…many Singaporeans Wiek, Dr. Mark Eger and Sirish
For example, we have “Fathers’ Day”
deeply value it, and those who Kumar; Gerald Abeyawardena
and “Mothers’ Day”, etc, etc.
have experienced those early days brought his spouse, Binali; I
Someone remarked that soon
have fond memories of the brought Jessie along. President
enough we could have “Uncles’ Day”
kampung days.” Some felt that just Tapan came later, but he was
and “Aunties’ Day” too!
being there had a therapeutic represented by his daughters. Rtns.
But Sunday, 22 April 2012 was
effect, urban creatures that we are. Jamshid Medora, Garry Taylor and
different – very significantly
Indeed many of us did. Dr. Christopher Teo were there
different. It was “Earth Day” – a day
At the Heritage Kampung, we were too.
specially designated to recognise
warmly welcomed by the President The organiser of the visit? Rtn.
and remind us of the urgent need to
of the Ground Up Initiative(GUI) Joseph Chia – that “do-everything
do something sustainable to avoid
movement, Mr. Tay Lai Hock, the man”. Rtn. Alan Tan provided the
the ultimate decay of the Blue Planet
brains behind the back-to-nature wine – ample. Joseph selected the
we call home. What with so much
project. After a short briefing on Menu for the lunch too – an
pollution of all imaginable kinds
the background, he led the Rotary excellent fare. Personally, though, I
around us. Mother Earth, some
party round the kampung complex. would have preferred a simple
claim, is in dire trouble.
Members will recall that he gave kampung lunch to round off the
There are so many ways we can
our Club an interesting and kampung culture and spirit we
contribute to the effort – even the
inspirational talk on the subject not experienced earlier.
littlest of effort and action
too long ago. We salute President Lai Hock and
can cumulatively be a great help.
his large band of volunteers, and
One of the simplest ways is to
We saw and experienced activities we wish them well in their
understand and care more about
depicting the days and life in the endeavours. They do what they do
Nature, and showing greater respect
bygone kampung era – how things with such enthusiasm, with such
for it.
were recycled in the simplest of dedication. Their signature
In days gone by, “kampung” or
ways, how plants and herbs of all words, “A little Kampung Spirit
village life had plenty of both this
kinds and varieties were fondly goes a long way in making our
understanding and caring attitude. It
nurtured and valued, how compost home a better place.” Touche!
is so different today, with all the
was all home-made, the use of Because this beautiful Blue Planet
modernity that is part and parcel of
earth worms and certain insects is our home – the one and only in
our lives. A good lot of us today are
the whole universe. The one
concrete jungle creatures.
wefondly call Mother Earth.
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5. The Guide to Daily Living
MARK YOUR DIARY Before doing the things we COMING ROTARY EVENTS
Birthday celebrants want to do, consider first, the
RC wishes Happy Birthday to precept of the guide. Ask
celebrants this week: ourselves these 4 questions May
and act upon them:
Community Service Month
May 3rd – Winston Khoo First: Have I spent some time
in self-examination?
May 6th – Hena Hoda May 6th – 9th
Second: Have I spent quality
Anniversary Celebrants time with my family? Rotary International
Third: Have I given my best to Convention in Bangkok
RC sends best wishes to
my work?
Wedding Anniversary Fourth: Have I given some
celebrants this week June
time to someone near and
far? Rotary Fellowships Month
May 2nd – Hon. Member, PDG The Guide, in
Dr. Robert & Mary Loh fact, encompasses the 4 parts June 30th
of the Object of Rotary. Installation Dinner
This week
May 2nd 2012 Next week
May 9th 2012
Reception Desk duty: Kavita
Reception Desk duty: PP Singh, T.K. Chew
Sajjad Akhtar, Dinesh Sharma Sunshine Box duty:
Jean-Philippe Lionnet, Jayant The Four-Way Test
Sunshine Box duty: Gadgil Of the Things we think, say
PP Philip Leong, David Tai or do:
Speaker: Mr. Terence * Is it the truth?
K S Mehta Award Fernandez, Managing * Is it fair to all concerned?
Director, Scotwork Asia Pte. * Will it build goodwill and
Presentation better friendship?
Ltd.
* Will it be beneficial to all
Community Service Topic: To be advised concerned?
Date: Thursday, 3rd May Vocational Service
Time: 5.45pm Date: Thursday, 10th May
Venue: Modesto’s, 24 Mt. Time: 7.30pm Queries, comments and
Elizabeth #01-05, The Venue: Bottle Tree Park articles request can be
Elizabeth Hotel, S228518 Seafood Restaurant, (Bottle sent to Jean-Philippe
Tree Park Yishun), 81 Lorong lionnet
Chencharu, S769198 bulletin@rotary.org.sg
Hosts: Rtn. Jamshid Medora
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