Quote Originally Posted by scottish-guy View Post
Also, I've observed that in SE Asia and with (younger) SE Asians it seems to be regarded as entirely acceptable to have multiple things going on at once - e.g. to have one of these loud phone conversations (and as Arsenal says, they go on for 30-60 minutes) while someone else is trying to watch TV or read a magazine. It's more than just bad manners (which I regard it as incidentally) it just seems to be normal living for them.

And whilst I'm on a rant - I've noticed that even here in the West people intrude in your life way more than they used to - for example I have clients who now think it's acceptable to a) have my mobile number and b) use it to call me well outside business hours. Ten years ago no client would have dreamed of even asking for my private number far less using it to call me at 8.30pm or on a Sat or Sun with a moan about something I can do nothing about until the next day or after the weekend.
SG, you're beginning to sound like the Dowager Countess of Grantham!