Around the year 1200, the Chinese refined the design, creating suan-pan, or the modern, wire-based abacus.

FORBES: No. 2 The Abacus

But Pan Yue, the best-known advocate of green concerns within the Chinese government, says ancient creeds, like Taoism, offer the best hope of making people treat the earth more kindly.

ECONOMIST: Religion and ecology

Analysts say that although chances of an opposition victory are slim, the loose alliance between fundamentalist Pan-Islamic Party, Mr. Anwar's moderate People's Justice Party and Chinese-majority Democratic Action Party, may extend its 2008 electoral gains, when it deprived the 13-party ruling coalition of its traditional two-thirds majority in parliament.

WSJ: Malaysians Turn Out in Large Numbers in Tight, Historic Election

The Chinese looked to China, the Indians to India, while the Malays had a Pan-Malayan outlook.

ECONOMIST: Asian nation-building