Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia

www.gasiantimes.com

March 15-31, 2015

Solar powered plane soars in first round the world attempt

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March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

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Armstrong State University and City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs present

Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho

Tel: 678-971-9388 Advertising: gat@gasiantimes.com Editorial: info@gasiantimes.com URL: www.gasiantimes.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4502 Suwanee GA 30024 Copyright Georgia Asian Times 2004-2014

All Rights Reserved: including those to reproduce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers.

Friday, March 27 7:30 p.m. • Armstrong Fine Arts Auditorium Indian dance troupe Arya International

Georgia Asian Times assumes no responsibility for damages from the use of information contained in this publication or the reply to any advertisement. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in advertising to greater extent than the cost of space occupied by the error and will only be made for a single publication date.

Saturday, March 28 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • Burnett Lawn Festival featuring live performances, authentic Asian cuisine, hands-on children’s activities, cultural marketplace and more!

The Publisher reserves the right to reject any ad or articles submitted for publication that may not be in good taste for a free publication.

Armstrong State University • 11935 Abercorn St. Savannah, Georgia

Free and open to the public

Armstrong.edu/AsianFest Presented in conjunction with the Armstrong Outdoor Arts Festival

GAT Calendar of Events GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events.

Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com.

GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting.

Savannah Asian Festival Outdoor Arts Festival Organized by Armstrong State University, Savannah Date: Saturday, March 28, 2015 Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Venue: Fine Arts Courtyard & Fine Arts Auditorium For more info: www.armstrong.edu Greater Gwinnett Championship - Golf Champions Tour Date: April 13-19, 2015 Venue: TPC Sugarloaf For more info: www.greatergwinnettchampionship.com 2015 Symposium on Asia-USA Partnership Opportunities (SAUPO) Largest Asian business conference in the South Date: Friday, April 17, 2015 Time: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Venue: St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta, GA For more info: www.kennesaw.edu/ saupo/home.php

30th Annual Unity Gala - Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia Date: Saturday, May 2, 2015 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place For more info: www.apacga.org

Last chance to submit your nomination!

Georgia Asian Times celebrates 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia — a listing of individuals who made an impact in arts, business, government, politics, social work, education, judiciary, and areas that influence every aspect of Georgian’s daily life.

The list of 25 honorees will be published in GAT Digital Edition in conjunction with the Asian American Heritage Month Celebration in May 2015.

Please limit 2 nominations per submission. Enclosed submission with biographical data, color photo, and list of respective accomplishments of nominee.

Nominee must displayed contributions and dedication to benefit Asian Americans community in Georgia.

All nominations will be finalized and reviewed by GAT editorial board, local Asian journalists, and a selection committee.

There is no guarantee that submitted nominees will be picked for the final selection.

An awards banquet in honor of the GAT 25 will be held on July 19, 2015.

Submit your nomination by March 21, 2015 via email to gat25@ gasiantimes.com.

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March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS

Vietnamese American Bar Association of Georgia holds inaugural banquet to celebrate launch Norcross, May 14, 2015 — Members of the Vietnamese legal community celebrates the official launch of the founding of Viatnemese American Bar Association of Georgia with a dinner banquet.

Over invited 200 guests including community, business, and legal community participated in the official launch. Among the honored guests included Hon. Superior Court Judge Meng Lim and DeKalb County Judge Alvin Wong.

Honorable Judge John Ngo Trong Nguyen, Superior Court of Orange County (retired), delivered the keynote address for the evening.

Judge Ngo Nguyen is a prominent figure with inspiring credentials and was featured on documentary films by Japanese National Television Network (NHK) and German television network.

His accomplishments and deeds were also recorded by PBS Vietnam Television History.

Judge Ngo Nguyen also presided over the swearing in ceremony of the VABA Board of Governors and Jenny Nguyen as President of VABA.

“I look forward to working with VABA members to better serve the Vietnamese community and members of the public,” said Jenny Nguyen in her remarks.

Chinese Community Center celebrates Lunar New Year of the Sheep

Honorable Judge Tu Minh Pham, U.S. District Court of Western District of Tennesee, was awarded the “Trailblazer Award” for his legal career accomplishments.

Chamblee, March 4, 2015 — Members of the Chinese Community Center celebrates the Lunar New Year of the Sheep with a dinner banquet at Oriental Pearl Seafood Restaurant.

Nationally acclaimed violinist Ken Ford provided the evening’s entertainment.

P1050686Guests included senior government officials, community, and business leaders.

For more information on VABA, contact Jenny Nguyen via email: jenny@nspclaw.com

Among the guests of honors are Hon. Steven Tai, Director General of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Atlanta and Mrs. Tai, John Padgett, Chairman of Georgia’s Republican Party, Sam Olen, Attorney general of Georgia, Lynn Riley, Commissioner of Tax, and Madam Sue Everhart, past Chair of Georgia Republican Party.

“I wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year of the Sheep – graceful and steady in its approach,” said Jimmy Ho, President of Chinese Community Center.

Melvin J. Everson delivers a greeting message on behalf of Governor Nathan Deal’s office.

Guests were entertained by traditional cultural songs and dance by Kwong Tung Association and CACPG.

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

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BUSINESS

Jimmy Carter Boulevard bridge to close on March 20 for Diverging Diamond Interchange construction Lawrenceville, March 6, 2015 – The Gwinnett County Department of Transportation will close the I-85 at Jimmy Carter Boulevard bridge for the diverging diamond interchange crossover.

The project involves shifting traffic to the opposite side of the bridge, which will make left turns onto the interstate more efficient and improve the flow of traffic across the bridge. The closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, March 20, weather and conditions permitting. The bridge will open to traffic by 5 a.m. on Monday, March 23 with the new interchange configuration. Should conditions prevent the closure from occurring as planned, the backup closure period will be from March 27-30.

The bridge will be closed to all through-traffic during the weekend, although construction will not impact right turn access to or from I-85. Drivers and pedestrians should take one of the planned detours detailed on www. gwinnettDDI.com.

“We ask that drivers in this area be especially cautious and alert during construction,” said Transportation Acting Director Alan Chapman. “We understand this is an inconvenience, so Gwinnett DOT staff will closely monitor traffic flow and signals during the crossover weekend to help keep traffic moving.”

After crossover, construction will continue on the center median and

pedestrian facilities, while crews will finalize the signals, interchange lighting and pavement markings.

Pedestrian traffic should continue to use the detour route for at least one month following crossover during the construction of pedestrian walkways.

The diverging diamond interchange project, Gwinnett’s second, is expected to be substantially complete in summer 2015.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is currently constructing a new “flex lane” on the northbound side of I-85 adjacent to the project. That project is also expected to be complete by summer 2015 and will add a new lane on I-85 northbound from Jimmy Carter Boulevard to Indian Trail Road for use during the afternoon rush hour.

The Georgia Department of Transportation project will further improve the flow of traffic in the area.

“Jimmy Carter Boulevard is one of the busiest access points in Gwinnett County and helps to fuel the commerce of thousands of businesses in the area,” said Chuck Warbington, executive director for the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District. “The mobility improvements the diverging diamond design offers will help local businesses get out of traffic and get back to what it is they do best—driving the economy for Gwinnett.”

Hong Kong Spring reception celebrates friendship and partnership in Georgia Atlanta, March 12, 2015 – Hong Kong wants to attract talents from around the world to live, work, and conducts business from there, according to Clement Leung, Commissioner of Hong Kong to USA, in his remarks at the Hong Kong Spring Lunar New Year reception at the Carter Center.

Over 200 invited guests including community leaders, business, and government officials attended the reception hosted by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York to celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Sheep.

Honorary guests included Kazuo Sunaga, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta, Court of Appeals Judge Carla McMillian Wong, Judge Alvin Wong, Alex Wan, Atlanta City Council member, and Lani Wong, Chair of National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA).

“Despite a challenging year in 2014 due to student protests, Hong Kong looks forward to a more peaceful and prosperous year in 2015,” adds Leung in his remark.

Hong Kong plans to initiate a range of programs including developing 500,000 new housing within ten years, strengthened its financial center and offshore RMB currency operations, and further invest in infrastructure development projects.

“We are proud of the art development as we are currently developing a 100-acre cultural center in the western part of Hong Kong. Internationally famous Art Basel is currently exhibiting in Hong Kong as we speak,” said Steve Barclay, Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York in his remark.

“We particularly look forward to enhancing our friendship and partnership in Georgia,” adds Barclay.

Guests were treated a lion dance performance and buffett dinner.

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BUSINESS ASIA

March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

World Bank chief welcomes China-backed Asian bank Tokyo, March 13, 2015 — The president of the World Bank said today he welcomed the setting up of the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a day after Britain became the first Western nation to embrace the institution.

With US interest rates likely to rise later this year, capital flows to emerging markets and low-income countries will face greater challenges over time, Jim Yong Kim told a news conference.

“From the perspective simply of the need for more infrastructure spending, there’s no doubt that from our perspective, we welcome the entry of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank,” he said.

The AIIB was launched in Beijing last year and was seen as a rival to the Western-dominated World and Asian Development Bank. The United States has questioned whether it will have sufficiently high standards on governance and environmental and social safeguards.

Kim’s remarks came after Britain said it has sought to become a founding member of the AIIB. “As the UK just announced today in their statement, they were very clear in saying that they were going to insist that the standards of any new bank that they are part of would be equal to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank,” Kim said.

All of the multilateral development banks together contribute only about 5 to 10 per cent of the overall annual spending in infrastructure, he added.

The AIIB was launched in Beijing last year to spur investment in Asia in transportation, energy, telecommunications and other infrastructure.

China said earlier this year a total of 26 countries are founder members, mostly from Asia and the Middle East.

“Generally speaking, the international reaction has been positive,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in Beijing.

“The AIIB will abide by the principles of openness, inclusivity, transparency, responsibility and equality... and fully reference the good practices of multilateral banks to avoid some of the detours they have taken,” he added.

Japan, Australia and South Korea are the notable countries in the region missing from among the AIIB’s founders. Japan, China’s main regional rival, has the highest shareholding in the Asian Development Bank along with the United States, while Australian media said Washington put pressure on Canberra to stay out.

Vice Finance Minister Joo Hyunghwan told reporters yesterday that South Korea was still in discussions with China and other countries about its possible participation. — Reuters

Memorandum of understanding on Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank signed by members in Beijing on Oct 24, 2014.

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

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BUSINESS

Apple to replace AT&T at Dow Jones New York, March 7, 2015 — Apple Inc, the largest US company by market value, will join the Dow Jones industrial average, replacing AT&T Inc, in a change that reflects the dominant position of the iPhone maker in the US consumer economy.

The decision to nudge aside AT&T, which has been part of the Dow for the better part of a century, is a recognition of how communications and technology have evolved. It’s also a marker of Apple’s transformation, from a struggling company with a small, fervent following two decades ago, into the nation’s predominant consumer tech company.

“This is a sign of the times, and it might get everyone to look at the Dow more than they have been,” said Richard Sichel, who oversees US$2 billion as chief investment officer at Philadelphia Trust Co. “It would be difficult to pick any 30 companies that would cover the entire economy, especially compared with the S&P 500, but it does give the Dow more credibility.”

The action, by S&P Dow Jones Indices, had been widely expected since Apple split its shares seven-for-one in June of last year.

AT&T declined to comment on its removal from the average, of which it has been a member for most of the last 100 years. The stock was added to the Dow in 1916, the year after the first-ever transcontinental telephone call. It was removed in 2004, but after SBC Communications renamed itself AT&T following a 2005 merger, it was reinstated.

“It was a new way of life: Telephones, back then 100 years ago, these talking machines,” said Howard Silverblatt, index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

“Back then, AT&T was it, end of story.”

Twist of fate After Apple’s stock split, many investors felt it was only a matter of time before the company, whose high stock price had previously made it unsuitable for the price-weighted index, would join it.

The Dow industrials is the oldest US stock average, first published in 1896. Its compact size — just 30 names — and its mission to reflect the US economy means that many retail investors are more familiar with it than other indexes covering a broader cross-section of the market.

Even though professional managers generally benchmark against the S&P 500, additions and removals from the Dow are still a big event on Wall Street.

It was last altered in September 2013 when Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Visa Inc and Nike Inc were added.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment. The company has a market capitalization of US$737 billion, making it twice the size of the second-largest Dow component, Exxon Mobil Corp.

In a twist of fate, Apple owes some of its success to its partnership with AT&T over the iPhone, the device that propelled Apple’s dominance. The iPhone first hit the market in 2007 with AT&T as its exclusive carrier, a deal that continued for more than three years.

Since the iPhone’s introduction, Apple’s annual revenue has risen more than sevenfold, from US$24.6 billion in 2007 to US$182.8 billion most recently. AT&T saw 11 per cent revenue growth over the same period to US$132.4 billion in 2014.

“There’s irony in that they are replacing AT&T, which helped them lift off to begin with,” said Neil Azous, founder of Stamford, Connecticut-based advisory firm Rareview Macro.

Despite Apple’s size, as of Thursday’s close it would only have a 4.66 per cent weighting in the Dow because of its price, the index company said. Apple will join the average after the close of trading on March 18.

Most of the assets indexed to the Dow industrials do so through the S&P Dow Jones Industrials exchange-traded fund, commonly known as the “Dow Diamonds”. It had about US$12.5 billion in assets as of Thursday. By comparison, more than US$1.9 trillion in assets track the S&P, including mutual funds and ETFs. Kevin Landis, chief investment officer of Firsthand Capital Management, a Silicon Valley-based technology-investing specialist with US$300 million in assets under management, said he hopes that this is not a sign that Apple is past its prime.

“The Dow Jones is such a backwards-looking list, I cringed when Intel and Microsoft were added,” Landis said. “I’m cringing today. Let’s hope Apple can defy the forces of history.”

Intel and Microsoft joined the average in November 1999, and their performance was weak for years following.

— Reuters

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March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

LIFESTYLE volunteers, the apps are designed to help people with chronic disease follow through with important health behaviors.

For researchers, the data improves upon the many pages of survey questions study volunteers had to fill out, often based on their recollection of what they ate in the prior week or how many minutes they put in at the gym.

Chicago, March 10, 2015 — Health researchers said yesterday they are targeting millions of smartphone users with Apple Inc’s new software tool, hoping to collect an unprecedented amount of data on major diseases by tracking their behaviors via iPhone.

The ResearchKit software tool, an open source platform, allows researchers to design applications that use built-in sensors on the iPhone along with data from other wearable devices to gather real-time health data. Scientists from Stanford University School of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College are among the first to offer apps for diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

For example, Massachusetts General Hospital’s GlucoSuccess app allows diabetics to participate in a research study that gives feedback on how their diet and exercise patterns impact daily glucose readings. It asks volunteers whether they have taken all of their medications or inspected their feet.

“It’s very hard in practice for people to carry out all the recommendations and stick with them over time,” said Dr. Stanley Shaw, co-director of the Center for Assessment Technology and Continuous Health at Massachusetts General.

Other apps released on Monday involve studies on asthma, breast cancer and Parkinson’s disease. For

He anticipates tech companies will use large patient studies as a “test bed for a lot of the technologies they are developing.”

Shaw said the fact that Apple made ResearchKit open source will allow “a whole host of medical researchers” to develop apps for their own research projects.

“The Googles and the Apples and the Qualcomms are certainly paying close attention to the potential of this,” Collins said in a recent interview with Reuters.

“We view this as the opening salvo,” he said.

Researchers say ResearchKit simplifies their recruiting work. Volunteers can decide how much data to share directly with the research institutions.

“The data does not go to Apple,” Ashley said.

The MyHeart Counts app will collect data about physical activity and cardiac risk factors for Stanford scientists studying heart disease. It allows users to complete tasks, such as performing a six-minute walk if they are able, and answer surveys from their iPhone, and provide them with an assessment of their heart health and information on how to improve it.

Health researchers to tap iPhone users for medical data

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, sees mobile health playing a major role in the president’s US$215 million precision medicine initiative.

The app can tap into data gathered by other wearable gadgets such as Jawbone or Fitbit, but it can also be used with the iPhone, as long as people remember to keep their phones turned on, said Dr. Euan Ashley, chair of Stanford’s biomedical data science initiative.

Dr. Eric Schadt, a genomics professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at New York’s Mount Sinai, used the platform to develop an asthma app along with Weill Cornell Medical College and LifeMap Solutions, a subsidiary of BioTime.

The fact that researchers can recruit, consent and enroll participants remotely should produce study sample sizes that are “orders of magnitude” greater than in the past at a fraction of the cost, Schadt said. — Reuters

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

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TECHNOLOGY

Solar-powered plane soars in first round-the-world attempt Abu Dhabi, March 9, 2015 — The first attempt to fly around the world in a plane using only solar power launched today in Abu Dhabi in a landmark journey aimed at promoting green energy.

The Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Andre Borschberg of Switzerland, took off at 7.12am from Al-Bateen airport and headed to Muscat, the capital of Oman, where it is expected to land later today after the first leg of the journey.

The takeoff, which was originally scheduled for Saturday but delayed due to high winds, capped 13 years of research and testing by Borschberg and and fellow Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard.

“This project is a human project, it is a human challenge,” Borschberg, co-founder and chief executive of Solar Impulse, told reporters yesterday.

The wingspan of the one-seater plane, known as the Si2, is slightly bigger than that of a jumbo jet, but its weight is around that of a family car.

From Muscat, it will make 12 stops on an epic journey spread over five months, with a total flight time of around 25 days.

It will cross the Arabian Sea to India before heading on to Myanmar, China, Hawaii and New York.

Landings are also earmarked for the midwestern United States and either southern Europe or North Africa, depending on weather conditions.

The longest single leg will see a lone pilot fly non-stop for five days across the Pacific Ocean between Nanjing, China and Hawaii, a distance of 5,270 miles.

Borschberg and Piccard will alternate stints flying the plane, which can hold only one person, with the aircraft able to fly on autopilot during rest breaks.

The pilots have undergone intensive training in preparation for the trip, including in yoga and self-hypnosis, allowing them to sleep for periods as short as 20 minutes but awaken feeling refreshed.

All this will happen without burning a drop of fuel.

The pilots will be linked to a control centre in Monaco where 65 weathermen, air traffic controllers and engineers will be stationed. A team of 65 support staff will travel with the two pilots.

Should a problem occur while sleeping, the ground staff can wake up the pilot.

“We want to share our vision of a

clean future,” said Piccard, chairman of Solar Impulse, said of the mission.

“Climate change is a fantastic opportunity to bring in the market new green technologies that save energy, save natural resources of our planet, make profit, create jobs, and sustain growth.”

The pilots’ idea was ridiculed by the aviation industry when it was first unveiled.

But Piccard, who hails from a family of scientist-adventurers and who in 1999 became the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a hot air balloon, clung to his belief that clean technology and renewable energy “can achieve the impossible”.

Clean energy petition The plane is powered by more than 17,000 solar cells built into wings that, at 236 feet, are longer than a jumbo and approaching that of an Airbus A380 super jumbo.

Thanks to an innovative design, the lightweight carbon fibre aircraft weighs only 2.3 tonnes, about the same as a family 4X4 and less than one per cent of the weight of the A380.

The Si2 is the first solar-powered aircraft able to stay aloft for several days and nights.

The propellor craft has four 17.5 horsepower electric motors with rechargeable lithium batteries.

It will travel at 50-100 kilometres per hour, with the slower speeds at night to prevent the batteries from draining too quickly.

The Si2 is the successor to Solar Impulse, a smaller aircraft that notched up a 26-hour flight in 2010, proving its ability to store enough power in the batteries during the day to keep flying at night.

It made its last successful test flight in the United Arab Emirates on March 2, and mission chiefs reported no problems.

It is scheduled to arrive back in Abu Dhabi in July, flown by Piccard.

For him, “the project should not finish in July, it should start in July.”

A petition was launched at futureisclean.org to campaign in favor of clean energy.

Its progress can be monitored via live video streaming at www.solarimpulse. com.

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EVENTS

March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Vietnamese American Bar Association of Georgia (VABA) Inaugural Banquet - March 14, 2015

L-R: Judge Tu Minh Pham, Judge John Ngo Nguyen, and Judge Meng Lim Swearing-in ceremony of VABA Board of Governors by Judge John Ngo Mguyen.

Familly of Judge Tu Minh Pham with Trailblazers Award and Jenny Pham, Judge John Ngo Nguyen, Judge Meng Lim, Ethan Pham.

Jenny Nguyen with members of National Summit of Vietnamese American leaders.

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

EVENTS

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Hong Kong Spring Lunar New Year reception March 11, 2015 Carter Center

L-R: Hugh Hu, Alex Wan, Atlanta City Council (Dist 6), Clement Leung, Commissioner of HK to USA, Judge Carla Wong McMillian, GA Court of Appeals, Lani Wong, Chair of NACA.

Clement Leung, Commissioner of HK to USA, delivering his welcome remarks.

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March 15-31, 2015

Georgia Asian Times

FOCUS

Obama on Selma anniversary: Racial progress made, but more needed Selma, March 8, 2015 — With a nod to ongoing US racial tension and attempts to limit voting rights, President Barack Obama declared the work of the Civil Rights Movement advanced but unfinished yesterday on a visit to the Alabama bridge that spawned a landmark voting law.

Luther King, Jr. that spurred the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

so much sacrifice in the face of wanton violence ... stands weakened.”

us,” said Dick Gregory, 83, who was on the bridge 50 years before.

The anniversary comes at a time of renewed focus on racial disparities in the United States including discrimination among law enforcement against black citizens nationwide.

Rev. Raphael Warnock, the 45-yearold pastor of the Atlanta church led by King at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, lamented that the measure was now in limbo.

Obama was joined by his wife Michelle, daughters Malia and Sasha, and mother-in-law Marianne Robinson to mark the anniversary.

Obama, the first black US president, said discrimination revealed in a report about law enforcement practices in Ferguson, Missouri, this week showed a lot of work needed to be done on race in America, but he warned it was wrong to suggest that progress had not been made.

Obama condemned the city of Ferguson on Friday for “oppressive and abusive” actions against black residents that were revealed in a US Justice Department report accusing police and court officials of racial bias.

“I’m glad to see a parade of politicians here, but two years later we still are waiting on reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act,” he said. “You can’t celebrate lessons of history from one period while standing on the wrong side of history today.”

“Fifty years from Bloody Sunday, our march is not yet finished, but we’re getting closer,” Obama said, standing near the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where police and state troopers beat and used tear gas against peaceful marchers who were advocating against racial discrimination at the voting booth.

The event became known as “Bloody Sunday” and prompted a follow-up march led by civil rights leader Martin

Yesterday, he criticized efforts to limit voting rights in a clash between Republicans and Democrats across the country.

“Right now, in 2015, fifty years after Selma, there are laws across this country designed to make it harder for people to vote. As we speak, more of such laws are being proposed,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the Voting Rights Act, the culmination of so much blood, so much sweat and tears, the product of

Others reflected on how much had changed since the violence of a bygone era.

“Fifty years ago if we were standing here we would be surprised if a police officer did not beat

President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, also attended. — Reuters

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

Page 13

SPORTS

Marin wins All-England as India’s Nehwal blows big chance Birmingham, March 8 , 2015 — World champion Carolina Marin of Spain staged a remarkable comeback to win the All-England Championships today as Saina Nehwal blew the chance to become India’s first woman winner.

And the odds were stacked in her favour to achieve a fourth victory over the Spaniard — the Indian having already beaten Marin to the Syed Modi International title in January — after running away with the first game.

Olympic bronze medallist Nehwal threw away a 6-1 lead in the second before the Spaniard pressed the throttle to land her first Superseries singles title 16-21 21-14 21-7.

After a tentative start Nehwal opened up an 11-6 lead, offering stout defence against Marin’s attacking forays to the net, which more often than not finished with an arm-clenched celebration if she won the point.

“It is an amazing feeling,” said Marin after her 62-minute win. “I was making too many easy mistakes and was really nervous at the start, but I just wanted to enjoy it.

She soon held eight game points before Marin finally found some rhythm to win four rallies in a row, though Nehwal finished the game with a smash from the net.

“In the second game and at 11-9 down I felt there was a change and that I could win. To beat Saina is a great thing.”

Marin’s game failed to materialise in the early throes of the second. At 3-1 down, she saw a flighted lift from Nehwal land in, went wide with a forehand smash on the next point before a fierce winner from the Indian opened up a five-point lead.

Both players said after their semi-finals that they did not feel any pressure, but the expectation levelled at Nehwal was made clear before today’s denouement when former Indian Test cricket star Sachin Tendulkar wished her luck on Twitter.

Nehwal was bidding to become the first All-England singles winner from India since her former coach Pullela Gopichand won the men’s title 14 years ago.

But Marin began to find her rhythm and at 8-4 down secured a run of eight successive points as Nehwal ran out of ideas.

“The game just went away from me,” admitted Nehwal.

“I was playing very cool but I began to hurry my shots and I made errors. I tried to play it safe.” — Reuters

Van Gaal sets focus on restoring Man United’s Champions League spot London, March 9, 2015 — The FA Cup could offer him a trophy in his first season in charge of Manchester United but Louis van Gaal says qualifying for next season’s Champions League is the top priority.

United have not won the oldest cup competition in football since 2004 and host holders Arsenal in the quarter-final today, hoping to move a step closer to ending their wait to lift the trophy for a record 12th time.

But Van Gaal’s focus is on restoring United to Europe’s elite club competition after the team missed out this season following their worst Premier League finish in the previous campaign when they were seventh.

The Dutch manager, who took over at Old Trafford in the aftermath of that calamitous season, says his side must treat the FA Cup as a mere bonus and concentrate on finishing in the Premier League’s top four to secure a Champions League spot.

“I always want to get the goals what we have set. And the goals we have set is the top four,” Van Gaal said.

“A title is fantastic. When you win the FA Cup you are not in the Champions League which is important for the club, but you have won a title. So for

the players it is fantastic, for the manager it is fantastic but our goal is to reach in our first year together a place in the Champions League.”

United are fourth in the league with 10 games remaining, 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea and one behind Arsenal in third, whose own manager Arsene Wengeronce said that the “first trophy is to finish in the top four.”

And Van Gaal agrees: “I think that for a club the Champions League is the highest level and that’s why he is saying that.”

The Dutchman may have his sights set on European football ahead of hunting domestic silverware but he says it is still important for his side to beat Arsenal at Old Trafford, as it could affect their form for the rest of the league campaign.

“Every match you play has an influence in the next match. So we are in a ‘rat race’ in the Premier League and the club who wins the FA Cup match has a very good feeling for the next matches,” Van Gaal explained.

“It could be damaging for the team that loses, but you can also react.” — Reuters

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March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

SPORTS

Mercedes boss: We will not put a stop to Hamilton-Rosberg rivalry PARIS, March 9 — Mercedes will not try to halt the fierce rivalry between Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, said team boss Toto Wolff.

“If you have no emotion in this sport, if you stay rational all the time, you lose a lot and the sport loses a lot and the way we run the team is with emotion.

The feud that came to a head when Rosberg drove into Hamilton on the second lap of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps last August was good for Formula One, Wolff said in an interview.

“What happened in Spa, we were very conscious that we could have this situation. We have a conscious approach, just about controlled, because we knew what we wanted as an outcome. What we wanted was that it did not happen again,” Wolff said.

But the British and German rivals must not cross the line of what is acceptable again.

“We are not going to change our approach in terms of philosophy on how to let the drivers race. Even if it is not always easy.

“For us, for our brand, for Formula One, it was important to let them fight, one against the other,” the executive director of the Mercedes AMG Petronas team said of the Hamilton-Rosberg duel that marked 2014 and is about to resume.

Wolff said Mercedes had understood going into the Belgian race that the rivalry was reaching a peak. He indicated that the team felt there had to be some kind of confrontation to clear the air.

“All the communication, all the reaction after Spa took this into account,” he added.

A storm erupted when Hamilton, who retired before the end, said after the Spa race that Rosberg had told him the crash had been deliberate.

Wolff said at the time that the rivalry had reached “an unacceptable level of risk” and that it was costing Mercedes points.

Rosberg was punished but the team never announced what sanctions were taken.

“For us this was an event quite detrimental for the brand and this was what we communicated,” Wolff said in the interview.

But he insisted that the Mercedes action at the time had worked.

“The fact that we did not lose a race after, that we were one two for the next five races, justified what we did, not that we were perfect.”

Hamilton, who went on to win his second title, said before heading to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday that he thought he developed an “impenetrable” mental attitude in 2014 and he was determined to have an even better 2015 season.

Pundits say Mercedes are again hot favourites for the title and Wolff hinted that the team cars had not been stretched during pre-season training.

“The programme we set before the test, was to be reliable ... the test of the systems. And when it is important to show our performance will be the first Sunday at Melbourne and not during tests.”

The team boss also insisted that any changes to Formula One cars had to be carefully negotiated and that teams must stop being negative about the sport.

“Nobody wants short term chang-

es that could have negative effects in terms of cost,” he said.

“We must all, in Formula One, who are responsible for Formula One, stop to talk negatively about a product that is not negative.”

“We know that every sport, every product can be improved,. There are certainly aspects that we can improve a lot but we are also a global sport.

“We are the number one auto racing sport in the world and we must promote and support this image.”

Formula One teams have reacted to a wave of criticism over the lack of noise produced by the new V10 engines by developing biggest exhausts and a more dramatic sound.

Wolff said it was “a good noise” because the decibels of the previous engines put off families. “Now it is a fantastic noise. It is a good mix.”

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

Page 15

HEALTH Mediterranean diet is ideal for healthier heart Athens, March 6, 2015 — A ten-year study says that adults who abide by the Med diet could be 47 per cent less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who don’t.

A representative sample of over 2,500 Greek adults between the ages of 18 and 89 shared health information with the research team from 2001 to 2012.

In fact, the Med diet was more protective against cardiac problems than exercise, which is known to have an excellent protective effect.

They self-reported their medical records, lifestyle and dietary habits in the beginning, middle and end of the study.

The study is the first to track the risk of heart disease during a 10-year span in the general population instead of just the middle aged.

Diets were scored as a way of marking adherence to the Med diet, and those who scored in the top third relative to the entire sample were 47 per cent less likely to develop heart disease.

“Our study shows that the Mediterranean diet is a beneficial intervention for all types of people—in both genders, in all age groups, and in both healthy people and those with health conditions,” says Ekavi Georgousopoulou, a Ph.D. candidate at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece.

Each one-point increase on the scale that ranged from 1 to 55 represented a three per cent drop in risk for heart disease, independent of other risk factors which include age, gender, family history, body mass index (BMI), smoking, hypertension, diabetes and

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, olive oil and allows a glass of red wine.

high cholesterol.

Of the entire participant group, nearly 20 per cent of the men and 12 per cent of the women developed or died from heart disease.

This supports prior studies indicating that being male, old age, diabetes and inflammation are associated with heart disease.

“Because the Mediterranean diet is based on food groups that are quite common or easy to find, people around the world could easily adopt this dietary pattern and help protect themselves against heart disease with very little cost,” says Georgousopoulou.

The study will be presented on March 15 at the American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session in San Diego, California in the US.

New class of drugs could deter aging and increase lifespan New York, March 11 — At a point in time when alternate solutions to pharmaceuticals are in demand, scientists have identified a class of drugs they say dramatically slows the aging process, reversing frailty, improving cardiac health and longevity.

Hailing from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and the Mayo Clinic, among other institutions, the research team has selected the title of “senolytics” to classify their new drug discovery.

“It may eventually become feasible to delay, prevent, alleviate or even reverse multiple chronic diseases and disabilities as a group, instead of just one at a time,” says senior author Dr James Kirkland, a professor at the Mayo Clinic.

Cheers to your ‘healthspan’ “The results could be transformative” Senolytics work by targeting senescent cells, those aged cells that have stopped dividing.

Mice enjoy more time free of disease—which the research team defines as “healthspan”—when senescent cells are killed off.

Yet targeting these cells without damaging others is tricky, for senescent cells take on a sort of survival orientation that helps them resist death, according to the study.

Using two compounds, the cancer drug dasatinib—sold under the name Sprycel—and quercetin, a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory, the scientists discovered they worked to selectively snuff out senescent cells.

“We view this study as a big, first step toward developing treatments that can be given safely to patients to extend healthspan or to treat age-related diseases and disorders,” says co-author Dr Paul Robbins, a professor at TSRI. They tested their formula on mice, and found the compounds improved cardiovascular health and reduced osteoporosis—sometimes in a single course of treatment.

Mice weakened by radiation treatment regained their exercise endurance within five days after a single dose and the effect lasted for seven months, according to the study, which was published in the journal Aging Cell.

Although the scientists say more experimentation is necessary before the drugs are ready for human trials, they see few limits to what they could accomplish.

“Senescence is involved in a number of diseases and pathologies so there could be any number of applications for these and similar compounds,” says Robbins. “Also, we anticipate that treatment with senolytic drugs to clear damaged cells would be infrequent, reducing the chance of side effects.”

Page 16

March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

ART

Hong Kong art scene spills over into culinary displays Hong Kong, March 13, 2015 — Hong Kong’s Art Week will consume the city for the next few days but creative displays will not be confined to galleries and exhibition halls — they will also be splashed across plates and in cocktail glasses.

The city’s restaurants and bars have drawn up their own culinary canvas to tap into the growing interest surrounding Art Week, which centers around Hong Kong’s Art Basel fair and sees art shows pop up all over town.

More than 65,000 people from across the world are expected to attend Art Basel from today — the biggest art show in Asia — and thousands more will visit satellite events.

The Mira Hotel — made famous when American whistleblower Edward Snowden used it as his initial refuge after his explosive leak of National Security documents — is serving drinks inspired by Andy Warhol and a dedicated Art Basel menu based on the different elements of the exhibition.

Prices for most art-inspired set menus start from around HK$1,000 per person and wine pairings will add around 50 per cent to the bill.

“Perhaps they won’t buy an expensive piece from a gallery, but they can buy some art on a plate,” Opocensky says.

Sensory experience

But visitors increasingly expect their creative experience to extend beyond the main event, says chef Uwe Opocensky of the city’s Michelin-starred Mandarin Grill + Bar, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Opocensky has created an Asian art-inspired menu with dishes including “Jade” — what look like vivid green gems on a grey rock but are actually salmon and scallops covered in gelatin flavoured with yuzu, an Asian citrus fruit; or “Warrior” — a chocolate dedication to the Terracotta Army in China’s Xian.

“It is not just artists or gallerists or collectors that come here for the special menu. We have businessmen, young couples, ladies who lunch. Even if you are not directly involved in Art Basel, I think people like feel they are still taking part,” he says.

At rival luxury hotel The Peninsula, chef Yoshiharu Kaji of its Felix restaurant has put together five courses celebrating the arts, including a replica of the Taj Mahal.

With smartphones an almost requisite utensil in Hong Kong as diners take pictures of their food, photogenic dishes explode across social media and are a valuable marketing tool.

“In a social media world where cameras take the first bite or sip, it’s important to work on new ways to wow and intrigue,” says Victoria Chow, co-owner of The Woods bar.

Her venue has created cocktails inspired by Damien Hirst, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol to coincide with Art Basel, but she says the fusion of art and food in the city has been growing for a while.

“Eating and drinking are becoming multi-sensory experiences. People expect more from their plate. We frequently turn to art, architecture and designers to influence our presentation,” she said.

Hong Kong is now the world’s third-largest art market by auction sales and the number of galleries has

grown from fewer than 10 to 90 in the past 15 years, government figures say.

Greater China, grouping the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, maintained its market-leader status in 2014, accounting for US$5.6 billion in global art sales according to data firm Artprice.

The boom has fed through to other industries in the city, with the fusion of art and eating a prime example.

New French restaurant Bibo is packed with works by some of the art world’s biggest names, including Jeff Koons, Banksy, and Takashi Murakami — and with just 14 tables diners are guaranteed a blockbuster view.

Innovation or gimmick?

On the flip-side, galleries such as The Popsy Room are using food to help get people talking more about art.

Owner Jennifer Chung runs a nightly eight-course dinner where each course is paired with a different piece of art.

The pieces are hung around the gallery and as each dish is served guests are given a talk on the art it goes with.

“I wanted to create an environment where people feel relaxed and less intimidated by the arts,” says Chung.

“The dining environment creates the right atmosphere and I think it’s more effective than art talks or panel discussions.”

Duddell’s — a two Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant, which is part members club, part gallery — displays rare collectors’ pieces and has hosted exhibitions curated by internationally acclaimed artists including Amelie von Wedel, Ai Weiwei, and Danh Vo.

But while fusing food and art is a trend that shows now signs of diminishing, Duddell’s Lo says that to reap the best creative rewards, it’s important to avoid flash-in-the pan “gimmicks.”

“It’s not just about hanging a few pretty pictures on the wall,” says Duddell’s co-owner Alan Lo.

“To make a real impact you need to engage with the creative community year round,” he says.

“From day one we strived to present an exhibition program that is both international and critical, to instigate conversations and debates.”

And for restaurants, the food should come first.

“Beautiful food is always the draw — you want to like the look of what you’re eating as well,” he says.

Georgia Asian Times March 15-31, 2015

Page 17

Misc Asia pert. He also shouted that he opposed “war exercises”, a reference to the annual joint U.S.-South Korean military drills that began this week.

Kim visited North Korea eight times from 2006 to 2007, where he planted trees near the border city of Kaesong, a South Korean Ministry of Unification official said.

“I carried out an act of terror,” Kim shouted as he was pinned to the floor by people at the event.

Kim said while in police custody he had acted alone. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that Kim also said he was part of a group that had cut and burned a U.S. flag on the embassy grounds in Seoul in 1985.

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea suffered knife attack Seoul, March 5, 2015 - U.S. ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert underwent two-and-a-half hours of surgery after he was slashed in the face by a Korean nationalist in an attack at a breakfast forum in Seoul on Thursday to discuss Korean reunification.

Lippert, 42, was bleeding from deep wounds to his face and wrist but was able to walk after the attack. Doctors said later his condition was stable after “very successful” surgery that required 80 stitches in his face.

and South Korea, according to police following an interrogation.

Police are considering whether to charge him for attempted homicide, a police official involved in the case said.

Witnesses and police said Kim used a small fruit knife in the attack, which took place in a government arts centre across the street from the heavily guarded U.S. embassy on the South Korean capital’s main ceremonial thoroughfare.

The assailant was caught and identified by police as 55-year-old Kim Ki-jong. In 2010, Kim tried to attack the Japanese ambassador to South Korea by throwing a piece of concrete and was given a suspended jail term, according to police.

“We strongly condemn this act of violence,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

The attack was a protest against joint military exercises by South Korean and U.S. troops, which Kim said interfered with reconciliation between North

The assailant was dressed in traditional Korean clothing and shouted that North and South Korea should be reunited just before he attacked Lip-

U.S. President Barack Obama called Lippert to wish him a speedy recovery, a White House official said.

Kim is a member of the group that supports Korean unification that hosted the event, police said. He has also staged one-man protests against Japan over disputed islands known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese, and, according to his blog, he led a protest outside a U.S. army base in Seoul last November.

“The guy comes in ... He yells something, goes up to the ambassador and slashes him in the face,” witness Michael Lammbrau of the Arirang Institute think-tank told Reuters.

Doctors at Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital said they treated Lippert for an 4 inches gash on the right side of his face and a puncture wound on his left wrist, causing nerve damage that was repaired. He will be hospitalised for three or four days, they said.

“Doing well&in great spirits!,” Lippert tweeted after his surgery.

North Korea’s official KCNA news agency described the attack as “deserved punishment for the warmongering United States”, calling it “the knife of justice” that it said reflected the anger of South Koreans opposed to the military exercises involving South Korean and U.S. forces.

‘WRESTLED TO THE GROUND’ Police were at the venue as part of routine operations but not at the request of the U.S. embassy or the organiser, a police official said.

Lammbrau said Kim shouted about Korean independence while he was being restrained. “It sounded like he was anti-American, anti-imperialist, that kind of stuff,” he said.

“The ambassador fought him from his seat ... There was a trail of blood behind him,” Lammbrau said.

South Korean President Park Geunhye, speaking in the United Arab Emirates, called it an “attack on the South Korea-U.S. alliance”.

Known for his open, informal style, Lippert is active on Twitter and can often be seen walking his basset hound, Grigsby, in Seoul. His wife recently gave birth to a son, who was given a Korean middle name.

Thursday’s event was hosted by the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation. The group later issued a statement in which it condemned the attack and apologised to the governments of the United States and South Korea.

The annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises routinely provoke an angry response from North Korea, which denounces them as a preparation for war.

A South Korean defence ministry spokesman said the drills, due to run for eight weeks, would continue as planned.

Lippert was a U.S. Senate aide to Obama and served in the U.S. Navy in Afghanistan and Iraq, winning the Bronze Star. He was chief of staff for former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel before taking up his post in Seoul in November.

Page 18

March 15-31, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

BOOK REVIEW delicious flavors that wake one’s palate.

Through each dish, Tran and Vu carry readers to explore the five principles of Vietnamese food: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy.

The Vietnamese Market Cookbook Reviewed by Helen Nguyen The Vietnamese Market Cookbook

by Van Tran and Anh Vu is designed for entry level home cooks who recently slipped into their aprons and tested their culinary skills. There are no intricate recipes that require an entire afternoon at the market to search for ingredients, or an entire day in the kitchen stirring broth. Tran and Vu present basic but traditional Vietnamese recipes are easy to follow, quick to complete, and delicious enough to serve to one’s Vietnamese grandmother.

The young authors accurately divide their first cookbook into three categories, an com (everyday cooking), an qua (festive cooking), and an choi (social cooking). The separate branches distinguish three types of eating in Vietnamese culture. They bring flashbacks of a childhood where rice is a staple to the everyday meals (an com),

pho or other elaborate dishes like Vietnamese crepes are only allowed on special occasions (an qua), and street foods are the best way to spend your lunch money (an choi). Each recipe is accompanied by a sweet, short story about the authors’ personal experience with the meal, or a brief background of the dish, bringing readers to a new depth of Vietnamese cuisine and its rich history. Tran and Vu describe Vietnamese food as the fusion of international influences, a reflection of French, Chinese, Japanese cooking during times when these foreign settlers colonized Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Market Cookbook introduces Vietnamese food as light and flavorsome. Unlike other cuisines where ingredients can easily get lost amongst spices and layers of sauces, Vietnamese dishes allow each element to shine, creating a medley of fresh and

The authors associate sweetness with happiness through the likes of Caramelized Braised Pork Belly, Stairway to Heaven Noodle Soup, or Kumquat Jasmine Iced Tea. Sourness is paired with change, as change brings renewal, and when balanced with familiarity, good dishes such as Rhubard and Okra Sweet and Sour Soup, Beef Carpaccio with Red Onion and Herb Salad, or Papaya Salad with Crispy Anchovies are born. These dishes are a perfect dance of sourness and its sibling flavors of sweetness or saltiness. Spiciness is matched with adventure, highlighting spice elements that will take every day dishes to another level. Chili, ginger, and lemongrass are the keys to bring spiciness, warmth, and fragrant to Imperial Spicy Beef and Lemongrass Noodle Soup, Shaken Beef with Black Pepper, or Claypot Chicken with Ginger.

Interestingly, the authors pair bitterness with perspective, commenting on the uniqueness of perspective in bitter tasting food from different culture, when the authors moved from Hanoi to London, then New York. Bitter leeks and celery are often used as a sweet base for soup in Western countries, but are considered as bitter elements in East Asia cultures. Tran associates bitterness and perspective to the hardship of opening a small business in a foreign country, and the bitter loss of her mother to cancer. Tran dedicated these dishes to her mother, as they helped her cope and absorbed her mind of grief after her mother’s death.

In their opinions, the authors believe saltiness restores, nurtures, and bring everything back to balance. Fish sauce is widely used in Vietnamese cooking.

Some would even consider the primary seasoning agent in Vietnamese food. The saltiness and healing chapter teaches readers to heal through Shoulder Lamb with Vietnamese Miso, Hanoi Shrimp Fritters, or Fish

Q Vietnamese Baguette. Cooking itself is a form of therapy. It releases stress, warms the heart, and satisfies the belly.

Vu’s version of Lamb in Miso is great tasting and extremely easy, making lamb a much less imitating piece of meat to prepare.

The book’s final chapter is a manual on Vietnamese pantry essentials.

Careful instructions on mastering basic skills such as prepping beef broth for your noodle soups or making caramel sauce for the clay pot pork belly are listed. Not only will these allow the home cooks to advance in Vietnamese cooking, they are also skills that will improve one’s overall knowledge in the culinary world.

Van Tran and Anh Vu are two talented, ambitious, and admirable young cooks who quit their day jobs in finance to chase their dreams of owning a banh mi (Vietnamese baguette) stand. Grew up in Hanoi, Vietnam, and studied abroad in New York and London, they never had any professional training as chefs. They credited their mothers for their love and knowledge of cooking. Their hard work and culinary talent luster through and they are now two young business owners of multiple banh mi shops and Vietnamese restaurants in London, U.K. They were named Young British Foodies by the Guardian and were guest hosts to multiple cooking shows with celebrity chefs Nigel Slater and Jamie Oliver.

Local publications such as Telegraph, Guardian, and Waitrose Magazine often feature Tran and Vu’s recipes. Tran and Vu fully ensure their readers of a new wealth of knowledge in cooking, in Vietnamese food scene and culture, and a guarantee happy belly in result.

Helen Nguyen is a foodie, writer, and freelance contributor. She is passionate about Vietnamese food and culture.