Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia

www.gasiantimes.com November 15-30, 2015

New York and Paris: United by trauma 14 years apart

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe, Kat Merto

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2015 Partnership Gwinnett Summit Date: December 11, 2015 Time: 7:45 am - 11:00 am Venue: Georgia Gwinnett College For more info: www.gwinnettchamber. org 2015 NACA Christmas Party Date: Saturday, Dec 5, 2015 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: 5483 Redbark Way, Atlanta GA 30338 $5 member, $15 non-member For more info: xiaogengdeng@gmail. com 2016 NACA Chinese New Year Fundraising Dinner Date: Saturday, February 6, 2016 Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Venue: Canton House, 4825 Buford Highway Admission: $40 member, $80 non-member, $2000 Corporate For more info: xiaogengdeng@gmail. com

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS Sake demonstration by master brewer hosted by Consul General of Japan Atlanta, November 8, 2015 — A sake tasting demonstration by a master brewer was hosted at the residence of Kazuo Sunaga, Consul General of Japan.

Ms. Maiko Tsuji, a seventh generation master brewer of Gozenshu Tsuji Honten Sake Company, delivered a presentation on sake tasting and sake making techniques. She is also known as the first female master brewer in Okayama prefecture.

Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City: 10th year anniversary celebrated Atlanta, November 19, 2015 — The Consul General of Japan, Ambassador Kazuo Sunaga, hosted a reception to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City relation at his official residence in Buckhead.

Mr. Soichiro Takashima, Mayor of Fukuoaka, led a delegation of senior Fukuoka city officials and business leaders to visit Atlanta in honor of the anniversary.

The delegation has visited Atlanta’s City Hall, Center of Civil and Human Rights, the Coca-Cola Headquarters and the Atlanta Beltline project during their visit.

The sister city relationship has produced several cultural, arts, education and business exchanges among the two sister cities in the past decade.

The 1.5 million populated city of Fukuoka is located at the southern most islands of Japan and is widely known for its high quality of life.

It recently also emerged as the “startup city” for young Japanese tech entrepreneurs.

Mr. Ceasar Mitchell, President of Atlanta City Council, presented a proclamation to Fukuoka City Council at the reception ceremony.

Mayor Takashima presented special recognition awards to individuals who has contributed to promoting the Sister City relations: Bob Johnson, Chairman of Japan American Society Georgia, Curtis Douglas, Superintendant of North Atlanta High School, Ms. Sue Renfroe, Ms. Keiko Scott, Mr, Tom Yamamoto, Ms. Sue Lin Lange, and Ms. Kazumi Leedy of Fukuoka Sister City Committee.

Guests were treated to gourmet Japanese cuisines and sakes prepared

by Chef Ryosuke Murakami, official chef in residence of Consul General of Japan.

“Gozenshu” sake which translates as “sake dedicated to the Lord” was established in 1804 and initially supplied to the feudal lords of the Japanese province.

Ms. Tsuji is currently touring Atlanta and Nashville to promote her company’s sake and brand.

“We felt that this two cities has many restaurants and young consumers who are willing to try new things including sake,” said Ms. Tsuji.

“I am pleased to be able to share and promote the wonderful taste of Japanese sake to our friends in Atlanta.

Also, the sake is also produced by a top female master brewer,” said Consul General Sunaga.

Guests were treated to four different varieties of Gozenshu sakes and were paired with Japanese cuisines prepared

by Chef in residence.

Gov. Deal says Georgia will not accept Syrian refugees Atlanta, November 16, 2015 — Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that he will not accept Syrian refugees in Georgia and called upon President Obama to suspend the resettlement program in the United States. Since 2012, Deal has demanded that the federal government limit the number of refugees sent to Georgia.

“In light of the terror attacks in Paris, I’ve issued an executive order directing state agency heads to prevent the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Georgia,” said Deal.

“Further, I call upon the Obama administration to work with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/ Homeland Security to confirm the backgrounds of the 59 Syrian refugees recently resettled to ensure they do not pose a security threat to our citizens. Until the federal government and Congress conducts a thorough review of current screening procedures and background checks, we will take every measure available to us at the state level to ensure the safety of Georgians.”

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

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FEATURE

In New York, those who lived close to the World Trade Centre, the first responders, family members of the victims or those with a good view of the skyscrapers, even at a distance, were the worst affected.

New York and Paris: United by trauma 14 years apart NEW YORK, Nov 22 — United by the trauma of terrorism, 14 years apart, New York and Paris have exhibited the same fortitude and determination to overcome the tears and fears with love, life and laughter.

“The stress response is wonderfully adapted, it is conserved by evolution,” said Bonanno, explaining that it allows people to move onto the second stage of recovery and adapting to a new reality.

Experts say this is the best possible response to such horrors.

“It doesn’t mean the person has gone crazy or even has a disorder or has PTSD,” said Douglas Mennin of Hunter College.

Psychologists who have studied the effects of the 9/11 attacks on New York say that most people, including those directly exposed, will be ok and few experience prolonged symptoms of trauma.

But in the very short term, the vast majority of people “directly exposed to this kind of event will show considerable distress,” said George Bonanno, clinical psychology professor at Teachers College, Columbia University who heads the Loss, Trauma and Emotion Lab. The co-author of a study on the psychological effects of the 2001 attacks over a decade, he said this first response is healthy and natural.

Trauma normally dissipates in a couple of weeks or months. For only a small percentage of people — fewer than 10 per cent — difficulties are more serious and last longer.

On the bright, pristine morning of September 11, 2001, some 2,700 people were killed when Al-Qaeda hijackers flew two passenger jets into the Twin Towers in Manhattan, destroying the buildings.

Hundreds more were killed when planes were hijacked and crashed at the Pentagon just outside Washington and in Pennsylvania.

No new psychiatric cases

“It means that your stress response is working,” he said.

Trouble sleeping, bursting into tears, anxiety, feeling low and being sensitive to particular noises and memories are typical symptoms.

Afterward, 10,000 people were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.

In the Paris gun and suicide attacks, 130 people were killed and several hundred others wounded.

“That’s where you found higher incidents of depression and anxiety following these events,” said Anne Marie Albano, director of Columbia University’s Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

Experts also say it is vital to resume normal life as soon as possible. Take up sport or yoga, go back to concerts and cafes, meet friends.

“The idea is to be around people who anchor them,” said Mennin. And to avoid media overexposure.

Is it necessary to immediately consult a therapist? Absolutely not — unless someone wants to, experts recommended.

But other than those directly affected and those who suffered from pre-existing disorders “we didn’t find... new cases of psychiatric illness like new cases of depression or PTSD or anxiety,” she said.

In the United States after 9/11, it was thought best to talk, relive the memories as quickly as possible in order to conquer them.

“This will be likely the same in Paris.”

Experience shows it is counterproductive, and possibly even dangerous, to fuel anxieties that may not even be real.

New York experts praise the resilience of Parisians, the spontaneous vigils and determination to carry on normal life. They also praise the French authorities for keeping them well informed.

“People need clear, accurate information and they need to trust this information,” said Bonanno.

Flowers, candles, photographs, memorials and ceremonies “can be very healing,” said Albano.

Bonanno agreed: “People need each other.”

Albano said there were a whole host of initiatives in New York after September 11, including in schools.

“Kids and people should express themselves and do something that is within their means and appropriate to their age to feel that they are part of the solution,” she said.

“Human beings are profoundly resilient,” said Bonanno.

New York continues to commemorate September 11 on each anniversary, reading out the names the victims and shinning beams of light from the site of the lost towers into the sky.

But New Yorkers have moved past the trauma, said Mennin.

“The Twin Towers were part of our skyline, of our identity. We moved on, and incorporated the event in our narrative. I do believe Paris will do the same,” he added.

“We have a healthy respect for that day, it keeps our awareness, that yes theses things can happen,” said Albano.

“But we also have a healthy respect for living life, and not giving into terrorism.”

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

BUSINESS ASIA

Cognac makers ramp up efforts in US as China sips less COGNAC, France, Nov 20 — France’s centuries-old cognac houses are raising their bets on the US market with new products and campaigns to broaden the drink’s appeal beyond its African-American stronghold.

The big four producers — LVMH Moet Hennessy, Remy Cointreau, Pernod Ricard and Beam Suntory — have turned more of their attention to the US following a drop in sales in China after an anti-graft campaign.

On its home turf, cognac is seen as the drink of choice for mature gentlemen but in the United States it is often enjoyed by status-conscious revellers inspired by blingy bottles and hiphop name-dropping songs like Busta Rhymes’ “Pass the Courvoisier”.

Black culture’s taste for cognac, which only comes from the area around the western French town of that name, dates back at least to the time when US soldiers were visiting jazz-mad Paris bars during the world wars. Back home it was an alternative to American whiskey, often made in southern states with histories of slavery and racial segregation.

The African American community accounted for nearly two-thirds of all cognac drunk in the world’s biggest market, say executives and analysts.

Yet that’s now changing.

Producers of the drink, made by distilling white wine and aging it in oak barrels for anywhere from two to dozens of years, now need to reach other groups to help fill the space left

by China.

“We don’t want cognac just to be for one category of person,” Remy Martin executive director Augustin Depardon told Reuters during a visit to the Cognac region, where over 75,000 hectares of vineyards grow mostly Ugni Blanc grapes that become the building blocks of cognac.

Depardon said a new campaign featuring Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner, one of the stars of “The Avengers”, was aimed at a broader audience.

‘Priority No. 1’ Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier make 85 per cent of all cognac, and they are competing harder than ever, trying to harness the current boom in “brown spirits” like bourbon and rum.

“We’ve seen a lot of our cognac competitors be more aggressive in the United States, actually investing in media campaigns on a scale we’ve never seen before,” said Jean-Baptiste Rivail, Hennessy’s director of business development for the Americas. “The momentum of Hennessy and brown spirits has attracted quiet players to play harder in the US market.”

Initiatives include a new variety called Charactere, which Martell hopes will help convert whisky-drinking Latinos, and a campaign with The Roots, who have recently gone from respected hip-hop group to household name as the official band for the US’s Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

Cognac suppliers sold 4.1 million 9-litre cases in the US last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, up 11.9 per cent from 2013, which only saw a 3.7 per cent gain. It was the fastest-growing segment of a spirits market up only 2.2 per cent, though from a small base.

The trade group’s economist said this year may be even stronger.

Euromonitor forecasts US retail cognac sales of US$5.2 billion in 2015, up 9 per cent from last year. That would see it surpass the Chinese market, which it estimates will have lost 36 per cent of its value since a peak of US$7.8 billion in 2012.

Cocktail craze

One of the quiet players is Pernod Ricard’s Martell, which at 300 years old, is cognac’s elder statesman. After pushing hard in China to become the leading player there, the brand is now trying to lift its 2 per cent share of the US market.

The companies are also trying to push cognac into cocktails. While brandy is the main ingredient for classic drinks like Sidecars and Alexanders, it is not as prevalent on modern cocktail menus as bourbon, tequila and gin.

“It is going to be our priority Number One,” said Christophe Pienkowski, Martell’s international heritage brand ambassador.

To that end, Hennessy has launched Hennessy Black, which it says is better for cocktails as it has a delicate taste that eases mixability and a

stronger alcohol content that can withstand dilution.

“Cognac seems, in my mind, to have a rightful place in the cocktail craze that hasn’t been fully taken advantage of,” said Rabobank analyst Stephen Rannekleiv. “There’s an opportunity to continue making inroads in a demographic they have not generally had a strong presence in.”

Nielsen data for the most recent 30-day period suggests that white adult consumers drank 27 per cent of the nation’s cognac even though they represent 66 per cent of the adult population. Black consumers drank 40 per cent, though they were only 11.2 per cent of the population.

Despite efforts to broaden their market, the brands will be treading carefully so as not to alienate their core audience, having seen how quickly Cristal champagne fell from grace in 2006 after a boycott by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who is now a backer of Bacardi’s new cognac D’Usse.

“African Americans are still accounting for a huge part of cognac consumption in the US and this is still our main target with D’Usse,” said Philippe Jouhaud, sales and marketing director for D’Usse. — Reuters

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

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BUSINESS ASIA

Square Inc shares soar in market debut, offering hope to tech startups NEW YORK, Nov 20 - Shares of Square Inc, the mobile payments company co-founded and still run

by Twitter Inc Chief Executive Jack Dorsey, soared as much as 64 per cent in their market debut, following a marked-down initial public offering, countering the negative sentiment that has nagged at Silicon Valley startups in recent weeks.

The steeply discounted IPO price, at less than 60 per cent of the company’s last private valuation, had raised questions about the prospects of other so-called “unicorns” -startups worth at least US$1 billion- that might want or need to go public.

A number of tech IPOs have performed poorly over the past year, and mutual fund investors including Fidelity Investments have been marking down the value of their private tech holdings.

Dispelling some of the gloom, Square’s shares jumped to a high of US$14.78 in early trading yesterday and closed at US$13.07, booking a 45 per cent gain.

The stock pop came after the IPO priced at US$9 late on Wednesday, well below the expected range of US$11 to US$13 and even farther below the US$15.46 price of Square’s last private financing in 2014. It bucked a difficult stretch for IPOs, which are trading down about 5 per cent for the year.

Investors wary of Square’s valuation likely waited until the shares landed on the public market to buy, analysts said, and the weak price set on Wednesday created a pile-on Thursday morning that drove the stock higher.

“The IPO buyers have very healthy skepticism about unicorn valuations,” said Chris Bulger, managing director of Bulger Partners, a tech advisory firm in Boston.

Despite Square’s 42 per cent valuation drop from its last private financing

round, most backers scored a payday.

Investors who bought shares a year ago were protected by a “ratchet”, ensuring they would get a 20 per cent return, and early-stage investors bought Square at less than a dollar a share.

“It’s still a good game,” Bulger said.

“Just in the last two rounds you’re not getting venture capital-like returns for the risk you are taking.”

Square’s strong start was followed by a positive debut by online dating empire Match Group Inc, whose shares finished the day up nearly 23 per cent.

Tom Donino, co-head of trading at FNY Capital Management, said it is unusual to see a stock trade up so much after pricing below the expected range, as Square’s did.

“There’s obviously retail and other demand for the stock, but the pricing seems strange,” he said. “The fact the stock is now this strong will probably quash” the bearish sentiment around private-company valuations, he added.

Square raised US$243 million in its IPO, money the company needs to cover heavy losses. It reported a loss of US$131.5 million in the first nine months of the year after losing US$117 million in the same period a year earlier, though revenue rose 49 per cent to US$892.8 million.

The debut comes at a time when slowing global growth and uncertainty about the timing of a US interest rate hike have kept investors on edge.

Ken Polcari, director of the NYSE floor division at O’Neil Securities, said he thought the low price of the offering, which cleared the way for the first-day pop, was a smart move in the current market environment.

“Those particular types of companies - these unicorns that have these crazy valuations - you are going to see some of them become more conservative in their pricing because it makes sense.

Obama defends TPP secrecy, says now is chance for debate KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — US President Barack Obama launched a defence today of a signature Pacific trade pact kept largely under wraps and said the public would get its say before legislators in each country debate the full details.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a “mega-regional accord” covering four-tenths of global GDP, was so complex it would not have materialised if all interest groups were involved in the protracted talks, he said.

“If you are negotiating with 12 countries and there’s no space for everyone to agree on the deal ... then it would never get done,” Obama said during a town hall at a Kuala Lumpur University.

“The nature of the trade agreement is so many interests are involved, so what we’ve done instead is close the initial deal, it’s subject to review .... each country then has to ratify and it’s subject to the legislatures.”

Obama was responding to a question from a Malaysian youth who said the TPP was elitist and excluded most voices.

Barring occasional leaks, details of the TPP have been kept secret during the more than five years of negotiations, angering those affected by its broad implications.

“I still have to get it past Congress,” Obama added. “I believe it’s a good deal and we’ll get it done, but there’s no guarantee.”

The pact could come up against some opposition in Washington. Obama has long championed the deal but needs to muster support among moderates to ensure ratification.

He recently said it would allow the United States to “write the rules of the road” for 21st century trade, but warned: “If America doesn’t write those rules, then countries like China will.”

The pact covers countries from Japan, Canada and Australia to Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia and would slash tariffs between them and set common standards on issues ranging from workers’ rights to intellectual property protection.

Obama used the US pharmaceutical industry as an example of resistance and how concessions needed to be made.

“We were very specific in the chapter to say that we have to protect generics for low income persons,” he said.

“Here’s proof that this wasn’t just some giveaway to the drugs companies.

Right now a lot of drugs companies in the United States are mad at me because they said ‘how come we didn’t get more protection?’

“Well, part of our job is to promote the US drug industry but part of our job is also to be good partners with countries that have people who are sick.” — Reuters

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

BUSINESS

Japan dips into recession in stumble for “Abenomics” Tokyo, November 16, 2015 — Japan’s economy slipped into recession for the second time since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power nearly three years ago, data showed Monday, dealing a fresh blow to his drive to kickstart weak growth and end years of deflation.

Abe has staked his reputation on a policy blitz of fiscal spending, aggressive monetary policy easing and structural reforms — dubbed Abenomics — aimed at reviving the world’s third-largest economy.

Japan’s economy, once Asia’s biggest, has been overtaken by giant neighbor China in size, while it struggles with a challenging demographic outlook that is expected to see its population shrink by the tens of millions in coming decades.

Still, it boasts some of the world’s biggest companies, including in the automotive sector and banks, and its domestic technology plays a key role in a wide array of global industries, including vehicles, electronics and high-end machinery.

The Cabinet Office said Monday that gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.2 percent in the July-September period, or an annualized contraction

of 0.8 percent, marking the second straight quarterly decline — considered a technical recession.

It was also below the 0.1 percent forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.

The economy contracted in 2014 after consumers tightened their belts following an increase in the country’s consumption tax, which put a dent in a nascent recovery.

That downturn spurred the Bank of Japan to sharply increase its already massive bond-buying program, effectively printing money to spur lending.

However, the government slightly improved its April-June data to a 0.2 percent contraction from 0.3 percent shrinkage previously estimated.

The latest figures will turn attention back to the BoJ ahead of a policy meeting this week to see whether it adds to its 80 trillion yen annual stimulus program.

Fuzzy snapshot The data offer a fuzzy snapshot of the economy, with improving consumption countered by weakening corporate investment caused by uncertainty over the global outlook, particularly Chin, experts said.

unveil a fresh stimulus package.

“The real economy is at a standstill, even though other aspects of ‘Abenomics’ — corporate earnings and stock prices — are improving,” said Taro Saito, director of economic research at NLI Research Institute.

“Companies are reluctant to invest despite their sound profits,” he said, adding that while consumer spending improved “its overall trend still remains weak”.

Akira Amari, the government minister in charge of revitalizing the economy, put a largely positive spin on the result, saying in a statement that the “business climate is expected to recover gradually”, citing rising wages as a bright factor.

But he openly voiced frustration against businesses that have shied away from making fresh investment.

“Having made record profits, with their equipment becoming older, what kind of business decision is it to still forgo investment?” Amari told a news conference.

Still, analysts broadly expect the economy to pick up in coming quarters, with the BoJ seen further loosening monetary policy and Abe tipped to

“Details are not as bad as the figures might suggest,” Junichi Makino, economist at SMBC Nikko Securities, said in a note, citing declines in inventories and increasing imports.

For technical reasons those results negatively affect GDP but can actually imply increasing demand.

But Marcel Thieliant, economist at Capital Economics, said any recovery should be viewed with caution.

“Looking ahead, the economy should start to recover this quarter, but we think that growth in the current fiscal year will be closer to 0.5 percent rather than the 1.2 percent projected by the Bank of Japan at its end-October meeting,” he wrote in a note to clients.

Thielient said he expected the BoJ to hold off further easing for now but expand it early next year, with a January meeting being “the most likely venue for its announcement”.

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

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LIFESTYLE

What coffee-drinkers are less likely to die from People who report drinking three to five cups of coffee per day are less likely to die prematurely from heart disease, suicide, diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, US researchers said Monday.

Weekly sex makes for happy couples, U.S. study says How much sex is enough? Just once a week is all it takes for optimal happiness among married heterosexual couples and those in long-term relationships, said a US study.

The findings are based on surveys of more than 30,000 Americans collected over four decades, and are published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

“Although more frequent sex is associated with greater happiness, this link was no longer significant at a frequency of more than once a week,” said lead researcher Amy Muise, a social psychologist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto-Mississauga.

“Our findings suggest that it’s important to maintain an intimate connection with your partner, but you don’t need to have sex everyday as long as you’re maintaining that connection.”

Researchers noted that the study was not designed to show cause-and-effect, so it remains unknown whether happiness leads to weekly sex, or if weekly sex arouses more joy in life.

The study was also limited to people in romantic relationships, not single people.

“In fact, there was no association between sexual frequency and well-being for single people,” said Muise.

The findings were also consistent across age groups, gender and the length of the relationship – whether months or decades.

Muise said couples should discuss whether their sexual needs are being met, rather than simply press for more sex.

“It’s important to maintain an intimate connection with your partner without putting too much pressure on engaging in sex as frequently as possible,” she said.

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, said the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health published in the November 16 edition of the journal Circulation.

The study compared people who don’t drink coffee, or drank less than two cups daily, to those who reported drinking “moderate” amounts of coffee, or up to five cups daily.

The study did not prove a causeand-effect for coffee and the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, but uncovered an apparent link that aligns with previous research, and that scientists would like to probe further.

“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation,” said first author Ming Ding, a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition.

“That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”

No protective effect was found against cancer in this study. Some previous research has pointed to a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of certain cancers.

The study was based on data gathered from three large, ongoing surveys including some 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who agree to answer questionnaires about their own medical conditions and habits at regular intervals over the course of 30 years.

“In the whole study population, moderate coffee consumption was associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and suicide,” said the findings.

Researchers also accounted for potential confounding factors such as smoking, body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption, and diet. But the fact that the research relied on surveys, which use self-reported behaviour, could raise questions about its reliability.

And experts warned that coffee – a substance adored by many devotees – may not be right for everyone.

“Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet,” said senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard.

“However, certain populations such as pregnant women and children should be cautious about high caffeine intake from coffee or other beverages.”

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EVENTS

November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

10th Anniversary Atlanta Fukuoka Sister City Relations Nov 18, 2015

Mayor Soichiro Takashima receiving a proclamtion from Ceasar Mitchell, President of Atlanta City Council.

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

EVENTS

10th Anniversary Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City Relations Nov 18, 2015

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November 15-30, 2015

Georgia Asian Times

LIFESTYLE

Yoga can help prostate cancer sufferers deal with side effects, study finds University Place, Pennsylvania, Nov 17 — Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found that men undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer can stabilise and even decrease the side effects of the treatment with yoga.

A possible explanation for these benefits is that yoga strengthens the pelvic floor muscles and increases blood flow, which may in turn improve urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, as well as reducing feelings of fatigue, which can lower patient’s quality of life more than pain.

For the study, which was presented last month at the Society of Integrative Oncology’s International Conference and which is expected to be published early next year, 68 eligible prostate cancer patients were invited to twice-weekly 75-minute yoga Eischens classes, with 66 per cent willing to participate, and 40 per cent completing the course.

It can also leave participants with an increased general sense of well-being as well as a result of taking part in a social, group activity that promotes mediation, fitness and health.

London, Nov 17, 2015 — For the first time ever, the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year is not even a word: It’s an emoji officially called “Face with Tears of Joy”.

Previous studies have shown the benefits that yoga can have on cancer patients, but have often concentrated on female breast cancer patients, due mainly to the perception that men would be unwilling to participate in a holistic fitness regime such as yoga.

Yup, you read right, we aren’t kidding. The symbol, showing a yellow smiley face weeping tears of laughter, has been crowned as Word of the Year thanks to its popularity on social media and instant messaging.

National statistics show that of those who practise yoga, 72 per cent are female, and only 18 per cent of those who practise are over the age of 55.

According to The Telegraph, Oxford Dictionaries’ experts found the symbol “embodies a core aspect of living in a digital world that is visually driven, emotionally expressive, and obsessively immediate”.

The effects of the yoga were measured by researchers in a series of questions on the patient’s fatigue, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, and general quality of life, all chosen for being common side effects among prostate cancer sufferers.

Eischens yoga was chosen for its suitability for all body types and all levels of fitness and experience. Men who had participated in and completed the intensive yoga course while undergoing radiation treatment showed stabilised results when tested on erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, and an improvement in cancer-related fatigue, a side effect reported by 60-90 per cent of those receiving radiation treatment.

According to the American Cancer Society, which funded the new study, nearly 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the United States, and the median age for diagnosis is 65.

The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year is… an emoji?

Oxford Dictionaries cited an explosion in “emoji culture” over the last year as one of the reasons “face with tears of joy” was selected.

“You can see how traditional alphabet scripts have been struggling to meet the rapid-fire, visually focused demands of 21st century communication,” said Casper Grathwohl,

President of Oxford Dictionaries in a statement.

“It’s not surprising that a pictographic script like emoji has stepped in to fill those gaps—it’s flexible, immediate, and infuses tone beautifully. As a result emoji are becoming an increasingly rich form of communication, one that transcends linguistic borders.”

Other words and expressions that made the 2015 Word of the Year shortlist: Ad blocker, Dark Web, lumbersexual, on fleek, refugee, Brexit, and sharing economy.

“Face with tears of joy” emoji continues a recent trend from Oxford Dictionaries in selecting “Words of the Year” that are associated with web culture.

2012’s US Word of the Year was “GIF” and 2013’s Word of the Year was “selfie”. Last year’s Word of the Year was “vape”.

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

Page 13

SPORTS

In France, tightened security for sporting resumption PARIS, Nov 20 — Following last week’s mass postponements in response to the Paris terror attacks, France will resume its sporting fixtures this weekend with football fans at one venue urged to wear black as a mark of respect.

Security will be increased across the board while anxiety levels will also be noticeably different.

Almost all sport, professional and amateur, is starting up again, but one notable exception is the European Champions Cup rugby clash between Stade Francais and Munster, which was due to take place in Paris on Sunday.

A decision was taken on Tuesday to postpone the match so as not to tie up important police resources in the French capital.

“Following the recent tragic events, Stade Francais Paris does not wish to weigh down or complicate the job of the government and police by organising a sporting event attended by 15,000 people at the Stade Jean Bouin,” the Top 14 club said in a statement.

In fact, rugby is perhaps the sport most affected by the attacks as Stade Francais’s local rivals Racing 92 have also been forced to move their Top 14 league match against Toulouse, slated for the following weekend, away from the Stade de France national stadium.

That was one of the sites affected by the deadly attacks—that left 129 people dead and hundreds of others injured— as three suicide bombers detonated their bomb vests near the stadium, killing themselves as well as a bystander.

But across the rest of France, rugby matches will go ahead, starting last night with Gloucester’s trip to La Rochelle in the European Challenge Cup, while on Friday Agen and Montpellier are also at home in that same competition, entertaining Edinburgh and Calvisano respectively.

Giants Toulouse host fellow Top 14 outfit Oyonnax in the Champions Cup at their Ernest-Wallonn ground on Saturday with extra security planned.

“Given the exceptional context surrounding this encounter, the security measures will naturally be tightened,” said Toulouse on their website.

There will be an increased police presence while security checks at entrances will also be stepped up, meaning a more diligent inspection of bags, coats and greater patting down of fans.

Toulouse are expecting fewer supporters than usual as many have asked for refunds for tickets already bought for the game.

As for football, there will be blanket extra security while away fans have

been banned from all matches in the top two divisions.

pagne hosted champions Limoges in a league match.

League president Frederic Thiriez said security forces across the country were too stretched to allow fans to travel.

For handball, where attendances are more likely limited to hundreds than thousands, increased security measures have been left to individual clubs to organise.

A supporters group at Nice has urged its members to wear black for their match at home to Lyon on Friday night to pay hommage to the Paris victims.

The La Populaire sud supporters group also called on fans to “behave in an irreproachable manner” and refrain from setting off flares.

Creating hysteria But while there will be a greater police presence at rugby matches, where crowds of 10,000-15,000 are typically expected, and football, whose attendances average more than 20,000, the same is not the case in other less followed sports, such as basketball.

However, there will be a greater number of security personnel than usual for Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with Germans Kiel on Saturday.

Even at the French short course swimming championships in Angers this weekend there will be specially installed metal detectors.

However, volleyball is going against the grain, planning no extra security.

“We want to get back to normal,” said the national volleyball league (LNV).

“Controls are reassuring but an excessive police presence could create hysteria,” said the national Basketball League (LNB).

However, certain local councils, such as in Tours, have decided to increase security checks nonetheless, even employing a private security firm for the French champions’ match.

Basketball matches had already resumed on Tuesday evening when Nanterre played Germans Telekom Baskets at their home stadium in the western Parisian suburb.

Women’s sport is also affected and ahead of the national basketball team’s Euro qualification clash with Estonia in Bourges, soldiers were sent to guard the Prado arena from yesterday.

That same night Chalons-en-Cham-

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

SPORTS

PGA Tour two-time winner Bae Sang-Moon starts military service Seoul, Nov 17, 2015 — South Korean two-time PGA Tour winner Bae SangMoon swapped his driver for a rifle today, beginning two years of military service after a failed legal bid for a temporary deferment.

Earlier in the year, the 29-year-old had gone to court to seek an extension of his overseas travel permit to continue playing in the United States, but the application was denied.

“I’ll be back on tour in 2017,” Bae told journalists before entering an army training camp in the eastern city of Chuncheon.

All able-bodied South Korean men aged 18-35 are required to serve in the military for about two years.

Those between 25 and 35 who have not yet completed their mandatory service require a special permit to stay overseas and Bae’s permit expired at the end of last year.

The district court judging his case ruled that a conscript was not allowed to arbitrarily schedule his entry into the military — even if his professional career faces the risk of being disrupted.

He was, however, allowed to take part in the Presidents Cup last month in the western port city of Incheon on condition that he start his military service when the event was over.

South Korea’s armed forces rely heavily on a compulsory military service system, with conscripts — most in their early 20s — accounting for the lion’s share of its 690,000 active personnel.

The country remains technically at war with North Korea as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty, and dodging military service is a serious crime punishable by imprisonment.

Exemptions are rare, although sports can offer a way out. Athletes winning an Olympic gold medal, for example, are not required to serve.

Euro 2016 will not be moved from France, says Germany’s Loew Hanover, Nov 16, 2015 — The 2016 European Championship soccer tournament will take place in France despite Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris, which could have happened anywhere, Germany coach Joachim Loew said today.

“It makes no sense to start talking about different countries now. What happened in Paris is something that can happen in any other country as well. We expect the Euro 2016 will be in France and that everything will be done to safeguard the tournament.”

The German, whose team were playing France in a friendly international in Paris when at least 132 people were killed in attacks across the French capital, said he expected the tournament to go ahead as planned.

Loew and his players spent Friday night inside the stadium as the attacks took place before leaving straight for the airport on Saturday morning.

“I am certain that the Euro will take place in France,” Loew, whose team have qualified for the June 10-July 10 finals, told reporters.

“I am sure the (French) government and security forces will provide security, it will make sure the event is safe.”

Loew said moving Euro 2016 to another country would not guarantee the safety of the event as attacks have been staged in other countries as well.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, in which more than 350 people were also wounded, saying it sent militants strapped with suicide bombing belts and carrying machine guns to various locations in the heart of Paris.

There was one bombing near the Stade de France, killing three people, during the game inside the venue, site of the Euro 2016 final. — Reuters

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

Page 15

HEALTH

High tech “smart glasses” to treat lazy eye in children New York, Nov 17, 2015 — Researchers have found that programmable electronic glasses are as effective in improving the lazy eyes of children as traditional eye patches. Results from a new small study on lazy eye were presented over the weekend at the AAO 2015, the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Lazy eye, or amblyopia, results from an eye not developing normally during the early years of childhood.

Still the most common cause of impaired vision in children, it is important to treat before age 8 or blindness could develop.

Researchers have developed new electronic glasses that use the same occlusion treatment method as traditional eye drops and patches, blocking vision in the best eye to force the brain to rely on the lazier eye.

also still need glasses to correct their vision, the lenses can also be filled with the required prescription.

To occlude the vision without the discomfort or anxiety associated with drops and patches the new glasses have been developed with lenses that are liquid crystal display (LCD), so they can be easily programmed to turn opaque, and therefore occlude vision, in either the right or left lens, and for the desired length of time. As many children

To test the effectiveness of the digital glasses versus traditional eye patches, the Glick Eye Institute at Indiana University in the US spilt 33 children — all glasses wearers aged between 3 and 8 — into two groups. One group wore a traditional patch for two hours a day, and the other group wore the glasses for four hours a day. By the end of the trial both groups showed equal improvements in their lazy eye.

methods in terms of how children accept them. Eye patches are often unpopular, and the researchers cited a recent study that found that 25 per cent of children experience anxiety before taking eye drops, while 15 per cent refuse to take them at all.

The digital Amblyz occlusion glasses have also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a medical device, and are now available in the US from ophthalmologists priced at around US$450.

The glasses could represent an advantage over traditional treatment

Your second cup of coffee may help you live longer Miami, Nov 17, 2015 — People who report drinking three to five cups of coffee per day are less likely to die prematurely from heart disease, suicide, diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, US researchers said yesterday.

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, said the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health published in the November 16 edition of the journal Circulation.

The study compared people who don’t drink coffee, or drank less than two cups daily, to those who reported drinking “moderate” amounts of coffee, or up to five cups daily.

The study did not prove a cause-and-

effect for coffee and the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, but uncovered an apparent link that aligns with previous research, and that scientists would like to probe further.

“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation,” said first author Ming Ding, a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition.

“That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”

No protective effect was found against cancer in this study. Some previous research has pointed to a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of certain cancers.

The study was based on data gathered from three large, ongoing surveys including some 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who agree to answer questionnaires about their own medical conditions and habits at regular intervals over the course of 30 years.

“In the whole study population, moderate coffee consumption was associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and suicide,” said the findings.

Researchers also accounted for potential confounding factors such as smoking, body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption, and diet. But the

fact that the research relied on surveys, which use self-reported behaviour, could raise questions about its reliability.

And experts warned that coffee — a substance adored by many devotees — may not be right for everyone.

“Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet,” said senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard.

“However, certain populations such as pregnant women and children should be cautious about high caffeine intake from coffee or other beverages.”

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November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Misc Asia

Obama defends TPP secrecy, says now is chance for debate KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — US President Barack Obama launched a defence today of a signature Pacific trade pact kept largely under wraps and said the public would get its say before legislators in each country debate the full details.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a “mega-regional accord” covering four-tenths of global GDP, was so complex it would not have materialised if all interest groups were involved in the protracted talks, he said.

“If you are negotiating with 12 countries and there’s no space for everyone to agree on the deal ... then it would never get done,” Obama said during a town hall at a Kuala Lumpur University.

“The nature of the trade agreement is so many interests are involved, so what we’ve done instead is close the initial deal, it’s subject to review .... each country then has to ratify and it’s subject to the legislatures.”

Obama was responding to a question from a Malaysian youth who said the TPP was elitist and excluded most voices.

Barring occasional leaks, details of the TPP have been kept secret during the more than five years of negotiations, angering those affected by its broad implications.

“I still have to get it past Congress,” Obama added. “I believe it’s a good deal and we’ll get it done, but there’s no guarantee.”

The pact could come up against some opposition in Washington. Obama has long championed the deal but needs to muster support among moderates to ensure ratification.

He recently said it would allow the United States to “write the rules of the road” for 21st century trade, but warned: “If America doesn’t write those rules, then countries like China will.”

Brunei puts stop to Christmas celebrations to protect Muslims

The pact covers countries from Japan, Canada and Australia to Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia and would slash tariffs between them and set common standards on issues ranging from workers’ rights to intellectual property protection.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Oil-rich Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas for fear of Muslims being led astray, its religious affairs ministry said today, in a country that last year controversially instituted tough Islamic sharia penalties.

Obama used the US pharmaceutical industry as an example of resistance and how concessions needed to be made.

The ban, instituted after Christmas last month when local children and adults were seen wearing clothes “that resemble Santa Claus”, raises fresh concerns of religious restrictions after last April’s announcement of the introduction of a penal code that will eventually include penalties such as the severing of limbs and death by stoning.

“We were very specific in the chapter to say that we have to protect generics for low income persons,” he said.

“Here’s proof that this wasn’t just some giveaway to the drugs companies.

Right now a lot of drugs companies in the United States are mad at me because they said ‘how come we didn’t get more protection?’

“Well, part of our job is to promote the US drug industry but part of our job is also to be good partners with countries that have people who are sick.” — Reuters

A spokesman declined to comment directly on the ban, but referred to a December 27 statement in which the ministry said the act of publicly marking non-Islamic rituals or festivities “can be seen as propagations of religions other than Islam.”

It noted in particular: “For example, in conjunction with Christmas celebrations, Muslim children, teenagers and adults can be seen wearing hats or clothes that resemble Santa Claus.”

“Believers of other religions that live under the rule of an Islamic country — according to Islam — may practice their religion or celebrate their religious festivities among their community, with the condition that the celebrations are not disclosed or displayed publicly to Muslims,” the statement said.

“Muslims should be careful not to follow celebrations such as these that are not in any way related to Islam... and could unknowingly damage the faith of Muslims.”

The statement also said that businesses that publicly displayed Christmas decorations were asked to take them down and had given their “full co-operation”.

The latest move comes after Brunei’s all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced in April that he would push ahead with the introduction of a new criminal code which sparked rare domestic criticism of the fabulously wealthy ruler as well as international condemnation.

Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2015

Page 17

Misc Asia Play fair, Myanmar parliament chief tells losing lawmakers Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Nov 16, 2015 — Myanmar’s parliament chairman today urged lawmakers from the ruling party thrashed at the polls to play fair in the outgoing legislature’s remaining debates, which could determine the budget a new opposition-led government will inherit next year.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) won an outright majority in the November 8 election and its leader Aung San Suu Kyi met reformist house speaker Shwe Mann yesterday to ask for help in a drawn-out transition expected to be concluded in late March.

US pledges US$259m to SE Asian allies for maritime security Manila, Nov 17, 2015 — The United States said today it would provide US$259 million to its Southeast Asian allies for maritime security, as tensions rise over Beijing’s island-building in the disputed South China Sea. The pledges of support to the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia came shortly after US President Barack Obama arrived in Manila ahead of an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit.

The United States will commit US$119 million this financial year, with another US$140 million earmarked for the following 12 months, the White House said in a statement.

“We are increasing the maritime security capacity of our allies and partners to respond to threats in waters off their coasts and to provide maritime security more broadly across the region,” the statement said.

The Philippines, one of Washington’s most loyal allies in Asia and one of the fiercest critics of China’s actions in the South China Sea, will get the most support.

The Philippines will receive a record US$79 million in assistance to bolster maritime security, the statement said.

The United States will “grant” the Philippines a US Coast Guard cutter, according to the statement.

The Philippines acquired two similar US Coast Guard cutters in 2011 and 2013, which became top warships in its poorly funded Navy.

The terms of deal of the United States providing the latest cutter were not detailed in today’s statement.

Former junta heavyweight Shwe Mann has become an unlikely ally for Suu Kyi, and the loss of his seat and signs of estrangement from the army and his ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have left his political future uncertain.

“Most of the current parliamentarians, including me, lost in the election and had no reason to return,” he said at the opening of the new session.

“Although we won’t be coming back, we need to do our best to perform the responsibilities of lawmakers, truthfully and faithfully.

“While we still have the chance, let’s give our best for the people.”

Some NLD members are concerned military-appointed lawmakers could coerce USDP legislators to beef up the next armed forces budget, at the expense of areas key to NLD hopes of making a successful debut in government amid high expectations from a public yearning for change.

generals who ceded power in 2011.

Among those soldiers were reformers like President Thein Sein and his team of “super ministers”, who sought international help to overhaul an economy shackled by sanctions and decades of corruption and inept military rule.

Thein Sein did not run in the election.

After winning 80 per cent of the seats contested in the two chambers of parliament, the NLD has a challenge to court more investment and create jobs, while keeping control of consumer prices, a wayward currency and yawning trade deficit.

The NLD’s manifesto is broad and vague, but the party has pledged to boost Myanmar’s rudimentary schools and hospitals. Crucial to that is support of rival lawmakers to allocate sufficient funds.

Under Myanmar’s quasi-civilian system, the military’s interests are protected by reserving 25 per cent of seats in the legislature, along with three key ministerial portfolios, for the armed forces. Defense issues have limited civilian oversight.

“We worry that the army will push for heavy military spending. We can’t touch the defense budget. Our priorities are healthcare and education,” Win Htein, an NLD leader, told Reuters.

But the NLD government will need the military. Not only will the military bloc be the biggest opposition force in parliament, its control of the ministries of interior, defense and border security mean it will also be a key partner in office.

Snub to generals The USDP dominates parliament right now, but has so far won only 41 seats in the upper and lower houses, little more than a 10th of the NLD’s 390 — a resounding snub to a party created by the junta and controlled by

“We don’t want to provoke them,” said Win Htein. “This is nothing compared to (running) the whole government.” — Reuters

Page 18

November 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

BOOK REVIEW

Book Review: Preserving the Japanese way

By Helen Nguyen Roughly a month ago, Mr. Li Wong, Georgia Asian Times’ editor in chief contacted me. “I have a book that you might be interested in.” he said.

“Great!” I said, “I love books. Yes, I will have a look.” “It’s about Japanese food preservation.” Wait, what?! Stop the music! Hold on! Food preservation?

That sounds…dry, and sour, and dry.

Sometime later, I sat at my desk staring down at a thick hardcover, neatly bounded collection of colorful pages, the size of a school textbook. The title, Preserving the Japanese Way, in large white font stared back at me. An image of green apples with a hand full of snow-like salt gleamed under the title.

The author, Nancy Singleton Hachisu, is also the author of Japanese Farm Food. I had about as much motivation as a sloth on Benadryl, until I turned the cover.

Nancy Singleton Hachisu is a very Caucasian Chef who followed her Japanese farmer husband to rural Japan. Since then, food takes on a new meaning for Hachisu. Lack of resources required the Hachisus to harvest

their own grains, grow their own vegetables, and preserve food the same way people had before there were factories and mass productions. Hachisu’s love and appreciation for the culinary art was awaken in her new foreign home. She enjoyed time spent with her mother-inlaw and the local elders.

They shared their ancient, traditional art of preparing food, and the process of working against nature to extend the lifespan of food.

The traditional practice of food preservation is in danger of becoming extinct, as it is much easier and cost effective to buy ready made preserved food. Nevertheless, the history of food preservation goes as far back as one can remember. Wars and food scarcity are ingrained in every marrow of the history of mankind. Lack of refrigeration also contributed to the fast deterioration of food. Our instinct to survive sharpen the minds and born the idea of using benign bacteria to halt the grow-

ing of malevolent bacteria. Fresh produce that normally has shelf life of days can be safe to eat after months, years, or indefinitely like narazuke, Japanese cucumber pickles.

Soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, dried seaweeds, kimchi, beef jerky, pickled vegetables, etc. are examples of food preservation.

Preserving the Japanese Way is more than just a cookbook, glorified with a vast collection of images and recipes, it is also an opportunity to view the Japanese culture through the eyes of the author. Hachisu accompanied each of her recipe with a background story, whether about the health benefits of turnips, the best methodology to preserve mackerel, or the summer days when she packed Shio Koji – Pickled Onion – in her children’s school lunches. With most recipes requiring only a short list of ingredients and a lot

of time for preservation, the stories are the page turners of the book.

I had the opportunity to discuss the book with Michael Yang, partner and co-executive Chef for the upcoming Ba Bellies restaurant in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Yang agreed that Hachisu’s book is more of an educational tool, rather than a cookbook for culinary beginners looking for a palate friendly dinner recipe. Yang commented that most pantry items in Preserving the Japanese Way are so specific to certain recipes and are so uncommon in daily uses, one would find it hard to justify the purchase of such items.

Preserving the Japanese Way tutors its readers through the richness of the Japanese traditions, while intertwines with guidelines to preserve food, to preserve culture, to preserve history, to preserve the Japanese way.

Helen Nguyen is an avid writer, cook, foodie, and food blogger. You can find more of her writings at her blog: Sriracha Religion.