Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com November 15-30, 2016
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe
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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. 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. 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.
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.
Laotian American Society (LAS) Annual Gala Date: Dec 10, 2016 Time: 5:00 pm - 12:00 midnight Venue: Signature Ballroom, 80 Horizon Drive, Suwanee GA 30024 Admission: $65 adult / $650 table For more info: www.lasga.org NACA Chinese New Year Gala Date: Saturday, Feb 4, 2016 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Canton House For more info: www.naca-atlanta.org
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
Sam Park wins GA House 101 seat and Georgia breaks election voting record Atlanta, Nov 9, 2016 — Georgia has set a record of 4 million for the number of votes cast, according to Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a press statement. it represents over 74 percent of Georgia’s 5.45 million active registered voters. The latest numbers breaks the 2008 record of 3.9 million votes. Gwinnett County Chairwoman Charlotte Nash won her bid to lead Gwinnett County’s government for another four years after she narrowly defeated Democrat Jim Shealey, with a 52 percent to 48 percent (154 of 157 precincts). Sam Park, a young Korean American attorney running in his first campaign, won his bid for the House District 101, defeating incumbent Valerie Clark with 10,644 votes (51 percent) vs 10,199 votes (49 percent). Park was inspired to run by his mother who is suffering from cancer and has focused on health care such as Medicaid access a key election issue. Georgia has denied expanded Medicaid coverage in the state under Governor Deal and the Republican House in the state due to cost issue. Park argued
that states that have expanded Medicaid are working with public or private solutions and he is open to either model for Georgia. Pedro Marin (8603/62 percent) won his seat against Republican Richard “Rick” Underwood (5275/38 percent) in a district with large Asian population including Duluth and Pinckneyville areas. Marin has been serving House District 96 since 2003 and amongst the first Latinos elected to Georgia General Assembly. Republican Clay Cox (11,683) defeated Democrat Tokhir “T.R” Radjabov (10,491) to fill the House District 108 seat left vacant by Rep. B.J. Pak, who didn’t seek re-election. The district covers Lilburn, incorporated areas of Lilburn, Lawrenceville, Mountain Park, Stone Mountain and Norcross. Republican Johnny Isakson easily retained his U.S. Senate seat by defeating challenger Democrat Jim Barksdale and Libertarian Allen Buckley with a 57 percent of the vote.
UPS to build $400 million logistics center in Fulton County Atlanta, Nov 10, 2016 -- Governor Nathan Deal and UPS chairman and CEO David Abney officially announced that UPS will build its third-largest distribution site in the US on a 341acre parcel owned by Fulton County on Fulton Industrial Boulevard, adjoining Fulton County Airport at Brown Field. The new 1.2 million square foot facility will be operational by the end of 2018 and will bring an estimated 1,250 jobs to Fulton County. “I am proud that UPS calls Fulton County home, and even prouder that they have chosen to grow with us, bringing jobs and opportunity to the Fulton Industrial Corridor,” said Chairman John Eaves. “We appreciate their vision in investing in Fulton County, as well as Governor Deal’s leadership in making Georgia a great place to do business.” In 2014, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners entered into an innovative agreement with Majestic to develop the property and leverage the strengths of the Fulton Industrial
Boulevard corridor and Fulton County Airport. The site is located in the city limits of Atlanta, Fulton’s largest city. The project will also include an effort to expand hangar facilities at Fulton County Airport. UPS is the latest corporation to announce a major expansion within Fulton County. In recent months, major corporations including NCR, Honeywell, Anthem, and others have announced growth plans in Fulton County.
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
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NATIONS
to minority groups or women or others that were concerned about the tenor of the campaign.” “Do I have concerns? Absolutely. Of course, I have concerns. He and I differ on a whole bunch of issues. But the federal government and our democracy is not a speedboat — it’s an ocean liner.”
Obama says Trump soon to face sobering ‘reality’ check Washington DC, Nov 15, 2016 -President Barack Obama cautioned against dire predictions for Donald Trump’s presidency Monday, saying his Republican successor faces a reality check if he tries to enact his most controversial campaign promises. The outgoing Democratic leader made his comments at a wide-ranging news conference before he embarked on a farewell visit to Europe to reassure worried allies about a man he once warned was “unfit” to lead the United States. Trump’s election win last week over Hillary Clinton has been met with euphoria among his supporters, but also with a wave of protests across the nation that are unusual for the world’s leading democracy. The 70-year-old Republican billionaire — who takes office in just nine weeks — was holed up in his home office in Manhattan with his inner circle, working to shape his new administration. While admitting that he had “concerns” about his successor, the message Obama delivered on Monday was designed to comfort those still ill at ease with Trump — and a lesson for the billionaire populist in the art of the presidency.
Trump, a real estate developer and reality TV star who has never held political office, has threatened to shake up America’s most important international relationships. But Obama said that deporting millions of immigrants, tearing up mutual defense treaties with NATO and Japan, and unraveling global deals on Iran’s nuclear program and the environment were not as simple as delivering tub-thumping rhetoric. “Regardless of what experience or assumptions he brought to the office, this office has a way of waking you up,” Obama said. “Reality has a way of asserting itself,” he added, offering his view that Trump is pragmatic rather than ideological. Obama said that during a meeting with Trump at the White House last week, he had told the president-elect that his actions can move markets, tanks and public sentiment. “I emphasized to him that, look, in an election like this that was so hotly contested and so divided, gestures matter,” Obama said. “It’s really important to try to send some signals of unity, and to reach out
‘Pragmatic’ Amid dire predictions about the end of the republic and the global order, Obama said that Trump’s inexperience in politics and lack of intellectual baggage could be an asset. “I don’t think he is ideological. I think ultimately he is pragmatic in that way,” he told reporters at his first news conference since the Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival Clinton in last week’s presidential election. “And that can serve him well as long as he’s got good people around him and he has a clear sense of direction,” he continued. Trump made his first two key appointments on Sunday — onetime Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus will be his White House chief of staff, and anti-establishment media firebrand Steve Bannon his chief strategist. The appointment of Bannon — the head of ultra-conservative Breitbart News who has championed the socalled “alt-right” perspective — has raised hackles, with Jewish and Muslim leaders expressing concerns. Asked about Trump’s choice of Bannon, Obama gave a pass. “It would not be appropriate for me to comment on every appointment that the president-elect starts making if I want to be consistent with the notion that we’re going to try to facilitate a smooth transition,” he said.
More cabinet-level appointments will be rolled out this week, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told reporters in New York. Making the vital choices for Trump’s cabinet has sparked intense infighting, CNN reported, with one source calling it a “knife fight.” The New York mogul has also spent time calling world leaders as he begins to develop ties with America’s allies — and adversaries. “Getting his arms around foreign policy” is one of Trump’s four top priorities, along with health care, immigration and taxes, as he prepares for his first 100 days as president, Priebus said. “I see President-elect Trump being very calm and cool and collected. And prepared to lead the American people,” Priebus — seen as an establishment counter-weight to Bannon — told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Obama said that Trump had already conveyed a “commitment to NATO” that seemed to run against his campaign promises. “In my conversation with the president-elect, he expressed a great interest in maintaining our core strategic relationships,” Obama said. During a visit this week to Europe, and then Peru for a summit with Asia-Pacific leaders, Obama said he would be able to tell allies “there is no weakening of resolve when it comes to America’s commitment to maintaining a strong and robust NATO relationship.” “This is a time of great change in the world, but America’s always been a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope to peoples around the globe. And that’s what it must continue to be,” he said.
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
FEATURE
Trump team preparing plans for wall, mulling Muslim registry New York, Nov 15, 2016 -- An architect of anti-immigration efforts who says he is advising President-elect Donald Trump said the new administration could push ahead rapidly on construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall without seeking immediate congressional approval.
U.S.-Mexico border a central issue of his campaign and has pledged to step up immigration enforcement against the country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants. He has also said he supports “extreme vetting” of Muslims entering the United States as a national security measure.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped write tough immigration laws in Arizona and elsewhere, said in an interview that Trump’s policy advisers had also discussed drafting a proposal for his consideration to reinstate a registry for immigrants from Muslim countries.
Kobach told Reuters last Friday that the immigration group had discussed drafting executive orders for the president-elect’s review “so that Trump and the Department of Homeland Security hit the ground running.”
Kobach, who media reports say is a key member of Trump’s transition team, said he had participated in regular conference calls with about a dozen Trump immigration advisers for the past two to three months. Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for confirmation of Kobach’s role. The president-elect has not committed to following any specific recommendations from advisory groups. Trump, who scored an upset victory last week over Democrat Hillary Clinton, made building a wall on the
To implement Trump’s call for “extreme vetting” of some Muslim immigrants, Kobach said the immigration policy group could recommend the reinstatement of a national registry of immigrants and visitors who enter the United States on visas from countries where extremist organizations are active. Kobach helped design the program, known as the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, while serving in Republican President George W. Bush’s Department of Justice after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants.
Under NSEERS, people from countries deemed “higher risk” were required to undergo interrogations and fingerprinting on entering the United States. Some non-citizen male U.S. residents over the age of 16 from countries with active militant threats were required to register in person at government offices and periodically check in. NSEERS was abandoned in 2011 after it was deemed redundant by the Department of Homeland Security and criticized by civil rights groups for unfairly targeting immigrants from Muslim- majority nations. Kobach said the immigration advisers were also looking at how the Homeland Security Department could move rapidly on border wall construction without approval from Congress by reappropriating existing funds in the current budget. He acknowledged “that future fiscal years will require additional appropriations.” Congress, which is controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, could object to redirecting DHS funds designated for other purposes. Helped draft tough Arizona law Kobach has worked with allies across the United States on drafting laws and pursuing legal actions to crack down on illegal immigration. In 2010, he helped draft an Arizona law that required state and local officials to check the immigration status of individuals stopped by police. Parts of the law, which was fiercely opposed by Hispanic and civil rights groups, were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011.
Kobach was also the architect of a 2013 Kansas law requiring voters to provide proof-of-citizenship documents, such as birth certificates or U.S. passports, when registering for the first time. A U.S. appeals court blocked that law after challenges from civil rights groups. Kobach said in the interview he believed that illegal immigrants in some cases should be deported before a conviction if they have been charged with a violent crime. Trump said in an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired on Sunday that once he took office, he would remove immigrants with criminal records who are in the country illegally. Kobach said the immigration group had also discussed ways of overturning President Barack Obama’s 2012 executive action that has granted temporary deportation relief and work permits to more than 700,000 undocumented people or “dreamers” who came to the United States as children of illegal immigrants.
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
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BUSINESS
Google says working on policy update to restrict ads on fake news sites Los Angeles, Nov 15, 2016 — Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Monday it is working on a policy update to restrict its ads from being placed on fake news sites as concerns mount about the rapid spread of inaccurate information online.
Facebook, in particular, has been criticized over the spread of inaccurate articles promoting U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on the site. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has denied that the site influenced the outcome of the election.
The policy change is imminent, Google spokeswoman Andrea Faville told Reuters.
Google’s AdSense advertising network is a key financial driver for many publishers. The company places various restrictions on where its ads may be placed, including bans on pornographic and violent content. Work on the policy update began before the election, Faville said.
“Moving forward, we will restrict ad serving on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher’s content, or the primary purpose of the web property,” she said in a statement. The policy change comes amid an intensifying debate over how much responsibility technology companies bear for monitoring the accuracy of content as more and more people access news through sites such as Facebook rather than traditional media companies.
Apple considering expansion into wearable glasses Cupertino, Nov 15, 2016 Apple Inc is considering expanding into wearable glass headsets and has talked about the project with potential suppliers, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The wearable headset would show images, along with other information and may use augmented reality, according to the report. Chief Executive Tim Cook, who has been struggling with a slowdown in iPhone sales in recent quarters, said earlier this year that the company would continue to invest a lot into augmented reality. Apple, the world’s largest technology company, has ordered a small number of near-eye displays for testing but has not obtained enough for production on a larger scale, the report added. Apple declined to comment.
The move would make Apple the latest tech company to venture into wearable glasses. Alphabet Inc’s discontinued its own wearable glass headset, Google Glass, and closed the social media account linked to the device earlier this year, ending its attempt to popularize the expensive devices with consumers. The device received plenty of attention when it was launched in 2012, but quickly ran into problems with its awkward appearance and privacy concerns over video recording. Snap, an $18 billion company which makes the popular messaging app Snapchat, also launched its own video-camera sunglasses last week.
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
Alibaba posts record Singles’ Day sales, but growth slows Shenzhen, Nov 12, 2016 — Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Singles’ Day festival posted a record 120.7 billion yuan ($17.73 billion) worth of sales on Friday, though the gala shopping day saw growth slow as Chinese shoppers searched for deeper discounts and lower price tags. Amid fanfare and celebrity razzmatazz, sales on Alibaba’s platforms had raced to a billion dollars in less than five minutes and broke past last year’s total with almost nine hours of the day-long shopping gala to spare. The final total marked a 32 percent rise from 2015, but growth was significantly lower than the 60 percent increase last year, a reflection of more caution among shoppers who opted to spend less money on each purchase than in previous years. The 24-hour event, held annually on Nov. 11, offers a benchmark for Alibaba’s performance and an insight into China’s swing to online shopping, especially via smartphones. Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma played down the importance of the final figure in a speech shortly before midnight, echoing other executives who spoke during the day. “(Singles’ Day) is not about a number only,” said Ma, adding that the gross merchandise value (GMV) metric was “misleading” because it undervalued the company’s wider ecosystem.
GMV refers to the value of goods sold by vendors through Alibaba’s platforms. Alibaba makes money through advertising and charging vendors a proportion of their sales. “When volumes started to grow a little less fast I actually became more relaxed,” said Ma, citing the challenge of handling such a large number of orders. “We don’t want to collapse the entire logistics system.” The discount shopping day, also known as “Double 11”, still shifts more goods than the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales days in the United States combined. The slowdown in sales growth comes amid a more saturated domestic online retail market, a weaker economy and sluggish personal income growth hitting consumers’ wallets. A strong US dollar also hit the headline sales figure in dollar terms. Mobile shopping surge After a beefed-up marketing push over the last month – with fashion shows and virtual reality games – sales officially opened at midnight, releasing a wave of pre-orders that shoppers had placed ahead of the event. Sports stars David Beckham and Kobe Bryant attended the countdown, though headline act Katy Perry pulled out last minute citing a family issue. At mid-afternoon on Friday a live sales tracker at an Alibaba event in
the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen ticked passed the 2015 yuan total, ensuring the day set a record. The rise of Singles’ Day reflects how China’s consumers, armed with smartphones, are racing online to shop – to the detriment of bricks and mortar stores. Around 82 percent of total sales were via mobile devices, up strongly from last year. The day itself is a double-edged sword for many: Couriers and packaging firms say low prices and steep competition mean profit margins are slim despite large sales volumes. Retailers are also starting to feel the pinch: The cost per order shrank to 184 yuan ($27) from approximately 194 yuan in 2015, according to the unaudited metrics released by Alibaba. Cut-throat competition for customers has also caused concern over false advertising and massaged statistics. This week China’s business regulator advised mainland online shopping platforms to guard against suspect sales tactics.
In May this year, Alibaba said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was looking into how it reports its Singles’ Day figures. Alibaba said at the time it was cooperating with the authorities, and that the SEC advised it the investigation should not be seen as an indication the company had violated federal securities laws. Alibaba declined to comment on the SEC probe on Friday. The company has also faced criticism for its failure to address selling of counterfeit goods on its online marketplace. During his speech Jack Ma called on authorities to confiscate licenses from manufacturers making counterfeit products. “Someone has to remove their licenses, someone has to close them down,” said Ma, adding that Alibaba itself was “not law enforcement”. Alibaba is not the only retailer to mark Nov. 11 with a massive sales drive. China’s no. 2 e-commerce player, JD.com Inc, and many others also offer discount deals on the day. - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016 Page 9
LIFESTYLE
Munch’s ‘Girls on the Bridge’ fetches US$54.5m at auction New York, Nov 15, 2016 — Edvard Munch’s Girls on the Bridge sold for US$54.5 million in New York yesterday, the second-highest auction price paid for a work by the Norwegian painter, Sotheby’s said.
At Sotheby’s, the spotlight returns a long-running series of Pablo Picasso paintings titled Painter and his model. This particular 1963 painting by the Spanish artist sold yesterday for US$12.9 million.
The 1902 painting depicting women in colourful dresses that contrast with a dark, anguished landscape, fetched a price solidly higher than the auction house’s estimate of above US$50 million.
It had been estimated between US$12 million and US$18 million.
The painting has broken records every time it has gone under the hammer. It went for US$30.8 million in 2008, compared with US$7.7 million in 1997. The Norwegian artist’s most famous work, The Scream, was his most expensive work of art to sell at auction, at US$119.9 million in 2012. Girls is one of the star paintings at Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale. The autumn art auctions organized by Sotheby’s and rival Christie’s are set to continue through the week.
This first auction of the week, which drew more than 600 collectors or buyers from around the world by phone or in person, notched up about US$151.9 million in sales in paintings and sculptures. Among the other works to go on the auction block this week is Claude Monet’s Meul, part of a series of haystacks the French artist painted during the winter of 1890-1891. Christie’s has estimated it will sell at US$45 million. Another notable Christie’s offer will be Willem de Kooning’s imposing Untitled XXV — 6.5 by 7 feet (2 by 2.2 metres) — featuring the Dutch-American’s typically vigorous, multicoloured brush strokes. Christie’s estimates a sale at US$40 million.
Unpublished Van Gogh drawings to be unveiled Paris, Nov 15, 2016 — An unpublished sketchbook of Vincent Van Gogh’s will be presented in Paris today, ahead of the release in several countries of a new book displaying the works. The sketchbook is owned by a private collector and hardly any details have emerged of what is depicted on its pages. The new 288-page book reproducing the drawings — entitled Vincent Van Gogh, the Fog of Arles: The Rediscovered Sketchbook will be published Thursday in France, the US, Japan, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. It contains more than ten drawings, according to French publisher Le Seuil, adding that they form “a very impressive ensemble” and that “their authenticity is well established”.
“This book has only been seen by its owners, myself and the publisher,” said the book’s editor Bernard Comment in an interview earlier this year, describing its content as “stunning, dazzling”. Van Gogh lived in the scenic southern French town of Arles towards the end of his short life. It was there, in 1888, that he famously cut off part of his ear after an argument with fellow artist Paul Gauguin. Van Gogh committed suicide in France, aged 37, in 1890.
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EVENTS
November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
Diwali Festival of Light Celebration ~ Georgia State Capitol November 2, 2016
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
Page 11
LIFESTYLE
Prints rule the runway for spring/summer 2017 collections New York, Nov 15, 2016 -- Back in September, ready-to-wear labels presented their spring/summer 2017 collections, giving fashion fans a full overview of the upcoming season’s biggest trends. With inspirations ranging from retro, masculine and pop art to minimalist chic, each collection stood out with individual influences, styles and codes specific to brands. However, almost all of the SS17 collections featured the season’s hottest trend: prints.
blooms splashed all over silhouettes. The looks are certainly bold and may be too much of a statement for some. In a similar spirit, revisited diamond and check prints are also on the agenda. These once again make brightly coloured and busy patterns. -- Seen at Chloé, Dries Van Noten, Roberto Cavalli, Prada, Christopher Kane, Michael Kors. Geometric prints
Whether artsy, wild, spring-like, streetwear, seventies, geometric or abstract, the spring/summer 2017 season has all sorts of prints and patterns in store. These are seen in mix & match outfits, head-to-toe looks and discreet touches, like Isabel Marant’s XXL printed belts worn over pure white garments. Retro vibes Fashion goes retro this season. The 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are all on trend when it comes to shapes, cuts and materials, but the 1970s are definitely the decade of the moment for prints. Shown in head-to-toe looks for full-on 70s effect, these throwback prints often take the form of large flowers, with a multitude of big and brightly coloured
Stripes - last season’s big runway hit - are stepping back from the limelight for spring/summer 2017, but without disappearing completely. Whether pinstripes or wide bands, horizontal or vertical, stripes can be spotted on oversized shirts, dresses, overcoats, pants and even coats. - Seen at Paule Ka, Lanvin, Junko Shimada, Nina Ricci, Sacai, Chanel with a reflective twist, Fendi, Mulberry. In a nod to the 1960s or to Latin vibes, polka dots were spotted on SS17 runways, and in very classic shades (notably white dots on navy blue or black backgrounds, or vice versa). However, they aren’t a major trend this season, remaining few and far between.
- Seen at Jacquemus, Anteprima, Dior. Patchwork is also set for a comeback in spring/summer 2017. Although only seen on a handful of runways, it nonetheless didn’t go unnoticed. Several trends were spotted, with a bohemian and romantic discreet form of patchworking and a very 1990s version with brightly coloured patches. - Seen at Giamba, Marc Jacobs. Elie Saab, on the other hand, went big on stars, embroidered or printed all over sumptuous dresses for an out-ofthis-world look.
Messages galore Printed letters, numbers, logos, large motifs, quotes and slogans land as wearable messages this season. While Dolce & Gabbana is clearly a master of the genre, it isn’t the only label playing the game. The current craze for streetwear is buoying the trend, with potential buyers passing all kinds of messages from designers to the public at large. It’s a trend that’s fun, practical and light-hearted, and very much in line with the spirit of the season. - Seen at Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci.
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November 15-30, 2016
Georgia Asian Times
ENTERTAINMENT
Five decades and 200 films later, Jackie Chan ‘finally’ wins Oscar Los Angeles, November 14, 2016 — When Jackie Chan saw an Oscar at Sylvester Stallone’s house 23 years ago, he said that was the moment he decided he wanted one.
work because martial arts and action comedy films were two genres often overlooked during awards season.
On Saturday at the annual Governors Awards, the Chinese actor and martial arts star finally received his little gold statuette, an honorary Oscar for his decades of work in film.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, hosts of the annual ceremony, also bestowed honorary Oscars on British film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and prolific documentarian Frederick Wiseman.
“After 56 years in the film industry, making more than 200 films, after so many bones, finally,” Chan, 62, quipped at the star-studded gala dinner while holding his Oscar.
The evening was attended by Hollywood’s elite, including Denzel Washington, Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Kidman, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Amy Adams and Dev Patel.
The actor recalled watching the ceremony with his parents and his father always asking him why he didn’t have Hollywood’s top accolade despite having made so many movies.
Stalmaster, 88, credited with securing career-defining roles for actors such as Jeff Bridges, Andy Garcia, Christopher Reeve and John Travolta, is the first casting director to receive an Oscar.
He praised his hometown Hong Kong for making him “proud to be Chinese,” and thanked his fans, saying they were the reason “I continue to make movies, jumping through windows, kicking and punching, breaking my bones.” The actor was introduced by his “Rush Hour” co-star Chris Tucker, actress Michelle Yeoh and Tom Hanks, who referred to him as “Jackie ‘Chantastic’ Chan.” Hanks said it was especially gratifying to be able to acknowledge Chan’s
Coates, 90, who won the film editing Oscar for 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia” and has edited more than 50 films, said she shared her honorary Oscar “with all the unsung heroes” of filmmaking. Wiseman, 86, whose documentaries include 1970’s “Hospital,” 1987’s “Blind” and last year’s “In Jackson Heights,” said: “I think it’s as important to document kindness, ability and generosity of spirit as it is to show cruelty, banality and indifference,” he said. - Reuters
‘Ghost in the Shell’ makers defend Scarlett Johansson casting Tokyo, Nov 14 — Ghost in the Shell director Rupert Sanders has defended the decision to cast American actress Scarlett Johansson ahead of an Asian actor in the lead role of the upcoming science-fiction thriller. Sanders and Johansson were in Tokyo yesterday to treat fans to the first viewing of the official two-minute trailer from the live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga and anime franchise, with co-star Takeshi Kitano also taking the stage. Johansson plays a special-ops cyborg policewoman called “the Major”, who leads task force Section 9 as they try to bring down an evil computer hacker. Manga and anime fans went online to accuse film producers of “whitewashing” the original Japanese character from the source material, but filmmaker Sanders said the Lost in Translation actress was an obvious choice.
“I stand by my decision, she’s the best actress of her generation and I was flattered and honoured that she would be in this film,” Sanders said, adding it was an international film with actors from all over. The film, which also stars Dane Pilou Asbaek, Frenchwoman Juliette Binoche and Japanese duo Rila Fukushima and Kaori Momoi, begins its global rollout in late March. — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
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SPORTS
get a result against the Costa Ricans, the 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists who opened their campaign with 2-0 away win over Trinidad and Tobago on Friday. “We need a sense of anger in all of us and absolutely a sense of urgency because we don’t want to be behind in the group,” Klinsmann said.
Klinsmann wants angry US after World Cup blow Los Angeles, Nov 14, 2016 — United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called for his team to harness a sense of anger as they attempt to bounce back from a shattering World Cup defeat to Mexico against Costa Rica tomorrow. Klinsmann’s men suffered an agonizing last-gasp loss to Mexico in Columbus on Friday, when Rafa Marquez’s 89th-minute header secured a dramatic 2-1 win for ‘El Tri’ at the Mapfre Stadium. The defeat was a cruel blow for the US in the opening round of final 2018 World Cup qualifiers for the CON-
CACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) region. While there remain plenty of points to play for in the six-nation round robin, the US are desperate to avoid losing further ground to Mexico and Costa Rica, their biggest rivals for the automatic qualification spots. The top three finishers in the “Hexagonal” qualify automatically for the finals with the fourth placed team entering a play-off. Klinsmann said his side will need to channel their anger if they are to
“All these qualifying games are nail-biters, they are all difficult, and that is what the players are prepared for.” The former Germany striker said he had given his team a straightforward message following the Mexico result. “The message is simple,” Klinsmann said. “We have got to go there and get a result, which we will do. (Friday) was the first of 10 qualifying games. I told the players we are going to correct it in Costa Rica. “It is just part of the qualifying process. It is a long road over 10 games. It is not a problem but obviously it is disappointing.” US captain Michael Bradley was adamant the team had the resilience to get back on track against the Costa Ricans. “It’s time for us to recover mentally and physically and get ready for a very
important game on Tuesday (tomorrow),” Bradley said. The US suffered an injury blow against Mexico on Friday with goalkeeper Tim Howard injuring a groin while taking a goal kick. He won’t travel to Costa Rica, with Brad Guzan is likely to start in goal. Klinsmann meanwhile came under fire for starting the Mexico game with an unfamiliar 3-4-3 tactical line-up, which was quickly ditched midway through the game in favour of the team’s tried and trusted 4-4-2. Marquez’s winner came after a second half in which the US had dominated, and were unlucky not to have scored. Klinsmann said his team’s second-half performance in Columbus offered cause for optimism against ‘Los Ticos’. “I think if we pick up that second half and play that way against Costa Rica, I’m not worried Tuesday (tomorrow),” Klinsmann said. In other CONCACAF qualifiers tomorrow, Panama host Mexico while Trinidad & Tobago travel to Honduras.
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
I’m hunting you down, victorious Hamilton warns Rosberg Sao Paolo, November 14, 2016 — Lewis Hamilton warned Nico Rosberg he was “hunting” a fourth world title after describing his stunning triumph in Sunday’s wet and chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix as one of the easiest of his 52 career victories. The 31-year-old Briton won in Brazil for the first time at the 10th attempt to complete a hat-trick of consecutive wins and keep alive his championship defence, taking the title battle down to the wire at the final race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 27. “I’m hunting and all I can do is what I am doing,” said a delighted Hamilton, who trails his Mercedes team-mate and championship rival Rosberg, who finished second on Sunday, by 12 points with one race remaining. “The team have given me a great car and finally the reliability has been good. Right now, I am living in the moment. “This was my dream when I was five or six, watching Nelson (Piquet) and
Ayrton (Senna) race. It was one of my easier races, I didn’t have any spins, any moments. It was pretty straightforward.” His 52nd win from his 60th pole position lifted Hamilton one clear of four-time champion Alain Prost in the record books, leaving only one driver ahead of him with more wins –- seven-time champion Michael Schumacher on 91. Knowing he had to win to keep his title challenge alive, Hamilton -– his racing helmet redesigned in tribute to Senna — drove with supreme concentration to claim a flawless victory in a dramatic race littered with accidents and stoppages amid the rainstorms. “Not too bad,” he said, with deep irony. “I want to say a big thank you to the fans here, that was a long, long race. “I appreciate all the support and they are so welcoming to us here. I was generally just chilling up front and when it rains it is usually a good day for me.”
He added: “A big thank you to my team. We are creating history. It is just incredible and I am so proud to be part of it. “No mistakes, no dramas, no spins. It was interesting to hear how many spins there were behind me!” Horrific conditions Hamilton said he felt so comfortable during the incident-filled race that he was able to watch many of them on the big screens that relayed coverage to the fans around the Interlagos circuit. That included Dutch teenager Max Verstappen’s charge from 16th, after a late pit stop for fresh wet-weather tyres, to third and a place on the podium. Verstappen’s race included one amazing half-spin when he saved his car from hitting the wall with a phenomenal demonstration of skill and bravery. Rosberg, who at that time was third behind him and had a perfect view, said: “I arrived on the straight and saw him pointing 90 degrees towards the wall. I was thinking ‘what the hell!’”
Rosberg, who survived a half-spin of his own, added: “It was on the limit today, with the rain and the decisions, but I think they got it right. It didn’t go my way. Lewis did a great job, it was very difficult conditions, but I can live with second place.” Verstappen’s audacious and confident drive stunned his Red Bull team and his father Jos, who started 106 races in his own F1 career. “I have never seen something like this, he has surprised even me,” said Verstappen Snr. “I have seen many races he did, but today it was incredible. He did himself proud today. It is what we want to see more of in F1.” His Red Bull team chief Christian Horner called it “one of the best drives I’ve seen in F1”. “He was absolutely fearless in pretty horrific conditions. It was an amazing drive and he deserved that podium and the reaction from the crowd,” he added.
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
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HEALTH Cut genetic risk of heart attack with a healthy lifestyle says new research New York, Nov 14 , 2016 -- A team of US researchers have found that those who have a high genetic risk of cardiovascular disease can cut the probability of a heart attack in half by following a healthy lifestyle. Carried out by a team from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the researchers looked at whether a healthy lifestyle could modify and reduce the genetic risk of heart disease by analysing genetic and clinical data from more than 55,000 participants taken from four large-scale studies. Three of the studies - the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, the Women’s Genome Health Study, and the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study - are prospective studies that have followed participants for up to 20 years. The fourth study included was the BioImage Study which assessed a variety of risk factors.
Each participant was assigned a genetic risk score based on whether they carried any of 50 gene variants that previous studies had found were associated with an increased risk of a heart attack. The team also gave the participants a lifestyle score based on four lifestyle factors -- no current smoking, a body mass index below 30, physical exercise at least once a week, and a healthy diet. A favourable lifestyle score was defined as following three or four of these health factors, intermediate was two factors and unfavourable was one or no healthy factors. Across all three of the prospective studies, the researchers saw that a higher genetic risk score significantly increased the risk of heart disease, by as much as 90 per cent in those at the highest risk. Risk factors such as a
family history and a high level of LDL cholesterol were also associated with an elevated genetic risk score, although it was genetic risk that was the most powerful contributor to an increased probability of heart attack. However the team also found that each healthy lifestyle factor reduced risk of heart disease, with the results showing that following a favourable lifestyle could reduce the incidence of coronary events by 50 per cent, even in those with the highest genetic risk scores. And among the participants in the BioImage study, which looked at the levels of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries, healthy lifestyle factors were associated with less extensive plaque in each genetic risk group.
“Some people may feel they cannot escape a genetically determined risk for heart attack, but our findings indicate that following a healthy lifestyle can powerfully reduce genetic risk. Now we need to investigate whether specific lifestyle factors have stronger impacts and conduct studies in more diverse populations, since most of the participants in these studies are white.” The findings can be found published online in the New England Journal of Medicine which coincides with a presentation of the results at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions.
“The basic message of our study is that DNA is not destiny,” commented Sekar Kathiresan, senior author of the report.
Blood pressure, cholesterol drugs fail to slow cognitive decline New Orleans, Nov 14, 2016 — Taking medicines to lower blood pressure and cholesterol failed to prevent cognitive and functional declines in older adults with moderate risk of heart disease, according to results of a clinical trial presented yesterday. The study was an offshoot of a more than 12,000-patient trial called Hope3 released earlier this year. Patients in the study with hypertension and moderate risk of heart disease slashed their long-term risk of heart attack and stroke by 40 per cent by taking a blood pressure medication as well as a cholesterol-lowering statin. Under the theory that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain, researchers conducted a series of tests in Hope-3 patients aged 70 and older, who are considered at highest risk for
cognitive decline. In all, 1,626 completed the study after being followed for 5.6 years on average. Subjects received a blood pressure medicine, AstraZeneca’s Crestor cholesterol fighter, or both, and all three groups were compared with a placebo.
Statins, which have been definitively shown to cut heart attack risk, are among the most widely prescribed medicines in the world. But some statin users have reported experiencing episodes of memory loss while taking the medication.
substitute a digit that corresponds to a symbol in a certain order over two minutes. Others tested executive function, such as doing banking or high-level planning, and the ability to conduct daily activities.
That was not seen in this study. To the dismay of researchers, cognitive declines in all three drug groups were virtually identical to those who received a placebo, and about what would be expected from normal aging. “We were pretty disappointed,” said lead researcher Dr. Jackie Bosch, who presented the data at the American Heart Association’s scientific meeting in New Orleans. However, there was a silver lining.
“The part about statins not having a negative effect on cognition is big,” said Bosch, who is from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Patients undertook a series of tests at the start of the study and upon completion to assess cognitive and functional declines. The main one, to assess changes in psycho motor processing speed, was a test in which patients were asked to
There was also a questionnaire for self-reporting functional or cognitive declines. On all measures, the declines were similar for the drug groups and placebo. However, researchers saw a trend toward possible benefits from drug therapy in patients who had the highest blood pressure and LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol at the start, and in those who stayed on the medicines for at least six years.
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia
Chinese construction workers unearth ‘Mud Dragon’ fossil by dynamite Washington DC, Nov 12, 2016 — In a humid, tropical jungle in southern China eons ago, a remarkably bird-like dinosaur with wing-like arms, a toothless beak and a dome-shaped crest atop its head became trapped in mud, struggled in vain to escape and died. Workmen blasting bedrock while building a school near the city of Ganzhou unearthed a beautifully preserved fossil of the roughly 6.5-foot-long dinosaur, nicknamed the “Mud Dragon,” still in that contorted position, scientists said on Thursday. The Cretaceous Period creature, called Tongtianlong limosus, lived 66 to 72 million years ago, at the twilight of the dinosaurs’ more than 160-million-year reign on Earth. It was a member of a group called oviraptorosaurs, one of the closest
relatives to birds, which evolved earlier from small, feathered dinosaurs. Paleontologist Steve Brusatte of Scotland’s University of Edinburgh, who worked on the studypublished in the journal Scientific Reports, said the fossil adds to the understanding of dinosaur evolution on the eve of destruction. The discovery of Tongtianlong and five other oviraptorosaur species in southern China showed this group was still blossoming and diversifying during the last few million years before an asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago, wiping out the dinosaurs, Brusatte said. “The fact there were so many of them is a testament to just how well the dinosaurs were doing right up until the end,” Brusatte added.
The fossil preserved a tragic moment for posterity. A well-preserved fossil of a new species of winged dinosaur, known as Tongtianlong or Mud Dragon, is seen in an undated handout picture. A well-preserved fossil of a new species of winged dinosaur, known as Tongtianlong or Mud Dragon, is seen in an undated handout picture. “Its neck is arched, its head sticking up, its arms out-stretched to the sides. It is a strange posture,” Brusatte said. The fact that the fossil was found in rock formed from mud and the skeleton is in pristine condition suggests the dinosaur got mired in mud, tried to get free, but died and was buried, Brusatte said. Its scientific name means “muddy
dragon on the road to heaven,” paying homage to how it perished. Other previous dramatic fossil finds include Mongolia’s famous “fighting dinosaurs,” a Velociraptor and Protoceratops apparently locked in mortal combat when a sand dune collapsed on them. Tongtianlong was a two-legged omnivore, with a bony crest on its short, squat skull that was probably used for display purposes to attract mates and intimidate rivals. Its arms likely had quill-like feathers layered over each other like on a wing, though it could not fly. “If you saw the ‘Mud Dragon’ alive, you probably would have said, ‘That’s a big, funny-looking bird,’” Brusatte said. — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times November 15-30, 2016
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Misc Asia
Historical trees in Vietname are being preserved
Chess: An ancient game which goes back to India The ancestor of the game of chess is believed to date back to India in the sixth century. However, in the ancient Orient, from China to Egypt, several similar games representing a combat between pawns on a kind of draughtboard also existed. Legend has it India exported the ancient form of chess to Persia, giving King Chosroes Anushirvan a game that was invented just for him: the game of “four kings”, or “chaturanga”. As Arabs conquered Persia, they discovered then fell in love with the game. The first technical books on chess were written in Arabic, and the caliphs of Baghdad hosted the best players. Chess then spread as Arabs established their influence in newly conquered territory. In the West, the game reached North Africa and the Mediterranean. It took hold in the new province of al-Andalus, now current-day Andalusia, southern Spain. Universities the Moors established there taught Islamic culture, which included chess.
The game of strategy reached the Christian West in the late 10th century — and even earlier in China and Japan. Trade also brought it to Scandinavian and Russian peoples by the end of the 11th century. Over the centuries the game has been profoundly modified, each society developing rules with their own codes. Even though they had the same origins, the early Indian, Chinese and Japanese games had nothing in common with Western chess. From 1200 Western books on chess began to appear, including, towards 1315, “The moralised game of chess” by Italian Dominican Jacques de Cessoles. Towards the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance, the “new” game of chess emerged, the queen and the bishop adopting their current positions, with the queen becoming the most powerful piece and the game becoming quicker. Since the 17th century the game of chess has not gone through any major modifications, apart from the addition
Vinh Long, Nov 14, 2016 — Ancient trees and clumps of trees in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long have been recognized as cultural and historical relic trees by the Vietnam Ornamental Creatures Association. Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reports that a ceremony to announce the recognition was held at the provincial museum on Thursday. They include six trees and tree clumps in the campus of the provincial museum; a banian tree in Long Ho Citadel relic site in Vinh Long city; a hopea tree at Ba Pho Pagoda in Tam Binh district; a crape myrtle on provincial road 909 in Tam Binh district,
of the chess clock and, in 1850, the modification of the style of the chess pieces. It is called the “Staunton” style, after the English champion Nigel Staunton. In the undisputed style for chess tournaments, the pieces are made of ebony, boxwood or ivory, weighted down with lead and the underneath covered with felt. It was only with the creation of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and its 1929 congress in Venice that the first official international regulations governing the game of chess were created.
and a hopea tree clump at the national historical and cultural relic site of Van Thanh Temple in Vinh Long city. They are aged from 72 to 416 years. According to the provincial conservation board of cultural and historical trees, the trees are connected with the province’s historical figures or events. The recognition aims to honor historical values and raise public awareness of the importance of relic trees and the need to protect and conserve them.
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November 15-30, 2016 Georgia Asian Times
TRAVEL
just one thing but a series” of attacks in France, said Serbian tourist Vladimir Mitrasinovic, a London-based tech executive who was visiting Paris for a reunion.
In the Paris area alone, tourism revenue is expected to plunge by €1.5 billion this year. “We haven’t recovered,” the tourism chief for the Paris region, said Frederic Valletoux. “The impact is lasting and completely unprecedented.... Many small businesses are on their knees.” France’s Socialist government on Monday unveiled a €42 million plan to boost security in tourist areas, on top of 10 million already earmarked for promotional efforts. “We must say it clearly,” Prime Minister Manuel Valls said. “Tourism in France is going through a difficult period.” The new measures will tighten
Paris is Paris
Restaurants “are getting hit hard, both in Paris and the Riviera”, said Roland Heguy, head of the hotel industry association UMIH.
She said the rash of robberies targeting Chinese was one factor keeping Asian tourists away.
The summer months, normally the peak tourist season, “were very bad for this sector”, he said.
“But the sense that France isn’t safe is especially because of the attacks,” Liu said.
security at prime tourist magnets such as the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum, which saw a 20 per cent drop in visitors in the past year.
The terror attacks were significant, but not alone, in discouraging tourism over the past year, which has also seen massive street protests over labour reforms that frequently turned violent.
In the Pigalle district, home to the Moulin Rouge, Danish tourist Jens Peter Frahm-Hansen said the jihadist attacks did not deter him.
Tourist arrivals to France were down 8.1 per cent in the 10 months from January to October.
Among other deterrents, the Paris region has seen a series of thefts targeting Asian visitors.
“You shouldn’t be afraid of these types of people, that’s what they want,” the 64-year-old retired Kodak executive said.
The government has set a goal of attracting 100 million foreign visitors in 2020, compared with 85 million last year.
“Asian tourists — all tourists — must know that they are safe in France,” Valls’ office said.
A year after bloodbath, Paris fights to woo back tourists Paris, Nov 11, 2016 — A year after jihadists sowed terror in Paris, killing 130 people, the City of Light is struggling to restore its luster as fearful tourists stay away in droves.
“I’m afraid it doesn’t look like (shopping tourism) is coming back,” said Liu, 37, who has worked at Printemps for four years.
Nice attack deepened fears Officials had hoped the stay away trend would reverse after the successful hosting of the Euro football championship in July. But just days after the end of the competition, the tourism sector took a massive new blow with the Bastille Day truck rampage in the Riviera resort city of Nice that claimed a further 86 lives. “People are afraid because it’s not
January to October saw a 39 per cent decrease in Japanese tourists and 23 per cent fewer Chinese visitors. On a recent afternoon, shoppers entering Paris’s venerable Printemps department store gamely submitted to metal detector wands. Yan Liu, one of the store’s dozens of Chinese sales assistants to cater for Chinese shoppers, said the wands were introduced about a year ago — corresponding to the November attacks.
His friend Mitrasinovic, who lived through the July 7, 2005, London bombings, was equally sanguine about the threat. “Most of us think it won’t stop, so we won’t change our plans,” he chimed in. Frahm-Hansen said the group of former work colleagues had ruled out meeting up in places like Turkey or Tunisia because of security fears. “We could have gone anywhere else, but we chose Paris,” he said. “The sun is the same everywhere, but Paris is Paris. It’s unique and you have to see it.”