VOL 34 NO 02 | JANUARY 3-9, 2015

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 34 NO 2

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

ant)/ NWAW

2014

FREE

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

A year of h ighs and lo ws for Chi and the As natown ian Americ an commu nity WAW

rge Liu (Saw

Kshama Sawant sunta Ng/ N Photos by

George Liu

Photos by

(left) and As

Laura Oha

ta and Geo

Sher Kung mourned

eorge Liu

Nickelsville

eorge Liu/ N

WAW

Photo by G

ID rail line

Louisa Hotel

e W ing

-Intellegenc Seattle Post

Fumiko Hayashida, the woman “behind the symbol” in an iconic photo was one of the 227 Japanese Americans taken off Bainbridge Island by armed military escorts, holding her baby daughter Natalie Kayo, was photographed by a Seattle Post-Intelligencer photographer in Feb. 1942, two months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She died November 2014 at the age of 103.

Fumiko Hayashida

with a vehicle within just one week on the same street after Kung’s death even with the City’s attempts to provide improved visibility on the road.

However, a breath of fresh air graced the ID at the end the Wing Luke Asian Muof the year. The comprehen- seum was unveiled, drawing sive Bruce Lee exhibition at thousands of visitors to Chi-

LI HI

Perhaps it’s a good thing not to have the streetcars yet.

The ID had convenient spots for protesters at the Hing Hay Park and S. Jackson Street during the year. The International District welcomes free speech! Do the ID folks practice it themselves, though?

Nickelsville announced their plan to move to the I.D. Many ID residents and businesses were upset, but they didn’t really speak out much. If they had fought Nickelsville, wouldn’t they be perceived as hypocritical since many of them were homeless refugees prior to landing in America?

A promising Asian American attorney, Sher Kung died from a collision with a truck on 2nd Ave. while riding her bicycle in downtown Seattle in Sept.

A second cyclist also collided

Photo from Th

er

Bruce Lee and family

Nickelsville

Photo from

This past year the Chinatown/ International District was hit with the devastating fire at the Louisa Hotel, the ruins creating an omen of darkness and loss for the community. The fire happened on Dec. 24, 2013, a week before the new year, destroying most of the building and seven businesses. The fire’s impact carried on into and throughout 2014.

In January, the $15 minimum wage pushed by newly elected Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, split the Asian community apart.

The rail connecting between Chinatown and Capitol Hill and downtown (which almost killed some ID businesses due to the construction mess), was finally completed, but is left untouched.

Manufactured by Czechs, the streetcars arrived late. Should Chinatown ask for compensation from the Czechs or the City?

Or will government officials just turn a blind eye toward us?

Photo by G

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly

natown, dedicated fans, and certainly earning new fans as well for the Seattle icon.

Read the continuation of this on page 10.

■

412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com

asianweekly northwest

2

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ names in the news Dark Divas Holiday Soirée

Program, I had never been involved in any community volunteering. With the community project for Kin On as part of the program curriculum, EDI provided me with a perfect opportunity to practice what I learned from the program and helped me realize how important it is for each one of us to get involved and contribute to our community.” ■

Lai and Liu to open cat cafe

Vikram Madan

Director of DON drawing names for a raffle prize, with Melissa Tiberio, LIHI Volunteer Coordinator, and Sharon Lee, LIHI executive Director

Kiandra Baydid performed an original dance at Ernestine Anderson Place on December 20th. The Nu Black Arts West Theatre presented their Dark Divas Holiday Soirée as part of the Upbeat on Jackson Community Concerts sponsored by LIHI and the Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods (DON).

Director of DON, Bernie Matsuno, draws names for a raffle prize, with Melissa Tiberio, LIHI Volunteer Coordinator, and Sharon Lee, LIHI executive Director. ■

moved from New Delhi to attend graduate school at the University of Washington (UW). He worked in the tech industry until 2012, when he decided to study art. He attended Gage Academy of Art in Seattle for two years, study drawing and painting. ■

Lawrence Lee joins Kin On’s Board of Directors Lawrence Lee, API Discovery Class of 2013, recently joined Kin On's Board of Directors.

Lee participated in the Executive Development Institute (EDI). Through EDI's programs, every participant commits to a community project.

According to Lee, "Prior to joining the EDI Leadership Discovery

Madan appointed to Bellevue Arts Commission Vikram Madan, a Bellevue-based artist who immigrated from India,was recently appointed to the Bellevue Arts Commission. He is currently the artist in residence at the VALA Art Center in Redmond Town Center. Madan

Lawrence Lee

Louisa Liu and Matt Lai

Seattle Meowtropolitan cat cafe, slated to open in the middle of 2015 by co-founders Louisa Liu and Matt Lai, is in its last month of crowd-funding. The project has already raised nearly $10,000 from supporters through their Indiegogo campaign. Partnered with Herkimer Coffee, the cat cafe is now searching for a space in the city to set up shop. The concept is targeting cat-crazy Seattleites. Cofounder Liu expects, “once we have leased our space early next year, we will announce our partnership with a local shelter.” ■

Women in Male-Dominated Careers Making a Difference

Friday, February 6, 2015 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle

Honorees

Prime Sponsor

Gita Bangera Linda Deboldt VP of Institutional Advancement Director of Public Works Bellevue College City of Redmond

Srilakshmi Remala Sri Cheryl Paston Michelle Mills Clement Independent Tech Consultant Deputy Director of Public Works Executive Director/CEO Remala Consulting City of Sammamish Commerical Brokers Association

Sponsors

Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________

Tanya Jimale President & CEO Jimale Technical Services, LLC

Lorena Gonzalez Legal Counsel Mayor Ed Murray

Stephanie Caldwell Small Business Program Manager Absher Construction Company

Kelly Knebel First Officer, Pilot Alaska Airlines

Joyce Yen Program/Research Manager UW ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change

Fax: _____________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________ Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________  Mastercard

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WOMEN OF COLOR EMPOWERED CO-CHAIRS: Bonnie Miller and Sylvia Cavazos PLANNING COMMITTEE: Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Winona Holins-Hauge, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Jaime Sun, Sonia Doughty, and Carol Cheung LUNCHEON PRICING: Discounted price of $35 if purchased by September 15. Full price of $45 after September 15.

Walk-ins $50. Student price of $25 with I.D. before September 15; $30 after September 15; student walk-ins $35. No tickets will be mailed; confirmation is by e-mail only. $350 for a table. To sponsor the event including logo online and print and table is $1,000. (For details, visit womenofcolorempowered.com). Men are welcome! MAKE RESERVATIONS: To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, fax the above form to 206-223-0626, mail a check to Women of Color Empowered, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114, or email rsvp@nwasianweekly.com. For more information, visit womenofcolorempowered.com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ Community News

Fail to recycle and face city fine in Seattle see if more than 10 percent of the waste is food scraps and recyclable materials.

“Most of our city’s businesses and residents are already composting,” said Tim Croll, Solid Waste Director for Seattle Public Utilities. “This requirement is a progression of our collective efforts that help our city become even greener.”

Seattle Public Utilities esti-

Asian Resource Center closes on New Year’s Eve for good

mates 36% of what’s currently in the trash shouldn’t be there. The new ordinance is expected to divert as much as 38,000 more tons of food scraps from the landfill each year.

It’s part of the city’s goal to reach a 60% recycling rate in 2015. ■ Information from: KING-TV, http://www.king5.com/ Photo from ARC’s website

SEATTLE (AP) — Fail to recycle in Seattle and you can get a ticket from the garbage collector.

The city says it will start enforcing new recycling requirements on Jan. 1 with warnings tags. Careless residents will start seeing fines July 1 on their bills — $1 per violation, $50 for a commercial or apartment building.

KING reports garbage collectors will peek in the trash bin to

3

Preparing for US citizenship Highline College will offer free 9-week course during winter quarter Highline College will be offering a free nine-week course for community members who are preparing to take the U.S. Citizenship Test. Dates: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, January 20–March 18, 2015, 1–2:35 p.m.

Students will be taught by an instructor who is trained in the content and who has significant

teaching experience with English language learners. There will be assistance with preparing for the test, application procedures and follow-through on the steps to becoming a U.S. citizen. Students must bring their permanent resident card and their driver's license or identification card.

Students may also qualify for a waiver of the fee to take the

citizenship test. Help is available to apply for the fee waiver. The course is sponsored by Highline College and Asian Counseling Referral Services. ■ For more information contact Joy Smucker at (206) 592-3856, jsmucker@highline.edu or Karin Hirschfeld: (206) 592-4190, khirschfeld@highline.edu.

ARC building

The Asian Resource Center (ARC) closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2014 after more than 20 years in operation.

The Center was operated by the Robert Chinn Foundation and provided a venue for Asian arts, culture, education and community exhibits, events, and activities. It was located in the

Seattle Chinatown / International District, and was built in 1994, a 13,700 square foot facility that served approximately 12,000 individuals annually. ■ Questions and comments can be directed to ARC at 206-860-8522 or events@asianresourcecenter. org.

JANUARY 6 - 11 AT 7PM Celebrate the King of Rock and Roll’s 80th Birthday at Muckleshoot Casino! Experience Steven Sogura’s award-winning, theatrical performance as Elvis on the Club Galaxy stage, where admission is always free with your Players Club card!

Entertainment subject to change without notice. Must be a Players Club member to participate.

Membership is free! Management reserves all rights.

asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ National and Sports News NFL pass-rushers turn to mixed martial arts tactics

By Arnie Stapleton AP Pro Football Writer DENVER (AP) — Denver defensive end DeMarcus Ware considers himself a mixed martial artist on the football field.

Ever since his rookie year in 2005, he’s spent as much time in the offseason working on his handwork with a second generation Bruce Lee student as he has working out at a traditional gym.

Ware is part of a growing number of NFL pass rushers who have adopted the grappling and striking techniques of MMA. It helps them outmaneuver the ever-expanding 330-pound tackles and get to the ever-quicker quarterbacks before [see NFL cont’d on 13]

NYC officer mourned at funeral as tensions linger

By Jonathan Lemire and Mike Balsamo Associated Press

Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of police officers from across the United States

packed a church and spilled onto streets outside Saturday to honor a slain New York officer as a devoted family man, aspiring chaplain, and hero, though an air of unrest surrounding his ambush shooting was not completely pushed aside.

While mourners inside the church applauded politely as Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke, hundreds of officers outside turned their backs on him to protest what they see as his support for demonstrators angry over killings by police.

The rush of officers far and wide to New York for Ramos’ funeral reminded some of the bond after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and Superstorm Sandy. Vice President

US think tank proposes shake-up of Taiwan defense

By Matthew Pennington Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Fears of war between Taiwan and China have eased in recent years, but the growing gap in their military capabilities has prompted a U.S. think tank to lay out a radical new approach in how Taiwan could defend itself if China invaded, relying less on conventional forces and more on guerrilla-style tactics and cyberwarfare.

The nongovernment Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments is wading into delicate territory. Relations between democratic Taiwan and communist-governed China have improved as they have forged economic agreements — a development welcomed by the United States.

Washington, however, remains obligated by U.S. law to provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. U.S. lawmakers have accused the Obama administration of refusing to sell Taiwan new fighter jets and submarines for fear of angering Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the self-governing island.

Congress last week approved the possible sale of four U.S. frigates to Taiwan, drawing Chinese criticism, but Taiwan shows growing willingness to develop its own hardware. On Tuesday, it launched a stealthy, missile-launching corvette, the first of its kind produced by Taiwan.

But China’s rapid military modernization has exposed a widening gulf between its forces and those on Taiwan, which spent $10.8 billion on its defense in 2013.

According to a U.S. Defense Department estimate, China’s military spending that year was $145 billion.

“With the resource gap approaching fourteen-to-one, even if Taiwan were to massively increase its defense budget, it would not reverse the cumulative advantages the PRC has accrued over the past two decades,” said the center’s report, released this week. PRC stands for the communist-governed People’s Republic [see TAIWAN cont’d on 15]

Joe Biden promised that the “incredibly diverse city can and will show the nation how to bridge any divide.”

Still, tensions were evident when officers turned away from giant screens showing de Blasio, who has been harshly criticized by New York Police Department union officials as a contributor to a climate of mistrust that preceded the killings of Ramos and his partner, Wenjian Liu. After the officers were shot to death, the gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, killed himself.

Police said he was troubled and had shot and wounded an ex-girlfriend in Baltimore [see OFFICERS cont’d on 12]

Application Deadline: FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Name:

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Address:

MAIL TO: Northwest Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104

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E-MAIL TO: rsvp@nwasianweekly.com Subject: Diversity Makes a Difference

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CELEBRATING STUDENTS WHO CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER! Teachers, counselors, principals, and community members are invited to nominate high school students from Western Washington who encourage and actively promote diversity.

The above form filled out A recommendation letter from school faculty or community member A 400-word letter from the nominated student detailing why he/she thinks diversity is important For publication purposes, please include a good, clear photo of nominee (300 dpi, 4x6 inches)

The Diversity Makes a Difference Scholarship honors young people who take action to increase cross-cultural understanding and awareness in the community. These scholarships have been given out every year since 1994.

Please send a photo of the nominated student for publication purposes. Applications without photos may be disqualified.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ World News

Jackie Chan expresses shame over his son’s drug charge

Jackie Chan

Jaycee Chan

Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that illegal drugs should be wiped out and that offenders should be severely punished.

The crackdown snared more than 7,800 people in Beijing alone, according to police.

Celebrities were targeted because of their influence over the public.

BEIJING (AP) — Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan said he feels shame for his son, Jaycee Chan, who has been indicted by Beijing prosecutors on a drug charge and could be jailed for up to three years.

Jaycee is the son of Chan and his wife, Lin Feng-Jiao, a Taiwanese actor. Jaycee was born in 1982 in Los Angeles, the day after Lin and Chan married, according to

some sources. Though his exact birth date varies depending on the source.

The remarks, reported Wednesday by China’s official Xinhua News Agency, came two days after authorities announced the indictment against Jaycee Chan, 32, who is charged with sheltering others to use drugs.

The scandal has been particularly embarrassing for Jackie Chan, who

was named by Beijing as an anti-drug ambassador in 2009.

Jackie Chan, who sits on China’s top national political advisory panel — the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — told Xinhua that he did not use his connections to interfere with the case and that he hopes his singer-actor son will become an anti-drug ambassador when he is released.

Beijing police detained the younger Chan at his Beijing apartment in August, along with Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai. Police said Chan and Ko both tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of it were taken from Chan’s home.

Ko, whose real name is Ko Chen-tung, was released after a 14-day administrative detention for the drug use, but Chan — who has remained in detention since August — is faced with the more serious criminal charge.

State broadcaster CCTV in August aired video of the police raid on Chan’s apartment, in which Chan was shown identifying marijuana in his possession.

Ko testified on camera that he had used drugs at Chan’s home.

CCTV also said Chan told police that he has been using drugs for eight years.

In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that illegal drugs should be wiped out and that offenders should be severely punished. The crackdown snared more than 7,800 people in Beijing alone, according to police. Celebrities were targeted because of their influence over the public.

As the only son of Jackie Chan, Jaycee Chan commands much media attention.

The younger Chan has appeared in several films and has released three albums. ■ Stacy Nguyen contributed to this report.

China to investigate exPresident Hu’s top aide

By Didi Tang Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — The top aide to former Chinese President Hu Jintao has been placed under investigation for unspecified disciplinary violations, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday, in a sign that President Xi Jinping is removing his predecessor’s influences while consolidating his power.

The evening announcement came two years after the former aide, Ling Jihua, fell out of political favor when a lurid scandal involving his alleged cover-up of his son’s death in a speeding Ferrari disrupted his political ascent.

But Ling returned to the public eye this year when authorities put his two brothers — one a politician in the coal-rich northern province of Shanxi and the other a business-

man — under investigation, triggering speculation that Ling too would be implicated under Xi’s widening anti-corruption campaign. The campaign is seen by many as a means to not only restore public confidence in the ruling Communist Party, but also to root out threats to Xi’s political dominance.

Already, Xi has removed Bo Xilai, a former Politburo member, after imprisoning him for life on corruption charges. In early December, authorities arrested Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Politburo’s powerful Standing Committee, on charges ranging from adultery and bribery to leaking state secrets. Both Bo and Zhou were seen as challengers to Xi’s power.

Now, the latest to fall is Ling, Hu’s former right-hand man. Although it is unclear whether Ling, 58, will be put on trial, the [see AIDE cont’d on 13]

Thai trial begins for 2 accused of killing UK pair BANGKOK (AP) — The trial of two Myanmar migrant workers accused of killing two British tourists on a popular resort island in southern Thailand began Friday, in a case seen as a test of Thailand’s justice system.

The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found Sept.

15 on a beach on the island of Koh Tao. Autopsies showed both had suffered severe head wounds and that Witheridge had been raped.

The trial is being held on the nearby island of Koh Samui, with prosecutors and [see TRIAL cont’d on 13]

NK uses racial slur on Obama over hack

By Hyung-Jin Kim Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea blamed its recent Internet outage on the United States on Saturday and hurled racially charged insults at President Barack Obama over the hacking row involving the movie “The Interview.’’

North Korea’s powerful National Defense Commission, which is headed by country leader Kim Jong Un and is the nation’s top governing body, said Obama was behind the release of the comedy that depicts Kim’s assassination. The commission described the movie as illegal, dishonest, [see NK cont’d on 14]

Assunta Ng

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Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com Layout Editor/Webmaster info@nwasianweekly.com

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article.

Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission.

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asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR Thru SUN 1/4

preservation/historic_districts.htm

What: Seattle Sheraton Gingerbread House exhibition Where: Sheraton Hotel, 100 6th Ave. When: Present-Jan 4 Cost: Free

FRI 1/15 What: Rise and fall of an American journalist in Asia with Mahlon David Meyer Where: Han’s Garden, 3020 78th Avenue Southeast, Mercer Island When: 11:30 a.m.-1:30p.m.

Info: luncheon@seattlechinesechamber.org, 206-5520818

THU 1/15 WHAT: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Paramount Theatre WHEN: Thursday, January 15, 2015; Noon – 1 p.m.

WHERE: Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, Seattle INFO: 206-263-2444

FRI 2/6 What: Women of Color Empowered luncheon and networking event, “Women in Male-Dominated Careers” Where: China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave., Seattle When: Friday, February 6, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Info: 206-223-0623

2ND & 4TH TUES OF MONTH WHAT: International District Special Review Board meeting WHERE: Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 4:30 p.m.

INFO: 206-684-0226 www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/

EVERY TUE WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment Program Orientation WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 3–4:30 p.m.

INFO: 206-695-7527, employmentprogram@acrs.org, acrs.org/services/employmentandtraining

EVERY WED WHAT: Seattle University School of Law Citizenship Project WHERE: Yesler Community Center Computer Lab, 917 E. Yesler Way, Seattle WHEN: 5–6:30 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: 206-386-1245

EVERY TUE, WED & THU WHAT: After School tutoring for Vietnamese students 6-14, conversational ESL classes, and computer classes.

WHERE: Helping Link, 1032 S. Jackson St. #C, Seattle WHEN: 3-6 p.m.

INFO: 206-568-5160, helpinglinkadmin@gmail.com

Lunar New Year’s Children’s Parade Celebrating the Year of the Sheep

Children from one month to 12-yearsold are invited to participate in the Lunar New Year’s Parade, part of the Chinatown International District Business Association Lunar New Year festival, February 21, Saturday, 1 p.m.

The parade will start at So. King St. There will be a costume contest—

EVERY THU

contestants should have costumes that

WHAT: The Rotary Club of Seattle International District meets WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

WHAT: Japanese Conversation Club WHERE: JCCCW, 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle INFO: 206-568-7114, admin@jcccw.org

represent the Year of the Sheep. There will also be free treats for all in sheep costumes at the Northwest Asian Weekly booth.

Have an event to promote?

Please send us the details at least 14 days in advance to info@nwasianweekly.com.

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ Sports

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

7

Top 10 API Athletes of 2014 NWAW’s end-of-the-year round-up

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

It was another stellar year for API sports.

It started off with Doug Baldwin and the Seattle Seahawks bringing home the team’s first ever Super Bowl and a parade that seemingly the whole city of Seattle came to see.

The Winter Olympics were a bit of a disappointment for Asian Americans. Mirai Nagusa was denied making the U.S. women’s figure skating team despite making the top three.

J.R. Celski earned a Silver medal in the men’s Short Track 5000-meter relay but failed to medal in any of the three individual events he competed in.

Julie Chu, the first Asian American woman to play for the U.S. women’s ice hockey team ended her career with a Silver medal for the U.S. team. However, her quest for Gold was thwarted just three minutes before the end of the Gold Medal Game against Canada. With the U.S. up 2-0, Canada made a furious comeback and scored two goals in three minutes to send the game into overtime where Team Canada scored another goal for the Gold. Chu played in an unprecedented four Olympics and was the U.S. Olympic team’s Flag Bearer for the closing ceremonies.

In April, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring and avenged a controversial loss to Tim Bradley by winning a convincing unanimous decision.

The World Cup was held in Brazil in June and the two Asian nations competing, South Korea and Japan, did not fare well. Both were eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

Also in June, Michelle Wie won her first major golf championship with a win at the U.S. Women’s Open. At the same tourna-

ment, 11-year-old Lucy Li became the youngest qualifier in the U.S. Women’s Open.

University of Washington men’s golf team member Cheng-Tsung Pan played in the British Open in July. The UW junior earned the spot by tying for second at a qualifying event in Thailand. This fall, Pan decided to turn pro.

The U.S. Tennis Open featured great runs by 24-year-old Japanese star Kei Nishikori and China’s Peng Shuai.

Nishikori, who was coached by Chinese

American Michael Chang, made it all the way to the men’s final before losing to Milos Raonic.

Shuai made a surprising run to the semifinals where she had to retire (forfeit) due to continued leg cramps.

Absent from the women’s side of the tournament was Li Na who announced her retirement in September.

In October, Apolo Ohno finished the famed Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii.

November saw Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring as he destroyed Chris Al-

gieri. Pacquiao’s next opponent…Floyd Mayweather?

In December, the University of Oregon’s Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy, college football’s biggest individual award.

Mariota becomes the first Asian Pacific Islander to win the trophy.

And without further ado, here are the top 10 API athletes of 2014: [see SPORTS cont’d on 15]

Seattle's 15th Annual

Diversity Employment Day

CAREER FAIR Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Show Hours 11am to 3pm Seattle Center Pavilion

Seattle Center - 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109

Meet with Seattle's Top Employers!

Hundreds of Jobs and Careers! Admission is Free!

Participating Companies Include: AppleOne Employment Services, Bonneville Seattle, Charter College, Comcast, Community Transit, East West Bank, Entercom Seattle, Green River Community College, Highline Public Schools, iHeart Media/Clear Channel, Kiewit, King 5, King County DOT, Mass Mutual Financial Group, Multicare Health System, Open Window School, Pierce College, Prudential Financial, San Jose Police Department, Salem Communications, Sanford-Brown College, Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, Seattle Police Department, Tribune Media/Fox 13, University of Washington, Washington Army National Guard, YMCA and Many More!

FASTTRACK

Pre-Schedule all your interviews! Don't wait in line!

Just select your company and send your resume to fasttrack@citycareerfair.com with SEATTLE in the Subject line.

Please Join Us. Open to the Public. Business Attire & Resumes Required. 18 + Over Employers: It's not too late! ◦ info@citycareerfair.com ◦ www.citycareerfair.com

asianweekly northwest

8

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ On the Shelf

NWAW

remembering family

book picks

New year must-reads

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly Here are these month’s top book recommendations. The theme of these books is new beginnings.

Noodle Magic Written by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, Illustrated by Meilo So Orchard Books, 2014

and her abilities show readers of all ages how believing in someone can affect them and their confidence. Seeing Mei become more sure of herself and her ability to find the magic inside her to make the noodles can inspire youngsters to try something new, even if they are scared.

Although there is no specific country or village named in the book, Thong’s story is told in a style similar to Chinese folk stories, invoking elements of family and community and even including a bit of mythology.

So’s colorful illustrations bring the tale to life. From depictions of various villagers and the Moon Goddess, to the images of Mei and Grandpa Tu in action as they make the noodles and utilize the noodles, the illustrations are lively and fun. Readers young and old will appreciate So’s attention to detail.

The Lotus and the Storm

By Lan Cao Viking, 2014

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During wartime Vietnam, two sisters named Mai and Khanh live a somewhat sheltered life away from the fighting and violence, as their father Minh goes off to work every day as an army commander.

Their mother Quy spends her days con-

SEAFOOD

Each year, on the emperor’s birthday, everyone in Mei’s village prepares something special in their leader’s honor.

For Mei and Grandpa Tu, that means making enough long-life noodles to feed everyone at the celebration. But these noodles aren’t just any noodles. Grandpa Tu’s noodles are magical. In addition to eating the noodles, they can be used to string kites, as jump ropes, and to catch clouds.

Usually, it is Grandpa Tu who makes the noodles, but this year, he has handed the task over to Mei. With her grandfather’s ability being the stuff of legends — impressing even the Moon Goddess — Mei is understandably terrified with what awaits her.

Despite her own doubts, Grandpa Tu shows his full confidence in his granddaughter. This was one of the things I enjoyed the most about “Noodle Magic.” As a child — or at any age, for that matter — trying something new is never easy. And trying to follow in someone’s footsteps can be intimidating. Grandpa Tu’s faith in Mei

ducting the family’s business with the Chinese merchants throughout the streets of ship between Minh and Mai. The fatherCholon.

But as is the way with war, the family’s daughter duo may not have the easiest of times, but it is clear life is disrupted and that they love each changed in a way that other and many of will never leave them In my experience, most the things they do the same again. And books featuring families are for each other.

40 years later, Mai In my experience, and Minh are living focus on parent-child most books featurin a close-knit coming families focus munity among fellow relationships between on parent-child reVietnamese refugees, lationships between many of whom are the father and son or the the father and son still suffering the mother and daughter. I or the mother and after-effects from the daughter. I don’t war, just as they are. don’t come across many come across many While “Lotus” is a stories featuring story about the Vietstories featuring crosscross-gender parentnam War, it is essenchild relationships, tially the story about gender parent-child so reading about a family. Primarily relationships, so reading Minh and Mai was told from the points refreshing. They reof view of Mai and about Minh and Mai was minded me of me Minh, readers see and my father. Our how sometimes love refreshing. family is not very is all you need, but demonstrative when also how sometimes it comes to our emoit is not enough. The story shows how war can bring a family to- tions, but that does not mean the love is not gether, but also how it can tear them apart there. Minh and Mai are the same way. The — whether through death or through mem- two love and care for each other deeply, bers fighting on opposing sides. [see SHELF cont’d on 15] At the heart of the story is the relation-

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

9

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ At the Movies

‘Women Who Flirt’: A rom-com with wit

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

I don’t remember seeing Zhou Xun before this film, and that’s too damn bad. If more romantic comedies had her resilient persona and steadfast sense of humor, moored with her huge, questioning eyes, I’d watch more romantic comedies.

“Women Who Flirt,” directed by Pang Ho-Cheung, manages its triumph over rom-com clichés with wit, pluck, nonstop action, and the leavening of humor. But without Zhou Xun the whole would suffer a large hole, in the middle.

Cliché, or formula if you prefer, dictates that the couple at the film’s center must endure trial and tribulation before finally settling down together for the big finish.

“Women Who Flirt” toys with expectations a bit, since its couple is already together. That is, they’re old friends from college days who settled into working together. Whether they’ll find the love that formula demands, remains an open question.

The flashback sequences to Zhou Xun and male lead Huang Xiaoming in college, seem deeper emotionally than the presentday comedy.

Zhou Xun plays a defiant tomboy who dies her hair white-blonde, pops a backwards baseball cap on top of that, and goes nowhere near dresses or skirts, preferring pants and shirt. Huang Xiaoming, in thick-rimmed glasses, makes an appealingly nerdy hunk. The two spend all of their time together, studying, pranking each other, roaming the city at night, and being each other’s best friend.

Ah yes, the “friend zone.” To find the woman, rather than the man, trapped in it, makes for another theme variation.

Zhou Xun wants her best friend to be more than her best friend, but her tomboying, for this wish at least, went too far. Huang Xiaoming considers her a “dude,” and means that as a compliment—a woman who is enough like a man that she doesn’t register as a woman.

This is the ditch Zhou Xun must crawl out of.

She gets advice from a coterie of woman about her age, maybe a little younger.

They’re all eager to help, but each is convinced that she and she alone holds the secret to landing a man. They’re frantic and giggle-inducing, but sometimes their messages get lost in their nattering.

It doesn’t help that Huang Xiaoming has a girlfriend hanging on his arm—a vacuous, conniving young lady who holds onto her catch because she can. (The competition must be truly spiteful; that’s another rom-com feature.)

Zhou Xun learns as best she can.

She’s learned to wear women’s clothes since college, so that helps a bit. Her new friends advise her on clothes, demeanor, and even furnish advice about sex. She appreciates their help but to her credit, I think, she’s never inwardly relinquished her tough, independent mindset. She wants to do her things her way, and her way does not involve turning dainty, delicate, helpless, or passive-aggressive.

The other ladies see passive-aggressiveness as a valuable tool in their toolbox.

I should say a few words about Huang Xiaoming, who after all has to carry his half of the action. With the nerd glasses on, he seems quite different than without them (his character’s presumably switched to contacts since college), but with the unspooling minutes he shows how he, too, hasn’t changed inwardly—he’s just clammed up about who he really is and

Will she succeed?

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asianweekly northwest

10

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

OPINION

Lessons from 2014

The highs and lows for Chinatown and the Asian American community Was the Year of the Horse that disastrous for the Asian community? Or are there valuable lessons we can draw to prepare for a better year?

outside world can be detrimental to their lives and business. They have to carve out time to network with their peers and learn what they can do together to make their community a better place.

Louisa Hotel

The most recognizable Asian American leader globally is former U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, who is now home.

I had the privilege of listening to many former US Ambassadors to China, I met and spoke with previously, but Gary has my vote. I also attended some events recently, where Gary was the speaker. His crystal-clear voice, humor, concise words and appropriate anecdotes, and brevity, all command the audience’s attention.

The upcoming Asian American rising stars can learn from Gary and use him as a role model. He has conquered several glass ceilings from two-term governor to U.S. Commerce Secretary.

This year, Asian Americans in Washington State have made milestones. Two out of three major television stations have Asian American anchors. Besides KOMO TV anchor Mary Nam, KING TV anchor Lori Matsukawa is now the anchor in prime time since the departure of former anchor Jean Enersen. On the bench, Asian Americans got amazing appointments also, including King County Superior Court Judges Sam Chung, John Chun, and Washington State Supreme Justice Mary Yu. In the corporate world, Microsoft appointed Satya Nadella to be CEO, the Asian community has gained huge stride.

But the sad part is, there are those who couldn’t make it and have numerous obstacles, and we didn’t even hear about it.

We need to support and empower our own leaders so they can reach their potential.

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

If the Louisa Hotel fire had a silver lining, it would be the elimination of the Wah Mee Club inside the building. The Wah Mee Massacre is one of the notorious chapters of Seattle Chinese history, in which 13 people were killed in 1983.

The locked, empty club since then had reminded us of the painful and ugly segments of our community. The part of the building where the club was located is completely destroyed. So it will be gone for good. Hopefully, new energy will be restored and new ventures will be formed after the building’s renovation is done. It’s time for the community to move on.

Rally Asian American leaders

Kshma Sawant after the Mayor’s press conference April 24 (protestors against the minimum wage increase in background)

Kshama Sawant’s act It was fascinating to watch Councilmember KshaKshamama Sawant’s politics. Initially, many members of the Asian community were glad that we had a new addition to the City Council as Sawant is not only Asian, she’s a woman, gutsy, and never afraid to speak her mind.

Political guru Ruth Woo used to complain that the Asian community only had .5 percent representation at the Council because Bruce Harrell, the only Asian American councilman is half Japanese and half African American.

Soon the public has learned that socialist Sawant’s style is not only unconventional, but her trump card is organizing protests.

And she knew how to steal the spotlight from Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle City Council members. Mayor Ed Murray announced a press conference on the $15 wage issue, and then Sawant would schedule one too, after his. So we reporters had to jump from the 7th floor of the mayor’s office to the City Council’s second level to hear her response. Good thing, they were located in the same building.

Frequently, Sawant would lecture her colleagues in public meetings. When Sawant was supposed to ask questions like all council members do, she would prepare long political statements, interrupt City Council committee chairs to show that she is the one in control. How you depict Sawant’s behavior is debatable, politically savvy, rude, or just lack of public grace.

A group supporting the $15 dollar minimum wage announced for Seattle May 1, 2014, outside Seattle Mayor Ed Murray’s office

Too bad, we really need another Asian American voice in the City Council. Unfortunately, she doesn’t represent the Asian community’s interest. She distances herself from the community and vice versa.

Her Asian fans’ original excitement toward her winning the office has now become cold water. Asian Americans realize that it’s important to build alliances with other council members and especially Mayor Ed Murray to get things done. The same should go for Sawant—relationship matters.

$15 minimum wage This issue really split the Asian community, between employers and employees, and among many ethnic groups.

The conflict lies in the fact that many of Vietnamese, Korean, Indian and Chinese immigrants, own labor-intensive business

such as restaurants, grocery stores, motels, and laundry shops. Whereas other Asian ethnic groups such as Filipinos who favor wage increase are mostly employees.

Asian entrepreneurs have struggled seven days a week and under minimum wage themselves to keep their businesses going.

They become entrepreneurs not by choice.

They ignored the $15 increase at the beginning. When they fought back, it was too late.

The defeat of the minority businesses in the wage battle is a wake-up call. Employees and employers have to communicate with each other better.

The $15 issue is a game-changer for many especially ethnic businesses. Just working hard doesn’t solve all problems. The immigrant community needs to be familiar with the political process, and be open to working with diverse groups for their common good. Ignoring what’s happening in the

Amazon is back It’s wonderful Amazon produced “Castle in the High Tower,” a movie in the heart of Chinatown in 2014.

In 2008–2009, Amazon left the ID, moved over 3,000 workers to Lake Union, and caused a big void in our community.

The restaurants’ business just tumbled.

What the ID needs is to bring the mainstream in, to use our resources and appreciate the merits of Chinatown.

We have to educate and re-educate the mainstream constantly that Chinatown is an asset. The ID is a place of history and cultures. [see NG cont’d on 15]

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community?

Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

11

OPINION

■ Commentary

Why I’m refusing to read news from the #Sonyhack

By Jenn Fang SPECIAL TO NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY This is going to be an unpopular opinion: I believe that consuming news obtained through the recent hack of Sony Entertainment is wrong, and I’m refusing to do it.

Late last month, hackers calling themselves “Guardians of Peace” hacked Sony Entertainment servers and threw their findings online, launching the likes of TMZ and Entertainment Weekly into a state of orgasmic glee with a virtual deluge of juicy gossip. Leaked

emails between major Sony executives contain all sorts of salacious details regarding a process both mysterious and seemingly relevant to the everyday American: what goes into the business side of movie-making, and who are the shadowy backroom figures that make these decisions?

Thanks to the hack of Sony Entertainment, we now know that these people are, for the most part, raging superficial a******s.

Sony executive Amy Pacal and actress Angelina Jolie meet at an event last week, the same day that disparaging emails about Jolie

from Pascal were made public.

Here’s the thing, though: we also kind of already knew that.

The documents stolen from Sony Entertainment have provided a ton of confirmatory evidence about a Hollywood frat culture we’ve already had plenty of reason to suspect was the environment wherein most major movie decisions are made. We already knew that the highest level of Hollywood is predominantly White and predominantly male. Chris Rock recently reminded us that Hollywood is an overwhelmingly “White industry“, a message that

is reinforced in his recent pseudoautobiographical film Top Five.

Even as Steve McQueen confesses that 12 Years a Slave could only have been made in American Hollywood, the director also describes the reluctance that major studios had in tackling that subject matter.

I’m disturbed that only now are we paying attention to what these minority filmmakers are saying. It’s as if we are more convinced by Aaron Sorkin’s clearly bullshit declaration that “there are no Asian American movie stars” than we are by the blistering writ-

ing of one of Hollywood’s most successful Black comedic eldermen.

Meanwhile, this week, Aaron Sorkin implored mainstream media to stop contributing to “NSA gate’s” far seedier second cousin.

And, y’know what, guys? He’s right.

The hacked emails released from Sony Entertainment really are of limited newsworthiness.

The most significant disclosure from these emails is that big-budget Hollywood is almost entirely [see SONY cont’d on 12]

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: Transit Passenger Facilities Improvements 2015 – 2016(F) – Work Order, C00952C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date Due: 1:30 p.m., January 20, 2015.

Sealed Bid Location: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: $350,000.

Scope of Work: Work orders issued for construction of improvements at King County Transit Facilities. Sites include, but are not limited to, Transit Bases, Bus Zone and Park and Ride lots located within King County. Work includes clearing; excavation; removal and disposal of existing site materials; placing, finishing and curing of unreinforced and reinforced concrete; paving with Portland cement concrete and/or asphalt concrete; construction of reinforced concrete retaining walls; handrailing; landscaping and other miscellaneous site improvements.

Work may be performed at multiple locations for outstanding construction necessary on the RapidRide corridors and on-going bus zone improvements throughout King County.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $350,000.00 and the initial Contract Time shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $350,000.00 during the duration of this Contract. At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended by change order for one additional year and for an additional amount not to exceed $350,000.00. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County.

Contact Information: Mark Hoge, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9325, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or mark.hoge@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: January 6, 2015, 9:00 a.m. 3rd floor Bidding Room, Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle WA. No site tour.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Pavement sawcutting, asphalt paving.

Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

Small Business Enterprises (SBE) Utilization Requirements. The Contractor shall ensure that at least 5% of the total price for all executed work orders shall be performed by Washington State OMWBE Certified SBE firms over the life of the Contract.

DBE Goal: The County has determined that no DBE goal will be established for this Contract. However, the County will require that the selected Contractor report any actual DBE participation on this Contract to enable the County to accurately monitor DBE program compliance. Please see §00120 for further information.

Applicable Federal Provisions: Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, Federal Labor Provisions and Davis Bacon (Federal) Wage Rates Federal Funding: This contract is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and is subject to the requirements set forth in Grant WA90-X455-02 and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The federal participation is estimated at 80% of the total contract value. In accordance with the requirements of the Grant and with USDOT’s policy on the utilization of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and disadvantaged business enterprises in procurement under assistance programs, the Contractor shall comply with 49 CFR PART 26.

Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

asianweekly northwest

12

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

[OFFICERS cont’d from 4] earlier that day. In online posts shortly before the attack, Brinsley referenced the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, both of whom were black and unarmed, by white police officers.

Police union officials in contentious contract negotiations with the city have faulted de Blasio for showing sympathy to protesters angry over the failure to file charges against the police officers involved in the deaths of Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Garner in the New York borough of Staten Island.

At a hospital after the officers’ slayings, the police union’s president, Patrick Lynch, and others turned their backs on de Blasio.

Lynch said the mayor had “blood on his hands.”

Outside the church, Sgt. Myron Joseph of the suburban New Rochelle Police Department said he and fellow officers turned their backs spontaneously to “support our brothers in the NYPD.” In a statement, de Blasio’s

[SONY cont’d from 11] motivated by a bottom line calculus — one that assumes that White audiences are more numerous than people of colour, and that these White audiences like to see themselves in film as much as people of colour do — and that this, combined with the existing lack of diversity in these Hollywood boardrooms encourages some truly bad behaviour on race and gender.

Aaron Sorkin’s leaked email puts a fine point on the writer’s own diversity problem, but one that we already had ample reason to suspect existed. Lest we forget, every one of Sorkin’s shows basically centers around a White male patriarch struggling with the White Man’s Burden while decentralizing what few characters of colour are included. In one season of the West Wing, a hate-motivated attempted public lynching of African American staffer, Charlie, inspires a series of complex emotional reactions in all characters — except, Charlie.

Poor Charlie. He was shot at and nobody in the West Wing cared.

In short, if you didn’t already know that Hollywood executives have it backwards on race and gender, you weren’t paying attention. For the most part, the Sony emails are less a compelling demonstration of Hollywood’s diversity problem, and more a voyeuristic opportunity to pillory Hollywood executives we all love to hate.

Don’t get me twisted: I absolutely find Hollywood’s diversity problem troubling. Movie executives deserve to have their feet put to the fire over problematic attitudes on race and gender. Sorkin, for instance, has no excuse for not knowing that Asian American movie stars exist if for no other reason than because he employs one (okay, an Asian Brit) in Dev Patel, who before his turn on The Newsroom shot to stardom with his award-winning lead role in Slumdog Millionaire, as well as a supporting role in The Best Exotic

“He’s one of our brothers, and when this happens, it affects everyone in law enforcement — it absolutely affects everyone.”

— Officer Dustin Lindaman

spokesman said, “The Ramos and Liu families, our police department, and our city are dealing with an unconscionable tragedy.

Our sole focus is unifying this city and honoring the lives of our two police officers.”

The NYPD said through its public relations office that it had no comment.

In his eulogy, de Blasio said hearts citywide were broken after the Dec. 20 shootings.

“All of this city is grieving and grieving for so many reasons,” de Blasio said. “But the most personal is that we’ve lost such a good man, and the family is in such pain.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised

the sea of blue mourners for their professionalism at recent rallies over police conduct when protesters insulted them, and Biden spoke passionately about the effects of the officers’ deaths.

When an assassin’s bullet targeted two officers, it targeted this city and it touched the soul of an entire nation,” the vice president said.

After the funeral, Lynch and de Blasio exchanged nods as they exited the church. Lynch refused to answer reporters’ questions about officers turning their backs.

Weeks before the shooting, Lynch had suggested officers sign a petition requesting that the mayor not attend their funerals were

they die in the line of duty.

Soon after taking office this year, de Blasio dropped the city’s opposition to a judge’s finding that the police department discriminated against minorities with its anti-crime stop-and-frisk tactics.

But since last week’s shootings, de Blasio has stood firmly by police, calling on demonstrators to temporarily halt protests and praising the department after it arrested several men charged with threatening police.

The killings shook the city and put a halt to large-scale local protests criticizing police over the high-profile, in-custody deaths.

When the Ramos family arrived at church Saturday, the elder

Marigold Hotel.

Really, Aaron? There are NO Asian American movie actors you can think of? None?

But, I’m deeply troubled by what it says about us if in our enthusiasm to castigate the archaic mentalities of writers and producers like Sorkin, we eagerly consume the salacious details of the Sony hack without a mind to the larger issues that are involved with excusing what this attack really was: cyberterrorism with the intention of limiting artistic free speech.

The Guardians of Peace hacker group took issue with the film’s premise involving an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. I think the The Interview is terribly racist in both its conception and its execution. That being said, I don’t think Sony executives should have considered pulling The Interview because they were terrorized into the decision.

Hollywood has had a long history of using film for political criticism of governments both foreign and domestic; we should protect that freedom of filmmakers to use their art to make us uncomfortable. If today we give a pass to a North Korean hacking collective when they seek to silence a shitty movie like The Interview because it embarrasses an unlikable North Korean leader, what happens when tomorrow they decide that Steve Yeun’s upcoming Aquariums of Pyongyang — based on a book that is heavily critical of the North Korean government — is just as problematic?

Another major issue with the Sony hack is our culture’s growing entitlement to the private lives of the ostensibly famous. I believe that the public has a right to explore documents released by whistle-blowers like Edward Snowden, because not only do they pertain to the abusive and illegal machinations of the federal government, but they also contain information of critical importance for holding our elected officials accountable. But the Sony execu-

tives are members of a private organization, and their emails were neither voluntarily distributed nor obtained through the actions of a moral whistle-blower. These private exchanges were stolen by a third party for the purposes of both doxxing and terrorizing the emails’ senders.

Jennifer Lawrence was targeted in a cellphone hack that resulted in leaked nude selfies.

When Jennifer Lawrence’s cellphone images were hacked and nude selfies were spread around the internet, feminists and progressives were rightfully outraged. Not only was this a clear violation of Lawrence’s body and sexuality, but also of her privacy.

Voyeurs reasoned that once the photos of Lawrence made their way online, their complicity in the hacking crime was mitigated by their own salacious curiousity; countless feminists have discussed the problem with this assertion. There is little distinction between that rationale, and the rationale of those who are reading about the banal drama between Amy Pascal and Angelina Jolie just to satisfy their own tabloidlike interest.

As Caitlin Dewey points out for The Washington Post, there is, of course, light years of difference in “degrees of wrong” when it comes to leaking a nude selfie versus releasing bunches of emails that mostly contain little more than schoolyard name-calling. But even Dewey notes the troubling moral relativism that comes with on the one hand expressing outrage over “The Fappening” (a shitty name if ever there was one), while on the other hand defending the hacks of Sony executives, simply because here the targets are “richer” and more “powerful” than J-Law (who, by the way, is pretty rich and powerful in her own right). Dewey doesn’t find that moral relativism particularly disturbing; I do.

We already know Hollywood has a diversity problem. The Sony hack has only confirmed that these executives are as shitty in private

as they are in public. If we are going to learn anything from the Sony hack, I think it should not be that we can selectively condone these kinds of criminal breaches simply because we dislike their targets; instead, we should condemn these attacks and any other extralegal mechanism for arriving at the goal of changing the business of Hollywood. We should want Hollywood to diversify, but we should arrive at that end-result by winning the argument, not by condoning cyber-terrorism.

Further, our take-home message from the emails that have already been publicized must be that the solution to diversifying Hollywood should not lie in the hands of people like Aaron Sorkin or Amy Pascal. These are not the kinds of people we should want telling stories of women and people of color. No amount of lobbying Sorkin is going to fundamentally change his outlook on minority actors, and make him suddenly, magically progressive on the subject.

I don’t want Aaron Sorkin to have his arm twisted into thinking about diverse casting. I want Justin Lin to be more empowered than Aaron Sorkin to make casting decisions.

Hollywood is a “White industry”. Measuring our gains by the casting of a Black Human Torch — or the lack of diverse casting in Girls or Exodus: Gods and Kings — doesn’t fundamentally change that problem. Instead, if we are going to pay attention to information from the Sony hack, we should only do so insofar as it offers further evidence that our advocacy for token casting choices isn’t radical enough. It only seeks a handout from White producers and directors who already have shitty outlooks on race. Instead, we need to focus our support on independent films like Top Five, Best Man Holiday, Fruitvale Station, 12 Years a Slave, Pariah, The Namesake, and Better Luck Tomorrow among a host of other minority-conceived and -produced projects; and perhaps even on

son — wearing his father’s NYPD jacket — was hugged by a police officer.

Ramos, a 40-year-old married father of two, was studying to become a pastor and kept Bible study books in his locker, his commanding officer said.

Police Commissioner William Bratton said Ramos had been made honorary chaplain of the police precinct where he had worked.

Bratton said in his eulogy that Ramos and Liu would be “partners for all time.”

Officer Dustin Lindaman of the Waterloo Police Department flew from Iowa to attend the funeral.

“He’s one of our brothers, and when this happens, it affects everyone in law enforcement — it absolutely affects everyone,” he said.

Ramos and Liu were the first officers to die in the line of duty in New York since 2011. Funeral plans for Liu haven’t yet been announced.

They have both been posthumously promoted to first-grade detective. ■

minority-conceived sitcoms like Black-ish and Fresh Off The Boat (which just announced a spring premiere date).

The solution to Hollywood’s diversity problem won’t be to change Aaron Sorkin’s mind. It will be to disempower people like Aaron Sorkin, and to instead elevate our own, better, minority writer who — unlike Aaron Sorkin — doesn’t need any convincing that diverse stories matter.

A message purportedly from the “Guardians of Peace” hacker collective that took down Sony is now issuing a warning to moviegoers planning to watch “The Interview”. Reports the New York Post: “Warning. We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places ‘The Interview’ be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to,” a note allegedly written by the “Guardians of Peace” read.

“Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made.

The world will be full of fear.

Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time...

Since the hackers are operating anonymously, this message is pretty much unverifiable as originating from the same group. This hack was an act of cyberterrorism designed to limit free speech by silencing a racist movie. We need to focus our attention less on the drama of these emails, and more on asking ourselves whether we accept how these emails came to be available to us. Again, if we think “Guardians of Peace” thinks The Interview is an awful movie, what do you think they will think about Aquariums of Pyongyang, a necessary film that deserves to be made? ■ Jenn Fang runs the website Reappropriate.co (not.com) where you can read her full commentary.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

13

For the week of January 3–January 9, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — A rapidly developing situation needs your prompt attention. No need to worry too much, for it will subside as quickly as it arose.

Dragon — Have you walked into a thorny mess without realizing it? Assess your nearest exit and get out fast.

Monkey — Take a moment to voice your appreciation for a job well done. It will in turn inspire more than you realize.

Ox — Pretty things don’t necessarily equate to sturdiness. Packaging can be deceiving, so go for quality over looks.

Snake — You are missed more than you realize. If you have time for a visit, then by all means try to work it into your schedule.

Rooster — What seems to be ever-present now could be a distant memory not too long from now.

Remember that change is inevitable.

Tiger — Going toe to toe over an inconsequential issue isn’t a good use of your energy. Save your strength for something that really matters.

Horse — Confused by the reaction of friend that you thought you understood? There is probably a piece of information that you are missing.

Dog — We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

There are many things you do well, but there are areas you could use more practice.

Rabbit — As new distractions come along, it can be difficult to maintain your focus. Try to finish what you have already started.

Goat — Your persistence may not be having the desired effect. Instead of coming on too strong, perhaps a lighter approach would work better.

Pig — Are you searching for something interesting to do? You won’t have to look for long as there are many activities that can be undertaken at home.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

[NFL cont’d from 4] they can throw the football.

Ware credits the moves he’s learned and refined under the tutelage of Valentin Espiricueta, owner and operator of AppliedMMA in Dallas, for helping him amass 127 sacks over his decade in the NFL. “If I didn’t learn martial arts, I’d be just a basic dip-and-rip guy just trying to go around the corner,” Ware said.

Instead, Espiricueta’s star pupil and eight-time Pro Bowler uses swift swipes and whirlwind motions to set up and ultimately vanquish pass protectors. Like a fighter getting the best of his opponent in the octagon.

Sparring or grappling with technical fighters and their trainers teaches NFL players to swat away and otherwise avoid punches from offensive linemen. It also aids their cardiovascular training, tenacity, and acumen.

“What we’re doing, at least in the grappling aspect of our sport, is we’re manipulating another man’s body, putting it where we

[TRIAL cont’d from 5] defense lawyers submitting their plans for evidence and witnesses Friday in the case against Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin, both 21.

The men say they’re innocent of rape and murder charges, and that police tortured them to force confessions that they later recanted.

Relatives of the defendants were in court for the all-day hearing, at which the two accused again asserted their innocence.

The judge set July 8 for the trial to resume with testimony from prosecution witnesses, rejecting a defense plea to delay proceeding until they could further evaluate evidence.

Concern that the men were tortured by police arose in part because migrant workers are often abused and mistreated without the safeguards of rights held by Thai citizens. But the allegations also caught the attention of the British govern-

want it, whether that’s putting it on the ground or moving it to the left or right or off-balance,” said Matt “The Immortal” Brown, a 33-year-old welterweight UFC fighter from Columbus, Ohio.

“So, to learn how to control another man’s body is surely going to be an important skill for them.

Anytime it’s one-on-one, man against man, there’s going to be some correlation.”

Packers pass rusher Datone Jones said MMA training helps his “hand-eye coordination, balance, body control, and just being able to strike, being able to endure more.” The ancillary benefit, he said, is greater flexibility, “so it’s working on more areas so you get stronger, flexible, faster, looser.”

Vikings pass rusher Brian Robison said mastering MMA techniques and transferring them to the football field “allow you to rush the passer a little bit easier.”

Ware was introduced to the martial arts aspect of pass rushing

by Greg Ellis, a defensive end in the NFL from 1998 to 2009. Ellis learned of Espiricueta’s training methods from Randy White,

ment, which expressed its concern through diplomatic channels.

About 2.5 million people from Myanmar work in Thailand. Most of them work as domestic servants or in low-skilled manual labor industries like construction, fisheries, or the garment sector.

Investigating police officers faced a variety of criticisms, starting with their failure to secure the crime scene and releasing several names and pictures of suspects who turned out to be innocent. After Britain’s Foreign Office expressed concern to Thai authorities about the way the investigation was conducted, British police were allowed to observe the case assembled by their Thai counterparts.

The killings tarnished the image of Thailand’s tourism industry, which has been struggling to recover since the army staged a coup and imposed martial law in May. ■

who played for the Cowboys from 1975to 1988.

“Greg Ellis told me, `You’re not going to have this speed forever.

But you can have the quickness.’

So, one thing I learned when I did have a lot of ability, like Von Miller, was I would actually just beat guys from here,” Ware said, tapping his right temple, “instead of beating them just with athleticism.”

Espiricueta combined the Filipino martial art known as Kali with the Bruce Lee style of Kungfu known as Jeet Kune Do, or JKD. Practitioners of JKD believe in smooth, minimal movements and with maximum effects and extreme speed. It is referred to as “the art of fighting without fighting.”

Espiricueta, who studied under Bruce Lee student Dan Inosanto, has worked with numerous NFL players, but said Ware “took it to a different level.”

He developed a training program customized for football players in response to the league’s rule change in 1978 that allowed offensive linemen to open their

[AIDE cont’d from 5] announcement of the investigation all but means the end of his political career, because the top leadership has likely already determined his fate.

Steve Tsang, senior fellow at the University of Nottingham’s China Policy Institute, said Ling’s fall is a clear sign that Hu never gained enough power to protect his associates after he stepped down as party chief in 2012.

“Ling Jihua has been in trouble for two years, but the question was whether Hu Jintao’s protection could keep him out of trouble,” Tsang said. “In the end, not surprisingly, it was not enough.”

Tsang said Xi did not turn his attention to Ling earlier because he needed the support of associates of the Youth League — the party’s youth arm — to topple Zhou. Before becoming China’s president, Hu led the Youth

hands and leave their arms extended, rather than use the hitand-recoil techniques like boxers.

“It was all about the hands and how to get their hands off you,” he said.

That rule change led to a transformation in the trenches as offensive linemen ballooned past 280, 290, and then 300 pounds, overpowering defenders by sheer size. Nowadays, they’re typically 330 pounds and outweigh most defensive ends by 75 pounds and linebackers by 100.

So defenders either have to be fast enough to get around them or quick enough to swat away their hands when they punch.

A dip-and-rip or jab step just doesn’t always do the trick anymore. But with martial arts techniques, “you figure out what’s the best leverage point and he can be 350 pounds and it doesn’t matter, you’re going to beat him,” Ware said.

“The tackles now, they’re so big and they’re pretty quick,” Ware said. “And they use their hands to set you up or they use their arms for leverage because usually their

arms are longer than a pass rusher’s. So, you have to figure out how to defend yourself from that, and with mixed martial arts, you sort of figure out how to set guys up and use certain moves so you dictate what they’re going to do.

“If you do it so many times, eventually, you figure out the timing of when they’re going to punch — because eventually they have to punch.”

And when they do, that’s when Ware will use his martial arts, maybe with something Espiricueta came up with called the “side scissor.” The pass rusher uses both hands to swipe away the punch to his chest and throw the tackle off-balance.

“It’s like a chess match. You’ve got to be patient,” Ware said. “If you beat him just three times and have three sacks in that game, you had a monster game.” ■

League, which became his power base. Ling also hailed from the Youth League.

“It’s a case that was put aside until they didn’t need that support any longer,” Tsang said. “There will be backslash from the Youth League people, but it won’t matter any longer.”

Ling had served as head of the Communist Party’s general office, which gave him influence over key personnel arrangements, a position comparable in U.S. politics to the president’s chief of staff.

He became a household name in 2012 when his son crashed a Ferrari in Beijing during what might have been sex games with two nude or half-dressed women, reports by Hong Kong media said months later. Ling Jihua was accused of covering up the scandal.

In the lead-up to a generational handover in power in 2012, Ling had appeared destined for a seat in the party’s Politburo, a coun-

cil of top leaders, but instead was removed from the top leadership when he was named the head of the United Front Work Department.

Premier Li Keqiang hails from the Youth League base, but his powers as China’s economy chief have been compromised under Xi, said Willy Lam, an expert on Chinese politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Two other prominent members of the Youth League political faction — Vice President Li Yuanchao and Vice Premier Wang Yang — also have seen their powers limited after they failed to make it to the Politburo’s Standing Committee in 2012, Lam said.

“It looks like the entire Youth League faction will be under threat, as Hu Jintao has not been able to do anything about it,” Lam said. “Ling Jihua is the symbol of the Youth League, as he has had close associations with Hu Jintao for more than 10 years.” ■

AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell and Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writer Genaro C. Armas contributed.

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JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

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[NK cont’d from 5] and reactionary.

“Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest,’’ an unidentified spokesman at the commission’s Policy Department said in a statement carried by the country’s official Korean Central News Agency.

The White House’s National Security Council declined to comment Saturday.

North Korea has denied involvement in a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures, but has expressed fury over the comedy. Sony Pictures initially called off the release of the film, citing threats of terror attacks against U.S. movie theaters. Obama criticized Sony’s decision, and the movie opened this past week.

It wasn’t the first time North Korea has used crude insults against Obama and other top U.S. and South Korean officials. Earlier this year, North Korea called U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry a wolf with a “hideous’’ lantern jaw and South Korean President Park Geun-hye a prostitute. In May, the North’s official news agency published a dispatch saying Obama has the “shape of a monkey.’’

A State Department spokeswoman at the time called the North Korean dispatch “offensive and ridiculous and absurd.’’

In the latest incident, the North Korean defense commission also blamed Washington for intermittent outages of North Korean websites this past week. The outages happened after Obama blamed the Sony hack on

[MOVIE cont’d from 9] stopped thinking about what he really wants.

Zhou Xun will have to claw him open, like an oyster.

Will she succeed? I’ll only give you one hint; the Hollywood film “Ghost” figures in the finale. For once, when it comes to romantic comedy, I can advise you to go and see for yourself. ■

North Korea and promised to respond “in a place and time and manner that we choose.’’

The U.S. government has declined to say whether it was behind the Internet shutdown in North Korea.

According to the North Korean commission’s spokesman, “the U.S., a big country, started disturbing the Internet operation of major media of the DPRK, not knowing shame like children playing tag.’’ DPRK refers to the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The commission said the movie was the result of a hostile U.S. policy toward North Korea, and threatened the United States with unspecified consequences.

North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The rivals also are locked in an international standoff over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and its alleged human rights abuses.

A United Nations commission accuses North Korea of a wide array of crimes against humanity, including murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, and rape.

The U.S. stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against North Korean aggression. ■ Associated Press writer Josh Lederman in Honolulu contributed to this story.

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but rather than telling each other that, they choose to show it through their actions.

The Valley of Amazement

By Amy Tan HarperCollins Publishers, 2013

In 1912 in Shanghai, Violet Minturn is the privileged daughter of the American madam of one of the city’s most exclusive courtesan houses. Half American, half Chinese, Violet is not sure where she fits in, growing up in China. Her confusion increases when the Ching dynasty is overturned and it is no longer safe for foreigners to be in the country.

Separated from her mother, Violet is forced to become a “virgin courtesan” to survive.

Meanwhile in 1897, in San

Francisco, her mother Lucia, at 16, falls for a Chinese painter and leaves with him to Shanghai.

Once they arrive, she is shocked to learn how traditional her lover is and how she is unable to change him.

“Valley” is told from the points of view of both women at various stages in their lives, showing their strength and resilience as they have to learn to survive during times and circumstances that were not too accommodating to independent women.

Honestly, I was not too impressed with either of the women at the beginning of the story. Violet was a bit of a spoiled brat — overly needy when it came to her mother’s affections and attention.

And Lucia, or Lulu, did not seem like a good parent, often ignoring her daughter in favor of her lovers and business. But as the story progressed, both characters redeemed themselves, as we see more of their struggles and how they overcome them to become the women they’re supposed to be.

This is not an easy task for a writer — to have initially unlikeable characters win over the reader. But Tan does this effortlessly and readers find themselves rooting for Violet and Lulu before they know it happens.

Another thing that Tan does well — and has always done well — is show the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. It is a relationship in which each person feels they are not understood, but in reality, they are more similar than they realize. ■ Samantha Pak can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

[TAIWAN cont’d from 4] of China.

A U.S. congressional advisory panel reported last month that China has about 2,100 combat aircraft and 280 naval ships available for a Taiwan conflict, and more 1,100 short-range ballistic missiles that could incapacitate Taiwan’s air force in the early hours of a conflict. Taiwan has about 410 combat aircraft and 90 naval combat ships.

The center advocates an “asymmetric approach,” with Taiwan using lighter forces to counter, rather than match China’s strengths. While Taiwan increasingly emphasizes such tactics, its military modernization plan still calls for big, conventional acquisitions, the report says.

For a fraction of the cost of building eight large diesel submarines that Taiwan is also planning, it could produce a fleet of 42 “midget submarines” similar in size to craft that North Korea and Iran have, the report says. These submarines could provide warning and targeting data for anti-ship cruise missiles deployed on mobile launchers resembling trucks hauling shipping containers.

To combat Chinese fighter planes, the report proposes “guerrilla” air defense, using hundreds of surface-to-air missiles — a tactic it says proved effective for North Vietnam against the United States during the Vietnam

JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

7. Tim Lincecum

[SPORTS cont’d from 7]

10. Harley Kirsch Kirsch, who is part Korean, was the quarterback for the Eastside Catholic High School team that defeated the vaunted Bellevue High School football team to win the Washington state class 3A football championship. Located in Sammamish, Washington, the school ended Bellevue’s 67 game winning streak. Kirsch is only a junior and will return next season to lead Eastside Catholic.

9. Amelia Andrilenas

6. Chloe Kim

The junior gymnast at Juanita High School qualified for the state meet and placed first, second, and fourth in all-around meets during the 2013-2014 season.

For the outsider, the most astonishing thing about the 4’11” gymnast is that she has only one hand. Andrilenas, who was adopted from China, took up gymnastics at an early age and has excelled since.

8. Jeremy Lin Lin was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason to complement Kobe Bryant. So far, Lin has not done much to help Kobe. He’s averaging just 10 points for the currently 9 win and 22 loss Lakers. He did score a season high 21 points in the Lakers’ first win. While he is farremoved from the days of New York and Linsanity, he still is a contributing member of the Lakers who hope to rebuild.

The center advocates an “asymmetric approach,” with Taiwan using lighter forces to counter, rather than match China’s strengths.

War. And if Chinese forces make it on land, guerrilla tactics to harass the occupying forces would slow their advance toward Taipei.

It says cyberwar against Chinese battle networks would also be one of Taiwan’s viable deterrents and “cost-imposing strategies.”

The report’s authors say asymmetric approaches toward defense would reduce Taiwanese dependence on U.S. armaments, and should also appeal to other neighbors concerned over China’s military buildup.

Nations like Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia “have territorial disputes with China and face many of the same challenges responding to the rapid Chinese military modernization looming over Taiwan,” the report says. ■

It seems that every other year Lincecum and his San Francisco Giants seem to win a World Series. The Giants won baseball’s World Series this year making it three times in the past five years that the team has won the title.

Lincecum, who is a Washington native and part Filipino, pitched his second-career no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in June. He also picked up his 100th career win this past September. Although Lincecum played sparingly in the World Series, he picks up his third ring.

At only 14, Kim was too young to compete in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics but the snowboarder did earn silver in the “superpipe” at this year’s Winter X Games.

Look for the Korean American to make the next team in the 2018 Winter Olympics which are in her parents’ home country of South Korea.

5. Julie Chu A pioneer in the field of women’s hockey as Chu was the first Asian American to be on the women’s team and the first to play in four Olympics. She also starred in a commercial with her mother shown during the Winter Olympics.

4. Mirai Nagusa The 21-year-old Los Angeles native was denied a spot on the 2014 Winter Olympics women’s figure skating team despite winning the Bronze medal at the U.S. Championships. Usually, the top

15

three are awarded spots on the Olympic team. However, the U.S. Figure Skating committee determined that Ashley Wagner, the fourth place finisher make the team based on Wagner’s stronger international record. Although it was reported that Nagusa would appeal the decision, she later decided not to pursue it.

3. Apolo Ohno The Olympic medalist is keeping busy in retirement. Last year he ran the New York Marathon.

This year, he has completed one of the most grueling events out there, the Kona Ironman Triathlon. Ohno finished in 9 hours, 52 minutes and 27 seconds. What will he do next?

2. Marcus Mariota The Oregon Duck won the Heisman Trophy in December and leads his team into the first College Football Playoff. Mariota is certain to be a top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

1. Doug Baldwin It’s pretty easy to pick Baldwin as he was a key part of the Seahawks run to the Super Bowl last year and remains one of Russell Wilson’s most valuable receivers. Hopefully, we’ll see Baldwin (and the rest of the Seahawks) with another Super Bowl ring in 2015. ■ Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

[NG cont’d from 10] The CID Business Improvement Association conducted a marketing study during the summer and found that the ID needs to attract more specialty retailers and companies to move into the area.

You can all contribute by bringing friends to patronize the businesses. You can blog more about ID restaurants and resources, and introduce them to outsiders.

A new era for restaurants

Photo cred?

[SHELF cont’d from 8]

Christopher Douglas at Uwajimaya’s Greek yogurt stand

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Little Sheep hot pot

A new group of restaurants have opened in Chinatown. Both Chinese and Taiwanese have invested hot pot-style restaurants in the I.D. Hot pot means boil-

ing soup in a pot for customers to cook their own meats and veggies.

Since the biggest restaurant Ocean City closed a month ago, China’s Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot has leased its two-floor building with over $2 million remodeling, and made into the largest hot pot restaurant in N. America.

The move has demonstrated that the old school of management for traditional American-style Chinese food restaurants, the mom and pop model, would be hard to sustain in this competitive market. In 2014, the ID added two new Korean restaurants. Both are popular. Uwajimaya is even more

creative---by taking out spaces from their not-busy gift section, and transforming it into an attractive Greek yogurt booth.

The lesson for Asian restaurants is that, the same old pattern doesn’t work. Cooking a good meal is not enough. Restaurants need to offer new options, change constantly, adapt, improve, and develop flexibility. If you only hope for the best, nothing happens.

Remember, many successful entrepreneurs will tell you: hope is not a strategy. ■ Assunta Ng can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 3 – JANUARY 9, 2015

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