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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

WA preschooler abducted to the Philippines

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Our legal system failed me.”

Elisha Edwin, 40, is living a nightmare.

His only child, 3-year-old Rachel, was taken out of the country to the Philippines by her mother, Katrina Jean Lacdao, for what was supposedly a two-week trip to see Lacdao’s ailing father.

“I waited for an hour [at Sea-Tac Airport on April 5],” said Edwin of the day Rachel and her mother were supposed to return. Then I went to [Lacdao’s] house and waited four more hours.

Lacdao, a native of the Philippines, and Edwin never married, but they had shared custody of Rachel.

When he realized on April 5 that his worst fears had come true, Edwin started investigating.

WEIRD LIVESTREAMS The frontier of Korean mukbang (binge eating broadcast) ...

CATS! » see 4

The layup drill NBA refs biased against Jeremy Lin, and other stories. » see 7

outrageous deals and strange foods Part 2 of Publisher Ng’s blog and the out-of-the-ordinary things she does while traveling. » see 10

Community » 2 Calendar » 6 Sudoku » 6 Astrology » 15

Premeditated?

He went back to Lacdao’s house in Tukwila two days after they were supposed to have returned, and discovered a realtor’s lockbox on the front door, indicating the house was for sale. Further digging revealed the house had been up for sale since February. Edwin believes Lacdao was planning to leave the country, and never return, the whole time. see KIDNAP on 16

Race heats up to fill vacant 7th Congressional District seat

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly Following the announcement this year that Jim McDermott is retiring and vacating his seat for the 7th Congressional District in Washington state, a group of candidates quickly emerged. Two of the candidates, Pramila Jayapal and Dr. Arun Jhaveri, are members of the API community.

Pramila Jayapal

Pramila Jayapal is used to challenges.

She left her native India at the age of 16 to follow a lifelong family dream to attend school in the United States. Her parents used their life savings, about $5,000, according to Jayapal, to send her to Georgetown University in Washington D.C. “I was excited about

Pramila Jayapal

Dr. Arun Jhaveri

coming, but also scared.”

Despite the unknown challenges, Jayapal recalls the excitement of studying in the United States. She had only two suitcases because that was what was allowed on the airlines. Her roommate had her whole family to send her off to college, whereas Jayapal was

by herself, moving into the dormitories.

Jayapal reminisced about seeing snow for the first time at Georgetown. She also recalled a lot of explaining about where she came from. During her sophomore year, she made a big decision in going against the wishes of her father and choosing to major in English literature, rather than economics.

According to Jayapal, the three accepted vocations by her family were law, medicine, or working in business. A liberal arts degree was not viewed as a path to one of those three fields. Jayapal used her only phone call that school year to break the news to her father.

As she recalled, she held the phone away from her ear due to her father’s displeasure that she was not following the plan. However, Jayapal see CONGRESS RACE on 12

Sheila Edwards Lange

Seattle Central names new president

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly Sheila Edwards Lange has been named the permanent president of Seattle Central College (SCC). She has served as interim president since last August.

“Dr. Edwards Lange has all of the qualities we have been looking for in a new president. She has great experience, and it’s clear that she cares deeply about the success of Seattle Central’s see LANGE on 15

Gregg Hirakawa selected for West District Court

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly

Gregg Hirakawa

■

The Metropolitan King County Council appointed Gregg Hirakawa on May 9, to help fill two vacancies in the King County District Court West Division (Seattle).

Gregg Hirakawa is a graduate of the Seattle University Law School who has served as a Judge Pro Tem. He was also communications director for the Seattle Department of

Transportation and a King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.

“I am extremely honored to have been selected for the position, and look forward to serving all the people of King County,” said Hirakawa.

Along with Hirakawa, Laurel Gibson was tapped to fill the vacancy in the Southwest Division (Burien) and Lisa Paglisotti will help Hirakawa in the West Division (Seattle).

“We take our responsibility to appoint well-qualified judges very seriously,” said

Councilmember Kathy Lambert, chair of the Council’s Committee of the Whole. “I’m confident that our choices will serve the people of King County well and that we have chosen those most qualified.”

All of the candidates were rated and referred to the Council by the King County Bar Association (KCBA). Each of them received a rating of “Exceptionally Well Qualified” from see HIRAKAWA on 14

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34 YEARS

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

■ names in the news Rachel Solemsaas, formerly of Seattle, has been officially tapped for the Hawaii Community College chancellor post.

She is replacing outgoing interim chancellor Joni Onishi and is slated to start July 1.

Solemsaas boasts a long history in community college finance administration. She’s worked the past four years as vice president Rachel Solemsaas for finance and administrative services at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nev., and previously in leadership positions at multiple Seattle-area community colleges.

Solemsaas earned her bachelor’s degree from Washington State University and her master’s from the University of Washington. 

Essay contest winners

winner. His submission, “Japan Can Halt the Threat of SinoUS (Cold) War,” discussed the implications of the current trend towards U.S. isolationism and shrinking military presence in Asia.

Elissa Lee, an undergraduate student, was chosen as runner-up. Her submission, “Assessing the U.S.-Japan Alliance: Can Japan Do More?” discussed the need for stronger Japanese militarism in today’s shifting status quo.

Williams got two round-trip ANA tickets from Seattle to Tokyo.

Lee got an ANA gift bag. 

Robert Mak joins KOMO 4 One of Seattle’s best-known political reporters, Robert Mak, has joined KOMO-TV. He works part-time on special assignments.

Mak covered Donald Trump’s visit to Washington state on May 7.

He’s most known as the host of the public-affairs program, “KING 5 News Up Front.”

Robert Mak Mak resigned in 2013 when the show was canceled, then was hired on as Greg Nickels’ communications director when Nickels was Seattle’s mayor.

Mak has won 10 regional Emmy awards for investigative reporting and news programs. 

Reception for new CEO at SIHB

From left, Elissa Lee, ANA Representative Spenser Spencer, Alan Williams, ANA Representative Ami Larsen, and JASSW Programs Assistant Elizabeth Lee at the Award Ceremony at the JASSW Office in Mercer Island.

Two University of Washington students won a recent essay contest held by the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington, which was sponsored by All Nippon Airways.

Alan Williams, an English & Cultural Studies graduate student at the University of Washington, was selected as the

A reception was held on April 28 to introduce the new CEO of the Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) to the local community.

Esther Lucero was previously the Director of Programs and Strategic Development at the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health in San Francisco.

Soon to receive her MA in Public Policy from Mills College, she brings to the SIHB her training and experience in public policy coupled with her robust experience in state and national level health policy work, including extensive knowledge of federally qualified health centers and urban Indian health issues.

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

HCC taps Rachel Solemsaas for chancellor

From left: Chris Stearns, Hyeok Kim, Esther Lucero, Debora Juarez, and Sharyne Shiu Thornton.

Luceo replaced the SIHB’s longtime executive director, Ralph Forquera, who retired. 

CISC raises $100,000 The Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) raised $100,000 at its 44th Annual Friendship Dinner & Auction on May 7. Two hundred people attended the event.

CISC has four office locations, including one in the International District. It creates opportunities From left: Dorothy Wong, Executive director for Asians and other and Mary Hsu, President. immigrants and their families to succeed by helping them make the transition to a new life, while keeping later generations in touch with their rich heritage.

They help individuals and their families overcome barriers, access information and resources, and build skills and experience helping them to live healthy and to thrive in their communities. 

Herb Tsuchiya for winning CACA (Chinese American Citizens Alliance) award on April 30 at the China Harbor restaurant!

— From your beloved family

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

asianweekly

YOUR VOICE

■ community NEWS

Fire at Thai restaurant

The fire was contained to the stove.

Photo credit: Lynnwood Fire

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly A gas line broke at Talay Thai Restaurant in Lynnwood on May 4 — igniting a fire in a commercial kitchen.

The restaurant, on the 4500 block of 200th Street Southwest, where the fire broke out, was occupied

at the time. Everybody got out unharmed.

Eighteen firefighters responded from Lynnwood and Fire District 1 departments. Crews were able to contain the fire to the stove. They allowed the gas to burn until the gas meter was shut off.

Damage is estimated at $1,000. 

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

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Parole visas okayed for families of Filipino WWII vets in U.S. Family members of Filipino World War II veterans can now apply for parole visas and reunite with parents here in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced May 6.

With the exception of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, the number of family-sponsored immigrant visas available by country of origin in any given year is limited by statute. These limits result in long waiting periods before family members may join petitioning U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States and become permanent residents themselves. For some Filipino American families, this wait can exceed 20 years.

The Department of Homeland Security, which will administer this program through the U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), finally issued policy guidelines spelling out in detail who are eligible to apply. DHS will start accepting applications beginning June 8.

Under the policy, certain family members of Filipino World War II veterans may be eligible to receive a discretionary grant of parole to come to the United States before their visa becomes available. In limited cases, certain eligible relatives will be able to seek parole on their own behalf when their Filipino World War II veteran and his or her spouse are both deceased.  For more information about USCIS and its programs, visituscis.gov.

Study: WA has 2 cities in the top 20 most diverse cities in America With May being Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the changing face of America’s population greatly influencing presidential politics, two cities in the state of Washington have been found to be among the most diverse in America.

The personal-finance website, WalletHub, conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Most Diverse Cities in America. It compared the demographic profiles of 313 of the largest cities across four major categories: social class diversity, ethno-racial diversity, economic diversity, and household diversity.

The cities of Renton and Kent are in the top 20.

Here are the rankings of each of them together with the top metrics.

Renton ranks 16th for Diversity: • 6th – Income Diversity • 7th – Racial & Ethnic Diversity • 37th – Language Diversity Kent ranks 18th for Diversity: • 19th – Racial & Ethnic Diversity • 26th – Language Diversity • 29th – Household-Size Diversity Other Washington cities that made it into the top 100: Federal Way at No. 39, Yakima at No. 62, Bellevue at No. 87 and Tacoma at No. 100. Seattle was 149th on the list.  For the full report, visit: wallethub.com/edu/most-diverse-cities/12690.

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

34 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

South Korea’ s latest Canadian man expelled from Nepal online celebrities: over critical tweets Stray cats eating

By Youkyung Lee and Yong Jun Chang Associated Press JANGSEONG, South Korea (AP) — The stars of the latest online trend in South Korea stay out of sight most of the day.

Viewers don’t seem to mind waiting for hours while nothing happens. When the stray cats finally come to eat the food left out for them, people watching online sit

enrapt at their feline charms.

The livestreamed “Cats Meok Bang” show is a twist on an online trend of young South Korean men and women tucking into feasts in real time, while viewers send messages and sometimes virtual cash. In a country where young adults increasingly live and dine alone, the shows have become see STRAY CATS on 13

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Canadian man has left Nepal. Robert Penner was expelled for posting messages on social media that could disturb social harmony, officials said.

“He was not abiding by our laws and was investigated for suspicious activities,” said Home Ministry official Yadav Koirala.

Penner, who has worked for a software company in Nepal for three years, was arrested on May 2. His lawyer had approached the Supreme Court to stay the government’s decision pending an appeal, but his time ran out before the court heard

the case.

Penner had spoken out on a number of controversial issues, including a new constitution adopted last September and the government’s handling of violent ethnic protests.

Members of the Madhesi minority have opposed the constitution, saying it gave them a small state that did not cover their population. Protests by the group left more than 50 people dead and blocked the border with India, creating severe shortages of see PENNER on 14

Trashion fashion

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Fashion Design Contest

$250 and more in prizes THE OBJECTIVE: Design a wearable outfit or garment that incorporates recycled materials and/or NWAW/ Seattle Chinese Post newspapers.

Entries due {July 8} Trashion Show {July 16} TO ENTER, SEND: — Your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.

— Up to to 3 photographs of your design — A brief description of your work

Northwest Asian Weekly Attn: Trash to Treasure 412 Maynard South Seattle, WA 98104 (Multiple entries and all ages welcomed!)

Finalists will be announced in the NWAW’s {July 9} issue. *Finalists must be available to showcase their designs on {July 16} at Chinatown/ International District Dragon Fest to be eligible for prizes.

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Entries can be directed to rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com or mailed to:

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announcement in NWAW/SCP SECOND PLACE: $150 + goodies + certificate + announcement in NWAW/SCP THIRD PLACE: $100 + goodies + certificate + announcement in NWAW/SCP HONORABLE MENTIONS Certificate + announcements in NWAW/SCP *If you need newsprint for your design, please come to the Asian Weekly’s office at 412 Maynard Avenue South to pick up back issues.

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Watch our event from last year at ► bit.ly/23vQmIK

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

YOUR VOICE

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■ national news LA’s Getty museum recreates China’s Cave Temples of Dunhuang

By John Rogers Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — For a thousand years, China’s Cave Temples of Dunhuang were a popular traveler’s rest stop, marketplace and religious shrine on the fabled Silk Road. Now they are coming to Los Angeles, both in spirit and reality.

In an exhibition curators say is unprecedented, three fullscale, hand-painted replica caves have been erected on The Getty Center museum’s hilltop campus overlooking LA. Nearby, in an adjacent gallery, the museum has assembled more than 40 spectacularly preserved and priceless artifacts taken from one of the caves, and in still another gallery visitors can take a 3-D virtual reality tour of an actual cave in China, this one filled with life-size sculptures of the Buddha and his entourage.

“We’re trying to help the public understand what this place is, where it is and why it’s important,” Tim Whalen, director

of the Getty Conservation Institute, said during a recent tour of “Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on the Silk Road.”

“By any standard,” he added, “Dunhuang is one of the most important heritage places in the world.”

Indeed, along with the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, Dunhuang’s more than 450 Mogao Caves, as they are also known, were among the first Chinese sites recognized by the United Nations’ World Heritage Center in the 1980s.

But tucked away on the edge of the Gobi Desert, more than 1,100 miles from Beijing, they are not the easiest place in China to get to today.

That wasn’t the case from the 4th to the 14th centuries, when the Silk Road was teeming with travelers during the millennium when the caves served as a key rest stop, marketplace and shrine. see CAVE TEMPLES on 13

Ex-Army contractor sentenced for lying on security form BOSTON (AP) — A former United States Army contractor has been sentenced for lying on his security clearance form and damaging Army computers.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says 62-year-old Wei Chen, of Westfield, Mass. was sentenced to six months of

home confinement and five years of probation. He must pay an $8,000 fine.

Chen served in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army before immigrating to the U.S. and becoming a citizen in 2006.

Chen applied for a job as a computer system administrator for a Department of Defense contractor in 2010. Chen

falsely claimed on a security clearance questionnaire that he had never served in a foreign country’s military.

Chen in 2013 violated security protocol by connecting his own thumb drives to computers connected to the Army’s networks and then attempting to cover his tracks.  Wei Chen

Photo credit: The White House

Obama urges Asian-Americans to stand up to bigotry

President Obama meeting the crowd at the 22nd annual APAICS Awards Gala.

By Darlene Superville Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on May 4 urged Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to fight bigotry and to press Congress to update U.S. immigration policy.

Obama said America’s tradition is

to welcome newcomers because it was founded by immigrants. He said that tradition also makes difficult to understand why some people are blocking efforts to overhaul U.S. immigration laws.

“We don’t simply welcome new immigrants. We are born of immigrants,” see OBAMA on 12

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

34 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY calendar MAY 14 SEATTLE UNIVERSITY ROTARACT CLUB’S ANNUAL SPRING BANQUET & AUCTION Seattle University 6 p.m. seattleurotaract.weebly.com 2016 ASIAN HALL OF FAME CEREMONY Fairmont Olympic Hotel 6–10 p.m. $200/person asianhalloffame2016.shindigg.com MANAGING FINANCIAL RISK: RMB AND CANADIAN CURRENCY MARKETS East West Bank, 668 S. Lane St., Ste. 101, Seattle 3–5:30 p.m.

RSVP to 425-556-3574, polly.reverman@eastwestbank.com

15 KICK-OFF TO RE-ELECT SENATOR BOB HASEGAWA IAM (Machinists) Union Hall, South Park 2–4 p.m.

RSVP to bobhasegawa2016@gmail. com, 206-322-4804 The Central Academy of Drama and Shanghai Theatre Academy will perform the play “Graduate” in Chinese Central Library, Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium 2–4 p.m.

206-684-0849 Opening party of George Lee’s “City of Faces”, a sculpture of 30 birdhouses Angel Morgan P-Patch in Seattle’s

Brighton neighborhood 3–6 p.m. georgeleestudio.com/city-of-faces

17 JOB & RESOURCE FAIR Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma 6–8 p.m. apcc96.org, 253-383-3900 NOW THROUGH

18

Anne Frank: a history for today Henry and Sandra Friedman Holocaust Center for Humanity, 2045 2nd Ave., Seattle amanda@holocaustcenterseattle.org

19 Screening of EmMy-nominated documentary, “The Delano Manongs,” with director Marissa Aroy Hing Hay Coworks 6:30–9:30 p.m. delanomanongsseattle.eventbrite.com

20 Talk, reception and book signing with author Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche Nalanda West, 3902 Woodland Park Ave. N., Seattle 7–9:30 p.m.

RSVP is required, nalandawest.org

21

27–30

ICHS’S BLOOM GALA, WITH GUEST EMCEE LORI MATSUKAWA FROM KING 5 Westin Seattle Hotel 7 p.m. $150 by April 30, $175 after April 30 ichs.com/bloom, 206-788-3672

Northwest Folklife Festival presented by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Seattle Center $10/person donation requested

SELECTING BONSAI PLANTS Oriental Garden Center, 30650 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way 10 a.m. $15 253-839-1639 Experience Ancient Martial Arts at A Glimpse of China Seattle Center 11 a.m.–6 p.m. chinaartandculture.com Free classical piano concert with Julie Lowe Japanese Baptist Church, 160 Broadway, Seattle 2 p.m.

22

JUNE 4 Taste of Asia, cooking lesson: India Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma 12 p.m. $25 asiapacificculturalcenter.org/tasteofasia

18

50th Anniversary, “Jade Guild” China Harbor Restaurant 12 p.m. $25/person

Guided Tour: Pacific Bonsai Museum Oriental Garden Center, 30650 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way 10 a.m. $15 253-839-1639

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Adriana Moscatelli, founder and CEO of Robiis, share (Her) story: A Journey from Idea to Product Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 6:30–8:30 p.m.

RSVP on CAPEProduct.eventbrite.com capeproject.org

Community meeting on public safety about the Donnie Chin murder investigation and future plans for the IDEC Nagomi Teahouse, 519 6th Ave. S. #200, Seattle 5:30-7:30 p.m.

View the solution on page 14

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YOUR VOICE

■ SPORTS

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

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l l i r D p u y a L The

Pacquiao’s last f ight?

Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. In this edition, we write about the “last” fight for Manny Pacquiao, whether NBA refs respect Jeremy Lin, and Benson Henderson making a big career move.

Pacquiao defeats Bradley for the second time

Manny Pacquiao defeated Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on April 10 by unanimous decision in what was announced as his last match. Pacquiao indicated that he would dedicate his time to running for public office in the Philippines.

Pacquiao knocked down Bradley twice during his fight. He looked much better than his last time out against Floyd Mayweather.

You might recall that Pacquiao was hampered by a shoulder injury and after the showdown with Mayweather, he took an extended amount of time off to recover.

This fight was marred by comments he made about same sex marriages. Pacquiao does not believe them to be right. This likely hurt ticket sales for this fight. Nike dropped

its long-time athlete after the controversial statements. HBO, the network which put on the pay-per-view event, sent a release which disassociated itself from Pacquiao. It was clear that the once, “do-no-wrong” Filipino favorite was a polarizing figure. The fanfare for his final fight was little and he was not promoted as much by HBO. His usual appearances to hype the fight were non-existent.

Still, if you can detach your social views for one night and focus on the boxing, Manny Pacquiao evoked memories of the mid-to-late 2000s at the height of his dominance. Bradley had beaten Pacquiao in their first encounter four years ago in a controversial decision.

Pacquiao gained his revenge in 2014 with a unanimous decision over Bradley. This time around, after a shaky start, Pacquiao knocked down Bradley twice.

Will Pacquiao ever fight again? If that was it, he ended his career at 58 wins, six losses, and two draws. He earned at least $20 million from this fight. Knowing that most boxers usually come back for a curtain call, we might consider his boxing career in a holding pattern. Notably, Floyd Mayweather, who see SPORTS on 13

Lin not getting calls?

■ arts & entertainment

The Filharmonic: Get Up and Go Tour comes to town

Photo by Jordan Abrantes

By Jason J. Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

Henderson retiring?

From left: Niko Del Rey, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, VJ Rosales, Barry Fortgang, and Jules Cruz.

By Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Hang on, Filharmaniacs! The Filharmonic are returning to Western Washington on May 12 to perform at the University of Washington’s Tacoma campus, and on May 13, at South Puget Sound College. The allmale, Filipino American a cappella group is currently wrapping up their “Get Up and Go” tour, and if plans don’t change, their last show will be held here in Washington on May 13.

It’s easy to understand the group’s rising popularity after a recent talk with VJ (Virgil

Joven) Rosales and Trace Gaynor, two of the six members of The Filharmonic. Rosales and Gaynor’s energetic charisma and charm shot through the phone lines, despite the fact that they were driving to California.

The rest of the group, including Joe Caigoy, Barry Fortgang, Jules Cruz, and Niko Del Rey, were unavailable for interviews, as they are constantly on the road doing what they love — performing.

The Filharmonic formed in December 2013 to audition for NBC’s “Sing-Off,” a popular a cappella competition. They made see FILHARMONIC on 15

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34 YEARS

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

NWAW

■ arts & entertainment

America’s love of everything ninja

Today, being a ninja in America means doing anything fantastically well, whether it’s a ninja mom juggling her career and family, or a code ninja developing software programs. Call someone a ninja and it’s usually meant as a compliment.

And thanks to reality TV, we now have

e Photo by Arlen

The ninja warriors were fierce, focused, and fun-driven. Kids between ages 6 and 18 leapt, scampered, swung, climbed, and grappled their way to the finish line on a 130-foot, indoor, inflatable obstacle course.

The youngsters competed in Washington’s first ever Kids Ninja Warrior Challenge held in Renton on April 22 and 23.

Birthday Dreams, a nonprofit organization providing birthday parties for homeless and underprivileged children in the Puget Sound region, hosted the event. About 340 tickets at $30 apiece were sold, and at least 12 homeless children participated, thanks to generous donors. All proceeds went to Birthday Dreams.

Chris Spahn, executive director of Birthday Dreams, was thrilled about hosting the fundraiser. Birthday Dreams provides birthday parties for about 900 youth at 60 homeless shelters located between Tacoma and Everett. When Spahn heard about a fundraiser involving the obstacle course used in Kids Ninja Warrior, she jumped at the chance to host it.

“If there’s one word I’d use, it’s focus,” said Chris Hadlock, creator of Kids Ninja Warrior, about coaching kids to be “ninja warriors.” Hadlock approached Spahn about the fundraiser when he heard about Birthday Dreams, and donated his time coaching the kids, discounted the course, and got busy.

The obstacle course “gives kids an avenue to learn about what real focus is,” said Hadlock. To ace the course, “Kids need to [concentrate] on what’s in front of them, and also on what’s ahead.” Hadlock also created Kids Ninja Warrior to teach kids how to eat healthy, and respect others while having fun on an obstacle course.

“Ninja kids help children see who they really are, and who they’d like to be. There’s a lifelong commitment to train and an ultimate goal. Being a ninja warrior would be the ultimate goal of the self,” Hadlock said in a recent interview. Hadlock began studying American Kenpo 20 years ago, along with jujitsu, kickboxing, and tai chi.

After seeing the Japanese TV show, “Sasuke” (Ninja Warrior), and then the American Ninja Warrior TV show, Hadlock began training on obstacle courses. The evolution of ninjas and obstacle courses makes sense to Hadlock. “The iconic logo of a ninja crouching — they’re quiet, they’re [stealthy], and can move in and out of places without being seen or heard. That takes breathing, control, balance. That’s the connection between a ninja warrior and the original ninja.”

oun/ Kiyomi Dennist

By Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

man prepares Emmie de Guzrope swing. e to ace th

g Renee Chian

“ninja warriors” conquering obstacle courses designed to slay the average person.

“There’s ninja everything, for sure!” agrees Hadlock, as we ticked off blenders, mountain bikes, hot sauce, video games, moms, social media, and an endless array of “ninja” products and services touting their fabulousness.

When asked about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hadlock chuckled, but said he believes they have the values he believes in — focus and respect.

A quick look into how and when Japanese ninja first appealed to Americans finds oft repeated references to Ian Fleming’s 1964 James Bond novel, “You Only Live Twice.”

Apparently, Fleming’s depiction of ninjas as masters of stealth and superior fighting techniques captured America’s imagination. As ninjas evolved in American culture, their mystique grew and they became associated with superhuman abilities.

The elusive ninja

It’s not surprising how much information and misinformation can be found about ninjas because of their covert nature. This deepens the allure and mystique of the invisible, superhuman ninja. There are some interesting artifacts, writings, and weapons displayed in Iga and Koka, Japan, where ninjas originated.

However, not everything is authentic, according to some scholars. Some of these scholars have studied and written about ninjas for decades.

Scholars do agree ninjas were not solely assassins, and there’s no record of actual assassinations by ninjas.

Ninjas were typically cultivated from rural communities to spy on others, and were masters of local terrain and could travel without being seen.

They wore farming clothes to blend in with everyone else. Hardly the dashing, black-clad “invisible” ninja

outfit Americans have known and grown to love.

Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines ninjas as “someone trained in ancient Japanese martial see NINJA on 16

YOUR VOICE

■ at the movies

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

asianweekly northwest

9

M O T N A H OF THE THEATRE P A scene from “Phantom of the Theatre”

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Phantom of the Opera,” a novel by Gaston Leroux, was serialized in France between 1909 and 1910, and published in book form later in 1910. A tale of demented love between a beautiful young singer and a scarred musical genius hiding in the bowels of the Paris Opera House, it’s inspired several film versions, notably the 1925 silent classic starring Lon Chaney Sr., stage adaptations, and at least two musicals, including the world-famous

Andrew Lloyd Webber version that spawned its own film.

“Phantom of the Theatre,” a new Chinese horror film, put several significant twists into the story. The screenplay, by Manfred Wong, Yang Mei Yuan, and Li Jing Ling, opens on a run-down movie theater that sometimes inexplicably “comes to life” when its lights turns on and its doors unlock.

But the movie theater was not always a movie theater.

And as the story rolls along, we learn more of its history. see PHANTOM on 13

asianweekly northwest

10

34 YEARS

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

OPINION

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG OUT OF THE ORDINARY THINGS I DO WHEN I TRAVEL

12

PART 2

(Editor’s note: This is a continuation of Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog post from last week’s issue — the unique things she does while traveling around the world.)

9. Using my trump card

Did you know that hotel room rates and its services are negotiable? Once, we booked a hotel at a certain rate, and later found on its website that its rate dropped two weeks later.

(When the hotel projection for its rooms is wrong, it might reduce their rates.) My husband called the hotel. The clerk said, “You didn’t ask (for the low rate).” That’s outrageous!

So if you don’t ask, you don’t get it! The hotel clerk said he couldn’t voluntarily give us the lower rate.

If you stay in the hotel for more nights, you should ask if it comes with breakfast. Or you should ask if they offer discounts for other services. What’s the best deal you can give me?

Once, we asked if we could upgrade to a room with the best view during check-in. Surprisingly, the hotel gave us the sweeping-view room on the second day, at no extra charge.

8. Outrageous deals

I used to squeeze every dollar from shop owners when I traveled, and felt like I won something. Now that I am older, I prefer bargaining with a win-win attitude.

Several years ago, my husband and I visited Turkey on a cruise. Turkey is famous for its beautiful hand-woven carpets. My friend’s advice was, don’t buy it at the capital, Istanbul. Buy it at Kusadasi, a small coastal town. The carpet in Istanbul cost $6,000 — way over my budget.

At Kusadasi, I spotted a beautiful 8 foot-by-10 foot carpet with a green and brown pattern. The list price was over $2,000. Those remarkable designs in America were rare, then and now.

“Give me a good deal,” I said. The owner knew I was from America because of the cruise. “$1,000,” he said. Actually, it’s still cheaper than buying in America. “$600,” I countered.

“Madam, you have to let me make some money, too,” he said. That sounds reasonable.

I looked at dozens more. I found an elegant gold-colored 7 foot-by-10 foot carpet.

“Ok, $1,200 for both,” I said.

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

7. Everything is negotiable

Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

“(Blue Lagoon tickets) sold out,” a hotel clerk told us when we were in Iceland last year. Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa located in a lava field, is one of the top tourist spots in Iceland.

I learned in life that if I stay home, nothing will happen.

I don’t just give up easily.

The hotel clerk begged us not to go to the Blue Lagoon since there were no tickets left.. We didn’t know that tickets could be sold in advance. It’s about an hour-long drive from the hotel. If we didn’t take the chance, we would have missed seeing one of the 25 wonders of the world.

Most people use money to get what they want during their travels. Mine is my media credential. Sometimes, it works like magic in America. Outside Seattle, no one cares about the Northwest Asian Weekly, a tiny newspaper!

After arriving at the Lagoon, there were long lines of people with tickets, waiting to get in. And there was another line for people without tickets.

My husband showed our credentials at the counter. The Lagoon staff consulted several managers.

After 20 minutes, the staff told us we could go to a different aisle to buy tickets. We were so grateful!

The Lagoon was as beautiful as the guidebooks depicted. I was so glad that I bought a new swimsuit for this occasion, even though I had not swam for 40 years.

10. To eat or not eat strange foods

Several years ago, I was in China, passing by a Chinese barbecue restaurant. Something fishy was hanging on the glass window and I couldn’t food in Cambodia: gooseberry figure it out. It didn’t look Street pickle like duck head, chicken, or roast pig. I realized later that it was a dog’s head. I felt like vomiting. It’s legal to eat dogs and cats in China.

Since then, I decided that I won’t eat anything if it looked suspicious. My advice is to stay away from street foods (no matter how delicious they look) because it’s hard for tourists to know what they really are.

This is the rule I impose on myself. My friends said my discipline is ridiculous. I don’t give in to peer pressure, I just step aside watching others eat.

My son got sick from eating street food in Vietnam. Getting sick while you’re traveling takes all the fun away.

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

We closed the deal. The price included packing and two different suitcases. But the real surprise was that two guys carried the suitcases, and walked us back to our ship. We didn’t even need a taxi.

We travel with only one hand-carry luggage each. Those two suitcases of carpet fit the requirement for each passenger’s check-in at the airport. All of our shipmates who bought carpets had to pay for additional luggage, at $400 each.

the suitcase in Turkey .

11. A “life-saving” box

As evidenced by number 10, any illness during travel can make you miserable. So the last night of my Hawaii trip, I had strep throat due to eating deep-fried and hot spicy foods. I had everything in my medicine box to fight colds, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, headache, stomachache, and more, except the cure for a nasty throat attack. Even after taking in Vitamin C, I felt like someone was punching my throat and I could hardly breathe.

In the middle of the night, I had no choice but to wake my husband up to get me a bottle of salt from the hotel restaurant. I rinsed my mouth with warm salt water. It worked. Salt kills germs. I was then able to sleep.

My friend always googles the types of medicine he needs when visiting foreign countries. It makes sense to consult your doctor, too. Now, my vital box of pills for my trips will include cough drops and throat medicine.

12. Mosques, temples, and churches

My friend is an ardent Catholic. Yet, when we visited a temple in Asia, she prayed and put money in its charity box. see BLOG on 12

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Carpet got packed into

Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

11

OPINION

■ editorial

Unsportsmanlike conduct A land use decision that the Seattle City Council made on May 2 has triggered a slew of hateful rhetoric towards the five female councilmembers who voted against selling off a section of Occidental Avenue.

The vacation would have essentially sold it to investor Chris Hansen for the purposes of building a potential sports arena for an NBA team, and possibly an NHL team.

The Port of Seattle argued that the move would make traffic in the city’s industrial core even worse.

Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez agreed and cast the decisive vote.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who has always opposed vacating Occidental Avenue, thought the vote on May 2 would go 7-2 in favor. Bagshaw knew that she and Lisa Herbold opposed, but council members Gonzalez, Kshama Sawant, and Debora Juarez were undecided.

The remaining three had reportedly become increasingly put off in the days leading up to the vote, by the personal attacks against Bagshaw from male sports fans on social media and certain talk-show hosts.

Once the vote was cast, Gonzalez, Sawant, and Juarez became targets, too.

An attorney, “Jason M. Feldman, Esq.” wrote a threatening email to the five female council members, claiming they “robbed” him of the sports stadium to which he was entitled.

“As women, I understand that you spend a lot of your time trying to please others (mostly on your knees) but I can only hope that you each find ways to quickly and

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw

Councilmember Lisa Herbold

Councilmember Kshama Sawant

painfully end yourselves,” Feldman wrote.

“Each of you should rot in hell for what you took from me.”

The email, titled “Dishonorable Women of the Council,” went on to suggest the council members were “whoring” themselves out to the highest bidder and that they should “do the honorable thing and end yourselves.”

It should come as no surprise that Feldman was already facing a two-and-a-half year suspension from the Washington State Bar Association.

Documents obtained by the Puget Sound Business Journal revealed the bar recommended in September to suspend Feldman from practicing law because of a female client’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her.

Feldman’s email was just one among a barrage of vitriolic and misogynistic insults and threats by sports fans, almost all of them male.

Regardless of your feelings about a potential stadium —

Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez

Councilmember Debora Juarez

this is unacceptable.

What do sexism and threats of violence have to do with basketball? Or with land use or politics?

We stand with Councilmembers Bagshaw, Herbold, Gonzalez, Sawant, and Juarez. And we applaud their courage in voting their conscience.

What seems to have occurred is a coincidence that every male council member voted one way and every female council member voted another. But some rabid sports fans refuse to see it that way.

What if four male council members and one female voted no? It’s unlikely the men would have been subjected to such harsh criticism and name calling. But the woman would have — possibly even more since she was the only one.

It is frightening that in 2016, in Seattle, that so many feel righteous in spewing this kind of hateful rhetoric. 

■ LETTER

Chinatown-International District safety concerns Dear Editor, I am writing in response and in solidarity with the many cosigners of a letter to Mayor Ed Murray in the April 30-May 6 issue of Northwest Asian Weekly. The cosigners urged the mayor to pay attention to a severe public safety and public health issue in the Chinatown ID: that of illegal homeless camps, especially under I-5 on Jackson and Maynard. These have been present for quite sometime now. They are accumulating large piles of garbage. I have seen people relieving themselves in the daytime on the sidewalk. I used to walk along Jackson even at night before the streetcar, and before these campers, but I don’t feel comfortable doing so anymore.

This is bad for the ID as a business community, as a residential community, as a tourist attraction, as a historical community of immigrants, of many different ethnicities and races. It reinforces the stereotype of Chinatown-ID as ‘dirty’ and a skid row community, a voiceless, powerless community where things like this don’t matter because people don’t care or don’t know how to.

After Donnie Chin was murdered, the mayor convened a task force on Dec. 15, 2015.

Furthermore, his deputy mayor is Hyeok Kim, who was the executive director since 2008, of the Interim Community Development Association, a Chinatown International District nonprofit and formerly homeless by her own admission. Where is she in helping to address the current problem?

I am writing to add my voice to those who wrote about this problem. I have already asked Councilmember Kshama Sawant (her aide) to look into this problem and I have been speaking to Liz Kain of Solid Waste, along with the Seattle Department of Transportation.

I call on the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, International District Emergency Center, or the Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area to sign onto this to call for attention by the mayor and the city. Where are other voices, including the chambers of commerce of Chinatown, Little Saigon, and Japantown?

I feel that the city and the mayor, after promising to work with the ID, has by default allowed the neighborhood to become a defacto homeless camp on the public right of way. I do not think this would be allowed in neighborhoods like Leschi, Laurelhurst, or Wallingford.

I am asking the mayor to honor his commitment to the ID, and his deputy mayor to remember her roots in the community and

advocate for them. Step up to the problems and solutions asked for by the co-signers of the letter you published in April/May. Thank you.  Sincerely, — Patty Fong Seattle, WA

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

CONGRESS RACE from 1 let her dad know that she would still get a job in economics, but wanted to major in literature.

After college, Jayapal followed her dad’s wishes by getting a job on Wall Street, where she worked as a financial analyst at Paine Webber dealing with leveraged buyouts. She realized that this work was not for her.

“It’s just as important to do things you don’t want to do and learn from it, as to do what you want to do,” she said. “For me, being on Wall Street told me what I did not want to do.”

After Wall Street, Jayapal went to Chicago to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration at Northwestern University. While she was still unsure about her future, she met a mentor at Northwestern, who taught her how to apply business skills for social good. Instead of heading back to Wall Street or working in the financial sector, she learned about using economic development in depressed neighborhoods. She spent time in Asia working in areas of poverty.

Jayapal became a civil rights activist and served a stint in the nonprofit sector, including founding Hate Free Zone, a resource for immigrant communities after 9/11. In 2015, Jayapal won a seat in the state senate in Olympia, representing the 37th Legislative District.

“I feel like I really understand the issues related to the API community.”

Jayapal cites immigration reform as a near and dear issue that she hopes to address if elected to Congress.

“The family reunification system is completely broken,” Jayapal stated. She noted that it can take 20 to 25 years for families to reunite through the immigration process.

She also notes the need to examine the needs of individual Asian communities.

“Understanding you must desegregate the data,” explained Jayapal. “You can’t just say ‘Asians’ are doing well. We must look carefully as to where to support communities.”

Finally, Jayapal notes the need for more Asians to be involved in the process. “We, as APIs, have so much power and potential, but unfortunately, too few of us are registered and too few of us vote.”

Jayapal suggests a Federal Office of Immigrant Integration within the federal government that would focus on ESL, citizenship, and voting and participation.

If elected, Jayapal would be the first Indian American woman to be elected to Congress.

“It’s very important to me.” She would be the first South Asian American woman. She also notes that she would be one of very few foreignborn people serving in Congress.

“It is a different understanding that we bring,” noted Jayapal of foreign-born politicians.

“The underrepresentation is part and parcel that our communities of color have not had the same opportunities,” said Jayapal.

Jayapal lives with her husband in Seattle.

They have a college-age son attending Wesleyan University. Her step-son lives in Colorado.

For more on Pramila pramilaforcongress.com.

Dr. Arun Jhaveri

Jayapal,

visit

Dr. Arun Jhaveri lives by an old adage from his grandfather. “If you have to do something by tomorrow, do it today. If you have to do something today, do it now. Do not

34 YEARS

procrastinate.”

Jhaveri announced his intent to run for Congress earlier this year. He was the first mayor of Burien when it was incorporated in 1992. He served two terms, spanning from 1992 to 1998. “We started from scratch,” Jhaveri recalled.

In a much bigger campaign, Jhaveri draws on his 40 years of experience in the private sector as a research engineer for Boeing’s 747 airplane program, his work for the U.S. Corps of Engineers, his public service as the mayor of Burien, and his time in academia as a professor.

Jhaveri says all this makes him uniquely qualified for this Congressional seat. “I’m a candidate for all people, including minorities and the people that are disenfranchised.” Jhaveri, who is retired, also supports the sciences. His campaign slogan is “Because Science Belongs in Congress.” Jhaveri holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Washington, a Master’s Degree in Physics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a PhD in Educational Leadership from Seattle University. His doctoral thesis was entitled “Effective Leadership for Sustainable Development in the Public Sector.”

“Science, technology, and innovation should be an integral part of education,” said Jhaveri. He is proposing a new paradigm with the acronym of “ESTEEM,” which stands for Energy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Environment, and Math. “I’m adding energy and environment to the standard STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics educational programs supported by the U.S. Department of Education).”

“I think it’s important that all of our children and grandchildren … learn the interrelationship between science, technology, engineering, and math, along with energy and environment.”

Based on his wealth of experience, Jhaveri is running on a platform that would focus on three prongs: economical, environmental, and social issues. “I’ll be using those as a three-legged stool. I’ll balance all three so that they are all working in parallel with one another.”

Through his career working in senior management, he has utilized the three principles of sustainable development.

Jhaveri became interested in politics when he was a graduate student and saw John F. Kennedy (then a presidential candidate) speak at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

“I was so impressed by this young senator from Massachusetts, speaking so wonderfully about the future of this country,” recalled Jhaveri.

He became an idol and followed Kennedy’s career to the White House. He recalled the day that he heard the news of President Kennedy’s assassination. He was working in his lab at the University of Washington and sobbed when he heard the news.

Originally from India, Jhaveri came to America to obtain his master’s degree. He is married and living in Burien. The couple has lived in the same house for the past 46 years. They have two grown children, a son who is a pediatrician living in Seattle and a daughter who is a University of Washington professor in the School of Education, and two grandchildren.  For more on Dr. arunforcongress.com.

Arun

Jhaveri,

visit

OBAMA from 5 Obama told hundreds attending the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies’ annual awards dinner. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization promotes Asian-American and Pacific Islander participation and representation in politics.

Comprehensive immigration legislation cleared the Senate in 2013, but House leaders did not bring the bill up for a vote. Obama has used his executive authority to shield some immigrants living illegally in the country from deportation, but more than two dozen states, led by Texas, challenged his action in federal court.

The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in the case and a decision is expected by the end of June.

In his remarks, Obama said: “The actions I’ve taken on my own can’t take the place of what we really need, which is Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. ... You have the power to push

Congress to do it.”

He said the AAPI community is the fastest-growing minority group in the U.S., but is also significantly underrepresented at the ballot box.

In a reference to Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, Obama urged the audience to push back against anti-immigrant sentiment, especially from people who stoke such feelings for political gain.

Trump has called for barring Muslims from entering the country, and also has pledged to deport the estimated 11 million people living illegally in the U.S. Obama said that just as the U.S. has moved beyond “No Irish need apply” signs, questioning the loyalty of Catholics, persecuting Chinese immigrants and its treatment of Japanese-Americans and immigrants during World War II, “we are going to move beyond today’s anti-immigrant sentiment, as well.”

“We will live up to our ideals,” said Obama. 

BLOG from 10

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

asianweekly

Inside Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

“Did you convert to be Buddhist?” I asked out of curiosity.

“No, I just want to make sure I’m covered,” she said. What she did was inspiring.

Since 9/11, Muslims have suffered backlash. As educated professionals, we have to recognize there are good, as well as bad, Muslims. We need to realize that ISIS doesn’t represent all the Muslims in this world. When I visited mosques in Morocco, Turkey, and Malaysia, I paid my respects, too.

That’s what traveling is all about, to learn about other cultures and open

your heart and mind to new and different lifestyles and outlooks. Comparing cultures and countries will help you discover insights and understanding, not only about the world, but yourself.

Every time I travel, I realize how lucky I am and I’m so grateful to my son and staff who allow me to have the time off to travel. Thank you readers for allowing me to bring you the world through my eyes and ears.  Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for #C01056C16 Elliott Bridge Reach Scour by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on May 19, 2016. Late bids will not be accepted.

Brief Scope: The Elliott Bridge Reach Scour Structure project consists of a setback bank, biorevetment bank protection, in-water scour structure consisting of a rock deflector made up

of large boulders and a wood structure made up of deep piles and horizontal large logs with rootwads, and a temporary access road. Work to install the project involves excavation, import and placement of rock, piles and biorevetment protection, placement of salvaged and stored on-site large wood with rootwads, and design and installation of a water isolation system to meet water quality requirements outlined in the project permits.

There is a 5% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

Estimated contract price: $411,538.

Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/ procurement_ovr/default.aspx

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

YOUR VOICE STRAY CATS from 4 so popular, some hosts have made small or big fortunes from the virtual cash sent from viewers.

While the stars of those programs seek a rapport with their fans, cat TV has gained viewers despite its uneventfulness.

Some avid fans say they quit watching soap operas, reading online news or playing mobile phone game to watch. One says instead of smoking every time he gets stressed at work, watching the cats restores his peace of mind. While cats have generally fascinated the Internet, a show devoted to watching them eat is unusual. But it has helped change negative images of stray cats in South Korea, which has traditionally seen them as thieves.

“Cats Meok Bang,” a mash-up of the Korean words for broadcasting and eating, began by accident. While visiting his mother-in-law in a mountainous village in southwestern Korea, Koo Eun-je saw a cat outside, wondered how it survived and put out leftover fish for it. The next day, the cat was back so Koo kept feeding him, and the others who followed. Finally, he set up a surveillance camera and livestreamed the scene online.

“We started the channel simply for me and my wife to watch, but other viewers also started watching it,” the 35-yearold who previously worked as a web designer said in an interview near the lake where he goes bass fishing for the cats.

“We guessed that there would be one or two cats, but now it turns out that 17 cats are coming to eat food.”

Four months on, 110,000 South Koreans watched the show

CAVE TEMPLES from 5 “I think we all have romanticized notions about the Silk Road and people moving from the east in China all the way to the Mediterranean,” Whalen said as he and Marcia Reed, the Getty Research Institute’s chief curator, reviewed dozens of paintings, drawings, sculptures, silk tapestries, and handwritten and printed documents in one of the galleries.

“But people were moving back and forth,” he continued. “There are documents here of Jewish prayers and Christian prayers.”

Also displayed are sculptures of European-looking people, a travel document carried by a monk from India and numerous artistic depictions of the Buddha.

Perhaps the most priceless item on display is a scroll of Buddhism’s “Diamond Sutra,” commissioned and dated in 868 by a man named Wang Jie as a gift to his parents. Discovered in one of the caves in 1907, it is believed to be the world’s oldest printed book.

“As you know, in the West we think Guttenberg invents printing, but we should know that in 868 a complete printed book was made in China in woodblock, and that’s the `Diamond Sutra,’” Reed said.

Still, it’s not her favorite piece in the show. She points to “Miraculous Image of Liangzhou,” a stunning, 1,300-year-old silk tapestry, before settling on another 9th century scroll, “The Magic Competition Between Sariputra and Raudraska.”

The latter features a competition of supernatural feats between Buddhists and Brahmins, with printing on one

side describing the events depicted in ink and pigment on the other.

Two of the three Getty caves were built from the ground up for the exhibition by artists who came to Los Angeles from China’s Dunhuang Academy, which collaborated with The Getty’s research and conservation institutes to produce the exhibition. The third cave was moved intact from the academy’s own museum.

Although many items in the actual caves remain intact, the site was largely abandoned after shipping moved from the Silk Road to sea lanes in the 1400s.

It wasn’t until 1900 that they were “rediscovered” by Western explorers, who Whalen said removed about 40,000 treasures from the site’s “Library Cave” after paying the monk still there a small fee. They include the gallery items, which are on loan from museums and libraries in Britain and France.

Although they are for the most part in exquisite condition, they are so fragile that Reed said Getty officials didn’t really believe the institutions would loan them.

As it turned out the museum got almost everything it asked for and the show, five years in the making, became a much bigger deal than first envisioned.

“We were suddenly encouraged to believe we really could do this unification of the caves coming from Dunhuang and the pieces coming together from almost halfway around the world, joining them in a way that they hadn’t been together in more than a century,” she said.

The results will be on display until Sept. 4. 

SPORTS from 7 retired last September is already thinking of returning.

At 37 years old, Pacquiao has contemplated fighting for the Philippines in the Olympics this summer if the rules allow professional fighters to participate. So, while he has “retired,” I would not consider it a real goodbye.

But, if this were to wrap up his career, it was an unfortunate way to end. As a young fighter, Pacquiao was a known partier who enjoyed many things while succeeding in the ring. One would have thought his extracurricular activities would spell his doom. In the end, his controversial comments were his downfall. After finding religion, Pacquiao’s views on the world were shared to the public.

Perhaps, he should have kept them to himself if he wanted to keep his sponsors and broad appeal. While many still adore Pacquiao for what he has accomplished in life and through boxing, it’s been weighed against a close-minded view on the world.

Is Jeremy Lin not getting foul calls because he is Asian?

on a monthly average and more than 10,000 of them have bookmarked the show. Some viewers sent him virtual cash items, which help cover his living expenses and cat food.

Others send food and donations to Koo. As his cat TV got popular, at least one copycat show emerged.

Koo has turned the area outside the family home into what he calls “a restaurant for cats.” Its decorations change regularly. A chalkboard features the day’s menu, and about a dozen cats’ nicknames are written on a piece of paper. A fish bowl and trays of food sits on a pink blanket covering the ground. Everything is at a standstill except a pinwheel spinning in the background and small toys, a rubber duck and sometimes hula dancers, in the foreground. Serene music plays from a speaker. Larger toys like a Hello Kitty doll are in the background, and beyond them are rice and pepper farms and a patch of sky.

Sometimes birds fly by. Other times, Koo’s mother-in-law is seen sweeping outside the house. Once or twice a day, Koo appears onscreen, replenishing the food.

When a cat finally enters the scene, viewers share their excitement, exchange live chats, call out the cat’s name and tell them to eat well.

“They are like unexpected joy suddenly visiting you,” said Park Tae-kyung, a 33-year-old computer graphic designer in Seoul. For the past two months, Park said she played the cat TV all day at work on a computer screen and watched the show before going to bed. When she spotted a cat at work, her colleagues rushed to the screen to stare at it.

During the slow hours after patients leave his office, Yoo

Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin has been the target of hard fouls by others in the NBA, but referees are not calling flagrant fouls, according to a Lin fan. A video made by a Lin fan chronicled the fouls and compared them to flagrant fouls called by referees on other players. The fan, Hsieu-Chen Kuei, a 48-year-old stay-at-home mother from

asianweekly northwest

13

Young Hoon, a 49-year-old physician in Seoul, said he always plays the cat TV on the screen next to the medical chart. The show has replaced his time on Facebook and his day is full of newfound cat-related activities although he still does not plan to adopt one.

“I was never fond of cats before,” he said. “Now when I take a walk after lunch, I go to places where I might run into street cats.”

The only game he plays, he said, is Neko Atsume, the popular mobile game where users collect and feed cats.

Unlike dogs that are considered loyal to their owners, cats do not have a positive image in South Korea. Stray cats are called “thief cats” because they are believed to survive by stealing food from humans. They are unwelcomed creatures who scavenge rubbish. Many of South Korea’s older generations still view cats as a wicked, untrustworthy animal.

But viewers of the cat TV said they began paying attention to those animals roaming around the street with affection.

“I always walked looking straight ahead. But now once in awhile I look down, like beneath a car, to see what kind of cats live near my house,” Park said. “When looked closely, those street cats were full of charms.”

Fortunately, the reactions from Koo’s mostly elderly neighbors were heart-warming.

“They were surprised how devotedly the meals were prepared,” Koo, the host of the cat TV, said. “I wish the show would be remembered as a channel that people can blankly stare the cats eating and rid their stress and worries from life.” 

PHANTOM from 9 A history of grandeur and amazing live performances. And darker, scarier things. Deadly things…

I couldn’t quite pin down the date of the action, but it appears to be in the late 1920s or early 1930s, a time of fancy suits, splendorous dresses, and big, smooth cars. Ruby Lin plays Meng Si Fan, a young up-and-coming actress who’s just won a major award. Gu Wei Bang, played by Tony Yang, is a young film director, freshly returned from France, eager to get his first feature made, and looking to Meng Si Fan as his leading lady, and the “haunted” theatre for his location. Gu Wei Bang’s father, a fierce warlord, played by Simon Yam, thinks his only son has turned into a wuss. He has no use for the artistic path.

But he has been making eyes at Meng Si Fan. Without giving away too much of the plot, inexplicable deaths in the theater begin to pile up, leading plenty of people to believe the place is actually haunted. This inspires an increasingly overthe-top scenes of wild fantasy sequences, including a big finish.

In the end, the film doesn’t explain everything it should have, and goes on about 20 minutes too long, straining the action.

Ruby Lin stands out as an actress who sometimes doesn’t know which part she’s playing. She’s a professional on screen.

She’s a professional, with a respectable career, in real life.

But she nails confusion and pain. Longing. And that’s what the Gaston Leroux novel was about in the first place.  “Phantom Of The Theatre” is now playing the Regal Meridian 16 Cinema in Seattle.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

San Jose, indicated that Lin’s “health and safety are at risk, as Lin gets hit unnecessarily and excessively in the face, head, and neck areas by other players frequently.” The video went viral and caught so much popularity that Lin commented on the video.

He thanked the efforts of Kuei and while he did not overtly endorse the video, he was glad it’s been brought to the NBA’s attention. The NBA even responded with an official statement saying that it had found no data that suggests Jeremy Lin is disadvantaged. It also provided data of its own stating that while Lin had ranked 21st among all players in the number of drives to the basket and not drawn a flagrant foul, others with more attempts have not either.

While we can see Kuei’s point of view, it’s clear she is a Lin fan (she lives where Lin was born and raised) and objectivity may be at question. Still, we are Lin fans as well. The under-the-radar issue which no one likes to talk about is race. Despite the craze of Linsanity, Lin still does not “look” like an NBA player by many that do not follow the sport. Sure, we might discount this year’s crazy hairstyle, but Lin recognizes who he is and the type of role he plays for Asian Americans. He spoke out about Chris Rock’s joke about Asians at the Oscars. Ironically, many African Americans were seeking to boycott the award show because of racism. Yet, Rock proclaimed the joke acceptable and Lin spoke out about being “tired of it being ‘cool’ and ‘ok’ to bash Asians.” One might infer that Lin had thought about the unfairness of being fouled hard, yet

no repercussions from the referees. Even though race was never called out by Lin, it would seem to be an issue in a league that is predominantly Black and white.

While some NBA players may claim that Lin dramatizes his fouls to attempt to get a call, the video is proof that he is being hit hard and that referees should blow the whistle.

Lin has played through it all and his fans will go to great lengths to support him.

Benson Henderson’s next career

MMA fighter and Federal Way native Benson Henderson has decided that he is going to retire and has a plan for his future. Henderson plans to enlist in the military. The 32-year-old fighter recently left the UFC to fight with rival organization, Viacom-owned Bellator. Henderson indicated that he would like to retire at the age of 33. He turns 33 this November.

Henderson believes in performing his civic duty and has had a dream of being in the military. The former Decatur High School wrestling standout did not fare well in his Bellator debut as he lost to Andrey Koreshkov last month.

Hopefully, Henderson will be able to earn a couple more wins before he decides to leave the sport.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

asianweekly northwest

14

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

PENNER from 4 fuel and medicines all over Nepal.

Penner also recently tweeted criticism of the country’s anticorruption watchdog for its handling of the arrest of a Nepali magazine publisher and editor who has since been freed on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The immigration department said he had violated the terms of his visa by “commenting on internal matters of the country, inciting conflict and disturbing social harmony.”

HIRAKAWA from 1 at least one of the bar associations.

After their appointments, if they want to continue on the bench, Hirakawa, Paglisotti, and Gibson will have to stand for election this fall.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

34 YEARS

Penner had been working in Nepal for the technology outsourcing company CloudFactory, which said on May 4 it had decided to “discontinue” his employment.

“His cancellation of visa over tweets is arbitrary. It is not suitable for a democratic country,” said Penner’s lawyer, Dipendra Jha. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech and it is rare for foreign citizens to be expelled from Nepal for criticizing the government. 

Solution

Ruth Bayang contributed to this report.

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MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

asianweekly northwest

15

Predictions and advice for the week of May 14–May 20

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Wish you had done things a little differently?

Luckily, you will soon have a second chance to do just that.

Dragon — Is your latest project dragging on and on?

If you see an exit coming up, it might be a good idea to take it.

Monkey — If you are able to work it in, then it would be worthwhile to get a head start on the agenda items you have for early in the week.

Ox — A new collaboration isn’t working out quite as well as you had expected. Before you consider throwing in the towel, wait out the initial transition period.

Snake — Are you wary of someone who is coming on a bit too strong for your tastes? Your suspicions are right on target.

Rooster — While a straight line is definitely more efficient, you prefer to take detours where it makes sense to do so.

Horse — You have the potential to sustain your current level of success or, by staying true yourself, taking it to a higher level.

Dog — The burden that was yours to carry for a while is in the process of shifting to someone else, thus lightening your load considerably.

Goat — Finding it hard to stay in the lines? As it is self-imposed, there is no harm in treading beyond your current boundaries.

Pig — Hidden costs are not a welcome discovery.

Avoid being caught off-guard by doing your homework ahead of time.

Tiger — If you are stuck in an uncomfortable situation, then it makes sense to find a way to get out sooner rather than later.

Rabbit — Have you shown more than you originally intended? Rather than trying to undo it, simply try to be more discreet in the future.

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, 2016 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.

FILHARMONIC from 7 it to the semi-finals, despite forming a mere 30 days before their audition, and competing against groups that had been around for up to 10 years. They’ve since completed a nationwide “Sing-Off tour, and performed in the movie “Pitch Perfect 2.”

“Filipino culture revolves around constant singing,” said Gaynor, explaining the group’s influence. “There’s a lot of encouragement for talent. Everybody whips out the karaoke machine! I’m surprised there hasn’t been a Filipino a cappella group before.” Rosales agrees, “A cappella is such a cool way to promote our culture, and is important because it’s so stripped down.”

“We do a lot of top 40 pop radio stuff, but what’s cool about our sound is we take what you hear on the radio, and spin it into a 90s, R&B harmony style. It’s cool to flip what you hear on the radio into our own sound,” said Rosales.

Rosales and Gaynor understands and appreciates their fan base. “Our fan base is pretty cemented in a cappella,” says Gaynor, so he doesn’t see the group moving away from that. Rosales adds, “It makes sense that we’d be labeled a ‘boy band,’ after being on the ‘Sing-Off,’ arranging 90’s inspired music, and being a bunch of guys, but I wouldn’t label us that,” said Rosales. But being a “boy band” definitely has its positives and negatives, he adds.

“We like to look at the advantages, which is getting lots of love from our fans, and it’s really fun to dance and sing, which are the

LANGE from 1 students,” said Seattle Colleges District Chancellor, Jill Wakefield. “She has performed exceptionally well stepping in on an interim basis and leading Seattle Central through a period of transition. During the search process, so many faculty, staff, students and community members had many positive things to say about her leadership. Dr. Edwards Lange is clearly the best choice to lead this institution on a permanent basis.”

Previously, Edwards Lange served as vice president for Minority Affairs and vice provost for Diversity at the University of Washington (UW). She was responsible for increasing diversity at the UW and working with senior leadership to improve the campus climate and reten-

From left: VJ Rosales, Niko Del Rey, Jules Cruz, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, and Barry Fortgang.

boy band qualities we like,” says Rosales.

The disadvantages? Rosales doesn’t want the group to be boxed into only one type of fan group, like younger girls. “We want to break out of that and do different kinds of music as well,” said Rosales.

“Over the summer, we do plan to eventually get more into original music — that seems to be where the group is headed,” agreed Gaynor. “‘Get Up and Go’ is the name of the first original song as a group and we sing it at the end of our shows,” says Gaynor. “The newest thing for us is original music, especially since so much of a cappella is covers. Going into original music would be a drastic change for us.”

Gaynor calls himself an accidental singer. “I didn’t start as a singer. I grew up playing violin and piano, and kind of watched singers from afar.” He joined an a cappella group in college and since then, “It became everything I did, and now I’m a full-time singer.”

Rosales explains how the group came up with their name. “We were brainstorming and came up with The Filharmonic, Manilla

tion of diverse students, faculty, and staff.

“I am honored and privileged to be selected to serve as president,” Edwards Lange said. “Seattle Central, like the other colleges in the Seattle Colleges District, is uniquely positioned to influence the economic and social well-being for thousands of individuals and families in our region.

I am thrilled to be able to use my experience to lead an institution that has such a rich history serving the community.”

Edwards Lange received a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies and a master’s in public administration, both from the University of Washington. She earned a bachelor’s in social ecology from the University of California, Irvine.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasian weekly.com.

Ice, Fresh off the Boat, some really funny names, but decided on The Filharmonic. It was classy and we loved it.” The Filharmonic members range in ages between 24 and 29, and are first generation Filipino American, except for Gaynor, who is third generation.

They are headed back for another visit to the Philippines to perform at Fanfest in Manila.

The group doesn’t speak Tagalog fluently … yet. “We can understand it, and we’re working on it,” says Rosales.

“We’re very thankful for the support they (the Asian Pacific Islander community) have given us. The whole reason for forming The

Filharmonic was to support and put Asian Americans in the spotlight. We’re very grateful the community’s had our backs,” says Gaynor.

Luckily for the group’s fans, or “Filharmaniacs,” the group isn’t going back to school anytime in the foreseeable future, although Rosales says he’d “love to go back to school and get my masters in music. But I think The Filharmonic is here to stay, so we might just do this forever,” he laughs.  Arlene can be reached at info@nwasian weekly.com.

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Photo provided by Elisha Edwin

KIDNAP from 1 In September 2015, Lacdao hired a lawyer who pushed for a court order granting her permission to travel outside the country with Rachel.

“The whole ‘my father is sick’ thing was a gimmick. If he was truly sick, why didn’t she travel [in September]? Why wait [till March]? This was never going to be a vacation. She never [intended] on coming back,” said Edwin.

“I cried and I pleaded in court. Do not let my daughter out,” Edwin told King County Family Law Court Commissioner Mark Hillman. But his plea fell on deaf ears. Hillman approved the order giving Lacdao permission to travel with Rachel abroad for 14 days.

“I was shocked,” said Edwin. “I couldn’t believe it. [Hillman] was going to let [Lacdao] take my daughter against my will.” He said he would have faced jail time if he didn’t comply. Now, Edwin says he wished he had done just that.

When asked for a comment for this article, Hillman responded via email, “I cannot comment on this case because it is the subject of a pending criminal matter as well as an active civil matter in our court.”

According to the court order, Lacdao was supposed to call and check in with Edwin three times a week while they were in the Philippines. But he never got a single phone call. When Edwin tried to call the phone numbers provided by Lacdao, nobody ever answered on the other end.

“My job is to protect my daughter,” said Edwin. “The court took that away from me … I knew it was coming. It’s like I had no choice.”

Days after Rachel’s scheduled return, Edwin called Lacdao’s workplace to ask if she was still employed there. The hu-

34 YEARS

MAY 14 – MAY 20, 2016

From left: Katrina Jean Lacdao, Rachel Edwin, and Elisha Edwin.

man resources official at Horizon House told Edwin that Lacdao no longer worked there — she had given notice that she was quitting.

Immediately after that, Edwin filed a report with the Tukwila police department.

The FBI and State Department are now involved. Edwin said he has also contacted his congressman and Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. Thus far, they have all referred him to the State Department.

“We are aware of the Edwin case, and we are providing all appropriate consular assistance to the family,” said Nicole Thompson with the State Department press office. “The welfare of children who are involved in international parental child abduction is among the department’s top priorities.”

For now, Edwin is hoping that the diplomatic channels will work. “But if I have to go over [to the Philippines] myself to get her back … I’m not ruling that out.”

RayRay

“She’s my everything,” said Edwin of his daughter, whom he calls ‘RayRay.’ “We go to Chuck E. Cheese’s every Friday and Saturday … she goes on all the rides, she loves pizza.”

“She’s very [well] known in Kent. The Chase bank [near] where I live, they’ve

known Rachel since she was a baby. I take her everywhere I go. A lot of people have watched her grow up.”

Edwin said he prays for Rachel’s safety. “She has medical issues. I don’t know what the medical system is like over there. She has multiple allergies. Even here in America [when we’re careful], she would still get sick every now and then.”

The Philippines is not a party to the international Hague Convention agreement, which makes it illegal to remove a child permanently from her native country.

But a law passed in July 2014 is giving Edwin hope.

The Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act authorizes the State Department to take increasingly forceful measures against any country that does not help return an American child not illegally held there. And it requires U.S. diplomatic and consular missions to work out agreements with countries that are unlikely to join the Hague Convention.

“I haven’t lost hope yet,” said Edwin. “[The feds] say they are very optimistic that [Rachel will be returned]. They said they have a good working relationship with the authorities in the Philippines.”

“I’m not ruling out lawsuits,” Edwin said, of holding Hillman accountable for ignoring his pleas.

“I’m not going to rest. I’m not going to sit back.”

Ultimately, Edwin said he doesn’t care if the authorities never catch Lacdao.

“Just bring Rachel back,” said Edwin.

“Drop her off at the U.S. embassy and they will fly her back.”

“She’s a smart 3-year-old,” said Edwin.

“She won’t forget who her father is.”  Ruth Bayang can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

NINJA from 1

Photo by Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun/NWAW

16

Lucy Murillo, first in line, eagerly waits for the signal to start the course.

arts and employed especially for espionage and assassinations.” Other dictionaries define ninjas as persons who excel in “ninjutsu.” Some say ninjutsu is not a martial art, but a skill of stealth and endurance.

Ninjas had nothing to do with running obstacle courses or “warrior-ing.” Ninjas rarely, if ever, carried swords, nor were they warriors, despite what some have written about them.

The Daily Mail featured an engineer, Jinichi Kawakami, in a 2013 article about “Japan’s Last Ninja.” Author Matt Blake interviewed Kawakami, who said the ninja’s strength lied in the art of surprise, exploiting an opponent’s weakness, and distraction.

Brute force was not the ninja’s weapon of choice.

Blake writes that Kawakami’s training included “climbing walls, jumping from great heights, mixing chemicals for explosions and smoke screens, and withstanding extreme heat, cold, thirst, and hunger.

Kawakami told Blake, “The ability to hide in the most unlikely of places is the ninja’s greatest weapon. We also have a saying that it is possible to escape death by perching on your enemy’s eyelashes; it means you are so close that he cannot see you.”

Now that sounds like a real ninja.  Arlene can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

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