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VOL 34 NO 40 SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

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HEALTH Seniors and falls » P. 5

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly

While Washington state aims to beat the “other” Washington in hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Xi works extensively to distinguish himself from his predecessors in America.

Gary Locke, former governor and U.S. ambassador to China, described Washington state at the reception dinner for Xi, as “the real Washington, the better Washington.”

How did Washington state show the Chinese president that we are better than D. C.?

Locke said it was not his idea to invite Xi to make Seattle his first stop for his official U.S. visit. “Everybody (from our state) wants him to visit our state (after Xi announced that he’s coming to the U.S.). We are on the same page.”

After several months of planning, Christine Locke, Gregoire, Gov. Jay Inslee and several mayors including those from Everett, Tacoma, Redmond, and Seattle, brought together a team of organizations, business, and government, to make things happen for Xi’s two-day trip.

It was Xi who wanted to meet with other U.S. officials, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and other governors, during this trip. Xi didn’t want to make his visit just a local event.

“He wanted to meet with state and (U.S) national officials,” said a staff member of Inslee.

Even Xi’s meeting with the Chinese community, it wasn’t just the local Chinese leaders, the 600+ attendees were from all over the country, from the West to the East Coast.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s

Courtesy Governor’s Office

Seattle Welcomes Chinese President Xi

Gov. Inslee greets Chinese President Xi

{see XI cont’d on page 15}

Latest Wing Luke honor

Citizenship Day in Seattle has a turnout

Photo by Jay del Rosario

AG establishes new civil rights unit

By Joaquin Uy Special to Northwest Asian Weekly Wing Luke’s sisters Ruby, Marge, Bettie and Attorney General AG Bob Ferguson who has presented a photo of the Wing Luke when he was an attorney working in the AG’s office

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly Attorney

General

Bob

Ferguson

announced August the launch of the newly established Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit

The City of Seattle joined U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(USCIS) to commemorate Citizenship Day on Sept. 17 by announcing a new joint citizenship campaign, followed by a {see CITIZENSHIP DAY cont’d on page 14}

This Aging Issue is sponsored by Wells Fargo

{see WING LUKE cont’d on page 11}

The Inside Story NAMES People in the news » P. 2

■

VISIONARY Michael Verchot » P. 3

FOOD Shaming and trending » P. 8

EDITORIAL There’s a streetcar? » P. 11

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

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SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

■ names in the news New members appointed to CAPAA

Lori Wada

Dr. Ka`imi Sinclair

Gov. Jay Inslee recently announced the reappointment of Lori Wada and made the following appointments to the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

(CAPAA).

Lori Wada immigrated to Washington from Seoul, South Korea when she was 18 years old. She has been a state government employee for over 25 years and has been an active and ardent supporter of grass root organizations. Through the 20 plus years as a career state employee, she was able to actively support and participate in affordable housing and healthcare equity initiatives. r Wada was selected as a representative for the 23 member US delegation to Russia during the World Women’s conference, 1991 and in Beijing, China, 1993. She also served on various boards of higher education, low income housing, and community-based social service agencies.

Wada brings a diverse background and experience to the CAPAA board with broader focus on social, health, and gender equity issues for the underserved population.

Commissioner Wada holds a BA degree from St. Martins University.

Dr. Ka`imi Sinclair is an Assistant Professor at Washington State University – Spokane Health Sciences campus. She has a PhD in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of New Mexico. For two decades, she has conducted grant-funded diabetes prevention and diabetes self-management research with racial and ethnic populations across the United States.

Dr. Sinclair’s work focuses on culturally adapting health programs and offering them in communities to make them more accessible to underserved populations.

In Hawai`i she worked with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities. Since moving to Washington

three years ago, she has become actively involved with the NHPI community in the Puget Sound region, building a community-academic partnership with several NHPIserving organizations including the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, the International Community Health Services, and the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, of which she is a member of the Board of Directors. 

Akita resigns Andrea Akita has resigned her position at InterIm Community Development Association; her last day at InterIm will be Sept. 25th.

In her announcement she stated, “It’s been an exhilarating and rewarding experience for me, but I’m ready to take on new challenges in Andrea Akita my work life…It has been an honor to serve and represent the community. I have been humbled to work alongside talented staff and volunteers, and in collaboration with so many inspiring community leaders who are building a stronger community.” 

Colleen Fukui-Sketchly awarded Colleen Fukui-Sketchley (B.A., 1994) is the Corporate Center Diversity Affairs Director for Nordstrom, a company she has served for more than 20 years. Committed to giving back to her alma mater, she became the youngest person to be appointed President of the UW’s Alumni Association in 2011 and has Colleen Fukui-Sketchly been an incredible supporter of the UW’s Office of Minority Affairs. Outside of the UW, she serves on the boards of the US Business Leadership Network, the Center for APA Women, and the Governor’s Disability Employment Task Force.

Fukui-Sketchley will be honored by the UW Department of Communication at the 2015 Alumni Hall of Fame Ceremony on October 1. 

■ briefly

Immigration services fraud

Immigration services, or “notario,” fraud is illegal under Washington state’s Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Act (ISFPA). Signed into law in 2011 at the request of the Attorney General’s Office, the law protects consumers from unauthorized entities that peddle assistance completing immigration forms and navigating immigration processes that legally can only be provided by qualified attorneys and accredited representatives.

These unlicensed immigration “consultants” are often notaries public who prey on immigrant clients by referring to themselves as “notarios” or “notarios públicos,” terms that refer to attorneys or individuals with advanced legal training in Latin American countries.

The ISFPA specifically prohibits the use in advertising of these and any other deceptive terms that imply professional legal skills in the area of immigration law.

While immigration services fraud is prevalent in many Latino communities, it also affects other immigrant communities such as North and West African, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian and Ukrainian communities.

Preventing immigration services fraud If a person claims to be a lawyer, ask to see his or her bar license. A real lawyer will not be offended by this request.

To check if a person or organization is authorized under federal law to provide immigration services, search www. justice.gov/eoir/ra/raroster.htm.  There are a number of resources to help consumers find qualified immigration assistance: American Association of Immigration LawyersWashington Chapter: www.ailawa.org.

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project: www.nwirp.org.

Latino Bar Association of Washington: www.lbaw.org.

Washington State Bar Association: www.wsba.org.

Authorized nonprofit providers are listed at www. immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ VISIONARY PROFILE

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

3

Michael Verchot Envisioning Economic Empowerment

By Ador Pereda Yano Northwest Asian Weekly

Michael Verchot

What is the responsibility of a public university in addressing the economic needs of people in underserved communities?

Michael Verchot, the Director of the University of Washington’s Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC), believes UW’s business school has a powerful role and an effective response to this question.

Mr. Verchot is being honored this year by the NW Asian Weekly with a 2015 Visionary Award for co-founding and shepherding the UW Foster School of Business CBDC program for over 20 years.

He has been instrumental in connecting the academic resources of the university with businesses located in economically lagging communities in order to help accelerate their growth while at the same time enhancing student education at the business school.

Since 1995, the business center has helped owners of minority businesses tackle their development challenges in communities such as the Chinatown-International District, the Central Area, and Rainier Valley. The UW outreach has helped these business owners operate successfully and create jobs to build wealth within their underserved communities -- wealth that according to Mr. Verchot enables people in these communities "to buy a house, to send children to college, to retire and not be indigent."

Growing up in the Northeast during the social upheavals and idealistic movements of the 1960's, Michael Verchot became aware of disturbing gaps in economic opportunities when he was around six or seven years old. His Irish-Catholic family had just celebrated the emergence of new opportunities for their previously unfavored community, which culminated with the election of John F. Kennedy, the first Irish Catholic American president. But the young Michael, raised by middle-class parents in the suburbs of New Jersey, also grew up during the time of the 1967 riots in Newark and the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King. He became aware of inequalities in many other communities and questioned why some people, especially members of minority groups, struggled to find the means to provide for their families. He remembers that, "What always interested me are these gaps: some people have certain opportunities, other people didn't." Even at an early age, he had wrestled with the question "what can be done to bridge that opportunity gap?"

His strong awareness of these social and economic problems in American society never left Verchot as he went to college in Massachusetts, and afterward to work in Washington DC. Looking to continue his education by attending graduate school, he was inspired to head to the Pacific Northwest and attend the University of Washington Foster School of Business because of Professor Thaddeus Spratlen, the first tenured African American professor at the UW business school, whose academic research looked into addressing economic inequities in the country and who also wrestled with the same issues Verchot had considered for many years.

As a thirty-five year-old MBA student, Michael Verchot joined with Professor Spratlen and other colleagues in the business school in developing a concept that aligns academic expertise with efforts to fix social and economic issues. At the founding of the business development center in 1995, Verchot and his business school colleagues noticed that in the time and place where Microsoft was growing at a tremendous rate, local businesses were developing at a much slower pace. Communities such as the Chinatown-International District, the Central Area, and Rainier Valley were not sharing in the economic boom that characterized the Seattle area in the 1990's.

With his colleagues at the UW Foster School of Business, Verchot created a business plan that established the formation of the Business & Economic Development Center at UW, which later became the Consulting and Business Development Center.

Verchot hesitates being called a visionary, stating that the initial concept was fairly simple, prompted by the observation during the mid-1990's Seattle economic boom "that we have small businesses in underserved communities that weren't growing at an optimal rate. And yet we had in Seattle, one of the best business schools in the country, if not in the world, and a public business school, to boot."

Under Michael Verchot's guidance, UW's

Consulting and Business Development Center developed a comprehensive program that now involves a dozen faculty members teaching classes for about 150 business people a year and over three hundred students working with over 50 for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations.

The UW program also now includes a national network of 39 business schools with similarly-focused programs.

For over twenty years, CBDC has provided businesses owned by women and minorities with business planning assistance, financial analysis, enhanced marketing plans, operational analysis and general business development guidance provided by teams of UW business students and faculty advisors working with the business owners. Since 1995, the CBDC has helped develop over $90 million of new business revenues and create over 10,000 new jobs.

As impressively as these financial numbers attest to the success of Verchot and the CBDC, the immeasureable impact on people in the communities that Michael Verchot and CBDC have helped over the years is reflected in their glowing reviews.

Doris Quan of Mother Of Pearl LLC also attests to Verchot's dedication to the people in the community: "Michael is one of the most committed individuals for diversity and local business development. He works selflessly and tirelessly. The way he evolved the CBDC is impressive. He is a very effective spokesman for the university and a great advocate for the community and for access by all, regardless of ethnicity or race."

Michael Verchot finds sources of inspiration from the community he has served.

Of the many local business owners in the Seattle area helped by CBDC over the years, Michael Verchot has been inspired

by Uwajimaya's then-President Tomio Moriguchi. Early in the program and at a critical juncture, Moriguchi supported the goals of CBDC, not just to help the Asian Pacific Islander community in Seattle, but also the African American community in

the Central Area District where Moriguchi grew up. Verchot regards Tomio Moriguchi as an example of the inherent sense of entrepreneurship that characterizes the API community. But more importantly, he admires Moriguchi's expansive view of "communities all working together," not just the long-established Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino American communities, but Vietnamese and South Asian communities of Seattle, as well as African American, Latino, and Native American communities.

Verchot supports this insight he learned from Moriguchi on inclusiveness -- that "we are all in this together."

For the UW business students involved in the program, Verchot has offered them a unique value proposition: "A lot of what we do here is put business students in environments where they are not often put, and challenge them to think about what it means to use business skills to grow businesses in communities where there's high unemployment or with businesses that don't have the same opportunity as others.

There's a sense of building this cauldron where students are challenged to do their own thinking and not be comfortable with their assumptions, and to wrestle with this expanded sense of what's really happening in the world."

Although many people don't view it as such, Michael Verchot has envisioned business as a noble profession. With CBDC, he has demonstrated that business creates jobs, which strengthens communities, and which then gives people many more opportunities. Verchot says, "For too long, we have just focused on 'how much money can I make?' and not the sense of what it's about -- transforming communities and transforming lives. That's what business is all about."  For reservations, call 206-223-0623 or email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

Ador Pereda Yano can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

■ world news

Head of Filipino sultanate that invaded Malaysian state dies

By Jim Gomez Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The leader of a sultanate in the southern Philippines that staged a 2013 invasion of a bustling Malaysian state and sparked a deadly security crisis has died of kidney failure, his family and followers said Sunday.

Sultan Esmail Kiram II died at age 76 late Saturday, Sept. 19, at a hospital in southern Zamboanga city and left an order for his followers to pursue a claim to Sabah state in neighboring Malaysia, according to sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani.

“One of his instructions was the pursuit of the Sabah claim through peaceful means for the welfare of the Filipino people,” Idjirani said.

Although largely dismissed as a vestige from a bygone era, Kiram’s Muslim sultanate, based in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, stirred up a crisis between

Malaysia and the Philippines when his younger brother and about 200 followers, dozens of them armed, barged into Sabah’s coastal village of Lahad Datu in February 2013.

Malaysia responded by sending troops and launching airstrikes in weeks of sporadic fighting that killed dozens Sultan Esmail Kiram II of people before the standoff eased.

Kiram’s brother, who led that invasion, survived the clashes and returned to the southern Philippines, where he died last year of a heart attack, Idjirani said.

Malaysia has governed the resource-rich frontier Sabah region of timberlands and palm oil plantations in northern Borneo as its second-largest federal state since the 1960s.

The Kirams claim Sabah has belonged to their sultanate

for centuries and was only leased to Malaysia, which they say pays them a paltry annual rent. Malaysian officials contend the payments are part of an arrangement under which the sultanate has ceded the 74,000 square kilometers (28,000 square miles) of Sabah territory to their country.

The Kiram sultanate, which emerged in the 1400s, built a legend for its wide influence at the time and its feared Tausug warriors. Chinese and European leaders once sent vassals to pay homage to their powerful forebears. The Sulu sultanate preceded both the Philippine republic and Malaysia by centuries, Idjirani said.

Overrun by history, however, the Kirams now carry royal titles and nothing much else. The sultanate has about 75,000 followers in Sulu and outlying islands that are among the country’s poorest regions and are troubled by Muslim rebels, al-Qaida-linked extremists and outlaws.

Kiram was buried Sunday in Sulu’s Maimbung town, {see KIRAM cont’d on page 11}

Thai teacher Hacking, China’s maritime arrested after claims overshadow Xi’s US visit US tip-off on obscene photos

By Christopher Bodeen Associated Press

By Nattasuda Anusondisai Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand arrested a former primary school teacher who they said admitted to having sexually abused 24 schoolgirls, after a tipoff from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The former teacher, identified Decha Pradit as Decha Pradit, told police that he paid his young students 10 baht, the equivalent of 30 U.S. cents, and told them not to tell their parents, police Col. Mana Keabsattabut said Sunday. Decha, who is now in his 50s, said the abuse occurred over a decade ago while he had worked as a gym teacher at a school in northern Uttaradit province from 2002 to 2004.

In 2004, he left the school after being accused of sexually abusing one of his students and settling the case with the child’s parents, said Mana, the deputy director of a police antitrafficking unit. It was not clear if that case was reported to authorities at the time. Mana said that U.S. agents contacted Thai authorities on Sept. 9, after finding obscene photos of young girls posted on a website known to be used by pedophiles. Using an IP address, police traced the postings to a computer at Decha’s home in Uttaradit province, which borders Laos, and arrested him on Wednesday. He was charged with sexually harassing children under 15 and raping children under the age of 13.

“He confessed that he sexually abused 24 schoolgirls who were in grades 2 through 5,” Mana said. It was not immediately known if all of the photographs found on the website were from the period when he was teaching.

Police found one of his alleged victims, now 20 years old, who identified Decha and said she never told her parents about the abuse that took place when she was 8. Police confiscated several hard drives and a computer from Decha’s home as part of their ongoing investigation to identify other children in the photographs, Mana said.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Melissa Sweeney confirmed that U.S. Homeland Security officials recently shared information with Thai authorities, which assisted an investigation leading to the Sept. 16 arrest of a Thai national for the sexual assault of minors in Thailand. 

BEIJING (AP) — As Chinese President Xi Jinping makes his first state visit to Washington this week, the outlook for relations is decidedly murkier than when he hosted President Barack Obama at their last summit less than a year ago.

Tensions are rising over allegations of Beijing-directed cyberattacks on the U.S. and China’s moves to assert its South China Sea territorial claims. Much of the American public sees China as an economic threat and criticisms are rising over a sweeping crackdown on civil rights.

“U.S. suspicions regarding Chinese intentions are growing,” said Aaron L. Friedberg, professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University.

“The atmosphere surrounding this summit may be more negative than any in the post-Tiananmen period,” Friedberg said, referring to China’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989 that marked the nadir in relations.

At the same time, belief in China’s inexorable rise has been shaken by a stock market plunge and an economic slowdown that have sent shockwaves through global markets. And last month’s catastrophic chemical warehouse explosion in a city just east of Beijing that killed 173 people.

FINDING COMMON GROUND Not all is gloomy. Beijing and Washington have found common cause in restraining Iran and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, even if China has been unable to restart six-nation talks with Pyongyang.

“We should actually take a closer look at any kind of possible cooperation, to leverage our resources and to do the utmost,” Xi’s chief foreign policy adviser, State Counselor Yang Jiechi said in a recent interview with the official China Daily newspaper.

In Washington, meaningful discussions are expected on trade, North Korea and Iran. U.S. officials say they have {see CYBER ATTACK cont’d on page 12}

2.3 million answer Indian state’s post for 368 menial jobs

By Biswajeet Banerjee Associated Press

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — When a northern Indian state announced a few hundred job openings for low-level office workers who run errands and make tea, the response was staggering.

About 2.3 million people applied for the 368 jobs with the government of Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of candidates with doctorates and other advanced degrees applied for the jobs that pay about 16,000 rupees ($240) a month and require a fifth-grade education.

The massive number seeking the menial jobs reflects high unemployment levels in the state — India’s most populous — and across much of the country.

Senior administrative officer Prabhat Mittal said Friday that the state government will conduct a written exam to screen the applicants because interviewing all of them would take four years.

“This is astoundingly high number of applicants,” senior government officer Alok Ranjan said.

“This reflects the condition of job market in India and

shows desperation of the youth who despite being highly educated is ready to do a job where he has to run errands and wash tea cups and saucers,” he added.

The jobs openings were advertised in August and the application period ended on Sept. 14.

At least 255 applicants had earned a doctorate and over 200,000 had graduate degrees. At least 30 trained computer engineers were also in the fray.

Job creation is an urgent requirement in this nation of 1.2 billion where 13 million young people enter the job market each year.

According to government data about 6.6 percent of India’s workers are jobless. That doesn’t count the tens of millions who eke out a subsistence-level existence in menial, unsafe and backbreaking jobs. The employment situation is worse for young job-seekers with government statistics placing the number of unemployed higher at about 10.5 percent.

The poor quality of education in India is partly to blame for the problem. Millions of job seekers have impressive sounding diplomas but don’t actually have the skills promised by their certificates from substandard colleges and technical institutes. 

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ HEALTH

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

5

Top 10 scams Falls and older adults: 5 targeting seniors myths busted Financial scams targeting seniors have become so prevalent that they’re now considered “the crime of the 21st century.” Why? Because seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts.

Financial scams also often go unreported or can be difficult to prosecute, so they’re considered a “low-risk” crime. However, they’re devastating to many older adults and can leave them in a very vulnerable position with little time to recoup their losses.

It’s not just wealthy seniors who are targeted. Low-income older adults are also at risk of financial abuse. And it’s not always strangers who perpetrate these crimes. Over 90% of all reported elder abuse is committed by an older person’s own family members, most often their adult children, followed by grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and others.

Review the list below, so you can identify a potential scam.

National Council on Aging (NCOA)

Many people think falls are a normal part of aging. The truth is they are not – most falls can be prevented by learning a few steps to stay safe.

Each year, on the first day of fall, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) Falls Free® Initiative celebrates National Falls Prevention Awareness Day by encouraging older adults and their communities to get educated on how to prevent falls.

“This year, the Falls Free Initiative, 48 states, and many more local communities are banding together to take this important message to the people who need to hear it,” said James Firman, NCOA President and CEO. “Serious falls are not an inevitable part of growing older. With education, an action plan, and a support system, we all can be healthy and safe as we age.”

Falls are a major public health concern for the growing aging population. Every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall; every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall-related injury. Falls are costly and can cause older adults to lose their independence.

Here are five common myths about falls, busted by reality: Myth 1: Falling is something normal that happens as you get older.

Reality: Falls are not a normal part of aging. Studies show that a combination of interventions can significantly reduce falls among older adults, including: Engaging in a physical activity program with balance, strength training, and flexibility components

Consulting with a health professional about a falls risk assessment Reviewing medications periodically Getting vision and hearing checks annually Making sure the home environment is safe and supportive Myth 2: Falling happens to other people, not to me.

Reality: Many people think, “It won’t happen to me.” But the truth is that one in three older adults—about 12 million— falls every year in the U.S. Myth 3: Muscle strength and flexibility can’t be regained.

Reality: While we do lose muscle as we age, exercise can partially restore strength and flexibility. It’s never too late to start a graduated exercise program that includes balance training.

Myth 4: Taking medication doesn’t increase my risk of falling.

Reality: Medication may increase a risk of falling by sometimes making a person dizzy or sleepy. Talk to a health care provider about potential side effects or the interactions of medications.

Myth 5: I don’t need to talk to family members or my health care provider if I’m concerned about my risk of falling.

Reality: Falls prevention is a team effort.

Talk with a doctor, family, and anyone else in a position to help. Let them know about {see FALL PREVENTION cont’d on page 13}

1. Medicare/health insurance fraud Every U.S. citizen or permanent resident over age 65 qualifies for Medicare, so there is rarely any need for a scam artist to research what private health insurance company older people have in order to scam them out of some money.

In these types of scams, perpetrators may pose as a Medicare representative to get older people to give them their personal information, or they will provide bogus services for elderly people at makeshift mobile clinics, then use the personal information they provide to bill Medicare and pocket the money.

2. Counterfeit prescription drugs Most commonly, counterfeit drug scams operate on the Internet, where seniors increasingly go to find better prices on specialized medications. This scam is growing in popularity—since 2000, the FDA has investigated an average of 20 such cases per year, up from five a year in the 1990s.

The danger is that besides paying money

for something that will not help a person’s medical condition, victims may purchase unsafe substances that can inflict even more harm. This scam can be as hard on the body as it is on the wallet.

3. Funeral and cemetery scams The FBI warns about two types of funeral and cemetery fraud perpetrated on seniors.

In one approach, scammers read obituaries and call or attend the funeral service of a complete stranger to take advantage of the grieving widow or widower. Claiming the deceased had an outstanding debt with them, scammers will try to extort money from relatives to settle the fake debts.

Another tactic of disreputable funeral homes is to capitalize on family members’ unfamiliarity with the considerable cost of funeral services to add unnecessary charges to the bill. In one common scam of this type, funeral directors will insist that a casket, usually one of the most expensive parts of funeral services, is necessary even when performing a direct cremation, which can be accomplished with a cardboard casket rather than an expensive display or burial casket.

4. Fraudulent anti-aging products In a society bombarded with images of the young and beautiful, it’s not surprising that some older people feel the need to conceal their age in order to participate more fully in social circles and the workplace. After all, 60 is the new 40, right?

It is in this spirit that many older Americans seek out new treatments and medications to maintain a youthful appearance, putting {see SCAMS cont’d on page 13}

Assunta Ng

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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.

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SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR T ­ HU 9/24

WHAT: 10th Seattle South Asian Film Festival WHERE: BAM, 510 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue WHEN: 6:30-10 p.m.

COST: $5/members, $15/nonmembers REGISTER: bellevuearts.org, 425-519-0770

FRI 9/26 WHAT: Free Museum Day (includes Wing Luke Museum) WHERE: Please check info link for the locations COST: Free INFO: smithsonianmag.com WHAT: Bike rodeo WHERE: Chong Wa Playfield, S. Weller St. between 7th and 8th

■ briefly

Ave. S. WHEN: 10-12 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: bit.ly/1D60lrG

THU 10/1 WHAT: 2015 API Candidates & Issues Forum WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 5:30-8 p.m.

INFO: mbjumpstart@msn.com, 206-293-2951

FRI 10/2 WHAT: Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce luncheon with Mary Knell WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St. #

203, Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

COST: $20

TUE 10/6 WHAT: Startup to Big Business: Making the transition with Samir Bodas, CEO Icertis WHERE: Blue C Sushi, 503 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue WHEN: 5:30-8 p.m.

Icy pretty Helen Feng hangs in

THU 10/8 WHAT: Event to support King County Assessor Lloyd Hara WHERE: O’Asian, 800 Fifth Ave., Seattle WHEN: 5-7 p.m.

SUGGESTED DONATION: $100 RSVP: citizensforhara@comcast. net, 206-726-8053

Free dental, vision and medical services

People in need of dental, medical and vision services may receive them free of charge at the largest free health clinic ever organized in the State of Washington, Seattle/King County Clinic, Oct. 22 – 25, in KeyArena at Seattle Center.

Now in its second year, Seattle/King County Clinic brings together over 100 healthcare organizations, civic agencies, nonprofit entities, private businesses and thousands of volunteers with a goal of providing over $2.5 million in services to underserved and vulnerable populations. This extraordinary free clinic offers a broad range of medical, dental, and vision care with an expectation of helping as many as 4,000 people in need over the four-day period. Here is how the Clinic works:

■ a&e

— Clinic patients receive treatment on a first-come, first-served basis.

— Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, located at 301 Mercer Street, serves as the ticket waiting and distribution area and opens at 12:30 a.m. each day.

Organizers distribute admission tickets for the day beginning at 5 a.m., and tickets are limited.

— Doors to KeyArena open at 6:30 a.m. Patients are admitted by ticket number into the Clinic, and it is expected to take three to four hours to admit all ticket holders.  Learn more about Seattle/King County Clinic at: www.seattlecenter.org or by calling 206-684-7200.

Helen Feng

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly “China’s music gets evil,” promises Nova Heart’s website, about their self-titled debut album. Well, if “evil” means beats scraping along like a hunchback in a haunted house, some deep-twang surf guitar, swirly synth, heaving (and even heavy) breathing, and cymbals that show up at the climax

of a song like they’ve registered at a tri-state cymbal conference, then got shocked at how many cymbals actually exist in the tri-state area… well, that’s not “evil” in my book.

Evil in my book is when you betray the people who worship you. Evil is when you laugh at other people’s pain. {see FENG cont’d on page 14}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ pictorial

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

7

Seattle greets President Xi Big welcoming committee greets Chinese

I

t was a warm reception for Chinese President Xi Jinping Sept.

22. The welcoming committee included Jay Inslee, Gary Locke, Mayor Ed Murray, along with other mayors from the Northwest. Media was certainly present, but it was specified that photo-taking be restricted.  An interesting fact: the jet the President and First Lady arrived on was a 747 with 400 seats that China bought. It was built in Everett.

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Chinese President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan arrive at Paine Field

Hon. Gary Locke, U.S. Ambassador to China Max and Melodee Baucus

Left to right: Consul General of People’s Republic of China Luo Linguan, Gov. Jay Inslee, China Ambassador Cui Tiankai and First Lady Trudi Inslee

Madam Ni Peijun, wife of Ambassador Cui Tiankai and Trudi Inslee

Left to right: UW Interim President Ana Mari Cauce, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson and Redmond Mayor John Marchione

John Kelly of Starbucks and Jerry Lee of Mulvanny G2

Welcome committee at Paine Field

Media section

First lady of China

asianweekly northwest

8

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

■ food

I’m not thrilled that Asian food is trendy

By Tiffany Ran Northwest Asian Weekly I remember my hometown in California before it became the predominantly Korean and Chinese populated area that it is today. I remember bringing the leftovers my mother made to school and the shame I felt when the entire lunch table cleared out at the sight of my Dan Dan noodles. Imagine what I felt 20 years later when an American chef told me that the Dan Dan that he had at Seven Star Pepper was one of the best noodles he’s ever had. Shortly after, Dan Dan noodles made an appearance on the menu of a trendy Sichuan inspired restaurant in Capitol Hill.

Writer Ruth Tam speaks of a similar experience in her article in the Washington Post, “How it feels when white people shame your culture’s food — then make it trendy” in which she mentions the popular scene from “Fresh Off the Boat” when young protagonist Eddie brings noodles to school for lunch and his classmates mock him, saying his lunch looks like worms. Funny how our humble comfort foods once reviled as “worms” or in Tam’s case, “Chinese grossness,” has become the “best,” “hottest” dish to eat. You’d think I’d feel vindicated, even thrilled, but I remain deflated.

I’m less concerned about who is shaming the food or whether the advocates for Asian

cuisines are Asian or white, but questioning why it has to be trendy at all in order for our beloved classics to be recognized as one of the greats, alongside the forever popular chicken and waffles or a classic steak.

When chefs like Roy Choi and David Chang pushed kimchee and gochujang, or ramen and katsuobushi, forth onto our psyches and gave these terms hashtag status, it not only made it safe and acceptable to consume these items, it made the consumer cool for doing so.

We are what we eat. It used to mean that we are the sum of the love of our elders, the hard work of our parents, the challenges we face, and the legacy of the land that feeds us. Today, we are saying something very different about ourselves with the

food we’re eating, that we’re high roller enough to dine #MichelinStarStyle, living large with #celebritychefs, VIP enough for #yelpelite, and everyone should be so #jelly because we’ve #omnomnom (The last two hashtags are not real words. You should be ashamed of yourself) on some #foodporn worthy meals.

We’ve made our nourishment a status symbol like a new purse, car, or watch.

But to say that a dish or cuisine is in trend means that someday, it will be passé. I cannot accept that as a way to view the food I grew up with or a cuisine that has sustained and moved us for generations. As much as I’m grateful to those who advocate for Asian cuisines, I also see a future where the more cuisines we appear to embrace,

the more disconnected we are to its source.

Don’t call my mother’s food trendy. Don’t make my heritage a fad. Don’t use our cuisines as social leverage. Our cuisines should be sacred. It has been around longer than you and me. It tells the stories of our past, not the whims of the present. I say all this feeling conflicted, knowing that as a professional cook and a marketing person for local restaurants, that trends put butts in seats, but it can just as surely clear a restaurant when a new fad rolls around.

As Thai and Filipino cuisine enter the limelight (with restaurants like Pok Pok and local pop ups like Food and Sh*t), and Asian condiments get their 15 minutes in the foodie rags, I too wonder when sambal may have its day as the next gochujang or when soba will be the next ramen.

From delicate dumplings to decadent gua bao, rustic adobo, or soothing laksa, our cuisine and its dishes embody traditions that require our continued interest and investment. To make it a trend may give it a quick push, but it’s a temporary one at best in the rat race where the foodie disease is ADD and everyone is gunning to check off the newest, hottest, hippest out there.

Let’s focus on feeding ourselves and less on feeding the hype. If we wish to continue sharing the same dishes we’ve had with our grandparents with our own children, we {see ASIAN FOOD cont’d on page 13}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

9

“I would create more opportunities to engage with elders. Young people in our western culture frequently miss out on the opportunity to learn from and experience the gifts that the elders in our communities have to share.”

— Paula L. Houston Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer, Senior Services

“Heed the wisdom of ‘practice and discipline.’ I had a lot of natural aptitude, so I could learn anything quickly, but when it became more complicated and difficult, I would give up. Watching how the experts achieve their goals made me realize that it took work, patience and commitment.”

— Dorothy Wong Executive Director, Chinese Information and Service Center

“I would like to learn new things whenever there are opportunities. I like to learn not only new languages, take new classes, enjoy new experiences and make new friends.”

— Nate Miles Vice President of Government Relations, Lilly

“I would believe in the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of my parents. I would be much more grateful and appreciative of the sacrifices my parents made to create a better life for me and my siblings. I would dream bigger, and do it with much more confidence. I would believe in myself as much as my parents believed in me. I would be more compassionate. I would look for the goodness and strengths of others that were either overlooked or picked on in school.”

— Patrick Yalung Washington Region President

“1. Don’t be afraid to start a business at a young age.

2. Surround yourself with people you aspire to be. 3.

Never take your health for granted. 4. Always do what is right over what is easy. 5.

Marry well. Realize that this is the foundation of all life’s happiness.”

— Dwayne J. Clark Founder, Chairman/ CEO Áegis Living

This ad was sponsored by members of our community.

“If you could relive youth, what would you do?”

asianweekly northwest

10

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

OPINION

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Dinner with Chinese President Xi

Feast

Governor of Iowa Terry Branstad

The best of Seattle and Washington state was showcased for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s dinner held at the Westin Hotel on Sept. 22 for over 750 attendees.

So what made the event exceptional?

The list of who’s who guests gathered was remarkable. Omar Lee, a guest said, “not

even a million dollars can buy a dinner with such amazing guests!”

Xi’s unusual speech broke traditional patterns of Chinese leaders, wooing the crowd with nods and long-standing ovations.

The menu highlighted Washington state’s finest foods and ingredients. And then there

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.c om under the Opinion section.

was former U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke’s toast at the end, which was not only funny, but saved the day. The amount of comradery among U.S. national and local government, and businesses, was incredible to make the Chinese President feel welcome.

Some of the most powerful business and political leaders flew from all over the country to meet and support Xi. First, I rode the elevator with John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry, and Jerry Yang, founder of Yahoo. Seconds later, Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, appeared.

At the VIP reception room, Henry

Kissinger, former Secretary of State, sat on a chair with admiring crowds hovering around him. Another white-haired gentleman walked in—it was Tung Chee Hwa, former Hong Kong chief executive (similar to governor seat).

Then I met Luca Berrone of Iowa, “Old Friend of President Xi.” What? Really! That’s his only title printed on his business card.

“I was his tour guide when Xi visited Iowa” in the 1980s, he said. “I was with him for two {see BLOG cont’d on page 12}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ editorial

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

11

OPINION

Where’s our ride?

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

We’ve been writing about the streetcar for several years now. Amid concept, development, controversy, the distraction of construction, it has been fodder for community news. But once decided and construction was underway, the construct has been endured and anticipated. And it STILL is anticipated. And we are still waiting.

But how long exactly are we supposed to wait?!

Here’s a roster of the timeline in case you need to be reminded how long this has taken.

The easiest way to do this is to give you a sample of the headlines of all the articles we have done regarding the project.

March 2013: First Hill Streetcar construction underway June 2013: Chinatown streetcar to connect South Lake Union, Downtown August 2013: Streetcar construction causes headaches in the ID October 2013: Streetcar construction causes partial road closures July 2014: Headed downtown? Consider the

{WING LUKE cont’d from page 1} within the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

The announcement was made at an event at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle’s International District.

The well attended event included five current and two former Washington State Supreme Court Justices, nine members of Wing Luke’s family and many other luminaries from the civil rights community who share the common goal of equality for all Washington residents.

Led by Assistant Attorney General Colleen Melody — a Spokane native and former member of the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division — the Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit works to protect the rights of all Washington residents by enforcing state and federal antidiscrimination laws. The unit will investigate and bring actions to end discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, education, credit and insurance transactions, and

at government offices and businesses open to the public.

The unit will work closely with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, federal agencies, and civil rights stakeholders.

“Our team will enforce the Washington Law against Discrimination and be a community resource to help people know their rights and how to protect them,” said Melody, speaking to the audience of community leaders.

“And we will collaborate and work together with all of you on ways to make Washington a fairer place to work, live, go to school, and play together.”

The Civil Rights Unit is named for Wing Luke, who served as an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Washington in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He went on to become the first person of color elected to the Seattle City Council and the first Asian-American elected to public office in the Pacific Northwest. Throughout his life

streetcar debate — City Council votes on resolution July 21 July 2014: Downtown will get a streetcar April 2015: The streetcar gets a test run

That’s great that there has been evolution from construction to a few test runs, and in the meantime, a few surprise appearances of sample streetcars—the equivalent to seeing a police horse—a pat on the hind side and a snapshot (we took one of the streetcar’s last visit, see attached souvenir photo).

But we would like to see the streetcar in action. We would like to actually make use of it for transport.

The city has put a lot of time and money and residential headache into making this happen.

It would be nice to put those shiny new tracks and wait stations, and this alternative option for transportation, to use.

Headline (date unknown and to be determined, but hopefully it will be in 2015): Streetcar, so glad you are running the rails 

and career, Luke was a champion for civil rights and fought to improve the quality of life for all people.

“My brother Wing Luke had a saying, ‘Don’t do things because of who is right, but because of what is right,’” said Bettie Luke, Wing Luke’s sister and former board member of the Wing Luke Museum.

It is believed this is the first time the Attorney General’s Office has named a division or unit to honor the life and legacy of an individual. Ferguson’s intent is not only to honor Wing Luke, but to establish a vision and role model for the future work of the Attorney General’s Office civil rights team.  If you have a civil rights complaint, you can contact the Attorney General’s Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit by visiting www.atg.wa.gov/have-civil-rights-complain.

Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Thank you for recycling this newspaper! {KIRAM cont’d from page 4} where he had lived, with government forces providing security. A bomb explosion damaged Maimbung’s police station late Saturday, but the attack was unrelated to his death and may have been staged by Abu Sayyaf militants, who have been targeted in a new military offensive, Sulu military commander Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado said.

Kiram led the sultanate since the early 2000s, backed by an elder brother, Jamalul, who had relocated to Manila and died in 2013.

Kiram’s successor will be a younger brother, Phugdal Kiram, a retired grade school teacher, Idjirani said.

Philippine presidents have relegated the volatile territorial feud to the backburner despite efforts by the Kirams to put it on the national agenda. 

Send your exciting news to editor@nwasianweekly.c om.

asianweekly northwest

12

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

{BLOG cont’d from page 10} weeks.” And he showed an old photo of him and Xi in the old days.

Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa, shamelessly showed guests clips of newspapers of Xi. There were other governors too, including Jerry Brown of California.

On China’s side, governors of Zhejiang, Shandong and Shanxi Provinces were present. Several important Chinese ministers attended, including Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi. It was an impressive delegation of dozens high-level Chinese officials from China as well as those stationed in the U.S. Channel 13 reported Xi had over 100 vehicles in his entourage.

Xi’s speech

In the past, audiences have often complained many Chinese officials’ speeches were boring and flooded with propaganda and the same old material. But Xi had a different approach. It was personable, specific, and substantive.

Although Xi spoke in Chinese, he was fearless in expressing many relevant hot topics, thus, contrasting to his predecessors that he’s a modern president. (His wife greeted guests in English, “Nice to meet you”) From Chinese to Americans, Xi had earned their spontaneous-standing ovation and applause after the delivery.

In his words, Xi showed what he intended to do for China, its economy, US-China relations (even though it’s challenging), anti-corruption stand, cyberspace attacks, military, and investors’ concerns. He shared about his personal experiences during the Cultural Revolution when he was a young peasant in a village that his dream was for farmers to have meat. There was no meat for the villagers for months. Now, he wants all the {CYBER ATTACK cont’d from page 4} little hope for major breakthroughs on the tough issues bedeviling ties, but that there may be conciliatory gestures such as restarting dialogue on cybersecurity and a pact on avoiding unintended incidents between military aircraft.

“To me, the most important thing about the meeting is that it is an acknowledgement of the importance of the relationship,” said University of Virginia professor of foreign affairs and China expert Brantly Womack.

Other than that, it will be mostly posturing, Womack said: “I imagine it will be more light-sabre poses than deliverables.”

Chinese officials and government-backed scholars say that the world’s top economies should maintain close contact and operate under a new “major power” relationship, a concept that seeks to bring China up to parity with the U.S. “The key is that the both sides need to make concessions and the meeting is a venue for negotiation,” said Zhu Feng, a Peking University expert on China-U.S. relations.

Before arriving in Washington on Friday, Xi is scheduled to attend business-related events in Seattle. After meeting Obama, he travels to New York to deliver a speech before the U.N. General Assembly the following Monday.

CRACKS APPEARING For Xi, who took over as president in 2013, the visit comes as his standing both at home and abroad has grown slightly more ambiguous.

Earlier this month, he presided over a massive military parade in Beijing that showcased the growing might of the People’s Liberation Army. However, while a few luminaries such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended, most leaders of the world’s major democracies stayed away, with the U.S. sending only its Beijing ambassador.

The event was a hit among the Chinese public, but it was criticized abroad as threatening in appearance and unhelpful to reconciliation with World War II antagonist Japan.

The parade came on the heels of a Chinese stock market plunge, eroding trade figures, and an unexpected currency devaluation, prompting concerns about the state of the world’s second-largest economy. The warehouse explosion in Tianjin also prompted questions about the strength of government

Chinese people to have meat.

At one point, he referred to the television show “House of Cards” and the book “Old Man and the Sea,” as he realized that humor is important and he tried his best to relate to the American public.

A Chinese official who has heard Xi’s speeches several times before said this was the first time he heard Xi’s talking about those issues. “It’s all new to me,” he said. “It’s good.”

I was especially touched by these words. “If China and the U.S. cooperate well, they can become a bedrock of global stability and a booster of world peace,” he said. “Should they enter into conflict or confrontation, it would lead to disaster for both countries and the world at large.”

Head table

The powerful head table was seated with movers and shakers to shape the world. The men and women had international reputation, not just national. Almost 60 dignitaries surrounded Xi and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan. They were Kissinger (who introduced Xi), Bill and Melinda Gates; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Howard Schultz, Starbucks Chairman; Sen. Patty Murray; Ed Murray, Seattle Mayor; Max Baucus, U.S. Ambassador to China, and many others.

The menu

The menu was translated into Chinese. Yes we Chinese are particular about food. The salad was fresh ingredients of daikon and date, butternut squash puree, lotus root, and chive vinaigrette. Chinese might not like uncooked veggies.

The presentation was beautiful. The entrée was delicious with ranch Washington beef and NW steelhead roulade, wasabi rhizome mashers, baby beets, and brussel sprouts. The dessert was lovely: Theo chocolate Marquiese Dome on a brown

institutions.

“The Communist Party regime’s reputation for competent economic management has taken a hit. Still, Xi appears to be firmly in control for now,” said Princeton’s Friedberg.

At home, Xi’s enduring strengths include his total authority over the military and security services and a growing cult of personality. That’s allowed him to pursue a thorough campaign against corruption, while pressing a wide-ranging crackdown on Western democratic concepts and nongovernmental, religious and other groups outside party control. Scores of human rights lawyers have been questioned or detained.

Some have disappeared.

Overseas, it’s a different story. His visit comes as Obama is under growing pressure — from Congress, parts of the military and intelligence community — to take a tougher stance on China.

Rights groups have called on Obama to press Xi over the human rights crackdown. On a visit to China last month, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein urged China to end a campaign of cross removals and church demolitions and end harassment of members of unregistered religious groups.

VIEWED WITH SUSPICION The latest survey of U.S. attitudes toward China by the Pew Research Center showed that 54 percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Beijing, continuing a rising trend dating back to 2010.

Topping those concerns are the $1.27 trillion in U.S. debt held by China and the loss of American jobs blamed on Chinese competition. Close behind are hacking attacks originating from China that American officials say are approaching epidemic levels, including the theft of millions of U.S. federal personnel records that American lawmakers have said was engineered by Beijing.

Yet, despite U.S. warnings of legal action, China has shown no serious sign of acting on Washington’s concerns, preferring to portray itself as a victim of hacking.

And while exchanges between their militaries have grown more frequent, Washington still has grave doubts about Beijing’s intentions. The Sept. 3 military parade featured upgraded bombers and a pair of anti-ship ballistic missiles that analysts say could pose a direct threat to the U.S. Navy, American bases in Asia and to allies such as Japan and the Philippines.

Also of recent concern has been China’s

butter pistachio cake. The other one was a blood orange, finger lime caviar.

And the wine, it was Washington-made—Chateau Ste. Michelle 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2014 Chardonnay.

The food was not the main reason why people showed up.

(Headphones were available for English translation for the non-Chinese-speaking guests.)

Toast

At the end, Locke got up to make a toast. With champagne filled in all the glasses for each guest, Locke said nothing about champagne. Instead, he told guests to toast each other with Starbucks coffee. Yes, he knew that Xi drinks tea.

It’s not only a plug for Starbucks, (a big sponsor for the event), it’s more like a make-up for a bad mistake early at Paine Airfield. When dignitaries were there to welcome Xi and his delegation, John Kelly, Global Responsibility & Public Policy, took a sip of coffee. No, it wasn’t Starbucks. Instantly, he launched a complaint.

Brilliant Locke, just knew how to smooth the edges. And Starbucks folks smiled.

A million things could go wrong for the two-day events. But Washingtonians are professionals, they know how to sweep away any rough surface with humor and can-do attitude.

Bravo!

So many were disappointed that they were not invited to attend. I am grateful and honored to be one of the chosen guests. Mulvanny G2 paid $20,000 for one table. There are other companies who have paid more to support Xi’s visit.

Most of these companies have established plants and done well in China. It’s an opportunity for them to give them. 

program of turning reefs in the South China Sea into islands complete with airstrips capable of accommodating those bombers.

Washington has repeatedly called on Beijing to halt such moves, only to be told they’re not a threat and not of U.S. concern.

“The United States is not part of these disputes, and we do hope that the United States does not get involved,” foreign affairs adviser Yang said in the newspaper interview.

The level of distrust, especially over

hacking and espionage, was displayed in a unique way recently when the U.S. State Department ended a decades-long tradition of housing top officials at the iconic WaldorfAstoria hotel while they are in New York.

No reason was given for the change, although officials pointed to Hilton Worldwide’s sale of the hotel to a Chinese insurance conglomerate in a deal that prompted concerns over Chinese eavesdropping. 

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

13

For the week of September 26–October 2, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — A step-by-step troubleshooting approach should allow you to find and remove the small wrench that has temporarily stalled your progress.

Dragon — From what you can see, there is something still left to be done. However, it doesn’t necessarily fall on you to do it.

Monkey — A bit of quick thinking has saved you a lot of time. Use the extra cushion you now have to your best advantage.

Ox — If you are missing a few key pieces, then it is better to be patient than rushing ahead without all that you require.

Snake — Don’t be afraid to advocate for your position.

At the end of the day, you will realize that you have gained more by doing so.

Rooster — Someone has offered you a promising new deal; however, the conditions associated with it might not be as favorable as you originally thought.

Tiger — There is no doubt that you are committed to your craft, but you have other things that require your attention at the moment.

Horse — You have taken a departure from what you normally would do at this point. A different outcome will surely follow.

Dog — Make it a priority to address some unfinished business this week. It could be the start of an exciting chapter ahead.

Rabbit — Dressing the part can give you the confidence boost that you need in order to shine on an important occasion.

Goat — While the beginning could be somewhat difficult, things should settle down once a routine has been established.

Pig — An old friend has inspired you to look beyond the obvious. Much to your delight, there should be quite a discovery awaiting you.

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.

{FALL PREVENTION cont’d from page 5} your concerns and together take steps to reduce risk including removing hazards in the home, finding a fall prevention program in the community, or setting up a vision exam.

Learn about six steps to take to reduce falls here.

Senior centers and other community-based organizations across the country host proven programs that help older adults gain strength, improve balance, and build confidence to help them prevent falls and preserve their independence.

Contact a local senior center or community center today to find out how older adults can stay “Strong Today, Falls Free Tomorrow.”

To learn more, visit www.ncoa.org/ FallsPrevention.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a respected national leader and trusted partner to help people aged 60+ meet the challenges of aging. Our mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling.

Through innovative community programs and services, online help, and advocacy, NCOA is partnering with nonprofit organizations, government, and business to improve the health and economic security of 10 million older adults by 2020.  Learn more at ncoa.org and @ NCOAging.

{ASIAN FOOD cont’d from page 8} should seek it out, support the little guys who aim to go the old fashion way, and start cooking it at home, rather than waiting for the next star chef to do it for you.  Tiffany Ran cooks at Miyabi 45th and does PR and marketing for select restaurants in town via BlindCock Media.

Tiffany Ran can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

{SCAMS cont’d from page 5}

take advantage of older people.

them at risk of scammers. Whether it’s fake Botox like the one in Arizona that netted its distributors (who were convicted and jailed in 2006) $1.5 million in barely a year, or completely bogus homeopathic remedies that do absolutely nothing, there is money in the anti-aging business.

Botox scams are particularly unsettling, as renegade labs creating versions of the real thing may still be working with the root ingredient, botulism neurotoxin, which is one of the most toxic substances known to science. A bad batch can have health consequences far beyond wrinkles or drooping neck muscles.

8. Homeowner/reverse mortgage scams Scammers like to take advantage of the fact that many people above a certain age own their homes, a valuable asset that increases the potential dollar value of a certain scam.

A particularly elaborate property tax scam in San Diego saw fraudsters sending personalized letters to different properties apparently on behalf of the County Assessor’s Office. The letter, made to look official but displaying only public information, would identify the property’s assessed value and offer the homeowner, for a fee of course, to arrange for a reassessment of the property’s value and therefore the tax burden associated with it.

Closely related, the reverse mortgage scam has mushroomed in recent years. With legitimate reverse mortgages increasing in frequency more than 1,300% between 1999 and 2008, scammers are taking advantage of this new popularity. As opposed to official refinancing schemes, however, unsecured reverse mortgages can lead property owners to lose their homes when the perpetrators offer money or a free house somewhere else in exchange for the title to the property.

5. Telemarketing Perhaps the most common scheme is when scammers use fake telemarketing calls to prey on older people, who as a group make twice as many purchases over the phone than the national average. While the image of the lonely senior citizen with nobody to talk to may have something to do with this, it is far more likely that older people are more familiar with shopping over the phone, and therefore might not be fully aware of the risk.

With no face-to-face interaction, and no paper trail, these scams are incredibly hard to trace. Also, once a successful deal has been made, the buyer’s name is then shared with similar schemers looking for easy targets, sometimes defrauding the same person repeatedly.

Examples of telemarketing fraud include: The pigeon drop — The con artist tells the individual that he/she has found a large sum of money and is willing to split it if the person will make a “good faith” payment by withdrawing funds from his/her bank account. Often, a second con artist is involved, posing as a lawyer, banker, or some other trustworthy stranger.

The fake accident ploy — The con artist gets the victim to wire or send money on the pretext that the person’s child or another relative is in the hospital and needs the money.

Charity scams — Money is solicited for fake charities. This often occurs after natural disasters.

6. Internet fraud While using the Internet is a great skill at any age, the slower speed of adoption among some older people makes them easier targets for automated Internet scams that are ubiquitous on the web and email programs. Pop-up browser windows simulating virus-scanning software will fool victims into either downloading a fake anti-virus program (at a substantial cost) or an actual virus that will open up whatever information is on the user’s computer to scammers.

Their unfamiliarity with the less visible aspects of browsing the web (firewalls and built-in virus protection, for example) make seniors especially susceptible to such traps. One example includes: Email/phishing scams A senior receives email messages that appear to be from a legitimate company or institution, asking them to “update” or “verify” their personal information. A senior receives emails that appear to be from the IRS about a tax refund.

7. Investment schemes Because many seniors find themselves planning for retirement and managing their savings once they finish working, a number of investment schemes have been targeted at seniors looking to safeguard their cash for their later years. From pyramid schemes like Bernie Madoff’s (which counted a number of senior citizens among its victims) to fables of a Nigerian prince looking for a partner to claim inheritance money to complex financial products that many economists don’t even understand, investment schemes have long been a successful way to

9. Sweepstakes & lottery scams This simple scam is one that many are familiar with, and it capitalizes on the notion that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Here, scammers inform their mark that they have won a lottery or sweepstakes of some kind and need to make some sort of payment to unlock the supposed prize.

Often, seniors will be sent a check that they can deposit in their bank account, knowing that while it shows up in their account immediately, it will take a few days before the (fake) check is rejected. During that time, the criminals will quickly collect money for supposed fees or taxes on the prize, which they pocket while the victim has the “prize money” removed from his or her account as soon as the check bounces.

10. The grandparent scam The grandparent scam is so simple and so devious because it uses one of older adults’ most reliable assets, their hearts.

Scammers will place a call to an older person and when the mark picks up, they will say something along the lines of: “Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like, the scammer has established a fake identity without having done a lick of background research.

Once “in,” the fake grandchild will usually ask for money to solve some unexpected financial problem (overdue rent, payment for car repairs, etc.), to be paid via Western Union or MoneyGram, which don’t always require identification to collect. At the same time, the scam artist will beg the grandparent “please don’t tell my parents, they would kill me.”

While the sums from such a scam are likely to be in the hundreds, the very fact that no research is needed makes this a scam that can be perpetrated over and over at very little cost to the scammer.

If you suspect you’ve been the victim of a scam…

Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to talk about it with someone you trust. You are not alone, and there are people who can help. Doing nothing could only make it worse. Keep handy the phone numbers and resources you can turn to, including the local police, your bank (if money has been taken from your accounts), and Adult Protective Services. To obtain the contact information for Adult Protective Services in your area, call the Eldercare Locator, a government sponsored national resource line, at: 1-800-677-1116, or visit their website at: www.eldercare.gov. 

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SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015

{CITIZENSHIP DAY cont’d from page 1} naturalization ceremony.

Mayor Ed Murray, City Librarian Marcellus Turner, Parks & Recreation Deputy Superintendent Christopher Williams, Finance & Administrative Services Director Fred Podesta, and USCIS District Director Anne Corsano formally announced a partnership to strengthen citizenship education and awareness efforts. For over 50 years, Seattle Public Libraries has offered free citizenship resources in multiple languages and a variety of formats within libraries across the City. This partnership will amplify the library’s work by creating dedicated spaces in other City venues, such as customer service centers and community centers, where immigrants can find information about becoming a citizen and where to access services.

“Our vibrant, multicultural community — and our economy — are stronger when we support immigrants and refugees on the path toward U.S. citizenship,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “We are building new partnerships to educate

{FENG cont’d from page 6} But Nova Heart takes a decent stab at novelty, even as it assembles this novelty notion out of discarded tropes, pieces of ‘90s electronica and ‘90s singer-songwriter guitar (clean, almost oppressively clean), and a drummer, Atom, whose high-hat sounds like Ted Danson on “CSI” quietly misting down his mushroom collection. I don’t hear any explosive originality, but I hear slyness, melancholy, stuff you put on

Seattle residents on the benefits of naturalization by providing citizenship information and access to resources around the City.”

These “Citizenship Corners” include citizenship test preparation materials, local community resources, and a workstation with access to a citizenship website allowing for online access to information and tools to apply for citizenship. USCIS also plans to train other City officials about the naturalization process and the free preparation resources available to immigrants.

Additionally, the City will integrate citizenship information into the scope of services provided to Seattle residents through select City venues, including community centers in immigrant-dense neighborhoods. Residents will be able to access information on citizenship offered by USCIS and get information about free ESL and citizenship classes offered at The Seattle Public Library.

During Thursday’s City Hall announcement, the Mayor and Director Corsano highlighted the need to incorporate all sectors of the City in the effort to support new citizens

to dance by yourself at 3 a.m. because you have to dance at 3 a.m.

Helen Feng, the head honcho, was a VJ for MTV in China for some time, so she presumably knows the score over there, what she wants to push back against. The electrobeats from her keys pulse in a variety of ‘90s textures, including guitar textures.

Everything she sings, seems haunted. Like she’s sending her messages out into a cold night where someone, somewhere, might be dancing at 3 a.m.—but mostly it’s just cold,

and to create more welcoming communities. “USCIS is proud to join Mayor Murray in providing immigrants with greater access to information and resources as they pursue their ultimate goal of full membership in our society as U.S. citizens,” USCIS Director León Rodríguez said. “We look forward to working with the Mayor’s office and other City services in providing everything that’s needed to help immigrants become part of a welcoming and robust Seattle.”

Seattle is USCIS’ eighth municipal partner, joining Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and New York.

Following the announcement, USCIS conducted a naturalization ceremony, with Mayor Murray providing remarks and District Director Corsano swearing in 10 new citizens.  Joaquin Uy can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

and windy, and bright neon fails to warm anyone. The voice in these songs wants to get to someone, touch someone, but knows enough to adopt a cool fatalism. “I hang in,” and that’s about all she can do. And make it as pretty, icy-pretty, as possible.

I wish I knew more about Chinese society, and Chinese pop music. She’s singing mostly in English, with a bit of what sounds like Mandarin in one song.

They’re rebelling against everything cute, and everything that twerks, everything they

see and hear as a received idea. Ironically, though, they’re assembling their own revolution out of bits and pieces of other folks’ revolutions. I wish it sounded more like a breakthrough. I’m not sure what to make of this impression, finally, that all over the world stand lonely people trying to get home, in the cold. Trying to find a light in a window. Someone dancing.  Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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arrival in Everett Paine Airfield early Tuesday morning created a historical moment in US-China relations. Xi will be the fourth Chinese leader visiting the state since Premier Deng Xiaoping’s visit in 1979, President Jiang Xeming in 1993, and President Hu Jintao in 2006.

Xi had already signed an agreement with other U.S. governors to promote clean energy technology and economic development on the first day of his trip.

He has an ambitious agenda for this trip, and he is prepared in his speech on how to win the public. (See blog on Page 10).

Chinese leaders have been comfortable with Washington state—our state doesn’t give hiccups to Chinese officials. D. C. did. During President Hu’s visit at the White House, embarrassing incidents happened when a Falun Gong member disrupted the event. Locke’s experience who had worked in both Washingtons (as governor, U.S. Secretary of Commerce) are familiar what it is needed to make Xi feel his stay in Seattle, was worthwhile.

The fact Chinese leaders picked Seattle as their first U.S. city to visit, “is significant,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray who was on red carpet greeting Xi. “Seattle is important in the global economy. It is a gate closer to China” compared to other U.S. cities. That’s what Seattle likes the Chinese to think.

Harry Shum, executive vice president of Microsoft, also one of the special guests to greet Xi couldn’t contain his excitement even though he had met

Xi in China before. He spoke to Xi in Mandarin, and reminded him to come to Microsoft on Wednesday. Xi responded, “Yes.” “It’s still very exciting,” Shum said.

“This is a rare opportunity to have.”

Mulvanny G2 Jerry Lee, another member of the state’s welcoming committee, said, “My first impression was that he was gentle and upbeat. He seem to be larger in person, when I shook his hand. Seattle weather was perfect upon his arrival. As a Chinese American, I was proud and honored to greet him.”

Boeing had put much effort in organizing the welcome for Xi. Compared to Hu’s arrival in 2006, it resulted in chaos between media and community groups, Xi’s visit was much more scripted and organized. Media were confined to another section. A separated, spacious tent was set up for special guests for breakfast and networking.

Despite China’s effort to keep Xi’s itinerary secret until last week, protesters Falun Gong and Taiwanese groups, were outside the airport in three separate intersections close to the airport. They were also present outside the Seattle Westin Hotel. To drum out protesters, pro-China forces also showed up right next to the protesters, carrying China’s flag outnumbering the protesters dressed in white t-shirt. At one point, you couldn’t distinguish whether they were pro and against China. 

SEAFOOD

{XI cont’d from page 1}

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SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2015