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VOL 34 NO 46 NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
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Go West!
Report shows Asian Pacific Islanders heading toward the left coast
NHPI represents
By Tina Lu Northwest Asian Weekly Asian Americans as well as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) are the fastest
growing racial groups in the West, according to a report released last week by the advocacy organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ). The report provides the latest data on
Votes are in Hara, Singh, Gregerson defeated
the growing Asian American and NHPI communities in the Western region, including Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. From 2000 to 2010, the NHPI population in the West grew by 37 percent, and Asian Americans by 36 percent, while the total population in the Western region has only grown by 14 percent. “The goals of this report are really to promote the better understanding of two of the country’s fastest growing and most diverse racial groups,” said Joanna Lee, a senior research analyst with AAAJ. Because most data report Asian Americans and NHPI populations as a whole, it gives the impression of success among the entire population, said Diane Narasaki, executive director of Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle. “But sadly, [the success] does not pertain to many ethnic groups.” Policymakers often overlook disadvantaged populations within the community. This report aims to give up-to-date data and policy recommendations, said Lee. Much of the data from this report came from {see NHPI cont’d on page 13}
A&E FILM The Assassin » Page 7
Taiwan, Chinese presidents to meet for first time since 1949
Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou
By Christopher Bodeen and Ralph Jennings BEIJING (AP) — The presidents of China and Taiwan will meet this weekend for the first time since civil war divided their lands 66 years ago, their governments said Wednesday, a highly symbolic move that reflects quickly improving relations between the formerly bitter Cold War foes. The meeting Saturday in Singapore between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Taiwanese counterpart Ma Ying-jeou could be China’s {see CHINA AND TAIWAN cont’d on page 6}
Scott Oki sold golf course to Chinese investors By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly
Kshama Sawant
Peter Kwon
The votes were tallied Nov. 3-4, and the results regarding the API community were: John Lee lost to Davina Duerr for the City of Bothell Council Position No. 2. Lee received 39% of the vote. Hira Singh lost to Tina Budell for the City of Kent Council Position No. 1. Singh received 34% of the vote. Pamela Banks lost to Kshama Sawant for the Seattle City Council Position No. 3. Banks received 47% of the vote. Sawant received 52% of the vote. Bruce Harrell defeated Tammy Morales for the Seattle City Council Position No 2, winning 55% of the vote. Peter Kwon defeated Sally Andrews for the Seatac City Council Position No. 3. Kwon received 60% of the votes. Incumbent Mia Su-Ling Gregerson lost to Erin Sitterley for the Seatac City Council Position No. 7. Gregerson {see ELECTION RESULTS cont’d on page 11}
{see ECHO FALLS GOLF CLUB cont’d on page 16}
Photos by George Liu/NWAW
Bruce Harrell
Chinese investment has transformed the skyline of Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, and Tukwila from old warehouses, churches, and abandoned lands to five-star hotels, mega office towers, upscale apartments and condominiums. Recently, Kung Fu Panda (KFP), owned by a Chinese American, has struck a different path—acquiring a golf course owned by Scott Oki. The Golf Club at Echo Falls is located in Snohomish. The new owner would not disclose the amount KFP paid. The sale price reportedly was under $10 million for Echo’s 155 acres. Located about 20 miles outside Seattle, Echo, which opened in 1992 and was bought by Oki in 1994, is an 18-hole golf course with a lush green island surrounded by the
Echo Falls Golf Club
The Inside Story NAMES People in the news » Page 2
■
WORLD Pups rescued » Page 4
BOOKSHELF Missions, mystery, mathematics » Page 8
COMMUNITY Solutions for small businesses » Page 10
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■ names in the news Rhodes named Outstanding Litigation Associate of the Year Michael Rhodes, a senior associate at the law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, was named “Outstanding Litigation Associate of the Year” by the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Former Lewis Brisbois partner Colleen Barrett presented the award at WDTL’s annual judicial reception and awards ceremony. Rhodes Michael Rhodes primarily focuses his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, business law, insurance law, bad faith litigation, and general liability. He currently serves on the WDTL Board of Trustees, is editor-in-chief of its newsletter, and is founder and committee chair of its Diversity Committee. He was also selected as a 2015 Rising Star by Washington Super Lawyers.
closed last Sunday with a screening of “The Spectacular Jihad of Taz Rahim” (2015) from first-time director Raghav Murali and starring Bangladeshi-American actor Rashaan Islam, both who were in attendance. There were accolades for Rucha Humnabadkar’s “For Here or to Go?” (2015). It played to a sold-out crowd on opening night and was awarded the SSAFF Jury Award at Closing Night ceremonies. The SSAFF 2015 Jury, comprising local and international filmmakers, writers, and academics said, “ ‘For Here or to Go?’ explores the immigrant experience from a unique perspective.” Humnabadkar said: “This recognition is truly humbling. I was overwhelmed with the enthusiastic audience response. Thank you for recognizing the value of strong, original ideas that carry an important message. The SSAFF team welcomed us with open arms and the festival was an inspiring and heartwarming experience.”
Low Income Housing Institute Gala honors 2015 heroes
2015 Housing Hero Awards to Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, and the Ballard Community Taskforce on Homelessness and Hunger. For more information: www.LIHI.org.
Sugimura appointed interim director of new planning office Mayor Ed Murray named Diane Sugimura, current director of the Department of Planning and Development, as interim director of the new Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD). In his 2016 budget, the mayor is proposing to coordinate strategic planning functions across city departments in one single entity, OPCD, to better manage planning and investments in a rapidly
Diane Sugimura
growing Seattle. “We must seize this opportunity to carefully plan the growth of Seattle to include the amenities that support our livable and vibrant community,” Murray said. “After nearly four decades of service to the people of Seattle, I have convinced Diane to stay a few more months so that we have steady leadership as we launch this new planning agency. I hope to nominate a new director in the first few months of 2016.”
Accolades galore presented at South Asian Film Festival
King County Councilman Larry Gossett, Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director, and Tom Chabolla, Senior VP of NeighborWorks America
Director Rucha Humnabadkar, Producer Rishi Bhilawadikar, Producer CC Chainey
The 10th Seattle South Asian Film Festival (SSAFF)
The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) Gala & Auction was held at the Four Seasons Hotel on Oct. 23. A sell-out crowd raised more than $370,000 for LIHI housing programs, the Urban Rest Stop, Nickelsville, and Tiny Houses. LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee presented the
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
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■ world news
End of 1-child policy not gamechanger By Christopher Bodeen and Paul Traynor Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — Everyone should have the chance to have more than one child, say Chinese parents who welcome the government’s loosening of its population policy. But just because all couples can now have two children, that doesn’t mean all want to take advantage. Many already had that option because the one-child policy had been significantly relaxed in previous years. Some see a second child as too expensive, especially given the current level of government support for child care and medical care. Others say it’s already too late, and reflect on the siblings they might have had if the policy had not been in place for the past three decades. LONELY GENERATION Chinese born in the 1980s and 1990s,
when the one-child policy was most strictly enforced, say they were lonely growing up without siblings. That increased perceptions that the policy was unjust, said Shanghai stay-at-home mother Shao Jiao. “We lack brothers and sisters, accompaniment. That experience and that life, we do not have them,” said Shao, 31, the mother of a 7-year-old boy and 6-weekold girl. “I think it is true that the only-child generation is lonely. So we have to turn to friends more for that. We are the lonely generation,” Shao said. SEEKING HEALTH-CARE HELP China has changed its one-child policy to a two-child policy to help mitigate an expected shortage of workers that will be needed to support an aging population. But a Beijing resident said the government will need to {see 1-CHILD POLICY cont’d on page 13}
Up/Down
China’s new baby policy lifts kid stocks, sinks condom maker By Kelvin Chan AP Business Writer HONG KONG (AP) — Shares of companies that make diapers, baby strollers and infant formula got a boost Friday from China’s decision to scrap its one-child policy. But for the maker of a popular brand of condoms, it was not the brightest of days. Investors are betting on a bump in sales for companies with baby or child-related businesses after China’s Communist leaders announced that all married couples would be allowed to have two children. The economic waves traveled as far afield as New Zealand, where the currency of the dairy exporting country surged. Analysts at investment bank Credit Suisse estimated that the relaxed controls would result in an extra 3-6 million babies born annually in the five-year period starting in 2017. China, the world’s most populous country with nearly 1.4 billion people, has about 16.5 million births each year. The one-child policy began in 1979 to curb a surging population at a time when
extreme poverty was widespread in China. The Credit Suisse report said that with the annual cost of raising a child estimated at 40,000 yuan ($6,330), the extra births would translate into an extra 120-240 billion yuan ($19-38 billion) in consumer spending a year, or 4-6 percent of China’s total retail sales. One of the biggest winners in the financial markets was China Child Care Corp., which makes hair and skin care products for kids. Its shares ended 40 percent higher on Hong Kong’s stock exchange. On the losing side, Japanese condom maker Okamoto Industries Inc., a favorite of Chinese visitors to Japan, slumped 10 percent in Tokyo. Formula makers in Hong Kong and mainland China rose strongly, led by Beingmate Baby & Child Food Co., which jumped 10 percent on China’s smaller Shenzhen stock exchange. Japanese companies were also among the beneficiaries. Baby bottle maker Pigeon Corp. surged 10.7 percent while {see STOCKS cont’d on page 13}
Humane Society rescues pups from South Korean meat farm By Sheila Hagar Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
They have no names, yet. “I really want the families to be able to name them,” said Sara Archer, executive director of Blue Mountain Humane Society, dishing out a pet treat for the 80-pound dog in front of her. Archer is referring to four tosa inus, also called Japanese mastiffs, that recently landed at the Walla Walla animal shelter in the nextto-last stop of an incredible journey. They
range in age from 9 months to 2 years old, have coats like mocha velvet and big brown eyes that study every human move. Everything is new in an unexplored universe to the two male and two female dogs that, until recently, were to be sold on the South Korean meat market. In that country dogs destined to become food live in small pens on farms until they are crammed into crates with six to eight other dogs and trucked to a city market, according to Humane Society International officials.
These four dogs now in Walla Walla, plus 99 more, are part of Humane Society International’s latest effort in a campaign to end South Korea’s small but significant dog meat trade and to raise awareness among Korean residents about the plight of “meat dogs.” More than 2 million dogs are reportedly bred and butchered each year for their meat {see HUMANE SOCIETY cont’d on page 14}
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ national news
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
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California doctor convicted in overdose death of 3 patients
By Brian Melley Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The second-degree murder convictions this week of a Los Angeles-area physician were the first against a U.S. doctor for recklessly prescribing drugs, the Los Angeles district attorney’s office said. Dr. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng was convicted of murder on Friday in a landmark case for killing three patients who overdosed on what a prosecutor called “crazy, outrageous amounts” of painkillers she prescribed. It’s rare to bring homicide charges against a physician, but the case came amid a prescriptiondrug abuse epidemic that has led lawmakers to try to rein in so-called pill mills that dole out medications with little scrutiny. “You can’t hide behind a white lab coat and commit crimes,” Deputy District Attorney John Niedermann said. “Writing a prescription to someone knowing that they’re going to abuse it and potentially die was the theory of
second-degree murder that we had.” A dozen of Tseng’s patients died, though prosecutors only brought three murder charges because of other factors involved in some of those deaths, such as drugs prescribed by other doctors and a possible suicide. Tseng, 45, showed no emotion as the convictions were read out loud, though her lawyer said she was emotional and very upset later. Jurors deliberated for 10 days before reaching the verdicts. She was also convicted of illegally writing prescriptions for two of the deceased patients and 16 other people, including two undercover agents who were investigating how easily she prescribed addictive pain pills after brief office visits. She was acquitted of illegally writing a hydrocodone prescription to a third undercover officer. Tseng prescribed “crazy, outrageous amounts of medication” to patients who didn’t need the pills, Niedermann told jurors in Los Angeles County
Dr. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng
Superior Court during closing arguments. The doctor repeatedly ignored warning signs even after several patients died as she built a new medical clinic in Rowland Heights with the money she made from them, earning $5 million in one three-year period. One patient even overdosed in her office and had to be revived. “Something is wrong with what you’re doing if your patients are
dying,” Niedermann said. Tseng’s lawyer said her client naively trusted her patients. Defense lawyer Tracy Green said patients testified they were legitimately in pain and later became dependent on the drugs, hiding their addictions by seeing other doctors and picking up prescriptions from different pharmacies. Green had asked jurors to acquit Tseng on all but one drug count. Tseng shouldn’t have been convicted of anything more than manslaughter, and plans to appeal, Green said after the verdict. “It’s disappointing,” Green said. “I don’t think it bodes well for doctors in America.” Tseng faces up to life in prison when sentenced Dec. 14. She was convicted of killing Vu Nguyen, 29, of Lake Forest, Calif., Steven Ogle, 25, of Palm Desert, and Joseph Rovero, 21, an Arizona State University student from San Ramon. The three died of overdoses between March and December 2009. Tseng barely kept any records on the three men until she was
contacted by the Medical Board of California. She then fabricated charts to make it look like she kept thorough records of diagnoses and noted she was weaning them off drugs, Niedermann said. Tseng ignored pleas from family members of patients who demanded she stop prescribing drugs to them. April Rovero, who lost her son almost six years ago, said she had waited for justice so long that she almost couldn’t believe it when she heard the words “guilty” uttered repeatedly. She said her son and others were culpable at some level, but they had lost the ability to stop themselves and Tseng took advantage. If her son were alive today, she’d tell him that his bad choice led to an outcome that could have a broader impact. “This is something that could make a difference as we turn this doctor overprescribing situation around,” Rovero said. “I wish he was here, certainly, but his life has made a difference.”
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■ COMMUNITY news Taylor Hoang awarded Courage Award Crosscut.com
Taylor Hoang is the recipient of Crosscut’s 2015 Courage Award for business. This year’s winners were honored at the annual Courage Awards Breakfast on Oct. 29 at Benaroya Hall. In the heat of last year’s debate over raising Seattle’s minimum wage, it became clear to Hoang that minority and immigrant business owners were largely left out of the conversation. “When Kshama Sawant talked about the $15 minimum wage, she [talked] about protecting the immigrant community,” said Hoang, owner of the Pho Cyclo Café restaurants. “But what people forget is that a lot of immigrants are also business owners, and they’re not making any more money than their employees.” To raise these entrepreneurs’ voices and give them better representation in the debate, Hoang founded the nonprofit Ethnic Business Coalition. The coalition is helping business owners modernize their image. Doing so can be as basic as making sure a grocery store or a struggling restaurant has a Facebook page or website. “A lot of businesses don’t even have any type of digital footprint – not even a website or social media,” she says. In August, Hoang launched Ethnic Seattle, a website that
Taylor Hoang and husband
provides neighborhood guides to places such as Rainier Valley and West Seattle, promotes local events, and shares recipes. Ethnic Seattle writers present information in a unique way by allowing readers to meet the people in the community through stories. Hoang knows the struggle of ethnic business owners from personal experience. Her mother was a nurse during the
Vietnam War and was later sent to a concentration camp. She fled to the United States with Taylor in 1982, but she couldn’t find work because of her limited English. She opened Huong Binh, a Vietnamese restaurant in the Little Saigon neighborhood in 1993. Today, Hoang says, her mother still works 12-hour days to make ends meet. Hoang hopes that the Ethnic Business Coalition will help immigrant business owners like her mother thrive in the Seattle business landscape. “Media tends to stereotype our ethnic neighborhoods,” she says. “For example, when you hear the ‘International District’, you hear about ‘cheap eats’, but not that it’s an experience or that it’s something to be valued and to enjoy as part of everyday [life] …. I think that really does have a negative impact on businesses here, because they don’t get to be part of the mainstream business community.” “Ethnic and immigrant owned businesses are part of what makes Seattle unique and their vitality is essential to our city,” wrote Seattle Mayor Ed Murray in an e-mail. “In her work with the Ethnic Business Coalition, Taylor Hoang draws attention to this amazing diversity and propels it into the mainstream.” This article originally appeared on Crosscut.com.
■ COMMUNITY calendar ■ briefly FRI 11/6 WHAT: Native American Heritage Month Potlatch WHERE: South Shore K-8 School WHEN: 6-7:30 p.m. INFO: ocaseattle.org WHAT: Glitter Gala & Fashion Show WHERE: Elliott Hall at Bell Harbor, Seattle WHEN: 6 p.m. COST: $175/ticket, $375/VIP ticket, $1,750/table INFO: seattlegoodwill.ejoinme.org/ GlitterGala
SAT 11/7 WHAT: 4th Anniversary “Holly Zhang’s premier collection” WHERE: 700 110th Ave. N.E. Ste. 162, Bellevue WHEN: 2-6 p.m. INFO: 425-449-8332, hollyzhang.com
WHAT: Ethnic Heritage Council Workshop WHERE: Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 N.W. 67th St., Seattle WHEN: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. INFO: ethnicheritagecouncil.org WHAT: Tai Tung’s Asian Thanksgiving to Raise Awareness about Lack of Affordable Senior Housing WHERE: Tai Tung WHEN: 6:30-9 p.m. WHAT: 2016 Health Insurance Enrollment WHERE: 40 Lake Bellevue Dr., Ste. 115, Bellevue WHEN: 2-6 p.m. INFO: 425-691-9946, wahealthplanfinder.org
SUN 11/8 WHAT: Culture Day Festival, “Bunka no Hi” WHERE: JCCCW, 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
{CHINA AND TAIWAN cont’d from page 1} last to press its case for closer economic and, ultimately, political ties before Taiwan elects a new president and legislature in January that could put the brakes on Ma’s pro-China initiatives. For Ma’s ruling Nationalists, who have been lagging at the polls, it could boost their credentials for driving progress in relations with China, but also carries the risk of appearing too close to Beijing, further damaging their chances with skeptical voters. Presidents of the two sides have not met since Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists lost the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong’s Communists and the Nationalists rebased in Taiwan 160 kilometers (100 miles) away in 1949. The two sides have been separately ruled since then, with Taiwan evolving into a freewheeling democracy. China insists that the two sides eventually reunite, by force if necessary. Confirmation of the meeting from the Chinese Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office came hours after the Taiwanese side announced the meeting earlier Wednesday. The two sides never talked formally until Ma, president since 2008, set aside old hostilities to allow lower-level official meetings. China and Taiwan have signed 23 deals covering
AAPI community honors Muckleshoot Indian Tribe The Seattle Japanese American Citizens League has been working closely with representatives of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe on an event to raise awareness within the AAPI community about the history, heritage and legacy of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. The AAPI and Native American communities have a proud legacy of communion and camaraderie. Throughout history, discriminatory laws and social circumstances stimulated the mixing of these two communities in the labor workforce, in marriage, and in sociopolitical advocacy. Today, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe contributes to AAPI organizations around the state that support community advancement. However, the communities less frequently work together in joint advocacy efforts, and little is understood regarding the history, heritage, and contemporary issues of Native Americans and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. The goal of the workshop is to bring into focus another group with a proud legacy, raise
mainly trade, transit and investment, binding Taiwan closer to its top trading partner and the world’s second-largest economy. Taiwanese presidential spokesman Charles Chen said in a statement Wednesday that the two would exchange ideas about relations but not sign any deals. The choice of Singapore as the venue was significant because the Southeast Asian city-state with an ethnic Chinese majority population has strong relations with both Taiwan and China and serves as neutral ground. Ma is stepping down as president next year after his maximum two terms, and the DPP’s candidate Tsai Ing-wen is considered the front-runner to replace him. A DPP victory could prompt a sweeping reassessment of its Taiwan polices by Beijing, which has hoped that economic inducements would lead to greater acceptance of eventual political unification. Ma’s government has come under increasing criticism at home for cozying up to China, amid fears Beijing will eventually leverage economic relations to exert more power over the island. Xi warned Taiwan in 2013 against putting off political differences from generation to generation. China has long advocated a Hong Kong-style one-country, two-system form of joint rule, in which Beijing controls Taiwan but the island of 23 million retains control of its political, legal and economic
awareness of Native American life in Washington, hear the story of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe in their own words, and explore ways in which the communities can work together in the future. At the event, attendees will welcome a variety of panelists from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, enjoy a variety of Native American cultural performances, and feast in a community potluck with dishes from Seattle’s many different ethnic groups, provided by AAPI organizations beneficiary of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s philanthropy. “The event will be held on Nov. 21, a date which coincides with Native American Heritage month,” said Toshiko Hasegawa, past Seattle JACL president and current chapter board member. “It is the weekend before Thanksgiving, a date we feel represents the generosity of Native American peoples. We are excited to demonstrate our gratitude and appreciation for their legacy.” RSVP is required to attend. Please contact Toshiko Hasegawa at toshikograce@me.com.
affairs. In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. would welcome steps taken on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to try to reduce tensions and improve relations, but added, “we’ll have to see what actually comes out of the meeting.” Ma is likely hoping for some reassurance from Xi over the use of force and closer economic ties that could help Nationalist Presidential candidate Eric Chu in the polls, said Hong Kong Chinese politics expert Willy Lam. Xi, for his part, likewise hopes a friendly, non-threatening meeting could give the Nationalists a boost, while showing a Chinese domestic audience that he could be the best bet in decades for achieving unification. While the meeting is meant to showcase the Nationalists’ adeptness at dealing with China, it carries significant risks for the party, said Sean King, senior vice president with the consultancy Park Strategies in New York and a frequent commentator on Asian affairs. “This meeting will only hurt the Nationalists at home, as it will cause them to even more be seen as Beijing’s preferred Taiwan party,” King said. “This could be the mainland’s last chance to liaise with the Nationalist Party, while it’s in power, for years to come.”
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ at the movies
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
The Assassin
Discovering the roots of your Asian American family tree Tracking history becomes less troublesome with Uncle Sam
Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly I settled into my seat wondering how Hou Hsaio-Hsien, a Taiwanese director with an eye to the quirks, and subtle quakes of human interchange, would approach a martial arts film, specifically, a “wuxia” (“martial hero”) narrative, with its implicit practices. And “The Assassin,” his first full-length film since 2008’s “The Flight of the Red Balloon,” showcases, I think, more of the director’s distinctive approaches than genre expectations. It seems only fair warning to note that moviegoers expecting an enormous amount of action might well walk away disappointed. Hou Hsaio-Hsien acknowledges the tradition, but his swordfights and fistfights sometimes trail off after only a few swipes. The largest altercation takes place partially obscured by trees. The film makes several points in this fashion. It emphasizes that few viewpoints in life make for optimal viewpoints— counterpoint to conventional martial arts films and even conventional films, which specialize in providing optimal viewpoints. It places the action of humans against the steadfast, majestic indifference of nature, which existed long before the combats and shall long outlast them. And it reminds us that any viewpoint represents only one possible view out of many possibilities. The story is difficult to follow without a working knowledge of Chinese history, although the America prints, at least, provide some opening screen text designed to help. During the Tang Dynasty, relations between the increasingly troubled Chinese central government and the province of Weibo begin to break down—largely, though not entirely, because of Weibo’s great distance from that central government. Against this tension, a female assassin, Nie Yinniang (Shu
■ community
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Marian Smith
By James Tabafunda NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Qui) appears. She’s been trained by a princess, Jiaxin (FangYi Sheu), who turned against her lineage and became a Taoist nun. Nie Yinniang grew up slim, strong, powerful, and unbelievably quick. Jiaxin puts her to work slaying people Jiaxin believes should be killed. But when Nie Yinniang refuses to take a life, Jiaxin gives her a seemingly impossible task: To dispatch someone close to Nie Yinniang. Someone she’s known and cared for her whole life.
The family trees of Asians in the United States will create a much larger forest as they become the largest immigrant group in 2055, according to a Pew Research Center study released last month. The proper conditions for the growth of these trees can be attributed to the first federal naturalization law enacted in 1790 allowing foreign-born people to become U.S. citizens, and the number of active family-history researchers remains high as genealogy
{see MOVIES cont’d on page 15}
{see GENEALOGY cont’d on page 12}
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■ on the shelf
Missions, mysteries, mathematics
By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly
The Sun Gods
By Jay Rubin Chin Music Press, 2015 It’s the late 1950s and Bill Morton is about to graduate from college. He’s with a young woman he loves and is considering marrying, and the two of them have plans to do missionary work abroad after they graduate. But then, Bill — who is white — begins to have flashbacks and memories of a childhood spent with a Japanese woman. And so Bill sets out on a mission to discover who this woman is and what their connection is. This journey takes him back to the early days of World War II. Bill was just a toddler and his father, Tom, was a pastor for a Seattle Japanese church. They meet Mitsuko, a newly transplanted member of the congregation from Japan. Mitsuko eventually joins their small family, but with anti-Japanese sentiments running high, things are not easy. The tension hits a peak once Pearl Harbor is bombed and the family of three is torn apart. Bill’s journey to find Mitsuko takes him from Seattle’s International District, to the internment camp in Minidoka, Idaho, to a post-war Japan — with no help from his distant father (who becomes even more distant once Bill begins asking questions and who has kept this past a secret from his son). “The Sun Gods” is a story about family, but it is so much more than just that. It is a story about war and what it does to families.
It is a story about interracial relationships and the complications that come with them. It is also a story about religion and what religious intolerance can lead to. After finishing the book, it was the latter that stuck with me the most. Some of the characters held strong religious views and, while in some ways this was admirable, Rubin also shows readers the damage this can cause as their refusal to bend even a little bit led to broken relationships. Through this lens, he shows how harmful self-righteousness can be and will have readers thinking twice about their willingness — or lack thereof — to compromise.
Dragonfish
By Vu Tran W. W. Norton & Company, 2015 It has been two years since Robert’s Vietnamese wife Suzy left him, but that hasn’t stopped him from loving her or thinking about her. But as time goes on, Robert, an Oakland cop, works to move on with his life. That is until he is contacted by Sonny, Suzy’s new husband and a violent Vietnamese gambler and smuggler living in Las Vegas. Robert learns that Suzy has disappeared and now Sonny is blackmailing Robert to find her. As he works to find his ex-wife, Robert receives help from some unlikely allies —
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{see TRAVEL cont’d on page 15}
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{see SHELF cont’d on page 16}
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from both Suzy’s past and present. Along the way, he learns more about his ex-wife than he ever did during their marriage, including some of the details about her life before she came to the United States — some small, some big. “Dragonfish,” is a mystery filled with suspense as Robert chases lead after lead, uncovering the ghosts from Suzy’s past. And while he was aware during their marriage of how reluctant she was to share things about her life before they met, Robert quickly learns just how little he really knew about the woman he loves.
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ TOP CONTRIBUTORS
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
9
Van Dinh-Kuno No sitting Hands-on activist on sidelines Retired Korean American attorney and civil rights activist demonstrates political consciousness
By James Tabafunda NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY For Mel Kang, the path to becoming a civil rights activist in the 1960s and later, a community volunteer for several local organizations, has been one marked by a determination to be a part of the solution
to injustice in the world. A third-generation Korean American, he and other activists “would just do stuff.” His maternal grandfather emigrated to Chicago from Korea “around 1910,” he said, and his paternal grandfather moved {see KANG cont’d on page 12}
By Elisabeth Sherman Northwest Asian Weekly
A young Vietnamese girl fleeing her war torn homeland for a better life in America: the story might seem common enough— until you realize that girl grew up be one of Washington state’s most powerful advocates for immigrants. Van Dinh-Kuno, who will be honored at this year’s Northwest Asian Weekly Top Contributors to the Asian Community dinner, came to Minnesota as a refugee escaping the fall of Saigon in 1975. Though she trained to be a scientist, she took every opportunity to aid immigrants as they transitioned to their new lives in the United States. Forty years later, Kuno serves as
Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation
Top Contributors
to the Asian community Making a difference
Friday, Dec. 4, 2015 • 6 — 9 P.M. House of Hong Restaurant • 206-622-7997 • 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle
{see DINH-KUNO cont’d on page 13}
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the Executive Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest, which serves five counties in Washington. She also serves on a variety of community boards and advocacy groups, including the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, TriCounty Refugee Planning Committee, and the Multicultural Diversity and Equity Board at Everett Community College. Kuno’s job is to ensure that immigrants arriving in Washington become successful citizens by helping them find steady work and a decent wage on which they can support themselves and their children. “I advocate culturally for children, and for parents at community colleges,” Kuno said. “For example, we have a nursing program but there is a barrier because you have to be proficient in English to be admitted.” That’s where Kuno steps in. Though the program is “mostly free,” through a Health Profession Opportunity Grant, but most immigrants won’t be able to attend because they don’t speak fluent English. Kuno and her team make an English teacher available in classrooms so they can learn the language during the job training. “Hundreds of parents have gone through the program,” says Kuno, but that wouldn’t be possible without her intervention. Kuno is a hands on activist: “We work with schools and parents, calling to
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asianweekly northwest
10
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG
OPINION
ID businesses dealing with unexpected challenges Photo by George Liu/NWAW
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
Creative solutions for small businesses
Kau Kau Restaurant storefront
Cindy and Charlie Martin, Pinball Museum owners
Eastern Cafe
By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly
experiencing gentrification and decline for small businesses. Less people are coming down to eat due to public safety.” Ethnic restaurants have been crying out loud that they couldn’t get workers. Richard Chang, owner of Kau Kau Restaurant, said he has a tough time finding employees. He has been placing classified ads in the Seattle Chinese Post for months, but still Kau Kau couldn’t find enough workers after his staff retired or quit. He is reaching out to other ethnic groups who are willing to work for less than $15 dollars an hour. Chang said he is competing with other, high-paid industries recruiting workers in construction, growing marijuana, and massage. For the past year, the Chinatown ID has opened five more massage parlors between the intersection of Maynard Avenue S. and S. Jackson Street, not to mention the existing massage spots all the way up to 12th Avenue S. Chang also said, “If your income is higher than $17,000, you won’t be qualified for Obamacare. Why bother to work if you lose health care benefits?” The labor shortage issue is a global issue, Chang said. I-Muin Liu, owner of Eastern Café, said many Asian businesses suffer just because they are immigrants. “They suffer from stereotypes. I don’t get people calling back
because of my name (it sounds foreign).” Ethnic businesses can get rejected instantly on the phone just because of their names and accent. The lack of English skills is another challenge. Take recycling for instance—many restaurant owners don’t know that compost recycling saves the owners a lot of money, Liu said. “The laws keep changing in the city [in regard to] City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, the water and fire department,” Liu said. “It’s hard for immigrant businesses to keep up. They don’t realize that one city department makes one change, another department also makes other changes.” Liu’s challenge also goes deeper. He is fighting public perceptions that the Chinatown/ID is only a place to eat. It is a meeting place for people who want to meet friends without spending a lot of money, he said. “Some people don’t want to have dinners, they just want a place for conversations and meeting friends,” said Liu, “they want something quick and casual, but not [to] rush into.” He created Eastern Café and Oasia Tea Zone as living rooms for the community just to talk and greet, he added.
Seattle’s $15 minimum wage is expected to impact many small businesses. However, challenges for the International District (ID) businesses go beyond the wage issue. The ID restaurants once known for great food with low prices are no longer enough to appeal to new customers. On many fronts, the businesses are facing unexpected obstacles, including changing their image, getting a fair share of the market, and making the ID a tourist destination. The assumption is if the owners are willing to pay higher wages, they would be able to select and retain quality workers. It didn’t turn out that way. The city’s changing laws and requirements to do business are hard for immigrant businesses. Their language and cultural barriers make it difficult to negotiate good rents, rates and programs when they couldn’t communicate in English. The lack of police presence is a constant battle for ID businesses to tackle public safety on their own. The access to capital is another hurdle for immigrants. Taylor Hoang, owner of Pho Cyclo Café and founder of Ethnic Business Coalition, said at a panel, “We are
{see BLOG cont’d on page 15}
What makes a diverse, vibrant neighborhood
“The International District is special. It’s important everyone gets involved in the community and becomes a part of it [for example] working with organizations such as the Business Improvement Area and the Public Development Authority to promote community events. It’s important people report crimes. If we do so often, there will be less criminals around. If you don’t complain, nothing will happen. For instance, I called and complained every day to the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) about the (full) dumpsters. I even sent them a photo to show them. Finally, SPU came and picked them up twice a day.” — Cindy & Charlie Martin Owners, Seattle Pinball Museum “To have a vibrant neighborhood, the businesses should have a good customer base. To achieve that, ethnic businesses need to develop marketing plans. The Ethnic Business Coalition (EBC) is working hard to help ethnic businesses to meet some of their critical needs. Public safety is vital to businesses and residents. Lack of public safety in a neighborhood can break businesses. We can’t do it by ourselves. We need the city’s ears and support, and visible police presence and guidance. Building a strong community
requires collaboration of the residents and businesses. EBC strives to be a bridge and promoter for ethnic businesses such as Asian, East Africans and Mexicans in diverse neighborhoods of Seattle.” — Taylor Hoang Executive Director, Ethnic Business Coalition “Chinatown International District is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Seattle. Its physical layout is walkable with large streets, and good lighting. It has a good mix of businesses. Unlike Lake Union, people get out quickly after work. People who live here or do business here get engaged and involved. People here care about their neighborhood. We have pride and like to invest here. We have diverse organizations like the PDA and BIA to help showcase events, products, and services of the community.” — Richard Chang Owner, Kau Kau BBQ Restaurant
“A community and restaurant’s image, development and growth are inter-related. Their success is tied in with one another. An accomplished restaurant shines a bright light in the community. It enhances the community’s development and prosperity. A restaurant is a gathering place. Since its founding, China Harbor has served all kinds of customers, from all walks of life, professions, and every corner of the world. We couldn’t even keep track. We hope every customer who walks in will have a memorable impression of the restaurant and Lake Union. Indirectly, we have made a good impression on the community too. We are proud to be part of the Lake Union neighborhood. Its prosperity is our prosperity.” — Hsiao-lin Wang Owner, China Harbor Restaurant
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“Since 1906 Neighborhood House has been helping children and families in neighborhoods throughout Seattle and King County. It is in these neighborhoods where we find huge capacity and potential for people to work together to build stronger and healthier communities.” — Mark Okazaki Executive Director, Neighborhood House
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
11
OPINION
■ editorial
I do, I do. Take on two husbands?
The era of China’s one-child policy, recently rescinded (see page 4), has inevitably had its effects. The gender balance has been skewed. The ratio of men to women is out of porportion in China. It is estimated that there will be 30 million eligible bachelors in China by 2020. That is a large number, considering the male to female ratio is approximately 110 girls for every 117 boys. So what to do about this imbalance? Xie Zuoshi, an economics professor at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, has offered a Jonathan Swift-ish style “modest proposal.” The proposal: Polyandry! What is polyandry? It is polygamy’s fraternal twin. Instead of a man taking on several wives, the woman takes on several husbands.
■ COMMENTARY
■ LETTER
Anti-Asian sentiment has no place in politics
RE: Charter school ruling
By Alton Wang Communications and Development Associate APIAVote
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) was disappointed and appalled by the use of racist caricatures and messages in Lewiston, Maine, in signs that attacked an Asian American mayoral candidate on the basis of race and ethnicity. This offensive anti-Asian sentiment has no place in any discourse, as it degrades the lived experiences of all Asian Americans. We recognize the deep antiAsian racism and rhetoric that have been pervasive throughout American history – a cycle of racism and hate that needs to stop. We implore all communities to cease the use of offensive caricatures or stereotypes in any regard. Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, adds, “Racist images and messages should never be used to attack any individual. we should be focusing
Poster on building posted by landlord (left), signs from tenants dissenting in window (right)
on issues and needs facing the community instead of attacking individuals on the basis of their racial or ethnic backgrounds... We must foster an inclusive society where such racist signs will never appear again.”
{ELECTION RESULTS cont’d from page 1} received 41% of the votes. Lloyd Hara was defeated by John Wilson for the King County Assessor position. Hara received 44% of the votes. Hiroshi Eto ran unopposed for the Federal Way School District No. 5. In one of the closest races, Vandana Slatter defeated Michelle Hilhorst for the Bellevue City Council Position No. 5, winning 50.6% of the vote. The race was decided by fewer than 200 votes.
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Big wedding guaranteed. The rationale includes the argument that this would help men with lower incomes — supposedly those who do not have sufficient income to attract a wife — and that perhaps sharing the wealth (and the wife) with another man would increase one’s appeal. According to Xie’s blog, “High-income men can find a woman because they can pay a higher price. What about low-income men? One solution is to have several take a wife together.” Xie’s proposal went viral, considered both offensive and practical, and has now been removed from his blog spot. There doesn’t seem to be an imbalance here in Seattle, but if there was… ladies and gentlemen, what would you think?
After the recent Washington Supreme Court ruling that said public charter schools were unconstitutional, my family was devastated. Thank you to the bipartisan group of elected officials – Senators Braun, Fain, Hobbs, Litzow and Mullet and Representatives Clibborn, Magendanz, Pettigrew, Smith and Springer – for standing up for my family by asking the Court to protect our important public school options, including charter schools. Our child, Clio Hasegawa, was just starting the school year at Summit Sierra here in Seattle, making new friends and bonding with teachers.
Clio has some learning issues and does not do well unless some special attention can be given to her. Without a learning environment that can cater to her needs and a school that can take the time needed to understand her, she would have fallen through the cracks. We feel so fortunate that a school like Summit exists. In January, the Legislature must take action and fix the law so that my family and every other family can choose the right public school option for our students. Paul Hasegawa Pam Stokes
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NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
{GENEALOGY cont’d from page 7} continues to be one of America’s top hobbies – along with gardening. Researching the origins or roots of just one Asian American family tree becomes much easier with information from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Marian L. Smith, a USCIS historical records expert in its records division, talked about various genealogical records and related issues at the downtown Seattle Public Library (SPL) on Oct. 20. Before SPL genealogy librarian John LaMont introduced her, he said, “We have one of the largest genealogy collections in the Pacific Northwest, roughly 45,000 print volumes as well as several different online databases. You can make appointments for one-on-one time, 30 minutes.” began her presentation, Smith “Immigration and Nationality Records Review,” saying she would talk about a lot of things, “but really I’m just talking about one thing, and that is an approach to this kind of research.” She discussed three key eras: Early (18th and 19th centuries), Great Wave (early 20th century), and Recent (late 20th century). She provided several detailed examinations of both Asian and non-Asian immigrants. “Each one has, basically, its own records, its own problems, its own procedures and locations (National Archives, USCIS, or other) where you go to find the records,” she said. Examples of these records include Alien Files (A-Files), the official file for all immigration records created since April 1, 1944, and Court Naturalization Records from 1790 to 1992. “There’s so many variables in this. The records are constant. The laws are constant, but these people are never constant. Everybody’s different.… You seldom find the same records for every single person,” Smith said. Along with knowing the right approach to this kind of research, another important action is talking to your closest family members and friends about important dates related to your family. Smith said, “It’s not about when they were born. It’s not about when they got off the ship. It’s about what happens to them later in life.” These dates can then be plotted on a timeline of the three eras, which identifies the records that apply and can be requested. “That’s why I use a timeline, of course, when researching immigration and nationality records, not just the date of arrival
or the date of naturalization, but how long people lived, and if they lived through events or have reason to create additional records,” she said. “Think about their whole life.” The USCIS Genealogy Program offers a Genealogy Index search that gives access to the immigration and naturalization records of deceased immigrants, one that requires filling out Form G-1041 and paying a $20 fee. The program has separate requests: the index search, then the file request. Smith said, “We really do recommend people start with the search, and find out if there’s any record and, if so, what kind of record? Where is it today?” “The real beauty of these records is the documents attached,” she added. “I know naturalization records are not easy to find, and they’re not all on the Internet.” USCIS holds webinars on the Internet on how to get into immigration and nationality records. More advanced genealogical research may require travel to local government offices in Asia. Retired Brigham Young University (BYU) family history professor Basil Yang mentioned these offices in a BYU television interview in 2006. Household registrations, called “hukou” in Chinese, are a system that classifies each person as an urban or rural resident and determines their eligibility for state-provided services and welfare. Yang said, “From the household registration, you can trace at least three or four generations from that record.” Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan also use the household registration system. “Kamon” in Japanese are family crests – similar to European coats of arms – that are used to identify a family. Yang said about researching Japanese families: “It’s very hard to trace their genealogy because of the fact that sometimes they change their family names.” There are many variables in genealogy, indeed. For more information about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, visit www. uscis.gov/historyandgenealogy. For more information about researching Asian genealogy at the National Archives, visit http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/ reference/ethnic-heritage.html#asian. For more information about the Genealogy Collection at the Seattle Public Library, visit http://www.spl.org/locations/central-library/ cen-plan-a-visit/cen-special-collections. James Tabafunda can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
{KANG cont’d from page 9} from Hawaii to work as a farmer in Sacramento, Calif. Kang, 72, said his parents met in Los Angeles, where he was born in 1943 and was raised. He received his bachelor’s degree in History from California State College at Los Angeles in 1967. While serving overseas in the Navy, he read “Three Lives for Mississippi,” a book written by William Bradford Huie about the 1964 abduction of civil rights activists Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney. “They were murdered, so that really made an impression on me, and I had read some other things, too, by then,” Kang said. “The assassination of Robert Kennedy (in 1968) and the debacle of the 1968 Democratic (National) Convention finally led me to join the civil rights movement in full swing across America.” The deaths of President John Kennedy, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, and Martin Luther King Jr. also made an impression. “It came to a point where you just couldn’t sit by. I don’t think anybody that was politically aware could sit on the sidelines and not participate,” he said. “You couldn’t consciously ignore it, I don’t think, and that’s why I’m not exceptional in that regard at all. Everybody was faced with that.” Discharged from military service in late 1968 with some knowledge about the farm workers movement in California, he and a friend attended a demonstration. Kang said, “So I just went by the (United Farm Workers of America) office that week and asked if I could help.” In 1970, he joined the UFW, a labor union for farm workers, because he wanted to participate in the civil rights movement and became part of its campaign. “I saw it as a struggle for civil rights,” he said. For the next three years, he spoke at churches and other labor unions, explaining the economic conditions and history of migrant workers. “I stayed with them (UFW) long enough to learn about labor unions and the labor movement,” Kang said. “And I think also that labor unions represent the best hope for the middle class and for all workers, in general.” He earned a teaching certificate from his alma mater in 1971 and taught adult education courses at Lane Community
College in Eugene, Ore. “I organized teachers and college faculty, all kinds of different people that just wanted to participate,” he said. Filipino American farm labor and civil rights leader Philip Vera Cruz “also came to Oregon when I was organizing in Eugene,” Kang said. Throughout his professional career, he says, working with the farm workers has been the best time. “I certainly felt the most fulfilled during that period,” he said. Kang added, “It was a time when everybody was politically conscious even if you decided that you weren’t going to be politically conscious.” In 1975, he earned his master’s in industrial and labor relations from the University of Oregon. He received his law degree from Antioch School of Law in Washington D.C. three years later and became a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) staff attorney. He moved to Seattle in 1980 and worked on back-pay cases among others for the NLRB as a field attorney. Eight years later, Kang joined Ekman & Bohrer and represented labor unions on employee benefit trust funds and general legal issues. In 1996, he continued to represent labor unions as well as employee benefit trust funds at Schwerin Campbell Barnard until his retirement in 2003. In 1988, he began his community service by joining the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), an organization that later participated in an Immigrant Workers’ Freedom Ride to Washington D.C. that he helped organize in 2003. He said, “It (APALA) is made up of Asian American union activists, and so, since I was practicing labor law, it was just natural that I joined.” In addition to being an APALA member, he has also been a volunteer attorney since 1994 for the Korean American Bar Association of Washington’s probono legal clinic for Korean immigrant families. “I’ve always thought pro-bono was important. It’s just always something that I thought we should do,” Kang said. Appointed by then Seattle Mayor Paul Schell, he also served as a commissioner in the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission from 2001 to 2009. James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: Solid Waste Painting Work Order Contract 2015-2016, C01013C15 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30 p.m., November 19, 2015 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: NTE $300,000 Scope of Work: Contractor to furnish all labor, tools, equipment, materials, incidentals, superintendents, subcontractor coordination and overhead to perform gutter cleaning, pressure washing, marking, striping and painting improvements at DNRP Solid Waste Division Facilities. The work involves surface preparations, priming, painting of roof trusses and panels, walls, tunnels, columns, piles guardrails, balustrade, interior post, gates and stairs, pavement markings, and all other work incidental to the painting, taxes, license, permits, inspection fees, and other facilities and service necessary for proper execution and completion of Work under this contract. Minor associated subcontractors may be required. The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $300,000.00 and the initial Contract Time shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does
not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $300,000.00 during the duration of this Contract. At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended for one additional year or until the Not to Exceed Contract Price is reached, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County. Contact Information: Paul Price, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9309, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or paul.price@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County. Pre-Bid Conference: A pre-bid conference and site tour are not scheduled. Subcontracting Opportunities: Gutter Cleaning Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement. SCS Utilization Requirements: 3% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS). SCS Utilization Requirements: The Contractor shall ensure that at least 3% of the total price for all executed work orders shall be performed by King County
Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract. Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price. Bid Documents: Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/ solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711. Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
13
For the week of November 7–November 13, 2015 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — Those who you take into your confidence should be trustworthy. If you have any doubts, then be careful what information you divulge. Ox — A strict regimen is appropriate for some things, but there are instances where more leeway should be given. Tiger — Are you getting the feeling that not all is as it seems? Some of the uneasiness may be attributable to an unfamiliar setting. Rabbit — Have you been dropping hints left and right for your partner? Perhaps it is time to change your tactics for a better response.
Dragon — There is a place and time that you hold very dear. If you find yourself trying to recreate those moments, then a shift of focus away from the past is probably in order. Snake — Do you suspect that someone is stringing you along? Despite their promises, a little skepticism on your part is probably advisable. Horse — It is worth the extra effort to find the right tool for the job, by doing so you will save yourself a significant amount of time and energy. Goat — While you are generally easygoing, there are some areas where you have a preference and nothing but the best will do.
Monkey — Is someone pressuring you to join in before you find out all the facts? No matter how impatient they are, they will just have to wait. Rooster — An enticing offering is causing you to rethink your current plans. Don’t allow it to become anything more than a temporary distraction. Dog — If you are tired of watching from the sidelines, then roll up your sleeves and find a way to contribute. Pig — You prefer order if at all possible, but it can take a little messiness and chaos to shake out a desirable result.
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.
{1-CHILD POLICY cont’d from page 4} increase child-care and health-care support to give families incentives to have more kids. Like many Chinese interviewed by media, the man gave only give his surname, He. His 2-year-old needs substantial medical care, but government support varies widely, depending on where families live and their legal residency status. People who live in rural areas, or migrate from the country to big cities to find work, get less help than native urban-dwellers. “People won’t have a second child if the burden is too great, so there really needs to be more state help,” he said. COUNTING THE COSTS Wang Huiying, who works for Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, said child care is a major concern when considering
{STOCKS cont’d from page 4} diaper makers Unicharm Corp. and Kao Corp. both rose nearly 4 percent in Tokyo. Japanese and other foreign brands are popular with Chinese buyers because they’re seen as being authentic and better quality. Those characteristics are prized in China following food and other product safety scandals involving domestic brands. Some cautioned the increase in births may not be as big as predicted because of the expense of raising a second child and other factors. “The rush for baby-related stocks may not necessarily bear fruit,’’ said IG analyst Bernard Aw in a report. Some baby stocks started rising Thursday ahead of the official announcement on Chinese state media. Goodbaby International, which makes strollers, car seats and cribs, rocketed 7.4 percent on Thursday and followed that up with a 2.3 percent gain Friday. Rumors had already been swirling in China that the policy would be adjusted at a meeting on China’s next five year plan that was held this week.
whether to have a second child. Wang, 34, employs a nanny to care for her 3-year-old daughter, Pipi, but said many families are forced to put their children in the care of grandparents who might not always be available. Child care adds to the costs of clothing, food and outside tutoring, while housing costs in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are already major burdens. PAYING THE PRICE Chen Xiaoling from Hebei province outside Beijing wasn’t eligible for more than one child, but had a second, anyway. She had to pay a 40,000-yuan ($6,325) fine, which she and her husband were able to absorb. It helped that the couple are self-employed; had they worked for a state company or office, they could have been fired. “Having another child isn’t really a major issue if you can afford it, so I don’t really think the change in rules will
{DINH-KUNO cont’d from page 9} remind them to show up to parent-teacher conferences, and translating transcripts.” Kuno’s hard work produces plenty of success stories, but her proudest moment comes easily: She remembers working with one student, a young Bantu man from Somalia trying to graduate from high school, in particular. “The counselor called me up on the phone and said, ‘Ali will never graduate from high school’,” recalls Kuno. “I helped him on his senior project, and we proved the school district wrong. The agency became a second home to him. We made sure he had enough food for him and his family. He is the first Somalian Bantu to graduate from high school in Seattle.”
have a very big effect,” Chan said. AGING FUTURE Boxing coach Chen Qiang in Shanghai says he’s greatly concerned about the inverted-pyramid family structure the old policy has resulted in: four grandparents, two parents and just one child. The plunging birthrate stands to increase the burden on the working-age population and create a labor shortage, said Chen, 34. “So nationwide, we will have very few young people decades later,” he said. While Chen himself hopes for a daughter to accompany his 6-year-old son, he says Thursday’s announcement was not a factor in his planning and questions whether it will motivate many couples to change their thinking. “Those who want two kids already have them,” he said.
But for all the good works that Kuno does, she still thinks there is room to improve upon and expand the services that Washington offers to its immigrant population. She believes that each high school needs two outreach workers on staff to assist the specialized needs of the children immigrants. Their position is essential for the well-being and success of this vulnerable community because often workers from Kuno’s office are the only people advocating for these kids. “If you don’t show up to school, an outreach worker will be there within 15 minutes. If you aren’t ready to go, we will wait for you, and get you in the car and take you to school. We have to do it, or else these kids don’t have a chance,” says Kuno.
{NHPI cont’d from page 1} the U.S. Census Bureau. “Over one in every 10 people living in the West are Asian American. And probably now, it’s close to one in every nine,” said Lee. In addition to the West as a region, the report also looks at five areas within the region that have the largest Asian American and NHPI populations outside of California. One of these areas is the Seattle area. The Seattle metro area is defined in the study to include Snohomish County, King County, and Pierce County. One of the key findings from the report is that with a growing population, Asian Americans and NHPI are making significant contributions to the economy through job creation, business ownership, and consumer spending. “In 2007, Asian Americans [in the Seattle area] owned nearly 30,000 businesses, an increase of 39 percent since 2002,” according to the report. Asian American and NHPI buying power in Washington also tripled to about $26.4 billion between 2000 and 2014. They are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. But many Asian Americans and NHPI in the West are struggling to make ends meet. “While they are making significant contributions to the economy, they
Though Kuno admits that sometimes working with the immigrant community can be tough, Washington’s immigrant population is fundamental to the growth of the city, and their achievements can mean cultural and economic advancement for the whole state. “They open small business, they upgrade the buildings. Their economic contribution is something like 100 million dollars. We keep the economy moving,” says Kuno. “If you said to me that immigrants don’t contribute to the community, I would need to x-ray your head.” Elisabeth Sherman can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
also have real needs that should be addressed by policymakers,” said Lee. The report points to language barriers, lack of health insurance, and increasing numbers of unemployed among Asian American and NHPI populations. There are significant health problems within the Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population, and many are uninsured, said Lua Pritchard, executive director of Asia Pacific Cultural Center. Education is also a specific problem within this population, she said. “Many of our kids now in the United States are not graduating from high school. We have probably the lowest graduation rate,” said Pritchard. “But are we discussed? No.” Narasaki believes that without the disaggregated data, students won’t be able to get proper funding for the opportunities, help, and programs they need in education. “This data from Advancing Justice painted a much more accurate picture of our API communities,” said Ay Saechao, director of the TRiO Student Support & Retention Services Department at Highline College. “It is a step in the right direction for service providers, for administrators, policymakers, and the community to engage and work as meaningfully as ever before.” Tina Lu can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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{HUMANE SOCIETY cont’d from page 4} in South Korea. Mastiffs are a favored breed for the amount of meat they produce, said Adam Parascandola with the international organization. “And they are considered soulless dogs, not like pet dogs,” he said. Parascandola, HSI director of animal protection and crisis response, said dog meat is not a South Korean staple, but is consumed on special occasions, such as Bok Nal. The ritual three days represent summer’s hottest days and dog meat is considered to have cooling effects. It’s the time of year dog meat is sold and served in restaurants the most, he explained. Dog meat is also reputed to enhance male sexuality, and make a useful tonic. “That’s a smaller market,” Parascandola said. “The majority are sold through dog meat restaurants. You can go and see the dogs, and you can purchase them and they will slaughter the dog there.” Some of those animals are cooked in vats, simmered all day in a stew for the customer, and taken home to eat. But behind the scenes, most meat dogs are killed and sold directly to specialized restaurants, he said. While Parascandola said he’s heard reports of dogs being hung to die, most are killed through electrocution. Parascandola said he can’t vouch for the taste of dog meat,
but one reporter described it as very gamy and pungent. Dog eating likely began when South Korea was a “very, very poor county” and had few accessible sources of protein, he said. “Now it’s much more expensive than any other meat people consume.” Many households in South Korea have dogs as pets, and the practice of eating them is largely confined to people middleaged and older. “The younger generation has no interest in consuming dog meat. They are embarrassed by it, and by the cruelty inherent in the industry,” he said. The South Korean government is interested in ending the dog meat trade before hosting the 2018 Olympics, Parascandola noted. Although about 17,000 dog meat farms are registered, there are others not listed officially, the HSI says. Many dog farmers are eager to change their crop, as well. Dog raising is becoming shameful and invites the scorn of others, as well as complaints about the smell and noise, he said. HSI approaches farmers and offers to pay to close the farm and for the farmer’s futures services for a time. The farmer agrees to go into non-animal agriculture, such as fruit or rice, and HSI destroys the infrastructure used to grow dogs. “So to go back to it would be a significant investment,” Parascandola said. The Humane Society spent about $150,000 on the most
recent rescue effort, $60,000 of that in transport costs. Of the 103 dogs rescued and flown to San Francisco, more than 50 came to Washington state, officials said in a news release. And four came to Walla Walla on Sept. 22, acting more like lost waifs. “They are so gentle. They are so quiet, eerily so,” Archer said. Before she and her staff coaxed and bribed the four out of their travel crates, the South Korean dogs had never walked on grass. “You can see how flattened and splayed their feet are, from standing on wire mesh their whole lives,” Archer said Friday as a mastiff nosed at her hand through the kennel door. Although Archer said the animals have no real idea how to be dogs, it’s clear the treat trick is already sinking in. Volunteers come daily just to sit with the four mastiffs and help them learn the fundamentals of play, potty training, simple commands and how to be social. The dogs are beginning to respond to toys, and on Friday, it was clear being outside on grass is no longer an issue. Archer does not anticipate the mastiffs being ready for adoption for at least another week, and then staff will work to match the rescue dogs with the right adoptive candidate. “There is such a responsibility to honor what these dogs have been through,” she said.
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
NOVEMBER 7 – NOVEMBER 13, 2015
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{MOVIES cont’d from page 7}
{BLOG cont’d from page 10}
I found the plot hard to follow and deliberately fragmented. I kept getting knocked out, though, by the visuals. Hou Hsaio-Hsien, aided by director of photography Mark Lee Ping Bin, drinks in the rushing water, waving grasses, and astounding variations of grays and browns in nature. That contrasts with the artificial world the people of this world created for themselves. Gold glitters, surely, but glitters in variations as palace decorations spin and shimmer. Fine vases, immaculate shiny tables, costumes and hairdressing which must consume hours to perfect— the artificial world boasts more flash than nature, though not necessarily more staying power or more inherent worth. And the director, indoors and out, captures subtle moments, atypical for such a film. A powerful man attends to his advisers telling him how critical affairs have become; we know he’s not really listening because he’s got his feet propped up and his head turned away, the picture of a bored teenager or grade-schooler. Elsewhere, a little child plays with a butterfly and watches in wondrous sadness as it flies past his reach. Two or three children play with brightly colored balls. A sense of exhilaration and possibility in the children’s play echoes back to “The Flight of the Red Balloon” which, although set in a very different world, also
For sure, ID businesses haven’t done enough marketing. Charlie Martin, one of the few nonethnic ID business owners who runs the Seattle Pinball Museum, has a different concept about marketing. He said businesses shouldn’t target those who are here. “We need new customers in the ID. We need to get tourists to shop, eat and play in the ID.” There are 20 million visitors going to Pike Place Market and tons of tourists from the cruises. Why can’t the ID get some of those visitors? he asked. There are also more than 60,000 fans going to games at the Safeco and CenturyLink fields. How come ID businesses received less than .01 percent of visitors from those games? Wayne Lau, executive director of Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, said many ethnic businesses don’t have access to capital. “Although the banking industry has worked hard to ensure ethnic minority businesses have access to finance, this message has not effectively been communicated.” Lau has worked with many immigrant entrepreneurs. His experience is that “most struggle to amass enough capital to bring into the start-up phase of the business.”
invited us to look through a child’s eyes. The whimsy drains away, slowly. A grimmer attitude surmounts. I couldn’t quite understand “The Assassin” but I believe you can and should see it—at least once—to test your perceptions, and beliefs, against it. “The Assassin” opens Friday, November 6th, at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian, 805 East Pine Street on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. For prices, show times, and more information, visit http://www.siff.net/cinema/assassin. Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.
{TRAVEL cont’d from page 8} into its own. Dilapidated structures are being bought, torn down and replaced with shiny high-rises. High-end restaurants featuring Khmer and Western-style cuisine fight for space alongside street vendors and busy cafes while rooftop bars are packed at night. WHAT’S NEW The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S-21, is where the Khmer Rouge tortured and brutalized an estimated 17,000 Cambodians before they were executed. Located in the southern portion of the city in a nondescript neighborhood, Tuol Sleng was a high school before becoming a prison. With the recent 40th anniversary of the regime taking power in 1975, a new memorial dedicated to the victims was installed in March. Cambodia’s largest shopping center, Aeon Mall, opened in 2014 in Phnom Penh to much fanfare. The behemoth shopping center features an ice rink, food court, movie theater and nearly 200 stores.
Creative solutions?
Aeon Mall
CLASSIC ATTRACTIONS In addition to visiting Tuol Sleng, the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek is a must-see. Located about 30 minutes outside of Phnom Penh by tuk-tuk — the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxis — the site is where Cambodians from S-21 were sent to be executed from 1975 to 1979. Pieces of skull and bone can still be found throughout the site, which contains numerous mass graves. A haunting but informative audio tour available in several languages provides historical context. Within the city proper, the National Museum of Cambodia houses sculpture, pottery and other pieces ranging from prehistoric times to the Angkorian period (9th to 15th centuries). After touring the museum, head to the courtyard garden for views of the museum buildings, which were inspired by Khmer temples. Just down the street is the Royal Palace, official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni. Full of Khmer architectural elements including stupas and towering spires, the palace complex includes Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot, or Silver Pagoda, the royal temple with Buddhas made of gold, silver and emeralds. More than 5,000 silver tiles cover the temple floor. Cambodia’s famous site, Angkor Wat, is in Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, about six hours by bus or taxi from the capital or a 45-minute flight.
If visiting a temple, remove shoes and hats before entering the pagoda. At the Silver Pagoda on the Royal Palace grounds, men are asked to wear long trousers while women should cover their shoulders and wear long trousers or a long skirt. Non-locals may be targeted by aggressive street vendors, beggars and tuk-tuk drivers. If not interested, firmly say no thank you or ignore them. If you do hire a tuk-tuk, settle on a price beforehand.
TIPS Accommodations range from dorm-style hostels to small boutiques to five-star luxury resorts. The spectacular Raffles Hotel Le Royal has all the amenities — swimming pools, bar, spa, restaurants — as well a distinctive history: Foreign journalists stayed here while covering the civil war back in the 1970s. Cambodia uses the U.S. dollar as well as the riel. Anything less than a dollar must be paid for in riel. One U.S. dollar equals 4,000 riels at most places, though some shops use the official exchange rate, which is slightly higher. Always carry small bills. Though some higher-end establishments may accept credit cards, most places will not. Streets vendors, markets and moto or tuk-tuk drivers will only accept cash. Phnom Penh can get hot and humid during the dry season (November to April) and air conditioning is considered a luxury in many corners, so prepare to sweat. Drink lots of water. Temperatures dip in the wet season (May to October) and are coolest in December and January.
HANGING OUT Tuol Tom Poung Market, commonly known as the Russian Market among expats and visitors, teems with vendors selling everything from journals, DVDs and jewelry to luggage and clothes. Make sure to haggle: Some of the name-brand merchandise is (obviously) fake. Food vendors selling local dishes, coffee, tea and fresh fruit smoothies are also located within the market. Located a few blocks from the grand Independence Monument, Street 308 has been refashioned from a quiet lane into a popular area for nightlife with trendy restaurants and bars. Head to the hole-in-the-wall Red Bar to sip wine or meander down a nearby tiny alley to get to Meat and Drink, a snug, modern eatery serving wraps, salads and burgers. For a different view of the city, head to the Riverside area, located along the Tonle Sap River, to sip cocktails at the Foreign Correspondents Club, http://www.fcccambodia.com. The cocktails are a bit pricier than in other areas in the city, but the view makes it worthwhile.
Tuol Tom Poung Market
Many of the businesses the Northwest Asian Weekly interviewed have creative solutions to counter their adversities. Martin, who opened the Seattle Pinball Museum in 2010, has experimented with the lure of events. “If people don’t come to your business, you have to take your business to where the people are.” He moves his heavy pinball machines to Hing Hay Park to tie in with Chinatown events. He and his wife, Cindy, move the machines themselves and load them on a van to where events are held, including the Seattle Center and Museums. He also has invited celebrities and their friends to come to his business to have “game night” private parties. Martin recommended that ID businesses should advertise in tourist magazines so they can get a discount advertising rate. To combat the $15-minimum-wage burden on businesses, Hoang founded Ethnic Business Coalition, with a grant from the City of Seattle, to produce their own online videos for YouTube, websites, and hiring food bloggers to help market ethnic businesses in Seattle. Hoang is reaching out to the Seahawks to promote ID businesses during its games. Some ethnic businesses solve their labor shortage problems by working in the kitchen themselves and hiring staff to wait on customers. “It’s easier to retain waited staff than kitchen staff because waiters make more money and their work is not as hard as the kitchen. So my husband and I work in the kitchen instead,” said one owner.
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. NOTICES EVENTS-FESTIVALS PROMOTE YOUR REGIONAL EVENT for only pennies. Reach 2.7 million readers in newspapers statewide for $275 classified or $1,350 display ad. Call this newspaper or (360) 515-0974 for details. LEGAL SERVICES DIVORCE $155. $175 with children. No court appearances. Complete preparation. Includes custody, support, property division and bills. BBB member. (503) 772-5295. www.paralegalalternatives.com legalalt@msn.com HELP WANTED RN's up to $45/hr, LPN's up to $37.50/hr, CNA's up to $22.50/hr, Free gas/weekly pay, $2000 Bonus, AACO Nursing Agency, 1-800-656-4414 Ext2
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colors of red and gold; the sound of two waterfalls; a calm lake with several small wild ducks playing and swimming; and the scent of fresh air. It’s like the countryside, a natural paradise with few people. Every hole is different in the Echo course. “KFP likes this place because it makes people feel comfortable and relaxing,” said Chesil Thye, a real estate agent who represents KFP. “We have looked at quite a few golf courses and found this one to be the best and most beautiful. We have not consulted with any feng shui experts when (the owners) bought the golf club. However, everyone who came like the environment and has nothing but praise.” Echo wasn’t listed for sale at the time. KFP made an offer and the rest is history. Oki Golf will manage for KFP its 50-staff club. Oki still owns 10 golf courses in the Puget Sound area, including Newcastle Golf Club. Nancy Cho, CEO of Oki Golf,
Photos by George Liu/NWAW
{ECHO FALLS GOLF CLUB cont’d from page 1}
Echo Falls Golf Club
said the KFP development concept “is cool.” Her company accepted the offer. “We are not developers,” Cho said, “we are in the golf business.” Oki was out of the country and was unavailable for comment. According to Forbes Magazine in 2014, operating a golf course is tough business. Its profit margin is low and many golf courses in the country are in the red. Washington state’s rainy seasons during winter
{SHELF cont’d from page 8} Tran seamlessly weaves together the present with the past in this page-turner. Readers will not want to put the book down as they try to figure out what has happened to Suzy. Although she is not present throughout most of the novel, we get to know Suzy through the rest of the characters — just as Robert does with everyone he meets on his mission. While “Dragonfish” is not a story directly about the Vietnam War, Tran shows the lasting effects war can have on people — from the struggles Suzy faces in her new life in the United States, to the various characters who are separated by countries from their families as a result.
Decoded
By Mai Jia, Translated by Olivia Milburn Picador, 2014 In China, the Rong family is synonymous with mathematics. From the patriarch who started an internationally renowned academy of mathematics, to a daughter whose nickname is “Abacus” for her prowess with the calculating tool, almost the entire family are experts in the field. And then there is Rong Jinzhen, Rong “Abacus” Lillie’s grandson. As an autistic math genius, he is pulled away from his academic pursuits and recruited to Unit 701. He becomes the country’s greatest cryptographer and eventually learns that the mastermind behind the legendary and extremely difficult Purple Code may be a former teacher and best friend — essentially his only friend — who now works for China’s enemy. Although “Decoded” is a mystery and a thriller, it is a bit slow to start. The novel opens with the Rong family history and goes several chapters before Jinzhen is even introduced. But all of this background allows readers to understand Jinzhen all the more as he delves deeper into the mysteries and betrayals surrounding his friend and others in his life. And family lineage definitely plays an important role throughout the novel. Jia expertly paints a picture of Jinzhen and his genius and his laser focus on math, which can happen with someone on the autism spectrum. We see how Jinzhen’s mind works and root for him throughout the novel. In addition to Jinzhen, math takes a front row seat in this novel. A little unusual, but the subject shines as Jia introduces various concepts and puzzles throughout the story. Samantha Pak can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
and spring can last for months, affecting business and traffic for golf courses. However, KFP’s owners, who also develop golf courses and hotels in China, have big dreams. Thye plans to turn the club into a resort. Thye said the company also brings Chinese tourists to Seattle, and Echo Falls will be a good place for them to stay and play golf. An expensive sport, golf is very popular in China among
middle- and upper-class people. A golf club provides recreation and networking opportunities for Chinese tourists. John Boesche, director of Tourism Development with Visit Seattle, said at a conference in Beijing recently: “China is now Seattle’s largest overseas tourist market.” KFP would like to build a 100room hotel with a restaurant and remodel the current club restaurant
to a much bigger facility, said Elaine Ho, another KFP representative. Echo is a popular site for wedding banquets. Thye said many developers have built houses around the Echo golf club, and each house values over $1.5 million for the water view and the golf field. Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.