PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 35 NO 50
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016 FREE 34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Large-scale development in the ID receives a mixed housewarming
By Peggy Chapman NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Courtesy: Studio19 Architects.
There will be a new kid on the block in the Chinatown-International District neighborhood on the corner of 8th Avenue South and South Lane Street beginning summer of 2017. The proposed land use application at 616 8th Avenue South states that there will be a 14-story, 230,060 squarefoot, mixed-use structure containing 158 hotel rooms and 103 apartments, with retail space on the ground level. There will also be parking for 175 vehicles. The existing structure
Artist’s rendering of the SpringHill Suits on 8th Ave.
Chef credited with inventing General Tso’s Chicken has died
(behind King’s Hookah Lounge) will be demolished. The new building will be a SpringHill Suites by Marriott. According to Han Kim, construction is expected to start in the summer of 2017 and is estimated to take about 18 months. Kim, who is Korean American, is the Seattlebased partner of Hotel Concepts and stated this will be his first development project in the International District (ID). Hotel Concepts purchased the site in 2014 for $4.5 million. Studio19 Architects are the lead designers on the project and KPFF see MARRIOTT on 6
DRIVING THE RIDESHARE MARKET The ethnic faces of Uber and Lyft drivers. » see 5
FINDING AN ALL-ASIAN CAST Who will star in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’? Maybe you. » see 8
JOYFUL GIFTS Happiness doesn’t always come in a gift-wrapped package. See publisher Ng’s take on the holiday season. » see 10
By Amanda Lee Myers ASSOCIATED PRESS
caption
Brown was being held on a $1 million bond. It’s unclear if he has an attorney. Brenton Keller, who told The Associated Press see TJAN on 12
Sammy Lee, 2-time Olympic diving champion, dies at 96
General Tso’s Chicken
By Verena Dobnik ASSOCIATED PRESS
■
Meet community members among us who have gone above and beyond. » see 3, 7
Students: Slain USC professor was caring; arrested student quiet LOS ANGELES (AP) — A graduate student arrested on suspicion of killing the professor who oversaw his work at the University of California was described by some of his fellow classmates as a quiet but seemingly normal young man while others say he was troubled and pegged as most likely to quit the group’s rigorous doctoral program. David Jonathan Brown, a 28-year-old brain and cognitive science student, was arrested on a murder charge in the Dec. 2 attack on the Los Angeles campus. His mentor, 50-year-old Bosco Tjan, was stabbed to death inside the building where he runs an intensive lab that studies vision loss. Brown, one of just five students who worked in the lab, was arrested without incident, police said, adding that the killing was targeted.
NEW YORK (AP) — The chef credited with inventing General Tso’s Chicken, a world-famous Chinese dish smothered in a sweet sauce that was never a staple in China, has died in Taiwan at 98. Peng Chang-kuei died of pneumonia on Nov. 30 in Taipei, his son, Chuck Peng, told The Associated Press. He was still cooking in the family’s Taipei restaurant kitchen just a few months ago.
TOP CONTRIBUTORS HONORED
Peng first brought the sticky, sweet and spicy dish to New York about 40 years ago.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sammy Lee, a two-time Olympic gold medal-winning diver who later mentored four-time Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis, has died. He was 96. The University of Southern California said that Lee died on Dec. 2 of pneumonia in Newport Beach. He was the school’s oldest living Olympian. The 5-foot Lee, who was of Korean descent, was the first Asian-American to win an Olympic gold
see PENG on 13
see LEE on 13
Peng Chang-kuei
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34 YEARS
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS A Place for Everyone
Photo provided by Brandon Hadi.
with music, dancing, and of course, poké. The restaurant is run by the Le brothers who grew up in Hawaii — Bayley, Michael, and Trinh. The menu centers around poké (raw fish salad) — there are pre-assembled bowls available or you have the option to build your own — and Hawaiian desserts like shave ice. The Le brothers’ father was an Ahi tuna fisherman and the boys helped sell fish door-to-door. They also helped to sell their mother’s tuna poké.
Happy 94th! Brandon Hadi
Mental health advocate and University of Washington (UW) alumnus Brandon Hadi shared the stage with Washington’s First Lady Trudi Inslee on Nov. 30 at an event called “A Place for Everyone.” It was the fourth annual dinner for Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention. Money raised from the event will go toward Forefront’s suicide prevention causes. Hadi, a contributor to the Northwest Asian Weekly, spearheaded the API Mental Health & Wellness Summit for Asian and Pacific Islander students at the UW. He is passionate about addressing the stigma around mental health, especially in the API community.
Photo by John Liu/NWAW.
goPoké grand opening
A long line outside goPoké on Dec. 4.
goPoké held its grand opening celebration on Dec. 4
A happy 94th birthday to the mother of Kiku Hayashi. Kiku, one of five kids, was the former president of the Metropolitan Democratic Club (MDC) of Seattle and a long-time member of the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Women of Color luncheon. This photo was taken Dec. 2 at the Dough Zone in Factoria. Kiku said of her mother, “They don’t make moms like that anymore.”
nominated in two categories for his work with the Silk Road Ensemble, and rapper Brandon Paak Anderson — better known as Anderson .Paak — who is nominated for three awards, including best new artist. “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” a documentary that follows musician Steve Aoki is also nominated for a Grammy in the best music film category.
Artist’s last public appearance in 2016
Kiku (left) and mom, Kimiye Hayashi Camilla d’Ericco meeting a fan at Kinokuniya on Dec. 3.
Indonesian child prodigy up for Grammy again
Joey Alexander, 13, was again nominated for a 2017 Grammy Award on Dec. 6 for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. Born in Bali, Alexander was nominated for his take on “Countdown” off John Coltrane’s classic work “Giant Steps.” He was also nominated for two Grammys in 2016, but did not win. The latest awards will be presented Joey Alexander at the music industry’s annual gala in Los Angeles in February. Other Asian Americans nominated at the Grammys include cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who has 16 Grammys and is
Thank you for being a part of our successful event!
Comic creator and artist Camilla d’Ericco greeted fans and autographed books at Seattle’s Kinokuniya bookstore on Dec. 3. She also sold original sketches from her books. d’Ericco, of Vancouver, B.C., paints and draws comics, and more recently, has been publishing instructional howto and adult coloring books.
GOT A TIP? editor@nwasianweekly.com
HONOREES
Chung-Hyung Lee, Kim Pham, Dorothy Wong, John Laney, Sili Savusa, Jason Lee, Gary Locke, and Sharon Tomiko Santos DIAMOND SPONSOR
PHOTOS BY EUGENE TAGAWA
GOLD SPONSORS
CORPORATE SPONSORS
APEC Foundation
Diakonos Men’s Singers
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Jerry Lee, Charlene Lee, Joan Yoshitomi, Buwon Brown, Seungja Song, Ruth Bayang, Stacy Nguyen, John Liu, Assunta Ng, and Rebecca Ip
Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation
Top Contributors Hon. Sharon Tomiko Santos and friends
Mike Flood, Seattle Seahawks VP of Community Relations did a lucky draw of Seahawks memorabilia.
to the Asian community Making a difference FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2016 • HOUSE OF HONG RESTAURANT
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
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■ COMMUNITY NEWS APIA contributors honored at dinner Stories of struggle, triumph, and transformation defined the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation’s annual top contributors to the Asian community dinner on Dec. 2. Held at the House of Hong, the event honored eight recipients — Chung-Hyung Lee, president of the Seattle Ewha Woman’s University Alumni Association; Kim Pham, publisher and editor-in-chief of Northwest Vietnamese News; Dorothy Wong, executive director of the Chinese Information and Service Center; John Laney, associate at Stoel Rivers LLP; Sili Savusa, executive director of the White Center Community Development Association; Jason Lee, CEO of Firstech, LLC; Gary Locke, former U.S. ambassador to China; and State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos. A middle child of six, Lee spoke about the challenges of relocating to the United States with her husband and children, while seeking to build the Ewha University Alumni Association up from a mere 10 members to 200. For Lee, integrating into American society did not mean leaving her heritage or her professional life behind. “When I came to the United States, I had to adapt if I wanted the Seattle Alumna Chapter to grow,” Lee said. “Strive to be the best person you can be and never lose perspective. ”
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
By Tim Gruver NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
From left: Jason Lee, John Laney, Hon. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Sili Savusa, Chung-Hyung Lee, Dorothy Wong, Hon. Gary Locke, and Kim Pham.
Pham’s daughter, Julie, spoke at length about her father’s legacy, which included putting others before himself. “My father hates promoting himself, but he loves promoting others,” Pham said. According to Pham himself, his work with his wife building Northwest Vietnamese News, the oldest and longest-running Vietnamese language news source in the country, is not so hard when he considers the joy it brings him as an immigrant. “I love seeing my newspaper around town in people’s hands,” Pham said. “I love seeing them inspired about their community.” Laney expressed his thanks for his wife and children for helping him get to where he is today as an associate at Stoel Rivers, represent-
ing clients in matters of corporate finance. He reflected on a childhood that encouraged him to see the world from other people’s perspectives. “I want to always keep an open mind and assume people are wellintended,” Laney said. “I want to understand where people are coming from.” For Jason Lee, the path that led him to be a leader in consumer electronics started with an idea and he encouraged everyone to realize their own dreams with action. “I am always inspired by their humility and sacrifices,” Lee said. “I would like encourage you to take the opportunities in your life.” The emcee asked Lee how he inspires others to be generous when he himself shuns the spotlight when giving. Lee said he does so through
connections and identifying leaders. Locke, who served as the 21st governor of Washington and as U.S. Secretary of Commerce, joked about the potential of the lifetime achievement award being a bad omen, but nonetheless thanked the Northwest Asian Weekly for its support. “I’m not too sure about lifetime achievement awards,” Locke said. “I think of it like when you get one at the Oscars, like they’re suggesting you’re going to die soon. I can say that I expect to have a long life ahead of me.” Representatives of various organizations that have been supported by Locke, were invited to the stage as Locke accepted his award. They included Jim Young, a board member of the Washington State China
Relations Council, and also lawyer and founder of the Century Law Group, Diane Narasaki, executive director of ACRS, Sam Wan, CEO of Kin On, Jim Dawson, board member of Seattle Chinese Garden, and Diane Sugimura, board member of the Wing Luke Museum. Santos, who was also honored with a lifetime achievement award, said she was proud to represent district 37 for the past 18 years and fight for the recognition of hardworking immigrants in a post-9/11 America often fearful of foreigners. She also spoke of the importance community and how gatherings like the Top Contributors awards dinner bring people together when they might not have otherwise met. Several of Santos’ mentees were invited to the stage and each of them presented her with a red rose, as a token of their appreciation. Savusa emphasized the generosity and support of Seattle’s Asian Pacific Islander community that led to her long list of accomplishments — from being a family center coordinator for Southwest Youth and Family Services, to leading the CDA, to founding the first Samoan/ Pacific Islander Parent Teacher Student Association in the nation. “It’s really hard to receive this award because I don’t do this work alone.” See pictorial on page 7. Tim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
34 YEARS
■ NATIONAL NEWS By accident or design, Trump signals tougher China policy By Julie Pace and Matthew Pennington ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — Whether by accident or design, President-elect Donald Trump is signaling a tougher American policy toward China, sparking warnings from both the outgoing Obama administration and Beijing. On Dec. 5, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said progress with the Chinese could be “undermined” by a flare-up over the sovereignty of Taiwan, the self-governing island the U.S. broke diplomatic ties with in 1979. That split was part of an agreement with China, which claims the island as its own territory, although the U.S. continues to sell Taiwan billions in military equipment and has other economic ties. Trump broke protocol last week by speaking with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, then took to Twitter to challenge China’s trade and military policies.
U.S House approves bill recognizing Filipino WWII veterans HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to honor Filipino soldiers who fought under U.S. command in World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal. The House’s unanimous approval came Nov. 30 after the Senate passed the legislation this summer. President Barack Obama was expected to sign to bill. “Now we can tell our veterans with pride in our hearts that this grateful nation has, at last, granted them recognition for the selfless sacrifice they endured in war, and restored their dignity and honor in service to their nation,” said retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba Project, in a news release. see BILL on 14
“It’s unclear exactly what the strategic effort is,” Earnest said. “I’ll leave that to them to explain.” So far, Trump’s advisers have struggled to explain his action, sending mixed messages about whether the conversation with Taiwan’s leader was a step toward a new policy or simply a President-elect Donald Trump congratulatory call. Incoming White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said Trump “knew exactly what was happening” when he spoke with Tsai, but Vice Presidentelect Mike Pence described the interaction as “nothing more than taking a courtesy call of congratulations.” Trump has pledged to be more “unpredictable” on the
world stage, billing the approach as a much-needed change from President Barack Obama’s deliberative style and public forecasting about U.S. policy. But Trump’s unpredictability is likely to unnerve both allies and adversaries, leaving glaring questions about whether the foreign policy novice is carrying out planned strategies or acting on impulse. China’s authoritarian government likes predictability in its dealings with other nations, particularly the United States. The U.S. and China are the world’s two largest economies with bilateral trade in goods and services reaching nearly $660 billion last year. While there have been sharp differences between Beijing and Washington on China’s island building in the South China Sea and over alleged Chinese cybertheft of U.S. commercial secrets, the two powers have cooperated effectively on climate change and the Iran nuclear deal. see TRUMP on 12
Son of Korean immigrants is first openly gay man elected to Georgia legislature By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Samuel Park
Samuel Park made history last month when he was elected as the first openly gay man to the Georgia legislature. The Georgia native defeated three-term incumbent Rep. Valerie Clark. The 31-year-old son of Korean immigrants grew up with two siblings. His single mother supported their family. “She taught
piano lessons and tutored children after school to put food on the table, and stressed the importance of education,” Park wrote on his website. His campaign focused on economic growth and security, healthcare, and civil rights. Park’s mother’s cancer diagnosis in 2014 prompted his decision to run for office. “As I take my mom to her chemo appointment every two weeks, I am constantly reminded of the importance of health insurance. Access to healthcare is a matter of life or death,” Park wrote on his website. Park’s run for office prompted his mother to vote for the first time in 30 years, he wrote on his Facebook page.
HAVE A STORY IDEA THAT YOU THINK WOULD FIT PERFECTLY IN NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY? Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.com.
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
asianweekly northwest
■ WORLD NEWS Chinese firm starts building full-sized Titanic replica BEIJING (AP) — Construction on the world’s first full-sized Titanic replica has started in China, a country with a welldocumented fascination with the tale of the ill-fated ocean liner. The 984-foot vessel being built by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co. is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018 and will remain permanently docked as a tourist attraction in landlocked Sichuan province. Wuchang executives told a provincial newspaper that its liner will faithfully replicate the original Titanic, with a dining hall, theater, luxury first-class cabins and swimming pool. The vessel, however, won’t be able to sail away from the reservoir near the hilly Sichuan village where it’ll be docked — although guests onboard will be able to dine and stay overnight. The original Titanic sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people. The 1997 film by James Cameron was one of the first foreign films to enter modern China and became such a massive hit
that then-president Jiang Zemin reportedly recommended that the entire Communist Party Politburo see it . The 2012 3D-remake broke box office records in China
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and to this day, a significant portion of Chinese of a certain generation can sing “My Heart Will Go On,” the Celine Dion theme song. “Titanic” is a story of a poor young man and a rich girl, which more accords with Chinese audiences’ taste. This kind of plot has a long history in the popular culture of China,” opined People’s Daily in 2012. The Communist Party’s official mouthpiece also urged China’s budding film industry to copy Cameron’s “professional spirit.” To film his 1997 title, Cameron built — and sank — a replica constructed at a scale of 90 percent. Wuchang’s ship could be the first full-scale replica after recent reports emerged that Australian tycoon Clive Palmer’s plans to build a working replica, the Titanic II, have been delayed. Wuchang, the shipbuilder, is owned by China’s central government and builds nuclear submarines, China Daily quoted an executive involved in the project as saying.
Crown prince formally becomes Thailand’s new king By Grant Peck ASSOCIATED PRESS BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand has a new king, with the country’s crown prince formally taking the throne to succeed his much-revered late father, who reigned for 70 years. The new monarch, who received the title “His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun,’’ assumed his new
position on Dec. 1, according to an announcement broadcast on all TV channels. He will also be known as Rama X, the tenth king in the Chakri dynasty that was founded in 1782. A videotaped broadcast showed senior officials presenting the formal invitation to the prince to become king, and then his acceptance. It then showed the officials prostrate themselves at the feet of the new king, who was wearing a formal white uniform with decorations.
■ BUSINESS
Driving diversity Uber and Lyft drivers face the issues of the booming rideshare market
By Peggy Chapman NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Wichit Phisaikul
Wichit Phisaikul emigrated from Thailand to be with family and works as a contract driver with both Uber and Lyft in Seattle. He decided to be a rideshare driver because he feels he has more freedom (“I am the boss”)
and likes the money. On a typical Saturday in Seattle, Phisaikul works from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. (he never drives after 1 a.m.), and averages around $230. “$100 here is easy — you can’t do that in Thailand,” he said. “You would have to open a grocery store to make $100 a day.” The growth of the rideshare industry has been phenomenal. According to eMarketer, 15 million U.S. adults will have used a ridesharing service in 2016, an increase of 20.5 percent over last year. With the growing marketplace comes a large demand for drivers, creating exciting opportunity, but also confusing new territory for the diverse community of drivers who are a part of it. Uber reported in 2015 that 55 percent of its drivers were of ethnic background. Lyft reported in 2014 that 35 percent of its drivers in Seattle were people of color. Ram Sapkota, who is Nepalese, has been working for both Uber and Lyft since January 2016. He works part-time, up to 10 hours a day on weekends and 3-4 hours on weekdays. Spreading the hours out on average, he makes about $80 a day. “It’s a side business and I have freedom,” he said. “There are favorite parts of the city with kind customers, and I feel like I am visiting with friends.” Senior management at both Uber and Lyft reacted positively to the appointment see UBER on 11
Vajiralongkorn’s father, Bhumibol Adulyadej, died on Oct. 13 at age 88 after many years of ill health. In 1972, Bhumibol designated Vajiralongkorn — his second child and only son — as his successor. “I would like to accept in order to fulfill his majesty’s wishes and for the benefit of all Thais,’’ Vajiralongkorn said in the videotape. see KING on 12
King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
34 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC THRU 17
NORTHWEST POP UP EXHIBITION, FEATURING ART BY AKIO TAKAMORI AND OTHERS James Harris Gallery 604 2nd Ave., Seattle 206-903-6220 jamesharrisgallery.com
8 CITIZENSHIP JOURNALISM: WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORY? A WORKSHOP 21 Progress, 409 Maynard Ave. S., #202, Seattle
$10–$25 6 p.m. brownpapertickets.com/event/2715799
S., Seattle 11 a.m.–5 p.m. facebook.com/events/617623475111609
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FREE ADMISSION TO SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle 5–9 p.m. Free seattleartmuseum.org/visit/asian-artmuseum
ASIAN ART MUSEUM COMMUNITY MEETING, ON ITS RENOVATION AND EXPANSION PLANS Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle 1–2:30 p.m. facebook.com/events/662945873865378
NAAAP VOLUNTEERS HOLIDAY POTLUCK Bellevue Towers, 500 106th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 6–9 p.m. naaapseattle.org
“SPIRITED AWAY: 15TH ANNIVERSARY” For location and tickets, check out fathomevents.com/event/spirited-away
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NVC CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY PARTY NVC Memorial Hall, 1212 S. King St., Seattle 12–3 p.m. 206-334-2652
EMERGENCY WORLD DANCE PARTY Filipino Community of Seattle, 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 6–9:30 p.m. facebook.com/worlddanceparty
HING HAY ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave.
Consulting Engineers will serve as the civil engineers. Kim is optimistic and expects the venture will attract tourists and residents to local services, like restaurants and grocery stores; it will also be pedestrian-friendly: “We expect the new neighbors to be less dependent on cars, as we are very close to Union Station and downtown. We also expect them to be single professionals. The travelers for our hotel will also utilize the diverse ethnic restaurants around the area. All these will add to more pedestrian traffic around that area throughout the evening, which should make the area a lot safer at night. The hotel will also have security and staff to make the area immediate to our building cleaner and safer.” While Kim is enthusiastic, there is also neighborhood reservation, particularly from the institutions and residents around the development. International Community Health Services (ICHS), a nonprofit community health center in the ID offering primary medical care, behavioral health, WIC, and health education services, has concerns. Its ID clinic is located at 8th Avenue South and South Dearborn
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
MARRIOTT from 1
All these buildings will be demolished to make way for the new hotel.
Street, one block away from the development. According to a statement by Teresita Batayola, Chief Executive Officer of ICHS, the main concerns with the development are: • The vehicular access on South Lane Street and 8th Avenue South • The combined impacts of traffic on 8th Avenue South • The zoning scale impacts and shadow impacts of buildings in the immediate area • The street frontage on South Lane Street and 8th Avenue South • The potential construction impacts. Batayola stated in her comments to the
proposal, “South Lane Street functions as a drop-off site for the elderly who attend the adult day services at Legacy House, which is located across the street from the curb cuts proposed by the project. Several access and other vans drop off and pick up elderly clients throughout the day. Emergency vehicles also need access to Legacy House around the clock.” Batayola also stated that “ICHS is concerned about the shadow impacts of such a large building out of scale of every other building in the Chinatown-International District neighborhood. This proposed structure
would infringe on the ‘right to light’ of the residents in the community, by shading the ID Village Square, which was redeveloped to be a bright spot of the community.” Kim said he understands the neighborhood concern. “They are concerned about the bulk and scale of the project and the increase in traffic, once the project is completed. We are working on changing the facade to blend in with the neighboring buildings and setting back the building on higher levels, so the pedestrians won’t notice the size of the building so much. All our parking needs will be handled within the building that will have valet service.” There are also distinct opinions about the development on both sides, based on the posts on the Vanishing Seattle blog — which focuses on changes in institutions, businesses, communities, and cultures of Seattle: “Look at what’s there now. I live in the neighborhood and not only see absolutely nothing wrong with this; I look forward to it as a major improvement,” posted Michael Dare. “It’s coming: the gentrification of the ID,” posted Patty Fong. Peggy can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
View the solution on page 14
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
■ PICTORIAL
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Top Contributors Honored Eight people were honored on Dec. 2 at the House of Hong Restaurant in Chinatown.
PHOTOS BY GEORGE LIU/NWAW
From left: Mark Okazaki (emcee), Felicity Wang, Dorothy Wong, and Giselle Tam.
From left: Chung-Hyung Lee, Seungja Song, and King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski.
From left: Jason Lee, John Laney, Hon. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Sili Savusa, Chung-Hyung Lee, Dorothy Wong, Hon. Gary Locke, and Kim Pham.
From left: Julie Pham, Wayne Lau, and Kiim Pham.
From left: Derek Edmonds, Sili Savusa, and Frieda Takamura.
Gary Locke shares the stage with representatives of organizations he supports.
From left: Buwon Brown, Jason Lee, and Kathleen Taylor.
From left: Mark Okazaki (emcee), Mike Flood, John Laney, and Odette Polintan
From left: Julia Kwon, Toshiko Hasegawa, Mika Kurose Rothman, King County Council Larry Gossett, Alex Johnson, Rep. Sharon Santos, and Derek Ishihara.
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE LATEST UPS A-pop! AND DOWNS IN POP CULTURE
34 YEARS
George Takei’s musical Allegiance to play in movie theaters
Constance Wu
By Vivian Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY With Thanksgiving over and Christmas on the way, there’s no denying that the holiday season is officially here! Excitement is brewing in the air and Hollywood is no exception.
On movie castings
The upcoming romantic-comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” has been green-lit by Warner Bros., which means pre-production and casting are currently underway. Based on the popular novel by author Kevin Kwan, “Crazy Rich Asians” follows Rachel Chu, a Chinese American economics professor
and her boyfriend, Nick Young. When the couple attends a wedding in Nick’s hometown of Singapore, it is revealed that Nick is viewed as the country’s most eligible bachelor as the heir to a massive fortune. Hijinks ensue. According to Kwan, the book aims to “introduce a contemporary Asia to a North American audience.” Director Jon M. Chu, who’s best known for directing several installments of the “Step Up” movie franchise and the musical documentary “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” spoke with Entertainment Weekly about how casting will take more time, see A-POP on 16
Proud Sponsor of the Asian Community Top Contributors
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Voted Top Restaurant in the State OpenTable Voted on list of Top Restaurants in the Nation Trip Advisor Award of Excellence Voted Best Italian Eastside/Seattle/State Voted Best of Issaquah/Sammamish Press Dinners Choice Winner 2016
George Takei in the scene
By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” wrote William Faulkner. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” wrote George Santayana. As frequently-flogged as those quotes have become in American society, along all allegiances and modes of sanity (Obama likes the first one; Jim Jones posted the second one over the throne from which he decreed mass suicide), I certainly could not shake their weight on my brain while watching “Allegiance,” the new musical based on George Takei’s life story. Takei, the actor best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the long-running “Star Trek” series, went with his family to the relocation camps for Japanese Americans during World War II — first at the converted horse stables in Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., then to the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas, and finally the Tule Lake Relocation Center, back in California. The new musical, recorded and playing one night only (Dec. 13) in Seattle and Bellevue, was inspired by his own experiences, but throws a wider net to encompass the tough and heartbreaking tribulations of Japanese Americans during the war. The show began as two chance encounters between Takei and his husband, Brad Altman Takei, with songwriter Jay Kuo and writer Lorenzo Thione. As written by Kuo, Thione, and Marc Acito, with Kuo providing the music and lyrics, “Allegiance” follows the Kimura family across several generations, covering the internment camps, the entrance of Japanese American soldiers into the war (in their own segregated regiment, the 442nd Infantry), divided loyalties, divided family beliefs, and the lingering stings of betrayal and rage. The action starts with Takei as Isamu “Sam” Kimura, a veteran of the 442nd Infantry preparing for a modern-day Pearl Day Harbor celebration — in other words, a Japanese American compelled to make an appearance to demonstrate that Japanese Americans took a stand against Imperial Japan. He’s rueful at his position, upset that even as an old man, he’s a pawn in a larger game played by men far above his level. Then the news comes that his longestranged sister Kei (Lea Solanga) has died. He wants nothing to do with the sister he rejected decades ago, although at first, we don’t understand why he walled himself off from his own family. Soon enough, Kei
appears in a half-lit, ghostly form, and begins to sing him back into the past. Everything else vanishes into, and eventually emerges from, this vortex of time. I wish I could say nicer things about Kuo’s score. He’s making an honest effort, but he couldn’t escape obvious rhymes, with spackled-on sentiment. The swingtime music, a nod to the WWII era, works well enough, but the drawn-out ballads eventually unravel and snap. Musically underscoring every point made obvious by the story doesn’t help. The story, while predictable enough to anyone who knows history, works better because it concentrates on small but rich and warm, human moments. The camps are cold and dusty, and the U.S. soldiers gruff, sometimes cruel. A sympathetic nurse (Katie Rose Clarke) bends the rules where she can. Dancing helps distract from the harshness. So do jokes and old family routines. Romance sprouts in unlikely situations. Two lovers meet by a wall. One may face death. They may be kissing their last kiss. And the men caught up in all this, at least, faced death in at least two ways. They could join the 442nd Infantry and take their chances with active combat duty. If they refused to swear loyalty to America, the “No-No Boys” as they were called, faced ejection from the camps into prisons, and the specter, at least, of the hangman’s noose — for the death penalty for treason was on the books. The ones who went hated the ones who got locked up, and the feeling was often mutual. And history? I sit at the downtown library, watching the Kimura’s saga unfold. Two grade school boys sit opposite of me, WWII history books open, copying out quotes. I take an internet break and everyone’s asking, what does our incoming president really mean? Will he uphold his stances against immigrants, against nonwhites, against non-Christians? Can he be appeased? Should he be appeased? Does trying to work with him count as treason? As betrayal? Could small betrayals become necessary to shore up against larger, more terrifying damage? Try the quotes above, at least. And watch this. Those who do not remember the undead past are condemned to re-read it. “Allegiance” plays on Dec. 13 at Pacific Place 11, 600 Pine Street in Seattle; and Lincoln Square Cinemas, 700 Bellevue Way East in Bellevue.
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
■ SPORTS
asianweekly northwest
Tiger Woods’ tough road back THE LAYUP DRILL
By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. In this edition, we talk about Tiger Woods’ return, a racially-motivated attack, and Pacquiao winning a title.
Woods was a joy to watch and brought so many fans to the sport of golf. Woods, who is part Chinese, Thai, Dutch, and Black, has been sidetracked by major injuries, which was due to the way he played golf. Can he make it back to be a top golfer? We will have to wait and see.
Chinese rugby player cleared of wrongdoing in attack
A Chinese college rugby player was cleared of wrongdoing by a court in England after he allegedly kicked a man outside a London bar for calling him a “chink.” 20-year-old Sidney Chan broke a fellow college student’s nose and eye socket. Prosecutors claim that Chan provoked the altercation when he made fun of the student. Chan denies the claim. Security cameras show Chan needing to be held back by friends before kicking the student. Chan stated that the student continued to taunt him. Chan was charged with one count of wounding with intent. But the security cameras could not show the full altercation. The student admitted to racially taunting Chan. Although there might not be a perception of Chinese athletes playing rugby, the country is seeking to expand its athletes into the sport in hopes of developing players that may compete at the Olympic level.
Tiger Woods is back, from a back injury
After taking an extended leave from golf due to a back injury, Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour entering an unofficial tour event in the Bahamas. Woods was focused as he once was when he dominated the sport of golf as the number 1 player in the world. Once thought to break the record for number of major tournament victories, personal problems and nagging physical injuries sidetracked the 40-yearold. Back surgery in 2015 left Woods rehabilitating for most of 2016. He hopes to regain his former form. In his first round of golf on Dec. 1, Woods showed signs of his old self, but rust from inactivity caused him to place 17th out of 18 golfers. Woods was once thought to be destined to be the greatest golfer in history. Despite his extramarital affairs, which caused a divorce from his wife, Woods continued his career but he has not won a major golf tournament since 2008 when he won the U.S. Open. At 14 major golf tournament victories, Woods still hopes he can surpass the record of 18 golf titles by Jack Nicklaus.
Pacquiao returns to win title, Donaire loses title
Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring last month and defeated Jessie Vargas to win the World Boxing Organization welterweight title. Pacquiao, who said that he would retire after his fight against Timothy Bradley last spring but changed his mind, announced see SPORTS on 16
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34 YEARS
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
OPINION
Gifts that bring me By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
My friend goes to a fortune-teller every December to find out her fortune for the following year. Surprisingly, her first question is about Christmas and not her future. “Will I have a good Christmas?” she would ask. I don’t seek predictions about my Christmas. But I do agree with my friend that having a nice December makes a world of difference for the New Year. December is a meaningful season because I make it so. If getting Christmas gifts and attending holiday parties is all that matters to you, I am afraid you have a shallow personality. What I try hard to attain is to feel relaxed and renewed after the holidays. It truly has little to do with gifts or being invited to fun parties. In the past few years, I have been shopping less during the holidays despite the appealing sales. I have also skipped Black Friday shopping as long as I have lived in America. My happiness doesn’t depend on material things. As we grow as a family, we don’t follow the gift giving ritual too much. Contentment develops because we have each other during the holiday. For people who get mad at their spouse for not getting them gifts or buying the right gift, my advice is, let it go. If I want something, I don’t drop a hint to my husband. He has bought me the wrong stuff or in the wrong
My bejeweled pants.
color. Not getting me a gift during Christmas doesn’t mean he loves me less. However, it reduces his stress and mine if he doesn’t give me things that I don’t really want. Lately, he has become smarter by buying me tech items, such as the new iPad. The same goes for me. I hate shopping for men in general. I don’t have time to think about what to get him, so I’ve stopped trying. And he’s cool with that. I found that I am much happier that way, and he feels less guilty for not getting me the usual woman things like clothes or jewelry. The question is, does Christmas really
Meal prepared by my son, Jason.
mean just exchanging gifts or is there a more profound meaning behind the season? What is a priceless, thoughtful gift to your loved ones, and meaningful to both parties? It’s doing something sweet for someone you care about, which cannot be measured in dollars. It’s someone doing something that I need without being asked. The best gifts I received from my husband this year is that he planned three trips to fit my schedule and needs. A picky and demanding traveler, he chose the right time, hotels, and flights for me, including the recent trip to Hong Kong to transfer my mom to a nursing home. I didn’t do any planning. My son who works in Hong Kong, insisted on cooking us a meal, picking us up from the hotel, and washing all the dishes afterwards. The meal was special as this is the first time he ever cooked for both his parents. He is a great cook. As I age, I appreciate close friends doing simple things for me, rather than buying me gifts. I take pleasure in reciprocating. I am just grateful that I have the ability to do it. Gratitude is a formula for happiness. And I practice it every day. I read once that practice doesn’t make it perfect, but it requires practice and more practice. So here is my list of essential gifts, (which cost little to nothing) that I create during the holidays.
1. A free schedule
December is a slow time for business and news. Doing nothing is quite a luxury, slowing down is a gift. I don’t have to be on the run every day. It’s nice to have free days on my calendar. It gives me a chance to enjoy activities that I don’t normally do in the first 11 months of the year, like going to the movies with my family or dining with friends.
2. A time for reflection
Having time to reflect is valuable for personal growth. What did I do right? What can I do better? This holiday is for soul searching. I am amazed at how much my staff and I have done together during the year. “No, use the word ‘accomplish,’” my friend would correct me. “You have accomplished a lot during the year.”
Jason Liu
So I just sit back and count my blessings, as well as good deeds we have done.
3. Giving back all year round
Most folks who haven’t been giving back during the year will look for charities to send money before the New Year. I don’t need to, as I support different charitable groups and scholarship programs all year round. I also volunteer on a couple of projects during the year. So no more volunteer work in December. I just focus on rest and relaxation.
4. Singing and listening to Christmas music
Back in my Catholic high school days, students always sang Christmas carols in December. When we performed, it lifted our spirits and I literally felt the joy of the holiday. How do you listen to carols, rock music, or classical orchestra for this festive occasion? I use YouTube on my iPad. I listen to famous orchestras from London, and all over Europe perform the most popular Christmas music. It’s a treat to hear them performed with violins, cellos, and pianos, or punk rock for O Holy Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, Carol of the Bells, Little Drummer Boy, Do You Know, A Mad Russian’s Christmas, and many more.
5. Create, create, create
Give yourself an opportunity to create. I used to create Christmas ornaments. I even asked my staff to decorate their compartment to compete in a contest. Once, I asked my staff to do a gift exchange. The winners were those who made the gift. The first-prize winner knitted a scarf for another colleague with the color she likes; the second-prize winner made a wooden sword for a male colleague and spent hours polishing it. This year, one of our staff members, Mandy Luong, decorated the base of the Asian Weekly’s Christmas tree. We used to cover the bottom with wrapping paper. She placed all the extra ornaments at the tree’s end, and the result was beautiful. Also this year, I designed my own pants. No, not really. I had ink marks on my pants. see BLOG on 15
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
asianweekly northwest
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OPINION
■ EDITORIAL
Holiday anxiety and depression
Last month, a Chinese worker at Amazon jumped from the top of the Amazon building. He survived, but broke his legs. He is now at a psychiatric hospital in Seattle. For many, the holidays are a time of joy. But for some people — particularly those living with depression — this time of year can be especially difficult. Depression can lead to constant feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fatigue and loss of energy, impaired concentration, loss of interest in almost all activity, insomnia, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide. For many Asian Americans, depression is an unfamiliar word. Or there is a stigma attached to it, or shame. University of Washington graduate Brandon Hadi spearheaded the API Mental Health & Wellness Summit for Asian and Pacific Islander (API) students in the spring. He said APIs are the least likely to seek mental health treatment and the most likely to drop out. We fear being a burden to others. According to 2007 data from the National Center for Health Statistics, female Asian Americans, ages 15 to 24, were second only to Native Americans in their rate of suicide deaths. A study in 2005 found that Asian American college students are more likely
UBER from 5
Ram Sapkota
of Elaine Chao as U.S. Transportation Secretary. Chao’s views are sympathetic to the rideshare marketplace. In a 2015 talk at the American Action Forum, Chao expressed her support for “peer-topeer economy that is fluid, flexible and filled with workers who prefer independent arrangements.”
to seriously consider suicide than their white peers. In addition, researchers have found that women of Asian ancestry who were born in the United States are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts than others, including immigrant Asian women and U.S.-born Asian men.
What can you do?
• Acknowledge your feelings. It’s normal to feel sadness or anxiety, and it’s OK to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force
Los Angeles and is Chinese American, feels that most new rideshare drivers find that their first month of driving is a great entry experience because “they’re basically getting paid to drive around and meet new people.” But eventually, the drivers have to start thinking about the aspects and operating costs of the business and expenses, including taxes, insurance, etc. However, Uber and Lyft don’t provide the information about these issues, and in many cases, they’re legally not allowed to provide any training, which makes the entrepreneurship ideal complicated and confusing.
Mergen Saushinov
Harry Campbell
Harry Campbell believes there is a “honeymoon period” when it comes to working in the on-demand economy. Campbell is a driver and the founder of the blog The Rideshare Guy, a resource for rideshare drivers. Campbell, who is based in
Mergen Sauzhinov, an artist of Mongolian and Russian descent, said there wasn’t any official training with Lyft. “I was just sent a handbook.” Sauzhinov lives in Olympia and started driving for Lyft in November. He has to travel from Olympia to Seattle to work for Lyft, so he picks days he feels there won’t be as much competition with other driv-
yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season. • Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering is also a good way to lift your spirits. • Be realistic. The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like previous years. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. • Learn to say no. Saying yes when you
ers, like Sundays. He says he will probably switch to driving for Uber, since Uber has service in Olympia. Rideshare drivers are required to maintain upkeep on their cars, pay for gasoline, and provide their own insurance to fill in the gaps. Most rideshare insurance provided by the companies is liability-only insurance — it applies only when a passenger is in the car or the driver is en route to pick up a rider. “They (companies) only encourage maximizing drivers, but not driver worth — there needs to be more focus on drivers’ security,” said Sapkota. And then there is the issue of the increasing cut on rates by the companies to attract more riders. Although those cuts benefit the customer, drivers are finding themselves making less for the same amount of work they did before, instead of the traditional pay raise. With the cheaper fares, drivers have to pick up more rides to maintain pay level, which can be difficult in an industry that is attracting more drivers, lending itself to a potentially over-saturated and competitive driver market. Along with any new population of workers, there also comes the inevitable issue of discrimination. The release of a study conducted by the University of Washington, Stanford, and MIT this October studied racial and gender discrimination towards riders by drivers. The study, conducted in Seattle and Boston, focused on Uber, Lyft, and Flywheel drivers and variances in treatment of race and gender regarding customers.
should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every activity. If it’s not possible to say no when your boss wants you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your to-do list. • Maintain healthy habits. Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t go overboard on sweets or drinks. Get plenty of sleep and incorporate regular physical activity into each day. • Take a breather. Make time for yourself. Just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. • Seek professional help. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. Hadi’s goal is “to address stigma around mental health, so we (APIs) can one day speak about mending a broken spirit the same way we talk about fixing a broken arm.”
The results were surprising. In Seattle, riders waited 16-28 percent longer to have the ride confirmed if they had a “Black-sounding” name. Wait times were as much as 29 to 35 percent longer. The study also found that rides with female customers took longer and cost more. “The additional travel that female riders are exposed to appears to be a combination of profiteering and flirting to a captive audience,” the report stated. Considering the other side, what about riders’ discrimination towards the driver? Does the driver also face discrimination when riders decide whether or not to cancel a ride based on the driver? Once a driver accepts a ride, the driver’s face and name appears on the customer’s app. The rider has the option to cancel. “The discrimination issue is always in the back of your mind since you don’t know why riders are canceling rides,” said Campbell. “It could be because you were further away than they expected or it could be because they have a racial bias towards drivers of your ethnicity. It’s never been studied empirically, but I know lots of drivers who feel they get canceled more frequently than others and even rated lower because of their race.” Campbell feels the issue of lower rating is especially important, since a lower rating can be destructive. Uber drivers are required to maintain a 4.6 rating to stay active on the platform — essentially, you have to have a good grade to keep getting work. “Many passengers will rate a satisfactory ride as 3 or 4 stars when
that really is a failing grade for drivers. .. You could imagine that racial discrimination can be the difference for some drivers as to whether they can keep the job or not.” And then, there are drivers who are not concerned with job security, reflecting the wide spectrum of contractors the new market is attracting.
Raphael Hsieh
Raphael Hsieh, who is Taiwanese American, is driving temporarily for Lyft in Seattle. He quit his tech job at Amazon and will be going to his new job at Zulily in the new year. His brother in Boston drives and recommended Hsieh try it during his downtime before he moves on to the new job. Hsieh said he gets to socialize, meet new people, and earn some extra money. “Driving is a better option than staying at home playing video games.” Peggy can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
TJAN from 1 that he and Brown were both fourth-year neuroscience students among a group of about 11, shared a lengthy Facebook post saying he had prayed Brown wasn’t responsible when he first heard news of the stabbing. “I am sitting here in shock, heart racing and fingers shaking,” Keller wrote in the post, which sometimes directly addressed Brown. “David, you were bright but at the same time troubled ... Our whole class knew things were not exactly alright.” Brown would not always finish his work and would go missing for weeks at a time, Keller wrote in the post. “It was plain as day that you struggled with things that the rest of us did not, or at least not to the degree that it affected you,” Keller wrote. “Despite how bright you were, we would joke that you were one of the ones most likely to quit, but we never thought you were capable of something like this.” Another graduate student Katie Zyuzin, replied to the post by saying she also thought first of Brown when she heard the news. “We saw that he needed help, but how could we offer it to him?” she wrote. “I tried to talk to him (the) last few times that I saw him on campus, but the conversation would not go anywhere, and I started to shrug it off, instead of looking into it.” TRUMP from 4 Taiwan split from the Chinese mainland in 1949. American policy acknowledges the Chinese view that it has sovereignty over Taiwan, yet the U.S. considers Taiwan’s status as unsettled. The U.S. is Taiwan’s main source of weapons, with $14 billion in approved arms sales since 2009. U.S. diplomats were shocked by Trump’s telephone call with the Taiwanese leader. Several officials privately expressed deep unease that Trump’s team did not inform the administration in advance or give it a chance to provide input. Max Baucus, the U.S. ambassador to China, spoke about the matter with China’s vice foreign minister on Dec. 3 to reiterate America’s one-China policy on behalf of the current administration. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that China would have “no comment on what motivated the
KING from 5 Vajiralongkorn, 64, was originally expected to assume the throne the day his father died, but in a surprise announcement, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said the prince asked for the succession to be put off so he would have time to mourn. Prayuth said that because of tradition that the throne should not remain vacant, the new king’s reign will be considered as beginning on the day Bhumibol died. “His majesty the new king, the beloved son of the late king, will carry forward his leadership and legacy,’’ he said. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy — although currently under military rule — but Bhumibol played an important role in stabilizing his country through a time of enormous change which saw neighboring monarchies collapse under the pressures of the Vietnam War. He was especially known for his energy in development activities,
Nathaniel Kwok, who recently finished working 18 months in Tjan’s lab alongside Brown, said graduate students work there 40 to 60 hours a week and develop projects required to graduate. Brown had been working in the lab since around 2013 but took a leave of absence for personal reasons last year that lasted roughly a semester, Kwok said. He didn’t know why Brown needed the time off or how close to graduation he was. “He was a little on the reserved side, but he was nice. He was friendly,” Kwok said from New York, where he’s now in medical school. “There was nothing that ever would have given me some kind of indicator that he would be harboring any kind of sentiment like this.” Kwok said Tjan treated him as a son and that he always loved the professor’s honesty, good-natured sarcasm and sharp mind. Chris Purington, project manager at Tjan’s lab, said he last saw Brown the day before the attack, when both he and Tjan attended a PhD student’s dissertation. “It didn’t seem like anything was wrong. I didn’t see this coming,” Purington said. “When I heard a grad student did it I really expected it to be somebody I didn’t know.” Kilho Shin, who also worked in Tjan’s lab, said Brown was quiet and seemed satisfied with Tjan’s oversight. “Their conversation on research was healthy and constructive,” he said.
Irving Biederman, a neuroscience professor who was Brown’s adviser for a couple months, said he had heard from colleagues that Brown was not doing well in school, though he said he didn’t have first-hand knowledge of the student’s work. As for Tjan, he said he knew the professor back when he was a student at the University of Minnesota in 1988 and that his death is a huge blow. “This is the first time I’ve heard of any student having a problem with Bosco; he was universally admired and loved,” Biederman said. “This is almost unfathomable.” Biederman said Tjan was gentle with students, though he was generous with constructive criticism. Purington said he never heard of anyone having a problem with Tjan, a married father of one son. “He was somebody who really cared about people. I know he cared about me,” Purington said through tears. Tjan joined USC in 2001, taught in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and served as co-director of the Dornsife Cognitive Neuroimaging Center. The stabbing comes six months after a well-loved professor was fatally shot on the nearby UCLA campus. Authorities believe former student Mainak Sarkar killed his estranged wife in a Minneapolis suburb before driving across the country to Los Angeles and fatally shooting engineering professor William Klug and killing himself on June 1. Klug had helped Sarkar earn his engineering Ph.D. in 2013.
Trump team” to make the tweets, and he said he believed both sides would continue to support a “sound and a stable bilateral relationship.” But a commentary on the state-run Xinhua news agency issued a veiled warning. “Succeeding a mostly upward U.S.-China relationship, Trump also needs to resist the light-headed calls for provocative and damaging moves on China by some hawkish political elites,” said the commentary by Luo Jun. “The outdated zerosum mindset is poisonous for Washington’s foreign relations. It would be a mistake to think that Washington could gain from undercutting Beijing’s core interests.” Stephen Yates, a former national security aide to Vice President Dick Cheney who has been in touch with Trump advisers, said the call with Tsai was arranged by the transition team and showed the president-elect wants to rebalance the U.S. relationship with China.
“He is not going to be told who he can or cannot talk to,” Yates said by email as he flew to Taiwan for a trip he said was planned before the election. “He meant what he said about being open to leaders who seek good relations with the U.S. He knows more about these subjects than he might let on.” As a presidential candidate, Trump repeatedly accused China of manipulating its currency and trying to “rape our country” with unfair trade policies. Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Trump appears to be signaling a willingness to increase ties with Taiwan, but not necessarily a full overhaul of U.S. policy. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to poke the Chinese in the eye; it doesn’t mean we’re going to change the `One China policy,”’ said Lohman, whose think tank has been advising Trump’s transition. “But it does mean we will reform our Taiwan policy to reflect reality.”
doing hands-on inspections in remote rural areas. He calmed the country through several political crises. Vajiralongkorn faces the challenges of a country that has become fractured over the past decade, as contending political forces engaged in bitter battles that sometimes turned violent, leaving a residue of bad feeling and shaking faith in the democratic system. The new king, with a less intense interest in state affairs and a reputation as a playboy, does not command the same level of respect as Bhumibol. He has gone through divorces with three women who have borne him seven children, and in recent years has spent much of his time residing in Germany. Although most Thais are devoted to the royal institution, it is hard to gauge how they feel privately about Vajiralongkorn because of harsh laws that mandate a prison term of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of insulting the monarchy. Information about the succession has been
tightly controlled, and international news broadcasts about Thailand have been blocked in recent days. The United States, whose diplomatic relations with Thailand date back more than 180 years, congratulated Vajiralongkorn on his ascension to the throne. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters in Washington that Bhumibol had been a great friend of U.S. and it looked forward to deepening the relationship between the two countries going forward. The prince made his first public appearance in more than a week on Dec. 1, attending a religious ceremony honoring his late father. He was accompanied by his three sisters, two adult daughters and 11-year-old son. Shortly afterward, he granted an audience to National Legislative Assembly President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, Prime Minister Prayuth, Supreme Court Chief Justice Veerapol Tungsuwan and former Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, who had been
KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for E00461E16, Work Order Engineering Services for Battery-Electric Bus Charging Infrastructure; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on January 4, 2017. Estimated Total Price: $2,000,000 This contract is funded by the Federal Transit Administration. There is a 6% minimum requirement for Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Certified Federal Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Firms on this contract. King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the
34 YEARS
Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. All solicitation documents are published at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ ovr/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement _ ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Ruth Williamson, 206-263-9333, ruth. williamson@kingcounty.gov or Esther Decker, 206-263-9323, esther.decker@kingcounty.gov
one of his father’s closest advisers and served as regent in the period since Bhumibol’s death. The Cabinet, proceeding according to a 1924 law on succession and the constitution, had forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly the late king’s appointment of his son to succeed him. The assembly in turn acknowledged the appointment, and its president then issued an invitation to Vajiralongkorn to become king. Huge crowds have been paying respects to the late king’s remains at the ceremonial Grand Palace. His remains will be cremated in an elaborate ceremony that may take place a year or more after his death. The official coronation of Vajiralongkorn will occur only after the cremation. Bhumibol’s coronation was in 1950, four years after succeeding his brother King Ananda Mahidol, who died of gunshot wounds in unclear circumstances.
PENG from 1
LEE from 1
Chef Peng Chang-kuei (left) invented General Tso's chicken and said Henry Kissinger (right) was an early fan.
medal for the U.S. Lee became the first man to win consecutive Olympic titles in platform diving in 1948 and 1952 and was the oldest diver at age 32 to win Olympic gold. He also earned a bronze in 3-meter springboard at the 1948 Games. Lee later coached Olympic diving champions Pat McCormick and Louganis, who swept the springboard and platform events at the 1984 and ’88 Olympics. Lee coached the U.S. team at the 1960 and ’64 Olympics. He remained an active swimmer and golfer into his 90s. Lee was the AAU national champion in platform and springboard diving in 1942, becoming the first person of color to win a national diving title, and in platform in 1946. He won the 1953 Sullivan Award as the nation’s top amateur athlete. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968 and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1990. After attending Occidental College in Los Angeles, he graduated from the USC School of Medicine in 1947 and became an ear, nose and throat physician. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in the Korean War. Sammy Lee Square in Los Angeles’ Koreatown section was named in his honor in 2010. In 2013, the Los Angeles Unified School District named one of its elementary schools the Dr. Sammy Lee Medical and Health Sciences Magnet School. Lee is survived by his wife, Roz, children Pamela and Sammy II and three grandchildren.
It’s now on Chinese restaurant menus across the United States, exploding in popularity after President Nixon visited China in 1972. The dish also reportedly became a favorite of famed statesman Henry Kissinger, who with Nixon helped open the communist country to the West, spotlighting its culture and food. But General Tso’s chicken was never part of the Chinese culinary tradition. The chef created the dish in the 1950s in Taiwan, where he fled in 1949 with Chiang Kai-shek after the communists took over, said Chuck Peng, speaking from his home in Taipei. In Taiwan, the chef helped welcome the commander of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet in the Pacific with a banquet that included the new culinary creation named after a 19th-century Chinese military leader from Peng’s native Hunan Province. By the 1970s, he was in New York running a restaurant named after himself near the United Nations on Manhattan’s East Side. Kissinger was a frequent guest, said Chuck Peng. “General Tso’s Chicken is so famous because of Henry Kissinger, because he was among the first to eat it, and he liked it, so others followed,” said Peng. Americans quickly took to what is now a mound of deep-fried chunks of floured chicken, smothered in sweetness that usually includes soy sauce, sugar, ginger and other spices. In the dish’s first incarnation, the chicken reportedly was not fried, and its unsweetened flavor came from garlic, soy sauce and chilis. The story of the delicacy is told in a 2014 documentary called “The Search for General Tso,” which traces the roots of Chinese food in America through the iconic dish. “The march of General Tso’s chicken has been long and wide,” said Jennifer 8. Lee, author of “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.” “It’s the most popular of Chinese dishes in America, because it is sweet, fried and chicken — all things Americans love. It is easily a billion dollar industry in and of itself.” Lee also worked as a producer on “The Search for General Tso.” Chuck Peng runs the family’s chain of 10 restaurants in Taiwan, all called Peng’s. Until he was hospitalized a few months ago, his son said Peng was a daily presence at their flagship Taipei restaurant which opened after the chef left New York in 1983. The restaurant space on East 44th Street was later occupied by a steakhouse that also is gone. “My father thought other people’s cooking was no good,” his son said, chuckling. “The way he cooked was different, it was much better.” While he was “very good to other people, he was very hard on his family” — seven children from three mothers. “He was very demanding, he didn’t want us to make any mistakes.” Some of Peng’s hundreds of students plan to attend his funeral on Dec. 15 in Taipei.
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AP Photo/Laurence Harris
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
YOUR VOICE
In this July 27, 1948, file photo, Sammy Lee, member of the U.S. Olympic diving team, dives from the top of the diving tower during training at the London Olympics at the Empire Pool in Wembley, England.
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
MOVIES from 9 a demonstration of Aisholpan’s strength and endurance. New eagle hunters must painstakingly capture an eaglet off the cliffs of the Altai Mountains to train. These eagles are at the perfect age only a few days a year, when it doesn’t have the skill to fly away, but old enough to survive without its mother. The audience gets to see Aisholpan dangling halfway up the mountainside, while her father tries to hold a rope steady from above. Aisholpan delicately captures an eaglet, while the mother eagle is hovering just above. That’s just one of the heart stopping moments in the movie. The cinematography was just gorgeous, as we see sweeping views of Mongolia’s snow-covered lakes and mountains. Some of the filming was done by drones and attaching GoPros to eagles. Due to sub-freezing temperatures, filming was sometimes delayed. It’s hard to complain about the local
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weather when the people there survive in -40°F. Just writing that is enough to send a shiver down my spine. The film wastes no time letting the audience know what some of the other senior, male eagle hunters think of Aisholpan’s goal to become the first eagle huntress. We get to sit through quotes like “Females can’t get the respect from eagles,” and “Their place is cooking food for their families.” Many generations of sexist views make you wonder if their attitudes will change even if Aisholpan wins. Fortunately, Aishopan has her family’s full support. Her grandfather gave his blessing for her journey, and her father, Agalai, trained Aisholpan — teaching her all the skills needed to win. This included giving commands for her eagle to land on her outstretched arm and to catch a rabbit carcass tolled by a horse she is riding. We get to witness a direct exchange as Aisholpan and her dad are having lunch with the other male eagle hunters, who were interviewed earlier. Aisholpan just
BILL from 4 Under the legislation, Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who responded to President Franklin Roosevelt’s “callto-duty” will be awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor. The bill was sponsored by Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Hawaii’s congressional leaders have been pushing for the measure to recognize the approximately 18,000 Filipino WWII veterans still alive in the U.S., as most of them are in their 90s. “For months, we have said that time is running out to recognize Filipino World War II veterans for their brave service,” Hirono said in the release. “[The] House passage is the culmination of decades of work by these veterans and their
smiles quietly. Even if Aisholpan fails, she has already proved to be an excellent role model to every girl who has heard her magnificent story. At the 2014 Golden Eagle Festival, Aishopan is nervously waiting her turn to compete. You immediately notice all the judges are male. In the first round of the competition, participants are judged on their appearance. Previous riders have gotten scores of 8-10, with 10 being the highest. Would the male judges be fair or do they have century-old biases that women don’t belong there? Everyone in the theater held their breath... Eagle Huntress is now playing at the Landmark Seven Gables Theatre, located at 911 NE 50th St in Seattle, through Dec. 15. John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.
families to recognize their key role in the Allied victory, and their decades-long fight for benefits.” Gabbard urged Obama to sign the bill into law before the year’s end to “honor our veterans with this long-overdue recognition.” Approximately 250,000 Filipinos and Filipino Americans served the United States during World War II, but did not receive full recognition because of the Rescission Act of 1946. In a statement, KAYA: Filipino Americans for Progress said, “We are grateful for leaders in Congress and in advocacy groups for pushing for recognition of our veterans, both for the living and for those who have passed.”
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YOUR VOICE
■ ASTROLOGY
DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
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Predictions and advice for the week of December 10–December 16
By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — A formula that has worked before doesn’t necessarily apply now. You would be well advised to take into consideration the current conditions.
Horse — By making yourself available, you will find yourself yet again in the right place at the right time to pursue your dreams.
Ox — Disappointed with the response that you have been getting lately? Take the initiative instead of just waiting for things to go your way.
Goat — If you see items that need to be addressed, for the sake of expediency, just deal with them upfront instead of adding them to the list.
Tiger — Your thoughts can become reality, so it behooves you to start the ball rolling in a positive direction. Rabbit — You have been reluctant to make the extent of your feelings known, but there is no holding back any longer.
Monkey — A moment of hesitation strikes after having rolled up your sleeves for a major undertaking. Firm up your resolve and jump into the thick of the action.
Dragon — The strength of your will to get the job done is stronger than you think. That should not surprise anyone that knows you.
Rooster — Being grateful and wanting more are not mutually exclusive. In fact, one can be quite complementary of the other.
Snake — Flaunting your advantages may not have the desired effect. Rather, discretion is the much preferred route to take. What’s your animal sign? Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.
BLOG from 10 To get rid of the ink, I glued plastic jewels on the pants. Instantly, I created a new pair of stylish pants. It’s fun to paint, draw, or remake things.
6. Use your heart over your head
When shopping for your friends and family, put your heart into it rather than your head. It’s not the cost of the gift the matters, it’s the thought that counts. The element of surprise is good one. I just got a gift from my former event manager. A set of tea bags from her Taiwan trip gave me a chuckle. “When I saw the tea gift, I thought of you because you like women of power,” she said. The tea is decorated with all the global women leaders. She was thinking of me on her trip. How sweet. And I love the gift.
7. Prepare fantastic meals
I have friends who love to bake fancy cookies for the holidays or throw large parties. Do so if it gives you joy. But if you feel it’s become a burden, skip it. Let someone else do it. It’s often nice to have a change. Or do a potluck. It’s more fun if your friends can chip in.
8. Have fun planning
This is also a good time to decide where you want to travel. On my list, I have Australia, Norway, Milan, and Jerusalem for 2017. How exciting! Ho ho ho, ‘tis the season to be jolly! Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
Pig — Going back to your roots could have unintended consequences. Be ready for some intriguing developments in the near future.
Dog — For the most part, you are happy to go along. However, there are instances where it makes sense to stand your ground.
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A-POP from 8 effort, and energy to do this film adaption justice. “We’ll have to look in places that we don’t normally look for in a movie,” said Chu. “Normally you go to agencies, and they tell you who could fit, and you go and meet or greet them or have them coming in and audition. In this one, a lot of the big agencies don’t necessarily know where to find the big, hunky Asian actor … Maybe they’re in theater and haven’t crossed over yet. [Or] maybe they’re doing commercials and haven’t crossed over yet.” Kudos to Chu and the production team for their commitment to casting an all-Asian cast, as well as looking far and wide for just the right actors. The film is only in the early stages of production, but I can already tell that “Crazy Rich Asians” is going to be a groundbreaking movie for Asian Americans — for both viewers and those currently making inroads in Hollywood.
When Asian Americans become Nazi sympathizers
Do you remember who Tila Tequila is? Chances are no, so let me refresh your memory. Tequila, whose legal surname is Nguyen, became popular during the rise of social media in 2008 when she was the most popular person on MySpace — she had approximately 1.7 million followers at the time. A popular MTV reality show named “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila” soon followed and, for a while, Tequila was a relevant name in pop culture.
SPORTS from 9
Manny Pacquiao
his fight against Vargas this fall. Although Pacquiao knocked down Vargas, he was unable to finish the job and knock him out. Pacquiao earned a unanimous decision. The fight was the first in some time in which HBO did not distribute via pay-per-view, a sign of the decline in interest in Pacquiao fights. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, focused more on the international market when promoting the fight. A part of the reason for the decline in Pacquiao’s popularity was due to his remarks about same-sex marriages. Despite backtracking on his statements, the once popular boxer saw the loss of his longtime sponsorship with Nike. Pacquiao wore Anta, a Chinese sportswear brand, to replace the swoosh. Anta was one of the primary sponsors of the event. In addition, Nonito Donaire, known as “The Filipino Flash,” fought on the undercard of the event. Unfortunately, Donaire was upset by Jessie Magdaleno and lost his super bantamweight title. We will likely see both Pacquiao and Donaire fight again. But they currently have issues with their popularity. For Pacquiao, fewer fans are excited to see him as he ages and becomes less of a threat to knock out opponents. Also, he is no longer facing top opponents which would draw more interest. For Donaire, he will need to recoup from his loss. Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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DECEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 16, 2016
Tequila Nguyen’s facebook posts
But Tequila hasn’t done many notable things since and has largely been out of the public eye with the exception of some outlandish statements she’s made. In 2012, Tequila told celebrity gossip site TMZ that she was “fascinated with Kabbalah,” and was converting to Judaism. Then, in December 2013, Tequila posted a photoshopped image of herself with a Nazi armband and SS cap on, while standing in front of Nazi camp Auschwitz. Calling herself “Hitila,” Tequila wrote a Facebook post titled “Why I Sympathize with Hitler: Part 1.” You can probably guess the contents
of the post. Now, in 2016, with President-elect Donald Trump soon to be in the White House, Tequila recently tweeted a picture from the alt-right, white supremacist National Policy Institute conference, in which she and two white guys did a Nazi salute. It’s probably worth noting that, at the time Tequila tweeted this photo, her Twitter bio read as: “Alt-reich queen! Literally Hitler!” Or it did until Twitter suspended Tequila’s account for violating the platform’s anti-hate speech policies. The irony of Tequila being Asian American is lost on no one. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Tequila said that an invitation to the conference was extended because she brings “a little bit more diversity to the [white supremacist] movement.” It’s a hilarious statement given that Nazi sympathizers aren’t known to be champions of diversity. With this quote, however, it seems more apparent than ever that Tequila is now stepping into her new public identity: the troll. As in, deliberately pissing people off to get a rise out of them, often done online. And with Tequila’s previous “fame” all but extinguished, it comes as no surprise that she’s taken on trolling to maintain relevant in the public eye. Tequila seems to be fond of alliteration. Perhaps she should consider changing her stage name to Tila Troll? Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.