VOL 34 NO 53 | DECEMBER 26, 2015 – JANUARY 1, 2016

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Crackdown on controversial hookah lounges

Photo by John Liu

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

Photo by George Liu

VOL 34 NO 53

Chinese President Xi’s visit to Seattle

2015

Dealing with the wake of the Ride the Ducks disaster

YEAR IN REVIEW

MLK and Black Lives Matter to Seattle

Photo by George Liu

Photo by Minal Singh

Immigration reform and its local impact

Facing deportation

Photo by George Liu

Youth suicides take toll on families, community

■

UW appoints Ana Mari Cauce as president

Chinese Exclusion Act resolution

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

Photo by George Liu

Photo by Alan Alabastro

Donnie Chin, ID community protector and hero, slain

asianweekly northwest

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DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

■ names in the news ICHS named a ‘success story’ by the state

Chinatown-ID task force convenes

USJC members visiting the Tohoku region in Japan

ICHS staff and patient

International Community Health Services (ICHS) received two major honors recently.

For a second year in a row, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has named ICHS a “National Quality Leader.” This year, ICHS is the only community health center in Washington state to receive the honor.

ICHS was also recognized as a “success story” by the Washington Health Alliance and the Washington Health Care Authority in the new Washington State Common Measure Set for Health Care Quality and Cost. The report analyzes 52 medical measures to enable a common way to track how the health care system is performing. ICHS was identified among the top performing medical groups in the state for the Medicaid population they serve. 

USJC members visit Tohoku region From November 11 to 12, fourteen U.S. Japan Council (USJC) members traveled to the Tohoku region. The trip was led and organized by three USJC TOMODACHI Emerging Leader Program (ELP) 2014 Alumni. The members experienced the local culture and people, seeing firsthand the progress that has been made in the recovery effort since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Through the TOMODACHI Initiative, USJC has had an impact on the region in the years since the disaster. USJC members, including current ELP and ELP alumni, continue to express a strong desire to assist Tohoku residents as they press on rebuilding their lives and communities. 

George Leing new rep for RNC George Leing is Colorado’s new representative to the Republican National Committee. Leing lost his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Jared Polis in 2014.

Leing will fill the remainder of Mike Kopp’s term, which expires after this year’s convention.

Leing, a lawyer who works in George Leing finance and energy, is the former chairman of the Boulder County Republicans and has served on the state GOP executive committee.

He is the youngest of four children of Chinese immigrants who came to the United States in 1947. He was born and raised in New York City and graduated from New York University. He has a law degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in religion from Yale University. 

Deputy Chief of Police Carmen Best and Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim discuss the initial Chinatown-International District task force meeting

The International District task force initial meeting was held last week with approximately 20 members in attendance. It was a forum to air emotions affecting the community and also focused on accountability and results regarding public safety. It is the City’s “smallest” task force (with the least amount of members of any other of the City’s task forces).

The task force will reconvene in January on a working retreat, which will focus on recommendations and disseminating and analyzing data. Recommendations will be proposed in April, and the final presentation to Mayor Murray is planned for May.

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

Celebrate with Style!

“Year of the Monkey 2016” Fun Fashion Contest

Create/assemble an original look or design a wearable costume for Lunar New Year!

ALL AGES WELCOME. Be part of the Lunar New Year Fashion Contest. Design a wearable garment, accessory, or put together an outfit to create a look with a Year of the Monkey Lunar New Year theme.

Model your own entry or supply your own model(s) for both the fashion show & parade.

The Fashion Show-Off & Contest:  WIN $250 & Prizes for Most Original “Year of the Monkey” ensemble  Lunar New Year Dinner Fashion Show-Off (Feb. 6, House of Hong Restaurant, 6 p.m.

Contestants have to arrive at 4 p.m. Tickets: $50 each for dinner & show.

The Parade:  All entries are invited to model at the Kids’ Parade Contest event on February 13, at 1 p.m. (Contestants have to arrive at noon.)  Photo deadline for all entries is February 1.  You are welcome to submit more than one entry.

To enter:  Please submit a photograph for each entry

to rsvp@nwasianweekly.com by Feb.1.  Your entry must include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. You can also mail photographs to: Northwest Asian Weekly, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104.  Photos will be the property of Northwest Asian Weekly and will not be returned.  If you don’t have a camera, please call us at (206) 223-0623 to arrange for us to take a photo of your costume.

Announcement of fashion show finalists will appear in Asian Weekly’s Feb. 4 issue.

Fashion show will be held Feb. 6, House of Hong Restaurant, 6 p.m. Finalists & models arrive at 4 p.m. to change and line up.

All fashion show contestants will also be invited to the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Lunar New Year Parade on February 13 at the Chinatown/International District Dragon Fest at 1 p.m. Please wear your design or find a model to wear your design, and arrive at Asian Weekly’s office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., to check in, from noon to 1 p.m. Models will line up at 1:15 p.m. and parade to the stage at Hing Hay Park. (one block away).

Planning Committee: Gei Chan, Belinda Louie, Evelyn Hou, Rebecca Ip, John Liu, Stacy Nguyen, Joseph Fong, and Assunta Ng

福

WHAT: “Monkey Lunar New Year theme” Contest WHERE: House of Hong Restaurant, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle EVENT DATE: Saturday, February 6 DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PHOTOS: February 1, rsvp@nwasianweekly.com

Mail to: Northwest Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 ATTN: LNY Fashion Contest Name:________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________________________________________ Email:________________________________________________________

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ community NEWS

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

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Si Phu held on $2M bail in murder of 14-year-old niece

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

King County District Court Judge Arthur Chapman found probable cause Wednesday to hold 24-year-old Si Phu on investigation of first-degree murder of 14-year-old Christy Nguyen Phu. Judge Chapman order bail be set at $2 million.

On the afternoon of Sunday, December 6th, Si Phu allegedly burst into Christy’s room and shot her once in the head according to the Seattle police. The reason for his outburst is allegedly due to the fact that Christy did not give her uncle a pair of Air Jordan sneakers. Christy had given him a pair of shoes but they were not the ones that he wanted. He allegedly wanted to sell the shoes.

Si fled the scene and was arrested two days later at a house

in Skyway. Si Phu’s father, brothers and a 16-year-old niece all identified him as the shooter, according to authorities.

According to Seattle Police, a search of Christy’s phone revealed texts from Si stating that he would kill her. Si was previously found guilty in a domestic violence -cyberstalking Si Phu case in Snohomish County. He had a concealed-weapons permit and was known to regularly carry a handgun according to court records. However, he lost the right to legally possess a firearm after pleading guilty to the charge in the cyberstalking case. It was his first criminal conviction.

The probable cause statement from the King County

Prosecutor’s Office which argues that the prosecutors have a right to pursue a charge of first-degree murder stated that after threats from Si, Christy and her cousin went into their room and shoved a dresser in front of the door to barricade it, then sat on the bed to fold clothes. Si reportedly kicked down the door and said, “Are you (expletive) kidding me?” then shot Christy once in the head.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for Si on December 22nd.

Christy Phu, 14, was a freshman at Chief Sealth International High School.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Seattle adopts resolution to Understanding support Muslim community immigration

The Seattle City Council adopted a resolution Dec. 14 in support of Seattle’s Muslim community and speaking out against the rise in hateful rhetoric and violence targeting Muslims.

“We must never allow a religious test for families seeking refuge in the United States or in Seattle,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “Since our nation was founded, America has always stood as a beacon of freedom and religious pluralism. We stand united in opposition to racism and bigotry that targets any faith community.”

Approximately 100,000 Muslims call Washington State home, where they serve our community in every walk of life, as doctors, police officers, and school teachers.

“Elected leaders hold a responsibility to speak truth against the anti-Muslim hate rhetoric and violence increasing in the national discourse,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess. “The City of Seattle welcomes and affirms our Muslim residents, both native born and immigrant, and recognizes the enormous value they add to the cultural and economic life of this city. When we respond from fear, we respond from weakness. We all want our community to be safe, but fear does not lead to safety.”

The resolution encourages Seattle residents to take extra efforts to ensure the safety of their Muslim neighbors, and encourages all City departments to direct appropriate resources to supporting those targeted by hate speech and hate crimes.

“I came to this country as a refugee from Viet Nam with my family in 1975, fleeing war like today’s Syrian refugees,” said Cuc Vu, director of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. “This resolution truly reflects who we are as a city. Seattle and Washington State have long been a welcoming home for immigrants and refugees, benefiting our economy and our culture. It is very important that government do all it can, now as we have for centuries, as a beacon of home for those in need.” 

A RESOLUTION declaring support for Muslim communities, affirming the religious pluralism of the United States, and urging Seattle residents to stand together for peace and understanding.

WHEREAS, Muslims are part of our society and, inspired by their faith, give back every day as U.S. military personnel, police officers, doctors, nurses, caregivers, teachers, and in many other roles contributing to the success of the United States of America and the City of Seattle; and WHEREAS, our nation’s founding documents emphasize the freedom of religion and a society that embraces religious pluralism; and WHEREAS, The City of Seattle values the many different cultures, religions and traditions our residents embrace; and WHEREAS, The City of Seattle continues to work toward a more inclusive society and welcomes cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity; and WHEREAS, Muslims, both native born and immigrant, represent an increasingly important thread in the tapestry of American society; and WHEREAS, the Muslim population in Washington State is estimated to be approximately 100,000 people, many thousands of whom live in Seattle, and who share the same American values and freedoms that we all cherish; and WHEREAS, a significant percentage of Seattle’s immigrants and refugees are Muslim and have come to Seattle seeking a safe place to work, study or raise a family; and WHEREAS, throughout history the United States has welcomed wave after wave of immigrants and refugees who add enormous value to the economic and cultural life of our nation; and WHEREAS, presently, anti-Muslim rhetoric has increased in the national discourse and rates of hate violence targeting Muslim families and children are at record highs across our nation, which is detrimental to all people who cherish freedom and liberty; and WHEREAS, some of the darkest

moments in our nation and our city’s history have emerged from similar climates of fear; and WHEREAS, this fear-based rhetoric distorts the reality of terrorism in the United States, where more individuals have been killed since September 11, 2001 by those who espouse other extremist ideologies like white supremacy or antigovernment fanatics than by those who espouse a perverted form of Islam; and WHEREAS, hateful rhetoric only enables extremist ideologies to flourish in the dark corners of global society; and WHEREAS, The City of Seattle finds this anti-Muslim rhetoric and hate violence to be against American principles of religious freedom and fairness and contrary to the vision we hold as a nation that welcomes all people; and WHEREAS, all of Seattle’s residents deserve to live in a safe environment free of hate and discrimination; and WHEREAS, The City of Seattle wishes to extend the traditional Islamic greeting of “Peace be upon you” to all of its Muslim residents and visitors; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT: Section 1. The City of Seattle does not tolerate anti-Muslim hate speech and violent acts committed against those who are Muslim or perceived as being Muslim, their places of worship, businesses, schools, and community centers. These are in direct contradiction to values of The City of Seattle and our open American way of life. We encourage our residents to recognize and celebrate the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity that is represented in our City. We encourage residents to take extra efforts to ensure the safety of their Muslim neighbors.

We encourage all City departments to direct appropriate attention and resources to supporting those targeted by hate speech and hate crimes.

reform

“Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” still complicated

Supporting DACA

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly Jennifer Choi faces an uncertain future in the United States due to an immigration issue that President Obama attempted to cure but now is muddled in a prolonged legal battle. Choi, 30, who was born in South Korea but came to the United States with her parents at a young age faces the possibility of deportation.

Choi came to the U.S. with her parents through their E-2 business visa. An E-2 Investor Visa allows an individual to enter and work inside of the United States based on an investment they will be controlling while inside the United States. The family of E-2 visa holders may be followed by spouses and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Per the USCIS web site, family members “may seek E-2 nonimmigrant classification as dependents and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay.” In general, the terms are for 2 years but renewable after the expiration.

Choi’s parents have been able to maintain their legal status for the past 18 years.

In addition, Choi attended school in the United States which seemingly afforded her the umbrella designation of being an International Student. In general, International students have 60 days to leave the U.S. after completing their educational program.

If the student does not leave within the 60 days, he or she may lose their legal immigration status and become undocumented. Choi told the Northwest Asian Weekly that she has been a full-time student since 2006 in order to stay in the U.S. After completion of her education, she now faces the end of her legal status and the possibility of returning to South Korea or risk undocumented status.

President Obama attempted to address such situations and many similarly situated in 2012 when he introduced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, otherwise known as DACA. The executive order issued by {see IMMIGRATION REFORM cont’d on page 6}

asianweekly northwest

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DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

■ national news

Washington state sues firm, alleges tech support scam

By Gene Johnson Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state sued one of the world’s largest independent tech support companies Wednesday, saying it routinely scams customers into buying software and services they don’t need.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed the lawsuit against the U.S. operations of iYogi, an India-based company which boasts of 3 million customers and which announced over the summer that it was opening its first U.S. technical support center in Lewiston, Maine. The complaint also names the company’s co-founder and president, Vishal Dhar, of New York, as a defendant.

During a news conference, Ferguson said iYogi representatives often take remote control of the computers of people who seek help, make ominous warnings flash on the screen and then tell them they need to spend money to fix the virus — typically technical support plans costing $150 to $380, or sometimes $80 for antivirus software.

The company also falsely represents that it’s affiliated with major hardware and software companies, including Apple, Microsoft and HP, the complaint said, and even sometimes claims consumers must upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 at a cost of $80 to $199 — even though Microsoft offers the upgrade for free.

“After gaining remote access to the consumer’s computer, iYogi identifies complex-looking files and claims these infected files harm the computer,” Ferguson said. “iYogi misleads the consumer into believing he or she must download iYogi’s diagnostic software to fully identify these alleged computer

problems.”

Ferguson said hundreds if not thousands of Washington residents have been scammed by iYogi.

The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, alleges deceptive business practices under the state Consumer Protection Act, violations of which are punishable by $2,000, as well as violations of the state Computer Spyware Statute, which is punishable by fines of $100,000.

An iYogi representative said in an email Wednesday evening the company did not have an immediate comment.

Microsoft’s chief legal officer, Brad Smith, joined the news conference and said iYogi is one of the companies that Microsoft receives the most complaints about. Both he and Ferguson described the scam as a common one online, defrauding 3 million people in the U.S. of more than $1 {see IYOGI cont’d on page 14}

Photo by Peter Haley

Former refugee Iwakuma happily back thanks governor who in Seattle after failed welcomed him in 1975 Dodgers deal

Vuong Nguyen of Olympia appreciates Gov. Evans welcoming Vietnamese refugees in the 1970’s by giving a bonsai tree.

Hisashi Iwakuma

By Melissa Santos The News Tribune

By Tim Booth AP Sports Writer

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Vuong Nguyen has spent the past 40 years feeling indebted to former Washington Gov. Dan Evans.

This year, the former Vietnamese refugee finally found a way to express his thanks: by giving the former Republican governor a bonsai tree landscape.

Nguyen was one of the first Vietnamese refugees that Evans welcomed to the state in 1975. After Saigon fell that year, some Americans — including California Gov. Jerry Brown, and protesters at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas — said they didn’t want Vietnamese refugees coming to their states.

Not Evans. He sent his staff to California to tell hundreds of Vietnamese hunkered down at Camp Pendleton that they would be welcome in Washington.

Among those refugees was Nguyen, then 35 years old. After settling in Washington, Nguyen became a translator, and later an auditor and consultant for the state Department of Social and Health Services.

Nguyen is also a skilled bonsai artist

and maintains about 40 of the plants at his home in Olympia. He said the 40th anniversary of the Vietnamese refugee resettlement program this year got him thinking about a way to thank the former governor.

“I told my wife, `We are very lucky, because they opened up their arms to help us,’ “ Nguyen, 75, said of coming to Washington 40 years ago.

Evans, however, wasn’t sure he could care adequately for a bonsai tree. Bonsai require careful pruning and watering; maintaining the miniature trees and landscapes is an art that the Japanese perfected over centuries.

Versions of the art are also practiced in China and Vietnam.

So the former governor, who is 90, suggested an alternative plan: that he and Nguyen together donate the long-lasting specimen to the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, where it can grow and thrive for years to come.

The two men met with museum officials to hand over the Penjing-style bonsai in a ceremony. {see NGUYEN cont’d on page 11}

SEATTLE (AP) — Throughout Hisashi Iwakuma’s free agency, the Seattle Mariners remained in contact, and the team moved swiftly when the pitcher unexpectedly became available again.

How quick? Less than 48 hours after finding out Iwakuma was back on the market, the Mariners completed a deal with the Japanese-born right-hander.

“I feel like this was a great opportunity for us to reunite with a guy we always felt should have been with the Mariners,” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said.

Iwakuma was back in Seattle on Friday after agreeing to a deal that guarantees $12 million and could be worth $47.5 million over three years if he pitches 190 innings per season.

He opened his news conference by saying in English, “The Bear is back in Seattle,” and the Mariners couldn’t be happier.

“A lot of things happened in the last week. It was like a big wave going up and down,” Iwakuma said through an interpreter. “Eventually I was able to sign

here, and this is where I wanted to be.”

Seattle moved quickly to retain Iwakuma after he had originally agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Iwakuma says after going through a physical with the Dodgers earlier this week, the team indicated it wanted to “renegotiate” the originally agreed upon terms.

That’s when Dipoto, Seattle’s new GM, swooped in and added another proven arm to his rotation. Assistant general manager Jeff Kingston told reporters the Mariners had no issues with the results of Iwakuma’s physical at the end of the regular season.

“We were comfortable with (his health) from the get go,” Dipoto said.

The Dodgers had no comment about what happened with Iwakuma.

“I don’t know if I was stunned. It was unfortunate,” Iwakuma said. “I’m here today, and in the end it worked out for me.”

And it worked out for Seattle to add another experienced starter and provide another layer of depth to its rotation.

Finding a way to re-sign the right-hander, who turns 35 in April, was a priority for Seattle entering the offseason. There were {see IWAKUMA cont’d on page 11}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

5

China’s counterfeiters aided by Western firms’ weak response

AP

By Erika Kinetz Associated Press

Factory workers manufacturing electronic components

WENZHOU, China (AP) — Alex Theil lost his innocence the day an envelope landed on his desk. It was filled with money from a counterfeiter of Toyota auto parts he’d busted, mistakenly delivered to him by a lawyer hired to help with the raid.

Theil was running the office of the Pinkerton detective agency in Guangzhou, China. With the arrival of the bribe — meant to ensure against future raids — his faith in an ordered universe in which investigators fight crime instead of committing it began to unwind. Fifteen years and thousands of anti-counterfeiting raids later, he concluded that the envelope he received was not an exception: It was the norm.

“I thought we were all the good guys working against the bad guys,” he said. “It’s not that simple.”

An Associated Press investigation published last week uncovered systemic fraud in China’s anti-counterfeiting

Leading Thai seafood boss: Shrimp probe ‘wake-up call’

By Robin McDowell and Martha Mendoza Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — The president of one of the world’s biggest seafood exporters expressed frustration and promised change Tuesday after saying an Associated Press investigation that linked slave-peeled shrimp to his company should be a “wakeup call” to the industry.

Thiraphong Chansiri said Thai Union will spend millions of dollars to end reliance on poorly regulated contractors that have been responsible for much of the abuse. He added that under the current

system, it’s almost impossible to ensure that supply chains are clean.

Like other exporters in Thailand, his company has for years relied heavily on poor migrants working in factories in the port town of Samut Sakhon to peel, gut and devein shrimp.

The AP report revealed Monday that many of these laborers are undocumented and can end up being tricked or sold into factories where they are forced to work 16hour days with no time off and little or no pay for sometimes years at a time. Some {see SHRIMP PROBE cont’d on page 13}

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industry. Major multinational companies, blind to problems on the ground, unwittingly paid investigators who themselves manufactured or sold counterfeit goods. In other cases, investigators colluded with the very counterfeiters they were supposed to expose.

Fraud in the anti-counterfeiting industry goes well beyond luxury fashion goods, and has impacted products that can be dangerous — including auto parts, pharmaceuticals and critical electrical components, the AP found.

Western companies share the blame, because many have bought into a system that facilitates widespread fraud, according to more than a dozen lawyers, law enforcement officials and private investigators interviewed by the AP. One of them is Theil, who has spent years trying to figure out a way to fix the system. {see COUNTERFEIT cont’d on page 12}

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DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

■ COMMUNITY calendar SUN 1/3

600 East Smith St., Kent WHEN: 1 p.m.

WHAT: Mochi Tsuki WHERE: IslandWood, 4450 Blakely Ave. N.E., Bainbridge Island WHEN: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

INFO: 206-491-2336

MON 1/4 WHAT: King County Assessor-elect John Wilson and Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu WHERE: Kent Senior Center,

WHAT: The inauguration of Seattle City Councilmembers WHERE: Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave., Seattle WHEN: 2 p.m.

INFO: councilevents@seattle. gov

THU 1/7 WHAT: A conversation with UW President Ana Mari Cauce, “The value of alumni advocacy” WHERE: Husky Union Building

WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m.

COST: Free RSVP: is required. washington. edu/site/Calendar/712009040 WHAT: Anis Mojgani’s reading, “The Pocketknit” WHERE: Hugo House WHEN: 7 p.m.

FRI 1/8 WHAT: English Luncheon, “How to Retain and Hire the Best Employees” with speaker Daryl Campbell, interviewed by Assunta Ng

■ briefly

No garbage, recycling, or food and yard waste collection on Christmas Day Free holiday tree composting available

No garbage, recycling, or food and yard waste collections are scheduled in Seattle on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25. All regular Friday collections will be collected on Saturday. Customers should have their containers out by 7 a.m. to ensure collection.

Free Holiday Tree Composting: Seattle residents can put their Christmas trees and holiday greens out next to their food and yard waste carts on their regular collection day at no extra charge from Dec. 26, 2015 through Jan. 31, 2016. Multi-family buildings may put out one tree next to each food and yard waste cart per collection day at no extra charge during this time.

Trees should be cut into sections no longer than six feet, with branches trimmed to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Sections should be bundled with string or non-plastic twine. Metal, plastic and ornaments in trees and wreaths must be removed.

Customers may continue to set out trees and holidays greens after Jan. 31 with a fee charged for any that are outside the food and yard waste cart.

Flocked or plastic trees, or trees that have tinsel or ornaments on them, will be collected with the garbage. Customers will need to cut these trees into three-foot pieces and will be charged extra garbage fees if they are outside the garbage can.

Seattle residents can also drop off holiday trees and greens for free at Seattle Public Utilities’ South Transfer Station from Dec. 26, 2015 through Jan. 31, 2016. Tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees and wreaths without flocking or decoration may be composted free of charge.

South Transfer Station Hours: The City of Seattle’s South Transfer Station in the South Park area will be closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

The South Transfer Station is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Jan. 15, 2016. Hours will change to 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 16, 2016.  Learn more about Seattle Public Utilities at: www. seattle.gov/util.

■ in memory of ...

Kenneth Koe, 1925-2015 Co-inventor of Zoloft

By Kenneth So University of WAshington Columns Magazine Kenneth Koe, co-inventor of the antidepressant Zoloft, died on Oct. 7 in Shrewsbury, Mass. He was 90. The son of Chinese immigrants, Koe was born in Astoria, Ore. and grew up in Portland, where his family ran a laundry and lived in the back of the store. He had a full scholarship to Reed College and paid his expenses with money he earned waiting tables and washing dishes at a Chinese restaurant. It was an inauspicious start for a man who made life better for millions of people suffering from depression. After earning a bachelor’s degree, he came to the UW for graduate school, earning a Master of Science degree in chemistry in 1948. He went on to earn his doctorate in chemistry at the

California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. In 1955, he moved to Connecticut to work for Pfizer Inc. He spent four decades there developing and testing pharmaceutical compounds, first focusing on antibiotics and then moving over to psychotherapeutics.

In the 1970s, Koe started focusing on what would become Zoloft. He and colleague William Welch developed the compound that became Zoloft—one of the most effective antidepressants ever discovered. It helped people who have struggled with depression, obsessivecompulsive disorder, panic and social anxiety, and children with OCD. More than 115 million people had been treated with Zoloft by 2005, when Pfizer’s patent expired.

Koe retired in Ledyard, Conn., where he enjoyed singing in his church choir. 

WHERE: China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

INFO: seattlechinesechamber. org

MON 1/18 WHAT: A celebration of Tsuguo “Ike” Ikeda’s life WHERE: Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church WHEN: 11 a.m.

Change” WHERE: Garfield High School, 400 23rd Ave., Seattle WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m.

INFO: www.MLKseattle.org

SAT 1/23 WHAT: The Peking Acrobats to perform gravity-defying feats WHERE: UW, Meany Hall WHEN: 3-7:30 p.m.

COST: $50-$55 INFO: 206-543-4880

WHAT: 34th Annual Celebration “We Have The Power to Make

Missing persons alert

Bellevue Police is attempting to locate two missing and endangered persons. Dan Li, 41, left his Bellevue Residence Dec. 22 around 9:30 a.m. with his 14 year-old daughter Cindy Fu. According to Bellevue Police, Li left a note at the residence stating that he was never returning home. The department also reported that Li is bipolar and schizophrenic and is not taking his prescribed medications. Li is possibly driving his 2014 Toyota Tundra pickup, Washington

{IMMIGRATION REFORM cont’d from page 3} President Obama would allow certain undocumented immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation.

DACA would not provide a path to citizenship but would provide a legal designation to individuals that would otherwise be in the U.S. undocumented. The purpose of the act is to allow families to stay together.

However, an expansion of DACA and an executive order which would help undocumented parents of children born in the United States issued by President Obama has been challenged by a lawsuit filed by Texas and 25 other states. In early November, a federal appeals court blocked the implementation of an expansion of DACA and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parental Accountability). The National Council of Asian and Pacific Americans and other immigration, civil rights and social justice organizations filed briefs supporting a request by the Obama Administration that the United Supreme Court address the federal appeals court ruling which prevents the implementation of the expanded immigration rules.

Democratic presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton recently stated that she would defend President Obama’s executive actions on

license plate C23935A. The vehicle shown in the photo is a vehicle similar to the one Li may be driving. Both Li and Fu have been entered into law enforcement databases as missing and endangered, however the case does not currently meet the criteria for an amber alert, as it is currently unknown whether Fu went with Li voluntarily.

Members of the public are asked to call 911 if they know the whereabouts of Li or Fu. 

DACA. “If we say that we support families in this country, then that has to mean something,” Clinton told attendees at the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Brooklyn, New York last week.

While an expansion of immigration rules has yet to come, the original executive order issued by President Obama is still available for those that fit the criteria. But DACA may not be feasible for Choi as the original order issued by the President is available to those that did not have legal status in the United States as of 2012. Choi was a student during this time.

An H-1B Visa might be the only hope for Choi and non-immigrants that complete school in the United States and would like to legally stay in the country. In order to attain an H1-B Visa an individual must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, work in a “specialty occupation” and earn a wage.

H1-B visas are limited to 65,000 per year.

Thus, it is imperative for those that apply to do so early. Also, the classification of what is a “specialty occupation” is an important threshold for seeking one of these visas.

At this point, many young individuals like Choi are seeking answers to uncertain questions when it comes to immigration.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ at the movies

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

7

“Mojin: The Lost Legend”

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Wu Ershan’s “Mojin: The Lost Legend” opens with a frantic action sequence inside an ancient tomb. In the farreaching tradition of Hong Kong cinema, time and gravity seem to work at the whim of the screenwriter (Tianxi Bachang, in this case), and the three leads scrabble about, frozen in mid-air, dodging coffins and other heavy objects, flying splinters, and bright blinding lights.

Then, he wakes up. That is, one of the tomb robbers wakes up. In New York City. No bright lights, no iridescent colors. No daring divine missions. Just the daily dust scrub of Manhattan.

Over the film’s two hours, the two survivors of that fateful day in the tomb, Hu Bayi, played by Chen Kun, and Wang Kaixuan (Huang Bo), travel backward and forward in time. Their appearances, attitudes, ideologies, and philosophies change violently. They gain and lose and then gain again, the third member of their devastating trio, Ding Sitian (played by Angelababy, a superstar sometimes described as “the Kim Kardashian of China,” although frankly given that she can act, she’s already way out in front of any Kardashian). An action movie must build to a big finish, and this one does. But it bends the rules of the universe, and linear development, to get there.

Unscramble the plot’s progress and it seems standard.

The trio plunders tombs. They find themselves in over their heads and they lose Ding. They decamp, perhaps not entirely voluntarily, to New York City. There, a big boss who works for a mysterious bigger boss, pulls them in for one last job. One last big job.

dashing, bright-eyed optimism and command play off of this. Ding Sitian, lost for a good portion of the film, comes on hard-nosed, aloof. As for the other female lead, Shu Qi, currently captivating folks in Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s “The Assassin,” shows more slyness and more volcanic temper.

She’ll butt heads with Chen Kun until, and even after, the two figure out how they feel about each other.

The film allegedly has some serious things to say about tomb-raiding, but I lost any of that in the wild action. Any fan of monsters, mazes, catacombs, hidden fortresses, ancient curses, and obstinate love stories, should be happy to buy a ticket and take the ride. 

The interactions break down to basics, for both action and comedy. Huang Bo plays the daffy, slightly-less goodlooking fellow, awkward in romance, and prone to fits of foul temper, but always good for a laugh. Chen Kun’s

“Mojin: The Lost Legend” is currently playing at Seattle’s AMC Pacific Place 11 Theater, 600 Pine Street, Pacific Place Mall, Seattle. For more information, check local listings or visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ mojin-the-lost-legend.

Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

asianweekly northwest

8

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

■ TOP 10 STORIES

2015 top stories

Seattle’s Chinatown loses its hero, receives a visit by Chinese President Xi, and hookah lounge controversy Compiled by Peggy Chapman Northwest Asian Weekly

attorneys or contact community agencies such as the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, www.nwirp.org.

There are currently more undocumented people in the U.S. than the government has the funds with which to take or enforce deportation action. The immigration order is meant to help with this problem, one that is a burden on the taxpayer and a source of anxiety for the immigrant whose rights and status are uncertain.

1. Donnie Chin murder devastates community

2. Hookah lounge controversy

Donnie Chin (see above), a prominent community leader in Seattle’s Asian American community, was shot in the vicinity of Kings Hookah Lounge, a popular hookah bar located in the 800 block of S. Lane Street in the International District. He was pronounced dead by the time he could be transported to Harborview Medical Center.

Chin’s death in proximity to the smoking lounge and within the neighborhood was not an isolated incident of concern. During the past two years, there were numerous cases reported around hookah bars, including two homicides and multiple reports of disturbances and fights. According to the City of Seattle statement, there has been an excess of 100 incidents reported, including six shots fired.

“Far too many smoking lounges attract and sustain illegal, violent activity that has no place in our neighborhoods,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.

With the community and city already bewildered and grieving over Chin’s death, there has been confusion and questions about the role hookah bars play in the line between Chin’s homicide.

3. Ride the Ducks accident

Five international students from North Seattle College were killed when their charter bus was struck in September by a Seattle Ride the Ducks tour vehicle.

“There are still wounds in our heart,” North Seattle College President Warren Brown said at a news conference after the crash. “For someone to come from another country, to learn here, to be excited about an opportunity … and to have this tragedy occur, is painful.”

The students who died were identified as Privando Eduardus Putradanto, 18, of Indonesia; Mami Sato, 36, of Japan; Claudia Derschmidt, 49, of Austria; Runjie Song, 17, of China; and Haram Kim, 20, of South Korea.

Students were on a tour of city landmarks, such as Pike Place Market, before classes were set to begin for the school year.

The Ducks vehicle was ferrying tourists

7. Facing deportation Photo by Rick Wong

Hundreds of people gathered at Hing Hay Park for a memorial July 26, to honor the memory of Donnie Chin. Devoted to the International District (ID). Chin served as ad hoc security around the ID neighborhood since he was a teenager. He believed that police and medics had slow response times in the ID and so he helped out in his own capacity. Utilizing a police scanner, Chin was a “first responder” to many emergency issues in the ID. He founded and was director of the International District Emergency Center (IDEC). In addition to providing security, Chin helped the homeless and elderly. The IDEC was funded mainly by grants and donations.

Many within and outside of the ID community have expressed condolences for the loss of a great leader. Governor Jay Inslee stated, “[T]he ID lost its savior, its protector, its hero and a big piece of its heart. Donnie Chin was a man who dedicated his life to making Chinatown and the International District safe for everyone.”

Capt. Preston Bhang speaks during at Donnie Chin’s funeral.

across a crowded Seattle bridge when it suddenly swerved into the students’ oncoming charter bus. The crash also injured dozens of other people.

4. Chinese President Xi visits Seattle

When Chinese President Xi Jinping picked Seattle as his first stop to land in the United States recently, several U.S. cities reacted with disbelief and jealousy, and numerous governors felt slighted. Suddenly, Seattle—one of the northwest corners of the U.S. and farthest away from Washington D.C.—and often dismissed as not a major player in national politics, was getting international attention. Now that China has hailed Xi’s trip as a success, it also realizes that Washington state played a big role in his achieving his agenda. It has proven that our state can handle any heads of state with an ambitious itinerary. The world has cast Seattle in an affirmative light, creating a win-win for both the host and China.

5. Black Lives Matter

On January 19, 2015, a large crowd gathered

at Garfield High School in Seattle to rally and march on behalf of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and the continuing struggle that faces the United States as a result of Ferguson and the series of deaths of unarmed black citizens by police officers, including Eric Garner and Mike Brown.

The opening ceremony convened in the Garfield Gymnasium to a packed house where religious leaders and activists spoke in celebration of King’s dream for equality and protested a current climate that reveals racism is still deep in American culture.

Jelani Brown said “Race is a social construct. Nothing more. There is one race.

The human race.”

6. Understanding immigration law

Seattle immigration attorneys, through the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Washington Chapter, have been presenting roundtables to help media and community members understand the recent executive action on immigration. In their efforts to lend transparency to these new policies, AILA urges that people seek the help of reliable counsel such as immigration

Jenny Choi is 30 years old and has lived most of her life in the United States and she considers the U.S. and Seattle her home.

“As long as I maintained full-time student status, I could legally stay in the United States.

And so from 2006 on, I have had to stay in school full-time because I wanted to stay in the U.S. because this is my home, where my family is, and where my friends are.”

But now she is facing deportation.

What are her options? Currently, she has several options, but none are simple (or even possible) due to time constraints and reality restraints. She can get married to a U.S. citizen. Or she can get an employer to support a visa. Or she can return to school. There is some time on her side, but not much (she would have to leave in the new year) so she is hopeful that options, particularly work, will happen.

8. Ana Mari Cauce appointed UW president

It has taken 154 years for the University of Washington to select a woman president.

Ana Mari Cauce is the first woman, the first Latina, and the openly gay president of the University. The UW Regents announced Cauce as the 33rd president of the University on Oct. 13th.

Cauce is known as an insider, beginning her employment as UW faculty since 1986.

Cauce became interim president in March 2015, having previously served as provost and

Get Moving Funds Available! Location The Get Moving Fund is a City of Seattle reimbursable grant to support nonprofits, small businesses, and grassroots community groups in offering events/projects to increase participation in community sports, recreation and physical fitness. Eligible programs should serve young people and/or adults over 50 in under-resourced communities (immigrants, people of color, persons with disabilities, etc.) Application opens January 1, 2016. Come to an info session for application assistance where childcare, light snacks, and interpreters (upon request) will be provided. Please register with Lakema Bell at 206-684-7006 or lakema.bell@seattle.gov to request your preferred language for the session you plan to attend.

{see TOP 10 cont’d on page 12}

Date

New Holly Library

Tuesday 1/5/16 5:45-7:45 p.m.

Lake City Library

Saturday 1/9/16 Noon – 2 p.m.

Yesler CC

Tuesday 1/12/16 6:30-8:30 p.m.

South Park Community Center

Tuesday 2/2/16 5:45-7:45 p.m.

Beacon Hill Library

Tuesday 2/9/16 5:45.-7:45 p.m.

Delridge Community Center

Saturday 2/13/16 Noon-2:00 p.m.

Rainier Beach Community Center

Thursday 2/18/16 6:30-8:30 p.m.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

■ TOP 15 MOST-READ

Most clicked 2015 stories (According to Google Analytics!)

VOTED

MOST R EAD

What did Northwest Asian Weekly website readers find the most intriguing to click on this year? Here is the list of the top 15 in 2015, based on Google Analytics.

congressman realizes he is facing the greatest defensive fighter of their era.

Mayweather has been nearly unhittable for most of his opponents during his career.

1. Manny Pacquiao fights back at Mayweather’s “reckless” jabs

2. Trash to treasure — Contests and crowds at 2015 Dragon Fest

By Greg Beacham Pacquiao has rarely skimped on excitement during his remarkable career as an eightdivision champion, but the Philippines

Visitors to the 2015 Dragon Fest in Chinatown were treated to an unusual {see MOST READ cont’d on page 15}

Women as Bridge Builders

Making a Difference

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 ▪ China Harbor Restaurant ▪ 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

(It’s Thursday, not Friday!)

honorees

Camilla Mejia

Former Vice President of Multicultural Club, Jackson High School

Evelyn Yenson

Executive Retired

sponsors

Maha Jahshan

Policy & Program Specialist, Office of Immigrant & Refugees

Tonya Knox

Agency Field Recruiter, State Farm Insurance

Hilary Stern

Founding Executive Director, Casa Latina

Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________ Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Christina Fong

Principal Lecturer, Management Dept., UW

Deborah Cano-Lee Co-founder & Board President, WA Indian Civil Rights Commission

Maria Durham Co-founder, Viva La Musica Club

Paula Houston Chief Executive Officer, Senior Services

 Mastercard

Mahnaz Eshetu Executive Director, Refugee Women’s Alliance

Exp. date: ____________ Signature: ___________________________

emcee

Wendy Zheng

Multicultural Engagement Director, Swedish Medical Center

Rita Zawaideh

Board of Directors, Salaam Cultural Museum

Anne Nguyen

Executive Director, Alexander Hamilton Scholars

Leslie Harper-Miles

Senior Executive Project Mgr., King County Government

Margo Myers

 Visa

Card no.: _________________________________________________

Principal Margo Myers Communications

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asianweekly northwest

10

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

OPINION

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG Experiencing intriguing Cambodia on our own

(Part 2)

Countryside

The “Discoverer” of Angkor

“Female” temple

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly

won’t see anything except water during part of the four-hour ride. Tourists criticize on the internet that it’s hot and crowded on the boat, and the restrooms are sometimes not clean.

The airfare costs $100 U. S. for an hour fight.

But boarding time added before and after the flight is wasted.

“What are the other options to get to Siem Reap?” my husband asked the hotel clerk.

“Rent a private car with driver,” he said.

“Sounds great,” I responded. Arranged by the hotel, the private car cost $85 U.S. for both, including picking us up from our hotel in Phnom Penh, and dropping us at our hotel in Siem Reap. The other transportation options just dropped you off at a crowded and chaotic station, and you need to hassle for other means to get to your hotel.

Some travel guidebooks state a Frenchman discovered the ruins of Angkor, Cambodia, in 1860. That claim irks some Cambodians and foreigners.

It’s the same story when historians wrote that Christopher Columbus discovered America, while Native Americans had set their foot on the land for over 2,000 years.

It’s more accurate to say that a white man had found a forgotten city. No one could imagine that Angkor, now Cambodia’s national park, was once the capital city of the Khmer Empire during 1010-1220, with over 1,000 stone temples built by hand.

My husband and I began a five-day journey from Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh last November, to Angkor, now recognized by World Heritage as a treasure.

Recent studies have found that Angkor had a capacity of supporting close to a population of a million. Modern scientists had concluded that it had been the largest pre-industrial city in the world.

And no one could explain how or why a once-prosperous civilization with rich rice fields and advanced irrigation system vanished over time.

The ride to Siem Reap

It took us less than six hours to get to Siem Reap, including our one-hour lunch. I couldn’t ask for a more comfortable ride!

We treated the driver to lunch. He took us to a nice local restaurant with a private hut for each party, including a hammock for guests to rest. The food was delicious and the price low. I got to talk to the English-speaking driver on the front seat and learn more about

Cambodia and his life. During the drive, I held my breath when we passed other cars in front, and cars on the opposite lane didn’t slow down.

No Americans would travel like the Cambodians. A van packed with passengers and goods inside passed by our car at a speed of 50 miles an hour, while one guy held his hands on the top rack outside the van and stood with his feet on the narrow bumper. Sometimes, four people (two kids and babies without helmets) squeezed onto a motorcycle. Two passengers are the legal limit in Cambodia. No police officer stopped any of them.

Planning, planning!

We had three days to see Angkor, which was not enough to see the whole ancient city with over 1,000 architectural ruins. Plan what you want to see. Usually, tuk tuk drivers know all the popular spots. (A tuk tuk is a motorcycle extended with passengers’ seats at the back. The charges are around $25 U.S. for four hours of sightseeing.)

We picked some sites from photos we liked and recommendations from friends. Marissa Vichayapai, of 21 Progress encouraged us to see a woman’s temple, Banteay Srei,

Tree in Ta Prohm

dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It was very different from other temples and much farther away from the other ruins. It was also our best 40-minute tuk ride in our trip, sightseeing an interesting part of town, and observing how residents live in the countryside.

Besides Angkor Wat, which took 37 years to build, I recommend Bayon, the laughing temple with different smiling faces of gods, its impressive entrance with gods of heaven and hell; Elephants Terrace; and Ta Prohm (where Angelina Jolie filmed her movie).

Sunrise or Sunset if you are lucky

Martha Choe, a former Seattle City Councilmember, urged me to see Angkor’s sunset. Sunrise is enchanting. But do I want to get up before 4 a.m. in the morning?

There were a few choices to see the sunset. {see BLOG cont’d on page 16}

From the Killing Fields to Angkor

We didn’t join any tour groups because their itineraries were inflexible and conventional. Experiencing local culture usually is not the intent of many tour operators. At the airport, I met a Chinese American who joined the tours from Hong Kong, who complained that every meal that was served included only Chinese food.

She lamented she never found out what Cambodian food was like.

After visiting the horrific museum, namely the genocide museum in Phnom Penh, we were eager to leave and get some fresh air at Angkor.

You can take the bus, boat, plane, taxi or mini-bus to travel from the capital to Angkor, Siem Reap, which is about 144 miles. We took none of the above. What a wise decision!

The bus is the cheapest way. It costs $6 to $15 U.S. per person for a bumpy bus ride for more than six hours as it stopped at several sites to pick up passengers. The roads are narrow, rough, and new ones are still being constructed (by China).

The boat ride costs $40 U.S., but you

On display through November 13, 2016

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

11

OPINION

■ editorial

Good news, good cheer A “ happy” list from 2015

Eddie Huang speaks at the University of Washington.

{IWAKUMA cont’d from page 4} several reports Dec. 6 of a $45 million, three-year agreement between Iwakuma and the Dodgers, pending a physical, and the Mariners then acquired left-handed starter Wade Miley from Boston.

Iwakuma was 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 20 starts last season for the Mariners, including the first no-hitter of his career in August against Baltimore. He was 4-2 with a 2.17 ERA over his final seven starts.

Iwakuma has pitched his entire U.S. career with Seattle, going 47-25 with a 3.17 ERA in 111 games.

“The Mariners stayed connected with me from the very beginning to the very end and that helped me a lot,” Iwakuma said.

Iwakuma gets a $1 million signing bonus payable through December 2017 and a $10 million salary this year.

Seattle has $10 million options for 2017 and 2018, and Iwakuma would

There is no discounting that the International District/Chinatown had to deal with tragedy this year with the loss of neighborhood superman Donnie Chin. And the world’s and nation’s recent terrorist attacks. And questions about how we should be addressing immigration law and those who wish to be a part of our country.

There is a lot to assimilate.

There was devastating loss in our community and nation, but as we approach the new year, perhaps it might be helpful to refocus on the highlights.

We have created a “happy/good” list:  Donnie Chin will be getting a park named in his honor in the International District.  Mayor Ed Murray officially apologized for the Chinese Exclusion Act on behalf of the City.  The Chinatown/International District now has a task force to address residents’ concerns.  Ana Mari Cauce was selected as the University of Washington president. get a $1 million buyout if either option is declined. The 2017 option would become guaranteed at $14 million if he pitches 162 innings next year, and the 2018 option would become guaranteed at $15 million if he pitches 162 innings in 2017 or 324 combined in 2016 and `17.

In every season, he can earn $500,000 each for 150 innings pitched and each additional 10 through 190. He receives a full no-trade provision, eight business class plane tickets annually between Japan and the U.S, an interpreter and a trainer with a $100,000 salary. When the contract ends, he will become a free agent again.

Dipoto said the structure of the deal was different from what the club’s offer during the season. He praised ownership for going beyond the prospective budget to bring Iwakuma back.

“Everybody ended up walking away from this happy with the result,” Dipoto said. 

TAITUNG

 Vandana Slatter was elected Bellevue city councilmember. She is the first Indian American to serve on the council.  Mia Tuan was appointed as dean of the School of Education for the University of Washington.  Development in the ID is impressive: The revival of The Publix Hotel will create a total of 125 apartments. The $24-million-dollar construction project will include the extensive rehabilitation of The Publix and the partial demolition of an adjacent building to make way for a new wing of apartments and retail space. There are also lower income housing initiatives in progress.  Oh, and let us not forget we were lucky to have John Okamoto serve interim on the City Council when councilmember Sally Clark resigned.  And Eddie Huang, “Fresh Off the Boat,” visited our city to a full crowd at UW! Let’s venture into the new year with the positive. 

{NGUYEN cont’d from page 4} “I want just to express my gratitude to Dan, and I want my children to thank people who help them in their life,’’ Nguyen said.

“Without him, who knows where I might have ended up?’’

Evans, who also served in the U.S. Senate, said he has been thanked before by former Vietnamese refugees who found new lives in Washington state — but never with a bonsai.

He said he viewed the Vietnamese refugees in 1975 as no different from other generations of Americans who immigrated here in the past.

“That’s how we grew over the centuries, was through immigrants,’’ Evans said.

“Virtually all of us except Native Americans are immigrants.’’

While current Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has compared the plight of Syrian refugees with the Vietnamese that Evans welcomed 40 years ago, Evans said he sees some differences — mainly, the modern threat of terrorism that he said didn’t exist in 1975.

Evans said that while he thinks U.S. states

should welcome Syrian refugees, he also thinks more thorough screenings are needed today than were used when resettling the Vietnamese 40 years ago.

“But I think that can be done, and when it is done we ought to welcome the people in the same way we did during the Vietnamese crisis,’’ Evans said.

Nguyen said the bonsai he gave Evans — in which plants grow out of a landscape made of volcanic rock — is a symbol of longevity.

“That’s what we wish him: a long and healthy life,’’ Nguyen said.

Evans said he hopes the bonsai will serve as a testament to the partnership formed between Washington state and its now-thriving Vietnamese community.

“I can’t think of anything that would be more gratifying, as far as I’m concerned, than a living gift of that nature, which will live for centuries if it’s well taken care of,’’ Evans said.

“It has a permanence — and because it will be housed at the museum, it is one that will be enjoyed for many centuries to come.’’ 

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asianweekly northwest

12

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

engineering program.

Izabel Laxamana jumped from a freeway overpass in Tacoma on May 30. The 13-year-old left several suicide notes executive vice president.

“She (Cauce) is my no. 1 choice,” said Kenyon Chan, chair to her family, according to Tacoma Police Department Public of the 28-member presidential search committee and UW Information Officer Loretta Cool. In an e-mail reply, Cool Bothell Chancellor Emeritus. “The Asian community would stated that the King County Medical Examiner ruled the be happy (to have Cauce), she understands the issues facing death a suicide. Online rumors claimed that Laxamana had committed suicide due to a YouTube video, which her father the Asian community.” posted as punishment. In the video, he had her hair cut. More rumors indicated that she was bullied at school.

9. Asian teen suicides As friends, family, and teachers mourn and grieve the Christopher “AnhKhoi” Nguyen passed away on April 27.

The senior from Cascade High School in Everett, Wash. was losses, one wonders about the reasons for someone to take only 18 years old and was to graduate the past spring. He was their own life. a member of the National Honors Society and took collegelevel courses at Everett Community College. He was going 10. Resolution for the Chinese Exclusion Act Seattle Mayor Ed Murray signed the Chinese Resolution on to attend the University of Washington with enough credits to be a sophomore with the intention of entering the pre- Aug. 14, which expresses regret for anti-Chinese legislation {TOP 10 cont’d from page 8}

{COUNTERFEIT cont’d from page 5} Many firms treat counterfeiting as a minor cost of doing business in China.

Few spend the money required to tackle the powerful, hidden networks that drive China’s multibillion-dollar counterfeiting juggernaut. And few are willing to talk about the issue publicly. Of 11 companies the AP approached for comment, only one agreed to discuss the problem of investigative fraud.

“We are not getting any closer to fixing the problem,” Theil said. “If our own industry wouldn’t be a major part in keeping it going instead of fighting it, counterfeiting would have been eliminated a long time ago.”

The failure of major Western brands to better manage fraud is not just a waste of money. It also makes it easier for dangerous fakes to slip into global supply chains, and creates more work for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Stephen Long, deputy chief officer for the port of New York/Newark, oversees dozens of inspectors who spend their days in four New Jersey warehouses, combing through tens of thousands of boxes stacked in aisles that run the length of two football fields, looking for fakes.

“The sheer volume is overwhelming,” he said, adding that counterfeiters have grown more sophisticated over the years, crafting elaborate smuggling strategies and perfecting their ability to churn out near-perfect copies.

The problem begins in places like Wenzhou, a city 460 kilometers (285 miles) south of Shanghai and one of the darker corners of China’s economic miracle.

Locked-up shop houses and weedy lanes mask a booming trade in counterfeit goods.

Liushi China Electronic City is situated beside a thin, murky river in Wenzhou. The

vast marketplace is well-known for selling fake electrical components. Inside, women sat behind row after row of glass counters tightly packed with electric switches, circuit breakers, power cords and copper cable. An empty police car was parked outside.

Three vendors at the market offered to sell the AP counterfeit circuit breakers.

“Do you want real or fake? The prices are totally different,” was the first question one shopkeeper asked. She said she could source fake ABB, Siemens and Schneider circuit breakers for export and provided a price list and the phone number of an agent to expedite customs clearance. Another man was selling unlabeled circuit breakers, but said he’d be happy to stick an ABB logo on the device and export it.

As enforcement has gotten better in China, Theil has seen counterfeiters fragment their supply chains. Most subcontract illegal work to a shifting array of smaller, substandard workshops, effectively decentralizing their risk and making criminal cases more difficult to lodge, he said.

An hour south, in Rui’an, which bills itself as the spare parts city of China, thin chimneys blew black smoke from crude aluminum smelters. An industrial, metallic smell singed the air. Sweating, Theil walked down a broken road, past a rusted-out truck.

He paused before a workshop in a low concrete building. Inside, a man pulled shiny metal parts from a clanging, old machine and tossed them on the floor.

“These are probably camshaft tensioners,” Theil said. “They are very expensive. They are also quite crucial because if the tensioner breaks, the engine will probably overheat and there is a risk that it will actually end in a burning engine.”

One worker, who spoke on condition of

passed by the Washington Territory and previous Seattle City Councils in the 1800s. The resolution also recognizes the past and continuing contributions of the Chinese to Seattle and reaffirms the City’s commitment to the civil rights of all people, and celebrates the contributions that all immigrants have made to Seattle in the past and present.

The Exclusion Act prevented Chinese citizens from becoming naturalized American citizens or Chinese immigrating to the United States. The law, which lasted 60 years until 1943, encouraged and justified hostilities towards Chinese immigrants residing in the United States and separated families.  Peggy Chapman can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly. com.

anonymity because he feared retribution, said the auto parts factory in Rui’an where he used to work simply hid the counterfeits when government inspectors came around.

When the local government officials offered cash rewards for whistleblowers, he said some people refused to bite, worried that the officials themselves were secretly working with counterfeiters.

Wenzhou officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Inside the auto parts factory, the AP found worn plastic baskets bulging with metal parts. People worked silently at hulking, grimy machines, some of them jerry-rigged with Sprite bottles. The light was weak, the walls stained. When an AP team began asking questions, the journalists were asked to leave.

Over the years, first at Pinkerton and then as director of Asia-Pacific investigations at General Motors, Theil saw photos of officials, counterfeiters and investigators all toasting each other at a lavish banquet.

People he himself hired tried to extort protection money from counterfeiters. He spoke of corrupt investigators, armed with inside information gleaned from their work with in-house brand protection staff, teaching counterfeiters how to make fakes indistinguishable from genuine items.

It was a dangerous game. Theil said one man sent to bust up a counterfeiting ring that made fake GM spark plugs was kidnapped and dumped on the side of the road, half-dead with blood all over his face.

By 2008, Theil concluded that the only solution was to take an entirely new approach to anti-counterfeiting.

He left GM and founded an investigations firm called Harvest Moon.

He recruited a team of local investigators in counterfeiting hotspots across China, offering to double, even triple, people’s salaries. But he still had trouble recruiting local informants: Eighty percent of the people he approached walked away once he insisted on going on raids himself, he said.

“They’ll make five crooked cases quicker than one profitable one,” Theil said. “Once they realized it was too difficult to cheat us, they weren’t interested anymore.”

Most companies outsource anticounterfeiting work to investigators who are paid on volume. More cases mean more money, creating powerful incentives to cheat in an industry with little oversight. Theil insists on a fixed salary to break the destructive habit of paying on commission. That allows him to treat raids as tools for gathering intelligence, rather than a way to get paid.

“Only when you know who is the boss can you start doing more than producing case figures,” he said.

Harvest Moon’s offices are located in an unremarkable building in an unfashionable part of Shanghai. His staff — all Chinese but one — works behind unruly stacks of paper in a long room

with stained gray carpet. Tucked in a candy-pink storage room are samples of recently seized fakes, including airbags and steering components.

Theil picked up a hammer and pried open a crate of counterfeit auto grills.

“A grill is the face of the car,” he said.

“If the plastic breaks in a certain fashion, it could become like a knife. If that would hit a person in the wrong place, you could kill somebody with it.”

Of the steering components, he said, “If they break, you might lose steering capability. The wheels fly off. You fly off.”

In November, Theil flew to Beijing to present the findings of over a year of investigative work for a key new client, Siemens AG. In a conference room at Siemens’ towering glass China headquarters, he clicked through 40 PowerPoint slides. He did not present bar graphs showing ever-rising numbers of raids. He did not brag about how many items he had seized.

Instead, he made a map.

The map showed the reach of a single, family-run network of counterfeiters, which produce fake versions of Siemens connectors — key mechanical components in machinery that automate industrial processes, like assembly lines.

The family, Theil said, controls 28 shell companies and dozens of distributors scattered across China. He also explained how the bosses had insulated themselves from legal risk, leaving it to others to actually stick the Siemens logo on the counterfeit goods.

Beat Weibel, Siemens’ chief intellectual property counsel who flew in from Munich for the meeting, liked what he saw.

“Everybody was quite impressed,” Weibel said. Now the challenge is to develop a legal strategy that can, “really break them and really hurt them. That’s different than just raiding shadow factories and shops.”

Theil’s approach is still an experiment for Siemens. It costs more and success is not certain or even easy to measure.

Running raids may cost several hundred thousand euros (dollars) a year. Filing three to five criminal lawsuits in China pushes costs into the millions, Weibel said.

That’s one big reason most companies continue to blindly pay investigators to do more raids, fueling a cycle of corruption that has, so far, left the powers behind China’s empire of fakes largely untouched.

“Everything is paid by the innocent or stupid Western companies that believe with this activity they will really solve the problem. They don’t,” Weibel said. “They nourish the system.”  AP photographer Ng Han Guan in Wenzhou, researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai and correspondent Alexandra Olson in New York contributed to this report.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

13

For the week of December 26–January 1, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — You prize value for your hard earned money.

That said, sometimes you have to spend a little to save a lot more in the long run.

Ox — Does it seem like you and your partner aren’t quite in sync this week? Although you might be expressing it differently, you probably both mean the same thing.

Tiger — Although you are knowledgeable in many areas, it may be necessary to reach out to another for expertise.

Rabbit — Sticking to what you are comfortable with will end in one result. If you can stomach it, try something new and uncertain the next time you have a chance.

Dragon — Each person has their own tastes and preferences. Remember that the next time you consider picking up something that seems as if it is one-size-fitsall.

Snake — If you look close enough, you will see a preview of what might be down the road. Use this to your advantage, by making advance preparations.

Horse — If you come up with a good idea, then by all means jot it down. Seeing it on paper could inspire other promising leads.

Goat — The quality of your work is usually superior and above reproach. Additional effort could be needed to maintain that level during an especially busy period.

Monkey — A new responsibility brings with it additional work, but also rewards as well. Keep your eye on the prize as you traverse the difficult sections.

Rooster — Why invest the time, if you are only willing to go in part way? In order to get the most out of your current experience, an open mind is essential.

Dog — Have you been troubled by a recent occurrence? There is nothing you can do to change the past, so try to leave it behind you.

Pig — Given that you are able to choose between sensible and frivolous options, the best choice is one that will leave you with the least regrets.

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.

{SHRIMP PROBE cont’d from page 5} end up locked inside. Others are allowed to go out, but only if they leave their children or spouse behind as a guarantee against running away.

Thiraphong said despite great efforts, Thai Union has been unable to keep labor abuses out of its supply chains. It has tried everything from spot checks by thirdparty auditors to regular meetings with external suppliers. But problems keep popping up.

“We realized that we could not ensure 100 percent,” he said. “Even with the whole system that we established.”

He said Thai Union will exclusively use in-house labor for shrimp processing starting Jan. 1, a change he said would cost the company about $5 million.

“This move will provide us with full oversight of all processing stages and will ensure that all workers, whether migrant or Thai, are in safe, legal employment and are treated fairly and with dignity,” Thiraphong said.

A day earlier, he called the latest revelations “another wake-up call not only to us, but to the entire industry.”

On Tuesday, the Global Aquaculture Alliance, which audits companies and offers a Best Aquaculture Practices seal of approval, said it will pull its certification from anyone outsourcing shrimp processing.

AP journalists followed trucks from an abusive factory raided last month to major Thai distributors, including a Thai Union subsidiary, and traced similar connections from another factory, raided in May, that was directly supplying the parent company.

Thai Union and four other exporters that bought shrimp from the sheds sell to companies around the world. Those retailers and restaurant chains widely condemned the practices that led to these conditions, and many said they were launching investigations.

Big Australian supermarket chain companies, including Coles and Woolworths, were among those that expressed concern.

Coles, Red Lobster, Whole Foods and some other companies said they had been assured by Thai Union that their shipments were clean. Thai Union said shrimp it purchased from the sheds AP tracked did not go to major U.S. companies, while declining to say where it went. In any case, according to U.S. and

Thai soldiers and a member of the Department of Special Investigation wake a worker during a Nov. 9, 2015, raid on a shrimp shed in Samut Sakhon, Thailand. (Dita Alangkara / AP)

United Nations standards, if even a single weather the PR storm while continuing to piece of shrimp coming from a company profit off the backs of the migrant workers is tied to forced labor, it taints the entire forced to work throughout its supply chains,” supply chain. he said.

Some said the problem requires a drastic Thailand has said repeatedly that it’s response from big players. working to clean up its $7 billion seafood “I guarantee you that if Wal-Mart and export industry, where abuses are fueled by Kroger and Red Lobster stopped buying corruption and police complicity. In a frontfrom Thailand until this got fixed, I think page article Tuesday in the country’s biggest pretty soon Thailand would have no choice English-language newspaper, the Bangkok but to really deal with it,” said Buddy Post, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha Galetti, president of Southwind Foods, a smaller importer in Los Angeles. He said he rarely buys Thai goods.

“The large corporations are the ones who act like the pope as far as sustainability and human rights, but then they go out and buy from the main culprits,” Galetti said.

U.S. customs records show the shrimp AP tracked made its way into the supply chains of major U.S. food stores and retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, Dollar 自1872年起服務西北岸社區 General and Petco, along with restaurants 非營利獨立協會 such as Olive Garden.

It also entered the supply chains of some of America’s best-known seafood brands and pet foods, including Chicken of the Sea and Fancy Feast, which are sold in grocery stores from Safeway and Schnucks to Piggly Wiggly and Albertsons. AP  Most insurances accepted  Cleaning reporters went to supermarkets in all 50  Root canals  Fillings states and found shrimp products from  Crowns & bridges  Extractions supply chains tainted with forced labor.

Earlier this year, after AP uncovered a slave island in Indonesia where fishermen Dr. Tom P. Mar, D.D.S. were caged when on shore, Greenpeace •陵墓地下室 •骨灰靈位 called for a boycott of Thai Union and its 318 6th Avenue South, Suite 108 Chicken of the Sea brand in the U.S. On •墓碑、紀念碑 •土葬福地 Seattle, WA 98104 Monday, Greenpeace campaign director John Hocevar said Thai Union isn’t doing enough.

15th “The company does just 1554 enough to Ave East (North Capitol Hill)

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said the country has already been cracking down on officers who turn a blind eye to labor abuses in processing plants.

“We are dealing with the issue, aren’t we?” he said. “Arrests are underway.”

Most U.S. customers said they’re sticking with their Thai distributors, and Gavin Gibbons, a spokesman for National Fisheries Institute, which represents about 75 percent of the U.S. seafood industry, said boycotting Thailand is not the answer.

“If you don’t buy seafood from there, you’re not in the conversation anymore about labor, you don’t have the ability to fix it,” he said.

AP’s findings surprised some consumers.

“I’ve bought bags of shrimp before at the market but never really looked at the label. I guess I should start looking, huh?” said Chris York, of Kensington, New Hampshire.

That was the advice of the U.S. State Department’s new anti-trafficking ambassador Susan Coppedge. She said consumers should inform themselves, and can check the government-backed website slaveryfootprint.org and Labor Department publications before they spend “to make sure they’re not made with forced slave labor.”  Mendoza reported from New York; Kristen Gelineau contributed from Sydney, Australia.

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DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

{IYOGI cont’d from page 4} billion a year.

“Tech support scams have become a scourge on the Internet,” Smith said. “These individuals are not on the phone to help consumers. They’re on the phone to take consumers’ money.”

In July, Dhar announced that iYogi, based in India, was opening its first U.S. technical support center in Maine,

potentially bringing as many 350 jobs over the next year.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage attended the announcement and said it was encouraging that a company like iYogi could help reverse the outsourcing trend and create jobs in the U.S. The deal called for a local company, Argo Marketing Group, to start out by hiring 20 tech support workers in Lewiston and some other locations in the state, under iYogi’s guidance and management. But after a three-month trial period, Argo’s chief executive, Jason Levesque, terminated the relationship,

Levesque told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Levesque said he has sued iYogi in New York for nonpayment.

It was not immediately clear if iYogi had made other arrangements for a U.S. tech support center. The company has said it has 5,000 customer support workers outside the U.S. and 1,500 contract workers who provide on-site technical support in the U.S. In 2012, Fortune magazine named Dhar one of “Asia’s 25 hottest people in business.” 

Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly?

We want to know about it. Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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3. Astrological Predictions for 2015 — The Year of the Goat

By Sun Lee Chang The Goat has a special strength as one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac – it has the power to make something from nothing.

4. Luchang Wang, Yale student, commits suicide — AAPI community and depression

By Jenn Fang Luchang Wang, a mathematics major and member of Yale’s Silliman College — had died of an apparent suicide. She was 20 years old.

5. Tokyo ward is first in Japan to recognize same sex marriage

By Yuri Kageyama With a landmark vote by the assembly of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, the district famous as a mecca for trendy youngsters became the first locale in Japan to recognize same sex partnerships as the “equivalent of a marriage.”

6. Japan’s leader says he will express remorse for World War II

By Ken Moritsugu Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government would draft a new statement “that includes Japan’s remorse for the war,” though he stopped short of saying it would again apologize.

7. BLOG: Farewell to Imperial Lanes — Finishing with a strike

By John Liu Imperial Lanes and Lounge opened in Seattle’s Rainier Valley in 1959 and was run

by Fred Takagi for 30 years.

Many young Japanese Americans chose

8.Miss India Washington pageant 2015 — Celebrating beauty, spirit, and heritage

By Menka Soni The 2015 Ravishing Women show was home to the Miss/Mrs/Teen India WA pageantry, along with motivating segments that honor women. The event was a grand celebration of the rich heritage and oneness as part of the larger Indian Diaspora.

9. Eddie Huang: “Perfectly imperfect” — Fresh Off the Boat author talks about race, life, food and why he doesn’t watch the show

By Jason Cruz Eddie Huang spoke to a filled room in the student union building of the University of Washington on a rainy Tuesday night in April. The lawyer/chef/writer/creator talked about race, life, food and a little bit about the ABC network show that he states he no longer watches.

10. Donnie Chin shot — Community stunned

By Staff Donnie Chin, executive director of the International District Emergency Center and community died July 23, after being shot in the Chinatown International District.

Chin’s service in the I.D. was usually a oneman show, patrolling in the ID. For the past decade, he was able to organize a board and recruit volunteers to assist him in his patrol and provide security service for community events.

11. BLOG: Superstitions and traditions — Examining our strange Lunar New Year customs

By Assunta Ng “Reminiscing about Lunar New Year during my childhood, I could count as many

15

DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

as hundreds of traditions my family followed.

Some were fun, while some were silly and reflective of cultural defects.

As a child, I wasn’t smart enough to say, ‘Hey, just because it was done thousands of years ago in China doesn’t mean we have to do the same today!’

Nor was it my place to ask, ‘Why are we doing this?’ ”

12. Recognized! — White House introduces Filipino American History Month

By Ador Pereda Yano The White House marked the presidential recognition of the month of October as Filipino American History Month. On October 2nd, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders sponsored an event in Washington DC to celebrate the history of Filipino Americans and their various contributions to the country’s development.

where folks gathered to watch and support Kitamura as he went head to head against Flay.

14. Yours Mallika: Exploring dance and story

By Charuta Fadnis Inspired by two disparate, divergent literary and musical masterpieces, “Yours Mallika” took the audience on a voyage through the centuries using various dance forms – from Bharatnatyam to Flamenco and Kathak to Waltz. Involving a cast and crew of over 120 volunteers, the show was over four months in the making and involved intricate period costumes and elaborate historical sets.

15. Doris Jeong raises awareness of little people in our community

By Nina Huang

13. Seattle sushi chef Taichi Kitamura beats Bobby Flay on national TV

By Nina Huang

Doris Jeong

Chef Taichi Kitamura

Local chef Taichi Kitamura, owner and chef of Sushi Kappo Tamura appeared on the Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” TV show on March 5.

It was a packed house at Tini Bigs Lounge for the viewing party of “Beat Bobby Flay”

Height aside, Jeong is a regular young professional who has friends who are average height. She goes to work, comes home to eat, watches Netflix and on the weekends, she’ll go out to parties and hang out with her friends.

But despite her seemingly normal life, over the years, she has experienced social challenges. Jeong said that people sometimes unintentionally and subconsciously discount her as being a normal 26-year-old. 

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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DECEMBER 26 – JANUARY 1, 2016

{BLOG cont’d from page 10} We picked Pre Rup, the one with less people, but much farther away.

The sun sets at 5:30 p.m. every day if it doesn’t rain or become cloudy. Arriving at 5 p.m., we were able to secure a good spot for our camera. In 15 minutes, you see the dramatic changing colors of landscape, flickering shadows of trees, land, temples, and statues of gods and animals. At 5:45 p.m. the sun completely faded, and darkness descended on the temples.

If you join a tour, you have to walk in the dark and heat, as tour buses were not allowed to park close to the site. Our tuk tuk driver was waiting for us at the entrance for the three days we were there.

My husband was smart to select Le Meridien, a hotel close to Angkor so we didn’t waste a lot of time traveling back and forth. We returned to the hotel if we needed a break.

A three-day pass costs $40 U.S. each, and I advise you to buy it.

Where “Tomb Raider” was filmed

Terrace of the Elephants

Buddhas at Bayon Temple. There were over 200 before erosion.

Bayon entrance guarded by gods of heaven and hell

Where to wait for sunset and sunrise, Pre Rup

Sunset

The night market starts at 6 p.m. I loved the energy at PUB Street.

Illuminated with colorful neon lights and English signs, the market has a variety of pubs, restaurants, and shops. The majority of the visitors are foreigners, filling the restaurants and pubs. Several restaurants have trained at least one waitress speaking Mandarin (as there are many Chinese customers). Chinese tourists are everywhere.

The restaurants provide English menus with illustrative photos of the cuisine. No need to ask for a big bowl of rice, as Cambodian restaurants just fill our empty bowl as soon as we finish the rice without extra charge.

Also, you can see a cultural dance performance or circus performed by Cambodians and taught by Europeans.

The Khmer Rouge’s genocide killed many professionals, especially artists. Today, young Cambodians need help to develop arts and support young artists. At the end of the program, they ask for your donations to support young artists so they can have good wages and decent living conditions.

How could I not give to support such an important cause!

I follow poet Robert Frost’s advice: Take the road less traveled. Our experiences were so much more satisfying and rewarding.  Part III: The Killing Fields and tips to travel in Cambodia will be continued on Jan. 7, 2016

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Evening entertainment

Northwest Asian Weekly / Seattle Chinese Post presents

Chinatown-International District Lunar New Year Celebration Kids’ Parade Contest ▪ Saturday, February 13, 2016

Prime Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors:

WHAT: Kids’ Parade Contest WHERE: 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle EVENT DATE: Saturday, February 13 DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Noon on February 13

Children’s Parade Competition Schedule: • Noon—1:15 PM — Registration (each contestant gets a number) • 1 PM — Line up (outside NW Weekly’s office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Chinatown/International District) • 1:15 PM — Judging begins • 1:30 PM — Parade begins • 2:10 PM — Parade winners announced • Contestants must be present at the announcement of results.

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• All contestants will receive a fortune cookie.

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest. If register before February 11, contestants will get a prize after the event. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave. S. • Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 15 minutes prior to parade.

Rules/Guidelines: • Kids ages 14 and under can participate in the contest • Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade • Kids will be given a contestant number for the order of Parade lineup • Kids attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration Judging: • All contestants will be judged by the provided judging criteria.

• Prizes will be awarded to First ($100), Second ($50), and Third ($25) Place Winners, plus many other prizes.

• All decisions made by competition judges are final.

• Winners and finalists’ photos will be in NW Asian Weekly/Seattle Chinese Post print and online on Feb. 18.

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods: Mail: Northwest Asian Weekly Children’s Parade Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104

Name: ________________________________________________________

School Name:_____________________________________ Age:___________

Phone: ________________________________________________________

E-mail: ________________________________________________________

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.