VOL 31 NO 50 | DECEMBER 8 - DECEMBER 14, 2012

VOL 31 NO 50 DECEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 14, 2012 FREE 30 YEARS YOUR VOICE

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 746Seattle, WA

■ 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

The InsIde sToryPUB’S BLOGChips, Pi, the White House, and Robert Mak » P. 10

NAMES IN THE NEWSWho’s doing what in the Asian community. » P. 2

ENTERTAINMENTStaying at the ‘Mekong Hotel’ » P. 7

SPORTSChinese 9-man and the UFC in Seattle » P. 8

By Jason CruzNorthwest AsiAN weekly

After a successful career as a small business owner, Jun Bae

kim continues to contribute to the korean American commu-nity. At 73, kim lends his time to many local organizations.

“he is a very effective leader,” said Buwon Brown, board mem-ber of the korean Community service Center. “he is a very humble man and does it quietly.”

the korean Community ser-vice Center is one of the many organizations where kim offers his time and advice.

“i’ve known him for about 15 years,” said susan lee, a board chair on the korean American Chamber of Commerce. “he’s

{see KIM cont’d on page 13}

By Ninette ChengNorthwest AsiAN weekly

sesinando Cantor is a unique and valuable member of the community. with three degrees and certifications, his heart is as big as his resume, including 13 years of volunteer work with nu-merous organizations.

though the top Contributors honoree is now a retired accoun-tant and lawyer, his volunteer activities are vast and keep him busy. Cantor is the president of the Filipino American Com-munity of renton and the in-ternational Drop-in Center, the founding president of the Fili-pino American Association of

{see CANTOR cont’d on page 12}

Top Contributors: Jun Bae Kim & Sesinando Cantor

Retired businessman still makes a difference in Korean American community

Sesinando Cantor helps to build a community bigger than himself

Mak leaves KING5

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o named Lott Trophy finalist

Manti te’o, Notre Dame line-backer from hawaii, became one of four finalists for the 2012 lott iMPACt trophy on Nov. 30 as announced by

the Pacific Club iMPACt Foundation. Fel-low finalists include University of Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, stanford lineback-er Chase thomas, and kansas state line-backer Arthur Brown.

the lott iMPACt trophy is present-ed annually to the Defensive iMPACt Player of the year and is based equally on the player’s character and conduct off the field, as well as their athletic performance on it.

though the lott trophy is not as pres-tigious as the heisman trophy, which is awarded to the country’s most outstand-ing football player and of which te’o is also a finalist, the lott is notable for tak-ing a player’s character into account.

{see TE’O cont’d on page 14}

ThesPorTsIssUe

Robert Mak

Phot

o by

Jam

es B

yron

By Charles LamNorthwest AsiAN weekly

robert Mak left kiNG 5 tV on Friday, Nov. 30, after the cancella-tion of his long running political pro-gram, Up Front. Up Front ended its 11-year run on sunday, Dec. 2 after cutbacks across the station that also saw the closing of seven positions. Nine of those years were anchored by Mak, who has been with kiNG

{see MAK cont’d on page 6}

Jun Bae Kim and Sesinando

Cantor are two of our Top

Contributors to the Asian

Community this year. We

will hold an awards dinner

honoring them and all the

other honorees on

Dec. 7 at the China Harbor

Restaurant. To learn more

or to buy tickets, visit top.

nwasianweekfoundation.org.

2 DECEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 14, 2012 asianweeklynorthwest

■ nAMes In The neWs

PSE customers Matt and Ashleigh Morio with their daughter Marielle - King County

Stay connected to PSEPSE.COM/KINGCOUNTY

MorePowerfulTogetherPuget Sound Energy honors the 2012 Top Contributors to the Asian Community Encompass Autumn Gala. PSE is committed to providing safe, dependable and efficient energy service in your community.

Puget Sound Energy, Washington’s oldest local energy utility, is committed to providing safe, dependable, efficient energy service to its customers.

SCIDpda receives Bank of America Foundation grant

the Seattle Chinatown–International District Preser-vation and Development Authority (sCiDpda) received a $20,000 grant from the Bank of America foundation this fall to support the organization’s design and resource center, IDEA Space. iDeA space will use the funds to further the organization’s commercial development program, focusing on urban design and real estate.

the grant is part of a $22 million investment by Bank of America to build and support affordable housing, offer fore-closure prevention services and homeowner counseling, and provide other services intended to revive neighborhoods. over 380,000 individuals in the Puget sound area will be impacted by the programs supported through Bank of America grants.

Kin On expansion architect and contractors announced

Kin On announced the results of their selection process to find a contractor and architect for their new expansion project on wednesday, Nov. 21. they have selected the architecture

firm Freiheit and ho Architects for the project. Construction will be handled by general contractor Mar Pac Construction.

the project was approved in spring of 2012 and will pro-vide a new facility to service the community. the new facility will include a new community space dedicated to promoting healthy aging, including an assisted living facility, an adult family home to offer affordable and culturally appropriate housing with services, and an expanded short-term care unit that will help seniors rehabilitate and transition back to home living.

Seattle-based Jazz pop artist Emi Meyer hosts sold out single release party at O’Asian

Jazz pop performer Emi Meyer hosted the release for her newest single, Galaxy’s Skirt, at o’Asian in seattle on Fri-day, Nov. 30, playing to a sold-out crowd. the single was re-leased on itunes on Nov. 28.

Meyer, born in kyoto, Japan to an American father and

Japanese mother, grew up in seattle and began studying classical piano at the age of 6, eventually branching into jazz.

in 2007, she won the seattle–kobe Jazz Vocalist Competition, hosted jointly by sister cities seattle and kobe. her win led to Japanese exposure and helped her develop a

following. she has released three feature albums, performed at sundance Film Festival, and has topped the Japanese Jazz charts.

Cindy Ryu in running for Bob Ferguson’s county council seat

Cindy Ryu, state representative of the 32nd legislative District, is one of 13 residents who have ap-plied to fill Attorney General-elect Bob Ferguson’s king County Coun-cil seat, when he vacates it on Jan. 16, 2013.

ryu was re-elected by a landslide 76–23 percent victory in the No-vember election.

king County executive Dow Con-stantine will name members of an ad-

visory committee this week, representative of Council District 1, to evaluate the 13 applicants. the committee will forward the names of qualified candidates to Constantine. Under state law, the executive is required to present three names to the County Council when the seat is vacated. the council will then have 60 days to fill the vacant position. other candidates include David Baker, Dennis Behrend, tiffany Bond, rob Dembowski, Chris eggen, ken Goodwin, will hall, Bob ransom, keith scully, sarajane siegfriedt, Chuck sloane, and Naomi wilson.

New retractable awnings at Kobo Gallery, part of IDEA Space’s facade improvement program

Phot

o fr

om S

CID

pda

An aerial view of the site of the future extension

Emi Meyer

Cindy Ryu

30 YEARS yoUr VoICe DECEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 14, 2012 3


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By Foster Klugthe AssoCiAteD Press

seoUl, south korea (AP) — North korea is gearing up to fire a long-range rocket this month in a defiant move expected to raise the stakes of a global standoff over its missile and nuclear programs.

the North’s announcement saturday, Dec. 1 that it would launch the rocket between Dec. 10 and Dec. 22 came as President Barack obama prepares for his second term and as south korea holds a presidential election on Dec. 19.

it would be North korea’s second launch attempt under leader kim Jong Un, who took power following his father kim Jong il’s death nearly a year ago. some analysts have expressed skepticism that North korea has corrected whatever caused the embarrass-

ing misfire of its last rocket eight months ago. that launch earned the country widespread international condemnation.

A spokesman for North korea’s korean Committee for space technology, however, said scientists have “analyzed the mis-takes” made in the failed April launch and improved the precision of its Unha rocket and kwangmyongsong satellite, according to the official korean Central News Agency.

the statement said the launch was a request of late leader kim Jong il. he died on Dec. 17, 2011, and North koreans are expected to mark that date this year with some fanfare. the space agency said the rocket would be mounted with a polar-orbiting earth observation satellite, and maintained its right to develop a peaceful space program.

washington considers North korea’s rocket launches to be veiled covers for tests of technology for long-range missiles de-

signed to strike the United states, and such tests are banned by the United Nations.

“A North korean ‘satellite’ launch would be a highly provoca-tive act,” state Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in washington, D.C. “Any North korean launch using ballistic missile technology is in direct violation of U.N. security Council resolutions.”

in 2009, North korea conducted rocket and nuclear tests with-in months of obama taking office.

China, the North’s main ally and aid provider, also expressed concerns about the launch. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry on sun-day acknowledged North korea’s right to the peaceful use of outer space, but said that had to be harmonized with restrictions,

{see ROCKET cont’d on page 15}

By Adil Jawadthe AssoCiAteD Press

kArAChi, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani hin-dus sunday Dec. 2 protested the destruction of a hindu temple in the southern port city of karachi. the temple was razed, along with some nearby homes, by a builder.

Minority hindus have complained of in-creasing harassment and discrimination in Muslim-dominated Pakistan in recent years, including the destruction or desecration of their places of worship.

residents and members of the hindu com-munity said sunday a builder with a police escort razed the small temple in one of the older neighborhoods of karachi, along with some surrounding buildings.

the outer walls and roof of the temple were demolished, and rubble was strewn about the area. local residents told an AP reporter on the scene that authorities took statues and artifacts out of the building before it was de-

stroyed.one of the longtime residents, 75-year-old

kali Das, said he was born in the area and remembers when the temple, called sri rama Peer Naval, was built. he said more than 100 families lived nearby and prayed at the temple.

residents protested at the karachi Press Club on sunday, demanding compensation, as well as the return of religious materials they said were taken during the incident.

ramesh kumar Vankwani from the Paki-stan hindu Council said there is a long-run-ning legal dispute between the builder and residents over the land, but it belongs to the hindu residents.

Zeenat Ahmad, who runs the department in charge of military land, said a court order allowed some of the buildings to be razed. A Pakistani police officer, Parvez iqbal, denied anything was taken.

{see TEMPLE cont’d on page 14}

North Korea prepares long-range rocket test launch

Pakistani Hindus protest temple destruction

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By Christopher Bodeenthe AssoCiAteD Press

CheNGDU, China (AP) — the U.s. and Chinese militaries wrapped up a modest disaster-relief exercise on Friday, Nov. 30 hailed as a tentative trust-building step amid growing sus-picions between the Asia-Pacific region’s largest armed forces.

while not a full-fledged operation, the two-day exercise at People’s liberation Army barracks outside the city of Chengdu consisted of U.s. and Chinese officers sitting around a table facing a flat-panel video screen and discussing how they would respond to an earthquake in a fictional third country.

though this was the eighth meeting to discuss disaster relief, it was the first time both sides discussed a joint response to a simulated disaster. the leading officers called that a step for-

ward in building familiarity and trust.U.s. Major General stephen lyons said the exercise began

the groundwork for the day when the two militaries will oper-ate side-by-side in an actual humanitarian operation.

“i think it’s very conceivable. if there is a country out there, and there inevitably will be, that will have a natural disaster, and they call for international help, if U.s. forces and Chinese forces respond, then indeed, we’ll find ourselves working to-gether in the field,” lyons said in comments to reporters.

while washington and Beijing have talked about boosting military cooperation for more than a decade, distrust runs high and disagreements over taiwan, North korea, and China’s as-sertive claims to disputed territories in the east and south Chi-na seas remain potential flashpoints. China’s robust military buildup and washington’s decision to redeploy more weaponry

and troops to the Asia-Pacific region have added to the tensions.the modest scope of the table-top simulation underscores the

underlying hesitation and distrust on both sides, particularly in Beijing, which tends to view military exchanges as a form of diplomatic leverage to be severed at times of tension.

“it’s worth pursuing, but expectations should be modest,” said Denny roy, an expert on the Chinese military at the Uni-versity of hawaii’s east–west Center.

this year’s exchange comes as China has been flexing its military muscle and raising regional tensions. last week, Chi-na staged the first successful landing of planes on its newly commissioned aircraft carrier, a sign of its rapid progress to-ward deploying the ultimate symbol of naval power and a

{see JOINT EXERCISES cont’d on page 13}

By Paul Foythe AssoCiAteD Press

sAlt lAke City, Utah (AP) — More peo-ple in the workforce are claiming discrimina-tion over their english-speaking ability or for-eign accents, leading the federal government to issue guidelines to employers on when they can enforce english-only rules, federal offi-cials said thursday, Nov. 29.

workplace discrimination complaints based

on national origin — which often involve lan-guage ability — rose by 76 percent from 1997 to 2011, when more than 11,800 complaints were lodged with the U.s. equal employment opportunity Commission.

the eeoC attributes the trend to a more ethnically diverse labor force — about 45 mil-lion Americans speak a language other than english at home. Civil rights advocates say workplace environments have grown more hostile in states enacting tough new immigra-

tion laws.“there’s definitely a climate of fear that’s

bad for everybody,” said John Mejia, legal di-rector for the AClU of Utah.

Across the country, workers have won large settlements claiming they were harassed or reprimanded for speaking in foreign languag-es or accents. in Utah, a Fedex contract driver has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was fired because of his russian accent.

truck driver and russian immigrant ismail Aliyev holds a commercial driver’s license, which makes the ability to communicate a re-quirement. when he pulled a Fedex truck into an iowa weigh station in August, “they said, ‘this driver doesn’t know the english lan-guage,’ ” said Aliyev. “i think for a driver, my english is not too bad.”

Aliyev worked for Utah-based GNB truck-ing Co., a long-haul contractor for Fedex. when the weigh station gave his company a warning — but not a citation — about his rus-sian accent, he says Fedex ordered his firing.

erin truxal, a Fedex Ground spokeswoman in Moon township, Pa., said thursday, Nov. 29, that Aliyev was “disqualified” as a Fedex

driver because he had been cited for several safety violations in iowa, including an inabil-ity to speak english sufficiently. she refused to confirm or deny whether he was fired.

Dena Gray-Fisher, a spokeswoman for the iowa Department of transportation, said after-hours thursday, Nov. 29, that she wasn’t able to provide a copy of Aliyev’s citation or warn-ing.

GNB trucking said Fedex controls, among a number of business terms, the hiring and fir-ing of its drivers. Aliyev filed a lawsuit against both companies last week in U.s. District Court in salt lake City, seeking an unspeci-fied amount for lost wages and punitive dam-ages.

“Fedex just decided they didn’t want to deal with him, or even talk to him,” said robert h. wilde, his lawyer.

in Arizona, home of the controversial anti-immigration law sB1070, an activist in a bor-der town was booted off the ballot as a city council candidate for lack of english profi-ciency.

{see LANGUAGE cont’d on page 11}

U.S., China finish joint-exercises for disaster relief

Language conflicts up in the workplace


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{MAK cont’d from page 1}

since 1992, save a two-year haitus starting in 2008 when he worked in the office of Mayor Greg Nickels. the show aired on kiNG-tV, koNG-tV, NwCN, and kreM 2 in spokane. it had won 11 Northwest emmy Awards and the national wal-ter Cronkite Award for excellence in Broadcast tV Political Journalism three times.

kiNG executive News Director Mark Ginther told the se-attle times that the cancellation was not caused by declining

ratings, but rather by slow advertising sales. he said that Mak was offered a position as kiNG 5’s chief political reporter. Mak declined.

“i appreciated the offer to stay,” Mak said. “After consider-ing it seriously, i simply concluded [that] it’s a good time to start a new chapter. i have a number of ideas and interests that i want to pursue, most likely in the communications field, and i’m keeping an open mind.”

he will be staying in the Northwest area and characterized his departure from kiNG amicably.

“the one certain thing is that this is home, and i intend to stay in this community. the kiNG newsroom is filled with talented and wonderful people, and i thank kiNG-tV for making such a strong commitment to this community for so many years. Most of all, i’m forever thankful to the viewers who shared a half-hour of their valuable time with us every sunday.”

Charles Lam can be reached at [email protected].

THU 12/6

WHAT: Music with Deems and holiday MarketWHERE: Nagomi tea house, 519 6th Ave. s., seattleWHEN: 3–9 p.m.COST: Free admissionRSVP: 206-623-0100,[email protected]: Uprooted and invisible: Asian American homelessnessWHERE: the wing, 719 s. king st., seattleWHEN: 3:30–8 p.m.RSVP: 206-623-5124 extension 107, [email protected] INFO: 206-623-5124

WHAT: Asian and Pacific islander Community Meeting with seattle Public schools’ superintendent Jose Banda WHERE: the Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin luther king Jr. way s., seattleWHEN: 6–8 p.m.INFO: 206-722-9372

SAT 12/8

WHAT: home Movie Day 2012

WHERE: Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., seattleWHEN: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.INFO: 206-321-8301, www.homemovieday.com

WHAT: Asian American santa is back!WHERE: the wing, 719 s. king st., seattleWHEN: 2–4 p.m.INFO: 206-623-5124

WHAT: JCCCw omoide “writers’ workshop”WHERE: JCCCw library, Building 3, 1414 s. weller st., seattleWHEN: 1:30–3:30 p.m.INFO: [email protected], [email protected]

WHAT: ChC’s 4th Annual healthy holidaysWHERE: rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club, 4520 Martin luther king Jr. way s., seattleWHEN: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.INFO: www.chpw.org/lp/healthyholidays

WHAT: Fenix Fitness is

having an open house and holiday festival, Capoeira Demonstrations, African Drum demonstrations, samba performances, Brazilian culture and food, live musicWHERE: 700 s. Jackson st., seattleWHEN: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.INFO: 206-659-1215, www.fenixfitness.org

MON 12/10

WHAT: spam*o*rama holiday sketch showWHERE: theatre off Jackson, 409 7th Ave., seattleWHEN: 8 p.m.COST: $6–$10TICKETS: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/300433INFO: www.porkfilled.com

SAT 12/15

WHAT: Meet louie Gong of 8th GenerationWHERE: the wing, 719 s. king st., seattleWHEN: 1–3 p.m.

INFO: 206-623-5124

WHAT: Book reading with author linda tamura, “Nisei soldiers Break their silence”WHERE: the wing, 719 s. king st., seattleWHEN: 3 p.m.INFO: 206-623-5124

THRU 12/30

WHAT: the space Needle and Bartell Drugs launches “rocket to the top of space Needle,” with exclusive offer to free visits to the observation DeckHOW: while supplies last, Bartell Drugs is offering vouchers for one free adult or up to two free youth tickets (vouchers valid with purchase of one adult observation deck ticket).WHERE: All 58 Bartell Drugs locations in king, snohomish, and Pierce countiesWHEN: Now until 12/30INFO: www.spaceneedle.com, www.bartelldrugs.com

EVERY WED

WHAT: seattle University school of law Citizenship ProjectWHERE: yesler Community Center Computer lab, 917 e. yesler way, seattleWHEN: 5–6:30 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: 206-386-1245

EVERY THU

WHAT: Free Chronic Disease self-Management workshopWHERE: kin on health Care, 4416 s. Brandon st., seattleWHEN: every thursday, 10 a.m.RSVP: 206-652-2330INFO: [email protected]

THRU SUN 10/10/2013

WHAT: exhibition Display: etsuko ichikawaWHERE: sAM Gallery, 1300 1st Ave., seattleINFO: 206-903-5291, [email protected]

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By Andrew HamlinNorthwest AsiAN weekly

“All characters appearing in this work are actual persons,” warns the fine print at the end of Apichatpong weerasethakul’s new film, “Mekong hotel.”

“Any resemblance to other real beings, living or dead, is not coincidental.”

it’s an odd, wry turn on the traditional disclaimer at the end of dramatic films, which states, “Any resemblance to actual per-sons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.” But it typifies the thai director’s approach to both film and real life. he wants to tweak your notions of what’s real and unreal, what’s fact and fiction.

“Mekong hotel” overthrows convention right from the get-go by opening with a pitch black screen. two thai men’s voices and one guitar can be heard on the soundtrack, but the audience doesn’t see them for a minute or so.

weerasethakul, who shot his very first short film with one flashing strobe light and without any actors, has a lot of expe-rience with the unconventional. his 2010 feature film “Uncle Boonmee who Can recall his Past lives,” won the prized Palme d’or award at the Cannes Film Festival. the film con-trasted human mortality with eerie, glowing-eyed jungle beings.

Many aspects of “Mekong hotel” are quite mundane. the director shot the film at an actual hotel on the actual Mekong, a river near the border with laos. Much conversation has to do with laotian refugees, their treatment by the thai government, and their eventual fates. the inhabitants of the hotel talk about this offhandedly, the way many people would, to pass the time. the seemingly-simple exposition reminds us, though, that even

when we speak casually, we give our own opinions, our own spin on the matter. we write our own history, even as we share with others.

the music of Chatchai suban, a real life friend of the direc-tor, also permeates the film. suban appears in the first sequence, cradling his classical guitar and chuckling about his technical

shortcomings. But he plays a spare, affecting blend of classi-cal and blues stylings, fillings the film’s soundtrack no matter how mundane or how horrifying the onscreen action becomes. this serves to point out that existence, life itself, has a through line — a strong common denominator to all experience that we would do well to remember.

some of the action involves violence, gore, and horrified re-actions to the violence and gore. these sequences seem to drop in out of nowhere, but that too forms part of weerasethakul’s teachings. we can have “normal” life one moment, and in the next, there can suddenly be something almost too disturbing to watch. the monsters and killers of our life walk, talk, sit, and breathe amongst our loved ones.

the visual sign of a circle divided in half appears towards the end of “Mekong hotel,” which sums up the director’s approach. he fills his screen with love and gore, affectionate mothers and vengeful demons, with talk, with action, and with talk superim-posed over seemingly-irrelevant action. he isn’t afraid to mix genres and boldly defy conventions.

Ultimately, though, he seems to be saying that our lives and our shared life manifest in a commonality. we need to open our eyes, to see the common aspects of widely-varying experiences. But with that vision, we can apprehend the true shape of nature. we can disregard the dividing line to concentrate on the circle of completeness.

“Mekong Hotel” and the “Sakda” short film plays from December 7 through December 13 at the Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Avenue on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. For showtimes, prices, directions, and more information, call 206-829-7863 or visit http://nwfilmforum.org/live/page/calendar/2457.

Andrew Hamlin can be reached at [email protected].

At the “Mekong Hotel”

Wells Fargo is committed to helping Asian American customers, communities and nonprofit organizations succeed financially.


By Jason J. CruzNorthwest AsiAN weekly

Filmmaker documents unique outdoor game

there’s a documentary featuring streetball

players trash talking on the asphalt in New york’s Chinatown?

No, it’s not basketball. “9-Man” is a special kind of volleyball tournament that is a distinct game played by Chinese Americans and Chi-nese Canadians.

the documentary is the idea of Ursula li-ang. liang, a native of Newton, Mass., came {see SPORTS cont’d on page 12}

■ sPorTs

The Layup DrillDocumenting Chinese street volleyball and the UFC visits Seattle

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robert Mak, an-chor of kiNG tV program “Up Front,” resigned last Friday. there are specula-tions about the sta-tion’s motive for cutting the program. As a publisher, i un-derstand why kiNG cut the program.

Network news is a cut throat business. Anchor changes happen faster than ice melts under the sun. in this tough economy, if it doesn’t make much business sense, it will not make sense to the company. sadly, journalism is secondary.

two things caught the public off guard. in my opinion, kiNG is the last local network station

that would cut a well-respected and quality pro-gram due to fiscal constraints. Mak’s response is also unexpected. instead of staying on as a political reporter, he resigned. it wasn’t easy for Mak to get to where he was. he’s one of our city’s best journalists. he always asks the most compelling questions, and his reporting is always entertaining, sharp, and thorough, Al-though it is sad to see a major Asian American reporter leaving a big station, there’s always a new horizon for Mak. Considering his political expertise, writing, and communication skills, investigative background, and his wide connec-tions, Mak will contribute greatly to his next employer.

And if Mak doesn’t want to work for anyone else, he can always start his own public affairs company or website.

oPInIon

■ PUblIsher’s blog

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

Architects, Consultants & ContractorsKCLS Library Contract Information Available Online!

Check www.kcls.org/buildings for information about KCLS construction and the latest available

details on current and pending projects.Requests for Proposals•Requests for Qualifications•Current Project Bid Listing•Call for Art Proposals•Site Selection Policy•

Announcements of Finalists•Community Meetings•Contacts•New Releases•

The King County Library System recognizes strength and value within our communities, and we encourage all interested and qualified service providers to review

our public bid construction opportunities.

Contact Kelly Iverson, Facilities [email protected] or 425.369.3308

three lucky seattleites are invited to the white house holiday Party. Albert shen, a force for President obama’s fundraising cam-paign and Debadutta Dash, co-chair of wash-ington state and india trade relations Action Committee will leave Dec. 12 for washington D.C. Matt Barreto, professor of political science

at the Uw, will be attending a seperate party.the white house has a lot to celebrate this

year. Democrats have done well nationally and washington Democrats have exceeded expecta-tions. they're taking their celebration seriously as the white house is hosting two parties a day during the holiday season.

Ang Lee’s Life of Pi

Movie theaters hate people like me.i only visit them a few times a year. Usu-

ally, i wait until the movie is out on DVD, so i can borrow it from the seattle Public library — it usually takes a year on the sPl waitlist.

But i didn’t want to wait for Ang lee’s life of Pi. My family and i watched it on thanks-giving Day. i recommend that you watch it in theaters; a DVD just would not do it justice. only in theaters would you be able to enjoy the powerful visuals and sound effects.

the story is about the adventures of a boy lost in the ocean with a tiger. Now, dogs you

can train, but not tigers. watch it and you’ll be inspired. the boy survives 227 days in the ocean because he found a purpose to live by taking care of his only companion, the tiger.

i bet you suspect that i rave about the movie because lee is Asian American, but that’s not the case. i admire the guy for his multi-di-mensional talents. this film is completely dif-ferent from his past works, such as “Crouch-ing tiger, hidden Dragon” and “Brokeback Mountain.” lee has not disappointed his fans. life of Pi deserves to win Best Picture in the 2013 Academy Awards.

Rich districts vs. poor districtsking County has released data showing

which districts voted Democrat and which districts voted republican during the gov-ernor’s race. rich districts such as Medina, hunts Point, and yarrow Point voted for re-publican rob Mckenna, while poor districts, such as the international District, went for inslee.

ironically, the iD raised over $50,000 for Mckenna, while inslee raised only a few thousand dollars. Mckenna held the advan-tage in fundraising because he had a cam-paign office in the iD.

let’s do the math. rich districts are thinly

populated, while Chinatown is densely popu-lated. one third of the city’s Asian population lives in the international District. while rich districts might provide big donors, that doesn’t mean that the iD voters are easily swayed.

Many of the Mckenna’s donors don’t even live in the international District. even the or-ganizers of these fundraising events are out-siders. the lesson is, when politicians hold fundraising events in a particular area, it doesn’t mean you have the support of the resi-dents. you have to work harder to involve the people who live there. Mckenna’s Chinatown office was way under-utilized.

Mak leaves KING

Robert MakSubstitute guilty pleasuresDon’t laugh if i tell you that i am a big fan

of potato chips. that’s the first thing i shoot for when i attend holiday parties. it’s not just the crackling sound i enjoy when biting into it, but also the flavor of potato chips. But i don’t really need the grease, sodium, choles-terol, or the unhealthy saturated fats.

lately, i’ve found a replacement. Did you know that there are baked and popped potato chips at health food stores? i’ve tried both. the baked “suckers” have better taste and price.

Holiday party at the White House


oPInIon

■ CoMMenTAry

■ edITorIAl

By Thomas Cassidy, 13For Northwest AsiAN weekly

Nearly three years ago, before i started studying taekwondo, i was alarmingly in-secure, unsure of myself, and had very poor self-image. i had, since the second grade, been under the impression that i was over-weight. i was also a very angry person. without taekwondo, i was probably head-ed down a path to an eating disorder.

But i started training and gradually be-came stronger and grew. i also learned to show my elders the respect they deserved — which probably saved my relationship with my mother, and certainly made this phase of my life more pleasant for us both.

Now, how could one thing have accom-plished that much?

well, taekwondo is founded upon re-spect and discipline. these concepts are practiced every lesson. we bow to our Mas-ters before each activity, and we bow and say, 감사합니다, or “thank you,” after each activity. At the end of the class, we bow to our families in gratitude.

taekwondo made me more confident, be-cause i no longer felt i was overweight. i could see that i was growing and that i was strong. Also, i was burning more energy and felt more at peace. i had less energy to worry about things, and i also felt like i had a better perspective. i was more focused on important things.

taekwondo is broken into three words in english, but it is one word in korean. tae means “foot,” “leg,” or “to step on,” kwon

means “fist,” or “fight,” and Do means “way” or “discipline.”

i think that anyone can benefit from tae-kwondo, especially western children. in school, i see so many classmates who show their teachers very little respect, and don’t even listen when they’re talking. they’re robbing themselves of a chance to learn, but they’re also robbing their classmates of the same thing. i see these same kids speak to their parents in unbelievably disrespect-ful ways, and show very little gratitude for

the things that they have been given. tae-kwondo teaches you the value of respect and gratitude.

even though physical fitness is an impor-tant component of taekwondo, respect and honor and discipline are even more impor-tant aspects. Master kim, of kim’s white tiger taekwondo, emphasizes in every les-son: Mind, Body, Focus. he helps us to put all these together to make us healthier and stronger in every way — in our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.

For this reason, taekwondo is becom-ing very well known for helping kids with ADhD and ADD. they do better in school and at home. But it is shown that it helps everyone do better in school and at home. kids who take taekwondo get bet-ter grades. i can personally attest to the fact that it has made me a much better student. i take my studies more seriously and care very much about excelling. the masters i work with put a very strong emphasis on schoolwork.

taekwondo has been around a long time. it is an ancient art and the earliest records of it go back to 50 BCe. the hwarang war-riors are said to be the ones who developed taekwondo and spread its teachings.

taekwondo teaches its students respect, which frankly most people of my gen-eration sadly does not know, and needs to learn. it also teaches what it means to have good character. taekwondo places an em-phasis on doing the right thing and being kind and patient with other people.

every week, there is a different “Black-

belt life skill” word. Before every class begins, we meditate on and talk about that word. the words are different every week: Mercy, thankfulness, respect, temper Management, Focus, etc. As we meditate on these words and better understand the concepts, we try to figure out ways to incor-porate them into our lives. All these things deliver positive messages and help us build good character. i think it’s especially good for smaller children to begin to think about these ideas.

i am 13 and testing for my first degree Black Belt. i feel like i’m accomplishing something and that makes me feel good about myself. But i also know that i’m just beginning this quest to incorporate the val-ues and lessons of taekwondo into my life. there are still times when i don’t succeed at being kind to my sister or being respectful to my mother and aunt. i have a lot of work to do in perfecting the skills and control-ling my temper. But i’m learning and i have goals for myself.

i’m grateful that different cultures have come together in America, to teach and guide people. America is a young country and it has a lot to learn from countries and cultures that are so much older. i think we all benefit when we try to learn the wis-doms of other cultures.

Thomas Cassidy can be reached at [email protected]

The benefits of Taekwondo and other martial arts

Thomas Cassidy, 13, at the Holly Springs Friendship Tournament

{LANGUAGE cont’d from page 5}

supporters of Alejandrina Cabrera said she was facing pay-back for trying to recall the mayor of san luis, Ariz.

the Arizona supreme Court ruled against the activist, up-holding a 1913 state law that prohibits anyone from holding public office “who is unable to speak, write, and read the eng-lish language.” Cabrera said her english was good enough for the community’s mostly spanish-speaking constituents.

krista watson, an eeoC spokeswoman based in Phoenix, said the new federal guidelines say employers can enforce english-only rules when it’s crucial for performing a job. ear-lier this year, an iraqi hotel worker in Phoenix won a $500,000 settlement from the Four Points by sheraton after Basil Mas-sih said co-workers mocked his accent and called him deroga-

tory names. the eeoC said managers failed to take his com-plaints seriously, making his working conditions intolerable.

in a recent, similar case in California, dozens of Filipi-no hospital workers won a nearly $1 million settlement after claiming they were harassed and reprimanded for speaking with an accent or in their native tongues. the Delano re-gional Medical Center admitted no wrongdoing and defended its english-only policy as essential to patient care. the Fili-pino workers claimed the policy was overly restrictive and enforced unevenly.

Utah officials say they also have seen an increase in dis-crimination complaints over language use, although they do not track the numbers.

“we recently had a couple of cases where the use of a na-tive language was prohibited even in the break room or when

they’re outside and off-duty — the managers just didn’t want to hear it,” said kerry Chlarson, director of the Utah Anti-Discrimination and labor Division.

in its new guidance, the eeoC said employers must “dis-tinguish between a merely discernible foreign accent and one that interferes with communication skills necessary to perform job duties.” the agency cited the case of a Phoenix car salesman. A Nigerian who speaks english fluently filed a complaint saying he was denied a promotion to finance man-ager at a dealership because of his accent.

According to the eeoC, omagbitse Jagha was told he need-ed to talk “more like an American.” the dealership settled his complaint in 2008 for $99,000.

in late November, sgt. Andrew Van Bockel became the seventh soldier to be found guilty in relation to the death of Pvt. Danny Chen. however, what should’ve been hailed as a victory and justice served was little more than lip service. what was Van Bockel’s punishment for being the ringleader of the harassment Chen faced? two reductions in rank and 60 days of extra labor — in actuality, only 15 after credit received from his time in confinement during the court martial.

i’m fairly certain that if this happened outside the military, if someone drove someone else to suicide after repeated ver-bal and physical abuse, they’d be sentenced to a lot more than

what truly amounts to a pay cut and some community service.Van Bockel wasn’t even discharged.it’s time for reform in the military. treating minority sol-

diers like second-class citizens is unacceptable. the convicted soldiers in question weren’t even apologetic during their trials.

sgt. Adam halcomb, one of the first soldiers sentenced in Chen’s case, never even apologized directly to Chen’s parents for his role in Chen’s death. According to military law, the sergeant wasn’t required to testify at his own court martial.

throughout his trial, Van Bockel argued that Chen was a lousy soldier and was undergoing “corrective training.” he

didn’t show any remorse. it’s as if Van Bockel didn’t realize or even acknowledge that he did anything wrong.

Allowing an environment that fosters this kind of opinion and creates this kind of soldier is unacceptable. it’s bad for the military, bad for America, and goes against everything that the United states has ever represented.

Army prosecutor Maj. stephen hernandez put it best.“Pvt. Danny Chen was an American soldier,” hernandez

said. “he was not a dragon lady, an egg roll, a chink, or a gook. he was an American soldier. if you let it slide, these soldiers will believe it’s okay.”

Chen verdict demands changes to the military


PrOject: Residential Aircraft Noise Remedy Im-provements Program - Bid Package S-36, C00783C12

SeAled Bid time/dAte: 1:00 p.m., december 21, 2012

lOcAtiOn due: King County Procurement & Con-tract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

engineer’S eStimAte: $125,000 to $150,000ScOPe Of WOrK: Renovation of five (5) single

family homes to reduce noise infiltration and provide mechanical ventilation. Work may include, but is not limited to: replacement of windows with vinyl-framed acoustical windows, installation of secondary alumi-num-framed sliding glass storm doors, installation of swing out glass storm doors, installation of chimney-top acoustical dampers at fireplaces, attic insulation, and installation of mechanical ventilation equipment with associated miscellaneous electrical modifica-tions. The work is located at various residences around the King County International Airport, Seattle, Wash-ington.

cOntAct infOrmAtiOn: Kelly McKeever, Con-tract Specialist, (206) 263-9329, TTY Relay: 711, or [email protected]. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by County, its officers, officials, employees, agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid cOnference: Conference will be held at 9:00am, december 17, 2012, Room 201, Terminal Building, 7277 Perimeter Rd. S. Seattle, WA, 98108-0245. Contractors will be bused to various houses by

the County.SuBcOntrActing OPPOrtunitieS: Abate-

ment, Mechanical, Electrical, Painting, Insulation, Cleaning.

APPrenticeShiP requirementS: No mini-mum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

ScS utilizAtiOn requirementS: 5% mini-mum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS).

Bid BOnd: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price.

The proposed Contract is under, and subject to, Ex-ecutive Order 11246 of September 24, 1986, and to the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Fed-eral Labor Provisions. All labor on this project is sub-ject to the highest wage rate of davis Bacon (Federal) Wage Rates or Washington State Prevailing Wage Rates for a classification of work. The EEO require-ments, labor provisions and wage rates are included in the specifications and bid documents and are avail-able for inspection on line at the Builders Exchange of Washington web site and the King County Contracts Counter.

To be eligible for award, each bidder shall comply with the affirmative action requirements which are contained in division 0 of the Contract documents and the FAA Special Provisions.

A Contractor or subcontractor, who may be awarded a contract of $10,000 or more, will be required to main-tain an affirmative action program, the standards for which are contained in the division 0 of the Contract

documents and the FAA Special Provisions.At the time of solicitation King County has obtained

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funding for 95% of the activities as described in the bid docu-ments and is subject to the requirements set forth in FAA Project No. 3-53-0058-044 and is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Plans/Specs: Electronic copies of the plans, speci-fications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation can be accessed through an external link to Builder’s Exchange of Washington from our website shown below. This site includes options and instructions for printing. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review M – F 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104.

To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicita-tions” tab at the following internet link:

WeBSite: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement This information is available in alternate formats for

individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

nOteS: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

King County Invitation to Bid

{SPORTS cont’d from page 8}

up with the idea over 10 years ago. “i discovered 9-Man in the late 1990’s when my brother

started playing,” liang said. “it was this amazing communi-ty where guys had confidence, swagger, height, and muscles — all things that defied stereotypes of Asians.” liang, a vol-leyball player herself, participated in the women’s tourna-ment version of 9-Man. the main event, however, is played by the men.

liang has a highly decorated career as a sports journalist, having worked at esPN and the New york times. she has interviewed high profile athletes and covered major sporting events. yet, in a time before yao and linsanity, liang be-lieved that depictions of Asians in sports were lacking. “to put it bluntly, mainstream sports coverage is not friendly to the APA community — it’s full of long-held ideas that rein-force the notion that Asian athletes are inherently inferior.” thus, 9-Man was born.

the documentary seeks to tell the story of this niche sport that is an exclusive game grounded in passion, camaraderie, and culture. it’s a sport which shows that the Asian athlete has swagger.

“the comparison is rucker Park to the NBA as 9 Man is to volleyball,” liang said, analogizing the volleyball tour-nament to the famous basketball tournament held outdoors during the summer in harlem. “People have passion and ex-citement for 9-Man and the added element of concrete, dust, dirt, and 100 degrees outside amplifies all of that. “

About the gamethe game of 9-Man has historical roots. this form of vol-

leyball has been played since American missionaries intro-duced the game in China in the 1920s. it was brought to the states in the 1930s and played by many Chinese immigrants. Due to laws such as the Chinese exclusion Act, which isolat-ed Chinese in America, the volleyball tournaments offered a source of fraternity and an escape. Despite the gentrification of America, the 9-Man tournaments continue on in tradition and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Maintaining its roots, the game is still exclusive to Asians. “the rule is that any individual of partial Asian heritage may play,” liang explained. there are times when birth certifi-cates and other evidence of ancestry must be produced to allow for players to participate.

the game has special rules. Unlike the traditional rules of volleyball, there are nine players on each side and players do not rotate positions. while volleyball allows for three hits per side before sending it over the net, 9-Man allows for a player to hit the ball into the net to allow for one more hit (for a total of 4). Also, the net is lower to allow for more spikes. Adding to the streetball feel is the fact that there are no hired referees. teams bring their own referees which, predictably, create controversies between teams.

the game is played outside, during the summer, and main-ly on concrete courts. the asphalt lends to bloody knees and elbows, but for most, it’s a small price to pay. the 9-Man season begins around Memorial Day and ends labor Day weekend with its national tournament.

Players come from all walks of life. Former college vol-leyball players, doctors, lawyers, and working class indi-viduals all play. teams can range from recreational to the

ultra-competitive. According to Danny Moy, tournament director for the

9-Man tournament in New york, there are approximately 90 to 100 teams participating in the 9-Man National tourna-ment. the tournament participants are 60 percent male and 40 percent female. there are approximately 1,200 to 1,500 players converging at the national tournament. Moy indi-cated that smaller tournaments held throughout the summer have 60 to 70 teams participating. the age ranges between 13 to 60 years old and divisions can vary depending on age and skill. the national tournament occurs during labor Day weekend and rotates between seven cities.

About the filmmaker when not working on the documentary, liang works as

a freelance producer and writer on various projects. Most recently, she has worked on the Ultimate Fighting Cham-pionships original programming, “UFC Primetime,” which essentially promotes the upcoming UFC fights. liang films and produces segments for the show, including filming fight-ers in training and interviewing them about their upcoming fights.

with a background in journalism, liang has learned the different skills needed to make a documentary. liang also has received help from family, friends, and advisers on the documentary. she has mostly funded the project on her own, but has established a kickstarter page seeking others inter-ested in the project to contribute to the editing and final pro-duction of the project.

the documentary began filming in 2010 and liang has fol-lowed the tournaments to New york, los Angeles, Boston, and Montreal. the crew filmed various teams and focused on a couple they believed would go far in the tournaments.

“the challenge of documentaries is that it takes so long to make,” liang said. “i’ve been waiting on the project for four years and it’s not done.” liang hopes to wrap up editing for the documentary, so she can determine whether she needs additional filming. once completed, liang hopes to market it to the film festival circuit and perhaps for television.

For more information on the documentary, visit 9-Man at http://www.9-man.com and you may contribute to its kickstarter account at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ursula/9-man-a-streetball-battle-in-the-heart-of-chinatow

UFC heads to SeattleUFC fighters, including former Northwest Asian weekly

interviewees Brandon Vera, Mark Munoz, Nam Phan, and Benson henderson, will be in seattle for the UFC on Fox event at keyArena on saturday, Dec. 8. Vera announced on his Facebook page that he will be a guest analyst for the event. Munoz will be in town signing autographs promoting the event and the UFC. Phan was a late replacement to the fight card. ironically, he was to be on the card in seattle a couple years ago, but an injury forced him out. Now, he fills in for an injured fighter this time around. henderson will be in the main event defending his lightweight title. Also on the card is legendary UFC fighter and korean hawaiian BJ Penn in what could be the last fight of his career.

Jason Cruz can be reached at [email protected].

{CANTOR cont’d from page 1}

CPAs, and a past executive board member of therapeutic health services (ths). Cantor has used his unique profession-al and educational background to give back to his community for nearly 40 years.

Cantor first became an attorney in his hometown of Manila in 1965. in 1968, he received his Masters of Finance at the Uni-versity of Puget sound before his first position in washington in 1974.

“i worked here in the U.s. as a corporate accountant, first with a construction company, then with a manufacturing com-pany, a public accountant firm, and as an international accoun-tant at Microsoft,” Cantor said.

Cantor’s first major volunteer role came with ths, an or-ganization dedicated to rehabilitating individuals and healing families affected by drug and alcohol dependence and mental illness, in 1985.

“we were looking for a finance person and i had tony Paz come in my office,” ths director Norman o. Johnson said. “he knew a gentleman at that particular time who worked at Microsoft. Cantor was unusual because he had three degrees that you rarely see in one person. i don’t think in 40 years of this business have i been lucky enough to come across someone with all three of those skills.”

Cantor brought connections and resources from all over the world to ths, including the Philippines.

“he was very open minded, very resourceful, and had many connections,” Johnson said. “thanks to connections sesinando has, we now have a relationship with one of the oldest universi-ties (University of Manila) in Asia to have interns.”

Cantor ultimately held the role of director, treasurer, and head of the finance committee. he was a member of the execu-tive committee before leaving in 2007 to focus on his role with the Filipino American Community of renton.

there, Cantor established the Filipino American scholarship Fund, providing financial and education grants to students who are in college.

“we are planning to expand our services, and to renew and increase our ties with various agencies that are serving many mi-norities,” Cantor said. “to me, i think it’s nice to be able to link and network with these organizations and other ethnicities.”

when asked about Cantor’s motivation, Johnson cited his Filipino heritage.

“i think it’s a cultural thing of wanting to work with people, help others, and look outside yourself,” he said. “i’ve worked with Filipinos in other countries and here and they have the cultural background of wanting to help other people.”

Cantor sees it in a different, yet similar way.“i believe in sharing my talents, my professional expertise

and sharing with them and assisting them whatever the needs in which i will be able,” he said. “one of my philosophies is i have to be involved with a community bigger than myself.”

he also cites a cultural influence.“remember we are all Americans,” he said. “i wanted

to make sure we, in the seattle area, are a very viable and enjoyable place, where we as Asian Americans can live and work together and are empowered. let us all be vibrant and empowered and do it for a common cause for all of us here in the seattle area.”

Ninette Cheng can be reached at [email protected].


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, 2001Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 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.

RATIf there are some parts to an offer that are unpalatable, then by all means address it before you agree to anything.

OXQuick maneuvering on your end will shift the balance in your favor. There is no time to waste, so give it your best shot.

TIGERYou are convinced that you are right, but not everyone is so certain. Remain calm and explain your position.

RABBITBeing away a lot can be saying something that you are not actually intending to convey. Make plans to be together upon your return.

DRAGONAs much as you want to push things along, this time, you must be patient. Find a way to occupy yourself while you wait.

SNAKENormally quite regimented, you have the chance to proceed differently now. Pick a path that appeals the most to you.

HORSEThere are unique selections at home that aren’t readily available elsewhere. You have so much more to appreciate than you realize.

GOATToo much recent excitement could be masking an issue that needs to be looked at. No hurry, just be mindful of what needs to be done.

MONKEYYour candid thoughts should only be shared if you are comfortable doing so. Not all are privy to such details.

ROOSTERIlluminate that which is now in the dark. A closer inspection could reveal something that was hidden before.

DOGIf you venture too far away, then you might not hear what is going on. Staying nearby is a good idea for now.

PIGThe outcome can be influenced, but only to a degree. There are simply some factors that are outside your control.

For the week of December 8–December 14, 2012■ AsTrology

Attorney James C. Buckley

Attorney Paul B. Apple

Attorney Edward J. Hemingway

Attorney Efrem R. Krisher

Attorney Ronal Unger

Attorney Erica B. Buckley

Attorney Christine Kim

Seattle Office675 S. Lane St. Suite 300Seattle, WA 98104Office: (206) 622-1100Toll free: (800) 404-6200Fax: (206) 622-0688

Tacoma OfficeWells Fargo Plaza Suite 1400Tacoma, WA 98402(appointment only)

www.buckleylaw.net

Our Attorneys & Staff Proudly Serving the Community

Quick Settlements!2-4 months after treatment for most cases

Back & neck injuries

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Pedestrian Accidents

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Contingent fees (no recovery, no fee, costs only)

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Same day appointments

Before & after work appointments available

Free initial consultation

Home & hospital visits availablePArAlegAl: MAry ZHu206-622-1100 Toll Free: 1-800-404-6200Cell: 206-920-6721 Office Direct Line: 206-957-1203Mandarin, Cantonese, and Tai Shan speaking

Our law firm has recovered

over $180 million for

clients

Member of the Million Dollar Advocates ForumSelected as Super Lawyer

Member of Several Bar Associations

{KIM cont’d from page 1}

such a nice and gentle man. he has a calming [effect] on people.” lee said that kim dedi-cates time to each organization, participates in its events, and contributes his own money.

Born in seoul, south korea, kim attended korean University. he received a degree in korean literature in 1962 and sought work in the public sector.

“i wanted to go into government and poli-tics,” kim said, speaking through his daugh-ter heidi, who served as an interpreter. But when he could not get a job in government and politics after graduation, he decided to start his own business. kim owned and oper-ated a timber mill company. his family was in business, so he decided to establish one of his own.

interested in coming to the United states, kim shut down his timber company and got a job as a branch manager for a company spe-cializing in the manufacturing of fishing nets in 1982. he first moved to New Jersey, but then branched out to los Angeles. “i liked the west Coast better,” he said.

seeking another change, kim moved to the seattle area in 1989 and started a dry clean-ing business. kim had no previous experi-ence in dry cleaning, but had a friend that owned a dry cleaner business and he became sold on the idea.

kim established olympic Cleaners in Bel-levue. he owned and operated the business since moving to the Northwest, until his re-tirement in 2005.

while kim owned olympic Cleaners, he became involved in the local korean Ameri-can community. he participated in the Fed-eration of korean American Dry Cleaners and eventually became its president. “the reason i started to do this was to help other koreans,” said kim. As a part of the Federa-tion, kim taught other dry cleaning business owners about how to build their business and work with employees.

Despite the fact that he provided knowl-edge to competing dry cleaners, kim thought of it as helping to make a better korean American community.

kim also volunteered with the Federation of korean American Association, the seattle washington korean Association, the korean American Chamber of Commerce, and the National Unification Advisory Council – se-attle Municipal Chapter.

one of the biggest achievements kim re-

calls in his philanthropic work in get-ting two of the largest korean language schools in the seattle and Bellevue area to merge into one organization. kim thought that a unified school would be stronger.

in addition, kim has participated in fundraising activities for korean Amer-ican causes. Notably, kim actively raised funds for korean American Mi-chael Park in his quest to be mayor of Federal way.

“he cares about the community and he donates his own money and he never says no,” complimented lee of kim’s unwavering support for the causes he supports.

kim has been married to his wife for nearly 49 years and has three adult daughters. his daughter heidi owns her own dry cleaners.

Jason Cruz can be reached at [email protected].

{JOINT EXERCISES cont’d from page 5}

potent tool for projecting military force far from its shores. China’s Defense Ministry reiterated thursday, Nov. 29 that the aircraft carrier was in line with the country’s defense needs and was “not aimed at threatening others and not target-ed against any country.”

hardware aside, China has been ratcheting up tensions by engaging in more aggressive tactics in recent months and thereby unnerving neighbors and the United states.

this week, southern hainan province, which administers or claims to administer the south China sea islands China holds or wants to, ap-proved laws giving the police force the right to search vessels that intrude in Chinese waters. the move raised concerns about whether China would seek to block normal maritime traffic through the south China sea, waters vital to world trade.

Aware of the potential for conflict between the militaries, both sides have in recent years tried to find ways to cooperate. their armed forces have conducted joint anti-piracy drills in the Gulf of Aden. U.s. Navy secretary ray Ma-

bus in Beijing this week renewed an invitation for China to take part in large U.s.-led multina-tional naval exercises next year, though China has not said if it would participate.

exercises on humanitarian and disaster relief operations are relatively safe ways to build trust because they “avoid politically sensitive areas,” said retired rear Admiral Mike McDevitt, a se-nior fellow with the Center for Naval Analysis.

Asia is home to more natural disasters every year than any other part of the world, and the U.s. and Chinese militaries have proved vital in responding to tragedies, such as the 2008 wenquan earthquake that struck in the moun-tains outside Chengdu, and last year’s massive tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, said Allen l. Clark, senior program development specialist at the Pacific Disaster Center in ho-nolulu.

“the U.s. military has been vital in respond-ing to disasters, so it makes perfect sense for it to continue coordinating and training with other nations’ militaries,” Clark told the Asso-ciated Press at a forum organized by the east-west Center.


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{TEMPLE cont’d from page 4}

the military owns vast tracts of land in karachi and other parts of the country.

Vankwani said the incident was another example of the problems hindus are fac-ing in Pakistan. hindus complain that girls are forcibly converted to islam, there is no legal recognition for hindu marriages, and hindus are discriminated against when it comes to access to government jobs or schooling.

“every month, there is an incident, like taking property of hindu people or forced

conversion of hindu girls,” he said.During partition in 1947, the violent

separation of Pakistan and india into sepa-rate countries, hundreds of thousands of hindus decided to migrate to india, where hinduism is the dominant religion. those who remained and their descendants now make up a tiny fraction of Pakistan’s es-timated 190 million citizens. Most live in sindh province in the southern part of the country.

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Islamabad contributed.

CORRECTIOnIn our previous issue, we incorrectly listed the name of Phnom Penh restaurant owner Sam Ung's wife as Karen. Her name in actuality is Kim.

{TE’O cont’d from page 1}

Character is something te’o doesn’t lack. he became the face of the top ranked team in the country in 2012 and is the leader of a great defensive team.

this performance comes after a year of ad-versity for te’o. on sept. 11, he lost both his grandmother and his girlfriend to separate battles with cancer. Despite these losses, te’o didn’t miss a single game due to a promise he made to his girlfriend.

“i really wanted to see her,” te’o said dur-ing a press conference following a game that took place the same day as his girlfriend’s funeral. “But i knew that she made me prom-ise, you know, one day, she made me prom-ise. she said, ‘Babe, if anything happens to me, you promise you’ll still stay over there and that you’ll play and that you’ll honor me through the way you play, and you know i would rather have you there.’ And just to make sure that all she wanted was some white roses. white is her favorite color. so she just wanted some white roses and that’s all she asked for. i sent her roses and sent her two picks along with that, so that was good.”

te’o is also an eagle scout and has volun-teered extensively with shriner’s hospital, the head start preschool program, hawai’i Food

Bank, and the spe-cial olympics. soon after the death of his girlfriend, te’o eased the pain of a 12-year-old Notre Dame foot-ball fan with brain cancer, writing her a heartfelt letter in her last days.

te’o’s character is backed by his skills. in addition to leading the strongest defense in college football, te’o was also the first player to win both the high school and college But-kus Award, which is given to the best line-backer in the country. he is projected to be a first-round pick when he enters the NFl Draft in 2013.

The Heisman will be awarded on Dec. 8 in New York City. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN.

The LOTT Trophy will be presented the day after Dec. 8 in Newport Beach, Calif. The event will be televised live by FOX Sports beginning at 7 p.m. PST.

Charles Lam can be reached at [email protected].

Manti Te’o


“Secret Asian Man” comic books are now available at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Seattle.

{ROCKET cont’d from page 4}

including those set by the U.N. security Council. North korea has capable short- and medium-range missiles, but long-range launches in 1998, 2006, 2009, and in April of this year ended in failure. North korea is not known to have succeeded in mounting an atomic bomb on a missile, but is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen bombs, according to U.s. experts. in 2010, it revealed a uranium enrichment program that could provide a second source of material for nuclear weapons.

six-nation negotiations on dismantling North korea’s nuclear program in exchange for aid fell apart in early 2009.

there has been some skepticism about whether North korea will succeed.

“Preparing for a launch less than a year after a failure calls into question whether the North could have analyzed and fixed what-ever went wrong,” David wright, a physicist with the Union of Con-cerned scientists, wrote on the organization’s website this week.

North korea said it chose a safe flight path so debris won’t endan-ger neighboring countries. But there are still concerns over falling debris, and Japan’s defense minister issued an order to missile units to prepare to intercept the rocket if it or its fragments threaten to hit Japan.

the first stage of the rocket is expected to fall in the yellow sea and the second stage in waters east of the Philippines, a south ko-rean Foreign Ministry official said sunday, Dec. 2. the official said Japanese officials provided the information after intercepting a

North korean-dispatched telex about the launch.the message said North korea plans to launch the rocket between

7 a.m. (2200 GMt) and noon (0300 GMt) during its planned launch window, the south korean official said on condition of anonymity because of department rules.

south korean officials have accused North korea of trying to influence the south’s presidential election with what they consider provocations meant to put pressure on voters and on the United states as the North seeks concessions. Conservative Park Geun-hye, the daughter of late President Park Chung-hee, is facing liberal Moon Jae-in in the south korean presidential vote. Polls show the candidates in a close race.

North korea is “working hard to influence the upcoming election. they may have a preferred candidate,” south korean President lee Myung-bak said in an interview with a small group of foreign re-porters in the presidential Blue house. “even if they test fire a mis-sile, it will not have a big impact on the election,” lee said, speaking through an interpreter.

lee gave the interview thursday, Nov. 29, but his office embar-goed the publication of his comments until sunday, Dec. 2.

North korea under its young leader has pledged to bolster its nu-clear arsenal unless washington scraps what the North calls a “hos-tile” policy. North korea maintains that it is building bombs to de-fend itself against what it sees as a U.s. nuclear threat in the region.

this year is the centennial of the birth of national founder kim il sung, the grandfather of kim Jong Un. According to North ko-rean propaganda, 2012 is meant to put the North on a path toward a

“strong, prosperous, and great nation.”“North korea appears to be under pressure to redeem its

April launch failure before the year of the ‘strong, prosper-ous, and great nation’ ends,” said koh yu-hwan, a North korea expert at Dongguk University in seoul.

he added that a successful rocket launch would raise North korea’s bargaining power with south korea and the United states “because it means the country is closer to de-veloping missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.”

Before its last two rocket launches, North korea noti-fied the international Civil Aviation organization and the international Maritime organization about its intentions to launch. iMo spokeswoman Natasha Brown said that as of Friday, Nov. 30 the organization had not been notified by North korea.

the North’s announcement on saturday, Dec. 1 comes two days after south korea canceled what would have been the launch of its first satellite from its own territory. scien-tists in seoul cited technical difficulties. south korea’s For-eign Ministry said in a statement that the North’s planned launch is “a grave provocation and a head-on challenge to the international community.”

North korea’s missile and nuclear programs will be a challenge for obama in his second term and for the incom-ing south korean leader. washington’s most recent attempt to negotiate a freeze of the North’s nuclear program and a test moratorium in exchange for food aid collapsed with the April launch.

in Japan, Prime Minister yoshihiko Noda said he would coordinate with the United states, south korea, China, and russia in strongly urging the North to refrain from the rock-et launch. kyodo News agency said Japan also postponed high-level talks with North korea scheduled for wednesday and thursday.

British Foreign secretary william hague condemned North korea’s launch plan, saying a failure by North korea to cancel the firing will lead to a further response by the international community.

the korean Peninsula remains in a state of war because the 1950-1953 korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. washington stations nearly 30,000 troops in south korea as a buttress against any North korean aggression. tens of thousands more are in nearby Japan.

Associated Press writers Jean H. Lee, Hyung-jin Kim, and Sam Kim in Seoul, Jill Lawless in London, Thomas Strong in Washington, D.C., and Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo contributed to this report.


VOL 31 NO 50 | DECEMBER 8 - DECEMBER 14, 2012

Documents

kim contd

lott impact trophy

asian community

cantor contd

teo contd

mak contd

lott trophy finalistmanti

community bigger