Daily Dose: 08/14/08
August 14, 2008
» AsianWeek Market Report
» Detainee Hiu Lui Ng Dies in U.S. Hands
» Students From Chinese Quake Region to Study in NY
» Assemblywoman Young Awards Community Leaders
» Thai Slave Laborers Freed, Become U.S. Citizens
» First Fundraiser for Asian Heart & Vascular Center
» Chan-Wilcox Competes for Council Seat
» Feng Shui for Luxury Homes and Commercial Environments
» Pianist Wang Enjoys Unpredictable Schedule
» Controversy Over Chinese Gymnasts’ Ages Clouds Gold-Medal Win
» Yao Leads China to First Win in Beijing
» Filipino Debbie Jorgensen Honored in Top 100 Women Financial Advisors List
» Prof. Rich Lee Receives Asian American Psychological Association Award
» Japan’s Females are Longest Living
» Olympic Committee Condemns Chinese Treatment of Journalist
Compiled by Ivan Natividad and Michelle-Linh Thuy Nguyen
| AsianWeek Market Report | ||||
| Asian Stock Indexes | ||||
| NIKKEI 225 | Tokyo | 12,956.80 | -66.25 | -0.51% |
| HANG SENG | Hong Kong | 21,392.71 | 99.39 | 0.47% |
| KRX | Busan | 3,261.28 | 20.83 | 0.64% |
| SSE IX | Shanghai | 8,278.66 | 29.02 | 0.35% |
| BSE | Bombay | 14,724.18 | -368.94 | -2.44% |
| HOSE | Ho Chi Minh | 476.50 | 12.49 | 2.69% |
| SET | Bangkok | 499.57 | 2.79 | 0.56% |
| Asian American Market Report | ||||
| Yahoo! | YHOO | 20.30 | 0.02 | (0.08%) |
| Citigroup | C | 18.12 | 0.04 | (0.22%) |
| Amkor Technology, Inc | AMKR | 8.80 | -0.04 | (-0.45%) |
| Sybase | SY | 36.54 | 0.07 | (0.19%) |
| UnionBancal Corp | UB | 65.27 | -0.19 | (-0.28%) |
| East West Bank corp,Inc | EWBC | 13.56 | -0.10 | (-0.73%) |
Compiled by Ivan Natividad and Michelle-Linh Thuy Nguyen
NATION
Detainee Hiu Lui Ng Dies in U.S. Hands
After months complaining about excruciating pain and being ignored, Hiu Lui Ng, 34, died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a Rhode Island hospital on August 6, his spine fractured and his body riddled with cancer.
Ng was 17 when he came to New York from Hong Kong in 1992. Fifteen years later, he was a computer engineer working in the Empire State Building and living in Queens with his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and two American-born sons, now 1 and 3 years old.
But when Ng, who had overstayed a visa years earlier, went to Manhattan immigration headquarters last summer for his final interview for a green card, he was swept into immigration detention.
His lawyers have demanded a criminal investigation in a letter to federal and state prosecutors in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, and the Department of Homeland Security, which runs the detention system.
Ng’s lawyers contend that when he complained of severe pain that did not respond to analgesics and grew too weak to walk or even stand to call his family, officials accused him of faking his condition. They denied him a wheelchair and refused pleas for an independent medical evaluation.
— New York Times
. . . . . . . . . .
Students From Chinese Quake Region to Study in NY
NEW YORK — The State University of New York is set to welcome 150 undergraduates from western China, who will study at 22 campuses around the state for the next year before returning home to help their region recover from a massive earthquake that struck last May.
The students are due to arrive at Kennedy Airport on Friday afternoon. They will then disperse to 22 campuses around the state for two semesters of study. Each student has agreed to return to China next spring to help with the rebuilding effort.
The University said a fundraising drive is under way to pay for the program.
Nearly 70,000 people died in the May 12 quake, and 5 million were left homeless in three hardest hit provinces — China’s worst natural disaster in a generation. It reportedly caused more than $122 billion in direct economic losses.
— Associated Press
. . . . . . . . . .
Assemblywoman Young Awards Community Leaders
FLUSHING, NY — On August 10, Assemblywoman Ellen Young presented a New York State Citation to the President of the Concerned African-Americans of Flushing, Al Rankins, during the organization’s 15th Annual Community Breakfast.
Other community leaders awarded were:
Frances Yang, George Gibson and Essie Wicks Williams — CAAF Leadership Award
Genevieve Cheek and Robbie Garrison — CAAF Community Service Award
Philip Sillman — CAAF Humanitarian Award
BAY/CALIFORNIA
Thai Slave Laborers Freed, Become U.S. Citizens
LOS ANGELES — Maliwan Clinton recalls her first taste of America with a shudder. She was enslaved behind razor wire and around-the-clock guards in an El Monte sweatshop, where she and more than 70 other Thai laborers were forced to work 18-hour days for what amounted to less than a dollar an hour.
Exactly 13 years to the day the Thai laborers won their freedom, Clinton acquired her U.S. citizenship by taking the oath of allegiance to her new nation.
“I’m an American and this is my home now!” said Clinton, 39, as she waved a miniature American flag at the Montebello ceremony.
More than 40 of them had gathered to celebrate with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, which successfully fought for a $4 million settlement from manufacturers and retailers for their exploitation and won an uphill battle to gain legal status for the workers.
— Los Angeles Times
. . . . . . . . . .
First Fundraiser for Asian Heart & Vascular Center
SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian Heart and Vascular Center is sponsoring its first major fundraiser with a VIP Dinner and Reception and a private tour of the Ming Dynasty Exhibit in the San Francisco Asian Art Museum on August 21 from 6-9 p.m.
Founded only two year ago, the new group is the first of its kind, created at the University of California in San Francisco to provide care and prevention of heart disease and stroke for the largest Asian community in the United States.
Their goals are to provide culturally sensitive and language-appropriate patient education, resources and support for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease as well as comprehensive, evidence-based evaluation and management of Asian patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Benefit tickets are $500 and $1000 for VIP and sponsors. The dinner will be catered by McCall Associates.
For tickets and information, (415) 502-2872 or mchinnavaso@support.ucsf.edu.
. . . . . . . . . .
Chan-Wilcox Competes for Council Seat
OROVILLE, Calif. — Eight candidates are running for three City Council seats. Three are incumbents, and five are new applicants vying for their positions.
New candidates, William “Bill” Coots, Steven Harvey, David Pittman, Allen “JR” Simpson and Thil Chan-Wilcox, have signed up for the race.
Chan-Wilcox has served on the Planning Commission for 16 years. In September, she will retire from Butte County, so that she will have time to serve on City Council.
Chan-Wilcox has lived in Oroville for 55 of her 62 years. Her family has lived in Oroville since 1867. She is for smart growth that enhances the community and supports the rights of property owners who maintain their properties. She has served six years on the Butte County Employees Association.
Friday marked the last day to join the race for the November General Election, and some new faces entered the arena.
— Orivillemr.com
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
Feng Shui for Luxury Homes and Commercial Environments
SAN FRANCISCO — On August 25, 12-2 p.m., Feng Shui Master Joey Yap, will apply the principles of feng shui to luxury homes and commercial environments in The Galleria Building, Suite 320, at the San Francisco Design Center, 101 Henry Adams Street. Dress code is business or business casual.
Pronounced “fung shway,” feng shui literally means “wind and water.” Its roots are 5,000 years old. Feng shui seeks to promote prosperity, good health and general well being by examining how energy, qi, pronounced “chee,” flows through a particular room, house, building or garden.
By creating a more pleasing atmosphere, feng shui has been credited with improving family communication, restoring employee cooperation and increasing store sales. The principles can be applied to any style of building or decorating, not just to Asian modes.
To RSVP, (415) 332 1085 or nucifora@luxesf.com.
. . . . . . . . . .
Pianist Wang Enjoys Unpredictable Schedule
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Pianist Yuja Wang has developed a novel reputation. Promoters know that if their star pianist gets sick, they can give Wang a call and, she’ll arrive suitcase in hand to deliver a knockout performance.
Born in Beijing in 1987, she started piano lessons at age 6 and eventually became a student of Ling Yuan and Zhou Guangren at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She was soon making public performances in China, Australia and Germany and won numerous competitions in China, Paris and Spain. She also spent a couple of summers attending the Morningside Music Bridge at Calgary’s Mount Royal College, which is an artistic and cultural exchange program between Canada and China.
On Aug. 22, she’ll get her own concert date with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Wang will play at the chamber festival’s first Piano Concerto.
— DailyGazette.com
SPORTS
Controversy Over Chinese Gymnasts’ Ages Clouds Gold-Medal Win
BEIJING — As the Chinese Olympic women’s gymnastics team celebrates winning its first-ever gold medal, questions surrounding the athletes’ ages continue to plague them.
In what has been referred to by many as sour grapes after the Americans finished in second place, the U.S. national team coordinator, Martha Karolyi, voiced her concern over the Chinese team’s eligibility to compete because some of the girls on the six-member team may not be over 16.
China’s coach, Lu Shanzhen, defended his team after they upset the Americans and reigning world champions.
“It’s unfair that people keep saying the Chinese are too young to compete,” Lu told reporters in Mandarin. “If they think they can tell someone’s age just by looking at them, look at the foreign athletes, they have so much more muscles than the Chinese. Do you then say that they are doping?”
— FoxNews
. . . . . . . . . .
Yao Leads China to First Win in Beijing
BEIJING — Houston Rockets center Yao Ming scored 30 points to lead China to an 85-68 win against Angola Thursday, giving the Olympic hosts their first victory of the Summer Games in men’s basketball.
Using an overwhelming height advantage, China dominated under basket and exploited frequently sloppy play by the African champions for easy baskets.
Yao drilled 10 of 11 field goals for 91 percent shooting, matched by 10 of 11 from the free throw line.
Yi Jianlian of the New Jersey Nets seemed to come alive for the first time in the tournament, stuffing several big jams and grabbing 10 defensive rebounds. That won him a rare note of approval from China coach Jonas Kazlauskas.
“I’m think he still hasn’t found a good chemistry with Yao. But today much better,” Kazlauskas said.
China plays Germany Thursday and Greece Saturday.
— NBC.com
COMMERCE
Filipino Debbie Jorgensen Honored in Top 100 Women Financial Advisors List
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Filipino community member Debbie Jorgensen is among an elite group of financial advisers recognized in Barron’s 2008 report profiling the “Top 100 Women Financial Advisers.” For the third year in a row, Debbie was selected for this honor and was most recently ranked #13.
Each advisor was evaluated through a host of quantitative and qualitative criteria, ranging from assets and revenues managed to experience level, client retention reports, customer satisfaction reports and interviews with senior management, peers and customers.
Debbie has been with Merrill Lynch for 24 years, serving corporate and individual investors with comprehensive financial solutions, including concentrated stock management, asset management, estate planning services and philanthropy. Debbie manages over $885 million in assets. Additionally, Debbie serves as honorary director with Larkin Street Youth Services and volunteers with Stanford Associates, Stanford Special Gifts and San Francisco Symphony.
. . . . . . . . . .
Prof. Rich Lee Receives Asian American Psychological Association Award
University of Minnesota professor Richard Lee has received the Asian American Psychological Association’s prestigious K. Patrick Okura Award for community service and leadership that benefits the APA community.
Prof. Lee’s contribution to the Twin Cities’ Asian American communities through the Still Present Pasts (SPP) Exhibit was an immense undertaking.
The SPP project brought together disparate groups of people from the diverse Korean American community in Minnesota. The project carries personal meaning for Lee, whose own immediate family was disrupted and broken up by the Korean War.
Lee’s current research continues to involve the local communities with a particular focus on families formed through international adoption, including Korean American teens and adults who were adopted as young children. He and his graduate students also conduct research on incoming students of color at the university and the ways in which personal, family and cultural factors affect their psychological development and academic success.
GLOBAL
Japan’s Females are Longest Living
Japanese girls born last year can expect to live until they are 86 years old, which would make them the longest survivors in the world, a report from the country’s health ministry showed.
Japan’s females have topped the world’s longevity ranks for 23 years, something researchers have attributed to their healthy diet and tight social ties, among other reasons.
The report is the latest sign that Japan is aging quicker than any other country, with government data showing a tenth of the population aged 75 years or older.
Japan also has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, leaving the government with the challenge of how to fund its pension requirements, take care of its elderly and maintain productivity.
— Reuters
. . . . . . . . . .
Olympic Committee Condemns Chinese Treatment of Journalist
BEIJING — The International Olympic Committee has objected to the actions of Chinese authorities who detained a British journalist reporting on a pro-Tibet rally and American student activists in Beijing.
Committee spokeswoman Giselle Davies told reporters that they disapprove of any attempt to hinder a journalist who is working within the rules and regulations.
At a rally, police arrested seven U.S. citizens and a Japanese national who are members of the group Students for a Free Tibet.
In Nepal police detained at least 760 Tibetan exiles that were protesting outside the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.
Nepal is home to about 20,000 Tibetans who fled their homeland after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
Exiles have been staging almost daily protests since March, when Chinese forces brutally suppressed demonstrations in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.
— Voice of America
Comments
Got something to say?