» NY APA Community Calls for Fair State and City Budget
» SPPUC Asks for the Gift of Used Cooking Oil
» Golden Gate Comics Workshop at the Cartoon Art Museum
» Book Reading With Janice Y.K. Lee
» Noguchi Museum Cancels Asian American Modern Art Exhibition
» Lam Ramps Up Game in Clutch to Win Volvo Masters of Asia
» Japanese Take Third Place in World
» Info Session for Monte Jade Science 2009 Tour
» More Asian Americans Expected to Work in Government
» Chinese Pandas Arrive in Taiwan
» China Urged to Release Dissident
Compiled by Adrienne Aguirre
AsianWeek Market Report
| AsianWeek Market Report | ||||
| Asian Stock Indexes | ||||
| NIKKEI 225 | Tokyo | 8,723.78 | 135.26 | 1.57% |
| HANG SENG | Hong Kong | 14,220.79 | -401.60 | -2.75% |
| KRX | Busan | 2,419.99 | -81.75 | -3.27% |
| SSE IX | Shanghai | 6,952.91 | -342.21 | -4.69% |
| BSE | Bombay | 9,686.75 | -241.60 | -2.43% |
| HOSE | Ho Chi Minh | 303.93 | -6.12 | -1.97% |
| SET | Bangkok | 440.40 | 6.32 | 1.46% |
| Asian American Market Report | ||||
| Yahoo! | YHOO | 12.36 | 0.01 | (0.16%) |
| Citigroup | C | 6.57 | - 0.18 | ( 2.67%) |
| Amkor Technology, Inc | AMKR | 1.91 | -0.11 | (5.45%) |
| Sybase | SY | 23.86 | 0.34 | (1.45%) |
| East West Bank corp,Inc | EWBC | 14.37 | -0.27 | (1.84%) |
NATION
NY APA Community Calls for Fair State and City Budget
NEW YORK – Over 20 Asian-led or -serving community-based organizations held a press conference on Dec. 19 on the steps of City Hall to call for a stop to the state and city budget cuts.
During this economic downturn, the Growing Coalition urges the state and city governments to protect the most vulnerable community members, invest in services and programs that ensure economic vitality, support small, community-based organizations that serve emerging immigrant communities and balance the budget by addressing both the revenue and expense sides.
Asian Pacific Americans are the fastest growing group in New York City, comprising nearly 12 percent of the population and numbering nearly 1 million. Largely foreign born (73 percent), Asian Pacific Americans have the highest rate of linguistic isolation (28 percent) and the second-highest rate of poverty (25.9 percent). Despite these needs, the Asian Pacific American community receives 0.24 percent of the city’s social service contract dollars and 0.38 percent of the city’s foundation grant dollars.
BAY/CALIFORNIA
SPPUC Asks for the Gift of Used Cooking Oil
SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Gavin Newsom, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu are urging San Franciscans to get in the holiday spirits in a different way this season – by dropping off their used holiday cooking oil to recycle into biofuel. Collection opportunities will occur during business hours at Costco Warehouse in San Francisco and at all Whole Foods Market locations throughout The City over the four days following the day after Christmas, December 27-30. Residents are encouraged to start collecting now in time for the after-Christmas drop-off.
For more details about SFPUC’s SFGreasecycle’s Used Cooking Oil Drop-Off Events, or for businesses wanting to sign-up for the free collection program, contact the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission at 415.695.7366 or visit SFGreasecycle.org.
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
Golden Gate Comics Workshop at the Cartoon Art Museum
EVENT: Comic Workshop featuring Briana Miller and Thien Pham
DESCRIPTION: The artists Briana Miller and Thien Pham will present demonstrations of comic book techniques and a hands-on silkscreen workshop.
DETAILS: Free, Sunday, Jan. 25, 1-4 p.m., 655 Mission St., San Francisco.
CONTACT: Judy Moran, 415.252.2586 or judy.moran@sfgov.org
Posters will be on display on Market Street between Van Ness and the Embarcadero from Dec. 22 until March 19, 2009. The posters, designed by artists Briana Miller and Thien Pham, were commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Art on Market Street 2008 Program.
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Book Reading With Janice Y.K. Lee
EVENT: Reading and Q&A with Janice Y.K. Lee
DESCRIPTION: Get a chance to hear Janice Y.K. Lee discuss her debut novel The Piano Teacher right here in the Bay Area!
DETAILS: Free, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, Calif.; Free, Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m., Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley, Calif.
CONTACT: Julie Sellew, (646) 644-5799, julie@niwapr.com
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Noguchi Museum Cancels Asian American Modern Art Exhibition
NEW YORK – Due to unanticipated delays in its renovation that preclude the use of much of its special-exhibition galleries, The Noguchi Museum has been compelled to cancel its upcoming exhibition “Asian American Modern Art: Shifting Currents 1900-1970.”
The exhibition has been organized by the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (FAMSF) in association with the Asian American Art project at Stanford University. Currently on view at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, it was scheduled to open at The Noguchi Museum on Feb. 18, 2009.
This current phase of renovation builds upon the earlier work, completing the structural stabilization and climate control, which will enhance the museum’s ability to borrow works for its exhibition program and rebuilding the museum entrance to better serve visitors.
The new entry pavilion is scheduled to open on March 1, 2009.
SPORTS
Lam Ramps Up Game in Clutch to Win Volvo Masters of Asia
BANGKOK, Thailand – Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing held his nerve in a tense final round to shoot a five-under 67 and win the Volvo Masters of Asia on Sunday.
Lam carded five birdies on a blemish-free round to finish 14-under par and seal victory in the Asian Tour’s season-ending championship, two strokes ahead of Thai Chapchai Nirat, with Australian Terry Pilkadaris third on 11-under.
Lam shared the overnight lead with four other players going into a thrilling final day and surged away from the pack with three decisive birdies in the last four holes.
“Winning this is really special. It’s unbelievable, just being here was a big achievement for me,” Lam told Star Sports television.
“I felt in control of my game, I made sure there were no mistakes and I’m so happy to win.”
“It was a jam-packed leaderboard, so I’m glad I just went out and did the job,” added the 31-year-old, who has twice qualified for the British Open.
- Reuters
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Japanese Take Third Place in World
Gamba Osaka recovered from their semifinal beating by Manchester United to clinch third place in the Club World Cup with a narrow victory over Mexican outfit Pachuca.
Masata Yamazaki‘s clinical first-half finish proved decisive, giving Gamba a deserved victory that lifts the rising stock of Asian football even more.
With the home supporters firmly behind them, unlike Thursday when Manchester United presence went beyond home team loyalty for some, Gamba picked up where they left off against the Red Devils.
As usual, Yasuhito Endo pulled all the strings for the J.League outfit. They had too much for Pachuca, who dominated possession but did little with it.
If a meeting between the powerhouses of Europe and South America was a fairly predictable way of ending the tournament, it seems Japan and Asia are earning the title of best of the rest.
- ESPN.com
COMMERCE
Info Session for Monte Jade Science 2009 Tour
EVENT: Monte Jade Science and Technology Association-Asian American Chapter Information Session
DESCRIPTION: MJAA is hosting the third and last information session for its 15th annual Asia Business and Technology Tour. Come learn about 2009 trip, which will be March 22-28 in Taiwan, with a focus on green tech, mobile and media marketing. There were over 60 participants in prior sessions.
DETAILS: Free but RSVP is required, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2-4 p.m., KPMG LLP Silicon Valley, 500 East Middlefield Road, Mountain View, Calif.
CONTACT: For more info go to mjaa.net/asiatrip/
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More Asian Americans Expected to Work in Government
WASHINGTON D.C. – Chris Lu, cabinet secretary-designate for President-elect Obama’s White House staff, met with representatives from Asian American organizations Wednesday to explain how and when the new administration will be selected.
The World Journal reports that Lu said Obama will make all Cabinet-level nominations this week. Michael Lin, Organization of Chinese Americans executive director, said the Obama-Biden transition team has been keeping everything open and transparent. The Asian organizations plan to recommend between 20 and 30 candidates to work for the government representing the Asian voice in immigration, health care, the economy and human rights. Ginger Lew and Bill Lann Lee from the transition team are encouraging people who want to serve in the government to turn in their application to change.gov.
- New America Media
GLOBAL
Chinese Pandas Arrive in Taiwan
Two giant pandas have arrived in Taiwan from China, a gift from Beijing to a self-governing island it considers part of Chinese territory.
Together their names (Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan) mean reunion, underscoring hopes that their arrival in Taiwan will spur unity between the two sides.
But the gesture is not welcomed by everyone in Taiwan.
The pandas were first offered three years ago but were rejected by the president at the time.
That decision was reversed after Taiwan’s nationalists – the Kuomintang – won the presidency in May.
Since then, diplomatic and economic links have improved. Last week daily passenger flights, new shipping routes and postal links between the two sides were established for the first time in six decades.
- BBC
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China Urged to Release Dissident
More than 150 writers and activists from around the world have written an open letter to China demanding that a prominent academic be freed from jail.
Liu Xiaobo was arrested earlier this month for signing a petition calling for democracy in China. Among those demanding his release are British writer Salman Rushdie and Italian novelist Umberto Eco.
In response, China’s foreign ministry said the country was under the rule of law and opposed foreign interference.
The letter sent to Chinese President Hu Jintao was signed by a range of Chinese and international lawyers, Nobel prize winners, academics, writers and rights advocates.
In it, they expressed their “deep concern” with the ongoing “arbitrary detention” of Liu.
Nothing has been heard of the former professor since he was detained by police on Dec. 8.
The writers said the timing led them to presume that Liu was arrested “solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed under China’s Constitution and international law.”
- BBC
