By Assunta Ng

From left: Tama Murotani-Inaba, Navaho Chief Manuelito, Carolyn Kelly, Norm Rice, and Diane Narasaki

This week, I’ve benefited from many words of wisdom. I thought I’d share them with you. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

Gary Locke

“Why is Gov. Gary Locke going to China?” asked an editor of a small town newspaper located close to Mt. Rainier, at the Washington National Publishers Association’s convention held at the Everett Holiday Inn last Friday.

“Because he’s been appointed to be the U.S. Ambassador to China.” I replied. Locke was confirmed by the Senate in July.

“I had no idea,” she said.

I don’t mean to stereotype small town folks, but many live in their own world. The head of a small newspaper is frequently a jack of all trades and doesn’t have time to get to know what’s going on in the outside world. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Phyllis Wise (Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

This will be the first big week for our former Interim President Phyllis Wise of the University of Washington. She takes the helm as chancellor of the University of Illinois, Champagne with a student body of 41,000. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Back row, from left: Bob Santos, Hyeok Kim, Jonathan Chen.Front row, from left: Su Lee Jin Yuan, Shei Whay Jou, Sau Ngai Choi, Yue Mei Chen, and Gui Juan Chen.

You might notice that fall has changed the color of many green trees to dry, yellow brown. However, the Danny Woo Garden in Chinatown/International District remains in lush greens. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Ali Tarhouni

A few weeks ago, my Arab friend and I were talking about Ali Tarhouni, former Seattleite and now Libya’s finance minister.

While I am happy that Ali is from our state, has taught at University of Washington’s business school, and is now a big shot with the Libyan government, it did not occur to me before now that there is an Asian angle to him. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Last Thursday, my blog irked two Asian American supporters of Rob McKenna’s governor race. Within the first hour of the Northwest Asian Weekly hitting the streets, the two showed up at our door. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

“What have you done for the community?” I asked some entrepreneurs who have owned a business for 10 to 20 years.
“Nothing” was the shocking answer from some of them. How could it be when you are in business and not giving back? Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

From left: Bruce Harrell, Florence Chang, Bill Gonzales, Sue McLain, Cindy Ryu, and Shaker Chandrasekaran (Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

Six prominent leaders shared their inspiring stories and advice for men and women who want to be better leaders; they presented at a luncheon held at the House of Hong on Sept. 16. Organized by Executive Development Institute, the Washington Leaders of Power luncheon has been held annually for the past five years.  This was the first time that male panelists were invited to participate. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Imagine angry folks who get a ticket when they park in Seattle because they don’t know that they have to pay the meter until 8 p.m. I have seen that rage roar on some faces. There is no way you cannot get caught. Sometimes, there are two officers working simultaneously in Chinatown/International District — there used to be only one. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Bill Bryant at Seattle Pinball Museum (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

Last week, Bill Bryant, president of the Port of Seattle Commission, spoke to the Seattle Rotary Club at McCaw Hall, strictly on the port’s business. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Phillip Yin at a wedding where he was a groomsman (left) and Sen. Maria Cantwell

Republicans have been recruiting people to run against Sen. Maria Cantwell, including a young Asian American. Phillip Yin, 38, an anchor and reporter for Bloomberg television’s Asia–Pacific region, is planning to announce his 2012 senate campaign.

Yin, who recently returned to Seattle, is now organizing a kick-off event. Born in Yakima and a University of Washington business grad, he also holds an MBA from Georgetown University. He worked for investment companies before he went to Asia in 2004. He spent a part of his childhood in Yakima, where his dad worked as an architect. ♦

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Mark Emmert (left) and Michael Young

Is the real Michael Young as dynamic as the mainstream news stories say?

Recently, I attended a reception for Young, the new president of the University of Washington. The mainstream press have given him a lot of good coverage.

“He’s no rock star,” someone said.

On diversity, Young told the audience that he relied on the help of the alumni. This didn’t sound very inspiring to many UW supporters. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Several people congratulated the Northwest Asian Weekly this week for blogging about Mayor Mike McGinn’s quick departure at a scheduled meeting with local community and ethnic media on Aug. 23. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Managing one weekly is tough enough, and I am running two in this economy. Friends have suggested that I do away with one, so I don’t have to work that hard. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Bettina Knaack from Washington Air National Guard Public Affairs is taking pictures of the boom (Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

“Ain’t no mountain high enough,” so goes the song.

Literally and figuratively, I reached new heights on Aug. 25, flying on a KC-135 from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma. Our goal was to watch two fighter jets flying parallel to our plane in the sky for refueling once we reached Oregon. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

In this stagnate economy, can we achieve the American Dream? In the old days, owning a house, a car, and having a solid education and well-paid job defined the American Dream. However, today’s high unemployment rate has changed the definition.  Read the full story