Baby deposit

"Japan Has Drop Box for Unwanted Babies"

A Japanese hospital opened the country's only anonymous drop box for unwanted infants Thursday despite government admonitions against abandoning babies.

The baby drop-off, called "Crane's Cradle," was opened by the Catholic-run Jikei Hospital in the southern city of Kumamoto as a way to discourage abortions and the abandonment of infants in unsafe public places. The hospital described it as a parent's last resort.

A small hatch on the side of the hospital allows people to drop off babies in an incubator 24 hours a day, while an alarm will notify hospital staff of the new arrival. The infants will initially be cared for by the hospital and then put up for adoption.

When I was in Italy, I saw an old building that had been used as an orphanage. The building had a revolving drop box for babies. I read that there was some kind of system to alert the nuns who ran the orphanage that a baby had been left in the box.

Heroes

Amazing animal stories ...

"Dogs, cat honoured for heroism"

"Three dogs and one cat were inducted into the Purina Hall of Fame for feats of bravery and determination that saved lives."

Go to jail. Go directly to jail.

Ha! Paris Hilton will be living the real "simple life" for 45 days. A judge ordered her to jail for 45 days for violating her probation. Guess her parents' money couldn't bail her out of this one.

"Paris Hilton sentenced to 45 days in jail"

"Hilton wept and her mother, Kathy, yelled at the prosecutor, "You're pathetic," as the packed courtroom cleared.

"The stunning decision capped a two-hour hearing in which prosecutors argued that Hilton was thumbing her nose at the court and seeking to be placed above the law, while defense lawyers said she was being singled out for harsh treatment because of her celebrity."

She's lucky she didn't have her ass thrown in jail the first time she got pulled over after her alcohol-related reckless driving incident.

Dumb ass.

U.S. troops used 'comfort women'

"Documents: U.S. troops used 'comfort women' after WWII"

Japan's abhorrent practice of enslaving women to provide sex for its troops in World War II has a little-known sequel: After its surrender -- with tacit approval from the U.S. occupation authorities -- Japan set up a similar "comfort women" system for American GIs.

An Associated Press review of historical documents and records -- some never before translated into English -- shows American authorities permitted the official brothel system to operate despite internal reports that women were being coerced into prostitution. The Americans also had full knowledge by then of Japan's atrocious treatment of women in countries across Asia that it conquered during the war.

Tens of thousands of women were employed to provide cheap sex to U.S. troops until the spring of 1946, when Gen. Douglas MacArthur shut the brothels down.

The article also states that the brothels were operated by the Recreation and Amusement Association (RAA) and that "occupation GIs paid upfront and were given tickets and condoms. The first RAA brothel, called Komachien -- The Babe Garden -- had 38 women, but due to high demand that was quickly increased to 100. Each woman serviced from 15 to 60 clients a day."

"American historian John Dower, in his book "Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of WWII," says the charge for a short session with a prostitute was 15 yen, or about a dollar, roughly the cost of half a pack of cigarettes."

"Amid complaints from military chaplains and concerns that disclosure of the brothels would embarrass the occupation forces back in the United States, on March 25, 1946, MacArthur placed all brothels, comfort stations and other places of prostitution off limits. The RAA soon collapsed.

MacArthur's primary concern was not only a moral one.

By that time, Tanaka says, more than a quarter of all American GIs in the occupation forces had a sexually transmitted disease."

Thanks to a fellow blogger for this CNN article.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

To celebrate the month, KQED in the Bay Area is featuring a special lineup.

Check out the program listings on the KQED Web site.

Hmm, after looking through the program guide, I'm disappointed to see that there are no programs specifically featuring Korea or Korean Americans. What's up with that?

Pretty in pink?

I came across this article today. Makes me cringe to think what my husband and I will deal with in raising our kids ("No, you cannot wear a midriff-baring t-shirt that says 'Slut'!"), especially when companies are creating marketing schemes targeting them as early as their preschool years ...

"What's Wrong With Cinderella?"

Permanent outsiders

The Salt Lake Tribune is featuring an article about international adoptees ...

"I realized I was a permanent outsider"

"What we know is that none of us fully fit in with our adoptive cultures or our birth cultures.

"But we are excited to start an adoptee culture, one that allows us to pull the good from our cultures and create a space where we feel comfortable with each other and ourselves."

Russia halts foreign adoptions

On NPR this morning ...

"Russian authorities have suspended the work of foreign adoption agencies. That has put into limbo the plans of many Americans waiting to adopt Russian children, even as human rights groups say a growing number of institutionalized children in Russia are living — and dying — in wretched conditions."

"Russia's Halt on Adoptions Spotlights Conditions"

The NPR site has a link so you can listen to the radio segment.

Americans adopt more children from Russia than from any other country except China and Guatemala. But now the government has suspended the work of all foreign adoption agencies. Officials say it's a temporary measure, part of the new registration requirements for all non-governmental organizations.

Still, Education Ministry official Sergei Vitelis says Russian children should stay in Russia.

"Adoption by foreigners probably isn't entirely right," Vitelis says. "Any normal state should create conditions for children to grow up in their own country. That's what we're aiming for."

Children's rights advocates say the official crackdown on foreign adoptions is more about national pride than concern for child welfare. They say it condemns children to a system of Soviet-era institutions desperately in need of reform.

On a different note, another NPR story out of China ...

"Cases of Forced Abortions Surface in China"

Fire 'em!

"CBS Radio suspended two New York City radio hosts on Monday for their prank phone call to a Chinese restaurant that Asian American advocacy groups across the country decried as racist, sexist and vulgar."

"Ex-Bay radio jocks suspended"

Updated (4/26/07):

"Rights groups demand firing of radio hosts"

"Prominent Asian American civil rights groups in the Bay Area are demanding that CBS Radio fire New York shock jocks Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay, who were suspended this week for making a prank phone call to a Chinese restaurant seen as racist and sexist."

Updated (5/14/07):

"Asian Slurs End Shock Jocks' Show on CBS"

"One month after CBS Radio fired radio host Don Imus, it has permanently pulled the plug on a pair of suspended New York shock jocks for a prank phone call rife with offensive Asian stereotypes."

Backlash

"Braced for Backlash"

"Korean-Americans fear that hatred toward the Virginia Tech killer will spill over into their community—and fuel negative typecasting."

Updated (4/24/07):

From NPR's Robert Siegel of "All Things Considered" ...

"Weighing Cho's Heritage and Identity"

And from the Washington Post ...

"Koreans Aren't to Blame"

Mass shooting at Virginia Tech

The AP is reporting that at least 30 people are dead after a gunman opened fire on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA, this morning. One eyewitness to the shootings at a Norris Hall classroom described the shooter as "an Asian male in his twenties wearing a maroon hat and a black coat."

"Gunman Kills 30 on Virginia Tech Campus"

Updated: MSNBC is reporting that about 50 people were shot and 33 are confirmed dead, including the gunman.

"At least 33 dead in rampage at Virginia college"

MSNBC also has a phone interview with the eyewitness who described the gunman as an Asian male, along with another interview with a classmate.

Updated (4/17/07):

The gunman has been identified as 23-year-old Cho Seung-Hui, a Virginia Tech senior majoring in English. He was a legal, permanent resident of the U.S. from South Korea. His family lives in Centreville, VA. (Kind of weird because I was thinking of my Korean friend who lives in Centreville yesterday. I looked up Blacksburg on Google Maps and saw it was about three hours away from Centreville.)

"Va. Tech: Gunman Student From S. Korea"

"Gunman came to U.S. at age 8 from South Korea"

"Korea 'In Shock' at Shooter's Origin"

"South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the suspect had gone to live in the United States while in primary school and had permanent residency there while maintaining his South Korean citizenship, citing an unnamed official."

"Gunman's writings had raised concerns"

I'm still processing everything that happened yesterday. I woke up to hear NPR reporting that only one person was dead at Virginia Tech. Then I get to work to read that the number was up to 21. And then a little later it was 33 and the gunman may have been Asian. And now this morning that he was Korean.

All day yesterday I was checking various news Web sites for updates, wanting to know what happened and why -- something officials, students, and the victims' families are still wondering. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victims and the Virginia Tech students and staff.

'North Koreans face danger on the run'

CNN.com has a video, "North Korean escape route," that describes the journey of North Koreans refugees who are making their way to Thailand from China. The Thai government's official policy is to deport North Korean refugees to South Korea, instead of returning them to North Korea as the Chinese government does.

The video includes the story of one woman who was on the run for four years. In China, she was raped and lived as a sex slave until she made it to Thailand. She had to leave behind her 3-year-old daughter in China. She also tells of the bodies of the dead in North Korea used for food because people are starving.

Also, MSNBC.com is featuring two slideshows on Korea, "Korea conflict in pictures" and "Inside North Korea," on it's Asia-Pacific page (scroll down, on the right side).

All in the family

Jeff Yang has a nice write-up on Korean-American comedian Bobby Lee in his Asian Pop column ...

"Asian Pop: Mad Man"

That's why, given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to develop a show for Comedy Central, Lee told them he wanted to do a show about a screwed-up Asian American family -- his. Starring his real family. "It's like an extension of that sketch, but obviously, a lot more in-depth," says Lee. "And I'm going to make it really Korean. It's going to be set predominantly in Koreatown, and it'll be a totally ethnic comedy show, shot single-camera, kind of like 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' only with singing, dancing. Maybe some sketches and animation. They bought the idea -- we'll see if it ever gets on the air."

Check out this MADtv skit with Lee's family.

Baby ape looking for love

"Sungai is only 7 months old, but she's already had enough rejection to qualify for a lifetime of therapy. Born in Albuquerque, she was instantly cast aside by her mother. Sent to Houston, she fared no better. Now she's in San Francisco, clinging to three foster parents who tend to her needs 24 hours a day."

"Zoo's poster child for hand-rearing"

Reunited and it feels so good

"Lost Lab Brothers Meet at Dog Daycare"

Knut

Awwww ...

"First Polar Bear Born in Berlin Zoo in 30 Years"

Knut makes his debut ...

"Knut Woos the Crowds at First Public Appearance"

Pet owners beware: Pet food recall

An ingredient used in a lot of common pet food brands may be causing many pets to get very sick, even die.

Menu Foods is recalling certain gravy-style pet food in cans and pouches it made from Dec. 3 to March 6. This includes common brands, such as Iams, Eukanuba, and Science Diet, that use products from Menu Foods.

"Pet Food Co. Knew Of Problem Last Month"

"Bay Area Pet Owners Frustrated Over Recall"

Recall lists and information

'Slanted eyes'

Listening to NPR this evening on my way home, I heard the end of the "All Things Considered" program on Canada's CBC radio. It caught my attention because I heard "slant eyes."

Basically, André Boisclair, who is the leader of the Parti Québécois in Quebec, used the French phrase "les yeux bridés" to refer to the Asian students he saw at Harvard University. I guess the phrase translates to "slanted eyes" or "slanting eyes" in English.

He was later questioned by reporters about the use of the phrase and refused to apologize even after being told what it meant in English and how offensive it is to Asians.

What?! Does "Asian" not translate in French? I guess he said people in Quebec would understand him. Yes, I'm sure people would know what he meant, but that doesn't excuse such ignorance and idiocy.

Here's a link to the radio show:

CBC Radio Show Program Logs, March 15, 2007 (I couldn't get it to work, though.)

Listen to Part 2 of the program, should be toward the end of the segment. It includes Boisclair responding to reporters' questions. A synopsis is also below:

Les yeux bridés -- "slanted eyes".

That's the expression André Boisclair used yesterday to describe Asian students. The Parti Quebecois leader was campaigning in Trois Rivières when he made the comment.

Boisclair was referring to the number of Asian students he saw while studying at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He told the Quebec students he was surprised that about one-third of the Harvard students had what he called "slanting eyes."

Today, when questioned by reporters, Boisclair refused to apologise for the comment, which he says is common in French.

I just found an article about Boisclair and his response to some homophobic comments. Article states that he is openly gay ...

"Boisclair responds to homophobic slurs"

So he said, "Homophobia exists, but I feel these words are very insulting for the people of Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean."

Then I see on the side this related news story: "Boisclair defends derogatory comments"

The article includes the statement in which he used "les yeux bridés" ...

"'The reality is these countries are not just working to create jobs in sweatshops," he said. 'When I was in Boston, where I spent a year, I was surprised to see that on campus, about one-third of the students doing their bachelor degrees had les yeux bridés (slanting eyes).'

"Boisclair stood his ground Thursday, and said he will not withdraw the comment, which he said is an acceptable expression in French.

'If the translation in English has a different meaning than the one in French, then I didn't use the word in English, I used it in French, and no way will I excuse myself.'"

So I guess it was too difficult for him to say "about one-third of the students doing their bachelor degrees were Asian."

Japan to start new investigation into WWII sexual slavery

"Japan to Probe WWII Military Brothels"

"Under intense pressure from Asia and the United States, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that ruling party lawmakers will conduct a fresh investigation into the Japanese military's forced sexual slavery of women during World War II.

"Abe triggered outrage in China, North and South Korea and the Philippines last week by saying there was no proof the women were coerced. He said Monday that Japan will not apologize again for the Japanese military's 'comfort stations.'"

"Historians say that about 200,000 women — mostly from Korea and China — served in Japanese military brothels throughout Asia in the 1930s and 1940s. Accounts of abuse by the military have been backed up by witnesses, and even former Japanese soldiers.

"Abe's statement contradicted evidence in Japanese documents, unearthed in 1992, that historians said showed that military authorities had a direct role in working with contractors to forcibly procure women for the brothels."

Updated (3/8/06):
Found this article from March 1 (bolding mine) ...

"Japan's Abe: No proof of WWII sex slaves"

Before Abe spoke Thursday, a group of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers discussed their plans to push for an official revision of Kono's 1993 apology.

Nariaki Nakayama, chairman of the group of about 120 lawmakers, sought to play down the government's involvement in the brothels by saying it was similar to a school that hires a company to run its cafeteria.

"Some say it is useful to compare the brothels to college cafeterias run by private companies, who recruit their own staff, procure foodstuffs, and set prices," he said.

"Where there's demand, businesses crop up ... but to say women were forced by the Japanese military into service is off the mark," he said. "This issue must be reconsidered, based on truth ... for the sake of Japanese honor."

Updated 4/11/07:

Found this interesting article ...

"Historian documents Japan's role in sex slavery"

Grammar Girl to the rescue!

Heard a brief segment on NPR this morning about podcasts by Grammar Girl. Just checked out her blog, which has some posts and podcasts about some common grammar questions and mistakes. She includes some good examples, too. Guess she's been getting a lot of press these days.

U.S. Rep. Honda calls for formal Japanese apology for comfort women

Last night on NPR, I caught the last part of a segment from the "As It Happens" CBC radio show. U.S. Representative Mike Honda was being interviewed about the resolution he introduced in Congress that calls on the "government of Japan to formally and unambiguously apologize for and acknowledge the tragedy that comfort women endured at the hands of its Imperial Army during World War II."

I did a search online and found he introduced the resolution on January 31. Here's a press release with the full text of Rep. Honda's statement.

"These women ... endured gang rape, forced abortions, humiliation, and sexual violence resulting in mutilation, death, or eventual suicide—and to this date, they have still not received justice from this tragedy."

Honda addresses the issue that Japan has already apologized to these women:

"Some question whether this resolution is necessary and warn that it could affect our nation's strong friendship and alliance with Japan. Some even argue that Japan has already apologized, and this resolution fails to recognize that. It is true that Japan's previous Prime Ministers have issued statements related to comfort women. However, it is clear that these statements are not viewed by the government of Japan with unequivocal respect, and the comfort women themselves do not consider them formal apologies. Japan has equivocated in its stance on this issue, which is made clear in their recent attempts to alter previous public statements and their school textbooks.

"For example, in 1993, Japan's then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono issued an encouraging statement regarding Japan's comfort women, which expressed the Government's sincere apologies and remorse for their ordeal. Today, some members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party strive to review and even possibly rescind Secretary Kono's statement.

"Further, the Japanese government continues to seek to downplay the comfort women system in its textbooks. We must ask ourselves, if Japan has truly come to terms with its past in acknowledging what its Imperial Army forced upon these women, why are they suppressing the knowledge of this through education? Education on this tragedy is important to ensure that future violence against women, especially in conflicts, should not be tolerated or repeated. Textbook suppression, coupled with efforts to revise Secretary Kono's 1993 statement, is disheartening and indicates that Japan wavers in its apology to these women."

Honda stated that only a few hundred of the comfort women are still alive. In his statement he said:

"Madam Speaker, to put it frankly, the few surviving comfort women in the world who live with this burden are dying. We must help them achieve some peace of mind by moving this resolution forward. For the women who survived this brutality, this resolution demonstrates that our nation supports them and hears their voices calling for justice."

At the end of the radio show, what really upset me was the final comment by the radio announcer that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has stated that there is no evidence that these women were coerced into sexual slavery.

I find it interesting how the different news organizations handle this subject, leaving out certain information or focusing on certain aspects.

Just check out the following headlines and articles (Reuters especially):

"WWII Sex Slaves Testify Against Japan" (AP on sfgate.com)

"Jan Ruff O'Herne, 'Comfort Woman' Survivor, to Testify Before Congress February 15" (PR Newswire)

"As the first Caucasian 'Comfort Women' survivor to speak out, O'Herne's presence will contribute to maintaining the focus as a women's human rights issue, rather than an Asian regional politics issue."

"At U.S. hearing, WW2 sex slaves spurn Japan apologies" (Reuters)

"WWII sex slaves in Japan seek U.S. help" (AP on msnbc.com)

"Rep. Honda asking Japan for apology to sex slaves" (San Jose Mercury News)

"Japan's WWII sex slaves testify" (cnn.com)

Updated (3/5/07):

"Japan Resists Call to Apologize for War Practice"

A lovely trio

The Ahn Trio will be performing Saturday at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul for its Women of Substance series. The StarTribune has a nice write-up on the South Korean sisters ...

"Rock Ahn, sisters"

SFIAAFF 2007

Tickets are now available for walk-up purchase for the 2007 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Get 'em while they're still availabe!

I've got mine already. You got yours?

Check out the Web site for a descriptions of this year's films. Some interesting ones to note:

"And Thereafter II" (South Korea/U.S.)
Award-winning filmmaker Hosup Lee continues his exploration into the protracted aftermath of the Korean War with "And Thereafter II," the second in his trilogy of documentaries on Korean military brides.

"Koryo Saram—The Unreliable People" (U.S.)
In 1937, Josef Stalin began a campaign of massive ethnic cleansing, forcibly deporting everyone of Korean origin in Far East Russia to the unsettled steppe country of Central Asia, 3700 miles away. Y. David Chung and Matt Dibble's groundbreaking documentary charts the extraordinary untold history of the Koryo Saram (the Soviet Korean phrase for Korean person), dubbed "The Unreliable People" by Stalin. Through never-before-seen historical footage and emotional personal accounts from the original Koryo Saram, a lost history is pieced together, one that survived Stalin's mandate to eradicate the Korean language and tradition. Whether in Kazakh, Korean or Russian, the film asks questions that all immigrants can relate to: how to hold onto one's traditions, and how to save one's culture from being overwhelmed.

"Made In Korea: A One Way Ticket Seoul-Amsterdam?"
(The Netherlands)
Documentary filmmaker In-Soo Radstake is just like any average Dutchman. He feels close to his parents, likes meat and potatoes and cheers on his favorite sports team. A Korean adoptee, he doesn't feel conflicted about his identity or have any deep stirrings to find his Korean roots. But when he embarks on an innocent journey to find the eight other Korean adoptees who flew on the same plane as him from Korea to Holland over twenty years ago, a domino effect of events will alter his life. He first meets Ungila, and is taken by her knowledge of Korean culture and her personal story of being reunited with her birthmother. She quickly becomes In-Soo's girlfriend, and is instrumental in opening up a world of wounded, pent-up emotions. With her love and support, In-Soo travels back to Korea for the first time and visits his old orphanage. Soon a long-repressed need to find his birthmother bubbles to the surface, and In-Soo is on a desperate quest to reconcile a part of himself that he didn't even know existed.

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon" (U.S.)
New York filmmaker Joy Dietrich, who showcased her short film SURPLUS at SFIAAFF ‘01, returns with a feature-length film on the lives of three Asian American women desperately needing to feel some kind of connection. Jenny Mason, a jagged Korean adoptee, is unable to let go of her family's past, and refuses to let anyone in emotionally. An aspiring photographer, her work’s visceral beauty seems frozen in time, much like her own inner turmoil. Her life intersects with two other Asian American women, Bea and Sandy. Bea, a delicate beauty, is afraid to be alone and doesn't know how to handle the silent expectations placed on her. Sandy, dubbed a "mouse," is a skittish, shy girl who can't seem to find her own voice enough to be respected and noticed. As Bea and Sandy struggle to find love, acceptance and connection, they help Jenny see how she must stop running and face her own damaged past. "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" is a rare view into the very real, emotionally complex interior of a Korean adoptee who needs to reconcile her feelings on race, identity and family, complexes that have nothing to do with a birth-mother search. One of the first feature films to address the abnormally high rates of suicide and depression among Asian American women, this groundbreaking work entices and challenges us to look at the hard, imperfect struggles that Asian American women face on a daily basis.

And some other films from South Korea and Korean filmmakers: "The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well," "In Between Days," "The Power of Kangwon Province," "Turning Gate," "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors," "Woman Is the Future of Man," and "Woman on the Beach."

And some others I thought sounded interesting: "American Pastime," "New Year Baby," "The Wash," and "Year of the Fish."

Last year I bought the Festival 6 Pack (six films for the price of five), but this year I limited myself to only three films (buying tickets so hubby can go, too, gets very expensive). Sigh. At least a few that I wanted to see are available on NetFlix.

See you at the theater!

Dawson reunites with dad

"After 26 Years, Dawson Meets Dad"

"A DNA test conducted with the help of the KTO confirmed that Kim Jae-soo, a 53-year-old bus driver in Pusan, was Dawson's father."

"Kim said he lost his son in a crowded street market near his home in 1981."

Other articles:

"Olympic Skier Reunites With Family"

"Dawson was 3 when he was lost in a market by his mother in the southern port city of Busan, Kim said. A truck driver at the time, Kim said it was too late when he got home to start searching for his missing child, whose original Korean name was Bong-seok. Over the next few days, he said he scoured local orphanages but was unable to find his son.

"'I went to many orphanage houses only to hear that they didn't have anyone like him. They wouldn't let me come inside and look for him,' the 53-year-old Kim said, adding he would search orphanages whenever he had time but eventually gave up."

"Dawson meets father after 26 years"

"Dawson's mother, who is believed to have started another family after her divorce from Kim, has been located but has yet to reveal herself publicly, according to Dawson's Korean lawyer."

"Dawson to Reunite With father"

"Dawson, however, was sentimental for a moment as he talked about what he has been through as an adoptee, which eventually led him to begin his quest for his parents.

"'It's kind of been uphill for me ever since the beginning,' Dawson said.

"'(I) really struggled with the fact that I never looked like my parents... It's kind of always like the Bolds and Italics.'

"'Everyone could definitely tell the difference and it was tough for me because all I wanted to do was just to look like average (with) brown hair, blonde hair.'

"'I was a little bit shy, and I didn't want to have all the attention. I wanted kind of just to be somewhere in the middle.'"

I had a dream last night

I had a dream last night
But it looked unlike a dream

The Butthole Surfers song keeps playing in my head since this morning.

I tend to have very vivid dreams, which I usually remember in the morning.

Last night I dreamed that I was at this beach house in California with a group of friends for the weekend. In the house, I saw a childhood photo of one of the women who lived there, but the odd thing was that I recognized her from the photo.

The woman and I started talking, trying to figure out how we knew each other. She told me she was just two years older than I was.

I realized I recognized her from a photo that I have from my early years in Korea. In the photo, I'm sitting with two other children. I'm the youngest based on my size and there's another little girl who looks to be just a few years older than I am.

We discovered that we were first cousins, and that we would play together whenever our families got together for a visit in Korea.

I woke up after that, but I had a picture of her as a grown woman in my mind.

The strange thing is that I actually have the photo from my dream. I've always wondered who the other children are in the photo, if they are my cousins or just friends I used to play with.

More on the Anna Mae He case

"After custody battle, Chinese girl set to be united with birth parents"

It seems that the Bakers have taken their case to the media, releasing photos of 8-year-old Anna Mae and inviting ABC News and USA Today into their home to film video segments.

"After years of being 'very careful and very protective' in shielding Anna from the spotlight, they decided to open their home to USA TODAY and ABC News in hopes of drawing public attention to their case. 'We're obviously more desperate,' Jerry says."

"The Bakers are candid about their strategy to show Anna to the public now. 'We want people to rise up and say this is not right,' Jerry says. What difference could that possibly make at this point? Perhaps, he says, a court will rehear their case and let them keep the child. Losing her, he says, would be like suffering a death."

Uh, so it's OK to make the Hes feel that way?

The USA Today article has a sidebar on the left, "All Eyes on Anna Mae," which I find disturbing. If the Bakers only care for her best interest, then why are they exposing her like this and asking her to answer questions such as "What do you want your last name to be, Baker or He?"

That's just not right.

Updated (3/2/07):

Found this disturbing article ...

"Adoptive Parents Lose Eight-Year Custody Battle"

"'She doesn't understand that it's very likely that she will be put into a car and taken to strangers. She doesn't understand those things. All she knows is the family that she's known since she was 3 weeks old,' Baker said."

Uh, maybe that's because you wouldn't let her biological family visit her while this was all being worked out?!

Korea's suicide rate on the rise

Read this Reuter's article this morning ...

"South Korea seeks to curb rising suicide rate"

"In 2004, South Koreans killed themselves at a rate of 24.2 per 100,000 citizens, making suicide the fourth leading cause of death in the country, ahead of traffic accidents. There were 12,047 deaths by suicide in 2005."

"One reason behind the increase in suicides may be a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots in South Korea, with poorer citizens more likely to kill themselves than the affluent, according to government data."

Another recent article ...

"Suicide surges in South Korea, fuelled by economic development, online boom"

"Lee said he recently won agreements from Internet search engines to link the keyword 'suicide' with centres providing counselling, instead of sending the people to sites that would help them devise ways to kill themselves."

Lose the "loose"!

Back in October I posted a brief note about the AP misusing "loose" in an article.

But it seems that the incorrect use of "loose" is everywhere.

I've seen it incorrectly used a lot lately. I recently saw it again in an article about the Anna Mae He case on the Nashville City Paper Web site: "'Basically what's going to happen is that we're going to have to file paperwork to start the appeals process, or we're going to loose that right,' Baker said."

Folks, in that sense as a VERB, the correct word/spelling is "lose" (pronounced with a long "O" and a "Z": looz) -- one "O"!

Now, I realize that the long "O" sound may confuse some of you into spelling it with a second "O" -- but it is WRONG!

The word "loose" (pronounced with a long "O" and an "S") can be used as verb (meaning to let loose or release, to free from restraint, untie, to make less tight, etc.), but it is often used as an adjective.

Here's a phrase to help you remember that "loose" is not pronounced or used as "lose": Goose on the loose.

Some examples of each:

The little girl's tooth is loose. She's afraid of losing it if she bites into an apple.

Be careful of what you say around her -- she's got a loose tongue.

I'm going to lose my mind soon with people's loose use of these words.

Beijing cleans up English translations

"Tired of Laughter, Beijing Gets Rid Of Bad Translations"

(The WSJ may restrict access to this article to subscribers after a few days. If so, can probably find it by doing a Google search.)

"For years, foreigners in China have delighted in the loopy English translations that appear on the nation's signs. They range from the offensive ('Deformed Man,' outside toilets for the handicapped) to the sublime (on park lawns, 'Show Mercy to the Slender Grass').

Last week, Beijing city officials unveiled a plan to stop the laughter. With hordes of foreign visitors expected in town for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing wants to cleanse its signs of translation nonsense. For the next eight months, 10 teams of linguistic monitors will patrol the city's parks, museums, subway stations and other public places searching for gaffes to fix."

Year of the ... harmonious society

In China, it seems that the pig -- pig images, cartoons or slogans -- has been banned from advertisements.

"Ban Thwarts 'Year of the Pig' Ads in China"

"CCTV has ordered major advertising agencies not to use pig images, cartoons or slogans 'to avoid conflicts with ethnic minorities.' That's a reference to China's 20 million Muslims, about 2 percent of the country's population."

"'The underlying reason goes to the very core of what it is Chinese government views as its patriarchal responsibility to maintain harmony of the entire society,' said Tom Doctoroff, China CEO for the JWT advertising agency."

Sad

Finally!

In the long, drawn out custody battle over now 8-year-old Anna Mae He, a Tennessee Supreme Court ruling will allow the Chinese parents, Shaoqiang and Qin Luo He, to regain custody of their daughter, who was placed in foster care at the age of 3 weeks old.

"Chinese Parents Win OK to Reclaim Girl"

An article that gives some more background info on the case ...

"In the Name of Love"

More on the Supreme Court's decision ...

"Court orders Anna Mae He returned to parents"

Complete surrender

An interesting adoption story about British writer Ian McEwan and his brother ...

"Tale of love leads writer McEwan to lost brother"

"The prize-winning writer publicly acknowledged on Wednesday that he has built a warm relationship with a long-lost brother, who was given away by his mother at a railway station when he was a few weeks old."

"A blunt advertisement in a local paper in 1942 marked the start of a life of separation for the brothers."

"'Wanted, home for baby boy aged one month: complete surrender,' it said."

Japanese-American animator dies at 81

Another legendary animator has died ...

"Scooby-Doo Creator Dies at 81"

"Iwao Takamoto, the animator who created the beloved Scooby-Doo and directed the cartoon classic 'Charlotte's Web,' has died. He was 81."

He helped animate features and TV shows for Disney and Hanna-Barbera, including "Cinderella,""Peter Pan,""Lady and the Tramp,""101 Dalmatians,""The Jetsons" and "The Flintstones." He also created Astro from "The Jetsons."

"Born in Los Angeles to parents who had emigrated from Japan, Takamoto graduated high school when World War II began. He and his family were sent to the Manzanar internment camp in the California desert, where he learned the art of illustration from fellow internees."

Transitions

An article on North Korean defectors on SF Gate ...

"How defectors cope in South Korea: The sense of loss remains, and while life may be more free, the transition isn't easy"

I was surprised to read this ...

"Last month, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist introduced a bill that would authorize $10 billion in relief to refugees who have escaped from North Korea, reconstruction aid in the event of reunification, and aid if a new national government emerges with respect for human rights."

China adds new adoption restrictions

I saw this segment on my local news station in San Francisco (the video is available on the station's Web page) ...

"China Reportedly Tightening Foreign Adoption Rules"

"China is imposing new restrictions on foreign adoptions, barring applicants who are unmarried, obese, over 50 or who take antidepressants, according to U.S. adoption agencies."

Starting May 1, 2007, prospective adoptive parents must be married for at least two years, and a divorced parent who has since remarried must be married for five years. The parents must have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 40, and be between 30 and 50 years old, although the age limit increases to age 55 for children with special needs.

The new rules also restrict parents who take medication for depression and anxiety, as well as those with a "severe facial deformity."

Vietnam, though, is going to reopen international adoption to the U.S. after a two-year restriction, according to the TV segment.

Based on what I've heard about potential adoptive parents and how they work around Korea's weight restrictions, I'm sure adoptive parents will find a way around China's new restrictions.

New York Times article: "China Tightens Adoption Rules, U.S. Agencies Say"

Hmm, according to this article ...

"And a prospective adoptive family's net worth must now exceed $80,000."

"China will also disqualify families that already have more than four children in the home."

Horrible way to die

A small plane carrying three Japanese nationals, a flight instructor and two students, crashed into a sewage pond at a wastewater treatment plant. The crash site is hampering rescue efforts.

"Bodies Found In Plane Crash At Gilroy Sewage Pond"

I hope they died on impact, rather than drowning in the raw sewage.

New Asian TV show premiering on PBS

A new TV show called "My Life Disoriented" from director Eric Byler ("Charlotte Sometimes," "Americanese") is debuting on PBS after Christmas ...

"Life gets turned upside down for Bay Area teens Kimberlee and Aimee when their father loses his job and relocates the family to Bakersfield. Suddenly, Kimberlee and Aimee are two of only a handful of Asian American kids at their school."

Check to see if the show will air on the PBS channel in your area here. Looks like it is showing in San Francisco, Honolulu, and Minneapolis.

According to the Center for Asian American Media, the show's future could depend on audience response to the pilot episode, airing as part of PBS' "Independent Lens" series. The show features Karin Anna Cheung ("Better Luck Tomorrow"), Tamlyn Tomita ("The Joy Luck Club"), Dennis Dun ("Big Trouble in Little China"), Autumn Reeser ("The O.C."), and Di Quon ("Maid in Manhattan").

Korean-American wins 'Survivor'

Yul Kwon of San Mateo won this season's "Survivor" show ...

"'Survivor' winner hopes he shattered some Asian stereotypes"

Thanks for the memories

Joe Barbera, of the Hanna-Barbera animation team, died Monday. He was 95.

"Joe Barbera, half of Yogi Bear creator team, dies at LA home"

"Animation Legend Joe Barbera Dead At 95"

I grew up watching the reruns and syndicated shows of the Hanna-Barbera duo -- "Tom and Jerry," "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "Yogi Bear" ("Hey, Boo Boo!"), and "Scooby-Doo." OK, and "The Smurfs."

Watching Saturday morning cartoons was a weekend ritual. And I always looked forward to getting home and watching the shows after school, too.

They just don't make cartoons like those anymore.

O'Donnell apologizes, sort of

"O'Donnell apologizes for Chinese parody: But comedian warns she is likely to spoof languages again"

"Comedian Rosie O'Donnell, a co-host on the television talk show 'The View,' apologized this morning for mocking spoken Chinese - following mounting protest from Asian Americans in the Bay Area and across the country."

"On Thursday, O'Donnell expressed surprise when she learned that some Asian Americans considered speaking in that kind of sing-song accent an insult as grave as calling a black person by the N-word."

Previously, according to an SF Gate article, she had written on her blog ... that she "wasn't mocking / that's my best impression" and that her "bad accent was not meant to insult or degrade / linguistic incompetence -- guilty / mocking -- never." She tells one detractor to go "f- urself."

Accent? That was an accent?! I don't think so.

After viewing the video of the segment online, I wrote a complaint to ABC -- one of the many Asian Americans from the Bay Area that did it seems.

Dolphins in China in the news

"World's Tallest Man Saves China Dolphins"

(See photo here.)

Good news, I guess, following the sad news that the white dolphins in China may be extinct ...

"Rare White Dolphin Declared As Extinct"

Let's play ball!

The latest Asian player to come to the U.S. to play ball ...

"Matsuzaka, Boston Reach Preliminary Pact"

The deal, worth more than $100 million in total, has Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka playing for the Boston Red Sox.

Do you recognize this man?

Wanted: NorCal serial rapist
If you have any information about the serial rapist who's linked to attacks on 10 women in the Northern California area, please contact the Sacramento Police Department at (916) 264-5471.

A Web site has been created to help apprehend this man, described as a heavy-set Caucasian male with dark hair in his mid-30s to early 40s, who drives a white 2001-2003 Toyota 4Runner and is about 5' 8" to 5' 10" tall, 200-250 pounds.

More information, including a downloadable flyer, is available at the NorCal rapist info page.

He has been sexually assaulting Asian women in Northern California for the past 15 years.

Merry Christmas to me!

Yay! Received my first Christmas gift today ...

A tower of chocolate goodies, including truffles and mint chocolate -- yum!

A gift I bought myself the other day, a little poinsettia plant, is pictured behind the boxes, adding a bit o' festive color to my drab office for the holidays.

Happy Lunar New Year, SF students!

The San Francisco School Board is expected to approve a resolution that would make the Lunar New Year a school holiday even if it falls during the weekend.

Currently, students in the district get a day off if the new year falls on a weekday, but the new measure would give students a day off on Monday or Friday if the new year falls on the weekend ...

"Lunar New Year set to become school holiday"

Something like this would never get approved in the Midwest.

65 years ago today ... in San Francisco

SFGate.com is running an article today about what was happening in San Francisco after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 ...

"Pearl Harbor was a close thing for the city in 1941"

Interesting excerpts ...

"In San Francisco, on that afternoon so long ago, the Army's Western Defense Command received a terrifying report: A Japanese fleet was 30 miles off the Golden Gate."

"Motorists suspected of being Japanese were stopped and searched on the Bay Bridge."

And ...

Later, the military took more severe measures -- some of them illegal -- to tighten up the defenses of the West Coast. In December, many Japanese Americans, some of them suspected of being spies, were arrested by the FBI. In the spring of the year, all persons of Japanese descent were rounded up and sent to internment camps.

After Italy entered the war on the side of Germany and Japan, Italians who were not citizens were ordered to stay away from the waterfront, removed from their homes and subject to a curfew. Among these "enemy aliens" were Giuseppe and Rosalie DiMaggio, parents of baseball star Joe DiMaggio.

It was a fearful time. But some of the fear was justified. On Christmas Eve, 1941, the Japanese submarine I-15 surfaced near the Farallon Islands, close enough to see the lights of San Francisco, according to Advance Force -- Pearl Harbor, a book by Burl Burlingame of Honolulu. The submarine had orders to fire on the city, but just as the ammunition for the deck gun was brought up from below, the orders were changed and the sub was recalled to other waters.

Korean-American family missing - update

Originally posted 12/1/06:

I hope the Kim family is found safe and sound ...

"Family missing after trip to Oregon"

Updated (12/5/06): On Monday, rescuers found the mother and the two little girls nine days after their car got stuck in snow in southwestern Oregon, but the father is still missing after leaving the family to find help ...

"Rescue teams step up efforts to find missing SF dad"

Updated (12/6/06): Sadly, the body of James Kim has been found, according to reports on sfgate.com and msnbc.com.

Preservation of internment sites approved

"Internment-site preservation OKd: Sites of WWII prisons for some citizens to serve as reminder of U.S. rights abuses"

"The House, led by a Bakersfield Republican who urged Americans to protect citizens' rights during difficult times, gave final congressional approval Tuesday to a bill designed to preserve camps and assembly points across California and the West where about 120,000 Japanese Americans were interned by their own government during World War II."

Gorgeous!

Looking forward to the release of the "Curse of the Golden Flower." Saw a preview of the movie the other week.

(Although, I don't recall having seen so many bosom-bearing costumes and cleavage shots in an Asian period movie before.)

I need ...

1. A raise
2. A vacation
3. A new job
4. A good stiff drink

Bloody hell!

KA community responds to SF Gate's 'Diary' series

An open forum letter to SF Gate in response to its series on Korean sex trafficking in San Francisco by the Bay Area Korean-American community ...

"'Diary' series is a misleading portrait of Korean Americans"

Shrub gets the bird

Awesome ...

"Fired Over Finger, Driver Wants Job Back"

Someone give this woman a new job!

Needle fix

Lately, I've been very productive as I sit and watch my TV shows this fall. I taught myself how to knit a few months ago and have been knitting up a storm ever since. Makes me feel better to be doing something, making something as I sit on the couch.

Below is one of my latest creations that I'm very proud of considering it was my second hat. I made it for a friend's 2-year-old niece, and she looks adorable in it (much better than Teddy below, it's not really so lopsided on top). Made with circular bamboo needles with a lovely wool/angora bulky duotone yarn on the bottom and an orange (she loves the color right now), bulky 100% wool yarn on top, with a little crocheted flower (I used to crochet ages ago and almost forgot how).


My first hat was for my hubby, which he actually likes. He's not much of a hat person, but after I gave it to him he wore it inside the next few nights until I told him to take it off since he looked like a dork (albeit with a lovely handknit hat), and he wanted to wear it at work all day, too. I also made one for myself but larger since I have a huge ol' pumpkin of a head.

My last project was a pair of mittens that I made with fuchsia worsted yarn made up of 85 percent wool and 15 percent mohair, which matches a Gap scarf I have. Love Lamb's Pride yarn from the Brown Sheep Company, have it in various colors. I'm also digging Blue Sky Alpacas yarn from Cedar, MN, which comes in organic cotton.

The mittens were a test run because my mom requested a pair. I am quite happy with the results -- OK so I had to redo them once because I followed the pattern and they were so large they would have fit my hubby. Don't think he would have been too keen on wearing fuchsia mittens.

In my knitting craze, I've bought tons of yarn, supplies and books, mostly ones on baby projects -- so cute. Can't wait to make an itsy bitsy sweater or booties.

Yes, I've started to nest.

Laotian adoptee wins lottery

"Laotian Immigrants Win $55M Lottery"

Lost in translation

According to an article by the Irish public service broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann, the father of the boy Madonna is seeking to adopt said he never intended for his son to be adopted, only raised on his behalf.

"Father of Madonna boy not aware of adoption"

The father of the Malawian boy that singer Madonna took to the UK under a temporary custody order has said that he never intended for his son to be adopted, only raised on his behalf.

Yohane Banda told news agency Reuters that Madonna had asked to raise the 13-month-old boy on behalf of him.

"Had they told us that Madonna wanted to adopt my son and make him her own son, we would not have agreed to that," Banda said.

One-way ticket

The Korea Times has an article about the documentary "Made in Korea: A One-Way Ticket Seoul-Amsterdam?" by In-Soo Radstake, an adoptee from the Netherlands. It is debuting at the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) ...

"Adoptee's Journey Is Unveiled at PIFF"

More information about the documentary can be found at www.eenenkeltjeseoul.com.

Harry and Bertha

The Register-Guard of Eugene, OR, has a feature story on the Holts that ran on Sunday (Holt is having a 50th anniversary conference this week):

"Children changing lives: The Holt adoption legacy that has created thousands of new families started with eight Korean War orphans"

"Harry and Bertha Holt - who married despite being first cousins - were a God-fearing, fundamentalist Christian farm couple who had fled drought-stricken South Dakota for the Willamette Valley in 1937."

Why does this not surprise me?

At least at the end of the article the writer addresses the fact that not everyone thought of the Holts as saviors ...

Regardless of the Holts' intentions, their work was not admired by all.

"The Holts believed they were doing God's work, but they became lightning rods for controversy about how adoptive families should be made," writes Ellen Herman, a University of Oregon history professor who has studied international adoption, on her "Adoption History Project" Web site.

"Many professionals and policy-makers in the U.S. Children's Bureau, the Child Welfare League of America and the International Social Service devoted themselves (unsuccessfully) to putting the Holts out of business," Herman writes.

Some felt that taking mixed-race babies and children away from their homeland was wrong.

What made the Holts unique, Herman says, is "they took this dramatic personal action." It generated a lot of publicity and made them heroes to many, but others "were absolutely horrified," she says.

A little loose copyediting

USA Today posted an AP article about the air sample tests conducted after the North Korean nuclear test: "Samples are rushed back to labs in the United States for study before they loose their radioactive properties."

Hmm, just noticed the same mistake in an SF Gate article. Tsk, tsk.

I'm going home!

I just purchased tickets to go home to the Midwest for Christmas ... and tickets to go to Korea next summer! Yeah, baby!

And the cost to go to Korea? Only $47.53! Well, OK, plus 60,000 frequent-flier miles. But still, what a deal for an international trip.

I'll be going for three whole weeks! Whew. Hubby's meeting me there halfway through the trip and we'll be flying back together.

By next summer, it will have been a little over five years since I was back there. Can't believe it's been that long. Seem like just last year I took the emotional rollercoaster trip back to Korea for the first time.

I'm going home, home, HOME!

Sigh.

Bullsh**!!

What a bunch of crap:

"Nuclear North is Bill's fault, McCain tells Hil"

And I suppose Shrub calling North Korea an axis of evil played no role in the country's actions, or the fact that N.K. has watched the U.S. invade Iraq for having weapons of mass destruction when it didn't.

On a lighter note

Stuff magazine is feature the women of "Lost" in this month's issue. And who should grace the cover but the lovely Yunjin Kim! And she's got a HOT photo spread. Check out a little preview. On stands now.

Korean news for Monday, Oct. 9

"S Korean proposed as new UN chief"

"South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon has been nominated by the UN Security Council as the successor to Secretary General Kofi Annan."

If appointed, he'll soon be dealing with the crisis very close to home.

Fall, autumn, 가을, otoño

Some random thoughts about fall ...

Yesterday San Francisco was hit with a "storm," or just plain rain as Midwesterners would call it.

It's funny when people here call rain showers storms. I think, Man, you have no idea what a storm is. A storm in the Midwest would be straight-line winds that can take off roofs and uproot trees, lighting that has been known to defy the odds and strike the same place more than once, thunder that cracks increasingly louder as the storm moves closer and closer, pounding rain that hurts if you get caught in it, still skies that turn an eerie shade of greenish gray before you see a funnel cloud forming in the distance, or snow so high you can't get out the front door and a windchill so low that your nose hairs and eyelashes freeze the second you step outside.

Soon, the San Francisco storms will be hitting on a daily basis. Winter is coming, in other words.

This would explain why I seem to be stuffing myself silly these days. Must be some natural instinct to eat and eat and eat in the fall, storing fat for the upcoming winter. Maybe almost 30 years in the Midwest have trained my body to get ready for hibernation.

I have to dig out my umbrella, rain coat, and rubber boots. And I have to finish fall cleaning so the dust mites don't hibernate for the winter, too. (The other weekend I started by cleaning under my bed. You know it's time to clean under the bed when the dust bunnies start attacking. And, you know it's time to start an exercise routine again when a session of major house cleaning leaves your body aching.)

Anyway.

Not looking forward to the end of daylight-saving time -- waking up while it's still dark outside and leaving work in the darkness.

I miss seeing the leaves change colors in autumn, the smell of wood burning in neighborhood fireplaces. Here, sadly, I think fireplaces are mostly gas-burning ones.

Growing up in the Midwest, fall also means baseball playoffs (unfortunately the Oakland A's swept the Minnesota Twins) and football (for me anyway). Hubby and I are going to the 49ers and Vikings game on Nov. 5. Maybe you'll see me on television -- I'll be the crazy Asian woman wearing the Cris Carter #80 Vikings jersey yelling at both teams and surrounded by drunk white guys most likely.

Hmm, what else?

I'm also looking forward to pumpkins and roasted pumpkin seeds, and turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and corn muffins next month. And hopefully seeing friends and family in December.

A sure sign of fall? The harvest moon -- be sure to check it out tonight.

Oh, and it's Fleet Week, with Blue Angels roaring overhead, naval ships docked in the bay (with free tours of aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and guided missile destroyers and cruisers -- perhaps it's just me, but doesn't it seem like a bit of a security risk? I guess it is only if Shrub is deckside giving a photo op), and can't forget the sailors everywhere -- think "Sex and the City."

Ahem, getting back to the harvest moon, just want to wish everyone a happy Chuseok. Hopefully, you can spend the weekend with your families and loved ones.

More Korean human trafficking -- now it's women

The government has cracked down on the sex trade in Korea, but now business has gone underground -- with much of it headed for the U.S. The SF Gate is running a four-part special report on sex trafficking in San Francisco. The first part includes an audio slideshow on the industry in Korea, and upcoming parts of the series will share the stories of former Korean sex slaves.

Part I:
"Sex Trafficking: San Francisco Is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave"

View the audio slideshow.

Some excerpts from the first part of the series:

"Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar business. In terms of profits, it's on a path to overtake drug and arms trafficking," said Barry Tang, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement attache with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in South Korea. "There's a highly organized logistical network between Korea and the United States with recruiters, brokers, intermediaries, taxi drivers and madams."

Yuki, 25, who fears for her safety and only gave her first name to The Chronicle during an interview in Seoul, said she was trafficked from South Korea to a karaoke bar in Inglewood (Los Angeles County), where she was assured that she would simply be serving drinks to men. Once there, she was ordered to sell $3,000 worth of drinks each month. When she failed, she was sent to the "touching room," a private suite where men could have their way with her for $400.

Women report being beaten, raped and starved by their keepers. Kim, who also withheld her last name, told The Chronicle in an interview in South Korea that she was forced to pay $4,400 for plastic surgery to open her eyes and make her nose thinner and pointier, "like Marilyn Monroe."

Those who have become witnesses have been burned with acid, have disappeared, or have had their homes ransacked and their families harmed or threatened in their home countries, said Dong Shim Kim, head counselor at Du Re Bang (My Sister's Place), a shelter for sex trafficking victims in South Korea.

[Mayor Gavin] Newsom put together a team of health and safety inspectors in summer 2005, shortly after California's largest sex-trafficking bust -- Operation Gilded Cage -- made it clear that a lot of the sex in the massage parlors was not consensual.

City officials were taken aback that all 100 masseuses removed from the 10 parlors in San Francisco were Korean, just like the 45 others arrested statewide on charges of running an international sex trafficking ring. The federal case is pending.


Related articles:
"Alleged sex-trade ring broken up in Bay Area: Police say Koreans in massage parlors were smuggled in"

"Officials ask if sex trade forced on South Koreans: Women allegedly not told they'd be prostitutes in U.S."

Updated (10/10/06):

Part II - "A Youthful Mistake: You Mi was a typical college student, until her first credit card got her into trouble"

Part III - "Diary of a Sex Slave: You Mi is put into debt bondage -- life becomes an endless cycle of sex with strangers"

Part IV - "Free, but trapped: In San Francisco, You Mi begins to put her life back together -- but the cost is high

Adoption news from around the world

From Korea (and Australia):

"Adoption heartache for hundreds"

SOUTH Korea has suspended all new overseas adoptions, plunging hundreds of Australian families into uncertainty.

Adoption agencies in Korea have suspended inter-country adoption because of falling birth rates and new welfare policies that promote local adoption and provide better support for single mothers.

From Japan:

"Adoption profiteers face govt curbs"

With a view to preventing human trafficking masquerading under the guise of child adoption, the government has established a new set of regulations for adoption agencies. However, many questions remain unaddressed.

Under current laws, privately run adoption agencies are allowed to receive money from adoptive families in the form of expenses to cover the costs entailed in arranging both domestic and overseas adoptions.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry drafted a set of guidelines in August--the first of their kind--detailing a concrete list and definition of "expenses."

The list of expenses comprises 10 items, such as travel costs and telephone bills, as well as counseling and related services offered by the agencies to adoptive parents.

On Aug. 28, the ministry urged all 47 prefectural governments, and 15 major cities with adoption-related authorities, to tighten measures to eliminate adoption agency profiteers.

The guidelines prohibit agencies from receiving any money prior to the completion of the adoption process. However, "donations" are often difficult to distinguish from legitimate costs for adoption services, officials said.

And later on in the article, something you don't often read about regarding intercountry adoption: "In some countries, adoption is used as a cover for human organ trafficking or child pornography."

And from Massachusetts:

In a September 17 article, "For-profits to compete in child placements," from Boston.com (but only available by registering):

A little-noticed provision tucked into a bill in the dead of summer has triggered a sweeping change in adoption and foster care placements in the state, allowing for-profit companies to compete in Massachusetts for the first time.

The measure, passed without a public hearing, overturns previous language that had allowed only government and nonprofit agencies to handle the placement of children with adoptive families or in foster care. The measure was attached to an economic development bill, which was quietly approved by the House and Senate late last month, and signed into law by Governor Mitt Romney last week.

The change was pushed by a human services company, Massachusetts Mentor, with the help of well-connected lobbyists with ties to the State House and Republican circles.

Shrub needs advising

On Google News this morning I saw the headline "Woodward: Kissinger Advices Bush" for a Washington Post article.

Advice is a noun. Advise is a verb.

So "Kissinger Advises Bush."

The WP got it right. Unfortunately, the folks at Google need some advising.

BTW, Shrub needs more than just advice -- perhaps a kick in the ol' keister, but that's another post for another day.

Mouse potato

I freely admit that I am a couch potato, but now it seems I am also a mouse potato. Yes, if I'm not clicking the buttons on my remote control, then you'd most likely find me typing on my keyboard.

Merriam-Webster has posted on its Web site new words added to the 11th edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. Check them out on m-w.com.

The new words include mouse potato, gastric bypass, drama queen, unibrow, manga, and polyamory.

As in the following:

The woman felt like quite the drama queen as she yelled at her mouse potato boyfriend that she was considering polyamory, or better yet just dumping his ass, because she was tired of looking at his overgrown unibrow, and that he'd make a good candidate for gastric bypass surgery one day since he never did more exercise than walk from the refrigerator to his computer to chat online about his damn manga obsession.

Xmas wishlist 2006

Dear Santa,

I've been a good girl this year. Yes, indeed. And this year I'd like the new iPod nano in fuchsia, or hot/glam/rockin' pink.

I've included photos below to avoid any confusion. I'd like the one denoted with the arrow (V).

                               V


And the back view:


Oh, and two hypoallergenic kitties (so they don't get lonely while I'm at work).

Thank you,
H

Hypoallergenic kitty!

"Allergy-free Cats For Sale At $3,950 Each"

And according to the article, the kitties weren't genetically modified -- just selectively bred.

You, too, can be the proud owner of a hypoallergenic kitty, but better get on the waiting list for one now (looks like it can take about two years to get one): Allerca Web site.

I better start saving my pennies.

I'm baaack ... with more weird news

Yes, I'm back. Did you miss me? Huh, HUH?

And for my first post after my return? Details from my whirlwind trip? Lamentations on being a year older? Nope.

"Penis Transplant Reported in China"

Yes, a man had a successful penis transplant with no physical rejection of the new organ, but after two weeks the man requested that it be amputated because of his wife's "pyschological rejection."

More posts to come soon ... but not on weird news -- unless I find some juicy tidbit that I can't help but share.

Books, books, books!

Ahh, Google has launched the beta version of its Books Search of digitized public domain books. Check it out at books.google.com. If you want the full online book or PDF to download, be sure to search with the "Full view books" option selected. You can search by author, title, date, publisher, ISBN, or even content.

I find it quite amazing.

Printed books, online versions, literary classics, trashy romance novels, mystery whodunits, true-crime biographies, military and war fiction and nonfiction, pop-up picture books ... I love 'em all (as is evident by my jammed bookshelves, one of which recently collapsed from the weight of the books piled on it).

Hmm, I predict my productivity level at work rapidly falling as I read at my desk (and still look like I'm working) classic works by Dickens, Hugo, or perhaps letters written by Jane Austen (text which is now seeing the light of day -- or light of a computer monitor -- instead of rotting away and getting moldy sitting on a dusty library shelf).

What's in a date?

A Korean friend who recently came to the U.S. to study English told me something interesting last night, perhaps a reason why older KADs find that they are actually older or their date of birth is different than what is listed on their birth certificates.

It seems that older people in Korea (but those young enough to have been issued a birth certificate) have birth certificates with dates that are not their actual date of birth, but instead use the date of application for the certificate.

My friend said Korea now uses the actual date of birth for the certificates, but that wasn't the case when she was young -- she's 38. The date on her birth certificate is not her date of birth, and her Korean passport also lists her birth certificate date, which is a few months later than her date of birth. She even knows a woman whose birth certificate date is two years off.

So what about all those KADs who do happen to have a birth certificate from Korea among their limited paperwork and records? Is the information they have completely misleading, inaccurate? What about all those KADs who search for birth families with what they believe to be their date of birth, one of the few bits of information used to help in searching?

Added note: I forgot to mention the use of lunar dates for birthdays in Korea. Another twist to figuring out birthdays for KADs.

What husbands are good for: Reason #1

1. When you forget your house keys and need to get in at the end of the day. Voilà! Extra set of keys.

Old ... getting old

For every new academic year, Beloit College in Wisconsin publishes its Mindset List for incoming freshmen (or should I be more politically correct and say first-year students?) to help educators connect with this new generation.

Read the 2006 list for the class of 2010. (BTW, you know you're getting old when the incoming class is the same year as the title of a futuristic sci-fi movie ... that's the sequel to a futuristic sci-fi movie.)

My favorites:

1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.


6. There has always been only one Germany.


9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'.


21. Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.


24. Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.


34. They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."


37. Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.


39. "So" as in "Sooooo New York," has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else.


40. Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series. (See accompanying image from actual list.)


43. They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it. (See image.)

The Hyphenator effects change!

Ahh, the Hyphenator rules!

Way back when the Hyphenator was a bride-to-be searching for wedding favors and decorations, she came across a silver bamboo frame on the David's Bridal Web site. The message in the frame caused her to fight against insensitive statements everywhere. OK, well at least against the message in the product image on the Web site. She sent of a scathing e-mail to the company.

The company must have feared the possible repercussions by the Hyphenator and removed the offensive message from its site.

Alas, a new message in the frame can now be found in its place.

No applause, no applause ... pleeeease.

Don't piss off the Hyphenator!

Ramblings of a bored procrastinator

Who needs coffee?
It's lunchtime and I'm sitting at my desk, enjoying a cup of tea. I love jasmine tea and green tea, which is supposed to be good for the skin (need that) and fertility (really don't need that now). So I was delighted to find jasmine green tea at the Trader Joe's by my work. I usually buy green tea my neighborhood Asian market, but perhaps I was dazed by the store's huge selection of teas that I missed seeing it there.

The Great Pumpkin
As I sit here, I'm also running my fingers through my newly shorn hair. My hair used to be very long, down to my lower back, and now it's a little above my shoulders with a bit of a flip, and a little more layered than I wanted it. Oh well. Whenever my hair is medium to short in length, no matter the style, it seems it always turns out pretty much the same. I think it's the texture and straightness of my hair, not to mention the shape of my huge head. OK, so it's not like Charlie Brown proportion but I've always thought I had an overly large head for my fairly petite body (or pocket-sized as my friend Ji-in would say, although I disagree, I mean really have you seen the teeny Asian girls running around San Francisco??). Hats don't really fit or look good on my melon, I looked ridiculous when headbands were in style when I was in high school, and I have problems finding sunglasses that don't leave nice dents in the side of my face. My hubby said my new haircut made me look more "modern," but I think shorter hair just makes me look older.

Leaving on a jet plane
In one week, my hubby and I will be flying across the U.S., across the Atlantic, and landing in Germany for a two-week trip, belated longer honeymoon, and family reunion of sorts (hubby's side). I never thought I'd travel to Germany, but whaddya know. I'm calling it my fairy tales and war tour. We'll be checking out some amazing castles and palaces, as well as some historic sites related to World War II, as we make our way from Berlin to Munich and the Alps to Cologne and Aachen. My hubby just hopes I don't drag him into every damn church and museum in the country like I did in Italy ... and Spain. Hmm, I'm going to have to hide my guidebook that I've filled with Post-it tabs and notes on sites to see.

Ahhh, comfy
Today I'm also enjoying a pair of new shoes (uh, one of four pairs) that I bought online hoping they'd be comfortable for above-mentioned trip. They are indeed comfy and "modern" -- goes well with my new 'do, I guess. I hate having to break in new shoes. My closet and bedroom are littered with barely worn shoes that blistered my feet.

Working for my vacation
Why is it these days when I'm planning to go on vacation, I have to do the work needed while I'm gone ahead of time? What's the point in that -- having to work twice as hard before taking time off?

Trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face
I saw "Blade:Trinity" over the weekend. I had seen the first two movies in the series, but hadn't seen the third one, which I understand didn't do as well as the first two. My hubby and I caught it on cable. We both got our kicks out of it. He enjoyed seeing Jessica Biel (I have to admit she had some lovely arms), and I drooled over Ryan Reynolds. Yes, Van Wilder. I've liked him since "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place." If I had known he was in the movie all buffed, toned, and half naked, I would have paid the $10 to see him on the big screen. I read he may be in a "Nightstalkers" film -- I'm really hoping it works out.

Aaargh, the guilt!
So much to do, so little motivation. I just want to fly, fly, fly! Sigh. I need to get two thank-you notes out for wedding gifts. One we just received last week so the guilt is minimal. The other I've been putting off for months -- it's to my Korean relatives. I need to write a letter and send copies of wedding pictures. I should also send pictures to other relatives and friends, and my mom wants all the digital pictures from the wedding, reception, and our somewhat short first honeymoon. Does she realize how many files that is???

NPR story on transracial adoption

Today on "News & Notes," Ed Gordon tackled the issue of transracial adoption, specifically African-American children being adopted by Caucasian parents.

"Parents Increasingly Adopting Children of Another Race"

Very good piece, so be sure to check out the audio when it becomes available on the NPR site.

Also from today's show ...

"A Personal Story of Transracial Adoption"

And another segment from July ...

"Foreign Adoption of African-American Babies Grows"

And a piece from May on unwed birth mothers during the '40s, '50s and '60s ...

"'The Girls Who Went Away': Birth Mothers' Stories"

'Survivor': Battle of the races

Just announced this morning, the upcoming season of CBS's "Survivor" will take place on the Cook Islands. The twist this season? The teams will be divided by race: Asian, African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian.

The show has been criticized for its lack of ethnic diversity among the contestants. So they've decided to address this issue by recruiting more minorities ... and dividing the teams by race?

"New 'Survivor' A Race Among Races"

This year's cast on the CBS Web site.

I watched this show the first two seasons, but I avoided it later because I always got completely sucked in to watching the show every week. Now with my handy dandy TiVo, I'm sure I'll get sucked back in, just like those damn producers wanted.

If anything, I'll watch to see how the Asians do and also so I can yell at them on television when they do something stupid, like Korean-American Gina did all the time on "America's Next Top Model." (Yes, yes, I admit that I watch that show. Bite me.) I know, very supportive of me.

KAD promotes adoption from Africa

An article from Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City about a Brigham Young University professor and KAD who recently published an article in the journal Social Work stating that "African nations and American parents should consider a radical increase in adoptions of black African orphans."

"Africa orphans need adoption: Crisis makes international action imperative, BYU professor says"

American parents have adopted a growing number of international children over the past decade. The United States issued 7,093 immigrant visas to orphans in 1990. The number rose to 22,728 last year.

Few come from African nations, which are reluctant to allow more.

"They're nervous because of the history of outmigration of their people into Europe and America, because of the former slave trade," Roby said. "They're nervous their children are being sold into domestic servitude or sex trafficking. I understand that. We all need to have empathy for that. But when they learn about the legal safeguards in place for international adoption, they want to consider it."

How about mentioning how adoption has become big business in the U.S.?

I was happy to read that the writer of the article also interviewed Joe Kroll, the executive director from the North American Council on Adoptable Children, which "believes each child should be placed with a family that recognizes preservation of the child's ethnic and cultural heritage as an inherent right."

"The federal government has gone overboard to try and make adoptions appear color blind," he said. "Color blind doesn't work when you're a person of color."

Kroll also worries that international adoptions have become trendy at the expense of older American foster children because of celebrities like Angelina Jolie, who has adopted two children, the most recent from the African nation of Ethiopia — a girl whose mother died of AIDS.

"My concern," Kroll said, "is that the publicity surrounding celebrities like Angelina Jolie is making people move away from the very real needs of the children in the American foster system. There are so many kids who need help."

Free weekends stress out Koreans

The Wall Street Journal today has an article about Koreans dealing with the reduced workweek (five days a week) that companies are changing to -- what to do with their free time, managing more family time (good or bad depending on one's view), and spending more money on leisure activities.

Unfortunately, a subscription is needed for online access. Some excerpts, though ...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Jun In Kyung is one unhappy housewife.

Her husband's employer just started giving him two Saturdays off a month. The 36-year-old wrestling teacher's new schedule, though, means Ms. Jun has to spend more of her time cooking and doing extra housework. Plus, she grumbles, after staying out late with his buddies on Friday nights, her husband sleeps a lot on Saturdays -- cramping their two children's indoor playtime.

"Home is supposed to be women's space and I don't like it when he spends more time in my space," says Ms. Jun, also 36. "It's like an invasion."

I found the following very interesting ...

"To help ease the free-time burden, the Korea Culture & Tourism Policy Institute is making available yeoga kwallisa, or leisure counselors, 'to teach people to seize their time,' says Yoon So Young, a chief researcher at the institute. 'It is something that needs to be learned.'"

I've found my true calling -- a leisure counselor. I would so rock at that job.

Best career for a KAD

Seattle Weekly has featured Tim Holm of Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW) for its Best of Seattle 2006 series ...

"Tim Holm: Best Career for an Adopted Kid"

Summer of Hallyu!

The AZN TV network is featuring Korean dramas and movies during August and September with its Summer of Hallyu programming.

Watch for five back-to-back episodes of dramas, including "Winter Sonata" ("겨울 연가"), "My Lovely Sam-soon" ("내 이름은 김삼순"), and "Jewel in the Palace" ("대장금"), on Saturdays and Sundays. And be sure to catch the movie "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring."

So crank up the AC, grab that remote control (or set your TiVo), and stay cool this summer while getting your fill of Korean shows.