PROTEST FOR SEX TRAFFICKING REPORTS

This is being sent to all of the AAJA (Asian American Journalists Association) members:

Korean Americans' Protest of SF Chronicle Sex Trafficking Series Yields Results

AAJA acknowledges the impact community initiatives have on media coverage.
A four-part series, "Diary of a Sex Slave," recently published in the San Francisco Chronicle has caught the ire of members, friends and supporters of the Bay Area's Korean American community. The article by Meredith May, chronicles the life and experiences of a South Korean woman who was lured and forced into prostitution in San Francisco by sex traffickers.
Community members said that the article about one individual "gave disproportionate emphasis to a small immigrant segment of the overall Korean American population in San Francisco and California, the vast majority of whom are well-educated professionals and hardworking families." They also said that the series includes many cultural inaccuracies and paints a distorted picture of Busan, South Korea - the hometown of the article's main subject.
More than 40 Korean American organizations and individuals signed on to a letter-response to the series, demanding a public apology from the Chronicle. The open letter, published in Asian Week, (see link below), was also printed by the San Francisco Chronicle in its editorial and opinion page. Community representatives also met with the paper's management and editorial staff to present a list of demands. AAJA asked San Francisco Chronicle editor Phil Bronstein to comment on the meeting with the community representatives, and he had this to say.
Links
Asian Week: An Open Letter to San Franciscans
Coalition statement and demands
Asian Week: Emil Guillermo: Sex Not Necessary to Be Slave to Immigration

To read the whole series, go to: http://www.sfgate.com/sextrafficking/

ADOPTION FAIR THIS WEEKEND

If you or someone you know is interested in adopting a child, there's an adoption fair on Saturday in Springfield.

Here are the details:
Cox Health Center South
October 28th
Foster Auditorium and meeting rooms 1-3
9am to 1pm

About 15 adoption agencies will be on hand.

SKATELAND WAS KIND OF SKANKY

Me, rolling with the small fries

So I went roller skating on my birthday...and now I know why my friend says she won't drop off her kids at the skating rink on a Friday night. First of all, I love skating. I haven't done it since the sixth grade, when I lived for the snowball and the limbo. Two of my coolest moments were winning the limbo and skating the snowball with Jeremy Hamilton (an 8th grader.) Awesome.

Anyway, skating is hard these days. I thought I was going to fall. I was afraid to skate backwards. The kids whizzed by me, and I thought they were going to blow me over. Yet the hardest thing to endure at the rink was...watching the kids. I was shocked by their appearance and their skanky behavior.

First of all, I was surprised by the music choice. "London Bridge" by Fergie, "Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake, and "Money Maker" by Ludacris are all great songs, but I would expect to hear them at Icon rather than a rink filled with middle schoolers. I mean, c'mon, don't you think Jessica Simpson or JoJo is a little more age appropriate?! Anyone ever heard of Hilary Duff?! Girls were wearing short shirts, tight pants, and dancing in the corner like strippers (no offense to those who work as strippers.) Even one of the workers told us that Friday nights are kind of rough, and that we should come back for Family Night.

I'm not knocking Skateland. I think it is a great place for fun. But seriously, how do we influence our kids so they don't feel like they need to act this way? And how do we teach young women that it's not okay to degrade themselves? I don't mean to sound old, conservative, or uncool, but when did kids stop going to the skating rink to skate?

Jim and Michelle, looking old and out of touch

I SPY PINK EYE

I've been absent for a few days because I've been beat down with a number of things: pink eye, an upper respiratory virus, and windburn (no kidding). Apparently, pink eye is going around. It has caused havoc in the newsroom since we all share computers, edit bays, equipment, etc. One of my co-workers had pink eye a couple of weeks ago, and I blame him for my absense. Anyway, I've never had pink eye before. It hurts. I have it in both eyes, but my left eye is much worse. At least today I can open them; yesterday I was flat on my back.

FRIDAY THE 13TH

Ahhhh, Friday the 13th is coming up. It is supposed to be an unlucky day, the kind Michael Myers comes to get you, kind of day.

I think it is more spectacular and creepy because Friday the 13th happens to be in October, therefore making it the scariest day of the scariest month of the year.

Good news, though. Nasa says that on Friday the 13th in April 2029, millions of people will see a point of light that will glide across the sky faster than many satellites and will be brighter than most stars.

The reason I like the 13th of October? It is my birthday. This year, though, it feels more like an annoyance...I guess that's another sign of becoming an old bitty. People stop feeling so happy on their birthdays because they realize they're getting older, and things stop working like they used to. My brain, my body, it's all going downhill.

BLOGGER QUESTION

Does anyone know how accurate stat counters are? I check my recent visitor activity occasionally, but some of the entries don't seem right. For instance, there are some people who are supposedly logged on to my blog for 23 hours at a time. Does that sound right? And it seems like one minute I'll have just a few page loads and then the next, like 50. Can someone help me out?

NORTH KOREA AND NUCLEAR DEVICES

As of 11:40 pm, October 8th:

South Korea's official news agencies are reporting that North Korea has performed a successful nuclear test.

A South Korean seismic monitoring center also confirms tremors felt at the time of North Koreas alleged nuclear test. They say they were not natural occurrences. This would be North Koreas first ever nuclear weapons test.

North Korea said last week it would conduct a nuclear test as part of its deterrent against a possible United States invasion.

Last Friday the United Nations Security Council issued a statement warning North Korea not to do the test. Also, a UN statement says if nuclear tests were conducted it would jeapordize peace, stability, and security in the asia region and beyond.

***The closest experience I had with North Korea was going to the DMZ, or the demilitarized zone. It is basically the place where North and South Korea meet. I remember walking through the area feeling scared. (We had to sign waivers basically relinquishing the US of any liability in the event of being maimed, shot or killed. Afterwards, we went to a massacre site where North Korean soldiers had once ambushed American troops.) Soldiers from both the North and South were standing silent and tall with their guns. I stood at the top of a hill where I heard eery propoganda-opera-type music and saw these white, Hollywood-type signs in the distance--both used to apparently entice South Koreans to cross the border. I saw the propoganda village North Korea built to give the appearance of being a rich country, when actually no one lived there at all. But something I will never forget was walking to the bottom of an infiltration tunnel and seeing a young (18 or so) South Korean soldier standing on guard with his gun at a metal door with a small glass window...then seeing an equally young North Korean solider on the other side. At that moment, I remember feeling sorry for the boys because they had to stare at each other all day as enemies, even though they were cut from the same cloth.***

THE BACHELORETTE AND THE BULL

Larissa

My good friend Larissa is getting married in two weeks, and she had her last hoorah Saturday night. It was a doozy.

We started downtown and ended up on the south side. But somewhere in between here and there, we went to Midnight Rodeo.

Huh? What?!

First of all, I am no stranger to cowboys. I grew up in Cass County Missouri. My high school mascot was a freakin' rooster. I even wore Wrangler jeans and Justin boots--ONCE. But I had wiped all of that from my memory...until last night.

Now, I'm not making fun of cowboys or country music. It's just that sometimes I question men who wear tighter jeans than me. What's up with the super tight black jeans anyway?

And what's up with that bull at Midnight Rodeo? I have to admit, it looked kind of fun, but there was no way I was going to ride it. At least Stephanie had the bullballs to try.

A GOOD READ

You may recognize the name Gregory Holman because he is the editor of 417 magazine. If you read the magazine, you know he has a lot to say...

Well, now you can read more of what's on his mind: http://gregoryholman.blogspot.com However, please note, his blog is a personal one, just like mine.

Greg is such a fun and insightful person...I think you'll enjoy his blog! I've also posted a link down at the bottom left corner of the page...

ONE QUICK QUESTION

Is there a bloggers meeting this Tuesday?

OMG, I AM AN OLD BITTY

My best friend Lucy

My best friend's little sister started classes at our old alma mater, the University of Kansas. This is huge.

Lucy, Franny, Michelle

So, I decided to take a vacation day and head to Lawrence, Kansas. Honestly, Lucy and I were ready to party like we did before we legally could. However, there was a problem. This weekend we discovered that we are old bitties.

I can't believe it.

After two cocktails (with cheap alcohol in plastic cups), we pootered out.

I woke up the next morning with a hangover-feeling because I had been up for 22 hours the night before (thanks to the ungodly hours I work at KY3.) Lucy woke up equally crappy because she didn't get her normal 8-hours-of-sleep.

Old bitties.

It is rather fun getting older and wiser, but it was such a comical and yet, enlightening weekend.

When Lucy's younger sister Franny was 10, she used to put on my shoes and tromp around my dorm room...now she's schooling us on what goes in college! I hope she enjoys these next few years at KU because one day she'll realize she's too old to go back---

WHO'S HASSLIN' ME?

I am so angry! Someone posted an ad as one of my comments! What?! I really don't want to give credit to some knucklehead, but I just had to chat about it.

Please tell me if this has happened to you!

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3:18 PM

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE MOON FESTIVAL

There's a holiday in Korea called Chu'sok, basically the Korean version of the American Thanksgiving. In case you were wondering, it's celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar moon. (got it?!)

Most people call it the "Harvest Moon" festival.

On the morning of this very important holiday, Koreans perform an ancestor worship ritual and offer them food made of new crops to show thanks.

The holiday is also celebrated in other countries like China and Vietnam.

Anyway, there will be a small get-together at Phelps Grove Park on October 6th to celebrate. I believe it will be mostly attended by international adoptive families, but I think the more the merrier. I will definitely show my mug for a good time and good food...under the full moon! By the way, lucky red paper laterns will be available for the kiddies to carry in a traditional lantern parade! If you have traditional dresses, this is a good time to wear them! I have a hanbok, but, ahem, I think I've grown out of it...

Here are the details:

Friday, October 6
5 pm – 8 pm
Phelps Grove Park, Springfield.

Potluck dinner in the Pavilion, then everyone will be served Mooncake with Chamomile tea

CAN YOU JUGGLE? DANCE? DO MAGIC?

I don't know if we mentioned this on KY3, but NBC's show America's Got Talent will hold open auditions in Branson on Sept. 25th at the Chateau on the Lake.

The line starts at 7am.



The background:
Simon Cowell and the producers from American Idol teammed up with NBC to find the hottest variety and novelty acts from across the country. Regis Philbin is the host. Judges are David Hasselhoff, Brandy, and some British guy named Piers Morgan.

Mimes, magicians, animal acts, acrobats, ventriloquists are just a few of the acts they're looking for...wonder why they picked Branson????!!!

I hope I get to cover this Monday. For more information, click on the link below:

http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/apply/index.shtml

BLOGGERS MEETING

Okay, so I went to the bloggers meeting last night. I was the only person there with breasts. I had a great time hangin' with the boys, but I think women bloggers need to unite! Now I know what Snarling Marmot and Granny Geek were talking about.

I believe the meetings are the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Patton Alley Pub...help me out, is that right?

xoxoxo

SORRY FOR THE ABSENCE

Okay, I've neglected the blog this week. A lot of things have happened! Laurie is now officially out of the news business and on to her next adventure at Cox. I already miss her.

I went to Tulsa on my days off to volunteer for Dillon International. I am trying to put a video together for the agency's birthland tours. Very exciting...

Besides that, my friend Hannah recently sent me a picture of me with some birds. I'd like to think of myself as a parrot whisperer--

REPORTER GETS BEAT UP ON AIR

I saw this a couple of days ago on MSNBC. You couldn't pay me enough to get beat up on-air like this. XETV-6 Reporter John Mattes was doing a real estate scam story in San Diego when he became the story.

It's bad enough to get all bloodied-up on television...but to add insult to injury, the guy who opened the can of whup-ass later went on national TV and called the reporter a "disturbed man". I guess that means he's not sorry:

You'll be sorry if you don't watch the video--you have to double click on it, and it will redirect you to YouTube. Tell me what you think!! Did the reporter do the right thing or do you think he should have hit back? Tough call! Legal advice, anyone?

ATTENTION LOCAL NEWS JUNKIES

Jim Van Dillen, Laurie Patton, Jim Hankins

If you haven't heard the scoop already, Ky3 Crime Reporter Laurie Patton is leaving. This coming week will be her last. She is leaving the news business after 8 years to work for the Cox foundation and to start her own company, The Life Story Company (see the links section of the blog.) Please fell free to send her well-wishes at lpatton@ky3.com, but hurry, she won't be able to check it after Friday.

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENT--

My oldest sister, Hyunmi, got married. Isn't she a beautiful bride?

Ahem, I have two more beautiful, single sisters...

MY STORY

The Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network has ever so graciously posted a link to my blog on its website, and I am so glad to hear from people all across the country with adoption stories! Thank you for your emails! I love to hear about your experiences...

therefore, I'd like to share mine with you...the quick version, at least!

I was born in Pusan, South Korea, and came to the United States when I was six months old. These are my parents, Charles and Sharon:

I love them so much!

I know Korean children have found permanent homes in the states since the 1950s, but I really feel like my parents were ahead of their time when they adopted me 20-some-odd years later. They worked and sacrified to give me the world, at least as much as you can in small-town Missouri.

Anyway, when I was 18, my parents surprised me with a trip to Korea. I went with Dillon International, the agency I volunteered with for four years (www.dillonadopt.org). The trip, called a birthland tour, catered to an adoptee and his or her family. Not only did we travel the country to get a glimpse of the culture, we also stayed at the Eastern Social Welfare Society where we held newborns awaiting homes in the U.S. We visited an unwed mothers' home, and saw our own adoption files, too.

I was adopted through Holt International (www.holtintl.org), so when I had some free time, I went to the agency's office. One day, I even had the privilege to eat with Molly Holt, the daughter of the agency's founder, Harry Holt. We had pizza! What an amazing woman.

I did say this is the short version, right?

Anyway, I wasn't expecting to meet my birth family, but I did a few days before I left the country. It was overwhelming. My Korean parents are still married, and I have three biological sisters--two older, one younger.

I thought it was pretty interesting since I had no idea of my background, but it's not near as fascinating as the story that landed me in the states--this is what I was told:

My Korean parents were not doing well financially in the 70s. They already had two toddlers and were expecting their third (me). My birth father was a fisherman, and he went away to work. He and my birth mother hoped for a son. It's a cultural thing, sons traditionally bring more honor to a family since their role is to take care of the aging parents.

When my Korean mother gave birth to me in a free clinic, I guess she felt desperate. She relinquished me and told my birth father that I had died. When he returned, he consoled her, and almost immediately she got pregnant again. However, she kept her secret for 18 years, until the summer I made my way back to my birthland. Isn't that crazy?

We're almost at the end...this is longer than I thought.

How did it all turn out?! My birth father was shocked, but in the end, he apologized to my Korean mother for putting so much pressure on her to have a son. I suppose my birth mother finally felt relieved...and they were both extremely grateful to my parents, Charles and Sharon, for "raising such a happy child". I was ecstatic to learn that I had sisters, but at the same time I was incredibly sad to go through such a life-changing experience without my parents. They were a wreck back in Missouri! The international phone bill was more than the value of my current car, which really isn't saying that much, but c'mon!

My dream is for my parents to meet my birth family. Charles and Sharon are just too dang old to take a long flight and then walk all over Korea. My mom has bad knees, my dad has a bad back, and he's had a long and hard year recovering from brain tumor surgery. On the other hand, it would cost a fortune to bring my entire Korean family over for a visit. So, if anyone knows how they can meet, give me some ideas!! Please!

My sisters are all wonderful women. My Korean parents got back on their feet and were able to put the girls through college. They're single and workin' it! They are a blast, and there's not a day goes by I don't think of them. We can sort of communicate because I took two years of college Korean, and they learned English in school as well.

So that's my story! If you can believe it, it's actually WAY longer. But I talk for a living, what did you expect?! Thank you for all of your stories, please send me more and post them so we can all share!