By ALEC YOSHIO MACDONALD
Nichi Bei Times

SACRAMENTO — "As fellow Asian Pacific Americans, we can make a difference — but we must participate in the process," declared U.S. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) to a massive crowd at Sacramento State University on Oct. 28.

"The Great Unknown & the Unknown Great"

By GREG ROBINSON
Nichi Bei Times Contributor

I first heard of Forrest LaViolette five years ago, just after I moved to Montreal. I discovered that LaViolette, an American-born sociologist, had lived in Montreal during World War II and had taught at McGill University. I was amazed to learn that LaViolette had been a prominent scholar and activist who had supported both Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians, and determined to learn what I could about him.

By APRIL ELKJER
Nichi Bei Times

Starting immediately, San Francisco is launching a mobile language interpretation project for battered women and children who speak English with limited proficiency.

City Administrator Ed Lee has negotiated a master contract with Language Line Services to provide live translation services in more than 175 languages to all participating city departments. AT&T donated 126 mobile phones to be connected to this service and handed out to the San Francisco Police Department, Department of Emergency Management (9-1-1), District Attorney's Office, Adult Probation Department, Public Defender's Office and Sheriff's Department.

"Fantastic Voyage"

By JEFF ASAI
Nichi Bei Times Columnist

I have this strange middle name that I inherited from my grandfather. "My Japanese name is Otojiro," is what I tell people here in Japan. "Eeh?! Otojiro?? Sugoooooi." [What?! Otojiro? Whoa!] I've been told the name sounds like it's from before the Meiji era (1868-1912). Another thing that it tells people is that I'm a second child (Jiro meaning second, or next child, as opposed to Ichiro, which means first child).

I guess the strange thing about it is the fact that I'm American and have such a strange name. It'd be like if you met someone who came from Japan and said his name was Lancelot. Very cool, but perhaps a little odd.

By ANSHO MAS UCHIMA and MINORU SHINMOTO

Brigadier General (Retired) Theodore Shigeru Kanamine was promoted to Colonel in January and he became the commander of the 89^th Military Police Group in Fort Lewis, Washington. During this time, he was also the Fort Lewis provost marshal.

By BEN HAMAMOTO
Nichi Bei Times

The racial and cultural diversity in America is considered by many to be one of its greatest sources of pride. America is often called a "melting pot" and a "nation of immigrants." Americans are also known to sometimes paint the world's other countries as bland and homogenous. The Tsukimi Kai Dos exhibit at San Francisco's National Japanese American Historical Society, running through Dec. 31, provides a reminder that America is far from the only country with a history of immigration. The exhibit features photos by members of Tsukimi Kai, a group of Japanese Americans who make trips to Cuba to connect with Nikkei communities there and record oral histories.

The Asahi Shimbun

OSAKA — English-language school operator Nova Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection Oct. 26 and suspended operations at about 800 schools, leaving thousands of students and teachers in the dark about refunds and unpaid wages.

By KEIJI HIRANO
Kyodo News

TOKYO — For Tadashi Kato, it was long-awaited good news that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples around the world after more than 20 years of debate.

By BEN HAMAMOTO
Nichi Bei Times

A man stands on stage in the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's "after the quake," an adaptation by Frank Galati of two stories from Murakami's "concept album" short story collection of the same name. He is dressed in a business suit, bright green frog gloves and bright green glasses, signifying his character is a gigantic frog.