What does the world look like as reported on the pages of California's growing ethnic newspapers? PNS monitors the Chinese-, Spanish-, Vietnamese-, Japanese, Arab-language news media as well as English-language newcomer and native-born ethnic press published and/or distributed widely in California. "Gleanings from the Ethnic Media" is a regular weekly column compiled by Emil Guillermo, host of "NCM: New California Media TV" (seen on PBS station KCSM-TV60 in the Bay Area); assisted by Pacific News Service and the NCM Network. Just as the alternative news media connected the disaffected populations in the 1960s, so in the 1990s the ethnic media connects the new ethnic majority communities of California -- to one another and to the larger public forum. We hope you will find the column an intriguing window into the new California.

QUICK HONEYMOON: The honeymoon may be over for Gray Davis -- at least in San Diego. Some (if not many) Mexican Americans in that city are "underwhelmed" by the first few weeks of the new administration as indicated by the headline "Governor Gray Davis Ignores Mexican Americans," from an editorial in La Prensa (San Diego).

The paper calls the governor's low-level early appointments to his administration "a total disregard and lack of sensitivity to the hopes and aspirations of the Mexican-American and Latino population of this state." Representing 30 percent of California, Hispanic voters were largely credited with making Davis' victory possible last November. Aside from being shunned from key administration positions, La Prensa points out that Davis' inaugural failed to address the community's key issues: Prop. 227, the anti-bilingual measure, affirmative action rollbacks, or immigration.

"It might be nice Governor if you take the time to talk and listen to us," La Prensa writes. "After all you have nothing to lose except your job."

HOMEBOY HMO: The rap used to be Mexican immigrants come to America for the benefits. But with access limitations to public and private health care, that's no longer the case. Now a new safety net has emerged for uninsured immigrants who've fallen through the cracks. The Mexican Institute of Social Service (IMSS) is now offering family medical insurance for 84 cents a day, or $307 a year for parents and children up to age 25. "We want to make (insurance) more accessible to people, especially field workers and those barely making minimum wage," said Ricardo Garcia, regional director of the IMSS in Los Angeles, in a report in La Opinion. To be eligible you must be a Mexican citizen and meet pre-existing condition requirements.

SIKH OUT: The Sikh community is wondering why Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein fame is in and Ranjit Singh out? U.S. Embassy officials in New Delhi recently denied a visa to Singh, a prominent Sikh leader scheduled to visit Fremont, Stockton, and Los Angeles. Ranjit was appointed head of the Akal Takht, the 350 year old Sikh spiritual authority while serving a twelve year sentence for murdering the leader of a rival sect. He was released two years ago. The denial caught Sikh leaders by surprise since Ranjit had applied for a similar status given to Sinn Fein's Adams. Hundreds of Sikhs were planning pilgrimages to California for the visit. Two million Sikh live outside India, mostly in the U.S., Canada and Britain.

SELL THE SHOES: 10,000 victims of Marcos' martial law are demanding that Imelda Marcos pay up an amount that could reach over 157 billion pesos. The human rights victims have already won a class action suit against the estate of Marcos for the pain and suffering endured during the Marcos' martial law regime. But it's up to a U.S. federal court to determine individual claims.

The original suit against the Marcos estate awarded the victims $1.9 billion dollars, but that grew to $2.4 billion due to interest. Many Filipino Americans in the U.S. are among claimants who were tortured or suffered financial loss due to the strong-arm policies of Marcos.

LOOSE NOOSE?: African Americans are not happy with a recent San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC)ruling on a hangman's noose complaint, and are now considering a formal protest to the city, according to a column by Marie Harrison in the San Francisco Bay View. But the HRC says the appropriate steps have been taken in the aftermath of a noose's display at a construction site at San Francisco International airport. HRC called it a "racially offensive act," and has referred the matter to the SFPD's Hate Crime Unit, the NAACP, and the FBI. The company, Hensel Phelps also has adopted new policies. But the Bay View columnist Harrison points out that no one has been disciplined at the company for display of the noose. Black workers found the symbol of racial terror after Hensel Phelps was found in violation of the City's anti-discrimination laws.

HANGING WITH MLK: Peter H. Truong, a Vietnamese American police officer in King county, has been nominated as the recipient the 1998 Martin Luther King Award for his service, trumpets Cali Today, the Vietnamese newsweekly. Truong, a much honored police veteran of 11 years is described as "a man of compassion and determination."

"Personally, I'm just a regular person but I'm very proud to be Vietnamese living in the United states," said Truong, who was relocated first to Idaho after a career in the South Viet Namese Air Force. "My generation will prove their worth to the world as proud Vietnamese living in America."