What does the world look like as reported on the pages of California's growing ethnic newspapers? PNS monitors the Chinese-, Spanish-, Vietnamese-, Japanese-, Korean-, Arabic-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.

Y2K? AK-47: Year 2000 fears combined with a survivalist mentality has many in Los Angeles' Korean American community stocking up on assault weapons. "A lot of Koreans fear another LA riot," said a gun shop owner in to the Korea Times (Los Angeles). "The millennium bug is making more Koreans purchase semi-auto machine guns and shot guns" instead of small hand guns.

IMPEACHMENT AFTERMATH: Indo-Americans, like most citizens, expressed relief at the end of the impeachment battle. "I'm so glad it's over," Florida Republican fund-raiser Dr. Zachariah Zachariah told India West (San Leandro, Ca.). "The only winner is Bill Clinton, the rest lost." Southern California Democratic activist Sunil Aghi commented that voters' memories are short, but some GOP House managers like James Rogan of Pasadena, whose district has many minorities and moderates, may be in serious trouble.

NO TAIWAN THEATER TICKET: Taiwan has been left out of the U.S.- proposed Theater Missile Defense (TMD) system, designed to protect South Korea and Japan from a possible attack from North Korean missiles.

According to the Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Daily, Beijing feels strongly that Taiwan is a part of China. Therefore including Taiwan in the TMD is a violation of China's sovereignty. While the move was being considered, the pro-Beijing China Press warned. "The U.S. arms industry will make money, Japan's right-wing is delighted... but Taiwan is going to pay a heavy price for joining the TMD."

Taipei claims that there has been no formal recognition by the U.S. of mainland China sovereignty over Taiwan, but, as the pro-Taiwan World Journal (Millbrae, Ca.) noted, Taiwan has come to believe that America is its main defensive shield.

LOBSTER BONANZA: Fishermen working the waters off the central coast of Vietnam are getting rich because lobsters are floating on the surface of the sea. Normally, according to Thoi Bao (San Jose, Ca.) divers spend considerable time searching and come up with only a few lobsters. But for the past two months, fishermen are averaging 150-200 lobsters a boat or about $425 dollars a day.

LATINOS WORKING: Unemployment among Latinos is at its lowest level in more than 25 years, although it is still above the national average, reports La Opinion (Los Angeles). January unemployment level for Latinos was 6.6 percent, compared to 7.6 percent among blacks, 3.8 percent among whites and 4.3 percent overall. The Labor Department attributed the drop to the Clinton Administration's policies, a higher minimum wage, tax cuts for low income families and investment in education and work training.

NO END TO MEANS CASE--YET: Three Navajo Supreme court justices are still deciding whether they can try Russell Means, a founder of the American Indian Movement, accused of beating his father-in-law in 1997 on the Navajo Reservation, reports the OCB Tracker (Glendora, Ca.).

"Mr. Means, by his actions, has consented to the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation and he became part of the community," said Donovan D. Brown, the Navajo Nation prosecutor.

Means insists that since he is not Navajo, he cannot be prosecuted by the Navajo, and that federal law authorizing Indian tribes to prosecute non-members is invalid. Means plans to take the current case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. Other tribal leaders are watching closely.

INDO-CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY: 450 Indo-Christians gathered in the Southern California town of Artesia, also known as "Little India," to protest anti-Christian violence in India, reports India West (San Leandro, Ca.). Archbishop Zachairas Mar Nicholas of the North American Diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church spoke out against "the violation of the Indian Constitution."

FAT FILIPINOS: One in five Filipinos is excessively obese reports the Philippine News (San Francisco), citing a study by the Philippine Association of the Study of Overweight and Obesity. The figure surprised some observers since many in the country can't afford three square meals a day. The report noted that people were doing less manual work, and eating more refined food.