Eep! Ugh! Yipe!

[azurite]

the_sweet is a Tall Cyber-Zombie Ninja that is Cold-Blooded. Strength: 6 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 3 To see if your Super Battle Ninja can defeat the_sweet, enter your name and choose an attack: fights the_sweet using Strength Agility Intelligence

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SaveJapantown.com

Anyone that has known me for a while or helped me with my essays for Study Abroad and the related financial aid/scholarships would know that the reason why I am so into Japan, Japanese culture/language, and anime and manga is because of my sister. She got me a prismatic Sailormoon SuperS sticker when I was about 9 years old. Though a few comic shops exist in the Richmond district of San Francisco, where I grew up, I would not have had HALF (or more!) the opportunities to experience Japanese culture, language, and lifestyle without Japantown existing in the central part of the city.

Now Kintetsu and AMC Theatres/Lowes Corp. are aiming to sell their property, which is almost 3/4 of Japantown! The only two other Japantowns in the United States are in San Jose and in Los Angeles, and I've been to both-- neither quite compare to San Francisco, where Asian culture has truly found a home. The sale of property in Japantown always ends up causing scandal and heartbreak- case in point: the former Japantown Bowling Alley. I spent years there bowling with my middle school and high school's leagues, building confidence, making friends, and having fun. When they sold it and demolished it to build a condominium complex with retail space, I was devastated. Now, the only bowling alleys in the city are practically inaccessible (Presidio Bowl), or are too overpriced and small (Yerba Buena Center).

Worse, the bowling alley was bought out by a company that did NOT have the neighborhood's best interests at heart; the retail space had yet to be filled when I was there, and the purchasing company's idea of "giving back" was to fill up almost the entire sidewalk, plant a few scrawny trees, and install a GATE to block people out! If they do the same to Japantown's malls, so much of the Japanese culture available there --whether to native San Franciscans, Japantown residents, or tourists-- will be gone forever.

Even if you've never been, please sign the petition. Don't let Japantown disappear! And please, pass this on. Tell everyone you know. Write to AMC/Lowes and the mayor of San Francisco (Gavin Newsom-- he's nice AND he's hot. Let's hope he's understanding, too).

Right now I'm busy polishing off my Presidential Scholars application with the Academic Plan (of courses I have left to take). I've had to edit the original PDF like crazy, because apparently no one knows how to make a PDF with editable form fields. Everyone says they PREFER typed forms, but how can you type in a form if you don't enable it!? Idiots. I'm just lucky I have Adobe Reader 6.0. It's older, but it works. I've already printed out my DARS and my CCSF unofficial transcript, finished off my statement of purpose... the only thing I'm confused on is whether Prof. Hirota just has to sign the thing, or whether she has to give a statement, too. All the forms say something different, and there's no space or form to refer to that I'm supposed to give her. I would hate to have all my work be for nothing, but there's just no time to scramble and get the rest of this stuff done tomorrow.

I can try and read Ch. 1 of my geography book in the morning before class. At 11am, I have to visit Prof. Hirota for her signature/statement (if I can get one), and then I have to grab a lunch. I have to get my Japanese/Situational Drills done (already did part of #1, it looks relatively easy). Then I have to meet the girls from Japanese to practice our skit, which we have to perform first, since I have my interview at 3:20. Then I have work at 4pm until 6:45, at which point I have to go to Journalism, armed with 3 story ideas... o_o; Story ideas for feature stories, but not "general topics"... story ideas that are plausible, and not how-to stories, and probably not profiles. HEEEEEEEEEEELP!

I need to sleep now (even if I feel wired and stressed), because if I walk into that interview with bags under my eyes, it will kill EVERYTHING.

Comments

[irvys-sefie.livejournal.com]

Heehee! I tried that and I beat you in a battle on intelligence. (over the internet...which really amounts to nothing but oh well!)

[schmollieollie.livejournal.com]

I'm also saddened about this demolition to Japantown. We've had so many great memories there at the bowling alley and such, it's disheartening. There was an article in the Examiner last week about it, they're selling the mall/s because they make no money. Its too expensive to upkeep them. As for the theatre, it's because the AMC recently acquired the Metreon, so having three theatres in SF would be a Monopoly...probably considering the 30 screen Century theatre is opening in the Fall.It's all really depressing, considering you always look forward to going to Jtown when you're back in the city and i look forward to all the yummy food places :)

Outta curiousity, are you going to boycott the Metreon now that's it been taken over by AMC =p

[azurite]

I wonder, even if they do sell, what will happen to the property? I mean, it's true that they comprise the bulk of Japantown, so how can it even be Japantown without the malls, the cultural peace plaza, etc.? WHAT ABOUT SOPHIE'S!?!?!

;_; I could care less about the movie theatre, really, although the Kabuki has been responsible for hosting the Asian American Film festival every year, and to lose that space would be a crushing below to the organizations that sponsor and run it.

I've never liked the Metreon, but it's sort of like having to drink Pepsi or coffee-- I hate them both, but if I have to drink SOMETHING caffeinated to keep me awake, it might as well be Pepsi (the Metreon).

;_;

[cutieme4u.livejournal.com]

Ichiban-kan! I love that place with it's cute little cheap knick-knacks! So sad...

But yea, I do miss Asian snacks, whether it's from J-town here or the one back home. If I have time, I wanna go to the J-town here and buy some. I'll call you if I go.

*runs off to sign the petition*

Japantown Rally

[(Anonymous)]

As the creator of the Save Japantown petition, I would like to thank you for your support.

FYI, The "Save Japantown" rally is happening Tuesday, March 14th at 10:00AM at SF's City Hall.

A march is scheduled at 9AM at the Japanese Cultural Center (1840 Sutter STreet). The march is from Japantown to City Hall, mostly downhill.

Re: Japantown Rally

[azurite]

I wish I could go-- I'm 500 miles south of San Francisco at the moment. I wish everyone at the march/rally and who signed the petition the best of luck and support! :D Save J-town!