And so, after making this post “Be careful of your Children in Hong Kong“, I ended up generating 800+ hits on one day with people searching with keywords such as “Hong Kong, kidnapping, urban myth” etc…

I have received both positive and negative comments from this post. And I’m even surprised to see myself in today’s Apple Daily (found courtesy of my husband) regarding this. A few things that I’d like to clarify:

1. This is a blog. It’s free space for publication of opinion, thoughts and things of this matter.
2. There was never intent of hurt or public disgrace or will-ill towards any organization or person.
3. If you read my article, it talks about “Being Careful in Hong Kong” - that’s it.
4. If you have comments to say to me - address your comments to me as an individual and not as a JANE DOE. I’m brave enough to put myself out there publicly, so should YOU.

Anyways. I just checked my email (the one that the public writes to) and I did get an email from a particular organization in which I mentioned, with a scanned letter on March 17, 2009 (yesterday!). Following their request and my lack of need to follow up with this story, I am now removing reference to this organization from my story. They did request that I remove the article completely - which I am NOT about to do. Their only concern is with reference to their organization.  Through this act, I am honouring their request and hopefully this will reduce the spread of “negative” publicity on their part.

As well, there is an email from Apple Daily yesterday from a reporter.  This is definitely getting out of hand.  Again, I simply emailed them to say that I had pulled references to a particular organization and am not giving any comments.  I would hate to perpetuate something that this organization feels so strongly about and has requested me to withdraw.  And thus, I am complying by their request.  However, I am disappointed with how The Apple Daily spun the article.  I know it is after all their business to “spin” news, this is the media and there are very few media outlets that try to give an objective view because I have, it seems, become a scapegoat.  Though I am not taking this personally, I’d like THIS POST to become a retaliation of a sorts to defending my position in making my original post.

Wow - what an adventure *SiGH*!! I’m in the paper!! And on the SECOND PAGE!!!  Albeit the reference is not positive, but I don’t completely see it as negative either.  Interestingly enough - does it make me want to blog less??  HELL NO, maybe more! HAHA - but this is the information age, you have to filter everything you read and hear.  Lesson learned:  Use no reference to organization names when I’m blogging about potentially NEGATIVELY viewed things on them.  Maybe I should censor my own mouth (er, fingers)?  Happy reading and happy blogging.