Why would someone need to buy?

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
blueray,


You will be able to pass down your belief/habit to your children if you and your wife set your mind to it.





As I stated in my previous post, my family has been here over a century. Though I speak little Japanese I still fit most of bkshopr's descriptions. I would not mind living with my aging parents but they chose to live in Hawaii with one of my older brothers. As I grow older, I find myself behaving more and more like my parents. I don't usually buy things I want, I buy things I need.





Some posters here have said that the Asian people they know were different from what bkshopr said, I say give a few more years as those young Asian grow older they may find otherwise. A few Asians I know have been "having fun" and disappointed their parents by not completing a 4-year college. Now in their mid 30's, they told me they finally realized the benefits of higher education and wanted to find ways to go back to school. Recent years some of my biggest clients are mainland Chinese and they don't have a problem with me being a Japanese. My impression of Chinese is that they are very shrewd. They don't let their emotion (hating Japanese) influence their business decisions.





I am not saying bkshopr's descriptions fit all Asians or his descriptions 100% accurate. I can find myself somewhat different a bit. To name a few, We could probably afford luxury cars but choose to drive economy ones. Thus, we saved most of our income to buy our first and 2nd house in Irvine without help from our parents. My wife and I do shop at REI and Adventure16 a lot. We drink coffee outside but having tea at home. We almost never buy name brands. Looking at all these Taiwanese in Irvine, I often wonder if my wife is really Taiwanese, she absolutely hates shopping! Lucky me.
 
<p>asians are the only people in this world who are obsessed with the nuances among their nationalities - vietnamese, chinese, korean, japanese, etc. i grew up with many beliefs on how the chinese are one way, the koreans another, and the vietnamese... and so on. but after working at over 20 different high schools and meeting over 10,000 students of all ethnicities; i think asians as a group are excruciating similar - physically and socially. get over it people. we're all americans here. personally, i try to socialize with whites, hispanics, and asians. from my experience, the people who have good things to say about others tend to live a happier life.</p>

<p>for instance, i have friends who are always complaining against _(just fill in the blank)__. these friends aren't sociable nor do they have a lot fun. on the other hand, the people i know who do find positives in other groups tend to have better experiences with others. face it, when you complain or look down on others, more often than not, it's a reflection of who you are rather than who you comment about. i like people. and i figure the more people i like, the better my life is. and the funny thing is... although i'm asian, i get more rascist remarks from asians than from any other group.</p>
 
<p>Strange so many people here agree with BK, as I have found myself completely different from what he described. I don't know if it is an age thing or income thing or education thing or perhapes this board attracts people fits BK's describtion. I am actually generation 1.5 Chinese, but I was born in Switzerland instead of China, and my wife, though Chinese as well, was born and raised in Italy. On the other hand, I did live in China for a extended period of time when I was young, and a good percentage of my friends are from China. I noticed most of the people agree with BK are either Asian born in the US or older first generation, perhapes young people from China now days simply are very different. I use Shanghai and Beijing a lot because most of my friends are from these two cities. I value education greatly. But other than that, we don't have anything in common with BK's Asian, in fact, we are the complete opposite. In any case, I think it will be more useful to adopt the approach to look things from the aspect of utility rather than racial classification. Regarding hating Japanese or any other racial group, I personally don't hate anybody because of their racial/national background, we are who are we, and we had no choice in the matter. I do not agree with hs_teacher regarding the culture difference though. The culture difference is great, at least as great as the difference between Swiss/German, or Swiss/French, and that difference impacts product purchasing greatly. </p>

<p>I have no desire to live in Irvine as I find the city to be boring and too family centric. I am here because no RE blog exist for the Los Angeles area, and I figure a blog that covers OC would at least give me some idea about LA market. (Perhapes another reason I am different?) I personally don't think one can compare Irvine with San Jose as San Jose generally pays a great deal more and the chance of IPO is also much greater. I am a bear in the sense I think the market is overpriced, on the other hand, I don't believe the market will return to normal. Again, the crazy Shanghai real estate market and constantly under-valued German real estate market influence me on this outlook. Real estate market can stay unreasonable for a long time. </p>

<p> </p>
 
"This reminded me of a very in depth article I read about how there are so many Asian kids at Berkeley and so few in the Ivy Leagues and why this might be. One point it talked about was this "robotic" studying ethic that basically made the student boil down to a number or index and how that does not fly with Ivy League admissions. It also talked about how Asians tend to think of their professors as very high above them, not questioning what they say (which would be more consistent with the Western Socratic philosophy) and how this made and Ivy League education (with all of the extra money it costs) basically not worth it."





soul brother,





i had a conversation with an admissions officer at the univ i went to a few yrs ago. he made one comment that really stuck with me. everyone, especially asian parents obsessed with their child's education, think the top schools are looking for well-rounded students. thats not true... they are looking for a well-rounded student body.


harvard is not looking to admit 10 students who all have good grades, played a few sports, were members of the key club, choir, and played piano. it certainly wouldn't hurt to have all those things on your application but probably better if you one of either the valedictorian, star athlete, world-class musician, or dedicated volunteer.

 
Many of your insight and sharing of your life provided me with the lifestyle and evolution of Chinese immigrant and their children in America. All theories are not always correct and the law of probability is capturing the result of the majority. My studies started 30 years ago from interviews and questionnaires of families along the West Coast and East Coast. Yearly update with these original families and new families also are added to my data. I chose several key immigrant destinations San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles and New York.



Most immigration during early years of my research is sponsored through relatives, professional and specialty employment visa and study visa. When immigration law expanded during the 80’s many avenues of admission were granted and many were honest and some were shady. Some came from restaurant sponsorship and worked as slave for the restaurant. Many Philippine women learned nursing skills and secured their residency and Men as draftsman for early architectural firms.



I agree with many of you that do not fit or have Asian friends that do not fit into my model. My analysis is Upper and middle class Chinese immigrant in America. Many companies are extremely interested in this particular demographic. This group has money and will never lose it through bad spending. Because this first generation college graduates earned their fortune through many years of tribulation they are very careful with their asset. This group is extremely loyal and persistent to a product brand and companies are interested in capturing their lifelong loyalty. This is not a group that is easily persuaded by savvy ad, PR campaign and sale incentives but very easily persuaded by the testimony of a friend or a relative. Peer acceptance is extremely importance for them. This group also embodies skepticism and will take a long time and a lot of patience and persistence to gain their support and loyalty. This is true for friendship, relationship, brands and consumer goods. Being Loyal to a branding of a community such as The Irvine Ranch and specifically with certain builders like Shapell in the East SF Bay Area have been resulted from word of mouth spread among friends and relatives. They will continue moving up to a nicer home but in the same vicinity. Because of the predictability of this consumer group many companies structure their product to appeal to their logical decision making.



This group is not driven to buy because of emotion. When they visit model homes they are not moved by the fancy merchandising and the beautifully staged models. They make choices by value ratio and practical functional features. They are not driven by Romantic lingual architectural styles like Tuscan, Santa Barbara, Provencal, or Spanish Colonial Revival. The convenience of a 3 car garage which makes backing straight out on to the street at ease takes a higher precedence than the nicer elevations with concealed garages. Front yard and side landscape have been replaced by additional concrete driveway for parking are common for homes in Alhambra. Temporary patio tents are erected as portable carports in front and along the sides of many homes that prompted the city ordinance to ban and limit the usage of tents.



The early generation of immigrant came here were poor and had a better opportunity for education and economic future in America than their homeland in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The Kennedy administration opened the first flood gate of immigration in 1963.



Some of you mentioned why certain areas have dense Asian Population. From my earliest research I like to shed light on this subject why Monterey Park, and the current Rowland Heights, and Gardena have higher percentage of Asians than other communities.



During the early 70’s Chinese immigrant migration to the suburb was along the popular bus route to Downtown Los Angeles garment district and clerical employment center. Technology business center in the suburb was in its infancy the first generation Chinese college graduates had just entered into this work force.



Many did not own cars and utilized public transportation. Around this time some first generation of home buyers bought new or relatively new homes at location where their older parents could take a direct bus to work at Downtown garment district and Chinatown restaurants. During that time there were only 5 Chinese markets in Southern CA and 4 were in Chinatown and one was near the produce market on San Pedro and 9<sup>th</sup> Street in downtown skid row. The parents shop regularly in Chinatown and brought grocery home on the bus.



The Earlier builders like S&S, Broad moor Homes, Covington, Baldwin Homes and Lusk Homes all had projects in Montebello and Monterey Park. Many bus routes were very conveniently connecting both cities to Chinatown and Downtown via East LA route and the transportation hub was the Historic Olvera Street and the train depot. Many immigrant bought homes there during the early 70’s. The first market DiHo “The very best” started there in 1976 and the rest is history. This eastward of 710 freeway migration occurred before the 80’s



Construction of a Holy Buddhist Temple began on the top of the hills in Hacienda Height the late 70’s and opened during the early 80’s. The Chinese made up name for Hacienda Height is “Holy Land”. Further migration of Chinese moved eastward toward the blessed land and opened businesses there. The second wave of homes occurred in Walnut along Amar Rd and in Hacienda Heights during the late 70’s. Home prices were cheap and DiHo opened the branch market there to take advantage of the growing population. As Hacienda Height tighten its planning standards retail and restaurant businesses inched eastward to Rowland Heights where planning department have been lenient and strip center rent were cheap. Diamond Bar is considered the upper end residential neighborhood of the Pomona Freeway corridor while the aging Walnut has older and more affordable resale. This 605 freeway migration took place between 80’s and 95’ and the 57 Freeway migration occurred within the last 10 years and Chino Hills 71 freeway migration is still in progress.



Gardena on the other hand was primarily open land with many Japanese Nursery farms post WWII. Many other cheap parcels were found in OC, Fountain Valley, Anaheim and Costa Mesa were snatched up quickly by the Japanese who can’t afford Gardena and Torrance. Many Japanese landowners sold their land to builders during the 50’s OC boom and only a handful held on to the land until the recent days by their heirs. Sokioka farm by South Coast Metro, another piece along Fairview off the 405 and the remaining piece on Harbor Blvd. finally sold to Disney by the heirs of the deceased Japanese die hard farmer who refused to sell since 1955. Gardena is home to many generations of Japanese



The first generation of highly educated Chinese immigrants moved to the coastal area of LA. This group included doctors who practiced at the near by famed UCLA Harbor and Torrance Medical Center and early business entrepreneurs like David Sun who started Kingston Industry in Fountain Valley and Tony Zee who founded Intex the inflatable recreation water toys for pool and river sports. David now lives in Shady Canyon on lot number 8. Tony still lives in Rolling Hills but busy keeping up with supplies to Wal-Mart, Target and Costco. Palos Verdes Peninsula has the perfect Feng Shui land formation and many Educated Chinese purchased resale and some new tract homes during the early 70’s. Prices have always been high and excellent schools attracted them. Many PV “Wannabe” settled for Torrance at the bottom of the hills and send their kids to the neighboring PV schools hoping the good scholar vibes would rub off on to them.


 
Part2----



Irvine on the other hand attracted the first generation of Chinese engineers to the 50,000 employee strong Fluor Corporation formerly located by the Park Place and Ford Aeronautic which was demolished for the One Ford Road community in Newport Beach. Although both companies had an excellent vanpool program but these early Irvine Chinese pioneers moved here for the beauty of the orderly master planned communities and the rest you all know. Around Late 70’s and Early 80’s Chinese students attended UCI were rejected from UCLA and Berkeley. After graduation they all found better business opportunities here during the Irvine boom.



Early Vietnamese immigrant arrived as early as 1974. Many started their life in camps and hosting families in another states. Due to the lack of skills and language barrier many came to OC during the mid 70’s as migrant farmers on the Irvine and neighboring ranch. These lands have long disappeared. Santa Ana and Westminster were the early destination. Government financial support and public health care were offered through the Civic Center Agencies in Downtown Santa Ana and Westminster the neighboring town became home to the second largest Vietnamese population outside Vietnam. Early Vietnamese immigrant with no vocational skill to make a living many went on to government sponsored trade school to learn electronic assembly and other factory skills. Some have to become business owners that sell everything under the sun to make a living. Some became very wealthy as business owners. Many women conquered and monopolized the nail industry across the US.



Most early Chinese immigrants have reached financial stability and their 1.5 generation kids born oversea during the 60’s and early 70’s educated primarily here in America retain most of the value and characteristic mentioned in my earlier posts. They are mostly successfully employed as a professional such as doctors, engineers, computer Analyst, CPA, professors and etc. However, the grand children’s generation born with the silver spoon in America. They are referred to as “ABC” American born Chinese or “Banana” yellow on the outside and white inside and have never experienced poverty. They have never worked in the downtown sweatshop nor tagged along to the Restaurant kitchen because early immigrant parents could not afford childcare. Some of these kids born under the Nintendo era have a high sense of entitlement. Unlike the 1.5 generation who must do well in a bad school and compromised time studying to help out family to earn a living these kids are insulated from the hardship. The drive to succeed is not as crucial for ABC as for their 1.5 generation parents to get out of poverty. ABCs have a choice to become a “boomerang” kid where their parents did not have that luxury. “Boomerang” kids are those who went to college and could not find a job to sustain independent living on their own and they are back at home to take advantage of their parents’ goodwill.



Most ABC’s does not know how to write fluently in Chinese or read the Chinese Menu at a Chinese restaurant. They have to point or memorize the pronunciation of the dishes. Some of this generation hated their upbringing. The 1.5 generation parent did not do all the “cool” things that most American mom and dad did. Softball games, soccer games, fishing, sleep over at a friend’s house, cool Jungle gym and aero jump birthday parties. Chinese parents were never a friend to their kids they are study proctors and academic drill sergeants. Many ABCs are torn at the middle without a distinctly defined culture. The one that succeed in education primarily did it to please their parents. Azia Kim the imposter at Stanford University was one who graduated from a top OC ranked Troy HS from Fullerton.



There are some ABC’s on the contrary who hated everything about their “FOB” “fresh off the boat” immigrant parents. They are embarrassing to be around with. They talked too loud in their native tongue and embarrassed them in front of their peers. The parents are absence in their kid’s life and busy making a living to pay for the high Irvine mortgage for example and many other academic and tutorial expenses. When come to academic Chinese are not frugal about it. Some Chinese kids do not know the real reason why they need to succeed academically except for the constant nagging by their parents. They also know they can fall back financially on to their parents if they do not succeed. The danger lurks among this rebellious generation. The parents want them to marry a Chinese girl or marry a Chinese man. Some rebel and prefer an interracial relationship. Some chose Art major over a technical major and pierced every part of their bodies. Some prefer a lifestyle partner. Dropping out of college is not uncommon for the ABC generation. The underlining is the assimilation to today’s society and the Chinese culture will be forever lost in this melting pot society. Confucius said “wealth seldom last through 3 generations”



Chinese living in Hong Kong looked down on to many other Ethnic Chinese and other Asians especially Chinese from the Mainland China. Since 1997 after Hong Kong revert back to China the table is turned. Mainland Chinese deliberately ignored their advanced society cousin instead seeking an instant gratification metropolis of the West like USA. China is becoming a powerful nation economically and moving at a record pace to catch up the 200 years of progress that Mao took away. Chinese from China is experiencing freedom of making money and wanted short cut to success at any environmental cost. They do not promote from within instead they hire professional from other countries like architects from US and Europe to design to tallest towers and the housing architects here in OC to duplicate Orange County stucco Mediterranean villas in Beijing and Shanghai and German and Japanese engineers to design their trains. Similar to the ABCs here the entire China is rebellious to their ancient culture. They are wiping out their serene Chinese architecture and ancient society and replacing them with western Mc Mansions and western culture. They can’t wait for the Olympic to show off to the world that they are no longer a third word country but a world superpower. For 30 years the US has educated many of the Chinese foreign student’s science and technology and hoping that they return home with the idea of democracy.



Following the Japanese industrial advancement era during the 70’s and 80’s The Chinese like the Japanese worshipped the USA like Disneyland, Cowboy boots, Columbia and Universal Pictures, Blond women, Elvis Presley, Microsoft, Hollywood movies, San Fernando porn, endless American culture and foods including McDonalds and KFC. In Mainland China similar to Japan Starbucks, KFC, McDonalds, and Burger King are huge. The Franchise occupies multiple stories with escalators to handle the huge sale volume.



For a relatively short time many new comers and old timers have contributed to this subject and passionately shared their point of view. All of you are great and I enjoyed the posts very much. Generation gap and losing one's cultural origin can occur within a family, an ethnic culture, and even an entire country. At the end one must return to his root and rediscover the culture that define our unique identity
 
<p>bkshopr:</p>

<p>Thank you so mcuh for your excellent description about Chinese. You are amazing!!!</p>

<p>Ask you a question about modern Chinese from mainland china, the question is:</p>

<p>Most of mainland chinese are:</p>

<p>1. Communist</p>

<p>2. Budhist</p>

<p>3. Daoist.</p>

<p>4. Christian. </p>

<p>5. Atheist</p>

<p>What is their possibility of conversion into to Christian, and which branch of Christian most of them are becoming? The question is more like, what is the chinese in "spiritual/reality world" looks like? </p>

<p> </p>
 
Wow, that brings back memories. Back in high school I had a couple friends who worked at Diho Supermarket in Cerritos, they convinced me to take a weekend shift there collecting shopping carts in the parking lot, so they could stay inside and work as bag boys. It was my first real job at age 16 or 17, sweating my head off in the parking lot for $3.25/hr while my buddies are bagging groceries inside and enjoying the air con. LoL. I remember walking down Pioneer Blvd to standard sweets to get masala dosa for lunch, it was $1.25 or $1.50 back then.





If memory serves DiHo used have several branches, Cerritos, Pomona, Monterey Park, etc. The owner, Mr. Wu, sold the supermarkets in CA and I think moved to Texas. The Cerritos DiHo supermarket was sold to the same owner who runs Sea Palace Market on South St. by Cerritos Mall. Last I checked the "DiHo" name was still there but I donno who owns it now. If anyone wants to try Malaysian food, Laksa (laksamalaysiancafe.com) moved to the Sea Palace Market plaza, you can get roti prata/canai & nasi goreng there. Though I wish the prices were in RM and not USD, hehe.





There are large differences between different ethnic Chinese immigrant groups that came at different times. For those that came in 1970s-1980s, the 1.5 generation from Vietnam can speak Viet and their own dialects, but not read/write Chinese unless if they went to Chinese school here. The 1.5 gen from Taiwan already attended elementary school in Taiwan and most have retained enough skill to read Chinese newspapers and comic books. The 2nd generation that were born here would only read/write Chinese if the parents sent them to Chinese school here.





The 1.5 generation kids that immigrated here today are in a very different environment. Unlike those that came in 1970s-1980s, there's already a large established ethnic Chinese community here in LA/OC. They're not the lone Asian kid in a school full of whites anymore. They retain their Chinese language skills far better than earlier 1.5 gen immigrants. They type in Chinese and chat with their friends and relatives back home via MSN (Taiwan) or QQ (China), and take regular trips back home. Most of the immigrants that came in 1970s-1980s couldn't afford to take regular trips back to Taiwan/HK, but those that came in 2000's can easily afford it.





I know many Taiwanese kids from my MMORPG gaming guild who were sent back to Taiwan to visit or live for 1-2 months annually for "cultural immersion" and keeping the grandparents happy . Their parents today have a selection of Chinese language schools to send their kids to. In my days the Chinese school had to rent classrooms from my high school (Artesia High in Lakewood), today in Irvine they have their own cultural center.





IMO 1990-2010 will probably be defined as a period where Taiwanese immigrant's cultural and commercial strength reached its peak California. During this period, ethnic Koreans also grew in their cultural/commercial influence (some would say even larger than Taiwanese, but overly concentrated in K-Town area), so did Filipinos but on a lesser extent, versus Japanese went on the decline. After 2010, I suspect we'd see bigger cultural/commercial impact from mainland Chinese immigrants here in Cali, where more stores owned by mainland Chinese will appear.





hyu1997: there is no reliable census on religion in mainland China. However from observation, I'd say that the "traditional" Chinese belief system is the product of syncretism between folk religions, Confucian ceremonies (which may or may not be considered religious), ancestor worship, Buddhism, and Taoism. Unlike intolerant monotheistic ("all or nothing") religions, many Chinese/Taiwanese/Japanese has no problems with praying to multiple deities.





The authorities in China have a parentalistic view on religion and prefer to maintain status quo between different officially sanctioned sects/religions, they don't like "new cults" that upset the balance. For example the Yi Guan Dao (I-Kuan Tao) unity sect is probably still banned in China, while it has become the 3rd most popular sect in Taiwan.
 
<p>There is an unspoken rule at every workplace: office politics. Hispanics help their Hispanic friends to get jobs. Blacks help Blacks and Caucasians help Caucasians. Asians do not help other Asians because they want to be the "Only" successful Asian at the top.</p>

<p>In addition, Asian kids do not learn leadership skills at an early age. It is a skill that kids learn to be comfortable speaking in public or acting in front of strangers. Asian kids learn how to behave well and be a good kid in their family. They do not learn how to think independently or do anything against the family's harmony. Therefore, you witness a herd thinking in most Asian groups </p>
 
<p> </p>

<p>Orangeman,</p>

<p>You are very correct. It is shown throughout Chinese history the greatest inventions were kept as family secrets and were never shared and developed among others. The idea was to pass on to the family jewel so he could further develop the legacy the elders left behind.</p>

<p>The idea of Aero dynamic was developed by the Chinese during the 12th centuries before Da Vinci. </p>

<p>The idea of ammunition and explosive also was invented by the Chinese. Because of selfishness Chinese only got as far as firework.</p>

<p>The idea of naval navigation was also developed the 1<sup>st</sup> century but soon was lost among the family clans. </p>

<p>The grand children rarely would follow the foot step of the ancestors.</p>

<p>This is also true for Westerners as well. Many craftsman and artisan profession are lost art and new generation are inclined go into technology.</p>
 
<p>Late comer to this thread. But wow bkshopr everything you've written basically hits the spot dead on. I coud read your thread to learn more about myself, its amazing. Some people might say something about your research not to realize that your research is for your clients to do marketing to the masses. Some comments may be seen as stereotypes but in reality, sometimes companies use stereotypes as a tool to do their market research.</p>

<p>I guess I am window shopping for a home, after all. Good thing my agent is asian, my caucasian agent would have dumped me awhile ago :)</p>
 
Bkshopr:





I received news that the owner of Diho Supermarket left Texas and has now opened a new Diho in Las Vegas:





Diho Supermarket


3459 South Jones Boulevard


Las Vegas, NV 89146
 
momopi "The 1.5 gen from Taiwan already attended elementary school in Taiwan and most have retained enough skill to read Chinese newspapers and comic books.


....


Most of the immigrants that came in 1970s-1980s couldn't afford to take regular trips back to Taiwan/HK, but those that came in 2000's can easily afford it."





Hahaha, you have just described me. I came here as a 3rd grader from Taiwan and occasionally read the comic books. I can't write, but I can read 70-80% of the text. I think tv helped me the most in retaining/learning chinese. All shows from Taiwan have subtitles, so growing up here I still watched a fair amount of Chinese shows. Since each Chinese character equals 1 syllable, you follow along the subtitle and eventually the characters are burned into your subconscious mind. My parents are always disappointed that I can't write Chinese, because it would be helpful in the business world. I joke with them and say that: 'hey I work aerospace, gov contracts, I don't think I'll ever deal with the Chinese.'





I came here 17 years ago and I have never been back to the homeland, affordability issue like you stated. My father works there and back then he would always tell us that it's cheaper for him to visit us than it is to have the 4 of us go back. I didn't find his reason satisfactory then, but I do understand it now. Saving money like that, my parents were able to put my 2 brothers and I through UCI, and pay off the 150k mortgage in the process. My father is retiring soon and I'll be back in Taiwan next month for a short vacation, it's been a long wait
 
eek:





(apologies if you already know the info below)





Ask your relatives in Taiwan to get you a tutorial CD on learning how to type in Chinese. Now a days it's probably more useful to learn how to type and chat on MSN than actually writing a letter by hand.





Microsoft has also made it easy to add East Asian language support since Windows 2000, it's all bundled on the Windows install CD. I installed Chinese, Japanese, & Korean language files to all my computers at home.





If you're going to be visiting Taipei, you'll enjoy the MRT system. It's a cheap and easy way to get around the city:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_Rapid_Transit_System





Go to a MRT station and buy a yo-yo card, deposit 500 NT in it. it's good for MRT and buses in Taipei. Be warned that like Cinderellas coach, the MRT shuts down around midnight, though Taxi's are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. It's very hot there right now. If possible, I'd recommend visiting in October instead for cooler weather. Don't ride on the Mao Kung gondola during hot weather, no AC. If you go in Sept, avoid the cold springs in YiLan on weekends, it's packed.





The food at Shilin night market, Danshui, Mao Kung, etc. aren't that good. Try restaurants around ZhongXiao DunLiu Sec 4, or area near National Taipei University (NTU). If you don't have internet access in TW and need to check e-mail (or going through internet withdraw...), there's an internet & manga cafe right by an exit at... I think either ZhongXiao DunHua or ZhongXiao XinSheng MRT station on the blue line. Look for an orange-ish sign in Chinese for Manga King (Man Hua Wang).





If you're used to the better Chinese food at Rowland Heights or other CA areas, be warned that many restaurants in Taipei actually serves inferior quality dishes in comparison. But don't tell the locals that. I was treated to... kung pao chicken on a prior visit. Since chicken breast meat is not popular in Taiwan, the restaurant used it in the chicken dish and it was dry and overcooked with various little unidentified black bits on the plate. I couldn't bring myself to mention that even Panda Express is better. Taipei's Din Tai Fung is better than ours in Arcadia though.
 
<p>must be efficient!! </p>

<p>Look stereotypes are rooted in fact. Steretypes are not wrong. Hating someone or directly demeaning someone because of his/her ethnicity is absolutely wrong. Categorizing someone by their ethnicity is not wrong. Why are we the only species on the planet that cannot be grouped by races? Being of a certain race doesn't make you pre-disposed to crime or slothfulness, but your race is determined by your genes, and those define you.</p>

<p>I wish that we would embrace our differences as "uniqueness of culture" instead trying to spew out this garbage that we are all equal. We are all "created" equal or "born" equal. We should all be given an equal chance, but that doesn't mean we are all equal. How many self-esteem issues are caused by people trying to be like other people? Anorexic/buleimic girls trying to be like the covergirls on magazines...kids taking steroids to become professional athletes... the list goes on and on...</p>

<p>If I need someone to lift a 50 pound bag and I pick a man to do it instead of a woman does that make me sexist? If I need to pick a running back and an offensive tackle and I pick the black kid as running back and the white kid for offensive line, does that make me a racist? The term discriminate simply means to make a choice from several options. Human beings do this every second of everyday. As we age we begin to make connections between things, it's how we survive. I know that if I stick my hand in a pot of boiling water, I'll burn my hand. I discriminated against the pot, so know will it sue me???</p>

<p>Somehow we got so wrapped up in this hippie-style mentality of everyone being equal that we've lost sight of what makes us special.</p>
 
<p>You people are crazy.....smart! But what's everybody getting worked up about?</p>

<p>To add to this already incredible history lesson...</p>

<p>Some asians are cheap, Some are generous</p>

<p>Some whites are cheap, Some are generous</p>

<p>Umm...I think it stops there </p>

<p>J/k...But there are people of different personality in every culture. If you grew up in a certain family, culture, neighborhood - most likely you're going to buy, like, dislike, etc... the same things</p>

<p>I know people like to belong and to group people together. As with stereotypes, etc. What I found growing up and looking at people is that they really want to be individuals and to stand out from everybody else. So when you're trying to do research or whatever it is you do, just remember you're trying to do a job, and to get paid for it.</p>

<p>Once you come home, to your house, rented or bought, you have your heineken, you are who you are, you are an individual, whatever your culture or nationality.</p>

<p>EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST FOR BLOG or CONVERSATION! so dont think too much about this and go do things with the wife!</p>

<p> </p>
 
<p>lendingmaestro: your comment is idiotic. </p>

<p>"Categorizing someone by their ethnicity is not wrong." That depends on what your definition of "wrong" is. If racism is "wrong," then categorizing someone by their ethnicity is most certainly wrong.</p>

<p>"If I need someone to lift a 50 pound bag and I pick a man to do it instead of a woman does that make me sexist?" Yes.</p>

<p>"If I need to pick a running back and an offensive tackle and I pick the black kid as running back and the white kid for offensive line, does that make me a racist?" Yes.</p>

<p>"Why are we the only species on the planet that cannot be grouped by races? " LOL -- is that why the black labs don't like hanging out with the golden retrievers?</p>

<p>Notwithstanding the idiocy of your comment, this is a housing blog, and I think this thread has gotten a little off-topic.</p>
 
@momopi





I'll be heading there mid Sept...crossing fingers on not being too hot there then. Good info on the MRT and where to get internet, because I don't think my dad has internet at his place. I forgot the name of the town he's in but he's 20-30mins southwest of Taipei..I think.





A shame that restaurants in Rowland Heights beat out Taiwan. I know the restaurants in the RH area well, as I grew up in Hacienda Heights. I think I'll be fine and end up at the good restaurants there, since my dad experienced food here as well. As long as the food there is better than the Chinese food in Irvine, I'll be happy.








@bkshopr


Your posts/analysis are awesome. I think there should be a thread stickied at the top of the forum that contain only your posts.
 
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