Do you notice a larger asian or black presence in Portland?

[ElGreco]

Originally Posted by karlsch

Since Leisesturm is one of the smartest posters to this forum, I am sure knows this technicality.

He was just trying to be funny (which you do here at your own risk).

I see...but anyway. Again IMO in Europe we are learrnig "different" geography . But geographers divide the planet into regions, and generally not continents, for ease of study. Various geographers have various definitions of these world regions: Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Australia and Oceania. And Samoa is part of Oceania.

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by lumiwa

.....Again IMO in Europe we are learrnig "different" geography .....

Well Dang, and here I thought this small section of CD forum was about Portland Oregon. You know, like provincialism running rampant Portland. And I did enjoy the humor of the post. It was funny, regardless of how "correct" it was.

But back to the original Asian question, I have noticed at least 7 distinct ethnic Asian restaurant cuisines in the Portland community. I have no idea if Vietnamese, Koreans, ethnic Chinese, or another ethnic Asian group, makes up the largest percentage of Portland's Asian restaurants.

IMHO, the largest ethnic minority by populations size in Portland is the blond haired Caucasian women with 'dark roots.' Do they ship in the peroxide into Portland by rail tanker, or by just by truck convoy. Aside: I bring this up because yesterday on a Bus in Downtown Portland I noticed a hipster / rocker who had real dark hair, but her hair roots were light blond. To each youth, his/her own rebellion I guess. But then again, it could be left over from the very new trendy black hair, pale white facial make-up, black lipstick, and dark clothes waiting in line to see that movie "New Moon" among teen-aged girls. God help us if that clothing style catches on beyond going to the "New Moon" movie.

Phil

[Leisesturm]

Actually, pdxMike deserves as much credit for comic timing as myself because he set up the straight line for me. And, to my shame, (sorry karlsch) I did not know, beforehand, the geo-political significance of calling Samoans, Asian. It was enough that they are usually taller than average and yet have Asian features. Mea culpa.

H

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I did not know, beforehand, the geo-political significance of calling Samoans, Asian. It was enough that they are usually taller than average and yet have Asian features.
H

Not just taller, but larger. Tom Wolfe best described them a few decades ago in his essay Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers (which is about groups intimidating San Francisco City Hall bureaucrats):

Why so few people in San Francisco know about the Samoans is a mystery. All you have to do is see a couple of those Polynesian studs walking through the Mission, minding their own business, and you won't forget it soon. Have you ever by any chance seen professional football players in person, like on the street? The thing you notice is not just that they're big but that they are so big, it's weird. Everything about them is gigantic, even their heads. They'll have a skull the size of a watermelon, with a couple of little squinty eyes and a little mouth and a couple of nose holes stuck in, and no neck at all. From the ears down, the big yoyos are just one solid welded hulk, the size of an oil burner. You get the feeling that football players come from a whole other species of human, they're so big. Well, that will give you some idea of the Samoans, because they're bigger. The average Samoan makes Bubba Smith of the Colts look like a shrimp. They start out at about 300 pounds and from there they just get wider. They are big huge giants. Everything about them is wide and smooth. They have big wide faces and smooth features. They're a dark brown, with a smooth cast.



The whole essay in case anybody wants to read it:
http://teageegeepea.tripod.com/maumau.html

[Spec 1]

Originally Posted by PDX_LAX

Do you notice a larger asian or black presence in Portland?

I notice more Asians in this city, though I think Portland has a long way to go as far as diversity is concerned. I truly am quite bummed at the lack of African-Americans here... seems to be less here than any other city I've ever lived in. Asians are also not as abundant as I would like. Our next door neighbor Seattle has a much more diverse group of residents.

[Neutre]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Samoa.

As you said, Samoans are Austronesians a.k.a. Pacific Islanders. Included in this group are most of the native population of Madagascar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, parts of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and Taiwan.

Their common racial trait is quite easily recognizable (watch the video).

If you consider Pacific Islander a.k.a. Austronesian = Asian, then the native population of Madagascar would also be Asian.

Originally Posted by Neutre

[Nell Plotts]

I don't "notice" because race is not an issue for me.

[John Shaft]

The city went from 5 black people to 6. But that IS a 20% increase.