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By the gate.

Posted by Kung Fu Dad on January 07, 2016

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Photo credit: Marion Wong

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Uncle Frank's Tai Chi Tips

When I was doing Crime watch somehow one of the older American guys who would later learn from me was talking about whether Uncle Frank did Martial Arts. Now this is actually more than just American Stereotyping. Some Asians may groan and say, "Just because a person is Asian and is old doesn't mean they know Kung Fu."

But look, if you were to make a movie about the Drama in Chinatown, and it was made in Hong Kong.. frankly all the powers that be would have superhuman Kung Fu as well as their mental strategies and political pull. This is because, Jin Yong wrote a lot of novels where the people in these political positions had secret and powerful Kung Fu. Part of it is just for entertainment.

Plus, Chinese people like to explain greatness through practice. Training done after birth. Whereas Americans like to explain it through Divine right or genes. I.e. you are great because it is something you are born with and this power cannot be taught.

So the explanation for Uncle Fr…

Vancouver Empty Home Tax: Benefiting local housing, tax on foreign nationals, or just an overall tax on the lazy?

The Vancouver Empty Home Tax is the hottest topic right now for many different reasons. It relates to the influx of foreign investment in properties, the locals that have multiple properties and of course anything that's a tax will always be a touchy subject regardless of where you stand. While only implemented in the city of Vancouver, many around the United States have been discussing what kind of effect it could have on their cities. If you're wondering what this tax is all about, read on and maybe you won't be so confused.

The tax states properties that are vacant, empty, or do not contain a principle resident will get taxed at the rate of 1% per year. At the end of every year, property owners will have several months to file an "Empty Home Tax Declaration" where they will be asked to prove that they are principle residents meaning it's their primary residence or that the property is being rented out for at least 6 months out of each year. If they d…

What is Dorchester not for Sale? (an interview with Kevin Lam)

I have been hearing and seeing ripples of the "Dorchester Not for sale" group. Upon seeing a video in one of the articles by Eliza Dewey, I recognized a face I had seen around Chinatown at various events holding the microphone and speaking for the group, Kevin Lam. I recalled that I had meant to interview him long ago in regards to his work at Asian American Resource Workshop.

The son of Lao and Vietnamese immigrants, Kevin actually grew up in a mostly non Asian environment in Poughkeepsie, NY.

He hadn't really connected with Asians as much until college, and much of his initial acivism had to do with the LGTBQ community. In 2011 he had been part of a Youth Student Group of Queer South East Asian that did a lot of work regarding racial profiling. In 2015 he moved to Boston and now as a resident right in Glover's Corner, the area that the BDPA is planning to develop, he met with fellow residents and talked with them about what they knew about the project.

After go…

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