It was a little surprising to find an article about the area I live in published in the L.A. Times. It’s nice that they have an interest in what’s going on up here. “Asian Indians Remake Silicon Valley” gathers up a lot of facts that any resident has noticed: the proliferation of Indian markets, music stores, films, snack shops, and restaurants that aren’t watered down for American tastebuds. It also relates points that aren’t as easy to see: Sikhs arrested on concealed-weapons charges (the men carry a ceremonial dagger), domestic violence issues (hitting a spouse or child is not as accepted in the U.S.), and the topics covered by the local Indian paper (McDonald’s beef flavoring its french fries, ads from parents seeking spouses for their grown children). The mesh of cultures here is certainly astonishing, especially if you come, like I do, from a community where minorities were truly in the minority.