Below is a diplomatic cable that was leaked in the spring of 2008 by someone working for the US Embassy in Hanoi. I became aware of this document when it magically appeared in my inbox. Keep in mind that this was in the pre-Wikileaks era. Obviously, someone wanted the world to know (thank you, someone!) … Continue reading “Higher Ed as a Weapon” Revisited
Articles
The Latest Chapter in Vietnam’s Valiant Battle Against the Delta Variant
Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. Reading time: ~17 minutes. The hectic, sun-drenched streets of the capital have fallen silentIn the middle of the dayThe empty parks surrounded by yellow ribbons that exclaim,Keep out! Shuttered stores and barricaded neighborhoodsLivelihoods diminished; plans put on hold; dreams deferredMasked people shuffling around like otherworldly figuresWaiting patiently, resolutely, and … Continue reading The Latest Chapter in Vietnam’s Valiant Battle Against the Delta Variant
VinWonders Vinpearl Safari: Fantasy or Reality?
Location of proposed VinWonders Vinpearl Safari on the outskirts of Hanoi. Here's what's behind Door #3, dear readers, as alluded to in a previous post. This is an example of things that go bump in the night in broad daylight, assuming this Frankensteinian project gets the green light. There are plans to build a VinWonders … Continue reading VinWonders Vinpearl Safari: Fantasy or Reality?
Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students
Here's my latest essay for VNExpress International. Looking forward to seeing the Vietnamese version for my target audience. Educational institutions in key host countries, most of which bore the brunt of Covid's fury last year, are reopening their doors to international students, including those from Vietnam. One silver lining of Covid-19 and its impact on … Continue reading Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students
Reflections on the passing of General Giap and the end of an era
Here's a link to an article I wrote in 2019 about General Giap's state funeral on October 12-13, 2013. The widely read Vietnamese version can be found here. Shalom (שלום), MAA
Constructive Criticism Rooted in Respect: A View from Vietnam
Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. If you like this excerpt, follow this link to read the article in its entirety! I recently penned an essay about the scourge of environmental pollution in Viet Nam that was published by a major media outlet. Shortly after posting the article on LinkedIn, Mr. Pierre, a Frenchman living in Viet … Continue reading Constructive Criticism Rooted in Respect: A View from Vietnam
Patriotism: The tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime
Reposting from two years ago on the occasion of Viet Nam's National Day (Ngày Quốc Khánh). Lòng yêu nước (1.9.19, VNExpress) "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost (1874-1963). During my first trip to Vietnam in January 1996 … Continue reading Patriotism: The tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime
“Kamala Harris pays tribute to late John McCain in Hanoi”
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pays tribute to late Senator John McCain at the McCain Memorial at Hanoi's Truc Bach Lake, August 25, 2021. Photo by AFP Imagine if the deputy PM in Japan visited Pearl Harbor, then laid down flowers for all the Japanese pilots died in 1941. (Juliet Huang) I can't help feeling … Continue reading “Kamala Harris pays tribute to late John McCain in Hanoi”
US Expat Whines About the 4th Wave of COVID-19 in Danang
I expected to be enlightened by a thoughtful article about the impact of the latest wave of COVID-19 on Danang in the August 2021 issue of Mekong Review (Asian Literature). Instead, it was another entitled expat complaining about the inconveniences of a lockdown designed to prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Here … Continue reading US Expat Whines About the 4th Wave of COVID-19 in Danang
Dishonor by Association: A Red, White, and Blue Object Lesson
Those who choose to side with the victims and tormented over the victimizers and the tormentors are often the target of scorching criticism from those who accept and support the system as is, be they people of power, or the uncaring legion of the like-minded. This essay is about a former US ambassador to Viet … Continue reading Dishonor by Association: A Red, White, and Blue Object Lesson
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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