Market officials inspect mask production at Viet Han Company Ltd in Thuong Tin District, Hanoi on February 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Chien Son. Why am I not surprised? Here's the latest example of cheating, this time in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. (Thu gần 100.000 chiếc khẩu trang làm từ giấy vệ sinh) I'm … Continue reading "Face masks made from toilet paper found in Hanoi"
Commentary
Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Holds Steady
The US Department of Homeland Security via the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has finally released the latest stats on international students in the US. The last one was March 2019 (!). (Here's 13.1.20 commentary about that.) Gee, I wonder if my many gentle reminders had anything to do with the timing of the … Continue reading Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Holds Steady
Coronavirus & Viet Nam
The famous beach destination is bustling even as the Ministry of Health said Monday that Khanh Hoa Province, where it is located, could be declared free of the novel coronavirus epidemic soon. The central province has not recorded a single infection for 30 days. Photo courtesy of VNExpress International, 22.2.20 Update on 26.2.20 So far, so good for … Continue reading Coronavirus & Viet Nam
Viet Nam's New DUI Law: Thank You, National Assembly!
Bạn trẻ uống bia tại một bữa tiệc - ẢNH: QUANG ĐỊNH (Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News) 1 January 2020 was the dawn of a new era in a society in which excessive drinking is considered to be a sign of masculinity and part of doing business. Before that auspicious day, Viet Nam was … Continue reading Viet Nam's New DUI Law: Thank You, National Assembly!
Playing Geopolitical Whack-a-Mole: The Viet Nam Flag Issue Revisited
“The past is never dead. It's not even past." (from Requiem for a Nun by William Faulkner) Sadly, the "flag issue" is very much alive at many educational institutions, especially those with nearby Vietnamese immigrant communities. If you're intrigued by the title and/or introduction below, follow this link to read the article. I include advice … Continue reading Playing Geopolitical Whack-a-Mole: The Viet Nam Flag Issue Revisited
The Five Remembrances by the Buddha
Translated by Thích Nhất Hạnh Thích Nhất Hạnh Worth (re)reading from time to time, including at the end of another Lunar Year. (Follow this link for a PDF version of The Five Remembrances. or click on Thích Nhất Hạnh's photo to the left. As he notes, When you deny the reality of life, you appreciate … Continue reading The Five Remembrances by the Buddha
"Why constructive criticism of the US is not anti-American"
Here's my latest University World News essay from 18 January 2020. (NOTE: Editor's title.) The original working title was Nationalism Rears Its Ugly Head in the Tumultuous World of US International Education, which is descriptive but too long. 🙂 If the title or introduction below whets your appetite for more, follow this link Closeup of … Continue reading "Why constructive criticism of the US is not anti-American"
