Hanoi drivers are arguably the worst in Vietnam. I say this with some authority because I've been driving here for over 20 years. It's the transportation equivalent of social Darwinism. Cutthroat competition reigns supreme. As I'm fond of saying, sharks and pit bulls driving cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, buses, and motorbikes. No mercy or courtesy just … Continue reading Gridlock in Hanoi
Commentary
#223. Research into Child Psychology is Largely the Study of Effects of Captivity
I've followed Peter Gray for many years. He's a US psychology researcher and scholar, a research professor of psychology at Boston College, and the author of an introductory psychology textbook. Gray's research explores the relationship between neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, anthropology and education. Peter's also a great role model for all of us. At 82, he's … Continue reading #223. Research into Child Psychology is Largely the Study of Effects of Captivity
Standing Up for Justice
The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie. One word of truth outweighs the world. This is the original version of a video that's been making rounds on social media. I created the transcript below followed by a short essay that complements the video and a link to … Continue reading Standing Up for Justice
The Seventh Wave
Gemini created this image based on the lyrics. I was inspired to create a song based on Rob Wolters' philosophical prose poem The Seventh Wave using an AI-powered, human-assisted approach. Rob, who lives in the Netherlands, describes himself thus in his LinkedIn profile: Inspirator & Innovator | From vision to action | Health & Nature … Continue reading The Seventh Wave
How to Kill a Passionate Intellectual Life
This quote from the great Palestinian and American academic, literary critic, and political activist Edward Said reminds me of many people, intellectuals and others, whose silence surrounding the ongoing Israeli-executed genocide in Gaza is complicity. What he advocates is an uncompromising position of moral clarity and commitment that I embraced as a graduate student, one that … Continue reading How to Kill a Passionate Intellectual Life
It’s Jackfruit Season!
The specimen above is 11 kg (24.25 pounds). You can tell it's ripe because of the browning. Jackfruit ("mít" in Vietnamese) is one of my favorite tropical fruits. The Malayalam word for jackfruit is chakka (ചക്ക) from Kerala, India. Portuguese traders called it jaca and it was later anglicized to "jackfruit" by European writers first … Continue reading It’s Jackfruit Season!
Good Advice
As seen in a gardening center near Hanoi. I wish more people would follow it. These t-shirts with slogans and sayings that most of the people wearing them don't understand are a never-ending source of amusement. Seeing yet another one of these gave me the idea to produce t-shirts with a variety of advice and … Continue reading Good Advice
Face Uncovered
Photo by Cheney Orr for Reuters, 4.7.26, Washington, D.C. Metro I created two versions of a song based on a Facebook post by Stacey Patton about a highly publicized photo taken by Cheney Orr on 4 July 2026 in Washington, DC. Here's Stacey's post followed by the song lyrics and links to both songs. I … Continue reading Face Uncovered
A New Declaration of Independence from Tyranny
Image generated by Gemini based on the text. On the occasion of US Independence Day and the celebration of the semiquincentennial, here's a repost of a Substack post by Andy Borowitz, a US writer, comedian, satirist, and actor. (Link below.) Andy's understated comment: Good morning, my friends. Sorry there were no jokes in this post, but … Continue reading A New Declaration of Independence from Tyranny
Gaza Fundraising and Fraud
Screenshot Congratulations! You're about to take the first step towards having some unscrupulous miscreant lift your wallet out of your pocket, figuratively speaking. Like flies to honey, it didn't take long for these digital predators to spot a potential opportunity. I posted an announcement and a link to crowdfunding site on behalf of a young … Continue reading Gaza Fundraising and Fraud
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