“A Thief in the Night, But Not Too Smart”

Courtesy of Mango Press Bill Hayton aka "Virgin White," a one-time BBC journalist who was essentially kicked out of Viet Nam in March 2007, strikes again, this time with a book about China entitled The Invention of China. I stumbled upon this article because of one word, dubious, linked to one of my blog posts, … Continue reading “A Thief in the Night, But Not Too Smart”

Looking For (More) Stories About Vietnamese Students!

(Photo courtesy of Soha. Công dân toàn cầu = Global citizens) Dear Friends & Colleagues, If your institution, secondary or postsecondary, has hosted Vietnamese students and you're had the pleasure of working with them over the years, please share your stories with me. There is no word limit. So far, I've received contributions ranging from a … Continue reading Looking For (More) Stories About Vietnamese Students!

“Qualities incomprehensible to the ‘think tank’ specialists”

Below is an excerpt from Ho Chi Minh - An Appreciation by Wilfred Burchett. It was published in 1972 but its relevance in 2020 is obvious. It would be interesting to have a discussion, especially with young Vietnamese, about their interpretation of Burchett's wartime reflections. Thanks to his son, George, for the heads-up. If it … Continue reading “Qualities incomprehensible to the ‘think tank’ specialists”

The Trumpy Mindset: A COVID-19-Related Example

I recently noticed this exchange on Facebook about the above graphic. (Yes, it's old news. JPMorgan expects US GDP to slow to 2.8% in the fourth quarter and then shrink by 1% during the first three months of 2021.) Comment: The country that started the pandemic has the least effect on GDP. Mmmmh… Response: Sad … Continue reading The Trumpy Mindset: A COVID-19-Related Example

“Turning an eagle eye on Vietnam’s attraction for the ‘eagles'”

Garment workers at a factory in the southern Long An Province, February 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran. It's rare and refreshing to see something so honest in print. It's a sensitive issue but also an important one. When talking about foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam or wherever, the human element, which should always … Continue reading “Turning an eagle eye on Vietnam’s attraction for the ‘eagles'”

USA Not “Rounding The Final Turn” with COVID-19

This is what the COVID-19 situation looked like on Election Day, 3 November, in the US. Note the 14-day increase in number of new infections and deaths. Also note that most of the states where cases per capita are the highest are red states. Rounding the final turn (or some variation on that theme) is … Continue reading USA Not “Rounding The Final Turn” with COVID-19

USA is #1 in Number of COVID-19 Infections & Deaths

The US set a new record in the number of new COVID-19 cases in one day last Friday, 30 October: 101,461 (!) & 988 deaths. In case you're counting, that's more infections in one day than the total number of cases in 169 out of 218 countries and territories, including China (85,940), where the coronavirus … Continue reading USA is #1 in Number of COVID-19 Infections & Deaths

SPAM is US(A)

The US and China often trade places for the dubious distinction of being the world's leading Spam Haven country. Here's the latest from an authoritative source, Spamhaus. (My only other post about this was in January 2020.) Below are the world's worst Spam Haven countries for enabling spamming, as of 25 October 2020. Notice that … Continue reading SPAM is US(A)

“Vietnam’s Economic Hopes Fade as COVID-19 Takes Away Business”

A flower vendor wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus waits for customers in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. Vietnam has tightened travel and social restrictions after the country's death toll of COVID-19 to six. (AP Photo/Hau via VOA) This 4 October Voice of America article is a textbook example of propaganda … Continue reading “Vietnam’s Economic Hopes Fade as COVID-19 Takes Away Business”