[Jakarta, 12/20/23] Any more excitement and I’d be dead, and you would too. Going to Filiosofi Kopi [Coffee Philosophy] this morning to write, I found it still closed, so forged further into the unknown. Seeing a lovely lady with a soothing face, I mustered enough courage to utter, “kopi hitam,” then sat down on a bus stop seat. To my left was a Grab driver just getting up. On my right was a
Morning, Sir. Beautiful pictures and insightful prose. I am ashamed for my fellow Westerners looking like tramps, hobos, and carnival midway freaks. Growing up in America in the early 1960s, one was expected to emulate one's betters in dress, speech, and manners - to strive to be better within one's self. To evolve. The West is slouching its way into a new Dark Ages.
Dec 22, 2023·edited Dec 23, 2023Liked by Linh Dinh
Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas Linh Dinh! Gotta say, you are looking "casually tough" yourself... and that's a compliment.
"In wartime Saigon and throttled Beirut, people still go to movies, restaurants, bars and cafes."
Amazing, that's more than we did during covid.
"Yesterday’s radicals will be shot tomorrow."
Best Christmas present ever!
And regarding "The Light We Carry" by Michelle Obama... this book is so obviously marketed to white female libtards (like I used to be). We know it won't be read by many black women, since bookstores are the one commercial location that never seems to get looted whenever SHTF.
One wonders what the border situation would be had it not been for the US's subsidized produce being sent south--Mexico, Central America--which destroyed their farming communities and sent them north, if the US's ranging proxy wars over the course of the 20th century and earlier (see Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc.), had not displaced millions and sent them north, if the US's creation of and arming of the most notorious gangs in the south (see Eric Holder, Attorney General, et al.) had likewise not sent them north, and if the 1% in these countries had not been paid off, enriched by Uncle Sam to, continually, sell their people short in the best interest of themselves and Uncle Sam. Hmmm makes one wonder if what we witness daily with regard to our southern border are but the symptoms, once again, of Uncle Sam's wily ways, presented in the form of a wedge issue that now divides the populace to Uncle Sam's great fortune and glee (see Europe and Middle Eastern and now Eastern European wars and migration). You don't need a wall. What you need is to stop F&*%$#g with peoples lives and livelihoods, stop undercutting their ability to farm and work and be productive in their own countries!!! Then the flow of humanity south to north becomes a trickle, if not reversed--north to south (this, by the way, has already begun and will only increase!! see Financial Crash). Of course, Uncle Sam only wants you to focus on the symptoms and not the causes, which could be addressed. It's easier that way and easier to get people piping mad, as analogous, to say being upset with one's poor complexion (acne, etc.--the symptoms) and not their diets and lifestyles and poor health which have together made it so--the causes. Makes one wonder how the Native/Indigenous Americans are taking this. Just saying.
Uncle Sam's decades-long economic war against Venezuela has also sent many Venezuelans north. America's subsidized corn exported through NAFTA has ruined Mexican farmers. Consider also the many Chinese crossing America's southern border. Many of these illegal immigrants are far from destitute.
The cheap drama over the wall sidesteps the real solution. Fine landlords and employers of illegals and the problem is solved. DC stopped a PA town from doing this. Trump is a clown and his supporters fools. I pissed a bunch of these idiots at Unz before Trump was [s]elected.
P.S. Regarding reverse immigration, I met Mexicans in Mexico City who had returned, and I've said often that Mexico will need a wall more than the US, to block fleeing Americans.
Again, you are absolutely right. And the reason that they get pissed off is because they have no perspective, nor insight into the mechanics of what is happening, nor an historical perspective on how 'big business' absolutely exploits the cheap labor borne of the US's own policies, tactics. It is a 'facilitated' ignorance on the part of Uncle Sam that has made the whole thing into farce and the emotions boil over. Folks are being gamed and they don't even know it. There was a time, early to mid/late (70's) 20th century, in the US when the people knew what was going on with regard to wage/slave/labor and they certainly didn't worship the uber-rich CEOs and Oligarchs who were, literally, eating their lunch and who continue to! They would have abhorred a Donald Trump or any CEO or billionaire or oligarch. How times and insight and wisdom and truth have changed.
" Daily, more than 10,000 illegal immigrants of all nationalities cross into the US from Mexico. A house with its backdoor wide open to all comers is no longer a home." Perfect admonition re open immigration expressed in a civilized and respectful manner. My Freudian infected mind views the same peril thru an angrier lens: rampant promiscuity at the southern border will result in inevitable cultural collapse and moral dishonor. How many times must we be fucked in the ass before we say enough already? Apparently we are addicted to humiliation like a nation of aging porn stars.
i was reading recently about an order of nuns, the school sisters of notre dame - they are dying out, literally - the order moves toward 'completion' and they have to distribute their real estate and so on - they ran many of the cultural genocide boarding schools designed to turn north american indian children into colored white people
a canadian newspaper printed a political cartoon showing ukrainian president zelensky, depicted with a stereotypically jewish nose, picking the pocket of joe biden - now they have apologized for it
a youtube talk by psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author tara brach discusses her evolving understanding of the buddhist hope for the end of suffering
as a younger person she took it literally - she expected to suffer less
now she understands it in a different way - the suffering hasn't gone away, but it's no longer "the boss of her" - my paraphrase as i understand it, not her exact words
some people think the creative forces of the universe had good intentions when they brought all things into existence - life, joy, love, truth, justice, beauty are manifested in numberless times and places
Much grief in Eagles country! I wouldn't mind a proper cheesesteak or, better yet, Italian hoagie with mayo. At the McDonald's here, they advertise a "cheese steak burger." Sounds so perverse, I might just try it...
Tell me about it; gets me up in the morn though, to see if anything worse can happen. As I said, drove a cab summer of '70, Connie Mack at 21st and Leheigh and got a PhD in 10 wks!! Grew up in the home of Little League Baseball (let's see how americanized u got) 3 hrs north of Philly and washed out of OCS in Pensacola, and the US right after; been in Europe 50 yrs this yr. Vietnam was the pivotal event in so many ways for me and the country, maybe the world, so I'm fascinated by ur experiences of living both in the US and Vietnam. ''You have a good eye'', as Maugham said, and use it well getting it on paper. Greetings John PS: Chris was reference to Hedges; he's pretty low profile presently with this MidEast thing
Merry Christmas, Mr. Linh! I won't wish you a too generic "Happy Solstice" or "Happy Holidays", and I have no idea what are the dates or names of the Muslim holidays; I'm sure you don't celebrate Kwanzaa or Festivus, but perhaps a "Happy Hannukkah" is in order? Although I think that has already come and gone (celebrated with fireworks over Gaza, I'm afraid -- although the recent celebration in Poland with the fire extinguisher was more fun). Anyway -- Merry Christmas.
Thanks, Tom. There are Merry Christmas and Selamat Natal messages around Jakarta. I'm sure it's very festive in Italy. Maybe you should hop over to Germany for the Christmas markets. Bolzano or Bozen in Italy is Germanic enough. There's a Christmas market there. Lovely town.--Linh
Thanks Linh, I was in Germany already before Italy to catch the Christmas Markets, but I am now in Spain, to spend Christmas with family. No Christmas markets here but the atmosphere is festive. I got a flu on the way too, but otherwise everything is fine. Cheers.
Morning, Sir. Beautiful pictures and insightful prose. I am ashamed for my fellow Westerners looking like tramps, hobos, and carnival midway freaks. Growing up in America in the early 1960s, one was expected to emulate one's betters in dress, speech, and manners - to strive to be better within one's self. To evolve. The West is slouching its way into a new Dark Ages.
Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas Linh Dinh! Gotta say, you are looking "casually tough" yourself... and that's a compliment.
"In wartime Saigon and throttled Beirut, people still go to movies, restaurants, bars and cafes."
Amazing, that's more than we did during covid.
"Yesterday’s radicals will be shot tomorrow."
Best Christmas present ever!
And regarding "The Light We Carry" by Michelle Obama... this book is so obviously marketed to white female libtards (like I used to be). We know it won't be read by many black women, since bookstores are the one commercial location that never seems to get looted whenever SHTF.
not only are you a raconteur with a gimlet eye, you are FUNNY!
thanks for your observations on today, the astronomical New Year
Happy Winter Solstice to you!
I used to read your work on Unz. Glad I found you once again.
One wonders what the border situation would be had it not been for the US's subsidized produce being sent south--Mexico, Central America--which destroyed their farming communities and sent them north, if the US's ranging proxy wars over the course of the 20th century and earlier (see Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc.), had not displaced millions and sent them north, if the US's creation of and arming of the most notorious gangs in the south (see Eric Holder, Attorney General, et al.) had likewise not sent them north, and if the 1% in these countries had not been paid off, enriched by Uncle Sam to, continually, sell their people short in the best interest of themselves and Uncle Sam. Hmmm makes one wonder if what we witness daily with regard to our southern border are but the symptoms, once again, of Uncle Sam's wily ways, presented in the form of a wedge issue that now divides the populace to Uncle Sam's great fortune and glee (see Europe and Middle Eastern and now Eastern European wars and migration). You don't need a wall. What you need is to stop F&*%$#g with peoples lives and livelihoods, stop undercutting their ability to farm and work and be productive in their own countries!!! Then the flow of humanity south to north becomes a trickle, if not reversed--north to south (this, by the way, has already begun and will only increase!! see Financial Crash). Of course, Uncle Sam only wants you to focus on the symptoms and not the causes, which could be addressed. It's easier that way and easier to get people piping mad, as analogous, to say being upset with one's poor complexion (acne, etc.--the symptoms) and not their diets and lifestyles and poor health which have together made it so--the causes. Makes one wonder how the Native/Indigenous Americans are taking this. Just saying.
Hi KE Heartsong,
Uncle Sam's decades-long economic war against Venezuela has also sent many Venezuelans north. America's subsidized corn exported through NAFTA has ruined Mexican farmers. Consider also the many Chinese crossing America's southern border. Many of these illegal immigrants are far from destitute.
Linh
Hi Linh,
I couldn't agree more with all the points that you've made!
Hi KE Heartsong,
The cheap drama over the wall sidesteps the real solution. Fine landlords and employers of illegals and the problem is solved. DC stopped a PA town from doing this. Trump is a clown and his supporters fools. I pissed a bunch of these idiots at Unz before Trump was [s]elected.
https://www.unz.com/ldinh/orlando-shooting-means-trump-for-president/
Linh
P.S. Regarding reverse immigration, I met Mexicans in Mexico City who had returned, and I've said often that Mexico will need a wall more than the US, to block fleeing Americans.
Mexico solved its gringo problem by dramatically increasing the financial requirement for residency. Now they are around 3,500 month.
Hi Linh,
Again, you are absolutely right. And the reason that they get pissed off is because they have no perspective, nor insight into the mechanics of what is happening, nor an historical perspective on how 'big business' absolutely exploits the cheap labor borne of the US's own policies, tactics. It is a 'facilitated' ignorance on the part of Uncle Sam that has made the whole thing into farce and the emotions boil over. Folks are being gamed and they don't even know it. There was a time, early to mid/late (70's) 20th century, in the US when the people knew what was going on with regard to wage/slave/labor and they certainly didn't worship the uber-rich CEOs and Oligarchs who were, literally, eating their lunch and who continue to! They would have abhorred a Donald Trump or any CEO or billionaire or oligarch. How times and insight and wisdom and truth have changed.
" Daily, more than 10,000 illegal immigrants of all nationalities cross into the US from Mexico. A house with its backdoor wide open to all comers is no longer a home." Perfect admonition re open immigration expressed in a civilized and respectful manner. My Freudian infected mind views the same peril thru an angrier lens: rampant promiscuity at the southern border will result in inevitable cultural collapse and moral dishonor. How many times must we be fucked in the ass before we say enough already? Apparently we are addicted to humiliation like a nation of aging porn stars.
i was reading recently about an order of nuns, the school sisters of notre dame - they are dying out, literally - the order moves toward 'completion' and they have to distribute their real estate and so on - they ran many of the cultural genocide boarding schools designed to turn north american indian children into colored white people
a canadian newspaper printed a political cartoon showing ukrainian president zelensky, depicted with a stereotypically jewish nose, picking the pocket of joe biden - now they have apologized for it
a youtube talk by psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author tara brach discusses her evolving understanding of the buddhist hope for the end of suffering
as a younger person she took it literally - she expected to suffer less
now she understands it in a different way - the suffering hasn't gone away, but it's no longer "the boss of her" - my paraphrase as i understand it, not her exact words
some people think the creative forces of the universe had good intentions when they brought all things into existence - life, joy, love, truth, justice, beauty are manifested in numberless times and places
Healthy is as healthy does; lookin healthy, philly guy! G'won and do it; xmas greets from Chris(tian).
Yo John,
Much grief in Eagles country! I wouldn't mind a proper cheesesteak or, better yet, Italian hoagie with mayo. At the McDonald's here, they advertise a "cheese steak burger." Sounds so perverse, I might just try it...
Linh
Tell me about it; gets me up in the morn though, to see if anything worse can happen. As I said, drove a cab summer of '70, Connie Mack at 21st and Leheigh and got a PhD in 10 wks!! Grew up in the home of Little League Baseball (let's see how americanized u got) 3 hrs north of Philly and washed out of OCS in Pensacola, and the US right after; been in Europe 50 yrs this yr. Vietnam was the pivotal event in so many ways for me and the country, maybe the world, so I'm fascinated by ur experiences of living both in the US and Vietnam. ''You have a good eye'', as Maugham said, and use it well getting it on paper. Greetings John PS: Chris was reference to Hedges; he's pretty low profile presently with this MidEast thing
I wonder how big Mike sells in Jakarta. I guess the star power will sell a few copies, lol
Patty Smith Burger in paradi$€..... "Sacred cows make the best hamburgers" as they say........
Happy Everything, Linh and a subscription to 2024
Merry Christmas, Mr. Linh! I won't wish you a too generic "Happy Solstice" or "Happy Holidays", and I have no idea what are the dates or names of the Muslim holidays; I'm sure you don't celebrate Kwanzaa or Festivus, but perhaps a "Happy Hannukkah" is in order? Although I think that has already come and gone (celebrated with fireworks over Gaza, I'm afraid -- although the recent celebration in Poland with the fire extinguisher was more fun). Anyway -- Merry Christmas.
Thanks, Tom. There are Merry Christmas and Selamat Natal messages around Jakarta. I'm sure it's very festive in Italy. Maybe you should hop over to Germany for the Christmas markets. Bolzano or Bozen in Italy is Germanic enough. There's a Christmas market there. Lovely town.--Linh
P.S. It's sickening to think of the ongoing savagery in Gaza. What if it's your child screaming nonstop over unbearable pain?
Thanks Linh, I was in Germany already before Italy to catch the Christmas Markets, but I am now in Spain, to spend Christmas with family. No Christmas markets here but the atmosphere is festive. I got a flu on the way too, but otherwise everything is fine. Cheers.