I was going to address the pet issue today but something has come up that I have to get off my chest. I will apologize now to my Vietnamese readers. I am going to speak in many idioms because the topic is very sensitive and I can never forget where I am. Idioms are a very good defense against Asian understanding. Any that can understand this post will be well educated, and probably not in the group that I wish to avoid. They actually devote whole university courses to idioms, but I have never met a Vietnamese person who can understand them.
Damn!! I was just interrupted by a Rat, and a big one. I chased him out the door and we are clean again…….. Anyway…….
As many travelers and expats know, logging onto fcbk has been very difficult in Vietnam. I did not understand why the powers that be would want to disrupt services, and found a way to bypass the block. This is Ok for tourists, and I understand the appeal that fcbk has to a lot of people, but I have suddenly had my eyes opened to something that has sent shivers down my spine. In Vietnam it is extremely difficult to log onto fcbk. I have become
convinced that the powers that be have employed some very smart people to circumvent the locals to access it. If you are a tourist and need to have fcbk opened, come and see me and I will do it for you…. (A small fee charged of course) But I am starting to agree with the government about putting a country wide block on the site and now I will try to tell you why. It is complicated and only because I have the unique perspective of being a westerner so totally immersed in Vietnamese culture, being a computer tech, and along with the business I am in at the present, that I can see what is going on. Hey!! All you journalists and writers out there… This is my scoop and If you use any of this story….. my readers will back me that I was first, and rights to the information is mine. A copyright thing I suppose. I am the only person who is witness and have witnesses…. You want to use this story… It will cost you. But for my readers it is free. OK… I am not a
journalist, so how do I tell the story?
There was a shark swimming in my waters. A very dangerous shark. He tried to eat up some very young fish but another shark got in the way and he missed his target ( no id, no way). The ever hungry shark pursued the young fish into a different area. The shark returned the next day, hunger sated. No problem I thought. Not in my back yard, so I discussed some of the rules with my employees as how we were going to proceed from this day on. I said that id had to be given at the desk and we could work something out as long as we had rooms available. Mistake!! The ever hungry shark bore down on prey that was days over the legal limit and presented the Id. It was plain to see that some kind of additive was introduced into the preys consumables, but my rule was fulfilled. My night reception let it go. I was in a total state of confusion and shock. I did not know how to deal with this situation. Suffice it
to say I did not sleep very well… What if it was your daughter? I woke after poor sleep with a torn heart… I let this happen!!! I do not know what would have happened if I called a cop or maybe just punched him in the face, but I am ashamed that I did not do something. It will never happen again!! Anyway…….In the morning, my staff could see I was not happy and I sat them down talking about the monster in the closet. They took this kind of thing in stride, but I do not. We have new rules and I will be sure to enforce them strictly. I will no more lose sleep because of my own immorality. The shark swam off after a late feed today, and I was so disgusted, I could not bring myself to look him in the eyes for fear of becoming violent. He is gone now and I have instructed everybody that even though he was a regular customer, he is no longer and can be referred to the hotel next door. I will not be involved in the destruction of innocence!!!!
How does this have anything to do with fcbk you ask? It is coming….. My beautiful niece is on fcbk every day. She is 16 and must know somebody who has my skills to break through the g’vt barriers. Since the young generation here has way more education than the fogies, they just continue along breaking down the walls put in front of them. But they are so innocent and defenseless. Not like home where we raise our kids to be suspicious. Here they can be sucked in easily. So young girls use the newly introduced fcbk to gain as many friends as is possible…… it is a game, but in Vietnam as I have discovered, a dangerous game.
Idioms to be continued………
Oh… about my day??? Sunny skies. Warm breeze, cold beer, and love all around me…. Feeling groovy………. Wish you were here
Good for for you. Stick to your guns.
I also think VN blocks some sites due to what had happened in countries like Iran where the revolutionaries used FCBK to spread their message and circumvent the cell phone block during the post election riots.
There could be a number of reasons, but I do not think it is to control the flow of information. There has been nothing I cannot communicate over the internet. Even political dicussions and anti-Com material is available….. Only fcbk seems to be targeted. Tomorrows blog will put together why I think it is so.
happy birthday btw. cake looks yummy!
quite sickening….
how old would you say the first shark was?
he didn’t sound very old when you posted about him the other day..now i’m not so sure.