#buses in Vietnam

[janjanenrico]

THACO Mobihome Coach

This is my own work

Give Credit if used.

[coolvietnamlove]

Fansipan Mountain, Muong Hoa Funicular ride, Sa Pa Vietnam: An exciting and cost-effective way to ascend Fansipan is the Muong Hoa Funicular. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, consider taking one of the local buses between Sapa town and Fansipan Cable Car Station. The Muong Hoa Funicular ride is a unique experience that offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside as you ascend to Fansipan Mountain.

[skopostheorie]

Anyway I've been here for six days now (basically a naturalised citizen) so here is what I have to say about China

Shit is CHEAP. Worryingly cheap. Don't think about it too much.

Their hourly minimum wage is the equiv of about $5AUD but that's reasonably proportionate to how much a meal is. Rent seems a bit more difficult though so I don't know how people manage that (cheap as dirt places go for 4000yuan a month or so)

People are REALLY nice, even security guards and cops and other people you'd assume would kind of give you a hard time. They'll have a laugh with you about stuff.

The country kind of feels like it's encased in a giant metaphorical glass dome - everything functions using their own special apps, special ways of doing things, etc etc. Breaking into it is difficult, but once you're "in", so to speak, it's very easy.

Public spaces including trains and buses are a bit of an "every man for himself" vibe. People will play their phone videos out loud and no one even gives a shit. Once a security guard on shift was just sitting there playing his 抖音 videos out loud with little concern for anything or anyone. It's not mayhem, but it's certainly no polite affair.

Your phone loses battery very quickly and unless you're just going for a walk it's impossible to leave home without it as any purchase is via WeChat, Alipay et al. Many times I had considered going for a phone free outing before realising it just couldn't be done.

China is beautiful and just about every place has something to offer. There are streets that are clearly just a result of a LOT of urban development being done very quickly but in terms of actual sites, it's hard to find a city that doesn't have something incredible in it.

Their coffee is top notch. Seriously approaching Melbourne level. I'm flabbergasted and slightly concerned because frankly Australia is bullied by China on the daily and our coffee is the only thing I knew for certain we had over them. Now I don't know what the fuck we're meant to do

Trains tend to be in English, even if it's not particularly big with foreigners, though I haven't gone to any suuuuper remote locations so I don't know about those. They're very well maintained; they're more or less indistinguishable from those in Japan, Korea etc.

Bikes and motorbikes don't have to follow traffic lights which will make you shit yourself the first couple times they ride right past you as you cross the road.

There is not as much propaganda around as I was expecting. My uni has a big statue of Mao but as it happens that's just cuz he has a history with this particular university. I haven't seen any pictures of Mao anywhere else that's not, like, a dedicated Spot for that sort of thing (think Tiananmen square etc). I saw one pic of Xi in a museum. Most propaganda is just asking people to become soldiers and cops and stuff. I was expecting it to be like Vietnam or something but it's basically non-existent.

No the social credit memes are not true unless everyone else can see mine and is just not telling me

Those world statistics weren't lying that country really can heavily populayed

People love taking photos of themselves but selfies are not too popular, so dedicated individuals will bring whole stands with lights and shit like that, as though they were dedicated cosplayers. Yesterday we saw a middle aged woman doing a sort of VR anime idol stream (I can't remember what they're called but the one where your face is overlayed with an anime avatar) in the middle of the bridge haha

^ and people will take these sorts of photos in front of ANYTHING. Even if it's... Slightly inappropriate by some standards. It's kind of funny.

People are generally quite chill and don't take themselves too seriously

I'll add more if I think of more

[saddiedotdk]

Kamala Harris accomplishments as VP:

Cast tie-breaking vote for the American Rescue Plan of 2021.

Passed the American Rescue Plan, resulting in $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus.

Extended the Child Tax Credit through the American Rescue Plan.

Extended unemployment benefits through the American Rescue Plan.

Passed the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Secured funding for electric school buses in the infrastructure bill.

Secured funding to combat wildfires and droughts in the infrastructure bill.

Secured funding for replacing lead water service lines.

Engaged with lawmakers at least 150 times for infrastructure investment.

Led diplomatic mission to Guatemala and Mexico to address migration issues.

Launched the "Central America Forward" initiative.

Secured $4.2 billion in private sector commitments for Central America.

Visited Paris to strengthen US-France relations.

Visited Singapore and Vietnam to bolster economic and strategic ties.

Visited Poland to support NATO allies during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Visited Romania to support NATO allies during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Launched the "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms" tour.

Visited a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota.

Passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

Promoted racial equity in pandemic response through specific initiatives.

Chaired the National Space Council.

Visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to promote space policies.

Passed the Freedom to Vote Act in the House.

Passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the House.

Built coalitions for voting rights protections.

Supported the Affordable Care Act through specific policy measures.

Expanded healthcare coverage through policy initiatives.

Passed initiatives for debt-free college education.

Hosted a STEM event for women and girls at the White House.

Championed criminal justice reform through specific legislation.

Secured passage of the bipartisan assault weapons ban.

Expanded background checks for gun purchases through legislation.

Increased the minimum wage through specific policy actions.

Implemented economic justice policies.

Expanded healthcare coverage through policy initiatives.

Secured funding for affordable housing.

Secured funding for affordable education initiatives.

Launched the "Justice is Coming Home" campaign for veterans' mental health.

Proposed legislation for easier legal actions against financial institutions.

Strengthened the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Secured investment in early childhood education.

Launched maternal health initiatives.

Launched the "Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity".

Made Black maternal health a national priority through policy actions.

Increased diversity in government appointments.

Passed legislation for renewable energy production.

Secured funding for combating climate change.

Passed infrastructure development initiatives.

Secured transportation funding through the infrastructure bill.

Developed a plan to combat climate change.

Reduced illegal immigration through policy actions.

Equitable vaccine distribution through specific policy measures.

Supported small businesses through pandemic recovery funds.

Secured educational resources during the pandemic.

Promoted international cooperation on climate initiatives.

Secured international agreements on climate change.

Passed economic policies benefiting the middle class.

Criticized policies benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the working class.

Promoted racial equity in healthcare through specific actions.

Promoted racial equity in economic policies.

Reduced racial disparities in education through specific initiatives.

Increased mental health resources for underserved communities.

Secured funding for affordable childcare.

Secured federal funding for community colleges.

Increased funding for HBCUs.

Increased vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secured policies for pandemic preparedness.

Ensured equitable vaccine distribution through policy actions.

Secured international cooperation for COVID-19 responses.

Reduced economic disparities exacerbated by the pandemic.

Passed digital equity initiatives for broadband access.

Expanded rural broadband through specific policies.

Secured cybersecurity policies through legislation.

Protected election integrity through specific actions.

Secured fair and secure elections through policy measures.

Strengthened international alliances through diplomacy.

Supported the Paris Climate Agreement through policy actions.

Led U.S. climate negotiations through international initiatives.

Passed initiatives for clean energy jobs.

Secured policies for energy efficiency.

Reduced carbon emissions through specific legislation.

Secured international climate finance.

Promoted public health policies through specific initiatives.

Passed reproductive health services policies.

Supported LGBTQ+ rights through specific actions.

Secured initiatives to reduce homelessness.

Increased veterans' benefits through legislation.

Secured affordable healthcare for veterans.

Passed policies to support military families.

Secured initiatives for veteran employment.

Increased mental health resources for veterans.

Passed disability rights legislation.

Secured policies for accessible infrastructure.

Increased funding for workforce development.

Implemented economic mobility policies.

Secured consumer protection policies through legislation.

Engaged in community outreach through public events.

Organized public engagement efforts.

Participated in over 720 official events, averaging three per day since taking office.

Supported efforts to modernize public health data systems.

[xtrablak674]

Charlie Pizzarello - GMHC's Young Hot & Safe '94 Photoshoot

I was a member of Gay Men's Health Crisis's - Young Adult Prevention Program for a few years and was amongst the team of young people who helped to develop this campaign. I also was a model at the photoshoot and had the good fortune to also end up in the final campaign that rode all over the MTA in the form of a subway poster that was posted all over the transit system in buses and subways.

This campaign was executed exactly thirty years ago, and I can recall how much fun I had at the photoshoot with folks I knew and a lot I didn't know, it felt like a plutonic orgy with all the mis-matching of couples to get as many varieties of pairings as possible for the final product.

Not that I am a person who attends reunions, it would be wonderful to have a reunion of the folks that participated in this campaign just to see who is still with us, and who isn't, and what they have all done with themselves since then. I am pictured with Timothy Fischetti above, who is no longer with us, I was so sad to hear he had departed because the last time we spoke he sounded so happy and content, an actualization of this campaign in my assessment. Modern society has always wanted to cast queers as sad and loathsome people. We were seeking to assert a more positive presentation of young queer folks, being beautiful and practicing safer sex.

This campaign was HIV/AIDS education with a sex positive harm reduction message targeted towards the sexually active and future active youth of New York City, being the early nineties there was media backlash to the campaign, I was pleased to stand with Councilman Tom Duane at the press conference for this campaign and give my own words about how important representation matters for young people in regards to AIDS education whether they be sexually active or not.

My father was an activist post-Vietnam until his death. There is a legacy of activism within my family and I was happy to spend over ten years focused on HIV/AIDS education in the queer communities. The messages have changed but activism is still necessary and hopefully the kids today are picking up the reigns and pushing the messages that need to be heard by the public and hopefully pushing the movement and conversation forward.

[Photos by Charlie Pizzarello]

[starshideyourfics]

You Are Here - part 2

part 1

Steve needs to make his way back to his seat to get his carry-on from the overhead bin, but Eddie promises to wait for him wherever they get lined up. That earns him another soft smile which makes his heart stutter in his chest. As soon as Steve has crossed the weird invisible border between Business Class and Coach, Eddie turns his attention to waking his band mates.

Frankie proceeds to stretch, cracking most of his joints in the process. Jeff just rubs his eyes and asks, “Where’s Gareth?”

“Drinking in the back of the plane,” Eddie says with a full-hand point down the aisle.

Yawning, Jeff nods. He gets up quickly, grabbing his overnight bag and shuffling out of his seat and towards the door. Frankie follows him, with Eddie trailing behind, glad he was too paranoid to check his duffle. The guys kept saying he might as well so he wasn’t toting something big, but now he’s actually got his own toiletries and a decent set of clothing options for wherever it is they end up. And the Talisker whisky he bought at duty free.

For how rowdy half the plane was only minutes before, everyone is so tired and ready to escape the curséd metal tube that deplaning is orderly and quick. Gareth manages to get off before Eddie spots Steve, but he’s got his arm around a woman with chunky blonde highlights and breasts so perfectly round that they are either a genetic miracle or fake.

So at least he doesn’t need to worry about Gareth whining at him about… well, anything, but mostly about Eddie ditching the guys to follow a straight boy around like a lost puppy.

When Steve finally emerges with a backpack and his briefcase, graciously thanking the flight attendant for the blanket and pillow, Eddie feels his shoulders relax. He hadn’t even realized he’d been hunching.

And then Steve’s face has to go and light up when he spots Eddie, lifting his hand in a tiny wave, waggled fingers and all, as he walks down the stairs. “Heard anything?” he asks, hope once again in his eyes as he reaches Eddie.

“Nothing, just that we’re spending the night in town. Guess they’re busing us off.” Eddie shrugs, glad he’s wearing a sweatshirt and a little worried about Steve getting cold in the night air. “But like I said, gotta be pay phones in there, so let’s go.” He’s not sure why he holds out his hand again. Two virtual strangers, adults who have been traveling internationally, he and Steve shouldn’t be so touchy with each other.

But Steve takes his hand and it feels right, like coming home. Even out here in the middle of nowhere.

“We’re lucky our plane was so close to the terminal,” Steve says with a glance over his shoulder at the dozens of planes further out on the tarmac. “I’m guessing there will be some pretty long lines.”

Eddie agrees, overthinking the pay phone idea now they’re so close. It isn’t like either of them planned to be in Newfoundland; they don’t have any Canadian coins and an international collect call will be expensive. Chrissy’s gonna be pissed once she’s done being worried about how she’ll get the band home in time for their upcoming photoshoot. And the fact that they’re supposed to be getting back in the studio as soon as possible…

He’s thoughts are still racing when Steve suddenly stops short and Eddie stops to check that he’s okay—he’s seen enough panic attacks in his life, the freeze of anxiety—but it’s not that. Eddie follows Steve’s line of sight to the row of pay phones against the wall, each one taped off with a big, handwritten sign: Sorry! Out of Order

“Well… That’s a bust,” Steve sighs, still holding Eddie’s hand, his skin soft like he moisturizes. “But there’s gotta be a phone wherever they’re taking us right? The whole damn island can’t be cut off from the rest of the world.”

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees with a nod. But looking around he’s not so sure. Everything at the airport looks ancient, makes him think of the few pictures he still has from his childhood and Wayne’s photos from Vietnam and Korea. And then he sees the map, with what he can only imagine is a recent addition: YOU ARE HERE in bold letters and an arrow pointing to the island.

He points it out to Steve, who chuckles. “Very helpful.”

“Now if only we could tell anyone else.”

The line for the buses clips along once people realize they can’t stop to use a phone at all. Steve and Eddie end up towards the front of a bus while Jeff and Frankie are in the back keeping an eye on a still tipsy Gareth. Jeff even shoots Eddie a knowing look on his way to the back, one that says, I’m not dealing with you pining over another straight boy.

At least it’s dark, no lights for them on these school buses, so hopefully Steve doesn’t see his blush. There aren’t even that many streetlights out on the road, so it stays dark, unnervingly so, and to cope Eddie lets his mouth run.

“So, feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but you’re a lawyer, yeah? I don’t know too many lawyers who fly coach.”

That makes Steve laugh, bright, even as he tries to stay quiet. “Yeah, well, I’m not that kind of lawyer.”

“Public defender?”

“Family law. I handle a lot of guardianship and custody cases.”

That gives Eddie pause, and he feels like the moment he takes stretches too long, making things awkward. He hopes Steve doesn’t feel awkward. But finally he softly says, “That’s actually really cool. And probably really emotionally draining.”

“Yeah, but I feel really good about the work I do, which makes it all worth it. My dad told me he’d only pay for college if I did pre-law and law school, wanted me to work for his company, go into corporate law. But he just said law school.” Steve goes quiet a second, turning to look out the window and into the darkness. “We don’t talk anymore.”

“I’m sorry, that’s rough.”

“My dad had some very specific ideas about what he wanted me to be, and the only one that worked out for him was that I was captain of my high school basketball team.”

Eddie can’t help the face he makes, wrinkling his nose. Of course beautiful Steve is a jock. He’ll never hear the end of this. “Oh, Stevie, no! Say it isn’t so!” Eddie says, only half-joking. “Not Captain! You would have bullied me so hard if we’d gone to school together.”

“No, I wouldn’t’ve!”

“I was king of the nerds! Ran a Dungeons and Dragons club and everything.”

“Okay, first of all, that’s really cool! My little brother plays D&D, and I know how much work goes into a campaign. And secondly, it’s not like I was shoving people into lockers; I admit to kinda being a bitchy asshole, but I didn’t need to throw my weight around. I’ve been in exactly one fight, back in 8th grade, and I lost. To a 7th grader.”

Eddie does his best to bite back a smile, but he can’t help it; Steve is cute, like an excited puppy. “So you’ve got a shitty dad and a cool little brother,” he says finally, accepting Steve’s assertion of not being a bully in his youth.

“And a mom who’s addicted to valium. Dustin isn’t actually my brother… I did a mentorship program my senior year, trying to pad out my college applications, and his parents had just gotten divorced. We got matched up, and the rest is history.”

“Jesus H. Christ, Steve, how are you real?”

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of neuroses and other bullshit waiting beneath the surface. I’m not that great.”

“Oh, that I don’t believe for a second. You can have bullshit and still be great. I mean, look at me!”

They both laugh then, only to lapse into a comfortable silence as the bus driver announces that they’re just about to Gander Academy, which is where they’re spending the night. “It might end up a bit crowded, but you’ll be well taken care of,” he promises as he parks to let them off.

Out front the group is greet by an older woman, directing them towards the gym where they’ll be sleeping on gym mats and donated air mattresses before finishing with, “Then, I’m guessing you’ll want to come down this way to the cafeteria, get something to eat and drink, and we’ve got TVs with the news on down there. So you can see for yourselves what happened.”

“What did happen?” a woman asks from behind Eddie and Steve. “We know the U.S. airspace is closed, but we haven’t heard why. Something military? Is there a new war?”

The older woman purses her lips and takes a breath before saying gently, yet projecting loud enough for her voice to carry, so clearly a teacher used to commanding a room, “There was a coordinated terrorist attack in New York and Washington DC. They hijacked multiple planes. Like I said, you can see the news yourself.” Carefully, she ushers them inside.

They don’t speak much after that. Steve and Eddie go to drop their bags in the gym, before filing with everyone else into the cafeteria. They see the footage. The first hit. The second. The collapse.

It’s truly awful.

And they cannot look away.

[thursdayinspace]

For the ask game, 31, 33, 34?

for this ask game!

31) what type of music keeps you grounded?

90s punkrock my beloved.

33) the last adventure you've been on?

early last year I went backpacking with a friend. she more or less travels for a living and I join her when I can (when I have the money and our schedules line up). last year I had the chance to join her for 4 weeks, traveling to Singapore and then Vietnam. I went caving, which was amazing even though I'm pretty claustrophobic, lots of climbing mountains, and meeting so many cool people. sleeping on buses and in cheap hostels which I love doing tbh. I can't wait to do it again.

34) is there a song you know every word to by heart?

many. of course I can't think of a single one right now.

[hidelias]

FINAL CHAPTER ! A bend in space-time Season 2 - [Chapter 32: The end of something]

It's always very emotional for me to finish writing a season of this fic, but this time I felt so at home. Thank you for your support! Season 3 will arrive in August ♡

---

[Chapter 30: The end of something] Links : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN

Summary: Time resumed its course, and night is falling on the Umbrella Academy's last day in 1963 Texas. For Five has obtained a briefcase… and soon, he'll bring everyone back to 2019.

Excerpt

It's strange to look towards a horizon to which you don't belong. And yet, I have cherished them, those hard and excluding sixties, yet exalted by the immeasurable hope given by a few. The proto-hippies, the very first nerds, the dreamers, the poets, the activists. And those who accepted that they were simply - humbly - human. Some of them - no doubt - have changed me for life and timelines.

I'm thinking of Mark and Wayne tonight. To all the 'Children', especially Kitty and Jill, Timothy and Allen, and even Priscilla. I think of Lloyd: I don't blame him. I also imagine Ray - alone tonight - in the house he shared with Allison, who now returns to her daughter. To Sissy, who has finally made the choice to stay in this era.

And I'm thinking of Dave. Just like Klaus, still inside the devastated living room behind me.

More than anyone who lived through 1963, he left his mark on my short life here, although being just seventeen. Not for what another version of him had been for Klaus, no. For what he is already - here and now.

Klaus and I both know: by now, if he hasn't changed his mind, Dave should be boarding one of the vehicles parked outside the Avon Street recruiting office. As on every Saturday, the blue Air Force bus will carry off the young recruits, including the aspiring Sky Soldiers, their crest still tattooed on Klaus's shoulder. The skull, the rifle, the palm leaf. But this minibus is never the only one parked there. Right alongside it, a red bus takes young Marines to both similar and different fates. Another kind of involvement in the Vietnam War, in particular. And in this moment, as I walk back through the living room wall, I know what Klaus is thinking about, as he drops his smile of nostalgia, sorrow and hope.

He's wondering - as I am - which of the two buses Dave will be boarding.

(…)

↝↝↝↝ Read 'A bend in space-time' ↜↜↜↜ Full chapter : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Season 1 complete : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Season 2 complete : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Season 3 coming soon

I chose to insert an OC - Rin - into the plot of The Umbrella Academy, appearing almost only in deleted scenes. This fic is not a self-insert nor a OC-centric fic : Rin exists to flesh out the canon characters, and the fic is mostly focusing on Klaus. Please read the introduction for more details ♡

[gogetyrshovel]

hello i am visiting chicago for the first time in march and have no clue what to do do you have suggestions …

YES !!!

feel free to PM me with specifics if u want (neighborhood you're staying in, dietary restrictions, interests) so i can make better recs but here are some general must dos

Attractions:

The Art Institute of Chicago is beautiful, huge, and world class and so you will not see everything but they have an app-guided tour that will take you around to some of the most famous works in their collection

The Museum of Science and Industry is a childhood fave but the interactive exhibits still hold up tbh. You can look at anatomical slices of real human bodies and simulate a tornado!

The Shedd Aquarium is amazing but pretty $$ ($40!!) so would recommend if you're super interested but maybe save your money if it doesnt seem worth it to you.

Millenium Park is a must see--weather is kinda touch and go in March but if you get a warm/sunny day I recommend renting a Divvy bike and checking out the Lakefront Trail (side note: Lake Michigan is way bigger than u think it is)

Navy Pier is largely a tourist trap and nothing special I would skip it LOL 1

The Architecture Tours are also amazing and worth it !! Plus the views from the river are unmatched.

Neighborhoods to check out/Food to eat:

(I'm assuming you're staying in the loop but if not I can give you more suggestions based on where you're staying/what's accessible via transit)

Wicker Park/Logan Square

Cool bookstores, record stores, thrifting, good breakfast/brunch, coffee shops up the wazoo. Easily accessible via the blue line (more on transit later), one of my favorite meals ever is the Chicken Fried Chicken from Dove's Luncheonette.

Chinatown

The Chinese American Museum is pretty interesting if you're into history, but the biggest draw of Chinatown is the food. Chiu Quon Bakery has delicious pork buns and egg tarts that are ridiculously affordable, Hing Kee's soup dumplings are top tier. Go4Food is another local favorite and I recommend Happy Lamb if you're looking for hot pot.

Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park Zoo is free!! Check out the lily ponds and the Lincoln Park Conservatory. The coffee and baked goods at Verzenay are a little $$ but totally worth it.

Andersonville:

My biggest pet peeve is when people tell queer tourists to go to Boystown just cuz they have the gay bars and rainbow sidewalks. Andersonville doesn't have as many lesbians as it used to, but the vibes are a lot more inclusive and it feels way less yuppie gay white guy in my humble lesbian opinion. Lots of cute boutiques and good food. Kopi Cafe is unique and has really great vegetarian/pescatarian sandwiches and snacks. Not too far from Little Vietnam either, get a big bowl of pho or a banh mi at Pho 888.

Getting around:

I will wax poetic about the CTA, but it can definitely be intimidating if you're not familiar with it! You can get the Ventra app on your phone and tap it at the turnstiles/on buses --any chip card will work too. The best bang for your buck is to get a 3-day pass or a 5-day pass depending on how long you'll be here, because those give you unlimited rides and you'll probably be doing a lot of running around. The L (for elevated trains) is generally faster than the buses and are named by color (e.g. the red line, blue line, green line etc). Buses are numbered and sometimes have letters too. Google Maps' transit directions are usually solid but estimated arrival times are more accurate on the Ventra app itself.

[japan2024]

The Way Back Machine

In 1966, my family--Dad, Mom, sisters Marcia, Jeannine and Carol--and I moved from Ft. Leavenworth, KS to Japan. Our father had just completed a year of instruction at the Army's Command and General Staff School. The Vietnam War was heating up and the US military was ramping up its support operations in Japan.

We spent our first two years (1966-1968) living on post at Sagami Army Depot (25 miles SW of Tokyo) where vehicles damaged in Vietnam were repaired. The post had seen service in WWII as Sagami Army Arsenal where Mitsubishi developed and manufactured tanks for use by the Japanese army. Dad was the depot's comptroller; Sagami employed a large Japanese workforce refurbishing tanks and armored personnel carriers. Those of us old enough to attend school were bused to Camp Zama which served--and still does--as HQ for U.S. Army Japan.

In 1968 our dad was transferred to Fuchu Air Force Base. We lived in the nearby Kanto Mura Housing Annex where I attended Chofu High School as a sophomore and junior. I recall fondly being 20 minutes by train from Shinjuku and its music bars that never checked our IDs. "One sloe gin fizz, kudasai."

In 1970, our father was shipped off to Vietnam for a one-year tour. We packed up and headed to Hobart, OK (population 4,600 at the time). Our mother was born and raised in Hobart and I'd been born there when Lieutenant Mjoseth, an artillery officer, was fighting in the Korean War.

[janjanenrico]

THACO Bluesky 120S Coach

This is my own work

Give Credit if used.

[coolvietnamlove]

Rush hour in Hanoi, Vietnam: Everyday from 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 6 pm most of the main roads in the city are being hiked up a couple of decibels. But of course! It is rush hour and the roads are mega-loaded with scooters, cars, bicycles, cyclos, buses, and even some three-wheelers, and they honk every two seconds.

[theloonatic]

i'm very interested in shut eye town and i am asking for some fun facts about your story pls and ty /nf

So

There's places in the world that have been protected from Hagos influence known as safetowns

Each usually specialises in a certain field

Havre - Safetown set right in the middle of France, specialises in education

Salāmatī/સલામતી - Safetown set on the coast of Gujarat, India, specialises in nuclear energy

Pale'ia - Safetown set on Mainland Hawaii and the island of Maui, specialises in water treatment

Sacrário - Safetown set around the post city of Paraiba in Brazil, specialises in creating the mobilets (funky vehicles that look like buses but with drills on the front and tank like wheels)

Isertorfik - Safetown set in the inhabited areas of southern Greenland, specialises in rehabilitating Hagoite soldiers

Kuvanda - Safetown set around the post capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare. Specialises in creating technology and agriculture.

Seiiki/聖域 - Safetown set on the island of Oshima, Japan. Specialises in healthcare.

Inuinui- Safetown set on the island of Fiji. Specialises is weapons and armour making.

There's also 2 safeschools, a little less organised as they were set up by children overthrowing (with or without teachers) the Hago regime. Prosperity Integrated School in post Sheffield, England, and Hòa Bình School in post Tuyên Quang, Vietnam

All the names translate to words like "Haven" or "Safety" in their respective languages :)

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

My biggest issue (so far) with Daisy Jones and The Six is how sanitized it feels. I understand some things get lost in translation from book to screen, but I've always felt the format of the book would have handed itself to a "better" (and by that I mean faithful) adaptation.

For whatever reason, Pete isn't a character. It's not to say that he's missed, but there's no legitimate reason that he's not there. Besides that, the storyline with Chuck was altered. In the book, Chuck was drafted to serve in Vietnam. The show changes this to make Chuck become a dentist. In my opinion, changing Chuck's fate is a dodging tough topics. It's no secret that the US's involvement in Vietnam was controversial, especially within the circles that the characters would have been involved in. So changing this just didn't sit right with me.

And then there's the characterization of Daisy. In the book Daisy wasn't this hardworking, scrappy, go-getter with a heart of gold that the show is portraying her as. By the time she's introduced to the Six, she's already running in the same groups as big timer rock and roll bands, she modeled for fashion agencies, her agent rents her a cottage at the Chateau Marmont. She's not busing tables and begging Simone for a bed with a practically inedible dinner. In the book, Daisy is already struggling with addiction. I just feel like the show is making her some kind of ingenue, when in the novel she's just talented without all that spunky attitude. She's got grit, but in a sense of she's seen things, she's been places, she's in the inner circle already.

I don't know. I'll be interested to see how the show depicts her addiction, her relationship with Billy, and by extension Camila.

[katelyn-scstudyabroad]

Vietnam with my mom!

I finished classes so my mom came over to visit me and have a little vacation. Her flights to get here went even more smoothly than mine so she arrived full of energy and ready to explore. For her first two days in Hanoi I took her around to some sights, cafes, and restaurants and introduced her to some of my favorite Vietnamese food: spring rolls, bánh mì, bánh xèo, bún bò nam bộ, and Hanoi egg coffee. I also took her to the Lotte Center, one of the tallest buildings in all of Vietnam. The Lotte is home to a luxury shopping mall, offices, residences, a hotel, a sky bar, restaurants, and more, all in one giant skyscraper. We walked around and got Japanese BBQ there as a treat. We also went to the famous Thang Long Water Puppet show, which was a wonderful experience. Water puppetry is a traditional Vietnamese art that originated many centuries ago in the rice fields of the Red River Delta. My mom loved everything despite definitely experiencing culture shock (she had never been to Asia let alone Vietnam before, so this was a completely new experience).

Next we visited Ha Long Bay, one of the most famous places to visit in all of Vietnam. I booked an overnight cruise for the two of us that included bus transportation to and from Hanoi, meals, and excursions. The bus ride took over 3 hours with stops, but the bus was pretty comfy. Along the way we saw many buses full of tourists also heading to Ha Long. I had previously heard about Ha Long Bay being super touristy, which ended up true, but my mom and I did not mind as we had a great experience. The boat we cruised on was very nice and the crew was incredibly hospitable. My mom’s primary first impression of Vietnam was how great their hospitality is.

For our cruise, activities included a visit to a pearl farm, a stop at an island with a beach, a trip to Sung Sot Cave, a Tai Chi lesson, and nighttime squid fishing. As I said, it was definitely very touristy, but I would personally still consider a Ha Long Bay cruise to be worthwhile.

After Ha Long Bay we returned to Hanoi where I showed her around the city more. In general my mom liked Vietnam. She loved the people, food, and culture, but the chaos and dirtiness and some ways of doing things weren’t really her cup of tea.

We went to Thailand together next, so stay tuned for information on that :)

[cobaltsunflower]

yeh it surprised me so much in Toronto how hecking long the wait for bus is bc in vietnam (or hcmc at least) each bus is 10-15 mins apart. when it's busy hours the wait may go up to 30 mins due to traffic, but it's not egregious.

meanwhile when i were in canada everyone complained about how the buses are Never on time. there are even apps to track the buses and yet they still don't come on time. or times i've seen the bus arrive, marked with 'not in service'.

it's depressing and demotivating and i personally avoid the buses there as much as possible. it was really sad too, seeing as canada is a much more developed country than vn, and depends on public transport much more too, yet the infrastructure and services are not built in a way that supports it. even We have bus tracking system that are actually accurate.

it's confounding how policy makers or whoever spares no thought for people waiting for buses in the freezing winter, especially when they are mostly winter. i had to stand 30 mins at the bus stop, with no signage or anything that indicate waiting time or what bus are coming, with butt-chilling wind blowing from all directions and a snowed-over bus stop, and wondered how people here still haven't choke the guy in charge of public transportation.

If you are thinking about it on paper, the bus running every half hour doesn't sound so bad, until you're waiting at the stop and you miss a bus or it's delayed. Then you're waiting a very, very long time. To people who never take transit, that's probably fine. Why do you care. To people who only take transit, they're expecting it, it's baked in their lives. But the important part, what really impacts our cities, is what happens to people for whom transit is an option.

The spiral goes like this. You go to take the bus instead of driving, thinking "I'm going to o have a couple drinks" or "I don't want to worry about parking where I'm going." So you take bus. First bus is right on time. But then you transfer from your neighborhood line to the line that takes you where you actually want to go. And your bus is delayed. And it only comes every 30 minutes. And then you're waiting, 40 minutes later, wondering where your bus is, knowing you could have driven there in 20 minutes.

Why would you ever chose to take a bus again? The bus made you waste precious time on your day off just sitting there. So next time you drive. Ridership goes down. When the transit authority asks for more money for more buses and more drivers, people point to the ridership numbers and say "why should we pay for this instead of paying for our schools/police/baseball stadium/parks/police again (let's be real that's who's taking all the money)?" If we want to increase ridership we need to actually design and fund functional transit networks. If we want people to actually ride the bus we need to make it a better option than driving, which means reliable service, which you don't get with a bus every 30 minutes.

Every 15 minutes, everywhere, all of the time.