The Arts of Travel

To better understand Vietnam's stunning success in managing Covid-19, I spoke to Vietnam-based Journalist Mike Tatarski, and Academic Mai Truong of the University of Arizona.

Mike's interview is the first half. We discuss the timeline of Covid-19 in Vietnam, the measures the government put into place and his impressions as an American abroad of Vietnam's competency, compared to the disastrous response of the United States.

Mai's interview is the second half. We discuss Vietnam's political system. How it gained citizenship participation and trust in its handling of Covid-19, and the complicated ways the country handles protest when citizens disagree with the government.

For more of Mike's work check him out on Twitter ( @miketatarski) or his work at Saigoneer https://saigoneer.com/

For Mai's work you can check out her recent article at the Diplomat on Vietnam's response to Covid-19

https://thediplomat.com/2020/03/vietnams-communist-party-finds-a-silver-lining-in-covid-19/

You can also check out her Academic website here: https://sgpp.arizona.edu/people/mai-truong

Beats are :

Beat 1 - "Funkaholic" by Producer: XelaOnDaTrack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7s0GhF7yhk

Beat 2 - "S A L T" by Producer: Omoon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C3AXn6l9Fg

This is a conversation w. Michael Penn: President of Shingetsu News Agency. We discuss Covid-19's impact on daily life, the economy and labor in Japan. We also analyze the political fallout for Shinzo Abe, who has dominated politics in the country seemingly forever. Could Covid-19 be his downfall?

It's a fascinating conversation. For more with Michael and Shingetsu News (which does wonderful progressive reporting in Japan) you can head to their website: http://shingetsunewsagency.com/

And check them out on Twitter - @ShingetsuNews

beats by Omoon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C3AXn6l9Fg

I was thrilled to speak w. Jasmine Chia of the Thai Enquirer on Thailand's Government, its Capitalist class and why both these dominating actors have offered such weak and inept responses to Covid-19.

In our conversation we discuss Thai Healthcare, the political economy that motivates both Thai Government and Thai Capital, the growing hostility behind many Thai Citizens and a increasingly misanthropic government, and the stark divide between rural and urban Thailand being exacerbated by this pandemic.

Jasmine is a fascinating guest and I consider her a go-to voice for a progressive understanding of Thailand. For more w. Jasmine you can follow her on Twitter @chia_jasmine

• And you can Jasmine's column in the Thai Enquirer here - https://www.thaienquirer.com/author/writer_la/

Beat by Omoon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxyeKzZdXkQ

This is the fiery conclusion to my conversation with two of smartest people I know: Edward Ongweso Jr. of Vice and Wendy Liu who just released her memoir ABOLISH SILICON VALLEY (from Repeater Books)

Bernie Sanders is gone, electoralism is not an option to defeat the monsters of capitalism. We cannot use protests to blind the panopticon of technology rapidly imprisoning us. So what comes next? I discuss this with Edward and Wendy who both turned their back on wealth and power to try and build a better world.

For Wendy's new memoir, published by Repeater Books, you can find more info here - https://abolishsiliconvalley.com/

For more on Wendy, please check out her main Website here - https://dellsystem.me/

For more w. Edward , check out his work on Vice (Motherboard) here - https://www.vice.com/en_us/contributor/edward-ongweso-jr

Beats by Eskry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H15r9jws3kU

We were overjoyed to speak w. Dr. Wen Liu, one of the founding members of the progressive organization- New Bloom (Taiwan) and a member of the Decolonial Left Organization - Lausan (Hong Kong).

Our conversation explores how Taiwan has functioned as a Queer Casablanca, offering a space for solidarity and exploration for pan-Asian queerness within a still Hetronormative and Heteronationalist Asia.

We also discuss Taiwan's current government in relation to Queerness, the country's path to Same-Sex Marriage and the obstacles remaining to intersectional queerness in the country.

Plus we talk briefly w. Writer Chason Dailey on the complicated situation for expats and whiteness in the time of Covid-19. Like many he is stuck between the country he's from and fears return to (The United States) and the country where he is not a citizen but wishes to remain (Taiwan).

Taiwan has (since our conversation) extended all visas for foreigners for 30 days in an act of grace and mercy. What happens after those 30 days expire, controls the fate of many, including Chason. Let's hope they continue to be world leaders in nuance and empathy during this Pandemic.

For more with Wen we recommend following her on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wenliunyc

And exploring her website here - http://www.wenliu.info/

Beats by - Free Use Worldwide Sounds - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0OhxFhmWSIiVqXUbqoG57Q

and Producer Riddiman - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSuKogXJOZld5Dzw_9285w

To better understand a United States where the richest men in the world - Bezos, Zuckerberg, Gates- have gained their wealth from a tech industry that is directly killing the workers at the front lines of Covid-19, I spoke to two of smartest people I know: Edward Ongweso Jr. of Vice and Wendy Liu whose memoir: ABOLISH SILICON VALLEY, is out now on Repeater Books

Its a powerful two-part conversation on the culture of smug cruelty that dominates the tech industry, and how we, the subjects they rule like kings, can tear down their systems of exploitation and create technology based on liberation for the many, not wealth for the few.

For Wendy's new book, launched April 14th on Repeater Books, you can find more info here - https://abolishsiliconvalley.com/

For more on Wendy, please check out her Main Website here - https://dellsystem.me/

For more w. Edward , check out his work on Vice (Motherboard) here - https://www.vice.com/en_us/contributor/edward-ongweso-jr

Beats by Esky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNDKHysnIUY

We are joined by Journalist Kathleen McLaughlin to discuss Covid-19. She has over 15 years of experience in China, was the Beijing Correspondent for Science Magazine and her work can be seen in the New York Times and Washington Post.

Our discussion is centered on the Global Response to Covid-19, with a particular focus on responses in Asia compared to the dithering callousness of the United States. What systems are responding to the virus, and what systems are failing?

We also discuss the Virus from a scientific perspective and the scientific progress in developing a treatment or cure.

For more of Kathleen's journalism and insights, you can

• Follow her on Twitter - @kemc

• Subscribe to her journalism Substack - https://kemc.substack.com/p/the-whistleblower

Beats by Prod. Riddiman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZLcg7IGdnk

Malaysia is enduring twin crisis, both Covid-19 and a recent coup which threw the country back into political uncertainty. To discuss how Malaysia is weathering these political and pandemic storms, I'm joined by Deborah Augustin of New Naratif

Deborah guides us through both these issues with honesty and good humor that left me feeling much more knowledgeable about Malaysia, Religion and Regional Politics.

For more on New Naratif please head here - https://newnaratif.com/about/

Beats by Urban Nerd - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0YKrNTtt0w

I spoke with Grace Moon of AAJA and Dasl Yoon of the Wall Street Journal on South Korea's response to Covid-19, one that's proving to be among the most effective in the world.

Part one of the Conversation is w. Grace, we mostly discuss what South Korea that's getting back to normal looks like.

The second 40 minutes is with Dasl . We discuss the political, economic and medical systems that have been so successful for South Korea, and what lessons they offer the rest of the world.

For more w. these great journalists you can follow Grace on Twitter at - @gracesoyeonmoon

and for Dasl's great work in the Wall Street Journal, you can find that here - https://www.wsj.com/news/author/dasl-yoon

Music by Urban Nerd Beats - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDallascooper

I spoke w. Shashank Bengali of the LA Times on Singapore's Response to Covid-19, and how their coordinated, competent response stands in stark contrast to the piecemeal efforts of the United States

We also discuss how a Singapore long associated with capitalism and globalization, is making the health of the Many its top priority.

For more of Shashank please follow his work at the LAtimes - https://www.latimes.com/people/shashank-bengali

You can also find him on Twitter here - @SBengali

Beats by Urban Nerd Beats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gu2QCriDk4