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A Hidden Crisis in Vietnam

Last activity 28 May 2020 by Jlgarbutt

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GuestPoster288

Concern over the Corona virus is providing a convenient way of deflecting a much bigger crisis here that is going virtually unreported and totally ignored by the authorities.
I had already heard from contacts in the country around the Tra Vinh area and further up the Mekong that crops were failing primarily due to the increased salinity in the various channels that are used for irrigation but I did not realise just how devastating that situation was until a trip to the Mekong over the weekend. Crops usually suffer a little during the dry season of course but this is way beyond the norm.
I saw several hundred km of failed crops and dried up channels that had a salt residue that I have not seen before. Some are blaming the dams that have sprung up further up the Mekong restricting the salt dilution from incoming tides and others insist it is chemical pollution. Either way it should be of far more concern to Vietnam than the virus.

goodolboy

Indices wrote:

Concern over the Corona virus is providing a convenient way of deflecting a much bigger crisis here that is going virtually unreported and totally ignored by the authorities.
I had already heard from contacts in the country around the Tra Vinh area and further up the Mekong that crops were failing primarily due to the increased salinity in the various channels that are used for irrigation but I did not realise just how devastating that situation was until a trip to the Mekong over the weekend. Crops usually suffer a little during the dry season of course but this is way beyond the norm.
I saw several hundred km of failed crops and dried up channels that had a salt residue that I have not seen before. Some are blaming the dams that have sprung up further up the Mekong restricting the salt dilution from incoming tides and others insist it is chemical pollution. Either way it should be of far more concern to Vietnam than the virus.


been some good programs on like Nat Geo, Discovery & BBC about the dams & the future consequences down river. Laos in particular are going through a big dam building program financed by the Chinese or might be Thailand, I forget.  I think & have said they want to be the power provider for the countries in the whole area when completed.

TET I visited Mekong area Cai Be went to GF home remembered seeing a photo of her & her kids swimming outside her parents house, in exactly the same spot there was now barely a trickle of water. Now might be cos its not the rainy season, I am not sure. Not up on the pesticide thing though. Also the Vietnamese powers that be should be more concerned with all that damn plastic & shit dumped everywhere!!! :o

GuestPoster288

goodolboy wrote:
Indices wrote:

Concern over the Corona virus is providing a convenient way of deflecting a much bigger crisis here that is going virtually unreported and totally ignored by the authorities.
I had already heard from contacts in the country around the Tra Vinh area and further up the Mekong that crops were failing primarily due to the increased salinity in the various channels that are used for irrigation but I did not realise just how devastating that situation was until a trip to the Mekong over the weekend. Crops usually suffer a little during the dry season of course but this is way beyond the norm.
I saw several hundred km of failed crops and dried up channels that had a salt residue that I have not seen before. Some are blaming the dams that have sprung up further up the Mekong restricting the salt dilution from incoming tides and others insist it is chemical pollution. Either way it should be of far more concern to Vietnam than the virus.


been some good programs on like Nat Geo, Discovery & BBC about the dams & the future consequences down river. Laos in particular are going through a big dam building program financed by the Chinese or might be Thailand, I forget.  I think & have said they want to be the power provider for the countries in the whole area when completed.

TET I visited Mekong area Cai Be went to GF home remembered seeing a photo of her & her kids swimming outside her parents house, in exactly the same spot there was now barely a trickle of water. Now might be cos its not the rainy season, I am not sure. Not up on the pesticide thing though. Also the Vietnamese powers that be should be more concerned with all that damn plastic & shit dumped everywhere!!! :o


Dumped rubbish certainly doesn't help the situation. A few years ago I spent some time on cleaning up a tributary of the Delta as it was completely clogged with rubbish.Took a couple of weeks with a variety of machinery etc.  Went back the following year and it was even worse as the locals had used the opportunity to fill it up again
:(

goodolboy

Indices wrote:
goodolboy wrote:
Indices wrote:

Concern over the Corona virus is providing a convenient way of deflecting a much bigger crisis here that is going virtually unreported and totally ignored by the authorities.
I had already heard from contacts in the country around the Tra Vinh area and further up the Mekong that crops were failing primarily due to the increased salinity in the various channels that are used for irrigation but I did not realise just how devastating that situation was until a trip to the Mekong over the weekend. Crops usually suffer a little during the dry season of course but this is way beyond the norm.
I saw several hundred km of failed crops and dried up channels that had a salt residue that I have not seen before. Some are blaming the dams that have sprung up further up the Mekong restricting the salt dilution from incoming tides and others insist it is chemical pollution. Either way it should be of far more concern to Vietnam than the virus.


been some good programs on like Nat Geo, Discovery & BBC about the dams & the future consequences down river. Laos in particular are going through a big dam building program financed by the Chinese or might be Thailand, I forget.  I think & have said they want to be the power provider for the countries in the whole area when completed.

TET I visited Mekong area Cai Be went to GF home remembered seeing a photo of her & her kids swimming outside her parents house, in exactly the same spot there was now barely a trickle of water. Now might be cos its not the rainy season, I am not sure. Not up on the pesticide thing though. Also the Vietnamese powers that be should be more concerned with all that damn plastic & shit dumped everywhere!!! :o


Dumped rubbish certainly doesn't help the situation. A few years ago I spent some time on cleaning up a tributary of the Delta as it was completely clogged with rubbish.Took a couple of weeks with a variety of machinery etc.  Went back the following year and it was even worse as the locals had used the opportunity to fill it up again
:(


FFS thats so bad!! & so sad too

GuestPoster288

In the name of progress and power supply, those bloody dams in Laos are doing great damage to those downstream further down Mekong.  The constituents in the river have all been altered! But heck, who cares what happens downstream!

goodolboy

LSP123 wrote:

In the name of progress and power supply, those bloody dams in Laos are doing great damage to those downstream further down Mekong.  The constituents in the river have all been altered! But heck, who cares what happens downstream!


Wars have been started for a lot less I think!!

GuestPoster288

LSP123 wrote:

In the name of progress and power supply, those bloody dams in Laos are doing great damage to those downstream further down Mekong.  The constituents in the river have all been altered! But heck, who cares what happens downstream!


The various dams, no adequate waste disposal and the increasing use of chemicals is having a devastating effect that just isn't sustainable. The effect on the wildlife habitat is also of great concern. As for the communities that rely on the river no one seems to care. But mention a virus and all hell breaks loose.. Viruses come and go but the Mekong is reaching a point where it will crash from which there is no return and the communities with it.
Many expats on here will contribute to endless threads about a virus or a dating site yet completely ignore the far more relevant dangers to Vietnam itself.

goodolboy

Indices wrote:
LSP123 wrote:

In the name of progress and power supply, those bloody dams in Laos are doing great damage to those downstream further down Mekong.  The constituents in the river have all been altered! But heck, who cares what happens downstream!


The various dams, no adequate waste disposal and the increasing use of chemicals is having a devastating effect that just isn't sustainable. The effect on the wildlife habitat is also of great concern. As for the communities that rely on the river no one seems to care. But mention a virus and all hell breaks loose.. Viruses come and go but the Mekong is reaching a point where it will crash from which there is no return and the communities with it.
Many expats on here will contribute to endless threads about a virus or a dating site yet completely ignore the far more relevant dangers to Vietnam itself.


I used to work in Balikpapan Borneo, flying to Balikpapan on a clear day you could see the extent of the rain forest destruction absolutely scary sad man & well highlighted on natural history programs etc palm oil is king....but for how long if the world wakes up?
From Balikpapan I would then fly by chopper to visit various swamp barges in the mangroves. Man you want to see whats going on there & never see this on any programs to highlight it. Shrimp farms!! like the mangroves are being absolutely devastated & very little being done about it or brought to world attention :o

GuestPoster288

I think the Mekong is too far gone now.   The Hydro dams, saltwater inundation and the mindset of those involved have set in place an environmental disaster.   

Economically Vietnam is facing an interesting decade.

Rice harvests.....they’ll likely fall.     
Coffee ...global oversupply , everyone’s growing the stuff.

Industry 4 will decimate the textile industry & electronics assembly work.  Most of the industrial parks are low skilled labour just assembling stuff....machines are already doing that now & will continue

Oil....who knows what the future is ...it’s a big% of GDP.

The prime minister stated last year that Industry 4 “may” leave Vietnam behind.  It simply hasn’t kept up.   The communist controlling mentality of “keep em poor & keep em dumb” has worked really well hasn’t it. 🤓

So many Kids are graduating from University & end up in a green tracksuit riding for Grab.   

Tourism was going to be the “big one”. 

How quickly things can change.  I left Vietnam recently,,,,the airport looked deserted.   Da Nang & Nha Trang have hotels & restaurants shutting down.  A lot of Halong  bay tour boats are mostly inactive .   The bulk of tourists came form China & Korea.   Most of that has stopped now, and who knows for how long.   

Vietnam SEZs (special economic zones) were only thought of for the $$$ that China was paying .   Local protests have put that on the back burner BEFORE the  Virus from China came along.    What chance now of that happening.

Given the above , you’ve got to wonder .

GuestPoster288

"I used to work in Balikpapan Borneo, flying to Balikpapan on a clear day you could see the extent of the rain forest destruction absolutely scary sad man & well highlighted on natural history programs etc palm oil is king....but for how long if the world wakes up?
From Balikpapan I would then fly by chopper to visit various swamp barges in the mangroves. Man you want to see whats going on there & never see this on any programs to highlight it. Shrimp farms!! like the mangroves are being absolutely devastated & very little being done about it or brought to world attention :o"

Happening the world over sadly.
But there is so much bullshit too.
From the whole Carbon Neutral myth which is just a way of raising more green taxes to Wind farms that actually take far more of the Earths resources to manufacture and erect, all the cabling transportation etc than can ever be recovered during the life of the windmill.
Whether you believe the whole global warming thing being down to humans or just part of the earths cycle that has happened many times before, albeit we may be speeding up the process, is irrelevant. What matters is what can actually be done not by writing so many objections or promises or restating what we know already but by actually doing something. Expats have chosen to live here for whatever reason but very very few actually contribute anything to the country they now call home other than posts about stuff that is really quite trivial.
Discussions about a dating site seem to be more important than getting together to improve the life of the people that allow us to live here.
I guess pussy V environment can only have one outcome.

goodolboy

Ontheroad57 wrote:

I think the Mekong is too far gone now.   The Hydro dams, saltwater inundation and the mindset of those involved have set in place an environmental disaster.   

Economically Vietnam is facing an interesting decade.

Rice harvests.....they’ll likely fall.     
Coffee ...global oversupply , everyone’s growing the stuff.

Industry 4 will decimate the textile industry & electronics assembly work.  Most of the industrial parks are low skilled labour just assembling stuff....machines are already doing that now & will continue

Oil....who knows what the future is ...it’s a big% of GDP.



Given the above , you’ve got to wonder .


Days of big oil prices are over, the worlds awash with it. USA shale finished the 100usd + a barrel days. Big offshore oil drillers are going bust on a monthly basis, Just check stock prices over last 5 years. So If Vietnam is depending on oil money they are on a loser I suspect.

GuestPoster288

Ontheroads & goodolboy . . . .
What is very noticeable is the absence of response to this post from the site Mafia.
Kind of says it all.

OceanBeach92107

Indices wrote:

Ontheroads & goodolboy . . . .
What is very noticeable is the absence of response to this post from the site Mafia.
Kind of says it all.


Call your sponsor

GuestPoster288

OceanBeach92107 wrote:
Indices wrote:

Ontheroads & goodolboy . . . .
What is very noticeable is the absence of response to this post from the site Mafia.
Kind of says it all.


Call your sponsor


As stated before ,
I do not have a sponsor neither would I entertain one. The thought of having to have my views approved by someone else I find abhorrent.
As you have already stated you have a sponsor then I guess you are quite happy to be censored which throws into doubt as to whether any of your comments are actually valid or constructed to get a pat on the head.

GuestPoster288

I can't say much about the rest but in area of University education; maybe they should start 'combining' some 2 universities into ONE and start cutting back on admissions and enrolments. Don't run a course just for the sake of running one, stay to relevance. No point if there are insufficient jobs to go around for graduates who cannot even think logically and strategically, as I can vouch for..

OceanBeach92107

Indices wrote:
OceanBeach92107 wrote:
Indices wrote:

Ontheroads & goodolboy . . . .
What is very noticeable is the absence of response to this post from the site Mafia.
Kind of says it all.


Call your sponsor


As stated before ,
I do not have a sponsor neither would I entertain one. The thought of having to have my views approved by someone else I find abhorrent.
As you have already stated you have a sponsor then I guess you are quite happy to be censored which throws into doubt as to whether any of your comments are actually valid or constructed to get a pat on the head.


I admit to having gone through full programs of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Anger Management through the Veterans Administration Health Care System.

I admit I have learned (usually) not to vomit forth every rage-inspired reactive thought that pings my mind.

I admit that I do my best--though not always meeting goals--to be proactive and introspective before opening my mouth to comment about other people.

And I am honored that there is a human being who I call my sponsor, to whom I can turn for brutally honest feedback.

You are the one who has written about your "Alcohol Abuse Counselor" and "Alcohol Abuse Meeting", otherwise I would likely not reply to you as I have.

You seem like a fine fellow, and more than one of us forum members have noticed your ability to write a story well.

From your comments I assume you are successfully abstaining from alcohol consumption (and "Consumption" as well) to which I tip my hat and say "Bravo!"

However, you have a habit of tweaking your otherwise good stories and comments with judgements of other people, such as the forum "Mafia" you disdain.

So while I hope I get the chance to read more of what you have to say, I think it's fair to note (since you first introduced the subject of Alcohol Abuse) that your abstinence does not always seem to produce sober thinking, based on what you write.

That is meant as an assessment, not as a judgment of you as a person.

Maybe your counselor would find it interesting to read what you write on here but it sounds like you don't have that kind of relationship with your counselor, where you would provide your writings to show them the way you're thinking.

I won't make any more comments that allude to this subject, as I don't wish to be antagonistic, even though I often am with my sarcasm and other comments.

Working on that...

GuestPoster288

OceanBeach92107 wrote:
Indices wrote:
OceanBeach92107 wrote:


Call your sponsor


As stated before ,
I do not have a sponsor neither would I entertain one. The thought of having to have my views approved by someone else I find abhorrent.
As you have already stated you have a sponsor then I guess you are quite happy to be censored which throws into doubt as to whether any of your comments are actually valid or constructed to get a pat on the head.


I admit to having gone through full programs of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Anger Management through the Veterans Administration Health Care System.

I admit I have learned (usually) not to vomit forth every rage-inspired reactive thought that pings my mind.

I admit that I do my best--though not always meeting goals--to be proactive and introspective before opening my mouth to comment about other people.

And I am honored that there is a human being who I call my sponsor, to whom I can turn for brutally honest feedback.

You are the one who has written about your "Alcohol Abuse Counselor" and "Alcohol Abuse Meeting", otherwise I would likely not reply to you as I have.

You seem like a fine fellow, and more than one of us forum members have noticed your ability to write a story well.

From your comments I assume you are successfully abstaining from alcohol consumption (and "Consumption" as well) to which I tip my hat and say "Bravo!"

However, you have a habit of tweaking your otherwise good stories and comments with judgements of other people, such as the forum "Mafia" you disdain.

So while I hope I get the chance to read more of what you have to say, I think it's fair to note (since you first introduced the subject of Alcohol Abuse) that your abstinence does not always seem to produce sober thinking, based on what you write.

That is meant as an assessment, not as a judgment of you as a person.

Maybe your counselor would find it interesting to read what you write on here but it sounds like you don't have that kind of relationship with your counselor, where you would provide your writings to show them the way you're thinking.

I won't make any more comments that allude to this subject.


Comments on Alcohol Abuse were written as sarcasm not fact although despite your admirable CBT you still seem occasionally to fail to detect humour. The problem I have with alcohol is that my supplier sometimes runs out of the Malt Whisky I prefer.

OceanBeach92107

Indices wrote:
OceanBeach92107 wrote:
Indices wrote:


As stated before ,
I do not have a sponsor neither would I entertain one. The thought of having to have my views approved by someone else I find abhorrent.
As you have already stated you have a sponsor then I guess you are quite happy to be censored which throws into doubt as to whether any of your comments are actually valid or constructed to get a pat on the head.


I admit to having gone through full programs of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Anger Management through the Veterans Administration Health Care System.

I admit I have learned (usually) not to vomit forth every rage-inspired reactive thought that pings my mind.

I admit that I do my best--though not always meeting goals--to be proactive and introspective before opening my mouth to comment about other people.

And I am honored that there is a human being who I call my sponsor, to whom I can turn for brutally honest feedback.

You are the one who has written about your "Alcohol Abuse Counselor" and "Alcohol Abuse Meeting", otherwise I would likely not reply to you as I have.

You seem like a fine fellow, and more than one of us forum members have noticed your ability to write a story well.

From your comments I assume you are successfully abstaining from alcohol consumption (and "Consumption" as well) to which I tip my hat and say "Bravo!"

However, you have a habit of tweaking your otherwise good stories and comments with judgements of other people, such as the forum "Mafia" you disdain.

So while I hope I get the chance to read more of what you have to say, I think it's fair to note (since you first introduced the subject of Alcohol Abuse) that your abstinence does not always seem to produce sober thinking, based on what you write.

That is meant as an assessment, not as a judgment of you as a person.

Maybe your counselor would find it interesting to read what you write on here but it sounds like you don't have that kind of relationship with your counselor, where you would provide your writings to show them the way you're thinking.

I won't make any more comments that allude to this subject.


Comments on Alcohol Abuse were written as sarcasm not fact although despite your admirable CBT you still seem occasionally to fail to detect humour. The problem I have with alcohol is that my supplier sometimes runs out of the Malt Whisky I prefer.


You comments are all the more understandable then, and I'll definitely refrain from commenting as if you and I are mutually seeking sobriety.

Cheers!

GuestPoster288

Oceanbeach
You comments are all the more understandable then, and I'll definitely refrain from commenting as if you and I are mutually seeking sobriety.

Cheers! "

There are many things I seek but sobriety certainly isn't one of them
  :)

GuestPoster288

Hey Indices : I have a new bottle of JW Black Label which I seriously want to get rid of! If that tickles you, may be we can progress further on how to proceed with a 'deal'?  Cheers ..

GuestPoster288

LSP123 wrote:

Hey Indices : I have a new bottle of JW Black Label which I seriously want to get rid of! If that tickles you, may be we can progress further on how to proceed with a 'deal'?  Cheers ..


Lol.
Now if it were a 35yr old Glenmorangie I would probably take your arm off at the offer  :thanks:

GuestPoster288

Ok matey point taken..

singuyen tranpham

To be honest,  as a down-stream country VN has very few choices/actions to take. The best solution in my opinion is to deal effectively with those of concern via diplomatic means, especially China, which could help improve the situation less or more.

GuestPoster288

singuyen tranpham wrote:

To be honest,  as a down-stream country VN has very few choices/actions to take. The best solution in my opinion is to deal effectively with those of concern via diplomatic means, especially China, which could help improve the situation less or more.


Nice idea but diplomatic means even when using a much more powerful country behind you than Vietnam does very little. There have been conferences on global issue like this since the '50's with nothing ever done. The only way to really have any effect is to roll your sleeves up, get dirty and do it yourself however small that contribution maybe. Negotiating with, for example, the Chinese will never yield any results for the families of the farmers and fishermen who are having their livelihoods and their habitat destroyed.

THIGV

LSP123 wrote:

Hey Indices : I have a new bottle of JW Black Label which I seriously want to get rid of! If that tickles you, may be we can progress further on how to proceed with a 'deal'?  Cheers ..


My wife told me once when we were shopping in Big C that most of the Johnnie Walker bottles in Vietnam are fake knockoffs.  Personally, I prefer Bourbon over Scotch whiskey so I never had to test out her claim.

GuestPoster288

Sorry but need clarify my bottle came in from Duty free Singapore, so cannot be FAKE!

THIGV

LSP123 wrote:

Sorry but need clarify my bottle came in from Duty free Singapore, so cannot be FAKE!


Sorry too.  I did not mean to cast aspersions on your particular bottle.  In fact, I think the fake allegations revolved around JW Red which seems to be more popular in Vietnam.  Perhaps it is the age-old preference for red colors in Chinese related cultures.

Ciambella

Indices wrote:

Now if it were a 35yr old Glenmorangie I would probably take your arm off at the offer  :thanks:


I finally finished the bottle of Highland Park 25 bought in San Juan (PR) Duty Free 12 years ago and brought with us here from the States. All by myself, as always, since I've never had a friend who cares for single malt.

Last Tết, a nephew bought me a bottle of Lagavulin 16 -- the single malt that made me senselessly in love at first sip 20 years ago -- from one of his trusted suppliers here in Vietnam.  Two weeks ago, he bought me another bottle. 

I do know about fake JW (in any colour).  I'm reasonably certain that no one in this country would think of making fake Lagavulin 16.  There's no demand for it and I'm very glad.

Ciambella

THIGV wrote:

Personally, I prefer Bourbon over Scotch whiskey so I never had to test out her claim.


In Oct 2008, I had the beginner's dumb luck that ended with the purchase of a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 Year at Buffalo Trace in KY.  I didn't know what a privilege it was, so I took it home and kept it in the pantry (a pantry!  Can you tell what a moron I was?)  A few months later, I opened it then proceed to jump up and down with glee, "Honey, it's not bourbon, it's a phenomenon!"  And I drank it all in one week! 

To this day, I still question my so-called intelligence over that travesty.

BTW, it's Scotch whisky and Irish/American whiskey.

THIGV

One of the essential criteria for Bourbon, besides being made in Kentucky, is that it absolutely must be aged in charred barrels.  Scotch whiskey is not, which is a part of why it is generally smoother than Bourbon.  My understanding is that the coloring in Scotch whiskey sold in the US is caramel based, hence natural, and added during bottling.  Another source of coloring in Scotch is the reuse of wine and cognac  barrels.  If any Scotch aficionados wish to correct this or add to it, feel free.  As I said, I prefer Bourbon.

GuestPoster288

THIGV wrote:

One of the essential criteria for Bourbon, besides being made in Kentucky, is that it absolutely must be aged in charred barrels.  Scotch whiskey is not, which is a part of why it is generally smoother than Bourbon.  My understanding is that the coloring in Scotch whiskey sold in the US is caramel based, hence natural, and added during bottling.  Another source of coloring in Scotch is the reuse of wine and cognac  barrels.  If any Scotch aficionados wish to correct this or add to it, feel free.  As I said, I prefer Bourbon.


Most single malts ARE aged in Charred Oak barrels with a variety of others used from old previously used and charred Bourbon barrels to red wine and even Rum depending on the family recipe and distillery involved. The rarer more expensive malts are not coloured with Caramel as although when distilled the colour tends to be a light yellow all the subsequent depth of colour comes entirely from whatever barrel is used. Caramel is however a common colourant in cheaper whiskies.

Ciambella

THIGV wrote:

Scotch whiskey is not, which is a part of why it is generally smoother than Bourbon.


Blended whisky is smoother but not single malt, or rather, not the majority of single malts, due to the ever existed bite.  For many people, scotch is an acquired taste.  Also for many people, that acquired taste never took especially when they tried single malt.  In my experience, single malt is either immediately loved or I-don't-care-a-whit-for kind of drink, no indifferent or in-between feeling.

To me, bourbon is a pleasant and a pleasantly good drink, the kind I enjoy but don't need to sit up and pay attention to. I've drank Maker's Mark, Booker's, Basil Hayden, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Pappy, Knob Creek, Elijah Craig, Bulleit, and a few more of which I don't remember the names.  Aside from Pappy, I could (and often would) sip any of the rest while cooking without losing concentration on the food.

I can't do that with a good single malt.

Ciambella

Indices wrote:

The rarer more expensive malts are not coloured with Caramel as although when distilled the colour tends to be a light yellow all the subsequent depth of colour comes entirely from whatever barrel is used. Caramel is however a common colourant in cheaper whiskies.


Actually, many expensive single malts do have caramel in them, not for the taste but to uniformise the different colours caused by different casks.  This has nothing to do with the quality or the prices of the whisky.  Lagavulin 23, Laphroaig 18, Glenmorangie 25, Bowmore 18, Talisker 18, Balvenie 21, Caol Ila 18, etc. all contain caramel.  OTOH, the classic but inexpensive Bruichladdich doesn't have it at all.

American whiskey are also allowed to have caramel, both E150A and E150B, the latter is banned in Scotch whisky.

Irish whiskey also has E150A for colour consistency.

(BTW, the French add caramel as well as sugar syrup and boisé in all Cognac and Armagnac no matter the brand.  Talk about overkill.)

You don't see E150A listed on the whisky bottle because Scottish Law doesn't require it.  I've learned decades ago that unless the label explicitly mentions the whiskey still has its natural color, it's safe to assume that it doesn’t.

GuestPoster288

Ciambella wrote:
THIGV wrote:

Scotch whiskey is not, which is a part of why it is generally smoother than Bourbon.


Blended whisky is smoother but not single malt, or rather, not the majority of single malts, due to the ever existed bite.  For many people, scotch is an acquired taste.  Also for many people, that acquired taste never took especially when they tried single malt.  In my experience, single malt is either immediately loved or I-don't-care-a-whit-for kind of drink, no indifferent or in-between feeling.

To me, bourbon is a pleasant and a pleasantly good drink, the kind I enjoy but don't need to sit up and pay attention to. I've drank Maker's Mark, Booker's, Basil Hayden, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Pappy, Knob Creek, Elijah Craig, Bulleit, and a few more of which I don't remember the names.  Aside from Pappy, I could (and often would) sip any of the rest while cooking without losing concentration on the food.

I can't do that with a good single malt.


Very true.
Some Malts I have tried I found quite awful despite being very expensive. I was lucky to have a client in Scotland who had an amazing selection of Malts from small almost unknown family distilleries and the variation in flavours was really surprising. The only danger in finding one I thought was incredible from his collection was that I could never afford to buy it !

GuestPoster288

Back on the subject of the post . . . 
As of this morning in excess of 100,000 hectares of crops around the Mekong have already failed. As a last resort farmers were gathering up the parched remains of rice etc to feed the cattle but they refuse to eat it. The various dam operators have no interest and are refusing to respond for requests to allow more water through yet the various reservoirs to the North are pretty much full.

THIGV

So what is the solution?  Is it time for war with Laos?

GuestPoster288

THIGV wrote:

So what is the solution?  Is it time for war with Laos?


Not exactly a constructive response.
The best solution at present is to de-silt the many small canals and dykes that feed the farms. They have been pretty much ignored for the last century and even a 1mtr deep excavation opens them up considerably. It is relatively cheap to do and with machinery takes very little time. We tried this at a farm in Tra Vinh and just took 2 days to de-silt a 120mtr channel that has successfully supplied  a large area with water. With local farmers helping by digging out the smaller irrigation channels to help the distribution it can have a lasting effect.
It's a little more sensible than going to war perhaps.

THIGV

Indices wrote:
THIGV wrote:

So what is the solution?  Is it time for war with Laos?


Not exactly a constructive response.


Sorry.  Perhaps is should have put a /s/ for sarcasm or perhaps more accurately a /c/ for cynicism after my post. 

It does sound as if your desilting is a worthy effort but does it really get to the origins of the problem? I know that the branch that flows past my wife's home in Ben Tre is bi-directional which tells me that it is tidal.  Tra Vinh is even farther downstream.  I am confused as to how increasing localized channel flow helps if the river source is saline.  Perhaps I am not visualizing your project correctly.

I have been down there briefly and I noticed metal sluice gates that presumably kept saline water out and maybe let fresher water in at other times.  Do they work as intended?  Again these may be another stopgap.  They looked to be of relatively recent (post 1975) construction.

As far as war, since about the 1500's man has developed new ideological reasons for conflict, but the primary reason in ancient times was control of food resources.  We know that the Colorado River basically disappears before it reaches the sea.  Will the Mekong be any different, perhaps drying up somewhere along the border with Cambodia leaving the delta in Vietnam as a purely ocean water basin?  Can you imagine the government of Vietnam taking drastic action before then?  The problem may be that this is a little like the idea of the frogs in the pot of not yet boiling water.  It happens little by little and then it is too late.

GuestPoster288

THIGV wrote:
Indices wrote:
THIGV wrote:

So what is the solution?  Is it time for war with Laos?


Not exactly a constructive response.


Sorry.  Perhaps is should have put a /s/ for sarcasm or perhaps more accurately a /c/ for cynicism after my post. 

It does sound as if your desilting is a worthy effort but does it really get to the origins of the problem? I know that the branch that flows past my wife's home in Ben Tre is bi-directional which tells me that it is tidal.  Tra Vinh is even farther downstream.  I am confused as to how increasing localized channel flow helps if the river source is saline.  Perhaps I am not visualizing your project correctly.

I have been down there briefly and I noticed metal sluice gates that presumably kept saline water out and maybe let fresher water in at other times.  Do they work as intended?  Again these may be another stopgap.  They looked to be of relatively recent (post 1975) construction.

As far as war, since about the 1500's man has developed new ideological reasons for conflict, but the primary reason in ancient times was control of food resources.  We know that the Colorado River basically disappears before it reaches the sea.  Will the Mekong be any different, perhaps drying up somewhere along the border with Cambodia leaving the delta in Vietnam as a purely ocean water basin?  Can you imagine the government of Vietnam taking drastic action before then?  The problem may be that this is a little like the idea of the frogs in the pot of not yet boiling water.  It happens little by little and then it is too late.


The root of the problem has many symptoms many of which may well be without cure like many other the world is facing. Nothing is permanent, neither is any solution. This does not however provide a reason for doing nothing. De-silting the irrigation channels is a relatively quick fix that will save current and future crops for the next decade or so based on statistical models of the Mekong  ..  the other outside effects from potential new dams to global warming are way too big for ordinary people like me to tackle. All that can be done is to respond to whatever crisis happens with the best solution available at that time.  For now de-silting does help the downward flow of available fresh water as well as diluting the effects of increased salinity.
I do not know what the exact function of the particular sluice gates you refer to is but  they are usually used to stop inflow by the tide or ensure equal distribution to different areas of the farms.
There are much better solutions certainly but the costs are way beyond anyone other than governments and unavailable both for now and the foreseeable future, if ever sadly.

THIGV

Thanks for your explanation.  I think you told us before that you are an engineer by education and experience and your solution reflects that.

Indices wrote:

I do not know what the exact function of the particular sluice gates you refer to is but  they are usually used to stop inflow by the tide or ensure equal distribution to different areas of the farms.


I am pretty sure were gates that I saw were in Tra Vinh Province but may have been closer to the ocean.  They were close to the river so I am pretty sure they were not for internal distribution.

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