#golden triangle

[the-introspective]

A headcanon.

[radioradio]

Dawn and Golden Hour

This is what I set out to do two weeks ago, but the fog had other ideas.

I got to Downtown and the West End Overlook about an hour before sunrise, or the start of dawn. TIL there's three different dawns. I'm starting to take photos at the beginning of 'astronomical dawn.'

This one is wallpapered for your enjoyment.

And a few more. I swapped out between the 28-70mm f/2.8D and the 80-200mm f/2.8D here. I decided today's challenge would be to level the camera, keep the fountain center of the shot, and compose just wit the zoom.

Moving on to the Duquesne Incline overlook as dawn shifts to sunrise and the beginning of the Golden Hour. The 80-200mm lens isn't all that viable if I want to get the traditional DOWNTOWN shot. These are all the 28-70mm.

Again, camera is level, composing with just zoom and pan.

As previously, the autofocus started misbehaving again. I may need to have that lens serviced. So this last one at this spot is with the nifty 50mm f/1.8D.

FYI: everything to this point has been on the tripod at aperture priority f/5.6, ISO 200.

And finally, I move to the Grandview Ave. overlook. I've got the 80-200mm back on, and gone freehand at f/2.8, auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed of 1/125. That's about as slow as my 55 year old hands can do without camera shake. We're now well into Golden Hour.

The hardest part is it's an hour's drive each way to get here. So I spend more time traveling than I do taking the shots.

And the traditional shoutout to @sirfrogsworth for the inspiration.

[mitochondriaandbunnies]

Miami Vice S1E14: Golden Triangle, Part 1

A rash of violence against sex workers raises Castillo's suspicions.

And we learn that Castillo is... I don't know? A martial arts wizard?? We'll later learn he is also a fucking samurai, but this is really the first "let's give Castillo depth" episode, and they really fucking go for it

An absolutely useless bit of trivia: some of the opening credits in this episode are in the wrong font.

This is not the Miami Vice font. It switches back to the Miami Vice font like two names later.

Love Castillo downing a cafecito from what is absolutely not a heat-safe plastic glass, and Rico and Sonny following him as he walks away like he's a beautiful girl in a bikini

Also love that Crockett's "nerd" disguise involves going over dot matrix printouts by hand by the pool. A normal vacation activity. Love less that he is just blatantly doing an entrapment.

When Sonny and Rico take Candy in, we cut to a currently-in-progress conversation in which she asks Sonny, "well, am I right or what?" Then pauses, while neither Sonny or Rico look her in the eye, but they both smile in the most hollow and awkward way possible, and then Candy nods and says, "Yeah, I'm right." I really want to know what she thinks she's right about that both Sonny and Rico basically are like 'please stop talking' about.

Candy is great-- she's very savvy about the police (and rightly does not trust them), very intense, and has no issues telling Sonny off.

Rico finds all of this hilarious.

The drug dealer who wants a safety deposit box is John Snyder, who will always be "extremely annoying Joey in the Mafia Wars arc of Wiseguy" to me, except that recently Dan and I watched an episode of Star Trek in which he was a eugenicist from the eugenicist planet. Man sure plays some roles. He's also apparently a long-time anime voice actor??

Sonny complains about the system being broken and Tubbs kind of sighs and says "the system. Want a cold one?" #1 reason Tubbs isn't as broken by the end of the show is that he comes in from day one knowing that Everything Sucks Forever, while Crockett takes it personally every single time

Alligator Nail Filing

Alligator

Nail

Filing

"We're getting too good at playing bad guys" sure is the understatement of the whole series

It's not actually clear until around the 3/4 mark that this is the first Castillo Episode, but he makes a wonderful little suspicious face when Sonny starts telling him about Szarbo-- he knows something is amiss.

There's an exchange with the cop who has been working part time as a pimp where Sonny no-true-Scotsmans him-- he states that the man isn't a "real" cop for what he's done. I think Sonny still genuinely believes this at this point in the series. He will not by the end.

Castillo finds out that one of the dead people is Thai and just absolutely flips out and is like I NEED TO SEE THE CORPSE. I get what the actual intention here is-- that Castillo has put together enough things about the case based on similarities to things that happened during his own years in Thailand-- but we don't know that yet as an audience, so it just kind of seems like Castillo is totally paranoid and thinks any deceased person of Thai descent MUST be involved in crime, which is not a good look.

I adore the sequence in which it is implied Tubbs and Castillo go to like eight Thai restaurants together, partially because I appreciate when they work together, and partially because I love seeing restaurants from bygone days.

To the tune of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Awkward dinner naked waiter

Awkward dinner naked waiter

Awkward dinner naked waiter

Marty n' Rico having supper

It is awkward!

(but seriously why does that waiter not have a shirt)

And we learn, finally, that Castillo is a master of every martial art, as he gets in a wild action movie fist fight with the naked waiter in the parking lot. It's stupid and fantastic in equal measures, and we'll learn even more about Castillo's exciting fisticuffs adventures next time.

[septentrrional]

South & East Asia Trip - Part 1.4 Jaipur, India

Indeed "the pink city"

[thephilosopheroftheboudoir]

Deadly Harvest

documentary film about opium and heroin in the Golden Triangle

[cryingoflot49]

Book Review

The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia

by Alfred McCoy with Catherine B. Read & Leonard P. Adams II

In the 1970s, Gene Hackman starred in a movie called The French Connection. It tells the story of how undercover American narcotics agents intercept a massive shipment of heroin being smuggled into the U.S. inside a sports car. I can’t remember if the movie ever says exactly where the drugs came from , but it’s likely they originated in Asia’s Golden Triangle and got shipped to New York City via Marseilles, France. The movie was based on a true story and I’m sure the film’s producer was aware of Alfred McCoy’s The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia. It shows how there is an impossibly complex history of corruption, politics, greed, and Western intervention that has always facilitated the drug trade and probably alwayw will.

This book combines historical research with muckraking investigative journalism contemporary to the time of its publication in the early 1970s. Of course, that was a time when the drug culture and the Vietnam War were in full swing so it shouldn’t surprise anybody that the two are linked. It starts with a crash course in the history of poppy cultivation, the opium trade, the invention of morphine and heroin, their legal medicinal use in the Western world, and how all of this relates to Asia. Then we get to World Warr II when the OSS, the prototype of the CIA, collaborated with the Mafia to ensure Mussolini didn’t gain power in Sicily. The American government turned a blind eye to the heroin trade in the name of fighting fascism. As the Sicilian gangsters declined in power, the Corsican Mafia stepped in and partially took over. This overlapped with the French-Indochina Wars in the 11950s when Vietnam tried to decolonize and kick the French out. The Corsican Mafia remained in Vietnam though and continued doing business as the Americans took over where France left off. Meanwhile the Viet Minh, who later became the Comunist party, funded their war of anti-colonialism by selling poppies grown by Meo hill tribe farmers in North Vietnam and Laos. At this point you can guess that the story has nowhere to go but down.

There is also a detailed analysis of the Golden Triangle, a region of Southeast Asia including northeast Myanmar, Western Laos, and northeast Thailand. This is where poppy cultivation flourished and heroin manufacturing did too, especially because heroin at every level of production, distribution, and use was 100 percent legal in Laos. And why wouldn’t it be? Every political party and branch of the military had a hand in the narcotics trade. Like in North Vietnam, poppies were being farmed and sold to support the separatist revolutionaries of the Shan state in Myanmar, the anti-communist militias of the Chinese Kuomintang, and intelligence gathering agents of the CIA all in the same region. Drugs coming from the Golden Triangle were smuggled, with help from the Thai military and police, to Bangkok, Hong Kong, and, most importantly, Saigon. These were the major distribution points for the rest of the world.

What’s really interesting about this book is that it accounts for the context of the heroin trade in great detail. To understand how and why it flourished at that time, you need to understand the political and military structures of the countries involved. The two countries that get the most detailed analyses are South Vietnam and Laos. Both countries had trouble establishing democratic rule because politicians and military officials work with supporters and constituents that function more like tribes. Among the supporters are religious sects and criminal gangs along with varieties of other individuals, most of which are corrupt and greedy. These factions work by competing with each other. The conflicts often escalate to territorial disputes, violence, and assassinations so when America was supporting the government of South Vietnam in an effort to cleans the country of communists and nationalists, stability could never be established. Democracy could never function in a place where gangsterism overrode consensus as a method of governing. The result was that America got defeated because they were supporting a government that lacked competency and will, caring about nothing but accumulating riches while thinking of the American military as nothing but a national guard doing their duty of protecting them from the North Vietnamese. The author makes a good point by stating that the blockheads in the America were blinded to the reality of the heroin trade because they single-mindedly fought against the communists rather than taking the whole picture into account. Even worse, they had no understanding of the culture they were trying to dominate. In the end, most of the drugs produced in the Golden Triangle wound up in either US military bases or being shipped overseas to America and Europe while the US allies and enemies in Southeast Asia laughed all the way to the bank. Rampant heroin addicted among US soldiers in Vietnam became a problem and the tribal poppy farmers were stuck in a cycle of impoverishment because other forms of agriculture did not yield enough profits for them to survive. Also, the drug cartels often used Meo tribal people as pawns in proxy wars to fight for different drug running factions managed by politicians and military leaders. As usual, the CIA and American government turned a blind eye to all this just so long as the these drug merchants didn’t support the communists. But then again, some of those merchants did clandestinely support the communists because dealing with them in the drug trade brought them profits and profits meant more than principles. Don’t even try to imagine that much has really changed since the 1970s.

McCoy’s account of the heroin business is a real accomplishment. The details and intricacies are thoroughly explained in a way that makes a challenging read, but is consistently comprehensible if you make the effort to keep track of small details. He doesn’t just focus on the corruption of the authorities and organized crime syndicates either; this book contains a sympathetic understanding of how the poppy farmers are impoverished and trapped by their crops and how devastating opium and heroin are to people who are unfortunate enough to get sucked into the black hole of addiction. This is no work of journalistic entertainment. The complexities of the writing and subject matter make it almost forbidding reading. It is a great work of writing though and also a real eye-opener for anyone who wants to know about the darker side of Southeast Asia, U.S. involvement in the region, and how our government is enabling the drug problems they claim to be legislating against.

In conclusion, The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia is probably more valuable as a historical document since a few things have changed since America’s disastrous and foolhardy invasion of Vietnam in the 1960s. Those changes have probably been minor ones though. Poppy cultivation has since moved to Afghanistan and the pipeline of drugs coming from South and Central America up through Mexico and into the U.S. continues to flow unchecked. It just makes you wonder what the CIA is doing these days to keep the supply coming whether its by accident or not. Otherwise, I have spent some time in Southeast Asia and the three countries of the Golden Triangle so I need to say that it has a gorgeous landscape populated by beautiful and kindhearted people with a rich culture; don’t let a book like this ruin your perceptions of this truly amazing part of the world. And finally, don’t EVER try heroin. I’ve seen it wreck people’s lives. Don’t be stupid enough to think you can use it for a weekend recreational high. You can’t. I’ve known several people who have died, one of which was a talented code writer working for Google who overdosed two months after he got married to a woman he fell madly in love with. Please don’t make that same mistake. Do whatever you want with your own body, but don’t ever shoot up junk.

[kailash13]

Dherauge’s Journey India tour & Travel

About Dherauge's Journey India

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In cultural field we used to operate local culture, heritage, culinary, luxury and beach tours. Similarly in adventure we have a good experience of trekking tours in Himalaya region. Along with moderate adventure tours like Wild life tours, Tribal tours and rural village tours in India. We also offer a special interest tour as jeep safaris, motorbike, cycling tours, trekking on Himalayan glaciers.

[tripstroenglish]

This image features key landmarks from India’s Golden Triangle route, including the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Red Fort in Delhi, and the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The visual captures the cultural richness and architectural beauty found across northern India. It's a representation of a popular travel circuit known for its historical significance and diverse heritage.

[visionautiks]

chalked

[radioradio]

Prime Time!

As I said I would last time, I brought out the 28mm f/2.8D prime lens out to play on my recent outings.

After a lunch of bistec at Flavor of Puerto Rico (which was absolutely yummy, but that's another post,) I stopped at my usual vantage point above Downtown.

A lot of just looking for the best composition. Do I want mostly Golden Triangle, or go for getting all three rivers as much as possible?

And by comparison, these are with the 28-70mm f/2.8D.

For the most part, aperture priority at f/8, Auto ISO for a minimum shutter speed of 1/125 sec., which is my usual daytime setting. The last couple of each set were f/16 just because.

The next morning I set out to get some pre-dawn shots. This time aperture priority of f/5.6 and ISO 200. It's what teh Google said was optimal city night settings, and it's worked so far.

And again to the zoom.

Moving on to the Incline overlook. First the prime...

And then the zoom...

And while I was at the other overlook, the 200mm.

And last but not least, a panorama stitched from shots with the prime.

Post-processing for all was the usual auto-straighten, aberration correction, lens profile, and 'auto'. It works for me until someone says otherwise.

Once I get better at editing, I'll have shots that rival the Incline gift shop postcards. Sigh, someday.

Boops to @sirfrogsworth.

[mitochondriaandbunnies]

Miami Vice S1E15: Golden Triangle, Part 2

Castillo learns his wife is still alive-- and in Miami.

Let me just start by saying: really getting the sense no one who worked on this show knew that there are multiple countries and cultures in Asia. I'll give them credit for it not being a standard 80's "the East frightens us in a capitalist way" TV show plot, but Castillo is like. A samurai? Who learned how to Samurai in... Thailand. His Thai wife and her new husband and the drug lord who brought them here all seem to have Chinese names, and I feel like somehow this is all supposed to be related to the Vietnam war. Also I'm pretty sure none of the actors in this episode are Thai. I... okay, Miami Vice. Not your best look.

The episode opens on what is apparently supposed to be a flashback to Thailand (but is definitely just Miami) set to Catch the Wind, but not the Donovan version. Castillo is in a speedo and Joan Chen is wet. It's extremely unclear that it's a flashback.

Crockett and Tubbs show up at Castillo's house and Tubbs examines his statue. Castillo explains what's going on and. And. And I'm gonna get into some Old Skool Fandom(TM) heresy here, but: I do not understand Castillo/Crockett when Castillo/Tubbs is right there. Sonny asks about how they can help transactionally ("you've done stuff for us before, we should do stuff for you"): Rico switches to Spanish and asks for Martin to let them in. Tubbs spends the whole episode with his eyes glued to Castillo, and is the one who notices when something is wrong first every time. Sonny barks at Castillo's enemies; Rico waits beside him, gently and persistently trying to get him to open up. Rico drives this whole episode, with Castillo sitting shotgun-- poor Sonny is relegated to the back. Tubbs is 100% ready for this to be Scary Boss Gets Tender With His One Employee Who Gives Him Space to Be Vulnerable and Sonny is still stuck on "the US government is corrupt sometimes."

Castillo tells Sonny and Rico to "call next time" before they show up at his house; they laugh as if he is making a joke. I do not think he is making a joke.

John Santucci is here as a corrupt official and he talks openly about how basically he's in charge of the flow of opium into poor urban communities in the US, and Sonny gets his 10-mile predator stare on. After Dale (Santucci) leaves, Crockett and Tubbs directly confirm with Castillo: so he's an American federal agent who is doing drug crime for profit? Also Miami Vice was just about speedboats and shoulderpads, right

Following up on that, when Castillo meets with Lao Li, the Thai drug lord who Dale is working with, Lao Li basically smiles and says he's not a criminal, just a capitalist, and that he's here to retire in Miami. But it's not political or anything

Of course they undercut this with Castillo saying something like "no it's not, it's Southeast Asia" when C&T say the whole drug thing is "nuts," and it's like. Really, Castillo? You think the problem is the region where economic circumstances created by the US necessitate the sale of drugs to the US? And not the US?

Peter Kwong is here as the shitty teen(?) grandson of the drug lord and there's a scene where he and another grandson literally snicker about how they're going to do SO much crime when Lao Li is like "no one do crime plz"

Castillo is positioned as having an unshakeable sense of duty and loyalty and honor, but when it comes down to it, his code of honor is not the code of honor he claims to be bound to. His sense of duty and the rules he follows are, in fact, rules he follows to the letter-- but they're personal, not societal. He tells Sonny he is a police officer and that he would not do vigilante justice, and then has an entire family and all their associates, including children, put under 24 hour police surveillance because he thinks maybe one of them might do crime eventually. He has nothing to actually get Lao Li arrested for, so he carefully manufactures a situation where Lao Li's hand is forced into killing. What Castillo says (and he doesn't generally say a lot) and does often don't match up, but he's incredibly forceful and convincing. Lao Li recognizes this-- he points out that they're much the same and that he shares great respect for him-- but it's very easy as an audience to be convinced that Castillo is significantly less morally grey than he is. He is absolutely loyal and bound to a code of honor-- but it's the code of honor of a gangster, not the law.

Lao Li definitely tries to play the "maybe this could be an enemies to lovers story wink wink" at the end there and Castillo is like "enemies is good"

My stunning wife Joan Chen is the most beautiful woman on earth and Castillo should've just been like "do you want two husbands." I think Ma Sek would've been into it. And maybe then he wouldn't have gotten involved in crime and Heart of the Night (in which both his actor and Joan Chen are replaced anyway-- Ma Sek's actor is literally replaced with James Saito who plays a different character in this fucking episode) wouldn't have happened

Did we all know John Santucci was a jewel thief before he became an actor? And that he became a thief again when apparently no one other than Michael Mann wanted to hire him? Because I did not

[septentrrional]

South & East Asia Trip - Part 1.3 Amber, India

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