<div>For the second time in not many weeks (following up, that is, on it weak story on southern Thailand, already discussed rather astutely by another contributor to this list), The New York Times offers up a sad example both of its own decline and of its regional correspondents&#39; intellectual and journalistic lassitude.   Not a single point or anecdote in Mr Fuller&#39;s article on Laos actually addresses the &quot;capitalism&quot; of its title.  What are the sources of capital invested in the casinos and exporters mentioned in the article?  Are their revenues _profits_ or _economic rents_?   And party connections?  Concessions and monopolies?  Security of contracts and property?  Not the stuff of travel writing, admittedly.  But serious reporting on economic change in Laos ought to be, well, serious. </div>

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<div>Mike Montesano</div>
<div>ISEAS, Singapore</div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Justin McDaniel</b> <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu">jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu</a>&gt;</span><br>Date: Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 10:16 AM<br>
Subject: [tlc] Fwd: Re: NYTimes.com: Communism and Capitalism Are Mixing in Laos<br>To: <a href="mailto:rels-tlc@groups.sas.upenn.edu">rels-tlc@groups.sas.upenn.edu</a><br><br><br><br><br>----- Forwarded message from bonnie brereton &lt;<a href="mailto:brereton.b@gmail.com">brereton.b@gmail.com</a>&gt; -----<br>
   Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:07:12 +0700<br>   From: bonnie brereton &lt;<a href="mailto:brereton.b@gmail.com">brereton.b@gmail.com</a>&gt;<br>Reply-To: bonnie brereton &lt;<a href="mailto:brereton.b@gmail.com">brereton.b@gmail.com</a>&gt;<br>
 Subject: Re: NYTimes.com: Communism and Capitalism Are Mixing in Laos<br>     To: Justin McDaniel &lt;<a href="mailto:jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu">jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu</a>&gt;<br><br>On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:05 AM, &lt;<a href="mailto:brereton.b@gmail.com">brereton.b@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
<br>&gt;        [image: The New York Times] &lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/</a>&gt; [image:<br>&gt; E-mail This]<br>&gt;<br>&lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&amp;opzn&amp;page=global.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/world&amp;pos=TopRight-EmailThis&amp;sn2=2d71e74e/be7dc1d2&amp;sn1=a19cab9/c90a88fb&amp;camp=foxsearch2009_emailtools_1011077b_nyt5&amp;ad=WhipIt_b_88x31&amp;goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Fwhipit%20" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&amp;opzn&amp;page=global.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/world&amp;pos=TopRight-EmailThis&amp;sn2=2d71e74e/be7dc1d2&amp;sn1=a19cab9/c90a88fb&amp;camp=foxsearch2009_emailtools_1011077b_nyt5&amp;ad=WhipIt_b_88x31&amp;goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Fwhipit%20</a>&gt;<br>
&gt; *This page was sent to you by: * <a href="mailto:brereton.b@gmail.com">brereton.b@gmail.com</a><br>&gt;<br>&gt; *INTERNATIONAL / ASIA PACIFIC *  | September 18, 2009<br>&gt; *Communism and Capitalism Are Mixing in Laos<br>
&gt; &lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/world/asia/18laos.html?emc=eta1" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/world/asia/18laos.html?emc=eta1</a>&gt;*<br>&gt; By THOMAS FULLER<br>&gt; Capitalism is making inroads in Laos, but mastering the ideology might<br>
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&gt;<br>&lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&amp;opzn&amp;page=global.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/world&amp;pos=Center1&amp;sn2=5fd3037a/c8617e3c&amp;sn1=1bb45df6/e2f8987a&amp;camp=foxsearch2009_emailtools_1011077g-nyt5&amp;ad=Adam_120x60_g_nowplaying&amp;goto=http://www.foxsearchlight.com/adam" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&amp;opzn&amp;page=global.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/world&amp;pos=Center1&amp;sn2=5fd3037a/c8617e3c&amp;sn1=1bb45df6/e2f8987a&amp;camp=foxsearch2009_emailtools_1011077g-nyt5&amp;ad=Adam_120x60_g_nowplaying&amp;goto=http://www.foxsearchlight.com/adam</a>&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>&gt;     Copyright 2009<br>&gt; &lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html</a>&gt; The New York<br>&gt; Times Company &lt;<a href="http://www.nytco.com/" target="_blank">http://www.nytco.com/</a>&gt; | Privacy<br>
Policy&lt;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/privacy.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/privacy.html</a>&gt;<br>&gt;<br>&gt;<br><br>----- End forwarded message -----<br><br>
<br>Dr. Justin McDaniel<br>Associate Professor<br>223 Claudia Cohen Hall<br>249 S. 36th Street<br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104<br>1-215-898-5846<br><a href="mailto:jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu">jmcdan@sas.upenn.edu</a><br>
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