Thang Nguyen 555

He wore sunglasses and played the saxophone.

They danced to the tune of rock and roll during the Inauguration (Don’t stop, thinking about tomorrow).

And now the band is back.

Not 40 years after Abbey Road.

It’s Bill and Al.

Former President Bill Clinton got a hair cut in formerly Saigon, and stopped by a Noodles shop for lunch (2000)

This last week, he dropped in on the Udon ( North) country so the two journalists can catch a (plane) ride home.

Might as well have Flower Power painted on the jet. It would make a great background for the Burbank airport news conference, very convenient for all the LA media outlets to show (the film lots are just situated right out back).

I thought of President Carter when hearing about N Korean trips of ex-presidents.

Throughout human history, nations sent scouts and messengers. Most got killed, or if came back with bad news, they killed the messengers as well. Tres dangereuse! and you would have to be on your best despite the travail of distance and weather.

Meanwhile, former First Lady turned Secretary of State did some non-dirty dancing with a tribe in Kenya.

Whatever it takes. We can complain all we want  about “they took our jobs”, and that this is no longer a land of “milk and honey”. But the truth is, politics or economics, we are all  One big entity: hedge your bets here, reduce costs there. Maybe the underwear pieces can be manufactured here, and outer over there (in case they want to wear the underwear outside, then we will consider re-inshorring those jobs to North Carolina).

Cynicism aside.

We are glad the week has seen some good news: freed hostages, confirmed “wise” judge, “only” a few hundred thousand more joining the ever-growing group (7 million)  of “stay at home” spouses.

The best way to survive the downturn is to study how students survive: they cut their cell phone plans, from post-paid to pre-paid, no gym fees, and start riding their bikes to a nearby library.

I hate it when  times are going good, the coffee shops welcome lap top users. And when bad,  they

put up the sign which says “laptops are not allowed”.  It would be worse if you are a laptop user who smokes.

What are you going to do? unplug it, and take it with you outside for a drag? Lunch “here or to go”, the emphasis is on “to go” (i.e. give me your money, but get the hell out of here).

No wonder when I stroll the streets of Vietnam, and see people sitting at outdoors cafe (French-like) puffing away,

I realize there is such a thing as conformity: you are a product of your environment. If you lived in an uptight zip code, your neighbors can’t wait to install hidden cameras not only to catch you speeding, but also reporting you

(through another person) at the earliest chance. What did that lady in Cambridge think, when she saw suspicious

burglary in progress (by the suitcases, neatly placed in plain sight)? Tell another neighbor who “just want to get lunch” (Noodle or Udon?, here or to go?)

Clinton probably tried Udon for lunch this time (no more McDonald on the run), and while at it,  can I take  two hitchhikers with me , there are plenty of  room in the bus.

This weekend should be a great time for at least two families. No beer , thank you. We had that in full last Friday.