Thang Nguyen 555

Cultures on Collision Course

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With some short-term relief work in Asia/Africa and long stint in Telecom, Thang also earned a B.A. at Pennsylvania State University. M.A. in Communication at Wheaton Graduate School, M.A. in Cross-Cultural Communication at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, Boston. In addition, he earned a CELTA – classes taken in Hanoi for cultural re-immersion.

Author: Thang Nguyen 555

  • All to the payload

    Nothing goes to waste. Neither a minute nor an experience, good or bad. This is not pre-destination. It is how our brain stores and evolves. Millions of calculation, prediction, reflection and reinvention. Like technology which evolves, so do we. We made a mistake. We did it again. Then we learned. Both David Brooks and Jeremy…

  • Least resistance

    Organizations and people in them tend to take this path. Status quo. Business as usual. The comfort of routine. The predictable, mechanical rhythm. Makes the world go round. Until we drop out. One person at a time. Dust comes to dust. But the morgue still sends the bills. Please pay by a certain date, or else,…

  • People, Problems and Politics

    In that order. You just need to navigate the permutation and potential. Great things are accomplished by and through people. Yet at the same time, it’s people who drive us crazy. When a big group with more EGO than ECO, we have faction and division. Cliques and classes. In India, an “untouchable” family finally had…

  • Un-Detroiting

    While video recording and taking photos (time lapse) of our Electric Vehicle Tech session, I couldn’t help thinking about Detroit. You see, these students have sat through 10 weeks of theory. Now they have a go at “degutting” the Internal Combustion Engine, to essentially make a “glider” (shell) for Electric components. The intended end-product is…

  • Expired Empires

    The Distributed Model has enabled the Rise of the Rest. Capital, talent and market flow where the chips may fall. Apple courting China, China Africa, Japan Rest of Asia etc… Everyone is out on the dancing floor. Dance anyone? The combinations are endless. Permutation and exponential. Hard and soft powers, hard and soft currencies. Exert that…

  • White fence to White House

    In-your-face campaign slogans. Last-minute push. Local, State and National level. Voter drive in full drive. From Alfred Smith (Catholic) to Kennedy (Catholic) onto Romney (Mormon). Religion on the fringe, now got NYT full-page endorsement by Billy Graham. I thought the Reverend was supposed to play neutral, and be wise-man to Presidents, Red or Blue. It’s great…

  • Pressing on

    There are days when nothing seemed to go your way. Just have to press on. Then there are days when things converge, in perfect storm with positive results. Just have to press on. Things, people and places. They are what/who they are. Can’t bend them to our liking, for our preferences. Just have to learn…

  • On being a conduit

    Yesterday, I was at a funeral service . My friend’s Dad passed away. We are all conduits of common grace. Paying forward. Hold that door that has just been opened for you. A guy I know ran into his English teacher at that funeral after 30 years apart while I guy I met also found me online after…

  • Learning by failing

    NYT Opinion Page wants to debate about being informed vs being educated. With the dcline of Newsweek, readers have moved on to Google News (ironically, today celebrates National Print Day) and other mobile content. Short bursts: Obama won the debate. The Giants got chemistry. We will someday think that a tweet, 140 characters, is too long. Just like the…

  • Insights from the inside

    This could also be titled “Full Circle”. We act out that which triggered us from the inside. Stored up commands. Encoded instructions (like our own software version if you will). Years ago, we fled by barge.  FOB. Then when we reached safety, inside secured camp  boundaries, we started to fight our ways to survival: each man to…