From the New York Times‘ “Al Gore Speaks of a Nation in Danger“:

In “The Assault on Reason” Al Gore excoriates George W. Bush, asserting that the president is “out of touch with reality,” that his administration is so incompetent that it “can’t manage its own way out of a horse show,” that it ignored “clear warnings” about the terrorist threat before 9/11 and that it has made Americans less safe by “stirring up a hornets’ nest in Iraq,” while using “the language and politics of fear” to try to “drive the public agenda without regard to the evidence, the facts or the public interest.”

Oh Lord, I want to “Eat That Chicken.” (Can’t get it out of my head.)

Loving the cane fife (which reminds me of Vietnamese flute) and the African rhythm on “Shortnin’ / Henduck” by Othar Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band.

Good to be back on my design chair on a fresh, beautiful Monday morning. Had a very relaxed weekend. Finally got the chance to knock out the very engaging book on John Coltrane, which took me two weeks to read. I couldn’t read it straight through because every time I come across something interesting I stop and write it down in my note. Words I don’t understand, I have to look up the dictionary. Thanks to McDonald’s awesome hazelnut ice coffee (yeah its coffee has been my favorite lately), I was wide-awake to get through the book. Of course, bathroom interruption is inevitable (yep that is what ice coffee do to me). There’s more jazz book I am interested in reading and the Vassar’s Music Library got most of them. Another reason to love Vassar.

Had a good time at my coworker’s graduation party last Saturday. Can’t believe how time fly when she was talking about doing weekend MBA program not too long ago and now she got her master. I drove around several music stores to pick up the Puppini Sisters so she could get a crack out of them while she’s on vacation, and to my surprise none of these stores carried these shiny happy sisters. The store associates don’t even know who they are. While I was in Target, I picked up both Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Jay-Z’s incredible Black Album. I simply couldn’t resist the “temporary price cut” tag. My last hope of the Puppini Sisters, which I didn’t think of at first, was at Barnes & Noble, and yes, it did got it.

Got persuaded into playing Badminton again. Something I haven’t play since I was in Viet Nam. So it does bring back the good ol’ days. I am starting to get my groove back. It’s quite a good exercise actually. Anyone know where I could find the shuttlecock that is made out of feather like we had back in Viet Nam? I love those. The one they sell here only made of plastics.

Last but not least, way to go, big bro.

Finally copped the legit copy of Ngoc Khue’s Giot Suong Bay Len, which includes two bonus tracks. Didn’t pay much attention to them because I thought they were just for karaoke, but when I listen to the instrumental version of “Ba Toi,” I was hooked on the magnetizing dan nhi (Vietnamese traditional two-string instrument). With the exception of “Chim Bong Lau Tim Bong,” the album has not been taken off my constant rotation. I know I said this before, but you’re missing out if you don’t get this joint. Yes, it is that good.

You can run, but you can’t hide from the “Bullet Bullet.”

Jane magazine has a guest blog that you can share photos of your breasts and why you think they are the best pair ever. Go ahead and show us yours.

My coworker hooked me up with Snooks Eaglin’s Legacy of the Blues vol. 2 a while ago and I keep coming back to it every now and then for that funky finger-picking blues, Ray Charles-inspired singing, and sense of humor of course.

“Hey man! Put that hamburger down” has become our inside joke influenced by Snooks’ “Drive it Home.” We occasionally shout it out during our meeting or something and other folks would give us strange look.

The arrangements in Khanh Ly’s pre-1975 redition of “Mua Hong” and “Xin Mat Troi Hay Ngu Yen” are still captivating.

Thuy Duong’s rendition of Truong Sa’s “Mua Thu Trong Mua” makes the sun just wanting to sleep, which is what it looks like right now in Poughkeepsie.