Jia Tolentino reviews Ivanka’s new book:

“Women Who Work” is mostly composed of artless jargon (“All women benefit immeasurably by architecting their lives”) and inspirational quotes you might find by Googling “inspirational quotes.” Her exhortations feel even emptier than usual in light of Trump’s stated policy goals. “We must fight for ourselves, for our rights not just as workers but also as women,” Ivanka writes, and, elsewhere, “Honor yourself by exploring the kind of life you deserve.” The imagined audience for the book is so rarefied that Ivanka confidently calls paying bills and buying groceries “not enormously impactful” to one’s daily productivity.

Tolentino points out:

On page one hundred and four, she finally lays out a woman-specific suggestion: we should be more like men and apply for jobs for which we’re not completely qualified. Given the circumstances, it’s almost funny.

On December 1, 1955, a black woman was arrested for refusing to give up her seat. On April 9, 2017, an Asian man was dragged off for refusing to give up his seat.

Nghe bài phân tích của Vĩnh Lạc Đoàn Thế Ngữ về bài “Như Ngọn Buồn Rơi” của Từ Công Phụng khá thú vị. Ông đưa ra một khía cạnh nói lên cảnh đẹp lãng mạng của đôi tình nhân vừa mới trao thân cho nhau:

Ôi nỗi dịu dàng nào đã ngời sáng
trên môi người
trên từng cơn lốc xoay đời
thuyền tình đã đắm trong vòng tay u mê

Mời thưởng thức

Vài tuần trước tôi tình cờ nghe được một đoạn radio nói về bài “Phố Buồn” của Phạm Duy do Vĩnh Lạc Đoàn Thế Ngữ thực hiện qua chương trình “Âm Thanh và Ngôn Từ.” Thế Ngữ phân tích nhạc và lời rất thú vị. Chê hay khen, Thế Ngữ trình bài rất chân thật. Tuy những chương trình này thu âm đã khá lâu nhưng tôi chỉ mới phát hiện. Những bạn nào chưa nghe, những đề tài nói về nhạc Trịnh Công Sơn, Phạm Duy, và Từ Công Phụng nên nghe cho vui. Tất cả các bài có thể nghe hoặc tải xuống ở đây.

Ngô Thiên Bảo:

I found your vietnamesetypography.com website, and I am so glad to see someone distill all the thoughts that go into good Vietnamese typography.… I’ve sent my donation to support your online book as gift to future designers in our community.

I really appreciate your generous support.

All of the Scalia Law Sites are now switched to HTTPS. Mad props to my new developer. After many trials and errors, he finally figured it out. This has been on my to-do list for a while, but I couldn’t to it because I have other requests and projects. I am glad to have someone to just focus on getting this done. Now all of our sites, including the main one, are moved to HTTPS. An added level of security is an added layer peace of mind. I still have so much to learn about running and maintaining servers, but having great people to work with is awesome.

My part-time backend web developer started this week. He’s knowledgeable and down-to-earth. He has been helping me out with smaller tasks like making online forms and some server administrations. His main project is moving all our WordPress Multisite to HTTPS. With his help, I can focus on design and front-end development; therefore, I am glad to have him joining us.

My wife bought Việt Thanh Nguyễn’s The Sympathizer last year to support a fellow Vietnamese-American writer, but she hasn’t read it yet. I am not a fan of fiction, but slowing warming up to it this week. Nguyễn’s mastery of the English language is impressive. For example: “The captain, who hobbled a bit because of venereal disease, threatened to commit suicide unless I found more seats. I offered him my revolver and he skulked off.” I am now on chapter four and planning on finishing it.

Ai thích nhạc trữ tình nghe sến nhảy sẽ khó mà quên.

Where can an orangutan turned president pee?