To Tweet or not to Tweet?  That is the question. Are you trying to decide?  Do you really want the world to know what you are doing via Facebook?  What’s wrong with old-fashioned email?  Are you overwhelmed?  Do you fell too old to keep up (or catch up)?

Do you ask yourself – “How is this going to improve my life?”  Is this worth the TIME?  Don’t I already have email, text messaging, cell phone and a blog?  How much technology do I NEED anyway?

Do you feel like the Universe is speeding away from you?  You’re not alone.  Take 5 minutes out and watch this You-Tube called “Shift Happens” developed after the 2008 Rome conference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8.

When you finish, note it doesn’t even mention Twitter which has grown exponentially since the 2008 meeting in Rome happened.  Before you ask, “what meeting” – that part is less clear.  My research shows there were many world meetings in Rome in 2008.  I have posed the question to the U-Tube site.  But whatever the meeting, the info in the U-Tube doesn’t set off any alarms on my “BS” detector.

p.s. by the way, you can follow me @LVsmart!

The Blue Martini, across from the Rave Movie Experience, at the top of the escalator and to the left, at the west end of Town Square, is pulsating with feverish energy.  Three giant bars anchor this sprawling hot spot, one with outdoor patio, one with live music stage and the last secreted in the far back with cozy alcoves for tête á têes.  With an outdoor terrace that stretches on two sides, there is always quick access to fresh air and open space.  The bathrooms are also buried in the back, which can seem like quite a trek if you don’t plan ahead.

The servers are sweet and sexy in their powder blue bodices, a vague reference to French cancan and Playboy bunny.  The bartenders, handsome young lads, pour genereous martini’s and are well trained to keep customers happy.  In fact, the service everywhere is excellent - friendly and casual without the pretensions of the Strip.

The live music in the middle bar is rock sold dance quality, although there is no dance floor per se.  But who can sit still to Santana, although the average age of the dancers is way older than the sitters.  Do we just get freer as we age, or don’t people know to dance any more?

Happy Hour serves $6 martini’s (regular $12) with beers about half that.  The food menu is diverse and the portions designed to set in the middle of the table and share.

Although most of the crowd is well under 40, you won’t feel ridiculous if you could be their parents. It’s a great spot and one I hate to write about because I’d still like to get a seat at the bar or a table when I go.  But if you are wondering where locals go – “to see and be seen” – it’s Blue Martini.

Part II features Oriental facelift techniques based on acupressure, yoga and breathing.

Part I and Part II of this workshop series can be taken independently of each other and are offered on an ongoing basis by Transformations, A Healing Place. The cost is $35 prepaid per class or $55 for both Part I & II. Contact 702-252-3502. 1725 So. Rainbow #25 Las Vegas NV.

Related Be Pain Free, Living Food Potluck Party, Self Defense Classes for Women, Transformations of the Spirit

The NCT is the professional theatre training program of UNLV and features professional actors and advanced students from all over the country. Tickets are only $5. Showtimes are 8pm May 23-26 and 2pm Sun May 27. UNLV Peforming Arts Box Office 702-895-2787. Online sales pac.unlv.edu. Paul Harris Theatre UNLV campus Las Vegas NV.

Similarities: We entered both conflicts ignorant of their cultures and without understanding of their own internal historical struggles. As Irsfield so aptly put it, “We got in the way of their history.” We certainly formed our political opinions based on misrepresented facts and propaganda, even outright lies. We justified our action on a fear of the domino effect: all Asia would go Communist, all the Middle East will fall under the power of extremist Islam. In both cases the enemy is not clearly identifiable, wrecking havoc in our operations where we employ locals as support. The enemy is everywhere, and as Herring queried, “Whom do we kill?” Lacking a defined target, the young soldier wants to kill everyone.

Differences: In Vietnam we entered into an existing war, one that had waged for decades and was a struggle by a people to be free of foreign domination, Chinese and Japanese as well as French. In Iraq we created the war, unleashing a struggle between three separate and competitive groups that had been controlled by the Saddam regime. Because of 911 and the anthrax scare, we believed we were in imminent danger as a nation. Vietnam was always very far away. There is a strong religious overtone to the Iraq conflict not existing in Vietnam. Although American Catholics sympathized with the ruling catholic regime in South Vietnam, it played a small part in public opinion. But the confusing complexities of the Sunni-Shiite struggle and our Christian world view of an aggressive Muslim movement threatening our existence are major triggers in our national psychology. This same element of fear was played out in Vietnam, not through religious channels, but from a fear of world-domination of Communism.

The Doc Rondo Hall was filled to capacity, 250 concerned citizens divided into two groups: UNLV students out of interest or class requirement and aging baby boomers who personally experienced that era in all its pain and turmoil. This has happened twice in our generation. Herring poses the question, “What does it tell us about ourselves?”

The discussion was highly academic, as to be expected, certainly dry and not a little lacking in animation. The sound system was not calibrated properly, which is really inexcusable considering the resources of the recital hall. It was very difficult to hear the panelists at various times, at other times comments were quite indiscernible. There really needs to be more attention paid to the technical part of such an evening as the impact is significantly lessened when the public has to strain to follow.

Panelists:
Tim O’Brien: author of the definitive novel on Vietnam, written from his own personal experience, “The Things They Carried.”
George C. Herring: Historian and author of “America’s Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975,” the most widely used account in college classes across the country.
John Irsfield: novelist and short story writer, UNLV professor of English:
Vu Tran: Vietnamese-born, author and winner of the O’Henry Award for short stories. Although raised in the US, Tran’s stories are all set in Vietnam.
Jimmy Castellanos: A Veteran of Peace, he was deployed to Iraq as a Marine and is now a conscientious objector.
Joseph “Andy” Foy: UNLV author of four books on Vietnam and currently writing “The American South and the Vietnam War.”

Related Black Mountain Institute on Vietnam & Iraq

The four caricatures of middle-aged womanhood were played superbly and delightfully by the seasoned Paige O’Hara as Soap Star, Cheryl Spencer as Earth Mother, Annette Verdolino as Iowa Housewife, and Sandra Benton as Power Woman. And powerful Sandra was, with a stage presence that commands your attention and a voice pure and strong with incredible range. I got to know Sandra from her guest appearances around town, especially at the Stirling Club where her vocals leave a sophisticated audience in awe. All four performers could tell an entire story with a 30 second facial expression, and were so convincingly in part you had no trouble replacing their faces with those of so many ladies in your life.

You find yourself wanting to share the show with your girlfriends, get them all here to Vegas and do a side-splitting, tears-rolling-down-cheeks kind of old girls night out. It’s hard to imagine that someone who hasn’t experienced the change themselves could get that much out of the show. But looking around at the tables, I saw laughter and joy from fresh young things, both male and female, who might just be seeing their moms up there in the lights. The cleverness of the dialogue and genius of the lyrics stand on their own merit, and when you combine the great music and clever staging with the non-stop talent of the stars, you have a show that is worth every bit the price of admission.

Residents with Nevada driver’s license get discounted tickets at $54.51. Showtimes: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 7 pm, Wed 2 pm & 7 pm, Sat & Sun 4 pm & 7 pm. You can also check the entertainment section of the Hilton website for details. The Las Vegas Hilton.

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