Lines [Pet Peeves]

Credit: Nothing To Do With Arbroath

With exceptions for the elderly, pregnant, and the disabled, I get annoyed by people cutting in line. Earlier today, I fell in line to buy lottery tickets (don't ask me for lucky numbers - the most I got correct was 3). I actually took a bit of time to fix the line somewhat because it wasn't immediately clear where the end was, but everyone in front of me were pleasant, and we even made small banter about hoping some luck fall our way.

So far, so good. As soon as the guy in front of me finished buying his ticket, some jerk of a lady suddenly slid her lottery picks in front of me, and the sales clerk, who just turned around after putting the previous guy's money in the cash drawer, mistakenly took the jerk's ticket, thinking it was mine and started to process it.

The Ele-VAT in the Room

Credit: UNTV

Philippine politicians are a weird bunch. Take for example Sen. Ralph Recto, who seems to be trying to garner cheap goodwill by authoring a law that raises the tax exemption levied on 13th month paychecks. At face value, the 36.1% of the working force that comprise the non-underemployed segment of that group (presumably those that are guaranteed a 13th-month pay) would be absolutely ecstatic upon hearing the legislative move to take less from their Christmas bonuses.

Seen On Taft Avenue [PSA-cum-Anecdote]

Some random Taft Avenue photo. Credit on image itself.

I finally saw one of those you-bumped-me-now-pay-me scammers in action. I absolutely would've wanted to take some visual evidence of some sort, but alas, I was kinda slow to take my iPod out and the bus kept moving.

And no, I didn't really want to alight because I had an absolutely good seat, which I won't be able to get if I got on the bus from that area.

So I'll just try my best to put the scenario in words.

Country =/= Corporation (Among Other Things)

I actually have no idea what photo to put here, so I settled for
something related to comments. (Credit: AttorneyMarketingProfits.com)

I promised a friend that I'd expound on a general thought I commented on a Facebook post of hers. She originally shared a post from some other guy (see here) where the latter was pretty fed up about how Filipinos were becoming belligerent and disrespectful with their complaints and suggestions, not to mention how they seemed to know better than the president (more on this later). He offered up an analogy in doing so, painting a picture of a company wherein the hypothetical president said the same Aquino catchphrase "kayo ang boss ko" and was now subject to suggestions from every worker under him.

The analogy falls flat for me. In trying to make the scenario more accessible to the poster's audience (I think), he oversimplifies, if not misses, the relationship between a democratic country's government and its citizens.

Filipino Truthers

Credit: Crisostomo Ibarra Facebook page

So I saw this image shared by a friend wherein some lady named Hazel Calandria took a screenshot of a local news program and added text insinuating that the media is lying, complete with jeering remarks about how the body armor and helmet of the reporter are extra props to sensationalize the report.

Honestly, I don't get it. Is she expecting reporters to venture to within a yard of where the rebels are and deliver a whole news segment and risk one, getting in the line of fire, two, obstructing military operations, and three, put himself within distance of being abducted and added to the hostage list?

Surely there aren't any lies being foisted on the viewers because if one had bothered to view the full news segment (I did), one would've seen video footage taken during the day of the reporter and cameraman moving along with some army men while shots are being fired during the day.

Looking Beyond the Pork

Credit: mwebantu

To be honest, I was drawing blanks when I started thinking of a lead-in to this post, so I figured I'd just blurt out what's on my mind:

It's not just the pork barrel.

Most people are simply happy to crucify Napoles, her daughter, and the whole cursed pork barrel provision in the national budget. These are all well and good. Frankly, just the fact that people are talking about it is a big win already for a society that would rather let media personalities handle the discussion of issues while they watch on the sidelines.

Because Sometimes, Nice Things are Found Randomly [The Manila Collectible Co.]

The Manila Collectible Co. building (Credit: TMCC Facebook page)

I love randomly walking in Manila. It's the off-chance of finding some interesting shop or building that keeps me coming back there. It's always-changing (not always for the better, but that's a post for another day), if slowly, and that dynamic nature of it keeps Manila interesting.

Three weeks ago, I was on my usual once-a-week routine. My routine goes something like this: I go to Manila, visit one of the churches there (stay with me here, I don't intend to preach), check out wares in Divisoria, then merrily make my way back home. Sometimes I pass by the ever-reliable Eng Bee Tin store (my preference is the one on Ongpin street).