Twit for Twat: The Visa Woes of George and Martha

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Last week: Martha Stewart denied UK Visa

This week: Boy George denied US Visa
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Rogue Magazine Joey Mead Body Paint Cover

If you're taking a poll on reactions to the Philippine Independence issue of Rogue:

1. Yes, I actually bought a copy. Big departure from my usual re-wrap, re-rack routine at Powerbooks.

2. Yes, I think it's a work of art. No irony there whatsoever.

3. No, I haven't read the article yet.

4. Yes, I caught Argee Guevarra on the evening news last week gallantly defending freedom of expression, acidly mocking politicians, and ultimately failing to keep a straight face at the very last second.
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Knowing What You Like

Scene: Indoors, dinnertime, dinner table.
Ulam: Menudo

Little Boy: Tatay, I don't like atay.
Me: Why?
LB: They're yucky. Please take them out.
Me: OK. (I pick the liver pieces out of his food) But you know, when you grow up these will taste good to you. They might even become your favorite.
LB: (Big smile) Really?!
Me: Yes!
LB: They'll taste like whipped cream?
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The People Next Door

Chico Garcia recently got himself new neighbors who were noisy and happened to be Koreans (or were they Koreans who happened to be noisy, I forget). I dared to comment on his post basically to say there wasn't any point mentioning that they were Koreans since (a) noise-making wasn't exclusive to any race (case in point: his previous neighbors were also noisy but Pinoy), and secondly, certain traits combined with certain nationalities in the same sentence tend to set off xenophobic rants especially around these parts.

Before I could say quod erat demonstrandum, other comments started pouring in blasting away at the alien enemy.

For some, the enemy was me. I was referred to as vitamin-deficient, korean, an indio, defender of foreigners, Delamar, anal, Chico's ex, and the worst of the lot, panyero.

Nobody to blame but me though, as a commenter named "weeh" said so matter-of-factly in this gem: "besides, he’s the one who made such a huge fuss about ethnicity first, which is a sensitive issue in a country that has yet to come to terms with the fairly recent influx of koreans."

Yep, when you open your mouth to say something, better be sure those who hear it can handle it. Something I'd learned when I was 3 but forgotten over the years.

PCSO Power Lotto 5/55 + 1/10

Update 6-16-08: PCSO to hold first Power Lotto draw Tuesday, June 17. I guess the June 10 draw never happened. Wonder why.

I plunked P100 hard-earned bucks for two sets of numbers in that Power Lotto (the local version of the US Powerball lottery) inaugural draw last Tuesday June 10. Now I can't seem to find the results anywhere. Nothing in the dailies nor on the web. Which kind of sucks because I could already be a gazillionaire and I'm still busting my hump going to work and kissing my boss's rump every single day unnecessarily.

The PCSO says that with a P50 minimum bet and a P50M minimum pot every draw, this Power Lotto was meant to attract bettors who are financially affluent.

With odds at 1 in 146,107,962 (as opposed to 1 in 13,983,816 in SuperLotto 6/49), Power Lotto also attracts bettors who are mathematically impaired.

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QFT: 3G iPhone by Globe

Update 08-08-2008: Globe says 3G iPhone to launch locally on August 22, 2008. Posted an entry here.


Apple just announced the launch of a dirt cheap 3G iPhone in July. Note Mr. Job's pledge about the price being "the same across many countries."

The lucky 22 countries apparently include our very own, with Globe making its own announcement just a few hours after Apple's, quoting no less than Apple COO Tim Cook.

I'm perfectly fine with Globe's non-committal "later this year" launch date in contrast to Apple's very firm July 11. It's the commitment to the $199 (PhP8000+ !!!) price tag I'd rather hold them to.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk The cheapest 8GB iPhone 3G will sell for $199, while a second model with 16GB of storage will sell for $299. Mr Jobs pledged that the $199 price would be the same across many countries. The 3G iPhone will be released on 11 July The new iPhones will be launched on 11 July in 22 countries, including the UK.

Stuff Happens

Like those X-files events that happened in clumps a few weeks back, things have been popping out again in a sort of organized randomness.

Last Monday a friend was telling us she took her 4yo daughter to the Lea Salonga concert a few nights before and how the little girl wept on hearing her mostest favorite song "Reflections" (Mulan) live with full orchestra. I thought to myself the last time I heard that song was ten-odd years ago and only in parts. Two days later on Wednesday, that song was played on the Morning Rush on RX and I caught it from start to finish. Two days later on Friday at the mall, what would the MagicSing demo girl be semi-belting as we passed by but that very same song. With feeeeling. We were too freaked out to stop and watch.

Last Saturday night, we saw a bar near Dampa in Paranaque boldly named "Titty Twister". I thought to myself, Where the hell did that name come from and how did it get past City Hall? Twenty-four hours later while clicking through channels, I paused when I saw a greasy Cheech Marin talking to somebody off-cam. Turned out he was talking to a greasier George Clooney and an out-of-breath Juliette Lewis. Behind them, a smoldering structure with the name big and bold on top: "Titty Twister".

Cue Twilight Zone music here.

Update on that John Estrada Case

From "In John’s world right now, all are friends"
By Marinel Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:58:00 05/25/2008

clipped from showbizandstyle.inquirer.net John subsequently figured in more controversies, latest of which was his arrest at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for illegal possession of bullets. He was to board a Malaysian Airlines flight for Kuala Lumpur when the final inspection of his hand-held baggage yielded nine pieces of live 9 mm ammunition. “I cannot talk about that case; but my lawyers are taking care of it,” said John. “Let’s just say, I learned my lesson the hard way.”

Uh oh. The way things usually go down around these parts, the use of "lawyers" and "taking care of it" in one sentence means exactly what you think it means.

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