Other angles to the story

Without a doubt, people who are bent on letting their cynicism be known or making their less-than-well-thought-out remarks be heard will be doing just that over the next several days -- what with today's incident involving retired military officer Angelo Reyes providing a convenient target for their opinion-making preoccupations.

Disappointed (and at one point, momentarily infuriated by) over some comments I've come across on Facebook, I decided to keep off the usual sources of information about the case for now. I went over to the Wall Street Journal and saw an article that tackles the incident in a more extensive manner (as opposed to the usual "parochial" perspective and method that characterizes most Filipino reporters' and feature writers' style of exploring a topic).

The writer could have been more accurate had he written "A former Philippines military chief caught up in a corruption probe died after reportedly shooting himself in the chest..." since in the same article he does state that autopsy results are still being awaited before officials confirm whether or not the death was self-inflicted. Still, the article does provide a wider perspective on the matter of graft and the fight against it in Asia.

Read Retired General's Death Follows Philippine Graft Probe
Wall Street Journal

Overloading on cuteness

For now, just a photo of the magazine's February issue! Can you feel the love? :-)






(Clockwise, from top left: 9-month-old Marco, 6-month-old Cross, 12-month-old Range, 12-month-old Ginger)

Sometimes the truth hurts

And who relishes the experience of being told things that one doesn't like hearing, even if it's the truth? Well, I suppose the appreciation of being told the truth -- when this is for one's own good -- comes much later (or a bit later, depending on the personality and level of maturity of the person concerned), because... well, pride can get in the way (or a lack of understanding about certain things).

But then I'm grateful there will always be people who share what they know and not keep the truth to themselves. Jason Evert, one such person who has become well-known for his engaging and inspiring talks about love, dating, sex, the male and female psyche, and related topics, gives his insights to a small group of guys and girls on the way women present themselves and the perception of men. In a way it urges women to have more confidence in themselves as women who have much more going for them than externals and who are worth getting to know deeply. An excerpt:

"A woman isn't longing to be gawked at, she wants love. If a girl says 'I want both,' to be loved and gawked at.. the bottom line is, choose one. You will get what you want, choose wisely, and make your decision. The problem is, the world has kind of decided towards 'I want to be gawked at.' Because they don't have the confidence that if they dress in a more modest way, guys will approach them. It shows -- from a guy's perspective -- it shows insecurity. It's like 'Why do you have to throw yourself at me? Don't you think there's something about you that I would come to learn about that would make me want to get to know you more? And so for a guy, it shows a lack of confidence. Girls think 'I'm confident, I'm proud of my body.' But it's like, are you proud of the rest of who you are?"

What's great is that Jason Evert is coming to Manila this month (with a day having him swing by Iloilo)! Real Love Revolution 2011: Romance without Regret consists of several activities that'll give everyone a chance to attend at least one of his talks! The lowdown on the Feb. 24-27 schedule:





Now who would settle for a semblance of love when real love is within reach?

Black cars

"Guwapo eh."

That was the reply of a young dude when I asked him why he opted for black upon deciding on his car's color when it's a pretty well-known fact that black vehicles figure in road accidents more often than non-black ones.

So, "guwapo" eh? Since I've noticed the past two or three months that there seems to be an increasing number of black vehicles (sedans, SUVs...) on Metro Manila's streets -- at least during those hours that I'm on the road -- does that mean more and more people subscribe to this belief? I certainly hope not! And while we're at it, let me point out that it seems a pretty logical expectation that anybody whose vehicle of choice is a black one not be surprised by near-collisions, bumps, dents, and lots of honking at him/her especially while driving at night. Also, due to this logical expectation, it would follow (the way I see it) that anybody who drives a black vehicle would take it upon himself to drive more cautiously and not increase the chances of figuring in an accident by driving as if he were designated SuperManic Driver of the Month.

Admittedly, I've had my scrapes (metaphorically speaking) with black cars on account of the "King of the Road" driving style of the other party, so when I saw this curious-looking black Honda parked somewhere near our home, I was touched. I seriously doubt that the owner had road safety in his mind when he decided to have the car reworked to its current appearance, but it sure does the job! One could spot it a mile away! Whoever you are, hats off to you! :-)

Commercial appeal

Okay, a quick post, but one which I hope gives you much inspiration by way of ideas, relief, comfort, reassurance, a laugh or whatever it is that's needed most at the moment.

Here are a couple of advertisements that are among my favorites. Good humor does work wonders and keeps the creative juices flowing :-)

(And below is a bunch of quotes about humor and laughter which I simply compiled)











Humor is an affirmation of dignity, a declaration of man's superiority to all that befalls him. ~Roman Gary

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs - jolted by every pebble in the road. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. ~Peter Ustinov

Humor has a way of bringing people together. It unites people. In fact, I'm rather serious when I suggest that someone should plant a few whoopee cushions in the United Nations. ~Ron Dentinger

Every survival kit should include a sense of humor. ~Author Unknown

* * * * *

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~Yiddish Proverb

When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other. ~Alan Alda

Remember, men need laughter sometimes more than food. ~Anna Fellows Johnston

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle