The public, with its mob yearning to be instructed, edified and pulled by the nose, demands certainties

A terrible tragedy happened in Manila last Saturday. What could have been an afternoon of celebration for a famous game show's anniversary began with a stampede leaving 74 people dead and hundreds injured. People from other sides of the world may be questioning themselves why such a thing has happened simply over a TV game show. I, too, am quite perplexed to hear the news, but then understanding the Filipino psyche gives some light to what's behind such a pitiful incident.

More than two years ago (the last time I went home) - back when we don't have TFC here yet - I asked my relatives why the TV media is littered with game shows (even on primetime!). One said that it's the popular thing right now, as people's lives are getting harder and harder and that the promise of instant money is a welcome proposition to the impoverished public.

So who's to blame in this unfortunate occurrence? Is it the government, the TV station, the show's producers, or the stadium's authorities? I'd say, how about blaming those people involved in the stampede for once? They brought this upon themselves. I'm just too tired of hearing of putting the culpability to poverty in every aspect of sad happenings in our country; it's a lame excuse from a bunch of indolent people.

If Singaporeans are kiazu, some of our countrymen are even worst. Queuing up early is one thing, but jumping queues and roughing up is another; why must there be a need to rush things up? Is it poverty or purely just greed?

There is no such thing as getting easy money decently; quick bucks don't last. Here's something I got from the Praystation Portable this morning (a reading from St. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians): "Anyone who would not work, should not eat. We hear that some of you are unruly; not keeping busy but acting like busybodies. We enjoin all such and we urge them strongly in the Lord Jesus Christ, to earn the food they eat by working quietly. You must never grow weary of doing what is right."

I wonder when will our people understand that alleviating the plight of their lives doesn't depend solely on our government or on the charity of others. They better start looking at their own selves and ask: "why do let myself sunk this low?"

Metro Manila isn't the land of promise anymore or of milk and honey. It is time to go back to our lands – the lands, which have nurtured our ancestors long before the skyscrapers sprouted in that big city. Don't you think that your life tilling a small parch of land with your helpful carabao – things you had sold to buy tickets to go to that city – is far better off than a life in the city slums or sleeping beneath the bridge with ten families?

I felt pity for those seventy-four unfortunate souls. They have lost their dignity in the hope of getting a better life. Kids, too, have died in there; kids who should have been in school instead of queuing up for five days just to get inside that stadium and get a raffle ticket that could have brought them of $400 (if they're that lucky enough). I'd rather dole out my dollars to Gawad Kalinga than give them to those who say cheesy jokes. Winning ten thousand pesos might pay-off a family's house bills and feed them for half a month, but after that, what's next? They'd be back to that game show and try to win some more.

Passion is the mob of the man that commits a riot upon his reason. - William Penn

A new face

To commemorate my 150th post, I did a complete makeover to this site's look. I do hope you like it. It's too girly (I know!) - far too different from the previous one. If I get tired of it, I might replace it with another.

As for the background picture, that's taken by a very good friend of mine, Marc Aviles, and used with permission.

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads

Shoes, shoes, glorious shoes! Let it be Manolo Blahnik's, Jimmy Choo's, Nine West, Pretty Fit, Charles & Keith, or even Parisian, just what is it with women and shoes? Imelda Marcos is a name associated to one who has a huge collection of shoes – aside from the fact that she was once the driving force behind one powerful man. Can someone explain to me the passion between a woman and her sets of shoes?

I'm not the type of woman who has got to have a set of shoes that matches to the colour of her dress; all of my shoes are in black, aside from my sneakers (of course!). Before I got the sensible dark colours such as brown, blue - even green - and an occasional white, but I guess my preferences changed and so did my lifestyle. Gone were the days when I have to dress-up all girly off to a ball, and so my girly, twinkly, sexy pumps had to go. I no longer had to wear company uniforms and so those blues, greens and brown pumps flew off the window as well.

I don't have a large collection of shoes ' you can tell just from the range of colour that I buy. But still I go ga-ga when I see a style that captures my eye. The first thing you'll see me do when checking out shoes is look at the heels. They simply had to look great; no cheesy curves nor geeky ones. I don't like stilettos for they are such killers! A three-inch heel is fine with me, but I can’t seem to stand on a heel that's between 1 and 2 inches high (I simply don't like them). If it's got to be flat, it should be flat; no semi-flat (or whatever they call them). To top it all off: they should look great on every view; be it from the top, side, or back.

I was presented with a Victoria's Secret brochure filled with great looking shoes last week, and I lost some minutes of sleep tossing, turning thinking of those pumps. I simply have got to have those glorious boots. After so much consideration, I'm thinking of adding a few colours to my array of shoes; I better bring back some colour to my feet. Red. I never had red shoes. Maybe I should try one.

Shoes should match one's bag. Oh, bags! Women and their bags: that's another wonder.

And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

I know it's a bit late, but still... Happy Chinese New Year!

Ahh... I love this holiday here in Singapore, because it surely is a long one. We had a very long weekend and tomorrow is going to be a dreary day at work - for sure.

The picture shown above is Josh coming out from their school activity last Friday. Moms, Dads and Yayas weren't allowed inside their little theater (the glass dors were even covered with newspapers!) So we had to make do with the little pic we had taken when they were released. The gift he's carrying said "First Prize - Nursery"; we don't have any idea what's it for. We'll just wait for his teacher's email updates then. More of his school pics here.

We also went to Wild Wild Wet last Sunday just to fight boredom: most stores are pretty much close in here (no place to go to). We can't go out of the country for it's Herman's turn to support. Pics are available for viewing here.

It was great fun at work last Friday, too; managers gave away red packets (angpow) to staff who are brave enough to approach and greet them a happy new year. I got five packets. We had a little get together in the afternoon: pizza galore, lots of orange mandarins, knick-knacks, and beer. Beer at the workplace... only during Chinese New Year.

Man of Steel in Blue Tights

There are two comic book superheroes I like the most: Superman and Spider-man. For Spider-man, I’ve even read the first issues of adventures over at Marvel. I wish I had asked my grand-uncle to let me have those comic books for they were just stacked in some dingy old wooden box with old magazines and newspapers. But alas! I lack the foresight that those old comic books are such gems. I like Superman because I’ve read the DC comic books, borrowed from friends, about him. And, of course, who could ever forget those Christopher Reeves films that brought the movie industry to whole new level in terms of special effects? When I’ve heard the news that Superman is going to die in comics, I huddled with my college friends just to see that funeral artwork. Man it was awesome!

After two great Spider-man movies (starring my favourite actor Tobey Maguire), we’ll again see the flight of the Man of Steel (or hunky alien) in Superman Returns. I’ve seen the trailer, and it’s brilliant. You’ll hear the familiar voice of Marlon Brando as Jor-El. I now wonder what they are going to tackle in this film. On the trailer, you’ll see that we’re going back to the time when the young Kal-El was discovered by the Kent’s after a meteor shower, and back when the young Clark Kent (Brandon Routh) discovers his supernatural abilities. Is it going to be similar to the first Superman movie with Christopher Reeves? The storyline from the official website doesn’t say so. It is pretty obvious that they took off from where the last film left off. Maybe after years of absence, superman got a facelift.

Bryan Singer, who brought us the first two great film adaptations of another set of comic book heroes The X-men, directed this new film; he opted not to direct the third instalment of the X-men franchise to give new life to the most beloved superhero. We’ll see an even prettier Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) and probably a nastier Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey).

Superman Returns opens on 30^th of June 2006.