Beer at McDonald's

If it had been a lone experience, I would not have bothered and simply sacrificed a few bucks for the foul-tasting Del Monte pineapple juice that McDonald's serve. It is not exactly foul. Just it does not taste like Del Monte's canned pineapple juices as well as other pineapple juices one drinks at any other fast food chain. It tastes like beer. Fermented.

So that when the second time I was served in another outlet where I tasted it the second time, I approached one of their store managers and asked whether they were checking how their juice tastes. "Because your pineapple juice tastes like beer," I said.

The manager, of course, as I expected, apologized and asked to serve me another drink. So, there, I took iced tea. It tasted fine with me.

I pro'bbly won't have returned the beer-tasting pineapple juice if it had occurred about a decade ago... when I was a beer connoisseur-wannabe. Sort of. I simply want to have a belly back then. I was so slim I could eat a pail of trans-fat and carbo-loaded food for weeks without effect on my body built and weight. And the passion to get "stout" had me sought various kinds of beer brands, and hang out at Brew Bros (now defunct, of the Padis Group) and pouring on beer books authored by the likes of Alan Eames (I had a signed book as well as authentic written articles from the Indiana Jones of beer), Michael Jackson, among others... still to no avail.

Anyway, while trying to enjoy the meal, the manager approached me and explained their pineapple juice tastes fine (meaning I was mistaken). I smiled a lazy, wicked grin and said, "Wanna bet?" and went on, "Let's go out and buy a Del Monte pineapple and beer over at 7-11 and let us compare their tastes...on me..."

It must have been my wicked, nasty grin which made him back-out amicably. He let out a little laugh and said it was not necessary. I suggested they settle the matter with Del Monte. Because today, what replaced my beer is pineapple juice. I have to stop my belly from exploding...

Mahal

An insignia, or replica, or however you may call it, of our flag (Red white & blue, stars over you...) over imposed with the words "Pilipinas kong Mahal" and the word "mahal" underlined" is scattered all over the metro. Some suspect it has got to do with june 12. Am not really sure what June 12 is. I don't express my nationalism and pride in terms of remembering celebrations like national flag day, or whatever-national day.

I find it double-entendre... If it's from government offices, whoever had it approved for printing is a genius. He had his message sent. If it was from protest groups, they must be well-oiled, if y'know-wat-eye-meen.




A couple of months back, I uttered the words, blogged about it as we attempt to take the first steps to get out of this country...

I love this country and its people. Except its government system and the people in it... It's as simple as that. I wrote it once and I will do it again: If I had a choice, I don't want to leave. In fact, I have chosen not to, even if I am not a moneyed elite who could start a business with a click of a finger to survive in this garbage jungle, even if I have no politician for a back-up for whatever ambition I might be aspiring (have you tasted your own barf?) (Wow, I must be a hero...lol). The way its going, we who are left in the country have become heroes in our own right...

Reminds me more than a decade back when visiting at Fort Santiago, classmate-officemate barkada Eynah asked me where (or how?) might I have been have I dwelt during the Spanish era. She had the romantic Kapitan Tiago feasts in her mind... like this...

But I answered, pointing at the tunnels, "I would be there... probably a prisoner."


And she retorted with a laugh, "How consistent!"

I still don't know why Ninoy Aquino said it... "The Filipino is worth dying for..." but I'd take him for national hero any time if only for those words.

And Another...

Each time I feel so low and defeated, so much like millions of disillusioned (youth? am not, anymore), I turn to what's left... only ally...

Cause I Hate'Em So

BIR & Their Magicians

Still reeling from the tax deduction which was highest in my history of being a Filipino citizen (some $135 only per month!!!), I received a call informing I had another BIR violation for a micro-mini venture in Pangasinan. The District is Urdaneta. I was penalized earlier for a violation I was not even informed about (talk about integrity, competence, etc), of which I am not allowed to contest (so, when it comes to BIR, THEY are the law, paging Judge Dredd) --- where are my effing rights???

Reason: Failure to register my business with the BIR 1 month after the SEC registration. I answered it was because I WAS NOT INFORMED. Hello? Is it now our sworn duty to memorize when and how to avoid penalties from BIR?

Did BIR exerted any effort to become EFFICIENT & COMPETENT as they claim in a large tarpaulin inside their office? Don't we the constituents have the right to be informed? Is there DUE PROCESS OF LAW here? p'a, matindi pa sila sa mga kakilala ko sa pier ah!

Aside from this, the Municipality advised me to register with them on the January of the year I am going to operate. Di ka rin naman bibigyan ng chance ng BIR na mag register without Mayor's Permit. Kaso mo, MUELTA ka day!

An'lupit 'no? OK lang naman 'yon ate kung di ini-offer ni Mrs. Soriano na siya na daw magpapa-register ng business ko with BIR. Nagkataon lang namang Revenue Officer siya sa Villasis. January ako nag-file, last week ng March niya ni-release. Pagpunta ko ng 1st week ng April sa BIR-Distrrict Office to formalize everything, sabi ni Eden Cerafica, penalty daw ako... One thousand lang naman ma'am e. sabi niya.

Sa isip ko, tugon ko: Oo nga e. Di bale, akin naman ang Central Bank e.

Hello? Kaya po kami nagbi-business kasi po you cannot provide us enough jobs para we can live properly. Hindi po para kotongan niyo!

Yan. So, dahil wala po akong budget, kelangan ulit kumayod para mabayaran ang penalty. E di delay na naman. April 28, natapos ko rin. Pati libro, journals at iba pa, sabi ko, lahatin na para wala nang problema.

Inorder ko na lahat kay Elmer, the registration officer.

May 14, eto na ang call ko. Me penalty na naman. Ang charges, wala daw akong books saka resibo according to Marylou Tan, another magician, este, collection officer ata.

Sabi ko, kasalanan kong delayed ang order ko kay Elmer? Ni hindi na nga ako humingi ng resibo for the printing saka books na worth P1,500 e. Dapat si Elmer ang kasuhan nila. Ang charge:

- accepting payment w/o issuing official receipts with BIR seal.

Isa pa lang 'yon. Nagpapakababaw palang ako Elmer. Pano, sabi ng kasama ko, pinagpipilitan niyo daw na May 14 ako nag-file. Sorry friend, pero nandito ako sa Quezon City on that date. And the last time I saw your friggin' faces is April 28. Damay-damay na 'to.

Kung di kayo makuha sa pakiusap, tabla-tabla na.

Intro pa lang 'to. Kalkalin niyo na record ko. Nakasuhan na ako ng P30,000,000 libel case (criminal pa). pauna pa lang 'yan...


My Taxes, Your Taxes (sa kinain nating Nissin's Seafoods Instant Mami), went here! Nagpapaniwala naman kayo ke Kongresman na sa kanila galing ang pondo? Hindi po! Mula po sa pinaghati-hati nating pitong-pisong napakuluang mami!

Sa ngayon po, pinag-aaralan ko po ang kagalingan ni Howard Hughes, na bukod sa isang henyo at guwaping, naiwasan niya ang kabuyaan ng mga tax collectors to think that he was a multi-bilionnaire. All tips and advice, welcome.

Greed & a Nation

Throughout history, we have encountered the demise of nations due to greed of a select few...

In the Philippines, although I did not like Martial Law because I was always restrained by my mother when asking questions, I still respect the deposed, late Ferdinand Marcos. In his time, Manila was top ten of the most popular cities of the world... probably top ten destination, although Beatles did not agree...

And I could not blame them... and I side with them.

Here's why...

Jewelries are beautiful... But if the spark of diamond measures a woman's greed and insecurity, I would prefer nothing on. And I'd like to believe that she's one of the greediest and most insecure woman this earth has ever seen.

Until today, millions of Filipinos are reeling...

ps

I wonder where these loots are now... is PCGG still active? If it's gone, then, the loot could have also disappeared by now.

PLDT Hotline

I called up that effing hotline the Customer Service representative from SM North EDSA told me about.

The automated message says: "...Please visit your nearest PLDT Customer Service..."

Hey, Mr. Dan Ibarra, whatsup?

PLDT Landline Plus Prepaid, a Hoax???

QUESTION: What is worse than calling a Customer Service Hotline and talking to a CS Representative?

In late March or early April, I bought a PLDT Landline Plus Prepaid SIM for P100 in Urdaneta. I thought it was s steal because "...All you need to do is just insert the SIM in any PLDT handset or suitable device and you already have an instant PLDT landline!" according to Dan C. Ibarra, Retail Business group head. "Suitable device" here means any "open line" mobile phone (Nokia, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, etc).

Also says here that it has a P50 free (p 14) so much like your new SIM, Smart, Globe or whatever... with a load of freebies... as OPTION 1. THIS WAS NEVER AVAILED!!! There's a catch, of course. Among them, a regular (Smart e-load of minimum P300 monthly or P600 monthly -- as plans). After I inserted it in an open Nokia cell phone, I received a message saying I need to reload. Whereas it is not yet registered.

Days passed and as I was a working class hero, hardly had the luxury of visiting PLDT's customer service. I found time to insert a visit though, in another location, which was SM North EDSA. The Customer Service representatives received the same "automated answer."

The CSR said, I need to go back to the PLDT Customer Service-Urdaneta. So, I asked the CSR a big favor to please give me the phone number of their PLDT office in Urdaneta. And she was so sorry because it will take a long time before she can retrieve the information (and this is the age of interconnectivity, hello PLDT? Yeah, wrong number.)

So, I asked instead that she give me her number so I could call her some other time to get the number of PLDT Urdaneta. After mumbling and fumbling for excuses, the imaginary bulb on top of her head light up, and she beamed, "You may call their hotline: 101-328 using a PLDT phone!"

Now, the answer to my question: Personally lining up to talk with a CSR who will instruct you to call a CSR on phone.

Thank you.

But anyway, why the hell won't it work Mr. Dan Ibarra?

I'd speculate (which means I am just guessing and accepts any mistake about my guess):
1. It is a perishable good. Expires --- say 5 days --- after purchase.
2. The P50 option in page 5 of User Guide was a MISTAKE.
3. It is a hoax. This is (supposedly) usable in any mobile phone unit which may cost between P800 to P2500 and still portable, whereas the PLDT handset that comes with its twin P600 plan is P2,500. PLDT made a mistake of releasing it.

BTW, my boss from the US during his visit in April 25 shared that his family of 5 children had an unlimited SMS subscription of US$10/month. I wonder which of our giant networks could bring that rate here in the SMS capital of the world.
SOS SMART, GLOBE OR SUN!!!

Deviants & Young Turks

My interest was recently pricked with the 24 Oras feature on the so-called young turks. Years before, the "pogi" congressmen (with a couple successfully jumping to the senate) filled us with enough "pogi points" agenda that propelled them to higher position. There was, of course, a dearth of relevance, if any at all.

It seemed, to remain "ideal" today has the youths divided: deviants or politically correct. Or inclined. And we've heard of "so young and so corrupt" once and never will forget as this is lived up through their effing end.

So, there, I'd remain a deviant. Effing deviant. The sad part is that, I am poor. Or I could have successfully launched a massive campaign against freakin' elitism that plagued all that made-it and making it previously "idealist" effing youths.

The problem has always been a separation. Deviants fill the streets during protests, massive or otherwise. They have become a joke which I find NOT funny at all. They are our only remaining hope, and wish upon the deepest (blah blah) they are untainted.

Who could NOT be untainted? They learn something, the political factions pick 'em up and add up "pogi" points for themselves as a projection to the masses that they support the cause (of the masses). Of course, this is effing bull. I knew of a classmate who was said to have led the LFS in UP demonstrations during college days, who became a Sangguniang Kabataan chairman, scaled up the ranks, and ended up as Sangguniang Panlalawigan member under a puppet republic (ei, we had a republic, hehe).

So we'd always wonder what the rest who are a little bit flabby (or swelling to burst) and whom we call honorables actually deserve. I'd say lechon frying?

Honorable in this country has turned into a big, bad joke, and they are effing ignorant about it. And the youth who could effect change are aiming to run as "public servants". Pathetic. Honorables and public servants are the same. Much like lechon, they were made of thick, hideous, cancerous, fat while breathing.

Pinoy Idol

Pwedeng magmura?

First off, I was never a fan (nor audience) of American Idol. It seemed its audience and fans need a lot of sarcasm in this world (had enough of it, nyehehe). So, when Pinoy Idol started airing, I was amused at first, and curious how Ogie Alcasid (he's a very nice guy, am tellin' you) would hack it. About Wyngard Tracy, I have never really met him to exchange a line or two to get a glimpse of his personality, and the ladies they pick to complete the trio of judges (ei, hubby's violently reacting about Jolina Magdangal, hehe, he's asking if she had any hit single? coz I'd get Manilyn Reynes any time)...

Ei, we're they reading sarcastic scripts? lol!

LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS:
MISTAKE # 1. The recruiters DID NOT INFORM THEIR AUDIENCE & aspirants that LOOKS matter.
MISTAKE # 2. As already blogged elsewhere, the show dooms originality. Most hits banked on original melody, recall, and listener impact, not on being able to "creatively" (AAAAARGH!) imitate or reenact somebody else's hit... well, sure it pays to cover (plakado) here as showbands, or do remakes Nina-fashion.

Pinoy Idol, for fooling their participants in part or in full could be considered a hoax.

ps

For the record, backstage host Raymond Gutierrez just awhile ago announced the importance of "overall appeal" for all participants...

It is just disheartening (yeah, I have it!) to see the hopefuls' dreams crumble before hundreds of thousands of peoples eyes... but I won't mind if senators and congressmen were the participants...