Annabelle praised

Malacañang says maximum restraint must be exercised as China makes its latest incursion into Philippine waters. That's the wisest thing for us to do. We can't scare them away by doing our own brand of saber rattling.

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We can't even scare the Taiwanese who've been bullying our people in Taiwan. Again we have to show restraint because that's the safest thing for us to do.

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Reports say that the fighting between the Abu Sayyaf and our Marines has escalated in Sulu. The score right now is 7-all. Seven dead Abus. Seven dead Marines. Last night I could not sleep. I kept wondering if no part of Sulu Sea is being claimed by China.

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There's a massive cleanup work being done in Manila. It's a hell of an effort to clean up what someone called a hell of a gate out there.

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I lived with my parents and siblings in Manila for some 15 years. Back then life in the Big City (as Manila was often referred to then) was not as hellish as it is now. The mayor then was Arsenio H. Lacson. Tough but brainy. He dabbled in journalism, writing a sports column in a tabloid called “The Reporter.”

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The bicycle lane idea here is gaining ground, says this news story here. Let's hope this idea gets past the status of a mere idea. A bike lane properly planned and implemented could result in many people biking, then getting healthy and saving money of jeepney/taxi fare.

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E-mail from Leandro Leocadiz: “A graduating college student ran into a hitch when she applied for a visa at the Australian embassy. She gave her name as Margot although her real name in her birth certificate was Maria Rosa. She said all her school records carried Margot. She has forgotten that her real name was or is Maria Rosa.”

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That's the problem with liking and using one's nickname too much. The real and legal name is forgotten. What is remembered is the nickname Dodong, Junjun, Yenyen, etc. This according to a former Pinoy consul friend sir Justino Alfafara.

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OVERHEARD. Some coffee drinkers at SM City Cebu were talking about the losers in the last elections. One was heard saying: “Si Tomas di gyud papilde, misang-at gyud og protesta.” Another drinker said: “Ako bilib ni Annabelle. Gidawat dayon ang kapildihan,wa'y daghan sulti.” Said another: “Di man tunay nga politiko si Annabelle Rama gud. Ang mga tunay ra nga politiko ang moinsister daug bisan pilde, gitikasan lang.”