Welcome to the club!
The day started off on the wrong foot with an email from my credit union back home saying the power of attorney I’d submitted to enable my daughter to sell my house “has been declined because it doesn’t comply with state requirements.” That was news to the attorney in South Carolina who prepared it. And it means that day trip to Manila and the two hundred bucks I spent to secure the POA at the embassy was for naught. I’ve messaged the credit union for more specifics on the problem, but they have yet to respond.
In other news, the former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has been arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court and is on his way to Rotterdam to stand trial. I avoid engaging in political issues here in the PI since I’m a guest in this country. Still, if my Facebook feed is any indication, Filipinos are incensed that the current president has allowed this to happen. Duterte is accused of having thousands of drug dealers and users murdered during his term in office, without the benefit of due process or a trial. I thought it was wrong then, but I’m on a tourist visa and must keep my opinions to myself.
The rest of my Wednesday looked like this:
The Wednesday Walkers ventured out to Cawag and did a hike in and around Club Morocco. We hadn’t been out this way for a year or so, and that’s long enough to make it seem almost new to me.
We began our Wednesday evening with the traditional “seldom visited bar” search. This week, we found ourselves at Oasis.
It’s been a year or more since our last visit. We stopped coming when they didn’t have red wine available for Swan’s enjoyment. Then, the upstairs bar closed down, and a virtual golf studio opened in its place. That didn’t last more than a few months, which didn’t surprise me. Now, the upstairs Oasis is back, but with a new vibe–it’s the lowest priced beer bar in Barretto at 50 pesos a bottle (Beer 2 Beer brand is only 35!). That’s even less expensive than Cheap Charlies right up the street. I think they should have renamed the place “Cheaper Than Charlies.” And they have red wine in stock!
There was a good crowd of folks there during our visit, so, so far, so good. I understand they also have a food menu, although we didn’t check that out yesterday. I’m sure we’ll be back in the future.
We stopped into Green Room next. I played Chu in a game of pool, and once again, I lost. I did play marginally better, though. Then we did our nightcap next door at Wet Spot. Before we departed, we ordered some takeout from Sit-n-Bull. In a moment of weakness, I ordered the Maui chicken burger (with ham and a slice of pineapple on top) and a side of baked beans. It seems like I’m having an epidemic of weak moments lately.
Today’s entry from the LTG archives is entitled My Favorite Soldier. My daughter, Hillary (she was part of the package that came with wife #3) served two tours in Afghanistan. This post was about a gift she sent me from there.
I posted this YouTube video on Facebook seven years ago:
Four years ago, I was dining at my favorite restaurant in Angeles City:
In today’s YouTube video, George does his afternoon Barretto bar crawl. Of interest was that Dempsey’s, an old bar I’ve seen in Olongapo City but never visited, is moving to Barretto. He also mentions Oasis and their beer specials.
Humor time:
Okay, enough of this nonsense for today. It’s my last night in Barretto until next week, and I’m kicking it off with a chelation session from Dr. Jo. After that, who knows? Well, you will if you tune in tomorrow.
One of the saddest things about the D-turd fiasco is how he bamboozled an army of foolish sycophants to do his bidding and continue to idolize him despite thoroughly undermining the rule of law with mass murder and harming regional security by shamelessly selling out to China and severely straining relations with the US. Similar to how so many Americans still cheer for Trump despite the outrageous January 6 assault on our nation’s capitol, craven butt-snuggling to Putin, and all the rest…. It’s sad and pathetic.
I can’t say anything about what I think of Duterte because that’s against the law.
The fact that the orchestrated J6 “insurrection” is something you attribute to Trump is indeed sad and pathetic.
You seriously believe January 6 was “orchestrated” despite Trump very publicly inciting the mob and then failing to even suggest that they disperse until long after the damage was done?
For some reason I assumed you were smarter than that.
High time to lay off the sauce and the Kool-aide.
By the way, there’s no Philippine law against criticism of public figures, even by foreigners, and your link doesn’t even suggest otherwise. Big difference between criticism and fabrication. I trust you understand the difference. Oh, wait…
the power of attorney I’d submitted to enable my daughter to sell my house “has been declined because it doesn’t comply with state requirements.”
Good luck untangling that situation.
Still, if my Facebook feed is any indication, Filipinos are incensed that the current president has allowed this to happen.
How beloved by the people was Duterte?
This goat bleated out a welcome as we arrived
We’ve got random goats here in Korea, too.
I fell behind briefly after a pee stop
Did you run to catch up, or did the other people stop and wait for you?
I would if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t. But damn, I can see myself spending hours on that balcony enjoying the bay views.
I have to wonder about that house’s plumbing.
Anchors away!
I believe the expression is “Anchors aweigh,” with aweigh meaning an anchor that’s off the sea floor, i.e., the boat can move.
And back on the mostly deserted streets of Club Morocco
That looks nice and peaceful.
In Alta Vista, almost all the streets are named after US [n]ational [p]arks.
So… Yosemite Street? Yellowstone Street? Shenandoah Street?
French or Arabic?
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell, but Safi is almost certainly Arabic. I once tutored a student from the UAE surnamed Al-Safi.
I played Chu in a game of pool, and once again, I lost. I did play marginally better, though.
Well, keep at it. You beat her eventually.
I hope chelation went well.
Damn. I wrote:
Well, keep at it. You beat her eventually.
I guess I’m turning into an ungrammatical ajumma.
You’ll beat her eventually.
Swan and most of the Filipinos on my Facebook feed are Duterte fans. I was disappointed that he didn’t stand up to China and disagreed with his extra-judicial killings of purported drug dealers and users.
Yeah, it’s not hard to catch up after a pee stop. On the group hikes we wait for each other.
Damn, when I wrote that “Anchors away” I thought to myself, “isn’t it supposed to be aweigh?” but I was too lazy to check.
The only exceptions to national park names in my subdivision that I’ve noticed are Alta Vista Drive, Roosevelt Street, and Capitol Avenue. I used to live on Shenandoah, and now I’m on Bryce.
Ha! I took note of the “You” but could empathize. Mistakes happen. I’m surprised you went back to look for it.
DS, People used to say I was wrong about the COVID scamdemic. Wait and see when the truth comes out. Why do you think Biden pardoned the J6 committee members?
“Why do you think Biden pardoned the J6 committee members?”
Ummmm, let’s see, what could it be? A preemptive move to protect people from a vindictive egomaniac and his toadies who’ve blatantly weaponized government to retaliate against anyone perceived as insufficiently subservient and groveling, such as with the FBI and Justice Department purges? Golly, that wouldn’t happen in America.
This shit’s really not rocket science. Or even complicated at all. My God, man, open your eyes and your mind a little. You can’t be that far gone. As for truth, do you really even care?
Whether or not you agree with Trump on various policies, his obvious demands for absolute personal loyalty, rule by intimidation, and willingness to gleefully violate federal laws and the Constitution are fairly obvious to most upright-walking mammals who haven’t totally brainwashed themselves with utter nonsense.
In ruling yesterday against the administration’s illegal firing of numerous federal employees, a federal judge had this to say:
“It is a sad, sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie. That should not have been done in our country. It was a sham in order to avoid statutory requirements.”
As for Duterte’s fans, expand your circle a bit. Yeah, it not hard to understand why people in the chaotic Philippines would clap for fascist-imposed order and theatrics that convey illusions of strength. It’s a different story among families of those murdered during his reign after mere allegations by feuding neighbors and self-serving snitches, and among those who give a rip about the rule of law and due process — of which Duterte himself is now ironically a beneficiary.
But John you said you’d never live in Thailand because of their laws regarding criticism of their king and because you’re big into your “freedoms.” What a shame you can’t express your opinion in the Philippines either. Time to move to a new country? I hear America’s wonderful these days, cheap and with a stable political climate to boot.
>The only exceptions to national park names in my subdivision that I’ve noticed are Alta Vista Drive, Roosevelt Street, and Capitol Avenue.
There is a Theodore Roosevelt National Park in South Dakota. So, maybe Capitol Ave. is the only exception.
Canuck, the only restrictions on my freedom here are to not engage in political debate or criticism of Filipino politicians. It’s basically a “if you don’t like it, then leave” attitude. I don’t care enough about the government here for that to matter.
I mean, it’s not like living in a country where they block access to your bank account for protesting COVID policies, right?
DS, there is no point in arguing about this with you, because if you can’t see the lawfare that was used against MAGA folk, nothing is going to change your mind. ANTIFA and BLM burn down cities, that’s a mostly peaceful protest. Trespass at the the Capitol, your are an insurrectionist.
I’m not concerned with what an Obama-appointed District Court judge has to say. We’ll see what happens on appeal. Probationary employees are by definition probationary and can be terminated with or without cause. Career employees have appeal rights and removal must be based on “just cause.” I had my share of success firing the incompetents and thieves during my federal HR career. What’s your experience?
We agree on Duterte.
Brian, ah, first I’d heard of Roosevelt National Park. Good to know! I guess Capitol kind of qualifies based on all the National Monuments and landmarks in Washington, DC.
“if you can’t see the lawfare that was used against MAGA folk, nothing is going to change your mind. ANTIFA and BLM burn down cities, that’s a mostly peaceful protest. Trespass at the the Capitol, your are an insurrectionist.”
Here we go again. “What about this? What about that?” Biden, Obama, BLM, etc.
What the fuck does any of that have to do with the current president’s current actions? It’s such a stupid argument. It’s like a kid saying “Tommy stole a cookie and didn’t get caught so I get to steal a pie and if I get caught it’s not fair.”
As for probationary employees, you seem to be missing the entire point here: the “cause” was invoked as a false pretext for an impermissible broad reduction in force. How clear does the judge’s statement have to be?
By the way, Judge Alsup was appointed by Clinton, not Obama.
If you’re going to form strong opinions about this stuff and broadcast them, you might want to get your facts and basic understanding straight. Otherwise, stop pretending and just uncritically absorb the Trump noise machine’s blather and keep fooling yourself.
DS, Ah, that’s right. It’s okay when your side does it. How did I forget that? Anyway, the American people have spoken and have the leader they wanted. If he oversteps, the courts will rein him in. I suspect the lower court judgment you are so excited about will not withstand the inevitable appeal. I am confident the Supreme Court will uphold the Executive Branch Constitutional standing to run the government bureaucracy as it sees fit.
“It’s okay when your side does it. How did I forget that? Anyway, the American people have spoken and have the leader they wanted.”
“Your side?” What are you even talking about? I never took a side or defended an action as “okay.”
Once again, rather than deal with substance, you instinctively and reactively invoke the irrelevant.
But you do inadvertently illustrate quite well one of the biggest problems with blind Trump-lovers: anyone who criticizes the most absurd or blatantly illegal action is immediately branded as one of “them,” the other guys. Facts don’t matter. It’s all about polarization.
Having read and enjoyed your blog for a while, I really did assume you were smarter than this.
Sorry to be such a disappointment to you, Drain. The simple fact of the matter is that I am not a Trump lover, but I like him better than the alternative choices I’ve been presented. In 2016, I had to choose between a crook and a clown. I took the clown. In 2020, it was Trump or a senile old man. Easy choice for me, and you saw what Biden did to the country. This go round, we had the ignorant idiot Kamala or Trump, again, a no-brainer.
The American people overwhelming chose Trump. Recent polls have his approval at 54%, so that puts you in the minority. But I’m the stupid one. That’s okay, Trump has done nothing so far that I don’t support wholeheartedly. You don’t have to agree with me, but that doesn’t make me wrong.
And once again you Just Don’t Get It. Because you don’t want to.
Trump was/is popular. So fucking what? That’s a serious question. You act as though popularly alone equals license to do anything, including breaking our nation’s laws and ruling by dictatorial decree. Hint: it doesn’t.
“Recent polls have his approval at 54%, so that puts you in the minority.” Please see above.
But you’re correct on one thing: the fact that we disagree does not, in and of itself, make you wrong.
Your professed total support for all Trump’s actions — including the disgraceful and blatantly illegal — is what makes you wrong.
Except Trump has been proven to have done anything blatantly illegal, so by your reasoning, that makes me right. I knew it!
Your comment makes no sense, and I’m not sure how many illegal executive orders and other actions must be stopped by multiple courts before you put down the Kool-Aid and start to actually think.
A temporary injunction is not the same as a finding of fact. Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick with your calling me ignorant. Just sayin’.
No, but it’s granted after a showing of likelihood of success on the merits, and when they’re granted one after the other it sure suggests a defendant’s clear pattern of abuse of power. As if that weren’t already ridiculously clear to anyone with open eyes and mind. But don’t let reality trouble you. Just have another beer and pretend this shit’s not happening. And when the next stupid move is thwarted, just excuse it all away because any judge who upholds the rule of law is biased against that damned fool.
The beer part sounds good. I’ll take you up on that. Care to join me on the Kokomo’s floating bar?
Maybe some day.
Cheers!