The new generation currency, not perfect, but still very good

The recently released new generation currency was immediately showered with ridicule in the blogosphere. Expect PNoy bashers to pick this up and heap it upon the other perceived missteps of this clumsy administration. Such is the power of the blog, social networking sites and freedom of speech (and to nitpick).

White hair chronicles XXXVII - Kenkoy

The Facebook campaign to change one's profile picture to a cartoon character from his childhood caught on among many of my FB pals. The campaign says it is an invasion of memories and aims to stop violence against children. Though I still don't know how that helps, I changed my profile picture to Kenkoy.

I remember Kenkoy from Liwayway magazine back in my grade shool days. Today not many knows who he is. Perhaps even some remember Kenkoy as the character in Mike Hanopol's Mr. Kenkoy. But Kenkoy came way before that. In Pinoy idiom kenkoy connotes a funny man.

Turning to the trusty web for the roots of Kenkoy, we stumble to this blog. The blog says Kenkoy "was a debonnair, bombastic, irreverent, hilarious, and best-loved ... "' Kenkoy's outfit kept up with the times but his trademark hairstyle, slicked back and reflecting a four-paneled window, remained. I think Kenkoy best personifies Juan dela Cruz.

Women's tennis album - Elena Dementieva

My second favorite tennis player, Elena Dementieva, has retired at 29. She never won a major but she won the singles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She reached her highest ranking (no. 3) just last year. She retired as world no. 9. To my mind she was at the top 2 in the beauty department when she retired last October, just behind my favorite Ana Ivanovic.

Biggest jackpot won

Finally, the biggest lotto jackpot has been won! A lone bettor placed a bet on the 6 winning numbers and won more than 3 quarters of a billion pesos. Wow! That will make someone extremely happy while disappointing millions who now have their dreams of winning shot down. Many people have lost a small fortune chasing down that jackpot

Malacanan's decision to take back control of the PCSO is right, considering the legalities around it. But I think it was ill-timed. They should have waited for the jackpot to be won. In the previous administration, whenever a big jackpot was won, many people believe that the Palace had a hand in it. This time will not be different.

I contributed largely to the pot. I won some but I bet some more. I also churned out lots of statistics on the winning numbers. I will post them later.

White hair chronicles (XXXVI) goes to Lubang

This white hair chronicler went to Lubang Island last week after being last there 18 years ago. I spent vacations there many summers ago. The white hair generation remembers the splendid island's claim to fame,  Japanese WWII soldier Hiroo Onoda, who was found there 1974 after hiding in the jungles from the end of the war in 1945 until his surrender. A brave, if not lonely, straggle for 29 years.

My mother traces her roots to the island. I went back because a grand aunt died. She was 92. She used to be the eldest person on their street. The distinction now belongs to her younger brother, 87. Their father and mother both born in the 1800s lived up to their 90s. This white hair chronicler surely has the longevity genes.

The island is smaller than Siquijor. It has better beaches but is less developed for tourism. Needless to say, it has tremendous tourism potential. An evening at Lubang night is very similar to Siquijor's, minus the blaring videoke bars. A roll on-roll off boat takes you there from Manila's Pier 6. Once you set foot on the island, you'll feel transported back in time. Just 6 hours after boarding the boat at the hustler-filled pier, laid back Lubang lifestyle will lull you sleep.

I stayed a mere 15 hours. I will be back.

low tide

el fraile

their version of the tricycle looks like a baby jeepney

Lotto winners by the numbers

Using available data from PCSO covering the lotto (6/42, 6/45, 6/49, and 6/55) draws from January 2, 2002 to November 19, 2010:

• Number of draws - 3,039.
• Number of draws jackpot was won - 649.
• Number of jackpot winners - 908.
• Number of times with more than 1 jackpot winner - 171.
• Biggest jackpot won -PhP 347,836,903.20 (shared by 2 winners on Feb 22, 2009)
• Smallest jackpot won - PhP 3,000,000 (2 times)
• Most number of winners in a draw - 21 (they shared the PhP 4,748,265 jackpot on Feb 27, 2007)

These numbers suggest that during GMA's term, Filipinos steadily learned how to predict lotto winners. From 55 winners in 2002 winning an average of close to PhP 23 million jackpot, the number of winners grew to a high of 160 in 2007, averaging just over PhP12 million in jackpot. The number of jackpot winners in the last 6 months of GMA equals the total for the year 2003.

This means there is an unsung GMA legacy. There were clearly more lotto winners under her. The numbers do not indicate that there are more bettors. Conspiracy theorists smell a stink and they have other theories.

Pacman gobbles up the money too!

While many Pinoys queue up in snake lines to chase the 450+ million peso lotto dream, Pacman, in pocketing $20M, earned an equivalent to TWICE that jackpot in his latest fight. He even got shortchanged by PhP40M because of the rise of the peso. And he did that by beating up a known cheater who ridiculed his friend and trainer's illness. Talk about being paid handsomely while getting revenge.

The only sensible fight for Manny now is against Mayweather. There is no use in fighting an even bigger guy next. Who could that be? Sergio Martinez?  Paul Williams? or Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.? Shane Mosley? I think Chavez Jr. is too green but he makes up for it by being huge. And his being a another Mexican can make the fight very marketable.

Or, Pacman can fight the welterweights again. Perhaps they should have a derby like the middleweight super 6 to determine the next Pac opponent. Berto, Alexander, Bradley, etc. should participate.

A Mayweather fight may not materialize. Just yesterday, Floyd had another run in with the law. Meanwhile, Pacman's star power has reached the TMZ. The gossip website carried a story about his injuries in the Marg fight. The website had earlier posted a video of Manny's star power when he was mobbed by fans at LAX.

Here are screen caps from his recent fight. The man in blue Pacman shirt looks like Kenneth Duremdes. In the next picture, the lady beside Jinkee looks like Dra. Belo. Then in the last photos, we see the smile on Marg's wife turn to a concerned look before the fight ends.

Update: There are those who think that this is the best time for Manny to hang his gloves and quit sport altogether. He is on top of his game, his legacy and body are well intact. There is a Facebook fan page set up for those who think so too. Visit the page and click on like if you share the same opinion.

Pacman gobbles up the Tijuana Tornado

As expected, Manny Pacquiao won over Antonio Margarito, despite giving up 17 pounds in weight, 5 inches in height, and 6 inches in reach. Margarito is the biggest opponent Pacman ever faced, while Pacman is the smallest Margarito opponent in 15 years. The sportscasters who covered the fight never ran out of superlatives in talking about our sports hero. This should goad the egoistic Mayweather into accepting a fight.

The victory will be the talk of the town for at least a week. We will be discussing not just the boxing win per se since the Pacquiao phenomenon transcends over many aspects of Filipino life. Pacman's interest in show business, other sports, product endorsements, and politics mean Filipinos will be talking about many other highlights of the fight.

- The inclusion of politicians in his entourage leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Panira talaga ng eksena pag kasama ang may sabit.

-  I saw an overly excited Kenneth Duremdes waving a flag in the crowd.
-  Dr. Belo is doing a tremendous job on Jinkee. She now looks prettier than her identical twin sister.
- The singer who sang the Philippine national anthem was doing it right until the last 2 words, but I'm nitpicking.
- Still the surest way to make men stand erect is make voluptuous blondes wearing pekpek shorts sing the national anthem.
- Margarito's son looked nervous before the fight but his parents were beaming. Perhaps he knows what happened to Pac's previous victims. His parents surely know what 3 million dollars is.
- Pacman may have indicated that he is losing interest in boxing. He did not go for the knockout and said they are not there to kill each other. What happened to the killer's instinct that Pacman fans knew?
- Pacman is a big loser from the appreciation of the peso. His 20 million dollar purse is now effectively 40 million pesos lower. But it is still like winning the biggest lotto jackpot ever twice over.
-Pacman is the man! Unlike before the Barrera fight when nobody, even Michael Buffer, cannot pronounce Pacquiao, everybody knows how to say Pacquiao.
some photos from Yahoo

GrandLotto 6/55 odds - 1 in 28,989,675

Lotto Game	Lotto 6/42	MegaLotto 6/45	SuperLotto 6/49	Grand Lotto 6/55
Numbers in Pool	42	45	49	55
Chosen	6	6	6	6
No. of combinations	5,245,786	8,145,060	13,983,816	28,989,675
Amount needed to bet for all combinations	P 52,457,860	P 81,450,600	P 279,676,320	P 579,793,500

The biggest jackpot prize ever in Philippine lotto will go to the Grand Lotto 6/55 bettor(s) who will conjure up the winning 6 number combination from a pool of 55 numbers. The total number of possible combinations is just under 29 million. The odds of winning are insane, but more insane odds were those of the defunct PowerLotto 5/55+1, which the Grand Lotto replaced. In the old Power Lotto, the odds are 1 in 35 million, and a ticket costs 50 pesos. The Grand Lotto tickets cost just 20 pesos. The old PowerLotto gave the least bang for the buck.

Despite the odds, expect dreamy eyed Pinoys to queue up the betting booths. Even more perplexing are the multiple winners that normally crop up in the megamillion draws. Whenever multiple winners share the top prize, many believe that Palace people, especially in the previous administration, dipped their hands into the money pool. But people don't mind and continue to dream on. After all, 20 pesos can buy a dream.

White hair chronicles XXXV - Wellness is in, all for a happy ending

I had some quick local travels to various destinations these past few weeks. I noticed some peculiarities which I didn't notice in the places I've been to before. For instance, Tacloban now implements jaywalking laws and I think it has the most number of drugstores per capita. Tuguegarao must have the highest density of tricycles in the country. Cebu is open to businesses that Mayor Lim enjoys closing. Legazpi, a very clean city like Palawan, has many unabashed tricycle drivers/pimps.

A common denominator in all these cities is the apparent wellness (read: massage/spa) boom everywhere. I saw many establishments have sprouted all over the country. A friend has even taken a new short-lived career as a manager of one of these services in Metro Manila.

I think no city beats Dagupan city in this aspect. I saw at least a spa/massage clinic in every block in downtown Dagupan. And they are fully booked well into the night. That's a sharp contrast with General Santos City. Sure there are massage/spas around but they don't have the level of activity as in the other cities.

It's been a generation since the initial massage business boom back in the college days of this white hair chronicler. The industry now has taken a more professional tack. There is no more stigma in being spotted within the vicinity of Lighthauz, Emerald, Maalikaya, Crown, Macho and the like. This white hair chronicler and his generation indeed truly need the soothing experience the wellness spas offer. A happy ending is still welcome.

Now, that's a good business name. Happy Ending Massage Parlor - HEMP. ;)

White hair chronicles XXXIV - A gleek not too glad with Glee

I like Glee. Not just its music but also its effort to foster tolerance of gays, minorities, unwed moms, and (musical)  geeks. Filipinos have added reason to like it with the entry of Charice.

I am surprised that not a whimper has been raised by some sectors on the oversexed themes of late. I thought the show got away with it last season. Now it pushes the envelope further.

I am no prude and I have no problem with the mature theme - if the show is about adults or at least college life. There is a wealth of comic material in oversexed characters. I love the adult characters and situation in The Big Bang Theory and How I met Your Mother. But Glee is about high school although the actors are definitely beyond their college years. Our high school students are 12-16 years old. Are we saying that the Glee culture is acceptable behavior for our high school kids?

Ok na sana, may miss lang! (It would have been okay, but for Mai Mislang)

Many welcome PNoy's push for the use of social networking sites in governance. After all, Filipinos are early adopters. But I'm sure nobody foresaw the diplomatic faux pas that can ensue from over confident government underlings.

Definitely, Mai Mislang was out of bounds when she tweeted her displeasure about the wine served at the state dinner. Her tweet about the crossing Vietnam's streets as the surest way to day can be forgiven for it could have reflected more on her non-ability to properly cross a street. Her tweet about 'walang pogi dito' was in Tagalog. It might not immediately offend the Vietnamese as they can counter - maganda ka ba? - 'Bạn nghĩ bạn là đẹp? '

I doubt that the Vietnamese would have noticed her tweets if not Filipinos had pointed them out first. Who among the Vietnamese follow her anyway? But trust some Filipinos' ability to find ways to denigrate a countryman. Much more so if she works for PNoy.

Mai Mislang has since deleted the offensive tweets. She has even deleted her account. Even her Facebook account is deactivated, at the least. She has apologized. She has learned her lesson the hard way. Her immediate boss, Ricky Carandang, has swept the matter under the rug. Vietnam didn't mind the tweets at all.

It is the social networking people who are quick to pounce on PNoy and his team. Not long after Mai's apology, a bogus Facebook account surfaced. If this gathers critical mass, Mai will be back to singing the blues in no time.

White hair chronicles XXXIII: Back from bangus country

I just came back from a four-day travel to the bangus capital. Early on in the trip, I was excited to partake bangus concoctions that Dagupan City has to offer. Our group's eating communally allowed me to sample bangus done tocho, salipicado, sisig, kilawin, steak, and of course the trusty daing. By the second night I had bangus up to my ears. I am starting to grow a bangus belly.

Our dining group have senior citizen-card bearing members. But even if all the senior citizen cards have been presented, the waiters invariably ask if all  cards have been given, apparently asking for mine.

The white hair also commands preferential treatment. On the way back to Manila, we stopped by Calasiao to buy their famed puto. Our motley group of a dozen or so buyers swarmed a stall among the so many lined up along the block. I was at the back of the throng that rattled the sales girl. I asked how many pieces were in a kilo of puto, yes they are sold by weight. Being at the back, I expected to be attended to much later. I wandered down the block to survey what other fares were sold. But in no time at all, those in front of the line were calling me to go back. Apparently, the rattled sales girl had prepared a kilo of puto and kuntsinta for me. She said it was the order of the matanda or old man.

Is Manny losing focus?

While on official travel to Dagupan City (where Lenox Hotel is the place to stay-their rooms are really spacious), I read this morning that everyone's alarmed over Manny Pacquaio's shape into weeks before his fight against 'Chea-tony' Margarito.

Well, everybody from his promoter to his chief trainer and the press. But of course, not Manny himself and his throng of sycophants. At 31, Manny has reached his peak. Is he now on the inevitable decline? He was unable to dispose off Clottey early in his last fight while sustaining welts himself. Is he just losing focus because of his numerous commitments? Anybody else would focus on a $15million job, with prospects of twice more if the Gayweather fight happens.

When Manny said while deep in training that he misses Congress, it's an indication that his mind is starting to wander off. Maybe he just misses his wife, who looks even better now after a procedure under Belo. Whatever it is, Manny should train his mind and body towards this fight. Congress and Jinky can wait.