2008 Beijing Summer Olympics 2008 Closes

Michael Phelps

The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics closes with superb pagentry on 24 August 2008. China, the host country, gathered the most gold medals while the United States raked in the most medals. Micahel Phelps of the US became the most bemedaled athlete winning 8 golds in the swimming competition. The top 10 countries with their gold-silver-bronze medals are:

1) United States -36-38-36
2) China-51-21-28
3) Russia-23-21-28
4) Britain-19-13-15
5) Australia-14-15-17
6) Germany -16-10-15
7) France -7-16-17
8) South Korea -13-10-8
9) Italy-8-10-10
10) Ukraine-7-5-15

Frustrating but expected, the Philippines did not get any medal. With little time for training and financial support from the government, a Filpino Olympian gold medalist is yet to come. Hopefully from billiard if it becomes an Olympic sport.

Erik Santos was supposed to sing at the closing ceremonies but since I was not able to see the event, I am not sure if he did perform or not. I wish I could hold on the recording of the opening as well as the closing ceremonies of the Game in the future.

Erik Santos

ONE on ONE

DOCTOR & PATIENT

ADIK: Doc, grabe yung panaginip ko gabi-gabi, kasi lagi daw ako naunuod ng
basketball. ( Doc, I have a bad dream every night, as if I am always watching basketball.)
DOCTOR: sige halika may gamot ako para dyan. (Okay, come here. I have medicine for that.)
ADIK: Wag muna dok, championship game na mamaya eh! ( Not now, doc. It's championship tonight!)

MA'AM & MAID

AMO: Kelan lang tayo bumili ng toothpick, bakit naubos agad? ( We just bought toothpicks why they are gone now?)
MAID: Ewan ko po mam, kapag ako po ang gumamit sinosoli ko naman ah! (I don't know Ma'am because whenever I use it, I always return it!)

TEACHER & PUPIL

TITSER: Ano ang PAST TENSE sa LABA?
BOY#1: Naglaba mam!TITSER: Tama! Ano ang PRESENT TENSE?
BOY#2: Naglalaba!TITSER: Tama! Ano naman ang FUTURE TENSE?
BOY#3: MAGSASAMPAY mam!

LITERAL TRANSLATION

AMERICAN ENGLISH: Eat All You Can, don't be shy, feel at home!
IN TAGALOG:Kain lang kayo ng kain, walanghiya kayo, pakiramdamnyo bahay nyo to!

Machine Readerable Passport - Part 2

On 14 August 2008, the "Embassy on Wheel" project of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh extended its services in Jubail, Saudi Arabia at the Saudi Telecom Becah Camp. This was my second chance to renew my passport.

I arrived at the site at 6:05 AM but I was already No. 95 on the list. Unlike the Al Bustan Hotel chaotic situation 2 weeks ago, the atmosphere at STC Beach Camp was orderly. Those applying for renewal of passports were housed in an airconditioned function rooms with sofas.

Pero di pa rin maalis ang singitan. Meron pa ring makakapal ang mukha na sumisingit at may mga volunteer rin na pinapaboran ang kanilang mga kaibigan. Bakit ko nasabi? Kasi pang 95 ako sa listahan pero nang magbigayan na ng slip, number 104 na ako. Paano nangyari yon? Simple, nagrereserve ng mga numbers ang ilang volunteer para sa kanilang kaibigan at kakilala!

Overall, the system was much better than what happened in Al Khobar. I was comfortable throughout the day although I spent 9 hours there. KUDOS to the volunteers who facilitated this service - the Filipino Community in Jubail and the World Sikaran, to name a few.

But I heard, this was not the situation the day after, 15 August 2008.

FIVE 8s for SUMMER OLYMPIC 2008

Five days ago, the 2008 Summer Olympic kicked off in Beijing, China at exactly 8:08 in the evening of 08 August 2008.

So far, I have not seen any olympic events on TV. I maybe one of the million OFWs who is very busy working that an event like this slips our busy days. This is also due to the fact that you cannot view these spectacular games for free.

I am only relying now on the news in the internet. I wish I could see the opening and closing ceremony on TV for free or on DVD for a price.

Makuha na kaya ng mga manlalarong Pinoy ang kanilang pinapangarap na Gintong Medalya sa taong ito? SANA....

Philippine All Stars - 2008 Hip-Hop Champs

The stars are shining on the Philippine All Stars by winning the 2008 World Hip-Hop Championship held in Las Vegas, Nevada on 3 August 2008.

Our hip-hop dancers bested over 1,000 dancers from 33 countries around the world.

Sana ay matulungan sila ng gobyerno dahil sila mismo ang nagbabayad ng kanilang mga gastusin sa mga kumpetisyong sinasalihan.

BUHAY PAMILYA

Anak: Ma, hingi sana ako ng P50.

Son: Ma, can I have $50?

Nanay: P40? Ang laki naman ng P30! Anong gagawin mo sa P20? Akala mo madaling kumita ng P10? O, eto P5.

Mother: $40? $30 is too big! What you will do with $20? You think it is easy to earn $10? Ok, here's $5.

--o0o --

1st night lola (grandma) wore see thru dress, lolo (grandpa)didn't react...

2nd night lola (grandma) wore t-back, lolo (grandpa) still deadma...

3rd night lola (Grandma) all naked, lolo (grandpa) said "anu yan suot mo, gusot-gusot!!" (what's that you are wearing? It's wrinkled!)

--o0o--

Juan: bday ng asawa ko. (John: It's my wife's birthday.)

Pedro: ano regalo mo? (Peter: What's your gift?)

Juan: tinanong ko kung ano gusto niya. (John: I asked her what she wants)

P: ano naman sinabi? (Peter: What she said?)

J: Kahit ano basta may DIAMOND. (John: Anything but with DIAMOND.)

P: ano binigay mo? (Peter: What did you give her?)

J: Baraha. (John: A deck of card.)

--o0o--

Wife: Lab, may taning na ang buhay ko. Huling gabi ko na to, let's make love.

Wife: Love, my life is ending. It's my last night, let's make love.

Husband: Heh! tumigil ka nga. Maaga pa akong gigising bukas, buti ikaw hindi na!

Husband: Shh! Stop it. I have to wake up early. Lucky you, you won't!

Machine Readable Passport (MRP)

My passport will expire soon. It's a relief that the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh made an advisory that they will conduct "Embassy on Wheels" in the Eastern province on 30 July to 1 August 2008. They advised applicants to go on 30 July 2008 at 4 PM to beat the long line which will be expected on regular days the following 2 days.

I arrived at Al Bustan Hotel in Al-Khobar just 10 minutes past 4 and the line was already long. Notwithstanding the heat of the sun outside the hotel, the line went on smoothly. I was able to reach the glass door at about 5 pm. Getting inside the second room was a pandemonium. The room was jampacked. There was no more line. There were about 200 inside the room. Sweats flow all over our bodies. Small children were crying. Everybody was sweating. Somebody were cursing when they reached infront of the line only to be told that the background of their photos was not ROYAL BLUE.

What is royal blue by the way? Is the shade of blue that IMPORTANT in the MRP? Do all photographers in Saudi Arabia or in the world know what the hell is royal blue? Did the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh or in any Philippine Embassy overseas post the color " ROYAL BLUE" in its website?

To top in all, there was only 1 Embassy employee who was making a receipt. Absolutely there was no order whatsoever in that room. Thinking that I won't be served because of the chaos and disorder, I decided to return to Jubail ( a one and half drive) at about 6 PM and vowed to come back the following day.

The business was supposed to start at 8 AM. I arrived at Al Bustan Hotel at 10 before 8 only to be told that the Embassy officials have changed the venue to International Philippine School Al-Khobar (IPSA).

I arrived at IPSA at 8:05 Am only to find out that the Embassy officials have stopped issuing numbers because they could not processed any more passports applications. They only entertained 700 applicants.

I do not know what to say.