Congressional Ethics

... is an oxymoron. That can't be any made any clearer. Recent troubles of Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson (sayang pogi pa naman ng first name niya) have proven that. He is caught with a bunch of coccaine, pleads guilty to drug possession and admits to drug use yet he still won't resign his seat in the House of Representathieves. Dad says the Senate should expel Ping Lacson first. The difference is Singson was caught red-handed and admitted to a crime. Lacson's just a douchebag for refusing to be sent to jail (though for the record, I believe charges against him are politically motivated and have no basis).

Rep. Singson should take his cue from US Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY) who resigned his seat a few days ago as a scandal was about to erupt about his flirtatious email exchange on Craigslist. And all this guy did was /flirt with a girl online.

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Anyone who tells you that the possible reason behind former Secy. Angelo Reyes' suicide is anything other than guilt or shame from what was being exposed is spewing out pure bull. The circumstances behind his death are sad, and I condole with the family about their loss. However, it's very clear that guilt pushed Reyes to pull the trigger and take away his own life. Now, that's one general down? How about the others?

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I'm sure all of us has had an interesting discussion with a cab driver at least once. Recently, most discussions center on the pity cabbies put on themselves for not having their meters calibrated (to reflect higher fares). Most would plead for an extra, some would outright name a ridiculous fare. The most interesting discussion thus far goes like this (cab, a 1995ish Corolla, has driven about 500m):

Cabbie: Sir, magdagdag na lang kayo ng 50 ah, hindi pa kasi na calibrate to...
Me: Ah ganun ba, bakit di mo pa-calibrate?
C: Eh matagal pa ang turn namin.
M: Ah, kung di pa calibrated di ba bawal pa maningil ng extra?
C: Kami naman po humihingi ng tama lang.
M: Magbibigay naman ako ng extra, wag mo lang ako pangunahan at wag mo akong diktahan ng halaga.
C: Eh legal naman po yang paghingi ng extra.
M: Pakibaba na lang ako dyan. Bulok na nga ng taxi mo ang lakas pa ng loob mo.

Public Service announcement (save niyo ang mga numbers na ito)

The DOTC hotline numbers for reporting “Abusadong Taxi Drivers" (Abusive Taxi Drivers) are:

7890

0917 247 0385

0919 222 7462