It’s Christmas time now but that doesn’t stop people from making weird or absurd things. Here’s a collection of funny and odd stories related to Christmas that we spotted on several news websites.
Enjoy the holidays and enjoy these holiday stories!
#1 – Thieves steal Noche Buena Christmas food
Three men held up a Goldilocks store in Pasig City just before closing time on Christmas Eve, taking with them not only cash and personal belongings of the victims, but also a large box of puto, a type of rice cake considered to be one of the store’s specialties.
In a separate incident, a taxi cab driver ran away with a lechon (roast pig) that was supposed to be delivered to a house in Quezon City on December 24.
Prison 'Thriller' and other Top 10 Viral Videos of 2007
A video of prison inmates in Cebu, Philippines dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is No. 5 in Time Magazine‘s Top 10 Viral Videos of 2007.
Manila Bulletin vs. Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Times
Ah, the things that matter.
I skimmed through four Philippine dailies yesterday and was amused to see the varying front pages each newspaper had.
While the Philippine Daily Inquirer headlined the reversal of the United States’ position on a global warming pact at the end of a United Nations climate conference in Indonesia, the Philippine Star reported that convicted child rapist and former congressman Romeo Jalosjos was to be released from prison yesterday. The Manila Times, on the other hand, published a feature on poverty in the Philippines.
And what was the headline of the Manila Bulletin?
That the “Simbang Gabi,” a Filipino tradition of attending 9-day masses at dawn, has kicked off.
Comments and reactions on the Makati standoff
The mutiny aka rebellion aka standoff at Ayala, Makati on November 29 led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV drew mixed reactions from various groups in the Philippines. One side praised Trillanes and the Magdalo Group for their courage and determination in fighting for what they believe is right. The other criticized their method and was worried about the negative impact it has on the country.
In the PinoyMoneyTalk forum, a number of members voiced opposition against the commotion, albeit a few concurred with what Trillanes did. Here are a few of these comments culled from the discussion thread Trillanes, Lim, walkout from trial, call for GMA ouster; standoff in Makati.
Oops, Trillanes did it again
Update (7:30 p.m.): The show is now over. The standoff has ended with Sen. Trillanes and the rest of his cohorts arrested and sent back to jail. Better luck next time, Senator.
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Update (3:00 p.m.): Thirty soldiers led by elected Senator Antonio Trillanes IV walked out today of a Makati court and holed themselves up at a hotel in Makati, the Philippines’ central business district.
The scene is reminiscent of the Oakwood saga in 2003 where more than 300 soldiers also led by Trillanes took over the Oakwood Hotel demanding the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA), except this time the hotel setting is The Manila Peninsula.
The 2003 mutiny ended unsuccessfully after it failed to rally support from the public and the Armed Forces. Will Trillanes be successful this time around?
I think the odds are still stacked against him. The walkout comes at definitely a less-than-expected time: the Philippine peso is surging against the dollar, the stock market is rallying, and OFW remittances are flowing in at all-time high. How can you convince the majority of Filipinos to join in destabilizing the government if the economy is on an upswing?
Oh, and the date was just plain wrong. Tomorrow’s a non-working holiday and a lot of people have already made plans. Rising up against the government surely was not one of them. Earlier today, people just wanted to unwind and go home — not be stuck in Ayala because of this Oakwood Mutiny Part 2.
Bus conductors' new modus operandi: Walang barya!
The latest modus operandi of a few scumbag bus conductors:
If you paid with a large bill for the bus ticket, the konduktor will tell you he will give the change (sukli) later because he lacks loose change (barya). After several minutes if you remind him about it, he will reply with the line, “Malayo ka pa naman, mamaya na lang, wala kasi akong barya.”
But once you are about to get off and again insisted on your sukli, he’ll deny it and might even curse and embarrass you, prompting you to get off the bus without getting the sukli you deserve.
Read on to see how some passengers became a victim to these “Walang baryang konduktor” scammers.
Beware of the 'Bukas-Kotse' gang at the South Superhighway
I’m not usually fond of email forwards but after personally witnessing the “Bukas-Kotse” scumbags perform their modus operandi earlier tonight, I’m inclined to repost the email below to further warn people about this gang.
Around 8 p.m. earlier, I was on a cab to Makati coming from Robinson’s Manila. We were on the intersection of Osmena Highway (South Superhighway) and San Andres. As the traffic lights turned red, I saw one 30-ish man wearing shorts and T-shirt approach the white Honda Civic in front of us.
With full force, the man tried to wriggle open the door of the Civic’s rear passenger side. Fortunately, that door was locked but the man then turned to the backseat. Again, fortunately for the driver, that door was locked as well. While this was happening, the intended victim vigorously honked his horn probably in an attempt to fend off the intruder or to call for help.
Will the Fed cut interest rate again?
This week, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will speak and the market will listen.
After sifting through mixed corporate profit reports and uneven readings on the economy, Wall Street — and other stock markets around the world — will find out the answer to the long-debated question of whether another interest rate cut is in the offing.
The Fed, which meets Tuesday (October 30) and Wednesday (October 31), is in a bind. The credit markets remain squeezed, but energy and food costs are soaring and the dollar is tumbling. Controlling inflation and preserving market liquidity is one the central bank has always tried to balance, but the situation now has never been as precarious as before.