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Scrolling Social Media In The Bus

We were just wondering that while inside the bus, where the space is cramped, and the heat is blistering ... why do people have the compulsive habit of casually looking, viewing, and exploring content like photos, videos, profiles on platforms in a relaxed and undirected way ... almost similar to looking through a shop without intending to buy?

Was it an unconscious way of flaunting their expensive phone as if saying: "World ... look ... this is my new iPhone 17 Pro Max."

But I doubt that is even the case. Even regular guys with not-so-fancy phone brands are also doing the same thing. Almost the same nauseating routine.

I really felt dizzy as they scrolled through their photo galleries, and much more when they started showing off their latest escapade on an island in their skimpiest bikini.  

Was it a conscious ostentatious display ... or was it to show something from their gadget in a very open manner .... so people nearby will notice ... provoking envy or admiration?

Sabi nga ng kasama ko: "Di bale sana kung maganda." 

Oy kitam ... may halong inggit siya? Or naiinis lang siya the way some people do it.

Katulad kahapon sa bus na sinakyan namin ... FLAUNTING, DISPLAYING PROUDLY, and SHOWING OFF showed its ugly head when a not-so gorgeous lady in her thirties scrolls down her photo album for all her seatmates to see. Obviously wala naman siyang kilala doon dahil nagiisa lang naman siya.

What was disgusting was when she showcased her new Italian leather jacket by wearing it to the beach in broad daylight and pretending to be cold (ayon sa kanyang kwento sa katabi) to make sure everyone on the beach saw it. Naniwala ba naman kami sa kanyang palabas? Heck no. 

Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw, na ang sikat ng araw ay obviously ay tanghaling tapat. Nasa beach siya tapos naka-leather jacket siya? Hindi ba siya naiinitan? Was she "dressed up to the nines" so obviously inapprorpriate dahil ang OOTD niya was way too eloaborate and ill-advised ... tapos sa beach pa??

Nangiintriga lang ba kami? Iresponsable ba ang aming observation? Hindi eh. May ebidensya. In one of the image humihiyaw ang malaking wall clock ... It was 12 noon sa Boracay!

Although we love it when a peacock flaunts its colorful fan-like tail feathers ... or when a zebra sashayed with its striking black and white stripes ... but when a person spreads their wings in full regalia (overdoing or exaggerating it to catch attention) ... it is infuriating, let alone aggravating.

And what the hell are the onlookers doing ... (the non-participating observers and spectators, ang mga miron), the other group of people completing the equation? They are as annoying as the first group of flaunters.  

They are the seatmates. They were not invited, but they craned their neck to see the photos up close and personal. Hindi naman nila kilala yong tao. But they were gawking ...(as if feeling close) at nakikiusyoso? Bakit nga ba?

Did they do it because of boredom? Was it curiosity? Mahaba-haba ba naman ang biyahe kaya pampalipas na rin ng oras ang pag-scan ng Facebook ng may Facebook? 

And this is worse ... hindi pa nakontento ha ... kinuha din niya ang kanyang iphone ... ni-reasearch ang pangalan ng may-ari ... kaya scrolling galore silang dalawa. Para silang long lost friends na ngayon lang nagkita at ni-reminsce lang ang kanilang good old days. 

So why this strong interest to see more? Nakakita ka lang ng naka-bikini sa Facebook at lumuluwa na ang mata mo?  Naintriga ka lang ba kung ano pang stages of undress ang posible mong makita? Yong may-ari naman tickled pink ...(kulang sa attention si ate)  dahil may nagkainteres sa kanyang palabas.

Was this habit time-filling? Maybe. Commutes are downtime, so it is perfect for scrolling through feeds to pass the time.

Oh well, commuting on a bus can indeed provide unique opportunities to observe and reflect on the diverse behaviors and motivations of fellow passengers, offering insights into human psychology and social dynamics, and most especially their PSYCHE.

Word Of The Day: Diatribe

In the world of politics, social media, blogging, entertainment, or even in everyday life, we sometimes encounter individuals who lash out with invectives and launch fierce, angry verbal attacks.

A person who always makes a diatribe (a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation or criticism) might be called a critic, fault-finder, or contentious or argumentative person. 

These angry attacks can take any form: a condemnation, perhaps, a criticism, an accusation, character assassination, insults, blame, censure, disparagement, or castigation.

Here are a few words that could describe such a person, depending on the specific context and tone:

-Haranguer: Someone who delivers a lengthy and aggressive speech (a harangue).

-Tirade Spinner: A person who frequently launches into a long, angry, and critical speech (a tirade)

-Fault- Finder: A person who obsessively finds faults in others and criticizes them, often complaining and judging harshly.

-Scold: A person who is constantly finding fault and reprimanding others.

-Cynic: While not directly related to giving diatribes, these terms describe someone with a generally negative and critical view of humanity or the world.

-Polemicist: Someone who engages in a polemic, which is a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. 

In some cases, the behavior may be linked to personality traits such as being:

-Dogmatic: Resolutely adhering to a set of beliefs and often insisting they are right.

-Truculent: Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.

-Self-Righteous: Having a strong belief that one's own actions and opinions are right and others' are wrong.

The appropriate term depends on whether the person is engaging in a formal, albeit emotional, attack or simply has a negative, critical personality.

Walk The Talk

Marami nang versions ng iconic saying na "Walk The Talk". Palagi itong ginagamit sa politika lalo na sa America.  Pati mga beauty pageants nakihalo at nakisawsaw na rin.

Walk the Talk means putting your words into action - showing that you mean what you say ... by actually doing it yourself. It is a modern-day version of "Practice What You Preach."

An example is a politician who displays a TOUGH and ROUGH facade. When the going gets tough ... the tough should get goin'. But if the toughie politician was the first one to raise and wave the white flag of retreat and surrender ... it is not WALK THE TALK ... the best phrase to describe him is ... he IS ALL TALK!

If you want to be regarded as the cleanest politician - ikinula at walang bahid ... binabad ng magdamagan sa sabon ... malinis pa kay Mr. Clean ... by all means do as what you say or what your image project.  

If you want people to see yourself as principled, transparent, accountable, and honorable, nobody is stopping you as long as you maintain those standards. Hindi yong pakitang tao lang ... or sabi-sabi lang. Madali kasing makahalata ang Pinoy ... katulad ng mga Youtube podcasters who made a list of classic example of the above politicians.

Katulad ng isang politiko whose "Make my day remarks" were made to bolster his macho image and to prove to all and sundry that he is "MAISOG", not even a warrant of arrest can make his knees turn to jelly. Kibitzers have their tongues wagging when a rumor circulates that an arrest warrant will soon be served on him. Mabilis pa sa alas kuatro, hindi na makita ang politiko at nagtatago na. Sisiga-siga noon ... tapos magtatago? Something seems off?

Katulad ng isang congressman noon na hindi tinantanan ang ABS CBN kahit mismo BIR, SEC, at DOLE  testified that the company has not violated any laws and is compliant with labor standards and they have paid all their tax obligations. People saw the guy na galit siya sa mga taong nagmamalabis, sa mga sinungaling, at mandarambong at sa mga tax evaders.

Nasara nga ang ABS CBN and people expects he will continue his crusade sa pagsugpo ng katiwalian pero sabi ng mga komentarista sa youtube What gives? The guy ngayon ay nagsisinungaling sa kanyang SALN at SOCE and he might have violated the Omnibus Election Code?

Tapos nasangkot pa sa mga kontrobersya at akusasyon ng paggamit o pagtatanghal ng isang testigo na may kuwestiyonableng kredibilidad at ebidensya.  And not to be forgotten are his verbal clashes with the Speaker Pro Tempore, as he obviously is lawyering for the Discayas.Ano ba yan? Ang mga politikong santo-santito ... mga huwad lang pala? 

Then may isa ring politiko at the height of the flood projects controversy, who unabashedly barked without batting an eyelash: " Mga KADIRI kayo!" Tapos after awhile ... kasama na siya sa mga pinaginmbestigahan? Shall we say" Kadiri rin pala siya?

May isa pang politikong deny ng deny at hindi daw niya kilala ang mga akusado sa flood scam.  Wala pang 24 oras, isa-isa nang naging viral ang naglilitawan nilang mga litrato ... showing the politician and the accused having a picture together. And they looked like they were more than friends? They knew each other so very well.

Now, regarding the other versions of the maxim? Here are the hallmark examples in pageantry. The only difference is that this time around, the candidates mentioned did not use the idiom right ... they butchered it to its core.

In the Miss Cosmo 2024 pageant, Ketut Permata Juliastrid did say the line: "One thing I have learned in Miss Cosmo is... here ... we don't talk ... we walk. Whatever that means. That really became a viral and iconic moment, sparking heated discussion about action over words in pageantry.

In Miss Universe 2025, Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch had misgivings with Nawat, the Executive Director of MUO, when he publicly berated her, resulting in her WALK-OUT together with other candidates in a pre-pageant event.

The hecklers made fun of the incident and put words into her mouth: "In Miss Universe we dont WALK ... we WALK_OUT!.

Hahaha! By the way, instead of " walk the talk and practice what you preach, people often use other idioms to point out when someone is all talk and no action:

• "All bark and no bite."
• "All foam and no beer."
• "Smoke and mirrors."
• "Put your money where your mouth is."

Philippines Won Gold At SEA Basketball

News: Thailand fans accused Gilas of cheating by using imports and Americans to win gold at the SEA Games.

Imagine being accused of cheating by the cheater? You should see the 5 Thai team members being aided by 3 referees? If that is not cheating, tell!

And that's not what amazes sports fans. Despite the many free throws given like Christmas gifts (we understand it's Christmas season) courtesy of the referees who acted like Santa Claus ... they still fell short ... and eventually bowed down and bit the dust ... and lost. 

If we are not mistaken ... the 2025 Thai Basketball team holds the record of most free throw attempts (37 total). If they could not make it with all the free throws bonanza ... something is wrong ... somewhere!

My friend says even La Salle, UP, or Ateneo UAAP teams can beat them. And with regards to using imports ... yes, the players speak English ... but they are Filipinos.

This year, the SEA Games in Thailand adopted FIBA rules, allowing only one naturalized player per team.

And to the info of Thai fans, the Filipino-American players you saw in the games have passports issued before age 16 ... so they are considered "local" and eligible to play. 

Gilas understood the logic behind the adoption of the FIBA rule. This "local-only" push aims to stop teams from fielding too many imports, ensuring homegrown talent development.

What A Waste of Life

DPWH Maria Catalina Cabral: What A Waste Of Life

Maria Catalina Cabral, one of the former Department of Public Works and Highways executives tagged in the flood control corruption scandal, was found dead on Thursday night after allegedly falling from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba town in Benguet.

This early, the mystery of her death is sending netizens into a frenzy. Her death caused a tumultuous and chaotic reaction from internet users, sparking rapid sharing, comments, and speculations.

This early, her death resulted in a myriad of guesswork and hypotheses ... and there are some whose minds were soaring high, insinuating conspiracy theories that there are powerful people who want her out because she knows too much.

This whodunit story is creating a lot of questions, and the most important ones are:

-Was it an accident?

-Was it suicide?

-Was it a rub-out?

-Was there any foul play?

-How would her death affect the flood control probe?

-Was it just a ploy to escape the investigation?

-Was it a fake death?

-Was this a pseudocide? Meaning, when this is done, the person escapes to another country to start a new life, motivated by the desire to evade legal issues, escape debt, or disappear and start over.

Well, DILG head honcho Jonvic Remulla said they will cover all the bases, and that includes having the DNA test done on her remains despite the protestations of the victim's family.

It sounds like hyperbole, but even DILG believes ... (who can blame them ... a lot of Hollywood movies have dealt with this story) ... that Ms. Cabral may have faked her death primarily to escape desperate situations like the peering public scrutiny, intrusive media incursions, or legal troubles ... and then seeking a fresh start in another country?

Well, to solve the mystery ... we need the expertise of Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote, and detectives like Sherlock Holmes, plus a private investigator, Remington Steele, to unlock the secrets, the truth, and the lies of the death of DPWH bigwig Maria Catalina Cabral.

Libreng Sakay

Libreng Sakay sana ... pero huwag na lang.  Maglakad na lang ako.  Di baleng mapagod ako basta siguradong makauwi ako.