Makes me wonder what else I've missed.....

Of course...it could only be a news item from the Philippines that would make me wake up after such a long break...

I have been lurking around a few blogs recently...but hadn't clicked over to MLQ3 for a while, in addition I hadn't read any of the Philippine papers online for about 2 weeks so I had missed the uproar over GMA's light dinner snack whilst Stateside....

I can't comment on the events...but trust me it is fascinating/entertaining/appalling reading...

from MLQ3 here
and from Torn & Frayed here (I love that comment under the picture of GMA...another alternative could have been "...and the bill was this long"

The upshot of all this seems to be that she doesn't want her plane anymore...

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Il Divo in Manila

Last night's viewing entertainment at the PICC was four boys who actually can sing..otherwise known as Il Divo.

They definitely can sing, although the friend I was with (in future to be known as City Boy!) wittered throughout the concert that the Swiss guy's notes were not 'clean'!

They definitely look good..although three of them look a little on the pale side compared to the Spanish guy who looked as if he were getting more tanned as the show went on - almost as if he has slathered on fake tan pre-show and it was darkening by the minute!

However, the one thing they cannot do...is make little asides and chat through the show...it was all so forced and felt very awkward..every time they stopped for one of their little 'chats'; my toes curled up in my shoes as I cringed!

The one thing that made my evening was the conductor for the orchestra...he was hysterical, his movements wouldn't have been out of place in an 80s disco; and at one stage I thought he was going to gallop off the stage...it provided me with a good 15 minutes of almost hysteria!

The concert was graced by GMA...who walked (more like trotted!) in at about 8:30pm, the concert was supposed to start at 8pm....after the announcer asked us to please sit..and then please stand as the President arrived, there was subdued booing from the front of the theatre..I don't think the concert was late because of her, just that she waited until most people had arrived. To be honest, half an hour late for a concert to start is not bad going - particularly here!

All in, a highly enjoyable evening!

Update: It seems there was heckling of GMA both before and after...!!!

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So who wants to fly into NAIA?

Which should be given priority on the runway? A Lear jet taking off with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on board or an incoming long haul Airbus 340 ferrying 231 passengers that is running low on fuel?

This was the question posed by an official of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) after a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain was reportedly denied landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) because Arroyo was using the runway for her flight to Davao City on Wednesday to stand as a wedding sponsor

From the PDI.

If you ask me, it sounds like a bloody joke....I cannot believe that a decision can be made like that. However, I would ask... is it all possible that GMA may not have been aware that this decision had been made until it was too late...is it possible that one of her flunkies decided to make the decision for fear of upsetting the 'little one'?

Either way its just another in a long line of bad PR moves for GMA and the Philippines....and another sin to add to the long list I'm compiling for NAIA aka The world's least favourite airport!

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