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DECEMBER 2008

A happy December day to one and all. I will be flying back to Manila on 2 Dec at a very early hour. My Santa suit will be clean and pressed and waiting for me and no doubt my legs will be swollen and aching but I will accept the discomfort and be so very happy that once again I can enjoy another Christmas. At this time I would like to write about Sunday, 9 Nov when Priscilla and I trotted out to the farm to select very low income families for our annual "Day with Santa" to be held on 14 Dec. Priscilla does all the work, interviewing the families and getting all the names of the children, ages two to twelve, that we find in a selected neighborhood. Our quota is no more than 120 kids but this time, before we knew it, 207 names had appeared on our list. It was just too hard to stop at 120! The process is pretty routine, especially since this is the fourth year that we have done this but this time, one mother we interviewed at the very beginning became very special to us. She is in her thirties, still fairly attractive, living in a very simple wooden house with four children. The house has no TV, no fans, no radio because there is no electricity. The mother is a widow and she cannot afford to pay the deposit for a meter which is only P2,500. Her job is as a helper in a small store and any money she earns is given for food, clothes and school for the children. When we left her house to continue our visits to other houses the image of this woman stayed with me and how she was still able to smile and was so grateful to be invited to our special Christmas day. I started to think about my life and how comfortable it is and that there are times when we spend P2,500 without a second thought, buy clothes at the Mall, eat out without a worry, watch TV, and enjoy our air-conditioned bedroom. After we left the second house I expressed my thoughts to the Mrs and was told that she was thinking the same thing. We talked a bit and then went back to that house and told the Mom and the kids that even before Christmas we would wire her house, put in the necessary outlets and pay the deposit for meter. We have in storage a small black and white TV and we will give her that and also provide the antenna. We will also purchase two stand fans for their use. To do all this is not expensive and it is the first time that I took such a personal interest in a family we did not know. Why? Because Mrs. Horse and I were instantly rewarded with the joy in this mother's eyes, and the smiles of the four kids. It made me appreciate all that I have and it allows me to do a bit more than having 207 poor children and their parents for one day. My objective is to have electricity in this house before 14 Dec so this mother and her children can have a very memorable Christmas. It is true that there are families like this one all over the world and there are individuals in far more serious situations needing a helping hand but I am not in a position to help them. In this one instance fate brought Mr. and Mrs. Horse to the door step of Dang (The mother's name) and the Christmas spirit found me and I am very happy it did.

You know, here in the Philippines they start playing Christmas music in the Malls in September and that seems early to me, kind of rushing the season a bit. Now that it is actually December I am in high gear and my Santa suit has been cleaned, patched up and ready to go. I suspect that most folks will be spending a bit less this year because of the economy and maybe even traveling less as well. Hopefully, many of you will consider putting out some money for a plane ticket to join us here in the Philippines. The months of Dec, Jan, Feb and March are fantastic, weather wise. Bring your swimming suits and be ready to party big time in Dec. All the Clubs will be trying to out do each other as far as entertainment goes so come on over and look for that one nice, warm, lovely young lady to bundle up with on Christmas Eve, but be sure to turn the air-conditioner up high so you don't burn up. Have a very Merry, Merry Christmas.

Swagman ResortLETTERS AND COMMENTS

Here are a few comments from some members of the AC Message Board. They were forwarded to me by a friend and were submitted shortly after my Nov column was published.

1. Come on Harry....a SPAM for Real Estate? Ooomph! (My goodness, SPAM is for message boards, not my column. I explained that I will post some real estate notices when I can so those readers who might be thinking of moving here might find it helpful. If you are not interested, skip over it.
2. Old news mate. It was NEVER the time. Ask Gerard, BNE Group and the Dollhouse Blokes. (ref real estate info) Wait a minute! I thought those were the "bad guys"! (ref murder investigation). Remember the movie, "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly? Our AC local cops represent all three and once in a while the "good" creeps in.
3. Shit, Harry! That sounds like a disguised threat! (Ref Sully going to Fla) - No threat from me, none at all. I'm just giving an advance Bon Voyage if that departure should ever come about.
4. Well, dear Sir, if you left out the large opening-section of USA-political ramble, that might help a bit. (Ref writing a shorter column). It's my column and readers can skip over whatever part they want. I write what I feel, the column is a part of me and the political situation in the US, at this time, is a very emotional time. I will headline future political comments in bold letters indicating POLITICAL COMMENTS BY HARRY - This should allow readers like yourself to skip to another subject immediately.
5. Wait a minute! I recall in a prior newsletter, Harry mentioned that Louie and his cohorts were "the good guys"! (ref comment PNP screwing up tourism here) - Hee, Hee, I did run into a few readers of that column who were wise enough to read between the lines. Obviously you were not one of them.
6. Firstly, is it just me, or do you find HtH's USA-political opinion ramblings kinda annoying? Sort of a waste of space on a newsletter supposedly devoted to AC. As I said in item four, you can skip that part but long time readers of my column know that I do not just write about Angeles City - i.e., no doubt in Dec I will be writing about Las Vegas, NV. I also write about Manila, Barrio Barreto, Subic and anywhere else I might travel to. Some day I might get to Pueto Gallero, Boracay, Hundred Islands, wherever and will write them. My home base is AC and it is my major interest and always will be but I do branch out when the opportunity allows.
7. I don't know about anyone else, but seems to me if you seen one SM, you have seen them all. Why travel all the way to Manila when you have SM City Clark right in your own back yard. Just like in the states, you seen one mall, you have seen them all. My goodness, I went to a different Mall in Manila that is easy to get to and recommended a restaurant that is not in SM San Fernando or SM Clark and you are complaining? Get a life!

That's it folks - The AC message board is an interesting read with a myriad of different opinions from folks who never use their real names. Comments can be good, helpful, nasty, evil and funny. It is a combination of Saturday Night Live, Letterman, Conan, Larry King, Bill O'Reily and many others but you get the idea. There is also the Go2Phil message board and both are membership sites so check them out, you might want to jump on board and join the gang. Now for some Email comments:

Dear Harry, Thank you for your column each month and for those who do not like you to talk about politics, let them start up their own monthly web page -- and see how many people read their publication. One day I hope to make it to the Republic of the Philippines and Angeles City -- only because of the thoroughness and frankness as to the good and the bad your webpage contains each month. I am just one of the silent majority of readers who welcome your monthly writings. Ride on, write on, right on, Kevin aka bajaman61 (Wow, just when I was thinking of chucking this whole Harry the Horse thing your words were like magic. I have now decided to continue for at least another year. I hope my decision does not make you lose any friends).

Hi Harry (Neighbor):

Just a note to say "HI" and let you know I always enjoy your monthly news letter. I just finished the Nov news letter. My wife Teresa and I worry now when we go to or even through the check point area on Fields Ave. The beggars, both ladies with babies and the kids are very bold and they grab hold of the door handle and run beside the old wagon. This is happening more often since mid Oct. What the hell is going on? (Lack of law enforcement Steve and disinterest on the part of City Officials).
The VA is great in assisting me with my bone cancer as I use the VA Clinic every three months. When I need an infusion or just a needle, the VA has a couple of Doctors at AU Hospital here in A/C and I get my treatment there. (Thanks to Mr Johnson at the VA Office). That is a great help, no need to travel all the way to Manila for a couple of hours treatment. (That is good to know and the US Veterans need service such as that, especially since the VA Van service was discontinued). The best to Priscilla and You this coming Holiday Season. Teresa and Steve - P.S. Your web page look-a-like icon should have less hair on its head -- for accuracy's sake. (Steve, are you suggesting that I am getting bald?)

Hi Harry,

Sometimes, I worry how your honesty in your reporting could get you in the "s.it" if the Angeles Mafia were smart enough to read. (I never take them for granted and I am sure they can read, hopefully they do not access this column that much and if they do, well, maybe they just don't care that much).
The current state of AC is indeed a turn off, and I regard it now as a convenient landing spot (Clark Airfield). I have watched as AC has deteriorated into an annoying town, where you dare not have that extra beer, as the low life are watching constantly. You really need to re-examine your need to be on your own in this once Bachelors Paradise. WE ALL need backup now against the children beggars and their minders, the scams, the personal danger from robbery and attack, and the police. I am sure I have missed a few dangers but you get the idea.
Not long ago it was simpler. You were careful, you sometimes got ripped off, but it was nothing on the scale happening now. You used to lose a thousand piso and got pissed off..... then got over it. You would shrug it off as "the Asian experience". Now I would describe the "AC experience" as inhospitable. Once you leave your safe zone (your hotel) at night, then anything can happen. I would think that the few stories you hear are only the TIP of the iceberg. I would suggest that many tourists are being ripped off and advised to keep quiet about the affair. I know the police take a lesser bribe in return for a quick release and confidentiality.
If you had the time, I would love you to run a satisfaction poll on your web site...regarding experiences in a few cities close to you: Angeles City, Pattaya, La Union, Manila, Puerto Galera, Boracay, Phuket, Bangkok, Cebu, etc., etc. The poll would cover the following subjects: Accommodation Cost / Value for dollar, Entertainment cost/value for dollar, Pollution Level/Noise level...(trikes will win this one) and overall experience.
For instance, I would rate Pattaya as low accommodation cost and a high score in entertainment value. The Pattaya bars are just something that keeps you smiling, low/medium pollution, low noise, and overall experience to be great. AC has medium accommodation cost, low score in entertainment value, but the girls are great fun and great fun to be with, high pollution, high noise (especially in brown outs) and overall experience I rate as fair(ly dangerous).
You can print all or part of this, no problem. regards, AE. (I met you once but such a long time ago you would not know my face), please keep up the good work, and good darts to you. (Well AE, those are interesting observations and I do not have the time to run the poll you suggested but I do invite comments from any of the readers of this column who would like to address those areas informally. It might be interesting and I will print your comments in December. I have heard and read about the entertainment in Pattaya so I understand your high rating for that area but I think our Fields Ave is pretty high in that category as well, though not as high as it was a few years ago. Despite the restrictions our Club do try very hard to keep things as lively as possible. Thanks for your input AE, stop by my stable on your next trip so I can put a face to the initials).

Hi Harry, this is a thought I would like to add to my recent email to you regarding Cebu Airline not accepting credit cards for bookings on line.
Now here is the $64,000 question. If Cebu Airline admits (as per their statement) that they will or cannot accept credit or debit card payments on line why in God's name do they continue to have that facility on their website? So right now , after going thru the drill selecting flights & typing in names & addresses, people are STILL asked to supply their credit card details to complete the booking AND BLOODY CEBU AIRLINES KNOW IN ADVANCE THE CARD WILL BE KNOCKED BACK AS 'INVALID'. Is this a big joke to them? If they are not accepting credit cards TAKE THE BLOODY AUTHORITY OFF THE WEB PAGE! Yes I'm pissed off! Time for a beer. Cheers Terry Shey. (I wonder if the complaints about Cebu Pacific Airlines will ever decrease - my goodness, they must have a few good services to still be in business - To be honest, I believe I have covered this subject before. Cebu Pacific will not accept US credit cards on line. You have to show up to a ticket agent in person with two ID's. Cash talks so try to use cash. Some folks here leave money with friends so that they can book tickets on Cebu Pacific. Yes, it is one big pain in the ass but that is their policy and despite many complaints, they just do not want to change anything. Why use them? The answer usually is that they are cheaper and more convenient than PAL. I agree that they should put something on their Web page explaining their credit card policy but then that would make common sense and those are foreign words in the Philippines).

OK, this was information that I received as I was writing about Cebu-Pacific: Mr Horse I read your great updates every month and felt I needed to pass on information about foreign visa cards on Cebu Pacific. Earlier this year whilst planning me annual Philippines trip my British visa card was constantly rejected by Cebu Pacific. That was until I registered my card with the visa security system 'Verified by Visa'. Shortly after registering I tried to book the Cebu Pacific flights again and this time there was no problem. So pass this on to your readers and I'm sure they won't have any problem making a reservation. Regards, Jonathon Connelly. (Thanks Jonathon, maybe your information will help folks out).

I really enjoyed this message from a reader in Bangkok: Dear Harry Da Asshole ----- Despite all your race-baiting, warmongering, Arab-bashing, and just in general head stuck in the mud (or should I say some underage pussy in Angeles) Obama and his generation and supporters are going to give your pathetic McBush the thrashing of his political life. :-D :-D :-D Finally the American people have seen through the lies, distortions, and fear-mongering of Bush, McCain, Palin, and YOU. Have a great time in Vegas Asshole and savor the OBAMA victory in the NEW United States of America! Jonnie of Bangkok
(My reply - Jonnie, I love diverse comments. Whoever wins the US pitiful election will have a hard time trying to straighten out the mess created by both Democrats and Republicans. The folks will just have to live with the next four years and hope for the best. By the way my friend, NEVER UNDERAGE!
I am so glad that the American people are reading my column and that you put me up there with Bush, McCain, and Palin. Wow, I did not realize I reached that many people. By the way, I did not know that you knew that I was the President of the Asshole Club here in AC. We have over 500 members and you would certainly fit in with us. Good to hear from a Bangkok reader. I lived there for 5 years and loved every minute and I especially miss the food. Have a good day, Your favorite all around asshole - Harry the Horse

Then his reply to my reply:
349 to 163 (Missouri and North Carolina still undecided) - Sorry...there just we not enough Joe the Morons this time around. The only demographic McBush carried was the over 65 crowd...that is to say they dying-off America :-D. Please let me know if you would like me to bring for you framed inaugural portrait of President Barrack Hussain Obama when I visit Angeles in February. I am sure you would want to place a portrait of your new Commander In Chief in a place of honor at the VFW, for all the Fox TV watching right-wing nuts there to salute before enjoying their breakfast. (Now, by this time I had enough of Jonnie, whoever he or she might be. I did not reply nor did I try to correct his spelling and grammar. As for me, like all other Americans I will be supporting the new guy because of his position and hope that he does so well that I will want to vote for him the next time. I can only wait, observe and pray that he gets America back on track. Being 70 I guess I am in that dying off demographic but I sure hope that I can age gracefully and keep the small amount of money that took me 70 years to save up. Oh, yes, one more thing, Jonnie, bring me that framed picture and I will certainly hang it somewhere, that's a promise).

Hi Harry, Was reading your November issue and the story of Lena & Greg caught my eye. It was a damn shame that such a simple thing turned nasty. When I go to Angeles City, been twice in the last 16 months and I am going back in Feb next year, I always budget around 150 pesos a day for the beggars. I keep a pocket full of 10 pesos coins and another pocket topped up with 20 pesos coins. Probably, 7 out of 10 beggars, I ignore or develop a severe hearing impediment towards, the other 3 out of 10 I give a coin to. Most of them say 'Thankyou Uncle" and then bugger off. When I was over there last June, 4 young boys came up an indicated that they were hungry. So I went into a shop close by and bought them all a packet of bongos (chips...????) and a soft drink. They all buggered off and that was that, all over Red Rover, cost me about 120 pesos I think.
Unfortunately, in our cities here in Australia, we have beggars too. Young guys in their late teens or early twenties, at the train stations or bus depots, asking for $2 for a fare. These are guys usually on the dole (unemployment benefits) getting money for drugs. Reports on Current Affairs show have these guys are earning up to $100 to $150 per day, yes per day. They are just bludging arseholes in my opinion, who wont work and beg for the hell of it.
I am not sure if the beggars are a good thing or a bad thing. But I think that a poor country will always have its beggars and as I say I budget 150 pesos a day to bugger them off. I have never had any problems with them. Then I have been told that if one goes to the United States of America, you have to budget for tips on most of your services and meals, including drinks. So I guess it is all relevant, and then that old saying comes to mind.....when in Rome do as the Romans do. If you would like to print this in your December issue old mate, please be my guest and go right ahead. Regards for now, take care and I will see you on your birthday in February, Robby Haydon. Brisbane. Australia. (It was a pleasure to hear from you Robby. It is always good to get a different perspective on how different people deal with a common problem in different ways. For many of us living here every day P150 or more a day to pass out to these beggars is a bit prohibitive. Me, I willingly give when I see folks who are disabled and cannot work asking for a donation. Other than that I give them a pass by).

Hi Harry the Horse - Myself and a friend are coming to visit in February of next year. I would like to thank you for all of your insight into the thieves and schemes going on there. With your column, my friend and I have been able to create some safety rules for ourselves before our visit. We would like to come out to see you when we arrive in town. We are going to eventually visit my Brother in Palawan but my friend insisted we go to Angeles first and after reading your column, I agree completely. It looks like a lot of fun and we have already booked our stay at the ABC Hotel. I I am writing because I was going to bring some clothing, etc. for some of the lesser privileged children to Palawan but it looks as if your community could use the items more. I have seen some of the pictures of the beggars, etc. let alone the people struggling to survive in today's economy. Most of the people on my brothers Island are self sufficient in the way of food and clothing. They are small communities. Would you give me an address to send some items over and maybe brighten up some children's Christmas Spirits? I would be happy to help as I feel as though I have lived vicariously through your site and know the people. Thanks for bringing Angeles to the rest of us in the world in such a vivid fashion. My best, Jon
California, USA. (Thank you Jon. That is my hope, that folks will be aware of what to look out for when here to avoid problems. Additionally, it is not my intent to turn folks off from coming here as there is a lot of fun to be had. Just use due care, be sensible and you will be planning your next trip before you even head for home).

Harry the Horse,
I am not sure how to get the word out about this, but I read your monthly newsletter and thought you might be the right one to tell. I stayed at La Casa for a week last January and we had a couple conversations.
I am an American tourist and normally stay for 3 months at a time. This time I rented an apartment on Narciso Street (DaddyO Apartments). A week ago Friday (Oct 31) I was returning to my apartment around midnight. After unlocking and entering the outer gate a Filipino rushed the gate and attempted to force his way inside. We struggled briefly at the gate with me trying to close the gate and him trying to open it. He shot me through the bars of the gate, but I still managed to get the gate closed and locked. The bullet entered my upper right chest and exited my right side. I was taken to the hospital by a neighbor and my landlord. Miraculously, the bullet passed only through soft tissue. I was released from the hospital Saturday morning.
I think this was a botched robbery attempt. I have no known enemies, don't owe anyone money, and wasn't even carrying much money (less than 400 pesos in my wallet). I have a girlfriend but am convinced that there was no jealous boyfriend or anything like that. Police are investigating and did recover the bullet. They told me it was a .38 caliber.
I would prefer to remain anonymous if you choose to put this information in your newsletter. Bob (Narciso Street is where you turn left or right at the Checkpoint heading down the street that takes you pass the Tiger and Medgar Hotels heading towards the Divine Shepherd Hospital. This incident is scary and folks need to use due care when returning to Hotels and homes late at night. Bob is lucky to still be alive. I also heard of a foreigner being accosted when walking home along Perimeter road after he left a Club around 0400 hrs. Perimeter Road is pretty dark in some places and it is not a good idea to walk home at this time. Looks like we are in the Christmas season again where the Filipino thieves flourish.)

AN UPDATE ON THIS INCIDENT: Harry - Sorry I never got a chance to get to your place. Just wanted to update you on my shooting. The police were here this morning and told me they had arrested a gang of 8 Filipinos that were violently robbing victims in the area. They had attacked both foreigners and Filipinos. Apparently there was another shooting the other night. They took me to the police station to identify the shooter. I could not positively identify him, but they said it did not matter because there was a witness to my shooting who had already identified the shooter.
I am returning to the USA tomorrow, but wanted to update you on the situation. I have about 99% recovered. Just some minor stiffness under my right arm. Bob - I Emailed Bob to ask him to identify the police who assisted him so I could pass on a positive "well done" to them, his response was: Harry - The Police were from Station Four and treated me very well. I had contact with them at the hospital, the next day at my apartment, a few days later to sign a statement, and today at my apartment and Station Four. Most of my dealings were with Officer Rodriquez but also met with the Station Commander and Investigator that made the arrests.
I have heard about problems with the police, but my experience was all positive. They seemed honestly concerned about my health, and determined to apprehend the shooter.
I will be in the USA at least 3 months. I have been coming to the Philippines for 3 months, then home for 3 months. I have daughters in college, so I return to the U.S. when they are home for Thanksgiving/Christmas and then again in the summer. (The Commander of Station Four is Major Aspe and I am very pleased to learn of this very successful investigation, apprehension of the criminals and the very positive way they treated this foreigner.)

This Email was sent by Ron Smith, no location provided: Harry I have to laught when I read your stupid jokes about Democrats. Some people are really ignorant about life. Its all the old farts (like you) that are a bad influnence on the up and coming generations. The world will be a better place when all the 50 + year olds die off. Of coarse its coach potatos like you that sit around and getting fat and really should not be complaing. I guess the perfect leader for you would be God runing the world. Republican or Democrat or Independant the world will be a safer place on Jan 20th. The last time a Republican was voted out of office the same thing happened---the US was in a mess some will not admitted----do they not like the ne President elect ---because he is a Democrat or black?? Its a sick world out there. (I will be overjoyed to vote for Obama in the next election if he gets America back on track. People get what they vote for, they went with Obama, fine, I will sit back and wait to see what happens next. I believe he will back off from some of his rhetoric during the campaign, not because he wants to, but because he will get a reality check. I am glad you are not an "old fart" right now, but one day you will be. Maybe by that time, you will be a lot wiser than you are right now. By the way, can you improve your spelling so I know that you learned something in school.)

Hi Harry,
I’ve lived in Angeles for four years now. I have watched the recent decline of Angeles first hand. Angeles was never a perfect place to live but the benefits always were able to outshine the dirty streets, the corrupt police, the pushy vendors selling fake Viagra and pirated DVDs and the parade of beggars. Recently I started searching for an alternative place to live as the benefits were no longer able to outshine the increasingly negative experiences that come with living in Angeles.
A few weeks ago I had a particularly bad day. I was on the way to sign the lease for another year in my apartment. The rent was increasing yet again by another outrageous amount. A policeman on a scooter pulled up next to me while I was driving and demanded I pull over. Someone had recently peeled the sticker off my license plate to steal for themselves. This cop apparently saw my missing sticker and viewed me as an easy target for some extra pocket money.
Things started going badly from the start. I handed him my drivers license from the states and he asked me how long I have been in the Philippines. When he found out I had been in the country for 2 months he tried to argue that my drivers license was only good for 30 days. I told him he was wrong. It is good for 90 days after arrival and he should write me a ticket if he thinks that is incorrect. Next he asks for the key to my scooter. I had already put it in my pocket. He wanted to impound the scooter even though he now had seen my valid registration because the year sticker was missing. I refused to give him the key. Luckily for me a crowd was now gathering and there were now witnesses to his actions. After threatening to push the scooter to the police station himself he quickly found out the steering was locked. It seems at this point he decided his efforts were futile and he got back on his scooter and drove away without ever returning my drivers license. I have no doubt that if he got his hands on my scooter key I never would have seen my scooter ever again.
Instead of continuing to me destination and signing the lease on my apartment I drove to the travel agent. I booked a flight to Thailand for me and my favorite girl. Now that we have been in Thailand for a few weeks I truly regret not coming here sooner. I don’t miss Angeles at all.
The walking street here is actually a walking street. There are no trikes driving up and down it at night. No scooters disregarding the “Do Not Enter” signs. The comparably few vendors that are here can comprehend what “no” means. I have yet to have anyone shove a box of fake Viagra in my face. Rents here are significantly lower than in AC and rooms are plentiful. There is no trike mafia ripping off tourists. And the local food actually tastes good!!! Thailand is in now way perfect but it is decades ahead of Angeles. Above all, and this is the most important thing, I actually feel safer here.
Now that I have had my rant, here is my little piece of info for you. Cebu Pacific does not take foreign credit cards. They only accept cards issued in the PI. Nobody at Cebu Pacific seems to know this but the travel agents apparently do. Have a nice day!!! Eddie Class (For some reason Eddie, I still want to stay here in the Philippines. Maybe that is because I am settled here and consider this my home and also, no matter how bad things look right now, I remain optimistic. Yes, it will get better, I am sure of it and but it is going to take a lot of work from those who truly believe in tourism, safety, security and a drastic reduction in corruption. The Clubs are still here, Fields Ave still has the music, women and drinks and Perimeter Road Clubs have more of the same only at a much lesser price but the Clubs close earlier at night. Now, if we could only get a good honest head cop in town with the balls to take some positive actions in cleaning out some of the questionable personnel on the police payroll, ------ well, what can I say, one can dream, right?)

I would refer this site to one and all for an interesting read: www.centralluzoncorruption.com. Recently I received an Email from a representative of this site who indicated that I was a person of interest. I was surprised as I have nothing to do with this site other than being interested in its content. The Email confirmed to me that the people behind it have a great deal of technological expertise at their disposal. They were able to show me evidence of their ability to obtain information from monitoring phone calls and Emails so their claims are not exaggerated. It made me a bit nervous to see that their examples were excerpts from my own phone conversations and Emails. They are very prepared to expose corruption in the Philippines and particularly Angeles City in a way that I, myself would never attempt to do. Once, I wrote to them complaining that they were extracting pictures and comments from my Harry the Horse site. They told me it was a public forum and they could do what they wanted with it. I guess I can't argue with that as my legal knowledge is quite limited but as long as everyone knows that I do not voluntarily submit information to this website, I am OK with it. They are pretty well protected, I am not and I am not a crusader. My objective is to warn Expats and visitors to this City what to look out for and what to do to enjoy themselves without ending up as a guest of Station Four. I do recommend that the readers of this column check out that website and form your own opinions as to its worth or effectiveness. Believe me, it is beginning to get a lot of attention from a lot of people connected with the police and politicians in this country. I don't know if that is good or bad but some of what they write about really hits home. It is definitely a site that invites a lot of emotional, strong feelings one way or another. My true feelings will be discussed privately with friends and acquaintences, not in this column. You might ask why? The answer is "I might be stupid but am definitely not crazy".

PEOPLE AT CEBU PACIFIC ARE VERY RUDE AND CEBU PACIFIC SUCKS!

This Is Bob Laing from Angeles City. On May 15, 2008 my wife bought airline tickets on Cebu Pacific Airlines from Clark to Cebu and Cebu to Bangkok and return. In the first days of August 2008 I received an email that our flights from Cebu to Bangkok and return have been changed. They changed our flights departing/returning from Cebu to Manila. On Aug 13, 2008 I called Cebu Pacific to cancel the Clark Cebu portion of our trip. On August 15, 2008 I received an email confirming my request for a refund. As of today Nov 16, 2008 THREE (3) months later I still have not received any refund and no response from Cebu Pacific. I have sent more than 18 mails, called more than four (4) times (each time I was told they would email me the results of the refund) and sent more than TWELVE (12) requests for refund using Cebu Pacific’s Guest Feed Back Program. I have never received any response from Cebu Pacific concerning the status of my full refund. We went on our trip reluctantly going from Manila and return.

Apparently, this is the standard operating procedures for Cebu Pacific Airlines. I have spoken to at 6 other people who told me about vast problems they experienced in getting the airline refund. These six people told me they were treated identically the same way people at Cebu Pacific treated us. Imagine, an airline say in America without contacting the customer first changing the departure/return city from say San Francisco to Los Angeles. This is not the first time people at Cebu Pacific changed our flights. In June 2008 we bought airline tickets for four (4) people departing/returning from Clark to Cebu. In July 2008, without are prior communication I received another email stating that our departure date of Aug 27, 2008 has been changed to Aug 29, 2008. People at Cebu Pacific did not coordinate this change with me. What would happen say I was working and needed to be a work say on Aug 28, 2008? We went on the new flight schedule to Bangkok since we paid an inexpensive price for our airline tickets.

My wife and I both used to like Cebu Pacific; however, with their rip off business practices, if other airlines are available we will definitely not fly Cebu Pacific ever again. I suspect Cebu Pacific airlines does this deceptive business practice since they probably figure a certain percentage of the customers will get frustrated and give up trying to get their refund. I will never give up attempting to receive my refund. I never made any changes in my flights. All these ridiculous changes were made by people at Cebu Pacific. (Bob, I am trying to find the Email address of the manager for Cebu-Pacific Airlines. The complaints against this company keep piling up.)

TIDBITS

Just a short note to detail an incident I experienced with Tiger Airways. Two months ago I purchased two round-trip tickets, Clark to Macau. I was scheduled to fly out on November 19th. As I arrived at the airport, with my bags, passports and tickets, I was directed to the Arrival Area. I immediately knew something was wrong.  Tiger Airways had set up a makeshift desk, in the Arrival Area, and placed a young female at the desk, to inform passengers the flight to Macau had been cancelled, and that no other flights were scheduled for this route. The young girl, who identified herself as a baggage handler, knew no specifics and seemingly, her only instructions were to say "sorry sir." She did not even have access to a phone and there was no other Tiger Airways rep at the airport.

I headed back home and went straight to Amega Travel. Amega Travel denied any knowledge of the flight cancellation. Their agent phoned Tiger Airways, where I received numerous additional "sorry sirs" as well as "that is not our policy" replies to questions related to compensation. Eventually, I did receive a full refund of the cost of my ticket, but that was not a simple process in itself. Tiger Airways is currently only offering a flight to Singapore, with a connecting flight to Perth. If anyone has tickets for other destinations, they'd better scurry for a refund. Mike Sculley Puzzles Cafe

MINORITIES - We need to show more sympathy for these people.

• They travel miles in the heat.
• They risk their lives crossing a border.
• They don't get paid enough wages.
• They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do.
• They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.
• They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day ~ every day.

I'm not talking about illegal Mexicans ~ I'm talking about our troops! Doesn't it seem strange that many Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegal aliens, but don't support our troops, and are even threatening to defund them?

Please pass this on; this is worth the short time it takes to read

I love this. This came from a favorite cartoon character named “Maxine” and I relish the chance to pass it on. Our men in uniform who are engaged in this Iraq/Afghanistan conflict need to know that ALL Americans fully support them.

I am confused and perplexed and maybe even a bit angry. For an Immigrant to become a US Citizen they have to pass some tests that require a lot of studying and one of the qualifications for citizenship is that they must show the ability to read, write and speak English. Sounds fair enough to me but then I have to ask, why, in Nevada do they send out absentee ballots in English and Spanish? Who the hell is voting that can't read English and then my next question is why is this person even a US citizen? Guess I will have to write super liberal Sen. Harry Reid for an answer. Naturally, I submitted my absentee ballot and yes, I did vote for McCain, even though by that time I was pretty sure Obama would win. Like any good debate there is a winner and a loser and in this case I must say that we have a new leader and we must support this man as much as possible. He has a hard road to travel down for the next four years and I would like to think that after four years he would have done such a good job that I would want to vote for him. That would mean that he was able to stop the decline of our economic system, fix the borders, solve the Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Russia problems and put a leash on Pelosi and Reid. That is one colossal task! But for now, Obama is my man in charge and I hope he does well. One thing though, I keep hearing my fellow Americans of color and the news media referring to Barack as the first Black President and the historical significance of this achievement. I agree but I think of him as my white and black President because most folks forget that he is 50% white but nobody likes to mention that. I discussed this with a friend of mine and he reminded me that years ago, in our "racist" society it was decided that if a person had even a 10% drop of blood from a person of color than he or she was considered to be black and therefore discriminated against. He reminded me of how easy it is to categorize people, but never-the-less, I kind of like the blend of Obama and that he can lead the American folks into a more liberalized, fair way of looking at all Americans without placing any importance to the color of one's skin. Is that possible? Maybe yes, maybe no, but right now, with this election we have moved in the right direction. I'm kind of glad to have lived long enough to see that but that does not mean I will agree with all his political decisions and that folks, is democracy.

Could we really have an exit/entry point (Interchange) to the SCTEX by the end of December? If that happens I will be very surprised as, initially, it was announced that it would happen by the first quarter of 2009. It has been fast tracked and it would be such a great help in reducing the time going from Clark to Subic and vice versa. Each week as I travel to Subic I look at the construction progress and I hope for sunny days so there will be no delays. Regretfully, the weather is not cooperating as November is the typhoon season and the rains are still with us. NOTE: Since I first wrote this I have seen considerable progress on the construction and I have become more optimistic. The weather has improved and maybe we will have that entrance/exit on Clark by Dec or at the very least, January. I tried to stop and take another picture a couple of weeks ago but they had half the roadway blocked off for construction so could not do so. The picture here was taken early November.

Cebu-Pacific Airline started their four times a week flight from Clark to Thailand on Saturday, 8 Oct 08. They also have a daily flight to Hong Kong and Singapore. I think the ability to fly out of Clark to Thailand four times a week is fantastic and a welcome addition to the DMIA.

I read in the Sun-Star Newspaper that Angeles City Mayor "Blueboy" Nepomuceno has instructed the Public Regulatory Office (PTRO) to strictly enforce an ordinance regulating tricycle fares. Personally, I think this is blowing smoke in the wind. In all the years that I have been here no City Official has been able to control the tricycle drivers in this area. I have attended meetings in the past with the various Mayors when the subject of fare abuse by tricycle drivers along Perimeter Road and Fields Ave have been brought up. The minimum fare for a one kilometer ride is P20 and does anyone believe that you can enter any tricycle here and pay only P20? In the provinces yes, but not in the entertainment zone where tricycle drivers have been taking advantage of all expats and tourists for years. My guess is that the Mayor will put out all this direction and it will never get implemented or enforced. It would be better if the Mayor would do something about the traffic on Fields Ave, especially at the Checkpoint. One afternoon at 3:45 PM it took me 20 minutes to be able to make my right turn onto Fields Ave and then another 10 minutes to get past the Jollibee intersection. In fact, one passenger of a vehicle had to get out and direct traffic himself in an attempt to ease a choke point. There were no traffic enforcers, Barangay volunteers to be seen. This situation can be resolved if the folks in City Hall did something else instead of just looking for ways to extort money from Club owners.

Victor Dufort really enjoys eating at various locations within the Clark Freeport Zone and here are some words from him about a neat little restaurant he has discovered: "At the back entrance to Mimosa, across the road from the Red Crab and the parade grounds is a great little restaurant called Café Mesa. It is very comfortable with three different sitting areas: an air-conditioned main seating area, a screened in veranda with couches, and a beautiful outside garden. Prices are very reasonable and they recently added an “Italian Crisp” panitza, a smaller but just as wonderful tasting as the “C” Italian original. Daily specials and cheap draft beer are available. Not to mention the beautiful (and classy) waitresses which have been working there since I arrived in this town almost 2 years ago." Well, for some reason I have missed this eatery and will put it on my list of places to check out. I particularly want to see those waitresses!

I am happy to announce that the Asti Restaurant on Zeppelin St., Hensonville, is now open for lunch from 1100 to 1400 hours daily. You can contact them at syturralde@gmail.com. Tel: 892-1338.

There is a rumor that Maj Louie Tan will retire from the PNP on 31 Dec 08. He was recently transferred out of Station four to Station one in Angeles City. I will have to chase down Maj Tan and try to get the true story. The last time I spoke with him he indicated he still had a couple of years to go. Whenever he makes that decision I will be waiting for my invitation to the big event.

In the past I have written about the arrest of Dr. Stephen Soul and his departure from this country after posting bail. He has had two court appearances scheduled and for both he has been a no show, thereby making life a bit difficult for his Attorney. Not too long ago he wrote to me and asked about checking with Attorney Duro about some paperwork he asked to be prepared on his behalf. I kept forgetting to forward his request to the Attorney but was reminded to do so after I read some disparaging remarks about the Attorney in the latest update to www.centralluzoncorruption.com website. I forwarded the Email to Attorney Duro and this was his reply to me:

Hello sir:

I have already replied to Mr. Soul on his concerns and explained to him the required legal procedures on the said Petition for Review and we are now in constant communication thru e-mails. Please asked Mr. Soul to forward to you all of my explanations on his concerns so you may have a more clear understanding of the legal representations that i have done so far in his two (2) criminal cases and his request for an instant filing of Petition for Review. Yes i have received from him an acceptance fee of P30,000 for each case.

To be candid with you sir, a lawyer cannot make an effective representation of his client in court if his client continues to defy and disregard a court order requiring an accused (Dr. Soul) to appear at pre-scheduled court hearings. In fact, during his scheduled arraignment on September 11, 2008, Mr. Soul has adamantly refused to come back and to appear in court and I have to beg the court then at the said hearing to give Dr. Soul another chance to appear for his arraignment on another date and I even promised the court to present Dr. Soul on the next hearing. I have informed the court that Dr. Soul fears for his personal safety. Hence, the court believing in my representation as an officer of the court has granted my request and the court ordered the re-setting of the arraignment of Dr. Soul to November 13, 2008.

Then, in the interim I filed a "MOTION TO DEFER THE ARRAIGNMENT OF DR. SOUL AND MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND/OR RE-INVESTIGATION" of his case to pave the way for a Petition for Review. I have scheduled this motion for hearing and consideration by the court also on November 13, 2008. The said motion will be most likely allowed by the court if Dr. Soul shows up at the hearing. But again, to my great disappointment, Dr. Soul decided not to show up in court this morning for very very important matters under consideration by the court. Then the court DENIED our motions and ordered the arrest of Dr. Soul. the bottom line in the hearing is that we lost our credibility to the judge, the judge simply refused to believe us and demanded the presence of Dr. soul, nothing more and nothing less. Regards, Atty Duro. (In the past Stephen has written to me indicating he was worried about his safety if he returned to the Philippines for his court dates but then indicated he would do so as he wanted to clear his name. Guess he changed his mind but I sure do think he should have communicated this to his lawyer. Anyway, enough is enough with Dr. Soul. I remain confident in recommending the services of Attorney Duro to any foreigner that finds himself involved with legal problems and I appreciated that he took the time to correspond with me when he had no obligation to do so. He also gave me permission to print his reply to me in this column.)

Chef Chris has left the house he helped to build. On Saturday, 15 Nov, Chef Chris departed the "C" Italian Restaurant after bidding the staff a goodbye and headed for home to plan for his next venture. Over the years this man lifted fine dining in this town to a level never seen before. He developed legions of fans who were willing to pay premium prices for the opportunity to taste cuisine normally only found in five star restaurants. He developed unique dishes brought to life only through his talented hands. He taught others many of his secrets and techniques, he was a dictatorial leader who developed and fine tuned a team of assistant cooks and waitresses that worked together with the efficiency of a drill team. But, as with many high strung, temperamental, talented chefs, there comes a time to move on. The need to look for more challenges that will feed their egos takes hold and they move on to other locations. He gave so much of himself to the "C" Italian and the owners supported him and appreciated his contributions for all the years that he was there. They reluctantly had to accept his departure but knowing that he left a trained staff behind softened the blow. The restaurant's operation continued without any interruption and the very next day they fed a private party of 40 clients without any problems at all. The owner, Charmaine Pineda, informed me that it will be business as usual and that she will continue the tradition of professionalism, excellent food and top service developed by Chris. At this time I do not know where Chris will move on to but a man with his talents will continue to be successful wherever he decides to hang his hat. Whether that will continue to be in Angeles City or elsewhere is a question that still has to be answered.

I would like to thank Russell from Melbourne, Australia for stopping by on 15 Nov to drop off a donation for our Christmas Project. It was a long distance to come and much appreciated.

I received a text message from Australian Tony Whelan asking me to pass on that ex-cop Russell Palmer holds a trivia contest at the Lagoon, Baloy Beach, Barretto and some decent money can be won. All are welcome to participate and test the old memory banks.

It is not often that I get the chance to mention Mr. VFW himself, Cliff Wilsey so it was a good excuse to do so when he had his housewarming last month. Now it wasn't Cliff alone that warranted this picture but the addition of his two personable sisters that flew all the way from the States to visit him and be on hand to check out his new house. One is from Brockton, Mass, and the other from Maine and their names are Linda and Donna. Please do not ask me to match the names or States to the two ladies with Cliff. I did not have my pen and note paper with me and I intended to see Cliff at the VFW to get the necessary details. Good intentions don't always get the job done. Let it be said that the sisters were personable and great sports and I am sure they enjoyed the reunion with their brother. Regretfully, I did not get to see them again to ask what they thought of the Philippines and particularly Angeles City. I am curious to find out where Cliff took them while they were here and if they hit any of the bars. I also wonder if they will make a return trip anytime in the near future. Cliff's house has enough room for them to stay around for a couple of months. I always enjoy visiting houses and getting design ideas and I must say that this is a beautifully designed home, well laid out, spacious and decorated nicely. A home to be proud of I was very pleased to be invited check the place out. The food was great but I never saw so many different "bean" dishes which I am sure caused a lot of windy conditions later in the evening.

We were driving through Manila on the way back to Angeles City when I saw this sign on the back of a truck in front of us. I had to laugh and also appreciate the fact that the owner of the truck had a sense of humor and also did not mind announcing something that is all so true! For those that might not be able to see the wording it states: "DON'T STEAL - THE GOVERNMENT HATES COMPETITION".

I received a hot tip from Nisse, the mad Swede who told me that a great place to check out is the Clarkton's Mirrors Club. Daily, from 3 to 6 PM local drinks are only P45 and the ladies are hot, hot, hot. On Sundays they wear dresses that make them look even sexier than during the week. He gave me this information before he went into Thi-Hi to get a "candy shot" so he was quite sober and information is considered reliable.

I thought the underage girl set-up scams were a thing of the past but it is not to be. On 17 Oct another foreigner was victimized and this time a settlement of P60,000 was reached after he was kept overnight at a local police station. Believe it or not that is a very reasonable payment compared to sums asked for in the past. I have a few details but my attempt to call the victim failed and I could not get the details to find out exactly how he ended up in a situation that led to his arrest. What I do know is that a mother was involved along with her underage daughter and that a certain trust developed but then the mother asked for some financial assistance from the victim and when he refused - well, you can guess the rest of the story. I do not know if there was sex involved and yes, the daughter was really underage. Folks, if you stick with the gals working in the Clubs you can stay out of trouble but once you allow so called "Friends" in who are accompanied by an underage companion, male or female, you are in deep shit. The mother will thank you, the young girl will thank you and the police will thank you for your contribution to their well being.

TAPS

George Waggoner, US Veteran, passed away on 19 Nov 08. A friend of his wrote an obituary and sent it to me the night before I was heading for the States. It's longer than I would normally allow but I did not have the heart or time to shorten it, additionally, it was well written:

"A Patriot, Special Forces Veteran, Veteran's Advocate, True Friend, Husband, Father, and all-around great man died of complications of a service-connected parachute accident incurred 47 years ago at the age of 70. Battling recognition for his traumatic 1250-foot "double-streamer" parachute malfunction with the Veteran's Administration, George Edward Waggoner never succeeded in holding a traditional job after that event. In 1961, directly following his accident, pronounced dead, transferred to the morgue - complete with a "toe tag," George awoke in what many called an absolute miracle. This time he did not wake up and while in repose at the funeral parlor he was laying still and looking like he was just sleeping for a few minutes (like he used to do to get over the daily pain he experienced and his other disabilities). I thought of my association with him and how he had enriched my life. His wife at his side, weeping and playing with his day's growth of beard, his brother-in-law in tears over losing his best friend and only father figure, his best friend of over 20 years flabbergasted, and my girlfriend and I standing over him in disbelief… We all expected him to jump up and say "What the hell ya'll lookin' at? Aint you ever seen no dead man before?"
That was just George's way… Matter of fact! But never count him out when someone needed help, OH NO! Even though not a wealthy man, George was the first one to dig, and sometimes dig DEEP into his own pockets to help just about anyone who even hinted at needing it. He volunteered as a Veteran's Advocate, and assisted the Post Service Officer for Post 2485 and he was also the Special Forces Association Treasurer. I can't say enough about George and am still shocked he is gone. I can remember him in the VFW, then at Puzzles Café, just eager to help anyone asking for it. He donated thousands of hours of his time, money, equipment, and just plain old enthusiasm almost seeking-out people to help. He will be missed by all, lauded by some, and forgotten by none. I am privileged to have known such a man, and will miss our daily conversations, sometimes disputes, about life in general.

Thaddeus "Ski-2" Stryminski, M/Sgt USAF Ret. passed away on the evening of 4 November 2008 at the Divine Shepard Hospital (PIH) from liver failure. Ski-2 was well known in the local Expat community and his favorite drinking location was the Thi-Hi Bar. He had cut down on his drinking but it was a bit too late. The last time I saw him at the Thi-Hi his stomach was extremely bloated and very hard to the touch. He told me that he was going to try and seek treatment at a Guam hospital as soon as he could get around better. He has been a part of the Angeles City scene for many years and it is sad to have to see a fellow veteran pass away before his time should have been up. When he woke up to the fact that he should have drank less alcohol and taken better care of himself it was too late. He requested cremation and burial at the Clark cemetery. Ski 2 had many friends here and it was sad to watch his health slowly deteriorate. We all wish he could have made it to proper medical care when he was strong enough to do so.

To all ship mates and friends,

I just received word that Capt Jack McDonald, passed away this morning around 2 am, Easter Standard Time, at his home in Florida. Official cause of death not now known but I suspect it was liver cancer. He was being treated for a large tumor on his liver. Jack was a long time Barrio resident, friend and mentor to many, many, retirees in this area. He oversaw the construction and was hospital administrator for PIH, Health Visions Hospital, in Angeles City, Philippines. He was also the official Retired Affairs Representative from the Philippines to the annual conference in Washington, D.C. He performed duties as a Notary public for many of the retirees in the area. Capt Jack was a tried and true Submariner and his like will be missed. For many years, He palled around with what I call the "three musketeers", Capt Don O'Shea, Chief of the Boat, Hap Hernandez, and Himself. All three have now joined the "Supreme Commander" and they are more than likely either playing golf or making liberty runs somewhere up there. Capt Jack McDonald has made his "last dive" and we, his friends and shipmates, wish him all the best in his final journey. Mike "The Mag" Trimble - (Jack was well known here because of his position at the PIH and the work he did there in assisting the Expat community. The last time I saw him he told me he was returning to the States to take care of the educational needs of his children. As it turns out he left PIH at the right time and it is sad that he could not enjoy his life in Florida a lot longer than he did. This information was passed on to me by John Reveille on 10 Nov 08)

I WOULD IF I COULD

This lady is Jackielou and I spotted her dancing on stage at the Emotions Club on Perimeter Road. I was there to watch my pool team play, have a cup of coffee and spring for drinks for my team members. While sitting at the bar and chatting with friends I looked up and saw this this slim, attractive lady with a nice smile and some nice moves to her dance steps. Thank goodness I had my camera with me as I immediately knew that my search for a Dec inspiration was over. She is 26 years old and has a four year old son and, yes, I know I try to find women without children but sometimes I just have to go with the flow and believe me my juices were flowing. I talked to the supervisor and told her to ask Jackielou to pose for me and she was willing to do so. This is not always easy to do because many of the ladies are reluctant to have their pictures taken. From the moment she came off stage I knew I had a winner because of her personality and friendliness. I went through my regular questions and she really got on my good side when I asked her about age in men and she gave the standard answer of "age does not matter". With that answer I told her I was 70 and would that be OK. She immediately indicated that she did not believe I was 70 so I nearly grabbed her with the intent of running out of the Club with her. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and I realized that I probably did not have the strength or energy for such an endeavor anyway. She is from Davao, a high school graduate and her dream is to travel to different countries so would like to meet a man capable of making her dream come true. She is very eligible for romance and can be contacted at joban_serrano@yahoo.com.

NEW BARANGAY HALL

A new Balibago Barangay Hall is under construction and should be completed by the time this column goes to press. It is a great, great improvement over the old structure. It is a beautiful building and it is already open for business. I had to pick up a package at the Post Office last month and it is on the first floor of the new building and the staff sure looked very happy with their new facilities. The new building is bright, clean and every office is spacious. The new office for the Barangay Captain is absolutely fantastic! It is large, has a room for a kitchen and a private bathroom. A social hall large enough for 150 people to sit comfortably is a nice addition to the building and will certainly make future meetings with residents a pleasure to attend. When I took this picture the Hall itself was complete except for the final touches. The outside landscaping was well under way and I will have to get an updated photo when I return from the States.

I was pleased to have as my guide Mr. Anthony Baker whose father was with the American Cavalry at Clark. He is very interesting gentleman who volunteers his time at the Barangay Hall assisting the Barangay Captain. I hope to see him again and have him relate his early years in Angeles City to me. I am sure the residents of Balibago are very pleased to see this new Hall and they should be very proud of what has replaced a very old, run down, crowded building. By the way, on the second floor a Tourist Assistance Office has been established and that is good news.

FACES OF FIELDS AVE

It is late at night, 11 PM, and it is time for me to call Priscilla to come and pick me up and take my weary body home. I have walked from MacArthur Ave to the 7-11 Store, stopping at various eateries to cover story on quick places to grab a bite to eat. As I stopped I managed to grab a couple of pictures of what is an all too common sight in the entertainment zone. Please note the time and believe me these same pictures could have been taken much later. It is easy to feel sorry for these people, especially at this time of the year but that sympathy lessens as they become more and more aggressive and become quite annoying. By the way, maybe Phillip Terrell can pick up the little boy with the disfigured face and put him in his "Operation Smile" program. His parents should be ashamed of putting him on the street to beg when free medical assistance is available.

TOURISTS OF THE MONTH

There I am, 1000 hrs sitting in front of my computer, in my jammies, trying to work on this column and watch Bill O'Reilly at the same time when I get a call on my intercom that two visitors are in the bar downstairs waiting to talk to me. I slowly got up from my chair, looked for a shirt, put on my worn out slippers and went downstairs for what I thought would be a 15 minute hello, nice to meet you and then struggle back upstairs to my TV and computer again. But, that was not to be! Instead, over an hour later I was still talking to Bill Walsh and Mike Connolly because they turned out to be two nice guys that were interesting and fun to talk to. Bill works at Kunsan AB, Korea and Mike works at Osan AB, Korea and they flew in to Clark on Asiana Airlines for a bit of a holiday. Bill sports a very bushy beard that I would like to have for my Santa Claus appearances but find impossible to grow. He said he stopped shaving after he retired from the Air Force. He has a wife in Surigao City, Mindanao and was getting ready to join her in a couple of days. Mike, retired Air Force as well, is happily married to a Korean who, he says, takes very good care of him. Mike is a fellow New Yorker so of course, he has to be a good guy. They were staying at the Orchid Inn and did not have a favorite bar as they enjoyed going from Club to Club. They did tell me about their visit to the "Cold Drop" in the Friendship area and their experience when playing the only shuffle board there. It seems they were enjoying themselves until some pool player told them to only play at one end of the shuffle board as it was distracting to the pool players. That, in effect, stopped their game for how the hell could they play at one end only. Needless to say, the "Cold Drop" was not a place they intend to return to. That had to be an isolated incident for I enjoy the Cold Drop and the staff there but then, I do not play shuffle board and I do know how difficult some pool players can be. If I remember correctly, there is a hell of a good distance between the shuffle board and the pool table. Anyway, they took it with a smile and went on their way to enjoy the rest of the day. I look forward to meeting them again.

Last month I wrote about the Body Shop's Jaegermiester bomb promo where one drinks one hell of a big drink costing P1,500. Would you believe 10 shots of Jaeger and four bottles of Red Bull? I asked that if anyone was going to have this drink to please contact me ahead of time. Well, Mr. Michael McCaw contacted me from the middle east and sent me his picture of him consuming one of three bombs. The fact that he wrote to me indicates he survived and is now ready to return and maybe go for a new record. I doubt that I would even consider drinking even one "bomb" much less three. I wonder if Dennis has medical assistance nearby to assist in emergencies?

Harry - My name is Michael McCaw and I'm writing you from an undisclosed location in the middle east. I read your monthly news letter and saw that you requested pictures of someone drinking the Giant Jaeger bomb from The Body Shop. I currently hold the record for drinking 3 of them in one sitting. Dennis or Freddie can verify the number for you if you wish to include this in your Dec news letter. If you would like some more information feel free to ask. I'll be in town in Dec for another visit. - Michael McCaw

TIMOG PARK GOES FOR CONDO'S?

I happened to be visiting some friends in Timog Park last month and they suggested I ride over and take a look at the latest Korean investment in their neighborhood. Yes, the first ever Condo unit to be constructed in this residential, upscale sub-division. You can tell that it is a Korean project as their sign on the front is all in Korean, no English and no Tagalog which is normal for the Koreans who try their best to keep non-Koreans away from anything they do. Anyway, the word is that the Koreans paid off some folks connected with the City to get the necessary permits to build even though most folks thought it was illegal to build a condo unit in this sub-division. But, money talks and the Koreans feel they can do anything they want in this town as long as they pay the right people. In this case, things sort of backfired just as they were nearly finished with the construction and into the landscaping. I was informed by sources that when the City inspectors showed up they put a halt to the construction as there were some questions to the legality of the whole operation. It seems the person they paid off is no longer employed at whatever office he was in and now, possibly, some more money must be paid to the right, or new people in order to get final permits. Who knows, maybe the project will have to be junked but I doubt it because in the end, money has a way of resolving most sticky problems here. It is just necessary to find the right person to feed. I remember the beautiful very large house that was on this lot. It was built and owned by an American and his wife who worked on Clark when the Americans were here. They rented out the house after they left the country and I heard that they finally sold it for around 12 million pesos. Whatever, it sat on six lots and was beautiful inside and outside. It is sad to see a Condo going up in its place, especially in a nice quiet residential area. I am sure it will be completed, units sold and the Koreans will make money but at least their arrogance will cost them a bit more than they expected.

THE NEW SIMPLE ASIA

The Simple Asia Restaurant on the Friendship Highway has always been a jewel of a place to eat. The owners, Vicky and Mike have always been proud of their creation, especially the garden in the back that is a very wonderful place for outdoor functions such as weddings, and other special events. Over the years they developed a small devoted following but it has never highly successful. It's location is convenient, close to the Friendship bridge on the right hand side of the street but sometimes it is overlooked because of all the Korean and Japanese eateries, hotels and grocery stores. Vicky is busy with her job that takes her out of country a lot and did not have the time to do the necessary marketing of her establishment. For a while she contracted out the restaurant to the Yats Wine Club but that did not work out as well as expected. Now, three talented, experienced men have taken over the Restaurant and the Garden and I can guarantee that they will make the Simple Asia one of the finest and very popular eateries in town. They will be offering International cuisine that will appeal to all diners, regardless of their Nationalities and this is what the Friendship area needs as not everyone in into Korean food. You better believe that the garden area will be promoted quite aggressively and if you have not seen it, then please, stop by and take a look, the staff will be more than pleased to escort you. The menu is extensive and the prices are within the budget of most diners who crave good food at reasonable prices. Ingo told me it is a "transition menu" as it will change as they find what the customers really want. There will be specials and a trial and error period to determine what to offer in a final menu. As you can tell client satisfaction is their primary goal.

Did I mention who the three folks are that will be transforming this place? Guess not! You are familiar with the Three Musketeers, the Three Stooges, Three Blind Mice, etc., well now you will meet the "Three Amigos" who together will steal your hearts away with fine dining, good service and professionalism. You will meet Ingo, the one time manager of the Clarkton Hotel, Oliver, the one time chef of the Clarkton and the buffet has never been as good since he left, and finally Peter who is a Mechanical Engineer with many years of experience. So, Ingo will be in charge of operations, Oliver, of course, the chef and Peter will be taking care of all maintenance requirements. "Three Amigos" working together to bring a new exciting life to the Simple Asia Restaurant. It was a special pleasure for me to attend their special cocktail party last month to introduce themselves to the public and officially announce their joining the Simple Asia family. It took a lot of coaxing to get Vicky to give up control of her favorite garden area but it is an integral part of the appeal of the restaurant and had to be included in the package. I truly believe that happy days are ahead for the restaurant and the "three amigos". Good luck guys and pictures of some of the attendees at your informal opening follow.

THE LEXUS HOTEL/CONDOS

As time goes by I will watch the construction progress of the Lexus Hotel/Condo's on A. Santos Street and try to provide a photo update once in a while. No particular reason for doing that other than the height of the place fascinates me. Supposedly it will rise, I believe, 10 or 12 stories and that is pretty damn tall. The other reason I like to check it out is because their next door neighbor is the Black Pearl Bar and the owner is jumping up and down with joy with each passing day. Imagine the increase in business they will enjoy once this place is operational. One one side of the street has the Bourbon St. apartments and the Wild Orchid Hotel and now, soon, the Lexus will be added. I wonder if they have increased their "take out" meals since the arrival of all this business? I am sure they can provide faster service than the take out window at McDonalds. I have heard, but not confirmed that the new construction on the corner, opposite what used to be the Midnight Rodeo, is an extension of Margarita Station. OK, it is a rumoronly and I will look into this more when I get back from the States. One thing for sure, this area just off of Fields Ave has really taken off in the last few years. Now, the Wild Orchid is expanding and building an extension to their Hotel along the street that leads to Johnny's. They will have the Rajah Short Time Hotel as neighbors, another convenience as long as folks stay away from the beastly looking women that free lance around the front of it.

ARE YOU HUNGRY?

One night I had the inspiration to write about places you can eat quickly and inexpensively on Fields especially late at night. I got out my trusty cane and started walking Fields Ave starting at MacArthur Ave. The first place on my list was McDonalds and yes, I know it is not open yet. I still figured that it would qualify for the hungry budget minded and it will be open real soon anyway. Only a few meters away is the 1230 Pizza and their quick 6" pepperoni supreme pizza fits right in for quickness and within budget. Across the street is the Walk-a-Bout Hotel and I found that their kitchen that is actually an extension of the "Bunny Burger" outfit further up on Fields Ave can take care of the hunger pains as well at a reasonable price. The name of the eatery is the Walk-a-Bout Pool Side Cafe and you can get something to eat for as little as P95. The Shawarma Snack Center is one of my favorites for quick service, delicious Shawarmas at very nice prices. It is a very popular eatery. Finally, for the first time I was able to check out the Azzuro's Sausage House and that was a nice experience. Their Bratwurst is only P130, Bavarian Sausage P130 and the Ground Pork Sausage is P150. A pure beef burger is P130 and the fun of it all is that while you are putting down the sausages you can enjoy the company of the Lancelot door girls. Hey, how about the Pasta and Pizza place nestled between the Doll House and Club Atlantis. Plenty of food choices, quick service and inexpensive. Just try not to look at those ridiculous looking, ugly wigs that the Doll House gals are wearing out on the street as it could ruin your appetite. Last but not least is the Doll House Hotel and Cafe which is more upscale in price for food items but it is such a darn nice place to rest one's weary legs and have a great view of the street that I have to add it to my "snack journey". Additionally I like talking to Amy and her friendly staff. Wait, oh my goodness, how could I forget to mention the "Bunny Ranch". I would catch a lot of verbal abuse from Russell if I omitted one of the most popular quick snack eateries on Fields Ave. It is open from 0700 to 0500 daily and their Burgers receive many "high fives" for their quality along with all their other offerings. Quite often it is difficult to get a seat to sit down but I was lucky, I hit it during a 20 minute slow time. Well, that is it, that was as far as I could walk but it was fun and I think I have shown you that you don't have to spend a lot of money to find a decent quick meal or snack on Fields Ave, even if you get hungry at any time of the night up to 0500 hours. Fields Ave folks, a place where you can eat, drink, meet good looking women and be merry without spending a fortune to do so. I called Priscilla to pick me up and cart my tired ass home and you know what? I got so wrapped up with my survey and talking to so many people that I went and forgot to eat. Had to go to bed hungry and dreamt about eating a Shawarma and a Bunny Burger but Mrs. Horse turned me on to a big breakfast in the morning so I survived.

LIVING IN A CEMETERY

Halloween is a special night for me as I have never grown up when it comes to the chance to put on a mask and scare the hell out of kids and adults. Each year we create at the Hotel a "haunting scarey experience" where we turn members of my family and staff into bit players for our walk through experience. Once again we were able to have over three hundred neighborhood kids go through for a bit of a scare and some candy. The screams were a delight as so many could not wait to get pass the cemetery with monsters and ghosts, then the chamber with the monster cutting up a damsel with a chain saw, another monster chopping up body parts, a body in a coffin that rises up to grab the unaware visitor, witches brewing a special treat and finally, their last sight is Igor (me) who gives out the candy. This was our fourth year and each year Priscilla tells me it is the last one because of the work that goes into it and we do close down the bar, but I tell her it is a tradition now and we must not stop - plus, I have too much fun doing it and the kids love it.

Now, what about the title? Who the hell lives in the cemetery other than dead folks? In Angeles City there is one guy that has built one hell of a burial house that he lives in when in town and will be buried there as well when that dark day arrives. The Mrs and I have a burial plot in the Holy Mary Memorial Park in the section with the common folks. I accompanied the family there on All Souls Day to visit my father-in-law and of course bought our own refreshments and spent some time playing cards. On the way out we passed by the house and crypt of one D.M. Conception and it is a beauty. I was amazed at the beauty of the place and the fact that it is a lived in house as well. It has also been featured on TV and maybe one day I will get to see the inside of it. I was told that when he is in residence he will show folks around. There are advantages to such an arrangement as it is certainly a very quiet neighborhood, no complaints to deal with if you throw a party and have loud music and thieves will stay away as they don't want to run into any irate ghosts in the area. Needless to say, this structure had to cost a pretty penny and it is a beauty. It is also very unusual and unique. There are other expensive structures in that cemetery but it is the only one that serves as a residence for both the living and the dead. There is another expensive burial house next door that houses a Chinese man and millions of pesos had to be spent on this structure. The inside is fantastic and I was able to get in and take a picture. It has a kitchen, bathroom and a very comfortable sitting area in which I am sure the living members of the family look forward to visiting. There are many other well built structures that stand out but nothing else close to the one for the Conception family. One thing for sure, it certainly makes visiting this particular cemetery a very interesting experience but with our very simple plot a visit once a year is enough, at least for me it is. I let the family make their additional visits during the year without me. I am at that age where cemeteries make me a bit nervous.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE BROWN

The big man reached the good age of 60 and his wife Baby and the rest of the family arranged a very fine celebration at his house in Timog Park. The card indicated that it was a "surprise" but of course George knew about months before hand. The starting time was 12 noon and I made sure to get there soon after that time in order to get a good seat. It was a wise decision as the place rapidly filled up with friends and seating became scarce. The food was plentiful and I attacked the tender, beautifully roasted calf. In fact I did not eat anything else except for a bit of lobster. The presents were piling up but all the Expat guests knew what to bring. Yes, folks, George should have at least a six month supply of Scotch on hand and a number of them were his favorite single malt Scotch. It was a great afternoon and there were so many familiar faces in attendance to attest to the popularity of George and the required singing of "Happy Birthday" as he blew out the first cake with candles could be heard a block away. George has a bit of weight on him and he needs it to carry the enormously kind heart sitting within his chest. He has helped so many people during his years here and his extended family benefits from that kindness as well as many of his Expat friends. He is willing to reach out a helping hand to his mates when needed as well as to an orphanage or two. He is a first class individual and I am pleased to be able to call him a friend and be able to seek out his advice once in a while. May you have many more birthdays George and I hope I am around long enough to attend a few more celebrations.

TED IS BACK!

I was in Emotions last month and this guy said hello to me and I did not recognize him. He saw the confusion on my face and said "Harry, it's me, Ted, the old cranky guy that used to own this joint". My reaction was "holy shit, I thought you were dead!" The last time I saw Ted, he was thin, sickly, cranky and sort of a miserable cunt. But lo and behold, here was a healthy guy, gained weight, big smile and one happy survivor of cancer. He was back for a visit and I was amazed to hear his story. He told me that he knew he was pretty sick when he left here and that he was difficult to get along with but never with me, we got along well but I did not know how much the man was hurting. He had the cancer and had an operation here in the PI but they did not get it all. His health deteriorated rapidly and once back in Australia he has gone through 8 cancer operations, chemo and laser treatments and is due for more operations in Jan 09. He is strong now and loves his life in Moochyoore, Queensland and feels he has a brand new lease on life. It was inspirational talking to him, he has gone through hell medically, beat the odds and is taking each day now with optimism and a big smile. It was great seeing you again Ted and good luck with those follow-up operations in Jan. Keep in touch mate!

A BIT OF A REUNION

For many years I have wanted to find out what happened to an old friend that I had not seen since 1979. His name is Claude (Tex) Harper and I was his comedy partner when we entered a Base level talent contest in 1978 and went through various levels of competition and made it to the USAF World Wide Talent contest in the States. We were both active duty Air Force stationed at Clark AB, Philippines. Tex was a talented funny man and he came to me with an idea for a comedy routine that he told me was a winner and would get us to the States. He was true to his word, we went all the way but did not make it to the finals and we suspect it was because we went a bit overtime and got disqualified. Anyway, we had a ball and Tex was transferred to the States shortly after that and retired to Florida. In 1979 I entered as a solo performer in the MC category and was able to make it to World Wide again where the event was being held at Patrick AFB, Florida. I made it to the finals this time and won a second place trophy but what pleased me the most was that my partner, Tex, was able to watch as he was living nearby. We arranged to meet the day after the show but for some reason Tex never showed up and we lost contact. Ever since I wondered what happened to him and the picture of us together still hangs in my bar. Last month Tex and his wife returned to Angeles City to visit her family. They checked into the Medgar Hotel where a good friend of mine, Chuck Guinn helps out as a consultant. He and Tex got to talking and Tex mentioned that he wanted to meet "Harry the Horse" as he had been reading his column for a few years. During the conversation Chuck mentioned my name and Tex was shocked as he had been trying to find out how to get in touch with me for thirty years as well. Needless to say, we got together and relived the great moments we had together on and off stage. Over the years the writing of this column has given me much pleasure and I have met so many great people from many different countries because of it and continue to do so. In this particular case, I am grateful to "Harry the Horse" for being the instrument responsible for bringing two crazy guys together again after so many years. Tex and Carina, this time lets keep in touch and maybe some year you will decide to move to the Philippines so Tex and I can make up some more comedy routines that we both will be too old to perform.

What the hell is this Swedish excuse to have a party where they eat some nasty little creatures called "crayfish" together with beer, mixed drinks, shooters and anything else that will guarantee drunkenness leading to one hell of a good time? It is called "Kraftskiva" and it is celebrated in Sweden in August of each year. Other than Swedish Nationals most people have never heard of it but one night some folks brought in a bunch of crayfish, shrimp and other delicacies for an impromptu celebration at Illusions where the gang, led by Wolf gathered to have one hell of a good time. I have learned that at one time there was enough of these little critters around to provide all of Sweden an ample supply once a year but now they have to import as well. It does not take much to get our Expat Swedes here in AC in a party mood and so be it on this one night. I was told that our Iron man Marine, Tick, was given a special shooter to consume and he just about gagged. When offered a second shot he adamantly refused! I do believe this crayfish delicacy is also popular in Louisiana, USA as well but they don't have a party around it. It appears to me, by looking at the pictures that Wolf thoroughly enjoyed himself as did many others. I can't wait for the next one!

THE GOLDEN NILE

Richard Agnew told me that the Golden will officially open on 21 Nov and that is the day I fly out to Las Vegas. Am I disappointed to miss the opening? You betcha! It has been a long time under construction and I was so pleased to be able to use the elevator that has allowed me easy access to the upper floors. Now here comes my Christmas present to those of you who like to look at sexy ladies. I was lucky enough to find Richard on the third floor one night as a photo shoot was taking place with the dancers and his waitresses. A professional photographer was posing the ladies and taking pictures in a very professional manner. I had my camera and was able to get some very fine shots of some very fine bodies. The ladies were posing in their new costumes that will be featured at the opening and will be their daily wear when performing. I consider these pictures a treat and should rouse a little interest out of every guy sitting at home wishing he was here in Angeles City. I do believe this is a great ending to this months column, what do you think?

Hey Harry Baby,

Are you sure you want to ride out on that horse instead of me? Psssst, I'm over here on the left, give a look, I'm available. That horse is ugly, come on, I can make you feel young again. ---------- Harry, don't listen to that vixen on the left, eyes right baby, my arms are open wide, waiting for you. I am the one wet dreams are made of, forget the horse, trot on over here and I will show you moves one can only dream of.

Oh boy ladies I'd love to but you are mixed up. I'm the Horse, not the guy on top and of course Priscilla the Horse might object to my even thinking of changing filly's. But, if you are willing to jump on top for a ride we can head for the nearest haystack!

OK folks, I better quit before I get my ass in the sling with the Mrs. I will leave these two dream gals to you lucky ones that will be visiting here. As for me, it is the 18th of Nov and my column will be submitted to the webmaster tomorrow, 10 days earlier than normal. Any late breaking news of interest can be added by my friend Chuck. I won't have time to think about anything except Thanksgiving with the family and friends and keeping up with Priscilla as she will be shopping until she drops. I hope my legs and back hold up and for sure, especially now, don't forget to be kind to Horses, especially this one. Eh, maybe the two ladies above could show me some special kindness - ah hell, I'm out of here. In case I don't see you, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL.