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Why not start this column off with a picture of a future beauty queen even though I am sure I won't be around to greet this little gal when she reaches the great age of 18. I did not get any names for the subjects of this picture as I was just snapping away at the Lewis Grand Hotel's pool party last month. More pictures and details of this great event will be covered later in this column. I figured that both ladies were kind of cute and it would be nice to start this month off with a bit of cheer.

The rains have not slowed down the construction of more apartment buildings, hotels and codos. The Savannah Hotel on Perimeter Road near my stable is nearly complete. I believe that by next month I should be able to get some good pictures and details on pricing. This is bring your umbrella time with you. We have been experiencing storms and hard rains that come up suddenly in the early afternoon and at times around 5 PM or so. Business appears to be good in the entertainment area but the need to be alert and careful in your dealings with the locals, especially the ladies that do not work in the clubs is still necessary. I learned recently that one lady who did work in a club stayed with a tourist for a few days in one of our local hotels. This lady had a Filipino boyfriend and together they worked out a robbery. This Filipino checked into a room next to the room this lady and tourist were staying in. She was able to advise this guy what items were to be found in the room and when they would be out for a few hours. When the couple were leaving the room she was able to leave a window slightly open. You can guess the rest. The lad climbed from an adjoining balcony to that room, entered and had a great haul. He casually filled up his bag, returned to his room, walked downstairs and checked out. The hotel did not report any of this to the police and they did not even report the girl to the Club she was working in so she could be fired. Reason: They did not want any adverse publicity. The Hotel owners could not prevent this, they were not to blame but they were remiss in not going after this girl and the Filipino who committed the robbery. Sometimes I just shake my head in wonder at what some of these ladies can get up to and I wonder what new scam I will hear about next. So, again, I say, come on over and have fun, and try to make sure you are not in that 5% of guys who get ripped off here. Angeles City ain't a perfect town, it ain't beautiful, but it is my adopted town and I love it here and maybe for that, I need my head examined.

"HEY HARRY" LETTERS

The following message was sent to me by Tim Boone, Las Vegas - THE IRISH - SUCH CLEAR THINKERS

Following is a letter that was sent to Michael, a reader of this column, from a friend of his.  This friend, named "Adam" who used to live in Angeles City will not live here anymore because local cops took him to the ATM machine.  When will City Officials and the local police begin to see that current corrupt practices are hurting tourism and investments??

TIDBITS

Word has reached me that the Bar to be located in the newly built "Walk-a-Bout hotel will be named the "Vortex" and will be run by Gary Stone of "Stinger" fame.  The rumor is that there is a possibility that the manager may be a well known member of the Shanno's management team.  By the way, the hotel will have 36 rooms and I believe it will be operational by the end of this month. s

Dave Fishcher (Mo) and Tom Dryden, on Wednesday, 30 Jul, finalized a handshake deal for Mo to purchase the Dryden Rest/Hotel located in Barrio Berretto, Olongapo.  Mo's Treasure Island Restaurant will feature Dryden's menu.  Tom has informed me that there will be another Dryden's on the SBMA base, a real sports bar within a month with large screet T.V.'s to carry multiple sports along with the Dryden menu.  Tom and his wife will run the joint.  I only met Tom a few days ago and it was such a pleasure to meet such a well known man who I am happy to say is older than me.  Imagine, this 83 year old veteran still has the energy to start up a new business when most folks in their 80's just want to relax at home.  You better believe that I will be looking for his new Sports Bar when it opens up on the Base.  It was such an honor for this old Horse to meet such a fine man.  May his new venture make him even more successful than he already is and may it keep him young and a bit saucy.  Good luck to Tom and his wife and Mo, congrats on your new acquisition.

The operation of the TASS office and its personnel (Formerly Tourist Police) will be closed down effective Friday, 8 Aug due to lack of funds and non-support of the businesses in the entertainment zone.  This organization did a great job during it more than three years of operation. Update - on Sat 1 Aug a local Club owner volunteered to meet the payroll of the TASS in order to keep them in operation longer.  Rather than go into details suffice it to say that he considered the function of this office to be important to the community and the ACTA.

The Clark NBI, based on a complaint issued by City Hall in that underage girls were working in the Clubs raided the King of Diamonds, Voodoo, Roadhouse and Alaska Clubs on Wednesday night, 30 Jul.  They took all the girls from Voodoo, and KOD as well as some waitresses from the restaurant and ladies from Alaska and the Roadhouse.  They were preparing to take all the ladies from the Roadhouse until Congressman Lazatin showed up and their whole attitude changed.  The Congressman asked why they were taking all the girls, were they all suspected of being underage.  They replied "no" and pointed out five girls that they suspected.  The Congressman told them to take the five girls and do your proper investigation.  If they were indeed under age then prosecute accordingly, follow the law.  As it turned out, after a dental inspection, all the girls were of legal age.  No charges, they were released.  The question now is where are the Mayor's permits that were taken by a City Official.  Was this another case of overkill?  Was this pure and simple harrassment against Mark Smith and Dave Fischer, ACTA officers?  Dave Fischer is no longer the owner of any Clubs in Angeles City but remains as ACTA President. 

The latest from the infamous JoJo Group - we want P1,000, P2,000 and P3,000 daily from all the small, medium and large Clubs in the entertainment zone.  This was mentioned before but their demand has not gone away, they are just trying to figure out how to do it.  It is suspected that they are just waiting for ACTA to go away so they are not answerable to anyone.  This time they said that if this new demand is made then they are willing to give up the P35 additional smear fee.  Wow, isn't that nice of them.  So far, since 18 Feb they have collected P2,306,590 net and that is nice bit of change to go into some unworthy pockets. 

Now the Mayor's office has come out with a beautification plan for Fields Ave, Real Street, A.Santos, etc. requires Eves to be installed on all buildings, in the US we call them awnings.  Ah, of course they want each business to pay for this and they are getting ready to ask for P96,000 per linear meter of frontage in which they figure an average of 3 meters per building.  Of course many establishments occupy much more space than that.  No doubt more details will be provided but this Horse can't figure out the necessity of such a project that is going to cost so much.  I remember a year or so ago when the City Engineers were making people remove items such as awnings because of encroachment problems.  No doubt encroachment can be forgotten if there is a way for some officials to make money. 

I extracted this bit of information from "The Daily Reckoning" that highlights the economic problems faced by Americans. Imagine, those poor prostitutes may have to consider discounts or "buy one take one" deals. Maybe they could put those discount coupons in the Sunday papers so horny guys could cut them out.

*** Even the houses of disrepute are feeling a little abandoned. According to an item in the European press, “Credit Crunch Pinches Prostitutes.” Brothels in Nevada say their revenues have been cut in half as truckers can’t afford the gasoline to make a detour. (All the more reason to visit Angeles City where the price of drinks, food, rent, hotels and other commodities are still affordable).

Wayne and Tin-Tin, friends of mine from Subic stopped by my stable on the morning of 7 Jul after a drive from Subic. During our conversations Wayne revealed that his wife, Tin-Tin got a ticket for excessive speed on the Subic-Clark Toll Road. They found that a new computer system went operational only a few days prior to their trip. When you enter the toll road a plastic card is issued to you and when you turn it in at your destination point they insert it in a computer and it measures the average speed you drove at. The speed limit on the toll road is 100 clicks and the read-out indicated that Tin-Tin traveled at 122 clicks. They issued a ticket for excessive speed and reckless driving and confiscated her driver's license. They got the two cars behind her as well! The license has to be retrieved at the LTO in San Fernando and a fine paid. Naturally, the sneaky Filipinos did not post any signs about this new system and are enjoying catching all unaware drivers. It will take some time for the word of mouth to get out on this but I am glad that I was informed as two days later I had to make the trip to Subic for a dart meeting. You better believe when I hit 100Km and hour I put my cruise control on to avoid over speeding. By the way someone told me they have this system in the States as well, is this true? Hell, it has been a long time since I did much driving there so am not up on any new systems. (A few days after this event I had to go to Subic for a dart meeting so I warned my driver to be careful about the speed limit. At the AC toll booth we accepted the plastic card and asked the attendant about the new policy in timing cars by computer and drivers being ticketed. She gave us this confused look and told us that she did not know what we were talking about. We exited at Subic, no cops, on the return trip, we exited at AC, still no cops. So, I am confused. Maybe this is something they do randomly. By the way, adding up gas and tolls it cost me P1,141 peso for the round trip to Barrio Barreto and then four days later the price of gas went up again. Now, I ask myself, why did I wait until this season to form a team to join the dart league in Barrio Barreto? By the time the season is over gas will probably be up to P75 per liter.)

Speaking of Tin-Tin let me give you a warning about those taken for granted "tonsils". Wayne watched his wife suffer with a severe attack on her tonsils which developed into a very severe sore throat. Like many of the ladies we meet here in Angeles City chose to not seek medical attention until Wayne told her that he would not take no for an answer. He also convinced her to have them taken out and a routine operation was scheduled. On the big day Wayne went to the hospital prepared to sit through the 45 minute operation. Hold on there buddy, that 45 minutes turned into 2.5 hours and they removed a whole lot of tonsils that were infected and full of pus and when Wayne looked at what came out of her throat he nearly puked. Tin-Tin ended up staying in the hospital for six days instead of the normal overnight stay. I mention this because too many Filipinas take those recurring tonsil attacks too lightly and do not realize how seriously it can affect ones health. This is another somewhat routine procedure that is ignored when one is young because of budget restraints. By the way, Tin-Tin only weighs 87 pounds, with all her clothes on but she has a big voice to make up for her small size which for a few days, much to Wayne's delight, had to be silent. She is now recuperating in their home in Subic with Wayne being the nurse maid and I bid her a speedy recovery so they can return to my stable for a visit and some tickling sessions (inside joke).

I wonder if the corner of A. Santos and Real Street is bad luck? First Mo loses his lease and has to shut down his canteen and lose the stay-in for 60 of his Voodoo staff. Then Midnight Rodeo suddenly closes its doors after 20 years of operation. And the word is that the La Bamba stay-in (located opposite what was the Midnight Rodeo) was supposed to become an upscale Mexican restaurant called Tequila Reef and patterned after a successful place in Pattaya run by Darryl W. who was once a partner in Bourbon Street in the Washington Square Complex in Bangkok. Funny, the Tequila Reef logo is exactly the same as La Bamba’s which is a bit of a coincidence since the owner of the La Bamba stay-in is the elusive Doctor John who is a partner in La Bamba and Rhapsody. The Tequila Reef venture is a joint undertaking between JC of Margarita Station and Darryl. But, it seems there’s a little problem. A famous AC PNP major has set up a nice little coffee shop on the side facing the basketball court and is reluctant to give up the space. He’s not paying any rent and has been doing a pretty good trade and doesn’t want to lose that income. Being the generous sort that he is, he’s offered to relinquish his ‘rights’ to the spot for P300,000 (greedy little bugger). Since nothing seems to be moving in the building, perhaps the partners are waiting him out. Stay tuned for more details as they arrive.

The DMZ Bar is still up for sale for the same asking price, $500,000. I thought that it was already sold to Lewis from the Lewis Grand Hotel but the deal fell through. Tick told me that despite Lewis paying for a ticket to bring his wife over here from the States to close the deal it fell through for lack of money. From another source I heard a slightly different story. Supposedly Tick and Lewis agreed on a price less than the original $500,000 asked for but when a meeting took place to finalize the details Tick asked for more money because of the change in the peso rate. Lewis balked at this because the agreement was reached quoting a dollar sale and nothing to do with the peso rate. Tick would not budge in asking for more and the deal went out the window.

A source passed on to me that regretfully, Gerard has had to change his plans to build a hotel on the corner lot near the Checkpoint because of complaints from the owner of the hotel next to the lot. The owner is Tars Halili, a long time Mabalacat politician who had enough connections to halt construction. He complained that the pile driving machine used for putting posts into the ground were causing cracks in his building and was causing a danger. Gerard had all necessary permits and licenses that cost him quite a bit of money but this was not enough to override the political connections of Mr. Halili. I have heard that a simple shopping mall will be constructed instead. I myself experienced earthlike tremors daily for a number of weeks at my hotel as pilings were being put into the ground for the condominium being erected nearby. I did not complain or try to stop construction because I felt that the construction would be beneficial to this area of town. It is too bad that Mr.Tars Halili did not feel the same way as I am sure that he and Gerard could have worked something out that would have allowed construction to continue.

At times there are Filipino politicians and ex-politicians that are so full of their self importance and hidden dislike for foreigners that when opportunity knocks they really enjoy making life difficult for the foreigner. Case in point is the legal hassle between former mayor of Mabalacat town, Reynaldo "Moc" Candelaria and Norbel D. (Tick) Bostic as reported in the 19 Jul 08 issue of the Sun.Star newspaper. It all hinges on an issue regarding a fence that was removed by Tick's workers that existed between the two properties, Tick's DMZ extension and the hotel owned by Candelaria. I talked to Tick and I won't get into all the details or discuss who is right or wrong but Candelaria has filed a case before the office of the City Prosecutor or Robbery by the Use of Force Upon Things against Tick. Now, it appears to be an overkill situation and Bostick has had to get a lawyer and waste time with court proceedings. OK, that is something the two can work out but there is one part of the story that really upsets me and I run into this shit all too often in this town. According to the Sun.Star story "Candelaria said that he is also planning to file a complaint against Bostick before the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID)". OK, the Filipino has a legal gripe that should have been taken to the Barangay level but instead was elevated higher because politicians like to do that and that can be hashed out between Tick and Candelaria. What really pisses me off is right away Candelaria indicates that he wants Bostick deported. Tick is a legal permanent resident of this country and this is not an Immigration case. All too often, and I have heard it enough in the 28 years I have lived here is whenever a foreigner and a Filipino get into a legal hassle or even a verbal confrontation the Filipino states "you are a foreigner here, go home, you have no rights" or "I'll have you kicked out of the country". So is the reaction of Candelaria, no doubt wanting to get Tick kicked out of the country because of a very small legal dispute. This from a guy that provides space in his Hotel located on Zeppelin St., Hensonville, for the Vietnam Veterans Association to meet yet wants a retired U.S. Marine combat veteran kicked out of his country. This represents the true nature of all too many Filipinos that harbor a deep resentment of foreigners while pretending to be your friend and smile when taking your money. Fortunately, this is not the majority and many friendships are sincere but be prepared, if you live here permanently, to see this personality trait rear its ugly head when you least expect it. It's funny though, I have never seen this happen on the long lines at the American Embassy from Filipinos seeking migration visas to the States.

The f----d up legal system in the Philippines is still alive and damn annoying. An American is held in jail for months with no appearance in court, no arraignment, living in the shit hole they call a City Jail. He finally finds a good lawyer that gets the process moving along, at a price, of course. He is scheduled for an appearance before the Fiscal at 0900 hrs one day last month. What happens? The damn Fiscal fails to show up so he goes back to jail for another two days. What does this financially secure, comfortable living Fiscal care? Hell, let the American stay in jail, it is not important. The sad thing is that this is a common scenario in this country. Judges do not show up, Fiscals do not show up, lawyers do not show up and complainants do not show up and innocent victims continue to sleep on concrete floors in an overcrowded jail cell. Of course, all are not innocent but all too often foreigners are and they spend a small fortune to prove their innocence. By the way, no money? Forget about getting to court, forget about proving your innocence, forget about getting out of jail, forget about buying VIP treatment in jail and forget about eating a decent meal and maybe, just maybe, a Fiscal who does not see any money just may not show up for court when scheduled.

The latest killing of a foreigner (American) in Angeles City is reported by Ding Cervantes, a well known local reporter below:

It was party time at the Byrd Cage on Real Street last month as everyone celebrated the birthday of Mama Elsa, the wife of Bill. There was free food, cake, games, prizes and a packed house. I will not comment on her age other than to say that she still has a few more years before she gets her social security card. It was a packed house as Bill and Elsa are quite popular and their many friends and loyal customers made sure that the evening was a very joyous one. Happy Birthday Elsa!

On the evening of 12 July (Sat) I dressed up and drove to the Casino on base to attend a Rotary Induction function. When I got there around 7:30 PM I was dismayed to find out that there was no induction at this location. Unknown to me the venue had been changed and I was not able to contact anyone to find out where it was. I thought of going to Fields Ave to drown my disappointment by downing a few beers but changed my mind and stopped by The Loveliness Swiss Restaurant for my Tenderloin Pepper steak. Again, I was disappointed when the chef told me that they were out of stock on the tenderloin. Oh well, the rib-eye was a good substitute and since I was the only diner at the time I enjoyed talking to the very shy, young (20) waitress who was new at the job and was quite nervous. After dinner I stopped by the Thi-Hi for inspirational talks with Joy, Ann and Cris and then headed home. I never made it to Fields Ave and then the next day I found out that Mo had a celebration party in one of his bars and forgot (?) to invite me. He was celebrating the sale of all his holdings on Fields Ave to Derek Hewitt. Mo had informed me that a deal had been made a week before and that he was just waiting for final signatures and transfer of funds. Mo has promised to continue serving as the President of ACTA until his term runs out next year and will still keep in close touch with the activities in AC. Mo told me it was "both a happy and a sad night" and I can understand his feelings. He has been giving up his holdings here for years but never got around to actually doing it. It is now a done deal and he can devote his energies to the establishments he has opened in Subic.

He is Norwegian, Mr. Magnusson, simply known as "Magnus". He is tall, strong, has many friends and always enjoys walking home at night. He is not poor, pretty independent, and enjoys a drink or two. Last month, while walking home, along the dark area leading to the Divine Shepherd Hospital, in front of "Bill's Cars" lot he was attacked by two individuals who tried to kidnap him by pushing him into a car. Magnus had an umbrella and broke it over one of the attacker's head but and continued to fight until they bashed him on the head, quite hard, and finally left him on the sidewalk as they made their get-a-way. Magnus was able to make it to the Divine Shepherd Hospital where he was treated to various tests and stitches applied to his head. He was in the hospital for approximate eight hours. His cost was for this short stay was P95,000. Needless to say, Magnus was not happy with the size of the bill. After I heard the story I did check with a contact in the Hospital and in all fairness, the actual hospital bill was only P20,000 but the other P75,000 came from the charges applied by the various doctors who examined and worked on Magnus. After he returned to the hospital to ask for an accountability he was told that the bill had been reduced by P10,000. Anyway, for foreigners, quite often the hospitals in Angeles City or I should say, the doctors do kind of add on premium charges. That is besides the point anyway. What I am trying to give a warning on is that one should be very careful of the time and location when the urge grabs you to walk home at night. The funny thing is that I was told that Magnus has been involved in two or three other altercations deciding to walk to various locations. This is one tough, stubborn Norwegian. One thing is for sure, I will never agree to accompany him on one of his walks. Sitting and having a drink with him at the Hang-out is enough for me. They sure do make them tough in Norway, but not always as wise as they should be.

A member of the AC message board forwarded me comments made by a concerned visitor to Angeles City regarding the Angeles Clarkfield Tourist Association (ACTA). This is from a person that does not live here but has visited 10 times within the last 4 years. He indicated that "This is my humble opinion only. Please feel free to disagree with my points." This individual has expressed opinions that, regretfully, too many people have and he and others deserve some answers. I will try to do my best here as I have been the secretary of this organization going on five years now and for sure, I will give up that position at the end of this term but will remain a member of ACTA as long as it is in existence. His comments follow:

A HISTORICAL EVENT - On July 14th, Mo turned over the reins of the Kokomo’s Group to the affable Derek Hewitt. There are very few people who have been in Angeles City longer than Mo. He started 13 years ago as a partner in La Bamba and was one of the visionaries who saw Angeles growing to a major entertainment stop for the single traveler. I asked him for a chronology and here’s his response:

What’s in the future? It looks like he’ll be spending more time in Subic, but will still remain in Angeles City. He plans on devoting more time to running ACTA, start playing golf and continue helping Derek and Ron (the purchasers of Kokomo’s and TI/Lollipop). He’s indicated that he wants to spend more time riding his Harley, get back into tennis and use some of his new found free time to perform medical tasks for a couple of charities he works with. He’s also told me that he might write a book detailing some of his Philippine experiences as well as some of the characters he’s met along the way. There is one final item I must mention because Dave never will. Over the years this man has helped many people that were down on their luck or had medical problems that they could not pay for. He took the money out of his pocked and lent it out on a handshake or donated it when the need was there. Many of those he lent money to never paid him back or at times, did not even thank him. Despite this he continues to help those in need with money when necessary, advice, physical assistance and words of wisdom. He is my sounding board on some of the things I write about and also calms me down when I get too excited about some of the goings on in this town. I count him as a friend and I hope that never changes and I am very glad he is not breaking his ties, completely, to Angeles City. Damn, let me stop here, it’s beginning to sound like an obituary.

Every time I think that the never ending police scams might be tapering off I am brought back to reality real quick. I will just reveal the details without using any names. I won't even say what police stations were involved in this one except to say that if I did, you would not be surprised. If I revealed the name of the big guy in charge who was asking for the most money you would not be surprised at that either. OK, enough said. The one thing different about this one is that the initiator of the set-up was a security guard on duty at the hotel who the American victim thought he had befriended. This guard told him that he had a nice looking, friendly, 18 year old cousin and would he be interested in meeting her. This person, being single, of course, agreed. The girl showed up but accompanied by a second lady who was her friend. The guard introduced them and the victim allowed them into his room and locked the door to the room. During a short conversation the girls said that they were employed by the Doll House and verified, verbally, that they were 18 and 19 years old. The victim, let me call him Joe since all kids in the Philippines like to call Americans "Joe", excused himself to go to the bathroom. When he came out the two ladies said that they had to use the bathroom (sound familiar?) and after five minutes exited the bathroom wearing only towels even though, according to Joe, sex was never discussed. Oh yes, I nearly forgot to mention that when they entered the room they inquired as to whether Joe had any Shabu and he replied in the negative and then they asked if he had anything else to use, again Joe adamantly said "no". I think at this time I would have kicked their respective asses out of the room. But, Joe did not do this and shortly after the girls appeared in their towels the police walked into the room. Yep, walked in because somehow, while Joe was in the bathroom someone unlocked the door. The police appeared and decided to search the room and lo and behold, found a packet of Shabu near the night table. They also said that the girls were underage and then followed the standard operating procedure of all setups. They had Joe open the safe in his room and withdrew P15,000 and then had Joe strip down to his underwear indicating they wanted to do a body search. They then took a picture of Joe in his skivvies and this one had a bit of a new twist to it. Of course Joe was taken to a nearby police sub-station where the usual threats were presented in that he would be held for providing shabu to minors (non-bailable offense), and sexual abuse to minors. OK, you can guess the rest, the amount initially asked was for two million pesos which was, of course, ridiculous, and then the price started to come down. Joe was taken to an ATM machine where he was able to withdraw P20,000 and then, after talking to certain higher ups a price of P400,000 was agreed upon. The reason Joe agreed to this amount, even though he did not have this large amount, was because he was scared shitless and did not want to get into the "legal system". Would you believe that the individual demanding this amount allowed him to return to his hotel with Joe promising to return on Monday evening with the P400,000. The threat was that if he did not return they would come after him and charge him with escaping detention. All this took place on a Saturday evening around 6:30 PM and on the Sunday, Joe was able to contact legal assistance and it was agreed that the lawyer would try to negotiate a more reasonable amount on the Monday evening. Joe was under the impression that the security guard at the hotel had some idea that he had a lot of money and this idea was passed onto the police. I am writing this on the Sunday night and must wait until Monday evening to find out what happened next. Tuesday afternoon - update - The lawyer negotiated a settlement of P250,000 with a down payment of P100,000.00 with payments to be made each payday until the full payment is made. Once again gentlemen, it would be better if you did not entertain any women that walked into your room who you did not know. In this case the Police officer in charge told me that this foreigner was engaged in using drugs. If that is the case then this person set himself up as a target and paid for it. Of course the victim denies any use of drugs but as in many cases like this, there are a few questions that kind of linger in the air.

I just had to pass on this item from "Today's Daily Reckoning - "Zimbabwe is just a mess. Due to the nationalization of their agriculture sector and food shortages caused by hyperinflation, millions of the country’s citizens face starvation. The inflation rate in this southern African country is at an unbelievable 2.2 million percent – and economists think that this is actually understated, and that the actual inflation rate may be running between 10 million and 15 million percent. Because of this, and a major cash shortage, the Zimbabwean government has introduced a $100 billion bank note." (I don't know about you guys but with my limited brain power I cannot even imagine these kind of monetary figures. Does this mean that to purchase a hotdog and coke in Zimbabwe it would cost me $100 billion Zimbabwe dollars? Google tells me that 1 US Dollar = 33288144660 Zimbabwe Dollar and I can't even read that number. Wow, maybe I should visit that country where my dollar goes a long way.)

At long last, on 25 Jul the final leg of the the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway was opened. The Clark-Tarlac portion was opened to traffic after a long delay while overpasses for farmers situated along the route were built. Now, if only I could see some positive work being done to make the Clark entry and exit points come true. It is still one big pain in the ass to have to go all the way to Mabalacat to get on and off the toll road thereby making the "Clark" name included in the SCTEx title bullshit instead of a reality.

I have heard that Lewis, owner of the Lewis Grand Hotel bought the vacant lot located across from Kokomo's. This lot has been up for sale for a very long time. Will have to check with Lewis to confirm that this information is correct.

George from Singapore contacted me and wanted to know why Cebu-Pacific will not accept Visa cards from foreigners? In order to use his card he would be required to send a photo copy of his card by fax to Manila and a copy of his Visa payment statement from his bank as well as a copy of the credit card with the 3 digit identifying number. He stated that anyone would be crazy to provide all that private information. What he ended up doing was to go to the Singapore Airport and bought a ticket three hours prior to the flight and was able to obtain the cheapest ticket they had. (Well George I don't have an answer for you at this time and I certainly agree with you, it does seem like a very annoying, over the top requirement and this was the first I heard of such a procedure.)

Shanno's Pub Grubb hits the spot. Last month I wrote about a new menu being offered at Shanno's put together by Rob of Philly's Steak and Hoagie fame from SM Mall. I finally got a chance to sit down and order my Italian Sub and must say that I enjoyed it more than I did at SM. Granted, it tasted the same but this time I could get a seat easily, the waitresses were good looking, I could watch the big screen TV, see people I knew to chat with especially Tess who used to work at the Hang-out and the seating was much more comfortable. Of course I do not get to Shanno's as often as I shop at SM but now I have something special waiting for me when I do visit there and it is a good meal. I like the idea of two prices as I went for the "Cheap Charlie" selection for my hoagie at P195 which is a reasonable cost. The P245 version comes with french fries and coleslaw which I can pass up as the Sub by itself is filling enough. Bottom line - I always liked Shanno's but now with the new menu I find it difficult to stay away.

While I'm writing about food let me clue you in on the small eatery in Hensonville called Asti's Restaurant. I wrote this up quite some time ago without have eaten there at all. My review was based on comments by some customers who had dined there and had good things to say about it. It took me a long time but finally I told Priscilla I had to take her out to eat at a restaurant we had never visited before and I felt guilty about writing about the place yet never sat down for a meal. It is small, intimate, Priscilla called it "cozy" and inexpensive. The food portions were not big enough satisfy Mark Smith's appetite but did nicely for me and Priscilla. They specialize in pasta selections, 11 to be exact and some specialties with most items not exceeding P198 in cost. When you got into selections with king and tiger prawns then you hit the P258 mark. I went for the chicken cacciatore and thoroughly enjoyed the delicate flavoring of one of my favorite meals. This is a Mom and Pop operation with owners Sherwin and Unice who serve as chef and proprietor. It is off the beaten track so not many tourists would be able to find it but it is becoming a favorite of Expats living here as word of mouth spreads. It is located at Stall A4180 Zeppelin St, Hensonville on the right hand side of the street after you pass pass the Divine Shepherd Hospital and making the right hand turn heading towards Hensonville. Their mobile # is 0917-202-1337, Email - unicebuan@googlemail.com. They offer catering service as well and even catered the Rotary Club of Angeles Centro's induction event. Bottom line, high horseshoe marks for this little eatery that Mrs. Horse and I will definitely return to. Give it a try folks, you will like it, this Horse guarantees it.

TAPS

Ernest Doppmann - Sadly, Ernest passed away at the Angeles University Hospital (AUF) on 30 Jun at 59 years of age, he would have turned 60 on 1 Aug. Ernest, Swiss, was the founder of Charina's Travel located in the Clarkton Hotel and over the years it developed into one of the most reputable travel agencies in town. Death was caused by liver failure as cancerous tumors had attached themselves to his liver and regretfully had reached the stage where doctors here and in Switzerland informed him that there was nothing they could do. Ernst left behind a wife and adopted children but she is a Swiss citizen so a pension will continue. The SEAIR staff and management extend their condolences and appreciated their long time business relationship with Ernest as many times over the years this travel agency outsold all others in SEAIR tickets. He was well respected and will be missed.

Allen Patrick, long time Angeles resident and bar manager, 44 years old, died of a heart attack on Tuesday, 1 July. In another show of solidarity, the Angeles City community once again got together to help one of its own. Allan was part of the Angeles City bar scene for the last 9 years. Most of that time, he was working at one of Mo’s bars beginning his career at the original Lollipop in 1999. Like many managers, he did not have substantial resources. Mo held a fund raiser for him at Paradise Bar where Allan was a manager for several years. In a wonderful show of generosity, they were able to raise enough to cover his hospital bill, funeral and cremation. His family provided the funds to repatriate his remains. Over the years, Allan made many friends from all over the world, and will be missed. He left behind a wife and twin sons, Steven and Michael.

George "Boy" Guzman - 63 year old Filipino pool player died suddenly of a heart attack on Wed, 16 Jul 08. Over the years Boy played for many different Club pool teams in the entertainment area and was well respected for his skills on the table and his quiet demeanor.

ANGELES CITY -- A Dutch who is suffering from an acute illness committed suicide by shooting himself with a 25 caliber handgun. Pierre Nisjsen, 70, a resident of 11 B Abad Santos Street, Plaridel 1, Barangay Malabanias here, was found dead inside his room by his live-in partner, Angeline Casamis. Chief Inspector Rene Aspe, chief of Angeles Police-Station 4, said Casamis informed investigators that Nisjsen was depressed of his health condition. "Miss Casamis stated that Nisjsen was depressed of his stage 3 cancer and he never ate for almost two weeks," Aspe said. Scene of the Crime Operation (Soco) police investigators said there were no signs of foul play in the slaying. This announcement was taken from the Sun.Star paper. I did not know Pierre but we have a large Dutch community here in AC so I suspect he was known by his fellow countrymen.

Happy birthday Viagra! Yep, it has been 10 years since this magic blue pill from Pfizer appeared on the market. As of last year enough pills were swallowed to bring in world wide sales of $1.7 billion. That is one hell of a lot of hard-ons!

I heard that many of the nurses at Divine Shepherd resigned last month because of no pay. One doctor was overheard saying that it was good because if enough resigned then they could get down to a level that they might be able to afford to pay. One of the nurses that quit was able to get a job as a care giver to a VA disabled veteran that told me about the resignations.

What's going on with the Trans Global Airways inaugural flight to Bangkok.  I heard that the flight carrying VIP's from Clark got to Bangkok but then could not make the return flight back.  Some sort of paperwork glitch that delayed necessary clearances?  I was able to contact one of the passengers and was told they had to fly back by PAL.  It seems that the proper paperwork had not been finalized with the Philippine ATO or whatever they call it here.  Could that mean the right people were not paid off?  I was also informed that two people that had booked a later flight to Bangkok had to cancel their plans but, by luck, they were able to get their money back.  They noticed two Global planes in front of the hangar on Clark and were able to get through security and find the boss in his office at the hangar.  I wonder if anyone else got their money back for cancelled flights?

The Lexus Hotel/Condos - Just a few days ago I met the daughter of one of the major investors of the Lexus Hotel that is being built on A. Santos Street, opposite Shanno's Pub. This project was stalled for quite some time due to lack of funding but new investors have come on board to breathe new life into the project. The ladies name is Belinda and it was a pleasure to meet her and particularly rewarding to find that she is personable and willing to give this old Horse updated information on what potential purchasers of the condo units can expect. To date 11 units have already been sold. I asked Belinda if she would provide a few written words for the readers of this column that would serve to introduce this new project.

"At the Lexus Hotel/Condos we offer both Studio and One bedroom semi-furnished apartments, ranging in size from 48.6m² through to a spacious 83.6m². Condominium prices start at US$107,775 (inclusive of VAT) for which the owner will also receive the Condominium Certificate of Title. This is not a leasehold investment; this is an investment for life! The Lexus Hotel/Condos is the first 12-storey construction ever undertaken in the heart of Angeles City and the very first condo/hotel that gives a free hold title. Thus, we are setting the standard for high-rise buildings in this city and we are creating history in Pampanga, Philippines. For further information please visit our website www.thelexushotel.com or email us at contactus@thelexushotel.com." Hey guys, this building will feature underground parking and a roof top swimming pool. It will also have two restaurants, one for fine dining at the roof top level and another less expensive one at a lower floor. I can't believe what is happening on this street with the Bourbon Street Condo's, and now the Lexus, what a difference from the old days when this street was unpaved and both sides were occupied by some rather notorious Clubs. But, I will say this, back then it was a hell of a lot of fun and some great "entertainment" was offered at a very reasonable price. Them days are gone forever!

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUGUST

• 2 Aug - It is time for the big "Christmas in August" fund raiser for the Bahay Bata Street Children's Center at the Roadhouse Night Club. If you want to get a good seat it is wise to get there around 6 PM and relax as the place fills up. If you want to partake of the free food and all you can drink, including top shelf exports than a ticket will cost you P1,000. Naturally, raffle tickets for some great prizes are available for P100 each. This event goes a long way to funding the expenses of the Center that runs around P300,000 a month. It is a fun evening and it is all for a very worthy cause. Oh yes, bring some extra cash for the Auction as well as some very fine items are offered up. Last year I was able to get a couple of collector's boxing photos to hang in my bar.
  
  DOG HOUSE - 2 Aug - Nero's, 9 Aug - Cambodia, 16 Aug - Cherry's, 23 Aug - Rhapsody (Miss Doghouse contest), 30 Aug - Blue Nile Executive.
  
  
• 3 Aug - Sunday - The great annual Motorbike Show put on by the Roadhouse, Lost in Asia and Wee George's in their parking lot. The exhibition entry fee is P1,000 per bike. Judging from 4 PM and trophy presentation starts at 6 PM. Awards go for Best harley Davidson, Best Non-Harley, Best Customized Bike/Trike, and Best Vintage (over 30 years). An outside BBQ will be offered and raffles/auctions organized with all funds going to support a couple of Children's homes. Remember folks, it's all about the kids!
  
  
• 11 Aug - The Wild Man, Daddy Jerry turns 32 again and is holding one of his very entertaining birthday bashes at the Alaska Club starting at 6 PM.
  
  
• WOW Wed - 13 Aug in the Bunny Ranch - No Admission Charge! Girls from four (4) bars, complementary snack food, reduced drink prices, free raffle including an early release and much more. Starts at 6 PM.

NOW HEAR THIS! This is a new item. I sent out an appeal to the Clubs I had addresses for to let me know about their scheduled events or special promotions they wanted the readers of this column to know about. Here are a few replies:

BEST HAMBURGER IN AC - The Bunny Burger - Located nest to Bunny Ranch Bar in the heart of the "entertainment district". Available in their great open area restaurant or can be ordered in Bunny Ranch Club or Klub Class.

Klub Class, a great DISCO for foreigners, great place to take a date for that cozy atmosphere! How about a Bunny Ranch special, "WHITE RABBIT", a "must try shooter" (100 pesos).

Mo might have dropped out of the Angeles City scene but I do believe that since AC and Subic are sort of tied together now with only one hour or so travel time, why not welcome some words but the beach crowd. Mo sent me the following:

"Although not part of the AC environment, you might want to add some Subic events. I'm starting something different in Subic, by copying the highly successful Roadhouse formula of all drinks 2 for 1 from 6 to 8 every day and a special Friday offering of 2 for 1 drinks PLUS free food until 9 PM."
Well, as usual leave it to the every resourceful Mo to try new things. The grapevine has it that the young (I'm kidding here) fellow is not fully retired and is actively looking for other opportunities in the Barrio Barretto area. Word is he loves the beach life and will be spending most of his time relaxing near the sand.

Mark Smith, the man with a million ideas wanted to remind one and all to attend his Wild Wed every wed and TGIF every Friday at Roadhouse!Damn, I keep forgetting to get to the Roadhouse to get some photos of this TGIF event. I have heard that the uniforms the ladies wear are great and it has become very popular.

The Medgar Executive Apartelle will continue their 25% OFF PROMO on all Executive rooms until 1 September 2008. This is a good deal, you have to check them out to appreciate such a reduction in price. For more information you can access their banner ad in this column.

TOURIST OF THE MONTH

It is not often that someone can keep me from popping upstairs to throw some darts with a couple of mates of mine once I get it in my mind to do so but this tourist of the month was able to do so. Anthony Whelan is his name and he is from Sydney, Australia. What would normally be a 30 minute conversation turned into well over an hour as he delivered an update on the health of the well known Keith Gray who was a long time resident here in Angeles City and quite well known on Fields Ave. Keith suffered a bit of a serious illness that forced him back to Australia and into a Government provided house for the disabled. According to Tony he is doing quite well despite being bound to a wheel chair and is being well cared for by his Mrs and some nursing aides. His spirits are good but you better believe he still misses Angeles City and many of his old mates here. I am sure he would love to hear from his many friends so if you have a mind to do so, his Email address is freddie_anak@yahoo.com. Tony himself

A NEW SCHOOL

Now, Please believe me when I tell you this is not a paid ad. I only wanted you to know about a new school in the process of being built that I have heard bits and pieces about for quite a few months now. You see, Mrs Horse and I are sending our son to Westfields School that is costing us, at this time, P74,000 a year ($1,653). I looked for a place that I thought could provide a good education and apply discipline as well. The curriculum is taught in English. OK, it is stretching my budget but so far, the results have been favorable. This new school named the Noblesse International School (NIS) is opening its doors during the first week in September this year. The cost for kindergarten thru 4th grade is $9,600 (P429,600)a year and 5 thru 12th grade is $12,000 (P537,000) and that folks, is a school strictly for some very high income earners of which this Horse in not. The teachers will be made up foreigners from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and other locations. Only Western school books will be used (Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill). The school will be located in Barangay Cut-Cut along the circumferential road and I will try to get out there to take a couple of pictures. Their website is www.nis.com.ph. You better believe that I will visit this school when it is opened but only to look on in amazement to see the line up of very expensive cars dropping their richly attired kids off for a day of education.

PERIMETER ROAD EXPANSION?

What the hell is going on here? Have Damien and Des gone Stateside with their business. Have they started a franchise? The answer to each question is NO! This picture was sent to me by Dave Baker and it was sent to him by two friends in Las Vegas who no doubt have patronized the HoneyKo's Club here in Angeles City. I bet both of these lads would rather be here in Angeles City enjoying the real thing rather than just dreaming about it in far off Las Vegas, Nevada. Maybe I can get Dave to send me the names of these guys before I send the column off to the webmaster. Dave checked with the folks involved and their reply follows:

Sorry to say that was in Imperial Beach on the Silver Strand in San Diego. It is right down the road from North Island NAS and the Naval Amphibious base. We couldn't resist taking the picture. That is Jim Truman with me. Carmen, I, Jim his wife and daughter went down Monday and came back Thursday. We went aboard the USS Midway. They all went to Sea World and spent 9 hours on Tuesday....and got a good sun burn. Then on Wednesday we just explored the Navy bases...visited all five of them. We had a 3 room suite over at Point Loma Sub Base..on the third floor overlooking the harbor and ocean. So if he wants to use the picture it is ok with me. Jim says it is ok too. Jim is a retired E-8...spent many years at Wallace. He is now a GS-11 Flight Commander of Secure Networking in the Intel Squadron here at Nellis. I was active duty at Clark 75-77 in the Comm group..worked in the Control Tower. Went back over middle 80s as a retiree. Went to work at Camp O'Donnell for Ford Aerospace on the range in Spring of 87. Was Range Safety Technician Supervisor for all of Crow Valley. Jimmy D met us here at Nellis BX on Carmens Birthday a few years ago....we took pix that he put in one of his articles. Keep in touch. (That sounded like one hell of a good vacation and I do remember that fine moment at the Nellis BX and the birthday cake. I think that I would really enjoy a tour of the Midway, maybe I will luck out one year and make it there. I sure do miss my yearly visits to Las Vegas, maybe next year.)

SUBIC DARTS

One of my great ideas was to form a dart team made up of some of the dedicated Expat dart players from Angeles City and enter the dart league held at various bars in Barrio Barretto, Olongapo. It is held every Wednesday at 2 PM and it is the longest running dart league I have ever been connected with. They have 22 teams and it runs until May 2009. I suggested that they divide it into two divisions to shorten the length but that was voted down real quick. The bad news is that when I went there for the initial meeting to form up the league on a Wednesday, the next Saturday petrol prices were raised P1.50 a liter. The next Wednesday we went to our first match with the Barretto Beach Resort and then that Saturday the petrol went up again by three pesos. Needless to say I am afraid to see what the price will be by May even though the President of the Philippines got the oil companies to roll the 3 peso increase back by P1.50. So, is my timing bad? Maybe so, but so far the team is enjoying the trip and we all chip in equal shares to pay for the toll fees and the gas. What is exciting is to see 22 different bars in the Barrio and to make friends with a whole lot of new people who enjoying a game of darts. My team fluctuates in membership because some of the players are tourists who are here for only a few weeks or those that stay for months before having to return home for some reason or another. Our first match was at the Barretto Beach Resort (BBR) and it was great to meet up with team members Dorie, Tom and Robin who are pictured here with AC team members representing the "Down Under" bar. I am not in the picture as I was the photographer but from left to right we have Richard (visiting from Las Vegas), Ron (a Barrio resident playing with my team), Paul, AC, Dorie, BBR, Robin, BBR, Tom, BBR and John, AC. Malou, our one female member of theAC team is also a resident of the Barrio. We have a few more AC players that were not available for that first match. I have noticed one thing about the dart players in Barrio Barretto (BB) and that they dress a lot more casually than we AC players do. I presume that is because they live so close to the beach so I think I will start wearing my tank top shirts when going there. The reason I normally do not travel in such a shirt is because I look lousy wearing it but then I saw some lads that look as bad as me so the hell with it, I am going with comfort the next time. Our second week we played at our home bar, the Down Under and that is one hell of a big bar. I made a serious mistake in that at the conclusion of the match, I gathered up our players and headed home around 1645 hrs. Later in the evening one of my players complained that we left too early as the dancing ladies were scheduled to take the stage at 1700 hrs. I will not make that mistake again! The first week I ate at "The Coffee Shop" owned by SeeBee, yep, an ex US Navy guy and I forgot how big the tacos were. I over ate. The second week I hit Mango's for lunch and so far have been pretty happy with the chow served up. I am hoping that I can get close enough to try eating at Tom Drydon's (Sp?) as I have heard so much about it. Rumor has it that Mo might be adding that place to his list of establishments in the Barrio. So, as you can see, I will be writing about the different places we play at and hopefully, I can cover some of the resorts going up in that area as well. I will say I do enjoy walking out the back of these places and seeing the beach and enjoying the fresh ocean breezes and the nice clear air. Soon I will just wear my bathing suit and tank top so I can jump in the ocean in between games.

A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE

Being a Horse of limited means I enjoy driving around various sub-divisions looking at houses that I would love to own but can't afford but appreciate the scale of beauty of some houses. In the States I often went to look at model homes that were way out of my price range. One day last month I discovered a house that looked fantastic. It was at the end of Luisa Street in Hensonville Court. This place was like a Mansion. I only admired it from the outside as it was gated with an armed guard inside and I usually only admire these houses from a distance unless I am able to meet the owner and get a tour. I was able to find out that this house is currently rented out to Mr. Charles Lawrence who is the "rich guy" in town that allegedly is a poster boy on the website http://www.dc.fl.us/Absconder. This website indicates that Charles is a fugitive from justice in the State of Florida. Isn't it great, the interesting people that are attracted to Angeles City. Allegedly, Charles can be known by many different names, i.e., Charles Lawrence Surry, Michael Charles Lawrence, Charles Lace Surry, Charles Lace Lawrence, Charles Lawrence Surry III, Charles Lace Surry III, Charles L. Surry, Charles Surry and Shawn Michael Surry. I guess he changes names to match his moods. Charles became known to many when he purchased (?) the Magic Moments Club from Dennis Bradbury and shortly thereafter a controversy developed over non-payment allegations. It was something to be sorted out between the two. I remember David Arn meeting with me and defending the reputation of Charles but now, rumor has it that David is less than happy while wondering where $14,000 of his money has gone. There is also a Thomas J. Cerin that regrets the $62,000 he invested with Charles, along with a Russell Johnston, $15,000 and a Redente De Vera who invested $20,000 in the Crazy Horse Saloon and supposedly, also lent Charles another $60,000 for working capital. There is also a big question about the legitimacy of the passport being used by Charles and a bigger question about the Corporation named Capos Management Inc. being used by Charles in his business dealings. The Republic of the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a certification of Non-Registration of Corporation/Partnership in which the Director, Benito A. Cataran has certified that the available records of this Commission do not show the registration CAPOS MANAGEMENT INC., as corporation or partnership. It is alleged that Charles has done a lot of business in Hong Kong and China and there are some unhappy investors in those countries as well. American Embassy personnel are well aware of Charles and a Security Officer/Investigator there has said that it is up to the local authorities to deal with Charles since Florida wouldn't extradite him. Contact has been made with some high ranking immigration officials but the process is very slow in a corrupt country. It is suspected that Charles has paid large sums of money to individuals to protect his immigration status. So there you have it, one very interesting person who continues to live high on the hog in Angeles City, lives in a Mansion, parties nearly every night in Clubs like the La Pasha and many others. He is not in hiding, avoiding no one, has not been arrested, has no worries and has his wife running the recently reopened Crazy Horse Saloon under a slightly different name. No doubt this guy has a likable personality and would be a great person to party with, talk to, and share dinner with but for sure, until a few questions are answered, in no way would he be a person to go into business with or to lend money to. What do they say, "buyer beware" and this is something to be aware of when dealing with one "Charles - whatever last name he is using now". One thing is for sure, I still like that great looking house he is living in, maybe he will give me an invite to his next house party.

I WOULD IF I COULD

Would you believe that these two are sisters? For sure they are not twins. They are from Mindanao and on the right is Angela, 24 years old, with a 4 year old girl. To the right is Iris, 22 years old and she has a one year old boy. They both work at Wee George's Bar on Perimeter Road. Naturally, when I see sisters working in the same Club my imagination begins to go at warp speed and I imagine all sorts of fun nights. Now, if you look at them together I wonder which one the reader would prefer. We all have different criteria when choosing a lady and I know which one I would go for, at least on the first night. They both had pleasing personalities and were not shy so they are fun ladies to present with a few ladies drinks.
That old guy sitting in the background is Ian and he told me that there is another sister combination working there but they were not on duty that day. Ian is helping out George with keeping an eye on the Club and is one of the good guys to talk to. The problem is that most of the time, George is the only one able to understand what he is saying. Stop in and say hello to the sisters and give Ian a bit of a go. This month I will take the time to stop in at Tartz and see what Harro the great has on his menu.

IS THIS MAMA FOR YOU?

Once again I am introducing you to one of those Mamasan's who are so often over looked since they always work around all those much younger, better looking ladies. I am on a quest to bring some romance and happiness into some of their lives. Of course, most of the time they think I am nuts but what the hell. Mama Claire is only 43 years old and still has a damn good figure. She is a great lady to talk to and has been separated from her husband for a very long time. She is the head lady at Wee George's and runs a tight ship there. Stop in and say hello to her or better still, drop an Email to clarita_alcantara@yahoo.com. She doesn't expect anyone to send her an Email so do this Horse a favor, stop what you are doing and send her an Email now! Remember guys, those juices don't stop flowing because a lady is over 35.

THE MEQUENI RESTAURANT OPENS AGAIN

Priscilla and I have been waiting for this restaurant to reopen for months. It is located within the Holiday Inn Hotel at the Clark Freeport Zone and finally, last month it opened its doors again after a rather extensive renovation. We absolutely loved it, fantastic, wonderful and so on. The food selections were fantastic, with different stations offering food selections from various countries. There was Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Western, and great dessert selections as well. There were two items that I was especially happy to see and consume, shrimp and crepes. I pigged out on the shrimp, so much so that I did not have much room left for the various other courses. I managed a few samplings but wanted to leave room for those crepes. I had mine filled with mango and pineapple, strawberry topping and of course chocolate ice cream. This is a dining experience you do not want to miss. Right now I give this restaurant a 10 horse shoe rating based on design, comfort, food selections, quality of food, customer service, and staff friendliness. For what you get the pricing is very reasonable, depending on what you drink one person could pay less than P900. Horses do not drink wine so we save there but our soft drinks were P95 each. We could have saved nearly P200 by sticking to water. I would have done that but Mrs. Horse is not as cheap as me. We purchased the Priority Club coupon booklet that allows us a 50% discount at the two restaurants plus discounts on rooms and access to the swimming pool. The booklet costs over P7,000 and yes, that does make me eat at the Holiday Inn more often than I normally would so it achieves its objective. I could save P7,000 by not purchasing the coupons but then I would never get to eat at the Mequeni and folks, that would be a very big disappointment.

VISITORS I LOST MY NOTES ON

Damn, I do this all too often. I take pictures of visitors and write their names down plus a little bit of a biography. Then I either lose my notes or I have my notes but can't match them to the pictures I took. What I started to do lately is run upstairs and type in the person's name right away with the picture so I don't forget. The three individuals here fall into the category of "I just plain forget" and can't match the faces to my notes. I could just leave the pictures out but then they were all nice enough to visit me and might wonder what the hell happened to their pictures. I think one of them was Stephan Koechi, originally from Switzerland but now lives in Singapore and works as a mechanical engineer. I just can't remember which one. Honestly, I will try to work on my memory deficiencies.

A REMEMBERED VISITOR

My goodness, I hope I have this one right. I felt kind of good when reviewing the four pictures that I think I did find a match for one of them. So, let me give this a try. I am going to say that this gentlemanly visitor was Harvey Thompson from Beaufort, Victoria. He is a semi-retired sheep shearer who has been married for 30 years to a Filipina, Leticia, from Bicol and is the proud father of two daughters. Harvey is a prostate cancer survivor and has been coming to Angeles City off and on for years. Boy, I hope I have this right or I am really in the shits! So, maybe I had a 25% success rate.

ONE GREAT POOL PARTY

I am not going to go into a long write-up here because I believe the pictures I am presenting speak for themselves. You all know how popular Mo's pool parties are at Mo's Place and how much fun one can have. It is a girl watching experience where the range of ladies attending in their bathing suits range from fantastic to "Oh Hum" but the food and drinks alone are worth the effort to attend. As a parting gesture from Mo he teamed up with Lewis of the Lewis Grand Hotel and organized what I consider, his best pool party in a very long time. It was great! The atmosphere was festive with many fun and games in the pool, plenty of food and drink, a fantastically wonderful venue with so much space and a big pool that it felt like one hell of a big festival. Was it a success? You bet with 139 paid attendees, 100 plus bikini clad ladies on hand and 400 ladies drinks purchased. This was Mo's parting gift to his loyal patrons and to give a jump start to the pool side activities at the Hotel. Anyone attending had to be impressed and I hope that Lewis will be able to work out another joint effort with the new owner of Kokomo's, Derek or someone else. What a great afternoon it was and it was so easy to walk around and take pictures. OK already, I guess you get the picture so let me quit the yap-yap and add a few for you to look at.

I do believe that I have put the finishing touches on this column and I can relax for a couple of days. It is 29 Jul so the folks that put in out on the internet for me have no excuses to be late. This has been a pretty nice month. True, it has rained a lot and some folks are complaining about the lack of sunshine but not me. I have a farm so the rain is good for it and the weather has been real cool. This is baby making weather and I am sure that the chilly nights will be responsible for a surge in births 9 months from now. I had a call from a 54 year old foreigner last night seeking advice of what to do about his 21 year old live-in girlfriend from Leyte that was in the process of throwing things at him and destroying his apartment because she was in a jealous tantrum and did not like the pictures he was looking at on the Go2 Phil website. He was hiding in the bathroom when he called me. This was the second or third time she did this and once threw an ashtray that hit him in the eye. He was afraid that he would grab her and maybe bruise her to protect himself and wanted to know if he should call the police. I never understand this behavior. A young lady doing this once, yeah, ok, a second time she should have been kicked out but a third time, oh boy! My advice, do not call the cops, absolutely not! Wait until she has settled down, hope she has not destroyed the apartment, then talk gently, be nice, be the hurt boyfriend that cares for her so much and turn her passion into a romantic evening. Then the next day start planning on how you are going to get this bitch kicked out of your life! He did send me a text the next day that all was well but I am not sure he will follow the last of my advice. I figure a guy comes over here, especially the older ones, to relax, find a nice lady, retire, leave aggravating, nagging, bossy women behind in the country they came from. Many find those women here but my goodness, why keep one that you were trying to get away from in the first place. I guess it is the thrill of having someone 33 years or more younger to look after you which ain't all that bad, but guys, if it don't function right, get a replacement before it is too late. If you look hard enough and long enough you might find one like my Priscilla the Horse and you should be so lucky! OK, I am out of here, but remember, be kind to horses!