There are many good radio blocktimers

Title of a newspaper article: "Truth Must Be Loved." A Yiddish proverb says: "Everyone loves the truth, but not everyone tells it."

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A cellular phone that screams when stolen has been invented and is now marketed in England. The inventor says this will effectively put an end to cellphone stealing. The amplified voice coming out from the mobile phone is like the voice of the person gone wild and would never stop until the robber drops the phone or is caught by the police or concerned "istambays."

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This screaming cellphone will have a good market in the Philippines, including Cebu, where cellpone stealing is rampant. But knowing Pinoy ingenuity, there is no telling what Pinoy cellphone robbers could do to silence the scream and thus save their "career" from extinction.

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A lot of people look down on radio blocktimers. This is because many blocktimers are known to be naughty, to put it less painfully. But there are blocktimers who deserve to be looked up to because they don't do shenanigans that bring dishonor to the broadcast media. I can cite names of good blocktimers but I won't - lest those not mentioned would get slighted.

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A knowledgeable friend of mine texted me this message concerning the raging water controversy: "It is revolting to hear Cebu City leaders talk about cheap water but seems to only protect big interest groups ... only 39 percent of Cebu City households have access to MCWD water. How about the 61 percent who are buying from water vendors and currently paying P150 per cu. m.?"

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I am not conversant, I confess, about the ins and outs of this water controversy so I'd rather not comment on my friend's text message. Although I know he's taking the cudgels for the poor sector whose voice is not heard in the current sound and fury about water. Nalumsan ang tingog sa pobre.

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Thanks to Leonilo Y., my two-time "widowed" friend, for inviting me to his wedding, his third, in Catarman (I think that's in Samar). Leonie is now 78 but, according to him, still young enough to climb a papaya tree. He did not reveal the age of his bride-to-be. Young or older, Leonie?

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Speaking of love and marriage, Banat News staff reporter Brenda Batuto texted me this love-marriage cycle:

One to two years: Magsalo sa plato; Three to five years: Tig-isa ng plato; Five to seven years: Nagbatuhan ng plato; Eight to ten years: Wala na sila plato! That's what we call Platonic love." He, he, he!