Odds & Sods

I've noticed that all just about all vehicles here have the "How's my driving" painted onto the rear, from the biggest trucks down to the Jeepneys and even the tricycles. As driving is universally bad (although it all still works surprisingly well), the need to place this on all vehicles seems rather pointless to me. What are you supposed to do? Call up the number and tell them that vehicle registration ABC 123 is being driven badly - really badly. Particularly badly. More badly than is the norm. This is not really possible as it couldn't deteriorate much worse otherwise the streets would be like the bumper cars you get at fairgrounds (but probably not anymore on the grounds of health & safety). And besides, even if you did call the number on the back of the vehicle I really, really doubt that anyone would care.

The placing of "How's my driving" on the back of all the vehicles here is as worthless as the disclaimer that's placed at the bottom of all corporate e-mail. Whose idea was that? And why specifically e-mails? It has absolutely no worth in my opinion, although I'm sure there's some corporate lawyer that would come up with some pathetic argument for including it. I mean, when did you ever receive a letter in the post, or a birthday card, or an electricity bill with the wording at the bottom stating, "This communication is for use by the intended recipients and may contain information that may be privileged, confidential or copyrighted, blah, blah, blah, blah, ad-infinitum". Really, does anyone take any notice of this drivel? But all companies do it. I bet there isn't a recorded instance of a company ending up in court because they didn't include a disclaimer at the bottom of an e-mail. What the disclaimer does make you do should you receive an e-mail by mistake (just how many e-mails have you received that weren't intended for you? Not many, if any, I reckon) from the office of No. 10 Downing Street is read it from top to bottom to see if there is anything privileged, confidential or copyrighted in it to see if it's worthwhile sending to the News of the World.

I worked for a small engineering company several years ago and as it grew they introduced a policy of adding the disclaimer to all e-mails. When I asked why this was suddenly necessary I was told "because we're a big company now and that's what big companies do".  Pathetic.

Furthermore, you then get those morons that also add the words "Only print this if absolutely necessary - save the environment", or words to that effect. What's it supposed to mean? Are they trying to tell the world that they're environmentally aware tree huggers? Do they suppose that I print out every e-mail I receive, regardless of the drivel they send, just so I can have an office full of files and paper? The only thing it does ensure, along with the pointless disclaimer, is that if you do have to print the e-mail it's going to go into at least an extra page. How environmentally friendly is that?

Here's what the Lonely Planet says about Toledo:

The port city of Toledo, due west of Cebu City, presents a cheap and quick way to travel between Cebu and San Carlos, Negros. Once home to one of Asia's copper-mining giants [it still is], and currently home to a massive coal and oil power plant, this nondescript little city has little to offer the traveller. Its choice of food and accommodation is extremely limited, but with frequent ferry services, no one should be forced to stay the night.

That says it all really.

I've taken to cycling home from work these days in an ongoing quest to lose a bit of weight and to improve my fitness for my pending climb to the top of Mt. Kanlaon. To this end I've bought yet another bike - it seems that I end up buying a bike in whatever country I'm working in at the time so I've accumulated several now. Fortunately the condition of the roads here pretty good and as there are very few vehicles on the road, other than the plethora of motor tricycles and tricycles, it's possibly not as dangerous as you might think. Hopefully that's the case . . . . . Perhaps I should get a tee shirt made with the wording on the back saying, "How's my cycling?"