Bacoleños long for
news from home

I don't know what happened to our e-mail carrier "lasaltech.com."

A Bacoleño Nathan Antonio, in the U.S. Navy stationed in Sicily in Italty, texted me, he could not get through our e-mail.

I was surprised too. I used to get no less than four to five e-mails a week. This last month I never got one. Except for a text from Nathan Antonio.

Nathan texted me more than 15 times already. I could not answer him text for text because it would cost much. Last Tuesday, Globe texted me I already incurred a bill of nearly P3,000 as of Dec. 27, for December. So, Nathan will understand if he reads this.

Nathan texted me he never misses DAILY STAR that has become his morning fare everyday.

When he could not get one after the Dec. 23 issue, he asked, what happened to DAILY STAR? I could not answer him. We had no issue after Dec. 23.

Then when Dec. 27 issue came out, he texted me and learned I was from Igbaras and gave me the information his wife, a nurse, is from Guimaras.

* * *

I like the catty, chatty Nathan Antonio. He told me he is from Bacolod, graduated from Tay Tung high school in 1983, and Visayan Maritime Academy in 1986, visited my daughter dentist for his dental problems when he was here.

He is also a friend of John Orola and family.

And he always emphasized he is an avid reader of DAILY STAR through the electronic edition. He wrote "I like your candid view and unbiased opinion…" Candid, okay. But, Nathan, any opinion writer is always biased.

Only news reporters are not allowed to be biased. The first requirement of an opinion writer, on the other hand, is to be biased. Otherwise it's not an opinion.

It's just, Nathan, you agreed with my opinion. We have the same bias. Great writers always say, "Great minds travel along the same track." How do you like that bias for great minds?

You have a great mind, Nathan. And mine is traveling along with yours.

* * *

Nathan also informed me that the "monumental blunder" of printing the P100 "Arrovo" bills is fetching $31 in the Internet market and the seller is from Hong Kong.

Nathan is also learning the ropes to be a columnist by putting forward an opinion that we print peso bills with errors and sell it in the souvenir markets. We make money, Nathan said.

This year has been good to him, said Nathan. His wife got pregnant for the first time in their five years of marriage. Hard work!

Nathan is a veteran of two wars, Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He was in Iraq on the ground with the Marines.

* * *

You have to give it to the Americans. They have good PR programs.

Nathan said, it was the order of his Commander and the U.S. Embassy that when they are home they would pay courtesy calls on the Mayor, the Governor and other officials to explain the war.

And Nathan was here October 2004 and, with complete uniform, he made courtesy calls on public officials.

Nathan is very proud of Sicily's sweet red wine. I cannot believe you, Nathan until I taste one.

But if you insist on bringing more for our friends here as a PR caper from the U.S. Navy and the red wine producers of Italy, no one will say no. I will take care of the wine of one who would refuse.

Well, Nathan, I am just kidding you. But if you refuse to take this as a joke, what can I do? Even ladies at DAILY STAR also like red wine.

Now, I can understand Nathan, if you raise a howl if you don't get an issue of DAILY STAR. At DAILY STAR we love our readers, especially if he has red wine from Sicily.

* * *

I also got a letter from my friend, Barry Swain. And his many friends here will be happy to know he is okay after his main heart valve was replaced last month and he is recuperating very well.

He wrote me, no lifting, no driving, no walking of the dog until, at least, January. But Barry's greatest achievement, he told me, was how he kept the secret of his heart ailment from his mother, Renee, who is 86 now.

When I toured London in 1987, she was 68 and strong and healthy. At that time Barry was here in Bacolod and was surprised to read in DAILY STAR my column about his mother. Renee was my tour guide then.

Barry and wife Ann Marie, mayor of the Borough of Enfield in North London plan to take a vacation, probably in the Caribbean where they had a memorable time in Barbados a couple of years ago.

In Great Britain a city is called a borough.

I'll write Barry to take a world tour and come to the Philippines where he'll find there are many British nationals here, even in Bacolod.

Barry said Anne Marie might run again for councilor and take another mayoralty year before she packs it all up.

Last July I was all set to go to Europe with money for the ticket sent by a niece in London but to go alone, my children opposed it and my cardiologist said he was not in favor of it. The best way to travel is always with a group.*

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