Siesta time in Japan

The candidate of California state won the Miss United States of America title during the contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada Sunday. Miss California, Alyssha Campanella, who is actually from New Jersey, won over her closest contender, Miss Tennessee, who reportedly stumbled over the poser in the question-and-answer portion of the pageant. Oh? Did she also reply with a boner like our own Miss Universe contestant who stammered with a “major, major” error?

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In the face of tragedy, the Japanese still can think up the most ingenuous ways of solving problem. An international wire report said that, especially in the Gifu Prefecture, there are now plans to adopt the Spanish “siesta” habit, that is, of taking time off for a nap after lunch. For the Japanese workers in the prefecture, it has been proposed that workers be given time off from 1 to 3 p.m. everyday so workers can rest, especially in the summer months of July to September.

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But the real reason for the break is that, the management of those companies actually want to save electricity on those hours because then they would have to keep their air conditioners going. A three-hour rest could save millions of yens, more so now that they are holding back on the full use of nuclear plants, with the Fukushima experience. Will this be a win-win solution to the power problem? Well, workers must be happy that they could rest and play for three hours, but employers may rejoice in the power savings, but will probably suffer losses in production.

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Something or someone there is who does not like cellphone companies. Only recently, we have been reading a lot of articles pointing out the dangers from the excessive use of cellular, or, as the Americans call them, mobile phones. Well, we all admit the usefulness of this gadget, the use of which we had not even imagined possible a few years ago. But we must acknowledge how dangerous they can be when used immoderately. And this is what the authors of House Bill No. 4571 must have in mind when they filed it, for the purpose of imposing a ban on its use while driving.

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Indeed, such a law is long overdue. Some people just cannot stop themselves from using their cellphones even while driving on busy streets, although I am thankful that there are not too many of them in our city. I recall that in that tragic accident in Manila where a woman ran over and killed an elementary school boy, witnesses had hinted that she was talking on her cellphone when backing out and probably did not notice the poor little boy behind her. Until now the case has not been settled, and hearings are reportedly going on.

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Oh, so it’s not “onli in da Pilipins” where presidential families like to travel all together when they go abroad. The news said yesterday that American first lady Michelle Obama is travelling to Africa to help the poor people there. Travelling with her on this two-week tour, are her two daughters Sasha and Malia, as well as their grandma Marian Robinson, and cousins Leslie and Avery Robinson. Do they not remind you of some presidential families here who also take their relatives along on state travels?

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It is very obvious that Floyd Mayweather thinks of himself as above all things – above ordinary human beings and even above the law. Poor fellow, he is just exhibiting his ignorance with every move he is taking lately. He even ignored a court summons for a hearing on the case Manny Pacquiao filed against him, just telling his lawyers to tell the judge he can’t make it because he has to concentrate on his training for a coming fight. Isn’t that subject to contempt or something worse? If the judge does not sanction him, it could only mean he is afraid to be knocked out. It will be interesting to know what he will do.

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Many people have been asking me about my lamentations against the GA Appliance and Sales Center in the case of my busted washing machine. One said I should buy a new one nalang. I said I could not, because the one the GA tampered with is a heavy duty one and quite expensive, in fact my sister and I saved for some time to afford it. But I also heard a lot of tales of woe from people who dealt with repair shops, but don’t ask me where they went.*

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