Interesting piece on Manila
Am not a fan of Dan Brown's novels (think they are rubbish) but he seems to have upset people in Manila (the MMDA) who think the city is not polluted and has no sex trade. Always will amaze me how Filipinos can never take criticisim of their country by foreigners while they openly admit the problems themselves. The letter is somewhat amusing as it says Manila is the "entry to heaven". Well it could be seen as that also I suppose.
[url]http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/05/23/brown-hounded-calling-manila-gates-hell-283775[/url]
They must have been listening to you GE
[quote=goodenough; 1426030]i get the sense that the national government here is serious about enhancing its ability to project military power, even of a limited sort, into what it views as its territorial waters. the problem is, i think, that what is viewed here as a major investment, is about equivalent to a week's worth of expenditures for the chinese armed forces with which it has no hope in hell of competing. so it will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next several months. a poorly trained, poorly equipped filipino force head to head with a thoroughly professional, well equipped opposing force from china. on the other hand, i worry about the "mutual defense pact" between the gop and the us as i would hate to see the us sucked into another mindless, unwinnable conflict on behalf of the philippines.
ge[/quote]just as you posted the above fr i saw this in the msn web site. must have heard your comments ge.
[url]http://t.news.ph.msn.com/regional/grounded-ship-is-philippines-last-line-of-defence-2[/url]
basically this says the country does not have a chance if china decided to take over the seas using a high powered speed boat and few well trained fishermen lol.
as this country desperately needs jobs, investment, cash etc. something that that successive governments have failed to do. it seems very likely that the us will be back. the level of poverty is the same as 2006/07 according to media reports also so another factor to welcome back us forces but when when they arrive what will ijm do? big question is how to stop all the girls in ac and subic etc entertaining the troops while being paid so much money to stop it lol i think there will be some unwritten rules on that matter as i can't imagine horny marines sitting in a bar just driinking then going back to the ship