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[Pachimari]

My Facebook newsfeed is full of people cheering on Bongbong Marcos, saying they should recount the votes, that there is corruption, that Marcos is our true vice president etc. Unbearable actually, but just kind of hilarious the same way.

Anyway, I just arrived in Denmark a few hours ago. And I am really really really sad, as I want to be with my family in the Philippines.

 

[EYEL1NER]

if it's posted on the internet, it must be true

lots of people are linking that adobo chronicles article <_<

no one bothers to check the source of information anymore

as they say here, no one really 'loses'

"Check the source of information?" Wouldn't be good enough for a lot of people anyway.

Early this morning before going to bed I decided to look up the results to see how many precincts had reported in and what the unofficial count was so far. I saw on the Google News search two links from three hours before about BongBong not being in the lead, one to Time Magazine and the other to Yahoo. Both were the same article though, after checking both links out. They pretty much said "He has a lot of support, he was in the lead early on, now he's not, here's some info about the Marcos regime when Ferdinand was in charge."

I decided to check the comments out on the Yahoo article, despite knowing the the comments section anywhere, ESPECIALLY on a political topic, will be a cesspool. There were the same-old "Ferdinand was the greatest president and the country prospered under him and Corazon was a liar and a thief and everyone who came after Ferdinand was so much worse" comments and then some saying he was terrible and up ruined the country.

What got my eyes rolling damn near out of my head though was one person who kept commenting on anyone who said anything negative about the Marcos families past. It was nothing but "Don't just believe what you have read. To see is to believe. Have you seen them stealing and plundering and all such accusations you've said?" Oh, someone points out that the recently published Panama Papers show that there are still large huge offshore accounts belonging to members of the Marcos family? Well "So what' s your problem. You've just read that. To see is to believe."

Ugh.........

EDIT: I kind of wish sometimes that my wife had an "it's on the Internet, so it's true" mentality. Sometimes she'll say something that sounds ridiculously untrue, I will look it up and find a respected source that says the opposite from her, and the response I get back is "Well, you can't change my mind on it, that is just what we believe." She doesn't read much stuff online, so for her it is "If another Filipino told me this, it's true."

 

[darkwing]

lol I swore off FB a long time ago because of that, people believe what they want to believe and any online justification just feeds it

my wife told me her FB feed is a mess with friends/relatives fighting with 'proofs' and 'links'

 

[Quick]

Anyway, I just arrived in Denmark a few hours ago. And I am really really really sad, as I want to be with my family in the Philippines.

Did you end up flying home by yourself, or do you mean family in general?

These sort of trips always feel so exhausting when you're actually there, but when you fly back and have a moment to think about it, you end up wishing you were back there half the time.

 

[Raysoul]

I'm also hate how people just validates their biased POV based on handpicked articles.

That is why I try to stay neutral as much as possible.

 

[Pachimari]

Did you end up flying home by yourself, or do you mean family in general?

These sort of trips always feel so exhausting when you're actually there, but when you fly back and have a moment to think about it, you end up wishing you were back there half the time.

Family in general. I want to be with all of my cousins, uncles, aunts etc.

I'm thinking of moving there. I have nothing here in Denmark anyway. But again, job possibilities are slim in the Philippines.

 

[Deleted member 80556]

*Disclaimer: I didn't vote for Duterte, but I am not against him

I really don't side with anything regarding politics. As I see it, people here are "desperate". People are sick of the rampant criminals. People are sick of corrupt officials. People are desperate for justice.

Then there's Duterte. He made an evident elimination of criminals in Davao. Is there really a "Death Squad"? People don't seem to care, with some even justifying them.

People here wants tangible results. They don't care if the economy is rising or falling, as most of the poor people don't even feel it. With Duterte, they feel comfortable of at least reducing the evil people, thinking it would help with the way of life.

No matter how foul-mouthed he is, people will defend him, because common people are used to hearing bad words. They are really "desperate" to elect a foul-mouthed asshole who they believe will solve criminality, than common politicians with the same old agendas to just improve the Philippines.

While understandable, the innocents who will die just because of rumors, because of the population's desire for revenge will be untenable.

It happened here in Colombia with paramilitarism, and we're one of the countries that has committed some of the worst human rights infractions in the world. The means do not justify the end.

 

[Raysoul]

While understandable, the innocents who will die just because of rumors, because of the population's desire for revenge will be untenable.

It happened here in Colombia with paramilitarism, and we're one of the countries that has committed some of the worst human rights infractions in the world. The means do not justify the end.

In Duterte's defense, he never admitted ties with the death squad, and promises a due process for surrendering criminals. He is willing to kill resisting criminals though.

Remember that we are in a timeline where Manny Pacquiao is now a senator. I know that he is a good man who helps poor people, and people thought that it is enough. Like I said, people are already desperate. It doesn't matter to them any other qualifications as long as they know that they would benefit from these politicians.

Nevertheless, Duterte will now be our president, so we would wait and see how he handles the Philippines as a leader.

 

[random25]

I don't know anything at all about the way senate elections and seats work in the Philippines but going off of the suggestions here, I can assume that it works opposite of how a lot of what you suggest works and that makes it sound like a shitty system. Some of these sound like no-brainers.
I mean, I can't even imagine how fucked the US would be if republicans nationwide could vote in every state's senate and representative elections. That just blows my mind that the system works like that in the Philippines. Why would someone in the middle of nowhere in General Santos, for example, want people in Manila or Tacloban or wherever else voting for who will represent them without knowing the needs of that area and the problems facing it?

It's how it works in the Congress. It's the Senate that's a bit of a problem now because the qualifications to become a senator have become bastardized and personal agendas have taken priority over taking care of the nation's interest.

also you can't just remove Congress, it's the legislative branch of the government

I'm just kidding about the removal of Congress. It's a co-equal branch of the trifecta after all. I'm serious about an overhaul in that branch though.

 

[Pachimari]

While I am looking for that one great post about Filipino movies in one of the last pages, which ones should I get? I have the following:

- The Breakup Playlist
- Metro Manila
- On the Job
- It Takes a Man and a Woman
- One More Chance
- Captive (foreign but is about a terrorist group in the Philippines)
- Rosita (Danish movie but about a Filipina au pair)
- Wag Kang Lilingon (gonna buy it soon)

I would prefer if I can buy the movies on Amazon US or UK but other stores are also fine.

 

[ULTROS!]

While I am looking for that one great post about Filipino movies in one of the last pages, which ones should I get? I have the following:



I would prefer if I can buy the movies on Amazon US or UK but other stores are also fine.

- On The Job
- Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank)
- Heneral Luna (General Luna)

 

[Pachimari]

- Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank)
- Heneral Luna (General Luna)

Thanks, I'm gonna look into these two. I already got On the Job. Which are Sarah Geromino's best films?

My buying list:

- Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank)
- Heneral Luna (General Luna)
- Love Me Tomorrow (coming up)
- This Time (coming up)
- Ma'rosa (coming up)
- Just the 3 of Us (coming up)
- Mammoth
- The Monster Chronicles: Tiktik

 

[Pachimari]

I think this thread died down a little after the presidential election. So what is going on in the South China Sea? Is it both China and Philippines who claims that the islands there belongs to themself? Or why is this issue so important?

 

[flintstryker]

I am thinking of doing a fuck it kind of thing were I buy a plane ticket and go spend a month in a random country, Philippines is on my shortlist where would you guys recommend going? Currently thinking of Manila and my budget is 2k btw

 

[titiklabingapat]

I think this thread died down a little after the presidential election. So what is going on in the South China Sea? Is it both China and Philippines who claims that the islands there belongs to themself? Or why is this issue so important?

There are several claimants, including the Philippines and, China. The area is rich in fisheries, potential fossil fuel deposits and important trade routes are found in the area.

The other claimants are Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan, but it is the Philippines, Vietnam and China that are the most active in their claims and they respectively occupy various reefs and atolls in the area. Vietnam and the Philippines are only claiming parts of it: those that lie within thier 200 mile exclusive economic zone. China is claiming most of the area based on historical reasons, bounded by the widely circulated Nine-dash line maps.

 

[Quick]

I think this thread died down a little after the presidential election. So what is going on in the South China Sea? Is it both China and Philippines who claims that the islands there belongs to themself? Or why is this issue so important?

It's important for strategic military reasons (among many other reasons), especially for China.

More detail:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_dispute

 

[Pachimari]

There are several claimants, including the Philippines and, China. The area is rich in fisheries, potential fossil fuel deposits and important trade routes are found in the area.

The other claimants are Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan, but it is the Philippines, Vietnam and China that are the most active in their claims and they respectively occupy various reefs and atolls in the area. Vietnam and the Philippines are only claiming parts of it: those that lie within thier 200 mile exclusive economic zone. China is claiming most of the area based on historical reasons, bounded by the widely circulated Nine-dash line maps.

It's important for strategic military reasons (among many other reasons), especially for China.

More detail:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_dispute

This is very interesting. I'm gonna read up on this.

 

[Mieu]

ano na nangyari dito? tumahimik uli!!

 

[Pachimari]

Oo talaga! Very silent in here all of a sudden.

I'm currently learning and studying Tagalog. I'm reading through my workbooks and coursebooks, doing drills and also reading more in depth in the grammar book. I feel like I am really learning, especially the rules behind the grammar.

It will be the most relieving and fantastic feeling in my life, when I'm capable of understanding and speaking Tagalog. I'm studying it hard.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

Hello fellow Pinoys. Just want to share some new articles from my site. Hope you can read/share as well. Thanks!

Congrats To Philippines-Based Studio Secret 6 For Their Work On Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Find Online Jobs Using These Filipino-Friendly Websites

Notable, mostly Filipino/Philippines-based accounts to follow on Social media (great for those who want to see/learn more about the Philippines and Filipinos):

The Weekly Follow List – May 17, 2016

The Weekly Follow List – May 23, 2016

 

[titiklabingapat]

Reading more on Duterte, I guess I'll cheer for him for now. He has challenged the Catholic Church and seems to be winning. I hope it speeds up the secularization of the country.

I still think he is a sexist pig, however but the Catholic Church is worse. I like how he calls them 'sons of whores' lol.

 

[Pachimari]

He have said some very good thing, like being for medical use of marijuana and then some controversial stuff like allowing Marcos a hero burial, the death penalty, the curfew and ban on smoking and drinking. Also that he is letting communists back into government. But I like the personalities he have chosen for key positions against crime, yet he seem to have also appointed a few people who are total opposites of him. I don't know what to think of him yet.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

The Funniest Duterte Memes On The Internet

 

[EYEL1NER]

Man, I had a great (but expensive) dinner tonight. Found a new-ish Filipino restaurant and we stopped in. It was owned by a pinay but it was originally just a Chicken Wing joint and then after getting a foothold in the area and obtaining customers, she started adding Filipino cuisine to the menu (she relayed stories about Filipino establishments that opened in the metropolitan area before my time that had all closed down because they offered no western food).

I tried sisig for the first time. An American who worked there said it was his favorite because it is one of the few spicy things he has found that Filipinos make. He recommended I try it and someone with me ordered some, so I had a bit. It came out on a sizzling platter and was very crisp and crunchy, which I was not expecting. No spice though because the person who ordered asked for it mild.

We also got some pande-ube (which tasted so good that I ordered a half dozen more to take home), pande-coco, casava cake, Halo-Halo, sinigang hipon, tapsi with milkfish, pork tocino tapsi, a bunch of lumpia, kutsinta, and then some boneless wings (which were just chunks of chicken rather than 'traditional' boneless wings; we got mango habanero wings and pineapple wings). It was all pretty good and they have a lot of other rotating specials. Can't wait to go back soon.

So like I said, the American and I were discussing spicy food and how we haven't encountered much spice or heat in Filipino cuisine. Is there something else besides sisig that I may like or some other big important spicy dish that I may not have heard or may be overlooking?

 

[DonMigs85]

Sisig typically isn't really spicy. You can try Bicol Express

 

[EYEL1NER]

Sisig typically isn't really spicy. You can try Bicol Express

Hmmm, he acted like they make their sizzling sisig to be really spicy, so maybe the guy I was talking to assumes all sisig is spicy?
I like the sound of Bicol Express though. The chilies would def add a bit of a kick. I'll look into it, see if anyone I know makes it.

 

[random25]

Sisig is only spicy when it is served with lots of chopped chili. Aside from Bicol Express, a lot of Bicol-based Filipino dishes are spicy, and are coconut milk-based, like pinangat, laing and kinunot. Some aren't commonly served though, unless the owner/cook is from Bicol and they serve those as specialties.

 

[EYEL1NER]

Well now I kind of want to go to the Bicol region. Despite my dislike for soupy, liquid-y dishes in general (which makes dinner time very frustrating because my daughter's favorite dish that my wife makes is sinigang), I like a lot of Thai dishes that incorporate coconut milk. I just read about some other food from the area and it all sounds killer.

I've had a couple places in Bicol on my list for a while anyway though. I have found a couple tiny islands that are good for whale shark spotting/swimming with whale sharks, that are away from the commonly visited tourist attractions and resorts that offer the same (I would much rather do something like that in a more subdued personal/private setting than with a bunch of other tourists). And Mayon is there of course. Now it isn't at the very top of my "Philippines Volcanoes and Mountains to Climb" list due to its frequent activity (relative to other volcanoes in the country) but it is still on the list.

I just looked up some of the areas in Bicol and some of the bigger and smaller cities and I actually don't think I know anyone from there. We've got tons of people from all over the three island groups, from the smallest poorest provinces to the nicest neighborhoods in Quezon City and Makati, but I can't think of anyone who has said they hailed from there. So I may be waiting until the next time I am actually in the PI (sometime this summer, if everything goes according to plan) to eat Bicol Express.


Thanks for making me hip to it though, guys.

 

[Kingsgoon]

My wife is from the Bicol region so I have been spending quite a bit of time there.

There's a lot of things to do around Legazpi City and the Mayon Volcano.
Mayon resthouse for a nice view, Cagsawa Ruins (recommend atv ride up the volcano), Sumlang Lake, Kawa-Kawa Hill and Vanishing Island.

From what I hear it's popular to go to Donsol for swimming with the whale sharks.

Naga City is nice too, but I have not traveled around in the area as much as in Legazpi City.

I highly recommend going to Caramoan. It's a bit out of the way, but from Naga City you go to Sabang port and then boat to Caramoan. So beautiful. If you go, make sure you go Island hopping to the far away islands like Cutivas.

 

[pislit]

Hey guys, who'll go to Manila Majors next week?

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

Kwentong Empleyado &#8211; Company Reviews & Salary Info By Filipinos For Filipinos Please use and share w/ your friends and family Filipino-GAF (particularly for those living and working in the Philippines).

 

[Pachimari]

Oersted have posted a thread about a rotoscope animation called Manang Biring.

 

[ZettaiSeigi]

I am thinking of doing a fuck it kind of thing were I buy a plane ticket and go spend a month in a random country, Philippines is on my shortlist where would you guys recommend going? Currently thinking of Manila and my budget is 2k btw

If you mean 2k as in 2,000 USD then that will get you to a lot of places in the Philippines. The country is most popular for its beaches but avoid the tourist traps like Boracay. It's still nice but there's just too many people going there and is too commercialized now too. Try going to Palawan (El Nido and/or Coron) and also Bohol if you want to go to the beach.

As for other places you may find interesting, the island of Batanes might also be up your alley as it's remarkably different from the rest of the country. I suggest that you allot a few days there and be sure to plan your trip ahead of time, particularly your flights. You can even get some really cheap roundtrip airfare if you check the local low-cost airlines.

But if you're mostly going to spend your time in Manila, then you'll probably want to see walled city of Intramuros including Fort Bonifacio, Luneta Park, and the Manila Cathedral. You could also visit the neighboring provinces which will cost you just a few dollars' bus fare.

With that said, it really depends on what you intend to do once you get to the country. The country has a lot to offer though it's best to plan your trip ahead of time.

 

[Quick]

Weird seeing Duterte neews on the front page of Off-Topic. Pretty sure I've seen at least two or three of them this week.

Not Trump-levels in amount, but none of the news have been positive - at least from my angle.

 

[Mieu]

balita?

 

[Pachimari]

Which are the Filipino basketball players most likely to break into the NBA in the near future? And are there other Filipinos in the NBA other than Jordan Clarkson (half-Filipino) ?

Also, let's make this thread active again. It had a wonderful activity back in April to early May. Maybe people are just on vacation now.

 

[Quick]

I'm actually surprised that Filipinos haven't made too big a noise within basketball circles in North America yet, even within NCAA circles (as far as I know).

Have there been any PBA players who've attempted an NBA career? I've only really heard about PBA greats in brief.

On the subject of sports, I was in an internet cafe in the Philippines 6 years ago and saw an (I'm guessing) American check a Filipino pee-wee hockey league website. I wanted to ask the guy on how popular the game is, but I can only assume it's probably only big within small groups of the upper class. Equipment is expensive, even in Canada (goalie equipment are already at $1000+)

 

[paolo11]

Which are the Filipino basketball players most likely to break into the NBA in the near future? And are there other Filipinos in the NBA other than Jordan Clarkson (half-Filipino) ?

Also, let's make this thread active again. It had a wonderful activity back in April to early May. Maybe people are just on vacation now.

Kobe Paras, pre.

 

[Pachimari]

Kobe Paras, pre.

Yeah but he failed to live up to the college requirements they said yesterday.

 

[paolo11]

Yeah but he failed to live up to the college requirements they said yesterday.

What?? What u mean, pare?

Let me check.

 

[Pachimari]

Philippines president Duterte: "If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them"

 

[Quick]

Philippines president Duterte: "If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them"

This guy is a fucking lunatic and the people who support him are stupid. News at 7.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

New article on my site: The Funniest Twitter Blunders By Telco-owned Twitter Accounts

 

[EYEL1NER]

Looking for plane tickets over the past few days has been incredibly stressful for myriad reasons (flights that show no seats grouped together meaning my family might be seperated, flights disappearing while I was trying to book, needing to call to get that large of a transaction approved but the checking branch not being open, then calling during business hours but being told that they wouldn't authorize anything over $5000 which wasn't enough, and more). I've finally got tickets though, and on Korean Air no less (I've flown in Korean Air a few times while I was stationed in Korea and it was a pleasant experience each time).
In less than two weeks I'll be in the Philippines for the second time ever, first time since 2009. My wife really wants our daughter to have an authentic Jollibee birthday party with all of her cousins and stuff, so we are flying over for a short time. I wish we could stay longer than the duration we booked, two weeks, but it took too long to get my daughter and wife's passports and school starts back up mid-August, so my daughter needs to be back by then (I also have a power metal concert I want to go to in August, as well as a tournament for a miniatures game that I play, but those in no way influenced my decision on when we came back).
I've been looking up board game stores and cafes in Metro Manila and so far have only really found Ludo Board Game Bar in Makati. If anyone knows of any that aren't just MtG spots, please give me a heads up (that goes for any good nerd hangouts). I'm going to want to get some board gaming in while I am there. I've had plans on climbing some mountains and volcanoes for a while, and walking the path of the Bataan Death March, but I am in horrible shape at the moment, so if I do anything like that it would probably only be climbing Pinatubo, which doesn't seem to be too strenuous of a hike. And I probably won't even do that on this trip, tbh, but it is a possibility.
It should be an interesting trip though. Can't wait to finally make it back over there.

 

[DonMigs85]

Just found out Selena Gomez is coming over here end of the month

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

Homeland Talent: An Interview With Naughty Dog Art Director Erick Pangilinan

The Filipino art director talks about his Philippine roots, how he got his start in game development, working at Naughty Dog, and game development in the Philippines.

It's a very insightful interview I think. Feel free to share it on the gaming side if you like.

 

[Mieu]

@eyel1ner
I've seen people run the Bataan Death March route and it's not an easy task. You have to be really fit and if Mr Sun and Ms. Humidity doesnt cooperate, you're almost dead LOL.

I hope your daughter will have a nice birthday party at Jollibee. Dont forget the chicken joy, spaghetti, and sundae and don't sign the papers unless you can confirm Jollibee will be attending!! (coz sometimes theyll just throw you Hetty, the boring girl friend of the bee)


Board games...try this. hopefully most of them are still open. 2014 article.

http://www.spot.ph/eatdrink/56966/bored-10-places-for-food-and-board-games


if you want to climb but cant travel really far, try this:

http://www.masungigeoreserve.com


be warned, it's the rainy season here now and traffic can get really bad.





And China still won't give up the claimed territories.

 

[EYEL1NER]

@eyel1ner
*snip*

Thanks for the advice.
When I first learned that traveling the Bataan Death March route was even something that people did, it was on a blog where a woman who said she was out-of-shape and had a stomach flu walked it in three days (I think). I didn't plan on running it, just getting a pack and some comfy shoes and walking it. But even if I was in-shape, I have terrible knee problems and nerve damage in my extremities from before I turned into a fat fuck, so I should probably make sure that I am in-shape if I have other prior problems working against me too.
That GeoReserve looks beautiful though. It isn't that far to travel to get to, as well. I might see who would want to go with me and book a reservation.

As for Jollibee, one of my wife's sisters is handling the party reservation at SM Molino's Jollibee. I'll double-check that everything is copacetic though.

I did see that board game link a couple days ago. Tons of threads in the Philippines Regional sub-forum on BoardGameGeek have talked about Ludo, so that is number one on my list. The menu sounds amazing and is cheap and their game library is massive. It might be my time to finally learn A Most Dangerous Time: Japan in Chaos, 1570-1584 (the four hour 'short' variant of course, not the full 20hr game). Tobey's is one that I wasn't sure if it was open anymore or not. Their social media presence doesn't show much recent activity. I'll call when I get here though because Belgian waffles with board games sounds like an enjoyable experience.

And I am prepared for the rain. When I went in Oct 09 it was very rainy; on top of that they were coming off of Typhoons Ketsana/Ondoy and Parma/Pepeng and still getting a ton of rain. I'm already ready to be in a terrible mood over the humidity and heat though. On the traffic situation, the family has two vehicles, so at least if I am stuck in traffic it'll be in a nicer vehicle and not a jeepney or cab (I'm not so sure if someone my size in a trike would be a good idea; when I was there last time I weighed only 220lbs and still had trike drivers giving me the evil eye as the undercarriage of their bikes scraped against the speed bumps we would go over).

 

[Mieu]

SM molino has like one of the most annoying traffic ever!! But it's manageable. I hope you get your daughter's birthday will be carefree and a memorable one in a good way.

@board shops
I really don't know much about them since I'm a loner and dont frequent them. Hope you get a good place to try

@tricycle drivers
they can be mean but just and extra coins and theyll let you slip but thats really annoying.

 

[EYEL1NER]

SM molino has like one of the most annoying traffic ever!! But it's manageable. I hope you get your daughter's birthday will be carefree and a memorable one in a good way.

@board shops
I really don't know much about them since I'm a loner and dont frequent them. Hope you get a good place to try

@tricycle drivers
they can be mean but just and extra coins and theyll let you slip but thats really annoying.

I think she'll like it. She left the Philippines to come here when she was 9 mos old but did go back for a month or so around Christmas when she was four. She got to meet a lot of her cousins and nephews and nieces then. We've gone to the Jollibee in Virgina Beach a lot here but my wife has talked up a "traditional" Jollibee party with all of her cousins to her, so she has been excited about it for some time.

Re: Board Games: Ludo has spots in Quezon City and Makati and that is supposed to be the good place to go. I'm a loner too but tabletop gaming has gotten me to break out of my shell a bit. I found a list on BoardGameGeek earlier of good spots that all seem to be within one to three hours (as close as MoA-area to the northern-most part of QC), so I think I'm set. They should be a good time.

As for trike drivers, I didn't have any negative experiences at all before, outside of that guy being irritated that he was ferrying a 225lb dude around. He didn't actually have a problem with driving me, until we got to the speed bumps at my wife's subdivision. He tried to take them very slowly and at an angle, but his bike and the sidecar were sitting much lower from the weight (my wife was in the sidecar with me at the time too, so an extra 95lbs or so in addition to my weight) than if he just had regular pinoy passengers and it scrapped up the bottom of the bike pretty bad. I felt bad and threw a hefty tip his way. But now I'm fat as hell and weigh more than I did back then, so I think we'll just be driving ourselves everywhere.