the salary paradox (an addendum)

continued from HERE:

So i was ranting about burgers and pigging out yet not doing so even if i had the means to do so because of old fashioned tightwad tendencies ingrained into me to the point i am unable to resist them without having to cut myself just to distract the brain from the self-control mechanisms. when i was going to get some water from the dispenser, i spied my boss having a half-munched burger on her desk. then i remembered that a certain burger joint connected with some royalty was having this promo - one of their meals now come bundled with a sundae for the same price. and then i also remembered yet another promo from another burger chain where they slashed the prices of their bigger sized burgers. i looked at my bank account online and saw the shameful amount there that is supposed to last me till next payday, which, based on the track record of the ohmyfuckinggodwhatthehelliswrong bureaucracy in the HR/budget/cash departments, would happen when hell next freezes over.

i hate you world.

the salary paradox

I.Am.Fuckin'.Craving.For.A.Big-ass.Decent.Burger. And a big pile of greasy bacon and hot bread and maybe some salad greens and mayo and mustard to go with it.

It's a funny thing, having work. you have work, work hard even. then you get your salary.

*flashback, a month before getting work and getting that first paycheck*

'i'm soooo going to buy this and that and eat there and here and…'

 *end flashback*

now when you get your hard-earned, tax-deducted salary, you start thinking like this:

'oh, i won't eat there or buy this for now, better save for this and that…'

'fuck! this is expensive! i won't eat here, i'll just go back to cold packed home-cooked lunches and tepid water and MSG-laden chips and…'

where's the justice in that? you work your ass off, then you scrimp on yourself. that's not right… i think. then again, the miser in me is now branding me a heathen ad denouncing me for being a *gasp* spendthrift. maybe it's the upbringing. still. i want my burger. and my bacon. and the pizza. and…

(no, don't wonder why i became this big-ass porcine version of Homo sapien.)

Random commentaries on unemployment, mendicancy and how and why beggars shouldn’t be choosy bastards (part one of a series)

“It is very tragic that our children are forced to work early not because of their parents’ irresponsibility or callousness but due to the government’s inability to promote their well-being by providing enough jobs and decent wages for the people,” said KMU secretary general Wilson Baldonaza. -

 - "KMU: Better jobs, wages would mean fewer child workers" Jerome Aning, PDI

Now this is plain bull. There ARE enough jobs around the country. You can see it all around - openings for laborers, clerks and the works. IF that is not enough, look at all the idle farmlands in the provinces that need a shitload of farmers to till them. The problem is, a lot of people won't take them for they are 'too menial' for them. Jesus H. Christ on a crutch - what kind of jobs do they want, something wherein they just sit down and wait for the money to come in?

~*~*~* 

A few weeks back, I saw this documentary on TV about kids fishing for catfish (hito) in a stream by getting the fish from the nets by hand while their father was drinking the day away in a local videoke. The local social welfare office said that it wasn't exploitation for the kid was not forced to work for profit or wages- he was just chipping in to have food for the day. And the dad goes on screen saying that he can't find a decent job, then goes to drink some more gin and sing in the videoke while the kid goes swim in dirty water and get stung by the catfish's barbs. And when dinner time rolls along, the father goes to chow on the catfish. What the fuck?

~*~*~*

A thief was caught and beaten black and blue and maybe purple by tambays, some kibitzers and a guy who was chasing the thief so that he can score brownie points on the victim, who was a female acquaintance. The thief was then brought to a local precinct and was beaten some more. The thief then asks for forgiveness, saying that he did that because he doesn't have a job and he can't feed his family. Huh?

~*~*~* 

Those are just snapshots of how fucked up a lot of jobless Filipinos are.  It's one thing to be unemployed because you don't have that good an education that will qualify you for a high-paying job but that does not give you a license to lament your sad fate on the roadside and wait for dole-outs. There are a LOT of jobs out there, fercryingoutloud. Honest jobs at that. Those jobs maybe hard physically and may not pay much, but it's honest, and is something to be proud of. Of course cheating employers is another matter altogether…

One other thing that really irks me is the unrelenting prodding from a lot of people to legislate wages, whether as a legislated wage hike or a law mandating a fixed salary. These prodding people have the stupid politicians (whoops. redundant term there) by the tails and balls and they know it - these people will not hesitate to call upon these self-serving politicians (whoops. another redundant term there. i'm on a roll today people) the bleating masses that (presumably - who says elections here are exactly vox populi, vox dei?) hold their ticket to reelection. I really can't say anything about their agony - on one side, their remaining vestiges of common sense is constantly reminding them that giving in would be bad for the economy in general and will send SMEs to their deaths. That will result in a lot of pissed-off employers and employees who would make sure to strike their names off the next ballot that comes their way. On the other, that will ensure their reelection (and continued pilfering of government funds). Tough luck eh?

(to be continued) 

the mandatory post on koreans

Yyes. I’m finally giving into the urge to write on the Korean invasion.

Korean in the Army. lol.

(photo credit goes to the Phillipine Daily Inquirer)

(more…)

boo

bad blogger! *spank!* 

So i've been in this hiatus mode for some time now. why? i dunno. nothing to talk about? a dearth in the local brain gas supply?

then again. i never did conform to the usual things you see in a hardcore blogger's blog - no technocrati, twitter or whatever 3rd-party stuff. just a scratch post that i can claim as my own (small) piece of internet real estate.

so why the fuck am i spanking myself?

(id: hm. freudian? maybe. haha. )

~*~*~*

it's been one of those days where you  feel utterly lazy. so lazy, you'd think you'll turn into this big mass of fat, protein and water slouching on a chair anytime soon. wait. it not just a day. i've been a lazy shithead for a week or so already. wow. why am not reduced to such a being as described above?

(id: because you're already one)

and yes, i've been tardy as hell too. i come in ~1hr late and i've got the DTR cards to prove it. damn. 

the rat race has lost its appeal way too early for me. now how do i go about my goal of world domination through retardation?

~*~*~*

i *finally* got Vienna Teng's 'Dreaming Through the Noise'! yay! i'll be writing a series of song reviews one of these days. yes, i'm that much of a groupie. 

later. i'm thinking of ways on how to kill this officemate of mine whose speakers are on a loop containing *puke*songs*puke* from Gloc9, MYMP, and all the radio fodder you can fit in 8hrs. shit.