angel of doom

A few days ago I saw vp noli de castro saying on tv that greed is what's keeping oil firms from cutting gas prices, in much the same way that it was greed that led banks to invest in bad securities that is now causing the collapse of the global economy.
That was probably the first time I thought the vp made sense. He appeared to know what he's talking about.
Of course, I couldn't agree more with this keen observation. I have long held that greed has overcome the hearts of these oil firms, that even though oil prices at the world market have plunged from their record peaks, oil firms continue to charge us steep prices.
It is appalling, no, a sickening development that just a thought of which makes me want to puke. I could'nt believe humans could go so low but here is a proof that we indeed could go the bounds of decency for money that would'nt even make our lives better.
What could these people be thinking? That it's all right to be stealing from consumers in broad daylight. Greed is understatement. No word is available to describe this avarice. Maybe hell should invent a word to describe this attitude.
My God, what has made them sell their soul to the devil? They are despicable, they are not fit to be called humans. They are a shame to humanity. It makes me want to wish I wasn't made human at all.
The whole country is mired in poverty and here are people who can't distinctly see the sufferings of others because of their greed.
There was a movie about angels who were sent on earth to exterminate bad people. They carried shotguns and they would shot without giving notice at anyone marked for death.
I wish now that was true or if there would be a selection process, I'd volunteer to be one of the hitmen. I would gladly crush the life out of these blood-suckers who don't deserve to live a minute more for the greed that makes this planet a regrettable existence and the human race a hopeless generation.
Maybe the shotgun is a little benign. Perhaps I should make them drink an ounce of gasoline every hour until they choke of heat and then I'd send a lightning bolt into their dirty mouths so that they would explode violently, their skins flying high into the universe so that they would never be seen or heard from anymore.
Oh maybe, I should do the same to bus or jeepney drivers who are just as greedy, and let's throw in the energy secretary and all leaders in government who are not doing anything to stop the carnage.
I am dreaming, but how I wish this greed and shame in the oil sector is just a bad dream I could wake up from.

3hrs from manila

the bloomberg workplace in capital square on church street is quite a big office with about 300 people in it. i can imagine about the same number of terminals, each one spewing endless amount of information on the financial markets.
the terminals are fine except that i'm really having a hard time going through the keys, the tickers that should let me see some of the data that clients pay bloomberg oodles to access. man, i should be lucky i can get them with just a click on the computer. but nay, i need eons to be familiarized with the functions.
yesterday, reine and clyde gave us a few pointers on how to write the four-paragraph lead - the bloomberg trademark, and run some energy tickers. this also needs some getting used to. but as the guys would say, once you pass the paragraph test, you're on your way to carving a career with bloomberg.
the office itself is a melting pot of races - i see indians, indonesians in their native garbs. the floor, though, is dominated mostly by white employees - from south africa to australia - and it appears that there's co-existence in this corner of the world. it is a place where boundaries are erased and probably political and religious affiliations not much of an issue.
last night, i had a night's out with some of the guys - uyen and zang (hard to remember) from saigon and hanoi, respectively, reine from johannesburg, and sue from singapore) at clark quaye (they pronounce it, oddly, as "key"). it was a blast to say the least - so much to discover in people from different backgrounds. i'm having a feeling that i'm becoming cosmopolitan (hahaha) as i could tell i easily and quite effortlessly mingled with the group (every filipino has a good story to tell!).
no time to explore fullerton hotel though, except that i tried walking on cavenagh bridge nearby, said to be the first bridge ever constructed in singapore (by the british, whom sue called "stupid" because the bridge couldn't lift up as intended).
yesterday, sue introduced me to some of the reporters around the desk i would be using for the two days, and one of the guys said something like "were you the guy i saw two weeks ago?" not surprising. it happens all the time. i have to ask my parents if there were two or three of us when i was born.
i met steph, the editor from malaysia and she's quite personable (she looks weird in bloomberg bio) and lilian (the only filipino i know here in this office, besides luzi - they call her luzi ann here) also. steph said something like i'm doing a great job at the bureau (whatever that means hahaha, i don't want to flatter myself).
tony was his usual self. after we did a story on the central bank governor, he advised me to leave and enjoy the hotel. kler said he's the kindest soul hereabouts and i believe her.
quite an experience, really.