Lucky text maniacs

TEXT MANIACS are a lucky lot. They do eviscerate both English and Tagalog-based Filipino tongues as they ply communication sans added value. In doing such atrocity, they rack up huge profits for telecommunication firms.

Luck’s on the side of text maniacs. Even the alleged Numero Uno of these islas de ladrones en oficina alta y entre vidas bajas had recently mustered rage to wage war against cellphone filchers, snatchers and thieves.

We’re tempted to recommend one Major General Jovito Palparan to see to the conduct of war to instill terror in those riff-raff who steal cellphones. Uh, wasn’t it Yahweh or plain yawa who commanded humanity not to steal? Cellphones, trifling trinkets like a base in baseball, a turn-over ball in basketball, a chaste maiden’s heart? We hesitate to add to such list “elections” or “mandate”-- rules, like hymen, are made to be broken.

Text maniacs have the powers-that-be on their side. For instance, their tool for sending messages isn’t looked at warily as a suspect in terrorist bombings. As the global fad that began in Great Britain would have it, liquids—read: nitroglycerine-- are the more likely tools with which terrorists would blow up a jetliner, a public utility bus, a rail car or seagoing vessel.

Liquid explosives are the rage of terrorists the world over-- better believe that—from London to New York, and Metro Manila should go gaga doing gaya-gaya so as not to be left out in the conduct of security screening. Maybe, those terrorists out to blow US-bound jetliners in mid-air have sent some of those deadly liquids to their local counterparts.

Thus, a tight watch on liquids is now in effect in Metro Manila. Liquids in whatever containers—cans, bottles, jars, include a full bladder which ought to be discharged--shouldn’t be allowed aboard any public conveyance.

We’re not left being behind in the current fashion. We’re keeping in step with security measures plied in the US and UK. Yeah, we’re not fashion victims. We’re not third-rate trying hard copycats.

We dare not look back in dread at the December 30, 2002 bombing of Metro Manila’s Light Rail Transit system and several buses—22 dead, more than a hundred injured. We dare not remember that in one bus, a cellphone packed with explosives—C-4, Semtex or plastique—was detonated using another cellphone. Those horrible text maniacs…

Meanwhile, psychologists from Asia and the West are gathering in Bali, Indonesia to turn up more Asian perspectives of the science to understand terrorism in the region. It was noted that Western theories dominate psychology but aren’t exactly applicable in the East to figure out the mind of local terror-mongers.