<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d31587466\x26blogName\x3dSarcasm+Aside\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLACK\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://sarcasm-aside.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_US\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://sarcasm-aside.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d1043698757871831273', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

Sarcasm Aside

random thoughts of a self-diagnosed neurotic with the attention span of a five-year old... a blog by Alternati

Malls and Miles

Saturday, April 07, 2007



The Egyptians had their pyramids, the Aztecs their stepped pyramids... the Greeks had their acropolis, the Romans had their basilicas... and us, Filipinos have our humongous shopping malls.

The monumental forms of architecture of any civilization pretty much sums up the general priorities of the population. Pharaohs who had an obsession for immortality had slaves (with or without the aid of supposed aliens) build the pyramids with cosmological consultation. The Aztecs temples were used for human sacrifices. The Greek acropolis was a haven for religion, arts and democracy. The Roman basilicas for law and government.

The Filipino shopping mall is a refuge from hot humid weather, a warehouse for all thing bright and shiny, a hub for commerce and entertainment. It is our version of the Greek agora and the Roman forum only with video arcades and air-conditioning.

---

A couple of weeks ago, after the family reunion we attended, the family decided to do a sidetrip to Manila. SM Mall of Asia was in our itinerary. The main draw for me was the IMax theater.

We Filipinos have outdone ourselves. The mall was huge, the only thing I was aching (literally) to buy was a Segway (ala GOB on Arrested Development). Given the landscape and location of the mall (which is along Manila Bay), I could see why they decided to sprawl the mall instead of stacking it up... it can take full advantage of the view without blocking it for the buildings behind it and a horizontal building silhouette works like magic against a body of water... But com'on... haven't they heard of conveyors and moving walks?


SM Mall of Asia (I am productive when bored to death):

1. Alice: "Toto, I don't think we're in Universal Studios anymore..."


2. A cup of yoghurt: "Ooooooh! A huuuuuge refrigerator! with a skating rink?! Joy!"
3. Al Gore: "Lessening the amount of air conditioning is A "moral imperative"!"

4. A cup of yoghurt: "Shut up Gore! have you read this?"
5. Al Gore: "No comment"

6. Minimalist: "Good enough"
7. Utilitarian: "Such a waste of space"
8. Environmentalist: "And energy too! The amount of air conditioning is directly proportional to the amount of enclosed space!"
9. Al Gore: "Yeah! ditto!"
10. A cup of yoghurt: "Here's another one Gore"


11. Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: "I am having the weirdest, strongest sense of deja vu... I thought we just left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport?"


12. Peter Petrelli: "I don't remember posing for this ad... Must have been before my bangs were telekinetically chopped off my forehead"


13. Filipino-English lexicographer: "Maldita is the closest Filipino word for bitch, in the derogatory sense"

--------------------

We also passed by the World Light Expo 2007... and by passed by I meant breezed through without going in cause everyone was too beat up to even consider walking amidst a multitude of light bulbs.


I've read from a brochure I got earlier from my Dad that it had an acrobat exhibition and one of 1st Qin Emperor's Terracotta Army (those unearthed sculptures of Chinese soldiers in flank formation). After reading a blog review, I was satiated with looking at the expo from afar. Review, schedules, fees and other pertinent info from Our Awesome Planet.

--------------------

On the way to Bulacan, I nearly broke my neck trying to get this photo of the car's odometer. My brother, who was driving, has a thing for "7". That's his number as a basketball/ volleyball athlete, his car's plates end with 777, and so I found myself nudging him trying to get a decent picture of the mileage. No one got hurt.






,

Labels: , , ,



posted by Alternati, 2:49 PM
|










Visita Iglesia
Aloha Koi
30, 3, 5, 5-7-5
Delayed Reactions
13 Former Child Stars
Book Two, I: Many Meetings
I Rock!... not in Iraq
Panagbenga
Uppers
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World


June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
December 2007





Blogroll [−]
Blogstuff [−]
RSS Feed [−]
Comments [−]