Saturday, August 18, 2007 Maxey: Bottoms up By Ram Maxey Bar None
I DON'T remember reading in the newspapers about Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri's views on global warming, which he touched on during a recent session of the Senate.
The global warming phenomenon is being blamed for radical changes in the climate over many areas on this planet where unusual weather has spawned either dry spells or heavy rainful triggering killer floods, including in our own Philippines.
And the end is not in sight, what with supertyphoon "Egay" following right on the heels of "Dodong" across a wide swath in Luzon, leaving death and destruction in their wake as reported by media. But, hey, not a word of what Migz Zubiri said at the rostrum about global warming.
But his colleague, Senator Jamby Madrigal, did warm up a bit after Migz apologized to her that she would have to interpellate him with his back toward her as his rostrum was in front of hers. "It's okay," said Jamby. "I prefer to see your beautiful bottom." (Laughter all around as Migz visibly blushed).
I wonder how Jamby could have interpellated Migz in all seriousness while all the while admiring his "beautiful bottom." She explained that her remark was the British way of paying a compliment in public instead of using the vulgar "butt" or "ass."
I was at Migz's press conference during his campaign sortie here in last May's elections and I didn't notice he had a beautiful bottom. I was also at a Jamby’s press conference after that but I did not notice anything spectacular about her own bottom either. Perhaps I ought to do that next time. I may have missed something. Her partiality towards anything British has aroused my curiosity. Is she a Fil-Brit?
Anyway, her bringing some levity to the proceedings of the Senate, even if only for a moment, was in sharp contrast to the recriminations reverberating through the chamber earlier brought about by the controversial assignments of committee chairmanships. The gallery needed a good laugh for a change and Fil-Brit Jamby provided it.
I would like to propose a toast to Sen. Madrigal for the laughter she elicited from the gallery and some of the senators. "Bottoms up, Jamby." I mean your wineglass not your derriere (that's polite French for, well, ass). "Cheers!"
