BEST WISHES AND GOODBYE

By Klaus Döring 

WHEN letters were the only form of written correspondence, signing off was obvious. Actually, I still follow that old tradition, whether it comes to letters or emails. It is simply a matter of respect and good manners.

If addressing a sir or madam, the convention was unambiguous: you concluded with “Yours faithfully.” When writing to a specific person — for example, a Mr. or Ms. (hey, ladies first!) — it was equally simple: your letter would always be signed off with “Yours sincerely.” Only missives to family members or close friends would ever end with “Love from” or “With much love, yours.”

For many people, there seems to be a weird status thing when it comes to how blunt you can be in emails. I ask myself: Why? An email is still a letter — just an online one.

Sad to say, the arrival of email has disrupted this etiquette, making the rules far less obvious. Indeed, for many of us, there are no rules anymore. A whole subculture of personalized email sign-offs has emerged, ranging from “TTFN” to “peace out.” And, of course, it is not just what we say but why we say it. This is true not only in English but in other languages as well. I encounter the same thing in German emails, letters and even text messages.

“Emails have become the medium of business, leisure, family, love and everything,” says children’s author Michael Rosen. When we sign off emails, we try to give off the “right vibe,” he adds. He says it is all about how we want to come across to the recipient: “Thoughtful, grateful or just very, very busy?” Oh sure, we are all so very, very busy….

Some of the most successful business people are notoriously blunt in email communication — if they even bother with a sign-off at all.

“There’s a weird status thing when it comes to the more blunt you are in emails, the more you can be (blunt) because you’re senior in the company,” says author Emma Gannon, recalling the editor of a famous newspaper whose response to pitches was often just a curt “yep” or “nope.”

Although being succinct can convey a certain authority and status, it can also communicate a dose of self-importance or arrogance. And we have all dealt with bosses who fire off email edicts such as “Is this done?” or “Update me on that.”

Even if they are not quite so direct, many emailers like to convey a sense of being busy by using or adapting abbreviations. Thus, “kind regards” becomes “KR,” while “yours” may dispense with those pesky vowels and become “yrs.” Heaven forbid!

“When someone signed off ‘BR’ for ‘best regards’, I just thought they were cold, brrr,” says Gannon. In my opinion — sorry to say — I sometimes do not even reply anymore after receiving such correspondence. Oh sure, we are all busy, but there should at least be a minimum level of respect when communicating with someone, whether in business or in our personal lives, and whether by letter, email or text message.

Then there are those who pare things down to the absolute minimum, signing off simply with their name or even just the initial letter of their first name. Others might omit a sign-off altogether. While this may come across as peremptory or rude, at least it avoids misinterpretation.

Emails are nearly formal, but not totally formal. At the same time, they are not quite as informal as “CU in a MNT on bus OMW.”

Some people swing the other way and end their emails on an altogether friendlier note. While most would consider kisses to have no place in a business environment, they often creep into emails — sometimes from people the recipient has never even met. For some, an “x” at the end of an email is a friendly endnote; for others, it is totally inappropriate.

Even simply calling someone by their first name is not always the way it should be in business.

What is clear is that some British terms used to end emails simply do not translate well. A casual “cheers” is frequently used as a sign-off in UK emails but can be utterly perplexing to other nationalities. That is hardly surprising when a hearty “cheers” can also accompany the clinking of glasses at the pub or be used to thank a checkout person at the supermarket. Here, too, we have to deal with the differences between British and American English.

For author Michael Rosen, emails now occupy a halfway house between text messages and traditional letters.

“The key thing is that emails aren’t the same as letters. I position them in my mind as a sort of halfway place between texts and hard copy letters: nearly formal but not totally formal, but they’re not as informal as ‘CU in a MNT on bus OMW’,” says Rosen. I strongly agree with him.

And, he adds, given their place in this ambiguous no-man’s-land of communication, it follows that there will continue to be a whole raft of ways to say “goodbye.”

Perhaps that is the point. To say goodbye with deeper meaning, use words that honor the bond you share, acknowledge the sadness of parting, or simply wish someone peace and happiness on the road ahead. Sometimes, a thoughtful farewell can say far more than a simple “bye.”

Television's A-listers glitter on Emmys red carpet

Frederic J. Brown, Susan Stumme - Agence France-Presse

September 15, 2026 | 10:36am

AFP / Lisa O'Connor  

LOS ANGELES, United States — The brightest stars in television hit the red carpet Monday for the Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, and they certainly gave fashion fans something to talk about.

The women of Hollywood know that under the bright lights, a bit of shimmer goes a long way.

Zendaya, who often turns heads with her red carpet flair, glistened in a custom silver Prada gown featuring a plunging neckline and plenty of bling — crystals embroidered into the dress and diamonds in her ears.

A sassy short haircut completed the look for the actress, a past winner who is again a nominee for her work on "Euphoria."

Selena Gomez, a nominee for best comedy actress for "Only Murders in the Building," oozed glamour in a strapless gold column gown from Louis Vuitton, her hair long, loose, and curly.

Host Mariska Hargitay, already a two-time Emmy winner this year for her documentary "My Mom Jayne," looked radiant in a glittering fire engine red, curve-hugging Monse gown that cascaded to the floor in a fringed train.

Her daughter Amaya wore a matching look, with both appearing to channel the spirit of Hargitay's mother, late movie icon Jayne Mansfield.

Other stars at the Peacock Theater opted for softer looks, in dreamy hues of green, lavender, and pale blue.

Elle Fanning, the star of Apple TV's quirky "Margo's Got Money Troubles" who is nominated alongside Gomez, rocked a sleeveless sparkling green Ralph Lauren slip dress with a shoulder tassel that trailed to the floor.

Katherine LaNasa, last year's winner for best drama supporting actress for "The Pitt," and a nominee again this time around, was a vision in a simple sky blue Louis Vuitton gown with spaghetti straps.

And Sarah Pidgeon, a nominee for the much-talked-about limited series "Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette," stunned on the peacock blue carpet — in celebration of NBC's 100th anniversary — wearing a purple Chanel slip dress with silver bead and pearl accents.

The Emmys usually does not deliver an adventurous red carpet, especially for the guys, but a few stood out.

Colman Domingo, a double nominee for his work on "Euphoria" and "The Four Seasons," is always raising the fashion bar for Hollywood's men, and he did not disappoint.

He wore a soft brown Valentino jacket with a Mandarin collar and knob buttons, a sassy fuschia sash belt fastened with an elaborate silver brooch and fluid cream trousers.

Noah Wyle, who won for the second year in a row for best drama actor for his gritty medical drama "The Pitt," donned a tan tuxedo jacket with silky lapels and black trousers from Brunello Cucinelli.

If you want to win an Emmy, you need to...dress like an Emmy?

For Meg Stalter, a nominee for best comedy supporting actress for "Hacks" who is known for zany red carpet takes, that appears to be the plan.  

BY WEDNESDAY UNTIL FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 16-18)

SOUTHWEST MONSOON WILL PREVAIL OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF VISAYAS AND MINDANAO CAUSING CLOUDY SKIES WITH SCATTERED RAINS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA, NORTHERN MINDANAO, BARMM, WESTERN VISAYAS, AND NEGROS ISLAND REGION.

May be an image of text that says '.- B13 15.SEP. 5. 2026 00 40UTC'

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Anatomy of resistance

 

Inside Jeho Bitancor's studio and exhibit 'Sa Pagitan ng Bangungot at Bahaghari'

By S.C. Fojas

Published Sep 13, 2026 01:13 pm

At A Glance

• The painting resembles an image that explodes, like a volcano or a bomb. Only this time, exploding particles are actually composed of human figures in various poses, contortions, and seeming acts of defiance.     Behind the striking socio-political tableaus of Jeho Bitancor's latest exhibit, “Sa Pagitan ng Bangungot at Bahaghari” at Art Cube Gallery, lies a physical space of intense labor. Describing his workspace as “where all the magic happens,” Jeho views his studio as “the witness for countless hours of struggle and eventual victory.” This raw, tangible energy pulses through his current collection, where meticulously layered acrylic textures and luminous oil glazes give form to the heavy duality of human survival and political oppression.

MEET THE ARTIST Jeho Bitancor

The exhibit’s thematic weight is deeply rooted in a duality of opposing forces—trapped between truth and fallacy, dominance and submission, and compassion and indifference. This tension is physically manifested in works like “Tatag ng Tindig and Sa Panahon ng Ligalig,” where precarious scaffolding, wooden structures, and makeshift nests serve as both shelters and traps. Figures are woven tightly into these architectural frames, using their bodies to prop up collapsing systems or construct fragile spaces of sanctuary amid systemic turmoil.

‘SALUNGAT NA LANDAS,’ 4x8 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

‘BALIKWAS,’ 4x5 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

Jeho’s technical mastery drives this narrative forward, shaped by a deliberate evolution of mediums. Reflecting on his process, he shares: “Since my student days, the medium’s properties and behavior have allowed me to achieve the effects I needed to deliver the message with impact. The use of acrylics as a base also presented opportunities to explore texture, color, and other abstract qualities. The moment I discovered oils’ flexibility in terms of achieving transparency and opacity at the same time, it has been my medium of choice.”

This material approach anchors his creative workflow, which begins long before paint touches canvas: “I let the idea float over my head over time and wait until it’s ripe enough to be recorded on paper as a thumbnail study. It will undergo different stages of reworking until the final composition takes form.”

‘KALIGTASANG BAGWIS,’ 4x5 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

‘PUGAD NG PAGTUTOL,’ 4x5 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

Once the structural foundation is set, Jeho builds his distinct surfaces: “I will start with textures and effects using acrylic. I will then add oil on top, from glazes to the final touch of opaque paint. I want to create noise in the surface by employing different techniques of handling the paint.”

This tactile chaos translates directly onto the gallery walls, perfectly embodied by “Balikuwas.” Describing the piece, Jeho notes: “The painting resembles an image that explodes, like a volcano or a bomb. Only this time, exploding particles are actually composed of human figures in various poses, contortions, and seeming acts of defiance.”

Similarly, works like “Kaligtasang Bagwis” and “Sandalang Kapanalig” introduce recurring motifs like wings, vines, and ladders, offering threads of redemption and spiritual resistance. The figures do not succumb to despair; instead, they organize, gather, and hold their ground, transforming pain into an active, collective stance against oppression.

‘TATAG NG TINDIG 2,’ 4x5 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

‘SA PANAHON NG LIGALIG,’ 4x5 feet, oil on canvas, 2026

By bridging the chaotic physicality of his studio with the soaring, desperate architecture of his compositions, Jeho ensures his exhibit resonates far beyond the gallery walls. His final words on the collection serve as both a warning and an enduring ethos for the viewer: “This is a wake-up call. Let us be more discerning and vigilant. Our plight is a result of our (in)action.”

“Sa Pagitan ng Bangungot at Bahaghari” runs until Sept. 26 at Art Cube Gallery, OPVI Centre, 2295 Chino Roces Ext., Makati City

Michelle Dee, Rhian Ramos score legal win as Makati prosecutor dismisses complaints

By Neil Ramos 

Published Sep 15, 2026 10:06 am

At A Glance

• Michelle Dee, Rhian Ramos, and Samantha Panlilio are no longer facing complaints for alleged physical abuse and unlawful detention after the Makati City Prosecutor's Office found insufficient evidence to support the cases.

The Makati City Prosecutor’s Office has thrown out the complaints filed against Michelle Dee, Rhian Ramos, and Samantha Panlilio over allegations of physical abuse and unlawful detention.

The dismissal was based on insufficient evidence, according to the prosecutor’s resolution dated Sept. 1.

The complaints were filed by a man identified as alias “Totoy,” who accused the three celebrities of slight physical injuries, maltreatment, and unlawful arrest.  

Among his allegations was that he had been kept inside a condominium unit against his will. The prosecutor, however, found that Totoy failed to establish that he had been forced to remain there.

The dispute dates back to January, when Totoy accused Michelle, Rhian, and Samantha of assaulting and mistreating him. He also alleged that the incident was connected to an “angpao” he had reportedly taken, which was said to contain private and sensitive photographs.

The three celebrities have denied the allegations.

The latest development does not end the legal dispute between the parties. Separate complaints involving theft and perjury filed by Michelle and Rhian against Totoy remain pending.  

Meanwhile, the group assisting Totoy has indicated that it intends to challenge the prosecutor’s dismissal.

THE COLORS OF MY LIFE

SOME people view life as a complex mixture of every human feeling, while others reduce it to simple dualities. Violet stands for joy, indigo for knowledge, blue for peace, green for love, yellow for tranquility, orange for sanctity, and red for strength. The union of all these rays creates energy within human beings and guides us through life with seven precious qualities from God.

The Ups and Downs of Our Life. We all live our lives through the prism of our experiences and emotions. And, naturally, we all want to live a happy life.

Therefore, the colors of life that we discover throughout our journey on Earth represent the different ways in which we see and interpret the world around us.

I have always been fascinated by Celine Dion’s song “The Colour of My Love”: “I’ll paint my mood in shades of blue; paint my soul to be with you…” and “I’ll paint the truth, show how I feel…” The colors of love are also the colors of life.

Passion and ignorance — our intense emotions and our uninstructed or unlearned behavior — are not always justifiable reasons for pardoning the guilty. Those words may sound rough and unpleasant, but sometimes they need to be expressed clearly and directly so that they reach our minds and hearts.

However, the weight of evidence may point to the fact that failure to see the different colors of life can lead to unnecessary death and injury. We may be barreling down the tracks of life with plenty of people in tow. Our decisions can influence friends, relatives, colleagues, and others in our daily surroundings. I don’t like your style? Still, you belong to the colors of my life…!

The colors of life are not always colorful. Many times, we may also find ourselves going through black-and-white periods.

What makes your life colorful? Be curious; make it your mission to discover new ideas, places, people, and interests. Be expressive; don’t be afraid to speak your mind and communicate your feelings to others. Take the initiative; don’t sit around waiting for permission to do what you love.

Life is full of colors. In our lives, we see bright colors — the happy, hopeful, and positive moments that make life beautiful. But life would not be complete without challenges and problems. Just as a picture needs contrast, the colors of life would not be complete without the darker ones.

Here is another important person. He was born in a stable. His friends were fishermen. He never traveled far beyond his homeland. He died in disgrace while he was still a young man. And yet, through the centuries and around the world, Jesus of Nazareth, through his life and teachings, has inspired more people than anyone else who ever walked this earth. He, too, became one of the most important colors of my life!

***

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), or LinkedIn, or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com./PN

No limit in the sky

 

By Klaus Döring

“No limit in the sky” is a popular phrase and lyrical theme meaning that success and potential are endless. It appears in various creative works, including songs by artists like ChaptrTwo and Vict Molina, as a motivational expression of freedom and boundless opportunity.

Some people have money to burn! Every time I observe them, I feel that their money is going down the drain. Yes, “money talks.” The more money you have, the more avaricious you might become. Every time we have to dig deeper into our pockets, we might long to be like those people who don’t see the difference between a PHP 500 or PHP 1,000 bill.

I am really not rich! I also wouldn’t hesitate to say that I would like to be! Being rich means having wealth. Wealth is abundance, opulence, and affluence. Affluence can quickly become an influence. Dyed-in-the-wool millionaires or even multimillionaires often lose their view of reality. They can’t even see the horizon, which could be the demarcation of their real estate. They don’t even recognize the wonderful flowers growing and blooming in their gardens.

Money calms us down! Sure. No doubt at all! We all need an income to survive and meet our daily needs — and maybe a little bit more. Many of us struggle through life and work like slaves for a pitiful daily minimum wage. If you’re rich, you might be on top. But believe me, once you are on top, you will have some unwelcome, though mostly unavoidable, companions such as loneliness, so-called friends (!), parasites, and freeloaders.

These companions will make you scream in pain because you will start missing the things you expected from them: real friendship, love, care, comprehension, understanding, sympathy, and appreciation. Remember such things? Miss such things?

Yes, money can give you a wonderful sleep, and you might stay in one of the most luxurious beds — yet be awake while your poorest neighbor sleeps better and more peacefully on the floor. There are many sayings about money. I like this one: Money can buy books but not brains. You might study a lot and gain a great deal of experience; it’s just a pity if you don’t use it at the right time for the right people around you.

Money can buy food but not appetite. Who reaps the benefits of it? A store room filled to overflowing will never be satisfying if sour freeloaders join your table and push away your real friends.

Our last earthly dress has no pockets. The remembrance of how we acted and lived together with our fellow human beings will remain forever. With money, we might be able to let the devil dance. But money alone doesn’t make us happy. Money kills more people and friendships than a cudgel.

The more money, the more problems.

The more money we have, the more we have to pay, and the higher our bills become.

MY PRAYERS AND ME

Prayer is how we as Christians draw close to God as well as a necessary condition for us to be moved by the Holy Spirit, and enlightened and illuminated by God. If we genuinely pray to God, and understand the principles and practices of prayer, when we encounter difficulties or dilemmas in our life, we’ll be able to face them in a relaxed way.

“The Power of Prayer” is a 2020 song by Bruce Springsteen from his album Letter to You. It was only released as a radio single, and a promotional video was released on November 23, a month after the release of the album.

The song has a spiritual language. Springsteen was born in a Roman Catholic household, and that turned him off religion, but he didn’t lose his faith. The video features archival footage from his youth and clips of Springsteen and the E Street Band working on the song in the studio. The message of the video is about old friends he’s lost and the optimism of that era, reflected in the footage of Jersey Shore in the summertime during Springsteen’s youth. 

When tragedy strikes, it’s easy to harden our hearts and cry out, “God, why did you let this happen?” Maybe then, we started praying. Before, when everything went smoothly, we would not even think a minute about praying… .

“To be a Christian without prayer, “said Martin Luther, “is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer is the only way of becoming what God wants us to be. This is the reason why Jesus spent many hours praying.

Unquestionable, our needs bring us to a place of prayer. Confronted with danger or tragedies, as I mentioned earlier, we look for God’s help. Difficult times always cause the hearts of men to turn to God into prayer.

Let me ask you: How long has it been since you’ve brought your burdens to God? Since you asked His forgiveness for your shortcomings?

In his very interesting book “People in Prayer”, Dr. John White reminds us that prayer is a divine-human interaction and it is always God who takes the initiative. White writes: “God speaks and we respond. God is always speaking. To hear his voice is not usually a mystical experience. It consists merely of a willingness to pay heed to God who lays a claim to our lives.”

Yes, God always speaks. It is up to us whether we will listen and respond to Him. Many think we are the ones who initiate prayer. But prayers begin and end with God.

There was a time, I wasn’t in the mood to pray any more. It seemed that God didn’t listen to my prayer any more. I didn’t get what I prayed for. Of course, not… ! That’s not the meaning of praying to God. Will all my wishes be granted? Heaven forbid!

Sometimes, after we have prayed, God’s answers may puzzle us. But as time goes by and as events unfold we see God’s purpose in His answers. We might get a larger vision, what HE likes. Not what WE like… .

Think about it for a moment: How does the idea that prayer begins and ends with God affect me now? Do I have the habit of listening to God? How do I respond to Him? How do I usually pray?

I confess that a long time ago I have been trying to persuade God to change other people in my surroundings or circumstances. Nothing changed. Of course not, what a fatal attraction? I got confused because God never granted my requests. Meanwhile I got God’s answers to my prayers. Maybe very simple: I was willing to let God change me… .This is how each one of us should start. Happy endings. Because I prayed according to His will… .

Nowadays, I live a wonderful life in my second and last home, the Philippines. I never regretted moving here for good. I have everything I could ask for. I can do everything I wish to do. Thank you Lord for all the blessings  

'Filipiñana' to represent PH at 2027 Oscars

By Neil Ramos

Rafael Manuel’s feature film “Filipiñana” has been selected as the Philippines’ official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards, where it will compete in the Best International Feature Film category.

Rafael Manuel’s feature film “Filipiñana” has been selected as the Philippines’ official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards, where it will compete in the Best International Feature Film category.

The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) announced the decision of its National Selection Committee on September 13, choosing “Filipiñana” from a field of eight shortlisted Philippine films.

The other shortlisted titles were “58th,” “All the Things I Leave You (Patawid),” “I’mPerfect,” “Manila’s Finest,” “Quezon,” “Silenced Nights,” and “Sisa.”

“Filipiñana” is an expansion of Manuel’s award-winning short film of the same name. The feature centers on Isabel, played by Jorrybel Agoto, who works as a tee girl at an exclusive country club.

The film uses the country-club setting to explore issues involving social class, power and labor. Its story also examines the relationships between people occupying very different positions within an unequal social environment.

Much of the story unfolds during a single day at the country club, where Isabel gradually encounters the tensions and hidden histories beneath its privileged surroundings.

No Philippine film has yet received a nomination in the Academy’s International Feature Film category.

“Magellan,” the Philippines’ previous submission, was regarded as a particularly strong contender for advancing to the Academy’s first cut.

Being designated as the Philippines’ official submission does not guarantee “Filipiñana” a place on the shortlist or among the eventual nominees. The film will have to advance through the Academy’s selection process before it can compete for an Oscar nomination.

Over 46,000 people remain in evacuation centers due to 'habagat', cyclones — DSWD

 A total of 10,442,307 people or 2,981,477 families were affected by weather disturbances

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

Published Sep 13, 2026 01:45 pm

At A Glance

• DSWD said the weather disturbances and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) affected 6,923 barangays across the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions I, II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, V, VI, VIII, and IX.
• DSWD has so far spent ₱2.54 billion for humanitarian assistance.

DSWD

More than 46,000 people displaced by the combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and several tropical cyclones were still staying in evacuation centers as of Sunday morning, Sept. 13.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that 46,424 persons or 13,166 families remained in 570 evacuation centers across affected areas.

Another 76,540 displaced persons or 20,956 families were staying outside evacuation centers with relatives or friends.

DSWD said the weather disturbances and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) affected 6,923 barangays across the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions I, II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, V, VI, VIII, and IX.

A total of 10,442,307 people or 2,981,477 families were affected.

DSWD has so far spent ₱2.54 billion for humanitarian assistance, while ₱3.54 billion in relief resources remains available, including ₱239.55 million in quick response funds and ₱3.30 billion worth of food and non-food items.

The agency also reported 610 totally damaged houses and 3,965 partially damaged houses.

As of 6 a.m. Sunday, DSWD had provided social protection services to 739 beneficiaries, while 31 women-friendly spaces, 210 psychological first-aid interventions, and 31 child-friendly spaces were reported in the affected areas.