A few random thoughts while out on vacation

• There are only two types of public trash cans in Manila: Recyclable or Biodegradable. That's it. No generic trash. Think about that for a minute, is everything you throw away recyclable or biodegradable?
• What if instead of pumping more money into higher wages, stay with me here, and instead make cheaper more sustainable housing. Would the value of the dollar be greater? The thought is brought to you by the hardest working employees of fast food chains that I have ever seen in Manila. To quote a friend, "I would hire these people anywhere!" They don't make much, only 250 pesos or $25 a day, but they work really hard. It is probably cultural, but that is considered okay money, so they work hard. I am taking a guess that because cheap housing is readily available, then that small peso amount can be pretty valuable in that country.
• Up yours snooty people! As the world marketplace is becoming more global with more languages trying to speak and understand one another, the more basic English is being spoken. I can go most places in the world now and say, "Where is your bathroom?" and they will know exactly what I am saying or want to do. Now try to go to those same foreign parts of the world and say, "Can you please point me into the direction of the nearest toilet?" and you may get the same look from them that your dog gives you when you make a funny noise. So all those language snobs that over the years that have corrected your imprecise speech can shove it. I frankly never cared that it is "anyway" and not "anyways" and most of the rest of the world could care less too. I can only speak basic Spanish when I really need it, just as some other nationality can barely speak English. If we are both patient with each other then we can figure it all out. I am not going to tell a vendor in the Philippines about how "frugal" I am, I will tell them that I am "cheap". They understand that and no one is embarrassed.
• I'm going to start a paper company in the Philippines. I didn't bring a laptop and am writing on some computer paper that I bought at the hotel. I bought six pieces of paper for 25 pesos. Next time I am bringing a whole gross of legal pads. I'll make millions (of pesos).
• Filipinos love the sweets. Everything here is sweet or has some sweet aftertaste. Sio Pao (pronounced shoe-pow!) is the native sandwich. It is a sweet roll with some sort of pork or chicken in the middle, very good. There is also Tusino (pronounced like casino with a T) which is a sweet cured ham that is fried and served like bacon here, also very good.
• All of the national airlines in the Philippines have the throwback hot stewardess thing going on. I would say more but I have a GF that I love.
• I just wanted to take a moment to say that I am up ~35% since I bought into Baldor (BEZ) and ~8% with Herman Miller (MLHR). I am honestly considering though to becoming a Bogle-head and start purchasing shares of VTI, VEA, and VNQ for my Roth IRA. More on the strategy later.