Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Lanes? What lanes?

Light traffic on Quezon Avenue, one of Metro Manila's longest thoroughfares—the white Quezon Memorial in the distance marks one end of the road—on a Sunday. Most of our roads don't have bike lanes so bicycles share the road with all other vehicles, even though they're really not supposed to be allowed on the major roads anyway. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed off most intersections and instead created U-turn slots; to make sure that turning cars have a lane to drive onto, they set up concrete blocks to keep a lane free, but the blocks themselves eat up into the next lane, creating bottlenecks wherever there are U-turn slots. Major roads have bus and jeepney stops, but since this is a Sunday, there are no traffic enforcers so buses and jeepneys drop off and pick up passengers anywhere. Taxis can do that any time since, with the exception of Makati City, there are no designated stops for them in the metro. And also because of the absence of traffic enforcers, pedestrians are free to risk life and limb crossing at street level, which most would rather do than walking the additional hundred meters to the nearest blue and pink overpass, which is where I took this photo. Imagine what this street looks like during the weekdays. So if you ever hear that Filipinos are some of the world's best defensive drivers, now you know why.

Quezon Avenue on a Sunday afternoon

What's New Wednesday: A Look at Next Week's New Releases

Pub. Date: February 1, 2010
Format: Paperback, 581pp

Synopsis: (From the Publisher)
If you like romance based on historical fact, you'll love Island of the Swans, which is the ficitonalized story of Jane Maxwell, a woman of influence during the mid-17th century. Set in Scotland, it follows Jane through the tragedy of losing her life-long love Thomas Fraser, through her marriage to the Duke of Gordon and Thomas' eventual return. A very satisfying read for lovers of history, which isn't surprising since Ciji is a Harvard-educated historian.





Pub. Date: February 1, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 292pp








Synopsis: (From the Publisher)
In Greek mythology, Alcestis is known as the good wife; she loved her husband so much that she died to save his life and was sent to the underworld in his place. In this poetic and vividly imagined debut, Katharine Beutner gives voice to the woman behind the ideal, bringing to life the world of Mycenaean Greece, a world peopled by capricious gods, where royal women are confined to the palace grounds and passed as possessions from father to husband.
Alcestis tells of a childhood spent with her sisters in the bedchamber where her mother died giving birth to her and of her marriage at the age of fifteen to Admetus, the young king of Pherae, a man she barely knows, who is kind but whose heart belongs to a god. She also tells the part of the story that’s never been told: What happened to Alcestis in the three days she spent in the underworld before being rescued by Heracles? In the realm of the dead, Alcestis falls in love with the goddess Persephone and discovers the true horror and beauty of death.

 



Pub. Date: February 2, 2010
Format: Paperback, 352pp








Synopsis:(From the Publisher)
Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father's business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inspired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that knows not the bounds of her great family's stalwart keep.

The latter path is hers for the taking when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remarkable woman foretold in his stars. The breathless intrigue that ensues is the stuff of beloved legend. But those familiar with Shakespeare's muse know only half the story...

Pub. Date: February 2, 2010
Format: Paperback, 416pp
Synopsis: (From the Publisher)
A #1 bestseller in the UK comes to America—a sweeping historical novel about adventurous Rosa Barr, who travels to the Crimean battlefield in 1854 with Florence Nightingale's nursing corps.



Graffiti Art Wall That Contains The Message

graffiti
Graffiti Art Wall That Contains The Message. Graffiti art wall like a painting beautiful scenery with the inscription of messages. Design cool graffiti alphabet letters on the wall