It’s Mother’s Day and the mother of my children is thousands of miles away. It’s the first Mother’s Day for the kids without their mum, and they’re taking it better than I am.

Happy Mother’s Day to those of you mums who can be with your kids today.are around for you to honor. Enjoy your day!

A little Mother’s Day poster for you Mums.

For the first time in history, the Miss England beauty pageant has a size-16 contestant, and enlightened pageant enthusiasts - myself included - couldn’t be happier.

The success of 16-year-old beauty Chloe Marshall, a plus-size model and beauty therapist student, at the Miss Surrey regional competition, underlined the ever-growing clamor for a more realistic representation of beauty in mass media and beauty pageants.

Marshall, who hails from Guildford, was quoted as saying that she entered the Surrey competition to break the stereotype that one has to be tall and skinny to be considered beautiful. Chloe is 5″10 and weighs almost 170lbs.

Chloe - or Miss Surrey, as she will be known when she competes for the Miss England crown - has a figure described by her managers at Models Plus as ‘luscious.’

In an interview with Good Morning America - which brought Chloe to my attention - she was quoted as saying that she is not promoting obesity but the idea of being comfortable with who you are. If you’re curvy, you’re curvy, and no amount of dieting is going to change that for good. Marshall says she’s embraced her being curvy, and views herself as an ambassador for plus-size teens.

As a man who loves his woman because she is curvy - excuse me, Cathy is curvy, and I will sit and squash anyone who dares call my wife fat - and beautiful, I applaud Surrey’s enlightened decision to field a plus-size contestant in the Miss England pageant.  Break that mold, Chloe. I hope you win it all.

The Philippine Web Awards are this Friday.

How did I not know that?

According to this feature, singer-superstar Mariah Carey’s new signature fragrance, M, has some unusual aroma bases, including Moroccan incense, a flower called the Living Tahitian Tiare, and - get this - toasted marshmallows.

“[The toasted marshmallows are] blended in there,” she says. “It’s not like you’re gonna walk around smelling like marshmallows.”

I’m not exactly sure how the Elizabeth Arden-backed M will fare on the market, but I’ve seen the Australian website, read about the fragrance, and looked at the bottle. I am, to the say the least, intrigued. Having recently purchased for my wife Lacoste’s Inspiration (a simple, light, powdery fragrance that makes for everyday use) and Aigner’s Too Feminine Spring (a seductively Oriental, slightly sweet fragrance versatile enough for daytime and nighttime use), I’ve provided her with two signature fragrances that will last for at least a year, if not two, but I’m wondering if adding M to the mix may just work.

M can be as sensual as it wishes to be, but they had me at marshmallows.

I was never a fan of Crocs shoes. I can understand how Crocs shoes lovers say these are the most comfortable shoes on Earth, but its clunky look and unconventional color scheme never appealed to me. Believe it or not, comfort may only be Important Factor #2 in influencing most people’s decisions for purchasing footwear; Important Factor #1 is always Aesthetic (Appearance), because unless a pair of shoes appeals to a person on the level of fashion or aesthetics, they won’t even bother picking it up to find out whether or not it is comfortable.

I like footwear, but I don’t have a pair of Crocs shoes (or Havaianas, for that matter). My two favorite discussion pieces are a pair of Topless Sandals and two pairs of Bradford shoes for short Philippine men that can make me taller by up to four inches.

Now, wearing Crocs shoes can actually be dangerous. Reports that Crocs shoes snag on escalator grills, resulting in toe and foot injuries, are becoming more frequent. 39 Japanese and over two dozen Americans. With Crocs shoes available in more than 40 countries, there is a great possibility more people stand to get injured, especially younger children (for whom Crocs shoes are now available in sizes as small as 4). At least one hospital has banned its doctors from wearing Crocs on the job; reactions have been mixed. This website compiles escalator accidents involving Crocs shoes.

Apparently, Manila isn’t the only city to have drivers complaining about people who wash drivers’ windshields during lulls in traffic and demand payment for their ’services.’ The Italian city of Florence is also struggling with it. The difference is, unlike Manila, Florence has passed legislation to rid their streets of these ’squeegee men.’

Florence Mayor Leonardo Domenici issued a decree forcing these squeegee men off the streets, claiming they were hindering traffic, inconveniencing pedestrians, endangering themselves, and abusing drivers, especially women. Squeegee men caught plying their trade would be fined and detained for possibly up to three months.

Domenici’s measure has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the mayor acting on a problem that was becoming very real in many large Italian cities, comparing him to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for trying to improve the quality of life in little ways, and others saying he was going after the wrong people, and that being a squeegee man in itself wasn’t a crime.

In Metro Manila, a similar ’squeegee man’ phenomenon crops up during the Philippines’ rainy season. During rainstorms, teenagers and prepubescent boys ply some major Manila roads, lugging rags pails filled with water and powdered laundry soap. (Some popular squeegee centers: Quirino Avenue, Sucat Highway, and Roxas Boulevard.) During traffic stops, these squeegee boys splash water on the windshields of motorists and demand money before washing it off.

I’m inclined to agree with the mayor that ’squeegee boys’ put themselves in unnecessary danger with this seasonal trade. Given their age and physical structure, it certainly isn’t safe for them to be walking the streets in the rain. Then, there is also the issue of their invasion of many drivers’ personal space; many motorists see it as a serious affront when their cars are splashed with soapy (yet dirty) water and haphazardly washed, when they did not ask for said service. Is it right that these young boys should face the ire/road rage of these drivers for a few pesos, even if this money is earned somewhat opportunistically? Many Filipino drivers see them no differently from other beggars on the street.

Nevertheless, I can see how some quarters would defend these boys’ right to eke out some kind of living, especially if their situations don’t allow for much earning elsewhere. Some drivers probably would appreciate the cleaning, especially after a strong rain leaves their windshields opaque and muddy. Perhaps, despite the dangers posed by the practice, it might still be a better idea to have the boys earn money this way rather than squander their time in equally dangerous, more frivolous activities?

What do you think? Should Manila rid its streets of ’squeegee boys’?

Country singer Mindy McCready, who scored a huge hit in 1997 with Guys Do It All The Time, was taken into custody Wednesday at Nashville International Airport for violating her probation. The 31-year-old singer was arrested on misdemeanor charges: she scratched her mother’s face before being forcibly taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies.

The singer, who has suffered from addiction to the drug Oxytocin, said she violated probation by being charged in a new offense; not reporting those charges immediately to her probation officer; and by the nature of the new assault charges.

Prior to her arrest, McCready had other runs-in with the law, including a driving under the influence charge in 2006. While found not guilty of the DUI charge, she was found guilty of driving with a suspended license. She then pleaded guilty to violating her probation.

Meanwhile, her mug shot has been released by local authorities, and I am a little curious as to what happened to her nose. Did she get that cut during her altercation with her mom or when she was arrested? Hm. It looks like McCready could use a little Philadelphia rhinoplasty.