The 2002 Miss Universe pageant was broadcast via RPN-9 starting a little past eight this morning. The contest wrapped up just a tad before two in the afternoon.

The sponsors’ advertisements constituted roughly four-fifths of the entire broadcast period, and that is being conservative in estimating.

My uncle and I had practically the same bets for the crown. In no particular order: China, Russia and Venezuela. Not bad, considering all three of them made it to the Final Five.

Personally, what I liked most about the whole, tedious-to-watch show was the “Determining” question, the one that has to be answered by all the finalists: What makes you blush?

Simple, but it makes a person stop and think.

Here are the results:

Miss Universe: Russia (also Best in Swimwear)
Runner-ups
First: Panama
Second: China (also Best in Evening Gown)
Third: South Africa
Fourth: Venezuela

The rest of the Top Ten
Albania
Germany
Cyprus
India
Canada

Special Awards
Most Photogenic: Puerto Rico
Miss Congeniality: US Virgin Islands

In other news, my father bought me a brand-new, glittering Nokia 3310. I now have the same unit as my mother.

To honor this gift, I downloaded three new ringtones and proudly made Obi-Wan Kenobi as my operator logo.