...a Tiger by the tail

I’ve been staring at my computer screen for the past 28 minutes, hoping to write something good before the year 2009 ends...

By this time, the two thin slices of pork belly (I purchased from Foodland), the chicken giblets (I collected from our previous grow), and the 280 grams of peeled green prawns (I bought from the local fish shop in town) have already been thawed on my caravan’s countertop.

The defrosting process was so quick due to the relatively hot temperature down south, which is expected to reach the maximum of 43’C in Port Wakefield today. I am hoping that the coldest setting of my out of date air-conditioning unit won’t fail me later especially in the early afternoon.

Right after publishing this post, I will start cooking valenciana so I could go to Aling Nati’s house ahead of time for a New Year’s Eve dinner with other Filipino friends who are living within the Wakefield Region.

Coming early to the said party doesn’t mean that I am very excited... Of course Sydney and Melbourne have prepared lots of pyrotechnic devices for the fireworks display tonight, but those who are living in the outback like us, welcoming the Year of the Tiger is definitely not as colourful and boisterous as in the major Australian cities.

This is my third New Year celebration Down Under, and just like in the two previous years, I am sure that the approaching media noche is another record-breaker—a night with a deafening silence!

A Filipino belief says that firecrackers and its noise drive the malevolent spirits away and make the new year prosperous and bountiful. I don’t know if I will still believe in this ‘belief’ after discovering that despite the muted air between December 31 and January 1 in Australia, this country remains to be wealthy and continuously booming!

I hate to mention something that is very obvious in this post... Does it simply means the Philippines needs to ignite more Rebentador, Super Lolo, Super Pla Pla, Triangulo, Bawang, Sinturon ni Judas, Jumbo Fountain, Whistle Bomb, Kuwitis, Lusis ,Watusi, or Bulalakaw during the New Year celebrations?

Honestly, if a firecracker factory in Bocaue or Sta. Maria, Bulacan could create an explosive device that can drive away dishonest and corrupt elected government officials I will fearlessly volunter to be the first one to detonate it this 2010!

Let us welcome the New Year with a complete set of fingers!

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'...standing small' yet Smart

smart- adjective 1 well-kept and neat. 2 astute. 3 witty. 4 fashionable. 5 brisk. 6 causing a stinging pain.

Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus
Essential
2005
c HarperCollins Publishers 2004
www.collins.co.uk

Taos-puso kong ipinaparating ang aking pasasalamat sa lahat ng mga bumubuo ng Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards 2009, lalung-lalo na kay Mr. Thoughtskoto at Tito NJ, at sa Smart Communications sa paghirang ng The Chook-minder's Quill bilang Smart Blog Award. Itong parangal at pagkilalang ipinagkaloob niyo sa akin ay iniaalay ko sa ating Poong Maykapal na siyang naghandog ng aking kakayahan at kaalaman sa pagsusulat.

Sa mga tagasubaybay ng The Chook-minder’s Quill na sa lahat ng panahon ay hindi lamang basta nag-titipa ng kanilang mga puna sa aking pahina, kundi nag-iiwan din ng mga salitang naghahayag ng pagmamalasakit at pakikiisa sa akin; maraming, maraming salamat po... Kayo ay aking itinuturing hindi lamang basta mambabasa ng aking blog, kundi bilang mga kaibigan!

Alam kong ang mga salita ng pasasalamat ay hindi sapat sa lahat ng mag naniwala at bumoto sa The Chook-minder’s Quill para sa PEBA 2009... lalung-lalo na kay Reymos at kay Mightydacz na nagbanggit at nagsali ng aking hamak na blog sa kanilang listahan bilang isa sa kanilang mga paborito, sana’y tanggapin ninyo ang aking simple ngunit mataimtim at matapat na thank you!

Sa aking mga malalapit at tunay na kaibigan, lalung-lalo na sa mga dumalo sa PEBA Event 2009 bilang aking mga kinatawan- na kahit abala ay nag-alay ng panahon para sa akin, maraming salamat sa inyong suporta! Sa loob o sa labas man ng blogosperyo, alam kong palagi kayong nandiyan para sa akin.

Sa aking mga kamag-anak sa Pilipinas at sa ibang panig ng mundo... sa aking mga pinsan at mga kapatid, sa aking mga tiyahin, at higit sa lahat sa aking ina na kahit minsa’y hindi pa nakasilip sa aking blog ngunit walang sawang nagmamahal sa akin nang walang hinihinging kapalit simula noon hanggang ngayon, ang pagkilala at parangal na nito ay tinatanaw kong utang na loob sa inyo.

Sa pagbubukas ng bagong kabanata ng The Chook-minder’s Quill sa taong 2010, ang aking pahina'y patuloy na magsisiwalat ng mga lihim at magbabahagi ng mga kwentong maghahatid ng kakaibang karanasan, kahulugan at (higit sa lahat, kahit na hirap akong gawin..) inspirasyon sa mga tagasubaybay nito.

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'CROSSing Over'

http://www.daemonsmovies.com/

Watch AVATAR: The Movie (new extended HD trailer here...)

Sa mga hindi pa nakapanood ng pelikulang Avatar, panoorin niyo na. (Biglang naging amateur ang dating ng Jurassic Park nang dahil sa bagong-likhang ito ni James Cameron.)

Ito ang dahilan ng aking pagkatulala sa nakalipas na apat na araw; iniisip at winawari ko kasi kung ano ang hitsura ng aking magiging avatar sakaling ako ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataong makadalaw sa mundo ng mga Na'vi- ang Pandora!

Ang Pandora ay kathang-isip lamang; ito'y isang daigdig na kasinlaki ng ating mundo kung saan nakatira ang mga matatangkad na nilalang na kulay-bughaw ang balat at mayroong isang-dipang buntot- sila ay ang mga Na'vi.

Nag-uumapaw sa likas na yaman ang Pandora. Sa malagong kagubatan ay mayroong napakaraming mga makukulay na halaman, iba't-ibang uri ng mga lumilipad, lumalangoy at pagala-galang mga hayop.

Isa sa mga pinakamagagandang tanawin at pinakakakaibang anyong-lupa sa Pandora ay ang mga bundok na nakalutang sa kalawakan, at higit sa lahat, sa tinutubuan ng isang higanteng punong Kelutrel ay matatagpuan ang isang mineral na kung tawagi'y unobtanium. Napaka-espesyal ang mineral na ito sapagkat ang isang dakot ay nagkakahalaga ng US$20,000,000!

Nang dahil sa unobtainium, nagkainteres sa Pandora ang mga tao mula sa ating mundo. Nais nilang sakupin at angkinin ang lahat ng kayamanan sa daigdig ng mga Na'vi subalit hindi ito madali sapagkat salat sa oxygen ang Pandora at ang natural na komposisyon ng hangin doon ay ang carbon dioxide, methane at ammonia.

Sa tulong mga mananaliksik, natuklasang sa pamamagitan ng mga avatars na may magkahalong genetic composition ng isang tao at isang Na'vi, ay posibleng maikot at mapag-aralan ng lubusan ang Pandora. Ang mga avatars na ito ay maaari lamang kontrolin ng mga taong pinagkunan ng DNA sample sa pamamagitan ng kanilang sariling utak habang sila'y tulog sa loob ng isang makabagong kasangkapan.

Sa panahon ng bahagyang kalungkutan at pangungulila sapagkat sigurado nang hindi ko na naman maipagdiwang ang Pasko kasama ang aking mga minamahal, iniisip kong sana'y isang umaga ako'y magising doon sa Pandora bilang isang avatar! Natitiyak kong sa ganda at kulay ng kapaligiran doon, makakalimutan ko kahit papaano itong aking mga dinaramdam. ...lalo na siguro kung magkikita kami ng kanilang prinsesang si Neytiri.

Napakaraming uri ng mga hayop doon sa Pandora, at nais kong mag-trabaho bilang isang beterinaryo roon. Hangad kong tuklasin ang mga lihim kung bakit malulusog at malalakas ang higanteng ibong Toruk at ang mala-kabayong Pa'li! Nais kong mapag-aralan ang mga bahagi ng katawan at ang kahalagahan nito sa buhay ng isang ibong Ikran at ng mala-lobong Nantang.

Kayo marahil ay nag-iisip kung kaya kong magtatagumpay sa aking pakay doon sa Pandora... kung maihahayag ko ng maayos sa mga katutubong Na'vi ang aking sadya sa kanilang daigdig. Siguradong kayang-kaya, bilang isang avatar! Isang avatar na kawangis ng mga katutubo roon, na kumikilos, nag-iisip, at may pandamdam na katulad ng mga Na'vi.

Maganda ang pelikula, panalo ang kwento at super-galing ang animation at visual effects!

Subalit may tatalo pa ba sa isang 'avatar' na isinilang sa mundo at namuhay bilang isang tao humigit-kumulang 2,009 taon na ang nakalilipas? Ang 'Avatar' na walang kapantay... nagturo, at nag-alay ng kanyang buhay bilang isang sakripisyo upang mailigtas mula sa kasalanan ang sangkatauhan at tuluyang mabuhay ng walang-hanggan doon sa kalangitan!

Halina't batiin natin Siya- ang tunay at nag-iisang avatar! Maligayang kaarawan, Panginoong Hesus!









Ang mga impormasyon sa lathalaing ito ay nagmula sa Wikipedia at sa opisyal na pahina ng pelikulang Avatar.




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Behind the Bamboo...

A pool-side cottage made of bamboo and cogon grass (Imperata sp.)...

...surprised?

Featuring the swimming pool with a cool, crystal-clear water;
and the four lovely cottages...

Forget about that orange pipe in the picture...
...just focus your attention on this very relaxing event hall by the pool.

Want to stay overnight?
No worries, the world-class accommodation is just around the corner.

Looking for a good place to read your favourite book after swimming?

Good enough, isn't it?
If you want, you can order some drinks from the bar to refresh and rehydrate yourself.



..could be the venue of the next PEBA event. Who knows?

Grand Tierra Resort

Sangat, Mlang, Cotabato
PHILIPPINES

mobile numbers +63908-3053206 and +63918-5771586

Mlang, Cotabato... my hometown!

Abangan...




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Joining the Magi

Twenty-three days from now, the Christian (as well as some of the non-Christian) community across the globe will be celebrating the most festive day of the year. Everyone has been looking forward for the coming of this very special day and has been traditionally counting the number of sleeps before Christmas immediately a day after the last Christmas celebration!

Undeniably, people whose workplace is miles away from home would love to schedule their vacation during Christmas season, and those whose workplace is just close to their hometown couldn’t resist the desire to take a day off during this day. In some countries, employees are obviously very excited as December draws near because of a longer break from work during the holidays and primarily, it is the time to receive the ‘thirteenth-month pay’ and the Christmas bonus from their generous employers.

Christmas really has a magical impact in this world! It is the season when houses and offices; malls and stalls; as well as gardens and lanes are displaying colourful lights and decorations! It is the time when Christmas carols fill the air, and Christmas cards occupy the mail boxes... and when ovens, fridges and pantries are packed with special meals for every member of the family.

Through the years, Christmas has gradually become more modernized and commercialized. Airline, bus and boat companies, food producers and processors, as well as product wholesalers and retailers directly benefit from the event. As we gear to celebrate with our family and friends, prepare to have a special dinner to feast on, and choose to give the best gifts to our loved ones, businesses are certainly making more money during this festive season of the year.

There’s nothing wrong with the contemporary way of celebrating Christmas, of course... but as we pack our bags to fly or sail home this Christmas, we should also join the magi in riding their camels as they journey towards the manger to celebrate the birth of the real Celebrant this Christmas. May we never fail to light and decorate our hearts with faith and hope. ...guided by the bright, shining Star may we, at all times, be ready to give love to every person we meet as we travel in this life so we could feast on everlasting peace and joy in this world!




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Dalisay

Bago ko sinimulan ang paglikha ng post na 'to, dumaan muna ako ng shower room para maligo.

Kasalukuyang 3:57 ng umaga rito sa South Australia, kararating ko lang galing trabaho. Mahigit limang oras din akong nasa loob ng manukan kanina, namumulot at naglalabas ng mga patay na manok habang hinihintay kong makatapos ang catching crew sa panghuhuli ng aking mga alagang nakatakdang dalhin sa katayan ngayong araw.

Paglabas ng manukan, amoy manukan na rin ako- ang aking damit, balat, at buhok. Talo ko pa ang espasol sa tindi ng alikabok, at kahit na ako'y nakasuot ng dust mask habang nasa loob ng manukan, pakiramdam ko'y tagos pa rin hanggang sa baga ko ang mga mapipinong hibla ng nalagas na balahibong palutang-lutang sa hangin.

Bago ko sinimulan ang paglikha ng post na 'to, dumaan muna ako ng shower room para maligo. ...sarap ng pakiramdam, tanggal ang mga duming kumapit sa akin galing manukan! Ngunit hindi lahat ay kayang anurin ng maligamgam na tubig... Hanggang ngayon, matiyaga ko pa ring hinihintay ang pagdating ng mabisang panlinis ng puso't isipan mula sa pangungulila, pagkabagot at pagkayamot.




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Come and See!

...dito sa aking blog, hindi ko pa 'to nagawa; ngayon lang. Ang magmamanok ay humihiling ng inyong mataimtim na panalangin.

Simula pa kahapon ay may namumuo nang pag-aalala sa aking isipan at kaba sa aking dibdib. Ito'y hindi dahil sa mga bampira ng pelikulang New Moon na sinimulang ipalabas ngayong araw, kundi dahil sa warning ng Australian Bureau of Meteorology para sa lahat ng mga nakatira sa South Australia.

Sinasabing ang buong state, lalung-lalo na ang mga nasa agricultural areas, ay posibleng magkakaroon ng catastrophic bushfire kahapon at ngayong araw. Kinansela ang pasok ng mga mag-aaral sa malawak na bahagi ng lalawigan, at seryoso ang babala ng mga estasyon ng radyo't telebisyon sa lahat ng taong nasa fire danger zone, habang lubusan namang pinaghahanda ang mga empleyado at mga volunteers ng Country Fire Service at iba pang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaang may kaugnayan sa health, safety and emergency services.

Ngayong umaga, tatlong beses ko nang narinig sa weather reporter ang mga salitang 'good luck' para sa lahat ng mga taga-Timog Australia (kasama na ako rito). Magdadalawang linggo na kasi ang heat wave sa lalawigan, at nakikinitang 43'C ang magiging temperatura sa lungsod ng Adelaide ngayon, samantalang mid-40's to 47'C naman dito sa aking pinagtatrabahuan.

thanks Wikipedia

Napakatuyo ng kapaligiran, 13% humidity ang pinakamababang naitala kahapon. Ngayong araw, natatanaw na magiging malakas raw (hinuhulaang 21-36kms/hr) ang ihip ng tuyo at mainit na hanging manggagaling hilaga (gitnang bahagi ng kontinente) kung saan naroroon ang malawak na disyerto ng Australia.

Ipinaliwanag ng Sunrise Weather (Channel 7) kung bakit posibleng magkakaroon ng devastating bushfire ngayong araw:

The formation of dry lightning and thunderstorms.
(by Seven's Sunrise Weather)
illustrated by RJ

Mamayang hapon o gabi, mataas ang tsansang magkakaroon ng pag-ambon, pagkidlat at pagkulog sa South Australia. Ngunit dahil sa napakatuyong air space ng lalawigan, biglang matutuyo o mawawala ang mga patak ng ulan habang ang mga ito'y nasa himpapawid, kaya maiiwang tatama sa kalupaan ang mga dry lightning at thunderstorms na siyang magiging sanhi ng malawakang sunog.

Sanay ako sa Pilipinas na nagkakaroon ng mga pag-ulan, pagkulog at pagkidlat at hindi naman ako natatakot. Ngunit noong nakaraang Pebrero, aking naranasan sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ang bagsik ng mga matatalim na kidlat at napakalakas na kulog habang walang ulan- ito'y walang tigil sa loob ng 45 minuto hanggang isang oras! Hindi ito biro; at inaamin ko ako'y natakot ng husto!

Hindi ko na pahahabain pa ang post kong ito... Narito ang mga nakuha kong larawan dito sa manukan para maipakita sa inyo kung gaano katuyo ang aming kapaligiran.

Ang kalsada papasok sa manukan.
# 22 Pareora Rd., Port Wakefield, South Australia

Wheat field surrounding the poultry farm.

Harvestable wheat, a closer look...

Sa labas ng Aking Tahanan...

The awful scenery in the northeast of the poultry farm.

We slashed the grasses as a compliance to the orders of the Wakefield Regional Council -one of the preventive measures against the invasion of the poisonous Australian brown snakes and fire.

Hangad ng mga taga-Australian Bureau of Meteorology na sana'y sa pagkakataong ito sila ay nagkamali sa kanilang inilabas na forecast. Sana nga... sana.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng 'to, ako nama'y naniniwala nang may buong katatagan sa kapangyarihan ng pagdarasal.

Sabi ng mga Australians, "Os-tral-ya iz a nAys pLAyz (Australia is a nice place)!" well, it's true. So, come and see!






...there is no relevance, but the title of this post has been inspired by the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.


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The Parable of the Chook-minder

Chicken harvest has started for a week now, and it will take another three sleepless weeks before we can totally empty the chicken sheds. This is the reason why The Chook-minder’s Quill hasn’t been scribbling anything for the past seven days.

*****

...but of course I didn't miss the bout between Pacquiao-Cotto. As a Filipino blogger, I obliged myself to subscribe the ‘pay-per-view’ of the said fight. So last Sunday, I sat in front of the telly for more than 4 hours as I waited with pessimism... but ended up happy and proud because I was able to witness how the People’s Champ engraved history in the boxing world!

*****

The movie 2012 is also the ‘talk of the blogosphere’ nowadays, so I watched it this evening. Huhmn, I commend the visual effects of the movie. That’s it, nothing more. But hey, I believe that the release of the movie was really planned to coincide with the Scripture readings last Sunday, and I think these are all related to what I have been doing lately—the chicken harvest.

With the company’s up-to-date knowledge in poultry genetics, health and nutrition; plus the husbandry skills of the poultry farm workers and the modern amenities of the chicken sheds, only 94-96% of the flock pass the standards of the harvest crew and the dressing plant. Part of the remaining 5% dies, and others are condemned along the growing cycle because they are sick, small or skinny. During the final night of the harvest, chicken catchers would set aside and leave all the substandard birds behind.

Then it’s the responsibility of the chook-minder. All the poor-performing or unproductive chickens are condemned- their head and neck joint is skilfully dislocated. The dead birds are then placed in a wheelbarrow, tipped in a tractor bucket parked outside the shed and finally dumped in a 6-foot deep mortality pit!

Rising...

Glenelg, South Australia

I am thinking that thousands or even millions of souls wandered around the state of South Australia at around 3 in the afternoon last November 2, 2009.

It was very hot (41'C), dry and sunny in Port Wakefield, and the gusty wind was angrily blowing from the north (the Northern Territory and South Australian desert) at around 2 pm. But there was a very sudden 'cool change' at 3 when the wind started blowing from the south (Antarctic); in just a span of thirty minutes I had to rush to the chicken sheds, shut the blinds and turn the cooling facility off to maintain the required 21'C temperature inside.

The relatively cool environmental temperature sustained for another three days, at the maximum of only 22'C. I love it, no more complicated tunnel ventilation setting, no hassles, and no worries.

I think I have to review my Climatology so I can explain these incidents in a more scientific way and stop blaming the non-guilty souls of my departed loved ones for the cool days last week. I was stricken by my conscience for not lighting even a single candle for them that day. Well, I joined the Australians for deliberately ignoring the commercialized and American-influenced Halloween celebration. Certainly, the cemeteries Down Under would have been totally forsaken had the Filipino widows (Australian by residence or citizenship) failed to visit the grave of their deceased husband that day.

Back to my weather report, the forecast for this week is very bad. According to my favourite TV station, the South Australian weather or temperature at this time of the year has never been like this before. I really hate dry, warm, or hot weather (this always reminds me to get closer to our Saviour), that's why I have been upset since Friday after hearing the news about the coming heatwave in S.A.. This means that starting today until Friday, maximum temperatures will be above 35'C.

Yesterday was my day off, and together with my friends, we visited Glenelg. ...never heard? Well, if Queensland has its Gold Coast, and New South Wales boasts for its Bondi beach, South Australia is very proud of its Glenelg.

My apology, I am too lazy to describe and write more things about Glenelg this time. I'll just share some photos I've taken yesterday, instead.

Pines, not palms!

The Glenelg beach-front condominiums.

On the jetty...

McCafe, Glenelg, S.A.

On queue... Mc Donald's, Glenelg, S.A.

"Have it here or take-away?"- in Australia
"Dine-in or take-out?" -in the Philippines

Left to right: Toti, RJ, Jollie, and Fernan.
Literally and figuratively, 'full'!

Uhmn, after all, it seems that summer isn't really that bad.

The mercury has been rising! The hormones are 'rising'... everything is rising!





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Come and Glow!

(The Adelaide Central Market Series part 2)
Part 1- Say Cheese...

"The best things in life are free!"

If dairy, pastry, and coffee are not your cup of tea, don't worry because the Adelaide Central Market has a lot more to offer! So while other curious customers flock around the free taste counter to try some bits and pieces of the different varieties of soft and hard cheeses with fig jam and Australian-made crackers, let us proceed to the most colourful area in the gourmet market- the fruits and veg section.




There's a wide range of fresh fruits to choose from! In Adelaide Central Market, you can hardly tell the current season of the year; you'll surely get confused whether it's winter, spring, summer or fall.

The bountiful harvest being displayed in the market stalls is enough to describe the vastness of the Australian continent! From apples and apricots to bananas, cherries and dates... lemons, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, pineapples... upto strawberries, ...and zucchinis! And with these figs and grapes, I'm sure you are now convinced that in this market we can complete our alphabet!

The fig fruits remind me of Adam and Eve...

The Australian Department of Health has been promoting it's "Go for 2 & 5 Campaign" for 6 years now. With 2 kinds of fruit and 5 servings of different vegetables everyday, we can live longer, healthier and happier!

"Filipinos can't live without rice," they said.
"Australians cannot live without potatoes," I replied.

The following veggies displayed in the House of Organics caught my attention in the market. Honestly, I haven't experienced cooking them yet.

FENNEL BULB is aromatic and flavourful herb with both culinary and medicinal importance. It is used as an ingredient of European sausages, meat balls and salads as well as in Italian's risottos and pastas. This herb is one of the spices in the Chinese' five-spice powder, and is also widely used in the India and the Middle East.

-Wikipedia

TURNIP'S roots are good source of Vitamin C! This crop is closely related to radish, cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli and Brussel sprouts (that green stuff on the upper left of the photo above).

-Wikipedia

SWEDES (Swedish Turnip) or rutabaga are root crops that can be added to casseroles, salads and stews but can also be baked, boiled or grilled.

CELERIAC is like celery; and it is used as an ingredient in soup and stews!

KOHLRABI is a German turnip, which literally means 'cabbage turnip'. It can be eaten raw or cooked and it taste like broccoli stem or cabbage.

PARSNIPS are cousins of carrots! It was once used as an energy source when potato was not yet discovered. These days, parsnips are the common ingredient in casseroles, soups and stews.

-Wikipedia

Hey, these vegetables are not just for your 'eyes'...
Five veggies a day can keep the doctor away!

Sweet corn at PhP43.00 each...

Finally, for this post, the nuts!

Fruits and nuts goes well with chocolate bars, and so with post.

It reminds me of the kasuy in Antipolo, Rizal.

In Adelaide Central Market, tourists don't just come and go, they come and glow!




To be continued...

R.J. on Ovi Historical Tweet

Gamit ang Twitter, bawat segundo, minu-minuto, oras-oras o araw-araw ay nasusubaybayan natin ang mga pangyayari sa buhay ng ating mga kakilalang gumagamit din ng free social-networking at micro-blogging na ito. Ang mga ginagawa, naiisip o nararamdaman ng ating mga 'sinunsundang' kaibigan ay ating nababasa sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga updates o 'tweets' na binubuo lamang ng 140 anyong titik o characters.

Samantala, ang Historical Tweet naman ay isang uri ng Twitter 'update' na ginagamitan ng mga salitang may halong pagmamalabis, kabalintunaan o komedya kung saan ang mga tanyag na tao at mga kaganapan sa kasaysayan ng mundo ang siyang nagiging tauhan o guest tweeter. Para mas lalong mapaganda at kapana-panabik ang isang historical tweet, madalas ay ginagawa ito sa isang template o larawan.

Ayon sa site na ito, ang mga aklat ay pahamak sa kasaysayan sapagkat ito'y binubuo ng napakaraming mga salitang madalas ay hindi naman ganu'n kahalaga. Kaya sa pamamagitan ng isang historical update, ang mga tauhan at pangyayari sa ating kasaysayan ay susubukan nating unawain sa pamamagitan lamang ng isang daan at apatnapung mga karakter.

Here's the chook-minder's contribution to PEBA, Nokia Ovi, and Twitter's Historical Tweets:

Jose Rizal's Execution
Bagumbayan Field, Manila
December 30, 1896

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda Quintos (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino polymath: a poet, writer, artist, intellectual, and educator. He was a nationalist and the pre-eminent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. Rizal's 1896 court-martial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution. He is widely considered the most prominent Filipino and a national hero. Since Philippine Independence, the anniversary of Rizal's death has been commemorated as a national holiday.

The government secretly buried Rizal in Paco Cemetery in Manila, where they placed no identification on his grave. When his sister Narcisa toured all possible gravesites, she found freshly turned earth at the cemetery and civil guards posted at the gate. Assuming this was the most likely spot, as there had never been ground burials before, she made a gift to the caretaker to mark the site, "RPJ", Rizal's initials in reverse.

-Wikipedia

PEBA or the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards is the organization that honors the best and inspiring blogs of Filipino expatriates and Overseas Filipino Workers around the world. This year's theme is Filipinos Abroad: Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World which is 'synonymous' to Jose Rizal's vision- The Youth is the Hope of our Motherland.

The Chook-minder's Quill is, actually, nominated for the award this year.

Thank you very much Nokia Ovi for sponsoring the PEBA 2009 Awards this coming December 26, 2009 (four days before the 113th-year of the Jose Rizal's martyrdom). The event will be held at six in the evening at the UP Diliman- Ang Bahay ng Alumni Convention Hall, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

Ovi by Nokia
Your Life. Connected.



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Say Cheese!

(The Adelaide Central Market series; part I)


I'm back!

Well, I haven't gone far... I am still working in this poultry farm, and reading blogs when I'm free. Yes, I have not updated The Chook-minder's Quill for the past fourteen days... I have lots of personal stories to tell but I restrained myself from writing it here, otherwise you'll get sick of reading my anxieties and sentiments in life.

Actually, Australia is not just all about my chickens and sad moments. There are a lot of places which are equally if not more exciting than the Sydney Opera House! You simply don't need to have the energy to run like an emu, just try to visit one of South Australia's beautiful destinations and I'm sure you really can't stop yourself from hopping like a kangaroo with your desire to see more lovely spots around the Festival State. Money-back guarantee, you'll love to hug this place like a cuddly koala!

I understand that most of you are saving your holidays for the upcoming PEBA event this December (thank you for voting my entry)... meantime, allow the Chook-minder's Lens and Quill to take you to one of my favourite destinations in the city- The Adelaide Central Market.

The facade of Adelaide Central Market, Grote St., Adelaide City, S.A.

Just a 3-minute walk from the historic Adelaide Victoria Square, the market is situated along Grote and Gouger Sts., only a few steps away from Hilton Hotel. Experience the display of vibrant colours, the smell of the tempting aroma, and the taste of fresh and delicious products that are mostly grown and made just around Adelaide and its suburbs, as well as the South Australian countryside.

The Adelaide Central Market during the 'Friday Night Shopping'...

There are, more or less, 80 stalls inside, selling stuffs that could largely describe the Land Down Under as a multi-cultural country. The choices are so diverse- from products which are proudly Australian to those which are European-, Asian-, and American-influenced.

Our first stop, the dairy and the bakery sections...

Edam, blue-veined, and emmental cheeses...

Edam cheese (The Netherlands, upper left in the above photo) is commonly called as queso de bola in Spain and the Philippines. It is very compatible with fruits such as peaches, apricots, melons and cherries; and if aged, this hard cheese is often eaten with pears and apples. It also goes well with your favorite cracker or an accompaniment to Pinot Noir wines.

Blue-veined cheese (Italy, lower left in the above photo) is my least favorite cheese because the Penicillium mould is visible, and its mouldy smell is very distinct! Whew!

Emmental cheese (Switzerland, right in the above photo) is very common in cartoon shows. When I was still young, I thought this cheese is the favorite snack of mice- and that the holes present are the remains of their nibbling activity... not until my college days, when I've learned from my Meat and Milk Hygiene subject that these holes are actually bubbles which are formed as (the bacteria) Propionibacter shermani releases carbon dioxide gas after consuming the lactic acid excreted by Lactobacillus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

-Wikipedia
-RJ's college notes
-personal experience

This section is the reason why my dining room has smelled like fart! I bought 166 grams of Cremeux de Argental cheese from the Smelly Cheese shop. It costs Au$59.95 a kilogram or PhP2,580 in the current exchange rate.

Smelly Cheese Shop's Cremeux D'Argental

It is a variety of a soft cheese (brie) that is very mild yet the taste of mould as well as the hint of ammonia are still there! The microorganisms called Penicillium candidum, P. camemberti and Brevibacterium linens which are inoculated in the milk curd during the production of brie are responsible for its very distinctive taste and aroma. Interestingly, Brevibacterium linens is commonly present in the human skin and is the primary cause of foot odour!

But I love Cremeux de Argental; it is great if eaten with crackers (Au$ 2.80) or any bread of your choice, especially if consumed with a cup of coffee, alfresco with a loved one.












To be continued...




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