Panauhing Pandangal (a prelude...)

PAUNAWA: Ang tagpo at mga tauhan sa lathalaing ito ay kathang-isip lamang, anumang pagkakatulad sa mga pangyayari ng tunay na buhay ay sadyang nagkataon lamang.

Ika-18 ng Disyembre 2009, alas sais y media ng gabi sa Pilipinas. Malamig ang simoy ng hangin, at maagang dumilim ngayong Biyernes...

Lulan ng mga magagarang sasakyan, isa-isang nagsisidatingan sa tapat ng lobby ng Manila Hotel ang mga blogerong OFW at Filipino expatriates. Suot ng mga kalalakihan ang kanilang barong-Tagalog habang kapansin-pansin naman ang mga naggagandahang kababaihan sa kanilang suot na gown. Isa-isa silang binibigyang-pugay ng mga tanod ng hotel at ginabayan patungo sa silid na pagdadausan ng pagtitipon.

Isang napakalaking palatuntunan ang magaganap sa Fiesta Pavilion. Kikilalanin at paparangalan ang mga nanalo sa 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards na may temang "Pinoy Expats/OFW: Pag-asa ng Bayan, Handog sa Mundo".

Kumpleto ang lahat ng bumubuo ng PEBA, Inc., at dinaluhan ito ng mga piling panauhin mula sa dalawang pangunahing media ng bansa, at ng mga kilalang taong galing sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaang may direktang kaugnayan sa mga Global Filipinos.

Maginaw rin sa loob ng pavilion dahil sa simoy na nanggagaling sa airconditioning unit ng hotel. Maririnig ang mga mahihinang tawanan ng mga taong nagbubulungan na sinasabayan naman ng kalansing ng mga kubyertos, subalit nangingibabaw pa rin ang kaaya-ayang tunog ng musikang jazz.

Pagkaraan ng tatlong minuto, sinimulan na ang pinakahihintay na programa...


KAPANSIN-PANSIN ANG sorpresang panauhin at mananalita. Hindi ito nagpakita sa madla hanggang siya'y ipinakilala at tinawag ng mga guro ng palatuntunang sina Bb. Reanna Marie Bautista at G. Jerald Kim Sanggalang.

Espesyal ang damit na suot ng panauhing pandangal! Siya'y nababalot ng isang mahabang Filipinianang gawa sa pinyang idinesenyo pa ni Redlan- isang kilalang blogerong mahusay sa sining. Kulay asul ang kalahati ng makintab na tela, at kulay pula naman ang nalalabing kalahati nito. Kapag natatamaan ng ilaw ang nasa bahaging dibdib ng damit, makikitang may hugis tatsulok na kulay puti na mayroong tatlong bituin at isang araw na kulay dilaw!

Nagniningning din ang isang maliit na pilak na nakasabit sa kaliwang dibdib ng magandang panauhin. Kapag sa malapitan, mapapansing ang palamuting ito ay hugis-paruparu, gawa sa napakakapal na materyales na kinulayan din ng pula, puti at saka bughaw. Napansin ni Bb. Bautista ang palamuting ito, at nasabi niyang balang araw sana'y magkaroon din siya nito.

Ngayong nasa entablado na ang espesyal na panauhin, nahahalatang medyo kulang siya sa tangkad! ...at kahit na sa malayo halatang-halata ang malaking nunal nito sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi, at ang dalawang ngipin n'ya sa harapang medyo may kalakihan.

Hindi pa niya naibuka ang kanyang bibig para simulan ang kanyang maikling pananalita ay nagpalakpakan na ang madla. [Ang 'talumpati' ng panauhing pandangal ay nominado sa Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards 2009. Nandito ang kabuuan ng kanyang napakaikling pananalita- The Keynote...]

The Keynote...

"Filipinos Abroad: Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World"

This is an official entry to the 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards (PEBA).

Ang Panauhing Pandangal (ang panimula...)

Ngayong nasa entablado na ang espesyal na panauhin, nahahalatang medyo kulang siya sa tangkad! ...at kahit na sa malayo halatang-halata ang malaking nunal nito sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi, pati ang dalawang ngipin n'ya sa harapang medyo may kalakihan.

Hindi pa niya naibuka ang kanyang bibig para simulan ang kanyang maikling pananalita ay nagpalakpakan na ang madla!

Nagbago ang kulay ng ilaw sa loob ng pavilion, bahagyang dumilim ang silid ngunit may isang liwanag na nakatutok sa magsasalita... Narito ang kabuuan ng kanyang talumpati:

Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

It is, indeed, a great honour and privilege for me to be invited by the powerful men and women behind the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, Inc. to speak for tonight’s PEBA Awarding Ceremony. Despite the cool Christmas breeze outside which has been brought by the amihan winds from the freezing temperature of the northern hemisphere, we seem to be sharing the same season with our KaBlogs Down Under because our attendance tonight shows the warmth of harmony and solidarity between us—and this is already an initial indication of this evening's success!

With Kenji creating this award-giving body for the Global Filipino bloggers in 2008; and with Nereus Jethro spearheading the group this 2009, I- together with our friends from OWWA, POEA and TESDA with their mother agency DOLE, and the DFA whose representatives are also here with us this evening—were greatly convinced that every Filipino blogger interspersed around the globe has been given the great power to influence every world-wide-web-reader through their writings. I am sure that as you- the supporters of PEBA- take the responsibility to write in your blog, you do not just simply become the hope of our country, but also the pride and inspiration of our beloved nation.

Currently, there are eleven million Filipinos living outside the country. The count includes all of you who venture overseas as temporary workers, expatriates, as well as those in the academe- which comprise 11% of the total population of the Philippines. I understand every story of every Global Filipino, like you...

...if we could only collect every teardrop, measure the loneliness, or even quantify the hard-work that you’ve been doing while you’re away from our homeland, it would surely flood or cover the entire earth—more than enough that it would be very impossible for me to prevent it from overflowing!

For almost eight years now, The Palace has been doing every important step to create, generate and provide a job for every qualified Filipino. But because of the ailing global economy, our efforts may not be enough...

...I really admire all of you- the talented and skilful Filipino youths—for living up to the expectation of our national hero! You are truly courageous and determined to continuously extend your horizon as you seek for your own place in this world whenever you feel that the Philippines is too small and overcrowded for you. This attitude has instantly made you the living heroes of our beloved nation!

How many Filipino children have been left hungry and thirsty for food and education, alike, hadn’t their nanay, tatay, ate, kuya, tiyo or tiya explored for and took better opportunities overseas? With the total inflow of US$10 billion in 2005, US$13 billion in 2006, US$14.4 billion in 2007, and US$15.9 billion remittances to the Philippines in 2008...

...you—the Global Filipinos are not just simply providing for your family back home, but you are also unconsciously contributing to the Philippine economy! ...and I salute you for this!

Amidst various trends and economic challenges of the modern day, well-developed nations in the world are still continuously craving for more knowledgeable and skilful workers because of labour shortage in their country. I am so glad because Filipinos still remain to be one of the few choices of Canada—particularly in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan; Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain as shown by the effective Memorandum of Agreement between the POEA and these countries.

Who can ever forget those 400 Filipino nurses who had gone to Japan thru JPEPA seven months ago, and underwent intensive training for six months in Nihongo? These successful nurses and caregivers had already found their way to their new workplace last November; and the POEA is still negotiating with the Japanese government for additional deployment next year. We are also very grateful to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship for granting a total of 3,970 working visas to Filipinos for the period of July 2008 to March 2009.

The migration of the family of a Filipino blogger named Loida of 2L3B’s to Canada last May, as well as her and her husband’s immediate employment within a week of arrival in Ontario is another very good example. We also have another blogger- Chico who has been enjoying his dream job in Dubai since June 2009. We should also add Gasoline Dude on our list for receiving two job offers last May after being laid off from his previous job in Singapore on that same month. David Edward Santos of Geeky Thoughts who had moved to Kuala Lumpur last April is also one of them; as well as Joan Manalang—The Artist Chef who’s been savouring her adventures in Ho Chi Minh since May this year. We should also count the best luck of A.R.D.Y.E.Y. of ARDYEYTOLOGY in, who, after signing a job offer and consequently being denied of a work permit in Algeria because of his age, was still accepted with open arms in his old job in Doha!

Undeniably, the 2009 success stories of these Filipino Expats/OFW bloggers and non-bloggers would prove that our race is still the most sought workforce in the international arena! Global Filipinos, your English communication skills, as well as your expertise in various professions and trades are not just the only reason for this...

...you are, undoubtedly, armed with your strong faith in God! ...you are also furnished with your long-term, whole-hearted commitment to your job, your loyalty to your employer, your good relationship with your workmates and all the other admirable Filipino traits in the workplace, in general. These are, actually, the major reasons why these developed countries are insatiable—they wanted to hire more and more workers from the Philippines every year.

Now look at how the product exportation of that prawn company by the Red Sea and that poultry farm by the Flinder’s Ranges has succeeded! Quench your thirst with the sweet and safe drinking water from Al-Khobar- produced through reversed osmosis in a high-tech lab... don’t forget to browse and have a glance so you can appreciate the illustrations in that Malaysian children’s book which was released in the middle of this year... imagine how the Filipino music, and words soothe the exhausted muscles, pacify the aching nerves and inspire the disheartened souls on earth...

And there you are, Filipino bloggers and non-bloggers around the globe who are currently watching tonight’s event—live and online through the comfort of your own computers; we should thank our computer analyst and programmer based in the island of Palau for making all these wild world-wide-web things possible!

...and who said that while the Philippines is boasting for your 13.5% contribution to our Gross Domestic Product, she’s also been suffering from ‘brain drain’? Do you know that we could start calling it ‘brain gain’?; for as soon as those overseas Filipino students, or even those skilled temporary workers, get back to our country after months or years of intensive trainings and studies abroad, they can surely offer and share their expertise to every interested student back home.

My friends and fellow 'netizens' of the web, the things I’ve just enumerated to you are only few, yet significant examples that show how Filipino expatriates and overseas workers sparkle like pieces of diamonds spangled around the globe! Believe me, you—yourselves, are our invaluable gift to the whole world!

How wonderful it is to note that Filipino bloggers across the globe have also been united and gained dauntless strength through this one-of-a-kind effort of KaBlogs Station...

You possess the greatest power and the absolute freedom to write what you think and how you feel; simply, it signifies that the true spirit of democracy is still flourishing until today!

As the Icon of Democracy—the late ex-President Corazon Aquino—showed her motherly concern to the OFW’s, I promise to uphold her Executive Order number 126, and the Republic Act 7111 which was promulgated during her administration. Let your voices be heard. I encourage you to sustain your acts of heroism for our country not just within the pages of your powerful and influential blogs, but also in the foreign land where you’re working right now!

I trust, much more than I am expecting, that you will continue to help in building a strong nation and in shaping a peaceful world to live in! In your simplest way, spread the best news, promote goodwill, create and nurture friendship, reach out and inspire every Global Filipino—blogger or non-blogger—with your brilliant and lovely words.

I know you can do this, that's why I have decided to step out of this eminent throne in the Philippine government come June next year; of course after the much-awaited May 2010 elections. Honestly, I really feel secure to leave my office in 6 months time because I know that you- the Filipino expatriates and OFWs are there—whom I believe, are the real hope of our nation and the genuine gift to the whole world!

Congratulations to all the PEBA winners; isang Maligayang Pasko sa ating lahat, at mabuhay ang PEBA! [To vote for this PEBA 2009 entry, please CLICK THIS.]

Itutuloy...

Proudly Australian

RJ and an Indigenous Australian.
Hindley St., Adelaide City, S.A.

Ang mga Aboriginal Australians o Indigenous Austalians ay pinaniniwalaang dumating sa kalupaan ng Australia mula sa mga pulo ng Papua New Guinea at Indonesia mga 40,000 o 80,000 na taon na ang nakalipas. Kahit na napakakumplikadong manirahan sa kontinenteng ito dahil sa mapanghamon nitong klima (masyadong tuyo at mainit kung tag-araw at napakaginaw naman kapag tag-lamig), at kahit na salat sa makabagong kaalaman sa pamumuhay ang mga taong ito, sila'y nagtagal at nagtagumpay sa kanilang paninirahan dito. Sila'y hindi gumagawa ng kanilang sariling bahay kaya sila'y pagala-gala, at nabubuhay lamang sa panghuhuli ng mga hayop at pangungulekta ng mga bungang-kahoy o mga nakakaing ugat ng mga halaman.

Nulla nulla or Aboriginal hunting stick.
(Pamalo ng buntot ng kangaroo. More stories here- 1, 2...)
Narana Aboriginal Centre, Geelong, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

Sinasabing posibleng may populasyong 315,000 hanggang 750,000 ang mga Aboriginal Australians noong dumating ang mga Ingles noong taong 1788. Sa panahong ito, pinaniniwalaang mayroong 275 na mga wika, at 600 pangat na mga wikang ginagamit ang mga naunang taong ito (ngunit sa kasalukuya'y 200 na lamang sa mga wikang ito ang nagagamit at 20 sa mga ito ay pinangangambahang tuluyan nang mawawala).

Sa kadahilanang malayo sa kabihasnan ang mga katutubong Australiano, hindi sila nahaharap sa mga samut-saring mikrobyong nauuso noon sa mundo kaya sila'y biglang tinamaan ng matinding bulutong tatlong taon pagkatapos dumating ang mga taga-Europa. Dahil sa mahina ang kanilang resistensiya, tinalo sila ng mga mikrobyong dala ng mga 'puti' (pati ang mga sakit na dala ng pakikipagtalik) na naging sanhi ng malalang epidemya. Tinatayang umabot sa 50% ng kanilang populasyon ang namatay noong mga panahong 'yon.

Hindi naging madali ang pagsasama ng mga (dating) 'dayuhan' at ng mga katutubo, dahil napakalaking balakid ang wika. Napakahirap ding makipag-usap sa mga Indigenous Australians dahil bukod sa napakarami nilang tribu at wika, ay wala pang nabuong pamahalaan o di kaya'y iisang taong namumuno sa kanila. Dahil dito, idineklara ng mga Ingles na 'terra nullius' o effectively uninhabited ang napakalaking kontinenteng ito.

Taong 1901 nang naging isang demokratikong bansa ang Australia, ngunit hindi nito kinilala ang mga Aborigines bilang mga Australiano kaya sila'y hindi pinahihintulutang bumoto tuwing halalan. Ito'y tumagal hanggang noong taong 1962-1967 kung saan sila'y binigyan na rin ng karapatang makapamili ng ninanais nilang lider tuwing may eleksiyon sa Australia.


ISANG NAPAKA-KONTROBERSIYAL sa kasaysayan ng Australia ang tinatawag na Stolen Generation- kung saan ang mga katutubong sanggol (kahit na ang mga kapapanganak lamang) at mga batang nagkaka-edad ng hanggang 16-21 ay sapilitang inaagaw ng pamahalaan mula sa kanilang mga magulang. Ang mga katutubong bata at mga kabataang kanilang nakuha ay ipinagkakatiwala sa pambansa o di kaya'y sa mga pang-estadong ahensiya ng pamahalaang Australia pati na sa mga grupo ng relihiyosong misyonaryo; at ang iba nama'y ipinamimigay sa mga pamilyang 'puti'NG naninirahan sa bansa.

Sa kanilang bagong 'tahanan', mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang pagsasalita ng wikang Aboriginal. May mga nagsasabing ang mga kalalakihan ay ginawang katulong sa pagsasaka, at ang mga kababaihan naman ay naging utusan. Sinasabing hinahangad ng batas (kautusan) na itong protektahan ang mga anak ng katutubo mula sa kapabayaan sa kani-kanilang mga tribu, bigyan ng magandang edukasyon, at hasain sa mga makabagong pamumuhay habang tinuturuan kung paano ang tamang pakikihalubilo sa modernong lipunan.


Ngunit ang pang-aagaw ng mga katutubong kabataang 'yon ay kinondena ng pamahalaang Australia noong dekada '80 kaya't nakakuha ng magandang pagkakataonng magprotesta at humingi ng pinansiyal na kabayaran ang mga biktima nito. Ika-13 ng Pebrero ng taong 2008 ng pormal at opisyal na humingi ng kapatawaran ang pamahalaang Australia sa mga naging biktima ng Stolen Generations sa pangunguna mismo ng kasalukuyang Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.



MAY MGA Indigenous Australians na naging kilala sa larangan ng isports, at pulitika (1, 2); at ang kanilang mayamang kultura at kakaibang sining ay hinding-hindi rin mapapantayan saan mang dako ng mundo. Sila'y naniniwala sa kapangyarihan ng mga panaginip, naging kilala sa kanilang istilo ng pagpipinta, at espesyal na mga tunog ng kanilang musika.

Original Aboriginal artwork.
Narana, Aboriginal Centre, Geelong, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

Aboriginal Musician playing his digieridoo.

May mga pag-aaral na nagsasabing medyo nahuhuli sa dunong, mas sakitin, mas nasasangkot sa krimen at mas nahihirapang makakuha ng trabaho ang mga katutubo kung ikukumpara sa mga 'di-katutubong' Australiano. Dahil dito, ang pamahalaang Australia ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng umaapaw na suporta (1, 2, at marami pang iba) sa mga Indigenous Australians.

Sa ngayon, ang mga Aboriginal Australians ay urbanisado na dahil humigit-kumulang 27% na lamang sa kanila ang naninirahan sa mga liblib na pook; ang karamihan ay tahimik na namumuhay malapit sa mga lungsod, lalung-lalo na sa gawing timog-silangan ng bansa (Queensland, New South Wales, at Victoria). Sa kabila nito, ang mga Indigenous Australians ay bumubuo lamang ng 2.6% ng kabuuang populasyon ng bansang Australia; ibig sabihin sa kasalukuyang 21,000,000 na mga Australiano, 546,000 lamang nito ang mga katutubo.









Sources:
http://bovination.com/
Wikipedia
Australian Aboriginal Map by http:/mappery.com/

Tsokolate

It's 6:07 in the morning in South Australia, with the mercury down at 6'C. The poultry sheds were empty because all the chickens had gone to the dressing plant a day earlier at dawn; so even if it's still dark and foggy outside he's nothing to worry about. It's a three-day late autumn holiday for the chook-minder!

Inside the farm house, he was sitting in front of his computer to check his email’s inbox, to reply to the offline messages and to read the new comments on his blog.

The wood-burning fireplace just beside him had been working overnight so he was enjoying the comfort while, at the same time, warming up his tummy with hot chocolate.

He took a sip of the hot beverage, and the tempting aroma of the roasted cocoa beans seemed to have stimulated his sleepy brain cells faster than the choco-drink itself because suddenly, his thoughts began to wander around the mysteries behind the ‘chocolate’!

He became envious of the chocolate’s virtue of compatibility. While he, the poor chook-minder, had been struggling for almost three decades to find the right place and the right person for him in this world, the chocolate had been enjoying its harmony with almost everything since its discovery!

'Chocolate goes well with milk, with vanilla, with sugar, with flour, with cereals, with cream, with nuts, with fruits, with liquor, even with coffee and almost everything,' he thought! 'It’s an all-around flavouring— cake and pastries, dips, ice creams, spread... It can be consumed as a drink; it can be eaten as a food. It tastes good when it’s hot, while it is equally great when it’s cold! Chocolate can even transform itself into solid, liquid or gas depending on its environment or its exposure to various challenges of temperature without losing its lovely properties and safety of consumption.'

'Chocolate has three types and blends!' the chook-minder remembered. 'There’s dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. Chocolate comes in different colours, flavours, forms and textures; and these wonderful attributes have brought immeasurable excitement to its taste,' he believed! 'It has never been hated; they’re even restricted for health reasons because every second a lot of people around the globe are craving for chocolates.'

IT'S HALF-PAST EIGHT in the morning now, and after posting an entry about chocolates on his blog, the chook-minder realized that he hadn’t consumed his hot chocolate, yet. His drink had been gradually getting warm inside the mug so he decided to take it, all the way down, before it turns into a cool drink.

It’s 11.4’C outside, and amidst the misty atmosphere, a dull sunray had already started penetrating the window glass and gleamed through the vertical Venetian blinds behind him. The heat radiating from the flaming coals in the fireplace had started to bother him so he was thinking to extinguish it. He left his keyboard and moved towards the burning hollow at the corner of his room... hoping that before the day ends, he could find that sense of ‘compatibility’ he’s been longing for...

...forgetting the fact that dozens of red roses are very much compatible with boxes of Chocolates, too!

There's a substance known as theobromine which is found in chocolates. While theobromine was once used in the treatment of several heart diseases (hypertension, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris, etc) and as a vasodilator, diuretic and heart stimulant in modern medicine, in veterinary medicine this alkaloid is toxic to horses, dogs, cats, and parrots (a close relative of chicken).

So, avoid giving chocolates to your pets!

Sources: Wikipedia and The Merck Veterinary Manual

H0M3 (51CK N355) Flu

Ubo at pamamaga ng nalalamunan nalang ang kulang sa akin para makumpleto ko ang aking listahan ng mga sintomas habang inu-obserbahan ko ang aking sarili para sa kinatatakutang Swine Flu. Nababahala kasi ako dahil n'ung ako'y nagbiyahe galing Pilipinas pabalik dito sa Australia (April 28-30, 2009), nasa kasagsagan ng balitang nagkakaroon ng A H1N1 outbreak sa Mexico; at patuloy pa itong kumakalat sa buong mundo.


PAKIRAMDAM KO NGAYON, ako'y palaging pagod. Nananakit ang aking mga kalamnan at mga kasukasuan. Ako'y giniginaw. Parang ako'y nilalagnat. Sumasakit ang aking ulo. Ang sarap mahiga at matulog...

Naisip ko, baka dala lang ito ng napakarami kong mga gawain at responsibilidad dito sa manukan dahil kasalukuyang nagbabakasyon ang aming farm manager. Nasa huling bahagi na rin ngayon ng panahon ng tag-lagas dito sa katimugang bahagi ng mundo, at magsisimula na ang panahon ng tag-lamig sa darating na Hunyo hanggang Agosto. Madalas lumilipad ang aking isipan doon sa Pilipinas, at sa aking mga mahal-sa-buhay na nandu'n.



Unti-unti kong natutuklasan na ang homesickness [H0M3 (51CK N355) Flu]- kahit walang katapat na salita sa wikang Filipino, tinatamaan pa rin nito ang mga Pilipinong wala sa sariling bayan, tulad ko... Isang epidemyang halos magkapareho ang mga sintomas sa swine flu! Ang masakit lang, kahit na nagsuot pa ako ng N95 facial mask noong ako'y nagbiyahe pabalik dito sa Australia, matatamaan at matatamaan pa rin ako ng 'kakaibang karamdamang' ito. Isang karamdamang kapag tumama, kahit na Oseltamivir at Zanamivir ay hindi mabisang pamuksa.

Ang mga katagang 'bird flu' ay halos kapareho lang ng 'swine flu', dahil ito ay sanhi pa rin ng influenza virus na tumatama naman sa mga ibon, kasama siyempre ang aking mga alagang manok.

Kung ang Influenza A (H1N1) ay ang siyang delikado kapag 'swine flu' ang pag-uusapan, Influenza A (H5N1) naman ang katapat nito sa 'bird flu'.

-Wikipedia

'Nimbus 2009'

Philippines.

Australia.

Nimbus 2000 is popular in JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It is the broomstick given by Prof. Minerva McGonagall to Harry when he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch Team as a 'seeker'.

Genuine Love

They were only a day old when they arrived here in the farm. We housed them in a shed that costs more than a hundred thousand dollars, with straw beddings that cost a hundred and twenty dollars per bale. These chicks were brooded in a computerized, environmentally-controlled room—where the temperature, air flow and humidity were closely monitored and modified (if needed) to suit their living requirement. There’s a lighting program to provide enough brightness even at midnight so they can eat and drink whenever they want. Their feed was a mixture of special grains and was very nutritious—formulated by the best animal nutritionists of the country. We ensured that their drinking water is always available, potable and uncontaminated.

They had the luxury of modern facility, the gift of skilful handlers and the comfort of special husbandry but still some of them had stunted growth, others were weak and a few died. Sometimes I would think that our management practices might not be enough, and the computerized controls and mechanized equipment have not been always perfect.

Despite their luxurious lifestyle, I don't and will never envy them. They had been artificially hatched from the machines and were immediately brought here in the farm. They haven’t even seen their dam; they had been deprived of and never felt the genuine brood of a real hen!

For us who experienced and have been enjoying the genuine love and care of our mother, we are very lucky. But of course Mother's Day is not just all about how we feel the warmth of our mother's love for us, it is also about how we let her feel the warmth of our own love, care and thoughts for her.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, and out there!

[This entry was originally posted last May 10, 2008.]

The required brooding temperature for day old chicks in this farm is 32'C. But the warmth of our mother's genuine love can never be measured!