'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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