Horrific Fire at Slacks Creek Kills 11

The small suburb of Slacks Creek of Logan City, Queensland is grieving after a horrific fire on early hours of Wednesday, 24 August 2011, killed 11 persons of Tongan and Samoan ancestry. Most of the dead are children, five of which belongs to Jeremiah Lale and also includes his wife.

The family's patriarch, Tau Taufa, told investigator that he had been working downstairs in the office and went upstairs to have a shower.When he returned downstairs, he found the office ablaze.

As of now, the cause of the fire has not been known.

For more information about the blaze, please read http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-24/painstaking-process-to-recover-bodies-from-house-fire/2854088

PRC Releases July 2011 Nursing Board Results

Inilabas na ng Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) noong Sabado, ika-20 ng Agosto,2011 ang listahan ng mga nakapasa sa pagsusulit sa nursing na ginanap noong Hulyo 2011 sa iba't ibang panig ng Pilipinas. Ang mga bagong nars na may kabuuang 37,513 mula sa 78,135 na kumuha ng pagsusulit ay manunumpa sa lugar at petsang itatakda pa ng PRC.

Ang naunang sampu (top 10) sa mga kumuha ng nursing exam ay matutunghayan dito, kasama na ang iba pang mga pumasa:
http://www.philippinenursingboardexamresults.com/

Kasama sa mga pumasa ang isa naming kabarangay na si Ma. Leona Lou Reyes Balajonda. Congrats!

Paris Hilton Visits the Philippines

Naging popular at matagumpay ang pagbisita sa Pilipinas ni Paris Hilton, anak na babae ng may-ari ng Hilton hotels. Dumating si Paris noong isang Linggo, ika-13 ng Agosto, 2011, upang pasinayaan ang kanyang  itinayong negosyo sa SM - Pasig City na "Paris Hilton Bags & Accessories." Tulad ng dati, inabangan ng mga Filipino ang pagdating na ito ng sosyalista. Sa kanyang pagbisita, nagkita at naghapunan si Paris kasama si Manny Pacquiao at ang maybahay nito na si Jinkee. Tulad din ng dati, hindi nawawala si Governor Chavit Singson sa mga eksenang ito.

Tulad ng mga sikat at pamosong tao na nagbukas ng kanilang mga negosyo, hindi ko maiwasang isipin na sinasamantala lamang nila ang kanilang kasikatan upang pumatok ang kanilang mga produkto. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang isipin na ito ay isang panloloko sa mga tao dahil na rin sa katotohanang hindi naman gawa o disenyo ng mga nabanggit ang kanilang mga inilalako sa publiko, at kung ito ay kanilang ginagamit man lang.

Naibalita rin na excited si Paris na makasama sa isang music recording ang pambansang kamao ng Pilipinas na si Manny. Kapag nangyari ito, hindi ko alam kung makikinig pa ako ng musika.

Sydney Life: Sports-minded Aussies

Aussies love sports. Like its western counterparts, Australians engage in different sports, attend and watch sporting events. Aside from cricket and netball, Aussies are fond of its version of the football and rugby. Almost all Aussies watch the Australian Football League (AFL) or  the National Rugby League (NRL). AFL is more popular in Victoria, particularly in Melbourne while NRL is the name of the game in New South Wales. The European version of the football is now gaining ground in Australia when the Socceroos became finalist in the World Cup.

To be a true Aussie, one has to be a fan of either the AFL or the NRL teams, the Socceroos, the Wallabies or the Mathildas.

9 August 2011 is Australia's Census Day

Today, Tuesday, 09 August 2011 is Australia's Census Day. As per the Household Form delivered to our door by the agent of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) , a census "is the only practical way to get information on how many people there are in each part of Australia, what they do and how they live."

Yesterday, i tried to call the Census Inquiry Service but for five minutes waiting on the phone, no agent answered my call. As an overseas worker on paid leave, I just want to inquire on how to answer some of the questions related to job.

The form has 60 questions pertaining to basic information such as name, address, relationship, ethnicity, citizenship, income, education, job, housing, etc. It does not include any question on what problem ordinary Australian is facing, the changes he wants in the government, his view on carbon tax and global  warming, his needs, etc. ABS could have included these questions to save money and address the issue. Maybe, ABS tackle social issues in another survey.

Philippines To Capture 10th International Dragon Boat Federation Crown

The Philippines captured its 5th gold medal in the 500m men's premier and is likely win the world championship crown in the 10th International Dragon Boat Festival held in Tampa, Florida, USA on 3 - 7 August, 2011. The team composed mostly of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines left behind Australia and Japan in Sunday's event. Earlier, the Philippines got its gold medals in the the Premier mixed 500m, Premier open 100m (small boat), Premier mixed 200m (small boat) and Premier open 200m. It also captured 2 silver.

Senador Zubiri, Nagbitiw sa Puwesto

Nagbitiw bilang senador si Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri sa gitna ng mga naglalabasang alegasyon ng pandaraya sa nakaraang halalan noong 2007. Ginawa niya ang resignasyon sa Senado noong Miyerkules, ika-3 ng Agosto, 2011 sa harap ni Juan Ponce Enrile, ang pangulo ng Senado. Kasunod nito, binawi rin niya ang kanyang kontra-protesta ng pandaraya sa kanyang naging katunggaling si Atty. Aquilino Pimentel III sa ika-12 puwesto. Dahil sa pangyayaring ito, malamang na maupo si Pimentel bilang Senador sa susunod ng mga araw.

Hinahangaan ko si Senador Zubiri sa kanyang ginawa dahil nagpapakita lang ito na siya ay may delicadesa at hindi matakaw sa tungkulin. Naniniwala rin ako na wala siyang kinalaman sa dayaan at naging biktima lamang ng kagulangan ng nakaraang administrasyon.

Dumarami ngayon ang lumalabas na mga testigo upang ipamukha ang dayaan noong 2004 at 2007 na ibinibintang sa mag-asawang Arroyo. Kung may kasalanan man sila o wala ay ilatag nila ang kanilang kaso sa hukuman. Dito napatunayan na ang baho ay hindi kailanman naitatago at ang buhay ay "weather-weather" lang!

Jack Vidgen is Australia Got Talent 2011 Winner

Amidst the hate & cheat campaign on social networking sites, Jack Vidgen of New South Wales came triumphant and won the 2011 Australia Got Talent on Tuesday, 2 August 2011. Jack received a $ 250,000.00 cash price and a recording contract.

I just wish that all winners in the Got Talent of different countries perform in one spectacular show every year where citizens of the world choose the Grand Winner. To the detractors of Jack, grow up!

Watch one of Jack's winning performance here:

Sydney Life: Prices Are Going Up

The prices of some fruits and vegetables are going rocket high here in Sydney. Take a look:

The bananas are sold 12.99 AUD a kilo ($14.29 ; 52 Saudi Riyals; 585 Pesos) It is normally 1.99 AUD a kilo when there are abundant supply of bananas. The flood in Queensland brought the price of bananas to its can't-afford-level.

I just bought a piece of ginger at 19.99 AUD a kilo ($21.99; 80 Saudi Riyals; 900 Pesos). At this time of year when cough is prevalent, a soothing "salabat" is highly needed (now at a high price).

The other day, I visited a Chinese fish store and bought three pieces of female blue crabs at 13.99 AUD a kilo ($15.39; 56 Saudi Riyals; 630 Pesos). The male blue crabs are priced 12.99 AUD a kilo.

I bought 2 pieces of lemon at 70 cents a piece ($0.77; 2.80 Saudi Riyals; 31.50 Pesos)

IN SPITE of the above, some items are a bargain:

At ALDI, avocados and pears are 99 cents a kilo ($1.09; 4 Saudi Riyals; 45 Pesos)

This writing is not to scare potential visitors to Australia. This is to show how much these items cost in Australia and how less we can buy them in our places.

Eden Wood Not So Good Reception in Australia

The controversial child beauty pageant princess Eden Wood of America received a not so good reception in Australia after visiting the continent last week. For security reason, the mother of the 6 year old, Mickie Wood cancelled the appearance of her daughter. However, the withdrawal was later blamed on the rival TV shows A Current Affair and Today Tonight.  The pull out on Saturday's child beauty pageant in Melbourne angered Carmen Powell, a director of Pageants Australia and vowed she will never invite the Woods again.

The controversial child beauty pageant draws a stir in Australia. Groups have been organised to ban child beauty pageants for many reasons. As a layman,  I do not fully comprehend their arguments for the ban. A child admires many personalities real or unreal. A girl wants to be a princess and a beauty queen. A boy wants to be a superhero, a rugby player or a swimming champion. One group who is against child beauty pageants argued that this relates to sex and sexuality.

Children adore what they see on TV and read on the newspapers and magazines. And since mass media is bombarded with beauty products, sexy women and handsome men, most children like to be like them in the future.

We are proud when somebody won a Miss Universe crown and yet we do not want a child to enter a beauty contest. We do not want our child to feel not "beautiful" and yet we do not ban beauty products on Australian TV and magazines.

If we truly want to ban child beauty pageant as a nation, then let us not participate in any international beauty contest. Let our child dreams!

New Points Test for Australian Skilled Migration

As announced by DIAC, the new points test for Australian Skilled Migration takes effect on 01 July 2011. Those who intend to migrate to Australia under this visa should check if they can satisfy the pass mark of 65 points before making an application. Click the link below for details:
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/points-test.pdf