From A Frequent Though Casual Observer: What's Being Blogged?

Many have addictively latched on to the idea of blogs and blogging because the underlying concept has snowballed across the globe into one indeterminable blob of written work splattered across the wide firmament of the web. From most accounts filed from extensive surveys, many continue to hitch up to this idea, adding something like a few thousand new blogging sites each minute (or is it every day? Who really knows. As a result the blog world has exponentially grown faster giving the vaunted and awesome Moore's law quite a run for its money in the area of phenomenal growth.

It is the current rage and most everybody with some exposure to information technology, big and small, important or unimportant, have deigned it proper and "cool" to be an active part of it. Free access and availability of sources and resources for putting together one's own blog creation have hastened and accelerated its growth.

To a point of satiation? Who knows. Where do we reach the point where the law of diminishing utility and/or value starts to kick in? Do we need a billion blog sites for us to be able to justifiably say we have sufficient divergent choices in the pool to get well-rounded views of the world, both of the physical and of that ether which exists in the minds of men? Who knows.

Suffice it say that at this point in time, blogs are an assorted coterie of writings ranging from the mundane to the sublime, from the real to the ethereal, from the most personal to the most public, from the well-prepared to the hasty unedited prose, etc., etc. Thus to reduce to as simple as simplicity can dictate, a blog is said to be nothing more than a personal journal of an author committed to updating his/her site regularly. Its very loose definition allows justification and comfort to most anybody maintaining and/or navigating through one's own created blog or one done professionally. It's pretty much like art, as many may adjudge it but not necessarily in the classical sense. What it is is pretty much dependent on the judgment of the beholder. And in this instance, the beholder is a rather liberal and accommodating judge, given to giving much latitude in its interpretation.

Thus, when one goes around the blog world, the dizzying swirl of divergent writings in equally divergent styles, format, orientation, purposes, etc., creates a mental labyrinth quite formidable to unravel and to make sense of in one's unending quest for understanding and wisdom.

Is there a common thread that allows it to be easily lent to some definition and categorization, so that one can readily understand and discern that one blog is similar to another, and/or to the million others already born or being birthed. If not similar, then at least that they all share the same methodology, rules, standards, etc., much like the other more classical bodies of human prose and/or verse. No doubt, we can search for them, navigate through them, or read through them, in one new common medium - the web or the Internet, two terms now quite interchangeable. But other than that, they are mostly a motley aggrupation of seemingly very dissimilar works.

Until such time that such issues are adequately threshed out and resolved, I have been pushed to decide to continue travelling through the thick world of the blogs, laden with all my stubborn doubts, nagging questions, unexplained confusion, etc., which irritate me to no end during my regular incursions.

I will thus continue reading avidly about political issues from across the globe, culled from all possible political orientation. Hard issues that affect a local country or those that impact on the entire globe. I will continue to encounter riveting treatises, written in most admirable fashion, logic and articulation; or those pretty much like pedestrian prose, complete with typos and simply, grammatical and/or syntax errors. This I do because I find this world most fascinating, most interesting, and most difficult to discern.

But I will also encounter those really personal journals, some vying to outdo the others in pushing the proverbial envelope; like narrating uninhibited sexual encounters, vivid descriptions of physical attributes both personal or those of loved ones. Details that traditionally or simply belong to one's innermost privacies. Or subjects considered taboos or anathema in polite conversation.

I will also occasionally indulge myself in reading from very narcissistic authors and/or commentaries, those who have found easy fora for self promotion, giving vent to their unbridled love of self and prodigiously extolling their perceived special gifts, whether in writing or in other fields. Some will frame their high-strung and erudite arguments or treatises with a plethora of high-brow references to acclaimed authors and their works, hoping to bring any recalcitrant reader into awe-full submission, if not to God-awful reverence for or admiration of their well-honed minds.

And again, suffice it to say that the blogosphere takes all kinds. Think about it, search for it, and you most undoubtedly will find it. Want movie reviews? You will be inundated with them ranging from fledgling critics (such as those who simply had the fortune of seeing the particular movie and others), to the avowed ones who earn their living doing them and either rightly or wrongly, are so recognized by society at large.

In fine, this simply is the current state of the blogosphere. Though it definitely continues to be a medium in a perpetual state of transition. Anyway, go play in it, and get exercised exhilarated, enlightened, or maybe even confused and dumbfounded. Remember, different strokes for different folks.

Just make sure to keep a cautious watch of your sanity. Or maybe check it at the door upon entering.

On the "New" Batman

As an avid comic book reader and collector in my youth, the story of Batman and his adventures figured prominently in many idle hours past.

Furthermore, as a serious pencil sketcher or drawer in that same milieu, Batman also figured prominently because the drawings of Bob Kane, the original illustrator, were easy to draw and duplicate, aided of course, by the fact that the face of the masked crusader was quite simple in line and design. A mask with protruding bat ears, squared jaws, and nothing much more.

The original storyteller was one named Bill Finger and he started his series in 1939 without much fanfare. It was only later on that the "origin" of Batman was detailed in a rather short episode. He was witness to the robbery and murder of his parents, on a night out to the movies. Young Bruce vows to fight crime in memory of the sad plight of his parents. That's all. I remember that the comic book that had this episode devoted only maybe a dozen panels about the incident.

And back then, any signs of the "darkness" now popularly associated with Batman were limited to the facts that he took on the persona of a bat, which we all know is a nocturnal animal; that he was always summoned using a bat signal that lit the inky night sky. Or that the Wayne manor was depicted as a dimly-lit place which housed the equally dimly-lit bat cave, where most things associated with Batman were kept. But not much references to the darkness of his character, melancholic moods, or other dark human qualities.

I've personally kept a copy of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986) not because I like it but because it is a constant reminder for me how starkly different the Batman is now portrayed as compared to the Batman of my youth. And I do not mean just on the artwork. The simpler and easy to unravel masked Crusader with no dark sinister secrets bottled up or constantly conflicting him.

And thus, I often wonder how this metamorphosis came about. I doubt if the original creator, Bill Finger, had these now-accepted trivia stored up somewhere in the back of his mind waiting to be revealed and released at some future date. And this doubt extends to the original illustrator, Bob Kane, who probably was limited to the artwork.

Who started this gradual conversion of Batman into some kind of complex and inscrutable individual, confusing one whether he really stands for good or for something evil?

But definitely the movies and comic books about him now regularly portray him in this somber light. This most current movie, Batman Begins, which I have not yet seen, is touted by its makers and actors to become the definitive movie on Batman. The one that will come to mind first when movies about Batman are discussed.

Is it really? Or is it maybe, the definitive movie of the "new" Batman, sculpted to this dark image by some imaginative writers and equally creative screenplay-writers.

You know we are now a very complicated, conflicted, and at times sinister, society, so this simply may be a reflection of the current milieu. And a thirst-quenching product of our avid hunger for things front and center in our lives. Hollywood is arguably very adept at this.

A very far departure from the simpler and uncomplicated times of yesteryears.

Recipes From Eastern Visayas - Region VII

For this, we go to the storm-tossed islands of Leyte and Samar, periodically brought into our collective consciousness because of devastation wrought on their many places by typhoons. But Leyte is also home to the hardy Warays, they with their aggressive nature and can-do attitude. And this collection of recipes will also provide testimony to the region's other outstanding qualities.

TAMALUS
1 cup finely ground raw peanuts
3-1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon atsuwete
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
1 cup malagkit flour
1/2 kilo pork liempo, cooked and thinly sliced
6 pieces banana leaves, wilted and greased (14"x15")

Cook peanut in water for 40 minutes.
Sauté atsuwete to extract color.
Remove seeds and brown garlic and onion.
Add peanut, vinegar, one teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Cook until peanut sauce is thick enough to spread.
Add the remaining seasonings to the water and mix flour to form a ball of dough.
Divided equally into two portions.
Put one portion on a banana leaf and roll out with a rolling pin.
For a rectangle 10"x5x1/8.
Steam 5 minutes.

Remove carefully from hot steam with a turner.
When cool, slip dough on another leaf.
On the dough, arrange half of the pork and top with peanut sauce.
Fold dough neatly and spread top with peanut sauce.
Wrap with a piece of banana leaf and tie securely with a string.
Repeat the same procedure with the other half of the dough.
Steam for two hours.
Before serving, divide each tamalus into 5 slices.

LELANG
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/2 cup fresh shrimps, blanched and shelled
1 cup cubed boiled pork
2 cups shrimp juice from pounded heads of shrimps
1 cup munggo sprouts (togue)
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups sotanghon, soaked and cut 2" long
1 cup water
1/4 cup green onions
Dash of pepper

Sauté garlic, onion, shrimp and pork.
Add shrimp juice.
Cover and allow to boil.
Add togue and cover.
Cook 10 minutes.
Season to taste.
Add sotanghon and cook 5 minutes longer.
Add one cup water and bring to a boil.
Just before removing from fire, add green onions and dash of pepper.
Serve hot. Serves 6.

LAUOT-LAUOT
2 cups coconut milk (second extraction)
1 cup dried dilis
1 tablespoon bagoong alamang
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cubed squash
2 cups sliced patola
1 cups cut kangkong stems (1" lengths)
1 cup cubed okra
1/4 cup red pepper
2 cups kangkong leaves
2 cups alugbati leaves
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup pure coconut milk

Heat second extraction of coconut milk with dried dilis and bagoong.
Cook 10 minutes.
Season with salt.
Add squash and cook 3 minutes.
Add patola, kangkong stems, okra, red pepper, leafy greens and tomatoes.
Cook 4 minutes.
Add coconut milk and remove from fire as soon as it boils.
6 servings.

EGGPLANT PAKSIW
1 cup pure coconut milk
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorn
2 teaspoons salt
6 pieces medium eggplant, whole

Place all the above ingredients in a saucepan except eggplant.
Bring to a boil and stir to avoid curdling of coconut milk.
Add eggplant and cook 15 minutes.
6 Servings.

BOCARILLO
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups grated coconut
1/2 cup evaporated milk (undiluted)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon kalamansi juice

Mix sugar and grated coconut.
Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add milk little by little, mixing thoroughly.
Add slightly beaten eggs; continue mixing over moderate. Heat.
Flavor with kalamansi juice.
Remove from fire and drop by teaspoonfuls on wilted banana leaf or wax paper.
Yield: 50 pieces.

BINANGOL
3/4 cup shredded raw gabi
1 cup rich coconut milk (e medium coconuts)
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 clean medium coconut shells (4-1/2" dia., 2" high)
1/2 can (1 oz.) full cream condensed milk
4 egg yolks
Wilted banana leaves
String for tying

Mix first three ingredients and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, constantly stirring.
Lower heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Add condensed milk and cook over low heat 20 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
Fill each coconut shell with mixture.
Make a well in center and drop raw egg yolk.
Cover top with tuber mixture and spread until smooth, very close to brim or shell.
Cover whole shell with two layers banana leaves and tie securely with strings.
Steam half an hour.
12 servings.

Recipes From Western Visayas - Region VI

The western portions of the Visayas take us to the islands of Panay, Guimaras of mango fame, part of Negros, and Romblon more noted not for its cuisine but things like its marble.

While the main ingredients may all look too familiar, such as pig's feet, bangus, and chicken, the different ways that the dishes are put together reveal the artistry and resourcefulness of the peoples in this region.

Thus a menu like Chicken Binakol introduces us to the use of a bamboo tube in cooking.


PORK TINOLA WITH BANANA HEART & GREEN PAPAYA
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/4 kilo spareribs, cut into serving pieces
4 teaspoons salt
3 cups rice washing
2 cups sliced banana heart
2 cups sliced green papaya
3 cups sili leaves

Sauté garlic, onion and spareribs.
Season with salt.
Add rice washing and let boil.
Add banana heart, green papaya and cook 8 minutes.
Add sili leaves and cook 2 minutes more.
Serve hot.

LASWA WITH PINAKAS
3 cups rice washing
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
6 pieces dried pinakas (fish), washed
2 cups cut sitaw (2" lengths)
2 cups cubed kalabasa
2 pieces eggplant, sliced diagonally
2 cups alugbati

Combine first three ingredients and bring to a boil.
Add pinakas and cook 3 minutes.
Add sitaw, kalabasa and cook 2 minutes.
Add eggplant and alugbati.
Cook 4 minutes more.
Serve hot.

TINUM-ANAN
1 kilo pig's feet, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup young guava leaves, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon garlic
Dash of pepper
2 cups water
Guava leaves for lining
Banana leaves for wrapping

Combine all ingredients except water.
Let stand 20-25 minutes.
Line saucepan with guava leaves and set aside.
Wrap pork mixture in banana leaves and place on top of guava leaves in the saucepan.
Add water, boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer until meat is tender.
Serve hot.

BANGUS NILAGPANG
1 medium bangus, cleaned, salted and broiled
3 pieces tomatoes, broiled
1 small onion, broiled
2 cups boiled water
1/4 cup cut green onions
1 teaspoon salt
2 pieces siling labuyo, crushed

Flake broiled bangus coarsely; remove bones.
Slice broiled tomatoes and onion.
Mix with bangus.
Add boiled water and green onions.
Season with salt and siling labuyo.
Serve hot.

CHICKEN BINAKOL
1 small chicken, cleaned and cut into 6 serving portions
4 medium potatoes, pared and quartered
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
2 cups water
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 fresh bamboo tube (1 node, 12" long 4" diameter)
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1 bundle tanglad (lemon grass) sufficient to close end of tube

Mix all ingredients and put inside bamboo tube.
Close open end with tanglad leaves and place over live coal in a diagonal position to prevent dripping.
Turn bamboo at 5-minute intervals.
Cook 45-50 minutes until chicken is tender.

BAYE-BAYE
2 cups pinipig
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups butong (young coconut), grated

Grind toasted pinipig
In a bowl, mix ground pinipig, coconut water and sugar.
Blend well and add grated butong.
Divide into serving portions.
Wrap each servings in banana leaves or wax paper.
Chill before serving.

CHICKEN WITH BANANA UBAD AND KADYOS
1-1/4 cups fresh kadyos
1 small chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
4 teaspoons salt
2 cups thinly sliced banana ubad
4 pieces tanglad leaves

Boil kadyos and chicken together until tender.
Separate chicken from kadyos and set aside.
Sauté garlic, onion, tomatoes and boiled chicken.
Season with salt.
Add kadyos and broth.
Let boil.
Add banana ubad and tanglad and cook 10 minutes more.
Remove tanglad leaves before serving.

Recipes From Central Visayas - Region VII

Our focus today will be on the two big members of this region, Cebu and Bohol. Two places that are close and dear to me because I spent part of my youth in Cebu, the home province of my mother, and Bohol, for vacations being very proximate to our nothern Mindanao province.

APAN-APAN
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 cups kangkong stems, cut into 1/2" lengths
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
3 tablespoons bagoong alamang

Mix vinegar and water and heat in a saucepan.
As soon as mixture boils, add kangkong stems.
Cook for 7 minutes over high heat until all the liquid is absorbed.
Set aside.
In the same pan, sauté garlic, onion, tomatoes and bagoong alamang.
Add kangkong stems and mix thoroughly.
Remove from fire and serve as relish or appetizer.
Serves 6.

BINU-HANG GABI
6 pieces gabi tuber
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 cups grated coconut

Wash gabi thoroughly.
Bore a hole on each tuber top and scrape out flesh without destroying shape of tuber.
Mix gabi meat with brown sugar and coconut.
Stuff gabi shells with mixture and cook in a pan of water until done.
Pare gabi, slice and serve.
Serves 6.

BUTSE-BUTSE
3/4 cup kamote
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
5 calamansi, squeezed
2 cups grated cassava

Boil kamote and mash.
Add sugar and a little amount of water to moisten mixture.
Add calamansi juice and mix well.
Set aside.
To the grated cassava, add a little sugar and water and set aside.
Form kamote mixture and cassava mixture into balls.
Insert kamote balls into cassava balls and fry until brown.
Roll in sugar and serve.

LINUBIHANG MUNGGO
4 cups water
1 cup dried munggo
2 cups coconut milk (second extraction)
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups malunggay leaves
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
2 tablespoons cut green onions
1/2cup pure coconut milk.
Dilis

Heat water; as soon as it boils, add munggo.
Simmer for about half an hour until tender.
Mash.
Add dilis, second extraction of coconut milk and salt.
Cook 10 minutes.
Add malunggay, tomatoes and onions.
Cook 4 minutes.
Add pure coconut milk and cook for another minute.
Serves 6.

BUTONG WITH CRABS
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
2-1/2 cups grated buko meat
1 cup coconut water
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
3 boiled crabs, cut into halves
2 tablespoons green onions

Sauté garlic, onion, tomatoes and buko.
Add water and season with salt.
Add crabs.
Cover and cook 10 minutes.
Drop green onions and cook 2 minutes longer before removing from fire.
Serves 6.

UTAN
6 segments garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1-1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup fine flaked fish
2 cups cut sitaw (2" lengths)
3 eggplants, quartered
3 cups sliced squash
Salt
Soy Sauce
1-1/2 cups bago leaves

Sauté garlic, onion and tomatoes in oil.
Add flaked fish, enough water and simmer.
Add sitaw, eggplant and squash.
Season to taste.
Add bago leaves and simmer until done.
Serves 6.