Surfing for Dumaguete blogs

I spend a good bit of time surfing for blogs about Dumaguete that I can put on my website. I usually put my thoughts about Dumaguete on one of my other blogs and I don’t intend for this blog to be about Dumaguete per se, but it’s bound to pop up from time to time.

While surfing the blogs, I came across this particular photo on a blog that I've been to a few times before villageidiotsavant.blogspot.com. The link for the entry with this photo is is here . I left a comment on that blog, but there’s so much more that can be said about this image.

The poverty in Philippines is heart breaking. For some, it’s even difficult buying rice….not to mention vegetables, meat or fish to eat with the rice. Contrast that to “the poor” in the U.S.A. who have material things that can only be dreamt of by the majority of Filipinos.

Technology is available…….cell phones and Internet cafes are found in even the most isolated areas of the country. Filipinos are intelligent and industrious; much more so than the average American. So, what is the answer? We know from the example of “The Great Society” in the U.S. that socialism isn’t the answer; socialist give-aways make the poor even more dependant on the government.

Obviously, Philippines is in need of foreign capital investment. What will it take to bring in the foreign money? I wish I knew.

rice

Most days, I will find time to look at Corey's blog. Not only for his entries, but I'll often check out the links on his page as well. A few days back I went to a link on his blog showcase for villageidiotsavant and read an interesting entry about the blogger's thoughts on rice. I've tried to go back and re-read it before writing this, but I can't locate his archives.
It inspired me to put down some of my thoughts and experiences on the same subject.
Before marrying a Filipina, I was considered, by some of my friends, as someone who ate a good deal of rice. I guess from an American's perspective that was true.......I think I may have averaged about 2 lbs a year. But,now all that's changed. Now I have to drive out of town on a regular basis to go to an asian market where I can buy jasmine rice in 25lb bags.
Most days I will bring lunch from home when I go to work and usually rice is in the dish. I've been asked by co-workers if I eat it every day. I tell most that I'm doing good if I can limit it to only one meal a day.At one time I would have thought it unnecessary to have a rice cooker. I don't feel that way any more. We couldn't survive in our home without one.
Of course, eating rice everyday is more enjoyable when it's good jasmine rice and not the old Uncle Ben's or Mahatma we Americans are used to. The smell of good rice cooking is a joy.
Being a Southern boy I was used to eating fried chicken with my fingers. It never dawned on me that you could eat cooked rice with your fingers too. I've learned from my wife and our Filipina friends that eating fish and rice with your fingers is the way to go.
Our son is old enough now to eat solid food and he enjoys his baby food much more if it's mixed with rice. He takes after his mama.