A Book that looks and feels like a Blog
I started developing my own websites in 1996, before blogging was invented or became popular. i wrote just about everything but mostly about the Bangsa Moro (Moro Nation). I just used free webhosts like virtualave., geocities, 0moola, freehostia etc. I started around mid-90s. I did not see any other website about or by Moros during that time. To my surprise, I received quite a number of emails congratulating me on my websites and wishing me the best. These emails came from abroad, and mostly from Christian Filipinos. These emails were the ones that inspired me to maintain and build other websites.
When I started in 1999 writing professionally for a newspaper, The Philippine Post, I uploaded my articles to my websites. I got even more positive response. One Fil-Am group asked permission to publish one of my articles, the Charge of the Wood Brigade, in their website.
I was a late-comer to blogging. At first, I thought it was just an online diary. I could just write one article at a time. And the old entries would not be read anymore. There was nothing in a blog that I could not do with my websites.
It was only in 2005 that I started blogging, with Blogger or blogpost.com. Later, in January 2006, I used blogsome.com, a bloghost owned by an Irish company. I liked Blogsome because it allowed the users to do anything with the templates, like putting apps, graphics, videos, etc. I was practically creating my own widgets. Later, I also used wordpress blogs.
I found out that somehow, the blogs are easily found by search engines, easier and faster than with websites. Perhaps it was because it was being “renewed” with every fresh entry. Every new entry seems to attract the search engines and ad platform networks. On the other hand, adding new entry to websites doesn’t seem to register with the search engines. The various search engines and advertising networks like Technorati are crawling the web and ranking the sites using some criteria. Blogs receive much higher rankings than websites.
And so by 2007, I concentrated more on my blogs than on my websites. I used the tricks of the trade (now called SEO) to get good rankings in Google Rank and Technorati and others.
In the 3rd iBlog summit, two of my blogs were nominated. To my surprise, the nominees for the Best Blog wrote in their blogs that my blog, Reflections on the Bangsa Moro, was their go-to blog when it comes to information on Moro issues. And when I attended the summit, I met one of the judges who told me that she thought that I should have won. That really made my day.
I thought I could monetize my blogs through Google’s Adsense. In the iBlog summit, a speaker talked about getting a lot of money with Google Adsense. The other participants told me they got a lot of money with the pay-per-click. But with the thousands of people visiting my blogS, I got only a couple of dollars worth! So, I removed the Adsense widget. (At that time, Google admitted anyone in their Adsense business, no pre-qualification).
Today, I maintain about 3 or 4 blogs plus some mirror blogs. I don’t use any SEO tricks as I couldn’t care less about Google rankings or Google Adsense. I share my blogposts through my Facebook and twitter and sometimes, Google+ and Linkedin accounts.
ANTHOLOGY OF BLOGPOSTS
The book that I hope to publish (Blogging the Bangsa Moro) is a collection of blogposts from my various blogs – the Refections on the Bangsa Moro (jamalashley.blogsome.com), The Setting Sun (jamalashley.wordpress.com), The Bangsa Moro Blog (bangsamoro.wordpress.com), The Bangsa Moro (bangsamoro.blog.com), The Moro Observer (datujamal.blogspot.com) and Postprandial Musings (jamalashley.blog.com) and Postprandial Musings, 2.0 (jamalashley.com).
BLOG CONVERSATION
The comments section creates a good discussion / conversation among the readers and the blog author. This was before Facebook changed everything in Social Media.
Today, very few people give their comments in blogs anymore. If they think they need to comment, they just share the blogpost on FB and write their comments on their FB wall. Thus, the conversation moves to the FB wall which usually does not include the blog author.
The comments section of many of my posts contain very interesting discussion, which give a wider information and understanding of the topic.
[IF YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD MATERIAL FOR A BOOK, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DONATE. JUST CLICK PAYPAL IN THE SIDE BAR. IF I CAN HAVE IT PUBLISHED, I’LL SEND YOU A SIGNED COPY. THANKS. ]
The proposed book includes these from my blogs:
INTRODUCTORY BLOGPOSTS:
Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan comprised the Land of the Moros since the 13th century. In the 1660s, Palawan and Sabah were added to the Moro territories by virtue of a gift from the Sultanate of Brunei to the Sultanate of Sulu. The lands north of it like the Kingdom of Manila were invaded and colonized by Spain. The Moro sultanates — Sulu, Maguindanao, Buayan and the Maranao confederacy — however fought and maintained their independence until the coming of the Americans in the beginning of the 20th century.
The 16th century European map above proves that Mindanao was already known to the world even before the so-called “discovery” of the Philippines by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
Sultanates, Rajahnates, Datuships in MOROLAND
For centuries, the Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao and the Rajahnate of Buayan were recognized by European powers as SOVEREIGN states. These states, represented by its rulers, signed treaties with the Dutch, British, Spanish and even American empires.
The Ranao Confederacy repulsed the Spanish invasion of 1639/40 and lived in freedom from colonial rule. It took the Spaniards some 250 years before it tried to conquer Ranao in 1891 and again in 1895. The Spaniards failed again.
READ THE BLOGPOST
SAMPLE BLOGPOSTS:
Federalism for All: Chance for lasting Peace
The Mindanao problem is ultimately a POWER problem – the power of one group over another. It is a problem of colonization. The fact that there was a law called the Legislative Act 4197 or Quirino-Recto Colonization of Mindanao Act, which was enacted on 12 February 1935 is very telling. The Commonwealth considered the Act as a lasting solution to Mindanao colony. The law enabled a massive exodus of settlers from Luzon and Visayas to Mindanao, with complete government support.
CONTINUE
Filipino Crab Mentality: Institutionalization of Mediocracy
I first read about Filipino crab mentality when I was freshman in college in the mid 1970s. At that time I did not understand what crab mentality was all about. But the image — of crabs almost succeeding in getting out of the basket only to be pulled back down by their fellow crabs — stuck in my mind...
...The concept of crab mentality was alien to me until I saw them in action much much later. It was the time when mediocrity shamelessly exposed itself all over the government. That was the time of Corazon Cojuangco – Aquino.
READ THE BLOGPOST
Sabah and the Bangsa Moro
All these news on TV, newspapers and online about Sabah and the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim made me organize my thoughts on Sabah. The first time I heard about Sabah, I was about 8 or 9 years old. I have two sisters and one brother who were born in Jolo. The older sister was named Alnahar Mobina Fatima and her godmother was Dayang Dayang Putli (Princess) Tarhata Kiram, who at that time was the Pangyan (Sultana) of Sulu. My mother said that Princess Tarhata promised her that if they’d get back Sabah, she would give her goddaughter a big piece of it.
GO TO BLOGPOST
============================
SAMPLE COMMENTS:
MOROLAND – Land of the Bangsa MoroHats of to you, brother!
You are the epitome of true Moro Royalty!
Datu Aysar Tantung Amilbangsa, Esq.Aug. 16, 2010
Sultanates in MOROLAND
You are a very good historian. thanks again.
Arata Wata November 25, 2009 at 2:28 am
Filipino Crab Mentality
In my experience with Filipino Forums like PinoyExchange, and dealings with Filipino editors in Wikipedia, I value so much the Filipino delicacy of crab mentality.
Tersely defined, this Filipino malady is “stalking” of the highest order. In my 5,800 contributions to Wikipedia, I had never had any problem with foreign editors, but daily, a Filipino stalker duets with an anonymous registered user who, in conspiracy, duets to “crab mentalize” my good faith edits.
However, I recite Psalms 109 and 73 to imprecate these crabs, and more importantly, biblically cursed and put stain in their bloods up to the 4th generation. This crab illness is unique to Filipino culture, especially in Davao City.
Comment by Judge Florentino Floro — September 15, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
Sabah and the Bangsa Moro
Long live the people who just want to live authentic lives.
I do not support any agenda that is based on greed.
My heart and mind go out to all who are involved, whose sincerity is genuine.
I have blood cousins in Marawi City. My aunt’s husband is Maranao and this marriage between a Christian and a Muslim produced a big happy family. Your narrative is important, for our understanding, and for wisdom.
May you continue to support truth.
God’s blessings to you.
sacadalang
MARCH 7, 2013 AT 9:11 AM
==============================
AUTHOR
Datu Jamal Ashley Abbas is a freelance writer since 1998, former columnist and Managing Editor of 
Mr. & Ms. Magazine, awardee of the prestigious Manila Rotary Club Journalism Awards in 2001, Media Studies specialist, former lecturer at the University of the Philippines’ College of Mass Communication (Communication Studies and Film Studies), Kalayaan College (Communication and Journalism) and Communication courses in both the undergraduate and graduate levels at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Communication Dept. as well as Communication and English courses at the FEATI University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He gives seminars / workshops on English, Communication, Media Studies and Film in various academic and professional venues.
Mr. & Ms. Magazine, awardee of the prestigious Manila Rotary Club Journalism Awards in 2001, Media Studies specialist, former lecturer at the University of the Philippines’ College of Mass Communication (Communication Studies and Film Studies), Kalayaan College (Communication and Journalism) and Communication courses in both the undergraduate and graduate levels at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Communication Dept. as well as Communication and English courses at the FEATI University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He gives seminars / workshops on English, Communication, Media Studies and Film in various academic and professional venues.
He is a social media manager, taking care of several blogs and FB pages including his “flagship” blog, Postprandial Musings, 2.0 @ jamalashley.com and the blogs and other social media platforms of the Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines, Inc. and the Bangsa Moro Federal Business Council, Inc., where he is the Vice President for Communication.
[IF YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD MATERIAL FOR A BOOK, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DONATE. JUST CLICK PAYPAL IN THE SIDE BAR. IF I CAN HAVE IT PUBLISHED, I’LL SEND YOU A SIGNED COPY. THANKS.]
