From the Muser’s collection of bookmarks:  Libraries:  learning for life  *  A book is the world made small  *  A good book is a good friend  *  Every hero has a story  *  I make a difference  

The word batik is thought to be derived from the word 'ambatik' which translated means 'a cloth with little dots'.  The suffix 'tik' means little dot, drop, point or to make dots.  Batik may also originate from the Javanese word 'tritik' which describes a resist process for dying where the patterns are reserved on the textiles by tying and sewing areas prior to dying, similar to tie dye techniques.  Another Javanese phase for the mystical experience of making batik is “mbatik manah” which means “drawing a batik design on the heart”.  Although experts disagree as to the precise origins of batik, samples of dye resistance patterns on cloth can be traced back 1,500 years ago to Egypt and the Middle East.  Samples have also been found in Turkey, India, China, Japan and West Africa from past centuries.  Although in these countries people were using the technique of dye resisting decoration, within the textile realm, none have developed batik to its present day art form as the highly developed intricate batik found on the island of Java in Indonesia.  For special occasions, batik was formerly decorated with gold lead or gold dust.  This cloth is known as Prada cloth.  The Central Javanese used gold dust to decorate their Prada cloth.  It was applied to the fabric using a handmade glue consisting of egg white or linseed oil and yellow earth.  The gold would remain on the cloth even after it had been washed.  The gold could follow the design of the cloth or could take on its own design.  Older batiks could be given a new look by applying gold to them.  Gold decorated cloth is still made today; however, gold paint has replaced gold dust and leaf.  Although there are thousands of different batik designs, particular designs have traditionally been associated with traditional festivals and specific religious ceremonies.  Certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms as well as their families.  Other designs are reserved for the Sultan and his family or their attendants.  A person's rank could be determined by the pattern of the batik he/she wore.  In general, there are two categories of batik design:  geometric motifs (which tend to be the earlier designs) and free form designs, which are based on stylized patterns of natural forms or imitations of a woven texture.  See many pictures at https://www.expat.or.id/info/batik.html

Gibberish, also called jibber-jabber or gobbledygook, is speech that is (or appears to be) nonsense.  It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, or language games and specialized jargon that seems nonsensical to outsiders.  "Gibberish" is also used as an imprecation to denigrate or tar ideas or opinions the user disagrees with or finds irksome, a rough equivalent of "nonsense", "folderol", or "claptrap".  The implication is that the criticized expression or proposition lacks substance or congruence, as opposed to simply being a differing view.  The related word jibber-jabber refers to rapid talk that is difficult to understand.  The etymology of gibberish is uncertain.  The term was first seen in English in the early 16th century.  It is generally thought to be an onomatopoeia imitative of speech, similar to the words jabber (to talk rapidly) and gibber (to speak inarticulately).  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibberish 

Procida, a tiny spot of land in the Bay of Naples, might be best known as the island between Ischia and Capri.  But in late January 2021, it was named Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2022, beating nine other candidates—a mix of cities and small towns—and becoming the first island to ever be granted the title.  Under two square miles in total, the island has mostly flown under the tourist radar (except in July and August, when many Neapolitans come here for their summer vacations), overshadowed by its better-known siblings.  This is all despite its big-screen moments—Procida has served as the set of The Talented Mr. Ripley and Il Postino—and the fact that it features the same pastel houses, cafes-lined marinas, and narrow streets as its bigger counterparts, but also historic sites, wild nature, and near-empty beaches.  The Capital of Culture announcement was marked by church bells and celebrations among its 10,500 inhabitants.  The proposal that earned the island the award—and 1 million euros—includes 44 projects spanning art, urban regeneration, environmental sustainability and more, involving 240 artists and 40 original works.  Marianna Cerini  See pictures at https://www.cntraveler.com/story/procida-italy-capital-of-culture-2022 

The first principle, nature and time, is central to Korean cooking, says Soyoung Paik, the chief marketing officer at CJ Foods, one of the largest manufacturers of Korean food products worldwide and makers of Bibigo, Korea’s number one brand of Mandu (dumplings).  Korean food is seasonally driven, centered on vegetables but also featuring seafood and meat from the shores and robust landscape of the peninsula. Traditional Korean cooking employs ancient ways to preserve ingredients for year-round enjoyment.  Fermented products, like kimchi and jangs, are foundational in the winter.  Bold condiments not only characterize the assertive flavors of Korean cuisine; they also provide essential nutrients and are beneficial for digestive health.  Second, a foundational philosophy of Korean cuisine is “yak sik dong won,” which literally means “food is medicine.”  In other words, health begins with what you eat.  Kimchi, for example, not only contains healthy fiber and probiotics, but has been shown in scientific studies to help support a flourishing gut biome and immune system.  In addition, Korean cuisine’s abundance of heart-healthy seafood and a robust spectrum of vegetables and herbs like ginseng contribute to a balanced, nutritious diet.  Finally, Korean food is infused with the concept of balance.  While much of Korean cooking is famous for its heat, other staples like aromatic broths, rice, and the delicate doughy skins of Mandu are more nuanced and mild.  Signature dishes like bibimbap balance carbohydrates, fiber, and protein in one satisfying serving.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/brand-studio/wp/2021/06/01/feature/how-korean-food-philosophy-can-help-us-reconnect/ 

Carlos Páez Vilaró (1923-2014) was a Uruguayan abstract artist, painter, potter, sculptor, muralist, writer, composer and constructor.  Carlos Páez Vilaró was born in Montevideo, Uruguay.  He took up drawing in 1939 and relocated to Buenos Aires, where he worked as a printing apprentice in the industrial Barracas section of the Argentine capital.  Returning to Montevideo in the late 1940s, he developed an interest in Afro-Uruguayan culture.  Settling in Montevideo's primarily black neighbourhood of "Mediomundo" ("Half-World"), he studied the Candombé and Comparsa dances characteristic to the culture.  He composed numerous musical pieces in the two genres and conducted an orchestra.  His group's congas and bongos were decorated with their leader's own thematic drawings, as well.  His interest in the culture later led him to Brazil, home to the western hemisphere's largest population of African descent.  Páez Vilaró was invited to exhibit some of this work by the Director of the Modern Art Museum of Paris, Jean Cassou, in 1956.  He traveled to Dakar, Senegal, later that year--his first visit to Africa.  He was one of the "Grupo de los 8", a movement of Uruguayan artists formed in 1958 together with Oscar García Reino, Miguel Ángel Pareja, Raúl Pavlovsky, Lincoln Presno, Américo Sposito, Alfredo Testoni and Julio Verdie in order to promote new tendencies in painting.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_P%C3%A1ez_Vilar%C3%B3 

INSULTS  Their banjo is short a few strings.  *  A few castanets short of a mariachi band.  *  Not the sharpest cheese in the bin.  *   Not singing from the same hymn sheet.  *  Knitting with only one needle.  *  A few peas short of a casserole.  *  Not the brightest bulb in the box.  Find over 250 one-liners at https://dan.hersam.com/lists/not_bright.php 

ADDITIONS/SUBSTITUTIONS  If your recipe calls for water or milk, you may use all (or part) of the quantity with tea, coffee, wine, or beer.  Add rhubarb to beef stew.  Thank you, Muse reader! 

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2389  July 12, 2021