Healthy eating – Paradox

I don’t have any ism other than a habit in my character which is a kind of cleanness = loath to touch anything filthy or dubious = originated from Japanese Shinto. I wash my hair just with a water = use a shampoo may be less than once in a month. I hate to expose my skin to dubious chemical more than a dust in my room.

But I eat something a vegetable in the Brassicaceae family is a matter of my taste = not a kind of healthy concern or any ism. And eating frozen sprouts instead of flesh broccoli or daikon etc, was, I’m just lazy. (You may disappointed to see me not so keen = = = Here is a wise rule, this is the problem of the mind = “If you are too serious, you tend to fail / if your mind was stuck, you loose the ability” —–> Make eating it to almost a unconscious habit which origin was forgotten = = = It IS the same, “If you are too serious / wary too much of your health = you became ill. — This paradox is common with Zen Buddhism !)

I was eating boiled sprouts with salad cream with the same laziness. Once I bought a “light” type salad cream then noticed that such product was something unnaturally plasticky and realised that to make a similar textured, tasted product without using original ingredients, there must be a lots of dubious chemicals and the ingredients were used for a factory production.

Basically, the western food life is dreadful. Eating looks healthy whole grain bread but with animal originated fat (butter) — even worse with trance fatty acid “Margarine” etc etc. —– So, I don’t buy processed food. (Don’t ask me Miso, Suger etc were not processed food ?)

Instead to use salad cream I’m making Miso based Paste = Miso, Chinese Chilli bean Sauce, pinch of Sugar and a bit of Vinegar —–> mix together. (I hope those products were produced in traditional way without using dubious chemicals) (Am I asking too much or ignorant ?)

The paste I made here was also good for other cooking such as Oka-kurage, boiled Daikon etc. —– may be I should make a lot and keep it in a jar for a quick serve to each breakfast = may be safe to keep for a week or two.

Before we start to talk about Eco, Health issue etc, we better look around and think deep. = In order to make a 16 years old Swedish girl who said that she dosen’t want to pollute the air by jet flight, to appear the UN, while 4 times more jet journeys were needed for her staff and her father to travel !

While this girl accusing Japan etc for their coal burning power station, making an exception of China who is the scond largest poluter by their coal burning, saying that they ARE the developping country. (Are they = who said so ? ) We need to see the truth behind the hypocritical farce. And see who is behind her campaign.

That’s what we call deceptive performance, in another word, fraud. 😀

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Danjiri-matsuri – most dangerouse fest’ in Japan

It seems this fest’ in Kishiwada-city, Osaka is the most dangerous fest’ in Japan —– (after Onbashira fest’ in Suwa-city, Nagano.) (so far 38 death on the record)

Hundreds of the selected participant who might be even returned for fest’, from their work in the another city, pull the float and run to the Shinto Shrine while the float of each neighbourhood competing its speed and skillful control. (If the control wasn’t perfect, its 4 ton (4,000 Kg) float would fall or clash into the house and could make a casualty even a death.) (Each float said to be costed about 100 million yen and years to make)

(Some other Youtube viz of Kishiwada Danjiri, next to this may show the fall or the clash. ( the damaged house will be compensated by the City’s Danjiri insurance.)

Every year with the tens of the thousands of participants, 32 of those floats compating each other, it is nothing but the jaw dropping extreme culture of the Japanese.

—– You may wonder what drives those good grownups to do such crazy things. There is no obligation to the local people to participate, still no outsider was ever allowed to join for fun. It is strictly local afare. There wouldn’t be any fame beyond the own locals let alone any national competition kind = in other words, it is nothing but a gainless rusty local event. —– still, Strangely you may think, there is a hidden element of the Zen which is the backbone of the Japanese ethos here. = NO obligation to participate — yet still, the locals do aware a cause / Karma borne to be a man of Kishiwada = have to run with others, even if it could cost his limb even life itself. There is no glorious theory, story, high level thinking BUT just the humble act = run. — While the one is running, what mind in his head ? = NOTHING —– This nothingness is the ZEN. When Tsunami strike, what people think ? = NOTHING. Since there is nothing, neither grief nor panic = JUST live as normal (which was accustomed = これが平常心). What you need more to live ?

While practicing hundreds of times, all the emotion had worn-out and only the attention to the control details (or the instraction programed into the body) remains = the one became almost like an automatic running machine. = DO as much for the fest’ forget any worry or arrogance.

Despite having nothing, still run, run for better. Regardless whether it looks crazy, if it brings any gain, if it is dangerous, still just run. Why ? —– Run for better ? to achieve something ? —– In fact achieve nothing. While having no mind and achive nothing, still run for better —– Why ? —– Because that IS what the Dharma’s work was prevailing.

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Owara Kaze-no-Bon / 風の盆

or, yet another Bon-Odori = annual dancing fest’ in Toyama-city, Ishikawa。

Yatsuo in Toyama city situated 100 km north east of Kyoto.

Kaze no Bon is a Japanese festival held every year from September 1 to 3 in Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan. Kaze-no-Bon literally translates to “Bon Dance of the Wind.” This festival, having a history of about 300 years, is recently becoming a popular tourist attraction to the otherwise sparsely populated mountain area. Wikipedia

Unlike well known Awa-odori which originated from far remoted Tosa in Shikoku island, Toyama’s Kaze-no-Bon dance is more elegant. (Though, I myself is more familier with Samba)

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15th of August

In the old moon calender 15th August has always full moon. And this is the day when the last World War was ended. So, there was a memorial ceremony for the 3 million war dead attended by the Japanese Emperor and the Empress. (Photo above right)

And it is often the time when Japan has a visiting typhoon. (Photo left)

Seemingly Japan was no exception, thanks to the climate change and having an extreme hot summer as well, making a record 40.7 degree C at northern Japan, Yamagata.

Poor fellow Japanese. —— Thenks goodness, I’m away.

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVejWpRRScs

Mindfulness sleeping ?

I found a net post where someone talking about Mindfulness sleeping —– what ?

Mindfulness is a misconceived idea somewhat related to Zen Buddhism. As it was invented in the west, there was no equivalent Japanese notion let alone Chinese or Indian idea. ( Hindu or Tantric practice has something similar, as their belief stands on the existence of the Atman = Perpetual mind — Buddhism stands on the belief of No existence of Atman = Anatman, hence Mushin and No Reincarnation)

So, it is bizarre enough to say “Mindfulness”in the context of Zen. To talk Mindfulness Sleeping is utter nuts. Such a silly notion could obstruct the sleeping but never able to make the person fallen asleep. —– There seems to be several technics such as to imagine your whole body top to bottom and scanning down next by next. —– You might be familiar with counting a sheep jumping over the hedge. (One sheep, two sheep — thousand one sheep — 😀 ) If you have any thought in your mind, it would just distract you to fall asleep. You are wondering around its thinking all night.

When I got into the bed I’ll be asleep within a few minutes. But if got something to think about, I get up again and sit before the keyboard and start drafting the idea. Unless otherwise, I’ll be fallen asleep = You might say how ? —– When you got into the bed = What you see for the last moment. = It might be a tangled bedding fabric over the pillow, or it could be a side lamp next to the bed. —– Whatsoever none of them is worthwhile to think about. —– yet still, when you close your eyes, the image remained in your eyes while the color or brightness reversed. Such an image has no value or meaning at all, so, it wouldn’t bother your brain either. And its image would sink down or dissolved away. When the brain found nothing to do, you just fell asleep.

Zen would teach you, don’t be bothered by a silly idea. Just close your eyes, it is enough to make you asleep. (When all about Zen is “Void” or Mushin (Mind of No-mind) who invented such a silly idea “Mindfulness” to focus particular image or thinking.) 😀 (It seems that the tendency of the Hinduism which want to theorize everything, couldn’t accept “No answer / nothing” = that’s why Buddhism was so revolutionary.)

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My Dictionary

This is my English dictionary which I’ve been using for the past 60 years. My brother gave it to me when I passed the hi-school enrollment. —– Since then this one served for me to know the meaning of the word, and check spelling etc.

(I’m changing the cover after 18 years of use.)

(It seemed people surprised to find that me not having Oxford = What’s wrong ?) —– They surprised me not to take drug, no alchol, no TV, no smartphone, no smoke, no woman, even not gay, yet still eat meat = and disassemble expensive camera = what’s wrong. (it’s not your business ) =

If I follow the way of the other people, I didn’t need to come to the Zen !

Inside, a small note was left that I got it 1960 when I was 15 years old. (15 years old boy started to use it 60 years ago and after 60 years still using it exactry the same way. = this was the reason why people don’t argue with Zennist.) 😀

I don’t think I’m proud to use one dictionary for all through life. In fact, there was a time that I was using SONY electronic dictionary which was very useful and convenient though, as it was based on the mini-disc memory system, mechanical instability hindered its use. = when it works it was brilliant but the trouble was, it didn’t work when I needed the most. —– and on the end of its life, it left the last epitaph “Please insert the disc correctly”. = Maybe I should have tried to get another Electronic Dictionary but it didn’t happen (no Akihabara in London, and I was not using Amazon then. = So, that was what it should have been and has bee as it was. —– In compalison, people struggling to get new one unnecessarily)

(I guess, maybe other people are using app dictionary kind on smartphone but that was what I hate most = I hate Google spy on my mail, eBay trace my type, taste etc etc Why they don’t leave me alone ? —– For them, I’m only a subject to squeeze out a profit and for me, they are only a necessary evil)

And awhile ago, I got a Thesaurus from Lidl for a whopping £1.5, my writing got a great sophistication and the eloquence. ( Ha ha ha 😀 )

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G20 – Heavy Congestion of Power or Stagnation ?

I don’t think I do need to talk about the world situation, let alone G20 Summit though, I did pick up some images from Net. = The image on top seemed to show the heaviest stagnation of the power known today.

First day’s evening there was a party where the guests seeing the Osaka Castle behind, (You may find the familier faces there)

As the party attraction, a Kyogen (instead of Nho) was played alongside the piano music (played by a handicapped pianist) and some passages from the opera.

Then a party like party with “Eco” food and drink. —– Everything is in uneasy cohabitation. (At least, those top peoples who hate each other are still in the same table.)

Like a paradox in the LGBT = now people demanding that it should include the Q = queer/hentai = by the political correctness / ideologically, evrybody should be equal therefore even eating whele shouldn’t be anything wrong. And soon we may need to include the murderous psychopath as the same human kind —– and now, the world is sitting on the ticking time bombs = Coming huge default of the Deutsche Bank, the disintegration of China, huge volcano erruption, earthquake to Japan etc etc. —— everybody knows it but pretending not see it while baguely hoping, somebody else can deal with it. So, at G20 everybody asking others “Are you the one who know the answer ?” —– If the one did know the answer, didn’t come here.

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Ombudsman System — What them for ?

On top of two Ombudsman’s issue, recently I got one more of it — for Telecom Ombudsman.   It started when I received a letter from EE which said that they are going to revise the charge of a mobile phone.   What?    I never heard of such a mobile phone.   Whose phone they are talking about?   When I checked my banking record, I realised that a Direct Debit which said for EE & T-MOBILE  was not for the line rental of my Broadband connection.   It seems I’ve been paying about £12/month for the past four years for the nonexistent phone.

So, I complained to the EE.  They said that I made a contract on 6 of December 2016 though there was no signed contract.   While no such contract, neither the phone itself was existing, they just used my name and the bank account of broadband to another item.    Yet still, EE said that there was a record of the use of the phone twice on the 21st of December 2016. ? ? ? —– Who used such phone in where?  And who said that belongs to me?—– Could it be happened such as a meeting of the techno geeks in the Greenwich, while testing a discarded broken phone? —– For this strange affair, EE offered me 6 months refund though I couldn’t accept it. (I don’t like them make money out of deception)

So, I took the complaint to the Telecom Ombudsman.  (You can Google Ombudsman and go to their site to lodge a complaint —– the site is a very well designed and educative place.  You can learn how to write very very polite, friendly words.  (On the surface.) (I recommend you try to make a mock-up complaint to see how they operate by your eyes.)  😀   —– The beauty of “Do it” (my Zen policy) is able to see its reality by our own eyes and learn from the pain.

While filling each box next by next, when I filled a box to write the phone number, they started to say “enter a valid UK number” = so that, I couldn’t go any further as I don’t have anything else.   It’s mean, I have to give up. —– When I came back next day it was OK and I could go further.   (If I didn’t comeback, in effect, one complaint has been successfully ousted before even opening a case.)

But when, I needed to upload the evidence, yet more trouble came up.   The letter of EE or the bill kind of documents are all in the photo = JPG file.   But my file were rejected.  

Their site was so well designed = their every page having the customer response button which we can click from hate to very satisfied.  So, I commented with the dissatisfy mark, (as above).

Then a new page opened for me to complain.

To this complaint, the next day I received an Email which said that the supported file type was jpg, not JPG.   If you know this area, you may know how awkward this difference is.   Because of the most of photo file (other than png kind) is JPG, and jpg is very rare, therefore very difficult to convert.  This must be the tactic to oust the complaint to save the skin of the company.  (It took a whole afternoon for me to look for a converter program and try this, try that. — such as Clod Converter can convert but very difficult to save as a usable file. — or I might need to pay money)

On the end, at least everything was done while overcoming so many obstacles. (How many people could succeed in this process under such tricks, and how many people had to give-up to recover their lost money !)

Then I received their Email which says that since the other side (EE) lodged their evidence I need to give my answer till 07th of May = looks 4 days time though, those days are Saturday,  Sunday, and a Bank holiday Monday.   And I still don’t know where is EE’s evidence nor their comments.   (I sent the question “Where is their Evidence ?” though until Tuesday 7th they will not see my question, nor they can answer = its mean, Ombudsman will give a decision without having my answer = while allowing the EE to make-up their convenient story, even falsify the evidence. 

In fact, this is a well-known tactic in the Court battle, sending a notice on Friday and demand the other side to respond on Monday, leaving no time to the other side to prepare.  (That is what the Court proceedings is = always dirty = Can you believe fairness, JUSTICE? — Don’t be naive = I learned this in a hard way myself.) —– So, this is the real face of the Ombudsman System = while showing best polite, friendly face, and use the dirty trick behind, for the sake of the industry’s profit.  (So, the system goes on happily hand in hand )    Indeed, this is the way how British Diplomacy works with its coax, with its coercion, even with a deception = remember how they managed their colony.  (There is a say among the photographer —– when visiting the editor of the magazine if they said “Beautiful photo, I’ll give you a call” there would be no assignment to come.  The job would come from the editor who made a sharp question.   The editor wants the visitor to leave the office as quick as possible with a happy smile and keep buying the magazine.   This is THE British Diplomacy in practice. )

Ombudsman system is to prevent the scandalous/fraudulent or silly mistake of the industry’s practice exposed to the public and try by the independent open Court but to suppress and conceal the mater within the cosy comradeship.  That is why This System operated FREE in contrast to the expensive Court proceedings.     So that, if the complaint was blocked by the tricks on the Documentation Maze which cost very little, it is the industry’s heavenly victory. —– Remember anything free, there is a catch behind.

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Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicates

(Although no English, Global News viz has more detailed images)

The Emperor of Heisei era abdicated.

He did a great job over 30 years of his reign.  I hope he and the Empress Michiko have peaceful quiet life now on.    Load Buddha bless them.     (Though, he was not a Buddhist but the head of Shinto = In deed he was the descendant of the Amateras.)

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The late Cherry (or Ex-Cherry ?)

It’s not nice to say “used to be cherry” —– so, Ex-Cherry ?

A woman said it’s not fair, they got a full bloom every year —– m m m, rather tricky to say any word here. 

(Those photos were taken by a lens from a toy camera on Nikon Z7 —– It was a single plastic lens, equivalent of  28mm, F13,  fixed focus )

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