Focus-Shift Flower image

Somebody in the USA contacted me to use one of my old photo which was

taken by a technique of Focus Shift, hence the image has big off-focus

bokeh superimposed on it.  In fact I’ve published such photo many times

like this or this. (though, the gear used or the lens may not be the same)

And even there was such drastic approach.   🙂     But this time, focus ring

was moved manually, and in order to have a slower shutter speed, shooting

took place in the evening, under rather dim light.

And to make off-focus, shift to near or far, or the setting of F-aperture etc,

above all, how far the subject, will make the picture looks quite different.

(still, there is no fixed manner = it’s just case by case.   🙂  )

Funny things of Focus Shift is, first moment, it was focused to the main

subject, then move the focus, generally till completely out of focus though,

why not focused here and there.  = Two subjects will have each clear focus

(and bit of bokeh)  🙂

Camera used here was the Nikon D810 — having had 37Mp image-censor,

there are ample of space to crop the image.

A radio DJ mentioned Xmas —– Oh no, soon it will be the November

—– still, flower patch has few flowers left.    Thanks Goodness.

[]

Salmon Tofu — simple cooking

Indeed, this was the reason why I bought Tofu. —– I used to invite the people 

to see my work, and in such a case, often I cook and eat the meal together.  

Now, I don’t need to do that since I started to show the photo in my Blog,

even the short viz in the Youtube, = just tell the person “See the blog”.

Anyway, when I cook, Salmon Tofu which I invented was my regular cooking.

—– not because original but above all it is the simplest and easiest cooking.

(no complicated preparation of Dashi etc — just put together and heat)   🙂

Only three ingredients = Tofu, a chunk of Salmon and a fresh Ginger —

well, a drop or two Soy-source. 

When the three were put together, place the bowl into the pan with shallow

water to boil = it’s mean, Tofu in the bowl was steamed. (7~10 minutes boil)

(Or put a cover on the bowl and cook in the microwave cooker for 5 minutes.)

The steam drip down through Ginger to Salmon and to the bottom of bowl

makes beautiful soup as well —– and its taste struck everybody.  (so far)   🙂

[]

Although this is not a vegetarian, I regard this is the Zen cooking.

= everything was there as it is but nothing else. 

And everything melt together and creates the best by themselves.

No complicated thinking or manipulation = just leave the process to them.

= the nature is having the best in its own.   (Proof of the taste — you try !)

And this nature, we call the Dharma. 

___/\___

[]

Rice-rice

In comparison to the potato, price difference of the rice is much wider,

especially if we count the price of the Japanese rice in Japan.  There is no

secret that the Japanese eating the best rice in the world, swallowing the most

expensive price comes with it.  (If you are interested in to know how much the

price over there, you can look into the list. (though, they are in Japanese) )

Photo above Left, is one of the most expensive,  among the expensive

Japanese rice,  “Kosihikari” I paid £3 for this 500g bag here in London.  

Still, even in Japan, people expecting to pay for this rice £20~£25 for 10Kg.

To get Japanese rice over here, the price would be doubled = so that, the

Californian rice grower found the market in Japanese residents here and

sell their “Japanese variety rice” 10Kg for £25 price (with huge profit). 

So that, to buy Californian rice was a bit of luxury if not a status symbol.  

While, Japanese food, Sushi etc becoming a fashion, the sale of Sushi-rice

became a competitive market.  Now, even a Californian rice was sold less

than £20 for 10Kg. (photo middle) and even Chinese started to grow

Japanese rice and selling as “Sushi-rice” £15 in Chinese shop (Photo right)

but, I found the quality was pretty low — if not Cadmium contaminated.

(It is a well known story, Chinese don’t eat Chinese rice if they can afford.)

And the Chinese Supermarket does know the situation, so, they are selling

a Spanish grown Japanese rice, or Italian grown one both about £12 for

10Kg.  (Second Photo, middle and right)

—– I found Italian was a bit better even though their naming “Shinode” (got

to be “Hinode”) was too funny.  Still, taste and the texture wasn’t too bad.    🙂

In fact, the Japanese rice grown outside of Japan, they didn’t make so much

difference = the way how it was cooked makes more difference.  So that,

the cheaper the better and find the best way to cook is more important.

(I mean, if not using automatic electric cooker.)

[]

Tofu-Tofu

Since last time when I’ve talked about how I was annoyed by the Chinese Tofu,

I didn’t have any Tofu cooking —– it has been completely disappeared from

my mind. (Same as like when I stopped to touch woman or smoking, or even

just stopped to go particular club or shop.)   A funny thing was, that Tofu has

been in my fridge, thus, seeing it everyday all through those period.   Though,

I didn’t even think about to chuck it away.  It was not exists in the world.   🙂

So, I don’t know why I got an idea to buy it again and make a particular

cooking. (That cooking will appear in this blog soon.)  

And for that, I did a special shopping at a Japanese food shop.  (Then

I noticed that the Japanese Tofu (though, they were made in USA) having

pretty long shelf life = enlarge the photo above to see each “sell by date” )

(Those Tofu I bought, were either made by Morinaga or House = both are

pretty big company thus, least likely do any cheating while taking a risk.)

—– And, I show you “That Tofu” after 7 months. (Photo above Right) =

looks quite edible if not poisonous.   Japanese Tofu sold in a Japanese

food shop is twice more expensive, therefore I never bought them before

—– but there is no alternative left to me. 

( And I’m not such keen to make a Tofu from the Soybean.  😀 )

And I didn’t know that the Japanese Tofu is having up-to 6 (six) different

grade of firmness ! = how civilized, how sophisticated !

= almost obsessive Japanese over quality !    😀

* * * * * * *

Incidentally, a feedback for eating “Japanese Tofu” first time was, — I’m

not necessary like Boxed Morinaga one. Their texture is artificially smooth =

almost plastically. —– I rather like to have more natural-food like uneven

texture = like the one, made by the House Food.

[]

Phenomena

In the afternoon,  I found a glowing rainbow in a corner of my room. 

Obviously it was a sun spot though, — ?     where it was reflected and

coming through ?  —– So, I came to the spot to trace back the light

and found it came through a draftsman’s plastic ruler.  

As its edge was angled, its transparent plastic worked as a good prism.

= and created good rainbow when it was hit by a sun beam.

We are living in a world of numerous physical phenomena

— not necessary we are aware or able to notice it, let alone understand

and able to explain why.   Such as a burning fire, falling apple !, frozen 

or boiling water, or how induction cooker, microwave cooker works etc.   

Among them, a rainbow color must be the most loved by anybody.

Real Rainbow in the sky was created by the light reflected inside of the

water droplets of the mist or cloud. (half of Hi-viz bright tape works in

the same way = each minute grass beads reflect back the light —– other

half works as microscopic 90 degree roof mirror = reflect back the light  

to the same direction where it come from = unidirectional light is bright.   

       When the light travel through such as in the grass or any transparent

material, the light bend a “bit”.  How much the “bit” was depend on the

color of the light. —– Color ?

You may think the sun light is white but you are seeing the mixed light of

rainbow color.  There is NO white light in the world.  So that a white LED

is in fact a Blue LED covered with yellowish fluorescent pigments — its

different mixture makes warmer white or cool white, even pink LED.  🙂

— Any how, each colored light has different energy  (hence even outside 

of Violet = UV burns our skin) all depend on each wave length of the light.

= Red has longer wave length but Blue is short, Violet, UV is much shorter.  

And even shorter wave was used in a Microwave cooker to heat up the food !

= We may not aware why we get sun-burn or the pasta was cooked, — still

those invisible phenomena configuring the world.

Rainbow is not just here to please our eyes. —– It makes us to wonder !

[]

     A Japanese scientist, Prof. Kajita is going to receive this year’s Novel prize

for Physics for the discovery of  that the sub-particle  Neutrino has a mass.

—– So, what ?   I never seen even a hint of such Neutri-something — though,

it’s said to be flying around everywhere ! — The phenomenon of this particle

was captured by the thousands of photo-detectors  surrounding a pool of

50 thousand tons of pure water by detecting a trace of faint light created by 

the passing  particles.     Dear dear dear, what a work and the toil.

[]

[]

Karmic Encounter or just a Coincidence ?

From Japan,  group of tourists are visiting northern India / Ladakh.

At the introduction meeting of one group, in a sheer coincidence,

two of the members found  that they’ve got a common connection.   

Both of them happen to be my old friend. 

The guy was a younger member of our Alpine Club and the lady used to

work in the Uni’s Herbalium = a part of the  Science Dept’ where I was

taking botanical photos and assisting their expeditions and field works.

So that, when I had my wedding party in the mountain hut, they were

invited and indeed, both of them were there — long time ago !   🙂

—————— (Some photographs of Ladakh from my friend)

In practice, their encounter wouldn’t have any  real implications to the

two and to myself —– still, it reminded me that I spent more time to deal

with Botanics in the Hervarium, than facing the Rock while I was in my Uni’.

= This fact seems crucial for me to stock-take my Life.

= It’s mean, I haven’t been in Ladakh, Himalaya, Patagonia etc etc, but what

I did for the Ogasawara Expedition left me more legacies, exactly like how

the life in the mountain shelter structured me, far more than the life in the

Alpine Club. (— sorry, I’ve gone too personal though, without having those

underline causes,  Yoshizen couldn’t be existed as I am now. )

It explained well, Yoshizen was not a man sitting on the rock but kneeling

down and watching the flowers.  — and I like this stance.

[]

It signified my approach to the Zen Buddhism.    Unlike a kind of guru who rely on

the maze of mambo-jumbo (so-called spiritualism), but me to approach the Buddhism

from the factual observation with scientific, neurophysiological aspect was correct.

As the result, to see the Mushin as a fatigue of one’s mind and the No-self as

the jump-process or no-tagging of the Emotion.  Those prosaic definition had no

glorious Mahayana like ornamentation though, have you ever read the words of

Lord Buddha with a mythical embellishment in the original Agama Sutra ?

Lord Buddha was a rational scientist, hence had no delusion or illusion.

So, the original teachings of Buddhism didn’t have any mambo-jumbo.

(In fact, there was an urgent needs to explain that there wouldn’t be any danger to

reborn to an animal or lower cast like as newly emerging “Hindu” preaches,

because everything exists in relation (Karma) to the others, when the body dies,

the soul dies too = nothing remain to reincarnates.    This was what

Lord Buddha taught then, 2500 years ago.  Anything else was a mix-up.)

___/\___

[]

On this Planet

Time to time, I fond the very rare access to this blog, such as from

the Palestinian Territories or Bhutan.    And learned, such as

Faroe Island who supposed be a part of Denmark was treated

as an independent country and has their own flag.

Of course, these days, even middle of desert such as in Mongolia,

the locals has electric generator and watching satellite TVs so,

nothing strange to have a computer connected to the Net

—– and stumbled my blog  🙂   (Where ever on this planet, be ever

so remote, still someone stumbled and read this blog is nothing but

a manifestation of the Karmic power.)

[]

Mankind is an incredibly resourceful animals.  Longtime ago,

I heard from Afghan, in order to connect satellite mobile phone,

they improvised to use chicken-net to make a satellite dish.

And I heard that in Cuba, where under the trade sanction,

everything has to be homemade or improvised = engine-oil

was made by a washing-up liquid mixed with sugar !

[]

Nothing like their creativity, still, I had to improvised a bit to take

a photo above. = Long list of the countries.

On the beginning, I tried to collage scrolled 2 images though, it 

wasn’t looks good. — So, I setup the screen upright and showed

whole list in one screen and took the very photo.

(the reason why I’m writing such trivial story was, “It’s so funny

— and difficult — to use a screen upright”)

= It’s better you try it by yourself. —> Go to Control Panel —>

Adjust Screen Resolution. (in there, you’ll see “Screen set-up

= Landscape : Portrait”  Then click Portrait. = So, the image flicks.

But, when you try to use mouse or touch pad, you’ll see the hell.

(It may not happen, if the device was touch-screen type).

After having had a fun, Go to the Control panel and click back.

= everything back to the normal !  (You feel sigh !)  😀

(I couldn’t imagine that the Microsoft still having such incredible

shoddiness in their program === It was a DISCOVERY !)

[]

Giffgaff and the TESCO’s Fraud

To connect my Google Tablet to the Net, I’ve been using Giffgaff SIM card 

more than a year.    It was recommended by the wireless expert.  

On the beginning, its unlimited Internet connection for £12 per month

seemed good deal and worked well. (= They needed to cut into market)

(Note: They changed the tariff, Unlimited Connection to 3GB without notice)

Then early this year, when they started to talk about 4G, and up-grade etc,

the connection was getting bad. = I could see it was a sales ploy to

pressurize the user to feel needs of better connection.

And the situation was getting bad to worse, hence more than half of the

occasion, when I wanted to show my blog etc to others,  NO CONNECTION.

 Even in the middle of the night, connection couldn’t be made at all.

= Who can trust such company and pay even more money for an up-grade.

It is the time to look for

somewhere else.

The shop staffs selling Elecs’

secondhand, who is the most

knowledgeable people in this

kind of up-to-date information.   They recommended me Tesco SIM card.

The trouble was, it was not available in the ordinary Tesco shops.  I had to

Ask around three shops, and I took a journey to the largest one in the area.

—–  While testing 2 weeks so far, it made only 2 occasions hard to connect.

(At moment, it is only 1GB  £10  One month try,  though, seems not too bad.)

Funny things was, both Giffgaff and Tesco are using the same O2 net-work

which IS giving 4G service —– but Giffgaff is making such difference !

(Provider is adjusting the Bandwidth intentionally for their purpose)  😀

And what I found was even

more disturbing !

This is what they are now

advertising.(free SIM is norm)

—– Did you noticed ?

Now £12 for only 2GB. (saying

with 4G) Though, O2 IS 4G. 

So, Tesco use 4G from the start.

(But Giffgaff was intentionally

 making it to 3G speed !)

———————————————————————————————————————–

Get rid of the Giffgaff SIM and changed to TESCO SIM —– looked 

like a good choice though, suddenly the hell opened.

The use of Tesco SIM on my tablet was on a probation period.

= To test how Tesco works as a provider and its O2 connection.

But, the observation was abruptly halted. = suddenly, the usage

said to have reached to the 1GB upper limit. And the Net was cut-off,

the screen started to say “TOP UP”  —– The usage graph showed

incredibly unnatural rise seemingly caused by “TuneIn Radio”

(photo above left)  which said to have consumed whopping 0.67GB

within few days.   But funny fact was, this App was not active = as

the screen shows ” App isn’t installed”. (photo middle) = This is

the “Caught in Red-handed” case of the TESCO’s fraud. —– Is there

any possibility of the Radio was accidentally activated and off again ? 

And can the radio kept making the noise in full volume for few days

without me noticing it ?     Especially when  2 years old battery is its

end of the life so that, never able to leave the tablet left switched ON.

—– (Now I got new battery

for my Nexus 7 — BUT, it

found to be a scavenged

secondhand.

We should be careful with so-called “UK-Seller” in Ebay)

Above all,  when I’m testing it for a month within 1GB limit — who leave 

the radio kept switched on ?   ( Even if the App was working — but not)

( I use a lap-top with proper keyboard with land-line broadband to deal 

with Net, Blog, Youtube etc, so that the tablet was just for fun when I go out.

In other words, I don’t need to use the tablet in my home = why do I ?)

= Obviously, it was the TESCO, who has tampered the counter.

( Who else can access the counter without making the radio noise.   🙂 )

—– (and it was for the sake of few pounds — can you believe ? ! ! ! )

(May be few pound from me though, in the systematic massive scale operation,

the total gain would be huge = in other words, they must be doing it systematic.)

As a matter of fact, every Broadband provider did the same, but they

didn’t leave the evidence behind, unlike the TESCO did for this time.  

Yet still, I’m not sure, whether this is a case for Ofcom or

Consumer’s Association or even Police.

* * * * * * * *

—— As I took the tablet to the TESCO Mobile Shop where I’ve bought

their SIM  3 weeks ago and complained while showing the evidences,

a man in the HQ offered me free 500MB compensation.

= So, they are well aware what they are doing.

* * * * * * * *

After those findings / Experiences, when I wanted to terminate the

contract with Tesco Mobile, the real hell was opened.    The Shop who sold

the SIM said, that they can’t terminate the contract, it has to be done through

the Telephone 0345-301-4455 which never work.  And the Email kept saying

“No log-in” —– So, the only a possibility to contact / complain them was by

way of the writing.  —– It IS really funny, to get out from the 1 month Only

contract seemed such trouble. = The best way is NEVER start deal with Tesco.

 

[

Still, this is the Zen

Seeing a scratch on the surface of the washing-up

bowl in my kitchen which I’ve been using since I have  

started to live in this flat, I realised that the dirt or  

stubborn coating on the surface of this plastic bowl 

could be removed by just scouring hard.  —– I was 

thinking to remove such limescale mixed stubborn

dirt needs to use a strong chemical such as limescale

remover kind of acid.

—– There was the choices.  

Throw away old bowl and buy new one.

Anyhow, it was only a couple of pound cheap item though, strangely

I couldn’t find the same shaped one in any shop.  

Other choice was do nothing. = as it has been used 15 years, why not

another 15 years. — utterly lazy and sound hopeless though, to make

nothing happen is a kind of peaceful choice and cost nothing too.

One of the famous Japanese monk, Ryokan said to have one pail and

he used it for everything, to wash his foot to serve a rice.   So, use one

bowl only for washing-up many many years wouldn’t make any crime.

[]

If I can clean it by just scouring, why not to try. = When a spoon edge

made a scratch, a scouring pad made by metal mesh should work well.

—- So, I did. (to the half extent) It IS a simple work = just scouring,

scouring and scouring.  The more scour,  bowl become the cleaner.

While scouring, I just scouring (=Mindfulness) = no thinking.(Mind is

in the Mushin / Void state.)  

This is the Zen. —– soon or later, the bowl will get perfectly clean state. 

Exactly the same process, the Japanese Sword was perfected. (Strangely,

we aim always the better — who asked ? or because of our nature/Dharma)

You may laugh though, the bowl which became clean is the equivalent 

of the enlightened soul.

—– Yet another teachings may say,  neither a bowl nor soul kind of

things was there in the first place, who get enlightened ?

Good question.

___/\___

[]

Tokyo Dream Party

Somewhat coinciding with a Japan Matsuri, there was a Japan themed

extravaganza in a member’s club somewhere in the Mayfair, London.

It was organized by my friends, stage designers and a good coincidence,

it was a day, happen to be my birthday.

So, it was a great occasion to have a fun for the day — even if it was

not organized for me still, as those people are my longstanding friends,  

they sang “Happy birthday to you~” altogether = What an evening !

(but no birthday cake —– I wouldn’t ask too much.  Ha ha ha ) 

All those performers, musicians are the Japanese and sang Japanese song.  

Organizers are the party people = wearing Sushi jacket (mind you, none of

genuine Japanese Sushi restaurant people wearing Sushi Kimono. = such

crazy things happens only in this country.  lol ) 

And number of so-called Cos-ple (Anime costume player) girls.

They supposed to be Kawaii (cute) — are they ? — (I’m not sure.)

They said to be the Ninja. = it’s mean Kunoichi. (female Ninja)

Though, I wasn’t convinced.  They must be the comedian.

(BTW, the name Kunoichi came from the each element of

the letter 女(woman) く=ku，ノ=no，ー=ichi．They (said to have) 

used a Honey Trap as well, as a weapon. — How exciting ! )

MMM ? Who ?  80s Japanese group, Frank Chickens ?

And, another (are they ?)— anyhow I don’t know the song. ( I’m 浦島太郎ね）

They are the very sexy performers. = supposed to be the Taiko drummer.

Drumming well, though I’m not sure of the jumping flesh.

Then, here comes so-called Yuru-chara — kind of stuffed toy / Mascot.

Organizer brought an automatic bending machine — this one sells

many sorts of pants / knickers. (for women — but not necessary.)  

It could be a great opportunity for a solemn faced gentleman to explore 

the taste without facing a shop assistant or giveaway a personal data to

a net shopping. —– still, are you sure no hidden camera watching ?

And Puri-cla  (Print club) = Photo machine with a lots of fun collage.

= a fun for the Japanese teens and a fun for the English grown-ups.

So, it was a good fun and the pleasure to be in an extravaganza,

which made a day for my celebration. = (Sure — now I feel older !  Ha ha ha)

(And this is my 800th post.)

[]