Figs
Before Marks and Spenser started to sell more civilized products like a Wonder Bra etc.
the Figs said to be widely utilized though, I haven’t seen any of them in use, other than on
a very decent ancient sculpture wearing it. —– Anyhow I’m not a very fashion conscious
person, I’m more interested in its edible part.
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Fig is a very peculiar plant. Apparently it doesn’t have a flower still makes a fruits.
So that, in Japan they are called “Ichijiku” but to write its name in the Chinese character it is
[無花果] which mean “The Flowerless Fruits” though, its reading makes no “Ichijiku” at all.
Because of this, long since I’ve been wondering where this name “Ichijiku” derived from ?
Then, one day on a street market, I saw a fruits vendor selling the Figs.
And I knew a man working there was a Kurdish. I asked him, how they call Figs in their
country ? He taught me it is “Injee” —– With flash of light, I realized, this must be the
origin of the Japanese name “Ichijiku”.
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Fig is one of the biblical ancient fruits together with Grape, and originated from middle east.
Hence all over the Orient, Turkey to Persia, Egypt, Fig was commonly called Injee.
And it must came to China and to Japan through Central Asia = via Silk-road. So, I refer to a
Chinese Dictionary to see what is the Chinese name of Fig —– it was [映日果], which reading
in Mandarin is In-lee-quo, but local pronunciation is more like In-jee-quo which was a direct
copy of the original sound to Chinese character, and an additional letter, [果] quo, to indicate
a fruits. (Like the name of Japan / [日本], which reading in Mandarin is Lee-pen though, other
locals read it Jee-peng = So that, Marko Paolo wrote it down as Jipang hence Japan !)
From here it’s easy to see, a Chinese pronunciation “Injee-quo” has been changed to “Ichijiku”
= One long standing question was solved !
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But, without having a flower, how Fig can reproduce themselves ? —– As a matter of fact,
they are not flowerless plant at all, far from it, the fruits we are eating is nothing but a
compacted pile of tiny flowers. Hence, you can see numerous tiny seeds inside of Fig.
The seed was produced by the individual tiny flowers even more numerous than the seeds.
Those flowers were individually pollinated by also tiny Fig-wasp who came inside of a Fig
through small hole in the centre of fruits. —– Of cause, Fig-wasp was not come to a Fig to
pollinate but to mate and lay the eggs. (There are many different wasps which got different
life cycle —– some stay inside waiting the male wasp to come and fertilize her, and she lay
eggs there, and larvae grow in the Fig and male dies there. Some other wasps are came
and lay the eggs and their larvae are carnivorous and eat other wasp’s larvae. —– so on.)
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—– therefore, when we eat Figs, whether fresh or such as a Fig Roll, we are inevitably
eating the Fig-wasps as well. (In effect, it supply the Essential Amino-acid to the strict
vegetarian people = that is why they don’t die with rack of “Essential nutrition”.
Though, you don’t need to become nervous, since this situation is quite normal and common
= can you expect any mass-produced food such as Jam, Marmalade, Ketchup, what so ever =
which track-load of ingredients thrown-into a belt-conveyor, and is there anybody removing
the small insect and their tiny larvae comes with ? ) (Unlike Bottle-fly or Cockroach kind, who
is dealing with human derivative, the insects living with fruits are less likely carries the
germ related to the human diseases, hence they are much safer.)
There are many warning of food allergy, Nuts, Eggs, certain Protein etc etc. though I never
heard anybody got ill because of accidentally eat an insect —– may be without knowing,
we are eating them quite regularly, our body may not recognize them as foreign substance.
This is what “living with nature” mean, in its reality. 😀
This link may give you the idea, what is the situation.
http://www.rodalenews.com/bugs-food
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PS : Incidentally, the Boddhi-tree [Ficus, religiosa]
of which Shakya-Muni Buddha said to have reached
his Enlightenment, known locally as Peepal or
Pippal tree also belong to the same family / genus.
(Photo Right from Wiki media)
So, the Boddhi-tree is a small fruits version of Fig tree
hence has no flower. Despite the tree can reach up to
30 m, their fruits is not larger than a tip of finger.
( I do yet know how small the Fig-Wasp for this tree. —– Nearly 100 million years of
co-evolution, each species of Fig has their own gang of the Wasp species, otherwise
both of them would have had extinct long ago ! )
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Lettuce and Spinach — its Origin
One of the most unique Photographer / Artist, Karen showed her stunningly beautiful
photos of Canada Lettuce seed in her blog “Draw and Shoot” it awaken my memory that
I had the photo of this (or the one, closely related) plant — The seed-pod in her photo
looks very much like a Dandelion’s, as you can see. = In deed, this plant is a cousin of
Dandelion and as its name suggests, it closely related to the Lettuce.
Or the Lettuce was descended from this kind of Plant, namely
Luctuca of Asteraceae (Compositae) Family. When I found that this plant was the
ancestor of the Lettuce, I was shocked —– as it was completely out of my imagination.
( Not only it looks so different but also I’ve never seen it in an open field and flowering.)
A book, I saw said that “to eliminate its bitter tasted white sap, it took 200 years” though,
Wikipedia says Lettuce has been cultivated since ancient Egyptian time. So, the English
local farmer might have had their own approach, instead to import the established
variety from Mediterranean.
Something similar stories are in Spinach.
The photo left is a plant belongs to
Spinacia in Amaranthaceae family.
The Spinach was created from this kind
of plant, and this weed is also edible.
(Though, this plant contains Oxalic acid,
thus if eat a lots, it would cause an ulcer
on the mouth.)
The cultivated variety is not only to eat
leaves but also there was a variety to eat
thickened stem, called “Poorman’s Asparagus”. And other was called Lincolnshire Spinach.
—– In deed, we human being is very resourceful — or used to be so poor to scrape the life ?
Still, there is a very funny situation. Despite increased world population, therefore needs
lots more food and in deed great number of the people are starving, in the same time,
we are said to be wasting 1/3 of food. (couldn’t sell in the super-market, due to a blemish.
Or made them rotten in a fridge due to too much shopping.) —– Something wrong isn’t it ?
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Costume design / Flat Panel to 3D Sculpture
I went to a dress rehearsal of performance held at a private club, and took pictures
of this costume though, the club was members only private club,
I can’t give any detail but only show those photos.
Obviously the costume was pains takingly made by many designers, working together, still
I can’t give the detail of who were they, at moment.
—– It was a character in a story, an Eque.
What took my attention of this costume was,
its approach to design the hose head.
The curved structure was divided into each parts,
and formed, shaped, then put together.
—– When I designed something similar,
a head of Flying Dragon, I figured out the
shape to make it only from the 2 panels,
= upper part (face) and lower part (jaw), and the
back part of the head was made, cut and bent metal panel. (on top of those, some
additional joint panels, enforcing metal bar etc , still, despite its size and appearance,
it took only 2 days to make = very simple structure hence easy to make.
—– when designer makes a shape of a horse head, most of the case it would be done by
either Papie-mash or Casted Glass-fiber Epoxy. —– to make it in this way was rather
unusual and looks fun. 🙂
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Grown-up with Pain
It seems the Politicians are arguing about yet another law to deal with “Dangerous Dog”
after many cases of the children (even Policemen) were attacked, even by their family dog.
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To my eyes, there lies a fundamental problem of our society’s attitude toward the animals
and the nature in general.
I’ve seen a very small child run to cuddle even a big dog which is somebody else’s dog.
May be as a civilized people, we should be friendly with animal etc. though, animal is
the animal for ever. May be thousands of hart-warming story of the friendship between
human and animals, though, we shouldn’t forget that we are only a part of the Fauna,
and other part of the member never belong to us, let alone dictated by us.
Our apparent dominance is just a superficial pictures.
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Be friendly but cuddling them like a Soft Toy is totally different matter. —– have you
ever seen the dogs hugging each other ? Or does cats do it ? Only Primates hug !
Even if it is familiar picture to a dog, suddenly a small child who’s smell is totally
unknown, come close and start hugging, the dog react their own way —– could
bite-back, scream and the smell of blood only excite them.
We shouldn’t mistake, “Be friendly” doesn’t mean “THEY also act like Soft toy made
by human” — we need to distinguish and treat them as another member of the Fauna
who could still be dangerous.
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Same misconception is in the education, publication etc. = with a sort of
“Humanitarian Ideas” = treat others as equal, not to be violent, etc. or talking about
not giving “Psychological Trauma” etc. (even seek a damage compensation against it).
(Worst is in Japan, in the children’s book all the fearful image of such as Wolf or any
Dangerous animal has been disfigured into cuddly cute “Figure” and even the
carnivorous Ogres became just another member of a democratic society!
(Ogre is the symbol who AGAINST the society = counter reference = they got to be bad !)
In the other hand, a Manga or Game Hero uses all sorts of lethal weapons to kill
enemies in the most violent way, was not checked.
So, a kids grown up without learning a pain (to the self = to the others) does the most
horrifying killing when he or she (these days, women has been committing really
dreadful killing = it seems they really found the equality) commits a murder.)
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NO! Grown up is a process to learn with Pain. Its trauma is the basis of the imperative
memory “What we have to pay attention” and the teachings of DO and NOT DO.
—– We intelligent civilized people “can” understand what was told or written, is false.
The notice or warning was for the excuse of the liability of the Authority. = I told you.
(Please note, I’m not advocating a teacher, instructor sort, resorting with a physical
violence or harassment in order them to enforce their “idea” to the students.)
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Respect the Nature is to accept that they got their own Karma hence rightfully exists in
this Planet = Respect WHAT THEY ARE, not impose our idea such as faithful cuddly dog
or beautiful song bird etc. To lean this without pain, it wouldn’t be sublimated to the
bottom of our subconscious, and reflect it to our behaviour or perception.
—– In most of the situation, our behaviour, perception were not controlled by our
civilized conscious thinking but invisible subconscious. We only think after.
( —– by the way, I don’t intend to offend the unfortunate victim mowed by the dog.
I really feel sorry for them. —– especially, me too, can’t get on well with the dog
= as, I’m a cats person. 🙂 )
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Royal Baby-Boy’s relation to Beyonce ! ?
There was a joky talking of the DJ in BBC Radio-1 mentioning that a researcher found
the Royal baby-boy (born 16:24 today) is distantly related to a singer Beyonce,
as 23rd Cousin twice removed. —– I found a likely source in this link —-
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/royal-baby-will-be-distantly-
related-to-beyonce-jayz-brad-and-angelina/story-fni0b8dv-1226676989090
I don’t have enough knowledge how so-called family-tree was traced, therefore I have no idea
what this “23rd Cousin twice removed” graphically mean.
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There was a hype many years ago about “ 6-Degree of Separation” —– How we are
connected each other where ever we are in this world.
Sound somewhat miraculous story though, (in fact I never read the story or seen a film,
so that I do have no idea what sort of theory or research behind)
have you ever thought about this matter by yourself ?
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It was a sort of the observations after “Facebook” that we may connected to somebody completely
out of our knowledge if we traced the indirect connection next by next.
Such as I have rather exotic friends of African, Arabic etc etc. and of course each of those friend has
their own friends or relatives in their society
= in effect, my connection spread to those countries as well.
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So, just think about, how many friend or relatives you got ? I guess it is pretty safe to
say 100, but if we include acquaintances and far relatives, it could be well over 1000.
—– Assuming, you are connected to 100 people, and all those people has their own 100,
but half of the people are overlapping = it’s mean, through 100 direct connection, it
spread to 100×50 = 5000 indirectly.
And those 5000 could connected to further 50 each, and so on.
So, just have a multiplication — 100x50x50x50x50x50 as of the 6-degree.
You will find the total number is well over the whole population in the world.
If all the world population was included in this link, no wonder, no-one can be alone.
It is a natural situation without resorting such FANCY theory. 😀
Anybody could be trace back to anybody in the world. —– That’s a theory though,
asking “Do you know Yoshi, or could you ask your friends ?” and extend this to whole
world population, how long would it takes time, let alone the cost of communication.
= utterly useless dreamy theory.
6-Degree mean whole world population = of course if you ask whole world,
at least 100 people knows Yoshi. But Who can do it ? 😀 😀
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If you DO think yourself, you will realize, that there is no such miraculous theory.
—– Any how, a scientist said to be traced back all the European population to the original
7 ancestors who came and settled to southern Europe. Since then, those 7 families might
have inter married, thence they are all related. So, there couldn’t be anything to surprise
an American singer has blood connection to English who was happen to be Royal.
(There was even a story, that English royal blood has some relation to Indian.)
Don’t be deflected by fanciful story and waste the time in useless gossip.
Don’t believe what others say, think yourself.
As Lord Buddha said. 🙂
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Handmade Flash System (1) — Flash with Umbrella
Among my flash system, this is the one I’ve been using the most.
Most (not exactly all) of the photos of table-top shot kind in this blog such as
cooking samples has been photographed using this flash system.
And some party shot such as Capricorn Party was shot by this as well.
The base of this system is an Agfa 383CS flash-light (but actually it was made by Japanese Nisshin)
which takes SCA300 camera interface adapter (so, I used to use the adapter for Nikon, Canon, Contax
etc etc. for TTL compatible type, AF compatible type etc etc.) though, as the camera evolved so rapidly
and their control system became too complicated, hence, those system became obsolete in mid 80s.
—– still, this flash itself has External Auto as well, and of cause the full out-put manual and minimal
(somewhat 1/20th) for rapid fire. And on top of this, it got additional front flash to give
“Catch-light in Eyes” when used with bounce-light !
The rotating head has rotating diffuser as well which spread the light coverage from 35mm lens to
24mm lens. —– Almost everything what most of the user needs.
(As far as I know, this is the most well thought-out flash, ever made.
And after nearly 30 years use, it is still in full working order = its reliability is remarkable ! )
But, unless the subjects are more than 5m away, to take picture with a straight
flash-light mounted on camera —– is what I don’t do. If a light was placed next to
the eyes, similar to Head-lamp, there will be no shadow on the subject.
It is the most unnatural lighting. —– For the most of the subject I needed to work with,
(think, a portrait kind in an interview situation, or to capture a dining scene in a restaurant) is
about 1~2m distance. Other shot such as whole room, restaurant, shop etc will be covered by
another more powerful flash(s) or even studio type flash-light placed somewhere in the side.
Therefore, to photograph the subject in talking-distance, I modified my flash-light
to take an umbrella reflector.
Thence, I could create a photo, looks more natural 45 degree lighting, top lighting etc
with just a swing of my hand —– it’s mean, to operate the camera by right hand only = (before
camera was fully automatised with Auto-focus, it was a bit of special skill. —- think about, such as
Pentax 6×7 or Hasselbrad in one-hand operation with almost studio quality lighting, without the
cost of assistant. 😀 —– and that was how I nearly monopolized Japanese business here. 😉 )
The modification of the flash-light was just done by a simple cut and put-together
aluminium piece kind of work which you can see from the photos.
—– May be the most peculiar part must be the Umbrella.
This is the umbrella only one in the world = specially hand made by a craftsman who has been
making studio flash umbrella for such as Kishin Shinoyama etc. The craftsman had happened to
have his family business, selling and repairing the umbrella in Roppongi of Tokyo, where many
photo-studio situated. Since the photographer who brought back an umbrella from the west asked
him to repair or even to make the same, he became the only Craftsman catering those needs in Tokyo.
For him, my requirement to make such small (diameter 50cm) umbrella was, of cause first ever
funny request. Nevertheless, I got the one what I wanted = literally pocket size Umbrella. 😀
(You may find 70cm size which is using child umbrella frame) —– (In fact, I’ve experimented to
make small one, such as using only half of collapsible umbrella or toy umbrella etc.)
—– the reason is obvious, if you got to move around with umbrella, it catch or hit anything =
the smaller the better though, if it is too small, it wouldn’t work as a diffuser.
The size has to be the same size of the spread of light from flash in its distance. )
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Most of the Umbrella adopter for a small Flash, fix the umbrella facing straight to the flash.
My design aiming the flash from the bottom, hence some light escape from the umbrella still,
the light intensity is only 2 F-stop drop. Considering the diffused ligh covering
almost Fish-eye lens, the efficiency is not too bad at all !
(In fact the escaped light is bounced back from the ceiling, also contribute some good effect 🙂 )
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With the age of very advanced DSLR, which got ISO speed even 25,000, it is easy to produce
the photo only with available light and it looks natural of cause. But in the other hand the skill
to manipulate the image, intentionally hide something in the dark, kind is all left to
the after process of PS. Though the trouble is, PS often looks too unnatural.
Resorting natural light still end-up unnatural image is not very funny. 😀
Because of the shadow, we know the significance and the meaning of the Light.
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Robot astronaut Kirobo
This is an article from Gizmag —– it looks cute and interesting story.
—– Even a grown-up astronaut, not a Hary-Potters kids, feel comfort talking with robot
might be a reflection of Japanese Shinto religion, which sees the spirit in any beings.
Robot astronaut Kirobo headed for ISS in August
By David Szondy
June 26, 2013
The video below (in Japanese) shows Kirobo going through its paces.
Source: Toyota
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Cuckoo’s Spit
I think the plant is Lavender, and every year, it seems a lots of Cuckoo came here
and have a spit fight. (Some says it was not Cuckoo but a snake 🙂 )
Still, inside, the nymphs of Frog-hopper ( Cercopoidea) called Spittlebugs are growing
while sucking the sup from the plant, and making a bubble foam to hide.
May be strong taste of Lavender repel another insects. The photo, center shows a
Frog-hopper just left a froth home, then the body color darken. (right photo)
This insect is, despite its minute size, ( you believe or not) a cousin of Cicada, hence
they are a miniature version of their cousin, and having the same habit to suck a sup.
(Though, I don’t know how this insect coming back next year —- egg stays somewhere
(inside of plant ?) or the female pass over a winter ? —– Does anybody know ? )
Nature’s system and it’s life cycle always fascinates me. — Even such minute fragile life
has their own system to weather the element and manage the continuation of species
—– for millions of years ! Has they got wisdom let alone a brain ? Or all in their GENE ?
How those GENE has been programmed ?
—– So, the Buddhist calls it the Dharma. System and the governing rules.
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Eucalyptus and Bumble Bee
Eucalyptus are very common in this country still not well known with it’s flowers.
This one bloom every year on their hedge of one of neighbours. And when it bloom,
the Bumble Bees are frantic, literally as busy as bee. Never pose to a camera. 😀
Eucalyptus only came from Australia. In the same extent, Protea only came from
South Africa. —– Still, such as Tree fern or Cycad can come from both countries.
Because those living fossil plants spread all over one big continents called Pangaea
which was separated to Africa, Australia, America etc. together with their plants.
(then their own peculiar plants evolved separately).
( Plants on Pangaea didn’t have flower —– where is the origin of flowering Gene ? ? ? )
—– So, it’s interesting, why the honeys from those plants are still the same ? ? ? 🙂
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Buddha’s Silence
After I wrote [Moksa / Moksha] I had some talk with a man who is a staunching believer of
“to gain higher conscious to attain enlightenment, to escape from the cycle of re-birth”.
—– naturally he didn’t like my view of that the current Buddhism is a mixed-up.
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While wondering why the people couldn’t understand such obvious historical fact and rational
conclusion. I try to see the Wiki kind in the net, to see what others are writing about what
Lord Buddha’s silence toward the question. (I normally refer to the collection of Buddhism
scriptures in modern Japanese translation) — then I found those writers in Wiki kind, often use the
term “Samsara” etc. which is a Hindu term, and the use of the word such as [SELF] was rather in
casual way. I realized, this must be yet another case of “writer is not necessary understand
what the [Selflessness] in the original teachings”.
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Lord Buddha’s silence said to be occurred in two kind of questions.
One was about the world or space, whether it is infinite and eternal or not.
And the other was such as what would happen to the Spirit or the Self after the death.
—– a funny connection to those questions, I remember an episode in the Agama Sutra, which I
wrote in a post [Three times Buddha] there could be a fixed attitude in
Lord Buddha’s responce.
After try to teach in tree different approaches, if they didn’t work, he just stop to talk.
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Lord Buddha’s teachings about the SELF was nothing like other Guru or Philosophers’, such as
theoretical argument of “if the self exists —- blah blah” “if not blah blah—” but
a definite phenomenon exists in our mind (brain) such as I wrote in a post
[ Selflessness demonstrated]. —– This is the very Selflessness what
Lord Buddha had based on in his teachings. This was the reason why the another episode
[Test of Selflessness] existed. — (Of cause, on the assumption, those episodes are true historical
event ) as I explained, this Selflessness (in fact virtually all of his teachings) was not a subject of
logical argument but just to be sublimated to the depth of unconsciousness and just to be.
Like “Honesty” it’s not a matter of understanding the meaning of word. Just Don’t lie.
The only rule was Just do it, Just be it. No question. No thinking.
= If the one was really in Selfless state, no question of such as “After death” could arise.
( Being oneself without having even a conscious to be oneself, no separate objective view toward
the self, let alone to the future after the death. —– no such mind could exists)
Honest man never think, nor need to think about the eyes of other people.
—– therefore, when he was asked the very question, he must be very
annoyed, hence ignored it and kept silence.
Even a conscious of self is not in the living body, how it could remain after the death.
(Self is a product of intentional thinking = delusion. Hence, when the producer dies, its product too)
And as all the existences are inter-dependent and keep changing, how could we know
how far it extend and what happenes next moment = as nothing would last for ever.
(—- Don’t you remember what I’ve taught ? Don’t ask obvious question again ! )
Lord Buddha didn’t even explain why he smiled, nor he would why he didn’t answer.
___/\___
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(The trouble of those Wiki authors are, that they are thinking the SELF is yet another
existence. But, in the original Buddhism teachings, the matter was its NON existence.
= talk about what not there is pointless. —– in fact, it indicates, that they are not
Buddhism scholar but probably Hindu writer who is familiar with the idea of “Atoman”
Lord Buddha’s Selflessness is the VOID of it, unlike an idea of Box contains “Kind Mind”
or “Self-Sacrificing Mind” “Supreme Holy Mind” etc. —— but Box itself is NOT there. )
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