Author Archives: dontai

Sourdough Bread From A Learner: Resources

A neighbour gave me a freshly baked sourdough bread, and then some starter. I like sourdough’s flavour, and had been thinking about trying it, but hesitated on the 5 day wait for the starter to get going.

There are numerous recipes online. We started with this recipe: Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe.

There are many variables when dealing with natural yeast. Ambient temperature plays an important role. The sourdough’s naturally occurring yeast takes time to rise. My first bread took 6 hrs, and I felt it needed more time.

Foreground to Background Blur with Gimp

I had cut the background out of an image, with the person in the foreground, and wanted a background that mimicked the SLR view of a low f-stop, where the foreground is sharp but background is blurred.

To do this in Gimp is interesting. I found an image with a very sharp background.
Here are the steps:

CoVid-19 Corona Virus Self-Isolation: Benefits

This Covid-19 corona virus pandemic has markedly changed our short-term behaviour. Schools, libraries, community centers, gyms,dine-in restaurants and most stores are closed. We are told to stay home as much as possible. It is inconvenient, to say the least. I am getting what Canadians call “cabin fever”, a feeling of restlessness, the need to go out and do something.

All is not lost. There are benefits to our new self-isolation.

CoVid-19 Corona Virus and Social Distancing: This Is Difficult

This corona virus, CoVid-19, originally from Wuhan, China, has decimated parts of China, and especially Wuhan. China’s control strategies were brutal. Here in the West we cannot implement the rough measures that China took. Instead we have opted for rigorous contact tracing investigations, blocking borders and social distancing. I don’t know if this will be sufficient to control the virus. We can only wait and see. For certain, our regular way of life must change, We’re not going back to normal, and for many months.

London, UK Virtual Tourism: 148 Nightingale Place

A friend traveled here recently, So I thought I’d look her up. it actually looks like a row in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada. I hope she remains well.

144 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom
F3J8+R3 Woolwich, London, United Kingdom

GPS: 51.482062,0.065187
Plus Code: 9F32F3J8+R3

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

148 Nightingale Pl, Woolwich, London SE18 4HE, United Kingdom. Google Maps

Sewing DIY Cloth Surgical-style Face Masks

This mask design fits very well. It is double layer cotton, with a space between for filter material. The nose bridge has a metal insert for forming around your nose. Straps go around your neck and head. Photo1 by Don Tai

This mask design fits very well. It is double layer cotton, with a space between for filter material. The nose bridge has a metal insert for forming around your nose. Straps go around your neck and head. Photo1 by Don Tai

We don’t as yet have an epidemic with the corona virus CoVid-19, from originally from Wuhan, China, but i thought it prudent to research how to sew up some surgical-style face masks, just in case. These home made masks can possibly match the surgical-style mask.

China Law Regulating Internet Content: Positive Content Only

This new Chinese law only allows for “positive” content on the internet, with wide discrepancy for interpretation. While it will be difficult to interpret and will be a moving target, this has always been the case for all of Chinese law and especially content on the Chinese web space.

A good study is required if you publish anything in China. Specifically note Chapter 2, Article 4 through 7. These are critical for content writers and commenters, which means everyone.

Li Wenliang: Torchbearer for Truth in China

It is always difficult to see someone die after they did the right thing and told the truth. Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist in Wuhan, China, did just that. For telling is circle of 8 doctor friends about a new virus spreading through his hospital, he was called to the police station and made to sign a confession for speaking out without authorization from the higher authorities. His friend circle were fellow doctors. He would later die from the very disease, CoVid-19, that he talked about.

What Can Fitness Change, Go Do Fitness, Wechat: Translation

Weixin photo from Jianshen Qu Ba, unknown origin, complete article

Weixin photo from Jianshen Qu Ba, unknown origin, complete article

China is a separate world and becoming even more distant. This is especially true with the internet. Wechat 微信 is part of China’s social media and a very good example. Their information ecosystem, heavily monitored and censored by the government, is often smartphone ecosystem, and not web site based. I occasionally monitor Chinese social media and often read some of their articles.

While the content can be very good, for fitness articles they almost always use white models. I find this very strange. There are more than enough jacked Chinese guys and beautiful Chinese women in Asia. The photos also have no sources.