PSA #3: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

~When was the last time you changed a light bulb? If you're like most Americans, it probably wasn't that long ago that you flipped the switch, heard a brief *tink!*, and groaned to yourself, realizing that you had to change the bulb. Before you regale me with "How many X's does it take to change a light bulb?" jokes, today I bring you yet another Public Service Announcement. This one is about something you may not have heard of: compact fluorescent light bulbs.

First, some history (No! Don't leave!). The conventional incandescent light bulb that most of us use was invented in 1879 by Thomas Edison (patent number 223, 898 to be exact). It works by channeling electricity through a thin wire (called a filament) made of tungsten, which has the highest melting point of all metallic elements. The thinness of the filament creates a high degree of electrical resistance, which causes it to become intensely hot, so hot that it glows. That's where the light comes from.

The problem with this method of illumination is twofold. First, it's incredibly inefficient. As I'm sure you're aware, light bulbs that have been on for a few minutes become very hot, which is a result of the white-hot filament. Unless you have infravision, heat doesn't help you see; it's wasted energy. In other words, very little of the electricity pumped into the light bulb actually turns into light.

The second problem is that the filament has a relatively short life span. Every time the filament is heated, it melts a little bit. Of course, it eventually becomes so thin that it breaks entirely, necessitating a replacement.

Fortunately, I have a solution to these problems, and that solution is the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). Like NiMH rechargeable batteries, using CFLs will save you money and time, and will also be better for the environment.

CFLs are essentially consumer versions of the large, long-lasting fluorescent lights that are used as overhead lighting in most large buildings. The method that they use to create light is completely different from incandescent bulbs. First, electricity is channeled through a glass bulb filled with gas. The electricity causes the gas to emit UV radiation, which hits a phosphor coating on the inner surface of the bulb. The coating absorbs the UV rays and emits visible light, which looks exactly the same as light from an incandescent bulb.

So what makes them so much better than the old bulbs? First of all, they're much more energy efficient, using an average of 1/4 as much energy as incandescent bulbs. So a 15-watt CFL will produce about the same amount of light as a 90-watt incandescent. Second, CFLs last longer...a lot longer, usually having at least four times the lifespan of Edison's bulbs. Finally, they don't give off as much heat as incandescents, which is not only safer but reduces cooling costs in the summer. Here is a link to to the Energy Star page on CFLs, which has much more information on the energy savings you can get by using these devices. Note that Energy Star-certified CFLs come with at least a two-year warranty.

All of this translates into significant monetary savings for you if you use CFLs. Although it's cheap to buy a light bulb, you have to pay for the power to use it, and fluorescents use less power. Here's the math: a 20-watt CFL with a life of 8,000 hours, assuming an average electricity cost of 8¢ per kilowatt-hour, will cost you around $12.80 to power over its life:


By comparison, for the same amount of light, you'd have to use 75-watt incandescent bulbs, which last around 2,000 hours each. That will cost you $48.00 to power, and of course you'd have to buy four bulbs to get the 8,000 hours:

Like rechargeable batteries, the cost of CFLs was once high but has plummeted in recent years, with prices approaching as little as $1 per bulb. Wal-Mart recently announced an initiative to sell 100 million of them this year. It feels weird to be plugging a store that I avoid shopping at, but you can get a six-pack of 13-watt CLFs (equivalent to 60-watt incandescents) for only $9.98.

As I mentioned before, CFLs are, overall, better for our environment. Because they last longer, they result in less trash. Because they use less power, they don't result in as much pollution from power plants. I'm sure Captain Planet would approve.

The only downside is that they're a bit more difficult to dispose of than the old light bulbs. Because CFLs contain a tiny amount of mercury gas (almost completely harmless in such a small amount, about 1/100 of what old thermometers had), you shouldn't just throw them into the trash if you can avoid it. Luckily, there are a number of ways to properly dispose of dead CFLs; here is a big list of places in Wake County where you can drop them off. If you have to throw them out, or you're too lazy to dispose of them properly, put them in a sealed plastic bag before pitching them in the trash.

So here's your mission: the next time a light bulb in your home dies and you find that you're out of spare bulbs, replace it with a CFL. Your electricity bill will be lower. The light will last much longer. It won't burn a hole in your wallet, nor will it burn you if you accidentally touch it. You'll produce less trash. And best of all, the illumination will be exactly the same as it was before.

Don't feel bad about using the rest of the incandescent light bulbs you have, but once they're gone, get CFLs for your future needs. You'll be doing yourself, and the world, a favor. ~Oyasumi!

San Kyu!

~For the past few days, I've noticed a lone line of people waiting outside of a cake shop in downtown Nagaoka. Not being able to read the promotional sign, I had no idea what everyone was waiting for as the line moved along at a glacial pace. Fortunately, one of my coworkers explained to me that the shop was having a special "customer appreciation" sale: only ¥39 for one of their small cakes (about 32¢). I'd buy one myself if I didn't have to wait in line for an hour.

Why ¥39? In Japanese, the number thirty-nine is pronounced "San-juu kyu"; the number three is "san" and nine is "kyu" (juu is ten). So, the numbers three and nine said individually would be "san kyu".

Try saying it: "san kyu" sounds like "thank you" using Japanese pronunciation. This is part of the cake shop's customer appreciation gimmick. And I'll bet you thought my Japanese puns were bad! ~Oyasumi.

The REAL Last Samurai

~I speak to you tonight of one of Japan's living legends. You may have heard of him: his name is Hiroo Onoda, and for thirty years, he continued fighting World War II, long after his homeland had surrendered. His story is an incredible mixture of perseverance, hardship, blind loyalty, and faith. I first heard of Mr. Onoda many years ago, in a small book of true stories titled "Stranger Than Fiction", and I've always been intrigued by his story.

Hiroo Onoda was born in 1922 in Japan. After he turned 17, he moved to China to work for a trading company, but was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942. However, unlike most of the rank-and-file cannon fodder, he was sent to a special school that trained soldiers in guerrilla warfare. Upon graduation in late 1944, the young Lt. Onoda was sent to Lubang, a small island in the Philippines, which at the time was occupied by Japan. By then, the war was winding down, and Japan was in retreat. Onoda's job was to direct guerrilla operations on Lubang in preparation for an Allied invasion.

His orders were very specific: "You are absolutely forbidden to die by your own hand. It may take three years, it may take five, but whatever happens, we'll come back for you. Until then, so long as you have one soldier, you are to continue to lead him. You may have to live on coconuts. If that's the case, live on coconuts! Under no circumstances are you [to] give up your life voluntarily."

If these orders seem extreme, consider this: Japanese soldiers were taught that to surrender was an act of cowardice that would result in execution and dishonor, and most took their own lives rather than be captured. During the long-running Battle of Okinawa, the situation was even more horrific: the soldiers told the civilians there that the Americans were going to to terrible things to them, so thousands of people hurled themselves and their children over cliffs and into the sea rather than be taken alive.

Now that you understand where Hiroo Onoda is coming from, the motivation for his subsequent actions will be more understandable. The expected Allied invasion did indeed occur on February 1 1945, scarcely a month after Onoda's arrival. The Japanese garrison was killed or captured, and Onoda was left with only four soldiers under his command. A few months later, Japan surrendered...but not Lt. Onoda. As per his orders, he and his squad took to the jungle and hills of Lubang and continued to harass the Allied forces on the island. After the Allies left, they raided the islanders themselves.

It's important to note that Onoda was not a bandit or a criminal who was hiding out in the jungle. He fully believed that Japan was still at war with the United States, despite all evidence to the contrary. The terrified islanders left messages, leaflets, and even newspapers to show him the truth. Japanese reporters and concerned citizens swept the jungle looking for him. Even his own father and brother arrived to search for him, pleading over megaphones for Hiroo Onoda to give up fighting.

To Onoda, all of these things had to be tricks. Japan would never surrender, he thought, but would keep fighting until the last Japanese citizen had been killed. All of the tactics used to convince him to surrender were clearly Allied propaganda: the papers were fabrications, the people collaborators, and his family coerced, traitors, or impostors. Isolated as he was on a small, undeveloped jungle island, he was unwilling to take only these things as evidence that the war had ended.

To support himself, Onoda lived off of bananas and coconuts, and what food he could hunt or steal from the islanders...although he considered it "requisitioning" rather than stealing. Isn't it amazing what we humans will rationalize through doublespeak? Later, Onoda requisitioned a transistor radio, and was amazed to hear of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. How nice, he thought, that even though Japan and the U.S. were at war, they could still hold a peaceful gathering of the world's athletes.

One by one, the three soldiers under Onoda's command either became fed up and left, or died. But Onoda continued to fight on...for thirty years. It wasn't until February 20, 1974 that things took a turn for the better. It was on that day that Onoda stumbled across Norio Suzuki, a young Japanese man who had told his friends he was “going to look for Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the Abominable Snowman, in that order." After Onoda nearly shot Suzuki, the two struck up a conversation and a tentative friendship.

By this point, Onoda was getting old (he was 52, Dad!) and tired of his endless fight, but was unwilling to give up. Suzuki wisely asked him if there was absolutely anything he could do, any evidence he could provide, to convince Onoda to stop fighting. Onoda replied that only a direct order from his superior officer would be sufficient. Suzuki agreed to help him, and they arranged to meet again. Soon afterwards, Suzuki returned with Major Taniguchi, Onoda's long-retired former commander, who ordered Onoda to stand down. For Lt. Hiroo Onoda, World War II was finally over.

He became a huge hero in Japan, a living symbol of his people's resilience and honor. The Filipinos were so glad to be finally rid of him that the President of the Philippines, Ferdinan Marcos, granted him a full pardon. Onoda went on to write a book titled "No Surrender: My Thirty-year War". His book deal and new-found fame made him quite wealthy.

But Onoda just couldn't adjust to modern Japan. His mind was still living thirty years in the past, when the culture, people, and even the appearance of his homeland were very different. In the end, he moved to Brazil, where he got married and became a successful rancher. In the 1980s, he finally returned to Japan and opened a nature school for children, to teach them to be mentally strong and self-sufficient. We can be sure that he has plenty of outdoor experience.

Recently, The Japan Times published an interview with Hiroo Onoda (now 84 years old) as part of the weekly "Words to Live by" segment. In the interview, Onoda shared several pearls of wisdom polished over his amazing life. He strongly encourages poeple to be more self-reliant and civic-minded, especially encouraging parents to raise more independent children. For example, he is disgusted that many Japanese students see their test results as the be-all and the end-all of their lives, which is exactly what the educational curriculum over here is intended to do. His stated goal in establishing the Onoda Nature School is to give children more power of choice.

Hiroo Onoda still retains his militaristic mindset. He believes that the Japanese of today are sleepy-headed and ignorant of threats to Japan, and will not awaken without a huge shock. He declares that Japan should retain the capability to defend itself from other nations such as North Korea without the need to rely on U.S. intervention.

He also had some more humorous tips, such as how "Men should never compete with women", because women "have a lot more endurance. My mother said that, and she was so right." It's nice to see that he's retained a sense of humor after thirty years in the jungle.

Attention, class: what can we learn from the story of Hiroo Onoda? The first and most obvious lesson, I think, is that we must accept changes in reality based on available evidence. Onoda's beliefs and mindset were so strong that he denied the mountains of evidence that the war was over. Today, I see many people denying reality and ignoring anything that contradicts their view of the world, such as people denying global warming, human evolution, or the nature of a certain conflict in the Middle East.

Second, Onoda's story shows us the power of belief. His belief in his nation and his duty were strong that he persevered for decades in unimaginably difficult conditions. He's completely right when he says that many people and children today lack self-confidence and are obsessed with trivialities that consume their lives. What they need is something to believe in that will motivate them...provided it doesn't lead them down the wrong path.

Finally, the story demonstrates the need for community. Humans are social creatures that need and rely on other people to survive. Personally, I'm quite introverted and perfectly happy by myself most of the time, but my life would be terribly dull and ultimately pointless without the friends and family that I value so much (that's why I'm writing this blog, people! For you!). In the end, even Hiroo Onoda couldn't live alone in the jungle forever, clinging only to his dreams and beliefs.

That's enough for now. Let me know what you think of Onoda's story. ~Oyasumi!

Rise of the Machines

~Hakuo Yanagisawa, Japan's Health Minister, recently got into some hot water during a speech given on January 27. In a speech to members of his political party, he called on the women of Japan to perform a public service by raising the nation's birth rate. Here's where he got into trouble:

"The number of women aged between 15 and 50 is fixed," he said, "Because the number of birth-giving machines and devices is fixed, all we can do is ask them to do their best per head ... although it may not be so appropriate to call them machines."

You think?!? Although Mr. Yanagisawa was scolded by the Prime Minister, he does have a point. Japan faces a severe population crisis that is a ticking time bomb of demographic destruction. Last year, Japan reached its highest level of population (about 126 million), and this year, for the first time ever, the population has been projected to fall. In fact, barring any upheavals, it's going to continue falling for the foreseeable future.


While Japan is expecting a 30% drop in population over the next 50 years, that's not the bad part. The problem is that the proportion of elderly citizens will continue to increase. By 2050, over 1/3 of the people in Japan will be retired...and collecting their state pensions (the Japanese equivalent of Social Security). Where exactly is this money going to come from?

The problem with Mr. Yanagisawa's remark, aside from its obvious lack of political correctness, is that it deliberately ignores a very obvious solution to the population problem: immigration. The Japanese government is extremely xenophobic when it comes to the issue of immigrants. They'll gladly let you come to Japan and work temporarily (as I am), but actually staying here on a long-term basis is extremely difficult.

For example, in the early 1990s, factories in Japan faced a shortage of manpower (this was just before their economy went under for a decade). To ameliorate this, the government instituted a program to allow Brazilians of Japanese decent to work in Japan. Some 230,000 Brazilians immigrated to Japan. The idea was that they'd move here, work in the factories, and then leave when they were no longer needed. The last part was critical: the foreigners were never expected to stay.

Many here say that granting them residency visas was a mistake, as many Brazilians (currently 180,000+) have indeed decided to stay and have not meshed well with the rigorous social system here. Foreign children, for example, are not required to attend public schools, and sometimes don't. The Japanese language skills of many Brazilians are said to be low (understandable, from my point of view). They play loud music and have raucous parties. They don't separate their trash properly...the list of complaints from the Japanese goes on and on.

The upshot of all this is that the Japanese government is desperate for any solution to the population crisis, provided that it does not involve a loosening of immigration restrictions. Currently, less than 2% of Japan's population consists of foreigners, and the Japanese want to keep it that way. But it's just not going to work. Sooner or later, they're going to have to open up, as they did in response to Commodore Perry's fleet in 1854 after centuries of deliberate isolation. Perhaps Japanese society will have to undergo radical changes. People fear change...but they'll have to deal with it, or settle for being considerably poorer than they are now.

On the other hand, there's always cloning. ~Oyasumi!

Sparkring Soda

~Just some quick Japanglish today:

^ I saw this "Sparkring Soda" at a discount store and couldn't resist buying it. For the record, it was not half bad, albeit lacking a certain "spark" in its flavor. Look, you can see my reflection above the label, holding a camera.

I can only assume that this is Japanglish and not an intentional misspelling of the word "sparkling". The reason, I imagine, is due to the lack of an 'L' sound in the Japanese language. The closest equivalent is a blending of the 'R' and 'L' sounds, created by briefly touching the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

This is one reason why it's good for Japanese children to study English at an early age; it's much easier for kids to properly pronounce the sounds for 'L' and 'R'. By contrast, older students who haven't seriously studied English find it much harder to differentiate and reproduce the sounds. It creates some amusing mistakes, such as when you ask a student what they ate for lunch and their answer sounds like, "A bowl of lice." Mmm, mmm, good! ~Oyasumi.