A simple life

I am in the process of preparing my second candle flashlight dinner for tonight- I am actually hate to say that, do any of you realize that we, no longer can live on our own anymore? Everyday, we have to rely on someone on almost everything to survive or to keep us in a well being. That’s really suck. We, no longer can live without light for 3 hours at night; no longer can live without TV or computer for 3 hours; no longer can live without tab water or bottle water; no longer can cook without gas; no longer can live if for 2 weeks without sanitation workers collecting our trash; no longer can survive if all groceries closed for 2 weeks; no longer can go to work without the mass transportation; car become meaningless when gasoline is not in the picture; cell phone become unusable because of overloading, doctor and medicine are not available anymore.

I wish I can, we can, just live a simple lives, no TV and computer, drinking from well and stream, cooking without fire, producing zero trash, growing our own food, going to work by walk or bike, communicating back to way on 20 years ago, not rely on doctor and medicine anymore. Am I thinking too much or peoples are just not thinking? For sure, I don’t need nuclear power plant to my power supply. Do any?

Iodine level

Radiactive iodine were found in the water supply, however the levels were way below the legal limit of 300 becquerels/kg, Gunma is 2.5 becquerels/kg, Tokyo is 1.5, Chiba is 0.79, Saitma is 0.62 and Niigata is 0.27. So we are all safe for now.

Don't Panic

As yesterday, the radiation leak is not as bad as the media said. In Tokyo, there is about 0.045μSv/hour, which is 0.000045mSv/hour, Saitama prefecture is 0.058μSv/hour and Chiba prefecture is 0.033μSv/hour (today). Even those you are living in Fukushima (20km away from the plant), there is only about 10.80μSv/hour or 0.0108msv/hour. You have to expose for a total of 26 days to equal to one CT scan.

Supplies are back on shelves. Thought rice, dairy products, noodles, candles, flashlight, and batteries are still storage because of months long planned power outage. Yesterday we had our first candle/ flashlight dinner in Japan and 3 hours water-less lives. However, lives are back to normal. I will back to work on next Tuesday and I even have my dentist appointment on the following Wednesday. There is no more radiation crisis on TV all except news. People. Don’t panic! The world is not yet end.

How radiation harm our body (mSv)

Damage of central nervous system and death >10000

Internal bleeding and death 7000-10000

50% death 3000-6000

Unfertilized 4000

Hair lose 3000

Radiation sickness point >2000

Nausea and vomiting 1000

Reduction of white blood cells 500

No harm for human <200

Change in blood chemistry 50-100

Brazil 10.0

CAT scan 6.9

World average year expose 2.4

Stomach x-way 0.6

Roundtrip travel between Tokyo and New York 0.2
Chest x-way 0.05

Living near a power plant year expose 0.05/year

Converstion

1 millisievert (mSv) = 1000 microsievert (μSv)

１ミリシーベルト＝１０００マイクロ・シーベルト

1 microsievert = 0.001 millisievert

1 millisievert = 0.10000 rem

I will have just still with them.

“有緣”生活在災難中的土地, 加倍佩服日本人的團結精神。When I first asked her to consider going back to Hong Kong, her first respond is how about those in Fukushima still left behind. Then, when I asked her how about going to the south for a weeks or two, her respond is people are coming from Fukushima to Saitama, which where I am living, to take shelter. If we are leaving, is that iconic? On top of that, kids still have school, and we can’t just walk away for our duties (jobs) either. Even tough Japan is suffering from the biggest hardship ever. The evacution is only among foreigners and foreign firms. There are very few of Japanese leaving. As now, although trains are in limited sevice, suppliers are limited, water and electronic might cutoff at any moment, but the fact is most Japanese are willing to stay with those still in need and suffering. The only things we can do are to live our life as normal. As you can see on TV, people are lining up in front of train stations for 3 hours in order to go to work. Japan is city like that; they want to keep to city running, not running away from it. A city is only able to function with peoples. If peoples are leaving, who are going to sell us groceries, who are going to operate the trains, and who are going to treat us with when we get sick. While I am still able to use electricity, water, and toilet, and sleep in a bed with a blanket, there are still million up there still living without water, electricity, gas and suppliers for 7 days already, and temperature has just dropped below zero. In this very moment, I will have just stay with them. 

Earthquake aftermath

Japan had the deepest and longest tsunami water gate in the world. But when it comes to Mother Nature, it proofed to be in vain. And now right behind the biggest earthquake ever happened in Japan and a 10 meters high tsunami, it came to an atomic reactor meltdown hazard. There about 18 of nuclear plants all around Japan. It looks like we have nowhere to hide as the fact that radiation travel thousand miles away after explosion.  Let's pray for our safety and the safety of the world.

Tokyo blackout

Please reduce the electricity usage by avoiding using unnecessary standy mode, remove your phone chargers from the outlet, use your banket, not a heater and sunlight, not light bulbs. And you don't need to keep your warmer toilet cover on. Please help out our fellow Japanese. Let's do our parts.

Earthquake Japan 11.3.11

Wherever I went, disaster stroke. I was at the state when 9/11 occurred, and I was there during the NY city blackout. Then I am here again as the biggest earthquake is ever stroke in Japan. I don't want to be anywhere next time when something big happen again. May all those are waiting to be helped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAGtMX-2-wQ

I don't really want it

When I was in Hong Kong, I went to United State because of her. I didn't really want it.

Then, When I was in Vermont, I went to New York becaue of her. I didn't really want it.

Mid-March snow in Misato

Years later, when I was in New York, I always asked myself, "Why am I still here? So finally, I came to Japan becasue of them. I didn't really want it.

And now, I am here in Tokyo. I am still asking myself, "Why am I here? Because I didn't really want it.

So what do I really want? and what do you really want?

自己紹介2011

始めまして、ティムです。宜しくお願いします。二年前にニューヨークから日本に来ました。私は香港人です。８年前にニューヨークでインターネットエンジニアを専攻で卒業しました。それから、学生のときアルバイトしたレストランで1年間マナージャをしていました。その後は、４年間、写真オンラインプリント会社のIT部署に勤めました。その会社で、eコマースウェブサイトの企画を担当し、業務向上、改善に努めていました。日本に来た主な理由は、日本の文化です。昔から、よく日本のアニメを見たり、日本製の電化製品を使ったり、日本料理を食べたことにより、日本に憧れ、いつかは日本に行こうと思っていました。日本に来てから、半年間日本語の学校に通いながら日本語を勉強しました。その後も自分で毎日日本語を勉強しています。まだ日本の文化や歴史など分からないことは沢山ありますが、日本の生活は慣れています。趣味は、本を読んだり、ホームーページを作ったり、新しいパソコンの技術を学ぶことです。家族は妻と子どもが二人います。妻は、サラリーマンてす。上の子は今小学校一年生で、下の子は毎日保育所に通っています。

Japanese grammar "と", "たら" and "ば" different

Today I would like to discuss the 3 kinds of similar expressions in Japanese grammar- "と", "たら" and "ば".

"と" is used where the result is inevitable. It is a predictable event or an unavoidable fact. However, it can not be used when it comes to the speaker's wises, judgment, permission, hopes and requests.

ここを押せと、ドアが開きます。
ここを押せば、ドアが開きます。Ok
ここを押したら、ドアが開きます。Ok (Instead of “when you push”, here actually means “if you push”)

"たら"　is used in a conditional expression and indicates that an action or state will occur or appear when certain conditions have been met. It is not often used in newspaper and business environments because it is colloquial.

お金があったら、ニューヨークに行きたいです。
お金があれば、ニューヨークに行きたいです。Ok
お金があると、ニューヨークに行きたいです。x

"ば" is used to describe the environments needed for the certain event to manifest itself.

痛ければ、また来て下さい。
痛かったら、また来て下さい。Ok
痛いと、また来て下さい。x

More examples:

When I have time, I will bring kids to Hokkaido. (Undetermined and uncertain)
時間があれば、子ともを北海道に連れて行く。
When I have time, I will bring kids to Hokkaido. (Determined but uncertain)
時間があったら、こともを北海道に連れて行く。
I will bring kids to Hokkaido on summer break. (Determined and certain)
夏休みになると、子ともを北海道に連れて行く。