Posting about the report from Soma city in Fukushima in the Facebook, I was asked by Dan K2YWE if Soma city is representing the area at present. I have investigated about it. The answer is definitely "No".
The destroyed nuclear power plant has made massive contamination expecially northeast-ward. The area around the nuclear power plant is divided into 3 ranks due to the contamination level. The worstly contaminated area named "difficult to return" area had the annual cummulative radiation dose more than 50mSv and was expected to have more than 20mSv in 5 years. According to the standard by IAEA regarding the contamination level, that area is not appropriate for living or even transient visiting of people.
So far as searched, there are 3 towns whose entire land could be categorized as the "difficult to return" area. In addition to them, the most area of a town spreading northeast-ward from the nuclear plant also belongs to this category. About 25000 people won't be able to return home in those areas. It is literally "forever" that they will lose their homes and communities. Adjascent to those towns, there are areas not suitable for living as well, especially for children. Much more people will lose their homeland forever, I am afraid.
These 3 towns in "difficult to return" area face to the Pacific Ocean and suffered much from the tsunami, which caused numbers of victims there.
If there had been no nuclear power plant accident, some of the victims could have been saved.
There are still 120000 people evacuated from Fukushima. Some of them have given up returning to homeland. They will have lost their folks, communities, jobs and homeland as well.
The "difficult to return" area looks to be purchased by the government and used for the "intermediate" storage of the radio-contaminated materials. The radioactive materials is so massive, that the storage facilites should occupy most of the land in those towns. The storage facilities won't be possibly intermediate but eternal since they could not have any perspective for the eternal storage places in the other area. This means the people of the area would lose their homeland forever. This solution might be inevitable but we should remember there are much bitter tears shed.
We should learn any serious nuclear power plant accident, once it happens, will leave such a tragidic sequel.
1/30/2015
Gyoza
Originally a chinese dish, Gyoza, dumpling with minced pork and vegetables stuffing. Vegetables are cabbage and japanese leek. Seaoned with sake, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger etc. It tastes juicy. The only problem for me to cook this menu is that I am inclined to make too much every time. Dozens of gyoza at one time! I will freeze some of the stuffing material.
1/29/2015
A report from a city in Fukushima
The Disaster Countermeasures Office of Soma City has sent me a brochure titled the Interim Report. Soma city is a town facing to the Pacific Ocean about 35 miles north of the 1st Fukushima Nuclear Plants destroyed by the big earth quake and the tsunami 3 years ago. I have made a bit of donation to the city immediately after the disaster. They regularly report possibly to all the donators how they have recovered from the disaster at regular interval. This is the 4th report almost 3 years after the disaster.
It is a brochure of about 100 pages with a lot of photos edited with PC by themselves. I am always skeptical about such a brochure issued by any regional governmental office. Because it could have been a propaganda for the politicians there. This one was not such a case. It was emphasized that they had aimed at recovery of the communities in the city. Loss of the community means social death for the people. I am glad the city administrators are making them recovered in the same communiy even if they had to move from the original place to a new one.
Some photos also showed how the town had been getting over the disaster. A page is scanned here. The left side photos show various areas in the city immediately after the disater while the right side ones show them at present. I know they are still in the process to full recovery. But these photos still encourage us letting us know they are making steps forward.
1/27/2015
Visiting a friend dentist
Owing to a crown on a teeth coming off, I headed to a dentist in a town nearby yesterday. He has been a friend of mine since the university days. Even though we were not very close each other those days, we talked a bit from time to time. He was a gentle fellow always smiling and a basket ball player.
Years later, when I started my practice near to his office, he and his wife visited me at the clonic bringing a bouquet and a clock for the reception room. Their kindness was impressive to me since I was doing with everything alone. He has taken their children to me at the clinic when they had any health problem. In a sense, it was another support from him to me. When I closed my office almost 3 years ago, I visited him to report that. He has accepted me with the same smile at that time.
His children have grown up and, as a rumor said, have gone to Department of Dentistry at some universities. I thought his daughter in her late twenties of age now might already have taken over his clinic.
He has busily asked what happened to me. I wanted him to make another crown on the teeth. While he was doing the procedure, I asked how his children were doing. I also added that his daughter could have worked at his clinic by now. In low voice, he answered that she had married and got a son. Her son, that is, his grandson had some chronic neurological problem. Seemingly a degenerative disease. She has been occupied with caring for him, so that she could not come to take it over or even to help him at present.
I did not know how to respond to him. In a few seconds, I told him he should go on working as a grandpa for a while. I could not see how he looked since I was laid on the dentistry chair. He told his son might come back there soon. His wife, working with him, has greeted to me saying thanks for my visit 3 years ago. A slender beautiful lady with the same smile as a couple of decades ago. It was her who always took their children to my clinic.
Such a thing could happen to a family of good will. A kind of cruelty in life. As a pediatrician having experienced with many cases of those handicapped children and their families, I have learned those family members could unite each other strongly. The mothers with handicapped children always look bright and positive for life. Of course, there could be various difficulties in life for them. Despite of that, they are always bright and positive as if they were living the happiest lives in the world. It is a mystery but still a fact. I really hope that he and his family get bonded even stronger and would prove another example of that miracle.
Years later, when I started my practice near to his office, he and his wife visited me at the clonic bringing a bouquet and a clock for the reception room. Their kindness was impressive to me since I was doing with everything alone. He has taken their children to me at the clinic when they had any health problem. In a sense, it was another support from him to me. When I closed my office almost 3 years ago, I visited him to report that. He has accepted me with the same smile at that time.
His children have grown up and, as a rumor said, have gone to Department of Dentistry at some universities. I thought his daughter in her late twenties of age now might already have taken over his clinic.
He has busily asked what happened to me. I wanted him to make another crown on the teeth. While he was doing the procedure, I asked how his children were doing. I also added that his daughter could have worked at his clinic by now. In low voice, he answered that she had married and got a son. Her son, that is, his grandson had some chronic neurological problem. Seemingly a degenerative disease. She has been occupied with caring for him, so that she could not come to take it over or even to help him at present.
I did not know how to respond to him. In a few seconds, I told him he should go on working as a grandpa for a while. I could not see how he looked since I was laid on the dentistry chair. He told his son might come back there soon. His wife, working with him, has greeted to me saying thanks for my visit 3 years ago. A slender beautiful lady with the same smile as a couple of decades ago. It was her who always took their children to my clinic.
Such a thing could happen to a family of good will. A kind of cruelty in life. As a pediatrician having experienced with many cases of those handicapped children and their families, I have learned those family members could unite each other strongly. The mothers with handicapped children always look bright and positive for life. Of course, there could be various difficulties in life for them. Despite of that, they are always bright and positive as if they were living the happiest lives in the world. It is a mystery but still a fact. I really hope that he and his family get bonded even stronger and would prove another example of that miracle.
1/24/2015
Our government has known the hostage issue in the Middle East since last fall.
Kouji Tsuneoka, an Islam and a journalist, has given press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Japan.
He has been invited to the Islamic court of ISIS for the case of two japanese hostages by them in last Oct. At this time, ISIS has told him that they would judge the case according to the Islamic law and won't require ransom nor kill the hostages. However, the Public Security Bureau of the Police has investigated him regarding the case of a university student who had been told to express his desire to go to Syria in order to join the battle of ISIS. That case was unlikely to be a serious case. On the investigation, the police has seized Tsuneoka's PC and so forth. It has made him unable to get in touch with the head of ISIS.
Since Prime Minister Abe addressed on financial aid to the countries in the Middle East in his recent visit there, which could be taken as an expression of hostility toward ISIS, ISIS has menaced for ransome, in case of no payment of that, murduring both hostages. This has been reported by mass media and has become a serious issue here. The government has finally established the countermeasures headquarters. The time limit was only 3 days, which has already passed now.
This means that the government has known of the hostage problem at least since last Oct. They have disturbed a civilian to get in touch with ISIS. So far, the government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not asked him to negotiate with ISIS.
Knowing of this situation, Prime Minister Abe might have made that address likelily taken as an attitude hostile to ISIS in his visit to the Middle East recently. I could not help suspecting he might utilize this situation to send JSDF troops to the Middle East according to the right of collective self defence. Or he is not eligible for a leader for foreign affairs. he proves himself to be a stupid politician.
Our mass media won't report this issue yet so far.
He has been invited to the Islamic court of ISIS for the case of two japanese hostages by them in last Oct. At this time, ISIS has told him that they would judge the case according to the Islamic law and won't require ransom nor kill the hostages. However, the Public Security Bureau of the Police has investigated him regarding the case of a university student who had been told to express his desire to go to Syria in order to join the battle of ISIS. That case was unlikely to be a serious case. On the investigation, the police has seized Tsuneoka's PC and so forth. It has made him unable to get in touch with the head of ISIS.
Since Prime Minister Abe addressed on financial aid to the countries in the Middle East in his recent visit there, which could be taken as an expression of hostility toward ISIS, ISIS has menaced for ransome, in case of no payment of that, murduring both hostages. This has been reported by mass media and has become a serious issue here. The government has finally established the countermeasures headquarters. The time limit was only 3 days, which has already passed now.
This means that the government has known of the hostage problem at least since last Oct. They have disturbed a civilian to get in touch with ISIS. So far, the government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not asked him to negotiate with ISIS.
Knowing of this situation, Prime Minister Abe might have made that address likelily taken as an attitude hostile to ISIS in his visit to the Middle East recently. I could not help suspecting he might utilize this situation to send JSDF troops to the Middle East according to the right of collective self defence. Or he is not eligible for a leader for foreign affairs. he proves himself to be a stupid politician.
Our mass media won't report this issue yet so far.
1/21/2015
The curtain is getting raised
Two hours before sunset, 40m opens to NA pretty well. Very quiet. Less jamming than later hours. Even with a barefoot and simple antenna, signals from NA, mainly the West Coast and the Mid West, come through here as if they were greeting before going to bed. Even with marginal strengthe and deep fading, they are gradually coming up.
I have had a nice chat with Pete AB0WW in Livermore CA. He told me I had been his very 1st JA in our 1st QSO 6 years ago. What an honor! I used to visit K6TS in Livermore in '80s. Pete did not know him since he had moved there from MN only 6 years ago. Livermore was a lovely town where those commuting to SF lived in.
Pete has retired from cardiac pace maker business last year after working in that business for 40 years. Pete has remembered of my profession and told his elder daughter is serving residency in pediatrics in the East Coast. I agreed with him telling me it was not easy to serve residency for her. His 2nd one is a college student holding a Technician ticket. Pete must be very proud of them.
Signals are getting louder as sun is setting here. Dramas are starting from now on the band. The curtain is getting raised now. What stories are waiting for me? We could experience the other people's lives far away from here. I could not help feeling thrilled to listen to them talking on their lives. It is the condition on my beloved band I have enjoyed most since '60s.
Now fully satisfied, starting preparing supper haha.
I have had a nice chat with Pete AB0WW in Livermore CA. He told me I had been his very 1st JA in our 1st QSO 6 years ago. What an honor! I used to visit K6TS in Livermore in '80s. Pete did not know him since he had moved there from MN only 6 years ago. Livermore was a lovely town where those commuting to SF lived in.
Pete has retired from cardiac pace maker business last year after working in that business for 40 years. Pete has remembered of my profession and told his elder daughter is serving residency in pediatrics in the East Coast. I agreed with him telling me it was not easy to serve residency for her. His 2nd one is a college student holding a Technician ticket. Pete must be very proud of them.
Signals are getting louder as sun is setting here. Dramas are starting from now on the band. The curtain is getting raised now. What stories are waiting for me? We could experience the other people's lives far away from here. I could not help feeling thrilled to listen to them talking on their lives. It is the condition on my beloved band I have enjoyed most since '60s.
Now fully satisfied, starting preparing supper haha.
1/20/2015
DXing is a thing of the past for me
This morning, I got up at 5:30, an hour before sunrise. As I always do, prepared breakfast and a cup of coffee, I went into the shack. Even though it is the Coldest Day throughout a year ,called as Taikan in Japanese, today according to our traditional calendar, it was not too chilly this morning.
The higher bands were still quiet. Looking around 40m, I found a couple of DX getting some pile ups. Though I have left DXing long time ago, I have had nothing to do on the band open only to the Eastern Eu and the Middle East. I would just play with those DX for a while. One was JY5HX, a station in Jordan, who was handling the pile up on the same frequency as he transmitted. A few JAs were calling him but could not get through the pile up from Europe. I believe those frustrated callers from JA might be using a wire antenna or a vertical. When I used to use a vertical, it was really tough for me to get any Middle East. QRM from the Europe must be so intense. After a few calls, I could get him successfully. I wished him to realize he had been called by JAs.
The other was EP6T, seemingly certain isaland in Iran. He was dealing with a bit more callers in split operation. It seemed he was going up and down at regular increment/decrement of frequencies. I tried to call him on the expected spot. But no success. Though he announced only JA and up, there were a lot of callers acting against him mainly from Europe. It took me some 15 minutes to get his coming back. As time went on, I got more and more frustrated. I have remembered that feeling, which drove me for further DXing 2 or 3 decades ago. If one of my neighbors got the call earlier, I would be most frustrated at it, if I was not aware of that or not. Even when I got back the call, I only felt the frustration was calmed but nothing pleasant. Joining in pile ups is just making frustration for myself. When I learned this fact, I remembered, I lost interests in DXing soon.
I still understand it is a big challenge for DXers to chase and get new entities. I won't comment on their way of enjoyment. It was, however, obvious that it was not the area I stayed on any longer. I again realized that and quit the mess of pile ups.
One more thing on DX. If a DX operates in split, there could be police on the DX frequency who tirelessly go on announcing "Up". They must intend to give notice to those calling on the DX frequency. A quite common scene in DXing. But I wonder if their good intention could rewarded. If that caller on the frequency is doing it without being aware of that, he or she won't realize of own mistake even listening the police"s announcement. If it should be an intentional jamming with calling on the same frequency, the jammer won't care for any notice. If you would let the caller on the frequency know of his/her mistake, you should give the particular call of the caller before giving the notice. Such careless caller may not understand that he/she is given that caution. If your police action won't work once, don't repeat it any longer. Just leave it go on. Or your announcement would cause further mess on the frequency.
Anyway, it was a morning when I realized again DXing is a thing of the past for me.
The higher bands were still quiet. Looking around 40m, I found a couple of DX getting some pile ups. Though I have left DXing long time ago, I have had nothing to do on the band open only to the Eastern Eu and the Middle East. I would just play with those DX for a while. One was JY5HX, a station in Jordan, who was handling the pile up on the same frequency as he transmitted. A few JAs were calling him but could not get through the pile up from Europe. I believe those frustrated callers from JA might be using a wire antenna or a vertical. When I used to use a vertical, it was really tough for me to get any Middle East. QRM from the Europe must be so intense. After a few calls, I could get him successfully. I wished him to realize he had been called by JAs.
The other was EP6T, seemingly certain isaland in Iran. He was dealing with a bit more callers in split operation. It seemed he was going up and down at regular increment/decrement of frequencies. I tried to call him on the expected spot. But no success. Though he announced only JA and up, there were a lot of callers acting against him mainly from Europe. It took me some 15 minutes to get his coming back. As time went on, I got more and more frustrated. I have remembered that feeling, which drove me for further DXing 2 or 3 decades ago. If one of my neighbors got the call earlier, I would be most frustrated at it, if I was not aware of that or not. Even when I got back the call, I only felt the frustration was calmed but nothing pleasant. Joining in pile ups is just making frustration for myself. When I learned this fact, I remembered, I lost interests in DXing soon.
I still understand it is a big challenge for DXers to chase and get new entities. I won't comment on their way of enjoyment. It was, however, obvious that it was not the area I stayed on any longer. I again realized that and quit the mess of pile ups.
One more thing on DX. If a DX operates in split, there could be police on the DX frequency who tirelessly go on announcing "Up". They must intend to give notice to those calling on the DX frequency. A quite common scene in DXing. But I wonder if their good intention could rewarded. If that caller on the frequency is doing it without being aware of that, he or she won't realize of own mistake even listening the police"s announcement. If it should be an intentional jamming with calling on the same frequency, the jammer won't care for any notice. If you would let the caller on the frequency know of his/her mistake, you should give the particular call of the caller before giving the notice. Such careless caller may not understand that he/she is given that caution. If your police action won't work once, don't repeat it any longer. Just leave it go on. Or your announcement would cause further mess on the frequency.
Anyway, it was a morning when I realized again DXing is a thing of the past for me.
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