2nd hand (recycled) goods shop

All the talk about waste management got me thinking about recycling in Japan. And where else can you find 2nd hand goods with such good quality but Japan. In Malaysia, about the only recycled stuff worth buying is probably a motor vehicle. But even then you'll have to be careful with kereta potong (literally, cut-up cars).

The proliferation of recycled shops in Japan, I believe, all started with the annual winter/spring flea-markets. Then someone must have thought of the cool idea of making it a permanent event, in the like of shops. Now recycled shops are the next big hit after the 100yen Daiso. Just google 中古 or 創庫 with your local area name and you'll bound to come up with in inexhaustible list of links. Some of my favorite ones are See You, Book Off, and the local favorite on route 163. When I first arrived here in Japan, and couldn't afford the outlandish prices for brand new electrical appliances, these are some of the places that I looked at. If you can find the things that you want, and don't mind that it's not new, you will surely get a bargain at these shops. I once sold a baby stoller (ベビーカー) for a handsome profit there. Of course, these shops do keep their standards. The other day, after spring cleaning, we wanted to get rid of an old computer but the shop refused since it has no resale value. It was understandable.

So if you are in Japan, do consider these recycled goods shops. You never know what you may find.

Waste management in Japan

Rubbish is big deal in Japan. I only realized how I missed the waste management in Japan when I visit other countries. In Japan, different municipals have different management styles, but generally, rubbish are sorted by 2 categories at the-point-of-disposal. They are burnable and non-burnable waste. These categories are further divided into categories such as PET bottles, cans, foam (polystyrene) packages, paper cartons, etc. If you had visited the 2005 World Expo at Aichi, Nagoya, you would be surprised at the number of categories that were available.

I can understand how this came about in Japan. First of all, Japanese are crazy about presentation. Everything must be presented such that they are pleasing to the eye. You won't believe how many layers packing goes to gift-wrap something. And once you open the gift-box, you are presented with even more packaging before you even lay your eyes on the gift. You can say that the power of anticipation is brought to a new level here in Japan. With so much packaging materials to dispose of, you will need to have a good way to handle all that.

Also, Japanese are generally pretty civic minded about the environment. I believe this happened after WW2, and after Japan became industrialized. I once watched a Japanese movie, I believe it's called Hula Girl (フラガール) about this soon to be bankrupt mining company that tried to reinvent itself. It then occurred to me that the developing Japan was just like the developing China, or Taiwan or Singapore. During the time of economic boom, money is always first, while the environment takes second place. But the general public will sooner or later realize unchecked pollution and contamination due to improper waste disposal will only lead to more problems in the future. That is why the Japanese has a great system for garbage disposal. I think it is something other city municipals should really learn from. All this talk about rubbish reminds me that it's take-out-your-rubbish time today. Yes, we are limited to just twice weekly for disposal of burnable waste here in Nara-shi.

Theft in Japan?

I have parked my scooter next to this superbike at the school compound for the 2nd day. And this guy just left his keys stuck to his bike all this time. I think in some other parts of the world (Malaysia?), this poor chap would be at the police station crying out his eyeballs while reporting his lost bike. Theft cases in Japan are extremely low (I think). It could be that everyone (well, almost everyone) are contended that they don't touch other peoples' stuff. Or it could be that their are too chicken to deal with the consequences of their actions be it mental anguish or just plain physical torture when he is confronted by the owner with a steel pipe.

A friend that came by to visit me in Japan noticed all those nice umbrellas stacked up at the bus stop. "Doesn't anybody help themselves with those umbrellas?" he asked. The truth is I hadn't noticed them before that. So I just made a passing remark that those umbrella's were for good people with good intentions who will use and return them. Or it could be that the owner left it there for a rainy day. In anycase, if you don't want to loose any of your belongings, leave them in Japan. I think there's a good chance you'll find them at the Lost and Found.

All this reminds, me of my own experience about lost and found. I was maybe 7-8 years old then. Walking back home, minding my own business when I saw a guy had accidentally dropped a MYR50 note on the floor. Without hesitating, I took the money and handed it back to him. There was a witness nearby. An old lady selling bean curd. She related the story to my mom and she keeps reminding me of this up to today.

And yes, the last time I checked, the bike was still there, minus the keys. Only in Japan I suppose.

Cortisol and Stress

I talked about my stress induced sickness sometime ago. And recently I just read about how stress can change ones brain literally. It seems that stressed-up people are not normal. OK, we all knew for a fact how our stressed-up spouse should not be called upon to sharpen that blunt kitchen knife. Or iron our favorite shirt. But how abnormal can stressed-up people be?

An article from Time magazine talks about stress and how it affects our body. It seems that stress causes a certain chemical (cortisol) imbalance in the bloodstream. And the higher the stress level, the higher is the amount of cortisol found in the blood. Our brain is equipped to handle a reasonable amount of stress. When the hippocampus part of the brain senses excessive cortisol level flooding into the cerebrum, it sends out signals to shut down that cortisol cascade. In other words, its our feedback control system to reduce stress. However, beyond a certain threshold level, damage-control should be the next course of action. Try a long-vacation, or a guilt-free trip to the masseur. One thing is for sure, constantly elevated cortisol levels can only mean one thing, bad mojo. Health related illnesses like accelerated aging (read: wrinkles), unresponsiveness, and withdrawal syndromes. So try to keep that stress level low. For me, some quick aerobic exercise like jogging helps.

Pornography

I always wonder about the social impact of censure and control of pornographic materials on the general public. In Japan pornographic materials are within easy reach, as even local convenience stores carry hordes of softporn manga and magazines. When I tell my friends here in Japan about how closed the society is in Malaysia and Singapore, I often get raised eyebrows from them. Pornography is outlawed in those countries. Anyone caught in possession of pornographic materials there can be fined. But the internet is changing all that. The once exclusive distribution channels for porn has been evolving so much so that anyone with a hand phone may be deluged with indecent and suggestive materials almost daily. And if you have an internet connection and an innate adventurous spirit of the unknown, you too will soon discover the world of porn. Just be careful of trojan horses, malware and spamwares. If unsure, always use your friends computer to surf for porn.

I don't want to go into issues regarding pornography and sexual related crimes here, but from casual observation it seems that there maybe an inverse relationship between the two. I am sure more thorough investigations may come up with actual numbers. But, let's digress and talk about some thing I find really funny. In Malaysia recent news about social politicing have again reach the lime light. There are suggestions by religious leaders that 'Mat Skodengs' and 'chastity belts' be enforced to lower sexual crime. How backward in thinking can these people be. This must be the epitome of moral policing being taken to the hilarious levels it sounds like some kind of mental-illness. Are you going to tell an adult how to behave? And for how long can one keep this up? Although I think that sexual crime and abuse is nothing to laugh about, there must be a better way to deal with erosion of morality and sexual criminals. What do you think?

I may be wrong, but why is it that the religious leaders are the ones most vocal on subject of this nature. Could it be that they are the ones needing the most help, and not the other way around. Or maybe they have figured out what pornography producers knew all along. Sex sells!

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

I just got word that I passed my JLPT Lvl1. Now that's cheerful news. Both me and my study companion, my wife, have been struggling with the preparation for this test for the past year. Actually I only started 3 months before the test. But it was pretty intense mind you. The test as well as the preparation. Early mornings, hectic lunches, busy weekends. Phew! That was some ride. I'm glad that's over.

Now, back to my original objective. Must get rid of my stupid Kanji-phobia. I have this phobia ever since I started learning Japanese. I really would like to be able to read a Japanese book or newspaper without sweating it out with the dictionary. Maybe I should start with manga. But for now if you'll excuse me. It's time to open that expensive champagne and party!

My proud certificate. BTW, passing mark is 280

Melbourne

I am on a one week trip to Melbourne courtesy of NICTA. My first impression of Australia is the wide and expansive landscape. From the airplane, you can really see up to the horizon and to the clouds where flat land and sky meets.

Melbourne city itself is a very pleasant city. There are so many foreigners here that I am sure a that a local might find himself being the foreigner (a joke that a friend shared with me when he was told by a local Californian how he felt about LA).

After being used to the clockwork transportation system in Japan I was a little bewildered when I reached Brisbane international airport. Being a bumbling idiot like I am, I almost miss my connection flight. I was really glad when I found my seat on the domestic plane to Melbourne. I wanted to tell how all that running was the best exercise that I ever got in a year but the guy sitting next to me promptly changed seat when the seatbelt sign was turned out. Go figure. I mean, I was huffing and puffing and that might put some people off, I thought he just went to the toilet but he never came back. That wasn't the best of it. It seemed that my luggage was stuck in Brisbane when I arrived in Melbourne. I had to make 4 calls to get my bag back and it was 1 day late. Not bad huh for my second trip to Australia. I had an exciting day in Melbourne yesterday evening. I locked myself out of my apartment and the key was left in the office which I had no access to. Talk about being a perpetual bumbling idiot. You know that was not the only airport drama that I had while traveling. Did I tell you about the time I forgot about my poster while on the way to my New York flight at Narita airport last September. Which reminds me, I should document that trip on this blog soon.

Anyway, back to Melbourne. There's a lot of things to like about this city. The buildings, the attractions, and most of all the food. I had no idea I would be having claypot chicken rice with Chinese ginseng soup for dinner. It was after dinner that I found out that I was near Chinatown. The tram ride was cool. Just like the tram ride in Frankfurt. These electric trains share the road with cars and they run in the middle of it. What more can I say about this city. It's pretty clean. No, not squeaky clean like Singapore but fairly clean. There are giant vacuum cleaners on the walkway in the city that keep it that way. And I am lucky to be experiencing mild weather during this summer period in Melbourne. I heard it can get a scorching 40degC sometimes here. Boy am I glad that's not happening right now.

OK enough talk. Here are some shots of the city and the university. I wonder if I will have time to see more of it before I head back to Nara this Saturday.

somewhere from Brisbane to Melbourne taken from the airplane

Visitor Center at Federation Square

St. Paul's Cathedral (opposite Flinders St. Station)

Outside the Claypot King restaurant at the end of Chinatown along Swanston St.

Old Quad Upper Theater in the University of Melbourne (looking from the South lawn)