Sorry for the long silence. I've been busy finishing up textbooks and writing email to worried family members, so I just haven't been up to posting. Things should be better now, though. Textbooks are done and I have some free time before I head to the States for my Spring vacation on Sunday.
So how are things in Japan?
Some people are starting to move south from Tokyo. Not in a "droves of panicking people" way, but in a slow spreading way. Kobe and Osaka are prime destinations because they are very unlikely to have any serious radiation issues but they are not so far away by bullet train. Osaka in particular is big enough to absorb an awful lot of people, so the increase in population apparently isn't standing out much yet. Several countries are arranging evacuation flights out of Tokyo for any national of that country who want to get out.
We went to the grocery store today and noticed lots of aisles clearly set up just for hoarders. There were several aisles lines with bottled water, another full aisle of chocolate bars. Bags of rice, person high stacks of canned tuna and other canned fish and fruit, giant canisters of instant coffee and creamer. People had clearly been buying things, but there was tons still available. I have a hard time imagining serious shortages in any part of Japan south of Tokyo. As long as transportation is fully functioning, Japan does a really efficient job of moving things around. I can imagine temporary shortages but I don't expect any big problems. Especially since people in Japan are so inclined to share with each other anyway - and somebody's going to have plenty of stuff.
We have seen several interesting things on TV. The news out of Tokyo has alerts whenever an earthquake is coming. Its a chiming noise that really catches your attention. After you hear it, you have a few seconds to grab hold of something or turn off the gas, or open your doors and windows, or whatever you need to do. Then the news station starts shaking while the reporters do their best to look composed and in control.
We also saw an awesome program on how to rig a decent cook stove with a few empty beer cans, some cooking oil, paper towels and tin foil. This is assuming you lose gas or electricity but are at home with normal kitchen stuff. We didn't think it could possibly boil a whole pot of water, but it totally did! If I were at home I would build one ASAP.
So general theme for the day? Japan 3 steps ahead of anyone who might want to panic. Result? No panic. More people are farther from Tokyo and more people have more food on hand, but there doesn't seem to be too much anxiety south of Tokyo. At least at this point.
I'm off to bed soon, but happy St. Patrick's Day! We couldn't find any Irish Stout, but we did get some Yebisu black beer to celebrate. I can't decide whether to feel sheepish that its not related in any way to Ireland, or happy that it tastes so much better than Guinness.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
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3 comments:
Thanks for the updates, and I'm glad to hear that you guys are safe.
I'm now off to investigate the beer can stove because that is an excellent trick to have up your sleeve!
Slainte!
Here's what you do:
1Cut three beer cans about two thirds down from the top. You only want the bottom part plus about an inch.
2. Fold the tinfoil so its a little longer than the circumference of the beer can and the same height or just a tad less.
3. punch or cut about five holes in the edges of the tinfoil.
4. tightly roll a small bit of paper towel into a wick. You want five wicks for each beer can. (15 total)
5. Put the wicks through the holes in the tin foil. The idea is that the tin foil will hold the wicks up so maybe 3-5 centimeters will poke up above the beer cans and a longer tail will exit the bottom of the tinfoil into the bottom of the beer can. The tinfoil just holds the wicks up and keeps them situated around the inside edge of the beer cans.
6. Pour cooking oil into the three beer cans. It should come maybe 1/3 to half way up the side.
7. Once the wicks absorb the oil a bit, light the wicks, situate the three cans together into a cook stove and rest your bot on top.
8. I can't remember the details so well now, maybe the tin foil is half the height of the beer can wall and the wicks don't quite poke above the top of the can (otherwise how would they stay lit when the pot rests on the cans? Or did they rest the pot on something else above the cans?
You may have to improvise a bit...
Did you happen to find the tutorial somewhere on the internet? I would like to watch it again...
Awesome! I was running to look that up too!
Also, thanks for the news. It's hard not to be worried, even though I know you are at a safe distance. Really hard not to beg you to come home. I can't imagine how your families are doing.
Happy home visit! Aside from the flights, this seems like perfect timing.
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