Sunday, August 23, 2009

Are you "bogus eco"?


Young singles in hope of finding a partner flock to an "Eco" event in rural Japan and take up chain saws to bring down trees in hope of finding an eco conscious mate. Bogus eco! They could have been planting trees in Tokyo. What did they do in the evening, sit around a bonfire and sing "We are the world"?
But, in fairness, isn't this whole grassroots efforts to save the planet doomed to failure without a complete restructuring of the materialistic value system of the advanced world? Since you are reading this on a computer it is safe to say that in a nearby room their is a large electric box keeping your food from spoiling. In another room another smaller box that brings you pictures, entertainment and advertising telling you that you need more of their products. It is equally safe to say that nearby there is a petrol powered vehicle waiting to take you wherever you want to go. Comfortable climate controlled rooms allow you to sleep and work without breaking a sweat. Not that you should feel guilty about any of these modern conveniences; I don't.
Now that we've established our starting point. Which one of you wants to go tell 1 billion Chinese and soon 1 billion Indians that they can't get in on this gravy train?
China and India have just as much right to comfortable lifestyle as we do. There's the problem. Where are all the resources going to come from to fill all this demand? All the above mentioned products require massive amounts of resources to produce and maintain, not to mention disposal/recycle.
Now if you have recently adopted a frugal, environmentally friendly, lifestyle-as the owner of the above pictured bicycle has-don't let me dissuade you. But, in my view, too little too late. Time magazine warned the world about the explosion of the population bomb back in the '60s. Over population and dwindling resources makes this trendy "Eco" movement almost laughable. How about turning off that light when you leave the room.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

A 2 year stay now approaches 20!

There are almost as many blogs about Japan as their are foreigners with computers. I have 2 other photo blogs that are devoted to Japanese food and the many wonderful restaurants in this country. No tipping please! Good service is a mark of personal commitment to the customer.
This blog will be the ramblings of a "ganko"(hard headed) "jiji"(rough Japanese for geezer"). Postings will cover many passions and peeves which accumulate with the years. They will be highly opinionated and sometimes insensitive; that's the nature of ganko jijis. If you are easily offended I suggest developing a thicker skin; mine comes in very handy. Your comments are welcome at the end of each post!
I started living abroad when I was 3 in Alaska which was not a state at the time. When asked where I grew up I always say, "... in the back of a '49 Ford".

My family and I live in rural Japan which I am slowly getting used to as I approach "retirement". Fortunately we can reach central Tokyo on a bus when being surrounded by others of my ilk gets to be too much. I love Tokyo and would move there if circumstances permitted, but the rent we pay here is just too sweet.

That's enough about me as I see a twitchy index finger hovering over a mouse ready to move on to another blog.

In future posts I hope to inform you a little and when possible make you at least smirk if not guffaw loudly attracting curious stares from fellow slackers drinking coffee at Starbucks. Not that you are a slacker! What did I just say about "thicker skin"?