Okinawa

Dateline: Okinawa, Japan; October 10, 2011—It seemed a mini-typhoon ushered us onto this island and a windy monsoon will see us off again, and between the drops we have held another school up in the western hills at Yaedake. Sitting in my room now, with the wind roughing up the foliage out in the jungle darkness, it is hard to believe the week that seemed so long is now over already. As always, it was a heavy load of teaching but very rewarding. Challenging me to work a bit harder was my purchase of a book titled Fighting Radiation & Chemical Pollutants with Foods, Herbs & Vitamins. The book is ever so much more germane since here at Yaedake there are mothers with young children who have fled the main island of Japan because of Fukashima. This book, which is out of print but sells at a premium price on Amazon.com, is amazing. Not only is it a primer in atomic radiation principles, but explains radioactive decay, compares the common nutrients these decay elements mimic, and offers rational methods to protect from radiation damage.

One of the most intriguing bits of information deals with tobacco. Since 47% of the adult population in Japan smokes, this is vital information. Lead-210, with a half-life of 22 years, is an insoluble radioactive particle in cigarette smoke. The lead-210 collects in the lungs and further decays into polonium-210. Back at the farm, tobacco growers use phosphate fertilizers which contain significant quantities of radium-226, two of its decay products being lead-210 and polonium-210. The plot thickens. The use of high porosity papers, perforated filters might cause the smoke to contain higher levels of lead-210 and filters seem to have no effect against polonium-210 inhalation. One estimate of the radiation threat from smoking 29 cigarettes per day as equal to a chest x-ray. So, for a pack-a-day smoker, that would me 300 chest x-rays per year. Next Sunday I have a large lecture in the city of Osaka and they want me to speak on cancer. This information will have them listening closely. One possible problem is the translator. I lectured in Osaka a few years ago and the translator was a professional translator who probably trained to be a business translator because we wrestled with every sentence. I am sure after the lecture she entertained serious thoughts about joining the Rwandan ballet.

It is always good to be back in Okinawa because, other than Mexico, it was the first time I had been outside the country. I was a newly minted 2^nd lieutenant rifle platoon commander back then, the premier job in the Marine Corps. But I serve a different Commander now and don’t stand to lose all that I lost back then. But I do love this island.

It must be mating season right now. The giant snails that slime their way through life can be seen in love’s embrace in the wet grass, motionless in their fecund efforts to provide a next generation. And all during the day there is a universal tinnitus caused by the mating call, birthing squall or free-for-all of ten thousand invisible insects. The sound rivals the cicada infestation of about 20 years ago in Cincinnati, my hometown. The one advantage of this constant staccato is it drowns out my own tinnitus. But being indoors most of the time the insects of my inner ear kept me entertained.

It is getting late and we leave at 0530 for Naha so I will continue from Kawikawa.

Blessings,

Don