The Most Commonly Asked Questions

by Thomas Caldwell

Electromagnetics and our health
The world we live in is awash with a sea of electronic signals of all shapes and sizes. Unless you live in a very, very remote part of the planet, your body is being constantly bombarded by everything from satellite transmissions to cellular phone call signals.
There is a growing level of concern among some scientists that living in this electronic sea may not be too good for us. Some researchers (admittedly those on the fringe) are quick to blame modern-day electromagnetics for most of our mental, physical, and social ills. Others confidently assure us that electromagnetic fields do no harm. Most researchers, however, take a middle ground and admit that all the evidence is not yet in. The electromagnetic sea that we are swimming in, after all, has not been around very long. Electricity did not begin to become a regular feature in homes until the early part of this century, and today's ubiquitous electromagnetic appliances (such as TVs, microwave ovens, and stereo systems) are much younger still.
It is true that, over the past couple of decades, the average person's level of daily exposure to electromagnetic signals has increased significantly. Yet prior to that, mankind as a whole could hardly be described as completely mentally sound, physically fit, or peaceful, so the growing theory/battle cry in some environmentalist circles that electromagnetism is the root of all evil doesn't hold up.
When telephones, automobiles, radios, TVs, and photocopiers first appeared, there were many, many people who prophesied these deadly devices would lead to all sorts of horrible consequences. All of this doom-saying turned out to be (more or less) untrue.
On the other hand, though, recall that the US government at one time seriously considered blowing off nuclear weapons in front of thousands of soldiers as part of a training exercise. And many things (such as Agent Orange, thalidomide, and tobacco) once thought to be good have been proven over a period of many years to be very bad for us. Will we decide that computers, cellular phones, and other modern electronic tools fall into this same category many decades from now?
No one knows for sure. But in spite of what you read in the news and see on the Internet, today human beings are living longer and better than at any time in recorded history. So we must being doing something right.
You may be interested in finding ways to limit your exposure, just to be on the safe side. If so, one thing I would recommend is to get yourself an electromagnetic field meter. It measures the amount of electromagnetic junk in a given area, which can be a real eye-opener.
So far, I have been unable to find any such meters in Japan. The only place I have been able to find reasonably priced units (from $75 to $300) is from the US via mail order. Check out the folks at California-based Real Goods, a company that's heavily into environmentally friendly living and alternative technologies. (Please note that while these devices are listed in the company's mail order catalog, I could not find them advertised in their online catalog.) Complete contact information is available at http://www.realgoods.com.

Where can I buy....
The number one Query Column question for 1997 was, believe it or not, "Where can I buy Computing Japan in my country?" At this time, the unfortunate answer is that unless you live in Japan or on the US West Coast, you won't find Computing Japan at a local retail outlet.
The editor tells me that about two years ago, LINC tried nationwide distribution of the magazine in the US, but the effort proved too costly to be a practical business undertaking. As he explains, "Even the top magazines in the US rarely sell more than maybe half of their newsstand distribution before being pulled to make room for next month's issue. Meanwhile, the distributor/ retailer typically pocket 60% (or more) of the cover price on each copy sold. So the 40% coming to the publisher has to cover the printing and shipping costs of both the sold and the unsold copies. And since our per-copy costs are higher (for printing in Japan and shipping by air freight to the US).... well, we tried it for several months, but the profit margin was razor thin."
"Outside Japan," he continues, "we currently distribute Computing Japan to some 200 bookstores on the US West Coast. We do plan to increase our retail distribution abroad in 1998, but we'll do so on a targeted store basis rather than attempt general nationwide distribution again."
If you can't buy Computing Japan locally, though, there is an easy solution: subscribe! It's easy, it makes sense, and it costs a lot less than having a friend in Japan go to the bookstore each month to buy a copy for you and send it first-class airmail (a solution that one person who wrote me has resorted to).
Just complete and mail in the card that you'll find between pages 8 and 9 of this issue. Or connect to the URL (http://www.computingjapan.com/about/subs/subs.html) and complete the relevant online subscription form. Then you'll never have to worry about missing another copy of Computing Japan (or an installment of The Query Column) again. You can pay by credit card, money order, or check.
When you subscribe, an amazing thing happens. A man or woman, usually wearing a uniform, comes to your door with a copy of Computing Japan a week or two after it comes off the presses in Tokyo. This happens even if it is raining, snowing, sleeting, or dark outside. I am told this process is cost-effective and far more reliable than Windows 95 or most Internet providers.
Wow! Technology: Isn't it wonderful?

If you've got a general interest computer-related inquiry, intrepid Query Columnist Thomas Caldwell is ready to explore the jungles of Tokyo for an answer. You can question him at caldwell@gol.com.

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