As in other fluorescent lamps, electrified mercury vapor emits ultraviolet (UV) light. A phosphor converts it to visible light. The ballast prevents too much electricity from flowing through the tube. It is usually in the plastic base of the bulb. If the ballast is in the bulb, the bulb is called a self-ballasted lamp. Most are electronic ballasts.
The average rated life of a CFL is 8 to 15 times longer that of incandescents. CFLs typically have a rated lifespan of 6,000 to 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually manufactured to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.
The lifetime of any lamp depends on many factors, including operating voltage, manufacturing defects, exposure to voltage spikes, mechanical shock, frequency of cycling on and off, lamp orientation, and ambient operating temperature. The life of a CFL is significantly shorter if it is turned on and off frequently. In the case of a 5-minute on/off cycle the lifespan of a CFL can be reduced to "close to that of incandescent light bulbs". The U.S. Energy Star program suggests that fluorescent lamps be left on when leaving a room for less than 15 minutes to avoid this problem. If the light must be switched on and off frequently, Cold cathode CFLs can be used. Cold cathode CFLs are designed for many more on/off cycles than standard CFLs.
The mercury inside the tube is toxic and makes these bulbs hazardous waste. The bulbs must be taken to a recycling center after they stop working. Most CFLs contain an amount of mercury smaller than the tip of a ballpoint pen. During normal use, the mercury cannot escape, although it will escape if the bulb is broken. If a single bulb breaks, it is not usually a cause for concern. It is recommended to open windows to air out the room, and to clean up broken glass with duct tape instead of a vacuum cleaner.
High-intensity discharge bulbs such as sodium-vapor, mercury-vapor, and metal-halide lamps are used for lighting large areas, although like fluorescent lamps they contain mercury. Their main advantage is much higher light output.
Halogen bulbs with a halogen capsule inside a standard incandescent bulb housing contain no mercury. They use more energy than CFLs, but less than traditional incandescents.
LED bulbs are also becoming a popular alternative. They are also mercury-free, and use about the same amount of energy as CFLs.
PL Kyodan
PL Kyodan or the Church of Perfect Liberty is an international religion that developed from the Zen Buddhist culture of Japan early in the 20th century. PL teaches that "Life is art." Humans have been born to express their own unique individuality in everything they do - "creating true art".
To assist them in improving their lives and overcoming hardships believers are taught why they have these problems and are guided in solving them by the Patriarch (Oshieoya-sama) and ministers.
PL does not have a holy book (like a Bible), however, they have PL 21 Precepts and the PL 21 Principles which were revealed by the Founders of the Church.
Nowadays the group claims having more than 3 million followers worldwide. Most of the parishes are in Japan, however, due to the active missionary work in the 1960s PL was established in South-America and USA as well. Today they are present also in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Peru. Oceaninan headquarters was founded in the 1990s in Brisbane, Australia. Small communities exist in Europe as well, especially in France, Portugal and Hungary.
PL presents each year in the Japanese headquarters the world' biggest firework. The baseball group of PL High School is very famous in Japan, often they win the national championship.
The movement was founded by the Rev. Tokuharu Miki (1871-1938), who was a Zen Buddhist priest of the Obaku Sect. He is referred to as "the First Founder" by adherents.
In 1912 he met the Rev. Tokumitsu Kanada, who instantly cured his chronic asthma by a sacred ritual. He asked Kanada to teach him this ritual so he could cure disease, and became his disciple.
Before his death, Kanada told Tokuharu that his Tokumitsu Church had 18 Precepts, but there were three more which were to be revealed to complete the teachings. Five years later, the three precepts were revealed, and he established the new Tokumitsu Church in 1924 and became the First Kyoso (Oshieoya, Founder). In 1931, the name was changed to the Hitonomichi Church, meaning "the way of humans."
The Church spread rapidly throughout Japan, Korea, China and to other Southeast Asia countries and its members numbered one million in a short period of time. In 1936 however, the Church was suppressed by the military government and ordered to disband. On July 6, 1938, the Rev. Tokuharu Miki died.
The "Second Founder", the Rev. Tokuchika Miki (1900-1983), succeeded his father. He was also imprisoned, but was released in 1945. At Tosu City in Saga Prefecture, on September 29, 1946, Tokuchika Miki reestablished the Hitonomichi Church, but under the new name of the Church of Perfect Liberty, declaring the truth, "Life is Art."
On September 29, 1947, he revealed the PL 21 Precepts, the basic teachings of PL. The Church expanded rapidly all over Japan and in 1953, construction began on the present Headquarters in Tondabayashi, on the edge of Osaka. Tokuchika Miki organized the "Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan" and chaired it for many years. He visited Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II to discuss world peace. He died in 1983.
The "Third Founder", the Rev. Takahito Miki (b. 1957), the adopted son of the Second Founder, succeeded to the divine position of Oshieoya in 1983. He has since visited over 700 PL churches throughout the world. Miki is also the vice president of Shinshuren, Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan.
Winston Smith
Winston Smith is a fictional character and the protagonist of George Orwell's 1949 novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four". In the book, Winston is a clerk for the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to rewrite historical documents so that they match the current party line, which changes on a daily basis.
Yantai
Yantai is a city in Shandong, China. It is on the coast facing the Huang Hai. The average annual temperature is 12°C. The annual rainfall is 20 mm.
The city used to be called "Chefoo" because an island close to the city was named "Chefoo". The name of the city means "Smokey Tower" (yan - smoke, tai - tower). The city is named "Yantai" because in 1398 the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty, built watch towers nearby to tell everyone if Japanese pirates were coming.
Qiemo
Qiemo, also called Cherchen, is an inland city in Xinjiang, China. About 60,000 people live in the city. It is a river town on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. The area has been settled for a long time. A cemetery at least 3,500 years old is near the town, as well as Bronze Age rock carvings. The town was along the trade route to Tibet. Marco Polo is supposed to have passed through the town in 1273.
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a made up world that is used as the setting for one or (more commonly) many works of fiction. It is often used in books but can be used in any form used to tell a story, for example role-playing games, television or movies. It can be said that every work of fiction makes a world of its own. A fictional universe is used when things in a story become a part either of other stories, or of games or other things.