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New Council Elected for Ascension Island
A new Council for Ascension Island has today been announced by Returning Officer Dean Hambleton-Ayling, following an Island-wide election on Thursday 1 September 2016.
The following candidates have been duly elected to serve as Members of the Ascension Island Council:
Samantha Jean Arms-Lawrence, Georgetown
Marie-Anne Mabel Dennis, Two Boats
Jacqueline Rose Ellick, Georgetown
Keturah Viola George, Georgetown
Nicholas Ivan John, Georgetown
Read more about the election results here.
Today Governor Lisa Phillips congratulated those elected to serve on the Ascension Island Council and noted the encouraging 80% female representation.
Governor Lisa Phillips said:
"Congratulations to those of you who have been elected to serve as Councillors of Ascension Island. I wish you all the best in the important roles you must now carry out – especially as you are my 'eyes and ears' on Ascension. I look forward to working with you all."
Ascension Island Administrator, Marc Holland, added:
"The Governor & I look forward to working with our new Island Council. They are the people's representatives who do fantastic public service. We would like to get the whole community more involved in Council business."
In total 121 people cast valid votes. This represents approximately 23% of those eligible to vote – compared with 35% in 2013.
The Ascension Island Council met for the first time today, Friday 2 September, at 1pm when members Keturah George, Marie-Anne Dennis, Jacqui Ellick and Samantha Arms-Lawrence took the Oaths of Office. Nicholas John will take the prescribed Oaths when he returns from overseas leave.
Newly elected Ascension Island Council (front row)
by cgadmin
Ascension celebrates 26 years of the RMS St Helena
The arrival of the RMS St Helena last weekend should have signalled the final call of the ship at Ascension. However, as we all know, the ship is due to make a few more stops at the island before it is able to sail off into retirement. The reprieve did not stop the planned celebrations taking place and on Sunday evening the people of Ascension came together with the Captain and crew of the ship to thank them for the 26 years of dedicated service to the islands of Ascension and St Helena. The warehouse and passenger terminal at the Pier Head were given a nautical makeover, specially designed by Marie-Anne Dennis; appropriately making all who have sailed on the ship feel immediately at home. Over 500 people came along for a fantastic evening of food, drink and music.
The Administrator and Captain both welcomed everyone to the evening's celebrations with speeches, which we have re-printed below. The Administrator said:
"Ladies, Gentlemen, Captain and Members of the RMS Crew
"Welcome aboard the RMS St Helena on Ascension! Haven't the AIG team done a wonderful job decking out the warehouse in the style of the RMS? Let's show them our appreciation.
"Of course, tonight was meant to be a retirement party – to celebrate the final call of the RMS St Helena in Ascension before she sails off into retirement. But windshear at St Helena's airport has stirred things up a bit, and instead, we are now throwing a birthday party: to celebrate the RMS's 26 years of dedicated service to Ascension and St Helena.
"Captain Rodney, Ascension wants to say thank you to you and the crew for everything you have done for the South Atlantic islands over the years. It's fantastic that so many of the crew we all know well and love have been able to come ashore – a rare treat for Ascension these days. And our American cousins even closed the runway in your honour (!), meaning you need to stay an extra night to pick up your connecting passengers and everyone can have a lie in in the morning, which the Governor has declared a bank holiday!
"At my speech at the recent Queen's Birthday Party, I likened the RMS to an ageing rock band on its final world tour, having just got back from the London gig. I saw the RMS come through Tower Bridge. Just as the bridge went up, the dark clouds lifted and the sun came out for a moment. The crew were waving from the deck. It was a very emotional occasion. I was standing on the south bank of the Thames just along from HMS Belfast and suddenly I heard the familiar lilt of Saint voices all around me, including from Rodney's family who were shouting: 'Look, there's Uncle Rodney!' Everyone was smiling and waving. There was a tremendous feeling of pride and community spirit. And, just like a Rolling Stones tour, the RMS has been sold out for months, so SHG have now released extra dates until September with more perhaps to follow!
"I know this is not the final time we will see the RMS sail off from Clarence Bay. But the reprieve we have been given will pass quickly. I would still like to pause a moment to consider what the RMS means to us all.
"I have been fortunate enough to have been on 3 voyages on the RMS. I'm glad I did. I only really understood what this splendid vessel meant to people on Ascension when I experienced it myself. It's more than just a means of getting to your destination safely and the chance to enjoy some good food. The RMS is a gentle introduction to island life – the genteel pace, where people have time for conversations, to tell stories and to take afternoon tea. Where you join the ship as strangers and leave with new friends.
"For your time on board you join a well-functioning family unit. The crew look after you and keep you in check if you step out of line. My family and I had fabulous support from Rodney and the crew on the Christmas voyage to Cape Town when 3 of my children did not have the right type of birth certificate to clear South African immigration. Even though we enjoyed our RMS journey, we would not have been happy to miss our holiday in South Africa and be sent back to Ascension!
"For many Saints, wherever life takes you, all paths will converge on the RMS. The RMS is the bridge over which anyone wanting to get to or from St Helena must pass. For many Saints, it signifies going home and the start of a holiday. But it's more than that – it has great emotional significance. It is entwined with life events. If you are leaving home in search of riches or love abroad; if you are getting married and are going on honeymoon; if you are taking a new baby to see its grand-mother or if you are accompanying a loved one to get urgent medical attention, you travel on the RMS. As I saw with the moving ceremony for Mycle 'Dook' Williams at the pier head 18 months ago, it's also how some Saints make their final voyage.
"The RMS is a constant – whatever life throws at you. Just like for some Christmas might be a marker of the passage of time, the annual journey on the RMS is a time to take stock of what has happened in your and your family's life.
"Of course for Ascension, the RMS has had a practical purpose. It's been the lifeline for the civilian population. It's how the employers get their work force to their place of work. It is how the shop gets its fresh food. It's how people send their things, whether gifts for the family or their life's possessions home. Thank goodness it will continue for a while yet!
"In a moment I will ask Captain Rodney Young to give some personal reflections about his time on board the RMS and perhaps tell us about the recent celebrations in the UK. I am delighted that Rodney has invited our school children aboard tomorrow to look around. And those who have tirelessly and safely worked ship over the years will be the RMS's guests for afternoon tea tomorrow.
"And finally, I would like to say thank you to those who made this evening's party possible. Thank you to Kitty for the idea, Catherine, Marie-Anne, Steve and his team for organising the party. Thanks to Two Boats School and our school children for the artwork. Isn't it fantastic? Thanks too to SHG/AWS for allowing the ship to stay at Ascension overnight and above all to Rodney and the crew for wanting to join us. Enjoy the party!"
Captain Rodney Young then took the opportunity to address everyone. He began by saying: "I have just received a message to say that the RMS schedule will be extended until Lyn and Eileen Leo leaves Ascension.
"When I first visited Ascension Island it was a very different place to what it is today. You had a better chance in those days of getting into the White House than getting ashore here.The Island was ruled by King Ron Field and John Taylor, you had to be sponsored, and timings were strict, there was no overnight shore leave.
"I worked with Ralph Peters, and Peter Peters, with Scipio and of course the unforgettable Dave Caine. But times have moved on and here we are tonight being entertained by the Government and People of Ascension Island, on as you put it our final world tour, and I thank you most sincerely for this kind invitation.
"We have just completed a trip to the UK and to our home port of London, where we able entertain a large number of people, including yourself, the Administrator of Tristan and the Deputy Governor of St Helena, and of course Princess Anne, who left us in no doubt that she prefers sea travel to air travel.
"As ships' staff we had a difficult task at these functions as we had to promote an Island which has an airport that doesn't work, a ship that is about to be withdrawn and had to ask people to come and live in hotels that had not been built, but somehow we did it and got away with it.
"For the last 26 years we have been working on that wonderful passenger ship the RMS, but it now feels like its turning into a film set, and we are all starring in film called 'Carry on Regardless', because we don't know when it is going to end, we have Tee shirts printed, the plaques engraved, but with all the wrong dates, a count down clock that should today be showing 12 days to go, which a few days back, some bright spark changed to 901 days to go. St Helena has its windshear problems, and last week there was severe turbulence in the Customs shed.
"The RMS is nearing the ends of its life here in the South Atlantic, and I know that the people here on Ascension will miss it, especially the bingo, the shop, the perfumes, British chocolate, and the BBQs, but most of all you will miss the 4-cube, how are the people of Ascension going to live without the 4-cube allowance? I cannot wait to see you all turning up at the airport with these boxes. If ever I write a book about the RMS, I will have to have few chapters on baggage; Saints will never understand that a 3 piece suite or a washing machine is not cabin baggage.
"So ladies and gentlemen on behalf of the all the crew thank you once again for this kind invitation tonight, and to say how impressed we are with this wonderfully decorated hall. And that I understand that only the older children are visiting tomorrow, and not the younger ones, but I will arrange with Kitty to have the young children to come to the RMS in the months ahead."
A selection of photographs taken from the buffet lunch hosted by Captain Young on board the ship on Monday, 4 July. A very big thank you to Captain Young and the crew of the RMS St Helena for their hospitality while in port as they also hosted pupils from Two Boats School as well as laying on afternoon tea for AIG ship workers.
Ascension Hydroponics Site Opens
The Ascension Island Government has officially opened a hydroponics site to produce good quality veg and salad crops for sale to the people of Ascension. The site is located below Two Boats and has been developed by AIG's Hydroponics Consultant, Stephen Herron. The hydroponics site welcomed over 150 people through its doors over the 'open' weekend of 25-26 June 2016 to allow the wider community to find out more about how the veg is grown and what is available. Feedback from the visitors was very overwhelmingly positive. The Administrator and Stephen Herron then officially declared the site open at a well-attended launch event on Monday 27 June, with representatives from across the island community present.
Securing a supply of fresh salad and vegetable produce for the island has been high on the Government's priorities. Up to now, islanders have relied on the monthly call of the RMS St Helena for a limited supply of fruit and veg from South Africa. With the future decommissioning of the RMS, there was a real concern about the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables on the island.
Marc Holland, Ascension Administrator, commented "AIG fully acknowledges the importance of fresh produce for the health and wellbeing of the people working on Ascension. Hydroponics allows us to take advantage of the Island's benign climate to produce our own veg on island. Local production means fresher veg, lower prices and a constant supply."
Following a handover from consultant Stephen Herron, Ascension Hydroponic Services will now be headed up by the Site Manager, Regan Tourond, who has recently arrived on island. Regan has substantial growing experience around the world including in Canada and South-East Asia. Regan said: 'This is not the first time Ascension has been home to hydroponics and the stable climate makes this a great place to grow using this system'.
How does hydroponics work?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. This allows for very efficient growing conditions, as the plants are not threatened by the pests and disease that can be found in the soil and the process actually uses less water than traditional farming, as none of it is absorbed into the soil.
Currently the site is using mains water to grow the produce; in the future we would like to use collected rain water to assist in this process.
Mixed salad, baby leaf lettuce and Pak Choi make up the main produce grown currently. These crops have a quick turnaround and are straight forward to grow. AIG will be looking to expand the selection available in the near future, once the collection of rainwater has been established. This will allow for the growth of more water-hungry produce such as root vegetables and fruit. The produce will be sold from Solomon's Georgetown store and from JAMS in Two Boats and to the Island's clubs and food outlets. A delivery schedule will be arranged with the stores and clubs to ensure a continuous supply.
AIG 28 June 2016
UK Overseas Territories join forces with Internet Watch Foundation to fight online child sexual abuse imagery
Ascension has launched a dedicated IWF Reporting Portal, to allow web users to report images and videos of child sexual abuse safely and anonymously.
The launch comes as part of an IWF initiative made possible by funding from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Cyber Security Capacity Building Programme. It will provide a quick and easy way for citizens to report online images and videos of child sexual abuse, to a safe and anonymous hotline.
A planned roll-out of the IWF Reporting Portal is happening simultaneously in 12 UK Overseas Territories. IWF Reporting Portals have already been successfully established in Mauritius and Uganda.
Susie Hargreaves, IWF CEO says: "It's great that Ascension has joined this ground-breaking initiative, to provide a first class Reporting Portal to protect their citizens. Child sexual abuse imagery is a global problem and we can only fight it with a truly global solution."
What is the IWF Reporting Portal?
By working closely with internet companies, the IWF helps people who stumble across online child sexual abuse images and videos [sometimes known as child pornography] to report it anonymously, via a web-based reporting Hotline.
Ascension's IWF Reporting Portal can be found here.
A team of experienced IWF analysts then work directly with the internet industry and law enforcement, to have any abusive imagery removed quickly.
The advantage of establishing an IWF Reporting Portal is that any reports of suspected online child sexual abuse imagery generated in Ascension will be assessed directly by one of IWF's analysts. These analysts are respected globally for their experience.
Today, the IWF Hotline provides one of the most successful reporting mechanisms in the world. When they were founded 20 years ago, 18% of the world's online child sexual abuse imagery was hosted in the UK. Thanks to their analysts, that figure is now 0.2%. These analysts are considered world-leaders for their expertise.
Harriet Lester, the IWF's Technical Projects Officer working with Rob Parfrey says: "The launch of the Reporting Portal in Ascension is a huge step towards our mission to remove child abuse images and video [sometimes known as child pornography] from the internet completely. The response from people here has been overwhelmingly positive and we're looking forward to helping them make their corner of the internet a safer place."
Watch this short video which explains what the IWF Reporting Portal is and how it works.
Read more about Ascension's IWF Reporting Portal.
The IWF in Ascension
The IWF has worked closely with AIG & the Police. UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, James Duddridge says: "This demonstrates the Overseas Territories commitment to protecting children from harm and builds on the excellent work of the Internet Watch Foundation, who remove child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world. I am delighted the FCO, through our Cyber Security Capacity Building programme, have been able to support this."
Ascension Island Social Worker, Rob Parfrey, said "Being able to use IWF to help protect children while online and raise their awareness of internet safety is a worthwhile and needed project on our technologically developing island. The IWF have been professional and supportive in rolling out this service ".
Online child sexual abuse images and videos are a very real problem across the globe. The IWF brings together governments, law enforcement, the online industry and civil society to do what's needed to eliminate images of child sexual abuse from the Internet.
In 2015 (figures published in April 2016) the IWF positively identified 68, 092 reports of child sexual abuse images or videos, which it then helped remove from the internet. From that figure, 69% of the victims were assessed as ten years old or under. 1788 victims were assessed as two or under. Just over one third were category A – the rape or sexual torture of children.
Removing these abusive images from the internet makes it a safer place for all.
What IWF do:
IWF make the internet a safer place. They help victims of child sexual abuse worldwide by identifying and removing online images and videos of their abuse. They search for child sexual abuse images and videos and offer a place for the public to report them anonymously. Then then have them removed. They're a not for profit organisation and are supported by the global internet industry and the European Commission.
For more information please visit www.iwf.org.uk.
The IWF is part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, working with Childnet International and the South West Grid for Learning to promote the safe and responsible use of technology.
Administrator's Visit to St Helena
On 20-22 May, the Administrator, Marc Holland, travelled to St Helena on the RMS shuttle to meet the new Governor, Lisa Philips, and to discuss issues around the new St Helena airport. In discussions, the Governor reiterated that a passenger and freight service between the islands would be maintained whilst the issue of wind shear was resolved. The Administrator visited the runway and toured the state of the art terminal buildings and control tower.
In other business, the Administrator met the Chief of Police, Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary, the Director of ESH and the new Director of Safeguarding. A common theme that emerged from the meetings was how the two islands could work more closely together, for example by marketing the two islands together to tourists. The Administrator also joined the Governor for the St Helena Day celebrations and an impressive 20 minute firework display. On his return to Ascension, he hosted a lunch for the Head of the Governor's Office, Sean Burns and St Helena Councillors, Lawson Henry & Pamela Ward-Pearce who were travelling on the RMS' last voyage to London.
Maintaining Access to St Helena and Ascension
The St Helena Government issued this press release on Thursday 3 June 2016.
Following certification of St Helena Airport on Tuesday 10 May 2016, all parties are working to overcome the challenges of wind shear identified by the first few flights into the Airport. This work includes the development of appropriate operational procedures needed to allow services to use the northern Runway (20), where wind shear has been identified, as well as options for using the southern Runway (02), where wind shear has not been identified.
While this work continues, we recognise there are St Helenians in Cape Town, the UK and Ascension who are ready to return to St Helena and do not have a confirmed means of doing so. Others will be planning journeys in the coming weeks.
SHG will therefore honour its commitment to maintain access by extending the service of the RMS as an interim measure and for a limited period until air services begin. This service will be for passengers and freight. The schedule can be viewed at: http://rms-st-helena.com/schedules-fares/ and bookings will be accepted from Monday 6 June 2016.
This situation will be kept under review and should an air access solution be found quickly, we would need to reassess the plans for the RMS St Helena.
The public will continue to be informed of progress.
Read this press release on the SHG website
Lisa Phillips sworn in as Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
The RMS St Helena arrived in James' Bay on Monday 25 April, bringing with her the new Governor Designate for St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha – Ms Lisa Phillips.
Ms Phillips is the 68th Governor of St Helena and her Dependencies and the first ever female to take on the role. She was sworn in this afternoon, just after 2pm, Monday 25 April 2016.
The familiar music of the Scout's Band signaled the opening of the Inauguration Ceremony, which was also marked by the traditional parade of the St Helena Police, Sea Rescue Service, Fire Service, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows, Scouts and Beavers and the Seventh Day Adventist Pathfinders. The Salvation Army Band and members, the Get-togethers Orchestra, Customs Officers, Nurses and a group of schoolchildren were also present.
At 2pm the Governor Designate arrived at the Grand Parade, accompanied by the Aide de Camp, Debbie Stroud, who escorted her to the stage in front of the Supreme Court Terrace, where she was received by Chief Secretary Roy Burke.
The Chief Secretary read the Royal Commission appointing Lisa Phillips as Governor of St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. This was followed by the Administering of Oaths by St Helena's Sheriff, Ethel Yon OBE, who also read the Address of Welcome.
In her reply to the Sheriff and her address to the public, Governor Phillips remarked:
"Since I found out I was coming here, anyone I met told me there are three things they knew about St Helena. First, your famous previous resident, Napoleon, Second, your famous current resident, Jonathan. And third the new Airport. In a way, they are perhaps indicative of the past present and future of the Island. I am tremendously excited about the Airport. Having spent more years than I care to mention in DFID I am acutely aware of the history of the Airport from the inside, with all its twists and turns. Never did I imagine I would be the first Governor to fly in and out of the Island. I am proud to have that privilege in store for me….and talking of firsts I am also very proud to be your first female Governor."
The full press release can be found here.
Beacon lit on Ascension Island to celebrate Queen's 90th birthday
A beacon was lit at nightfall last night, Thursday 21 April 2016, to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.
The beacon had been especially made for the occasion and was located at Fort Thornton in Georgetown. Children from the youth organisations, along with members of the local community, gathered at the fort to see the beacon being lit. The evening featured a short speech from Ascension's Administrator, Marc Holland. Mr Holland also read a message from HRH The Prince of Wales about the significance of the occasion. Mr Johnny Hobson entertained the crowd with some information about The Queen's preferences. A short chorus of 'Happy Birthday' was also sung.
Ascension Wishes a Happy 90th Birthday to her Majesty The Queen
There is a long and unbroken tradition in our country of celebrating Royal jubilees, weddings, coronations and special birthdays with the lighting of beacons – on top of mountains, churches and castle battlements, on towns and village greens, farms, country parks and estates, and along the beaches surrounding our shores.
The last major beacon celebration was on Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee on 4 June 2012, when Ascension lit its beacon at the Turtle Ponds by Long Beach.
There will be a further opportunity to celebrate today, Thursday 21 April 2016, when beacons will be lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories in celebration of her Majesty The Queen's 90th birthday.
Bruno Peek, LVO, OBE, OPR, Pageantmaster, The Queen's 90th Birthday Beacons said, "It has been a enormous privilege to be able to organise this amazing community event to celebrate the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen. I am delighted to see so many different organisations playing their part."
Ascension will be lighting its own beacon shortly after nightfall this evening on top of Fort Thornton. This is being done with all the Youth Organisations – Beavers, Rainbows, Cubs, Brownies, Guides and Scouts. All from the community are welcome to attend to show their support.
Ascension featured on BBC Radio 4
Ascension Island and the greening of Green Mountain is the theme of the latest programme in BBC Radio 4's Costing The Earth series. First aired on Tuesday 19 March and now available as a podcast, presenter Peter Gibbs talks to Ascension's conservationists about the struggle to cope with invasive species running riot and the rescue of Ascension's tiny endemic ferns, as well as enjoying an encounter with nesting turtles on the beaches and a wander among the chattering 'wideawakes' on the sweltering lava plains by the coast.
Download The Mars of the Mid-Atlantic as a podcast.


One of those days…! – Family Wise Ltd.
Some days don't quite go to plan, eh?! Well, yesterday was – in part – one of those days! Travelling 80 miles for a late afternoon appointment only to be stood up by my client, I was presented with a rather long – well, clearly 80 mile – return trip back home, empty handed and a rather emptier tank of fuel. Determined not to have made an entirely wasted journey, what would a good family historian do? You guessed it…. find a churchyard!
Yes, I know…. normal people would find a pub, shopping centre or similar. But, let's face it…. I am never going to be considered as normal. Having lived in Reading for longer than I care to remember, yesterday I realised just how little research I have ever done in the surrounding area. Without any kind of plan as to where I was heading, I found myself in Rotherfield Greys – a quaint little village (and civil parish) in the Chiltern Hills in South Oxfordshire, about two to three miles west of Henley-on-Thames. The church, located on the main road, dates from Norman times and appears, on the surface, to be just another village church.
Pottering around the churchyard, distressed at how few Guild names were evident but more so at how badly worn the gravestones were, I was spotted by a gentleman walking up the front path. It transpired that this chap was Graham Ethelston, the Treasurer to the PCC. He was delighted to allow me into the locked side chapel which houses the magnificent monument to Sir Francis and Lady Knollys, which has recently been refurbished. Extraordinarily, they managed to have seven sons and seven daughters, so around the sides of the monument are the kneeling effigies of fourteen brothers and sisters each with very individual characteristics. Having lectured at Corsham Area Heritage and Information Centre earlier in the day – waffling on about the memorials inside the church indicating the more wealthy members of the community back in history – Rotherfield Greys certainly did not break the mould.
Whilst carrying out my initial potter outside in the 'yard, my eyes had wandered to a small area cordoned off and marked 'dangerous'. Being the nosey type, I asked about this tomb. To cut a long story short, the parish had traced the family line and contacted the descendants of the individuals buried in the tomb and surrounding family graves. They were not interested in restoring the tomb and gravestones to their former glory and the local stone mason had not given the parish a quote for repairs as it was 'out of their budget'. How sad to think that when I am gone, my descendants might not care enough to restore my resting place…. come to think of it, I don't have any descendants …. hmm….
be careful with that hmm………….


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Crossing the Sierra in the Summer of 1944
***Editor's Note: Deep Springs College offers a unique liberal arts education located on a cattle ranch in an isolated desert-mountain valley. Students take year-round responsibility for a largely self-sustaining community, ranch, and farm while pursuing their degrees. The program aims to prepare young people for a life of service to humanity. Gossamer Gear's president, Grant Sible, is a member of the Deep Springs Class of 1979. When news of his work with Gossamer Gear spread through the college's alumni network, he started receiving some fun stories from past classes about what backpacking was like decades before his own time at the college. We'll be sharing some of those stories here on the Light Feet blog, as we think the Gossamer Gear community will enjoy their adventurous spirit and enduring trail wisdom. You can view all published blogs here.***
Written By: Lindsey Grant
Belatedly, let me describe a hike that Jerry Pook and I took across California's Sierras from Mammoth Lakes to Bass Lake in June 1944. I am doing so because my old hiking companion Jerry Stryker said he'd like to read about it. But another reason to resurrect these memories is to paint a picture for my descendants and the current generation of what hiking in the mountains was like toward the close of World War II, before the revolutions in equipment and communications – and the numbers of people – that have fundamentally changed the experience of hiking.
I had been at Deep Springs College for 17 months, and Jerry for 12. Deep Springs sits in a desert valley between the White Mountains and the Inyos, and we had both done considerable hiking in the area, including climbing Mount Whitney and White Mountain Peak. I had already signed up with the Navy for officer training. Jerry expected to be drafted before long, and another hike through the Sierras seemed like an appropriate parting shot. We were both 17.
Our plan was to hitchhike up to Mammoth Lakes, on the east face of the Sierras south of Mono Lake and the June Lake loop. From there, we planned to hike over the shoulder of Mammoth Mountain, stop by the Devil's Postpile National Monument, cross the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River on a suspension footbridge, and climb out of the gorge on the west side of the river. Beyond that, we had a choice: climb across the high ridge south of Yosemite canyon and drop into the park, or if that was too forbidding, walk down the gentle west slope of the Sierras to Bass Lake and, eventually, Fresno.
We had USGS topo maps for the area, and were familiar with using them, so we had a good guide to the trails in the high Sierra.
In late June, the high Sierra had been melting and freezing for a couple of months. Below that, the spring runoff was in full progress. We figured that the snow on the passes was hard enough to support us, without using skis or snowshoes. If we were wrong, we could turn around and abort the trip. In fact, the snow was firm, and the make-or-break part of the trip was getting across the San Joaquin. More on that later.
It is about 40 miles in a straight line from Mammoth to Bass Lake. On the ground, perhaps 70 miles.
Getting to Mammoth Lakes was uneventful. In that innocent era, hitchhiking was an accepted way for young men to get around, and people would often pick us up for the company. We got to Mammoth Lakes by mid-afternoon. There were some summer cottages up there, but nothing even faintly resembling the complex of ski lifts and resorts that now characterize the place. We stopped by the Forest Service ranger station to check in, tell them of our planned trip, and find out what they could tell us about conditions in the backcountry. They didn't have much to offer, since they had not yet gotten into that country that year. They wished us well, and we hiked in and camped for the night near the highest of the Mammoth lakes.
Day two took us down good trails toward the river. We did a little side trip to see the Devil's Postpile. It is a mighty pile of vertical, octagonal pillars of basalt, looking much like an enormous woodpile set on end. It is said to be one of the largest of such formations; I have since seen smaller ones elsewhere.
Then we headed for the river – and a nasty surprise. The winter's ice jams had taken out one of the two suspension cables, and the walkway was dangling on edge from the other one. The river was an icy tumult below it. No other way of crossing the river was even thinkable.
We had a council of war. Singly, we tested the near end of the damaged walkway. The now vertical planks seemed to be firmly attached to the remaining web of cables, and the horizontal cable that had served as guard rail was intact.
We decided to chance it. We checked our provisions to be sure the essentials were divided between the two packs, so that the survivor could hike out if we got separated or one of us didn't make it. Then we crossed, again singly, stepping on the ends of the planks and holding onto the cable.
A memorable crossing.
There remained a stiff switchback hike out of the gorge. When we topped the gorge, the Cathedral Range stretched above the timberline in a vast, shimmering white bulge of snow between us and Yosemite. We had no trouble deciding to select the more modest route via Bass Lake. That involved a three-hour traverse on a snowy ridge through an open spruce-fir forest.
As evening approached, we were in clouds. We found an area of bare rock that, faut de mieux, seemed like a passable campsite. It sloped slightly westward, so we braced our sleeping bags against a shallow ledge that ran across the rock, and tucked a little campfire against the ledge.
I will never forget waking up. The sun had not yet surmounted the ridge behind us, but there was a spectacular dawn breaking to the west. The rock terrace ended just beyond us, in a vertical cliff looking out on a vast prospect of treetops that stretched away in a magnificent panorama of mountains and foothills, with the San Joaquin Valley in the far distance.
I was glad that we were quiet sleepers.
Once we had gone down the cliff, we spent most of that day gradually descending out of the spruce-fir into an open ponderosa woodland with occasional meadows on a good trail. It was, however, the height of the mosquito season. We needed to camp somewhere away from them. I had learned that a cigar is a good mosquito repellent and had bought several of them in Bishop on the way in. I lost most of them, however, in a little tumble on the snow traverse the day before.
The topo map showed an emergency Forest Service cabin in the woods just off the trail. We arrived there, to find that it had been locked up for the winter. There was, however, a snow chimney with wooden ladders to let in the accidental hiker who needed winter shelter. The chimney was higher than the cabin roof, which gave graphic proof of how deep the snow could get in that area.
We checked out the arrangement, climbed up, into and down the chimney, opened a couple of shutters to let in the light, and spent the night very comfortably, with no mosquitoes.
Civilization began to encroach a few miles beyond that cabin. First, little dirt forest roads. Then a cabin or two as we approached Bass Lake. We met a couple who had come up to open their summer cabin – the first humans we had seen since the forest rangers in Mammoth Lake. They were about ready to head back home and offered us a ride to Fresno in the back of the pickup with two affable dogs.
The adventure really ends with our arrival in Fresno, but not the reminiscence. They dropped us not far from the main street, by a back alley behind Quality Row – bankers, merchants, lawyers, I assume. There were big backyards with garages at the end of them. We found an open, empty garage that did not seem to have been used lately. We dropped our packs and went into town for a meal and a movie.
We were waked up in the morning by a lovely dowager of a lady, who prodded me with her toe and said, "It's time to move on, boys." And so we did.
Let me briefly complete the trip.
That morning, we sent our packs back to Deep Springs by Railway Express and then hitched our way across the San Joaquin Valley, the coast ranges, and the rolling fields of wine country. We were mostly on two-lane blacktops. The interstate system was yet to be built. We reached Palo Alto in the late afternoon. We had sent suitcases to Bill Allen's parents' house. They took us in for several days while we discovered San Francisco.
I honestly cannot remember the trip back. After that expedition, it was anticlimactic. I assume we took the Union Pacific from Oakland to Reno, and the Inland Stages bus back to Big Pine. When we got to Deep Springs, I had Navy orders waiting, sending me to New York State and officer training. That was quite a trip in itself, but I have described it elsewhere.
Comparing to a Journey Today
Finally, let me underline some of the ways that hike differed from what one would do now.
1. Isolation
Once we left Mammoth Springs, we were completely out of touch with everybody. Two-way radios had been invented, but they were bulky, unreliable, and short-range, and in 1944 they all went to the military.
Even the Forest Service rangers had only their pickup and their horses. Forget all-terrain vehicles, sno-cats, helicopters, drones, GPS, and cell phones. In the backcountry, we were on our own, and knew it. So did the forest rangers. Their job description did not include rescuing fool-hardy kids. That came much later. I had encountered them in the mountains from time to time, and we exchanged greetings and news, but on both sides it was understood that we were responsible for taking care of ourselves.
The isolation was intensified by demographics. There were about 8 million people in California in 1944, and most of the young men were in service, or working at wartime jobs, rather than hiking around the mountains. Now there are 40 million, camping is a major national sport, and the Sierras are a favorite target.
We had homemade wooden pack frames, ponchos, improvised staffs when we needed them, and sleeping bags and work clothes from Sears Roebuck. No jazzy hiking boots. When we had to cross streams, we hiked through, and then let the shoes slowly dry out later. We had hatchets, small hand compasses, Scout knives, and tight cans with kitchen matches.
It was wartime with rationing. Our food was the simplest: pancake flour, syrup, a side of ham, cheese, bags of raisins, beans, salt, and coffee. We carried more than twice what we expected to eat, in case we were delayed somewhere.
This was the most basic variant. For pack trips or student body outings, or less rigorous trips, we would have a more varied diet. Within limits. There was very little canned food. Things like Spam, K rations, and powdered eggs and milk had gone to war. Frozen food and packaged camping meals didn't yet exist.
Yet, somehow, it sufficed.
Lindsey Grant is a 1943 graduate of Deep Springs College and current resident of Asheville, North Carolina.
Header Image Credit: Brocken Inaglory // Creative Commons

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


2 Old Drinking Glasses- Help With Origin & Date Please!
Can anyone idenyify the maker of this glass whale, Nason?
Clear and yellow pitchers and wine glasses for ID.
Can anyone identify this decanter please?
'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Large Green/Opaque Mystery Object - insulator? light fitting? Industrial?
Saucer champagne glasses - acid etch & engraved?
Pair cut glass narrow vases - English? Bernard?
Love it or hate it! Big uranium dog!
Sapphire blue knobbly - Per Lutken?
Vase, blue suspended tear drop bubble in base...origin?
Little clear pot with stylised roses - Czech?
French acid etched mark - but who's?
Oreor - Vases, Lamp Bases etc.
Page created in 1.297 seconds with 21 queries.


Ascent for rent 2 bedrooms on high floor in District 2. Living room have window overlooking to Thao Dien ward. 2 Bedrooms equipped high-grade wood cabinet with wood floor. All bedrooms have large window, bring natural sunshine to all room, owner can relax and see natural landscape outside. 2 Bathroom very convenient. Although apartment for rent designed simply, apartment fully furnished so comfortable.


In research projects and studies, AZT's experts regularly examine various issues relating to automotive technology and road safety. The results are used in internal training measures and processes as well as in public publications and campaigns.
A current traffic safety study by Allianz on the mobility and safety of pedestrians shows which accident situations are most dangerous, how high the distraction potential of smartphones & Co. is and which technology can help to prevent accidents.
The safety of pedestrians remains an important issue. In Germany, more than 400 pedestrians still die in road traffic every year (2018: 457). Nevertheless, pedestrians are often not considered independently in the context of road safety. According to Allianz, however, pedestrian safety must not be allowed to sink into the broad spectrum of problems faced by "unprotected road users" and pedestrians need their own public image. For this reason, Dr. Jörg Kubitzki, accident scientist at the Allianz Center for Technology, developed the study "Sicher zu Fuß – Mobilität und Sicherheit von Fußgängern".
More than half of the pedestrians killed are over 64 years old.
Distraction also plays an important role with pedestrians. Listening to music and texting are special accident risk factors.
Every fourth pedestrian collision occurs when reversing.
Improved pedestrian recognition and automatic emergency braking are also required when reversing.
Allianz recommends updating the European Parliament's Pedestrian Charter.
Further information can be found in the study and the related press release (both documents in German only).
The AZT uses a crash test to demonstrate the dangers of transporting wheels.
In several countries there is a legal requirement that under icy or snowy road conditions dedicated winter tyres have to be used. Therefore motorists know the necessity to change the vehicle tyres. Hence many car owners are forced to transport their car wheels from A to B. Especially with compact cars, transporting the wheels to change the tyres poses a greater challenge, as the wheels cannot be transported lying down in the boot for space reasons. In many cases, the wheels are therefore placed upright next to each other in the load compartment and the rear seat is released in its lock, as otherwise the tailgate cannot be closed.
As practical as this procedure is, however, it can also be dangerous: The rear bench can fall over and the wheels roll against or between the front seats even in the event of minor unevenness or braking. This is not only an enormous distraction for the driver, it also increases the risk of injury. To illustrate this, the AZT showed recordings of a normal ride as well as of a crash test. You can see the results in the video at the end of the page.
The transport of unsecured wheels inside a passenger car can not only be dangerous but may also not comply with the legal requirements in your country. At least for your own safety the goods in a vehicle must be secured in such a way that they can't slip, fall over, roll back and forth or fall down even in the event of emergency braking or sudden evasive movement. The approved technical rules must be obeyed.
Either you place the wheels in the hold and lash them individually or you place them upright next to each other in the hold and pull a lashing strap through the lashing eyes of the vehicle and centrally through the rims.
The securing must be carried out with suitable lashing straps (GS symbol, undamaged, sufficient tensile force).
The maximum tensile force of the belts is given in daN (decanewton). As a rule of thumb, the value of the tensile force in daN should be 25 times higher than the mass of the load in kg. An example of the lashing of four wheels: Depending on tyre size and rim, the weight of a car wheel is between approx. 15 and 25 kg. The maximum tractive force of the belt should therefore be at least 1500 daN (= 4 x 15 x 25).
Single wheels can also be stowed in the footwell behind the passenger seat, but only if the passenger seat remains unoccupied.
In the event of an accident, the seat belts on the unoccupied rear seat can stabilize the backrest in such a way that the wheels in the hold do not additionally endanger the front passengers.
If these rules are followed, it can be best ensured that the wheels do not injure the vehicle occupants in the event of a rear-end collision.
In a special crash test, the AZT showed what forces act on a roof box in a frontal collision.
The roof box was loosely loaded with winter sports equipment (skis, ski boots, ice stick, drink bottles). The permissible load capacity of the roof box was not exceeded.
The load was not secured in the roof box, as is often the case.
The unsecured contents of the roof box shifted to the front due to the acceleration forces acting, the skis broke through the front wall of the box almost unbraked.
In addition, the roof box was partially detached from the base carrier because the clamp fastenings, which were open on one side, could not withstand the forces.
The following video illustrates the consequences of an incorrectly loaded roof box in a frontal collision at 50 km/h. The roof box was not loaded correctly when the frontal collision took place.
When using a roof box, check the permissible roof load. These can be found in the operating manual of your vehicle. As part of the test, the weight of the roof box, roof rack and load must be added together.
Also check the load capacity of the roof rack, which is specified in its operating instructions.
Do not load the roof box beyond its maximum payload. Heavy individual items, e.g. ski boots, should be stowed at the bottom of the trunk and preferably not in the roof box. Bulky items that can be easily lashed down (e.g. skis) as well as lighter items (e.g. clothing, ski helmets) can be transported in the roof box.
When attaching the roof rack and roof box, follow the manufacturer's installation instructions carefully. Preference should be given to roof boxes whose fastening elements completely enclose the rail of the roof rack.
The roof box should offer good lashing possibilities on the inside with stable lashing eyes and/or brackets to secure the load. These lashing devices should be made of metal. Plastic can become brittle in winter, is generally more sensitive to impact and can be damaged, for example, by hard objects such as ski bindings when loaded carelessly.
When driving with a roof box, pay attention to the changed driving behaviour of the vehicle. The higher centre of gravity makes the vehicle more unstable when cornering or braking. The superstructure also changes the aerodynamics of the vehicle and makes the car more susceptible to wind.
And think of the changed headroom! This applies especially to higher vehicles such as vans, SUVs etc. when entering underground garages.
Also remember to check or adjust the tyre pressure before starting the journey if there is an additional load.
The total payload with passengers, luggage and superstructures must not exceed the permissible total weight of the vehicle.
The AZT wishes you a good and accident-free journey!
AZT wishes all visitors of our site a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Video: The Christmas tree was fastened here only with elastic bands. These do not withstand the load.
Video: Here the Christmas tree was fastened with neat tension straps and stays safely on the roof.
Allianz's new safety film deals with the topic of the blind spot and is particularly aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 14.
In the first two films, the subjects of buckling up in the car and wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle were discussed, but now the blind spot of a truck is explained. The AZT experts will receive prominent support from Nina Moghaddam, who, together with twelve-year-old Lukas and safety researcher Carsten Reinkemeyer, will provide insights into the dangers of the blind spot and explain to children what they need to pay particular attention to in road traffic.
Blind spots are areas on cars, trucks or other motorised vehicles that are difficult or impossible to see. Anyone who has ever sat in a truck knows how difficult it is for the driver to see the surroundings. Despite mirrors, pedestrians and cyclists are often barely visible to the driver because they are in a blind spot. According to analyses by the German Federal Highway Research Institute (Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen), almost 700 cyclists and pedestrians are killed or injured each year in accidents caused by the blind spot in a truck turning right.
An important reason for the accidents is the movement of the truck when turning off. In order not to cut the bend, they first drive straight ahead into the intersection before turning sharply. The rear wheels ride closer to the roadside - e.g. the cycle path - than the front wheels. A cyclist or pedestrian recognizes this too late and can´t leave the danger zone in time.
That's why cyclists and pedestrians should never overtake trucks on the right and keep an eye on the rear. "Even if the cyclist has the right of way, he should slow down and check by looking over his shoulder whether the way is really free," says Carsten Reinkemeyer.
In cooperation with the German Road Safety Council (DVR) the DVD is made available to all schools and the police in Germany. Copying and distribution for non-commercial purposes is expressly permitted.
Further information can be found in the press release (German version) on the subject and in the supplementary material (German version) on the DVD.
At the 6th "Allianz Autotag" at the azt experts of the automotive and mobility industries discussed the topic of "Parking 4.0".
At the 6th "Allianz Autotag" at the end of September at the AZT, Allianz board members, AZT experts and representatives of the automotive and mobility industries discussed the topic of "Parking 4.0". The AZT presented a new test standard for actively braking parking and manoeuvring systems, which was developed together with international partners.
The topic of parking plays a major role in today's traffic: The search for a parking space causes one third of the traffic in European city centres. On average, we spend 41 hours a year searching for a parking space. In Germany, drivers spend an average of ten minutes looking for a parking space, covering a distance of several kilometers (Source: Siemens 2015, Statista 2017). In Munich, 12.5 percent of the traffic area or more than 5,300 square kilometers serve as parking space. This puts Munich at the top in Germany (Source: Ubeeqo 2017).
Current technological developments in the automotive sector as well as in support of parking traffic and their possible effects on motor insurance were discussed with experts from the respective fields in a panel discussion. What it looks like, for example, when a car actively brakes with technical support in parking or manoeuvring situations, was demonstrated live to the audience on site. A BMW was first driven towards a bollard serving as a test object, then towards a "soft vehicle target" in order to demonstrate the automatic, independent braking of the vehicle. These scenarios also served to illustrate the new test standard for actively braking parking and manoeuvring systems, which the AZT developed together with international partners and which was presented to the public for the first time at the "Allianz Autotag".
Further details on the test standard, the recommendations of Allianz derived from it and the most important positions of Allianz on the subject of "Parking 4.0" are summarized in a press release.
The car key is coming to the smartphone. In a comprehensive study, AZT examined how the new technology works, what impact the virtual car key has on insurance and which requirements are to be made of a secure system.
Theft is a relevant topic for auto insurance and leads to high average claims amounts. This results significantly increased claims costs for a large number of vehicle models.
For this reason AZT has, amongst other things, been working on vehicle theft prevention for several decades. A significant result in this regard was the introduction of a legal requirement for electronic immobilizers in newly registered vehicles from 1998, which was based on the standards and requirements developed by experts at AZT.
Currently the development and integration of electronic components in the automotive industry is entering a new dimension as more and more innovative and networked comfort and customer functions are launched on the market. Among other developments, the first OEMs are now also starting to offer their customers a virtual key as an additional option alongside the conventional physical car key when purchasing a vehicle. So the smartphone is becoming a car key. In future, the driver will use the app to unlock and start the vehicle; the key is going virtual.
Virtual keys and other digital after-sale services rely on globally networked systems. The keys bring with them not only an increase in comfort but also new attack vectors on the interfaces between the entities in these networked systems. What about data security for example, what happens when the system is hacked?
The technology also leads to many questions for insurance, in particular in the case of total theft. Until now, the customer would present the complete set of keys to the insurer for the settlement of the claim. In principle, this also applies for the virtual car key. No customer will want to send their smartphone to their insurer in the case of total theft.
To counter these challenges, AZT analyzed the virtual vehicle key system, and looked at the current and potential future risks and attack vectors in order to formulate the requirements for virtual vehicle keys. This resulted in guidelines covering the design of virtual vehicle keys as well as the storage and processing of the respective data. With this, auto manufacturers are given a set of guidelines, applicable to all technologies and manufacturers, that serve to retain or increase the level of protection offered to the customer and their vehicle by the current immobilizers.
The virtual vehicle key must not be able to be copied, and, as with a physical key, the number of keys in circulation must be transparent.
A clear, transparent and fixed list of all authorized vehicle users must be available to the customer, and to the insurer in a loss event. In the case of total theft, the customer must also be able to immediately revoke all virtual keys in a demonstrable manner.
Authorization to enter the vehicle must be separate from authorization to drive the vehicle, so as to not undermine the existing layer of protection offered by the electronic immobilizer and to ensure the security of future service models such as "Delivery to the car boot".
The data environment used to access and store the virtual key must be completely separate from other applications. The processing and storage of all security-critical data, such as authorizations and key calculations, must be confined to a secure storage and execution environment.
In driving and crash tests, AZT showed how common bike rack systems transporting pedelecs react in every day driving situations, such as when swerving, braking or driving on uneven surfaces, and also what additional dangers are present in the case of accidents involving pedelecs being transported on rooftop racks.
Many standard bike racks available on the market are not suitable for transporting pedelecs due to their heavy weight. The maximum total permissible weight of the rack indicated by the manufacturer must always be observed. This goes for both rooftop racks and models that are attached to the tow-bar.
For rooftop racks the maximum roof load of the car must also be taken into account.
In the tests, the fastening of the pedelecs to the car failed. This caused damage to the bike and the car, even in every day driving situations. So the key factor is not just the total load on the rack, but also the load on each of the rack's holding rails. If an individual holding rail is overloaded, it will break and not be able to hold the pedelec in place anymore.
In a frontal crash test with a rooftop rack, the pedelecs were shot from the roof like bullets, which would pose a serious danger to other road users in the case of a real accident involving pedelecs transported in this manner.
Bike racks that are mounted on the rear of the car are recommended because, in the case of a head-on collision, the pedelecs will be pressed up against the vehicle and are therefore less likely to become detached.
For this reason, AZT recommends that pedelecs be transported on the rear of the vehicle. In addition, you should ensure that the rack and the individual holding rails are designed for the weight of a pedelec before using it to transport them. During any pauses in the journey the rack should be checked to make sure that all fastenings are still intact and that the pedelecs are still securely attached.
The following film gives more information on the tests and the results.


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text:
Rai's Anime Blog
My Musings About The World Of Japanese Animation (and yuri)
About Rai
Analysis And Research
Yuri + LGBTQA
Anime I Have Watched
Contact or Follow Me
Why Are Anime Girls Always Dieting? Female Body Image and Weight in Japan
As someone who has watched many anime with all-girls casts, there's a trend I've noticed over time. Anime girls are always going on diets – it happens in Sailor Moon, Love Live, Uma Musume, and even in Lucky Star. And loads more. I began to ask myself, "Why are all these girls so obsessed with weight loss?" The obvious answer is: they want to be skinny, which is the ideal body image for many people.
Kagami thinking of excuses for why she gained weight.
But I thought there must be another reason, something culture-based. So, I did some digging. And my suspicion was correct. It turns out Japanese culture greatly emphasizes being thin… to the point where it's a little ridiculous. Of course, being a healthy weight and in shape is never a bad thing, but the Japanese seem to take it to the extreme at time. Why, though?
When I was at Anime Fest, one panelist (I think it was Blake Shepard, but I am not entirely sure ;_; Sorry panelist!) said that it's related to Japanese's culture stress on politeness. He said that Japanese people don't like taking up too much space because it's rude to other people. On the other hand, in the article "Being Fat in Japan," Laguna Levine (2014) explains that being overweight and "[taking] up a lot of room in stores will get you dirty looks from strangers, especially if your butt knocks something off a rack." So, I think that this could very well be a reason why Japanese people want to be slim.
But the girls in anime that diet are usually very thin. I mean, look at this picture of Honoka from Love Live. In this scene, her mom and sister were freaking out over her gaining "a ton" of weight. But look at her! She is perfectly fine and is beautiful the way she is. And yet everyone gets on her case about losing all the weight she supposedly gained.
Honoka's mom is holding the paper with her "shocking" weight gain >_>
And like I said, this is seen in many anime – as well as real life. Besides being polite, it seems that, based on my research, being thin is considered attractive in Japanese culture, whereas being overweight is unattractive (Levine, 2014). This may be true for many cultures, but, as the article "Japan's Beauty Standards: Who is Considered Beautiful in Japan?" (2017) explains, this idea may stem from the fact that "[those] that are slender tend to fit better in traditional Japanese clothes like kimonos and yukatas as well." And, in general, being slim equals being beautiful in many people's minds.
Extreme Weight Loss and Fat Shaming
In fact, being skinny is so "desirable" that it is highlighted greatly in Japanese media. In her very thorough article "Body image and the foreign female in Japan: survey shows frustration with one-size-fits-all thinking," Louise George Kittaka (2016) surveyed foreign women in Japan and asked them about their thoughts on Japan's weight loss obsession. In the article, she talks about a Japanese women's magazine that promoted weight loss and explains that "Among the women in the [magazine's] article, five had BMIs under 22.5 before they even began dieting, while their 'after' BMIs ranged from 20 down to less than 17." 20 may be a good BMI, but 17?! According to Livestrong (2017), a BMI under 17.5 is considered underweight or even anorexic. And this magazine was aimed toward women in their 40s It's insane. Women do NOT need to be underweight – or almost underweight – to be seen as beautiful. That kind of idea is dangerous.
Now, this is just one example; not all of articles or ads may be so extreme. For example, the one pictured below isn't quite as bad (54.4 is 119 pounds and 48.KG is 106 pounds), although it's hard to say for sure without knowing their height. But at least they look healthy.
Picture source: Gaijin Pot
But either way, young Japanese girls are seeing weight loss ads presumably everywhere -in magazines, on TV, in the subway, and other places, all pressuring them to be skinny. And let's be honest. As much as I love idols and cute girl anime, female characters in these shows are almost always incredibly thin. With all of these reminders, it's no wonder that Japanese girls – as well as adult women – feel the need to be skinny.
To make things worse, fat shaming exists in Japan. In her article, Louise George Kittaka (2016) explains that "heavier/curvier women are rarely seen. When they are, it is normally in a comedic or derogatory context." In the article, one of the women who was surveyed said, "It disturbs me that overweight Japanese TV personalities are often made fun of and sometimes quite cruelly mocked for their weight." She goes on to explain that she saw a variety show where a chubby woman was insulted by a bunch of children. I have also seen comments in articles and videos that say overweight people are bullied in Japan.
And unfortunately, fat shaming happens in anime too. In episode 4 of the original Sailor Moon anime, Usagi apparently puts on some weight and decides to go on a diet. But again, look at her! She is as skinny as a pole and does NOT need to lose weight. To add insult to injury, Luna makes fun of Usagi by drawing a chubby version of her. The episode also shows Haruna-sensei "getting fit" when she was perfectly fine to begin with. Now, this is a filler episode and isn't in the manga or Sailor Moon Crystal. As many anime fans know, Sailor Moon is actually known for empowering women. And I love Sailor Moon! But this particular episode is not okay. You can read more about this episode and it's negative attitude about weight in Ann Lee's article "Stop Fat Shaming! Episode 4 Feminist Commentary."
Unsolicited Comments
The Sailor Moon episode is just one extreme example. I don't want to assume that every chubby or overweight person is fat shamed. According to discussions, forums, articles, and comments I have read, visitors to Japan have received mixed reactions when it came to their weight. Some people had negative experiences, but many didn't. Nobita from the YouTube channel Find Your Love in Japan interviewed a man named Mully (2017) who has lived in Japan for many years. He said he has gotten comments from people about his weight, but he doesn't think they are intended to hurt his feelings. He also says that he has a positive attitude, so it doesn't really bother him. But as a foreign male, people may react differently toward him than a home-grown Japanese female.
However, all the discussions and other sources I read had one thing in common: Japanese people usually won't make comments directly to your face. Or, as the panelist said at Anime Fest, people will say one thing, but really mean something else. He said they can be very passive aggressive in Japan.
But just like anywhere, people will behave differently based on their personality. There will be some people who are more blunt about it. In fact, in the Japan Times piece, someone commented, "The Japanese are an incredibly polite society…until it comes to talking about your weight." Another commenter said that weight seems to be a special category in Japan. People aren't afraid to comment on it, unlike other things. (You should go through and read all of the comments in that piece. It's very, very interesting.)
Health And Other Issues
It seems some doctors make comments too. One woman in Louise George Kittaka's survey (2016) said that she has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can make her weight hard to manage. The woman said that medical professionals in Japan did not understand her condition and said her heavy weight was due to "lack of willpower." As a result, she felt ugly and her self-esteem suffered. Louise George Kittaka's article also explains that Japanese doctors expect women "to adhere to strict guidelines on weight gain," which "led to feelings of stress and shame for some [of the survey participants] during their pregnancies."
The pregnancy thing is NOT okay. It's normal for women to gain weight during a pregnancy – women need the extra weight to help hold the baby. It also helps them breastfeed. And feeling stressed during a pregnancy can hurt the fetus or have negative consequences. Hopefully, the pregnancy thing – and other doctors giving bad advice – is not a widespread thing in Japan.
I love, love, love Miku, but look how skinny she is >.<
The whole weight loss obsession does seem to be a far-reaching problem, though. With all of the pressure, it's no wonder that anime girls – and real Japanese girls/women – are constantly dieting. They are taught that being thin is "more beautiful" and "healthier." And it doesn't help that Japanese culture greatly emphasizes conformity, so girls may feel even more pressured than in other countries.
And again, it's just not young girls. Mari Suzuki, from the Japan Association for Eating Disorders (JAED), explains that "the percentage of underweight women in the 30-50 age range is rising." In another piece by Louise George Kittaka (2017) on Gaijin Pot, she explains that a female friend in her 40s was worrying about weighting over 1.5kg (just a couple pounds) over the average Japanese women's weight. In this article Louise explains that underweight women can develop Locomotive syndrome, which affects "mobility, due to the weakening of bones, joints, muscles and nerves" (2017). So, in reality, being thin does not always equal being healthier. I really hope that girls and women aren't so obsessed with their body image that they starve themselves. It's very upsetting to think about.
This is unrelated and obviously not as serious as health problems… but apparently Japan's fascination with skinniness makes it more difficult to find clothing that will fit you. But apparently, it is hard for women to find anything over a Medium, which is small, at least in Western standards. Now, to be fair, Japanese people are genetically smaller than Westerners (The Guardian, 2016). But no healthy-sized woman should have to lose a ton of weight just so they can fit into something fashionable.
I am basically the shortest one x_X Or the blonde girl.
Now, I am going to be play devil's advocate for one second and say that having a wider range of smaller sizes is a good thing, in my opinion. I am 4'11" and 100 pounds, and in the US, I find it very difficult to find women's clothing that fits me – they are all too big! Especially pants. Most of my clothing is from the Juniors section, and I literally wear a Girl's 14/16 for some of my clothing. But again, EVERY size should be available to everyone, so they can feel comfortable. (I wonder how people in Japan would feel about me actually wanting to gain some weight?)
What About Busty Anime Girls?
I just want to say that all body types are beautiful. But unfortunately, anime series are showing Japan's preferred body image. And anime girls are just echoing what regular girls in Japan do. I do hope, though, that future anime series stop emphasizing girls needing to be super thin. I also hope they draw a wider range of body types.
That being said, there seems to be a weird inconsistency. Voluptuous or curvy anime girls have been popular for quite a while. Most of them would still be categorized as pretty thin, but they aren't sticks like some anime characters. Are these types of women considered beautiful in real life Japan?
It's hard to say. In his piece on Japanese beauty standards, The Japan Guy said one of his friends claims that the hourglass figure is much more popular in Japan, and that some of his other friends agree. And let's not forget all anime girls that always complain about wanting a bigger bust size.
But apparently large breasts are a problem for traditional Japanese clothing like kimono. According to Tokyo Girls Update (2017), "People who have a curvier figure may actually bind down breasts before putting on the traditional clothing." And in Louise's survey (2016), one foreign woman actually got a breast reduction because all of the negative attention and comments she received about her large breasts. (In my opinion, she shouldn't have done this… unless they always bothered her, even without the comments.)
Kurumu from Rosario + Vampire, known for her big bust.
So, again, it's hard to say if the hourglass figure is accepted – but most likely, it probably depends on personal preference, like most things. As mentioned, curvy figures and large breasts are very popular in anime. But if real large breasts are undesirable, why is this the case? Chris Kincaid explains anime's obsession with breasts in his research piece "Anime's Breast Obsession Explained." Go give it a read!
In a weird way, maybe curvy women in anime may help bring some acceptance of different body types. But then again, you will get problems with objectifying women, unnatural body portions, and other issues, which I really don't want to get into right now ._. It's certainly a situation that can have many pros and cons.
After all this research, it's really obvious why anime girls diet so much. But it's really NOT okay. If you are a healthy weight and feel comfortable in your body, you should not feel pressured to lose weight unnecessarily – to the point where you might be underweight.
Is there hope for Japanese girls and women? Yes, I think so. Japan isn't set in stone; hopefully attitudes will change over time. And of course, you can always… not care about other people's opinions! Or, you can trust that not everyone in Japan is going to say something mean. Take Nobita from Find Your Love in Japan. He is Japanese and says he doesn't care about a person's weight – all he cares about is if you're a nice person. In his video, "3 Things Fat People Need To Understand Before Coming To Japan," he gives some advice about what to do if you want to go to Japan but are overweight. (One piece of advice is to not care :D).
If someone is suffering from an eating disorder or low self esteem because of their body image, there are clinics and specialists in Japan for both foreign women and homegrown Japanese women. Hopefully, impressionable teenage girls will take advantage of them (Kittaka, 2016).
But the thing, or rather the people, who give me the most hope are women in Japan who are doing their best to change everyone's perception of "fatness." There is a new trend called pocchari (which means chubby) that rejects the idea of fat shaming. It also embraces the idea that chubby women can be cute and attractive.
One of the forerunners of the pocchari movement is Naomi Watanbe. She is a Japanese comedian, a social media star, and, most importantly, a plus-size fashion icon. She has gained popularity all over the world, including the US. And to help women feel better about themselves, she created a fashion line for plus-side women's clothing, called PUNYUS. According to Affinity Magazine (2016), "Her brand, and her representation, encourages girls to wear what they want, to be comfortable, and to be fashion forward…. Naomi offers choices to plus size people that have never had that option before."
Along with Harumi Kon, Watanbe also helped launch the fashion magazine called La Farfa, which focuses on fashionable clothing for bigger-sized women. They even have their own idol group, la BIG 3, that performed a song, showcasing plus-size clothing. One of the girls in the video is Ui Ando, who also wants Japanese girls to feel better about their weight. And there is also a idol group called Chubbiness, whose members are little bigger than the average Japanese woman (The Guardian, 2014). Hopefully, these women can teach girls and women in Japan to not be so concerned with a skinny body image.
In the end, is being thin a bad thing? No, of course not. Having a healthy weight and being fit is important for all women, whereas being too overweight or obese will have negative consequences. But girls and women in Japan – or any country in the world – should not feel constantly pressured to be "thin" when they are already a healthy weight. Although it's just reflecting an existing culture, anime doesn't help with this issue. I mean, some of the most iconic female characters in anime also feel pressured to be thin! As time goes on, as activists spread their messages, and as people become more aware of the issue, hopefully Japanese women (and anime characters) will learn to love their bodies.
Find Your Love in Japan. (2017, Dec 19). 3 Things Fat People Need to Understand Before Coming to Japan. Retrieved from YouTube.
Ash, Donald (2017, March 15). The Eight Standards of Japanese Beauty. Retrieved from www.thejapanguy.com/japanese-beauty-standards/.
Bristol. (2017, Feb 18). Naomi Watanabe Is Revolutionizing Body Image in Japan." Retrieved from affinitymagazine.us/2017/02/11/naomi-watanabe-is-revolutionizing-body-image-in-japan/.
Cespedes, Andrea. (2017, July 18). What BMI and Weight Are Anorexic?" Retrieved from www.livestrong.com/article/202485-what-bmi-and-weight-are-anorexic/.
Erika (2017, Oct 2). Japan's Beauty Standards: Who Is Considered Beautiful in Japan? Retrieved from tokyogirlsupdate.com/ideal-beauty-in-japan-201710133652.html.
Find Your Love in Japan. (2018, Feb 24). What Being a Big Size Is Like in Japan (Feat. MULLY). Retrieved from YouTube.
Haworth, Abigail. (2014, Oct 20). Japan's Pocchari Trend Celebrates 'Chubby' Women. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/20/japan-pocchari-trend-women-fat-shaming-stereotypes.
Kittaka, Louise. (2016, Sept 21). Body Image and the Foreign Female in Japan: Survey Shows Frustration with One-Size-Fits-All Thinking. Retrieved from www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/09/21/issues/body-image-foreign-female-japan-survey-shows-frustration-one-size-fits-thinking/#.W8vJo2hKg2x.
Kittaka, Louise. (2017, Mar 17). Where Super-Thin Is Still In: Attitudes to Body Image in Japan. Retrieved from blog.gaijinpot.com/attitudes-to-body-image-japan/.
Lee, Anne. (2016, March 4). Stop Fat Shaming! Episode 4 Feminist Commentary. Retrieved from shojopower.com/stop-fat-shaming-episode-4-feminist-commentary/.
Levine, Laguna. (2014, May 21). Being Fat in Japan. Retrieved from www.tofugu.com/japan/fat-in-japan/.
Posted in: Analyis, Anime, Love Live! | Tagged: Anime, Body Image, Diet, Feminist, Japan, Japanese Culture, Love Live!, Manga, Research, Sailor Moon
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25 thoughts on "Why Are Anime Girls Always Dieting? Female Body Image and Weight in Japan"
Oh wow, that explains so much like why fat jokes are popular in anime. That's kind of scary. Thanks for writing this insightful piece.
Thank you for the comment! And do you have any examples of fat jokes in anime?
Oh yeah. Darling in the FranXX had a fat character that always was made from of for being fat. Little Witch Academia had a fat witch who ate a lot and whose character was only eating. Kiznaiver had a character that used to be fat was insulted by having food thrown at him. I know there are others, but can't think of them as the time.
It's not just anime characters who comment about weight. At work the female staff are always mentioning to their pals how they are going on a diet.
Fat shaming isn't nice, but on the flip side I think the West is too nice when it comes to body image. Large portions of the populace are obese, which is not good in the long term.
Thank you for the comment!Oh, do you work in Japan or with Japanese coworkers?
I'm based in southern Europe. Never been to Japan, but would love to vacation there some day.
The Nerdy Girl News says:
Sharing this!! This was amazing and really makes you think. You did awesome with this article! Kudos to you, Rai!
Thanks!! 😀
That Sailor Moon episode always especially disappointed me – I expected so much better from that show! The Love Live weight loss episode was also especially weird to me because, I mean…it's not like Honoka is even drawn differently in the episode, she looks exactly the same!! Speaking of Love Live, I've seen a lot of people get excited over Nozomi being "thick," and while she is a little bigger than other anime girls, the fact that people saw her (still pretty skinny!) proportions as something worth celebrating just goes to show how little diversity in size there really is…Anyways, this article was really informative and a good read, thank you for sharing 🙂
Yeah, the Sailor Moon episode is really disappointing… but it was one of the very first episodes, probably before Usagi became an icon.
And yeah…Honoka doesn't look any different. It's honestly my least favorite episode. I just felt it was a silly filler.
And I agree yet disagree about Nozomi. I actually love her thickness! It's a nice change from so many of the twig girls out there. But at the same time, you are right. There really isn't a lot of diversity out there yet :<
And thanks for the comment!
oh yeah, I appreciate Nozomi's thickness, too, it's just a shame that that's like, the best we have in terms of cute bigger girls, haha!
BiblioNyan says:
This is a brilliantly researched and marvellously written post about a subject that isn't discussed very often. I loved reading this because it was so insightful and wonderfully argued. Fat shaming is definitely a big issue in a lot of Asian societies, and isn't limited to Japan. I know in India there is a huge issue with portrayal of the "perfect" woman to be this super thin-waisted and big-hipped individual. Big hips equate to how many children you can bear and the kind of wife/mother you will be. In rare instances when I do see media in Japanese anime or manga representing fat girls in a positive light, it makes me feel like there is hope for improvements as there is awareness for the issue, as well as a belief underneath all of the hate and bullying that fat people are not as they are portrayed to be.
Omg, thank you so much! Research articles are my favorite kind of writing, so it makes me very happy that you think it was well-researched and well-argued :')
And that's interesting, I didn't know that about India and I haven't seen any positive representation. Can you give some examples? 🙂
And thanks again!
There was one manga series that I read a long time ago, and I think it was the only one I ever found. I'll have to look it up and see if I can figure out the name. If I do, I'll send it your way.
Ryan Dave Jimenez says:
I agree. It was a well-done article.
Kudos to the work put in by the author. And thank you for a very informative post.
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Jon Spencer says:
Excellent article, was a great read. Very informative.
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