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Category Archives: Japan
Nov 29, 2016 Asia, Japan, Tokyo, travel, UncategorizedArrested in Japan, arrested in Tokyo, Asia, Australians arrested in Tokyo, Godzilla, jail, Japan, Japanese jail, Mount Fuji, Shinjuku, Tokyo, travel, YokosukaThe Row Show
There was a loud knock outside my capsule, and when I poked my head out I almost headbutted a policeman. He was crouched down in front of where I'd been sleeping, thrusting his Tokyo Police badge in my face. Behind him stood two other men, dressed in suits, arms crossed, stern looks across their faces. It was not the best way to wake up on my final day in Japan.
Three days had passed since my friends were arrested for assaulting a Nigerian conman, and I'd spent that time exploring Yokosuka and traipsing around Mount Fuji's suicide forest. As interesting as those places were the fate of the two Aussie backpackers I'd met on my first night in Tokyo was never far from my mind. I'd been reading up on Japanese prisons, and the reality of incarceration is shocking. For starters, simply being arrested leads to a mandatory three-day evaluation period. It doesn't matter if you're innocent, if the cops take you in, you won't be seeing daylight for 72 hours. In reality, however, this three-day period is almost always extended to 23 days, which is how long the police can detain a suspect for without charge. If I hadn't gone for that burger, and had been taken in when my new-found friends had been arrested, I would have almost certainly been kept in for the full 23 days, even though I'd done nothing wrong.
The 23 days are supposedly used for investigating the case, and the police must be bloody good at their job, because they have a 99% conviction rate. In Japan, the police can't be seen to make mistakes, so pretty much everyone who is arrested is found guilty. To achieve this, cruel mental torture is used to attain confessions. Inmates are kept awake for days at a time, screamed at, mentally abused, and shaken like Mount Druitt babies. Basically, any abuse that doesn't leave physical scars is used. Westerners are only allowed to speak when a translator is around (you guessed it, they're never around), the menu consists of one handful of plain rice a day, and the sleeping arrangements involve a rug on the floor and some sawdust for a pillow. It would be a horrendous situation to find yourself in.
While Japanese prisons are almost completely devoid of bashings, shankings, murders and inmate-on-inmate bum sex (that last one might be a negative or a positive, depending on your outlook on life), the conditions are more like a concentration camp than a western prison. No contact with the outside world is allowed, and officials from foreign embassies find it hard to even visit. Through the entire investigation, the prisoner remains guilty until proven innocent (yeah right, like that's gonna happen!).
And things don't get better at the end of the 23 days. After being found guilty, foreigners are sent to an immigration processing centre until all the necessary details have been sorted out and fines paid. This usually takes another four to eight weeks. Before finally being deported, most westerners lose between 15 and 20kg. With the way I've been going at touch footy lately, that wouldn't be such a bad thing, but I get the feeling that foreign inmates in Japanese prison lose a lot more than a few kilograms. I didn't know those boys very well, but they seemed like fun-loving, free-spirited dudes. I'm not sure they'll be the same people when they get out. The Japanese penal system is designed to break people.
I crawled out of my capsule wearing only my undies, while three cops looked me up and down. Around us, businessmen and hungover travellers stopped and stared at me, perhaps wondering whether they were witnessing my last moments as a free man. My mind raced and spun; I was pretty sure that the police were here to ask about Jimmy and Joey, but I wasn't certain. Maybe they were here to arrest me for something I'd done while drunk, or had me confused with someone else? After what I'd read, I knew that even if they just wanted to take me to the station, I was in for a bad time and probably wouldn't be going home that night. The three men spoke in Japanese and then the one in the middle, obviously the interpreter, spoke to me in English.
After confirming my name and details, they started asking about the events of that evening. While the interpreter was pleasant, and the cops weren't intimidating, I was under no illusions that it was anything other than an interrogation. They asked the same questions over and over again – which bars did we go to, what were we drinking, who did we meet – and I found it difficult to answer because I barely remembered a thing about the night because I was so smashed. They seemed surprised that I hadn't been there to witness the fight. Maybe that fact was the only reason they didn't arrest me on the spot, I don't know.
I was doing everything I could to answer their questions, but they kept asking me about Jimmy's wallet. I told them I knew nothing about it, but it was a topic that kept coming up. After a while, I found out the reason; apparently Jimmy's wallet had gone missing, and it had been found in my locker at reception. Of course I knew nothing about it, and to this day I'm not sure if they'd made that up to give them a reason to arrest me if they felt like it, or if it had simply been a misunderstanding downstairs. Either way, that could've so easily led to me being locked up.
When they had everything they needed, the cops took a photo of my passport and then took a number of photos of me. They now had the means to prevent me from leaving the country, but I feel that their reasons for photographing me were more sinister. I get the impression that they probably took the photos of me back to Jimmy and Joey and lied about what I'd said, in order to get them to confess. Whatever the story, I was happy when the police left. I spent the rest of the day just killing the hours until my flight back home at midnight. I couldn't enjoy the day at all, because I was still worried that I might be stopped at customs, and felt bad knowing that those boys were going through hell. Even a visit to the world's smallest Godzilla barely put a smile on my face. Bloody hell, the real Godzilla is 50m tall and this bastard's the size of a moderately-sized dwarf.
I did make it through customs and I did make it home, but the experience gave me plenty to think about. I put myself in a stupid position by getting so drunk in a country with an aggressive police force who rely on WW2-era interrogation methods to abuse foreigners who flout the law. My life as I know it went very close to ending and, while I did nothing wrong, it was my poor decisions that placed me in that position. Being Drunk and Jobless is fantastic, but maybe it's time for me to stop being Completely Fuckin' Shitfaced and Jobless when travelling through countries that are looking for excuses to use and abuse me for three or so months. But now, reliving these events has me fanging for a beer. And that, my friends, was my trip to Bali, South Korea and Japan.
Nov 28, 2016 Asia, Japan, Tokyo, travel, UncategorizedArrested in Japan, arrested in Tokyo, Asia, Australian arrested in Japan, capsule hotel, Golden Gai, Japan, prison, Shinjuku, Tokyo, travelThe Row Show
I loved my time in Japan, and had heaps of unreal experiences that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It's a strange country full of strange people who do even stranger things, but it's also an exciting land that must be explored. There are mountains and beaches and temples and cities that spread out forever. But as interesting as Japan is, after three weeks in The Land of the Rising Sun, I wanted to head back to Australia. However, I went very, very close to not being able to do that. I was one drunken decision away from spending months in a brutal Japanese prison. I'm writing this from my balcony in Australia, safe and free, but the other people in this story aren't so lucky. I sometimes exaggerate in order to create a better story, but everything you'll read here is 100 per cent true.
It all started as I was walking back to my capsule after spending a half an hour in a communal bath with a dozen middle-aged Japanese businessmen. I know, it's a cliche way to begin a story, but it's the truth. I was climbing back into my coffin after a long day of exploring Tokyo when a young bloke poked his head out of the next capsule and gave me a cheeky smile. His mate poked his head out of a capsule opposite us. It was like something out of The Brady Bunch.
"How the fuck are ya, mate?" one of them asked. It was the first Australian accent I'd heard in a month. Ten minutes later, me, Jimmy and Joey were out on the street, drinking Chu-Hais in Shinjuku, while businessmen and people dressed as robots streamed past us.
The wild start of the night was an indication of to come. We won stuffed toys from grabby machines, struck out at a baseball batting range, and rampaged through 7-Elevens and Family Marts to buy Chu-Hai, beer, and meat on sticks. Outside one of the stores, Jimmy found the hat he'd been wearing three nights earlier when he'd been picked up by police. It was crusted in vomit. He dusted it off and popped it on his head. We had another Chu-Hai.
Showing poorer judgement than any of my ex-girlfriends, I followed the boys into a backstreet strip club. We barely made it out alive, after the titty bar turned out to be a cockroach-infested apartment full of huge black men who wanted to rob us. We stumbled through restaurants staffed by robots, danced with homeless men in poorly-lit parks, and tried to pick up beautiful Japanese women with our slurred Australian accents. After weeks alone, it was good to be with people who knew how to have a good time. It was good to be with friends, even if I'd just met them.
We ended up at a karaoke bar in the notorious Golden Gai district, a clutch of narrow alleyways full of bars and nightclubs. I can only remember snatches of what happened in there – I sang with Tokyo businessmen, bought shots, tried to pick up women. One of my new best friends – either Jimmy or Joey, who knows? – passed out in the street outside. More drinks were poured, more songs were sang, time slid past, songs were sang, drinks were sang, poured, passed out in the songs, drinks. The world spun around me. I was happy to be alive, happy to be in Japan, happy to be going home in a few days. I wanted to go paragliding and sit on the beach. I wanted to kiss that pretty German girl in the corner, and did. I wanted another shot. I wanted another shot after that. Jimmy (or Joey) was tongue-deep in a French girl. I fell and knocked over a tableful of glasses, pulled some Yen out of my pocket and thrust it at the owners. Everything slipped away into a blur of neon and bad singing. I needed a burger, so I fell out the door, telling Jimmy (or Joey, or both) that I would be back.
I don't remember buying the burger. I don't remember if I stopped to talk to people, or to piss in a doorway, or to play pachinko. I just know that I got that burger from some God-awful convenience store and carried it back to the bar, ready to down more shots and drape myself over more best friends. But when I got back to the bar, it was surrounded by 40 police officers and hundreds of onlookers. Jimmy and Joey were struggling in the middle of a sea of blue. They looked up and called for me. I'll never forget the look of terror and confusion in their eyes. When I saw them, I dropped the burger. I was immediately sober. Well, as sober as I could after 12 hours of drinking.
Stupidly, I tried to get near them, but was pushed back by a cop. The boys were yelling out for me to help them, asking what was happening. I was helpless, and so I told them to go with the police and that everything would be alright. I thought it would be, I really did. But I was wrong. They were bundled into one of a dozen cop cars and taken away. I could only watch. I bought another Chu-Hai and drank it while the crowd dispersed and the dark sky started bleeding red.
A Canadian guy told me what had happened. One, or both, of the boys had hit one of the Nigerian hawkers who plague the Shinjuku area. He knew nothing more than that, but told me that they'd probably be locked up for a few weeks, or a few months. I told him he was talking shit, and took another swig of my drink. I didn't realise that they wouldn't be back at the hotel the next morning. I certainly didn't realise how close I'd gone to having the life that I know taken away from me forever.
"You were with them?" asked the Canadian. "Shit, you're lucky you weren't arrested, too. The cops here aren't exactly careful when it comes to arresting gaijins."
If I hadn't gone for that burger, and had instead stayed at the bar, I would've been arrested, even if I hadn't done anything. Guilt by association is a real thing in Japan. I wandered the streets for a while and then passed out in my cubicle. It was small, but at least it wasn't prison. I thought it was the end of the story, but it was only the beginning. Things were about to get much, much worse.
Nov 15, 2016 Aokigahara, Asia, Japan, travel, UncategorizedAokigahara, Asia, ghosts, hiking, Japan, Japan suicide forest, Mt Fuji, Sea of Trees, suicide forest, Tokyo, travelThe Row Show
The Japanese are a funny bunch. They love eating raw fish, go mad for baseball and hardcore pro wrestling, can't go a day without singing karaoke and are obsessed with giant robots. It sounds like an idyllic lifestyle, so it's surprising that their other favourite pastime is committing suicide.
More than 70 people kill themselves in Japan every day, and its been an important part of their culture for thousands of years. Suicide is tolerated by Japanese society, and is seen as a reasonable reaction to failure. If we had a similar situation in Australia, there'd be no football players left in Cronulla Canberra. Death is a part of everyday life in this country, and Aokigahara is where more Japanese have ended their lives than anywhere else.
Also known as The Sea of Trees or The Suicide Forest, around 100 people die there every single year. It's been a popular place to shuffle off this mortal coil for centuries, with the number of deaths rising in recent years after being popularised by a number of films and books. The forest sits in the shadows of Mount Fuji, and so I made it my final destination on this leg of the Drunk and Jobless World Tour™
Fuji is fucking incredible. I first saw it while travelling from Kyoto to Tokyo by bus, and was amazed by the size of it. I assumed it was about three or four kilometres away – it was actually 35km from me. It's massive, majestic and beautiful, and it's not hard to see why it's become the symbol of Japan. The second time I saw it from the window of a bus was minutes before I alighted at Kawaguchiko Station, ready to start my journey through a mythical part of the world.
The Fuji Five Lakes are scattered around the foot of the behemoth, and provide the perfect setting to peer up at that majestic mountain. I was hoping to climb Fuji (it's only 4km high – what could possibly go wrong?) but the walking trails are closed for all but a few weeks a year, and there aren't any cable cars to the top, but looking up at it from Lake Kawaguchi was enough to fill my heart with wonder. It's a delightful lake surrounded by European-style chateaus and steep, tree lined cliffs, with a nice path rambling around it. Pushbikes are available, but cost upwards of $30 Aussie for a few hours, so I just made the most of the pegs God gave me and strutted around like a latter-day Michael Jackson.
The lake and mountain were beautiful, but that's not what I came for. It was time to head out to Aokigahara, which sits on the banks of Lake Sai, a few kilometres to the west of Kawaguchi. I expected the bus to be full of curious sightseers, but it wasn't. I was the only person who got off at the bat cave that lays on the outskirts of the trees, and when I walked over to the small information centre and asked for directions to the suicide forest, the woman just shook her head and walked away. I guess she'd seen too many people head into the forest and never come out. Maybe she went to call the police. Whatever the reason, I headed off, found the entrance to Aokigahara, and walked into the green.
It was a bright and sunny day outside, but that didn't matter once I got in amongst the trees. They're so thick that they blocked out the sky, and tangled together to make it appear as if I was making my way along an endless wooden corridor. There wasn't a sound. No animals or birds live in the forest, and the wind has no hope of penetrating the thicket. I didn't dare leave the path – those who do rarely find it again. As I walked along the dilapidated walkway, the only sign of humanity was broken signs strewn along the dirt. I can't read Japanese, but it wasn't hard to work out what they were; last-ditch attempts to stop people from killing themselves. I delved deeper into the forest.
I hike and bushwalk a lot, and so I'm used to being in remote places by myself. Aokigahara, however, is different. It doesn't feel alive in the way that most forests do. Instead, it feels frozen in time and very, very sad. I found myself becoming depressed just being in there, for seemingly no reason. The dark things that have happened there will remain forever. The pain and desperation of the thousands who have walked into those trees is still there. I walked in hoping, morbidly, that I might find some sign of those who had gone before me. A discarded shoe, an abandoned book, anything, Withing 15 minutes, the thought of finding something like that made me feel as if something was crawling around inside my skull.
I hurried along he path, wanting to take everything in but not wanting to see anything. Out in the distance, amongst the scrub, I occasionally saw flags, shirts, and other personal items. I didn't dare look too long in their direction. In places ribbons streamed out from the path, winding through the trees and out into the darkness. Those who walk into the trees to end their lives usually leave them as guides for rangers, so that their corpses can be found. Before I visited Aokigahara, I intended to follow one of those ribbons; once I was in the forest, I didn't dare to.
Once I was nearing the exit of the forest, I started to relax. It was almost over. And then I heard a crashing sound from the bushes around me. I'm used to such sounds in Australia, where kangaroos and brush turkeys are constantly following me around, but the way it tore through the silence terrified me. I turned and strained my eyes in the darkness, seeing a mop of jet black hair bobbing through the trees in the distance. My heart was racing, but I knew I had to the find the person. Maybe I could step between them and tragedy.
Moving silently through the forest, I kept my eyes on the figure. It was a young man, probably no older than 18. I called out to him moments before tripping over a fallen branch and plunging to the ground. When I got back up, the man was gone. I ran to where I'd last seen him, but there was no one. Small caves were carved into the ground, but he wasn't in them. I hadn't heard him run, but he was gone. I sat down under a to catch my breath, while the world swam in front of me. For a whisper of a moment, I felt something brush against the top of my head. I looked up.
None of this seems real now. I look back on it and laugh, because it couldn't have happened. But it did. When I looked up, for the briefest time I saw the young man hanging from that tree, his feet dangling by my face. I got up and ran, and when I looked back there was no one there. Sitting here, I wonder why I didn't go back and investigate, but deep down I know the reason – I was fucking scared. That forest is strange and scary and full of ghosts, and it caused me to see something that I wasn't prepared to see. Some places have been home to so much tragedy and sadness that those events change them forever. The thin fabric between reality and nightmare tears, and terrible things climb through. That's how it is in the Aokigahara forest. It's a bad place, a mad place, and a very lonely place to die.
Nov 7, 2016 Asia, Japan, Shenmue, travel, Uncategorized, YokosukaAsia, battleship, Dobuita, Dobuita Street, Guilin, Japan, Mikasa, Ryo Hazuki, SEGA, Shenmue, Shenmue locations, travel, video games, YokosukaThe Row Show
Back when I was a young fella, and still had hopes and dreams that hadn't been beaten into submission, I spent my days wandering the streets of Yokosuka, Japan. I got into fights, rode motorbikes, chased crooked travel agents, and collected toys from capsule machines with my much younger friend Tatsuya Yamamoto. They were dark days, as my father had recently been murdered by a Chinaman and I was struggling with my sexuality, but I made it through it all with the help of my friends Fuku-san and Guizhang, as well as my girlfriend Nozomi.
I should probably point out that this is all part of the award-winning Dreamcast video game Shenmue, which I played a lot back in 2001. My father is still very much alive and currently renovating Port Macquarie's Fantasy Glades amusement park, and my sexuality has never been in question. But as a kid I loved living the life of Ryo Hazuki in the midst of a sprawling martial arts quest, so when I visited Japan it was, in part, to visit Yokosuka. Even though it wasn't really my father who was murdered, I needed to find Iwao Hazuki's killer – and that meant heading to the seediest streets of Yokosuka in search of sailors.
A few years ago I visited the locations from Shenmue II, including Aberdeen, Kowloon and Guilin, and loved seeing the similarities and differences between the game world and the real world. Yokosuka is a little over an hour from Tokyo, and the buildings never stop the whole journey. A sea of grey slid past the window until, finally, I rolled into Yokosuka and stepped out into a land that I'd never been to, but which I had spent so much time in. It was pouring rain, but nothing could dampen my spirit as I walked past the harbour that plays such an important role in Shenmue.
The bulk of the game takes place around Dobuita Street, and it's only a short stroll from the station. When I got there, it felt incredibly familiar. The game was made 16 years ago and set 14 years before that, but the feel of Dobuita carried through all of that and welcomed me. Yokosuka has long held an American military base, and Dobuita Street is where Japanese and American cultures melt together to create something truly unique. Jacket shops and bars are clustered together to create a place unlike anywhere I've been before.
Any place full of American culture must have huge, heart-wrecking fast food, and Dobuita is no exception. There are plenty of burger shops, but one serves a meal that would stump even the chunkiest Yank. The 7th Fleet Burger costs around $60 Australian and has more meat in it than my ex-girlfriend did while I was at work. I'm sure if I'd waited around long enough I would've seen some poor bastard get wheeled out of there on a trolley, but I had a murder to solve.
I figured the best place to find sailors would be by the water, so I headed to the harbour, where the legendary battleship Mikasa floats proudly. Built in the late 1890s and first put to use in 1902, it remains an impressive ship, but it was an absolute beast back in the day. The pride of the Japanese fleet, she rumbled with the evil Russians for years, causing all sorts of problems for the vodka drinkers. According to signs on the ship, the Mikasa basically destroyed Russia without any trouble – I'm not sure that's quite true, but the ship is still an incredible sight.
I didn't find any sailors out there, however, and trudged dejectedly into a nearby disable toilet. To my surprise, I found a number of sailors in there and they were quite pleased to see me, but it was at that point that I realised I didn't really want to find sailors after all.
As day turned to night I headed back towards Dobuita street, and when I spotted an empty carpark I decided it was as good a place as any to work on my karate moves. I was a martial arts prodigy in my younger years and could've become a master if I'd pursued it, and it felt good to bust out some roundhouse kicks and dragon punches. Then a Japanese woman came over and asked me if I was having a seizure, so I stopped.
One of Shenmue's most-loved characters is Tom Johnson, an African American stereotype who spends most of his time dancing out the front of his hotdog truck. I was gobsmacked to find a truck that was strikingly similar to Tom's, selling delicious kebabs instead of hotdogs. Tom wasn't grooving in front of it, but I didn't let that deter me, and cruised over to throw out some of my best moves. Just as I was getting into 'the orangutan', a very angry man poked his head out from the truck and told me to go fuck myself, which is certainly not something that happened to Ryo. I assumed I'd misheard him and kept shakin' my groove thang, but when he pulled out a large knife and thrust it in my direction, any miscommunication was cleared and I left.
On the train ride home, I reflected on how much fun I'd had in Yokosuka. I'd spent 16 years wanting to come to this place, for no reason other than a video game. And it was everything I'd hoped it would be – for a few hours, I was able to feel like I was in the world of Shenmue, without getting my head kicked in. Sure, Yokosuka doesn't offer too much for the average tourist (although there are worse ways to spend a day – and it's certainly better than Kyoto), but to me it was the most special place on the planet. I didn't get to root Nozomi and no children asked me to wrestle, but I loved Yokosuka!
Oct 26, 2016 Asia, Japan, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, UncategorizedArrested in Japan, Asia, capsule hotel, Godzilla, Japan, Olympic Games, Olympic venues, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, travel, Yoyogi ParkThe Row Show
When I came to Japan, I never thought about going to Tokyo, because it got destroyed by Godzilla. But then I got talking to some idiot in a park while I getting to drunk and he told me it was only a movie, and Tokyo's still there, so I headed over to check it out. Fortunately, the drunk was right, otherwise I would've had my head bitten off by a giant lizard. Although, honestly, sleeping in a capsule hotel was probably just as bad.
You'd be checking out early if you saw that crawling towards you
I wanted to get a good view of the city and see if I could see any hot chicks wandering around, so I headed up the top of the Metropolitan Government Building, which is only a short walk from where I was staying in Shinjuku. It has twin viewing platforms at 202 metres above the ground, and the best thing is that they're absolutely free. Seeing as every other attraction in Japan requires a mortgage extension before even getting close to it, that was a deal I couldn't pass up. The view turned out to be pretty bloody good, too.
A shitload of earthquakes have left Tokyo tilted as fuck
I've got great vision (so what they say about wankin' ain't true) and I saw a good sort catching some sun in Yoyogi Park. I figured that, at best, I'd score a root, and, at worst, I'd get to explore a park with a really funny name, so I headed over there. It's full of trees and is a nice break from the city, but Yoyogi Park is also crawling with people, and I got into trouble for sitting on a rock, so it's not exactly the greatest place in the world (that would be the space between Shion Fujimoto's legs). Oh, and when I got down there the 'good sort' turned out to be a 90-year-old Japanese dude in his undies. Maybe what they say about wankin' is true.
My Cleo Cosmo Bachelor of the Year nomination photo
Shortly after escaping the park, I was pleased to bump into one of my favourite Japanese pop groups, the Sushi Dolls – BANG! The BANG! bit is part of their name, by the way. I wasn't saying that I went up and shot them. I had a brief dalliance with the lead singer, Yuki, a number of years ago whilst we were both working as erotic dancers on Pacific cruise. She ended up leaving me for Pablo, a heavily-tattooed South American billionaire with an impressive collection of designer hats, and I was left heart-broken. I waved at Yuki, but she just turned to a large security and five seconds later I was being escorted out of there. Call me, Yuki!
Just to be clear, I didn't bang any of the trannies or the ugly ones
With my arm possibly broken and my nose bleeding, I blindly staggered towards Shibuya, an overwhelming mixing pot of hip teenagers, techno music, never-ending traffic jams, gigantic video screen, lost tourists, and street dancing. The blinding lights and deafening sounds further disoriented me, and I found myself in a dead-end lane, accosted by a street-wise youth gang. They started pushing me around, hassling me in Japanese. I feared for my life, and did the only thing I could think of – I danced. I busted out some really special moves and did a few handstands, and it was obvious that the toughs were very impressed. They started cheering and clapping, and when I finished, covered in sweat, they called me a legend in broken English and offered to buy me lunch. I pointed at Godzilla behind them and got the fuck out of there.
Facial hair is stringently regulated here
I ran so fast that I made it out to the site of the 1964 Olympics which, unlike Sydney, is actually pretty close to the city. I looked around for the stadium, hoping to get a photo in front of it, but all I could see was some fat bloke in a tractor.
"Hey, Shigeru!" I yelled, taking a swig from my beer. "Where's the fuckin' stadium?"
The bloke stopped the tractor and climbed down, throwing his helmet to the dirt. "My name no Shigeru," he fumed. "My name Ryu, like popular Street Fighter II character."
"How do you do, Ken?" I asked, but the joke went over his head. "Where's the bloody stadium at?"
"Up you arse," he snarled, then spat at me and climbed back into his tractor. Well, that was rude.
I win the gold medal for sexiness
Turns out the original stadium got knocked over so that they can build the new one on the same spot. Well, they could've told me that before I travelled 10,000 kilometres to see the bloody thing. I'll be writing a very strongly-worded email to the boss of the Nipponese Tourism Council. Prepare yourself for that, Gilbert Yamanoke!
The crab has three major segments to its life cycle
The sun goes down quicker than any of my last six girlfriends in Tokyo, and by five in the arvo the sky was dark and the streets were ablaze with neon. I wandered into the streets of Shinjuku, swept along by the tidal wave of people, accosted by dozens of Nigerian touts, assaulted by sights and sounds that can't be seen or heard anywhere else. Tokyo really is as over-the-top as it seems in movies, and Shinjuku seems more like a carnival funhouse than a place that could actually exist in the real world. It's insane.
More lights than a bloke with an anorexia fetish
I bumped into a couple of Aussie blokes and we got smashed on Chu-hai in the streets, played baseball, escaped from brothels, sang kareoke and tried to pick up women. Then it got weird and violent and scary. It was a night that left two men stuck in a Japanese prison for the next three months, and me wondering whether I'd be able to go home. But that's a story for another time. Trust me, I'll tell it.
Oct 16, 2016 Asia, hiking, Japan, Kobe, Travel, UncategorizedAsia, bushwalking, hiking, Japan, Kobe, Kobe Tower, Mt Rokka, Nunobiki Falls, travelThe Row Show
Like most people, I always assumed that Kobe is just the name of that black basketballing man, but it turns out it's also a city in Japan. After spending the night on a ferry fighting off the advances of a derange cuddle buddy, I was glad to reach dry land, and set out into the breaking dawn to explore Kobe. Like most Japanese cities it's big and busy and impressive, but this place sets itself apart by being wedged between steep, forested mountains and the effulgent ocean. Effulgent, great word!
Wondering why all the buildings are at an angle? earthquakes!
My first port of call (pardon the hilarious pun!) was the Kobe Port Tower. At 108m, it's even taller than the basketballman of the same name, and would surely be the first thing knocked over by Godzilla, Mothra or Gamera should they ever turn up. I wanted to go to the top and have a look out at the waking city, but it was unfortunately being used to shoot scenes for the popular Japanese soap opera That's So Yamamoto!, so I just had to stand at the bottom, gazing up in wonder, listening to a little bloke explain how wonderful the view is.
That's what I think of your fuckin' tower!
There's a maritime museum right next to the tower and, while I didn't go inside, there are some cool exhibits out the front. There are a couple of fancy boat prototypes that look like they'd be better suited to visiting Uranus (Oi! Up the back! Stop giggling!), and the view along the harbour is pleasant enough. I mean, it didn't blow my mind, but it's not like I saw dead bodies floating in the river or anything.
An alien lives inside it
I've been staying in shared accommodation for the past week or so, and the lack of 'me time' has obviously lead to me feeling a bit frustrated in the penis region. The situation wasn't helped by the number of naked – and stunningly attractive – statues scattered around Kobe. I didn't even attempt to stop myself from feeling them up. I mean, if they're going to stand there with their tits out, they're asking for it, as far as I'm concerned.
With the harbour marked off my checklist of things to see, it was time to head for the hills. The Nunobiki Falls aren't far from downtown and are considered national treasures, and the 20 minute bushwalk from Shinkobe Station is a good way to escape the city. For the more adventurous, the trek continues to the top of the mountain and gets pretty bloody steep, and it was made more difficult because I had my entire worldly possessions in my backpack. For fat cunts – or those smart enough not to trudge up a mountain on a hot day – there's a cable car.
Where are all the naked waterfall girls?
Bizarrely, there's a traditional German house and a lovely beer garden at the top, looking out over the city. Thursty from my hike, I smacked my lips, trotted up to the girl at the counter, and ordered the biggest and coldest jug of beer they had. Imagine my heartbreak when she told me they didn't have any beer, but she could pour me a cup of peach tea if I really wanted it. I shook my head sadly and wandered back down the hill with tears in my eyes and pain in my soul. I mean, I bought a beer from a convenience store when I got to the bottom and drank it in a park, but it just wasn't the same.
Seconds before showing off my bratwurst
Oct 15, 2016 Asia, Japan, Kobe, Miyazaki, travel, UncategorizedAsia, ferry, Honshu, Japan, Kobe, Kyushu, Miyazaki, travelThe Row Show
Japan isn't a big country, but you'd be bloody tired if you tried to walk from one end to the other. You'd probably also get attacked by wolves and Godzillas, so it's best to make the most of The Nippon's world-class public transportation network. Everybody knows about the bullet trains, but they're bloody expensive, so when I needed to get from Miyazaki to Kobe, I decided to go by overnight ferry. It was an eventful evening.
The ferry is actually a pretty fun way to travel between the islands of Kyushu and Honshu. When I stepped onboard the massive ship, I was pointed towards my sleeping quarters, which was a big open room with hundreds of tiny mattresses on the floor, somw occupied by sleepy Japanese people. It's a bit like having a giant slumber party, but instead of Fantales and pillow fights there's sushi and respectful quietness.
My luxurious accommodation for the night
There was plenty of space so I chose a mattress in the corner and settled in. More Japs dawdled in, and I soon realised they had absolutely no interest in spending the night near me. They'd walk over to my side of the room, see there was a white dude, and then cram into a spot on the opposite side. Alright, maybe the fact I haven't washed my clothes in three weeks had something to do with it, but I'm claiming racism.
After watching the ship depart the port, I checked out th eonboard services. It was what you'd expect; pachinko machines, some video game cabinets, and a hot chip vending machine. That's right, a HOT FUCKIN' CHIP VENDING MACHINE. The Japs really do have everything. For the record, the chips tasted like chicken scrotums.
Works better than Metamucil
When I returned, a very unusual man was sitting cross-legged on the mattress next to mine, watching me with hopeful eyes. I did my best to ignore him and plonked myself down, but the unusual man just turned to me with a smile.
"I'm Casper Yamamoto, pleased to meet you," he nodded. "We're going to be sleeping buddies." With that, he gave me a huge hug and then sat back and started smiling at me again. He wasn't even blinking, just sitting there looking happy.
"Look, Casper, mate. I don't need a sleeping buddy, and even if I did, it wouldn't be you. I'd go for one of those Japanese sheilas with the big tits, not someone who's fat and balding and most likely an advocate for the legalisation of rape. No offence."
Casper the friendly Asian
Casper looked crushed,then immediately perked up. "Me no speaky Engleeee," he exclaimed in an exaggerated accent, then cuddled me again. I grabbed my bag and headed to the other side if the room, but the locals started yelling at me and throwing their slippers, demanding that the white devil stay away from them. Inslunk back to my corner and lay down next to Casper, who just sat there, smiling and not blinking.
I passed out watching TV and woke up a few hours with Casper clinging to me from behind. His grip around my body was as firm as a vice, and it was abundantly clear that he had an erection. I was disgusted and tried to get away, but he wouldn't let go, saying, "Cuddle buddies… CUDDLE BUDDIIIIIIEEEESSS! Now wrestling buddies. WRESTLING BUUUUUDDDDIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!" as we rolled around on the floor. The commotion woke up the sleeping Japs, who became enraged, hurling empty cups of noodles and chopsticks at us and spitting all over the place. Still, Casper wouldn't let go.
Me in happier times (after spilling a beer on my shirt)
I'm not a violent person but I don't enjoy being molested, so I started throwing elbows behind me to take down the hug-crazed psychopath. I felt one blow connect, then another, and after a third Casper finally loosened his grip and fell limply to the carpet. The crowd gasped as one, stepping back from Casper's broken body.
I looked down at Casper, covered in blood and semen, and saw not a monster but a lonely man who wasn't hugged enough as a child. I saw weakness and vulnerability, a symbol of society's failures. The crowd wept and supported me as Casper was carried off into the night, and I decided to catch the fucking train from now on.
Peace returns to the strange Asian sleeping room
Oct 13, 2016 Aoshima, Asia, Japan, Miyazaki, Travel, UncategorizedAoshima, Asia, beach, island, Japan, Miyazaki, palm trees, paradise, shrine, travelThe Row Show
This is the Japanese island of Aoshima and yep, that's the sun – a first for my trip through the Nippon! Today I lay around on the sand while the locals gawped at me, pretended a large stick was my penis, and attended a shrine said to help single blokes find wives. Personally, I reckon having a decent personality and a large penis would have a higher rate of success. My typing finger got bitten by a crab, so enjoy these wonderful photos instead.
Oct 12, 2016 Aoshima, Asia, Japan, TravelAoshima, Asia, beach, Japan, Miyazaki, travelThe Row Show
Japanland's cities are great fun to explore, but there's only so many skyscrapers and karaoke bars I can see before feeling the need to get the hell out of the big smoke. So I packed my kimono and caught the bus over to the beach village of Aoshima, on the eastern coast of Kyushu. And I'm glad I did, because this place is wonderful.
I was hoping to spend a few days on the sand doing nothing, but I've been smashed by the Weather Gods for the past month and so wasn't surprised when it started bucketing down. I'm staying in a traditional house with paper walls and I thought the fuckin' thing was going to get washed away. I figured I could either hang around and wait to drown with the handsome Asians I'm sharing my room with, or grab a feminine hygiene product umbrella and head out into the Big Wet. So that's what I did.
Despite the atrocious weather, Aoshima truly won me over. It's not far outside of Miyazaki, a city of 500,000 people, but offers the old school Japanese experience I've been looking for. There's a cluster of ornamental houses with funny roofs and pushbikes by the front doors, a fishing harbour and beach that has probably looked more inviting at other times. I just walked around, listening to the sounds of birds and neighbours chatting, while the rain continued to fall. It has an atmosphere and feeling to it that I've not experienced anywhere else, and I love the place.
There's a hill at the south of the town with a Buddhist shrine at the top, so I climbed up there. Of course, I didn't take the proper path, I took one that had been closed due to storm damage. I had to clamber over fallen trees and past mudslides, but the view from the top made it all worthwhile. Through the drizzle I could see epic mountains, temples and other mysterious sites. Being in Aoshima is like being on another planet – it's great!


text:
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines–Montigny-le-Bretonneux is a station on the Paris–Brest railway. It is served by Paris's express suburban rail system, the RER Line C and by suburban Transilien Line N and U services. The station opened in 1975. It is within Montigny-le-Bretonneux.

See also
 List of stations of the Paris RER

References

External links

Réseau Express Régional stations
Railway stations in Yvelines
Railway stations in France opened in 1975

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Balloch Castle was owned by James Drummond, the 1st Laird of Balloch in the late 15th century, but at some point after that it was incorporated into the Drummond estates of nearby Drummond Castle.
The last remains of the castle were removed around 1840, and all that now remains is a slight rise in the field and a scattering of stones.
Balloch Castle is in the parish of Muthill and the county of Perthshire.
Published on the 3rd of July 2010 at 10:11 am. Updated on the 28th of June 2011 at 10:26 pm.


Four Seasons Hotel Singapore has great food.
By now, some of you would know that it's truly one of my top Singapore hotel dining choices!
After my awesome experience at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore's Jiang Nan Chun Restaurant in March 2016, I was extremely glad when they invited me to visit their One-Ninety Restaurant for dinner recently.
One-Ninety Restaurant (its shortened moniker in reference to its prestigious 190 Orchard Boulevard address) has revitalized its signature Market Fresh semi-buffet with a wide selection of nearly 30 entrées across its three gastronomical specialities: apple wood grill cuisine, asian favourites including authentic Indian fare from the tandoor oven, and Italian culinary dishes.
Guests can also watch the chefs showcase their culinary magic over apple-wood fired grills, brick pizza oven and tandoor oven via a Theatre Kitchen, just make sure you reserve your seats in advance!
Taste hearty epicurean fare at the signature Market Fresh Semi-Buffet, where delectable appetizers, high quality imported cheeses from France and Italy, and decadent desserts are served free-flow on the table spread, and changed daily according to the freshest and finest seasonal produce that chefs source for the day.
This is complemented with a choice of extensive chef-crafted entrées. Executive Chef and Director of Food, Beverage and Culinary Operations, Giovanni Speciale from Italy, brings more than two decades of expertise honed across extensive experience in Four Seasons properties around the world. He leads the expert team of trained chefs and local cuisine chefs who have featured in food festivals abroad.
The appetisers will satisfy even the choosiest palates. The spread includes ocean-fresh seafood salads with fresh herbs from the Four Seasons herb garden, charcuterie and cold cuts; while sweet delights abound on the dessert spread with the signature Mango Cheesecake, Red Velvet (Must-try!!) and Hazelnut Royaltine cakes by Pastry Chef Audrey Yee, a Four Seasons veteran and graduate of the renowned Le Cordon Bleu School in London.
An award-winning wine selection of "100 wines under $100" and Wine-by-the-glass programme perfects the gastronomical experience. À la carte menu is also available. Breakfast is a sumptuous spread of classic continental and Asian cuisine, with a live egg station and fresh juice station; while Sunday Lunch includes free-flow champagne and non-alcoholic beverage options.
It was all yummy, but I enjoyed the Mediterranean Octopus the most, imported and marinated with herbs and spices of Mediterranean influence, is very tender and grilled over apple-wood fire to enhance the texture and seal the flavors within.
We were not let down, especially as meat lovers, when we were fed the grain-fed Sanchoku Wagyu, which was handpicked for its amount of fats distributed evenly with powerful flavors! The juiciness of the meat is further enhanced with the sweet aroma of apple-wood. Very worthy to order!
I extremely enjoyed the Asian Specialities out of all the categories, this really surprised me because I never expected to eat such good Asian cuisine in a hotel, to be honest. The sheer wok hei finish of the Cantonese styled hor fun kept me wanting more despite me being extremely full after the other delicacies, the laksa was really well done with a creamy thick broth, the butter chicken was very delicious with a tangy, spicy aftertaste.
Separately, we also got to try the Executive Chef's signature Truffle Foccacia, which was absolutely a silent scene stealer! The simple yet brilliant dish, that was previously only served to VIP guests, is now available through ala carte ordering! It was really addictive, with shaved truffle and 4 types of cheese including mascarpone cheese.
I liked the One–Ninety Spritz - A Spritz style cocktail consist of a low alcohol aperitivo, topped up with sparkling wine.
Children's Playland is also available.
Here's a quick snapshot of the menu selections!
This was an invited session by Four Seasons Hotel Singapore.


Welcome to a leading global manufacturer of plastic protective packaging.
For decades we have been engaged in the development, production and marketing of innovative plastic protective products with outstanding quality and first class delivery service. Our efficient, cost effective production methods allow us to offer attractive prices on our vast product range as well as on custom applications. The secrets of our success are a comprehensive know how of plastic processing, a dedicated team of professionals, a global presence to meet the demands of today's market place.
protective package for your products.


Here it is! The 1st PACE student's exchange!
Looking back to the first months of the project life, we remember lots of work, learning, planning and arrangements that the PACE students and their teachers did in order to make their student enterprise real. Lots of efforts directed to 'other students' in other countries, to whom no real contact happened at the beginning.
During the teacher training, the PACE students in all three countries, Germany, Italy and Spain contacted via Skype for a first visual contact and to get to know each other. But now, during the student exchange in Pamplona (ES), the student met in person and got to know their 'clients'.
The host students prepared a tailored made offer for the students visiting (Germany and Italy). The visiting students selected the activities to do from a wide range of offers on the 'Navarway SE' website especially developed for the Spanish student enterprise and named after its official brand.
Once the students reached Pamplona, they started with the program of what would become an unforgettable week.
Institute tour, tortilla cooking, cocktail show, meals served and cooked by first-year students, hair dressing or facial massage were part of the activities leaded by the students at the CI Burlada school. Moreover, students with special needs were in charge of showing the visiting students and teachers how to cook a Spanish tortilla.
From Tuesday to Thursday, several activities and visits around Navarra's region were planned. Visit to Pamplona most relevant places, Ujué, Olite, castles, palaces, olive oil and wine production, Roncesvalles, Ochagavia or Arbayún Gorges were part of the week planned by the Navarway SE Spanish students. They prepared some explanations for each place visited and accompanied the rest of the visiting group during the whole week.
All students interacted to each other, learned about the process followed by the Spanish students and exchanged best practices about every action taken as part of the peer-to-peer learning.
The last exchange day was reserved to work at the school, to reflect about the week and to learn new methods used nowadays in cutting edge enterprises as well as startups. The students learned about 'Design Thinking' and Lean principles about how to fulfill end-user's needs and to find an innovative solution to them. Therefore, the students are not only better prepared for the work market through the competences developed in their student enterprises, organization and arrangements, but as well for creating innovative solutions that lead to excellence.
Great job guys! Keep working hard!


An ultra-small, ultra-stylish, lightweight 10A, Open-Fit BTE(Behind-The-Ear), the Unitron Unison 3 Moda's tiny profile, coupled with inconspicuous slim tube open fittings make it a great choice for style-conscious clients. In fact, the tubes are so slim, they're virtually invisible. Transparent, tiny plastic domes can replace custom earmolds. Additionally, the slim tubes offer better venting, and keep your ear canal from being blocked, for more natural listening. The Unitron Unison 3 also can be paired with standard earmolds, for those with more severe hearing losses.
People with mild to severe hearing losses including high-frequency hearing losses.
Those seeking high-value, communication-enhancing features & proven performance.
Those who have active lifestyles, often in group conversations and diverse listening environments.


text:
//    Openbravo POS is a point of sales application designed for touch screens.
//    Copyright (C) 2007-2009 Openbravo, S.L.
//    http://www.openbravo.com/product/pos
//
//    This file is part of Openbravo POS.
//
//    Openbravo POS is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
//    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
//    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
//    (at your option) any later version.
//
//    Openbravo POS is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
//    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
//    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
//    GNU General Public License for more details.
//
//    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
//    along with Openbravo POS.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

package com.openbravo.data.loader;

import com.openbravo.basic.BasicException;

/**
 *
 * @author  adrian
 */
public class SimpleBuilder implements ISQLBuilderStatic {

    private String m_sSentence;

    /** Creates a new instance of SimpleBuilder */
    public SimpleBuilder(String sSentence) {
        m_sSentence = sSentence;
    }

    public String getSQL(SerializerWrite sw, Object params) throws BasicException {
        return m_sSentence;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Which Weapon type has the most DPS? Here I'm talking about 2 kinds of DPS. Basically Theoretical DPS and Effective DPS.
If I talk about Theoretical DPS I think of the "perfect execution" of combos. This includes of course Always hitting the target and using the most effective attacks. Basically the numerical DPS.
Now the Effective DPS is a bit more tricky. Let's assume here that we have an experienced player (not Noob and not Pro) that plays with these weapons. He doesn't always hit but he also doesn't always miss with heavier weapons.
So which weapon type has the most DPS when executed perfectly and which one when played averagely?
Also let's not forget about the Raw damage (often more important for heavy weapons) and elemental aspects (fast weapons).

A: In the general sense, every weapon will give the same DPS at the same rough level of skill.  If you are just as skilled with the Dual Swords as the Gunlance, your DPS is going to be roughly even.  How much DPS you do depends on quite a few factors, and if all of these are equal, so will the DPS.
You can see the damage formula here.  It's not just raw DPS you need to pay attention to, nor elemental.  You need to ensure you are hitting the right area of the monster, using an element the monster is weak to, and you have to make sure you dodge, too.  Monsters aren't just going to sit still and take it, either, so you can't just assume you can go all out and have perfect DPS.
In the end, DPS is somewhat of a meaningless stat, as it all evens out.

A: I found a forum thread where it appears a user has done some tests to address this question, though with melee weapons only:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/642342-monster-hunter-3-ultimate/68529875
According to the tests the dps of melee weapons from highest to lowest is:
1) Dual swords
2) Switch axe
3) Long sword
4) Great sword
5) Hammer
6) Gunlance
7) Sword and shield
8) Lance
9) Hunting horn
The results come with the following disclaimer:

However this chart is not meant for determining weapon tiers because it only calculates damage without taking into account other weapon attributes like mobility, blocking and special abilities like using items without sheathing, countering, shelling and playing songs. These abilities allow the weapons with low DPS (GL, SnS, Lance, HH) to compensate for their lack of damage output by creating openings the other weapons don`t have access to.

Because of this the list above describes theoretical DPS.
Effective DPS as you stated is trickier to figure out as it is influenced by many factors like individual player skill and the attack patterns of the monster. Whether you are solo or in a group can also influence things (paralysis can be more valuable with more people to capitalize on it). Ultimately, I think the weapons are pretty balanced and player skill and preference is a much more important factor in determining how good a weapon is.

A: That chart (this one posted by Monkeez) doesn't take into account GL full shell discharge after the slam (that unloads from 2 to 5 shalls at once for 2-5x damage) and also the fact that WF and shells ignore the defense, so on high rank monsters the damage is higher then normal attacks.
Look at the damage that GL does on high def monster (like Abyssal Lagiacrus) compared to the same SA: http://imgur.com/a/p3l1s#1
(And I added Weakness Exploit, giving a little bit of advantage to raw attacks)
Look at the average damage and at the difference between the damage on parts that are not weak spots. And Gunlance has the best shield in the game.
Of course, if you fight a Baggi the SA does more damage, since it has very low defense and GL shell attacks do almost the same damage.
Also in 3U the highest damage output (if you check speed runs videos) comes from Lance charge attack with Mega Juice. Each hit has 1/2 damage, but they're very fast and elemental/status is still the same, not halved. I've seen G-Rank monsters destroyed in like 50 seconds using 4 Lances and 1 trap to keep it still. Of course, that's theoretical damage, since the monster has to stay still and you also need mega juice for stamina.
Also putting Dual Swords #1 in dps is kinda lame (or theoretical, again) since Archdemon mode lasts few seconds and in other modes you need complicated and long combos to keep up. With Switchaxe you just need to press X, doesn't even matter Sword mode or Axe mode if you have power phial.
Same for the longsword that has to reach soulblade 3 to be competitive and it's still inferior to th switchaxe, so basically has less dps then the Greatsword.
Real damage chart on a long fight (so things like archdemon mode last only few seconds and you may even end up wasting them) is more like:
1) Lance (on immobile targets and with mega juice, so theoretical, but possible with status/traps)
2) Switchaxe
3) Greatsword, Hammer, Gunlance
4) Dual Swords
5) Longsword, SnS, HH, Lance (used normally)
(Yeah, Lance is first and last)
Also yeah, as that thread suggests there are more factors to consider, like support from HH, shield from lance/gunlance, fast item use from SnS, etc.
Overall the only useless weapon is the LS, that can be replaced by the SA entirely, or partially by GS or DB. Needs Spirit level 3, or it's worse then Hunting Horn. 75 dps with normal combo and decent dps only with spirit blade combo (that can only be used with filled bar). Better to use SnS then LS.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Here are some of my money saving tips. If you have one that you'd like to share, please post on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear from you!
If you're new to coupons but want to give them a try, remember this. You can always use an in-store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon for the same item.
When possible, take advantage of sale items and then use an in-store coupon and manufacturer coupon.
Accept all the free veggies from neighbors and gardening enthusiasts in your life throughout the summer and fall, and/or buy low cost veggies in abundance and freeze.
Remember! If something is on sale really cheap, if you don't use it, it's costing you money.
If you plan on buying a newspaper for the coupons, check in the Saturday edition. It often has the same coupons and costs less. Buy multiple newspapers if the coupons are really good.
Keep money saver cards, coupons, gift cards and certificates in your car or purse, not at home. If you don't have them when you need them, they won't save you any money.
When the opportunity presents itself, buy energy efficient appliances and use the most energy conserving settings possible. For example, don't wash in long, hot cycles unless you've got major sanitation to accomplish. Check for rebates at the utility company, city, county, cooperative, or state level.
Skip the dry cycle on the dishwasher.
Before buying online, do a search for "promo codes". You can often find special deals and free shipping.
Don't pay for something that other places offer for free. For example, look for a bank that offers free checking.
READ your bills. Look for odd charges, accidental double charges or over charges.
Pay on time when possible to avoid late fees. Ask for a discount if paying in full or early. Many places like healthcare facilities will offer this. If you're "self pay" there may be different rates.
Fill out those rebates and send them in.
Check out loyalty rewards/customer rewards programs at the places you frequent most. Many are free programs but offer big savings.
Call your credit card company and ask for a lower rate.
Book flights during the middle of the week and avoid weekends.
Go through drawers, closets and storage boxes you haven't looked in a while. You may find things you didn't remember and avoid buying the same thing twice.
Make a double batch and freeze when making meals. The more you cook and eat at home, the more you save by avoiding convenience foods and eating out.
Use the library or take advantage of the "Little Free Libraries" popping up, rather than buying books. If you must buy, check out used versions that can often be less than a dime.
Be mindful of memberships. If nobody is eating any of the pies from the "Pie of the Month Club", save yourself some major money and end that membership. Same goes for magazines, savings cards, gym memberships, pool passes, etc.
Never shop hungry. You'll buy things you don't want or need.
Look for free community events. Check the Chamber and City calendars for fun & free activities.
Take advantage of free tasting, such as wine tasting before you buy a whole bottle of wine. Same goes for items in the deli. Usually they will let you try a salad or item before you buy.
Weigh the value of your time. If something is going to take you the better part of a day because you really don't know what you're doing, you are better off spending the $25 to have a professional do it right the first time. Use those hours in a more beneficial way.
What tips do you have to add to this list that save you big? Get in the habit of putting your savings in a jar or envelope and saving it for the holidays!


Metal sculpture of the horse.
Metal Sculpture Symbol: obelisc sculpture Obelisc sculpture in Costinesti resort Sculpture Financial skyscraper buildings in Charlotte North Carolina Sculpture in uptown charlotte grande disk NAOSHIMA, JAPAN. JUNE 6: Yayoi Kusama`s giant pumpkin sculpture Fossil Sculpture Sculpture of a bird on the Constitution Square, one of the main squares of Cadiz.


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Zara is a Spain-based fashion retailer that operates hundreds of shops in more than 70 nations. Some games in the Harvest Moon series also add livestock, fish, and even resource-gathering components such as foraging for meals, chopping down trees, or mining for ore. It also supplies exclusive codes by way of partnerships with retailers on a weekly basis. They are an on the web boutique that brings you Unique Design and style Merchandise from incredible designers and your nearby boutiques. It was the initial site I actually used ans I still favor their filtering methods over AO3's, which I discover messy. Long story brief got a ring that was supposed to be worth $70 went to get a second opinion not worth a penny. We supply you numerous payment approaches such as cash on delivery and on the internet payments. Also came across a new website that supports british designers and makers! I consider about following you as i write hubs on fashion also. Fascinating lens..appears as if the writer has deep knowledge about games..thanks for sharing mate. The internet site is straightforward to navigate, order fulfillment is quickly, and client service is excellent. We promise to be your numero uno women's fashion shop for apparel and accessories cutting across diverse segments. On the web Shopping from USA to India is now extremely straightforward exactly where you can buy any American products on the internet at greatest prices & it is delivered to your doorstep inside a couple of days. KingUvdaStreet has the hottest urban clothing for guys and girls in the game today.
Rapidly fashion label Minkpink is gaining a good reputation for their cute 'n' inexpensive garments, but make confident you also checkout their sunglasses collection before leaving the site. 1st cry boasts of having a huge quantity of 70000 goods that are fundamentally Indian as well as International brands. And Google Shopping are both great sites for comparing costs. Retailers usually require to order spare parts specially, given that they usually do not stock them at consumer outlets—in such circumstances, e-commerce solutions in spares do not compete with retail stores, only with other ordering systems. Occasionally individuals go to advisable location and get tattooed by an apprentice or guest artist that has extremely small experience. I can't stand FFnet, stopped making use of it six years ago, removed all my fic and will not touch something posted on it. Apart from the eye-watering bad writing on the internet site, the reason I read or write fanfiction at all is simply because I appreciate how creativity flourishes in spite of external controls, so when a pack of highhanded and self-entitled authoritarians try to manage what gets posted, it defeats the goal and what tiny enjoyment may be had out of that steaming pile. At ThinkGeek, they have produced it straightforward by supplying us easy access to Sci-fi, comic book, and other techie apparel, electronics and gadgets, outdoor and survival gear, collectibles, and other items that you can not just choose up at your regional department shop.


Our Social Media Director Devon DeMars gave a presentation to the Journalism and Media Studies 210 class at SDSU on April 20, 2015. Devon speaks at SDSU every semester to help students understand the impact of social media on today's businesses and consumers.
This semester, Devon educated the students on how brands can build trust through social media by sharing our co-founder and CMO Brent Gleeson's Forbes article on the topic. Her goal was to show the students real world examples on how social media can be used to establish thought leadership, transparency, customer communication, accountability, engagement and social responsibility.
There was an interesting fact shared in her presentation about the importance of transparency – 77% of buyers are more likely to buy from a company if the CMO or C-level executive uses social media, and 82% trust the company more. Therefore, Devon even challenged the students to tweet our CMO Brent to see if he would respond; which he did!
Once an undergraduate at USC, Devon understands that real life examples will help the students recognize that social media is so much more than posting on social channels. It is about building trust and a positive relationship with your customers to create a win-win business strategy. Social media can make a significant impact on the buyer's journey and compliment your overall digital marketing strategy in many ways. To find out more, visit our Social Media and case studies pages.


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Flick Fact: When is it okay to have your first drink on vacation? | Rail items
By Meg Perkins On Jan 1, 2022
Noelle Burns, center, kisses her son Walker Burns, 17, as she congratulates him before he receives the U.S. Navy Regional Office Training Scholarship given by Commander Ben Fischer (right) during a presentation at Bloomington High School Thursday, May 28 October, 2021. Walker, one of three recipients in a Midwestern recruiting zone of 13,000,000, received the $ 200,000 scholarship to attend the university of his choice. He's hoping to go to Georgia Tech and study aviation. While studying science, he will complete officer training and hopefully graduate as an officer in the Navy. He said he hoped to get into naval aviation or nuclear power. Fischer said Burns' application was remarkable, not so much because he was an A student, but because of his leadership skills as the captain of the BHS soccer team.
Rockford has many successes to celebrate
Could the Illini still make a bowl game in 2021?
HBT Financial, Inc. announces the approval of a new $ 15 million share buyback…
Fon du Lac Police donate proceeds from FOLEPI Winter Wonderland New Year's Eve…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Meathead Movers is revolutionizing the moving industry one relationship at a time.
They've accomplished this by providing the first client and employee focused moving service. Their founding principle is to support student-athletes working their way through college in pursuit of their own American dream, and that will never change. They work hard, have fun, and serve their community by providing premium moving services as well as assisting victims of domestic violence with a fresh start in life.
Meathead Movers is not just an industry-leading moving company; it is an example of great business thinking. From brand to marketing to backend sales and customer service systems, this quickly-growing company is well ahead of the curve.
Meathead Movers hired Matchfire to streamline, optimize and manage their website and marketing. The challenge was retaining years of great work done to custom develop a CMS, CRM and thousands of top search engine rankings while overhauling and updating everything.
The result was a bold new responsive website and purpose-built quote module that continues to gain in the search engines. We've also launched an aggressive always-on marketing engagement that has resulted in a 25% decrease since re-launch in cost-per-acquisition for a new lead. We've also increased the number and quality of leads through conversion rate optimization (CRO) experiments on the site and in paid media. Plus, as Meathead continues to break ground in new regions, we optimize their local presences and listings through our agency partners Google, Yelp and Yext.


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Linden, New Jersey - Former Linden Presbyterian Minister William Weaver Accused of Sexually Abusing At Least 3 Men in Exorcism Rituals
By: Joe LaFrance
At Least 3 Men Accuse Rev. Dr. William Weaver of Sexual Abuse
Former Linden Presbyterian Church minister William Weaver has been accused of using oral sex during exorcism rituals for men who sought counseling. Three men have come forward with similar allegations, saying that Weaver took advantage of their trust and mental states to force sexual contact upon them.
The 69-year-old minister was scheduled for an internal church trial in January of this year. But just one day before the scheduled start date, Weaver renounced the jurisdiction of the Elizabeth Presbytery. By doing so, Weaver gave up his ordination and membership in the Presbyterian Church and avoided an internal trial. The church had accused him of "multiple acts of idolatry and sexual misconduct."
The Presbytery defines sexual abuse as "whenever a person in a position of trust engages, with or without consent, in a sexual act or sexual contact with another person to whom s/he owes a professional and pastoral responsibility."
This trial was scheduled after the three men notified the Elizabeth Presbytery of the alleged abuse. This group oversees 41 Presbyterian churches in Somerset, Middlesex, Union, and Hunterdon counties.
The men claim that some of the incidents occurred on church property, including in Weaver's office and the manse – a house owned by the church for its ministers.
No criminal charges have been filed against Weaver as of June 10, 2019. According to an article by My Central Jersey, the three men did report the alleged sexual encounters to the authorities, including the Union County Prosecutor's Office, New Jersey State Police, and the New Jersey Attorney General's clergy abuse hotline.
Hi. I am attorney Brian Kent. If you or a loved one were injured or killed in a similar incident, I would be happy to speak with you and discuss your options.
Call the number below. It would be my honor to help you. Consultations are free.
Legal Recourse For Victims of Clergy Sex Abuse in New Jersey
Attorney contributor Brian Kent represents survivors of sexual abuse in civil lawsuits against their abusers and negligent third parties. Here is Brian with some general thoughts on the legal options available to clergy sex abuse victims in New Jersey:
Sexual abuse by religious leaders has been a widespread problem for decades. In recent years, there has been an increase in victims coming forward to report sexual abuse by pastors, priests, ministers, and other religious leaders. Previously, many survivors of clergy sex abuse may have hesitated to come forward for a number of reasons. But with an increase in media coverage and the extensions of statutes of limitations for sexual abuse in New Jersey and several other states, many survivors now feel empowered to come forward.
In May of 2019, New Jersey extended the statute of limitations for filing a civil sexual abuse lawsuit. This extension allows victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits up until their 55th birthday or within seven years of realizing that the abuse has caused harm.
If you or a loved one is a survivor of clergy sex abuse in New Jersey, you have options for justice. Filing a lawsuit can help demand accountability from your abuser and the church (if the church was negligent in a way that enabled the abuse) and provide financial support for therapy and other damages you've suffered. Additionally, lawsuits can sometimes be an alternative path to justice if the criminal justice system fails to prosecute or convict the perpetrator.
You can learn more about your legal options as a survivor of clergy sex abuse by contacting one of our experienced sex abuse victims lawyers for a free consultation.
https://www.nj.com/news/2019/06/prominent-nj-minister-allegedly-sexually-abused-men-during-exorcisms-report-says.html
https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/lyndhurst/news/former-linden-cleric-accused-of-sex-acts-with-men-during-exorcisms-report/769464/
About Joe LaFrance
Editor: Joe is a content writer with a focus on the legal field. He covers cases of sexual abuse, drunk driving, and preventable violent crime for the Legal Herald. Contact Joe: [email protected] This article was fact checked prior to publishing by this author to ensure compliance with our rigorous editorial standards. We will only use authoritative sources. Our values compel us to provide only trustworthy information. If you find an error, please contact us.
Rape & Sexual Assault Victim - Lawyer Commentary


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Kote Anjaneya is a temple of Hanuman located in Tumkur, Karnataka. The temple has a 75 feet tall Hanuman statue at the entrance which was inaugurated in May 2005.

It is one of the Sri Vyasaraja consecrated idols of Hanuman. Sri Vyasaraja was Rajaguru of historical Vijayanagar empire. He was also the guru of the likes of Kanakadasa and Purandaradasa. Over five hundred years ago Sri Vyasaraja consecrated 732 idols of Hanuman throughout India.

References

External links

Hanuman temples
Hindu temples in Tumkur district


Shortly after we moved into our house, my husband decided to build our Rottweiler Chief a "dog house." His previous owner had lived on a cattle farm too, but he spent the bulk of his time outside when he lived with him; he seemed to prefer being outdoors. I'll elaborate that this wasn't your average dog house; it was more like an 8×8 shed. Chief was unusually tall for a Rottweiler and my husband wanted to make sure he had plenty of room. My husband used supplies that were already on the farm or things that were leftover from house construction. It had a raised floor and insulation. The exterior was recovered barn wood and he even used leftover trim around the door. My father in law had an old truck bed cover that was used to make an insulated roof. Chief thought his animal house was a mansion, but it quickly turned into an eye sore. It was one of the first things that visitors would notice when they pulled into our driveway. I decided this past spring that I wanted to spruce up the small shed. It needed a new roof, a good coat of paint, some landscaping, and maybe even a barn quilt. Here's an overview of how we removed the old roof and replaced it with a new shingled roof with GAF Timberline® shingles on our do-it-yourself shingle roof project. Later this week, I plan to show you the completely renovated project including paint and a tutorial for a 2×2 barn quilt that will adorn the side.
Last spring at the age of 9, our beloved Chief developed a rapidly spreading form of cancer and passed away. We weren't sure what to do with the shed and it slowly became a bigger eyesore due to a lack of use. A few of the boards needed replacing and it was long overdue for paint. The roof needed replacing before we started work on any of the rest.
This tutorial doesn't include directions for framing a roof. We used treated exterior wood to create the rafters and flat surface to provide a foundation onto which we then added the underlayment and shingles.
Check out the original roof in the photo below.
TIP: Before you begin shopping for supplies, measure your roof twice. There's nothing worse than getting home from Lowe's and discovering that you don't have enough supplies to finish your project.
We added a metal drip edge to help prevent water infiltration and wind resistance before we secured the FeltBuster®.
Shingles are placed from low to high. You will start from the lowest point and work your way up. It took a few minutes to align the bottom row of shingles to ensure they were even. Since our project was small, we nailed down any shingles before we trimmed them.
The project moves along pretty quickly once you get the hang of placing shingles and trimming them.
You need to pay attention and ensure that the seams between your shingles do not overlap, because one long vertical seam could cause your roof to be compromised by water. These Timberline® shingles have a chalk white guide line to make it easier position your shingles. We secured each full size Timberline® shingle piece with four nails spaced evenly across. The nails have to be placed so that the upper shingle will cover the nail.
Since we have a "shed" roof, our project didn't need ridge cap shingles. If you're installing a "gable" roof, you'll need Ridge Cap Shingles that are made specifically for a roof ridge. Our shed roof just required regular shingles placed up until the roof peak.
The re-roofing project took several hours on a clear afternoon. It was much more simple than I had estimated.
We chose GAF Timberline® shingles because that's what our contractor used when building our home. They can be found at your local Lowe's store, and they come in a wide variety of styles and colors.
Timberline® shingles are the best selling shingle in North America. They're made with proprietary, granular technology, and the company is willing to stand behind their product. Timberline® shingles are not only durable, but they're beautiful. Timberline® shingles are a great way to finish off any project with pride. You can get professional grade materials with GAF, but they're easy enough to install that a DIY'er can use them too.
Have you ever installed a shingle roof on a home improvement project? It wasn't as difficult as we imagined and I'm excited about building a picnic shelter with shingle roof that matches our home and this existing shed. I hope you'll stop back by to check out the completely finished/painted renovation and get the tutorial for creating a 2×2 barn quilt. If you're considering a outdoor home improvement project that requires a roof or if you're looking for re-roofing options for your existing home, check out the selection of Timberline® shingles and GAF roofing products at Lowe's.


When you just buy the latest and shiniest tool, you need to use it! If you are brand new to the tool you have purchased, expect to put in some time learning to use the tool.
Did you just buy more online marketing tools? Great! Did you actually put them to use? Take a look at the image, above. What do you see? A wide variety of tools, right? Chances are, most of us couldn't name all the tools (except that big one in the middle). But a skilled craftsman can not only name each tool, but knows the role each tool plays. The job they want to accomplish will determine the tools they select. They spent time learning each tool. They spent more time mastering the tools. In time, they became very skilled. The same should be true for us when we use online marketing tools like autoresponders.
We need to take the time to learn the tools. Then, we should spend time using the tools. In time, if we stay focused and consistent, we begin to master the tools.
Why am I stating what appears to be so obvious? On a daily basis, I hear from someone who has joined TrafficWave. They want to prosper with our online marketing tools. If they are complaining about their lack of results, I look at their account. Over and over, I see that they have not started setting up their autoresponder. In some cases, they might have set up a few letters, but they don't have a capture page set up. What do I do in these cases?
I reply to them and direct them to take advantage of our training videos and our training wiki. As powerful as these online marketing tools are, they can't do the work for us. They simply make it easier to do the work required to build our lists and follow up with prospects.
Hammers don't drive nails. Saws won't cut the boards by themselves. Screwdrivers can't drive screws on their own. Paint brushes won't spread paint without the painter using them.
As with any tools, we start by learning the basic. Then, as we continue applying what we learn, we get better and better at the job.
The stories you see about those "overnight success stories" usually don't mention the time spent learning and using the tools before their success came.
Don't be afraid to spend the time learning to use your online marketing tools.
The results you can realize from proper use of your tools can be absolutely monumental.


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