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Japan's shrimp ice cream sounds like an intriguing summer treat
In which seafood and deserts unite
Aug 17
// Salvador G Rodiles
To this day, seafood is one of the meat groups that hasn't disappointed me. As the people of Niigata Prefecture's Uonuma invent the Nanban Shrimp soft serve to attract more tourists, I'm willing to see if I can maintain ...
Gems of Japan: Handmade Onigiri or Onigiri From a Convenience Store?
Jan 23
// Lindo Korchi
After some time, I saw an onigiri in Kyoto. But this was no ordinary onigiri from the convenient store. Instead, it was a handmade onigiri that was prepared on the same day. Time itself had paused and there was only one thing to do: purchase the handmade onigiri, as well as the convenient store onigiri, and have them battle it out to determine which is the supreme onigiri. The battle would be done by a taste test. [embed]35504:6030:0[/embed] Handmade onigiri: It was huge. It seemed like 1 1/2 convenient store onigiri's put together. I was quite glad about that, until I took my first bite -- it was only rice. The ratio between rice and salmon was disproportional. Now, the salmon was great and tasted super fresh, but the amount was so miniscule. The seaweed was moist, which I didn't enjoy. A moist seaweed is chewy and tough to eat. The reason it's moist is because the onigiri is warm rather than cold or cooled down. It's a battle and I don't like to battle with my food. (Konbu onigiri) Convenient store onigiri: It was small and had a cool temperature. Opening it felt like a work of art, as you need to pull the wrapped down, then up, which tears the plastic in half. Then you pull right and left to free the onigiri of plastic. After, the corners of the seaweed sheet blossom a bit, in which you need to lay it across the onigiri in order for it to stick. Finally, the rice ball nearly becomes covered with seaweed. The first bite is full of crunch (since the seaweed isn't moist) and cooled down rice, along with a taste of salmon. Now the ratio between rice and salmon is also disproportional, in my opinion, but not nearly as much as the home-made onigiri. It's as if the homemade onigiri contained the same amount of salmon, but had an increase of rice. Japan Full Course Menu: Before tasting them both, I secretly rooted for the homemade onigiri, as I love homemade food. I also cook, thus I appreciate it as well. But with such a noticeably unbalanced rice-salmon ratio along with moist seaweed, I couldn't add it to the menu. The convenient store onigiri has made it instead. It taste delicious, fresh, crunchy, and cool. It's awesome. But I do hope to find a home-made onigiri that is supreme. (Yes, it's true: I purchased this manga simply because of the onigiri.) I asked a Japanese friend and tourist about their opinion. The Japanese person said they prefer the homemade onigiri, but it's a little more expensive and not as convenient to get as the one in the store. The tourist said he likes the home-made onigiri for its moist seaweed and warm rice, rather than the cool and crunchy one at convenient stores. That, I found interesting. What about you?
Which will be in your Full Course Menu?
My first encounter with an onigiri was at a convenient store located in Tokyo, Japan (huh, why does that sound so drastic? It's as if a showdown is about to occur). I looked directly at the well packaged rice ball, and saw...
Gems of Japan: Why is Christmas popular here?
Dec 23
// Lindo Korchi
As I parked my bike to explore the city by foot, I began to notice how department stores, bakery shops, and even train stations catered to the holiday season by displaying decorations, the Christmas cake (usually a sponge cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream), and special baked goods. Many Japanese nationals walked in awe of the illuminations & were filled with smiles; their reactions were as if they were experiencing Christmas for the very first time. Slightly puzzled by witnessing the Western influence, I asked my Japanese friends why Christmas was popular in Japan:"Japan has looked to the West for influence and has adopted some of their holidays. Like Halloween, we take it as a day to have a nice time out, dress up and have fun. The same with Christmas; it really doesn't mean anything to us, it's just for fun, nothing serious." one stated."Christmas is like Valentine's Day in Japan. It's a time where people go out with their boyfriend or girlfriend and have a nice time. It's also why some Japanese people feel lonely during Christmas if they don't have a partner; some get the courage to ask out the person they like before Christmas to avoid being alone for the holiday. But it's just a nice time to go out. Also, many parts of the city become lit, which makes it a pretty and happy time." another friend mentioned.While Christmas isn't a national holiday in Japan, I learned that Christmas doesn't have a significant purpose as it does in the West and is used more for enjoyment than religious purposes. Christmas in Japan also tends to focus more on spending time with those you hold precious rather than exchanging presents. Additionally, Christmas Eve tends to be the highlight; a special day set for couples to enjoy each others company, stroll around the city as they view the illuminations, have dinner at a restaurant, and exchange gifts. As for Christmas day, fried chicken tends to be the tradition, in which people actually place orders in advance, specifically from KFC. Interestingly enough, some accommodation spots also use the holiday as a way to bridge the gap between Japanese nationals and Western travelers as a common interest between the two cultures. This approach has been easy for both parties to form new connections. And while Christmas isn't celebrated in the same way it is in the West, it's interesting to see how Japan has adopted the holiday to be harmonious to their way of life.Do you enjoy the fact that Christmas has been introduced to Japan or do you have different views on the matter? Don't be shy to voice an opinion -- let me know. [Photo Credit: Urasimaru and Isado]
Two Locals Tell Us Why
As I cycled through the streets of Tokyo, Shibuya to be specific, I couldn't help but notice the Christmas lights and decorations throughout the city. "This can't be what I think it is; the decorations surely aren't set up fo...
Gems of Japan
Gems of Japan: Amazing Winter views
Layer up, we're going to explore.
Nov 23
// Lindo Korchi
As the plane begins to descend, your heart starts to race; each second feels like it's passing extremely slow, yet at the same time, everything is happening so fast. As the aircraft door begins to open, you take your first fu...
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Japanator goes to AniMaine 2016: Day 3
Nov 18
// Soul Tsukino
With our stuff packed in the car, we headed upstairs where Scott Melzer was doing a game demo for Shadowfist. We watched as Scott and a few of the staffers played. It is a zany game that is for sure. Lots of fun and lots of 80's music. With that done we headed downstairs to An Hour with Carrie Keranen. Yup, she recognized me from Saturday morning, even out of my demon gear. Thankfully she wasn't mad about it. In fact, she is a lot of fun to listen to and such a sweet person. The hour was fun with stories of her family and more voice acting stories. Good fun! We headed upstairs to check out the last part of the auction. Most of the good stuff was gone and I didn't have much interest in what was left. Once again the official mascot ended up with the stand-up sign. I have no idea what she does with these things, but it was hers! Back downstairs now for David Williams and Licensing and the Anime Industry. With both ADV films and Sentai Filmworks under his belt David is the go-to guy for industry and production questions. He told stories of actual production of VHS, Laserdisc, and DVDs, as well as streaming anime nowadays. Another awesome story teller. If you ever see him at a con, take in one of his panels, and you will learn something and have fun. At this point, the con was winding down. The staff was beginning to break down some of the equipment and the only panel left on the schedule was closing ceremonies in the main event room. Jeremy and I sat in the game room killing some time and also made one last trip to the dealer's room. Finishing the weekend off is the closing ceremonies and convention feedback in the main events. Colin and Chris hosted this one and it was announced we had a weekend attendance of 345. That's a good number for our little con. Feedback brought u some new ideas and questions from a few people. And with that, the convention concluded. Jeremy and I headed out to the local Chinese Buffet. I filled up on freshly made sushi, a BIG plate of Mongolian grill (Octopus, noodles, beef strips, and broccoli) a plate of Lamb, clams, duck, and Ham and then a dessert plate. Full to the brim we made the hour drive home. Here is my swag haul: The AniMaine t-shirt, program, badge, a temp badge so I could get my press badge, Kopiko espresso hard candy, Gigi liquid jelly pouch, Brazillian orange Pocky, Choco baby, lemon and orange ramune, a packet of shrimp crackers, 2 old comics from the dollar store, and an Avengers comic given out at the con. Gang, I can never say enough good things about this convention, especially this year. I'm not going to get on my soapbox, but this con started days after the Presidential election and its result. Almost all of the people at this con are from walks of life that weren't treated with the respect they deserve during the campaign and with it over, this convention was the perfect way to escape that, even for a weekend. I've said similar things about AniMaine before, but no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, you are family here. People treat you with respect and love. Staff is wonderful and if there is a problem, they will fix it. I've been to every AniMaine and it has never lost that feeling that if you have that badge, no matter who you are, you belong. I got to see my old friends and met some new members of the family too. It has been a great six years. Can't wait for number 7: [embed]35400:5954:0[/embed] Thanks for reading along with my experience. Can't wait for next year! You can find out more about AniMaine from their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
The last day
So Sunday started off on a much better note than day 2 for the reason I actually got sleep! Sleep is a wonderful thing during a convention. Again nothing in the early morning got my attention so I wasn't in a hurry. We both g...
Japanator goes to AniMaine 2016: Day 2
Nov 17
// Soul Tsukino
With food in my stomach, I headed upstairs to Miraculous: How do we define anime? with Colin and Perry. A good panel with the worldwide scale of anime and cartoon production along with comics and other parts of the fandom that kind of blurs the line of what we as fans call anime. It was back downstairs and the next panel I wanted to go to still had a small line into the panel room so I headed to the dealer's room for a bit and got some goodies and pictures of some cosplayers, and the judging for the cosplay contest had just gotten done in the cosplay cafe. I actually was dressed up as Mirakoshi the demon from my superhero short story series kRaveings, but I don't enter the contest. I didn't get any pics of myself this year but this is what I looked like: This is actually important as the next panel was Coffee with Carrie with Carrie Keranen in the panel room that had the line to it. The line had gone in and it was a full room so I just stepped in to get a few pictures. As soon as I had taken this picture poor Carrie SCREAMED! Ummmm...guess my demon outfit is scarier than I thought. It was heard in the hallways. Many apologies happened soon after but yeah, I can check off "scaring a voice actress half to death" off my bucket list. I decided to stay for the panel as she told all kinds of stories of both her voice acting and herself as she handed out Dunkin' Donuts coffee to people. I didn't partake since I'm not a coffee person, and my face paint was still drying. There was some time to kill after the panel let out as the next panel hadn't started yet. the Anime Millionaire game show was upstairs but I just milled around for a little while before going to Great AMVS- Theory and Practice run by Scott Melzer. Think of it as an appreciation panel from anime music videos. Not just a showing but a discussion of why these videos are so good. During talk of one music video the person in front of me was trying to remember the Ship Happens music video and I chimed in the answer. Scott mentioned how weird it looked from his side talking to a person with a demon peeking over her shoulder with an answer to her question. I just couldn't catch a break that morning it seems. With that letting out I checked out the swap meet over in the cafe but didn't see anything I wanted. I headed up to the main event room to catch the last part of Swim Trunks and Ravers and Bears - Oh My!! with Greg Ayres. If anyone has never been to a con with him, let me tell you Greg is an amazing storyteller and he did not disappoint here. His tale of the cursed play in the Texas megachurch was hilarious. It involved dead birds and "fart juice". And then I had to follow that with my panel. Damn Write! I get paid for this! which is about writing professionally for the media (hint your are reading it right now) and also published fiction writing. I got a small but very engaging audience and I hope I was able to give them the advice they needed to help them out. If you were there and reading this now, thank you for showing up! With that done, it was back downstairs and right into the only long line you will get at AniMaine, the line for Bootleg Bomber. The annual tradition of not only educating on how to spot bootleg anime merchandise but then destroying a bunch of them. Before death came to the bootlegs, the cosplay contest winners were announced, and it looks like we got a good bunch of cosplayers this year. Congrats to all of them. Since the theme of this year's con is food, the method of destruction this year was a fat dryer and a Quesada press. The smells were.... interesting, especially sitting fairly close to the table. But the knocks off got the batter and dip treatment or were squashed and cooked. Fun times had by all. [embed]35399:5953:0[/embed] And to anyone who was at this event, Mary Sue is my waifu. With Bomber ending and the upstairs being readied for the rave, people were milling about around the con for a while. I headed downstairs and walked into the panel room and got an applause from the staffers sitting at the table as I walked in. Seriously. Turns out this is the Weird Games Collection panel with game room staffers Garrett and Churchill. I'm not a huge gamer, but what the hell right? They clapped for me as I entered the room so I can at least see the panel. I am also the only one there. So they explain some of the weirder concept board and card games that they had on hand like Secret Hitler, Kittens in a Blender (more on that in a bit), and a game the staff just refer to as Trains. Scott Melzer eventually joined us and he is an expert at these games so I didn't feel like a total putz anymore. With that panel ending and most everyone else upstairs with the oontz oontz oontz of Greg Ayres and the rave (I tried it once. It hurt) Scott, Jeremy, and I sat in the hallways chilling for a while. Carrie had the All about the Ladies women only panel in the other room so there was time to kill. Eventually, the three of us headed down to the games hall and Scott introduced us to Kittens in a Blender. A card game where literally you are trying to save your kittens from a blender and put them in a box. This is a simple easy to follow game and that is perfect for me. It started off on a really ironic moment. I had said that we should take out the "Max" card since Jeremy's cat is named Max and it would be too weird to put that kitten in the blender. Jeremy said there probably isn't even a Max card in this game and Scott dealt out there cards. Guess which blasted card is my very first card in the hand? Yup. There IS a card with a kitten named Max in this game. We stayed there until midnight and the con closing up for the night. Jeremy and I headed up to the room. He had gotten some pizza from the nearby 7/11 earlier and left me some slices. I snacked on candy bars and cocoa for a while as I was watching Dumbo and one of those "watch people damn near die on home video" type shows before getting some sleep. Lots of things to do but had good downtime as well. I would say one of the stranger days I've ever had during a con, but that's what makes these kinds of cons memorable. Stay glues to Japanator as we cover day 3. Can the con be able to funtion on the last day? Find out!
Or how to scare a voice actress
So day 2 of AniMaine didn't start with a bang but with a yawn as I got around 2 hours of sleep the night before. As the con got started with a few morning panels, we headed to the restaurant for breakfast buffet. A whole lot ...
Japanator goes to AniMaine 2016: Day 1
Nov 16
// Soul Tsukino
So with that, the journey began as it does every year with Jeremy "Emerje" Crocker from Tomopop and I made the hour-long trip down to the hotel Friday morning. We made some stops at the local dollar store and a stop at an Asian market in the area for some goodies and then arrived at the hotel. We got there around 2 in the afternoon to get registered and our badges. There was little wait to get in and events didn't start until 3pm so we were not going to miss anything. The feelings that I had returned home is not an understatement. Warm welcomes and saying hi to old friends you haven't seen in a while is probably the perfect way to kick things off. Since nothing had started yet and the hotel doesn't open up rooms until 3 as well, the main hall where the registration desk is as well as being a big game room was hoppin' early. Video games were mostly in the lower section while board and card based games were in the upper section. Also one of the screening rooms was open showing anime just down the hall and a new feature AniMaine provided was the "Cosplay Cafe" which was a room where you could buy or read manga, buy con shirts, and buy some yummy homemade snacks to munch one while talking with friends. It also offered up some cosplay repair services if you needed it. I didn't think I'd be in this room much at first, but it turned out to be a handy idea. 3pm rolled around and we went upstairs for the opening ceremonies to the con. Since staff was still setting up a lot of things and guests were late arriving, it was a quick affair with Colin and Chris opening things up officially and going over a few things. Once that was done we got our stuff and got into the hotel room. With things unpacked, it was off to the screening room for a fan parody block with guest and friend of ours Scott Meltzer. There was some stuff we had seen before and some we hadn't. It got a small crowd of people going in and out of the room as at the same time there were two different games going on in the main events room and David Williams was doing a panel at the same time as well. After some wandering in checking out the dealer's room and saying hi to friends, It was to the panel room for one of my own panels, Damn Write! I write smut. Yes. I hosted a panel with that name. I am a professional. A small group attended but an engaged group of mostly other fan fiction writers and idea were shared and hopefully, some encouragement and advice were given on my part. People seemed pleased and so was I. After I let out Greg had the room for his adult panel while we went to Maine events for Scott's hentai game show! I won't go into to much detail since this site is all ages and the panel certainly was not. A lively engaged crowd and all kinds of fun was had. I don't really want to give me details than that but let's just say I uttered the phrase "I can't post that! I'll get fired!" more than once. After that was done I made a trip to the hotel bar for my annual serving of pineapple juice. Oddly the bar closed at midnight which is new. I'm not quite sure why that is now. The hallways were also cleaned out by the chief of staff so it was back to the room for snacks and stuff before trying to get some sleep. If you are a first-time reader of my AniMaine coverage, it might read like there isn't anything going on on the first day, but trust me that is not the case. AniMaine is a very relaxed con sure, but they always have stuff going on, even if a few friends get together somewhere for a card game. Only a small number of the panels have waiting lines for them, so time can be spent doing things, either stuff on the schedule or off on your own. For such a close knit group as this, most of the first day is catching up with friends you only see once or twice a year, while those new to the con find their way around and get a feel for things. It was a great way to get things started and there was plenty more to come! Stay glued folks, Days 2 and 3 are coming soon!
The best small con there is.
Hello, Japanator readers and welcome to our post-convention wrap up of AniMaine 2016 from the Best Western Merry Manor Inn in South Portland Maine. I am Soul Tsukino and I will be your guide for this wonderful get-together. A...
Mofu Mofu Dogs
Let's give a round of appaws to Japan's new canine idol group
This group has more bark than bite
Nov 01
// Salvador G Rodiles
Well, people. It looks like we have a new dog-themed group in town and they're ready to create music with their barks. Going by the name of Mofu Mofu Dogs, these idols are actual Akita-Inu breed canines with human bodies...
Gems of Japan: Short History of Japan's bullet trains
Sep 10
// Lindo Korchi
After the war, the idea of the high-speed rail was pursued and the development of the Shinkansen began to take place. In 1959, the construction of the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Osaka was under development. And shockingly enough, the construction of the Shinkansen cost nearly 400 billion JPY, or 3.4 billion US. By 1964, the Tokaido Shinkansen was ready for public use. With a connected line between Tokyo and Osaka, the two biggest cities in Japan, the style of business and traffic demand quickly rose. Within three years (1967), the Shinkansen reached its 100 million passenger mark, and one billion mark in 1976 -- all within twelve years. The Tokaido Shinkansen instantly became a success. The first Shinkansen train set was called the 0 series, which was built on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, connecting Tokyo to Osaka. It originally ran at a speed of 210 kmh, or 130 mph, and eventually increased through time. The series was also recognized for its "bullet nose" appearance. However, in 2008, the 0 series was discontinued. Now, one of the driving cars can be found in the National Railway Museum in York, England -- donated by JR West in 2001.Today, there are many series trains. The most recent is the N700 series on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen, introduced in 2007 with a speed of 300 kmph, or 185 mph.Due to the Tokaido Shinkansen's success, it's no surprise that another line was made, the Sanyo Shinkansen in 1975, which connects Osaka all the way to Fukuoka (South of Japan). Though, it didn't stop there. The Tohoku Shinkansen was launched in 1982, which connects Tokyo to Aomori (North of Japan, which is right below Hokkaido, Japan's northern island). With a route length of 674 km, or 419 miles, it is Japan's longest Shinkansen line. The Joetsu Shinkansen was also launched in 1982 and is a railway that connects Tokyo to Niigata (Northwest of Japan) via the Tohoku Shinkansen line.The Shinkansen rose in popularity during its first launch and still continues to do so today. As proof for such, development of the Hokkaido Shinkansen has been in construction since 2005 and will connect Aomori and Hokkaido via the undersea Seikan Tunnel. The first section of Aomori to Hokodate (in Hokkaido), which is 4 hours south of Sapporo, is scheduled to open on March 26, 2016. As for Sapporo, that line is scheduled to open in 2030. There are also more in the works. Interestingly enough, the Tokaido Shinkansen began operation in 1964, which made it in the nick of time for the first Tokyo Olympics. Now, I wonder, what will Japan have in store for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? [Credit for photos in this post: Yuya & Fletcher.]
The Beginning of the Shinkansen
[Editor's Note: Gems of Japan is an ongoing article series by Lindo Korchi highlighting cool things, facts, and brief asides in Japan.] Let's be honest. When most of us think about traveling Japan as a whole (from Tokyo ...
Japanator goes to AniMaine Bangor 2016
Aug 15
// Soul Tsukino
I've written coverage of my home convention here in Maine, AniMaine, before. It is a very close-knit gathering of friends, both old and new alike. That con takes place in November in South Portland, Maine, about and hour or so south of where I am located. It is a highlight of my year. The same group, some in different roles, decided to put on another convention this weekend in AniMaine Bangor, a one-day convention located in Bangor, Maine. The "Queen City" as it is called is about two hours north of where I am located. Most of the staff are from the area since it's the location of Husson College in its associated school NESCom where a lot of the staff graduated from, as did I about ten years before they did. It can make me feel old sometimes with them young whippersnappers and their fancy degrees. The weather on Saturday was not in our favor. The news had called for rain and we sure got it. Luckily there wasn't much scheduled for outdoors (if anything at all) so outside of a trip to your car, you were okay. I went with my usual partner in crime Jeremy "Emerje" Crocker from Tomopop and arrived a little before 9 a.m. This event was being held at the Four Points by Sheraton located right next to Bangor International Airport, a place neither of us had been before. It took a little time to get organized as the con registration was located on the second floor of the entrance. Luckily some familiar faces were there (namely Con chair Diane Lapierre) to point us to the right place. The layout of the space was small, one panel room, one game room, a small vendors area next to the hotel gym, with some information tables located in a walkway leading to the airport terminal. The vendors' area was open when we arrived and we checked things out there, with about six different vendors including a Henna painting table, a table set up for a couple of local horror themed cons, an artist, and a seller offering up old toys and another offering anime stuff and really good prices. We checked out the first panel of the day, hosted by longtime AniMaine staffer Michael Churchill about Magic: The Gathering. Not my cup of tea as far as subjects go but it was still interesting. We took some time to check out the con's program and found that the schedule had been updated and changed the night before, without a chance to fix the programs. I was prepared as I noticed the change on the con's website and had printed out my own copies. We took some time to look around for a short bit before the next panel, What Makes a Video Game Great. The presenter was Adam Crowley who is a Ph.D. looking at games. He was very engaging and would mention things that were popular and why and took a deeper look into the games we love. The next panel was cosplay judging so we explored around some more. There were quite a lot of cosplayers to this con, but we aren't judges and they actually filled the room. I took the time to really get my bearing as to where things were located as relating to a small elevator that really made things easier. We got some lunch at one of the small terminal restaurants and hung out for a while. As I've said of AniMaine in South Portland, this con was very relaxed and had a laid back environment that encouraged conversation with those around you. Next up on the program was the first of two panels by the headline guest, voice actor, director, and AniMaine veteran guest, Terri Doty. with her first of two panels, Voice Acting 101 with Terri Doty. She always makes for a good panel as she is very entertaining, but at the same time has been working in the industry long enough to speak real wisdom. There were a few young audience members who were looking into the industry and Terri was able to answer their questions with stories and anecdotes like only she could. The panel that followed was Hey, I'm Walkin' Here hosted by AniMaine's South Portland Chair, Colin Harvey. This was an animation tutorial panel on how to create a simple walking loop using home computer animation programs. Again, a lot of it flew over my head but it still was enlightening. The next panel was planned to be a Karaoke Extravaganza but some wires got crossed so the room was used for a makeshift panel from one of the staffers while we milled around for a while on our own, I stayed at the hotel while Jeremy checked out some of the surrounding stores. I walked around checking in with some old friends and getting pictures of some of the cosplayers that were there. I met a couple with a very adorable little dog that was the cutest. I returned to the Vendor's area and something cool happened while I was there. For those of you that have seen my posts at our sister site, Tomopop will find I'm a big collector of '80s/early '90s style GI Joe figures. I got to talking with one of the vendor's selling older toys and he said he had a bin of figures he would sell cheap and I assured him if he brought it in I would buy something. Since he lived only 20 minutes away, he went to get them. I took the meantime and got something to drink and hung around the lobby of the hotel near the front desk and chatted with people as we watching Olympic diving (yes, the one with the green water, ick). He returned and SCORE! I ended up getting 13 Joes, most of the which were only a few dollars. He was happy, I was very happy, all was awesome. Reconnecting with Jeremy, we took in some of a panel called Making Your Own Games with Unity where the host showed off a small game that he had designed himself. We milled around some more and hung out at an empty table in the game room for an hour or so before the next panel, which was Con Stories with the vendor for the local horror cons I had mentioned earlier. There was only 5 or six of us but it was a lot of fun and silly stories for conventions past, talk of tipping cows, Star Trek actors, and how awesome Billy Dee Willians is. We finished out the con with Terri Doty's Q and A panel. As said before, she tells wonderful stories about not only her work in voice acting but her life as well. She raffled off a few DVDs, Jeremy ended up winning one of the Hetalia collections. With the panels ended we headed out for the long journey home. AniMaine is family. Old vets like yours truly were just as apt to have discussions with long time friends as much as people going to their first cons ever. It's a relaxed atmosphere where you can just hang out and chill, play some games, take in some great stories, and reminisce about things that happened in days past. The different location from the South Portland cons didn't affect that. It's like if you have a family tradition of going to the grandmother's house every year for Thanksgiving, but then one of your cousins invites the family to their house for a day. Even if the location is different, a place you have never been before, the AniMaine spirit is still there and welcoming. This more than anything else showed that no matter where we are, we are home with family.
A new location but the same good time.
This weekend and era came to a close as Otakon, one of the east coast's biggest conventions, was held in Baltimore for the last time. Since 1999 the convention has been held at the Baltimore Convention Center and had seen its...
Japanator Eats: What's Japan's best rice?
Aug 02
// Lindo Korchi
Hakumai (white rice) is the staple of Japanese cooking and most popular. While genmai (brown rice) is healthier and more nutritious than white rice, it isn't considered as delicious as hakumai. Japanese rice is also sticky when cooked, though not mushy. However, mochigome (glutinous rice) tends to be stickier than regular Japanese rice and is mostly used to form rice cakes. Beyond the traditional format of how we view and consume rice, there's a unique form that the Japanese have taken upon, and that's mochi (rice cakes) – rice on a whole new level. It's made by pounding the mochigome into a paste and molding it into whatever shape desired. Typically, it tastes extremely bland and chewy; it's a traditional food widely consumed and served in soups during the week of New Years in Japan. Thankfully, mochi is also available year round in a variety of ways, including sweets. If you've ever had mitarashi dango, a popular Japanese sweet sold in many convenient stores, grocery shops, and popular hot spots, then you may have eaten rice without even knowing it. With the continuing rise of mass production, many Japanese continue to opt for fresh ingredients. If the rice was harvested, processed, and packaged beyond that same year, then it cannot be sold and labeled as shinmai (new harvest rice). But what's the difference between shinmai and komai (old rice)? The grains of shinmai contains more moisture than komai, resulting in an immediate difference in taste. It's like comparing moist chicken to dry chicken; though both well, it's quite a noticeable difference. While a larger percentage of the Japanese enjoy shinmai, many do prefer komai as it's dry and not as sticky. When it comes to fresh rice, moist rice is the freshest form. The purest way to try shinmai, or any form of rice, is to have a plain bowl of it. However, I typically enjoy adding something to it, may it be nori (seaweed), furikake (dry Japanese seasoning), or salmon. Because of its nature, shinmai is more expensive than other forms of rice that you can purchase in a shop. This would also apply to various forms of dishes that are made using shinmai, such as onigiri (rice balls). You'll notice that homemade, shinmai onigiri are more expensive than the "same" onigiri found in the convenient store. The best way to try shinmai and komai for yourself is to point to a rice product (either a pack of rice, onigiri, pre-made rice, mochi, etc.) and ask "Kore wa, shinmai desu ka?", which translates to "Is this new harvest rice?" Or, have a Japanese friend who can recommend you places that serve either shinmai or komai. As you can see, there are a variety of styles of rice, including mochi, and they're all pretty good. Currently, one of my personal favorites is onigiri made of komai. It's not too sticky, it's pretty firm, and the nori isn't moist. A common dish is tamago kake gohan (a bowl of rice mixed with a raw egg). It gives the rice a creamy texture and is quite a treat. What type of rice do you prefer, along with your personal favorite rich dishes? [Photos provided by Myself]
Gohan no Showdown
Interested in the tasting the best rice of Japan? Well, you may be disappointed. Unfortunately, the word "best" is an undefined word that people continue to try to define. It can't be defined because it relies ...
Capsule Hotel
Capsule Hotels go upscale in Akihabara
This is so worth the claustrophobia!
Jul 11
// Soul Tsukino
A new hotel in the trendy area of Akihabara is taking the idea of the capsule hotel to an all new level of luxury. While capsule hotels are known as low priced, cramped, one night layovers for drunks and tired salarymen. That image may change with the opening of the Anshin Oyado Luxury Capsule Hotel.
JapanaTour: A boat ride around Tokyo Bay
Jul 08
// Lindo Korchi
Anyways, let's continue on: If you're exploring Asakusa (when you're exploring Asakusa, I should say), you'll notice a ship-like torpedo, equipped with panoramic windows, maneuvering along Sumida River -- it is called a water bus. And if you're not familiar with the river, it's the one that separates Sensoji temple and Tokyo Skytree from one another. Keep that in mind. You can take the water bus from Asakusa to Ryogoku (which is famous for its sumo stadium and chanko restaurants) or from Asakusa to Odaiba (the man-made island in Tokyo; also the headquarters for Fuji TV & the home to Tokyo Big Sight). Prices vary, but an average range is between 300 JPY to 1,600 JPY. One of the highlights regarding the boat rides is that you have options. While the Asakusa to Odaiba route is quite popular, you can further explore the bay, along with other areas in Japan, by going to different piers. A few include Tsukiji, Yokohama, Harumi, Aomi, Toyosu, Ariake, and furthermore. Another option worth exploring is by taking a ferry that crosses the Tokyo Bay Aqua-line bridge between Kawasaki and Kisarazu – or simply put, two different cities in entirely separate prefectures. The Tokyo-Wan Ferry crosses the bay between Kurihama (in Kanagawa) and Kanaya (in Chiba). I know, a lot of Japanese cities that you may have never heard of – but that's the point, look at how much you can explore. You'll have a chance to explore Japanese cities that most travelers don't venture out to, so keep that in mind. If you're interested in experiencing the city of Tokyo in a unique way, while also taking in the scenery without the intrusion of cars, pedestrians, bikes, or buildings in your path, then this is something you may want to consider. If you're into film and have a go-pro or similar recording device, you can create a time-lapse video of Tokyo by Boat. And that's a memory you won't forget. Of course, be sure to bring in an extra battery pack and memory card if you intend to do such. If you've explored Tokyo by Boat, what stood out to you most and would you recommend it to others? [Image credits courtesy MyTokyoGuide, Japan Times, Andrusm]
An Extra Adventure
As your plane arrives at Narita airport, your heart begins to race; after all, you'll be walking the streets of Tokyo, hanging out in Shibuya, and getting lost in the labyrinth known as Shinjuku station. However, there's some...
5 Days A Hitchhiker: An Abridged Tour of Japan
May 27
// Lindo Korchi
Here are some tips to keep in mind when hitchhiking in Japan (or anywhere else): - While it's true that there have been a number of hitchhikers who've said that hitchhiking in Japan is easy, along with a short wait time, don't expect it. It may be quick, but it's best to prepare for the worst, which are long wait times. My shortest wait time was 15 minutes in Aga, and longest was 12 hours trying to get out of Niigata. It's really unpredictable. - If you're considering urban camping, I suggest testing it out for a few nights before your initial journey. Also, decide how you want to urban camp. Some people bring tents to be more comfortable; I cared more about my backpack being light and just brought a sleeping bag, which I'm sure is less comfortable, so it depends on you. - If you urban camp with just a sleeping bag, as I did, you'll definitely capture a glimpse of how it is to be a homeless person. Those two nights, one in the grass and the other in front of a cemetery, gave me a glimpse of their lives. I developed more compassion and understanding towards them due to being placed in their shoes, briefly. Valuable insight. (Resting spot in Niigata) - As a sign of appreciation, I recommend giving your driver a gift. I purchased a pack of cookies to give to each one of the awesome drivers who chose to pick me up and make my journey possible. - A very important point is to remember that no one is obligated to pick you up. It doesn't matter if you've been waiting for 15 hours in one spot. It can be frustrating at times, trust me, I know. But remember that you chose to take part in this journey, and sometimes waiting a ridiculously long time is part of it. Embrace it and enjoy; besides, it usually all works out for the best. - Another important thing to keep in mind: if you realize you don't like hitchhiking, nor want to continue, then you don't have to keep doing it. You can always wrap it up. Just as the drivers aren't obligated to pick you up, you also aren't obligated to continue on a journey that you realize isn't fit for you. In the end, hitchhiking and urban camping will take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you. You'll also develop a thicker skin the more you do it. And this is valuable. You'll constantly get rejected as cars blatantly ignore you. And it's up to you to persist or not. Will you shy away or persist in the face of rejection? In the beginning, I was uncomfortable. But by the 5th day, I was more confident in myself since I knew I could survive. It didn't matter that I was in some unknown town in Japan, I knew I'd find a way to sleep, eat, and get from one location to another. And it's because I was pushed to be more creative and think. And that's extremely valuable. All in all, be prepared to be challenged, pushed out of your comfort zone, wait long periods of time, meet great people, and have an unforgettable experience. If you're also interested in hitchhiking around Japan, then here is my full 5-day hitchhiking journey so you can see how it's like (and yes, timestamps are provided): [embed]35048:5652:0[/embed]
Here's to the Crazy Ones
The thought of hitchhiking as a form of travel sounds crazy; the implementation of actually doing it in Japan sounds impossible. Well, here's to the crazy ones who want to hitchhike in Japan. In short, I hitchhiked from the e...
Gems of Japan: Tasting Yakisoba & Okonomiyaki in Asakusa
May 14
// Lindo Korchi
When checking online, it didn't take long for me to discover that the most popular Okonomiyaki shop was Sometaro, located in Asakusa, Tokyo. I decided to begin my journey there.When I arrived at the shop, there was a queue that lasted for 40 minutes. After, I went inside. It was small, cozy, and warm. After viewing the menu, I gravitated to the noodle dishes and saw "yakisoba", or fried buckwheat, and decided to give it a try. I had yakisoba from the convenient store and didn't like it; a friend told me that I had to have one from a restaurant to really enjoy it. Which persuaded me to order. [embed]35014:5607:0[/embed] I believe I ordered the gomoku yakisoba. I was amazed to see that one of the staff members brought out all the ingredients and cooked my meal right before me. As for the taste? Although I like Japan, I'm not going to kid myself into liking something because it derives from the country. At the end, it was so-so. On top of that, it wasn't filling at all and I was still left hungry. However, the presentation was good. A couple of days later, I returned. This time, to order the dish that Sometaro is most famous for -- okonomiyaki. [embed]35014:5608:0[/embed] I believe I chose the gomokuten okonomiyaki. As with the yakisoba, all the ingredients were brought and cooked right before me. As for the taste? It was pretty good. I would've needed two or 1 1/2 to be full, though. The presentation was also extremely well, as it had more ingredients. Overall, I'd recommend okonomiyaki as it's really tasty. However, the most popular okonomiyaki is associated with Kansai, or to be more specific, Osaka. So if I choose to eat okonomiyaki in Osaka, I'll be interested to see if there's much of a difference, overall.When you try either one of these dishes, regardless if it's at the same shop or not, let me know your thoughts on it and which dish you prefer.
There Can Only Be One Winner
During my first trip to Japan, I heard a lot of people talk about Okonomiyaki. I didn't know what it was, except that some people labeled it the Japanese equivalent to pizza. I don't agree. It's more of a pancake than anything else. Nonetheless, I was interested in this pancake-pizza.
Gems of Japan
Gems of Japan: Find golden sweets at this awesome Akiba pastry shop
Put This On Your List
May 07
// Lindo Korchi
When it comes to Japanese sweets, it's difficult to taste ones that aren't satisfactory. Unless we're talking about anko (sweet red bean paste), which I still haven't gotten quite used to. But during my first couple of days r...
Corpse Hotels
Book your dearly departed at a Corpse Hotel today!
A place you REALLY don't want to be
May 06
// Soul Tsukino
If you watch anime or pay attention to Japanese culture long enough, the subject of hotels inevitably comes up. Be it either Mountain hot bath retreats, hourly love hotels, and those ever quirky capsule hotels. But there is a new type of hotels that is on the rise, especially in Tokyo. Corpse hotels. And it's not what you think.
Hokkaido is taking the air out of tourism
Hold on to your gas!
Apr 29
// Soul Tsukino
A downloadable guide put out by The Hokkaido Tourism Organization to help foreigners understand the customs of Japan's northernmost island sparked a bit of an outrage recently when it was found it to be offensive. C...
Manga and Recovery: Reopening a comic museum in Kamen Rider's hometown
Apr 12
// Yussif Osman
The people of Tohoku are unique in all of Japan, they have their own dialect, their own food and attitude, they're louder, more themselves than the rest of what is quite a conservative country. I found the people very brave and very proud, heroically living through and beyond what befell them in 2011, and so it doesn't surprise me that many of the most iconic and heroic manga characters originate from this amazing part of Japan. As I get off the bus at Ishinomaki, a town in Tohoku's Miyagi prefecture, severely affected by the tsunami, I have certain expectations, I basically expect devastation. But that's not what I find. Instead, I'm confronted by statues of Kamen Rider and his contemporaries. The members of Cyborg 009 are striking poses and Astroboy is with them. This way, people who arrive at Ishinomaki station by Robocon covered train or bus, get a flavour of the true character of this place instead of just associating it with tragedy, the way much of the world has. Instead, travellers are met with colour and hope. Among the heroes which adorn the city, there's also Robocon and Sea Jetter, plentiful in murals and wall art alongside posing statues. Amazingly, many of these statues actually survived the tsunami, defying tragedy itself and becoming symbols of hope. And there is sincerely something super heroic about this place, the way people continue to live and who they are. People laugh and gather, eat heartily and celebrate what they share at every opportunity, they work through dark hours, from 2am onwards, harvesting catches from the sea and come to one another's aid, to pull their lives out of the rubble and build something new. Miyagi is home to the world's largest temporary housing camp for displaced people in the world, in the form of the kasetsu units, but many of these kasetsu have been converted into entrepreneurial hubs, restaurants and bakeries; people make more than the most of what they have, in fact they redefined their entire situation. In the town of Funakoshi, a fisherman named Nakasato (in the absence of the town's traditional leadership) brings his community together to rebuild and aspire, they gather in the local school and celebrate their harvests of seaweed and fish whilst putting together plans to move their town uphill, away from the waters. In Ishinomaki, an amazing woman named Hashimoto cooks nightly a feast for volunteers and community members, bringing immense warmth to the oceanic cold. The town holds children's festivals and local organisations like It's Not Just Mud whom I worked with, build amazing playgrounds and return to the sea to swim and reclaim the community's heritage. Throughout my time there, I found people speak little about what befell them, instead they speak of the present and the future, making plans and moving forward. For some, that's opening a sake store or reopening a community antique shop, others are focused on their next harvest of clams or their next shipment of crafts, others are planning the reconstruction of their town and others looking forward to the next gathering, to the next community meal. I found the manga characters which adorn the city allegorical (and I believe the community does as well) to the state of the community itself. Sea Jetter defies the calamities of the sea themselves, Cyborg 009 are a family and team who through working together can achieve anything, Robocon and Astroboy are both gentle and mighty and Takeshi Hongo, the Kamen Rider, all in all represents every act of tenacity and heroism. So though as a manga fan, I may have been looking forward to the reopening of the UFO-shaped Ishinomaki Mangattan, or Manga Museum, I couldn't imagine how much it meant to the people who actually lived there and their children. The days following the re-opening ceremony are immensely moving, costumed characters await at the doors to greet children and they're all there, from the members of Cyborg 009 to Kamen Rider. The community has been making steps towards recovery gradually, but this is a milestone, this is to celebrate all that. Artwork adorns the second floor above the gift shop, including concept art and original manga pages, as well as a movie theatre where never before shown short adaptations of manga are seen. And on the third floor is something out of a dream, a manga library containing a boundless collection of ongoing and completed series from Dragonball to Sailor Moon and Prince of Tennis. Among the celebrated creators in town is Osamu Tezuka, manga pioneer and arguably the father of modern manga. But here, I'd like to place particular emphasis on Shotaro Ishinomori, creator of both one of the first superhero teams in Japan in the form of Cyborg 009 and the iconic tokusatsu series Kamen Rider. Ishinomori was a native of Tohoku's own Miyagi prefecture, making the region home of Kamen Rider, the Cyborg team and Ganbare!! Robocon, which Ishinomori also created. The result was that the Mangattan's official name would actually be the Ishinomori Manga Museum. In fact, Ishinomaki itself is often considered the home town of Kamen Rider. In my time in Ishinomaki, I would also be confronted with a high density of promotional art for the upcoming film 009 Re: Cyborg, a continuation of the Cyborg 009 series, based on an Ishinomori story, entrenching the characters' presence in Miyagi and presenting the community's children and people with yet something more to look forward to as they continue to pull their lives back together. Ishinomori's work may have brought joy to people across Japan for decades, but I believe most vitally it has helped lift the hearts of local people and augment the sentiment that there are things to look forward to, that life is worth living and that we should never give up. Remember every cheesy yet cool moment from a manga? Well in Ishinomaki they mattered, they and their characters still do. I once had a disagreement with a friend of mine shortly after the tsunami, he said that the last thing people would care about after the disaster was manga or anime, but after going there myself, I found that that was very, very far from the truth. I hope that in time, Tohoku will be known for what it's culture and what its people celebrate and have achieved, rather than for what befell them, for hope, pride and the Tohoku way.
The role of manga in post-tsunami Tohoku
Everyone knows what happened in March 2011, everyone has heard about the tsunami and the earthquake and Fukushima, that's why I went, but what I discovered when I arrived is something the world hasn't paid the same level of a...
Cat Island
Japan's Cat Island gets lots of love to fight food shortage
A Purr-ty big response!
Feb 29
// Soul Tsukino
Aoshima is a small island in a remote part of the Ehime prefecture of Japan. It's the kind of small island you mind find a martial arts master residing, or the kind of place you'd take a high school class for a trip (don't forget the commemorative metal collars!). The whole island is only about 8 miles around and is occupied by about 16 people- -and oh yeah... Aoshima
Japan uses their ninja skills to increase tourism
Ninjas are back in business
Mar 10
// Salvador G Rodiles
I know that I joked around in the past about 2015 being the Year of the Ninja, but Japan's recent tourism-related move might as well turn my made-up holiday into a real thing. Long story short, the Japanese government have de...
Universal Studios
Universal Studios' Attack on Titan and anime attractions are pure nightmare fuel
Zombies, Monsters, and Nudists, Oh My!
Feb 02
// Josh Tolentino
I took a trip to western Japan last year, and my big regret of the trip was not finding enough time to visit Himeji castle, the best-preserved traditional castle in the country. I think it's time to add another regret to the ...
Manga apartment
When you visit Japan, try a manga apartment
Behold the manga apartment
Nov 03
// Josh Tolentino
What's the first thing you want to do when you visit Japan? If your answer is "Sit around reading manga in the first room I arrive at," then Slow Curve has just the lodging for you! Slow Curve have announced that they're work...
Attack on Titan
Colossal Titan now terrorizing various landmarks around Japan
The chibiest of Colossal Titans
Jun 18
// Kristina Pino
Most tourist attractions and gift shops in Japan aren't complete without a huge selection of various cute phone straps and keychains you can buy as a memento. You can find them with Hello Kitty, Stitch, One Piece characters, ...
Ultraman prefers Hawaii as a vacation destination
And so should you, apparently
Mar 22
// Josh Tolentino
Japanese tourists love Hawaii. I can't blame them, it's lovely, but part of the reason is surely its proximity to Glorious Nippon, making it an easy port of call for tourists who don't want to go too far. Hence the thriving t...
Real life locations found for Nagi no Asukara
Otaku tracks down the locations
Feb 13
// LB Bryant
One of my favorite anime studios right now is PA Works because of the beautiful series that they have created over the last couple of years. From Hanasaku Iroha to Tari Tari to Angel Beats, it's hard to deny that they've crea...
Travel Osaka
Osaka leads the way to free WiFi in Japan
Yay, technology!
Feb 03
// Kristina Pino
It's been a long, and I mean long, time coming, but one city in lovely Japan has finally, finally gotten with the program and decided to offer free WiFi. And surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, depending on how you look at it), ...
Dogo Onsen celebrates 120th anniversary with art show
Stay in rooms of modern art in Matsuyama
Jan 31
// Brad Rice
Are you planning a trip to Japan sometime this year? If so, you might want to consider an excursion to Matsuyama. It'd be a 5-hour train ride from Osaka, but you'll be visiting a rare historical sight and get to stay there. D...
Tokyo travel agency is letting us all go to space
Should Japanator go? I think yes.
Jan 07
// Amber Hunt
Hey, do you have ¥25 million to spare? If your answer was yes, then this is your invitation to go to space. Yup, I said it, travel to space. A new Tokyo travel agency is allowing this to happen, and nearly 600 people have...
Travel Japan
CNN names Japan among top destinations for 2014
As if we didn't already know
Dec 16
// Kristina Pino
It's that time of year when every travel outlet and publisher is talking about 2014 travel. CNN just revealed a list of 11 countries they deem top destinations for next year, and Japan sits comfortably among the likes of Ecua...
Send your stuffed animals to Japan
Is this cute, or weird?
Nov 28
// Amber Hunt
Did you know you could send your stuffed animals to Japan? Forget going, why not just send your furry friend there?! Unagi Travel, created by Sonoe Azuma, is a company based in Tokyo, and focuses on giving your animals tours ...
Harry Potter
Osaka is ready for the opening of Wizarding World
Get on the Potter Train
Nov 25
// Kristina Pino
Rocket News reports that Osaka is already gearing up for next summer's opening of Wizarding World, which I remember writing about here way back in 2012. It doesn't seem like that much time has gone by, but we're almost there!...
Inflatable Building
Need a concert on the go? Blow up this concert hall
Rad architecture to hit Tohoku
Sep 25
// Josh Tolentino
No, that freaky purple jellybean-thing you see in the header above isn't the next candidate for a Japanator Eats segment, nor is it a titanic sculpture of Grimace in repose. It's actually the next big venue for hot music and ...
JapanaTour: Where to start when planning a Tokyo vacation
Sep 21
// Kristina Pino
For the devoted otaku Of course, this entry had to go first. So you're going to Tokyo and you're looking for all the nerdy stuff? Great. Here are a few places you can make pilgrimages to: Square Enix Artnia at Shinjuku (directions) Akihabara's Electric district (shops, maid/butler cafe, arcades - see also: JapanaTour part 1, part 2) Ikebukuro (Japan Guide's Ikebukuro page) The Ghibli Museum (warning: you need to reserve entry passes way in advance; access) Harajuku (where all fashion dreams come true) Gundam Front (don't miss out on the huge robot at Odaiba!) For the hungry traveler Great food can be found all over Tokyo, so this section was a little tougher to compile. Here are some suggestions: Asakusa (specialty snacks, street food) Theme Restaurants (costumed staff, themed decor/menu, overall cute experience) Kaiten (conveyer belt) sushi Chanko (the glorious soup of Sumo champions) Ramen (the dry packaged stuff you buy for cheap at the grocery store just isn't the same.) Okonomiyaki For the sight-seer Some folks just want to "be a tourist" and see all the "cheesy" (or cool) sights! Here are some suggestions in that area: Ueno Zoo (from Ueno Station) Yoyogi Park (for a relaxing picnic, yeah?) Tokyo Skytree at Oshiyage Shibuya (Shibuya Crossing, Hachiko statue next to train station) Harajuku's Meiji Shrine (follow signs from the train station; afterwards, stroll over to Yoyogi park for that picnic I mentioned) Asakusa's Sensoji (goes great with Ueno Zoo and Skytree Town) Tired of the big city? Take a day trip: Tokyo Disneyland (access) Kamakura (See the Daibutsu, and other lovely temples. It's the closest to Kyoto you'll get without actually going to Kansai; Japan Guide listing) Mount Fuji (the climb is so worth the view. Also Fuji Q; check out the official website for climbing season dates, tips, and directions) Yokohama (Japan Guide listing) This is, of course, not an exhaustive, or even an extensive list. I'd like to point out the title of this post, where it says "Where to start..." before anyone freaks out. Tokyo has so much to offer, and frankly you can spend weeks there and still not discover everything there is to it. I didn't even mention all of Tokyo's districts in this list! That being said, do feel free to add suggestions of your own. The more the merrier! Want more posts like this in the future? Your opinion matters. [Header image courtesy OnlyHDWallpapers, all other images have been snapped by yours truly]
A few handy tips, because we care
In case you're planning a trip to Japan in the future (like for the 2020 Olympics), or even if you're there right now for Tokyo Game Show and are looking for suggestions, here's a list you didn't ask for but totally need. I've even gone through the trouble of sorting it based on interests/activities rather than just making it a numbered list.
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #30 - View
Cheating again
Aug 30
// Kristina Pino
Since I'm boring today and I had to go to work, I don't have an awesome picture freshly taken for your viewing pleasure. So instead, I'm tossing up another picture from last week's visit to Enoshima, this time a view from the top of the Sea Candle, which is a tower that doubles as a lighthouse. [full image in the gallery!]
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #27 - Tokugawa
Checking out some history
Aug 27
// Kristina Pino
Today, I went on an excursion to the home of Mitsukuni Tokugawa, also known as the Koumon of Mito, the Seizanso House. It's located in Ibaraki, the prefecture I live in, and not too far from my current home base. Koumon (1628...
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #24 - Beach
Aug 24
// Kristina Pino
Nothing too wacky or witty for you folks today, since really what I did was hit the beach to read and relax. Sme interesting things went on throughout the day for sure, but really today was all about lounging around. I'm not ...
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #22 - Peeking
Looking back
Aug 22
// Kristina Pino
Peek-a-boo! I did some hiking today, and the view just kept getting better and better as I kept climbing higher. This photo is taken at Enoshima, which is a lovely little island nearby Kamakura. [see the full image in the gallery!]
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #21 - Dress up
Yukata EVERYWHERE
Aug 21
// Kristina Pino
How do you know it's summer in Japan, besides by the heat and the noise from Cicada? It's all the women dressed up in kimono and yukata everywhere ya look. Obon is over, but I'm still seeing lovely ladies dressed up and out on the streets. I've moved again! I'm in beautiful Kamakura now, which reminds me quite a bit of Kyoto. Refreshing.
Daily Japan Photo
Kristina's Summer Vacation: #19 - Oversize
So tall...
Aug 19
// Kristina Pino
A sea of huge lily pads in the foreground, and a sea of modern buildings in the background. Sometimes, these contrasts are fun and interesting. One of the things I love about Japan is the juxtaposition of traditional and mode...
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Since my condition hasn't improved that much from yesterday, my Jtor Live segment won't be happening tonight. If anything, it should be back this Saturday.
Salvador G Rodiles
Since I'm feeling under the weather right now (curse you, spring season), this week's Jtor Live shall be pushed to Sunday.
Anthony Redgrave
Hearts over Hanekawa! <3
Salvador G Rodiles
As a heads-up, this week's Jtor Live is being pushed back to Sunday.
Anthony Redgrave
Someone's got a new desktop background :D
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A brilliant holiday
From Bryan & Julie Bole
We recently spent a week with you and wanted to say how much we enjoyed our stay. All aspects of the hotel were excellent, and all the staff outstandingly friendly, helpful and accomodating. We hope to return and have already recommended you to our friends in Great Bookham. We hope you have a wonderful season. Julie & Bryan
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subset: commoncrawl


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VIENNA (Mar. 30)
Two high Austrian police officials were sentenced to prison terms by a Graz court for participating in the wartime murders of Polish Jews. Gerulf Mayer, a police major, received an 11-year term after he was found guilty of having murdered an adult and two children and of having participated in the liquidation of the Polish village of Polska-Skala in which 29 persons were killed. Alfred Luser drew a seven-year prison term for killing six persons. The two have appealed the verdicts.


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H.B. 2542, as amended, would repeal three statutory restrictions on real estate investments that the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Board of Trustees must follow when investing the System's funds. These constraints include requirements in K.S.A. 74-4921, Section (5)(c)(i-viii) that the System: participate in new investments only if two other sophisticated co-investors also invest; own no more than a 20 percent interest in any new investments; and own positions in commingled funds only to the extent that investments individually do not exceed 20 percent of the total real estate portfolio.
The KPERS Board requested legislation during the 1997 Session to remove the three investment constraints as applied to real estate investments. The bill was introduced during the 1997 Legislature upon recommendation of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on KPERS issues and was carried over to the 1998 Session.
No opponents appeared when a public hearing was held on KPERS bills, including H.B. 2542 that was recommended by the House Appropriations Subcommittee again in 1998. The House Committee amendments were technical and updated the citation references to reflect 1997 changes in statutes. The statutory real estate restrictions originally were enacted in 1993 after the KPERS investments losses of the 1980s and early 1990s were revealed.
The fiscal note indicates that the bill as introduced would have no actuarial impact on the Fund. KPERS indicates that there would be no administrative costs. In testimony to the Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments and Benefits, it was reported that earnings might increase if restrictions were removed since the current provisions imposed artificial restraints on investment choices in the real estate market.
As of December 31, 1997, the System had $324 million invested in real estate, including $192 million in a separate account portfolio and $132 million in commingled funds. The KPERS Board of Trustees has increased its investment goal for real estate and raised from 5.0 to 10.0 percent of the Fund to be invested in real estate. This amount would be approximately $723 million based on market values as of December 31, 1997. H.B. 2542 would allow the Board more latitude to invest an additional $396 million without current restrictions, and would remove the restrictions placed on current real estate investments.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.


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DaimlerChrysler: Stalled
On a brisk September evening, DaimlerChrysler executives gather for a party at a sprawling Mercedes-Benz dealership in Frankfurt. As guests sip champagne and nibble crudités, the auditorium lights dim, music swells, and a huge video screen displays a young Formula One driver filmed that morning in Brescia, Italy. He slips the 626-horsepower engine of the new Mercedes-Benz $416,000 SLR McLaren sports car into gear and tears into the Alps, retracing part of the historic Mille Miglia (1,000 mile) road race through Italy.
Milling about in the crowd is Chrysler Group Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche, the German boss dispatched three years ago to turn around the company's troubled U.S. unit. The breathless celebration of Mercedes' muscular engines, prestigious sedans, and leading-edge technology is a far cry from Zetsche's daily struggle in Auburn Hills, Mich. For if Mercedes is the profit engine behind DaimlerChrysler's $166 billion globe-spanning business, Chrysler remains its dragging muffler. Its unpopular models, inefficient factories, and weak brand image have defied the efforts for a quick turnaround. Says Zetsche: "We have to deal with the hand we have, and turn it into a winning hand."
Still, there's no masking the stark reality behind the biggest industrial merger in history. Five years after Daimler Benz CEO Jürgen E. Schrempp carried out a $36 billion fusion with Chrysler Corp., his promise of creating the world's most profitable carmaker is a financial blowout. After an unexpected $1 billion loss in the second quarter, Chrysler may end 2003 in the red, despite Schrempp's boast a year ago that the unit would earn $2 billion this year. That wipes out the gains of 2002 and follows on the heels of the $5.8 billion loss in 2001.
Chrysler is not the only thing Schrempp, 59, is worrying about these days. In July, a J.D. Power & Associates Inc. survey revealed embarrassing quality deficiencies at Mercedes itself, raising questions about whether the drain on management from Chrysler was affecting the classiest of German marques. Mitsubishi Motor Corp., another troubled imperial possession that was supposed to boost profits through cost savings from shared engineering and purchasing, has warned of a $683 million first-half loss and has slashed its full-year earnings forecast by 75%, as U.S. sales plunge. In July, Daimler's $30 billion truck business embarked on a reorganization to reap savings from sharing parts and pooling purchasing for its various units after losing $960 million in two years. And in August, Daimler agreed to pay $300 million to settle a lawsuit by institutional investors and still faces a $2 billion claim by shareholder Kirk Kerkorian.
Was the merger a colossal mistake? A growing chorus of voices are saying it was. Many auto industry experts believe that Chrysler, whose competitiveness Schrempp badly overestimated in 1998, might have gone bankrupt by now without its German parent. Schrempp promised a world-spanning company that would dominate the industry. But five years into the merger, new products have failed to pull Chrysler out of a rut. And DaimlerChrysler dominates only where it did before -- in luxury cars. It now owns or controls struggling players in both the U.S. and Asia. While Schrempp refuses to admit defeat, some European analysts suggest that DaimlerChrysler might jettison Chrysler altogether. "There are one or two things we didn't do right [at Chrysler] in the beginning. But we will get it right," a subdued Schrempp told journalists at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Schrempp, once one of the most garrulous of CEOs, portrayed himself as a champion of shareholder value at the time of the merger. But he's giving few interviews these days, especially to members of the U.S. press. And why would he want to? The market capitalization of DaimlerChrysler, at $38 billion, is sharply lower than the German auto maker's $47 billion market cap before its marriage to Chrysler. BMW has seen its market value rise by 27%, to $25 billion, since the end of 1998.
Many institutional investors and small shareholders are fed up. They want to see Schrempp replaced and the deal unwound. But the most stinging criticism comes from those within the vaunted 119-year-old auto maker, who point to top management error for the company's dismal performance. "The entire management board is too removed from the business. Things have been going in the wrong direction for a long period of time," says one senior DaimlerChrysler manager.
Poor execution isn't the only problem. The logic behind Schrempp's vision of Welt AG, a world auto company with integrated parts, looks increasingly flawed. Sure, Chrysler and Mitsubishi may be able to cut their costs by sharing parts and engineering. But many auto-industry experts and top executives agree Schrempp erred fundamentally in merging a luxury auto maker with a mass-market brand -- an unnatural combination that offers limited benefits and requires twice the expertise and effort to manage. Moreover, luxury has proved a better source of growth and profits than mass-market cars.
True, when the Mercedes management sets its mind to change, it can be very successful. In the early "90s, when Mercedes was losing ground to the Japanese, they revamped products and brought costs and prices down. But the global auto market these days is brutally competitive. Car sales in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. are all in a long slump. In the U.S., the 1-2-3 punch from Japanese minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks is perilously eroding Detroit's market share. Japan also leads in the hot new crossover segment.
The toughest challenge may be the relentless downward pressure on pricing in the U.S. In an effort to maintain share and cash flow, General Motors Corp. has continued the incentives war it launched in late 2001, changing the face of American auto retailing. Big Three rebates now average nearly $4,000 per vehicle, more than double 1998 levels. That makes it hard to earn a premium on even the newest, snazziest models. Witness Chrysler's $38,000 2004 Pacifica minivan-SUV crossover. Consumers considered the price tag steep for a Chrysler, especially one sharing showrooms with drastically marked-down alternatives. Little wonder the Pacifica got off to a dismal start and needed a $1,000 rebate to juice sales.
Under German management, Chrysler's U.S. market share has dropped three percentage points, to 13%. And in August, it lost to Toyota its 53-year position as America's No. 3 carmaker. But the Germans in charge of both Mercedes and Chrysler are counseling patience. "In our industry, size, strong brands, and synergies are decisive. You must be big," says Rüdiger Grube, chief of development at DaimlerChrysler. Schrempp's managers insist that the integration of process knowhow and parts sharing is just starting to kick in and that over time productivity gains will reduce costs while quality improvements and new models boost Chrysler. "We have a revenue problem because of competitive pressure, and we have to solve it with further improvement on the cost side," Schrempp told analysts on July 24. "It has no effect on our strategy."
The statement has a dangerously familiar ring. Two years ago, Schrempp vowed that Zetsche, 50, who had been running Daimler's truck division, and Wolfgang Bernhard, the best troubleshooters Stuttgart could find, would rescue Chrysler. They slashed costs by more than $6 billion, eliminated 26,000 jobs, and tackled quality problems. In May, Zetsche vowed to cut costs by a further $1 billion this year, on top of targeted cuts of $2 billion. The four-year labor pact Chrysler reached with the United Auto Workers on Sept. 14 will allow the carmaker to unload seven parts plants. "Dieter has gone into a very tough situation," says Ford Motor Co. CEO William C. Ford Jr. "He won this town over. He's providing very strong leadership."
But Chrysler's problems are overwhelming the gains. The new products vital to a Chrysler rebound have been slow in coming. The first joint Chrysler-Mercedes engineering product -- the sleek Chrysler Crossfire roadster -- only recently hit the market. While the sleek $35,000 roadster offers German engineering finesse and quality at a bargain, thanks to borrowing 40% of its components from Mercedes, the experiment is one of a kind. Future Chrysler cars will share most with Mitsubishi, not Mercedes, in order to avoid diluting the luxury German brand image. The company is pinning high hopes on the launches of at least five new models in 2004. That includes the Chrysler 300C sedan and the Dodge Magnum wagon -- rear-wheel-drive vehicles sporting a Mercedes' state-of-the-art five-speed transmission. Chrysler is also updating its once-vaunted minivans but finds itself simply playing catch-up to standard-setting Toyota and Honda models. Few in the U.S. auto industry expect even Chrysler's newest models to sell without profit-sapping incentives. "Chrysler could prove impossible to fix," says Garel Rhys, professor of automotive economics at Cardiff Business School in Wales.
In Stuttgart, the fear and loathing of Chrysler is palpable as it becomes increasingly clear that shoring up Chrysler will require billions of dollars more. Even Mercedes dealers are fretting: "Chrysler is the downfall of Mercedes-Benz. It is a hole for billions of euros," says one Stuttgart area Mercedes dealer. For the first half, DaimlerChrysler's revenues fell by 11%, to $75 billion, and net profit declined by 81%, to $773 million. Schrempp has revised his 2003 operating profit forecast down to $5.5 billion, but many analysts say that's overly optimistic. They're also dubious that the company can break even in 2004. For now, Jürgen Hubbert, the respected boss of Mercedes Car Group, has kept Mercedes pumping out steady profits. A raft of new models -- from the handsome E-Class sedan launched in 2002 to the sexy SLK roadster and the Maybach super-luxury car -- continue to add luster to the industry's most prestigious luxury brand. Mercedes' operating profit rose 3% in the first half of this year, to $1.62 billion, representing 54% of group profits.
But there are signs that could portend eroding competitiveness. The C-Class compact sedan is straining under competition from BMW's older 3 Series model, while less expensive cars developed to spur growth, including the A-Class, are unprofitable. "The A-Class, the Smart, and the M-Class don't earn money. If you compete in the mass market, you have to be cost-competitive with Toyota," says one Daimler Benz executive. Arndt Ellinghorst, an auto analyst at WestLB in Düsseldorf, figures Mercedes' margins will slip from 6% to 5.7% in 2004 as models pass their selling peak and start to age. BMW margins still run above 7%.
Worse, Mercedes recently suffered a spate of quality problems, including faulty transmissions. Insiders say that in order to cut costs, Mercedes has resorted to buying cheaper parts, including leather from Bulgaria. If quality problems persist, Mercedes could see its stellar brand tarnished. Hubbert vows quality is the top priority at Mercedes. "We are not where we should be, but we are working hard to be back in the top range [of the surveys]," he told analysts recently.
How much more bad news can Schrempp survive? His fate -- and DaimlerChrysler's -- depend on Deutsche Bank (DB ), DaimlerChrysler's largest shareholder, which has seen the value of its 12% stake plunge by more than $15 billion since the merger. "The key question is: What does Deutsche Bank think? Do you throw good money after bad, or cut your losses," says David E. Cole, president of the Center for Automotive Studies in Ann Arbor, Mich. As Deutsche reworks its own strategy and seeks to unwind its portfolio of industrial holdings, it has begun to distance itself from DaimlerChrysler. Deutsche Chairman Josef Ackermann says he wants to sell the bank's stake, but not at today's price. The bank still backs Schrempp, partly because of his ties with DaimlerChrysler Supervisory Board Chairman Hilmar Kopper, the former Deutsche Bank chairman who chose Schrempp as CEO and supported the merger.
But if Chrysler posts huge losses in the quarters ahead that push the mother company into the red, Ackermann could lean on Kopper to force Schrempp out. Dissatisfaction with the merger is growing within Daimler Benz, especially among Mercedes executives. In addition, says one insider, "the race is on to be [Schrempp's] successor." The front-runners: Zetsche and Eckhard Cordes, head of commercial vehicles who edged the struggling division into the black in the second quarter, though its margins are still way below target.
Getting rid of Chrysler could be tougher than firing Schrempp. A parent company can put a subsidiary into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and shrug off its pension and health-care obligations. But that works in this case only if Chrysler's obligations aren't guaranteed by parent DaimlerChrysler. Otherwise, creditors and unions would simply take their demands to the parent.
More plausible, Daimler could spin off Chrysler to its own shareholders. That would surely increase the value of the remaining Daimler Benz business, and U.S. bargain-hunters might even snap up the new Chrysler shares on the cheap. The question is whether Chrysler's research and development, product development, engineering, and leadership could be disentangled from Daimler's. Daimler might also sell Chrysler in pieces, as BMW did with its money-losing Rover unit. BMW's fortunes have since rebounded smartly. Daimler, the theory goes, could sell off Chrysler's profitable Jeep SUV and Dodge truck units for a tidy profit and hand off the money-losing passenger-car business to diehard Chrysler loyalists for $1. That, however, would surely trigger massive political and labor reactions as thousands of car-unit jobs were destroyed, and pension and health-care obligations jeopardized. Short of that, DaimlerChrysler could merge Chrysler and Mitsubishi's car operations into a single unit.
Deutsche Bank is likely to keep Schrempp at the helm for now, barring another dramatic setback at Chrysler. But DaimlerChrysler executives concede that a real turnaround will take three to five years and billions in investment. In short: a full fresh generation of new cars built in updated plants. Zetsche and Schrempp are confident they can pull that off. But many argue that Schrempp, who quadrupled his salary after the merger and ranks in compensation reviews as Germany's top-paid CEO with an estimated $12.1 million pay package in 2002, does not deserve a third chance. If he fails again, Chrysler's problems will implode on its German parent in less than five years, warns an insider. "It will be the biggest industrial cleanup job Germany has ever seen." Given Schrempp's checkered track record, that's a high-stakes gamble.
By Gail Edmondson in Stuttgart and Kathleen Kerwin in Auburn Hills, Mich., with bureau reports


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Family History Expos, Inc. Newsletter December 2010
Greetings from Family History Expos! As the end of the year comes into view we have so much to be grateful for. Number one being you our loyal friends and customers. I know I speak for the whole Family History Expos team when I say thank you and may God bless you and yours as we approach the New Year. We have experienced some amazing challenges this year, one being the total loss of our website in February, we quickly setup a temporary site and began to rebuild from the ground up. Â We are pleased... Read More →


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A 33-year-old man was arrested after apparently growing impatient at the Cottonwood Heights Police Department and calling in a bomb threat from the lobby.
According to a probable cause statement filed with the Salt Lake County jail, the man came to the police station on Wednesday asking for assistance. When officers did not respond as quickly as he thought they should, he picked up the telephone inside the lobby and called dispatch. He allegedly told dispatchers that he was in the police lobby and had a bomb.
When he was detained by police officers, he was searched, and no explosives were found on him. He was booked into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of second-degree felony terrorist threats to a governmental unit.


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Hotel Diamante Suites4
Calle Manuel Yanes Barreto, 13, Puerto de la Cruz, 38400
Price FromView Rooms
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About the hotel
Property Location
When you stay at Hotel Diamante Suites in Puerto de la Cruz, you'll be by the ocean and minutes from Garden Beach and Loro Park. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of San Felipe Castle and Taoro Park.
Make yourself at home in one of the 174 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and LED televisions.
Rooms have private balconies. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs or showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Don't miss out on the many recreational opportunities, including an outdoor pool, an outdoor tennis court, and a sauna. This hotel also features wireless Internet access (surcharge), concierge services, and an arcade/game room. Guests can get to nearby shops on the complimentary shuttle.
All-inclusive rates are available at this hotel. Meals and beverages at onsite dining establishments are included in all-inclusive rates. Charges may be applied for dining at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, some beverages, and other amenities.
Satisfy your appetite at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants. Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual staff.
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Facilities Show/hide
- Main
- 24 Hour Reception, Babysitting services, Concierge, Laundry/Valet Service, Childrens Facilities - Indoor, Lift to all floors
- Dining
- Restaurant
- Leisure
- Gymnasium, Outdoor Pool, Sauna, Tennis Courts
- Parking
- Car Parking Available Offsite
- Business
- Wi-Fi Available In Public Areas
Can't find the facilities you're looking for?
- Call us on 0333 300 1007 and we'll help find the perfect hotel for you
- Call
Useful Info Show/hide
- Between 14:00 and 14:00
- By 11:00 hours
- Up to 8 years old
- You must present a photo ID when checking in. Your credit card is charged at the time you book. Bed type and smoking preferences are not guaranteed.Your reservation is prepaid and is guaranteed for late arrival. The total charge includes all room charges and taxes, as well as fees for access and booking. Any incidental charges such as parking, phone calls, and room service will be handled directly between you and the property. Know Before You Go Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. A fee for a mandatory Christmas Day gala dinner is included in the total price displayed for stays on 25 December. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. Fees The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out. Fee for in-room wireless Internet: EUR 20 per week (rates may vary) Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: EUR 20 per week (rates may vary) Late check-out fee: EUR 25 In-room safe fee: EUR 15 per night The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change. Mandatory Fees and Taxes The charges below are included in your overall room price: Christmas Day gala dinner fee We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book. The price shown is based on the occupancy and dates you have searched for. Prices and availability are subject to change based on the arrival date, number of nights and occupancy searched for. All prices are inclusive of all local taxes.
- Pets are not allowed
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Please enter a discount code to continue:
One of the best perks of taking out insurance with Golf Care is that we treat you to 3 completely free rounds of golf worth up to £289 at over 40 superb golf courses across the UK when you take out a policy.
As a customer your free golf vouchers will be available to use as soon as you buy a policy with us. The only thing you need to do is decide which course you'd like to play first. You might simply want to save on the green fees at a course near you, or plan a mini golfing break to one of the flagship courses. The choice is yours.
5 of the best courses on offer using your Golf Care vouchers
We've had a look at five of the best courses you can play for free using your golf vouchers. Why not take a look and start planning your next free round?
Once you've taken out Golf Care insurance you can choose to play 3 rounds of golf for free at over 40 courses across the UK, worth up to £289. Have a look at all the courses available as part of this offer.
Meon Valley, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Southampton. SO32 2HQ
Meon Valley, A Marriott Hotel and Country Club, is widely regarded as one of the leading golf venues in the South of England and that's no surprise given the standard of its two fine courses designed by course architect Hamilton J Stutt.
The Championship Course winds its way between lakes, streams and wooded areas with a fine selection of long and short holes. What it lacks in length is more than made up for by its tight landing areas and well guarded greens.
The signature hole is the 153 yard par 3 12th, which is played from an elevated tee to a green protected at the front by water.
Valley Course:
9 holes, 2,879 yards. Par for course: 35. Designed by Hamilton J Stutt
Championship Meon Course:
18 holes, 6,520 yards. Par for course: 71. Designed by Hamilton J Stutt
Breadsall Priory, Derby (2 courses)
Lingfield Park, Surrey
Hollins Hall, Bradford
Meon Valley, Southampton (2 courses)
Sprowston Manor, Norwich
St Pierre, Chepstow (2 courses)
Tudor Park, Maidstone
Worsley Park, Manchester


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Argentinian actress Luisana Lopilato has been selected to front Ultimo Miracle collection autumn/winter 2011 campaign.
Luisana Lopilato, the 24-year-old wife of singer Michael Buble, has been announced as the new face of Ultimo. The Argentinian actress has even shot stunning pictures for the lingerie brand's new collection which enhances cleavage and creates "the perfect silhouette".
Ultimo founder and CEO Michelle Mone saw a picture of Lopilato in her wedding dress when she married Buble in April this year. Impressed by what she saw, Mone pursued the international actress with an offer. "It took me a long time to get her but I refused to give up until I got her. Luisana's jaw-dropping beauty and charisma are a perfect fit for Ultimo and we can't wait to unveil our new designs," Mone said.
Although relatively unknown in Britain, Lopilato is an award-winning actress and singer in Argentina. She was also included in Spanish FHM's 100 Sexiest list for three years in a row. "Luisana is one of our most exciting international signings yet and I'm confident she'll bring a new sense of fun and glamor to the brand as our incredible face and body," Mone said.
Lopilato herself commented, "I'm thrilled to be the new face and body of Ultimo. It was an amazing experience shooting the campaign."


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Small Engine
Small Engine Troubleshooting Problems? Ask a Mechanic Now.
Check for spark take out the spark plug and reconnect spark plug wire hold tip of spark plug against a metal part of the engine with insulated pliers and turn over engine. If you see a good blue spark take a soda bottle cap full of gas and pour it in the spark plug hole reinstall plug and try to start engine. If it starts for a few seconds you need to remove disassemble and soak clean carb in carb cleaner. Let me know what you find.
First remove the bolt that holds the carb bowl on this bolt should have two or there holes through the side of it and one down the center make sure all those holes are open and clean. Reinstall and try to start if it still don't start or don't run smooth the carb will need to be completely disassembled all rubber pieces removed and the rest soaked in carb cleaner. As far is if you can do it you will have to know that. You don't need any special tools but you need to get the dip kind carb cleaner. If you have a good repair center close i would just remove he carb and let them clean it.


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Archie Debates Gun Control And Urban Crime In 'Life With Archie' #31 (Really)
If you're like me, you've always wanted to see Archie and Jughead debate gun control.
Okay, now that I've actually typed that out, I'm willing to accept that, in this particular regard, none of you are actually like me at all and weren't actually hoping to see that. And yet, we live in a magical world where this is actually happening, in the pages of this week's Life With Archie #31. Check out a preview below of both the "Archie Marries Veronica" story (where Riverdale is caught in the grip of an urban crime wave and a collapsing economy) and the "Archie Marries Betty" universe (where dudes are gettin' shot all the time) -- plus an awesome variant cover by Stephanie Buscema!


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We are now able to provide our families with a choice of quality monuments in many colors and designs with Ukrainian or English lettering at affordable prices.
Please contact Charlie at the funeral home 215-673-8153 or E- mail at email@example.com and we will be glad to assist you.
The monuments pictured are representative of those erected at St. Mary's Cemetery by various monument companies.We have been advised that families have been contacted by some monument companies claiming to be a authorized representative of St. Mary's Cemetery, the truth is that this is a false claim as the cemetery has no company representing them. Please report this to us or Walter Wyrsta if you are contacted.
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Site Copyright © 2002, Aurora Casket Company
Site designed and developed by Aurora Casket Company


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Fox 2000 Pictures held a New York premiere for their upcoming romantic comedy movie starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, 'Bride Wars', and rolled down a less than ordinary carpet.
Counting down to its U.S. theatrical debut this coming Friday, January 9, "Bride Wars" has been premiered in the Big Apple. On Monday, January 5, Fox rolled down a blue carpet with flowers petal all over it at AMC Loews Lincoln Square in New York to greet the film's stars as well as other celebrities attending the event.
On the evening, the comedy movie's leading ladies who play best friends-turned-ultimate rivals, Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, were seen sharing the spotlight when posing for the press on the blue carpet. Beside the two, other cast members, such as Casey Wilson, Kristen Johnston and Steve Howey, were also spotted joining in the special event.
In addition to the movie's cast, the premiere event also saw many celebrity guests going to see the movie's special screening. The celebs included TV personality Barbara Walters, designer Vera Wang, actress Lisa Rinna, model Hana Soukupova, TRL host Damien Fahey, and many others.
"Bride Wars" is directed by Gary Winick from the script by June Diane Raphael, Casey Wilson, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. It tells the story of two childhood best friends, Liv and Emma, whose friendship is put to the ultimate test when their dream weddings are put in jeopardy.


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www.someprints.com sells prints by the Manchester-based accident of various shapes and colours Graphic Nothing. Graphic Nothing is the pen/mouse name of Gary Andrew Clarke.
He was born and raised in a 1970s Leicester (middle of England, middle of nowhere). Early ambitions to become either an entomologist (insects), paleontologist (fossils), space ship model maker or astronomer never quite happened.
So he studied graphic design in Leicester and Manchester (BA Hons, that sort of thing).
During the 1990s and 2000s he worked in the Manchester music industry, performing graphic design and web design. He won a few web awards — for Portishead & Twisted Nerve Records.
He lives in Manchester, or rather Stockport. He likes biscuits.
He also kindly offered a free A2 print of your choosing to four lucky readers.
Paste a link in the comment thread to a photo of "your desk now" and I'll randomly draw four winners on Friday (updating this post and sending you a 'winner' email). I might also publish your photos with a link to your website in an upcoming blog post.
Update: Friday 29 July
Happy to announce Karinya, Luis Nunes, William Btight, and Samantha as the lucky four. You've each been sent an email with instructions for collecting your free print.
Lovely prints, Gary.