mitchpee

How often does a new season come about? Yeah about once a year.

Originally Posted By: SantaCruz Mitch, heading back to Niseko again this season? We'll see! How about you James, making it over to the powder capital of the eastern world?

I think the biggest honor to the innocent people who lost their lives on 9/11 is to understand the history of events. We now have the privilege of retrospect in which we can take a tragic event and learn from it to prevent it from happening again. Instead of maybe shaping our foreign policy against what has caused terrorist attacks, we are still...10 years later...in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now US troops and Iraqi civilians are being killed because of a system of insurgents. The population drones on day by day as we shelter in ignorance and allow the wars to continue to rage on. Everything

Originally Posted By: TubbyBeaverinho In what way are they fragile Mitch? I'm not good enough to be throwing them around all that much, don7t really do tricks etc so maybe they don't stand up that way. For what I do though, they seem as strong as any other I've used I have seen a lot of cases where the high backs break right along the cables or the actual plastic. Some of their higher end models like the m9 I guess are pretty sturdy so it doesn't happen. But they should be fine if you aren't giving them hell

I have a buddy that rode for Flow. I also deal with their bindings on a daily basis. They are definitely a bit more fragile than the other companies out there. They are great for when you need them but they will usually break. They are pretty cheap as well so if you can justify using them for a short period it will be good to have them. If not, I would probably steer clear.

Awesome! Congrats. If you see me out there wave me down and I would be happy to help show you the good spots. You're going to have a blast, the snow is great people are nice and the beer is good too!

hmm can't really get much out of that description. Check out the K2 Obsethed or the Armada JJ. Moment makes some good skis that you would like as well.

If you can get up to Hokkaido, I would recommend it. I live in one of the best areas for snow in the world and snow wise I think Hokkaido takes the cake (at least for Dec/Jan/Feb) So I would recommend going there if you can.

Originally Posted By: DiGriz You will be GPS tracked in real-time and the chip includes a capsuled lethal dose of blowfish toxin that can be activated by microwave transmission from Tokyo Sky Tree Jim, don't forget about the dammed monkey's in Shiga Kogen, I knew they were working for the government all along.

I'm curious... I forgot to get one of those, if I was to go back does anyone know what the scenario would be? I turned in the gaijin card and have a valid visa. Would it be easy for me to re enter?

Originally Posted By: Black Mountain The Hakkodate extension is due to open in 2016. I think I remember reading that the Sapporo extension is being planned for 2020. Certainly in my lifetime (fingers crossed ). Anyway, there are no current plans to even have a stop at Niseko. Wow, that is something that would seriously bolster the tourist industry and bring about some development. I'd be interested to take that up and see what it may actually provide!

Originally Posted By: Mamabear Turned from a jogging to a riding thread I much prefer riding, although haven't done near enough recently. This evening was so cold waiting by the outside water polo pool for 3+ hours that every half hour or so I had to go for a short run to get my body temp back to reasonable. Still struggling with the shin splints, so that's about as good as it gets. MB how long have you had the shin splints? It's been a while right? I know anytime I had shin injuries from futbol the trainer would make me do a hot then ice bath continuously 2 minutes in each. P

Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads You're right, of course. After all, the 'stand back' attitude really, really, really, really worked on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of last week didnt it. And things really fell apart badly from Tuesday after the police didn't just sit back and watch people throw bricks at them, didn't it. (And any, just how many reported cases like this were there. Answer - hardly any.) I don't think building a society based on fear for order is a good idea. Nor do I think extreme measures of violence and a "beat them into subservience" will work. I never a

Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads Originally Posted By: seemore Thats the problem you don't know, but riding around on a pushbike doesn't deserve getting beaten by batons and kicked. They could be curious and riding around to have a look, unless a curfew is in effect anyone can walk/ride the streets. Do you think that other guy they walked up to should have beaten as well? I understand they need to do something to control these people but that isn't the way. Seemore Attitudes like yours are sadly a part of the problem. These unruly wild beasts with no sense of right or

Originally Posted By: panhead_pete Might be a simple decision.... pete we have to take a run at some point here.

Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps I'm actually tempted by March. It almost seems as decent a chance as February looking at some recent years. Last March was definitely hit or miss. It got pretty warm a few days and cold some others. I would be careful and be advised it's not guaranteed like Jan/Feb.

That is really awesome GN. Sounds like you have the passion and knowledge to make it with that so I don't see it going anywhere but up! Best of luck, hopefully we can cross ski paths again.

Originally Posted By: Black Mountain I'm pretty sure that US Social Security is the largest debt owner... something like 3 times that of China's. Yup, US bond holders as well, Japan is in there too!

Originally Posted By: Go Native Yep certainly better than living the nightmare! God I hate living in Australia!!! At least I'll never actually have to pay for lift passes at Niseko ever again... GN, you thinking about heading back up to Niseko or are you sticking to the Gold Coast?

Originally Posted By: big-will How exactly do you want to report these things? And why don't you just avoid the media you think to be 'sensational' in reporting these things and stick to more serious 'unbiased' ones? Uh, if you're talking to me I would like them reported with tones and dialect that are much more concerned with factual analysis of a situation rather than the emotional appeal of a ridiculous scenario. Also, I don't watch the news, so unless something has changed then I will still presume it to be a factory of demagoguery. It's pretty simple stuff, I am not quite

Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps Are you actually expecting anything different from "the news", Mitch? nope, but just hoping one day we can collectively stop this bullshit that is fed to us on a 24 hour basis (mostly in the US).

Originally Posted By: Curt Quote: The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has stripped the US of its top-notch AAA credit rating, downgrading it to AA+ and warning of further future downgrades because of political and economic uncertainty. The humbling downgrade of the world's economic superpower came late on Friday night, after news surfaced of a furious rearguard attempt by the White House to convince S&P that its figures were faulty. Those sensationalists, S&P. I'm not saying the matter isn't severe. However, it is completely absurd to take it to the level

Thanks for that Stu!

Originally Posted By: yoroshiku onegai shimasu Originally Posted By: MitchPee Ah sensationalism media again at its finest. Are they making up the story about massive global stock sell-offs? Sensationalism doesn't mean something was made up. It's more about word choice. Sensationalism means the media has been drumming up fear for the past month is this country and other media outlets have loved to do the same. There's absolutely no neutral tones when used talking about these reports...ie sensationalism. Also, if you can picture a multi-head creature who is the enemy of a

Ah sensationalism media again at its finest. Fun fact: Japan has more debt (although a different kind) as a % of GDP than the US. The issue is we have a ton of demagogues in this country that can easily stir simple minded people which are plentiful. They use scapegoats like "welfare slugs and immigrants are taking your tax dollars". Terms that the average Joe can relate to and most importantly get angry about to further polarize the situation. The Iraq/Afghan war, irresponsible spending/investing, toxic assets, speculative trading, compounds of interest on current debt, American