RayInJapan

Someone mentioned a patch/sticker or something to be able to tell who is a SJ reader. That would be cool for me cause though I see other gaijins on the slopes, I don't usually chat with them cause I'm actually pretty shy in person - not the sort to just go up to someone I don't know and chat. The SJ identifier though would give me a place to start though...

We went to Taz too on Saturday - it snowed a bunch Friday night so it was nice sat morning first thing, lots of powder up on top but by the afternoon everything was chopped up and much less fun. First time there for us, awesome views - we took the disposable camera cause everytime we take the digital, the weather turns out crap so we dont' get pics. Wish we had met up there Plucky, looks like the top was awesome. Did you use snowshoes to climb up?

"cool" is in the eye of the beholder but I find most people that THINK they are cool, are actually not, and most people that don't think they are cool, really are... Reference SZ's questions on opinions Skiers (japanese as I haven't seen many gaijin skiers) - Not cool though they think they are, speeding down the mountain like they own it, turning right next to you even though the "gelende" is 50 meters wide, or skiing in groups of 10 or more, right behind each other and taking up the entire slope side to side making it difficult to pass, then skiing to the front of the line at the l

Jared - that is so damned funny I'm crying cause I'm laughing so hard. My take on the whole situation actually applies no matter the language (and to cop a "" from O11): You win some and you lose some. I've met some really cool people from all over the world, and some real assholes from all over the world. The same as skiers and snowboards have their preconceived stereotypes about each other, so do people who live in other countries. On the bright side, the majority of the time you actually meet someone from the "other side", you find out they're a regular person just like you

I wanna change my answer to "the killer whale"

I pick the Great White. I've seen video of them jumping clean out of the water while cutting seals in two.

You mean the BBC doesn't slant their news towards the UK and/or what gets viewers to watch? I'm gonna have to get sky perfect then, just so I can watch some unbiased news for the first time in my 42 year old life. I mostly watch CNN cause I too am tired of listening to FOX. Not that because WHAT they have to say sucks, but HOW they say it has gotten very old - almost tabloid like...

I bet if you saw a pic of her, you really would!

In spite of Americas threat to use nukes to retaliate for another country using a WMD first, I don't think they will unless the target is a US city AND we know for a fact the WMD was state sponsored. Even then, I doubt the US would use them. BUT, 9-11 was horrific and it was only 2 buildings. Imagine a terrorist setting off a nuke in a major world city? Something I try not to think about but my daughter lives a few miles outside Dallas... How many here have been to the dome and museum in Hiroshima? Very humbling. If we're going to debate whether it should have been done though, it ne

Those pita bread lamb(?) meat things you find in shopping mall food courts...I love them things!

There is an onsen up here in the Hakkoda mountains called Aoni Onsen. Its buried deep in a valley so you have to park your car in a roadside parking lot, take a scary bus ride up into the mountain (awesome view along the way), then hop into a 12 passenger snow cat that takes you the rest of the way. No electricity so you have oil lamps at night, and kerosene heaters. A small river runs through the place along with a partially frozen water fall. They have indoor, outdoor, mens, womens and mixed baths open 24 hours. We spent New Years Eve up there and it was awesome. Its only 19km fro

Two things I miss from the states: Kentucky Fried Chicken Honey BBQ Wings, and Gyros. Some of the stuff you guys are mentioning, I might have access too. If we end up rendevouing on the slopes some day, let me know and I might be able to hook you up (cept for the MJ).

I sincerely hope it does...

In Okinawa - the whales come by this time of year. Even when you can't see them, you can hear their singing from miles away underwater...I see whale meat in the japanese fish markets and it bothers me. I refuse to try it though I've been told its really good. "Anything I haven't done" - I haven't ridden a snowmobile yet. I'd like to try that someday. And I haven't been to the Far East(Europe)yet. I've always wanted to visit Normandy, France. And also New Zealand and Aussie land. One of the coolest things I think I've done is swim in the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal, and t

I think the biggest mistake the US Gov't has made so far is that they have not made their case clear as to WHY WE HAVE SIDESTEPPED OUR HUNT FOR BIN LADEN and why we're becoming increasingly agressive towards Iraq. I believe Iraq deserves our attention, after all, its a proven fact that he has gassed his own people, continues to murder those who oppose him (he won the last Iraqi election by a landslide), and that he pays the families of suicide bombers. I don't think the attention is needed at this time though unless we have the smoking gun proof that he is supporting terrorism aga

14 or 15 times so far this year, maybe more - I kinda lost count. Add the 6 times from our first time ever on the slopes last year, and were up to around 20 times "lifetime" as db says... The first day this season was 30 November. Been out almost every weekend since, and sometimes both days. I figure we got about 6 good weekends left unless it warms up like last week.

No doubt db - I've always said the day I see a great white while diving AND make it back to shore in one piece is the day I give up diving. I would like to go down to Dangerous Reef though and do some cage diving. That would be awesome. If only I had a spare $10,000 laying around (plus air fare)...

Snow board Hem...I know what you mean about the weather - I don't like the top of the mountain when its socked in or blowing the snow so hard you can't see anything. The times we've gone so far this year, its always snowed heavy with wind, or low clouds. And its always cloudless and clear when I'm on my way to work in the morning...typical...

I don't mind sharks in the day time, hate them at night while I'm spear fishing. I don't know how far north they go, but Japan has great whites too - there was a 5m, 1500kg one caught less than a mile from where we used to do a lot of night diving in Okinawa. Hearing whales while diving is pretty cool too...

Well Ocean, I'm still confused cause I don't see anything in the 1107 post that should make folks dislike me. If we meet on the slopes someday, we'll have to talk about it more over a beer or something... One thing for sure db - change is inevitable, and what goes up must come down. I just hope that for everyones sake, the change and fall come a little more gradual than your predictions. I do agree that no matter who thinks they have the best thing going, the 1 billion Chinese folks deserve some respect. Thats a lot of people to not have on your friendly side... The last item

Ocean - what might that "familiar American line" be? How does it go? I'd like to know what others think "that familiar American line" is too? I know when I meet most foreigners, I don't go spouting "Hi, I'm Ray, I'm an American, citizen of the most..." I'm pretty sure most Americans don't do that either, so I'm curious - what is that "familiar American line" that turns everyone off?

As I said, had to go to a meeting... When I said technology - I wan't meaning technology in the sense of "conquering the world". America had the "technology" to blow up most countries and conquer the world over 60 years ago but didn't use it cause thats not what America is about. Thats what the Russians wanted to do...fortunately cooler heads prevailed. Technology allows us to have cell phones to communicate from almost anywhere on earth. It allows us to communicate right now via the net, to shoot and show pictures and video around the world live, as events happen. Communication

I wonder/worry about that cycle too db - there is one difference though between the prior world powers and the US: Technology. Gotta run to a meeting, more to add later...

Australia is a great place too, with many immigrants there as well. They weren't a target until Bali either though. Sooner or later, we all be touched by terrorism if we News reports and polls are always slanted. Word a poll question right, and you will always get the results you need to back your case. One thing for sure though - video/pictures don't often lie. My preference is that we stop helping when I see what is going on in the world, kinda gets old having people dislike you just cause you're an American. I see South Koreans protesting our presence - I wish we would pull

Rach, I don't think most countries are jealous of the US. Envy at times, but not jealous. There are those that despise us just for being who we are (rich/powerful/world leader). Nevermind the fact that we've come to the rescue of almost every country on the planet at one time or another. There are millions (if not billions) of people though who think well enough of the US that they try to immigrate there because they feel they'll have a better life compared to where they're at. A couple hundred years ago, it was folks of British descent, then other parts of Europe, Centra