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keba

SnowJapan Member
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Posts posted by keba

  1. It's a classic Japanese game show, where a large number of contestants have to complete a series of physical challenges until they are eliminated down to the last person. The Americans took it and dubbed some very bad translation over it, and cut out a lot of the content, calling it Most Extreme Elimination (MXC), which is very funny, but I'd like to see it in its original format, if I can get the chance.

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeshi%27s_Castle

  2. Anyone know if any Japanese TV stations are running reruns of Takeshi's Castle?

     

    I've been watching MXC on Channel V here in Oz, and would love to see the original program, without the (very funny and not entirely accurate) English dubbing when I get to Hakuba in January.

  3. Long post (yes it took me 8 days to read it), but it was worth it just to see the mathematical equation converting percent slope to degrees. Very elegant.

     

    Thanks db

     

    I would have to say, though, that on the topic of risk, that we are not rolling dice here, and every conscious decision loads the odds, but not necesarily in your favour. There can be good or bad decisions made in any given situation (see thread "Have you been lost in a white-out?").

     

     

    No more math, please.

  4. The topo maps on the software are excellent, and based on the same maps as in the "Color topo maps" post in this forum. Comes up reasonably well on the GPS unit, but screen size/resolution might be a problem (not sure as I haven't taken it out in the field yet). You may be better off getting the Etrex Summit (which is a LOT cheaper than the Vista C), and carry hard copies of the maps for reference. Both units feature an altimeter and compass.

  5. I know there are buses direct from Niseko to Chitose (a direct route, not via Sapporo), I got one a couple of years ago, but I was on a later flight, ~1pm. Your hosts in Niseko should know the timetables, I'm sure there would be an early bus to get you there on time. Road delays are not common, the Japanese are very efficient at keeping them open in whatever conditions.

  6. Montoya, I think we'd all agree that "backcountry" refers to non-lift accessed terrain, not "under the ropes" in-bounds. I like your definition of risk. The consequences of a bad outcome have to influence your judgement regarding a particular course of action. Take the choice between a 5% risk of dying, and a 20% chance of non-fatal major injury, or an 70% chance of a minor injury. I'd take option C.

     

    Rag-Doll, but if the coin is weighted so that it only lands tails 1% of the time, the chance that you will throw 10 or 50 or 100 heads in a row is very good... If you think there is a 50-50 chance of getting caught in an avalanche though, you'd better take another line. \:D

     

    I think we just need to accept that we take a risk, when skiing outside patrolled areas, and we should try as hard as possible to minimise the risk, based on our relative experience and assessment of conditions.

     

    Fact is, it can happen to any of us, anytime, regardless of how cautious we have been. Just not this season...

  7. So many factors, and what is the baseline risk? Is it 1%, 5%, 10% or 0.001%? Considering the number of skiers/riders who put themselves in harm's way each season, the odds are pretty good that you will be fine.

     

    Still, don't come crying to me when it all goes pear-shaped. You control your own destiny, and you don't want to be filling your head up with statistics and probability theory right before you take a cornice onto a 50 degree couloir 6 feet wide.

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