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AK 77

SnowJapan Member
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Posts posted by AK 77

  1. Originally Posted By: tsondaboy
    A wood core made in China does not have the same quality as a wood core made in Aspen.

    The problem is, you don't know what core your manufacturer actually uses. So I guess its like saying, who would you trust to buy a board from.


    I think you mean a core made of Aspen is better than a core made of China.

    Seriously you are mixing your metaphors (despite not using any) - boards are made IN China, and OF Aspen.

    To be safe, stay away from boards made by Royal Doulton.

    Good boards are flourescent.
  2. AET - I am at a JHS and the same problem is there too, although rarely talked about (and certainly not infront of the students!).

     

    I am going to steer clear of the off-topic ranting about home countries - other than to note that it shows that there are similar problems in most countries, it seems.

     

    The Japan problem is one that can be read in several ways:

    1) It shows the lingering effects of economic recession. There are some families out there who genuinely can't afford to pay, and I was suprised in such a high tax-and-spend society as Japan, there is no state welfare for means-tested free school dinners.

     

    2)It shows the emergence of social underclass(es) in Japan - not necssarily economic (as you point out the new Nike kit) but cultural underclasses which may be more of a challenge to Japanese society than simple poverty. There seem to be those who for a variety of reasons are not signing up to the social norms of "proper Japanese society" - and adopting more of a not giving a f*ck attitude, quite the contrast with what Japan tells itself about its 'collective ways' of organising society. This has repercussions disproportionate to the number of people in this group, as with an ageing society and strict immigration laws, those not 'playing the game' and taking proper jobs and paying lots of taxes won't be supporting the old folk!

     

    3)It shows that schools follow the non-confrontation / sweep it under the carpet approach to this issue that they also follow with discipline, management, bullying - and that once students or their families call their bluff, they have no ideology or practical measures at their disposal.

     

    It's probably all of the above, plus more intelligent real things that only proper fieldwork would show, not internet rambling.

  3. David Benedek does 124 km/h trying to get enougfh speed to clear a step-up/over jump in the dvd '91 Words for Snow' on a snowboard - alot scarier than on skis.

     

    As a proportion of that... that's 77mph, so I reckon maybe I've gone about 50mph / 80 kmph tops, when air forces itslef in through all your (closed) zips, and the board starts lifting if the nose catches the air

    ... but this is meaningless as it depends on the conditions, and whether you can still ride at that speed, or if you're just flailing out of control and in danger of killing someone.

     

    I'd rather be able to ride at 20kmph in tricky conditions smoothly, than be able to hoon it...

     

    but it's fun sometimes.

  4. In the UK automatics are generally for the elderly, the disabled or those who lack the co-ordination to pass their driving test in a manual (seriously, a well-meaning garage mechanic asked a friend if his wife had had some kind of accident, as her car at that time was an auto! lol.)

     

    I think manuals are safer - apart from the control on snow, going downhill, etc, they make you think about your speed more, like, why are you in that gear / at that speed. Auto drivers (in Japan, anyway, it seems) like to stay in cruise control - meaning too slow on the straights and too fast and loose in the corners - like they are trying to drive at a constant speed. I know that is just lazy driving... but hey, that's autos!

     

    Plus, manuals must be more fuel efficient - driving an auto is like talking to someone who is a bit slow and you have to shout - you have to over-rev to get the slug to change gear.

  5. My first go was Level 10, total points 363,625, Travel IQ 110.

     

    I was 12,000 short of the 50,000 needed to get level 11 though - and I didn't get any Australian state capitals, as that would have stumped me!

     

    All down to my ex-gf who was very knowledgable.

     

    Oyuki - 'cracking level 6' !!! You should be ashamed (the rest of you who got to level 6 are fine, but Oyuki reads books and stuff) try reading a map instead of vegan literature! lol!

  6. ride definately have an annual graphics competition, and a few other companies do too.

     

    Ok, my first reaction was.. this is a gimmick and the boards will be rubbish, If he just wants to do the graphics, but you want a decent board, then buy a used decent one with a plain top sheet and get cutting with sharp knife and spray paints - stencil art.

     

    ... but having lookied at the website, the boards seem alright - they have a 3 year warranty which is longer than big companies, and they look like proper snowboards. The construction may even be better than big name brands made in China boards - these are made in Utah.

  7. Now I love food.

     

    And I love Japanese food.

     

    But calling Okonomiyaki 'great food' is like saying chips, beans and cheese (french fries, with tinned baked beans and processed cheese on top) from the kebab van is great food.

     

    I like Okonomiyaki, but it's just cheap stodge - just like the kind of 'heavy stodgy food' that Japanese people like to complain about when they go abroad!

  8. So this camp is going to a weekend only?

     

    I wonder what they will build? There have been rumours of 'a park being built by High Cascade shapers in spring on Happo' but if it's only for a weekend camp then it may be private, with no garuntee that it will be left up afterwards.

     

    The place they are planning to build it is also a bit strange (one should get used to this here, right?) as it's on a section with a steep down and then an almost flat - so you will be loosing speed all the time on the flat in spring, but the steep is too steep for putting kickers on, which means it will be one hit rather than a line on the flat.

     

    Better than nothing...

  9. I wish I knew that they were 'really cool'.

     

    On the last run of the day at 4.30 with patrol seemingly gone for the day, I ripped down most of the lift line fast, and flew out onto the piste at full throttle (you can see up the piste - I wasn't going to take anyone out!) and, against my gut instinct, and rushing from a day in the powder, didn't stop for the waving patrol just after the exit.

     

    Unsuprisingly, they were not at all pleased by this, and although I waited for them at the bottom, being polite and apologetic with them had lost all of it's value compared with stopping and being polite with them where they waved me down (or as soon after that as possible, after throwing on the brakes).

     

    They were clearly pissed off from a long day of stopping people on the obvious lines, and the fact that we had stayed well clear of them all day until then meant nothing due to not stopping = by acting guilty and fying by on the last run, you incriminate yourself in their mind with all the other idiots they have been busting, no matter how nice you are to them!

     

    Looking back, I think it is the first time I have been 'busted' by a patrol in Japan, or anywhere, and it could have been not so negative had I listened to by head instead of the rushing chemicals in my brain and the hype about 'evil patrol'!

     

    I try to avoid the inbounds trees at 47 mostly though!

  10. Hi tripitaka,

     

    It is hard to say for sure, as nobody has their riding CV written on the outside of their jacket, but the impression I get is that most of the 'gaijin backcountry skiers/boarders' get into sidecountry / backcountry riding when here.

     

    Of course there are some with a wealth of knowledge or experience from around the world, but they are the minority.

     

    Perhaps the small size of resorts here, the limitted in-bounds avalanche control, the restrictions on inbounds powder riding all contribute to people getting into backcountry riding.

     

    In reference to the previous thread about 'a backcountry trip' that went wrong, it was me that broke my face, and I was probably the only person in that group with a moderate amount of backcountry experience, so it doesn't really matter what people have ridden before, but rather with what mentailty they have done that riding, and to use that experience if you have it, every single time you go, no matter what else is on your mind.

  11.  Originally Posted By: quattro
    CB

    What brand skins were they. Thats a deal and a half. Up here there blody expensive.

    Has any one seen a BD Guide Probe 300cm. Cant seem to find any in Sapporo. The other option was an orthovox 320 @ 120000 yen which I refuse to pay.


    Rapie has DB Guide 300cm probe for sure (several in stock) - it was between 5000 and 6000 yen.
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