Biden's Done It Again

Joe Biden can't seem to come up with original thoughts in his speeches and has to resort to plagiarizing others. 

He's been accused of plagiarizing a Canadian liberal politician who passed on in 2011.

The Blaze reported:

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been accused of plagiarizing a part of his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. 

Similar allegations arose during his failed 1988 campaign for the White House. 

What are the details? 

Several Canadians took to Twitter calling foul during the broadcast of Biden's speech Thursday night, accusing Biden of lifting the words of departed liberal Canadian politician Jack Layton, who passed away in 2011. 

CBS News Washington correspondent Alexander Panetta noted, "A number of Canadians are struck by the similar parting words of Biden's speech to the final words of Jack Layton's farewell letter before his death." 

The reporter provided a side-by-side of the excerpts. 

In Biden's speech, he said, "For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. Light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission." 

Layton's quote read, "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."  

Canadian media picked up on it, too. Left-leaning outlet HuffPost Canada declared, "Joe Biden's DNC speech sounded a lot like a Jack Layton quote," while conservative publication The Post Millennial noted that "left-wing Canadian activists" were making the plagiarism accusation. Both outlets compiled examples of tweets from users claiming Biden stole Layton's words.

To read more, go here. 

Ten Best Things To See and Do In Kyoto

Above, the 2015 tour group photo at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. 

One of the must-see places in the world would have to include the city of Kyoto, Japan.

Once the country's capital, Kyoto is an interesting place to see ancient shrines and temples. I was last there four years ago (it was my second visit) and took a guided tour (it made things easier) to see some of the city's highlights.

The U.K. edition of the Huffington Post has an article on the ten best things to see an do in Kyoto.

They begin with:

The country’s capital for more than a thousand years, Kyoto is a hotbed of Japanese history and culture, and a city that has more going on than you might first expect. A few hours on the bullet train from Tokyo, it’s a stark change from the bright lights and busy streets of the capital. 

Whether you’re catching the Rugby World Cup, or planning ahead for cherry blossom season or the 2020 Olympic Games, here’s the best things to do in Kyoto.

To see what they are, go here. 

What Really Killed the King?

Above, Elvis Presley's grave. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An interesting article on the cause of death of Elvis Presley was posted last year and updated a few months ago in The Huffington Post.

It was written by former homicide detective and forensic coroner Garry Rodgers. His conclusions are surprising, but they do make a lot of sense. He puts the beginning of the end in 1967.

The article begins with:

Elvis Presley suddenly dropped in the bathroom of his Graceland mansion on the afternoon of August 16, 1977. He was rushed to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, pronounced dead, then shipped to the morgue and autopsied the same afternoon. 

Three days later, the coroner issued Elvis’s death certificate stating the cause as “hypertensive cardiovascular disease with atherosclerotic heart disease” — an arrhythmia, or heart attack for short. 

However, toxicology results soon identified several pharmaceutical drugs in Elvis’s system with codeine being ten times the therapeutic level. This started accusations of a cover-up and suggesting conspiracy theories of a sinister criminal act. 

Pushing 40 years after, modern medicine and forensics took a new look at the Presley case facts and indicated that something entirely different from a heart attack or a drug overdose really killed the King of Rock & Roll.

Interesting theory!

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Testing Nuclear Attack Sirens

Above, an old air raid siren in Van Nuys, California. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the latest missile launch tests by North Korea's Kim Jong Un, people in the U.S., particularly those in Hawaii, are getting nervous.

They are getting so nervous about a North Korean nuke being lobbed into the middle of Pearl Harbor or Waikiki Beach, that Hawaiian officials are testing the air raid sirens that were used during the Cold War.

According to the Huffington Post:

HONOLULU — Hawaii officials were checking if sirens intended to alert tourists and residents to a possible nuclear attack from North Korea malfunctioned or were not loud enough Friday after the first test of the warning system since the end of the Cold War was barely heard at one of the state's most popular beaches. 

The sirens largely were drowned out by crashing waves and wind along Waikiki, the famous stretch of beach in the shadow of the Diamond Head volcano. Beachgoers hardly noticed the test, which sounded like a distant siren. The warning would give people 20 minutes to take shelter ahead of an imminent missile strike. 

"I was out in the ocean playing around, and I heard this siren," said tourist Tom Passmore from Calgary, adding that he didn't think much of it. 

"I think it's a good idea," he said of the test, "but judging by everyone's reaction around here, nobody moved." 

Vern Miyagi, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said early reports indicate the test went well, but officials could get complaints later. They will document any they receive and investigate if there were any glitches — a process they carry out after every monthly test of a siren for natural disasters.

With Hawaii back to testing their sirens, are Los Angeles and states along the west coast next?

To read more, go here.

Japan and Female Solo Travelers

Above, the pagoda at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you're a female solo traveler who wants to vacation at a place that is suitable, you may want to seriously consider vacationing in Japan.

The Huffington Post has a new article on "7 Reasons Why Japan Is Amazing For Solo Female Travelers".

It starts with:

When choosing a suitable destination to travel to as a solo female, Japan may not be the first place that springs to mind, and that isn’t for any derogatory reason, but simply because there is not enough information out there about precisely how female friendly Japan actually is. 

Solo female travelers, particularly first timers or relatively inexperienced travelers may opt for places where there is a well-trodden route, where countless solo females have gone before them, and where there are plentiful resources available to help them plan their trips. Unfortunately, not all of this is in place to help a fabulous independent female plan her trip to Japan so perhaps she will wind up dismissing it as an option, and go for a ‘safer’ choice such as Europe or South East Asia instead. 

However, these ladies are certainly missing out. Not only are the Japanese extremely polite and helpful by nature, there are also many measures in place in Japan designed to make solo females feel comfortable - such as women’s only accommodation and carriages on trains. Here’s why Japan is perfect for solo female travelers.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone: The Ultimate Photography Playground

Above, the Yellowstone River. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If there is a national park that needs to be included in anyone's bucket list, that would have be Yellowstone National Park.

No matter where one goes inside the park, there's always something to see.

Photographer and filmmaker Alexis Coram has a photo essay on Yellowstone in the Huffington Post. She refers to Yellowstone as the "ultimate photography playground."

It begins with:

There are few places I’ve visited that make me feel like I could stay forever and never get bored. 

Yellowstone National Park is filled with eye-popping treats that make you stop in your tracks, catch your breath, smile like you’ve never smiled before, and wonder how it’s all real. That feeling doesn’t seem to fade with time. I keep coming back, staying longer each time, and I know I’ve still only scratched the surface of possible experiences. In an odd way that I can’t really explain, it somehow feels like home.

To read more, go here. 

National Parks Lessons Learned

Above, Bryce Canyon National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my recent trip to Idaho to view the eclipse and to visit two national parks, I received a couple of cuts and scrapes. Those didn't happen at any national park, but from banging into something in a truck stop.

However, one man received a few minor injuries while visiting some national parks and he wrote about it in The Huffington Post.

The article by Michael Stark begins with

Somewhere around the halfway point up Zion National Park’s Observation Point trail, which leads to the park’s highest point above the canyon, I took a wrong step, used my right arm to brace myself against the canyon wall, and in the act my left foot slammed against a rock on the path. 

Thankfully, the start to my 10-day trip in Utah’s national parks did not begin with any broken bones or a sprained ankle. My right toenail, however, took the brunt of it. Three months later, it is still a gnarly black bruise. Incurred at my first park of the summer, the “Zion” toenail has left its mark with me as I traveled to nine other parks this summer. 

These types of wounds – bruises, cuts, blisters, scratches – are common. They are the holy marks nature provides. Each wound tells its own story. Yet all are part of the larger, grand narrative that the outdoor space tells: Nature is beautiful, but unrelenting. It demands respect.

To read more, go here.

Where To Go In Japan That’s Not Just Tokyo

Above, watching the sunrise from our Atami ryokan terrace. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many websites will give potential travelers a lot of advice on what to see and do while in Japan. Some are good and some not so.

However, the United Kingdom's edition of The Huffington Post has some good ideas on what to see and do outside of Tokyo.

They focus on the shinkansen (bullet train), Osaka's Dotonbori section, Kyoto, Atami (right down to watching the sunrise from a terrace) and onsens, which are exactly what we did two years ago. The article almost duplicated our exact itinerary.

They begin with:

It’s easy to be lured in by the bright lights of Tokyo, and while away your trip there. But to experience true Japan, you’ll need to tear yourself away from the crazy capital. 

First off, invest in a bullet train pass - and you’ll need to buy it before you go. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s easy to get your money’s worth - not to mention it’s an incredible example of Japanese efficiency.

To read the full article, go here.

U.S. National Park Campgrounds Tip: Public vs. Private

Above, The Watchman. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Huffington Post is supposedly a news organization. But I generally find it to be a left-wing propaganda machine.

However, on occasion, they do have something worthwhile to read. This is one of those rare times.

Travel contributor Dave Parfitt has an article on "U.S. National Park Campgrounds Tip: Public vs. Private" in which he gives travelers some options for camping in and near national parks.

He starts with:

Last year we enjoyed an RV National Park road trip to some of the most spectacular natural wonders in the United States (click here for details on our itinerary).  As with most trips, planning was a large part of the fun, and I wanted to share a tip I learned about National Park Campgrounds.  There are two types of campgrounds: 1.) government run (such as state and national parks) and 2.) privately owned and operated campgrounds (adjacent to the state and federal lands).  Continue reading for more details on National Park Campgrounds because searching both public vs. private can come in very handy. 

People are flocking to our national parks since 2016’s Centennial Year of the National Park Service. That’s a good thing, but perhaps not so good for last minute planning. Recreation.gov is the top booking website for all campgrounds in the state and national parks, and the place most people start when planning a national park trip.  That’s what I did, when planning our trip, but found all the campsites already reserved (not surprising since our trip was only 6 weeks away).  Uh oh, time to start figuring out other options.

In Parfitt's case, he found that the campgrounds inside Zion National Park all booked up for months. So he looked into some alternatives.

It is an interesting article, particularly since it involves one of my favorite national parks. The flocks of people going to Zion are causing problems, which Parfitt goes into.

To read more, go here.

12 Oldest National Parks

Above, Lower Yellowstone Falls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Did you know that there were 12 national parks in the United State in existence before the formation of the National Park Service?

Yes, this is true. Do you know which ones?

In case you don't, the Huffington Post has an article on the 12 oldest national parks.

They begin with:

The USA’s oldest national park, Yellowstone, is 145 years old this year. As a testimony to the kind of protection that national park status brings, Yellowstone remains one of the best wildlife habitats in the country. Not only are there both grizzly and black bears, here you can also find wolves, bison, elk, moose, several species of deer, mountain goats and mountain lions. 

Here are the 12 oldest national parks in the USA, all of which existed before the National Parks Service was formed in 1916.

To see what the other 11 national parks are, go here. 

National Park "Badass" Adventures

Above, a smoldering vent from Kilauea volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Besides sitting around an evening campfire in a national park, many parks provide opportunities for some "badass adventures", according to The Huffington Post.

They have listed 13 of them in a new article.

The article starts with:

One of the reasons that we cherish America’s national parks so much is that they provide us a place to go play, outside, away from technology, away from work, and in some of the most unique and wonderful natural environments found anywhere in the world. Such places have inspired inventive creations that allow visitors to experience lands that are as old as time in unique and modern ways. While exploring all 59 of the U.S. national parks in 2016, we tried on for size some unusual adventures that got our endorphins pumping while giving us some of our favorite experiences of the year.

To see what they are, go here. 

Japan's "Automated" Love Hotels

Above, an Osaka love hotel's price menu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many (or most) Japanophiles are familiar with the Japanese love hotels.

They are usually found in different districts in major Japanese cities. We "stumbled" upon a cluster of them in the Dotonbori section of Osaka last year when we made a wrong turn.

The Huffington Post has an article on "automated" love hotels that, according to the article, are being noticed by foreign visitors.

They wrote:

Pop quiz: What does the term “automated love hotel” conjure in your imagination?
a) A place to have sex with robots
b) A hotel that eliminates the “check-in/check-out of shame” by automating the “front desk”
c) A place where two complete strangers can meet and fall in love automatically
d) All of the above, maybe

If you were in Japan, you would know the answer, instinctively. You would know that “love hotels,” automated or not, are, for the locals, by-the-hour hookup hubs, originally intended to provide respite for harried married couples that want more than a rice paper screen between them and their offspring when making noisy love. Or at least that is how the origin of the love hotel is described in polite society. 

Given the famously tight quarters of Japanese homes, it’s not surprising that a relatively sexually liberated culture would provide recreational havens for folks caught up in the critically important function of parenting, right? Plop the kids down in front of the computer, lock the front door and scoot down to the love hotel for an hour. What a concept! 

Here in the good ol’ U.S. of A., we are apt to refer to such establishments as “no-tell motels,” and very few provide hourly rates. But the U.S., compared to Japan, is still relatively puritanical, despite the increasing prevalence of more liberal attitudes toward sex.

Love hotels, obviously, are also used in the "cash and carry" (as referred to by J. R. Ewing) business of escorts and call girls.

To read more, go here.

"10 Reasons Why Japan is Awesome for Solo Female Travel"

Above, a JR Yamanote Line train in Tokyo. Public transit is safe, affordable and easy. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This really doesn't apply to us guys, but it will be of interest to the ladies who may be contemplating a solo trip to Japan. Yes, there are female Godzilla/kaiju, anime and manga fans who may want to visit Japan.

As a man, it was very easy for me to travel solo to Japan (or anywhere else, for that matter), but women traveling alone may feel vulnerable in a different country. In seven out of eight trips to Japan, I traveled solo. Last year, I brought Denise Santos and her son Aiden with me. It was a different but enjoyable experience.

Writer Alyssa Ramos has written "10 Reasons Why Japan is Awesome for Solo Female Travel" for the Huffington Post. Here, she describes why Japan is such a great place for the female solo traveler.

She begins with:

I didn’t go to Japan looking to test out its safety or to see if it was or wasn’t a good place for solo female travel. I’m so used to traveling on my own these days that it seems normal to me, however I have to say, I was especially blown away by my solo experience in Japan. 

Not only did I feel safer in Japan than I usually do back home in LA, but I also felt more respected, welcomed, and able to freely and easily explore than I have in most countries. The people in Japan are some of the nicest I’ve ever met, and there was not one single millisecond when I thought I was in a dangerous area or situation. Japan was also fairly easy to travel around in, and even had specific transportation and accommodation options for females only! 

So as a an experienced solo female traveler, here’s what I noticed about Japan that made it one of my top choices for solo female travel:

To see the 10 reasons, go here. 

Godzilla's Horrific New Design

Images of Godzilla from Godzilla Resurgence have leaked this past week.

Photo leaks of upcoming Godzilla movies aren't anything new, except it appears that the leaked images have attracted the major news media.

Godzilla Resurgence (also known as Shin Godzilla) is currently in production in Japan by Toho Co., Ltd. and the completed film will be released this year.

The Huffington Post apparently felt the images warranted a posting along with some comments.

They begin with:

Godzilla will be back in this summer's "Godzilla: Resurgence," and it looks like he's had an extreme makeover. 

The King of the Monsters will make his first appearance in a Japanese film since 2004's "Godzilla: Final Wars," and images leaked online show what appears to be a frightening new form:

Above, one of the leaked images.

The design does hearken back to the original 1954 Godzilla design. I like it!

To see more, go here.

Once Remote, Japan Now Welcomes Growing Tourism

Above, the business district near Tokyo Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Times have certainly changed in 40 years for foreign visitors to Japan.

This fact is driven home in a new article by Kathy Kemper, Founder and CEO of the Institute of Education in The Huffington Post.

She begins her article with:

In the late 1970s, I was part of the woman's pro tennis tour playing exhibition games throughout Japan. In many places, children would touch my freckles to see if they came off. They wanted to touch my blond hair because they'd never seen it in real life. 

Margaret Court was among the players with us, and many of the people we met were amazed that anyone could be so tall. 

How things have changed. Today, Japan is a major destination for tourists from around the world. A cheaper yen, more signs posted in English and websites with a wealth of advice make travel easier. And as Tokyo prepares to host the 2020 Olympics, a government campaign is putting out the welcome mat. 

Foreign visitors now exceed 10 million a year, compared to 8.3 million in 2008. The government's goal is 20 million by 2020. 

This means many more people are now discovering, as I have, a land of delightful surprises--a place of mystery and strong traditions with kind and polite people. 

To read more, go here.

Godzilla Named Tokyo Tourism Ambassador

Godzilla has been known for many things over the years. He has been a destroyer of cities, a nuclear menace, defender of Earth, an anti-pollution message-giver and even a shill for various products. He now has a new, and official, title.

Godzilla is now tourism ambassador.

According to an article in the Huffington Post:

TOKYO (AP) — Fire-breathing, building-stomping Godzilla was welcomed in part of Tokyo on Thursday as a sign of prosperity, not destruction. 

The irradiated monster was appointed special resident and tourism ambassador for Shinjuku ward, known for its down-home bars and noodle restaurants. 

A Godzilla-size head towering 52 meters (171 feet) above ground level was unveiled at an office of Toho, the Japanese studio behind the 1954 original. Toho is shooting a comeback film this year after a decade-long hiatus.

At an awards ceremony next to the giant Godzilla head, an actor in a rubber suit waddled to Shinjuku Mayor Kenichi Yoshizumi. However, Toho executive Minami Ichikawa had to accept the residency certificate in Godzilla's place, since the suit's claws aren't designed to grab anything.

To read more, go here. 

The Spiritual Beauty of Kiyomizu-dera

Above, the Main Hall and Stage of Kiyomizu-dera were being renovated at the time of my visit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Huffington Post has posted a pictorial article on Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. It is not the usual kind of photo article as it focuses on the temple during four seasons.

Godzilla fans are familiar with Kiyomizu-dera as it briefly appeared in 1993's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. The scene has Godzilla stomping through Kyoto in the background with Kiyomizu-dera's Main Hall and Stage in the foreground.

According to The Huffington Post:

The Kiyomizu-dera, or Kiyomizu Temple, is one of Japan’s greatest treasures. The 14,000- square-foot temple, situated dramatically on a cliff overlooking Kyoto, was initially constructed in the 8th century. The temple was rebuilt during Japan’s Tokugawa dynasty in the 1600s, and has served ever since as a place of worship for Japanese Buddhists. 

The temple is a major tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but despite the crowds, there is something undeniably spiritual about its swooping pagodas and stone pillars, surrounded by swathes of natural greenery. Kiyomizu—which means “pure water” – takes its name from the waterfall in the center of the temple complex, whose water is believed to have the power to grant wishes.

To read more, go here.

5 Tips To Stay Healthy Traveling In Japan In Winter

Above, more time was spent in this Tokyo ryokan because of the flu in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is winter time in Japan and, like everywhere else in the northern half of the world, it is cold and flu season.

The Huffington Post has an article with five tips on staying healthy in Japan if one is vacationing there in the winter.

They begin with:

Going to Japan this winter to experience their world-class skiing and snowboarding, or to see the Sapporo Snow Festival? Stay healthy while traveling in Japan with these 5 tips. 

While most people associate snow sports with accidents such as broken legs or wrists, a surprising number of people end up in ER because of illness-everything from gastrointestinal disorders to ear infections and first-time asthma attacks. 

I spent two winter seasons working in the hospital emergency room (as a translator) in Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan's most snow holiday destination for foreigners. 

The good news is that most of these illnesses can be avoided, but different cultures pose different health risks and knowing what to watch out for beforehand can be tricky, if not impossible. By following some simple (but not necessarily so obvious) rules, you too can avoid the emergency room.

One additional tip, and this is from my own experience. I came down with a 24-hour flu bug during my first trip to Japan in 2001. After this, I began a regimen of taking Vitamin C tablets for about ten days before departing to Japan. I continued taking Vitamin C everyday while there. Since I began doing this, I have not gotten sick while in Japan, and I've been there six times after that 2001 experience.

This topic is covered on page 8 in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read the five tips, go here.

Japan's Must-see World Heritage Sites

Above, the A-Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Peace Park are World Heritage Sites. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Amy Chavez has an article on "Japan's Must-see World Heritage Sites" over at the Huffington Post.

As of August 2014, there are 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan.

She begins her article with:

What to see, how to avoid the crowds, and how to enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage Sites on your own terms. 

Although I have been to many of the World Heritage Sites myself, to learn the details on absolutely all of them I turned to the book Japan's World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature by John Dougill.

To read more, go here.

Movies That Make You Want To Travel

Above,  Atami Castle on the hilltop overlooking Atami's harbor. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Have you ever watched a movie where the center of action takes place in a foreign country and it makes you want to take a vacation trip to that country?

The Huffington Post's Travel section has a list of movies by country that conjures up those thoughts for many. Unfortunately, the writer left out Japan. Just about any Japanese Godzilla or Gamera movie would make some people want to visit Japan. Two non-kaiju movies of recent years, Lost In Translation (2003) and The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), immediately come to mind. Both of those movies featured Shibuya Crossing and Lost In Translation featured Atami (featured at the ending of King Kong vs. Godzilla) and Kyoto.

Before The Huffington Post goes into their list, here's what they have to say on the subject:

Movies embody escapism at its best: They transport you into another world for an hour or two, often taking you places you couldn't otherwise go. Essential to that experience, of course, is the movie's setting. Some movies just epitomize a place -- like Weekend at Bernie's and the Hamptons. 

OK, so maybe not that example. But with this idea in mind, we've rounded up a list of films that fuel your wanderlust with every re-watch. Each of these films makes you want to get off the couch, away from that bowl of popcorn, and on board the next plane to wherever it was you were just watching famous people doing cool stuff. 

Here's our list of destinations, broken down by country, along with the movies that'll make you want to move to each of them. Just don't go all Elizabeth Gilbert on us, expecting to find yourself in India.

Above, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 To see what they came up with, go here.