The dollar rose moderately to around ¥112.30 in Tokyo trading on Wednesday, aided by higher Japanese stock prices and a rise in U.S. long-term interest rates.
At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥112.35-35, up from ¥112.10-11 at the same time Tuesday.
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| Above, early morning surfers at Waikiki Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
One of the many reasons we love Hawaii—aside from an incredible mai tai, fresh seafood, and laid-back surf culture—is that it can easily lay claim to having the most beautiful beaches in the world. Why is that? For starters, they come in every size, shape, and color there: wide, calm expanses that are perfect for families and little ones who just want to dip their toes in the Pacific; tiny, secluded coves where honeymooning couples can get away from the crowds; and red, white, black, and green sandy stretches that provide the ultimate photo-op for Instagram. Best of all, you can access every single one of them, since all of Hawaii’s beaches are public.To read more, go here.
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| Above, sleeping on the plane does not help with jet lag. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Like death and taxes and coffee spills on white pants, jet lag is seemingly inevitable.
“Everyone has an internal biological clock,” said Dr. Carl Bazil, a sleep specialist and professor of neurology at Columbia University. “When you travel time zones, your clock stays where you were.”
That disconnect between your biological clock and the clock on the wall results in jet lag and unfortunately, jet lag happens all the time when you travel.
Most people assume their first few days of vacation will be spent wandering zombie-like through museums and falling asleep in their complimentary breakfast buffets. The truth is that there are ways to help fight jet lag before you leave, in the air, and on the ground.
It just takes a little research to sort out the jet lag fact from the jet lag fiction.
Here are some common jet lag myths—and the truth behind them.To read more, go here.
Water hose, sewer hose, park adapters and leveling blocks are a given when it comes to outfitting a RV. But what about other essential camping gear that will make every outing an enjoyable experience? Here is a list of gear that can make your next journey a little easier and more convenient.
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| Above, The Beast at Brown's Town Campground in Bishop, California. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Planning an RV trip has become easier than ever thanks to technology. Instead of just traditional maps and Mapquest we now have an extensive selection of websites and apps at our disposal. With just a phone you can find RV park reviews, cheap gas near you, family attractions and pretty much everything in-between.
The best part? A lot of great resources are free or affordable to use. All you need is a computer, tablet or mobile device connected to the Internet. These are just a few of our favorite digital tools that make trip planning more simple than ever.
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| Above, the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall before it became the Atomic Bomb Dome. |
HIROSHIMA -- City authorities here are planning to release a smartphone app with which tourists can view pictures of the Atomic Bomb Dome and other landmark buildings from before and after the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, it has been announced.
The move is part of the city of Hiroshima's initiative to promote "Peace Tourism" among foreign travelers, as their numbers are expected to rise following then U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima in May last year. The city is planning to bring the smartphone app into operation by Aug. 6 -- the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.
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| Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome in August 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, a nighttime visit to Shibuya is one suggestion. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
There’s a fine balance between spontaneity and planning when traveling the world… and especially in Tokyo. While you definitely need time to wander off down that alley or follow that group of people dressed as foxes, it sucks when you find out about something amazing you were 5 minutes away from, two weeks after your trip. We hate lifelong regret, so we have come up with a the perfect 3-day itinerary for people who need to go and explore. We’ve combined the top sights with the best neighborhoods and given you a few starting points—the rest is up to you!
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| Above, the poster for Love & Mercy, one of my suggestions. |
Any others you can think of that she must see to round out pop culture? I have never seen most of the classics, including Casablanca and others like that, so I suppose I'm lacking also. Dad certainly got me indoctrinated with every possible western though ;-)
Pop culture? Hmm.
I saw Airplane with Caddyshack with a friend. We had a full house at the theater (I think it was Del Amo in Torrance) and everyone was roaring. I would recommend Caddyshack and Animal House (that one I can relate to since I was in a frat).
Naturally, the first 2 Godfather movies are a must, with a plate of spaghetti. The first three Dirty Harry movies. Casablanca would be a good one as would Gone With The Wind. Apocalypse Now and Taxi Driver. Bullitt with Steve McQueen. Easy Rider. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
Seven Samurai or its western remake, The Magnificent Seven. For horror, the original Japanese Ringu (The Ring). For classic horror, the 1931 Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein. After seeing those, Young Frankenstein, so she would be able to understand the jokes. Another Mel Brooks classic, Blazing Saddles.
I watched Red River last night. Since your dad indoctrinated you into westerns, I'm sure you've seen She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and The Searchers? McLintock! The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
For something more recent, Love & Mercy (about Brian Wilson and my 2015 favorite) and Gran Torino.
These would all be a good start.Her response:
Great list! Some of those I haven't seen either. I definitely have to round out her education with some of these though. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one I had forgotten about, but she should be familiar with it.I'm sure I missed a few, so I am looking to friends to make some suggestions. I didn't mention any Godzilla movies as she is well aware of my "fondness" for them.
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| Andre Steele. |
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| Bill Dolan. |
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| Bob McArthur. |
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| Brad Shey. |
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| Brian McKernan. |
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| Daikaiju Rogira. |
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| Dennis Reid. |
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| Glenn Draper. |
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| Jeff Horne. |
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| John Field. |
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| Kirk Hastings. |
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| Lynn Hopkins. |
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| Mike Cline. |
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| Shinichi Wakasa. |
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| Above, in Monument Valley with The Mittens and Merrick Butte in the background. |
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| Above, bison in a meadow in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
BILLINGS, Mont. -- A deal disclosed Thursday will allow the mass slaughter of hundreds of wild bison migrating from Yellowstone National Park, while sparing 25 animals that American Indian tribes want to start new herds.
The Associated Press obtained details on the deal between Montana, the park and the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to its public disclosure.
It resulted from two weeks of intensive negotiations and removes a political obstacle for the park after Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Jan. 19 temporarily blocked Yellowstone’s plan to kill up to 1,300 of Yellowstone’s 5,500 bison this winter.
The terms are likely to dampen public outcry by averting slaughter for most of a small group of bison that had been earmarked for a conservation effort intended at establishing new herds elsewhere.
Bullock lifted the slaughter ban in a Thursday letter to Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk that outlined the agreement to spare the 25 bison.
“My intent in invoking the (ban) was to prevent the slaughter of these bison and preserve them for transport to Fort Peck (Indian Reservation),” Bullock wrote. “The parties have committed that these animals will be quarantined and safeguarded until they are ready for shipment.”
Wildlife advocates fiercely oppose the periodic slaughters of Yellowstone’s world-famous bison herds. Park officials say they have little choice under a 16-year-old program intended to curb the animals’ annual migration into Montana to prevent transmitting the disease brucellosis to cattle.
Brucellosis can cause pregnant animals to abort their young.
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| Above, the view looking towards Old Faithful Geyser from the sun deck of the Old Faithful Inn. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Will Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and other national parks be closed to visitors this summer?
For the past week, that's been unclear after President Donald Trump announced a federal government hiring freeze that could've affected hires the US National Park Service depends on to serve millions of visitors during the high season.
Now, it seems, they're going to be able to open as usual.
Seasonal and short-term temporary employees "necessary to meet traditionally recurring seasonal workloads," have been given a break under a list of exemptions to the freeze issued Tuesday.
The NPS, which hosted a record-breaking 307.2 million visits in 2015, depends on some 8,000 temporary workers to keep the parks running during the summer high season, a park service spokesman confirmed.
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| Above, La Mesa RV in San Diego. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Tokyo, Feb. 3 (Jiji Press)--The dollar rose above 113 yen in Tokyo trading on Friday, as long-term Japanese government bond yields fell back on the Bank of Japan's special JGB-buying operation.
At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at 113.11-12 yen, up from 112.84-85 yen at the same time Thursday.
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| Above, Assemblyman Bob Beverly and Armand circa 1976. Photo by Ken Huthmaker. |
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| Above, the Wako and Mitsukoshi department stores in Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
In Ginza, the air seems almost scentless, like freshly minted coins. Every day, shopkeepers clean their storefront sidewalks. Immaculately scrubbed and groomed Japanese promenade in fine clothes. There’s no traipsing to the convenience store in a tracksuit here.
With designer shops like Chanel and Gucci, high-class bars and Michelin- starred restaurants, Ginza can seem impenetrable; a luxury watch behind glass. But it has something for everyone – there’s budget-friendly fashion like Zara, H&M and the world’s biggest Uniqlo, traditional family-run shops and casual pubs. On weekend and public holiday afternoons, the main roads become welcoming pedestrian zones.
The birthplace of the free speech movement has become its graveyard.
Hundreds of liberals rioted at the University of California Berkeley Wednesday night -- burning stores, throwing Molotov cocktails and clashing with police.
The rampaging mob forced the university to shut down an event featuring gay conservative firebrand and Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos.
“I’m outraged that Milo has been given a platform at UC Berkeley, and there should be no place for him here,” visiting assistant art professor Samara Haplerin told the Daily Californian. “He should be scared that people aren’t going to stand for this.”
Ironically, Milo had planned to deliver remarks defending free speech.Back during the riots of the late 1960s and early 1970s, then-Governor Ronald Reagan put an end to the violence at Berkeley with the National Guard and Highway Patrol.
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| Above, the Mitsukoshi department store at Ginza Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The government and some companies launched test deliveries Tuesday, conveying items purchased by foreign tourists directly from stores in Japan to their homes overseas to improve convenience.
The test deliveries in Tokyo, involving a FamilyMart convenience store, a Mitsukoshi department store and other companies, aim to deliver goods to more than 120 countries and regions in two to nine days via the Express Mail Service.The Mitsukoshi department store involved in the test is the Ginza store, which is across the street from the Wako department store at Ginza Crossing.
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| Above, the Matsuzakaya department store (far right) in 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
TOKYO —The Ginza 6-10 District Urban Redevelopment Partnership announced Wednesday that it held a ceremony at the new Ginza Six mixed-use complex to mark the completion of construction on Jan 31.
Ginza Six opened its doors to office-space tenants on Wednesday, and on April 20 it will open the newest and largest retail area in Tokyo’s premier shopping district, plus the Kanze Noh Theater for noh musical drama, one of Japan’s most revered traditional stage arts.
Ginza Six stands on 1.4 hectares of space comprising two city blocks, including the former site of Matsuzakaya Ginza department store and adjacent land.
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| Above, the Matsuzakaya department store is gone and Ginza Six is under construction in 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, The Beast at Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
RVing isn't just a great way to experience different parts of the country, but it comes with many physical and mental benefits too.
RVing comes with some amazing benefits. You don’t only get to experience new areas all the time, but traveling the open road is good for your mind, body and soul too. These are seven of the many definite reasons that will remind you why there’s nothing like the RV life.
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| Above, Beaver KOA in Utah. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
You may have seen them: the bright, yellow signs marking the popular KOA campgrounds. KOA – which literally stands for Kampgrounds Of America – has almost 500 private, beautifully maintained campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada.
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| Above, Yellowstone/West Entrance KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
KOA Journeys are conveniently located near highways and byways with long pull-thru sites, KOA Holidays are a little more luxurious with patio RV sites, premium tent sites, and deluxe cabins, and KOA Resorts provide a complete vacation with sites plus a swimming pool and other facilities.
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| Above, Los Banos KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, Elk City KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, a typical KOA A-frame campground office building. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, the Grand Teton mountain range. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Unfortunately, our first National Park [which would be Yellowstone National Park] lies just outside the edge of totality! Without question, this wonderful, exhilarating landscape would have provided the perfect spot for viewing nature's most awesome spectacle, if only the moon had been positioned a little differently. However, Yellowstone's loss is Grand Teton's gain; the boundary separating those two great parks is just about coincident with the Northern limit of the path! This makes the southern part of Grand Teton National Park one of the best places in the entire country to position yourself to view this event! On the centerline, the Park will experience 2m20s of totality at about 11:35am. Weather permitting, for folks who want to experience nature while being overwhelmed by nature, this may just be "The Place To Be"....
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| Above, lava inside a Kilauea vent crater. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Researchers from the USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory captured dramatic footage showing a ‘firehose’ of lava flowing from the Kilauea Volcano and into the sea.
The video also captures littoral explosions as the super hot lava makes contact with the cold sea water at the Kamokuna lava tube.
