T+ L: 25 Perfect Places To Watch The Eclipse

Above, a 2012 partial solar eclipse projected on a wall through foliage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is one of those "bucket list" things that people should experience at least once in their lives.

It is the upcoming total solar eclipse that will take place August 21 across the U.S. I am making plans to head up to an area where I can experience it. My bank's investment counselor, once he found out about my plans, asked to come along.

Travel + Leisure has an article on the "perfect" spots in the U.S. to watch the eclipse.

They begin with:

This is the first time a total solar eclipse has crossed the United States since 1978 (and the last really big one was in 1918), and the summer’s brief event—totality lasts about two minutes, depending on your location—is being touted as the largest astronomical event in U.S. history. 

Whether or not that's true, it will definitely be the most photographed, most Instragrammed, most tweeted and most talked about eclipse ever. It’s critical to get yourself somewhere exactly under the shadow—and as nearest to the Line of Totality—as possible, since a near-miss is a total miss. 

You should use Xavier Jubier's 2017 Total Eclipse Interactive Google Map to pinpoint your exact location, but in case you're looking for ideas, here are 25 unique places to watch this once-in-a-lifetime event.

To read more, go here. 

Tsukiji Investigation Committee To Be Set Up

Above, the Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The planned relocation of the Tsukiji Fish Market is even deeper in limbo as a panel is about to be set up to investigate it.

According to Japan Today:

TOKYO —Four major parties in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly agreed Monday to set up a powerful committee to look into questions related to the relocation site for the Tsukiji fish market and possibly summon former Gov Shintaro Ishihara as a witness under oath. 

Ishihara was governor when the metropolitan government decided to buy land in Tokyo’s Toyosu area as a replacement site for the Tsukiji market, known for its daily fish auctions. Gov Yuriko Koike has put the relocation on hold amid safety concerns over the former gas production plant site and publicly called on her predecessor to clarify his role in the purchase. 

The committee, which can compel individuals to testify and submit relevant records, may be established on the first day of a regular assembly session starting Wednesday. Witnesses who give false testimony can be prosecuted for perjury.

So, it appear that the Tsukiji Fish Market will remain at its current location a while longer.

To read more, go here. 

10 Fun Free Things In Harajuku

Above, Spider-Man scales the side of a Harajuku building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one happens to be in Tokyo but is a little short on cash, there are ways to doing things for free in the city.

Tokyo Cheapo has compiled a list of 10 free things to do while in the Harajuku section of Tokyo.

They begin with:

When I first moved to Tokyo, I was living on 1,000 yen a day while renting half a room in the cheapest-of-cheap share houses. I didn’t care though—this is one of those special few cosmopolitan cities where you can experience the best of it for free, if you know where to look. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of 10 fun free things to do in Harajuku—pop culture hub and stomping ground of Tokyo’s most fashionable trendsetters.

To read more, go here. 

5 Foreign Languages To Be Served In 119 Calls

Above, Asakusa's Nakamise Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

119, Japan's equivalent to our 911 emergency call number, will soon be available in other languages.

The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) reported:

In preparation for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is planning to provide 24-hour foreign language services for 119 emergency calls nationwide. 

The Japanese government considers enabling rescue teams to respond to foreigners in need of medical attention due to sudden sickness or injury a form of omotenashi hospitality, providing travelers in Japan with an added sense of security. 

The fire agency, which is governed by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, is aiming to provide the services in at least five languages — English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese — with help from private businesses that offer interpretation services.

Other areas, depending upon their needs, will also have services in Russian, German or French.

To read more, go here.

Traveling Solo Safely

Above, The Beast at Circus Circus RV Park in Las Vegas. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

WinnebaGoLife newsletter blog has some safety tips for solo travelers.

Although the article is aimed primarily for female solo RV travelers, men can also use the tips provided.

The article starts with:

As a solo female full time RV’er, safety is the topic I am most often asked about. People are curious – do you feel safe, do you pack or carry a gun, what have you run into?

Thanks to my grandfather and dad instilling this in me, I never leave on a RV trip without having a firearm with me. A gun stored away in a box at home will not protect one while on the road.

Thanks also for the training I received when I worked armed patrol, I feel protected enough and capable in dealing with any threats that may arise. I have never had a problem while traveling solo, but as the Boy Scout Motto says, "Be Prepared!"

To read the full article, go here.

10 Must-Haves for the Brand New RVer

Above, The Beast at the dry campground behind the Gen. Patton Museum at Chiriaco Summit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The latest edition of Winnebago Industries WinnebaGoLife showed up in my new email box and it contains several links to different stories at Winnebago's blog.

One is "GoGear: 10 Must-Haves for the Brand New RVer". I have about nine of them.

They begin their article with:

So, you bought a new RV! Fantastic!  Now what… 

At least that’s what we asked ourselves once we made our first big RV purchase. Between reading all the manuals and trying to learn the systems, purchasing a new rig can get overwhelming…we remember the excitement AND the sleepless nights very well. One thing we quickly learned is that the RV itself wasn’t to be our last purchase before hitting the road. There were a few things we needed to make our RVing experience run smoothly and efficiently.  To save you some of the hassle of figuring it out yourselves, we put together this list. Here are 10 things you’ll want to pick up right away!

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite "Firefall" Conditions Are Perfect

Above, a view of El Capitan from Tunnel View at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This week, the conditions at Yosemite National Park have been ideal for the annual "firefall" illusion to awe park visitors.

According to The Smithsonian:

This week, weather conditions at Yosemite were perfect for the annual “firefall”—when the sun strikes the park’s infamous Horsetail Falls at just such an angle to make it look as though the cascading water is on fire. 

Yosemite National Park is home to innumerable waterfalls, the longest of which is Yosemite Falls. Horsetail Falls, however, is one of the park’s greatest winter attractions. During mid-to-late February, if conditions are just right, the firefall appears. But, as author and photographer James Kaiser writes on his website, it’s a tricky combination to achieve. 

First, the waterfall isn’t always flowing in February; like most of Yosemite’s waterfalls, it’s fed by snowmelt. If there isn’t enough snow on the mountain, or if the weather doesn’t grow warm enough to melt the snow pack, Horsetail Falls will be dry, notes Kaiser, who wrote the book Yosemite: The Complete Guide. 

The weather also plays an important role. If the sun’s rays can’t penetrate cloud cover to reflect off Horsetail Falls, then nothing will happen. It must be a relatively cloud-free evening for the firefall effect to be visible.

Horsetail Falls is located on El Capitan.

Unfortunately, I haven't been to Yosemite during the time when the "firefall" appears, so I can't share any photographs of it. But, to read more, see a video and photographs of it, go here.

It Goes On...

Above, Denise Santos on Hot Bench. 

It was hoped that everything pertaining to my Denise Santos would be over and done with by now. It appears that this is not the case as there is one annoyance that has yet to be fully resolved.

DOJ = California Department of Justice - Bureau of Firearms

AFS = Automated Firearms System

LEGR = Law Enforcement Gun Release

Rather than re-write everything, here is what I posted at a gun owners' forum today:

Last summer, a vindictive ex-girlfriend filed for a temporary restraining order on me. Part of the order was to surrender my firearms to law enforcement. At the hearing, she dismissed the matter as I had ample proof that I was not bothering her. 

I had to file a Law Enforcement Gun Release Application with the DOJ and pay fees. After a long wait, I got the letters clearing me to retrieve my guns. I got all except for my Ruger 10-22 rifle that I bought in the early 1980s. The letter said that the AFS had "no record" of this firearm and was advised by the Los Angeles Police that I have to register it.  

I then sent the registration form and check for the fee back on December 9, 2016 (the check was cashed). I had to also re-file another Law Enforcement Gun Release Application and pay another fee.  

I just got the DOJ letter (dated February 13) again stating that AFS has "no record" of the firearm. This is two months after I filed to have it registered. I have 30 days from February 13 to get the gun under this letter (provided that it is registered in this period). This is ridiculous. If the gun is not put into the AFS system in time, I have to pay another fee with the DOJ with another LEGR application. 

I just sent the DOJ an email complaining about this. 

Does anyone have any recommendations on this? Do I have any recourse? Thanks.

Even though I initiated no contact with her, Denise nevertheless tried to set me up on some sort of stalking charge by filing the temporary restraining order. I had to get an attorney (as my gun rights were in jeopardy) and had months of text messages printed and brought to court proving that I was not the one doing the stalking. It was quite the opposite (also through her "flying monkeys"). This is a textbook case of a narcissistic smear campaign. (Oy vey! If I only knew then what I know now!)

Unknown to me, this episode is from a new law (2014) called the "Gun Violence Restraining Order".

In 2014, California became one of the first states to pass a “Gun Violence Restraining Order” law, commonly known as a “red flag” law, which prevents people deemed a danger to themselves or other from owning a gun.

I guess I'll have to keep on the DOJ's case so that the rifle gets timely registered. If I have to file another LEGR and pay a fee, it will be the third go-around. Jeez.

**********************

UPDATE (2/19/17): I received two responses to my forum query. They are:

It takes CA DOJ anywhere from 2-64 weeks to process a voluntary firearm registration.
(average time seems to be within 3-4 months)
The time period starts when they cash in your check.
When they finish processing your submission, they will mail you back acknowledgment.
You should submit the LEGR after they cash your check or when you receive the CA DOJ letter.

The check was cashed January 3.

I went through a similar situation two years ago and completely feel your pain. I reached out to the PD Detective assigned to my case and simply explained the issues I was having. She put a call into DOJ and three days later I received the reg letter and was able to go pick up my rifle.  

Just make sure to be cool..process sucks and everyone knows it but the good news is you're on the home stretch. Good luck.

Since the LAPD detective and I have a good rapport, I'll ask her to see if there's anything she can do. She's already aware of the situation. (I'll have to remember to get her a box of See's Candies next Christmas.)

***********************

UPDATE (2/24/17):

Good news was received in the mail today. I received a letter from the DOJ stating that the rifle is now registered and I am authorized to retrieve it from the LAPD Property Division. 

"The Great Deluge of 2017" Aftermath

Above, what's left of "Lake Tarzana" in the parking lot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The "Great Deluge of 2017" is over (at least for now) and it left a big mess at my apartment building.

Above, the "fleet" came out fine. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The parking lot, as you can see from the accompanying photographs, has debris from the trees all over. This is not surprising since, at times, we received over an inch of rain per hour. Drought? What drought? I think it is definitely over.

At least The Beast and the Mustang came out of it unscathed. They just got a good car wash.

Unwanted Guest

Above, the hallway after the vagrant left. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today started out a little bit interesting.

I was sitting in my apartment sipping some coffee when I received a text message from Christy, my next-door neighbor, telling me that a homeless guy decided to set up camp in our hallway between our apartment's front doors.

I asked her if she notified the manager, Roxana, and she said she did, but was told to call the police. Christy told her, quite properly, that's not her job. It is Roxana's job.

That's when I decided to check out the scene.

Sure enough, there was a homeless guy in a sleeping bag in the hallway. After putting my little semi-automatic into my pocket (one never knows if he's on crack or something), I went outside and politely told him that he had to leave. He apparently just woke up. He said, "Okay." He then started packing up his belongings and left.

The Great Deluge of 2017

Above, yours truly in the car at the market today. 

The heaviest rainstorm this season struck Los Angeles today.

It was predicted that one inch of rain per hour is expected to fall in the area. I believe it! I had to drive to West L.A. and back in it.

Jes, her mom and I went to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for a meeting that did not take place. Somebody got the information wrong. Well, we get to do it all again this coming Monday. Hopefully, we'll have dry weather that day. At least we had a good lunch at the hospital cafeteria.

The streets in the San Fernando Valley were like rivers. I hadn't seen such flooding in the Valley for a long time. It reminded me of the 1973 special election of a North Hollywood area state senate seat. Alan Robbins and Phil Johnson were in a head-to-head election showdown. It rained heavily on election night and a group of us from the Young Republicans of El Camino College took part in the GOTV that night. It was a lot of fun driving through the rain to get voters to the polls.

Johnson lost the special election. But, at least we had a good spaghetti dinner hosted by the Johnson campaign or the California Republican Party that night in a gymnasium. I later received  a thank-you note from then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, who said we all braved the storm for the GOP.

"Lake Tarzana" re-formed in my apartment's parking lot by the time I got home. My shoes were drenched through by the time I got inside. Looks like I am staying put tonight.

What drought?

Curt Swan's Birthday

Above, Curt Swan sketching Superman.

Today marks what would have been Superman artist Curt Swan's 97th birthday.

Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly in 1996. He is considered by many (including me) the "definitive" Superman artist.

He also was assigned to illustrate the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lois Lane, Superboy, Jimmy Olsen, Aquaman, Batman and many others by DC Comics over the course of his career.

Above, two pages of Swan's Superman pencil work.

According to Wikipedia:

Douglas Curtis "Curt" Swan (February 17, 1920 – June 17, 1996) was an American comic book artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Silver Age of comic books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Thankfully, I own a page that Swan drew that was inked by Murphy Anderson during the early 1970s.

Meet "Vlad The Impaler"

No, not THAT Vlad the Impaler (the real-life Dracula), but Vlad the Impaler, the wine bottle holder.

After running an errand, I went to the mailbox to see if there were any mail inside. On a shelf above the apartment complex mailboxes, sat a box.

Generally, whenever people have something that they no longer want, they often leave things on the shelf (usually books) to be "rescued" by other tenants.

I looked at it and, at first, I thought it was a silhouette of Superman. Instead, it is a rather interesting wine bottle holder with a muscular figure "impaled" at a certain area of his anatomy. Since I am a bit of a wine connoisseur, I rescued it. I will probably use it in The Beast.

My, that's a big one!

Elvis's Graceland "Man-Cave"

Above, the Jungle Room with its waterfall (at left). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most famous rooms at Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion is the Jungle Room. Elvis never called it the Jungle Room. It was just "the den". The "Jungle Room" came about five years after his death. But he enjoyed his den as the decor reminded him of Hawaii.

The den even received a nod in the song by Marc Cohn, "Walking In Memphis":

Saw the ghost of Elvis
On Union Avenue
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland
Then I watched him walk right through
Now security they did not see him
They just hovered 'round his tomb
But there's a pretty little thing
Waiting for the King
Down in the Jungle Room

Above, another view of the sitting area of the Jungle Room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the "tiki bar" area of the Jungle Room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to an article in Rolling Stone:

Elvis Presley never called it the Jungle Room. For him, his breathtakingly garish tiki-tinged lair – sui generis in the realm of ostentatious kitsch – was merely "the den." Constructed in 1965 as an addition to Graceland, Presley's already-fabled Memphis headquarters, the room was the nerve center of his home life. There he would take his breakfast, contemplate the enormous artificial waterfall, entertain his coterie of confidants nicknamed the "Memphis Mafia" and, when the urge struck, shoot out his television set with a revolver. For a man who opened many of his concerts by singing "I'm the king of the jungle, they call me tiger man," this unruly terrain of green shag carpeting, plastic plants, rainbow lights and ersatz animal fur seemed perfectly appropriate.

The den received its evocative sobriquet from a journalist soon after Graceland opened to the public in 1982, five years after Presley's death. The newly dubbed Jungle Room was an immediate fan favorite, and not just because of the novelty. While other areas of the home make concessions to conventional aesthetics, the den brings you closest to the King's personality. His eccentric style, playful humor, manic moods and sheer bravado ooze from every corner. No wonder the room draws 600,000 people to bask in its faux-wood-paneled glory each year.

The storied space also served as the site of Presley's final recording sessions. On a handful of nights in February and October of 1976, Presley and his handpicked team of musicians and engineers – including longtime guitarist James Burton, bassist Jerry Scheff and producer Tom Felton – cut 16 titles there with the help of mobile studio equipment. These tracks formed the bulk of Presley's last two albums released before his death: From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976) and Moody Blue (1977).

Now the historic tapes are getting new life via Elvis: Way Down in the Jungle Room. The two-disc set, out now, is the most complete collection of Presley's studio swansong ever assembled, including rare outtakes and alternate versions.

Above, the exterior of the Jungle Room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Jungle Room from the backyard. The carport is at right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For a panoramic 360° view of the Jungle Room, go here.

Vehicle Registrations Done

Above, the Mustang and The Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, the Mustang finally passed it's bi-annual smog check so it could be registered in The People's Republic of California.

Why "finally"? Well, it took three testings and almost $600 in repairs to get it to pass muster with the smog check gizmo. I anticipated that it may have a rougher time than usual, so I had some extra cash put aside just in case. Although it has left me cash short in my checking account, this is only a temporary inconvenience (maybe about 3 days). I can't really complain as the Mustang has been running good for the past year and it never had to go into the shop, except for an oil change.

So now both The Beast and the Mustang are all up-to-date with their registrations until this time next year.

While I was at the Automobile Club of Southern California office yesterday to pick up the registration and tags (already paid for), I grabbed some tour books for Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Oregon to plan out my trek this summer to see the total eclipse. The eclipse can be viewed in any of those states. My bank investment counselor wants to come along on the trip, depending how long the total trek will take. 

Trump Coming To Rally In Florida

President Trump has confirmed that he will appear Saturday at a rally in Melbourne, Florida this Saturday.

Florida Today reported:

President Donald Trump's visit to Melbourne has been confirmed.

He will appear at a rally that begins at 5 p.m. Saturday in the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport. Doors will open at 3 p.m.

Tickets are available at www.donaldjtrump.com/schedule.

To read more, go here.

The Butt-Hurt Media: You Reap What You Sow

Nobody (to my recollection) in the liberal mainstream media ever complained about Barack Obama's shutting out of Fox News at his press conferences during his eight years.

Now, a new sheriff is in town and he is not about to reward fake news outlets of MSNBC, CNN and others. Now President Trump is shutting them out during his press conferences.

And they don't like it one bit.

According to Grabien News:

Members of the mainstream media were left fuming this afternoon after President Trump refused to call on any of their organizations for the third straight press conference. 

Yet many of these same news organizations have likened Trump to the Taliban and Adolf Hitler, floated false rumors about his use of a Russian prostitute, and accused his administration of being pro-slavery.  

After Trump avoided calling on MSNBC during today's presser with Benjamin Netanyahu, MSNBC’s Peter Alexander complained that the conservative journalists he did call on didn’t ask “real questions” like he would have.  

“What was striking," Alexander said, was that "President Trump, again, called on a series of more conservative leaning news organizations which didn’t allow for any real questions, trying to zero in on this issue of Mike Flynn, the now former national security advisor." 

We can't speak for Trump, but one reason he may not be in a rush to give MSNBC more airtime is that they seem intent on using it to liken him to Adolf Hitler. 

On Trump's Inauguration Day, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow likened Trump's election to "Hitler's rise." Her colleague Chris Matthews described Trump's inaugural address as "Hitlerian." Matthews also mocked Trump's family, likening them to the Russian imperial family, the Romanovs. He's so fond of this metaphor he now uses it all the time. 

CNN reporters were likewise angry at not being called on during today's Trump presser.

Tough shit! Well, unless they start reporting the news in a responsible journalistic fashion, they can expect to remain sidelined.

To read more, go here. 

Prosecute Them For Sedition!

18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy 

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

From riots brought by Black Lives Matter, UC Berkeley radicals and others to Barack Obama's "shadow government" by sabotaging the Trump Administration and the financing of these and other acts by radical billionaire George Soros, it is time to arrest and PROSECUTE these conspirators under the sedition statute of the United States.

As National Review wrote:

From time to time over the years, the eminent historian Daniel Pipes has lamented that treason, not just as a crime but as a concept, appears defunct in the West. The question of bringing treason charges against jihadists has been raised from time to time. Often its very asking proves Dr. Pipes’s point: Most radical Islamic terrorists are not American citizens; as to them, treason is not a cognizable offense because traitorous conduct is central to the crime.  

Even against American jihadists, a treason charge is of dubious usefulness. The 1996 overhaul of federal counterterrorism law codified crimes tailored to terrorism that are easier to prove than treason. The aim of an indictment in a national-security case should be the surest route to the severest sentence. The point is not to teach a civics lesson, regrettable as our education system’s default has been in that regard.  

Yet what is true of treason is not true of sedition. There are charges to bring against those who would destroy our society. They should be brought. Case in point: the University of California at Berkeley. 

As our National Review editorial observed in the aftermath of this week’s Berkeley rioting, “there is within the American Left an increasingly active element that is not only deeply illiberal — fundamentally opposed to free speech — but also openly violent.” I’d further contend that the problem is not confined to this increasingly active element that is not only deeply illiberal — fundamentally opposed to free speech — but also openly violent.”

I’d further contend that the problem is not confined to this increasingly active element, the Left’s “progressives in a hurry.” Whether it is Berkeley or Benghazi, it is standard operating procedure among the most influential, most allegedly mainstream Democratic politicians to rationalize rioting as mere “protest.” In their alternative reality, violence in the name of sedition is “free speech” — a passionate expression of political dissent — while the actual political speech they so savagely suppress is the atrocity.

If evidence turns up that former President Barack Obama is involved in the sabotage of any federal agency by bureaucrats left over from his administration and/or aiding unlawful "protesters", then he should also be prosecuted and jailed if found guilty.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444596/berkeley-riots-sedition-laws

Joshua Tree National Park's 5 Don't-Miss Attractions

Above, Cottonwood Spring at Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the newest national parks is Joshua Tree National Park, which is only about a three-hour drive from Los Angeles.

The New York Daily News has an article on five "don't-miss" attractions at the park.

They begin with:

Joshua Tree National Park is a landscape rich with beauty and plenty of adventure. For those looking to fall off the map or get a little lost, whether in thought or in destination, Joshua Tree is the perfect rush of fantasy and reality. 

Set in parts of both the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert in southern California, Joshua Tree is nestled on nearly 800,000 acres of preserved land in Riverside County and San Bernardino County. 

It’s home to the famous Joshua tree, which grows plentiful amongst the otherwise baron High Desert terrain. The plant’s name is said to have come from a group of Mormons who were traversing the High Desert in the mid 19th century. The shape of the tree reminded them of the Biblical tale of Joshua, as the branches seem to mimick his motion of reaching his arms to the sky in prayer.

For those who love to climb rocks, Joshua Tree National Park is the place. One of my first visits to the park (back when it was still a national monument) was with the Boy Scouts. We camped at Jumbo Rocks Campground and one couldn't keep the troop members off the rocks. My most recent visit to Joshua Tree National Park was in November 2015. I camped at the Cottonwood Campground.

Above, The Beast at Cottonwood Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

Get Into Grand Canyon National Park Free February 20

Above, a view of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's good news for those who want to visit the Grand Canyon National Park and save money at the same time.

The Grand Canyon News reported:

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park will join national park sites around the country with free entry into the park in honor of President’s Day Feb. 20.   

Visitors looking to visit Grand Canyon National Park during President’s Day and Spring Break should expect large crowds, long lines at entrance stations and shuttle bus stop areas, and full parking lots. As a reminder, Grand Canyon’s North Rim is still closed and will open May 15. Visitors traveling to the South Rim are encouraged to check weather and road conditions before traveling to the park by calling (928) 638-7496.

To read more, go here. 

2.2 Million Visitors Came To Japan In January

Above, Asakusa at night. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan hit the second-highest monthly record in January.

The Mainichi Shimbun reported:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in January soared 24.0 percent from a year earlier to 2,295,700, marking the second-highest monthly figure after last July, a government body said Wednesday.

To read more, go here.

Busy Day

Above, The Beast at Yosemite National Park last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whew! I am finally at home relaxing after taking my former roomie Jes and her mom out grocery shopping and then to Jes's doctor appointment.

This all came about as Jes's dad is on vacation out-of-state for two weeks and I agreed to help out in his absence. Jes's mom doesn't have a car here.

I had to drive The Beast today as the Mustang is in the shop having repairs done so it would pass the bi-annual smog check tests. It didn't pass the test when I brought it in yesterday.

It was probably a good thing I drove The Beast anyway since Jes and her mom bought a lot of groceries (from three different stores) and The Beast has a lot of room. Luckily, the stores were all in the same general area of Northridge/Winnetka.

Following the shopping spree, I took Jes and her mom to Jes's doctor appointment. I waited out in The Beast and just relaxed.

But, despite that, I am still tuckered out. I will probably go to bed early.

Alex Ross Imaginary Art

A couple of nice illustrations by artist Alex Ross are being circulated in different Facebook Superman fan pages and by individual fans.

The first is Christopher Reeve and George Reeves at a telephone booth (remember those?):

The rendering is nicely done and detailed, right down to George Reeves's pinky ring.


Next, is George Reeves flying over Adam West and Burt Ward:

"Godzilla" Sequel Production Location and Shooting Date Announced

Above, a poster of the 2014 Godzilla. Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.

Atlanta, Georgia will be burning again!

Only this time Legendary Pictures will be burning the midnight oil in Atlanta when production of Godzilla: King of the Monsters begins production.

According to ComicBook.com:

Atlanta’s film production scene is getting a little crowded with this latest announcement as the sequel to Godzilla begins filming soon. 

Spotted by Omega Underground, Legendary Pictures is entering production on Godzilla: King of Monsters in the city beginning June 19. 

The information comes after Michael Dougherty was announced as director and co-writer, alongside the casting of Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown.
The film is scheduled to be released March 22, 2018.

To read more, go here.

Get A Soaking In Tokyo

Above, a communal bath in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An enterprising gent in Tokyo has compiled a list of Japanese public baths (sentos) in the Tokyo area.

According to Japan Today:

TOKYO —Public baths, or sento, as they’re called in Japanese, used to be an ubiquitous part of Japanese cityscapes. Since the 1950s, though, infrastructure advancements have made private bathing facilities a part of almost every modern residence in Japan, and as a result the number of operating sento has been steadily declining. 

After taking a long look at the writing on the wall, some public baths have decided to call it quits and convert themselves into other sorts of businesses. However, there’s been an uptick in sento interest recently, with some young adults being drawn to their retro atmosphere and the affordable luxury of a quick soak without having to travel out of the urban environment. 

So to make speedy sento forays more convenient, Japanese Twitter user @mangetsu1129 began compiling a list of all the sento, super sento (larger-scale public baths), day-use hot springs, and saunas in Tokyo.

The list is now complete and available for viewing at Google Maps. Go here to see it.

To read more, go here.

Stripes Japan: 9 Travel Tips and Lessons Learned

Above, a Japanese business hotel room. Everything in your luggage accounted for? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Have you ever gone on a vacation or business trip and found that your luggage had been lost or stolen, or valuables (jewelry) had been stolen out of your check-in baggage or some other mishap?

Well, Stripes Japan has nine good tips (from learning the hard way) that will help prevent or, at the very least, minimize any misfortune.

They begin with:

I wouldn’t trade the thrill of traveling for anything, but as joyous and fulfilling my worldly adventures have been, I had my fair share of mishaps and less than favorable travel moments. After a decade of independent travel around the world, I think it is time to share some of the lessons learned and tips I have accumulated thus far.

I will share their first tip so that you'll get an idea on what the other eight will be:

Lock your suitcases 

There were couple of occasions when my checked in luggage was opened and things – mainly fake jewelry – were stolen from my suitcases (beware of Ukranian Airlines!). Since then I firmly decided not to take any chances and make sure to put a special little padlock on my suitcase. It is cheap and doesn’t require particular effort, so I’d rather do that than have something taken out of my bag again. Another way you can secure your bag is to have it wrapped in plastic wrappers available at the airports.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Set New Visitor Record In 2016

Above, an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park visitor totals for 2016 beat the previous year's record, according to Explore Big Sky. This is understandable as 2016 was the centennial year for the National Park Service.

Explore Big Sky wrote:

2016 was another record-breaking year for visitation in Yellowstone National Park. The park tallied a total of 4.25 million visits this past year, a 3.9 percent increase from 2015 when nearly 4.1 million people visited the park and a whopping 21 percent increase over 2014 numbers. 

National park visitation was strong in Montana and Wyoming throughout the National Park Service’s centennial. Glacier National Park to the north of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park to its south also posted record years. 2016 was the third consecutive year that both parks set visitation records. 

One of the most notable trends in recent years is the marked increase of commercial tour buses entering Yellowstone’s gates. In 2016, nearly 13,000 commercial bus tours were counted, a 21 percent increase over 2015 entries and a 46.5 percent increase from 2014 figures. Park management is currently considering options for commercial tour bus management.

Above, a Buffalo Touring Bus Co. bus in West Yellowstone. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My daughter Amber and I visited Yellowstone in 2015 and took two tours of the park with Buffalo Bus Touring Co., an outside commercial tour company from West Yellowstone.

To read more, go here. 

Illinois State Capitol

While driving from the Lincoln Home National Historic Site to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, I managed to take this shot of the Illinois State Capitol from the windshield of The Beast.

Above, the Illinois State Capitol. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are actually two state capitol buildings in Springfield. The present one shown above and the one that was used during Lincoln's day. The old capitol had been restored and is now a tourist attraction.

There is a website that tells all about the Illinois State Capitol. To access it, go here.