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Gary J. Wolff's BlogGary J. Wolff's blog is my mini-journal about garyjwolff.com. It...
To subscribe to my blog (no e-mail necessary), click on the orange RSS button to the left and then paste the URL into your RSS reader. Or click on the Google, My Yahoo!, My MSN, or Bloglines buttons if you keep personalized home pages there. Enjoy... Cheers, Recent website updates (at bottom of the page) Feel free to share your comments below. Dec. 6, 2013 - The brightest Venus of 2013 pairs up with the crescent moon
Praise be to the creator of the universe who blesses us with such
celestial beauty. Venus, our brightest planet, on its brightest night
of the year, courts the 3-day crescent moon in Tokyo, Japan @ 5:10 pm. |
|||
 Cloudy B Tokyo... |
 ...a.k.a. the Train Hammock Gaijin |
vacuum cleaner named Erik, is here.
Oct. 7, 2013 - My barber's new bike
I don't believe I've ever seen tires this HUGE on a bicycle before! Have you?
My barber's new fat tire bike
Oct. 4, 2013 - ATTENTION all Tokyoites,....
...especially if you patronize bars in Roppongi. The following comes courtesy of the Oct. 2013 Newsletter from the U.S. Embassy Tokyo: "The U.S. Embassy continues to receive reliable reports of U.S. citizens having been drugged in area bars. Most reports indicate that the victim unknowingly drinks a beverage that has been secretly mixed with a drug that renders the victim unconscious or stuporous for several hours, during which time large charges are fraudulently billed to the victim, sums of money are charged to the victim’s credit card, or the card is stolen. Victims sometimes regain consciousness in the bar or club, while at other times the victim awakens on the street. Assaults on Americans have also been reported in connection with drink-spiking."More detailed info on serious crimes in Roppongi, including physical and sexual assaults, drug overdoses, theft of purses, wallets, cash, and credit cards, beatings, and even a murder ("Japan is a SAFE country!"), can be found on the U.S. State Dept.'s country specific page for Japan: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1148.html#crime
Oct. 2,
2013 - Double
rainbow!!
After
Typhoon 22 (台風22号) passed by this afternoon, I saw what I guess is the
most spectacular double rainbow (二重の虹) of my whole life. As soon as I
exited my exercise gym around 17:00, a Japanese guy was shouting at the
top of his lungs (in ENGLISH!), "Double rainbow! Double rainbow!" So it
was kinda hard to miss. But regrettably, I still haven't found the
accompanying double pots of gold. 
Double rainbow in Tokyo
Sept. 29,
2013 - Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (新宿御苑)
The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (新宿御苑) is one of my favorite places
in Tokyo to escape the concrete jungle. I've never left there without
feeling mentally relaxed and at peace. The rest of my garden pics are
here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolffman/sets/72157636007049684/
Kyugoryotei Taiwan Pavilion
The garden's wikipedia page is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku_Gyoen
Sept. 23,
2013 - Climbing Mt. Fuji eBook release
As promised, the electronic version of my new Climbing Mt. Fuji
book is now available @ Amazon for your reading pleasure. If you don't
own a Kindle (neither do I), with the free Kindle reading app, you can
have my eBook sent automatically to your Android phone or tablet, iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, or even to your PC or
Mac. 
With this reading app, you can also sample for free the beginning of the book thru Chapter 1.
Catch the Mt. Fuji fever!!
(http://amzn.to/1f8I1kZ)
Sept. 21, 2013 - Video of my Texas vacation - Sept. 5-17, 2013
By all means, don't miss the cute fox @ 11:28 and the AAA "Send Help" sign @ 12:22!0:00 United Airlines real-time flight tracker map
1:42 Landing @ Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport
3:22 Departing on our road trip to Kerrville
4:27 Wild squirrel on the 263-acre Windlinger Ranch
4:55 Sunrise prairie land panorama
5:15 Goat Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe River
6:10 Fish in Goat Creek
6:53 LJ slicing watermelon
7:16 Preparing breakfast in the guest house
7:26 Shooting the bull @ breakfast time
7:58 Lakeside relaxing & chatting
8:34 JP's amazing BBQ chicken & sausage
11:14 Group 60th birthday party
11:28 Wild fox (CUTE!)
11:49 Sunrise on the ranch
12:06 Final lakeside visiting prior to hitting the highway
12:22 AAA "Send Help" sign (PRICELESS!)
13:03 Russ Pitman Park
13:40 Mom's pets: Cleo, Chance, & Rammy
14:55 Rammy gets a foot massage
15:36 Takeoff from Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport
17:58 Landing at Tokyo Narita Airport (audio got muted due to crying baby in row directly behind me)
Sept. 20, 2013 - My Texas vacation pics - Sept. 5-17, 2013
The apple didn't fall far from the tree.
The other 108 pics from my 10 fabulous days in Texas are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolffman/sets/72157635670679065/
Sept. 19, 2013 - The full monty
Osakan Rie Gomita could have trouble landing an ALT (assistant language teacher) job in Japan with this irezumi (刺青, traditional tattoo) ensemble.
(http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/22/how-tos/think-before-you-ink-if-you-work-with-kids/)
Sept. 18,
2013 - Guy finds his house plumbed with beer
Does this crazy effort from New Zealand win best prank of all time?
These guys plumbed a bunch of kegs into their buddy's house so that
every tap flowed with ice cold beer. What do you think? Great prank or
greatest prank?Sept.
2, 2013 - Hot off the
press! New "Climbing
Mt. Fuji" book!
With a near-perfect volcanic cone and snow-capped most of the year, Mt.
Fuji, Japan’s highest peak and affectionately referred to by the
Japanese as Fuji-san, is considered one of the world's most beautiful
mountains. Mt. Fuji is climbed by at least 300,000 people every year
and, including the hundreds of thousands of tourists who travel up to
the 5th Stations for sightseeing & don't even climb the peak, it
comes as no surprise that Mt. Fuji is also generally regarded as the
most visited mountain in the world. In this book, the author has shared information on things such as climbing trails, recommended clothing & gear, transport access, fun facts & recent news stories, some select questions and answers from his Climbing Mt. Fuji FAQ webpage, as well as some of the more remarkable stories & pics kindly shared by visitors to his website who’ve already scaled Mt. Fuji.
Unlike some other books written about Mt. Fuji which spend a lot of time talking about its history, culture, geology of the dormant volcano, and other non-climbing aspects of Japan’s iconic peak, the author has chosen instead to focus on providing just the essential information necessary for future climbers intent on scaling Fuji-san.
If in the future you’re planning to climb Japan’s highest peak, this book will likely prove to be a valuable resource.
Aug. 22, 2013 - Ichiro did it!! 4000 hits!! (イチロー 日米通算４０００安打達成)
WAY TO GO, ICHIRO!! Ichiro Suzuki collected his 4,000th hit (combined between the U.S. and Japanese Majors) on a single in his first at-bat against the Blue Jays. Only Pete Rose & Ty Cobb have more, with 4256 and 4191 hits, respectively.Aug. 20,
2013 - Tokyo blue
moon
Only once in a blue moon. 6:33 pm, 8/20, Tokyo.
(Well, at least the SKY was blue!)
So what exactly is a "seasonal blue moon"? A less known definition of a blue moon is the 3rd of 4 full moons to fall in the same season, with a 'season' defined as the period of time in between a solstice and an equinox – or vice versa. Tuesday Aug. 20's full moon is the 3rd of 4 full moons to take place between the June 2013 solstice and the September 2013 equinox. That makes the August 20, 2013 full moon a Blue Moon! This phenomenon of 4 full moons in 1 season occurs on average in only 7 out of every 19 years.
(http://earthsky.org/tonight/blue-moon-from-dusk-until-dawn-night-of-august-20-2013)
Aug. 5,
2013 - 2013 Edogawa Fireworks Display (江戸川区花火大会)
Somehow, even in the midst of thousands of viewers, many of them
trekking in front of my camera,
I was able to capture the entire 75 min. show. But if you'd like to
just cut to the chase & see the most exciting parts, I recommend of
course the opening display starting @ 0:30 & the AMAZING closing
display starting @ 1:11:25, as well as other exciting displays starting
@ 12:15, 18:30, 22:00, 31:10, 38:05, 41:20, 51:15, 59:00, & 1:01:45.This fireworks festival was held on Saturday, August 3rd, 2013 from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm. It is one of the biggest fireworks festivals in Japan, with a total number of 14,000 fireworks.
This amazing annual fireworks display is also called the Ichikawa Fireworks Festival, as it is a joint venture between Edogawa Ward, Tokyo & Ichikawa City, Chiba, which are separated by the Edo River where the fireworks show occurs.
July 31, 2013 - Don Davis (June 2, 1953 - July 31, 2013)
My wonderful longtime American friend has gone to be with the Lord at the ripe young age of only 60, after fighting a brief illness in a Tokyo hospital. Don was one of the most gracious human beings one could ever know, and was a longtime entertainer for young Japanese children in English education stage shows conducted in public halls all over Japan. He was also a teacher for the young mentally-challenged."People come and people go
Some leave footprints in the snow.
But in the end you may find
Some leave footprints in your mind."
--G.W. Hall--
And you left me many wonderful footprints, my dear friend. Love you, miss you, and will never forget you, Daaa. Rest in peace and have a ball up there on the big playground in the sky...
July 24,
2013 - Google Street
View climbs Mt. Fuji
Want to climb to the top of Japan's tallest mountain without leaving
your desk chair?
If you've ever wondered what the top of Japan's 3776 m (12,389 ft) Mt.
Fuji looks like, Google Maps can now show you. Earlier this month,
Google sent a team up Mt. Fuji to get a "Street View" of the summit. Using the Street View Trekker backpack device, equipped with a remarkable 15 cameras and carried on the back of team member Jiro Dohi, the Google team was able to capture a full range of 360-degree panoramic imagery from atop the mountain, making its visual treasures available to all for the first time.
They're hoping it will assist climbers who plan to venture up Japan's highest peak by providing a virtual glimpse into how trekkers make their way up the rocky terrain. The Street View collection covers the busiest & most popular Yoshida trail that takes hikers up the mountain, the full walk around the crater at the top, and the quick zigzag descent.
The video below shows the making of the Street View and here is the new 360-degree Street View panorama from the abandoned weather station atop Japan's actual highpoint: http://goo.gl/maps/0o5Ko
July 18, 2013 - Cultural Presentation Day
Foreign exchange university students in Japan make cultural comparisons between various countries in areas like jobs, dating & marriage, education, festivals, gift giving, visiting others' homes, currency systems, and differences in views on love.Cultural Presentation Day - July 17, 2013
(If player above is not visible,
you can view video @ YouTube here.)
0:00 Differences in views on love between Japan, Korea, and Italy
12:23 Dating, marriage, & gift giving in Korea, Thailand, & China
29:25 An 8-min. multicultural trip to Mexico & China
43:33 Jobs in Australia, Taiwan, & Japan
July 7,
2013 - Rambling Steve
Gardner, Live @ the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
On Saturday night July 6, 2013, the rambling bluesman Steve Gardner
from Mississippi & Kevin McHugh on the accordion performed free of
charge @ the FCCJ (Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan) in Tokyo as
part of the FCCJ's Saturday Night Live concert series. The audience had the special treat of hearing Steve play his almost brand new, custom-made and specially painted National Reso-phonic Tri-cone guitar. Steve has just released his 6th CD, "Hesitation Blues," a collection of 20 traditional and original acoustic American roots and blues tunes.
Not only is Steve without question Tokyo's most accomplished harmonica playin' & finger pickin', slide playin' blues guitarist, he is also a university lecturer and has traveled to several universities around Japan, playing the blues and doing programs on Mississippi and southern U.S. culture.
If all that weren't enough, he's also a former professional photojournalist, and has published a stunning black and white picture book on Mississippi and the blues, showing the Mississippi that he grew up in, including its share croppers, good times and hard, and the musicians that treated him like both friend and family.
For more on Steve and his music, including his live gig schedule, head on over to: http://stevegardner.info/
If the player above is not visible,
you can view video in separate
window here.
0:00 Do That Right
4:10 Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
8:50 Midnight Special
13:05 Right Down That Road
16:40 Let The Good Times Roll
21:45 Hesitation Blues
26:45 Can't Go Down That Road By Myself
31:15 My Baby Done Gone
33:45 Puttin' On The Ritz
36:40 My Life Done Got Hard
40:35 Hey Good Lookin'
43:55 When My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
47:55 My Baby's So Far Away From Me
53:30 Salty Dog
July
1, 2013 - Let's Climb
Fuji-san!!
It's
official! As of 12:00 am today, the 2-month 2013 Mt. Fuji
climbing season has begun. If you know anyone interested in climbing
Mt. Fuji, recently registered as Japan's 17th World Heritage Site, they
might be interested in my Climbing Mt.
Fuji - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the #1 most visited
page on
my entire website. 
Mt. Fuji (富士山), Japan's highest mountain
and the most visited mountain in the world
(the stunning pic above showing fresh snow
was taken Sat. June 22, 2013 by David Couvreur)
Gary J. Wolff's Blog archives:
April-June 2013
Jan.-Mar. 2013
Oct.-Dec. 2012
July-Sept. 2012
April-June 2012
Jan.-Mar. 2012
Oct.-Dec. 2011
July-Sept. 2011
April-June 2011
Jan.-Mar. 2011
Oct.-Dec. 2010
July-Sept. 2010
April-June 2010
Jan.-Mar. 2010
Oct.-Dec. 2009
April-June 2013
Jan.-Mar. 2013
Oct.-Dec. 2012
July-Sept. 2012
April-June 2012
Jan.-Mar. 2012
Oct.-Dec. 2011
July-Sept. 2011
April-June 2011
Jan.-Mar. 2011
Oct.-Dec. 2010
July-Sept. 2010
April-June 2010
Jan.-Mar. 2010
Oct.-Dec. 2009
Website
Updates
Dec 11, 2013
UEC Academic Skills 2B Course - Online Stories for Fall 2013
University students in Japan share their experiences, comments, & viewpoints on various countries around the world.
Continue reading "UEC Academic Skills 2B Course - Online Stories for Fall 2013"
Dec 11, 2013
Switzerland is different from the EU
Switzerland is different from other European countries. It doesn't have any allies, so it was independent during WWII and is not a member of the EU. Switzerland
Dec 11, 2013
Small, but powerful
Switzerland is a direct neighbor of Germany, and German is also the main spoken language there. Unfortunately, people there have a very unique accent,
Dec 11, 2013
The little I have heard about Switzerland
To put it frankly, I don't know much about Switzerland. In this following text are some facts that I can associate with Switzerland. They are always neutral,
Continue reading "The little I have heard about Switzerland"
Dec 10, 2013
Gary J. Wolff's Blog
Gary J. Wolff's blog keeps you up-to-date with my everyday life in Japan, as well as recent additions/changes to the garyjwolff.com website.
Dec 07, 2013
So Exactly WHO Is This Mitt Romney Guy, Anyways?
Some interesting facts about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, including his background, education, & career.
Continue reading "So Exactly WHO Is This Mitt Romney Guy, Anyways?"
Dec 07, 2013
UEC Academic Skills 2B Course
University students in Japan share their experiences, comments, & viewpoints on various countries around the world.
Dec 06, 2013
Premier League
England is famous for various reasons: language, history, buildings (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, etc.), etc. England is also famous for its football (soccer)
Dec 05, 2013
Jonendake: Ichinosawa Transportation
Hi Gary, Thanks for sharing your interesting story and video on the Jonendake climb. That sure was quite an elevation climb for a 1 day climb. This
Dec 02, 2013
Strongest Ever Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
The latest news updates about the strongest ever Japan earthquake and tsunami on Mar. 11, 2011, including maps, photos, and videos.
Continue reading "Strongest Ever Japan Earthquake and Tsunami"
Nov 29, 2013
Liverpool vs. Manchester - why they are enemies
The game of soccer, the most popular sport in the world, was created by the British. Also, the two best soccer teams ever in England are Liverpool
Continue reading "Liverpool vs. Manchester - why they are enemies"
Nov 28, 2013
Happy Birthday to You !!
Gary’s special Happy Birthday page has been updated with new colorful, animated Happy Birthday cards & a cute video of singing & dancing penguins!
Nov 28, 2013
King or Queen of England
To be honest, I am kind of envious that the UK has a king/queen. When I was small, I just thought that the king or queen was useless, or just a symbol
Nov 26, 2013
London 2012 Olympic Games
Today, when I think about England, what hits up in my mind first is music, then Harry Potter, and after that, The Olympic Games. I watched all the Harry
Nov 25, 2013
The Iron Lady
When someone talks about England, the first spark in my memory is one of the film that I saw before — The Iron Lady. It is about Marguerite Hilda Thatcher,
Nov 24, 2013
English People are not Unicorns
Despite having spent a grand total of five hours in England (due to layovers), I have quite an impression of England. In Oklahoma, at least, England is
Nov 24, 2013
The Highest Mountains in Japan
Listing of the 25 highest mountains in Japan, complete with pics, videos, and descriptions, based on the 2-decade climbing experience of Gary J. Wolff.
Nov 24, 2013
Madame Tussauds
The picture above is actually not the real Bruce Willis, but rather a wax figure located at Madame Tussauds in London. I've never been to London and I
Nov 24, 2013
The Angel Falling To The Earth -- Audrey Hepburn
Some celebrities will help label their countries and the same conclusion can be applied to Audrey Hepburn---an angel falling to the earth. Once England
Continue reading "The Angel Falling To The Earth -- Audrey Hepburn"
Nov 24, 2013
England Culture and Music
Japanese people call The United Kingdom Igirisu, which means English, and regards the UK as one country. However, it consists of some countries, and England
Nov 24, 2013
What time is it?
Ever since I was born, I have often heard that people talk about Standard Time. My teacher told me about Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Originally referred
Nov 24, 2013
The Queen of England
Have you ever noticed that, for every UK citizen in the world, The Queen is an untouchable, special, and very important person? Each time I hear about
Nov 24, 2013
My experience of going to England
I went to England last year. But I didn't go there to travel. I participated in a robot competition. I stayed there for about 8 days to attend the robot
Nov 24, 2013
What I found from the Harry Potter series
One of my goals for studying English was the Harry Potter series. When I was an elementary school student, I began to read this series in Japanese and
Continue reading "What I found from the Harry Potter series"
Nov 24, 2013
When the zombie apocalypse strikes...
... it will hit England first, but the people will be prepared since by far the most zombie films come from here. In fact, a lot of horror films of all
Nov 21, 2013
Vancouver, a City for Living
Vancouver is a relatively small city in British Columbia, and is the third largest in Canada. The development and rapid growth of all of the city makes
Nov 17, 2013
Mt. Ai-no-dake (間ノ岳) and Mt. Shiomi-dake (塩見岳), Japan's 4th & 16th Highest Mountains
Pics, maps, and trail description of my Sept. 1996 climb of Mt. Ai-no-dake (3189m) and Mt. Shiomi-dake, 3047m, Japan's 4th & 16th highest mountains.
Nov 17, 2013
Mt. Notori-dake (農鳥岳) and the Shiranesanzan (白根三山)
Pics, maps, and trail description of my Aug. 2011 climb of Mt. Notori-dake and the Shiranesanzan in the Southern Japan Alps.
Continue reading "Mt. Notori-dake (農鳥岳) and the Shiranesanzan (白根三山)"
Nov 17, 2013
Mt. Senjo-ga-take (仙丈ヶ岳) and Mt. Kai-koma-ga-dake (甲斐駒ヶ岳), Japan's 18th & 24th highest peaks
Pics, maps, and trail description of my Aug. 1997 climb of Mt. Senjo-ga-take and Mt. Kai-koma-ga-dake in the Southern Japan Alps.
Nov 17, 2013
Mt. Kita-dake (北岳), elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd Highest Mountain
Pics, maps, and trail description of my Oct. 1993 hike to the top of the easily accessible Mt. Kita-dake, elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd highest mountain.
Continue reading "Mt. Kita-dake (北岳), elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd Highest Mountain"
Nov 17, 2013
My image of Canada
Since I have never been there, I will write here my image of Canada. First, I think it is a really good place to live, and is one of the countries I would
Nov 17, 2013
Geography class in school
I think many Japanese students have a little information about Canada, because when we hold an entrance examination for university, we need to know about
Nov 17, 2013
Endless land of Canada
Canada is big....damn big - the second biggest country in the world to be exact. In comparison, the population density is quite small, so the thing Canada
Nov 17, 2013
Festivals in Canada
Canadian people take pride in their multicultural society which makes Canada different from other immigrant countries. So many local traditional festivals
Nov 17, 2013
Leading an easy life in Canada
I have never been to Canada before and what I write is the feeling of my friends who are studying there. I just want to share their feelings. And if I
Nov 17, 2013
Canada as a place for living
I've been thinking about living in another country. I've searched about many of them, and the most interesting, in my opinion, is Canada. The official
Nov 17, 2013
My trip to Canada
As I said in our last class, I visited Saskatoon, which is a Canadian city, and stayed there with a Canadian family for two weeks. Saskatoon is called
Nov 16, 2013
A beautiful country
Canada is one of the few foreign countries that I am familiar with, because one of my cousin's family is in it. They told me the reason why they choose
Nov 16, 2013
Canadian Maple
The national flag of Canada is a maple. I think a lot of people know it. I love the maple tree and maple leaf, because it's hard to see the maple leaf
Nov 15, 2013
Child Labor in Saudi Arabia
Child labor is one of the most serious human rights issues of our time. Although child labor rates have been decreasing since 2006 at a much slower rate
Nov 15, 2013
I Have a Promise with You in Canada
This week, the topic is about Canada. I only know that “Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is larger than the USA and reaches nearly
Nov 15, 2013
Winter sports
When somebody talks about Canada, my first thoughts would be snow, ice hockey, skiing, etc. Winter sports! :) Ice hockey is a very interesting sport (fast,
Nov 14, 2013
Ice hockey!
I'm not much for sports in general. I used to be really into both soccer and ice hockey as a kid, though, and ice hockey is a shared passion between Sweden
Nov 12, 2013
Canadian Ice Fishing
Only a few weeks ago, I watched a short video on Youtube of a few Canadian ice fishers. In the video, two women were dressed in full winter garb - scarves,
Nov 11, 2013
I don’t know there very much
I don’t hear Saudi Arabia many times. I can hear this name when we have a soccer game. Because Japan and Saudi Arabia sometimes have soccer games, so I
Nov 10, 2013
Saudi Arabia
I have not been to Saudi Arabia. As far as I know, that is a wealthy country. They have a lot of oil and most of them are Islamic. It is the only nation
Nov 10, 2013
What I know about Saudi Arabia
To tell the truth, I have no idea about what country Saudi Arabia is. My image of Saudi Arabia is oil money, soccer, and Muslims. It is an unbelievable
Gary J. Wolff's Blog archives:
April-June 2013
Jan.-Mar. 2013
Oct.-Dec. 2012
July-Sept. 2012
April-June 2012
Jan.-Mar. 2012
Oct.-Dec. 2011
July-Sept. 2011
April-June 2011
Jan.-Mar. 2011
Oct.-Dec. 2010
July-Sept. 2010
April-June 2010
Jan.-Mar. 2010
Oct.-Dec. 2009
April-June 2013
Jan.-Mar. 2013
Oct.-Dec. 2012
July-Sept. 2012
April-June 2012
Jan.-Mar. 2012
Oct.-Dec. 2011
July-Sept. 2011
April-June 2011
Jan.-Mar. 2011
Oct.-Dec. 2010
July-Sept. 2010
April-June 2010
Jan.-Mar. 2010
Oct.-Dec. 2009
Main Tier 2 Pages:
What's New? (blog)
Highest Mountains in Japan
Strongest Ever Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Pacific Islands Travel
What Japanese University Students Think About...?
Yoshimizu's Artwork
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