Feb. 17,
2026 - Amazing Projection Mapping at the 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival
One of the most impressive things I think I've ever seen...
Amazing Projection Mapping at the 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
0:00 "A Thoroughbred Crowned with Glory" brought to you by JRA (Japan
(horse)Racing Association). Hokkaido is a major thoroughbred breeding
region with a long history dating back to the Meiji period.
Approximately 98% of thoroughbreds produced in Japan are born in
Hokkaido, with over 7,000 being born each year.
2:26 The Aizu Tsurugajo Castle was a symbol of the Aizu Domain, a clan
ruled by many famous generals and maintaining samurai pride until the
end of the Edo period. The 2026 giant snow sculpture was produced
jointly by Hokkaido Television Network (HTB) and the 18th Infantry
Regiment of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. A total of 3,800
members of the Self-Defense Forces worked on the snow sculpture over a
30-day period, from January 5th - February 3rd, 2026.
Authorities in Fujiyoshida in central Japan have canceled a spring
cherry blossom festival at a popular Mt. Fuji viewing spot, citing
residents’ concerns over congestion and nuisance behavior.
The city in Yamanashi Prefecture on Tuesday announced its decision not
to go ahead with the Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival,
an event it has held for the past 10 years, attracting around 200,000
visitors each year with its views to Mt. Fuji.
With the weak Japanese yen and social media content driving a rapid
increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, however, the
city is struggling to handle an influx of more than 10,000 visitors a
day during the peak cherry blossom season.
Incidents of bad behavior, the city said, have become commonplace and
pose a threat to the livelihoods of residents... (continued at
link above)
A 20-year-old Chinese student who ignored a winter climbing ban on Mt.
Fuji had to be rescued by police after injuring himself, sparking
debate in Japan about charging for such rescues.
The student, enrolled at a vocational school in Shinjuku, Tokyo,
illegally ascended the mountain via the Fujinomiya trail on January 18.
While descending, he fell and fractured his right leg at the eighth
station, prompting an emergency call at midday.
Shizuoka prefectural police dispatched a 10-11 member mountain rescue
team. They located him around 8:30 pm in severe weather with strong
winds and poor visibility. The team sheltered overnight in a mountain
facility before carrying him down on foot the next day... (continued at
link above)
The U.S. Health and Human Services has unveiled a new U.S. food
pyramid, with officials calling it the "most significant reset of
federal nutrition policy in history."
The new dietary guidelines emphasize whole, nutrient-dense foods,
prioritizing protein, dairy, and healthy fats while discouraging highly
processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars. This updated
pyramid aims to guide Americans towards healthier eating habits based
on modern nutrition science.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a simple, clear message: "Just
eat real food."
New U.S. food pyramid
(photo credit: U.S.
Health and Human Services)
Jan. 14,
2026 - Elvis songs sung by Japanese pro singers
These amazing guys shared their vocal talents at a special singing
party in Tokyo on Jan. 12, 2026 in celebration of Elvis' 91st birthday!
I loved listening to these guys & hope to hear them again in the
future...
🎵🎶🎼🎹🎤🎸🪕🎻
Elvis songs sung by Japanese pro singers
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
0:00 Unchained Melody, sung by Yay-yay
3:36 What'd I say?, sung by George
Jan. 9,
2026 - Beautiful Mt. Fuji in winter
I just love it when Fujisan puts on her beautiful winter white coat, as
I offer prayers in advance for any idiots (as in years past who sadly
met their maker) who might consider attempting to scale her in winter.
😉🙏
Taken by good friend Rob from the train while passing over the Tama
River, Fri. 1/9 at 10 a.m.
Beautiful Mt. Fuji in winter
(photo courtesy: Rob
Moreau)
Jan.
5, 2026 - US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child
Federal health officials today outlined sweeping changes to the U.S.
childhood immunization schedule.
The changes create a new framework that keeps all currently recommended
vaccines available and fully covered while moving several vaccines into
a category designed to emphasize shared decision-making between
families and clinicians.
The new recommendations reduce the number of vaccines recommended as
routine for all children to 11 from 17, a move The New York Times
called a “seismic shift” in federal vaccine policy.
Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense, called the change “the
most significant change in U.S. vaccination policy in recent history.”
HHS said the change follows a directive from President Donald Trump,
who issued a presidential memorandum on Dec. 5, 2025, instructing the
agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to
review whether other developed nations protect children more
effectively.
After what HHS described as a “comprehensive, evidence-based
assessment,” the department concluded that the U.S. recommends more
routine childhood vaccine doses than peer countries without achieving
higher vaccination rates or greater public trust...
US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child
(photo credit:
childrenshealthdefense.org)
Jan. 1,
2026 - Tokyo New Year
Countdown to 2026
2026 in Tokyo arrived 14 hours before the east coast of the United
States!! Here's how they celebrated the New Year countdown with
colorful projection mapping against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
building (Tochō, 都庁), featuring Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (小池 百合子)
(in her long white coat):
Tokyo New Year Countdown to 2026
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
And may 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse bring you good health,
happiness, & prosperity!! 🎊🎆🧨🎍🎎🥂🗻🎉🍾⛩
2026 Fire Horse (丙午, ひのえうま)
(photo credit:
pixabay.com)
Dec. 21,
2025 - Don't ever stop working!
"Most of us spend our entire lives chasing the dream of having enough.
What happens when that goal is met? Do we stop or is there reason to
keep working anyway? If you have more to look back on than you have to
look forward to, then you're telling your mind, body, and spirit to
shut down... that they're no longer needed. We see this a lot after
people retire when they immediately suffer health problems or even die.
Don't ever stop working. If you stop the flow of money through you,
your life will deteriorate."
—Dan Miller, author of "48 Days to the Work You Love" and founder of
48days.com—
More inspirational quotes, poems, & stories can be found on my old
website: Inspiration and Hope
Dec. 5,
2025 - CDC Vaccine Panel Votes to End Universal Hepatitis B Vaccine for
All Newborns
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this
morning voted to end a decades-long recommendation that all infants
born in the U.S. receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 12-24 hours of
birth.
Instead, for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B,
the committee recommends that families determine whether to give their
child the Hep B shot at birth through individual decision-making with
their physician.
For infants who don’t get the birth dose, the committee recommends the
initial dose of the vaccine not be administered until infants are at
least 2 months old. For mothers whose hepatitis B status is unknown or
who test positive, the birth dose recommendation remains in place.
Dr. Monique Yohanan, senior fellow for health policy at Independent Women,
told The Defender there was never “a good science-based reason to have
a universal vaccination that 99% of babies born in the United States
are not at any risk,” and that the vote was “good news for babies.”
The Fall Colors (紅葉) season in Tokyo has finally arrived in earnest.
This kind of beautiful scenery brings a lot of childhood joy to folks
like myself, even after 3 decades here, as there is nothing even close
to this in my home state of Texas. Japan is indeed one beautiful
country. Our Creator has a pretty magnificent paintbrush, doesn't he?
Nov. 12,
2025 - A Japanese
monkey waitress?! Really?!
All those new Japanese robot waiters popular these days in restaurants
like Gusto & Saizeriya have become commonplace. So how 'bout being
served by a MONKEY instead?
Monkey waitress in tavern Kayabuki in Utsunomiya, Japan
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
Oct. 31,
2025 - 79% of Studies on Childhood Vaccination and Autism Found a Link
Integrating over 300 scientific
communications across epidemiologic, clinical, and mechanistic
domains, the landmark McCullough
Foundation Report, Determinants of Autism
Spectrum Disorder, has delivered the most authoritative,
comprehensive, and extensively referenced synthesis to date on risk
factors for autism.
Among 136 studies evaluating
childhood vaccines or their components, 107 (79%) found associations between
immunization and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, and 12
studies comparing routinely immunized versus completely unvaccinated
children or young adults consistently demonstrated superior overall
health outcomes among the unvaccinated, including significantly
lower risks of chronic medical problems and neuropsychiatric disorders
such as ASD.
The report concludes that autism arises from the intersection of
genetic, environmental, and iatrogenic factors — but notably combination routine childhood vaccination
early in life constitutes the most significant modifiable risk factor,
supported by convergent clinical, mechanistic, and epidemiologic
evidence.
As autism prevalence climbs to more
than 1 in 31 U.S. children, understanding and mitigating
preventable contributors has become a pressing public health priority.
Oct. 22,
2025 - 56% suspect Covid-19 vaccines caused deaths and one-in-four know
one of the victims
More than half of likely US voters say they believe Covid-19 vaccines
may have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths.
According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, 56% say it’s at least
somewhat likely that vaccine side effects led to such deaths, including
32% who say it’s very likely and nearly one-in-four say someone they
know could be among the victims. Thirty-five percent (35%) say it’s not
likely, including 17% who believe it’s not at all likely. These numbers
are nearly unchanged from a year ago.
The survey also shows strong support for Health and Human Services
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been openly critical of the
government’s handling of the pandemic. Half (50%) of voters say
government health officials deserve criticism for their Covid-19
response, while 37% say Kennedy’s criticism is unfair.
Forty-two percent (42%) say some Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) employees involved in the government’s Covid-19
response should be fired. That view rises to 71% among those who
believe vaccine side effects likely caused deaths...
In 2016, journalist Del Bigtree issued a challenge to the head of
infectious disease at one of the most prestigious medical institutions
in the world: conduct the most thorough vaxxed vs. unvaxxed study that
has ever been done. The expert took up the challenge and ran the study
to prove Del wrong. That study never saw the light of day... until now.
"An Inconvenient Study" trailer
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
Join us at the Malibu Film Festival
Global Online Premiere Event
October 12th at 5pm PT (8pm ET)
Watch HERE.
Oct. 4,
2025 - Samm Bennett & Darryl Baker Live at the Grand Arbre French
bistro
A special evening of 60s & 70s songs from Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 3, 2025
Samm Bennett & Darryl Baker Live at the Grand Arbre French bistro
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube.)
0:00 Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers
1:54 Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley
6:28 Back in the U.S.S.R. by The Beatles
10:00 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams
13:44 Come Together by The Beatles
17:21 Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below:
Website
Updates
Feb 22, 2026
Where can I read some personal stories and opinions, both pro and con, by hikers who've actually climbed up Mt. Fuji?
- On Mount Fuji, summit udon is a lifesaver - Fuji Climbing Tour 2025: Spectacular View and Excitement of Adventure at the Summit - Climbing Mount Fuji at 80: Martyn Bould's Fundraising Ascent - Climbing Mt. Fuji: How I planned to summit Japan’s highest mountain
Amazing Projection Mapping at the 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival
One of the most impressive things I think I've ever seen...
0:00 "A Thoroughbred Crowned with Glory" brought to you by JRA (Japan (horse)Racing Association). Hokkaido is a major thoroughbred breeding region with a long history dating back to the Meiji period. Approximately 98% of thoroughbreds produced in Japan are born in Hokkaido, with over 7,000 being born each year.
2:26 The Aizu Tsurugajo Castle was a symbol of the Aizu Domain, a clan ruled by many famous generals and maintaining samurai pride until the end of the Edo period. The 2026 giant snow sculpture was produced jointly by Hokkaido Television Network (HTB) and the 18th Infantry Regiment of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. A total of 3,800 members of the Self-Defense Forces worked on the snow sculpture over a 30-day period, from January 5th - February 3rd, 2026.
Mt. Fuji cherry blossom festival canceled over fears of visitors behaving badly
Authorities in Fujiyoshida in central Japan have canceled a spring cherry blossom festival at a popular Mt. Fuji viewing spot, citing residents’ concerns over congestion and nuisance behavior.
The city in Yamanashi Prefecture on Tuesday announced its decision not to go ahead with the Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival, an event it has held for the past 10 years, attracting around 200,000 visitors each year with its views to Mt. Fuji.
With the weak Japanese yen and social media content driving a rapid increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, however, the city is struggling to handle an influx of more than 10,000 visitors a day during the peak cherry blossom season.
Incidents of bad behavior, the city said, have become commonplace and pose a threat to the livelihoods of residents...
Police rescue Chinese student who ignored ban to climb Mt. Fuji
A 20-year-old Chinese student who ignored a winter climbing ban on Mt. Fuji had to be rescued by police after injuring himself, sparking debate in Japan about charging for such rescues.
The student, enrolled at a vocational school in Shinjuku, Tokyo, illegally ascended the mountain via the Fujinomiya trail on January 18. While descending, he fell and fractured his right leg at the eighth station, prompting an emergency call at midday.
Shizuoka prefectural police dispatched a 10-11 member mountain rescue team. They located him around 8:30 pm in severe weather with strong winds and poor visibility. The team sheltered overnight in a mountain facility before carrying him down on foot the next day...
The U.S. Health and Human Services has unveiled a new U.S. food pyramid, with officials calling it the "most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history."
The new dietary guidelines emphasize whole, nutrient-dense foods, prioritizing protein, dairy, and healthy fats while discouraging highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars. This updated pyramid aims to guide Americans towards healthier eating habits based on modern nutrition science.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a simple, clear message: "Just eat real food."
I just love it when Fujisan puts on her beautiful winter white coat, as I offer prayers in advance for any idiots (as in years past who sadly met their maker) who might consider attempting to scale her in winter. 😉🙏
Taken by good friend Rob from the train while passing over the Tama River, Fri. 1/9 at 10 a.m.
(click link to view striking photo of beautiful Mt. Fuji)
US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child
Federal health officials today outlined sweeping changes to the U.S. childhood immunization schedule.
The changes create a new framework that keeps all currently recommended vaccines available and fully covered while moving several vaccines into a category designed to emphasize shared decision-making between families and clinicians.
The new recommendations reduce the number of vaccines recommended as routine for all children to 11 from 17, a move The New York Times called a “seismic shift” in federal vaccine policy.
Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense, called the change “the most significant change in U.S. vaccination policy in recent history.”
HHS said the change follows a directive from President Donald Trump, who issued a presidential memorandum on Dec. 5, 2025, instructing the agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to review whether other developed nations protect children more effectively.
After what HHS described as a “comprehensive, evidence-based assessment,” the department concluded that the U.S. recommends more routine childhood vaccine doses than peer countries without achieving higher vaccination rates or greater public trust...
2026 in Tokyo arrived 14 hours before the east coast of the United States!! Here's how they celebrated the New Year countdown with colorful projection mapping against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building (Tochō, 都庁), featuring Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (小池 百合子) (in her long white coat).
And may 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse bring you good health, happiness, & prosperity!! 🎊🎆🧨🎍🎎🥂🗻🎉🍾⛩
(click link to view countdown video & pic of 2026 Fire Horse)
Mt. Fuji Climber Dies After Slipping, Falling; Police Responded to Call Stating ‘I Can’t Move’
A 44-year-old mountain climber died after slipping and falling while descending from Mt. Fuji on Monday, Shizuoka prefectural police said. According to the police, the man made an emergency call to the local fire department and asked to be rescued, saying, “My right leg hurts so much I can’t move.”
The police’s mountain rescue team searched for the man in response to the call and found him in cardiac arrest. He was taken to a hospital but later confirmed dead. The man began climbing Mt. Fuji with two friends on Sunday. He slipped and fell at 11 a.m. on Monday. The rescue team found him about 200 meters southeast of Goraiko-sanso mountain lodge at the seventh station at 4:15 p.m.
"Most of us spend our entire lives chasing the dream of having enough. What happens when that goal is met? Do we stop or is there reason to keep working anyway? If you have more to look back on than you have to look forward to, then you're telling your mind, body, and spirit to shut down... that they're no longer needed. We see this a lot after people retire when they immediately suffer health problems or even die. Don't ever stop working. If you stop the flow of money through you, your life will deteriorate."
—Dan Miller, author of "48 Days to the Work You Love" and founder of 48days.com—
CDC Vaccine Panel Votes to End Universal Hepatitis B Vaccine for All Newborns
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this morning voted to end a decades-long recommendation that all infants born in the U.S. receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 12-24 hours of birth.
Instead, for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, the committee recommends that families determine whether to give their child the Hep B shot at birth through individual decision-making with their physician.
For infants who don’t get the birth dose, the committee recommends the initial dose of the vaccine not be administered until infants are at least 2 months old. For mothers whose hepatitis B status is unknown or who test positive, the birth dose recommendation remains in place.
Dr. Monique Yohanan, senior fellow for health policy at Independent Women, told The Defender there was never “a good science-based reason to have a universal vaccination that 99% of babies born in the United States are not at any risk,” and that the vote was “good news for babies.”
...in Tokyo has finally arrived in earnest. This kind of beautiful scenery brings a lot of childhood joy to folks like myself, even after 3 decades here, as there is nothing even close to this in my home state of Texas. Japan is indeed one beautiful country. Our Creator has a pretty magnificent paintbrush, doesn't he? :-)
All those new Japanese robot waiters popular these days in restaurants like Gusto & Saizeriya have become commonplace. So how 'bout being served by a MONKEY instead? :-)
The most frequently asked questions about climbing Mt. Fuji, including info on routes, maps, videos, transport access, traffic stats, weather, and climber stories.
79% of Studies on Childhood Vaccination and Autism Found a Link
Integrating over 300 scientific communications across epidemiologic, clinical, and mechanistic domains, the landmark McCullough Foundation Report, Determinants of Autism Spectrum Disorder, has delivered the most authoritative, comprehensive, and extensively referenced synthesis to date on risk factors for autism.
Among 136 studies evaluating childhood vaccines or their components, 107 (79%) found associations between immunization and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, and 12 studies comparing routinely immunized versus completely unvaccinated children or young adults consistently demonstrated superior overall health outcomes among the unvaccinated, including significantly lower risks of chronic medical problems and neuropsychiatric disorders such as ASD.
The report concludes that autism arises from the intersection of genetic, environmental, and iatrogenic factors — but notably combination routine childhood vaccination early in life constitutes the most significant modifiable risk factor, supported by convergent clinical, mechanistic, and epidemiologic evidence.
As autism prevalence climbs to more than 1 in 31 U.S. children, understanding and mitigating preventable contributors has become a pressing public health priority.
56% suspect Covid-19 vaccines caused deaths and one-in-four know one of the victims
More than half of likely US voters say they believe Covid-19 vaccines may have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths.
According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, 56% say it’s at least somewhat likely that vaccine side effects led to such deaths, including 32% who say it’s very likely and nearly one-in-four say someone they know could be among the victims. Thirty-five percent (35%) say it’s not likely, including 17% who believe it’s not at all likely. These numbers are nearly unchanged from a year ago.
The survey also shows strong support for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been openly critical of the government’s handling of the pandemic. Half (50%) of voters say government health officials deserve criticism for their Covid-19 response, while 37% say Kennedy’s criticism is unfair.
Forty-two percent (42%) say some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees involved in the government’s Covid-19 response should be fired. That view rises to 71% among those who believe vaccine side effects likely caused deaths...
In 2016, journalist Del Bigtree issued a challenge to the head of infectious disease at one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world: conduct the most thorough vaxxed vs. unvaxxed study that has ever been done. The expert took up the challenge and ran the study to prove Del wrong. That study never saw the light of day... until now.
Join us at the Malibu Film Festival Global Online Premiere Event October 12th at 5pm PT (8pm ET)
The total number of Mt. Fuji climbers on all 4 trails in 2025 was 205,100. This compares to 204,316 people in 2024 and a pre-pandemic figure of 235,646 people in 2019. None of the last 5 climbing seasons have surpassed the pre-pandemic numbers. The Yoshida Trail was the busiest with 59% of the 2025 total, and August was the busiest month, accounting for 51% of the total number of climbers.
Competing in the Texas all-state bull riding championship in Billy Bob's Texas, the world's largest country and western honky-tonk in Ft. Worth, Texas!
And if you believe THAT, I'd like to talk to you about some prime Florida real estate I have for sale, ha-ha! :-)
(Click link to see hilarious photo of the bull-riding champion & learn more about my spiritual connection to Billy Bob's Texas, going all the way back to the early 80s.)
- On Mount Fuji, summit udon is a lifesaver
- Fuji Climbing Tour 2025: Spectacular View and Excitement of Adventure at the Summit
- Climbing Mount Fuji at 80: Martyn Bould's Fundraising Ascent - Climbing…
One of the most impressive things I think I've ever seen... 0:00 "A Thoroughbred Crowned with Glory" brought to you by JRA (Japan (horse)Racing Association). Hokkaido is a major thoroughbred breeding…
Authorities in Fujiyoshida in central Japan have canceled a spring cherry blossom festival at a popular Mt. Fuji viewing spot, citing residents’ concerns over congestion and nuisance behavior. The cit…
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