Text 9194, 131 rader
Skriven 2006-12-23 15:57:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av CAROL SHENKENBERGER
Ärende: travels 731
===================
 ML> I'll let everyone know if I don't get accosted by
 ML> drug dealers (very unlikely), prostitutes (fairly
 ML> unlikely), or thieving types (quite unlikely).
 CS> Hehe ok.  Just be sure to keep Carol with you so you are safe from the
 CS> cooties. 

Carol won't be there to protect me. I'll be most of the time
with an older staider crowd anyhow - this is a traditional
(5 years and running; this will be the 4th I've attended)
miles-earning junket with two distinct clienteles - the old
guys (reasonably staid) and the young guys (mostly Asian
ethnic, Asian based, out for a good time, but their idea of
a good time is shaped by President Lee and the no tolerance
for anything rule).

The drug dealers have been kind of extincted - there's something
to be said for a death penalty after all.

Prostitutes are common. The ones I've seen, though, hang out
in the bars at the Marriott and the Hilton; they are really
smashing, well dressed, probably get regular doctor appointments,
and cost more than my plane ticket. They're looking for youngish
hip white businessmen; there's no way they'll look twice at a
middle-aged Chinese guy who looks as though he's climbed out of
a dumpster (which I'll be when I get out of 20 hours of being
on a plane).

Thieves, likewise: the risk is high in general, so why not
go for someone who looks like he has plenty of do re mi?

 ML> currency and the ticket machines (this was years ago,
 ML> no credit cards) and the fact that it was easy to get to
 CS> Umm, they still dont use credit cards excpet maybe Tokyo?  Have never
 CS> seen that here in my little area.  Cash and cash only.

Actually that's less annoying than some machines I've seen,
which are credit and credit only - if you don't have a card,
you have to pay some enormous penalty to get on the train.

 ML> Machine in the Red Carpet Club (also available at the
 ML> All Nippon Lounge) for a couple hours. [Look up Amazing
 CS> 'Star Aliance'.  I saw there in several places.  If I had longer here,
 CS> I'd see  about joining it.  ANA related.

Yeah, ANA is a member. If you fly a lot, a club membership
may be worth it. But as they cost US$300 and up per year,
you have to be in Star-served airports at least, say, ten
times to make it worthwhile. Single-day passes are usually
available for $40 or 50.

 CS> Trip back home, we found a lostling trying to get to Sasebo and took
 CS> them with  us.  She was at the airport and was going to wait 6 hours
 CS> for the base bus with her son then hope to get on it (space A stuff,
 ML> Good for you samaritans. When would the next base bus have
 ML> been after that?
 CS> It only runs twice a day.

So if you hadn't come by, there was a chance she'd have to wait,
like, 18 hr for a bus? Lostling indeed.

 CS> I'm not sure what eBags are
 ML> It's a site that sells luggage. I'd never heard of it
 ML> myself until I watched Carol surf.
 CS> Ok.  I get my stuff at local stores.  Never bothered to mail order
 CS> things like  that.

My Carol likes getting packages, I guess. But she also shops
at local stores.

 ML> My checked bag is a rolling backpack with orange wheels.
 ML> When it was new it stood out fine, but now the wheels
 ML> are all scuffed up and it's harder to identify (for me
 ML> with the eyesight thing).
 CS> Try getting some bright scarves from Carol maybe?  We tie stuffed
 CS> animals to  them and that usually generates a grin.

In my favorite (?) transit airports, Chicago, New York,
Philly, and LA, anything even a little interesting is
likely to disappear. Maybe a ratty rag or something might
be just the ticket. My mother once gave me this very girly
L.L. Bean textured tan bag, and I've used it a couple times
as it is easy to see.

=
 ML> Okay, if there are so many sysops, there should be a lot of
 ML> boards still up and working. So how come so few messages (not
 ML> just here but systemwide as well)?
 CS> Well, some are fairly inactive with no real callers left and unless
 CS> you travel  the echos the other folks are in, you just never see them. 
 CS> Politics echos tend to be big and things like that.

Ugh, can't stand talking politics. Sure to offend someone
even if you're careful, and as I am an interesting mixture of
leftist and libertarian, with a few really right-wing emotional
things, I'd probably offend everyone all the time, and be
offended all the time. Wise to have echoes with the absolute
ban on politics and religion.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v7.05

      Title: Cardamom Coffee Cakes
 Categories: Breads, Christmas
   Servings:  2

  1 1/2 c  Milk                                1 pk Cake yeast
    3/4 c  Sugar                           6 1/4 c  Sifted all-purpose flour
    1/2 c  Butter                            1/4 ts Salt
      3    Egg yolks                           1 ts Cardamom
           ----------topping-----------        2 tb Milk
      6 tb Sugar

  1. Scald milk and cool to lukewarm.  Crumble yeast into bowl, add 1 Tsp
  sugar and lukewarm milk. 2. Beat in 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Cover
  well and let rise until light and double in bulk, 1 - 1-1/2 hours. 3. Add
  soft butter, remaining sugar, salt, egg yolks, cardamom and 3 cups flour.
  Mix thoroughly.  Place remaining 1/4 cup flour on board or pastry cloth for
  kneading. 4. Turn out dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in
  greased bowl.  Cover well.  Set aside to rise until double in bulk, 1 to
  1-1/2 hours. 5. Cut risen dough in half for two cofee cakes (braids). Cut
  each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a roll 16 inches long. Pinch
  3 rolls together at one end, braid and pinch other ends together. Place
  braid on cookie sheet.  Make second braid and place on cookie sheet. 6. Let
  braids rise until double in bulk, about 45 minutes.  For topping brush each
  braid with 1 Tbsp milk and sprinkle with 3 Tbsp sugar. 7. Bake in moderate
  oven (375) 25 to 30 minutes. Yield: 2 coffee cakes. Source: unknown

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