Summary

The Inflation Reduction Act passed in the United Sates continues to mingle in background of Canadian policy-making, as massive subsidies from Washington make even the tax on carbon increasingly less efficient, with many leading Canadian companies opting to focus on their projects in the United States. With American carrots on clime policy, the Canadian stick becomes increasingly less effective, as many business leaders see an ever growing policy uncertainty over whatever little of an invective Canada has to offer. This is especially prevalent for long-term decarbonisation projects, that would un-economical without either a nation-wide price on carbon that forces companies to invest in going green, or a recast subsidy regime for green technologies that turn decarbonisation for an expensive exercise into a completive advantage.
While some people believe that abolishing the federal price on carbon on Canada would still allow the country to meet its Paris climate commitments, offsetting the lack of a "climate stick" with a carrot of additional subsidies, it's widely recognised to be an unlikely option. Canada simply doesn't have the either fiscal nor private capital firepower to compete with American incentives. Thus making a combination of a "clime stick" through a federal carbon price, complied with more modest positive incentives remains the only viable strategy to foster a nation-wide tradition to the green economy.
Federal pricing on pollution has also created increasings tensions between Ottawa and provinces, especially in Western Canada - a region traditionally dependent on natural renounce extraction and processing to support their economy, and generate energy. Thus, the main opposition party - the Conservative Party of Canada - that has traditionally viewed the West as their stronghold, has unsurprisingly committed to repealing the federal price on carbon. Something that becomes increasingly likely as the the governing Liberals continue to fall behind the Tories in all provinces except Quebec. Therefore, putting the future of Canadian climate policy at risk.
​

You know, businesses hate uncertainty more than anything else.

Environment & Investment Guarantees

To resolve this uncertainty, Canada is launching comprehensive hedging mechanism to guarantee a Pan-Canadian Price on pollution, especially on carbon emissions through Pollution Pricing Contracts for Difference (PPCDs) - a proposal originally mentioned in the Federal Budget 2023, is finally being rolled out across the country in 2024.
PPCD represents a contract between the Government of Canada and a private company that guarantees a nation-wide solution price remains above originally announced projects, such as $170 price per tonne of carbon emissions. If the price falls bellow bellow the original threshold at an expected date, the Government of Canada is set to cover the difference through direct subsidies to the given project and its investors.
To further strengthen the carbon pricing regime, the Government introduces the "PPCD default provision" that allows any company in Canada to claim a fully refundable tax credit to fully compensate for estimated cost of carbon tax paid thought its operating period, including the gap between "would be" and an actual carbon price. Thus, if national carbon price falls bellow its original schedule, not only can a company have their carbon taxes paid back, but also receive full payment for forgone future carbon tax expenses.
The provision can be used by any company without a PPCD contract, and is triggered automatically upon any changes to federal carbon price. It also applies to carbon credit markets, where the Government of Canada is set to guarantee a specific price for carbon credits for specific projects or a market as whole, providing direct finical compensation when the actual price falls short of an expected benchmark.
Simultaneously, Ottawa is set to enter into Carbon Credit Forward Purchase Agreements for duration of 5 years or longer with individual emitters and industry associations. This would allow for the Government of Canada to guaranteed carbon and other pollution pricing for specific projects, directly compensating lower than expected pricing for designated projects.
The Government of Canada has concluded a set of Federal-Provincial Pollution Pricing Agreements, where Ottawa is set to be opearte as a last-resort buyer of carbon credits for local or sectoral marlets, using the federal carvon price as a benchmark. However, under the FPPPAs the federal government has also onbidgted to disapply the federal carbon backstop and fully absorb the cost of pushasing exessive credits. Notably, Ottawa has also committed to maintaining a more harmonious price on carbon across the country, through allowing local authorities to increase the supply of credits to align it with other provinces, so long it doesn't fall bellow the federal benchmark.
Most importantly, however, FPPPAs also oblige provinces to introduce contracts for difference when it comes to energy markets - traditionally a provincial jurisdiction.
Traditionally, energy markets operate through energy generating companies singing purchase contracts with energy distributors to deliver it to final customers. The cost of buying the energy and delivering is effectively passed onto consumers buy distributors with a higher mark up for to maintain to profitability. However, in markets where energy has been generated largely through fossil fuel extraction, the final price of electricity is eagerly determined by prices of fossil fuels.
To ensure the markets operate smoothy, Energy Contracts for Difference are used, to narrow the gap between wholesale price on electricity and the strike price - the point at which energy generation remains economically viable - desired by generators. The strike price is determined through an open auction of multiple generators, on an open auction, until with strike price suggestions being accepted until the budget or the capacity of the grid have been exhausted. The sealed bid for the last project accepted sets a multi-year strike price that all successful bidders receive, that is further indexed for inflation, for annual adjustments.
Thus, whenever the average wholesale price for electricity runs bellow the strike price, the government is set to cover the difference for renewable energy generating companies, to keep their business afloat. However, whenever the reference price - the average wholesale market price - exceeds the strike price, the companies should return excessive profits to the government.
Under respite FPPPAs, the monitoring those markets as well as operating the payments is set to be done by an independent provincial agency, funded through levies on non-renewable energy generation, generally following the approach of the United Kingdom.

The price guarantee however also applied to generation for nuclear energy, clean hydrogen, and - in provinces dependent on fossil fuels - temporary natural gas.

Since, energy prices remain flat across the market, they become effective regressive when it comes to income distribution. Households have to pay based on their individual consumption, being identical and per household consumption being largely balanced, causes lower income households to spend more on energy since per unit price of electricity remains the same regardless of household income. Additionally, some provinces have energy generation that is largely dependent on fossil fuel generation, causing future ECfDs to increase prices of electricity substantially. Thus, the Government of Canada is set to absorb the cost of energy rebates to households to offset those increased costs, with the specifics determined by the provinces through the Canadian Green Energy Rebate Program (CGERP).
A similar approach is used for critical minerals, where the Government of Canada opens auctions to determine strike prices for natural resource exploration and processing projects, and the guaranteeing that specific price for projects associated with a given auction. If the market price falls from bellow the strike price, the Government of Canada shall compensate the difference, while extra profits from elevated prices shall be compensate to pay-back to Ottawa.
For critical minerals specifically, CfDs are signed over 25-year period, with the strike price being reference against a comprehensive benchmark against fossil fuel. The contracts guarantee critical minerals shall remain more attractive in terms of return guarantees as opposed to fossil fuels.
Finally, the Government is also expanding carbon contracts for difference to all Investment & Innovation Canada institutions, rather than just the Canada Growth Fund, instead incorporating emissions reduction as a supplementary mandate for all bodies of the IIC. Instead, the CGF sees their mandate expanded to support commercialisation of market-ready technologies not just for the green transition, but when it comes to energy production, construction, aerospace, life sciences, communications, and inflation technologies. While managing the issue of PPCDs and other contracts for difference backed by Ottawa - including kickstarting auctions - falls under the jurisdiction of the newly created Office of Contract Guarantees
The Government is also launching a new Equity & Asset Finance Program that aims to provide confessional funding to smaller investors, especially those in equity markets, when it comes to purchasing equity in IIC-backed projects. The Program allows IIC institutions to partner other finical players, and through income-contingent grants, matching programmes, and all other available instruments lend to smaller investors, including individual ones, to cover the purchase of corporate equity for companies that have been listed on a Canadian stock exhale for 5 years or less, or operate in the renewable energy, battery production, clean energy and industrial equipment, IT, pharmaceuticals and life sciences.
Additionally, the Government strengthens the accountability for IIC institutions, through the creation of the Innovation & Business Assistance Council of Canada, including provincial jurisdictions. IBACC provides through supervision and independent assessment the combined and overall perforce of IIC institutions, including their finical health and long-term profitability. It also uses overseeing councils of Regional Development Agencies to monitor the success of individual RDAs, calculating their finical soundness and long-term market impact. The Council is also tasked with screening individual applicants and projects together with relevant institutions within the IIC, using the data collected as proxy for an overall assessment of a programme, or an institution.
The key performance indicators that the Council uses to assess the perforce of specific programmes, as well as IIC insertions include:

• Crowd-in Effect - how much private investment has been committed, as opposed to direct subsidies.
• Degree of Maturity - IBACC assesses whenever a project is immature enough to actually require public business assistance or whenever the funding may not be necessary at all, with further interference crowding out rather than facilitating private investment.

Those two impact assessment remain mandatory for all projects, together comprising the assessment for long-term ability of a project to remain financially viable without governmental support.

• Impact on Competition - jointly with the compensation authorities, the Council assesses whether the project is conducive to greater competition among domestic companies, rather than simply favouring incumbent companies. This also includes the impact of competition in capital markets. This criterion is also considered superior to the productivity and clause, since higher competition is assumed to increase productivity on its own.
• Productivity and Resource Utilisation - to what extent a given project, programme, or institution results in productivity increases, as opposed to simply greater use of existing resources. Notable exception is granted whenever greater recourse use involves higher labour participation.
• Environmental Impact - to what extent the project is conducive to lowering emissions as well as broadener human footprint in the environment. This assessment is only mandatory for companies and projects seeking support for "green" investment, and may override the productivity consideration.

Political Implications

From a policy standpoint, the current policy mix unveiled during the Fall Economic Update 2024 effectively provides comprehensive insurance for the Liberals' climate policy in case they loose the upcoming election - something that seems to become increasingly likely.
However, when it comes to pure politics, both Trudeau and the federal Conservatives find themselves in a tight spot.
For Team Red the problem lies in a trade off they made, opting for enshrining their climate policy through Carbon Contracts for Defence (PPCDs) where even minor changes to price on pollution will result in massive fiscal punishments for the Government of Canada. Additionally, the Federal-Provincial Agreements effectively commit both the provinces and Ottawa to maintaining some form of carbon pricing, with the Feds still maintaining the role of a backstop party. However, Trudeau had to effectively pull the breaks on two of his major policies: the Clean Energy Regulations - with similar objectives being achieved through FPPPAs - and the federal emissions cap, as a concession made as part of an apparent close-door negotiants with western provinces to sign the agreements. Which will be quite difficult to sell to a more progressive side of the Liberal electorate.
Team Blue on the other hand is seemly trying to dial down on their promises to repeal federal price on carbon, instead aiming for the Environmental Impact Assessment, emphasising how the Act may likely slow down exploration and development of critical minerals. The Tories are also doubling down on housing affordability, as slowing inflation shifts Canadians' perception Liberals' economic competence. Nevertheless, Conservatives still resonate with people, on another key issue: national unity. Although Liberals seem to have successfully avoided direct head-to-head collision with the Conservative-run Alberta, lack of Western support for Trudeau climate policies may provide a hook for the Tories to hang on to. Especially as neither party seem to be able to secure a clear majority in Quebec, to un-seat the nationalist Bloc Québécois.

Inspired by a recent post regarding the appeal of Singapore's public transport system (including public buses), I dug deeper into how public bus services are scheduled by the LTA since they took over central bus planning in the early 2010s.
Note: To simplify the technical explanations of specific bus-related terminology, some parts of the post have been generated through ChatGPT.
In 2014, the LTA launched the Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF), aimed at improving en-route reliability of bus services. Under the BSRF trial between 2014 & 2016, the reliability of 55 basic bus services were monitored under 2 new indicators:

• Excess Wait Time (EWT): EWT focuses on minimising the waiting time experienced by passengers at bus stops by measuring the average time passengers wait beyond the scheduled headway (the expected time between two consecutive buses). The goal is to keep the EWT within a certain threshold, typically a few minutes, to ensure that passengers do not face excessive waiting times. It allows for slight variations in bus arrival times, as long as the average wait time remains within the set threshold. This improves the consistency of bus frequencies by reducing the likelihood of long waits between buses.
• On-Time Adherence (OTA): OTA focuses on ensuring that buses adhere closely to the scheduled arrival and departure times by measuring the percentage of buses that arrive and depart within a specific time window around the scheduled time. The goal is to achieve a high percentage of on-time departures and arrivals, often set at 80% or higher. Thus, it requires buses to closely adhere to the scheduled timetable, minimising variations in arrival and departure times. It aims to provide a more predictable and reliable service for passengers, allowing them to plan their journeys based on the published timetable.

Since the start of the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) in 2016, all basic bus services are required to operate under either EWT or OTA indicators. As of this post, most basic bus services operate under the EWT indicator, while a minority of 77 "low frequency" bus services operate under OTA, based on a Facebook post by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng in 2019 (Link to the post cannot be shared here due to Reddit restrictions). The quantity of OTA services has changed since then, with the discontinuation of multiple OTA services in 2020 (post-COVID), and the launch of new OTA services (most of which being route variants).
1 major downside of bus services under OTA is their potentially longer travelling time, as bus drivers are required to adhere to strict schedules, which means driving slower or laying over at bus stops when they reach too early.
Here is the updated list of services running under OTA as of Apr 2023. OTA services can be easily identified by their timetables at their calling bus stops. For SBS Transit and Tower Transit OTA services, their timetables can also be found on their service guides, as well as the SBS Transit app (for SBST services only). All Express (services starting with 5xx, with suffix "e" and "E") and City Direct bus services (services starting with 6xx) currently run under OTA. Thus, they'll be excluded from the list below.

• Operates on OTA daily (including public holidays): 11, 40, 42, 98M, 115, 127/127A, 143M, 160, 160M, 170, 175, 177, 191, 400, 401, 403, 912*, 927, 950, 970, 972M, 976, 981
• Operates on OTA on Saturdays only: 90A, 92/92B, 162/162M, 980
• Operates on OTA on Sundays & Public Holidays only: 78, 96, 173, 183, 883M, 966
• Operates on OTA on Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays only: 54, 57, 79, 90, 93, 97, 122, 123, 125, 136, 155, 156, 158, 186, 200/200A

*Service 912 (in this instance) refers to the intra-town trips that operate on both East loop (towards Admiralty MRT) and West loop (towards Woodlands Train Checkpoint) only. The single loop trips (912A & 912B) currently operate on EWT.
With the above background info on BSRF and the EWT/OTA indicators, here are some questions for fellow redditors who frequent public bus services in Singapore (and overseas):

1. Effectiveness: Did you notice improvements in bus punctuality since the introduction of OTA on selected services? Are buses generally arriving on time as per the schedules?
2. Flexibility vs. Precision: Do you appreciate the strict adherence to schedules with OTA, or do you feel it limits flexibility for passengers with longer travelling time on buses? Did you encounter situations where buses have left early or missed connections due to strict adherence to the schedule?
3. Efficiency: In your opinion, has OTA resulted in better utilisation of bus resources and improved service efficiency? Or do you feel there are instances of inefficient operations, such as empty or overcrowded buses?
4. Expansion of OTA to Existing EWT Services: Given your experience with OTA services (if any), should OTA be extended to more trunk services (i.e. services with frequencies longer than 15 mins, instead of the current standard of 20 mins).
5. Comparison with Overseas Implementation: For redditors living/who have lived overseas and taken their bus services, are there similar bus reliability indicators implemented by their bus operators/authorities? Are they more effective than the EWT/OTA indicators by LTA, and should Singapore take a page out of overseas bus operators when implementating such indicators?

While the above questions mainly focus on OTA, those who have thoughts on the effectiveness of EWT in improving bus service reliability can also share them below.

Babaganoush: The following contest is scheduled for one fall…
Crowd: One fall!
And is for… the WiR Television Championship! Already in the ring, the challenger, weighing in at 235 pounds, The Suuuuuuperstar!
Banaganoush: And Already in the ring, the champion, “Guaranteed, Gabe Garvin!”
Ding Ding Ding!
Mann: And the bell rings here, and we are back underway at Sound Off! Presented by Dexter Flux.
The Superstar does a little spin as he approaches Gabe Garvin and the two back off from each other. The two wrestlers stare down a moment, before launching at each other with a collar and elbow tie-up. The Superstar gains the upper hand and locks Garvin in a headlock. Garvin, in a headlock, however, gets pushed into the ropes, where he gets pushed away. Garvin looks for a back body drop as The Superstar bounces off the ropes, but eats a boot for his trouble. Garvin tries to regain control by lifting Superstar on his shoulders, Superstar shifts back to the ground, but gets lifted and dropped on his chest! The Superstar is forced to roll out of the ring to recover.
Crowd: [Apathetic Silence]
Garvin goes under the bottom rope and gets quickly caught with a kick to the stomach. The Superstar throws Garvin into the barricade and begins to hammer away.
Woodbridge: And The Superstar turning things around here!
Mann: And folks, we’ll be back after these messages from our sponsors!
Woodbridge: Why are we going to commercial, the match just st-
The following advertisement plays
We fade back into the action with a crowd shot, which stays longer than comfortable on a shot of 40 apathetic fans. As it cuts back to the ring, we see Gabe Garvin deliver a vertical suplex to The Superstar, before going to a pin that convinces nobody of its success.
Mann: And we are back here at Sound Off! Garvin has regained control here!
The Superstar rolls to the corner and forces a momentary break. As the ref tries to restore order, The Superstar throws an overhand shot at Garvin- who blocks it and responds in kind, backing the Superstar back into the corner, and whipping him across the ring. As Superstar bounces off with a thud, Garvin hits the ropes beside him and hits a bulldog. Garvin goes for a cover, which gets a…
ONE
TWO
Kickout!
The Superstar flops into the corner once more, and Garvin is halted from pulling him away by the official. As The Superstar exits the corner, Garvin is right back on top of him, whips him off the ropes, and delivers a back body drop! The Superstar rolls out of the ring once more, but Garvin follows in pursuit. Garvin charges in, but gets caught with a drop-toe hold, and crashes into the announce table.
Mann: Watch out!
Woodbridge: Garvin seeking to capitalize on his newfound momentum here…
Crowd: [Does not care]
The Superstar throws Garvin back into the squared circle, and delivers a club to the back of his head, Followed by stomps and a knee drop. Superstar waits for Garvin to try and get back up, before stomping again, followed by a punch. As Garvin powers back to his feet, The Superstar looks to grab him, but Garvin pulls him in for a belly-to-belly suplex! Superstar shuffles into the corner, followed by Garvin, who eats a boot for his trouble before The Superstar storms out with a lariat. The Superstar looks for a chin lock, but Garvin is too oily, and he slips free. Superstar retaliates for this oily transgression with a fist and applies a headlock to a cornered Garvin.
Mann: And The Superstar getting some offense here, Garvin is in trouble! Can our TV champion save the match?
The Superstar works the headlock in the corner until the ref forces a break, at which juncture The Superstar turns around and throws his fists at Garvin. Following this, The Superstar lifts Garvin to his feet and goes for a whip, but as Garvin hits the other turnbuckle, he lifts his left foot to kick an incoming Superstar! As Garvin looks to capitalize, The Superstar grabs the leg that kicked him and takes Garvin down to the mat. Superstar drops an elbow on Garvin’s knee, and a second elbow, before looking for a knee twist, which Garvin pushes away from.
Mann: And Garvin fends off the Superstar’s onslaught! What a heroic effort by our TV Champion!
Crowd: [awkward silence]
Garvin sells his injured knee for a moment, before using it to pull a charging Superstar down with a drop-toe hold, flip Superstar over, and try to apply a submission, but this time, The Superstar pushes Garvin away! The Superstar delivers an elbow to a staggered Garvin, before delivering a Russian leg sweep, and going for a cover.
ONE
TWO
Kickout!
The Superstar is in disbelief that his leg sweep failed to get the victory, and he pulls Superstar by the arm, before kicking his downed body in the rib. Garvin throws himself off the ground to throw a punch at Superstar’s gut, but as he gets up, he is once again cut off by a clothesline, and a pin attempt.
ONE
TWO
Kickout.
Crowd: [Apathetic, a smattering of boos, and a single portly fan in a Shooting Association shirt attempting to start a “boring” chant]
Woodbridge: The Superstar is unable to get the best of Garvin despite some strong offense here, and the longer this goes on, the more I like the TV Champion’s chances in this match.
Mann: And all the Garvinites in the crowd cheering for their hero to make a comeback!!
Crowd shot of bored audience quickly pans back to the ring, where The Superstar is applying an arm wringer
Mann: And this match of course is presented by our sponsors, over at Mann Corporation!
The Superstar transitions to a half camel clutch, still clutching the arm of Garvin
Mann: Mann Corporation is committed to providing high-quality products to all of our loyal customers! Use code “WiR” at checkout for 3.5% off select items at MannCoStore.com!
The Superstar has transitioned into a standing headlock
Mann: If you buy within the next 7 minutes, all Gabe Garvin merchandise is 10% off! Act fast! And now, back to the action!
Garvin powers out of the headlock and whips The Superstar into a corner. He charges in, and misses, as The Superstar moves out of the way, and attempts to lock in another arm wringer. Garvin tries to power out but fails, and the hold is applied.
Superstar: ASK HIM!
Garvin does not submit, and once again tries to lift himself upwards. Superstar sees this, and shifts so that he is lying down on the back of Garvin, still applying the arm wringer. Garvin winces in agony and reaches for the rope with his free hand. Unable to reach them, Garvin Begins to power himself upwards for the third time, and this one is successful, as he slowly works his way up to his feet, Superstar now trapped in the air in a fireman’s carry. The Superstar pushes himself off as Garvin gets to his feet, and tries to throw a punch. Trying to reclaim the momentum, The Superstar goes for an Irish whip, and looks for a dropkick as Garvin returns, but to no avail! Garvin holds onto the rope, and The Superstar crashes back to the ground.
Mann: And Garvin escaping the hold! Superstar is dazed!
Woodbridge: And this could be the opening the TV Champion needs to regain control of this match! The Superstar is in trouble, as Gabe is Garving up!
Mann: It’s Garvin’ time!
Garvin bounds off the ropes and leaps for a flying clothesline!
Mann: What a maneuver!
Garvin hits the ropes again, and nails a staggered Superstar with another flying clothesline! The Superstar writhes in agony as he tries to pull himself back to a standing base, where Garvin is waiting for him. Garvin bounces off the ropes, and nails a rising Superstar with a shoulder block.
Mann: Vintage Garvin! And he has the upper hand! The fans here on their feet!
Crowd: [Silent, sitting down]
Garvin ascends to the second rope, and as a wounded Superstar ascends once more, he leaps for a double ax handle, but nobody is home! The Superstar looks to capitalize with a DDT, but it gets blocked by Garvin, who fights out, throws Superstar against the ropes, and hits another shoulder block. With The Superstar down, Garvin looks at the crowd, backs against the ropes, and hits a fist drop!
One guy in the crowd Crowd: YEEEAAAH WE FUCKIN LOVE THE FIST DROP YEEEEAAHHH
Crowd: WOOO!! GAR-VIN! GAR-VIN!
Woodbridge: And the people exploding for Garvin’s fist drop! (?)
Garvin looks almost surprised at the suddenly raucous crowd, and motions for his finishing maneuver! As soon as he indicates he isn’t going for another fist drop, the crowd dies and goes back to their silence. Superstar stumbles to his feet, gets his arm trapped, and’s he’s lifted into the air, before being slammed down with a Pump Handle Slam! Garvin goes into the cover…
ONE
TWO
THREE!
DING DING DING!!
Mann: And Gabe Garvin retains!
Woodbridge: His victory was all but Garunteed
Babaganouh: And here is your winner, at a time of Seven minutes and Forty-Five seconds… Garunteed Gaaaaaabeeeeee Gaaaaarviiiin!!
Crowd [Scant Murmors]
Mann: And tonight we have seen a truly memorable title defense from our heroic TV Champion, Gabe Garvin. And to watch all of Garvin’s matches from the comfort of your home, go to WWW dot Wrestle Is Reddit dot com slash Garvin for all the latest updates! And a special thanks to our sponsor for this show, JDate!
The monitor shows Dexter Flux on screen, who immediately gets a crowd pop 10x louder than anything of the past 7:45
Crowd: FLUX! FLUX! FLUX! WE LOVE FLUX!
Flux: I'm not… I'm not Jewish, but that's really not what JDate is about. It's about like… dating. JDate is what JDate is. That's what it is. I'm Dexter Flux. I'm the President of the United States. Thank you for your service.
The monitor cuts back to the crowd going bananas for Flux. A guy is screaming and beating the shit out of the old woman sitting next to him because he loves Dexter Flux so much.
Mann: And you too can be just like these happy people if you buy a Gabe Garvin T-Shirt, now 4% off at select TJ Maxx stores near you!
Garvin holds up his title on the apron while the crowd cheer for Flux, and a photographer gets a photo of the victorious champion in front of a cheering crowd. As Garvin gets down from Bret’s rope, the camera cuts to…
Something else. It's shot differently, worse cameras that pan around instead of cut. No commentary. No acknowledgment. It's a documentary shoved in the middle of a wrestling show.
We're in a church basement, or a community gym, or something like that, with hardwood floors and dim, white light pouring in through windows near the top of the room. There's a table next to the door with a coffee machine and paper cups and a door to the outside propped open, so people can step out to smoke. A voice speaks up.
Teddy (O.S.): I don't think I've ever been a good person.
We move to the middle of the room. There's a circle of people sitting in chairs, looking at one whose face is obscured but whose voice most WiR diehards recognize. The circle's watching him carefully, skeptically. A couple of them glance at the camera as it moves by, which seems like an outsider - a perverse interloper. Some of them are recognizable, heels from all over the wrestling scene. Most of them seem miserable to be here, unrepentant. One figure, dressed up, seems more warm in his posture, but we don't see his face either.
Teddy (O.S.): I don't think I've ever really tried, I mean. I've been a good guy, for a little bit. Here and there. But I wasn't who I was. I was somebody trying to get cheered, trying to make sure they loved me. And when they didn't, I just… I snapped.
Finally, we see him, the object of their attentions. He is sitting in a chair, dressed down in a t-shirt, paper cup of coffee by his feet. Teddy Coronado. There's no charisma to the way he speaks. He was a preacher once, electrifying, manic, an embodiment of television airwaves. Now, he's mumbling. The camera zooms in on his face, as he tried to put together the next few words, shaking his head. The words seem ridiculous to say and maybe that's because they're wrestling words and this man - sitting here, in the basement - does not seem to be a wrestler.
Teddy: I'm Teddy Coronado and… Sorry. I'm Teddy and I'm a heel.
Others (all together): Hi, Teddy.
He cringes at them.
Teddy: I've been…
He stops, sucking on his tongue. It's the noise of a crowd, again.
Teddy: I'm sorry, I don't think I can do this.
Spence (O.S.): It's alright.
The camera pans over to a much more shocking face, Spence Cooper, dressed like a normal person, with a buttoned-up v-neck, instead of his usual attire as one half of the Golden State Stars, wearing mesh shirts and whatever nonsense is left. The rest of the group turns to him with a sort of reverence that seems wholly unfitting for him.
Spence: This is hard stuff, Teddy, alright - this is hard stuff, everybody. I mean, when I was a member of the Golden State Stars-
Chaz (O.S): GOLDEN! STATE! ST-
Spence: Chaz.
We whip pan to Chaz Levine, who is also there. He is dressed less like a normal person.
Chaz: Sorry, bro, still working on it.
Spence: We all have hiccups, is what I was saying. This is hard work. That's why not everybody does it. But it's good work. You've been here for a long time, right?
He's staring at the ground as he said it, as if ashamed.
Teddy: Six months.
Spence: Six months and it's still hard. That should show to everyone else here that even the best of us You can do it, Teddy. You can say it.
Teddy takes a breath, tries to put it together. After a few seconds, he looks back up. And it's almost there. That spark, that fire in his eyes.
Teddy: I've… been thinking about things, recently. I've been thinking about my time as a wrestler. I've done a lot of things in this business - and I'm not bragging about that, but I'm saying it because I need to say it. I was the best guy on the mic for a long time. I was good in the ring, too. I beat some of the best people in that company and sometimes I even did it clean.
There's a chuckle at that, in the room, and he gives a rueful smile, for a second, looking back on everything. Then it fades. So does the light in his eyes. Teddy looks at his feet, again, but the rest of them are listening, now. Most of them hate this place, but they listen
Teddy: I lied, I cheated, I stole. I used every dirty fucking trick in the book - you can look. My granddad wrote it. I used weapons. I hired my own ref. I made my own matches. I attacked people from behind the scenes. I once wrestled with a cardboard cut-out, so I could move its torn-off foot under the bottom rope to get a break.
He's looking up, now, and the fire isn't in his eyes, but it's in his words.
Teddy: I gave up everything for that title, for those accolades, for those year-end awards, for my hand raised up at the end of the night. I've got a claim to being the best champion in that company's history. I went into this business looking for all of that. I said to myself that I'd be different than my family, from my great-grandfather, from my grandfather, from my…
He stops. He leaves the final word unsaid.
Teddy: But that's not what I'm saying. I had the chance to change my name. I had a shitty start, but I had my own agency. What I did was my own. And by the end, I gave up that. I gave up my decency, my integrity, my dedication to this art, I gave up everything I have - and I don't have anything to show for it.
There's a crippling silence, for a few moments, the kind of silence you only notice when everything felt so loud before it.
Teddy: I don't talk to any of the roster I was a part of. My name doesn't get mentioned in promos. The fans - the fans that used to jeer my name, who serenaded me after I was forced out of that company - they don't think about me. I gave up everything I ever had and I don't…
He takes a shallow breath, emotional, seeming to hold back tears as he rubs his temples. A man offers him a tissue box but he waves it aside. For as much pride as he has managed to put aside, he can't allow himself to cry in front of the only people he's ever been genuine to.
Teddy: I got an offer, recently. You guys know about it.
Teddy half-heartedly gestures at the camera and a couple of them glance back at it. Chaz, on the edge of frame, flexes a little bit when reminded a camera is watching him.
Teddy: I got an offer to come back to WiR. They're coming back, apparently, again. They've offered me a couple times, over the years, and I almost took it. I even said I would, once, before. Back when I still had the bookstore. And then I started training and I became what I was, again, and I gave up the bookstore, and I was so fucked up I couldn't even make it to the show, because I realized, in that ring…
He pauses and they're all listening. He hates that, because he knows why they're listening and why he's talking. Because the fire, suddenly, is there. It's there in his eyes. It's there in his voice. It's there in the way he sits in that chair, the knotting his hands do as he talks, but most of all it's there in the crowd, listening with rapt attention.
Teddy: There's the Teddy Coronado with the money, with the television show, with the betrayal and the burials, even the Teddy who dressed up like a dentist and said he hated bullies. They say I've been a lot of people, had a lot of gimmicks, but the trick is they're all the same one. They're all somebody who needs to have the whole world know that they're the best. But they're all masks. Facades. And when I got into that ring, lit by halogen lights, no one in the audience, no one facing me in that ring, no one there but me, I realized the truth.
The fire in his voice has burned away and, now, he speaks in ashes: harsh, more serious than he's ever been, and more painful. He is being true.
Teddy: I don't know what's beneath those masks. I don't. A part of me is terrified that there isn't anything there. That the shit I've done, to other people, to the industry as a whole, that's who I am. I've tried to find out who it is, out here. I tried to open a bookstore, I tried to become a trainer, I tried to get as far away from that ring as possible.
He stops, again. The crowd is fully drawn in, now, and a furrowed brow of concern on Spence's face breaks through the mask of supportiveness.
Teddy: But, when I got that email, that offer… I think I realized that there's only one way for me to figure that out-
Spence: Teddy…
Teddy turns his eyes to Spence, but there's a weariness to his eyes. He's already made up his mind. He made it up before he even entered this room, before he even entered the cameras in, before Spence even says the thing he knows he's about to say.
Spence: Teddy, I know what you're about to say. And I want to tell you in front of the group, because I know you don't want there to be secrets here. I've been lured that way. We all have, but you have to know that there is a risk to what you're about to say. Some people can recover, can re-enter that ring, Teddy, but some people can't.
There is a warmth in Spence's eyes that make you realize that this is not the same man that was a Golden State Star. Not anymore. But he knows that he can't change his mind.
Spence: This is in your hands, Teddy. It always is.
Teddy sits there, genuinely considering the words and then he smiles. Knows how absurd what he's about to say is. And then he speaks, just as resolute as before. No. More so.
Teddy: I know. But I hear it in me. I hear the roar of the crowd, with me or against me. I hear my opponent's music hit. I hear the bending of the mat, the straining of the ropes, the fight. I know that who I was in there was a monster. But I know that, if there's something of me left, beneath all of this, it's in there.
He stands up.
Teddy: This is what I'm choosing to do, Spence. I'm sorry.
Teddy walks out of the circle, across the hardwood floor, and steps out the door. The camera doesn't follow.
Javier (O.S.): Ladies and gentlemen, the Independent Champion, Diiiiiiiiick Dover!
We cut back to Knott's Berry Farm, where the crowd reacts in a mixed fashion to the announcement of Dick Dover. Prisoner of Society hits, and Dick Dover walks through the curtain with the Independent Championship over his shoulder.
Mann: The Independent Champion enters the building, he says he has an announcement to make.
Woodbridge: That’s right, Shay. We don’t know what it’s going to be, but when Dover walked into the venue this afternoon, he insisted on addressing the crowd.
Dover grabs a mic from Maurice Chondon ringside, then walks up the stairs, wipes his feet on the apron, and enters the ring. He then turns to face the crowd.
Dover: I know you all have a lot of thoughts about me, but let’s get one thing clear right now. There’s been a lot of time gone by since you last saw me. But don’t get me wrong, one thing wouldn’t have changed no matter how long we’ve been apart. I am still your Independent Champion.
Crowd: mix of boos and applause
Dover: But there have been changes. Changes in the world and changes with myself, and it’s time for me to share with you all some changes I’ve made. When WiR went on hiatus i-
Nitroglycerin hits as Joey McCarty storms out from behind the curtain holding a mic.
Crowd: Boooooooooo
McCarty: No no no no no no fuck this shit. I know what this is. I’m not stupid.
McCarty stomps down to the ring.
McCarty: Dick, you’ve talked all this talk about being a fighting champion, but I know a retirement announcement when I see one.
McCarty slides into the ring and pops up to his feet, pacing around Dover.
McCarty: and you must be out of your mind to think you can walk out of here title held high, to a cheering crowd, and go out as champion. You’re out of your goddamn mind.
Dover walks towards McCarty.
Dover: You don’t even-
McCarty: Save it, honestly. I came into this business as an outsider, and I was given the crash course. I don’t know where you learned this, it might have been in dogwater Florida, but it certainly wasn’t in Toronto.
Dover: Joey, you’ll shut the hell up if you know what’s good for you.
McCarty: What I was taught is that you always go out on your back. If you won’t do that, then I’ll do that for you.
Dover goes to talk, but McCarty slaps him.
McCarty: So what you’re going to do right now, is lie down, stare at the lights, and you can end your career the way you’re supposed to, and watch me coronate myself as a triple crown champion.
Dover: Interesting point Joey, counterpoint:
Dover hits McCarty with a spinning back elbow, sending him to the mat!
Dover: You don’t tell me what to fucking do. So here’s what we’re actually going to do, I’m going to show these people I am a fighting champion, we’re going to get a ref out here, and I’m going to whoop your ass
Crowd: YAYYYYY
Mann: HOLD ON A SECOND, DOVER. YOU DON’T GET TO PROMISE PEOPLE MATCHES, I MAKE THE MATCHES but that is a good idea so lets get a ref out here BECAUSE I SAID SO.
Crowd (a little more confused): YAYYY
Jeff Boone sprints out from backstage at full speed and dives headfirst under the rope into the ring.
Boone: ALRIGHTWEGOTAREGULARCHAMPIONSHIPMATCHONEFALLLET’SKEEPITCLEANBOYSNOCLOSEDKNUCKLESONPUNCHESNOHAIRPULLINGIWON’THAVEANYNONSENSEINTHISRINGYOUHEREMEOKRINGTHEBELL
The bell rings, leaving both men a little stunned at how quickly this match has started. Joey moves into action first, lurching for Dover, arms outstretched in a clear indication that Joey wants to initiate a classic “Test of Strength.” Dick Dover knocks away the hands and shoots for a double-leg takedown, sending Joey sprawling to the mat.
Mann: Wow, an incredibly technical start for Dover. Sometimes I think we forget home in depth his wrestling knowhow is.
Dick Dover is slowly overpowering Joey from underneath, when a glint shines in the Canadian’s eyes. A brutal knee to the face erupts from McCarty, slamming into Dover’s nose. Dover steps back, covering his damaged face. Blood begins to drip onto the mat.
Woodbridge: Wow, Dover is absolutely busted up!
Paisner: That’s the opportunistic streak of McCarty showing. Give him an inch, he’ll take a mile and sell you back the inch for triple it’s market value.
Dover shakes his head, trying to clear up the fog inflicted from Joey’s move. Before he gets a chance to recover, Joey is behind him, snaking his arms up to lock Dover in a full nelson. Dover is in a precarious position, but he digs his fingers into Joey’s eyes, cause the hold to release.
Woodbridge: A savvy veteran move, but is it legal?
Mann: Absolutely not. It seems like this ref is going to let them play on, for some reason. Very hands off.
Woodbridge: When you’ve got two fighters who will do whatever it takes to win, sometimes it’s best to just let them go at it. Anything less than that could give the other an unfair advantage.
Dover throws a couple quick strikes to McCarty’s midsection. Joey winces and bends over, giving Dick the opportunity to hit him with a Leg Drop Bulldog that pounds Joey into the mat!
Crowd: WOOOOAH!
Dover capitalizes on McCarty’s grounded position, dropping some falling elbows into the fallen man. But the third elbow doesn’t land cleanly, given Joey the opportunity to flip over and nail another knee into Dover, this time right on the side of his head.
Mann: Hard to imagine these headshots won’t have an effect on Dover if this match goes long.
A quick leap to his feet, and Joey finally has the position he wanted in the beginning, locking up Dover in a contested full collar tie. He gains the upper hand, and begins controlling Dover towards the corner. A grasp of Dover’s wounded head, and then suddenly McCarty is rubbing Dover’s face all over the ringpost!
Crowd: OOOF
But Dover isn’t one to take something like this without fighting back. A wild leg flail nails McCarty right in the gonads, sending him backwards in pain. The ref looks to step in, but then decides not to as Dover runs towards his and lands an uppercut into lariat combo that sends Joey back down to the ground. Dover attempts a cover!
1!
No!
Joey kicks out with relative ease, prompting Dover to consider more violence towards the grounded wrestler.
Mann: What could this devilish man be considering next?
Dover sits on McCarty.
Woodbridge: A chair!
A quick pivot from Dover, and suddenly Joey is up in the air, face in anguish from the inverted surfboard stretch.
Woodbridge: A painful chair!
Suddenly, a voice rings out from the crowd.
Random Fan: DOVER IS STILL LAME!
Dover, mildly irritated by the fan, releases the hold on Joey, sending the stretched out man to the mat. He gets up and aggressively points to the crowd in the direction of the mysterious fan.
Dover: Hey Asshole! You wanna see lame? I’ll show you lame!
Dover grabs Joey’s hair and becomes slamming punches into the downed man’s face.
Crowd: LAME DOVER LAME DOVER LAME DOVER
A frustrated Dover now releases the hold and turns his back on Joey, heading over to the ringpost. He begins to remove the cover. At this point, blood has completely covered his chest. Joey stirs and stands, sneaking up to behind Dover. A quick snatch and Joey has surprise rolled up Dover for a pin!
1!
2!
No!
Dover kicks out and gets back to his feet, but Joey is quicker and grabs Dover’s arm for an irish whip, sending him into the exposed ring post!* The hard metal digs into the small of Dover’s back and he reels in pain, back into Joey who snags his wrist, twisting it into a hold. Dover is up in the air and slammed back onto his neck as Joey lands a modified Fisherman Driver on the champion!
Crowd: OOOOOHHHHH!!!!
It’s Joey’s turn to batter the grounded Dover, repeatedly sending soccer kicks into his skull. The dull sound of bone against flesh carries through the arena in a way that makes most attendees uncomfortable. Joey lifts Dover to his feet, intending to whip him into the exposed ring post again, but Dover has seen this before. He counters with a reversal, sending McCarty into the ropes, McCarty rebounds and Dover SLAMS him into the mat with a teeth-rattling spinebuster!
Crowd: YAYYYYY
Mann: I’m not sure if Dover’s winning the crowd over or if they just enjoy seeing Joey get hurt, either way, Dover is red-hot!
Dover grabs McCarty, and goes into the set up for his Doverleaf! But before he can, a small figure pops up onto the apron.
Woodbridge: WOAH, WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!
Gigi appears holding a spray bottle and she sprays a fine clear mist right into Dover’s eyes and cackles maniacally!
Mann: What’s this?! It's Gigi! And she’s just assaulted Dover with some sort of liquid!
Dover drops McCarty and grabs at his eyes. Kaitlyn Casey Jones appears from the crowd, holding a sign that says “GAMER GIRL BATHWATER $279.69”, she hops the barricade and grabs a mic, laughing with Gigi. Jones pulls a card out of her pocket and starts reading it.
KCJ: Hey faaaans, if you’re looking to order some of the water that our favorite e-girl actually bathes in, it’s up on the website right now! Guaranteed to have touched Gigi’s skin, go to www.gigigamergirlgush.pizza for more details. Fuck you, Dick!”
Gigi: I wrote that last part.
McCarty clambers to his feet, confused. He notices Dover staggering, and launches himself into the air, connecting with a superman punch to the back of Dover’s skull.
Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOO
Mann: BERTUZZI! DOVER’S OUT COLD
Woodbridge: I can’t believe this, Dover’s had the title stolen from him!
McCarty scrambles to cover Dover.
1
2
3-NO
Crowd: WOAAAAAH YAYYY
Mann: Dover kicked out!
Woodbridge: How!?!?
McCarty stumbles to the corner in disbelief, and collapses into a seated position onto the bottom turnbuckle, the crowd swells, and McCarty’s confounded expression turns to disbelief and then to anger, he pops to his feet and stomps towards Dover.
Woodbridge: What do either of these men have left in the bag?!
McCarty lifts Dover to his feet, cussing him out as he does. McCarty attempts his Bus Driver Uppercut, but Dover springs to life and catches him, and PLANTS him with a kneeling jawbreaker!
Mann: Cliffs of Dover!
Woodbridge: From the last of his energy!
Mann: Cover!
1
2
3
DING DING DING
Crowd: YAYYYYY!
Mann: Dover is still Independent Champion!
Before Javier can make the announcement, Gigi and KCJ hit the ring and attack Dover, as McCarty rolls out of the ring, jumping him and punching and kicking Dover while he’s down.
Crowd: BOOOOOOOO
Woodbridge: What the hell is this?!
Mann: Gigi still thinks she’s owed a shot at the Independent Championship, she must have made some sort of deal with McCarty to get her match!
Woodbridge: And now that her plan is up in smoke, she’s taking it out on Dover!
Gigi and KCJ continue their assault, KCJ picks up the mic and is about to speak, but before she can, Adam Raised A Cain plays.
Crowd: YAYYYYYYYY
Woodbridge: Someone else with unfinished business, Mark Dutch!
Mark Dutch runs out, Joey McCarty is standing on the ramp, and Dutch shoulder checks him out of the way! Dutch then slides into the ring, and pulls KCJ off of Dover and out of the ring! Gigi scrambles out of the ring away from Dutch.
Mann: Last time we saw these two, they were at eachothers throats, but now Dutch comes to save Dover? What’s going on?
Woodbridge: Looks like there's still lots of unfinished business around these parts.
Mann: That’s enough of this.
Mann grabs a stick mic and attempts to stand on the commentary table, but it wobbles so he instead stands on his chair
Mann: When I brought this company back, it wasn’t for what it was, but what it can become, so I can’t have you three stinking up the joint with old beef, so let’s settle this at the next show. You three for the Independent Title. a brief pause to let that sink in
Crowd: WOOOOOOO
Mann sits back down with a grin on his face.
Mann: I like this “making matches live” thing
Woodbridge: Could stand to work on your crowd work though.
Mann: More WiR action, after this!
Dover, Dutch and Gigi staring eachother down as we fade out to commercial.

Hi!!! Looking for recommendations for which SEPTA stations (trolley), or subway entrances or bus stops get really great lighting at golden hour. My partner and I are visiting for our anniversary and I'm scheduling a transit-based photo shoot. Hoping to find a picturesque stop☺️

If anyone wants to use plymouth transit don’t. This is literally the worst bus I have ever had to go on and it never comes on time especially during the end of the day. They never have their tracking on and honestly after 4 I think their bus schedule just goes up in the air. Some of their bus drivers are weird too and half the time the bus smells like pee. I thought plymouth is rich but apparently they have no money in regards to their transit since most of their buses look like they’re from the early 2000s. Even when i call their office and complain they never improve. They also don’t even know where half their buses are most of the time. People have suggested an express bus instead of 20 buses that stop in the city but unfortunately they cannot do that. If you want to go to plymouth I suggest using a different transit like maple grove.

Public opinion of TriMet's decisions have been pretty mixed, mostly because TriMet's decisions are so convoluted that they can be a real challenge to understand. In reality, Metro and Portlanders need to have a bigger civic conversation about the future of TriMet, looking at the big picture. We have 3 looming existential crises of TriMet to be concerned about that are bigger than revenue dips, crime, or homeless people.
Civic leaders and the public are focused on a quick "fix" for TriMet revenue drops - even though we've seen this coming for a long time, it's very predictable that TriMet's Board of Directors acts at the last minute. Also, very predictably, TriMet's Board opted for a fare increase because over the previous 20 years that's been a go-to answer to every problem (except for that one time they killed Fareless Square). The politically appointed boards of TriMet and Metro lack the unique specialized knowledge of the issues I'll bring up here. If TriMet knows about these larger issues, they're obviously burring it from public view. In the short term, increasing fares is like putting fresh paint on a house that's on fire; in this situation, that paint is HIGHLY flammable.
First - fare hikes as a tactic is a brain-dead move. Just the most utterly stupid and self-sabotaging response to a looming budget shortfall. I'm dwelling on this because it illustrates their terrible decision-making, which is functional proof they have no idea what they're doing. Some of the core reasons for this:

• Increasing fares reduces utilization. Higher cost means fewer people ride, which will decrease the ridership revenue. It will also marginally increase the number of people who won't pay (funny story, some of those who don't pay actually can't afford to). TriMet isn't a monopoly or inelastic service, and plenty of other choices exist that didn't exist 20 years ago: an actual bike share, scooters, electric bikes, UbeLyft, shared vehicles, and more bike paths. Before the pandemic, it was common that I would bus into downtown for work and then take a Lyft home because it wasn't all that expensive, like $8 more than a bus ride - TriMet's price increases make a system that wasn't very competitive simply less compelling.
  
• Across Portland we need to go through a process of austerity and downsizing government. I absolutely support Wheeler putting a pause on rate increases, but for God's sake, we have far too much largesse in every layer of government. If you need to learn what I'm talking about, read my old article on Parks & Rec. So many divisions/agencies have doubled their staff while reducing service levels. It's bonkers. Cutting throats needs to be an imperative. This is because the great majority of public sector employees in Oregon and Portland are incompetent, redundant, and only exist because Oregon and Portland have been reluctant to use automation. And I don't mean the cutting-edge AI stuff, I'm talking about people who still handle business processes as if they're paper forms. I could tell so many stories from my professional experience - but you'll have to take my word for it for now: culling this bureaucracy is the right move, and until there's a significant downsizing, the political class is taking none of the financial crisis or cost of living situation seriously.
  
• TriMet's operating budget/revenue is primarily Payroll Taxes, not passenger revenue. About 20-30% of TriMet's budget comes from people buying fares, whereas the bulk of money TriMet needs comes from payroll taxes that businesses pay directly. Because of this, transit activists (including myself) have been proponents of increasing the payroll taxes marginally to make TriMet free for riders. Of course, fareless transit comes with a wide variety of new and different problems (that's an article for another time). Still, when you understand that only a sliver of revenue comes from fares, increasing the fare simply results in a marginal increase in revenue. The much bigger problem is going to businesses investing outside of Metro, and changing workforces that 1) won't pay payroll taxes reliably, 2) don't need people to go into the office. Think about the longer-term game here: is TriMet's board going to increase fares as utilization drops and payroll taxes continually diminish? (See my point above about how their default answer is "yes" because it's the only politically expedient answer.)
  

Reading comments about the fare hikes, most of the public thinks TriMet is dealing with a safety or utilization issue. Both of these are 100% true: soft-on-crime progressives have wholly obliterated the working class perception of TriMet safety - there are so many different ways this has happened, but we should thank so many people in the media and political class: Ana del Rocio's crying wolf about racism in fare inspections (and the media entertaining it), or Mike Schmidt deinstitutionalizing of the justice system, or Legislature's inability to act on the massive mental health crisis and drug addiction crisis in Oregon. No matter the underlying cause, we have a system where deranged violent mentally ill tweakers can be disruptive on the train, but working-class people face a $250 fine if they can't afford a $2.50 ($2.80) ticket. TriMet is less safe, especially the light rail and bus lines. We could hypothetically talk about various policy and infrastructure changes, such as turnstiles and security guards - but pragmatically, this won't do shit when our society has adopted a philosophy of transforming the urban core into an open-air insane asylum and opened the doors to the prisons. This safety issue is well beyond TriMet's scope, and even if there was consensus among TriMet and Metro to solve this, the entire justice system and Legislature is still broken.

Fare Hikes and Utilization is the Red Herring - Let's talk about TriMet's future

In reality, multiple design choices made decades ago set us up for failure. But we also have to thank brain-dead progressive lunatics and corrupt politicos who have steered our transit decision-making into the ground.
There are three specific issues I'm going to talk about, with each becoming more consequential and disastrous for TriMet:

• Hub and Spoke Design and the need for a redesign of the entire system to fit new commuting/transit patterns
  
• Portland Light Rail's short cars are a capacity problem not worth the price tag to fix
  
• Autonomous vehicles are here, and it's just going to get worse for TriMet
  

The strategic design of TriMet's system is broken, and it's been broken before.

If you looked at a map of TriMet's bus and rail system, you'd see a design pattern often referred to as a "Radial Design" or sometimes a "Hub And Spoke" design. The Hub and Spoke strategy is building our transit system around centralized locations to connect to other routes. For Portland the idea is to go downtown (or sometimes a Park and Ride) where you can connect to your next destination. This is why the majority of bus routes and all the max routes go downtown, to our Transit Mall and Pioneer Square.
Downtown planning was a smart idea in the 1960s when it was coupled with Main Street economic theory and prototype urban development zones - all of this wrapped up in the 1972 Downtown Plan policy. During these decades, the primary economic idea of urban revitalization was that downtown cores could provide better business climates and shopping districts that amplify economic activity synergistically. In other words, packing all the office jobs and luxury shopping in one area is good for workers, business, and civic planning.
All very smart ideas in yester-year, so TriMet became focused on serving the downtown business community myopically. This myopia became so paramount that it was considered illegitimate (actually taboo, borderline illegal) if you used a Park & Ride facility to park and NOT ride downtown. Amanda Fritz once explained that we couldn't expand Barbur Transit Center because that would result in students parking at Barbur Transit Center and riding the bus to PCC Sylvania. This view implies that TriMet exists only to service downtown workers, not the students, not the impoverished mom needing to go to a grocery store.
How does TriMet's hub and spoke design represent its purpose?
Portland's unspoken rule of transit philosophy is that jobs pay for the system (remember, business payroll taxes pay for most of it), so TriMet should be focused on serving people utilizing it for their job - employers pay for it, and they get value out of it. But this is both unspoken (never said aloud) and largely unobserved. The whole idea of TriMet as a social service to serve low-income people, to help impoverished people - well, those ideas were just lukewarm political rhetoric that is tossed out as soon as some Undesirable with tattered clothing reeking of cigarettes gets aboard - then Portlanders jump right back "this is for workers only!" Sadly, there hasn't ever been a public consensus of why TriMet exists because I could equally argue that TriMet's purpose isn't serving the working class; it's actually vehicle emissions reductions - but here, too, reality contradicts that this is the purpose for why we operate TriMet. TriMet's real purpose seems to be "Spend money on lofty capital projects" and if we want to be cynical about it, we can elaborate "…because large capital projects enable grift, embezzlement, and inflating property values for developers."
We haven't always depended upon a hub and spoke design. A great article from Jarrett Walker written in 2010 on his Human Transit blog explains in "The Power and Pleasure of Grids"

Why aren't all frequent networks grids? The competing impulse is the radial network impulse, which says: "We have one downtown. Everyone is going there, so just run everything to there." Most networks start out radial, but some later transition to more of a grid form, often with compromises in which a grid pattern of routes is distorted around downtown so that many parallel routes converge there. You can see this pattern in many cities, Portland for example. Many of the lines extending north and east out of the city center form elements of a grid, but converge on the downtown. Many other major routes (numbered in the 70s in Portland's system) do not go downtown, but instead complete the grid pattern. This balance between grid and radial patterns was carefully constructed in 1982, replacing an old network in which almost all routes went downtown.

Over the years the grid pattern was neglected in favor of a downtown-focused investment strategy. To a real degree it made practical sense: that's where the jobs were. But again, this is the presumption that TriMet and Mass Transit ought to service workers first, and there's not much consensus on that. But while we can't decide on TriMet's purpose, we can absolutely agree on one important thing: Downtown is dead.
No 5-star hotel is going to fix it. (As of writing, I'm not even convinced that this mafia-connected bamboozle of public fraud will open.) No "tough-on-crime" DA to replace Mike Schmidt, like Nathan Vasquez, will fix downtown. It's not JUST a crime problem: most of the problems we deal with today mirror the problems facing Portland in the 1960s, especially our inability to invest in good infrastructure people actually want to use. That's on top of crime, vandalism, and an unhealthy business ecosystem.
IF we want to maintain TriMet (and that's a big IF, for reasons I'll explain below), then it will be focused on something other than downtown. We need to move back to a grid-design transit system, as this is a much easier way to use transit to get around the city, no matter your destination. If TriMet continues to exist and operate fleets in 20-30 years, this is the only way it exists - because it will just be too inconvenient to ride downtown as a side quest to your destination, especially as we look at 10, 20, 30, 40 years from now.
Of course, we can only transform some parts of the transit infrastructure this way, and there are no uplifting and moving train tracks here. So light rail doesn't have a future in the grid system - but even without the grid system, light rail is doomed.

The fatal flaws of light rail in Portland.

I want to preface this by saying I like light rail as a strategy, it's not a bad system or bad civic investment. I could write another 5,000-word essay on why Seattle did an excellent job with light rail and the specific decisions Portland made wildly incorrectly. In transit advocacy the wacktavists inappropriately categorized skeptics of Portland's light rail as some soft bigotry - as if you're racist if you don't like Portland's light rail - even though, ironically, most light rail systems tend to be built for the preference of white culture and white workers, precisely what happened here in Portland and most cities (but this is all a story for another time).
Portland's light rail system has a capacity problem and has dealt with this capacity problem quietly for the last 20+ years. When you see the capacity problem, you can quickly understand this light rail system won't work in the future. All the other smart cities in the world that designed light rail realized they needed big long trains to move many people. Portland decided to limit the train car length to the size of our city blocks to save construction costs - and this has always been a fatal flaw.
Portland's highest capacity train car is our Type 5, according to Wikipedia it has a seating capacity of 72 and an overall capacity of 186 per train car, meaning each train can accommodate up to 372, but even these numbers seem unreliable (*edit). Let's compare:

• Washington DC has 6-car trains capable of carrying 120 passengers per car, or 720 per train.
  
• Salt Lake City has a 4-car train capable of carrying 230 passengers per car, or 920 per train.
  
• Seattle's Link system has a 3 or 4-car train, each capable of carrying approximately 200 passengers per car, so 600 to 800 per train.
  

Portland's light rail lines have roughly the same people moving capacity as a single lane of a highway, maybe marginally more, maybe marginally less. These other cities have a light rail system that can move the same amount of people as an entire 3-lane highway.
You might suspect that Portland could simply run trains more frequently - but nah, that's impossible because the trains run through the central core of downtown Portland, and they're blocked by the real interfaces with road traffic and bottlenecks. TriMet/PBOT/Metro has offered rosy ideas that we could hypothetically run cars every 90 seconds, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, or 6 minutes (depending upon who you ask) - but these are garbage numbers invented out of thin air. For example, you could stand at Pioneer Courthouse Square at 4:50pm on a Wednesday in 2016 - there was a train opening doors to load passengers, and you could visibly see the next train at Pioneer Place Mall pulling into the station behind. Trains were running at approximately a 3 to 4 minute at peak - but on paper, TriMet will claim anything, as they don't give a shit about lying to the public. But the bigger problem is that trains were full. You might have to wait 90 minutes to find a train that offers a seat. And god forbid you had a bike.
I'm not making this very real capacity problem, Metro even acknowledges:

At the busiest hours of the day, 40 light rail trains must cross the river and traverse downtown – one train every 90 seconds. As the region grows and the demand for light rail increases, the region will need at least 64 MAX trains through downtown every hour, more than one train each minute. Our current system can't support that change.

Suppose you're silly enough to trust government propaganda. In that case, you can read the details of Metro study on this in 2019. If we assumed their numbers added up, it's just fucking impossible to run 62 trains per hour, because passenger loading and unloading can take a full minute (sometimes longer). So unless we want to apply substantial g-forces onto the passengers, the train isn't accelerating out of the stops fast enough. Not to mention how unreliable this whole system would be if a sole tweaker, bike rider, or person with a stroller held up the system for 2 minutes.
This is why the bottom line needs to be upfront about capacity - quoting Metro's study here:

Today MAX is limited to 2-car trains because of the length of downtown city blocks. A tunnel could allow for longer trains if the stations outside the downtown core are retrofitted. In the long-term, this could greatly increase MAX capacity.

Do you see that trick? Build a tunnel, yes - but the entire system has to be retrofitted. Literally every light rail station would need to be redesigned, the lines themselves recalculated for larger heavier trains - and extending platforms at Willow Creek might be simple enough, but how in the living fuck is Metro going to afford to expand the Zoo stop? Doubling the size of that platform would cost $500 million alone.
If the city weren't full of cheap dipshits, we would have elevated or buried our light rail lines in the 1980s or 90s, enabling longer train cars to run. Yes, we all knew back then that it was the best practice not to have light rail running on the street - it's less safe, less reliable, runs slower, and limits train car size. Oops.
Just to keep TriMet's own bullshit inflated utopian vision, it would mean spending another billion dollars just to unfuck downtown, bypass an aging bridge, and potentially allow a marginally higher volume of trains - which again is a band-aid on a mortal wound.
The real buried lede is that to add extra train cars means retrofitting all the stops in the system - that's tens of billions of dollars. You can argue costs, but Metro knows we need to do this. It means shutting down the system for a year or years while construction and retrofits happen. It's fucking outrageous. Is this system worth of people per line worth 20, 30, or 40 billion dollars? Fuck no, it ain't. Again, if we had a raging metropolis of industry and commerce downtown, we could reasonably entertain the idea for a moment - but we don't and never will again.
Some folks might argue that if we kill off the light rail system we'd lose out on all those lucrative Transit Oriented Developments. Originally the public was told that Transit Oriented Development strategy would cause a massive infusion of private investment because the light rail was so damn lucrative and desirable for Richard Florida's Creative Class. Turns out the Creative Class is now called today the Laptop Class, and they don't give a flying fuck about street cars, light rail, or walking scores - because most can't be bothered to put pants on during their "commute" from bed to desk. TOD was all a fantasy illusion from the beginning, as multiple studies about Portland commuters showed that college-educated white folks riding Max were equally comfortable riding their bike as a substitute for the same commute. All of these billions of dollars was to accommodate white fare-weather bikers. So here's my hot take on transit: pave over the rail lines and put in bike lanes, and boy, then you'd have a bike system to give folks like Maus a hardon. But of course, Bike Portland would complain because their focus isn't biking; they exist only to favor all poorly thought utopian transit ideas.
Another group of Max/TOD advocates would claim that TOD is better for disabled and impoverished people. And yeah, there's truth there, but see my entire argument above about the Hub & Spoke design of TriMet being the antithesis of transit as a social service. If you believe that TriMet should serve low-income people, you must advocate for a bus-centric grid design.
But even if you're a die-hard believer in light rail - there's another inevitable reality coming that is the nail in the coffin.

Autonomous vehicles will replace mass transit faster than the automobile replaced the horse.

I work in advanced technology, and the thing about tech is that the public and politicians deny that it's going to be there until the majority of the public finally experiences it. You could say this about personal computers, internet, cloud compute, electric cars, smartphones, distributed ledger (cryptocurrency), AI, and driverless vehicles.
Schrodinger's technology doesn't exist until it's measured in an Apple store or your mother asks you for tech support.
No one thought AI was really real until ChatGPT did their kid's homework, and today most people are coming to terms with the fact that ChatGPT 3.5 could do most people's jobs. And that's not even the most advanced AI, that's the freeware put out by Microsoft, they have paywalls to access the real deal.
In 2018 I rode in my colleague's Tesla in self-driving mode from downtown Portland to Top Golf in Hillsboro. We started our journey at the surface parking lot on the west side of the Morrison Bridge. He used his phone to tell the car to pull out of the parking spot and to pick us up. Then he gave the car the address, and it drove us the entire way without any human input necessary. The only time he provided feedback was to touch the turn signal to pass a slow car on the highway. People think self-driving isn't here - but it is - and it's gotten exponentially better and will continue to do so. People will complain and moan about idealized, utopian, pedantic "level 5" full self-driving, how none of it exists or could exist, as a Tesla passes them on the road and the driver is half asleep.
Of course, Portland and every major city have also thought deeply about self-driving technology, and a few places have implemented self-driving solutions - but so far, none of these are really at scale. Though it will be a short time before cost-conscious cities go all-in.
TriMet kicked around the idea of using an autonomous bus for a leg of the trip of the Southwest Corridor project, connecting a segment of the light rail route to the community college. It was bafflingly stupid and short-sighted to think they could use it in this niche application but that it wouldn't open the floodgates for a hundred different applications that eviscerate TriMet's labor model. The simplest example of autonomous operation would be to operate the light rail systems - because they don't make turns, all we need is an AI vision service to slam on the breaks if necessary - that technology has existed for 20+ years. We could retrofit the entire train system in about 3 to 6 months - replace every Max operator with a security guard, and maybe people would ride the Max again? But I digress.
Let's speculate about the far-future, some 5, 10, or 20 years from now: your transit options will expand significantly. The cost will decrease considerably for services using automated vehicles.
You'll look at your options as:

• Drive to work: fastest, takes $100+ worth of gas a month, but you also need $50+ for insurance and $500+ for the monthly car payment, plus those surprise maintenance and broken windows. Also, do you pay for parking? Pick a number for how much it costs to drive your personally owned and manually operated vehicle to work each month.
  
• Autonomous vehicle service: price TBA, but think of how much an Uber costs when you don't have to pay the driver, you don't have to pay for gas. An Uber that runs for $20 today would likely be $10 or less. So, to and from work 20 times a month, $200. $300? Ok, let's just say it's $400 a month. It's still all cheaper than owning a car and driving it to work. No parking fees, and it picks you up quickly enough that it's not a nuisance.
  
• Mass Transit: $150 per month, but ugghhh it's slow, it smells like piss, a guy jacked off in your hair, and you can't schedule a meeting for the first 30 minutes of your anticipated workday in case you miss a connection - and it breaks so often the government actively hides the reliability data from the public and media.
  

Just a few years into this future we'll see a brand new trend, one that already exists: a shared autonomous vehicle like a privately operated bus. For example, Uber Bus - it already exists as a commuter option in some cities, it's just not autonomous yet. The significant benefit of an autonomous bus is that these shared vehicles will utilize HOV lanes very commonly, and commuting in an autonomous vehicle will be as fast as driving to work in your manually operated car while also being less expensive.
Simultaneously automobile accidents in autonomous vehicles will be virtually non-existent, and insurance companies will start to increase prices on vehicles that lack AI/smart assisted safety driving features. Public leaders will see the value of creating lanes of traffic on highways dedicated explicitly to autonomous vehicles so that they can drive at much higher speeds than manually operated traffic. Oregon won't lead the way here, but wait until Texas or one of the Crazy States greenlights a speed limit differential, and self-driving vehicles have a speed limit of 90, 120, or 150 miles per hour. You might think "accidents would be terrible and deadly" but there will be fewer accidents in the autonomous lane than in manual lanes. At this point, it will be WAY faster to take an autonomous vehicle to your work.
Purchasing power of consumers will decrease while the cost of vehicles will increase (especially autonomous vehicles), making ownership of any vehicle less likely. Frankly, the great majority of people won't know how to drive and will never learn to - just like how young people today don't know how to use manual transmission. However, fleets of autonomous vehicles owned by companies like Tesla, Uber, and Lyft will benefit from scale and keep their autonomous bus fleets operating at low cost. This will lead to a trend where fewer and fewer people will own an automobile, and fewer people even bother learning how to drive or paying the enormous insurance cost.... while also depending upon automobiles more than we do today.
Eventually, in the distant future, manually driven vehicles will be prohibited in urban areas as some reckless relic from a bygone era.
Cities and public bodies don't have to be cut out of this system if they act responsibly. For example, cities could start a data brokering exchange where commuters provide their commuting data (i.e., pick-up point, destination, arrival time). The government uses either a privatized fleet or a publicly owned fleet of autonomous vehicles to move as many people as possible as often as possible. Sort of a publicly run car-pool list - or a hyper-responsive bus fleet that runs for the exact passengers going to exact locations. A big problem companies like Uber, Lyft, and Tesla will have is that they'll lack market saturation to optimize commuting routes - they'll be able to win unique rides, but the best way they can achieve the lowest cost service model is these super predictable and timely commuter riders. The more data points and riders, the more optimization they can achieve. These companies can look at the data for as many people as possible and bid for as many routes as possible - optimizing for convenience, time, energy usage, emissions, etc. The public will voluntarily participate if this is optimized to get the cheapest ride possible. If the government doesn't do this, the private sector will eventually.
As a parallel, no one today even considers how Metro runs garbage collection. No one cares. And if you didn't like Metro's trash service, if you needed a better service for unique needs, you go procure that on your own. Likewise, you wouldn't care about the quality of the commuting trip as long as it's up to some minimal standards of your class expectations, it's reliable, nearly as quick as driving your own vehicle, and it seems reasonably affordable.
If the public ran this data exchange, fees could subsidize lower-income riders. This is a theory on what a TriMet like system or mass transit system could look like in a primarily autonomous world where most people don't own their own or drive an automobile.
This system would be far from perfect, opening up all sorts of problems around mobility. However, it's hard to see how autonomous vehicles will not obliterate the value proposition of mass transit.

Another narrative on the same story.

As the working class moves to autonomous vehicles, transit agencies will collect fewer and fewer fares - prices and taxes will rise, creating a cycle of failure. As a result, some cities will make buses self-driving to cut costs. It could start with Tokyo, Shanghai, Oslo, et al. Again, it's unlikely that Portland or Oregon will be the first movers on this, but when cities start laying off hundreds of mass transit operators and cutting fares to practically nothing, there will be substantial public pressure to mimic locally. It will be inhumane, it will be illiberal, to make those impoverished bus-riding single mothers pay premiums. As most of the fleet becomes autonomous, responsive, and disconnected from labor costs, the next question arises: why do we still operate bus routes? Why big buses instead of smaller and nimble vehicles?
This alternative story/perspective leads to the same outcome: we figure out where people are going and when they need to get there - then dispatch the appropriate amount of vehicles to move that exact number of people as efficiently as possible.
But our local government getting its act together on all this is outside the world of possibility.
In a practical sense, we're going to see history repeat itself. Portland's mass transit history is about private and public entities over-extending themselves, getting too deep in debt on a flawed and outdated idea. As a result, the system collapses into consolidation or liquidation. Following this historical pattern, TriMet/Metro won't respond to changing conditions fast enough, and laughably stupid ideas like cranking up taxes or increasing ridership fares will continue to be the only option until the media finally acknowledges these groups are insolvent. I just hope we don't spend tens of billions of dollars propping up this zombie system before we can soberly realize that we made some mistakes and these vanity-laden projects 20 and 30 years ago need to die.
You see, the biggest flaw with TriMet isn't the design, it needs to be outpaced by technology, it's that the people making decisions at TriMet and Metro are going to make the politically expedient decisions, not the right decisions. They won't redesign, and they won't leverage technology for cost savings, so this charade will just get going along until the media simply declares they're insolvent.
Back to fares for a second - the media happily reprints TriMet's horseshit take about "The higher fares will bring in an estimated $4.9 million in annual revenue starting next year, the report says." Just sort of amazing to me there's no skepticism about this number - but most spectacular is no media considerations about alternative solutions. For example, I could tell TriMet how to save $9,548,091 next year - a useless program primarily utilized by white middle-class folks who own alternative methods of transport - and this would inconvenience way less transit-dependent people than raising fares. But, that's off the table - we're not even developing a decision matrix for when we kill the blackhole of money known as WES.

Since this sub was so helpful in planning, I wanted to share my itinerary and trip report! We had an incredible first time in Japan and I can't wait to go back.
Couldn't fit our (very detailed) itinerary in this post, but if you'd like to download it's here.
Medium article version with photos + itinerary is here.
And our shareable Google map is here.
About us:

• We’re New Yorkers in our 30s who have been planning this trip for about 6 months.
• My bf has been learning Japanese for about a year, and I’ve been learning for about 5 months (a mix of Pimsleur and Duolingo).
• Boyfriend is into history and baseball, I'm into skincare and nature, but we’re both big on food so that was our number one priority.
• He has a peanut allergy and avoids all nuts. He learned to say that in Japanese (私はピーナッツアレルギーがあります - "Watashi wa piinattsu arerugī ga arimasu”), and every restaurant and hotel was understanding and careful. Luckily most cuisine is nut-free anyway, but we managed not to have any close calls in 2 weeks which is amazing.

Some overall learnings:

• If I were planning this trip again, I think I would skip Kanazawa. It was a lovely town and the food was amazing, but we wished we had spent that time with a night or two in Osaka instead of just making it a day trip from Kyoto.
• Even if you’re not a baseball fan, Japanese baseball games are so much fun. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
• I packed a suitcase and brought a fold-up duffel bag, and halfway through the trip I moved my clothes to the duffel and just used the suitcase for souvenirs. It was a great idea but we ended up buying an extra suitcase at Donki our last day anyway.
• We both felt a bit underdressed compared to locals, especially in Tokyo. I wish I’d packed more dresses, skirts and trousers and fewer jeans and tees - the only people I saw wearing sweats, athletic wear or cutoffs were other tourists. Obviously you can wear what you want, just be aware you’ll stick out! Also, women are generally more covered up, even on warmer days, to protect their skin from the sun.
• If you go clothes shopping, take your shoes off in dressing rooms. I made a right fool of myself.
• Clothes sizing is wildly different in Japan. Know your cm measurements! Your size here may be hurtful to your ego.
• People line up to get on the train (check the ground for a guide of where to stand) and let everyone off before they get on. This seems obvious, but I’ve been living in New York so long that I wanted to weep tears of joy every time.
• If you’re new to sitting showers: there are two buttons. One is to fill up a bowl of water, and the other is to turn on the handheld shower head. Both automatically turn off a minute after you turn them on, but you can also turn them off manually. You sit on the little stool and there’s usually a mirror in front of you, which is… a humbling experience. There are usually also scrubbing washcloths.
• The worst train station toilet was still nicer than a goddamn Nordstrom bathroom. It was a pleasure to have IBS in Japan.
• At many European and American historical sites, you pay a hefty flat fee to see everything. In Japan, you can usually get into the temple grounds for free, then pay for each individual building you go into. Most were 400-700y/person, which felt really reasonable.
• We came at an almost perfect time (mid-May) weather-wise. Most days it was clear or sunny with a high in the mid-seventies. We definitely got some rain, but less than we were expecting (maybe 3-4 rainy days and 5-6 rainy nights).

Hotel Reviews:
Tokyu Stay Shinjuku Eastside (Tokyo): This was a great basic hotel, close to plenty of transportation and right on the edge of Kabukicho. The buffet breakfast was the highlight - a great mix of Western and Japanese breakfast options, including a great miso soup.Hakone Airu (Hakone): Mixed review here. On the one hand, the in-room onsen and public onsen were both wonderful, and the service was extraordinary. On the other hand, the mix of Balinese and Japanese didn’t quite work, and dinner and breakfast were more confusing than enjoyable.Hotel Alza (Kyoto): By far our favorite stay. I can’t recommend this place enough, and it was definitely worth paying a little extra. They brought us an amazing bento breakfast in our rooms every morning, they had every amenity we could need (they even re-upped the free sheet masks every day), and the micro-bubble bath at the end of a long day of walking was amazing.Koyasan Syukubo Ekoin Temple (Mt Koya): This was a great temple experience. Koyasan in general is obviously pretty tourist-y, but Eko-in still made it feel authentic, and dinner and breakfast were both amazing. Your stay includes a meditation class, morning prayers and a morning fire ritual, and you can pay to attend a cemetery tour, all of which were great.Utaimachi (Kanazawa): We were only here for two nights, but this place was pretty good. Very close to the Higashi Chaya area, where we didn’t actually end up spending much time. Always love tatami mat flooring, and the washedryer was a nice bonus, but we were also right next to the lobby and right under another room so there was some noise.The Gate Asakusa (Tokyo): A great and very Westernized hotel with amazing views of Shinso-ji and the surrounding area. It’s on the top floors of a building right in the middle of all things Asakusa, but is still pretty quiet. And has a wonderful, deep soaking tub with free bath salts.

Tuesday: Arrival, Shinjuku

1 PM: Arrival at Haneda
We got customs and immigration forms to fill out on the plane and everything went fairly quickly. Picked up some cash and Suica cards, went to see about taking the Airport Limousine bus ($10/each) but we should have booked in advance because there wasn’t one for another hour. We ended up taking a taxi (about $50) to our hotel in Shinjuku.
4 PM: Arrival at hotel - Tokyu Stay Shinjuku East Side
We dropped our luggage and went to a nearby eel restaurant, Shinjuku Unatetsu. The eel was incredible and not too filling. Wandered Kabuki-cho for a bit, I dragged my bf through all 4 floors of Don Quijote (I had a list of beauty items to pick up), then rested at the hotel.
7 PM: Dinner in Shinjuku (Tsunahachi)
We went to Tsunahachi for dinner and got some amazing tempura (I wish we had sat at the bar to watch it being made!) and then crashed by 9 pm, because we are young and cool.

Wednesday: Harajuku, Meiji, and Shibuya

7 AM: Hotel breakfast
Up early for hotel breakfast, which has convinced bf to start making miso soup every morning.
9 AM: Shinjuku Station - Pick up JR Passes
We went to Shinjuku station to pick up our JR passes, then spent 30 minutes finding the place where we could get them before 10 AM. There was a long line (staff shortage) so we waited about an hour but we got them and headed to Harajuku.
11 AM: Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park
We walked to Meiji Shrine, stopping at the gardens along the way (well worth the 500y entrance fee, especially on a beautiful day). We were lucky to come across a wedding at the shrine. Then we walked around Yoyogi Park a bit.
1 PM: Lunch (Gyoza Lou)
Walked into Gyoza Lou and were seated right away. Incredible gyoza as well as beer and bean sprouts with meat sauce - maybe 10 bucks total for 2 people.
1:30 PM: Shopping/museums in Harajuku
We split up so I could do some shopping in vintage stores - Flamingo, TAGTAG and Kinji (my favorite), and bf could go to the Ota Memorial Museum for their Cats in Ukiyo-e exhibit (which he loved). I walked down Takeshita street to meet him and managed to get a green tea, strawberry and red bean paste crepe from Marion Crepes.
3 PM: Shibuya Scramble & Hachinko Statue
We grabbed the train to Shibuya, saw the scramble and the Hachinko statue, then entered the maze that is Tokyu Hands. I got some onsen powders for gifts and some more cosmetics. My boyfriend checked out the Bic camera store and I went to Gu, which is like the love child of Uniqlo and Primark. I immediately undid all the “light packing” I did with new clothes.
7 PM: Dinner Reservation - Shinjuku Kappu Nakajima
I got us a reservation a few months ago at Shinjuku Kappu Nakajima. It was probably one of the best meals of my life. The omakase came out to less than $100usd each, which felt like a steal.
9 PM: Golden Gai bar (Bar Araku)
We wandered Golden Gai and went into a bar where the entrance fee was waived for foreigners called Bar Araku. It was very small but had great vibes, highly recommend. I drank too much sake, which will be a theme.

Thursday: Shinjuku

4 AM: Earthquake
The phone alerts are insanely loud! We rushed down to the hotel lobby and the only other people there were fellow foreigners - apparently Japanese people at the hotel knew a 5.1 is okay to sleep through.
9 AM: Shinjuku Gyoen
We strolled around in the sun taking photos for about 3 hours. Today is a lot less planned than yesterday - I kind of wish I’d switched the itineraries after how long getting the JR Pass took. We did go to the fancy Starbucks, of course.
12 PM: Lunch (Kaiten Sushi Numazuto)
We tried to go to a nearby sushi place but it was full, so we walked up to Kaiten Sushi Numazuto. We were a little disappointed it wasn’t actually conveyor belt sushi (the conveyor belt was for show and you ordered from the staff). Stopped in Bic camera afterwards for a bit.
2 PM: Ninja Trick House
We tried to go to the Samurai museum but learned it closed a few weeks ago. A good excuse to go to the Ninja Trick House instead. You’re thinking: “Isn’t that place for children?” Yes. Yes it is. And we loved every minute. I now have a camera roll full of myself being terrible at throwing stars. The dream.
3 PM: Don Quijote
More Don Quijote, mostly to get out of the rain. Got my last few beauty products I really wanted and a few souvenirs. An overstimulating heaven.
6 PM: 3-hour Shinjuku Foodie Tour
We signed up for a 3-hour “foodie tour” of Shinjuku that stopped at a sushi place, a Japanese bbq spot with insane wagyu beef, and a sake tasting spot. It was great, and we loved our guide, but wished it had stopped at a few more spots to try more things.
9 PM: Walk around Shinjuku
We attempted to play pachinko, got very confused and lost $7. Tourism!

Friday: Hakone

7 AM: Set up luggage forwarding to Kyoto with hotel
Luggage forwarding is brilliant. We did it twice and it went so smoothly, for about $10 USD per bag. Highly recommend.
9 AM: Transit to Hakone
We got to experience Japanese transit at rush hour. I can’t believe I have to go back to the MTA after this. We took the subway to Tokyo station and then the Shinkansen to Odawara, then a train to Hakone-Yumoto. The hotel was only a 20-minute walk away, so we decided to take a more scenic route - which turned out to be a forest hike straight up switchbacks most of the way.
11 AM: Lunch in Hakone (Hatsuhana)
We stopped in a soba place called Hatsuhana with a system of writing your name down and waiting outside to be called in. They skipped our names because they weren’t in Japanese, but let us in when they realized their mistake. The soba was made and served by old aunties so of course it was insanely good and well worth it.
1 PM: Hakone Open Air Museum
We took the train down to the Hakone Open Air Museum, which lived up to the hype. I’m not normally into sculpture, but seeing it in nature, and the way the museum is laid out, made it incredible. And obviously the Picasso exhibit was amazing.
3 PM: Owakudani, Pirate Ship, Hakone Checkpoint
We took the train to the cable car to Owakudani, then the ropeway to Togendai, then the pirate ship ferry to Motohakone. We were running behind so unfortunately had to rush through the Hakone Checkpoint, which was empty but very cool.
6 PM: Dinner at hotel
Back to our hotel for our kaiseki meal. The staff spoke very little English and Google struggled with the menu, so we had no idea what we were eating half the time, but overall it was pretty good.
9 PM: Onsen time
Experienced my first public onsen, followed by the private onsen in our room. The tatami sleep did wonders for my back.

Saturday: Travel to Kyoto, Philosopher’s Path, Gion

8 AM: Breakfast, travel to Kyoto
Took the train to Odawara and then the Shinkansen to Kyoto station. We booked all of our Shinkansen seats about a week in advance but you can also book them on the day, I believe.
1 PM: Lunch in Gion
Our Kyoto hotel let us check in early, and then we went looking for lunch. Quickly learned that most every place in the Gion area has a line outside and closes at 2! We eventually found a tiny spot with insanely good ramen. It also had chicken sashimi on the menu but we weren’t brave enough.
2 PM: Philosopher’s Path, Ginkaku-ji
We took a bus over to the Philosopher’s Path, which was not busy at all because of the rain. It was pretty, and I could see how great it would look in cherry blossom season. We had to kind of rush to Ginkaku-ji, which was gorgeous nonetheless.
4 PM: Honen-in, Nanzen-ji
Stopped by Honen-in (which we had completely to ourselves, thanks rain!) and then Nanzen-ji. My bf is a big history guy and he went feral for the Hojo rock garden. It was very pretty and I’d love to see it in better weather.
6 PM: Food Tour of Gion & Pontocho
This food tour stopped at two places (an izakaya and a standing bar) with a walking tour of Gion and Pontocho in between. We also stopped at Yasaka shrine and caught a rehearsal of a traditional Japanese performance.
10 PM: Pain
My feet hurt so bad. Bring waterproof shoes, but make sure they don’t have 5 year old insoles. I tried some stick-on cooling acupuncture foot pads I picked up at Donki and they were bliss.

Sunday: Arashiyama, The Golden Pavilion and Tea Ceremony

8 AM: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
The forecast was for heavy rain all day, but we lucked out and only got a few drizzles here and there. We headed to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in the morning and it wasn’t too crowded. We did have an amazing bamboo dish at dinner last night so now bamboo makes me hungry.
10 AM: Tenryu-ji, Iwatayama Monkey Park
Headed over to Tenryu-ji, which was very nice but very crowded, and then to one of the things I looked forward to most on the trip, the Iwatayama Monkey Park. It’s a 20 minute hike up there but it is worth it. Oh my god. Getting to feed a baby monkey made my whole week.
12 PM: Lunch near Arashiyama (Udon Arashiyama-tei)
Headed back down to the main road and got duck udon at a little place called Udon Arashiyama-tei. I know I keep calling everything incredible but… yes.
1 PM: Ginkaku-ji
Ran into some bus issues (the first time we experienced anything public transit-wise not running as expected!) but eventually got over to Ginkaku-ji. It was also very crowded (seems like Japanese schools are big on field trips, which I’m jealous of) and not my favorite temple, but beautiful nonetheless.
3 PM: Daitoku-ji
We were ahead of schedule so we got to spend some time at our meeting place for the tea ceremony, Daitoku-ji. It ended up being our favorite temple, especially Daisen-in, a small and very quiet spot with a great self-guided tour. The monks showed us a section normally closed to non-Japanese tourists with beautiful calligraphy.
4 PM: Tea Ceremony (90 mins)
The tea ceremony we booked said it was in groups of up to ten, but it ended up being just us. It was very nice and relaxing, plus we got a little meal.
6 PM: Dinner (Gion Kappa), Pontocho Alley
We both nearly fell asleep on the bus back so we took it easy for the night. Went to an izakaya called Gion Kappa which had the best tuna belly we’d ever eaten, then did a quick walk around Pontocho Alley, got treats at 7-11 and went to bed early.

Monday: Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market, Kyoto Imperial Palace (kinda)

9 AM: Fushimi Inari
Our plans to get up super early to beat the crowds to Fushimi Imari were hampered by the fact that we are no longer in our 20s. It was packed by the time we got there, and the amount of littering and defacing done by tourists was a bummer.
11 AM: Tofuku-ji
We had planned to go to the Imperial Palace at 10:30 for the Aoi Parade, but decided instead to get away from crowds by hiking from Fushimi Inari to Tofuku-ji, which was beautiful (I’d love to see it in the fall).
12 PM: Nishiki Market, lunch (Gyukatsu)
Grabbed lunch first at Gyukatsu (wagyu katsu - delicious) then wandered Nishiki a bit. It’s touristy, but fun.
2 PM: Kyoto Gyoen, Kyoto Handicraft Center
It was supposed to rain all day but ended up sunny, so we went back to the hotel to drop off our rain jackets and umbrellas. Stepped back outside and within ten minutes it was raining. We went to Kyoto Gyoen and saw the outside of the imperial palace; it was closed because of the parade earlier and half the garden was blocked off because the former emperor was visiting. Without the palace, Kyoto Gyoen is kind of meh. We walked over to Kyoto Handicraft Center which was also meh, but we picked up some nice lacquerware.
7:30 PM: Dinner at Roan Kiku Noi
We had a reservation at Roan Kiku Noi where we had maybe the best meal of our lives. Amazing that it only has two Michelin stars, honestly. Had fun trying to decipher the pain meds aisle at a Japanese pharmacy afterwards and then called it a night.

Tuesday: Day Trip to Nara

8 AM: Travel to Nara
We took the subway to the JR and were there in about an hour.
9 AM: Nara Deer Park
Two things about the Nara deer. One: if you bow to them, they bow back, and it’s very cute. And two, if you buy the 200y rice crackers to feed to them, do it somewhere where there aren’t very many of them. I got mobbed by like 15 deer and bitten 3 times. My fault for having skin approximately the shade of a rice cracker.
10 AM: Kofuku-ji, Nara National Museum
We saw Kofuku-ji and then the Nara National Museum, then stopped at a random little cafe for rice bowls with some kind of regional sauce (I can’t find it now!).
12 PM: Isetan Garden
We spent a long time finding the entrance to the Isetan garden only for it to be closed on Tuesdays.
2 PM: Giant Buddha
Saw Nandaimon Gate and the Daibutsu (giant Buddha), which are both every bit as enormous and glorious as advertised, as well as very crowded.
3 PM: Kasuga-taisha Shrine
Wandered over to Kasuga-taisha shrine, which is famous for its hundreds of lanterns and thousand-year-old trees. There’s a special inner area (paid) where you can see the lanterns lit up in the dark.
4 PM: Wait for the emperor
We got held up by a procession for, guess who, the former emperor again. Stalker.
5 PM: Nara shopping and snacks
Walked around Higashimuki Shopping Street and Mochiidono Shopping Arcade, bought a nice sake set and an amazing little hand-painted cat, ate some red bean paste pancakes and headed back to Kyoto.
7 PM: Dinner in Kyoto
Walked around Pontocho searching for dinner and landed on Yoshina, where we got even more kaiseki. Finished the night at Hello Dolly, a gorgeous jazz bar overlooking the river.

Wednesday: Day Trip to Osaka

7 AM: Depart hotel
Started by taking the subway to the JR. Took us about an hour altogether, though it would have been faster if we’d caught the express.
9 AM: Osaka Castle
We got to Osaka Castle in time for it to hit 85 degrees out. The outside of the castle is gorgeous, but the line to get in was long and I don’t know if the museum parts were worth the wait, especially with the crowds. The view from the top is nice, though.
12 PM: Okonomiyaki lunch (Abeton)
We went to an okonomiyaki spot in Avetica station called Abeton that was full of locals and absolutely bomb as hell.
1 PM: Shitteno-ji, Keitakuen Gardens
We headed to Shitteno-ji (our oldest temple yet) which was nice, though the climb to the top of then 5 story pagoda wasn’t worth the sweat. Then we walked over to Keitakuen Gardens, a small but gorgeous garden in Tennoji Park. Had a nice sit in the shade to digest and plan our next moves.
3 PM: Ebisuhigasbi, Mega Don Quijote
I am a crazy person, so I had to go to the Mega Don Quijote. We walked around Ebisuhigasbi for a while first, and while I was buying gifts in Donki, my boyfriend entered a sushi challenge for westerners (which turned out to just be “can a white boy handle wasabi”) and won a bunch of random crap! Now we own Japanese furniture wipes.
5 PM: Dotonbori & America-mura
We took the Osaka Loop to the Dotonbori area, which was super crowded as expected. We walked around America-mura and enjoyed seeing what they think of us. There are great designer vintage clothing shops here if that’s your thing.
6 PM: Dinner (Jiyuken)
We tried to get into Koni Doraku, a crab restaurant, but they were booked up, so we went to a tiny spot called Jiyuken for curry instead. I would do things for this curry. It was the platonic ideal of curry. It was served by old Japanese aunties from a very old recipe, so we knew it was going to be good, but it exceeded our wildest expectations… for <1000y each.
7 PM: Return to Kyoto
My feet were feeling real bad (the Nikes may look cool but they cannot support 25k steps a day) so we headed back to Kyoto and packed for our early morning tomorrow.

Thursday: Travel to Koyasan, Temple Stay

8 AM: Bus from Kyoto to Koyasan
The transit from Kyoto to Mt Koya is complicated, so we ended up just booking a bus directly from Kyoto Station to Koyasan (which barely cost more than public transit!). We got there bright and early for the 3 hour trip - if you take a bus out of Kyoto Station I definitely recommend giving yourself extra time to navigate to the right bus.
11 AM: Arrive at Eko-in, lunch
We arrived in Mt Koya and checked in to our temple, Eko-in. The quiet and the beauty hit me hard and I fell asleep for a few hours. We got a nice lunch at Hanabishi in town.
4 PM: Meditation class, dinner
The temple offered a meditation class, which was lovely, followed by a vegan dinner in our rooms. I can’t explain how peaceful this place was.
7 PM: Okuno-in Cemetery
We signed up for a monk-led tour of Okuno-in, which was definitely worth it. Came back for some public baths and fell asleep to the sound of rainfall.

Friday: Travel to Kanazawa, Higashi Chaya District

7 AM: Service & ritual at Eko-in
The day started with a religious service and a fire ritual at the temple. Both were stunning. I did wish that my fellow tourists had been a bit more respectful by showing up on time and following directions, but luckily, no one has more patience than a Buddhist monk.
9 AM: Travel to Kanazawa
We took a taxi through some sketchy mountain roads to Gokurakubashi Station, took two trains to Osaka Station, and then the JR Thunderbird to Kanazawa.
1 PM: Arrive at Kanazawa, Lunch (Maimon)
We got into Kanazawa station and went straight for a sushi spot called Maimon, which was delicious. Struggled a bit with the bus system and eventually got to our hotel, Utaimachi.
4 PM: Higashi Chaya District
Wandered the Higashi Chaya district a bit. It seemed kind of dead, but maybe we are just used to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo/Kyoto.
7 PM: Korinbo, dinner (Uguisu)
Walked down to the Korinbo area southwest of the park and found a tiny ramen spot called Uguisu. Incredible. Some of the best broth I’ve ever tasted plus amazing sous vide meats.
9 PM: Bar in Korinbo (Kohaku)
Went to a little upstairs whiskey bar called Kohaku. Boyfriend got Japanese whiskey and they made me a custom cocktail with sake, pineapple and passion fruit that was just insane. They were very nice and talked baseball with us for a while.

Saturday: Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Museum

9 AM: Kenroku-en Garden
We walked over to Kenroku-en Gardens, which were as beautiful as advertised. I was hurting pretty bad (crampy ladies, just know Japanese OTC painkillers are much weaker than ours, BYO Advil) so we’re moving slowly today.
12 PM: Omicho Market, lunch (Iki-Iki Sushi)
Walked to Omicho Market and ate little bits from different stalls, then waited about an hour to get into Iki-Iki Sushi. It was worth it. Some of the best, freshest sushi of my life.
2 PM: Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
We walked around Kanazawa Castle a bit, then walked over to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. It was packed and the line to get tickets to the special exhibits was crazy, so we looked at the free ones and then headed back. Along the way we stopped in a few little stores and bought some handcrafted lacquerware from a local artist.
6 PM: Onnagawa Festival, dinner (Huni)
As we walked towards the restaurant, we came upon the Onnagawa Festival on the Plum Bridge, which included a beautiful dancing ceremony and lantern lighting. We went to Huni for dinner, our first “westernized Japanese” restaurant, and it was fantastic. 9 dishes served slowly over 3 hours at a table overlooking the river. Highly recommend if you’re in Kanazawa.
10 PM: Why does the bathtub have a phone
We went back to our hotel, struggled with the automated bathtub, and enjoyed our last night on tatami floors.

Sunday: Travel to Tokyo, Tokyo Giants Game, Ueno Park

7 AM: Travel to Tokyo
Grabbed a taxi we arranged the night before to Kanazawa Station - it would have been an easy bus journey but our number of bags has increased - and boarded the Shinkansen for Tokyo.
12 PM: Travel to Tokyo Dome and Tokyo Dome Park
Dropped our bags at our hotel in Asakusa, then headed for Tokyo Dome. We got there a little early to look around - there’s basically a full mall and food court and amusement park there. We grabbed some beers and some chicken katsu curry that was delicious.
2 PM: Tokyo Giants vs Chunichi Dragons
Japanese baseball games are so. much. fun. This was a random mid season game, and the stadium was full and people were amped. I’ve been to many American baseball games and never seen fans this excited. We also scored some fried cheese-wrapped hot dogs on a stick and a few more beers and had the time of our lives cheering for the Giants.
5 PM: Ueno Park
After trying and failing to find the jersey we were looking for, we walked to Ueno Park and looked around a bit. It was lovely, but we were exhausted and full of too many beers, so we headed back to Asakusa.
7 PM: Dinner in Asakusa
There was a festival all day around Shinso-ji and there were a ton of street vendors and day-drunk people when we arrived in the afternoon (as a native Louisianan, I approve) and it seemed like the partiers were going on into the night. We ducked into a restaurant for some buckwheat soba (never got the name, but it was only okay) and tucked in early.

Monday: Tsukiji Food Tour, Kapabashi Dougu, Akihabara

8 AM: 3-hour Tsukiji Food Tour + lunch
We started the day with a Tsukiji food tour, which ended up being my favorite food tour of the 3 by far. The guide was great, and we stopped by a dozen food stalls and sampled everything from mochi to fresh tuna to octopus cakes. We finished with lunch at Sushi Katsura, where our chef prepared everything in front of us.
12 PM: Imperial Palace, Don Quijote
We were planning to spend the afternoon exploring the Imperial Palace and Edo Castle Ruins, but it was hot and the palace was closed, so we walked to Taira no Masakado's Grave, then headed back to Asakusa for, you guessed it, Don Quijote. I did not intend for this trip to be “guess how many Don Quijotes I can visit” but here we are. We bought another suitcase and I filled it with food and gifts to bring home.
3 PM: Kappabashi Dougu
We walked Kappabashi Dougu and browsed kitchenwares while wishing we had a bigger kitchen, an unlimited budget and a way to get a hundred pounds of porcelain home in one piece.
6 PM: Akihabara dinner + games + drinks
We took the train to Akihabara, got dinner at Tsukada Nojo, then played games in a few arcades and ended the night at Game Bar A-button, which lets you play vintage handheld games while you drink.

Tuesday: Senso-ji, Flight

9 AM: Breakfast, Senso-ji
We got breakfast pancakes at Kohikan, then walked around Senso-ji and the surrounding shopping streets for a while.
12 PM: McDonald’s
Look, I couldn’t leave Japan without doing it, okay? I got the Teriyaki Chicken Burger (too sloppy and sweet) and bf got the Ebi Filet-O (he said it tasted exactly like a Filet-O-Fish). It was not great but I deserve that!
3 PM: Cab to the airport
I caught the flu on the flight home and have now been in bed for a week! Welcome back to America, baby.

Anyone else infuriated that NJ transit buses don't seem to coordinate with PATH train schedules? I frequently take the PATH train from Manhattan to Hoboken and find that almost always, by the time I've arrived t Hoboken and gone up to the bus terminal, the last bus left within the last couple minutes and the next one doesn't arrive for quite awhile afterwards. Just curious why this is.

It was announced this evening that the MTA and TWU Local 100, a labor union representing 41,000 workers including train and bus operators, have reached a tentative labor agreement for a 3-year contract, to be ratified by union members.
MTA Press Release:

The MTA and TWU Local 100 have reached a tentative labor agreement. The union is now commencing their ratification process with membership, and during this time, the MTA will not comment on the tentative agreement until the union’s process has concluded. We are grateful for the leadership of Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate and Assembly for passing a budget that secures mass transit, and we acknowledge the hard work and dedication of both negotiating sides to reach this point.

TWU Statement:

MAY 31 -- Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your support and solidarity as we battled the MTA during an extremely difficult series of contract negotiations. With your help, I’m pleased to report that we prevailed.
--We secured a tentative contract with solid annual raises of 9.8% compounded over three years – and $4,000 in Essential Worker Cash Bonus payments – that are substantially better than the city pattern.
--We held the line on healthcare costs, defeated efforts to cut subway staffing, and won an unprecedented expansion of maternity and paternity leave for members having children.
--We made sure that medical coverage will be provided to the families of our brothers and sisters who died after contracting COVID-19.
And we enhanced medical coverage for retirees. In the great tradition of trade unionism, we are taking care of our members as well as the old, the young, and the sick.
These victories, and others you will see in this package, were not easily obtained. The MTA took a hardline stance, not wanting to give an inch of ground on wages or benefits. In fact, the MTA wanted us to pay for our own raises and contract improvements through significant concessions and givebacks, including doubling our paycheck deductions for healthcare from 2% to 4%, and expanding OPTO with the removal of Conductors from trains. Those demands were defeated.

The union highlights notes a 9.8% compounded pay raise over three years, a $4,000 essential worker cash bonus, 12 weeks of paid maternity leave and 4 weeks of paid paternity leave over the previous 2 weeks, and improved medical benefits.
News articles:
NY1
Daily News

*lightning sfx* You should check out u/Acceptable_Egg5560, NOW! (Seriously, thanks again for doing this with me, you're the best.)
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Memory transcript: Vekna, Venlil Citizen. Date: [Standardized human time] September 19th, 2136
Herd, I forgot how much I hate paperwork.
When we had pinpointed where Unzekep was a couple paws ago, I was eager to get on her trail. Unfortunately, reality just had to get in the way of those ambitions…which is where I find myself now. First was all the speh we had to submit to the Health and Safety Department regarding our “inquiries” into the construction site to find Tagelb. A noble action, no denying that, but it brought up questions about our presence on the site. “Why were we there? Were we associated with a third-party firm? What was the quality of evidence produced for the claim?” Stuff like that, constantly, for almost an entire Paw.
We came clean, sort of. We at least disclosed about us being journalists. My evidence showing money changing paws between that foreman and the previous safety inspector came in handy in our explanation of us looking into corruption. As an additional surprise, many of the workers of the facility came forward with older stories of regulation skirting and site mismanagement. Tagelb even chipped in, providing another perspective of what we witnessed whilst in there. Safe to say, that foreman isn’t going to be in charge of much any time soon.
But did we really need to fill out all of those affidavits??
The second problem was that, due to us revealing that we were journalists, we wouldn’t be able to simply walk up to Unzekep while she was on the job. We had to get a “press permit” that would allow us to walk in the tunnels, which meant more paperwork signing that we agreed to the risk and knew the safety standards and procedures we had to follow while underground. They even made us take a test for that!
Today, though, marked the end of our tedious paperwork and safety waivers. We were finally cleared to go into the system, and the district had promised silence on the matter. Part of me thinks that their willingness to accommodate us is due to not having to pay us like their other safety inspectors. Oh well, at least it’s a way in that doesn’t require cartoonish cover stories. I slide on my satchel and exit my room, waiting for the elevator to arrive at the correct floor so I can board.
After a short wait, I’m granted access, and yet another short wait later, I arrive at the foyer. First-meal would normally be first on the schedule, but today was special. In order to avoid detection by any unwanted eyes, we were due to leave first thing in the Paw, when almost no-one else would be out. After a brief scan of the lobby, I spot Sharnet sitting on a chair with a duffel bag on the ground next to it. I trot over to her, motioning to get her attention.
“Good Paw, Sharnet! You sleep well after all that paperwork?”
Sharnet shuts her holonote off and stows it away in her pack. “Yes, somewhat. I do wish that they would’ve just looked the other way completely, now we’re on their records. If someone’s watching, we’re a dead give-away.”
I sway my ears negatively. “I don’t think they’ll be looking deep in government registries. That would require access, and if they were in the government, chances are they’d have noticed long ago and already fled. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been much movement on the private nor the public transit systems, and none of the Harchen. Trust me, I had the same thought.” I pull out my pad, the tab for the transit logs still logged in with the temporary credentials the district has given us. “Check for yourself.”
Sharnet looks over the information rather inquisitively. “Now that’s interesting.”
I cock my head. “What is?”
“I looked up Unzekep’s home address,” she explains, “and it’s in an apartment building on the edge of town. She doesn’t have a vehicle, so by all rights she should be traveling on public transit. But this shows none of the Harchen have done so. The fact that she isn’t…”
Her sentence falls away as her ears twitch in thought. Now that she’s said it aloud, I realize how strange that is. “That…is odd, actually. You’d think that she would be using the public transit system to get to and from work each Paw.”
Sharnet’s tail swishes against the ground. “Do you remember what Tagleb said about her? He said that she spent a lot of time in the tunnels. Do you think… well, no, there’s a couple possibilities. But…”
As she’s making an appeal to rationality, I realize what she’s implying. “That she’s living in the tunnels. That’s what you were going to say, right?”
She sways her tail in the affirmative. “I don’t want to cast judgment yet. But…if she’s one of the overseers, those tunnels are well out of sight. People could probably survive a raid by hiding in there. Of course, if she isn’t a head, staying in those tunnels might not be her choice.”
I look at Sharnet skeptically. “Not her choice? What reason could someone possibly have to stay down there that isn’t their choice?”
“Well, that safety inspector that the foreman bribed likely didn’t inspect only one site.” Her claws clench against her wool. “In my previous job, there was a time when there was only one person on staff who knew how to maintain and repair the office electronics. The company has them stay on overtime. If she is in a similar situation in the tunnels…”
That’s not a good image to have in my mind. Being one of the only ones repairing equipment and materials that would have otherwise been flagged as a safety danger… My arms and legs are exhausted by just imagining what might be needed. “Oh, Herd, that’d be bad. I’m not certain that’s the case, though, as the District let us have our way with seeing her. They wouldn't do that if they had something to hide.”
Sharnet raises a finger. “If they’re smart.”
I can’t help but give a low whistle to myself at that. “If they’re smart, yeah. Ready to go see how dumb they are?”
Her tail wags in amusement as she rises from her seat. “We can grab a couple to-go salads from the meal bar and head right out, if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure, might as well if we’re going to be spending all day in the sewers.” I follow Sharnet over to the salad bar, and we order some bog-standard salads to go. Nothing fancy, we are on the clock after all. Once we receive our food, Sharnet heads back to grab that duffel bag and we head out, the light of our star bearing down on us as we exit the building.
It isn’t long before a bus comes to pick us up, the driver seemingly surprised to see someone waiting for him at this claw. We board and take our seats, eating our salads as we’re ferried to our next destination. Thankfully, only a single other person is on the bus right now, and they’re too busy with something on their pad to notice us. A public space with no noise, perfect.
As I eat, my mind wanders back to Tagelb. I had meant to go back and see him again last Paw, but paperwork had obviously gotten in the way of that. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m intrigued by the Yotuls’ archaic technology. Steam engines, massive train systems, even rudimentary hydrocarbon combustion engines! I wanted to learn more, but I knew Sharnet was only tolerating that in search of our guy. I knew I had to go back to hiding eventually.
The worst part was how I had to hide myself from Tagelb, even if it was less than normal. I heard his views on Predator Disease, and I knew that if I slipped it, that was it. I’d lose yet another friend because I couldn’t keep my Herd-damned mouth shut. I’m determined to keep doing what I’m doing, even if it means hiding myself forever. From Tagelb, from Sharnet, from everybody. Ignorance is bliss, and if nobody knows I’m a monster, it’s a little easier to pretend I’m not for myself.
I’m shaken from my internal lamentations by a paw lightly shaking my shoulder. I glance over at the culprit, finding Sharnet’s gaze. “Are you okay? You went a little wall-eyed while you were eating your salad.”
I look down at my bowl, only to find it empty. I quickly reseal it and feign my innocence yet again. “Hm? Oh, yeah, just thinking about how we’re going to do this. Not an easy task, after all.”
She pulls up the duffel bag she’s been carrying into her lap and zips it open. “Thankfully, these should make it a bit easier.”
Inside are a pair of construction pelts. Visibility vests, gloves, foot coverings, and two helmets. Those… brahking uncomfortable helmets. “Do we really have to wear those?”
I know it’s a dumb question. I read the same procedures as she did. This equipment is a basic requirement for us to go into the tunnels. No matter how much it rubbed up against my ears.
“Yes, I’m sure. We read the same waiver, we signed on the same lines. I’m not a fan either, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices.” She pulls out one of the pelts and hands it to me, retrieving the other for herself. I groan internally at the mere thought of having to wear another helmet. She gives her ears a comforting flick. “These are brand new, so the padding won’t be as worn down as the last helmets were. I don’t know if it will stop the bother, but at the very least it shouldn’t be as bad.”
Small comforts. “I hope so, yeah.” As I look over the helmet, the bus stops and opens its door to our destination. “Industrial center! Next stop, the Intraplanetary Transit Hub!” We stand from our seats and make it off the bus, which unceremoniously closes its doors and leaves us stranded in the dead center of the industrial heart of Sidestar.
The town is centered around maintaining the power plants that comprise the central economy of the District. As a city well within the twilight, power meant life. It allowed the growing houses to keep the local edible vegetation harvest alive, light up the iron ore mining operations in the mountains, and the steam tunnels flowing with heat to fight back against the cold winds from the night side flowing down from the mountains. Those steam and drain tunnels are where a large number of people work. Having to expand and repair sections as their city grows. And Unzekep is currently working on replacing outdated units. Somewhere in there…
I’m pulled from my analysis of the area by Sharnet, who has since applied her pelt. “Come on, put on your uniform so we can get down to where we need to be.” I heed her words and quickly apply my clothing before following Sharnet through the complicated system of tubes and ducts that comprises the ground-level of one of the for-profit geothermal reactors.
Thank the Herd for the 3d map the District had given us access to. According to the schedule, Unzekep should be in the coolwater pump room, replacing the turbines in one of the pumps. Unfortunately, that’s all the way in the basement of the building, accessible to the steam tunnels leading under the rest of the town.
Steam heating the town. And the Feds call the Yotul primitive for using the same principles. I shake the annoyance from my mind as we descend down ladder after ladder, walking across steel catwalks over huge drops for the snowmelt that would occur after the night finished. I can see what all those waivers were about now.
From my map, we should be coming up to the pump room soon. It’s next to this… cargo… elevator… Oh for the Herd’s sake!
Sharnet huffs, panting from the humidity and heat of the underground caverns. “What puddle of Speh left that out of the official map? We could’ve been here a quarter-claw earlier!”
“Beats me, but at least we’re here,” I manage to say, leaning against the wall as it feels like I’m trying to breathe through syrup. “S-Sorry, just need to take a breather for a second. The humidity down here is really messing with me.”
“I understand,” she holds out her tail for a comfort touch, “if you think you’re about to have an attack, don’t hesitate to let me know. Your health is important.”
“Thanks,” I huff. After a few moments of slow breathing, the air managed to become a little more breathable. “Alright, I think I’m good. Are you ready to meet our next in line for Spehlicker of the Hectorotation?”
“If we’re lucky,” she replies before sliding open the doors. Four massive pumps dominate the room. They stand as long and tall as the bus we rode in on. It’s truly impressive to see the power of the planet itself being harnessed through the mechanics of these machines. But… I’m unsure about the noise. It isn’t too loud, Sharnet and I would be able to raise our voices over them without going into full on shouting, but it was a constant high volume I haven’t been around before. It feels…grating.
Thankfully, it’s obvious that we're in the correct room. One of the pumps has a series of curved pieces of metal with a pile of bolts and… a stack of impellers, if I’m remembering the word correctly, laying on the ground. Tools and spares are scattered around the area, a mug of some sort of beverage is on a nearby ledge, wisps of steam still coming from its surface. Wait…wisps of steam…
I place a paw against Sharnet’s chest, to her confusion, as I scan the room for anything out…of…the… There. In the corner, a few splotches of green on an otherwise gray surface. Imperfect camouflage, just like Tagelb had said. As I focus, I can make out an outline of a trembling person, moving in tandem with the spots. She must have heard us approach. I gesture to Sharnet in the direction and she flicks her ears affirmatively.
“You must be very skilled,” she says, staring at the splotches with an eye, “your camouflage is practically seamless.”
As I watch, the splotches increase in their trembling. A voice floats out under the hum of the pumps, barely heard by my ears. “No, no, go away, leave, this is safe, no, please leave, don’t hurt me, no.”
“We are here about Dawn Creek,” I say, “We-
The Harchen shrieks.
The gray walls reveal the colors of a Harchen in distress as she falls to the ground in sobs. It’s difficult to see anything about her, as she curls herself up and pleads. “P-Please! No! I don’t w-want to go back! Don’t m-make me go back!”
Both Sharnet and I had lightly backed away at her shriek, but now we both approached her. Her scale shifts seem almost sluggish, but they do indeed shift. It’s only once I get a better look at her face do I realize what Tagelb was talking about.
Her facial features are slightly flatter, looking almost compressed compared to that of the other two Harchens we’ve run into here. Her forehead is a bit larger than normal, and her neck is slightly shorter. In fact, she herself is shorter than average, if only by a little. Near her temples, four splotches of unchanging green remain constant despite the rest of her shifting form, each an imperfect circle of dull green.
She just keeps sobbing and pleading incoherently as we approach, not even attempting to run. It was like… it’s like she’s given up. This can’t be it, can it? I expected pathetic, but this? This is just sad to watch. But as I do indeed watch, something comes to me. This isn’t fear of getting caught, this is fear of going back.
I remember what I learned about the treatments they used, the drugs they administered, and what Sharnet had said to Tagelb. People with no disease at all. It all clicks together in an instant. This isn’t one of the heads of the Dawn Creek facility.
No.
This is an escapee.
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What if your schedule is 4PM to 1AM. My problem is, how to get home or renting is necessary?
I live in Bulacan btw and my office is at Vertis, so near Trinoma lang.
Expenses breakdown
If commuting: 256 a day includes P2P and tric "Additional prob. is may last trip ang bus so 1am wala na yata akong masasakyan that time or may mga Baliwag Transit?"
Private car: 3,000k gas + idk how much toll - good for 15 days cut off ng sahod
Pa help naman sa mga budgetarian dyan. 😭 Hahahaha

Hi all! So this summer I will need to commute from lower Manhatten to Englewood NJ, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on getting there in the mornings and getting back? Right now, my map is telling me to take the subway up to 175th St and then switch over to the George Washington Bridge bus terminal, would it be weird to try out the commute one morning this week? Or if someone could give me some information on how the NJ transit bus stops work cause I couldn't find my stop on the NJ transit app. Thanks!

Because I learned so much from reading other itinerary/trip reports here, I wanted to share our experience.
Beforehand: AT&T – signed up for international day pass which meant $10/day for first person on the plan and $5/day for the others, for the first 10 days of each month or maybe billing cycle. Worked well and allowed us to split up when needed. Bought Tokyo Metro Pass (about $11/day, well worth it for us for 3 days) and JR pass on line from Klook prior to trip in time for them to mail the JR pass voucher to my home. We also bought a limousine airport bus ticket ahead of time from Klook but see below. Picked up Tokyo Metro Pass by showing QR code to the machine at metro station (instant and easy) and went to Shinjuku JR station to pick up JR passes (show passports, ok to pick up passes days before you want them activated) in person and make seat reservations for the long shinkansen trips and for the Tobu Nikko trip (paid the extra fee to Tobu staff when we arrived in Nikko). It was helpful to have determined exactly which train we wanted seat reservations for (train number, time, and date) beforehand. Ask for Mt. Fuji side if going Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto. JapanTravel app is great for checking train times. Do give yourself enough time to transfer – the app will give you 10 minutes, say, to transfer from metro to JR trains and given the size of the stations and having to swipe in and out of the stations, and being confused about where to go, you probably need more time. If you have an iPhone, add virtual Suica card to your wallet. Was incredibly easy to use and saved us from having to top up at kiosks or buy tickets. Used it to grab drinks from machines, at 7-11, etc. But, it was a little tricky to set up for some of us – you may have to try Amex or Mastercard if Visa doesn’t work. Once, it didn’t work the first day but worked the second day when we tried again, so definitely do this at least a few days prior to the trip. Get some cash and plan to stop at ATMs (we used 7-11) often because cash is king there. We did not make any reservations so that we could be flexible with our plans. All the food was excellent and we rarely waited long (we would just look for another place if a line was long). Of course, do the visit Japan web website at least 3 days prior to the trip and get your QR codes for customs and immigration. Screenshot these as well. If you can keep yourself to a carry on size bag, it will make finding lockers and taking the shinkansen much easier. Break in those shoes. We walked 11-12 miles every day.
Tokyo for <= 3 days. We stayed in Shinjuku and tried to cluster our activities when we could: Northeast: Kappabashi street to check out the beautiful knives and kitchenware, and buy some lovely chopsticks Asakusa Shrine: beautiful but we did not go in because we were there for the Sanja Matsuri festival; crowded but a lot of fun watching the golden shrines bounced up and down the street, and we still got to sample foods from the food stalls. Thought about returning for evening, but never made it there. Akihabara: this was on my if-we-have-extra-time list; so glad we made it because it was a real highlight. Playing retro arcade games (Super Potato Retro shop), watching the real pros compete in the huge multistory gaming center buildings; walked over the Owl Café but should have made reservations a week before if we had wanted to go. Went to a bonsai market garden center in Ueno which was kind of interesting. Ochanomizu Gakkitengai for guitars and other musical instruments. Didn’t do SkyTree, did go to Ameyoko market which I thought was just ok. East: Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple: Goma Ritual, drumming, prayers, fire; service lasts about 30 minutes. Take a look around the temple’s other rooms also. Multiple times daily. Hat Coffee: we did not go but I’d have loved to see the 3D lattes Southeast: Tsukiji outer market (we had a Klook voucher for limousine bus tickets to take us right to the hotel to drop off our bags, but we got through immigration quickly and waited around until 6 am when the ticket counter was supposed to open, but it didn’t open and the info desk told us it wouldn’t open for another hour, plus first bus wasn’t until 7:30 am– so rather than waiting around the airport for hours, we ended up going straight to the market on the monorail and the metro using our Suica card, getting there at 6:20 am). It might sound early, but we had such a wonderful visit to the market at 6:20 am, dropping our bags in a locker at the metro (some take coins but we found ones that took our Suica (virtual Suica was in our Apple wallet); there are also lockers at Plat Tsukiji). Enjoyed the market and excellent coffee at Yonemoto, then lined up at 8:30 for wonderful meal at Tsukiji Koromo Sushi. Fantastic experience being able to look closely at everything at the market and make our purchases. By the time we left breakfast, though, it was wall to wall people, long lines, too crowded to really check out the stalls, and a much different experience. We were glad we had gone early. We even came back (at 7 am) two days later to enjoy more food stalls and sample the fatty tuna at Maguroya Kurogin (worth it despite the line). West: Shibuya 109: go downstairs to food area and find the whipped cream vending machine next to the escalator. Bring cash! Shibuya Sky: we did not have tickets and they were sold out, but during the day we went to the floor below and walked through the art gallery to have a beautiful view of the scramble crossing. At night, we went one floor below that to a lounge to take in the free view. Everywhere: Don Quijote; bought all the candy. Very fun running around trying to determine what was in each package. Thankful for Google Translate. Walked through beautiful Yoyogi Park to the Meiji-jingu Shrine. Saw some of a wedding ceremony. Beautiful. Then walked through Harajuku which was crowded and lively. Didn’t really see eccentric clothes and fashion, but lots of restaurants and snacks and fun resale shops. Did not get to Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho. Did stop in at Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku and enjoy an early drink; would recommend getting there early since was already packed. Also lots of smoking in the izakayas, which made it less enjoyable for us. Enjoyed a walk through Golden Gai also. There are many areas of Shinjuku other than these for nightlife and restaurants. If there is a long line, go elsewhere. So much excellent food. If you like electronics, check out the 11 buildings of Yodabashi camera. Also ate at Uobei Shibuya for fast fun conveyer belt sushi. Line moved quickly. Great value too.
Then we took the Tobu Nikko line to Nikko (direct from Shinjuku so saved time and transfers with our bags). Cost a little more since JR pass didn’t cover fully. You could just take JR but there were more connections. Checked into Ryokan Nikko Hoshinoyado. Enjoyed Kanmangafuchi Abyss and the Toshugu shrines (buy tickets at the train station to avoid the lines at the shrine). Highly recommend this ryokan. Great public onsen (not busy, mostly empty, indoor and outdoor options) and phenomenal dinner. Surprised by wonderful breakfast also. After one night, metro and shinkansen to Kyoto (nice view of Mt. Fuji; enjoyed an ekiben on the train that we got at Tokyo station).
In Kyoto, walked Gion/Shimbashi street and had dinner at Pontocho first night. Many maiko sightings from across from the Ichiriki Tea House as dusk fell. Second day got 7 am start to be at Arashiyama bamboo grove early (peaceful) and then over to Golden Pavilion by 9 when it opened. Still very crowded, but fun and beautiful. We took cabs to the bamboo grove (30 minutes instead of 60) and then over to the Golden Pavilion because buses required connections and much longer travel time when we were trying to beat the crowds. After those two cabs, we just took buses around. Went to monkey park which was great and the had obanzai lunch at Gyatei (upstairs on the left, excellent) followed by walk to Gio-Ji temple (moss garden) and then through the Okochi Sanso Villa; then walked around the Arashiyama shopping streets. If you do the bamboo grove very early, be aware that all of the temples on that beautiful historic street nearby are closed that early. Nishiki market then dinner in Pontocho. Third day, started at Kiyomizu-Dera (check out Tainai-meguri, a symbolic womb of a female bodhisattva – we were pressed for time and the next schedule wasn’t for 30 minutes so we couldn’t stay), walked down Ninen-zaka and sannen-Zaka streets and then bus over to lunch at Izusen for shojin-ryori (you could get reservations, but we just got there early and were lucky to get in) and a walk around Daitokuji temple complex. There is a wonderful new zen bonsai garden in the Hoshun-in sub temple. Staff at other sub temples told us that that garden wasn’t open but when we got there it was. Check Instagram for opening times. After another visit to Nishiki market, we walked the Fushimi Inari Shrine into the evening and then back to Pontocho for dinner.
Train to Osaka. Went straight to Okonomiyaki Chitose which was excellent and a bit away from the main food areas; tried to get there for 11 am but went the wrong direction on the shinkansen rushing to the unreserved cars ((at the front of the shinkansens, by the way, usually cars 1-3 or similar). Also be aware of what platform to be at, but also that you are getting on the correct train. We almost took a 10:01 train when we should have waited for the 10:03 train at the same platform. Similarly, you might find that the JapanTransit app asks you to get off on platform 16 and then get on a train at that same moment at platform 16. Do it — it is asking you to go from an express to a local train). Because we didn’t arrive until 11:45, we were in an hour long line to get in. It was excellent though. Spent the rest of the day at Don Quijote and all of the many endless food and shopping streets near Namba and ended at Dotonbori. Conveyer belt sushi close to the river but upstairs so harder to find – surprisingly not crowded when the other places on the river were all mobbed.
Next day train to Nara, a few hours there exploring the Daibutsuden Hall and Todaiji temple and feeding the bowing deer, fantastic lunch at izakaya なら酒蔵なべ At 34-1 Imamikadocho, Nara, and then to Kyoto for the shinkansen to Tokyo for the airport.

Just for context, I am a Black woman in an interracial relationship with my White husband and children (SD13 and SD11). I officially entered their lives after a year of dating their father, when they were 6 and 4yrs old. I moved from a very diverse inner city where I grew up to be with my husband and ensure he would still maintain a solid custody schedule with his kids and be in their lives. It was (and still kind of is) a tough transition for me, as I am not really a fan of the suburbs and I very much appreciate being around all types of races, religions, sexual identities, etc. which is most certainly not the case where we live now.
When I first came into the picture, my SD’s lived with their mother a majority of the time in the most conservative and remote part of our state. Over the years, however, she picked up and dropped two more baby daddy’s and moved about 5/6 times in the span of a couple years. My husband took her to court and won primary custody because she was moving them from school district to school district, making it impossible for them to have any stable friendships and create solid roots.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of diversity in our area, it has fallen on me to teach these kids about the beauty of diversity and some of the downfalls of humanity in terms of racism etc. So it really was to my surprise after getting an alert from a parental control app to see that my SD13 converses with some really disgustingly foul mouthed little kids who think it’s totally okay to call other kids niggers via text. She was just on punishment last week after we found out that she and her friend stole a kids sweater off the bus, only to spit on it, rub it in the dirt and throw it in the trash. Also, DH just recently had to ban her from texting another girl who put into writing that she would falsely accuse another boy from school of rape.
I am just really saddened that these are the kids that my SD chooses to associate herself with. In the beginning of middle school she had a completely different group of friends who all proved to be very well behaved. I have no idea what happened but she’s no longer friends with any of them. I know a lot of it is her desperation to fit in because of the instability that her mom created in her life. Both my husband and I have spoken to her openly, in a non confrontational way about all of this. I was hoping we could reach her- she is not this trash behavior. My husband seems less bothered by it all than I am and just thinks it’s a phase she’ll pass through. I just don’t know what to do or how to feel anymore. I feel like nothing is setting in for her and I feel defeated- like she’s just getting in with the wrong crowd and will go down the wrong path. I’m at the point where it’s making me want to just drop the concept of taking responsibility for who she becomes. Although I do see her in some ways as my own, she is a product of her parents and there would have been definite differences in the way I would have raised them in comparison to DH and HCBM. At the same time, it feels almost a betrayal of self for me to live in a home with a bully who will tolerate racist remarks.

Perhaps we can compile a list of creative counterarguments to use against people who want to keep the status quo of car dependency? May be useful for people who want to get more into advocacy down the line since you really will have to argue your position at some point. I'll start with a few:

• "Not everyone can walk! You're not taking into account disabled people with mobility issues!" - How is driving at 60mph safer than making things more walkable even for people with physical disabilities? During my travels in Europe, I saw far more people in wheelchairs out and about in the towns because it was safe for them to do so and the bus drivers/train operators were obligated to get out and help them into the vehicle. A handicap parking space in front of the door means nothing in terms of safety when cars are going between 40+ mph almost right next to you if you dare to go outside.
• "Cars give you ultimate freedom. You can go anywhere at anytime with them unlike a bus where you have to follow a schedule." - Requiring a car paywalls society and locks out anyone who doesn't already have the means to get one. Owning a car is much less free when you realize you have to continuously pay for gas, maintenance, insurance, loans and the fact you can't control traffic or how shitty someone else drives next to you. Also, having more mobility options is better for diversification of choices. You can walk, bike, take transit, or drive depending on what suits your needs. Compare to that to being stranded if your car breaks down and having no other options.
• "Bike lanes are a waste of money, no one uses them!" - Highways are not natural, buddy. Takes money to build, maintain, and repave them all the time and they don't generate money by themselves - they have to live off subsidies. Also, no one wants to live next to a highway because they're noisy and polluted and devalue your home. You can't say the same thing about a bike lane.
• "Public transit will bring crime to this area" - Well, first of all, if you only build public transit for poor people, then only poor people will use them. Make it good enough for everyone and everyone will use it instead. Second of all, you'd have to be the biggest idiot to commit a crime and then get on public transit. There are cameras on board, the stops are mapped out, and there are witnesses. Kind of makes you easy to track, no? There's a reason a getaway car exists, but not a getaway bus.

Sirens, Police Cars, Fire Trucks, and Ambulances:

• Police scanner (live info)
• PulsePoint app (live info)
• Police log (on a few hours delay)
• Whatcom County Jail Bookings
• Bellingham Police Department Twitter

Traffic and Transit Incidents:

• Real-time alerts for I-5, SR 11 (Chuckanut Dr), SR 539 (Guide Meridian), SR 542 (Sunset Dr and Mount Baker Hwy), SR 548 (Grandview Rd, Blaine Rd, and Peace Portal Dr)
• WSDOT North Twitter
• WTA Twitter
• Bellingham Traffic Cameras

Gunshots, Explosions, and Assorted Booms:

• A handy month-by-month guide to those booms
• "Gunshots" are usually just cars backfiring: How Does Anti-Lag Work, and Why Am I Now Deaf?
• Is it June, July, or August? Probably fireworks at the baseball stadium: Bellingham Bells Schedule
• Is it very cold or windy? Might be a transformer explosion; check for nearby power outages
• Live near one of Bellingham's many railways? Might be train cars banging together
• Live near the waterfront? Might be recycled metal being loaded at the port
• Have PTSD from the pipeline explosion and need more reassurance that the boom you heard was benign? Check the City of Bellingham Emergency Communications channels -- if something major actually happened then there would be an alert about it
• "Boomhorses" are a /Bellingham injoke about the frequent boomposting in this sub
• Posting "what was that boom?" during a storm gets a roasting, so check the weather first

Smoke, Steam, and Haze:

• The plume in downtown Bellingham is steam from the PSE Encogen power plant
• The plumes in the Ferndale/Blaine area are mostly steam from the Ferndale Refinery and Cherry Point Refinery
• The plume from Mount Baker is volcanic steam venting
• May-October is wildfire season. If you want to know where the smoke is coming from, check the Northwest Fire Science Consortium and the Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map
• If you want to know how concerned you should be, check the Washington's Air Monitoring Network Smoke Forecast and the PurpleAir Air Quality Map

Strange Lights in the Sky:

• Bunches of white lights moving across the sky together are StarLink satellite launches. For confirmation, check their launch schedule. Bellingham seems to be under the flight path of the ones out of Florida. Previously on /Bellingham: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
• The blue circular light reflecting off the clouds at night is coming from the Bellingham Towers
• The pink/purple glow on the northern horizon is from grow lights in Canadian greenhouses
• The occasional pulsing orange glow low on the horizon in the direction of Blaine/Ferndale is flaring from the Ferndale Refinery or Cherry Point Refinery. Previously on /Bellingham: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
• Greenish lights low on the northern horizon could be the Northern Lights, so check the NOAA Aurora Forecast
• Bright blue-green flashes when it's cold or windy are most likely the aforementioned transformer explosions
• Other strange lights are most likely annual meteor showers, planetary conjunctions, or fireballs, so check the Calendar of Astronomical Events and American Meteor Society Recent Events
• Posting "what was that flash?" during a storm gets a roasting, so check the weather first
• If none of the above explain what you saw then maybe lay off the shrooms ;)

White Fluff in the Sky in May:

• Those are cottonwood seeds and they don't trigger pollen allergies
• Previously on /Bellingham: 1 2 3 4

Giant Rocks on Trucks:

• They're for the Mouth of the Columbia River Jetty System Major Rehabilitation Project
• More info: What's the Deal With: Those big boulders on trailers? and Skagit County Greenschist Headed to the Columbia
• Previously on /Bellingham: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Local News and Major Events:

• City of Bellingham News Releases
• City of Bellingham Twitter
• Cascadia Daily News: Local
• KGMI News Radio: Local
• Bellingham Hearld: Local
• Annual Bellingham and Whatcom County Events

Here's a file (12.8mb, 248 pgs) of discontinued Bus route schedules. Mostly from the 1970s through the early 2000s.
Discontinued bus routes (pdf) - https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZkdREVZA8v1zKa1p9H5mCxRz127o0OrkrDy

June 2
Little Italy: Italians in Toronto history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293832230/
Group bike ride w/TBN
https://tbn.ca/event-5302397
ULTIMATE FRISBEE All Genders Welcome! No Experience Necessary!
https://www.meetup.com/mracx-multisport/events/293763160/
North York Soccer Pick-up Co-ed Game each Friday
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-soccer-meetup/events/293811012/
Soccerplex Drop In (New Time!!!!! Friday Nights) 9PM-11PM
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-soccer-meetup/events/293403634/
Organized Multi-game Recreational Volleyball @ Doncrest PS
https://www.meetup.com/2hr-advanced-hikes-toronto/events/292525356/
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Bus to Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/vip-coach/
Casino bus to Niagara Falls
https://safewaytours.net/en/casino-tours/
$70 million Lotto Max draw
https://www.olg.ca/en/home.html
MOCA. Free admission after 5PM
https://moca.ca/visit/
Motive. Crime and Mystery Festival
https://festivalofauthors.ca/motive/
Toronto Games Week. Until June 7
https://torontogamesweek.com/
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
$10 Clothing and Shoe Sale @ International Centre
https://www.popupgiant.com/
Music Bingo @ Shoeless Joe's, The Esplanade
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/music-bingo-shoeless-joes-the-esplanade-tickets-641352621957
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
Dancing Phil's Musical Bingo Pride Party @ Transmission
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dancing-phils-musical-bingo-pride-party-tickets-634813994747
Mafia w/Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/themouthfuls/events/293266058/
Jackbox w/Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/eventsonline/events/293872720/
Toronto Games Week. Until June 7
https://torontogamesweek.com/
Jared Mattson & Mother Tongues @ Monarch Tavern
https://www.themonarchtavern.com/calendar
Unmatched: RNB Edition @ Lee's Palace
https://www.leespalace.com/events
Daniel James McFadyen @ Horseshoe Tavern
https://www.horseshoetavern.com/events
Dopethrone w/guests @ Bovine Sex Club
https://www.bovinesexclub.com/
Gloss @ Drake Underground
https://www.thedrake.ca/thedrakehotel/whatson/
Glen Hornblast and the Queen St Cowboys @ Dakota Tavern
https://www.dakotatavern.ca/
Good Kid @ Opera House
https://theoperahousetoronto.com/
Death Cab for Cutie @ Massey Hall
https://masseyhall.mhrth.com/
Ingested @ Velvet Underground
http://thevelvet.ca/events/
Kurtis Conner @ Danforth Music Hall
https://thedanforth.com/
The Used and Pierce The Veil @ RBC Echo Beach
https://www.livenation.com/venue/KovZpZAJ6EFA/rbc-echo-beach-events
Oreku EP Launch Party @ 254 Lansdowne
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oreku-ep-launch-party-tickets-629259671617
TORONTO'S BOLLYWOOD X BHANGRA CRUISE PARTY
https://www.eventbrite.hk/e/torontos-bollywood-x-bhangra-cruise-party-tickets-636045648657
Bollywood Boat Party JALSA
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bollywood-boat-party-jalsa-tickets-635429074467
Retro Party @ The Pint!
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/retro-party-the-pint-tickets-506814033417
Dose of the Decade - 90s/2000s Party @ Clinton's
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dose-of-the-decade-90s2000s-party-tickets-641635528137?aff=eand
House of the Drag - Pride Month Kick Off @ Rec Room
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/house-of-the-drag-pride-month-kick-off-tickets-621201539527
ROYAL TEA - PRIDE MONTH KICKOFF PARTY @ QET
https://www.queenelizabeththeatre.ca/
Saddle Up. Classic country party @ Owls Club
https://www.instagram.com/saddleupto/?hl=en
Saddle Up w/Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-movies-and-social-group/events/293736269/
$9.99 Raiders Of The Lost Ark @ Cineplex.
https://www.cineplex.com/movie/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-2019
Carousel online watch party
https://www.meetup.com/historydiscussion/events/293519225/
THC-Infused Pub Trivia Night: Presented by TeaPot
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/thc-infused-pub-trivia-night-presented-by-teapot-tickets-641392340757
Weekly trivia roundup
https://www.reddit.com/toronto/comments/ukk8dm/roundup_of_trivia_nights_in_toronto/
Karaoke @ Hermie's
https://www.hermies.ca/
Karaoke @ Mimico Pub and Grill
https://www.facebook.com/mimicopubandgrill/
Karaoke @ On the Rocks
https://myontherocks.com/
Karaoke @ Royal Canadian Legion 614
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=701918525274532&set=pcb.701918778607840
Karaoke @ Zak's Bar and Grill
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2501861116658243&set=gm.10167678788975445&idorvanity=28317670444
Karaoke @ Fox and Fiddle Wellesley
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159534696221917&set=a.338175466916
Karaoke @ Alice's Place
https://www.instagram.com/alicesplace_554parliament/
Karaoke Fridays Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub Hosted by KJ Sharon
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-karaoke-meetup-group/events/293520603/
Casino bus to Niagara Falls
https://safewaytours.net/en/casino-tours/
SiriusXM free preview. Until June 5
https://www.siriusxm.com/offers/free-listen
Inside Out Festival. Until June 4
https://insideout.ca/festival/
Jewish Film Festival. Until June 11
https://tjff.com/
Lift Expo @ MTCC
https://liftexpo.ca/
The Enslaved Teen Who Cracked Vanilla's Secret. Free @ Innis Town Hall
https://www.humanities.utoronto.ca/events/enslaved-teen-who-cracked-vanilla%E2%80%99s-secret-cbc-jhi-annual-lecture
Book Talk: Yes to the City with Max Holleran
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/book-talk-yes-to-the-city-with-max-holleran-tickets-641019154547
Carving Space & Journey Prize Toronto Launch
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/carving-space-journey-prize-toronto-launch-tickets-612387195587
Mirvish lottery for $19 discounted Harry Potter tickets
https://lottery.mirvish.com/
Cirque du Soleil Kooza. Until June 18
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza
WNDRLND: An Immersive Alice in Wonderland Experience. Until June 3
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/wndrlnd-an-immersive-alice-in-wonderland-experience-tickets-638968240207
Disney Animation: Immersive Experience Toronto
https://tickets.lighthouseimmersive.com/toronto/?#/
Stranger Things : The Experience
https://strangerthings-experience.com/toronto/
The Office Experience @ Yorkdale Mall
https://theofficeexperience.com/toronto/
Jurassic World The Exhibition @ Square One
https://jurassicworldexhibition.com/mississauga/
SPOT THE X - 2XU BIG WAREHOUSE SALE
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/spot-the-x-2xu-big-warehouse-sale-up-to-90-off-tickets-625963623047
Registration continues for JAM sports leagues
https://toronto.jamsports.com/index.php
YMCA free 7-day trial pass
https://trythey.ymcagta.org
GoodLife Fitness free 7-day trial pass
https://try.goodlifefitness.com/raptors?utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=MSLE-Partnership&utm_source=Partner
Presto card discounts. Various attractions, shows , restaurants
https://www.prestocard.ca/en/about/presto-perks
Free admission to various attractions via TPL Map Pass Program
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/museum-arts-passes/
Toronto History Museums free admission
https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/museums/
Spring Flower Show @ Centennial Park Conservatory. Free admission
https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-gardens-beaches/gardens-and-horticulture/conservatories/centennial-park-conservatory/
Self guided Discovery Tours
https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/sidewalk-tours-wayfinding/self-guided-tours/discovery-tours/
Seeing the Invisible An Outdoor Augmented Reality Exhibition
https://moca.ca/exhibitions/seeing-the-invisible/
Volunteer w/Bike Brigade
https://www.bikebrigade.ca/
Volunteer w/Nature Stewards to remove invasive plants
https://torontonaturestewards.org/
Special Things Comedy Show with Bee Bertrand and Cleo Vaillancourt @ Tranzac Club
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/special-things-comedy-show-with-bee-bertrand-and-cleo-vaillancourt-tickets-633590495227
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
Mike Lynch @ Yuk Yuks
https://www.yukyuks.com/toronto
Old Dada @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Young Cucks dark comedy show
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-young-cucks-tickets-262355050017
Charity Comedy to benefit Bike for Brain Health
https://comedynuggets.com/event/charity-2023-06-02/
All of Us Are Asian @ SoCap
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/all-of-us-are-asian-tickets-499049930777
Speed Friending: Meet like-minded ladies & gents
https://www.meetup.com/torontotravelers/events/293734362/
First taste @ Oasis
https://members.oasisaqualounge.com/sessions/new
Threesome Friday @ M4
http://clubm4.com/event-calenda
$2 second dozen and free doughnut @ Krispy Kreme
https://krispykreme.ca/june-2-is-national-doughnut-day/
Free Beaver Tail pastry.3pm-5pm
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/beavertails-free-classic-pastry-june-2nd-3pm-5pm-2621013/
$23.99 AYCE endless wings @ St Louis
https://www.stlouiswings.com/wingsanity/
$10 unlimited toppings @ Pi . Co
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/pi-co-10-unlimited-topping-craft-pizza-2592458/
Summer drink days @ McDonald's. Until Sept 4
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/mcdonalds-summer-drink-days-may-23-september-4-2617674/
Birthday freebies. Marble Slab, and more
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/birthday-freebies-version-2017-2022-1719925/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 3
Enough is Enough rally /protest @ NPS
https://www.reddit.com/Torontoevents/comments/13w28cd/june_312p_nathan_phillips_square_rally_march/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Spring Into Spice Food & Wine Festival 2023
[https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-into-spice-food-wine-festival-2023-tickets-594115243687
Lift Expo @ MTCC
https://liftexpo.ca/
Waterfront Toronto Science Fair @ EBW
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waterfront-toronto-science-fair-2023-tickets-638896906847
TSA walking tours
https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/
Everything Cabbagetown: Super Deluxe Tour
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293055913/
You've Been Bad Toronto: Brothels to the Blue Laws history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293392249/
$10/$15 unlimited GO Transit
https://www.gotransit.com/en/travelling-with-us/promotions-and-events/weekend-passes-with-go
Bus to Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/vip-coach/
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Toronto Arrows vs. Houston SaberCats @ York Lions Stadium
https://www.axs.com/events/460972/toronto-arrows-vs-houston-sabercats-tickets
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
$10 Clothing and Shoe Sale @ International Centre
https://www.popupgiant.com/
$2.99 Tom & Jerry @ Cineplex
https://www.cineplex.com/events/family
$9.99 Raiders Of The Lost Ark @ Cineplex.
https://www.cineplex.com/movie/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-2019
On-Gaku: Our Sound (free anime film screening)
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/on-gaku-our-sound-free-anime-film-screening-tickets-639544152777?aff=eand
Deive Leonardo @ QET
https://www.queenelizabeththeatre.ca/
Motive. Crime and Mystery Festival
https://festivalofauthors.ca/motive/
Jewish Film Festival. Until June 11
https://tjff.com/
Toronto Games Week. Until June 7
https://torontogamesweek.com/
$22 3hr kayak or SUP rental @ Toronto Islands. Must pick up trash
https://www.torontoislandsup.com/trash-dash-304474.html
Walk Off The Earth @ Budweiser Stage
https://www.ticketmaster.ca/budweiser-stage-tickets-toronto/venue/131073
The Backseat Lovers @ History
https://www.historytoronto.com/
An Evening of Musical Mantras
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/an-evening-of-musical-mantras-registration-633078724507
SING! Free: Concerts in Trillium Park
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sing-free-concerts-in-trillium-park-tickets-628762534667?aff=eand
Death Cab for Cutie @ Massey Hall
https://masseyhall.mhrth.com/
The Doubts @ Eton House
https://meetu.ps/e/M6jj5/fM5W/i
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
Mike Lynch @ Yuk Yuks
https://www.yukyuks.com/toronto
Old Dada @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
Comedy Showcase @ Nothing Fancy
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/saturday-night-showcase-tickets-637379237457
Cannabis Comedy Festival Presents: Lit Comedy
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cannabis-comedy-festival-presents-lit-comedy-tickets-579651331737
Saturday @ Comedy Bar
https://comedybar.ca/shows/saturday-at-comedy-bar
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 4
Save Ontario Place rally
https://twitter.com/ONPlace4All/status/1663702829704282112?t=_0neMlQif1p_XFN_vT4Prg&s=19
Ghost bike memorial ride
https://twitter.com/TheBikingLawyestatus/1663906588141277188?t=ERYrmT-Tybe3vrw0gNyWDw&s=19
Bike for Brain Health. DVP event
https://bikeforbrainhealth.ca/
Greektown: The Danforth history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293126336/
The Famous Faces of Cabbagetown history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293744819/
Toronto's Historic Jewish Community history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293406639/
$9.99 Raiders Of The Lost Ark @ Cineplex.
https://www.cineplex.com/movie/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-2019
$23.99 AYCE endless wings brunch w/Meetup @ St Louis
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-movies-and-social-group/events/293881710/
$10/$15 unlimited GO Transit
https://www.gotransit.com/en/travelling-with-us/promotions-and-events/weekend-passes-with-go
Bus to Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/vip-coach/
Motive. Crime and Mystery Festival
https://festivalofauthors.ca/motive/
Jewish Film Festival. Until June 11
https://tjff.com/
Toronto Games Week. Until June 7
https://torontogamesweek.com/
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
$10 Clothing and Shoe Sale @ International Centre
https://www.popupgiant.com/
Bata Shoe Museum free admission
https://batashoemuseum.ca/visit-us/
TSA walking tours
https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Hamilton Cardinals. Free baseball @ Christie Pits
https://www.mapleleafsbaseball.com/stats#/team-schedule?team_id=238204
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
SING! Free: Concerts in Trillium Park
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sing-free-concerts-in-trillium-park-tickets-628762534667?aff=eand
The Backseat Lovers @ History
https://www.historytoronto.com/
Karaoke @ Toby's
https://www.instagram.com/jasonrolland/
Free drop-in kickball @ Alexandra Park. Beginners welcome
https://www.facebook.com/TorontoKickball/
$18.88 unlimited evening bowling @ Splitsville
https://splitsville.ca/richmond-hill-bowling/
Old Dada @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
Hire-bombing: Stand-up job interviews
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hire-bombing-stand-up-job-interviews-tickets-643177018777
Free cheeseburger @ JABS
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/jabs-just-another-burger-spot-first-100-customers-gets-free-cheeseburger-sunday-june-4th-starts-12-pm-toronto-only-2621690/

Tokyo-Lake Kawaguchiko-Kyoto-Osaka

The trip was my wife and I (upper 20s/lower 30s) for 10 days (not including 2 flight days) in May just after the end of Golden Week. It was our first trip to Japan and we had an amazing time! We did a lot of the standard tourist activities, but our perspective as kosher-observant travelers is a bit more unique so I figured I'd start the post with it. Feel free to skip past that section if it doesn't interest you.
Keeping Kosher and Sabbath Observance in Japan

• While there are a decent number of vegetarian/vegan (which some kosher-observant people would be comfortable eating at, though we were not) and a small number of Halal restaurants in Japan, kosher-certified establishments are basically non-existent. The Tokyo Chabad in Minato does run a kosher-certified restaurant called Chana's Place (they deliver as well) and some of the other local Jewish communities also have prepared meals you can pick up or have delivered to you. We didn't really take advantage of any of these so I can't personally vouch for them though.
• Every hotel and ryokan we stayed in had mini fridges as well as electric water kettles, which we relied on heavily to prepare food. We usually mixed some couscous or other easily cooked grain we brought with us along with some locally bought produce in a food thermos for hot meals (the daikon are so big, just half of one lasted us for days). Seasoned kosher travelers will likely have their own strategies, though if you can, staying somewhere with a kitchen will definitely expand your meal options. We had a pretty action-packed schedule, so we didn't opt for this this time, but if we ever go back to Japan, we'll likely make sure we're staying places with kitchens if possible.
• Though we couldn't eat almost any of it, the food in Japan all looks and smells amazing (with the possible exception of some of the more exotic seafood). The smells wafting from the bakeries were absolutely heavenly. If you're kosher observant and traveling in Japan: be prepared for some major food FOMO. Salmon sashimi was one of the only local foods that fit our kosher diets, and the sashimi I got from one of the stands in Nishiki market was absolutely delicious.
• We were only in Japan for one Saturday and spent Shabbat (Sabbath) near the Tokyo Chabad in Minato. Prayers and meals at the Chabad were a really wonderful experience, with a lively and jovial atmosphere and lots of different Jewish people who were visiting (or living in) Tokyo for a variety of reasons. We stayed in a very nice Airbnb close to the Chabad. If you are visiting Japan and want a place close to the Chabad to stay, feel free to DM me (I'd rather not post more info about a family-run Aribnb to a public forum).

Tourist Tips and Cultural Observations

• The discount bus between Narita airport and Tokyo station is really great. We took the NEX from the airport but lost our paper return tickets during the trip so ended up taking the bus back. It was about as comfortable, much cheaper, and only a little bit slower.
• Though most of the COVID restrictions have been lifted, masking is still very common in Japan, especially in busy urban areas. I'd estimate about 80% of the locals were wearing masks on public transit in Tokyo. In less crowded areas, fewer people are wearing masks, though a notable minority definitely still are.
• Public transit in in Japan is a real wonder to behold. It is extremely efficient, was almost never late, with a very different etiquette from in the West. Very orderly lines form at the marked spots where the train doors will be when the train stops. On the train itself, people are very quiet, with the only exception being some soft conversation between friends and the occasional group of rowdy foreigners.
• Google Maps worked great for us in terms of navigating public transit, though moreso in Tokyo than in Osaka, which seems to have a slightly more confusing train system.
• Navigating Kyoto is a bit harder since the train system isn't quite as extensive there. IC cards will work on the buses, though we were a bit thrown off by the fact that everyone enters through the back door of the bus and exits through the front door. You pay the bus fare as you leave the bus and not as you get on. Friends of ours recommended renting bikes in Kyoto if the weather is nice, and while we didn't end up doing it, it's probably not a bad suggestion.
• Were were told that the Arashiyama bamboo forest would be packed if we got there too late, but this wasn't the case for us. We got there around 10:00-10:30 and while there were plenty of people, it didn't feel overly crowded. Could be a different story during busier times, but this was our experience.
• We took the Tokaido Shinkansen and it's a very cool and comfortable way to travel. We ordered our tickets online and were able to link them to our IC cards. There seemed to still be enough of seats available when we booked, though if you're looking for a specific seat (such as the ones with the extra baggage area) you should probably book as much in advance as in practical since a lot of the seats were taken even a few days in advance.
• A lot of people on this forum emphasize how few Japanese people speak fluent English and it's definitely true! I expected as least the staff at hotels to speak some English, but very many did not. I was also surprised that when interfacing with a member of the hotel staff who didn't speak English, they never called over a colleague to translate or take over. I know a handful of Japanese words and phrases, and combining those with gestures and Google Translate generally worked well enough. On the rare occasion I tried to say anything a little more complex, people seemed really pleased and encouraging, even though I’m pretty sure I was butchering the language.
• Although most people in Japan don't speak English, signage and automated announcements on public transit and the like generally do have English translations.
• The public bathrooms in Japan are very common and almost always super clean (even the less clean ones are still cleaner than the average public bathroom in the U.S.). Not sure if this is due to COVID or not, but paper towels are virtually nonexistent and hand dryers are rare. Luckily, small hand towels are sold all over and the themed ones make great souvenirs.
• Pretty much every Western-style toilet is equipped with a bidet. The Japanese-style toilets didn't seem to exist much in Tokyo. We saw a few in Kyoto in Osaka, but neither of us were brave enough to actually try using one...
• The fruits and vegetables sold in Japanese grocery stores are all beautiful, pristine and usually taste pretty good too. Some of the more “exotic” fruit can be pretty expensive though (I saw a single mango being sold for nearly 3,000 yen!). The individual wrapping of everything definitely didn’t seem too environmentally friendly, but it did keep all the produce super clean.
• I loved seeing the Gachopon machines everywhere and got quite a few souvenirs from them. There are some stores dedicated to the machines, but you can also find them in train stations and just about everywhere else.
• Takyubin is super convenient! We took our luggage with us to and from the airport, but used takyubin to get it between our hotels. It's a great service and well-worth the money. There are a lot of coin lockers in Japan and they work fine for backpacks and carry-on suitcases, but if you're lugging around anything larger than that on the trains, you're going to feel pretty silly. Trust me, and use takyubin.
• A tip: If using booking.com (or another site that offers it), print out your hotel reservations in Japanese and bring the paper copies with you. We used these print outs multiple times when checking in, telling cabs where to go, and showing hotel staff where to send our bags next with takyubin.

Hotel Reviews

• Hotel Monterey Akasaka: Friendly staff, clean and nice rooms. Location is just fine, but in return it's cheaper than similar quality hotels in more popular neighborhoods while still being fairly central and accessible.
• Kasuitei Ooya (Kawaguchiko): Out first ryokan of the trip and really nice. Great views and excellent onsen.
• Hilton Tokyo Bay: Cheaper than all of the "official" Disney hotels, but just as close to the parks as many of them. The rooms are nice and spacious. Can definitely recommend.
• Yuno Yado Shoei (Kyoto): Our second ryokan and not quite as nice as the first, but still really enjoyable. The onsen were great here too.
• Liber Hotel at USJ: Far fancier than we thought it would be based on the price tag and the fact that it's a theme park hotel. The rooms are smaller than the Tokyo Bay Hilton's were, but the facilities were quite nice. Enjoyed my last onsen of the trip in this hotel.

Trip Highlights

• Harajuku: We went to Harajuku more for my wife who is into fashion, but I really enjoyed it too! Lots of really cute stores and it's also fun seeing people dressed up in some really bold and unique outfits.
• Lake Kawaguchiko and the Shibazakura Festival: We were fortunate to have amazing weather while we were in Lake Kawaguchiko and the views of both the lake and Fuji-san were spectacular. The Shibazakura festival specifically provided some really breathtaking views. This was probably our favorite part of the whole trip.
• Tokyo Disney (Disneysea): As a huge Disney fan, I loved seeing the Japanese take on Disney parks. Lots of familiar rides, but lots of unique ones as well. The evening show on the water at DisneySea ("Believe: Sea of Dreams") was particularly fantastic.
• Higashiyama and Gion: The most amazing area in Kyoto. I regret that the we didn't budget more time to spend here. You could definitely spend at least a full day wandering around soaking in the atmosphere and unique architecture.
• Universal Studios Japan: As a theme park fan, USJ was a real treat. Super Nintendo World was definitely the highlight, but the entire park was fantastic. I might make a post just dedicated to giving some tips for the theme parks at some point.

Slight Disappointments
We enjoyed everything we did in Japan, but I'll just point out two things that didn't quite live up to expectations.

• Akihabara: I'm an anime and video game nerd, so I thought Akihabara would be my heaven, but it was just okay. The arcades were really amazing to walk through and it was fun browsing the video game and figurine stores too, but something about it didn't quite live up to what I had imagined. Maybe just blame it on high expectations?
• Teamlab Planets: This was definitely a cool and unique experience, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. It felt like the most touristy thing we did in Japan (even moreso than the Tokyo Disney somehow). The exhibits themselves are very cool, but the all the amateur Instagram models posing everywhere kind of ruined the vibe. Really enjoyable, but can definitely be skipped if you're on the fence.

I struggled to list any disappointments whatsoever. We had a really amazing time overall. Not sure when we’ll have a chance to go back, but I hope we get to one day!
Edit: Added some tips related to takyubin. Can't believe I forgot!

Amapá Iron Ore Mine, Brazil [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence owns 30% of the Amapá Iron Ore System which is an integrated mine, railway and port which was previously owned by Anglo American, the mining operation generated profits of $171m in 2011 and $77m in 2012.
• The mine is a major source of employment in the state and when operating previously was the largest employer in the state and represented the largest contributor to the GDP of Amapá amounting to 20% on a turnover basis and 1-3% based on profitability. The mine will employ 600-800 workers and indirectly 4000 workers. The economic prosperity of the region is linked to the success of the mine.
• 2023-01-07 Recent progress podcast:
  • PFS Completed $949m NPV with 10% discount rate and 16 year mine life at 5.28mtpa with profit after tax of US$2.96 billion over Life of Mine
  • PFS allows Cadence to engage with off-take partners, possible JV partners and strategic investors at a project level.
  • "If there is a good opportunity from a strategic investor, the joint venture partners would consider taking that money and for us that would prevent any further dilution in terms of funding going into it by selling off investments that we didn't wish to or raising capital in the market"
  • Options to substantially increase the NPV by reducing CapEx at the port, and increasing mine life.
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • DEV Mineração S.A. ("DEV") was unable to meet the 2022 payment schedule as per the settlement deed and although the bank creditors have reserved their rights, the settlement deed remains in full effect with all parties in discussions with a view to agree a new timetable in order to rephase payments so these can be met in light of market conditions.
  • With improving iron ore prices and stability returning to shipping costs, the sale of the 58% iron ore concentrate stockpile is now economically viable. We expect shipping to recommence in the next six months, with the net revenues being used to pay the bank creditors, as per the settlement agreement.

Sonora Lithium Project, Mexico (Ganfeng Joint Venture) [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence has a 30% Joint Venture interest in several of the tenements in the Sonora Lithium project. The DFS envisages a total of 3.6% of ore associated with Cadence being mined in years 9 to 19 in the current 17.5kt/35ktpa LCE mining plan. Should Ganfeng accelerate production or increase mine life then the Joint Venture areas will be required sooner and in greater volume. Cadence has 839Mt LCE of mineral reserves associated with its Joint ventures which is 18.58% of the total 4,515Mt LCE of that defined.
• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Ganfeng plans to accelerate construction
  • Ganfeng reviewing plans for a production rate above 17.5ktpa and an additional 500 hectares of land acquired at the eastern end of the plant site location to allow for future plant expansions.
  • Sonora Phase 1 plan massively increased to 50kt/yr Lithium Hydroxide
  • Ganfeng eyes US OEMs for “strategic” stake in Mexican lithium project. Elon Musk tweets Price of lithium has gone to insane levels! Tesla might actually have to get into the mining & refining directly at scale, unless costs improve.
• 2022-08-14
  • BN Americas reports “Mexico looks to buy out existing additional rights held by UK exploration giant Bacanora”
  • US Inflation Reduction Act to benefit Mexican Automotive Industry
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • In 2021, a decree was passed by the Mexican government to reform the domestic energy sector ("Decree"). The Decree stated that lithium would be included among the minerals considered strategic for an energy transition. As a result, no new concessions for lithium exploitation by private companies would be granted. Earlier this month, the Mexican government passed a presidential decree confirming that within a 900 square-mile lithium mining zone in northern Sonora state, existing concessions would "remain safe". This aligns with the general opinion that the Decree passed by the Senate only impacts licenses, concessions, or contracts to be granted, not already those granted, as is the case for the Sonora Lithium Project.

Hastings Technology Metals, Australia (ASX:HAS) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • On 25 January 2023, Cadence completed the sale of its 30% stake in several mineral concessions forming part of the Yangibana Rare Earths project for a consideration of 2.45 million Hastings shares, equating to approximately 1.9% Hastings issued share capital. This consideration was a premium over the Net Present Value ("NPV") of the Cadence portion of the mineable material, based on the definitive feasibility ("DFS") updated by Hastings on 21 February 2022
  • Hastings recently published an update on the Yangibana Rare Earth Project, highlights of which are as follows:
    • Significant progress during the last two months on enabling construction and ordering long lead critical items.
    • A total of $146 million in contractual commitments has been made to date, demonstrating the high degree of confidence by the Hastings Board in the future of the Yangibana project.
    • Ore Reserves increased 25% to 20.93Mt at 0.90% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) grade, increasing mine life to 17 years.

Evergreen Lithium, Australia (ASX:EG1) - [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-04-13 Notice of Initial Substantial Shareholder in Evergreen Lithium Limited
  • Evergreen was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 11 April 2023.
  • Cadence holds 15,830,138 million shares, equivalent to 8.74% of the issued share capital of Evergreen and is its largest shareholder.
  • A further AS$3.47 million (£1.86 million) of shares in Evergreen are due to Cadence on the achievement of certain performance milestones by Evergreen. The pricing of Evergreen shares associated with this consideration is based on a defined pricing mechanism linked to the VWAP and the date at which the performance milestones are achieved.

European Metal Holdings, Cinovec, Czech Republic (LSE:EMH) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Soft debt / EU grants and financing deals
  • Potential plans to double production (by using two shifts)
  • Updated PFS 75% increase in NPV to S$1.94B, using $17/kg. 16% production increase to 29,386tpa. 30% increase in Lithium Hydroxide to $22.1/kg would increase the NPV8 (post tax) to over $3B.
• 2022-10-31 Expect 10-20% reductions of the Lithium Chemical Plant CapEx and OpEx as a consequence of using a simplified hydrometallurgical process, for which a patent application has been filed.

Passive Equity Investments - Notable Developments [KDNC] [Flair]

See the above menus for company links and announcements - noting that additionally Macarthur holds 20% of spin off Infinity Mining ASX:IMI

Analyst Reports and Recommendations [KDNC]

Date	Link	Who	SP	Summary / Price Target
2023-02-28	Kemeny Capital	Kemeny Capital (investment research)	12.9p	"Cadence Minerals has built a robust portfolio of base and battery metals with ample opportunities for shareholder value creation. Recent developments have helped to substantially increase the potential of two of the group’s asset positions, while adding to the overall corporate valuation. Our sum-of-theparts (SotP) indicative fair value is 43.6p."
2023-02-02	W H Ireland Research	W H Ireland (broker)	14.5p	WHI View: Our assessment is that the Amapá mine could be company-maker for Cadence. We are firmly of the belief that the current market cap is more than covered by the legacy investments that Cadence holds in various new technology metal companies and projects and that the addition of the Amapá stake to its portfolio can only be value enhancing. In our opinion, the development of Amapá will be transformational for Cadence and we see fair value at 71p/sh with plenty of upside potential.
2022-07-24	Reddit Post	u/EV-BULL (private investor)	10.75p	Due diligence short term price target: 60p-80p; 1-2 year price target: 130p; Long term bull case price target: 300p+
2022-07-02	Reddit Post	u/Observer842 (private investor)	10.4p	Due diligence Near term: £37.5m (21.5p) - £92m (53p); Medium term: £160-420m; Longer term: £1-2B+
2022-02-18	Daily Mail	Anne Ashworth for the Daily Mail (Journalist)	20.4p	"The white gold rush appears to be an inviting prospect. But if you want to join, remember that fortunes are far from guaranteed in any foray into commodities. Options include the Aim-listed businesses Cadence Minerals and Zinnwald Lithium."
2022-02-18	Edison Group	Edison Group (investment research)	20.4p	QuickView report
2022-01-01	Daily Mail	Justin Urquhart Stewart (fund manager)	28p	Top pick for the Brave in 2022

ICYMI [Previous]

Date	Article	Comment & Quotes
2023-04-21	Cadence Minerals Q&A session with Kiran Morzaria	Most recent of the presentations and interviews with CEO Kiran Morzaria.
2023-04-13	The Vox Markets Podcast / Kiran Morzaria of Cadence Minerals: Evergreen had a very successful IPO and we are the largest shareholder
2023-03-29	Cadence Minerals Investor Presentation March 2023
2023-02-28	Cadence Minerals - value waiting to be unlocked - SoTP indicative fair value 43.6p	6 page analyst Research report from Kemeny Capital which can be obtained for free by qualifying investors.
2023-02-02	WH Ireland Research Report: Cadence Minerals - Developing Amapá iron ore mine and strategic new technology metal interests (sees fair value at 71p / share)	To obtain this 34 page Analyst Research Report for free, (optionally) first register for Research Tree, then whilst logged in, register for WH Ireland (optionally) using your Research Tree account.
2023-01-03	Completion of PFS on Amapá Iron Ore Project	Post-Tax Project NPV10 US$949 million, Internal Rate of Return of 34% and a Project Maiden Ore Reserve Estimate of 195.8 Mt (Cadence attributable of 58.74 Mt) at 39.34% Fe Declared

Anything missing or incorrect? Let us know in the comments or LSE chat - the mods.

Went out to Six Flags Great Adventure today by bus, and given it’s the first weekend running for the year thought I’d provide some information on how it works in case anyone is planning a trip. I’ve seen some older posts but want to provide up-to-date information and avoid anyone being put off by the ambiguity of the published timetables.
I got the bus from New York, which leaves from the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
When buying bus tickets, you can get them either through the app or on the day, noting that: - Tickets on the app include park tickets. They can be found under special promotion. - For bus tickets only, these need to be purchased at the bus terminal on the day. The ticket windows are just inside the main entrance to the bus terminal, below the level of the bus gate.
The timetable would indicate that there is only one bus to SFGA (seems to be at 9:30), and one bus back (about an hour before the park closes).
This is not how the bus operates. The published time is the LAST BUS that runs. Buses will run before the published time when they fill up. So if you want to get to the park earlier in the morning, arriving at the PABT earlier should get you onto an earlier bus, and to the park earlier (assuming there is sufficient demand, which there should be on weekends). I was on the “9:30am” bus which left PABT at 9:55. The same applies coming back from the park with regard to published times and actual bus numbers, although I wouldn’t assume the last bus would run this late.
I can confirm that there were at least four buses that made the trip each way today. I can’t confirm if there is a cap on bus numbers, but know that arriving early doesn’t mean you’ll be waiting until 9:30 to get on the road. If anyone is considering making the trip to SFGA without a car, the bus is a pretty good option. I guess it’s also the only option…

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