States as national GDP

 

I love this map. It shows the country equivelant for every state in the US when it comes to GDP. Note how powerful many of the states are...so, next time someone (Obama) whines that the US uses 25% of the world's energy, keep this map in mind.

Sumo pics 5

Coliseum entrance at night

 

Sumo Pics 4

Prelims of a match - note the ring attendant sweeping the ring. The banners are for sponsors of the match

 

Tossing of salt to purify the ring (my favorite pic of the batch!)

 

Match in progress

 

Another match in progress

 

Sumo pics 3

Pic of the end of a match

 

Judge's conference with the ref to determine who won (if the ref can't determine it himself, like if both wrestlers fall or go out of the ring at the same time

 

Another pic of a takedown/end of a match

 

Start of a sumo match

 

Sumo pics 2

More taiko drumming

 

Kid vs sumo (this was a demo/gag before the matches started)

 

Sumo wrestlers doing a split and touching their chin to the ring!Sumo wrestlers doing a split and touching their chin to the ring!

 

Entrance ceremony - all of the sumo wrestlers enter the ring prior to their bout

 

Pics from the Sumo tournament/trip I

Noreen at Grauman's Chinese Theater

 

The bed at Figueroa Hotel

 

Entrance to the Coliseum (it's on the same grounds as the Sports Arena where the tournament was at)

 

Taiko drumming at the beginning of the tournament

 

A sad day for hockey

The CBC has announced that they're not going to use the Hockey Night in Canada theme any more. story.

Red Wings Party

 

 

Here is the cake from the RW party on Saturday. The original cake (that was supposed to be in an octopus cake mold) self-destructed when it was removed from the mold. So, she got a sheetcake with a frosting octopus on it. There were about 10 people at the shindig and it was lots of fun!

Third Reich Ruins

The Nazis, if nothing else, were prolific (and very good) builders. Many of their buildings survive today (and are still in use!)Here is a side-by-side comparison of then and now.