2020 national treasures basketball

Oil prices have been the same as they were in October 2018 for a few months now. Around $70/barrel.
National average in Oct 2018 was 2.90/gallon. National average today is 3.54/gallon.
Exxon, for instance, reported anywhere from 75% to 168% in year over year quarterly growth from June 2021 - September 2022. To be fair, this is after seeing negative YoY growth from March 2019 - December 2020. But, funny thing about the negative YoY growth that "big oil" experienced during COVID.. it wasnt caused solely by COVID. Exxon saw negative growth near 20% nearly a year before COVID brought down the world. In fact, the negative growth during COVID was very similar to the downturn from September 2014 - September 2016.
What I really want to emphasize here is the next part: I just laid out 2 separate downturns in Exxons history. Both were similar in length, and both were similar in size, albeit COVID being a little higher(5-10% higher during some quarters).
After the COVID downturn, Exxon reported quarterly YoY growth ranging from 75% to 168% over the course of about 6 quarters from 2021-2022. 4 out of those 6 quarters were 120% or higher.
After the 2014-2016 downturn, Exxon reported quarterly YoY growth ranging from 24% to 44% over 8 or 9 quarters from 2016-2018.
There is no precedent for the amount of greed we saw from corporations last year. Fuel prices were a driving force as well - and its very clear to me that greed was the driving force behind increased fuel prices after taking this small dive, confirming what we all should know already. So what we have here is compounded greed that ultimately made many things unaffordable over the past year - greed from the transportation side, greed from the producer greed from the supplier, and then of course regular YoY cost increases/inflation that should be expected. When you compound all of these increases into one final price that we all pay, you get record profits for everyone except the consumer, who gets fucked.
Id be willing to bet that YoY growth trends are similar for most corporations over the past 1-2 years, and do not match prior downturn years, just like with oil corporations.
And all they had to do was say "sorry, gas prices are high and COVID caused so many supply chain issues!!!" Yeah, you're not increasing production back to pre pandemic levels because you can just jack your prices up 200% and make record profits while not having to hire more employees.
America is fucked unless we do something about corporate greed. Greed is to be expected from the individual, but we cannot have monopolies run around completely unchecked.
If I left out something here, please point it out, thanks!
https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/XOM/exxon/gross-profit

Summer 2023 is fast approaching, and are you planning a trip to Spain? You will have plenty of options to discover the treasures of this Southern European country. Here are the 10 must-visit places during your stay.

1. Barcelona

First and foremost, the city of Barcelona is an essential destination when traveling to Spain. As the capital of the Catalonia region, Barcelona is a dynamic and cultural city offering beaches, historical sites, and renowned restaurants. You can visit Park Güell, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, the Sagrada Familia, and the medieval district of Barri Gòtic. In the evening, you can stroll through the lively neighborhood of Gracia to explore the local restaurants, bars, and nightlife.
>>Click here<< to book your ticket.

1. Madrid

With its famous museums, historical squares, and shopping streets, Madrid is another popular Spanish city for tourists. The capital of the country offers sites such as the Royal Palace, the art collection of the Prado Museum, and the Plaza Mayor with its arcades and restaurants. You can also visit other points of interest like Retiro Park, the local San Miguel Market, and the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium.

1. Granada

Granada is the city in Andalusia that captivates people looking for a historical experience. With its Alhambra palace, narrow winding streets, and the historic Arab neighborhood of Albayzín, Granada is a destination that combines modernism and authentic Andalusian culture. You can also visit the cathedral, Albaicin, the Cartuja Monastery, and admire the view of the Sierra Nevada.
>>Click here<< to book a room in the hotel of your choice.

1. Seville

The charming city of Seville is located in southern Spain. It offers a typically Spanish experience with its splendid squares, religious sites, and regional cuisine. You can easily access the city's most popular sites such as Maria Luisa Park, Seville Cathedral, the mausoleum of Christopher Columbus, and the Torre del Oro, a former Moorish tower.

1. The Canary Islands

The Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic south of Spain, are a paradise for beach and sun lovers, with dreamlike landscapes and white sandy beaches. Some islands also have remarkable natural sites, including Teide National Park on the island of Tenerife or the massif of La Gomera. Gran Canaria is also known for its shopping and nightlife, while Lanzarote offers a palette of colors that you can admire in Timanfaya National Park.

1. Valencia

The city of Valencia is located on the east coast of Spain and is especially known for its contemporary architecture, including the City of Arts and Sciences. You can also visit Valencia Cathedral, the Central Market of Valencia, the Oceanogràfic, the beautiful Turia Park, the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and the Mudéjar-style bullring.
>>Click here<< to book a rental car of your choice.

1. Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela is a city located in northern Spain, well-known for its cultural and religious heritage. It is also one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage centers in the world. You can visit the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, the Pilgrim's Museum, the Obradoiro Market, and the San Fransisco de Asis Convent, to name just a few of the interesting sites.

1. Cordoba

The city of Cordoba is located in southern Spain and is famous for its historical architecture, such as the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs and its famous Mosque-Cathedral, the Mezquita, which bears witness to the remnants of the Muslim era
in Spain. You can also walk through the city's Jewish quarter and visit the Viana Palace or the Alcázar Gardens.

1. Santander

Santander is a city located on the northern coast of Spain. The city is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, art and culture, as well as its Guggenheim Museum dedicated to contemporary art. You can also visit the Magdalena Palace, the Pereda Gardens, Santander Cathedral, and the Cantabria region to enjoy the surrounding nature.

1. Bilbao

Bilbao is a more modern city located in northern Spain, and it is especially known for the Guggenheim Museum, with its steel and glass architecture ranking among the greatest architectural achievements of the 20th century. You can also explore the city's historic neighborhoods, such as Casco Vieja or El Ensanche, with their jazz clubs, tapas bars, and traditional shops.
>>Click here<< to find a taxi upon your arrival!
This is a list of the 10 must-visit places when traveling to Spain. Each of these destinations offers a different experience, from museums to beaches, cathedrals to medieval cities. Spain is a country that has preserved its historical heritage while modernizing, and it offers delicious cuisine, an ideal climate for summer vacations, and the hospitality of its people.
Book your ticket by >>clicking here<<
Book a room in the hotel of your choice by >>clicking here<<
For your taxi, >>click here<<
For car rental, >>click here<<
Have a great trip!

Piccola premessa: questo post è nato come bozza di risposta al thread di qualche ora fa. Mentre scrivevo la risposta però mi sono reso conto che il contenuto potesse essere di per se uno spunto di discussione a se stante.
Nel thread di cui sopra OP lamentava la lontananza dall'Italia affermando che il motivo principale per cui gli italiani lasciano il paese per andare all'estero è, a suo parere, la prospettiva di una carriera migliore ed un contesto lavorativo più dignitoso. La sua opinione è stata corroborata da una sostanziale parte dei commenti al post.
Personalmente (29M) non mi ci rivedo in tale visione, ed anzi nel mio caso i fattori che più hanno influenzato la mia scelta di lasciare l'Italia sono stati la provincialità, illiberalità ed intolleranza del pensiero e della cultura di quella che da me è stata percepita nel corso degli anni come una grande parte della popolazione. E' importante notare che la mia prospettiva fa riferimento esclusivamente alle "grandi città" in cui ho vissuto, vedi Bari, Torino e Milano, non ai borghi di provincia in cui andrebbe, magari anche erroneamente, a stanare tali atteggiamenti.
Per dare un po' di contesto:

• siamo penultimi in EU per istruzione terziaria [1a] e 17imi per laureati STEM [1b];
• siamo 34imi su 49 paesi europei per riconoscimento e tolleranza dei diritti LBTG [2], dietro Grecia, Moldavia, Serbia, Albania e Ungheria tanto per intenderci;
• siamo 24imi nell'area OECD (OCSE) per spesa pubblica nella ricerca [3] dietro tutte le medio-grandi economie europee, incluse Portogallo e Ungheria, e appena sopra Turchia, Spagna e Polonia la quale dovrebbe superarci quest'anno;
• nel 2020 siamo risultati 25imi su un campione di 26 paesi analizzati per livello di istruzione finanziaria [4], davanti alla sola Malta (che però ha usato un questionario diverso rispetto al nostro);
• nel 2019 eravamo quintultimi in Europa per partecipazione femminile alla forza lavoro [5], davanti solo a North Macedonia, Bosnia, Moldavia e Turchia;
• siamo 41imi nel mondo per libertà di stampa [6] ma comunque sopra agli US;
• siamo 30imi al mondo e terzultimi in Europa per riconoscimento dei diritti civili e di tolleranza sociale [7] e quartultimi per capitale sociale (inteso come fiducia nelle istituzioni e partecipazione civica alla discussione e vita politica e di comunità);
• siamo 29imi su 41 paesi analizzati per giustizia sociale [8];
• negli ultimi 20 anni siamo il quinto paese su 40 per maggior populismo nella comunicazione politica [9];
• siamo appena a metà classifica nel mondo per coinvolgimento e partecipazione alla vita politica degli stranieri [10] e nella parte bassa della classifica per facilitazione al processo di ottenimento della cittadinanza [11]. (esempio personale, il padre della mia ragazza è albanese e ha aspettato 23 anni per la cittadinanza contro i 6, teorici, previsti per la Nuova Zelanda ad esempio).

La lista prosegue ma mi rendo conto che elencare cose "alla Salvini" sia tutt'altro che utile ad una sana discussione e che spesso le sterili statistiche, specie se prese fuori contesto e a se stanti, sono pericolosamente fuorvianti. Tuttavia, mi trovo spesso a chiedermi, ad esempio leggendo il pensiero di OP nel thread sopra, in quanti come me danno altrettanto peso a questi altri aspetti oltre che al lavoro. Questi dati magari mostrano una tendenza alla decrescita della ricchezza culturale e morale del nostro paese?
Preciso che ho vissuto in Regno Unito (18 mesi), Svezia (11 mesi), Austria (3 mesi) e da poco trasferito in Nuova Zelanda (5 mesi), oltre che ad aver trascorso brevi periodi di vacanza/lavoro in Spagna (2 mesi) e Portogallo (1 mese) dunque la mia prospettiva è figlia di quelle che sono state le mie esperienze e termini di paragone con i paesi in cui ho soggiornato.
Sources:
[1a] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084737/eu-28-adults-with-tertiary-education-attainment/
[1b] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Tertiary_education_statistics#:~:text=In%20the%20EU%20there%20were,were%20studying%20for%20bachelor's%20degrees.&text=In%202020%2C%2022%25%20of%20tertiary,studying%20business%2C%20administration%20or%20law.
[2] https://rainbow-europe.org/country-ranking
[3] https://data.oecd.org/rd/gross-domestic-spending-on-r-d.htm
[4] https://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/qef/2020-0588/index.html
[5] https://genderdata.worldbank.org/indicators/sl-tlf-acti-zs/?age=15-64&gender=female&geos=AUT_BEL_BGR_DNK_CYP_EST_FIN_FRA_DEU_GRC_HUN_ISL_IRL_ITA_LVA_LTU_LUX_NLD_NOR_POL_PRT_ROU_SVK_SVN_ESP_SWE_HRV_BIH_BLR_ALB_CZE_XKX_MDA_LIE_MCO_MNE_MKD_RUS_SRB_CHE_TUR_UKR_GBR&view=bar
[6] https://rsf.org/en/index
[7] https://www.prosperity.com/rankings
[8] https://www.politico.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Social-Justice-Index-2019.pdf
[9] https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2019/ma06/revealed-the-rise-and-rise-of-populist-rhetoric
[10] https://www.mipex.eu/political-participation
[11] https://www.mipex.eu/access-nationality

Oil prices have been the same as they were in October 2018 for a few months now. Around $70/barrel.
National average in Oct 2018 was 2.90/gallon. National average today is 3.54/gallon.
Exxon, for instance, reported anywhere from 75% to 168% in year over year quarterly growth from June 2021 - September 2022. To be fair, this is after seeing negative YoY growth from March 2019 - December 2020. But, funny thing about the negative YoY growth that "big oil" experienced during COVID.. it wasnt caused solely by COVID. Exxon saw negative growth near 20% nearly a year before COVID brought down the world. In fact, the negative growth during COVID was very similar to the downturn from September 2014 - September 2016.
What I really want to emphasize here is the next part: I just laid out 2 separate downturns in Exxons history. Both were similar in length, and both were similar in size, albeit COVID being a little higher(5-10% higher during some quarters).
After the COVID downturn, Exxon reported quarterly YoY growth ranging from 75% to 168% over the course of about 6 quarters from 2021-2022. 4 out of those 6 quarters were 120% or higher.
After the 2014-2016 downturn, Exxon reported quarterly YoY growth ranging from 24% to 44% over 8 or 9 quarters from 2016-2018.
There is no precedent for the amount of greed we saw from corporations last year. Fuel prices were a driving force as well - and its very clear to me that greed was the driving force behind increased fuel prices after taking this small dive, confirming what we all should know already. So what we have here is compounded greed that ultimately made many things unaffordable over the past year - greed from the transportation side, greed from the producer greed from the supplier, and then of course regular YoY cost increases/inflation that should be expected. When you compound all of these increases into one final price that we all pay, you get record profits for everyone except the consumer, who gets fucked.
Id be willing to bet that YoY growth trends are similar for most corporations over the past 1-2 years, and do not match prior downturn years, just like with oil corporations.
And all they had to do was say "sorry, gas prices are high and COVID caused so many supply chain issues!!!" Yeah, you're not increasing production back to pre pandemic levels because you can just jack your prices up 200% and make record profits while not having to hire more employees.
America is fucked unless we do something about corporate greed. Greed is to be expected from the individual, but we cannot have monopolies run around completely unchecked.
If I left out something here, please point it out, thanks!
https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/XOM/exxon/gross-profit

So I received an email this morning from Texas ENA that says, “The Texas ENA Board is disappointed to share that in complicities, in accordance with Texas ENA bylaws, the position of President, Treasurer, and Director have been vacated.
The board wants to reassure you that the organization will continue taking positive steps in the right direction while focusing on the fundamentals of stewardship in education and membership in our Texas ENA community.
In accordance with the Texas ENA Bylaws;
Section 14: Resignation and Removal.
A members of the BOD may resign in writing submitted to the Texas State Council President. In the case of the resignation of the President, the resignation will be submitted to the Secretary, who will refer such resignation to the BOD. A resignation will be effective on the acceptance date of the resignation as determined by the BOD.
A member of the BOD may be removed at any time, with or without cause, when in the judgment of the voting members of the BOD, removal is in the best interest of the Texas State Council or National ENA. The removal of such a member shall require a vote in favor by at least 2/3 of the current members of the BOD.
Section 15: Filing Vacancies
If the office of President becomes vacant, the president-elect:
Shall succeed to the office of President for the unexpired term, and
Shall subsequently serve the one (1) year term of office of President to which elected.
Vacancies in any other office shall be appointed by the Texas State Council Board of Directors.
The Texas ENA Board requests your patience and support during this time of transition. If you have procedural questions, please feel free to contact me. Out of respect for our former Board members, I will not discuss the details of their departure.
Thank you,
Shawntay Harris, MBA, MSN, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, NE-BC, TCRN, CPEN, CEN, CFRN, CTRN
De-facto President 2023
Texas Emergency Nurses Association.”
Anyone know what is going on?!?

My best friend in the whole world has changed completely. This began in August of last year. She took me to a concert and told me she was going on a week long camping trip with her mother and brother (and we both knew they believed in a bunch of crazy conspiracies) I made a joke and wished her luck. I had no idea that would be the last time things would be normal between us.
After the trip, she texts me and says she has to tell me something important. She tells me she is a born again Christian, and she believes everything her mom and brother have been drilling into her head and fear mongering since the pandemic in 2020. From what I know, (because I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know) this is what they believe:

1. Trump is the Antichrist.
2. Earth is flat.
3. The vaccine makes you half machine. And it also fills you up with something that they can use to control you and make your heart explode whenever they want. It also changes your DNA making you not the same person.
4. Space is fake. All of it. And the sun is a light the government turns on.
5. Giants and Bigfoot and other mythical creatures exist.
6. They cannot go to any government building (even the post office) because since they know the “truth”, all conspiracy theorists are considered National terrorists and will be shot on sight.
7. Eventually, they will plant a chip in our hands and we will be punished for buying too much meat at the grocery stores. They will control how much we buy.
8. They are getting rid of cash. She tells me that cash is already gone in china, but I don’t think that’s true.
9. The world is ending in 2030. That’s when the rapture is coming.
10. 5G towers will make you explode if you got the Covid vaccine. Or the flu vaccine because they have mixed the Covid vaccine with the flu vaccine and aren’t telling anyone.

That’s everything I can remember off the top of my head. But things are just so different now. She has tried to convert me. I stood firm in my own beliefs. She’s tried mom shaming me for having my son (who is almost 2) vaccinated. We had a big fight over that. I tried being respectful but it hurts. The main reason it hurts is bc they have all bought campers and are moving from Louisiana to Wisconsin whenever “stuff starts happening in the world” (the date keeps getting pushed back) and they will be off the grid in the woods with no phones or anything. No contact with anyone. Until 2030. They will be gardening and fishing for food. I am terrified of that. They aren’t fit for that type of lifestyle. I’m scared she or they won’t last out there. Especially the winters. She was seriously a piece of my heart. We were so close. And she wouldn’t even come and see me before she moved cities in Louisiana bc we are different people now. She doesn’t tell me anything unless I bring up something that upsets her or if I hound her and ask.
I don’t know what to do. It feels like she’s passed away. The person I loved is gone. And I won’t even be able to speak to her soon or know if she’s okay. That messes with my head so bad. For years, I’ll just be worried. And I’ll never know. No one will. My heart is just broken. And there’s nothing to do about that.

Diretide/TI8/TI9/TI10/Nemestice/Aghanim's Immortals & Collector's Cache Sets FOR SALE
...........................................................................................

• We need to be friends for at least 30 days to be able to send the item/set as a gift
• To reserve an item/set you need to pay 25% of the price in advance
• Taking Items(Dota2/CSGO/TF2)/Skrill/Paypal/Crypto
• You can add me if you have any questions

Link to my spreadsheet, with all my prices, stock and reservations already made
TI8 COLLECTOR’S CACHE II SETS

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Shimmer of the Anointed (Nyx Assassin)	4$	12	-----
The Rat King (Chen)	5$	10	-----
Pattern of the Silken Queen (Broodmother)	5$	12	-----
Shackles of the Enduring Conscript (Axe)	6$	9	-----
Fires of the Volcanic Guard (Ember Spirit)	8$	11	-----
Loaded Prospects (Brewmaster)	10$	12	-----
Ire of the Molten Rebirth (Phoenix)	10$	8	-----
Pitmouse Fraternity (Meepo)	10$	6	-----
Raiments of the Obsidian Force (Underlord - Rare)	20$	9	-----

TI8 COLLECTOR’S CACHE I SETS

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Grasp of the Riven Exile (Weaver)	4$	9	-----
Insights of the Sapphire Shroud (Dark Seer)	4$	9	-----
Pillar of the Fractured Citadel (Spirit Breaker)	5$	7	-----
Primer of the Sapper's Guile (Techies)	6$	3	-----
Trail of the Sanguine Spectrum (Bloodseeker)	8$	4	-----
Molokau Stalker (Venomancer)	10$	10	-----
Raptures of the Abyssal Kin (Queen of Pain)	10$	4	-----
Morbific Provision (Witch Doctor)	10$	5	-----
Fate Meridian (Invoker)	15$	2	-----
The Murid Divine (Necrophos)	15$	7	-----

TI9 COLLECTOR'S CACHE II

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Automaton Antiquity (Broodmother)	5$	3	-----
Prized Acquisitions (Batrider)	5$	6	-----
Directive of the Sunbound (Clockwerk)	6$	4	-----
Tribal Pathways (Warlock)	6$	4	-----
Verdant Predator (Venomancer)	7$	2	-----
Sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful (Drow Ranger)	12$	4	-----

TI9 COLLECTOR'S CACHE I

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Riddle of the Hierophant (Oracle)	5$	1	-----

BP 2020 COLLECTOR'S CACHE II

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Secrets of the Celestial (Skywrath Mage)	5$	19	-----
Clearcut Cavalier (Timbersaw)	5$	17	-----
Carousal of the Mystic Masquerade (Rubick)	5$	20	-----
The King Of Thieves (Keeper of the Light)	5$	16	-----
Blaze of Oblivion (Phoenix)	5$	25	-----
Blacksail Cannoneer (Sniper)	5$	18	-----
Beast of the Crimson Ring (Bristleback)	7$	14	-----
Evolution of the Infinite (Enigma)	7$	19	-----
Wrath of the Fallen Ones (Doom)	7$	15	-----
Crown of Calaphas (Shadow Demon)	7$	17	-----
Talons of the Endless Storm (Chaos Knight)	9$	18	-----
Ire of the Ancient Gaoler (Arc Warden)	20$	8	-----
Horror from the Deep (Tidehunter)	20$	8	-----
Master of the Searing Path (Ember Spirit)	20$	8	-----
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber (Templar Assassin - Rare)	15$	26	-----

BP 2020 COLLECTOR'S CACHE I

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Songs of Starfall Glen (Enchantress)	5$	7	-----
Beholden of the Banished Ones (Warlock)	8$	5	-----
Herald of the Ember Eye (Grimstroke)	8$	6	-----
Apocalypse Unbound (Ancient Apparition)	8$	6	-----
Fury of the Righteous Storm (Disruptor)	10$	2	-----
Heartless Hunt (Bounty Hunter)	10$	1	-----
Flashpoint Proselyte (Huskar)	10$	3	-----
Fissured Flight (Jakiro)	10$	3	-----
Mindless Slaughter (Pudge)	15$	2	-----
Ancient Inheritance (Tiny - Rare)	20$	3	-----
Forsworn Legacy (Ares - Very Rare)	50$	1	-----

Nemestice Collector's Cache 2021

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Twilight Hex (Dark Willow)	5$	3	-----
Caerulean Star (Enchantress)	5$	5	-----
Silence of the Starweaver (Oracle)	5$	3	-----
Astral Terminus (Enigma)	10$	2	-----
Desert Bloom (Nature's Prophet)	10$	1	-----

Aghanim's 2021 Collector's Cache

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Secrets of the Frost Singularity (Ancient Apparition)	3$	7	-----
The Chained Scribe (Grimstroke)	4$	5	-----
Forgotten Fate (Mars)	8$	4	-----
March of the Crackerjack Mage (Rubick)	8$	3	-----
Blightfall (Abaddon)	10$	1	-----
Widow of the Undermount Gloom (Broodmother)	10$	1	-----
Apex Automated (Clockwerk)	10$	1	-----
Perils of the Red Banks (Chen)	10$	2	-----
Pyrexae Polymorph Perfected (Ogre Magi - Rare)	15$	4	-----

Diretide 2022 Collector's Cache II

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Grand Suppressor (Silencer)	2.5$	15	-----
Darkbrew´s Transgression (Alchemist)	2.5$	16	-----
Transcendent Path (Oracle)	2.5$	15	-----
The Wilding Tiger (Brewmaster)	2.5$	15	-----
Dawn of Darkness Foretold (Doom)	2.5$	15	-----
Cursed Cryptbreaker (Pudge)	2.5$	14	-----
Feasts of Forever (Night Stalker)	2.5$	16	-----
Withering Pain (Clinkz)	2.5$	16	-----
Freebot Fortunes (Ogre Magi)	2.5$	14	-----
Acrimonioes of Obsession (Vengeful Spirit)	2.5$	14	-----
Sacred Chamber Guardian (Huskar)	2.5$	16	-----
War Rig Eradicators (Techies)	2.5$	14	-----
Darkfeather Factioneer (Phantom Assassin)	5$	11	-----
Bird of Prey (Legion Commander)	10$	4	-----
Grudges of the Gallows Tree (Treant Protector - Rare)	10$	16	-----
Brands of the Reaper (Anti-Mage - Rare)	10$	12	-----
Sublime Equilibrium (Void Spirit - Very Rare)	25$	3	-----

Diretide 2022 Collector's Cache I

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Hounds of Obsession (Chen)	2.5$	18	-----
Seadog's Stash (Clockwerk)	2.5$	18	-----
Chines of the Inquisitor (Faceless Void)	2.5$	17	-----
Trophies of the Hallowed Hunt (Ursa)	2.5$	16	-----
Crimson Dawn (Phoenix)	2.5$	18	-----
Fogotten Station (Terrorblade)	2.5$	19	-----
Dirge Amplifier (Undying)	2.5$	17	-----
Champion of the Fire Lotus (Monkey King)	2.5$	16	-----
Deathstitch Shaman (Witch Doctor)	2.5$	18	-----
Spoils of the Shadowveil (Spectre)	5$	10	-----
Scarlet Subversion (Riki)	5$	8	-----
Whippersnapper (Snapfire)	8$	8	-----
Shadowleaf Insurgent (Hoodwink)	10$	4	-----
Starlorn Adjudicator (Dawnbreaker)	10$	5	-----
Blue Horizons (Marci - Rare)	10$	11	-----
Angel of Vex (Invoker - Rare)	15$	4	-----
Dark Behemoth (Primal Beast - Very Rare)	25$	4	-----

IMMORTAL TREASURE II 2022

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Limbs of Lycosidae (Broodmother)	1$	2	-----
Draca Mane (Huskar)	1$	1	-----
Sullen Sanctum (Necrophos)	1$	2	-----
Insight of Forlorn Precipice (Dark Seer)	1$	2	-----
Draconic Divide (Dragon Knight)	1$	2	-----
Tremors of the Tandem Storm (Disruptor)	4$	1	-----
Golden Draca Mane (Huskar)	6$	1	-----
Golden Sullen Sanctum (Necrophos)	6$	2	-----

IMMORTAL TREASURE I 2022

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
infernal Cavalcade (Centaur Warrunner)	1$	6	-----
Flutterstep (Enchantress)	1$	6	-----
Seclusions of the Void (Templar Assassin)	1$	7	-----
Aktok's Glory (Venomancer)	1$	6	-----
Everglyph Goggles (Meepo)	1$	7	-----
Blastmitt Berserker Bundle (Bristleback)	4$	1	-----
Infernal Cavalcade (Centaur Warrunner)	6$	3	-----
The Strings of Suradan Bundle (Hoodwink)	30$	1	-----

AGELESS HEIRLOOMS 2022

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Howls of the Northmarch (Anti-Mage)	1$	4	-----
Faction of the Feather (Templar Assassin)	1$	2	-----
Melange of the Firelord (Chaos Knight)	1$	4	-----
Heinous Exultation (Razor)	1$	5	-----
Tangled Tropics (Monkey King)	1$	4	-----
Fury of the Thunderhawk (Zeus)	1$	4	-----
Oaths of the Beloved (Death Prophet)	1$	4	-----
Twilight Legions (Night Stalker)	2.5$	3	-----
Jewels of Anamnessa (Medusa)	5$	1	-----

The Battle Pass Collection 2022

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Hides of Hostility (Huskar)	1$	4	-----
Heat of the Sixth Hell (Doom)	1$	4	-----
Nefarious Fixations (Lion)	1$	3	-----
Distinguished Forgemaster (Clockwerk)	1$	4	-----
Volcanic Sanctuary (Broodmother)	1$	3	-----
Obsidian Atrocity (Lifestealer)	1$	4	-----
Charms of the Firefiend (Batrider)	5$	1	-----

DEAD RECKONING CHEST

SET(HERO)	ITEM VALUE	STOCK	NOTE
Dead Heat (Lina)	6$	1	-----
Death Adder (Medusa)	6$	1	-----
Soul Serpent (Viper)	6$	1	-----

SteamRep

Pup
punk
Similar Artists
Overflowing with attitude, energy, and hooky guitar figures, PUP are a Toronto-based punk combo whose acclaimed 2013 debut helped earn them a widespread audience both in and outside of Canada. PUP quickly became a touring dynamo with a larger label (SideOneDummy) behind them, and their quirky sense of humor and engaging songwriting played out over albums like 2016's The Dream Is Over and 2019's Juno Award-winning Morbid Stuff. They signed with Universal for their fourth album, 2022's The Unraveling of Puptheband, and created a denser, though still frenetic sound by experimenting with different instruments.
Featuring Stefan Babcock on vocals and guitar, Steve Sladkowski on guitar and vocals, Nestor Chumak on bass and vocals, and Zack Mykula on drums and vocals, all longtime friends who met in elementary school, PUP formed in 2010 under the name Topanga. The original name was a reference to Topanga Lawrence, a character played by Danielle Fishel on the '90s sitcom Boy Meets World, but when the members learned Fishel would be reviving the character in 2014 in a spin-off titled Girl Meets World, they chose to change the name to PUP, standing for "Pathetic Use of Potential." Topanga released a digital EP titled Oceans, and positive press and attention from other bands helped create a buzz about the group. In 2013, they became PUP, releasing their self-titled debut album through the Royal Mountain label. The album was a hit with both critics and fans, with the group being named Best Live Show and Best New Artist by CBC Radio 3. The band toured extensively, playing throughout Canada and making their way to England and the United States. By the end of 2013, PUP had signed a record deal with the well-established punk label Side One Dummy, and spent much of 2014 and 2015 touring in support of Side One Dummy's reissue of their debut LP, launching their first headlining tours of the United States and Canada, as well as making their Australian debut.
In February 2016, PUP teased a new single called "DVP" in advance of their second full-length album, The Dream Is Over. Released in May of that year, the album's title is a reference to a prognosis Babcock received from his doctor: he'd severely damaged his vocal cords after enduring years of non-stop touring. In true punk fashion, PUP used the doctor's glib comment as the rallying cry for another set of hard-hitting, self-deprecating punk tunes. The band promoted the effort with an international tour over the next year before returning to the studio to write and record a follow-up. They spent most of 2018 working on the album, which saw release in April 2019. Titled Morbid Stuff, the record was produced with Dave Schiffman (the Mars Volta, Weezer) and lyrically focused on Babcock's struggles with depression. A year later, PUP offered up their commentary on the state of the world with This Place Sucks Ass, a six-song EP whose title referenced one of their long-standing touring inside jokes. With COVID-19 putting a halt to live performances, the group returned to the studio in 2021 to record their fourth album. Produced by Peter Katis (the National, Frightened Rabbit), 2022's wild The Unraveling of Puptheband saw the group augmenting their normally guitar-based sound with synthesizers, piano, and horns.
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Bandcamp
Spotify
Studio Albums
PUP (2013)
The Dream Is Over (2016)
Morbid Stuff (2019)
The Unraveling of PUPTheBand (2022)
Previous Spotlight - Ani DiFranco

Hi folks,
Long time lurker, first time poster… M28
February 2022 I was at my highest weight of my life, 139.4kg. What was an unhealthy lifestyle pre-covid got even worse, I had put on about 20kg since the lockdowns started in March 2020. Not a unique story I’m sure.
I decided it was time to get serious before I waste the best years of my life. I put a plan together with my PT with some heavy accountability on the diet and sticking to workout plans and slowly but surely started making progress. This morning I was exactly 26kg down and feeling great overall.
I’ve had a pretty set routine for the last 16 months. PT on Monday, I play organised basketball on a Wednesday, PT on a Thursday, a run on a Saturday and maybe a walk thrown in.
That routine got thrown out the window when I had a fall at basketball on Wednesday night on a wet patch and fractured my wrist.
Wrist is in a cast for 6 weeks, no PT, running is not advised. Obviously, no basketball either.
My question to you guys is, how have you got through periods where your routine is taken away? In the past, that’s where I’ve fallen off the wagon. How did you get through it?
Cheers
TLDR: lost 26kgs in last 16 months but routine is gone due to injury

Just received this:
Dear stakeholder,

As someone who has registered as a stakeholder for the NHS Gender Services Clinical Programme, or who has a specific interest in this area, we are writing to:

Notify you that NHS England has now published, following public consultation, a final interim service specification for specialist gender incongruence services for children and young people; and,

Invite you to provide feedback, as part of our stakeholder testing process (and ahead of formal public consultation), on a new draft interim clinical policy relating to the use of puberty supressing hormones in children and adolescents who have gender incongruence / or gender dysphoria.

Final Interim Service Specification
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/interim-service-specification-for-specialist-gender-incongruence-services-for-children-and-young-people/
Today (Friday 9 June) NHS England has published a final interim service specification for specialist gender incongruence services for children and young people to support our Phase 1 providers in developing their new services. The public consultation on this draft interim service specification ran for 45 days from 20 October to 4 December 2022. It received 5,183 responses in total. We would like to sincerely thank all those individuals and organisations who took the time to submit responses to this consultation.

We commissioned TONIC - an independent organisation specialising in public consultation, social research and evaluation - to conduct analysis on all responses and report back on these findings. Their detailed analysis of the responses, as well as NHS England’s response to the consultation can both be found alongside the finalised interim service specification.

Stakeholder Testing: Draft Interim Clinical Policy: Puberty Supressing Hormones

At the same time as publishing the final interim service specification, NHS England is also inviting you to provide feedback on a new draft interim clinical policy on the use of puberty supressing hormones (PSH) in children and adolescents who have gender incongruence or gender dysphoria. This is an important step in our policy development process which precedes formal and wider public consultation.
The draft clinical policy proposes that puberty suppressing hormones are not routinely commissioned at this time and that access should only be as part of research.

We have previously made clear, including in the draft interim service specification we consulted on, the intention that the NHS will only commission puberty supressing hormones as part of clinical research. This approach follows advice from Dr Hilary Cass’ Independent Review highlighting the significant uncertainties surrounding the use of hormone treatments.

The purpose of the clinical policy (draft below) is to formalise this commissioning approach and ensure there is clarity on the position by the time the new service providers begin seeing patients in the context of the new and final interim service specification. The interim service specification and the clinical policy, once finalised, come together to define the overall commissioned service.

The draft clinical policy is supported by a NICE evidence review completed in 2020, a literature surveillance report which has looked to identify relevant studies published subsequently, and a draft Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment (EHIA).

Progress with establishing appropriate research studies is important in the context of this draft clinical policy. As you may know, a new national Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board has been established to oversee this work. We are pleased to inform you that the Board has now approved the development of a study into the impact of puberty suppressing hormones in children and young people with early-onset gender dysphoria. More information on the Board and the study can be found in the Consultation Report.
As a key stakeholder, we would like to hear your views on this policy proposition before NHS England considers it further and in advance of conducting formal and wider public consultation.

[We recognise that if this draft clinical policy is adopted following stakeholder testing and public consultation, it would be appropriate to make a consequential change to the related clinical policy for prescribing cross-sex hormones for young people with gender dysphoria by removing the requirement for a young person to have been receiving puberty supressing hormones for a defined period of time.]

What is NHS England asking you to do?

Please read the draft clinical policy proposition and submit your response using this stakeholder feedback form by 25 June 2023.

1927 PSH Draft interim policy proposition.pdf

You may also wish to review other supporting documentation:

NICE evidence review 1927 GnRH ER.pdf Surveillance report 1927 GnRH Literature surveillance.pdf Draft Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment 1927 EHIA PSH.pdf

The NICE review from 2020 was a comprehensive review of all clinical evidence available on the use of this medication to suppress puberty in children and young people. NHS England has looked at any relevant evidence that has been published since the NICE review, and this is covered in the Surveillance Report.

It is not possible to save your answers and return to the form later, so you may wish to skip through the questions and read the supporting documents before you start. You have the option to submit a detailed response of up to 500 words.

You are welcome to respond on behalf of your group or organisation, or as an individual. You may wish to consult others as part of your response, or you can forward this email to other stakeholders. You must declare any conflict of interests relating to this document or service area.


What happens next?

Once NHS England has reviewed all stakeholder feedback, we intend to move to a period of formal public consultation. Our Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group (PPVAG) will consider and assure our plans in this respect first.

A final decision on the clinical policy following stakeholder testing and public consultation will be made by NHS England following a recommendation from the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG).

If this email has been forwarded to you and you would like to receive updates directly from NHS England in future, please do sign up as a stakeholder on our website for any of the CRGs that cover your areas of interest.

Thank you very much in advance for your feedback.
​
Gender Clinical Programme

Hello, I would like to seek fellow redditors opinions, input and recommendation on how I could better finetune my itinerary better. There's only so much I can think of, and plan as an individual, but with everyone's input and comments I can further refine and enhance the travel experience before I set foot into Japan. Do forgive me in advance for the theorycrafting wall of text.
I know it may be difficult to review the itinerary, so to make the review easier I have broken the itinerary down into specific sub-groups e.g. Shikoku, Kinki etc. Specific questions that I have are bolded.
Thank you in advance for taking your time to provide your opinions!
-------------
Baseline information

• 32M, average fitness, solo traveller
• Public transport only (challenge); I have a driver's license but I have not drove a car for god knows how long so I would prefer not to test it against the green hills of Shikoku
• Interest: anime (select few), experience autumn/nature, visiting secluded spots, and just trying random stuff
• JP language skill: rudimentary at best (N4), but I will not shy away from speaking in simple, broken japanese or use a translator to communicate. Reading/interpreting kanji is not a problem (in general).
• Visit history: Visited twice (once to Hokkaido for ~8 days, and once toKyoto and Osaka for 8 days
• Will probably travel around with a (slightly) oversized luggage at ~166cm (A+B+C), that’s the only one I have with me. This will be a problem on the Shinkansen (but hopefully not so much on sightseeing trains/limited expresses).
• Will be visiting during (almost) peak autumn at 11 November, and will depart on the 16th of December
• Jet lag is unlikely to be a problem (1h time difference), but nevertheless I will maintain a low tempo on the first day to acclimatize to the environment
• Only thing firmed as of now is the air ticket, everything else is up in the air.
• I like planning/min-maxing to some degree, though I recognize that I may not fulfill all objectives during the trip and I am totally ok with that [its just a guideline or framework to give the holiday some structure, that’s all.] FWIW, I personally like traveling at a high tempo pace like some japanese travel show do (e.g. ローカル路線バス乗り継ぎの旅)

​
Specific goals/objective:

1. Experience Shikoku in autumn (specifically the views at Iya Valley) and in other prefectures (thus making nature sightseeing more of a priority this time round)
2. Experience Kanazawa for anime stuff
3. Experience the Shimanami Kaido in full (including any sightseeing spots in between the 6 island chains)
4. Bonus - try as many sightseeing trains as possible.
5. Bonus - if weather, time and schedule permits, try skiing as an option in Nagano.
6. Bonus - stay in as many onsen ryokans as possible, without breaking the bank.

​
Locked-in prefectures [i.e. I will definitely go to those prefectures no matter what]:

1. Shikoku (as per above objective)
2. Hiroshima (because its on the opposite end of the Shimanami Kaido)
3. Kanazawa (for anime related reason)
4. Tokyo (that is my starting and end point so it has to be included by default)

All other prefectures are basically float i.e. I am open to consider dropping said itinerary for something else based on your suggestion that aligns with my preferences/interest. Most of the other locations I added are prefectures that are often next to each other, or well-connected (apart from the initial Tokyo Kagawa jump via Sunrise Seto/Shinkansen).
​
Wait-list prefectures (prefectures that I want to go, but I don’t think I can realistically fit in without dropping other locations):

1. Snow skiing at Nagano (depending on how cooperative the weather is in early-ish December (would 2 days be sufficient?))
2. Ehime, Kochi expansion [spend 1-3 more days]
3. Izu Peninsula (~2 days, via Saphir Odoriko)
4. Nagoya + lower Nagano (Kiso Valley) (~3 days)
5. Ishikawa expansion [1 extra day at Kaga]

I am open to dropping a few days in Tokyo/Osaka etc to make that trade off [currently kept 3 days free for further development]. Alternatively, if the planning can be better optimized based on your inputs I might be able to do one of those without compromising on the base set. I would like to hear your opinion on what locations you would drop in the itinerary to make time for one of the above.
​
General planning philosophy:

1. My itineary adopts a breadth approach (cover as much area as I can humanely possible without rushing/touch-and-go) as opposed to depth (i.e. spending much more time within Shikoku than what I allocated); though I would be open to considering more days at selected locations if you have strong recommendations. My thought is to experience how different autumn is at various parts of the country (if possible), and maybe winter too (to a certain degree).
2. Due to the nature of my travel, I note that luggage logistics is a critical consideration when moving between prefectures; my thought is to park that luggage at the next hotel as quickly as possible so that I can free myself for sightseeing within the vicinity, or leave the luggage at the hotel after I check out until I am ready to travel to the next location. I will need to send (quite a fair bit of) emails to the hotels to confirm on this prior to booking.
3. I will attempt to minimize transit time between prefectures to no more than 2~3 hours a day to avoid having excessively long transport days (except the initial Tokyo Kagawa jump).
4. Because of the long trip, I will also need to factor a bit of downtime at night for administrative stuff (e.g. catching up a little bit on work, laundry etc).

---------
Shikoku (~7 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. I will need to exploit Limited Express trains as much as possible to minimize downtime between the 4 prefectures. Fortunately, for the most part these train frequencies are almost hourly, thus missing one train isnt too deadly consequence-wise.
2. The transfer between Kochi and Ehime [Matsuyama] is oddly quicker via express bus as opposed to trains (!)
3. For Kochi, my opinion is that it is best explored on car instead of public transport [it’s a really wide prefecture]; I feel that 1 day may not do it justice, but it is probably adequate for exploring the city centre as a whole.
4. There's a fair bit of uncertainties while planning this leg so I would deeply appreciate any advice you may have.
5. This current iteration is unable to weave in the Shikoku Mannaka Sennen Monogatari sightseeing train [四国まんなか千年ものがたり] ; if you people think its something not to be missed do let me know and I will reshuffle my timetable as such.

Day 0: Tokyo Kagawa (Sunrise Seto) [Saturday, 11 Nov]

• Touch down at Narita at 1720hours
• Transfer to Tokyo Station via NEX or Skyliner
• Settle administrative matters at the Midori-no-Maruguchi (e.g. get all the booked tickets etc from JR Pass, for Shinkansen and all other sightseeing trains) at Tokyo Station.
• IF Sunrise Seto ticket is obtained via the JR West portal booking, chill till 2200 and take Sunrise Seto to reach Kagawa (Takamatsu) at 0700 the next day. Try to snag the ticket online (likely via the japanese portal since there's no option to buy Solo Deluxe through the english/international website. Otherwise, compromise and go for Single)
• IF Sunrise Seto ticket is NOT obtained, proceed to take the furthest possible Shinkansen westwards (probably Okayama) and rest for the night.

Day 1: Kagawa (Takamatsu) [Sunday, 12 Nov]

• Chill around Takamatsu. Drop luggage at coin locker OR the hotel (near JR Takamatsu ideally)
• Look at whats left of Takamatsu Castle en route to the port.
• Day trip to Naoshima or Teshima to visit the art museums (Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum etc).
• Ritsuin Garden in the evening (closes 1830)
• Find an eatery with Sanuki Udon for dinner if possible.

Day 2: Kagawa (Kotohira) Tokushima (Iya Valley) [Monday, 13 Nov]

• Morning trip from Takamatsu to Kotohira (either via JR or Kotoden). Visit Kotohiragu [includes inner shrine] and Kanamaruza Theater
• Return to Kotohira to pick up luggage, transit to Oboke via Limited Express Shimanto [Takamatsu Tadotsu Oboke]
• Retire at a local hotel around Oboke. If time permits, take the chance to explore around Oboke Gorge itself.

​
Day 3: Tokushima (Iya Valley) [Tuesday, 14 Nov]
[Post-research note: I realized that there is NO public transport to Mount Tsurugi on a weekday. I will have to rent a taxi direct to Mount Tsurugi, make the 'climb', then thereafter take the taxi down to the other attractions. I am inclined to just go full hog on the private taxi and rent it (almost the whole day, probably 7~8 hours for 4300yen/hour) to save the trouble.
Otherwise, I will need to hike downhill which can be rather rough since its just a single lane road (looking at nearly 10++ km) so I think it wise not to penny pinch in the interest of both time and safety.]
Spend the day at Iya Valley.

• Take a taxi after breakfast to zip to Mount Tsurugi and speedrun it to the mountain peak (aka using the chairlift to speedrun a good chunk of the mountain) about 2.5 hours ~ 3 hours as per the Iya Valley guide
• Taxi from Mount Tsurugi chairlift down to Oku-Iya Niju Kazuraashi and cross it (~1 hour estimate)
• Taxi down to visit the mannequins/scarecrows at Nagoro Village (~3km downhill from Oku-Iya). (~1 hour estimate)
• Check out the Peeing Boy Statue (~0.5 hour estimate [its just looking at the statue that is overlooking the entire gorge is it not?])
• Cross the outer vine bridge Iya-no-Kazurabashi (~1 hour estimate)
• Taxi back to Oboke, and retire for the day (~0.5 hour estimate, thus looking at about ~8 hours taxi rental total, with some leeway for lunch break)

​
Day 4: Tokushima (Iya Valley) Kochi (Kochi) [Wednesday, 15 Nov]

• Transit from Iya Valley [Oboke] to Kochi via Limited Express Shimanto (again) after breakfast. (~1 hour transit)
• Park luggage at hotel [ideally near JR Kochi Station], then proceed to mill around Kochi, visiting places such as Kochi Castle [高知城] and Harimaya Bridge[はりまや橋]
• Transit to Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum [高知県立坂本龍馬記念館] via local bus which is also near Katsumatsura Beach incidentally. Chill at Katsumatsura Beach in the evening
• Return to JR Kochi, dinnesupper at Hirome Market (ideally to try out Kochi's speciality seared bonito). [is visiting the market more preferable during lunch OR dinner?]

​
Day 5: Kochi (Kochi) Ehime (Imabari) [Thursday, 16 Nov]

• Complete any remaining items in Kochi in the morning, then transit to Imabari via train (Kochi Tadotsu Imabari), via Limited Express Shimanto (yet again!) and Ishidzuchi**[TBC: this might be better done via highway bus instead which is faster at ~2-3 hours]**
• Drop luggage at Imabari for the next 2 days, either at Sunrise Itoyama OR Cycle no Ie. [both are well positioned for the Shimanami Kaido, and are also one of the selected hotels eligible for the Sagawa luggage transfer.] Ideally done just around lunch time, so that there's still the better half of the day to explore Imabari.
• Spend the remainder of the day visiting Imabari Castle (closes 1700) and Towel Museum (slightly out of the way) (closes 1800) [TBC: I note this place is quite out of the way from Imabari itself, even the JP website suggests taking a taxi (!) there from the nearby train station. Might have to drop this).
• Attempt to try some Ehime-related food specialties e.g. Taimeshi (Sea Bream), Ehime oranges, Champon for the next 2 days

​
Day 6: Ehime (Matsuyama / Imabari) [Friday, 17 Nov]

• Take the Limited express train Ishidzuchi to Matsuyama day tripping. (~1h one-way).
• Explore Matsuyama Castle, and the nearby Matsuyama Ropeway Shopping Street
• Visit Shiki Memorial Museum
• Visit Dogo Onsen [and attempt to soak in the waters if possible].
• Also consider looking at Ishiteji (石手寺) beside Dogo Onsen.
• Bonus: Subject to train schedule, if possible, attempt to secure tickets for the Iyonada Sightseeing Train (伊予灘物語), Futami leg [双海ふたみ 編] , and also visit JR Shimonada Station (JR下灘駅) at the same time.
• Bonus: visit Yawatahama Port where the movie Suzume took reference from,
• Return to Imabari via the same Limited express Ishidzuchi and retire for the night.

Day 7: Ehime (Imabari) Hiroshima (Shinamani Kaido) [Saturday, 18 Nov]
I am of the opinion that 1 day in Shimanami Kaido is adequate if I attempt just the main route which is about 80km [as a test run, I did 70km and finished it within 6-7 hours with lunch breaks included]. For now I will plan for two full days, however should I truncate it down to one day later, I will add an extra day to either explore Matsuyama or Okayama.
​

• Start off at Sunrise Itoyama [watch the sunrise, have breakfast here, cafeteria opens at 0700, rental opens at 0800] OR Cycle no Ie. Do paperwork to send luggage over to the next accomodation via Sagawa.
• I will (probably) follow the recommended 'extended' route on Cycle no Ie's website and do the following:
  • Take the west coast for Oshima (~13km) and cross to Hakatajima, with possible stop on:
    • Mount Kiro Observatory Point [I am aware that there's a steep incline so this would be contingent on my physical/mental status by then].
    • Nagahama Beach
• Take the coastal route for Hakatajima (~17km) and cross to Omishima and enjoy the coastal scenery
• Take the coastal route (again) for Omishima (~41km) (or lesser depending on how I'm feeling at that point) , with possible stop on:
  • -TBC: Okunoshima (there is apparently a ferry route to the well-known rabbit island via Omishima port. Not sure if anyone else have tried this particular route and if this is a better approach than going through Tadano-umi (though I would acknowledge that there's historical stuff to visit in nearby Takehara), and I would not be able to buy rabbit food in advance).[Based on Google Earth estimate, its about 3km for the entire island loop - seems doable within 2 hours to tour the poison gas museum with a bike and pet some rabbits).
  • Oyamazumi Shrine Treasure Museum
• End the day at WAKKA (Omishima) OR Guesthouse NEST / Soil Setoda (Ikuchijima) just beside Kousanji / The Hill of Hope (closes 1700). If possible, visit before closing, otherwise defer to next day.
• Try the ice cream at Dolce at Ikuchijima if possible.
• Bonus: if for some reason I am still ahead of time at this juncture (<1500), proceed to finish Innoshima and Mukaishima, then take a ferry to backtrack to Wakka/Soil Setoda or cycle back (last boat is ~1700) and rest; however, the next day I will zip straight to Onomichi via ferry after breakfast.

--------
Hiroshima + Yamaguchi (~4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Onomichi is a pretty good base to jump to Okayama to explore Okayama, Kurashiki or Tomonoura with the Shinkansen accessibility, but it is impossible to cover them all within a single day. If I finish the Shimanami Kaido within a single day or finish it early on the second day, I will have that extra time to visit those.
2. There's another sightseeing train etSETOra from Onomichi to Hiroshima but it only operates on Monday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday. For now the schedule could fit the train timetable pretty nicely.
3. Would anyone suggest visiting Miyajima in the morning or in the evening? This would help me determine the order for the Kintaikyo Bridge/Miyajima day trip. Watching the sunset at either destination is pretty good in my books.

​
Day 8: Hiroshima (Shinamani Kaido Onomichi) [Sunday, 19 Nov]

• Continue from Ikuchijima towards Innoshima and Mukaishima (~18km) via the western coast route after breakfast, with possible stops on the following areas:
  • Innoshima: Innoshima Flower Centre, Shimanami Beach [open to more suggestions]
  • Mukaishima : there seems to be a lot of brunch places like Willows Nursery etc, soak the view at Mukaishima Rest Park [TBC: open to more suggestions]

Ideally reach Onomichi just around lunch or earlier. Chill for the rest of the day, and if I'm still up for it, explore Onomichi, including but not limited to:

• Exploring the cat alley
• Visit the exhibits at Onomichi City Museum of Art
• Consider walking to Senkoji and Onomichi Hondori Shopping Street
• Look into trying Onomichi-style ramen.

Retire at a guesthouse/hotel near JR Onomichi that I have forwarded the luggage to.
​
Day 9: Hiroshima (Onomichi, Takehara+Kure OR Tomonoura OR Okayama) Downtown Hiroshima) [Monday, 20 Nov]

• Mill around Onomichi in the morning (if not done yesterday), with a side trip to EITHER Takehara/Kure OR Okayama/Kurashiki OR Tomonoura (choose one):
  • Takehara: stroll along the historical townscape [and look if they have any Tamayura-related merch], Okunoshima (if not done during the Shimanami Kaido leg / Kure: look into trying Kure curry/Niku-jaga and visit the Yamato Museum
  • Okayama: Okayama Castle (zip via Shinkansen) / Kurashiki : Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
  • Tomonoura: stroll along the townscape during the day (zip via Shinkansen, transfer to local bus)
• Return to Onomichi (no later than 1400), board the etSETOra sightseeing train at 1437, and zip to Hiroshima. Enjoy the sunset along the coastline.
• Retire for the night at Hiroshima proper, probably near JR Hiroshima OR the bus terminal. If time permits, take a gander along the streets and see what takes me from there.

​
Day 10: Hiroshima (Downtown Hiroshima) [Tuesday, 21 Nov]
Spend the day surveying Hiroshima proper.

• Peace Memorial Park (平和記念公園) and Atomic Bomb Dome
• Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims (国立広島原爆死没者追悼平和祈念館)
• Hiroshima Castle
• Orizuru Tower (おりづるタワー)
• Shukkeien (縮景園)
• Optional: Mazda Museum / Kure (if not done the previous day)
• Try to source for Hiroshima-specific food: Okonomiyaki, Dandan Noodles

​
Day 11: Hiroshima (with a day trip to Yamaguchi) [Wednesday, 22 Nov]

• Daytrip to Yamaguchi [Shin-Iwakuni] to visit Kintaikyo Bridge via Shinkansen. Also stop by the nearby Iwakuni Castle.
• Try Tonosama Sushi at Iwakuni if possible.
• Take the local train back to Miyajimaguchi and take the boat to Itsukushima.Take the time to stroll around the island and perhaps watch the sunset at the torii gate.
• Exit back to Hiroshima via boat to Hiroshima Port direct, and transit back to hotel.

--------
Shimane + Tottori (4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Matsue becomes the main jump point for Shimane just because of the subsidized highway bus from Hiroshima, and ease of access towards Tottori later. There's no direct train between Hiroshima and Izumo/Matsue (!).
2. Tottori is really wide size-wise, to the point that it feels more efficient to have two separate hotels in two nights (Kurayoshi/Misasa Onsen + downtown Tottori) rather than one hotel for two nights (i.e. downtown Tottori). Could be just me making excuses to get into an onsen ryokan however.
3. Is there anything interesting at Yonago (Tottori) that I should take note of? Based on my initial survey nothing in particular pops up (other than the Tottori Prefectural Flower Park).
4. Skipping Tottori Castle since it doesn’t seem to be interesting at first glance. Any other interesting things to at Tottori downtown (or nearby)?

​
Day 12: Hiroshima Shimane (Matsue) [Thursday, 23 Nov]

• Make good use of the 500yen highway bus from Hiroshima to Matsue. (3.5 hours transit). Fortunately the frequency is not too bad (7-8 buses per day, looking at 0800 departure or later); if there are still outstanding places to visit in Hiroshima I will visit them in the morning.
• Check in at a hotel near JR Matsue, and proceed to trawl around Matsue with whatever daylight is left. (TBC: am considering taking a few stops down to Tamatsukuri Onsen 玉造温泉 or Matsue-shinjoko Onsen instead of the typical hotel. Does anyone have any positive experiences there?)
• Attempt to spend the afternoon at the Adachi Museum of Art. Local train to Yasugi, transfer to free shuttle.
• Chill off in downtown Matsue for the night. Prowl for Shimane-specific food such as Naniwa Zushi (浪花寿司), Shijimi clams (しじみ), Izumo soba, Izumo Zenzai (出雲ぜんざい).
• Bonus: visit the Tottori Prefectural Flower Park for the winter Hanakairo Flower Illumination at Yonago at night [which is just beside Matsue. Free shuttle bus at Yonago bus terminal].

​
Day 13: Shimane (Izumo / Matsue) [Friday, 24 Nov]

• Day trip from Matsue to Izumo. (JR Matsue JR Izumo, swap to Ichibata local rail to Izumotaisha-mae)
• Take a stop at Izumo Taisha, as well as the nearby Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo (島根県立古代出雲歴史博物館)
• After lunch, return to JR Matsue and proceed to Yushien Garden (由志園) via bus. Enjoy the sunset over the garden.
• Stop by Matsue Castle on the way back.

​
Day 14: Shimane (Matsue) Tottori (Kurayoshi) [Saturday, 25 Nov]

• Transfer from Matsue to Kurayoshi in the morning via Super Matsukaze Limited Express (~1h).
• Settle down luggage at Misasa Onsen, then proceed to hike up Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple (三仏寺). Cater extra time just in case I have to wait for another fellow to pop up to climb in pairs. Estimated climb time excluding wait is about 2-3 hours both ways?
• Excess time to be spent sauntering Misasa Onsen and its nearby area such as the Nijisseiki Pear Museum [二十世紀梨記念館（なしっこ館)] and Kurayoshi Historical Quarter.
• Retire at Misasa Onsen for the night. Bonus: watch the constellations at night at Misasa Onsen on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 2100JST. Current plan does not fall within those 3 weekdays
• Bonus: take a short detour to Conan Town (postnote: not a big fan of the show).

​
Day 15: Tottori (Kurayoshi Tottori) [Sunday, 26 Nov]

• Transfer from Kurayoshi to Tottori (~35minutes transfer) in the morning, and proceed to tour around Tottori.
• Drop luggage, take a local bus to Tottori Sand Dunes, and visit the nearby Sand Museum.
• Transfer northwards to Uradome Coast via local bus and spend the remainder of the day there. Watch the sunset over the coast.
• Return to downtown Tottori, stroll around and call it a night.

​
-----------
Hyogo, Kyoto, Osaka , Nara, Mie (10 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Kinosaki Onsen is intentionally designed to be a slow-paced leg to recover [and also to make time to enjoy the onsens].
2. The limited express train between Kinosaki Onsen and Osaka stops by Himeji thus I thought of resting a night there instead of doing day trips via Osaka.
3. Osaka itinerary does look sparse but that is in large part because I have already visited most of them in the past. Nevertheless, I would like to experience how different it is in autumn compared to summer [based on those few destinations that I loved going previously].
4. I have kept one float day to decompress, OR shift to any of the other prefectures (TBC).
5. There are (multiple) special limited express train by Kintetsu; they're not covered by JR pass but nevertheless I would love to ride on those as an experience. The Kintetsu pass covers the basic fare only but based on my preliminary cost estimate, it is still worth getting it.
6. Is it feasible to compress Himeji and Kobe to a single day?
7. The itineraries for Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Mie are flexible since they're literally beside one another - makes it particularly easy to shift around base on ground situation.

​
Day 16: Tottori (Tottori) Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen) [Monday, 27 Nov]

• Settle any outstanding sightseeing spots in the morning if required in Tottori, then transfer to Kinosaki Onsen via the Sanin Line.
• Make a pitstop at Amarube ('Sky Station') and marvel at the engineering work.
• Deposit luggage at the ryokan (or put in the coin locker), and stroll around and enjoy Kinosaki Onsen [after all its an onsen town].
• Try to hit as many of the 7 external onsens that are usable. Retire for the night here.
• Optional: go up the ropeway and oversee Kinosaki Onsen in the evening (last ride up ~1630)
• Optional: take a short hike up to Onsenji Temple.

​
Day 17: Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen + Northern Kyoto (Amanohashidate) day trip) [Tuesday, 28 Nov]

• Optional: take a (very) early start to the day to Takeda Castle Ruins and witness the 'floating castle' effect in the morning (<0800).
• Day trip to Amanohashidate via ToyookaKyotango Railway. Do the funny bend-down pose on the bench at Amanohashidate View Land, and see how it feels like looking at the world inverted.
• Cross the sandbar and look from the other side (Nariaiji Temple / Kasamatsu Park)
• Select one of three additional side-trips:
  • EITHER take a local bus up to Ine to look at the Funaya + sightseeing boat,
  • OR local rail down to Maizuru to look at the Maizuru World Brick Museum + eat at the Michi-no-eki;
  • OR reverse to Toyooka spend time in the city itself e.g. Izushi Castle Town
• Return to Kinosaki Onsen, and continue experiencing the remainder of the onsens. Retire for the night here. Optional: ride the Aomatsu sightseeing train back to Toyooka.
• Optional: Take a trip to Ankokuji Temple (安国寺) in the evening. Likely to visit post-peak autumn which means less than ideal viewing conditions.

Day 18: Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen Himeji) [Wednesday, 29 Nov]

• Transit from Kinosaki Onsen to Himeji via Limited Express Hamakaze (~2 hours).
• Deposit luggage at the hotel or the coin lockers at the station, then proceed for sightseeing.
• Walk along the Miyuki Street Shopping District which is en-route to Himeji Castle.
• Himeji Castle sector : Himeji Castle (姫路城), Kokoen (好古園)
• Take a local bus at Himeji Castle to go to Mount Shosha and hike up Engyōji Temple (圓教寺)
• Optional : Stroll along Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History and/or Himeji City Museum of Art which is beside the castle, OR Shosha Handicraft Museum which is just at the foot of Mount Shosha
• Optional: Make a detour to the Japan Toy Museum near Koro station (~30 minutes from JR Himeji). Closes 1700.
• Look for Hyogo-specific food: Kobe beef, steamed pork buns, sobameshi, himeji oden, etc

Retire at Himeji for the night.
Day 19: Hyogo (Himeji Kobe) Osaka (Dotonburi) [Thursday, 30 Nov]
Day trip to Kobe, before continuing further down to Osaka.

• Check out from Himeji, transit further down to Kobe for another stop before Osaka. Place luggage at the holding facility within the Shinkansen station.
• Take a visit to the Earthquake Memorial Museum (人と防災未来センター) to look at the devastation wrought by the 1995 earthquake.
• Stroll along Kobe Harborland (神戸ハーバーランド) and Meriken Park (メリケンパーク) , look at the Kobe Tower since its closed till 2024 for renovation, and look at the damage caused by the earthquake
• Optional: Head westwards to Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.
• Optional: Hit up the ASICS Sports Museum (アシックススポーツミュージアム)
• Look at the engineering feat that is the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge and the nearby Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Exhibition Center at Maiko. (Suzume no Tojimari)
• Return to Shin-kobe, pick up luggage, and transit to Shin-Osaka via Shinkansen, and then to Dotonburi/Shinsaibashi. End the (long) day in Osaka.

Day 20: Osaka [Friday, 1 Dec]
Osaka Nostalgia (acid) trip, speedrun edition: revisiting places that I want to go again

• Day trip to Mino Park and revisit the waterfall (I loved visiting it previously) via the Hankyu line in the morning.
• Zoom down to the Osaka Aquarium after lunch and walk around it (Minoo Umeda Honmachi Osakako Station).
• From there, race towards Abeno Harukas and watch the sunset/nightview at Abeno Harukas.
• Bonus: revisit Sumiyoshi Taisha if time permits.
• Spend whatever time remains at night at Nipponbashi Denden Town (shops close at ~2000) and Dotonburi (some stores are still open near midnight) and/or Shinsekai (新世界).

Day 21: Osaka (Nara day trip) [Saturday, 2 Dec]
Spend a day in Nara.

• Zoom from Namba to Nara via Kintetsu (note: non-JR)
• Explore Todaiji Temple, Kokufuji Temple, Isuien Garden and Kasuga Taisha.
• Optional: pass by Naramachi (奈良町) on the way back.
• Take the Kintetsu line down to Mount Yoshino. [TBC: subject to whether I am too early or late for the koyo.Based on last year's prediction I am about 1-2 weeks too late. Might swap this out to a Uji day trip instead in Kyoto.). Spend time walking around the Shimo Senbon and Naka Senbon and experience the autumn.
• Transfer back to Osaka. Bonus: take the Blue Symphony back to Osaka instead of the typical train. (non-JR)

Day 22: Osaka (Mie day trip) [Sunday, 3 Dec]
Day trip to Mie.

• Take the Iseshima Liner from Tsuruhashi Station (near Namba/Dotonburi) to Ise. Bonus: take the Hinotori from Osaka to Tsu, then transfer to Mie. (non-JR)
• Hit up Ise Jingu (伊勢神宮) [both inner and outer] and Okage Yokocho (おかげ横丁)
• Try to eat Matsuaka Beef or Ise Udon for lunch.
• Head westwards to Futamiokitama Shrine (二見興玉神社) / Meotoiwa Rocks; and if further time permits, go to Toba for the Ama Viewing Platform.
• Take the returning Shimakaze Limited Express train back to Osaka (note: only one train at 1630; if this train is missed, change to normal express trains). (non-JR)
• Retreat back to Osaka for the night. Consider doing any other night activities in Osaka if time, and body permits.

Day 23: Osaka ('north' Kyoto day trip) [Monday, 4 Dec]
(north) Kyoto day trip.

• Take a stop at the Kyoto Railway Museum. Optional: also consider heading to To-ji Gojunoto first if I reach Kyoto way early before 10am.
• Walk back to Kyoto station, and take a bus northwards to Kyoto Manga Museum.
• Hop on the bus direct from the Manga Museum to Kinkakuji. [bus 15]
• Select one of two side-trips:
  • EITHER head westwards to Arashiyama (note: already visited once in the summer but I still think it nice to visit in autumn/winter this time round). Bonus: experience sunset along the Togetsukyo Bridge.
  • OR head eastwards to Higashiyama (closes 1700), Philosopher's path etc (did not visit these in my past trip here so there's the 'new' factor, but it is going to be a physically taxing day. Also, most likely will reach here nearing evening i.e. closing time thus there's a limit to how much I can visit realistically).

Whichever choice, return back to Osaka for the night. Look out for Kyoto-specific food such as Yudofu, Saba Sushi, Warabi Mochi, Nishin Soba (にしんそば) etc.
Day 24: Osaka ('south' Kyoto day trip) [Tuesday, 5 Dec]
(south) Kyoto day trip edition (mainly Uji and Fushimi).

• Zip from Osaka to Kyoto via Keihan to Uji Station.
• Spend the better half of the morning in Uji.
• Visit the Byōdō-in and the nearby Tonoshima and Tachibana Island.
• Hike up to the Daikichiyama Observation Deck to oversee Uji as a whole. On the way down, explore Ujigami Shrine.
• Take the chance to buy some Uji tea as gifts to relatives. Have lunch along the Omotesando Road.
• Head further northwards to Fushimi, and do another hike up Fushimi Inari. (Note: visited once in the past but I liked the experience thus I would like to do it again.) Bonus: if its done in the evening.

Head back to Osaka and retire for the night. Consider doing any other night activities in Osaka if time, and body permits.
Day 25: Osaka (wildcard) [Wednesday, 6 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
-------------
Kanazawa, Gifu+ (4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Is it likely for the skiing season to open around 9~10 December at Shiga Kogen or Nozawa Onsen? Would very much like to try skiing for fun, but am uncertain if the snow condition would be satisfactory by then. Some of the skiing website indicates that these two destinations are usually the first to open. I would like to seek advise on this if possible [never skiied before].
2. As an additional question to point 1, is 2 days adequate just to get a flavor on skiing?
3. Kanazawa is a pretty solid jump point to Shirakawago/Takayama via express buses (~1 to 2 hour one way).
4. My initial planning considered going to Kurobe Gorge (Toyama) but apparently the railways are closed from December onwards. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
5. Another sightseeing train in Kanazawa that I can fit in nicely in my current plans (花嫁のれん), runs on Mon/Fri/Sat/Sun.

Day 26: Osaka Ishikawa (Kanazawa (Kanazawa cityside)) [Thursday, 7 Dec]

• Zip from Osaka to Kanazawa via Limited Express Thunderbird in the early morning (~3hours; ideally the 0740 or 0810 service). Drop luggage at the hotel near JR Kanazawa and explore the cityside.
• Have lunch at the Omicho Market (近江町市場), OR at Higashi Chaya District.
• Stroll around Kanazawa Castle (金沢城, Kanazawajō) and the nearby Kenrokuen (兼六園) / Seisonkaku Villa (成巽閣, Seisonkaku) .
• Consider visiting one or more of the nearby museums if possible:
  • D.T. Suzuki Museum OR
  • National Crafts Museum OR
  • 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
• Optional: Head southwards to Myoryuji Temple + Nishi Chaya District.
• Optional: Head northwards to Higashi Chaya District (if not done for lunch).

Any outstanding spots not completed today, to be rolled over to the next 2 days (if possible).

• Retire in Kanazawa for the night. Be on the lookout for Kanazawa-specific food: Gold-leaf ice cream, oden, hanton rice
• Optional: have a stay at Yuwaku Onsen for at least one night for anime-related reasons. (Hanasaku Iroha)

​
Day 27: Ishikawa (Kanazawa cityside) / Gifu (Shirakawago, Takayama) [Friday, 8 Dec]

• Day trip to Shiwakawago and Takayama via Nohi bus (non-JR, ~1h). Grab the morning bus express bus to Shirakawago and explore the place in the morning. Experience early snowfall (?) there. Optional: visit Ainokura on the way towards Shirakawago.
• Take another express bus down to Takayama for lunch (~1h travel time).
• Explore what Takayama has to offer. Stroll along the old town near the bus terminal and visit the Takayama Jinya. If time permits, stroll along the Higashiyama Walking Course.
• Optional: pay a visit to Hida Folk Village.
• Return to Kanazawa via Hida Limited Express to Toyama Shinkansen to Kanazawa, OR take the same Nohi express bus directly back (non-JR).
• Retire at Kanazawa for the night. Last express bus from Takayama to Kanazawa is 1630, arrive at 1845. Alternatively, head northwards to Toyama via JR and transfer to Kanazawa.

​
Day 28: Ishikawa (Kanazawa cityside / outskirts) [Saturday, 9 Dec]
Side trip to Wakura Onsen / Nanao for anime-related sightseeing. (Insomanics after Class, Hanasaku Iroha)

• Zoom from Kanazawa up to Wakura Onsen/Nanao via Limited Express Noto Kagaribi. Do some sightseeing related to Insomanics after Class and Hanasaku Iroha.
• Do some train spotting with two anime along the Noto Railways. Stop at Nishigishi station for some sightseeing. (non-JR)
• Return to Kanazawa in the evening from Wakura Onsen via the sightseeing train Hanayomenoren [花嫁のれん, last train 1630).
• End the night at Kanazawa.

Day 29: Ishikawa (wildcard) [Sunday, 10 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
--------------
Tokyo (~6 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Specific interest to target: anime/vtuber stuff, music (piano in particular), bookstores etc.
2. This is the point in time I should go ham on souvenier purchase if I have not done so. I'll probably get an extra cardboard box or duffel bag to lug with me to the airport to store extra stuff.
3. Would like to seek recommendation on where I should set my base for the 5~6 days here. For now I am planning to pit at Ginza, subject to availability and cost. My thought is that as long as its along the Yamanote line everything rolls I suppose.
4. Hard pass on Golden Gai on the Shunjuku leg (I do not drink).
5. There's way too many to list in terms of what I would like to do in Tokyo, but I have listed items that are of particular interest to me first within the available time frame. If you have strong opinions on specific locations do let me know.

Day 30: Ishikawa (Kanazawa) Tokyo (Ginza) [Monday, 11 Dec]

• Zip from Kanazawa to Tokyo via the Hoririku Shinkansen in the morning (just north of two hours). (TBC : If I can optimize my schedule better, I can try squeezing two days here for a stop at Nozawa Onsen / Shiga Kogen (Nagano) for a short ski experience).
• Deposit luggage at one of the Ginza hotels (TBC: subject to cost; might swap for another location later on)
• Explore ('south') Tokyo with the remainder of the day.
• Marvel at the architecture that is the Tokyo Station and its surrounding.
• Visit the Imperial Palace.
• Head south towards the Mori Art Museum (closes 2200)
• End the night with a stop at Tokyo Tower (closes 2230).

Day 31: Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku and Nakano) [Tuesday, 12 Dec]
Explore ('west') Tokyo, namely Shibuya, Shinjuku and Nakano.

• Start off with an early day visit to Meji Shrine / Yoyogi Park.
• Head up to Shinjuku. Spend the remainder of the morning and lunch exploring Kabukicho, Hanazono Shrine and Omoide Yokochō (ideally have lunch here). Also make a pit stop at Kinokuniya's flagship store at Shinjuku.
• Head northwards to Nakano Broadway and trawl for anime goods for several hours (closes ~1900)
• Head south down back to Shibuya and experience the crossing in peak night condition. Walk around and soak in the atmosphere. Optional: stop by the Ishibashi music store at Shibuya (closes 2000).
• Cap off the night and look at the night view at Shibuya Sky (closes 2230). Zip back to the hotel at Ginza.

Day 32: Tokyo (Akibahara, Asakusa and Sky Tree) [Wednesday, 13 Dec]

• Kick off the day with a morning visit to Asakusa (i.e. Sensoji).
• Transit over to Tokyo Skytree to watch the Tokyo cityscape in the day.
• Trawl around Akibahara for the afternoon. (Animate, Sega claw machines, etc).
• Also stop by Ochanomizu for sightseeing (Suzume no Tojimari)
• Zip back to the hotel for the night. If time permits, stop by the two flagship music stores along Ginza: Yamaha Ginza and Yamano Ginza. Also, visit Itoya Ginza (stationary store).

Day 33: Tokyo (Kamakura day trip OR Ikebukuro) [Thursday, 14 Dec]
EITHER take a day trip Kamakura, OR explore northern Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
Kamakura leg:

• Make a detour to Used Tyre Market Sagamihara Store to experience the retro vending machines. Then head southwards to Enoshima.
• Look at the giant Buddha statue and stroll along Hasedera.
• Take the Enoden to Enoshiima and explore the island.
• Take the JR back to Ginza and retire for the night.

Tokyo (Ikebukuro leg):

• Visit Otome Road for otaku related stuffs.
• Trawl the usual suspects such as Bic Camera etc.
• Make a stop at the Mejiro Gardens.
• Visit the Waseda International House of Literature (The Haruki Murakami Library) at Waseda University.

Day 34: Tokyo (wildcard) [Friday, 15 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
​
Day 35: Tokyo Home [Saturday, 16 Dec]

• Contemplate life at the hotel, doing whatever I feel like for the morning and early afternoon. Bonus: have an early breakfast at Tsukiji Market in the morning if staying at Ginza.
• Clear any last minute administrative matter (if any), or do (very) last minute sightseeing/buying. Most likely limited to Ginza and Akibahara.
• Get a nice lunch omakase to cap it off if possible. (taking recommendations if anyone has one, ideally meat/beef centric instead of just sushi).
• Head off to Narita from Tokyo Station via NEX just after lunch at 1430 1530 to Narita, flight at 1830.

END
---------------------
If you're still reading up to this point, here's my own personal ramblings/thoughts on JR pass usage:
I have thought of two ways of doing this for the first 21 days:
a. easy-mode : just get 21 days JR global pass before the price hike at 60450 yen, OR b. hard-mode: get a 7 day JR global pass (to cover the NEX fees, the basic fee on the Sunrise Seto to Shikoku, as well as limited express trains within Shikoku) (29650) + 5 days for JR Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass (15000) + 4 days for JR Sanin Okayama Area Pass + 5 days for JR Kansai Wide Area Pass (10000) for a total of 59230.
The initial conclusion was to go with option A since that reduces the administrative burden, but I realized the individual passes do have its own perk which truimphs over the global JR pass. For instance, the Sanin Okayama Area Pass provides a (minor) discount for the Adachi Museum of Art; the Kansai Wide Pass covers the Kyotango route between Kinosaki Onsen and Amanohashidate which the global JR pass does not cover, JR Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass covers JR buses within Hiroshima for free, therefore I am inclined to go with the hell option (option B) as it stands.
For the remaining 14 days, I could also get the global 14 day JR pass at 47250 yen but it is not worth it at all, because I will be relying largely on Kintetsu for the Osaka/Kyoto/Nara/Mie leg which the JR pass most certainly does not cover.

• For the Osaka/Nara/Mie/Kyoto leg, I intend to make good use of a mix of both local metro and the Kintetsu rail pass for 5 days (4900). If I do exploit Kintetsu's limited express train to its fullest, I should be able to save money by buying the pass. The Osaka Amazing Pass at 2600yen a day does not make financial sense for me this time round, given how little I am exploring within Osaka.
• For the Osaka Kanazawa, Shirakawago and Takayama leg, the preferred pass of choice is the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass over the global JR pass, in large part because this pass fully absorbs the Nohi highway bus fees (which can rack up quite a lot at ~8000yen for a return trip between Kanazawa and Shirakawago/Takayama). Also this absorbs the Thunderbird fee. One major issue with my current plan is that it does not cover Wakura Onsen nor the sightseeing train.
• For the final Kanazawa Tokyo leg, the preferred choice is the Horuriku Arch Pass that covers the direct Shinkansen back to Tokyo, and the NEX fees to Narita when I depart from Tokyo. Will only break even with the pass at best unless I make a stop at Nagano.

So all in all, there's quite little incentive to get the global JR pass after I worked out my schedule, apart from the initial 7 days for the Sunrise Seto jump which the All Shikoku Pass will not cover.
Through the hodge-podge of multiple area passes, it works out to around 102890 yen for the whole trip of 35 days, contrast with 107700 yen for a 21 + 14 global JR pass. While there's a minor cost saving doing the hard way which sweetens the deal, the additional minor perks associated with the area passes sells it for me, as I would had to pay more out of pocket to cover non-JR pass buses/rails and such which would add up to much greater cost than I would had anticipated. Also, if I did this trip post-price hike in October, the calculus becomes a no-brainer: avoid the global JR pass like the plague.
-----
Thank you very much for your opinions, suggestions and advice in advance!

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Research Nester published a report titled “Building Analytics Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2030″ which delivers detailed overview of the global building analytics market in terms of market segmentation by type, deployment, application, end-user, and by region.
Further, for the in-depth analysis, the report encompasses the industry growth indicators, restraints, supply and demand risk, along with detailed discussion on current and future market trends that are associated with the growth of the market.
The global building analytics market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of ~13.5% over the forecast period, i.e., 2022-2030. The market is bifurcated on the basis of type into service and software, out of which, the software segment is estimated to gain a notable market share over the forecast period, owing to the increasing acceptance of software-based analytics platforms as they are available of smartphones. Increasing usage of smartphones among the young generation is another factor driving the segment growth. In 2020, almost half of the world’s population, that is, around 3.75 billion people are using smartphones.
On the basis of end-user, the residential buildings segment is projected to hold the largest share throughout the forecast period, on account of increasing demand for housing to accommodate the constantly growing urban population. According to the data by the World Bank, 56.15% of the total global population was living in urban areas in 2020.
The global building analytics market is anticipated to grow on the back of increasing awareness regarding energy conservation among people, along with rising concerns amongst the government of various developing and developed nation for the optimized utilization of energy. Moreover, augmenting demand for real-time monitoring of performance, security, and other utilities in buildings is another factor estimated to drive the demand for building analytics platforms. For instance, many residential buildings use cloud-based mobile applications for tracking building health in multiple aspects. This is estimated to promote the market growth in the upcoming years. Furthermore, emergence of smart buildings, amplifying adoption of IoT, and penetration of cloud-computing are expected to further boost the market growth.
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Regionally, the global building analytics market is segmented into five major regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa region. The market in the North America region is projected to hold the largest share over the forecast period owing to the increasing government regulations for energy optimization and elevation of power utilization in a sustainable manner. Moreover, increasing construction of commercial, as well as residential buildings is estimated to boost the growth of the regional market.
Government Initiatives to Promote Energy Optimization to boost the Market Growth
Various government bodies are set up across the world to overlook the energy consumption across several industries. Strict regulations for energy usage, adoption of smart grids, and monitoring the consumption of power are some of the steps taken to promote energy optimization. Building analytics is one such measure, aimed to control the consumption of energy in a building. It also offers other benefits, such as, fault detection, network and security management, and others. These factors are estimated to boost the growth of the market.
However, lack of knowledge among common people about the building analytics platforms, along with high cost of installation are expected to operate as key restraint to the growth of global building analytics market over the forecast period.
This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the global building analytics market which includes company profiling of Lutron Electronics Co., Inc, NOVEDA Technologies, Inc., PointGrab Inc., BuildingIQ, GridPoint, Inc., SitelogIQ, Delta Electronics, Inc., BuildingLogiX, Crestron Electronics, Inc., and Enel X North America, Inc. The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which encompasses business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments.
On the whole, the report depicts detailed overview of the global building analytics market that will help industry consultants, equipment manufacturers, existing players searching for expansion opportunities, new players searching possibilities and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to the ongoing and expected trends in the future.
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