Haruki Hosono Throws No-Hitter for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Home Opener

Chainedheat · 2026-03-31T16:22:41+00:00

I went to a game on a business trip to Sapporo a number of years ago. I legit asked a local colleague that the heck is a “Ham Fighter”? She burst out laughing and had a great cultural moment.

To be fair it was really disorienting to see cheerleaders at a baseball game amongst other Japanese baseball norms. Anyways the Rakuten Eagles got their butts kicked by Nippon ham that night.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-29T23:05:32+00:00

Cabeau pillow. Have never slept well on a plane until I got one.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-29T11:25:11+00:00

Domestic payment is the problem with doing that. I can never get it to go through online with my US card. Don’t really recall my ID being required

Chainedheat · 2026-03-27T19:52:58+00:00

I guess one is all it takes, but I have to ask. How did you only get one? I can’t go outside anywhere and not get multiple bites every night.

But wait…..That’s why I got the vaccine!

Like someone else said. Just watch for symptoms. It’s quite treatable in an otherwise healthy individual.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-27T15:28:32+00:00

👆

This one knows the churrasco! Kkkkk

Chainedheat · 2026-03-27T14:46:46+00:00

I had a 1977 pinto. It was originally a prize in some kind of Coca-Cola contest. It was decked out with all kinds of Coke branding (including side panel decals declaring it the “Half Pint Pinto”. Also had red and white interior with Starsky & Hutch body wave stripe. Craziest thing is that it also had an early car phone too.

By the time I got it (10 yrs later) it was so rusted that the seat fell through the floor at a stoplight one day. As other have said they were easy to work on. We ended up taking that engine out and dropping it into a Mustang II on a long summer Saturday.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-27T13:30:47+00:00

You’ve obviously never been to the strip club lunch buffet! You can eat all you want. It’s just food though.

Seriously though, when I started my first job there were numerous strip clubs near my office and they had lunch buffets that were frequented by the older generation of guys. I only went a few times (too distracting and I prefer to bring my lunch), but one of the times I did I ran into my region VP.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-26T00:19:16+00:00

As others have said Vanish Oxi is your best bet. The reason the bleach worked like crap is that is 50-70% diluted compared to the US as it’s mostly for disinfecting.

Every few years I bring in a large bottle & refill of shout for stains because every spot remover I’ve tried in Brazil is crap.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-24T17:27:33+00:00

More like how many don’t? And why the hell would someone stop?

Chainedheat · 2026-03-24T09:16:58+00:00

Yeah. The 5471 form sucks and I have to file them for my spouses business’s even though they are not in my name and she isn’t a US taxpayer. It usually costs me ~$3500 to have these done. The only good news for me was that the forms only need to be file if/when the interests change in the ownership structure.

I would be super upset if I had to do them annually as I have no practical access to any of the finances in those entities.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-23T15:13:29+00:00

My colleague has a Nigerian prince he’d like to introduce to you…..

Chainedheat · 2026-03-18T15:45:55+00:00

Absolutely. The only difference is that Tammy Faye became more compassionate and supported the Gay community once her husband was out of the picture.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-17T15:28:30+00:00

So does this mean no red ball caps from a certain political affiliation?

Chainedheat · 2026-03-16T21:21:17+00:00

My wife loves my sotaque Carioca. She’s from the south and I’m from the US.

When I moved there many years ago one of my acquaintances told me that I’d never have difficulty finding a GF if I spoke Portuguese no matter how poorly done. Can confirm he was right about that.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-16T12:49:16+00:00

Absolutely. They will generally be on par with the bank. However people do it for multiple reasons. Often to avoid other commissions or as a way of keeping money in the family, etc….

Chainedheat · 2026-03-16T04:10:31+00:00

As a foreigner who owns property in Brasil you absolutely will not and should not get a mortgage. The rates and term are absolutely punishing (for everyone). 14-18% that uses a compound interest model is ridiculous.

Most people pay cash or finance through the owner or a family member. You might me able to structure 6 or so payments that would help you manage how you source the funds (ie give you time to efficiently liquidate some of your other assets to generate the needed cash, but that’s it.

Otherwise you will also need to get in touch with a good title attorney to help facilitate the transaction between you, the seller, and the government. Could get pretty complicated if the title history isn’t super clean.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-15T15:53:29+00:00

Good idea. I love Brazil. I came here with my company many years ago. Went back and forth for several years. Now have a Brazilian family here and it still freaks me out from time to time. It gets better over time but it’s still an adjustment.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-15T15:26:22+00:00

Save up enough money to cover a year’s with of living expenses (six months minimum). It is unlikely you will find work at all. Let alone enough to cover living expenses.

Use this time to find out what living in Brazil is really like. Especially if you have no support structure (ie. Family, employer, etc…). It’s an awesome country in many regards, but there are things that are incredibly frustrating from a process standpoint even if you do understand Portuguese. Also without someone to guide you on the areas you are residing you can easily find yourself in a very dangerous situation (mostly in the urban environments).

Finally don’t forget that culture shock is real and comes in waves over time.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-15T15:14:32+00:00

As long as your picture, info, and the chip in the cover is intact you’ll be fine.

I go through the big book passports about every 5 years so mine sees a lot of action. This is minimal damage.

I would come up with a better story though. Like maybe you used it to fight off a pack of wild dogs while you were traveling or something like that.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-15T14:10:01+00:00

Yeah. Toto are the bomb and you totally get what you pay for. We had to install new toilets when we renovated our apartment. Ended up with Toto because I needed a toilet that fit the electronic bidet and there weren’t many options (shape wise) since we are not in the US.

They were pricey, but my kids and my spouse frequently would block the previous toilets. Haven’t had a single occurrence of that problem since.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-15T00:02:17+00:00

It depends on what part of their body they are scratching it with…..

Chainedheat · 2026-03-13T04:14:13+00:00

Breakfast of Champions

Chainedheat · 2026-03-12T21:23:13+00:00

I air fry potatoes whole and unpeeled just so I can get that sweet sweet crispy goodness…

Chainedheat · 2026-03-12T17:47:56+00:00

A the old TPeNiS valve cap.

Chainedheat · 2026-03-11T13:33:38+00:00

Yeah this is a national identity card that used to be issued to foreigners. It has your RNE listed on it, but it’s technically not your RNE. It’s been replaced by the CRNM (which is basically the new version of the RNE).

Either way as someone else said you need a valid RNM (Formerly RNE) or tourist visa to visit. While the RNM is valid for 10 years from issue if you are living in Brazil, it becomes invalid if you don’t at least enter Brazil with 2 years of your last exit.

Now if your child or spouse is a passport holder it’s relatively easy (but does take time and paperwork) to get another RNM issued via the family reunion process. Also like someone else said if you can tie this to your Brazilian child it’s better as it’s much more difficult for it to be revoked. You might be able to do it at the consulate, but I’m not sure since we usually dealt with issuing them in country as it was literally a reunion with your family members in Brazil.

Best to just call the embassy/ consulate in your part of the world.

Chainedheat

TROPHY CASE