Photoclubalpha

Yep, you said something wrong to her in Shinjuku, Tokyo:

Perhaps he likened her scarf to a frontier trapper's haul of fresh-caught gerbil skins?

It's a good exposure and a fun catch, Henry. Good job!

He he Good one Henry!

As a cultural query - what is the thought around wearing a face mask? I've often seen pictures of people on the street in the Far East, especially in Japan wearing masks - it would be considered a real oddity here in the UK. In a couple, why would one person wear a mask and not the other? I'm sure there is a whole complex etiquette around mask wearing that I am unaware of .

It could be a bus or a tram stop, (other people in the background waiting also), and he's just told her that the 8:05 for (insert dest.) has just left.
Greg
ps. Nice and sharp for a candid Henry.

Maybe he told her that the correct way to wear the mask is outside your mouth and not inside (sorry couldn't resist)

hahahaha

very nice picture`s henry
you see everything

greetings
gustav

KevinBarrett wrote:It's a good exposure and a fun catch, Henry. Good job!

The afternoon winter sun is really nice here in Tokyo. It is not high in the sky so even pretty early in the afternoon you start getting long shadows and the light has a bit of a golden hue to it.

Birma wrote:He he Good one Henry!

As a cultural query - what is the thought around wearing a face mask? I've often seen pictures of people on the street in the Far East, especially in Japan wearing masks - it would be considered a real oddity here in the UK. In a couple, why would one person wear a mask and not the other? I'm sure there is a whole complex etiquette around mask wearing that I am unaware of .

Face masks are very popular in Japan to try to reduce or prevent catching a cold. Back in October when I first got back to Tokyo there were many more of them all around than I was used to seeing because it was thought to help with respect to H1N1 influenza (swine flu). Now I am seeing less, more like a normal year, because, as my Japanese friend told me a few days ago, the masks haven't been effective in preventing the spread of H1N1. They do seem to help with preventing just normal colds though. In the States, I usually go 2-3 years between catching a cold, but generally when I am in Japan I catch one or two every winter. You spend lots of time in close, often very close, proximity to other people while riding the trains, subways, and even on the streets and in buildings. Naturally, there are people around that have colds and they sneeze and cough. Also, in a city like this you are always touching things many other people have touched: door handles, handholds on the trains, ticket machine buttons, etc.

Since October I keep a mask in my pocket and I often wear it when I am on the train. We are leaving Japan tomorrow (Wednesday) so I have my fingers crossed that I won't catch a cold now just before leaving. So far, I have been able to dodge the bullet!

Greg Beetham wrote:It could be a bus or a tram stop, (other people in the background waiting also), and he's just told her that the 8:05 for (insert dest.) has just left.
Greg
ps. Nice and sharp for a candid Henry.

Actually, it was a crosswalk and they were waiting for the light to change, as was I on the opposite side of the street. I noticed the couple before her face looked like this and then suddenly she did this. I don't know why, but I am guessing he said something to her and she sure did react, didn't she?

bossel wrote:Maybe he told her that the correct way to wear the mask is outside your mouth and not inside (sorry couldn't resist)

Oh, I really like this! Good one!

kingfisher wrote:hahahaha

very nice picture`s henry
you see everything

My normal style is to just walk...and walk and walk and walk. I miss many more shots than I get either because I am not ready or because something prevents me (someone walks in front of me, etc.) or the most common thing is I don't feel bold enough at that moment to take the shot.

bakubo wrote: Face masks are very popular in Japan to try to reduce or prevent catching a cold. Back in October when I first got back to Tokyo there were many more of them all around than I was used to seeing because it was thought to help with respect to H1N1 influenza (swine flu). Now I am seeing less, more like a normal year, because, as my Japanese friend told me a few days ago, the masks haven't been effective in preventing the spread of H1N1.

This is interesting. The masks seem to be popular in a few countries. Professional advice seems to be that the masks really only make sense for people working in healthcare...
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwe ... 1252394302
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ap ... protection

They do seem to help with preventing just normal colds though. In the States, I usually go 2-3 years between catching a cold, but generally when I am in Japan I catch one or two every winter. You spend lots of time in close, often very close, proximity to other people while riding the trains, subways, and even on the streets and in buildings. Naturally, there are people around that have colds and they sneeze and cough. Also, in a city like this you are always touching things many other people have touched: door handles, handholds on the trains, ticket machine buttons, etc.)

And it seems this is the most likely way to catch colds and the flu.

Maybe getting colds is good for you in the long run anyway.

Harvey

harvey wrote: And it seems this is the most likely way to catch colds and the flu.

Maybe getting colds is good for you in the long run anyway.

Well, I am leaving today and so far I haven't caught a cold. We'll be cooped up in an airplane for the flight back to the States though so they have one last chance at getting me.

I hadn't heard that about colds being good for you.

Colds are not good for you. However, it pays to catch as many colds as possible when you are young and your body can fight them. All that a 'cold' is, anyway, is an allergic/immune system reaction to a virus. The nose/throat reaction is there because those areas trap the invader, produce a high level of antigen/antibody reaction, and expel the dead end product (sneeze or cough). It's good to get a cold, because if your system stopped being able to catch a cold, you could end up with meningitis or pleurisy or some infection-reaction much 'deeper' into your vital organs.

Each cold you catch is normally due to a different strain, or a different virus (as with each dose of flu). As you get older, you should have developed resistance to dozens of cold 'varieties' - usually three every year. Eventually, you get to be resistant to nearly all colds and maybe only get one a year. Very old people either don't get colds often, or catch something serious enough to be the last one. Babies get colds monthly!

I must have had loads of colds (always had a runny nose as kid) because I hardly ever get anything now.

David

Yep, as the old saying goes 'Anything that doesn't kill you makes you stronger' thing is, in the last ten or fifteen years there has emerged a real bundle of nasties, some with the potential of causing a lethal pandemic..Ebola Mk2, 3 and 4, Hendra, Lyssa, H5N1, H1N1 even Dengue hemorrhagic fever can be fatal, the world is getting more dangerouser by the minute....HIV is apparently still thriving as well....the world is fighting back...
Greg