plantgirl

Interesting news:

"SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 01/22/14 -- Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBNT), a next-generation communications technology company, today announced that Ubiquiti World Network™ (UWN), its global alliance of independent Internet service providers, has launched out of beta and is now publicly available to businesses and consumers seeking alternatives to the few major Internet service providers.

According to the 'State of Broadband Connectivity' survey conducted by Research Now and commissioned by Ubiquiti in 2013, 61% of US citizens in rural areas don't feel like they have a wide enough range of choices for Internet service. Only 19% recognized fixed wireless as an option. UWN leverages Ubiquiti's global brand and a national advertising and marketing campaign to close that gap in awareness and capitalize on the rapid growth of the independent ISP market.

The UWN platform was created to support growth and innovation for independent ISPs, creating a one-stop shop for ISP needs, including sales and marketing assets, advertising opportunities, and political advocacy. During the beta, launched in October 2013, ISPs were able to build their public-facing profiles and take advantage of Ubiquiti's co-branded marketing assets.

With the public launch, Ubiquiti is unveiling a nationwide advertising campaign that will support local marketing and advertising efforts of ISPs on UWN. Ubiquiti engaged Los Angeles-based firm DGWB Advertising and Communications to manage creative and campaign logistics.

"Independent WISPs can offer services on par with major phone and cable companies, but very few businesses and consumers know we exist," said Nathan Stooke, CEO at WisperISP, a St. Louis, Missouri-based WISP. "Our industry needs Ubiquiti World Network to reach critical mass; it's the first program of its kind to support widespread adoption of independent ISPs."

"Ubiquiti World Network gives businesses and consumers across the nation easy access to superior Internet service through our network of qualified independent ISPs," said Robert J. Pera, CEO at Ubiquiti Networks. "UWN will not only offer connectivity solutions for locations that are underserved, but we will also offer superior connectivity solutions in the largest cities of the country."

My sister Susan and I got up at 3:00am on March 28th, 2008 and put our luggage in her car and were on the road by 3:30. We arrived at LAX at 4:00. I believe they are record events for both me and my sister as well for driving from Pasadena to LAX. Two and a half hours later we arrived in Dallas with our nieces there to greet us all of us happy and excited about our air voyage to Japan. Thirty minutes later we were on the plane headed for Tokyo.

Cool mosaic floor in Dallas Airport.

There were lots of Japanese people on the plane. I know this is not a shocker but it was unusual to see. It was mostly professional looking men looking suprisingly European in their ways and style. I wanted to take a photo but I figured it would be rude as well an invasion of privacy but it was noteworthy to me.

You see this trip was the most exotic trip I had ever taken. Europe is romantic and full of the history I am so familiar with but Japan is a new world for me.

To prepare for this trip Susan and I listened to conversational tapes to help me with basic Japanese. I use every opportunity I could on the plane to use some basic words. I even watched a Japanese game show and tried to pick out words I already knew.

Many hours later we met my brother Eric (giver of plane trip and organizer of personal tours). We went through the regular customs routine and got on a bus to our Hotel. We stayed the first night in a town called Machida the first night as our other hotel had no vacancies till the next night. The hotel was called Hotel Shinjuku.

Everything was very compact and efficient. The room was about 7' by 7' with a nice firm twin bed, a pillow filled with some kind of hulls, night stand with incorporated lamp and alarm clock, a television hanging over the foot of the bed, a small refrigerator with beverages, tea warmer, pitcher, cup, tea, and water glass. The

bathroom was even better. It was similar to a bathroom on an airplane but with a mini tub. The bathtub was about 4' long and 2' deep. The depth helps you get wet while bathing. The best part of the bathroom is the toilet. This fabulous toilet had a seat that warms your bottom, deodorizes the toilet, and and squirts water on your bottom like a bidet saving endless amounts of scratchy toilet paper. I could have sat there all day.

A big picture of my little bathroom

After we all were settled in our rooms we went around the town looking for a place to eat. Eric led the way trying to find a place that would take credit cards. Most did not. Eric tried to get cash at an ATM but it was not successful. I watched as the ATM machine showed an cartoon image of a man and woman looking disappointed and bowing their heads in apology. What a friendly way to turn you down! We eventually found a restaurant that took credit cards. It was a Korean BBQ place. When we were seated they host opened the bench we were to sit on so that we could stow our purses and jackets and they would not get dirty from the frying meats in the center of the table. So thoughtful.