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Develop & Execute Recruitment plan, posting job vacancies on Naukri portal, Newspaper other social media sites, sourcing potential candidates, screening,...Read more
Effectively Manage Branch Operations of 21 Branches,Co-ordinate Audit activities of all branches ensuring 100% audit Compliance,Ensuring high standard of Customer...Read more
Branch Manager Job in Aurangabad. Handling Branch Operations - Cash Management, RTGS/NEFT,Loan Processing,Account Opening etc. Team Handling,Achieiving sales target of...Read more
Scheduling Appointment of Chairman,Making Travel Arrangements of chairman,Hotel Booking, Arranging meeting & preparing minutes of meeting. Receiving phone calls. Diary...Read more
1)Contacting potential or existing customers to inform them about product or service using scripts. 2)Answering questions about product of the...Read more
Graphics Designer Job in Aurangabad. Skills Require: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Coral Draw, After Effect, and other relevant tools. Experience:...Read more
We require ITI or Diploma Engineers for AssemblyRead more
Telecalling & Marketing For all types of Loans. Generate leads and closes it to end disbursement from banks & NBFC....Read more
Web Developer HTML PHP ANDROIDRead more
Good communication skills (Written and verbal skills). * Should be Fluent in English. * Have good understanding of Computer &...Read more
Maverick Solution leading IT company required MBA Marketing Freshers and Experienced candidates Responsibility: Cold calling and generating new leads and...Read more
Tally + Knowledge About electrical Material & system...Read more
Required Website DeveloperRead more
Performing general office clerk duties and errands. Updating paperwork, maintaining documents and wordprocessing. Performsome normal clerical duties such as faxing,...Read more
Scheduling Appointment of Chairman Sir,Making Travel Arrangements of Chairman Sir,Scheduling Meetings, Preparing Minutes of Meeting,Read more


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Cyrus-technology.com has a Worldwide ranking of Down and ranking in . Using IP address 220.127.116.11 in and found Other Websites on this Server
Errors Analysis Now
Variety.com » 'Black Mirror' Season 5: Bosses on Technology, Connection ...
Variety.comSPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the fifth season of "Black Mirror," streaming now on Netflix. The fifth season of Netflix's "Black Mirror" features three new tales ...
Actived: Wednesday Jun 5, 2019
Yelp.com » Cyrus Technology - 13 Reviews - Electricians - SoMa, San ...
Yelp.com13 reviews of Cyrus Technology "Mohammad was very helpful in explaining what exactly we needed to get our smart 3 way switches installed and was able to complete the work in less than an hour. When I talked to him I got the sense that he was…
Actived: Friday Feb 8, 2019
Firmenwissen.com » Cyrus Technology GmbH, Aachen - Credit Report
Firmenwissen.comCyrus Technology GmbH has its registered office in Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany. Its current status is listed as active. The company is registered at the Trade register at the local court of Aix-la-Chapelle with the legal form of Private limited company (number HRB 18224).
Actived: Wednesday Jun 12, 2019
Ctuir.org » Cayuse Technologies | Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla ...
Ctuir.orgCayuse Technologies is a 100% Native American owned, onshore delivery center providing software development, technical help desk, and other business process outsourcing solutions. We provide an innovative and domestic alternative solution to addressing the tremendous demand amongst many US organizations striving to keep work within the United ...
Actived: Monday Jun 10, 2019
Facebook.com » Cyrus Technology GmbH - About | Facebook
Facebook.comCyrus als Hersteller von hochwertigen Outdoor Handys und Smartphones steht für höchste Qualität in Verbindung mit bestechendem Design. Zuverlässigkeit in jeder Outdoor Situation und Belastbarkeit nach internationalem IP Standard sind für uns nicht nur Worte, sondern die Maxime unserer Marke.
Actived: Friday May 24, 2019
Facebook.com » Cyrus Technology GmbH - Reviews | Facebook
Facebook.comCyrus Technology GmbH - Hergelsbendenstraße 49, 52080 Aachen, Germany - Rated 4.5 based on 54 Reviews "Das CS28: Ein Outdoor-Handy, das sich von einem...
Actived: Saturday Jun 1, 2019
Cyrusone.com » Home - CyrusOne
Cyrusone.comCyrusOne provides high-quality colocation with robust connectivity and the flexibility your business needs to scale for future growth. Using a carrier-neutral approach, CyrusOne enables you to select best in class carriers to fit your requirements.
Sg.kompass.com » Cyrus Technology (s) Pte Ltd, 161 Kallang Way #05-26 , CO ...
Sg.kompass.comCyrus Technology (S) Pte Ltd. has been established since 2005, we are a Singapore based company with a strong customer oriented culture and proven track record (in-house capabilities) in precision mould design, fabrication and polymeric parts manufacturing operations.
Actived: Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Marketwatch.com » CRUS Stock Price | Cirrus Logic Inc. Stock Quote (U.S ...
Marketwatch.comCRUS | Complete Cirrus Logic Inc. stock news by MarketWatch. View real-time stock prices and stock quotes for a full financial overview.
Zillow.com » Cyrus Real Estate - Cyrus MN Homes For Sale | Zillow
Zillow.comWhy use Zillow? Zillow helps you find the newest Cyrus real estate listings.By analyzing information on thousands of single family homes for sale in Cyrus, Minnesota and across the United States, we calculate home values (Zestimates) and the Zillow Home Value Price Index for Cyrus proper, its neighborhoods and surrounding areas . There are currently 3 for sale listings in Pope County MN zip ...
Actived: Thursday May 30, 2019
Cyrus-smarthome.de » Cyrus Technology GmbH - CYRUS SMARTHOME
Cyrus-smarthome.deCyrus Technology GmbH, Aachen. Cyrus SmartHome als Hersteller von Individuallösungen für ein vernetztes und intelligentes Zuhause ist ein Unternehmen mit Firmensitz in Aachen.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kitchen. Thursday , January 03rd , 2019 - 01:53:05 AM
Modern kitchens today are very reliable and make life simpler for all the different users. In such situations, you will need a cooking area that incorporates all the appliances that will certainly make your work much easier. You could likewise have sinks with faucets that are touch-responsive to make your cleaning faster and easier.
Typically, in a kitchen, there is little decoration. The most decoration will come from the color chosen for the cabinetry, furniture and appliances. Some choose to paint everything a single color. Others choose to paint the walls and cabinets a single color while choosing appliances and cookware that is painted in a sharply contrasting color. If your kitchen space is small, you can create the illusion of space by choosing a single color for your walls and appliances. If your kitchen is larger, you can create textures and a decorative feel by choosing contrasting colors.
Modern kitchens today are really efficient and make life simpler for all the various users. Modern cooking areas are likewise really purposeful about every detailed detail of the strategy and design of the room. The kind of lighting discovered in modern-day kitchens keeps all the corners of the space well lit.
Most of us want what we think of as a 'modern' kitchen. But what, exactly is a modern kitchen? Can't the term 'modern' be used to describe every kitchen that employs electricity? Technically, aren't all kitchens considered a modern convenience? If so, how do you get modern ideas?
Obviously these two approaches to designing the modern kitchen are not mutually exclusive. It is entirely possible, especially with the help of modern designers, to fuse these two approaches to the modern kitchen into a single design. Modern kitchen design is subjective. It is more about making sure that the person who uses the kitchen is happy. Good modern designers will be able to help you infuse your kitchen with modern art elements and modern technology. Of course, if you prefer to focus on a single approach (a modern art approach with classic appliances, for instance) that is quite possible.
How advanced do you want your kitchen appliances to be? Some people love getting kitchen ideas from up to the minute technology websites and catalogs. If, to you, a modern kitchen uses highly technological appliances, look for refrigerators, ranges, etc with computers installed. A range that sits into the counter and uses a computer chip to raise the temperature of the 'burners' is a modern stove. A refrigerator with a computer chip that tells you to buy more cheese because someone ate the last piece earlier in the day would be ideal in your kitchen.
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Get the Giggles, a local charity that provides free learning and socialization activities to local children with disabilities, hosted an annual fundraiser in Vernal on June 8.
The Kentucky Derby Days fundraiser included a bounce house, carnival games, and vendor booths. A highlight was the appearance of Panacea Equine, a company that brings miniature horses out to work with the disabled. The children were able to lead them around the corral, pet them, and even paint one using non-toxic finger paints.
"My Dad was disabled," says Erin Workman, Get the Giggles' founder. "And trying to find the help he needed here was really difficult. We had to drive three hours out of town. Two years ago, he passed away. I took some of the life insurance and put it towards the kids. I wanted to provide some of the services these kids need here in town, and some of the interaction that they would otherwise miss out on."
"We have lots of fun doing activities with disabled kids and their families," says Patrice Waters, one of the volunteers. "This is our second year. This event is helping Fisher Kidd, one of the kids in our program. He has cerebral palsy and had to have surgeries on his legs down in Texas. The proceeds are helping with medical and travel costs."
Get the Giggles focuses on sensory activities that build fine motor skills, like searching for coins in a mound of shaving cream, craft days, music days, yoga, and art classes. It also helps them learn how to socialize in groups and have fun with other children in social settings where they are free to be themselves in a judgment free environment.
All activities and support groups are free to disabled children and their families. In the future they want to add speech therapies and physical therapies to their available resources.
Workman works a full-time job and currently pays for all of the Get the Giggles activities herself. She hopes that events like the Kentucky Derby Days will get other people interested in the program. If anyone would like to get involved as a participant, donor, or volunteer, they can contact Workman on their Facebook Page: @getthegiggles2018.


text:
Taken from: http://www.flickr.com
We write about
Different texts
Nowadays popular commodities in field of electronics. Amazon as an example of brand that plays an increasingly influential role on such a market
Taken from: http://www.flickr.com
Currently almost everybody is able to make of miscellaneous devices introduced on the market of electronics. It is implied by the fact that in order to be able to work in diverse places or just be able to follow the news as rapidly as possible it is necessary to be able to use similar devices. Nevertheless, currently they are improved in such way that they are improvingly more intuitive.
What are the most meaningful trends connected with the improvement of the area of industry? What is the future of this field going to be?
Taken from: http://www.flickr.com
People asked about their associations with the term industry in most cases find such a sector to be referred to bringing harm to the environment. It is implied by the fact that various commodities made there are made during demanding processes that take many resources and bring different gases that result in the fact that citizens of majority of industrialized cities usually complain about the class of the air.
Remember about different crucial formalities when choosing export to Russian market
Taken from: pixabay.com
A lot of firms consider selling on Russian market. Definitely, this is most probably a very good decision as this market is 1 of the faster growing markets in the whole world.
While many Russian citizens start to be richer and the middle class appears, they start to search for different products and services, which they were not able to afford several years before.
Improve your worktime imperfections with free time tracking app
Taken from: http://www.flickr.com
Whether you are a lawyer, marketer, programist, designer or project manager in huge company, you certainly feel sometimes that your workflow falls apart, some important thing are missing, you don't work on the most crucial issues. Why is that?


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We serve a variety of clients and always accommodate their needs and schedules. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept tied quilts due to the potential choking hazard that hand ties create and their inability to stand up to the hospital washers and dryers. The tapered channel guides the user in, making it easier to dock.
Electing New Board Members. The firm uses a team approach in order to deliver the highest caliber of candidates to each client. However, bearing in mind that these comfort quilts are given to kids from birth to 22 years of age, slightly longer quilts with less juvenile themes can be set aside for older children. Use any pattern you like!
All quilts made from quilt kits must be returned to headquarters for quality control and to make certain we have the proper data.
Screw terminals are easily removed for faster wire routing, and eliminates the need for any additional crimping or soldering. All quilts made from quilt kits must be returned to headquarters for quality control and to make certain we have the proper data. Slim, Flexible Dash Control Compact design that blends in to modern vehicle interiors.
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Multiple dash controls can be installed if desired.
Hi my name is Ron and i'm looking for friends to hangout with and enjoy the good times. I work 11am to 8pm and sometimes find myself quite busy on weekends but i always find time for friends. Race or...


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Here are details of local events and leisure activities in and around the Sandy area.
To advertise your event please email us at [email protected]
There are no events scheduled for today.
Brazil Transport by Steve Nakoneczny this time when there is no snow on the ground in Sandy. Wonderful images from our very own expert lensman.
Come along ... > View more
The Green Ship sails in to Central Bedfordshire libraries
Watch Sir Quentin Blake's beloved children's book The Green Ship come to life, as Librarian Theatre transforms libraries... > View more
Crafts and Stalls.
BBQ & Refreshments
Grand Raffle
Fire Engine
Bouncy Castle and much more
> View more
Fun Fair Rides
Outside Stalls
Ice Cream
Glitter Tattoo
Slime Stall
Hook a Duck
Beat the Goalie
Sandy Table
Free Entry
... > View more
Blunham Playing Fields Association Presents
Party in the Park
2pm-3.30pm - Jazz Band
4pm-5.30pm - Sam Neighbour
6.30pm - 8pm - Ollie & Will
8.30pm - 10.30pm - Woo & the... > View more
Fun packed day for all families with stalls, tombola, raffle, fun and games for the whole family, tug of war, races for adults and children. Refreshments will also be available. We will also... > View more
At Anglesey Abbey, as part of our wider June Blooms offer throughout the month of June, we are delighted to welcome you to the first of four 'Jazz on the Lawn' events on... > View more
Back for a 3rd year at New Manor Farm, Harlington, the South Beds Country Show just gets bigger and better. Come and see the action packed arena, busy throughout the day with sheepdog and... > View more
Free Admission.
In association with TCC World Cup Cricket. Fun and games, go karts, Kwik Cricket/diamond cricket for an introduction to the sport for our younger community members, stalls, BBQ... > View more
Cost £5
> View more
Cost - £3
> View more
The event is in aid of Autism Bedfordshire.
As well as a great line up, including ABBA Lush and Barnyard Junkies, there will be fairground rides, a licensed bar, inflatable rides, face... > View more
Raising money for W.W.B Disability Runway, official London Fashion Week 2019
Free Entry
Fashion Show, BBQ Food & Drink, Dog Pageant, Live Music, Stalls, Family Day, Kids Entertainment,... > View more
Price: Free event, paintings for sale. Donations from sales to the RSPB. Car park and entrance charge of £6 apply to non-RSPB members.
Local artists Steve Kershaw and Gill Butt will be... > View more
Price: £20 RSPB Member, £25 Non-Member
Join us at RSPB The Lodge nature reserve and gardens for a spectacular journey, as we enable you to unwind from daily stressors, relax and... > View more
Price: RSPB members £20, non-members £25.
Booking essential
Our session is held at the beautiful RSPB The Lodge nature reserve and gardens. If you are sensitive to energy or a... > View more
Hosted by Pam Rhodes.
Donations welcome.
> View more
Celebrating all things military, from aircraft to vehicles. The Royal Jordanian Falcons will be joining us at Old Warden as well as a show stopping number of Hurricanes, not forgetting the P47... > View more
Listen to local singers, songwriters and choirs.
Cost £3
> View more
Delicious street food, alcohol and music.
Instagram: SANDY_STREET_FEAST
Facebook: STREAT FEAST
> View more
Teams of 4 -6 people, £6.00 per head. Cash or cheques only. Cheques to be made payable to The Mayor of Sandy's Charity Account. No tickets will be issued, names will be held... > View more
Open Church Saturday.
Free entry, donations welcome.
> View more
Cost £10
> View more
A summer celebration with music, Spitfire, cannons, cavalry & fireworks!
Pack up the hampers and champers and join thousands of loyal fans for an exceptional afternoon and evening of... > View more
A festival of folk's finest acts gathered in beautiful leafy parkland for one uplifting summer day of music.
Folk by the Oak's 'line-up of headliners' has gained a... > View more
Bedford Sinfonia Orchestra and Chamber Choir.
Cost to be confirmed.
> View more
Charity Football Match & Fundraising Event
Sandye Place v Arsenal
For St John's Hospice & Arsenal Charitable Trust
1pm kick off.
Admission; £1, children under 3... > View more
Visit The House to learn more about this interesting building and the family that lived there. The House will be open between 09:30 – 12:30 giving you a chance to explore the rooms, the... > View more
Day long conference with a range of speakers and optional guided walk.
Charge: £15.00 per person (Student Concessions: £5 per person)
The Greensand Country has a rich medieval... > View more
Enjoy an evening of entertainment in the grand setting of The House. Join us from 19.30 for drinks and canapés, then take your seat for dinner and let the mystery unfold.
Murder Mystery... > View more
Price: Adult and child tickets £6 each.
Booking essential
Dynamic storytelling with quirky props. Suitable for ages 5 -105.
Join us in the yurt in The Lodge gardens, where the... > View more
Sandy Guild's Treasure Hunt will be running throughout the Summer from 22 July - 3 August 2019.
£5 per person, under 8's free.
You could win £100 Amazon Voucher.
To... > View more
Admission £5
> View more
Our outbreak of democracy followed by some interesting entertainment on the platform on a balmy summers night.
Come along ready with questions for a lively discussion... > View more
Canals by Roger Squires. To be confirmed.
Come along ready with questions for a lively discussion afterwards.
Membership £10 per year.
Visitors £2 per meeting... > View more
Every year the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) releases an annual report detailing the progress Bedfordshire Police and the PCC have achieved together against the pledges she made to the... > View more
Join us for a fantastic night under the stars on our magical new route at Shuttleworth, remembering loved ones and fundraising for St John's Hospice. This is a night not to be missed!
... > View more
Film Night Presenter to be advised. Another night with Rob Foxen on a similar format to 2018's show is on the cards but not yet confirmed.
Come along ready with questions... > View more
David Tall tells Tall Stories from his Navel Career. All very secret stuff so be there to sink to the depths of the Ocean. Bring your own lifebelt.
Come along ready with... > View more
Bryan Cross presents a selection of Railway Scenes from his extensive collections saved from destruction.
Come along ready with questions for a lively discussion afterwards.
... > View more


text:
The Philadelphia Police Department needs the public's assistance in locating 16 year-old Missing Juvenile Harry Enggasser[http://pr.phillypolice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Harry-Engasser.jpg]. He was last seen at 4:37 P.M., on Friday, June 7th, 2019, on the 28XX block of Mercer Street. He is 6'2″, 180...
24th District News
On June 6, 2019, at 1:00 pm, a police officer was patrolling the area of Frankford Avenue and Tioga Street when he heard 4-5 gunshots in the area. When he checked the area he was able...
The Philadelphia Police Department needs the public's assistance in locating 19 year-old Missing Person Starr Singleton[http://pr.phillypolice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Starr-Singleton.png]. She was last seen at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, May 4th, 2019, on the 3000 block of Tulip St. She is 5'2″,...
The South Philadelphia Review recently recognized 1st District Community Relations Officer Paul Bryson for his work with the Edward O'Malley Athletic Association. He and his family have been volunteering their time for many...
Written by: Police Officer Michael Duffy 3rd Police District On Friday afternoon, South Police Division Inspector Joseph Mooney was recognized for 35 years of service to the citizens of Philadelphia. Inspector Mooney has had a long...
The following letter was written to the and printed by the editors of Philly.com. It is great to get positive feedback from the people that we serve and we would like to thank...
PSA 2 Meeting
July 1st, 2019 7:30 PM
2313 Auburn St, Philadelphia PA
July 3rd, 2019 7:00 PM
3529 Almond St, Philadelphia, PA
July 9th, 2019 5:30 PM
3901 Whitaker Ave .,Philadelphia PA
PSA 1 Meeting
July 9th, 2019 7:00 PM
1001 E. Cayuga St, Philadelphia PA
PSA 3 Meeting
July 10th, 2019 7:00 PM
2537 Monmouth St, Philadelphia, PA
Community Meeting
July 11th, 2019 6:30 PM
2136 Castor Ave, Philadelphia PA
Captain's Townhall Meeting
July 16th, 2019 6:00 PM
3901 Whitaker Ave., Philadelphia PA


text: aggravated assault DATA: Lafayette Sees More Theft, Less Of Other Major Crimes In First Half Of 2016 By Stan Jastrzebski • Jul 7, 2016 Lafayette Police Department At the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, Lafayette leaders announced several initiatives aimed at stemming the drug use that fuels a significant portion of the major crimes committed in the city. Through six months of the year, crime is down about three percent from the first half of 2015, though still well above levels from 2010 and 2011. Ask The Mayor: Lafayette's Tony Roswarski On The Slippery Slope Of Crime Talk By Stan Jastrzebski • Feb 11, 2016 City of Lafayette For months, Mayor Tony Roswarski has tried to balance perceptions of an increase in drug crime in Lafayette with sunnier statements of economic development and improvements to quality of life. But when 2015 crime stats were announced last week, a nearly 50-percent increase in assaults brought the problem into sharp relief. Also on this week's show, the city has released a new smartphone app. Now, residents can geotag potholes on their street that need fixing. Aggravated Assault Spike Highlights 2015 Lafayette Crime Increase By Stan Jastrzebski • Feb 4, 2016 Lafayette Police Thursday confirmed violent crime did, in fact, increase in the city in 2015. "Where we saw probably our biggest jump in 2015 was in aggravated assaults," says Police Chief Pat Flannelly. "In 2015, we had 323, as compared to 219 in 2014." Flannelly notes the aggravated assaults, or attacks involving a weapon, account for most of a 115-incident, year-over-year increase in violent crime.


text:
Goldman Sachs sold $250 million of BP stock before spill
Firm's stock sale nearly twice as large as any other institution; Represented 44 percent of total BP investment
The brokerage firm that's faced the most scrutiny from regulators in the past year over the shorting of mortgage related securities seems to have had good timing when it came to something else: the stock of British oil giant BP.
According to regulatory filings, RawStory.com has found that Goldman Sachs sold 4,680,822 shares of BP in the first quarter of 2010. Goldman's sales were the largest of any firm during that time. Goldman would have pocketed slightly more than $266 million if their holdings were sold at the average price of BP's stock during the quarter.
If Goldman had sold these shares today, their investment would have lost 36 percent its value, or $96 million. The share sales represented 44 percent of Goldman's holdings — meaning that Goldman's remaining holdings have still lost tens of millions in value.
The sale and its size itself isn't unusual for a large asset management firm. Wall Street brokerages routinely buy and sell huge blocks of shares for themselves and their clients. In light of a recent SEC lawsuit arguing that Goldman kept information about a product they sold from their clients, however, the stock sale may raise fresh concern among Goldman's critics. Goldman is also a frequent target of liberals and journalists, including Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi, who famously dubbed the firm a "vampire squid."
Two calls placed to Goldman Sachs' media office in New York Wednesday morning after US markets opened were not immediately returned, though Raw Story decided to publish the story quickly after the calls since the stock sale had been already noted online.
Others also sold stock
Other asset management firms also sold huge blocks of BP stock in the first quarter — but their sales were a fraction of Goldman's. Wachovia, which is owned by Wells Fargo, sold 2,667,419 shares; UBS, the Swiss bank, sold 2,125,566 shares.
Wachovia and UBS also sold much larger percentages of their BP stock, at 98 percently and 97 percent respectively.
Wachova parent Wells Fargo, however, bought 2.3 million shares in the quarter, largely discounting Wachovia's sales.
Those reported buying BP's stock included Wellington Management, a large asset firm, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
BP is struggling to cap a massive oil leak at one of its drill sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The firm's myriad safety violations over the years have come to light in lieu of the Gulf disaster.
BP traded on average at $56.86 in the first quarter, according to GuruFocus, a site that monitors the major trading moves of prominent investors. A list of major institutions' sales of BP stock are available at the market research website Morningstar.
It's certainly unknown as to why the firms sold their holdings. In its analysis of the company in mid-March, Morningstar, the market research site, gave the company an average rating of three out of a possible five stars.
"BP's valuation carries more uncertainty than ExxonMobil's or Shell's because the firm is less integrated, with more of its earnings coming from the [exploration and production] business than from potentially offsetting refining operations," the site's analyst wrote. "Like its peers, a sustained drop in oil and gas prices can hurt upstream earnings. Lower crude-oil feedstock costs could help refining margins, but refined product pricing lags could quickly swing refining profits to losses. BP's global business faces potential disruptions caused by political risks, particularly with its heavy exposure to Russia. Disruptions caused by environmental and operational constraints could further limit earnings potential."
The transnational oil company, like other energy giants, was hit with lower oil and gas prices in the past year after the price of oil surged in 2008.
"BP's fourth quarter marked another quarter of year-over-year production gains, with a 3% increase thanks to new field startups," Morningstar's analyst wrote in another note, after BP turned in better than expected fourth quarter results in February. "BP reported fourth-quarter replacement cost profit of $3.4 billion, up 33% from year-ago earnings of $2.6 billion, as upstream earnings growth was more than enough to offset downstream weakness. For the full year, BP's earnings of $14 billion were 45% below year-ago earnings of $26 billion, in part because of lower oil prices earlier in the year. We're encouraged by BP's sequential earnings gains as new projects and cost-cutting efforts drive upstream results."
The SEC filed a civil lawsuit against Goldman Sachs and one of its vice presidents in April, asserting that the firm had committed fraud by misrepresenting a mortgage-investment product inherently designed to fail. The company helped a hedge fund trader create a mortgage investment that gained value as mortgage borrowers defaulted en masse.
In response, Goldman said the SEC's charges were "completely unfounded in law and fact†and averred that it would "vigorously contest them and defend the firm and its reputation.â€Â
The firm has also faced criticism over giant bonuses paid to staff amidst the US financial crisis. Goldman reduced the sizes of its staff bonuses this year to $16.9 billion, and said it would pay its chief executive $9 million, far less than the previous year.
Goldman also announced it would create a $500 million program to help small businesses. Critics noted that the figure represented just 3% of the bonus pool.
Breaking Banner
Experts discuss the distorted impeachment debate at a propaganda forum — and how real debate can untangle it
"Would you be upset if the Democratic nominee called on China to help in the next presidential election?" That's the concrete question we should ask ourselves about Robert Mueller's report and the issue of impeachment, according to University of California, Santa Cruz, social psychologist Anthony Pratkanis, speaking at a recent Zócalo Public Square event, "Is Propaganda Keeping Americans From Thinking for Themselves?"
This was a week before President Trump's interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, apparently welcoming foreign interference in the 2020 election. Impeachment wasn't the ostensible subject of the event — which also featured Texas A&M historian of rhetoric Jennifer Mercieca and UCLA marketing scholar and psychologist Hal Hershfield — but it was never far from mind.
Breaking Banner
GOP leaders in open warfare with Trump's White House as another government shutdown looms
According to a report in the Washington Post, GOP leaders are at an impasse with the White House on future budget concerns as President Donald Trump's chief of staff -- which is leading to fears of another government shutdown.
The report states, "GOP leaders have spent months cajoling President Trump in favor of a bipartisan budget deal that would fund the government and raise the limit on federal borrowing this fall, but their efforts have yet to produce a deal."
Breaking Banner
Trump Twitter-snarls at 'Impeachment Day' protesters as the product of 'Radical Left Democrats'
President Donald Trump lashed out at Impeachment Day protesters on Twitter on Sunday morning, downplaying their efforts after seeing a report on Fox News.
Taking to Twitter the president wrote, "Yesterday was the Radical Left Democrats big Impeachment day. They worked so hard to make it something really big and special but had one problem - almost nobody showed up. "The Media admits low turnout for anti-Trump rallies ...saying enough. Democrat voters want to hear the politicians talking about issues. This is a huge distraction and will only help Donald Trump get elected. 'Greatest President since Ronald Reagan' said a counter-protester. LehighValleyLive."


text: "How do you best manage risk?" "Operate in full awareness of risks and opportunities." The "great recession" has brought renewed focus on managing risk. There is no one best approach. Each company should tailor its program to address its unique circumstances. Yet, there are some common principles to consider. Risk should be viewed broadly. Risk and its constant counterpart—opportunity—exist in every decision, every operation, and every situation. The goal is not to avoid risk, but to operate in full awareness of risks and opportunities, managing them to best serve the company. With risk properly understood, the entire management process is in the risk management business. The entire corporate culture must be attuned to risk. All personnel should have the obligation to report and escalate risk that arises within the sphere of their authority. Neither insensitivity to risk nor fear of speaking out can be tolerated. If employees fail to raise an issue, they have failed to do their job. In Beckman's law department, we keep an inventory of all of the ways legal risks can arise. We list every executive, committee, dispute, transaction, project, external constituency, and key area of law. And for each item, we assign one person to be principally responsible for the legal issues associated with that item. This assignment list leads to a monthly reporting mechanism that allows me to survey risk throughout the enterprise and to hold specific individuals accountable for its management. Having good processes is a start. A healthy respect for risk is just as important. Even if you anticipate a risk, or identify it early and develop appropriate plans to address the risk, your plans could fail. Even as you focus your attention on what you believe to be the most important and immediate threats, others can develop quickly. Your best defense is Arnold A. Pinkston constant vigilance. Your worst enemy is hubris—a sense that it's all under control. Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Each month, K&L Gates LLP presents Top of Mind®—a leading in-house lawyer's take on key issues shaping business and legal strategies. For more Top of Mind features, please visit our website at www.klgates.com and click on the Top of Mind icon. Beckman Coulter, Inc. Brea, California


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Infant/Child Mental Health, Early Intervention, & Relationship-Based Therapies: A Neurorelational Framework for Interdisciplinary Practice directly addresses this lack of cohesion among disciplines. Connie Lillas and Janiece Turnbull offer a unifying, interdisciplinary framework based on current neuroscience research into how infants and children develop in the context of relationships and their surroundings. This conceptual framework is organized according to four brain systems, each representing a set of individual and relational functions that acknowledges the unique contributions from each discipline, while also presenting guiding principles that are applicable across disciplines and methods of theory and practice. The authors also offer specific, practical applications of their approach throughout the book to assist in assessment and intervention: each brain system includes clearly defined treatment strategies as well as a case study drawn from and based on the authors' clinical practice.
월드카지노온라인카지노-카지노하는곳-바다이야기 프로그램➹마닐라 카지노 롤링↔‹호 게임›배터리바둑이게임↼바카라 시스템 배팅☌카지노 신규가입쿠폰↠바카라 이기는법온라인카지노-아바타게임-바다이야기 릴게임♯시카고 슬롯 머신┘「포커 이기는 법」카지노 대박 후기☱바카라 크로스배팅↔마닐라 카지노 후기✑슬롯머신
"This is a timely book and offers us all a chance to do better work for children and families."
—T. Berry Brazelton, M. D.
Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus Harvard Medical School
Founder, Brazelton Touchpoints Center
"I found the Lillas and Turnbull chapters to be a refreshing new approach to collaborative service delivery. The concept of a Neurorelational Framework with different brain systems makes sense, I believe, to all practitioners…The explanation of the four brain systems was very relevant to my current practice as a school psychologist, LEP, and educational therapist and it puts a whole new light on understanding and putting together other specialist's roles in assessment and intervention for the child. It brings the part-to-whole model into perspective."
—Sharri Hogan, MA, LEP
바카라하는곳라스베가스 호텔 추천
온라인카지노스포츠토토사이트배터리게임바둑이 캐츠비카지노스포츠토토사이트솔레어카지노토토사이트 Licensed Educational Psychologist
레드썬카지노카지노사이트-솔레어카지노-seven luck╨온라인 바다 이야기➻[bracketl15]홀덤[bracketr15]마카오 카지노 호텔♂바카라사이트☶카지노 여자 앵벌이⇉온라인 카지노 총판카지노 슬롯 머신 확률 스포츠토토사이트추천 7luck
카지노사이트-캐츠비카지노-빠 징코 게임⇁바카라 프로그램▧[bracketl16]모 롱고 카지노[bracketr16]바카라 양방☎마닐라 카지노 후기♦썬 시티☪카지노 디비
바카라 후기현금바둑이사이트 Educational Therapist
"This book is visionary! The authors have brought a depth of understanding to child mental health that is informed by their creativity, brilliance, and unwillingness to be confined to the views of any one discipline. Their work elaborates a new analytic model capable of integrating data critical to diagnosis and treatment as never before. The book offers exciting opportunities for meaningful collaboration in this complex field."
—Sara Latz, JD, M.D., Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Clinical Faculty, David Geffen School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Child/Adolescent Division, The Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
"What a delight! Drs. Connie Lillas and Janiece Turnbull have spanned the chasms in early childhood professional activities between neurodevelopment, relational contexts and clinical practice to describe a new and visionary model of comprehensive interventions for challenged infants, young children and their parents."
—David W. Willis, M.D., FAAP, Behavioral-Developmental Pediatrics, Medical Director Northwest Early Childhood Institute, Portland, Oregon


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But hey, if you still feel a little bit guilty about it sometimes, don't worry, because let me tell you, you are NOT alone (with the lying thing, that is, not the feeling guilty part... probably) like I said, we all do it... and sometimes it can actually be pretty hilarious.
The Tweets listed below are a great example of this. Some will shock you, some will make you laugh, some will make you cry... but they will all DEFINITELY make you feel like a less terrible person! You're welcome!
Well, I... I'm not sure where to start with this one. I know I've certainly had my "brave" moments of "self-possession" though.
Okay well if you say you've never lied in order to get a job before you are 100% lying. Which means you're a double lier. Which means we'd probably get along really really well.
Is it really this daughters fault that her mother is so musically ignorant that she isn't familiar with George Michaels music? IS IT??
...I am SO mad at myself for not ONCE thinking of this during my time at high school. Because this is GENIUS.
Oh man, this one is GOLDEN. I mean, it's a teeny bit sad too, but also pretty hilarious. What a script flip!
I love this, it's almost the perfect lie. I mean no one gets hurt, and it's a far enough number from the throne to just be believable. 100% nobody is fact-checking that fact.
Honestly, I think the talent of being able to recite music in perfect tune after merely listening to it rather being able to read sheet music is WAY more impressive.
Okay well when I first read this I read "mission" as in some sort of secret spy mission and I was like... wait, HOW did her parents let her get away with that one!? Now I understand the context. Outstanding effort.
This is like some kind of lie-ception. Lie-inception? Well whatever it is It's brilliant and it proved something I've known forever, sometimes it really IS okay to lie.
Who really cares about the real names of plants anyway right? I bet whatever names he came up with were WAY more fun.
Okay now see this is an EXACT SITUATION WHEN YOU SHOULD 100% LIE. A lie could save a life... namely this girls.
...great so if I ever want to get married all I need to do is provide shelter? Wish someone had told me that 8 years ago. This girl REALLY didn't want to live on campus.
Is this guy a liar or just a young entrepreneur? Isn't entrepreneur just a fancy word for liar anyway? Should have charged them 20!
I don't know if this girl is the devil or just an absolute GENIUS. At least it worked out well for them both... I guess? And er, good on his friends for not telling him!? So weird.
MUST. NOTE. THIS. DOWN. FOR. FUTURE. USE. WITH. POSSIBLE. FUTURE. CHILD. Give these parents a damn PHD in lying for freak's sake.
It's always nice to be reminded that a lot of the time our teachers cared just as little about school and school work and we did.
See, sometimes small white lies get things that should already be going, going. If my best friend hadn't told her boyfriend she would leave him if he didn't propose she'd leave him 6 years ago she wouldn't be married with 3 kids now... not sure if that's a pro or con for lying.
Even today at my age I would 100% do this in order to be able to attend a Blink 182 concert. I would do literally anything to go to a Blink 182 concert. 10/10 would recommend this lie.
WHY were I and my friends never this sneaky back in the day?? Either kids are getting freakin' smarter or school checks are getting more relaxed. This is AMAZING.


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Here I am, reading an untitled poem I wrote based on the Japanese ghost story 'Banchō Sarayashiki.' You can read the full story in my post about Himeji Castle.
Read & recorded at Speakin' Weird open mic night at Spin in Aberdeen, February 2019.
Here I am, reading an untitled poem I wrote based on the Japanese ghost story 'Banchō Sarayashiki.' You can read the full story in my post about Himeji Castle.
Read & recorded at Speakin' Weird open mic night at Spin in Aberdeen, February 2019.
This story was the first assignment I wrote for my undergraduate degree in autumn 2012. It was published in Vortex, the University of Winchester's creative writing journal, just before I graduated in 2015.
Each day you can admire the moon, the snow and the flowers.
Yet, flowers seldom bloom when it snows, and what if it's the time of the dark moon? There is no beauty in winter. Once the sunlight and sakura leave, the countryside is rendered drab and austere. I am sure the trees watch us as our car passes; glaring into our wake, envious of our freedom to move. Our tyres grind their amber-coloured leaves into the road, a forced burial without ceremony.
Ryota insisted that we visit his okaasan. Apparently we need some 'family time,' which only ever seems to happen when it suits him. If we were at home, I would be hanging omamori from the lamps and on the thresholds. Kaori would be watching, and pestering Hisao to lift her up to get a closer look. I would be standing by, envying the innocence of my children.
One omamori never gets hung up. It stays with me, in my purse, or tied onto my keys or the zip of my bag. Now it sits in my lap, and I twine the frayed string around my fingers as my head rolls towards the car window. This one is a yakuyoke, for protection. Yes, winter can be charming. And we all know to be afraid of charm. I learned that when I met her.
She has many names. Some say she is a goddess, or a spirit. Others describe her as a hag. Many names, many faces. It's all the same. To me, she will always be a demon. Yuki-Onna, who brings death with the snowfall. I remember her pallid complexion, that seemed to be made of mist. There but also not, obsidian hair the only fully visible part in the white landscape. She hummed a lullaby as she scooped me up from the frozen ground. I can still hear it…
I don't remember falling asleep, but then I am waking as tyres jolt over the ramp covering the little irrigation canal and the car stops on okaasan's drive. I shove the omamori into my bag and climb out, steadying myself against the door as a wave of nausea overtakes me and my legs shake.
Breathe. Calm down.
I smile at Ryota over the roof in an attempt to hide my uneasiness. He will be displeased if he sees me like this; I am supposed to be getting better.
We all trudge into the house where okaasan fusses over Ryota and clicks her tongue at how much Kaori and Hisao have grown. If my own mother were still alive she would probably do the same. We sit around the kotatsu and share tea and senbei. I let Ryota do the talking.
The afternoon passes in this way, and when darkness arrives I rise to help okaasan arrange our futons. She waves me away.
"Spend some time with Ryota. Make the most of him, while he's not at work."
So I go back to the kotatsu and we sit there, the children between us. After a moment, Kaori rises and goes to the window; presses her chubby palms against the glass.
"Look!" she calls, so the rest of us get up and join her. Outside, the sky is growing dark both from dusk and the heavy clouds. The air has that translucent glow it gets before… before it snows. Then I see it. A speck of white floating down, down. Kaori watches it, enchanted.
When I see the first snowflake fall, I do not just see a snowflake. I see blood, and the stiff corpse of my father staring up at me with glassy eyes. My mother's lips, cracked and rimmed with frost. I smell their blood as the wind stirred it, and see my messy footprints as I run away. I escaped. I am sure the demon has not forgotten. Back then, I was too young to be afraid of beautiful strangers. Now I know better. Watching that first feathery snowflake drift down from the portentous clouds and hit the windowsill, I turn to Ryota and tell him we have to leave. Irritation flutters across his eyes, eyes I once lost myself in.
"It's just snow, Hanako."
His tone is weary; he doesn't believe in Yuki-Onna. I am shaking again.
Stop shaking!
I order the children to go with okaasan and get ready for bed. They obey, to my relief and regret. Okaasan frowns at me as she ushers them to the bedroom. She will probably tell me later what I already know, that I should look after them myself. But sometimes I just need them out of the way.
My hands flit between my scraggy ponytail and the omamori, now in my pocket, as I check the window locks. Two presses on each catch until I am satisfied. Curtains drawn, because too many times I have gazed out into the night and seen her face staring back.
Ryota goes to retrieve our bags from the genkan. I want to help, but it's so near the front door, and the front door is so near the snow… I cannot get the image of Yuki-Onna out of my head. A thread of the omamori comes loose. Ryota returns, as if he read my thoughts. I force another smile; it feels as worn and frayed as an old blanket. He drops the luggage and places a hand on my arm.
"You can get past this. You've been doing so well recently, even your therapist said so."
"I know. I just… had a moment. I'm fine now." I smile at him again, because it's all I can think of to do.
"Good. Don't push me away again, Hanako."
I nod and pick up my bag.
Sleep evades me. I lie on my back, staring at the ceiling, whispering to the malignant shadows in the corners of the room. They don't listen. They never listen. Eventually, I tumble into delirium. Of course, Yuki-Onna is there. Waiting. Always waiting.
When I find my way back to reality, it is morning. The bedroom is empty. Ghostly daylight creeps through the shoji, leeching all the colour from the room. I get up and go to the living room, where I find okaasan sitting.
"Hello, Hanako," she says, handing me a cup of tea.
"He's good with the children. You shouldn't worry so much." She sweeps her thin arm towards the window. "Take a look."
Slowly, I turn to face the snowy world.
You're okay, there's nothing there.
Ryota, Hisao, and Kaori are outside, their booted feet making untidy dents in the white dusting on okaasan's garden. I watch them scoop up handfuls of it and toss them at one another, and try not to imagine an ivory-skinned woman watching them, too. Ryota laughs when a snowball catches his leg; a wondrous sound my ears cannot remember hearing for a long time. Kaori throws herself down on her back, moving her arms and legs from side to side to make the shape of an angel. Hisao beckons to me…
I don't bother to put my coat on, or fully lace up my boots. This way I won't be able to stay outside for too long. They all turn to look as I slip around the front door.
"Morning," Ryota calls. I wave, and Hisao takes advantage of the distraction and tosses another snowball at his father. Kaori laughs and pushes herself to her feet to join in. I hover beside the house, arms folded, toes brushing against the snow but not quite touching it. The white ground makes the trees at the edge of okaasan's garden look dark and insidious; a perfect hiding place for a demon…
"The children will get cold, I'm taking them inside," I tell Ryota, lunging forward to grab Hisao. Kaori evades me, though. She is already running towards the trees, giggling. Before I know what I'm doing, I have let go of Hisao and I am running as well. With each step, my boots make a crunching noise that seems too loud. Kaori keeps running until the trees swallow her. By the time I reach them, my feet ache and my face and arms are numb. I call her name, a frantic warble and wisp of breath, which both dissipate immediately as if I have not spoken. Branches snag at my clothes, like frozen fingers. Leaves rustle like the swish of ebony hair.
She'll catch you, keep going!
I part my lips to call again, but then I catch sight of Kaori's purple coat bobbing around a tree trunk. I hurry towards it, and find her crouched in a small clearing, patting handfuls of snow into tiny balls. And there is Yuki-Onna. Every bit as wickedly beautiful as I remember. Standing over Kaori, my snow angel. I shake my head, trying to eliminate the demon. Maybe she's not real. Ryota doesn't think so. I trust Ryota.
Then why can you still see her?
Kaori remains huddled on the ground, unaware of the danger. Yuki-Onna bends towards her.
No, she's not real!
"You're not real!"
I throw myself at Kaori, crushing her pile of snowballs and encircling her in my arms.
"Leave us alone!" I scream. "Leave, leave…" I clutch Kaori tighter, burying my face in her coat as she wriggles in my arms. I know I must take my daughter indoors, get her warm, but I cannot move. If I close my eyes then maybe the demon will disappear. Failing that, I won't see her strike. I begin to shake from the cold.
Frozen bodies, found in the woods. A young girl, found wandering…
"No! It's okay, we're safe. She's not real."
"Who's not real, mama?"
"Shhhhh, my angel."
Blood, and snow. A young girl, found wandering…
I barely notice when a warm figure presses against my back and a hand starts stroking my hair. Ryota. He pulls us close, and I lean against him.
"She's not real," I whisper.
"I know, Hanako. Come inside."
He pulls me to my feet and keeps hold of my hand. I grab Kaori's with my free one, and she reaches for Hisao who was watching from the edge of the trees. I glance over my shoulder; the woods are empty. As we cross the garden, we create four sets of footprints in neat lines.
I glance over my shoulder. I have admired the snow, but there are still no flowers and no moon. There is also no fifth set of footprints heading back into the trees. Only my own as I ran after Kaori. No flash of a porcelain face. Just my own skin, pale from the cold.
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the University of Essex's Myth Reading Group to run a session on Japanese folklore. The group is part of the university's Centre for Myth Studies, which aims to support and promote the study of myth.
For the past two terms, the Myth Reading Group has been focusing on trees in mythology. My session was about sacred trees in Japanese culture and the story of the Takasago pines, which I previously explored in the article I wrote for the Centre for Myth Studies blog earlier this year.
The Takasago story is a popular noh drama (type of classical Japanese theatre) about two pine trees which were planted by the kami (Shinto deities) from the same seed. One stands in Takasago, and the other in Sumiyoshi. A Shinto priest visiting Takasago meets an elderly couple beneath the Takasago pine and asks them about the tree. They tell him about it being related to the one in Sumiyoshi, and that the man travels between the two places to care for the trees and be with his love. The distance between them is insignificant, because their hearts are the same. They also tell him that pine trees are special, because they are unchanging. Where other trees turn brown and shed their foliage in the autumn, pine trees remain evergreen. The priest then asks the couple for their names, and they reveal that they are really the spirits of the Takasago and Sumiyoshi pine trees temporarily in human form.
The priest meets the couple again in Sumiyoshi, and they have a feast to celebrate the relationship between humans and kami.
In Japanese culture, pine trees are revered as symbols of longevity and believed to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. You can often find them in the grounds of Shinto shrines, where visitors will tie omikuji (paper fortunes) to their branches. If the fortune is bad, the pine tree will help to negate its effects. Some larger shrines also mark their perimeters with pine trees to keep out negative energy.
Two ancient pine trees stand in the grounds of Takasago Shrine. They are nicknamed 'Jo' and 'Uba' (loosely translates as 'old man' and 'old woman'), and many couples visit them to ask for blessings for a long and healthy relationship.
Some of the trees around Shinto shrines are especially prestigious. These trees are called 'goshinboku,' which means 'god trees' in English, and they are trees where kami are believed to live. You can tell a goshinboku because it will be marked by a shimenawa (rope made from woven rice straw) and shide (lightning bolt-shaped strips of paper).
As well as living in goshinboku, kami also use these trees to travel between the heavens and the earth. Some, like the pine trees in the Takasago noh play, are also reported to have been planted by kami.
Before shrines were built, places of worship were merely natural sites were it was believed kami were present. These were often groves of trees or mountains, called yorishiro. Also, the kanji for shrine 神社 (jinja) and forest 杜 (mori) are very similar. It's possible that they could have been used interchangeably or meant to mean one and the same thing.
In her story 'The Wind in the Pine Tree,' Grace James writes in slow, dreamy prose about a pine tree planted by a kami on the beach in Takasago. It becomes home to a host of nature spirits, and also dark, mysterious creatures from Yomi which is the underworld in Japanese mythology. As the wind blows through the tree's branches, it disperses the voices of the spirits and positive energy which draws lovers to it. The end of the story repeats this imagery, implying that it is a never-ending cycle of the tree sending out this mystical wind and drawing more positivity to it. The story is only one small part of its steadfast, evergreen life.
Having worked in Takasago, I can definitely vouch for the importance of pine trees in this city. I often found myself picking fallen needles out of my shoes, and many of the local mascots were based on pine cones. During school events, some poor teacher or student would draw the short straw of wearing the pinecone mascot costume and parading around the track in 80% humidity (thankfully never me!) It's wonderful to see how the story of the pine trees shapes the identity of Takasago, and has made it a place of cultural and folkloric significance.
It was a joy to share this topic at the Myth Reading Group. Thank you to Pietra Palazzolo, executive of the Centre for Myth Studies, for inviting me to do the session. Also thank you to the Myth Reading Group members who attended, and for your enthusiasm during the discussion. It was lovely to meet you all, and I hope to attend more of your meetings in the future!
'The Legend of the Twin Pines, and Jo and Uba – the Happy Married Couple (尉と媼 Jō-to-Uba)' on Japanese Mythology & Folklore
Tottori may be Japan's least populated prefecture in terms of people, but if it's yōkai you're counting then it will come out on top. In the city of Sakaiminato, they have taken over the streets with their somewhat disturbing charm.
In Japanese folklore, yōkai are mischievous supernatural creatures akin to spirits or demons in Western culture. The artist and writer Mizuki Shigeru brought them into the limelight with his 1960s manga series GeGeGe no Kitarō (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎). Shigeru's work tells the story of a boy named Kitarō, who fights to make peace between the worlds of humans and yōkai, along with his… unusual allies. Most notably Medama-Oyaji, an anthropomorphic eyeball who is also the reincarnation of his father, and Neko-Musume, a young girl who can alter her facial features to resemble a sinister-looking cat.
Mizuki Shigeru spent his childhood in Sakaiminato. To celebrate his work, the area around JR Sakaiminato station and the main road leading off of it has 153 bronze statues of yōkai. You can purchase a guidebook at the station (in Japanese only), which lists each one with some information about it. There are also spaces for collectable stamps, found outside of shops and restaurants along the road. Already being an avid collection of Japanese train station stamps, I was so on that! More so than the elementary school children I frequently found myself queuing with…
I took photos of some of the statues, which I shared on Twitter with the hashtag #dailyyōkai during the summer. For those who missed it, here's a recap. Just click on the images to make them bigger. All images my own.
In Japanese folklore, it's sometimes hard to define where yōkai ends and yūrei/obake (ghost) begins. Strictly speaking, the term yūrei should only be used for human spirits and obake for things which are possessed (like the chōchin-obake in my photo above). But in reality, these terms are often used interchangeably and there is much overlap of attributes between all three. This difficulty with defining them makes yōkai a subjective set of creatures, adding to their mystery and appeal. Each has their own identity, composed of their own power, purpose, and motivation. This makes yōkai very relatable – when we are stressed at work we can blame the isogashi, or when our bathroom needs cleaning we can wish for an akaname to appear. And I am sure after a terrible date we can sympathise with the Hari-Onna!
After living in Japan for a year, I thought I was impervious to the stranger sides of Japanese culture. I caught myself watching this Funassyi video and not even flinching; a giant fairy pear running through a minefield seemed perfectly normal. But after visiting Sakaiminato, I've discovered that there is still a lot left in this country capable of making me wonder 'why is this even a thing?!' Like the sagari – Ghost horse heads which spontaneously drop out of trees and scream at people? Okay. It's Japan. Don't question it. Embrace the insanity.
What's your favourite yōkai? Tweet it to me @amyelize
For more about yōkai, read my tsukumogami post. These are a specific group of yōkai comprised of possessed household objects. Watch out for the boroboroton!
It is said that dogs are our best friends, and if this story is to be believed then that is certainly true. In the city of Ise, on the south east coast of Japan in Mie Prefecture, you will find many shops selling little charms in the shape of dogs. You will also see people walking their dogs along the path to Ise Grand Shrine, and well-kept water bowls outside most establishments.
These things are homage to the Okage Inu (thankful dog) of local legend, who it is said made a pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine in his master's stead. Whilst visiting Ise, I found a small booklet of this story and managed to translate it into English (Japanese reading skills level up!) Generic writer disclaimer – I have added some of my own details to flesh things out, since the translations are very basic and more like a list than a story. So this is my own version of it. As far as I can see, this story is not well-known outside of Japan. So I am happy to share it!
What to do, when you live deep in the country and your husband is gravely ill? When you want to visit the shrine to pray for his health, but you cannot leave his side? When your old bones creak when you walk, and the shrine is so far away…
A wag of a tail. A sloppy, affectionate lick on his master's feverish cheek.
ワンワン!ワンワン!* I will go, I will go!
Send the dog. Problem solved.
Carrying a banner proclaiming his mission, the faithful dog set out for the shrine. Not just any shrine, either. He was bound for Ise Jingu, the soul of Japan, the most sacred Shinto shrine of them all. It is there that Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun and the Universe, is enshrined.
It was a long journey, but that is not a problem for a Shiba Inu's spirit. His enthusiasm and loyalty would carry him all the way.
He did not stray from the road – no chasing rabbits, or exploring thickets (I'm sure that those of you who have walked dogs will know what a feat this is – their attention spans are not always the most reliable…)
On the way, the Shiba Inu befriended many travellers. For who doesn't want to stop and pet a sweet, lonesome dog? People donated money to help him, too. He was given a meal, and somewhere to stay for the night.
Finally, he reached the city of Ise. On he padded, through the streets, beneath he torii gate, over Uji Bridge, and along the gravel path all the way to Amaterasu's house. He bowed (but of course he couldn't clap, as it is customary to do at Shinto shrines. I am sure Amaterasu understood) and barked his prayers, and in return he received an ofuda (paper amulet) to take home.
With his mission complete, it was time to begin the homeward journey. Maybe this time he stopped off for some celebratory rolling in grass, or something else dogs do for fun (if it had been my dog, she would not have made it out of the city for stopping to lick everyone's feet…)
Upon arriving back home, after being made a great fuss of, he presented the ofuda to his master and mistress. Soon his master's health improved, and the three of them lived peacefully once more. Although, after such a long trip, I am not sure that the Shiba Inu asked for a walk ever again!
* Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound a dog makes, pronounced like 'wan wan!' In English it would be 'woof woof!'
Read more about Ise Grand Shrine and regional Japanese folklore in my article about the ama divers and sea demons on #FolkloreThursday.
So thrilled that this story has now been published by the lovely folks over at Do You Know the Story? and is accompanied by an beautiful illustration by my friend Kimberley Ford. Support them by following on Facebook and Twitter to discover and share amazing stories and artwork from around the world.
Where there are castles, there are also stories. Himeji is no exception. This vibrant, serene city is also home to one of Japan's most famous ghost stories.
Japan has hundreds of ghost stories, known as 怪談 which is pronounced kaidan. Living near Himeji made it was impossible not to learn a kaidan called 'Banchō Sarayashiki.' Its English title is 'Okiku and the Plates,' and there are many versions of it throughout Japan. It is often performed as kabuki, which is a traditional style of Japanese theatre.
Himeji castle is one of the most commonly cited locations for 'Banchō Sarayashiki.' Let me take you there, and introduce you to Okiku…
DISCLAIMER: As I have said, there are many different variations of 'Banchō Sarayashiki.' The one I have written here is taken from the plaque in the grounds of Himeji castle, which I visited and studied myself. In no way do I claim that this is the 'proper' version, or that it is my own.
Himeji castle has many names. For over 400 years it has stood, dominating the cityscape with its calm, gleaming white walls. It is called 'white heron' or 'egret' for its beauty, and 'miracle' for its longevity. But for all their majesty, castles are dangerous places for love. They are filled with secrets, and peril. In the 16th century, Himeji was no exception.
Like any good tragedy, this story begins with love. Love between a brave warrior, called Kinugasa Motonobu, and a servant, the beautiful, honest Okiku.
Okiku served a powerful, influential samurai named Aoyama Tetsuzan. He was also the regent of Lord Norimoto, the true ruler of the castle. One day whilst working, Okiku overheard Tetsuzan discussing a plot to kill Lord Norimoto and seize the castle for himself.
Maybe it would have been better if she had never learned of this plot, or if she had ignored it. But when life gives you such choices, you either let them slide and what will be will be, or you take action. And Okiku was not a woman to let anything slide. In that moment, she knew she had to do something. She confided in her lover, Motonobu, and his allies, and they promised her things would be well and that the plot would be foiled.
And indeed it was.
Lord Norimoto was warned of the attack, and he fled the city. But although he was safe, Himeji castle and our lovers were not. In Lord Norimoto's absence, Aoyama took control. He was furious that Lord Norimoto had escaped, and sought out the traitor. Secrets, secrets in his midst. Who to trust? No-one, no-one.
The only thing awaiting the traitor was death.
Fearing for their own lives, one of the warriors betrayed Okiku. They informed Tetsuzan's accomplice, a man named Danshirō, of her role in foiling the plot.
It was her, the servant girl. Because of her, Norimoto escaped!
Danshirō was a devious, possessive man. He saw Okiku's beauty, and planned to make her his own. Instead of informing Tetsuzan of the traitor's identity, he confronted Okiku himself. Secrets, secrets.
Beautiful Okiku, marry me, and your life will be spared.
But Okiku had already given her heart to Motonbu. She refused Danshirō over and over again.
No, no, I will not marry you!
Not a man to give up, Danshirō tried one final time to gain Okiku's acceptance. He stole one of 10 valuable plates which were treasured heirlooms of the Aoyama family.
It is easy to frame a servant for theft…
All of the plates were here this morning! Who has been in?
Only the servants, my Lord.
What were they doing?
Cleaning, my Lord. They always dust the plates…
Who dusted the plates today?
Okiku, my Lord.
And where is she now?
Okiku was running. From the otemon gate to the honmaru. In the West Bailey, and in all of the yagura. Through the gardens and every kuruwa, and to the moat and back. Running, searching. She crept into Tetsuzan's rooms and counted over and over again: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…
Always nine. The missing plate was nowhere to be found.
Seeing Okiku so desperate, Danshirō seized his chance.
Marry me, Okiku. This is the last time I will ask you. Marry me, and I will return the plate and clear your name.
But how could anyone agree to such a proposal, when they are already in love with another? Okiku's love for Motonobu was true, and she was fearless. The reckless kind of fearless which only the strongest love can bring. She took a deep breath…
No, Danshirō. I belong to another, and I will never, ever marry you.
Danshirō's jealousy and rage overcame him. This woman, who had foiled their plans and defied him, and still refused his affection no matter what he tried. This woman who dared to risk her own life for her love. Well, she need risk it no longer…
Danshirō drew his sword. One swipe was enough. He was fast; so fast that Okiku didn't have time to scream or run. By the time she realised what he was going to do it had happened, and her blood was spilling out of her.
Where to hide a body? Somewhere deep, which daylight never shines upon and no human eyes ever glimpse…
Somewhere like… a well?
Yes, the well!
Danshirō gathered Okiku's body into his arms, and with a last, wistful look at her beauty, a lament to that which he would never own, he threw her into the castle's well.
Secrets. Leave them to rot in the sombre, damp underground.
Okiku's absence raised no questions. After all, everyone believed she had stolen the plate and they knew that Tetsuzan took no prisoners. Only Motonobu and his companions continued to fight Tetsuzan. Eventually they were successful. He was overthrown and Lord Norimoto returned to Himeji, and Danshirō's terrible crime was discovered.
In tribute to her love and bravery, Okiku was enshrined at Jūnisho-jinja. This modest, tranquil shrine is tucked away down a side street, quietly emitting its charm into the city.
As for the well…
Once the sun began to set and the shadows lengthened, people started avoiding it. There was talk of hearing strange sounds, like whispers, from within, and glimpses of the ethereal figure of a woman.
For the few who dared to venture to the well in the darkest hours of the night, if they listened carefully, they would realise that the whispering voice coming from the well was counting. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…
Only to nine, never 10. One missing plate. One restless spirit eternally searching for it, counting every night. Never leaving her watery grave.
For another take on Okiku's story, have a listen to my poem about her.
Ocean folklore kindles my imagination like nothing else.Salty wind, sandy toes, and the scent of seaweed are my home. Ocean folklore kindles my imagination like nothing else.
Earlier this year, I travelled to Mie Prefecture on the east coast of Japan. It is a reserved, quaint place where the ocean's influence is inescapable. Here is the city of Ise, home to the most sacred Shinto shrine Ise Jingu, and the Ise-Shima Peninsula, which is famous for the ama divers and abalone shells.
During my trip, I learned stories of sea demons, underwater dragon palaces, and the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. I also got off the beaten track and visited a community of ama divers and a sea folklore museum, which was a fascinating and poignant experience.
I wrote an article about my time in Mie and Japanese ocean folklore, which was published on #FolkloreThursday.
Most people know that rice is a prevalent food in Japan. But apart from being a source of nutrition, rice also has cultural and folkloric significance attached to it.
Much of Japan's folklore is based on the concept of animism, due to the ancient Shinto belief that every object has a spirit. This belief extends to rice plants, with many Japanese people believing that they contain good energy. Therefore, eating products made from rice will bring good luck. This is especially true at the beginning of a new year. Mochi, a sticky, sweet cake made from pounded rice, is used as a new year decoration and eaten in early January. This type of mochi is called 'kagami mochi.' It is composed of two mochi cakes adorned with daidai (bitter orange) and leaves. It is believed that eating the kagami mochi will bring you strength and luck for the coming year.
Mochi making is also popular in January. Many places have events called 'mochi-tsuki' where community members get together to make mochi. As well as the belief that eating mochi is good luck for the new year, mochi-tsuki is a time to come together and have fun!
I was able to attend a mochi-tsuki event in a nearby town, and it was a great experience. I learned how mochi is made, and got to take part in the process. Firstly, the rice is soaked, usually overnight. Then, it is steamed. Fires were lit, and steamers containing the rice were placed over them. After steaming, the rice is moved into a traditional Japanese mortar, which is called an usu. It is then squashed and pounded with a kine, a large wooden mallet. It's very heavy and awkward to use, and also scary – whilst the pounding is going on, someone has to rearrange to mochi to keep it in shape. Get the timing wrong and they would definitely end up with broken fingers!
After being pounded, the mochi is placed on a tray of flour and separated into small chunks. These are shaped into balls by first pulling them into a circle, then folding the sides together and twisting so they stick. It's a lot harder than it looks, because the flour makes the outside of the mochi quite dry. But without it, it would be too sticky.
After that, flavourings are added to the mochi before eating it. We used kinako (roasted soy bean flour, yum!) and soy sauce. It was wonderful to see people of all ages working together to make and eat the mochi.
Rice is also associated with another celebration later in the year. In Autumn, dango (a sweet rice paste ball similar to mochi) is eaten during harvest festivals called Tsukimi or Jugoya. These festivals take place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which is usually a full moon night in August or September. People gather in gardens and at temples to celebrate the year's crops and the beauty of the moon. Symbolically, dango represents the moon and is eaten as an offering to bring good health.
Besides good fortune and symbolism, mochi has another connection to the moon. In Western countries, there are stories of the man in the moon. But in Japanese folklore, instead it's a mochi-making rabbit.
According to legend, an old man who lived on the moon decided to visit Earth. He asked a monkey, a fox, and a rabbit for food. The monkey climbed a tree and brought him some fruit, and the fox caught him a fish. But the rabbit, unable to bring anything, instead built a fire and jumped into it to be cooked. The old man pulled him out and praised his kind sacrifice, and as a reward took the rabbit back to the moon with him.
Other Asian countries also have moon rabbits in their folklore. In China, the moon rabbit is the companion of the moon goddess Chang'e. Instead of pounding mochi, it pounds the elixir of life. In Korea, the moon rabbit also pounds mochi but stands underneath a gyesu tree (Korean cinnamon tree). They also have a mid-Autumn festival to celebrate the moon, which is called Chuseok.
White rabbits are a popular motif in Japan, and can often be found on things like crockery, linen, and chopsticks. Also, fans of the anime Sailor Moon will probably recognise the name 'Tsukino Usagi.' Yes – Sailor Moon herself is literally called 'rabbit of the moon' in Japanese! That's also how she ended up being called 'Bunny' in the Italian translation.
Personally, I prefer the Asian idea of a rabbit on the moon. As a child, I always found it a little bit creepy to think of the moon as a man's face watching us every night. Tsukino Usagi is a much-loved and celebrated part of Japanese culture, which combines folklore, food, and nature. Whether eating mochi in January truly brings good fortune or not, it ensures that each new year in Japan begins with community spirit and sharing good food. What a fantastic combination, and hopefully a way for the year to start as it means to go on.
The Moon Rabbit in Legend and Culture
Jugoya – The Full Moon Festival in Japan
I feel a close affinity with deer. They can be timid creatures, and this lends them an almost mythical reputation in some places. The elusive deer, somewhere in the woods, quiet and unseen. Maybe watching you. No harm in that. Just watching, and then slipping away. Yet underneath that timidness they hold wisdom, and strength. They know their terrain, and when danger is near, and how to protect themselves.
Deer feature in the folklore of many countries. From my travels, I have come across them in Scotland and Japan. Their stories form a link between our world and the animal kingdom, and affect how we interact with these genteel creatures.
Many Scottish legends associate deer with faeries. For one thing, deer already possess fae-like qualities. Their bodies are lean and their movements graceful, and they prefer to be hidden from human eyes. Yet they tolerate the presence of faeries. In the Highlands, red deer are said to be the faeries' cattle, providing them with milk. In turn, the faeries protect them by targeting hunters with enchanted arrows. To be hit with a faerie arrow is fateful indeed. You'll likely get a nasty dose of elf-shot, which can be cured by a healer if you're lucky. If you're less lucky, you'll fall down and appear dead to humanity, but your soul will be carried away to Elfhame, the world of the fae.
If a hunter succeeded in killing a deer, the faeries would torment them. There is a story from the Isle of Mull, about a deer hunter called Big Hugh. After killing a deer at Torness, he was carrying it home with his friend who asked him if the deer was heavy. Big Hugh said that it was, and so his friend stuck a penknife in the deer and then asked again. Big Hugh said it felt so much lighter, he could hardly tell that he was carrying it. The extra weight had been put upon him by the faeries, and the penknife counteracted their magic.
Some faerie women also transform themselves into deer, and often encounter hunters whilst in this form. A well-known story from Irish and Scottish mythology tells of Oisín, a great bard of the legendary warriors, the Fianna. His father was Fionn Mac Cumhail, the leader of the Fianna, and his mother was Sadhbh, a woman under a spell which changed her into a deer. Only when in the presence of the Fianna could she regain her human shape. Whilst on a hunting trip, Fionn found Sadhbh and they fell in love. Soon she became pregnant, but their happiness wasn't to last. The magician who had enchanted Sadhbh returned and tricked her into leaving Fionn. Once more a deer, she ran away and gave birth to her baby boy in the forest. He was found many years later by his father, and named Oisín which means 'little deer.'
In Scottish folklore, there is a slightly different version of events. Oisín's mother was a woman called Grainnhe. After being tricked away from Fionn, she was transformed into a white hind and kept under the magician's power. When Fionn found Oisín, he had a patch of deer's hair on his forehead. After Grainnhe's death, her body was released by the magician. The Fianna buried her on the Isle of Skye.
In the city of Nara, the old capital of Japan, deer roam free. These are sika or spotted deer, which are native to East Asia and have white spots on their backs. At the end of a lantern-lit path, where Nara Park begins to disintegrate into the Kasuga Primeval Forest, stands Kasuga-Taisha. This Shinto shrine is a sacred place for deer, with a deer statue adorning its temizuya (purifying water fountain) and a variety of deer omamori (charms) for sale. There are four deities enshrined here, one being Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto, the god of thunder from Kashima in Ibaraki Prefecture. According to Japanese mythology, Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto came to visit Nara riding upon a white deer. Since then, the deer of Nara were believed to be messengers of the gods. At Kasuga-Taisha you can also purchase white deer figurines with omikuji (fortunes). Apart from being adorable, these also hark back to this belief. They are literally holding divine messages about your future in their little porcelain mouths. Choose wisely.
The reputation of Nara deer became so prolific that until the 1600s, harming one was an offence punishable by death. Today they are considered national treasures, and as such are well protected. They are also well fed, since thousands of tourists visit Nara to give them shika senbei (deer crackers). The protocol for feeding a Nara deer is first to bow, and then wait for the deer to bow in return before relinquishing the cracker. However, in practice, I just got ganged up on by a group of excited, hungry deer… so unfortunately I cannot vouch for their manners!
Meeting the Nara deer was a profound experience. It was the closest I had ever been to a wild animal, and they were gentle and sweet, but unlike domesticated animals you could simultaneously see their wariness. Their delay before approaching, and how they remained still and poised, as ready to flee at any moment as they were willing to accept my affection. I wanted to reassure them; to make them feel safe. But without their wildness, they wouldn't be the same. And not all humans bare good intentions, so what good would I be doing if I taught them to trust and then the next people they encountered were less compassionate?
I have made many trips to Nara. My friends and colleagues in Japan jestingly nicknamed me 'shika-onna' (deer lady) because I love them so much. One trip which sticks in my mind is New Year's Eve 2016. It was around 11pm, and dark. I was alone, just behind Todaiji Temple, and I saw a torii gate leading into darkness. Everywhere else was lantern lit, except for this path. I took it. I crept up a hill gnarled with tree roots and deer tracks. I could hear them, rustling in the trees on either side of me. When I reached the top, there was a small clearing with a closed shrine (I later learned its name is Tamukeyama-Hachimangu). It was only me, with the trees, the stars, and the hidden deer. In that moment, I felt at home with them. Away from the other humans, out in the forest. I wasn't afraid. The deer were not afraid. I trusted them.
In the Grimms' fairy tale 'Little Brother and Little Sister,' two siblings run away into the forest. The brother drinks from an enchanted stream, and the water transforms him into a deer. His sister cares for him and refuses for them to be separated. Even in death, her spirit returns to check his wellbeing and ultimately break the spell. It's almost as though they are two parts of one being, which simultaneously cannot be complete alone and cannot co-exist as a whole. In his book The Uses of Enchantment, Bruno Bettelheim writes that 'they represent the animal and spiritual sides of our personality, which become separated [in the story] but must be integrated for human happiness.' Bettelheim doesn't state which way round he intends the roles to be, leaving readers to make their own decision. The deer can represent the 'animal' part of us; the part which is wild and carefree, whereas the human sister is the seeing and thinking spirit. But these roles could also easily be reversed: The deer can be seen as spiritual for his innocence and closeness to nature, and the sister animalistic for her contentment with living alone in the forest away from other human company.
Deer are often described as guardians of forests, especially stags who are akin to royalty in the woodland animal hierarchy. The brother becoming a deer comes with a certain amount of status. However, whilst the sister grows into a woman, he remains a fawn. As noted by Heidi Anne Heiner in SurLaLune's annotations for the story, 'the sister is the adult figure,' having to arrange food and shelter and make decisions for them both, whilst as a deer the brother is free from responsibility. Eventually the sister becomes a princess, whilst the brother never gets to rut and have the chance to rule the forest. The spell does more than merely change his physical form. It freezes him in time, taking away his progression into adulthood. This story reminds us of the connection to our animal and spiritual sides, and also the need for learning and new experiences to move forward in life.
Deer have much impact on how we view natural spaces, and the stories which come out of them. Whether they truly are messengers of the gods or not, deer are creatures with flesh, blood, and feelings – not just characters from folk tales. That magical, tenuous moment in Nara when they chose to stay beside me reminded me that, for all our stories about wild animals, the only way to understand them is to see them.
Imagine going to boil some water, but your kettle transforms into a raccoon and runs away. Or turning a light on, to find your paper lampshade grinning at you and waggling a long tongue. You might have a spirit problem, but these are no ordinary poltergeists. Meet the tsukumogami.
Tsukumogami (付喪神) is the collective name given to a type of yōkai (Japanese spirits or monsters) which are haunted household objects. It's a Shinto belief that everything has a spirit, so in Japanese folklore it's possible for inanimate objects to become sentient. The transformation occurs on their one-hundredth birthday, as only after serving people for a century can objects gain souls. If the object has been mistreated in that century, it becomes vengeful and causes havoc for its current owner. So if you buy second-hand things, beware! If their previous owner was unkind, unfortunately you're the one they'll unleash their wrath on. Tsukumogami's powers range from mildly irritating to murderous, and they are known for teaming up to maximise their scare factor. They also like to wander the streets at night to meet others of their kind.
If a household object exists, there is likely to be a tsukumogami version of it. Here are some of the most notorious...
Japanese-style houses feature room dividers called shōji, which are paper screens. If there are holes in the shōji, it is believed that ghostly eyes can fill them and watch the residents of the house. These are called mokumokuren, and although harmless they are very creepy. Mokumokuren literally translates as 'many eyes.' They are one of the staple inhabitants of any haunted Japanese house. Thankfully it's easy to get rid of them; all you have to do is repair the holes.
If you hear noises in the night, then it's most likely a pair of bakezōri. Traditional Japanese sandals, called zōri, are a type of flip flop made from rice straw. If they are old and mistreated, they are likely to grow arms, legs, and one eye to transform into bakezōri. These tsukumogami enjoy running around in the dark and causing mischief. They also repeat this chant: Kararin! Kororin! Kankororin! Managu mittsu ni ha ninmai!
Managu mittsu ni ha ninmai translates as 'three eyes and two teeth.' Zōri have three holes where their straps are attached, so 'three eyes' perhaps refers to these. 'Two teeth' makes a little less sense, unless they are geta sandals which have two wooden blocks on their soles. The other words are nonsensical.
Iron tea kettles are used in Japan to heat water on stoves to make tea. The Morinji-no-kama is a tea kettle with a spirit trapped inside. A well-known Japanese folktale called 'Bunbuku Chagama' is about a tanuki (Japanese raccoon) which transforms into a tea kettle.
Sticking with the theme of kitchen appliances which transform into animals, this one is my favourite. Purely because it's so bizarre. The name yamaoroshi is a pun of sorts – yamaarashi is the Japanese word for porcupine, and oroshi is the word for grater (as in cheese or vegetable grater). Put them together, you get a yamaoroshi. A porcupine grater. Apparently, when a grater becomes dull and can no longer be used, its slicers transform into spines and it grows legs.
I'm confused as to why this tsukumogami even exists, because I'm pretty sure that there's no cheese in Japan which is actually big enough to grate… I once bought what I thought was a tub of cream cheese, but when I opened the box it was actually individually-wrapped chunks about the size of my thumbnail. You can barely even spread that, let alone grate it! It was a sad day. Also, the rule is that a household object has to be 100 years old to become a tsukumogami. Who keeps a grater for over 100 years?! That would be some random family heirloom. I can just imagine it on the Antiques Roadshow, 'yes, here's my century-old grater. Careful, it could turn into a porcupine at any moment!'
If you're a dressmaker, beware of this one! Ittan-Momen is a long sheet of cloth used to make clothes, which flies around at night and attacks people by wrapping itself around them. Sometimes it smothers them, if it goes for the face. This malicious tsukumogami is most commonly found in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Chōchin lanterns are the iconic paper or silk lanterns with bamboo frames which are a common sight in Japan. Because of their fragility, when they get old they are likely to split. These splits form eyes and a wide mouth with a long tongue hanging out of it. Chōchin can also become inhabited by vengeful spirits. If such a chōchin is lit, the spirit will be released and attack the lighter.
If neglected, old umbrellas will become kasa-obake. There are one of the most commonly-known yōkai, but strangely there are no stories about them. They only exist in folklore and images. It is thought they were created by oral storytellers in the Edo period, when there was a demand for new folklore characters. Kasa-obake are closed umbrellas with one eye, and they jump around using the handle as a leg.
Futons are Japanese bedrolls. If they are not well cared for, then they may turn into a Borobororton. When the owner is asleep, the Borobororton wraps itself around them and strangles them in revenge for its mistreatment. It then stumbles around the house and strangles any other sleepers it finds. One of the first things I did when I moved into my Japanese apartment was air the old futons!
Next time you clean your house, think about airing your mattress and giving those old shoes in the bottom of your wardrobe a clean. Hang pictures over holes in your walls, and make sure any rolls of fabric are tightly bound. And be sure to look after your cheese grater. Just in case.