In ball sports, it's common for an errant ball to hit a target an athlete didn't mean to hit. If that unintended target happens to be a person, the athlete will usually apologize for the accident. And if that athlete is Japanese volleyball player Yuji Nishida, the apology will be one for the ages.Nishida was serving in an all-star volleyball tournament in Kobe, Japan, when his serve went awry and hit a courtside judge in the back, according to The Guardian. Before the judge even had time to react, Nishida sprinted across the court, dove under the net, and slid headfirst on his belly to her feet. He remained outstretched on the court, his forehead and nose pressed to the floor, before standing up and bowing deeply and repeatedly to the smiling judge. She laughed and bowed in return, letting him know it was all good. Nishida's over-the-top apology appears to be a comically dramatic version of a "dogeza," a formal apology in Japan that is reserved for the most egregious offenses. A dogeza involves prostrating yourself in front of the person you are apologizing to, with your hands and forehead on the ground to indicate deep contrition. Companies in Japan have even been known to require employees to perform dogeza apologies to customers, sometimes surprisingly often.Though it is used seriously in Japan, the dogeza has also inspired comedy skits, such as the viral "Apology Olympics," which may have served as inspiration for Nishida's running belly slide: - YouTube www.youtube.com Japan's culture of apology is about courtesy, respect, and social cohesionOne of the first phrases people learn when studying Japanese is "sumimasen," which translates to a mix of "excuse me" and "I'm sorry." It is also an indispensable phrase to know if you ever plan to visit Japan, since it is used by nearly everyone, all the time, as a way to show humility and respect. Japanese culture places a high value on courtesy, which includes apologizing for both minor inconveniences and major offenses.There are multiple ways to apologize in Japan, and as Japan Intercultural Consulting points out, apologies there carry a different connotation than they do in the United States:"In the United States, an apology often determines fault and liability, so we are reluctant to apologize. In the Japanese context, an apology is less of an admission of guilt than as a mature acknowledgement that errors were made, and an interest in working to make things right. It shows a 'kaizen mind' that reflects on errors and works to prevent recurrences. An apology clears the air and repairs what was broken. Apologies permit all parties to let go of the past and move forward. Apologize, regardless of who is at fault. If you really cannot make yourself do this if you are not at fault, you can say, 'I’m really sorry this happened.'"The general rule in Japan when something goes wrong is this: don't make excuses or place blame, just apologize. A person performs a dogeza-like bow in front of another person.Photo credit: CanvaIs it possible to apologize too much in Japanese culture?There is more risk of under-apologizing than over-apologizing in Japan, according to Japan Consulting Office: "It is better to give too many apologies rather than even one too few. Remember you are not taking any real responsibility here but are simply defusing the situation by saying, 'I too want to help solve the issue.'" Apologizing is a way to clear the air and move forward, not to admit fault or take responsibility.Understanding the expectations and norms of one another's cultures can help prevent awkward misunderstandings and unintentional offense. While no one would expect a sliding dogeza apology like Nishida's, his repeated bowing after the accident is a clear reflection of how highly Japanese culture values a solid apology, regardless of intent. The fact that his apology was also entertaining is just icing on the cake.

Railroad tracks run all across America. It's nearly impossible to drive through a town, no matter how small, without coming across a set of railroad tracks. But have you ever looked down and wondered why every railroad track you see has the same rocks surrounding the tracks? There's never a variation of colors, shapes, or sizes. You never see railroad tracks surrounded by pebbles or sitting atop the bare ground. If the tracks aren't encased in between metal and asphalt so cars can drive over them, they're surrounded by these rocks. Turns out, there's a very specific reason for this that even a quick Internet search may not explain without you having to peruse multiple sources. Popping this question into a search engine will yield the result that the rocks are used for the expanding track, which is true. But there's so much more. These stones aren't just across America, they're under railroad tracks in any country that operates the fast-moving cargo and people haulers. The YouTube channel Simple Things - Surprising Histories shares some of the many reasons train tracks are surrounded by those grey rocks in one of their recent episodes. Sunlit railway track stretching into the distance.Photo credit: Canva"A loaded train is incredibly heavy. We're talking about millions of pounds of steel and cargo. If you place that much weight directly onto the ground, the intense pressure would crush the soil. The tracks would sink, buckle, and the eventual train would derail," the video explains before revealing that the stones are actually called "track ballast."As the host moves along, they share that the entire thing is in layers, working together to allow the train to move smoothly along the tracks without sinking into the dirt. The very top layer is the metal track, followed by the horizontal beams, evenly spaced, called "sleepers." Those sleepers sit on top of the ballast, otherwise known as grey rocks, which act as a cushion for the weight of the train. "It takes the immense concentrated weight of the train and spreads it out over a wide area. It dissipates the pressure so the ground underneath doesn't get crushed," they say. "But here is the fascinating part. The tracks are not fixed to the ground. If you look closely, you'll see the tracks are floating on the stones. They aren't bolted into the earth deep below. They rely on friction and the sheer weight of the ballast to stay in place. This flexibility allows the track to slightly absorb the vibration of a roaring train rather than snapping under the tension."The type of rocks used to make ballast is also important to keep the train running smoothly. Jagged, rough rocks won't slide away from each other from the vibration of a moving train like smooth rocks would. According to Strasburg Railroad, ballast stones are a combination of crushed stones, rocks, and gravel used to prevent vegetation from sprouting and drain water from the tracks. The type of stones that traditionally make up a ballast are limestone, granite, basalt, and quartzite, which help disperse the high heat generated by a heavy, fast-moving train. Who knew those stones were doing so much heavy lifting? Holding down the railroad track, absorbing the heat created, keeping weeds from growing, and allowing the track to expand to keep the train from sinking into the ground. Viewers were fascinated. Train traversing lush greenery.Photo credit: Canva"I had no idea that the tracks aren’t actually bolted into the ground. Amazingly interesting," one person says. "I had no clue why I clicked on this video, but glad I did!!! Great info about something I never even considered. Thank you for sharing!!!" writes another."Grew up with tracks in my backyard. I grew up throwing these ballast stones. I could bullseye a target at a good distance. Never once considered their importance. Thanks!!" someone else chimes in.

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by Michael Snyder, End Of The American Dream: War is at the door. On Friday, last ditch talks will be held in Oman, but nobody is really expecting anything to come out of them. The U.S. wants Iran to end all nuclear enrichment, limit the range of their missiles, end the funding of proxies throughout […]

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from Stew Peters Network: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/