shawn_b_c

The movie he is referring to is "Dune." Its all about a big planet that holds the key to interstellar space travel, and nearly immortal life, but also harbors these huge (and I mean really big) worms that eat anything that touches the sand (the planet is one really huge desert). And get this - its all because of "spice." When eaten, this spice gives you long life, and if eaten in big quantities, it makes your eyes glow blue and gives you the power to see the future. Here is the kicker: Spice is worm poop. Its worm poop that bakes for exactly 21 days out in the sand, then ends up exploding onto the surface, where they go and brave the worms to collect it. Ok, enough with my nerdy-ness... However, the franchise has spawned several movies, and very successful computer games (dune was one of the first Real Time Strategy games).

I have to chime in on this one, because I think it is a little fun First of all, here in southern CA, we have these spiders. They are thought to have come from Edwards AFB, located out of Rosamond CA, when troops move back and forth to/from Iraq/Afghanistan. Locals around here (I am very close to the base) call them "Vinegaroons" and have legends of them biting people and causing a vinegar taste in the mouth for weeks. That, is of course, silly. They are venomless. However, the next bit of information is not going to make any of you any less squemish.... I am a biology major (yay me!) and I love everything animal-ey... I researched these things when I heard the term "vinegaroon" to dispell the myth. Apparently, they are voracious lovers too. Up to 35-40% of all matings fail. Why? The male is so voracious in his mating technique that he often rips the female apart! Some food for thought

^^ Being Gay/Bi does not mean that you are automatically Incestuous. Your Son/Brother/Father is still your Son/Brother/Father. I think I see this misconception more and more often these days.

THE BIGGEST piece of (unsolicited as it may be) advice I can ever give anyone is "Question everything!" Morals are the backbone of who you are, how you act, what makes you who you are. Questioning the reasoning, outcome, why, whom, how, etc... It doesn't mean that you are disrespecting them. It means that you are trying to understand. Simply put, I don't believe how anyone can truly believe in something they don't understand and question. If you follow something (or someone) blindly, you are setting yourself up for the same pitfalls. (Although there are religious connotations in there, please leave that be. There is another place for that, and it is not this forum.)

For those asking about the trains, it is true that they typically do not end up on-site until the circuit is complete, ore really really close to complete. However, I expect they are going to keep the trains hidden as much as possible. From what Tim was saying, they are very heavily themed (I get the impression moreso than usual - they are going all out on this ride), and I expect they are going to keep it a secret as long as possible. With everything else that they are doing (from WCB - sorry, you had to be there!), I wouldnt be surprised if they added the trains after hours, and tarped over them until the last possible moment.

^^ Don't worry too much about the weather. For one, its 5 days off, and CA is notorius for its sudden weather changes Even IF that was the weather - that is going to translate to: Spotty fog in the AM, drizzle in early AM. Should Burn off by about 10ish, with cloud cover for the rest of the day. P.S. I really encourage those of you who are not familliar with the West Coast sun to bring Copius amounts of SunBlock. Even cloudy weather can give you a terrible sunburn!

I took my little sister to see - All American Rejects... And by the way - What's up with only one concert for Ozzfest this year? Not so much a Fest any more, as an OzzConcert. Hope they don't make it like this permanently... Although, I must say - not very many great bands this year...

While I havent specifically worked on an iPod, I have worked on a couple of other electronic devices that are similar. First, make sure all of the connections are good. The particular connections that iPod uses are a pain. They can easily look like they are connected properly, but they are not. Make sure that when you put it back together, you are not pinching any of the cables. Finally, make sure you are putting it back together EXACTLY the way it was dissasembled. I know this seems like a no-brainer, but (i'm not sure about iPod) many electronics have molded cases that cradle the parts a specific way, or even parts that fit together a little like a puzzle. If one of the parts is just even a little off, it could be putting pressure on a chip or even the screen. That could be causing your problem. For those of you who are looking for iPod parts - pdaparts.com, or ipodparts.com.

Let me get this straight before I go any further.... I think that Shapiro is the perfect, perfect, man for the job right now. He is great, and I love everyone of his comments. He will bring a new day to MM, and SF in general. Now all we need to do is be hearalds for him. Get more people into the parks to get some cash flowing and payoff that debt.... That being said, it seemed like he was trying to sidestep some of the questions. I'm specifically referring to the question about the "clones" being a trend in the chain... I work in sales, too, and that is a very common tactic. I am not sure if he didn't want to answer, or if he prefers to keep future developments secret for the time being. Anywho, Thanks Robb, for the great interview. It is certainly an exciting time to be a MM fan!

I am happily questing along! My only character at the moment is Firespirit - Lvl 46 Retribution Pally (hey, I have only been playing 8 monts, and 6 of them I have been in school!) My server is Muradin - guild Knights of the Forgotten. Look me up!

Great Questions Guys, here are mine: Fright Fest is, in my humble opinion, one of the most un-tapped resources of the chain. What improvements to this event are planned? Concerts with big names have been scarce here at MM for the last several years - The Jonas Brothers were a good start, but what do you have planned for future concert venues? I see a greater focus on the family in the parks, which is a very good thing. However, my fear is that Six Flags will be catering to two very different demographics - Families with Small Children, and Rolller Coaster Riders. Magic Mountain is already showing this, in part because of all the rides that have come out, or will come out, in the past few months. Are there any plans to balance this out, and fill the "intermediate" zone for amusement park guests? Let's face it, there is not a lot of transition rides - Goldrusher is the only one I can think of here at MM. If I think of more, I will post them later!

Me and my sister went on Saturday. It was the first time we had been there in over a year. So, I am just going to comment on what I thought of the whole experience... Sorry no pics.. The whole park seemed much more up-beat I will say. No doubt about that. Customer interaction has been ramped up, and I love it. This is what a theme park is all about! We were the first ones to the gate for parking, and the only sour employee I saw all day was there. Just a reminder everyone, when you talk loudly, even if you are in a ticket booth, people can hear you... We were the first one in the parking lot (a first for us) and rode the tram over to the front gate. It was training day for most everyone in the park, so it was fun to see so many new, and eager, faces - even though it did mean longer wait lines some of the time. The working speakers in the trams are a plus, let me tell you. At the front gate, while we were waiting, the ticket takers were talking with the audience. It was nice. And let me say, additionally, that the loss of the over-cheery people at opening is a real plus, in my humble opinion. Throughout the day, the ops were overall, much better. The park was dead all day. And hey Jahan, I got to see you working Goliath! I have never seen anyone check restraints that fast. I wouldhave introduced myself, but I didnt want to get you introuble.... Anyway, the park is definately cleaner. Much better attitudes all around. And hey, I got to go to sky tower for the first time!! I had a good time, and am looking forward to WCB! Shawn

Great Ideas Guys - but most of you seem to be saying the same, or very similar stuff. So here is my take on it! If you kinda have to watch your diet (like me and my family does - most of us are hypo-glycemic... We have to eat regular meals, and keep our blood sugar up...), here is a good way to keep hunger off, and money in your pocket.... Denny's is your breakfast friend. No joke. It may seem a little pricey at between $8 to $10 a plate, but there is enough food to nosh on, and (unfortunately) thier menu is a little high on fat. It will keep you full well in time for lunch. As you Denny's wears off, look at two things. First, especially during summer, you need to stay hydrated and have plenty of salty snacks. GIANT PICKLE.... They are cheap (relatively), and they are extremely hydrating (and to boot, only about 70 calories for you diet junkies . Second, if the park allows (sells) them, g et some good old fasioned David Sunflower seeds. They are packed with protien, but are a little high on sodium (if you are drinking plenty of water you should be ok). It is a great snack for in park because it keeps your mouth busy, and they can be surprisingly filling. At MM a pack will run you 2.50 - far less than the $10 for a lunch meal. If you really must eat in park, go for the kids meal. Face it, amusement parks offer bad food. A kids meal will have less overall calories, but the fat content will keep you fuller longer. For dinner, I really try not to eat in park. I usually have enough snacks to get by. But, if you must have dinner, try just getting some fries with Ranch dressing. Again, less calories than a full meal, but still plenty of food (and fat) to keep you full longer.

Just registered for my first TPR Event! Looking forward to meeting all of you at WCB. Robb, I ordered 2 and put the information on the second person in the "comments" section of the order. Do I still need to fill out the flyer and bring it with payment (I am paying by check) at the gate? Thanks! Shawn

^ Haha, I just saw the screenshot. To be fair, when watching tv it is really difficult to see this - and there are a total of 3 - counte em 3 - frames that has that image in it. That really does not jive with the image of Jakob from season 3. I wonder if he was just a stand in? Or, perhaps, even more insidious, Jacob is whomever he wants to be to the person he chooses to show himself..... That will make it very hard for us Lost-addicts-conspiracy theorists to figure out for a long time.... Shawn "Lost is the best ever" Coleman