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

Wow, I actually did not like the episode at all... Spoiler alert - below.... . It really didn't advance the plot much. Basically we now know 4 things. The group split in 2 - one went with Locke, one with Jack. (we knew from the last episode of the last season that Locke was not in Jack's good graces). We know now that Hurley can hear, and possibly see, Jakob. I think that is the most significant thing that came out of this episode. We know that there are 6 survivors from the island (The Oceanic 6) - only 3 have been named: Kate, Jack, and Hurley. My bet is Locke is the dead body from last season. Finally, we know that "The Island" is trying to pull the survivors back, and possibly driving the survivor's mad one by one. Somehow Charlie is communicating to Hurley from beyond the grave. We do get one hint, though, and I hope everyone caught on to it: Charlie says "They still need you." Seems like the 6 that came off weren't really the only survivors. They were just the only ones that were allowed to leave. The rest of the group is probably still back on the island. Again, though, I thought it was one of the poorest of all the episodes of lost. The action was very slow. Not much exposition (was it just me, or did this seem to be an episode with the most commercials in it, or what?), and character development took a turn for the worst (alright writers - for Jack to threaten to kill Locke is one thing, but the sudden turn to violence over the last to episodes is disturbing, and completely out of character)...

<--- Unhindered, and admittedly, unabashed Lost fan.... I cannot wait for it tonight. The only thing bad is I start school next week, and I will only be able to see this first epidode. Here's to iTunes Season Pass.....

^ I would like to know the status of Viper as well. It is one of my favorite... As much as people complain about the theming (or lack thereof) of Scream, I actually do not find it all that bad. I mean, ask yourself honestly - what will grass (instead of asphault) do for the ride? IMHO absolutely nothing. It may even take away the slight... underdog?... appeal of the coaster. I really think there are 2 reasons why you would want to theme a coster that is any larger than kiddie size. First, theme the Queue, station, and paths leading up to the coaster. This builds excitement, and anticipation for the ride. Secondly, if you so choose to theme anything beyond that, it would be for the aesthetics of the guests looking on the coaster. Honestly, while you are on the ride, almost all of the theming will be lost while you are going through the course at 50+ mph, and flipping head over heels. MM does not have the layout and setup on hardly any coasters to do that. Colossus, and Scream are about the only 2 that come to mind - theme them for people who are coming up from the parking lot. X, as someone said, is a marquee attraction, and I think that most theming would just detract from the ride.... For everythig else, MM really does not have that one midway coaster that they could drop great theming on. OK - Ill give you Tatsu, but due to the location and nature of the ride, it would be extremely difficult to theme it beyond simple shrubbery and plants.... Well anyway, that is my thoughts on the subject. I only wish that X2 would be open for WCB... Ohh well, next time...

Is it just me, or do the new seats look somehow smaller? I certainly could be mistaken, but they look little larger than standard plastic seats. I am sure it is fine, but from what I have seen, the smaller look definately looks more intimidating - borderline unsafe..... I am optimistic, but doubtful, that these new trains will spped up load times. Just before X went down, the ops were absolutely awesome - even Jahan's updates reflect that. But on this type of ride, it just seems like it is a naturally slow-er ride. Besides, if they load/unload from the same spot now, they will have to wait for everyone to clear the loading station. That does not seem like it will speed things up at all....

I am very sad that metro will not be returning... Back in the day of my first MM visit, Metro was instrumental in my traversing the park. I hope that someday MM will be able to replace it. That being said - I am very sad that I was not able to make the tour. I would have loved to have met everyone, and certainly would have loved the backstage MM stuff. It is good to know, though, that the GM is taking things very seriously, and that he listens to us. I think the biggest frustrations all of us have is that sometimes we feel like we are not being heard. I am glad to hear that is not the case (at least in this instance). Cant wait for West Coast Bash - I am going to do my best to be there!

Hmm, I wonder - Does anyone know wether they are using good old fasioned paintbrushes, or a sprayer for the painting? It would seem to me that the painting would go by much faster if they would use a sprayer..... Then, maybe we can get more than one or two coasters painted in a year....

#5 easily. Honestly, all of the books are great. They really pulled me in, and I loved every one of them. however, J.K.'s writing in #5 is absolutely the best. This is where she really shows her strength at allowing harry to really show his full range of emotions. It was an emotional rollercoaster...

I have always said that MM could draw a much better crowd than it has over the last few years. I am betting that at least as much money is poured into MM next year, and that our park becomes Shapiro's success story. I can't wait to see what he says about it in the next Q coference calls...

It would occur to me, now I am being logical (not something SF usually is), that if they knew the trains were too heavy, they upgrade the motor. I cannot believe that it would take that long. Then they would not have to worry about blown gears. But again, I am being logical.

I do know a little about steel, my dad being a welder. I cant imagine that they X-ray the whole track, that would be expensive and extremely time consuming. The most likely things that would be damaged are the welds. If they are examining only the welds, then they could use a portable Ultrasound machine to do that. Much cheaper, easier, and less time consuming than X-Raying everything.