SteveC

Hey Peter - your night mode shots are TOP Great report and thanks for sharing! Steve

$24.95 for a season pass. I like these prices. To get to the 2008 tariff of $89.99 (KI only) this averages just under 5% per year (4.866 exactly ) inflationary increase. With inflationary highs and lows over the last 27 years this is probably about right (well from a UK perspective at least) Interesting read Shane -and yes those socks are something else, though I assume you won the bet

Although I really enjoy the Drop Tower experience I always think the restraint will not lock and so I'm very happy for the small seatbelt attaching the restraint to the seat. Blue Fall did not have this safety feature. I was very happy to make it back to Earth. Steve - Take your protein pills and put your helmet on -C

Dinner in The Sky looks great and needs to revolve 360 panoramic at the same time - Of course if I had spent a while in the bar beforehand then the only way I would go up there would be if there was a bathroom in the sky attached, otherwise I'd steer clear of the ground below for sure . Actually that may not bode well on all counts - yep I'll stick to eating in buildings with plumbing.

Well the Nutters do!

^wouldn't it depend (if at all) on what you are studying? - leading me to ask, what are you studying?

I visit the site at least once everyday and the first thing I do is click on 'view posts since your last visit' This brings all the new topics up as well as any updates to topic and if a title attracts me I will go take a look, which perhaps underlines your frequent reminders to make topic titles 'expansive', 'self explanatory' blah blah. When I have reviewed this I go back to the home page to take a look at the 'sticky' stuff particularly just in case I missed something PS - I read the entire thread good bad or ugly once I have gone into it

A big IMO just to be clear but here are my thoughts: I agree that alternative energy is a good place to invest although it remains highly speculative from my UK perspective. Not because we are not going there (and need to go there) but most of the companies are 'start up' and a lot of research may be needed. As for oil, I think whilst the barrel price is hopefully peaking, the demand (for at least another 30 years) will most definately not peak. The emerging economies of Asia will continue to make this a very strong market for some time(and remember they are considerably more efficient with their oil use than the 'Western economies'). Whilst the financial markets are in complete flux, and by that I mean the banking sector (the sub prime issue) it may be worthwhile entrenching yourself in any mining stock - and gold most particularly, especially as the dollar is sadly in freefall and I don't really see a replacement for it right now. Gold was and perhaps remains 'THE medium of Exchange' when all else is going pear shaped so it may be worthwhile taking a look at some of the gold mining stocks. By Jan/Feb 08 I will probably pile into the banking sector as I reckon they will have reached or very nearly reached bottom. (hopefully ) Interesting topic Larry, its a huge DYOR of course. I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending any specific company as a 'buy' but for sectors, I have done very well in Telecommunications in 2007, and very badly in leisure and retail. Steve C

Millennium Force ranks as my most 'disappointing' and by that I mean complete crock of shiiiiiite. Thrown over the lift hill so quickly there is no suspense hanging at the front and no 'whip' at the back, other than the final bunny hop I don't experience any airtime of note - and frankly every time I ride it I step on with a negative attitude and it is only re-enforced. I keep riding it just so I can hate it more. Got to hand it to the mega enthusiastic ride ops though who really give it up before and after......'How was your Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiide?' It seems a bit churlish to say 'total crap' so I don't say it, I just think it. Steve- that was good getting to vent like that-C PS - I really like Magnum!

1. Black Cherries 2. Banana 3. Blueberries 4. Pomegranate 5. Pineapple 6. Clementines 7. Apple (French Golden) 8. Grapes (seedless) 9. Figs 10. Pears Mixed together with a huge dollop of Greek Yogurt is good

Aw shucks - in the whole of all the Japan reports so far I was smugly pleased to note I had not missed a trick having covered all of the crazy/wacky/bizarre rides that must be ridden because they were crazy/wacky and bizarre....then you go ruin it all Chuck because I totally missed Pinocchio. How did I do that with time to spare? The only consolation as ever is to know there is a reason to go back.

Well amazingly this has just made a radio news bulletin in the UK, (10:00 p.m. Radio 4 no less - so it's serious ) It was the investment slot, but hey -it took me by surprise to hear it there is all I'm saying.

Barry - I went on the Friday and the operating efficiency was no less than the Saturday and hence the 'Q's' (which I realise must be where Fuji Q takes its name) were not much different and I guess the crowds were similar. (and remember we went on the Saturday so we could all get the best chance of riding given the weather forecast trauma at the time) On the plus side there was no rain once we arrived at the park so the wait time for J-X was a standard one and a half hours with 2 trains running in random fashion. Dodonpa went down (with a line of again 1 and a half hours minimum already) but I obtained one of the dubious 'fastpass' ticket things...which in reality are raincheck passes and after much technical delay managed to leap on the ride about 3 hours later (along with Shane and Miles) with about 2 minutes to spare before we had to high tail it out of the park for the bus back. Incidently and noting Robb's comments about the issuing of 600 raincheck tickets for J-X on the Saturday, they are meant to work differently to how they put it in practice. The tickets are issued in numbered batches and the park is meant to announce over the loud speaker system for example 'All you losers with rain check tickets numbered 35 please proceed immediately to the ride or forever miss the golden opportunity' and so on in reasonably spaced intervals so everyone isn't held up en masse. That would have made sense if they had applied their own rules I guess. This was explained to us, and realising we wouldn't recognize an announcement if it smacked us in the face with squid on a stick, we just played dumb and turned up and got messed around anyway. All it meant to me was I got the other credits I missed on the Friday on the Saturday, but still there was no time to do haunted mansion walk through stuff etc. I did have a great afternoon on Saturday re-riding Fujiyama which had the shortest line and you could actually clear it in approx 35 mins. I would go back all the same on the off chance I can get much better views of Mount Fuji which is simply stunning, and on the plus side on Friday was mostly visible. Other than that I've got the UK parks if I feel the need for ghetto.

Bill your getting really good at this descriptive stuff....way to give Chuck a run for his money Charlies Angels?

Blimey Chuck - this great TR also brings home to me exactly how much ground we actually covered. I can't believe I missed the whole land dog thing, though I think I was a tad vague that day (well not so vague after Bandit, as that brought me rapidly to my senses then knocked me ten streets into next week) Looking forward to more as and when you update Cheers Steve

I was on Moonraker when it broke down and I got an 'exclusive fastpass' -(well me and 9 others on the ride at the time but that seems nearly exclusive to me), which I have kept as a souvenir, obviously. I did find the park very ghetto in comparison to everything else Japan, but I am close to calling Fujiyama my top 'fun to ride' coaster of the trip....in fact I will. Fujiyama was my TOP FUN coaster of the trip. Yay Steve-C

Is Canada North America now or am I mis-reading ?- just asking so don't jump on me. Steve- defend your homeland Canadians-C

#500 huh? - well I agree that smart Alec 10yr old needs rubbing out - but given I'm lagging over 200 behind you all I can say is watch your back Big Mike. Only kidding of course because I'm going to Japan and you are not so I will close the gap significantly (typhoons allowing) which makes me happy. I'll miss your cool self of course and even though I have another cool roomie - you remain the King of Cool. 8)

Casey - you are a total star for putting a crash bar together for everyone. I hope you have sent a deposit in for Europe and although Europe is never short of bars, the bars need a man like you to get the party started! Steve Edit - 'crash bar' is UK hotel industry speak for makeshift bar just incase that was not clear and in no way means you drink a huge amount and 'crash'

Ha Ha - I tried that...but the answer is no, a lottery is a lottery

Hanno - you do seem able to capture some excellent shots which feature the boiling cauldron otherwise known as the Sun. I know you say some shots are just 'plain lucky' which is fair enough but I wondered if you also used a lens filter sometimes?

Looks like you are going to need that Double Decker for Europe...cue Cliff Richard (well not really that bit was a joke)

Bryan's 'All about Me' shirt is just special...and he must feel very honoured. Bryan if you don't feel honoured you damn well ought to. Thanks for the update which cheered up the end of a miserable Monday. Cheers Steve

Blimey! I think you must be a 'wind up merchant' as we say in the UK..oh and that's wind up as in winding up a clock not 'wind' as in the Wind in the Willows! - Jesus Christ (I can't say that of course because I am Catholic)

That'll do it. Sorted then Ted - should be there June 08 and back seat is my destination. Actually it usually is- it just didn't work out queue line wise on the first visit - too much to do, too many dudes in the park! (the usual story...)