cfc

^So, you can't wait to ride the Hawg?

I'm going on record saying that the name "Steel Hawg" is awesome.

In Nemesis, the UK has one of the best coasters anywhere, and it's themeing with the river of blood and all is pretty "depraved."

^Sounds to me as though the park will more closely resemble . . . a mall. And that is good cause for weeping.

Losing the "summer camp" theme does rather suck--much like when Knott's lost a big chunk of its personality when the Roaring 20s gave way to that generic "boardwalk" stuff. But the Eurofighter is a good move, at least.

Up and ready! http://www.coasterfanatics.com/sec_poll/ The applet kicks ass, Ted--thanks. This is the first time I've ever voted in this poll. On top: Balder, El Toro, Lightning Racer Thunder, Lightning Racer Lightning, Phoenix On the bottom: Jupiter

Looks like a lost painting by Monet.

^The Togo Stand-up at Mitsui Greenland is one exception--it's quite good.

^Oh, yeah--forgot about Drayton's Shockwave. Make that stand-ups at four other parks. This one, like the others, was not good.

I don't care for stand-ups as a group, but the only one I can say that I liked (and that quite a bit) was "Milky Way" (or "Fujin Rajin") at Mitsui Greenland--airtime that would launch you like a missile were it not for the restraints. Then again, I've only ridden three other stand-ups (at KD, Carowinds, and Knott California Great America).

The new pirate stuff on Tom Sawyer's Island actually looks pretty good. Nice TR, Justin--I think "paint-can shaker" is the perfect way to describe those 4D coasters, at least based on the Eejanika experience in Japan.

Nice report. I've always thought the best thing about Dr. Doom's Fearfall was the queue, not the ride--I love the safety video that masquerades as a "propaganda" film for Latveria.

Everything's more better with more butter. That coaster with the Ferris wheel lift looks really bizarre. I wonder what Ferris-wheel-hating coaster enthuiasts will think of it?

If only the news was that interesting.

^I'll let you know, Guy, but I'm betting that the Cherokee casino is as close as we'll get to Dollywood.

Well, maybe if you hadn't shot at her. Do fish have fists?

Hell, local stores were putting out the Christmas decorations for sale before Halloween. The whole holiday is a construct of the 19th century based on a heavily mythologized view of the Pilgrims; that being said, I do love a good roast turkey dinner.

^Euroburg did take a pretty big step with DarKastle a few years ago, but I reckon they'll coast on Griffon for another season, at least. I'd like to see them put in a new slide or two at Water Country (it's been a while).

I'm heading to Cullowhee, NC (about an hour west of Asheville) to spend Thanksgiving with my old friends from my old Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo days, the Railsbacks. It's about an eight-hour haul from Williamsburg, and I'll be totin' pie! I've been spending Thanksgiving with them for more than 20 years now (well, not the same Thanksgiving--sequential, separate Thanksgivings). They will, as they do every year, ask me, "Hey, what do you want to do this weekend?" to which my traditional response will be, "How about Dollywood?" This will be followed by groans from their two sons, who hate country music, thus vetoing that suggestion immediately. (Besides, the crowds will be insane for the Christmas stuff there that weekend.) But we usually pay our respects to the local Native American population at the casino in Cherokee.

Busch Gardens Europe is getting a new chief (the old one is moving down to Tampa). Here's a link to the story from the Newport News Daily Press: http://www.dailypress.com/business/dp-biz_busch_1110nov10,0,1478579.story. As for what this all means, only time will tell. This gent, John Reilly of Newport News, Va., worked his way up from food vendor by the Loch Ness Monster to the corporate HQ in St. Louis and has previously been in charge of food at Sea World and merchandise at BGA.

A buddy of mine and I were kicking around a concept for a new "Christmas Village" decorating set called "A Skankville Christmas." Santa would, of course, be some pimp hanging out on a street corner with his scantily clad "elves"--Ho! Ho! Ho!

I know what you mean, Mike. I'd been in a few other park-related forums, but none of them seemed to be the right "fit," until I landed here. Thanks Robb and Elissa.

^^Yeah, once you spread the good word in the Great White North, the flood of Canabians that came south to KD just swamped their operations! The were just overwhelmed!

^My mom, dad, and sister live in California, but I could still win the "random drunk dude" vote.

What's sad about KD is that when they opened last spring, operations were pretty good--but they declined as the season went on. They should move Cypress Gardens' ride section to Virginia Beach--it could use a nice little amusement park.