Ed Farmer

Samsung Omnia II with Windows Mobile 6.5- wouldn't trade it for Android or iPhone for anything. I'm patiently waiting for Verizon to carry Windows Mobile 7 (and the Omnia 7). I just switched to VZ last spring from Sprint and their awful customer service and have loved it, but I won't be long here if they won't bring in WM7 over the summer.

Orlando is a team I wouldn't count out. They're very capable, and although they haven't quite lived up to what people thought they were going to be so far, they still have a lot of season left. I think they'll be a different team in the playoffs- that's where you thank your stars that Dwight Howard is on your side. But I get what you're saying. In the last 30 years, only 8 different teams have won a championship. If Orlando does, it'll be a one-time thing, not an LA or Jordan-era Bulls deal.

All logic says Howard is dashing for LA as soon as he can. There is something about him that has me thinking he's not like LeMelo, and he won't pull that crap. Orlando isn't New York, Chicago, LA or Miami, but it's not Oklahoma City, Detroit or Cleveland either.

I'll never complain about a little theme thrown in to enhance the experience, but I've never ridden a bad coaster that I enjoyed because of theme. Dark Knight was a great example. If I can watch stingrays swimming around while I'm waiting in line, sweet- just hope I'm not waiting to ride something forgettable.

I would have thought so too, but iPhone's still dominate the smartphone market even with Android around. Speaking of iPad2- word was going around that they would be slightly delayed. Apple shares promptly dropped $10, even after they quickly denied that rumor.

No doubt. Billups is just a stopgap too, and he's an upgrade for the position. NY is crossing their fingers that the CBA resolution will allow another max or near-max contract over the summer (it won't), that being CP3 or Deron Williams. They won't be able to pull three max deals off- even Miami's clowns had to concede money. I don't think either CP3 or Williams would be fine with taking less while Amare and Melo reap their full value. Then, after that there is the whole issue of paying 9 other guys. The Knicks are better, but this year they won't sniff contending for it with Boston/Miami/Chicago around.

Melo finally a Knick. Looks like NY gave up the house, and what's more, Denver might swing Gallinari and Felton right back to NJ. That would just sting for NY... Really, unless during his little sitdown with NY Melo told them he would take Denver's 3/65 offer because he thought that the upcoming CBA would *really* lessen his earnings, I don't get it. Even then, if I were NY I would have called his bluff and signed him for less in the summer (because you know he wanted to be a NYK) and kept my team intact in the process. They might just score 110 a game, but they'll be giving up 115.

Much the same as this past year. I'll head down to Busch Tampa late April/early May and again in November. I might stop in at SFGAm during September or towards the end of Fright Fest. That would be the extent of it.

I think thats the wrong way to look at things. Sorry this happened. With the importance assigned to them nowadays, a facebook page shouldn't be f'd with.

I'm pretty siked to try out that figure-8. After that, it's great to see that Busch is buildimg something to supplement Grover for the kidlets.

Just a few simple rides on Kumba in early November. It was pure. The only other park I visited this year was SFGAm during Fright Fest and that place just isn't my cup of tea anymore.

The "whispers" weren't just people saying "Oh man, this guy is good so he has to be cheating". That would be irresponsible. They were more along the lines of "Oh man, this guy is good so he has to be cheating and his personal trainer since right around the time he was drafted was part of an affidavit on HGH distribution and was named by Jason Grimsley as one of his sources for the substance". That's a little (no, a lot) different... Then Then vs. Now Now The "whispers" concerning Roger Clemens, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Alex Rodriguez eventually got kind of loud. Then they turned out to be legitimate, and after all is said and done you have a bunch of dopers saying they took things by accident, something was mislabled, or my favorite, they took things, but only once (!).

Pujols getting caught is almost entirely contingent on MLB adopting a HGH testing policy, which the MLBPA doesn't want to agree to because at the moment that would entail blood samples. Less likely, but still plausible is a Jason Grimsley type scenario which led to the Mitchell report. People were also shocked (I can't tell you why) when A-Rod was caught. Pujols is smart- like Bonds was. His trainer went to prison rather than give him up. There have already been whispers, albeit faint (two years ago IIRC), about Pujols.

/\ If Pujols isn't a Cardinal next year I think he'll be a LAA. I don't think the Angels were serious about Carl Crawford, and seeing the deal he got with Boston, I'd sure as hell hope not if I were an Angels fan. I think the Angels were "in it" to get him so as long as no one threw that kind of money at him. Crawford wasn't really courted by anyone that intensely right until he signed. I think they were counting on either him falling into their laps for a reasonable price- but once that price went sky high (dollars and years) it was on to Plan B. This is why the Wells deal makes no sense at all. Toronto was doing backflips to get out from under that contract, I bet they would have given him away ala Rios to the Sox in 2009. Only reasoning I can see behind that is the Angels aren't entirely convinced Pujols leaves STL and don't want to be left completely out in the cold in free agency for a second straight year. I still think they go after him, and probably put the best offer out of any other team. As far as performance enhancers and testing having an effect on the Angel's winning- I guess we'll see if Pujols comes out there next year. There is no way you could convince me that he's not a product of performance enhancers, specifically HGH, which is not tested for.

I have Parvati Melton. She's nice to look at. I like seeing it after I make a post.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Eastbound and Down

Pitchers and Catchers reporting is more of a holiday/important time than the Superbowl. I'm siked. AL East Red Sox Yankees* Rays Jays O's AL Central White Sox Twins Tigers Royals Indians AL West A's Rangers Angels Mariners NL East Phillies Braves Mets Marlins Nats NL Central Brewers Cards* Reds Cubs Astros Pirates NL West Rockies Giants Padres Dodgers Diamondbacks *Wild Card Despite some losses, I can see the Rays being competetive. Baltimore and Toronto also made some nice moves, but it just isn't realistic with the Yanks and Red Sox. I'd also normally pick the Twins to win the Central, but they've subtracted, and even though Morneau and Nathan are coming back, both had bad injuries, and Adam Dunn in a hitter friendly park for the Sox spells all sorts of bad for anyone pitching to him. The toughest division to pick was the NL Central. Cards might surprise and reel off a high-90 win season, Cubs might not suck as bad as everyone says they will, Brewers made some solid acquisitions, and I don't feel as sure about the Reds. It's been a long winter, almost there...

http://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/58516.aspx?page=1#833511 I personally think this is GREAT news and a step in the right direction for Gadv! Good move. The place is filled to the brim with coasters. After Chang, it would be nice to see them focus on other areas. I'm surprised they don't have a drop tower at all. Perhaps in the future.

Nice, the return of the B&M dip (sort of)! Great looking layout, though.

Indiana Beach is one of my least favourite parks I've ever been to. Cornball Express is massively overrated, the other rides are extremely unmemorable, the atmosphere was lacklustre, the lake's one of the most rancid I've ever seen and tasted (as they use that waste in their drinking fountains... I still can't believe people would actually swim in that stuff!) and, probably most dissappointingly, despite what everyone says, the park's actually nothing like Blackpool anyway. Sure, Blackpool has its major drawbacks (especially recently now they've closed the park to the wandering public and got rid of a ton of stuff for a couple of fountains), but I still massively prefer it over Indiana Beach. Grand National, Wild Mouse, Big Dipper and the Steeplechase are all much better than anything Indiana Beach has got to offer in my opinion. Ed, have you actually been to either of these parks? From the way you're writing, I guess not ("The Steeplechase is the one great plus I've ever read about"), yet you go on to write a load of quite utter rubbish. If you have no idea what you're talking about, then please stop. Anyhow, back on the main topic, and it really depends on where you're studying and how far you're willing to travel to get to a park. If you're willing to travel anywhere in the UK for a park, I definitely suggest Oakwood in Wales. If that is too far for you, then I'm just going to suggest what's already been mentioned: Thorpe, Chessington and Legoland are the obvious London parks. Alton Towers is the best park in the UK although can be a bit tricky to travel to. Blackpool and Flamingoland (if you are doing Flamingoland, you'ld might as well do Lightwater whilst you're at it) are northern parks which would need an overnight stop if you're studying in London (actually Alton may need an overnight stay as well, but I'ld suggest having more than 1 day at the park anyway). Drayton Manor and Adventure Island are also do-able, although neither of these parks should take a full day to complete. And that's pretty much every major UK park covered! If you can only pick 5, then I'ld go for Blackpool, Alton, Thorpe, Chessington and either Oakwood or Flamingoland. -Mike- Awesome post! - I live just a few hours from Indiana Beach- I last visited when LoCoSuMa was built, and I have no desire to visit again anytime soon. Steel Hawg looks like a wild mouse on steroids. I would rather ride nothing than a wild mouse. - Ed Farmer, my handle, is the color guy for the White Sox. Hands down the most dry, sarcastic human being I've ever heard or known. My hero- I'm Mark, Mark-Ham, whatever you want to know me as. Pleased to meet you. - No, I haven't been to Blackpool. I'd love to go, and until I do, take everything I say with a grain of salt. I'm not one for theme and "charm", so there is that also. I would rather go to the DMV or hell than a Disney park. I'm an Arrow Dynamics fan, so I'd be interested in Big One and Revolution, and I enjoy Vekoma products, so the SLC is good by me--- all I'm saying is the park isn't exactly accessible from where I'm at. I rely on photos and reviews (such as can be found right here). The conclusion I've come to is that I would rather go to Thorpe to ride Inferno, or take a leisure day and ride (meh)ir at Alton. Oh and (meh)mesis too.. (haha, yikes, jk- I really do want to try that one). Kennywood has a bunch of charming garbage that I wouldn't care about too, I'd go to see Phantom and take some token laps on the rest of their over-glorified lineup. Until I get to either place, what more can I do than rely on others' accounts? I have no doubt that I would be able to have a good time at Blackpool, don't get me wrong! I'm saying it doesn't look like my cup of tea from here.

Appreciate the response. As I say, I've never been there, I don't know how to enjoy a wild mouse because one of my home parks houses two! Eye candy or not, Blackpool would be on my itenerary on my UK visit- just to see.

What about Blackpool is so appealing other than the run down, coney island suffering from elephantitis appeal? The Steeplechase is the one great plus I've ever read about- on this site nonethless, and alcohol probably magnified it's awesomeness. Other than that, nice setting, check (fuji-q be damned! they don't give ert! so f that mountain and it's damn clouds), underwhelming wood coasters, check (but they have hand slapping capabilities!!! +infinity), the worst Arrow hyper ever built, and I've only been on one, check, SLC, check. Sweet place. I hope my wife gives birth to my first child right on that sh*ithole looking place's midway. - Edited to say that I would imagine that even the worst park can be fun with friends, no doubt, I just don't think that people should judge a parks worthiness on that particularity. It's misleading.

That would be my general consensus. I can appreciate that people may have had a fun time there, but I chalk it up to the companianship factor and nothing else. It's one thing for a park to suck, but all too often I see people have a ball at a shit park and swear golden by it forever after. Two different things.

Meanwhile Thorpe and Alton weren't mentioned. I look at Blackpool and I can't see what the draw is. It looks like Indiana Beach minus Cornball and any good coaster (from the eyeball glance).

Not disagreeing with you at all- as I said, I haven't ridden either. I'm intrigued because Iron Wolf is among my favorite coasters... The old Paramount Vortex standups and California's Top Gun top my list of want easily over ispeeds, (meh)ga-lites and blue fires and whatever. I like unpopular opinions, usually they are right.