Cameron

I'm down for a few days in VA next Spring! It'll be fun to see if we can corrupt any more log rides.. Cameron.

I was there on the 13th, and agree that it was a let-down. I actually thought that there were more decorations and theming, but far less people .. They're obviously trying to save money. Still, Viper gave a great ride .. which is nice because it disappointed me all year (and through 2005 too). I may go again this Friday evening, if I can drag some poor slobs along with me! Cameron.

I'm hoping to get to third! Cameron.

Awesome report Eric. I'm still laughing about that ride on Splash Mountain, which can be very, very dirty if you're in the right frame of mind! That sick, sick bear .. he does all sorts of things in the woods.. Cameron.

^^ You know you want to watch it Nicole .. Who wouldn't?! (The phrase "Elephant Cock" was used more than once..) Cameron. ps: And allow me to also add my thanks to Robb and Elissa. You guys are awesome .. blaa blaa blaa .. suck-up suck-up suck-up .. You know I love you!

^ Not me .. I'm an ass. Cameron.

Oh man, Rocko is freaking awesome! Why won't stupid Nick release a DVD??! Cameron (Who aspires to be Ed Bighead) Silver..

For lighting, we did this at my friends house on halloween years ago. I bought about 20 blinking red LEDs from Radio Shack (they're about $1-$2 each), and then 20 regular (non-blinking) red ones - which are even cheaper. Wire up a blinking one in series with a non-blinking one (which means they both blink together), and hide them in the bushes and stuff. They look like eyes, it was very cool. We also put a milk crate on the front lawn covered with black plastic (just a trash bag), then attached some dryer ducting to it like legs so it looked like a giant spider. We hid a car battery in the crate and put lights on the front like eyes. It was great.. My car was parked on the street out the front of their house, and we talked about sticking strobe lights and smoke machines under it (make it look like a space-ship or something). However we never got around to it. Cameron.

See if you can find some old cubicle walls .. they're easy to set up in any configuration. Plus you can keep them around and reuse them year after year (changing the layout each time). Other than that you might be able to find some old screens that you can setup (which are basically the same thing as cube walls .. but not connected together). Large sheets of foam-core could work too. Failing that, Ryan's suggestion is pretty good. Cameron.

^^ Nicole, I don't think TDD can run six launches in a row without breaking down..?! As to the original question: The real reason is probably so that the big parks can sell their "vaguely lemon flavored water" for $4. Cameron.

When was your first pounding? Your first "DDUUDDEE"?? Cameron.

Krouvi: I remember (in early 1993) seeing a post on the computer system at Uni .. something along the lines of "We have installed xMosaic, a graphical client for the World Wide Web". Until that day, the web was all text.. Robb: The first real pinball programming I did was for a "test fixture" for the game Tales Of The Ariabian Nights. The first time I got a coil to kick the ball was a big-time significant first. Cameron.

Wii will Wii will Rock you. Cameron.

Oh man .. I was at Holiday World on Saturday .. missed you by a day! Curiously I noticed no wasps at the top of the lift (we rode countless times), although we typically rode towards the front. I took a bunch of photos, but they're mainly of me, my friends and his kids. I don't think it's PTR-worthy. It was a great visit though, spectacular weather! Cameron.

Would you rather we post pictures of Brown Recluse Spider bites instead?! I won't post a link because they're just too disgusting.. (And in warning to all those who will run off to do a google image search, make sure you have a strong stomach.) Cameron.

hah .. well I was going to add a "keep it clean" disclaimer in anticipation of such stories .. But I figured no-one actually wants to read that sort of thing anyway, so I didn't think anyone would bother writing them! Besides, those sorts of stories aren't exactly life-changing (significant, yes - but not life changing). Well, I guess it could be life-changing if it leads to a career in prostitution; but that just gets us back to "who the hell wants to read that"! Pete, your story is great .. thanks for sharing! And Will: Well you were 11, that's OK! Besides a program doesn't have to be useful in order to learn the concepts. Cameron.

Nice photos guys, I miss you! Next year .. Next year I'll make it to PPP (I do say that every year .. but this time I'm saying it with a lot more vigor!) Cameron.

Be glad you don't live in Australia and have to deal with "Huntsman" spiders: web.archive.org/web/20030625235624/users.pandora.be/nicolas1/clockspider2.jpg They are totally harmless (not aggressive, no venom, etc) .. but they're huge and very hairy. My parents had two in their apartment, but they were advised not to kill them. Apparently Huntsmen spiders are partners for life .. so if you kill one, then the other one will hang around forever trying to find the one you killed. But if you leave them alone, eventually they'll move along. So my parents left them alone, and for a few days the spiders went from room to room .. but then they were gone. My dad misses them! Cameron. (Edit to fix typo)

A friend and I were chatting last week, and we got to talking about significant "firsts" we've experienced in our past. I always like looking back on things that totally changed my life, particularly if I didn't realize their significance at the time. This first one is cool because at the time (I was 9) I didn't realize that it was significant at all. We had a new Apple //e computer and my brother had entered a BASIC program from a magazine. It was a simple program that turned the whole screen a particular colour (by setting each pixel of each row to the the colour). He showed me the program, and briefly explained how it worked. Over the next day or so I made some changes so that it looped through all the colours (all 16 of them!), then changed it again so that you'd press a key after each colour and it would go to the next. I even added a menu so you could choose which colour it would use .. etc. I started programming when I was 9, and I still haven't become tired of it; I program professionally, and often in my spare time too (particularly in winter). Second on the list took place in March of 1993. Like the above situation, I didn't realize that this was significant at the time. I was in a coin-op arcade (the Timezone on Bourke Street, for those reading in Melbourne), playing a Terminator 2 pinball that was in really bad shape. There was a tech on the floor working on a video game, so I asked him if he'd give me a part-time job maintaining the pinball machines. I was just starting my second year of college, and this could be a really fun job. I got the job (I can talk my way into anything!), and two and a half years later I moved to Chicago to design and program pinball machines professionally. Finally .. this one is a "first", but thankfully it's also an "only": the first time I felt totally and completely alone. I'd just moved to Chicago and had found an apartment. My co-worker and one of his friends helped me move in .. which didn't take much since all I had was a bed, tv, a tiny set of kitchen stuff (plates, glasses and silverware), a microwave, and one suitcase full of clothes I'd brought with me. Once they left, I was on my own. I had no car, and the phone wasn't connected yet (although I didn't have any local friends to call even if the phone was on). Everything (and everyone) I knew and loved was 7,000 miles away. I couldn't help but think "I've made a huge mistake" - and this was around 10 years before Arrested Development used that line! OK .. I think that's it for now .. But I'm curious to hear from other people. Cameron.

Oh come on Robb .. you know! Lou and Nicole - I figured my a$$tasticness was well known by now .. I tried wanted to post things that would be a revolation! Cameron.

OK .. I guess I'll play. 1) I maintain a big bowl of chocolate in my office for people to nush on. 2) I like lighthouses. 3) I am about to run to the post-box to drop off my car insurance check. 4) I like traffic lights (but only when they're green). 5) Nothing else. Cameron.

Come to Six Flags Great America and take a spin (hah hah) on Whizzer! www.rcdb.com/ig113.htm?picture=2 Cameron.

^ The wooden coasters at Cedar point are anything but successfull! (Unless you measure success by how many spines are destroyed..) Cameron.

Here are some of mine.. Myself with my friend's kid in the front row on Cornball Express at Indiana Beach (2002). The sky opened up and dumped an entire ocean on our heads .. one of the funniest coaster rides I've taken. I am amused that the people behind us look totally unfazed On the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz with a my friend Eighmi (Amy). I was taken by surprise by one of the more severe turns, and my face almost "accidently" got to third base. Me on Viper at Six Flags Great America .. nothing particularly amazing about it, except I look exactly like the goofy molded face from Cirqus Voltaire (one of the games I worked on).

This is my favorite part of the whole ride.. I was at Holiday World in May (twice) and again in July, and found that Voyage was running well on all three visits. I'll be back again in a few weeks, and am interested in seeing how it's running. From your report it sounds like it's kicking some pretty serious butt .. which is awesome. Cameron.