Movieguy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7bKx0-shPI My mind has been blown... If you only watch one movie featuring an Italian man in a Karate Gii and a skullet, playing the keyboards while bouncing on his feet, with two break-dancers in the background, inter-cut with footage from Return of the Jedi...let this be the one!

I'm a bit late in doing this, but I've been very busy, plus I'm not too happy with many of the photos I got, since I forgot to have the flash on my camera turned on for a lot of them. There may be an onride photo or two coming if I remember how to use the scanner downstairs, so stay tuned. I brought my Mom and My sister with me this time, the latter of the two now attending her first year of college at NYU. We thought this would be a nice way to spend the latter part of the summer, and for the most part, we were correct. We left our home in the morning on the 16th, and drove down in my Chevy. Mom drove the first leg to Scranton, and I drove the rest of the way. We stopped at our Hotel, the Hampton Inn, in Hershey itself, before we settled in, and went of to have dinner. We found a place called "What If..." which has to be one of the finest places I've ever eaten at. Definitely go there if you haven't already. After dinner, I dropped the two women off at the outlet mall nearby, and went to the park to buy my ticket for the next day. Doing that, I got in for the night for free, so I went to that nice arcade in Minetown, played a few games, and even got in a quick ride on the Superdooperlooper, before finally leaving, and picking up my Mom and Sis, then returning to the hotel. The next day was a perfect one for the park, as we headed to Chocolate World first, and went on the Tour. After riding and having our free chocolate, we went into the park, and got in line for Comet. About 30 minutes later, we got on the coaster, and loved every second of it. "Now THAT's a coaster..." My mom said as we got off. After that, we split up, as my sister and I got in line for Farenheit. It was a long wait, but the line constantly moved, which I like. Plus, security really seemed to be on the ball, when it came to catching line jumpers. After about an hour, we got on, and my sister loved it, just like I knew she would. Then, upon our completion of the corndog and water bottle we each got, my sister went off with my Mom, and I went to get in line for Storm Runner. This was the one blight on our visit...I got on this coaster the first time that day, and enjoyed it, but when we came back to the park later, after having dinner at a nearby Red Robin, the line was much longer, and hardly ever moved. I was determined to get my sister on this coaster as well, as we finally got into the station and noticed something... What I saw was a fully loaded train on one side, that didn't dispatch for nearly an eternity. It was only until the other train returned and began unloading/loading that it was finally dispatch. I wondered out loud what was going on, as a ride op explained that what they were doing was the current policy with this ride...which I think is complete BS, and defeats the purpose of having two loading stations...but, I kept waiting. Then, the ride broke...just as the two of us were getting in line for one of the trains. I just said, screw this, there are other coasters we need to get on before the park closes, an opinion my sister shared fully, and we walked out of the line. I mean, What the hell, Hershey? To think I used to sing your praises on how well you run your park...now you go and put up some BS regulations regarding one of your biggest coasters, significantly lowering its through-put, and hardly batting an eye about it. I expect this crap from Six Flags, or any park in New York State, but not from you guys. Anyway, rant over... Whatever sour feelings Storm Runner gave me, were quickly washed away when my Sister and I reached Lightning Racer. While I simply liked this coaster on my last visit, I found it extraordinarily awesome this time around. It's too bad I only had time to ride it once, because it was easily the best woodie of the park, and had the shortest wait to boot. After Lightning Racer, My sister and I split off, allowing me to ride Wildcat next, another decent woodie, and then The Great Bear as my last coaster of the trip. I don't know what it was, maybe the fact that I rode it at night, but again, Great Bear was more wild and exhilarating than I recalled from my last trip. It was a great way to finish off my coaster riding, before I joined my family at the Minetown arcade once again. My mom loved all the Skee-ball games, and my sister played the hell out of the ticket games. There was one based on the game "Operation" which she absolutely loved. We each got a bag of goodies with our respective tickets, and finally left. On the last day, we went to the Hershey Story museum, then back to chocolate world for a final ride on the tour. I then got myself a big case of Reese's Fast Break bars (Which I'm still going through now!) and walked out with my family and the souvenirs they had gotten. After having a nice filling meal at the Cracker Barrel in Harrisburg, we finally drove off for home. That's it. Hope you enjoyed reading this. Herhsey's a really nice place, but it's big, easy to get lost in, and I'm not getting any younger! I think I'll go back to a smaller place I've enjoyed in the past, like Kennywood or Knoebels, for my next summer vacation.

I recently came across a scene from a 1997 film called "Cutting Moments" on Youtube...a lady tries to get her husband's attention, is ignored, and proceeds to suddenly rub endlessly away at her lips with steel wool...then cut them off with a pair of scissors! It was one of the most disturbing things I've seen in recent memory. I can't find the movie on Netflix, but I don't think I want to see the rest anyway. Oh yes, and I checked out Men Behind The Sun on Youtube as well...just revolting.

I have seen the trailer for Begotten on Youtube, and it does indeed look very disturbing. According to Wikipedia, it was inspired by a near death experience that the director, E. Elias Merhige, had after a car crash that nearly took his life when he was 19.

Actually, I experienced a bit of neck-chopping on Storm Runner. Not sure why, when I read about other people's rides on it.

The safety argument is a very good one. One I hadn't fully considered. This now makes me wonder if there are ways we can improve OTSRs to the point where headbanging is a non-issue? I know there have been a few efforts with this already, but will designers ever try to tackle the issue on a larger scale? Vekoma in particular, I think, could benefit from a remodel of their OTSRs in general, as they've always seemed a bit overly large to me. Also, ever notice that there are virtually no complaints about headbanging on a B&M steelie? None that I've noticed, anyway. I wonder why that is?

Let me be clear, I'm not talking about floorless coasters, stand-ups, inverts, or SLCs. I'm talking about the basic, sit-down loopers. Arrow, TOGO, Vekoma, they've all put out these types of coasters, and so many of them have all these awful reported cases of headbanging. Why? OTSRs of course. As so many on this board can relate, these clunky restraints are the biggest reason why so many of these types of steelies are a painful experience. So...why have them? Premier took the hint when it came to Flight of Fear, Jokers Jinx, Poltergeist, and The Chiller. They removed the OTSRs on them, and put in lap bars. They became much bigger hits after that, so it puzzles me that Arrow, Vekoma, and TOGO haven't done the same with their sit-down steelies. Schwarzkopf proved, years ago, that all you needed with these rides was a lap bar, and to just let centrifugal force do the rest. But now, even their coasters, including Magic Mountain's revolution, are being fitted with OTSRs. Why? The only reason I can think of, is the public perception that OTSRs are necessary for any kind of looping coaster. So, let's discuss. Apologies if there's another thread on this that I've not yet discovered.

I loved the Knoebel's experience, but being a coaster guy, the selection is rather limited. They do have great flat rides though. I rode the cosmotron several times, because I'm a sucker for spinning rides indoors with strobe lights and loud music. The food at Knoebels is AMAZING. Hershey's standard fare just can't compare. However, Hershey is a larger park, with more to do, and not just coasters. I loved the huge arcade with pinball machines and classic cabinets everywhere, that's close to where the Great Bear is. In terms of food, you could always duck out and grab a good meal in Harrisburg, which is right next door to Hershey. They have a ton of restaurants to choose from. Chain stuff, yes, but a lot of chains I don't have in my neck of the woods, like Hardees. It's a tough decision. Both parks are great choices, but I lean towards Hershey at this point.

Last year, I visited Hersheypark in the middle of July. I went on the Monday and Tuesday of that week, and the crowds weren't actually that bad. I waited about an hour for Farenheit, but the waits on Storm Runner, Wildcat, Lightning Racer, and the like weren't nearly as long. Comet was a longer wait, but that was probably due to the ride's possibly lower through-put level. I'm visiting again next month, from August 16 to the 18th, so I'm wondering how the August crowds will be, compared to the July crowds. There are no concerts or events scheduled for the time I'll be there, according to hersheypark.com, so I'm hopeful it won't be too bad.

I think the economy is a major factor in this issue. When I went to WDW back in 2005, I had a lot more money than I do now. The job situation here in Upstate NY just isn't good at all, and I don't see it improving anytime soon. This is why I've been restricting my park visits, in recent years, to places like Knoebels and HersheyPark, which are closer to where I live. I think the same thing goes for a lot of the people in this country now. Be it WDW, IOA, or Sea World, they feel they just can't make the travel expenditure at this point, and are visiting regional parks in their area for the summer instead. Another factor for IOA, I think, is the lack of new material, save for when Harry Potter world showed up. Unlike WDW, space is at a premium for Universal, which is a problem. WDW has the luxury of being able to add new areas, parks, and attractions as they please. As cool as Dueling Dragons, Hulk, and Spiderman are, Universal can't rely on them forever to bring in guests, especially thrillseekers, which I think are the demographic this park appeals to the most. If this park wants to survive in the future, it's going to have to stay fresh. One possible option, do what Disney did with Epcot, and replace/change some of the attractions. No, I wasn't a fan of all the Epcot changes at first, but when I actually visited in 2005, I saw and appreciated how they helped improve the park's popularity, kept it fresh and exciting, and thus gave Disney more reason to keep it open. The survival of the park itself is the most important thing.

Can you suggest songs here? Apologies if there's another thread for this I've not yet found. I recently bought a song on Itunes called "Safari" by Dr. Bombay. I think it would be wonderful for a segment on someplace like Busch Gardens Tampa. Give it a listen sometime.

I've been getting some gems from Gamefly lately. I recently beat No More Heroes 2, and still have Tatsunoko VS Capcom. That's a fun little game, which has also taught me quite a bit about this old Anime company. Plus, I've got the new Prince of Persia coming my way. I'm excited.

I don't think Iron Man 2 was ANYWHERE near as bad as Revenge of The Fallen. I mean, where are the racist robots in Iron Man 2? It's gonna have people nit-picking it to death, no doubt, but I think Iron Man 2 is just as sharp and fun as its predecessor, and had a ton more action to boot. Maybe not enough action for the Michael Bay generation, but certainly enough for me. 9/10

I LOVED Hershey when I went there last summer. I'm curious about Dorney, since I've never been there, and wonder if I should head down there sometime in the near future.

Last August, we rescued a kitten that had been found in a wood pile with his siblings. His name's Simon, and he's a Maine Coon/Tabby mix. This is how he looked when we got him... And this is how he looks now... Yup, he's barely a year old, and he's that big. And, here he is, eating my other cat's food. Here's my other cat, Ivy, upon her discovery of Simon eating her food again. (They get along very well, actually)

Oh, OK then. I misunderstood. I'm glad we both agree that it's over-diagnosed. People still tend to look at Aspergers in terms of it being a disability, which is why it's probably lumped in with stuff like ADD/ADHD so often. There's a small movement of people who claim that it is NOT in fact a disability, and I am among them. People with this difference can learn to live with it, use it to their advantage, even, with the right guidance, and that guidance doesn't need to last too long. I hardly even see my therapist anymore, as a matter of fact. She's more of an occasional life coach now.

Well, while I can respect the opinions of Aspergers being the new ADD and whatnot, I believe it does exist. I never thought I had Aspergers before I was diagnosed, the thought never even occurred to me. I DO agree that there's a lot of over-diagnosis, which hurts people like me who really DO have this difference. A lot of people are even self-diagnosing themselves with Aspergers, which is very dangerous and presumptuous. Even when my therapist made the initial diagnosis, she sent me to a colleague, a professional who works at Cornell. He put me through a long 5-6 hour examination, telling me that I indeed had a slight impairment in the right side of my brain, which affects me physically (I'm a little weaker than most men my age, muscle-wise) as well as psychologically, and concluded that my therapist's diagnosis was very astute. Asperger's may be an easy thing for lazier doctors to fall back on, but it is by no means BS.

It is scientifically impossible for Predator to be smooth. It is the fate of ALL Summers/Dinn coasters to become rough to the point of agony. Accept this. I'm digging Viper back in it's original color. Really gives me a nostalgic feeling.

Wow! It's great to see some more responses here, all of a sudden. Hey, I know how you feel. I'm almost 30, and I've never even been on a date. Now if I had been given the help I've had now back then, that would have been a different story, because it's a little easier for me to talk to women now (No dates though, because most of the girls I work with are too young for me). But, what's done is done, and I just have to live with it. Just don't pressure yourself too much. Like they say, just take it all one little bit at a time.

I recently got my pre-ordered copy of Super Street Fighter IV. It's just as fun as its predecessor, and I've had a blast trying out all the new characters in a heavily expanded roster, the likes of which I've not seen since SF Alpha 3. It's awesome. I still stink at online play, but I get a few victories now and then, using characters like Chun-Li and Fei Long. my XBL gamer tag is CitrusMammal, if you ever want to spar with me and gain some easy points.

I recently went to a Hollywood Video that's closing in my town, and bought a bunch of horror movies for cheap to add to my collection. One of them was "Haute Tension", a horror film made in France! It was actually one of the wildest, most imaginative and exciting horror movies I've seen in a long time. It's not for the faint of heart, though, as there's a lot of stuff in it that could offend non-horror aficionados out there. Best of all, there's no long-winded backstory to explain too much of why what happens, happens...it just freaking happens. Definitely check it out, if you feel up to the experience.

3-D technology has certainly come a long way since Spiderman first hit the park scene. With the right touch, this new Transformers ride could be something really impressive, and gain the same kind of headlines and national attention that Spiderman did.

Well, that's the beauty of Kennywood. They don't seem to feel the need to constantly be in the spotlight. They're content to simply let their current setup work for as long as possible, then make changes when they feel they're needed, and not necessarily as competition dictates. They're adding Sky Rocket now because it feels right to do it now. I think it definitely will be a sleeper hit, because of this.

I'll definitely check a few of the games out, but Soccer has never really been an interest of mine. I think the main reason is the fact that you're watching a heated rivalry game, and know very well that it could end up in a tie. American's don't seem to really care for tie games in general. We want to see winners and losers, which is why, I think, soccer has had a hard time catching on here. However, I'm glad that Soccer fans out there do get to have their moment in the sun with this every few years.

This looks really cool. Kennywood is one of my all time favorites, and while I was glad they fixed up the steel phantom, it was still sad to see all the inversions taken out. Hopefully this won't cause all the Arrow headaches that the old phantom did, and go on to raise Kennywood's stock as a major destination in the region.