Jew

^Agreed. Inventories could also just mean "we're really interested...let us take a deeper look at things."

Bumping this thread... While on the TPR Texas Trip, Dan and I decided to take a couple of sports related side-trips. Since both the new Cowboy Stadium and Rangers Ballpark are conveniently located down the street from SFoT (and our hotel), we took in a Rangers game and took the tour of the new Cowboy Stadium. Now the first part, the stadium that should really be renamed "Jerry Jones has size issues". It's seriously WAY over the top in everything it does. But it's also seriously impressive. ...Which happens to double as the tunnel players run through en-route to the field. Pretty cool. You also get access to an exclusive club... So Jerry Jones got one thing right: suites literally right on the field. That's the view you get. You also get the seats right above the suite in case you actually want to see the game. You can see Rangers Ballpark from the top deck too. Probably the most expensive view of the stadium around! The view from the top deck...still going to cost you $129. The "party deck" area Jerry Jones ripped people off for to claim his highest attendance record. The glass also apparently slides open to give the stadium are more open-air feel. And for Jerry Jones to sell $29 "seats" outside the stadium. Again, what's the obsession with having things so large? In case you were wondering what the replay officials view of the game is...now you know. The balcony seats in the suite. Next stop: one of the mid-level suites. Again, way over the top. Really nice. So nice, the tour guides weren't even allowed to tell us what they sell for. They then proceed to talk about the giant video board. Again, what's with the emphasis on it being so big, Jerry? Side note: the tour guide went out of her way to talk about how "they brought in our all pro punter and told him to kick it as high as he could to make sure it didn't interfere with play." So much for that. The first spot they took us was what I think is the club level concourse. The tour begins inside the giant giftshop. You could buy almost anything you wanted with a Cowboy logo on it. I think there was even a waffle maker. Welcome to Cowboy Stadium. Jerry Jones wants to make sure you know this stadium is the largest football stadium in the world...wonder why?

Why don't we deserve to know anything? That's the attitude that leads to careless maintenance practices, and the reason California now as AB850 on the books. I'm glad there is now a lot more accountability, rather than simply trusting that the park took care of it. Remember when Disney cleaned up the scene of the death on the Columbia before allowing investigators to come in? Stuff like that was commonplace before laws were actually on the books. Parks obviously weren't doing anything intentionally unsafe, but I think it is fair to say that before there was regulation...a lot more liberties were taken with operations and maintenance.

A detailed investigation would have happened no matter what the outcome of this accident was or whether or not video was released. Do you think the park or manufacturer would really just shrug their shoulders and continue business as usual and hope it doesn't happen again? We wouldn't see the results of the investigation if it didn't make the news. Now media outlets will do all the hard work for us and/or KBF/DOSH will come out with a statement when the investigation is complete. Usually if you wanted to see DOSH ride reports, I believe you would have to go to a DOSH office, pay a fee, fill out an application to get the report, then wait for them to get back to you. Has ANYONE actually bothered to do that unless the accident made the news?

How is this negative? It's just reporting what the park has. Which I think is totally awesome!

We were told that the ride was actually set up as a demo model: Zierer was trying to sell it to the park and brought it down for a "test drive" so to speak.

^I actually agree with Calicoasters. Being an "armchair quarterback" about a situation is a lot easier than actually being there. You may very well react exactly how you say, but it's hard to fault a father for doing what he thought was best to get the staffs attention after only knowing that he heard a really loud noise, he and his kid were hit with pieces of metal, and the ride was definitely not doing what it was supposed to be doing.

^LOL! I'm guessing X probably hasn't hit more than 1100 (if that).... Underneath/behind/next to Tidal Wave. With Freefall's maintenance shed gone, something could definitely fit there combined with the "on-stage" space. In fact, it was rumored Terminator would wind through that area...

It's actually a bigger area over there than it seems. The "on-stage" area was quite a small footprint, but there is a decent sized backstage area right there too. A ride could definitely fit in that area.

I personally think they are on board because they will get check regardless of what actually happens to the park.

I'm not sure why everyone keeps looking at this deal from a theme park point of view. $4B is A LOT of money to spend on something that will only cause a competitor in one of their businesses to have to spend a fraction of that to re-theme one section of one of their theme parks. Not to mention the fact that if Universal does have to re-theme that island, Disney just gave them the platform to launch a new ride/marketing blitz... But the bigger picture of why Disney made this deal is what what Wes said: filling a hole in their demographics. Now they have their foot very much in the door for an extremely lucrative demographic that was previously untapped. Look no further than how all the Marvel movies have done at the box office to see why they REALLY made this deal... Except the theme parks represent 30% of the companies revenues and licensing only 7%. Even outside of our TPR bubble, Universal is the only major competitor to Disney. They compete in the same markets, Orlando, California and Japan. This may not be the only reason for the purchase, but it is certainly a very important piece. If it isn't, then this was a very poor investment. Lets assume this was solely for the theme parks... $4 billion is a big price to pay to say "haha, now you have to stop writing us checks AND build all new attractions/redo the island to market against us!"

I'm not sure why everyone keeps looking at this deal from a theme park point of view. $4B is A LOT of money to spend on something that will only cause a competitor in one of their businesses to have to spend a fraction of that to re-theme one section of one of their theme parks. Not to mention the fact that if Universal does have to re-theme that island, Disney just gave them the platform to launch a new ride/marketing blitz... But the bigger picture of why Disney made this deal is what what Wes said: filling a hole in their demographics. Now they have their foot very much in the door for an extremely lucrative demographic that was previously untapped. Look no further than how all the Marvel movies have done at the box office to see why they REALLY made this deal...

Sony backed out. The monsters were all given positions in the other street zones.

I just want to second the recommendation to buy tickets in advance. By the middle of October, Friday and Saturday nights WILL sell out.

That's because the Zombieland scare zone is no more.

Even if it is now officially open, that is why there is a disclaimer attached to your ticket/annual pass that says something like "ride availability subject to change." Very rarely does a major attraction open anywhere without having a difficult first summer.

The full website is now live! Check It Out!

I love the speculation without any details. Then it turns out to be wrong! Actually, this one is owned and operated by FOX...

^^I think it's really all in how it's done. How realistic is it for a body that was supposedly just killed to NOT be dripping blood? I think the problem is when the performers control the water effect...of course they are going to go overboard with it.

^^Working in HR, you should also know that there is always loopholes. I still believe that if someone is talented enough, a company will find a way to sneak them in. But aside from that, Michael Vick isn't applying to work at McDonalds. He meets the NFL screening guidelines, so it's kind of a weak argument to say if you or I were convicted dogfighters we couldn't find a job. Because the reality is that if you or I were as athletic as Michael Vick, we would have gotten the same second chance he's getting. Again, I don't agree that he is being given a second chance...but I also don't think anyone is doing anything wrong by offering him that chance.

Another year of suffering for Kings fans... On the bright side, at least glass seats will be cheap again!

^^Because all corporations are totally ethical? If you had a job skill a company thought could help them in any way, you would still get hired. But anyways, that blog is spot on. I hate Michael Vick, also agree that he's just saying what he has to stay to save face, and is a total douche...but I'm also glad that he's drawing attention to just how horrible dogfighting is. Even if it is all fake, it's still going to have a positive impact. As far as him signing with the Eagles? Whatever. He paid his debt to society, and if the Eagles want to sign him, so be it. I don't think he deserves the opportunity he is being given, but I certainly don't fault him for taking the opportunity or fault the Eagles for giving him the opportunity.

For all you credit whores out there: the new coaster at Castle Park is not the former "pole position" coaster. Unless Butler Amusements decided to buy a newer model of the same exact ride and set it up at the Ventura County fair...

^Let the record show that we (myself and the two Aussie Assholes) did in fact make it all the way around the world. But now that I have to trade the margarita for a shot of Tequila...

This is going to make starting in Mexico while drinking around the world a lot more difficult.