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Raw Thoughts: The Dark Knight Coaster

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:02:54 -0500

So, I was able to take a ride on the new Dark Knight Coaster at Six Flags Great America. After waiting in line for over two hours, I can honestly say this: Six Flags wasted $7.5 million on one of the most boring and poorly designed rides I have ever been on - at Six Flags or at a crummy local carnival.

The ride is full of issues. It’s too short, even by typical roller coaster standards. The vast majority of the ride includes moving the train back and forth in turns. The rider is always waiting for something bigger and faster and more exciting, but before it ever comes, you find yourself back at the station, walking out, and wondering how you were ever fooled into paying money and waiting for hours to experience it.

To make matters worse, the ride begins with a “pre-show” video to introduce the concept of the ride, and get you into the “story”. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is talking to the press in what appears to be nothing more than incident footage from the upcoming film.

This video sequence reminded me of the Tower of Terror pre-show, but with two key differences: the story/ride continue after the preshow into the ride in a seamless fashion, and the pre-show is well produced and actually interesting. Neither apply to the former. After the Harvey Dent video, riders enter back into yet another line and have to wait some more before entering the actual ride. In this new line, you get to hear a Six Flags ride operator blare that no gum is allowed in the ride. What happened to the story? Why go to the trouble of even having the pre-show video if you aren’t going to go anywhere else with it?

Most definitely skip this ride if the lines are long. But honestly, let me just level with you: just skip this ride. Go on something better instead. Like the Whizzer.

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Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:49:32 -0500

The iPhone AppStore App Listing Megapost

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:21:00 -0500

This post has a listing of a bunch of apps that are known to be releasing either at or near the release of the iPhone AppStore, which should be out on July 11th.

AIM (AOL Inc.)
Aki Mobile Mahjong (Ambrosia Software)
AOL Radio (AOL Inc.)
ApolloIM
BeatMaker (Intua)
BlackJack Run (Seahorse Software)
Books
Brewing Buddy (TrouserMac Industries)
Briefcase (Hey Mac Software)
Bug Bounce (Cocoa Touch Games)
Chef On Your iPhone (Chefs Little Helper)
Chores (TapeShow)
Cocoa Marbles (Cocoa Touch Games)
CocoaBot (Cocoa Touch Games)
Cube Runner (Andy Qua)
Currency (Jeffrey Grossman)
eBay
FileMagnet (Magnetism Studios/Ecamm Network)
Flick Car (Cocoa Touch Games)
FlickrExport (Connected Flow)
GroceryZen (Greg Bernhardt)
iCave (Andy Qua)
info.xhead (xhead software)
iNono (Andy Qua)
iSharephone (Webstate)
iZepto
Kroll (Digital Legends)
Lockbox (Steve Streza)
Loopt
Lumen (Fiery Ferret)
Mariner Calc (Mariner Software)
MetroMagnet (Magnetism Studios)
Midnight Mahjong Solitaire (Midnight Martian Software)
MLB At Bat (MLB.com)
Mobile Holy Quran (Zoosware)
Movies (Jeffrey Grossman)
Mr. Shuffle (Magnetism Studios)
NearPics (The Mac Box)
No. 2 (Lint Labs)
NotepadSync (Brian Tunning)
Nuance Voice Search (Nuance)
Periods (Dimitri Bouniol)
PhoneSaber (The Mac Box)
Plum Candy (Plum Amazing)
Plum Record (Plum Amazing)
Save Benjis (Sol Robots)
Solebon Solitaire (Smallware)
Solitaire Top3 (Rusty Red Wagon)
SplashID (SplashData)
SplashShopper (SplashData)
Super Monkey Ball (Sega)
SyncML Client (Synthesis AG)
Things (Cultured Code)
TileSudoku (Magnetism Studios)
Tube (Visual IT)
Twitterrific (Icon Factory)
TypePad
Wingnuts Moto Racer (Freeverse Software)
xHunt (Logic High Software)

This is by no means a complete list. I’ll be updating it as I see more. Special thanks to TUAW and Macworld.

M. Night Shymalan: World's Most Overrated Director

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:27:50 -0500

Need some proof? Check out the reviews for his FIRST R RATED FILM (which does not in any way denote the quality of a film) The Happening:

“The movie is so inept in terms of coherent, cohesive storytelling and in some other filmmaking aspects that it deserves to be laughed off the screen.” -Jeff Vice (Deseret News)

“The true disaster on display in The Happening is Shyamalan’s career hitting rock bottom.” -Geoff Berkshire (Metromix)

“Being risibly bad, The Happening is at least worth a laugh. Exactly one laugh, by my reckoning, and completely unintended but no less full-throated for that.” -Rick Groen (The Globe and Mail)

“The man who showed such promise less than a decade ago has been leaving a diminishing creative footprint ever since.” -Mary Elizabeth Williams (Salon)

Can you believe her first album was Christian rock? Awesome...

Fri, 30 May 2008 01:30:00 -0500

Can you believe her first album was Christian rock? Awesome track. Katy Perry.

Video

Fri, 23 May 2008 01:36:55 -0500

California's top court legalizes gay marriage

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:09:00 -0500

California's top court legalizes gay marriage:
One of the best pieces of news I’ve seen all week.

Bill O'Reilly Meltdown Resurfaces

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:02:00 -0500

Bill O'Reilly Meltdown Resurfaces:
FUCK IT, WE’LL DO IT LIVE!

Video

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:59:05 -0500

Obama gains superdelegates, Clinton vows to stay in race

Wed, 07 May 2008 15:24:38 -0500

Obama gains superdelegates, Clinton vows to stay in race:

Clinton, you selfish baby. It’s time to exit the race. You’ve got no money, you’re losing support, and the Democratic Party needs a nominee now.

And if you talk about the voters of Flordia one more fricken time…

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Mon, 05 May 2008 22:52:00 -0500

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Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:13:40 -0500

New Coldplay Single Today (April 29)

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:17:00 -0500

The first single from Coldplay’s fourth album, “Violet Hill”, will be on Coldplay.com starting at 6.15AM Chicago Central time, for free. Pick it up then!

http://www.coldplay.com/song.html

My thought: 29 stars. Better than anything from X&Y.

I’m not a huge fan of Earth Day, because I think that many...

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:43:00 -0500

I’m not a huge fan of Earth Day, because I think that many of the “suggestions” for reducing energy consumption simply aren’t economically feasible for the average consumer. But CFLs are the exception to the rule. I’ve had one in my bedroom for over five years, and it’s still going strong. It’s something you can do that will actually save you money in the long run. One thing to remember: CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, which means they shouldn’t be disposed of with your normal garbage. Find out more about disposal options here.

NPR: Oil Has Two Potential Futures, Shell Strategist Says

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:27:13 -0500

NPR: Oil Has Two Potential Futures, Shell Strategist Says

Study: BitTorrent sees big growth, LimeWire still #1 P2P app

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:14:41 -0500

Study: BitTorrent sees big growth, LimeWire still #1 P2P app

See this movie. It’s excellent. “Pump the...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:49:00 -0500

See this movie. It’s excellent. “Pump the breaks”

What a kind and caring ad (from Facebook). Next up: ad for...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:52:00 -0500

What a kind and caring ad (from Facebook). Next up: ad for local apartments with a photo of two homeless fighting for a park bench…

Photo

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:46:18 -0500

Psystar's Open Computer

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:37:00 -0500

Psystar's Open Computer:
With Apple’s whole family of lawyers ready to sue, I would be shocked if Psystar is able to ship a single one of these guys. But Apple should really think about making their own mini-tower. Sell it at a several hundred dollar premium of course.