The Winter of Our Discontent: Bye Bye Miss Palisades Amusement Park
Its time to say goodbye to our exhibit at the Fort Lee Museum; Greetings From Palisades Amusement Park – Our Last Summer in the Sun exhibit closes Jan. 29.
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Customers of Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild amusement parks who used a credit card at the parks in the last five years and had the cards expiration date appear on the receipt may be eligible for a free admission ticket.
Under the terms of a class-action settlement of a federal lawsuit against Palace Entertainment, which owns dozens of parks, including Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild, customers who had too much information appear on their credit card receipts will receive a free admission ticket for one of 15 parks across the country.
Jeff Hanlon of Allegheny County sued Palace Entertainment in August in US District Court, Downtown. He claimed that he made a purchase with his Visa credit card in July at the Idlewild amp; Soak Zone park in Ligonier and was provided with a receipt that showed his cards expiration date, a violation of federal law.
Hanlon could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, and attorneys involved in the class-action suit did not return a call for comment. Attorneys for Palace Entertainment did not return calls.
US District Chief Judge Gary Lancaster gave preliminary approval to the settlement on Dec. 20.
According to the settlement, eligible people must have received an electronically printed receipt at one of 15 Palace Parks between Dec. 4, 2006, and Dec. 20, 2011, with more than the last five digits of the credit or debit card number or the cards expiration date.
If fewer than 60,000 tickets are given to lawsuit participants, Palace Entertainment must donate the remainder to charity, according to the settlement.
Hanlon will receive $2,500 for being the class-action representative, and Carlson Lynch, the Sewickley law firm representing the class, is eligible for up to $390,000 in attorneys fees, according to the settlement.
For more information, people can call 1-800-467-5241, according to the settlement.
For the past 25 years, Rochester Institute of Technology photographers have recorded important landmarks ? some in Rochester ? by taking a special kind of picture that looks like a glowing painting.
This years Big Shot, as this photo event is known, will be taken on May 3 at the Seabreeze Amusement Park in Irondequoit. Opened in 1879, Seabreeze is one of the oldest parks of its kind in the world, according to the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
Its magical, what they do, said Seabreeze president Rob Norris, about the Big Shot photographs.
An army of volunteers will produce the needed light with electronic flashers and flashlights.
The photographs, to be shot about 9 pm, will be taken from a height of about 30 feet from the Helix waterslide tower of Seabreeze.
They will show portions of the Wildwater Log Flume as well as the Eagle, which is a 75-foot-high swinging ride. Part of the miniature train and the first hill of the Jack Rabbit roller coaster also will be in the photos.
Normally, a photograph is taken with a single source of light ? be it the sun or a photographers electronic flash, said RIT assistant professor of fine art photography Willie Osterman, who recently joined the Big Shot planning team.
With the Big Shot, RIT photographers take long-exposure pictures, with the shutter of the cameras opened anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes.
The volunteers, who hold the flash devices, create multiple sources of light, while lights in homes and businesses in the surrounding area are turned off.
The object appears to glow in dark space, said RIT professor of biomedical photography Michael Peres about the pictures produced by this technique.
Big Shot began in 1987, when Peres and Bill DuBois, now professor emeritus of photography at RIT, were looking for effective ways to teach electronic flash photography and wanted to create an extracurricular activity that involved students.
Highland Hospital was the subject of the first Big Shot.
Dawn Tower DuBois, Bill DuBois wife, joined the team and took the photos using a box camera on a tripod and black-and-white Kodak film.
LEBO Beto Junction Travel Centers video games carry Phone Card and Phone Time labels in a bid to put linguistic distance between these potentially illegal devices and the intensely regulated and heavily taxed slot machines available at Kansas casinos.
A dollar inserted into one of the truck stops machines provided immediate access to a game that looked like, played like and paid like a casino slot. One of these for amusement only devices produced a stub promising a $6 payoff, while others were good for $5 toward a telephone calling card.
The cash transaction at Beto Junction paralleled the action of authentic slots at Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Dodge City, the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane and soon-to-open Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
That is a point of interest to officials at the Kansas Lottery, which fills the role of owner at the three casinos, as well master of the old-school lottery.
If there is something gray, or illegal, we want em gone, said Dennis Wilson, executive director of the Kansas Lottery.
He suspects many machines sprinkled across the state violate Kansas law and invited the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission to play hardball with merchants hosting untaxed, undocumented and unregulated gaming devices.
We are not the regulatory body, he said. We can complain.
NOT SO FAST
KRGC, state coordinating agency for complaints about illegal gaming, has been concentrating on law enforcement duties required to open Mulvanes casino this month and prepare for opening the casino in Wyandotte County in February.
Catching merchants and customers engaging in a felony payment tied to gray machines winnings requires undercover work. It isnt on the agenda at KRGC, which assigns a couple of employees to investigate tips on illegal gaming. About 150 complaints each year involve gray machines.
We have to rely on people reporting them to us, said KRGCchairman William Falstad. When they do, we dont have the staff to get them.
He said some incarnations were represented by operators as games of skill in an effort to evade law enforcement.
They can rig those machines and do anything they want, Falstad said.
KRGC executive director Richard Petersen-Klein said he wasnt satisfied with Kansas inability to bring order to the gray-market side of gaming. He said financial necessity shoved the enforcement burden on local police and prosecutors.
The Kansas Supreme Court clouded enforcement issues in April by ruling unconstitutional the Kansas Legislatures attempt to ban gray machines. If the high court affirmed a new bright-line definition, Falstad said, KRGC would struggle to effectively enforce the standard within the existing budget.
There is no way in the world we can wander around in every nightclub or country club looking for those, Falstad said. That would be a large cost.
TOTAL COMPLIANCE
Beto Junctions travel plaza anchors the intersection of Interstate 35 and US-75 highway. It has been a haven of travelers, drivers, expediters and four-legged companions since 1977.
Store manager Patty Anderson said options in the game room were thinned to three on account of the economy.
It used to be a very hot room, she said.
She said Beto Junctions machines were in total compliancewith state law, but she referred questions to VisionComm Inc., of Grand Island, Neb. No one at the company returned calls about a $1 game allowing people to secure discount telephone cards while playing to compile credits toward a bonus.
A document attached to a machine explained a free sweepstakes alternative not requiring a purchase. US residents over 18 years of age can get a voucher by sending a self-addressed envelope to VisionComm. The voucher entitles the holder to a 15-minute telephone card and a chance to play for bonus points.
If gamers accumulate enough credits, a receipt documenting the cash payout can be redeemed at the fuel desk.
Holly Wetzel, spokeswoman atAmerican Gaming Association in Washington, DC, said variations on this theme were accessible nationwide. The legal status of each depends on state regulations, she said.
She said nobody had a handle on the numbers of machines in US bars, restaurants and clubs nor the volume of cash flowing through this niche of the underground economy.
KANSAS BAN
State and local officials in Kansas over the years conducted periodic raids in an attempt to deter purveyors of suspected illegal gaming devices.
Nine machines and $5,000 in cash were confiscated in September attwo Wichita gas stations. In 2009, KRGC seized two dozen Quarter Slider machines at locations statewide that required a player to drop a quarter onto a platform on the chance coins would fall over an edge.
In 2007, the Legislature passed a bill authorizing construction of four casinos and introduction of slot machines at three horse or dog racetracks. Lawmakers added a ban on any mechanical or electronic device not authorized by the Kansas Lottery, available for public play and capable of simulating a game played on slot machines approved for casinos and racetracks.
The Kansas Lottery sent retailers notices warning possession of gray machines could result in prosecution and trigger forfeiture of contracts to sell liquor or lottery tickets.
Three Wyandotte County businessmen with these amusement devices in their businesses didnt appreciate the prohibition. Their lawsuit claimed the statute was vague and didnt protect them from arbitrary enforcement.
Shawnee County District Court Judge Charles Andrews upheld the ban, but an appeal reached theSupreme Court.
SUPREMES POUNCE
The high court unanimously ruled in April the law on gray machines was fatally flawed. In declaring the statute unconstitutional, justices said the measure was so poorly constructed it banned personal computers and spinners attached to Twister games.
This statute, as it is currently drafted, deprives citizens and businesses in Kansas of their fundamental rights to own property, Justice Eric Rosen wrote for the court.
He said the computer used to write the opinion could be viewed as a gray machine. Same goes for his telephone, which might be used to place bets.
This suggests that no rational basis exists for the sweeping definition of gray machines, the opinion said.
Government officials in Kansas arent alone in wrestling with regulatory challenges of their making.
Wes Ehrecke, president of the Iowa Gaming Association in West Des Moines, worked with casino operators to challenge a decision by the Iowa Lottery Authority in 2004 to invite businesses to install slot-like machines.
More than 6,700 TouchPlay devices went into 3,200 grocery stores, gas stations, tanning salons, bars, restaurants and laundries. TouchPlay generated $30 million in state taxes, but saturation of the machines in Iowa communities generated intense backlash.
Kids were playing, Ehrecke said. There was a spike in addictive behavior. There was also crime with people trying to steal machines.
The outcry was sufficient to convince the Iowa Legislature to ban the devices in 2006.
VESTED INTEREST
The Kansas Lottery sells $232 million in tickets annually, which generates $70 million for the state. Lottery-owned casinos in Dodge City, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kan., are expected to add $40 million this fiscal year to the state treasury.
Wilson, top administrator at the lottery, said stakes were too high to leave state enterprises vulnerable to illicit machines.
We obviously have a large investment in the gaming houses and in the traditional lottery, he said. Machines out there look, smell, taste and act like slot machines.Thats unfair competition.
Key House and Senate committee chairman with jurisdiction over gambling are willing to take a fresh look at the gray-machine topic.
I do have an interest,said Rep. Steve Brunk, a Bel Aire Republican and chairman of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. If we have a law that is unclear, it should be clarified.
Salina Sen. Pete Brungardt, GOP chairman of the Senates parallel committee, said the state had a responsibility to protect its gaming investments and a duty to serve a consumer-protection role.
He said a fix required precision to comply with Supreme Court sentiment on electronic games mimickingauthentic brethren.
Parsing the differences is difficult, Brungardt said. It comes down to computer programs. It really is a vexing kind of problem.
Tim Carpenter can be reached
at (785) 295-1158
or timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com. Read his blog at cjonline.com/blog/political-runoff.
Its a great big beautiful tomorrow! always seems to be a great theme to this time of the year. We are so ready to look towards the future, especially in the amusement industry. But 2011 has been an amazing year in the industry, from all the great new attractions that have opened, to the new things announced for this year. Some major news has shaken the theme park world, both in good and bad ways.
So looking back, one last time, we take a look at the top 11 news stories in the theme park world in the past year. Yes, 11 in 2011 is a bit cliched, but then again..so are we! Heres a look at some of the biggest stories of the year.
11-Japan Earthquake hits Tokyo Disneyland: On March 11th a massive 8.9 earthquake hit off of the coast of Japan. It triggered a huge tsunami that swept across the country. Right in the middle of it all? The happiest place in Japan..Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea felt the effects of the earthquake. People became stranded in the park as train service was effected. The staff of the park handled guests in an extremely good manner, and many were able to leave after being held in the park for hours. The park suffered damage to several of the rides, including the monorail system. The park reopened a few months later with all of the rides in operation. Since then Japan has had two more Earthquakes, with the last one hitting January 2nd, 2012.
10-Tropical Storm Lee effects Northeast parks: In an odd twist of weather, Tropical Storm Lee effect several parks in the Northeast, mostly in Pennsylvania. Knoebels and Hersheypark had portions completely submerged. Several rides were damaged, and at Hersheyparks ZooAmerica, the waters rose so fast that the park was not able to evacuate two American Bison. One Bison drowned, while the other was euthanized to prevent it from suffering. Many fans and critics rose up in arms in outrage, though the park stood by its decision. Flood waters went from inches to feet in a matter of seconds. The storm had previously dumped tons of rain and wind to parts of Virginia as well as disrupting operations at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
9-Star Tours 2 Opens at Disney Hollywood Studios: In a case that had many fans going FINALLY! Disney unveiled its long in development Star Tours 2. The ride not only underwent a huge rehab to the aging vehicles, but it also received upgrades to the queue, the ride film, and the entire experience was converted to digital 3D. The attraction also boasts that no ride will ever be the same, as you have the possibility of getting different missions and being taken to several new worlds. The star of the show, however, was the addition of the digital 3D. It was the first time a show or attraction had been as crisp and clear.
8-Six Flags announces it will GO BIG in 2012: Six Flags had a very good year, opening up several new attractions, and having one of its legendary coasters-The Texas Giant, receive a revolutionary upgrade. It wasnt enough for the mega thrill chain, as they announced a new attraction for every single Six Flags Park in 2012. Several parks will be getting new coasters, such as the APOCALYPSE coaster at Six Flags America, X-flight coaster at Six Flags Great America, the Super Man:Ultimate Flight launch coaster, and of course the Lex Luthors 400 foot tall Drop of Doom. The new President of Six Flags also announced that this wasnt going to be the last time that every single park in the chain got new toys. Jim Reid-Anderson said that it would be an annual event of announcing new attractions for every single Six Flags park.
7-Sea World Orlando announces massive expansion-With other parks in the Orlando area getting major upgrades, SeaWorld Orlando decided to throw their hat in the ring by announcing two new attractions for 2012, and completely rebuilding another section of the park for 2013. In 2012, the Manatee Encounter attraction will become Turtle Trek. The area will feature not only Manatees, but also several different types of Florida marine life. The centerpiece of the area will be Turtle Trek a completely immersive, CGI, 3D experience that will completely surround you in the journey of a special sea turtle. Over at Discovery Cove, they are adding Freshwater Oasis which allow guests to swim with otters and monkeys. In 2013, the park will open Antarctica:Empire of the Penguins which will be a completely new area that incorporates a dark ride, with live animal interactions, as well as several other attractions.
6-Halloween Horror Nights:Usually Halloween Horror Nights Orlando steals the show, but this year Hollywood kicked up their event into high gear. Houses based on Eli Roths Hostel, Alice Coopers Welcome to My Nightmare, and of course Universal Films-The Thing and Wolfman made this years event the biggest yet for the park. Over in Orlando, Lady Luck scared her way into the hearts of fans, with eight all new haunted houses. The park shared a house with Hollywood with a house based on The Thing Prequel, but thats where the similarities ended. During HHN XX, the park promised that a new age of darkness would begin. They kept their word by not only bringing back any familiar characters, but trying new things such as an absence of chainsaws, scarezones that would change through the night, and a completely different show. While it wasnt the best for some, it was still a change, which is a bold move in haunt season when other parks like Busch Gardens Tampa is sticking to the same old boring houses and shows, and fans cling to the old ways while demanding something different.
5-Disney adds/changes expansion plans:I dont care what you say, the New Fantasyland was a direct response to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Once Disney officials saw what Universal was able to accomplish, and the amount of profit they were able to make with the boy wizard, they went back to the drawing board-so to speak. No longer convinced that pixies and princesses were the answer, the park decided to refit their Snow White ride. The Scary Adventures of Snow White dark ride will close, and they will add an all new mine coaster featuring the first Disney princess. Plans also shifted away from pixies, and more towards the familiar princesses. Disneyland opened their Little Mermaid dark ride to so-so reviews, and gave a jaw dropping preview of Carsland and the new rides at California Adventure, giving hope that the area will be a hit.
4-Avatar coming to Disney: No longer convinced that Disney can compete with the likes of Harry Potter with just Princesses and Pixie Dust, they announced that the number 1 box office hit of all times will be making its home at Animal Kingdom. James Cameron will be working with Disney to bring the world of Avatar to life in 2015. No word on the types of attractions, but it will most likely utilize cutting edge technology. Cameron revolutionized the theme park world with Universal in the 90s with T2:3D Battle Across Time. While the skill is definitely there, many critics wonder if Avatar will be as timeless as some of the other Disney properties, or if Disney will invest the money needed to come up with something that will please fans.
3-JAWS closing at Universal Orlando-Just before the holiday season kicked into high gear, Universal Orlando announced that it will be closing one of the most beloved rides at Universal Studios. JAWS was one of the original rides at the park, and has undergone a few transformations. It is reported as one of the most costliest rides to maintain, and has several components that have escalated in price over time. High fuel costs, and the cost of having Skippers on every single boat most likely lead to the decision to close the attraction. On top of that, the park has announced that it will be closing the entire Amity area. After JAWS closes there will only be carnival games and food booths left anyway. The park has tried to close the attraction in the past, but was met with so much fan opposition and support that it decided to keep the attraction open. This time, the park immediately announced that they will be replacing the aging attraction with something new, but have not revealed exactly what.
2-The Wizarding World grows: Who could have foreseen the massive profits that Harry Potter would have brought to Orlando. In a not so shocking announcement, Universal Hollywood also announced that they will be bringing Hogwarts to Hollywood. No details were given, but an entire area of the park, with several rides will have to be demolished in order to construct the new area. In addition, the Orlando park has confirmed that they will expand the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but have not given details as of when or what. The answer comes in the form of several rumors, and the fact that a major area will be closed very soon. It hasnt been 100% confirmed, but the Wizarding World will most likely go into Universal Studios in the old JAWS/Amity area of the park. It will focus on the Muggle side of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and transport guests next door to Islands of Adventure and Hogsmeade. For a full list of rumors about this, visit here.
1-Legoland Florida: In early 2010, Merlin Entertainment announced that they would be bringing their form of family entertainment to Florida with Legoland Florida. They would transform the derelict Cypress Gardens into a childrens wonderland aimed just at families with children 2-12 years old. They would completely alienate the older crowd, and if you didnt like itthey didnt care. Fast forward a mere 14 months later, and Legoland Florida is born. The park completely transformed acres of trees and old buildings and made everything new again. The reviews were positive across the board, and the crowds have been packing the park ever since the gates opened in October. During the busy holiday season, the park reached capacity several times and had to close its doors to guests who hadnt made it through the gates. It had to extend operating hours and even made plans to expand in 2012 with an all new Lego Waterpark.
Honorable mentions include-
Dec 31, 2011
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Stuck in a dreary staff meeting this summer, the new president of the nation’s third-biggest amusement park chain decided to shake things up by taking everyone for a spin on one of the world’s fastest roller coasters.
As they neared the coaster, a young woman noticed an executive wearing a tie and somewhat jokingly asked if he could get her group to the front of the line. “As a matter of fact, I can,” Cedar Fair Entertainment Co.’s Matthew Ouimet told her.
“It just made my day, and it made theirs,” he said.
Ouimet, who was named Cedar Fair’s president this summer and adds the chief executive post this week, wants to bring more such magical moments to the company’s parks in the Midwest and along both coasts. He knows how to do it after spending 17 years managing Walt Disney Co.’s resorts, theme parks and cruise line.
He sees adding more rides that entire families can enjoy together and using technology to better connect with guests before they arrive and once they’re inside the parks. And there might be a few surprises added along the way.
“We’ve always got to be known for great thrills,” Ouimet said in a recent interview. “It has served us well. But I also want to be known for great connections, and that this is where families come together.”
Once a regional amusement park chain, Cedar Fair has become an industry giant with 17 amusement and water parks, including Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio and Knott’s Berry Farm near Los Angeles. It also has five hotels near its parks.
Its parks are known for big roller coasters and kiddie rides themed to the “Peanuts” comic strip characters.
Cedar Fair drew a record 22 million visitors in 2010 and is expected to announce even larger numbers for 2011, mainly because more people are looking for fun close to home.
“If during a recession were doing record attendance, there’s still something very solid about the product,” Ouimet said.
He came to the company in June to replace Richard Kinzel, who retired after running Cedar Fair for 25 years. He’s spent the last six months getting to know the Sandusky-based company’s staff and its properties.
“The vast majority of our guests come from within 300 miles,” he said. “They grew up with these parks. They want it to be as good as they remember when they were kids.”
His philosophy is fairly simple: Open the gates and rides on time; keep the park is clean; and make sure the employees are friendly.
“You never lose focus that it’s the people who work in the park who are most important to your success,” Ouimet said. “If it’s a choice between having a great roller coaster or a great team, I’ll take a great team.”
One of the first new moves under his direction will come in January when a new online platform will make it easier to buy tickets and daily parking passes and find information for Cedar Fair’s four biggest parks. Sites for the rest of the parks will go live before their seasons open.
The company also is looking at how to reach visitors through their smartphones while they are in the park.
“I can tell you which lines are shorter, where Snoopy is,” Ouimet said. “You will have a better experience if we can get you better information.”
Cedar Fair’s formula in recent years has been to develop its parks by adding big steel coasters to bring in crowds. The drawback, Ouimet said, is that they aren’t attractions an entire family can ride.
“The biggest gap we have, or opportunity, is to find rides or shows that everybody enjoys,” he said. “That’s what Disney pulls off very well.”
Focusing on more than big thrills is a smart move, said Dennis Spiegel, a theme-park consultant who is president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc.
“There’s more to this business than roller coasters,” he said. “Because when you attend as a family, you spend as a family.”
Spiegel, who helped build several of the parks Cedar Fair now owns, said Ouimet will bring a broad vision to Cedar Fair and expects him to emphasize “doing the little things nobody does better than Disney.”
Ouimet wants to create some surprises in the parks, starting this summer. That might mean seeing more costumed characters or finding unexpected performers pop up in the parks. Some will be announced while others will be hidden finds.
“It’s not always what you expected that you remember. It’s what you came across,” Ouimet said.
While with Disney, he oversaw the financial management of its resort, theme park and corporate real estate projects in California, Florida and France. He later became president of the cruise line and Disneyland Resort.
Ouimet also spent two years as president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts before leaving the company in 2008.
It’s doubtful that Cedar Fair will be building any hotels soon, he said, even though it has plenty of room around several parks, including Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo.; Kings Dominion, near Richmond, Va.; and Carowinds, in Charlotte, N.C.
That’s mainly because the company still has a heavy debt of about $1.5 billion lingering from its acquisition of Paramount Parks Inc. in 2006.
Instead, Ouimet would rather partner with existing hotels and develop the company’s land with campgrounds and other attractions.
The goal is to get people to stay a second day, making for more spending and a more relaxed visit.
“The world is more complicated and stressful than we want it to be,” Ouimet said. “I’m successful if you’re smiling and laughing.”
Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This was to run in the NDN on January 4th, but alas, I was bumped by the obituaries, oh well, let’s try it on here. Aftermath and Electronics Whew! The chaos has subsided and the leftovers are all gone. The dishwasher has been emptied of all the special pots and pans and dishes that we only drag out once or twice a year. The wrapping paper and ribbons have all been safely tucked away until next year when we can display our artistic ability of the beautiful and perfectly wrapped present. We ask ourselves why the perfection as we witness our work of art unceremoniously ripped away with abandon, telling ourselves next year its a bag and tissue paper! The culmination of weeks of Christmas preparation has climaxed and we are forced back into our normal routine and we are now experiencing the low emotional consequence of the aftermath. Almost everyone in my family received some new state-of-the-art electronic gadget, which is really the subject of this article and my consternation. Starting with my 6-year-old granddaughter and on to my nieces and nephews and including my siblings, all received a wonderful piece of equipment that apparently can do anything. My granddaughter was eager and excited to show what her new, little device could do. Me, being the techno-moron that I am, would only know that an apple or a blackberry are fruits, a nook is the thing you will find next to the cranny and iPad, iPhone or iPod is just bad spelling and grammar. So heres the thing. There were a few moments of perfect silence throughout that chaotic Christmas day as everyone was busy pounding on their new little gray screens. Demonstrating my family exploring their new toys is a sight gag and it will be hard to explain without witnessing my exaggerated hand gestures and face mugging. I would need to be standing in front of you as I do a whole bit and pretend Im holding what looks like a mini-computer monitor. I pretend Im typing on a teeny tiny screen keyboard, then with large sweeping movements I slide my index finger across the screen as if Im looking for a particular image and then with my index finger and thumb, I pretend Im making the image larger. Then of course I will laugh and mug as I display the pretend screen to the whole room. The reality for me is trying to be enthusiastic when my loved one wants to demonstrate his or her new toy. I will do my best to bestow the three As of significant enthusiasm with equal amounts of APPREHENSION, AMUSEMENT and ADMIRATION. When my granddaughter is showing me how to play the new game on her computer thingy, I must show appreciative apprehension as she gears it up, my amusement at the amazing game must be exhibited with gusto and when she scores big I will hug her and make obvious my admiration! If she only knew, if they all realized that number one, I cant see a thing on those small, gray screens even with my granny glasses. Number two, Im deaf in one ear so I must struggle to hear what is coming out of the obnoxious itsy bitsy speaker and number three, my understanding of any computer game is less than zero, so really I would have no idea if you won or lost the game. The adult electronics may be more sophisticated and do remarkable things and I will properly display the three As of significant enthusiasm, but I admit I am no more adept at these toys than I am with my granddaughters electronic game. I know the on switch and I know the off switch and to operate anything in between I will have to get my granddaughter to help me. Of course by next year every piece of electronics that was received this year will be totally obsolete and Im sure my family will replace them with the newest state-of-the-art gadget when next Christmas rolls around. They will be ever more stylish and complicated with pretty buttons, bells and whistles and I guarantee, I will still be clueless. I can only hope that the little gray screens will be replaced with large and loud hologram technology so old granny can see what the heck is going on!
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The cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah got an opportunity to mix some work with pleasure recently.
The team spent a day enjoying various rides like Monster, Zyclone, Hoola loop and also ice skating at an amusement park. It was a day of fun and frolic for the cast and crew.
We are like an amusement park ride, Montini coach Jason Nichols said. You have moments where you enjoy it and moments where you feel queasy to your stomach.
Sophomore Kateri Stone provided the majority of the enjoyable moments for the Broncos (18-4), knocking down three 3-pointers in the first quarter and another big momentum-shifter in the fourth on her way to 15 points.
She was the beneficiary of several open looks as Loyola tried to shut down Montinis inside game. Without a player over 6-feet tall, the Ramblers were forced to double Tianna Brown (6-0), Malayna Johnson (6-4) and Diamond Thompson (6-4).
Obviously they have a little more inside than we do, Ramblers coach Jeremy Schoenecker said. We had to leave some of their players unguarded.
After falling behind 14-3 after the first quarter, Loyola clawed back during the second and third. Kathleen Stralka scored 10 of her team-high 13 points during the second to keep the deficit under 10 at the half.
But once Loyola (14-5) cut the lead to five at the end of the third quarter, Montini got its wind back. Stones 3-pointer was followed by a 3 from Nikia Edom, who added a steal and breakaway basket to run the lead to 13.
I think it was just how tough we were, Stone said. Both teams were hot and cold and it was just who could pull it out in the end.
Nichols was just glad to see his team close the game after the Broncos let leads slip away against St. Joseph and Hononegah. Montini hit 7 of 8 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
It is rocky, Stone said. We take a few steps backwards before moving forward.
Player of the game: Kateri Stone, Montini, 15 points, 4 3-pointers, 4 rebounds, 1 block.
Key performers: Montini Nikia Edom, 11 points, 2 steals, 3 assists; Tianna Brown, 15 points, 7 rebounds. Loyola Kathleen Stralka, 13 points; Sarah Elston, 11 points.