Thursday, June 13, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Mystic Manor / Mystic Point - Hong Kong Disneyland - Reflection
Experienced the attraction a week after opening 10+ times. The best storyline build from entrance, thru the queue, and pre-show of any Disney attraction on Earth, a solid original storyline tie-in with SEA (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) started at Tokyo Disney*SEA* and Harrison Hightower, one of the top musical scores of any Disney attraction by Danny Elfman, an amazing ride system which rivals TDL's Pooh's Hunny Hunt and one-ups it given that the carriages can twist on the base while being GPS driven on a trackless system, superb special effects and AA scenes, a restaurant next door that continues the storyline of SEA and nods to the defunct Adventurers club from WDW, and it never has a line (typical of HKDL it was a 5 to 20 min wait with no FP offered). There were some RIDICULOUS budget cuts made that reared their ugly head in many instances in the ride and in the land. The worst offense being a fully functional built-out train depot at Mystic Point next to the train track that does not load passengers because the train cars face the wrong direction (TOTAL FAIL - They should have moved the station or put in a tunnel). Overall, it's a crown jewel in the Disney attraction lineup only inline with 3 other attractions being Radiator Springs Racers (DCA), Pooh's Hunny Hunt (TDL), and Grizzly Gulch Runaway Mine Cars (also in HKDL - same ride system and cars as Everest but 4 times better with 3 full AA scenes and 3 faster track switches to EE's one slow one - and the AA's actually work). HKDL has finally posted a profit this year and is now a park to contend with and worth visiting. Hong Kong is one of the most dynamic and gorgeous cities on Earth, is insanely SIMPLE to navigate as English is spoken just as much as Chinese and given their superb transportation infrastructure, and should be on your must-do list as a true Disney park fan. This was my 3rd trip to Hong Kong and was glad to have experienced Mystic Point in all it's glory. It's still an attraction begging to be properly plus'ed in 5 years time once the park grows into it's own. Again, they really cut some corners inside the attraction and left a ton of room for improvement down the road once the money starts rolling in. Heck, HKDL has room for a DTD, and a second gate. This will all happen...just a matter of time.
Fun Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8802777102/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8802737382/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8798939879/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934311905/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934318235/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934951632/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934955452/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934453301/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8935058826/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8935035572/in/photostream/lightbox/
Fun Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8802777102/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8802737382/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8798939879/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934311905/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934318235/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934951632/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934955452/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8934453301/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8935058826/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/8935035572/in/photostream/lightbox/
Saturday, April 27, 2013
A reality check in regards to violence and how insignificant your problems are..
Think the adversity you are dealing with in your life or what you've dealt with in your life is "devastating" or "really tough?" Let's have a reality check because, trust me, anyone reading this lives in a world of bliss compared to what could be happening. I'm not trying to discount the heartbreak and struggles we all have had during our lives but I'm trying to put things into perspective and not take for granted what I have and have had throughout my life. Bottom line, I couldn't have lived a better or luckier life than I've lived no matter the little speed bumps. The funny thing about it all? It's all uphill from here as I work hard to re-position my business to, hopefully, experience "real money" for once and work towards re-locating my personal space in the near future. Trust me, the adversity I've experienced has been nothing but ant droppings in comparison to most of what the world deals with and so have the "troubles" you've faced.
We've seen much senseless violence going on over the past 6 months and it had me thinking. I just had to re-adjust my compass a bit and realize that what I've experienced in the past and what may slap me in the face here in the near future is a joke.
Let's start small. So, this evil bomb called the "Tsar Bomba" was detonated by the Russians in 1961 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsar_Bomba - This bomb was about 2x the strength of the 3rd largest earthquake in recorded history which caused destruction and loss of life to an extent that marks it as one of the largest natural disasters in recorded human history. Don't think nuclear weapons are evil? Think again. This bomb had the strength of 57 megatons of TNT. The Boxing Day Earthquake which occured in the Indian Ocean and triggered the devastating tsunami released energy equivalent to 26 Megatons of TNT, shifted the Earth's axis by 1 cm, and killed over 230,000 people without a shot fired. Food for thought, isn't it? I hope I die and my Son's children die before another nuclear arms race begins and we destroy ourselves. I can't believe I grew up during the nuclear arms race / cold war and have been fortunate enough to not be involved in violence and you should be feeling fortunate right about now as well because, odds are, you grew up during this time as well. Count your blessings if you lead a "boring ass life" and don't have to dodge bullets every so often because it's happening right now in many places around the world. The Middle East has been in unrest for decades.
Recently, The Syrian Civil War comes to mind. Want to see what real adversity is all about? Click the following link as I did one day and found myself uncontrollably shedding tears as I was, literally, sitting in a hotel room in a Communist country:
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/syria-in-ruins/100402/
Peace is good but, sadly, a challenging state for us all to reach due, mostly, to factors that are so unbelievably not worth the blood spilled (*cough* - organized storybook bullshit religions). Violence is barbaric ignorance showing it's face. Plain and simple.
The one war dubbed, "The Forgotten War" remains one of the bloodiest wars in our recent history fought on a relatively small scale in comparison to those wars that even the most uneducated or, simply, uninformed dolts can name such as WWII and The Vietnam War. The Korean War was estimated to have taken 1.2 MILLION lives and most you'll talk to cannot even tell you what that war was about and, surprisingly enough, never ended. North and South Korea has remained in a state of war readiness since the fighting stopped but the war itself was never resolved and tensions have remained thick for decades now.
Take a step back and slap yourself for a moment. Your troubles are miniscule and you are a damn lucky person on this Earth no matter the perceived "hell" you've been through. We've all been handed said "hell" in our lives but it's nothing in comparison to which could be happening. Walk 10 steps to your faucet that instantly brings you clean drinking water and think for just one second about the millions that don't have that luxury for themselves or even their children they are trying to raise and give a chance.
In this all, I can be certain, life is a glorious gift for me and for those I know no matter what is dealt them. We've been shielded from true horror and pain that exists RIGHT NOW in this world. Keep that in mind when you have a stressful day and be glad you aren't busy ducking bullets or holding your child in your arms whose been shredded to pieces by gunfire. Simply be glad that you live in peace. Everything else is material, fleeting, bullshit that will not last in your life. Your loves, your friends, your dates, your homes, your cars, and on and on. Nothing lasts but peace in your life can and you, most likely, will live a blissful existence devoid or such awful horrors brought by the terror of war. Your life will only change in insignificant ways when you look at the big picture of what's really going on out there because you were given more choices and options than the average human on this mud ball. Just remember that the next time you bitch about something that bothers you because, let's face it, you're being ridiculously narrow-minded and truly are a lucky soul on this planet that should be thankful. Last, let's not forget. You could instantly and, without warning, die tomorrow. You actually could.
We've seen much senseless violence going on over the past 6 months and it had me thinking. I just had to re-adjust my compass a bit and realize that what I've experienced in the past and what may slap me in the face here in the near future is a joke.
Let's start small. So, this evil bomb called the "Tsar Bomba" was detonated by the Russians in 1961 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsar_Bomba - This bomb was about 2x the strength of the 3rd largest earthquake in recorded history which caused destruction and loss of life to an extent that marks it as one of the largest natural disasters in recorded human history. Don't think nuclear weapons are evil? Think again. This bomb had the strength of 57 megatons of TNT. The Boxing Day Earthquake which occured in the Indian Ocean and triggered the devastating tsunami released energy equivalent to 26 Megatons of TNT, shifted the Earth's axis by 1 cm, and killed over 230,000 people without a shot fired. Food for thought, isn't it? I hope I die and my Son's children die before another nuclear arms race begins and we destroy ourselves. I can't believe I grew up during the nuclear arms race / cold war and have been fortunate enough to not be involved in violence and you should be feeling fortunate right about now as well because, odds are, you grew up during this time as well. Count your blessings if you lead a "boring ass life" and don't have to dodge bullets every so often because it's happening right now in many places around the world. The Middle East has been in unrest for decades.
Recently, The Syrian Civil War comes to mind. Want to see what real adversity is all about? Click the following link as I did one day and found myself uncontrollably shedding tears as I was, literally, sitting in a hotel room in a Communist country:
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/syria-in-ruins/100402/
Peace is good but, sadly, a challenging state for us all to reach due, mostly, to factors that are so unbelievably not worth the blood spilled (*cough* - organized storybook bullshit religions). Violence is barbaric ignorance showing it's face. Plain and simple.
The one war dubbed, "The Forgotten War" remains one of the bloodiest wars in our recent history fought on a relatively small scale in comparison to those wars that even the most uneducated or, simply, uninformed dolts can name such as WWII and The Vietnam War. The Korean War was estimated to have taken 1.2 MILLION lives and most you'll talk to cannot even tell you what that war was about and, surprisingly enough, never ended. North and South Korea has remained in a state of war readiness since the fighting stopped but the war itself was never resolved and tensions have remained thick for decades now.
Take a step back and slap yourself for a moment. Your troubles are miniscule and you are a damn lucky person on this Earth no matter the perceived "hell" you've been through. We've all been handed said "hell" in our lives but it's nothing in comparison to which could be happening. Walk 10 steps to your faucet that instantly brings you clean drinking water and think for just one second about the millions that don't have that luxury for themselves or even their children they are trying to raise and give a chance.
In this all, I can be certain, life is a glorious gift for me and for those I know no matter what is dealt them. We've been shielded from true horror and pain that exists RIGHT NOW in this world. Keep that in mind when you have a stressful day and be glad you aren't busy ducking bullets or holding your child in your arms whose been shredded to pieces by gunfire. Simply be glad that you live in peace. Everything else is material, fleeting, bullshit that will not last in your life. Your loves, your friends, your dates, your homes, your cars, and on and on. Nothing lasts but peace in your life can and you, most likely, will live a blissful existence devoid or such awful horrors brought by the terror of war. Your life will only change in insignificant ways when you look at the big picture of what's really going on out there because you were given more choices and options than the average human on this mud ball. Just remember that the next time you bitch about something that bothers you because, let's face it, you're being ridiculously narrow-minded and truly are a lucky soul on this planet that should be thankful. Last, let's not forget. You could instantly and, without warning, die tomorrow. You actually could.
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