Friday, May 21
From the BBC:
(I remove the knotted handkerchief from my head to salute Iain for the link.)
Fire damages famous Blackpool ride
One of Blackpool Pleasure Beach's most popular and historic rides will have to be repaired after a major fire. No-one was injured but the wooden-framed Grand National, which opened in 1935, was one of three rides damaged in the fire. Fifty firefighters took two and a half hours to control the fire which broke out at about 2130 BST on Thursday.
It is believed the fire started in the queuing station for the Grand National ride. Tracks and ride cars were destroyed near the ticket station. The Alice in Wonderland and Trauma Towers rides were also damaged.
(I remove the knotted handkerchief from my head to salute Iain for the link.)
"I have got two phobias - the fear of rollercoasters and taking my clothes off in public - so that gets two things in one go."
(Thanks, and hats off to Iain.)
Thursday, May 20
Gay Day at Dollywood (which is this Saturday) hits a couple of snags.
Snag #1:
Snag #2:
As the rest of the country debates the rights of gays to marry, there are bigots out there who don't even want them to have fun at an amusment park. Astounding, isn't it?
(Thanks and a tip of the gay party hat to Trevor, for letting me post this first.)
Snag #1:
The Dollywood theme park has asked a gay and lesbian group to immediately stop advertising "Gay Day at Dollywood" for an upcoming event that attracted about 1,000 gays and lesbians, mainly from Tennessee, last year.
The Dollywood attorney's letter, paraphrased and forwarded by activists to fellow gays and lesbians via e-mail around the state and nationwide, has sparked anger.
"What are we supposed to say, 'I'm going to the theme park run by the woman with the big breasts?' " asked Belle Meade resident Michael Romanello, 56. Romanello says he sent out about 200 e-mails to friends on the East Coast yesterday urging them to head to Pigeon Forge for the May 22 event in a gesture of defiance.
Dollywood spokesman Pete Owens said the park was not trying to stop anyone from attending. He said the request was a standard one sent out to anyone in regard to trademark violations. Similar requests have gone out to about two dozen groups, such as tour operators and hotels, who have used the Dollywood name or logo without permission, he said.
Snag #2:
A group of Ku Klux Klan members say they plan to stage a protest outside the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., on Saturday, when a group of gay men and lesbians are expected for a second annual "Gay Day" event.
About 20 KKK protesters will demonstrate against the group's attendance outside the park, Klansman Randy Gray told The Tennessean. Gray said his group organized the protest because Gay Day is "totally opposite of what theme parks are for."
"Theme parks have always been for families. They're going there, I believe, to rub it in our faces, to be like 'ha, ha, we're finally getting our way,'" he said.
Gray, a known Klansman in the area according to area police, said he learned of the event on the Web site of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a hate-group monitoring organization.
Dollywood officials have contacted police, who said they will increase patrols around the park on Saturday.
Dollywood spokesman Pete Owens said, ''Dollywood is a private company, and it's private property. A group that is not part of the Dollywood company is not allowed to demonstrate or distribute any literature on Dollywood property.''
As the rest of the country debates the rights of gays to marry, there are bigots out there who don't even want them to have fun at an amusment park. Astounding, isn't it?
(Thanks and a tip of the gay party hat to Trevor, for letting me post this first.)
Soft Sell Department: Revamped Danny's Land merchandise (t-shirts, mousepads, etc., including some with the new logo) now available at Cafe Press. More swag available at Gift Shop Land.
Wednesday, May 19
"Incredibly, the lion's sculpt perfectly reflects the horror he should be feeling with all of the holes that've been drilled into his body. Seems more like blatant property destruction than an act of nature, and this lion's oppressors didn't stop at the head. No, they were going straight for the throat. I mean ass."
Tuesday, May 18
(An old post, revamped just enough to justify re-posting it. Plus, Shrek 2 will be out soon.)
The Anxiety of Influence, Part Umpteen:
It's a Small World, Shrek and Guinness
But it's possible that both Duloc and the "small world" clock have their origins in the British Guinness Clocks of the 1950s. Maybe not, but it sure looks like it to me. If you want to know what it did, go here.
A video of a different Guinness Clock can be found here.
It's a Small World, Shrek and Guinness
One obvious Disneyland joke in Shrek is the entrance to the town of Duloc, which has an "it's a small world" clock parody. At Disneyland, doors open to reveal cute dancing dolls, in Shrek, doors open to reveal cute dolls singing a cheery and slightly menacing song:
"Welcome to Duloc, such a perfect town
Here we have some rules, let us lay them down,
Don't make waves, stay in line,
And we'll get along fine,
Duloc is a perfect place.
Please keep off of the grass,
Shine your shoes, wipe your...face!
Duloc is, Duloc is
Duloc is a PERFECT PLACE!"
But it's possible that both Duloc and the "small world" clock have their origins in the British Guinness Clocks of the 1950s. Maybe not, but it sure looks like it to me. If you want to know what it did, go here.
A video of a different Guinness Clock can be found here.
Monday, May 17
Mexican candy could be contaminated with lead
BY JEAN PATTESON
The Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO - (KRT) - It's candy with a kick - a kick that could hurt.
Many Mexican candies, instead of delivering a sugar rush, tickle the taste buds with a dash of spicy chili powder. But that powder could be contaminated with deadly lead, warns the Food and Drug Administration...
In Central Florida, Mexican candy is sold in bodegas, delis and some chain groceries in areas with large Hispanic populations. The Sentinel recently spotted candy that has tested positive for lead in a few outlets, including Colonial Market in Orlando, some Publix and Albertsons stores and in the Mexico Pavilion at Disney's Epcot.
She May Read This Blog...
(Thanks and a very belated tip of the trilby to Candi Strecker.)
Sunday, May 16
If you find any broken links, please email me. Even after I slog through this particular project, other links will die, so don't be bashful.
Also note, thanks to a Blogger beta-testing program, I now have Danny's Land Gmail, and will be working toward dropping the Hotmail account. (Sigh. Yet another bunch of links to change.)
