Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky

Wingnut

Retired Staff
 View Profile  See their content

  • Posts

    2,790

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Wingnut

  1. Wingnut

    Quietly passed a major milestone.

    By Wingnut,


    Memories.
    The US observed Thanksgiving just over a week ago.  For me, that was my 10th anniversary as a My Little Pony fan.  I remember it like yesterday, but my then best friend came to Philly to celebrate the holiday.  We shared a common love of cartoons and in fact first met in the Powerpuff Girls fandom.  Anyway, on this occasion she had me sit down and watch the first two episodes of the series online.  We also watched the then all new episode The Mysterious Mare Do Well.  
     
    My first impression?  I wasn’t blown away but I found it to be likable.  Anyway I watched it on and off for the next few months and finally I was totally hooked.    Being a fan opened the door to new friendships and adventures.  It’s hard to believe a decade has come and gone so fast. If it wasn’t for that special holiday moment, I probably wouldn’t be in this forum today.  
  2. Wingnut
    As many of you know, I am an avid lover of pets and that includes those that have made a name for themselves online. I only learned about it today but Bailey died on December 9 due to kidney problems. He was 14. Who’s Bailey? 
    Cats are fickle creatures. Many don’t like kids and just learn to tolerate them. But Bailey truly loved his little human friends. And while I’ve seen a strong bond between cats and children before, Bailey took it to a whole new level. Check out this tribute on People Magazine’s website. 
    https://people.com/pets/instagram-facebook-cat-bailey-dies-fans-send-cards/
    The video of Abby singing to a dying Bailey was just so touching. She’s too young to fully understand death. Yet, she does the most amazing job comforting him despite his pain. While it’s sad he’s no longer with us, I’m glad he died peacefully in the presence of his favorite humans. Rest in peace, buddy. 
     
  3. Wingnut
    It’s been awhile since I did one of these mall blogs. But the choice for this month is easy. Burlington Center Mall has been in a state of decline for about a decade now.  It seems the end is now in sight. The Burlington County Times reports that the mall may now be in the process of shutting down for good. http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20171201/2-nonprofits-asked-to-leave-burlington-mall-amid-potential-closing
    Burlington Center opened in the Philadelphia suburb of Burlington Township, New Jersey in 1982 to great promise. It lies roughly halfway between Philly and Trenton in the I-295 and NJ Turnpike corridor. At the time it appeared well positioned to fill a retail gap in the region. It also sports a fountain sculpture made by the renowned Zenos Frudakis who has created many pieces of public art in recent decades. It’s kinda funny that the most frequent question isn’t what’s going to happen to the mall but what will happen to the elephant? 
    For the first 20 plus years of existence the mall did well.  But other malls in Cherry Hill, Moorestown, and Lawrenceville received expansions and upgrades while Burlington stayed put. Burlington also developed a reputation for crime after a gang fight at the mall in 2007.  This took a toll on business until the landlord could no longer make the mortgage payments.  After being foreclosed upon, the mall was auctioned off to a group called Moonbeam Investments.  They drafted some grand plans for redeveloping the property into an indoor/outdoor hybrid center. But the plans were never formally presented to the township and were seemingly shelved. In the meantime the mall continued to bleed tenants. Today in December of 2017 there are only about five stores left. Also, the wing containing the elephant fountain was walled off to prepare for demolition which never got underway. Dan Bell’s video dates from 2015 and it’s much worse now. Even the Foot Locker shown in the next, more recent video is now gone.  
     
  4. Wingnut
    The Schuylkill Mall: 1980 to 2017. 
    The doors can be closed any day now, so if you're near Frackville, PA, I suggest you visit as soon as possible.  This mall is symptomatic of the economic decline of the Pennsylvania coal region more than the current trend away from mall shopping.  The mall was one of several planned and built by Crown American in largely rural areas near Interstate highway exits.  Another one, the Shippensburg Mall, is also along I-81. That mall is very weak and possibly dying as well, but that one isn't in imminent danger of closing.  The same can't be said of the Schuylkill Mall.  
    The previous owner of the Schuylkill Mall declared bankruptcy last year due to declining sales.  Subsequently, the property was auctioned off and purchased by NorthPoint development, a company which specializes in building logistical facilities.  At that point, the writing was on the wall.  In May the tenants were given 60-90 days to vacate.  We're now beyond the end of that period and the mall's website was taken down.  I don't know if any inline stores are left. But it was announced that demolition will start from the Bon-Ton (already closed) to the Pearl Theater side, allowing the movie theater to remain until the end of the year.  
    Anyway, that's the condensed version of what's happening now.  So, why is the Schuylkill Mall cool and why should anyone care? Because it's one of the best examples of vintage 1970s and 80s retail architecture.   There are now a number of good videos on Youtube featuring this mall which will help preserve the memory of this place and this chapter in the Frackville area's history.  The first one is from Dan Bell which includes an old school commercial that I could have sworn I saw first hand back in the day. This was recorded in 2015. 
    The thumbnail highlights a vintage Spencer's storefront and the video goes on to show the distinctive tile and fountains seen throughout.  It's a shame almost none of this will be preserved.  But I am happy to say that the coal miner statue has found a new home at a nearby mining museum and amusement park.  http://www.knoebels.com/ride-play/attractions/mining-museum
    And just for giggles, here's another walk though the mall.  This one is from February of this year and you can already see how much deader it is.  
     
    UPDATE: The Schuylkill Mall closed its doors for the last time on August 31, 2017.  
  5. Wingnut
    One of America's last surviving multipurpose arenas from the cookie cutter era is nearing the end of a long, remarkable run.  Making its debut in 1961, DC Stadium was home to the NFL's Washington Redskins and Major League Baseball's Washington Senators.  It was renamed in honor of Robert F. Kennedy in 1969 after he was assassinated while running for president.  In 1972 the Senators moved to Arlington, TX and became the Rangers.  But it was Washington's NFL team that had the longest and most successful tenure at RFK.  Between 1982 and 1991, they won three Super Bowls.  Then in 1996, the Redskins moved to the brand new FedEx Field in nearby Landover, MD. For almost a decade, only minor league teams would call RFK home.  
    That changed in 2005 when Major League Baseball returned to Washington. However, RFK was only to be a temporary home through 2007.  Their long term ballpark opened in 2008.  I made my only visit to RFK Stadium in 2007 to watch the Phillies take on the Nationals.  It was as big and impressive, if aged, as I was expecting.  Moreover, it was strange to be in a cookie cutter stadium that outlived the one in my hometown. Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium had a much shorter lifespan from 1971 until it was imploded in 2005.  
    Since the Nationals left, RFK's primary occupant has been Major League Soccer's DC United.  The venerable structure has worked well enough for a time but advanced deterioration is now taking its toll. Furthermore, almost every other MLS team plays in a soccer specific stadium.  After a number of false starts, the United will finally get a new stadium of their own in the 2018 season.
    Here's a brief overview of RFK's history.
    And here is a news report from 2014 that shows just how RFK is falling apart.  
    To follow up on my previous blog, the Schuylkill Mall closed its doors at the end of business on August 31.  The attached movie theater will continue to operate until the end of the year. 
  6. Wingnut
    The Pontiac Silverdome opened in 1975. in Pontiac, Michigan. For the next 26 years the venue was home field to the NFL's Detroit Lions. It also hosted the Detroit Pistons for a time as well as several college and minor league teams. But personally the Silverdome became a favorite of mine as it was the site of Wrestlemania III.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL-SxOAJfQo
    It's hard to believe that 30 years have passed since March 29, 1987. It's one of the few Wrestlemanias I can still remember the exact date of. While Andre the Giant and Hogan headlined the event, Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage nearly stole the show with an insane, non-stop 14 minute thriller that saw many tide changes and two counts. But most of all, WMIII was remembered for being big. Everything about it was big. Even Andre, normally billed at 7'4”, gained an extra inch and was 7'5” for one magical night. There was a lot of exaggeration and years later just about everything has been called into question. Some say that the claim of 93,173 fans in attendance wasn't true and that they couldn't have fit more than 78,000 to 80,000. And it's been pointed out that Andre had lost several matches cleanly prior to this. True, but to the best of my knowledge the statement that the Giant never lost in the WWF is also correct.
    Anyway, after WM III, the Silverdome continued to hold many other events. It saw Super Bowl XVI in 1982. The NFL's championship game would return to Michigan in 2006 but this one was held at the Silverdome's replacement, Ford Field, in downtown Detroit. Almost everything has a life span and that's especially true of sports arenas. After the Lions left in 2001, the Silverdome closed in 2006 and was briefly reopened in 2010. Its doors were shut for good in 2013 and has been awaiting demolition ever since.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1omCkYTa7Ko
    I'm not sure when exactly the fabric roof came down but it's sad to see the tattered pieces strewn about. Pretty sad. Now it just looks like a dead outdoor football field. If it's any consolation, the next dome to host a WrestleMania, Skydome in Toronto, is alive and well as the Rogers Centre.
  7. Wingnut
    Atlantic City has been taking it on the chin lately. A lot. In the span of about a decade this NJ resort town has gone from being the East Coast's Gambling Mecca into a nosedive of plunging revenue and casino closures. What went wrong? Competition emerged, and lots of it. Every neighboring state now boasts casinos of their own. The town that once inspired the game of Monopoly once had a monopoly in the casino industry. But now that they're no longer the only game they're once again seeking to reinvent themselves.
     
    In 2014 four of Atlantic City's casinos closed their doors: The Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza, and the Revel. The Revel, believe it or not, was only open for two years from 2012 to 2014. The huge building never turned a profit. Trump Taj Mahal almost became a fifth casualty that year. It endured lengthy bankruptcy and legal proceedings and eventually ended up in control of Carl Icahn. Icahn warned that a closing was imminent without significant givebacks by the casino's unionized workers. Then he said the Taj would stay open...at least for now. Two years of lost benefits, uncertainty, and unrest defined the operating atmosphere at the Taj. The workers finally hit the picket line this July. Icahn retaliated by saying this removed any possible path to profitability and announced the casino would cease operations this fall with October 10 given as the closing date
     
    Even if you're not a casino fan, this building was the epitome of 1980s casino style. Slathered in fake gold and dozens of huge crystal chandeliers throughout. It was Atlantic City's largest and most remunerative casino until the Borgata opened in 2003.
     
    Here's a video of Taj Mahal from it's grand opening in 1990. The event was headlined by none other than the King of Pop Michael Jackson.
     

     
    And now here's a report on the Taj's current troubles:
     

     
    A temple to Atlantic City's halcyon days as a gambling capital closes for good in just a few days.
  8. Wingnut
    Baltimore is an interesting city I started visiting back in the 1990s. It had a relatively new rail transit system with a subway line and a light rail service reaching out from the center of the city. Two of those lines terminated near enclosed malls. Those were Owings Mills and Hunt Valley and today both are defunct. Hunt Valley has long since been replaced with a lifestyle and power center and this article focuses solely on Owings Mills.
     
    It opened in 1986 to great success and included upscale stores like Saks and Williams Sonoma. But as the years went on competing malls underwent renovations and began to draw those shoppers away. Several well publicized crimes also scared away shoppers including the murder of a mall employee as she was walking between her job and the Baltimore Metro subway station in 1992. By the 2000s the mall had a higher than average vacancy rate and the Great Recession ended any hope of a comeback.
     
    During my 2014 trip to Bronycon, I spent most of my time hanging out with fellow forum members. But for several hours on Sunday, I was nowhere near the convention. Instead, I was taking what would be my last trip to Owings Mills Mall. The end had already been announced for that property. The landlord was going to demolish it and replace it with an open air mixed use development of apartments, office, and retail space. By then the place was almost a total ghost town with just a handful of stores and, I think, one vendor left in the food court which was presumptuously called the Conservatory. About a year later in September of 2015 the doors closed for the last time.
     
    Here is one of Dan Bell's first Dead Mall Series entries. It lacks the vaporware music and thoroughly produced introductions that his later videos are known for. But it's still a great overview of the mall in its final months. Dan did a second video of this mall after dark and with the limited light the place looks strikingly different.
     

     
    Now here's a rare peek into Owings Mills after it was formally closed. Fixtures and items were being auctioned off and thus the public was allowed in on one final occasion. Be sure to check out how it looks now.
     

     
    That's it for this month. In September, I will be taking a break from dead malls to talk about another famous edifice that will soon be meeting its fate. See ya then!
  9. Wingnut
    For July's entry I've decided to stay in the Keystone state. Century III Mall is in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin. It was built on a former slag pile and opened its doors in 1979 and it was an immediate success. But the good times didn't really carry over into this century. By 2010 the mall was in a downward spiral of declining sales and stores. Other malls like South Hills Village or brand new outdoor shopping centers like the Waterfront were siphoning away shoppers. After several years of diminishing returns, Simon Property Group turned in the keys on this property just like they did with Granite Run. It was ultimately sold to Moonbeam Investments which has bought several distressed retail for rock bottom prices in recent years with intentions of fixing them up. It is believed Moonbeam plans to partially demall this building but no concrete details have been released as far as I can tell.
     
    Anyway I had the pleasure of visiting Century III during my trip to Pittsburgh in 2013. I already read a thorough write up on the mall at Labelscar's website seen here http://www.labelscar.com/pennsylvania/century-iii-mall and it also has an entry at Dead Malls http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/century_iii_mall.html Century III was indeed a dead mall and delightfully so. The thing I enjoyed the most about the place was the unorthodox angles the various wings of the mall went off in. Also the mall is split level in some locations and it's all connected by a cool series of ramps and stairways. But one thing they didn't have yet was the carousel. Yup, if you've got nothing else to draw people to your mall, put amusement rides in there.
     
    Century III has gotten extensive coverage on Youtube and here are two of my favorite videos. The first is another Dan Bell entry:
     

     
    And this is from another Youtuber who is closely following in Dan's footsteps with a number of mall videos of his own:
     

     
    I almost forgot about that enormous but empty parking garage. It almost gave me the creeps as I walked past it. I don't think the food court was that abandoned either. In closing, Century III is one mall I'd love to visit again but chances it will close before I get the opportunity to do so. :/
  10. Wingnut
    Talking Kitty fans are mourning the loss of Gibson Cash who succumbed to a bladder infection on April 3. He was one of the main characters in the popular Youtube series along with Sylvester and Shelby. I've watched these videos almost from the beginning and I remember when Gibson was a tiny kitten. It was fun watching him grow up and change over the years. A few months ago, Steve adopted a stray female kitten he named Random. Cats mature fairly quickly though and since Gibson was never fixed, well, I'll let you do the math.
     

     
    It's amazing that Gibson, who was portrayed as a lovable but dimwitted cat, was able to reproduce and leave offspring. That alone would have been the biggest plot twist in Talking Kitty to date. But Gibson's sudden passing managed to overshadow even that. Still, he now has a living legacy in addition to his dozens of Youtube appearances.
     

     
    I honestly teared up while watching that memorial. Ironically, there were at least two times Steve alluded to an early death for Gibson in the series but of course it was just part of the story line.
     

     

     
    When I first saw Fly Away I remember thinking that it would be the perfect song to commemorate Gibson when his time finally came. I had no clue it would be so soon but it was indeed a great tribute for him. Now he's in kitty heaven with other departed Youtube felines like N2 and Flippycat.
     
    Rest in peace, little guy. :3
  11. Wingnut
    This is the first of what may or may not be an ongoing series for me. But I've been on a mall kick lately and I'm focusing on dead and dying malls in particular as they may not be around much longer. To start things off, I am posting a little feature on the colorful Forest Fair Village which is also called Cincinnati Mills and Cincinnati Mall. It has had several name and ownership changes through the years since it opened in 1989. To my knowledge it has never been fully occupied although it did enjoy brief periods of success. This is a huge mall with over 1.5 million square feet of space with room for about 150 stores maximum. Today it is said to have between 4 and 7 interior businesses that are still open. Forest Fair may be the deadest mall today in terms of the percentage of space occupied that hasn't closed altogether. One of the big draws here is the anchor store Bass Pro Shops. But they are expected to relocate to a new building in the Cincy area in 2016. At that time, observers expect Forest Fair's doors to close for good. But for now, visitors can still walk in and enjoy the building's unique décor.
     
    "Nickelodeon just called, they want their studio back!"
     
    The first video is from mysticblu who gives a complete walkthrough of all the areas that are still open to the public.
     

     
    And here's one more from Dan Bell who has a popular dead malls series on Youtube.
     

  12. Wingnut
    Hi everybody. I know I haven't been here much lately. In fact, this is my first visit to the forum in about two weeks. But life has been pretty hectic lately. Really it all started about a month ago when I learned that my aunt had suffered a stroke and was having a very difficult time. Then I was informed she wasn't expected to make it and was getting in-home hospice care. A few days later I was told the sad news. I think her son put it best when he said "God couldn't let us keep her forever." Indeed. She was 93 and lived every one of those years to the fullest.
     
    As with her husband a few years ago, she opted to be remembered in a simple graveside service at the veteran's cemetery. The turnout was phenomenal with relatives including great grandchildren, friends from all over town, and members from the spinning club she belonged to. And despite the sad circumstances, it was nice to see many familiar faces once again. I'm also happy to know that the farm will be staying in the family as a grandson and granddaughter in law have taken over.
     
    Since then, it's just been a bunch of little things. First I got sick, then my roommate got sick. And there was stuff going on with SEPTA, an issue regarding the water bill, and a few dead malls I've been keeping tabs on. In short, real life has been keeping me busy.
     
    But rest assured I didn't miss the Season 6 opener nor the latest episode on Saturday. I have a few thoughts on them I'd like to express in the appropriate show discussion threads. But for now I'd just like to say that after years of Twilight's parents being virtually silent, I'm surprised they finally gave mom so much to say.
     
    Anywho, to anybody who's been wondering how I am or what I'm up to, I'm still here.
  13. Wingnut

    My third forumversary!

    By Wingnut,

    Hard to believe but it's been three whole years since memeber #9332 signed up. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was hunkered down at home as superstorm Sandy was attacking the East Coast. But luckily my power and internet access held up and I was able to make history by joining MLP Forums.
     
    OK, OK, melodrama aside, I was expecting this to be just another message board. A fun place to hang out and discuss the intricacies of this fascinating cartoon. But the forum has become so much more...almost like a second home to me. Three years later it's still the first place I check when I get on the computer and the last one I visit when I leave. Most of all, I am grateful for the many great friends I have made during my stay.
     
    I leave you with one of my favorite PMVs to celebrate this occasion.
     

  14. Wingnut

    It was a fun ride.

    By Wingnut,

    Hi everyone. Effective immediately I am stepping down from the position of moderator. Long story short, holding an official capacity on this forum requires regular participation and an ongoing investment of time and energy. An investment that, due to circumstances beyond my control, was nonetheless lacking on my part. Faced with that, resignation was the only realistic choice available.
     
    As my time on staff draws to a close, I wanted to say thank you to the team for the opportunity to serve. It has been an honor. Before anyone asks, no, I am not leaving the forums altogether. I may not be on as often as in the past but I promise I will continue to be around. You're all welcome to drop me a PM any time even if it's just to say hi.
  15. Wingnut
    OK, OK. Based on what I posted the last two years on the 1st of April, you're probably expecting some kind of outlandish story. But I'm dealing with a big time case of writers block right now. So if you were hoping to learn about Artemis secretly being my son, the clandestine organization I started with Sterling Crimson, or the love triangle with Sir Hugoholic and Sugar Cube, you're going to be disappointed.
     
    Instead I want to take a little walk down memory lane. Personally, I liked 2013's MLP Furrums better than MLG Forums. And I don't even recall what we did exactly in 2014. Part of the problem was they didn't even get the April Fools' forum makeover going until the day was nearly over. Anyway, this has always been one of the fun forum holidays. If you have any 1st of April moments you want to share here, feel free to do so.
  16. Wingnut
    October 29, 2012 was a day I made a life changing decision. OK, that might be a slight exaggeration. Nonetheless, that was the day I joined MLP Forums and it has made a lasting impact on me. And to think I mainly joined because I was stuck at home and bored due to Hurricane Sandy. It feels like I've only been here a few months, wow! And all this time you thought October 29 th was just National Cat Day!
     
    This place has been amazing. I made more and closer friends than I ever dreamed when I first signed up. Some of these friends I have had the pleasure of meeting in real life include Troblems and Thrashy in San Francisco as well as a whole slew of fellow members at Bronycon. I was also very humbled and honored when I was invited to join the staff as a moderator. That too has been an enriching experience. Unfortunately, due to real life activities and an ongoing sleeping disorder, I can't devote as much time to the forums as I would like. But rest assured, this is still my favorite website and I visit at least for a few minutes every time I get on the computer. And I hope to celebrate more anniversaries in the years ahead.
     
    So, where were you two years ago?
  17. Wingnut
    For the first day in Oakland, Jaime and I had separate agendas. For me, it was an opportunity to check out San Francisco ’s vast rail transit system by riding BART, Muni, and Caltrain all day. My roommate, on the other hand, was going to check out some stores close to the hotel. The first thing you notice about California is the terrain. There are huge swaths of perfectly level land (all developed) interrupted at random by ginormous hills and mountains. You can thank plate tectonics for that. This kind of landscape just doesn’t exist on the East Coast. After a quick stop at Fremont, where construction of the BART extension to Warm Springs is well underway, I turned around for downtown San Francisco.
     
    There I checked out the legendary Ferry Building, took some photos, and then went about exploring the Muni light rail system including a stop at the beach next to the San Francisco Zoo. Next I traveled to Castro station to hop on one of the vintage F Line trolleys when my cell phone rang. Bad news! Jaime’s I-Phone decided to die on her and she had to get a new one right away. Fortunately it was under warranty but it was still necessary to take an expensive cab ride to the nearest Apple Store for a replacement. After making sure my roommate would be OK, I continued my itinerary with a round trip to San Jose on Caltrain. Both ways I got a good view of the soon to be demolished Candlestick Park. By the time I got back, it was starting to get dark and my last side trip was to a BART/Muni station called Balboa Park. There were more lines and stations I wanted to see, but I was able to cover all the ones I felt I had to see.
     
    Things went more smoothly on Saturday. The first half of the day was dedicated to touring Alcatraz while the second half was set aside for hanging out with some friends from the forums. Trips on BART and the F Line got us to the boat terminal with time to spare. On the water itself, the view in every direction was breathtaking. Alcatraz was fascinating and you can see right from the outset why it’s called the Rock. This craggy island in the middle of the bay began as a military installation before it was decided to make it the nation’s highest security prison. Ultimately it ended up being a boondoggle by costing much more money than it was worth due to it being surrounded by water. It’s hard to believe the Rock’s career as a lockup lasted only three decades.
     
    With the help of a pedicab, we made our way over to Pier 39. After a bit of texting tag, we all met up. Troblems arrived on the scene first with her husband and Thrash showed up a few minutes later with his sister. I was so glad everybody who promised to show up made it! It was an honor to have them too. And aside from a Derpy wristband and a couple of smart phone covers, you’d never know this was a Brony gathering. I was originally hoping for a reprise of my 2006 San Francisco visit with dinner at Rainforest Cafe. But once Jaime saw there was also a Hard Rock Cafe in the vicinity, she asked if we’d be willing to eat there instead and everybody agreed. Hard Rock’s hurricane glasses and pins are great collectibles and each location has unique designs. The music inside was rather loud but not bad enough to stifle conversation. The loudest Hard Rock I have ever been to was the one in Baltimore. There it’s like being at a concert and everyone has to shout to be heard over the music.
     
    Afterward it was time to shop and I think everybody got some souvenirs along with a few jackets as an almost cold sea breeze kicked in. The sea lions were also out today, barking up a storm. Jaime and I also took a spin on Pier 39’s famed carousel. As night descended on the Bay Area, it was time for us to be going. We were originally hoping to take a cable car back to the Powell Street BART station for the return trip to our hotel. But it turned out that the cable cars weren’t running today. Thankfully Troblems’ husband was kind enough to give us a lift to BART in their car instead.
     
    Sunday was a day for baseball! Jamie and I went to the nearby Oakland Coliseum, currently named O.co Coliseum due to Overstock.com's naming rights ownership. If you're a fan of exposed reinforced concrete, this is the place for you. It is VERY gray. This is the last stadium in the US that is still home to both a baseball team and a football team. Long story short, the A's beat the Yankess but before the game the A's honored future hall of famer Derek Jeter who had a LOT of fans wearing blue pinstripes in a show of support today. He's retiring at the end of the season and this was his last regular season game in Oakland. And despite the shortcomings of cookie cutter stadiums for baseball, the Coliseum is still a fun place to watch a game and will continue to be until the A's finally get permission to relocate to San Jose. Oh, and dinner was at In-N-Out Burger, a chain that doesn't exist in my part of the country. I thought the cheeseburger and fries were good but not great. But at least now I can say I've been to one.
     
    More to come soon...
  18. Wingnut
    Wow, what a trip I just had! 12 days away from Philly with my roommate. I am exhausted but it was so much fun! Until January I didn't know what my big trip for this year was going to be. But once it was announced that Botcon, a major Transformers convention, would be returning to Pasadena for what seems like the 32nd time, the choice became very clear. To get out there, my roommate and I took Virgin America airlines to San Francisco via a connection in Los Angeles. And for the return flight, we took Virgin America straight from LA to Philly. Do you know what that means? We got to watch this nifty safety video three times!
     

     
     
    Getting from SFO to our hotel room in Oakland turned out to be an exercise in patience. We got on a Super Shuttle with several other passengers and we had to endure rush hour traffic in downtown San Fran and several deviations to drop off all the other guests. The most amazing moment was crossing the venerable San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge. By looking back we were treated to a stunning view of the SF skyline. I was also surprised by how far along demolition of the original eastern span is. Brand new twin side by side bridges have replaced the original cantilever double decker. By the time we finally made it out to the Nimitz Freeway, we were the last two remaining passengers. At that point we called it a night. To be continued...
  19. Wingnut
    Seven weeks of regular testing settles it. I have hypertension. Over the last couple of years or so I would throw out an uncharacteristically high reading. But for the most part I stayed in the safe, healthy range.
     
    It looks like my genes have finally caught up with me. My mom had to take medication to control her blood pressure as long as I could remember. And my dad needed to take it for a time later in life. Anyway, I will continue with the regular screenings until after my upcoming trip when I see the doctor again. I'm sure I'll get a prescription for it. It's not a hard thing to treat but feel free to wish me luck anyway. :/
  20. Wingnut
    I don't know what's causing them but for the last two or three nights in a row I've been having these weird dreams. Last night was the worst one yet. I was inside this huge house one evening. There was a knock at the door and three men, dressed as police or other officials, were standing outside. I opened the door and instead of talking to me they nonchalantly walked in without saying a word. I asked the last one, "Hey, what's going on?"
     
    He raised a gun, pointed it at my face and BANG!
     
    I didn't even see the muzzle flash. All I did was hear the gun discharging and felt a very brief excruciating pain. Then everything was black. I could no longer see, hear, feel, or smell anything. I knew I was dead. Wait a second, if I am dead, how can I think or know anything? I then figured this was either the afterlife or I was dreaming. A few seconds later, I woke up in a cold sweat.
     
    This isn't the first time I've dreamed about dying. But most of the times it happened in the past, I woke up right away. One sobering thought is that many people get shot to death for real every day. I also told my roommate about this. She said that she never died in a dream and she was told that if you die in a dream you die in real life.
     
    I've had a few things weighing on my mind lately and I wonder if this dream is somehow related.
  21. Wingnut
    I thought I'd write a brief blog to say hi and to let everyone know one of my cats, Drift, was examined yesterday. He's doing fine but two separate vets said he had a heart murmur and it needed to be investigated by a specialist. So my roommate and I took him to be evaluated at a veterinary hospital.
     
    Since he knows he's going to the vet anytime he's put into the cat carrier, he was not a happy camper and meowed pitifully for awhile. He quieted down before we got there and, as usual, he was a well-behaved model patient for the veterinary staff. The exam determined that his heart murmur appears to be a minor problem caused by the slight thickening of the heart wall. There is a chance it could be a degenerative, worsening condition. But most likely it will stay the same. The only way to know for sure is to have him tested again a year from now to see if there is any change. If not, he should be OK.
     
    They also told us it will be safe for him to receive general anesthesia for surgery or teeth cleaning in the future. Here's a picture of him as a kitten from 2010. Amazingly he looks exactly the same today, just a bit bigger!
     

  22. Wingnut

    Happy Easter!

    By Wingnut,

    Today Christians all over the world commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And, for once, it truly is all as this year the Orthodox and Western calendars coincide.
     
    Due to the pastel colors and Easter Bunny theme, Fluttershy and Angel are probably the most popular MLP subjects for Easter fanart. After a brief search, I like this one in particular. Note the cutie mark decorations of my three favorite ponies on the eggs.
     
    http://s1332.photobucket.com/user/switchpoint/media/7651349f-795a-4efd-8a88-a42c8e338be5_zpsb4a507d2.jpg.html]
     
    And I would be remiss if I didn't include one of my favorite Easter season commercials. Buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck buck BUCK!
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu8XDWG6x2k
     
    I have nothing grand on the agenda for today. No family visits or anything like that. My roommate and I have a nice ham dinner to look forward to though. Yummy! But please feel free to let me know what your plans are for the day if you like. Thanks!
  23. Wingnut

    Did Fluttershy win?

    By Wingnut,

    "Congratulations on your victory in Thrashy's unofficial March Madness conclusion, Applejack. You rock! But in all the turmoil surrounding the end of the official tournament, it seems to have been overlooked that I received the most individual votes in the four way battle."
     
    Poll numbers


    ALL CHARACTERS (23 votes [8.52%])

    Applejack (87 votes [32.22%])

    Fluttershy (88 votes [32.59%])

    Rarity (24 votes [8.89%])

    Pinkie Pie (48 votes [17.78%])

     
    Actual scoring. A vote for all gives two points to all, a vote for a single pony gives half a point. Of course, this was done to give All Characters the most points. It doesn't change the standings of the individual vote recipients at all.


    ALL CHARACTERS 46

    Applejack 43.5

    Fluttershy 44

    Rarity 12

    Pinkie Pie 24

    Don't believe it? See for yourself. http://mlpforums.com/topic/89885-2014-mlp-forums-march-madness-tournament-national-championship/page-136
     
    OK, maybe I'm grasping at straws here. The people who voted for ALL CHARACTERS could have drastically changed the complexion of this match if they went with their original ponies. But let's give our favorite pink-maned pegasus a nice round of applause anyway. SQUEE!
     



  24. Wingnut
    Effective immediately, I am no longer a moderator or a member in MLPF. I plan to return, but that won’t be possible until July 28.
     
    Why? I am 12 years old.
     
    Yes, I faked being an adult for over a year. I’ve been told my writing is very good for my age (thanks!) and, truth be told, it’s not that difficult to fool people online. What accounts for my knowledge of stuff dating back decades? My parents. I personally enjoy things like older wrestling and cartoon videos and I constantly talk to them about the things they grew up with. Mom was a big fan of the G1 cartoon. It’s easy to feign first hand knowledge of stuff when you’re living with some great folks who have it. In a rare case of role reversal, I live vicariously through them. I wish I was alive in the '80s. That was such an awesome decade and that's why the Goldbergs is my favorite sitcom!
     
    From the beginning I knew it was wrong to pull the wool over others' eyes. At first, I didn't see any harm with it and I rather enjoyed having fellow members look up to me when it should have been the other way around. But it wasn’t until I was a moderator for nearly a month that I began to understand what all the fuss regarding members under 13 was. I figured it was time for me to come clean. In addition to everything else, my grades in school are starting to slide and I really need to buckle down. -_-
     
    I’m sorry if I have let anybody down and I’m prepared to accept my suspension and any applicable warning points now. I look forward to participating once again this summer…if you want me back, that is. Finally, a big thank you to everybody. You’re the best big brothers and sisters a young Brony can have!
  25. Wingnut
    If you're easily disturbed by doomsday scenarios, you may want to move on to the next blog. I am not responsible for any loss of sleep or nightmares this might cause.
     
    Here's an amazing simulation from the Discovery Channel of what it would look like if earth were to be impacted by an incredibly large asteroid. Long story short, it would be game over. Earth's entire biosphere would be sterilized by something this big.
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2RGt-qGFkg
     
    The one thing I disagree with is how clear the air is at the end. Trillions of tons of pulverized rock would make the atmosphere opaque, I bet. But the sight of an earth devoid of life or oceans with a glowing, exposed mantle is rather alarming.
×
×
  • Create New...