I've decided to cross-post this endorsement to this site too, because this a group of people who in my opinion are getting it right as part of the Disney Experience.
Originally posted August 24, 2010
This blogisode is another side trip on the Disney trail. I decide to do a shout out here because the Crew at Mousetalgia shamelessly asks for reviews on iTunes, and I don’t have an iTunes account. The podcast is free, so I don’t have to sign up to get it, and I am trying desperately not to open an iTunes account. I want to give them a good review, because I’ll really like the podcasts, and I (being equally shameless) hope they might plug my blog sometime.
So here’s to Mousetalgia crew, I’ll write you a review on my blog.
I recently met a group of characters (I didn’t just how much at the time ) at the Disneyland 55th Anniversary celebration at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Dave, Becky, Jeff, and Kristen, collectively known as Mousetalgia, run a weekly podcast (which can be found on iTunes) or their website @ http://www.mousetalgia.com/.
We were sitting in the row in front of the crew for the Saturday presentation by Tony Baxter, Jack Lindquist, and Matt Ouimet, moderated by the incomparable Marty Sklar. As sat waiting for the presentation to start, I heard a comment behind me that I just had to respond to… I don’t even remember what it was, but, as my daughters will tell you, if it Disney, I’ll strike up a conversation with anyone. So as we sat there waiting and talking about Disney, I had the most fortunate experience of being “penned” by Kristen, and it’s not as painful as it might sound.
I’ve since started listen to the weekly Mousetalgia podcast. I just finished listening to episode 95, and I’m working my way back previous episodes, current back to #87. I’ve got to say the podcasts is great, and it is a lot of fun to listen to Dave, Becky, Jeff, and Kristen discuss the current week’s topic. They are funny and informative, and provide a lot of current and historical information. But, even if I am (some times) not really tuned into the topic of the week (I’m going to catch hell for that one), the podcasts are worth the opening sequence, and updates, and the closing sequence. I don’t know how anyone can listen to the music and come away feeling anything but HAPPY. GREAT Music!
So if you are a Disney junkie, I highly recommend the Mousetalgia Podcast. And if you get a chance to meet Dave, Becky, Jeff and Kristen, all or individually, so much the better. As I have gotten the opportunity to meet more people in the Disney community, I am always pleased and no longer amazed that Disney fans and luminaries are so friendly.
Thanks guys and keep up the great work.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Why the Move
The Miscellaneous Mouse Disney content has moved to a new blog. This blog, Disney History – My Journey of Discovery, will be solely dedicated to the Disney experience and my search to understand how Walt Disney became the almost mythic character that he is known as today, and the company he co-founded. That will be this new blog sole focus.
Why the move, I made a mistake. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate to make that statement, but there it is…
So what mistake did I make? I posted a blogisode, one of the two that remain, here that was critical of a group and/or individual that brought unwarranted attention to them. Since there was a group on Facebook (FB) that linked to this site, one of the mental midget, associated with that other group, report my group to The Facebook Team. FB removed my group and sent me a warning. So be it, but FB should really publish that their goal for their site is to be a completely drama-free, docile abode where ne’r is heard a discouraging word. It is their sandbox so they can make up any rules they want to enforce their agenda. So an end came quick to Miscellaneous Mouse on FB. Interestingly, FB claims that they investigate any reported abuse thoroughly before taking any action. Unless they have some magic backdoor on the internet that leaves no trace of their presence, they are lying, as I can find no evidence that they ever checked on the post in question. I’m not really concerned that the Miscellaneous Mouse group got axed, but if you say you investigate complaint, then investigate them damn it. I wonder if Mr. Zuckerberg knows that he has at least one incompetent individual working for him? Probably not, even the best company has inept individuals in its employ, and he’s too to be concerned about one member.
So this group of miscreants to the south of me, loaded with individuals of questionable intelligence capacity and moral character, lurks in the dark recesses of the web searching for targets to lash out that in defense of their kingdom and its queen. They can brook no criticism or disagreement. To do so will invoke their wrath. But again to those who know me, I am not one to succumb to such tactics. I have a voice and I will find a way to make it heard. I have been described by some as quixotic in nature. I do tilt at windmills and try to fight the good fight. Yes, I know that such activities did not turn out well for Don Quixote, but, if not him, who? If not me, who? So people of the mouse's planet know this, I will not be silenced and some of you are not worthy of anything but exposure of your true character.
I have had the great fortune to meet many great Disney fans over the years, but as with any group, there are individuals in any group that are of less than admirable character. Miscellaneous will remain active and retasked to discuss the Disney Experience.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
Why the move, I made a mistake. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate to make that statement, but there it is…
So what mistake did I make? I posted a blogisode, one of the two that remain, here that was critical of a group and/or individual that brought unwarranted attention to them. Since there was a group on Facebook (FB) that linked to this site, one of the mental midget, associated with that other group, report my group to The Facebook Team. FB removed my group and sent me a warning. So be it, but FB should really publish that their goal for their site is to be a completely drama-free, docile abode where ne’r is heard a discouraging word. It is their sandbox so they can make up any rules they want to enforce their agenda. So an end came quick to Miscellaneous Mouse on FB. Interestingly, FB claims that they investigate any reported abuse thoroughly before taking any action. Unless they have some magic backdoor on the internet that leaves no trace of their presence, they are lying, as I can find no evidence that they ever checked on the post in question. I’m not really concerned that the Miscellaneous Mouse group got axed, but if you say you investigate complaint, then investigate them damn it. I wonder if Mr. Zuckerberg knows that he has at least one incompetent individual working for him? Probably not, even the best company has inept individuals in its employ, and he’s too to be concerned about one member.
So this group of miscreants to the south of me, loaded with individuals of questionable intelligence capacity and moral character, lurks in the dark recesses of the web searching for targets to lash out that in defense of their kingdom and its queen. They can brook no criticism or disagreement. To do so will invoke their wrath. But again to those who know me, I am not one to succumb to such tactics. I have a voice and I will find a way to make it heard. I have been described by some as quixotic in nature. I do tilt at windmills and try to fight the good fight. Yes, I know that such activities did not turn out well for Don Quixote, but, if not him, who? If not me, who? So people of the mouse's planet know this, I will not be silenced and some of you are not worthy of anything but exposure of your true character.
I have had the great fortune to meet many great Disney fans over the years, but as with any group, there are individuals in any group that are of less than admirable character. Miscellaneous will remain active and retasked to discuss the Disney Experience.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Free Speech isn't free...
…there’s always a cost!
This is another side trip down the trail. It’s not even really Disney related other than it was to do with today’s events and something I wrote in a earlier blogisode (gee, I’m using that term enough, I wonder if I can get it copy write protected?)
Today I was warned by the one of those popular social network sites (you know the one) telling me:
There was no such content in that groups data, the only thing the existed was a link to the blogisode posted about two weeks ago where I warned you all of the site that I felt was not worthy of your attention and explain why. One of or more of the cowardly minion that operate that site have been stalking former members looking for way to harass and harangue them whenever a discouraging word is uttered on the web. One of these mental midgets found my blog site last night and decided to claim about the associated group at “That Site”. You would think “That Site” would have at least investigated the content question before unilaterally taking action, but no, they just pulled the trigger. My guess is that someone at the other site knows someone at “That Site” and just asked to have the group removed. And some drone there complied. You may ask how I can make such a claim, well the speed with which this came about, and the fact that I have stat tracking software on my blog and can account for all the recent hits, no “That Site”. Shameful that “That Site” would fall for such a childish ploy. I would image that the “Report Abuse” link that you’ll see at the top if this page was more than likely clicked more than once to today also. But so far, to Blogspot’s credit, no such warnings have been issued.
Apparently (and to keep this on a Disney theme) a Disney fan site that derives its income, however miniscule it might be, feels perfectly at ease with allowing their member (some long time contributors) to deride and attack decisions that Disney makes, but, cannot tolerant any open criticism of its own operation. But then what else are you going to do on a failing planet.
Now what does this have to do with free speech? There are certain factions that would rather try every dirty trick they can muster to try to silence a dissenting opinion than to deal with it and move on. They’d rather suck punch when they can because they don’t have the courage to come out of the shadow and face their deficiency. Finally, if you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read it. I didn’t send you a link you had to go looking for it, I put these blogisodes but I don’t force them on anyone. Someone(s) needs to get a life – stalkers!
I told you this saga had more interesting developments and was still raging. Let’s see how petty and pathetic they can get next. But, that all for me now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mailto:mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
This is another side trip down the trail. It’s not even really Disney related other than it was to do with today’s events and something I wrote in a earlier blogisode (gee, I’m using that term enough, I wonder if I can get it copy write protected?)
Today I was warned by the one of those popular social network sites (you know the one) telling me:
- The group "Miscellaneous Mouse" has been removed because it violated our Terms of Use. Among other things, groups that are hateful, threatening, or obscene are not allowed. We also take down groups that attack an individual or group, or advertise a product or service. Continued misuse of That Site’s features could result in your account being disabled.
There was no such content in that groups data, the only thing the existed was a link to the blogisode posted about two weeks ago where I warned you all of the site that I felt was not worthy of your attention and explain why. One of or more of the cowardly minion that operate that site have been stalking former members looking for way to harass and harangue them whenever a discouraging word is uttered on the web. One of these mental midgets found my blog site last night and decided to claim about the associated group at “That Site”. You would think “That Site” would have at least investigated the content question before unilaterally taking action, but no, they just pulled the trigger. My guess is that someone at the other site knows someone at “That Site” and just asked to have the group removed. And some drone there complied. You may ask how I can make such a claim, well the speed with which this came about, and the fact that I have stat tracking software on my blog and can account for all the recent hits, no “That Site”. Shameful that “That Site” would fall for such a childish ploy. I would image that the “Report Abuse” link that you’ll see at the top if this page was more than likely clicked more than once to today also. But so far, to Blogspot’s credit, no such warnings have been issued.
Apparently (and to keep this on a Disney theme) a Disney fan site that derives its income, however miniscule it might be, feels perfectly at ease with allowing their member (some long time contributors) to deride and attack decisions that Disney makes, but, cannot tolerant any open criticism of its own operation. But then what else are you going to do on a failing planet.
Now what does this have to do with free speech? There are certain factions that would rather try every dirty trick they can muster to try to silence a dissenting opinion than to deal with it and move on. They’d rather suck punch when they can because they don’t have the courage to come out of the shadow and face their deficiency. Finally, if you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read it. I didn’t send you a link you had to go looking for it, I put these blogisodes but I don’t force them on anyone. Someone(s) needs to get a life – stalkers!
I told you this saga had more interesting developments and was still raging. Let’s see how petty and pathetic they can get next. But, that all for me now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mailto:mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Disney Fan Sites – A cautionary tale
We’ve been on a bit of a writing sabbatical for the past few weeks. Actually my job IRL has unfortunately collided with the job of my passion.
WARNING: This particular blog entry is going to be a rant, and I do promise I am not going to make a habit out of this type of posting. Since you may not be interested in reading mine or anyone else’s rant, I wanted to give you ample warning and opportunity to turn away now. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt my feelings.
Today we are going to take a little side road down the Disney trail and talk a little about a Disney Fan Site on the internet. Google “Disney fan sites” and you’ll get over 300k hits, that’s a lot of fodder to sieve through and you need to understand that not all Disney fan sites are really fan sites at all. But, I’m not going to bore you with a lot of suggestion or advice, other than to tell you, in general, if you are going to play in online forums, you are going to need a thick skin.
Now on with show. There is fan site that a I would recommend against visiting, and that would be MousePlanet(MP). I’m not even going to link it, if you want to venture over there, Google it. This is a site that had been operating since about 2000, so there were a lot of old timers in MP’s Mousepad (the name of their collective forums). I participated on this site for a couple of years, and the only good thing to come of it, was that I made a few friends online, couple of whom I’ve met IRL. After awhile, I ventured into their “Lounge” forum, and found a few debate topics of interest and began to join in the fun. What I began to see was a small group of what I would call fanatic conservatives. I consider myself a fiscal conservative, and a social liberal, but, to this group anyone who leans anywhere left of center is, “One of those damn liberal!”
What I eventually discovered was that the person who had recently acquire control of the site had a very conservative view, and was letting her little cadre of fanatical conservative troglodytes violate the site own CP’s (community policies) against the more liberal participants in forums at her whim and whimsy, while using the same CP’s as a whip over the heads of the liberal forum members. Go ahead and call me names, that’s not a problem, I’m a big boy and I don’t bruise easily, but, just expect the same in return. Unfortunately, these simple-mind minion don’t like it when you use terms that they have to look up in the dictionary and still can’t understand, so the head moderator (i.e. the owner, or the queen to many) uses the opportunity to support the conservative cause and chastise, suspend, and ban the liberal members from her little world. She probably won’t remember it, but we have met IRL at a Disney event not too long ago. We only talked for a couple of minutes and I was not impressed. What troubled me almost instantly was the ease with which she berated other ME-Planet (a name that I feel reflects her position that MP is all about her) members whom she held with great distain, while being almost oblivious to her surrounding and who might be within earshot. I am quite sure her conversation was not intended for my ear, but I was close enough by that I could hear it without trying too hard. From what I could hear, if you are not in her immediate gang of about a dozen, you are in that group of distained members.
Anyway at that point I realized this was probably not a group with which I wanted association. I finally decide to stop my participation, and after some discussion with the few friends I had made on the site, went elsewhere. Now, in the atmosphere of full disclosure, I will tell you that I too have been banned from this site. Not for anything I did on the site, but merely because “she who must be obeyed” did not like a personal email that was sent to her, and quite honestly it wasn’t a nice one. However, that event occurred well after my departure from the boards.
What has finally torn it for me is that one of the friends I made through that site was just been banned for no apparent reason other than she is no longer in favor with the Queens Adrienne, and happens to be married to the gentleman (also a friend of mine) who is an Arch Evil enemy of the ME kingdom. And he has become this evil enemy for, after being banished from the queens’ sight months ago, having had the unmitigated temerity of being in the same location as recent celebratory event hosted in the guise of a honoring the ME kingdom, but in truth arranged to pay tribute to the queens. Granted he went there to check out want was happening at this event, however, he never made any comments or interacted with anyone in attendance. His mere presence was enough for the royal court issue a full alert, and all-points-bulletin, to the absolute extreme point of complaining about him to the location management requesting that he be removed from the premise. It even appears they have even resorted to stalking certain members of our little group of friends on the internet trying to find out what we are staying. Apparently the queen is consider about what is said about her outside of the kingdom.
They’ve even come up with a new euphemism for banning someone from the site. While you can still be banned and have that show up as your status on any post you ever made on the site (as it does for my screen name and a few others), they now have an “account closed” status which they use to hide the fact that you did nothing wrong but they want you gone. That way they don’t have to explain themselves, and can make it sound like it was at your request even though the FAQ’s on the site claim they don’t shut accounts down even if requested.
Question for the queen; if I am banned from ME-Planet and all its marginal events, does that mean that, should you hold one at Disneyland, I am not allowed in the park during your festivities? I think not! If a certain queen thinks that, I have a certain part of my anatomy that she can kiss.
So consider yourselves warned, ME-Planet is not the place you want to hang out for you Disney fix, besides their actual Disney related forums aren’t all that good, informative, or active these days either, at least not in my opinion. There are much better run site out there, watch the links list, I may put one or two out there.
Next week we’ll be getting back in Walt Disney – The Man, The Myth, and The Company. In the meantime rest assured, if I find a Disney related activity that doesn’t deliver the Disney experience, you’ll be hearing about from me.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
WARNING: This particular blog entry is going to be a rant, and I do promise I am not going to make a habit out of this type of posting. Since you may not be interested in reading mine or anyone else’s rant, I wanted to give you ample warning and opportunity to turn away now. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt my feelings.
Today we are going to take a little side road down the Disney trail and talk a little about a Disney Fan Site on the internet. Google “Disney fan sites” and you’ll get over 300k hits, that’s a lot of fodder to sieve through and you need to understand that not all Disney fan sites are really fan sites at all. But, I’m not going to bore you with a lot of suggestion or advice, other than to tell you, in general, if you are going to play in online forums, you are going to need a thick skin.
Now on with show. There is fan site that a I would recommend against visiting, and that would be MousePlanet(MP). I’m not even going to link it, if you want to venture over there, Google it. This is a site that had been operating since about 2000, so there were a lot of old timers in MP’s Mousepad (the name of their collective forums). I participated on this site for a couple of years, and the only good thing to come of it, was that I made a few friends online, couple of whom I’ve met IRL. After awhile, I ventured into their “Lounge” forum, and found a few debate topics of interest and began to join in the fun. What I began to see was a small group of what I would call fanatic conservatives. I consider myself a fiscal conservative, and a social liberal, but, to this group anyone who leans anywhere left of center is, “One of those damn liberal!”
What I eventually discovered was that the person who had recently acquire control of the site had a very conservative view, and was letting her little cadre of fanatical conservative troglodytes violate the site own CP’s (community policies) against the more liberal participants in forums at her whim and whimsy, while using the same CP’s as a whip over the heads of the liberal forum members. Go ahead and call me names, that’s not a problem, I’m a big boy and I don’t bruise easily, but, just expect the same in return. Unfortunately, these simple-mind minion don’t like it when you use terms that they have to look up in the dictionary and still can’t understand, so the head moderator (i.e. the owner, or the queen to many) uses the opportunity to support the conservative cause and chastise, suspend, and ban the liberal members from her little world. She probably won’t remember it, but we have met IRL at a Disney event not too long ago. We only talked for a couple of minutes and I was not impressed. What troubled me almost instantly was the ease with which she berated other ME-Planet (a name that I feel reflects her position that MP is all about her) members whom she held with great distain, while being almost oblivious to her surrounding and who might be within earshot. I am quite sure her conversation was not intended for my ear, but I was close enough by that I could hear it without trying too hard. From what I could hear, if you are not in her immediate gang of about a dozen, you are in that group of distained members.
Anyway at that point I realized this was probably not a group with which I wanted association. I finally decide to stop my participation, and after some discussion with the few friends I had made on the site, went elsewhere. Now, in the atmosphere of full disclosure, I will tell you that I too have been banned from this site. Not for anything I did on the site, but merely because “she who must be obeyed” did not like a personal email that was sent to her, and quite honestly it wasn’t a nice one. However, that event occurred well after my departure from the boards.
What has finally torn it for me is that one of the friends I made through that site was just been banned for no apparent reason other than she is no longer in favor with the Queens Adrienne, and happens to be married to the gentleman (also a friend of mine) who is an Arch Evil enemy of the ME kingdom. And he has become this evil enemy for, after being banished from the queens’ sight months ago, having had the unmitigated temerity of being in the same location as recent celebratory event hosted in the guise of a honoring the ME kingdom, but in truth arranged to pay tribute to the queens. Granted he went there to check out want was happening at this event, however, he never made any comments or interacted with anyone in attendance. His mere presence was enough for the royal court issue a full alert, and all-points-bulletin, to the absolute extreme point of complaining about him to the location management requesting that he be removed from the premise. It even appears they have even resorted to stalking certain members of our little group of friends on the internet trying to find out what we are staying. Apparently the queen is consider about what is said about her outside of the kingdom.
They’ve even come up with a new euphemism for banning someone from the site. While you can still be banned and have that show up as your status on any post you ever made on the site (as it does for my screen name and a few others), they now have an “account closed” status which they use to hide the fact that you did nothing wrong but they want you gone. That way they don’t have to explain themselves, and can make it sound like it was at your request even though the FAQ’s on the site claim they don’t shut accounts down even if requested.
Question for the queen; if I am banned from ME-Planet and all its marginal events, does that mean that, should you hold one at Disneyland, I am not allowed in the park during your festivities? I think not! If a certain queen thinks that, I have a certain part of my anatomy that she can kiss.
So consider yourselves warned, ME-Planet is not the place you want to hang out for you Disney fix, besides their actual Disney related forums aren’t all that good, informative, or active these days either, at least not in my opinion. There are much better run site out there, watch the links list, I may put one or two out there.
Next week we’ll be getting back in Walt Disney – The Man, The Myth, and The Company. In the meantime rest assured, if I find a Disney related activity that doesn’t deliver the Disney experience, you’ll be hearing about from me.
Your comments or questions are always welcome. If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com
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