Rose Parade

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Derigables! I tell you - what could possible go wrong with an airship?

I want my own private Hindenburg

A non-hydrogen filled version, of course.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by DreadPirateRoberts

A non-hydrogen filled version, of course.

Actually hydrogen had very little to do with the Hindenburg disaster. Had the ship been filled with helium it would still have met the same fate.

The history channel had a very interesting documentary on this. It turns out that the skin of the airship had been doped with a compound that included powdered aluminium. It was included because it gave the skin extra strength. Of course powered aluminium is also used in the solid fuel boosters for the space shuttle. Once a static charge developed on the skin and created a spark between two incorrectly grounded segments, KaBoom! Up it went.

[Alex]

There's quite a bit of controversy on whether the paint or the hydrogen was the major source of fuel for the fire.

Since at least half of hte documentaries on the history channel really suck it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't present it as just one of the theories (and somewhat minority one at that). You can read about the various theories at Wikipedia.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

It's 2007. Where are my flying cars?

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Am I the only one who doesn't want flying cars?

I can barely tolerate the idiots that can't competently move 4,000 pounds of metal and plastic in two dimensions. I can't imagine the horror if they were allowed three dimensions to screw around in.

Absolutely!

[innerSpaceman]

Ya know, we were talking and gawking so much during that part that I didn't hear any of Bob's lame commentary.

The Star Wars section was majorly disappointing to me. I thought the two floats SUCKED, and the Stormtroopers, though I know they were drilled, couldn't march worth a damn ... even for the cameras. The contingent with the international flags was cool, though.

But one cool thing of five Star Wars elements was not good enough. And anytime I see George Lucas, I want to puke.


Otherwise, my assessment is exactly that of the O.P.'s. Yay, firebreathing dragons and jetpacks. Very good vegetation detail beauty work on the turtle float and the reptile float. The end. Meh.


No Stephanie? BAH!!!

[RStar]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Ya know, we were talking and gawking so much during that part that I didn't hear any of Bob's lame commentary.

He lost me when he was naming the planets and called Jupiter "Juniper". As if there's a big evergreen planet out there!

Then the woman that was with him pointed out that Anaheim had all these atraction. Disneyland, Anaheim Stadium, and of course, Knott's Berry Farm!

Not that I expect everyone to be perfect and not make any mistakes. God knows I'd make plenty.

And the marching band from Louisiana was cool! Jazzy, animated, and spelled out 2007 in formation!

[Morrigoon]

Stop show stops! (dot com)

But seriously, I can understand a show stop to kick off the parade, though I would have preferred to actually HEAR Kristin Chenowith (stupid sound people), but beyond that, the show stops really need to, um, stop. This isn't the damn Macy's parade, whose floats have nothing more interesting about them so they have to do all the show stops to make it interesting. We've got our own thing going here with the flowers, why screw that up?

I knew Stephanie was in trouble when they had her on the street level last year, but I had no idea they'd get rid of her entirely this year! That totally blows, especially since Bob is such a dick.

I hope some other station picks Stephanie up. I'll watch them.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Stop show stops! (dot com)

Originally Posted by RStar

And the marching band from Louisiana was cool! Jazzy, animated, and spelled out 2007 in formation!

There was some debate at our viewing as to whether marching band formations constitute show stops.

Technically, I suppose the answer is Yes ... but seeing that formations are what bands do best (with pure marching their most boring function), I rather like seeing a few cool formations in the parade. To me, it's not the same as some float stopping while someone sings a song.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

There was some debate at our viewing as to whether marching band formations constitute show stops.

Technically, I suppose the answer is Yes ... but seeing that formations are what bands do best (with pure marching their most boring function), I rather like seeing a few cool formations in the parade. To me, it's not the same as some float stopping while someone sings a song.

My peeve with stops is that there are people who do not get a good view of it. Formations do not look good to people sitting on the street. It's annoying enough when a band finishes a song just before they get to you and then just marches cadence past you.

This used to be a parade, and now it's a television show.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

This used to be a parade, and now it's a television show.

Certainly the vast majority of people who enjoy the parade do so via a television set, so yes there are some elements of a TV show present. However I can't agree that the entire parade is a TV show. When they change the name to the Viagra Tournament of Roses parade or reroute the parade to exclude that pesky bridge (which limits float size) then I'll be on board with you.