Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Cars Breakdown Part 1 of (many)

Pixar's Cars came out on DVD last week. What a treat. Another Pixar hit, yada, yada, yada. We can read all the press releases all over the place. Let's get to the good stuff. Sure, you can probably read everything I'm about to write somewhere else by now too, but I've got a little something different in mind for the packaging.

Let's breakdown the inside jokes in this masterpiece, one at a time. Upcoming articles will showcase the cars and their backgrounds, as well as side by side comparisons to their real life counterparts/inspirations, but today we're going to start small.

Keep in mind, I have no sympathy for you if you haven't seen the flick yet. There will be spoilers for sure, so go buy it now and watch it. I'll wait . . . . . . . . . . . Pretty good, eh? Some crazy good talent was used on this film.

Yet, I digress. So we find Lightning McQueen on his way to California for the big race around the 17:44 mark in the film. Pause it. If you timed it right you should be looking at this:


If you are a Pixar fan and you have seen with their animated shorts, this will look familiar.


These are the same pompous birds from the Academy Award winning short, For the Birds, part of which you can watch here.


Pixar does this a LOT, and we're going to track down as many as we can. They drop references to their past work in their current work, and it makes the films that much more fun to watch, over and over again.

Stay tuned. I'll be back with more detailed illustrations of the secrets of Pixar's Cars soon.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Nielsen's Top 20 Most-Watched Shows

Go Disney, it's your birthday. However, ever since my ex moved out, I haven't seen a single "Dancing with the Stars". I suppose I should look up who won.

(AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Nov. 6-12. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (2) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 22.27 million viewers.
2. (4) "Dancing with the Stars," ABC, 21.98 million viewers.

3. (3) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 20.83 million viewers.
4. (5) "Dancing with the Stars Results," ABC, 20.69 million viewers.
5. (1) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 20.65 million viewers.

6. (7) "NBC Sunday Night Football: Chicago vs. N.Y. Giants," NBC, 19.39 million viewers.
7. (X) "Dancing with the Stars Recap," ABC, 18.16 million viewers.
8. (8) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 17.57 million viewers.
9. (10) "Lost," ABC, 17.15 million viewers.
10. (6) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 16.8 million viewers.
11. (8) "CSI: NY," CBS, 16.78 million viewers.
12. (13) "60 Minutes," CBS, 16.23 million viewers.
13. (X) "House," (Election Night special), Fox, 16.11 million viewers.
14. (X) "CMA Awards," ABC, 15.96 million viewers.
15. (X) "NCIS" (Election Night Special), CBS, 15.44 million viewers.
16. (12) "Without a Trace," CBS, 15.22 million viewers.
17. (25) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC, 15.10 million viewers.
18. (17) "Cold Case," CBS, 14.77 million viewers.
19. (15) "Deal or No Deal" (Monday), NBC, 14.67 million viewers.
20. (21) "E.R.," NBC, 14.56 million viewers.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

And the warnings will continue...

Man Falls Off Tram in Disney World Parking Lot

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (WESH) – A man was airlifted to a local hospital after he fell off a tram in a Walt Disney World parking lot on Monday morning. Officials said the tram was approaching the ticketing area of the Magic Kingdom when the 49-year-old man fell. A stroller fell off the tram, and the man was attempting to retrieve the stroller when he jumped off the tram and fell. He hit his head on the pavement. The Reedy Creek Fire Department got a call about the incident at about 9:30 a.m. Rescuers said they found the man on the ground. They treated him before he was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. They said that step was taken as a precaution. The man was conscious and alert when rescue personnel treated him. At last check, the man was in stable condition, Disney officials said.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Too Many Spoonfuls of Sugar?

NEW YORK (Variety) – If any new tuner seems like a sure thing on Broadway this season, it's Disney's "Mary Poppins." But with three Mouse House musicals already on the boards, some industry watchers wonder if yet another will stretch the company's audiences too thin – particularly those of "Tarzan," Disney's recent addition to its Broadway contingent, which hasn't soared at the box office since its May opening. Disney execs say they aren't worried. If "Poppins" proves the hit it looks likely to be, they argue, the overspill from the new entry might end up doing the existing shows a favor. "Poppins," currently in previews for a Nov. 16 opening, has a healthy advance, said to be around $18 million. As properties go, the 1964 pic is one of Disney's most popular. And the stage version is the product of not one but two legit powerhouses, Disney Theatrical Prods. and Cameron Mackintosh. Disney decided to give "Poppins" pride of place in its showcase theater, the New Amsterdam. (To make way for it, the company moved long-runner "The Lion King" to a smaller house, the Minskoff.) Disney's other Rialto offerings – “Beauty and the Beast," "Lion King" and "Tarzan" – feature such things as talking animals and dancing flatware, easy to show in an animated pic, but more challenging to render onstage. In contrast, "Poppins" was already a human-centric book musical on the screen. "Poppins" is also the third concurrent Gotham production from Mackintosh, whose long-running "Phantom of the Opera" is joined by a return visit of "Les Miserables," opening Nov. 9. But Mackintosh, while he is well known for big-budget Brit musicals like "Cats," "Les Miz" and "Miss Saigon," doesn't have the same brand recognition among general audiences as Disney, the company whose animated pics nearly every child in America grows up watching. But then there is that question of whether the Disney quartet will cannibalize each other. And a fifth, "The Little Mermaid" (preeming in Denver in June 2007), is possibly on the way.

Thomas Schumacher, producer of Disney Theatrical, isn't concerned. "You can make a stronger case that these shows hold each other up," he says. "If they can't get into 'Lion King' or 'Mary Poppins,' then we can offer them 'Tarzan,' " Schrader says. "That could help 'Tarzan.' It definitely helped 'Aida.' " That Disney tuner logged a four-year-plus Broadway run that ended in 2004; it did respectable biz but was never a breakout success. "Beauty and the Beast," which has been running since 1994, could also benefit. But that show recently has been surpassing expectations anyway, thanks in part to the replacement casting of Donny Osmond. In any event, Schumacher thinks it's better to be competing with yourself than another producer. "If we're not in that theater, someone else would be," he says.

As for the B.O. prospects for "Poppins" in New York, the producers can look to the reception in London for a hint of things to come. The show earned favorable reviews and was a strong seller, but has slowed a bit since it opened in December 2004. "Poppins" seems a quintessentially British property, and thus likely to do better in London than in Gotham. But the producers contend that "Poppins" isn't as British as it seems. The character originated in a series of books, the first of which was published in 1934, by P.L. Travers, an Australian author living in England. Most people, however, got their first taste of Mary and the Banks family through the pic, which starred Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and featured Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman's hummable tunes. The movie is so iconic that Mackintosh, who had the rights to the books while Disney retained rights to the film, wouldn't do a stage incarnation without the movie material. "They're inextricably linked," Mackintosh says. "I think the only way the public wants a new 'Poppins' is to pull the best of both the movie and the books." The stage version of "Poppins" has a darker tone than the pic, with scribe Julian Fellowes working in material from the books as well as from a screenplay Travers wrote for an unproduced movie sequel, with new plotlines including the return of a diabolical nanny who raised Mr. Banks. Many speculators assumed that a creepy number called "Temper Temper" – in which the children's toys come to life to put the kids on trial for losing their temper – would get cut in the trans-Atlantic move. It didn't, and doesn't look likely to go. The major changes to the Rialto show are the reconceived staging of the songs "Jolly Holiday" and "Anything Can Happen" (one of the new tunes from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe that supplement the original Sherman brothers songs). Officially, the show is recommended for children 6 and older. Whether the decision to keep "Temper Temper" will earn the show a rep as being too scary for very young auds remains to be seen, although Scott Mallilieu, prexy of Group Sales Box Office (where "Poppins" is a formidable seller), isn't worried. "There are scary moments that might frighten a child in most family shows, and in all Disney shows," he says. "I don't really think it's going to affect anyone."

Friday, October 13, 2006

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Disney Squeezes Rivals

ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World's Magical Express airport shuttle is on track to handle nearly 2 million passengers this year, but its success has come at a price for small rental-car, limousine and bus companies. The first-of-its-kind free service shuttled 186,238 passengers in April – its peak month – from Orlando International Airport to the Disney resort, with eight of the past 15 months tallying more than 155,000 passengers. The figures underscore Disney's significance as a driver of airport traffic. Vacationers heading to Disney accounted for more than 10 percent of all passengers who flew into the airport during the first six months of this year. For the airport, there is no significant change in revenue as a result of the service, which launched in May 2005. Money the airport takes in from ground-transportation companies, including Disney, is up 2.3 percent for the first seven months of the year over the same period last year. That growth is consistent with the 2.4 percent increase in the number of passengers flying into Orlando during that time. "So it's pretty much even-steven," Deputy Executive Director Chris Schmidt said. "It looks to me like everybody's doing well." A closer look at the numbers, though, shows some small companies are struggling.

· Rental-car companies that cater to budget-conscious leisure travelers report downsizing their fleets and staffs to stay out of the red. They say the service gives Disney and its bus operator, Mears Transportation Group, a monopoly on lucrative trips to the resort.
· Feeling even more pressure are rental-car companies at the airport. Only one – Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc., which operates as Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental – showed a revenue increase for the summer months of May, June and July compared with the same period last year.The other four experienced flat or decreased revenues despite a 3.6 percent increase in incoming passengers for the three-month period.
· In addition, Beeline Ground Transportation, the bus and shuttle-van company that competes with Mears, is also suffering. Beeline has laid off 50 employees since Magical Express started 16 months ago and is now operating with a skeleton crew, owner Dr. Owen Fraser said. "We're not getting any walk-up business at the airport," Fraser said. "Magical Express is taking away all of that business. We're doing maybe 100 passengers or 200 passengers a day. Very, very little."

In a way, that business should go away. why shouldn't Disney get to pick up their own guests. The Beeline (Beachline 528 now) isn't complaining about the times I pick up my family at the airport. If Disney is serious about their claim to treat all guests as "cherished friends", picking them up at the airport is the least they can do.


Disney Senior Vice President Jerry Montgomery said the shuttle is a boon to the region and that there are no plans to begin charging passengers directly for the service. "After only a year of operation, Disney's Magical Express has set new travel-industry service standards, created more than 600 new jobs in Central Florida, reduced crowding and wait times throughout Orlando International Airport, and cut down on area roadway congestion," he said in a statement. "Overall, we've received very positive feedback about Disney's Magical Express." The financial data also for the first time shed light on just how many people who fly into Orlando visit Disney. Because Disney does not publicly release attendance figures, the passenger numbers for Magical Express offer a rare glimpse into the ebb and flow of crowds at the resort. According to the data, it's not uncommon for Disney to transport more than 7,000 people in a single day from the airport to its resort. The number reached a high at 10,439 people Oct. 1, 2005.

Disney's Not a Small World, After All

(Florida Today) – How would you like to walk down Main Street and gaze at Cinderella's Castle without so much as a hat obstructing your vision? It can be done, and you won't even be arrested for trespassing in the process. I am talking about Disney's Keys to the Kingdom backstage tour. It costs a few dollars extra, but they throw in a free meal. Why not? Our tour began with a few preliminary facts. There are 55,000 cast members at Disney World and 11,000 characters. The portion the public sees is called Onstage and everything else is Backstage. Along Main Street, our guide pointed out dozens of interesting trivia items.

• For example, at one end of the street are bronze statues of Roy Disney sitting with Minnie Mouse and at the other end of Walt Disney standing with Mickey Mouse.
• Also, there is a second-floor sign indicating the location of Walt's old office above his favorite food source: The ice cream stand.
• Some of the company names you see in the windows are the front corporations used to buy up ranch land at $80 an acre. The day after Disney announced the theme park location, land in the area began selling at $80,000 an acre. This forced me to contemplate the sorrow of those poor farmers who sold to Disney without knowing it. I also thought about the joy of their former neighbors.
Did you know the flags around the park resemble American flags? These flags stay up during all kinds of weather and at night. Disney has changed the flags in subtle ways to keep from desecrating our nation's symbol. Heartwarming, in a public relations kind of way.

Interesting...

About this time, a few costumed characters walked by. They can't talk to visitors, but I devised a way to see whether they were cranky. I walked up and asked, "Where does your costume chafe the most right now?" I could almost always provoke a groan. It was a fun day learning Disney secrets and seeing its fa-mous underground. I still would like to work for Disney and learn more. Does anyone know the name of a good tattoo remover?

'Pirates of Caribbean' a Zionist Plot

(World Net Daily) – A new campaign on Middle East television tells viewers that Disney is linked to Zion-ism and its newest "ammunition" is "Pirates of the Caribbean," the popular movie starring Johnny Depp. On a new video from Iran's IRINN channel, and released by MEMRI, an anchor introduces the critique with the comment that, "Zionist ideology uses all means to impose its cultural control," and then a reporter starts talking about the "Pirates" movie, and how it is an attempt to "gain control." "Disney and its produc-tions have been associated, more than anything, with the Zionist lobby in Hollywood," the report says. "This clearly influences the content of this large company's productions, as well as its policies and guide-lines. The 'Aladdin' animated film series is one example of Disney creations that present Arabs in a negative light," the MEMRI translation quoted the reporter saying. "Cinema is considered another, subtle, weapon in the hands of those who support this corrupt ideology," the reporter says on the newest video. "In Hollywood, Disney is the manufacturer of this weapon, and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' is its newest ammunition." The reporter also criticized Disney for supporting the "Bush administration's expansionist policies," and noted that the company "refrained from screening the film 'Fahrenheit 9/11'" which criticized that policy.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Food and Wine Time

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Orlando Sentinel) – The beer, wine, food samples and nostalgic music start flowing at Epcot Friday with the opening of that park's 11th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. More than 100 wineries and 250 Disney and guest chefs will be serving up food and sprits from 25 international marketplaces that add such countries as South Africa, Poland and Thailand to those already showcased in Epcot's World Showcase. The festival runs through Nov. 12, with extended park hours. In addition to the usual Epcot attractions, special exhibits and entertainment will be provided with concerts at the America Gardens Theatre, starting with '80s rock band Survivor this Friday and Saturday night. Future acts range from the FamilyStoneExperience to Three Dog Night to Gloria Gaynor to Southside Johnny. While the festival is open to all who enter Epcot, and free samples are available from some stations, much of the food and spirits being served up by 250 Disney and guests chefs come with charges. Appetizer portions range from $1.50 to $4.50.

See the World, One Disney Park at a Time

HONG KONG (AP) – The rain was pouring, the skies were a murky gray and Mickey's magic wasn't work-ing on the visitors cursing and scampering for cover at Hong Kong Disneyland. But Keith Simpson and his six friends from Sydney – all Disney fanatics sporting matching polo shirts that show Mickey ears over Australia's map – couldn't have been happier. The group was in Hong Kong on the second leg of their Disney-themed round-the-world tour, realizing months of planning for a 32-day trip that takes them to every Disney park in the world – from Tokyo to Hong Kong to Paris, to the US flagships, Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. It was a dream come true for the "Down Under Disneyana" fan club members, who have all been to one or more Disney parks before but have never done them all at one go. The idea of a world tour was especially appealing for Australian fans because they live so far away from all the Disney parks, Simpson said. "We can't go to Disneyland every week. We can only go once every year, and that's if we're lucky," said Simpson, 36. The nearest park – Hong Kong – is more than eight hours' flight away. The fans also organized the trip so that it coincided with several important dates for Disney. The group was in Hong Kong for the first anniversary celebrations at Disney's newest theme park on Sept. 12. They planned to finish on Sept. 30, the last day of 50th anniversary fes-tivities at the original Disneyland in Anaheim. Along the way, members expected to mark the occasion with group photos in front of all the iconic Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella castles, said Wayne Godfrey, the organizer of the trip. They also planned to spend minimum time sightseeing outside the parks, while trying to go on every single ride at every single park they're visiting. In fact, discounting time spent on-board flights and transfers from airports, virtually every minute of the month-long trip was to be spent in one Disney park or another. The world trip cost about $4,661, inclusive of discounted rates for hotels, transfers and passes to the parks, Godfrey said. The Tokyo leg cost an extra $526, because the air miles went over the prescribed mileage limit in the round-the-world airfare, he said. "Coordinating the airfare was the trickiest part," he said. "But once we decided to go with a regular round-the-world airfare, it all came together really quickly." Godfrey has a word of advice for anyone trying to organize a similar trip. "I would book a round-the-world airfare. I would try to stay at the moderate (Disney) hotels. I'd also make sure I go out of season, not on holidays when the parks are crowded," he said.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Stanley?


IMG_4201, originally uploaded by exxodus.

Could this car be the inspiration for the character of Stanley in the Disney/Pixar flick "Cars".

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

This one time, at CEO compensation camp...

We hear about executive compensation in the media on many levels, and most of us think "Wow, that's a lot of money." But have we ever really sat down and dug into exactly how much money these guys are really pulling down? Lucky for us, some of this info is public access. Other times it's listed on a government website with PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL stamped on the top. Either way, it gets put into perspective when an executive from a big company like Disney decides he can do better elsewhere. Exactly how much better? Let's see.


EX-10.1 2 exhibit1.htm EX-10.1
PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
July 20, 2006
Matthew A. Ouimet PO Box 3232 Anaheim, California 92803
Dear Matt,
I am delighted to confirm our invitation for you to join Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. We recognize that a successful company is the reflection of a talented workforce and high performing organization and we look forward to your leadership at Starwood. The Board and I have great confidence that you are more than up to the challenge of leading the Starwood Hotel Group despite the size and complexity of the task at hand. Personally, I look forward to a strong and enjoyable business partnership. I firmly believe that you have the professional experience, leadership and values to help realize the enormous potential inherent in Starwood’s brands, people and competitive position.
Please review the attached documents specifically outlining our offer of employment to and let me know if you have any questions concerning the terms. We are all enormously enthusiastic about you joining the company’s senior leadership team.
Matt, I hope you are as excited as we all are about joining Starwood. Please acknowledge your acceptance of this offer by signing and returning all of the attached documents to me.
Sincerely,
Steven J. Heyer
1
REVISED
July 20, 2006
Matthew A. Ouimet PO Box 3232 Anaheim, California 92803
Dear Matt,
The specifics of your offer of employment with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (“Starwood” or the “Company”) are outlined below:
Start Date: Subject to the terms of this letter, your employment with Starwood will begin on or about August 1, 2006 (the “Effective Date”)
Position: Your position will be President, Hotel Group, based in White Plains, NY, and you shall perform such duties and services as are assigned to you by the Company as requested. You acknowledge that your prospective employment will be subject to all policies and practices of the Company as may currently exist or as may be curtailed, modified or implemented from time to time. Further, you shall devote your full time and attention to the affairs of the Company and to your duties as President, Hotel Group. You will report to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and be a core member of the senior leadership team of the Company which also includes the President, Global Development, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel. Our regional division presidents (North America, EMEA, AP and LAD) will report directly to you.
Base Salary: Your base salary will be $700,000 annually, paid in semi-monthly intervals of $29,166.66

$29, 166.66 every 2 weeks. He'll have my annual salary by Halloween.

and subject to applicable withholdings for FICA, state and federal taxes. The Starwood salary program provides performance-based salary reviews for future salary progression.
Annual Incentive (Bonus): You will be eligible to participate in the Starwood Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) or, at the election of the board’s compensation committee, the Annual Incentive Plan for Certain Executives (AIPCE). In either case, your target incentive is 100% of base salary. Your actual incentive payout will be based upon company performance, the performance of our owned and managed hotels worldwide, and your achieving specified performance criteria to be established and approved by the Chief Executive Officer. In the event that changes are made to any of the incentive plans, the changes will apply to you as they do other employees of the Company. Please note that the AIP and AIPCE provides that a portion of your annual bonus will be deferred and payable in Starwood stock or stock units. The current deferral portion of the bonus is 25% and is payable in Starwood stock having a value on the date of deferral equal to 133% of the amount deferred.

Starwood's going to pay 25% of his bonus in stock worth 33% more than everyone else's shares.


Payment of your 2006 bonus will be delivered according to the regular annual incentive plan payout schedule and your bonus will assume you were employed with Starwood for the full year. An annual bonus shall not be deemed earned by you until the Company has determined your entitlement to such bonus and only if you are employed by the Company at the time such bonus is payable in accordance with the AIP, AIPCE and Company practices. Subject to the provisions described under “Severance” below, the Company does not pay pro-rata bonuses upon departure.
Long Term Incentive: You will be eligible to participate in the Starwood Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan (“LTIP”). This plan currently provides for the award of stock options and/or restricted shares at the Company’s discretion to high performing executives. For calendar year 2006, on or about the starting date of your employment with Starwood, you will receive equity awards having a value of $2,500,000

Matt may be eligible to play in the high performing executive bonus plan. In fact, he'll get $2.5 million just for showing up on his first day. That is a seriously high performance arrival. I'm expecting parachuting Elvis's here.

(which amount will be pro rated based on the remaining number of months in the calendar year), payable 50% in restricted stock and 50% in options, with the value of options determined in accordance with the Black Scholes model (with variables determined by the Company). Options will be exercisable at Fair Market Value (as defined in the LTIP) on the date of grant For calendar year 2007, on or about the same time as annual option and restricted stock grants are made to other senior executives (currently February of each year), you will receive equity awards having a value of $2,500,000

Oh yeah, same for next year. Again, that is a seriously high performance signature he has, if he gets all this just for joining up.


, payable in the same proportions of restricted stock and options as other senior executives of the Company with the value of options determined by the method then used by the Company for determining grants to such other senior executives. The award agreements governing the terms of your equity grants will be on the same terms and conditions as other senior executives of the Company. For subsequent years, the value of awards, if any, will be based upon your performance and the metrics used for other senior executives of the Company.

D'oh! 2 years from now, he'll have to earn his multi-million dollar bonuses, just like everyone else.


Sign-on Equity: Effective on or about the starting date of your employment with Starwood, pursuant to the terms of the LTIP you will be granted that number of shares of restricted stock having a value equal to $705,000

Is this the bonus we saw above or a new 100% salary increase sign-on bonus?

, based on the Fair Market Value (as defined in the LTIP) on the date of grant. The restricted shares will vest in accordance with the LTIP and will otherwise be governed by the provisions of the LTIP, provided that such shares will vest if your employment is terminated by the Company for any reason or if you terminate your employment for “good reason” (as defined below). For purposes of this paragraph only, “good reason” shall also include a material reduction below 50% of the percentage of value of equity awards granted to you under the LTIP in future years that consists of restricted stock.

If he quits, they're taking 1/2 the value of his options. Or something like that.


Further details will be provided in the award notification to be delivered to you following the start of your employment.
Benefits: Starwood offers “StarShare”, a comprehensive array of employee benefit programs, to provide peace of mind on various personal concerns. New employees are eligible for the StarShare health and welfare benefit programs and the 401(k) plan on the first day of the month following 90 days of employment. You and your eligible dependents will be covered by these benefits as per your coverage elections.
Information on these plans and other benefit programs such as the HOT Rates (the employee discount room rates program), short-term disability, long-term disability, employee life insurance, and vacation programs will be provided to you after you begin your employment with us.
In the event that changes are made to any of the benefit plans, the changes will apply to you as they do other employees of the Company.
COBRA Payments: We realize that there may be a transitional benefits cost to you because of the waiting period before you become eligible for the Starwood health plans. Therefore, during your benefits waiting period, Starwood agrees to reimburse you for any COBRA payments until the date you become eligible for Starwood health benefits.

Starwood will cover all his insurance needs while he's in between jobs. This may be standard stuff, but hey, why should the millionaires need to spend any of their own money. That's not spendin' money, that's for keepin'!

Starwood will reimburse you the difference between the applicable normal contribution rate with Starwood and your COBRA amount.
Other Benefits: While your office will be in White Plains, we realize that you currently reside in California. We understand that you plan to commute from California to White Plains until some time after the conclusion of the 2006/2007 school year. You agree to relocate to the New York/Connecticut area no later than December 31, 2007. In order to make it as convenient and un-burdensome as possible to perform your duties in White Plains and other parts of the world as your job requires until your relocation to the New York/Connecticut area, the Company will (i) reimburse up to $1,500,000 of your air travel expenses during the first twelve months of your employment which may include commercial air or chartered flights (regular commercial flights on Company business (including spousal or family travel required as part of Company business) will not be counted in determining the $1,500,000 cap) and (ii) provide you with suitable temporary housing in the New York/Connecticut area. You agree that you will use good faith efforts in planning your travel to minimize such air travel expenses consistent with your duties and responsibilities as President Hotel Group.

This is the "Don't be a prick and fly all your friends to Vegas" clause.

Arrangements for non-commercial flights will be done in coordination with a company specializing in private aircraft services (such as Citation Shares or Net Jets) and will be done in a way to permit as much flexibility as is reasonably possible. The Company will indemnify you for any income tax liability for the air travel expense reimbursement, temporary housing and other relocation benefits provided pursuant to this letter and the Relocation Program discussed below.
The Company will reimburse you for up to $10,000 for review of your employment contract with us.

They'll pay for a lawyer to look over the contract. So, on what exactly do millionaires spend their money?


Relocation: Starwood has selected Cendant Mobility Services to administer our Relocation Program. Starwood will pay the reasonable, out-of-pocket costs of relocating your family and household furnishings to New York/Connecticut and to a new location in California in accordance with the provisions of Starwood’s Relocation Program. This Program includes reimbursement of a set number of personal, spousal and family trips for house hunting purposes (additional trips may be funded in your discretion by your $1,500,000 air travel allowance). To be eligible for reimbursement of certain benefits, you are required to utilize the services of an agent in the Cendant Mobility Preferred Network on both departure and destination. You will be eligible to participate in this program until December 31, 2007.
A home buy-out option will be afforded you as you make this transition. Cendant will arrange for two appraisals of your home to be conducted as soon as practicable after your acceptance of our offer. If those appraisals are more than 5% apart, a third appraisal will be ordered. The appraisals will then be averaged and you will be offered (the “Initial Offer”) that amount for your home. Once the offer is made, you will have 60 days to (i) accept it or (ii) defer the sale of your home until any time prior to September 30, 2007 (the “Deferral Period”). At the conclusion of the Deferral Period, Cendant will again arrange for the appraisal of your home and 60 day purchase offer in accordance with the foregoing provisions. We will guarantee the purchase price of your home. You will not be required to market your home in advance of initiating this buyout option. In addition if the purchase price offered to you at the conclusion of the Deferral Period is less than the Initial Offer, the Company will reimburse you for up to $100,000 of such deficiency.

Starwood will buy his house at fair market value, with no need to put it on the market. They'll even throw in $100,000 if the value goes down over the year you wait to sell it.

To initiate the moving process, please contact the White Plains Human Resources office. You will be assigned to a Client Services Consultant at Cendant Mobility who will provide you with relocation assistance and the names of the Preferred Network agents. In an effort to fully utilize our relocation benefit and avoid additional tax liability, we ask that you do not begin your relocation process before being contacted by your assigned Cendant Client Services Consultant. Please do not sign a Listing Agreement or begin searching for a new home until you have spoken with your Consultant. For questions regarding policy benefits or to register a real estate agent with Cendant, please call 1-800-423-8624.
In the event that you accept this offer of employment and relocation expenses are paid to you or on your behalf, you agree that if you voluntarily terminate your employment within one year after you relocate, you will repay all such relocation expenses, reduced by 1/12 for each full calendar month actually worked.

If he quits, he's got to pay back the relocation money. Hey, Starwood doesn't move people around for free.

In addition, eligibility for reimbursement of any and all relocation expenses will cease on the last day of employment and any relocation expenses incurred after that date will not be reimbursed by Starwood and will be your responsibility.
Exclusive Dispute Resolution Procedure: Any and all disputes relating to this offer letter, your employment with Starwood or the termination of that employment will be resolved solely and exclusively through binding arbitration pursuant to the employment rules of the American Arbitration Association. Accordingly, you acknowledge and agree that this offer of employment and the benefits provided herein are contingent upon your execution of the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate provided to you herewith (Attachment A) and incorporated herein by reference.
Employment Term: Unless sooner terminated or extended pursuant to other provisions hereof, the term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall end on the March 1 2010; provided that the term of this Agreement shall be extended automatically for an additional year as of the end of the initial term and each additional one year term, unless no later than six months prior to any such renewal date either the Company, or Executive gives written notice to the other that the term of this Agreement shall not be so extended.
Severance: For the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending with the two year anniversary of the Effective Date, in the event you are teminated without cause or resign for good reason, you will be entitled to salary, target bonus and benefit coverage for the balance of the initial term of employment less seven (7) months. After the initial two year period you will revert to the severance benefits described below. In no circumstance would your severance be less than the severance described below if you are terminated without cause or resign for good reason.
In the event that Starwood terminates your employment for any reason other than “cause” or you resign for “good reason”, Starwood will pay to you (i) 12 months of your then current base salary, (ii) your target bonus for the year of termination and (iii) 50% of your target bonus for the year of termination pro rated based on the portion of the year elapsed on the date of termination, all in a lump sum less all applicable withholdings and will provide benefit coverage for a one year period from the date of termination (the “Termination Payments”). You will not be entitled to any Termination Payments if you resign your employment with the Company without good reason. As a condition for, and prior to, your entitlement to and receipt of any Termination Payments, you must enter into a written waiver and release of any and all claims against Starwood arising out of or relating to your employment with Starwood, in such form that Starwood may reasonably require. In the event you allege a breach of “good reason” the company will have 30 days to cure the alleged breach.

The Golden Parachute.


For purposes of this letter, “cause,” shall mean (i) any material breach by you of any of the duties, responsibilities or obligations of your employment, or any of the written policies of Starwood; (ii) any willful failure or refusal by you to properly perform (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) the duties, responsibilities or obligations of your employment, or to properly perform or follow (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) any lawful order or direction by Starwood; (iii) any acts or omissions by you that constitute (as determined by Starwood in its reasonable discretion and judgment) fraud, dishonesty, breach of your duty of loyalty, gross negligence, civil or criminal illegality, or any other material misconduct in your employment or which could tend to bring Starwood into disrepute, could create civil or criminal liability for Starwood or could adversely affect Starwood’s business or interests. “Good reason” shall mean a significant reduction in your responsibilities or authority as President Hotel Group, a change in your reporting relationship to a person who is not the senior most executive officer of the Company or a reduction in base compensation.
Other Conditions and Obligations: You acknowledge that you are not subject to any currently effective employment contract, or any other contractual or other binding obligations pursuant to which your employment or employment activities with or on behalf of the Company may be subject to any restrictions. Restrictions include limitation, any agreements or other obligations or documents relating to non-competition, confidentiality, trade secrets, proprietary information or works for hire.
As a further condition of this offer and your right to receive any of the benefits detailed herein, you agree to execute and be bound by the Non-compete, Non-solicitation, Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Agreement attached hereto (Attachment B) and incorporated herein by reference.
Integrated Agreement: This offer letter represents the sole and complete understanding between you and the Company relating to your employment and there are no other written or oral agreements, understandings or representations relating to this offer of employment. The terms of your employment, including the at-will nature of the employment, may be amended only through a written instrument signed by you and Starwood’s Chief Administrative Officer.
You should not resign from your current employment until you have received notification from the Company of the completion of all pre-employment investigation, testing and verification.
By signing and returning this letter, you confirm that this letter accurately sets forth the current understanding between you and Starwood and that you accept and agree to the terms as outlined.
Very truly yours,
Kenneth S. Siegel Chief Administrative Officer

cc:

Personnel File

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:



Matthew A. Ouimet

Date

Wiki Article

Monday, July 17, 2006

'Pirates' Becomes Year’s Top-Grossing Film

LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Pirates of the Caribbean" is looking more like "Treasure Island." Already a record-shattering blockbuster, Johnny Depp's sequel "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" dug up $62.2 million in its second weekend, raising its 10-day total to $258.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie has quickly become the year's top-grossing film, rocketing past "X-Men: The Last Stand," which has taken in $232 million in eight weeks. The "Pirates" sequel has grossed an additional $125 million overseas. "It's really fun when you're riding a comet like this," said Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney, which based the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies on its theme park attraction. "This thing is just unbelievable. It creates its own wake." Hollywood's business dipped for the first time in two months. After eight straight weekends of rising revenues, overall receipts totaled $156 million, down 5 percent from the same weekend last year, when Depp also was at the top of the box office with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Still, the second weekend gross for "Dead Man's Chest" topped the debut of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which opened with $56.2 million. "Dead Man's Chest" had the third-best second weekend ever, behind "Shrek 2" ($72.2 million) and "Spider-Man" ($71.4 million). By next weekend, "Dead Man's Chest" should climb past the $305 million domestic total rung up by its predecessor, 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," Disney's Viane said. Ending with a cliffhanger, "Dead Man's Chest" will be closely followed by a third "Pirates" movie due out next May, with Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and other co-stars on a voyage to rescue Depp's rakish pirate Capt. Jack Sparrow. "Huge expectations. 'Pirates 2' is maybe the toughest act in box-office history to follow," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "'Pirates 3' is the definition of a predestined blockbuster."

52,000 Participate in Volvo Treasure Hunt

IRVINE, Calif. (PRNewswire) – Seven would-be pirates from around the world will converge in a secret location next month as Volvo Car Corporation's global, multi-media treasure hunt for a Volvo XC90 V8 SUVthat has been buried somewhere in the world reaches its final leg. The hunt, which Volvo is conducting as part of its official promotion of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," drew more than 52,000 US participants. The individuals participated for about a month in a challenging online adventure to solve a series of online clues and puzzles using an official treasure map obtained at Volvo dealerships nationwide. Throughout the course of the online hunt, participants created and joined in on message boards and blog sites sharing tips and information on the hunt's oft-times complex clues. The finalists who will now participate in the final leg will be selected from those who were the first to correctly guess the final clue when the online leg concluded July 12. The finalists – expected to be three from the United States and one-each from the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan and Austria – will, in August, be flown to the Volvo XC90's secret location, where for two days they will receive additional clues to lead them to the vehicle's burial site. Volvo's promotion of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" grew out of the partnership with Disney for the worldwide Volvo Ocean Race. The Volvo ship bears the name of the same boat in the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, "The Black Pearl." The Ocean Race began in Vigo, Spain on Nov. 12, 2005 and ended in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 17, 2006.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

La Nouba By Cirque Du Soleil Celebrates Its 5 Millionth Guest at Walt Disney World Resort Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- La Nouba, the spectacular Cirque du Soleil production exclusively presented at Walt Disney World Resort, is about to reach the important milestone of having hosted 5 million guests. Attaining such an amazing number of spectators would not have been possible without the loyalty of the residents of Florida who have attended La Nouba since its opening in December 1998. This is why Cirque du Soleil has decided to thank its local fans with two remarkable events.

First, from July 20 to Sept. 30, Florida residents can enjoy the daring acts, live music and dazzling choreography of La Nouba for 20 percent off the regular price on select seats.

Second, to celebrate its 5-million-guest milestone, the cast and crew of La Nouba will select one of the Florida residents attending the 6 p.m. performance on Thursday, Aug. 10, to be its honorary 5 millionth guest. This person will enjoy an amazing and one-of-a-kind experience, which includes a personal on-stage recognition by the cast, interaction with select La Nouba characters during the show, unique La Nouba memorabilia gifts, and an exclusive backstage meet-and-greet with the artists.

La Nouba continues to perform twice nightly at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the Cirque du Soleil theater, by calling 407/939-7600, or on http://www.cirquedusoleil.com . For more information on the 20 percent-off promotion, Florida residents can call 407/WDW-SEAT.
Fun Facts:

* La Nouba celebrated its 3500th performance on Saturday, May 13, 2006.
* There are 1730 audio cables running through the theatre. Placed end to end, they reach a total length of 865,000 feet or approximately 164 miles!
* When La Nouba first opened to the public, it did not feature the Cycles act, which is now an intricate part of the show.
* The average age of the cast of La Nouba is 31 1/2. Ages range from 10 to 50 years old.
* The wardrobe department handles over 300 costumes and headpieces every day. Most of the 67 artists performing in La Nouba wear three different costumes per show.
* Over 1200 lighting fixtures are used for each performance of La Nouba.


For more information about Cirque du Soleil, please visit http://www.cirquedusoleil.com .

SOURCE Walt Disney World Resort

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

EarthCam joins POTC2 cast...kind of

Click here for the ultra cool, super fast and way too short Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest timelapse movie file. (Be sure to keep an eye out for the way scary Kraken arms!)




NEW YORK, July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthCam (http://www.earthcam.net/),
the leader in providing webcam software and technology, is pleased to announce that it provided the producers of Walt Disney Pictures' record breaking blockbuster summer movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (in theaters now), with technology to monitor and document the filming.

Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley reunite in this sequel to the 2003 blockbuster, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski.

"EarthCam's webcam technology was an invaluable tool for me and my production team to remotely monitor the set," said Jerry Bruckheimer, Executive Producer of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. "In addition, the cameras created an HD time-lapse movie of the construction progress which could make for an exciting DVD extra."

"We are ecstatic to be working with Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures," said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam, Inc. "Developing opportunities to record significant events for the entertainment industry that feature our unique technology is important to our company's growth." EarthCam's professional-duty MegapixelCam system provided high definition, megapixel color images with digital Pan/Tilt/Zoom, enabling examination of the smallest picture details. The HD images were archived around the clock, providing the producers with instant access to the highest quality digital photographs and time-lapse videos. To view a sample video, visit http://www.earthcam.net/pirates.

A second camera, an EarthCam ConstructionCam system, offered producers critical real-time monitoring of the set building process including construction of the largest open-water tank in the western hemisphere. The tank holds 60 million gallons of water, is 30ft deep and accommodates multiple ships. The professional duty camera includes a cooling system and wiper that kept it working through the Caribbean summer and a fierce hurricane.

EarthCam is the recognized leader in providing webcam technology and managed services to businesses since 1996. EarthCam provides complete infrastructure services to manage, host and maintain live streaming video camera systems for its corporate clients. Clients include Ford, Sprint, Toyota, Panasonic, Yahoo!, This Old House, Coca-Cola, Discover Card, Turner Construction, Bechtel Corp, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, numerous government agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Visit EarthCam at: http://www.earthcam.net/.

SOURCE EarthCam


Related links:

  • http://www.earthcam.net/
  • http://www.earthcam.net/pirates
  • Disneyland Resort Debuts First-Ever Video Podcast; Introduces Newest Episode of Its Popular Audio Podcast

    Dead Men May Tell No Tales But New Audio and Video Podcasts Tell
    Behind-the-Scenes Story of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Film Premiere
    and Attraction Re-Opening

    ANAHEIM, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the groundbreaking
    precedent of its popular monthly audio podcasts the Disneyland Resort in
    Southern California today introduces a new monthly series of video podcasts
    that will bring all the magic and fun of "The Happiest Place on Earth" to
    fans around the world via their desktop computer or video iPod. As one of
    the first organizations to successfully venture into audio podcasting
    (launching its first podcast in May 2005), Disneyland Resort now debuts the
    first episode of its all-new Disneyland Resort Video Podcast series.
    In the premiere video episode, available now on the Internet, viewers
    will witness the creation of one of the most spectacular movie premieres in
    Hollywood history and certainly one of the most elaborate events ever
    staged at Disneyland -- the official world premiere of the new Disney film
    "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and the re-opening of the
    classic attraction Pirates of the Caribbean, which has recently been
    extensively enhanced. All the excitement of getting ready for this amazing
    event is captured in this fun and entertaining mini-documentary.
    Viewers will walk the red carpet with the film's stars Johnny Depp,
    Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, plus meet many of the die-hard "Pirates"
    fans who made the premiere an unforgettable event. It's a fast-paced look
    (6 mins. 4 secs.) behind-the-magic at one of the most incredible nights in
    Disneyland history.
    Like the Official Disneyland Resort Audio Podcast, the new video
    podcast is a free monthly Internet-based show accessible to a global
    audience via a "Disneyland" search on the iTunes Podcast Directory.
    Listeners can also subscribe to both podcast versions (audio and video)
    through the iTunes Podcast Directory to receive new episodes automatically
    each month.
    The monthly video podcast takes viewers behind-the-scenes of what's new
    and exciting at the resort plus showcases stories from the resort's 50-year
    legacy of creating magical moments for guests from around the world.
    Similar to its initial entree into audio podcasting, the Disneyland Resort
    enters the emerging world of video podcasting in its infancy -- there are
    currently only 150 free video podcasts available on the iTunes Podcast
    Directory but interest in, and use of, the medium is rapidly increasing.
    Additionally, the newest episode of the Official Disneyland Resort
    Audio Podcast is now available online and takes listeners to all the
    excitement of the world premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's
    Chest," which had its official bow at Disneyland on June 24. Recorded live
    on the world's longest red-carpet (2,000 feet from the beginning of Main
    Street, U.S.A. to the riverfront in New Orleans Square) this podcast (38
    mins. 50 secs.) features an array of segments, including:
    * Interviews on the red carpet with "Pirates" film producer Jerry
    Bruckheimer, actor Bill Nighy (Davy Jones in "Pirates of the Caribbean:
    Dead Man's Chest") and Disney CEO Bob Iger.
    * Actor Johnny Depp encounters the newly added Captain Jack Sparrow for
    the first time inside the recently enhanced Pirates of the Caribbean
    attraction.
    * Walt Disney himself in a very rare clip from a 1965 press conference at
    WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) where he describes his
    vision for Pirates of the Caribbean, the use of models in the creation
    of the attraction and his description of Imagineering.
    * A new interview with Jason Surrell, Disney Imagineer and author of the
    book "Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies."
    * An encounter with one of the fans of the Official Disneyland Resort
    Podcast.
    * A meeting with two diehard "Pirates" fans who traveled all the way from
    Atlanta, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama, to visit Disneyland and
    participate in the premiere.
    * Meet a Disneyland Cast Member who was so enthralled with the film
    "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" that she has
    become a bona fide Pirate historian.
    * A five-year old Pirate fan gives the newly enhanced attraction a
    "Thumbs-Up!"
    * Premiere recap and attraction overview from author and Disney historian
    Tim O'Day.
    Achieving a rating of four-and-a half stars out of a possible perfect
    five on the iTunes Podcast Directory, the Official Disneyland Resort Audio
    Podcast continues to be a hit with listeners. Each episode features an
    engaging mix of original programming recorded live throughout the resort
    including locations in Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure Park, the
    Downtown Disney District and the resort's three landmark hotels -- Disney's
    Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel
    -- creating a "you are there" audio experience.
    More information about the continuing Disneyland 50th anniversary
    celebration and vacations at the Disneyland Resort is available at
    http://www.disneyland.com, by calling (877) 700-DISNEY, or by visiting local
    travel agents.

    SOURCE Disneyland Resort

    Monday, July 10, 2006

    You tell me...

    Should Keith Richards really join the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean 3 as Captain Jack Sparrow's dad? Would commercial Hollywood have it any other way? Johnny Depp offered up part of his salary to make it happen? Keith fell out of a coconut tree? It's a perfect story.


    Dad!


    Son!

    Friday, July 07, 2006

    Pirates Breaks Record as Fandango's Top Day-Before-Opening Ticket-Seller

    LOS ANGELES (PRNewswire) – Fandango, the online, phone, and mobile movie ticketing service, announced a new ticketing record: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest now stands as Fandango's top day-before-opening ticket-seller. The previous record-holder was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, followed by Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Pirates is making news across the board:

    • Thursday, July 6 was Fandango's biggest ticket-sales day of the year, surpassing opening days for The Da Vinci Code, X-Men: The Last Stand and Superman Returns.
    • For several hours on Thursday, Pirates was selling an average of seven tickets per second.
    • On Thursday, Pirates broke Fandango's hourly sales record for the day before a film's opening.
    • Hundreds of late night Thursday shows sold out in advance across the country.
    • On Thursday, Pirates represented 91 percent of all ticket sales on Fandango.

    "Pirates' advance ticket sales have been truly extraordinary," says Chuck Davis, Chairman of Fandango, "and we expect to break even more records on Friday. You don't usually see this kind of enthusiasm until the final installment of a franchise, so this bodes well for the series' future."

    Pirate Ghost Ship Sighted at Disney's Castaway Cay

    CELEBRATION, Fla. (PRNewswire) – A mysterious pirate ship has landed at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, providing Disney Cruise Line guests with a swashbuckling photo opportunity and a sneak peek into movie-making magic. Starting in early July guests sailing on a Disney Cruise Line vacation will discover a 175-foot ghost ship anchored at Castaway Cay. The ship is the Flying Dutchman, which makes its silver screen debut on July 7 in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The Flying Dutchman's commander is the legendary Davy Jones, who serves as nemesis to the infamous pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, in the upcoming film. The intricate film prop is unlike any other pirate ship – with ragged sails and a barnacle-encrusted bow, the ship looks like it was raised off the ocean floor to haunt the open seas for eternity. The Flying Dutchman will provide a scenic photo backdrop, and guests renting boats on the island will be able to get an up-close look at the ghost ship. While visiting Castaway Cay, guests should also be on the lookout for the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. With the Flying Dutchman lurking just off the shore, the eccentric captain may be spotted around the island. Guests are encouraged to approach the hero and hear his tales about adventure on the high seas. The charming pirate graciously accepts requests for portraits and autographs – if guests can manage to track him down. Disney Cruise Line will also hold a PremEAR at Sea of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in the Walt Disney Theatre of both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. On Friday, July 7, guests aboard Disney Cruise Line will receive commemorative buttons and pirate-themed temporary tattoos and will be invited to view the premiere of the film at 12:01 a.m.



    ABC absent from the top 20?

    I guess Disney doesn't much care for the summer ad revenue. It seems they may have all their eggs in the "LOST", "Housewives" basket.

    (AP) – Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for June 26-July 2. Top 20 listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

    1. (33) "America's Got Talent," NBC, 11.0 million viewers.
    2. (6) "Without a Trace," CBS, 10.9 million viewers.
    3. (8) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 10.8 million viewers.
    4. (3) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 10.6 million viewers.
    5. (11) "House," Fox, 9.9 million viewers.
    6. (18) "CSI: NY," CBS, 9.2 million viewers.
    7. (16) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 8.9 million viewers.
    8. (56) "So You Think You Can Dance," (Wednesday), Fox, 8.8 million viewers.
    9. (56) "So You Think You Can Dance," (Thursday), Fox, 8.5 million viewers.
    10. (50) "CBS Sunday Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," CBS, 8.4 million viewers.
    11. (35) "Law & Order," NBC, 8.4 million viewers.
    12. (15) "NCIS," CBS, 8.3 million viewers.
    13. (X) "Fox NASCAR Nextel Cup," Fox, 8.2 million viewers.
    14. (23) "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.2 million viewers.
    15. (28) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 8.1 million viewers.
    16. (97) "Hell's Kitchen," Fox, 8.0 million viewers.
    17. (19) "Cold Case," CBS, 7.8 million viewers.
    18. (33) "New Adventures of Old Christine," CBS, 7.6 million viewers.
    19. (X) "48 Hours Mystery," CBS, 7.5 million viewers.
    20. (44) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 7.2 million viewers.

    Thursday, June 22, 2006

    Disney Changes "Game Plan" After the Rock's Injury

    Disney put filming of By Alan Fein

    (AXcess News) Hollywood - Walt Disney Corp. (NYSE: DIS) was forced to change its script after Dwayne Johnson, better known to wrestling fans as "The Rock", injured his leg while practicing football for Disney's new family film, "The Game Plan".

    Dwayne Johnson, seen here with his trade mark cocked right eyebrow, says to tell fans "nothing can stop The Rock."

    While at a football practice Monday for his new Disney film, "The Game Plan", The Rock injured his Achilles tendon. Johnson was practicing for his upcoming role as a professional quarterback in the movie, which was previously known as "Daddy's Girl."

    Johnson is to undergo surgery Friday in Miami to repair the torn tendon. Until The Rock can resume filming, Disney's studio is putting production on the shelf. The film's shoot will have to wait for Johnson to undergo therapy as well following his operation. Doctors nor Disney have said how long "The Game Plan" will be kept in limbo waiting for The Rock to recover.

    Disney was ready to begin shooting the film in Boston next week Monday.

    Walt Disney Motion Picture Group president Nina Jacobson was quoted as saying, "While this is a setback for our production schedule, we completely support him as he recuperates and look forward to resuming production when Dwayne is fully recovered."

    "The Rock" said to reporters, "I anticipate that with some TLC, pizza and a lot of donuts, I will be making a speedy recovery and will be able to get myself, and everyone who has been working so hard on this production, back to the business of doing what we love most, making movies."

    Johnson has appeared in the films, "The Rundown", filmed in 2003; "The Scorpion King", filmed in 2002; and is best known for seeing his film career take off for "The Rock's" role in "The Mummy Returns", filmed in 2001.

    Disney Shows Muscle with Boys Properties

    Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean," Disney*Pixar's "Cars" and "Toy Story" and "Power Rangers" Combine to Capture Elusive Boy Market

    Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today announced that 2006 will bethe best year ever for boys. Driven by the tremendous success ofDisney*Pixar's "Cars," the establishment of "Pirates of the Caribbean"as a long-term franchise and the ongoing popularity of "PowerRangers," Disney is reaching boys with everything from die-cast,action figures and bikes to MP3 players, video games and books.

    "With the strength of our entertainment, we knew 2006 would be theyear we became a power house boys player," said Andy Mooney, chairmanof Disney Consumer Products. "Similar to DCP's girl's portfolio, whichis the best in the industry, our boy's portfolio offers everythingfrom the whimsical 'Cars' and 'Toy Story' characters to the heroicrite of passage that is 'Power Rangers' for younger boys, to thecooler, more aspirational 'Pirates of the Caribbean' brand for theolder boy."

    "Power Rangers" - DCP's #1 Boys Brand

    DCP kicked-off its year experiencing strong demand for "PowerRangers" action figures, its perennial boy's property, during theHoliday 05 season. In 2005, "Power Rangers" was ranked second in theaction figure category behind "Star Wars," according to The NPD Group.Next year's theme will be called "Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive.""Power Rangers" airs more than 65 times each week in over 40territories worldwide, and continues to expand worldwide withsuccessful launches in Italy, India and other countries this year.

    Disney*Pixar's "Cars" - phenomenal success

    The tremendous anticipation of "Cars" before the film was releasedcombined with the huge box office opening resulted in record-breakingretail sales for merchandise based on a Disney*Pixar theatrical film.The film's humor, story and character personalities were incorporatedinto its products, which featured many category firsts for aDisney*Pixar film, including the first power ride-on, kids electronicsline and bedroom suite. Currently, "Cars" is recording 10 to 1 moreretail volume than "Finding Nemo" at the same point in its release.DCP plans to expand and refresh product with new creative style guidesfor fall and beyond. Large retailers have already committed to "Cars"feature shops for the entire months of November and December tomaximize the DVD release.

    "Pirates of the Caribbean" - evergreen boy's franchise

    On July 7, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" willrelease to theaters and reignite a pirate frenzy that started in 2003."Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" recorded morethan $650m in global box office sales, and "Dead Man's Chest" is oneof the most highly-anticipated events of the summer. With ongoingentertainment support, DCP is positioning "Pirates of the Caribbean"as an evergreen boy's franchise, comparable in opportunity to its"Disney Princess" franchise for girls.

    Since the audience for "Pirates of the Caribbean" is so broad, DCPlooked to create innovative product and edgy creative designs formultiple consumers. Toy licensee, Zizzle's Black Pearl playset wasalready chosen for Toy Wishes "Hot Summer Toys" list, a high-endapparel and jewelry line tied into the current Pirates fashion trendwill launch to specialty stores, and Disney Publishing developed thelargest live-action publishing series ever -- including the latestnovel, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (junior novel),currently on the New York Times children's best-seller list. "Piratesof the Caribbean" product will be featured in all key categoriesrepresented at major retailers worldwide.

    "Toy Story" - 10 Years Strong

    And let's not forget about Woody and Buzz. Ten years from itsinitial release, the "Toy Story" franchise continues to show growth atretailers like Target, which showed double-digit growth in "Toy Story"merchandise sales this year. Additionally, "Toy Story" is thebest-selling boy's property at Disney Store North America, with newBuzz Lightyear and friends product in all key categories featured inmore than 100 stores.

    For more information, please visit: www.disneyconsumerproducts.com

    About Disney Consumer Products

    Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The WaltDisney Company (NYSE:DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandiseranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books to interactive games,food and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art. This isaccomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business:Disney Toys, Disney Softlines, Disney Home, Disney Food, Health &Beauty, Disney Stationery, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games, BabyEinstein, the Muppets Holding Company and Disney Shopping, Inc.'scatalog and disneyshopping.com. The Disney Store, which debuted in1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned andoperated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements inNorth America and Japan, and wholly owned stores in Europe.

    Disney's Dinner Bell

    Disney's new magic: licensing some pixie dust.
    By Rick Aristotle Munarriz
    Motley Fool

    Updated: 9:34 a.m. ET June 21, 2006

    There will be more pixie than dust in Disney's (NYSE: DIS) latest marketing initiative. At the Licensing 2006 International Show in New York this week, Disney unveiled its plan to turn Tinker Bell and her friends into its next big stars.

    Until now, Fairies has been little more than an unassuming book line hoping to hook young girls with whimsical story lines. That will change. Disney has tapped Brittany Murphy to voice Peter Pan's spunky sprite in a direct-to-video animated feature next summer. Dolls and toys will follow.

    The family entertainment giant has already had a few successful years with its Disney Princesses line. Marketing the heroines of its animated classics has turned into a $3 billion a year franchise. Going from Belle to Bell won't be as easy, especially since audiences know little about Tinker Bell and even less about her fellow fairies, but Disney could be well-served by going in this direction.

    The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Narnia have all whetted the appetites of fantasy fans. Even if the audience for Fairies overlaps with the Disney Princesses crowd, Disney would rather hit them from both sides than let toy companies like Mattel(NYSE: MAT) win them over with Barbies and American Girl. Meanwhile, MGA Entertainment's Bratz and Build-A-Bear Workshop's (NYSE: BBW) personalized bears and friends 2B made lines are also gunning for the same audience.

    Disney's consumer products division can use the attention. With strength at its theme parks and the resurgence in its media networks, the last time that Disney's consumer products made headlines was when it was partly bowing out of retail by handing over its Disney Stores to Children's Place(Nasdaq: PLCE). Last year, consumer products accounted for just a 7% slice of the company's revenue pie. The top line there has slipped 1% through the first six months of fiscal 2006, despite a 9% improvement in operating profits.

    Scoring a hit with Fairies will help. Other recent homegrown successes, like the unlikely hit High School Musical, are already helping. So Tinker Bell, often relegated to gliding high in the sky before a fireworks show, will hopefully take flight for Disney again.

    Pixie dust? Who needs it when you have shrewd merchandising at play?

    Disney is an active recommendation forStock Advisornewsletter service subscribers, while Mattel is anInside Valueselection. Whatever your investing style, the Fool has a newsletter for you.

    Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is still a kid at heart, smitten over the right kind of animation. He owns shares in Disney. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of theRule Breakersnewsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.

    Thursday, June 01, 2006

    Researchers Try to Talk with Dolphins at Epcot

    LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – Calvin's got rhythm – and scientists are excited, since the Disney performer weighs 450 pounds and breathes through a blowhole. A 12-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin living in the backwaters of Epcot at Walt Disney World, Calvin is being taught a vocal form of communication that involves the cadence of his sounds, something that's never been done before with animals, his researchers said. He is one of four dolphins that spend much of the day swimming around Epcot's Living Seas attraction to the delight of customers, then moonlight at Disney as scientific research subjects. Calvin stars in an experiment that has scientists exploring whether dolphins can communicate with language that doesn't rely on the pitch, timbre or intensity of vocalizations – the variations that humans most typically use to form words – but on the sounds' duration and rhythm. Think Morse code: One long sound could mean one thing. A bunch of quick sounds uttered in staccato might mean another. In a project overseen by New College of Florida psychology professor Heidi Harley, Disney researchers and trainers are teaching Calvin to associate such rhythms with specific objects. The trainer, normally Disney marine mammal specialist Leslie Larsen-Plott though others take turns, holds up an object. If Calvin responds by vocalizing the right rhythm, he gets a fish. A basketball, for example, is identified with chirp pause chirp pause chirp pause, a rhythm that researchers dubbed the "dribble." Chirp pause long whistle means the Batman action figure. Long whistle pause long whistle pause long whistle is the watering can. So far, Calvin has seven rhythms down, and two more to go in the first phase. Harley has presented some of their findings at two scientific conferences, for the Acoustical Society of America and the Comparative Cognition Society. The next step is to see if Calvin can find objects when the trainers play back recordings of his rhythmic sounds. Perhaps some day they might see if dolphins could communicate with each other with the rhythms.

    Disney Institute propaganda

    How do you promote a new business venture that you'll bulldoze a few years from now? Like this:

    Official Pirates Site Launched

    (comingsoon.net) – Walt Disney Pictures has launched the official website for the highly-anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, hitting theaters on July 7th. At the site, you can view trailers, learn about the movie, get downloads such as desktops, buddy icons, e-cards, the movie poster and digi-tal trading cards, as well as play games, view the gallery and the world map. The world map takes you to scenes in the movie in which you'll have to "plunder" items in order to be able to open the chest of Davy Jones at the end for hidden items.

    Disneyland Autopia Cars Race for Charity at the Indy 500

    HONG KONG (Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet) – Checkered flags waved, crowds cheered and engines roared as two American traditions teamed up to celebrate special milestones. In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary and the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500, "The Happiest Place on Earth" and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" teamed up for the "Minnie Indy Charity Race" on Wednesday, May 24 (at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Minnie Mouse herself was on hand to wave in the likes of Danica Patrick, Dan Wheldon, Eddie Cheever, Jr., and Dario Franchitti who were among the 31 IndyCar Series drivers who participated in the whimsical race. They were driving miniature cars taken directly from one of Disneyland's original opening day attractions – the ever-popular Autopia. Instead of racing along the highways of Disneyland's Tomorrowland, the Autopia cars and their speed-loving IndyCar Series drivers traversed a comical obstacle race course (at top speeds of 10 mph!) that took place on a specially designed "Minnie" roadway created on the famous Brickyard. The Autopia tradition will continue this summer as a new generation of futuristic cars cruise over to Hong Kong Disneyland where they will make their new home in Tomorrowland. Guests of all ages will whiz down the highway of Tomorrow in their electric space cars and encounter all sorts of alien landscapes, promising a fun adventure for the entire family. "This summer Hong Kong Disneyland will welcome its very own version of Autopia," said Bill Ernest, executive vice president and managing director Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. "This will be a very exciting moment for all our guests as they experience for themselves the classic Disney Autopia attraction – with a futuristic twist!"

    Deluge Hits "Cars" Outdoor Premiere

    CONCORD, NC (Hollywood Reporter) – A heavy rainstorm couldn't dampen the spirits of the 30,000 people who turned out for the premiere of Disney/Pixar's "Cars" at an elaborate event staged at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. Friday's spectacle featured a 12-lap auto race, a performance by country star Brad Paisley, and the screening of the movie on four giant custom-built screens. A deluge hit the speedway right before the event, causing a planned helicopter entrance to be aborted and delaying the celebrity arrivals. When the rain finally cleared, a 166-yard long red carpet leading into the Speedway sprang to life with the high-wattage voice cast of the movie, including Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and NASCAR greats Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The film opens June 9.

    Thursday, May 25, 2006

    Sarah Litzsinger Returns to Beauty and the Beast May 30

    NEW YORK (Broadway.com) – Sarah Litzsinger will be returning to the role of Belle in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast on May 30. Current star Ashley Brown, who will play the title role in Mary Poppins on the Great White Way this fall, is set to have her final performance in Beauty on May 28. Most recently Litzsinger played Eva Peron in the 25th anniversary tour of Evita. The actress, who first played the role of Belle on tour, has previously done long stints with the Broadway company of Beauty and the Beast. She also starred as the Narrator alongside Donny Osmond's Joseph in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. (Osmond will be joining Beauty and the Beast for a nine-week limited engagement as Gaston on September 19, thus reuniting the actors.)

    Sarah went to my high school in Carmel, IN.

    Wednesday, May 24, 2006

    Best Disney Theme Park photos Pool


    Epcot during Flower Festival, originally uploaded by Yooper Born.


    Flickr goodness

    Dubailand Rivals Disneyland

    UNITED ARAM EMIRATES (AME Info) – Dubailand's Chief Executive Officer, Salem Bin Dasmal, believes that Dubai's massive leisure zone will be able to challenge Disneyland for its share of Europe's tourism market within five years, reported Gulf News. Bin Dasmal feels that Dubailand has much more to offer, with attractions such as its Dinosaur Park and planetarium, not provided by Disneyland. Bin Dasmal went on to describe Dubailand as 'Disneyland on steroids'.

    'Lost' Toys in the Works

    (USA Today) – Soon after Lost's third season premieres this fall, fans will be able to concoct their own mysteries at home. Touchstone Television, which produces the ABC hit, has hired comics legend Todd McFarlane, famous for his lines of Spawn, Napoleon Dynamite and The Simpsons action figures, to turn the Lost characters into 6-inch plastic replicas. Series 1 will feature characters Jack, Kate, Hurley, Locke, Charlie and Shannon, which will talk and come with miniature props themed to the show's storylines. Stores including Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Hot Topic will sell the figures ($15-$20) and box sets with a hatch for them to play in ($25-$30).

    Monday, May 22, 2006

    Disney Characters Getting Raises in Hong Kong

    HONG KONG (AP) – Actors who dress up as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other characters to greet visitors at Hong Kong Disneyland are getting pay raises and longer breaks, the park said Sunday, following complaints of work-related injuries, low pay and quick turnarounds between shifts. Hong Kong Disneyland said in a statement that it would increase the monthly base pay of the character performers by 11% starting June 1. "This adjustment is the result of benchmarking efforts internally … with the external Hong Kong market and with other Disney parks," the statement said. The company added that break times for the actors have been increased from 30 minutes every hour to 40 minutes from April until September due to hot weather and that pregnant employees would be stationed at air-conditioned locations and be given lighter work loads if necessary. Character actors who greet visitors at the park had complained that night shifts would sometimes be followed by morning shifts and that their pay trailed the monthly salary earned by those who appear in shows. The performers also said they suffered from muscle pain and neck and waist injuries from wearing the costumes.

    Disney's Hong Kong Headache

    (Time Magazine) – Disneyland is supposed to be "The Happiest Place on Earth," but Liang Ning isn't too happy. The engineer brought his family to Disney's new theme park in Hong Kong from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou one Saturday in April with high hopes, but by day's end, he was less than spellbound. "I wanted to forget the world and feel like I was in a fairytale," he says. Instead, he complains, "it's just not big enough" and "not very different from the amusement parks we have" in China. His seven-year-old daughter Yaqin disagrees, calling the park "fantastic," but her father grumbles: "If she wants to come again, "I'll send her with somebody else." Hong Kong's Magic Kingdom has so far been a little short on magic. The $1.8 billion theme park, which opened last September, was touted by Disney executives as its biggest, boldest effort to build its brand in China, a potentially vast new market for its toys, dvds and movies. The Hong Kong government – which aggressively wooed Disney and is the park's majority owner, hoped Disneyland would help secure the city's reputation as one of Asia's top tourist destinations. However, the conservative approach of Disney and its partner has produced a park that so far hasn't matched visitors' lofty expectations. Hong Kong Disneyland has a mere 16 attractions – only one a classic Disney thrill ride, Space Mountain – compared to 52 at Disneyland Resort Paris. Meanwhile, management glitches involving everything from ticketing to employee relations have further tarnished the venture's image. In a recent survey conducted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 70% of the local residents polled said they had a more negative opinion of Disneyland since its opening. "Disney knows the theme-park business, but when it comes to understanding the Chinese guest, it's an entirely new ball game," says John Ap, an associate professor at the university's School of Hotel and Tourism Management. Nonetheless, Disney executives insist the park is on track. Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says: "I feel great about how Hong Kong Disneyland is doing." Disney's own surveys of park visitors show an 80% satisfaction rate, among the highest of any of the company's parks, says Rasulo: "People feel this is a great experience."

    The California-headquartered company knows what it is talking about; it welcomed its 2 billionth visitor last week. And it is no stranger to tempestuous beginnings at an international park. When Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, Disney famously banned wine from park restaurants, much to the dismay of European bons vivants. In Hong Kong, Disney went out of its way to tailor the park to local tastes. Ironically, Disney's most high-profile stumble resulted from being too local. When executives decided to serve shark-fin soup, a Hong Kong favorite, environmentalists howled and Disney ignominiously yanked it from the menu. Another embarrassment came over the Lunar New Year holiday beginning in January. Tourists with valid tickets got turned away at the front gates after the park quickly filled up; the jilted travelers screamed at park employees, while TV cameras filmed one family trying to pass a child over the fence. Disney has also strained its relationship with Chinese travel agencies, which play a crucial role in funneling tourists into the park. Victor Yu Limin, a general manager at China CYTS Outbound Travel Service in Beijing, complains that Disney originally demanded several weeks' notice when the agency wanted to reserve a guaranteed number of rooms, a nearly impossible deadline, he says, as Chinese travelers often don't finalize trips more than a few days in advance. "We're listening to everything they have to say and adjusting where we can," says Josh D'Amaro, Hong Kong Disneyland's vice president for sales and travel-trade marketing. But, Yu says, Disney is "still far from understanding the real market in China. They started off doing business the American way, so they have encountered problems."

    Given the complexity of the Hong Kong operation, such "teething pains" are hardly surprising, says Rasulo. What may be tougher to solve, though, are the yawns the miniature park is generating among tourists. Rasulo says the park wasn't built on a grand scale because the Chinese didn't grow up with Disney and don't know the characters as well as Americans and Europeans do, which acts as a constraint on its potential audience. Ernest calls it a "great introductory park." They also point out that the company plans to keep adding new attractions at Hong Kong Disneyland, including an updated version of Disney's classic Autopia racing game, scheduled to open this summer. While Ernest concedes that attendance is "a little behind" expectations, Disney is sticking to its target of 5.6 million guests in its first year. To hit these numbers, Disney is running aggressive promotions. Last month, the park offered free tickets for 50,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers, says Susan Chan, Hong Kong Disneyland's director of publicity, so they "can experience the Disney magic themselves [and] better share it with their passengers." And even if attendance lags for a while, Disney says the park is already benefiting its other businesses in Asia. Andy Bird, president of Walt Disney International, says there's been "a noticeable lift in our brand and character awareness" in China since the park's opening – sales of Buzz Lightyear merchandise have jumped, in part because the character features in Disneyland's popular Astro Blasters ride. Indeed, Disney continues to bet that its long-range investment plans in China will pay off, regardless of the recent headaches in Hong Kong. The firm is still in talks with Chinese officials about opening a mainland theme park, possibly in Shanghai, says Rasulo. "Have we made some mistakes?" he asks. "Absolutely. We are in a brand-new market. We have to keep listening and keep learning."

    Thursday, May 18, 2006

    Six Flags Offers Roller Coaster Workshop

    VALENCIA, Calif. (LA Times) – Bearded and with brightly colored tattoos on both his calves, Jon Shiner looks tough, but he admits he has struggled with heights his whole life. "If I have to stand on a chair I get nervous, so anything up in the air pretty much freaks me out," the 29-year-old said. But on a recent Saturday morning, Shiner decided to face his phobia when he attended a free class at Six Flags Magic Mountain on conquering the fear of riding roller coasters. The amusement park was hosting the course in conjunction with its promotion of Tatsu, a new dragon-themed coaster that officially begins running Saturday. Riding Tatsu is supposed to simulate flight, the marketing materials say. Riders are strapped into a car standing up, with a shoulder harness and two calf harnesses. Once the car leaves the station, it tilts 90 degrees forward so that riders are "flying" around the track – arms stretched forward, feet trailing behind – Superman-style. No wonder the park turned to Linda Bortell – a cheerful clinical psychologist whose areas of expertise include "thrills and terror" – to facilitate the experimental three-week class held over consecutive Saturdays. Bortell introduced herself to the 10 adult participants, who were recruited by park employees, telling them she is a roller coaster enthusiast who sometimes drives to Magic Mountain for a quick ride on Viper before going to her office in South Pasadena. After everyone in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and state their specific fears, Bortell led the class outside to take a look at Tatsu itself, which the participants are to ride on their third and final class this Saturday. "If you ride coasters enough, you learn that there are different types of screams," Bortell said, as the group walked into the park. "There is the 'I'm here with my cute boyfriend and I'm screaming so I can hang onto him' scream, and then there are screams of fun, and some screams of fear. My husband starts screaming the second the coaster leaves the loading dock. He says it's part of the experience."

    ABC Promises No 'Lost' Repeats Next Season

    NEW YORK (UPI) – ABC executives say fans of its hit TV show, "Lost," will not be plagued by reruns during the 2006-07 season. The Alphabet Network announced Tuesday that viewers will see seven new episodes in a row next season before "Lost" takes a break. The series will return in late January or early February with fresh episodes through the end of the season. Although "Lost" remained one of TV's most popular shows during its second season, ratings dipped and fans were angered by frequent reruns that broke up the continuity of the serial. While "Lost" is on hiatus, ABC will air the Taye Diggs vehicle, "Day Break," about an innocent cop on the lam from a murder charge who keeps reliving the same day over again a la the Bill Murray film, "Groundhog Day."

    Donny Osmond to Return to Broadway in Beauty and the Beast

    NEW YORK (Broadway.com) – Famed performer Donny Osmond will be play Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. He is set to begin a nine-week limited engagement in the musical on September 19. Osmond actually has a long history with the Disney family – it was while performing on the Disney After Dark television series in 1961 that Andy Williams spotted his brothers and hired them as regulars on The Andy Williams Show. He was also the singing voice of Captain Shang in Disney's hit animated feature Mulan. Osmond made his Broadway debut in 1982 in the short-lived revival of Little Johnny Jones. His other theatrical credits include many years of touring as the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.