CoasterRadio.com #642 - Lex Luthor "Drops" By

There are only a few attractions in the world that a true thrill ride aficionado would think twice about riding.

One may have just opened in Southern California.

Six Flags Magic Mountain just unveiled the world's tallest drop tower ride... Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom.

Maxing out at 400 feet with a top speed of 85 mph, this new ride has been making enthusiasts wonder if they have what it takes to ride.

On this week's episode, Mike and EB break down the new ride.  They even produced a video podcast where they provide "DVD-Style" commentary as they watch on-board video of the ride!

Mike also gives us a Trip Report from his recent visit to Michigan's Adventure.

It was Mike's first trip to the park, so he talks about his over all impressions and reviews of each of the park's roller coasters.

One of them actually cracked his Top 10 list!

The guys also asked the listeners to write in with their favorite movies or film scenes that take place at theme parks or on roller coasters.

The audience responded with some well-known favorites and some really obscure flicks.

After you hear this show, you'll be headed to Netflix or YouTube to see if you can find some of these movies!

Plus, we have a Live Trip Report from Six Flags Great Adventure, an in-studio visit AND information on the 2012 CoasterRadio.com Olympics!

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CoasterRadio.com #632 - Give George Lucas Whatever He Wants!

For the next few weeks, Disney's Hollywood Studios is being over run with Jedi Knights, Sith Lords, Wookies, Droids, Bounty Hunters and a bunch of other characters from "a galaxy far, far away."

"Star Wars Weekends" is the hot ticket at Walt Disney World and it seems to be more popular than ever.

With the Boy Wizard making so much noise down the street at Universal Orlando, we want to know why Disney hasn't gone after the ultimate Potter Killer.

Why hasn't Disney done whatever they need to do to get George Lucas to sign off on a dedicated land or a dedicated park solely devoted to Star Wars?

We'll discuss it on this week's show and look for your opinions too!

EB also has a full-scale review of the two new rides that debuted at Holiday World - Mammoth and Sparkler.  Will the world's longest water slide live up to the hype?

We also have a Live Trip Report from Disneyland AND a winner in our SOUNDWAVE Contest!!!

It's all this week on the Original Theme Park Podcast!

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CoasterRadio.com #627 - On the Set of "How I Met Your Mother"

 Mike, EB and Tris hanging out with the cast

As fun as it was to visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure a few weeks ago, it wasn't the main reason for our trip to the west coast.

Neil Patrick Harris, (the official announcer for the CoasterRadio.com podcast), invited us to come out to Hollywood to be extras in an upcoming episode of the hit CBS sit-com, "How I Met Your Mother."

On this week's (very long) episode, we tell you the ENTIRE story.

We talk about what we saw, our interactions with the cast and crew and what it was like to be a "background extra" in MacLaren's Pub.

Here are some videos and photos from our visit to give you a visual reference as you listen to our stories!

 

This is an actual scene from the show. Watch the background!

 

EB and Mike are having an animated conversation in the background.

Mike, EB and Tris laugh about the "fake" beer and wine they are consuming.

We watched the action from chairs set up in the apartment set.

The directors, writers and script supervisors watch the action from these monitors.

We explain how this shot came to be during the show

You can see EB's head in this flashback scene.

Outside of Stage 22, where they shoot "How I Met Your Mother."

Make sure to set your DVRs to record "our" episode of HIMYM!  It airs Monday, April 16th at 8pm est on CBS!

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CoasterRadio.com #626 - California Questions

We've spent the past two shows going over every details of our California Trip that included visits to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

But even with two whole hours devoted to both parks, there were things we missed.

AND... the CoasterRadio.com audience was quick to remind us of the things we forgot to talk about.

PLUS, there were some things that we said about the Disney's West Coast parks that upset some of our listeners.  So, they sent strongly worded e-mails to let us know how they felt.

We had so many e-mails and interest about the last two shows, that we decided to set aside this episode and answer all of them!

Plus, we preview next week's show which is all about our visit to the set of "How I Met Your Mother." We even spill the beans on some of the stories about what we saw and did!

Make sure to set your DVRs to record "our" episode of HIMYM!  It airs Monday, April 16th at 8pm est on CBS!

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CoasterRadio.com #625 - Our Visit to Disney California Adventure!

The Original Theme Park Podcast returns with Part II of our California Trilogy of shows!

This week, we talk about all of the stories and details from our trip to Disney California Adventure.

This park has been on people's minds a lot lately as Disney wraps up its major construction projects including Buena Vista Street and Cars Land.

But will EB and Mike enjoy the park after visiting Disneyland just a few days before?

What will they think of attractions like Tower of Terror, Soarin', California Screamin' and Toy Story Midway Mania?

Plus, for the first time ever, CoasterRadio.com will present Binaural Audio from several points in the park... including audio from EB's first-ever ride on Tower of Terror.  You'll want to make sure that you have headphones handy so you can close your eyes and pretend you're there!

Next week, we want to hear from you with your questions about our California trip! Send them via e-mail, on Facebook and Twitter or by calling our Voicemail Line at 206-339-3360!

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CoasterRadio.com #624 - Live from Disneyland!

The picture says it all!

EB and Mike reunite to take on the park that essentially started the theme park industry.

This week, the guys are at Disneyland!

After spending 15 hours in the park, they experienced almost every ride and attraction on the Disneyland Map!

In a show that's partially on-location and partially in our studios, the guys review the park and all of the famous attractions for which Disneyland is known!

You might be surprised at which rides they really liked and which ones lead to "anticipointment."

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CoasterRadio.com #623 - The Finals of the 2012 "Reel" Design Contest

This week, CoasterRadio.com presents The Finals in the 2012 "Reel" Design Contest!

People from all over the world sent in ride designs based on their favorite Hollywood movies.

Mike and EB shared the Top 10 Semi-Finalists with you and then sent the following three finalists off to the esteemed panel of judges:

The Stark Expo: The Iron Man Experience - James King
The UP Adventure - Travis and Katie
Ghostbusters: The Ride - Carson from Dallas, TX

This week, we hear from this panel of industry experts and superfans to find out who will will be crowned 2012 "Reel" Design Champion!

* Neil Patrick Harris
* Gary Goddard, Founder and CEO, The Goddard Group
* Dan Koch, President of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari
* Korey Kiepert, Engineer & Partner at The Gravity Group
* Dave Altman, President, American Coaster Enthusiasts
* Arthur Levine, Theme Park Guide, About.com
* Lance Hart, Editor of Screamscape.com
* Andre from Miami, FL - The 2006 "Reel" Design Contest Winner

We can't reveal any outcomes... but we can say that there is a lot of drama!

Thanks to our judging panel for giving their time and expertise!  Thanks also to everyone who entered! You are all amazing and creative people!


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CoasterRadio.com #622 - "Reel" Design Contest Semi-Finals (Part 2)

Last week, we started the Semi-Final Round of the 2012 "Reel" Design Contest.

The first five Semi-Finalists were revealed, debated and disected.

Listeners of Coaster Radio took to our blog, Twitter Feed and Facebook Page to let their opinions be known.  It seemed as if every listener had a different entry that they liked best!

On this week's show, EB and Mike reveal the final five Semi-Finalists and discuss each entry in detail.

What parts of the attraction concept work?  What are some things that might need to change?  Could the design actually work in a real-life theme park?

Then, the guys take on the difficult task of eliminating seven contestants, so that only three finalists remain. Next week, those finalists will be judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts... including:

* Neil Patrick Harris
* Gary Goddard, Founder and CEO, The Goddard Group
* Dan Koch, President of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari
* Korey Kiepert, Engineer & Partner at The Gravity Group
* Dave Altman, President, American Coaster Enthusiasts
* Arthur Levine, Theme Park Guide, About.com
* Lance Hart, Editor of Screamscape.com
* Andre from Miami, FL - The 2006 "Reel" Design Contest Winner


Be sure to listen next week, when the judges' voices are heard!

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MacLaren's Pub - Here We Come!

See those people in the background, that'll be us soon.

Whenever we do an interview on Coasterradio.com, I like to have what I call a "Getaway Question."

Basically, it's the last question of the interview that is either funny, shocking or just ends the conversation in an interesting way.

When we interviewed Neil Patrick Harris on the Season Premiere of the show last October, we had several "Getaway Questions" ready, based on how well the interview was going.

We had questions about Denise Richards, Starship Troopers, Howard Stern and a few others... but we also had one specific question ready to go in case the interview went really well.

As it turns out, the NPH interview was one of the best ever on our show.

So as the interview was wrapping up, I tossed the Denise Richards question aside and said:

"Neil, I'm gonna lay all my cards on the table.  EB and I have been practicing just in case you need more background actors to sit in MacLaren's Pub on "How I Met Your Mother."

I admit... it was cheesy as hell.

But after a few minutes of witty back and forth with NPH, he said:

"Well, the next time you're out in California visiting the parks, let me know and we'll set it up."

I honestly thought he was just being polite and that was going to be the end of it.  But once we were off the air and thanking Neil for doing the interview, he said that we should seriously let him know what dates we would be on the west coast so that we could set up a time to visit the set.

Now, EB and I didn't have any immediate plans to visit Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm or Universal Studios... but we had always wanted to get out there.

So, we figured there was no time like the present!

Neil told us what dates they would be shooting and after a lot of travel planning, we are officially going to be in Southern California on March 14th, 15th and 16th.

Two of those days will be spent at the parks and the third day will be spent in MacLaren's Pub on the set of "How I Met Your Mother."

The visit should be "Legend... wait for it... dary!"

The best part about this turn of events is that we're going to have some excellent stories to tell you when we get back.

Plus, it will be the first time that EB and I have recorded CoasterRadio.com in the same room since 2006!  Add in a little NPH magic and we should have a pretty good show!

CoasterRadio.com #620 - The 200th Episode!

The "Joint Chiefs" back in 2005, during the first episode!

"This is going to be a very interesting project. 

When you first look at it, it does sound a little bit strange... you know, an entire radio show dedicated to roller coasters and theme parks.  

But there are shows dedicated to all types of things, like sports.  People talk for hours and hours about sports... why not talk for hours and hours about theme parks?"

This is what I said on the very first episode of our show to explain what CoasterRadio.com set out to be.

We wanted to create a fun, accessible show about theme parks and thrill rides that was for the average fan... but could also be enjoyed by even the most hardcore enthusiast.

Back in 2005, I don't think anyone (including us) expected the show to go past 20 episodes.

Now, here we are seven years later celebrating the 200th!

On this week's show, we take a look back at favorite moments from the past 199 episodes and hear from each of the "Joint Chiefs" who were a part of the show back in 2005.  Mario, Flava and Greg K. return to talk about their thoughts on this milestone.

Also, since our listeners are the heart and soul of CoasterRadio.com... it's fitting that we celebrate by  having our annual "Listener Question Show" this week.

As per tradition, the questions are all over the map!  Some are about theme parks and thrill rides, others are about pop culture and some are about Mike, EB and the podcast itself.

We also unveil some big news about the upcoming West Coast trip and count down the days to the entry deadline for the "Reel" Design Contest!

Thanks to each of you for listening and participating in the show. We say it several time this week, because it's the truth - you guys are the show... and we're thankful that you're here.


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Can You Handle The Truth?

Our next show is going to be EPIC on many levels.

First of all, it's the 200th episode of CoasterRadio.com.  We're going to celebrate by taking a look back and also by hearing from original hosts Flava, Mario and Greg K.

But more importantly, it's the annual Listener Question Show!

The questions can be about anything!

You can stick to topics like theme parks, thrill rides and the amusement industry. Or, you can go Off-Topic and ask a question about movies, music or pop culture.

You can even ask us personal questions if you'd like. Sometimes, the best questions are about the podcast itself!

If you have a question that you've ALWAYS wanted to ask, now's the time!

Plus, we'd love to hear about your favorite memories from 200 episodes of CoasterRadio.com!

Send us your questions to us by Tuesday, February 14th at 8:00pm EST by posting them right here on the blog by using the "Comments" link below.  You can also e-mail us your answer at feedback@coasterradio.com, write on our Facebook Page or use our Contact Page!

The best option is to call our voicemail line at 206-339-3360!

We're ready to believe you!

CoasterRadio.com #619 - One on One with a Dating Expert

CoasterRadio.com is a show about theme parks and thrill rides... but we also try to be a lot more.

Whenever possible, we try to enrich the lives our our listeners, by providing them with information essential to living "the good life."

Since this week's show is so dangerously close to Valentine's Day, we've decided to dedicate this episode to enhancing your love life.

Buckle your seatbelts!

To help you become a better catch out there in the world of relationships, we've enlisted the help of an expert.

Joining us on this week's show is Dating Expert and Relationship Coach DeAnna Lorraine.

Besides being devastatingly beautiful, DeAnna is an expert on the art of romance.  She has helped men all over the world have more success on the dating scene by teaching them how to be cool, confident and most importantly, BOLD!

This week, CoasterRadio.com listeners have sent in their questions for DeAnna and she is going to offer her valuable advice to make sure your Valentine's Day is a successful one.

Keeping with the spirit of love, we're going to have the World Premiere of the song written specifically for the winner of the CoasterRadio.com Valentine's Day Charity Song Auction!

Nick Hutson has been working with auction winner Kerri from Florida on her special song.  But who has it been written for and what does it sound like?  You'll find out this week!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

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Advice From a Past Winner

Back in 2006, we had a lot of excellent entries for our first "Reel" Design Contest.

One of the underdog submissions was from Andre from Miami, Florida.  He sent in a description of a ride based upon the movie "Mirrormask."

Andre had a tough road ahead of himself in terms of judges' reaction... because none of us had ever heard of the movie before.

But, Andre's ride description and idea was so innovative and creative, that he moved to the head of the pack and won the contest.

As the reigning champion, Andre will be one of the judges for the Finals of this year's "Reel" Design Contest.  We asked him to think back to 2006 and give some advice to this year's contestants.  Here's what he said:

As the winner of the 2006 "Reel" Design Contest, Mike asked me to  share my experience with the premier competition.

At that time I had just watched the film “Mirror Mask” and was inspired because the visuals were so stunning. After giving it a bit of thought, it was easy to translate the visuals and the journey taken by the main character into an interesting and exciting dark ride

While listening to the results podcast and hearing the other great ideas being presented, I have to admit that I was really surprised and thrilled that my idea was chosen as the winner. I really felt like the underdog since I decided to base my idea on a film that really wouldn’t be considered a blockbuster.

To those considering entering the contest this year and may be hesitant because you may not think that your idea is good enough, I say just do it. You may be pleasantly surprised. Good Luck!

CLICK HERE to learn more about the 2012 "Reel" Design Contest.

Happy Birthday CoasterRadio.com!

Today it's time for a birthday celebration of sorts... the CoasterRadio.com website went online for the first time seven years ago today.

We registered the domain name on February 7th, 2005 and on February 8th... we launched the site that would be the eventual home of the podcast.

Our first show wasn't produced until April, but we used the two months in-between to get both the podcast and the website ready.

Thanks to the Internet Wayback Machine, you can take a look at what the old site looked like in 2005.

It's interesting to look back and see all of the different ideas we had during the show's beginnings.  It's also interesting to see what has stuck around in 2012 and what ideas were abandoned long ago.

I think it's always useful to take a look at what creative things we did in the past, because it just might serve as inspiration for things to come.

It's also fitting because on next week's episode, we're celebrating our 200th show!  Honestly, we didn't think this thing would last past 20!

We know a lot of you have been with us since that first show in 2005 and we're grateful.  We're also thankful for all of you who have come along since then!

Happy Birthday!

CoasterRadio.com #618 - The Live Trip Report Show

Last summer, we sponsored a contest here at CoasterRadio.com where we would give the lucky winner a chance to produce an entire episode of the show.

We were so excited about everyone's ideas... we chose four winners!

This week, the first of those winners is stepping up to the plate to see if he has what it takes to live up to the pressure of producing a crazy podcast like this.

Tom from Louisville, KY has come up with the "Live Trip Report Show!"

He's gone though the dozens and dozens of backlogged trip reports that visitors have called in and has picked some of the most interesting ones to share with you.

Plus, to make things even more compelling... he has enlisted the services of the infamous CoasterRadio.com characters to introduce each one.

As EB says this week... "this is a show you're either gonna love or gonna hate!"

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Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.

Get Advice from a Real Dating Coach!

We try to be a lot more than just a theme park and roller coaster podcast here at Coaster Radio.

That's why we're really excited about our upcoming show!

For the Valentine's Day episode of Coaster Radio, we're going to be joined by internationally-recognized Dating Coach Deanna Lorraine.

DeAnna has helped hundreds of people invigorate their dating life by identifying possible stumbling blocks that hold them back from having successful dates and meaningful relationships.

On our next show, we're giving all of you a chance to write or call in with your questions for Deanna.

Your questions can certainly be related to dating at the theme parks... but you could (and should) also ask more general questions.  DeAnna can give you answers that will help you get on the right path towards a better dating life.

Send us your questions to us by Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00pm EST by  e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.  You can also write on our Facebook Page or use our Contact Page!

The best option though is to call our voicemail line at 206-339-3360. Be a part of the show!

The "Reel" Design Contest Returns!

You've probably looked at a theme park attraction and said...

"I can do better than that!"

Well, here's your chance.

This is the time of year when all of the different Hollywood blockbusters are being honored at the various award ceremonies.  What does this have to do with theme parks and roller coasters?  Well, many of the best theme park attractions in history have based upon popular films.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Back To The Future, Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, Jaws, Star Tours, Kongfrontation, Superman Escape, Terminator 2: 3D, Jurassic Park, Men In Black, The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, Revenge Of The Mummy and countless other attractions have had their storylines adapted from popular movies.

For our first contest of 2012, we want you to design a theme park attraction around the movie of your choice.

Then, it will be time to have your submission judged by an all-star panel, including....

* Neil Patrick Harris
* Gary Goddard, Founder and CEO, The Goddard Group
* Dan Koch, President of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari
* Korey Kiepert, Engineer & Partner at The Gravity Group
* Dave Altman, President, American Coaster Enthusiasts
* Arthur Levine, Theme Park Guide, About.com
* Lance Hart, Editor of Screamscape.com
* Andre from Miami, FL - The 2006 "Reel" Design Contest Winner

The winner will receive the first-ever "Reel Design"Award!  YES! An actual award that has your name engraved on it!  You'll go down in Coaster Radio history!

Here are the rules:

1) Write one or two paragraphs that describe your theme park attraction and e-mail it to feedback@coasterradio.com.  Make sure your description includes the film your attraction is based on, the attraction's title, a description of the ride (including any storyline) and any other themeing or design elements that make it stand out.

2) Make sure the attraction is realistic.  Don't send us details of an attraction that couldn't be actually built with today's technology and budget restraints.  If we had to set a budget cap, it would be around 80 million.  You can make your attraction a dark ride, a roller coaster, a flat ride, a walk-though experience or anything else you can imagine.  Just make it realistic.

3) The entries that catch our attention will have a mix of imagination, creativity and fun.  Remember, we'll be reading the finalists on a radio-style show, so your entries have to be descriptive and entertaining.

4)  You can send in supporting materials if you'd like (such as drawings, sketches, No Limits and Roller Coaster Tycoon creations), but it will be the description of your attraction that we are most interested in.

5) Ten semi-finalists will be chosen and will have their theme park attraction discussed on CoasterRadio.com.  We will then narrow that down to three finalists who will have their attractions judged by a panel of industry experts.

6)  All entries must be received by Monday, February 20th, 2012.

To get an idea of what this contest sounded like when he first did it in 2006, here is a link to that show!

Direct Podcast Link

Good luck!

CoasterRadio.com #617 - Mannequin Accidents = PR Gold!

There were some crazy stories in the press this week... and a lot of them had to do with theme parks.

For instance...

Disney decided to drop a decades old rule that Walt Disney himself instated.  Starting next month, workers will be allowed to sport beards and goatees. Hipsters rejoice!

Thorpe Park in England said that their new coaster "The Swarm" was apparently having some trouble making its height clearances during testing.  Apparantly, some of the test mannequins came back without their limbs.  But the park's PR team didn't see this as a negative... they saw a golden opportunity!

I like this story for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it gave the the opportunity to post a still from one of my favorite 80's movies ever - Mannequin.  Emmy was one hot Egyptian, man.

The guys also take an opportunity to preview upcoming shows and contests!  You won't believe what is in store for February!

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Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.

CoasterRadio.com #616 - The Birth of a Theme Park

Imagine if you had a chance to sit down and talk with Walt Disney when he started to brainstorm about an idea called "Mickey Mouse Park."

What if you could go back to 1959 and have lunch with Angus Wynne Jr. to hear his ideas about a park that would eventually become "Six Flags Over Texas."

Building a theme park from scratch is no easy accomplishment.  It takes hard work, a solid business plan and most importantly... a vision.

On this week's show, we welcome a man with a unique vision of his own.

He wants to see a theme park built in his home town of Nashville, Tennessee.

This week, David Webb joins us to talk about his plans for "Ole South USA".

It would be a theme park celebrating everything that is vibrant and special about the southern region of the United States.

David gives us a "virtual tour" of the different themed lands, including descriptions of some of their innovative rides and attractions.  He also talks about the steps being taken to make this dream a reality.

Most importantly, he fills us in on the Pioneer Club, which gives 3,500 people a chance to take part in the birth of this theme park.

We also have an update on the Valentine's Day Charity Song Auction and we announce the first CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-up of 2012.

California, HERE WE COME!


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CoasterRadio.com #615 - The Mysteries of Universal Orlando

Among theme park fans, one of the most talked about locations over the past several years has been Universal Orlando.

Year after year, they blow people away with their incredibly detailed and truly scary (and fun) "Halloween Horror Nights."

They really turned people's heads when they unleashed the incredibly awesome "Spiderman" attraction on the world.  Some people claim that ride hasn't been topped yet.

Then, they shocked the world when they announced plans to build "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter."  What was even more amazing is that the new land and it's attractions actually lived up to the anticipation and the hype.

Most recently, they closed "Jaws", one of their original opening day rides and perhaps their most iconic attraction.  That lead to speculation and some controversial reporting on what might possibly replace the gigantic Amity area.

To make sense of all of this, we welcome Seth Kubersky back to the show. He is the author of "Universal Studios 2012: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park."

We'll talk about the recent closure of "Jaws" and what the attraction has meant to the park's history.  We'll also talk about what it was like to be at the attraction on it's closing night.

We'll also discuss its rumored replacement.

Seth will give us a breakdown about the possibility of a new Harry Potter themed area in Universal Studios Florida and a new thrill attraction that would be unlike anything we have ever seen at a park before.

Fascinating stuff! 

Plus, EB and Mike announce a fun new project for all you romantics out there.

The Valentine's Day Charity Song Auction gives listeners an opportunity to bid on an original love song that will be written especially for that special someone in your life.

And, the best part is that all of the money raised will go to the winner's favorite charity.

Check out our link on the CoasterRadio.com Blog for more info on how to bid!


LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.