Three Player Match, For When Your Fourth Doesn't Show Up

 Me and my golfing mates tried out this variation today, and it worked pretty well.  I had a look through the Interwebs to see if anyone else has tried this, and I'm not finding it.  If anyone spots this variation already covered, please leave a message in the comments.

Two points can be scored on any hole, as follows:

• If one of the three players wins the hole outright, he scores 2 points;
• If two players tie for best score, they each score 1 point;
• If all three players have the same score, nobody scores any points.

Handicaps apply to each hole.  When we played this today, my opponents had handicaps of 9.5 and 11.5, and I'm a 9.6.  So our 11.5 got two bumps, and at Diamond Bar Golf Course, that's holes 1 and 18.

The competition was fierce, and it literally came down to the last three putts.  If our 11.5 made his up and down, he'd get a net birdie and win the match.  If he missed it, and if I made my putt for par, I'd win the match.

He sized it up, and drained it, winning the match.  We were only playing for a dollar each, but it felt like a lot more than that.  I considered this to be a resounding success.

If two players are tied at the end, step back through each of the holes from hardest (#1 handicap) to easiest (#18 handicap).  Our 11.5 and I actually had a tie score at the end, but because he had won #1 outright (without needing one of his bumps), he took the tiebreaker.

I thought about how this could be translated to four players, and it's still do-able but the scoring is more complicated:

• If one of the four players wins outright, he scores 6 points;
• If two players tie for best score, they each score 3 points;
• If three players tie for best score, they each score 1 point;
• If all four players have the same score, nobody scores any points.

Rules for ties apply the same way.  Go from the #1 handicap hole through #18 until the winner emerges.

We played for a dollar each today, just so we would feel like we were playing for SOMETHING.

We'll see about trying the four player match on Monday.

The Chess Chronicles, Part 14: Musical As Metaphor For A Game

While writing the post for "Hymn To Chess", it struck me that the first part of the musical resembles the process of layout out chess pieces for a game.  Each of the previous songs represented one or more groups (Diplomats, Russians, Merchandisers, Americans, Anatoly, Freddie, Florence, Molokov), which could be metaphorically connected to an actual game of chess.  I asked GPT about it, and here's an edited version of the "interview".

------------------------

In the musical, "Chess", the first half of the first act introduces several characters: Anatoly, Freddie Trumper, Florence, Molokov, the Russian Diplomats, the American Diplomats, the Arbiter, the Merchandisers, and the population of Merano. Has anyone pointed out the similarities between this gradual introduction of characters, and the opening of a chess game?

Excellent question — and yes, this is something that’s occasionally been observed by scholars and devoted fans of Chess, though it’s rarely discussed in depth in mainstream criticism. The first half of Act I in Chess very consciously mimics the structure of a chess game’s opening, not just thematically but structurally in how it introduces its "pieces" (characters) and their positions on the metaphorical board.

In an actual chess game, the opening is a carefully planned sequence of moves where each side brings out their pieces — starting with pawns and major pieces — gradually establishing control of the board and setting up for the midgame. It’s strategic, cautious, and full of positioning.

While it’s not a widely analyzed element in popular discussion, it’s a very intentional structural device in the show’s design, reflecting the authors’ clever use of the chess metaphor not just in theme but in form. Tim Rice, in particular, has acknowledged in interviews the deliberate chess-like structure of character entrances and alliances in Act I.

A chess game is considered to have three components:  Opening, Midgame, and Endgame.  What would be the components in the Opening?

Before opening the game, the pieces must be arranged on the board.  A possible metaphor for the pieces would look like this:

• Merano townsfolk and Merchandisers as pawns
• Freddy and Anatoly as kings
• USSR & America as queens (most powerful pieces on the board)
• Russians & Americans as bishops (providing support to the kings)
• Florence / Molokov as rooks, more powerful than the Russians & Americans
• The Arbiter - rules of the game

For our metaphorical "game" in three parts, the Opening would be the first match, where Freddy loses to Anatoly, and flips over the board in frustration.  The second part would be the Midgame, which consists of the drama that unfolds between the first game and the rest of the match, which is won by Anatoly.  This takes us to the end of Act 1.  The final part would be the Endgame, which is the drama leading to the match between Anatoly and the new Russian champion, Leonid Viigand.  The Endgame takes up most of Act 2, and concludes with Anatoly's defense of his world title.

 ------------------------

Public AIs are prone to make things up, and so it's always a good idea to ask other AIs the same questions.  It's a good indicator if you can get 2/3 AIs to agree with each other.  So I asked Perplexity about this subject:

 ------------------------

Does the musical "Chess" have a narrative structure similar to an actual game of Chess?

"Chess" the musical cleverly employs the game of Chess both as literal subject matter and as a metaphor for the tensions and emotional stakes among its characters.

Metaphorical Framing:   The musical uses the Cold War as a metaphor, with characters often described as "pawns" or "pieces" manipulated by external forces, similar to the way in which players direct pieces.

Opening, Middlegame, and Endgame:   The story is loosely structured in three acts, echoing the introduction of characters and stakes; the intensified conflict and shifting alliances; and the resolution of relationships. 

However, while chess games are decided by logic, the musical is driven by emotions, politics, and romance.  Moves made by characters are influenced by love, betrayal, and ideology, not chess strategy.  In addition, the plot doesn't correspond to a literal sequence of chess moves.  Instead, the chessboard is used as a backdrop for interpersonal drama. 

Conclusion:  While "Chess The Musical" mirrors aspects of real chess, its narrative structure is not an exact recreation of a chess game.  Instead, it uses chess as an organizing metaphor, aligning character arcs and story beats with the broad phases of a match, while foregrounding drama, personal agency, and political symbolism

  ------------------------

Perplexity agrees with the "three act structure" concept, but doesn't necessarily agree that the musical attempts to impersonate an actual game of chess.  Perplexity also declines to assign characters to chess pieces, apparently preferring to take a broad view of the metaphor rather than a specific view.

It's all very interesting, but it's one of those subjects in which you can easily get "lost in the weeds", particularly when AIs are involved.

The Chess Chronicles, Part 13: Hymn To Chess / Merchandisers

The vamps at the end of Arbiter end on an E major chord ... which conveniently is the first chord that the ensemble sings in m.4 of the Hymn.  I decided to cut bars 1-3, as we already had the ensemble on stage and didn't need any extra music.  It also seemed like a natural fit with the Arbiter's final line:

Let us dedicate ourselves to the spirit of chess!

It makes me wonder why there was an intro at all.  Perhaps they needed three bars to get the ensemble into place?

I used our Arbiter as a conductor, which was his first time conducting.  He was a good sport about it, and did a fine job.  We took this slowly, and took large breaks in m.8 and m.10.  Doing this without a conductor would have been very difficult to keep together.

(If I hadn't mentioned it before -- this is one of the many challenges we face at the Lyceum.  There is no "pit", as the theater is a converted lecture hall.  So the "pit" is in a loft, above the Stage Left area.  The cast can't see us, so there's no way to give physical direction.  In places where direction is needed, we do whatever makes the most sense to make it work.  Sometimes it involves pressing someone into conducting; sometimes it involves setting a hard number of counts; sometimes it'll involve something else.  It all depends on the circumstance.)

After a suitable pause, we go right into Merchandisers.  We cut m.1-4, did the four bar drum into, and then off we went into the song.  This is one of the few songs that we made no changes to, apart from cutting the first four bars.

Too Many Words: How To Fix Tomorrowland

During the Paul Pressler Era, Disneyland's Tomorrowland was broken.  For those Disneyland fans who wondered "what happened to Tomorrowland", ChatGPT has a good summary.  (Note:  All of my ChatGPT quotes are in italics.)

The last major renovation of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland occurred during a multi‑year redevelopment that started in 1995 and culminated in May 1998, often referred to as “New Tomorrowland.” This makeover brought a retro‑futuristic aesthetic inspired by the Discoveryland concept in Paris, complete with bronze & gold hues, new attractions like Rocket Rods and Innoventions, and a complete reconfigure of several ride experiences.  However, many aspects of that remodel fell short of expectations. By the early 2000s, Disney recognized the changes hadn't aged well.

Mr GPT, that right there is an understatement.  However, on the plus side, there were some cool ideas, like having fresh fruits and vegetables growing everywhere.  People kind of got into the idea that you could grab a couple lettuce leaves off of a plant and slap it on your burger while sitting at your table.  Or pull a few strawberries to go with your breakfast burrito.  There were also lemons, oranges, tomatoes, basil, rosemary, hot peppers, and artichokes, and guests were allowed to pick and eat whatever they wanted.  Also, the look was very steampunk, very Jules Verne.  Brass everywhere, and it all had a turn-of-the-20th-century vibe to it. 

So ... what went wrong?  In no particular order ...

ORBITRON

Disney had seen success with the Orbitron in Discoverland (Euro Disney), and since they were using that land as inspiration for "New Tomorrowland", it made sense for them to install one in Anaheim.  But to do that, they had to move the Rocket Jets attraction somewhere else.  They chose to put it at the entrance of Tomorrowland.

Anyone who has been in Tomorrowland during or after a parade can testify as to what a terrible choice this was.  If you look at early concept art of the Tomorrowland entrance, you can see how open and inviting it was.  Now, you have to go around this big hulking Dumbo ride (Astro Orbiter) to get into Tomorrowland, and if there's a lot of people, it's a huge mess.

So Disney was trading off a big cool spinning sculpture with traffic control.  They were willing to create a crazy crowd situation just to have a cool statue.

Like Tony Stark would say:  "Not a great plan."

ASTRO ORBITER

I had been an annual passholder for a year when the New Tomorrowland project was announced.  Bits and pieces of their plans were leaked to the various Disney fan sites that were popping up (yes, the Internet had been around for 3 years at this point), and one of them was rumors that the Rocket Jets were being moved to the front of Tomorrowland.

I remember saying something like this to the lovely Mrs. Pianoman, "They had better keep that thing way in the air above everything else.  Otherwise it's going to be lame."

Sure enough -- they went with lame.  They turned an elevated thrilling ride, where you could literally see most of the park, into Just Another Dumbo Ride.

They also created a horrible traffic situation.  Anyone who has been headed towards the hub during or after parades or fireworks knows what I'm referring to.  Tons of people, with this big hulking mess right in the middle, totally in the way of everything.

On the plus side, Dumbo-type rides are always going to be popular with kids.  What 5-year old doesn't want to spin around in a car that you can raise up and down?  But the thing about the Rocket Jets was that it was great for adults too.  Seeing the park from way up there was an awesome experience.  And when I was a kid, the ride scared me to death ...

COSMIC WAVES

This was a lit fountain with random sprinklers that kids could play in.  It was also lit at night, and one of my favorite Disneyland memories was watching kids playing in the fountains from the Innoventions balcony.  It was a hot summer night, and the lights were flashing in all kinds of different patterns.  It was pretty awesome.

(The lovely Mrs. Pianoman had a great idea for a concession -- she thought Disney should sell beach towels right next to the Cosmic Waves.  That would be for the parents who didn't think ahead, watching  in horror as their children got completely soaked.  No problem -- buy a Mickey towel, and head to the bathrooms to dry off!  Disney would make a FORTUNE!)

If you could somehow navigate your way to the middle of the fountain without getting squirted, you were rewarded with this huge brown marble ball that rested on water, and could be slowly rotated in all directions.  This is known as a "kugel ball", and based on its size, it's estimated that it weighed about 3.5 tons:

It was one of the largest kugel ball fountains ever installed in a theme park setting at the time. The sphere floated on a thin film of water under high pressure, allowing guests to easily rotate the multi-ton stone with a gentle push — a classic demonstration of hydrostatic levitation.

By 2000, Disney had given up on Cosmic Waves.  The issues were:

Guests didn’t interact with it much, and it was plagued by maintenance and safety issues, particularly with water splashing onto walkways. By 2000, Cosmic Waves was quietly deactivated and dismantled. The space was eventually filled in with decorative planters and became part of the general Tomorrowland plaza area.

I'm guessing "maintenance issues" mean "it cost too much to fix the fountains every day".  Of course, Disney has no problem at all maintaining the fountains for World Of Color, or for Fantasmic, even though there are far more of them to maintain.

I'm not sure about the kugel ball -- GPT is indicating that it was removed, but I could have sworn it was still there.  I agree that the planters are definitely there, and this spot has now turned into a "take a load off your feet" spot with little or no shade.

INNOVENTIONS

This attraction was housed in the old "Carousel Of Progress" building, which eventually became "America Sings" and had a 14-year run.  (Eventually the audio animatronics from America Sings headed over to Splash Mountain.)  

GPT picks up the history from here:

As part of 1998’s New Tomorrowland remodel, the building was repurposed into Innoventions — an interactive showcase for emerging consumer technology, sponsored largely by companies like Microsoft, Siemens, Honda, and others.  It was essentially a hands-on tech expo, themed around futuristic gadgets, home innovations, and scientific advancements. 

The building itself still rotated on the lower level (though guests hardly noticed it) and housed exhibits like:

** Honda's ASIMO robot demo

** HP's Smart Home of the Future

** GM's Future of Transportation

Other corporate sponsors that had exhibits included:  Microsoft,  Apple, Siemens, Whirlpool, GE, Bosch, AT&T, Panasonic, Medtronic, Life Alert, ADT Security, Bank of America, NASA, Verizon Wireless, Segway, Fujifilm, and Monster Cable.

This was a clever approach, and is probably the most successful component of New Tomorrowland.  Corporate sponsorship of Disneyland attractions has a long history, and the Innoventions building was an opportunity for companies to show what they were working on, and how it would influence all of us in the future.  It definitely reminded me of things like Pac Bell's display from the 1960s just outside the CircleVision theater:

The Bell Telephone exhibit was located outside and in the lobby area of the Circle-Vision theater in Tomorrowland. It served both as a preshow and a promotional display of modern and future telephone technology.

PacBell and Bell System showcased:

• The Picturephone — one of the earliest public demonstrations of video calling technology.

• New dial phones and push-button telephones
  (Touch-Tone service was being rolled out in California in the late 60s.)

• Exhibits showing how telephone calls were connected long-distance

• Models of futuristic communication devices and concepts for the year 2000

• Interactive kiosks where guests could pick up receivers and hear recorded information about the Bell System and the future of communication

It was part of Disney’s broader effort to showcase corporate America’s vision of the future — much like General Electric’s Carousel of Progress and Monsanto’s Adventure Thru Inner Space.

The Picturephone exhibit was especially famous at Disneyland — not because it was widely practical, but because it felt like something straight out of The Jetsons, and for a brief moment in the 60s, it represented what people thought 21st-century communication would look like.

 But by the mid-2000s, the Innoventions concept began to feel dated.  Technology was outpacing the ability of Innoventions to keep up.  The most popular attraction at this time would have been the ASIMO show.  (We are awfully close to having ASIMOs in every house ... if Elon Musk has anything to say about it.) 

I'll give GPT the last word about Innoventions' legacy:

Innoventions was born from the same philosophy that inspired EPCOT Center: to showcase cutting-edge technology and future-facing concepts in a way that was accessible and entertaining.  For many people, Innoventions was their first time experiencing virtual reality, humanoid robots, and smart homes.

Innoventions' legacy is one of ambitious intentions, uneven execution, and nostalgic charm. It was a final echo of Walt Disney’s optimistic futurism — before Tomorrowland, and Disney Parks broadly, shifted focus to intellectual properties and blockbuster attractions.

It remains fondly remembered by park fans for its oddball exhibits, ASIMO, and as one of the last places you could glimpse a speculative, non-franchise-driven future at Disneyland.

ROCKET RODS

Saved this one for last, because it's the biggest failure of New Tomorrowland, and one of the biggest ride failures in Disneyland.  (Actually the 3rd biggest, with "Phantom Boats" and "Viewliner" taking the top two spots.  Don't worry, I've never heard of them either.)

(FYI, California Adventure's worst attraction is Superstar Limo, and anyone who rode it can understand why.  It lasted less than a year, and was replaced with the Monsters Inc. ride.)

So what was the Rocket Rods?

Rocket Rods was meant to be the high-speed, futuristic transportation centerpiece of the 1998 New Tomorrowland remodel. It replaced the beloved PeopleMover, using the same elevated track. The concept was a high-speed thrill ride simulating a future transportation system, with 5-seat cars that accelerated quickly on straightaways and slowed dramatically on turns.

Sounds pretty cool! Well, except for getting rid of the Peoplemover.  I realize that Disneyland is always evolving, and that means that old classic rides will get the axe every now and then ... but the Peoplemover was a beloved attraction for a lot of reasons:

• It offered a smooth, leisurely ride through and above Tomorrowland at a time when most attractions were fast-paced or show-based.

• It provided great views of Tomorrowland’s architecture, scenery, and other attractions from an elevated, open-air perspective — a rare chance to people-watch from above.

• Walt Disney envisioned it as a prototype for urban public transit — a clean, efficient, constantly moving transport system that never needed to stop.

• The ride embodied 1960s futurism: optimistic, practical, and visually striking, aligning with Disneyland’s promise of showcasing "the future."

• Its continuously moving chain of open-air cars allowed for easy boarding without stopping.

• The quiet, electric propulsion through rubber tires embedded in the track was an engineering novelty.

• Riders got to glide through the interiors of popular attractions like Adventure Thru Inner Space, America the Beautiful, and later Star Tours and Space Mountain — a treat you couldn’t get anywhere else.

• It was a ride that grandparents, parents, and kids could all enjoy together.

• It offered a break from the heat and crowds without leaving the land.  This was particularly important on hot summer days -- you could take a break off your feet, get some air, and still be moving.

• The ride’s narration pointed out Tomorrowland’s highlights, blending friendly humor with futuristic optimism.

• The sight of the colorful, boxy cars gliding through elevated guideways instantly evoked the image of Tomorrowland.

• Its kinetic energy gave the area life — something fans feel Tomorrowland has lacked since its removal.

• Lines were almost always short, and the PeopleMover had high capacity, making it a dependable attraction to unwind on.  If there's nobody waiting to board, you could literally wave your finger in the air at the Cast Members -- the unspoken signal that "we wanna ride it again!"

If Disney was willing to lose all of these positives, you'd think that the new ride would be a real humdinger, right?  I can tell you, we were excited to ride it, and stayed at the park until 1:30 AM just to get our chance.

So ... what happened?

1. Track Design Issues:
   The PeopleMover track was never meant for high-speed vehicles. It had tight turns and no banked curves. Rocket Rods vehicles had to slow to a crawl at every turn, ruining the sense of continuous speed and creating an awkward, stop-and-go ride experience.  Had Disney retrofitted the tracks with banked curves, Rocket Rods could have been more of a high-speed ride -- perhaps slowing when passing through other attractions, but speeding up everywhere else.

2. Mechanical Problems:
   The vehicles' acceleration/deceleration put constant strain on the ride’s tires, motors, and braking systems. It was notoriously unreliable — breaking down multiple times a day, sometimes for hours.  Because the vehicles needed to accelerate and decelerate rapidly, the ride vehicles were fitted with transmissions, which caused huge maintenance headaches.

3. Odd Configuration:
   The ride was designed with five seats, which is arguably the worst number possible for high-demand rides.  Typical families at Disneyland are families of 4, and there was no single-rider option possible.  The queue itself reused the old CircleVision 360° theater and upper loading area from the PeopleMover, and it wasn’t built to easily accommodate a single-rider merge point.  The numbers just don't add up.  Rides like Radiator Springs Racers or Indy Jones have a capacity of 6, and lines for single riders to cap off the ride vehicles, thereby increasing ride capacity to a more reasonble level.

4. No Replacement for the PeopleMover:
   Many guests missed the PeopleMover’s relaxing, scenic ride through Tomorrowland. Rocket Rods was a poor substitute, and its frequent downtime frustrated visitors.

Rocket Rods shut down in September of 2000, and at the time, Disneyland claimed that a major overhaul was needed.  That might be true, but the major overhaul would have involved redesigning the ride vehicles -- and that would never happen.  The ride was quietly decommissioned, and the vehicles were removed.

As of now, the PeopleMove track is still standing there, unused and rusting away.  You can see it all over Tomorrowland.  Disney has long faced pressure to either revive the PeopleMover or remove the decaying track structure entirely, but as of now, no major Tomorrowland overhaul has happened.  If it were up to me, I'd take $50 million and rebuild the ride like this:

• Bring back the original cars, but give them a little more of a "futuristic" vibe.  Walt Disney World reset their PeopleMover with new cars, and called it "Tomorrowland Transit Authority".  Something like that would work fine.  The size of the old cars is probably fine, although if this ride were to ever get rebooted, the lines would be off the charts for the first year of operation.
• Build a second station in California Adventure, either where the Hollywood & Dine used to be, or maybe where the Studio 17 building is, since that seems to only be used for merch.
• As in the old days, set up the cars to pass through attractions:  Buzz Lightyear, the Innoventions Building, Space Mountain, and Star Tours.
• Tear down the Observatron, and rebuild the PeopleMover queue exactly where it was before.  Maybe build out the area below the queue for merch, churros, and DVC sales as well.
• Prep the space above the PeopleMover queue for the eventual return of the Rocket Jets, because unwinding the Astro Orbitor needs to be done as well.

Rocket Rods was an ambitious idea hampered by bad engineering compromises and budget problems — and it became one of Disneyland’s fastest high-profile failures.

Tomorrowland is a difficult land to maintain, because futuristic tech keeps overlapping it.  But keeping the displays futuristic is what corporate sponsorship is all about -- and the Innoventions building is the place for all that futurism to take place.  Bringing back the PeopleMover would get people off their feet on hot days, and let them see both theme parks from the air.  Figuring out how to mitigate safety issues with the Cosmic Waves would give kids a chance to play in the water and cool off on hot days.  And moving the Astro Orbiter back to its rightful place above the PeopleMover queue would restore a beloved ride that allows everyone to view Disneyland from above.

So, Disney -- here's my suggestion:  Stop burning piles of cash with horrible movies that are written by the children in your movie studios.  Take $100M that you'll save by NOT making horrible movies, and spend it on Tomorrowland instead.  Let's call it something like, "Make Tomorrowland Great Again".  Here, in chronological order, is the list of things to fix:

• NUKE THE ORBITRON / CREATE SOMETHING FOR THE MAGIC EYE THEATER
  
  It's not spinning, it's not playing music, it's not shining lights.  It's sculpture, and it's in the way.  Remove it immediately.  (Bonus:  You can do this without closing any other attractions -- because ALL THE ATTRACTIONS CONNECTED TO IT ARE DEAD.)
  
  As for the Magic Eye Theater -- it's been a dead zone since Honey I Shrunk The Audience was shut down.  This is a huge air-conditioned theater, which means it absorbs a lot of people, and gives folks a chance to get off their feet after waiting in that huge Space Mountain line.  There NEEDS to be a movie running here.  Not trailers for upcoming movies, not commercials for Disney+ shows, not "Captain EO" -- but some kind of movie.  Even the "Pixatr Short Film Festival", currently at Epcot, would be better than nothing.  Do like they're doing in Florida:  Show a couple of Pixar short films, and end it with "Get A Horse".
  
  As is the case with the Orbitron, this is something that can be done without disrupting existing attractions.
  
  
• REBUILD THE ROCKET JETS PLATFORM
  
  This is the first step towards undoing the damage Paul Pressler's "New Tomorrowland" caused.  Rocket Jets was emasculated when it was moved to ground level, and the Astro Orbiter is just in the way.  You need to put it back where it was, and be sure to include the elevator that takes guests up to the loading platform.  And when you build that elevator, be sure that it can also stop at the same level as the future PeopleMover station, because people in wheelchairs need to be able to get up there.  (More on this later.)
  
  (Bonus:  Still no other attractions affected, so you can do this without closing anything.)
  
  While you're here, find a way to increase the merchandising sales in the area under the PeopleMover platform.  You'll need those areas once the Innoventions building has been "converted".
  
  
• MOVE THE ASTRO ORBITER BACK TO THE ROCKET JETS
  
  Due to the horrible traffic issues this would cause, I think you should avoid closing the Tomorrowland entrance.  Putting up fencing around the Astro Orbiter is harsh enough on traffic.  But by going this route, you keep Star Tours and Buzz Lightyear up and running, which is important -- Tomorrowland doesn't have a lot of attractions, so you really need to keep them all running.  Maybe keep that open area under the PeopleMover track clear, to allow traffic to flow across.  This will probably take longer to complete, but only one ride would be shut down.
  
  When this task is completed, the traffic problems with Tomorrowland's entrance will be gone, and the Rocket Jets will be back.  Kids who are freaked out by a Dumbo ride being that high in the air will need to go over to Fantasyland and ride Dumbo.  All the rest of us are going to have a major nostalgia burst.
  
  
• FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE COSMIC WAVES CHEAPER AND SAFER
  
  This is one of the best things that came out of New Tomorrowland, and it was given the axe due to "safety concerns" and "high maintenance costs".  Really?  How much are the "maintenance costs" for the World Of Color fountains?  Or Fantasmic?  I bet they're a WEE more expensive than Cosmic Waves.
  
  Safety?  Water on the walkways?  Okay, then tear it all up, and rebuild it so that all the water flows back into the drains, and doesn't get on the sidewalks.  Disney engineers are clever, so I'm sure they can sort out how to make that work.
  
  And once again -- this can be done without shutting down any attractions.
  
  
• BRING BACK THE CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS
  
  Yes, this is a BIG ask.  But as is the case with Magic Eye Theater, Carousel of Progress is a great way to get a lot of people into a ride building, and cool them off in the summer.  It's also a possible way of getting a corporate sponsors, because the purpose of the attraction is to show how technology has improved all of our lives.  
  
  The original show was sponsored by GE, so of course a lot of time was spent on how electricity improved the standard of living.  But there were several other non-electrical ways in which our lives were changed forever, and the Carousel is the vehicle for demonstrating those things.  It is a history lesson in how our lives have been changed forever through technical innovation.
  
  As long as we're here, this show should be brought completely up to date, with new audio animatronics, and a brand new script.  But keep the original song -- nostalgia for the old attraction is a very strong motivator, and will attract thousands of people.  And it's catchy -- people will be singing it as they exit the attraction.
  
  Yes, this is expensive.  Yes, it gets rid of a merchandising opportunity.  It doesn't matter.  Put the merch back in the Star Trader or in the new merchandising areas under the PeopleMover loading station (remember when those were created?  this is why), and bring back this classic with a new look.
  
  
• BRING BACK THE PEOPLEMOVER
  
  This ... is the BIG KAHUNA.
  
  Here's the good news:  The track was modified for heavier, faster vehicles.  The original track was made for lighter vehicles that ran a maximum of 7 MPH.  The current track can handle vehicles much heavier, traveling up to 35 MPH.  Now, there's no way a PeopleMover is going to go that fast -- but it could go faster than 7 MPH.
  
  So this means the track doesn't need to be retrofitted.  It's already BEEN retrofitted.
  
  The old station needs to be rebuilt.  Keep the escalators, because they are practical.  (They're also still in use for the Haunted Mansion.)  And remember that the Rocket Jets elevator can let people off at the PeopleMover station?  That's how you get handicapped people onto the ride.
  
  Florida has a covered track for their Tomorrowland Transportation Authority.  Do the same here, for hot sunny days and the occasional rainy day.  Rebuild the cars so that people can't get out of them (yes, people actually did that, and two teenagers got themselves killed), but make sure that everyone can see everything they want to see.
  
  Then the big question is:  Expand the track to include California Adventure?
  
  PROS:  1) From the middle of Disneyland, you could get to DCA without having to walk all the way through the Esplanade; 2) It gives you a complete tour of both parks; 3) Ride capacity would go up due to a greater amount of track; 4) It would increase park-hopper ticket sales, although how much is kind of a nebulous amount.
  
  CONS:  1) The price tag goes WAY up, because of the extra track, extra station, and having to man the station with Cast Members, just like the Monorail station in Downtown Disney; 2) The ride is a lot longer now, so if you're looking for something quick, this won't be it (although if the cars are built to travel up to 15 MPH or so, getting between the parks would be pretty quick).
  
  Perhaps you get the PeopleMover built, back into operation, and then decide on a track expansion in a couple of years.  If the attraction takes off again (and it SHOULD, because it's so awesome), then people might welcome a track expansion.

When this is all over with, Tomorrowland will have the following attractions:

• Star Tours
• Buzz Lightyear
• PeopleMover
• Rocket Jets
• Cosmic Waves
• Space Mountain
• Magic Eye Theater
• Carousel Of Progress
• Submarines
• Autopia
• Monorail

Now THAT is what Tomorrowland should look like.

The Chess Chronicles, Part 12: Diplomats/The Arbiter

The original score was missing the pickup 8th notes going into m.13 (the "first" measure), so I decided to go back to the original soundtrack album and replace the missing notes with a 6/4 measure, which became m.12.  I added a repeat from m.12-15, and that gets us close enough to the original.

One of the challenges of this piece is figuring out how to divide the American and Russian delegations up.  There's nothing special in the background lyrics that forces them one way or the other, so it's sort of wide open.  We had all the Russians singing at m.20, all the Americans responding at m.22, the Russians at m.24, and then the Americans at m.26.

What really drives the vocal choices is the blocking.  The director should be free to block this any way they want to, and the music choices should reflect those choices -- NOT the other way around.  It becomes more natural looking.  But in general, the song should be a kind of "call/response" style.

One minor change in m.57:  Instead of "Wingeing Peasants", I replaced it with "Whining Peasants".  Seemed less complicated, and something that wouldn't puzzle audiences.

For the coda, I simplified the Russian 4-part choir by getting rid of the caesura and fermata.  It's one of those spots where seeing a conductor is critical, and since they can't see me, it made more sense to just put a ritard on it.  Then m.74 is sung a capella, and held -- THAT is where the fermata goes.  And as they hold that note, we segue into The Arbiter.

The first measure of Arbiter is that F# minor 3rd played as a trill.  I let the guitarist establish that, bring it out, and then counted in the drums.  One of the really neat things about this moment is that the last song ended in F# minor, so the transition is seamless.  

I cut a bunch of measures, and just repeated m.6 4X, then jumped to m.8, and went into the song from there.  Much simpler.  It's one of those times where adding complexity doesn't buy you anything, and you might as well keep it simple.

We played this song pretty much straightforward, but made a big cut at the end, going from the end of m.78 to m.159.  Then played to the fermata in m.164, and spiked on an 11 count.  This is another of those "no conductor" moments; in this case, we all need to cut off together, so the number of counts for the last note is "pre-programmed".

On the applause segue, we jumped to m.167 3X, vamped on m.171 until "OVERRULED", then on to m.175, vamp m.178 until "ALUMINIUM", then jump to m.182, vamp m.184 until "OBJECTION!", then vamp m.189 until "SPIRIT OF CHESS", then play the last two bars.

The choices that were made for these two pieces highlight the use of the original soundtrack album in making musical decisions.  In general, I favor going with simple, because it's quicker for rehearsals and easier on the ears. There's not a single audience member who will complain because there weren't enough vamps, or because the intro to Arbiter wasn't long enough.  Simplifying those musical moments helps keep the show moving, which is something that most directors want.

The Chess Chronicles, Part 11: Anatoly & Molokov/Where I Want To Be

After doing so many customizations, it's kind of nice to have a song with very few changes in it.  The introduction to the Russian team is played pretty much like the book, although there are a few little cuts and vamps to make it work for the Lyceum.

When performing these older songs, I prefer to go back to the original source to determine how the songs should sound.  In this case, it means abandoning the original introduction  I cut m.1-5 and 8, and replaced the little counter melody line in m.6-7.  It looks like this:

And we vamp on this until the voice comes in at m.9.  Since the melody line is similar to the vamp "hook", it fits just fine.  

I cut m.35-41, and did m.42-43 twice.  For our timing, this worked perfectly.

It's clear that this music was written by someone who has classical theory training, as the enharmonics were respected:

The melody line goes from Bb to A# as the chords go from Em-5 to F#/E.  They are the same pitch, but they are different notes.

For "Where I Want To Be", I only needed to add a vamp to m.11, and ritard as we exited the vamp.  The rest of the song was performed as is, with some minor tempo changes at the ends of each of the verses.

I ended up using a straight piano sound for this song, rather than a "honky tonk" or "thin piano" patch as in the original recording.  Our Anatoly was a solid opera singer, and going with a conventional sound complimented his voice.

This is one of my favorite songs in the show, and I was glad that we didn't need to do too much with it.  It also demonstrates that we didn't make change "for the sake of change"; we had good reasons to do all the customizations that we did.

The Chess Chronicles, Part 10: Press Conference

 This song is one of the few that are NOT on the soundtrack album.  Which is too bad, as it's a really great song, featuring some crazy time signature changes.  Since the Lyceum doesn't have a pit, I decided to "pre-set" the number of bars before the song comes in, rather than having a Vamp: 6 bars of 4, with the drums entering on the last bar to help cue Reporter 1.

The verses of this song are "question / answer", like a traditional press conference.  The reporters from the "commie newspapers", so their questions generally defend Sergievsky, which causes Trumper to react aggressively. 

In the "pre-chorus" (not sure what else to call it, as the "real" chorus is later in the song), the Reporters all sing in unison, criticizing Trumper's treatment of his opponent.  This is where the crazy time signatures happen:  5/8, 5/8, 6/8, 4/8, 5/8, 7/8, 6/8, 8/8, and back to 5/8.  These time signature changes take place over all eighth notes, so it has the feel of a "patter song".  

The 8/8 bar is actually a 5/8 bar, but due to the fact that it's sung so quickly, I decided to change two of the eighth notes in measure 22 into quarter notes; it gives the Reporters a chance to catch a breath, and I felt like the melody actually sounded less frenzied that way.  Here's what m.21-23 and m.29-30 look like with quarter notes added:

For the first chorus, we played it kind of salsa-esque Latin, but without the horn hits in the second half.  I liked the straight Latin sound and didn't want to interrupt it.  If we had had a larger band, with a horn section, I might have been persuaded to change my mind; however, MainStage patches have their limitations, and I didn't want a lame brass sound in the chorus of this very cool song.  So each of the choruses was played as straight Latin, without any of the hits.

For the chorus after Trumper punches the reporter, I decided to have Florence sing the first half of the chorus by herself, so the choir was tacet from m.119-126.  They come back in for the last half of the chorus with Florence.  Then for the coda of the song, we jumped from m.133 to m.142.  Coming off of Florence's line, the Reporters therefore say:

It's sad that the best his country's produced is crumbling in front of our eyes, and reduced to a mindless abuse and assault on all of mankind.  I think he shouldn't have come back.  He should have resigned.

The rhythm for the last measure is the same as the rhythm for m.30 above -- making the last two notes into quarters.  This keeps it consistent with each time we do that little rhythm.

The Reporters are VERY combative with Trumper, and I was curious whether this was typical of Eastern journalists in 1984.  I asked ChatGPT the following:

During the Cold War, what was the general approach that Eastern reporters took when interviewing Western sports figures?

The response included several characteristics of the Eastern approach to journalism.  I've added examples of these characteristics below each of them:

• Framing Through Ideology – Reporters often framed questions to highlight perceived flaws in Western capitalist societies, such as inequality, commercialism in sports, or the lack of state support for athletes.

From the first pre-chorus:  "Admit you're under duress and that your only skill left is for money not chess."  Trumper's motivation for profiting as much as possible is a recurring theme throughout Act 1.

• Comparative Narratives – Interviews sometimes steered toward comparisons between socialist and capitalist sports systems, emphasizing the superiority of state-sponsored athletic programs in Eastern Bloc nations.

From the first pre-chorus:  "If Soviet life is as grim as you claim, then how come their boys are so good at the game?"

There's also a clear insinuation that Trumper is an inferior player in the questions the Reporters ask in verse 1:  "Does your opponent deserve such abuse?  Even you must concede he can play.  He hasn't lost for a long time."  And from Chorus 2:  "You protest too much, we see your ploy; a big noise to hide your fears."

•  Political Undercurrents – While discussing sports, reporters might subtly or overtly introduce political themes, such as Western imperialism, racial discrimination, or economic disparity.

Chorus 1:  "Are you an asset to East/West relations?" 

•  Controlled and Cautious Tone – Given the state-controlled nature of media in the Eastern Bloc, reporters had limited freedom in their questioning and had to ensure that their content aligned with government messaging.

Chorus 3 can be seen as a USSR talking point: "He's finally flipped and between you and me he's no hope of retaining his crown in this frame of mind.  He shouldn't have come here.  He should have resigned."

•  Highlighting Western Struggles – Some interviews sought to extract comments from Western athletes that could be used to criticize Western policies, such as dissatisfaction with training conditions, pay, or social issues.

From Verse 2:  "They pay all that you ask for, and then you demand even more".  This highlights Trumpers constant demands for more dollars. 

While it may seem that the libretto leans towards supporting the USSR, the creative team publicly stated their intention to present both sides equally.  The press is clearly antagonistic towards Trumper; however, the American does receive sympathy in the second act during "Pity The Child", and by the end of the musical, Trumper is somewhat of a "good guy" for helping Sergievsky to spot weaknesses in his opponent's game.

The two primary characters therefore don't become caricatures of East and West, with Sergeivsky as the hero and Trumper as the villain.  They are more complicated than that, thus mirroring the reality of the Cold War:  It's easy to choose sides, but the truth is far more complicated.

Time To Get Back To Chess

 Just the other day, I was thinking that I hadn't posted about Chess in a while.  I made through to Press Conference, and then life got in the way.  Actually, the Hidden Mickey Wiki project got in the way.  But then there was the knee surgery, and the passing of my father-in-law, and the new show at Vanguard.  So there's a lot that could be said to be "getting in the way" of posting my Chess notes.

But those are just excuses.  I've been procrastinating and I should really get back to it.

And then I come across this on one of the blogs I read:

This is a painting called, "The Game Of Chess", and the artist is Lucas van Leyden.

Looks like it's in the Endgame.  I'm not sure whether the player at the right is male or female ... or whether that's meant to be ambiguous.  One of the onlookers is clearly unhappy with their choice, and is reaching for a difference piece.  The player at the left reeks with confidence, and doesn't seem to care that someone else is trying to help his opponent.

In the musical, the brash American Freddie Trumper is like the player on the left -- seemingly not caring about the game, which appears to be beneath him.  And the meek player on the right does remind me a little bit of Anatoly.  But the kibbitzer doesn't really fit in with the analogy; I doubt that Molokov would ever dare telling Anatoly what moves to make.

Press Conference is coming soon.  It's one of my favorites, and it's one of the songs that did not appear on the double album soundtrack.

HM Wiki Updates

• HM Wiki has a Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572546510153
• There's a X/Twitter page too:  @HMickeyWiki
• Started a "Ballot" page, to gather together all the voting.  I still want to change the look of it - make it leaner, and easier to access using mobile devices.  Just need to figure out the proper CSS for it.
• It occurred to me this week that this collection will be the largest online.  Even after lobbing over all the Mickeys I know about on Runaway Railway to Steven B, he's still missing several that are in the HM Wiki catalog.
• Bing has started showing impression results, and Google has been showing them for a while.  Looks like the scans are producing results.  It's a slow start, obviously, but hopefully it'll pick up. 
• Still looking forward to my first real report.  It'll feel like getting your first dollar when you open a restaurant.

Once I've finished harvesting all the HMs I can find online, it'll be time to circle back to Genealogy.  I need to learn the fine art of presenting photos, and the best way is probably to work my way through Grandma's photo album along with Aunt Sue's oral annotations.  I could probably include Uncle Carl as well.

Hidden Mickey Wiki -- All Systems Go

Hidden Mickey Wiki has been launched, and is now available for public use.  The site was launched on 9-Jan, 10:25 AM, while sitting in the lobby of a physical therapy office.  No, I am not making that up.

I did a few Google-centric things to try and raise my "SEO Score", and we'll see how that goes.  It's not a complicated site, so if there's meta-info that needs to be added to improve my search score, it should be pretty easy to fix.

Still a few minor items to complete before the launch is official.  I still need to create a Facebook account to go with the X account, and I think I should probably announce it from my personal Facebook account just to get it going.  Also, need to reach out to all the email addresses on Tom's original site.  He hoovered up email addresses from contributors back before the "Days Of Spam", so that's a possible source of people that might still have an interest in contributing.

Most of the sites that have Hidden Mickeys are including them as part of their general articles.  "Top 15 Hidden Mickeys Of Disneyland", or "Ten Hidden Mickeys You Need To See Before You Die".  I haven't seen anyone doing what I'm trying to do, which is to build up a catalog of all current Mickeys as well as new sightings

To all who enter Hidden Mickey Wiki -- welcome! 

Of websites and 90-90 rules

 I asked ChatGPT about the development phenomena when 90% of a project seems to take only 50% of the time, but the other 10% takes the remaining 50% of the time.  It kicked this out:

The rule you're referring to is often called the 90-90 rule. It humorously describes the phenomenon where the first 90% of a project takes 90% of the allotted time, and the last 10% takes the remaining 90%—suggesting that projects often take much longer than initially anticipated.

This "rule" is typically used in software development and other creative or complex projects to highlight the difficulty of accurately estimating how long tasks will take, especially as a project nears completion. It underscores how unforeseen challenges or the final polish can significantly extend timelines.

Never heard it referred to as that, but it's appropriate.  I've nearly completed the Hidden Mickey content for Hidden Mickey Wiki, but I'm finding there's a lot more left to do before launching.  My hopes of starting up the site on Jan 1 are pretty much gone.

Shouldn't be too much longer though  I've been moving some of the "B-Tasks" over from the "Launch" project into the "After Launch" project, which is going to make things much simpler.  I'd really like to get it all rolling before digging into less importing things.