A 13-year-old girl visiting Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom lost both of her feet when a ride malfunctioned Thursday afternoon. It happened about 4:45 p.m. on the Superman Tower of Power, formerly known as the Hell-a-Vator.
Here's how the Superman Tower of Power works: riders are strapped in and slowly taken up to 177 feet before a free-fall of 154 feet, reaching a speed of 54 miles-per-hour before easing to a stop about 20 feet above the ground.
A Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom spokesperson said that they inspect each ride every day before the park opens, and officials released the following statement late Thursday afternoon.
At approximately 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, 6-21-07, the Superman Tower of Power ride at the Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Park in Louisville, Ky. malfunctioned and injured a 13-year-old female, whose legs were severed above the ankle. The EMTs at the park were on the scene immediately and the girl was transported to UL hospital, where she is currently being treated.
We have been in contact with both the hospital and her family.
The ride has been shut down and will remain so until a full investigation has been completed. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide whatever assistance we can.
In case you can't make out what the writing inside the cover of the matchbook says:
"Dear Jonatan, Thanks for the good time at the no-pants party. [heart] Crystal"
I found this matchbook in front of my old apartment on Boston Ave. in Medford, MA. I was so pumped when I found it again in a box of papers under the bookshelf in my room. Here's a link to a previously featured "Find of the Day" (08/13/06) of mine: Identity Crisis.
I'll be sure to let you know how this one turns out.
Episode 5 of "Clark and Michael, the series!" is going to be posted tomorrow on ClarkAndMichael.com. This episode features David Cross of "Mr. Show" and "Arrested Development" fame! It's known around the internet as 'the lost episode' (for some reason) and is now for the first time being brought to you! I've been watching these episodes every week (or however often new episodes are being released) and I'm definitely enjoying them a lot. You should check them out if you get a chance!
Also- I found this image while searching for an image of David Cross for this post. It's David Cross' actual AMEX card with his businesses name on it:
The last I knew the entire film was only supposed to be up for a week. However this has since been extended through August 15th. Pretty awesome. You should definitely check it out, I probably will this evening or tomorrow sometime. You can watch it right here [below] if you'd like.
I was never a big fan of MTV's "The Real World"-- until the San Diego season in 2004. I have some very fond memories of RWSD- my roommates [7W3] and I would always make a point of watching it. I realize that probably sounds ridiculous; an apartment full of dudes in there 20's being stoked on MTV's "R-Dubs". But it's completely the truth. There was something about that cast that we loved. We must've felt like we could relate to them somehow. Maybe it was the way that they were all such different people but still managed to get along pretty well in spite of their obvious differences, maybe it was all of the 40oz beers that they drank? Also they weren't exactly your typical RW cast in that they weren't really whores, at least I don't remember them that way. I don't know, but there was just something about those kids that made us want to keep watching- Jacquese, Brad, Big Ran, Cameran, Frankie, Robin, Jamie, and Charlie (a later addition to the cast brought on to replace Frankie when she eventually left the show - not pictured above).
[Just to clarify- I haven't watched that show since season 14, except for maybe the following season for a few episodes. It just wasn't the same though.]
In any case, I'm sorry to report that over the weekend Frankie passed away. Even though she would sometimes make things more interesting on the show, we were never huge fans of her. I can remember coming home from an evening class the night that the episode where she got caught cutting herself aired. One of my roommates at the time had recorded the episode for whoever missed it, and the label to the VHS cassette read "FRANKIE THE CUTTER" in big black marker. Somehow her self-mutilation became a joke around the apartment after that (not to say that people cutting themselves is funny- at all). But let's be realistic - this was the same girl who had cystic fibrosis and still smoked cigarettes all of the time. It's hard to take someone like that very seriously.
"Frankie Abernathy, the punk rock-adoring former "Real World: San Diego" housemate whose struggle with cystic fibrosis helped to further raise national awareness about the chronic lung disease, died Saturday evening in her mother Abbie Hunter's Shorewood, Wisconsin, home. An official cause of death has yet to be determined; Abernathy was 25." Read more at MTV.com:'Real World: San Diego' Alum Frankie Abernathy Dead At 25
Here's a synopsis of the film directly from Michael Moore's website:
"The words "health care" and "comedy" aren't usually found in the same sentence, but in Academy Award winning filmmaker Michael Moore's new movie 'SiCKO,' they go together hand in (rubber) glove.
Opening with profiles of several ordinary Americans whose lives have been disrupted, shattered, and—in some cases—ended by health care catastrophe, the film makes clear that the crisis doesn't only affect the 47 million uninsured citizens—millions of others who dutifully pay their premiums often get strangled by bureaucratic red tape as well.
After detailing just how the system got into such a mess (the short answer: profits and Nixon), we are whisked around the world, visiting countries including Canada, Great Britain and France, where all citizens receive free medical benefits. Finally, Moore gathers a group of 9/11 heroes – rescue workers now suffering from debilitating illnesses who have been denied medical attention in the US. He takes them to a most expected place, and in addition to finally receiving care, they also engage in some unexpected diplomacy.
While Moore's 'SiCKO' follows the trailblazing path of previous hit films, the Oscar-winning BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and all-time box-office documentary champ FAHRENHEIT 9/11, it is also something very different for Michael Moore. 'SiCKO' is a straight-from-the-heart portrait of the crazy and sometimes cruel U.S. health care system, told from the vantage of everyday people faced with extraordinary and bizarre challenges in their quest for basic health coverage.
In the tradition of Mark Twain or Will Rogers, 'SiCKO' uses humor to tell these compelling stories, leading the audience conclude that an alternative system is the only possible answer."
The Trailer:
Watch The Entire Film:SiCKO [...actually it's been removed from this location, sorry!]
The winning remix will be used as a b-side on a future Cursive single.
Grand Prize Winner: Bad Sects (A Crude Mechanical) - A Crude Mechanical
Runner Ups: More Bad Sects - EzScene Rough Sects - Plus Move Does Cursive Bad Sects (Jameson Whiskey Mix) - Optronix Bad Sects (OCELOT rmx) - OCELOT Bad Sects (Crane Style Remix) - Matt Crane
In a MySpace bulletin with the subject line "The Blow is not over" -Khaela Maricich had this to say earlier this afternoon:
"Don't worry everyone, The Blow is not done making music and touring. Jona decided he wants to focus on YACHT (his solo project) so he won't be making the beats anymore, but Khaela is still going strong! you definitely haven't heard the last of The Blow."
Queens of the Stone Age have confirmed two weeks of U.S. tour dates in support of their forthcoming album, Era Vulgaris (out June 12th via Interscope Records). The "Duluth Tour", as it has been coined, starts July 22nd in Costa Mesa, CA. The small venue tour then makes its way to the north, heading east to such places as Missoula, MT, Fargo, ND and of course Duluth, MN. The fun doesn't stop there! Queens of the Stone Age continue to make their way to the south with stops in Little Rock, AR and Oklahoma City, OK. Apparently Boston will just have to wait for it's turn.
The Duluth Tour 7/22 - Costa Mesa, CA - OC Fair 2/24 - Chico, CA - Senator Theater 7/25 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater 7/27 - Boise, ID - The Big Easy 7/28 - Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater 7/29 - Billings, MT - Shire Auditorium 7/31 - Fargo, ND - Playmaker's 8/01 - Duluth, MN - DECC Arena 8/04 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room 8/07 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theater 8/08 - Little Rock, AR - The Village 8/10 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Bathroom 8/11 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
In addition to touring this summer, Queens of the Stone Age are also releasing renditions of songs by Tom Waits and Elliott Smith. These are available from their European online store now, the limited edition single of "Sick Sick Sick" features covers of Tom Waits' "Goin' Out West" and Elliott Smith's "Christian Brothers" as B-sides, along with a remix of "I'm Designer"-- (a track from the forthcoming Era Vulgaris LP). [pf]
Stream: Queens of the Stone Age: "Goin' Out West" [The limited edition digipack can also be purchased here.]
Video for "Sick Sick Sick":
Queens of the Stone Age have also released an alternate video for their first single "Sick Sick Sick". I don't like it as much as the original. I think it sort of looks like a racy low-budget iPod commercial or something. If you're interested you can check it out here: YouTube.com
MP3: Queens of the Stone Age: "Sick Sick Sick" [feat. Julian Casablancas of The Strokes] MP3: Queens of the Stone Age: "Era Vulgaris" [feat. Trent Reznor] - Not actually on the album. MP3: Queens of the Stone Age: "3's & 7's"
I would like to take this chance to extend my condolences to John's family, friends, and bandmates. My thoughts are with them during this extremely difficult time.
I briefly had the pleasure of making John's acquaintance in 2006. This was at Great Scott in Allston, which I believe was also the first time that I saw Ra Ra Riot perform (w/ The Bikini Carwash Co. 08/30/06). They just blew me away, and on top of that- after the show they proved to be some of the friendliest, most down to earth people you could ever hope to meet.
Here's one of my favorite live recordings of the band, live on WOXY.com:
Track Listing 1. Fever 2. Everest (working title was "Digging" when performed) -- interview -- 3. Can You Tell 4. Each Year (working title was "At Night" when performed) 5. Dying Is Fine -- interview -- 6. Hounds of Love (Kate Bush cover - not listed on WOXY.com) MP3: Ra Ra Riot: WOXY.com Lounge Act 9/12/06 (36:43)
This is what Pitchfork wrote about John's passing:
Twenty-three year old John Pike, drummer for Syracuse sextet Ra Ra Riot, was found dead near Fairhaven, Massachusetts yesterday (June 3).
According to a SouthCoastToday.com report, Pike had gone missing early in the morning on June 2, after attending a house party. He had played Providence, Rhode Island's Living Room with Ra Ra Riot before the party on the night of June 1.
Police found Pike's body in approximately seven feet of coastal water, in an area known as Wilbur's Point. Authorities believe the cause of death to be drowning, but will not confirm until an autopsy has been performed. [Update: Drummer's Autopsy Reveals "No Determination" -BBC™]
Ra Ra Riot have been amassing an enthusiastic fanbase on the strength of a high-energy live show and one of the best "Hounds of Love" covers this side of the Futureheads. The band's self-titled debut EP is available now and due for proper release via the Rebel Group on July 10th. They have a series of dates lined up with Tokyo Police Club in July, although it is unknown at this time whether those shows will go on as planned.
Ra Ra Riot dates:
06-08 Hartford, CT - Sweet Jane's [CANCELED] 06-29 New York, NY - South Street Seaport Festival 07-24 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop * 07-25 Cincinnati, OH - Decibel Lounge * 07-26 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen * 07-29 Austin, TX - Emo's # 07-30 Houston, TX - Meridian Red Room # 07-31 Dallas, TX - Cambridge Room at House of Blues # 08-01 New Orleans, LA - The Republic # 08-02 Atlanta, GA - Vinyl # 08-04 Greenville, NC - The Spazzatorium Galleria 08-07 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel # 08-08 Baltimore, MD - Sonar # 08-09 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's # 08-10 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom # 08-11 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's # 08-12 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs # 09-14 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Monolith Festival)
