A Spirited Perfect Ten

[lazyboy97o]

Just a friendly reminder that if WDW was doing anything remotely worth discussing, we wouldn't have 20+ pages of @AEfx garbage to sift through.

Thanks, Iger.

Or a dozen people could stop quoting the same posts with the same baseless counters and accusations.

 

[misterID]

Just a friendly reminder that if WDW was doing anything remotely worth discussing, we wouldn't have 20+ pages of @AEfx garbage to sift through.

Thanks, Iger.

Lol
I never thought of it that way. That guy just keeps putting the screws to us, even on the forum.Thanks Bob.

 

[doctornick]

Maybe not, but twenty pages worth of asking the same question? Unquestionably overkill.

Not for nothing, but throughout this thread, we've seen WDW1974 repeat the same concerns over and over and over....

"Where is a picture of Iger at Shanghai?"

"What happened to the $800M?"

"Why did Willow squash the Huffington Post article?"

"Why wasn't there any pictures of Iger at the Disney Store opening?"

Seems to me that stating the same things repeatedly to make a point is just the way things go in this thread.

 

[Milk Crate]

Maybe not, but twenty pages worth of asking the same question? Unquestionably overkill.

Not 20 pages of the same question. Just asking the same question over many pages. And fair questions. 20 pages of the same assertion without proof is fair enough but 20 pages questioning that assertion without proof is trolling or people should who should just abandon thread? It's fair to question. Spirit shouldn't be threatened by questioning. Anyone with insider info (without proof, as is the norm) should expect naysayers.

The $800m claim is also much different than any rumors about park construction, etc. That's quite a scoop I'd expect one could find an outlet to report on that if that were indeed one's goal.

But then the excuse is "what do you know, you're just a _____". Milk crate? Probably.

Nobody can prove a thing either way. You believe or you don't.

 

[AEfx]

would like it if I went into all the Disney Resort and Disney Dining and Disney General threads and started telling the folks there how stupid I think they are because of the ignorant travel plans they are making and their total lack of respect for money. That's what my 'fans' are doing here, they're just doing it in a much nastier, much more OCD fashion. It needs to stop.

I think if you'd like to set a more positive tone, you'd stop making backhanded comments about people and attracting the very negative attention that you claim to rally against. You can pretend this is all about attacks on you, that's your gig, I don't think even your supporters will deny that. But you've moved from this supposed Twitter vendetta against you and transferred it to long-time posters here. You revel in it in nearly every posting. You can play the battered spouse all you want, but your posting history and the obvious machinations are plainly visible to all.

If you are going to be so quick to attack folks, then quite frankly you need a tougher skin. If you were just innocently posting information and didn't have a history of attacking people who simply disagreed with you or dared ask a few questions, this thread would not be in this position.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Not 20 pages of the same question. Just asking the same question over many pages. And fair questions. 20 pages of the same assertion without proof is fair enough but 20 pages questioning that assertion without proof is trolling or people should who should just abandon thread? It's fair to question. Spirit shouldn't be threatened by questioning. Anyone with insider info (without proof, as is the norm) should expect naysayers.

The $800m claim is also much different than any rumors about park construction, etc. That's quite a scoop I'd expect one could find an outlet to report on that if that were indeed one's goal.

But then the excuse is "what do you know, you're just a _____". Milk crate? Probably.

Nobody can prove a thing either way. You believe or you don't.

The thing with the $800M is that it was announced a few weeks before a Chinese official Connected to the project was sacked/investigated/arrested for taking bribes.

Might be coincidence. Might not be. We simply don't know

 

[WDW1974]

So, Spirit, Ben contacted you? What kind of things did he ask? Did he come of as professional when you visited with him? Did he seem to give you the impression he was going to write the article?

I contacted him. He contacted me in return. He asked for information regarding what I had forwarded to him regarding Disney and China. He, naturally, asked for where I got the info and why I was interested. I made it clear that I because I worked in media I was naturally skeptical of any and everything and that I would not reveal my sources (except for one who was quite open that I could do so). I pushed him where I felt he could find others. I never visited with him. He is based in LA and I'm in Florida right now. Yes, he came off as a professional to me.

No, he never gave that impression. He gave the impression that he wanted to gather as much information as he possibly could. That is typical of any reporter. He also wanted as much 'help' as was possible and I told him I could only offer so much. I don't believe that citizens should be doing the job of the press because I always did my own work when I was in the field. I also got the feeling that he would have loved for me to largely write the story for him, whether or not he ever did anything with it. I told him he could find info many places, including certain posts on this site (both from me and others).

He also said he had independently, through his own sources, verified some of what was placed on Page 877 here as related to Iger and Staggs not being seen at all in their coming out BRAND party in Shanghai ...

Odd that not even a hint of that made it into his main story (no, not the detailed scene by scene piece on the Frozen ride.)

and FWIW, I liked the Spurs / Heat better from a pure basketball perspective, but Steph Curry / Labron match up sure is fun to watch....

Not last year. Too one-sided.

 

[Mike S]

"Book of Mormon" is awesome! I ended up buying the soundtrack as well and those songs are constant "earworms" in my head.

I saw this past Friday in San Fran, and a couple years ago in Toronto during its inaugural tour.

You are going to love it! I'd still be humming it if Fantasmic/Paint the night weren't such brain worms.

I absolutely loved it!!! It had me in hysterics!!!!!!!! I wouldn't expect anything less from the creators of South Park. Remember how I said my tickets were cheap? $32............. for the first row

Just a friendly reminder that if WDW was doing anything remotely worth discussing, we wouldn't have 20+ pages of @AEfx garbage to sift through.

Thanks, Iger.

Skipped a lot of posts to catch up. Jeez guys...........

 

[WDW1974]

I get where youre coming from but something isn't right in the state of Denmark.

And yes, people should be contacting the board of directors about this.

I -- and others -- have reached out to at least three Board members that I am aware of (possibly others were contacted by people that are not me!) I won't list all of them because I may go back to them, except to say I did attempt to reach Sheryl Sandberg (well before the recent death of her husband in Mexico). I was rebuffed and never got a response from any.

Rest assured, my correspondence was discussed and likely brought to the attention of Bob Iger or, at least, Zenia Mucha.

 

[asianway]

That's fine. You've been fair and respectful and not a drama queen, so feel free to ask away ... if I can answer, then I certainly will.

I think the thread has moved waaay too fast of late. Too many people repeating the same talking points, many of which are flat out lies.

I expected the fast movement back when you dropped the china trip itinerary. Wonder what took them so long

 

[doctornick]

The thing with the $800M is that it was announced a few weeks before a Chinese official Connected to the project was sacked/investigated/arrested for taking bribes.

Might be coincidence. Might not be. We simply don't know

No offense, but I hate these kinds of posts. There's nothing linking the $800M for SDL with the Chinese official arrested for bribery. Nothing. But if people keep mentioning them both together eventually it just makes it seems like they "have" to be related because they seem so intertwined.

If you want to suggest that the $800M went to bribes, then say it directly. But people have to stop the "hey it could be a coincidence" crap by mentioning them together. The subtext is obvious even with the inevitable "I never said they were related" follow up.

(This isn't meant to be directed specifically at PhotoDave219 as a lot of people have done this.)

 

[AEfx]

He, naturally, asked for where I got the info and why I was interested. I made it clear that I because I worked in media I was naturally skeptical of any and everything and that I would not reveal my sources (except for one who was quite open that I could do so). I pushed him where I felt he could find others. I never visited with him. He is based in LA and I'm in Florida right now. Yes, he came off as a professional to me.

So, you did not tell him about hundreds of message board postings where you have attacked "The Weatherman" with the most derogatory tone possible over every single thing you possibly could think of, and you wouldn't reveal your sources (except for one) to him any more than you have here anonymously to us?

That explains a lot.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I expected the fast movement back when you dropped the china trip itinerary. Wonder what took them so long

Who is them? Why the fear of naming names?

 

[WDW1974]

Spirit approaches his reporting as if he were being held to high journalistic standards. Most of what he puts out, especially anything involving China, has been vetted with at least three separate sources. This is very carefully thought out. Whether some folks choose to understand or appreciate this is up to those who question the quality of the reporting.

I appreciate the kind words, but understand that you're now marked (BRANDED!?) as one of my minions. To be clear, though, I don't vet everything thru three sources. I'd love to, but that usually isn't possible. The standard in journalism used to be two separate sources. That's what I do when I can. Most of the time. Sometimes, I need to go with one, but only do so when I can vet the info as well as the individual.

Thanks again!

 

[PhotoDave219]

No offense, but I hate these kinds of posts. There's nothing linking the $800M for SDL with the Chinese official arrested for bribery. Nothing. But if people keep mentioning them both together eventually it just makes it seems like they "have" to be related because they seem so intertwined.

If you want to suggest that the $800M went to bribes, then say it directly. But people have to stop the "hey it could be a coincidence" crap by mentioning them together. The subtext is obvious even with the inevitable "I never said they were related" follow up.

(This isn't meant to be directed specifically at PhotoDave219 as a lot of people have done this.)

You're right. And there's nothing that connects the two. And my gut says it's about something else.

It doesn't feel right tho.

 

[Phil12]

No offense, but I hate these kinds of posts. There's nothing linking the $800M for SDL with the Chinese official arrested for bribery. Nothing. But if people keep mentioning them both together eventually it just makes it seems like they "have" to be related because they seem so intertwined.

If you want to suggest that the $800M went to bribes, then say it directly. But people have to stop the "hey it could be a coincidence" crap by mentioning them together. The subtext is obvious even with the inevitable "I never said they were related" follow up.

(This isn't meant to be directed specifically at PhotoDave219 as a lot of people have done this.)

The combination of unrelated events into ipso facto conclusions permeate this entire China story.

 

[WDW1974]

You're assuming its peanuts. Could be that Ben started digging around. After what happened with FIFA, you really want a WSJ journalist chasing down a missing $800M thats rumored to be graft? Even the mere appearance of impropriety is insanely bad.

To be clear, I never have suggested that $800 million went to graft. I have said flat out that I would find it as impossible as an elephant flying that Disney (or any company) wasn't involved in some graft over there. ... Recall, that the HuffPo opinion piece that Bob was so needy to have scrubbed from the 'net didn't mention any connection to Disney and graft. It also didn't say anything about $800 million. It made a passing reference to the Central Government's crackdown affecting business. That alone appears to be why the story disappeared.

I believe much of the $800 million went to rebuild shoddy work and deal with the same contractors that did the crappy work to begin with (which could be considered graft in and of itself to begin with). But when the CEO of TWDC says they are so thrilled with the amazing resort sprouting up in the smog of Shanghai's outlying areas that they are adding $800 million for ''additional capacity and added attractions'' and then doesn't follow thru, it is a matter for shareholders, the financial press and, yes, possibly the SEC.

So in the business journalism world, you throw him a bone. You give him an exclusive in order to hold him off on China and likely promise that when its time to talk China, he's first in line. Of course, that timeframe will expire at some point.

You have no idea what you are talking about. It's all about Iger waving his ginormous genitalia in the faces of the Chinese saying 'Yo, beeeatches ... Mickey and Bob are here. Let's play!' Oh wait ... I was confused, this was for something else.

But, yes, that is how the game is played. Now, how many posts (I'll say 43) will tell you that you don't know how journalism works at all. ... Lonely fanbois do!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I appreciate the kind words, but understand that you're now marked (BRANDED!?) as one of my minions. To be clear, though, I don't vet everything thru three sources. I'd love to, but that usually isn't possible. The standard in journalism used to be two separate sources. That's what I do when I can. Most of the time. Sometimes, I need to go with one, but only do so when I can vet the info as well as the individual.

Thanks again!

 

[Nemo14]

The persistent questioning of the validity of Spirit's posts and the obvious annoyance at his answers really makes me question the motivation of some posters here. If you don't care for what he's saying, then why read them? Life is too short.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I believe much of the $800 million went to rebuild shoddy work and deal with the same contractors that did the crappy work to begin with (which could be considered graft in and of itself to begin with).

If this is the case then it is a big flag in the "Disney NOT fumbling" category. It means Disney has been given control over the LDI. Trading a character cavalcade for something like that is an easy choice.